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
Macao airport reports Q1 passenger growth, steady holiday traffic

Xinhua) 09:58, April 09, 2026

MACAO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Macau International Airport (MIA) recorded growth in passenger traffic in the first quarter of 2026, it said in a press release on Wednesday.

The airport registered 2,117,427 passenger traffic in the first quarter, up about 15 percent year-on-year, while aircraft movements rose 10 percent to 15,952, according to the release.

The MIA noted that passengers from the mainland accounted for 41 percent of the total, and those from Taiwan for 19 percent. International passenger traffic reached 224,000 in the first two months, an increase of 11 percent year-on-year.

During the Easter and Qingming Festival holidays from last Friday to Tuesday, the airport handled 115,000 passengers and 856 aircraft movements, up 2.6 percent and 9.1 percent year-on-year, respectively.

The MIA said it is stepping up efforts to expand its route network ahead of summer, working with airlines on new routes to the mainland and Northeast Asia.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Sherry Magby, 37, has been charged with six counts of second-degree cruelty to children (Douglas County Sheriff's Office)

A 1-year-old child who had eaten ants and cockroaches was found dead in a Georgia home where five other children had been left alone by their mother in squalid conditions, say police.

Investigators reported that six children, ranging in age from 1 to 10, had been unsupervised in the home for around 12 hours without food.

The eldest child reportedly told officers that the toddler had been eating insects before his death.

Authorities say the 10-year-old was left to supervise the younger siblings, who were aged 2, 4, 6 and 8.

Sherry Magby, 37, has been charged with six counts of second-degree child cruelty. Authorities suggest additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues.

According to ABC affiliate WSB-TV, police were called to the residence on James D. Simpson Avenue in late March regarding a report of cardiac arrest. Upon arrival, officers discovered the body of a 1-year-old boy.

Responding officers reported a foul odor at the home and found a 10-year-old child attempting to care for five younger siblings. The eldest child told police the toddler had been eating insects before he died (Getty/iStock)

The responding officers noted a foul odor and described the interior of the home as being in total disarray.

The incident has shaken the neighborhood, as the home is located near several local support services.

Ken Howell, who runs a community outreach center, steps away from the house, said he was shocked the family had not asked for help.

I just don't understand how that could be that close and knowing were right here, Howell told WSB-TV.

The center is dedicated to uplifting the neighborhood and providing food to those in need, he said. Neighbors expressed similar concerns, stating they frequently saw the children playing outside but rarely saw their mother.

Magby is currently being held without bond. Court records indicate this is not her first encounter with the legal system regarding the safety of her children. She was already out on bond for a 2023 incident in which she was accused of stabbing one of her children in the back with a pocketknife. She is scheduled to stand trial for that case next month.

The Douglas County Coroners office has confirmed the toddler's death, though a specific cause of death has not yet been released.
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.

In Texas, you can stay in a remarkable sculpture fashioned from scrap steel (pictured) (Courtesy of Airbnb Community)

A lodge shaped like a camera, a live-in steel sculpture, and a floating cottage with all the mod cons.

Welcome to Airbnb's list of the most wishlisted U.S. rentals for 2026, which the platform says are "remarkable stays" that "represent a growing demand for travel experiences that go beyond the ordinary."

In a recent survey commissioned by Airbnb, over half of the respondents said a unique or interesting listing would inspire them to visit a destination they hadn't previously considered.

Scroll down to see if our 10 favorites from the list fire up your wanderlust.

1. Key West Outpost, Florida

Key West Outpost is a fully functional floating cottage (Courtesy of Airbnb Community)

The Outpost is a floating cottage surrounded by the backcountry waters of Key West that's surprisingly well-equipped given its off-grid location.

The layout includes front and back decks, a sitting area/game room and a fully equipped kitchen. There's a bathroom off the kitchen and a living room with a futon that converts to a bed. In addition, there's a loft with a second bedroom and a topside sitting area for 360-degree views.

One reviewer described it as a very tranquil and cool experience.

Sleeps four. Costs from around $700 per night. Airbnb

2. Beach Home with Great Views, Milford, Delaware

This beach home is perfect for Atlantic Ocean sunrises and sunsets (Courtesy of Airbnb Community/Kurtz Aerial Photography)

The owners of this Atlantic Ocean vacation home say that guests are guaranteed "plenty of peace and privacy."

They add: "Our guests can enjoy beautiful sunrises and sunsets. And for outdoor enthusiasts, our location offers great opportunities for fishing and crabbing."

One reviewer said: "What a gem! The place was clean, as described, and absolutely perfect for a relaxing ocean stay."

Sleeps seven. Costs from around $1,300 (two-night minimum stay). Airbnb

3. Waterfront Home, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

This canalside home is beautifully decorated (Courtesy of Airbnb Community)

This recently renovated canalside home, a short drive from Bay St. Louis and the city's beaches, has an outdoor bar area and a fire pit, and guests can even fish from the backyard.

Inside, there are modern bathrooms, three smart TVs, a wash-dryer, and two bedrooms, one with a queen sleeper sofa.

One reviewer said: "We loved fishing from the back yard, reading on the deck, riding bicycles, and playing games at the table. The home was beautifully decorated yet free of clutter."

Sleeps eight. Costs from $335. Airbnb

4. Romantic Montana A-Frame with Hot Tub and Views, Jefferson City

This retreat is located between Yellowstone and Glacier national parks and praised as so beautiful (Courtesy of Airbnb Community/Nagle Media)

This retreat is set on 20 private acres and boasts "sweeping mountain views," according to the listing.

It adds: "Thoughtfully designed for romantic getaways and intimate friend trips, find yourself relaxing in the hot tub under starlit skies, enjoying cozy evenings by the fire, and crisp mornings on the patio watching the sunrise."

The property is located between Yellowstone and Glacier national parks and is described by one past guest as "so beautiful."

Sleeps six. Costs from $1,000 (two-night minimum stay). Airbnb

5. Vermont Treehouse in the Woods, Hardwick

This treehouse in Vermont offers a quiet and magical escape (Courtesy of Airbnb Community/Chris & Pam Daniele/@dirtandglass/@heypamcakes)

"This is a true forest stay," says the listing, which adds that it will appeal if you're seeking "solitude, connection, and a meaningful pause."

In the warmer months, you can "open the windows and fall asleep to the sounds of the stream and forest," while in the winter, a "quiet and magical" atmosphere pervades.

Features include a living space, lofted sleeping area and wood-fired sauna.

"Truly something special," was the verdict from one past guest.

Sleeps two. Costs from $335. Airbnb

6. Spectacular Silo House on Litchfield Hills Estate, Connecticut

The Connecticut silo house is set in grounds that one guest desribed as a secret world (Courtesy of Airbnb Community)

This unique home is set in 170 acres of manicured grounds with a covered bridge that one guest described as a "secret world waiting to be discovered," adding: "This Airbnb is a sanctuary, a place that inspires you to be a better version of yourself."

On the practical side, it features 1.5 bathrooms, a tumble dryer, a fully equipped kitchen and a large patio area with a propane grill.

Sleeps four. Costs from $1,200 (two-night minimum stay). Airbnb

7. Robert Bruno Steel House, Ransom Canyon, Texas

Check into this home in Texas if youd like to spend the night in a work of art (Courtesy of Airbnb Community)

This is your chance to spend the night in a sculpture, declares the listing.

The Robert Bruno Steel House was designed and built by the American sculptor and artist Robert R. Bruno Jr, who fashioned the structure from scrap steel.

The live-in artwork features a full kitchen, laundry facilities and views of Lake Ransom Canyon. "Definitely a neat experience," said one guest.

Sleeps eight. Costs from $760. Airbnb

8. The Lens Lodge, Ellijay, Georgia

The bed in this unique camera-shaped lodge is positioned in the lens (Courtesy of Airbnb Community/Blue Ridge Drones)

You'll find it hard to be negative about this camera-shaped lodge, which features a memory foam bed positioned in the "lens."

While snug under the duvet, you can gaze across at a "beautiful mountainscape," then make breakfast in the fully fitted kitchen, complete with island.

"Beyond expectations," was one summation from a past guest.

Sleeps four. Costs from $500. Airbnb

9. Cozy Modern Treehouse, North Bend, Washington

One guest said she felt like a fairy in a fairytale while staying in this treehouse (Courtesy of Airbnb Community)

Read more: 9 of Americas most unusual hotels, from the Clown Motel to an aircraft hangar

Nature awaits at this cedar treehouse, which is nestled in enchanting old-growth forest.

On the main floor is a small kitchenette with a Keurig coffee machine, microwave, hot water pot, and a small fridge. Theres also an outdoor kitchen space with a small grill, single-burner camp stove, and a large crock of drinking water, plus a propane-fed hot shower.

In the evenings, you can enjoy cozy movie nights courtesy of a 100-inch projector.

One guest said she "felt like a fairy in a fairytale."

Sleeps two. Costs from $500 (two-night minimum). Airbnb

10. Dome Sweet Dome, El Prado, New Mexico

For stay thats on the distinctly quirky side, book into this monolithic New Mexico dome (Courtesy of Airbnb Community)

This unusual monolithic dome is set on 12 acres that you're free to explore, and offers unobstructed mountain and desert views, according to the listing.

It explains that there is a living and dining room, a stocked kitchenette and a fenced-in back yard with a private hot tub and deck.

Air conditioning? No need for it say the hosts, who reveal: "The monolithic dome is extremely well insulated and maintains cool temperatures inside even when it's hot out."

"We really enjoyed the quirks," said one guest.

Sleeps two. Costs from $1,140 (three-night minimum). Airbnb

The full list can be found here.

Read more: Seven remote luxury hotels in America  where wilderness meets five-star comfort
DJ Afrika Bambaataa has died aged 68 (Getty Images)

Pioneering hip-hop artist Afrika Bambaataa has died. He was 68.

The rapper and DJ died at a hospital in Pennsylvania from complications due to cancer at around 3 a.m. Thursday, sources told TMZ.

Bambaataa was known for his impact on the electro genre as well as helping to found the hip-hop collective Universal Zulu Nation. Later in his life, he was accused of sexual abuse and trafficking.

Born in 1957 to Jamaican and Barbadian parents, Bambaataa  whose legal name was Lance Taylor  rose to fame in the New York City rap scene and regularly hosted block parties at his home in the Bronx neighborhood.

He released his first single in 1980, titled Zulu Nation Throwdown, and two years later, released his popular track Planet Rock. The electro tracks he produced throughout the eighties are considered to have helped to define the early days of the hip-hop movement.

DJ Afrika Bambaataa has died age 67 (Getty Images)

Bambaataa stepped down as the head of Universal Zulu Nation in May 2016 after multiple child sexual abuse allegations against him emerged dating back to the seventies.

He denied the allegations in a statement at the time saying, I never abused nobody. You know, it just sounds crazy for people to say that, to hear: You abused me. You know all my people back then, you know the hundreds of people that been around me. If something like that happened, why you never went to none of them?

After the initial claim in 2016, at least 12 different men came forward with allegations against Bambaataa. No criminal charges were ever brought against him.

In 2021, an anonymous man sued Bambaataa and alleged that in the early nineties, the rapper sexually abused and trafficked him for four years, according to court documents.

Bambaataa lost the civil case after failing to show up in court, The Guardian reported last year. He never commented publicly on the lawsuit, and was forced to pay out a settlement to the man.

The Hip-Hop Alliance, headed by rapper Kurtis Blow, said in a statement shared on social media Thursday: Today, we acknowledge the transition of a foundational architect of Hip Hop culture, Afrika Bambaataa. As the founder of the Universal Zulu Nation, Afrika Bambaataa helped shape the early identity of Hip Hop as a global movement rooted in peace, unity, love, and having fun.

The statement continued: At the same time, we recognize that his legacy is complex and has been the subject of serious conversations within our community. As an organization committed to truth, accountability, and the preservation of Hip Hop culture, we believe it is important to hold space for all voices while continuing to uplift what empowers and protects the people.

Today, we extend our condolences to all who were impacted by his life, his work, and his presence, the message concluded. Hip Hop was built on truth, and through truth the culture continues to grow, heal, and evolve.

Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
Of the company being given access to NHS systems, a Palantir spokesperson said it was normal practice for government suppliers. Photograph: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters (Photograph: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters)

Health service staff have expressed alarm that engineers working for controversial tech company Palantir have been given NHS email accounts.

Employees using NHS.net email accounts have access to a directory with the contact details of up 1.5 million staff. Sources believe Palantir staff were granted the same access.

Palantir staff working on the introduction of its Federated Data Platform (FDP) for NHS England have also been given access to NHS SharePoint filesharing systems and internal Microsoft Teams groups.

Hospital trusts and integrated care boards across the country are being encouraged to adopt FDP, which Palantir won a 300m contract to provide in 2023. NHS England says FDP allows NHS organisations to connect patient records historically held across different systems, allowing staff to manage waiting lists, allocate appointments, speed up diagnoses and personalise treatment more effectively. It is part of the governments plan to reinvent the NHS through radical shifts, including moving systems from analogue to digital.

The use of NHS email accounts and internal systems by private contractors is not unusual. However, Palantirs association with AI-powered surveillance and war technology has made some staff, patients and human rights campaigners question the ethics and implications of allowing the spy-tech company to become embedded in the UK public sector.

Rory Gibson, a resident doctor, said: I  as a doctor  absolutely dont want my personal email and number to be accessible to someone who works for Palantir on the NHS, and might next month be working on systems for drone strikes. NHS staff have not consented to sharing their email addresses with Palantir staff.

The Guardian has seen evidence that at least six Palantir engineers supporting NHS staff with the FDP rollout have been given NHS.net accounts.

A Palantir spokesperson said: This is normal practice for government suppliers. Indeed the governments own guidance states that using government systems is more secure than suppliers using their own systems.

Palantir says its software has helped deliver 110,000 additional operations, a 15.3% reduction in discharge delays and a 6.8% increase in cancer diagnoses within 28 days of referral. The spokesperson added: Our role is to provide software. How that software is used is entirely under the control of the NHS with data only able to be processed in accordance with their strict instructions.

David Rowland, the director of the Centre for Health and the Public Interest, said: The fact Palantir staff working on the contract have been granted NHS email addresses may not in itself amount to any rule breach and is likely to occur in other instances where private contractors run NHS services.

But the strong reaction of NHS staff to the involvement of Palantir in the health service shows that there are deep ethical concerns that its values and way of making money run counter to the founding values of the NHS.

The controversy around Palantir is but one example of private companies with problematic backgrounds delivering health and social care services in the UK  its time for a full-scale review of which companies are getting NHS money and how they were awarded contracts.

Some NHS staff were angered to discover they had been in virtual Microsoft Teams meetings with Palantir staff, who had joined using NHS email accounts, without being told who they worked for.

It is understood the email accounts were granted under NHSmail access policy, which says that independent sector organisations that provide health and social care services nationally can use NHSmail.

If provided without restrictions, an NHS.net account allows access to staff details on the NHSmail portal  which can include role, location, workplace and mobile number. It can also be used to access Blue Light staff discounts offered by some restaurants and major retailers.

Palantir software is already being used by some UK police forces and the Ministry of Defence, and critics fear the drag and drop interoperability of its systems will enable state abuses of power, including the possibility of a British version of the US immigration enforcement agency ICE, which the Reform UK party has said it would create if elected to power .

Palantirs founders include the US businessman and Trump backer Peter Thiel, who has said the NHS makes people sick, and Alex Karp, who boasted that the companys spy technology helps clients scare and kill enemies. Its UK arm is headed by Louis Mosley, grandson of the British fascist leader Oswald Mosley.

An NHS spokesperson said: All suppliers, including Palantir, and their staff operate only under NHS instruction, with all data access remaining under NHS control and governed by strict contractual confidentiality obligations.
The No Kings protest in Los Angeles on March 28 - Apu Gomes/Getty Images

Last Saturday, the third wave of anti-Trump No Kings marches took place, in one of the largest mobilisations in modern US history.

As many as nine million people took to the streets over policies imposed by the US president, including his war with Iran and crackdown on immigration, and the rising cost of living.

Over the weekend of March 28-29, demonstrations sprang up in every US state, in more than 3,300 individual protests.

Despite the scale of the protests, Donald Trump and his administration accuse those taking part of being Antifa or radical-Left lunatics.

And the data suggest the marches are unlikely to provoke any real change, even as the midterm election season takes shape.

Liz McKenna, a Harvard University sociologist, told NPR: Weve seen more people take to the streets, not just in the US but around the world, by the millions, and in many, if not most, of those cases, the protests have not achieved their stated aims.

From left, Letitia James, the New York attorney general, Robert Di Niro, the actor, and the Rev Al Sharpton, the civil rights campaigner, at the latest protest in New York - Adam Gray/AP

In an opinion piece for the Boston Globe, Prof McKenna said that although the No Kings protests were clearly popular, mass protests have increasingly failed to deliver changes in policy or political leadership.

She contrasted that with Right-wing movements, which organise relatively few protests but systematically [build] leadership capacity and organisations in every state.

Prof McKenna said the No Kings protesters feared to channel their voices in a direction that would be heard by the most powerful, calling the movement a paradox of scale without power.

Coalition of grievances

Also working against the No Kings movement is that, despite its increasing size, it represents a loose coalition of grievances.

In the most recent marches, Democrats had hoped to capitalise on unease caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran, but the messaging seemed confused, without clear demands.

For instance, in Florida, women wearing Handmaids Tale costumes protested against Mr Trumps strikes on Iran  an Islamic republic that represses women and treats them as second-class citizens.

In Kansas, signs reading pro-America, anti-Trump and we no longer have a difference in opinion, we have a difference in morality, were held alongside crude jokes about politicians lacking penises.

Demonstrators rally in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on March 28 - Tom Brenner/AP

Experts point out that the protests against authoritarian rule, racism and xenophobia are spearheaded by educated, white women in their 40s.

Prof McKenna, who attended one of the No Kings marches herself last month, wrote: Building a big enough coalition means moving beyond self-selecting activists to engage people across their differences.

Large demonstrations are essential for energising the base, but they can also alienate the very people those movements need to persuade.

White House reaction

Experts say the White House does see the marches as a threat, and this is demonstrated by its insistence that they are meaningless.

During the No Kings protests in October, Mr Trump posted an AI video of himself in a crown dumping faeces on protesters from a plane.

JD Vance, the US vice-president, posted a different AI video of Mr Trump crowning himself, which then showed prominent Democrats kneeling.

Abigail Jackson, the White House spokesman, told The Telegraph: The only people who care about these Trump derangement therapy sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them.

Mike Marinella, a Republican congressional spokesman, called marches hate America rallies.

Critics of No Kings from across the political spectrum have pointed out that Mr Trump was democratically elected.

Lucky timing

Kieran Doyle, North America research manager at ACLED, the conflict monitoring service, told The Telegraph: In large part, No Kings got to be so big because the first one had exceptionally lucky timing.

The first protest took place on June 14, 2025, intentionally coinciding with Mr Trumps birthday parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the US military, and drew around five million people.

A week before that, anti-ICE protests had taken over Los Angeles, with Mr Trump deploying the National Guard to police marches that in some cases became riots.

[That sparked] fears of a greater authoritarian turn and an outrage that drove people to protest, Mr Doyle said.

A second No Kings protest took place on Oct 18, 2025, and was attended by six to seven million people.

The growth reflected both momentum and escalation, with each successive protest building on the last.

Mr Doyle said: In part, this is because the administration has continued to take actions that are motivating millions of people to protest  most recently the ICE operation in Minneapolis in which federal law enforcement agents shot and killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

A recent YouGov poll of more than 1,600 people showed that Mr Trumps overall approval rating had hit a record low of 39.6 per cent.

Approval of his handling of the Iran conflict was even lower, at one point dipping to 30 per cent.

Midterm flashpoint

If a future No Kings protest coincides with another of Mr Trumps policy announcements, executive orders or Truth Social posts that prompt anger, attendance could be even higher, experts suggested.

The Midterm elections later this year may provide such a flashpoint, Mr Doyle said.

But whether bigger numbers would translate to real change is questionable, in particular because the marches fail to engage with local powers.

Scott Warren, a political researcher at Johns Hopkins University, told The Telegraph: The rallies approaches have been impressive displays of getting people out [but] the more important work youve seen throughout history is getting folks to organise, to establish constituencies, to engage locally. That is what needs to happen.

Prof McKenna wrote: Successful movements must build durable bases of leaders and teams at the state level who do year-round organising, not just build voter mobilisation.

Data and history teach us that size alone is no guarantee of effect: of the 15 protests in US history to draw more than one million participants, only a third have led to measurable political change.

Before the first No Kings protest took place in June 2025, the attendance record was held by Hands Across America, a 1986 event organised to raise awareness and funds for the homeless.

An estimated five million people formed a human chain stretching from New York to California.

The runner-up was the 2017 Womens March, which inspired a record number of women to run for office. Some 4.6 million took part.

The 1970 Earth Day protest drew between one to two million protesters and helped prompt the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

However, these protests each focused on a single issue, group or policy while the No Kings marches are more diffuse.

No Kings activists cannot seem to decide whether they want to reverse Mr Trumps policies, encourage people to vote differently in the midterm elections, or have the president removed from office.

I think the reality is that there isnt much that sets No Kings three apart from the other two, Mr Doyle said.

Its coming at a relative lull in protest activity over the past month or so, continues to have the same broad anti-Trump rhetoric, and has largely not changed tactics since No Kings two.

If the protests continue to grow, they may begin to approach the oft-cited 3.5 per cent threshold associated with successful mass movements.

Political science research developed by Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan suggests that non-violent movements that have the support of at least 3.5 per cent of a population always succeed in triggering change.

At the most generous attendance estimate of nine million, last weeks No Kings encompassed around 2.7 per cent of Americas population.

But it is worth noting that the 3.5 per cent figure was arrived at by studying uprisings in authoritarian regimes rather than liberal democracies, Mr Doyle added.

So 3.5 per cent isnt a magic number which forces regime change, and its not clear that reaching the 3.5 per cent threshold in No Kings four would change much of what were seeing so far.

Despite their size, the protests appear to exist in an echo chamber and seem destined to fail to motivate anyone who would normally vote for Mr Trump to do otherwise.
Lord Sugar has whittled down the contestants in The Apprentice to his two finalists after tearing apart the candidates business plans.

Pascha Myhill will battle it out against Karishma Vijay in the series finale next week, after surviving gruelling interviews with the business moguls associates in tonights episode.

The first victim of Lord Sugars triple firing was Priyesh Bathia, who was grilled by his associates for his business plan containing two separate ventures.

Priyesh Bathia said being fired stings (BBC/Naked/PA)

Earlier in the episode, viewers saw the global account manager from London call his tense interview with entrepreneur Linda Plant a shambles as he referred to her as the devil.

As Lord Sugar gave him the boot, he said: I admire your enthusiasm and entrepreneurism, but my advice to you is please do not give up your day job. It is with regret, you are fired.

On his way out of the boardroom Bathia, who hoped to set up a mobile cocktail bar business, joked: If you do need cocktails, reach out to me.

Lawrence Rosenberg, a public relations specialist, was the next candidate to be fired after being told his business plans were endless waffling and nonsense.

Dan Miller said he feels immensely proud of how far he has come in the process (BBC/Naked/PA)

After narrowing down to his final three, Lord Sugar said he was faced with a bit of a dilemma before eventually deciding to sack Dan Miller.

He told the student recruitment company owner: I dont understand your business at all. I know its a good one, somewhere.

Dan, your numbers are like a jungle and Im not completely sure whether you understand them yourself. I certainly dont.

As he left the show, Miller said: Im feeling really proud of myself, Ive learnt so much being in this process, and I couldnt wish for any two better people to be in the grand final.

Following their triumph in the penultimate episode of the show, Vijay said: Two girls in the final. It hasnt hit me that were here. We both deserve such a solid seat at this table, and now its me vs you.

Myhill responded: Love you girl. Smash it.

Lord Sugar has found his two finalists (BBC/Naked/PA)

The winner of the latest series of The Apprentice will be awarded 250,000 of investment into their company and the opportunity to go into business with Lord Sugar.

Myhill, a recruitment consultant from Berkshire, hopes to use Lord Sugars investment to create a recruitment company within private healthcare if she wins the programme.

Meanwhile, beauty brand owner Vijay, from Surrey, is seeking an investment from the business mogul so she can expand her company.

The Apprentice returns for its series finale on BBC One next Thursday at 9pm.
The shell of a Volkswagen Beetle hangs suspended on a cliff above the Sea-to-Sky Highway, in Squamish, British Columbia, Monday, April 6, 2026, after it appeared on the rock face last week with a large "E" on its roof, indicating that University of British Columbia engineering students carried out a long-standing tradition of placing the shell in difficult to reach locations. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Authorities in British Columbia have urged the public to steer clear of a rock face overlooking a highway, where a red Volkswagen Beetle shell has been suspended in what appears to be an elaborate prank. The province's Environment Ministry confirmed on Monday that BC Parks is working to remove the vehicle within the week, with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and park rangers now investigating.

The car shell, emblazoned with a large 'E' on its roof, first appeared last week above Highway 99 in Squamish. This distinctive marking suggests the stunt is a continuation of a long-standing tradition among University of British Columbia engineering students, known for placing Beetle shells in challenging locations.

In 2009, a Beetle fell from the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge, and Vancouver police arrested five students in a failed attempt to suspend it from the span.

A spokesperson for the university did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

The shell of a Volkswagen Beetle hangs suspended on a cliff above the Sea-to-Sky Highway, in Squamish, British Columbia, Monday, April 6, 2026, after it appeared on the rock face last week with a large "E" on its roof, indicating that University of British Columbia engineering students carried out a long-standing tradition of placing the shell in difficult to reach locations. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford said the area around the Stawamus Chief rock formation is a sacred place with deep cultural meaning to the Squamish Nation.

He said the area is also popular among hikers and climbers and what may have felt like an innocent prank has affected the community.

This is an area that deserves respect, and that wasnt the case here, Hurford said in the statement.
Flights were cancelled in Bahrain after the airspace closed on 28 February (Getty/iStock)

Flights have resumed at Bahrain airport after pausing for weeks due to a mandated closure of its airspace amid the Middle Eastern conflict.

Bahrain International Airport announced on Wednesday, 8 April, that it will be gradually resuming flights after the government reopened its airspace.

The international airport has asked passengers to check with their airlines for the latest updates and only head to the airport if they have a confirmed flight.

Gulf Air, the countrys flag carrier, confirmed that it will be gradually restarting its flight schedule at Bahrains airport.

Over the past month, Gulf Air was temporarily operating to and from Bahrain via King Fahd International airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

The airline set up a shuttle service for passengers from Bahrain over the Saudi border to Dammam airport, to then fly passengers to their final destination.

The King Fahd Causeway that connects the two countries was temporarily shut on Tuesday as a precautionary measure, but reopened hours later. The UKs Foreign Office said the causeway may be subject to further closures at short notice.

While operations resume in Bahrain, Gulf Air said its service via Dammams airport will continue for the time being.

The airline said that passengers can now book flights directly from Bahrain, but it is still offering full refunds to ticket holders for flights up until 15 April, or they can rebook for a later date.

Bahrain airports website currently only shows arrivals and departures from Saudi Arabia. Dammans airport is still running Gulf Air flights to London Heathrow.

This comes a day after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire following weeks of air strikes across the Middle East, including in Bahrain.

Two people were killed in two separate Iranian attacks, with the most recent hitting a residential building in the capital Manama, according to Bahrains interior ministry, while the UAE's defence ministry said that one of its civilian contractors was killed in an Iranian attack on Bahrain.

The air strikes have caused widespread travel chaos, with airspaces shutting down and causing flight cancellations and delays.

Bahrain decided to temporarily shut its airspace on 28 February, the same day that the US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran, killing the countrys supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

Live: Iran-US war latest  Israeli attacks on Lebanon grave violation of ceasefire, says Tehran as 203 killed in one day
Barton Snow completed the Cheltenham-Aintree double when strolling to a remarkably easy success in the Randox Foxhunters Open Hunters Chase.

Joe OSheas nine-year-old is unbeaten in hunter chases and struck at the Cheltenham Festival last month when ridden by Henry Crow.

The same jockey did the steering at Aintree as his mount went off the 7-4 favourite, and a follow-up triumph came with the minimum of fuss as he cantered home on the bridle to prevail by seven lengths.

OShea said: I dont know how good this horse is, no one does yet. He does this every day at home.

If NASA had phoned me I could have got them there in nine days instead of 10! Hes amazing. Henry said he was only in third gear.

We realised he was very good when he won at Stratford last year, beating a good horse of Paul Nicholls in Viroflay. The camera was on him and clocked him going 37.2mph at the last hard held.

When I heard how fast Constitution Hill was going the other day, this horse can keep it up at that pace. We just dont know how good he is.

Recent health issues had made OShea announce at Cheltenham that he was soon to quit and he added: The surgeon said Ive got to walk away or die, Ive had a quadruple heart bypass and the stress puts me under too much pressure.

Weve got one even better at home, by the same sire Snow Sky, hes called Boley Bob, hes won four and is going to Hexham in two weeks where hell win.

If I do decide to stay its not because of Barton Snow, its because of Boley Bob.

As for the future for Barton Snow, OShea said: Its hard enough beating the Irish here never mind over there so I dont know about Punchestown, but the Horse & Hound Cup (at Stratford) is too far for him, so if it was good ground at Punchestown the prize-money could be tempting.

An error at the last from Highlands Legacy cleared the way for Fergal OBriens Ryans Rocket to blast his way to success in the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase at odds of 14-1.

OBrien said: Im delighted as the horse can make a few mistakes. You saw there today he paddled through the first ditch and at Kempton earlier in the year he made a very bad mistake down the back.

He just likes going forward, when you try to hold him up it doesnt work, but Johnny (Burke) gave him a great ride today and it all worked out.

The concluding Goffs Nickel Coin Mares Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race went the way of Dan Skeltons stable debutant, the 9-2 chance Nans Choice, who held off the late challenge of Lennon Grove for a length-and-a-quarter victory.

Skelton said: It was her first run for us and we didnt know a lot about her to be honest.

Funnily enough the guy who used to train her (Conor Houlihan) introduced himself to me walking out onto the track and I asked him what did he think. Ive not actually done a lot with her.

Shes quite a light-framed mare and we thought shed like some nicer ground being by Getaway and what a lovely mare she could be. She hit the front and ran around all over the shop but Im not overly surprised.
A dog dad in Clifton, New Jersey, was shocked when his Ring camera captured a woman and a child taking his beloved Shih-Tzu Yorkie mix, 7-year-old Rocky, straight from his backyard. Even more surprising was their demeanor; the woman appeared to be smiling as she picked up the dog.

ABC7NY spoke with Rocky's dad, William Chan, who explained the dog was being watched by another family member who had gone inside to feed the dog and other family pets. In the short time he was gone, the dog was taken from their property.

The look on the woman's face proves she knew exactly what she was doing and felt no guilt or shame about it. It was also clear that the dog belonged to somebody since he was wearing a harness and collar.

ABC7NY said in the video's caption that police are looking to speak with the woman and a child who were caught taking the family's dog over the weekend.

We did a quick Google search to see if Rocky had been found, but there has been no update as of this writing.

Related: Moment Man Reunites with Beloved Dog After Being Apart for 8 Years Is a Tear-Jerker

SIGN UP to get pawsitivity delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends

Viewers Are Appalled by the Smiling Woman and the Excited Child Stealing the Dog

Viewers who watched the dog-napping unfold were appalled by the womans behavior, not just because she was smiling, but because she allowed the young boy to help her grab the dog, who was clearly trying to get away.

@Susan said simply, "This is infuriating". @Yomamaaz23 agreed, adding, "What is wrong with people?!" @Demarks and many others shared, "Prayers for a safe return."

Some viewers were confused because the news story said the dog was taken from the backyard, but it looked like he was in the front yard. @Zara shared, "I'm confused too. It looks like they were in the front and trying to help get him out of the road."

Another commenter replied, "Apparently, they took this dog and did NOT do the right thing by locating an owner?! Because no one had been contacted, it would tell me the intentions here weren't what you think."

Everybody's hoping that Rocky is returned to his family soon and that this woman receives some sort of fine or punishment for stealing the dog.

This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Apr 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Brighterdaysahead relished the step up in trip to showcase her best once again on Merseyside and secure William Hill Aintree Hurdle glory.

Gordon Elliotts star mare had secured top honours over this course and distance as a novice in 2024 but has since predominantly raced over shorter where she has been one of the standout performers in the two-mile hurdling division.

After coming off second best in another tussle with Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, she was sent off the 13-8 favourite to gain compensation in the hands of Jack Kennedy and was always towards the fore alongside Potters Charm.

She's so tough, Brighterdaysahead, and she loves Aintree pic.twitter.com/ZAkr9tLkGY  Nick Robson (@ValueRacingPlus) April 9, 2026

Having led the runners into the home straight and over three flights from home, Dan Skeltons The New Lion emerged on the scene looking a real danger in the hands of the trainers brother, Harry.

However, a costly error at the last put paid to his chances allowing Brighterdaysahead to scoot clear for a two-and-a-quarter-length success in what could turn out to be her hurdling swansong.

Elliott said: Shes the apple of all our eyes. Were rebuilding, were trying to find a few more of these and in fairness to Michael (OLeary, owner) hes investing but it just might take a bit longer.

I think two and a half miles probably is her trip. Id say were probably going to go chasing, shes a good mare which is why she can win over two miles.

She was supposed to go chasing this year, she was entered up but pulled a muscle which is why she didnt run but shell probably go next year.

I dont think theres anything in the Cheltenham thing, she hasnt won there but she ran a great race in the Champion this year and hopefully the best is yet to come.

Elliott is leading the race to be champion trainer in Ireland but was winning his second Grade One of the afternoon in the UK, which has likely weakened his hand for the upcoming Punchestown Festival.

To be honest Im lucky to be in the position Im in, Ive been second to Willie Mullins 13 times now. I think Im still three or four years off and to be in the same sentence as him is great, but Im a long way off beating him yet, said Elliott.

The New Lion after finishing second in the @AintreeRaces Hurdle following a mistake at the final flight. Likely to stick to hurdling next season with trainer @DSkeltonRacing left with a feeling of unfinished business pic.twitter.com/6znCni2OIE  Ashley Iveson (@AshIveson) April 9, 2026

Of The New Lion, Skelton said: Im not crestfallen, just a bit frustrated we didnt get a (good) jump at the last.

If wed got a jump at the last and couldnt get by the winner then fair play. I wish wed jumped it a bit better and had our fair chance, but thats sport and it didnt quite work for us. Well dust ourselves down and go again next year.

Hes run a solid race and hes a bit happier at that trip. Im not discounting the fact that he is a good two-miler, but he obviously is a little happier at that trip.

There are no excuses as he travelled well and jumped great bar the last. Harry felt he had every chance, he stopped short of saying hed definitely have won as youre giving Brighterdaysahead 7lb and shes danced all those dances and knows how to win, but that jump at the last has cost us a chance of winning.

I think hes very comfortable at two miles, especially on slow ground against UK opposition. There is a shortage of races over the intermediate trip and maybe he steps right up in trip, I dont know.

I said to JP (McManus, owner) Im sorry we didnt win you a Grade One this year as he is a Grade One horse.

At the moment well stick to hurdling (next season). Well have a bit of a talk about it over the summer and see what everyone fancies doing. It hasnt crossed my mind to go chasing, but theres a discussion to be had if everyone wants to have it.

I feel like weve got unfinished business. Next year everyone is a year older, except his year older isnt too old. Maybe there are lessons to be learned and we go again next year.
Sir Keir Starmer said he was fed up with Donald Trump and appeared to compare him to Vladimir Putin.

During a trip to the Gulf, the Prime Minister stated that he was unhappy with the impact of the Iran war on the domestic cost of living.

Sir Keir told ITVs Robert Peston: Im fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy, businesses bills go up and down on energy because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world.

He also split with the US president over Israels attacks on Lebanon, saying the strikes shouldnt be happening.

That should stop  thats my strong view  and therefore, the question isnt a technical one of whether its a breach of the agreement or not, Sir Keir said.

We havent all got access to all the details of the ceasefire.

He then added: Let me be really clear about it  theyre wrong.

Both Mr Trump and Israel insist the ceasefire agreement does not cover Lebanon, but Iran says it does.

Destruction in Beirut caused by one of Israels air strikes on Wednesday - AFP via Getty Images

The Prime Ministers comments are likely to further damage the strained relationship between the US president and Nato.

Mr Trump has expressed anger at a perceived lack of support from allies after the US and Israel began bombing Iran six weeks ago.

Sir Keir has faced repeated attacks from Mr Trump after refusing to join his war and initially denying the US permission to conduct strikes from British military bases, including Diego Garcia, in the Chagos Islands. He later allowed access for specific and limited defensive purposes.

Mr Trump has said Sir Keir is not Winston Churchill and has reportedly started calling the Prime Minister a loser.

Other Nato members, including Italy and Spain, refused to let US bombers use their bases for offensive strikes on Iran, and rebuffed pressure from Mr Trump to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz.

On Wednesday, the president discussed leaving Nato with Mark Rutte, the alliances secretary general, in the White House.

After the meeting, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! President DJT.

Donald Trump has accused Iran of breaching the terms of the two-week ceasefire - Julia Demaree Nikhinson

Mr Trump demanded that Nato allies send warships to the strait in a matter of days. Tehran sealed the waterway off in retaliation for him launching his war on Feb 28.

The president also accused Iran of breaching the terms of their two-week ceasefire agreement by doing a very poor job of allowing oil through the strait.

Iran agreed to reopen the strategic 104-mile waterway after the truce was announced on Tuesday.

However, just 10 ships have passed through since the ceasefire took effect, according to maritime tracking data, none of which were oil tankers.

Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonourable some would say, of allowing oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz, Mr Trump said on Truth Social on Thursday evening, prompting concerns that the ceasefire was on shaky ground.

That is not the agreement we have!

On Thursday morning, Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, told Times Radio that the UK had taken a different view from Washington on the war.

She also condemned Mr Trumps completely wrong rhetoric. He had previously threatened to wipe out Iranian civilisation and bomb it back to the Stone Age by targeting civilian infrastructure.

However, Ms Cooper stressed the US-UK relationship remained a deep, long-standing one. She added: We have, I think, a really important security partnership, a really important economic partnership, and that continues.

British sources said the UK would be willing to deploy the military to the strait once a permanent ceasefire between the US and Iran had been agreed. However, there is concern that the fragile two-week ceasefire is unlikely to provide enough time to secure a permanent end to hostilities.
Britain and Nato are pulling away from Trumps America  to save it from itself

Just a day after Donald Trump floated the idea of turning the Strait of Hormuz into a joint tollbooth to enrich the US and Iran, the British government revealed that a joint operation with Norway had been undertaken to protect Natos northern flank.

The move, combined with a visit this week by Keir Starmer to the Arabian Gulf, is the latest sign that even Europes Anglo-Saxons are pulling away from Washington. The UK and its allies are determined to defend the alliances and principles of international law that the US president and his deputy are keen to destroy.

John Healey, the defence secretary, revealed that a British frigate and spy planes had been involved in monitoring two Russian spy submarines and an attack sub as they surveyed undersea cables and pipelines in the High North, the strategically vital region encompassing the Arctic Circle and the North Atlantic.

Healey made it clear that Russia had taken the opportunity, as the focus shifted to the Middle East following Trump and Israels illegal attacks on Iran, to continue its hybrid war against Nato.

HMS Somerset and HMS St Albans with a Merlin helicopter tracking a Russian vessel (MoD)

Frustrated by the refusal of members of the alliance to take part in the attacks on Iran, and (of many of them) to allow US forces to use bases on their territory to carry out these operations, Trump has repeated his threats to withdraw the US from the organisation altogether.

Russias operations in the Arctic are a threat to US national security. Irans military reach does not extend to the US, and it has never posed a danger, beyond allegedly sponsoring terrorist groups, to the American mainland.

Healey was pointed but diplomatic in his remarks about the latest Nato operation, which also involved a Norwegian frigate and aircraft. Operation Firecrest this year will see HMS Prince of Wales lead a carrier strike group into the High North.

In the last few weeks, while the eyes of many were trained on the Middle East, the UK, in partnership with Norway and other allies, has responded to increased Russian activity in the Atlantic north of the UK.

Our armed forces left them in no doubt that they were being monitored, that their movements were not covert, as President Putin planned, and that their attempted secret operation had been exposed.

Prime minister Keir Starmer visiting allies in the Gulf (PA Wire)

Im making this statement to call out this Russian activity, and to President Putin, I say: We see you, we see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated, and will have serious consequences, he said at a press conference called in London on Thursday.

He added that the High North is no less vital to our UK security today than it was when the current conflict erupted in the Middle East.

The UK, said Healey, wants to see a ceasefire in the Middle East that includes an immediate end to fighting in Lebanon, which Israel has invaded and is bombing in an effort to destroy the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. Tehran has said that any ceasefire must also include Lebanon.

And in a further subtle sign that the UK would sidestep Trumps idea of a tollbooth shared with Iran as a moneyspinner in the Strait of Hormuz, he insisted that Britain would want to see international law upheld, and that Gulf countries agree that such a system would be dangerous.

It isnt actually doable... a compromise of that freedom of navigation of the seas, and the introduction of any sort of paper passage or tolls, would create a potential principle that could be used and abused by others elsewhere, he said.

A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah City, UAE (AP)

Americas Gulf allies have been rattled by Trumps joint attack with Israel, a country led by a prime minister facing indictment for crimes against humanity. Irans response has throttled oil exports and targeted their territory.

Starmers visit this week gives the UK an opportunity to offer a sympathetic ear, and some soft-power politics for a country that was the dominant colonial power in the region until the 1970s.

Meanwhile, the UK is driving a vocal effort to keep the focus of Nato, if not America, on where the threat to security in the North Atlantic really lies.

We recognise Russia as the primary threat to the UK and to Nato, and we will not take our eyes off Putin. At the same time, we act to protect our British interests and our British allies in the Middle East, Healey said.

Russia, he added, continues to supply intelligence to Iran, as well as training and drone technology used in attacks on the Gulf, on the US, and on other Nato members in the Middle East.

Trump has refused to address Vladimir Putins support for Iran at all since launching the conflict in February. But his deputy, JD Vance, has been in Hungary, explicitly violating diplomatic norms by openly backing Viktor Orbans candidacy in this weekends general elections.

Vance is an exponent of the racist great replacement conspiracy theory that Europe is being overrun by non-white immigrants and faces civilisational erasure.

JD Vance with Viktor Orban in Budapest this week (AP)

The Trump administration has taken an explicit anti-European Union and anti-Ukrainian stand for the last year, backing Russias claims to territory in eastern Ukraine and cutting military aid to Kyiv.

In Hungary, Vance accused the EU of election tampering against the 16-year rule of Orban, who also backs Russia against the EU.

He said that cutting Russian oil and gas imports after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine was a mistake, and accused Kyiv, without evidence, of trying to interfere in US elections. The Kremlin has been shown to have done that, not Kyiv.

Healey made it clear, without naming either Trump or Vance, that they were looking in the wrong direction and were backing the wrong side.

He said that the UK would step up ... on European leadership within Nato. And that, in many ways, is exactly what were doing with this operation.

Were demonstrating and dealing, with our allies, [with the] threats to Natos northern flank, and reinforcing the deterrence and the defence of our Nato alliance with this operation, where the threats are greatest, which is from Russia and in the High North.

In short, the UK and its Nato allies are stepping up their Nato efforts to defend themselves  and to save America from itself.
British Airways is dropping flights from London Heathrow to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and will resume services to Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv in the second half of the year at a much-reduced scale.

The airline suspended most flights to the Middle East shortly after the start of the Iran war. Airspace in the region is starting to reopen, with Gulf Air of Bahrain about to resume flights to London.

But BA is pivoting away from the Middle East with permanent changes to its network. The carrier currently flies from Heathrow to Jeddah, but all flights will be axed from 24 April.

Off the map: Entrance to the old town of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's second city (Charlotte Hindle)

In addition, the scheduled double-daily London-Riyadh link will be reduced to a single flight each day when services to the Saudi capital resume in mid-May.

Flights to Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv are set to resume from 1 July, but at a much-reduced scale. Dubai will receive just one flight a day each way compared with three daily services prior to 28 February. Doha and Tel Aviv will both be reduced from two daily flights to one. Flights to the Jordanian capital, Amman, and Bahrain will not resume until 25 October, the start of the winter season.

British Airways is doubling flights to Bangalore from 1 June to 24 October. For 19 days at the start of June, an extra daily flight will operate to and from Mumbai. Three extra trips each week from London to Delhi will be made between mid-July and 20 August. Larger aircraft are being assigned to the routes to the Indian capital and Hyderabad. In addition, London-Nairobi will double in frequency to two flights a day from 1 June to 24 October.

A British Airways spokesperson said: Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, we have made further changes to our flying schedule to provide greater clarity for our customers. Were keeping the situation under constant review and are directly in touch with affected customers to offer them a range of options. Since the disruption began, weve helped thousands of customers return home, operated relief flights, and added additional capacity on key longhaul routes. We will continue to assess and introduce further flying where possible.

Aircraft and flight crew freed up by cancellations and frequency reductions are to be redeployed mainly on India services  seeking to capitalise on the continued problems affecting Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways. The Middle East Three are currently at well below pre-war capacity, and hampered by the Foreign Offices no-go warning against changing planes at their hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha respectively. But they will be encouraged by the limited return to the Gulf by British Airways. BAs moves away from the region are partly explained by the expectation that Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways will cut fares to fill aircraft to the Gulf and beyond.

Read more: What would peace in the Gulf mean for airlines and passengers?
A British man has been charged with offences linked to an Islamist terror group based in Somalia.

Jermaine Grant, 43, of no fixed address, has been charged with directing the activities of Al-Shabaab between 31 December 2007 and 1 January 2010, the Metropolitan Police said.

He is also charged with three counts of attending an Al-Shabaab commando training camp in Kismayu in Somalia, contrary to Section 8 of the Terrorism Act 2006 and two counts of possession of an article (AK47) for terrorist purposes, contrary to Section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

The charges follow an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing London.

Grant will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday morning.

Jermaine Grant is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court (PA Archive)

Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Services special crime and counter terrorism division, said: We have decided to prosecute Jermaine Grant with directing the activities of a terrorist organisation, three counts of attending a place for terrorist purposes and two counts of possession of an article for terrorist purposes.

The charges relate to Mr Grants alleged involvement in 2008 and 2009 with Al-Shabaab, a terrorist organisation operating in Somalia.

Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.

We have worked closely with the Metropolitan Polices Counter Terrorism Command as it carried out its investigation.

We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are active and that he has 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.

Al-Shabaab is an Islamist armed group that has been linked to al Qaida.

The organisation was labelled a persistent threat in Somalias capital, Mogadishu, which carries out high profile attacks that challenge government authority, according to a 2025 assessment by the UK Government.

It has targeted international aid workers, journalists, business people and non-government organisations who have opposed or resisted it.

The group has claimed responsibility for high-profile attacks outside of Somalia, including the 2019 attack on Nairobis DusitD2 luxury hotel complex that left 21 people dead, the 2015 shooting at Garissa University in northern Kenya which killed 147 students, and the 2013 attack that killed 67 people at Nairobis Westgate Shopping Mall.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has found a new way to mock one of Donald Trump's most polarizing advisers, and this time the punchline came straight out of The Office.

"I can't help but read all his tweets in the Dwight Schrute voice," the New York Democrat wrote on X, taking aim at Stephen Miller, the longtime Trump aide whose posts and policy arguments have made him a favorite villain for the left and a hero to immigration hard-liners on the right.

The line landed because it did more than insult Miller, but turned him into a character, specifically the rigid, self-serious, strangely theatrical beet farmer played by Rainn Wilson.

Cant help but read all his tweets in the Dwight Schrute voice https://t.co/sIAjWNi3ys  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 2, 2026

Ocasio-Cortez's joke was classic internet politics: short, meme-ready, and instantly legible to people who may not follow every twist of Washington infighting. It also fit neatly into her long-running habit of using humor and pop culture to undercut political opponents online.

But the jab did not come out of nowhere. Ocasio-Cortez has been one of Miller's fiercest critics for years, especially on immigration. In 2019, after reports about Miller's leaked emails to Breitbart reignited scrutiny of his worldview, she wrote that he had been exposed as a "bonafide white nationalist" and demanded that he resign. In the same statement, she described him as "Trump's architect of mass human rights abuses at the border," linking him directly to family separation and detention policies that became defining controversies of the first Trump administration.

She escalated even further days later, saying Miller had been exposed as "frankly, a neo-Nazi and a white supremacist," language that showed just how personal and ideological the clash had become. Those remarks came as progressive lawmakers and civil rights groups pushed for Miller's removal after the leaked emails surfaced.

The joke even got a second life on Instagram, where a repost of the exchange included an even sharper punch: "Dwight is a much better person than temu goebbels." That line was more caustic than the original post, but it underscored the same point. For Ocasio-Cortez and her supporters, mocking Miller is not just comic relief. It is political framing.

The internet reaction was priceless.

That would be doing Dwight dirty.



I say f-ck off dollar store Voldemort.



The concept of Birthright citizenship was originally a product of colonization.



White settlers wanted to offset the numbers of native peoples of the countries they were colonizing.



Ironic huh?



Now it  Eric Jay (@EricinAmericaX) April 2, 2026

That would be doing Dwight dirty.



I say f-ck off dollar store Voldemort.



The concept of Birthright citizenship was originally a product of colonization.



White settlers wanted to offset the numbers of native peoples of the countries they were colonizing.



Ironic huh?



Now it  Eric Jay (@EricinAmericaX) April 2, 2026

Except hes not Dwight Schrute hes Stephen Miller and holds genuine sway in our nation  me (@milohtic) April 2, 2026

In Washington, policy fights are often dressed up in sterile language about enforcement, border management and national security. Ocasio-Cortez chose a different register. With one sitcom reference, she reminded followers that in the social media age, ridicule can be as potent as a floor speech. And when the target is Stephen Miller, she has made clear that the joke is never just a joke

Originally published on Latin Times
A British-Palestinian surgeon working in Beirut has described the aftermath of Israeli strikes as an absolute massacre, as hospitals struggle to cope with a surge of casualties.

At least 182 people have been killed in Lebanon after Israel launched what it described as its largest wave of air strikes in the conflict, hitting more than 100 targets in just 10 minutes on Wednesday (8 April).

Speaking to The Independent, Ghassan Abu Sittah said patients began arriving almost simultaneously, And so the emergency departments have been flooded across the whole of Beirut, he said.

The surgeon described the situation as horrendous.

A lot of people brought in are dead, a lot of children with severe injuries, he said.
Britons could face higher household bills for years to come  even if fragile ceasefire holds

Britons could face higher household bills for years to come  even if the fragile ceasefire in the Middle East holds, a senior MP has warned.

Graeme Downie, a Labour MP who sits on the energy select committee, warned it will still take a long time for prices to return to normal and the full impact of the crisis on the cost of living could be felt until 2027/28 at least.

His comments follow warnings from experts and industry figures that the two-week ceasefire  which is already in jeopardy as Iran threatens to cancel the deal over Israels attacks on Lebanon  is not long enough to see any benefit for the UK economy.

The price of Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, dropped on Wednesday as news of the ceasefire emerged, but it remains significantly higher than before the conflict and sustained high oil and gas prices will see the costs of fuel, food and heating rise.

Speaking to The Independent, Mr Downie, the Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, warned: This isnt going to be a short-lived problem that will now go away. It will still take a long time for prices to return to normal and we need to prevent a rocket and feather situation  where prices have risen very quickly but only fall very slowly.

He noted that the impact of the Strait of Hormuz being shut down before the ceasefire had hit the price of fertiliser, which means food costs will likely rise next year as the knock-on effects of production run through the agricultural system to the supermarkets.

There have been delays to different products like fertiliser and youve got the damage to the LNG [liquid natural gas] plant in Qatar thats knocked its production down and could take years to repair, he added.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has ground to a halt since the conflict began (PA Graphics)

I think the effects of this will be felt until 2027/28 at least.

New polling by Ipsos UK has revealed that economic anxiety from the war continues to dominate the public mood, with 86 per cent concerned over the impact of the conflict on the price of fuel and energy, while four in five (80 per cent) Britons are concerned about the availability of fuel. Around three in five are concerned about the availability of wider goods, such as food, toiletries and medical supplies.

Mr Downie added: Its also brought into focus that our own energy security is not where we need it to be. I think this governments taking a lot of the right decisions on grid upgrade, on renewables, on your home energy.

I think were doing all the right things, but we need to move faster  what we have done helps us in the next crisis, not this one, because these things take time."

The cost of living warnings have raised questions over whether the governments strategy to hold down energy and other costs will be able to cope with the full impact of the war, with the energy price cap set to come to an end in July and fuel duty set to rise by 5p in September.

The government is facing calls to alleviate the cost increases hitting consumers on energy bills and at petrol stations (PA Wire)

Fellow energy committee member, Tory MP Bradley Thomas, claimed that the energy price cap plan up to July is now completely worthless.

Cornwall Insights latest forecast suggests that the energy price cap, set by the regulator Ofgem, will increase to 1,871 in July. This would push average household bills up by around 230, effectively negating the bill reduction measures introduced by the chancellor in last autumns Budget.

Meanwhile, a minister has insisted that the government has costs under control with the price caps and monitoring processes, but admitted the volatility of the situation has made it almost impossible to assess.

They told The Independent: Things really are fast-moving. We still havent worked out the impact of last nights [ceasefire] decision yet [on fuel and energy prices]. The situation is so volatile that it is hard to make predictions.

They insisted that systems are now in place to monitor petrol and diesel prices with up to 30 minutes accuracy at forecourts, while the energy price cap will hold until July, but admitted concerns over supply if the strait were to close again.

Stocks of petrol and diesel at filling stations in the UK have fallen since the start of the Iran conflict, though the size of the drop varies across the country, figures show.

Graeme Downie believes the impact on household bills will be felt until at least 2027 (Supplied)

Petrol stock levels at garages averaged between 44 per cent and 47 per cent in the four weeks leading up to the start of the war on 28 February.

But in the four weeks beginning 1 March, levels across the UK averaged between 36 per cent and 43 per cent, according to data published on Thursday by the Department for Energy and Net Zero.

Separate figures published on Thursday by the RAC show the average price of petrol and diesel in the UK is continuing to rise.

The average price of a litre of unleaded petrol stood at 158.0p on Thursday, up 25.2p or 19 per cent since the start of the Iran conflict.

A litre of diesel now averages 191.1p, up 48.7p or 34 per cent since the beginning of the war.
Californias attorney general, Rob Bonta, announces the dismantling of the alleged hospice fraud scheme in Los Angeles on Thursday. Photograph: Damian Dovarganes/AP (Photograph: Damian Dovarganes/AP)

California authorities have filed felony charges against 21 people, who they say orchestrated a hospice fraud scheme that cost the state $267m, the states attorney general, Rob Bonta, announced on Thursday.

The suspects allegedly bought personal identifying information for non-California residents from the dark web and used the stolen identities to enroll in Medi-Cal, a state program that gives low-income residents free or low-cost healthcare.

State officials accused the individuals of purchasing 14 hospice companies and billing Medi-Cal for nonexistent hospice services.

Related: Traffic stop leads California law enforcement to two homicide victims

The so-called patients were healthy, out of state and completely unaware that they had been enrolled in hospice care, Bonta said in a Thursday press conference. This was a brazen, calculated criminal scheme that exploited the Medi-Cal system.

The 21 individuals are facing healthcare fraud, money laundering and identity theft charges, which carry possible prison sentences ranging from 10 to 16 years.

So far, $30m has been recovered and five suspects have been arrested in southern California, according to Bonta.

Government fraud has been a hot-button political issue, particularly among Republicans, who have sought to portray blue states as apathetic about the issue.

In December, Donald Trump cited a child welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota as part of his administrations reasoning for aggressive immigration raids in the state. Several suspects in the alleged fraud scheme belonged to the states Somali diaspora.

Last week, in a social media post, Trump singled out other Democratic-led states including California, Illinois, New York and Maine as places where there is an unprecedented theft of taxpayer money, although he did not offer evidence to substantiate the claim.

Raids have already started in L.A., Trump wrote. The day before his post, the California department of justice had announced the arrest of eight individuals in separate healthcare fraud cases.

At the Thursday press conference, Bonta addressed the ongoing discourse.

While healthcare fraud might be President Trumps shiny new political talking point. [The] California [department of justice] has been going after healthcare fraud since 1979  for decades. Trump is late to the party, he said.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters during the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Washington.

Donald Trump is no stranger to outrage. But his latest threat to destroy "a whole civilisation" in Iran, posted to Truth Social on Tuesday morning, crossed a new threshold, prompting rare dissent from within his own camp.

The backlash was immediate. Over 70 Democratic lawmakers , questioning his mental fitness, have called for the president's removal, with some citing the 25th Amendment  which allows the vice president and the cabinet to declare a president is no longer able to perform the job  and others filing articles of impeachment. More striking were reactions from prominent conservative voices.

Former Georgia representative Marjorie Taylor Greene  once one of Trump's most outspoken supporters  posted on X : "25TH AMENDMENT!!! Not a single bomb has dropped on America. We cannot kill an entire civilisation. This is evil and madness." Tucker Carlson, long a reliable champion of the president, accused him of threatening "a war crime, a moral crime" .

Even among Trumps strongest allies, signs of unease have begun to emerge. Trisha Hope, a January 6 activist and former diehard supporter who has campaigned for those convicted over the Capitol attack , broke ranks, writing on X that she felt a deep sadness and that it is not MAGA that has changed, it is Trump he has failed the mission and it is time he leave the office.

Trump later announced a two-week ceasefire , but the political storm shows no sign of abating.

A constitutional mechanism built for incapacity

Ratified in 1967 in the wake of president John F. Kennedy's assassination, the 25th Amendment established a clear line of presidential succession and, in its Section 4, a process to remove a president deemed unable to discharge his duties.

Watch moreOn Truth Social, die-hard MAGA supporters start to turn on Trump

The mechanism is anything but simple, explains Mario Del Pero, a professor of US politics at Sciences Po Paris. The vice president and a majority of the cabinet must first send a written declaration to both chambers of Congress stating that the president cannot fulfil his role. The vice president would then immediately assume presidential powers. Should the president contest that decision  which Trump almost certainly would  the matter returns to Congress, where a two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate would be required to sustain the removal.

"Section 4 of the 25th Amendment has never been invoked," Del Pero told FRANCE 24. "As a broader political and public conversation, like the one we are seeing today or in January 2021 following the 6th, I don't think it has any precedent."

A cabinet of loyalists, a base that holds

The closest the amendment came to being invoked was in the final days of Trump's first term, in the immediate aftermath of January 6, 2021. It was not. The obstacles today are, if anything, greater.

Trump's current cabinet is, as Del Pero put it, "a cabinet of ultra-loyalists and zealots". Vice President JD Vance, who would be the primary actor in any invocation of Section 4, was i n Budapest on Tuesday , calling Trump by phone so the president could address a political rally in support of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. No cabinet member has publicly broken with the president over the Iran rhetoric.

Watch moreUnhinged, insane: US lawmakers call for Trumps removal via 25th Amendment

Denis Lacorne, an emeritus political scientist who has followed US presidents since the 1960s, is equally sceptical. "It never works unless the president is in a coma," he added. "There are so many restrictions. In reality, it is useless."

Even within MAGA, Lacorne argues, the cracks remain superficial. The figures who have spoken out carry real influence as pundits and public figures, but they dont represent a broader collapse of the base. "The average MAGA voter follows Trump, not Tucker Carlson," Del Pero added.

Unprecedented language, familiar limits

If the political mechanisms have clear limits, the rhetoric that triggered them is without precedent in US history. Writing in The Atlantic , historian Barbara A. Kelly notes that all previous US presidents, however flawed in private, sought to appear measured and statesmanlike when addressing the nation about war.

Richard Nixon's profanity-laced tirades were confined to taped conversations with staff. Even during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, Jimmy Carter, a former naval officer, chose patient diplomacy over public inflammatory speech, believing aggressive talk would endanger the 66 Americans held in Tehran. Trump's Easter Sunday post , calling Iranian leaders "crazy bastards" and warning they would be "living in Hell", stood, as Kelly writes, in stark contrast with "even his most profane predecessors".

Courts, midterms and the long game

With impeachment equally out of reach while Republicans control both chambers, and the 25th Amendment politically inoperable, the most effective checks on Trump's power have come from an unexpected direction: the courts. Federal judges have blocked multiple executive orders on constitutional grounds. Even the Supreme Court, broadly sympathetic to the administration's agenda, has blocked some key initiatives, including on tariffs , in a major blow to the president.

Read moreTrumps health under scrutiny: Speculation, signals and silence

A Democratic victory in the November 2026 midterms could shift the calculus further. Control of the House would hand Democrats the chairmanship of key committees with subpoena power, opening the door to investigations into the Trump family's business dealings , its cryptocurrency ventures and the Gulf states' financial entanglements with the administration. "If major scandals explode," Del Pero said, "there could be an opening for an impeachment. But that's in the distant future."

For now, Trump's political survival rests on one variable: the loyalty of the MAGA base and his unique ability to hold it together. "Trump somehow makes MAGA," Del Pero said. "He absorbs even radical U-turns in his policy. Remove Trump and those divisions within MAGA will explode. But for the moment, Trump controls MAGA."
Cameron Diaz has said reuniting with Keanu Reeves for their new film was pure joy.

Reeves, 61, stars in Outcome as a Hollywood actor who tries to identify his blackmailer when an extortion plot threatens to ruin his reputation.

Diaz, 53, co-stars in the Apple TV+ film and praised Reeves as the loveliest human as she discussed reuniting 30 years on from their last on-screen appearance together in crime comedy Feeling Minnesota (1996).

Diaz said: When we worked together 30 years ago, it was like my fourth film.

I was very green. Im embarrassed  the poor guy had to act with this young novice actor who was just starting out.

I was happier to get the opportunity to work with him again now after a little more experience.

Keanu Reeves stars in the film alongside Cameron Diaz (Bradley Collyer/PA) (Bradley Collyer)

Diaz added: Weve seen each other over the years, always happy to see one another.

Hes always been who he is now, just has always been the loveliest human.

Outcome is directed by Jonah Hill, who also acts alongside Magic Mike star Matt Bomer.

Diaz said it was a set full of laughter: I really enjoyed to just get to do this with (Reeves) and Matt and Jonah. It was just so much fun. It was pure joy.

She added that they all laugh so much while on set, adding: We got to watch Keanu play a character who he does so gracefully.

Jonah Hill directs and stars in Outcome (Ian West/PA) (Ian West)

Hes the sort of drama and trauma that this guys going through, we all got to provide a little comedy and relief in there. It was really fun.

Diaz also cited the star-studded cast as one of the reasons she felt drawn to Outcome, and said: I think theres a lot of reasons why we as actors choose to do a film, and a lot of times its a mixture of things. Its sort of like stars align.

You sign on because you think that theres a great opportunity to explore with other actors, with a director, with a writer that you really admire.

And I think in this circumstance, with all with these actors, and with Jonah, I think that is easy for me to go, Yeah, I want to explore whatever this conversation is going to be. It would be fun to do it with them.

Outcome is available to watch on Apple TV+ from April 10.
(PA) (PA Archive)

A child has died from a suspected dog bite at a property in North Yorkshire.

Armed police raced to the scene in Hardale Drive in Dormanstown in Redcar, and killed a dog in the street. Officers seized another dog at the home.

Crime scene investigators were also called in, according to The Northern Echo.

Cleveland Police said officers were alerted following concerns for a child.

Upon arriving at the property, the child had sadly died, they said.

The child is believed to have died as a result of a dog bite.

Paramedics were also called. A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: We were called to an incident at a private address in Redcar on Thursday, April 9 shortly before 1.30pm.

We dispatched three ambulance crews, one clinical team leader and one duty officer to the incident. One patient was transported to hospital for further treatment.

District Commander for Redcar and Cleveland Emily Harrison said: Understandably this is a distressing and tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the childs family.

There is a scene in place at the address while an investigation into the childs death begins.

I would encourage anyone who has concerns or information to please speak to an officer.

Dog attacks are on the rise in the UK.
The daughter of a woman who fell overboard on a Bahamas boat trip says her mothers disappearance doesnt add up and fears the worst. 

Lynette Hooker, from Michigan, vanished on April 4 while travelling between Hope Town and Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.

Described as an experienced mariner, she was travelling with her husband of 25 years Brian at the time, who told authorities she fell into the water with the boat keys.

Without the keys the engine shut off, Hooker was said to have been carried away by the strong current and has not been seen since. Her family have been speaking to the media about their concerns as the search to find their loved one continues.

Lynette Hooker vanished in the Bahamas on a trip with her husband (Facebook/Lynette Hooker)

She loves exploring, her daughter Karli Aylesworth told CNN. Theyve always wanted to sail the Bahamas, and so now they finally did it.

The more time that goes on, the more I disbelieve that she will come back alive. I dont think you can tread water for that long. But I hope maybe shes on a little island somewhere.

It just doesnt add up why she was swimming away from the boat or why she had the keys.

Adding that she has been privy to very little information so far, Aylesworth said her sole concern was to find out what happened to her mother and make sure a full and complete investigation is carried out.

Hookers mother Darlene Hamlett told CNN the family still had a number of unanswered questions but she was trying to obtain a passport in order to reach the Bahamas. 

Our family is still in shock, she said. We are still holding on for a positive outcome to this tragedy.

She vanished while travelling from Hope Town to Elbow Cay in the Bahamas (Google Earth)

Bahamas police says that they were informed about the disappearance on April 5. Hookers husband said he and his wife had left Hope Town a day earlier at around 7.30 p.m. while travelling on an 8ft hard-bottom dinghy, the RBPF said. 

The couple shared updates from their travels on a social media account named @the_sailing_hookers. In a post uploaded before the disappearance, they said they had headed to Great Guana Cay to have their scuba tanks filled.

Richard Cook, the fire team lead at the Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue, told CNN that Hooker had bounced off the boat, which was named Soulmate.

Cook said her husband tried to row to the shore, but winds of 18-22 knots prevented him from making headway. Upon finally reaching Marsh Harbour Boat Yard at 4 a.m., he told an unnamed individual about his wifes disappearance and the authorities were notified.

In an update, the RBPF confirmed that a major search-and-rescue operation had been launched with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association, the United States Coast Guard and local fire and rescue teams. The search was carried out with support from drones and professional divers. 

Speaking to PEOPLE, Cook confirmed that officials don't suspect foul play at the moment.

It was just a lot of bad decisions, he continued. Night time, very windy, no moon out yet so it was pitch dark and very rough conditions for the small boat they were in.
An immigration detention center in rural Texas is growing more secretive under new leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, while young children and families inside continue to face cruelty and a lack of adequate medical treatment, according to Democratic members of Congress.

Lawmakers recent visit to Immigration and Customs Enforcements Dilley Immigration Processing Center follows growing scrutiny into the sprawling, fenced-in facility run by private prison firm CoreCivic, roughly 70 miles south of San Antonio.

Rep. Joaquin Castro, who has visited Dilley several times, says the facility now operates with a creepy secrecy under new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

Under Secretary Mullin, DHS has become more secretive, not less. And yet the cruelty remains the same, he said in a briefing after Wednesdays visit.

Theres a new era of secrecy at DHS, he added in a video posted to social media. Things may be getting worse.

Democratic Reps. Joaquin Castro, center, and Greg Casar, left, said ICEs family detention center in Dilley, Texas remains shrouded in secrecy while failing to meet childrens urgent medical needs (Alex Gilliam/FWD.us)

The number of people in detention with their families temporarily dropped last month to roughly 100 detainees from Januarys average daily population of more than 900. But advocates and lawmakers say more than 300 people, including 77 children, are currently locked up at the facility.

Those children join the roughly 6,200 children who were placed in ICE detention since the beginning of Donald Trumps second term.

What is happening here in Dilley is not a policy debate and it's not abstract, according to Zaira Garcia, regional government relati

ons director at advocacy group FWD.us.

It is mothers, fathers and children being held behind these walls, in conditions that put their health, their safety and their dignity at risk, she said Wednesday.

When Castro and fellow Democratic Rep. Greg Casar arrived at the facility on Wednesday, employees pulled out scripts that they had been commanded to read by ICE leadership in Washington, D.C., Castro said during a press briefing.

This was literally a script  kind of like a propaganda script about the place, he said in a video posted to social media. It was very creepy.  It matches up with what people told us: When members of Congress go, the place gets locked down.

He said Dilley staff refused to answer their questions and instead directed them to ask, in writing, to officials in D.C.

The Independent has requested comment from DHS.

The number of people in ICE detention with their families at Dilley temporarily plummeted to roughly 100 detainees in March from Januarys daily average highs of more than 900. But advocates and lawmakers say more than 300 people, including 77 children, are currently locked up at the facility (AP)

Nearly 600 immigrant children have been held inside the detention center with inadequate food and medical care, often far beyond court-mandated limits on how long children can be detained, according to court documents filed last month.

Emergency crews have been dispatched to Dilley nearly a dozen times over the last six months, according to call logs reviewed by ProPublica and NBC News.

Staff at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center have dialed 911 to report children with severe fever, broken bones, respiratory distress, seizures, plunging oxygen levels and other medical emergencies, including a pregnant woman who passed out.

In at least three cases, children were transferred more than an hour away to a pediatric hospital in San Antonio equipped to treat complex or life-threatening conditions.

Medical issues persist at the facility, according to the congressmen.

One five-year-old girl who has been locked up with untreated cavities for several months, Castro said. She has only been prescribed Ibuprofen for the pain for two months, he said.

Another boy who had blood in his stool was only given laxatives, according to Castro.

There are people there with grave medical conditions that are worsening because of lack of medical treatment and because theyre not taken seriously, because theyre not treated as fully human, Castro told reporters.

Casar read a statement from a 19-year-old detainee who has been inside Dilley for five months.

These months have been the hardest of my life, she said.

The woman from Portland, Maine, is a first-year college student studying to be a nurse, Casar said. The uncertainty, the fear and the loneliness have been overwhelming, she said.

The facility in rural Texas has repeatedly come under scrutiny over a measles outbreak, 911 emergency calls and the hospitalizations of several infants (AFP via Getty Images)

The Dilley compound first opened during Barack Obamas administration to support the wave of families crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, though Joe Bidens administration stopped holding families at the facility in 2021.

The Trump administration reopened the facility as law enforcement agencies began pursuing immigrants with families who have spent years living in the countrys interior.

Liam Conejo Ramos, a five-year-old from Minnesota, was detained at Dilley with his father in January after their arrest in suburban Minneapolis, an incident captured in a now-viral image of the preschooler standing in his frozen driveway. Liam grew ill and became lethargic while in custody, according to his father and members of Congress who visited the family.

Castro, left, visited with five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos while he was inside Dilley with his father in January (Congressman Joaquin Castro/AFP v)

The detention center also came under fire after the hospitalization of two infants housed there, including a two-year-old girl, whose parents say she was denied medicine despite her health rapidly deteriorating.

ICE also confirmed at least two measles cases inside the facility earlier this year after lawyers representing immigrants inside raised alarms over the possibility of an outbreak and a wave of reported illnesses among children.

In a lengthy statement to debunk reports about conditions at the facility, ICE said the agency provides the best healthcare illegal aliens have received in their entire lives in most cases.

The agencys acting director Todd Lyons said the facility is designed specifically to house family units together in a safe, structured and appropriate environment.

Whats important for people to remember is that ICE detains to deport  so detention is not punitive, and Dilley is not a correctional center or anything like that, he said in February. Its a place where families who have been in the U.S. illegally can get medical care, educational services, recreational opportunities and essential daily living needs while they await deportation.
Former lady-in-waiting for Princess DianaAnne Beckwith-Smith leaving Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court, London, where she was charged with speeding over an incident in Wilton, Salisbury, last August (PA)

One of Diana, Princess of Waless most trusted ladies-in-waiting has been disqualified from driving for six months after failing to convince magistrates she should be spared a ban to look after her brother.

Anne Beckwith-Smith, 74, told magistrates it would be catastrophic if she was stripped of her licence, and criticised the standard of public transport in Salisbury where her older brother lives in care.

She reached 12 penalty points on her driving licence after pleading guilty to a speeding offence last summer, and argued at Lavender Hill Magistrates Court on Wednesday that a ban would cause exceptional hardship to her brother.

Routine is vital in his life, she said, setting out how she travels to the care home in Salisbury, Wiltshire, two or three times a week.

I believe the impact would be quite considerable because I wouldnt be able to just be there, especially when there is an emergency, just to reassure him.

Beckwith-Smith gave an address in South Kensington, London, to the court at the start of the hearing, and told magistrates of a potential route using public transport from London to the care home.

Im afraid to say public transport in Salisbury is not as good as it is in London, she said.

But under questioning from prosecutor Oliver Hall, Beckwith-Smith revealed she has a second home in Salisbury.

You have an address in Salisbury  is there a reason why you havent mentioned that, said Mr Hall, and Beckwith-Smith replied: No-one ever asked me.

Could you potentially have a lovely summer in the country, asked the prosecutor, before turning to the window and saying: Its a lovely day today.

Yes, but whats tomorrow going to be like, replied Beckwith-Smith, before conceding she cant deny that living in Salisbury for six months and taking public transport to the care home is possible.

Three magistrates rejected Beckwith-Smiths bid to be spared a ban, disqualifying her from driving for the next six months and ordering her to pay a 307 fine, costs of 130, and a 123 victim surcharge.

Lead magistrate Isobel Vass said: We dont underestimate the medical and care needs of your brother and the circumstances he is in at the moment in a care home.

We also note your dedication and commitment to visiting him regularly.

However we believe you will be able to be in the area for several days each week, allowing you to fulfil your obligations to your brother.

Diana, Princess of Wales (PA)

Beckwith-Smith was the longest serving lady-in-waiting to Diana and was also appointed as her assistant private secretary.

They were regularly photographed together and reportedly formed a close bond.

She went on to spend 24 years working at the Tate after leaving royal service.

Beckwith-Smith found herself in court after being clocked at 36mph in a 30mph zone in her Audi Q2 in South Street, Wilton, Wiltshire on August 7 last year.

The court heard she already had nine points on her licence, from two traffic offences in October 2022 and a third in April last year.

I apologise for wasting all your time with this, but I think its important to stress it would be a hardship for my brother, she said, after detailing his health difficulties.

Im his only next of kin, Im unmarried and hes unmarried.

I deal with his financial affairs and health affairs, within reason, and his wellbeing generally.

She said she visits her 77-year-old brother two or three times a week and checks on the care he is receiving.

I just drop in  I quite like to do that as it keeps them on their toes, she said from the witness box.

Care staff are always changing, she said, adding: They have endless notes and I dont think most of the time they read them  these days they are on an iPad.

I feel very responsible for making sure his routine is kept to the basics.

Turning to the impact of a driving ban on her own life, she added: It would be rather catastrophic, personally.

We are incredibly well provided for with public transport in London, but its getting to see friends and family in the country.

When questioned by Mr Hall, Beckwith-Smith said she could live at the family home in Salisbury and she accepted a bus stops outside.

Beckwith-Smith also told the court she is comfortable financially and could look into taking taxis.

She pleaded guilty to exceeding the 30mph speed limit, and left court in the passenger seat of a waiting car.
Actress Diane Morgan is to return as Philomena Cunk in a new BBC series called Cunk On Cinema.

The mockumentary series, written by Charlie Brooker, will see the fictional TV presenter look at the world of film when it airs on BBC Two and iPlayer.

Speaking in her role as Cunk, Morgan, 50, said: Cinema has given the world some of the most profound, memorable and moving visual moments in its unswerving depiction of the human condition.

Cunk On Cinema will be written by Charlie Brooker (Jonathan Brady/PA) (Jonathan Brady)

The shower scene in Psycho, Death playing chess in that Swedish thing, and Tom Sellecks glistening moustache in Three Men And A Little Lady, to name but all three of the only examples I can think of at the moment.

There will, unfortunately, be some bits in black and white, but well keep that to the barest minimum.

The three-part series will see blunt interviewer Cunk investigate the history of cinema, New Wave film-makers of the 1960s, CGI, and how artificial intelligence (AI) will impact film.

Brooker, 55, said: Now that Sora has killed off Hollywood and itself (presumably as part of a murder-suicide pact), its the perfect time to look back at 200 centuries of cinema, in the company of an idiot were apparently cursed to employ, Philomena Cunk.

A release date for the series, which will air on Netflix outside of the UK and Ireland, is yet to be announced.

First appearing as Cunk on Brookers Weekly Wipe show in 2013, Morgan has also played the character in specials including 2016s Cunk On Shakespeare and Cunk On Christmas, as well as the series Cunk On Earth, Cunk On Britain and Cunk And Other Humans.

The Manchester-born star recently returned as the titular character in BBC comedy Mandy, which she also writes, for a fourth series last year.
The defendant testified that it was his wife who first hit him with a rock, and he hit her back in self-defense (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

A Hawaii anesthesiologist has been convicted of the lesser offense of attempted manslaughter for allegedly trying to kill his wife on a cliffside hike last year.

Gerhardt Konig, 47, was found guilty after a Honolulu jury deliberated for a day. The charge, tied to extreme mental or emotional disturbance, carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Prosecutors said Konig planned to kill his wife, Arielle, during a birthday trip in March 2025, attempting to push her off a cliff, stab her with a syringe and strike her with a rock before two hikers who heard her cries for help intervened.

His attorney, Thomas Otake, confirmed plans to appeal.

Konig had planned to kill his wife, Arielle Konig, during a weekend trip to Honolulu for her birthday in March 2025, prosecutors said (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

The defendant testified that it was his wife who first hit him with a rock, and he hit her back in self-defense.

Konig had a plan and backup plans for murdering his wife, Arielle Konig, during a weekend trip to Honolulu for her birthday in March 2025, deputy prosecutor Joel Garner told jurors in a closing statement Tuesday. Konig tried to push her off a cliff, and when that didnt work, he tried to stab her with a syringe filled with an unknown substance.

And when that didnt work, he grabbed the rock, Garner said.

Every backup plan ends in Arielles death, Garner said, displaying the rock and photos of her injuries.

The doctors lawyer told jurors Tuesday there were no such plans, and he repeatedly sought to cast doubt on Arielle Konigs account. Gerhardt Konig has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, and he insists he was defending himself from his wife, who he says attacked him with the rock first.

If Gerhardt Konig had wanted to kill his wife and had access to a syringe in a remote area, attorney Thomas Otake suggested, wouldnt he have drugged her and then thrown her from the cliff, rather than having started a scuffle before attempting to fill the syringe as he was wrestling with her?

You would use the syringe first, Otake said. It makes no sense.

The trial started last month, nearly a year after Gerhadt and Arielle Konig went on a hike on the Pali Puka trail in Honolulu that ended with her bloodied and screaming that he had tried to kill her.

Their two young sons stayed home on Maui while the Konigs were on the trip. Near a lookout offering sweeping views, Gerhardt Konig  upset about his wifes relationship with a coworker  attacked her, Garner said. It was only because two other hikers interrupted the assault that he stopped, Garner said.

The trial, with testimony livestreamed by Court TV, has aired the couples marital problems leading up to the hike, along with their versions of what happened on the trail.

Gerhardt Konig testified that his wife was having an affair, which he confirmed by unlocking her phone while she slept. The relationship, which Arielle Konig characterized as an emotional affair involving flirty messages with a coworker, came up during the hike.

Arielle Konig testified that her husband grabbed her and moved her toward the cliffs edge, but she threw herself on the ground in an attempt to hold on. He straddled her and had a syringe in his hand, she said, but she batted it away. She bit his forearm and squeezed his testicles in an attempt to get him off her, she said.

Her husband denied pushing her toward the edge and testified that she hit him with a rock on the side of his face. He wrestled the rock away and hit her with it twice in self-defense, he said.

Gerhardt Konig also denied having any syringes on the mountain or trying to stab his wife. His defense attorney said no syringe was found at the scene because he never had one.

Otake said Gerhardt Konig was not someone who would try to commit murder, but someone who was struggling with infidelity and trying to do his best. Otake quoted from a heart-shaped birthday card Gerhardt Konig had written to his wife, calling her the heart of our family and saying, The kids and I hit the jackpot with you.

Gerhardt Konig testified that as he watched his wife crawl away, he believed his marriage and career were over, and he decided to jump to his death. But first, he called his adult son from a previous marriage. The son told authorities that his father said he tried to kill your stepmom  a confession Gerhardt Konig denied having made.

Konig testified that he called his son to say good-bye.

During that call, the defendant made no reference to having struck his wife in self-defense, Garner said.

He spent about eight hours hiding on the mountain before deciding to come down, and even then, he tried to flee when confronted by police, Garner said.

His wife has since filed for divorce.

The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
Eligible men will be automatically registered for US military draft pool under rule change

The United States is planning to automatically register all eligible men aged 18 to 25 into a military draft pool under a proposed rule change that would come into effect in December if approved.

The proposal was put forward by the Selective Service System, a quasi-independent agency separate from the Department of Defense, that maintains a database of young American males potentially eligible for military service, raising fears about the prospect of mandatory call-ups returning should the Iran conflict drag on and escalate.

Most men within the qualifying age bracket are already required to register but the shift to automatic registration was mandated in December as part of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has refused to definitively rule out putting boots on the ground in Iran (Reuters)

This statutory change transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to SSS through integration with federal data sources, the agencys website states of the proposal submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30, which is now awaiting finalization.

The Independent has reached out to the White House, Pentagon, and SSS for comment.

The U.S. has imposed a wartime draft in six conflicts during its history: the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

An estimated 1.8 million Americans were called up during the deeply-unpopular Vietnam conflict but military service has been voluntary since 1973. It would take an amendment to the Military Selective Service Act by act of Congress to change that now.

Under the current system, failure to register is considered a crime that carries a $250,000 fine and the threat of a five-year jail term plus the loss of access to state-funded financial aid and employment in numerous states, although, in practice, it is seldom prosecuted.

Women, for now, remain ineligible for the draft, despite lawmakers attempting unsuccessfully to attach provisions mandating their inclusion onto annual defense policy bills on several occasions.

To date, 13 U.S. service members have been killed in the war with Iran (AFP/Getty)

Early on in the Iran conflict last month, President Donald Trump refused to rule out putting boots on the ground in the Middle East, despite having repeatedly promised an end to forever wars during his 2024 presidential campaign.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a similarly non-committal answer when he told CBSs 60 Minutes: You dont tell the enemy, you dont tell the press, you dont tell anybody what your limits would be on an operation.

Their responses prompted Maria Bartiromo to ask White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during an appearance on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures about U.S. soldiers being sent into Iran.

President Trump wisely does not remove options off of the table, Leavitt answered. I know a lot of politicians like to do that quickly but the president as commander in chief wants to continue to assess the success of this military operation.

Its not part of the current plan right now but again the president wisely keeps his options on the table.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Foxs Maria Bartiromo last month that President Donald Trump wisely does not remove options off of the table (Sunday Morning Futures/Fox News)

Her reply attracted a furious response from former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, among others, providing a preview of the resistance the administration would be likely to encounter from within Trumps own MAGA base should it move to call up young men or place U.S. troops in harms way in Iran.

Not only did the president pledge not to enter into any further costly and drawn out overseas wars during his run for the White House, he also used the prospect of the drafts return as a stick with which to beat Democratic rival Kamala Harris.

Shes already talking about bringing back the draft, he told his supporters at a September 2024 rally in Las Vegas.

She wants to bring back the draft, and draft your child, and put them in a war that should never have happened.

A week before Election Day, he told another crowd in Atlanta: All of your sons and daughters will end up getting a draft notice.

Congratulations, youve been drafted in the military. Youre going to fight a war against a country that nobodys ever heard of. Isnt it true? Isnt it ridiculous?
With just days to go before the long-promised completion of the EU entry-exit system (EES), The Independent has learnt the digital border scheme is unravelling.

Some nations in the Schengen area are processing third-country nationals, including the British, in accordance with the rules laid down by Brussels. But others  notably France, the most popular country in the world for overseas visitors  are far from ready, despite the progressive roll-out of the scheme over six months.

Wet stamping of passports when entering or leaving the Schengen area was due to disappear by 10 April, but is likely to continue at some frontiers. At others, the only data collected may be basic passport details rather than biometrics.

The much-delayed roll-out began on 12 October 2025. The European Commission insists that the scheme is already proving highly effective in detecting overstays and wanted criminals.

But the long-planned European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias)  the so-called euro visa  looks extremely unlikely to be in effect before the end of the year, despite repeated pledges that it will be.

These are the key questions and answers.

What's the big idea?

Brussels has promised the most modern IT border system in the world. To keep tabs on who is coming and going, third-country nationals such as the British will be registered in the entry-exit system every time they cross an external frontier. This means arrivals and departures at airports, land borders and ports in the Schengen area (comprising the EU except Ireland and Cyprus, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland).

The aims of the digital borders scheme are:

To identify suspected criminals

To combat identity fraud

To police the limit on stays of 90 days in any 180 days that applies to UK and other nationalities

According to the rules, British travellers will need to register the four fingerprints from their right hand (not required of children under 12) and a facial biometric on their first encounter with EES.

Once registered, on subsequent encounters you should be asked to supply only one biometric when entering and leaving the Schengen area; this is almost certain to be the face. But reports from travellers indicate that you may be asked for both face and fingerprints on multiple occasions.

A European Commission spokesperson told The Independent: This is about the security of Europeans. With the EES, we are building the most modern IT border system in the world. In the past five months, we had more than 44.5 million entries and exits registered. There have been over 24,000 refusals of entry, of which over 600 persons were assessed to be security threats to the Union.

Whats the problem?

Each of the member states, being sovereign nations, is introducing the system at its Schengen area frontiers in its own way. These range from a single airport in the case of Luxembourg to nations with possibly dozens of airports, ferry ports, road and rail borders  such as France, Greece, Poland and Spain.

Member states have typically installed ranks of EES kiosks  equipped to take facial biometrics and fingerprints  at each frontier. But there are known problems connecting to the central database.

Particular concern has been expressed about the three UK locations where frontier formalities are juxtaposed  with French Police aux Frontieres conducting checks on British soil.

These comprise the Eurotunnel LeShuttle terminal at Folkestone terminal, the Port Of Dover and the Eurostar hub at London St Pancras International.

The UK government has provided 10m towards the necessary infrastructure investment. But the three locations have spent many tens of millions of pounds more to create registration areas for British and other travellers to register their biometrics.

Yet they are standing idle, reportedly because of connectivity problems on the French side.

What will happen when I arrive at a Schengen area frontier?

It is impossible to predict. These are four of the possible scenarios:

Classic EES

You approach the entry-exit system kiosk and insert your passport as indicated on the screen. The system knows whether you are registered. If you are not, you will provide the necessary face and fingerprints for storage on the database. If you have already been through the system, you should be asked only to provide a facial biometric. You will then be directed either to eGates or a human border officer.

From 10 April 2026 you should not have your passport stamped.

EES plus

This is the case when you know for a fact that you have provided your facial biometric and fingerprints, typically on your way in to a Schengen area country, but then have to provide both once again  either on the way out, or on a subsequent entry, or both. The explanation could be that your biometrics were not properly recorded at the first attempt  or that the member state wants to do things its own way.

EES minus

At frontiers that are particularly busy, or where the biometric equipment is not functioning properly, you may simply have your passport scanned by a border officer. This will be registered on the entry-exit system database. No wet stamping should be necessary.

What EES?

The Independent understands that some nations will completely suspend interaction with the entry-exit system at some crossing points for the summer. If this happens, wet stamping will continue.

Such an imbalance has plenty of scope for creating anomalies, such as entering country A with only a passport stamp, but leaving nation B through EES  without ever apparently having arrived. It is likely that such anomalies will be overlooked by the authorities until the system is fully working.

I have heard about long delays at airports

Many travellers have told The Independent of extremely long queues at airports where the EES is already in force: both on entry and exit. There have been some cases of departing passengers missing flights because the waits are so long.

Two key aviation leaders in Europe  Olivier Jankovec, representing airports, and Ourania Georgoutsakou, representing airlines  have issued a joint statement warning: The combination of full registration requirements and reduced operational flexibility is expected to place unprecedented strain on border control operations.

They are calling on the European Commission and member states to fully or partially suspend EES where operationally necessary during the summer of 2026, citing:

Persistent and structural shortages of border control staff

Technical and maintenance issues with self-service kiosks

Concerns over the reliability of the central EES IT system

A European Commission spokesperson said the organisation is aware of the concerns expressed and has been engaging constructively with the industry. They added: With the system operating well, it takes only 70 seconds to register an entry or exit.

What is happening with the Etias?

This is the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, akin to the UKs ETA and the US Esta, and colloquially known as a euro visa. It will become mandatory for third-country nationals who do not require a full EU visa.

The Commission insists: Etias will start operations in the last quarter of 2026. But that seems extremely unlikely, since it requires the entry-exit system to be working well for at least six months before it begins.

Travellers are assured: The European Union will inform about the specific date for the start of Etias several months prior to its launch.

What does the European Commission say about all this?

The spokesperson said: All member states had declared their readiness ahead of its progressive launch. This was a legal precondition for setting the launch date of the EES.

Despite the agreed timeline, a few member states are encountering technical difficulties. The Commission is in close contact with these member states and also sharing best practices from member states where the system is working well.

The EES rules foresee flexibility to ensure border fluidity. There are fall-back solutions that member states can rely on if needed.

The final line points to the feeling in Brussels that individual nations are not doing well enough: Border fluidity should also be ensured by the member states by providing enough resources and personnel at heavy-traffic border crossing points.

Read more: Could your holiday flight be cancelled due to lack of fuel?
Fathers heartbreak over filmmaker son stabbed to death in Primrose Hill

A 21-year-old who was stabbed to death in a London park can never be replaced, his grieving father says.

Finbar Sullivan was stabbed in a fight at the view point on Primrose Hill on Tuesday. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Finbar Sullivan, 21, died at the scene of a fight on Primrose Hill despite extensive resuscitation efforts (Metropolitan Police)

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Christopher Sullivan said that his son wanted to become a cinematographer like his New Zealand grandfather, Michael Seresin, who shot Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and numerous Alan Parker films.

The filmmaking student had gone to the park to use a new camera he had got for his birthday.

This is the worst tragedy I could ever imagine, his father, 65, told the newspaper on Thursday.

Hes my only son I had him when I was 45. He can never be replaced.

Hed just bought a new camera, we all chipped in for his 21st birthday, and he took it up there to do a bit of filming.

The crime scene has been cordoned off and police warn the area will be restricted as the investigation proceeds (Aaron Chown/PA)

Mr Sullivan, a musician and founder of 1980s band Blue Rondo a la Turk, added: Im so broken-hearted, I cant believe it.

He was the most beautiful, lovely, outgoing, loving boy. He was just a really lovely person.

And why he was targeted, we have no idea.

Mr Sullivan said he rushed to Primrose Hill as soon as he was informed of the incident, video footage of which police said was circulating online on Wednesday.

I got the call at about six that hed been stabbed, so I rushed up there, Mr Sullivan told the Daily Mail.

I wasnt allowed in because it was a crime scene, and by that point hed had 20 minutes of CPR. Hed obviously died.

Its Primrose Hill, for Gods sake Its like Hyde Park. Its not somewhere you expect this.

Finbar Sullivan was a student at the London Screen Academy and produced music videos for drill rap artists under the name Sully Shot It, the Daily Mail reported.

Despite the drill scenes association with gang violence, Mr Sullivan denied his son was involved in it.

All I can tell you is he was the subject of an indiscriminate stabbing. He was not a gang member, said Mr Sullivan.

He was just a little groovy 21-year-old who loved movies and making films. He didnt drink, he didnt smoke, he didnt go out.

Hed stay at home editing his films six nights a week. He wanted to follow in his [grandfathers footsteps] and be a cameraman.

He recently did a video for Joseph Corre, Vivienne Westwoods son.

We were just about to start a company together He was going to do his showreel today with me. And now hes dead.

Mr Sullivan added: His friend was stabbed in the back and hands trying to protect him.

My son always tried to stand up for people, so maybe the attacker was bullying someone.

The Metropolitan Police have urged anyone who has any information, including photos or videos, to get in touch.

Contact police on 101, quoting reference CAD 6448/07Apr. An anonymous report can be made via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A sign at an entrance gate at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Photograph: Chris Seward/AP (Photograph: Chris Seward/AP)

The FBI has arrested a former military special operations employee accused of providing classified information to the media, the agencys director, Kash Patel, announced on Wednesday.

The US Department of Justice said in a press release that the former employee, identified as Courtney Williams, 40, was arrested on Tuesday and indicted on Wednesday for allegedly sharing classified material with a journalist.

While the journalist is not named in the criminal complaint, Williams was interviewed by the investigative reporter Seth Harp for his 2025 nonfiction book about Fort Bragg, the North Carolina headquarters of the US armys Delta Force, a clandestine special operations unit.

The book, titled The Fort Bragg Cartel, examined a string of deaths at the base and the alleged involvement of elite soldiers in drug trafficking.

Williams worked at Fort Bragg for six years, according to the FBIs criminal complaint. She was a custodian of sensitive documents, including fake passports for undercover agents, and would occasionally field calls related to the units front companies, according to an August 2025 excerpt of Harps book published in Politico.

Harp wrote about harassment Williams said she faced as an employee, including a time where she was instructed to bend over so higher-ranking officers could see if her pants were transparent, which would have constituted a dress-code violation. Williams later filed a grievance and a discrimination claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), per the excerpt.

In a criminal complaint filed on 3 April in the US district court for the eastern district of North Carolina, federal authorities said the article and book contained classified national defense information. Williams was debriefed on her obligation to protect such classified information beyond her time as an employee, authorities said.

Let this serve as a message to any would-be leakers: were working these cases, and were making arrests, Patel wrote on X on Wednesday. This FBI will not tolerate those who seek to betray our country and put Americans in harms way.

The complaint described how federal agents obtained phone records showing contact between Williams and the journalist, presumably Harp, from 2022 to present day.

Williams texted him, on 12 August, the day the Politico story was published, where she expressed concern over the amount of classified information being disclosed.

I thought things I was telling you [were] so you could have a better general understanding, she said, according to the complaint.

Williams also found fault with the portrayal of her and other female employees.

It just feels like the mark was missed. Im taking deep breaths, but have a feeling this is going to be more of a nightmare for my children than not, she wrote, according to the court filing.

Harp could not be immediately reached by the Guardian for comment via email.

After news of Williamss arrest, Harp issued a sharp rebuke of the FBI.

Ironically, while the FBI was monitoring my phone and investigating Courtney on vague and weak charges, the perpetrators of half a dozen murders involving Fort Bragg soldiers involved in the drug trade have gone entirely unsolved. A real police agency would go after real criminals instead of engaging in this sort of penny-ante political theater, Harp wrote in a statement posted on X.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the allegations.

Harp also denied receiving a drive from Williams with classified information on it, referencing a claim in the complaint. He said the drive contained a public EEOC complaint whose size was too large to send over email.

Courtney Williams is a courageous whistleblower who exposed rampant gender discrimination and sexual harassment in the US armys Delta Force. Unlike many of my sources, she was adamant that she be quoted by name and made no attempt to conceal her identity because her actions were entirely above-board, legitimate, and admirable, he said.
Crew detected an unusual smell in the front gallery of the Airbus A320 (Getty Images)

A flight from London made an unscheduled landing in Brussels after an unusual smell was detected in the cabins kitchen area.

Swiss International Air Lines flight LX325 departed London Heathrow airport at 5.42pm for an almost hour-and-a-half flight to Zurich, Switzerland, on Monday 6 April.

Just half-an-hour into the flight while travelling over Belgium, the flight crew transmitted a Squawk 7700 code, after which the Airbus A320 made a U-turn and diverted its course north to Brussels.

Squawk 7700 is a universal transponder code that alerts air traffic control when a plane needs immediate assistance for a general emergency, allowing the airport to clear the runway and prepare emergency services for when the flight arrives.

An hour after departing London, the plane landed at Brussels airport.

A spokesperson for Swiss told The Standard that an unusual smell was detected in the forward gallery, which is the kitchen area of the plane where crew prepare snacks and drinks.

After the smell was detected, the crew of flight LX325 decided to carry out an unscheduled landing in Brussels, the spokesperson added.

The flight was en route from London to Zurich. The landing was uneventful, and passengers disembarked the aircraft via the regular procedures. As a precautionary measure, airport fire services were called to the scene, which is standard protocol in such situations.

The airline did not describe where the unusual smell came from, but a Swiss spokesperson told The Independent that the plane was inspected by specialists and they did not find any technical faults.

The plane returned to Zurich and resumed service on 8 April after the inspection.

All passengers were accommodated overnight in suitable hotels in Brussels, the spokesperson added. Our staff did their utmost to rebook them onto the best alternative connections for each individual.

We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this unscheduled landing. We fully understand that such a situation causes uncertainty, delays and additional effort for the travellers. We would like to thank our passengers very much for their understanding and patience in this exceptional situation.

Read more: European airline offering cabin crew 14k to resign
Two women and two men have died after a small boat sank in the English Channel on Thursday, French authorities have confirmed.

The victims were swept away by strong currents having tried to board a dinghy, a French government official said.

At least 42 others were rescued in the incident off the coast of Boulogne,

Search and rescue operations were taking place after the vessel capsized off a French beach.

Emergency vehicles rushed to Equihen beach in the Pas de Calais at about 7.30am on Thursday.

Bodies were recovered from the sea near Ecault beach.

Francois-Xavier Lauch, prefect of Pas-de-Calais, said: "We sadly have to report four deaths this morning.

"The people who died were attempting to board a taxi-boat.

"I have to commend the actions of our officers and firefighters who, as you know, are deployed every day to stop these crossings."

A French rescue vessel off the Boulogne coast (AFP via Getty Images)

Mr Lauch said emergency services rescued at least 42 people during the course of the incident.

Speaking of the four people who died, he said: "They were already quite far into the sea.

"The currents, which can be dangerous here, swept them away.

"This provisional toll, and I insist that it is provisional, states four deceased: two men, two women."

One person also suffered hypothermia, and another 37 other people are currently being treated by emergency services.

A number of other small boats were at sea and being monitored by French authorities, including a military helicopter, Mr Lauch added.

"The responsibility lies with the smugglers," he stressed.

The French authorities, though, have been accused of failing to do enough to stop the crossings.

People were being treated in makeshift care units after a small boat sank off the French coast (AFP via Getty Images)

Around thirty migrants were being cared for by emergency services in mobile intensive care units set up on Equihen beach, according to the Voix du Nord.

The local mayor Christian Fourcroy was at the scene of the tragedy which happened at around 7am off the Saint-Etienne-au-Mont beach.

There was a failed departure (by a small boat), he said.

The body of a teenager, believed to have fallen from a small boat seeking to cross the Channel, was discovered on the beach last September, highlighting the dangers migrants face when they are forced into overcrowded, unseaworthy vessels as they seek to reach Britain.

Two people died on April 1 in another small boat tragedy off the beach near Gravelines, near Calais, the first fatalities of the year in the Channel crossings.

Six other migrants were rescued, with one of them rushed to hospital for further care.

Rescue vehicles and medical units gather on the beach to treat victims after an attempt to cross the English Channel illegally turned into tragedy (AFP via Getty Images)

More than 100 migrants are believed to have crossed the Channel on Wednesday, with numbers expected to rise as the weather calms in months ahead.

In London, a Government spokesman said: We are deeply saddened to hear about the deaths in French waters today.

Every death in the Channel is a tragedy and a stark reminder of the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people for profit.

We will continue working relentlessly with the French and our partners overseas to prevent these perilous journeys.

He added: The French authorities are leading the response to this incident and we are supporting their investigation."

In the past year, traffickers have taken to motoring dinghies along stretches of the northern French and Belgian coasts picking migrants up along the shore.

Authorities refer to them as 'taxi-boats'.

Nearly 5,000 migrants have arrived in the UK by small boat so far this year, according to the latest Home Office data.

About 41,500 people crossed the Channel last year.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper (PA Wire)

Last month, UK and French authorities failed to agree a new beach patrol deal aimed at reducing the number of departures.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a 2 million-a-week extension to the current arrangement as the two governments thrash out a longer-term agreement.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, on the media round for the Government, was asked about the French government refusing to allow British Border Force vessels to be deployed to stop small boat crossings.

She told LBC Radio: Well, we want to strengthen the co-operation with France, these dangerous boat crossings undermine our border security, and they put lives at risk, and thats why Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has been in continued discussions with France.

The co-operation that we have in place so far has prevented tens of thousands of people making these illegal crossings but we also have negotiations underway at the moment in order to strengthen that.

Weve just had come into force the new counter terrorism powers to use against people smugglers and against these criminal gangs that are organizing these boat crossings in the first place.
Even with the emerging prospect of talks between Israel and Lebanon, this weeks US-Iran ceasefire is, as vice-president JD Vance described it, a fragile truce.

Missiles are still flying around the region, and the vital Strait of Hormuz  now the most famous and important shipping lane in the world  remains effectively closed to most traffic.

However, Israels aggression against Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, the loss of innocent lives, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure in the weakened Lebanese state are making the difficult task of securing peace in the Gulf virtually impossible.

The world is watching in dismay as Israel issues evacuation warnings in Beirut  amid fears of some kind of Gaza-level destruction.

Reports suggest that negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are to begin next week at the Department of State in Washington, just as delegations from the US and Iran arrive in Pakistan for their own talks.

But there will be little chance of finding consensus while Benjamin Netanyahus government takes its nihilistic military roadshow to Beirut, and even beyond.

Only the US can force Israel to join the ceasefire, but Donald Trump appears as unwilling as ever to exert much pressure on his friend Bibi. Yet he will have to do so, if only to rescue the prospect of peace with Iran, and security for the Gulf states  crucial US allies  as well as to give his own Republican Party any chance of retaining control of Congress in the November elections.

It is not difficult to understand why Mr Netanyahu is being his usual stubborn self. He is deliberately and needlessly prolonging this conflict for the same reasons he manoeuvred the Americans into it in the first place. It is in Israels interests to weaken Iran and its terrorist proxies and partners, in every possible way and at every possible opportunity  and where such opportunities do not exist, to create them. From Israels point of view, that approach is entirely rational.

An Iran with nuclear weapons would be a menace to its neighbours in the Gulf, and therefore a potent threat to the interests of the United States. But to Israel, it would be existential. Mr Netanyahu is right to point to Irans constant antisemitic demonisation of the Jewish people, and the malign intent of groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis in Yemen towards the state of Israel and its inhabitants.

The desire of many in Tehran, and those connected to the Islamic Republic, is to wipe Israel off the map. Hence the Netanyahu governments determination to prevent the ultimate jeopardy of a nuclear weapon on board a long-range missile. Iron Dome or not, that is unacceptable to Israel, and its obvious why.

Yet the war in the Gulf continues to destabilise the region. By continuing to attack Lebanon, Mr Netanyahu believes he is also weakening Iran and Hezbollah. Nevertheless, his preference for direct military action is preventing a wider peace.

Indeed, any deal secured would surely include an agreement that should be very much in Israels favour, by getting Iran to renounce any stockpiles of enriched uranium. This is, in fact, what the Omani government brokered between the US and Iran just before Mr Netanyahu persuaded Mr Trump that war and rapid regime change in Tehran was a faster, more definitive path to the aims they shared.

Whatever merits that argument had are now irrelevant. Regime change has not spontaneously occurred (as some of Mr Trumps advisers privately warned him it would not), and the Islamic Republic is stronger and potentially richer than before the war, even if its conventional forces have been decimated.

There is not, and never has been, a military solution to the tensions in the Middle East, including the Palestine-Israel question. So that means a ceasefire, and an end to Israels campaign in Lebanon  and, indeed, to the illegal settlement of the West Bank.

Left to his own devices, President Trump would probably want to deploy vast US resources on vanquishing Iran and, to borrow his favourite threat, bombing it back to the Stone Ages. Fortunately, he is not yet an absolute monarch, and he is not being left to follow his own appalling instincts untrammelled.

He gambled and lost in Iran, and now he needs to extricate himself before further economic and electoral damage is done to America, and the possibility of a successful impeachment becomes too real for comfort. He himself has admitted as much in public. Mr Netanyahu is a determined man, but, much as Mr Trump sympathises with him and wants to let him have his free hand in Lebanon, political survival after the midterms must come first. For once, he will have to say No to Bibi. Lebanon has suffered enough.
An IRGC speed boat approaches a cargo ship in the Gulf - NurPhoto

Should the Iran war end with Tehran being able to charge a toll for passage through the Strait of Hormuz in perpetuity, it would be an unambiguous victory for Tehran and an astounding defeat for the United States, as well as the rest of the Western alliance.

The principle that the oceans are the common property of all has long underpinned international law and the system of global trade, and Washington has been at the forefront of its enforcement.

America entered the First World War, in part, because Germany had violated this rule: Woodrow Wilson made the restoration of absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas, outside territorial waters, alike in peace and in war the second of his 14 conditions for ending that war.

The Strait of Hormuz sits between Iran and Oman, rather than wholly neutral ocean, but the principle remains the same: no country should interfere with the innocent passage of law-abiding civilian vessels through straits and choke points. Tehran should have no veto over which vessels can pass through the Strait, and certainly should extract no revenue from their transit.

This was the status quo prior to the joint US-Israeli military venture in Iran: it is a basic condition of success that it remains the case once the war concludes. Yet at present, transit only appears to be taking place with the provision of significant payments to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with the fee for a single tanker running into the millions of dollars.

Iran has made clear that it wishes for this situation to continue, netting Tehran potentially hundreds of billions of dollars over the next five years. A war intended to decapitate the Iranian regime would instead have provided it with unprecedented financial security, in a stroke undoing the work of years of sanctions.

Mr Trump is clearly mindful of this risk, and has insisted that the Strait should be reopened to maritime traffic. But he has given conflicting signals, and is reportedly expecting that Americas allies send warships to help with the reopening. Europeans might grumble that they were not responsible for the war, but they must nevertheless do everything in their power to ensure that Tehrans maritime blackmail is brought to an end.

The alternative is not only the end of free navigation in the Gulf, but also an Iran emboldened to continue its campaign of aggression against the West.
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 new data from the OECD reflects the impact of Donald Trump closing down USAID. Pictured is a Burundian government weighing a sack of rice from the final batches delivered by the now-dismantled government agency last year (AFP/Getty)

Overseas aid from wealthy countries plummeted by 23 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024, with Germany overtaking the US to become the worlds biggest aid donor for the first time, new figures show.

The data, published by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), confirms the devastating impact of the closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which previous studies have indicated will contribute to tens of millions of deaths .

Overall aid from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC)  a core group of aid donors comprised of the worlds 34 richest nations  fell by 23.1 per cent to $174.3bn (129.8bn).

The US alone drove three-quarters (75.1 per cent) of the decline, while major cuts were also reported by other big donors including Germany (17.4 per cent), France (10.9 per cent), the United Kingdom (10.8 per cent), and Japan (5.6 per cent).

The extremely steep decline in funding from the US meant that Germany provided more aid ($29.1bn) than the US ($29bn) for the first time in history.

Bilateral aid fell by 26.4 per cent from the DAC countries, while multilateral aid  which goes to global institutions like the UN  fell by 12.7 per cent.

The UN notably suffered its largest annual decline in funding on record, with a budget cut worth 27 per cent, driven by a 87.2 per cent year-on-year cut that the US has made to its UN budget contribution.

The US also cut its bilateral aid to Ukraine by a massive 91.1 per cent. However, this was offset by other DAC countries and the EU increasing the aid directed towards Ukraine, which ensured that the $44.9bn that Ukraine ultimately received exceeded the bilateral aid that was provided to all the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Overall aid provided to Sub-Saharan Africa fell by 26.3 per cent to $24.5bn, while aid to the worlds least developed countries similarly fell 25.8 per cent to hit $23.5bn.

Today's figures confirm that we are witnessing the steepest and most widespread contraction in ODA [Official Development Assistance] in a generation, Mikaela Gavas, managing director for the Center for Global Development Europe, told The Independent.

With a second consecutive year of decline and the four largest donors all cutting simultaneously for the first time in nearly thirty years, it is a structural shift in how wealthy countries are choosing to engage with the world's poorest.

Callum Northcote, economic justice lead at Save the Children UK, added: "This is yet another example of the realities now facing the world's children.

The UK's decision to cut aid has poured fuel on the fire of global decision-making. This will have real world impact for health centres, for schools, for the ability to treat malnutrition and keep children safe  an impact that is becoming clearer as the specifics of the cuts are laid bare.

The decline of 23.1 per cent follows a decline of 6.1 per cent recorded in 2024  and the OECD currently projects that foreign aid will decline by a further 5.8 per cent next year.

Three consecutive years of decline in overseas aid is something we have not seen since 1993 to 1993, during the period of the end of the Cold War, said Maria del Pilar Garrido Gonzalo, OECD Director for Development Co-operation, on a webinar held to mark the release of the data.

These projections do not yet account for the potential impact of the current crisis in the Middle East , which could represent an additional shock after two years of overseas aid cuts, she added.

Speaking on the same webinar, chair of the DAC Committee Carsten Staur suggested that the sheer number of humanitarian disasters that the world is currently experiencing means that foreign aid should be increasing, not decreasing.

There are still more than 800 million people living for less than $3 a day  two-thirds of whom live in Sub Saharan Africa  and millions of children still die every year before the age of five for reasons that are easily preventable, he said.

There is no substitute for overseas aid in this fundamental endeavour of investing in human relief, in health, education and social protection. Overseas aid remains an essential investment in global solidarity, in viable international partnerships and alliances, and in longer term resilience and security.

Also on Thursday, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in the UK revealed details of UK aid spending in 2025, which reflected the government beginning to implement its cut to the UK aid budget from 0.5 to 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI).

UK aid spend fell by just over 1bn  or 7.4 per cent  to hit 13bn in 2025, the data shows, while aid as a share of GNI fell from 0.5 per cent to 0.43 per cent year-on-year.

Over 18 per cent of the UK aid budget continued to be spent on UK asylum seeker and refugee costs, in a move that was criticised by NGOs.

Supporting refugees is vital, but this was never the purpose of Official Development Assistance, said Adrian Lovett, UK executive director of the ONE Campaign. Spending more than 2 billion of the development budget within the UK shortchanges our international partners and misleads taxpayers about how their money is being used.

Mikaela Gavas, from the Center for Global Development, added that the UK aid cuts appear to be coming faster than was anticipated when the government first announced its cuts to the aid budget.

This isnt about accounting, it's about real choices, she said. The UK has already announced a major reduction in aidfrom 0.5 to 0.3 per cent of GNIbut these figures show it is happening sooner than expected.

Over 1 billion less has been spent this year than anticipated. Thats almost the same amount as everything the UK spent on humanitarian aid last year.

Gideon Rabinowitz, director of advocacy at the NGO network Bond, which represents UK NGOs working in development, pointed out that the UK cuts are set to be the steepest in the G7.

Lifesaving humanitarian programmes, including education provision in Syria and healthcare programmes across Africa, have already been forced to close, and, with even deeper cuts still to be implemented this year and next, the worst consequences are yet to be realised, he said.

In response to concerns raised in this article, a spokesperson for FCDO said: National security is the first duty of this government. That is why, to fund an essential increase in defence spending, the Government has taken the hugely difficult decision to reduce the UK Official Development Assistance budget. These statistics reflect those essential decisions.
New York, US (PANA) - The United Nations has strongly condemned airstrikes by the Israeli military across Lebanon on Wednesday which have resulted in significant casualties and destruction
Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie are reuniting on the Today desk for the first time in over a year.

Guthrie, 54, announced on-air April 9 that Kotb, 61, will fill in for co-anchor Craig Melvin as he takes time away from NBCs morning show starting April 13.

Speaking of tomorrow, Craig you are heading off on a very well-deserved vacation, youve been holding it down here for a long time, Guthrie said on the show. So you're going to have a spring break. And Monday we're gonna try a new host here. Her name is Hoda.

Oh, Ive heard of her, Melvin said. He then joked that he would refuse to turn on the show while he is on break.

"You're not supposed to watch on your vacation, Guthrie responded.

Hoda Kotb (left) and Savannah Guthrie (right) will reunite on Today starting next week (Getty)

It will mark the first time that Guthrie and Kotb will serve as co-anchors since Kotbs last day in January 2025.

The pair co-hosted the morning show for seven years until Kotb announced in September 2024 that she would step down to spend more time with her daughters after 26 years with NBC. It was revealed shortly after that Melvin, who hosted the shows third hour, would replace Kotb in co-anchoring Today upon her exit.

The reunion comes after Kotb filled in for Guthrie for nearly two months after her mom, Nancy Guthrie, disappeared from her Arizona home February 1. Her disappearance sparked a grueling ongoing search that has lasted over 10 weeks. Police believe Nancy, 84, was abducted from her home in the middle of the night.

No suspects have been identified in the case.

Last month, Guthrie told Kotb the search has been agonizing for her family in an emotional sit-down interview.

Someone needs to do the right thing, she said through tears. We are in agony. It is unbearable. And to think of what she went through.

The conversation with Kotb, which aired March 26 and 27, was the first interview Guthrie gave since her mothers disappearance. She said about returning to work: Its hard to imagine doing it because its such a place of joy and lightness and I cant come back and try to be something that Im not.

Savannah Guthries mother Nancy Guthrie was reported missing February 1 (NBC/Today)

But I cant not come back because its my family, Guthrie explained. I think its part of my purpose right now. I want to smile. And when I do, it will be real. And my joy will be my protest. My joy will be my answer. And being there is joyful. And when its not, Ill say so.

On April 6, Guthrie returned to anchor the show again, more than two months after her mothers disappearance. She gave a subtle nod to her family by wearing yellow, which has become a symbol of hope throughout the search for Nancy.

She said during her first show back that it felt good to be home. Sitting next to Melvin, she said, Well here we go, ready or not, lets do the news.

During the broadcast, she told fans on Rockefeller plaza: You guys have been so beautiful. Ive received so many letters, so much kindness to me and my whole family. We feel it. We feel your prayers, so thank you so much.
The average American spends roughly 4 to 5 hours on their phone a day and for many, its the first thing they look at when they wake up in the mornings and the last thing at night before going to sleep.

Social medias hold over Americans is becoming apparent, with the jury in a landmark case last month in California ordering tech giants Meta and YouTube to pay a young woman $6 million in damages after the court heard how she became addicted to the platforms. In New Mexico, a jury in a bellwether case running in tandem to the California one also found that Meta was harmful to children's mental health and ordered them to pay $375 million in damages for violating state consumer protection law.

The companies have appealed the verdicts but the victory of campaigners in the courts, coupled with emerging scientific research on the potential harms of excessive social media use, suggests the tide is turning.

One study published last year found that a simple digital detox could effectively erase 10 years of age-related cognitive decline, in addition to improving mental health among the 467 participants.

The average American spends roughly 4 to 5 hours on their phone a day and for many, its the first thing they look at when they wake up in the mornings and the last thing before going to sleep (AFP via Getty Images)

The PNAS Nexus study saw the participants block internet access to their phones via an app for two weeks.

They could still make calls and send text messages on their phones and they could also access the internet from other devices, such as tablets and laptops. The reason being that researchers said phone use is more compulsive and mindless than a computer and phones interrupt other social activities such as having dinner, going for a walk or watching a movie.

Researchers found that the average time participants spent online went from 314 minutes to 161 minutes, and by the end of the two weeks, they reported improvements in mood, sustained attention and mental health.

To put these effects into context, the change in objectively measured sustained attention ability is about the same magnitude as 10 years of age-related decline, the studys authors wrote.

Even among the participants who failed to keep to the two-week detox entirely, there was an improvement. So you dont have to necessarily restrict yourself forever, one of the studys authors, Kostadin Kushlev, an associate professor of psychology at Georgetown University, told The Washington Post. Even taking a partial digital detox, even for a few days, seems to work.

Noah Castelo, the studys co-author and an associate professor at the University of Alberta School of Business, added that the idea for the research came from his own experience of how much his cellphone was interfering with everyday life.

These technologies can interfere with activities that were otherwise engaging, like having dinner with friends, he told the outlet.

Social medias hold over Americans is becoming apparent. Parents whose children have lost their lives due to online harm are leading the campaign to hold tech giants accountable (AFP via Getty Images)

Another recent study found that even a short time away from being on smartphones can make a difference.

The Harvard study published in the JAMA Network Open in November found that anxiety, depression and insomnia fell on average for participants who reduced their smartphone use for a week.

Researchers noted that not everyone is affected in the same way, and so a key for scientists is identifying the most vulnerable to social media, John Torous, an associate professor and staff psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School and the lead author of the study, told the Post.

The policy response to online social media harms in states and countries varies. Massachusetts this week took one step closer to passing a bill that would ban children under 14 from using social media in the state, while Indonesia became the latest country to usher in a ban for those under 16.

For some people, their use is too much or too little, and for others its just right. To identify who is harmed by it is very important, Torous told the outlet.

Torous and his team are especially interested in studying those who compare themselves to others in a way that makes them feel worse, people who have sleep issues, and those who resort to the online world as a coping mechanism for loneliness.
Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leader, has called for the House to be recalled to vote on our resolution to permanently end the war in the Middle East. Photograph: Annabelle Gordon/Reuters (Photograph: Annabelle Gordon/Reuters)

An attempt by House Democrats to pass a long-shot resolution on Thursday curtailing Donald Trumps war powers over Iran failed after the Republican pro forma speaker, Chris Smith, did not recognize lawmakers from the opposite party on the floor.

The vote, scheduled for Thursday morning, used a procedure called unanimous consent, which is a shortcut that allows legislation to pass the chamber instantly, without debate or a formal tally, so long as not a single member objects. Any one lawmaker can kill the resolution by simply objecting, and Republicans were expected to do exactly that.

Glenn Ivey, a Democratic representative from Maryland, attempted to be recognized on the floor, but Smith ended the session immediately. There were a handful of other Democrats in attendance who objected loudly.

The move from Democrats was expected to be blocked, but its introduction was a signal of unease on Capitol Hill about a Middle Eastern conflict on pause with no clear endgame.

The temporary ceasefire announced on Tuesday is already showing serious cracks. Israel has continued to strike Lebanon claiming it is hunting Hezbollah, though Iran insists it was covered by the truce  a claim both the US and Israel reject. Lebanese authorities say the latest wave killed at least 254 people and injured another 837 people, and totally levelled buildings in central Beirut.

Iran has reportedly halted oil tanker traffic through the strait of Hormuz again, according to Irans Fars News, just hours after the first vessels were allowed through. No official ceasefire text has been released, and JD Vance has called it a fragile ceasefire. The UN secretary-general warned that continued Israeli military activity in Lebanon poses a grave risk to the deal.

Against that backdrop, Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, pressed ahead. In a letter to colleagues on Wednesday, he expressed significant doubt in the ceasefire.

A two-week ceasefire is woefully insufficient, Jeffries said. Accordingly, we have demanded that the House come back into session immediately in order to vote on our resolution to permanently end the war in the Middle East.

The House is on a two-week recess and will not return for formal votes until 14 April.

Republican crossover support for a war powers resolution remains elusive. Representative Nancy Mace, who floated supporting Democrats last month, is now considered unlikely by members of both parties to break ranks.

Representative Don Bacon, a Republican and retired one-star general who backed a war powers measure limiting Trumps Venezuela policy earlier this year, told Politico he would listen before adding: I want us to defeat Iran. They have murdered Americans for 47 years.

Meanwhile, Democrat Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, said Wednesday that the Senate would vote on an Iran war powers resolution when they return to Washington next week.
Labour is more interested in pleasing property developers than helping Londoners onto the housing ladder, the leader of the Green Party has claimed as he launched his local election campaign in the capital.

Zack Polanski on Thursday accused Labour ministers of having a cozy relationship with lobbyists and property developers that has resulted in too many luxury flats with sky-high service charges for leaseholders being built over social and affordable housing.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed hit back, accusing the Green leader of being incredibly hypocritical.

Mr Polanski said: Labour is failing and is not on track to deliver the social and affordable housing it pledged.

It has U-turned on its promise to scrap the feudal leasehold system because its more interested in pleasing property developers than freeing five million people from the financial burden of service charges.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski with Lewisham mayoral candidate Liam Shrivastava and Hackney mayoral candidate Zoe Garbett at the launch of the party's local election campaign (PA)

Labour Housing Secretary Steve Reed recently hosted an exclusive dinner with housing developers who paid 2,000 per person to attend.

Given the cozy relationship Labour has with lobbyists, no wonder they always seem to prioritise maximising corporate profits by building unaffordable luxury properties, instead of the social and affordable housing we need.

Mr Reed claimed Green Party councillors had blocked 42,000 new homes being built across Britain.

He told the Standard: This Labour government has put 39 billion as a pot of money to build the biggest increase in social and affordable housing we have seen in this country in a generation. That is massive, it is going to make such as change.

And what are they Greens doing? Theyve so far opposed and blocked 42,000 new homes from being built, 13,000 of those were social and affordable housing.

Mr Polanski said the 42,000 figure was nonsense.

New home starts in London have slumped 30%, according to figures released in January.

They showed there were an estimated 4,220 new home starts in the capital in the year to September 2025, down from 6,000 in the previous 12 months.

The number of new home completions fell 15% from 18,720 to 15,920 over the same period.

The Greens are hoping to take make significant gains accross London at the expense of Labour during the local elections.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed (PA Wire)

Labour runs 21 of Londons 32 boroughs, but the party is facing a threat from the Greens on the left and Reform UK on the right.

A recent bombshell poll predicted the reshaping of Londons political map at the vote on May 7, suggesting Labour could be almost wiped out in the city, losing all but two of its councils.

Modelling, from data firm Bombe, forecast that the Green Party could seize control of nine local authorities - Hackney, Lambeth, Lewisham, Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Greenwich, Brent, Hounslow and Waltham Forest.

Mr Polanski predicted record-breaking results.

He said: "In 2023 we had record-breaking results as a Green Party.

We got over 241 new councillors. Now, 2023 was an election where double the number of seats were in play than there are at this election.

"Nevertheless, I am confident, but not complacent, in this election we are going to beat 241 councillors and we are heading for a new record-breaking result for the Green Party."
I was right about increasingly unpredictable and dangerous Trump, Zack Polanski says

Zack Polanski said he has been vindicated on his position on Donald Trump, who he said had proved himself to be an increasingly unpredictable and dangerous man.

The Green Party leader said Sir Keir Starmer was now saying the exact same things as him about the US president, despite criticising his position just a few months ago.

Speaking at the Green Partys local election launch in London, Mr Polanski said his party was heading for a new record-breaking result at the polls in May.

Answering questions on defence, he said Britain should try to strengthen ties with Europe to bolster defence, arguing the UK is not safe when our security relies on Donald Trump.

I think what were seeing in Donald Trump is an increasingly unpredictable and dangerous man, the Green Party leader said.

Just a couple of days ago, he said he was willing to wipe out a civilisation.

Now, thankfully and hopefully, that has been delayed in terms of two weeks of a ceasefire. But the ceasefire weve seen, we know that Israel is also taking advantage of in terms of the bombing weve seen in Lebanon.

The Green Party leader says he feels vindicated over his previous outspoken comments (Getty)

Adding he now feels vindicated on his position, he said: We had a Labour government who was attacking me for these comments just a few months ago, but are now saying the exact same things.

It didnt take a rocket scientist to look at this man and say, this is not someone we can rely on for the security of this country.

The UKs relationship with Washington has soured in recent weeks following President Trumps repeated criticism of Sir Keir Starmers response to the conflict.

The US presidents public remarks  which most recently included likening Sir Keir to Neville Chamberlain  have highlighted his increasingly strained relationship and raised questions over Britains diplomatic ties to America.

The UKs relationship with Washington has soured in recent weeks amid Trumps war on Iran, and his repeated criticism of Starmers response to the conflict (AP)

Arguing that Brexit was one of the most catastrophic decisions this country has ever made, Mr Polanski renewed calls for Britain to look more to European neighbours and allies for security.

So I think the time is right now ... to be having conversations with our European neighbours, about what does an alliance [and] security look like without relying on Donald Trump. But actually, I think our hand is being increasingly forced on that.

He added: I think we generally need to have a huge holistic view at looking at what does our national security look like, because the first principle, rule of any government, and indeed any political leader, should be protecting people in this country.

And we know we are not safe when our security relies on Donald Trump.

Starmer has declined to say whether his relationship with Trump is ruined (Getty)

His comments come after former national security adviser, Lord Peter Ricketts, warned the UK should completely forget the idea of a special relationship with the US and can no longer rely on Washington as an ally.

Sir Keir declined to say whether his relationship with Mr Trump was ruined on a visit to the Gulf on Wednesday, but defended his guiding principles on the Middle East conflict.

Asked whether his relationship with the US president was in tatters, the prime minister told broadcasters: Ive acted as you would expect of a British prime minister, which is by being absolutely focused on what is our national interest, and thats why Ive applied my principles and my values throughout.
JD Vance suggested Israel would reduce its bombing campaign against Hezbollah - Getty Images

Israel will rein in its attacks on Lebanon to preserve the ceasefire with Iran, JD Vance has suggested.

The US vice-president, who has taken a leading role in peace negotiations, said Israeli officials had offered to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon, because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful.

Tehran has shut the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to restart the war with the US in response to Israeli strikes in Beirut on Wednesday.

However, the US insists Lebanon, where Israel says it is targeting the Iranian proxy group Hezbollah, is not covered by the ceasefire.

Mr Vance blamed the cracks in the truce on a legitimate misunderstanding from the Iranians who thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didnt.

The vice-president, who will lead peace talks on Saturday alongside US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, also suggested a top Iranian official who claimed the US had violated the ceasefire did not understand English.

Iran earlier on Wednesday also bombed a crucial pipeline in Saudi Arabia, in violation of the ceasefire, while Gulf states reported waves of drone attacks throughout the day.

03:43am

Thats all for today

Thanks for following our live coverage on the Iran war. We will be back in the morning.

Heres a recap of the days events:

Iran stopped shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israels strikes on Lebanon, breaching the terms of its ceasefire with the US

At least 89 people were killed and 700 wounded in Lebanon when Israel hit 100 targets in 10 minutes

JD Vance, the US vice-president, will lead a delegation to Pakistan on Saturday for high-level ceasefire talks with Iran

Donald Trump renewed his attack on Nato after talks with Mark Rutte, questioning its reliability and reviving his grievance over Denmarks refusal to sell him Greenland

03:29am

Israeli strikes kill journalists

Israeli strikes killed an Al Jazeera correspondent in Gaza and two journalists in Lebanon on Wednesday, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists and one of their networks.

Mohammed Wishah was targeted in a drone strike in west Gaza City.

The Israeli militarys Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said on X that Wishah was a member of Hamas, reposting a 2024 tweet that described him as a prominent commander in its military wing, among other positions.

In Lebanon, where Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah killed more than 180 people on Wednesday, Ghada Dayekh, a presenter with Sawt Al-Farah, and Suzan Khalil, a reporter and presenter on Hezbollahs Al-Manar TV and Al-Nour Radio, also died.

02:52am

Australian PM: End Israeli strikes on Lebanon

Anthony Albanese, Australias prime minister, has called for the two-week US-Iran ceasefire to be extended to Lebanon, describing the current situation as a fragile peace.

Australia firmly believes that this [ceasefire] has to apply to Lebanon as well, Mr Albanese said before his flight to Singapore.

Anthony Albanese said: Yesterday was an important agreement, we want to see it pursued - Shutterstock

I know many Australians are concerned about the events in Lebanon and the impacts they are having around the world, he said.

02:16am

Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel

Hezbollah said early on Thursday it fired rockets at northern Israel in its first attack since the United States reached a two-week ceasefire agreement with Iran.

The group stated that the attack was a response to what it described as Israeli ceasefire violations, according to Reuters. The move follows a significant escalation on Wednesday when Israel launched its biggest attack on Lebanon since the war began.

In what has been described as the heaviest strikes of the war so far, at least 89 people were killed and 700 wounded in Lebanon when Israel hit 100 targets in just 10 minutes.

01:39am

Zelensky: US ignoring Russias role in Iran attacks

Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the US of ignoring compelling evidence that Russia is helping Iran target American bases because the Trump administration trusts Vladimir Putin.

Speaking on The Rest is Politics podcast, the Ukrainian president claimed Russian satellites had been used to photograph US military sites and critical infrastructure in Israel and the Gulf, with the data passed directly to Tehran.

I said this publicly. Did we hear a reaction from the US to Russia that they have to stop it? The problem is they trust Putin. And its a pity.

The Ukrainian leader also took aim at Vice-President JD Vances recent campaign trip to Budapest to support Viktor Orban, describing the move as not helpful - AFP

Mr Zelensky argued that Donald Trumps negotiating team, specifically Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, failed to understand the details of what Russia wants because they had spent too much time with the Russian leader.

12:47am

Remember Greenland: Trump criticises Nato

Following his meeting with Mark Rutte, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to renew his attack on the alliance, questioning its reliability and reviving his grievance over Denmarks refusal to sell him Greenland.

NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! President DJT, he wrote.



Read the full story here.

12:25am

Trump discusses Nato withdrawal in frank meeting with Rutte

Mark Rutte, the NATO secretary-general, described his White House meeting with Donald Trump as very frank, admitting the president is clearly disappointed with many Nato allies.

Speaking to CNN, Mr Rutte did not deny that the president discussed a potential US withdrawal from the alliance. Instead, he explained that a large majority of European nations have been helpful by providing bases for American aircraft.

Mr Rutte defended the alliances lack of direct involvement, stating that while there is widespread support for degrading Irans nuclear capabilities, only the US was able at this point to do that - Getty

Mr Rutte also praised Mr Trumps transformational legacy in pushing members toward a new 5 per cent spending target.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Mr Trump is weighing a plan to move US troops out of countries deemed unhelpful and station them in nations thought to have been more supportive of the military campaign.

12:15am

IRGC issues alternative route Map for Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has released a map detailing alternative shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz to help vessels avoid naval mines, according to Reuters.

The semi-official Iranian news agency ISNA reported that the IRGC Navy posted the map early on Thursday. It follows a direct warning from Irans Ports and Maritime Organization:

Due to the war situation in the Persian Gulf and possible anti-ship mines in the main traffic zone of the Strait of Hormuz, vessels must coordinate with the IRGC Navy and use the designated routes, the official announcement stated.

Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization: 'Due to the war situation in the PersianGulf and possible antiship #mines in the main traffic zone of the Strait of Hormuz, vessels must to coordinate with the IRGC Navy and use the designated routes.'

11:42pm

Macron: Lebanon must be included for credible ceasefire

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has insisted the US-Iran ceasefire must include Lebanon to be credible and lasting. After talks with Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian, Mr Macron warned that a pause in hostilities must cover all fronts.

I expressed my hope that the ceasefire will be fully respected by each of the belligerents, across all areas of confrontation, including in Lebanon. This is a necessary condition for the ceasefire to be credible and lasting.

I spoke today with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, as well as with U.S. President Donald Trump.



I told both of them that their decision to accept a ceasefire was the best possible one.



I expressed my hope  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 8, 2026

Mr Macron argued the two-week window must address the root causes of the conflict, including Irans nuclear ambitions and the obstruction of the Strait of Hormuz.

It must open the way to comprehensive negotiations capable of ensuring security for all in the Middle East. Any agreement will have to address the concerns raised by Irans nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Confirming he had consulted with leaders across the region, including Qatar and the UAE, the president said: This is how a strong and lasting peace can be built. France will play its full part - AFP

10:01pm

Vance suggests Iran misunderstood ceasefire

JD Vance has suggested Iran misunderstood the ceasefire deal which the US insists never included Israel pausing attacks on Lebanon.

Tehran has shut the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to restart the war with the US in response to Israeli strikes in Beirut on Wednesday.

The US vic-president said the cracks appearing just hours into the ceasefire were the result of a legitimate misunderstanding because the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didnt.

09:52pm

What has Trump achieved in Iran?

Move along, folks.

On Wednesday, that was the message from the White House on Operation Epic Fury, the 38-day war Washington appeared to bring to an end with frantic negotiations late on Tuesday night.

The victory was decisive, boasted Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defence who wants to be called the secretary of war. The Middle East could now enter a new golden age, said Donald Trump in a post on Truth Social.

Every sign indicates that Washington wants to wrap the conflict up as soon as possible and return to other business. That will not be easy.

Iran may have agreed to a two-week pause in hostilities, but its 10-point proposal for peace negotiations contains enough explosive material to easily derail the process and bring the parties back to war.

09:27pm

Pictured: Tehran in mourning

A funeral for Majid Khademi, the former head of the IRGCs intelligence arm, who was killed by an air strike in Tehran - Reuters

09:22pm

Vance: I wonder if the Iranians understand English

JD Vance has suggested a top Iranian official did not understand English after he claimed the US had violated the terms of the two-week ceasefire.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, said the US had breached three of Tehrans 10 points in its peace plan, which Washington is using as a basis for negotiations. In such a situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable, he said.

Mr Vance said on Wednesday: I actually wonder how good he is at understanding English because there are things that he said that certainly didnt make sense in some of the context of negotiations that weve had.

Ceasefires are always messy, the US vice-president said. This is the nature of a ceasefire. No ceasefire ever goes without a little bit of choppiness.

Mr Vance continued: What we have been very clear about is that we want to stop the bombing. We want our allies to stop the bombing, and we need more of the Iranians to do the same thing.

09:20pm

Lebanon was never part of ceasefire, says Vance

JD Vance has urged Iran not to let the fragile ceasefire deal fall apart over Israels attacks on Lebanon.

Speaking to reporters in Hungary on Wednesday night, he said:

If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart... over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them, and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, thats ultimately their choice.

JD Vance speaks to reporters in Budapest - Reuters

08:54pm

Israel will continue to operate against Hezbollah, says military

As long as Hezbollah continues to threaten our civilians, we will continue to operate against them. pic.twitter.com/TD5VOGLcNO  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 8, 2026

08:42pm

Everything you need to know

Israel launches heaviest strikes of war in Lebanon: At least 89 people were killed and 700 wounded in Lebanon when Israel hit 100 targets in 10 minutes. LTG Eyal Zamir, Israels military chief, said the country will continue to strike Hezbollah with determination.

White House says Lebanon not part of truce: Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary, tonight said Lebanon was not part of the two-week ceasefire and that the message had been relayed to all parties.

Strait of Hormuz tensions: Iran stopped shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israels strikes on Lebanon, breaching the terms of its ceasefire with the US. The White House insisted traffic was returning to normal and described Irans closure as completely unacceptable.

Israels position: Benjamin Netnayahu, Israels prime minister, said his country still has goals in its war with Iran, despite the ceasefire. He vowed to remove Irans nuclear material from the country, either by winning the war or reaching a deal.

Irans warnings: Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Tehrans foreign minister, warned the US to choose between a ceasefire or continued war via Israel. Iran has threatened to abandon the ceasefire if attacks on Lebanon continue and has carried out strikes on Saudi Arabias East-West oil pipeline.

Upcoming talks: JD Vance, US vice-president, will lead a delegation to Pakistan on Saturday for high-level ceasefire talks with Iran. Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistans prime minister, urged all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire.

08:25pm

US must choose between ceasefire or war via Israel, says Iran

The US must choose between a ceasefire or a continued war via Israel, Irans foreign minister said on Wednesday.

The comments came after Israel carried out its heaviest strikes of the war against Lebanon, which killed at least 89 people after around 100 targets were hit within 10 minutes.

Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the terms outlined in the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran were clear and explicit.

The US must choose  ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both, he wrote on X.

The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the US court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.

The IranU.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must chooseceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both.



The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments. pic.twitter.com/2bzVlHFKgi  Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 8, 2026

07:53pm

Pictured: Firefighters extinguish blaze amid Israeli strikes in Beirut

Firefighters attempt to extinguish a fire following an Israeli strike at the Corniche al-Mazraa neighbourhood, Beirut - AFP

07:38pm

Iran calls negotiations unreasonable ahead of US ceasefire talks in Pakistan

Iran said the basis for upcoming talks had been openly and clearly violated, casting doubt over whether negotiations can proceed.



Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf , Tehrans parliament speaker, said: The very workable basis on which to negotiate has been openly and clearly violated, even before the negotiations began.

In such situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable.

The comments come ahead of a planned visit by JD Vance, the US vice-president, who is due to lead a delegation to Pakistan on Saturday for high-level ceasefire talks.

07:19pm

Iran shuts Strait of Hormuz as ceasefire cracks

Iran has stopped oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, breaching the terms of its ceasefire with the US.

The regimes state media reported that traffic was forcibly halted in response to Israel carrying out its heaviest strikes of the war against Lebanon.

Only hours earlier, the US and Iran had struck a deal to reopen the crucial Gulf shipping route as part of a two-week ceasefire.

At least 89 people were killed in Lebanon and 700 wounded when Israel hit 100 targets in 10 minutes. Donald Trump later confirmed that Lebanon was not part of the truce agreement with Iran.

The move came as Iran attacked the crucial east-west pipeline in Saudi Arabia, its only outlet for crude exports currently, in another violation of the ceasefire.

Other Gulf nations reported waves of drone attacks throughout the day.

07:06pm

Nato turned their backs on US, says White House

Nato turned their backs on the United States over the Iran war, the White House said Wednesday.

Its quite sad that Nato turned [its]backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary, told reporters.

Its the American people who have been funding their defence.

Ms Leavitt said that Donald Trump was looking forward to having a frank and candid conversation with Mark Rutte, Natos secretary-general, later today in Washington.

The president will also discuss the possibility of withdrawing the US from the Nato alliance, she added.

06:46pm

White House: Closure of Hormuz is unacceptable

Reports that Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz are completely unacceptable and contradict what Tehran has said privately, said Karoline Leavitt.

The White House press secretary said there had been an uptick in traffic through the Strait today, and that Donald Trump expects it to be reopened immediately.

That is his expectation, it has been relayed to him privately these reports publicly are false, she said.

06:41pm

Irans original plan to end war was unacceptable and discarded, White House says

Iran proposed a more reasonable plan to end the Middle East war after originally putting forward one that the United States deemed to be unacceptable, said Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary.

She called Irans first draft 10-point plan fundamentally unserious.

06:39pm

White House: Lebanon not part of US-Iran ceasefire

Lebanon is not included in the two-week US-Iran ceasefire agreement, said Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary.

Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire, she says. That has been relayed to all parties.

When asked if Donald Trump would want them to be included in the ceasefire, Ms Leavitt said: Again, this will continue to be discussed... but at this point in time they are not included in the ceasefire deal.

06:36pm

Iran can no longer give weapons to proxies, White House says

Iran can no longer distribute weapons to its proxy groups in the Middle East, said Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary.

She said the US destroyed Irans military-industrial base, as well as set back the countrys ability to make missiles and drones.

Irans navy has been annihilated, she said, claiming they now have zero submarines and that 97 per cent of their naval mines have been destroyed.

The Air Force is also now functionally irrelevant, she added.

06:28pm

Iran ceasefire is a victory for the US, says White House

The two-week ceasefire deal with Iran is a victory for the United States, said Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary.

President Trump stated this would be a four to six-week military operation to dismantle the military threat posed by [Iran], she said.

Thanks to the unbelievable capabilities of Americas war fighters, the United States has achieved and exceeded those core military objectives.

06:26pm

White House briefing begins

Karoline Leavitt, Donald Trumps press secretary, is about to update reporters at the White House.

She is expected to discuss the fragile ceasefire deal between the US and Iran.

Well bring you the latest updates here.

06:21pm

Netanyahu: US-Iran ceasefire made in full co-operation with Israel

Benjamin Netanyahu said the US-Iran ceasefire agreement was made in full co-operation with Israel.

He added that Israel was not notified in the last minute.

The Israeli prime minister said that the US-Israeli collaboration was still strong.

President Trump, my dear friend Donald, I would like to thank you for your leadership and your friendship, he said.

He added that the profound friendship and deep camaraderie between the two countries was changing the face of the Middle East.

06:17pm

Benjamin Netanyahu gives statement

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, is speaking live in press briefing.

Well bring you the latest updates.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu gives remarks to media

05:53pm

Pictured: Civilians rescued from destroyed Lebanon building

A woman is assisted to leave a destroyed building at the site of an Israeli airstrike that struck an apartment building in Beirut, Lebanon - AP

05:35pm

Israel will strike with determination in Lebanon, says military chief

Israel will continue to strike with determination in Lebanon, its military chief said on Wednesday.

We will continue striking the Hezbollah terror organization and will utilize every operational opportunity, said LTG Eyal Zamir, Chief of the General Staff for the Israeli Defence Forces, who is overseeing the wave of strikes against Hezbollah.

We will not compromise the security of the residents of northern Israel. We will continue to strike with determination.

05:31pm

Hezbollah says it has right to respond to Israels deadly strikes on Lebanon

Hezbollah said Wednesday it has a right to respond to Israels deadly wave of strikes across Lebanon.

At least 89 people have been killed and over 700 wounded in a massive wave of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, according to Lebanons health ministry.

We affirm that the blood of the martyrs and the wounded will not be shed in vain, and that todays massacres, like all acts of aggression and savage crimes, confirm our natural and legal right to resist the occupation and respond to its aggression, the Iran-backed group said in a statement.

05:08pm

Watch: Israel levels building in Beirut

Israel leveled another building in Beirut just now, hitting Tallet Al-Khayyat in West Beirut without warning.



Israel said today that it will begin expanding the areas of Beirut it targets, under the justification that Hezbollah fighters have "moved into other areas of Beirut". pic.twitter.com/ipUeUbl858  Will Christou (@will_christou) April 8, 2026

05:07pm

Nearly 90 killed in Israeli strikes today, says Lebanons health ministry

At least 89 people have been killed and around 700 wounded in a massive wave of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, according to the countrys health ministry.

The Israeli military said it struck around 100 targets in just 10 minutes on Wednesday, marking one of the largest coordinated attacks in Lebanon during its renewed war with Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Donald Trump later confirmed that Israel was not part of the truce agreement with Iran.

Strikes were reported in the capital Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the eastern Bekaa Valley.

Many hit densely populated civilian areas, with residents saying some attacks came without the usual advance warnings.

Apocalyptic scenes in Lebanon's capital right now.



Israel has launched 100 airstrikes on Lebanon in 10 minutes.



Striking South Lebanon, Beirut and the Bekaa Valley simultaneously.



This isn't a ceasefire.



It's mass bombardment of civilian areas. pic.twitter.com/ygTf2Pscrn  sarah (@sahouraxo) April 8, 2026

04:54pm

Trump: US will work with Iran to remove uranium

The US and Iran will work together to remove the deeply buried uranium in the Islamic Republic, Donald Trump said.

Tehran presented America with a 10-point plan before the 11th-hour truce was announced on Tuesday night, which the US president described as a workable basis on which to negotiate. Mr Trump also said the nuclear issue would be perfectly taken care of.

While Iran wants to retain the right to enrich uranium, Mr Trump said the two countries would now collaborate to remove the nuclear material.

JD Vance, the US vice-president, said earlier the two-week ceasefire was fragile and warned the US would respond if Tehran continued to lie and cheat about its terms.

Mr Trump said in a Truth Social post: The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone through what will be a very productive Regime Change!

There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) Nuclear Dust.

It is now, and has been, under very exacting Satellite Surveillance (Space Force!). Nothing has been touched from the date of attack.

We are, and will be, talking Tariff and Sanctions relief with Iran. Many of the 15 points have already been agreed to.

04:30pm

New podcast: Why Trumps Iran war ceasefire hinges on the Strait of Hormuz

Is this the end of the Iran war?

In the latest Iran: The Latest episode, Telegraph reporters David Blair and Akhtar Makoii discuss the potential pitfalls of the US-Iran deal, from the Strait to nuclear weapons, and what might happen at peace talks on Friday.

Will the ceasefire turn into a lasting peace? What guarantees and concessions have been offered by each side? Will the Strait of Hormuz ever be fully open again? And why is Israel still attacking Lebanon?

Listen to find out .

04:08pm

Pakistans PM: All parties must exercise restraint

Pakistans prime minister has urged all sides to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire amid mounting concerns over reported violations.

Shehbaz Sharif, without directly naming those responsible, said violations had been reported at a few places across the conflict zone, adding that such incidents threaten the spirit of the peace process.

Mr Sharif stressed that diplomacy must now play a lead role towards [a] peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary in the crisis, helping broker the two-week truce announced earlier on Wednesday by Donald Trump.

Delegations from Washington and Tehran are expected to travel to Pakistan for talks on Friday, in what could prove a critical moment for extending the ceasefire into a broader agreement.

Violations of ceasefire have been reported at few places across the conflict zone which undermine the spirit of peace process. I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a  Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 8, 2026

03:39pm

Iran will withdraw from ceasefire if attacks on Lebanon continue, state media reports

Iran has warned it will abandon Donald Trumps ceasefire if Israeli strikes on Lebanon continue.

An unnamed source told Irans Tasnim news agency that Tehran considers a halt to fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon to be part of the two-week agreement with the US.

The warning comes as Israel presses ahead with attacks it says are targeting the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, which it argues fall outside the scope of the deal.

The source added that Irans armed forces were already identifying potential targets in response to Israels latest wave of strikes.

A separate broadcast on state television said Tehran would punish Israel for what it described as violations of the ceasefire.

Israel has maintained that its campaign in Lebanon is not covered by the agreement announced by Donald Trump, while Iran and Pakistan insist the truce was intended to apply across the region.

03:15pm

Watch: Chaos in Beirut as Israel unleashes fresh wave of strikes

Chaos in Beirut as Israel carries out a wave of airstrikes across the country hitting what it said were more than 100 targets in ten minutes. pic.twitter.com/t0If72xogY  Will Christou (@will_christou) April 8, 2026

02:57pm

Major Saudi Arabia pipeline struck by drone, reports say

Saudi Arabias East-West oil pipeline has been hit by a drone attack, according to reports.

The 1,200 km pipeline has been a lifeline for the kingdom, by allowing it to pump crude from the Gulf to the Red Sea, by-passing the Strait of Hormuz.

The Financial Times reported one of the several pumping stations along the pipeline was hit by a drone at around 1pm local time on Wednesday, hours after the ceasefire was announced.

Citing one of two sources familiar with the attack, the outlet reported that the damage was currently being assessed.

02:43pm

Lebanon PM: Israel committing new massacre

Lebanon has accused Israel of carrying out a new massacre following fresh airstrikes on Beirut.

Nawaf Salam, Lebanons prime minister, said Israels renewed bombardment targeted densely populated residential areas and ignored mounting diplomatic pressure to halt the conflict.

Israel continues to expand its aggressions that have targeted densely populated residential neighbourhoods, he said, adding the strikes showed an utter disregard for international and humanitarian law.

Lebanons presidency issued an even stronger condemnation, accusing Israel of once again intensifying its aggression and perpetrating a new massacre in defiance of efforts to restore regional stability.

The escalation comes just hours after Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.

Israel, however, has made clear the truce does not extend to its conflict with the Iran-backed group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Smoke rises following several Israeli airstrikes in Beirut, Lebanon, on Wednesday - AP

02:29pm

Pictured: First responders scramble amongst rubble in Beirut

First responders and residents stand amid rubble at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beiruts Corniche al-Mazraa neighbourhood - AFP

01:59pm

European and allied leaders urge swift and lasting end to Iran war

European and allied leaders have welcomed the US-Iran ceasefire and urged a lasting end to the conflict.

In a joint statement released on Wednesday, the leaders of France, Italy, Germany, Britain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and the European Union urged a swift and lasting end to the war, stressing that negotiations must now move quickly.

The goal must now be to negotiate a swift and lasting end to the war within the coming days. This can only be achieved through diplomatic means, the statement said.

It was issued by Emmanuel Macron, Giorgia Meloni, Friedrich Merz, Keir Starmer, Mark Carney, Mette Frederiksen, Rob Jetten, Pedro Sanchez, alongside Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa.

The leaders said they encouraged quick progress towards a substantive negotiated settlement to protect civilians, ensure regional security and avert a global energy crisis.

We call upon all sides to implement the ceasefire, including in Lebanon, they said.

Israel has said Lebanon was not included in the US-Iran truce.

01:50pm

Pictured: Houthi supporters celebrate ceasefire

Supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement, brandish their weapons as they rally in solidarity with Iran and Lebanon, in Sanaa, following the ceasefire announcement - AFP

01:43pm

Hegseth: Well take Irans uranium ourselves if we have to

Pete Hegseth has claimed that the US military is prepared to take Irans uranium if the countrys leadership does not comply with a permanent resolution to the conflict.

The secretary of war told reporters: On the uranium, were watching it. We know what they have, and they will give it up, and well get it, and well take it if we have to.

We can do it in any means necessary. So thats something the President is going to solve for.

01:37pm

Trumps threat that a civilisation will die achieved ceasefire

Pete Hegseth suggested that Donald Trumps threat that a civilisation will die tonight was the driving factor behind the ceasefire deal.

The secretary of war said the US presidents comments were crucial to the agreement.

He told reporters: We had a lot of legitimate targets. They knew exactly the scope of what we were capable of... And so Iran ultimately understood their ability to produce power to fuel their terrorist regime was in our hands, was in President Trumps hands.

Thats why they came to the table. He ultimately said, We can take it all from you. Your ability to export energy will be taken away.

And the United States military has the ability to strike those things with impunity. That type of threat is what brought them to the place where they effectively say, OK, we want to cut this deal.

01:30pm

Hegseth: Well be hanging around in Iran

Pete Hegseth has said US forces will be hanging around in Iran to ensure it complies with the ceasefire, echoing Donald Trumps Truth Social post from earlier.

The secretary of war insisted that America was not going anywhere, despite the Iranian leadership calling for all US forces to leave the Middle East as part of a permanent resolution to the conflict.

He told reporters: Well be hanging around. Were not going anywhere. Were going to make sure Iran complies with this ceasefire and then ultimately comes to the table and makes a deal.

So well well stay put. Stay ready, stay vigilant, as the Chairman laid out.

Mr Hegseth added: As far as the strait, you saw the initial agreement that was struck, which is Iran letting ships go through. So thatll be that. That will be happening. They will be sailing.

01:24pm

Gen Dan Caine: Irans missile programme is destroyed

Gen Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the US military destroyed around 80 per cent of Irans air defences during Operation Epic Fury.

Gen Caine told reporters that American forces took out more than 450 ballistic missile storage facilities and 800 one-way attack drone storage facilities.

He added that the US sunk more than 90 per cent of Irans naval fleet, and 95 per cent of the Islamic Republics naval mines.

Gen Caine also said approximately 90 per cent of Iranian weapons factories were struck, with more than 80 per cent of their missile facilities gone.

01:13pm

Trump chose to show Iran mercy, says Hegseth

Pete Hegseth said Donald Trump showed Iran mercy rather than using his power to cripple Irans entire economy in minutes.

The secretary of war reiterated the US presidents threat that power plants and bridges would have been targeted next.

He told reporters at the Pentagon: The next targets would have been their power plants, the bridges and oil and energy infrastructure.

Targets they could not defend and could not realistically rebuild. It would have taken them decades, and we were locked and loaded.

President Trump had the power to cripple Irans entire economy in minutes, but he choose mercy.

Pete Hegseth speaks to reporters at the Pentagon - Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

01:08pm

Hegseth: Iran begged for this ceasefire and we all know it

Pete Hegseth insisted that Iran begged for the ceasefire deal.

The US secretary of war said: No other president has shown the courage and resolve of this commander in chief.

President Trump forged this moment. Iran begged for this ceasefire  and we all know it.

12:56pm

Iran ceasefire is fragile, admits Vance

JD Vance has said the US ceasefire with Iran is fragile and accused some inside the Islamic Republic of lying about its terms.

Tehran presented America with a 10-point plan before the announcement of the 11th-hour truce, which Donald Trump described as a workable basis on which to negotiate.

Iranians have taken the US presidents response as a sign that Mr Trump will accept some of their maximalist terms, which include the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps retaining control of the Strait of Hormuz and the continuation of uranium enrichment.

But Mr Vance insisted that Washington still had clear military, diplomatic and economic leverage to use against Iran if it continued to lie and cheat about the ceasefires terms.

Speaking in Budapest, the US vice-president said: You have people who clearly want to come to the negotiating table and work with us to find a good deal, and then you have people who are lying about even the fragile truce that weve already struck.

12:53pm

IDF launches largest coordinated strike on Lebanon since war began

The Israeli military launched the largest coordinated strike against Lebanon since the start of Operation Roaring Lion.

Included in the attacks were strikes targeting more than 100 Hezbollah headquarters, military arrays and command-and-control centres in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon.

In a post on X, the force said: In 10 minutes, the IDF completed the largest coordinated strike across Lebanon since the start of Operation Roaring Lion.

The strike targeted 100+ Hezbollah headquarters, military arrays, & command-and-control centres in Beirut, Beqaa and southern Lebanon.

12:46pm

Cooper: Israeli attacks on Lebanon must end

Yvette Cooper has insisted that the Israeli militarys attacks on Lebanon must end.

The Foreign Secretary said she welcomed the two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran, but called for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon.

Benjamin Netanyahus government has continued to launch strikes and send ground troops into Lebanon, having said the truce only applies to Iran.

Ms Cooper said: It is vital that the proposed talks lead to a full end to the conflict and ensure that Iran does not continue to threaten the strait or its neighbours. I also call for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon.

The IDF has just launched several simultaneous air strikes against Beirut, the capital of Lebanon - Hassan Ammar/AP Photo

12:29pm

Trump: US will work with Iran to remove uranium

The US and Iran will work together to remove the deeply buried uranium in the Islamic Republic, Donald Trump said.

A two-week ceasefire was announced late on Tuesday after Iran presented a 10-point plan, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which the US president described as a workable basis on which to negotiate.

Mr Trump insisted the nuclear issue would be perfectly taken care of, adding: There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) Nuclear Dust.

In exchange for the collaboration, the US will discuss tariff and sanctions relief on the regime.

If Iran does not comply, Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, said the US would seize the highly-enriched uranium by force. Well take it if we have to. We can do it in any means necessary, he said at a briefing.

Buried under the rubble of its mountain bases, the Islamic Republic is still believed to possess 440kg of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity, a short step away from 90 per cent weapons-grade material.

JD Vance, the vice-president, earlier cautioned that the ceasefire was fragile and warned the US would respond if Tehran continued to lie and cheat about its terms.

Donald Trump has insisted that Iran will not be able to enrich its uranium - Truth Social

12:25pm

Have your say

12:13pm

Oil refinery came under attack after ceasefire, says Iran

Iran said an oil refinery came under attack after the ceasefire was agreed.

Lavan Island  which sits in the Gulf  was attacked at 10am (7.30am BST) this morning, according to Iranian state television.

It said firefighters were working to contain a blaze at the oil refinery. No casualties have been reported from the incident.

The report did not state where the attack came from.

12:01pm

Pictured: Iranians gather in Tehran

Supporters of the Islamic Republic wave national flags in Revolution Square in Tehran - Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images

11:43am

UAE responds to missile threat despite ceasefire

A missile alert has been issued in the United Arab Emirates fewer than 12 hours after the ceasefire was announced.

The UAEs National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority confirmed it was responding to a missile threat at around 1.40pm (10:40 BST).

It said: Air defence systems are currently responding to a missile threat.

Please remain in a safe location and follow official channels for warnings and updates.

11:40am

Pictured: Iranians gather in Tehran after ceasefire agreed

A woman reacts to the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in Tehran - Majid Asgaripour/WANA

11:29am

Iran will simply regroup and rearm

11:11am

US coordinated with Israel before negotiating ceasefire agreement

An Israeli official has revealed that the US co-ordinated with Israel in advance before agreeing to the temporary ceasefire with Iran.

The official told The Telegraph: Senior Trump administration officials have made it clear to Israel that during the negotiations in the next two weeks, the US will firmly insist on removing the stockpile of enriched uranium, stopping enrichment, eliminating the threat of ballistic missiles, and more.

These are shared goals of Israel and the US, the official added.

11:05am

Ceasefire accepts desired principles of Iran, says president

The president of Iran said the ceasefire agreement was negotiated on the basis that it accepted the general desired principles of the Islamic Republic.

Masoud Pezeshkian suggested that Donald Trump had conceded several points last night in order to get the two-week truce over the line.

He said: The ceasefire, with the acceptance of the general principles desired by Iran, was the fruit of the blood of our great martyred leader Khamenei and the achievement of the presence of all the people on the scene.

10:58am

Vance: We can reach agreement if Iranians work in good faith

JD Vance said the US and Iran would be able to come to a deal if the Islamic Republics negotiators operated in good faith.

The vice-president insisted that the Trump administration still had clear military, diplomatic and economic leverage to use against Tehran if they continued to lie and cheat about the nature of the ceasefire.

He said: If the Iranians are willing, in good faith, to work with us, I think we can make an agreement.

If theyre going to lie, if theyre going to cheat, if theyre trying to going to try to prevent even the fragile truce that weve set up from taking place, then theyre not going to be happy.

Because what the president has also shown is that we still have clear military, diplomatic and, maybe most importantly, we have extraordinary economic leverage.

The president has told us not to use those tools. Hes told us to come to negotiating table. But if the Iranians dont do the exact same thing, theyre going to find out the president of the United States is not one to mess around.

JD Vance speaks to an audience at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium in Budapest, Hungary - Reuters/Jonathan Ernst/Pool

10:50am

Its a fragile truce, Vance admits

JD Vance has admitted that the ceasefire struck with Iran is fragile.

The vice-president also accused Iranian politicians of lying about the fragility of the truce.

Speaking in Budapest, he said: Some of the [Iranian] people have responded favourably and have said the right things, and then you have some people on social media within their system who are basically lying about what weve accomplished militarily.

Theyre lying about the nature of the agreement. Theyre lying about the nature of the ceasefire ... And this is why I say this is a fragile truce.

You have people who clearly want to come to the negotiating table and work with us to find a good deal, and then you have people who are lying about even the fragile truce that weve already struck. And thats just an interesting thing about their system.

10:43am

We will not applaud those who set world on fire, says Spanish PM

The prime minister of Spain has insisted his government will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they turn up with a bucket.

Pedro Sanchez  a staunch critic of Operation Epic Fury  said that while the ceasefire was good news, the world could not forget the chaos, the destruction and the lives lost.

In a statement issued this morning, he wrote: Ceasefires are always good news. Especially if they lead to a just and lasting peace.

But this momentary relief cannot make us forget the chaos, the destruction, and the lives lost. The government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.

Whats needed now: diplomacy, international legality and PEACE.

10:31am

Pictured: Israel attacks Lebanon

The Israeli military continued its strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon earlier this morning despite the ceasefire.

Smoke rises from an explosion in the Abbasiyeh neighbourhood in the city of Tyre - Adnan Abidi/Reuters

10:19am

Trumps deal a strategic defeat, says security expert

Donald Trumps ceasefire is getting a frosty reception from security experts in Germany.

According to Carlo Masala, a professor at the military university Bundeswehr Munich, this deal amounts to a strategic defeat by the Trump administration.

Prof Masala told German newspaper Die Welt that the deal would allow Tehran to collect tolls from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

That would put Tehran in a stronger position, in terms of its stranglehold on global trade, than the one it held before the war.

What has been achieved now looks more like a strategic defeat for the United States. The Iranian 10-point plan still includes the requirement that a toll be paid for using the Strait of Hormuz, with the money split equally between Iran and Oman, Prof Masala said.

And theres apparently a version in Farsi that demands the United States allow Iran to enrich uranium, he added, alluding to US demands that uranium enrichment must cease.

10:14am

Tehrans $500bn tollbooth would change shape of Middle East forever

Oil tankers used to sail down the middle of the Strait of Hormuz.

But since Feb 28, any seeking to cross the 21-mile-wide waterway have had to take a detour.

In what has become known as the Tehran Tollbooth, vessels must now head closer to the Iranian coastline, nosing themselves between the islands of Qeshm and Larak.

Ship owners then go through a complex  and expensive  process of negotiation.

First, according to Bloomberg, they are required to inform intermediary companies linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of the ships cargo, destination and ultimate owner.

Iran then charges a toll of at least $1 per barrel, with the rate rising according to the perceived friendliness of the national operator.

Fees must be paid in Chinese yuan, or a cryptocurrency. The average rate for a single oil tanker is $2m (1.5m). If everything is approved, IRGC boats will finally provide an escort into and out of the tollbooth.

Some analysts believe it could make as much as $500bn (377bn) in five years.

10:02am

IDF confirms two-week pause to conflict with Iran

The Israeli military has confirmed that it will pause its war against Iran during the ceasefire period.

It said that dozens of missile launch sites and launchers were targeted across the Islamic Republic overnight, before the temporary truce came into force.

In a statement, the force wrote: In accordance with directives from the political echelon, the IDF has ceased fire in the operation against Iran, and is highly prepared to respond defensively against any violation.

Overnight, the IDF conducted a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting missile launch sites and launchers across Iran, in order to significantly degrade its launching capabilities.

Simultaneously, in Lebanon, the IDF is continuing to conduct targeted ground operations against Hezbollah.

09:44am

Watch: Aftermath of IDF strikes on Lebanon

09:25am

Zelensky: Ukrainian forces could be sent to Strait of Hormuz

Ukraines military is taking part in consultations on the future of the Strait of Hormuz, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Ukrainian military personnel are participating in consultations on the functioning of the Strait of Hormuz going forward, the Ukrainian president announced in his evening address.

He cited Kyivs experience in protecting maritime routes in the Black Sea, which see frequent drone and missile strikes.

Mr Zelensky added that his officials were working on the European component of our security proposals following a series of Gulf defence agreements on security co-operation with countries including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The coming weeks will be devoted to working in this way with our partners in Europe  our joint production, defence modernisation, defence financing programmes and coordination of security efforts, he said.

Yesterday, Mr Zelensky accused the Kremlin of sharing satellite intelligence with Iran to assist with strikes on Israels energy infrastructure.

Ukrainian intelligence assessments also found that Russian satellites had made detailed imagery of military facilities across the Middle East shortly before Iran had launched attacks, and had been actively surveying the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters on Tuesday.

09:03am

Iran deal is a total victory... until you read the fine print

It is, in theory, a victory for real-estate geopolitics.

Donald Trump has shown that if you rip up the rule book, shout loudly enough and make your demands as maximalist as possible, you can get your way. Diplomacy, it seems, is not so different from closing a New York property deal.

The US president demanded that Iran open the f----n strait or face the extermination of a whole civilisation and, behold, Iran agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz.

But as any real estate agent knows, the devil  even after a war of this magnitude  is in the detail. A closer inspection suggests Mr Trumps triumph may not be quite as unalloyed as he claims.

08:49am

Watch: Israel strikes Lebanon

The Israeli military has struck Lebanon after warning residents of the city of Tyre to evacuate immediately.

An IDF spokesman said the bombing campaign against Hezbollah would continue this morning, urging Lebanese civilians to leave their homes.

It comes after Israel said it supported the ceasefire agreed between the US and Iran, but clarified that it does not include Lebanon.

08:37am

Irans parliamentary speaker to spearhead negotiating team

The speaker of Irans parliament will spearhead the Iranian negotiating team in the direct talks with the US on Friday, it has been reported.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is believed to have been influential in the indirect discussions between Tehran and Washington before the two-week ceasefire, will lead the meeting for Iran, according to state media.

JD Vance, the US vice-president, is expected to lead the US negotiators in the talks, which will take place in two days time in Islamabad, Pakistan.

08:17am

Underlying causes of war remain unresolved, says EU foreign policy chief

The EUs foreign policy chief has insisted that there is more work to be done as the underlying causes of the war remain unresolved.

Kaja Kallas, the vice-president of the European Commission, said the two-week ceasefire had created a much-needed chance to tone down threats, before adding that the door to mediation must remain open.

In a statement issued this morning, she wrote: The US-Iran agreement on a ceasefire is a step back from the brink after weeks of escalation. It creates a much-needed chance to tone down threats, stop missiles, restart shipping, and create space for diplomacy towards a lasting agreement.

The Strait of Hormuz must be open for passage again. I spoke to Pakistani foreign minister Ishaq Dar and thanked him for securing this initial deal.

The door to mediation must remain open, as the underlying causes of the war remain unresolved. The EU stands ready to support those efforts and is in touch with partners in the region. I will discuss this in Saudi Arabia today.

07:57am

IDF issues immediate evacuation notice to Lebanese civilians

The Israeli military has urged Lebanese civilians to evacuate the city of Tyre immediately before a bombing campaign against Hezbollah.

Avichay Adraee, a spokesman for the IDF, warned residents that they must leave their homes and move north of the Zahrani River.

He said: Urgent and repeated warning to residents of the city of Tyre, specifically in Shibriha (Al-Abbasiyya).

Hezbollah terrorist activities force the IDF to act against it forcefully. The IDF does not intend to harm you. Out of concern for your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately.

It comes after Israel said it supported the ceasefire, but clarified that it does not include Lebanon.

Workers examine a destroyed coffee shop at the site of an Israeli strike in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, this morning - Mohammed Zaatari/AP Photo

07:38am

Pictured: American bomber in Gloucestershire

The sun rises behind an American B-1B Lancer military plane parked at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire - Toby Melville/Reuters

07:16am

Watch: Iranians burn US and Israeli flags in Tehran after ceasefire

07:12am

Starmer to travel to Gulf after welcoming ceasefire

Sir Keir Starmer is travelling to the Gulf today to meet leaders of countries in the region.

No 10 said the Prime Minister would discuss diplomatic efforts to support and uphold the ceasefire with representatives in the Middle East.

Speaking about the two-week agreement between the US, Israel and Iran, he said: I welcome the ceasefire agreement reached overnight, which will bring a moment of relief to the region and the world.

Sir Keir added: Together with our partners we must do all we can to support and sustain this ceasefire, turn it into a lasting agreement and re-open the Strait of Hormuz.

07:04am

Cooper urged Rubio to find swift end to war

Yvette Cooper spoke with Marco Rubio in the hours after Donald Trump warned that a whole civilisation will die, it has been reported.

The Foreign Secretary and the US secretary of state discussed international efforts and diplomatic measures to open the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday evening, according to the Press Association.

The conversation included discussions about a UK-led meeting, which brought together more than 40 countries to pursue strategies for reopening the vital waterway.

Ms Cooper is thought to have urged a swift end to the conflict and gave the UKs backing to negotiations and efforts to prevent further escalation.

07:01am

Merz calls for lasting end to war

Friedrich Merz has urged those involved in the conflict to negotiate a lasting end to the war.

The German chancellor said he welcomed the two-week ceasefire, but added that a permanent resolution would require close co-ordination with partners.

In a statement issued this morning, he wrote: I welcome the two-week ceasefire agreed by the United States and Iran last night. We thank Pakistan for its mediation.

The aim now is to negotiate a lasting end to the war. We are in close co-ordination with our partners on this matter.

06:52am

Watch: Missiles intercepted in Tel Aviv after ceasefire agreed

06:49am

Fire in Bahrain after Iranian attack, government announces

A fire broke out in Bahrain after it was attacked by Iran, the countrys government announced.

Emergency services extinguished the blaze and no casualties were reported, according to the ministry of interior.

It said sinful Iranian aggression was responsible for the fire, which comes just hours after a two-week ceasefire had been agreed between the US, Israel and Iran.

06:32am

Pictured: Iranians react to ceasefire agreement

Residents of Tehran learn of the two-week ceasefire agreed between the US, Israel and Iran.

Iranians react to the ceasefire announcement in Enqelab Square, Tehran - AFP/Getty Images

06:13am

Alarm activated in Bahrain

An emergency alarm has been sounded in Bahrain.

The countrys interior ministry announced that citizens and residents should remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.

It added that they should await further updates from their shelters.

05:57am

We must now see a full resolution to conflict, says Australian PM

The Australian prime minister has called for a full resolution to the conflict in the Middle East after the US, Israel and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

Anthony Albanese also urged all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilian life as part of the agreement.

In a statement issued alongside the Australian foreign minister, he said: Australia has been working with international partners in support of diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz so critical supplies can flow to those who need it, including the most vulnerable.

We thank and support the work of negotiators, including Pakistan, Egypt, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, in advancing de-escalation efforts.

Australia wants to see the ceasefire upheld and a resolution to conflict. We continue to call on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilian life.

05:39am

Analysis: The nuclear bomb-shaped hole in Trumps Iran win

As he announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran with just 90 minutes to spare before his deadline, Donald Trump was already claiming victory.

Earlier that day, he had promised Irans entire civilisation will die tonight if they failed to agree to a deal to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8pm EST (1am GMT) on Tuesday.

We have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, the US president declared as he announced the ceasefire.

But Mr Trumps deal has a hole in it. A giant, nuclear-bomb-shaped hole.

05:21am

Trump hails golden age of the Middle East

Donald Trump has hailed a new golden age of the Middle East after agreeing a two-week ceasefire with Iran.

The US president said it was a big day for world peace, adding that big money will be made from the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The deal, brokered just an hour and a half before Mr Trumps deadline to unleash all hell on the Islamic Republic, will take effect immediately and last for two weeks. Iran warned that its finger was on the trigger to restart strikes.

Mr Trump added that US forces would be hangin around in the region to ensure the ceasefire was followed.

In a post on Truth Social, he said: A big day for World Peace! Iran wants it to happen, theyve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else!

The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz. There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process.

Well be loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just hangin around in order to make sure that everything goes well.

I feel confident that it will. Just like we are experiencing in the U.S., this could be the Golden Age of the Middle East!!!

The US has paused its strikes on Iran in accordance with the truce - Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Shutterstock

04:50am

Lebanon death toll passes 1,500

Israels strikes in Lebanon have killed 1,530 people, including 126 children, according to figures released by Lebanese authorities. The attacks have also forced more than one million people to flee their homes.

While a two-week ceasefire has been brokered between the US and Iran, Israel has confirmed its operations against Lebanon will not be part of the truce.

This remains the case even though Pakistan and Iran said the ceasefire did include Lebanon.

People carry the coffin of Pierre Mouawad, who was killed along with his wife in a drone strike at their home, during their funeral in the Christian village of Yahshush - Getty

04:42am

UN chief welcomes US-Iran ceasefire

Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, has welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

The UN chief urged all sides to use the pause to move towards a more permanent regional stability.

The secretary-general welcomes the announcement of a two-week ceasefire by the United States and Iran, Stephane Dujarric, his spokesman, said in a statement.

Mr Guterres called on all parties involved in the Middle East conflict to respect international law and strictly follow the terms of the truce. He emphasised that the two-week window provided a vital opportunity to pave the way toward a lasting and comprehensive peace.

04:33am

How the 11th-hour US-Iran ceasefire unfolded

On Tuesday night, and with barely 90 minutes left on his own doomsday clock, Donald Trump announced a breakthrough in the war with Iran: a two-week ceasefire.

Subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! he wrote on Truth Social.

Demonstrators protested against military action in Iran outside the White House moments before the ceasefire was announced - Reuters

On the face of it, his threat had worked. That morning, Mr Trump had issued a grave ultimatum to Tehran: reopen the Strait by 8pm EST (1am BST) or a whole civilisation will die tonight.

But the reality was not so straightforward.

This is an excerpt from a story. Read the full piece here.

04:26am

Israel excludes Lebanon from ceasefire

Israel has said the newly agreed two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran does not apply to its operations in Lebanon.

Israel supports President Trumps decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region, the Israeli prime ministers office said in a statement issued only in English.

Israel also supports the US effort to ensure that Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Irans Arab neighbours and the world.

The United States has told Israel that it is committed to achieving these goals, shares by the US, Israel and Israels regional allies, in the upcoming negotiations. The two-week ceasefire does not include Lebanon, the statement said.

Israels attacks on Lebanon has now killed more than 1,400 people, including 126 children - Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP

This clarification directly contradicts claims made by Shehbaz Sharif, the Pakistani prime minister, who suggested the ceasefire covered the entire region.

04:10am

Trump: China helped secure ceasefire

Donald Trump said he believed China had helped bring Iran to the negotiating table to agree a two-week ceasefire deal.

I hear yes, Trump said on Tuesday in a telephone call with AFP when asked if Beijing was involved in getting key ally Tehran to negotiate on a truce.

Trump is due to travel to Beijing in May to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping - AFP

04:04am

Trump: US achieves total and complete victory

Donald Trump said that the United States had won a total and complete victory after agreeing a two-week ceasefire deal with Iran.

Total and complete victory. 100 percent. No question about it, Trump said in a telephone interview with AFP shortly after the announcement of the truce.

03:39am

Trump said Irans uranium would be perfectly taken care of

Donald Trump has said that Irans uranium would be perfectly taken care of under a two-week ceasefire deal with Tehran.

That will be perfectly taken care of or I wouldnt have settled, Mr Trump told AFP when asked about what would happen to Irans enriched uranium.

03:29am

White House claims victory

The White House has praised the two-week ceasefire in the Iran war, calling it a victory for the United States.

This is a victory for the United States that President Trump and our incredible military made happen, Karoline Leavitt wrote on X on Tuesday.

The success of our military created maximum leverage, allowing President Trump and the team to engage in tough negotiations that have now created an opening for a diplomatic solution and long-term peace, she added.

Ms Leavitt claimed that the president had said from the start that Operation Epic Fury would be a four to six-week operation, adding that the US achieved and exceeded our core military objectives in 38 days.

She said that Mr Trump had got the Strait of Hormuz reopened and that one should never underestimate President Trumps ability to successfully advance Americas interests and broker peace.

03:23am

Nato chief to meet Trump in Washington

Mark Rutte, the Nato chief, will hold talks with Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday, one day after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

The US president has expressed anger at Western partners refusal to back his war on Iran, rocking the 77-year-old transatlantic alliance.

He branded Nato partners cowards for limiting US forces access to bases on their territories and for refusing to lead efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz.

But Natos secretary-general touts a record of pulling Mr Trump back onside  and will be looking to do so again when he meets the president, as well as Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, and Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defence.

03:12am

Iraq welcomes US-Iran ceasefire

Iraqs foreign ministry said it welcomes a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, calling for serious and sustainable dialogue between the nations.

On Wednesday, the ministry posted on X that it calls for building upon this positive step by launching serious and sustainable dialogue tracks that address the root causes of the disputes and strengthen mutual trust.

Iran-backed militias in the country have battered US bases and diplomatic facilities throughout the conflict.

03:10am

Intelligence report warned of Irans persistent threat to US

The FBI warned US state and local law enforcement of an elevated threat posed by Irans government to targets in the United States last month even as the White House sought to downplay the likelihood of an attack, a law enforcement intelligence report has found.

In the March 20 report, the FBI and other federal intelligence agencies cautioned that Iranian government poses a persistent threat to US military and government personnel and buildings, Jewish and Israeli institutions, and Iranian dissidents in the US Despite those warnings, the FBI and National Counterterrorism Centre had not identified broad threats to the American public, according to the report reviewed by Reuters.

Donald Trump has minimised the possibility of Iranian attacks on American soil in response to other intelligence assessments in recent months. When asked outside the White House on March 11 whether he was worried about Iran perpetrating an attack in the United States, Mr Trump said: No, Im not.

03:08am

Irans statement agreeing to the ceasefire

03:08am

US must accept uranium enrichment, says Iran

Tehran has said its 10-point plan for securing an end to the war with the United States would require Washington to accept its uranium enrichment programme and the lifting of all sanctions.

The Islamic Republic said in a statement released alongside a list of the 10 points published by state media that the plan would require continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, acceptance of enrichment, lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions.

03:07am

Ceasefire covers everywhere

Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, has confirmed that the US-Iran ceasefire is immediate and covers everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere.

With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, Mr Sharif wrote online.

He said he had invited both delegations to Islamabad on Friday to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.

Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability, he added. We earnestly hope, that the Islamabad Talks succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days!

03:07am

Pictured: Anti-US and Israel protests in Tehran

Demonstrators in Tehran were captured burning American and Israeli flags while holding up a picture of Mojtaba Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, who reportedly personally approved the ceasefire.

A man holds a photo of Irans Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, while the flags of the US and Israel are burnt in Tehran - Majid-Asgaripour

03:05am

Oil prices dive and stocks surge

Oil prices dived, bonds rallied and stocks surged as Donald Trump agreed a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East early on Wednesday morning.

The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude benchmark plummeted by nearly 17 per cent to $96.39 per barrel, while the price of brent crude was down 15.89 per cent at $93.38.

03:00am

Trump agrees to ceasefire

Donald Trump has agreed to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.

On his Truth Social platform, the US president said: Subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!

Trump's Truth Social post about the ceasefire

02:56am Catch up

Welcome to our live coverage

Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz after it agreeing a two-week ceasefire with the US. Heres a summary of the developments overnight:
Three former champions Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson got the 90th Masters under way at Augusta National in what has been predicted to be one of the most open tournaments in recent years.

The trio have 11 green jackets between them but of the three only Nicklaus has ever successfully defended his title, a task which Rory McIlroy faces when he tees off at 10.31am local time (3.31pm BST).

McIlroy is looking to join Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Sir Nick Faldo  whose six-major record he could also equal  in an elite club of players who have won back-to-back at Augusta.

Gary Player was one of three Masters greats to start the tournament with the traditional ceremonial teeing off (Eric Gay/AP) (Eric Gay)

Not long after the three Masters greats had walked off the first tee having hit the ceremonial opening drives at 7.25am the real action started with American John Keefer and Chinas Haotong Li teeing off the tournament proper.

Max Homa was one of the more recognisable names out early, at 7.50am with 60-year-old two-time champion Jose Maria Olazabal, who admits he now struggles with the additional length of the course, in the group behind.

Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick are out at 9.55am and 10.07am, the latter alongside one of the favourites this week in Bryson DeChambeau.

Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa will test his injured back teeing off at 10.19am before McIlroy strides onto the tee for what is sure to be a rousing welcome.

His form has been poor coming into the tournament compared to last year and he is already predicting the 11 under which put him into a play-off which he won against Justin Rose 12 months ago will be a good target.

I think this week is going to be dry, already its a little windy, and the course is already firming up, he said.

If the conditions continue to be the way they are double digits under par would be an amazing score.

Its not going to be a low-scoring Masters and thats going to be fun for everyone.
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.

JD Vance oddly reasons that his wife Usha has the right to skydive  to explain the Iran war ceasefire deal

Vice President JD Vance has used an analogy about second lady Usha Vance to explain issues with the Iran war ceasefire.

After more than five weeks of fighting between the U.S. and Iran, the two countries agreed to a two-week ceasefire as the sides attempt to negotiate an end to the deadly conflict in the Middle East.

President Donald Trump had said since the start of the war that his goal was to prevent Iran from ever having a nuclear weapon.

Vice President JD Vance has used an analogy about second lady Usha Vance to explain issues with the Iran war ceasefire (AFP/Getty)

Before Israel and then the U.S. began striking Irans nuclear sites last summer, Iran had enlarged its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency obtained by the Associated Press.

While speaking to the press about the U.S.-Iran ceasefire on the tarmac in Budapest, Hungary, a reporter asked Vance, Do you see a scenario in which the administration may be willing to agree to allow Iran to continue enriching uranium for civilian nuclear purposes?

Nuclear energy isnt just used for weapons-making, but can also generate electricity, provide drinkable water through seawater desalination, and is used in medical treatments.

What the president has said is that we dont want Iran to have the capacity to build a nuclear weapon. The president has also said that we dont want Iran enriching towards a nuclear weapon and we want Iran to give up the nuclear fuel. Those are going to be our demands during the negotiation, Vance said.

The vice president later mentioned that Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian Parliament, noted that his countrys 10-point proposal to end the war included Irans right to enrichment.

After more than five weeks of fighting between the U.S. and Iran, the two countries agreed to a two-week ceasefire (Getty)

I thought to myself, you know what? My wife has the right to skydive, but she doesnt jump out of an airplane because she and I have an agreement that shes not going to do that because I dont want my wife jumping out of an airplane, Vance said in reaction to Ghalibafs comment.

We dont really concern ourselves with what they claim they have the right to do. We concern ourselves with what they actually do, the vice president said.

Ghalibafs comment was part of a larger statement accusing the U.S. of violating parts of its peace plan, which the speaker said Trump had called a workable basis on which to negotiate.

Vance said his wife has the right to skydive, but she doesnt jump out of an airplane, in response to Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian Parliament, saying Irans right to enrichment has been denied (AFP/Getty)

A White House official told The New York Times Irans published plan does not match the framework Trump was referring to.

When asked for comment about Trumps views on Irans proposal, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told The Independent, As the White House has said, these are ongoing discussions and the United States will not negotiate through the press.

President Trump believes that the current plan is a workable document that can lead to lasting peace in the Middle East.

Vance will lead the U.S. negotiating team in peace talks in Pakistans capital of Islamabad starting Saturday, the White House has announced.
Palestinians in the West Bank town of Tubas inspect a burnt vehicle and tractor after an attack - Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP via Getty Images

Jewish terrorism is raging in the West Bank with government backing and endangers Israels survival, 22 senior former security chiefs have warned.

In a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu, multiple former heads of Mossad, Shin Bet and the Israeli defence forces (IDF) said that settler violence had turned into terrorism and could bring down the state.

The letter adds further pressure on the Israeli prime minister, who is facing domestic criticism over the Iran ceasefire deal and international condemnation for continued strikes in Lebanon.

A Black Flag Unfurls over the [Israeli] Blue-and-White, the former security chiefs wrote in the open letter released on Thursday.

They added that the violence was being carried out with the Israeli governments support.

A protest in Jerusalem calling on Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the war with Iran and settler violence against Palestinians - Debbie Hill/UPI/Shutterstock

The Jewish terrorism raging in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank], with the tolerance  or worse, the backing  of government authorities, constitute not only a profound moral failure, but a grave strategic threat to Israels security, especially in a time of war, says the letter.

These acts of terrorism undermine the national effort in multiple ways, they add.

Jewish attacks on Palestinians have spiked since the outbreak of the war against Iran, while the government has approved a swathe of new outposts throughout the territory.

The move increased the burden on the IDF, which protects and polices the region while maintaining a war on multiple fronts.

The site of a new Israeli settlement near the Palestinian village of Tayasir in the West Bank - Mohammed Torokman/Reuters

Flashpoints include arson attacks, a serious sexual assault in which the victim was molested in front of his family, and night-time attacks on communities by scores of masked men.

The statement continued: They endanger IDF soldiers and operational effectiveness during a multi-front war; they compel the diversion of critical forces from active fronts in Gaza and Lebanon to internal policing; they inflame Palestinian terror and advance Iranian strategic interests; they erode the moral foundations and values of Israeli society; and they intensify international hostility and weaken Israels legitimacy.

The letter is signed by some of the most prominent figures in Israels security establishment, including four retired directors of the Shin Bet, Israels internal security service, and three former directors of Mossad.

Five former directors of Israels military intelligence also signed the letter, alongside three former IDF chiefs of staff, including Lt Gen Ehud Barak, the former prime minister.

A Palestinian stands behind a broken window in Al-Luban e-Sharkiya, near Nablus, in the West Bank - Mohammed Torokman/Reuters

The letter calls for the unequivocal enforcement of the law, noting that terrorism must be confronted as terrorism, without regard to identity, nationality, or ideology.

It also demands that the independence and integrity of Israels security and legal institutions must be fully restored.

The United Nations recorded roughly 1,800 incidents of settler violence between Oct 7, 2023, and Dec 16, 2024, averaging roughly four incidents per day.

More than 1,000 Palestinians, including at least 233 children, were killed by Israeli forces or settlers over the period.
Joe Rogan claims Trump started the war in Iran to distract Americans from the Epstein files

Joe Rogan said on the Wednesday episode of his popular podcast that he thinks President Donald Trump may have started the war in Iran to distract the U.S. public from the Epstein files.

During the episode, Rogan's guest, Arsenio Hall, claimed that "misdirection" is "the story of American politics."

Rogan agreed with Hall and argued that former President Bill Clinton started "bombing some other countries"  a reference to the 1999 bombing of then-Yugoslavia  to distract Americans from the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

The podcast host then claimed the U.S. war in Iran was the latest example of politicians using war to distract from domestic issues.

Look, the Epstein files comes out  we go to war with Iran. Its a good way to get people to stop talking about certain things, Rogan said.

You give them a new problem to think about.

Joe Rogan insinuated that President Donald Trump used the war in Iran to distract the American public from the Epstein files during the Wednesday episode of his podcast (Getty)

Trump was referenced numerous times throughout the Epstein files, and his former friendship with the disgraced financier and accused child sex trafficker is public record.

The president has not been accused of or charged with any crimes relating to Epstein and has insisted that he broke off his friendship with the sex offender long before Epsteins 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution, including from a minor.

Rogan endorsed Trump in 2024, but his opinion of the president has degraded rapidly since the war in Iran began.

The podcaster has criticized Trump's "Operation Epic Fury" in Iran, warning that it could drag the globe into World War III. He also questioned Trump's age, fearing the 79-year-old may act recklessly because he "doesn't have much to lose."

Thats spooky. Thats spooky. Youre making decisions for babies and children and the future of the world, and youve only got 10, maybe 10 years left on Earth if everything goes great, Rogan said during his March 11 podcast.

Joe Rogan has become increasingly critical of President Donald Trump since the start of the Iran war (The Joe Rogan Experience/Spotify)

During the same episode, Rogan said Trump's supporters felt "betrayed" by his decision to go to war.

"I mean, this is why a lot of people feel betrayed, right? He ran on 'no more wars,' 'end these stupid, senseless wars,' and then we have one that we cant even really clearly define why we did it," Rogan said.

While Rogan and more moderate Republicans may have felt betrayed by Trump's attack on Iran, polling had shown that the president's MAGA base overwhelmingly support his decision.

Rogan doesn't consider himself MAGA and recently called Trump's base "f****** dorks" bent on fulfilling Biblical end-times prophecies.

On March 26, Rogan complained about Trump's slogan, saying it "sucks" and that "America is great."

"Make America greater? I'm down," Rogan said, before turning his ire on Trump's MAGA followers.

He said that MAGA has become "a movement of a bunch of f****** dorks because a lot of them are dorks. A lot of them these really weird, f****** uninteresting, unintelligent people that have got something they cling to and and theres a lot of people that are just real genuine patriots and theyre all lumped into this one group and you got to accept the dorks, too? F*** that!

Rogan continued, complaining that "crackpot Christian nationalists" had joined the MAGA movement and were boosting the war in Iran "as a way to get Jesus to return on a white horse."

The Independent has requested comment from the White House.
Log on if you are already subscribed or Subscribe...
Actor Josh OConnor has said that making a film these days is almost a miracle, given the uncertainty of the industry.

The 35-year-old stars latest film, Rebuilding, sees him play Dusty, a reserved Colorado cowboy whose ranch has been destroyed in a devastating wildfire.

Directed by writer-director Max Walker-Silverman, the film follows Dusty as he attempts to rebuild his life while living in a trailer community on a FEMA campsite, temporary accommodation provided to victims of natural disasters in the US.

Set against the backdrop of southern Colorado, Dusty also begins to reconnect with his ex-wife Ruby, played by The White Lotus actress Meghann Fahy, and their young daughter Callie-Rose, played by Australian actress Lily LaTorre.

Josh OConnor and Lily LaTorre star in Rebuilding (Jesse Hope/PA)

OConnor, who won an Emmy for his role in The Crown, spoke about filming the project amidst the 2023 US writers and actors strike.

We had a fair bit of time off because right in the middle of the shoot there was the strike, he told the Press Association.

For about a week, we were on standby to see if we would get an exemption, which we ultimately did. During that time, I went exploring (in Alamosa, Colorado) and it was an incredible place.

In the mountainous regions, you could see vast stretches of landscape that had been burned by wildfires.

Its such a relevant topic for many of the ranches in the area. But it was also a very special time.

OConnor said due to the rural location of the film he became quite close to the crew members.

A lot of the cast are non-professionals, locals, and theyre really very dear to my heart, he said.

I stay in touch with many of them, like Dwight, who plays my farmer friend in the movie.

Meghann Fahy and Josh OConnor star in Rebuilding (Jesse Hope/PA)

Hes actually a farmer from Alamosa, and hes super special. Weve stayed in touch.

Part of it is because the location is so remote, but also, making a film is a miracle, especially nowadays. Its always a miracle.

Its an organisational challenge: you have people staying away from home, a script, actors, weather, so many things have to go right.

On top of that, were all self-employed in different trades, so getting work is a real gift. Theres a real element of camaraderie in that.

Reflecting on the diverse roles he has played so far in this career, OConnor said he had always wanted to follow in the footsteps of actors such as Robin Williams and Gene Wilder.

Ive been really fortunate. When I was coming up as an actor, I really imagined myself doing theatre, but even so, I always dreamed of having a diverse career, taking on all sorts of roles, he said.

The actors I looked up to, like Robin Williams, Gene Wilder, or Daniel Day-Lewis, all had incredibly varied careers.

They could do comedy, intense emotional roles, commercial films, independent movies, and theatre. That was the kind of career I aspired to.

I dont take it for granted, Ive been very lucky to have had that opportunity.

Rebuilding is in UK cinemas on Friday April 17.
Keanu Reeves has said it was very special to act alongside Martin Scorsese in their upcoming film Outcome.

Reeves, 61, stars in the film as Hollywood actor Reef Hawk, who tries to identify his blackmailer when he is subject to an extortion plot that threatens to ruin his reputation.

The Apple TV+ film, directed by Jonah Hill, also features an appearance from award-winning filmmaker Scorsese, who plays a washed-up agent for young actors.

Reeves said working with Martin Scorsese was a very special day (Victoria Jones/PA) (Victoria Jones)

Discussing the dark comedy, The Matrix star hailed his experience working alongside Scorsese, one of the most influential directors in Hollywood.

He said: We know the career and just the talent, so for me, that was a very special day.

I had the chance to meet him over the years a couple of times, but in my wildest hopes, imagination and dream to act with Martin Scorsese is like What is happening? Hes so good.

Speaking about their on-screen dynamic, Reeves said: Theres kind of a father-son thing going on there. Hes playing a character that really supported me in my youth.

Hes so tender, and just to sit in those moments with him was very special.

The film marks the first collaboration between Reeves and Scorsese, who is famed for directing critically acclaimed films including Taxi Driver (1976), Goodfellas (1990) and The Departed in 2006, for which he won an Oscar.

Keanu Reeves praised his fellow cast in Outcome (Ian West/PA) (Ian West)

Reeves praised working with director Hill and called him a tour de force, adding: I really enjoyed the experience. I think hes great.

The John Wick star said the dynamic between the star-studded cast, which also included Cameron Diaz and Matt Bomer, made for a great filming experience.

He said: There was script, and then there was improvisation. I thought the dynamic that we had was really cool and fun, the way that we could all play off each other.

Reeves described Outcome as a cautionary comedy as he reflected on its themes around cancel culture and holding public figures to account.

He said: Its one of those things where youre looking forward, but then you look back.

I think its cool when stories talk about the times and culture and who we are and you know what were creating. I like it when they do.

Outcome is available to watch on Apple TV+ from April 10.
Korean fried chicken has gone global and led to South Korea being dubbed the Republic of Fried Chicken. Photograph: Oscar Wong/Getty Images (Photograph: Oscar Wong/Getty Images)

Inside a teaching kitchen south-east of Seoul, I coat a whole chicken  cut into eight parts  in batter and dip the pieces carefully into a bowl of powdered mix until covered in a light, fluffy layer.

A chef watches intently. Dont rub it, he says. Keep it delicate.

The chicken, already brined in what Im told is a secret marinade, goes into a fryer filled with an olive oil blend, heated to 165C. I slowly lower the pieces a third of the way, then drop them in away from myself to avoid splashing. I set a timer for 10 minutes.

This is Chicken University, a sprawling campus with a giant chicken statue at the entrance. It exists to train would-be owners of the BBQ Chicken franchise chain through a two-week residential programme. More than 50,000 people have passed through its classrooms.

This humble dish is relatively simple, and is not even traditional Korean cuisine, but it is part of a national obsession that has gone global, both physically and culturally as part of the K-food wave. The country has been only half-jokingly dubbed the Republic of Fried Chicken.

South Korea has around 40,000 fried chicken restaurants  just a few thousand short of the number of McDonalds branches worldwide. Most are small, family-run operations. But now, Korean chicken brands operate more than 1,800 stores in around 60 countries, nearly double the number of stores a decade ago. From London to Los Angeles, Korean fried chicken appears on the menu.

It is the most popular Korean food among international consumers, according to a South Korean government survey of about 11,000 consumers across 22 cities, spanning Asia, Europe, the Americas and Australia.

From post-war import to K-food export



South Koreas most successful culinary export is not traditionally Korean. Fried chicken arrived with American soldiers stationed in the country after the Korean war, but the technique that made it distinctly Korean emerged decades later.

About 1980, a chicken shop owner in the southern city of Daegu, Yoon Jong-gye, noticed customers abandoning their chicken once it grew cold, when the meat became dry. So he began experimenting with brining the chicken to keep it juicy and a glaze made from chilli powder. A neighbourhood grandmother suggested adding corn syrup.

The result was yangnyeom chicken  sweet, sticky and spicy  and still appealing at room temperature. Yoon never patented his recipe and died in December 2025 at 74, having watched his invention spread far beyond his tiny shop where it began.

Korean chicken brands had been expanding internationally since the early 2000s, but the cultural breakthrough came in 2014, when the Korean drama My Love from the Star became a sensation across China.

A line from its lead character  that on the day of the first snow, you should have chicken and beer  reportedly triggered queues outside Korean chicken restaurants, even during an avian flu outbreak.

Chimaek, the portmanteau meaning fried chicken and beer from the Korean words chikin and maekju, has since become a cultural shorthand, even entering the Oxford English Dictionary.

It describes as much an act of collective pleasure as a meal: friends gathered around a table, with a plate of chicken at the centre and draught beer within reach. Every July, Daegu hosts a chimaek festival that draws more than a million visitors.

The secret to extra crispy

One defining feature of Korean fried chicken is how it is served. Kim Ki-deuk, who has run an independent chicken shop near Korea University in Seoul with his wife Baek Hye-kyeong for more than 20 years, puts it simply. In fast food places, they may sell one or several pieces, he says. Korean chicken is one full bird.

Technique is another factor, though methods vary.

At shops like Kim and Baeks, chicken is fried twice. We fry it once first, then when the customer orders, we fry it again, he says. Otherwise it gets soggy. Thats what makes it extra crispy.

The batter, typically made with potato or corn starch, holds up under the sauce  whether a sweet-spicy yangnyeom glaze or a soy-garlic coating  allowing it to stay crisp long after it has been boxed up for delivery.

Prof Joo Young-ha, a cultural anthropologist at the Academy of Korean Studies who specialises in food culture, argues that Korean chickens global success stems from its simplicity.

Unlike pork, chicken crosses religious prohibition boundaries, he says. And unlike kimchi, which is treated like a side dish, or bibimbap, which isnt immediately obvious as a dish, fried chicken is immediately recognisable as a meal.

Beyond its global appeal, fried chickens rise in South Korea reflects something about modern life there. Prof Joo traces its rise to the 1980s and 1990s, when apartment living, dual-income households, and delivery culture were reshaping Korean life. Fried chicken, fast, convenient, and boxed for takeaway, fitted the moment.

The industry has long attracted mid-career Koreans seeking a route back to income after leaving corporate jobs, though the market is fiercely competitive and margins are thin.

Back at their fried chicken shop, Kim Ki-deuk slides another batch of chicken gizzards, another popular menu item, into the crackling oil. Same as usual, one customer says.

Its great that Korean chicken is known worldwide, Kim says, wiping down the counter between orders. Chicken is for everyone, young and old.

Korea is such a small place. One bird doing all this work, introducing our country, our culture. Its quite something.
Police fire teargas into the street outside the Metropolitan detention center in Los Angeles during the No Kings protest in March. Photograph: MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News/Getty (Photograph: MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News/Getty)

A freshman at the University of Southern California has lost an eye after he was shot last month with a less-lethal projectile by a Department of Homeland Security agent at a No Kings march, according to his attorney.

On 28 March, Tucker Collins, 18, took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles to photograph throngs of protesters, who held signs and chanted slogans denouncing the Trump administrations policies, his lawyer V James DeSimone said in a statement on Wednesday.

Collins followed behind a group that was headed toward the Metropolitan detention center, the downtown LA facility that has been a focal point for demonstrators in the past months.

In a video from that day shared by DeSimone on social media, Collins is seen holding a camera pointed toward demonstrators outside the federal facility, when suddenly he falls to his knees.

A projectile, typically used as a crowd control device, had struck Collins in his right eye, fracturing the bones in his eye socket, according to DeSimone. That eye has since been surgically removed.

He was not threatening anyone. He wasnt attacking anyone. DHS officers took out his eye and they did it despite a federal injunction that plainly forbids firing these weapons at peoples heads, DeSimone said.

In September, a California judge issued a court order limiting the DHSs use of force against journalists and legal observers exercising their first amendment rights, who posed no threat of imminent harm.

They didnt shoot him for their own protection  Tucker was shot in another overt act of repression, DeSimone said.

DeSimone will be filing a federal tort claim against DHS on Collinss behalf, an avenue of legal recourse for injury caused by the wrongful or negligent act of a federal employee.

A spokesperson for DHS said in a statement to the Guardian: The first amendment protects speech and peaceful assembly  not rioting.

Our law enforcement has followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property, they wrote, adding that seven warnings were given prior to crowd-control measures being deployed.

DeSimone said that video showed Collins at the rear of the crowd obviously documenting the scene, even stepping out of the way of passersby.

Photographs from 28 March show that police deployed teargas into a crowd of roughly 150 people near the Metropolitan detention center. Authorities said the move was precipitated by demonstrators throwing concrete blocks, among other objects.

Dozens of protesters were arrested that day for failure to comply with dispersal orders, according to the Los Angeles police department.

Earlier this year, a 23-year-old Los Angeles man sued the LAPD for excessive force, assault and battery, among other allegations, after he was shot and blinded in an eye from a projectile at an immigration protest.

At another round of No Kings protests in downtown Los Angeles in the fall, an LAPD officer fired a crowd-control projectile at an investigative reporter for the news outlet LA Taco, according to the US Press Freedom Tracker. The projectile did not strike the reporter, but they were injured dodging it, according to the database.
The government has moved a step closer to implementing a key part of its welfare reforms, introducing new legislation designed to allow disabled claimants to work without the risk of losing their benefits.

The Department for Work and Pensions announced on Thursday that it had laid amendments to existing laws, with the changes set to take effect by the end of April.

This initiative, dubbed the "Right to Try", is central to the governments strategy to prevent people from being "trapped on benefits".

Under the new provisions, employment will no longer automatically trigger a benefits reassessment for those receiving employment and support allowance (ESA), personal independence payment (PIP), and the health element of universal credit across England, Wales, and Scotland.

The reforms also guarantee that people wishing to volunteer can do so without fear of their benefits being re-evaluated.

The department plans to invest 3.5 billion in employment support by the end of the decade.

Employment will no longer automatically trigger a benefits reassessment for those on benefits (Getty/iStock)

Work and Pensions Minister Sir Stephen Timms hailed the move, saying: "Giving sick and disabled people legal protection to try work without fear is vital for their futures and for growing our economy. Its part of the work were doing to bear down on the cost of living and boost living standards for sick or disabled people in every corner of the country.

"With 2.8 million people out of work due to long-term sickness, were removing the barriers that have held people back for too long."

Brian Dow, Chief Executive of Mental Health UK, described the initiative as a "positive and practical step".

He added: "People often tell us that fear of reassessment, or even losing essential support if things dont work out, is a significant barrier to taking those first steps back into work.

"The Right to Try is a positive and practical step that will ensure people have a safety net when exploring opportunities for work or volunteering.

"This welcome initiative will ensure people are more supported and help them to build confidence, skills and connection at a pace that supports their recovery to better mental health."
Boo: Luke Littler (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

Luke Littler was booed in Brighton as he suffered a second successive Premier League quarter-final loss following a 6-4 defeat to birthday boy Stephen Bunting.

A week on from his much-publicised spat with Gian van Veen, the world champion appeared rattled by a hostile crowd on night 10 of the competition on the south coast.

Last week in Manchester, Littler angered Van Veen by celebrating when the Dutchman missed a match dart, before the two-time world champion gestured at his opponent on his return to the oche and failed to wrap up the match himself.

It prompted Van Veen to brand Littler as a "bad loser" and his conduct on the oche as "out of order".

Teenager Littler soon after hared an image of Van Veen's comments on his Instagram Stories, adding three laughing emojis below.

Fast forward seven days and Littler was subjected to jeers as he entered the arena and then suffered ironic cheers following a poor start from which he could not recover.

Bunting, who turned 41 on Thursday, could easily have wrapped up victory far earlier as he was gifted multiple opportunities on his opponent's throw and hit just six of his 21 darts at a double.

Littler showed little reaction to the surprise defeat, shaking Bunting's hand and exiting the stage meekly after averaging only 84 and failing to hit a single maximum.

It was the 19-year-old's lowest average in a televised PDC match.
Sullivan, 21, was stabbed in a fight in the north London park in the early evening on Tuesday. Photograph: Metropolitan Police/PA (Photograph: Metropolitan Police/PA)

A film student who was stabbed to death in Londons Primrose Hill was a beautiful, lovely, outgoing, loving man, his father has said.

Finbar Sullivan, 21, was stabbed in a fight in the north London park in the early evening on Tuesday and was pronounced dead at the scene.

His father, Christopher Sullivan, said his son had gone to the park  a renowned beauty spot in the capital popular with tourists and residents  to use a new camera he had been given for his birthday.

This is the worst tragedy I could ever imagine, the 65-year-old said. Hes my only son  I had him when I was 45. He can never be replaced. Hed just bought a new camera, we all chipped in for his 21st birthday, and he took it up there to do a bit of filming.

Sullivan, a musician and founder of the 1980s band Blue Rondo a la Turk, said his son had wanted to become a cameraman like his grandfather Michael Seresin, who worked on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Rambo III.

Im so broken-hearted, I cant believe it. He was the most beautiful, lovely, outgoing, loving boy. He was just a really lovely person. And why he was targeted, we have no idea, Sullivan told the Daily Mail.

Sullivan said he rushed to Primrose Hill as soon as he was informed of the incident  of which police said video footage was circulating online. I got the call at about six that hed been stabbed, so I rushed up there, Sullivan said. I wasnt allowed in because it was a crime scene, and by that point hed had 20 minutes of CPR. Hed obviously died.

Its Primrose Hill, for Gods sake  its like Hyde Park. Its not somewhere you expect this.

Sullivan was a student at the London Screen Academy and had reportedly produced music videos for drill rap artists under the name Sully Shot It.

All I can tell you is he was the subject of an indiscriminate stabbing. He was not a gang member, his father told the Mail. He was just a little groovy 21-year-old who loved movies and making films. He didnt drink, he didnt smoke, he didnt go out.

The Metropolitan police have urged anyone who has any information, including photos or videos to get in touch.

Detectives specifically appealed to a young female witness captured in footage wearing a pink vest, blue denim shorts and black trainers, who appeared to film the incident on her mobile phone.

DI Andy Griffin, who is leading the investigation, said: I believe this womans account of events, as well as the video she captured, will provide vital evidence. She has not committed any offence but we are urging her, or anyone who may know her, to come forward and assist our investigation. We need to speak to her as soon as possible.

No arrests have yet been made and the investigation continues.
Melania Trump gives her statement in Washington on Thursday. Photograph: Andrew Leyden/NurPhoto/Shutterstock (Photograph: Andrew Leyden/NurPhoto/Shutterstock)

When Donald Trump launched a seemingly random war against Iran, there was a whiff of suspicion of a Wag the Dog ploy to divert attention from how badly the Jeffrey Epstein scandal was going.

So when Trumps wife Melania made a mysterious appearance at the White House on Thursday to put Epstein front and centre again, was it an elaborate ruse to divert attention from how badly the Iran war is going?

Related: Melania Trump says she did not have relationship with Jeffrey Epstein

The first lady emerged from the Blue Room and walked to a lectern flanked by US flags in the grand foyer, surrounded by chandeliers, marble pillars and shiny chequered floor.

As cameras clicked away, Melania, full of cold fury, said in her now familiar Slovenian accent: The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today.

To which America responded: What lies? Maybe we read something somewhere a few months ago but we have more pressing concerns right now.

But Melania had come to say her piece. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.

There was then a small, nervy linguistic slip: I never been friends with Epstein.

Staring down at her prepared remarks, the first lady acknowledged that she and Trump went to the same parties as Epstein and moved in the same social circles but she never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, [Ghislaine] Maxwell.

In an apparent reference to a 2002 email to Maxwell, in which a woman called Melania praised a profile of Epstein in New York magazine and signed off Love, Melania insisted there had only been casual correspondence and that her response was trivial.

I am not Epsteins victim, she went on. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998.

But the longer Melania went on, the more this sounded like a the lady doth protest too much prebuttal of allegations that may be about to break in the media.

Be cautious about what you believe, she urged, providing a long list of all things she was not and all the things she had never done, from witnessing Epsteins crimes to being named in court documents to flying on his plane.

It was a barrage of denials that one might have expected from former first lady Hillary Clinton facing an ambush by Republican conspiracy theorists. But no one has been storming the White House demanding that Melania own up to her secret role in the Epstein class.

However, somebody, somewhere, is stirring up trouble, she claimed. The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically, must stop.

Then came a final twist as Melania urged Congress to give Epstein survivors a public hearing to help uncover the truth. Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony.

Her plea was immediately endorsed by the Democrat Ro Khanna and Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and Nancy Mace. A high-profile Capitol Hill hearing with Epstein survivors reminding everyone how the Trump administration botched the release of the files is the last thing that Trump or Republicans need.

Melania turned on her heel and walked back to the Blue Room, ignoring shouted questions, and the doors closed after her. What did it all mean? Jon Favreau, a former speechwriter for Barack Obama, speculated on X: Ok so whos about to break the Melania/Epstein story she just tried to get ahead of?

But the plot may be even thicker. Jacqueline Alemany, a reporter for the MS Now network, tweeted that she called Trump who said he did not know anything about Melanias statement before her appearance. He may be less than pleased that his wife just put one of his biggest political liabilities back on the agenda a week after he fired Pam Bondi as attorney general.

What is Melanias game? Is she a secret member of the resistance after all, driven to act now by Trumps threat to wipe out Iranian civilisation and growing fears that he is descending into madness? Is there a smoking gun in the Epstein files that could yet bring him down? It would all make a great Amazon documentary.
Rupert Lowe has been caught on camera using what has been described as antisemitic language (Jordan Pettitt/PA) (PA Wire)

Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth and leader of the Restore Britain party, has been barred from using the freedom of information website WhatDoTheyKnow. The decision, which follows Mr Lowe submitting over 1,000 requests, was criticised by the MP as "not in the spirit of transparency".

Mr Lowe's extensive inquiries through the platform, which facilitates public access to government information, included questions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hires and training, alleged grooming gangs, and universal credit provisions for refugees.

WhatDoTheyKnow operates as an independent online archive, enabling users to easily submit and monitor their freedom of information requests to Whitehall departments and other public bodies.

Mr Lowes account was suspended after the site said he had used it to send general messages to public authorities or for personal messages to public organisations.

Rupert Lowe MP (PA)

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Lowe told the Press Association: Sadly our access has been restricted, which I do not believe is in the spirit of transparency.

Our teams have uncovered huge scandals through FOI and investigation work.

This censorship will not stop us from containing those efforts.

Restore Britain is the only political party first correctly identifying the issues, but more importantly outlining how to solve it.

What a novel approach that is.

A spokesperson for WhatDoTheyKnow confirmed to the Press Association that Mr Lowe had been banned from using the website but declined to comment further.
Mark Rutte with Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, in Washington on Wednesday. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images (Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Mark Rutte, the secretary general of Nato, has said Donald Trump was clearly disappointed that the USs allies had refused to join its war against Iran, following a closed-door meeting in Washington on Wednesday.

Speaking to CNN after his private meeting with the US president, Rutte declined to say directly whether Trump raised his threat to withdraw from the military alliance over the Iran war, but described the exchange as a very frank, very open discussion between two good friends.

The meeting between Trump and Rutte came at a delicate moment, less than a day after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire deal that includes opening the strait of Hormuz. The fragile agreement was struck after Trump threatened to target Irans civilian infrastructure, warning that a whole civilization will die if Tehran failed to allow safe passage through the strait by a Tuesday evening deadline imposed by the president.

Related: Middle East ceasefire threatens to unravel as Israel assaults Lebanon and Iran blocks oil tankers

Before the meeting, Trump had escalated his criticism of the 77-year-old alliance, calling it a paper tiger and suggesting the US may consider leaving after Nato member countries ignored his call for military assistance to help reopen the critical waterway  the closure of which has sent global oil prices soaring.

He clearly told me what he thought of what happened over the last couple of weeks, Rutte said in a CNN interview, declining to answer specific questions about whether Trump expressed a desire to leave Nato. It is a nuanced picture.

Though Rutte and Trump have had a relatively warm relationship in the past, the visit did little to ease the presidents disdain for the transatlantic military allies who did not back Washington during the Iran war.

In a post on Truth Social after the meeting, Trump wrote: NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! Trump had said earlier this week that his latest frustrations with the alliance began with their opposition to his desired takeover of Greenland.

Earlier on Wednesday, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, acknowledged that Trump had discussed leaving Nato. I think its something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary General Rutte, Leavitt said.

Trump has been a longtime critic of Nato, and in his first term had suggested he had the authority on his own to leave the alliance. Congress, however, passed a law in 2023 that prevents any US president from pulling out of Nato without its approval.

The crux of the commitment that the 32 Nato member countries make is a mutual defense agreement in which an attack on one is considered an attack on them all. The only time it has been activated was in 2001, to support the United States in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

Despite that, Trump has complained during his war of choice with Iran that Nato has shown it will not be there for the US.

Before the meeting, the Republican senator Mitch McConnell issued a statement in support of the alliance, saying: Following the September 11 attacks, Nato allies sent their young servicemembers to fight and die alongside Americas own in Afghanistan and Iraq. McConnell, who sits on a committee overseeing defense spending, urged Trump to be clear and consistent and said it was not in Americas interest to spend more time nursing grudges with allies who share our interests than deterring adversaries who threaten us.

It is unclear if the Trump administration would challenge the law barring a president from pulling out of Nato. When the law passed, it was championed by Trumps current secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who at the time was a senator from Florida.

Rubio met separately with Rutte on Wednesday morning at the state department. In a statement, the state department said Rubio and Rutte had discussed the war with Iran, along with US efforts to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and increasing coordination and burden shifting with Nato allies.

The alliance has been rattled over the past year as Trump has reduced US military support for Ukraine in the war against Russia and threatened to seize Greenland from Denmark.

But Trumps badgering of Nato intensified after the Iran war began at the end of February. The president insisted that securing the strait of Hormuz was not the USs job but the responsibility of countries that depend on the flow of oil through it.

Go to the strait and just take it, Trump said last week.

Trump was also angered as Nato allies Spain and France forbade or restricted use of their airspace or joint military facilities for the US in the Iran war. They and other countries, however, agreed to help with an international coalition to open the strait of Hormuz when the conflict ends.

The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, who has been a particular source of Trumps frustration, is set to travel to the Gulf to support the ceasefire. The UK has been working on developing a post-conflict security plan for the strait.

Associated Press contributed reporting
Benghazi , Libya (PANA) - As part of the efforts of the eastern-based Libyan House of Representatives to strengthen legal protection for Libyan families, the parliamentary Committee on Women and Children has held a consultative meeting to examine the bill on combating domestic violence
An elderly woman walks past homes destroyed by another round of Israeli air strikes in Beirut on Thursday - Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu via Getty Images

With a general election looming and a ceasefire declared in the Gulf, Benjamin Netanyahu once again finds himself on a sticky wicket.

The Israeli prime minister thrives when bombs are falling  but not so much when they stop.

After six long weeks of ducking in and out of bomb shelters, teaching their children at home and shuttering businesses, Israelis had hoped to emerge from the Iran war to what they called a new reality.

That reality was one in which Iran  the head of the snake  had finally been slain, and its murderous proxies, missiles and nuclear ambitions laid waste.

This is what Mr Netanyahu promised his voters, and it is what Israelis bought into when the war began, with polls showing more than 90 per cent support for Operation Epic Fury.

But crowds are not always wise, especially in the wake of traumatic attacks like those on September 11 or October 7, which prompt visceral reactions.

For Mr Netanyahu, a salesman extraordinaire, the new reality has fallen flat  and there are signs that even the most ardent consumers of his snake oil are having second thoughts.

Trump killed the thing, a senior member of Mr Netanyahus security cabinet told the Kan public broadcaster. There is not going to be a return to fighting in two weeks. As it stands, the Iranians are free to rebuild.

A prominent headline in the normally patriotic The Times of Israel on Thursday morning added: Netanyahu left with vague promises after another war ends without a decisive win.

Another article, discussing Israels war goals, declared that none have been achieved.

Mr Netanyahus immediate response to the US-imposed ceasefire and a growing Israeli backlash was, as has become his signature, more bombs.

On Wednesday afternoon, he ordered Israeli fighter jets to hit more than 100 targets across Lebanon, killing more than 300 people and injuring another 1,000 in 10 minutes.

The strikes  which had echoes of the September 2024 pager attacks that killed and maimed more than 2,000 people, including nurses and children  appeared to have been long-planned and rushed out before the US shutters came firmly down.

On Thursday, the Israeli military said one of the victims was the nephew of Naim Qassem, the latest Hezbollah leader, suggesting it may have been a decapitation strike that failed.

The attack seemed especially egregious given that three Lebanese sources close to Hezbollah were cited by Reuters as saying the terror group had stopped attacking Israeli targets early on Wednesday, in line with the wider ceasefire.

An Israeli tank opens fire on a target in southern Lebanon on Thursday - Ariel Schalit/AP Photo

This may have been a factor in JD Vance, the US vice-president, telling reporters on Wednesday evening that the Israelis have actually offered to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon.

As condemnation for the collateral damage continued, an Israeli military spokesman said: Hezbollahs use of civilians as human shields is their strategy.

The US wants to make the wider ceasefire stick. If it falls apart, Iran will once again close the Strait of Hormuz  something most analysts believe can only be undone by force if the US were to commit to a full-scale ground invasion of Iran.

But whether Mr Netanyahu will comply is another matter. He has a long history of derailing deals he does not like  including the original Iran nuclear deal. I went for the jugular to derail it, he recalled in his 2022 autobiography.

Collapse of ceasefire would suit Israel

Michael Young, of the Carnegie Middle East Centre in Beirut, thinks we will see the same pattern again.

I have a very, very strong suspicion that the Israelis committed this latest atrocity in Lebanon to push the Iranians to withdraw from the ceasefire agreement, knowing full well that the ambiguity over whether Lebanon is included poses a problem for Iran, he said on Wednesday.

The confusion over whether the ceasefire encompasses Lebanon gives Israel a lever to torpedo the agreement. If Iran agrees to pursue the ceasefire, it would mean it abandoned its Lebanese allies; if it refuses to continue with the ceasefire, this would suit Israel just fine.

Mr Netanyahu has pressed on with the offensive in Lebanon despite hopes for a ceasefire in the country - Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images

On Thursday, there were further tit-for-tat exchanges in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, and Mr Netanyahu said he would continue to strike Hezbollah wherever necessary.

In recognition of mounting US and international pressure, he added: In light of the repeated and ongoing appeals from Lebanon to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to open direct negotiations with Lebanon at the earliest possible time.

The negotiations will focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah from its weapons and the regulation of peace relations between Israel and Lebanon. Israel appreciates the call today by the prime minister of Lebanon to demilitarise Beirut.

Corruption trial to resume

But bombs may not be enough to save Mr Netanyahu now.

The Israeli courts announced that his trial on corruption allegations was to resume on Sunday after a halt because of the Iran war, and his spell over large parts of the Israeli electorate may be fading.

Commenting on his appearance on television to announce the ceasefire in Iran, Yossi Werter, an Israeli commentator, said: Eight months after he declared the removal of the existential threat for generations to come, he promised another round soon. The finger on the trigger, he threatened.

He did not offer his people rehabilitation or compensation, nor did he voice any message of hope. Just more wars and blood and destruction and suffering.

Israelis are also watching US opinion polling closely. Without US support, they know they could find themselves alone very quickly in an aggressively hostile region.

Yet a clear majority of Americans now view Israel unfavourably, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. It found that 60 per cent of US adults now have an unfavourable opinion, while just 37 per cent express a favourable view.

This is a most serious situation. Theres a lot of work ahead of us to fix everything, said Naftali Bennett, Mr Netanyahus main challenger, on the US poll findings.
Rescue workers in Beirut search rubble for survivors after an Israeli strike hit a residential building on Wednesday - Getty

Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his cabinet to open peace talks with Lebanon for the first time in several years amid mounting pressure from the US.

The Israeli prime minister said the talks would focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between the two countries.

Mr Netanyahu said in a statement on Thursday: In light of Lebanons repeated appeals to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible.

Negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peace relations between Israel and Lebanon. Israel appreciates todays call by the Prime Minister of Lebanon to demilitarise Beirut.

The prime ministers statement appeared to contradict his promise earlier the same day, when he vowed to continue striking Hezbollah wherever necessary.

In the first statement, Mr Netanyahu said: Whoever acts against Israeli civilians will be struck. We will continue to strike Hezbollah wherever necessary, until we restore full security to the residents of the north.

Iran and the US, which both declared victory after the announcement of a ceasefire, appeared to apply pressure. Donald Trump asked Mr Netanyahu to scale back attacks against Hezbollah to give negotiations between the US and Iran a better chance, NBC reported, citing a senior US official.

Israel agreed to be a helpful partner, the official said.

Brussels, Moscow and Ankara demanded the two-day-old US-Iran ceasefire be extended to Lebanon. Meanwhile, Lebanon said it wanted a ceasefire to be put in place before peace talks began.

A senior Lebanese official said the countrys leadership was seeking a separate track but the same model as the fragile truce brokered by Pakistan. The talks between Israel and Lebanon are expected to start next week in Washington

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, issued two statements about Lebanon and Hezbollah on Thursday - AFP

Ali Fayyad, a Hezbollah official, said the group rejected direct negotiations with Israel and the Lebanese government should demand a ceasefire as a precondition for talks.

Israel insisted the temporary ceasefire deal between the US, Israel and Iran, which paused the war in the Gulf, did not apply to Israels military operations in Lebanon. It carried out a wave of strikes hours after the deal was reached, killing 303 people, according to Lebanese authorities.

Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, said Israel estimated that more than 200 terrorists had been killed in the attacks, bringing the number of combatants killed to more than 1,400  twice the number killed in the 2006 Lebanon War.

Also on Thursday, Lebanons cabinet instructed security forces to restrict weapons in Beirut exclusively to state institutions, in a warning to Hezbollah.

The Lebanese government banned Hezbollahs military activities in early March, shortly after the start of Iran war. The decision has not prevented the Iran-backed group from conducting military operations.

An Israeli artillery unit fires towards Lebanon, amid escalation between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel - Reuters

Mr Netanyahu is also under immense pressure from residents and community leaders to bring peace to northern Israel, which has been bombarded every day since March 2, when Hezbollah started its second war with Israel.

Experts and commentators have debated the war against Hezbollah since the ceasefire was announced, while residents in the north continued to rage against the government as rockets rained down on northern Israel on Thursday.

Yaakov Amidror told Channel 12 that the US could urge Israel to lower the intensity of its campaign against Hezbollah, reverting to targeted, ad hoc strikes  similar to those carried out during the previous ceasefire  to give negotiations a chance.

Israels military issued yet another evacuation order for civilian residents of Beiruts southern suburbs, long a stronghold of Hezbollah, to evacuate before imminent strikes.

Lebanese civil defence workers search for victims in the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike - AP

It said in a statement: The [Israel Defense Forces (IDF)] continue to operate and strike the military infrastructure belonging to the terrorist organisation Hezbollah across various areas of the southern suburbs.

The IDF does not intend to harm you and is acting only against Hezbollah operatives and military targets. Therefore, for your safety, you must evacuate immediately.

Meanwhile, survivors in Beirut recounted scenes of carnage as hospitals struggled to cope with a surge of casualties in the wake of Wednesdays strikes.

Rabee Koshok, who was in a bed at Makassed General Hospital in Beirut, told the Associated Press: I thought I was dead. What happened? A big flash of light was in my face and eyes, and I found someone flying over and landing next to me. He was dead. Suddenly, while we are walking, a rocket could come and hit us.

In response to the Israeli strikes, Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on Thursday morning.

Mr Katz repeated Israels stance that Lebanon was not covered by the ceasefire with Iran, allowing Israel to act forcefully against Hezbollah according to an orderly plan based on four lines.

He said the four defensive lines were: the Lebanese-Israeli border; a second line inside Lebanon, expanded from five to 15 army posts; an anti-tank zone several miles into Lebanese territory from which Hezbollah could target Israel; and the Litani River.

JD Vance, the US vice-president, suggested on Wednesday that Israel would rein in its attacks on Lebanon to preserve the ceasefire. The Israeli government has not commented on Mr Vances claim.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Irans parliament, warned that continued strikes on Lebanon would provoke strong responses from Iranian forces.

Mr Ghalibaf insisted that Lebanon was an inseparable part of the ceasefire, and urged the US and Israel to extinguish the fire immediately. He pointed to the statement issued by Shehbaz Sharif, the Pakistani prime minister, who said Beirut was included in his announcement.

Mr Ghalibaf said: PM Shehbaz Sharif publicly and clearly stressed the Lebanon issue; there is no room for denial and backtracking. Ceasefire violations carry explicit costs and STRONG responses. Extinguish the fire immediately.

The defence minister reiterated that the IDF was prepared and ready to act forcefully if Iran fires at Israel.

On Thursday, the UK, Germany and the European Union called on Israel to halt its attacks. Yvette Cooper, the British Foreign Secretary, condemned them as deeply damaging.
Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell, the SNPs former chief executive, are divorcing after marrying in 2010 - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

Nicola Sturgeon has hinted that she had a secret rendezvous with a new love interest following the break-up of her marriage.

The former Scottish first minister admitted she maybe had starting seeing someone when challenged directly in a television interview.

She said the audience would have to judge from my body language and read between the lines.

Her comments came after she refused to rule out having a relationship with a woman following her separation from Peter Murrell.

The 55-year-old was asked about potential lesbian relationships during an interview last year about her memoir, in which she said her sexuality was not binary.

Ms Sturgeon used her memoir, published last August, to hit out at social media speculation that she was having a torrid lesbian affair with a former French ambassador to the UK.

She said long-term relationships with men had accounted for more than 30 years of her life, but left the door open to the suggestion that she might date women.

Credit: ITV News

Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell, the SNPs former chief executive, are divorcing after marrying in 2010.

Mr Murrell has been charged with embezzling 460,000 of SNP funds and is due in court for a further appearance next month.

Police searched the suburban home they shared near Glasgow. Ms Sturgeon was arrested in June 2023 but the investigation against her was later dropped.

The former SNP leader was questioned about her love life on STVs The Assembly, in which the interviewers are autistic, neurodivergent or have learning disabilities.

Asked if she had had any secret rendezvous lately, Ms Sturgeon said: I hope in this whole recording that Im going to do a politician answer, which is, maybe.

This is one of these moments where youre going to have to judge from my body language and read between the lines.

Ms Sturgeon said her split from her husband was not just down to his embezzlement charges.

Ms Sturgeon was questioned about her love life on STVs The Assembly, in which the interviewers are autistic, neurodivergent or have learning disabilities - Rockerdale Studios/ITV

She also said her arrest had been horrible, telling the programme that she went into a shutdown state and she still tries to block it from her memory.

She spoke about the fracturing of her relationship with Alex Salmond, her mentor and predecessor, over sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Ms Sturgeons government botched its investigation into the claims, resulting in Salmond winning a judicial review court action and more than 500,000 of taxpayers money to cover his legal costs.

He was later cleared of sexual charges at a criminal trial and was suing the Scottish government at the time of his death from a heart attack in October 2024.

Ms Sturgeon, who has stepped down as an MSP after 27 years, said she had felt really sad when he died, saying she had a real sense of grief that was made worse because she could not attend his funeral.

She said: The thing I wished, which I think I also knew would never, ever happen, is that he would say to me, yeah, it wasnt your fault what happened?

Even if he wasnt going to admit that it was his fault, that he would say, Look, I know it wasnt you that did this to me, and Im sorry for suggesting that it was.

I think I would have loved at some point for him to say that, but I knew he wasnt the type of person who would ever do that.
As people across the world celebrated the news of the US and Irans ceasefire, Sara Roddis was devastated to learn that her family in Lebanon would still have no rest from Israels bombardment.

For the past month, Ms Roddis, from Coventry, has been ill with stress. Most of her immediate family is in the south of Lebanon, which has been regularly targeted by Israel.

Since hostilities broke out between Israel and Lebanon last month, she has been absolutely terrified that one of her loved ones will die. I cry every day, she told The Independent.

Donald Trump announced late on Tuesday that the US and Iran had agreed to a two-week ceasefire. But while Israel suspended attacks on Iran, it launched its largest strikes yet in Lebanon on Wednesday, which has caused hundreds of casualties, according to its health minister.

Benjamin Netanyahu has said the ceasefire would not include the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel launched its largest attacks on Lebanon on Wednesday (AP)

Although saddened, Ms Roddis said she was not surprised. There's just no mercy, there's no looking at civilians as civilians, there's no regard for international law, there's no morals. That's just how it feels, she said.

Hezbollah is an Iranian-backed militant group as well as a political party with lawmakers in the Lebanese government. It was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK in 2019 over its attempts to destabilise activities in the Middle East.

In response to Israels invasion of Lebanon in 1982, the group formed as a guerrilla force fighting against Israels history of military incursions and invasions. Hezbollah is believed to have played a significant role in Israels decision to end its 18-year-long occupation in 2000.

In 2006, the group ambushed Israeli soldiers on the border, which sparked the month-long Lebanon war that caused mass displacement and widespread destruction. Hostilities further escalated in October 2023, when Hezbollah launched missile attacks against Israel in support of Hamas in Gaza.

In retaliation for the US and Israels invasion of Iran and the killing of supreme leader Ali Khamenei on 28 February, Hezbollah launched rocket strikes against Israel on 2 March.

Since then, Israel has carried out heavy airstrikes on Lebanon, killing more than 1,500 people, including 130 children, while more than 1 million have been forced to flee their homes.

When you read a news report, it's very sanitised an attack happened here, in this area, this many people were killed, this many people were injured, she said.

But knowing what those streets look like, what those shops look like, who works there, what the children look like when they go to that school, knowing what that neighbourhood looks like, and then knowing what it looks like in the aftermath, and knowing who has been affected, it's heart-wrenching.

Sara Roddis has been sending money to her family (Sara Roddis)

Her family lost their home and shop in the southern city of Tyre after an attack in 2024. With nowhere else to go, around 20 of her family members now share two rooms in student accommodation.

Although she regularly sends money to her family, she feels completely helpless.

Not many people can relate to the sheer horror and terror of having to constantly scan the news for reports of attacks that might have targeted your family, she said.

I follow a lot of Israeli politics. I want to know from the horse's mouth what they are saying, she said. I have to tell my family, You do know they are saying they're going to occupy permanently.

Theyve threatened to turn Beirut into Khan Younis, she said. We've seen it play out in Gaza.

The Israel Defence Forces said it was operating in Lebanon as part of the operation against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation which chose to launch attacks against the State of Israel on behalf of the Iranian regime.

Unlike Hezbollah, which operates from within civilian populations and exploits civilian infrastructure to conceal weapons and conduct terrorist activities, the IDF acts to protect the residents of Israel and minimise harm to civilians. Hezbollah continues to use civilians as human shields, deliberately endangering the lives of Lebanese residents and undermining regional stability.

Hayfaa Jawhar has been in the UK for 20 years (Hayfaa Jawhar)

Lebanese expat Hayfaa Jawhar, whose mother and sister live near the Beirut suburbs, said it was disappointing that Lebanon was excluded from the ceasefire.

Ms Jawhar, who has been in the UK for 20 years, has been living in total fear since Israel began striking areas close to where her family lives. She is constantly checking reports and calling her family to make sure they are still alive.

Her 63-year-old mother had to leave her house because of the power of the rockets, the sounds, the voices, the fear of a missile hitting the wrong target.

Ms Jawhar, who lived in Lebanon in 2006, said: I've experienced firsthand what it is to live in the middle of rocks. The sounds alone are horrifying.

Displaced people wait to receive donated food after fleeing Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon (AP)

She said Lebanese people were distraught, but not surprised, to learn there would be no solution on Tuesday. Lebanon was not really discussed that much, it was not on the negotiation table, she added.

We expect that things are going to remain as they are - assassinations, sudden threats, sudden bombing. It doesn't seem like anything is going to change. It's so disappointing.

Lebanese people, even people from the South, people who have to flee their villages every two months or three months, they're tired.

They are sick of the situation; they want a solution. They want to live peacefully. They want to go to their homes. They want to feel safe.
ChatGPT developer OpenAI has halted plans for a major UK data centre project as it said energy costs and regulation were holding back investment.

The US technology giant had agreed to deploy its Stargate data centre project at a new artificial intelligence (AI) growth zone in the north-east of England.

Stargate UK was expected to be based across a number of sites including Cobalt Park near Newcastle and Blyth.

But OpenAI said the plans were being shelved until the right conditions allow for long-term investment in the UKs infrastructure.

OpenAI said it supports the Governments ambition to be an AI leader (Alamy/PA)

A spokesman for OpenAI said: We see huge potential for the UKs AI future.

London is home to our largest international research hub, and we support the Governments ambition to be an AI leader.

AI compute is foundational to that goal  we continue to explore Stargate UK and will move forward when the right conditions such as regulation and the cost of energy enable long-term infrastructure investment.

The reference to energy costs come at a time when prices are being pushed higher by the US and Israels war with Iran.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said last month that the UK was one of the nations particularly exposed to soaring wholesale costs because of its reliance on gas-fired power, as opposed to sources such as nuclear and renewable energy.

Data centres are powered by very large amounts of energy so are more likely to be exposed to volatile prices.

OpenAI added: In the meantime, we are investing in talent and expanding our local presence, while also delivering on the commitments under our MOU (memorandum of understanding) with the Government to adopt frontier AI in UK public services.

Its Stargate project aims to invest billions of dollars into AI infrastructure in the US, with funding from OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle and MGX and partnering with tech giants including Nvidia and Microsoft.

Building it into the UK came as part of a landmark tech deal between Britain and the US, announced last September amid President Donald Trumps second state visit.

The deal also included a 30 billion US dollar (22.3 billion) pledge from Microsoft, the largest ever made by the company in the UK, to fund the expansion of Britains AI infrastructure.

Conservative MP and shadow science minister Ben Spencer said: When global firms cite high energy costs and regulatory uncertainty as reasons to walk away, it tells you everything about the direction of travel.

For too long, Labour have prioritised courting big tech headlines while neglecting our domestic start-ups, but also the fundamentals that actually attract investment at home.
Original NSYNC member Jason Galasso has reflected on leaving the boy band before they hit the big time.

Galasso was the original fifth member of the group, alongside Justin Timberlake, J.C. Chasez, Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick.

He left just before they signed a record contract with music mogul and convicted scam artist Lou Pearlman in 1995, and was later replaced by Lance Bass. The four remaining members went ahead with singing the deal with Pearlman.

Galasso did leave a lasting impact on the group however: the name NSYNC was conceived by Timberlakes mother Lynn Harless and incorporates the last letter of each members first name, including the n from Jason but not the e in Lance.

Speaking in an upcoming episode of IDs new docuseries Boy Band Confidential, Galasso said he decided not to sign the contract with Pearlman because: At that juncture with NSYNC, it didnt feel right. So I didnt do it.

NSYNC in 1998. Clockwise from top left: Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick & J.C. Chasez (Getty)

Galasso, who knew Fatone from high school choir, said the other members of the boy band were unhappy with his decision. He said Chasez let him know, recalling: JC was pissed, calling me like, What are you doing? What are you doing? And I dont blame them. I kind of left them high and dry. So I get it. Id be pissed at me too.

He went on to say that his life subsequently took a different path, explaining: After NSYNC, I went back to college and got my degree. Then a buddy of mine I went to school with, he was in the mortgage business, and Ive been doing that ever since.

Asked if he has pondered what would have happened if he signed the deal, Galasso added: Theres always going to be those what if moments, its just human nature. After a pause, he added wistfully: I don't know, I don't know.

Boy Band Confidential is set to air Monday, April 13 and Tuesday, April 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Investigation Discovery. Episodes will then also be available to stream on HBO Max.

NSYNC were one of the most popular boybands of the 1990s and 2000s, selling over 70 million records.

Pearlman, who was also behind the Backstreet Boys, died in prison in 2016 at the age of 62.

He had been convicted of fraud for running a $300m (230m) Ponzi scheme through his Trans Continental companies. He ran away to Indonesia but was captured by the authorities in 2007 and sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2008.
Pakistan has agreed not to escalate its armed conflict with neighbouring Afghanistan, the mediator China said after holding talks with both sides.

This comes at a time when Pakistan itself is playing the role of a mediator between the US and Iran, leading negotiations to end six weeks of fighting that has killed an estimated 5,000 people across a dozen nations and battered the global economy.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Islamabad and Kabul had agreed to continue seeking a solution following a seven-day mediation rally in the western Chinese city of Urumqi.

The parties agreed to explore a comprehensive solution to the issues in the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan," Ms Mao said at a daily briefing in Beijing, and clarified the core and priority issues that need to be addressed.

Islamabad and Kabul agreed to not take actions that would escalate or complicate the situation.

Ms Mao said that both sides acknowledged through the mediation process that terrorism is the core issue affecting the relationship.

File. Afghan government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid addresses a press conference in Kandahar after border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan (AFP via Getty)

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesperson for the Afghan foreign ministry, confirmed that the talks in Urumqi had concluded.

Islamabad was yet to make a statement.

Mr Balkhi said the talks focussed on bilateral relations, security issues and regional stability, and were held in a "constructive atmosphere".

He thanked Beijing for hosting the talks and expressed hope that the mediation process would strengthen trust, deepen relations and promote effective cooperation in the region.

Representatives of #China, #Pakistan and #Afghanistan held week-long informal talks in Urumqi, Xinjiang from April 1 to 7. The delegations of the three sides include representatives from authorities in charge of foreign affairs, defense and security.



The Afghan and Pakistani pic.twitter.com/oLM8pRdzEh  Lin Jian  (@SpoxCHN_LinJian) April 8, 2026

Intermittent clashes between the militaries of the South Asian neighbours turned into a full-blown conflict on 28 February when Pakistan announced, after carrying out air and ground strikes across the border, that it was in an open war with Afghanistan.

Islamabad accused its neighbour of sheltering Islamist and ethnic militants responsible for carrying out terrorist attacks on its soil. Kabul rejected the allegations.

The Pakistani military previously said they had irrefutable evidence that insurgents sheltering in Afghanistan were behind a wave of attacks and suicide bombings on its soil. One attack that killed 11 security personnel and two civilians in Bajaur district in 2024 was undertaken by an Afghan national, they said. The attack was claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, an Islamist group separate from the Afghan Taliban.

The conflict has killed hundreds of people on both sides of the border. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Afghanistan, it has also displaced almost 100,000 people.

An injured Afghan girl stands near damaged houses at the site of an overnight Pakistan airstrike at a residential area in Pol-e-Charkhi on the outskirts of Kabul (AFP via Getty Images)

The Urumqi breakthrough comes just as Islamabad prepares to host talks on Friday aimed at ending the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Pakistan led the mediation talks that resulted in a ceasefire on Wednesday, burnishing its diplomatic clout. Analysts said that Islamabad was able to achieve the breakthrough thanks to its close ties with both the US and Iran as well as key regional players like Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Though the ceasefire has come under strain since Israel launched a devastating attack on Lebanon, Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad has made preparations to welcome Iranian and American representatives to negotiate a more conclusive agreement.

Tehran said it had agreed to talks with the American delegation on Friday.
Detectives investigating the murder of loving family man Kyrone Moodie have released CCTV footage of two men they would like to speak to.

The 27-year-old died in hospital a day after he was shot in New Park Road in Clapham just before 9pm on September 8 last year.

While three men have been since charged with Mr Moodies murder, detectives believe there may still be witnesses who hold vital information. The three men charged remain in police custody.

CCTV footage shows two men riding a motorbike on the night Mr Moodie was killed.

Officers are now appealing for the men shown in the images, or anyone who recognises them or the motorbike pictured, to come forward.

Police are looking to speak to the men in this image (Met Police)

A reward of 20,000 has been offered to anyone who can provide information that leads to the conviction of offenders.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee, who is leading the investigation, said: Whilst we have made significant progress towards understanding the events that led to the double shooting and murder of Kyrone, we are releasing CCTV footage and appealing for help to identify two males of significance to the investigation.

"I am appealing directly to the riders or anyone who recognises them. Additionally, we are keen to speak to anyone that may recognise the motorbike they are riding which has been identified as a Zero DS electronic motorcycle.

A reward of 20,000 remains on offer for anyone able to provide information leading to the conviction of offenders. if you have knowledge then please come forward, no detail is insignificant or too small.

Police were called to reports of a shooting in New Park Road in Clapham on September 8 last year.

Kyrone Moodie was shot dead in Clapham last year (Met Police)

CCTV footage shows two men on a motorbike (Met Police)

Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service who treated Mr Moodie, before taking him to hospital, where he sadly died the next day.

A 20-year-old man was also injured.

Following his death Mr Moodies family called him a loving family man and described how he was genuine and determined.

In a statement, they added: He helped everyone he could. Kyrone was just a humble, funny and God-worshiping family-oriented man.

Mr Moodies family continue to be supported by specialist officers.

To provide information to police directly, call 101, giving the reference CAD 7805/8SEP2 or Operation Concito.

To provide information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Carl Dixon worked at Davies Lane Primary School for just over two years (Google Maps)

A primary-school teacher who asked girls in his class to go on dates has been banned from his profession for life.

Carl Dixon, 62, sent secret and personalised notes to pupils, asked one on a date and touched a childs bottom, a conduct panel heard.

Mr Dixon, who worked at Davies Lane Primary School near Stratford, northeast London, also pressured a pupil to give him a hug and asked children to join him in lunch in circumstances of secrecy, including asking pupils to hide, the Teaching Regulation Agency was told.

The panels judgement reveals that he had misled his employer in 2018 when he applied for the job, by answering no to the question Have you ever been known to any childrens services department or police as being a risk or potential risk to children?

He had denied a string of allegations that he failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with one or more pupils while at the school from 29 November 2017 and 7 January 2020.

The claims involved serious dishonesty, coercive behaviour and sexually motivated conduct in touching a childs bottom, the judgement said.

Mr Dixon, who quit the job in January 2020 and was sacked in February this year, was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.

The panel found he sent personalised and secret notes to pupils during lessons, and stuck notes on the back of pupils books and either took notes back or disposed of them afterwards.

The panel found Mr Dixon had asked a child, referred to as Pupil 9, on a date.

A handwritten note of a school assistant stated that two girls had told her he had behaved inappropriately towards pupils in his class by asking girls to go on dates.

The same girl said he used to hug people sometimes and she confirmed that included her when asked.

A contemporaneous handwritten note recorded another child, Pupil 10, stating that Pupil 9 had said that Mr Dixon was touching her butt. The panel found the claim he touched Pupil 9s bottom proven on the balance of probabilities.

Another note from a witness recorded Pupil 10 also saying that during a class party, Mr Dixon said, If I have a hug from Child A, you can do anything you want.

The panel found the allegation he pressured Pupil 9 to hug him proven on the balance of probabilities.

The judgement says: The panel found that Mr Dixons failure to take responsibility for his actions, which occurred over a significant period of time, provides evidence of a real risk of repetition.

Explaining why he was banned for life, it adds: The panel considered that the very serious nature of the findings of Mr Dixons inappropriate behaviour with pupils in sending secret notes to pupils and engaging in behaviour of a sexual nature, including asking a pupil on a date, hugging a pupil and pressuring a pupil to hug him, weighed in favour of not offering a review period.
John Healey is a well-respected politician but he needs to actually prove why the Kremlin should be fearful of retaliatory action - Yui Mok / POOL / AFP via Getty Images

Vladimir Putin must be shaking in his boots after a telling off from Britains Defence Secretary.

We see you, John Healey has warned the Russian president after a secret submarine operation in British waters near vital communications cables was discovered.

There is a scene in the movie Aliens where colonial marines on the trail of deadly xenomorphs (aliens) are warned that they cannot use their regular firearms because of their proximity to a nuclear facility. What do you expect us to use, harsh language? asks the dry-witted Sergeant Apone.

Well, quite. And the same question might be asked today of the Defence Secretary. We see you and we see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them, will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences, Healey told a press conference earlier today. Fighting talk indeed. But what does serious consequences actually mean?

Who can forget the less-than-robust responses to Russian aggression that previous administrations indulged in: Frankly, Russia should just go away, issued the former defence secretary Gavin Williamson in the wake of the Kremlins involvement in the Salisbury chemical attack in 2018.

But where, exactly, was Russia expected to go? The Russian response to Williamson, that he suffered from intellectual impotence, was diplomatic language for hes a bloody idiot  few would take issue with the translation.

What is different today? What does Healey mean by serious consequences? We are a country that hardly lifted a finger when British residents fell victim to Russias chemical weapons attack that cost the life of one citizen. Is Healey hoping to bring Putin to heel by mere harsh language and colourful threats, or does a grimmer resolution lie behind the rhetoric?

In the least convincing part of his speech, Healey revealed that the operation to foil whatever nefarious plans the Russian vessels had, was proof that it would not have been in Britains national interest for us to have deployed large parts of the Navy to the Middle East to safeguard British and allied interests during the recent conflict with Iran.

So, anyone who thought that the real reason was because our ships are in a perilous state of disrepair, or because the Government was terrified that some keffiyeh-wearing Trots and Islamists might hate the Labour Party even more than they do, should jolly well think again.

And still, we return to what Healey meant by his not-so-veiled threats against Putin and Russia. Thanks to Keir Starmers statesman-like leadership in the last few weeks, Britain can no longer rely on support from our former American allies or even from Nato, which remains largely under US control. One can imagine the tenor of any conversation between Downing Street and the Oval Office in which Starmer pleads for solidarity against the Russian menace.

Fractures in the North Atlantic alliance notwithstanding, it would hardly be surprising if Russia took little notice of Britains sabre-rattling, given that our response to the actual invasion by Russia of a sovereign European country was to freeze a few Russian bank accounts. Thatll show em! the government of the day thought. And, indeed, it did demonstrate the full extent of what Britain and Nato were prepared to do in the face of Russian expansionism. Unfortunately.

But this is not the previous Conservative government, and Healey is not Williamson. The Defence Secretary is a Cabinet minister of some substance. If anyone can bring the Russians to heel, it is he. But he needs to show that his threats actually mean something, and he should explain why Russia should be genuinely fearful of British retaliatory action.

No one knows what Russia would do if a Western nation were to stand up to its bullying and aggressive contempt for international law, because no one has ever tried it before. Let us see whether Healey will be the first to prove that his armoury includes more than harsh language.
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - The sixth edition of the ICT Africa Summit will be held from 21-23 April in Algiers, with the participation of numerous decision-makers, companies, startups, and investors
The citation for Elizabeth II is among 229 entries added to the record relating to notable public figures who died in 2022 - Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images

Elizabeth II made some missteps when it came to her family, the official record of her contribution to public life has said.

The late Queens entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (DNB), the record of notable British public figures, records that the UK ceased to be a great power in the world during her reign.

The entry claims she adapted slowly and not always enthusiastically during her reign, which saw Britain evolve into a multi-cultural, multi-faith, multi-ethnic society.

A spokesman for the DNB said: At the Oxford DNB, we ask our authors to write a balanced account of a persons private and public life that will serve as a guide to modern Britain for decades to come.

Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, died at 96 in September 2022 - Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The citation comes before the commemorations for what would have been the late Queens 100th birthday later this month, and has been described by one royal expert as mean-spirited and begrudging.

Some 229 entries have been added to the record relating to notable public figures who died in 2022.

Other entries this year include Ronald Allison, the late Queens press secretary from 1973-1978, Hilary Mantel, the author, and Vivienne Westwood, the fashion designer.

The citation for Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history who died aged 96 in September 2022, reads: During the course of her reign, the United Kingdom ceased to be a great power in the world, and evolved into a multi-cultural, multi-faith, multi-ethnic society, and the country in which she died was very different from that in which she had been born.

To all this she adapted, slowly and not always enthusiastically, but on the whole wisely and well.

The late Queen made her first Christmas broadcast to the nation from Sandringham House, Norfolk, in 1952 - Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

It adds: Although she made some mis-steps (particularly in relation to her family) she provided reassurance for a rapidly changing country, deftly fronted retreat and reinvention abroad, gradually adjusted the British monarchy to the post-Victorian and post-imperial world, and did all this without ever letting on in public that was what she was doing.

She had not been born to succeed, but by her example, her self-discipline, her public spiritedness, and her longevity, she did so in more ways than one, living out perhaps the most remarkable life of her times.

The family missteps mentioned will be read by the public as a reference to her handling of the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal, as well as her childrens high-profile divorces and the initial public response to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Elizabeth II recorded her last Christmas broadcast in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle in 2021 - Victoria Jones/Getty Images

Joe Little, the managing editor of Majesty magazine, said: Whilst I wouldnt expect the entry to be gushing, it comes across as rather mean-spirited and begrudging.

Theres nothing inaccurate about it but, in my opinion, it could  and should  have been more upbeat.

Oxford University Press will also publish a longer biography of Elizabeth II as part of the DNB, written by Sir David Cannadine.

Elizabeth II and the King, then the Prince of Wales, during the state opening of Parliament in 2019 - Paul Edwards/Getty Images

At more than 100 pages, the entry concludes: She sought to embody national identity, historical continuity, and political stability, she created a new global role for a new global community, and she did more than anyone to hold the UK and the Commonwealth together.

She had not been born to succeed, but by her example, her self-discipline, her public spiritedness, and her longevity, she did so in more ways than one, living out perhaps the most remarkable life of her times.

You can do a lot, she once opined, if youre properly trained. And I hope I have been. She had been, and she did.

The DNB contains biographies of more than 63,000 individuals, written by more than 14,000 contributors, and with more than 12,000 portrait images.
Starmer has granted increased powers to Antonio Romeo - AFP

On Wednesday, quietly, the Labour Government issued its final and unconditional surrender to the Whitehall machine. The surrender came in the form of a paper published by the new Cabinet Secretary, Dame Antonia Romeo, setting out her objectives for 2026-27. The Prime Minister, we are told, has approved the paper. He didnt have much choice.

Keir Starmer arrived in No. 10 in 2024 promising change. When he got into the building he turned to Sue Gray, his chief of staff, and asked her for the plan for the new Government. It turned out she didnt have one, and nor did anyone else in the Labour Party. So Starmer has spent nearly two years thrashing impotently around in search of a mission and the means to deliver it.

This week he gave up, and empowered his new Cabinet Secretary with the authority to design and deliver the legacy of his time in office. The result will be the continuation of the model of government that has delivered the multipolar crisis Britain is in.

To be sure, Dame Antonias language is full of dynamism, of innovation and improved productivity and the buzzwords of modern management. But its not the objectives, the intended outcomes, that are significant here, although their vagueness and lack of a single numerical target should be noted. What matters is the powers which the document claims on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary.

The five powers Dame Antonia has granted herself are (I paraphrase): to lead delivery of government policy; to be the Prime Ministers principal policy adviser; to manage the Cabinet; to reform the Civil Service; and to lead the Civil Service. She is therefore in charge of execution, policy, decision-making, and the machinery of the British state. This includes direct responsibility for all economic, domestic, international and national security matters. Oh, and she will also act as a steward for the democratic system of government and guardian of the constitution for good measure.

In 1985 the then Cabinet Secretary, Sir Robert Armstrong, issued his famous Memorandum declaring: The Civil Service as such has no constitutional personality or responsibility separate from the duly constituted Government of the day. That principle only makes sense when the duly constituted Government knows its own mind and does its job of national leadership. If it doesnt, the Civil Service itself occupies the vacuum. And when the head of the Civil Service has almost limitless power, the result is the abdication of democracy.

During the unsuccessful tenure of Sir Chris Wormald, Dame Antonias predecessor, there appeared to be some fleeting awareness in No10 of this critical issue. Perhaps, they thought, tasks such as driving political priorities might be better suited to a political appointee. Likewise, there might be sense in asking someone other than the person who owes their entire career to the organisation they now lead to implement sweeping change. However, with the arrival of Dame Antonia, the feeble attempt at political oversight by Darren Jones  minister and Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister  was over almost as quickly as it began. The new Cabinet Secretary was quick to use her powers and influence to shrug off such pesky incursions on her responsibilities.

Dame Antonias document is useful because it openly demonstrates the trend of British politics in this century, by which power has drained away from elected ministers and towards officials in quangos, government departments and  most of all  the Cabinet Office, the bloated fief ruled over by the Cabinet Secretary.

The Cabinet Office was set up in 1916 to ensure effective management of the Cabinet itself, enabling collective responsibility and good process. Throughout the 20th century it performed this limited function. In 1997 it employed 200 people.

Under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, however, the remit of the Cabinet Office expanded hugely. It became the principal source of authority for the rest of government, and the place where all cross-Whitehall functions and priorities were managed. From 200 officials in 1997, by 2010 there were 3,000. Post-Brexit, it became even larger. Today there are over 10,000 people working in the Cabinet Office.

I say working. Being paid, to be sure. What they all do is a genuine mystery. But their collective weight gives enormous authority to their boss, the Cabinet Secretary, to direct the rest of government and indeed to manage the Prime Minister himself.

The most telling feature of the current set-up is that, in the official organogram of Government, 10 Downing Street is categorised as a subsidiary unit of the Cabinet Office, listed among the Office for Veterans Affairs, the Public Inquiry Response Unit and the Propriety and Constitution Group.

If there is one mission for a Reform government it is this: to put the elected government, accountable to Parliament, back in charge. That is why we are committed to leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, so that MPs  not judges, interpreting vague declarations of human rights as they see fit  will make the law. It is why we will scrap the Climate Change Act, allowing ministers  not quangos  to make the rules on energy and the environment. And it is why we will reform government itself, to give elected politicians, led by the Prime Minister, the power and the responsibility to govern.

Reform will break up the role of the Cabinet Secretary. Its component parts  policy adviser to the Prime Minister, management of the Cabinet and its committees, and leadership of the Civil Service itself  are distinct jobs and should be held by different people. Meanwhile the responsibility for delivery, getting things done on behalf of the public, should rest with departments, led by ministers who are accountable to Parliament and the public.

We need a far smaller Whitehall  not least thanks to the capabilities of AI to deliver better, quicker, cheaper work than officials. We need a far smaller centre, focused on setting and tracking priorities, resolving conflicts and unblocking action. Most of all we need politicians, not civil servants in charge  people with the mandate and the courage to take decisions and to bear responsibility for the results.

Danny Kruger is a Reform MP who represents East Wiltshire
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention delayed publishing a report showing the benefits of the Covid vaccine, according to a new report.

The stalled publication has sparked concerns that information conflicting with the views of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  a longtime vaccine skeptic  may be sidelined. The CDC, however, insists the move followed standard procedure.

The new report found that healthy adults who received the Covid vaccine cut their risk of urgent care and emergency visits by 50 percent, and Covid-related hospitalizations by 55 percent, compared to adults who did not receive a dose in 2025 or 2026, according to The Washington Post.

The research was due to be published March 19 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the CDCs premier scientific journal.

The study had been green-lit by the CDCs scientific review process but acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya delayed the report over methodological concerns, two unnamed scientists familiar with the matter told the outlet.

CDC Director Jayanta Bhattacharya (left) and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (right). A stalled Covid vaccine publication sparked concern that information conflicting with the views of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  a longtime vaccine skeptic  may be sidelined (Getty Images)

The postponement occurred despite the CDC's long history of using the same methodology to assess respiratory virus vaccines, including flu shots. Those methods also underpinned a 2021 New England Journal of Medicine study on Covid vaccine effectiveness.

A spokesperson for HHS, which oversees the CDC, said the acting directors delay was not unusual.

Its routine for CDC leadership to review and flag concerns about MMWR papers, especially relating to their methodology, leading up to planned publication, the spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent.

Dr. Bhattacharya expressed concerns about the observational method used in this study to calculate vaccine effectiveness, and the scientific team is working to address these concerns, they added. Dr. Bhattacharya wants to make sure that the paper uses the most appropriate methodology for such a study.

Another HHS official told The Washington Post that the methodology is predisposed to bias, noting it focused on hospitalized patients and thus fails to represent the broader U.S. population.

Bhattacharya, who is also director of the National Institutes of Health, is now set to meet with CDC scientists to discuss the report, the official said.

Others pushed back on criticism of the report, including Dan Jernigan, who recently led the CDCs vaccine safety office. Though he acknowledged the reports methodology isnt flawless, Jernigan said its still well-suited for tracking vaccine performance.

Its a real-world approach where you cant control differences between people who get vaccinated and those who dont, and how that influences their likelihood of getting infected, Jernigan said.

RFK Jr directed the CDC to drop its Covid vaccine recommendation for children and healthy pregnant women, a move that drew criticism from public health experts (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Jernigan, one of several officials who resigned last year amid disputes with Kennedy, criticized the HHS secretary, noting that the reports release might undercut his vaccine narrative.

The secretary has already taken steps to try and remove the availability of the vaccine from children and others, so if youre putting out an MMWR that the vaccine is effective at preventing hospitalizations and medical care visits  that message is not line with the direction youve been taking with the removal of the vaccine, Jernigan told the outlet.

Kennedy has a long history of dismissing vaccines. He once chaired Childrens Health Defense, a leading anti-vaccine group, and called Covid shots the deadliest vaccine ever made.

In September 2025, while speaking to lawmakers about the development of Covid vaccine policy, he claimed: We were lied to about everything.

At HHS, Kennedy has overseen a number of policy changes when it comes to inoculations. Last year, the former environmental lawyer directed the CDC to drop its Covid vaccine recommendation for children and healthy pregnant women, a move that drew criticism from public health experts.

Last month, Kennedy-appointed advisers considered ending recommendations for Covid mRNA vaccines but ultimately shelved the plan.

The latest incident underscores competing factions inside and outside the administration on vaccine policy, The Washington Post reported. While some officials seek to halt further changes before the midterms, some advocates are pressing Kennedy to double down on his vaccine skepticism.

Public opinion on the Covid vaccines remains divided. According to a September 2025 YouGov survey, 41 percent of Americans believe the benefits of the Covid vaccine outweigh the risks, while 39 percent believe they are about equivalent or outweighed by risks.
Charity Samaritans has said it hopes a storyline it helped create on EastEnders will help tackle stigma around people suffering with their mental health.

The BBC soap is currently showing Ravi Gulati, played by Aaron Thiara, considering suicide, with the story set to climax later this month when he reaches a crisis point and his family get him the help he needs.

Samaritans, which supports people going through mental health crises, was called in by EastEnders producers to ensure the story was told accurately and sensitively.

EastEnders was previously praised by the charity for an episode which saw Phil Mitchell (played by Steve McFadden) struggle with his mental health (Ian West/PA) (Ian West)

Executive producer Ben Wadey said: EastEnders always takes great care when researching storylines such as Ravis and were grateful to Samaritans for the advice they have given us, helping us ensure Ravis story is told with the care and sensitivity it deserves.

Lorna Fraser, head of the Media Advisory Service at Samaritans, said she hoped the episodes would help viewers experiencing similar issues to seek support.

She said: Storylines responsibly reflecting experiences of mental health and suicide can help tackle stigma and encourage viewers who might be struggling to talk about how they are feeling.

Were proud to have supported EastEnders with covering Ravis self-harm and mental health crisis sensitively and grateful for their efforts in making this as safe as possible.

Last year, EastEnders was praised by the charity for its handling of a story which saw Phil Mitchell, played by Steve McFadden, attempt to take his own life as his depression and psychosis symptoms spiralled.

It was also praised by mental health charity Mind, which said the story helped build a greater understanding of what its like for men experiencing suicidal feelings and reaching a crisis point for their mental health.

 Samaritans is available on 116 123 or at samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ or email jo@samaritans.org.
Sir Ian McKellen has showered co-star Johnny Depp with admiration, stating that he fell in love with the actor while shooting their new film together.

Depp will play Ebenezer Scrooge in a retelling of Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, which is the Pirates of the Caribbean stars most notable role since his highly publicised trial with ex-wife Amber Heard.

The actor appears in the film alongside McKellen, Andrea Riseborough, Rupert Grint and Severance actor Tramell Tillman, and according to McKellen, 86, Depp is in spankingly good form.

Sir Ian McKellen praised Johnny Depp as effervescent and funny (Getty Images)

McKellen, who will soon return as Gandalf in a new Lord of the Rings film, told Variety: Hes effervescent, funny, irreverent, serious  all at the same time. It was a bit of a love fest, really. I fell in love with him. Hes very obliging to his fellow actors. [There was] a wonderful feeling on the set.

In 2020, Depp, 62, lost a libel action against The Sun over claims that he had assaulted Heard, and then two years later, broadly won a defamation action against Heard in relation to claims that he had physically and sexually assaulted her. During this time, he was dropped as the character Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. He has since starred in international films Jeanne du Barry and Minamata.

Later this year, hell also appear alongside Penelope Cruz in mystery film Day Drinker before Ti Wests Ebenezer is released around Christmas.

Last year, the actor told The Sunday Times that some of his Hollywood peers did me dirty during the trials, with the journalist noting that the stars ire for them is bubbling, passionate.

As weird as I am, certain things can be trusted, said the Pirates of the Caribbean star. And my loyalty is the last thing anybody could question. I was with one agent for 30 years, but she spoke in court about how difficult I was.

Thats death by confetti, these fake motherf***ers who lie to you, celebrate you, say all sorts of horror behind your back, yet keep the money  that confetti machine going  because what do they want? Dough.

The Edward Scissorhands star did not name anyone specifically. The court case became a point of contention in Hollywood, with several celebrities taking sides. You can find a list of stars who supported Depp here, and those who supported Heard here.

Depp previously referred to himself as the crash test dummy for MeToo, in reference to the social movement that gained traction in 2017 with the aim of raising awareness about sexual harassment and assault, particularly in the workplace.

Johnny Depp was involved in a highly publicised trial with ex-wife Amber Heard (Getty Images)

And, look, I understand people who could not stand up [for me], because the most frightening thing to them was making the right choice, he said. I was pre-MeToo. I was like a crash test dummy for MeToo. It was before Harvey Weinstein, he said.

Heards accusations came a year before Weinstein was arrested and charged with rape in 2018. The disgraced producer was found guilty of two of five felony counts in 2020 and sentenced to 23 years in prison.

McKellen will next be seen in Steven Soderbergh film The Christophers, and this August, will travel to New Zealand to reprise the role of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings film The Hunt for Gollum.
After falling agonisingly short at the Cheltenham Festival, Sober Glory can end his season in the spotlight when bidding for compensation in the ThatPrizeGuy Top Novices Hurdle at Aintree.

Trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, the six-year-old had Supreme Novices Hurdle glory within his grasp before a final flight blunder handed the advantage to eventual winner Old Park Star.

He plugged on bravely for second, but with Nicky Hendersons winner, nor the third Mydaddypaddy in action on Merseyside, hopes are high he can atone for that near-miss and head for his summer break with a top-level success secured.

Hes come out of Cheltenham really well and I couldnt be happier with him, said White. After his run in the Supreme you would say he deserves to round off his year with a big win, but that doesnt guarantee you get it.

The first and third from Cheltenham dont run which helps our cause and he goes there with every chance. Hell be a short price, but deservedly so and I think he deserves to be classed as the one to beat.

Hes done nothing wrong other than that one run at Sandown which we try to forget about, but people keep reminding us of. Hes always done us proud, hes looking great and hes taking the training this year very well.

Were really looking forward to this but more importantly we know we could have even bigger days next season.

Back in fourth in the Cheltenham Festival curtain-raiser was Alan Kings Baron Noir, who could prove to be Sober Glorys main danger among a field of six lacking the usual presence from the powerhouse yards from Ireland.

Baron Noir is owned by the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate, and Fehily said: He ran an absolute blinder in the Supreme and it was his first time running at that sort of level. It was the most competitive race he will have run in and he ran a stormer.

Weve rated the horse all season, but Im so glad he went and ran that sort of race at Cheltenham and backed up his Punchestown bumper form over El Cairos.

I think hes a proper horse who can hopefully step forward again. Hes a big lad and I think there is no reason why he cant improve now that hes raced at that level.

Were happy to roll the dice again and looking forward to running him.

There is further Grade One action for novice hurdlers in the Oddschecker Sefton Novices Hurdle, where Jamie Snowdens Johnnys Jury will be a warm order to follow up his Cheltenham Festival win in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle.

Victory would also give his handler back-to-back victories in this particular race having won at the highest level for the first time with Julius Des Pictons 12 months ago.

Fourth to Johnnys Jury at Prestbury Park was Ben Paulings Mondouiboy and the handler is predicting a bold bid with further experience now banked.

He said: I think hell be very dangerous in a Sefton. Hes in very good order and came out of Cheltenham in fabulous form, he looks a million dollars.

If Cheltenham hasnt left its mark Id be expecting him to go very close. I have very high hopes for this horse and I think he could be exceptional. If hes in the form he went to Cheltenham in then hopefully hell put up a very good show.

Also expecting to be in the mix is Joe Tizzard with his Cheltenham sixth Kripticjim.

He ran a super race in the Albert Bartlett. He needs to improve a bit to win on Saturday, but hes not a million miles away, explained Tizzard.

If he runs a race like he did at Cheltenham well be delighted and were looking forward to running him over fences next year.

Dan Skeltons Dalston Lad will seek a four-timer stepping up to Grade One company, while Paul Nicholls will saddle both Challow Hurdle hero No Drama This End and the unexposed Talk To The Man, with Sam Twiston-Davies getting a first sit on the former ahead of playing a more central role at Ditcheat next season.
Southwest Airlines passengers will now reportedly be limited to one portable device charger on flights, according to a new company policy.

On Tuesday, Southwest announced that beginning on April 20, passengers will be limited to one portable charger when boarding the company's planes, the Associated Press reports. Passengers cannot store portable chargers in the overhead storage bins, and they won't be allowed to recharge the chargers using the airplanes' power outlets, according to the AP.

The policy reportedly builds on Southwest's existing rules that require passengers to keep their portable chargers out in the open so that flight attendants can quickly respond in the event that a device begins to overheat.

Portable chargers typically use lithium batteries. When those batteries catch fire, they emit toxic fumes  especially dangerous on an airplane  and can reignite after theyve been extinguished, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

In March, the International Civil Aviation Organization published recommendations that airlines limit passengers to only two portable chargers, but Southwest's new policy is taking that a step further.

Southwest Airlines will limit passengers to only one portable lithium battery charger beginning on April 20 in an effort to reduce the risk of fires associated with the devices (AP)

The airline's Vice President of Safety and Security, Dave Hunt, said the company doesn't plan to search bags or confiscate chargers but will stress to customers the potential dangers of the batteries when they book flights and arrive at the airport, according to the Associated Press.

The Independent has reached out to Southwest Airlines for comment.

Lithium fires have become a growing concern for airlines. The Federal Aviation Administration said that more lithium battery incidents are being reported every year. The agency said that there were 97 lithium battery incidents in 2025.

Jeff Marootian, CEO of UL Standards & Engagement, which produces the guidelines for makers of portable chargers and other devices, told the AP that his organization hears about approximately two lithium battery-related incidents every week. He added that there has been a 42 percent increase in the number of incidents in 2025 over the previous year.

In January 2025, an Air Busan plane preparing for take off in South Korea was forced to evacuate all 176 people on board when a fire broke out and burned through the aircraft's roof. Investigators believe a power bank's lithium battery caught fire and caused the destruction.

Portable power bank battery chargers that use lithium batteries can overheat and catch fire. The fires produce toxic fumes and can reignite even after being extinguished (Getty/iStock)

In February, an Alaska Airlines flight was forced to return to a Kansas airport after a power bank overheated and caught fire. The flight crew managed to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher and a thermal containment bag.

To put passengers concerned about powering their devices at ease, Southwest also announced, along with the new policy, that its entire fleet of planes will include in-seat power outlets by the middle of 2027, which it hopes will reduce the need for external chargers, according to the AP.

"Access to onboard power will continue to expand. By mid-year 2027, our entire fleet will feature in-seat power, reducing reliance on portable chargers and supporting a more consistent, convenient inflight experience," Hunt said in the Southwest announcement.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has branded Israeli strikes on Lebanon as "wrong" and insisted they "should stop" as a fragile US-Iran ceasefire deal faces immediate peril.

His comments, made during a diplomatic visit to Gulf nations, highlight the strain on the two-week truce brokered by US President Donald Trump.

The bombardment of Beirut risks unravelling the agreement, which followed Mr Trump's stark warning that "a whole civilisation will die tonight"  language Sir Keir personally vowed he would "never use".

The Prime Minister also confirmed the UK is "monitoring" the use of its bases by Washington, ensuring deployment solely for collective self-defence, not offensive operations against Iran.

Sir Keir arrived in Bahrain on Thursday, as part of a regional tour including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Israeli attacks on the Hezbollah militant group made Wednesday the deadliest day in Lebanon since the conflict began, amid disagreement over whether the country was included in the ceasefire.

Starmer also confirmed the UK is "monitoring" the use of its bases by Washington, ensuring deployment solely for collective self-defence, not offensive operations against Iran. (Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street)

In response to the Israeli strikes, Tehran has again closed the key oil shipping channel, the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite escalating tensions, the Prime Minister admitted it was "hard to say" whether the strikes constituted a breach of the US-Iran ceasefire.

We havent all got access to all the details of the ceasefire, Sir Keir told ITVs Talking Politics podcast in Bahrain.

But look, let me be really clear about it  theyre wrong.

Asked whether Israel was wrong to be attacking in Lebanon now, the Prime Minister replied: Yes, that shouldnt be happening.

That should stop  thats my strong view  and therefore, the question isnt a technical one of whether its a breach of the agreement or not.

The (question) is actually a matter of principles as far as I am concerned and, in a sense, my argument would be it should be included in a ceasefire and thats the important part of the overall approach.
Sir Keir Starmer has hit out at Donald Trump's threats to wipe out a whole civilisation in the Iran war. The British prime minister questioned Mr Trumps values ahead of a state visit to the US by King Charles later this month and at a delicate time in the war, as doubts grow over whether the fragile ceasefire will hold.

Speaking to ITVs Robert Peston, Sir Keir said: Let me be really clear about this: they are not words I would use, ever use, because I come at this with our British values and principles.

He added: It is very important that Im clear that for the United Kingdom, we have our principles, we have our values. We will be guided by them in everything that we do. Thats why Ive said [it], and obviously its caused a degree of criticism and pressure in the last few weeks.

Keir Starmer meets members of the armed forces at Taif Airbase, Saudi Arabia, during his two-day visit to the Gulf region (PA)

The US president has previously spoken proudly of his British connections through his Scottish mother, and his own love for the royal family, so the prime ministers criticism appeared to be a carefully worded, diplomatic way of attacking Mr Trump.

With King Charles and Queen Camilla set to visit in the White House at the end of April, Mr Trump will be hoping to celebrate the occasion and his own links to British values.

But it comes at a time when the president has repeatedly attacked Sir Keir for failing to take part in the war against Iran alongside the US and Israel.

He has said the prime minister was no Winston Churchill and likened him to the appeaser Neville Chamberlain.

Sir Keir also called on the Iranians to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is still closed to international shipping, but also demanded that Israel stopped bombing Lebanon, an action which appears to be putting the ceasefire at risk.

In a message to Israel, he said: That shouldnt be happening. That should stop. Thats my strong view. And therefore the question isnt a technical one of whether its a breach of the agreement or not.

The one is actually a matter of principles as far as Im concerned. And in a sense my argument would be it should be included in the ceasefire, and thats the important part, the overall approach.

The prime minister appeared to make a veiled dig at US president Donald Trump (AP)

But he also admitted that he, along with other allies, are not clear about the details of the ceasefire deal between Iran and the US, after Mr Trump withheld them following his claims that Nato has let him down over its failure to help the US reopen the strait.

We havent all got access to all the details of the ceasefire, the PM said.

Sir Keir has been in the Middle East on a two-day trip meeting allies in the Gulf States and visiting British military personnel involved in collective defensive actions in the region.

Sir Keir told ITVs Talking Politics podcast: Theres a relief that there is a ceasefire, I think a sense from them that its fragile, that theres a lot of work to do on the ceasefire, and so, there is a sense of relief.

I think thats probably shared, or my sense, shared across the United Kingdom, where people have been very concerned of what theyve seen on their television screens, very worried about the impact it might have on them.

The prime minister said he had discussed defence capabilities with the leaders he had met in the region.

He added: The final emotion, if you like, is that they were pleased to see a friend, because these are longstanding allies that we have in the Gulf region. [Its] very important at a time like this for us to be here, to show that we stand with our allies.

Weve obviously been involved in quite intense collective self-defence with our service personnel here over the last six to seven weeks, and the expression was basically one of, its good to have a friend here that we can discuss these issues with at a time like this.
A tanker at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz during Irans blockade in Shinas, Oman - Benoit Tessier/REUTERS

Ceasefire or not, Iran retains control of the Strait of Hormuz and its still effectively closed. Overnight, four ships made the transit, down from eight in the previous 24 hours, after the ceasefire was announced  and hugely down from the 130 or so that routinely made this passage before Feb 28 and the start of the latest war.

Tehran has always had the option of closing the vital Strait, through which so many important cargoes pass. They did it during the Tanker Wars of the 80s, albeit to much less effect. They were much less capable then, the Western world had many more warships and the all-important metric  commercial risk tolerance  was higher.

Since then, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy (IRGCN) has done little else but build up its forces in the air, surface and subsurface domains to do it again. Many of these assets have now been destroyed, but hundreds, if not thousands, of missiles, drones, fast attack craft and mines remain. These are not moored in a harbour or parked in an obvious base somewhere, waiting to get hit from the air: they are hidden in the desert, in the mountains or stored in civilian buildings. We rightly praise Ukraine for its use of dispersal, mobility and asymmetry against the Russian Black Sea Fleet, but the IRGCN was decades ahead of them.

What Iran has now proven, as if the Houthis in the Red Sea hadnt already done it, is that this combination of agility and dispersed command and control means you can still achieve your end states even when under intense fire. It also helps if you dont care if you live or die. At one point, the Houthis were only firing once or twice a week, and many of them missed or caused no damage. But the effect was the same: ships, especially ones with explosive cargoes, went around Africa instead. With Hormuz there is no alternative route, and here we are.

So what next? How do we, in the midst of this fragile ceasefire, help get the Strait open and trade flowing at something approaching status quo ante?

Our Prime Minister is currently in the Gulf region mustering support from a coalition of 40-odd countries that have signed up to help, but is going to have to tackle some serious issues to achieve this.

He will have to factor in that at the first meeting between the US and Iran, scheduled for tomorrow, there will be one side that is entirely happy with how this is going, whilst the other is seemingly desperate to extract and declare victory in time for November. This will skew every conversation they attempt to have from nuclear, to proxies, to intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)  including the one over the Strait.

Only last night, Iran issued a new chart of the area routing shipping through the island gap to the north of the internationally recognised Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) and inside Iranian territorial waters. This is a smart play. It asserts psychological and geographical dominance, improves its situational awareness, and leaves the have they or have they not laid mines in the recognised TSS question wide open. It also breaches maritime law in a way that China-watchers will find familiar.

The Iranians are also insisting that ships pay to pass, or they will be destroyed in what is now being called the Tehran Toll. If this does turn out to be $2m (1.5m) per ship as suggested, and assuming flow rates return to pre-war levels, this would equate to north of $60bn (45.5bn) a year going into Tehrans war chest. You can see why theyre keen.

This is the opposite of the long-held principle of freedom of navigation. Preserving and upholding freedom of navigation has been practically written into the DNA of the US navy for many decades  but is it in the Presidents? What if he agrees to this new scheme and can therefore declare he reopened the Strait?

A cherry on top for Trump, perhaps, would be having agreed with Tehran that US-flagged ships, of which there are currently five stuck in the Gulf, pass for free. That might, of course, lead shipowners needing to pass the Strait regularly to re-flag their vessels  that was seen in the Tanker Wars too.

0304 Strait of Hormuz traffic

Right now, ships are not making the move because they dont know who is in charge, much less what the protocols are. As Admiral Rickover, the father of the US nuclear navy, said: Unless you can point your finger at the man who is responsible when something goes wrong, then you have never had anyone really responsible.

Who is this now? Is it Iran, or the US? Is it China, or Pakistan, or an NGO? If its Iran and you want to pay, who to and in what currency?

Where is the US navy in all this? My working assumption from the start is that it didnt have enough ships to conduct escorting operations, given the threat levels in the Strait. At the last count, there were eight Arleigh Burke destroyers in the Gulf of Oman. At least two of those will need to stay back to protect the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, but the rest are potentially available for operations up close with the Iranians.

They could go in, under air cover, and extract the five US ships stuck there. This will be one to watch as it would be a good indicator of how credible US intelligence thinks this current ceasefire really is. US warships escorting US-flagged vessels through a new Iranian TSS with IRGCN fast-attack craft in company would be a strange reality, but doable if there really is a ceasefire. It would look good in the US and start setting the conditions for whatever construct the UK is trying to form once US warships have withdrawn.

For other ships and aircraft, there is no avoiding the fact that the UKs coalition, no matter how big or how willing, will not be able to assemble or maintain any sort of long-term presence that can take on the IRGCN threat in the event of renewed hostilities. The future of the Strait will depend on what the Iranians are willing to agree to.

Another issue our Prime Minister will have is that of trying to set up a maritime coalition with basically no naval resources of his own. This is not a problem of his making. Nevertheless, two years in, this Government has talked extensively about being on a war footing, but has yet to produce any costed plan.

Put simply, the problem is this: Britain needs to spend significantly more money on defence than it now plans to, simply to preserve what is there now  let alone actually increasing our military power. If there isnt extra money in the year ahead, there will be losses and cuts to our forces. There is simply no more scope for savings: buildings have been run down, property sold off (and then often enough expensively rented back, as with the former naval base at Portland) and stockpiles of everything have been cut.

But the Treasury doesnt want to spend more, as under this Government that would almost certainly mean more borrowing  and there has already been far too much of that. So the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan probably contains a lot of painful cuts, and the MoD doesnt get to make the decisions: if a cut means job losses for a unionised workforce, it turns out, it cant be made  as we have just seen with the Yeovil helicopter factory. Whatever gets it wont be the planned new medium helicopter, for such helicopters have proved to be all but useless in Ukraine.

In the meantime, RFA Lyme Bay remains in the Mediterranean, and continues to prepare to conduct mine-clearance operations. But she could scarcely transit the Red Sea  much less operate in the Gulf of Oman  without taking the destroyer HMS Dragon with her for protection. Dragon is our only working destroyer at the moment. How does taking away the asset you just put in place to protect a sovereign base (because it lacks its own sufficient layers of defence) play out with allies in the region? Thirty years of running down our armed forces has brought us to this.

This Government, and many before, have not only funded defence inadequately, they have failed to understand how navies work. Both these issues came to a head when we didnt get our one working destroyer out of the door in time to protect our base in Cyprus and didnt even consider sending our aircraft carrier.

Meanwhile, more globally, our Prime Minister is attempting to cohere an international effort in the face of a nearly limitless number of variables, most of which are outside his control. In an environment where one side has unlimited patience and thinks it is winning, negotiating with another side that has almost no patience and is desperate to say it is winning, strange things could happen. Starmer will know that any concession to the Tehran toll will set a terrible precedent for anyone else who fancies controlling a strait in the future, or anyone who plans to massively violate international maritime law (China). It would be the end, in fact, of an important part of the international laws the Prime Minister loves so well.

Despite this, depleted Navy and all, talking is better than not talking and gathering allies around you is better than insulting them, so I wish the PM and his team luck. They will need it.

Hopefully the Prime Ministers first visit on returning to the UK will be to the Treasury.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The UN Support MIssion in Libya's Mine Action Programme, together with the Libyan Mine Action Centre (LibMAC) and national and international mine action organisations have held a commemoration ceremony in Tripoli to mark the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action under the theme Invest in Peace, Invest in Mine Action
Commuters make their way past a billboard with a sentence reading "The Strait of Hormuz remains closed" at the Enqelab Square in Tehran, on April 5, 2026.

On February 28, a new war began after Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran, killing several high-ranking military figures, scientists and political officials, including Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

Iran launched large-scale attacks against Israel and Arab countries hosting US military bases, including Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Oman.

Beyond military targets, both sides also struck civilian infrastructure, including gas and oil facilities, power stations, water treatment plants, steel and aluminium factories, roads, railways and bridges, as well as universities, airports, schools, hotels, stadiums and residential areas, particularly in Israel.

On April 7, however, the parties to the conflict announced a two-week ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, intended to pave the way for broader negotiations hosted by Islamabad over a comprehensive peace plan between Washington and Tehran.

The announcement came just hours before the expiry of a deadline set by US President Donald Trump, who had threatened in two separate social media posts to destroy Irans bridges and power plants and wipe out a whole civilisation.

The ceasefire has divided Iranian society, including among those who oppose the Islamic regime in Tehran. During the brutal repression of nationwide protests in Iran in January, Trump had told Iranians, Help is on its way. When he announced the war on February 28, he told them: Now is the time to seize control of your destiny.

On one side are many Iranians who had hoped the attacks would lead to regime change and who therefore oppose the ceasefire. On the other hand are those who believe the risk of total destruction is too high, and who favour a halt, at least to attacks on infrastructure.

'Trump came, reopened the wound and left us alone'

Sohrab [not his real name] is a middle-aged Iranian living in Tehran working in a startup:

This is the worst thing that could have happened. The way this war played out will make the Islamic Republic much more brazen than before. Now they can say they stood up to the US, something the rest of the world would be afraid to do. They have found new leverage. They have realised they can block the Strait of Hormuz and extract money. What will happen is that they will crush the people. The minority in power will impose even tighter restrictions and deepen their dictatorship, while prosecuting and terrorising the majority: the Iranian people.

Sohrab says he feels betrayed by Trump:

During the uprising in January, Trump called on people to occupy regime buildings and said, Help is on the way. Tens of thousands of protesters were massacred by the regime because they believed there would be support from Trump, because he said, Ill help you. At first, he said he wanted regime change, but midway he changed his mind. I dont know why. He said: Stay at home during the bombardments, and when the time comes, Ill call you to come back into the streets and topple the regime. Trump didnt achieve anything. It was all about him. Yes, he killed some commanders and political figures, but what happened? Were we ever able to protest in the streets, even for half an hour? Instead, the regime flooded the streets with its own armed supporters. No one dares to protest. What Trump did is something like this: the Iranian people had a wound, but we were living with it, albeit uncomfortably. Then he came, reopened the wound, poured salt on it, and abandoned us.

'I am personally willing to pay any price'

Sohrab confirms that his position is extreme compared with many other Iranians, including friends and family. He emphasises that he is willing to endure further destruction if it leads to the end of the Islamic Republic.

I am personally willing to pay any price, as long as the regime ceases to exist. We have never had peace to even worry about such things. In my four decades of life, I have always lived under stress and pressure from this regime. Now, even if the stress increases a little, it doesnt matter to me anymore. What mattered was my youth, I lost it, and it will never come back.

The price considered acceptable to topple the Islamic regime is a question that deeply divides Iranian society.

'War made the prospect of overthrowing the regime more distant'

Naznin [not her real name] is a middle-aged Iranian woman who runs her own business.

Just before the ceasefire, the panic was real, the threat was too serious to ignore. When it comes to targeting infrastructure like electricity, water and gas, its no joke. The idea that Iran could be reduced to ruins is something no one wants. That said, I have to admit that no one around me is happy either. I speak with friends, and everyone is asking: Why? Why did they not finish it off? Everyone is very worried about the future under the Islamic Republic.

Naznin also says darker days lie ahead for the Iranian people after this conflict:

I think this war not only did not help us, the Iranian people, it has made the prospect of overthrowing the regime more distant and harder to achieve. Even during this war, there have been arrests, summons, threats - and even executions of political dissidents.
Mark Rutte faced a tough confrontation with Donald Trump on Wednesday, despite his reputation as a Trump whisperer - Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Donald Trump has renewed his threat to take control of Greenland hours after meeting Mark Rutte.

The United States president accused Nato of abandoning his country during the Iran war and took aim at the Danish territory after meeting Mr Rutte, the alliances secretary general, on Wednesday.

Mr Trump declared that Nato wasnt there when we needed them, and they wont be there if we need them again.

He also called the Danish territory a big, poorly run piece of ice.

The outburst came despite Mr Rutte insisting that a meeting between the pair earlier on Wednesday had been a frank and open discussion between two good friends.

Mr Rutte is renowned as being a Trump whisperer, but the US presidents criticism of Nato on Wednesday afternoon reinforced the significance of their meeting for the future of the alliance.

Mr Trump has long coveted Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Nato member Denmark, repeatedly suggesting the US should take control of it, citing its strategic military value and natural resources.

During the meeting with Mr Rutte, Mr Trump raised the question of withdrawing from the alliance, as well as removing troops from countries which he said had failed to support the US mission in Iran.

Last week, Mr Trump told The Telegraph he was strongly considering pulling the US out of Nato after it declined to join his war.

In an exclusive interview, the US president described the alliance as a paper tiger and said removing America from the defence treaty was now beyond reconsideration.

The Telegraph also reported last month that Mr Trump was weighing up the withdrawal of US troops from Germany because of its lack of backing, with sources close to the administration saying the frustration weve had with the Europeans has been very real.

While no countries have been named in the proposals, the UK has been a frequent target of Mr Trumps scorn during the war for refusing to allow US forces to launch attacks from its military bases.

Spain has also blocked US planes from using its airspace during the conflict, while Mr Trump was angered by Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, who said the US campaign in Iran was not our war.

In their meeting on Wednesday, Mr Rutte said he had pointed out to Mr Trump how the large majority of European nations have been helpful through actions such as providing bases for American aircraft.

US planes on the ground at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Wednesday - Tolga Akmen/EPA/Shutterstock

There is widespread support in Nato for degrading Irans nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, Mr Rutte told CNN, but only the US was able at this point to do that.

Mr Rutte, who did not deny that Mr Trump had talked about leaving the alliance, also told the US president he had a transformational legacy as a result of pushing member states to adopt a 5 per cent defence spending target.

Earlier, Mr Trump had said in a statement delivered by Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary: They were tested, and they failed. And I would add, its quite sad that Nato turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when its the American people who have been defunding [sic] their defence.

Karoline Leavitt briefs reporters on Donald Trumps meeting with the Nato secretary general - Alex Brandon/AP Photo

Ms Leavitt made the statement a day after Mr Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, subject to the regime reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Irans effective blockade of the critical sea passage, through which 20 per cent of the worlds oil and liquefied natural gas flows, has hurt Mr Trump at home by driving up prices.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Rutte met Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, to discuss the Iran war, Russias war against Ukraine and burden-shifting with Nato allies, according to the US state department.

Mark Rutte with Marco Rubio on Wednesday. As a senator, the secretary of state championed legislation preventing a US president unilaterally withdrawing from Nato - Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty mages

Mr Trump cannot unilaterally withdraw the US from Nato because 2023 legislation  which Mr Rubio championed as a Florida senator  prohibits it.

However, the US president may indicate that he will not defend member states who are attacked, which would strike a blow to the heart of the alliance.

The president has long had a fractious relationship with Nato, repeatedly claiming the US has been ripped off by member states who refused to meet defence spending targets.

However, he has been mollified by Mr Ruttes diplomacy, and the fact that all Nato allies, with the exception of Spain, have agreed to spend 5 per cent of their GDP on defence.

Mr Trump has repeatedly said he would not defend allies who leave the burden of military spending to the US.

During the 2024 presidential election, he said he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to countries who did not meet their obligations.
Donald Trump has reportedly issued Nato allies with an ultimatum to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz within days, as his ceasefire with Iran risks collapse over Israels deadly strikes on Lebanon.

Nato boss Mark Rutte told European leaders that Mr Trump expects partners to make concrete military commitments, according to Der Spiegel, casting the demand as an ultimatum.

Mr Trumps edict came amid reports that he was drawing up a list of partners that supported or opposed his war in the Middle East, weighing up the removal of US forces from countries deemed resistant.

In another outburst on social media earlier in the day, the president lamented that NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!

Donald Trumps ceasefire hangs by a thread as Benjamin Netanyahu faces backlash for Israels actions in Lebanon (Getty)

Mr Trumps fragile ceasefire in the Middle East looked on the verge of collapse, with Iran threatening to pull out of talks if Israel presses on with strikes on Lebanon, including in Beirut. Iran accuses the US and Israel of flouting the ceasefire agreement.

Israel insists its operation is aimed at defeating Hezbollah, but experts have warned the action could lead to a similar humanitarian crisis as Gaza.

However, Mr Netanyahu appeared to shift his tone on Thursday, saying he had instructed his cabinet to start direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible.

More than 1,700 people have been killed in Lebanon over the past six weeks, including over 250 in concentrated strikes on Wednesday. More than a million people, close to 20 per cent of Lebanons population, has already been displaced in six weeks.

Irans deputy prime minister Dr Saeed Khatibzadeh called Israels action a grave violation of the agreement and said the coming hours are very critical as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps hinted it will resume fighting if the attacks on Lebanon do not stop.

The damage caused by an Israeli strike on Wednesday in Al-Mazraa, Beirut (Reuters)

Dr Khatibzadeh said on Thursday that Iran was on the verge of responding to what it considered to be ceasefire violations on Wednesday night, but Pakistan intervened to prevent an escalation.

The IRGC said it would enact a regret-inducing response to the attacks if they continued, with state media quoting an official: Any attack on the proud Hezbollah is an attack on Iran.

Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian added: Iran will not abandon the Lebanese people. Sensitivities were further heightened as Iranians turned up in droves to mourn supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 40 days after he was killed in US-Israeli attacks on 28 February.

President Trump said that US military personnel would remain stationed around the region until the agreement is fully complied with and that bigger, and better, and stronger attacks would follow if it was breached.

Oil prices surged again in response to the confusion after initially plummeting on Wednesday following the ceasefire announcement.

A worker paints a road separator near the Serena Hotel, the expected venue for US-Iran talks, in Islamabad (Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images)

Multiple ship-tracking sources including Lloyds List Intelligence and Kpler said that movement through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a standstill.

Iran warned that ships passing through the vital waterway may be hit by anti-ship mines in the main transit routes due to the state of war as it advised vessels to follow alternative paths.

Irans navy stressed all vessels must stay in touch with security forces to avoid potential collisions with naval mines.

Peace talks are due to take place at the Serena Hotel in Pakistans capital Islamabad on Saturday, with vice-president JD Vance due to lead a US delegation, according to Axios, and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Irans parliamentary speaker, to lead the Iranians, according to reports.

But Tehran has also threatened to walk away from the process entirely, citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire as grounds to withdraw, sources told The Wall Street Journal.

The Mayuree Naree was attacked in mid-March. Irans navy said all vessels in the Strait of Hormuz must stay in touch with its security forces (AFP via Getty)

Israels actions have sparked international outrage with British foreign secretary Yvette Cooper condemning the escalation as deeply damaging and calling for Lebanon to be urgently included in the agreement.

The European Unions foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas criticised the number of civilian deaths in Lebanon and said it was becoming hard to argue that such heavy-handed actions fall within self-defence. Ms Kallas called on the ceasefire agreement to be extended to Lebanon.

President Emmanuel Macron and French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the agreement must cover Lebanon as France condemned massive Israeli strikes.

Mr Barrot said Iran must give up the right to nuclear weapons, surrender its use of missiles and drones to threaten other countries in the region and stop supporting militant groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.

Germanys chancellor Friedrich Merz said his country had resumed direct talks with the Iranian leadership and said he does not want Nato to break apart amid the crisis and said he had encouraged President Trump to pursue negotiations with urgency.

Mr Netanyahu is also facing backlash within Israel with opposition leaders calling his actions in Iran and Lebanon a historical disaster.
Donald Trump has repeated his criticism of NATO after holding talks with the alliance's secretary general in Washington.

Mark Rutte travelled to the White House hoping to calm the US president's annoyance with fellow members for not supporting his war on Iran.

Follow live: Iran war latest

The conflict has strained relations between Mr Trump and the likes of Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, who have been critical of his strategy and refused to join in with military strikes.

Mr Rutte told CNN he'd had a "frank and open discussion" with the president about his concerns and defended European leaders  including Sir Keir, who he said had taken "positive" action to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

But following their meeting on Wednesday night, Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social age: "NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN."

That came just hours after the White House accused the UK and other NATO allies of having "turned their backs" on America during the Iran war.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed: "It's quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when it's the American people who have been funding their defence."

Mr Trump has enjoyed a warm relationship with Mr Rutte, who infamously described the president as "daddy" at a summit last year, but has been increasingly hostile towards NATO.

This year has seen him ramp up threats to seize Greenland, claim NATO members avoided the frontline in Afghanistan, and threaten to leave the alliance.

He spent much of last year pushing allies to ramp up defence spending, claiming they had relied on American support for too long.

Rutte: Allies 'have been helpful'

Mr Rutte told CNN after his latest meeting with the president that "the large majority" of alliance members have been helpful when it comes to Iran.

"Let me be absolutely clear; he is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies, and I can see his point," he said.

"But at the same time, I was also able to point him to the fact that the large majority of European nations have been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, and with making sure that they lived up to (their) commitments."

He highlighted the efforts of Sir Keir, who is in the Middle East for talks with Gulf allies about the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by Iran during the war  sending shockwaves through the global economy.

Mr Trump listened "carefully" to his arguments, Mr Rutte insisted.
An Iranian girl walks past an anti-US and anti-Israel mural in Tehran on 8 April. Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA (Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA)

The two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, brokered by Pakistan within hours of Donald Trumps threat of civilization-level destruction, is hanging by a thread  and possibly some key misunderstandings.

Washington and Tehran have given decidedly different versions of what was agreed as the Trump administration and Iranian leaders each claim victory.

The terms of any lasting deal remain openly contradictory. Trump posted on Wednesday morning that Iran would hand over its enriched uranium and there would be no enrichment going forward. Irans 10-point counter-proposal, published by its own supreme national security council, explicitly demands the right to enrich.

The ceasefire itself is also in dispute. Israel said it does not cover Lebanon, where ground and airstrike campaigns are at the largest they have been since Israels invasion north. Pakistan and Iran have both said a ceasefire would include Lebanon even as Israel intensified its bombing campaign in Lebanon, leading Iran to halt the passage of oil tankers.

Hegseth claims Iran begged for ceasefire after US and Tehran agree to two-week pause

After 40 days and 40 nights of war, Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, on Wednesday pointed to divine providence while telling reporters that Irans weapons factories had been reduced to rubble, its military rendered ineffective for years and its supreme leader left wounded and disfigured, all for a temporary ceasefire.

Read the full story

JD Vance claims US is not interfering in Hungary election

JD Vance has pushed back against claims that the US is interfering in Hungarian politics, describing the accusations as darkly ironic, as a set of polls suggested the opposition Tisza party could win a supermajority in the forthcoming elections.

Read the full story

Nato chief says Trump clearly disappointed by US allies refusal to join Iran war

Mark Rutte, the secretary general of Nato, has said Donald Trump was clearly disappointed that the USs allies had refused to join its war against Iran, following a closed-door meeting in Washington on Wednesday.

Read the full story

Pam Bondi will not appear at scheduled House hearing on Epstein files, DoJ says

Pam Bondi, the former US attorney general, will not appear next week for a scheduled deposition before the House oversight and government reform committee to answer questions about the justice departments handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and its release of the Epstein files, the committee said.

Read the full story

Democrats renew push to curb Trumps Iran war as calls to use 25th amendment mount

Democratic party leaders have vowed to renew the effort to curb Trumps war in Iran next week after several days of escalating tactics that culminated in a temporary ceasefire on Tuesday evening.

Read the full story

US ignoring evidence Russia is helping Iran because it trusts Putin, says Zelenskyy

The US has ignored compelling evidence that Russia has been helping Iran to target US bases in the Middle East because it trusts Vladimir Putin, according to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Read the full story

What else happened today:

Catching up? Heres what happened Tuesday 7 April.
President Donald Trump is furious with his NATO partners, accusing them of failing to aid the U.S. in Iran while reportedly considering punishing those allies he feels did not contribute enough to the war.

"NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday evening.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump met with former Dutch prime minister and current NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump planned to have a a very frank and candid conversation with Rutte about his frustrations with the alliance.

At a White House briefing before the meeting, Leavitt told reporters that Trump "has discussed" pulling out of NATO and shared a "direct quote" from the president concerning his feelings on the member nations.

They were tested, and they failed," Leavitt said, quoting Trump.

President Donald Trump last met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in October. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said their meeting Wednesday would be a very frank and candid conversation (AP)

On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is considering a plan that would punish NATO members who did not contribute to the war to his liking.

That punishment, according to the report, would involve Trump moving U.S. troops away from bases in countries he is unhappy with and stationing them in member countries that assisted him in the war.

The U.S. has approximately 84,000 troops stationed across Europe, according to The WSJ's report.

Though Trump hasn't specified which nations he will target if he does retaliate against NATO members, there are some that are more likely candidates than others. Spain not only refused to agree to spend 5 percent of its GDP on defense but also refused to allow the U.S. to use its airspace for its attacks on Iran.

Italy briefly prohibited the U.S. from using one of its airbases in Sicily and France only allowed the U.S. to use one of its airbases after the U.S. promised it would only land planes there that weren't en route to strike Iran.

An official speaking to The WSJ said that the countries that could benefit from the plan would include Poland, Lithuania, Greece, and Romania, as they backed Trump's war. But if the U.S. did move more troops into those nations it would also serve as a de facto troop buildup near Russia's western border  a move that would likely be ill received by Moscow.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told CNNs Jake Tapper that the world was absolutely safer because of President Donald Trumps war in Iran (PA Wire)

On Wednesday, Rutte appeared on CNN following his meeting with Trump at the White House. The NATO secretary general was overflowing with praise for the president, even claiming that Trumps leadership and his decision to go to war with Iran absolutely made the world a safer place.

When CNN's Jake Tapper asked Rutte if Trump mentioned pulling out of NATO during their meeting, the secretary general said the president shared his "disappointment" but wouldn't confirm if Trump had made the threat.

Rutte agreed with Trump that "some" NATO allies failed to uphold their end of the alliance but insisted that the majority of countries in the organization uphold their responsibilities.

The secretary general told Tapper that he believed the world was safer after Trump's war with Iran but dodged when he was asked if Trump's threat to destroy Iran's entire civilization bothered him.

"Well, you know what I always say when it comes to what leaders are saying. I'm not commenting on everything. What I want you to know is that I support the president," Rutte said.

Senior European officials have pushed back on Trump's characterization of their involvement in the war, according to The WSJ.

Some contend that they were never consulted on the war, making it difficult for them to coordinate and contribute, even if they were willing to do so.

That was a point former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder made during an appearance on CBS News. He was discussing Trump's frustration with NATO and argued that Trump could not treat sovereign nations like underlings.

If you actually believe in allies and alliances, you talk to them. You don't tell them that Ive decided to bomb. Here is where we are. And now it's time for you to show up, Daalder said.

The remains of a building destroyed in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Iran. The U.S. and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire to allow time for the nations to negotiate an end to the hostilities (Getty Images)

On CNN, Tapper asked Rutte if he believed that some European nations held the view that they were not obligated to assist the U.S. as NATO is primarily a defensive organization and Trump's war was offensive.

"Yeah. But you cannot defend yourself without being lethal," Rutte replied.

He also insisted that the majority of European countries do not hold the opinion that the Iran war was illegal.

"No, no, no, no, because NATO has always taken the position that degrading these capabilities of nuclear and ballistic missiles [in Iran] is crucial," he said.

Trump's disdain for NATO is not new. He has been critical of the alliance since his first term, when he accused allies of letting the U.S. foot the bill for the overall security of European member nations.

Since his return to office, Trump has slammed fellow NATO members with high tariffs, has insulted Canada and insinuated it would be better as America's 51st state, and directly threatened to forcibly take over Greenland against the wishes of both Greenlanders and the Kingdom of Denmark.

The Independent has requested comment from the White House and NATO.
President Donald Trump has warned that bigger, and better, and stronger attacks could be unleashed on Iran if a real agreement between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic is not reached.

The two countries announced a two-week ceasefire late Tuesday, shortly after Trump warned that a whole civilisation will die.

In his April 9 post, Trump warned that U.S. military assets will remain in place around Iran, which he described as a substantially degraded enemy.

The president said the military is prepared to carry out lethal prosecution and destruction until a REAL AGREEMENT is complied with.

Donald Trump has threatened bigger and better attacks on Iran if a more substantial agreement is not reached (AP)

If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the Shootin Starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before, Trump wrote. It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.

Trump added, In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest. AMERICA IS BACK!

The conflict between the U.S. and Iran began on February 28, when the United States and Israel carried out strikes on the Islamic Republic. Former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening days of the war.

As the conflict dragged on, Iran began limiting the number of ships that could pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route through which much of the worlds crude oil trade flows.

A ceasefire was agreed between the US and Israel earlier this week, with both countries agreeing to peace talks in Pakistan (AFP/Getty)

Peace talks between Iran and the U.S. will take place in Islamabad over the weekend, with JD Vance set to lead the United States in the discussions, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The first round of those talks will take place on Saturday morning local time, she said. Vice President Vance has played a very significant and a key role in this since the very beginning.

Leavitt added, Hes been involved in all of these discussions, and as I just announced, hell be leading this new phase of negotiations in Islamabad later this week.

Ahead of the peace talks, Saeed Khatibzadeh, Irans deputy foreign minister, told the BBC that Israels attacks on Lebanon were a grave violation of the existing ceasefire.

Israel unleashed a wave of strikes on targets in Lebanon on Wednesday, claiming that it was attacking Hezbollah command centers. The Israeli military says that 100 targets were hit in just ten minutes.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has demanded that the strikes cease immediately, warning of a regret-inducing response if they continue.

Any attack on the proud Hezbollah is an attack on Iran, the IRGC said.
Donald Trump detailed the US rescue mission to save a downed US airman from Iran during a White House press briefing - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Donald Trump has threatened to jail a reporter who published leaked information that a US pilot shot down over Iran had been rescued and that a second airman was missing.

The US president said that his administration was looking very hard to find whoever told the reporter, but if the journalist did not reveal their source, they would be sent to prison.

Iran didnt know somebody was missing until a leaker gave the information, the US president said at a press conference. We have to find that leaker, because thats a sick person  Its national security. And the person that did the story will go to jail if he doesnt say  They put this mission at great risk.

We are going to go to the media company that published it and we are going to say, National security  give it up or go to jail.

Mr Trump did not specify which outlet he was referring to, but it is believed that CBS first broke the news just after midnight on Friday.

President Trump threatens to jail journalist who first reported that a U.S. airman was missing:



"The person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn't say." pic.twitter.com/ESZQLi9x7o  The American Conservative (@amconmag) April 6, 2026

The piece started: A US F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran on Friday, and one crew member from the plane was later rescued by American forces, US officials confirmed to CBS News.

It continued: The F-15E is flown by a two-member crew, and the search for the second crew member, a weapons system officer, is continuing, two U.S. officials said.

In all, officials were quoted six times in the opening four paragraphs.

Theres some things you cant do, because when they did that, all of a sudden, the entire country of Iran knew there was a pilot that was somewhere on their land that was fighting for his life, Mr Trump said.

It also made it much more difficult for the pilots and for the people going in to search for him; all of a sudden they know that theres somebody out there.

In America, reporters are protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of the press, allowing them to gather and disseminate news, but it is not an absolute shield.

There is no federal law protecting confidential sources.

The F-15 fighter jet was downed on Friday, triggering a man hunt for the missing weapons officer - Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Anadolu/Getty Images

This year, FBI agents searched the home of Hannah Natanson, a Washington Post reporter,, seizing two phones, two laptops, a recorder, a portable hard drive and a Garmin watch, which suggested they may have wanted to check her movements.

The warrant was executed as part of an investigation into a Pentagon contractor who was accused of illegally retaining classified government materials.

Ms Natanson was reporting on Mr Trumps campaign to fire hundreds of thousands of federal workers and shift remaining workers to implement his agenda.

The outrageous seizure of our reporters confidential newsgathering materials chills speech, cripples reporting, and inflicts irreparable harm every day the government keeps its hands on these materials, the Post said in a statement.

Over the years, various administrations have sought to put pressure on members of the media to reveal their secret sources.

In 2005, Judith Miller, a New York Times reporter, was sent to jail for 85 days after refusing to give up details of her source amid an investigation into the outing of Valerie Plame, a CIA agent.

It later emerged her long-time source was Scooter Libby, the chief of staff to Dick Cheney, the vice-president. He was sentenced to 30 months in jail, but his sentence was commuted by George W Bush, the then US president.

In 2023, Catherine Herridge, a CBS investigative reporter, had a legal battle after she came under pressure to reveal who provided her details of what was stored on Hunter Bidens laptop.

09:41pm

Thats all for today

Todays live coverage of the US-Iran war has ended. Heres a roundup of the main events:

Donald Trump said that he could take out the whole of Iran tomorrow night if it does not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

Trump threatened to jail a reporter who published leaked information that a US airman shot down over Iran had been rescued

The US president appeared to compare Sir Keir Starmer to Neville Chamberlain, and mocked the Royal Navys aircraft carriers, saying they were old and barely work

The EU warned Trump that striking civilian infrastructure is illegal as the US president reiterated threats to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges

Irans top intelligence chief was killed in an Israeli air strike

Israels military also claimed to have killed Yazdan Mir, also known as Sardar Bagheri, a high-ranking member of the IRGCs Quds Force, which specialises in covert operations outside Irans borders

Israel said it had conducted strikes on two Iranian petrochemical sites

09:16pm

Pictured: Trump holds press conference at the White House

Donald Trump gestures as he answers questions from the media during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House - Evelyn Hockstein/REUTERS

09:09pm

Qatar reprimands Iran for attacks on Gulf countries

Qatars prime minister has reprimanded Iran for its attacks on countries across the Persian Gulf.

In a phone call with Abbas Araghchi, Irans foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani criticised Irans reckless disregard for the regions security through its attacks on its neighbours and urged a comprehensive and permanent diplomatic solution to end the war.

According to Qatars foreign ministry, the Qatari leader emphasised that targeting civilian infrastructure... is a rejected and condemned behaviour by any party under any circumstances.

08:34pm

US happy with Maduros replacement, Trump says

By Andrew Buncombe

Donald Trump said the US was happy with the situation in Venezuela after the capture in January of president Nicolas Maduro by American troops and his replacement with Delcy Rodriguez, the former vice president

He joked if the situation got bad he himself could step in.

The people of Venezuela say if I ran for President of Venezuela, Im polling higher than anybody has ever polled in Venezuela, he said.

He added: So after Im finished with this, I can go to Venezuela. I will quickly learn Spanish. It wont take too long. Im good at languages.

But were very happy with the president-elect that we have right now, he said.

If you remember Bush with Iraq. They fired the generals, they fired the police, they fired the people that worked in their equivalent of the White House. They fired everybody. And you know, they had a mess.

08:30pm

Trump not concerned about war crimes as he threatens destruction of infrastructure

Donald Trump said he was not at all concerned about committing war crimes if he attacks civilian infrastructure in Iran.

Asked by a reporter if he was concerned his threats to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges could amount to war crimes, Mr Trump responded: No, not at all. No. No, no. I hope I dont have to do it.

The reporter had earlier reminded the US president that deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure are illegal under the Geneva Convention.

Mr Trump reiterated his threats to wreck sites like power plants and bridges if a deal is not reached with Iran by 1am UK time on Wednesday.

07:48pm

Trump very disappointed with Nato over Iran

Donald Trump said the conflict with Iran has left a mark on Nato that will never disappear.

I have to tell you that I am very disappointed in Nato, he said

He claimed that Nato members including Britain (see our post at 7.36pm) wanted to refrain from helping until the US won the war.

The US president also criticised Australia, South Korea and Japan for not aiding his war effort.

07:36pm

Trump mocks Royal Navys aircraft carriers

Donald Trump has mocked the Royal Navys old aircraft carriers that he said barely work.

The US president said he expected Britain to be the first to help the US in its war against Iran as their oldest ally, but was told: No, sir, wed rather wait til you win.

Mr Trump continued: They have two old, broken aircraft carriers barely work. I said, I guess we can use them.

He claims he offered the ships to a US general who turned down the offer, noting that America has the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Middle East.

Earlier today, Mr Trump mocked Sir Keir Starmer, comparing him to Neville Chamberlain.

Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos listen as Donald Trump holds a press conference in the press briefing room at the White House - Evelyn Hockstein/REUTERS

07:20pm

Obama chose Iran over Israel, says Trump

Donald Trump accused Barack Obama, the former US president, of siding with Iran over Israel.

He chose Iran over Israel, Trump said, referring to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under which Iran received sanctions relief for limiting its nuclear programme.

He made a terrible mistake. That [the nuclear deal] was a road to a nuclear weapon, Mr Trump said.

Mr Trump went on to say that withdrawing from the nuclear deal was one of the best things we ever did.

07:10pm

Trump calls on Iranian people to rise up, and then backtracks

Donald Trump has flip-flopped on whether he wants the Iranian people to rise up against the regime.

On the first day of the war on Feb 28, he called on Irans citizens to take over the government, declaring: It will be yours to take. But he has largely avoided referring to this in the weeks since, claiming regime change had already taken place because so many of Irans leaders had been killed.

Asked at his press conference about the prospect of Iranians rising up, Mr Trump still seemed unable to make up his mind.

They should do it, he answered, before reversing course almost immediately. But again, the consequences are great. I mean they were told, if you protest, you will be shot immediately.

06:59pm

Iranians are begging to be bombed by America, Trump claims

The US has intercepted communications from Iranians begging America to bomb their country, Donald Trump claimed.

Weve had numerous intercepts, please keep bombing - bombs that are dropping near their homes - please keep bombing. Do it, Trump said.

And they are living where the bombs are exploding, he added. When we leave and were not hitting those areas, theyre saying please come back, come back.

Mr Trump earlier said Iranians would be willing to accept the US destroying their countrys infrastructure in order to have freedom.

06:50pm

There is still a war on, notes Trumps top general

John Ratcliffe and Pete Hegseth used their opportunity to address reporters for what were effectively victory laps, thanking Donald Trump for his political courage and paying tribute to the rescuers and F-15 crew.

It fell to Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, to lower the tone. There is still a war going on, US service members are still at risk, and another recovery operation might one day be necessary, he noted.

I know many of you want specific details in these briefings, we will share what we can, Gen Caine told reporters.

But I will retain what I must in the event that we have to go do this again sometime. And I cannot stress the importance, as the president said, around operational security.

06:47pm

CIA director pays tribute to Trumps leadership

John Ratcliffe, the CIA director, paid tribute to Donald Trumps bravery in authorising the mission to rescue the two aviators.

He repeatedly refered to Mr Trumps political courage after the US president said the operation could have ended in the deaths of 100 Americans who put themselves at risk to recover the crew of the downed fighter jet.

Im grateful that this successful mission has given the American people a window into that as well, Mr Ratcliffe said, getting a slap on the shoulder from the president as he headed offstage.

Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, struck a similar tone, talking up the courageous leadership and ironclad determination of Mr Trump, whom he said did not hesitate.

There is no doubt this was a gamble by Mr Trump which could have gone badly wrong. But his luck has held: it turned what could have been a humiliation, a second hostage crisis, into another display of the USs military dominance.

06:46pm

Hegseth compares rescue mission to Easter story

Pete Hegesth, the US defence secretary, appeared to compare the mission to rescue downed US airmen to the Easter story.

Shot down on a Friday, Good Friday. Hidden in a cave, a crevice, all of Saturday, and rescued on Sunday, he said. Flown out of Iran as the sun was rising on Easter Sunday.

A pilot reborn, all home and accounted for. A nation rejoicing.

Pete Hegseth delivers remarks during a media briefing on Iran, White House, Washington DC, April 6 - JIM LO SCALZO/EPA/Shutterstock/Shutterstock Editorial

06:32pm

Trump looking for leaker who let slip details of rescue mission

Donald Trump said his administration was looking very hard to find a person who leaked information about the mission to rescue downed airmen in Iran.

They put the mission at great risk, Trump said. They put that man at great risk and they put the hundreds of people that went in looking for him.

06:27pm

Trump emphasises the risks of rescue mission

Donald Trump has used the word amazing 11 times since the press conference began. It hammers home how the message that hes delivering now - the rescue of two American aviators - could have been very different.

No US personnel were wounded or killed in the massive rescue operation, but its military aircraft were flying at such a low altitude that Iranian forces were able to fire at them with rifles, the president said.

One of the helicopters used in the mission is said to have been riddled with bullets.

I ordered the US armed forces to do whatever was necessary to bring our brave warriors back home, a risky decision, because we could have ended up with 100 dead, as opposed to one or two, Mr Trump said.

But in the United States military, we leave no American behind.

06:25pm

US used subterfuge to rescue aircrew, Trump says

Donald Trump said US forces used subterfuge in the mission to rescue the crew of a downed F-15 jet from Iran.

A lot of it was subterfuge. We wanted to have them think he was in a different location, he said. Thousands of people were looking, so we wanted them to look in different areas, so we were scattered all over... we had seven different locations.

They were very confused. They said well, wait a minute theyve got groups here, theyve got groups there. Its amazing.

06:20pm

Trump describes pilot rescue

Donald Trump is describing the escape of one of the crew of the downed F-15 jet.

He was injured, it was an amazing, amazing thing, he said. He scaled cliff faces, bleeding rather profusely, treated his own wounds and contacted American forces to transmit his location.

We immediately mobilised a massive operation to retrieve him.

Donald Trump holds a press conference accompanied by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth - Evan Vucci/REUTERS

06:15pm

Trump: We leave no American behind

Donald Trump said the US military leaves no American behind as he began a press conference addressing the mission to rescue two downed US fighter pilots from Iran.

Our armed forces deployed 21 military aircraft into hostile airspace, many flying at very low altitude, being shot by bullets, he said.

We have a helicopter thats got a lot of bullets in it, he continued.

The flight crews and war fighters aboard those aircraft took extraordinary risks to rescue their fellow service members.

06:06pm

Watch: Trump holds a White House press briefing on aircrew rescue mission

05:51pm

Britain will not take offensive action against Iran, says Bridget Phillipson

The Education Secretary has reiterated that Britain will not take part in offensive action against Iran.

Our approach as a UK Government, the approach that the Prime Minister Keir Starmer has set out, is that we are not getting involved in offensive action, we wont be getting involved in offensive action, Bridget Phillipson said.

05:44pm

Trump: Downed US airmen recovering well

Donald Trump said two American fighter jet airmen rescued by special forces from inside Iran after being shot down were recovering very well.

They are both recovering very well. They were both injured  and theyre doing well, Mr Trump said.

The US president is expected to hold a press conference on the rescue operation later today.

04:55pm

Kurds will pay a big price for not giving weapons to Iranian protestors, Trump suggests

Donald Trump suggested Kurdish groups in Iran would pay a big price for holding onto guns they were meant to deliver to anti-regime protesters.

They dont have guns, he said of demonstrators. You know, we sent some guns, but the group that was supposed to give them ... kept them because they said, What a beautiful gun. I think Ill keep it.

So Im very upset with a certain group of people, and theyre going to pay a big price for that.

The US president did not name the group in question, but he said the Kurds had kept hold of the arms in a Fox News interview on Sunday.

04:52pm

Trump: Irans citizens upset when not being bombed by America

Donald Trump has claimed that Iranian citizens get upset when their country is not being bombed.

The Iranian people, when they dont hear bombs go off. Theyre upset. They want to hear bombs because they want to be free, he told reporters on Monday.

And the only reason theyre not out protesting, you know, that is because they were informed that if they protest ... they will be shot immediately.

The US president argued Irans citizens would fight back as soon as they know theyre not going to be shot and as soon as they can get weapons.

On the first day of the war, Mr Trump called on the Iranian people to rise up against their government, vowing: It will be yours to take. He has largely dropped his call for an uprising since and declared that regime change had already taken place.

04:46pm

Trump: We dont want another Neville Chamberlain

Donald Trump said we dont want another Neville Chamberlain in an apparent reference to Sir Keir Starmer.

Asked if he had spoken to the Prime Minister today and if he believed Britain could resurrect like Jesus, the US president said thats what they need ... they have a long way to go. The UK has a long way to go.

We dont want another Neville Chamberlain, he added.

04:12pm

Iran rejects latest ceasefire proposal

Iran has rejected the latest ceasefire proposal, saying it wants a permanent end to the war, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

Pakistan had earlier presented Tehran and Washington with a plan that would have seen Iran reopen the Straight of Hormuz in return for a 45-day ceasefire.

Mediators had hoped the 45-day window would provide enough time for talks to reach a permanent end to hostilities.

03:23pm

Israeli jets destroy dozens of Iranian aircraft overnight, IDF says

Israeli war planes destroyed dozens of Iranian aircraft during overnight strikes on three airports in the Tehran area, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

The IDF targeted Tehrans Mehrabad Airport and two smaller airstrips nearby, saying the sites were used by the Quds Force, a branch of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that specialises in overseas covert operations.

Fighter jets bombed helicopters, planes, runways, control towers and a factory that manufactured drones, the Israeli military said.

02:51pm

Four killed, 39 injured in Israeli strike on southern Beirut

At least four people were killed and 39 others were injured today in an Israeli air strike which hit Dahieh, a densely populated residential district in southern Beirut.

Images show shocked residents surveying the damage and picking through the rubble.

Israel has also launched a series of fresh strikes on southern Lebanon as it pushes forward with its ground invasion there.

A view of the destruction after an Israeli airstrike on Dahieh kills at least 4 - Anadolu

A view of the destruction after an Israeli airstrike on Dahieh kills at least 4 in Beirut - Anadolu

02:42pm

Second petrochemical facility in Iran comes under fire

Iranian media is reporting that a second petrochemical facility in Iran has been struck by Israel and the US.

A few minutes ago, the Marvdasht Petrochemical Complex was targeted by an American-Zionist enemy attack, wrote the Fars news agency.

It claimed that a fire had broken out but that it had been contained within the first few minutes.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency added that no significant damage was inflicted on the facility.

The reported attack came after Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, announced that Israel had conducted a powerful strike on Irans largest petrochemical facility in Asaluyeh.

02:14pm

Pictured: Aftermath of an Israeli strike on Gaza City

Palestinians inspect the damage next to a damaged vehicle after a person was hit by an Israeli strike while riding a bicycle in Gaza City on April 6 - Dawoud Abu Alkas/REUTERS

02:09pm

Trump has not signed off on proposed ceasefire deal, White House says

Donald Trump has not signed off on a proposed deal to initiate a ceasefire in Iran, a White House official told the BBC.

Earlier today, it was reported that Pakistan had presented Tehran and Washington with a plan to halt the conflict immediately in exchange for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran rejected the call, saying it would review the agreement but would not consider unblocking the critical waterway.

A White House official, responding to the reports, said that this was one of many ideas and [Mr Trump] has not signed off on it. Operation Epic Fury continues.

Mr Trump is due to hold a press conference later today at 1pm local time (6pm BST).

01:58pm

US releases footage of strikes on Iran

The US released footage of strikes on military targets in Iran after Donald Trump vowed to hit the countrys infrastructure if it did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian military capabilities continue to decline as US forces relentlessly strike military targets inside Iran, US Central Command said on X.

Yesterday, Mr Trump gave Tehran a deadline to cease its blockade of the strait by Tuesday.

Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one ... Open the f---ing strait, you crazy b-----rds, or youll be living in hell  just watch! Praise be to Allah, he said on Truth Social.

01:48pm

Four wounded after Iranian barrage hits UAE

Four people have been wounded today in Iranian missile and drone attacks on the United Arab Emirates.

The Emirati defence ministry said that it had shot down 12 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and 19 drones launched from Iran.

Since the start of US-Israeli strikes on Iran, the country has been forced to fend off 519 ballistic missiles, 26 cruise missiles and 2,210 drones, which have killed 13 people so far.

01:29pm

Israel confirms death of commander of Irans Quds Force special ops unit

Israel confirmed that it had killed the commander of the special operations unit of Irans Quds force, the foreign operations branch of its Revolutionary Guards, in a strike on Tehran.

The military issued a statement saying that the Israeli Air Force had conducted a strike in Tehran and eliminated Asghar Bagheri, Commander of the Quds Forces Special Operations Unit (840) since 2019.

It alleged that Bagheri had been involved in attacks targeting Israeli and American individuals worldwide.

In further comments given to Fox News, a senior Israeli official said the commander had been directly involved in recruiting agents across the Middle East and orchestrating attacks against American targets in Iraq and Syria, including operations that led to US casualties.

Israel also confirmed today that Majid Khademi, Irans top intelligence chief, had been killed in US-Israeli air strikes.

The US and Israel have killed dozens of high-profile political and military figures in Iran since their joint air strikes began on Feb 28.

A woman walks past mockups of Iranian missiles along Valiasr Square in Tehran on April 6 - ATTA KENARE/AFP

01:08pm

Pictured: Grief in Lebanon after Israeli strikes

Relatives in Lebanon mourn after burying the shrouded body of a person killed in an Israeli strike amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah - Adnan Abidi/REUTERS

01:02pm

Israel strikes Irans largest petrochemical facility

Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, said that Israel had conducted a powerful strike on Irans largest petrochemical facility.

The Asaluyeh petrochemical complex is thought to be responsible for half of the countrys petrochemical production. Local sources reported multiple explosions at the facility.

The Israel Defence Forces have just carried out a powerful strike on Irans largest petrochemical facility, located in Asaluyeh, Mr Katz said in a video statement.

12:56pm

Pictured: Craters at the site of US airman rescue

Satellite images obtained by CNN show dozens of craters along the road where the US staged its daring rescue of a stranded airman.

The craters, which appear in a long line along roadways, are some nine metres wide each, the size required to destroy the width of the roads which seem to have been targeted deliberately to aid the operation.

Washington is thought to have conducted a series of strikes on the mountainside housing its sheltering officer ahead of the rescue in order to ensure Irans forces could not beat them to him.

Iran had offered a bounty of 50,000 for capturing the airman alive and it was feared he may be taken as a prisoner of war.

Dozens of special forces, US warplanes and helicopters were involved in the raid to extract the serviceman from Iran yesterday after his F-15E Strike Eagle jet was downed over the rugged terrain on Friday.

Satellite imagery shows cratered roads in area where US staged airman rescue in Esfahan province - Airbus

Satellite imagery shows cratered roads in area where US staged airman rescue in Esfahan province - Airbus

12:34pm

Irans theocracy is co-opting the countrys mythical past. Iranians arent buying it

The statue of Arash the Archer, one of Irans legendary heroes, is seen in Tehrans Vanak Square, with a giant billboard depicting people on a map of Iran visible in the background - ATTA KENARE/AFP

An archer draws the bowstring back to his ear. A sea of faces: civilians and soldiers, parents and children, women veiled and unveiled, clutch Iranian flags and raise their faces to him in hope. The arrow is released. It flies past Irans best-known landmarks, over the sea, and straight into an American aircraft carrier. If head to head we yield ourselves to death, reads the text that appears over the resulting explosion, Tis better far than to yield our land to foes.

Patriotic, emotionally manipulative and about as subtle as an exploding drone, this is an AI video mated with classic wartime propaganda. But this particular video  shared in recent weeks by regime officials, including Javad Zarif, the former foreign minister  speaks to another war playing out as the conflict with the US and Israel grinds on: the struggle for control of Irans vast literary and historic heritage.

12:22pm

Iran executes another protester

Iran announced the execution of another man linked to the nationwide anti-regime protests that swept the country in January.

It had previously found Ali Fahim, 23, guilty of involvement in an attempt to storm a military facility and armoury.

Tehran has already executed three others linked to the incident and rights groups have sounded the alarm about the imminent executions of others linked to the case.

An anti-US banner depicting a helicopter being fired upon is displayed along a street in Tehran on April 6 - ATTA KENARE/AFP

12:10pm

EU chief warns striking civilian infrastructure is illegal and unacceptable

Striking civilian infrastructure in wartime is illegal and unacceptable, said Antonio Costa, the European Council president, after Donald Trump threatened to hit Irans power plants and bridges.

Any targeting of civilian infrastructure, namely energy facilities, is illegal and unacceptable, Mr Costa said.

This applies to Russias war in Ukraine and it applies everywhere. The Iranian civilian population is the main victim of the Iranian regime. It would also be the main victim of a widening of the military campaign, he added.

The European Union urges Iran to immediately put an end to its attacks against countries in the region and to allow for the re-establishment of full freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

11:52am

Pictured: Tehran hosts government-sponsored protest against US-Israeli strikes

A woman holds a picture of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during a government-sponsored protest attended by medical workers against US-Israeli strikes - Francisco Seco/AP

Medical workers attend a government-sponsored protest against the US-Israeli military campaign outside Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran - Francisco Seco/AP

11:47am

US airman rescue was actually plot to steal enriched uranium, Iran says

Iran accused the US of using its daring aid to rescue a downed airman as a cover to steal enriched uranium.

Yesterday, Donald Trump announced that the US had saved a wounded weapons-system officer from an F-15E that went down over a mountainous region of south-western Iran on Friday.

Both Iran and the US had scrambled to find the missing crew member. It was feared that Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) could take him as a prisoner of war.

The possibility that this was a deception operation to steal enriched uranium should not be ignored at all, said Esmaeil Baqaei, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman.

The area where the American pilot was claimed to be present in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province is a long way from the area where they attempted to land or wanted to land their forces in central Iran, he added.

Mr Baqaei also claimed that the operation, which Mr Trump described as one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history, had been a disaster for Washington.

11:19am

Haifa death toll rises to four after Iranian attack

Israeli authorities announced that the death toll from the Iranian ballistic missile attack in Haifa had risen to four.

The IDF said that after many hours of intensive efforts and operations by Israeli rescue teams, four individuals had been found under the rubble. All were pronounced dead.

The Magen David Adom emergency unit identified the victims as a 35-year-old woman, a man and woman in their 80s and a man around 40 years old.

Emergency personnel work at the site of a projectile impact in Haifa - Shir Torem/REUTERS

11:16am

Smoke billows above Beirut as Israel continues attacks on southern suburbs

Huge plumes of smoke could be seen billowing above the Beirut skyline after Israel launched continued strikes on its southern suburbs.

At least 14 people were killed on Sunday in Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon and the capital.

This included four people who were killed in a strike on an area in south Beirut near to Lebanons largest public hospital. At least 39 people were wounded.

A girl looks out of a window as smoke rises following an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut - Thomas Suen/REUTERS

10:56am

Iran accuses IAEA of emboldening aggression against nuclear facilities

Irans atomic energy chief accused the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of inaction, saying it emboldens aggression against nuclear facilities such as the Bushehr power plant.

Mohammad Eslami said Irans only functioning nuclear power plant had been targeted a total of four times and warned of irreparable consequences in the event of a leak of radioactive material.

Mr Eslami said the agency had failed to take decisive action to deter such attacks, which he described as a violation of international law.

The latest attack on the Russian-built Bushehr plant on Saturday saw one security guard killed and damage caused to a side building.

10:45am

US-Israeli strikes hit leading university in Tehran

US-Israeli strikes that swept across Iran overnight hit Sharif University in Tehran, one of the countrys leading scientific universities.

According to local reports, parts of the campus including the technology centre building and mosque were damaged.

Irans vice-president called the strike on the university a symbol of [Donald] Trumps madness and ignorance, saying the US president fails to understand that Irans knowledge is not embedded in concrete to be destroyed by bombs.

A student inspects damage at a mosque at Tehrans Sharif University of Technology complex - Francisco Seco/AP

Workers remove debris at Tehrans Sharif University of Technology complex - Francisco Seco/AP

10:31am

Watch: Israel announces death of Iranian intelligence chief

10:30am

Iran says it targeted US forces on Bubiyan island

Iran said that it had targeted US forces located on Kuwaits Bubiyan Island.

Ebrahim Zolfaqari, the spokesman of Irans Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Tehran had hit satellite equipment and munitions located on the island using drones.

US forces had relocated there from Camp Arifjan, a US military facility in Kuwait that had previously been struck by Iran, Mr Zolfaqari claimed.

Bubiyan island is located in the north-western corner of the Persian Gulf.

10:22am

Iran calls 15-point US plan extremely ambitious, unusual and illogical

Esmail Baghaei, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, criticised a US plan to end the war as he vowed that Tehran would not yield to pressure.

A few days ago, they put forward proposals through intermediaries, and the 15-point US plan was reflected through Pakistan and some other friendly countries, Mr Baghaei told the IRNA news agency.

He added that such proposals are both extremely ambitious, unusual and illogical.

Tehran has finalised its own demands, according to the foreign ministry spokesman, but will not reveal them before the appropriate moment presents itself.

10:13am

As enemies closed in, US airman only broke cover at the final moment

WE GOT HIM! Donald Trump announced triumphantly, early on Sunday morning.

Over the past several hours, the United States military pulled off one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history ... I am thrilled to let you know [our missing airman] is now SAFE and SOUND!

The presidents Truth Social post marked the end of a 36-hour drama that will stand proud in the annals of United States military history.

After a US air force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down over Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province on Friday, the pilot was rescued almost immediately. But the weapons officer remained missing.

What followed was a race against time between the US and Iran to recover the stranded colonel. At stake was not just the life of the airman and the dozens of special forces troops who risked everything to save him, but the reputation of the US military.

10:07am

Who was Majid Khademi?

Majid Khademi, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence chief who was killed in US-Israeli air strikes on Monday, is believed to have been one Irans most senior remaining officials.

In a post on Telegram today, the IRGC described him as powerful and educated, as it lamented that he had been martyred in the criminal terrorist attack by the American-Zionist enemy ... at dawn today.

Khademi was appointed as the head of the intelligence division after his predecessor, Mohammad Kazemi, was killed in air strikes in June 2025 during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.

In February, he accused Donald Trump of stoking unrest during anti-government protests in January, in which the state killed thousands of protesters.

He also attributed the protests to interference by foreign intelligence services, including Israel.

An estimated total of around 40 officials have been confirmed killed over the course of the US-Israeli war on Iran that began on Feb 28.

09:50am

Pictured: Aftermath of Iranian strikes on Tel Aviv

An Iranian missile strike on a residential neighborhood in Tel Aviv caused a water main to burst with significant flooding on April 6 - Erik Marmor/Getty Images Europe

Officials examine a car damaged by shrapnel from missiles that Iran launched in Tel Aviv - Anadolu

09:46am

Iran rejects plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz for a temporary ceasefire

Iran has rejected a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a temporary ceasefire, a senior Iranian official told Reuters.

The official confirmed that Tehran had received a proposal drawn up by Pakistan to end the war and reopen the strait, but countered with claims that Washington lacked the readiness for a permanent ceasefire.

Iran will not yield to pressure to commit to deadlines as it reviews the proposal, the official added.

The plan pitched by Islamabad reportedly consisted of a two-tier approach with an immediate ceasefire first, followed by a comprehensive agreement expected to be finalised within 15-20 days.

09:30am

Third Turkish ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz

A third Turkish-owned ship has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, Turkeys transport minister said.

The Turkish-owned vessel Ocean Thunder, which was en route carrying crude oil loaded from Iraq to Malaysia, safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz last night, Abdulkadir Uraloglu wrote on X.

With this passage, the number of Turkish-owned vessels in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz has decreased to 12, and the number of vessels requesting exit has decreased to eight, he continued.

It marks the third vessel to safely exit the waterway in a matter of days, after two departed over the weekend.

09:19am

Israel confirms IRGC intelligence chief was killed in air strike

The Israeli defence minister has confirmed that an Iranian intelligence chief was killed in Tehran last night.

Israel Katz said that Eyal Zamir, the IDF chief of staff, had informed him that Majid Khademi, the head of IRGC intelligence, had been killed.

Mr Katz said that Majid Khademi had been directly responsible for war crimes committed against Israel and one of the three most senior figures in the IRGC.

The IRGC are shooting at civilians and Israel is killing their leaders, he added.

We will continue to hunt them down one by one. I warned that if they continue to shoot at civilians in Israel, we will harm and destroy the Iranian national infrastructure, Mr Katz said.

Israel has already severely damaged Irans steel plants and the petrochemical industry, the defence minister said, warning that both will suffer more strikes today.

We will continue to crush the Iranian national infrastructure and bring about the erosion and collapse of the terrorist regime, and its capabilities to promote terror and fire at the State of Israel, Mr Katz concluded.

09:08am

Watch: Missiles fly over Haifa and the West Bank overnight

09:06am

Two people killed by Iranian ballistic missile attack in Haifa

Israeli rescue teams found the bodies of two people in what was left of a six-storey apartment building in Haifa that was hit by a ballistic missile last night.

Two more people are believed to be trapped in the building, which is at risk of collapsing, causing special teams to dig through the rubble.

Four people were wounded and taken to the hospital following the strike on the apartment building. They include an 82-year-old man in serious condition, a 78-year-old woman, a 38-year-old woman and a 10-month-old baby, all of whom sustained light to moderate wounds.

Another ballistic missile attack wounded two people on Monday morning in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva, including a 34-year-old woman taken to the hospital in serious condition.

Rescue workers and military personnel carry a body of a victim from the rubble of a residential building after it was struck by an Iranian missile in Haifa - Ariel Schalit/AP

08:48am

US and Iran receive plan to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz

Iran and the US have reportedly received a proposal aimed at ending hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The plan, put together by Pakistan and passed to Iran and the US overnight, could go into effect as soon as Monday, according to a Reuters report.

The proposal outlines a two-stage process, beginning with an immediate ceasefire, followed by a comprehensive agreement.

It would see Iran pledging not to pursue nuclear weapon development in exchange for sanctions relief and the release of frozen assets, a source told the outlet.

It follows an earlier Axios report that stated that the US, Iran and regional mediators were in talks to implement a potential 45-day ceasefire as part of a broader two-phase deal aimed at ending the war permanently, citing US, Israeli and regional sources.

08:37am

Iran accuses US of threatening to commit war crimes

Irans deputy foreign minister has said that Donald Trumps threats to hit critical infrastructure could amount to war crimes.

In a post on X, Kazem Gharibabadi said: The American president, as the highest official of his country, has publicly threatened to commit war crimes.

The threat to attack power plants and bridges (civilian infrastructure) is a war crime under Article 8(2)(b) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, he added.

Earlier today, Tehran warned that Washington would see much more devastating and widespread retaliation if attacks on civilian targets are repeated.

The remarks came after Mr Trump ordered Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face living in hell, setting a deadline of Tuesday, which he said would otherwise be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day.

08:15am

US-Israeli strikes kill more than 25 people in Iran

US-Israeli strikes across Iran killed more than 25 people from Sunday into Monday.

Tehran was bombarded for several hours overnight as local media reported that warplanes had been flying overhead.

One air strike hit the Sharif University of Technology, reportedly damaging parts of its technology centre building and the schools mosque.

Gas outages were also reported in parts of the capital after a natural gas distribution site located next to the campus was hit.

Smoke rises from residential areas in eastern and western parts of Tehran following airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel on April 6 - Anadolu

08:02am

Pictured: Aftermath of Iranian ballistic missile attack on central Israel

At least two people were injured in Iranian ballistic missile strikes on central Israel.

Israels emergency service said that a 34-year-old woman had been seriously hurt and rushed to hospital after being hit by fragments in Petah Tikva.

One man in Tel Aviv was also injured by glass shards.

Burnt-out vehicles stand at the site where damage was caused following the launch of barrages of Iranian missiles in Petah Tikva, April 6, 2026 - Rami Amichay/REUTERS

07:32am

Daring raid avoided the ignominy of Americas last rescue mission in Iran

Wreckage of US aircraft in Tabas, east-central Iran, 1980

In Dasht-e-Kavir, Irans Great Salt Desert, the discarded hulks of Sea Stallion helicopters and C-130 planes rest in the sand, a ghoulish tourist attraction and a monument to a failed rescue attempt that humiliated the United States in April 1980.

The site of Desert One, where eight American aviators perished  their charred remains were paraded in Tehran  is some 400 miles north-east of the temporary landing strip in Isfahan province where four US helicopters and two C-130s were destroyed and abandoned on Sunday morning.

This time, however, no American lives were lost and the rescue of the two-person crew from a downed F-15E Strike Eagle was a triumph for the US. Its success was the phoenix that rose from the ashes of that 1980 failure, when the objective was to fly on to Tehran and free 53 hostages inside the US embassy.

Operation Eagle Claw involved 400 personnel from the US army, navy, air force, marines and CIA, along with 44 aircraft at six separate locations over 40 hours. Although it was exceptionally complicated, no full rehearsal was held.

07:28am

Iran says 15 ships passed through Strait of Hormuz in 24 hours

Fifteen ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz unimpeded over the past 24 hours with permission from Iran, the countrys semi-official Fars News agency said.

Maritime traffic through the strategic waterway is still around 90 per cent lower than it was before the US and Israel began strikes on Iran at the end of February, the agency added.

On Saturday, Irans Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters announced that Iraqi ships were free to pass through the strait, saying existing restrictions would only apply to enemy countries.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Naval Command on Sunday wrote that the passage would never return to its former state, especially for the US and Israel and warned that there would be a new Persian Gulf order.

04:39am

Todays top stories

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the Iran war.

Here are todays top stories:
Tucker Carlson calls for the US to detach from Israel following deadly strikes on Lebanon

Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson has called on the U.S. to detach from Israel after the fragile ceasefire agreement in the Iran war was almost immediately placed in jeopardy by ongoing Israeli attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iran and Pakistan, which helped broker the eleventh-hour agreement Tuesday, said Lebanon was included in the deal to secure a two-week pause in the fighting, but Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and the White House said it was not.

Lebanon subsequently said that 203 people were killed in Israeli strikes on its territory Wednesday, with more than 1,000 wounded.

Tucker Carlson has argued it is time for the U.S. to 'detach' from Israel and treat it like any other allied nation (The Tucker Carlson Show)

Carlson  who has broken with President Donald Trumps administration over the conflict - is a long-time critic of Israel but has also previously been accused of antisemitism, a charge he has denied.

The United States has to  and hopefully the first thing we do, when and if this wars resolved, is detach from Israel, the commentator argued on the latest instalment of The Tucker Carlson Show Wednesday.

Invoking an incident during the Six-Day War of June 1967, Carlson clarified: Not declare war on Israel or treat Israel as an enemy  they may treat us as an enemy, as they have before, when they tried to sink the USS Liberty, an American naval vessel, a surveillance vessel. They treated us as an enemy.

We dont have to treat them as an enemy, however, and we shouldnt. But we should treat them like we treat every other country  as an ally but with restrictions and reservations and redlines. No, you cant act against our interest.

The fault lies ultimately with our leaders who are going along with this, Carlson said, an attack on President Donald Trump for allowing himself to be influenced by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (Getty)

He continued: And this distancing should begin with a total end of aid of any kind, military or economic, to Israel by the U.S. government. And people who love Israel, some of whom are pretty successful, can send all the money they want to Israel. And thats fine.

But the U.S. government should send not one more dollar to Israel and not one more piece of military materiel to Israel. Not one more fighter jet or bomb or missile defense system or small arm or ammunition of any kind.

Carlson went on to accuse Israel of aggressively acting against our interest and so, to continue to arm and finance them  their generous welfare state, for example, or their military, defend their nation  is not only contrary to core American interests, its just masochism.

Israeli airstrikes continued to cause devastation in Lebanon hours after a fragile ceasefire agreement was announced in the Iran war (AP)

The commentator has been accused of becoming increasingly vocal in his criticisms of Israel since leaving Fox News in 2023 and going solo.

Last year, he was criticized for appearing to suggest at the memorial service for Charlie Kirk  the founder of Turning Point USA, who was shot dead on a Utah university campus last fall  that he had been assassinated by Israel, for which there is no evidence, as he compared the deceaseds fate to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Carlson was subsequently called out by Ben Shapiro at a TPUSA conference for conducting a softball interview with avowed white nationalist Nick Fuentes, was labelled the most dangerous antisemite in America by controversial Florida Republican Rep. Randy Fine and named Antisemite of the Year by the StopAntisemitism watchdog.

During a TPUSA convention in December, Carlson said he was not an antisemite because antisemitism is immoral in my religion. It is immoral to hate people for how they were born.
HMS Dragon, which has been dispatched to protect Britains air bases in Cyprus amid the Iran war, has docked in the Mediterranean after suffering technical issues.

The Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer will still be able to sail at short notice if required, the Ministry of Defence said.

HMS Dragon is undertaking a routine logistics stop and a short maintenance period in the eastern Mediterranean, allowing the ship to take on board provisions, optimise systems and conduct maintenance, an MoJ spokesperson said.

HMS Dragon will remain at a very high level of readiness during this period, able to sail at short notice if required.

The UK continues to maintain a robust and layered defensive presence in the eastern Mediterranean, working in coordination with allies.

This includes Typhoon and F-35 jets, Wildcat and Merlin helicopters, and advanced counter-drone and air defence systems.

A two-week ceasefire is now in place in Iran after US president Donald Trump issued an 11th-hour reprieve from his threats to wipe out a whole civilisation.

HMS Dragon seen close to Cyprus (UK MOD/Crown copyright)

The US president had given Tehran until 1am on Wednesday UK time to end its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz or face obliteration.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire would not stop his countrys fight against Hezbollah in Lebanon, which continued through the morning on Wednesday.

This comes despite Pakistan, a key mediator, saying the ceasefire included the fighting in Lebanon.

Questions have also emerged over what appeared to be duelling proposals to reopen the vital Strait, with Iran insisting it would charge tolls to passing ships.

It also said it would continue to enrich uranium.

Mr Trump then suggested American warships would be hangin around the Strait, through which 20 per cent of all oil and natural gas passes in peacetime. That could be a potential flashpoint as the days go on.

Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran back to the Stone Ages if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz (AP)

Downing Street earlier said the UKs focus was on de-escalation and a negotiated settlement for the region.

The UK has granted permission for the US to use British military bases to carry out limited defensive operations, only targeting Irans missile sites and facilities being used to target shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil and gas route.

Asked whether RAF bases could be used by the US to target Irans civilian infrastructure, the spokesman said: Our position has not changed.

The spokesperson said Sir Keir Starmer had been clear this isnt our war and our position is very much focused on de-escalation.
Alaska lawmakers are weighing a proposal that would let parents anonymously surrender newborns in secure "baby boxes," expanding the state's current safe surrender law as the bill moves through the Legislature.

The Alaska Senate approved Senate Bill 9 on March 31 with an 18-2 vote, clearing a major hurdle and sending the measure to the House for further debate.

The bill would authorize temperature-controlled infant safety devices at selected sites, allowing parents to give up a baby without face-to-face contact with a person. Supporters say the devices could prevent deaths of abandoned infants by offering a legal, anonymous option in emergencies, according to Newsweek.

Under current Alaska law, parents may legally surrender an infant 21 days old or younger to a doctor, nurse, firefighter, peace officer, or similar professional without facing criminal charges.

That handoff must happen in person, which some lawmakers and advocates say can be a barrier for parents who fear being recognized or judged. SB 9 would keep the existing in-person option but add baby boxes as another legal way to surrender an infant within the same 21-day window.

The devices would be installed at locations such as hospitals, fire stations, birth centers, municipal police departments, rural health clinics, and state trooper posts, subject to state approval.

When a baby is placed inside, the box automatically locks, maintains a stable temperature, and triggers an alert to nearby staff or emergency services. Video monitoring of the exterior and strict design rules are meant to ensure that infants are reached quickly and cared for safely.

Bill sponsor Sen. Robb Myers, a Republican from North Pole, says recent cases of abandoned infants in Alaska helped drive the push for the new law, the Juneau Independent reported.

In less than 15 years, two babies have died after being abandoned, and another was found alive in extreme cold, according to lawmakers. Myers argues that "no child should die because a parent is afraid," and that baby boxes give struggling parents a last-resort option.

The proposal has also drawn criticism. Some adoptee-rights groups and advocacy organizations outside Alaska warn that anonymous surrenders can limit access to medical history and identity for children later in life.

Anchorage Sen. Loki Tobin voted against the bill, saying the lack of direct contact could weaken informed consent and leave non-surrendering parents unaware if a child is given up.

If the House passes SB 9 and the governor signs it, Alaska would join 22 other states that authorize baby boxes as part of their safe haven systems. The Alaska legislative session runs through May, giving lawmakers several weeks to refine or advance the measure, as per Alaska Watchman.
The defence secretary has issued a stark warning to Vladimir Putin after Russian attack and spy submarines were found operating in the North Atlantic.

John Healey told a press conference in Downing Street on Thursday that in the past few weeks, while many eyes were trained on the Middle East crisis, the UK responded to increased Russian activity near crucial UK cables and pipelines in the Atlantic north of Britain.

He revealed that the UK and allies monitored the vessels, which included a Russian Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine and two specialist submarines from Russias ministry of defence deep sea research programme, known as GUGI, for a month before they retreated.

Addressing Putin directly, Mr Healey said: We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.

Defence secretary John Healey says the Russian submarines were tracked for a month (Toby Shepheard/PA)

Mr Healeys warning came after The Telegraph reported that Russia sent a warship to escort sanctioned oil tankers through the English Channel, following Sir Keir Starmers declaration that sanctioned vessels sailing in British waters would be seized.

The Black Sea Fleet frigate Admiral Grigorovich is said to have accompanied a pair of shadow fleet ships on Wednesday, which were followed by a British naval vessel. According to the newspaper, the vessel observed the flotilla off Englands south coast while RFA Tideforce, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker, was in their wake.

Satellite imagery of the Russian GUGI vessels at dock (Ministry of Defence)

Mr Healey said: In response to the Russian submarines, I can confirm that I deployed our armed forces to track and to deter any malign activity by these vessels. A Royal Navy warship and Royal Air Force P8 aircraft alongside allies ensured that the Russian submarines were monitored 24/7. The Akula submarine subsequently retreated home, having been closely tracked throughout, and we continued to monitor the two GUGI submarines in and around wider UK waters.

Our armed forces left them in no doubt that they were being monitored, that their movements were not covert, as President Putin planned, and that their attempted secret operation had been exposed. Those GUGI submarines have now left UK waters and headed back north.

Mr Healey said the attack submarine acted as a likely decoy to distract from the GUGI submarines as they spent time over critical infrastructure relevant to us and our allies in the North Atlantic. Because we were watching them, we wanted to ensure that we could warn them that their covert operation had been exposed and reduce the risk that they may attempt any action that could damage our pipelines or our cables.

And Im confident we have no evidence that there has been any damage, but with allies were sure that this is now verifiable.

Undersea fibre-optic cables, which are responsible for 99 per cent of the worlds digital communications, perform an essential role in commercial, government and military operations by securely transmitting information. Any damage to Britains undersea cables could cause serious political and economic disruption.

Sir Keir Starmer said last month that the navy would intercept Russias shadow fleet. The armed forces and law enforcement are now empowered to halt and board sanctioned vessels that pass through UK waters. The prime ministers announcement was made in conjunction with European allies in an attempt to cut off funding for Moscows war with Ukraine.

It is understood that the shadow fleet consists of approximately 700 vessels, carrying around 40 per cent of all Russian oil exports. The UK has to date sanctioned 544 Russian shadow fleet vessels, which ship oil and other goods out of Russia illegally by flying the flags of other countries, with the aim of evading sanctions imposed by the West since the invasion of Ukraine.

Prime minister Keir Starmer warned last month that sanctioned vessels sailing in British waters would be seized (PA)

Closing off British waters is aimed at forcing the Russian vessels into taking longer, more costly sea routes, or risk being intercepted by the UK.

Sir Keir said: We are living in an increasingly volatile and dangerous world, facing threats from different fronts across the world every day. As prime minister, my first duty is to keep this country safe and protect British interests here and abroad. Putin is rubbing his hands at the war in the Middle East because he thinks higher oil prices will let him line his pockets. Thats why were going after his shadow fleet even harder, not just keeping Britain safe but starving Putins war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine. He and his cronies should be in no doubt, we will always defend our sovereignty and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

British forces have already been involved in tracking shadow fleet vessels for several years, and have supported operations by other countries to seize the ships.
The US has ignored compelling evidence that Russia has been helping Iran to target US bases in the Middle East because it trusts Vladimir Putin, according to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Luke Harding writes that in an interview with Alastair Campbell on The Rest is Politics podcast, Zelenskyy said he had tried to draw the White Houses attention to it but the problem is they trust Putin. And its a pity. Zelenskyy said Donald Trumps negotiators had failed to really understand the details of what Russia wants. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had spent too much time with Putin and his senior officials. The pair travelled to Moscow five times last year, but have yet to visit Kyiv.
The E Barrett Prettyman court building in Washington DC, where the lawsuit was filed. Photograph: Westy72/Getty Images (Photograph: Westy72/Getty Images)

Conservative campaigners are targeting a decades-old federal scholarship program designed to provide Native Hawaiian students with funding to pursue healthcare careers and place practitioners in the states most medically underserved communities.

Do No Harm, a Virginia-based advocacy group for healthcare clinicians focused on keeping identity politics out of medical education, research, and clinical practice, filed its federal lawsuit challenging the US health departments Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP) last week.

The lawsuit represents several members of Do Not Harm, including a white woman entering a nursing program in the fall and two other non-Native Hawaiian individuals who expressed interest in the scholarship, according to the suit.

In a press release about the lawsuit, Do No Harm said the scholarships requirement that applicants be Native Hawaiians was a violation of federal law and tantamount to racial discrimination.

That this program still exists even after the efforts by this administration to course correct proves just how widespread institutional race discrimination has become, read the release. Our complaint challenging the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program is aimed at ensuring well-deserving applicants can qualify to compete for the financial relief the scholarship provides.

Papa Ola Lokahi, the non-profit that administers the scholarship, said it would continue its work despite the legal challenge. Efforts to dismantle programs like this ignore both the historical context and the ongoing need to safeguard equitable access to care throughout Hawaii, said Dr Sheri Daniels, CEO of the organization. These scholars represent the next generation of healers for our communities, a presence that uplifts the health of all.

The program was established in 1988 under the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act, which provided funding to improve healthcare outcomes for Native Hawaiians. As part of the scholarship, recipients are required to work for at least two years in medically underprivileged communities in Hawaii.

So far, the NHHSP has awarded more than 330 scholarships to applicants in 20 medical professions, according to the Papa Ola Lokahis website.

In an interview with the local media outlet Honolulu Civil Beat, Daniels spoke about the importance of having Native Hawaiian clinicians treating Native Hawaiians. It makes a difference, when you can see yourself in that person in the white coat or sitting across from you in therapy, that matters, she said.

The lawsuit against NHHSP is the most recent legal case Do No Harm has brought against healthcare programs. In March, the group filed a complaint with the US health department, arguing that Corewell Health, Texas Tech and HCA Healthcare [favored] foreign-trained physicians in their internal medicine residency programs over American-trained doctors.

Other Hawaiian educational initiatives have been targeted through legal challenges aimed at diversity programs. The Kamehameha Schools, a private school system established with the inheritance of Hawaiian princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, was specifically created to boost educational outcomes of Native Hawaiians.

In October, Students for Fair Admissions, the rightwing non-profit that brought the supreme court lawsuit that led to race-based admission being overturned, sued the school system alleging that the admissions policy expressly prefers students with Native Hawaiian ancestry over non-Native Hawaiian students.
Virgil van Dijk knows few people will give Liverpool a chance of turning around their Champions League quarter-final with Paris St Germain but he is not giving up hope seven years on from the extraordinary Anfield comeback against Barcelona.

Arne Slots stumbling side suffered a third straight loss in all competitions  and 16th of a miserable campaign  as the perennial French champions ran out 2-0 victors in Wednesdays first leg.

Liverpool were fortunate not to concede more as reigning champions PSGs wastefulness prevented the scoreline being even greater, yet their hopes are hanging by a thread heading into Tuesdays reverse fixture at Anfield.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot gives orders from the touchline (Adam Davy/PA) (Adam Davy)

Van Dijk is ready to fight and sees some similarities with an even greater turnaround in 2019, when the Reds overcame a three-goal first-leg deficit against Barcelona with an unforgettable 4-0 home win to reach the final.

Back then, you play one of the best teams in Europe, with obviously one of the best players ever in that team and we had injuries like you said, and now we play against the best team in Europe, the Liverpool captain said.

Theyre obviously the European champion, so I think it is similar in terms of, on paper, probably no one gives us a chance.

So, it starts with the belief, it starts with the belief that comes within yourself.

Starts with the belief that we get from our manager, the right game plan, and the intensity that we have to put in from the first second to the last if you really want to achieve something.

Liverpool pulled off a famous comeback against Barcelona in 2019 (Peter Byrne/pa (Peter Byrne)

Thats what I want. And thats what Im going to tell my boys. We have to show it. We have show the desire, show the fight  thats the least you have to do as a Liverpool player.

Van Dijk was pleased by the battling spirit shown in a tough first leg in France, which came four days after he admitted the players gave up during the 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final humiliation at Manchester City.

There looks precious little chance of them throwing in the towel against PSG at Anfield, which he believes 100 per cent can help the team salvage this tie.

At the end of the day, you need everything clicking together to turn this around because we play against a team that is just outstanding in every department, Van Dijk said.

But it also comes back to yourself, and to the belief, and the pride: we are Liverpool.

Thank you for your support in Paris  Well see you at Anfield for the second leg  pic.twitter.com/OoUhDfIq5M  Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 8, 2026

Thats why this particular moment hurts so much personally, and it should hurt as well for each and everyone there in the dressing room.

Liverpool will first look to secure a morale-boosting victory against Fulham on Saturday as under-fire Slots fifth-placed side continue their quest to qualify for next seasons Champions League.

Van Dijk says results have been unacceptable a year on from winning the Premier League, with their drop-off and star Mohamed Salahs impending exit adding to a feeling this is the end of an era.

He said: Its down to us as players to actually realise that we have to do it all together. We need each other.
Independent readers have shared sharply divided views on Ukraines conscription crisis, reacting to a report from world affairs editor Sam Kiley on widespread draft dodging and rising strain on the armed forces.

Reporting from Izyum, in eastern Ukraine, Kileys report detailed the scandal of millions avoiding military call-ups  with hundreds of thousands of soldiers also absent without leave.

Many sympathised with those avoiding service, particularly men with families, describing it as understandable to fear a one-way ticket to the front. Some readers reflected on the psychological toll of the conflict, highlighting exhaustion among soldiers and the fear of being sent to the most dangerous areas with little chance of return  points also noted by Kiley on the ground.

Others were more critical, insisting citizens should defend their country and questioning what draft evasion says about duty, sacrifice, and national survival.

Some readers broadened the discussion, calling for a rethink of Ukraines mobilisation, including lowering the conscription age, improving training, and ensuring better rotation so soldiers know they will not be permanently on the front line.

Heres what you had to say:

Avoiding the front line is understandable

National myths play a huge part in ones growing up, and Ukrainians have plenty of past history to merit resentfulness against the Russians, but given the cynicism of politics in general, I wouldnt blame any young person for avoiding the front line. Id probably have done the same at that age. Imagine how conscription would go down in todays USA.

Paddly

Who wants to be cannon fodder?

Dodging the draft was, many years ago, a sign of either cowardice or disloyalty.

Now, most of us take a very different view.

Who wants to be cannon fodder for leaders like Trump and Putin?

After all, we only get one chance of life.

Cyclone8

Not prepared to be sent to the front to die

Met a Ukrainian chap in Germany recently. Well educated, spoke a few languages, and he was working as a receptionist in a leading hotel group. He was around 30 years of age. His wife, children and parents were in Ukraine. He said he wouldnt be going to Ukraine until the war ended as he would be conscripted, and he wasnt prepared to be sent to the front to die. He hoped that maybe his wife and children could visit him.

On the one hand, you cant blame him for not wanting to get involved; on the other, you have to ask if its maybe not his duty to fight to improve life for his children if the Russian threat is ended once and for all. What happens if Russia does take over Ukraine? He cant return and his family wont be able to get out very easily. You have to admire the fact he works hard to support himself and his family.

Too often you meet wealthy Ukrainians who have also fled the draft. They drive big SUVs and are out spending in designer shops whilst living in some of the most expensive areas of European cities. It suggests that, like in most places, those with the necessary funds can buy their way out and dont risk being drafted. Its a familiar picture in our world  one rule for the seriously wealthy and the others? Tough luck!

Ambigirls

Lower conscription age

When conscription was introduced, it was for men over 30, and the lowest age for compulsory service remains 25.

This is the problem. No other country operates conscription like this. Your youngest soldiers are your best ones. They are fitter, more aggressive and easier to command.

Ukraine needs to reverse this policy and conscript from age 18 upwards. It would probably make more difference to their fortunes than all the fancy weapons we could give them.

chrisw27

A sign of the times

I have sympathy for Russians escaping conscription from this war, fighting for someone elses gain.

But the Ukrainians escaping conscription I have less sympathy for, as they would be fighting for family, friends and their own land. Yes, both would be fighting for corrupt governments, but is it a sign of the times that so many will not fight for their own country?

Mynamewhocares

Refusing to fight can end wars

If people refused to fight wars there would not be any more of them. I am sure there are people trying to avoid conscription in Russia too. Look up the Kiel mutiny  refusing to fight can end wars and hopefully stop them beginning.

forthis

German rules

In Germany, all young men aged 17-45 must request permission when they want to go abroad for more than three months. Under current circumstances, the permission will always be granted, but this is part of preparing for emergencies so that, in case of necessity, these men can be called back to serve in the army.

This is not a new law; it dates back to the Cold War era, but the law only applied when Germany was under threat or after an attack had taken place. This applicability has been widened and now always applies.

Real European

What happens when the war ends?

The West (excluding the US) is throwing money and weapons at Ukraine and, at the same time, is accepting healthy men of fighting age as refugees. When the war ends, how many of these refugees will be accepted back into their communities? Where I work, we have about a 20 per cent Ukrainian workforce who act as if theyre on holiday, and its mind-blowing that they can act like that when theyve got friends and family on the front line.

Wolfe Tone

Want to share your views? Simply click log in or register in the top right corner to sign in or sign up. Once registered, you can comment on the days top stories for a chance to have your opinions showcased.

Want your voice to stand out? Independent Premium subscribers enjoy priority for featured comments. Subscribe here.

Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment, click here.
Walker Smith, a Waitrose employee of 17 years, was sacked after intervening to stop a shoplifter

My career as a shoplifter was brief and undistinguished. I must have been about eight or nine, because I still had to stand on tiptoe to reach the counter in the village shop. A sweet, a toffee eclair, must have fallen from the pick n mix boxes and lay on a narrow rim beneath the counter, enticingly within reach.

The toffee was a cut above the sweets I could afford with my pocket money. Back then, sixpence could buy you a paper bag of sherbet lemons, fruit cocktails, Drumstick lollies, pink shrimps and Black Jacks, which gave your teeth a pleasingly ghoulish appearance (I darent look up Black Jacks in case they turn out to have been racist; another innocent pleasure gone).

Anyway, I snatched the forbidden sweet and put it in my pocket. Walking down the lane on the way home, I affected a nonchalance belied by my racing heart; the toffee softened and squidged in my clammy hand. Guilt must have overcome me, because I went back to the shop.

Returning ill-gotten goods turns out to be much harder than pinching them. I had an idea I could lob the toffee in the general direction of the pick n mix boxes and make my escape, but the shopkeeper approached and was kind and solicitous, worse luck. I must have panicked and left the store, running as fast as my legs could carry me back home and throwing the stolen sweet into a deadly nightshade bush. (That poisonous detail sticks in the mind, perhaps because my mother had told us so often not to touch it.)

I knew shed be angry about the toffee and Id probably get a smack. But it was her disappointment I feared more than any punishment. Most Welsh children of my generation would have had the Ten Commandments drummed into them; I certainly did. Thou shalt not steal, and I just had. George Eliot got it right when she wrote about the tinglings of a merited shame. I still havent confessed to my mother about stealing the toffee, and she will be 90 in August.

Shame was once a powerful brake on stealing, with Sunday school providing a firm guide to dos and donts. That, and the fact there were still consequences to being caught. If the Almighty didnt judge you in this life, the police and the neighbours surely would.

Today, an Artful Dodger or Dodgeress has little to fear from the Old Bill and can even scroll at their leisure through helpful online shoplifting tips. One young woman, posting as Leesa on question-and-answer website Quora, suggests that, based on the experience of a friend, successful shoplifting depends on attitude: The key is having an extreme level of confidence. If you have the confidence, you are able to get away with things without suspicion; most people just dont seem to notice.

OK, but what about the fact that stealing from shops is, you know, wrong and also illegal? No problem. Leesa has anticipated our objection. You have to be able to get rid of conscience and guilt overdo before you can be successful at it, she says happily. Once you can get past any of these, like morality, it should be easy to be successful in most situations.

Getting past morality sounds like a recipe for chaos and societal breakdown to me, but I guess Im old-fashioned. I still think guilt overdo is helpful in the forging of a moral compass. Worryingly, many younger people disagree, with over half of 18-24-year-olds claiming that the cost of living justifies shoplifting because big business can afford to take the hit.

It was in this ethically inert climate, a bleak feature of Broken Britain, that Walker Smith, 54 years old and a Waitrose employee of 17 years, was sacked for stopping a shoplifter who had helped themselves to a display of Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs. Not sacked for shoplifting, lets be clear; sacked for trying to prevent shoplifting.

Walker said a customer had tipped him off that someone had filled up a Waitrose bag with the eggs. Spotting the thief and realising they were a repeat offender, Mr Smith grabbed the bag from the shoplifter. He said there was a brief struggle before the bag tore open and the Lindt Easter eggs, which retail for 13 each, tumbled to the floor.

As the shoplifter made a dash for the exit, Mr Smith picked up a piece of a broken bunny and threw it out of frustration towards some shopping trolleys, not aiming it at the thief. Speaking as a Waitrose customer who stupidly paid for her own Easter eggs  something the supermarket seems to suggest is a matter of choice  I would have been quite happy if Walker Smith had pelted the varmint with every jar in the Bold Bean Co display.

Walker Smith was told off by his manager and apologised, but the matter was escalated. Mr Smith admits he had previously been warned not to approach shoplifters, but watching them get away with theft repeatedly was taking its toll: Ive seen it happen every hour of every day for the last five years, he said. Its everybody, from drug addicts to teenagers, nicking bits and bobs or walking out with bottles of wine in their arms. Were not allowed to do anything.

Most of us would regard Walker Smiths action as principled and laudable, I think, yet so deep is the warped, risk-averse, legalistic health-and-safety culture adhered to by businesses like Waitrose that this dedicated staff member soon regretted it. When I got home, I was punching myself and thinking, Why did I do that? he said. Two days later, a devastated Walker Smith was sacked.

Waitrose has tried to defend its decision, playing the responsible employer card. There is a serious danger to life in tackling shoplifters  and thats why we have policies in place [that] must be strictly followed.

The safety and security of our partners and customers couldnt be more important to us, and we have policies in place to protect both, it waffled sanctimoniously.

While no one would expect a shop assistant to approach a dangerous person, there are serious consequences for this blanket ignore shoplifting policy insisted on by insurers, lawyers and HR. They have become far too powerful. A set of often absurd rules, regulations and job specifications created by risk-averse numpties have been allowed to erode the concept of civic virtue while fraying societal bonds.

(Waitrose has form here. Last year, it told autistic volunteer Tom Boyd that he could no longer stack shelves after his mother had asked if he could be paid a bit. A needless and cruel bureaucratic stance, the decision caused uproar, and the supermarket eventually said it would like to welcome him back [with] paid employment, after Asda offered Tom two five-hour paid shifts a week.)

There is a reason why the have-a-go hero is a beloved staple of the British popular imagination. We like the idea of an ordinary member of the public who sees wrongdoing and intervenes. Police community support officers (PCSOs) who refuse to go into a pond to save a drowning child because they havent had the correct water safety training are depressing. Bravery cheers us up because it proves we still care about each other. The heart lifts a little at the words without regard for their personal safety  one of the most stirring phrases on a citation.

In recent years, with members of the emergency services keeping well away from the scene of a disaster until it is considered safe to attend (we think of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, where young lives could have been saved had useless fire and rescue workers not waited until the coast was clear) and with firms like Waitrose increasingly outsourcing ethical considerations to their insurers and legal team, it is normal people who have to make good the courage deficit.

Dont expect any thanks for doing the right thing. In Broken Britain, we see Christian morality upended, common sense denied, and bravery punished, not rewarded. In June 2024, London bus driver Mark Hehir, 62, was fired by Metroline after chasing a thief who stole a passengers necklace. The plucky Irishman managed to retrieve the necklace but was dismissed for gross misconduct because he punched the thief in self-defence.

The victim described the incident as terrifying and said she was extremely grateful for Mr Hehirs bravery. The public overwhelmingly supported this have-a-go hero. Yet an employment tribunal upheld the companys decision, deeming the dismissal to be fair when it was actually unjust and shameful, not to mention a green light to aspiring jewellery thieves.

All chain stores pursue essentially the same policy on shoplifting. But in the barking-mad case of Walker Smith, it is particularly disappointing because Waitrose is part of the John Lewis Partnership. The motherlode of Middle England, John Lewis never knowingly bows down before fashionable trends while sensibly putting their customers first. Or so we thought.

Now, we realise one of the reasons our shopping bills are going up every week (a 60-quid shopping basket is now 100) has very little to do with Ukraine, Trump or Iran. Waitrose has clearly calculated its not profitable to empower staff to tackle shoplifters. Instead of having a zero-tolerance policy, they basically allow stealing and add the shop-theft shrinkage to their prices. Law-abiding customers like thee and me are subsidising criminals.

Meanwhile, police forces claim they are tackling retail crime. But the reality is, its a very low priority. And now the updated Sentencing Act is in force, there is no meaningful punishment because no one is going to jail for a low-value theft. If you want to know where this craven abdication of authority ends, see the appalling scenes last week in Clapham High Street, where shops were swarmed by hundreds of teenagers, locusts feasting on foodstuffs filched from Sainsburys and McDonalds while staff looked on aghast.

According to the Office for National Statistics, shoplifting offences rose by 20 per cent in England and Wales in the year ending March 2025. The John Lewis Partnership said that, while it could not speculate on the reasons, it was seeing rising numbers of shoplifting offences  often by organised gangs  as well as anti-social behaviour.

Hmmm. Just a wild guess here, and obviously I am no expert, but we could speculate that sacking a conscientious man like Walker Smith for trying to prevent shoplifting could give the impression that, if you fancy steak for dinner, you should just pop along to Waitrose and help yourself. It gives a whole new meaning to self-serving.

A cluelessly drippy Waitrose said it has trialled love-bombing in some of its stores to deter would-be shoplifters  being extra attentive to customers, including by asking if help is needed at self-checkouts. Nicki Juniper, head of security for Waitrose, said: Weve long been known for our friendly service, but it turns out that the more attentive we are, the less likely people are to steal.

Ye gods. I think I preferred it when the Old Testament Jehovah threatened sinners with dire consequences like destruction, exile and death rather than being super friendly to thieves.

Be nice to would-be shoplifters and talk the talk on staff safety while cruelly dismissing a man who felt helpless as he watched the ordered society he cherished unravel around him? No wonder the sacking of Walker Smith has prompted a furious backlash. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, captured the public mood when he called on Waitrose to reinstate Mr Smith, accusing the supermarket of acting disgracefully.

In a letter to Waitroses managing director, he called for Mr Smith to be paid a bonus for his bravery and initiative. He said: Staff safety must come first. But dismissing a long-serving employee in these circumstances sends entirely the wrong message. It penalises those who act, while offenders are left unchecked.

Well said. Shoplifting may appear to be a minor misdemeanour, but it undermines confidence in our ability to maintain the safe, well-ordered society we crave. Stealing should never be shrugged off, as Walker Smith understood all too well. Witnessing the brazen theft of Lindt Easter bunnies made him hopping mad. As it should. Had he ignored it, he would have emboldened those who casually advise young people to get rid of conscience and guilt overdo.

Overdo the guilt, I say, and bring back consequences for low-value thefts which were so stupidly removed. I was delighted to learn that the boss of Iceland, Lord Walker, has just offered his namesake a job in his supermarket chain. A great appointment, and well done to everyone who has contributed over 9,000 so far to a crowdfunder for Walker Smith. We need to treasure our have-a-go heroes who, without regard for their personal safety, seek to maintain the standards of Britain before she was broken.

Although we can never eliminate criminality, as Seneca said, shame may restrain what the law does not prohibit. Which reminds me, its high time I owned up to nicking that toffee in 1969. Sorry, Mum.
Benjamin Netanyahus opponents point to an unprecedented political disaster, with the ceasefire a strategic failure. Photograph: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters (Photograph: Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)

In a war where there have been no winners, Israels prime minister looks set to be the biggest loser entering a fragile and vague ceasefire with Iran.

After years of Benjamin Netanyahus threats against Iran, his stunts at the UNs general assembly, the dodgy dossiers endlessly wafted under the noses of the worlds media, and diplomatic pressure on successive US presidents to agree to a war against Iran, Israels conflict has turned out to be a bust.

The US intelligence communitys verdict that Israeli predictions of regime change and revolution in Iran were farcical turned out to be correct. The Israeli assessment that the war would last at best a handful of days, at worst a handful of weeks, was woefully wide of the mark.

Even two days ago, according to Israels Channel 12, Netanyahu was pushing Donald Trump not to agree to a ceasefire. For a day, the US president issued his genocidal warnings to Tehran and then buckled, by some accounts sidelining Israel in his deliberations.

There has never been a political disaster like this in our entire history. Israel was not even close to the table when decisions were made concerning the core of our national security, Israels main opposition leader, Yair Lapid, wrote on X.

The army carried out everything that was asked of it, and the public showed remarkable resilience, but Netanyahu failed politically, failed strategically, and did not achieve any of the goals he himself set. It will take us years to repair the political and strategic damage that Netanyahu caused due to arrogance, negligence, and lack of strategic planning.

The head of the leftwing Democrats party, Yair Golan, also called the ceasefire a strategic failure by Netanyahu.

He promised a historic victory and security for generations, and in practice, we got one of the most severe strategic failures Israel has ever known, Golan said on X. Its a total failure that endangers Israels security for years to come.

The reality is that Netanyahu gambled everything on his war and in his failure to secure the fall of the theocratic regime, the seizure of Tehrans stockpile of highly enriched uranium, or meaningful state degradation, Israels global standing  already massively tarnished by its actions in Gaza, where it has been accused of committing a genocide  has been damaged.

On the security side, despite Trumps claims, the power of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has been strengthened as Tehran  for now, at least  has achieved its primary aim of simply surviving a month-long onslaught by two of the worlds largest military powers.

The attacks have left a wounded but still intact regime, with significant military assets, which is likely to pursue rapid rearmament as it seeks opportunities to retaliate.

Netanyahus insistence on continuing attacks in southern Lebanon also appears hubristic, given that Israels declared intention to carve out a new security zone puts its forces in direct conflict on the ground with Hezbollah fighters who have historically proved adept at fighting on their own terrain.

Seen in this context, Israels horrific and unwarned-of mass airstrikes on Lebanon seem like a punitive act of displacement, having been thwarted in Iran.

The fallout in terms of public opinion and diplomacy is likely to be even more serious for Netanyahu and Israel. In America, in particular, a political consensus dating back to the 1960s is visibly crumbling. Israels role in pushing Trump to war in Iran has been assailed by both progressives and Magas far right, while support for Israel more broadly is at historic lows even among Jewish voters.

Then there is the domestic fallout for Netanyahu in an election year in Israel. Far from transforming Israels security situation, he will come out of the war having achieved none of his main promised aims.

Notwithstanding Netanyahus well-documented cynicism in broadcasting his usually temporary achievements, it will be apparent to Israelis that far from having removed what he has long described as an existential threat to Israel, the conditions remain largely unchanged.

The Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei may be dead, but his hardline son has succeeded him. Instead of closing the page on Irans nuclear programme, Tehrans 10-point plan that Trump said was a workable basis for negotiations appears to include acceptance of Irans right to enrich uranium  although Trump denied this was part of the deal.

For now, at least, the terms of US-Iranian talks point to something closer to the framework of Barack Obamas international nuclear deal  which Netanyahu worked so hard to sabotage and Trump pulled out of  than a new reality.

For some, like Haaretzs military affairs correspondent Amos Harel, failure was baked in to Netanyahus war plans. Many of the weaknesses shared by the current US administration and Israels system under Netanyahu came into view: a tendency to gamble based on unfounded wishful thinking, shallow and half-baked plans, disregard for experts, or the aggressive use of pressure to make them align their views with the wishes of the political leadership, Harel said.

It will be clear to Israelis, too, that the conflict that has unfolded over the past month was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conduct a campaign at this scale with full US backing. Other flare-ups may occur but the chance of such sustained hostilities repeating seems remote.

Trump balked at the point of most dangerous escalation including over the question of deploying ground troops, hugely unpopular in the US among voters in part because of the extreme cost, and highly damaging to the global economy.

It will not have been lost on some that having secured his long-sought war  and seen it fail  Netanyahu is unlikely to get a redo with US backing.

Given that has been an obsessive political selling point of the Israeli prime minister for years, one may ask: what now is the point of him?

This is now the fourth time in a row  in Gaza, once in Lebanon and twice in Iran  that his boasts of total victory and the removal of existential threats have been exposed as empty promises, wrote Harel.
Jennifer Abbott (PA Wire)

A woman fatally slashed her film director sister in the neck and snatched her diamond-encrusted gold Rolex watch, a court has heard.

Nancy Pexton, 69, is accused of killing her older sibling, Jennifer Abbott, at her flat in Camden, north London, on June 10 last year.

Three days later, a neighbour forced open Ms Abbott's door after becoming concerned he could not hear her corgi dog Prince barking.

Ms Abbott's body was found on her living room floor with a wound to her neck and gaffer tape over her mouth.

She was not wearing her Rolex watch which she was "greatly attached to" and never usually took off, jurors were told.

A court sketch of Nancy Pexton (PA Wire)

Pexton, of no fixed address, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of murdering Ms Abbott.

Opening the case on Thursday, prosecutor Bill Boyce KC said there was no evidence that Ms Abbott was alive after Pexton visited her on June 10.

The sisters had spoken by phone at 11.36am with Pexton travelling by bus to her flat at 12.45pm and staying for an hour.

After allegedly killing her 69-year-old sister, Pexton called her GP and said she had taken an overdose, Mr Boyce said.

She was taken to hospital by ambulance where she stayed before her arrest on June 18, jurors were told.

Mr Boyce told jurors: "She said she could not remember what had happened in the previous 90 minutes, which was the period we say she was undoubtedly in her sister's flat, the period we say she murdered her sister."

Jurors heard that Ms Abbott's body was found at her Mornington Place flat on the afternoon of June 13.

The victim's niece, Mai Pexton, had gone to the property and banged on the door, screaming for her "auntie".

A neighbour decided to break down the door because he could not hear Ms Abbott's corgi dog Prince barking, which he found unusual, the court heard.

He called emergency services after discovering Ms Abbott's partially naked and decomposing body on the floor.

She had a large, gaping "slash-type" wound across her neck and gaffer tape across her mouth, jurors heard.

Ms Abbott's corgi had been locked in the bathroom and was freed by firefighters, Mr Boyce said.

The prosecutor told jurors: "It was in desperate need of a lavatory but was fed and watered and given to Mai to take away in good health."

He told the court Ms Abbott usually wore her Cartier bracelet and gold diamond encrusted Rolex watch which was of "real sentimental value".

The watch that Ms Abbott "never took off" and was "greatly attached" to was later discovered when police searched Pexton's bag, Mr Boyce said.

The defendant allegedly responded: "Oh yes, that's my sister's. She asked me to look after it."

A post-mortem examination found Ms Abbott had sustained a number of stab and slash wounds and a single defensive wound to the right hand.

The defendant, who was nine months younger than the victim and turns 70 on Friday, was effectively homeless and had been staying near Baker Street.

Mr Boyce said the central issue in the case was whether Pexton, who has two adult daughters, was responsible for killing her sister.

She has denied murder and the Old Bailey trial continues.
Jennifer Abbott, 69, was found dead at her home in Camden, north London, in June last year. Photograph: Metropolitan Police/PA (Photograph: Metropolitan Police/PA)

A woman killed her older sister before stealing her gold diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, a court has heard.

Nancy Pexton, 69, appeared before the Old Bailey on Thursday accused of murdering Jennifer Abbott in her north London flat on 10 June last year.

Pexton, of no fixed address, has denied murdering her film-maker sister, then 69, who was found dead on 13 June when a neighbour forced their way into Abbotts Camden flat after becoming concerned by her dogs constant barking. The dog, a corgi named Prince, was found locked in the bathroom, distressed but unharmed.

Opening the case for the prosecution on Thursday, William Boyce KC told the court: [Pexton] said she could not remember what had happened in the previous 90 minutes, which was the period we say she was undoubtedly in her sisters flat, the period we say she murdered her sister.

The court heard that Abbotts neighbour called emergency services after finding her decomposing and partly naked body on the living room floor with tape across her mouth and a large slash-type wound across her neck. A subsequent autopsy revealed that she had sustained a number of stab and slash wounds and a single defensive wound to the right hand.

Abbott was last seen on a doorbell camera walking her dog at 7.36am that morning. She later spoke to Pexton, nine months younger than her, on the phone at 11.36am and arrived at her flat an hour later. The court heard that Pexton stayed at the flat for about another hour before leaving at about 1.45pm.

Jurors were told that Abbott was found without her Rolex, despite the fact that she was greatly attached to the watch and seldom took it off. The Rolex was later found during a police search of Pextons bag. Asked why she had it, Pexton said: Oh yes, thats my sisters. She asked me to look after it.

The court heard that Pextons answer was at odds with what she had told police the day before, when she said she didnt know if Abbott was wearing her Rolex watch that day. She would never take it off, she always wore it.

After the alleged killing, Pexton was found to have called her GP claiming to taken an overdose, leading to her being hospitalised. Before being admitted to hospital, Pexton allegedly told a 999 operator that she had been abused by her family, but they were very powerful and would kill her if she ever reported the abuse to authorities.

The blue dungarees Pexton wore on the day of the alleged murder were covered in Abbotts blood, the court heard, and she allegedly asked one of her daughters to wash or dispose of them in hospital. Pexton claimed the blood was a result of her sister suffering a nosebleed while the pair hugged.

Pexton later told police her sister had been in good spirits when she last saw her, and she did not remember details around the time Abbott is thought to have died as she had blacked out.

The trial continues.
If you are a dog parent, you have no doubt witnessed your beloved fur child end up in a situation that has you scratching your head. Youre probably wondering how they managed to get themselves into such a situation in the first place. But all you can do is sit back and laugh at what a furry little goofball they are, LOL.

That might be the best way to view the situation that Sir Lancelot, the Yorkshire Terrier, recently found himself in. He attempted to fight his snake stuffed animal, but somehow ended up losing that fight. Its just one of those things that only a goofy dog can somehow manage to do.

This fight definitely started off in Sir Lancelots favor. He had his snake stuffy by the throat, and he wasnt letting go. In fact, based on this footage, we would say that Sir Lancelot was actually giving this stuffed snake a pretty good thrashing.

Related: This Determined Yorkie Proves Anything Is Possible With a Bit of Self-Confidence

But somehow, that didnt last very long. Next thing Sir Lancelot knew, the tables had turned. All of a sudden, his inanimate snake toy was winning the fight. And this snake really did a number on Sir Lancelot, managing to pin him pretty good without any hope of escape.

This Was a Very Lopsided Battle, LOL

A Yorkshire Terrier lying on the floor.Image via Shutterstock/PeopleImages (Image via Shutterstock/PeopleImages)

Viewers on social media had a lot to say about this one. Some reviewers on social media were very worried when they first saw this video because, from certain angles, this snake looked totally real.

People commented that For a split second, I thought it was real, LOL! They also remarked that after they realized the snake was not real, they found this video to be hilarious: LOL! I thought it was real, I got sad, then started laughing, LOL!

Other people commented that Sir Lancelot clearly likes to act like he is a tough dog, and they have seen similar behavior from their own canine companions: LOL, I love when they start acting tuff! I tell my dog when he's slinging his stuffed animals around, whoop his sass, boo. LOL!

While other people remarked that dogs have a natural flair for the dramatic: Dogs are great tragic actors, LOL. Mine is absolutely the same.

Although some commenters also believed that this fight was not over, noting that Sir Lancelot looked like he was not done yet: Look at Sir Lancelot's eyes! He is still fighting! The battle is not lost!

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 Apr 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
China's homegrown pop culture fuels rise of 'guzi' economy

People's Daily Online) 13:17, April 09, 2026

China's "guzi" economy, centered on merchandise inspired by anime, gaming and other pop culture elements, is rapidly moving from a niche circle into the mainstream, becoming a new trend in cultural consumption.

From collectibles tied to intellectual properties to trendy items like badges and figure display stands, the booming guzi economy not only reflects the evolving consumer preferences of younger generations but also highlights a new trend of diversified cultural consumption in China.

The country's guzi economy reached 168.9 billion yuan ($24.5 billion) in 2024, up 40.63 percent year on year, and is projected to exceed 300 billion yuan by 2029.

Bag charms as part of the merchandise of Chinese animation movie "Nobody" are pictured at a toy factory in Dongguan, south China's Guangdong Province, Aug. 11, 2025. (Photo by Zheng Jiaxiong/Xinhua)

"Products like guzi should not be seen merely as imported goods, and the guzi economy can't be reduced to just emotion-driven consumption by young people," said Lin Wei, a professor at Zhejiang University. "The practice of purchasing cultural products based on cultural elements and community engagement is a long-established habit in China."

The rise of homegrown IPs is transforming the guzi market. In recent years, merchandise linked to Chinese anime and games has seen consistent growth in sales, with more domestic guzi products now taking center stage in stores.

"A growing sense of cultural confidence is the key driver behind the popularity of guzi products," said Liu Yaqiong, an associate professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics. She noted that turning cultural affinity into actual spending requires continued efforts in strengthening IP content and improving supply chains.

In the past two years, several places, including Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Sichuan Province, have introduced policies to support the sector.

Beijing's Dongcheng district, for example, has proposed boosting the guzi economy by supporting derivatives from anime and film IPs and immersive consumer experiences, with subsidies covering up to 30 percent of project investment, capped at 3 million yuan.

Shenzhen has made the development of the guzi economy a priority in its government work report, while Sichuan has, for the first time, included it in a provincial policy document, encouraging well-known IPs to expand into trendy merchandise such as designer toys and digital collectibles.

The policy signals indicate that the guzi economy is now recognized as a major driver of emerging consumption trends, a key platform for promoting Chinese culture, and an important growth area for cultural trade. With policy support, domestically developed guzi products are set to shift from one-off viral successes to sustainable, long-term growth.

Leading companies are already offering useful examples. In 2025, Yuewen Group's IP merchandise business recorded over 1.1 billion yuan in gross merchandise value, more than double its 2024 figure. Yuewen Group is a pioneer in China's online literature market.

According to Hou Ding, general manager of Yuewen Group's IP derivatives business, the company has built a comprehensive ecosystem covering diversified IP development, a full range of product categories, and integrated online and offline operations, and will continue exploring new product lines.

Liu called for more targeted support in areas such as overseas IP promotion, international exhibitions, and cross-border e-commerce to help domestically developed guzi products reach global markets and share Chinese culture with the world.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Many are commonly contributing between $25,000 and $100,000 or more, often as gifts

COLUMBIA, Mo., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Bank of Mom & Dad" is playing an increasingly powerful role in the next generation's path to homeownership. About 6 in 10 parents (59%) have provided or plan to provide financial assistance to help their child buy a home, according to a new survey released today by Veterans United Home Loans, the nation's largest VA loan lender.

The survey highlights a growing trend: families stepping in to help overcome affordability challenges in today's housing market. That support is especially common among the military community, with 68% of Veterans and service members saying they have helped or plan to help, compared with 49% of civilians.

The findings point to a housing landscape where many parents see financial support not just as generous, but increasingly necessary.

"Today's affordability challenges are making it harder for many younger buyers to get a foothold in the housing market," said Chris Birk, vice president of Mortgage Insight at Veterans United. "For some families, that means stepping in where they can to help bridge gaps around upfront costs or qualification hurdles, even if it means stretching their own finances or making sacrifices elsewhere."

Down Payments Top the List

Helping with a down payment is the most common reason parents step in, cited by 43% of respondents. Another 37% said they want to help their child qualify for a mortgage, while 33% pointed to covering closing costs.

The results underscore two of the biggest barriers to homeownership: saving enough cash upfront and meeting lending requirements. But many parents are also thinking long term. A third (33%) said they want to help their child build equity and long-term wealth, while 27% aim to reduce monthly payments. One-quarter (25%) said they want to help their child purchase a home in a better neighborhood or school district.

How Parents Are Providing Support

Parents are using a wide range of strategies to support their children, with direct financial contributions leading the way:

33% have provided or plan to provide a down payment contribution

30% are gifting cash

30% are paying off debt to improve buying readiness

27% are assisting with closing costs

27% are allowing children to live at home to save

25% are covering furnishings or home improvements

23% are paying moving expenses

In many cases, that assistance comes with no strings attached. Among parents who have helped or plan to help, 57% say the support is a gift, while 20% say it is a loan and 23% describe it as a combination of both.

Big Dollars, Bigger Commitments

The financial stakes are often significant. Thirty percent of parents say they have contributed or expect to contribute between $25,000 and $49,999, while 23% plan to give between $50,000 and $99,999. Another 12% expect to contribute between $100,000 and $199,999, with smaller shares planning even larger amounts.

To fund that support, parents are tapping a variety of resources:

65% are using checking or cash accounts

50% are drawing from investment accounts

35% are leveraging home equity

32% are using retirement accounts

27% are relying on inheritance or trust funds

Some parents are taking an even more direct role in the homebuying process. Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) have co-signed or plan to co-sign a mortgage. Another 17% have purchased or plan to purchase a home outright for their child, and the same share have provided or plan to provide a private loan.

"At the end of the day, this is about families working together to navigate a challenging market," Birk said. "For parents who are in a position to help, it can be a powerful way to open the door to homeownership sooner and set up their children with a stronger financial foundation for the future."

To view the full survey, including methodology, visit https://www.veteransunited.com/education/parents-help-kids-buy-homes/

About Veterans United Home Loans

Based in Columbia, Missouri, the full-service national direct lender financed more than $23.8 billion in loans in Fiscal Year 2025 and is the country's largest VA lender, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. The company's mission is to help Veterans and service members take advantage of the home loan benefits earned by their service.

VeteransUnited.com | 1-800-884-5560 | 550 Veterans United Drive, Columbia, MO 65201 | Veterans United Home Loans NMLS # 1907 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). Private lender. Not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Licensed in all 50 states. Military advisors are paid employees of Veterans United. For State Licensing information, please visit www.veteransunited.com/licenses. Equal Housing Opportunity.

SOURCE Veterans United Home Loans
Russian servicemen fire a self-propelled gun at an undisclosed location in Ukraine on Thursday. The guns will fall silent for an Easter truce, Vladimir Putin has said - Russian Defence Ministry/EPA/Shutterstock

Vladimir Putin has announced an Easter truce across Ukraine.

After repeated proposals from Volodymyr Zelensky, the Kremlin said on Thursday night that its forces would stop fighting from Saturday afternoon until Sunday.

Volodymyr Zelensky told The Rest is Politics podcast on Thursday that he had irrefutable evidence that Russia had been providing intelligence to Iran to support Tehrans military strikes in Israel and the Gulf - The Rest is Politics/SWNS

In connection with the approaching Orthodox holiday of Easter, a ceasefire is declared from 4pm on April 11 until the end of the day on April 12, 2026, the Kremlin said. The holiday is celebrated on April 12 in both Russia and Ukraine.

Moscows military has been given orders to cease military operations in all directions for this period, the statement said, adding: We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation.

While the news may offer some relief to Ukrainians, Kyiv will be highly sceptical about whether Russia really intends to cease fighting.

Last year, Putin unilaterally declared a 30-hour truce only for both sides to accuse each other of breaking it within hours.

Ukraine accused Russia of using the temporary ceasefire as cover to improve its front-line positions, with thousands of attacks reported along parts of the 640-mile front.

There has been no immediate response from Kyiv, although Mr Zelensky had been pushing for an Easter truce for the past few weeks. Earlier on Thursday, the Kremlin said Putin had not made a decision.

If the truce is confirmed by Ukraine, it would be the second-longest declared pause in the fighting since the war began four years ago.

Several rounds of US-led talks have failed to bring an end to the deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World War, and negotiations have largely stalled since Washingtons attention shifted to Iran.

A US E-3 Sentry aircraft in ruins after an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan airbase in Saudi Arabia. Russia has been accused of providing intelligence for such attacks - X

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Zelensky claimed that Donald Trump was ignoring proof that Russia had been aiding Irans strikes on US bases in the Middle East.

The Ukrainian leader claimed to have irrefutable evidence that Russia had been providing intelligence to Tehran, and that Moscows satellite imagery had supported Tehrans strikes on US military assets and energy facilities in Israel and the Gulf states.

Mr Zelensky argued that the White House had disregarded the evidence because it trusted Putin.

Did we hear a reaction from the US to Russia that they have to stop it? Mr Zelensky asked in an interview with the podcast The Rest is Politics. I think this is the problem, that they trust Putin. And its a pity.

Mr Zelenskys rebuke is the latest sign of souring ties with the White House, which has come under scrutiny for adopting what Kyiv perceives as an increasingly pro-Kremlin posture.

Russian satellites carried out dozens of detailed imagery surveys of military sites and critical infrastructure across 11 Middle Eastern countries between March 21-31, according to a Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by Reuters.

According to the assessment, Iran systematically targeted the relevant sites with ballistic missiles and drones within days of the surveys.

Smoke rises from a US naval base in Bahrain after an Iranian attack - Planet Labs PBC/AFP

Mr Zelensky appeared to attribute Washingtons reluctance to act on the findings to Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the US negotiators, who he said had spent too much time with Putin and senior Kremlin officials.

This has created obstacles in the process of striking a peace deal in the Ukraine war, he said, because US negotiators are too inclined to trust the Kremlins misleading claims.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held talks in Alaska in August - Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Im sure that they had a lot of different conversations with Putin and his team, Mr Zelensky said of the negotiators, who visited Moscow five times in 2025 and have not yet been to Kyiv.

And its a pity, but we have to recognise that partially Americans are feeling that [Donbas] is nothing for us. And they dont want to recognise that Putin will lie to them and that he can continue the occupation even after such steps.

They are sure, Americans are sure  that they can trust Putin.

Mr Zelenskys remarks follow increasingly belligerent rhetoric towards Kyiv from Washington in recent days.

Mr Trump on Tuesday praised Viktor Orban, Hungarys prime minister and Russias closest ally in Europe, because he didnt allow people to storm your country and invade your country like other people have, and ruin their countries.

Vance renews attacks on Ukraine

On Wednesday, JD Vance, the US vice-president, criticised Mr Zelensky for what he called completely scandalous remarks about Mr Orban. He also accused Ukraine of [shutting] down pipelines, causing suffering among the Hungarian people in an effort to influence an election.

Under Mr Trumps second administration, the White House has cut US military aid to Ukraine by 99 per cent. In 2025, it moved from direct donations of military aid to a model in which Nato allies purchase US weaponry to be sent to Kyiv. The US also withdrew from an international body intended to hold Russia accountable for war crimes.

There have subsequently been fears of increased US-Russian economic co-operation. The Ukrainian president said in February that the US and Russia are discussing bilateral economic agreements worth trillions of dollars.

In March, Mr Trump eased sanctions on countries buying Moscows oil, offering the Kremlin a substantial economic boost just as its budget appeared to be under strain from reduced oil revenues.
Catches of cod being unloaded at the Peterhead fish market in Scotland. Consumers have now been told to avoid UK-caught cod. Photograph: Murdo Macleod/The Guardian (Photograph: Murdo Macleod/The Guardian)

Consumers should completely avoid buying UK-caught cod, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has said, as it warned that populations have reached a dangerous point of decline despite zero-catch recommendations.

The MCS, an environmental charity, publishes a Good Fish Guide to help consumers and businesses make sustainable seafood choices.

On Thursday it downgraded all UK-caught cod to the worst possible rating, recommending consumers choose European hake as a flaky white fish alternative.

Kerry Lyne, Good Fish Guide manager, called the downgrade a warning signal, and said the UK government needed to address these concerns to allow stocks to recover.

The ratings for trawled scampi have been downgraded for the same reason  now, only pot- or creel-caught scampi are recommended by the guide.

Cod populations have been in decline since 2015. The main cause is overfishing, although changing sea temperatures and other ecosystem pressures have affected breeding and juvenile survival.

Last year the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) recommended a zero-catch policy for 2026 in the North Sea and adjacent waters.

It said that at this stage of decline, commercial fishing would risk pushing cod populations in the North Sea below the numbers needed for safe reproduction.

This advice has not been followed, but in December the minister for food security and rural affairs, Angela Eagle, announced a 44% cut in cod fishing for 2026. The decision was made in annual negotiations with the EU and Norway about their shared stocks.

At the time, an industry publication reported that fishers were reluctantly resigned to the cut as they were seeing fewer cod than usual.

Concerns about cod fishing echo those expressed over mackerel this time last year. When persistent overfishing caused by quota disagreements between the UK and its coastal neighbours depleted fish stocks, mackerel was removed from the Good Fish Guide recommended list.

More recently, Waitrose announced that it will stop selling mackerel by 29 April, saying fishing must be kept within sustainable limits.

Last year, the governments allowed-catch level for mackerel was set 32% above the ICES advice.

Chris Graham, head of sustainable seafood at the MCS, said: Its deeply concerning seeing so many of our iconic fisheries  from cod to mackerel  under increasing pressure.

He echoed Lynes calls for the government to take strong action in transitioning to low-impact fishing practices to help rebuild stocks and reduce reliance on imports. About 80% of the seafood consumed in the UK is imported.

The MCS has asked consumers to consider more sustainable alternatives to UK cod, such as Icelandic cod, which is abundant and not subject to overfishing. More locally, European hake is recommended as a sustainable choice, as is haddock, particularly if caught in the North Sea or west of Scotland.

Other options for shoppers wanting to make sustainable choices include seabass or plaice from the North Sea, and UK-farmed seafood such as blue mussels and freshwater trout.

The MCS updates its Good Fish Guide advice twice a year, depending on the latest scientific advice. In particular it looks at stock levels and plans for management.
Orla Wates, 19, was riding pillion when the driver of the motorbike lost control

A British building tycoons teenage daughter has died following a motorbike crash in Vietnam during her gap year.

Orla Wates, whose father is a director of the 2.4bn Wates building firm, was thrown off the back of the motorcycle when the driver lost control.

The 19-year-old, who had been planning to start a degree at Durham University, had been travelling on the Ha Giang Loop, a popular motorcycle route in northern Vietnam. She was taken to the Viet Duc Friendship Hospital in Hanoi but died on Thursday.

Her parents, Andrew and Henrietta Wates, released her organs for transplants, saving the lives of five critically ill Vietnamese patients.

Andrew Wates, whose construction company is based in Surrey, reportedly received a letter of gratitude from Vietnams health minister for releasing his daughters organs

In a video posted on the hospitals Facebook page, Mr Wates said: Vietnam was a country she loved, so to give back to Vietnam is very important to us.

His wife said: She had the best time here, and she was loving every minute of it. So it is our way of thanking you.

It is understood their daughter was riding pillion on the bike when she was thrown to the ground and run over by an oncoming truck, causing extensive injuries. The cause of last weeks accident is still under investigation.

She was treated in intensive care but died with her parents at her bedside on Thursday. Her liver, two kidneys and two corneas were donated to patients at the hospital.

The Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam is mountainous with steep climbs, sharp bends and narrow roads - Hans Gert Broeder

Mrs Wates told Viet Nam News: We would like to thank Dr Trinh Van Dong and the ICU team at the hospital who cared for Orla.

At this extremely difficult time for our family, we chose to donate Orlas organs, as we believe that if there were a way to give opportunity to others, this is what Orla would have wanted. Knowing that she is living on through them brings us great comfort.

A representative from the Viet Duc Friendship Hospital said: In the face of profound grief, her family made a deeply compassionate decision that transcended nationality and race  to donate her organs, giving others a chance at life.

The act has moved many, as her gift now offers hope to patients suffering from organ failure in Vietnam. One journey has come to an end, but her life continues quietly and resiliently in others who have been given a second chance.

In recognition of her parents actions, Dao Hong Lan, Vietnams minister of health, reportedly wrote a letter expressing her condolences and gratitude.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Orla Wates, following her tragic death in Vietnam. We are in touch with the local authorities, and our consular staff are doing all they can to support Orlas family at this hugely difficult time.
Sir David Attenborough described Doug Allan (above) as one of his most gifted colleagues - Doug Allan

An award-winning cameraman who worked on Planet Earth and Blue Planet has died while trekking in Nepal.

Doug Allan, 74, was on a climbing trip in the South Asian country before his death on Wednesday.

He worked alongside Sir David Attenborough for many years, following a chance encounter in 1981.

The 99-year-old broadcaster previously described Allan as one of his most gifted colleagues, whose uncanny understanding of animals and ability to endure adverse conditions enabled him to capture breathtaking, perfectly composed shots.

He won Bafta and Emmy awards for his work and was made an OBE in 2024 for services to broadcast media and environmental awareness.

Doug Allan worked with Sir David Attenborough for many years, following a chance encounter in 1981 - David Parry/PA Images

His management company, Jo Sarsby Management, said he had died immersed in nature and surrounded by friends.

In a tribute to him, they said: A true pioneer of wildlife film-making, Doug captured some of the most breathtaking and intimate moments in the natural world. Doug leaves behind a visual legacy that few could ever match.

His work brought audiences closer to the wonders of our planet, inspiring awe, understanding and deep respect for the planet.

When we think of Doug, we will always remember his unforgettable kindness and his extraordinary talent.

Doug Allan was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire - Andrew Matthews/PA

Originally from Dunfermline, Fife, Allan graduated from Stirling University in 1973 with an honours degree in marine biology.

In 1976, he became a research diver on the British Antarctic Survey station at Signy Island in the South Orkneys, where his interest in filming developed.

Doug Allan is said to have had an uncanny understanding of animals - Doug Allan

He previously described how a chance meeting with Sir David led to his decision to become a wildlife cameraman.

While in the Antarctic, Sir David arrived at their base and he quickly realised what he wanted to do.

I helped him for a couple of days and, quite literally, at the end of those two days I looked at the cameraman and thought, You know, you are doing all the things I like doing, Allan said.

Doug Allan sold his footage of emperor penguins to the BBC - Doug Allan

On the next trip he took a 16mm camera and managed to sell his footage of emperor penguins to the BBC. Thats where it all started, he added.

Sir David wrote the foreword to Allans book Freeze Frame, in which he recalled their first encounter.

Doug Allan filmed in some of the planets most extreme environments - Nature Picture Library/Alamy Stock Photo

He wrote: I was standing on the edge of the sea ice in Antarctica looking down at the black water. A head materialised many feet down, slowly rose, surrounded by bubbles, and broke the surface.

It was Doug. He removed the mouthpiece of his breathing apparatus and said, in the Scottish accent with which I was to become very familiar, I want to make natural history films for television. How do I start?

Allan went on to film in some of the planets most extreme environments.

Sue Flood OBE, his ex-wife, also paid tribute to Allan, describing his influence on her life as profound.

She said: Doug was a brilliant and incredibly determined cameraman and photographer, who will also rightly be remembered as the passionate conservationist he was, whose legacy is the incredible body of work which has inspired so many.
Grassroots Mobilization Drives Momentum for First-of-its-Kind Legislation

NEW YORK, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Amazon Teamsters and their allies rallied at city hall today in support of the Delivery Protection Act, later testifying in favor of the bill before the New York City Council Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection. The landmark legislation, introduced by Councilmember Tiffany Caban, would outlaw Amazon's controversial Delivery Service Partner (DSP) model across the five boroughs.

"For too long, Amazon has posed an existential threat to the safety of its workers and our neighborhoods," said Thomas Gesualdi, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16. "This company is using every trick in the book to try to kill the Delivery Protection Act, but there is nothing they can do to stop the Teamsters."

Amazon uses a network of third-party contractors known as DSPs to control workers and avoid legal responsibility for last-mile operations. This model creates dangerous conditions for DSP workers and communities alike. Last year, the New York City Comptroller's office found that injury rates at last-mile delivery facilities in the city are more than triple the national average for private employers, a staggering figure driven in large part by Amazon's operations.

"Amazon Teamsters generate billions for this company in New York City alone, yet they face the most dangerous working conditions in the industry," said Randy Korgan, Director of the Teamsters Amazon Division. "Amazon has proven it does not care about the safety of its workers or the communities they deliver to or taking accountability and responsibility for the Amazon Drivers that wear their brand. The Delivery Protection Act is the only way to hold Amazon accountable in New York City."

The Delivery Protection Act was reintroduced earlier this year and quickly secured majority support in the city council after an intense lobbying campaign led by rank-and-file Amazon Teamsters and their allies.

"This bill is supported by a diverse and massive coalition of DSP drivers just like me. And it's opposed by a trillion-dollar behemoth and its proxies," said Matt Multari, an Amazon driver at the DBK1 facility in Queens. "For the safety of our communities and Amazon workers, the City Council needs to pass the Delivery Protection Act."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents over 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:

Matt McQuaid, (771) 241-0015

[email protected]

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Internalising stress

One former technology service provider owner who understands what Davis is talking about is former Blackbird IT co-founder Richard Stafford.

He founded the business with Ben Corbett in 2007. It was originally called LeetGeek and was focused on being an Apple integration consultancy. By 2016 it had it evolved into the professional services provider it is today.

In October 2025, Stafford and Corbett sold the business to Evergreen and its operating company Lyra Technology.

After selling the business, Stafford said he is still recovering from burnout.

One of the reasons why I exited the company is because I was so burnt-out, he told ARN. I was suffering from depression and anxiety.

I was stressed and not because I had so much work to do  its because I just couldnt do the work.

At the time, Stafford had a number of personal issues that had him examining the way he examined his emotional stress and neurodiversity, especially as a man. Although men are generally getting better at discussing the issues that are contributing to their stress, Stafford believes his whole upbringing of harden up and men dont cry has contributed to the ongoing stigma around men seeking help.

Not only that, but emotional immaturity as well  within yourself and in identifying that within others, he said. If you cant get in touch with your own emotions, its very hard to be empathetic to other people.

If your buckets full because youre dealing with stress, whether its work-related, or personal relationships, a little thing can tip you over. Ive been guilty of that so many times myself.

Stafford acknowledges that theres a certain irony in life. When people are born, theyre innocent. Then they inherit values and belief systems from parents and surrounding environment. Afterwards they spend their adult life trying to undo those beliefs, he observed.

Im rediscovering that in myself, and thats helping me to build my emotional intelligence, Stafford said. With men, Ive experienced them getting defensive, dismissive, or deflective. Youve got to question whats actually under that and whats going on for them.

Exploring his own mental health meant understanding that when he was feeling upset, his emotions werent recognised, which led to a feeling of being shut down and not being named. For certain men, this has meant not having the right language to explain what they were dealing with internally.

As an example, Stafford equated the situation to an operating system.

If you remember when you install Windows XP, Windows 7 or Windows 10 fresh, its super-fast, and then it bloats out over time with updates from Microsoft, he explained. It just gets slower over time.

If youre not dealing with that fragmentation of emotions over time  [its] only going to get worse.

Letting go of ego

To help deal with these internalised conflicts, the industry needs to have more conversations around the challenges and issues faced by technology service providers as well as the impact on their lives.

Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ) chair Maria Armstrong said the obstacle the community faces when it comes to discussing issues they may have is its nebulous nature.

Too often people dont see the benefit. They view it as a social club, or a drink, she told ARN. Its not until they need to call on their community that they find how impactful it truly is.

Often, thats when things are so rocky that its borderline too late. Those who lean into the community the most are generally people whove been in the trenches, faced challenges, and had the support from the community.

Part of the solution for this is normalising when things are going wrong without feeling shame, said Stafford.

If theres more conversations around burnout [and] leading with vulnerability, I think that will help with the problem, he suggested. People in our community need to be vulnerable enough to talk to each other.

As part of Staffords need for transparency, he said there was a particular situation that occurred during his time leading Blackbird IT that he wasnt prepared for as leader  and probably not something that anyone should prepare for in leadership.

We had to get counselling for our staff, inform customers, and steady the ship, he said. It was extremely triggering for me on a personal level, but I had to deal with it.

Growth isnt in the comfort zone, and Ive been uncomfortable so many times.
IDC has reiterated its warnings that a long-drawn out war in the Middle East is likely to drastically reduce global IT spending for 2026.

The research firm had already cut its 2026 IT spending growth forecast to 9 per cent because of the conflict, a reduction from the 10 per cent growth rate projected before the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February. But any spending growth could drop to 5 or 6 per cent if the fighting drags on for a long time, Stephen Minton, group vice president at IDC, said during a client briefing last week.

An expected macroeconomic slowdown resulting from global oil shortages and sharply higher energy costs will affect business confidence and consumer spending, Minton said.

Though the war between the US, Israel, and Iran is on pause for now, US President Donald Trump has made increasingly dire threats against Iran. The fighting has already caused disruptions in supply chains that could interrupt hardware upgrades and AI infrastructure buildouts. (IDCs estimates were made for Trump announced a two-week cease fire late Tuesday. Its unclear what happens next.)

IDCs current forecast is conditional, meaning its contingent on any fighting ending by summer. If things are wrapped up within the next two or three months, that does leave half a year for recovery [for] oil prices to normalise, supply chains to reopen, and for economic growth to recover, Minton said.

Fighting that drags on beyond that time frame would have a bigger impact on IT spending and economic growth. The longer this goes on and the longer this leads to elevated oil prices, which could have a significant impact on economic growth and then consequently IT spending in the second half of the year, Minton said.
by Sumon Corraya

An uncontrolled outbreak has caused dozens of deaths since 15 March. Among the victims is Risa, aged 7 months; her twin sister Ruhi is in a critical condition in Dhaka. Hospitals under pressure and structural shortcomings are exacerbating the crisis. The government has launched an emergency vaccination campaign. Fr Costa: Measles requires specialised wards and staff.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) - The twins Risa and Ruhi were like two flowers on the same stem. Just seven months old, they were the only daughters of Zakir and Kanika, a young couple from the Jaina Bazar area, in the Sreepur upazila, Gazipur district, near Dhaka. Parents who had many dreams for them, all shattered by the measles epidemic currently sweeping through Bangladesh.

The two girls fell ill with measles about ten days ago. Initially treated at a local hospital, they were transferred last week to the Bangladesh Shishu (Childrens) Hospital in Dhaka as their condition worsened. They were in critical condition. Risa was taken to intensive care, but attempts to save her failed: she died yesterday morning in her mothers arms. Ruhi has been placed in the same bed: her condition remains critical as she continues to fight for her life.

Risa was one of 11 children who died in the last 24 hours, up to 8 am on Tuesday, from measles and measles-like symptoms, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of these deaths, one child died from laboratory-confirmed measles, whilst the other 10 died with symptoms.

These latest deaths bring the total number of child deaths since 15 March 2026 to 149. Official figures show that 21 children died from measles, whilst others died with related symptoms, often before laboratory confirmation could be completed. The authorities reported that nine of the children who died in the last 24 hours were from the Dhaka division, whilst the other two deaths were from the Rajshahi and Sylhet divisions.

The rapid rise in infections and deaths has sparked a heated debate in the Bangladeshi parliament. On Monday, the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain, harshly criticised the countrys two previous governments, accusing them of being responsible for the current vaccine crisis and the worsening measles outbreak.

Over the past five and a half years, no vaccination campaign against measles and rubella has been conducted, compounded by short-sighted decisions regarding vaccine stocks, the minister told parliament. He added that the current government had launched an emergency vaccination campaign starting on 5 April 2026.

The minister was responding to a motion on a matter of urgent public importance raised by Akhtar Hossain, MP for Rangpur-4. Hossain drew attention to the spread of measles across the country, the shortage of isolation wards and intensive care facilities, and the rising number of infections among children as young as six months old.

Under the emergency plan, health authorities will prioritise measles vaccination in 30 upazilas across 18 districts identified as high-risk areas. The upazila of Barguna Sadar currently tops the list due to its high infection rate. The campaign targets 1.2 million children aged between six months and five years.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has suspended all forms of leave for doctors and healthcare workers nationwide during the emergency period. In an official order issued yesterday, the Directorate stated that the decision aims to ensure uninterrupted medical services and the smooth distribution of vaccines, whilst hospitals struggle to cope with the influx of patients.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Fr Lintu Francis Costa, executive director of St John Vianney Hospital run by the Archdiocese of Dhaka, said that many smaller hospitals are not equipped to handle severe cases of measles. Measles is a highly contagious disease and requires isolation wards and specialised staff, he explained. When children with severe measles symptoms are referred to us, we send them to Dhaka Childrens Hospital, where state-of-the-art treatment facilities are available.

Fr Costa noted that not all hospitals in Bangladesh have the capacity to treat measles patients safely, although his hospital is considering setting up dedicated services in the near future. As hospitals fill up and parents wait anxiously outside overcrowded wards, the stories of Risa and Ruhi reflect the fear spreading across the country: an epidemic which, doctors warn, could claim more young lives unless vaccination efforts are rapidly scaled up and sustained.
by Gregory

A military-dominated government was approved today following elections deemed a sham by the international community. But while General Min Aung Hlaing consolidates his power by merely changing his clothing, the exiled opposition and the ethnic groups fighting on the ground are uniting in a common political structure.

Yangon (AsiaNews)  In the capital Naypyidaw, Myanmars military junta has completed the formal transition to a formally civilian government under General Min Aung Hlaing, appointed president on 3 April. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the country, forces resisting this regime are trying to reorganise to propose a democratic and federal union.

This morning, Myanmars parliament  which is dominated by the pro-military USDP party that won in the sham elections held in December and January  approved a list of 30 ministers with most positions filled by former military officers or figures from the previous administration.

General Tun Aung, former head of the Air Force, takes over the Ministry of Defence, while former ambassador to China Tin Maung Swe moves to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Beijing has expressed its support for the new president, emphasising continuity in bilateral relations.

The transition was a formality designed to legitimise military rule dressed up in civilian clothes after Min Aung Hlaing resigned as Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services on 30 March, a move required to comply with the 2008 Constitution, drafted by the military, which bans serving members from assuming the presidency.

Command of the Armed Forces of Myanmar (Tatmadaw) passed to General Ye Win Oo, a key figure in military intelligence, whose rapid rise highlights his close personal ties to Min Aung Hlaing.

In his first speech, Ye Win Oo reaffirmed his commitment to the doctrine promoted by the current president ("Study, Train, Comply"), in full operational continuity.

General Kyaw Swar Lin was appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the Defence Services, replacing Soe Win, who many analysts believe is a potential rival to Min Aung Hlaing.

The current reorganisation consolidates the governments control over the armed forces, minimising the risk of internal dissent.

But while the regime rebuilds its institutional facade, an alternative political project is taking shape in other parts of the country.

In remote regions and disputed territories, pro-democracy groups and the armed forces of ethnic minorities fighting the regime are consolidating an unprecedented political and military alliance with the aim of creating a federal union.

On that same 30 March, the National Unity Government (NUG) in exile, composed of former lawmakers from Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (who was arrested during the 2021 coup and has been held incommunicado ever since), announced the creation of the Steering Council for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union (SCEF), a body that will transform the resistance from an informal military alliance into an institutionalised political structure.

The new council brings together key opposition actors: the NUG; the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), expression of the last democratically elected parliament in 2020; and the armed branches of the main ethnic minorities, including the Kachin Independence Organisation, the Karen National Union, the Karenni National Progressive Party, and the Chin National Front.

The project aims to highlight existing federal entities and ethnic organisations, in agreement with the people, and recognising the central role of women.

KNU leader Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win stressed this last point, noting how female participation is essential to the success of a future federal union.

The SCEF has set six key objectives: removing the dictatorship, ensuring civilian control over the armed forces, abolishing the 2008 constitution, drafting a new democratic federal charter, building the state on new foundations, and implementing comprehensive transitional justice processes.

According to the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, which brings together expert observers, this is a timely and significant development that deserves the recognition and support of the international community, which should go hand in hand with cutting off relations with the military regime in Naypyidaw.

In effect, the NUG has adopted a pragmatic approach, leaving ethnic forces in charge of operations in their respective territories, particularly in Kachin, Karen, and Kayah States, where ethnic groups often cooperate with the People's Defence Forces (PDF).

Photo: Carsten Yangon / Shutterstock.com
Todays headlines: the Chinese Foreign Ministers two-day visit to Pyongyang, the first since 2019; Arrest warrant issued for corruption against Nepals former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba (and his wife): Jakarta plans to ban vapes and e-cigarettes; The Moscow Academy of Sciences revives the idea of reversing the flow of Siberian rivers.

PAKISTAN - MIDDLE EAST - USA

The Pakistani authorities, architects of the (fragile) truce between the United States and Iran, have declared a two-day public holiday on 9 and 10 April in Islamabad, on the eve of the peace talks scheduled for tomorrow in the capital. No reasons were given for the decision, although similar measures have often been taken in the past for security reasons. However, the devastating attacks launched yesterday by Israel in Lebanon, which today is observing national mourning and mourning at least 182 victims (according to some sources up to 254), the vast majority of whom were civilians, are undermining diplomatic efforts: in fact, in the last few hours, Tehran has described the meeting as unreasonable, although a delegation from the Islamic Republic is expected to arrive in the country this evening.

MYANMAR

Parliament today approved a list of 30 ministers who will form Myanmars new government, led by the head of the junta (and newly appointed president) Min Aung Hlaing, in which the military, as expected, will play a dominant role. Most of its members are retired senior military officers or officials from the previous coup-led administration. Former ambassador to China Tin Maung Swe will take up the post of foreign minister.

CHINA - NORTH KOREA

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi begins a two-day visit to North Korea today, as part of efforts to revitalise ties that have cooled following the Covid-19 pandemic and Russias invasion of Ukraine. Wangs last visit to Pyongyang was in late 2019. The shared aim is to strengthen strategic communication and enhance exchanges and cooperation.

NEPAL

Kathmandu has issued an arrest warrant for 79-year-old former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on corruption charges, the latest in a series of high-profile figures targeted by the new government. He is currently abroad for medical treatment and denies all charges, describing them as false propaganda. His wife and former foreign minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, is also under investigation.

INDONESIA

The National Narcotics Agency has proposed a ban on vaporisers or e-cigarettes, due to growing concerns over their misuse as narcotics or psychotropic substances. Laboratory results reported by the National Narcotics Agency in February show that at least 35 of the 341 e-liquid samples tested positive for illicit substances, including cannabis, methamphetamine and etomidate, a narcotic under Indonesian health regulations.

INDIA - BANGLADESH

India is considering releasing snakes and crocodiles along the border with Bangladesh, according to the Border Security Force, with the aim of curbing unauthorised crossings along a border stretching over 4,000 km. A vast and often unfenced territory, with several waterways defining a border that crosses the Sundarbans, the worlds largest mangrove forest. The use of reptiles was reportedly discussed at a meeting in February at the Ministry of the Interior.

RUSSIA

The Russian Academy of Sciences is seeking to revive the grand Soviet project to reverse the flow of Siberian rivers, which was very much in vogue during Leonid Brezhnevs era but was subsequently abandoned due to ecological risks and protests from academics at the time. Today, the head of the water research laboratory, Mikhail Bolgov, believes that Siberian river waters could be used to supply Russias new regions in Ukraine and Crimea, which are suffering from severe water shortages.

ARMENIA - AZERBAIJAN

In Stepanakert, the capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the Azeris have destroyed one of the symbols of the Armenians presence in the territory, the Theatre Fountain located on the grounds of the Vagram Papazyan Drama Theatre. An act which, for the Armenians, forms part of a specific policy aimed at eliminating every trace of Armenian cultural heritage and erasing the cultural history of the long-disputed territory; for this reason, they are appealing to the international community.
Last year, Japan expelled 318 foreigners, a 30 per cent increase over the previous year, and is now aiming to speed up repatriation procedures, despite severe labour shortages. NGOs denounce the risk of violating the principle of non-refoulement of refugees and a growing climate of fear, even among those who have lived in the country for years.

Tokyo (AsiaNews)  The tightening of immigration policies in Japan is fuelling fear and uncertainty among foreign residents and asylum seekers, some human rights organisations report.

According to official data, a record number of 318 foreign nationals were expelled in 2025, a 30 per cent jump over the previous year and a direct consequence of the "Zero Illegal Foreign Residents Plan, a policy launched last May to fast-track the expulsion of people who had applied for asylum multiple times.

Of the expelled migrants, 52 had applied for international protection three or more times.

The policy reflects Japanese society's growing intolerance toward the presence of foreigners whether residents or tourists.

The Japan Association for Refugees (JAR), however, is saying that the rise in expulsions is generating a climate of intense insecurity among foreigners, including those who have lived in the country for decades or risk persecution in their countries of origin, as well as minors who grew up in Japan and are perfectly integrated linguistically and culturally.

JAR has already reported cases of repatriated people facing persecution after returning, including a Kurdish family sent back to Turkey last year: the father was arrested upon arrival.

In 2025, Japan recognised 187 refugees, three fewer than the previous year, while asylum applications increased from 8,377 to 14,832.

Most residence permits were granted to Afghans, while 26 were to people from Yemen.

Overall, 12,636 asylum applications were rejected in 2025 alone. According to JAR, this included people who clearly qualify as refugees, like individuals from conflict areas or victims of violence and detention.

Among people from Myanmar for example, only nine out of 1,490 applicants were granted refugee status, the lowest figure since the military seized power in a coup in 2021 and sparked a civil conflict that continues today.

Japans conservative government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi intends to continue with the Zero Plan, aiming to halve the number of undocumented people who have already received a deportation order, currently around 3,000 foreigners.

One of the plan's goals is also to reduce application processing times, which dropped from over 33 months in 2022 to less than six months, to prevent migrants from working during provisional release periods and thus complicate deportations.

According to several observers, the public debate is being influenced by rising xenophobic attitudes, driven in turn by a downturn in the economy, a trend that contributed to the electoral success of the hard line proposed by the current government in the February elections.

At the same time, however, the foreign presence in Japan, which is severely short of labour, continues to grow: in 2025, it surpassed four million people for the first time, up by nearly 10 per cent.

Chinese nationals represent the largest group (over 930,000), followed by Vietnamese (681,000) and South Koreans (407,000). Communities from Myanmar (+36 per cent) and Indonesia (+33 per cent) are also growing at a fast pace.

Photo: Tokyo Immigration Office in Minato-ku, Tokyo, Caito/Shutterstock
Propel Fire Up Entrepreneurship Program

OAKLAND, Calif., Apr. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of the California Propel Local News Initiative, the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education is launching two cohorts to support California journalism entrepreneurs. An informational webinar is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. PDT on Friday, April 10.

One of the main goals of the Fire Up program is to help news organizations with California audiences become more sustainable by addressing revenue, audience, product and community. Participants will work with experts in business, audience strategy and other topics.

The program will include a combination of intensive in-person workshops and virtual training sessions for seven months, starting in July. A second version of the program will run in 2027.

There will be three in-person convenings of Fire Up program trainees. The first in-person meeting will take place for two days in late July 2026, with exact dates and location (within the state of California). The next in-person sessions will take place October 2026 and January 2027.

This program requires two virtual meetings per month in August, September, November and December.

Each meeting  in person and virtual  requires attendance by someone with financial decision making authority and another decision maker from the organization. All meetings must be attended by both delegates from each organization.

Selected organizations will receive a total of $20,000 in staggered payments.

Fire Up is led by Maynard Institute Co-Executive Director Evelyn Hsu and Deputy Director Doris Truong. Trainers/mentors include Fran Scarlett, principal of Scarlett Ink Media, and Dickson Louie, principal of Louie & Associates. Applications for the 2026 program are due by 11:59 p.m. PDT on May 1, 2026.

For more than 45 years, the Maynard Institute has fought to push back against the systemic lack of diversity in the news industry through training, collaborations and convenings. We are creating better representation in U.S. newsrooms through our programs which give media professionals the tools to become skilled storytellers, empowered executives and inspired entrepreneurs.

The Maynard Institute's programs are open to all. We are creating better representation in U.S. newsrooms through our programs which give media professionals the tools to become skilled storytellers, empowered executives and inspired entrepreneurs.

SOURCE Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
9 April 2026 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Ulviya Poladova | AzerNEWS

Saudi Arabias 2030 vision lays out a blueprint for the kingdom's long-term goals and expectations reflecting its strengths and capabilities. Some of the principles target the kingdom becoming a "global investment powerhouse" and aim to transform the country's unique strategic location into a global hub connecting three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa.

A key objective of Vision 2030 is to reduce the Kingdom's reliance on oil revenues, particularly in light of fluctuating oil prices. The plan aims to attract private capital and foreign investment to stimulate growth in non-oil sectors. With a focus on diversifying its economy away from oil dependence, Vision 2030 encompasses a wide array of projects and investments that promise to redefine the future of Saudi Arabia.

The program also includes plans to privatize state-owned enterprises, including parts of the oil sector, which can attract foreign investment and expertise. Initiatives to streamline regulations and improve the business environment are being implemented to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation.

Azerbaijan's evolving economic and strategic ties with Saudi Arabia represent another edge of Vision 2030's broader ambitions. The deepening relationship reflects Azerbaijan's pivot toward diversified partnerships beyond its traditional markets. According to the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, direct investments in Saudi Arabia surged to $15.789 million in 2025, a remarkable increase that underscores the growing engagement between the two countries.



Despite this sharp rise, Azerbaijans investments in Saudi Arabia still account for only 0.6% of its total outward foreign direct investment (FDI), indicating significant potential for further expansion. At the macro level, while foreign direct investment into Azerbaijan's economy saw a decline, its outward FDI rose substantially by 43.4%, signaling a shift towards a more outward-looking investment strategy.

Economist Fuad Gasimov noted that investment relations between Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia are becoming increasingly strategic, especially within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the Kingdoms economy beyond oil. In his comment for AzerNEWS, Azerbaijan's recent progress in key areas that bring the country in focus. F Gasimov says that Azerbaijan is emerging as an important partner due to its strategic geographic position at the crossroads of key transport corridors linking Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East, as well as its ongoing economic transformation focused on non-oil sectors, infrastructure, digitalization, and green energy. He emphasized that the interests of both countries are well aligned: Saudi Arabia is seeking new avenues for global capital expansion, while Azerbaijan is looking for long-term strategic investors. According to him, this cooperation is already evolving beyond traditional diplomacy into deeper institutional partnerships involving sovereign wealth funds, government bodies, and private-sector players.

Moreover, Gasimov highlighted that Azerbaijan offers several highly attractive opportunities for Saudi investors, particularly in construction and infrastructure. He pointed to tourism infrastructure as a key area, noting the countrys active development of coastal, mountainous, and newly liberated regions, which could benefit from Saudi Arabias extensive experience in large-scale hospitality and resort projects. Expert also stressed the importance of residential construction and smart city development, especially in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, where entirely new, technologically advanced urban environments are being built. In addition, he identified industrial and logistics real estate as a direction, driven by Azerbaijans growing role in the Middle Corridor and increasing demand for modern logistics hubs and industrial parks. Expanding business activity is also fueling demand for commercial real estate, including offices, shopping centers, and business parks. Overall, he described the partnership as mutually beneficial, enabling Saudi Arabia to diversify its investments and strengthen its presence in Eurasia, while providing Azerbaijan with capital inflows, job creation, technology transfer, and improved infrastructure standards.

Looking ahead, Gasimov underscored that innovation could become a central pillar of bilateral cooperation in the coming decade. He explained that both countries are shifting toward knowledge-based, technology-driven economies, creating strong potential for collaboration in areas such as tourism, fintech, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and smart city solutions. He particularly emphasized tourism as a promising sector, where Saudi expertise in smart tourism technologies, such as AI-driven personalization, digital platforms, and automated hospitality systems, could accelerate Azerbaijans development in this field. Beyond that, he suggested practical mechanisms for cooperation, including the creation of joint innovation funds, startup accelerators, technology incubators, and research and development centers, combining Saudi financial resources with Azerbaijans growing technological ecosystem and strategic regional position.
9 April 2026 17:30 (UTC+04:00)

Elnur Enveroglu Read more

Lithuania, one of the three Baltic states alongside Latvia and Estonia, has emerged as a dynamic, export-driven economy within the European Union. With a GDP per capita exceeding $25,000, Lithuania has steadily converged towards the EU average, underpinned by macroeconomic discipline and structural reforms since its accession to the bloc.

Exports form the backbone of its economic model, accounting for a significant share of GDP. The countrys annual exports surpass $50bn, spanning machinery, chemicals, refined petroleum products, and high-value-added services. Its strategic location has enabled Lithuania to position itself as a logistics and transit hub linking Western Europe with Nordic and Eastern markets.

As part of the Baltic economic cluster, Lithuania benefits from a reputation for digital innovation, fiscal prudence, and resilience against external shocks. Despite challenges stemming from regional security tensions and supply chain disruptions, its medium-term outlook remains positive, driven by EU investment flows, green transition policies, and continued diversification of trade partners.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Lithuania have long been cordial, rooted in the shared experience of post-Soviet state-building and a mutual commitment to sovereignty. But what is unfolding today is less about continuity and more about quiet recalibration.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene's recent visit to Baku now looks more than a routine diplomacy with another handshake, another communique, another carefully staged affirmation of bilateral goodwill. However, such a reading would miss the deeper significance of the moment. In a swiftly changing geopolitical landscape, even seemingly modest engagements can carry disproportionate weight.

Lithuanias outreach to Baku reflects a broader European effort to re-engage with the South Caucasus not as a peripheral theatre of frozen conflicts, but as a region of growing strategic relevance.

This shift is not occurring in a vacuum. Europes search for energy security, accelerated by the rupture in relations with Russia, has placed Azerbaijan in a new light. Once seen primarily through the prism of conflict and geopolitics, Baku is now increasingly regarded as a pragmatic partner in ensuring stable energy flows and diversifying supply routes. For Lithuania, a country that is acutely sensitive to the vulnerabilities of energy dependence, it is a strategic necessity.

Energy is only part of the story. The visit also underscores the importance of connectivity. Azerbaijans positioning along emerging transport corridors linking Asia to Europe has transformed it into a critical node in the Middle Corridor. For European states seeking alternatives to traditional routes, cooperation with Baku offers both opportunity and urgency. Lithuanias interest in this space signals an awareness that infrastructure, as much as diplomacy, will define the next phase of regional integration.

There is, too, a political dimension that should not be overlooked. Lithuania has consistently supported Azerbaijans territorial integrity, a stance that aligns with broader principles of international law. In the aftermath of Azerbaijan's restoration of control over its territories, the conversation is gradually shifting from conflict resolution to post-conflict engagement. Reconstruction, trade and long-term stability are beginning to replace the language of mediation and ceasefires.

And yet, the symbolism of the visit matters precisely because it is understated. In contrast to the grand gestures that often dominate international headlines, Lithuanias approach is measured, almost deliberately low-key. It reflects a recognition that influence in todays world is not always asserted through dramatic interventions but often built through steady, incremental engagement.

For Azerbaijan, the benefits of such partnerships are clear. Diversifying its foreign policy beyond traditional regional frameworks has become a defining feature of Bakus diplomatic strategy. Engagement with European states like Lithuania not only broadens its strategic options but also reinforces its role as a bridge between regions.

Still, caution is warranted. The South Caucasus remains a complex and contested space, where external interests frequently intersect and, at times, collide. For Lithuania, and for Europe more broadly, engagement with Azerbaijan must balance strategic ambition with a nuanced understanding of regional dynamics.

What, then, should be made of this visit? Perhaps its true significance lies not in any single agreement or announcement, but in what it represents: a gradual, almost imperceptible shift in how Europe sees the South Caucasus, and how countries like Lithuania are choosing to act on that perception.
9 April 2026 18:00 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

The world has grown accustomed to wars that do not end. The ongoing war in Ukraine, four years since Russias annexation, has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, created an icy frontline across eastern Europe, and yielded no result that can be described by either side as a victory. The ongoing war between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, begun on 28 February following years of brinkmanship surrounding Irans nuclear program, has lasted for forty days (and is lasting for now, per se) and interrupted about twenty percent of global oil production. It continues to this day to yield ceasefire negotiations which have been rejected outright by both parties.

In light of all the above, there is one war in which military tacticians and historians alike have turned their attention towards, ending as it did after a mere 44 days, with such a decisive victory as the modern battlefield hardly delivers. In autumn 2020, Azerbaijan began its military campaign against Karabakh, a region held under occupation by Armenians for almost three decades. Azerbaijan achieved its objective. Furthermore, it took just one day, in September 2023, for it to achieve total control over the area in question. Finally, in August 2025, when both presidents signed the peace accord at the White House, it formally legitimized the outcome achieved in battle. But then what remains is the question of how they did it.

The long preparation

The first and foremost fact regarding Azerbaijans military triumph in 2020 is that this victory was not secured in forty-four days; it was secured over the previous seventeen years. As Ilham Aliyev was elected as President in 2003, the defense budget of Azerbaijan was $135m, less than what many Western cities spent on their police force. In ten years, using funds generated from the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, it was increased to $2.15 billion.

The expenditure was also planned intelligently in sequence. Over the course of a few years, Baku has established strategic partnerships and expanded bilateral relations, which it struggled to develop since gaining independence. This was achieved by taking advantage of the fact that the operation came after Armenia had not fulfilled four UNSC resolutions, which required it to withdraw from the occupied territories, thus giving legitimacy. In the same way, when the assault started on September 27, 2020, it targeted an opponent that had not modernized its air defence since the end of the Four-Day War in 2016.

Azerbaijan's victory was the result of a strategic clarity that sustained over two decades, knowing what was wanted, building the means to achieve it, and choosing the moment carefully.

It's important to clarify what makes this case analytically valuable and what aspects do not apply to other situations. The 44-day war was a limited territorial conflict with a specific military objective: the recapture of occupied land.

That which is successfully transferred is the strategic framework. The Azerbaijani success lies in setting realistic goals and refusing to stretch them. They built their armed forces through a process of decades rather than rushing into action. They were able to manage the geopolitical context skillfully such that no major power would have enough incentive to get involved on behalf of the other side. They timed their attack at the height of their opponents vulnerability. And they stopped once they reached their goal without overreaching. This is what turns military strength into military success, and this is notably absent from todays headlines.

Perhaps the most telling validation of Azerbaijans strategy is that which happened after the 44-day war. In just three years, the Azerbaijanis had managed to restore the rest of their territories without having another full-scale war by concluding a peace deal with Yerevan at the White House. At present, Azerbaijani oil pipelines transit through Armenias territory, plans for a rail line passage are being drafted, and borders have been recognized on both sides. There has been no frozen conflict left behind in 2020.

It could have gone differently, but it took another round of political decisions, involving patience, diplomacy, and ultimately even American mediation, which went beyond the realm of military considerations. The key is this: Azerbaijani military strategy was built around a political solution from day one. This is the very opposite of what Russias military efforts in Ukraine have produced in the last four years. It is also the antithesis of what the U.S. and Israel have achieved with their bombing campaigns in Iran over the last 40 days. What does success look like when the bombs stop? The answer to this question was already known before the first missile struck the ground.
Minor erosion has been detected in a section of the historic fortress walls early this morning at approximately 05:00, AzerNEWS reports citing the Administration of the Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve.

The affected area is situated on Kichik Gala Street, specifically at the intersection of towers 13 and 14.

The preliminary expert assessments attribute the damage to natural erosion and moisture buildup caused by continuous atmospheric precipitation in recent days.

Immediate operational measures were launched following the incident.

The site has been secured under full administrative supervision, and all necessary precautionary steps have been taken to ensure public safety. Restoration efforts are currently underway to remediate the damaged section of the monument.

The preservation of historical heritage and the safety of citizens remain the highest priorities for the Reserve Administration, which continues to monitor the situation closely.
9 April 2026 17:50 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Azerbaijan is renowned for its rich and diverse plant life, with thousands of species thriving across its varied landscapes.

To better understand and document this natural wealth, the Institute of Botany of the Ministry of Science and Education has launched a major scientific research program titled "Synopsis of the Azerbaijan's Flora," AzerNEWS reports.

The program aims to systematically study the country's flora, exploring everything from common plant species to rare and endemic varieties unique to Azerbaijan. The research will culminate in the publication of a comprehensive book, "Synopsis of the Azerbaijan's Flora," scheduled for release by the end of the year.

Leading this ambitious project is Professor Seyyara Ibadullayeva

The Azerbaijan is distinguished by its exceptionally rich and diverse flora. More than 4,500 species of flowering plants grow across the country, making its plant life significantly more varied than that of other South Caucasus nations. Overall, Azerbaijan accounts for about 66 percent of all plant species found in the Caucasus region.

The country is also notable for its abundance of relict plant species dating back to the Tertiary period. These species are found throughout Azerbaijan, but are especially widespread in the Talysh region. Among them are ironwood, Lankaran acacia, chestnut-leaved oak, Caucasian persimmon, and boxwood. In addition, around 240 plant species are endemic, meaning they grow naturally only within the country.

Azerbaijan's vegetation includes nearly all major plant distribution types, such as ancient forest, boreal, steppe, xerophytic, desert, Caucasian, and adventive types. Ancient forest vegetation is most prominent in the Talysh region, while boreal plants are typical of the mountainous zones of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. Steppe, desert, and xerophytic vegetation dominate the plains and foothills, particularly in the Kura-Araz Lowland, where dry conditions favor these plant communities.

Wetland ecosystems are also widespread, especially in lowland areas, coastal zones, and around lakes and marshes. These environments support dense reed beds and a variety of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants. Along riverbanks, irrigation canals, and swampy areas, tall grasses and reed thickets form distinctive landscapes. On the Absheron Peninsula, sandy habitats host rare and short-lived plants that grow rapidly in spring and disappear just as quickly.

Forest ecosystems in Azerbaijan are highly diverse and vary by region and elevation. Tugay forests grow along major rivers such as the Kura River and the Araz, where species like poplar, willow, and elm are common.

Lowland forests in regions such as Guba-Khachmaz and Karabakh include oak, hawthorn, and medlar trees. The forests of the Talysh region are particularly unique, forming part of ancient Hyrcanian ecosystems with relict species and dense vegetation.

In mountainous areas of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, broadleaf forests are found at elevations between 600 and 1,800 meters, dominated by oak and Oriental beech.

Azerbaijan's diverse landscapes and climates make it one of the most botanically and ecologically rich regions in the Caucasus.
9 April 2026 12:51 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

The Senate of Kazakhstan has ratified an agreement on strategic partnership in the field of green energy with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, marking a step forward in regional energy cooperation, AzerNEWS reports.

According to Kazakh media reports, the law ratifies a trilateral agreement aimed at strengthening collaboration in clean energy production, transmission, and efficiency. The document envisages joint efforts in developing and trading environmentally friendly hydrogen and ammonia, as well as creating a unified technical and administrative framework for reliable cross-border transmission of renewable electricity.

The agreement outlines several key provisions. The parties will work to determine technical and commercial conditions for uninterrupted transmission of green electricity, introduce advanced energy efficiency technologies, and develop infrastructure to support energy exports to Europe and other regions.

It also provides for support for expanding internal energy networks and exploring opportunities to connect to the Black Sea submarine power cable, a project aimed at facilitating electricity transmission across the Black Sea.

Institutionally, the agreement establishes a joint Steering Committee on a parity basis, which will meet at least twice a year, alongside a Working Group responsible for preparing annual cooperation plans.

Additional provisions include ensuring confidentiality of shared information and defining mechanisms for resolving disputes through consultations and negotiations.

The ratification reflects growing momentum among the three countries to deepen cooperation in renewable energy and position themselves as key players in the emerging green energy corridor linking Central Asia and the South Caucasus to European markets.
9 April 2026 16:26 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Azerbaijan and Lithuania have discussed the current state and future prospects of their cooperation in political, economic, transport, energy, and other areas, according to a statement from the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers, AzerNEWS reports.

The talks took place during a meeting between Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov and his Lithuanian counterpart Inga Ruginiene, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the development of bilateral relations and highlighted opportunities to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The discussion focused on deepening economic ties, boosting trade turnover, promoting investment opportunities, and strengthening the role of the intergovernmental commission in these efforts.

Transport and logistics cooperation also featured prominently, with particular attention to the Middle Corridor and other international transport routes. Opportunities for joint initiatives in the energy sector were similarly discussed.

Additionally, the leaders addressed collaboration within international organizations and underscored the importance of further developing Azerbaijans relations with the European Union.
9 April 2026 17:10 (UTC+04:00)

President Ilham Aliyev has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the entire Christian community of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the holy Easter holiday.

In his congratulatory message, the head of state noted: The atmosphere of tolerance that has flourished in Azerbaijan for centuries has played a pivotal role in fostering exemplary and harmonious relations among the members of diverse peoples, faiths, and beliefs living in our country. We value the historically rooted ethno-cultural diversity, national-moral values, and multicultural traditions of our society as a unique asset of modern statehood.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the democratic and legal principles upheld in the country today ensure extensive opportunities for everyone  regardless of language, religion, or ethnic background  including the Christian community, to preserve their unique customs, traditions, language, and culture.

I am pleased to note that our Christian compatriots actively participate in socio-political and cultural life, making meaningful contributions to the comprehensive development of our independent state, the President added.
9 April 2026 18:30 (UTC+04:00)

A telephone conversation was held between Jeyhun Bayramov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Mohammad Ishaq Dar, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, AzerNEWS reports via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Jeyhun Bayramov welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached between the United States and Iran, highlighting it as a significant step towards de-escalating tensions, strengthening stability, and improving the humanitarian situation.



The Azerbaijani side particularly praised the significant role played by Pakistan in facilitating the ceasefire. Efforts by the "friendly and brotherly" country to promote peace and stability in the region, foster dialogue between the parties, and build trust were highly appreciated. The parties also expressed hope for successful outcomes from the upcoming talks in Islamabad.

Bayramov highly commended Pakistan's consistent and principled position, as well as its constructive initiatives.

The ministers also exchanged views on other regional and international issues of mutual interest and discussed the development prospects of the Azerbaijan-Pakistan partnership.
PHILADELPHIA, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- National plaintiffs' law firm Berger Montague PC announces an investigation into potential claims on behalf of investors in Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (NYSE: NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company"). The investigation is focused on whether Northern Dynasty and members of senior management violated the federal securities laws or engaged in other unlawful conduct.

Headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Northern Dynasty engages in the exploration of mineral properties, including copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and rhenium deposits.

On February 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a brief in proceedings in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska in support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's veto of the Company's proposed Pebble Mine in Southwest Alaska.

On that news, shares of Northern Dynasty fell $0.80 per share  more than 39%  to close at $1.23 per share on February 18, 2026.

If you are a NORTHERN DYNASTY investor and would like to learn more about this action, CLICK HERE or please contact Berger Montague: Andrew Abramowitz at [email protected] or (215) 875-3015, or Caitlin Adorni at [email protected] or (267)764-4865.

About Berger Montague

Berger Montague is one of the nation's preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions, and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. With more than $2.4 billion in 2025 post-trial judgments alone, the Firm is a leader in the fields of complex litigation, antitrust, consumer protection, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities, and whistleblower cases, among many other practice areas. For over 55 years, Berger Montague has played leading roles in precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago; Malvern, PA; Minneapolis; San Diego; San Francisco; Toronto, Canada; Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, DE.

For more information or to discuss your rights, please contact:

Andrew Abramowitz

Berger Montague

(215) 875-3015

[email protected]

Caitlin Adorni

Berger Montague

(267) 764-4865

[email protected]

SOURCE Berger Montague
9 April 2026 08:00 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

German government spokesperson Sebastian Hille accused United States Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday of interfering in the upcoming Hungarian parliamentary electionc AzerNEWS reports.

During an event with Hungary's right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban earlier today, Vance said the European Union is withholding "billions of dollars" from Hungary and called on voters to "reject these foreign influence operations ... reject the Brussels bureaucrats" and re-elect Orban.

Speaking at a press conference, Hille dismissed Vance's claims. "I would like to point out, since Vance is complaining about the EUs alleged interference in the election, that the US vice president was in Hungary just a few days before the election. This fact alone speaks for itself as to who is interfering," he said, according to Politico.
9 April 2026 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

Full digital access to all news for 1 year

Full digital access to all news for 6 months

Full digital access to all news for 3 months

Full digital access to all news for 1 month

Find the plan that suits you best.

Azerbaijan has revealed the volume of horse meat and frog legs certified for export during the current period of 2026, according to the countrys food safety authority, AzerNEWS reports, citing the Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency.

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!
9 April 2026 10:46 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of NATO following a closed-door meeting with Secretary-General Mark Rutte, raising fresh uncertainty over Washingtons commitment to the alliance amid tensions linked to the Iran conflict, AzerNEWS reports.

The meeting, which had been expected to ease strains between Washington and its transatlantic partners, instead highlighted persistent divisions. Ahead of the talks, Trump suggested the United States could consider withdrawing from NATO, citing frustration over what he described as a lack of support from member states during recent disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The waterway, a critical global energy transit route, had been effectively shut amid escalating tensions with Iran, contributing to a sharp rise in gas prices.

Following the meeting, Trump underscored his dissatisfaction in a social media post written in capital letters: NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. The White House did not immediately provide further details on the outcome of the talks.

Despite the rhetoric, Trump has previously maintained a relatively warm relationship with Rutte. The meeting came shortly after the United States and Iran reached a tentative two-week ceasefire agreement, which includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The ceasefire followed a period of heightened tensions during which Trump warned of potential strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, stating that a whole civilisation will die tonight.

Earlier in the day, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the possibility of leaving NATO had been discussed ahead of Trumps meeting with Rutte, signaling that the issue remains under active consideration within the administration.

In 2023, Congress passed a law that prevents any US president from pulling out of NATO without its approval. Trump has been a longtime critic of NATO and in his first term had suggested he had the authority on his own to leave the alliance, which was founded in 1949 to counter the Cold War threat posed to European security by the Soviet Union.

The crux of the commitment its 32 member countries make is a mutual defence agreement in which an attack on one is considered an attack on them all. The only time it has been activated was in 2001, to support the United States in the wake of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

Despite that, Trump has complained during his war of choice with Iran that NATO has shown it will not be there for the US.

On Wednesday, he also seemed to be angry about NATO's stance on Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark. Trump had pressed for US control over Greenland earlier this year before backing off after talks with Rutte.

REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! Trump posted.
9 April 2026 11:48 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Russia may be ready to enter negotiations with Ukraine on the condition that Kyiv hands over the entire Donetsk region, a proposal that Ukrainian authorities have firmly rejected, AzerNEWS reports.

According to Ukrainian media outlet United24, citing officials in Kyiv, around one quarter of the Donetsk region remains under Ukrainian control, including four heavily fortified cities, making such demands unrealistic under current military conditions.

Ukrainian representatives argue that Russias push for full control of the region reflects its inability to achieve decisive gains on the battlefield. Over the past six months, Russian forces have reportedly made no significant advances in Donetsk and have even lost ground in other sectors.

Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of Ukraines Presidential Office, stated that Russian troops are unlikely to be physically capable of capturing the entire region in the near future due to mounting losses.

As of the first quarter of 2026, Russian forces in the Donetsk region were losing 316 soldiers per square kilometer, he said, noting that this marks a sharp increase compared to 160 losses per square kilometer a year earlier and an average of around 120.

The rising casualty rates, according to Ukrainian officials, point to a broader trend of intensified losses without corresponding territorial gains.

In total, more than 35,000 confirmed casualties were reportedly inflicted on Russian forces in the Donetsk region during the first quarter of 2026, with overall losses exceeding 90,000 soldiers during the same period.

Ukrainian officials say these figures underscore their position that Russia is struggling to achieve its military objectives in eastern Ukraine, even as political narratives around potential negotiations continue to circulate.
9 April 2026 19:45 (UTC+04:00)

By News Centre

The National Security Council (MGK) convened on April 8, 2026, at the Presidential Complex under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During the meeting, developments concerning Turkiyes internal and external security, as well as key topics on the regional and global agenda, were discussed.

The council was briefed on activities carried out both domestically and abroad to counter threats to national unity and the countrys survival, particularly those posed by the PKK/KCK-PYD/YPG, FETO, and ISIS. It was emphasized that efforts in the fight against terrorism continue with determination, resolve, and success.

The meeting also evaluated efforts carried out in line with the Turkiye Without Terrorism goal and the terror-free region vision.

It was underlined that wars, conflicts, and provocations in neighboring countries will not be allowed to sabotage this process, and the aim remains to permanently remove terrorism from Turkiyes agenda.

The council expressed satisfaction with efforts to end the wars between Israel and the United States and Iran, which negatively affect economic balances both regionally and globally. It was also noted that Turkiye will continue to meticulously take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and borders.

Developments in Iraq were also discussed, with an assessment of the impact of ongoing wars and conflicts in the region on Iraq. The importance of protecting the peace, stability, and security environment for the friendly and brotherly people of Iraq was emphasized.

The MGK statement noted that the Israeli administrations ceasefire violations in Gaza, attempts at land appropriation in the West Bank, and actions undermining the historical identity and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Haram al-Sharif harm the peace process and the two-state solution approach.

It was emphasized that Israels expansion of its occupation policies to Lebanon leads to new humanitarian tragedies, and the international community was called upon to act against these unlawful actions. Strong support for Lebanons sovereignty and territorial integrity was reaffirmed.

The meeting also evaluated developments in Syria within the scope of establishing peace, stability, and security. It was stated that Turkiye will continue to decisively support efforts toward an integration process that strengthens the countrys territorial integrity, sovereignty, and unity, based on the principle of a single state and a single army, in line with the law of brotherhood and neighborhood.

The course of the Russia-Ukraine War was also discussed, with emphasis that attacks spreading to the Black Sea and threatening energy security will not be tolerated. All parties were called upon to act with restraint.

According to the MGK communique, we are experiencing a historic period in which the international security environment has been deeply shaken due to wars and conflicts. While Turkiye adheres to the principle of resolving disputes through negotiation and diplomacy, it was stressed that, as an island of stability, the country will continue its efforts to establish peace in cooperation with its allies and friends.
9 April 2026 15:03 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

The Georgian opposition party Lelo has proposed naming the Anaklia Port after U.S. President Donald Trump. General Irakli Kupradze sharply criticized the ruling Georgian Dream, calling its policies isolationist, anti-national and anti-Western and claiming they expose Georgia to risks amid geopolitical instability and ongoing conflicts in the region, AzerNEWS reports via OC Media.

Kupradze emphasized the strategic importance of the Anaklia Deep-Sea Port project, noting that it, along with the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, aligns closely with U.S. priorities under the Trump administration.

The U.S. interest in it has not waned, he added, framing the initiative as a cornerstone of Georgias integration with Western economic and security networks.

In his words, Anaklia Port is a project that has a potential to play a pivotal role in the Black Sea region in terms of economy, security and diversification of the sources of energy there.

The Anaklia project needs to be fully implemented, not just treated as a token process, Kupradze said, adding that the project represents Georgias national and geopolitical choice.

In 2024, the government relaunched a tender for Anaklias development, and announced 45 days later that the tender was awarded to a ChineseSingaporean consortium  a move that has sparked fresh controversy. So far, there is no public information indicating that a contract has been signed with the winner.
9 April 2026 15:25 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Armenias Parliament has approved amendments to the electoral code that prohibit the use of personal names in the titles of party alliances. The move affects the newly formed coalition of RussianArmenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, which had included his name in its alliance title, Strong Armenia, AzerNEWS reports.

The amendments, proposed by three MPs from the ruling Civil Contract party, were passed on Tuesday with 67 votes in favor and 6 against. The changes come just ahead of the 7 June parliamentary elections, with candidate nominations beginning five days later. Civil Contract MPs stated that the previous removal of this provision was a technical error.

Karapetyan, currently under house arrest and facing multiple charges in Armenia, has been named the coalitions prime ministerial candidate. Under the Armenian constitution, however, he is ineligible to run for parliament or serve as prime minister because he holds Russian and Cypriot citizenships in addition to Armenian citizenship and has not lived in the country for the past four years.

The coalition also includes two smaller parties, New Era and United Armenians. Earlier discussions to include more established parties, such as the Armenian National Congress led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, did not result in an agreement.

Opposition figures criticized the amendments as politically motivated. The largest opposition political force that has declared its participation has already announced its name, and suddenly you introduce a law that restricts and prohibits doing that, said Hayk Mamijanyan of the I Have Honour faction, calling the move unlawful.

Ruling party representatives defended the changes, stating that the amendments align with the logic of a proportional electoral system and ensure that elections focus on political parties rather than individual personalities.

As the session was underway, Karapetyans supporters held a protest near the parliament. Video footage shared online showed a small crowd, with some participants either declining to comment or denying involvement. Parliamentary Speaker Alen Simonyan later remarked on social media that the gathering was small and encouraged opposition supporters to visit the area, noting that its actually quite fun.
9 April 2026 15:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Ulviya Poladova

During 2025, at least 326 humanitarians were killed in the line of duty in 21 countries, bringing the total death toll over three years to over 1,010, AzerNEWS reports.

More than 560 died in Gaza and the West Bank, 130 in Sudan, 60 in South Sudan, 25 in Ukraine and 25 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the UNs top aid coordinator, Tom Fletcher.

As the UN press service notes, Resolution 2730, adopted in 2024 with 14 votes in favour and Russia abstaining, unequivocally calls for the respect and protection of humanitarians in accordance with international law.



Despite this clear mandate, the UN's top official for safety and security, Gilles Michaud, highlighted a disturbing reality.

"Perpetrators are rarely held accountable - they are rarely named and shamed, let alone prosecuted," he stated, underscoring a critical lack of accountability that emboldens those who target aid workers.



Fletcher posed critical questions to the Member States, probing the reasons behind this persistent violence. He questioned whether international humanitarian law, once a cornerstone of civilized conduct in conflict, had become inconvenient. He also raised the alarming possibility that perpetrators face no repercussions for their actions, or that humanitarians themselves are perceived as legitimate targets.

In addition it is worth noting that in 2024 at least 383 aid workers were killed during the conflicts.

Credit: Bashar Talep / AFP
9 April 2026 21:55 (UTC+04:00)

By News Centre

The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) held its weekly press briefing on the activities of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) aboard the TCG Anadolu ship due to the live-fire phase of the Blue Homeland-2026 Exercise.

According to information from ministry sources, the Blue Homeland-2026 Exercise, conducted simultaneously in the Black Sea, Aegean, and Eastern Mediterranean, continues successfully. For the first time, a total of 120 ships, 50 aircraft, and 15,000 personnel from the Naval Forces, as well as the Land, Air, and Coast Guard Commands, participated in the exercise. The domestically produced AKYA Heavy-Class Combat Torpedo was fired for the first time from the Sakarya submarine and successfully hit its target.

Within the scope of the TSKs strategy to neutralize terrorism at its source, 10 PKK militants surrendered over the past week during ongoing operations. Meticulous efforts in the Syrian operational areas have resulted in the destruction of new tunnels in the Manbij region, bringing the total length of neutralized tunnels to 768 kilometers to date.

As part of continuous border security operations, 127 individuals attempting to cross the border illegally were apprehended in the past week, two of whom were identified as members of terrorist organizations. Meanwhile, 1,095 individuals were prevented from crossing the border. Since the beginning of the year, the total number apprehended has reached 1,822, and those prevented from crossing number 19,992.

The ministry also announced that domestically produced defense industry products continue to enter the TSK inventory. In this context, the TB-3 UAV and electronic-circuit IED detection systems have been added to the Land Forces Command inventory for the first time. Acceptance activities for the Aksungur and Aknc UAVs and the CATS Electro-Optical systems have been completed under the Air Forces Command. While the second ship under the New Type Landing Ship Project has been commissioned, the third ship has entered the testing phase.

Regarding foreign relations and international missions, it was announced that the Somali Naval Task Group (TCG Gaziantep, TCG Bayraktar, TCG Bartn, and TCG Lieutenant Commander Gungor Durmus) is planned to reach Mogadishu on April 10 together with the Cagr Bey drilling vessel.

The ministrys statement also addressed Israels attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, emphasizing that a temporary ceasefire must evolve into lasting peace, while condemning raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Regarding the National Defense University (MSU) application process, it was reported that during the first two weeks of the candidate preference period, which began on March 25, 70,000 candidates completed their applications. In addition, it was reminded that applications for the recruitment of disabled workers and those in the status of veterans of the fight against terrorism through ISKUR will end tomorrow (April 10).

At the end of the briefing, the 181st anniversary of the Turkish Police Organization was celebrated, and all law enforcement personnel serving for public order and security were thanked.

The MSB also provided the latest information regarding the downed C-130 aircraft:

When the flight data recorder (FDR) records were examined, it was observed that until the moment of the accident, all digital data, crew communications, and aircraft systems continued normally, with no malfunctions detected. The incident occurred suddenly, and due to the separation of the tail cone from the fuselage, the power and data cables of the FDR were severed, ending the recording. Therefore, no additional data relevant to clarifying the accident were available in the recorder.

Detailed examinations of the aircraft engines and propellers revealed that they were functioning normally until the moment of the accident. No evidence was found indicating that the aircraft fuselage was damaged due to propeller separation.

Examinations of samples taken from the wreckage by the Gendarmerie Criminal Department found no traces of explosives inside or outside the aircraft.

The analysis reports of the broken and cut materials are pending. At this stage, it has been determined that the fractures did not begin due to fatigue; however, the materials exhibited brittle fatigue behavior during tensile tests.
9 April 2026 23:00 (UTC+04:00)

By News Centre

The first term meeting of the Turkiye-Syria Economic and Trade Joint Committee (JETCO), along with the Business and Investment Forum, which marks a significant milestone in economic and commercial relations between Turkiye and Syria, was held yesterday in Istanbul. The days first session featured a bilateral meeting between Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat and Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal Shaar. During the meeting, the current state of trade and economic relations between the two countries, as well as potential avenues for cooperation, were discussed in detail.

Under the framework of the JETCO 1st Meeting Protocol, cooperation agreements were signed between the two countries in the fields of product safety and inspection, technical regulations, standardization, conformity, and metrology.

Subsequently, a Round Table Meeting was held with representatives of private sector umbrella organizations to evaluate trade and investment opportunities between the two countries. The meeting, attended by delegations and business representatives from both nations, outlined the steps necessary to raise bilateral trade to the target of $10 billion. By bringing the practical experience of the business community and sectoral expectations directly to the table, the meeting concretely mapped out the roadmap for projects to be implemented, particularly in construction, industry, and logistics.

Trade Minister Omer Bolat noted that they witnessed a historic turning point in economic and trade relations between Turkiye and Syria. He emphasized that the signed protocol is not merely a technical document but a comprehensive roadmap for economic integration between two neighboring and fraternal countries, regional development, and the reconstruction process.

Bolat explained that they discussed all possible solutions and mechanisms to raise bilateral trade, which reached $3.7 billion last year, first to $5 billion and ultimately to the $10 billion target. He stated: While deciding to deepen our cooperation in strategic sectors such as textiles, agriculture, food, and machinery, we also agreed to exchange information on regulatory frameworks to ensure predictability in agricultural trade.

Recalling the agreement to establish a Joint Customs Committee between the Turkish Ministry of Trade and the Syrian Ministry of Border and Customs, Bolat stated that Turkiye completed the approval process on its side on March 27. He added: We will work in close cooperation to make customs crossings fully operational, reduce the need for transshipment, and develop direct delivery mechanisms. Bolat also noted that there was an agreement to actively utilize Turkish contracting firms global experience and technical capacity in Syrias housing, infrastructure, energy, and transportation projects as part of Syrias reconstruction process.

Bolat added: Finally, we are ready to expand our cooperation into broad areas such as energyparticularly in oil and natural gas extractionmining, education through efforts to establish the Turkiye-Syria Friendship University, and healthcare collaboration. We will develop joint projects for the reconstruction and integration of Syrias electricity networks, investments in renewable energy, and exploration of critical minerals such as phosphates, essential for fertilizer production. We sincerely support efforts to reintegrate Syria into the global financial system and to strengthen payment infrastructure.

Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry Nidal Shaar stated that they have begun working with Turkiye on a strong and solid foundation, continuing cooperation in economic, cultural, service, and social fields. Shaar said: We are now solidifying this cooperation on truly strong foundations. We are determined to use all economic opportunities in the best possible way for both countries. Turkiye and Syria share special relations, and we now have the opportunity to expand them. There are significant projects. Beyond economic cooperation, there is naturally also the potential for expansion. We have committed to this path and continue on our way. We also knew that as we proceed, Turkiye stands by our side. Turkiye has truly played a central role in this process and built this bridge. Therefore, we sincerely want to thank the Republic of Turkiye for all its efforts. Work continues on the planned industrial zone in Aleppo. This will have direct effects on other projects and the business environment.
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CB&I today announced the completion of an asset sale agreement, previously announced on December 24, 2025, to acquire Petrofac's Asset Solutions business, a leading provider of operations, maintenance, wells and decommissioning services for onshore and offshore energy assets.

"Today we embark on an exciting new era for our company as we welcome approximately 3,000 Asset Solutions colleagues to CB&I," said Mark Butts, CB&I President and CEO. "This acquisition strengthens CB&I's portfolio with a complementary reimbursable contracting business, delivering predictable cash flow and enhancing service capabilities. It also supports CB&I's diversification into integrated services, expands customer relationships, and opens pathways for growth in international markets."

The acquisition provides Asset Solutions with access to CB&I's strong, debtfree balance sheet and global liquidity, enabling the business to operate from a position of financial strength. This enhanced stability ensures continuity of service delivery for customers and creates a solid platform for expanding capabilities across key markets internationally.

"Joining CB&I marks a transformative milestone for our team and our customers," said John Pearson, Chief Operating Officer of CB&I Asset Solutions. "With the backing of CB&I's financial strength, global reach, and operational capabilities, the business is exceptionally well positioned to accelerate our growth ambitions. Asset Solutions is now able to invest with confidence, expand service offerings, enhance the reliability and efficiency of the assets we support, and deliver even greater value to customers around the world."

The sale has been agreed on a debt-free cash-free basis. The net proceeds from the transaction will be distributed to secured creditors in accordance with the intercreditor agreement entered between Petrofac and secured creditors.

About CB&I

CB&I delivers integrated storage and assetmanagement solutions that help customers operate safely, reliably, and efficiently across the lifecycle of their facilities. Through our two global business units -Storage Solutions, the world leader in tanks, terminals, and storage systems, and Asset Solutions, a leading provider of operations, management, wells and decommissioning services - we combine technical excellence with execution capability to extend asset life, optimize performance, and maximize value. CB&I is owned by a consortium of financial investors led by Mason Capital Management LLC. To learn more, visit www.cbi.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

CB&I cautions that statements in this communication that are forward-looking, and provide other than historical information, involve risks, contingencies, and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about the expected timing and execution of projects, and statements that describe our business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions, or goals. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Those statements are based on various underlying assumptions and are subject to numerous risks, contingencies, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, including, among others: adverse changes in the markets in which we operate or in credit or capital markets; our inability to successfully execute on contracts in backlog; changes in project design or schedules; the availability of qualified personnel; changes in the terms, scope, or timing of contracts, contract cancellations, change orders, and other modifications or actions by our customers and other business counterparties; changes in industry norms or codes or applicable laws; actions by lenders, other creditors, customers, and other business counterparties of CB&I; and adverse outcomes in legal or other dispute resolution proceedings. If one or more of these risks materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. This communication reflects the views of CB&I's management as of the date hereof. Except to the extent required by applicable law, CB&I undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

SOURCE CB&I STS Delaware LLC
9 April 2026 18:18 (UTC+04:00)

by Alimat Aliyeva

Pyongyang conducted several significant weapons tests this week, including a tactical ballistic missile warhead and an electromagnetic weapon system, AzerNEWS reports.

According to a report, On April 6, 7, and 8, the National Defense Academy and the General Directorate of Rocket Science of the DPRK carried out tests of an electromagnetic weapon system. The exercises assessed the systems combat applicability as well as the destructive power of a tactical ballistic missiles cluster warhead.

The report highlighted that the tests demonstrated the Hwasongpo-11a surface-to-surface tactical missiles cluster warhead can destroy a target area of 6.57 hectares with extremely high density, emphasizing the weapons destructive potential.

In addition, North Korea tested carbon-fiber replica bombs and a short-range, mobile anti-aircraft missile system, signaling advances across multiple areas of its military capabilities.

On Wednesday morning, South Koreas Yonhap News Agency reported that the South Korean military detected the launch of several short-range ballistic missiles from DPRK territory toward the Sea of Japan.

South Korean military estimates indicate the missiles traveled approximately 240 kilometers. This marks the fourth ballistic missile launch by North Korea so far this year, highlighting Pyongyangs continued focus on expanding and modernizing its weapons arsenal.

Interestingly, analysts note that the combination of electromagnetic systems and cluster warheads could point toward North Korea exploring more sophisticated area-denial capabilities, a shift that could have implications for regional security dynamics.


"I am Government Man"

Sources & References

Considering what real news is available for all to witness, and in great specificity, should one pursue what is true outside of the channeled realm of the corrupt corporate /legacy media, and: Is Institutionalized Corruption real, and is it a hindrance to sustaining our Constitutional Republic now, and for future generations of American citizens? Yes No Not sure 508 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



Small cities rarely make headlines. Their struggles - fiscal mismanagement, leadership vacuums, the slow erosion of public trust - play out in school gymnasiums and wood-paneled council chambers, witnessed by a handful of residents and largely ignored by the world outside. Washington, North Carolina, a Beaufort County seat of roughly ten thousand souls sitting at the confluence of the Pamlico River and the coastal plain, is one of those cities. And it is quietly facing a governance crisis that deserves far more scrutiny than it has received.On Monday, the Washington City Council is expected to vote to hire Jonathan N. Rorie as its next permanent city manager. The offer has been extended. The vote appears to be a formality. It should not be.The case against rushing this hire begins with Rorie's own record and ends with the troubling political machinations that have brought his name to the top of the list - a combination that, taken together, ought to give any serious deliberative body serious pause.Start with Peachtree City, Georgia, in 2019. As city manager, Rorie advanced a resolution that would have authorized the use of taxpayer dollars to fund lawsuits against residents, journalists, and social media users who criticized public officials. This was not a fringe position quietly floated in committee - Rorie personally promoted it, told a local television reporter he did not think citizens should have the ability to publicly question their officials, and when pressed on why public money should be used to silence public dissent, offered no answer at all. A First Amendment attorney at Emory University used the proposal as a live teaching case in government overreach. The Peachtree City Council voted it down unanimously after an outpouring of citizen opposition. The fact that Rorie initiated it at all is not a footnote. In a city like Washington - where the council has spent months trying to rebuild public confidence after a period of financial mismanagement and state fiscal oversight - installing a city manager with a documented instinct toward silencing critics is not a personnel risk. It is an institutional one.The Spring Lake chapter of Rorie's career is no more reassuring. His 21-month tenure in that Cumberland County town - itself a cautionary tale of municipal dysfunction, having cycled through more than a dozen city managers in seventeen years - ended in February 2026 when three newly elected commissioners voted to terminate his contract without cause. Sources with direct knowledge of the board's internal deliberations say that a persistent lack of transparency was at the heart of the decision. All information between staff, board, and public, they say, flowed through Rorie - creating a bottleneck that left elected commissioners uninformed and the public in the dark. The word those sources used to describe his approach was "overbearing." In a council-manager form of government, where the elected body depends on the professional administrator for accurate, timely, and complete information, that is not a stylistic complaint. It is a structural failure. Rorie has now left or been removed from three consecutive positions in under four years - and the fact that he is being seriously considered for Washington's top administrative post in the immediate aftermath of a Town Manager of the Year departing this city speaks less to Rorie's qualifications than it does to the naked desperation of Perreault, Tyre, and the far-left coalition that has rallied around them.There is also the matter of civic identity. Washington is a conservative, faith-rooted community where the church is not an institution on the margins of public life but woven into its civic fabric - in its neighborhoods, its schools, its civic associations, and its history. Residents have every right to ask whether a city manager who has made identity-driven hiring the signature emblem of his professional identity - prominently and repeatedly citing his appointment of an openly lesbian police chief as a defining statement of his management philosophy - is the right philosophical fit for this particular community. This is not a legal question. Courts have settled those matters. It is a question of whether the priorities Rorie carries into a city reflect the values and the people of that city, or whether he arrives with a prepackaged administrative identity he applies regardless of context. Washington's residents deserve an honest answer.What makes that question sharper still is a troubling revelation from multiple sources and public records: Councilmen Anthony Tyre and Max Perreault - in apparent violation of proper state statute and established procedural best practices - directed Interim City Manager Bobby Roberson to halt a police chief search that was already in its final stages. That position now sits conspicuously vacant. It appears to have been deliberately held open so that Rorie could make that exact hire his first act in office. If accurate, this is not political hardball. It is an abuse of the council's authority over a public institution, carried out at the expense of a city that needs leadership, not leverage.That brings us to the conduct of the councilmen themselves - and here, frankness is required. The public behavior of Perreault and Tyre toward Interim City Manager Bobby Roberson has been, by any reasonable standard, an embarrassment to the offices they hold. Their contempt for Roberson has been performed openly at council meetings - interruptions, dismissals, pointed humiliations dressed up as policy concerns - conduct serious enough that multiple potential city manager candidates have reportedly declined to pursue the position after observing it. What the cameras have not captured is worse. Sources with direct knowledge say that Perreault, on multiple occasions and behind closed doors, has screamed at Roberson and cursed him out with a ferocity that staff members have heard through walls. This is elder abuse. Bobby Roberson is a public servant who has given more than forty years of his life to this city and the region. He is owed basic dignity. The citizens who elected these councilmen are owed an accounting.Perreault's own profile invites scrutiny. A recent transplant to Washington, he rebranded himself as a Republican for electoral purposes while now governing by a set of values that bear no relationship to the conservative community he sought to represent. He has now aligned himself with the council's Democrat members in a coalition whose central purpose appears to be Roberson's removal - and Rorie's installation as the vehicle for it. That Rorie himself does not appear in state voter registration files for any North Carolina county - despite nearly two years living and working in the region - is a civic data point the council ought to explain before asking Washington's taxpayers to trust him with their city.Monday's vote should not be a formality. This council owes its residents more than a rushed decision engineered by a political coalition with a personal vendetta and a vacancy it helped manufacture. Washington has real challenges ahead - electric utility restructuring, fiscal recovery, long-term credibility with state oversight bodies. Those challenges demand a city manager chosen for Washington, not one chosen against Bobby Roberson.The citizens of this city are watching. They should be.
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.
PITTSFIELD  The school administration is moving quickly to secure a spot in line for possible state aid to upgrade Pittsfield High School, even as city leaders warn they may lack the borrowing capacity for a full-scale construction project.

Making that happen will require some logistical gymnastics, the School Building Needs Commission learned Tuesday. The application deadline to submit a "statement of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for potential improvements is April 17.

Before it can be handed in to the state, however, the plan requires endorsements from the City Council and the School Committee. That means the paperwork must be finished by Thursday so it can be reviewed at a special commission meeting Monday and included on the City Council and School Committee agendas for next week.

Whats more, its not clear that the core state school building program would be appropriate to fund updates to the 95-year-old building. Mayor Peter Marchetti said the city lacks the borrowing capacity to take on another school construction project and is in favor of pursuing the state's accelerated repair program instead.

"We have been advised by our city auditor that we're at our borrowing capacity from the operating budget standpoint. So I have concerns of moving forward," he said.

While willing to support the school securing its place in line for funding, "when we get to the point in time where it's time to make financial decisions, the city may have to reevaluate our position," he said.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority funds a percentage of school construction projects, with communities paying the difference. For Pittsfield, the state picked up 80 percent of the bill for Taconic High School, and is set at 78.9 percent for a new elementary school at the Crosby Elementary School campus.

Interim School Superintendent Latifah Phillips, who announced last month that the district will pursue getting Pittsfield High onto the list of potential future projects, is interested in moving forward with this step because the next application window for state funding wont come around for another two years.

Joining remotely, Phillips acknowledged that financing any work at Pittsfield High would need to be carefully considered. But she also said she wants to know more about Pittsfield Highs condition, including what other potential headaches the 95-year-old building might have in store.

Pittsfield High School underwent a renovation and addition in the mid-1970s, including the construction of Moynihan Field House.

In theory, the accelerated repair program  which is helping to pay for roof and window replacements at McCann Technical School in North Adams  would be used to address the buildings inefficient windows, the pipes connecting the schools brand new boiler to classrooms, and possibly the roof.

The accelerated repair program is intended to help extend the life of school facilities and promote energy efficiency. However, its terms and conditions state it will not provide grants for facilities that [have] more extensive capital repair needs beyond repair or replacement of the roof, windows/doors and/or HVAC system.

While Pittsfield Highs new boiler is state-of-the-art machinery, the nearly century-old pipes connected to it have corroded with time, greatly reducing their capacity to move heat through the building. Whats more, many of those pipes are hidden behind walls.

City building maintenance director Brian Filiault warned that tracking down and replacing the high school's old pipes would likely involve tearing apart walls. That could lead to unanticipated abatement costs, depending on whats behind those walls.

We're probably in the $35 to $40 million range, Filiault said. But then what I mean by that is just the minimum. If you want to get into the whole thing and do it properly, its a much bigger project.
You are the owner of this article.
The ribbon hanging from the First Congregational Church spire during a 2007 rally in Williamstown depicted the rise of carbon in the atmosphere.
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.
Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm to discuss their rights and options at no cost or obligation. We would handle any matter on a contingent fee basis, whereby you would not be responsible for out-of-pocket payment of our legal fees or expenses.

Shareholders should contact the firm immediately as there may be limited time to enforce your rights.

NEW YORK, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating whether certain officers and directors of The Estee Lauder Companies, Inc. (NYSE: EL) breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders.

If you currently own Estee Lauder stock and are a long-term shareholder, you may be able to seek corporate governance reforms, the return of funds back to the company, a court-approved financial incentive award, or other relief and benefits. Please click here to learn more about your legal rights and options or contact Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or [email protected] or [email protected]. Our firm would handle the action on a contingent fee basis, whereby you would not be responsible for out-of-pocket payment of our legal fees or expenses.

Why Your Participation Matters:

Shareholder involvement can help improve a company's policies, practices, and oversight mechanisms to create a more transparent, accountable, and effectively managed organization, which can enhance shareholder value.

Halper Sadeh LLC represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Halper Sadeh LLC

One World Trade Center

85th Floor

New York, NY 10007

Daniel Sadeh, Esq.

Zachary Halper, Esq.

(212) 763-0060

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLP


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.
The Government should put Irish neutrality to a public vote, Sinn Fein have said.

The party launched their policy, Protecting Irelands Neutrality, in Dublin on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at the event, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said if the Government wanted to dismantle the Triple Lock on neutrality they are honour bound to go to the people and seek the democratic mandate.

Sinn Feins defence spokesman Donnchadh O Laoghaire at the launch of the partys policy, Protecting Irelands Neutrality, in Dublin (Bairbre Holmes/PA)

The Triple Lock is the mechanism for sending Irish troops on peacekeeping missions.

Under it, Ireland cannot deploy any more than 12 Defence Forces peacekeepers overseas without a peacekeeping mission being approved by a vote of the UN Security Council, by the government and by the Dail.

McDonald also said the party want a referendum to be put to Irish voters to include a positive assertion of Irish neutrality within the Irish constitution.

Advertisement

In addition, she said Sinn Fein want the position of neutral countries, like Ireland, to be reflected in the basic laws of the European Union.

She said neutral countries are a string to the bow of European politics and diplomacy because of their capacity to build conflict resolution and peaceful dialogue.

Ireland Mary Lou McDonald urges Government to pick up the phone and talk to protesters Read more

Asked if Sinn Fein would withdraw Ireland from EU defence arrangements, the partys spokesman on defence, Donnchadh O Laoghaire, said previous governments had made many commitments a Sinn Fein government would not have.

He said, in government, Sinn Fein would examine each one and where it was possible to disentangle ourselves from that, we would seek to do so.

Obviously, that would have to be on a case by case basis, but we certainly wouldnt be making any new commitments.
New downtown office marks next phase in transportation and logistics leader's global growth, supporting the creation of up to 50 new jobs, reinforcing commitment to the local community and strengthening regional and international presence

INDIANAPOLIS, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Direct Connect Logistix (DCL), an Indianapolis-based provider of nationwide transportation and logistics services, is accelerating its momentum with strong, sustained growth and continued investment in downtown Indianapolis. Effective April 1, 2026, the company relocated its headquarters to the Gibson Building at 433 N. Capitol Ave., Indianapolis, moving into 25,000 square feet of space designed to support its rapidly growing team, including plans to add 50 new employees over the next 18 months.

DCL Leadership

A new corporate home reflects DCL's long-term commitment to the region and its confidence in the company's continued trajectory. After successfully navigating challenges of the freight recession, DCL remains financially strong and focused on the future. The company is actively creating new jobs and career opportunities across its Indianapolis and Salt Lake City offices, with continued expansion underway and projected growth of 15% in 2026.

"Since founding DCL in 2009 our mission has been to build a purpose-driven logistics company and our new headquarters, still located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, demonstrates our commitment to investing in the city and growing our talented team," said Greg Humrichouser, co-founder and CEO of DCL. "This new flagship office also positions us to further expand our reach and deliver exceptional service by adding new team members to meet the diverse needs of our customers," Humrichouser added.

Following a short hiatus, Humrichouser reassumed the role of co-founder and CEO in 2025 to guide the company's ongoing expansion. By combining cutting-edge technology and a team of more than 200 professionals with a customer-first approach, DCL maintains strong operational balance while serving hundreds of customers across diverse industries and sizes, with no single client accounting for more than 5% of total revenue. This balance of a broad customer base and exceptional service helps keep the company resilient.

The company specializes in cold chain shipping within food, produce, beverage, and related markets offering an on-demand, one-stop solution, including: Full Truckload, LTL, Intermodal, Drayage, Vehicle Relocation, Cross-Border, Power Only and Trailer Relocations, International, expedited freight, small parcel, air freight, and Partial Consolidation. In 2025 alone, DCL successfully moved 140,000 loads across all sectors, underscoring their commitment to efficiency, reliability, and industry leadership.

DCL is hiring in Indiana and Utah. Base salaries range from $45,000 to $100,000 plus commission based on experience. A college degree is preferred but not required. Hard-working self-starters interested in career opportunities are encouraged to apply at dclogistix.com/careers. Images available here.

Direct Connect Logistix (DCL)

DCL is a global transportation and logistics company based in Indianapolis, with offices in Salt Lake City and Medellin, Colombia. The company's expertise includes cold chain logistics, expedited cross-border services, and power-only moves. Learn more at www.dclogistix.com/.

Media Contact: Jennifer Chan, Porch Light PR

317.490.3770; [email protected]

SOURCE Direct Connect Logistix
European leaders remained on the sidelines of the US-Israel war with Iran on Thursday but tried to make their voices heard to help shore up a shaky ceasefire, quell fighting in Lebanon and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The war has put Europe in an uneasy position, trying to maintain its support for the US as a key Nato ally and also withstand occasional blowback from US President Donald Trump for not joining in the fight and offering limited use of its military bases.



French President Emmanuel Macron has been one of the biggest critics of the Iran war (Tom Nicholson/AP)

Some European leaders have been louder than others in distancing themselves from the war.

French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that the US cant complain about a lack of support in an operation they chose to undertake alone without consultation.

Advertisement

Mr Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire negotiated by Pakistan at the 11th hour on Tuesday after he had been threatening that a whole civilisation will die tonight.

The deal was supposed to halt fighting and reopen the strait that is vital to world oil supplies.

But Iran has reclosed the shipping channel after Israel pounded Lebanon with air strikes as it targeted Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Iran said the ceasefire included Lebanon, while Israel and the US disputed that claim.

Iran has also drawn pointed criticism for demanding the right to collect tolls as a precondition for reopening the Hormuz waterway.





I have just spoken with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.



I expressed Frances full solidarity in the face of the indiscriminate strikes carried out by Israel in Lebanon today, which resulted in a very high number of civilian casualties.  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 8, 2026

The leaders of France, Italy, Germany, the UK, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and the European Union said on Wednesday that they strongly encourage quick progress towards a substantive negotiated settlement.

Leaders from Norway, Sweden, Greece and Finland were among others who joined in.

This will be crucial to protect the civilian population of Iran and ensure security in the region, they said in a joint statement, and can avert a severe global energy crisis.

Mr Macron, who spoke to both Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Mr Trump on Wednesday, called for each of the belligerents to fully respect the ceasefire and open comprehensive negotiations.

The European leaders jointly called for the ceasefire to include Lebanon after the deadliest day of fighting there on Wednesday, when nearly 200 people were killed.



German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (Ebrahim Noroozi/AP)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the severity with which Israel is waging war there could cause the failure of the peace process as a whole, and that must not happen.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was deeply troubled by Israels onslaught and any ceasefire excluding the small nation could destabilise the whole region.

Advertisement

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has been Europes loudest critic of the US and Israels military actions in the region, added that the European Union should suspend its association agreement with Israel.

Speaking about Mr Netanyahu, Mr Sanchez wrote on X: His contempt for life and international law is intolerable.

The international community must condemn this new violation of international law.



Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni told parliament that any Iranian extra duties in the Strait of Hormuz would have unpredictable economic consequences (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that European and other partners were finalising plans for naval vessels to escort ships through the strait once fighting effectively ends.

Mr Macron said about 15 nations are ready to participate in such a mission.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni warned Parliament that any Iranian extra duties in the Strait of Hormuz would have unpredictable economic consequences.

Full restoration of freedom of movement in the Strait of Hormuz is needed, and it must not be subject to any restrictions, as appears to have happened in recent hours, she said.

Ms Cooper said its crucial Iran is not allowed to apply tolls in the strait.

Chancellor Mr Merz said that Germany would contribute to ensure free shipping resumed but officials wouldnt elaborate on what that might entail.



President Donald Trump described Nato as a paper tiger (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

Mr Trump has spooked Nato members by suggesting  not for the first time  that the US might leave the trans-Atlantic alliance.

This time, he is upset that the worlds biggest military alliance has not come to the USAs aid.

Advertisement

The president dubbed allies cowards and said Nato was a paper tiger.

After meeting with Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday in the White House, Mr Trump said Nato had not been there for the US and wouldnt be there again if needed.

Mr Merz said that the war had become a trans-Atlantic stress test and he didnt want it to further burden relations between the US and its European Nato partners.

We dont want, I dont want a split in Nato, Mr Merz said. Nato is a guarantor of our security, also and above all in Europe. We must continue to keep a cool head here.
Two men and two women have died off the coast of northern France trying to cross the Channel to Britain by small boat, local authorities have said.

They died after being swept away by strong currents having tried to board a dinghy, a French government official said.

At least 42 others were rescued in the incident off the coast of Boulogne, between Equihen-Plage and Hardelot-Plage.

Francois-Xavier Lauch, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, told reporters on Thursday: We sadly have to report four deaths this morning.

The people who died were attempting to board a taxi-boat.

I have to commend the actions of our officers and firefighters who, as you know, are deployed every day to stop these crossings.

Mr Lauch said emergency services rescued at least 42 people during the incident.

Speaking of the four people who died, he said: They were already quite far into the sea.

Advertisement

The currents, which can be dangerous here, swept them away.

(PA Graphics)

This provisional toll  and I insist that it is provisional  states four deceased: two men, two women.

One person also suffered hypothermia, and another 37 other people are being treated by emergency services.

A number of other small boats are currently at sea and being monitored by French authorities, including a military helicopter, Mr Lauch added.

The responsibility lies with the smugglers, he told reporters.

On Wednesday, French emergency services held a training exercise to practice dealing with migrants in the water at the same beach where the four people are said to have died, pictures taken by the Press Association show.
A tentative ceasefire in the Iran war is staggering on under the weight of Israels intense bombardment of Beirut, Tehrans continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and uncertainty over whether negotiators can find common ground on a range of other differences.

Hours after the ceasefire was announced  amid disagreement over whether it included a pause in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah  Israel pounded Beirut with air strikes, resulting in the deadliest day in the country since the war began on February 28.

Iran and the US  which both declared victory in the wake of the ceasefire announcement  appeared to try to pressure each other.



(PA Graphics)

Semi-official news agencies in Iran suggested forces have mined the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for the worlds oil whose closure has proved Tehrans greatest strategic advantage in the conflict.

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned that US forces would hit Iran even harder than before if it did not fulfil the agreement.

Advertisement

But what that agreement is remains in deep dispute.

Beyond whether Lebanon is included, there are questions over what will happen to Irans stockpile of enriched uranium, how and when normal traffic will resume through the strait, and what happens to Irans ability to launch missile attacks in the future.

The chief of Irans nuclear agency said protecting Tehrans right to enrich uranium is necessary for any ceasefire talks with the United States.

Mohammad Eslami, who leads the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, made the remarks on Thursday to journalists including one from The Associated Press in Tehran during commemorations for the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

It is a part of the necessary (things) that nobody speaks about, Mr Eslami said, referring to the US refusal to acknowledge enrichment as one part of Irans 10-point plan for a permanent ceasefire.

The US and Iran are due to meet in Pakistan for talks this weekend.



A Lebanese civil defence worker walks on the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli air strike a day earlier in Beirut, Lebanon (Hussein Malla/AP)

At least 182 people were killed in Lebanon on Wednesday when Israel intensified its attacks on the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, which joined the war in support of Tehran.

First responders searched overnight for missing people still under the rubble after the strikes, which hit commercial and residential areas of Beirut.

Advertisement

Israel said on Thursday it killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, an aide to Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem.

Hezbollah did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has insisted that an end to the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire deal, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Trump said it was not.





Irans parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, warned that continued Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon would bring explicit costs and STRONG responses in a message on X.

Ceasefire violations carry explicit and STRONG responses, he wrote.

Extinguish the fire immediately.

Mr Qalibaf has been discussed as a possible negotiator who could meet US Vice President JD Vance this weekend in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

On Thursday, Mr Netanyahu said Israel will continue striking Hezbollah with force, precision and determination.

The ceasefire remains at risk as attacks on Lebanon continue (Hassan Ammar/AP)



Whoever acts against the citizens of Israel will be harmed, Mr Netanyahu wrote on social media.

Israel said Thursday it had killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, an aide to Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem.

Hezbollah did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A New York-based think tank warned the deal  hovers on the verge of collapse.

Even if Lebanon was formally outside the deal, the scale of Israels strikes was likely to be viewed as escalatory, nonetheless, the Soufan Centre wrote in an analysis.

Israels strikes can be understood both as an effort to drive a wedge between Iran and its proxies and as a response to being allegedly sidelined in the original ceasefire discussions.



Rescuers gather on a destroyed religious complex that was hit in an Israeli air strike in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon (Mohammed Zaatari/AP)

Lebanons state-run National News Agency reported on Thursday that an Israeli strike overnight had killed at least seven people in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military did not immediately acknowledge the strike.

Advertisement

Semi-official news agencies in Iran published a chart on Thursday suggesting the countrys paramilitary Revolutionary Guard put sea mines into the strait during the war  a message that may be intended to pressure the US.

The chart, released by the ISNA news agency and Tasnim, showed a large circle marked danger zone in Farsi over the route ships take through the strait, through which 20% of all traded oil and natural gas once passed.

Only a trickle of ships have passed through the strait since the war began after a few were attacked and Iran threatened to hit any that it deemed connected to the US or Israel.

Ships appeared to continue to avoid the strait on Wednesday, despite the ceasefire.

Data from Kpler showed only four vessels with their trackers on passed through.



Ali, four, holds a toy horse next to the tent his family uses as a shelter after fleeing Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon, in Beirut, Lebanon (Emilio Morenatti/AP)

The chart suggested ships travel through waters closer to Irans mainland near Larak Island, a route that some ships were observed taking during the war.

It was dated from February 28 until April 9, and it was unclear if the guard had cleared any mines since then.

Advertisement

Irans deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told the BBC on Thursday that his country will allow ships to pass through the strait in accordance with international norms and international law once the US ends its aggression in the Middle East and Israel stops attacking Lebanon.

The straits de facto closure has caused oil prices to skyrocket  raising, in turn, the cost of petrol, food and other basics far beyond the Middle East.

Oil prices fell on news of the ceasefire on Wednesday, but began to climb as uncertainty over the deal grew.

The spot price of Brent crude, the international standard, was around 98 US dollars on Thursday  up about 35% since the war began.

Mr Trump warned that US warships and troops will remain around Iran until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with.

If it is not, then the Shootin Starts, bigger, and better, the president wrote in a social media message.



President Donald Trump speaks to reporters during a news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

The White House said Mr Vance would lead the US delegation for talks in Islamabad aimed at ending the war, which are set to start on Saturday.

There appear to be many points of disagreement to address, including whether Iran will be allowed to formalise a system of charging ships to use the strait that it has instituted.

That would upend decades of precedent treating it as an international waterway that was free to transit.

The fate of Irans missile and nuclear programmes  the elimination of which were major objectives for the US and Israel in going to war  also remained unclear.

The US insists Iran must never be able to build nuclear weapons and wants to remove Tehrans stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which could be used to build them, should it choose to pursue the bomb.

Iran insists its programme is peaceful.

Mr Trump said on Wednesday that the US would work with Iran to remove the buried uranium, though Iran did not confirm that.

In one version of the deal that Iran published, it said it would be allowed to continue enrichment.
Nato chief Mark Rutte highlighted the efforts being led by Keir Starmer to secure the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane during a frank and open discussion with Donald Trump.

The diplomat pointed to the positive action being taken by the UK prime minister during a meeting in Washington, where he acknowledged the US president was clearly disappointed with the response of the military alliance to the Iran war.

In an interview with CNN after the White House talks, Rutte said he had pointed out the large majority of European nations had been helpful to America during the conflict and lived up to their commitments.

But he had failed to calm Trumps annoyance as the president later posted on his Truth Social platform: NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.

NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! - President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/xgEV8P1n4n  The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 8, 2026

Only earlier, the White House said Britain and other Nato allies had turned their backs on the American people during the war.

Trump also argued the long-standing security organisation had been tested and they failed.

Advertisement

He has previously raised the possibility of the US quitting Nato, branding it a paper tiger.

The refusal by the UK to be drawn into the offensive against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the US, and to restrict the use of its bases by American forces has put a severe strain on relations between Keir Starmer and Trump.

The US president has also previously complained about the contributions paid in by fellow Nato members, arguing America has been carrying other countries financially.

Ahead of the US-Iran ceasefire being announced, the UK had chaired a meeting of military planners from a coalition of nations examining long-term measures to secure the strait, which had been all but closed off by Tehran during the conflict, causing a shock to global trade.

Military representatives from over 30 nations joined the virtual conference to explore ways to make the shipping route safe and accessible once hostilities have ended.

Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte met with US President Donald Trump (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

Following the truce, a joint statement by world leaders, including Starmer, said they would contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was dismissive of the offer when asked at a news conference.

Sharing a quote from Trump on Nato in response, she said: They were tested and they failed.

She added: Its quite sad that Nato turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when its the American people who have been funding their defence.

Advertisement

Speaking to CNN, Rutte said: Let me be absolutely clear, he (Mr Trump) is clearly disappointed and with many Nato allies, and I can see his point.

But at the same time, I was also able to point him to the fact that the large majority of European nations have been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they lived up to (their) commitments.

He also said lets not forget steps being taken by the British prime minister aimed at ensuring the future free-flow of trade through the Strait of Hormuz.

Europe as a platform of power projection for the United States was in full play over the last six weeks. Mark Rutte

Rutte added: So I also pointed him to the positive. But clearly this was a very frank, very open discussion, but also discussion between two good friends.

He went on: There is a disappointment, clearly, but at the same time, he was also listening carefully to my arguments of whats happening.

Stressing that most European countries had fulfilled their commitments in a case like this, Rutte said: Europe as a platform of power projection for the United States was in full play over the last six weeks.

Yes, it is true, not all European nations lived up to those commitments, and I totally understand that He is disappointed (about that).

Earlier, Rutte met with US secretary of state Marco Rubio where the pair discussed burden shifting within the alliance.

Following the talks, US State Department principal deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott said: The two leaders discussed Operation Epic Fury, ongoing US-led efforts to bring a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, and increasing co-ordination and burden shifting with Nato allies.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has authorised direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible aimed at disarming Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants and establishing relations between the neighbours.

The announcement could provide a potential boost to Middle East ceasefire efforts.

The two countries have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Mr Netanyahu later stressed that there was no ceasefire between them.

In a video statement, the Israeli leader said Israel will keep striking Hezbollah until security is restored in northern Israel.



(PA Graphics)

There was no immediate response from Lebanese authorities, but Israel-Lebanon negotiations were expected to begin next week at the US State Department in Washington, according to a US official and a person familiar with the plans.

The prospect of talks appeared to bolster the tentative ceasefire in the Iran war that has staggered under the weight of Israels bombardment of Beirut, Tehrans continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and uncertainty over whether planned peace talks can find common ground.

Advertisement

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was very optimistic about the prospects of reaching a peace deal, saying Iranian leaders are more amenable in private conversations than in their public statements.

Mr Netanyahus announcement came amid disagreement over whether the ceasefire deal included a pause in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, and a day after Israel pounded Beirut with air strikes that resulted in the deadliest day in Lebanon since the war began on February 28.

Israel has fought multiple wars and launched several major invasions over the years, most recently sending in large numbers of troops last month in response to Hezbollah fire on Israels northern border communities.

The launch of direct peace talks is a significant achievement, though reaching a deal will be difficult after decades of hostilities, Hezbollahs continued presence and longstanding disagreements over the exact route of their shared border.

The talks in Washington are expected to be handled on the American side by the US ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, and on the Israeli side by the Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, according to the person. It was not immediately clear who would represent Lebanon.



A Lebanese civil defence worker walks on the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli air strike a day earlier in Beirut, Lebanon (Hussein Malla/AP)

Axios first reported the timing and location of the talks.

After declaring victory with the ceasefire announcement, both Iran and the US appeared to apply pressure on each other.

Advertisement

Semiofficial news agencies in Iran suggested forces have mined the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil that Tehran has closed. President Trump warned that US forces would hit Iran harder than before if it did not fulfil the agreement.

Questions also remained over what will happen to Irans stockpile of enriched uranium at the heart of tensions, how and when normal traffic will resume through the strait, and what happens to Irans ability to launch future missile attacks and support armed proxies in the region.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a message on Telegram that the decision to accept a ceasefire was made unanimously by senior government leaders and approved by the supreme leader. He said the ceasefire is not a sign of weakness but a way to solidify Irans proud victories.

Despite the fragile and disputed nature of the ceasefire, it appeared to have halted weeks of missile and drone attacks by Iran on its Gulf Arab neighbours and Israel, with no new launches reported on Thursday. There were no reports of strikes by the US or Israel targeting Iran.





Update on UK operations in the Middle East, 8 April 2026. pic.twitter.com/2CmWTB0lSn  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) April 8, 2026

Irans parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, warned on Thursday that continued Israeli attacks on the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon would bring explicit costs and strong responses in a social media post.

Mr Qalibaf has been discussed as a possible negotiator who could meet US vice president JD Vance this weekend in Islamabad. The White House has said Mr Vance would lead the delegation for talks starting on Saturday.

Advertisement

Iran had said Israels ongoing attacks on Hezbollah were violating the ceasefire agreement. Mr Netanyahu and Mr Trump have said it was not.

Hours before opening the way for talks with Lebanon, Mr Netanyahu said Israel would continue striking Hezbollah with force, precision and determination.

Lebanons health ministry said more than 300 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded on Wednesday in Israeli strikes in central Beirut and other areas of Lebanon that Israel said targeted Hezbollah, which joined the war in support of Tehran.

Israel said on Thursday it killed an aide to Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem, Ali Yusuf Harshi.



Rescuers gather on a destroyed religious complex that was hit in an Israeli air strike in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon (Mohammed Zaatari/AP)

A New York-based think tank warned that the ceasefire hovers on the verge of collapse  following Israels strikes on Wednesday.

Lebanons state-run National News Agency reported that an Israeli strike overnight killed at least seven people in southern Lebanon.

Semiofficial news agencies in Iran published a chart on Thursday suggesting the countrys paramilitary Revolutionary Guard put sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz during the war  a message that may be intended to pressure the United States.

The chart, released by the ISNA news agency and Tasnim, showed a large circle marked danger zone in Farsi over the route ships take through the strait, through which 20% of all traded oil and natural gas once passed.

Only a trickle of ships have transited since the war began after several were attacked, and Iran threatened to hit any that it deemed connected to the US or Israel. Ships appeared to continue to avoid the strait even after the ceasefire.

Advertisement

The chart suggested that ships travel through waters closer to Irans mainland near Larak Island, a route that some ships were observed taking during the war. It was dated from February 28 until April 9, and it was unclear if the Guard had cleared any mines since then.



Ali, four, holds a toy horse next to the tent his family uses as a shelter after fleeing Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon, in Beirut, Lebanon (Emilio Morenatti/AP)

Irans deputy foreign minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, told the BBC that his country will allow ships to pass through the strait in accordance with international norms and international law once the United States ends its aggression in the Middle East and Israel stops attacking Lebanon.

The head of the United Arab Emirates major oil company, Sultan al-Jaber, said some 230 ships loaded with oil were waiting to get through the strait and must be allowed to navigate this corridor without condition.

The straits de facto closure has caused oil prices to skyrocket  affecting the cost of fuel, food and other basics far beyond the Middle East. Oil prices fell on Wednesday on news of the ceasefire but climbed again as uncertainty over the deal grew.

The spot price of Brent crude, the international standard, was around 98 dollars on Thursday, up about 35% since the war began.

The fate of Irans missile and nuclear programmes  which the US and Israel sought to eliminate in going to war  also remained unclear.



President Donald Trump speaks to reporters during a news conference (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

The US insists Iran must never be able to build nuclear weapons and wants to remove Tehrans stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which could be used to build them. Iran insists its programme is peaceful.

Mr Trump said on Wednesday that the US would work with Iran to remove the uranium, buried in last years US and Israeli strikes, though Iran did not confirm that. In one version of the ceasefire deal that Iran published, it said it would be allowed to continue enrichment.

The chief of Irans nuclear agency, Mohammad Eslami, said on Thursday that protecting Tehrans right to enrich uranium is necessary for any ceasefire talks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend.

Mr Putins decree, released by the Kremlin, orders Russian forces to observe a ceasefire starting at 4pm on Saturday and lasting until the end of Sunday.

Mr Putins move follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys proposal earlier this week to observe a pause in attacks on each others energy infrastructure over the Orthodox Easter.

He said he made the offer through the United States, which has been mediating talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv as Russias invasion stretches into a fifth year.





We have repeatedly offered Russia a ceasefire at least for Easter. But for them, all times are alike and nothing is sacred. If Russia can afford this war, it will not choose peace willingly. Only significant financial losses force Russia to consider a scenario of abandoning this pic.twitter.com/Os7P9EZZuC  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 6, 2026

Previous attempts to secure ceasefires have had little or no impact.

Mr Putin unilaterally declared a 30-hour ceasefire last Easter, but each side accused the other of breaking it.

Advertisement

The Kremlin statement announcing the ceasefire said that orders have been issued for this period to cease hostilities in all directions, adding that troops are to be prepared to counter any possible provocations by the enemy, as well as any aggressive actions.

We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation, it said.

Russia has effectively rejected a 30-day unconditional truce proposed last year by the US and Ukraine as a step towards peace, insisting instead on a comprehensive settlement, but Moscow has announced several short, unilateral ceasefires.

The US-led talks have made no progress on key issues, and Washingtons attention has switched to the Middle East conflict while the Russian and Ukrainian armies remain locked in battle on the roughly 800-mile front line.
A thief who swiped a handbag from a pub in London, England containing a Faberge egg and watch set valued at up to 2.2 million (1.78 million) has been jailed by a British court for more than two years.

Enzo Conticello, 29, took the Givenchy handbag belonging to Rosie Dawson as she stood in the smoking area of the Dog and Duck pub in Bateman Street on November 7, 2024.

Inside the 1,600 bag was an emerald-encrusted Faberge egg and Faberge watch belonging to Ms Dawsons employers at the Craft Irish Whiskey Company, as well as a 1,500 Apple laptop, Apple AirPods, a 350 store voucher, keys, Ms Dawsons three bank cards, 200 worth of make-up, a Mulberry card holder worth 150, and 20 in cash.

Southwark Crown Court heard on Thursday that Conticello was after easy money, and he says he handed over the bag  complete with the Faberge egg and watch  to buy drugs.

Advertisement

Recorder Kate Livesey sentenced him to two years and three months in prison, telling him the opportunistic theft had caused inconvenience and stress to Ms Dawson and her company.

The green Faberge egg was in a handbag stolen by Enzo Conticello (Met Police/PA)

Ms Dawson described the particular shock and panic upon realising a bag containing items of such particular value owned by the company had been stolen, and the incredible stress this incident has caused her, she said.

At a hearing in February, Conticello  also known as Hakin Boudjenoune  pleaded guilty to three charges of fraud by false representation and one count of theft.

He was linked to the handbag theft after trying to use Ms Dawsons stolen bank cards in a nearby shop within minutes of committing the crime.

Prosecutor Julian Winship told the sentencing hearing: On November 7 2024, at just before 10pm, (Ms Dawson) went to the Dog and Duck pub in Soho.

She was outside the premises in the designated smoking area, she put her handbag on the ground in between her legs, and a few minutes later she noticed her handbag was no longer there.

The court heard Ms Dawson had the Faberge items in her handbag after she had taken them for display at a work event earlier that evening.

Mr Winship said Conticello wanted to obtain some easy cash, and prosecutors accept he did not intend to steal the Faberge egg and accompanying watch.

Insurers have paid out 106,700 to the drinks company for the loss, but the prosecutor said there are only seven Faberge sets  containing a jewelled egg, watch, whisky bottle, cigars and humidor  in existence.

Advertisement

Three had been sold for between two to three million dollars each, and the company was seeking similar amounts for the remaining four sets.

The Faberge egg was accompanied by a watch, which was also stolen (Met Police/PA)

Conticellos barrister, Katie Porter-Windley, told the court he previously worked as a chef but lost his job in the Covid pandemic and slipped into cocaine addiction.

On the night in question, it was a moment of opportunity which he took, and he is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour, she said.

He gave the bag to someone to purchase drugs. He had a cocaine addiction at the time.

Within minutes of her handbag being stolen, Ms Dawson received a fraud alert on her phone at 10.12pm, showing Conticello had tried to use one of her bank cards for a 33.48 purchase at a shop in nearby Berwick Street.

Two further attempts were made to use her cards, at 11.30pm and 12.30am, but they had already been cancelled with the banks.

Early on Friday morning, the complainant received a message on social media from someone who had found her bank card on the ground between Soho and Charing Cross, Mr Winship said.

Conticello was arrested for separate theft offences in Belfast in November 2025, more than a year after the handbag theft, and was then linked to the 2024 crime.

The court heard the Faberge egg and watch have not been recovered, and Mr Winship said efforts to seek confiscation or compensation from Conticello will not be pursued.

Our investigation to find the egg and the watch is ongoing and wed urge anyone with information to contact us Detective Constable Arben Morina

It appears to me unlikely that the defendant is a person of means able to satisfy either of these particular prosecutorial routes available to us, said Mr Winship.

Ms Porter-Windley told the court Conticello did not realise how valuable the items were that he had stolen.

Advertisement

When the judge remarked the egg is quite extraordinary looking, with an emerald forming part of its exterior, the defence barrister replied: It is so extraordinary that he wouldnt know on the face of it whether that was high value or not.

She said Conticello was homeless at the time, and he is currently a man of no means.

The judge said Conticello, of no fixed address, would ordinarily have been ordered to pay 3,000 in compensation to Ms Dawson, but she would not make the order as he has no way of paying it.

He is set to serve up to half the prison term before being released on licence.

The Met Police said it is continuing to hunt for the 10cm green and gold egg and accompanying watch.

Detective Constable Arben Morina, who is leading the investigation, said: Conticello thought nothing of helping himself to someone elses possessions, and he now faces a prison sentence as a result of his greed.

This theft has had a significant impact on the victim, who was on her way home from a work event when she was targeted.

The defendant never explained to the police what he did with the expensive jewellery.

Our investigation to find the egg and the watch is ongoing and wed urge anyone with information to contact us.
Pharma has spent decades accumulating data, only to remain rich in information and poor in clarity. With key connections between doctors, patients, and medical education buried beneath fragmented systems and outdated workflows, Jeffrey Freedman, Executive Vice President at Evolution Health Group, argues that AI is finally making it possible to turn that overload into insight.

TAMPA BAY, Fla., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pharma is drowning in data but still starving for insight. On this episode of Disruption Interruption podcast, Jeffrey Freedman, Executive Vice President at Evolution Health Group, joins host Karla Jo Helms (KJ) to unpack why the industry still struggles to connect doctors, patients, and meaningful medical education, while AI begins to cut through the noise with more diagnostic precision.

DI: Episode 224

As Freedman puts it, "Pharma and medical industry itself is data rich, but insights poor." His view is that the real shift is not the amount of information available, but the industry's growing ability to extract usable insight and turn it into faster, more informed action.

Why the Industry Still Struggles to Connect the Dots

Massive streams of interaction data, research signals, physician engagement, patient behavior, and market feedback have existed for years, but without the appropriate tools, extracting useful meaning from them has been painfully slow. The data kept growing; the insight did not.

A major part of the problem is fragmentation. Freedman notes that pharmaceutical companies have historically operated across disconnected spreadsheets, regions, teams, and data sets, creating information loss and making global coordination difficult. He diagnoses it bluntly: when employees work off separate spreadsheets and siloed data, "stuff gets lost, right? Stuff isn't integrated. You don't know what is happening on the other side of the world."

Freedman also pushes on a more controversial practice in pharma: the industry's reliance on direct-to-consumer marketing. He argues that too much money still goes toward patient-facing advertising and not enough toward educating physicians. "I personally believe that a lot more budgets need to be spent on educating physicians," he says. "We don't want patients all the time coming to a doctor and saying, 'I need a GLP-1.' I want the doctor saying to a patient, 'You have these issues, let's talk about how to make you better.'" The bigger issue is not visibility alone, but whether the right medical education is reaching the right people in time to improve patient outcomes.

A Remedy for Pharma's Insight Deficit

Freedman's prescription is not more data, but better systems for converting data into action. "You have to know how to ask the right questions," he says, arguing that AI becomes useful when it helps teams identify the proper physicians, key opinion leaders, institutions, and signals, before turning those findings into the next best action.

That same logic shapes how he sees the future of care. Freedman argues that better insight and faster communication can help move products from bench to bedside more quickly and more affordably, including therapies for rare diseases that were once too expensive to pursue. "We want the cost of medicine to go down," he says. For him, better technology should reduce noise, accelerate learning, and help doctors make more informed decisions for the patients in front of them.

At Evolution Health Group, that vision shows up in the platforms his team is building. Freedman describes the company as an "insight generation company," with tools designed to identify key opinion leaders, aggregate scattered brand and field data into a single source of truth and monitor digital conversations to help pharma understand what matters and who matters.

Through platforms like 360 Connects, 360 KOL, AIM, and its social-listening tools, the company is working to close the communication gap between brands, physicians, and patients. And, in Freedman's view, that work starts with correcting a bigger misconception about the industry itself: "Pharma is not this big scary monster that's put out there in the media. It's a bunch of people that really care."

Links

Disrupting Pharma Data: AI That Delivers Insight, Not Overload with Jeffrey Freedman

Disruption Interruption is the podcast where you will hear from today's biggest Industry Disruptors. Learn what motivated them to bring about innovation and how they overcame opposition to adoption.

https://omny.fm/shows/disruption-interruption/disrupting-pharma-data-ai-that-delivers-insight-not-overload-with-jeffrey-freedman

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfreedman/

Company Website: https://evolutionhealthgroup.com/

About Disruption Interruption

Disruption is happening on an unprecedented scale, impacting all manner of industries MedTech, Finance, IT, eCommerce, shipping, logistics, and moreand COVID has moved their timelines up a full decade or more. But WHO are these disruptors and when did they say, "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT!"? Time to Disrupt and Interrupt with host Karla Jo "KJ" Helms, veteran communications disruptor. KJ interviews badasses who are disrupting their industries and altering economic networks that have become antiquated with an establishment resistant to progress. She delves into uncovering secrets from industry rebels and quiet revolutionaries that uncover common traitsand not-so-commonthat are changing our economic markets and lives. Visit the world's key pioneers that persist to success, despite arrows in their backs at www.disruption-interruption.com.

About Jeffrey Freedman

Jeffrey Freedman is an operational leader, digital strategist, and healthcare communications executive whose work sits at the intersection of healthcare, technology, data, and innovation. He currently leads blulava and Maestro360, two core divisions of Evolution Health Group, where he oversees digital strategy, technology development, innovation initiatives, and creative programming across the organization. With more than 15 years of leadership experience spanning marketing, analytics, strategy, and digital transformation, he helps pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare brands turn complex information into actionable insight.

Freedman has more recently focused on integrating AI into the medical communications ecosystem, including the development of custom AI-powered platforms, internal tools, and governance frameworks that support responsible, scalable adoption. He began his career on Wall Street covering the pharmaceutical and technology sectors, later earned his MBA from NYU Stern, founded a digital marketing agency, and built his career around one consistent goal: improving communication, accelerating innovation, and helping healthcare deliver better outcomes for patients.

About Karla Jo Helms

Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors. Karla Jo learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the line  and how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen, or another is brutally rejected. Being an alumnus of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators, and the media to help restore companies of goodwill into the good graces of public opinion  Karla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it right the first time, not relying on second chances and doing what it takes to excel. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way, and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and impact market perception.

References

DiStefano, M. J., Markell, J. M., Doherty, C. C., Alexander, G. C., & Anderson, G. F. (2023). Association between drug characteristics and manufacturer spending on direct-to-consumer advertising. JAMA, 329(5), 386392. doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.23968

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). From the manufacturers' mouth to your ears: Direct to consumer advertising. fda.gov/drugs/special-features/manufacturers-mouth-your-ears-direct-consumer-advertising

Media Inquiries:

Karla Jo Helms

JOTO PR

727-777-4629

SOURCE Disruption Interruption
Advertisement

Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Larvotto lines up defence insider for NSW antimony push Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Rowena Duckworth April 9, 2026  4:05pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Larvotto Resources has enlisted former federal senator David Fawcett as strategic adviser as the company positions its Hillgrove project to become a key global supplier of antimony. The tactical move comes as demand for the strategic silvery-grey metal continues to surge, amid increased use in modern defence technology and energy storage. The Hon. David Fawcett has been appointed as strategic advisor to help position Larvottos Hillgrove antimony production within Australias critical minerals and national security supply chains. Fawcett brings heavyweight credentials to the role, having served as Assistant Minister for Defence and as chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade during his time in federal parliament. His experience across defence policy and international government engagement is expected to provide Larvotto with valuable insight as it navigates relationships with governments, defence agencies and allied nations.

Advertisement

His appointment is specifically aimed at navigating those frameworks on behalf of Larvotto as it advances its Hillgrove antimony-gold project in New South Wales toward production. David provides Larvotto with unique expertise across the Australian, US and EU governments and provides Larvotto with valuable insight. Larvotto Resources managing director Ron Heeks The strategic rationale is clear. China controls the overwhelming majority of global antimony supply and Western governments have moved with increasing urgency to secure alternative sources. In that context, the appointment of a former Australian defence minister to the advisory board of an ASX-listed antimony producer will likely send a powerful signal. Australias federal government recently legislated the critical minerals stockpile, a significant policy initiative aimed at building sovereign reserves of materials deemed essential to national security and industrial resilience. Antimony is one of the stockpiles cornerstone minerals and Larvotto is one of only two companies in Australia currently positioned to supply it.

Advertisement

Beyond the domestic stockpile, Fawcetts appointment is expected to carry an international dimension. AUKUS - the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States - has significantly lifted the strategic importance of Australian critical minerals supply. Antimony is used in ammunition, night-vision technology, flame retardants for military equipment and, increasingly, in grid-scale battery storage systems. The ability, therefore, to supply antimony from a stable, democratic jurisdiction into allied defence supply chains is a unique opportunity and Fawcetts contact list should certainly help smooth the waters across allied governments. Larvotto Resources managing director Ron Heeks said: We are very pleased to welcome the Hon. David Fawcett as Strategic Advisor to Larvotto at a pivotal time for the Company. Davids role as a previous Assistant Minister for Defence and Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade provides Larvotto with unique expertise across the Australian, US and EU governments and provides Larvotto with valuable insight as we position Hillgrove as a key source of antimony for both Australia and its international partners. Hillgrove is gearing up to be a significant operation. Once operating, the mine is expected to supply more than 7 per cent of global antimony production and meaningful volumes of tungsten, both of which have been designated as strategic metals by Western governments. Larvotto is also assessing whether refining its antimony concentrate in-house into higher-value metal products could further enhance both the effectiveness of the national stockpile and the companys strategic standing. Mr Fawcett will provide advice on that question as part of his 12-month initial engagement.

Advertisement

Larvottos broader asset base also extends beyond Hillgrove. The company holds the Mt Isa copper-gold-cobalt project in Queensland and the Eyre multi-metals and lithium project near Norseman in Western Australia, giving it exposure to several commodities considered essential for the global energy transition. Larvottos latest move suggests the company is not just building a mine but attempting to anchor itself in the strategic supply networks that will shape the next generation of industrial metals. And with Hillgrove poised to become a meaningful global source of antimony, the addition of a defence insider could prove a timely piece of the puzzle. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
Advertisement

BusinessCompaniesAI Opinion The race to the bottom on AI job cuts has already started Elizabeth Knight Business columnist April 9, 2026  3:50pm

April 9, 2026  3:50pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

The board of Bendigo Bank has become the latest to get on the AI tools and sharpen its redundancy pencil. Unions are stretched thin resisting the inevitable wave of job cuts hitting all business sectors, and are left to valiantly condemn the AI productivity push. The Financial Services Union hit back at Bendigo Banks move on Thursday, calling it a dramatic and dangerous escalation in the fight to protect Australian jobs from being wiped out by AI. Bendigo Bank is embracing technology to cut costs. Eamon Gallagher But banks have been near the forefront of those expanding the use of artificial intelligence to improve productivity and reduce costs, and the union movement is powerless to put that genie back in the bottle.

Advertisement

Technology companies have been first in line to reimagine  or defend  their businesses using AI. We have seen companies such as WiseTech and Atlassian cut swaths through their workforces, leaving customer service representatives and engineers adrift in the jobs market. Related Article Opinion

AI Four-day week and robot tax: How tech giant plans to survive AI apocalypse Elizabeth Knight Business columnist It has left workers in more vulnerable roles with levels of anxiety akin to lobsters in a tank outside the yum cha restaurant. Some like the Commonwealth Bank have been quite open about the evolution of its adoption of AI, the effect on workforce numbers and the extent to which this increasingly embraced technology is reshaping how work is done. But all four of the large banks have announced sizeable job cuts over the past year with many cloaked under the broader banner of technology without specifically calling out AI.

Advertisement

The banking sector is a huge user of technology, and the adoption of AI in some of its operations to trim costs represents low-hanging fruit. While Bendigo Bank investors appreciate the improved outlook for costs  which in this case would amount to about $70 million  it will send a shudder through its workforce. The bank is keeping mum on how large the redundancy headcount will be but the expected savings represent around 10 per cent of its staff costs. So it wouldnt be a big mathematical stretch to assume that as much as one-tenth of its workforce will be heading for the exit doors. The bank describes the move to partner with two IT providers, Infosys and Genpact, as allowing its operating model to be more efficient. And it follows a deal it inked with Google last year.

Advertisement

Bringing in partners is the cost-effective and lower-risk way to overhaul its technology stack, given it doesnt have the financial grunt of the big four banks to develop it in-house. Related Article Jobs The week AI came for Australian jobs The Genpact agreement is also targeted towards stronger risk management, an issue that was highlighted last year when AUSTRAC began an investigation into money-laundering failings, and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority imposed a capital penalty on the bank. And as previously mentioned, the Bendigo Bank board wont get any argument from its shareholders whose focus will be on reducing the cost to income ratio, and profit growth. The combination of a strong set of quarterly numbers, including cash profit growth of 7.6 per cent and a strong improvement in lending, sent Bendigos share price up by almost 10 per cent.

Advertisement

Shareholders were unconcerned about the $85 million to $95 million upfront costs to undertake its technology transition. The society ripple effect of the banking industrys adoption of AI isnt the problem, its what comes next when all major businesses move from the early stages of dipping their toes in the AI pool to adoption at scale. The godfather of artificial intelligence, OpenAIs chief executive Sam Altman, has already begun the mother of all public relations offensives to sell his recipe on how to deal with large-scale AI-driven job losses This week, he released a blueprint for governments to mitigate the societal fallout from AI  one that acknowledges widespread labour redundancies and the potential for rogue AI systems capable of replicating themselves. His thoughts range from the imposition of a super profit tax on AI (which he calls a robot tax) and the creation of a sovereign wealth fund to look after those without jobs.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Australia is opening its chequebook to outbid rivals in a global scramble for fuel, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flies to Singapore seeking deals to secure extra shipments and avert a looming shortfall. Despite early hopes that a fragile two-week ceasefire in Iran would unclog oil shipping routes and bring relief at the petrol pump in the coming weeks, Australia remains dangerously exposed to the risk of a supply crunch unless the government can negotiate extra deliveries of petrol, diesel and jet fuel. A crude oil tanker moored in Sydney in March. Sam Mooy On Thursday, Albanese said the government had secured the support of the nations biggest fuel importers, Viva Energy and Ampol, to participate in a scheme to urgently boost shipments to Australia. In this scheme, taxpayers guarantee fuel companies losses if they bought expensive shipments before sudden oil price falls in an increasingly volatile market.

Advertisement

He said the government would seek deals that delivered value for money to taxpayers, but stressed that the top priority was ensuring security of supply. We want to protect taxpayers interests. We want to minimise taxpayers exposure. But our first priority, to be very clear, is supply, Albanese said during a visit to Ampols Lytton oil refinery in Brisbane. Analysts warn that even if the Strait of Hormuz opened immediately, the six-week voyage for new crude oil from the Persian Gulf means relief may not come fast enough to the Asian refiners that usually provide 80 per cent of Australias fuel. These refineries are running out of oil and scaling back their output already. With regional fuel stocks rapidly depleting and nations such as Malaysia already signalling moves to prioritise domestic needs, Albanese also intends to lean on Australias status as a critical coal and gas supplier to Asia to secure reciprocal trade arrangements with partners across the region to head off shortages.

Advertisement

Since the outbreak of the war in Iran on February 28, Australian fuel importers and the federal government have been moving to diversify their supply chains and have secured additional shipments from around the world. Maritime shipping data indicates a steep increase in the number of scheduled deliveries of oil and refined fuels to Australia over the past two weeks. More than 50 shipments are due to arrive this month from as far afield as Europe and North America. However, more cargoes will be critical for Australia to bridge the approaching supply gap. Energy Minister Chris Bowen, also speaking from the Lytton refinery on Thursday, said the government would encourage fuel companies to buy up all the fuel they could. We are not going to hold Ampol and Viva and the other companies back from where they can get fuel, Bowen said Primarily, of course, Australia gets most of its fuel from Asia. But also there are purchases coming online from North America, from Mexico that become available at short notice. Albanese will meet Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday to discuss a potential deal to boost supply from the Asian nations sprawling fuel refineries. Singapore relies on Australia to provide about 40 per cent of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) needed to power its electric grid.

Advertisement

Related Article Energy Australia scoured the world for fuel supplies. Its working The government has also opened discussion with other neighbours about fuel supply. Earlier this week, Albanese spoke on the phone with the sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, about the impact of the Iran war on energy supply, and with Chinese Premier Li Qiang about energy security. Analysts believe Australias negotiating position to lock in more fuel cargoes from the region has been significantly strengthened. The conflict in the Middle East has cut off large volumes of LNG that are usually shipped to Asia, as Qatar, usually the worlds second-largest LNG supplier, has stopped cooling gas for export. This has left Asian economies including Singapore, South Korea and Japan exposed to crippling shortages and desperate to lock in emergency replacement cargoes, including from Australia. By ensuring the continued flow of Australian coal and uncontracted LNG, Albanese hopes Australia can leapfrog other nations vying for Asian refiners dwindling output of refined petrol and diesel.

Advertisement

The nations two biggest fuel suppliers, Ampol and Viva Energy, have agreed to terms to participate in the scheme. Related Article Updated

Middle East at war Australian petrol prices to fall within the month  if US-Iran ceasefire holds We understand just how critical fuel is to keep motorists, farmers and businesses moving, Viva chief Scott Wyatt said. We are proud to be able to support the Australian government in going above and beyond to secure additional fuel supply and see the country successfully navigate these challenging and uncertain times. News that Iran and the United States had agreed to a last-minute ceasefire, avoiding a worst-case military escalation, sent oil prices falling sharply on Wednesday. The cost of a barrel of Brent oil, the global benchmark, plunged 15 per cent to below $US91, raising hopes that it could mark the beginning of the end for Australias fuel price increases. The price of regular unleaded has risen more than 30 per cent to record highs of above $2.50 a litre in the weeks since Iran started blockading the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting up to one-fifth of the worlds oil and gas tankers.

Advertisement

Australian fuel suppliers said lower global oil prices could begin delivering relief to Australian petrol and diesel prices within the month. But an imminent supply squeeze, as Asian refiners exhausted their existing oil inventories and reduced their output of fuel products, remained a risk for import-dependent neighbours such as Australia, they said. Australian Institute of Petroleum chief executive Malcolm Roberts, who represents the nations oil refiners and fuel importers including Ampol, BP, Mobil and Viva, said shipments from the Middle East had stalled and caused a bottleneck in Asia. The underlying problem is still shortfalls of supply reaching the refineries in Asia, and thats not going to change quickly, he said. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
Advertisement

BusinessWorkplaceWork therapy Opinion Why is my work repeatedly asking me for a background check? Jonathan Rivett Careers contributor April 10, 2026  5:01am

April 10, 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

As a career contractor, I have to go through background and police checks every six to 12 months, depending on the length of the assignment. As a condition of employment, each time I have to submit the same documents to (often) the same background check company. While I understand why a new employer would want to perform background and police checks on each new starter, I find it difficult to understand why permanent staff do not have to go through the same process every couple of years even though later down the track they might have been convicted of a criminal offence. Why do most organisations not bother? And why cant background check companies save my documents so that I do not have to keep resubmitting them each time? When it comes to background checks, one employer cant rely on another employers vetting. John Shakespeare This sounds exasperating. Job applications are difficult enough currently without the re-submission and double up youve described.

Advertisement

Having said that, I asked Carol T Kulik, a Bradley Distinguished Professor in the School of Management at Adelaide University about your questions, and she told me that the frustrating repetition is usually unavoidable for a good reason. In some sectors, employers do conduct background checks of current employees on a regular, ongoing basis. This is especially true when the role involves children, aged care, financial services and government. The common denominator is high harm potential  vulnerable populations, high-stakes financial access and national security, she says. Unnecessary background checks could signal that the employee is not trusted, undermining psychological contracts and reducing employee engagement. Carol T Kulik, a Bradley Distinguished Professor in the School of Management at Adelaide University But ongoing monitoring of employees is context-specific. For many roles, ongoing security checks would be difficult to justify legally or practically. Australias regulatory system reflects a core principle: employers should only collect and use personal information that is reasonably necessary for the role. Repeated blanket checking of employees could be viewed as disproportionate to job requirements and risk the collection of irrelevant personal information.

Advertisement

This background information helps us answer the question of why applicants like you are being constantly asked to provide personal information while permanent employees are not  or at least not to the same degree as you. And Kulik elaborated on why repeated checks (apart from the exceptions mentioned above) dont generally happen once a person is in a job. Editor's pick Opinion

Work therapy My colleagues disappear for hours at a time. What should I do? Jonathan Rivett Careers contributor In practice, the bar for reasonably necessary is typically lower for applicants than for employees. Once an employee is on the job, employers have immediate access to an extensive range of job-relevant information. Gathering it is less intrusive than a background check, she says. Employers can directly observe the employees behaviour and review performance outcomes  work quality, safety records, client satisfaction. And, importantly, unnecessary background checks could signal that the employee is not trusted, undermining psychological contracts and reducing employee engagement. Extra monitoring is not a neutral activity  it may do more harm than good. But why does it seem youre being asked over and over again? Kulik says it mostly comes down to the fact that one employer cant rely on another employers vetting.

Advertisement

In short-term contract roles, theres less opportunity to build a track record on the job, and so trust has to be reestablished each time, with each new employer, she says. Documents gathered during background checks are rarely re-used across employers. Different employers will apply different criteria and standards to background checks, and will want current data to make the most meaningful decisions. Plus, its essential for data security  storing sensitive data longer than strictly necessary creates opportunities for data breaches. Kulik says she sympathises with you and your frustration at the need to submit these documents over and over again. But, she explains, its a feature of a system designed to protect all stakeholders, including applicants, contractors and employees. Background checks produce information, and its up to individual employers to make the yes-or-no decision. You wouldnt want a hiring decision to be affected by information that is irrelevant to the current role. Send your questions through to Work Therapy by emailing jonathan@theinkbureau.com.au Get workplace news, advice and perspectives to help make your job work for you. Sign up for our weekly Thank God its Monday newsletter.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Work therapy

Opinion Jonathan Rivett is a writer based in Melbourne. He's written about workplace culture and careers for more than a decade.
Albert Camus The Stranger has already defeated one film master. Even Francois Ozon wasnt sure he could make it work.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Albert Camus The Stranger is as slippery as an eel: it is the book everyone has read, especially in France, where it is a perennial set text in high schools, but nobody quite understands. Even the characters in Camus story struggle to understand why Meursault, a young Frenchman in colonial Algeria, shoots an Arabic man on a deserted beach. Meursault himself can only tell the court that the sun was in his eyes. The Stranger was published in 1942; despite its classic status, only two attempts have been made to adapt it as a film. Italian maestro Luchino Visconti, fresh from his success with The Leopard, made a version in 1967 with Marcello Mastroianni. By his own admission, it was a failure; the general conclusion was that the book couldnt be filmed at all. Until last year, when French director Francois Ozon realised that this was the next film he wanted to make. Ozon is an indefatigably prolific filmmaker, whose 24 features include a starry musical comedy (Eight Women, 2002), a sombre examination of priestly abuse (By the Grace of God, 2018) and the delicious black comedy about a mushroom poisoning, When Fall is Coming (2024). He had been trying in vain to finance another script about a suicidal young man  Nobody wanted to see that film, he says, ruefully  when a friend pointed out that it was rather like The Stranger. Benjamin Voisin in The Stranger: For four months, I was quite gloomy. Like everyone, he had read the novel at school. He hadnt much liked it. But reading it again was very strong, he says at the films London opening. I realised the book was still mysterious and powerful. These were exactly the themes I wanted to address: this indifference to the world, this way of detaching oneself from things. It was just as difficult to fund, despite being a classic. Financiers assured him The Stranger was their favourite book, until they read his script and were reminded of what it was actually like. Its not The Count of Monte Cristo, Ozon snaps. From the start, he wanted to adhere closely to the original text. At the same time, it had to take a contemporary point of view. Its 2026, so I had to look at this story from todays perspective, with everything that has happened since the book was published.

Advertisement

Throughout the 1950s, Algerians fought a bitter war for independence. Relations with France remain severed. For modern audiences, the murder is not only morally monstrous but politically charged. So is the fact that Camus doesnt give the dead man a name. Related Article Horror A teenage girl with mummy issues? The horror craze is about to hit home Reading the book again, what shocked me was the invisibilisation of the Arabs, says Ozon. Camus, who was born in Algeria, wrote frequently about the oppression of the local population under French rule. In The Stranger, however, the Arabs exist only in the margins. Algerian readers found it hurtful to be effectively written out of their own story. Almost 40 years later, The Cures song Killing an Arab caused a ruckus among listeners on both sides of the political fence; Robert Smith stopped performing it when he realised it had been taken up by right-wing racists. Ozon restores it to its proper literary place by playing it over the films end titles. The book remains controversial. The Stranger is misinterpreted by many people, especially in America, as a colonialist or a racist text, which it absolutely is not; it would be a mistake to think that, says Ozon. But you have to understand the context of the time. Algeria was France. It was two French departments, where Arabs and French lived in parallel. The Arabs didnt exist for the colonists. Camus didnt need to explain that  but, through our eyes today, its difficult to understand. Accordingly, he has shifted the storys goalposts by opening the film with a newsreel from the period praising the marvellous quality of life in Frances very own desert oasis, a piece of propaganda that is jaw-droppingly offensive now and puts a decisively different slant on what is to come. Djamila, the victims sister and the abused mistress of Meursaults neighbour, becomes a character with her own dignity and presence; the murdered man is given a name, Moussa.

Advertisement

Visually, on the other hand, Ozon fully embraces the period, shooting the beaches and sun-bleached buildings of his Tangier locations in rich black and white. This was partly an economic choice  there wasnt enough money, he says, to recreate the 1930s in colour  but it was also appropriate. Our entire collective memory of that era [is] in black and white, he says. It seemed to me that it would bring a sense of realism. And its a forgotten era that no longer exists, so theres a sense of a lost world. Related Article Film Arthouse director Jim Jarmusch sums up most things with this three-word catchphrase Those silvery greys are certainly luscious. Meursault is played by the languidly beautiful Benjamin Voisin; his girlfriend, Marie  another female character Ozon has amplified from the original  is the luminous Rebecca Marder. Both gleam in the sun; the way Ozon shoots bodies on the beach, as well as his formal use of the sea and horizon, might remind Australian viewers of Max Dupains photographs of Sydney beach life. I read the other books of Camus, which are full of sensuality, says Ozon. To me, it was quite obvious that while we would not be making a film about emotions, because Meursault doesnt have emotions ... we had to sense the heat, the wind, the sea, all these elements. I had the feeling everything had to be erotic around him. Meursault himself had to be charismatic, despite his frigidity. Its a difficult part because Meursault is an unsympathetic character, but we still have to follow him and be fascinated by him. Voisin, an irrepressibly impish tease in real life, withdrew uncomfortably into his fictional self. For four months, I was quite gloomy, quite flawed, with a much more distant outlook than usual, he says. It was a kind of sacrifice, so that I could arrive on set and let the character play itself. Francois Ozon, Rebecca Marder and Benjamin Voisin at the premiere of The Stranger during last years Venice Film Festival. Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Advertisement
Advertisement

EnvironmentClimate changeClimate solutions The simple fix that will cool our streets  if only we get it right Bianca Hall April 10, 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

Healthy urban trees are known to be a crucial defence against lethal heatwaves, but councils and governments are planting too few saplings, placing them in the wrong places, and failing to water them. New research published in Nature Communications shows that while street trees often fail to thrive, the solutions to help urban oases flourish are devastatingly simple. Thami Croeser demonstrates how the street trees on Canning Street in Carlton in Melbournes inner north are failing to thrive, compared with the established trees in Carlton Gardens. Eddie Jim Dr Thami Croeser, one of studys co-authors, said planting strong and healthy trees that offer canopy protection was increasingly urgent as climate change creates urban heat islands in cities. But poor planting processes are stunting and killing city street trees, leading them to be ripped out and replaced before they have grown to maturity.

Advertisement

One major factor was the common practice of planting trees on or among crushed rock beneath asphalted footpaths, limiting trees capacity to absorb nutrients and water, and establish sufficient root bases to stabilise themselves. You see trees growing half as fast and getting half as big when theyre stressed from not having water, and thats because weve just surrounded their roots with asphalt in most urban settings  theyve got a tiny little one-metre hole and theyre thirsty, Croeser said. Theyre pushing through crushed rock thats dry and hostile. So when trees are unhealthy, theyre half the size, they live shorter [lifespans], and they dont really perform on [producing] the canopy. A study cited by the authors showed trees planted in compacted or paved areas  a common practice in capital cities  suffered 60 per cent deficits in both cooling properties and structural growth.

Advertisement

As capital city councils have committed to increasing canopy cover by as much as 50 per cent of cities between now and 2050, urban forestry programs have grown around the country. The City of Sydney has set a target of 40 per cent canopy cover by 2050; Melbourne will pursue 40 per cent by 2040; Brisbane is aiming for 50 per cent by 2031, and Perth is aiming for 30 per cent by 2036. But the targets are being undermined by the turnover of trees being planted and removed. In the City of Melbourne, almost 2000 street trees were removed within 10 metres of development sites between 2008 and 2017, roughly 20 per cent of street trees removed in that time period. In 2020, German academics showed that densely planted trees could reduce temperatures by 11 degrees, compared with the 4 degrees of cooling offered by sparsely planted trees. Croeser said cautious approaches to bushfire management  even in major city centres  meant trees were planted with considerable gaps between them, and frequently pruned.

Advertisement

A tree thats getting smashed every two years is just constantly trying to recover from injuries rather than growing a nice, healthy canopy, Croeser said. The issue was thrown into stark relief at Green Link Bridge in Sydneys inner west, where dozens of semi-mature banksias lining the land bridge began dying in November. Trees begin to die near the Green Link Bridge pedestrian walkway in Annandale. Audrey Richardson Balmain MP Kobi Shetty said the irrigation system had failed, the trees were diseased, were the wrong species for the area and were planted too close together.

Advertisement

Transport for NSW will replace the trees in stages, she said. Meanwhile, Monash-led study published this week in Springer Nature Link found heat exposure contributed to $30 million in health care costs annually in Victoria between 2014 and 2019. The researchers examined the causes of more than 6.3 million hospital visits across Victoria during the summers of those years, finding that heat exposure was the underlying cause of 10,920 emergency department presentations and 4574 hospitalisations. The National Climate Risk Assessment last year predicted a significant increase in the number and intensity of heatwaves caused by climate change.

Advertisement

In 2024, scientists reviewed the health records of 104,000 Australians who had experienced cardiovascular events and fatal heart attacks over 10 years. Related Article Exclusive

Climate solutions How your suburbs lack of trees could be affecting your health They found that when peoples health data was cross-checked against the total green space and tree cover they lived among, a 10 per cent increase in tree canopy cover was linked with reduced risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, and fatal or non-fatal heart attacks. Also in 2024, an international study of more than 2.5 million buildings across eight global capital cities found just 3 per cent of buildings in inner Melbourne had adequate neighbourhood tree canopy cover, while in Sydney, 17 per cent of buildings had enough shade from tree canopies. Get to the heart of whats happening with climate change and the environment. Sign up for our fortnightly Environment newsletter.
Advertisement

LifestyleLife & relationshipsDating Eligible bachelors like Hugh are apparently becoming extinct. Heres where to find them Courtney Thompson April 9, 2026  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

In this series, we explore why proactive hearing health is vital to staying connected to your passions and loved ones. See all stories .

Its a balmy Thursday night, and as I cross the road towards the Potts Point bar, Im already regretting my leather jacket. Things get worse when I step inside, and its obvious the air-conditioning doesnt work. Nonetheless, I remain optimistic as I wait in line. Is this your first time? the host asks as he puts my wristband on. It is, I tell him. IRL singles events run by companies such as Thursday and Crush Club (pictured) have become more popular as people look for alternatives to dating apps. After 10 years of situationships and an on-and-off affair with dating apps, Id finally found myself at a singles event. Specifically, the Top 3 AI Matchmaking Night run by a company called Thursday, which teams up with local venues to host IRL singles events at various cities around the world. I was there mostly out of curiosity. Inside, I look at the drinks menu, where my options include a $23 sneaky link cosmo and $25 XO espresso. I opt for a $14 vodka soda hoping I might avoid extortion.

Advertisement

The energy of the crowd is tentative. Were told to fill in a quiz that AI technology will use to deliver us three matches over the course of the night. Prompts include how creative we consider ourselves, and how important independence is to us in a relationship. At three moments in the evening, we will be notified of our match and have roughly 20 minutes with them before the next. The host informs us that were in luck  there are more women than men. Related Article Sex & relationships I really want you to leave: Is the post-sex sleepover dead? My first match was Jerry (name changed for privacy reasons). Hes in a blazer and striped shirt, which was unbuttoned deep enough that he could hang his glasses on the opening. Can I ask, he probed tentatively, Is your heritage actually Swedish? (I have blonde hair and blue eyes, and he apparently has no imagination.) I probably shouldnt have been surprised when he bid me farewell by way of unprovoked sexual innuendo.

Advertisement

My second match was better. Louis was a comfortable conversationalist, which makes sense because this wasnt his first singles event. Fifteen minutes into our discussion, we realised we were both journalists, and another five minutes later, he paused ominously. Wait, he said, youre not writing about this are you? (Sorry, Louis.) My third and final match arrived not long after. George might help you feel more fulfilled in your day-to-day life, the app told me. (Is it little wonder our expectations are so high?) I sent him a text asking if he was still around. Yup, he replied with no elaboration. It was all the encouragement I needed to call it a night. The state of online dating is dire, if not entirely dead, resulting in a new surge in singles events.

Advertisement

Overseas, there are events for every niche: from the Silicon Valley tech founders, to the Brooklyn-based wrestling fanatics and London foodies. There are events where you can go and pitch your friends with a PowerPoint presentation, and companies selling Victorian-era acquaintance cards to make it easier to approach people in public. Even the dating apps started pivoting to incorporate the shift. Bumble has Bumble IRL and Feeld hosts socials (though neither currently have recent events listed for Australia). At their inaugural product keynote in March, Tinder announced a number of new updates including the introduction of an events tab, which will allow users to scout local IRL opportunities to meet fellow singles out in the wild. Related Article Sex & relationships Is this why the dating apps dont work? Unpacking the complexities of attraction According to the Match Group-owned company, the move was informed by research that found Gen Z (56 per cent) and Millennials (53 per cent) are more likely to describe themselves as better in person, and offline singles are two to four times more likely to engage in low-pressure IRL experiences compared to one-on-one dating. Its about creating spaces where people can meet more organically, a Tinder spokesperson said. We want to make dating feel more human, social and fun, and help users rediscover the excitement of meeting someone new.

Advertisement

From an evolutionary perspective, this was inevitable, says Dr Adam Bode, an interdisciplinary love researcher. We didnt evolve to scan through thousands of people over the phone and make a decision within the first second of seeing their profile picture whether we want to spend some time with them, he says. Traditionally, youd get into someone, and then youd ask them for a date. But dating apps actually reverse that process in that you try to get a date to determine if youre into them or not. Its just not normal. Among singles, theres a tension that defines our current moment: people really want to get off the apps, but feel handcuffed to them because of the lack of viable alternatives. People got so desperate they turned to clubs to try to find a partner. Theyre too nervous to approach someone at the pub for fear of rejection or the chance itll become a viral TikTok story, and many people have never considered a singles event, because the uncertainty about what really goes on, and the kind of people who go, puts them off. Hugh Tyson has been to a couple of the events run by Crush Club at the bar High Note and is enthusiastic about the experience. Eddie Jim Hugh Tyson, 31, is someone you might find at a singles event. After his last long-term relationship ended in 2022, the teacher from Northcote has been navigating the Melbourne dating scene with what he describes as an open heart and deep curiosity.

Advertisement

He first heard of Melbournes IRL dating event series, Crush Club, through a friend. I thought he was about to tell me a state secret, Tyson tells me. Hes since been to two events and thoroughly enjoyed them. I loved it because it just makes you present with other people immediately, says Tyson, who believes theres been a disappearance of the approach game, referencing the ability to talk to a stranger in public. Related Article Dating Heteroflexible, fertility vampires and affair baiting: The terms defining dating now The fear of rejection can really cripple your confidence, he says, and you can just psyche yourself out with thoughts like, oh, what if theyve got a partner? Youre gonna look like an absolute twat. The way Tyson sees it, there are three types of people youll encounter at an IRL singles event: those with genuine intention to meet a romantic partner, those who are curious and there for a good time, and the people whove rocked up with friends. The latter group tends to be a bit reserved, while the former are more engaged.

Advertisement

Crush Club founder Izzy Burns, 27, has multiple event formats  speed dating, dinners and mixers  to cater for the different preferences. The thing with the speed-dating events is there are people who really like them and enjoy that kind of structure and the match cards and being told, OK, youre gonna sit here, and then youre gonna move over here, and everythings very planned out, she says. And then theres also people who prefer a more relaxed setting where they can just go up and chat to people as they like. If they get on with someone, theyll just kind of share their details as they go. There have been a handful of couples to meet through Crush Club since it began in 2024, and the series has grown to the point where their biggest event  two speed-dating sessions at the Victorian State Library for 200 people  have waiting lists. Tyson believes the curation of the event  theyre usually held at trendy wine bars or restaurants  sets it apart from the kind of generic throw them in a room and hope for the best approach of other companies running events for singles. It also requires an open mind. Crush Club has become so popular among singles in Melbourne that their events are now attracting long waiting lists.

Advertisement

It is what you make of it, if you go in thinking, oh, Im going to have a horrible time, its going to be awkward, it probably will feel a little bit clunky, Tyson says. But I think as soon as you embrace that clunkiness, thats where the fun is. They are, however, still an imperfect way of meeting potential mates, says Bode. You are still expected to make a decision about whether youre into someone or not in the first meeting, he explains. As a result, people are always talking about that spark that they get, which does happen occasionally, but not that often. That, and theres the risk that youll end up stuck talking to a person like Jerry. For Burns, safety is prioritised by ensuring plenty of roving hosts and encouraging group tickets, where women can invite (and vouch for) male friends. Bode believes the ideal way to meet someone hasnt really changed in decades: a house party. He explains that youre inherently brought together by mutual friends, making it more likely youll have common interests, the environment relaxed and theres an in-built element of vetting.

Advertisement

It not only gives you access to people that youre more likely to want to form romantic relationships with, but also a higher-calibre person than you would normally meet on an app. With that, Im off to find a house party. Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.
Advertisement

A woman allegedly smashed her relatives skull with a pink hammer as he lay in a hospital bed in Sydneys inner west  telling shocked nurses he stole my brothers ashes in what a judge has called a gratuitously violent and unprovoked alleged attack. Viki Graham, 46, allegedly walked into Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown just after midnight carrying a bundle of clothes, a local bail court heard on Thursday. Viki Graham, 46, allegedly smashed her relative in the head with a pink hammer as he lay in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, saying he stole my brothers ashes. Facebook A police fact sheet, tendered to the court as the bar worker from Balmain requested release on Thursday, said Graham went up to ward nine before being confronted by the night nurse. The nurse told Graham it was outside of visiting hours, but she refused to leave and allegedly said, I just want to talk to him.

Advertisement

Graham allegedly walked over to the bedside of the 63-year-old man, pulled out a pink-handled hammer, and struck him on the right side of his forehead. I smashed him with the hammer. He stole my brothers ashes, Graham allegedly called out. Loading The victim had a seizure as blood and air entered his brain through his broken skull, stopping his breathing. He was intubated and is in a critical condition. Local Court Judge Judith Sweeney said it was a gratuitously violent attack spelled out in the police allegations.

Advertisement

The facts are absolutely extraordinary, she said. It is a maximum penalty of 25 years, that is how seriously this offence is viewed by the legislature. I smashed him with the hammer. He stole my brothers ashes. Viki Graham, according to a police fact sheet Grahams lawyers attempted to gain her release, saying she suffered from anxiety and has nerve damage in her right arm. But the judge concluded there were no conditions that could mitigate the risk Graham posed to the community.

Advertisement

She was denied bail until June. The alleged assault occurred just after midnight on Thursday morning. Louise Kennerley The man is on life support in the intensive care unit of the hospital after suffering serious injuries to the head. The NSW Police homicide squad was put on standby about 4am, amid concerns about the mans condition. Graham told the court she worked at the Cat and Fiddle pub in Balmain. However, the owner told the Herald she had not worked there since it changed hands three years ago. Sydney Local Health District chief executive Deb Willcox described the patient as a really lovely person who has had a reasonably long stay in the hospital.

Advertisement

This is just a terrible event, she said. The patient is well known to the staff who care about that person very much, and our primary interest is his wellbeing. Willcox said staff acted swiftly, and no other patient was impacted. Obviously, its a very distressing event for [staff] involved. The victim is well known to hospital staff, said Sydney Local Health District chief executive Deb Willcox. Louise Kennerley Willcox said she would review how the incident was managed, to identify any learnings.

Advertisement

Graham was taken to Newtown police station, where she was charged with grievous bodily harm. She was refused police bail and appeared in court on Thursday. Visitors are not permitted on RPAs general wards after 8pm, but staff can accommodate visiting family members after hours, and the emergency departments doors are always open to the public. We are here to care for the community, Willcox said. Our staff are extremely capable. Theyre trained for this kind of thing, and they [did] everything that was appropriate, and everybody is safe, except sadly for our dear patient. Several senior RPA clinicians said they were shocked that such an event had occurred at the hospital. This is extremely unsettling, said one doctor who spoke on condition of anonymity. I have never in my many years of practice here have ever heard of such a thing [happening] here.

Advertisement

Staff said the hospital had a relatively high security presence, mainly to help manage patients with behavioural disturbances or drug-affected presentations. But visiting hours on wards were essentially policed by nursing staff. NSW hospitals are contending with escalating levels of violence and aggression, but a brutal assault allegedly perpetrated by a member of the public on a patient is extremely rare. In June 2024, a security guard was allegedly stabbed, and several nurses were injured by a man in Westmead Hospitals emergency department. A recent survey found 88 per cent of nurses, midwives and carers had experienced violence in the previous year, with public hospital staff most commonly exposed.

Advertisement

Katrina Bough, the assistant general secretary of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association said the incident was shocking and deeply concerning and the union was supporting the nurses who were confronted with the distressing scene. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app.
BROOKLYN, N.Y., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Duggal Greenhouse and Brooklyn Fish Transfer join to form a single, integrated event campus in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. This partnership expands the combined footprint to 65,000 square feet, unifying two neighboring properties into a cohesive, full-campus experience. Together, they establish one of New York City's most flexible, high-capacity event destinations.

Duggal Greenhouse and Brooklyn Fish Transfer

The neighboring venues sit along the Brooklyn waterfront and are defined by a shared industrial heritage. Together, Duggal Greenhouse's iconic industrial-chic architecture and the Brooklyn Fish Transfer's expansive raw terrain create a distinctive, character-rich campus - where exposed structure, scale, and skyline views converge. The result is a one-of-a-kind background for large-scale events, offering an immersive, flexible environment.

"This isn't just an expansion of space  it's an expansion of vision," said Kristen Nelson, Director of Sales at Duggal Greenhouse. "As the world's biggest events come to the US, we're seeing growing demand for scale, flexibility, and brand-first environments. This partnership is our answer - creating a campus that allows brands to dream bigger, move faster, and deliver unforgettable experiences that feel tailor-made for a global audience."

This combined footprint offers unparalleled flexibility, creative and logistical freedom within New York City limits. It includes multiple zoning opportunities for public-facing experiences, hospitality suites, press compounds, media production areas, and back-of-house operations. The two properties can function as a seamless mega-venue or support concurrent events with distinct atmospheres. The collaboration deepens the Brooklyn Navy Yard's role as a hub for the creative economy and large-scale event infrastructure.

This expansion means:

A combined footprint of over 65,000 square feet of total event space

Creative flexibility for large-scale, custom-build experiences

Multiple activations and simultaneous programming across the campus

Diverse aesthetic environments, waterfront access and skyline views

Designed for full-campus takeovers or segmented for intimate events and back-of-house needs - enabling fully immersive, end-to-end event experiences

About Duggal Greenhouse

Located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Duggal Greenhouse is a premier venue for experiential events, global brand activations, fashion shows, concerts, and cultural experiences. Known for its iconic architecture, sustainable design, and panoramic river views, the space has hosted major productions for clients such as Dior, and The United Nations.

www.duggalgreenhouse.com

About Brooklyn Fish Transfer

Operating at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for over 40 years, Brooklyn Fish Transfer has served as a cornerstone of New York's maritime and industrial operations.

The site has evolved into becoming a key player in reimagining the future of the arts and large-scale event infrastructure in the city with deep roots in art, film, photo production, fashion, television, and philanthropic initiatives.

Social Media:

LinkedIn

Instagram

SOURCE Duggal Visual Solutions, Inc
Advertisement

NationalNSWCrime Manhunt after child rapist escapes custody at Sydney hospital Angus Thomson and Riley Walter Updated April 9, 2026  5:21pm ,first published 3:29pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Police are hunting a man convicted of gang raping a 14-year-old girl after he escaped immigration detention while receiving treatment at a western Sydney hospital. Michael Angok, 30, was transported from Villawood Immigration Detention Centre to Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital on Wednesday morning, before escaping and fleeing on foot shortly after 9.30am. Angok, the latest person to escape strict guard in the NSW hospital system, was wearing a black hooded jumper, grey tracksuit pants and white Croc sandals, police said. Michael Angok, 30, escaped detention after being transported to Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital from Villawood on Wednesday. A manhunt was launched involving PolAir, police dogs, and the Raptor unit. Some of Angoks possessions were found discarded on Gallipoli Road.

Advertisement

Police described Angok as being of African appearance, about 180 centimetres tall, with a thin build. [Angok] previously resided in the Blacktown area and may utilise the public transport network, NSW Police said in a statement. Detective Superintendent Brett Van Akker said police were working day and night to bring Angok into custody. Hes well known to us, Van Akker said. He has a criminal conviction and was awaiting deportation at the time. Asked why police waited 24 hours to inform the public, Van Akker said they did not want to compromise search efforts or cause unnecessary community alarm.

Advertisement

Detective Acting Inspector Stuart Kimble from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said detectives were still investigating how Angok managed to escape the custody of Border Force officials, and whether anyone was injured in the process. Police urged anyone who sees Angok not to approach him, but instead to call Triple Zero immediately. Angok was convicted for his role in the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl at a western Sydney park in 2014. He was sentenced to a non-parole period of two years after pleading guilty to several counts of aggravated sexual intercourse with a person under 16. He has been in immigration detention for several years since his release from prison in 2017. It is unclear when he was expected to be deported from Australia. An Australian Border Force spokesperson said the agency was working closely with NSW Police and the Australian Federal Police to locate Angok, but did not comment on specifics of his case.

Advertisement

In February, Luke Peter Francis, 31, allegedly overpowered a nurse and stole her access card to escape Cumberland Hospital before killing two women in a car crash during a police pursuit. Setefano Mooniai Leaaetoa, 25, had been an involuntary patient at the same hospital and escaped during a transfer to Westmead Hospital on February 7. He was later charged with murder and attempted murder after allegedly stabbing one person to death and severely injuring two others at a Merrylands grocery store. Another 25-year-old man absconded from Cumberland while on approved leave just three days after Health Minister Ryan Park announced a snap review into the two previous escapes. Anyone with information about the latest incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the Crime Stoppers website. If you or someone you know needs support, you can contact national sexual assault counselling service 1800 Respect, CASA sexual assault crisis line 1800 806 292 or the Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app.
Advertisement

NationalQueenslandExtreme weather Cyclone Maila on move as flood-weary region watches and waits Andrew Stafford and Ben McKay April 9, 2026  2:35pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

A record-breaking cyclone is expected to finally make its move towards the Australian coast, putting a flood-weary region again on high alert. Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila was forecast on Thursday to slowly turn towards far north Queensland after stalling between Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea for several days. The category four system is currently producing wind gusts of up to 260km/h after setting a record as the strongest cyclone recorded so far north in the Solomon Sea. A map of surface winds around Cyclone Maila on Thursday afternoon. Bureau of Meteorology It is set to weaken as it interacts with landfall closer to PNG and gradually treks toward Queenslands coast in the coming days.

Advertisement

However, residents in Queenslands far north are still wary of its potential impact, with the system likely to initially follow a similar path to Marchs Cyclone Narelle when it crosses the coast. Maila is currently forecast to make landfall between Cooktown and Lockhart River on Tuesday as a category two system, the Bureau of Meteorologys Jonathan How said. There is still some variation in the exact timing among the computer models, but confidence is increasing that Mailas track will take it towards northern parts of Cape York peninsula, he said. But it is still five days away, and Mailas exact path, timing and strength will be influenced by a number of factors before then. Maila is on track to cross close to where Narelle hit Cape York on March 20 before it left a trail of damage across the Top End and Western Australia.

Advertisement

It regained strength after crossing northern Australia and slammed into WAs northwest, peaking as a category four system as it destroyed buildings, felled trees and triggered flooding. The bureau on Thursday warned that Cape York communities could expect further damaging to destructive winds, potentially intense rainfall, flooding and coastal erosion upon Mailas arrival. Another cyclone would be a blow to a region still cleaning up Narelles mess. Maila was at one stage rated a category five system before it resumed its slow trek toward Australia. Mailas location at sea has so far kept the most damaging winds away from major population centres.

Advertisement

Footage showed destruction of property in remote parts of the Solomon Islands Western and Choiseul provinces. National broadcaster SIBC reported that three members of one family had gone missing after a boat capsized in heavy seas. AAP Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.
Advertisement

NationalQueenslandQueensland Police Queensland police car found to be unregistered after crash Dominique Tassell April 9, 2026  5:58pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

An unmarked police car involved in a crash on the Gold Coast was later found to be unregistered, with the Queensland Police Union criticising the service for allowing officers to drive it. The crash happened on Thomas Drive in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast on February 22, when a woman allegedly drove her car onto the wrong side of the road and struck the police car. Police then discovered the car was unregistered while lodging an insurance claim. An internal investigation found this was due to an administrative error during the completion of an unrelated insurance claim for a different police vehicle, police said. An unmarked police vehicle was found to be unregistered after it was involved in a traffic incident. Queensland Police Union

Advertisement

The car was re-registered and the services fleet was audited to ensure all other vehicles were registered. No other unregistered vehicles were found. On Thursday, the union criticised the services Fleet Services Group, which manages the acquisition, commissioning, maintenance, and decommissioning of police cars. About 1000 vehicles are replaced annually, according to police. Police go to work expecting the vehicle they are assigned to drive to life-saving jobs is not only working and safe but registered, Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior said. Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior has criticised the services Fleet Services Group. Catherine Strohfeldt This is appalling management by the senior staff at fleet.

Advertisement

Police write tickets every day for this kind of offence. Its farcical that our own cars arent even compliant. This kind of failure erodes public trust. Prior called for an independent review into the incident and the Fleet Services Groups response. Related Article Queensland Police Qld police union discontent persists months after controversial pay deal It troubles me that instead of focusing on delivering for officers on the frontline, theyve concentrated on trivial issues like where staff park their personal cars at the depot, prioritising reading and responding to social media comments, he said. When first response police call up to check on the progress of a replacement vehicle they need to do their job safely, complaints are made against them in an attempt to silence them.

Advertisement

This behaviour is abhorrent and has all the classic features of bullying, yet no one in senior management is prepared to challenge those responsible or protect our officers or staff. Fleet has the job to deliver fit-for-purpose, safe vehicles for first responders and I fear that loss of direction is putting lives at risk. A recent newsletter from the union reported that frontline vehicles were clocking well over 200,000 kilometres and not being replaced once damaged. It said some stations had been left with only one of three vans operational. Officers at Ingham, in the states north, were said to be driving a car that had clocked up 348,000 kilometres, and that rattled so badly at traffic lights pedestrians would point and laugh. Police had to carry around a screwdriver to change the gear lever into drive when it becomes stuck, the union said.

Advertisement

The Queensland Police Service said in a statement it prioritised community and officer safety. The QPS  continues to invest in new and improved infrastructure, communications, and operational technologies to maintain the highest levels of service delivery across Queensland. 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

PoliticsFederalDisability Opinion My niece needs the NDIS. Yes, it must be cut  but with a scalpel, not a chainsaw James Massola Chief political commentator April 10, 2026  5:00am

April 10, 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

Over Easter, my sister Caroline and her daughter Mattea came and stayed for a few nights in Canberra. Mattea is like most three-year-olds: boisterous, bursting with energy, constantly talking and demanding attention from her three older cousins. Mattea is also not like most three-year-olds: from the moment she was born, her parents have had to grapple with a complex set of problems that make life very, very different. Caroline Massola with her three-year-old daughter, Mattea (second from left), and Matteas cousins Sabina, Giacomo and Carlo in the James Turrell sculpture at the National Gallery of Australia. Caroline Massola After years of appointments with an army of specialists, Mattea was diagnosed a year ago with Jansen-de Vries syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder first identified in 2017, the many symptoms of which include intellectual disability, speech delays, anxiety, and feeding, drinking and gastrointestinal difficulties. Mattea receives significant support from the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Almost from the moment the NDIS was brought to life by the Gillard government in 2013, there have been complaints about the size and cost of the scheme. It costs the government about $50 billion a year and has about 760,000 participants. Its growing at about 10 per cent a year, which means it will cost more than $100 billion annually by the 2030s.

Advertisement

Advertisement

As far as Caro knows, her daughter is one of five people in Australia to have been diagnosed with JdVS. The Facebook support group Caro joined for JdVS families around the world has about 200 members. Worldwide, the syndrome has been identified in just 26 countries, though there are almost certainly others who have it but have been misdiagnosed with another disability. Other symptoms of JdVS include global developmental delay, chronic constipation, chronic vomiting, low muscle tone (known as hypotonia), growth hormone deficiency, small hands and feet, poor vision, poor fine motor skills and hypersensitivity to sound. Mattea has now also been diagnosed with autism and ADHD, though she is too young for the medications that could help her. Caroline, Mattea and Sabina at the NGA. Caroline Massola It is not yet known whether people with JdVS live shorter lives because identification of the syndrome is so new. My little niece has every one of the above-listed symptoms other than chronic vomiting (though, as Caro remarked half-jokingly one night, there is still plenty of time for her to develop that).

Advertisement

The NDIS was built for people like Mattea, though she doesnt receive her funding because of JdVS. Again, as the syndrome is so new, it isnt specifically recognised by the scheme. Instead, her development delays and intellectual disability are what qualify her. She receives a high level of support now, at a critical stage when early intervention can make a big difference, but when she reaches six, her funding could drop unless it is judged that she still has a significant intellectual disability. If she had qualified because of her autism, much of the funding would be cut. Youd think that, with her list of symptoms, Mattea would not be affected by changes to the NDIS. She probably wont be, but there are no guarantees of support. Most years, she is reassessed by the NDIA, as are many users of the scheme. That can cost my sister dearly, as each of her four specialists charges about $1000 per letter to support her remaining on the scheme. Her support team of specialists meets four times a year to discuss Matteas conditions, which costs another $800 per meeting. Its an expensive way to confirm to the NDIS that Mattea does, in fact, have the same condition she was born with. And surely this bureaucracy could be pared back? At the moment, my sister estimates the cost of all that care and all those specialists is about $100,000 a year, of which the NDIS pays less than half.

Advertisement

Mattea can feed herself (mostly) by hand, but not with cutlery. She struggles to drink from a sippy cup because she chokes on all liquids, so she drinks thickened water. She is tiny of stature and still wobbly on her little feet, but shes getting there. And while she has a vocabulary of about 100 words, most of them are hard to understand unless you listen closely, or you can see the context of what she is saying or asking for. Youd think, with that list of burdens, Mattea would be living a miserable existence. And yet, she is one of the happiest kids Ive met. Related Article Exclusive

Disability Two Labor MPs  both of them doctors  say the NDIS must be redesigned There is certainly a burden carried by my sister and her husband: frequent specialist appointments, trips to the emergency department at the Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne and 15 hours of speech, occupational, physio and behavioural therapy every week. The NDIS money makes a massive difference to Matteas life, just as it does for all, or nearly all, of the schemes participants. The federal government is right to crack down on rorts, dodgy operators and waste in the scheme, which has already cost taxpayers billions. It is also correct that the schemes current growth rate and cost are not sustainable. But every time a politician complains the NDIS is a rort, or too costly, or argues that too many people with autism with lower support needs  about 40 per cent of participants  are using the scheme, they should stop and take a breath. Because they arent just talking about people with less severe needs, who may need less support  theyre also talking about kids like Mattea who, even with her complex disabilities, are not guaranteed the funding they need to keep developing skills the rest of us take for granted.

Advertisement

Related Article Exclusive

Disability Labor makes NDIS key to its budget savings plan  and the peak body says providers should lean in Over the long weekend, I got a brief snapshot of how much extra my sister has to do to care for her daughter. Having not seen the family for a couple of months, it was a stark reminder of the challenges they face. I also discovered which new words Mattea had learnt in speech therapy. She can now say Carlo, Sabina and Giacy, my three kids names, and she was in her element chasing them through the James Turrell sculpture at the National Gallery. But the best bit was adding two more words to her vocabulary  Maxy goal!  after the Melbourne captain kicked one, to the horror of Matteas Collingwood-supporting dad. Mark Butler does need to cut back the NDIS. It must be fiscally sustainable. But he should do it with a scalpel, not a chainsaw, and remember it needs to be done with the best interests of the people who use it in mind, not just the bean counters. James Massola is chief political commentator at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform. Sign up here.
The NDIS has blown out to $50 billion. Can Labor stop it from spiralling?

This article was first published on April 10 and has been republished after it was announced 160,000 NDIS recipients will lose support in the overhaul.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

At her home on a small farm, 40 minutes out of Hobart, Rosie Treasure loves to paint. The 22-year-olds intellectual disability and cerebral palsy have proven no barrier to her artistic passion. She sells paintings online through her own micro-business  one has made its way to a buyer in New York  and now has a job working with younger children at an art studio in town. That Rosie can achieve some form of independence has always been important to her mum, Rachael, a single mother who writes novels and runs the farming business. Rachael makes sure Rosies weeks are full of activity. That schedule has involved hundreds of sessions over the last nine years  with support workers, occupational therapists, speech therapists and physios  that are funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Rosie would never have reached the skill level and been given this opportunity without the system, Rachael says. Shes a happier person for it  the value has been phenomenal. But it hasnt been smooth. Some days Rachael is brought to tears by the frustration of co-ordinating six different support organisations: while some workers have become like family, showing Rosie how to cook Greek meals and fold her laundry, others will come into their home and simply sit there, failing to assist her with basic tasks like getting dressed or brushing teeth. Author Rachael Treasure (right) with her daughter, Rosie, and two of the familys horses. Melissa Spencer When Rosies plan co-ordinator passed away, it took three months of unanswered emails before the family was notified. Rachael once hired a financial service provider to help manage Rosies complicated NDIS budget, only to find out one day that it had all been spent. Its the most confusing and difficult-to-navigate system, Rachael says. Its like having an extra full-time job. Ive done three different surveys and come out as a red flag for high burnout.

Advertisement

This is the story of the NDIS: at its best, its transformed the lives of people like Rosie, who in previous decades would have been marooned at home or institutions. Still, as a government system, its not working as it should. It is administratively complex, susceptible to fraud and misuse, has minimal oversight or regulation of providers, and complaints are on the rise. The Albanese government has one eye on these issues, and how the scheme could be improved for the people it serves. It has another eye on the federal budget. As the NDIS has become a fully fledged scheme, its costs have rocketed. The Productivity Commission predicted in 2011 that the scheme would cater to 410,000 people and cost about $13.5 billion at maturity, then grow between 3 and 6 per cent each year. By 2017, it had revised these estimates, saying the scheme would cost $30 billion in 2025, and $40 billion by 2030. But this year, it will cost $50 billion, with 760,000 participants. Its still growing by 10 per cent annually. The problem for the government is that the scheme hasnt stabilised. Projections published in December show it will serve more than 1 million people in 2034, costing $96 billion. At 2.1 per cent of future GDP, this would be more than Australia now spends on defence.

Advertisement

Martin Laverty, who was on the first National Disability Insurance Agency board and now runs the large non-profit provider Aruma, says this challenge is urgent. I think this is the last budget in which the Australian government can save the NDIS, he says. If we dont chart a course to cost correction, it will spiral, and those that need the scheme the most will be those hardest hit when, inevitably, a future government needs to cut the scheme back. Related Article Exclusive

Disability Two Labor MPs  both of them doctors  say the NDIS must be redesigned This is the task in front of Mark Butler: one of Anthony Albaneses most trusted ministers, who took carriage of the NDIS after last years election, when he led Labors successful Medicare campaign. I worked in disabilities in the early 1990s, when people who are now being supported by the NDIS were institutionalised for their entire life, Butler told a forum last week. Having a system of supports like the NDIS truly is one of the great human rights advances. But the scheme is off track. It lacks those disciplined design features of a good social program, and were determined to get it back on track.

Advertisement

Labor will make the NDIS a centrepiece of its savings package next month as it seeks to slow the schemes annual growth rate towards 5 to 6 per cent over the four-year forward estimates. Some changes will seek to improve the participant experience and budget bottom line in tandem, but its no simple task. Butler must improve regulation and oversight without crushing the market or eroding the schemes principles of choice and control. He also needs to restore its purpose of serving people with the most profound disabilities  without leaving others in the lurch. And he must ensure it keeps its broad social licence while retaining the faith of a disability community that fought hard for the scheme. That community has become increasingly anxious as conversations about costs dominate the public narrative. Former NSW disability minister John Della Bosca has had a front-row seat watching Australias disability services evolve. He had seen just how badly a system geared towards institutionalisation was failing people. When he resigned in 2010, to lead the movement that championed a new scheme, he channelled this into optimism. A group of service providers, families, carers and academics  who came together under the banner Every Australian Counts  won over the Gillard government with their campaign to transform disability services in Australia. The whole idea of the NDIS was that we would catch up and leapfrog the world in terms of disability supports, Della Bosca says. But the former minister is much more circumspect when he talks about the NDIS now. The campaign, in a way, was too successful too quickly.

Advertisement

Someone once described it  unflatteringly  as a jumbo plane being built while it was in the air. Its easier with hindsight to identify the design flaws. Many of them were included in the 2011 Productivity Commission blueprint, intended to bolster choice and control in a system that had none. With time, however, these settings have distorted markets and opened the scheme to fraud. Providers have been allowed to operate without registering with the government; flat pricing structures dont reflect specific skills or quality in certain services; the concept of reasonable and necessary supports is legislated but loosely defined. One thing, though, tops the list for where things have gone wrong. The original proposal was for a tiered system of disability supports across the community. Tier one, individualised NDIS packages, were to be reserved for roughly 330,000 disabled people who had severely reduced functioning. Four million more people would access tier two supports, such as state services delivered in schools and hospitals. That fuller ecosystem never materialised. Instead, state government services dried up and are only now being put back online. The biggest mistake we made was that no one really envisioned the states would completely exit the disability sector, Della Bosca says. Call it the only lifeboat in the ocean, as former minister Bill Shorten did, or the oasis in the desert, as scheme architect Bruce Bonyhady put it: the NDIS became the only option for disability support in Australia. Thats clearest today in the statistics for participants with autism. About 324,000 of the 761,000 NDIS participants  or more than two in every five  have a primary diagnosis of autism. While annual growth among the remainder of participants is relatively stable, the number of people with autism, mainly children, grew by 24 per cent last year. Australian academic studies have demonstrated an uptick in autism diagnoses followed the NDIS rollout, as people chased help, and the only way to get it was through the scheme.
AI slop: The next evolution of wartime propaganda

Alongside the conflict over the strait of Hormuz, the US and Israels war with Iran is also being fought on a new front. The world of AI-generated propaganda.
Advertisement

Analysis TechnologyAI Meta has found its footing on AI. Its rival found something much scarier David Swan April 9, 2026  11:48am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Mark Zuckerberg spent the better part of a billion dollars  some reports suggest considerably more - wooing AI researchers to dinner at his Lake Tahoe compound over the past year. He handed out nine-figure pay packages - in some cases to Australians  and effectively blew up his entire AI operation. He fired people, hired new people, and installed a 29-year-old as the man responsible for salvaging his companys reputation in the field he has declared the defining bet of his career. On Thursday, the first results arrived. Muse Spark, Metas new AI model, landed with enough fanfare to push the companys stock up 6.5 per cent in a single day. Its the first step in what Zuckerberg has promised investors will be personal superintelligence for everyone. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg made wholesale changes to the companys AI operation. AP The model itself is good, by all accounts, in whats a fiercely competitive race with incredibly high stakes. Independent testers who got early access say Meta is now, credibly, a competitive AI lab for the first time in years. The model performs well on reasoning benchmarks, handles health queries with depth and draws on social content  think Instagram posts, Facebook threads, and Reels - that no competitor can replicate.

Advertisement

That last piece is potentially very valuable and is underpinning Metas AI competitive strategy. It is also, depending on your view of the tech giants relationship with privacy and personal data, something worth watching carefully. Muse Spark, Metas new AI model, can help with nutritional information. What it isnt, and what Meta has acknowledged directly, is cutting-edge across the board. Coding remains a weak spot while long-horizon agentic tasks  the kind where an AI works autonomously through complex, multi-step problems  are still a work in progress. To understand why Wednesdays announcement mattered so much you have to go back just over a year, to when Metas previous model Llama 4 arrived with a thud. It underperformed, and was followed by revelations that Meta had been quietly gaming a third-party benchmark used by the industry to rank models  essentially, fiddling the scoreboard. The company later admitted as much. Then, the tech giants biggest planned model, something called Behemoth, was shelved without ever being released publicly. Senior AI staff left, with some heading straight to competitors.

Advertisement

Related Article Software Canva embarks on buying spree as AI wave batters rivals It was, by any reading, an embarrassing period for a company that had loudly proclaimed its open-source AI strategy as a gift to humanity and a competitive masterstroke simultaneously. Zuckerberg, as he usually does, didnt respond with humility but instead with money, and quick reorganisation. He brought in Alexandr Wang, the former Scale AI chief executive whose data-labelling startup Meta had just been valued at $US14 billion, and handed him the keys to a new entity called Meta Superintelligence Labs. Wang assembled a tight inner circle of elite researchers and set them to work. Alexandr Wang, who co-founded Scale AI with Lucy Guo. The New York Times Their first publicly released work  Muse Spark  is what came out today. Its a closed model, meaning that Meta holds on to the underlying code, training data and model weights. Meta says it hopes to open-source future versions.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, across town in San Francisco just a couple of days earlier, Anthropic set off a different kind of alarm. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei. The AI giant seeks to embed itself as the general-purpose artificial intellgience platform of choice for the business world. Bloomberg Where Meta was managing investor expectations and talking up health chatbot features, Anthropic was doing something unusual: announcing a model it says is too dangerous to release to the public. Claude Mythos Preview, the company disclosed this week, is already capable of finding and exploiting so-called zero-day vulnerabilities in software  flaws that even the softwares own developers dont know exist. Those capabilities werent merely hypothetical, either  the model has reportedly already located a 27-year-old bug in OpenBSD, the operating system quietly underpinning a significant chunk of the worlds secure network infrastructure. It also found a 16-year-old flaw in video encoding tool FFmpeg and has catalogued vulnerabilities in Linux software running on most of the worlds servers.

Advertisement

Related Article AI Memos and confidants allege pattern of dishonesty from OpenAI boss Rather than a public launch, Anthropic is routing access through something it calls Project Glasswing  a coalition of more than 40 companies, including Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks, backed by $US100 million in usage credits. The idea is to use AI to find and patch vulnerabilities before malicious actors do the same thing. The juxtaposition of these two stories in the same week is something worth sitting with. Meta is celebrating because it has rebuilt itself into a credible AI competitor after a humiliating collapse. While Anthropic  which announced its own annual revenue had tripled to more than $US30 billion  is simultaneously ringing the loudest alarm bell the industry has heard in some time, warning that AIs capabilities have now outpaced the security protecting some of the worlds critical infrastructure. Zuckerbergs model can recommend nearby restaurants while Anthropics model, which the company has decided you cannot be trusted with yet, can dismantle security systems that have been considered safe for decades.

Advertisement

Both things are true at the same time, and sum up what you need to know about the current state of AI in April 2026. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
Or try Western Australia, a vast and sparsely populated land where a sense of time slowing down is unavoidable. If its peace you seek on your next holiday, choose one of the following destinations.

Picture Bhutan, a famously peaceful country that measures its gross national happiness; or New Zealand, where your biggest worry is being misunderstood when you say six.

Whether that is a sense of inner peace, or the tranquillity of your immediate surroundings, these are calm places where your stress levels dip and your enjoyment of the world dramatically increases.

There are certain countries  and parts of Australia  that have always excelled in this area. Peace is what they do, its what they bring.

It sounds wonderful, doesnt it? Relaxing in a place where you can enjoy a culture-rich, worry-free break? Thats how holidays should be: the antidote to the worlds issues, the chance to get away from it all rather than sink yourself deeper into it.

Why here Want to know how fast life moves in Bhutan? The highest speed limit anywhere in the country is 80 kilometres an hour. On most highways, its 60km/h. This is a nation in the slow lane, a peaceful, overwhelmingly safe place where you can immerse yourself in Buddhist culture and enjoy the Himalayan views.

Make it happen Thai Airways flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Reykjavik via Bangkok and Oslo. Iceland is best in summer, though you can visit from September to March for the Northern Lights. See thaiairways.com ; visiticeland.com

Dont miss When it comes to peace and relaxation in Iceland, its hard to beat a soak in the warm waters of Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa in the islands south-west.

Calm down Iceland is all about the natural world, getting outside and slowly, calmly appreciating the Arctic wonder. Begin at Jokulsarlon Lagoon, where you can boat through icebergs calved from Vatnajokull glacier. Enjoy views of the Northern Lights during winter. Hike to the top of the Kerid volcanic crater. And explore the black-sand beaches of Reynisfjara.

Why here Only 400,000 people live on this small outcrop of land  about the size of New Zealands North Island  deep in the Arctic Circle, where trouble rarely flares. Iceland is consistently ranked at the top of lists of the worlds safest and most peaceful countries, with a stable government, low crime rate, and a high level of social cohesion. Oh, and its gorgeous.

Calm down Jump in the car and point it west, into the hills, and explore the little towns you come across: Newrybar is first, or maybe Bangalow, but then you get into Federal, The Channon, Nimbin, Mullumbimby, Main Arm and more. These are places where the hippie spirit lives, set among natural beauty, with the chance to hike through national parks, explore waterfalls, climb mountains, and soak up the unique culture.

Why here You can see why so many people escaped to the Byron Hinterland in the 1970s, why hippies chose to tap out of modern life and hide in the hills to the west of Byron Bay. This area has a deep sense of peace to it, of physical beauty and spiritual harmony.

Make it happen Thai Airways, with Druk Air, flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Paro, via Bangkok. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit. You will need to pay a daily Sustainable Development Fee in Bhutan. See thaiairways.com ; bhutan.travel

Dont miss The Trans-Bhutan Trail is an ancient, 403-kilometre path that once served as the lifeline between many of the countrys mountain villages. There are few more peaceful experiences than walking through the Himalayas on this historic pathway. See gadventures.com

Calm down Bhutan is best known for Paro Taktsang, the Tigers Nest, a clifftop monastery that, to be honest, doesnt offer the countrys most relaxed experience  its a long climb, surrounded by the largest crowds youll see here. Instead, explore the dzongs, or ancient fortresses, in the quieter likes of Punakha and Trongsa, and drive over the spectacular Dochula Pass.

Dont miss Probably the key activity in the Maldives is exploring the underwater world. If you have a scuba-diving qualification already, great; if you dont, this is the place to get it. The feeling of floating deep beneath the surface, watching as sea life moves around you, is as peaceful as you can get.

Calm down What to do in the Maldives? How about nothing? This is the ideal place to sit back with a book on the deck of your overwater bungalow and let the world go by. If, however, you would like to actually do something, why not try a sunset cruise, or stand-up paddleboarding, a sunrise yoga session, or even a fishing trip?

Why here If you do the right thing by the Maldives, the Maldives will do the right thing by you. That is: its illegal to consume alcohol away from tourist resorts and floating bars, and drug laws are extremely strict. Obey those, and you will find the Maldives an idyllic place where its easy to tap out from the worlds problems and enjoy some time by (or in) the sea. Civil unrest has tended to occur in its capital Male.

Make it happen The Byron hinterland is a one-hour drive from Gold Coast Airport, or 30 minutes from Lismore. The area is beautiful year-round. See visitnsw.com

Dont miss There are some truly great places to eat in the hinterland now. Try Fridas Field in Nashua, Doma in Federal, You Beauty and Ciao Mate in Bangalow, the Eltham Hotel in Eltham, and Bistro Livi in Murwillumbah.

Make it happen Shikoku is accessible from Tokyo via train or plane for fares to Tokyo. The island is best in spring or autumn, though its pleasant all year round. See qantas.com ; japan.travel

Dont miss In Matsuyama, Dogo Onsen is one of Japans oldest hot-spring baths, and has recently reopened after renovations. This onsen will be immediately recognisable to Studio Ghibli fans, as it was the inspiration for the bathhouse in Spirited Away.

Calm down No need to drive in Shikoku. In the islands four prefectures  Kagawa, Ehime, Tokushima and Kochi  there are ample opportunities to get around by bike, from the 70-kilometre Shimanami Kaido route, connecting the mainland with the islands, to the roads running along the Shimanto River, to the quieter, 50-kilometre Tobishima Kaido. Shikoku also features many pleasant, relatively quiet cities, the likes of Matsuyama, Takamatsu and Kochi, with temples, castles and more.

Why here You know youre safe anywhere in Japan. This country has a famously low crime rate, and a sense of duty among locals to make visitors comfortable. Still, if big cities can feel overwhelming, look to Shikoku, the smallest of Japans main islands, a lush, mountainous place packed with culture and life in the slow lane.

Make it happen Malaysia Airlines flies from Melbourne and Sydney to Male, via Kuala Lumpur. Dry season in the Maldives is from December to April. See malaysiaairlines.com ; visitmaldives.com

Western Australia

Stony silence in the Bungle Bungle Range, Purnululu National Park.

Why here If Western Australia was a country it would be the worlds 10th largest, and yet only 3 million people live here (with more than 2 million in greater Perth), which gives you an idea of the empty spaces. Whether were talking the Kimberley or Karijini, Purnululu or Ningaloo, if you take a sense of peace from isolation, Western Australia is your state.

Calm down What keeps you calm? For some its the open road, and Western Australia has plenty of that: try driving the Nullarbor Plain, or Perth to Albany, or all the way up the coast to Broome. Or perhaps its underwater, with whale sharks, at Ningaloo. Or maybe its sitting at a winery sampling the product in Margaret River. Or perhaps its on a beach at sunset, watching the sun dip below the ocean.

Dont miss Theres a sense of wild seclusion on Dirk Hartog Island, accessible by ferry from Steep Point, near coastal Denham, in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, about 850 kilometres north of Perth. This place is spectacularly beautiful, but with limited accommodation options, it remains peaceful.

Make it happen West Australian ports such as Perth, Busselton and Broome are accessible from the east coast with Qantas. The state is a year-round destination, though stick to winter if youre heading far north. See qantas.com; westernaustralia.com

The Cook Islands

Island hop on a lagoon cruise at Aitutaki. Cook Islands Tourism

Why here Rarotonga, the Cooks largest island, is known for its bus service that has two routes: clockwise, and anti-clockwise. That tells you all you need to know about how hectic life is in this Pacific island nation. On the likes of Aitutaki and Atiu, meanwhile, theres no bus at all because there are few roads and few people.

Calm down No one ever has to say calm down in the Cooks  it comes with the territory. In Aitutaki, take a cruise on the lagoon, go snorkelling or just laze on the beach. On Atiu, explore the limestone caves, go birdwatching, or get to know local villages. In Rarotonga, you can hire a scooter to make your way leisurely around the island, stopping for a swim when you see fit.

Dont miss For underwater exploration suitable for almost all ages, check out Aroa Lagoon Marine Reserve, a calm, secluded spot filled with marine life in shallow water just off the south-western coast of Rarotonga.

Make it happen Jetstar flies direct from Sydney to Rarotonga, with connecting flights from Melbourne. The Cooks are best from May to October. See jetstar.com; cookislands.travel

Patagonia, Argentina and Chile

An Awasi stay and cycle with a Torres del Paine backdrop in Chilean Patagonia. Sam Bennett

Why here Connection with nature, for many people, is the key to a sense of peace. And so where better to find this than Patagonia, an area covering more than a million square kilometres across southern Chile and Argentina, where only 2 million people live, making it one of the most sparsely populated places on the planet.

Calm down Given the size of Patagonia, its no surprise to discover the plethora of experiences on offer. These range from gazing at ice sheets in Argentinas Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, to hitting the open road on Chiles Carretera Austral, to cruising the fjords, to hiking around Torres del Paine, to fly-fishing, mountain-biking, horse-riding and more. And all in almost perfect solitude.

Dont miss If you have the money to spend, there are some truly gorgeous, luxurious hotels and resorts in Patagonia. Check out Awasi Patagonia (awasi.com), with its 14 standalone villas with views of Torres del Paine; Tierra Patagonia (tierrapatagonia.com), on the shores of Lago Sarmiento; and Las Balsas (lasbalsas.com), in Argentinian ski country.

Make it happen LATAM flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Santiago, with connections to Puerto Natales. Summer is high season, though autumn and spring are pleasant. See latamairlines.com; chile.travel; argentina.travel

Zambia

Pool views at Sausage Tree Camp, Zambia.

Why here Look at the map of Africa on Smartraveller.gov.au, and youll see a lot of red countries in the middle, some yellow on the outsides, but precious few nations shaded green. That makes Zambia an outlier: this is a safe, stable nation that offers those key southern African experiences, the luxury safari lodges, the wildlife, the seclusion.

Calm down Check in to your safari lodge, and check out of modern life for a while. At properties such as Sausage Tree Camp on the Lower Zambezi, and Tena Tena in South Luangwa National Park, theres little to do but wake up for your morning game drive, enjoy lunch in the shade, head out for an afternoon game drive, and then take dinner with a few drinks. Rinse and repeat.

Dont miss Some may not call it relaxing, exactly, but theres something elemental and beautiful about a walking safari in Zambia. Many camps in South Luangwa offer these walks as part of their product, giving you the chance to see the African bush in a uniquely uninhibited way.

Make it happen Qantas flies from Sydney to Lusaka, in codeshare with South African Airways, via Johannesburg. Best time to visit Zambia is June to November. See qantas.com; classicsafaricompany.com.au

Antarctica

Penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Why here You want peace? Solitude? A complete lack of disturbances and zero chance of being caught in global conflict? Then Antarctica is your destination. You will barely even see another ship down here  it will be just you and your expedition crew, exploring what is surely the worlds largest untouched wilderness.

Calm down You will explore Antarctica aboard an expedition cruise, which means your day-to-day will be dictated by your crew. Sometimes you will jump in Zodiacs and explore fields of icebergs; other times you will land on shore and see huge colonies of penguins. There will be times when you will just stand on deck or stare out of windows and watch whales, orcas, seabirds and more.

Dont miss Though all the above experiences will be memorable, theres nothing quite like that first sight of land when you travel to Antarctica. Waking up in the morning, gazing out of your window and seeing the worlds southernmost landmass? Incredible.

Make it happen The only way to see Antarctica is aboard an expedition vessel, departing from Ushuaia in Argentina. The cruise season runs from November to March. See aurora-expeditions.com

Tasmania

Pumphouse Point on Lake St Clair, Tasmania.

Why here Come down for air is a smart slogan. Well played, Tassie marketing people. Because it really does sum up the experience of travelling to Tasmania: you feel refreshed, reinvigorated, ready to believe once again in the good of the world. That might be the wilderness experiences, or it might be all the whisky and wine. Whatever, it does the job.

Calm down Tasmanias waterways are underrated: try a floating sauna (with cold dip afterwards) on Lake Derby; go on a multi-day kayaking expedition with Roaring 40s; stay in an old pumphouse on Lake St Clair; experience the rivers and lakes of Southwest National Park on a multi-day adventure with On Board. And thats before youve tried the beaches, which range from the beauty of Wineglass Bay, to the Bay of Fires in the north-east, to Seven Mile Beach near Hobart.

Dont miss For more than 15 years, Saffire Freycinet (saffire-freycinet.com.au) has been a standout on the Australian luxury scene, a boutique property with only 20 suites that each look over Coles Bay to the Hazard Mountains. The feeling of seclusion and relaxation here is total.

Make it happen Qantas flies from Australian ports direct to Hobart. Tasmania is great year-round, though most popular in summer. See qantas.com; discovertasmania.com

The Coromandel, New Zealand

Cathedral Cove, near Whitianga on the Coromandel Peninsula. iStock

Why here To the east of Auckland lies a small peninsula dotted with villages and modest baches (holiday homes), a place Kiwis visit to unwind and relax. There are few crowds on the Coromandel, no traffic jams, no sense of hurry or stress.

Calm down You could rent a bach in the Coromandel, somewhere with a coastal view, take a suitcase full of books and just hang out in a cosy nook and plough through them. If youre after a little more action, this area is big on boating, fishing, swimming and snorkelling, though you could also dig a thermal pool at Hot Water Beach, do the invigorating Pinnacles Walk, or explore Karangahake Gorge on foot.

Dont miss The Coromandels best-known site is surely Cathedral Cove, where a large arch of rock separates two white-sand beaches. Best way to explore is in a sea kayak, which can also take you into the nearby marine reserve.

Make it happen The Coromandel is about a 1.5-hour drive from Auckland; Air New Zealand flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Auckland The warmer months are best here, including spring and autumn. See airnewzealand.com; newzealand.com

Five places where chaos absolutely reigns

Bustling, historic Al-Muizz Street in Cairo, Egypt. iStock

Cairo, Egypt

Theres never a dull moment in Cairo, for better or worse. To exist in this city is to be often overwhelmed by traffic snarls and busy pavements, by honking horns and shouts, by the cacophony of an ancient place that is forced to also deal with the modern world. Its invigorating, but ultimately tiring. See experienceegypt.eg

Mexico City, Mexico

More than 22 million people live in Mexico City, and it can sometimes feel like theyre all trying to get where youre going at the same time. The city is like that, its big and brash, it moves fast, it has an unpredictable air that can put visitors off initially. This is an exciting place, but its not what you would call relaxing. See visitmexico.com

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Lets not sugar-coat this: Rio can be dangerous. Petty theft and even violent crime is not unheard of, and tourists are often impacted. This is also a highly enjoyable city, a beautiful city, but its never exactly laidback. Youre always on your game in Rio, always weighing up your moves. Even when theyre dance moves. See visitbrasil.com

Beijing, China

The Chinese capital is one of those cities that hums with life, a metropolis barrelling headlong into the future, even while its past is so obviously a hindrance. You will see world-famous sights in Beijing, you will eat incredible food, and you will exist in a place like no other. But it wont be relaxed. See cnto.org.au

Mumbai, India

Just had a really peaceful holiday in Mumbai, said no one ever. There are more than 22 million people living here; most of them are trying to talk to you. Almost any activity in Mumbai will require effort, stamina, a moment to steel yourself before you get out there and get it done. Great city, though. See incredibleindia.gov.in
Advertisement

InspirationPeru My fellow train passenger collapsed in front of me. I couldnt stop laughing Sue Williams April 10, 2026  5:24am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

I was sitting chatting to an English backpacker sitting opposite me on the train when all his colour suddenly drained away, his eyes became glassy, and he slumped forward, face-first into his bright yellow lunch of saffron chicken and rice. My reaction surprised me: I laughed. And once I started, I couldnt stop. We were travelling on the Ferrocarril Central Andino train from the Peruvian capital Lima to Huancayo, tucked into the Andes, on the highest railroad in the Americas, and the second highest in the world. Only the Qingha to Tibet railway in China is loftier. Illustration: Jamie Brown And it wasnt until then, close to the point that it soars 4783 metres above sea level, that I learnt what a terrible effect high altitude has on me. While the thin air knocks out others, it makes me laugh hysterically, and I just cant stop.

Advertisement

(Despite my laughter, altitude sickness is a serious matter. It pays to take precautions and gradually acclimatise for travel at altitude.) Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now. All around me on that 14-hour, 420-kilometre journey, there were clear signs of alarm. Other passengers rushed up to the fellow traveller, gently lifted him from his plate  and the sight of his features encrusted in food made me, Im sorry to say, laugh even harder  and shouted for the doctor. The altitude of the Andes can affect everyone differently. Alamy The man whod been cooking the meals rushed in, swapping his greasy yellow apron for a white coat as he approached our seats. He brought with him a big cushion with a nozzle attached, which he pushed at the backpackers nose while squeezing the cushion under his arm, rather like bagpipes. It contained pure oxygen and his patient soon came around. When he eventually sat up, bewildered over what had just happened, I couldnt contain my hysteria.

Advertisement

There are always highs in travel, and then there are real highs, and South America is exceptional for both. That train trip, for instance, is an astonishing journey, wending its way through 69 tunnels, 58 bridges, and zigzagging over seven switchbacks. The scenery is incredible, ascending from the parched coastal plains, up the sides of dramatic mountains, across gorges and past deep ochre cliffs. Theres the grey mining town of Casapalca along the way, cluttered with industrial equipment to produce zinc and lead, and countless sheer, dizzying drops, misty with clouds. Everywhere, there are splendid views of snow-capped Andean Mountain peaks until we descend once more towards our destination in the lush Mantaro Valley. But inside the carriages, with the thin air at altitude making so many sick, its just as colourful.

Advertisement

Even as the backpacker has come back to life, a woman collapses on the other side of the aisle and another rushes to revive her. And horribly, as she comes to, I start laughing again at the sight. Im mortified, but I just cant stop. Then a couple holding hands by an open window are splattered by filthy water from a snapped pipe hanging down over the line from coal slagheaps by the side of the track, and tears of mirth run down my face. Related Article South America The 24 must-do highlights of South America right now One of the other passengers shakes his head. Its the thin air, he says. It affects us all differently. That journey was one of the highlights (no pun intended) of various visits to South America, but it also provided a salutary lesson on how altitude affects me. After that, whenever I am climbing high, I ready myself mentally for an attack of hysteria and apologise in advance to anyone with me.

Advertisement

That approach served me well in Perus Cusco (3399 metres high) and giggling along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu which reaches a height of 4215 metres at Dead Womans Pass. It also worked nicely for the Ecuadorian capital Quito (2850 metres) and in Colombias Bogota (2640 metres). But the laughter finally died when I hit Bolivias La Paz (3640 metres) where I suffered altitude sickness so severely, I ended up in bed for a week. There, I felt so terrible, I couldnt raise so much as a smile, not even at the memory of one of the greatest experiences of my travel life along that Lima to Huancayo railway, accompanied by my longest-ever laughter track.
COPPELL, Texas, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sagent, a leading provider of mortgage servicing technology, today announced that Evergreen Home Loans, a full-service direct mortgage lender headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, has selected Dara by Sagent  the industry's most modern cloud-native, end-to-end mortgage servicing platform, to support scalable growth, operational efficiency, and a more connected homeowner experience.

Evergreen Home Loans has built its reputation on delivering loans On Time and As Promised, combining high-touch service with innovative programs such as Security Plus Seller Guarantee and CashUp by Evergreen. As the company expands, it now takes a deliberate approach to modernize and streamline servicing operations with real-time data, automation, lifecycle transparency, and a superior consumer experience  making Sagent's Dara the clear choice to support its client retention and market growth strategies.

"As we move into new markets, we need a servicing platform that can scale with us while enhancing the experience our customers and loan officers expect," said Scott Rodeman, Vice President of Servicing and Customer Care at Evergreen. "Dara provides the modern servicing foundation we need to streamline operations, reduce complexity, and elevate the homeowner experience. As we make the switch from our former servicing system, Dara now provides us with a more modern, nimble, and streamlined platform that complements our aggressive growth strategy."

Dara by Sagent is the industry's only servicing platform that unifies core servicing, consumer experience, default management, analytics, claims, AI-driven document workflows, and loan transfers into one single system. Delivering real-time data with open-API connectivity, Dara enables servicers to reduce manual processes, increase efficiency, maintain compliance, and adapt quickly as market conditions evolve.

"Evergreen Home Loans is a growth-oriented lender with a strong culture rooted in care, accountability, and long-term relationships," said Chris Marshall, Sagent CEO. "By selecting Dara, Evergreen is positioning its servicing operation for modern scale while improving the borrower experience that differentiates the company."

Dara is revolutionizing America's $14 trillion mortgage industry by significantly increasing efficiency in both time and cost, while also providing an exceptional user experience for the servicer and the borrower. "Dara delivers strategic technological advantages for Evergreen, with advanced AI-enabled workflow, automation, and decisioning that is supported by robust compliance guardrails built into the core platform." said Sridhar Sharma, Sagent President. "We are excited to partner with Evergreen as they bring innovative customer-centric products to life and we share their passion for focusing on the small details that collectively make a big difference."

About Evergreen Home Loans

Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, Evergreen Home Loans is a full-service direct lender with a robust presence across the United States. We're licensed in 29 states and have more than 56 branch locations. For over 38 years, we've focused on one thing: helping people achieve homeownership. We offer a variety of loan types, including FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo, USDA, refinancing, and construction loans, while delivering On Time and As Promised. Our commitment extends beyond transactions; we believe our solutions provide financial stability and contribute to the creation of generational wealth for the communities we serve.

Learn more at www.evergreenhomeloans.com. Evergreen Home Loans is a registered trade name of Evergreen Moneysource Mortgage Company NMLS ID 3182. Visit www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/ for licensing information.

About Sagent

Sagent powers America's top bank and nonbank lenders to engage, care for, retain, and modernize the homeownership experience for millions of borrowers. Servicers use Sagent's flexible, scalable, and configurable solutions to engage borrowers, lower servicing costs, ensure compliance, and increase the value of servicing rights across full market cycles. Sagent's Dara platform is the industry's first cloud-native, end-to-end mortgage servicing system. Visit www.sagent.com to learn more.

Media Contact

Isabella Torres

[email protected]

SOURCE Sagent
Advertisement

Analysis WorldAsiaChina relations Beijing courts Taiwans opposition leader ahead of Trump visit Lisa Visentin Updated April 10, 2026  4:50pm ,first published April 10, 2026  5:30am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Beijing: In a rare meeting designed to send signals to Washington and Taipei, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwans opposition leader, Cheng Li-wun, projected a carefully packaged message of peace across the strait. Compatriots on both sides of the strait are all Chinese  people of one family who want peace, development, exchange and co-operation, Xi told Cheng on Friday, as he welcomed her into Beijings Great Hall of the People. Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with Kuomintang (KMT) party leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday. AP No matter how the international situation changes, the trend of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait coming together will not change. Left unspoken for this public spectacle  though regularly trumpeted by Beijing in other forums  is Chinas end goal of controlling the democratic island, by peaceful means if possible, and by force if necessary. But Xis message was clear: neither Washington nor its allies would stand in the way of Chinas reunification dream.

Advertisement

Cheng, the new chair of Taiwans Beijing-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party, is the first sitting opposition leader to visit China in a decade. Her meeting with Xi was the pinnacle of her self-styled six-day journey for peace around China. Its part of her deterrence with dialogue pitch to Taiwanese voters that the KMTs approach to cross-strait relations will ease tensions, in contrast to the situation under President Lai Ching-te, who is reviled by Beijing. Cheng Li-wun, the leader of Taiwans Kuomintang party, arrives in Shanghai on Tuesday. AP She has used the platform to assert that conflict is not inevitable and that Taiwan should not become a chessboard for external interference, echoing the phrasing Beijing uses to denounce US support for the island. Beijings quick embrace of Cheng is a sign it sees in her an opportunity to advance Xis reunification agenda  even if Cheng and the KMT remain officially opposed to this, as are most Taiwanese  and to influence Taiwans domestic politics without having to engage with its government.

Advertisement

By far, shes the most pro-China person weve seen from the KMT in a long time, says Lev Nachman, a political scientist at National Taiwan University in Taipei. I think Beijing has taken a very big interest in her because she has been saying and doing all the things that Beijing wants from a leader in the KMT. Cheng Li-wun is on a six-day peace tour to China that will be closely watched in Beijing, Taipei and Washington. AP Her trip is infused with optics. Once a firebrand champion of Taiwanese independence in her youth, Cheng, 56  a possible candidate for the islands 2028 presidential elections  has been criticised by her rivals as being too close to China. She proudly proclaims I am Chinese, an identity claimed by just a small minority in Taiwan, where polling routinely shows most people see themselves as Taiwanese or a combination of Taiwanese-Chinese.

Advertisement

Her visit has the added significance of coming weeks before US President Donald Trumps own meeting with Xi in Beijing, where Taiwan is expected to be a key agenda item. Her party is also blocking a $US40 billion ($56 billion) special defence budget in Taiwans parliament, a large chunk of which is earmarked for US weapons purchases. Related Article Middle East at war Twenty-six phone calls: How China helped bring Tehran to the negotiating table Many analysts anticipate that Xi will press Trump to rein in the USs arms sales to Taiwan. The trip demonstrates to Washington that China continues to have a channel of its own preference to communicate and engage with Taiwan, even if its not the government in power, says William Yang, a senior north-east Asia analyst at the International Crisis Group. China refuses to talk to Lais government and his Democratic Progressive Party, which regards Taiwan as a sovereign country. Beijing denounces Lai as a separatist, and it engages in a near-daily campaign of grey zone harassment, sending its jets and coast guards to patrol around Taiwans airspace and waters.

Advertisement

Chengs message of reconciliation and unity across the [Taiwan] Strait lands at a time when Taiwans faith in the US as a reliable ally has been eroded under the Trump administration. Related Article China relations On Beijings streets, erratic Trump is playing in Chinas favour One poll by the Brookings Institution last year showed only 37.5 per cent of Taiwanese believed the US would help defend it in a military conflict with China, down from 44.5 per cent under the Biden administration. But Chengs tour also comes with hazards for her own political aspirations. Her comments and tone will be forensically analysed and debated in Taiwan, where there is deepening polarisation between supporters of Lais government and the opposition camps, particularly on the question of managing relations with China. But parroting Beijings reunification agenda is still an act of political self-harm.

Advertisement

The Taiwanese public, at the end of the day, is very sensitive to any politicians remarks that sound like agreeing to Chinas claim that Taiwan is part of China, Wang says. As part of this balancing act, Cheng has said she values Taiwans relationship with the US, and that this isnt undermined by pursuing closer ties with China. Washington, which is surely closely watching Chengs peace journey, might take some convincing. 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

WorldEuropeInternational affairs UK deployed military to deter Russian submarines from its waters Muvija M and Catarina Demony April 9, 2026  8:43pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

London: Britain deployed military vessels to prevent any attacks on cables and pipelines by Russian submarines that spent more than a month in and around British waters earlier this year, UK Defence Minister John Healey said on Thursday. Britain accused Russia of using the distraction of events in the Middle East to try to conduct the covert operation in the High North maritime region, home to key shipping routes and critical infrastructure such as undersea cables. Britains Defence Secretary John Healey delivers a statement on recent UK operational activity involving Russian submarine operations over cables and pipelines. Getty Images Healey said British forces and allies, including Norway, tracked and deterred malign activity by the Russian vessels, adding that the submarines had now left the area and there were no signs of damage to underwater infrastructure. Revealing the operation publicly at a press conference, Healey said the intent was to show Russian President Vladimir Putin that the activity had been detected.

Advertisement

Russian seamen on an unidentified submarine believed to be an Akula-class during a military parade in Vladivostok in 2008. Reuters To President Putin, I say, We see you. We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences, he said. Our armed forces left them in no doubt that they were being monitored, that their movements were not covert, as President Putin planned, and that their attempted secret operation had been exposed. Russias embassy in London said Healeys statement was impossible to either believe or verify. Russia does not threaten undersea infrastructure, which is of critical importance to the UK. Nor do we employ aggressive rhetoric in this regard, the embassy said in a statement.

Advertisement

Moscow has previously denied allegations of involvement in a series of incidents in which European countries cables were damaged. Related Article Analysis

Telecommunications What are subsea cables, and what happens when one gets cut? Healey said the Russian operation involved an Russian Akula-class attack submarine and two specialist submarines from Moscows Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research (GUGI). They are designed to survey underwater infrastructure during peacetime, and sabotage it in conflict, Healey said. After detecting the Russian vessels passing into international waters, Britain sent a frigate, a support tanker and a maritime patrol aircraft to monitor their movements.

Advertisement

Norways defence ministry said its armed forces had also deployed a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft and a frigate. Related Article AUKUS Australia seals UK defence deal with $300m for AUKUS sub reactors Healey said the submarines had not entered Britains territorial waters, but had been in the wider band of sea around the country, known as its exclusive economic zone, and the waters of British allies. Britains naval capacity has been under scrutiny in recent weeks after US President Donald Trump criticised the British response to war in Iran, describing Britains aircraft carriers as toys. Healey referenced that criticism in his statement, saying it had not been in Britains national interest to deploy all its military assets in that region.

Advertisement

The greatest threats are often unseen and silent. And as demands on defence rise, we must deploy our resources to best effect, he said. NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte welcomed the British and Norwegian operations against Russian submarines in the High North. These efforts to disrupt Russian surveillance of our critical undersea infrastructure protect us all, Rutte said in a post on X. NATO allies have boosted their presence in the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, after a series of power cable, telecom and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Most have been caused by civilian ships dragging their anchors. Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.
Advertisement

WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war Lebanon is not Hezbollah: Alines message to the world as Netanyahu turns his fury on Beirut David Crowe April 9, 2026  11:49am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

The talk of a ceasefire in the Middle East changes nothing for Aline Kamakian when she is racing to set up a new kitchen to feed thousands of people made homeless by the war in Lebanon. Missiles are hitting Beirut while Kamakian and her colleagues at World Central Kitchen, a food charity, prepare to open a kitchen near a new shelter for the displaced in the Lebanese capital. Chef Aline Kamakian at the World Central Kitchen charity in Beirut in March. Kate Geraghty Burning cars at the site of Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Wednesday. AP Its a catastrophe, she tells this masthead, as Israel bombards Lebanon with the biggest wave of airstrikes since the war began last month.

Advertisement

All the shelters are overcrowded, and there is a need for other places. But you have almost 25 per cent of the Lebanese population displaced. Where do you want to put them? Related Article Middle East at war US-Iran war as it happened: Cracks appear in ceasefire; Israel launches record strikes on Lebanon; Iran says Strait of Hormuz closed Our situation is getting worse and worse. We have a lot of women and kids that are without the minimum of hygiene, security, medicine, food. We are speaking by phone at 11am on Wednesday in Beirut (6pm, AEST), when early news reports suggest a devastating attack is under way. The airstrikes continue through the day, with photographers in the city sending out images of buildings on fire and black smoke spreading over the suburbs. Later, the Lebanese government says 254 people have been killed on Wednesday alone, while another 1100 have been wounded.

Advertisement

There is no respite from the humanitarian crisis despite the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump. While Israel has joined the ceasefire with Iran, it says the war in Lebanon is separate and will continue. In a move that puts the broader ceasefire in peril, the Israel Defence Forces say it has struck more than 100 targets in just 10 minutes in its campaign to destroy Hezbollah, the militia aligned with Iran and based in Lebanon. Loading Iran says this breaches the ceasefire agreement, but Trump says the deal does not include the war in Lebanon. Thats a separate skirmish, he says. Israel blames Hezbollah, which fired rockets into civilian communities in northern Israel on March 2. Hezbollah showed its support for Iran, but stung Israel into retaliating in a way that has caused immense suffering for the people of Lebanon.

Advertisement

This masthead first spoke to Kamakian in early March at a kitchen in Beirut, when the number of displaced people in Lebanon was about half what it is today. Four weeks after that meeting, she agrees to talk over the phone about the intense pressure on this nation of six million people. Related Article Middle East at war It was carnage: How an Israeli raid tore apart this tiny Lebanese town We have a huge danger with food security, she says. World Central Kitchen is multiplying and growing fast and cooking more, but the need is growing much faster than us. Kamakian, 56, owned her own restaurant in Beirut until it was bombed six years ago. Now she leads World Central Kitchen in Lebanon. She says this crisis is worse than previous conflicts, such as the fighting with Israel two years ago, and she is struggling with food shortages and high prices.

Advertisement

Kamakian says a kilogram of tomatoes cost $US1.25 before the war and has risen to $US5, or about $7. With more than 1.2 million people displaced in Lebanon as a result of the Israeli airstrikes, according to the Lebanese government, many people are being turned away from homeless shelters and have no choice but to live on footpaths or in parks. Smoke rises following several Israeli airstrikes in Beirut on Wednesday. AP A first responder emerges through the smoke after an apartment building was struck on Wednesday, AP Despite the challenges, World Central Kitchen reached a milestone on Wednesday. It has now served 1 million hot meals since March 2 and is making 25,000 hot meals each day.

Advertisement

What were doing is every time the government is opening shelters, were creating a kitchen next to it so that we make sure that we deliver hot meals to the shelter from the kitchen within 25 to 30 minutes, she says. This is the way that we can control our quality and the distribution. All we want is for people to understand that Lebanon is not Hezbollah. Aline Kamakian from World Central Kitchen We go to the shelter, and we ask who wants to help. First of all, people can make money. They also feel they are active. And it means we are cooking in the same style that they are used to because every village in Lebanon has its own style. The second thing is were creating a bond. Its a kind of a therapy. You are feeling that you are active, and you are able to help.

Advertisement

Some food supplies have been blocked for weeks, given the disruption to shipping across the Middle East, and many families have fled productive farmland because it is inside the evacuation zones defined by Israel. The land being evacuated is estimated to make up about 14 per cent of Lebanon. Related Article Analysis

Middle East at war He fought for Israel in Lebanon. Heres why he thinks its latest war will fail Kamakian says Lebanon is paying a higher price for the war in the Middle East than other countries, given its size. The calculations show she is right: the death toll from the Israeli strikes on Lebanon since March 2 have now reached more than 1500, out of a population of six million. The death toll in Iran reached more than 2000 before the ceasefire announcement, out of a population of more than 92 million. Just when the ceasefire might bring peace to other parts of the Middle East, the war in Lebanon has grown worse.

Advertisement

Kamakian, whose family came to Lebanon from Armenia a century ago, has no time for sectarian divides between Christians, Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims or others. She wants people outside the country to understand that most people in Lebanon want peace and that the international community should be applying more pressure to make that possible. Kamakian, second from left, working with other chefs in Beirut in March. KATE GERAGHTY All we want is for people to understand that Lebanon is not Hezbollah, she says. Im a Lebanese person. Im against Hezbollah and against Israel. Im Lebanese. This is not a war we want.

Advertisement

I dont think there is an end to our crisis with bombs. It has to be diplomatic solution. 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.
The Australian sharemarket fell slightly on Friday, but the local bourse held on to much of its gains from earlier in the week as investors remained cautiously optimistic about the fragile ceasefire in the Middle East.

The S&P/ASX200 dropped 0.14 per cent to 8960 on Friday, recovering well after early trade produced a more significant drop than futures markets had estimated. Just three of the ASXs 11 industry sectors ended the day in the green.

Much of the days decline was weathered by technology stocks, which continued yesterdays fall. Wisetech and Xero fell 2.5 and 2.6 per cent respectively, despite the tech-heavy US Nasdaq composite index gaining 0.8 per cent overnight, continuing a torrid year in which the broader sector has fallen nearly 30 per cent since January.

Industrials and energy stocks also faltered. Toll road operator Transurban was down 1.9 per cent, and coal producers also fell, with Yancoal down 3 per cent and Whitehaven falling 3.2 per cent.
Handover ceremony held between Chinese medical teams in Tanzania

Xinhua) 13:35, April 09, 2026

DAR ES SALAAM, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The handover ceremony between the 27th and 28th batches of Chinese medical teams in Tanzania was held on Wednesday in the port city of Dar es Salaam.

Seif Shekalaghe, permanent secretary of Tanzania's Ministry of Health, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Chinese government and medical teams, praising their vital role in medical treatment, technical support, and talent training.

Shekalaghe noted that Chinese medical teams' contributions have significantly improved Tanzania's healthcare services and the well-being of its people.

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian highlighted the long history of medical cooperation, recalling that China began sending medical teams to Zanzibar in 1964 and to mainland Tanzania in 1968.

To date, 35 batches of medical teams have served in Zanzibar and 28 in mainland Tanzania, providing care to about 20 million patients and helping local hospitals bridge critical technical gaps, Chen noted.

The newly arrived 28th medical team consists of 15 members specializing in fields such as anesthesiology, neurosurgery, and cardiovascular surgery.

Team leader Liu Jia said the group will focus on local healthcare needs, apply their expertise, and work to strengthen medical service capacity, furthering China-Tanzania health collaboration and benefiting communities.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Chen and Tanzanian representatives paid tribute to Zhang Junqiao, the late head of the 27th Chinese medical team, who lost his life on June 15, 2025, while rescuing a local person from drowning in the Indian Ocean.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
MILAN, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GAC will unveil the European version of the AION UT at its European Premiere on April 13 in Milan, Italy  a city that stands for world-class design, creativity, and craftsmanship, and the natural home for a car that was designed here.

The compact electric hatchback is the second AION model to enter the European market, following the introduction of the AION V last year. With the AION UT, GAC is targeting the heart of the European market: urban customers who need a car that fits their city without compromising on what's inside.

Expect More

The AION UT is built around a simple promise: Expect More. More design, more space, more range  in a footprint made for European cities. At just 4,300 mm in length, with a 2,750 mm wheelbase optimised for urban agility, AION UT delivers one of the biggest interiors in its segment, proving that compact on the outside doesn't mean compromise on the inside.

Designed in Milan. Assembled in Austria.

The European version of AION UT was designed at GAC's European Advanced Design Center in Milan, engineered through the company's global R&D network spanning three countries and five regions, and is assembled locally at Magna International's facility in Graz, Austria, where series production officially began on March 18, 2026.

Local assembly is central to GAC's European strategy. Under the guiding principle "In Europe, for Europe," the company has established manufacturing in Austria, a parts and logistics centre in Rotterdam, and commercial operations in Amsterdam.

The AION UT European Premiere will take place on April 13, 2026 in Milan.

AION UT

AION UT is an electric hatchback with a 2,750 mm wheelbase, offering one of the biggest interior spaces in the segment. With a range of up to 430 km (WLTP) and fast charging from 3080% in just 24 minutes (DC charging), AION UT is designed for confident everyday use across Europe.

About GAC

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Guangzhou, GAC Group has been listed in the Fortune Global 500 for 13 consecutive years. With comprehensive R&D and manufacturing capabilities, and brands including GAC, AION and HYPTEC, GAC Group is dedicated to intelligent, high-quality, and sustainable mobility.

For further information about GAC, please visit: https://www.gacgroup.com/en or follow us on social.

SOURCE GAC
LumApps received 5/5 scores in AI agents and assistants, and roadmap, which they believe reinforces its vision for a unified employee hub for large enterprises

AUSTIN, Texas, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LumApps, the leading connected AI employee hub, today announced it has been named a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Intranet Platforms, Q2 2026.

In the evaluation, LumApps received the highest possible score in 10 criteria: content and repository services, AI-enabled search, application integration: productivity applications, reporting and analytics, AI agents and assistants, delegated administration, developer resources, innovation, roadmap and adoption.

LumApps believes this assessment reflects their continued focus on helping organizations bring communication, tools and information into one place so employees can move work forward with more clarity. As organizations look to bring together communications, knowledge, services and AI in one place, LumApps continues to advance its vision for a more connected, more useful employee experience.

According to the report, LumApps' strategy is to shift the intranet to an AI-powered employee hub that provides federated search for integrated applications and offers AI-enhanced natural language queries via its Ask AI conversational engine. The Forrester report further states that large enterprises, especially those with many frontline workers and that operate in the Google or Microsoft ecosystem, should consider LumApps.

"We believe the results reflect the value we deliver to organizations that want one platform for communication, connection and action," said Sebastien Ricard, CEO of LumApps. "Enterprises need more than a place to publish news. They need an employee hub that helps people find what matters, complete key tasks and stay connected wherever work happens. That is exactly where we're focused."

LumApps' placement follows continued investment in AI and employee experience, including its 2025 acquisition of Beekeeper and ongoing development in agentic AI, search, orchestration and support for complex enterprise environments.

To learn more about LumApps and its approach to the future-ready intranet, visit LumApps.com.

About LumApps

LumApps is the AI Employee Hub where work comes together  connecting people, tools, information, and communication across the entire employee experience, from the frontline to HQ. Designed around how people actually work, LumApps reduces digital friction by bringing communication, productivity tools, learning, and workflows into one intelligent platform.

Integrating with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, LumApps helps employees find information faster and take action more easily, with AI agents connected across enterprise systems. With over 10 million users and customers like Zapier and Genuine Parts Company, LumApps helps organizations operate with greater clarity and connection across their workforce.

Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester's objectivity here.

SOURCE LumApps
A BENNEKERRY woman who once chose law over the stage is bringing a powerful one-woman show to Carlow this month.

Victoria Clarke, a solicitor at Clarke Jeffers & Co in Carlow, will star in Requiem for a Mission, a 35-minute, one-woman show written by award-winning playwright and former UN captain, Gerard Humphreys.

The show, which premiered in Dublin in February, follows Amy a UN officer returning to her post in the Middle East after a traumatic life event set against the backdrop of Irelands withdrawal of troops from the occupied Golan Heights.

It explores the emotional and political impact of service abroad and reflects on the duty, identity and the human cost of international service with a kind of sharp contemporary lens, said Victoria. It shows the Irish perspective to global peacekeeping and its giving the audience a powerful look at these kinds of personal stories behind the headlines. For Victoria, the authenticity of the material was a key lure. Captain Humphreys wrote the play from lived experience, something, she felt, gave it genuine weight. Hes lived this, she said simply.

Victoria grew up in Bennekerry and has had a passion for performing since childhood, first developing it through Carlow stage school Spotlight and with Mary Amonds choir Carlow Young Artists. But at a pivotal moment in her early career, she faced a choice that will resonate with anyone who has ever had to choose between two callings.

I always loved law. My dad, Willie Clarke was a solicitor and I always knew it was going to be law or acting for me, she said. I got into Kings Inns at the same time I got the letter to get into the Gaiety. She chose law and has no regrets. She practiced as a barrister before choosing to work as a solicitor in the family firm Clarke Jeffers & Co, where she now works alongside her brothers.

I chose Kings Inns and I am so glad I did. Then, I continued doing my acting and singing in the background as a pastime. Her parents were a formative influence on both fronts. My dad had such a major impact on us. The acting came from my mum and the singing, and the law came from my dad. After years away from performing, it was her own children who nudged her back. My kids got interested in acting and they were saying mummy, did you ever act? I thought, God, I better get back into it. She auditioned for a play last January, landed the lead role and won a bursary that brought her to the University of Limerick to complete a course.

Id also done a few courses in the Lir Academy, Dublin and I met Bryan Burroughs (the plays director) whos from Carlow, on one of the courses. So, we decided to work on this one-woman show and I knew an award-winning playwright who was in the army - a UN captain called Gerard Humphreys. And I know this meant a lot to him and I felt it was the time to get out and do something like this, she explained.

Technically, this isnt Victorias first one-woman play. Last October, she had the only speaking part in The Stronger, an 1889 Swedish play by August Strindberg, which consists of one long, tense scene between two women a a challenge when your character is the only one talking.

Preparation for Requiem for a Mission has also been intensive. You have to put the time in and you have to just become that character really, she said of approaching emotionally demanding material, an approach that involves personal time, breathing exercises and deep research into the character she inhabits.

The Dublin run was a success. It premiered in Dublin in February. We did a couple of nights and that went really, really well, so now its coming to Carlow on the 16 April and were doing two shows.

Requiem for a Mission plays at Club DArt, Carlow on Thursday 16 April at 7pm and 8.30pm.
A ROMANIAN national was convicted and fined at Carlow District Court for shoplifting at Tesco in Fairgreen Shopping Centre.

Elana Flores pleaded guilty to one count of theft arising from an incident on 17 July 2025 when gardai received a report of a shoplifter being detained at Tesco in Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Carlow.

Ms Flores (27) had been seen going into the off-licence, selecting six bottles of alcohol and placing those bottles into a backpack before attempting to leave the shop.

The prosecuting sergeant said that Ms Flores of Emmet Crescent, Inchicore, Dublin had no previous convictions.

Tertius van Eeden said that Ms Flores has been living in Ireland for ten years and was the mother of five children, the youngest of whom was six months old.

He said she asked him to apologise to the court for her and he asked that the conviction be taken into consideration.

Judge Geraldine Carthy convicted and fined Ms Flores 200.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme
James Cox

Thursday's front pages are dominated by the fuel protests and the war in Iran.

The fuel protests, now entering day three, and the war in Iran lead in The Irish Times, Irish Examiner and Irish Independent.

The Echo leads with a story on huge costs for a fireman's hut.

The Irish Sun leads with the Iran war.

The Irish Daily Star, Irish Daily Mirror and The Herald all lead with the fuel protests.

DUP MLA Gary Middleton is to step back from public life to deal with mental health challenges. The story features on the front page of the Belfast Telegraph.

The Irish News leads with ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

A range of stories feature on Thursday's UK front pages, with a heavy focus on the Iran war and the fragile ceasefire agreement.

The April 9, 2026 edition of Metro highlights a ceasefire deal between the US and Iran with the punny headline Oil over bar the shouting." Zendaya also features. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/yPUxoCFNbN  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The Financial Times leads with an Israeli strike on Lebanon threatening a fragile truce. Other reports discuss NHS data integration with Palantir and private equity firms' shift toward second-hand deals. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/gN5wxYqSe2  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The i Paper leads on UK minehunter drones protecting oil in Hormuz despite high fuel bills. Other features include dropping mortgage costs, anorexia recovery insights, and adult friendship jealousy. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/FNPJXpMlS8  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The Daily Star exclusive reveals Ginger McCains grandson will ride in the Grand National with a lock of Red Rum's hair. Donald Trump and a 3 shop bet also feature. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/i3iadQg1wK  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The Daily Express leads with the headline Destination El Dorado UK," focusing on French police watching as people set off in Channel boats. It also features a Grand National shop bet. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/LINCd6La4f  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The Guardian reports a fragile ceasefire is at risk as Israel bombards Lebanon, killing hundreds. The front page also features comedian Jack Whitehall and analysis of tensions in the Middle East. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/AljOEpXRuh  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The Daily Mirror reports on cracks" in a ceasefire deal as Israel strikes Lebanon and Iran threatens the Strait of Hormuz. It also highlights the start of the Grand National Festival. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/ooFK9zHuvU  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The Sun leads with Fleece in Our Time," reporting that Iran has opened shipping toll booths following a ceasefire. Other headlines feature Grand National tips and high fuel costs. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/1NmZgqRytM  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The Daily Mail explores a bizarre kind of victory regarding Donald Trumps Iran peace deal. It also covers the tragic stabbing of 21-year-old Finbar and Miserable Man Syndrome." #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/gjX6zB5Iwy  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The Daily Telegraph headlines Putin mocking Starmer in the Channel amid tensions. Other stories cover a billionaires donation to Reform, Middle East war threats, and a rebrand of 1970s food staples. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/TBM8KVYLCZ  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The Times reports on airstrikes threatening a fragile ceasefire and new powers for agencies to spy on bosses. It also features the anti-ageing debate and dementia risk reduction. #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/y5ljDBIuUd  Andy Clifford @ The Sentinel Current (@sentinelcurrent) April 8, 2026

The fragile US/Iran ceasefire deal leads in The New York Times and The Washington Post.
A 46-YEAR-old Polish man who admitted careless driving after a car fishtailed and mounted a footpath in Tesco car park in Tullow has been fined 500 at Carlow District Court. Judge Geraldine Carthy heard that Kazimierz Klajna, Ashbrook, Tullow, Co Carlow pleaded guilty to a section 52 Road Traffic Act offence of careless driving.

The court heard that at 4.15pm on 8 May 2025, a witness observed a car being driven in Tesco car park when it appeared to lose control and fishtail, mounting the footpath. The witness reported that the car then left the scene at speed.

Mr Klajna was later contacted by An Garda Siochana and was described in court as being very apologetic. He said the vehicle was an old car and that a wishbone screw had come loose, affecting its manoeuvrability.

Judge Carthy asked Insp Conor Nolan what fishtailing meant and he explained that it referred to the back of a car swinging backwards and forwards.

The court was told that Mr Klajna had no previous convictions and that no damage was caused to any third party.

Defence solicitor Joe Farrell said he had a letter from a garage in Naas that had worked on the defendants car and referred to the wishbone issue. This isnt a speed matter; its a 1990 car  its old, said Mr Farrell.

He asked the court to take into account that Mr Klajna had apologised and that, at 46 years of age, he has never had so much as a parking ticket, adding that he rarely used the 36-year-old car.

He is trying to pay money to charity and seems to have manned up in relation to the case, Mr Farrell said.

Judge Carthy noted that the state had already accepted the plea to careless driving, adding: I dont have jurisdiction to look behind that.

She also noted that the defendant had been very apologetic and that there had been no damage to a third party.

Convicting Mr Klajna, Judge Carthy fined him 500 and allowed him 90 days to pay. She added: I wont impose a disqualification.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme
STOCKHOLM, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second consecutive year, EQT is pleased to invite you to its 2026 "Value Creation Day" on 20 May in London. The event will be hosted by EQT's CEO & Managing Partner, Per Franzen, and will feature insights from EQT's investment advisory professionals, digital & AI teams, and portfolio company CEOs.

The program will offer a cross-portfolio perspective on EQT's value creation approach, highlighting how EQT invests behind the AI opportunity and actively leverages AI to drive operational performance, unlock new growth opportunities and create long-term value across the portfolio.

Since its founding in 1994, EQT has been investing behind the technological shifts that define each generation. Today, EQT is uniquely positioned to capture the AI opportunity at scale. EQT invests across the full company lifecycle from early-stage AI natives to mature businesses, and backs companies at the core of the AI ecosystem across its global platform, from data centres and energy infrastructure to companies across sectors with strong AI-driven transformation potential. With an industrial approach to value creation, EQT combines an active ownership model with deep operational expertise to drive ambitious AI-enabled value creation across its portfolio.

At the 2026 edition of the event, EQT's Infrastructure and Private Capital teams will present their AI investment theses, covering the spectrum of opportunities from native AI companies to the data centres and energy infrastructure underpinning the AI buildout. Representatives from EQT's in-house digital and AI teams will also share how AI tools and capabilities are embedded across the portfolio as part of EQT's repeatable value creation framework.

The event will also feature presentations from the CEOs of Anticimex, CFC, EdgeConneX and Straive, who will share their strategic priorities, operational progress and long-term ambitions.

If you are interested in meeting one-on-one with the participating portfolio companies as an institutional investor, please contact [email protected].

The event will be hosted in person at The Ned in the City of London. Registration and lunch will commence at 12:00 BST, followed by an afternoon of panel discussions and Q&A sessions with EQT leaders and portfolio company CEOs.

Attendance is intended for institutional investors, analysts, financial advisors, distribution partners, and media representatives. Please register here to attend.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Contact

Olof Svensson, Head of Shareholder Relations, +46 72 989 09 15

EQT Press Office, [email protected], +46 8 506 55 334

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/eqt/r/invitation-to-eqt-s-value-creation-day-2026,c4332377

The following files are available for download:
Middle Valley Church of God, located at 1703 Thrasher Pike in Hixson, announces that Pastor Mitch McClure will be preaching on Sunday, April 12, in the 10:30 a.m. service.His topic will be 'What Do I Do Since God Sees Me Through Jesus Christ?' 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. It includes a call for self-examination. This will be the ninth 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. The focus will be to remind the hearer that God sees us through Jesus Christ because He overcame death in the Resurrection. All are welcome to participate.





Each Sunday at 5:30 p.m. , the church conducts a Prayer Meeting. The Prayer Meeting 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. All are welcome to participate.





Each Wednesday at 7 p.m., an Interactive, Interesting, and Informative Bible Study will be held in the church auditorium. Pastor Mitch McClure is currently leading this Bible study on the life of David. All are welcome to participate. The goal of this Bible study is to encourage Believers to study the Bible and discuss with others, making the Scripture their guide.





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, please contact the church office at 423.843.1539. All are welcome.
Jack P. McAfee, A.A.E., vice president of operations, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority, Chattanooga, has been awarded the distinction of accredited airport executive (A.A.E.) by the American Association of Airport Executives.Officials said, "To qualify for his distinction, Jack had to successfully complete three phases of the accreditation process: pass a 180-item multiple-choice examination; fulfill a writing requirement; and demonstrate, in the final interview by a panel of A.A.E.s, his knowledge of airport management, business administration and general transportation economics.Jacks achievement attests to his ability to meet these stringent requirements and his experience in management functions at a public airport."By fulfilling all the requirements leading to the title of Accredited Airport Executive, Jack joins a select group of individuals who have earned the designation in the seven decades of the accreditation programs existence. At present, fewer than six percent of AAAEs members throughout the country are active accredited airport executives."
The Chattanooga Area Leadership Prayer Breakfast will hold their 47th annual breakfast on Tuesday, May 19 from 7-8:30 a.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center, Exhibit Halls A & B. Breakfast buffet opens at 6:45 a.m.Barry Butch Wilmore, NASA astronaut (ret.) and U.S. Navy captain (ret.), will be the speaker.Tickets are $40 per person, or $250 per table of eight, and are available online at ChattanoogaPrayerBreakfast.com. To purchase tickets by mail, mail your check to:Prayer Breakfastc/o Amy Urbaniak4739 Rolling Meadows LaneSignal Mountain, Tn.37377For ticket questions, email amy.urbaniak@outlook.com.Parking is free at Finley Stadium lots, with free shuttle bus service from Finley to the convention center every five minutes, beginning at 6:15 a.m.Officials said, "Established in 1978, the Chattanooga Area Leadership Prayer Breakfast is an annual gathering where1,800-2,200 men, women and students come together to pray for our community and hear an inspiring story of a leader whose life embodies the values rooted in the purpose of the Prayer Breakfast, which is to encourage morality and ethics in our personal and professional lives."Approximately 48 years ago, John Stophel (attorney with what was then Stophel, Caldwell & Heggie, PC), John Wright (president, American National Bank), John Steffner (owner and president, Chattanooga Armature Works) and Ted DeMoss (president, CBMC, Inc.) met with Mayor Pat Rose to share their vision about having an event to encourage morality and ethics in the lives of all people in positions of leadership in business, government and in professions. Originally called the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, the name was changed to the Chattanooga Area Leadership Prayer Breakfast in the early 1990's."The event has grown from an attendance of several hundred the first year in 1978 at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, with Chuck Colson as the speaker, to 2025's attendance of about 2,000 at the Chattanooga Convention Center. It is the largest community-wide seated event in the Chattanooga area."
A Tennessee Board of Regents search advisory committee has selected three finalists for the next president of Cleveland State Community College. They will participate in public interviews with the campus community on April 17, 20, and 21, the next step in the selection process.

The finalists are:

Dr. John M. Davis , vice president of administrative services at Germanna Community College in Virginia since 2017 and an administrator there since 2008. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership from College of William and Mary, a Master of Science in Higher Education and a Bachelor of Science in Criminology, both from Florida State University, and an Associate of Arts from Gulf Coast Community College. Before joining Germanna, he was director of institutional research and strategic planning at Thomas Nelson Community College and has previous administrative experience at Regent University and the University of Michigan and teaching experience at Regent.

, vice president of administrative services at Germanna Community College in Virginia since 2017 and an administrator there since 2008. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership from College of William and Mary, a Master of Science in Higher Education and a Bachelor of Science in Criminology, both from Florida State University, and an Associate of Arts from Gulf Coast Community College. Before joining Germanna, he was director of institutional research and strategic planning at Thomas Nelson Community College and has previous administrative experience at Regent University and the University of Michigan and teaching experience at Regent. Dr. James W. Ross , president of Pamlico Community College in North Carolina from 2016 to 2024 and formerly vice president for institutional advancement and development and executive director of the foundation at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Virginia. He holds a Doctor of Education degree with a major in organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University, and Master of Education and Bachelor of Arts degrees, both from Slippery Rock University. Before his service at Pamlico and Piedmont Virginia, he was vice president for advancement and public affairs at Eastern Florida State College and vice president for development at Crosswinds Youth Services in Florida, owner of a publishing business, and a staff area representative for a congressional district office in Pennsylvania.

, president of Pamlico Community College in North Carolina from 2016 to 2024 and formerly vice president for institutional advancement and development and executive director of the foundation at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Virginia. He holds a Doctor of Education degree with a major in organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University, and Master of Education and Bachelor of Arts degrees, both from Slippery Rock University. Before his service at Pamlico and Piedmont Virginia, he was vice president for advancement and public affairs at Eastern Florida State College and vice president for development at Crosswinds Youth Services in Florida, owner of a publishing business, and a staff area representative for a congressional district office in Pennsylvania. Dr. Patricia P. Weaver, vice president of external affairs at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville since 2022 and previously vice president for workforce and economic development at Cleveland State. She holds a Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Analysis from East Tennessee State University, a Master of Arts in Education (K-12) from Tusculum College and a Bachelor of Science in Education (Marketing Education) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Before moving to Pellissippi, she was an administrator at Cleveland State from 2006 to 2022 and an adjunct instructor there from 1996 to 2022. She previously served as an educator in Monroe County Schools and had managerial experience in the financial services industry and an electric power cooperative.

The finalists will participate in public interviews April 17, 20, and 21, each at 10 a.m. in the theater of the George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center on Cleveland States main campus. A schedule and livestream links will be posted on the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Cleveland State presidential search webpage (https://www.tbr.edu/hr/executivesearches/president-cleveland-state-community-college) when details are finalized. More information about the search process is also available there.

After the campus interviews, TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings will gather input and feedback from the public and campus community, and conduct final interviews to select one candidate for nomination to the Board of Regents. Input and feedback on the candidates may be submitted through an online survey that will be added to the search webpage closer to the interviews. The board is expected to consider appointment of the next president during a special called meeting April 30, at 10 a.m. ET, 9 a.m. CT, which will be livestreamed here (https://www.tbr.edu/board/april-30-2026-%E2%80%93-special-called-board-meeting).

The next president will succeed former President Andy White and interim President Ray Brooks. The Board of Regents approved criteria for the next president during its quarterly meeting in December. The position was posted, and a search advisory committee was appointed in January. Chaired by Regent Emily J. Reynolds, the committee also included Regents Matt Herriman and Thomas A.H. White, and representatives of the colleges students, faculty, staff and alumni, and civic and business leaders from the community.

The president is the chief executive officer of the college, which opened in 1967 as one of the original three Tennessee public community colleges. Cleveland State Community College primarily serves Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe and Polk counties in southeast Tennessee. In addition to its main campus in Cleveland, it offers classes at its Monroe County Center in Vonore and the McMinn Higher Education Center in Athens.




The Ohio Valley Conference announced Chattanooga's McKenna Faychak and Maddie Lecik as its Beach Volleyball Pair of the Week. This marks the second week in a row, and third time this season that the duo has won this award.Additionally, Faychak and Lecik become the first duo in school history to win three OVC Pair of the Week honors in a single season. They are just the third pair in OVC history to win this award three times in a year.Playing in the No. 1 position, the pair went 3-0 with straight-set wins over Ottawa (Kan.), Liberty, and Eastern Kentucky.They won each set by an average of 9.3 points. The pair helped the Sandy Mocs win all three matches by a 5-0 sweeping score.Faychak and Lecik are back in action this weekend as UTC hosts the Scenic City Showdown. Chattanooga's scheduled for five matches across two days, beginning with an OVC match against UT Martin on Friday morning at 10 a.m.
Appointment Highlights Brand's Commitment to Build the House of Kendra Scott

AUSTIN, Texas, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kendra Scott Design, Inc. ("Kendra Scott") , today announced the appointment of Mike McMullen as Chief Financial Officer, effective April 27. McMullen brings a proven track record of building and scaling consumer businesses, with deep expertise in driving disciplined growth across both domestic and international markets. As Kendra Scott continues to execute against its long-range strategic plan, he will play a critical role in building the financial and operational foundation needed to support the company's next phase of expansion.

Kendra Scott Announces Mike McMullen as Chief Financial Officer

"Mike understands how to scale a business driven by a customer-first mission and has experience in driving meaningful transformations," said Chief Executive Officer Chris Blakeslee. "With leadership experience shaping and growing household brands, he brings the financial acumen and business-building mindset we need as we expand into new categories and pursue global growth. We're excited for the leadership he will bring as we continue building the House of Kendra Scott."

McMullen is a proven financial leader with more than 20 years in branded consumer products at YETI Holdings and Dell Technologies. At YETI, he helped scale the business through a period of tremendous growth, which included a successful IPO and significant increases in YETI's international and direct-to-consumer operations. His leadership will guide Kendra Scott into its next phase, strengthening its influence as a contemporary leader.

"Kendra has built a world where community is at the heart of everything, anchored by the brand pillars of Family, Fashion and Philanthropy," said Chief Financial Officer Mike McMullen. "I am thrilled to join the team and help build value across the enterprise, ushering in the company's next chapter of growth, influence and impact."

Kendra Scott continues to build its success on authenticity, strengthening its position as a leading contemporary lifestyle brand while expanding into new categories including eyewear and footwear. Early momentum across the portfolio, from the strong debut of Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott to the continued growth of the core Kendra Scott business, combined with plans for 20 new store openings in 2026, underscores the company's ability not only to lead today but to shape its next phase of growth. This evolution is further highlighted by the brand's entry into hospitality with Beau's Bar at Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott Nashville. The company remains focused on driving industry innovation.

About Kendra Scott

Kendra Scott LLC was founded in 2002 by Kendra Scott, who serves as Founder, Executive Chairwoman and Chief Visionary Officer of her namesake lifestyle brand. Renowned for design innovation, distinctive color palettes, and iconic shapes. The brand is the destination for joyful expression of attainable luxury. Kendra Scott offers Fashion, Demi-Fine and Fine Jewelry, watches, engagement rings, eyewear, fragrance, home accessories, a men's collection, and a western-inspired line, Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott. The company remains true to its founding philosophy of "Family, Fashion, and Philanthropy," and has donated over $70M in monetary and in-kind donations since 2010. Kendra Scott's customer-centric omni-channel approach includes a network of 165+ namesake experiential stores and pop-up locations, wholesale partners, including Nordstrom, Dillard's, and 1,000+ specialty boutiques. With over 3,200 employees, the Austin-based company was honored as one of Newsweek's Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Learn more at KendraScott.com.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Kelle Knight

[email protected]

SOURCE Kendra Scott
2128 Ooltewah Ringgold Road 368 Magnolia Vale Drive 702 South Crest Road 2904 Braly Place Previous Next

2128 Ooltewah Ringgold Road

5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, 5,906 square feet, on a 3.78 acre lot

The sale was to Sherri S Boland from James E Spisiak, Bette Jane Spisiak

$1,000,000

368 Magnolia Vale Drive

5 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, 3,818 square feet, on a 0.4 acre lot

The sale was to Kathryn Trimble from Elizabeth C Munson-Markway Tr, Elizabeth C Munson-Markway Revocable Trust

$1,145,000

702 South Crest Road

6 bedrooms, 5.5+ bathrooms, 6,006 square feet, on a 1.2 acre lot

The sale was to Jeremy Light, Jessica Light from David Plumly, Anna M Plumly

$1,300,000

2904 Braly Place

5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 6,118 square feet, on a 0.62 acre lot

The sale was to John Taylor, Hollie Taylor from Andrew Judson Iv Hill, Laura Paynter Hill

$1,600,000
For families navigating the challenges of dementia, having the right support can make all the difference. Morning Pointe Senior Living is bringing that support to the Hixson community through a new educational and connection-based series designed specifically for caregivers.0Morning Pointe of Hixson Assisted Living, in partnership with the Alzheimers Association Tennessee Chapter, will launch its Empowered Caregiver in-person series on Tuesday, April 21 at 6 p.m. The free, five-part series is open to the public and created to equip caregivers with practical tools, knowledge and encouragement.Held monthly on the third Tuesday, each session will focus on a key aspect of the caregiving journey, including building a strong foundation, supporting independence, communicating effectively, responding to behavioral changes and understanding available services and support.This series is about meeting people where they are, said Robyn Jackson, executive cirector at Morning Pointe of Hixson Assisted Living.Caregiving can feel overwhelming at times, but having the right information and a supportive community can make a meaningful difference. We want families to feel more confident and less alone on this journey.Sessions will take place at Morning Pointe of Hixson Assisted Living, 5501 Old Hixson Pike. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early for time to connect and network with others.Registration is open here , or by contacting blshultz@alz.org for additional information.Morning Pointe Senior Living communities provide assisted living and memory care services throughout the Southeast, offering individualized support, clinical care and life enrichment designed to help seniors live with purpose and dignity.
The national law firm Baker Donelson has named Russell W. "Rusty" Gray co-chair of the Firm's Labor & Employment Group. He will serve alongside Co-Chair Jennifer K. "Jenni" McCarty, helping guide the Group's strategic direction and continued growth. While serving in this leadership role, Mr. Gray will maintain his legal practice.Mr. Gray is a shareholder based in the Firm's Chattanooga office. He previously served as managing shareholder of the office, as well as on Baker Donelson's board of directors.Mr. Gray has more than 25 years of experience representing local, regional and national clients on a wide range of labor and employment and commercial litigation matters."Rusty has long been a leader within our Labor & Employment Group, the Chattanooga office and across the Firm," Baker Donelson Chair and Chief Executive Officer Timothy M. Lupinacci said. "His deep litigation experience, strategic insight and commitment to client service make him well positioned to help guide the continued development of the practice together with Jenni."Officials said, "Mr. Gray serves as a trusted advisor to clients across a variety of industries, including food and hospitality, manufacturing and health care. His practice includes representing clients on a full range of labor and employment matters, including wage and hour issues, drug testing policies, employee handbooks and policy manuals, covenants not to compete, responses to union activity, compliance counseling and employment litigation."Mr. Gray has litigated matters before courts and government agencies in approximately 20 states. He regularly defends clients in employment litigation involving class and collective actions, wage and hour disputes, discrimination claims, unfair labor practice allegations and matters involving non-competition, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements."His commercial litigation practice includes matters involving antitrust, contractual disputes, trade secrets, stock valuation and real property, as well as complex class actions and multidistrict litigation. He recently defended a major client in two high-profile, multidefendant antitrust class actions alleging wage and compensation fixing affecting thousands of employees and independent contractors.""I'm proud to step into this role and to work with Jenni in leading such a talented group of attorneys," Mr. Gray said. "Our clients rely on us to help them navigate challenging workplace and regulatory issues, and I look forward to continuing to build on the strong foundation of the Labor & Employment Group."Mr. Gray has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for Employment Law  Management, Labor Law  Management, and Litigation  Labor and Employment since 2011. He was named the Best Lawyers 2026 Litigation  Labor and Employment "Lawyer of the Year" in Chattanooga and previously received the same distinction for Employment Law  Management (2022) and Labor Law  Management (2019). Mr. Gray has also been selected to Mid-South Super Lawyers since 2011.Mr. Gray earned his J.D., summa cum laude, from American University Washington College of Law and his B.A., with high honors, from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
The 2026 Becoming an Outdoors Woman Workshop will be held June 27-28 at Buffalo Ridge Refuge in Humphreys County. Registration starts on Wednesday, April 15, on a first-come, first-served basis. However, priority will be given to first-time participants.

Hosted by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, participants will have the opportunity to register for three classes. Classes will be taught in the morning and afternoon on Saturday and will conclude with a Sunday morning session. Classes this year include backyard habitat, basic archery, beginning fly fishing, field to freezer, fishing 101, introduction to long-distance shooting, introduction to sporting clays, pistol 101, rifle 101, utility terrain vehicle (UTV) operation, trapping, and wild edibles.

The workshop fee is $100, and it includes all Saturday meals and a Sunday breakfast, along with the three sessions. Space for the event is limited. Registrations can be made at GoOutdoorsTennessee.com under the "Events" icon.

Lodging is not included, but camping is permitted, and campers must provide their own equipment. There are also hotels located nearby. For more information, contact Daniel Musselwhite, Wildlife Education Program Coordinator, at Daniel.P.Musselwhite@tn.gov.

Since 1991, the TWRA has been encouraging women to get outdoors through the BOW program. This program exists in all 50 states and several Canadian provinces. BOW offers women the opportunity to learn and build new outdoor skills.
A thin silicone film ensures that pumps do not require motors, compressed air, lubricants or additional sensors. They can be switched as required and accommodated in previously impossible designs. Wherever vacuum is needed in industry and manufacturing, vehicle technology or laboratories and research, the film technology makes lightweight, flat and energy-efficient pumps possible. Professor Paul Motzki's team from Saarland University will be demonstrating the technology at the Hannover Messe.

The plastic film starts to move as soon as the researchers apply an electrical voltage to it. At 50 micrometers, the film is about as thick as a hair. Professor Paul Motzki's team makes it tap vigorously, vibrate, rise and fall slowly in a flowing movement or remain in one position - simply by changing the electrical voltage. What sounds like a nice gimmick is the stuff of which innovative mini-motors are made.

Because the researchers can control the film, it can take on tasks, such as pushing or pulling something. It can perform movements for which technical equipment would otherwise require motors or air compressors, which takes up a lot of space, energy and maintenance. The research team is also installing smart foils in vacuum pumps to draw air or liquid out of a chamber. Vacuum pumps are indispensable in industrial and technical practice and are used everywhere, from packaging machines and robot grippers to medical technology.

Vacuum without compressed air, without a motor The film technology does not require any heavy components, it is light and compact. "With dielectric elastomers, as the films are called, we can adapt the design of the pumps to the respective requirements. We can also implement shapes that are not technically possible with conventional processes, such as very thin and flat geometries comparable to the shape of a smartphone," says Paul Motzki. The Professor of Smart Material Systems at Saarland University is Managing Director of the Center for Mechatronics and Automation Technology (Zema). The films also pump in small, delicate environments. The technology does not require rare earths or copper and does not need lubricating oil. This makes it suitable for use in clean rooms and sterile environments. "Depending on the operating mode, pumps made of film can also be very energy-efficient," says Paul Motzki. What's more, foil pumps are quiet - an advantage that could significantly reduce background noise in production halls.

More film drives, more power At this year's Hannover Messe, the research team is using a new prototype to demonstrate how the technology can be scaled up. To this end, the researchers equipped a vacuum pump prototype with a dual drive. While the vacuum pump they showed at the trade fair last year had a drive made of foil in one pump chamber, the new pump now has two drives in two pump chambers. "We can connect the two actuators in the pump chambers either in parallel or in series, thereby increasing the pressure, volume flow and also the performance," explains Paul Motzki.

The two foil actuators can work alternately as opposing forces: While one foil is loaded, the other is unloaded. As a result, the output does not drop and the pump draws a continuous vacuum quickly and cycle-free in a glass bell jar - with more volume flow and pressure behind it. When the two film motors work together, the pump delivers more power. While the single pump managed up to 300 millibar absolute pressure in 2025, it now manages less than 200 millibar. "Of course, we can also connect more films in series or in parallel and thus adapt and increase the performance - depending on the application," says Paul Motzki.

A further step towards use in industry "The new version of the pump is a further step towards industrial practice," says Paul Motzki. He and his team have been working on film technology in numerous research projects for years. Its functionality is based on an electrically conductive, highly stretchable electrode layer, which is printed on the front and back of the film. When the researchers apply an electrical voltage here, the two printed layers attract each other electrostatically: The film compresses even flatter and expands in width at the same time. "If we change the electrical field, we can control the dielectric elastomer with any frequency and oscillation and make it vibrate or perform infinitely variable slow, fast and powerful lifting movements," explains Motzki. The foil can also hold any desired position. It only consumes electricity when it is in action. The Saarbrucken researchers use the foil like a drive: a mini motor that does not require any additional sensors.

"The films themselves are their own sensor," says Paul Motzki. The dielectric elastomers also provide this function. The measured values of the electrical capacitance change with the slightest movement. Each deformation of the film has its own characteristic sequence of numbers. Using this measured value, the engineers can read exactly how the foil is mechanically deflected, i.e. how it is currently deforming. In a control unit, they use this measurement data to program precise motion sequences using machine learning methods. As a result, the foils draw a vacuum in motorless vacuum pumps, dose liquids as valves or serve as stepless switches. They can also monitor their own function: The measurement data shows if a foreign object is blocking the pump or if the vacuum has not been safely drawn.

In other projects, Motzki's team uses the films for robot grippers, loudspeakers and also applications such as haptic feedback on smartphone displays or smart textiles: for example, in intelligent work gloves, which act as an interface to the technology and tell it how the hand and fingers are currently moving.

At the Hannover Messe, the research team is looking for partners with whom it can further develop the pump technology for practical use on a mass scale.

The background Many young scientists are also researching dielectric elastomer technology as part of their master's and doctoral theses. It is the subject of numerous publications in specialist journals and has been funded in several research projects, including by the EU, the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Saarland state government as part of the ERDF projects iSMAT, V-Pro Saar and Multi-Immerse, as well as the Saarland Metal and Electrical Industry Association (ME Saar).
Photo credit: Unsplash/ ABEL MARQUEZ

At least 12 Christians were killed in coordinated attacks on Easter Sunday worship services in Kaduna state, Nigeria, following separate killings of 17 Christians earlier the same day in Benue state, according to local sources.

Gunmen identified as Fulani assailants stormed the largely Christian community of Ariko in Kachia County, opening fire on congregations gathered at an Evangelical Church Winning All location and at St. Augustine Catholic Church. Residents reported that numerous people were also abducted and that both church buildings sustained damage.

Describing the assault, Kachia council member Mark Bawa said, The attackers, who have been identified as Fulani bandits, were in large numbers. He added, They surrounded the community and attacked the churches as Christians were in worship services. Many Christians have been killed, while dozens of others were captured and taken away into the bush.

Local resident Sam Bahago reported that at least eight people were initially confirmed dead, with many others taken into nearby forests. Subsequent recovery efforts by security personnel raised the confirmed death toll to 12, according to Truth Nigeria.

Another resident, Steven Kefas, sent a message during the attack stating, Ariko community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna state is under siege right now, adding, Not less than eight Christians are confirmed dead. A separate witness, Gideon Michael, also identified the attackers as Fulani.

In Benue state in central Nigeria, suspected Fulani herdsmen, reportedly accompanied by other militants, carried out a separate early-morning attack around 5 a.m. on Sunday, killing 17 Christians.

Residents in Jande village, located in Mbalom in Gwer East County, said the attackers shot victims, abducted others, and set homes on fire.

Resident Tivta Samuel described the incident, saying, There was an attack on Easter Sunday carried out by armed Fulani militia on Jande community of Mbalom, in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue state.

The Fulani, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the wider Sahel region, consist of numerous clans with diverse backgrounds. However, some factions have been linked to extremist Islamist ideology, according to a 2020 report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief.

The report noted that in Nigerias Northcentral region  where Christian populations are higher than in the northeast and northwest  extremist Fulani militias frequently target farming communities, resulting in hundreds of deaths, most of them Christians.

Nigeria continues to account for the highest number of Christians killed globally, according to the Open Doors 2026 World Watch List. The report found that of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith between Oct. 1, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2025, 3,490  or 72%  were in Nigeria, marking an increase from the previous years figure of 3,100.
Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense, speaks during a press briefing on the Iran conflict and the rescue of a downed U.S. airman, April 6, 2026. | Screenshot: YouTube/ FOX 26 Houston

Pete Hegseth pointed to striking similarities between the recent rescue of a downed American pilot in Iran and the biblical account of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Speaking during a White House press briefing on Monday alongside Donald Trump and other officials, Hegseth detailed the operation that led to the recovery of two U.S. pilots.

He explained that one of the pilots, despite being injured, managed to survive in mountainous terrain for several days before being extracted by U.S. forces operating behind enemy lines during Easter weekend.

Recalling the timeline, Hegseth said, Shot down on a Friday, Good Friday, and added, Hidden in a cave, a crevice, all of Saturday. And rescued on Sunday. Flown out of Iran as the sun was rising on Easter Sunday.

He continued, A pilot reborn, all home and accounted for, a nation rejoicing. God is good.  We leave no man behind, and that is not luck. It is the result of unmatched training, superior technology, and unbreakable warrior ethos, and sheer American grit.

Hegseth also noted that the pilots first signal to rescuers via emergency transponder was God is good, emphasizing that in that moment of isolation and danger, his faith and fighting spirit shown through.

At the same time, diplomatic developments unfolded as the United States and Iran reached a last-minute cease-fire agreement on Tuesday evening, just ahead of a deadline set by Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump subsequently announced a temporary suspension of military operations, outlining a two-week cease-fire period aimed at allowing further negotiations.

Irans foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said in a statement that Iran would halt its defensive operation and permit safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks in coordination with its armed forces.
Recognition Underscores Firm's Unmatched Track Record Representing Southern California Accident Victims Since 1999

LOS ANGELES, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Steven M. Sweat, founding attorney of Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC, has been selected to the Southern California Super Lawyers list for 2026, marking the 14th consecutive year the firm's lead attorney has earned this prestigious peer recognition. Super Lawyers honors no more than five percent of attorneys in each state, making the distinction one of the most selective in the legal profession.

First named to the list in 2012, Mr. Sweat has maintained the honor every year since  a streak that reflects both sustained courtroom performance and the deep trust of colleagues and clients throughout Los Angeles County and surrounding Southern California communities. His practice focuses exclusively on representing injured individuals and wrongful death victims on a contingency-fee basis, meaning clients pay nothing unless the firm recovers compensation on their behalf.

"For more than three decades, my sole focus has been fighting for people who have been seriously hurt through no fault of their own. Being recognized by fellow attorneys year after year reinforces that our approach  aggressive advocacy combined with genuine compassion  is making a difference for the families we serve."

 Steven M. Sweat, Founding Attorney

In addition to the Super Lawyers honor, Mr. Sweat holds an Avvo rating of 10.0 (Superb), has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum  a distinction limited to attorneys who have achieved verdicts or settlements exceeding one million dollars. He earned his J.D. from California Western School of Law and has devoted his entire career to personal injury litigation.

The firm handles a wide range of serious injury matters, including automobile and motorcycle collisions, truck accidents, traumatic brain injuries, catastrophic injury cases, premises liability, and wrongful death claims throughout Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties.

Injured individuals seeking a free, confidential consultation with Mr. Sweat are encouraged to visit victimslawyer.com.

About Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC

Founded in 1999 and headquartered at 11500 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90064, Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC has spent more than 25 years exclusively representing accident victims and wrongful death families across Southern California. The firm accepts all personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis  no recovery, no fee.

SOURCE Steven M Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC
Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Leiada Krozjhen

New research suggests that Protestant churches are more likely to experience increases in donations, while Catholic parishes tend to demonstrate steadier giving patterns and greater use of recurring contributions, according to two 2026 reports from Ministry Brands.

The findings come from the 2026 Annual Church Giving Report and the Annual Parish Giving Report, developed in collaboration with Parable Group. The studies examined billions of dollars in digital donations across tens of thousands of churches and included survey responses from nearly 1,000 church leaders.

The reports indicate that digital giving continued to play a major role in church finances throughout 2025, with many congregations reporting increased contributions through online platforms. Among Protestant churches, 57% said digital giving had grown, making up 41% of total donations in churches that offered such options.

Comparing trends across denominations, Protestant congregations were more likely to report year-over-year increases in overall giving, with 55% noting growth in 2025. Catholic parishes, by contrast, showed more consistent patterns, with 55% reporting that giving either rose or stayed the same, which researchers described as a more consistent pattern rather than growth alone.

The analysis also highlighted a strong connection between attendance and giving within Catholic churches. Parishes that saw higher weekly attendance were 7.8 times more likely to report increased giving and nearly 8.5 times more likely to see growth in the number of donors compared to parishes with flat or declining attendance.

The survey found that churches adopting multichannel digital strategies  including recurring donations, digital wallets, and livestream-based giving  were significantly more likely to report increases in overall contributions.

Younger donors also responded positively to digital tools. Protestant churches offering digital wallet options were nearly twice as likely to report increased generosity among those ages 18 to 29, while Catholic parishes using similar tools were 2.6 times more likely to see growth in giving from that age group.

Despite the continued rise of digital giving, traditional methods remain widely used. A separate study released last July found that most Protestant churches still pass the plate during services as a conventional way to collect offerings.

That study reported that nearly three out of four Protestant pastors in the United States said their churches collect physical offerings during services, while close to half also provide opportunities to give as attendees enter or leave the building.
Home News Over 91K telehealth abortions performed in pro-life states in 2025: report

As estimates released by Planned Parenthood's former research arm show that abortion in the United States continues to rise despite the passage of restrictions in many states, pro-life advocates suggest the increasing prevalence of "telehealth" abortions is to blame.

According to data released in a Guttmacher Institute report late last month, an estimated 1,126,000 abortions were performed in the U.S. last year, a slight increase from the estimated 1,124,000 conducted in 2024.

Michael New, a senior associate scholar at the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute, told The Christian Post that while the data shows fewer women living in states with strong laws against abortion obtained abortions out of state in 2025, the decline was "more than offset by the increase in women living in pro-life states who obtained telehealth abortions."

"Overall, Guttmacher's data indicated that 91,000 women living in states with strong pro-life laws obtained telehealth abortions in 2025  an increase of more than 26% over the previous year."

"Overall, telehealth abortions are weakening the strong pro-life laws that many states passed after the Dobbs decision," he continued.

An estimated 142,000 people traveled out of state for an abortion last year, down from 154,000 people in 2024, the report states. Researchers attributed the decrease to a decline in travel among residents in states that have passed laws against abortion.

In 2025, 62,000 women living in areas with laws prohibiting abortion traveled to another state for an abortion, a 16% decline from 2024. Guttmacher also reported that the number of women who had telehealth abortions increased from 72,000 to 91,000 between 2024 and 2025.

The data highlights the impact that state public policy decisions have on state abortion rates, New says.

He cited Florida and Iowa, which, in 2024, began enforcing heartbeat abortion bans that prohibit abortion once a preborn child's heartbeat becomes detectable.

"In both states, in-state abortions fell by approximately 25% in 2025. Conversely, some states made their abortion policies more permissive. In 2024, Missouri voters placed legal abortion in the state's constitution," New stated. "Similarly, North Dakota's life at conception law was struck down in 2024. Both Missouri and North Dakota experienced large abortion increases in 2024."

While the pro-life scholar acknowledged the abortion estimates released by Guttmacher are "fairly accurate," he warned that the prevalence of telehealth abortions may reduce the accuracy of these recent abortion estimates.

Pro-life advocates continue to call on the Trump administration to crack down on the shipment of abortion drugs across state lines. They have also expressed frustration over the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's promised safety review of the abortion drug mifepristone, with some fearing that the review is being delayed.

"These new abortion numbers by Guttmacher show that the lack of action by the Trump FDA continues to undermine the efforts of pro-life states to protect the unborn," Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said in a statement provided to CP.

"Shield laws [and] mailbox access are allowing chemical abortions to increase in pro-life states, effectively nullifying state laws to protect women and babies," Perkins added. "Stop the harm."

Last month, the conservative think tank Ethics & Public Policy Center released a report examining adverse event data for the abortion drug mifepristone before and after the FDA removed the requirement for in-person doctor visits.

According to the analysis, the rate of serious adverse events rose from 10.15% when the in-person requirement was enforced to 11.50% after the FDA removed the requirement  a statistically significant difference of 1.35 percentage points and a 13% increase.

Another study released by the Ethics & Public Policy Center in April 2025 found that 10.93% of women "experience sepsis, infection, hemorrhaging or another serious adverse event within 45 days following a mifepristone abortion."

According to the April 2025 study, the rate of adverse events experienced by women who take the abortion pill is at least 22 times higher than the "less than 0.5%" figure cited based on clinical trials.
Home News Church child care director arrested on charges of defrauding congregation of $500K

An administrator has been arrested for allegedly defrauding a Georgia church of more than $500,000, with additional charges pending, authorities said.

The Bibb County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday the arrest of Tiffany Alyan Watson, a 39-year-old resident of Gray, in connection with more than $500,000 allegedly taken from Riverside United Methodist Church.

Watson, who is being held without bond, faces multiple felony charges, including computer theft, first-degree forgery, fiduciary theft by taking, financial identity fraud, money laundering, theft by conversion and theft by deception.

She was also charged with evasion of income tax, penalty, interest or other and violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law.

The Bibb County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division responded last October to a complaint from leaders of the United Methodist Church South Georgia Conference regarding concerns over the "financial status, debt, and general financial operations of the Riverside United Methodist Church."

"It was reported after numerous attempts to secure cooperation into the financial workings of church committees and the church administrator, the church leadership contracted a forensic accountant to work with the church's bank and determine the financial solvency of the church," explained the sheriff's office.

"During the investigation over the next several months, The Criminal Investigation Division discovered criminal findings dating back as far as 2022 through 2025 when the church was closed."

Police found that more than $500,000 had been taken from the church "without proper authority and converted to personal use," with investigators finding that "a criminal enterprise was created."

Watson, who had served as church administrator and co-director of the Riverside UMC Children Center, was eventually identified as a person of interest in the theft investigation.

Watson met with authorities Tuesday morning. She was then transported to the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center, the sheriff's office said, adding that the "investigation is still active."

Last October, around the time the conference contacted the police, Riverside UMC announced that it was closing after about 70 years of operation due to financial difficulties.

"It shocked us," one longtime Riverside UMC member told the Macon-based 13 WMAZ. "They locked it, changed the lock on Friday, locked us out. We could not get in the building to have service."

Riverside UMC had previously attempted to sell its property to Encounter Church, a nondenominational congregation that leased the property, according to 13 WMAZ, but the conference reportedly prevented the transaction.
Home News Detective details how abduction of Nancy Guthrie may have 'went sideways'

A detective who specializes in cold cases says the abduction of Nancy Guthrie may have started as an attempt to gain money but escalated into a far more serious crime because the womans captors misjudged her health.

Brian Martin, a detective with the Fort Wayne Police Department in Indiana, told Brian Entin in an interview on Tuesday with NewsNation that he believes those responsible for abducting Nancy Guthrie likely intended to hold her briefly while demanding money, then release her.

The detective speculated that the kidnappers planned to keep the 84-year-old woman in an unknown location for a few days before collecting the money and abandoning her somewhere, like a Walmart parking lot.

Martin theorized that the kidnappers underestimated Nancy Guthries health, suggesting that some sort of medical event forced them to change their plans.

It just scares me to think that somebody maybe took Ms. Guthrie, and she had some sort of medical event when it was happening, because obviously itd be an incredibly stressful situation and very taxing on somebody, the detective said.

The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has drawn nationwide attention as authorities continue to search for the missing woman.

Nancy Guthrie was reported missing Feb. 1 after she failed to attend a virtual church service that morning. She was last seen around 9:45 p.m. Jan. 31 after having dinner with her family.

Law enforcement officials have released doorbell camera footage of a masked man outside the elderly womans home in Tucson, Arizona, on the day of her disappearance. However, authorities have not named any suspects or persons of interest in connection with the case.

During the interview with the Fort Wayne detective, Entin said Martins theory would explain why no one appears to have tried to collect a ransom in exchange for Nancy Guthrie. The detective replied that the perpetrator or perpetrators cannot attempt to collect any money now, which he believes was the motive for abducting the 84-year-old woman.

Things went sideways, things went wrong, and what they had to do is they had to  it sounds horrible  they had to dispose of Ms. Guthrie because she was no longer of value to them in that monetary gain that theyre hoping to get, Martin said.

Media outlets like TMZ have reported receiving ransom notes following the disappearance of Savannah Guthries mother. The notes include demands for millions of dollars in cryptocurrency and graphic descriptions of the consequences of not paying the ransom.

On April 6, TMZ reported that it had received another note from someone claiming to offer information about Nancy Guthries location in exchange for one Bitcoin.

According to Martin, the ransom notes are either legitimate and written by someone involved in the case, or they were written by someone seeking attention and trying to cause the family heartache.

In past cases Martin has worked on, authorities had to decide whether to keep the contents of ransom notes or taunting letters private or share them with the public in hopes of gaining information.

Martin hopes the notes in this case do not lead law enforcement down a completely wrong path that would distract from finding Nancy Guthrie.

This person  whoever sent the letters obviously  they want some attention, he continued. They want those letters to be found, or they wouldnt have sent them to a news outlet. I would hope that if it is the person involved in Ms. Guthries disappearance, they want to be heard and are legitimately trying to negotiate some type of deal.

Even though Guthrie has been missing for more than 60 days, the detective does not consider it a cold case.

I dont think this is a cold case at all, Martin said. Were looking at 60 days. I think theres still a lot of very viable information that can be gained, both electronically and through interviews and re-interviews, and not only that, but tips that are coming in.

Amid the ongoing investigation, the Guthrie family has asked the public to continue praying for their missing relative.

In an Easter video message for Good Shepherd New York church, Savannah Guthrie discussed her mental struggles after her mothers disappearance. During this period of uncertainty, Savannah Guthrie said she has wondered whether Jesus ever experienced pain like hers during His time on Earth.

Recently, though, in my own season of trial, I have wondered, I have questioned whether Jesus really ever experienced this particular wound that I feel," she said. "This grievous and uniquely cruel injury of not knowing, of uncertainty and confusion and answers withheld."

In those darkest moments, I have thought bitterly, and perhaps irreverently, that I have stumbled upon a feeling that Jesus did not know, the co-anchor added.

At the conclusion of her message, Savannah Guthrie said that she would close her eyes and feel the sunshine.

I see a bright vision of the day when Heaven and Earth pass away because they are one, on Earth as it is in Heaven," she continued. "When we celebrate today, this is what we celebrate, and I celebrate, too. I still believe. And so I say with conviction, 'Happy Easter.'
Home News Global Methodist Church appeals Nigerian court ruling in favor of UMC in registration dispute

The theologically conservative Global Methodist Church (GMC) is appealing a ruling from a Nigerian court in a legal battle over the registration and resources of the United Methodist Church (UMC).

GMC Bishop John Pena Auta announced at a press conference on Tuesday at McBride Global Methodist Church in Jalingo, that his denomination filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal in Nigeria, Abuja Judicial Division, and also requested an injunction to block the lower court ruling.

We read the judgment of the Court and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the rule of law and due process, he stated. As a law-abiding body, we respect the judicial process and remain confident in the justice system.

Auta added that the GMC was fully within its legal rights to continue its activities and use of its properties and urged church members to remain calm, prayerful, and steadfast during this period.

We strongly advise all members and supporters to remain law-abiding and refrain from any form of confrontation or actions that may disrupt public peace or bring the name of the Church into disrepute, the bishop added.

The leadership is committed to pursuing all lawful means to seek redress and justice. We urge everyone to stay peaceful, focused, and trusting in God as we navigate this process.

For decades, the UMC has been embroiled in debate over whether to amend its Book of Discipline to allow the blessing of same-sex marriage and the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals.

Although efforts to remove the Book of Discipline language at the churchwide General Conference had often failed, many theological liberals refused to follow or enforce the rules, prompting thousands of mostly theologically conservative congregations to leave the denomination by 2023.

At the 2024 UMC General Conference, delegates voted to remove the language, prompting many churches and UMC leaders in Africa to consider disaffiliation.

In Nigeria, not only are same-sex marriage and homosexuality illegal, but the national government also prohibits its citizens from being active in LGBT advocacy organizations.

In July 2024, Nigerian Bishop John Wesley Yohanna sent a statement to state officials saying that, at a specially called session, the regional body voted to leave the UMC and join the GMC. But a group of Nigerian UMC leaders released a statement disputing his claims, arguing that only Yohanna and approximately 10% of the regional body had opted to leave the UMC.

Disputes over which Methodist denomination rightfully owns property and resources in the West African nation have led to periodic violence. For example, members of both denominations clashed at Banyam Theological Seminary in February of last year.

Late last month, High Court Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued an order directing the Corporate Affairs Commission to reverse a decision renaming the United Methodist Church in Nigeria as the Global Methodist Church in Nigeria.

Additionally, Egwuatu ordered Zenith Bank Plc to grant the UMC control of denominational bank accounts and said that members of the denomination must follow its rules regarding association and disaffiliation, which the court could not overrule.

UMC Nigeria Episcopal Area Bishop Ande Emmanuel stated in response to the decision, calling for reconciliation between the UMC and the GMC in the country.

This is not a moment of celebration, but a moment for healing. It is time to mend what has been broken between The United Methodist Church in Nigeria and the Global Methodist Church in Nigeria, Emmanuel stated, as quoted by UM News.

We extend a hand of fellowship to our brothers and sisters  if you wish to return, you are welcome. And if you choose to continue your journey with GMCN, we remain open to dialogue, so we can understand your needs and support you in peace and unity.
Home News Joshua at Sight & Sound blends spectacle with message of Gods mercy

LANCASTER, Pennsylvania  Sight & Sound Theatres newest stage production, Joshua, is drawing audiences into one of the Bibles most dramatic stories with a large-scale spectacle centered on trust, obedience and Gods mercy.

The production, which follows the biblical account of Joshua leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, features Sight & Sounds typical stunning visuals, including towering giants, chariot battles, the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai and the collapse of Jerichos walls. But behind the elaborate scenes lies a yearslong process of discernment for the creative team.

It was actually a long time to get to that point, Ryan Miller, the shows creative producer, told The Christian Post. At the beginning, it felt like a no-brainer  big Bible story moments, Jericho walls and all of that. But then it wasnt until I got into it that I started losing some of that confidence.

Miller said the production, which includes a state-of-the-art LED screen, three-story tall sets, and a cast of nearly 60, required nearly a year of prayer, research and development before the team found a clear path forward.

It ended up being tricky to get there, for sure, he added.

One of the most technically demanding elements was depicting the falling of Jerichos walls as documented in Joshua 5, a sequence Miller said was unprecedented even for the theater company, known for its elaborate staging.

The collapse felt like figuring out 10 Goliaths, he said, noting it required extensive prototyping and innovation.

Beyond technical challenges, the creative team also grappled with how to present the darker themes found in the Book of Joshua, including violence and moral complexity, while maintaining the trust of families. Miller, a father of three, said he often evaluated scenes through the lens of what it would be like to watch alongside his own children.

We take that really seriously, Miller said. We dont want to break that trust with families  and yet were also handed stuff that is difficult to deal with.

I didnt want to put any parent in a position that I wasnt willing to be in, he said.

At the same time, he emphasized the importance of portraying both Gods judgment and mercy, particularly through the inclusion of Rahab, a Canaanite woman and prostitute whose faith leads to her salvation.

If you take her out of it, the perspective of God tends to be very judgmental, Miller said. She highlights the Lords mercy  all who cry out and call the name of the Lord will be saved.

Actor Carl Anderson, who portrays Joshua, said he was drawn to the characters internal strength and quiet leadership. The play highlights how Joshua trusted and followed Gods commands, even when the Israelites refused to obey.

Hes grounded and steadfast externally, but internally there might be chaotic things going on, Anderson said. I really relate to that.

Anderson, who sings the majority of the plays songs, described the role as spiritually challenging; Joshuas dependence on God, he said, has influenced his own daily walk of faith.

You have to make a choice  am I going to trust the Lord for whats next? he said. It definitely impacts me every day.

Audience response, particularly from children, has been enthusiastic. Anderson noted that younger viewers are often captivated by both the music and the larger-than-life elements of the show, including the live animals and giants.

The way they take it all in  they remember so many parts of it because it's such a tangible story to kind of focus in on, he said.

Founded in the 1970s by Glenn and Shirley Eshelman, Sight & Sound has grown to two state-of-the-art theater locations, one in Lancaster and one in Branson, Missouri, an online streaming platform and a film studio. The ministry recently released the film A Great Awakening, which earned an A+ CinemaScore from audiences and grossed more than $2 million.

We try to say no to hundreds of good ideas and yes to the God idea, Josh Enck, president of Sight & Sound, recently told CP. Once we know, we dont look back. We are anti-ego. None of this is about us. Its about bringing the Bible to life on stage and now on screen and getting out of the way of what God is doing.

And, as with all Sight & Sound productions, Joshua concludes with a clear presentation of the Gospel, a longstanding, non-negotiable element of the companys mission.

Our founder was a preacher  its such a core part of who we are, Miller said. The Gospel message has to be clearly communicated. Its why we're here. At the same time, there is an element where we understand that, in many ways, we are preaching to the choir. Many people that are coming here are already saved, they're already walking with the Lord, and yet, they also need encouragement. They also need to be challenged in trusting the Lord and things like that.

We always try and make sure that, yes, the Gospel message is preached, while also trying to inspire and encourage and strengthen people who are already saved. Thats a core part of what were trying to do.

Still, Joshua is undeniably entertaining even to those not familiar with the Old Testament account. Miller said the production is designed to both encourage believers and engage newcomers.

You can come and just have a good time, he said. And then we trust the Holy Spirit to do His part.

Ultimately, both Miller and Anderson said the central message of the production is one of trust, a theme embodied not only in Joshuas leadership but also in Rahabs unlikely act of faith.

The overall message of the show is, are you going to trust the Lord? Miller said. Theres only one thing thats not going to crumble, and thats the foundation of Jesus Christ.

Thats the commonality between even Joshua and Rahab, whether it's Joshua choosing to trust the Lord in the manna, in the burning the chariots, in the walking around the city, or for her, it's, Am I going to trust the Lord and tie the scarlet cord in my window and do something that makes absolutely no sense? Ultimately, that is what I want people to be thinking about: What have I put my hope and trust in?

Anderson echoed that sentiment, expressing hope that audiences will see themselves reflected in the story.

I want people to be able to see themselves  and know that wherever they are, the Lord is there, he said. They can trust Him.

Joshua is on stage for one season only, March 14th  December 31, 2026. Tickets can be purchased on Sight & Sounds website.
Home News Robert Jeffress talks America's past blessings, future ahead of 250th anniversary Texas megachurch pastor warns US 'will have ceased to exist' under Antichrist

Pastor Robert Jeffress says that his upcoming Sunday message on the United States 250th anniversary wont be the typical flag-waving, rah-rah patriotic service some might expect.

Instead, Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, said the special sermon titled, "America at the Crossroads: Can We Survive Another 250 Years?" will deliver a very frank and biblical assessment of where America has been and where we are going and what our future is in the years and decades ahead.

We have experienced Gods blessing for 250 years because of our strong Christian foundation, he told The Christian Post on Wednesday. Ultimately, we know from Scripture that America as we know it will cease to exist, certainly by the last years of Earths history, known as the Great Tribulation.

According to Jeffress, the book of Revelation describes an America in those final years before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in which there will be no freedom of press, no freedom of assembly, no freedom of religion, no freedom of commerce, which means the United States as we know it will have ceased to exist since we will be under the rule of a one leader dictator commonly known as Antichrist.

So thats the future, he added. We dont know when its going to happen, but it is going to happen eventually.

Despite the grim outlook, Jeffress emphasized that his upcoming sermon is not a fatalistic message, but rather points to the present responsibility of Christians, drawing from Deuteronomy 30.

We as a nation have a choice. We can experience Gods blessings right now or Gods curses right now, he said. Truly patriotic Christians will want Gods blessings on our nation."

He gave a list of four things we can do to secure such blessings: take a stand, cast a vote, say a prayer, and share the Gospel.

"That," said Jeffress, "is what our duty is in this present time of American history.

Amid ongoing conflict with Iran and other geopolitical challenges, the pastor addressed the tension many Christians are experiencing with the knowledge that ultimate judgment is coming while still being called to engage the culture for Christ.

I think thats why Jesus called us to be both salt and light, Jeffress explained. Salt in Jesus day was a preservative. It didnt prevent the decay of meat, but it delayed the decay of meat. It gave the meat a longer shelf life. And in the same way, we as Christians in a pagan world are to be an influence, not that were going to prevent the ultimate demise of our culture, but we can delay it.

Citing Jeremiah 29:7, Jeffress pushed back against Christian isolationism, particularly when it comes to engaging the culture of some of lifes biggest questions.

The Bible says we are to seek the welfare of the city where we have been in exile and pray to the Lord on the citys behalf, he said. God commanded the Israelites living in Babylonian captivity not to isolate themselves from the captivity or from Babylon, but to influence Babylon, to seek the welfare of Babylon. And the best way to do that is by exercising their faith in the culture in which [they] lived.

Jeffress added, There is always that tension between working to push back the darkness and at the same time sharing the cultures only hope, which is the faith in Jesus Christ. The only way were going to ultimately change America is by changing the hearts of Americans, and only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can do that.

The First Baptist Dallas pastor was at the White House for an Easter event last Wednesday when Paula White-Cain, who serves in the Faith Office, compared President Trumps political trials and near assassinations to the persecution Jesus endured, which drew criticism from both theologians and commentators alike who saw the comparison as blasphemous.

Jeffress, however, offered a measured response to White-Cains comments and compared them to similar language used in pastoral counseling.

In Hebrews 4, were told that Jesus is a sympathetic high priest who has been tested in all things as we are and yet without sin, he said. When I say to somebody, if youve lost a loved one in death, Jesus knows how you feel because Hes experienced that with His friend Lazarus. When I say to somebody, when you feel betrayed, Jesus understands that because He was betrayed.

Jeffress continued, When I say that, Im not equating the person Im talking to to Jesus. Im not saying theyre the same. Im saying theyve gone through some of the similar experiences, and I believe thats all Paula White was saying.

I dont think she equates Donald Trump with Jesus, he added. I know Donald Trump does not equate himself with Jesus, so thats the only way I interpreted it.
Archaeology Near Sea Of Galilee, Pete Hegseth On Iran Ceasefire Victory, Artemis II Pilot Glorifies God In Space

link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 06:56 06:56

Top headlines for Thursday, April 9, 2026

A 1,400-year-old Christian artifact discovered near the Sea of Galilee that may shed new light on early baptism practices; Secretary of War Pete Hegseths declaration of U.S. military victory in Iran during a fragile two-week ceasefire, framed in terms of both military strength and divine providence; and the growing attention on Artemis II pilot Victor Glover, the Christian Navy captain being praised for honoring God as he prepares for space.

00:11 Tennessee church gives hundreds of commuters free gas | Church & Ministries

00:59 Iranian Christians detained by ICE could be killed if deported | Politics

01:50 Olivet University Riverside: How it rebounded after T-visa scheme

02:40 Secrets of the Bees showcases wonder of Gods creation

03:28 Ancient baptismal artifact uncovered near Sea of Galilee

04:20 Pete Hegseth declares victory in Iran, credits God

05:10 Christian Artemis II pilot Victor Glover reframes race question
Home Opinion 40 years, 2 brothers, and 1 son: My lifelong fight against Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Ive been fighting Duchenne muscular dystrophy for 40 years. My brothers Angelo and Antonio died from it at ages 20 and 22, respectively. Antonio died in 2015, when my son Ryu was barely a toddler  and had already been diagnosed with the same terminal illness.

My childhood memories are of praying for my brothers, caring for them with Mom and Dad, and Mom taking all five of her kids to church almost every day. I always asked God to heal my brothers, and  after Ryu was born  I added him to those prayers.

But I also went to God with another prayer  that He would open the door that allowed me to share our familys story. I didnt know what that looked like, or when it would come, but I trusted in it.

This year, that prayer was answered when I was asked to speak out not just on behalf of my brothers and son, but for every family that feels isolated because of a terminal rare disease. I visited Washington, D.C., to share my story with lawmakers from both parties as well as patient advocates, and to ask them to push the Food & Drug Administration to stop standing in the way of drugs like Elevidys, the only gene therapy treatment for Duchenne.

And it worked. I cant say how much my small voice, speaking up for the first time, meant. But so many people speaking up made a difference. The first indicator was when CBER Director Dr. Vinay Prasad announced his resignation from the FDA just a week later  he leaves this month. Prasad blocked treatments, with the support of FDA Commissioner Martin Makary, that could have helped kids like Ryu live across the country.

Im just a mom. But we recently celebrated Easter, where a carpenter saved the world. He overcame the establishment of His time, which was willing to throw the vulnerable and sick to the side. He fell, but He didnt falter  and I wont, either.

As we were approaching Holy Thursday this year, Ryu was having a hard evening. He needed his Bipap machine to help his lungs function, as he so often does. But he looked at me  my 14-year-old wheelchair-bound boy who is the happiest kid I know  and said, Mom, this sucks. But what youre doing makes it a lot easier.



My story may not matter to FDA Commissioner Makary, who seems to have forgotten about Ryu and thousands of other kids like him. But God sees every hair on our heads. He named us before our parents knew us. And, sometimes, like Gabriel told the prophet Daniel, prayers are answered long before we see their fruition.

Ive been saying the same prayer for help and to be able to lend my voice for over 40 years. To the world, Antonio and Angelo may be long deceased, but they are the foundation for how my husband and I have cared for Ryu. And God has allowed me to carry their stories from my home in El Paso to our nations capital.

Commissioner Makary and Dr. Prasad may have forgotten that their job is to save lives. But God? Hes just getting started with me in spreading His Good News, and you know what? Its amazing. But Im also not surprised, because I knew God would take care of it all.
VANCOUVER, BC, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MiniTool Software Limited has announced the launch of MiniTool MovieMaker 8.6, a significant update to its video editing software. The latest version focuses on localized experience, creative creation, and a faster editing workflow.

A quick look at what's new in MiniTool MovieMaker 8.6

Support Japanese and German, delivering a localized and user-friendly experience.

Customized text color with a brand-new palette for more beautiful and creative video titles/captions.

Smoother first-time setup with an optimized walkthrough guide.

Quickly access software log files for efficient error fixing.

Enhanced export speeds for videos utilizing GPU-based effects or filters.

Support Japanese and German

The language support for Japanese and German is the major update in MiniTool MovieMaker 8.6. This improvement enables users in these regions to browse the software in their native languages and understand all settings and tools better, thus ensuring a more intuitive and convenient video creation process.

MiniTool MovieMaker is dedicated to providing a smooth editing experience. Based on this, version 8.6 adds support for Japanese and German to remove language barriers for creators in these regions and focus entirely on their projects.

New Color Palette for Creative Text Customization

To add more beautiful and creative text to the video projects, MiniTool MovieMaker 8.6 also includes a brand-new color palette that can customize the color for titles, captions, and credits. This makes it easier to perfectly match the text style with the video's theme and atmosphere.

Optimized Walkthrough Guide & Improved Troubleshooting

MiniTool MovieMaker is favoured by users, particularly beginners, due to its intuitive and user-friendly design. Version 8.6 takes this a step further with an optimized walkthrough guide, aiming to help first-time creators familiarize themselves with the software. The walkthrough demonstrates how to import media, add footage to the timeline, apply filters, and export a project.

Additionally, MiniTool MovieMaker 8.6 provides another practical feature: quick access to software log files. When encountering errors or unexpected situations, users can directly locate the log data from the Help menu and send it to the support team for assistance. Compared to previous versions, which required a manual search for log files, 8.6 simplifies the error-fixing process, ensuring all problems can be resolved quickly.

Unlocking a Faster Editing Workflow

In addition to a smooth editing workflow and extensive editing features, a good video editor should also offer fast export speeds. After all, time is valuable. This time, MiniTool MovieMaker optimized export speed for videos with GPU-based effects or filters. In other words, this improvement can render these kinds of videos faster than ever before, accelerating the final step of the editing process and improving overall efficiency.

About MiniTool MovieMaker

MiniTool MovieMaker is an easy-to-use and feature-rich video editor designed for everyone, especially beginners, to create high-quality videos in minutes.

Essential Editing Tools & Trendy Effects

MiniTool MovieMaker is capable of trimming, cropping, splitting, rotating, flipping, and scaling videos, changing playback speed, adjusting the clip's color, and converting the aspect ratio. Besides, it offers a large library of text templates, filters, transitions, effects, elements, and motions to enrich content.

A Multi-Track Timeline

Featuring a multi-track timeline, MiniTool MovieMaker is able to create picture-in-picture (PiP) effects, create split-screen videos, make video collages, and layer multiple clips/effects/text/stickers to decorate videos.

4K Video Export & Custom Output Settings

A highlight of MiniTool MovieMaker is that it supports exporting videos up to 4K resolution for free, without watermarks, ensuring clear and clean results. Furthermore, it can customize output format, resolution, frame rate, and bitrate.

About MiniTool Software Ltd.

MiniTool Software Ltd. is a professional software development company specializing in video editing, screen recording, video/audio conversion, disk management, data recovery, data backup, system optimization, etc. For decades, the company has earned the trust of users worldwide. In the future, the company will continue striving to provide better products and services.

SOURCE MiniTool Software Limited
Mediaphotos / Adobe Stock

Scottish charity Deaf Action has made redundancies due to a recent cut in funding and warned of the wider impact service cuts are having.

Deaf Action criticised a decision taken last year by the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership (EHSCP) to withdraw specialist social work funding.

As a result, the charity has cut back its community care assistant (CCA) service, which provided Deaf-led, British Sign Language-first support and was funded at 114,000 for the 2024-25 financial year and then 87,000 from April to October 2025.

It has also scaled back its specialist equipment service, which had a contract valued at almost 82,000 for the 2024-25 financial year.

The charity told Civil Society that one deaf social worker; two roles within the specialist equipment service, and one CCA role had been lost as a result.

According to its most recent accounts for the financial year ending 31 March 2025, the charity recorded an annual income of 3.6m and an annual expenditure of 3.9m. It employed 94 people.

The charity, which has supported deaf people for more than 185 years, this week called for the removed specialist provision in Edinburgh to be reinstated.

Philip Gerrard, chief executive of Deaf Action, said of the funding withdrawal: Edinburgh once had specialist, deaf-led BSL-first services that helped people navigate daily life in their own language.

Those services have been dismantled, one after another, and the result is that deaf people are now being pushed into generic systems that are not designed for BSL users. When you take away that language provision, you take away accessibility.

It increases the risk of people being misunderstood, left isolated or falling through safeguarding gaps.

Christine Laverty, chief officer, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, told Civil Society: Deaf Action formerly provided two services on our behalf, for people who have hearing loss, which includes people who use British sign language (BSL).

Our review showed that Deaf Action had not been able to consistently provide a BSL using social worker and relied on BSL fluent staff to carry out this service. It determined access to social work could be delivered in a more consistent and efficient way within the services we already provide, supported by translators.

Similarly, the provision of equipment for people with hearing loss is now provided from within our existing teams. This is carried out on our behalf by Contact Scotland - who also work with partner organisations including NHS 24 and Police Scotland.

We understand that this may worry some people who had used services at Deaf Action but want to reassure them that other forms of support are available.

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,
General Motors is recalling 271,770 cars in the U.S. over an issue with the rearview camera, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.

Related: GM Moves to Expand Its Dealers Used-Car Business

Here are some details:

Recall includes Chevrolet Malibu sedans, NHTSA said.

The rearview camera screen may display a distorted or blank image, reducing the drivers view behind the vehicle, according to the NHTSA.

The agency said that dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera.

Related: Ford Recalling 420,000 Vehicles in US Over Windshield Wiper Failure

(Reporting by Shah in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
An appeals court on Wednesday ruled in favor of Berkshire Hathaways PacifiCorp unit over a series of Oregon wildfires in 2020, saying a trial judge erred in letting litigation against the utility proceed as a class action.

The decision by the Oregon Court of Appeals in Salem could reduce PacifiCorps wildfire liability, which Berkshire has estimated could total tens of billions of dollars.

Related: Berkshires PacifiCorp Pays $575M to Settle Oregon, California Wildfire Claims

PacifiCorp has denied claims by Oregon residents and business owners who accused it of negligently failing to shut off power lines during a Labor Day weekend windstorm, causing four wildfires  Santiam Canyon, Echo Mountain Complex, South Obenchain and 242  that damaged more than 2,000 properties.

The Portland-based utility said the trial judge overseeing the so-called James litigation erred in allowing a class action as a group over fires that were each more than 100 miles (161 km) from each other, and a fifth fire that PacifiCorp blamed on lightning.

A three-judge appeals court panel said the judge should not have instructed jurors they could assume that the evidence at the trial applies to all class members.

Judge Anna Joyce said much of the evidence concerned particular issues concerning particular wildfires, as well as specific ignitions within the largest fire, Santiam Canyon.

Related: Buffett Utility Reaches Oregon Wildfire Deal With Nearly 1,500 Victims

Jurors could not simply assume that that evidence applied to all class members,' Joyce wrote.

Class actions can allow greater recoveries at lower cost than if plaintiffs were required to sue individually.

PacifiCorp Open to Resolving Reasonable Claims

The appeals court returned the case to Judge Steffan Alexander in the Multnomah County Circuit Court. It said he could reconsider whether a single class was appropriate, having seen the litigations progress.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

PacifiCorp said in a statement it was sensitive to the profound losses suffered by fire victims, and remained open to resolving reasonable claims.

There are no winners in wildfire, however the courts decision supports our longstanding belief that this process was prejudicial and not appropriate for managing wildfire litigation, it said.

Trials Slated to Continue into 2028

The James litigation has encompassed a series of mini-trials that began in January 2024, and which had been expected to continue into 2028.

Plaintiffs had been awarded about $5 million on average, including for non-economic damages such as emotional distress, before a jury on February 25 awarded $305 million to 16 plaintiffs, or about $19 million each.

Standard & Poors warned last month it may downgrade PacifiCorp to junk status if future jury awards remained high.

Through late March, PacifiCorp had reached about $2.2 billion of settlements with approximately 4,600 wildfire claimants.

On February 20, PacifiCorp agreed to pay $575 million to resolve U.S. government claims related to six wildfires in Oregon and California that burned federal land.

Berkshire bought PacifiCorp for $5.1 billion in 2006. The utilitys immediate parent is Berkshire Hathaway Energy, whose former chief Greg Abel replaced Warren Buffett as Berkshires chief executive on January 1. Buffett remains chairman of the Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate.

(Reporting by Stempel in New York; Editing by Chris Reese)

Top photo: A burned vehicle near a motel destroyed by wildfires in Gates, Oregon in 2020. Photographer: Go Nakamura/Bloomberg.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday it was proposing a $255,000 civil penalty against American Airlines for allegedly violating drug and alcohol regulations.

The FAA said between May 2019 and December 2023, the airline allowed 12 flight attendants who had tested positive on drug and alcohol tests to resume performing safety-sensitive duties without completing all the required follow-up testing.

The company has 30 days after receiving the FAAs enforcement letter to respond to the agency, the administration said in a statement.

(Reporting by Singh and Ward; Editing by David Ljunggren)
Blues music history started in the American South around the 1890s, born from African American experiences of hardship, slavery's aftermath, and daily toil. Simple guitars, bent notes, and heartfelt lyrics created a sound that evolved into the backbone of rock and pop. The blues influence on rock shows up in everything from Led Zeppelin's thunderous riffs to Adele's powerhouse vocals breaking charts. Even pop darlings like Billie Eilish draw from its moody depths. This piece dives into the roots, key players, song breakdowns, and fresh examples proving why blues never truly fadedit's the DNA of modern music.

Blues Music History: From Delta Roots to Global Sound

Blues emerged in the Mississippi Delta as field hollers, spirituals, and ragtime fused into something new. Charley Patton's raw, percussive guitar in the 1920s defined early Delta bluestracks like his "Pony Blues" captured life's grit with slide techniques and falsetto whoops.

The Great Migration in the 1930s-40s carried players north. In Chicago, Muddy Waters transformed it: his 1948 single "I Can't Be Satisfied" plugged acoustic Delta into electric amps, adding thumping bass and harmonica wails. Rolling Stone magazine credits this urban pivot for blues' global spread, as 78rpm records shipped to Europe.

By the 1950s, B.B. King's stinging single-note runs on Lucille made blues radio-friendly. Howlin' Wolf's booming "Smokestack Lightning" (1956) added primal menace. Musicologists trace blues music history here as the spark: solo laments became full-band firepower, directly feeding rock's hunger for volume and emotion. Chess Records, Waters' label, sold millions, bridging Black audiences to white rockers abroad.

Blues Influence on Rock: Icons and Essential Tracks

Post-WWII Britain ignited the fire. Guitarist Eric Clapton devoured imported blues via Alexis Korner's clubs, forming the Yardbirds with Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. Clapton's mantra? "Blues is the root." The Rolling Stones paid direct homage, topping UK charts with Howlin' Wolf's "Little Red Rooster" (1964)Mick Jagger's howl matched the original's danger.

A Berklee College of Music study estimates 12-bar blues progressions underpin 60% of classic rock riffs, with pentatonic scales everywhere. Robert Johnson's mythic "Cross Road Blues" (1936) looms largeits deals-with-the-devil lore inspired deals with fame.

Numbered examples unpack the blues influence on rock:

Led Zeppelin - "Whole Lotta Love" (1969): Pilfers the central riff from Willie Dixon's "You Need Love" (1963); Page's theremin wails the sexual urgency. Cream - "Crossroads" (1968): Clapton's live-wire solo shreds Johnson's template, turning folk-blues into power trio fury. Jimi Hendrix - "Red House" (1967): A 10-minute slow shuffle packed with improvised bends and Stratocaster feedback. Stevie Ray Vaughan - "Pride and Joy" (1983): Albert King's stinging style meets Texas swing in a revival anthem. ZZ Top - "La Grange" (1973): Boogie riff channels John Lee Hooker's one-chord hypnosis.

These icons wore influences proudlyDixon even sued Zeppelin successfully, highlighting blues' legal legacy too.

Blues in Modern Pop and Why It Sticks Around

Today's pop hides blues in plain sight. Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" (2010) unleashes Etta James-style fire over a stomping beat, hitting 14 weeks at #1. Ed Sheeran's foot-percussed loops in "Shape of You" (2017) mimic Hooker's trance grooves under island pop.

Billie Eilish whispers blues despair in "Bad Guy" (2019), her brother's production sparse like Delta fields. Hozier's "Take Me to Church" (2013) blends Irish soul with James Cotton harp. Hip-hop flips it masterfullyKanye's "Heartless" (2008) warps bluesy piano into auto-tuned confession.

Bulleted modern hits reveal the pattern:

Sam Smith - "Stay With Me" (2014): Raw gospel-blues begs in the bridge, Oscar-winning rawness.

Raw gospel-blues begs in the bridge, Oscar-winning rawness. The Black Keys - "Lonely Boy" (2011): Dan Auerbach's garage shuffle rips Junior Kimbrough's juke joint vibe.

Dan Auerbach's garage shuffle rips Junior Kimbrough's juke joint vibe. Gary Clark Jr. - "Bright Lights" (2012): Fuses Hendrix crunch with rap cadence, Grammy-nodded.

Fuses Hendrix crunch with rap cadence, Grammy-nodded. Marcus King - "The Well" (2022): Mullet-era Allmans meet fiery solos.

Mullet-era Allmans meet fiery solos. Christone "Kingfish" Ingram - "662" (2021): Young Delta heir channels Patton's thunder.

Festivals sustain it: Eric Clapton's Crossroads pulls 30,000 annually. Spotify data shows blues playlists surging 25% yearly among Gen Z. Its pull? Catharsispsych studies link bent-note expression to stress relief. Games like Sea of Thieves use blues shanties; films from The Blues Brothers to Dune(2021) score tension with it. Blues sticks because it humanizes polish.

Blues' Timeless Riffs Powering Today's Charts

Blues music history shows genres loop to truth. The blues influence on rock and pop lives in every scale bend, heartbreak hook, and riff roarfrom Johnson's crossroads to TikTok virals. Fire up Muddy Waters, chase a Vaughan live cut, or scout Kingfish tours. That Delta spark still lights the world's biggest stages.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is blues music history?

Blues music history begins in the late 1800s in the American South, especially the Mississippi Delta, where African American musicians combined spirituals, work songs, and folk traditions into a raw, guitardriven style. Over time, it moved from acoustic Delta blues to electric Chicago blues, laying the foundation for rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and eventually modern rock and pop.

2. How did blues influence rock music?

The blues influence on rock comes from rhythm patterns, chord progressions, and emotional vocal delivery. Early rock bands in the 1950s and 1960s borrowed blues 12bar structures, pentatonic scales, and callandresponse techniques. British groups like The Rolling Stones and Cream openly covered blues songs, translating their sound into louder, amplified rock versions.

3. Does blues still influence pop music today?

Yes. Modern pop artists often use bluesinfluenced melodies, chord changes, and vocal phrasing. Adele, Billie Eilish, and Hozier, for example, rely on bluesstyle minor chords and emotional delivery in songs like "Rolling in the Deep," "Bad Guy," and "Take Me to Church." Streaming data also shows that bluestinged playlists and mooddriven tracks are growing among younger listeners.
Nurses filed unfair labor practice charge as Baystate illegally ties nurse-patient safety limits to use of non-union float nurses

GREENFIELD, Mass., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Registered nurses at Baystate Franklin Medical Center (BFMC), represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), will hold a limited duration strike authorization vote on Tuesday, April 14, as Baystate Health refuses to agree to a fair union contract that protects patient safety while keeping care local.

Nurses also responded to Baystate's illegal and unsafe staffing proposal by filing an unfair labor practice charge (ULP) with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The nurses' ULP charge says Baystate is attempting to tie the use of a non-union float pool to BFMC nurses maintaining their existing, contractually enforceable nurse-patient limits. Baystate's proposal is not only illegal, but it would also undermine safe patient care by bringing in nurses who are unfamiliar with the kind of versatile, rural nursing care BFMC nurses provide.

"We are focused on protecting our patients and our community," said Suzanne Love, BFMC RN and Co-Chair of the MNA Bargaining Committee. "Baystate is proposing to weaken safe staffing protections by linking them to the use of non-union float nurses who are not familiar with our hospital or our patients. Their proposal is unsafe, and it is illegal."

The strike authorization vote follows an informational picket on April 7. Voting will take place throughout the day on April 14, with results expected after voting closes at 8 p.m. A vote to authorize a limited duration strike does not mean a strike will automatically occur. Instead, a successful vote gives the nurses' elected MNA Bargaining Committee the authority to schedule and hold a limited duration strike if necessary, depending on how negotiations proceed. Before any strike could take place, nurses would provide the hospital with the legally required 10-day advance notice.

"This vote is about unity among nurses and our community," said Marissa Potter, BFMC RN and Co-Chair of the MNA Bargaining Committee. "We are sending a clear message to Baystate that we need a fair union contract that allows us to safely care for our patients and sustain this hospital as a vital community resource. We remain committed to reaching an agreement without a strike if Baystate will meet the needs of our community hospital."

Unsafe and Illegal Proposal Prompts ULP Filing

The ULP charge focuses on Baystate's proposal to use a non-union float pool  bringing in Baystate system nurses from outside BFMC  and tying that proposal to existing contractual nurse-patient limits. The Baystate proposal constitutes bargaining in bad faith in violation of the National Labor Relations Act. Nurses say the proposal would:

Undermine enforceable staffing protections that are critical to patient safety.

Introduce nurses unfamiliar with the unique demands of a rural community hospital.

Place additional strain on permanent staff and increase risk for patients.

Core Issues in Negotiations

BFMC nurses are calling for a contract that ensures:

Safe, high-quality patient care.

The preservation of hard-fought nurse-patient staffing limits.

Competitive wages to recruit and retain experienced nurses.

Protections for nurses who are sick or injured.

Local, community-based care in Franklin County.

Why Local Union Nurses Matter

At rural community hospitals like Baystate Franklin Medical Center, safe patient care depends on a permanent nursing workforce that knows the community and can manage a wide range of needs without extensive specialty support. While larger urban hospitals have IV teams, wound care nurses, NICUs, and round the clock pharmacies, in rural hospitals well-trained nurses pivot between all these roles and others, several times each shift.

The award-winning Baystate Franklin nurses have experience stepping into these types of roles every day. That versatility is critical in more rural settings. Baystate's insistence on using a non-union float pool to bring in nurses from Baystate Medical Center in Springfield undermines this care model. These float nurses are not accustomed to the realities of rural hospital care. This can create gaps in care, increased safety risks, and strain on local staff. BFMC nurses are calling on Baystate to invest in their permanent union workforce to preserve access to safe, community-based patient care.

Community Support Growing

Nurses are urging community members to support their efforts by signing a public petition calling on Baystate Health to agree to a fair contract that protects patients and preserves local access to care: www.massnurses.org/FranklinCommunity.

The petition had more than 460 signatures as of April 8.

MassNurses.org  Facebook.com/MassNurses  Twitter.com/MassNurses  Instagram.com/MassNurses

Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 26,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association
The #1 brand in powered nasal irrigation[2] brings gold-standard approach to ear hygiene with its new Dual Action system

CLEVELAND, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on its decade-long legacy as the #1 doctor-recommended brand for powered nasal irrigation, Navage is now bringing that same category-defining approach to ear care. The NEW Navage Dual Action Powered Ear Cleaner features precision-controlled wash-and-dry cycles that target wax buildup while reducing trapped moisture. By combining customizable water pressure with a 98.6F109.4F air dry, the device reduces the 'wet ear' sensation and 'swimmer's ear' discomfort to deliver a refreshing clean.

Navage Dual Action Powered Ear Cleaner

The new Ear Cleaner is designed for a gentle, personalized experience. It features five electronic rinse modes specifically calibrated to reduce pressure sensation, allowing users to find their ideal comfort level. Soft, medical-grade silicone tips ensure a secure fit, while a transparent waste-water tank provides visual confirmation of a thorough clean. Safe for ages 6+[3], the system offers a modern, automated alternative for ear hygiene.

Built for convenience, the device features a waterproof, low-noise design that is safe for use in the shower. The system is USB-rechargeable and fully portable, making it easy to maintain a consistent routine at home or on the go. This breakthrough in ear care is available now at Walmart.com and in select Walmart stores nationwide and will be available at Navage.com beginning in June.

The Navage Dual Action Powered Ear Cleaner was designed with the same scientific rigor and innovation that established the brand as the most trusted name in nasal irrigation. Designed in collaboration with Dr. Howard Levine, MD, Director of the Cleveland Nasal & Sinus Center and Medical Director of Navage, the Navage Dual Action Powered Ear Cleaner reflects the brand's commitment to providing exceptional ENT care to consumers.

"Many people experience excess earwax due to age and device usage, such as air buds or hearing aids, lifestyle habits, or simply just anatomy and genetics," said Dr. Levine. "The Navage Dual Action Powered Ear Cleaner is designed to provide a comprehensive clean followed by a thorough drytwo functions that are equally essential to leaving the ears feeling refreshed, comfortable, and clear."

For more information about Navage and its products, visit Navage.com and follow the brand on Instagram (@navage4life) for ongoing news.

[1] Source: Nielsen NIQ

[2] Among powered suction nasal irrigation brands, October 2024 survey of U.S. ENT Physicians

[3] When used as directed

About Navage

Navage is the pioneer in nasal hygiene and dedicated to providing innovative solutions that promote better health and wellness for families. Renowned for introducing a nasal irrigation system with a unique patented design, Navage combines science, technology and user-friendly design to help people breathe easier and live healthier lives. With a commitment to quality and effectiveness, Navage products are backed by extensive research and an independent study of 300 ENTs that ranked the Navage Nose Cleaner the #1 doctor-recommended powered nasal irrigation device. Navage Nasal Care is the leading brand in nasal irrigation that relieves sinus congestion caused by allergies, cold and flu, and sinusitis.

SOURCE Navage Nasal Care
National recognition highlights NeighborHealth's commitment to employee engagement and organizational excellence

REVERE, Mass., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NeighborHealth, the largest federally qualified community health system in Massachusetts, has been named a recipient of the 2026 USA TODAY Top Workplaces award, a national honor recognizing the organization's strong, employee-driven culture and commitment to excellence.

For NeighborHealth, this recognition reflects the organization's deep commitment to building a workplace culture rooted in community, connection, and shared purpose. As a community-based health system with 1700 team members, NeighborHealth believes that delivering high-quality, patient-centered care starts with supporting and empowering the people who provide it.

"This recognition is especially meaningful because it comes directly from our team," said Jamie Hazard, President and CEO of NeighborHealth. "Our team members are at the heart of everything we do, and their dedication is what allows us to deliver the high-quality, compassionate care that our patients depend on every day. Building a supportive and inclusive workplace is core to our mission and what makes our impact possible, helping us expand access, improve outcomes, and better serve our community."

This people-first approach is central to NeighborHealth's mission of creating a compassionate, culturally aligned care environment where patients, families, and providers are deeply connected. NeighborHealth's innovative care model addresses social drivers of health, helping bridge health equity gaps in low-income and immigrant communities with comprehensive primary care services, as well as emergency medicine, behavioral health, dental, vision, radiology, pharmacy and a broad array of specialty care services.

NeighborHealth's designation was based on authentic employee feedback captured through a confidential survey conducted by Energage, the HR research and technology company behind the Top Workplaces program since 2006. The results are calculated based on employee responses to statements about Workplace Experience Themes that are proven indicators of high performance.

"Earning a USA TODAY Top Workplaces award is a testament to an organization's credibility and commitment to a people-first culture," said Eric Rubino, CEO of Energage. "This award, driven by real employee feedback, is more than just a recognition  it's proof that your employees believe in the organization and its leadership. Job seekers and customers look for this trusted badge of credibility and excellence. It signals a company that values its people, and that kind of culture resonates in today's competitive market."

The Top Workplaces award honors organizations with 150 or more employees that have created exceptional, people-first cultures. This year, more than 42,000 organizations were invited to participate.

About NeighborHealth

NeighborHealth, formerly East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, is one of the nation's largest Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and the largest community-based primary care health system in Massachusetts, serving 120,000 people and recognized by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a National Quality Leader. For more than 50 years, NeighborHealth has offered access to comprehensive primary care, specialty care and emergency care for patients in the Commonwealth. In a first-of-its-kind merger in 2020, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center joined forces with the South End Community Health Center and expanded services to patients who live and work in Boston's South End and Roxbury neighborhoods. For more information, visit www.neighborhealth.com.

About Energage

Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 18 years of culture research and the results from 27 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.

Media Contact:

Emily Martin

Director of Communications

NeighborHealth

[email protected]

SOURCE NeighborHealth
American Airlines joined other airlines in raising its bag fees Thursday, but the luggage will be even more expensive for customers who buy basic economy tickets.

United Airlines , JetBlue Airways , Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines have all hiked the fee to check a bag in the past two weeks as the industry grapples with a jump in jet fuel expenses from the war in the Middle East.

American is raising the cost more for its no-frills option, while the other airlines had across-the-board increases.

The airline will hike the fee by $10 to check a first piece of luggage at the airport on domestic or short-haul international flights starting with tickets booked Thursday. That brings the price for one bag to $50, and a second bag will cost $60 for most tickets. There's a $5 discount for checking a bag on American's website or app, making the prices $45 and $55, respectively.

Customers with a basic economy ticket, meanwhile, will have to pay $55 for their first checked bag and $65 for a second bag starting with tickets purchased on May 18. The $5 online discount also applies to those fees, bringing the prices to $50 and $60, respectively, for those who pay in advance.

All customers in basic economy, even those with status, will also have to pay to pick a seat starting on May 18 and will not be eligible for complimentary and system-wide upgrades.

Airline executives have said travel demand is still high, but it's not clear that carriers will be able to cover the entirety of the fuel price run-up. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is choking off supplies of both crude and refined products like jet fuel, further driving up the price.

Jet fuel is airlines' second-biggest cost, coming after labor.

Meanwhile, airlines have been leaning into premium offerings and making their basic fares more restrictive as the growth from higher-end options outpaces sales from regular economy. American has fallen behind large rivals Delta and United in seeking out luxury customers, profit and more.
An electronic stock board displays the Nikkei 225 Stock Average outside a securities firm in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 28, 2025.

Asia-Pacific markets fell Thursday, after Iran's parliamentary speaker charged the U.S. of breaching the terms of their two-week ceasefire agreement.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump had announced a "double sided" ceasefire, more than a month into the war with Iran.

"I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks," Trump said in a Truth Social post. "We received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate."

The ceasefire was contingent on Iran agreeing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran had said that it would stop "defensive" operations if attacks on the country were halted, according to a statement from Iran's Foreign Minister. Israel has also agreed to the ceasefire, media reports said.

Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf subsequently accused the U.S. of breaching the ceasefire deal. The violations highlighted were denial of the Islamic Republic's right to enrich uranium and Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon, a drone's entry into Iranian airspace, he said.



Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.73% to close at 55,895.32, while the Topix dropped 0.90% to 3,741.47.

South Korea's Kospi lost 1.61% to finish at 5,778.01, while the small-cap Kosdaq declined 1.27% to 1,076.



Mainland China's CSI 300 fell 0.64% to 4,566.22 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 0.71% as of its last hour of trade.



India's Nifty 50 was 0.89% lower, and the 30-stock index BSE Sensex was down 0.96% as of 4:00 a.m. ET. On Wednesday, the country's central bank warned that the Iran war had raised inflation worries while also flagging risks to economic growth.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 managed to buck the wider trend, closing 0.24% higher at 8,973.2.

International benchmark Brent crude futures for June delivery added 3.1% to $97.76 at 3:42 a.m. ET, while the U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for May rose 3.2% to $97.44.
President Donald Trump delivers a speech to U.S. Navy personnel on board the US Navy's USS George Washington aircraft carrier at the US naval base in Yokosuka on October 28, 2025.

Early market moves suggest investors are cautious and have little conviction in the agreement, amid accusations the truce with Tehran has already been violated.

An increasingly fragile-looking ceasefire in Iran has not deterred President Donald Trump from signaling that he is still focused on what he calls "that big, poorly run, piece of ice."

It seems Greenland is also very much back on the menu.

A running joke has suggested that "Trump can't have his Iran, he hasn't finished his Venezuela yet."

Hello, this is Leonie Kidd writing to you from London. Welcome to another edition of CNBC's Daily Open.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday U.S. military forces will remain deployed in and around Iran until Tehran fully complies with the "real agreement," warning that any breach would trigger a military response larger than anything seen before.

"All US ships, aircraft, and military personnel...will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"If for any reason it is not...the 'Shootin' Starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before."

He continued the post with the message, "...our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest."

That could be Greenland. Trump appears to have re-focused on the Danish autonomous territory while venting frustration at NATO, as the diplomatic fallout from the Iran war exposes rifts in Washington's ties with the security alliance.

In another Truth Social post Wednesday evening stateside, Trump said that "NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!"

Trump's comments followed a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House earlier on Wednesday, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reportedly saying that NATO had "turned their backs on the American people."

All this comes as the ceasefire agreement between the U.S and Iran looks increasingly fragile.

Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the U.S. on Wednesday of violating the two-week agreement.

"The deep historical distrust we hold toward the United States stems from its repeated violations of all forms of commitments  a pattern that has regrettably been repeated once again," Ghalibaf said in a statement posted on social media.

Three parts of Iran's 10-point ceasefire proposal have been violated, Ghalibaf said. The violations are Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon, the entry of a drone into Iranian airspace, and the denial of the Islamic Republic's right to enrich uranium, he said.

Meanwhile, the White House reinforced that the agreement requires the Strait of Hormuz to reopen "without limitation, including tolls."

The first ships have sailed through the strait since the ceasefire, but traffic remained low amid confusion over the toll payment structure.

Oil prices have resumed their gains, amid concerns that tensions could escalate again and disrupt energy supplies. The moves come a day after U.S. crude oil posted its biggest single-day drop since 2020.

Meanwhile in equities, Asia-Pacific markets traded lower Thursday, led down by South Korea's Kospi . Futures for Europe and the U.S. major markets indicate a mixed session ahead.

 Leonie Kidd
Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a "Morning Meeting" livestream at 10:20 a.m. ET. Here's a recap of Thursday's key moments. 1. U.S. oil prices surged Thursday as traders questioned the "validity of the truce" between the U.S. and Iran, and "what it really means" for crude transport through the Strait of Hormuz, Jim Cramer said during the Morning Meeting. West Texas Intermediate oil futures shot up 8%, back over $100 per barrel. The move follows Wednesday's 16% decline on the ceasefire announcement. "Even though oil has come back, I am quite surprised that the market holds up," Jim added, as the S & P 500 was flat Thursday. (The index turned green later in the session.) He noted there are a lot of stocks supporting the market, such as Club names GE Vernova , Amazon , and Corning . 2. Shares of Meta Platforms were also among our best performers on the day, rising more than 2.5%. The stock added 6.5% in the prior session after the company announced a new AI model, Muse Spark. On Thursday, Meta also made news, when CoreWeave announced an expanded AI infrastructure agreement with the Facebook and Instagram company worth $21 billion. Jim asked Jeff Marks during the meeting, "Is Meta back?" Jeff, who is the director of portfolio analysis for the Club, said the stock is still cheap despite back-to-back strong days. Jim and Jeff have played down concerns after Meta recently lost two social media addiction court cases. 3. Credit card giant Capital One got an upgrade to a buy-equivalent overweight rating at JPMorgan, with a price target of $213 per share. That PT implies 8% upside from current levels. This Club stock has been a tough one  down more than 20% year to date. The JPMorgan analysts see limited downside risk at current levels unless a new tailwind risk emerges. They also cited benefits from the continued integration of Discover. Jim acknowledged that Capital One is in a "crowded group" of consumer finance companies, including new-guard buy-now-pay-later names like Affirm and old-guard names like American Express . 4. Stocks covered in Thursday's rapid fire at the end of the video were: Constellation Brands , Texas Instruments , McCormick , and Unilever . (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long META, COF. 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.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index closed the session down 0.4%, with most major regional bourses and sectors finishing in the red.

Shares in Europe finished lower on Thursday, as the fragile truce agreed between the U.S. and Iran already shows signs of strain.

Travel and leisure stocks were among those hardest hit, with German firms Lufthansa and Tui giving up some of the previous day's gains to end Thursday down 3.2% and 1.5%, respectively.

Late on Wednesday, Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf accused the U.S. of violating the ceasefire less than 24 hours after it was agreed. Ghalibaf highlighted Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon, a drone's entry into Iranian airspace and the denial of the Islamic Republic's right to enrich uranium.



U.S. military forces will remain deployed in and around Iran until Tehran fully complies with the "real agreement," President Donald Trump said Wednesday, warning that any breach would trigger a military response larger than anything seen before.

Asian markets traded lower following the dispute. South Korea's Kospi was down 1.53%, while the small-cap Kosdaq declined 1.38%. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell by 0.77%, while the Topix was 0.78% lower.

In the U.S., markets were up, reversing losses earlier in the day, with the S&P 500 last seen 0.26% higher, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% and the Nasdaq rose 0.3%.

Thursday's moves follow a particularly strong session in Europe on Wednesday, when the pan-European Stoxx 600 index finished the day 3.7% higher.
Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI Inc., during BlackRock's 2026 Infrastructure Summit in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday launched an investigation into OpenAI and its chatbot ChatGPT, as the artificial intelligence firm prepares for an IPO that could value it at up to $1 trillion.

In a video posted to X, Uthmeier said there were concerns about whether OpenAI's data and AI technologies could fall "into the hands of America's enemies, such as the Chinese Communist Party."

Subpoenas to the company will be issued shortly.

Uthmeier also said ChatGPT, which has over 900 million weekly active users, had been linked to criminal behavior, including child sex abuse and the encouragement of suicide and self-harm.

"We've also learned that ChatGPT may likely have been used to assist the murderer in the recent mass school shooting at Florida State University" that killed two, he added.

OpenAI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

While acknowledging AI as a "monumental leap" in technology, Uthmeier said it should supplement, support and advance mankind, not "lead to an existential crisis or our ultimate demise."

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings sent a letter to OpenAI in September 2025 expressing deep concern over increased reports of how OpenAI's products interact with children.
Intel Xeon 6 processors are shown to CNBC at Intel's advanced packaging facility in Chandler, Arizona, on November 17, 2025.

Google has committed to using multiple generations of Intel central processing units in its artificial intelligence data centers, an expansion of an existing partnership.

Intel shares gained nearly 5% on Thursday while Alphabet closed marginally higher.

The internet giant has long relied on Intel processors, dating back to its earliest server rack ambitions nearly three decades ago. Intel's newest Xeon 6 CPUs will now run AI training and inference workloads, potentially giving the chipmaker a stronger position in an AI market that's so far been dominated by Nvidia .

"Their Xeon roadmap gives us confidence that we can continue to meet the growing performance and efficiency demands of our workloads," Amin Vahdat, Google's chief technologist for AI infrastructure, said in a statement Thursday.

No financial terms were disclosed, nor did the companies provide a timeline for the agreement.

The deal lands as the CPU takes center stage in the next phase of the AI race. Dion Harris, Nvidia 's head of AI infrastructure, told CNBC in March that CPUs are "becoming the bottleneck" as agentic workloads move compute needs beyond the graphics processing units that have ruled AI thus far.

"Scaling AI requires more than accelerators  it requires balanced systems," Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said in a statement about the Google deal on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia's critical pipeline to the Red Sea suffered a recent attack from Iran, cutting throughput by 700,000 barrels per day.

The attack hit a pumping station on the East-West pipeline, according to a state news agency report. This pipeline brings crude oil from processing facilities near the Persian Gulf to an export terminal on the Red Sea called Yanbu.

The Saudis have relied on the pipeline, which has a capacity of 7 million bpd, as their main way to export crude oil during the Iran war. Riyadh cannot export through the Strait of Hormuz due to Iranian attacks.

Attacks on Saudi's Manifa and Khurais production facilities have slashed the kingdom's output by 600,000 bpd, according to the Saudi Press Agency report. Several refineries have also been attacked.



The damage to Saudi energy infrastructure will only compound the massive disruption to global oil supplies triggered by Iran's attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday in exchange for Iran allowing ships to pass through the strait. But the CEO of the United Arab Emirate's state-owned oil company said Thursday that the strait remains effectively closed to traffic.

Iran has made clear that ships must obtain its permission to pass through the strait, said Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.

"This moment requires clarity," Al Jaber said in a social media post. "So let's be clear: the Strait of Hormuz is not open. Access is being restricted, conditioned and controlled."

The strait connects Gulf oil producers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE to global markets. About 20% of global oil supplies passed through the waterway before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28.

Gulf oil producers have shut down about 13 million bpd of production due to the disruption in the strait, said Matt Smith, an oil analyst at Kpler, in an interview with CNBC on Thursday.
President Donald Trump's top economic advisor Kevin Hassett said Thursday that getting even one oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz would provide a "huge chunk of what's missing" amid a global supply crunch caused by the U.S.-Israel war in Iran.

Hassett, director of White House's National Economic Council, made the claim as traffic through the key shipping route remains tightly throttled, despite the U.S. and Iran reaching a fragile ceasefire that ostensibly involves reopening the strait.

More than 100 commercial vessels, mostly oil tankers, were passing through the strait each day before the war started on Feb. 28, according to data from Kpler.

Matt Smith, Kpler's lead oil analyst, said just two tankers  one of which was Iranian  and a handful of bulk carriers have transited the waterway since the two-week ceasefire was announced Tuesday evening.

That's within the meager range of traffic that has been seen throughout the war, providing Iran with a key source of leverage even as it's weathered punishing military strikes from the U.S. and Israel.

The blockage of the strait, which normally ferries 20% of the world's oil, sent global energy prices soaring. Oil prices fell sharply following news of the ceasefire, but jumped back above $100 per barrel on Thursday.

"We have an agreement [with] the Iranians that they're going to open the Strait of Hormuz, and that we'll have a ceasefire," Hassett said in a Fox Business interview Thursday morning.

"They have said that they're going to start letting many more ships through," Hassett said of Iran.

"We'll watch as the day progresses, whether that's true or not, being mindful of the fact that if you get one of those big tankers through, that's 2 million barrels. So that's a huge chunk of what's missing," he said.

Before the war, about 20 million barrels of oil were transiting the strait per day. And since the war began Feb. 28, hundreds of millions of barrels have been taken off the market due to an inability to be shipped out of the Persian Gulf, said Amena Bakr, an expert on the Middle East and OPEC at Kpler.
MECHANICSBURG, Pa., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania American Water today announced that it provided more than $2.1 million through grants, charitable contributions and program support across Pennsylvania organizations. With an additional $520,400 from the American Water Charitable Foundation, total charitable support topped $2.7 million, as detailed in the company's 2025 Community Impact Report.

"At Pennsylvania American Water, our work extends beyond providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to our customers," said Justin Ladner, president of Pennsylvania American Water. "Together with the American Water Charitable Foundation, we are committed to supporting organizations that make our communities better places to live, work and operate."

In 2025, Pennsylvania American Water proudly contributed:

$143,650 to 205 local fire and rescue organizations;

$62,385 to 15 environmental-focused projects or programs;

$69,630 to 10 education and workforce development organizations;

$31,876 to 15 health and wellness and other related organizations; and

$378,240 to 78 organizations working in the area of community sustainability.

The company also contributed $1.5 million to help its customers through its H2O Help to Others assistance program, a resource that has been available for customers for more than 35 years. Learn more at pennsylvaniaamwater.com/H2O.

"The American Water Charitable Foundation is proud to support eligible nonprofit partners in advancing impactful initiatives and projects across Pennsylvania," said Carrie Williams, President, American Water Charitable Foundation. "Our charitable focus to Keep Communities Flowing empowers employees to get involved and help strengthen communities served by American Water."

The American Water Charitable Foundation's 2025 Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program focuses on three pillars of giving: Water, People, and Communities. Since 2012, the Foundation has invested over $25 million in funding through grants and matching gifts to support eligible organizations in communities served by American Water.

About American Water

American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water's approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

About Pennsylvania American Water

Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state with approximately 1,200 dedicated employees working to provide safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 2.5 million people.

About the American Water Charitable Foundation

The American Water Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic non-profit organization established by American Water, focuses on three pillars of giving: Water, People, and Communities. Since 2012, the Foundation has invested over $25 million in funding through grants and matching gifts to support eligible organizations in communities served by American Water. The Foundation is funded by American Water shareholders and has no impact on customer rates. For more information, visit amwater.com/awcf.

SOURCE American Water
The Selective Service System plans to automatically register eligible American men between ages 18 and 26 for a U.S. military draft by December, almost a half-century after compulsory registration for the draft for that age group became law, a government filing shows.

The agency's proposal would implement a requirement passed by Congress in December in the National Defense Authorization Act to include automatic registration for "every male citizen of the United States" between those ages.

There has not been a military draft since 1973, when U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam was winding down.

But in 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed a law requiring men between the ages of 18 to 25 to register for military conscription. Since then, the federal government has relied on voluntary compliance with that law, not automatic enrollment. Men who are 26 are allowed to enroll late to comply with the law.

The Selective Service has said that in 2024, 81% of all eligible men registered, a 3 percentage point drop from the previous year.

The agency's proposal to automatically enroll men in the draft was submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30.

The proposal was made about a month after the U.S. and Israel began a war against Iran. A two-week ceasefire in that conflict took effect Tuesday evening.

There are currently no formal plans to reinstate a draft.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reacts during a one-on-one interview with Reuters on the Iran crisis and Ukraine war, at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium March 5, 2026.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has briefed some capitals that U.S. President Donald Trump wants concrete commitments within the next few days for help securing the Strait of Hormuz, two European diplomats told Reuters on Thursday.

Rutte met with Trump in Washington on Wednesday, amid tensions within the alliance over the Iran war.

"We note the frustration in Washington, but they did not consult allies either before or after starting this war," said one of the diplomats.

"NATO as such would not play a role in the war against Iran, but allies want to be helpful in seeking longer-term solutions for Hormuz. With negotiations ongoing with Iran, this could be helpful," the diplomat said.

The U.S. president has repeatedly called NATO a "paper tiger" and threatened to withdraw from the 32-member transatlantic alliance in recent weeks, arguing that Washington's European allies have relied on U.S. security guarantees while providing inadequate support for the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran.

Although Trump said on Tuesday the attacks on Iran would be paused under a two-week ceasefire, the fallout from the conflict has continued to strain ties.

Trump posted on Truth Social after the meeting in capitalized letters that "NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again."

Dutchman Rutte, known in Europe as a "Trump whisperer" and who has faced criticism for frequently praising the U.S. leader, said in an interview with CNN after Wednesday's meeting that Trump "is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies, and I can see his point".
U.S. oil prices rose Thursday but pulled back from session highs after Israel agreed to negotiate with Lebanon.

West Texas Intermediate crude futures for May delivery gained more than 3% to close at $97.87 per barrel. International benchmark Brent crude futures for June delivery rose more than 1% to settle at $95.92.

U.S. crude oil surged above $100 per barrel earlier in the session, as the market realized that Iran is limiting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz despite the ceasefire agreement with U.S.

The strait has not opened to ships, said the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on Thursday. Iran has made clear that vessels must obtain its permission to pass, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said in a social media post.

"That is not freedom of navigation. That is coercion," the ADNOC chief said.
A ship waits to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following the two-week temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran, which is conditional on the opening of the strait, in Oman on April 8, 2026.

The U.S. and Iran's "fragile truce" has lifted hopes that a full reopening of the Hormuz Strait can end the energy supply crunch that threatens to cripple the global economy.

But shipping and maritime experts say traffic through the critical energy artery will not normalize anytime soon.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday the ceasefire is contingent on the "complete, immediate, and safe opening" of the strait, which typically carries around one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies.

Vice President JD Vance reiterated on Wednesday that the Iranian leadership has agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, however, has made it clear that the reopening would be conditional, subject to coordination with the country's armed forces and technical limitations.

The fragile truce has done little to restore confidence for tankers to traverse through the strait, particularly as signs of the ceasefire collapsing loom with Israel escalating the deadliest attacks on Lebanon.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has yet to see a meaningful rebound, with just four transits recorded on Wednesday, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

"Vessels appear to still be making use of the altered transit route west along Larak Island," it said.

More than 400 oil-laden tankers and dozens of liquefied natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas carriers remain anchored outside the Gulf, awaiting signals for passage, according to MarineTraffic, a ship tracking platform using radio-based AIS, or automatic identification system.

The actual transit volumes may be higher than the data suggests, as many tankers turn off their transponders to avoid potential targeting by Iran, but remain at a fraction of prewar levels.

Transit conditions, toll arrangements and the legal framework for passage remain undefined, deterring ship owners from passing through the waterway, according to maritime research firm Windward.

"Whether Iran will maintain control of Hormuz during talks is unclear but all signs point to the Islamic Republic refusing to give up its leverage during the two-week period," Windward said in a note Wednesday.

The first 48 hours of the ceasefire will be crucial to shipowners' willingness to enter the strait, Windward added.
WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES - APRIL 6: The United States President Donald Trump holds a Press Conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on April 6, 2026, in Washington DC, United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump appears to have set his eyes on Greenland again while venting frustration at NATO, as the diplomatic fallout from Iran war exposes rifts in Washington's ties with the security alliance.

In a Truth Social post Wednesday evening stateside, Trump said that "NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!"

The latest broadside comes after Trump announced a 2-week ceasefire after more than a month of fighting with Iran. Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO members for not joining the war effort in Iran, saying his call for action was "a great test," while threatening to pull out of the alliance.

Trump has taken aim at NATO and Greenland in recent days. "It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland," Trump told reporters at a White House press conference Monday. "We want Greenland. They don't want to give it to us. And I said, 'bye, bye.'"

U.S. relations with European allies have frayed after Trump threatened tariffs on European countries and signaled military action to acquire Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory. In January, Trump said he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had reached "the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland."

The Iran war has brought fresh tensions in the diplomatic ties, as several NATO members have resisted supporting the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, denying American military aircraft use of their airspace and declining to contribute naval forces to efforts aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz to energy shipping.

Trump's comments Wednesday followed a meeting with Rutte at the White House earlier in the day, with spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt reportedly saying that NATO had "turned their backs on the American people."
U.S. President Donald Trump observes naval flight demonstrations on the deck of the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier on October 5, 2025.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that U.S. military forces will remain deployed in and around Iran until Tehran fully complies with the "real agreement," warning that any breach would trigger a military response larger than anything seen before.

"All US ships, aircraft, and military personnel...will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"If for any reason it is not...the 'Shootin' Starts,' bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before."

Trump reiterated that it was agreed that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons, and the Strait of Hormuz will be open and safe for commercial shipping.

"In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest," Trump added. He ended the post, which was published near midnight, with a declaration: "AMERICA IS BACK!"

The statement came a day after Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, which halted six weeks of fighting and sparked a brief relief rally in global markets amid growing optimism that energy flows may resume in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said safe passage through the strait would be possible but subject to coordination with its armed forces.
Yvette Cooper, UK foreign secretary, delivers the opening remarks as she chairs a virtual meeting to discuss the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz, in London, UK, on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

U.K. Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper is expected to call for unhindered access through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, countering a push by Iran to control one of the world's most important oil chokepoints.

In an annual foreign policy speech, Cooper is expected to say shipping must be toll-free through the Strait of Hormuz, which has effectively been blocked by Iran since the start of the war.

"The fundamental freedoms of the seas must not be unilaterally withdrawn or sold off to individual bidders. Nor can there be any place for tolls on an international waterway," Cooper will say at Mansion House in London later this evening, according to advance extracts of her speech.

Iran has said it wants to charge ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with the Financial Times reporting on Wednesday that Tehran is planning to charge shipping firms in cryptocurrency for their oil tankers to pass through the waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime corridor that connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Roughly 20% of global oil and gas typically passes through the Strait.

Britain's Cooper is also expected to push for Lebanon to be included in the two-week ceasefire agreed between the U.S. and Iran on Tuesday.

"The ceasefire agreement between the US, Israel and Iran is welcome. It is a vital step towards bringing security and stability to the region, and to easing the pressures on the global economy and the cost of living here at home," Cooper will say.

"There is considerable work to do, and we support the negotiations: they must make progress; there must be no return to conflict; Lebanon must be included in the ceasefire; there must be no further threat from Iran to its neighbors; and crucially the Strait of Hormuz must be fully reopened."
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
Sri Lanka repatriates 125 telecom fraud suspects to China

Xinhua) 14:20, April 09, 2026

BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan police recently repatriated 125 individuals suspected of involvement in telecom fraud, who had been apprehended during earlier crackdown operations, to China, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said on Thursday.

These suspects were repatriated on March 29 with the support of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka and Chinese police, according to the MPS.

The joint operation was a result of deepened international law enforcement cooperation between Chinese and Sri Lankan police to intensify crackdown efforts on cross-border telecom fraud, the MPS said.

Since the beginning of this year, police of the two countries have stepped up cooperation in response to the notable trend of some individuals involved in telecom fraud and related underground industries relocating from other countries to Sri Lanka.

Recently, Sri Lankan police carried out multiple crackdown operations, dismantled several fraud dens, and apprehended a number of individuals involved in telecom fraud, the MPS said.

Public security organs in central China's Hubei Province, which participated in the repatriation work, are investigating the cases.

An MPS official pledged to continue enhancing law enforcement cooperation with more countries, and to jointly establish a pragmatic and efficient new framework for cracking down on transnational crimes.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
First episcopal consecration in the Diocese of San Joaquin in 38 years

FRESNO, Calif., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, will travel to Fresno on April 18 to consecrate the Rev. Dr. Gregory W. Kimura as the sixth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin during a ceremony at 10 a.m. at St. James Episcopal Cathedral.

The consecration marks the first episcopal consecration in the Diocese of San Joaquin since 1988, making it a historic moment for the diocese and its congregations throughout California's Central Valley and High Desert.

Kimura will succeed The Rt. Rev. David C. Rice, who served as diocesan bishop for twelve years.

As bishop, Kimura will serve as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, which includes 19 congregations and ministries across the Central Valley, stretching from Lodi and Stockton in the north to Bakersfield and Ridgecrest in the south, and the Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst (ECCO), with diocesan offices and the cathedral located in Fresno.

A fourth-generation Alaskan, Kimura has served Episcopal and Lutheran congregations in Alaska and California. Most recently he has been rector of St. James' Episcopal Church in South Pasadena, and previously served as President and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, in Los Angeles.

"I look forward with enthusiasm and humility to serving Christ and the people of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin," Kimura said. "The Episcopal Church welcomes everyone with a message of God's love for all people in the wonderful diversity God has created."

The consecration will be led by The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. As presiding bishop, Rowe serves as the chief pastor and primate of the Episcopal Church, which includes 106 dioceses in 22 countries and territories and is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, one of the largest Christian traditions in the world.

His visit to Fresno highlights the significance of the moment for the Diocese of San Joaquin, which has experienced a period of renewal and rebuilding in recent years. The upcoming consecration represents another important step in the continued life and growth of the diocese.

The consecration service will include a traditional procession of bishops and clergy from across the country in ceremonial vestments and the historic "laying on of hands," when bishops gather around the bishop-elect in prayer  a moment that marks the formal beginning of a bishop's ministry.

The service is expected to draw clergy and church leaders from across the United States.

Seating for the ceremony is limited. A livestream of the ordination and consecration will appear on the Diocesan YouTube page. More information and the livestream link are available at:

www.diosanjoaquin.org/consecration

Media Opportunities

Members of the media are invited to attend the consecration.

Interview opportunities may be available with:

Bishop-elect Gregory Kimura

Presiding Bishop Sean W. Rowe

Media are encouraged to contact the diocese in advance to arrange interviews.

About the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin

The Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin serves congregations across California's Central Valley and includes 19 congregations and ministries as well as the Episcopal Conference Center in Oakhurst. The diocesan cathedral and offices are located at St. James Episcopal Cathedral in Fresno.

The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and has a continuous presence in the United States dating to the American Revolution.

SOURCE Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin
Adobes Shantanu Narayen announced plans to step down as CEO last month after 18 years leading software vendor through several periods of tech change from the arrival of the cloud, mobile computing, and the early days of artificial intelligence.

For whomever is tapped next for the top job  the search is expected to take several months  the biggest priority will be reshaping Adobes products and strategy for the next wave of agentic AI, analysts said.

Ultimately, Adobe must evolve from a leader in creative tools to the system that connects content, context, and commerce in a world of real-time agentic interactions, said Gerry Murray, research director at IDC.
A federal appeals court in Washington has refused to suspend the Pentagons supply-chain risk designation against Anthropic, leaving defense contractors with conflicting legal signals over whether they can continue using Claude, and putting the ruling at odds with a separate federal court that reached the opposite conclusion last month.

The equitable balance here cuts in favor of the government, a three-judge panel wrote in its order Wednesday. On one side is a relatively contained risk of financial harm to a single private company. On the other side is judicial management of how, and through whom, the Department of War secures vital AI technology during an active military conflict.

The panel, comprising Judges Henderson, Katsas, and Rao, acknowledged that Anthropic will likely suffer some degree of irreparable harm but found its interests seem primarily financial in nature rather than constitutional.
Board's action collapses as Primavera earns "Highly Performing" B grade for the 2024-2025 academic year

CHANDLER, Ariz., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 7, the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools voted to rescind its Notice of Intent to Revoke Primavera Online High School's charter, bringing to a close a process that Primavera maintained was unsupported by the facts from the outset.

Following the Board's reversal, several Board members publicly misrepresented the basis for the decision, claiming the Arizona Department of Education had changed Primavera's academic performance grades. That characterization is incorrect. No changes were made to Primavera's grades.

The Board sought resolution because Primavera earned a B grade for the 2024-2025 academic year, a designation the Department of Education defines as "highly performing." As a result, the Board's attempt to revoke the charter on grounds of alleged poor academic performance collapsed. In the interests of preserving Primavera's mission to educate at-risk students who require the flexibility of an online education, the parties agreed to a mutual settlement of their claims against one another.

"We are pleased with the outcome and grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the students and families of Arizona. For more than 25 years, Primavera has provided a flexible, high-quality education to those who need it most. During that time, we have supported nearly half a million students, many of whom came to us seeking a second chance or a different path forward.

Our mission has never wavered. When evaluated within the proper framework for alternative education, Primavera has consistently performed. The Arizona Department of Education took the time to review the years in question under that framework, and the results were clear. Primavera met the standard of a performing school. That matters, because it reflects the real work being done every day on behalf of our students.

We believe the mutual decision made by the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools and Primavera was the right one and, most importantly, it was made in the best interest of students.

We are proud to be recognized as a Highly Performing, B-rated Alternative School. More importantly, we are ready to move forward. This chapter is behind us. Our focus is on the future and on continuing to serve Arizona's most vulnerable students with the quality, flexibility, and support they deserve.

We are just getting started."

 Damian Creamer, Founder, Primavera Online High School

Primavera now looks forward to focusing on its core mission and expanding educational opportunities and technology-based solutions for at-risk students across Arizona.

For more information about Primavera Online High School or to learn about enrollment options, visit [www.primaveraonline.com]

About Primavera Online High School

Founded in 2001, Primavera Online School is a tuition-free, public charter school providing Arizona students in grades K-12 with a rigorous, award-winning curriculum and personalized attention from highly qualified instructors. Primavera Online is Cognia accredited and NCAA-approved.

SOURCE Primavera Online High School
Polling shows nearly 3 in 4 voters support exemptions for emergency support vehicles

Key Highlights :

CARB's ZEV mandate will hobble public agencies ability to respond to emergencies.





While fire trucks are excluded from CARB's ZEV rule, support vehicles that are just as critical to emergency response are not.





Emergency response would have been hindered, and the 2018 Paradise fire even more catastrophic, if CARB's ZEV regulation had been in effect.





Disaster emergencies often bring blackouts, limiting operational readiness of electric vehicles.





California voters support more exemptions for emergency support vehicles.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Special Districts Association (CSDA), along with local government leaders representing fire protection, water, resource conservation and hundreds of other public agencies across California today called on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to exclude a broader range of emergency support vehicles from CARB's Advanced Clean Fleets Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulation, currently open for a 15-day comment period.

Leaders are urging CARB to act on the concern that its mandate will hobble public agencies' ability to respond to and mitigate emergencies or disasters, placing untold lives and property at risk. A case in point is the Paradise fire, which might have been even more catastrophic had CARB's regulation been in place at the time.

"CARB's fleet requirement, while well intentioned, would have hindered our ability to respond to the Camp Fire in 2018," said Kevin Phillips, manager of the Paradise Irrigation District.

Water and irrigation districts across the state, which often support first responders in emergencies, share similar concerns.

"As California leads the nation in climate policy, we must ensure progress toward a cleaner future doesn't come at the expense of public safety," said Melanie Mow Schumacher, General Manager of the Soquel Creek Water District. "Our response capability must not be compromised by limitations in vehicle availability, charging times and limited charging capacity when seconds count."

CARB's mandate requires public agencies to transition to ZEVs despite the lack of infrastructure or vehicles on the market that can serve and protect the public in emergencies. Fire trucks, ambulances and police cars, along with snow removal vehicles and historic vehicles are currently excluded from CARB's mandate, however there are a wide variety of support vehicles needed in emergencies  especially in power outages  that are not.

"A vehicle towing a generator to power a well, a water tender truck, or vehicles with tools to restore a failing system may not look like a firetruck or ambulance, but they are just as vital," said Dave McQuead, Rancho Santa Fe Fire District Chief. "A water tender truck is as essential to emergency response as the fire engine it replenishes. CARB should define essential service based on the actual purpose of a vehicle, not just what it is."

Disaster Emergencies Often Bring Blackouts

Compounding the need for flexibility is the fact that natural disaster events can last for days or weeks, and power may be unavailable. CARB even acknowledges this, calling to evaluate whether or not a mobile fast charging option even exists to respond when the power is out. CARB also acknowledges the threat to resiliency the regulation poses by establishing a temporary "resiliency" exemption. However, it caps this exemption at no more than 25 percent of a fleet and the exemption expires in 2030.

During emergencies, public agencies often need more vehicles than they have access to in their fleet, not a 75 percent reduction in their resiliency capabilities.

"Our emergency response required the full deployment of our fleet, not just a limited percentage," said Phillips, describing his agency's experience during the 2018 Camp Fire that devastated the Paradise community. "ZEV limitations related to range, charging infrastructure and power availability would have further delayed response times."

"Water and other utility trucks are critical during earthquakes and other natural disasters, such as the horrific Palisades and Eaton fires last year," said Neil McCormick, Chief Executive Officer of the California Special Districts Association. "Those trucks run internal combustion engines and can be refueled in minutes. How many more lives might have been lost, how many more homes and buildings destroyed  and at what cost  if fire crews had to wait for utility trucks to recharge? What if recharging was impossible due to an outage?"

No Viable ZEV Alternatives Available

Another concern raised by local agencies is that the vehicles essential to supporting emergency equipment have absolutely no counterpart in the ZEV marketplace. Even if they did, California lacks the ZEV infrastructure necessary for the ongoing operational reliability local agencies need.

When the Olivenhain Municipal Water District needed to replace a Class 7 dump truck, for example, it received responses from two dealers that an equivalent ZEV was not available as a replacement. CARB provided a list of startup companies online that said they could produce ZEV dump trucks. Four of those companies are out of business, and one that CARB specifically referred was being sued for misstating its production capacity.

Jon Barret with the Resource Conservation District of Tehama County added that it can take more than five years to plan, permit, and construct infrastructure needed to support a fleet of medium and heavy-duty ZEVs that do not exist, and are less likely to ever exist now that market demand has shrunk with the elimination of the private sector regulation.

California Voters Support More Exemptions

CARB's ZEV mandate was unveiled in 2023 in response to state laws calling for California to meet aggressive carbon reduction goals by 2045. While these goals have broad public support, California voters actually prefer the flexibility these local agencies are urging.

A recent statewide CSDA survey of voters asked this very question. The response was nearly uniform regardless of political preference, with more than 70 percent of Democratic, nonpartisan, and Republican voters respectively all in agreement that these exemptions would be a good idea.

"We cannot and must not leave Californians defenseless against the very climate-related events CARB is striving to mitigate with its mandate," McCormick said. "Protecting our environment and protecting lives and property are not mutually exclusive  we can do both with thoughtful policy that reflects real operational needs for public fleets, as well as market realities."

CARB's current regulation excludes dedicated snow removal vehicles. Local leaders are requesting the state amend the regulation to additionally exclude local government vehicles used for water utility, flood protection, sewer utility, electric utility, fire prevention, fire protection, search and rescue, and disease and vector control. The 15-day public comment period is set to conclude on April 17th, after which CARB may consider making amendments to its ZEV rule.

More information on the need for flexibility in CARB's ZEV mandate is available here.

About CSDA : The California Special Districts Association (CSDA) represents more than 1,000 special districtslocal public agencies that provide essential services throughout California. These local service specialists provide irrigation, water, sanitation, fire protection, open space, park and recreation, cemetery, electricity, library, resource conservation, port and harbor, healthcare, and other community services that in some way benefit California's 39 million residents. Special districts are critical to California's economy and infrastructure and operate on the front lines of addressing statewide challenges at the local level. Learn more at CSDA.net.

Contact: Kyle Packham,

Chief Advocacy & External Affairs Officer

California Special Districts Association

[email protected] - 916-642-3808

SOURCE California Special Districts Association
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
Relationship spanning over 30 years goes from strength to strength, supporting bank operations and millions of customers across multiple countries

LONDON, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Finastra, a global leader in financial services software, today announced that Raiffeisen Bank Hungary, a subsidiary of Raiffeisen Bank International, has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to using Finastra technology to power its core retail banking in region. Finastra already supports the bank's operations in multiple countries, powering services for millions of customers.

Siobhan Byron, EVP Universal Banking at Finastra said, "This continued commitment spans decades and is testament to our close working relationship and unwavering dedication to customer support. It is an honor to continue serving such a large bank, and we're proud to empower their ongoing transformation journey and ability to remain competitive in ever changing markets around the world."

Balint Kelemen, Member of the Management Board and Chief Operating Officer of Raiffeisen Bank Hungary said, "In today's accelerated and volatile environment, we successfully deliver secure, resilient and forward-looking digital solutions that provide seamless client service while positioning us ahead of the market in several key areas. Our long-standing partnership with Finastra plays a key role in this journey: they have consistently proven to be a reliable and trusted technology partner, delivering stable, robust platforms and deep expertise that support our scalability and innovation agenda."

The strengthened partnership promises long-term stability and joint innovation. The bank benefits from greater flexibility and future-readiness, as well as improved operational efficiency and alignment with modern banking standards.

Finastra's core retail banking software helps banks to redefine end-to-end banking with solutions that satisfy the demands of digital-savvy consumers. Click here for more information: Universal Banking | Digital Core Banking Platforms | Finastra

About Finastra

Finastra is a global leader in financial services software, trusted by 7,000+ customers - including 40 of the world's top 50 banks - in over 110 countries. With expertise in Lending, Payments, and Universal Banking, we deliver reliable, scalable, mission-critical solutions such as Loan IQ, LaserPro, Trade Innovation, Essence, Global PAYplus, Payments To Go, and Financial Messaging. Backed by Vista Equity Partners, we co-innovate with customers to build modern technology that helps financial institutions grow with confidence. Visit www.finastra.com or follow Finastra on LinkedIn.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1916021/5908108/FINASTRA_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Finastra
A FedEx driver who snatched a seven-year-old girl from her North Texas home and strangled her to death whined to police about not being able to watch his son grow up after he was busted for murder.

Detectives urged Tanner Horner, 34, to help them find Athena Strand's body after he admitted 'I killed her' and 'kind of tossed her' remains in the bushes, his punishment trial heard Wednesday.

Horner begged police to 'shoot him' after he confessed to murdering the little girl before complaining about how his going to prison would ruin his own child's life.

'This is something that can be overcome,' a detective told Horner, police surveillance video shown to the jury in Tarrant County revealed.

'I'm going to miss out on this part of my child's f***ing life, OK? I can't,' Horner said.

'Well, I don't know [that] I would say that, I mean,' the officer replied.

But Horner cut him off: 'This isn't one of those probation things. This is one of those I'm going away for a long time things, and I'm going to miss out on all of my f***ing son's life. I would rather die.'

'Here it is. This is a hard thing. It is a hard thing. But I tell you this, Tanner, you're going to be OK,' the detective answered.

Tanner Horner, 34, admitted to killing Athena Strand during a two-hour-long interrogation with police, which saw his eyes roll into the back of his head as he turned into an 'alter ego' called 'Zero'

Strand is filmed being driven to her death by Horner. He admitted the November 2022 murder in court on Tuesday, with jurors warned they must still endure graphic evidence of the little girl's final moments so they can decide on an appropriate punishment

'No. I'm not,' Horner said. 'I'm going to miss out on all my son's Christmases, his birthdays, and growing up. I'm going to miss out on everything. All because I listened to some stupid voice that isn't probably even there.'

Horner abducted Strand from her family's home in Paradise on November 30, 2022, as he delivered a box of Barbies to the residence. The toys were meant to be her Christmas present.

Strand was strangled to death by Horner in his truck, with her tortured last minutes captured by a microphone in his vehicle after he covered a camera inside.

Horner confessed to the brutal killing while in police custody, footage shown at his trial on Wednesday revealed.

He told police he 'backed up' his delivery truck and accidentally struck Strand with the vehicle, the video showed.

'She was on the ground crying,' he said, alleging he 'felt bad' and 'tried calming her down.'

Horner went on to claim that a 'voice in my head told me we're going to get in trouble' so he decided to take her.

'I had to do something with her, so I told her to get in the truck, and for a long time, I was trying to figure out what the hell I was doing. I didn't know what my next step was, I'm just going to drop off somewhere, I don't know,' Horner told police.

Strand was abducted from her family's home in Paradise, Texas, on November 30, 2022

Horner was set to go on trial before abruptly pleading guilty to capital murder this week. He now faces a sentencing trial

He then admitted that he killed the little girl while parked on a private road.

'I don't like saying it,' he said.

But a detective pressed further: 'One thing, you don't have to say it very descriptively, but say what you did to her.'

'I killed her,' Horner said, before letting out a groan. He paused, then added: 'So I was trying to figure out what to do with the body. So we left here.'

Bodycam footage shown in court then revealed how Horner took the officers to search for Strand in a wooded area.

After they failed to locate her, Horner told officers he was unsure of her exact location because of the callous way he dumped her remains.

'I just kind of tossed her in,' he said, adding, 'I don't know why y'all haven't found her yet.'

Horner, whose lawyers cited mental illnesses during their opening statements, only told officers the exact location of her body after they spoke directly to his 'alter ego' called 'Zero,' the court heard.

The jury was shown footage of Horner's arrest in Texas on December 30, 2022

Body camera footage showed how Horner led police to the wooded area where he tossed the little girl's body

'Zero' directed officers to a cliff near a guardrail where they found Strand's naked body lying beneath the water, the court heard

The killer presented as Zero multiple times throughout his two-hour-long interrogation at the jail.

'His demeanor, physical demeanor changes,' Texas Ranger Joshua Espinoza said on the stand. 'His head goes into a sideways motion. His eyes roll into the back of the head, and he pretends to turn it to Zero.'

Espinoza said that he knew to find Strand's body, he would have to 'play his game' and 'address him as Zero.'

Once the ranger spoke to 'Zero,' Horner directed them to a cliff near a guardrail and showed them where he had placed Strand's body.

Espinoza testified that he saw her naked body lying beneath the water.

The ranger then addressed Zero directly: 'I know Tanner didn't sexually assault this girl. I know Tanner didn't hurt this girl, but I know you did. Did you sexually assault this girl?'

'No,' Horner replied.

'Did you kill this little girl, Zero?' the detective asked.

'Tanner wouldn't do it,' Horner replied.

'Thank you for bringing me to her. Thank you for letting me get her home,' the detective said.

The seven-year-old was kidnapped and strangled by Horner, who was delivering gifts to her family home in North Texas

Horner was delivering this You Can Be Anything Barbie to Strand's father and stepmother's house in Paradise, Texas, when he says he accidentally hit the girl with his truck, 'panicked,' grabbed her and put her in his vehicle

Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder of a child under ten and aggravated kidnapping on Tuesday, just before his trial was due to begin.

He now faces a punishment trial in which a jury will determine if he should be sentenced to death.

Strand's mother, Maitlyn Gandy, has vehemently supported the death penalty for her daughter's killer.

Jurors were cautioned by Wise County prosecutors that they would still be presented with all the gruesome evidence in the case, including horrific audio of Strand's killing.

Wise County District Attorney James Stainton said: 'You are going to hear what a 250lb man can do to a 67lb child. And when I say it's horrible, I mean it.'

Horner is said to have warned Strand: 'Don't scream or I'll hurt you,' as he picked her up and put her in his truck.

'I'm going to put you as close as you can be without actually being there that day. We have video of it and we're going to show it now,' Stainton told the jury.

But Horner's attorney Steven Goble, in his opening statements Tuesday, pointed to Horner's physical ailments and mental illnesses.

Horner in court on Tuesday. His lawyers tried to blame his autism and exposure to lead as a child for Strand's murder

While acknowledging that the evidence against Horner was 'overwhelming' and 'terrible,' he told jurors that Horner's mother drank while she was pregnant, that he has autism and suffered from 'various mental illnesses throughout his life.'

'When someone's brain is what's injured, you don't see it,' Goble said.

Horner was also exposed to a 'massive amount of lead' during his developmental years, he said, citing how the killer had 24 times the normal amount of lead in his bones.

'You don't have to be a scientist or doctor to know that lead has terrible effects on the brain,' Goble added.

The defense has asked jurors to sentence him to life in prison.

Horner's trial resumes today at 9am local time (10am EST).
What kind of cases do you want to read more about? Let us know at: crimedesk@dailymail.co.uk

Footage shows a 2million Faberge egg on display hours before it was stolen from a Soho pub - as an expert warned it could be in Russia, China or the Middle East.

Rosie Dawson, director of premium brands at Craft Irish Whiskey, had her 1,600 bag stolen by Algerian thief Enzo Conticello, 29, as she greeted a friend outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho at 9:50pm on November 7, 2024.

The Dublin-based company, founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Jay Bradley, commissioned Faberge to make seven of the eggs and watches as part of its 'Emerald Isle Collection'.

A walnut wood cabinet containing the gold jewellery alongside a bottle of 30-year-old whisky sold for $2.8 million (2.1 million) in 2024, prompting the firm to call it 'the most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold'.

Video obtained by the Daily Mail shows the egg and watch that Conticello stole on display at a publicity event earlier in the evening at Soho Whisky Club - a private members' club for connoisseurs.

Later, CCTV from the pub itself shows the thief trying to swipe another customer's bag inside before heading outside and taking Ms Dawson's designer handbag, which had been left on the floor.

Christopher A. Marinello is CEO of Art Recovery International and one of the world's foremost experts in recovering stolen artwork.

He said the egg could have been moved out of Britain within hours and may already be in the hands of a foreign buyer in Russia, China or the Middle East.

Video obtained by the Daily Mail shows the egg and watch that Conticello stole on display at a publicity event earlier in the evening at Soho Whisky Club

Enzo Conticello, also known as Hakim Boudjenoune and from Algeria, swiped Rosie Dawson's handbag on November 7, 2024

Ms Dawson, left, had credit cards, a laptop, the Faberge egg and a Faberge watch valued at more than 2million inside her stolen handbag

'Normally gold will be melted down - as we saw from the Blenheim Palace golden toilet theft,' he told the Daily Mail. 'However, an item like this is a fabulous piece of jewellery manufacturing so its value would be enhanced in keeping it intact.

'Thieves want to monetise items quickly and getting it out of the country is the best way to do that - particularly when there is a lot of attention around the theft. You could drive it out of the UK or you could put it in your suitcase and fly it out. It's not like we're dealing with a big painting or sculpture.'

Mr Marinello suggested the egg could have ended up in Russia.

'There are countries in the world that don't care if something is stolen - that includes Russia, where Faberge has a huge following.

'Russian buyers will buy anything of value if they think it will get a big discount and won't do any due diligence. So the thieves might be trying to find a buyer in that part of the world or the Middle East.

'Or it could go to Eastern Europe to find a Chinese buyer.

Lawyers for Conticello - who was today handed a two-year jail sentence - insisted the thief had 'absolutely no idea' how valuable the items were and had given them away.

On November 20, a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods after the company that commissioned the egg and watch was approached with questions about the items value - but Scotland Yard took no further action

Mr Marinello said it was not unusual for criminals to know very little about the items they had stolen.

'Criminals aren't necessarily the most intelligent and tend to abuse and debase artwork not knowing that keeping it intact is the best way to maintain its true value,' he said.

'But is a piece that should remain intact to have any value. The problem for the thieves with this item is it's unique enough that it will eventually surface somewhere in the world and be offered for sale.'

Both the Faberge egg and watch remain missing and the Metropolitan Police have urged anyone with information about their whereabouts to come forward

CCTV from November 2024 captured the moment Conticello struck outside the Dog and Duck pub in Soho

This picture shows the case in which the egg and whisky would have been stored

The egg and watch were specially created by Faberge for Craft Irish Whiskey's 'The Emerald Isle' collection

The Daily Mail understands Conticello, who fled England and gave himself a new identity in Northern Ireland, was finally snared after being identified through fingerprint analysis.

He was eventually caught in Belfast having been circulated as wanted in connection with the theft in London.

Detectives from Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) arrested Conticello in connection with an unrelated theft on November 9 2025, but the suspect gave a different name and handed over fake Irish identity documents.

However, it's understood his fingerprints exposed his real identity and the Metropolitan Police was alerted that their wanted man had been found.

Detectives from the Met travelled to Belfast to arrest Conticello as he was released from Maghaberry Prison on January 26.

He was then flown back to London and hauled before the courts a day later.

London has seen a spate of luxury thefts in recent years, with Algerian nationals featuring prominently among suspects ending up in court. Robbers usually operate as part of organised criminal networks, with items quickly exported for sale abroad.

Conticello was sentenced for theft and three charges of fraud by misrepresentation, after using bank cards to purchase cigarettes and other goods at supermarkets in the Soho area.

Prosecutor Julian Winship told the sentencing hearing: 'On November 7, 2024 at just before 10pm, [Ms Dawson] went to the Dog and Duck pub in Soho.

'She was outside the premises in the designated smoking area, she put her handbag on the ground in between her legs, and a few minutes later she noticed her handbag was no longer there.'

Ms Dawson's handbag also contained a 1,500 Apple laptop, Apple AirPods, a 350 store voucher, keys, Ms Dawson's three bank cards, 200 worth of make-up, a Mulberry card holder worth 150 and 20 in cash.

The handbag belonging to Ms Dawson contained a rare Faberge egg and watch which had been on display at an event earlier that evening, as well as her computer and purse

Conticello took Rosie Dawson's bag, laptop and credit cards, which he used to buy himself a drink and cigarettes in a nearby Co-Op and Nisa Local

Mr Winship said Conticello 'wanted to obtain some easy cash' and prosecutors accept he did not intend to steal the Faberge egg and accompanying watch.

Insurers have paid out 106,700 to the drinks company for the loss, but the prosecutor said there are only seven Faberge sets - containing a jewelled egg, watch, whisky bottle, cigars and humidor - in existence.

Three had been sold for between $2million and $3million each and the company was seeking similar amounts for the remaining four sets.

Asked by the judge, Ms Recorder Kate Livesey KC, what Conticello had done with the stolen items, Kate Porter-Windley, defending, said: 'He gave the bag to someone to purchase drugs.

'He was a cocaine addict at the time, I am pleased to say he is now eight months clean, but at the time he just gave the bag away.'

She said the Algerian had 'absolutely no idea' what the Faberge items were, adding: 'I confess I didn't know what the item was, I had to look it up myself.

'And it certainly wasn't known to Mr Conticello. He had absolutely no idea the value of it, none whatsoever.'

But the judge said: 'It's quite an extraordinary item, isn't it?'

Conticello, who was captured on CCTV, has now been jailed for two years and three months

The Algerian was sentenced for theft and three charges of fraud by misrepresentation, after using bank cards to purchase cigarettes and other goods at supermarkets in the Soho area

The egg was created to accompany the company's triple distilled single malt, The Emerald Isle

Craft Irish Whiskey heralded the accompaniment as 'the worlds first Celtic Egg from Faberge'

Each Celtic Egg was moulded from 18k yellow gold, also including a pave diamond Celtic knot

Ms Porter-Windley replied: 'In fairness to Mr Conticello, who was sleeping rough, he simply didn't recognise it.

'These offences were committed in circumstances where it looks as though the defendant wanted to obtain some easy cash, and his usage of the cards suggests precisely that.

'He is not likely to be a man with any significant means at all.'

She added he felt 'genuine remorse' for his actions and 'does not want to be someone tagged as a bag snatcher. It's certainly not something he wants to do again'.

Gold-plated egg and watch sold alongside 'world's most expensive whiskey'

The precious items stolen by Enzo Conticello formed part of a collection created by Faberge in 2021 for Rosie Dawson's company, Craft Irish Whiskey Co. The Emerald Isle Collection consists of seven walnut wood cabinets containing a bottle of 30-year-old whiskey, alongside the egg and watch in two locked side compartments. One set sold in 2024 for $2.8 million (2.1 million) - prompting it to be touted 'the world's most expensive whiskey'. Each of the eggs was handcrafted in Germany from 18k yellow gold and coloured green, white and gold to represent the Irish flag. They each contain a different precious stone - either an emerald, ruby, blue sapphire, amethyst, rhodolite, spessartite or tourmaline. The eggs are set with a pave diamond Celtic knot - symbolising Irish heritage. The watches were also made by Faberge from 18k gold, with a unique dial inspired by the landscape of one of the 'Seven Wonders of Ireland'. Faberge eggs are considered symbols of opulence and are made by the House of Faberge, a Russian company founded in 1842. The first eggs were created for Russia's ruling Romanov dynasty between 1885 and 1916. They continue to create modern versions including the 2024 Malaika Egg, which features 4,312 white diamonds, 252 brown diamonds and 308 rubies. Other eggs have extravagant surprises inside. A 112-year-old 'winter egg', one of 43 surviving jewelled eggs made for the Romanovs in 1917, sold at auction for a record-breaking 22.9million in December. The rare piece featured intricate engravings and more than 4,500 diamonds.

Conticello appeared in the dock today wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit, looking unsettled and with arms folded.

Prosecutor Julian Winship said: 'The Crown does not contradict he did not intend to steal the Faberge egg and Faberge watch.

'But the nature of this type of theft is that sometimes little value would be realised, sometimes a great value would be realised.'

The court was told the insurance company paid out 106,700 for the Faberge items, though a statement by its owners suggests they have sold for up to $3million as part of a full set, one of seven in existence.

Three 'bespoke emerald isle sets' previously sold for $2million, 2.8million, and $3million.

But Mr Winship added: 'The difference of value may not affect the outcome in this case as this is a high value theft.'

Passing sentence, the judge told Conticello: 'The basis of your guilty plea is that you were acting opportunistically.

'I accept the degree of loss was wholly unexpected when you took the bag.'

Quoting a statement by the victim, the judge referred to her 'particular shock and panic that a bag containing items of such value had been stolen.'

She noted the 'incredible stress' the theft had on Ms Dawson, adding: 'She had called the police almost every day since the incident.'

Conticello has two previous convictions for seven offences, the judge said, most recently for theft, attempted theft, and going equipped for theft on November 8 last year.

He was jailed for 27 months for the leading offence of theft, taking into account his 'knowledge and intention' and early guilty plea.

Conticello was also given a six-day jail term for his fraud offences, to be served concurrently.

The judge ordered no costs beyond the statutory surcharge, 'owing to your inability to pay it' following a 'long custodial sentence'.

Conticello remained emotionless during the sentence and only said 'yes' to confirm he understood the charges.

Detective Constable Arben Morina, leading the Metropolitan Police's investigation, said: 'Conticello thought nothing of helping himself to someone else's possessions  and he now faces a prison sentence as a result of his greed.

I know the truth about Marilyn Monroe's longlost diary

I'm Rachel Sharp, US Crime Desk Editor, and I have learned shocking details about Marilyn Monroe's longlost diary  details that change everything we thought we knew about her mysterious death. For decades, her missing diary has belonged to the realm of Hollywood myth. But now, an investigator I spoke to not only insists it's real, but that he found it. Sign up to read exactly what he found.

'This theft has had a significant impact on the victim, who was on her way home from a work event when she was targeted.

'The defendant never explained to the police what he did with the expensive jewellery. Our investigation to find the egg and the watch is ongoing and we'd urge anyone with information to contact us.'

Conticello, who was in custody and is also known as Hakin Boudjenoune, pleaded guilty to the offences in February.

After Conticello admitted the charges then, Judge Martin Griffiths told him: 'I expect it was probably quite a surprise to you when you discovered that egg.

'What you did with it, I don't quite know, but I expect we're going to find out.'

The court did not hear exactly how much the Faberge egg and watch were worth, but was told the items have a minimum value of $2.8million.

The judge previously said he wanted to be 'certain' of the jewellery's value, adding: 'Unfortunately, you can't ask Mr Faberge, can you?'

Metropolitan Police detectives travelled to Belfast to arrest the suspect after the Police Service of Northern Ireland had detained him for an unrelated theft offence.

Officers continue to appeal for information about the missing items and are keen to hear from anyone who may have been offered them for sale or with information about their current whereabouts.
Thirty-three years, eight murdered young women and a decades-long fight for justice had all led up to this.

And every moment of the day when Rex Heuermann finally confessed to being the Gilgo Beach serial killer who had haunted Long Island for decades was monumental, heartbreaking and yet full of relief that the nightmare is finally over.

Children who were left to grow up motherless because of the actions of a monster who masqueraded as a family man walked into the courtroom as young adults.

Megan Waterman's daughter Lily and Maureen Brainard-Barnes's daughter Nicolette were just three and seven when they last saw their moms alive.

Now 19 and 27, their ages were a marker of how long justice was overdue.

Dozens upon dozens of law enforcement officials - some current, some long retired - stood in their finest suits around every edge of the New York courtroom to face down the serial killer that they had spent their careers chasing.

Outside the courthouse, Heuermanns daughter Victoria Heuermann and ex-wife Asa Ellerup were rushed by crowds of reporters, microphones and cameras thrust in their faces in the hopes of unpacking the remaining mysteries about life inside the murderer's home.

Even a local Long Island resident, who was around the age of the victims when their bodies were found, told the Daily Mail that she could now sleep easy knowing that the diabolical perpetrator who left her and so many other young women afraid to go out at night is behind bars where he belongs.

As two reporters who have worked on this case for years, to us the magnitude of the day was palpable.

Rex Heuermann appears to smirk as he pleads guilty to murdering seven women and admits to killing an eighth

The victims clockwise from top left: Sandra Costilla, Karen Vergata, Melissa Barthelemy, Valerie Mack, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes and Jessica Taylor

It was a day that many thought might never come. After all, this was a case that had left a painful scar on Long Island for the past three decades.

Now, finally, on April 8, 2026, the Gilgo Beach serial killer was no longer a phantom preying on young, vulnerable women.

Killing his first known victim in 1993, Heuermann hid his crimes for years before anyone even knew there was a serial killer at large.

When his graveyard was found in 2010, he continued to hide in plain sight for another 13 years. Then, when he was arrested in 2023, he stretched the case out, claiming that he was innocent.

With his guilty plea, the world has finally seen the unremarkable 62-year-old husband, father and architect for what he truly is: a soulless murderer who will now spend the remainder of his life in prison.

As we watched the hulking killer lumber into court, an intense silence hung in the air.

One by one, Heuermann was asked about the murders of his eight victims - Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, Amber Costello, 27, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, Jessica Taylor, 20, Sandra Costilla, 28, Valerie Mack, 24 and Karen Vergata, 34 - all slight, petite, vulnerable women who didnt stand a chance against the 6ft 4in Heuermann.

In the three years since his arrest, Heuermann has been largely silent - speaking only once in his court hearings to insist on his innocence.

Like Judge Timothy Mazzei joked, the change in plea was the 'worst-kept secret' with word spreading like wildfire two weeks earlier. Yet we couldn't quite believe it was happening - and that the horrifying case was finally almost over.

As he was asked a series of questions about his crimes, we heard his distinctive, nasal, high-pitched voice - a sound that was likely the last thing his victims heard and that had tormented their families when he placed sickening phone calls gloating about their loved ones murders.

At one point, the corners of his mouth curled up in what appeared to be a faint flicker of a smirk as he uttered the words guilty. Even after working on countless shocking criminal cases, nothing could prepare us for how disturbing that expression felt.

Family members of some of the victims of the Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann attend a news conference after he finally confessed to his crimes

Lily Waterman, the daughter of victim Megan Waterman, speaks to reporters. She was three when her mother was murdered

Then came a moment that sent chills through the room as we learned for the very first time how each of the women died.

One by one, Heuermann answered in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.

Strangulation. Strangulation. Strangulation. Strangulation. Strangulation. Strangulation. Strangulation. Strangulation.

Ringing heavy in the room, he reduced the lives of these young women, mothers, sisters, daughters to one callous word.

Inside the courtroom, what struck us was that there was no glimmer of remorse - the answers uttered with no more emotion than if he was ordering a coffee.

It was sickening to see - though perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised.

The cutting words later used by law enforcement members to describe him - monster, soulless, callous and sadistic - didnt seem powerful enough.

All around the room, the victims loved ones silently sobbed, dabbed tissues to their eyes and clutched each other for comfort - while others, so overcome with pain and grief, were unable to even look at the man and murderer in front of them.

At the very back of the courtroom, Heuermanns own family looked destroyed.

Victorias fair skin grew more flushed as she learned the horrific truth of what her father had done to women the same age as her now - and inside the very home he had raised her.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney asked: Did you dismember her and dump her body? Did you bound her head, midsection and legs?

Asa Ellerup speaks outside court before quickly walking away, as a reporter shouts: How did you not see what he was?

Heuermann's daughter Victoria outside court before the hearing. Inside the courtroom, we watched as she learned the horrific truth of what her father had done to women the same age as her now - and inside the very home he had raised her

The emotionless answers yes came thick and fast.

Ellerup, Heuermanns ex-wife of nearly 30 years, sat on the edge of her seat - leaning forward to stare at the man she loved, gripping the chair in front of her as though she would crumple to the floor without it.

She had divorced her husband quickly after his arrest, but her attorney insisted it was only to protect their assets.

Up until his change of plea, Ellerup continued to stand by him, attending nearly every court hearing, visiting him behind bars and insisting police had the wrong man.

In less than an hour, Heuermann had confessed to the murders and she could no longer hide from the reality that the life they once shared was a lie.

After the hearing ended and the victims families were ushered out with their attorney Gloria Allred, Ellerup and Victoria sat motionless. The tears then flowed.

Victoria held out her hand to Ellerup, who clutched it - a tender moment between a mother and a daughter.

Outside the courthouse, Ellerup then finally broke her silence.

In the early days after his arrest, the 63-year-old had let loose at the media, telling them to leave her alone as a circus formed outside their family home in Massapequa Park.

But after snagging a $1 million deal with Peacock to share her story, Ellerup has otherwise gone quiet.

Heuermann showed no emotion as he admitted how he had murdered each of his victims

A stretch of beach stands empty at Gilgo Beach on April 8 2026, near where murder victims were discovered decades ago

Finally, speaking to a throng of journalists, videographers and podcasters, she asked for privacy for her family - something that jarred with the sight of the Peacock crew filming that very moment for the series next installment.

Ellerup also extended her thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families: Their loss is immeasurable. And the focus should be on them at this time and moment.

And finally, that day felt like it was.

Inside the huge gymnasium at the Suffolk County Police Training Academy that afternoon, around 50 people gathered around a podium.

On one side were family members of all eight victims - from elderly parents whose children were snatched from them too soon to the kids who grew up without their mothers, sisters, cousins and aunts.

On the other side, there were countless police officers and task force members who had played a part in tracing the killers cell phones, identifying his DNA and locating the cars he used in his crimes.

It was a moment that felt far more powerful than anything Heuermann could possibly have said or done inside the courtroom.

As some of the victims loved ones teared up, the DA spoke about each young woman and the role that their families had played in fighting for justice.

If it werent for the victims and the families, he would still be walking among us, he said.

Inside the huge gymnasium at the Suffolk County Police Training Academy that afternoon, around 50 people gathered around a podium

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney told each family of the victims: 'Thank you and were sorry'

Turning to each family one by one, Tierney told them: Thank you and were sorry.

This defendant walked among us like a suburban man and he thought that by killing them he could silence them forever. But he was wrong.

At one point, the room was stunned when one family member shouted at a reporter not to call their loved ones sex workers.

As Allred said to the Daily Mail afterwards, sex work was what they did, it wasnt who they were.

And that day, the families reclaimed the womens memories as mothers, daughters and sisters loved and missed by many. Heuermann had murdered and discarded them like trash, but, that day, they got their voices back.

When Melissa Cann - the sister of victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes - approached the podium, even hardened police officers and veteran journalists struggled to maintain their composure.

Breaking down in tears, Cann spoke directly to her sister, a mother-of-two who was murdered in 2007 and who she had fought for years to get justice for.

The promise I made to you so long ago, I would never stop searching for you, she said, before sending a message of hope that justice and love will always prevail: To every family out there, still searching, still believing, still holding on - please do not give up hope.

Victim Jessica Taylor's mother left her walker to walk gingerly to the podium, saying Im glad that this is over, after waiting 23 years for the man who murdered, decapitated and dismembered her 20-year-old daughter to face justice.

One by one, Allred invited the families to come to the microphone and share their support for the guilty plea - a decision that Heuermanns attorney claimed the killer had reached in order to spare his own family and the victims from the pain of a trial.

Elizabeth Baczkiel, mother of victim Jessica Taylor, stands with Gloria Allred as she said she was 'glad it's over'

Megan Waterman's aunt is overcome with emotion as the day the family has waited so long for finally arrives

It was a reason few believed.

If he wanted to do it for the murder victims' families he should have never tortured and murdered their loved ones, Allred later told the Daily Mail.

I dont buy it that he is doing it for anybody else - he is a person who thinks of nobody but himself.

After the intense day of courtroom confessions and tearful statements wound to an end, we took a drive through Massapequa Park and passed the house of horrors where the depraved serial killer is believed to have taken at least some of the young womens lives.

The red-painted, run-down ranch-style home sits dilapidated along a street of well-kept picket fences and suburban landscape. A car was parked in the driveway but there was no sign of Heuermanns family members who often sat out on the front porch when he was arrested in July 2023 and their world was turned upside down.

Inside, his former wife, daughter and son were likely hunkering down, wondering how to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.

For years, Heuermann tortured young women and their families but now he leaves his own family to suffer as they are forever tainted by their father and husbands crimes.

That became clear when Ellerup delivered her statement outside the court before quickly walking away in the shadow of suspicion, as a reporter shouted: How did you not see what he was?

It was a burning question that many wanted to know.

But it is not by far the only question that we both still have about the case that we have followed for years.

What was his motive? What about the three still-unsolved cases along Gilgo Beach? And are there more victims still out there - possibly in other states altogether?

Rex Heuermann's house of horrors where the depraved serial killer is believed to have taken at least some of the young womens lives

We now know that between 1993 and 2010, Heuermann murdered eight women, dumping many of their remains on Gilgo Beach. But are there still more victims?

When asked by reporters if Heuermann is being eyed as a suspect in the death of the Gilgo Beach victim known as Asian Doe, Tierney kept his cards close to his chest. When pressed if he believes there are more victims, he would only say that its what I can prove, not what I believe. And when asked if he is working with other jurisdictions on other possible unsolved cases, he cryptically said that his office always cooperates with other agencies.

What he would say was that though this case closes, other ones open.

There are still bodies on this beach. There are still bodies in Suffolk County. We are going to work with our partners to get closure for as many families as we can.

We now know that between 1993 and 2010, Heuermann murdered eight women. To many people who have followed the case for years - including ourselves - the likelihood that other women were lured, tortured, murdered and discarded by the ogre-like monster seems high.

So, while in every sense today brought a collective sense of relief and closure that the Gilgo Beach serial killer case has finally come to an end, this might not be the final time we hear about the murders committed by Rex Heuermann.
'I'm a genius,' President Trump claimed early in his first term  adding for good measure, as if to reassure us, 'a very stable genius'.

The 'genius' label was purely the product of his own narcissistic fantasies. Outside the MAGA cult, nobody bought it, even many who had voted for him.

As for 'stable', well, this week alone  during which he's executed more abrupt changes of direction than a ricocheting bullet  has demonstrated that to be equally fantastical.

On Tuesday morning he was threatening to wipe out Iranian civilisation and return the country to the Stone Age. By Tuesday evening, less than 12 hours later, he was extolling a two-week ceasefire with Iran as heralding a 'new Golden Age for the Middle East'.

No wonder there are those even inside the White House increasingly worried that he's losing his marbles.

What had happened during Tuesday to justify such a dramatic U-turn? In truth, not a lot. Trump suddenly alighted on a ten-point 'peace plan' devised by Tehran and called it a 'workable basis on which to negotiate'.

But this plan had been available before he threatened civilisational destruction. Neither, if you take the trouble to read it, can it be regarded as a credible basis for peace.

It's no more than the familiar Iranian wish list of demands: an end to economic sanctions; the withdrawal of all US forces and closure of all US bases in the region; continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz; no more attacks on Iran's terrorist proxies (like Hamas and Hezbollah); reparations for all the damage Trump's War has inflicted on Iran; and the freedom to continue enriching uranium for its nuclear programme (which, interestingly, appears only in the Farsi version of the plan).

Donald Trump knows America has no stomach for another Middle East land war, especially if led by a President elected on a promise never to wage one

No US president could agree to any of that  not even Trump at his most deranged. Of course, it's just the starting point for negotiations.

But the gulf between Iran's demands and America's own 15-point peace proposal (which is the antithesis of everything in the Iran plan) is a chasm so enormous it has no chance of being bridged in the course of a two-week ceasefire.

Indeed, even two years might not be enough. The Iranians are masters at spinning out talks. It took President Obama two-and-a-half years to conclude a deal with Tehran in 2015, and that was largely confined to Iran's nuclear enrichment programme.

Yet Trump insists Iran's ten-point plan is a 'workable basis' for peace.

In fact, it's his escape route from a war most of those around him wish he hadn't started and from which he has struggled to find an acceptable exit. He is faced with no good options.

Behind the bluster and bravado of claiming 'total and complete victory  one hundred per cent  no question about it' this is his least worst option.

Trump knows that America has no stomach for another Middle East land war, especially if led by a President elected on a promise never to wage one. He admitted as much this week when he said his preference was to seize Iran's oil  as he had Venezuela's  but he realised the American public wouldn't wear it.

So, the current two-week ceasefire will doubtless be extended  and extended again after that. That's if it last two weeks. As I write there are numerous reports of continued hostilities, with some saying it could quickly fall apart.

But the ceasefire is popular with Americans. Trump will come under pressure to make it permanent.

With Republican control of the House and Senate at stake in November's crucial mid-term elections, Trump is likely to oblige.

Talks, scheduled to start on Friday, will drift on. There will be reports of 'progress' but 'much still dividing the parties'. Both sides will have an incentive to play it long  Iran because it's in the driving seat and that's how the Iranians operate, the President because he's counting on America, with its notoriously short attention span, to be too bored to notice what a disaster Trump's War has been.

Pete Hegseth, Trump's blowhard defence secretary, yesterday claimed that the US-Israeli attacks on Iran had been so devastating the regime had begged for peace

Disaster is not too strong a word. Regime change was one of Trump's original war aims.

Now he will settle for a peace which doesn't just leave a militaristic-theocratic dictatorship in place, but one that is even more extreme than before the war began. Revolutionary Guard hardliners are calling the shots, sidelining even the mullahs.

Trump is dealing with a regime that, only five weeks ago, he urged the Iranian people to overthrow  assuring them he'd be alongside to help. Now a cowed and repressed people braces itself for even more brutality. They will be in no mood to trust Trump again.

Denying Iran the ability to develop a nuclear arsenal was another war aim, even cited as the casus belli of the war in the run up to hostilities in late February. But Iran's nuclear stockpile remains in place, including almost 1,000lb of near-bomb-grade material to be further enriched.

Trump insists Iran will not be allowed to hold on to its enriched uranium. But it is not clear how he can enforce that.

And now Iran has something more valuable than the Bomb: control of the Strait of Hormuz, which it did not have before war broke out. This gives it something of a stranglehold on the global economy, since not just Gulf oil and gas but essential petrochemicals by-products  from fertilisers for farming to helium for making microchips  pass through it.

Iran has given no indication it is ready to surrender this new economic weapon in peace talks.

It already operates a tiered system in which ships carrying stuff to and from Iran are given free passage, the ships of 'friendly' nations are charged $1 million each and those of 'unfriendly' countries are denied passage.

Yesterday Iran issued a warning to the 800 or so ships currently trapped in the Gulf and anxious to leave with their precious cargoes: 'You must receive permission from Iranian Sepah navy [the naval wing of the Revolutionary Guard] for passing through the Strait. Any vessel that tries to transit without permission will be destroyed.'

Ships with Iran's blessing now sail a transit corridor between two Iranian islands to the north of the regular shipping seaway that runs through the middle of the Strait.

They then hug the Iranian coast before heading out into the Gulf of Oman. This gives Iran control throughout the passage. Shipping operators have already designated it the Tehran Toll Booth.

Trump has veered from saying the Strait must be opened as it was before and arguing it's up to European and Asian countries to do the job, since they depend on it much more than America.

Yet it's not clear that anybody bar America has the military power to open the Strait. Indeed, it's not even certain America could do it.

The Strait of Hormuz in Iranian hands is pretty much the worst nightmare of the Arab states on the other side of the Gulf from Iran. It gives Tehran the whip hand over the vast bulk of their exports, which they need to sell to keep their regimes stable. And for every day there's uncertainty over who can and can't use the Strait, the global economy is in more trouble.

Even if the ceasefire holds and the Strait gradually opens up, we are in for a pretty grim spring and summer.

Yesterday, Pete Hegseth, Trump's blowhard defence secretary, claimed that the US-Israeli attacks on Iran had been so devastating that the Iranian regime had begged for peace.

There is no question the regime and its resources have taken a terrible pounding. But this is propaganda more befitting a dictatorship than a great democratic republic like America.

Hegseth did not explain why, if the regime was so degraded, it was still standing.

Or why, if it was on its knees, the US wasn't insisting on 'unconditional surrender', as Trump did four weeks ago. Or why, despite US claims that Iran's military was in ruins, it was still capable of launching on US and Gulf state targets between 15 and 30 ballistic missiles a day and 50 to 100 attack drones a day  plus take down two US planes. All that and control of the Strait, too.

Iran told the peace talk mediators it still had 15,000 missiles and 45,000 drones. That is likely to be an exaggeration.

But the idea its arsenals are empty is clearly nonsense.

Yesterday an Iranian drone hit the Saudi's east-west oil pipeline to the Red Sea, built to circumvent the Strait.

There will be growing demands to explain who got America into this mess. There is only one answer: President Trump. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu played a pivotal role in convincing him

More credible than the Trump-Hegseth claims that Iran is a vanquished nation desperate to sue for peace is the unpalatable prospect that the tyrants of Tehran will emerge from Trump's War with the regime's power enhanced, at home and abroad.

More repressive than ever, a more important player on the world stage, more dominant over the Gulf states, thanks to its grip on the Strait  especially now it has demonstrated what these states long feared: that it has the power to undermine their safe haven status and economic success with missiles and drones.

Such an outcome looked inconceivable when Trump's War began under six weeks ago. Now it is all too possible.

If and when this grim reality dawns on Americans, there will be growing demands to explain who got America into this mess. There is only one answer: President Trump.

But he was not entirely on his own. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu played a pivotal role in convincing him. At a seminal meeting in the White House situation room on February 11, Netanyahu marshalled the latest intelligence findings of Israel's formidable spy agency, Mossad, to brief the President and his most senior advisers.

The Iranian regime could be decapitated, the Israelis argued, in joint US-Israeli airstrikes. Further destruction of regime assets would encourage the people to rise up, provoking regime change.

All this could be done quickly and decisively, before Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz or attack its Gulf neighbours.

As intelligence went, it was up there in terms of unreliability with Iraq's non-existent weapons of mass destruction in 2003.

Trump has always been particularly concerned that the Iranian regime was out to kill him after, in 2020, he had sanctioned the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, pictured, perhaps the second most important Iranian after the Supreme Leader

Not all the Americans present were fooled. The head of the CIA called it 'farcical'. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was blunter: he dismissed it as 'b*******'.

But Trump was minded to go along with Netanyahu. He was buoyed by last June's US bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities and the kidnapping of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro in early January.

That had resulted in regime change of a sort and given the US access to Venezuelan oil, which Trump craved. He saw the chance for a repeat in Iran.

The clincher came when his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and a crony from his property developer days, Steve Witkoff, whom Trump had tasked to negotiate with the Iranians, reported that there was no prospect of a deal with Tehran in the offing.

That tilted Trump in favour of war, even though it meant listening to two of those closest to him who were least experienced in Middle Eastern matters.

But for Trump it was also personal: he has always been particularly concerned that the Iranian regime was out to kill him after, in 2020, he had sanctioned the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's foreign legion and perhaps the second most important Iranian after the Supreme Leader.

For Trump, attacking Iran was for his own good as well as America's. Now, as it looks like unravelling, the rest of us will have to live with the consequences.

The best he can hope is to restore the way things were before the war  the status quo ante. But even that looks unattainable.

What Trump described as his 'little excursion' has all the hallmarks of being the disastrous defining act of his presidency  one that will haunt him for the rest of his time in the White House and undermine his reputation for long thereafter.
There are so many false stories circulating about the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein. I know because I was the victim of one of them.

A woman who I never met and never heard of accused me of having unprotected sex with her on six occasions in exotic places that I had never visited.

Ultimately, she admitted that she may have misidentified me, mistaking me for someone else. She subsequently dropped all her false accusations against me, but not before my reputation was seriously damaged by those who love to believe ugly stories about controversial people.

It is against this background that First Lady Melania Trump's seemingly spontaneous news conference on Thursday afternoon can best be understood.

Mrs Trump is famously media shy. It seems to me that she would never publicly address a rumored association with Epstein unless she did it to preempt an erroneous story accusing her of such a relationship.

Were such an accusation made  even if it were demonstrably and provably false, as I expect this one surely would be  many Trump haters would believe it, or - at least - pretend to believe it.

For my part, as I have written before, during my work representing Jeffrey Epstein I never came across any evidence implicating Donald Trump in any of his crimes. For the record, I will add that I never encountered any information tarnishing Melania Trump either.

But as Mark Twain said, 'A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.'

Mrs Trump is famously media shy. It seems to me that she would never publicly address a rumored association with Epstein unless she did it to preempt an erroneous story accusing her of such a relationship, writes Alan Dershowitz

There are so many false stories circulating about the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein. I know because I was the victim of one of them, says Alan Dershowitz

Mrs Trump, I presume, decided to get out ahead of a potential story, by categorically denying any link to Epstein. I did not have the opportunity to do that, but if I had, I surely would have taken advantage of the tactic.

Indeed, Mrs Trump  as is her right  has aggressively pushed back against reporting what her lawyers have described as 'malicious and defamatory falsehoods', even threatening lawsuits against those who persist in publishing slanderous content.

The Daily Beast website retracted and apologized for a story that they published last year. Author Michael Wolff claims he's been warned to watch his step by Mrs Trump's lawyers.

But, perhaps, it hasn't been enough.

'The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,' the First Lady declared on Thursday. 'To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, [Ghislaine] Maxwell I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump.'

It seems to me that Mrs Trump and her legal counsel are setting the stage for potential legal action. The US legal system sets a high bar for proving defamation against a public figure. The right to free speech is a pillar of a functioning democracy, but the right should not be used as cover for deliberate defamation.

Mrs Trump's definitive public statement could conceivably make it easier for her to argue that any individual publishing provably false information to a third party did so with malice, a key element of a successful defamation case. Additionally, such a seemingly sincere and frankly brave public address may influence potential jurors in a trial.

Of course, we may not learn whether any such slanderous accusation was in the works. Mrs Trump's preemptive strike may work, but I doubt it. In our current media age, someone, somewhere, somehow is likely to leak a false story.

Hopefully, it will be less believable considering her categorical denial. And not just for the sake of the First Lady. For there are, of course, real victims - and the scurrilous pedalling of rumors does them no good service.

During my work representing Jeffrey Epstein I never came across any evidence implicating Donald Trump in any of his crimes. For the record, I will add that I never encountered any information tarnishing Melania Trump either

I hope that Melania Trump gets what she asked for in that news conference: an end to lies. But, what's more, she called on Congress to 'provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing'.

All the alleged Epstein victims should tell their stories under oath, so that their claims can be heard and investigated.

I'm glad Melania Trump came forward. Her personal denial, coupled with her demand for sworn testimony by alleged survivors, may be an important step toward the truth.

Epstein's true victims should be assured justice and compensation. False victims  those who never met Epstein and those who helped him recruit other females  should be exposed. And those trading in falsehoods should be held to account.

Alan Dershowitz is author 'Could President Trump Constitutionally Serve a Third Term?'
Does anybody still seriously doubt that Keir Starmer is the worst-ever British prime minister? Given the rogues' gallery of previous PMs, there's some pretty stiff competition.

But in 21 dreadful months in Downing Street, two-tier Keir has seen off all rivals for the crown.

After 14 long years of Tory rule, Labour was elected in 2024 on a one-word manifesto: Change. Well, they've delivered on that at least: Our country has indeed changed for the worse.

Labour have managed to outdo even the Conservatives.

On illegal immigration, for instance, Starmer promised to 'smash the gangs' of people-smugglers.

Instead, he has smashed a new record: More illegal immigrants have arrived in Britain in small boats on Starmer's watch than under any other prime minister.

Meanwhile, the cost-of living crisis has left millions worrying about how to keep the lights on and pay the bills.

Thanks to repeated tax raids by Starmer and his flailing chancellor Rachel from Accounts, the British people are now labouring under the highest taxation burden since the Second World War.

The truth is Starmer is running scared of voters and desperate not to be held accountable for the harm his government has done to millions of people, writes Nigel Farage

We learned this week that, for the first time ever, the British Government now pays out more in welfare benefits than it takes in income tax. What an epitaph for Starmer's premiership.

Under Labour, the British economy is stagnating. Our proud nation can no longer even defend its own borders, never mind  despite the PM's endless posturing at international summits  act on the world stage.

Burglary, phone theft and shoplifting have effectively been decriminalised, and mobs of youths feel free to run riot on the streets of lawless London.

Yet Starmer insists that Britain is not broken. He seems to live in a different country from the rest of us.

At every turn, we have seen a Government that shows only contempt for hard-working British people. If you are a saver, a pensioner, a homeowner, a farmer, a small-business owner or a driver, Starmer and Reeves are coming for you and your future.

Don't let Starmer claim he has a popular mandate for his terrible policies  most weren't even in his manifesto.

He was elected, let's remember, in a 'loveless landslide'.

After one of the dullest election campaigns in memory, where they took pains to say nothing controversial or interesting, Labour won 33 per cent of the votes cast.

But our electoral system meant that they somehow ended up with 411 MPs and a massive majority in Parliament.

Less than two years later, he has regularly recorded the lowest approval ratings of any British prime minister, ever.

Little wonder the Labour Government colluded with Conservative councils to cancel local elections last year, and tried to do the same this May. It took the efforts of Reform UK and our last-minute legal challenge to stop them. What are they so terrified of?

The truth is Starmer is running scared of voters and desperate not to be held accountable for the harm his government has done to millions of people.

But then, what more could we expect from a human rights lawyer who once admitted he felt more at home hob-knobbing with wealthy elitists at the World Economic Forum in Davos than dealing with elected MPs in Westminster?

Starmer believes in nothing beyond saving his own skin.

I have said many times now that he is a follower, not a leader. When the PM first timidly suggested reforming the bloated benefits system, he dropped it at the first sign of opposition from Left-wing backbench MPs.

Or remember his 'bold' speech about the problems of immigration and integration, where he talked about Britain becoming an 'island of strangers'?

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than Starmer was apologising for ever saying them and claiming he had not read the speech properly before making it. That just about sums the man up.

Starmer is a pathetic excuse for a Prime Minister, particularly in troubled times when, both at home and abroad, Britain needs real leadership. He is a man I once had respect for, but no longer. It is time to get him out.

As he grows more desperate to cling to office, things are only going to get worse. I predict we will see some of his MPs defecting to Zack Polanski's surging Green Party.

That means even higher taxes, even more benefit spending, even fewer controls on immigration and even more attacks on freedom of speech.

With the prospect of a financial and economic crisis looming, I believe a general election will come sooner than many people think, perhaps as early as next year.

In any case, in a few weeks' time, we will have the biggest political battle in Britain before the next general election.

On May 7 there are local elections for 5,000 council seats across England, as well as to the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Senedd.

The choice for millions of people is now between Keir Starmer and Reform UK.

We have now topped more than 250 national opinion polls in a row. Why? Because we are the only party willing to admit that Britain is broken  but also that it's possible to fix it.

Unlike Starmer's Labour, Reform UK will always put the British people first.

We will pass emergency laws giving us the power to deport all illegal immigrants.

We have pledged to uphold the state pension triple lock to ensure British pensioners who have worked hard all their lives have the dignity and support they deserve.

Reform UK is now the only real alternative to Labour. The Conservatives have sunk to a distant third or even fourth place in the polls.

The public has not forgiven them for 14 years of blunders and betrayal  and perhaps never will.

After what I predict will be a wipe-out in the May elections in Scotland and Wales, the Conservatives might find it hard even to claim that they are still a national party. If Reform UK win these elections, Keir Starmer will have to resign. It will only be a matter of time.

A vote for anyone other than Reform would suggest that things can carry on as they are. Starmer will continue letting the boats cross the Channel, keep raising your taxes, keep hammering your savings and targeting small businesses.

We are winning the support of people around Britain who feel ignored and let down by the old parties. Many tell me they see us as the last hope to turn this great country around.

That's why, in a few weeks' time, we will do well in Labour's alleged heartlands in the so-called Red Wall areas of the north of England, the Midlands and Wales.

Starmer has already lost the last two parliamentary by-elections in supposedly 'safe' Labour seats. My party finished ahead of the Conservatives and Labour in both of these contests.

The British people want Starmer out. We are the party that is best placed to beat Labour and give the people what they want.

When I returned to politics as leader of Reform UK before the last general election, I promised to stand up for: 'Your Family, Your Community and Our Country'. Keir Starmer has done critical damage to all three.

Enough is enough. My message to the British people today is: Vote Reform, get Starmer out.
At the age of 19, Ella-Louise Moroney should be enjoying the carefree years of early adulthood, spending time with family and friends, and looking ahead to the future.

Instead, the teenager from Peterborough is facing a devastating diagnosis - one that was almost missed by her physicians.

Only one month ago, the former early years worker was told she had an aggressive, cancerous brain tumour and, without urgent surgery, just weeks to live.

And her path to diagnosis was far from straightforward.

Ms Moroney, who had been suffering persistent migraines for two months before diagnosis, was sent home from hospital on two separate occasions, each visit ending with painkillers and other medications.

It was only when her mother insisted on further investigation that doctors carried out a scan  confirming the family's worst fears: a fast-growing, highly malignant tumour in her frontal lobe.

However, even after finding the tumour, Ms Moroney said doctors tried to send her home once more.

And to make matters worse, her tumour is so rare that neither Ms Moroney's consultant nor oncologist had encountered it before, making treatment especially challenging.

Just weeks ago, Ella-Louise Moroney (pictured) was diagnosed with an aggressive, cancerous brain tumour and told that without urgent surgery, she had just weeks to live

Her sister, Deanne Moroney, has now launched a GoFundMe to help cover the mounting costs she faces, from medical devices, to travel for the numerous appointments she requires.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ms Moroney described how her symptoms were repeatedly dismissed, leading to a frightening and prolonged medical ordeal that still has no clear end.

She said: 'The first time I went to hospital in late January was because of migraines, which I had been suffering with since last summer. I was sent home with sumatriptan  a medicine to treat the migraines.

'I then went back to the same hospital the following Sunday and I was sent away again with Naproxen for pain and another tablet.

'I went to my partner's house shortly after this. His mum had made me food, and I literally just couldn't even look at the food.

'I got really confused all of a sudden and got in touch with my mum, who said that something doesn't really seem right.

'So, I ended up calling 111 and going back to hospital that night.'

Even then, she said, doctors initially appeared ready to discharge her once more.

Ms Moroney (pictured) has a Grade 4 atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumour (AT/RT) in her frontal lobe  a highly aggressive and fast-growing cancer that is extremely rare in adults

It was only after her mother demanded a scan that her condition was taken seriously. Yet even after the scan revealed a brain tumour, Ms Moroney said staff still attempted to send her home.

Ms Moroney said: 'I was sick in hospital and was brought to a side room for triage.

'I was told that I would be seen in the next 20 to 25 minutes and there were loads of different doctors coming in to see me.

'My mum had to demand that I have a scan, because they were going to send me home again.

'I got put into a ward and then one of the stroke nurses came round to see me. This is when we discovered that I had a brain tumour.

'At this stage the doctors didn't know that the tumour was cancer because they hadn't done a biopsy. They had only done a CT scan.

'About half an hour later, another nurse came in to see me and basically said that the hospital wanted to discharge me. But at this point I had already been told that I had a tumour.

'So, my mum said: "No, she's not going home."

Ms Moroney (pictured) remains determined to stay positive, and has began having her eggs harvested for later use

Ms Moroney  who has chosen not to name the hospital where she was first treated  was later transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, where she received further care and devastating news.

Ms Moroney said: 'It was at Addenbrooke's that doctors told me if I did not have surgery to remove the tumour as soon as possible, I would have a month to live.'

'I had surgery on the 17th of February. I had a professor doing my surgery and he came round in morning of the surgery and basically said to me, we need to go now because it's getting bigger.

'Thankfully, they got most of the tumour out.'

However, a biopsy later confirmed her worst fears.

Ms Moroney has a Grade 4 atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumour (AT/RT) in her frontal lobe  a highly aggressive and fast-growing cancer that is extremely rare in adults, more commonly affecting children under five.

She said: 'After surgery, most of the tumour was removed, but chemotherapy and radiotherapy are still very much needed.

'The tumour is very rare and it's very uncommon for young adults in my group. It is more common in children under five.

Ms Moroney's (pictured) family are facing mounting costs, including travel for treatment, ongoing medical expenses and essential equipment such as a wheelchair to aid her recovery

'The consultant also said that there's hardly any cases that are documented, which is why treatment is quite tricky. They just don't really have a lot of information on my age range because it's normally children that are so young.

'The consultant said that in his career he hadn't encountered this type of tumour. In their careers, both him and the oncologist who seen me had not seen this tumour in my age group before.

'It is very hard news to take in because there's not enough research into it, so it is very hard to kind of sit back and just have to kind of accept the fact that we just don't know anything.'

She is now preparing to begin an intensive course of treatment at UCL Hospital in London, starting with eight weeks of chemotherapy, followed by radiotherapy, and then a further eight weeks of chemotherapy.

Despite the enormity of her situation, Ms Moroney, who studied an apprenticeship in childcare, remains determined to stay positive.

She said: 'I am having my eggs harvested at the moment. So that is postponing the chemotherapy and radiation. But that treatment is due to start in early April.

'I am having chemo first for eight weeks and then I'll travel to London for proton radiotherapy.

'As much as I can, I try and make a joke out of it kind of thing because if not, there's nothing else that I can do.

'I am as optimistic as much as I can because I know that the doctors are doing everything that they can, and obviously I'm getting the best treatment that I can.'

Since undergoing surgery, she says her migraines have disappeared  though she continues to cope with the physical effects of the procedure.

She said: 'I haven't had any headaches since I had surgery, it's been crazy, I haven't had to take paracetamol at all for my headaches.

'But because I'm still recovering from the brain surgery, I am still quite slow and my walking has changed quite a lot as well. Like I've just had really messed up knees.

'I'll wake up some mornings and my knees will just be in like excruciating pain.'

Meanwhile, her family are facing mounting costs, including travel for treatment, ongoing medical expenses and essential equipment such as a wheelchair to aid her recovery.

Sister Deanne has since launched a GoFundMe appeal with a target of 9,000 to help support her through treatment.

Deanne said: 'I set the fundraiser up in hopes to raise some money to support the costs of travel, medical expenses and things like a wheelchair for Ella.

'We also want to raise brain cancer awareness and we have almost hit our goal, which we are so grateful for. There has been support by so many people already.'
AACHEN, Germany, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Vehicle logistics is entering a new phase defined less by growth alone and more by the challenge of managing increasing operational complexity. This is the central finding of the INFORM Trend Report 2026: IT in Vehicle Logistics, based on a survey of 111 industry professionals.

While 79% of respondents expect vehicle transport volumes (rather than overall production volumes) to increase over the next five years, a large majority simultaneously report continuously rising operational pressure. 84% identify increasing costs as the dominant challenge, followed by growing efficiency requirements (68%) and fluctuating volumes (52%).

Cost pressure remains the dominant operational challenge and has intensified compared to previous surveys (2013, 2018, 2023). At the same time, limited transparency and increasing network complexity continue to impact planning quality and execution reliability. In many organizations, fragmented information still leads to reactive rather than proactive decision-making.

Management Summary: Growth Continues  Complexity Accelerates

The study highlights a structural shift in vehicle logistics:

Most respondents expect transport volumes to grow.

Operational pressure is intensifying across networks.

Complexity is increasing faster than volume.

As a result, vehicle logistics is evolving into a decision-making challenge under cost and coordination constraints. Limited transparency remains a key barrier to efficient operations:

76% report insufficient visibility of delivery times and ETA.

68% see gaps in capacity transparency.

66% highlight missing transport status visibility.

At the same time, companies see a growing gap between operational requirements and existing IT capabilities. While 95% expect IT systems to improve operational efficiency, many organizations still struggle with fragmented data, limited integration, and insufficient decision support.

From Visibility to Decision Intelligence

Vehicle logistics networks involve multiple independent actors  from OEMs to carriers, terminals, ports, and dealers  each operating with their own systems and planning processes. As networks grow more interconnected, coordination becomes significantly more complex. Thus, the results indicate a clear shift in priorities: "Transparency alone is not the final objective. The real challenge is turning operational data into better decisions across the logistics network," said Dennis Feddern, Senior Vice President Vehicle Logistics at INFORM.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is widely expected to play a key role in addressing these challenges. 94% of respondents believe AI and machine learning will significantly impact the industry. It is expected to support the evaluation of complex scenarios and improve decision-making, with its primary role seen in augmenting human expertise rather than replacing it. However, the study also shows that immediate priorities remain more fundamental: better system integration, real-time visibility, and flexible planning capabilities.

A Long-Term Structural Trend

The INFORM study series (20132026) reveals a consistent pattern: vehicle transport volumes are expected to grow, while operational environments become more complex and volatile. Hartmut Haubrich, also Senior Vice President Vehicle Logistics at INFORM, added: "While many companies still expect growth, what we currently observe in the market is a more differentiated picture across regions. Regardless of short-term developments, the need to improve planning capabilities and decision-making remains unchanged."

The study is based on a survey conducted between December 2025 and January 2026, with 111 professionals and managers from the global vehicle logistics industry. Participants include representatives from: automotive manufacturers (37%), logistics service providers (46%), as well as carriers, terminal operators, and port authorities.

The majority of respondents are based in Europe (62%), followed by North America (18%), with additional participants from South America, Asia, and Africa. Most participating companies operate in finished vehicle logistics, with 98% handling new vehicles, 50% handling used vehicles, and 30% involved in high and heavy transport. The survey was conducted anonymously using a structured online questionnaire consisting of 25 questions.

More information and the full survey results can be found here.

About INFORM

INFORM develops software systems to improve decision-making in industrial and logistics operations and in financial services for risk, fraud, and compliance. Founded in 1969, we serve over 1,000 active customers worldwide as a trusted partner. Rooted in decades of experience in AI and operations research, we combine scientific rigor with practical industry expertise. Our approach bridges human expertise and machine intelligence to turn data into actionable guidance and integrate with existing processes, creating durable operational advantage while respecting data privacy and ethical standards. INFORM supports organizations in mastering complex operations and using AI as a natural, trusted part of their business. www.inform-software.com

Press Contact

Alexander Jatscha-Zelt

Head Of Corporate Communications

INFORM GmbH

Phone: +49 (0) 151-17159-505

E-mail: [email protected]

Vehicle logistics at INFORM

Marketing & Customer Relations

Lill Haase

Tel.: +49 2408-9456-6060

E-Mail: [email protected]

US Media Contact

Valerie Harding

Ripple Effect PR Specialist for INFORM

T: 617-536-8887

E: [email protected]

SOURCE INFORM GmbH
Smoking may increase dementia risk by disrupting vital communication channels between the lungs and the brain.

Previous research has shown that heavy smoking in midlife is linked to more than double the risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, decades later.

Now, a study from the University of Chicago suggests nicotine could trigger a previously unknown biological pathway that helps explain this connection.

The researchers discovered that specialised lung cells called pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs) release tiny particles, known as exosomes, in response to nicotine.

These exosomes interfere with how the brain regulates iron, a process essential for healthy nerve cells.

Disrupted iron balance can damage neurons, trigger stress on their energy systems and contribute to processes linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

'This research establishes a clear "lung-brain" axis that may help explain why cigarette smoking is linked to cognitive decline,' said co-author and postdoctoral researcher Kui Zhang.

The study, published in Science Advances, relied on laboratory models and stem-cell-derived PNECs.

Smoking may increase the risk of dementia by disrupting communication between the lungs and brain

While the results are promising, the researchers caution that more studies are needed to confirm the mechanism in humans.

'The lung is not just a passive target of smoke exposure, but an active signalling organ influencing brain health,' said co-author Asst. Prof. Joyce Chen of the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and the Ben May Department for Cancer Research.

The team is now exploring whether blocking the exosomes could eventually lead to therapies that protect the brain from smoke-induced damage.

Britain's smoking rate has fallen to a record low, but progress is slowing, and some areas are seeing worrying reversals.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 9.1 per cent of adults smoked in 2024, around 4.9 million people.

At the same time, an estimated 5.4 million adults now use e-cigarettes, meaning vaping has overtaken smoking for the first time in the UK, particularly among younger adults.

Despite the overall decline, some areas have seen increases in smoking compared with a decade ago.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Public health experts warn that falling cigarette sales do not always translate directly into equivalent drops in smoking rates, as people may switch to vaping or seek non-legal tobacco products.

Ministers are seeking to accelerate progress through the proposed Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which would create a 'smoke-free generation.'

Anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 would never be legally allowed to buy tobacco.

The bill also includes measures to tighten controls on vaping, including restrictions on advertising, flavours, and packaging.

More than 1,200 health professionals - including doctors, nurses, and public health leaders - have backed the proposals, saying they are essential to reduce smoking and prevent a new generation from becoming addicted to nicotine.
For two decades, Chloe Montgomery's daily life was propped up by super-strong painkillers - and she went to great lengths to make sure her loved ones never suspected a thing.

Now aged 36, the property sales executive, who lives near Glasgow, was first prescribed co-codamol as a teenager to help manage painful migraines, but as the years went on, she found she needed them just to function.

She said: 'At that age I very quickly got hooked on them, especially as I was new to taking them.

'They gave me that light, fuzzy feeling that made you feel better. A bit like having a high I would imagine.'

She found that the tablets did help shift her debilitating headaches, but the pain returned once the medication wore off - a common symptom of opioid withdrawal known as 'rebound headaches'.

'Because I took them my migraines were better to an extent. I did have a bit of a rebound headache but at the time because I was so young I didn't understand,' said Ms Montgomery.

'My GP kept prescribing them on repeat. I just phoned up every three or four weeks and they'd just give me another box of 100 and this just went on for years and years.

'There was never any review as such like "maybe we should try and lower your dose or maybe not give you as many or try a different sort of medication".

Chloe Montgomery, 46, spent two decades addicted to co-codamol

'They just left me on them for years and because I was at this point addicted to them I just kept taking them.

'You're masking your life and it's like a blanket over you. It's just a constant fuzziness and you get fuzziness up the back of your head and you can't concentrate.'

Ms Montgomery's family were unaware of her addiction - although they knew she was regularly taking the prescription pills, regularly quizzing her about what aches and pains she was combating.

''I think they know I took pain killers everyday but I don't think they think I'm addicted to them as such,' she said.

'They probably think I could stop it tomorrow if I wanted to. I try not to take them in front of the kids.'

Ms Montgomery would take between eight and 10 tablets a day, but over the last three years she says she noticed a 'sense of panic' if she was running out and would have to buy lower doses from the chemist if she ran out before the month ended.

'I'd use them to get through the work day,' she said.

There'd be some days where I'd be driving and drop my kids at school and I'd realise maybe halfway that I'd forgotten them and I'd need to turn back and go and get them.'

As she built up a dependence, Ms Montgomery started taking the painkillers every two and a half hours as her body became more immune to them, despite the recommended time being every four to six hours.

Ms Montgomery ended up hospitalised with a perforated bowel

However, in February 2026 she was confused not to receive her repeat co-codamol prescription as usual - and 'shocked' to discover this was due to a national shortage.

A medicine supply notification on the shortage of co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets was issued on 13 January 2026 and supplies will be limited until the summer.

While people are generally advised to reduce their dosage by one to two tablets each week they might be forced to reduce this more quickly due to the shortage.

'I was shocked to hear [about the shortage],' Ms Montgomery said.

'It was a sense of panic because you feel like you're dependent on them and need them and then all of a sudden they're saying you can't have them anymore.'

Co-codamol is a combination of two painkillers - codeine and paracetamol - that is often prescribed if over the counter drugs such as ibuprofen won't be potent enough.

Codeine is part of the opiate family and is known to be an addictive substance. For this reason, the NHS warns that people who take it for longer than three weeks should be placed on a 'treatment plan' by their doctor to minimise dependency risk.

The other ingredient is paracetamol which can seriously damage the liver and kidneys if too much is taken, and can even lead to a fatal overdose.

Codeine addicts often describe the drug as making them feel like they are cocooned from real life, or that popping one of the pills simply 'takes the edge off' the day.

Jan Gerber, founder of A-list rehab clinic Paracelus Recovery in Switzerland, previously told the Daily Mail that the psychological addiction of codeine makes it just as hard to give up as its pain relieving qualities.

He said: 'Addiction, tolerance and dependence build quite quickly and within a few weeks, you're hooked.

The mother-of-two said coming off the tablets has triggered withdrawals

'Codeine also gives a warm fuzzy feeling, it can really calm you down, improve sleep, or simply help you to fall asleep.

'It can help lessen anxiety, and especially for people who are very stressed or emotionally in a bad place, that effect is like, "wow, my God, that feels amazing".

After getting one last prescription, Ms Montgomery was forced to go cold turkey on 18 March and despite the withdrawals being 'horrific' she hopes in the long term that not having access to the medication will end her addiction.

She said: 'It's been horrific, the night sweats and the headache I got. My hands are physically shaking. I'm hoping over the next few days I start to feel better.

'When they gave me that last box she said "start taking not as many every day". That's easier said than done when you're addicted to them and you've taken them for so long so I didn't do that because I couldn't.

'You're not supposed to just stop taking them and you're supposed to wean yourself off them, especially after that high a dose over that amount of years.'

She had previously considered giving up co-codamol in 2018 after suffering with stomach ulcers and going into intensive care for a perforated bowel - which she thinks could've been linked to the painkillers - but she wasn't able to kick the tablets.

After receiving her final prescription Ms Montgomery booked another appointment with her GP to seek support for handling pain caused by a slipped disc. She was given Ibuprofen gel.

But despite the pain, and her long-standing habit, she is adamant that she won't start taking lower strength versions of the drugs.

She said: 'As much as the next week is going to be horrific, I just need to get through it. I think it's just the best way for me.

'I've never ever tried to come off like this before. They do make you really tired and constipated and they're not good for you.

'I'm hoping once that's lifted and I start to feel better I realise I actually feel better without them.'

Ms Montgomery has been publicly documenting her progress on TikTok, and one video captioned 'day three of no co-codamol', has gone viral with more than 113,000 views.

In the clip you can hear her exasperatedly saying 'it's not easy but I know in the long run I probably will be glad that this shortage happened'.

She said: 'As much as it's my fault for keeping taking them over the years when you've got an addiction and someone is giving you it and it's so easy for you to get it they do need to take responsibility for that.

'I've got two children myself and knowing what my life's been like and being so reliant on them I'd be raging in a few years if my son or daughter went to the doctors and they started prescribing them opioids to that extent.

'I'd say it's good to talk about it. For years I've never spoken about it to anyone. I've never once said 'I'm addicted to painkillers'. I just feel like you need to actually talk about it and admit it to people and have other people's support.

'I would say whether you are weaning yourself off them or going cold turkey speak to someone about it.

'Just try and stick with it even though you're going to feel horrific for a couple of weeks.'
Two weeks is all it takes to reverse a decades worth of cognitive decline linked to social media addiction, a new study suggests.

In one of the largest trials of its kind, more than 467 adults were asked to block out all internet access on their phones for just 14 days. That included no TikTok, no Instagram and no social media-related doomscrolling.

The calling and texting functions still worked, essentially turning their smart phones into analog phones of the past using an app called Freedom that blocked all internet access.

The results shocked the researchers.

By the end of the two-week period, screen time had plummeted from over five hours a day to under three. Depression symptoms improved more than when treated with antidepressants and matched the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy.

And in those who stuck with the 14-day social media detox, their attention spans improved by the same amount as if they were to reverse 10 years of age-related decline, improving so much that their focus became as sharp as someone a decade younger.

If we think about what were trying to detox from, its not the calling and the texting for the most part. It is the social media. Its the gaming. Its all of those short dopamine bursts that we get from all these things we do on our phones, said study co-author and Georgetown University psychology professor Dr Kostadin Kushlev.

For young people, the evidence is now overwhelming. Studies consistently link heavy social media use to higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and poorer academic achievement. Brain imaging shows it can alter neural pathways involved in impulse control and reward processing.

Even the participants who cheated by sneaking back online after a few days still showed lasting benefits. And weeks after the experiment had ended, many participants said the benefits had stuck.

After two weeks, screen time fell from over five hours a day to under three. Depression symptoms improved more than with antidepressants, matching talk therapy. And sustained attention improved as much as reversing ten years of brain aging (stock)

Your browser does not support iframes.

The studys findings, published in the journal PNAS Nexus, arrive at a pivotal moment for Silicon Valley. Last month, a California jury found Meta and YouTube negligent for designing products critics say are as deliberately addictive as tobacco or gambling.

The case was brought by a 20-year-old woman who testified she lost nearly every waking hour to social media. Her sleep was destroyed, her mind was consumed by anxiety, she had depression and a fixation on her appearance.

The jury awarded her $6 million in damages.

Georgetown researchers wanted to know if a digital detox could deliver real results.

Of the 467 adults recruited  average age 32  most already felt they used their phones too much. Eighty-three percent said they were highly motivated to cut back.

Only iPhone users could take part. For two weeks, half used the Freedom app to block all internet on their phones; not just TikTok and Instagram, but YouTube, Safari, email, and news apps.

What we were doing is turning their smartphones into what is now apparently a recognized term in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a dumb phone, Kushlev said.

A dumb phone that basically does what a phone does, calling and things we used to consider super advanced like texting, but does not allow you access to the internet.

Left panel (Attention): The blue line climbs sharply during the detox, meaning sustained focus improved. The red line stays flat during the control period, then climbs just as sharply when they later unplug. Middle panel (Mental Health): Both groups showed significant mental health gains only during the two weeks they were offline. Right panel (Well-being): Life satisfaction and positive emotions rose consistently whenever participants were disconnected

The other half kept using their phones as usual, then swapped: the control group blocked the internet for the next two weeks, while the first group returned to normal use. This allowed researchers to test whether the benefits lasted.

The Freedom app tracked compliance. Participants needed the block active for at least 10 of 14 days to be considered compliant.

Only 119 out of 467 people, about 25 percent, actually met that bar. Blocking the internet was difficult for most. Still, the researchers kept them in the analysis.

At three points  the start, immediately after the detox and two weeks later  everyone completed surveys and an attention test.

The surveys, based on American Psychiatric Association screening tools, measured depression, anxiety, anger and social anxiety. They also measured well-being, which included life satisfaction and positive versus negative emotions.

To measure attention, participants took an online test. Images flashed on screen  mostly cityscapes, occasionally mountains. They were told to press a button for a city and do nothing for a mountain.

The images faded in slowly, forcing steady focus for minutes at a time. The test produced a score of sustained attention.

Additionally, four times a week, participants were asked in a text: How do you feel right now, from 1 (bad) to 10 (good)?

For young people, the evidence is clear: heavy social media use drives depression, anxiety, self-harm and poor grades. Brain scans prove it rewires impulse control (stock)

People were to answer immediately, capturing daily mood in the moment rather than how they remembered feeling weeks later.

Researchers also asked about time use and whether the detox just decreased time on the phone or if it was replaced with healthier habits such as exercising or seeing friends in person.

Participants had indeed replaced phone time with more in-person socializing, exercise, time in nature and reading. They consumed less news, less TV, and fewer videos.

Overall, results showed that not only did screen time plummet, but sustained attention improved dramatically, making peoples focus as sharp as someone 10 years younger.

Their mental health improved as well, with the majority reporting increased life satisfaction and more positive emotions.

Across both groups, 91 percent of participants improved on at least one of the three key outcomes: mental health, well-being or sustained attention.

People who cheated also saw some of those benefits, albeit to a smaller degree, proving that even short detox periods can have significant benefits.

Two weeks after the detox ended, mental health and well-being remained better than before. Screen time did not fully rebound and the habit had been broken.

Kushlev said: Even though it seems insurmountable, just a little bit of digital detox  a little bit of reduction of the constant stimulation from our phones, social media, games and so forth  could actually help us reclaim our ingrained ability to sustain attention.
Scientists have linked more than 800 genes to autism spectrum disorder, making a one-size-fits-all medication difficult to find.

But now, researchers at Yale University say they may have cracked the code for some patients  and could treat them using a common prescription medication.

In a study, the team screened 774 FDA-approved drugs to find out how they impacted the behavior of zebrafish that were genetically modified to have autism.

The analysis revealed that one drug, levocarnitine, sold under the brand name Carnitor, boosted how the fish interpreted and responded to their environment, processes autistic people can struggle with.

The 44-cent-a-pill drug, available only with a prescription, is currently used to treat a rare genetic condition called carnitine deficiency, where the body has too little carnitine  a vital energy substance for cells  and by athletes seeking to boost their performance by giving their cells more energy. Nearly 400,000 prescriptions for levocarnitine are written nationwide every year.

It was not clear exactly how the drug helped to reverse autism symptoms, but scientists said it may be helping to boost energy production in regions of the brain that have low activity in some autistic people, such as those linked to language or emotion.

Dr Ellen Hoffman, a neurobiologist who led the research, said: 'Because autism spectrum disorder is highly clinically and genetically [varied], it is challenging to identify drug candidates.

'Our study highlights the importance of [analyzing] autism risk genes to identify potential [treatments].'

Scientists behind a new study say they may have found a new drug that could treat certain behaviors of autism (stock image)

Your browser does not support iframes.

The scientists said the results were promising, although they urged patients not to purchase and start taking the drug for autism. They noted the results needed to be confirmed in human trials, which can take several years.

In their study, the zebrafish had their DNA edited to carry two specific genes linked to autism  SCN2A and DYRK1A. Studies suggest only up to 0.5 percent of autism sufferers carry at least one of these genes, an important limitation of the research.

The findings come as autism rates have surged in America, with an estimated one in 31 children now diagnosed with the condition compared to one in 150 in 2000. Overall, 5.4 million Americans are estimated to be living with autism.

It isn't clear what's behind the explosion in cases, but experts have blamed increased awareness and the expansion of the definition of the condition to include other milder cases of communication problems.

There is currently no cure for autism, but scientists are constantly working on new treatments to alleviate severe symptoms such as being nonverbal.

Levocarnitine is primarily used to treat the disorder carnitine deficiency, which affects anywhere from one in 40,000 to one in 140,000 newborns in the US.

Carnitine is a natural substance that the body uses to process fats and produce energy, which is normally acquired from consuming foods. In carnitine deficiency, sufferers have a mutation that leaves them struggling to transport the substance into cells.

In the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team first exposed non-gene-edited zebrafish  which share 70 percent of their DNA with humans  to the FDA-approved drugs.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Other drugs that were tested include estropipate, sold under the brand name Ogen, a prescription drug used to treat menopause symptoms, and paclitaxel, also known as Taxol, which is a cancer medication.

After observing their response, scientists identified 520 drugs that were not toxic to the fish and had a significant impact on their behavior.

The fish were then gene-edited to add DNA linked to autism.

At the larval stage, between 24 and 72 hours old, the gene-edited fish were then re-exposed to these drugs in the lab. Scientists monitored the fish for their reaction to changes in the environment while being exposed to the drug.

Human stem cells were then exposed to the drugs to confirm that they were safe to use in humans.

The team found levocarnitine had the strongest ability to suppress both DNA mutations.

The researchers have published their results in an online database, and hope that the data will be used to investigate new treatments for autism.

They are now considering human clinical trials testing levocarnitine.

Asked whether patients should start taking levocarnitine to treat autism, the researchers said: 'Not yet.

'While the results in fish and human stem cells are incredibly promising, this study provides the "groundwork" for clinical trials.'
The great British picnic has had a gourmet glow-up and it's not just sausage rolls and scotch eggs anymore.

After putting a staggering 219 snacks, dips and 'picky bits' to the test, the Good Housekeeping Institute has unveiled its definitive guide to the best supermarket buys for summer 2026 - just as Brits embrace the return of warmer weather and alfresco dining.

From truffle-topped charcuterie and garlic butter olives to bold, globally inspired crisps and even savoury twists on sweet pastries, this year's results show that the nation's love of 'picky teas' has reached delicious new heights.

Experts and consumer testers sampled everything blind - judging on appearance, aroma, texture and flavour - to find the standout stars for picnic blankets, park meet-ups and easy midweek grazing at home.

And while there's no shortage of inventive, flavour-packed options lining supermarket shelves, one retailer has come out on top for its impressive range of crowd-pleasing nibbles - proving that building the perfect picnic has never been easier (or tastier).

Callum Black, Deputy Head of Testing at the Good Housekeeping Institute, says: 'This year's results show just how much this food category has evolved. What was once a simple spread has become something far more exciting, with global flavours, premium ingredients and inventive twists on classics.

'Whether you're planning a picnic, hosting friends or just putting together an easy dinner, there are some brilliant options available this year at every price point.'

The great British picnic has had a gourmet glow-up and it's not just sausage rolls and scotch eggs anymore

Standout winners

Among the highest-scoring products this year:

Tesco Finest Garlic Butter Nocellara Olives (92/100) : the top-scoring product overall

: the top-scoring product overall Tesco Finest Prosciutto Crudo with Truffle (91/100) : a premium picnic showstopper

: a premium picnic showstopper Co-op BBQ Lamb Kofta & Tzatziki Crisps (90/100) : bold, flavour-packed sharing crisps

: bold, flavour-packed sharing crisps Tesco Finest Savoury Pastel de Nata (88/100) : a creative savoury twist on a classic

: a creative savoury twist on a classic Waitrose Chocolate Flapjack Mini Bites (88/100) : a simple but indulgent sweet treat

Supermarket Awards

Tesco was crowned Best Supermarket for Picnics in 2026, securing an impressive eight podium spots, including five category wins across key picnic staples such as falafel, dips, olives, charcuterie and picnic pastries.

Waitrose was named runner-up, with six podium finishes and two category wins, impressing judges with its meat-based pastry and sweet treats, alongside strong performances across multiple savoury categories.

Other retailers including Asda, Co-op, M&S, Sainsbury's and Morrisons also performed strongly, highlighting the breadth of high-quality options now available for summer grazing.

THE ULTIMATE PICNIC TASTE TEST: COMPLETE RESULTS

Falafel

WINNER

Tesco Sweet Potato Falafel

3 for 152g

86/100

If you're looking for a classic falafel, Tesco's own-brand version scored highly with the panel.

They're deliciously soft, with notes of cumin and coriander to liven up chickpeas and sweet potato. The Good Housekeeping team loved them stuffed into pitta with a dollop of yoghurt.

RUNNER-UP

Waitrose Sweet Potato Falafel

4 for 192g

83/100

If you're looking for a classic falafel, Tesco's own-brand version came in as the winner with the panel

Dips

WINNER

Tesco Finest Whipped Feta & Tabbouleh

3.25 for 230g

87/100

This full-flavoured yoghurt dip is packed with salty feta and vibrant mint, while the fresh tabbouleh topping gives everything a lift  the perfect companion for wraps or pitta served on a summery plate.

RUNNER-UP

Asda Garlic & Herb Houmous

1.40 for 200g

86/100

Sausage Roll

WINNER

Waitrose No.1 Harissa Sausage Roll

3.25 for 160g

85/100

Waitrose has reimagined a picnic classic with the help of warming harissa, and our testers loved it  giving it a 85/100 score and the title of 'Best Sausage Roll'.

The team noted that this Harissa Sausage Roll's generous filling made it feel 'artisanal', while the inclusion of parsley and coriander cuts through the richness.

The GHI team add: 'It's big enough to share, although we'd understand if you want to keep it all to yourself.'

RUNNER-UP

Morrisons The Best Shawarma Sausage Roll

2.30 for 160g

79/100

Waitrose has reimagined a picnic classic with the help of warming harissa, and our testers loved it  giving it a 85/100 score and the title of 'Best Sausage Roll' (stock image)

Veggie Sausage Rolls

WINNER

Tesco Finest Vintage Cheddar & Caramelised Onion Rolls

3 for 188g

77/100

Testers really enjoyed these vegetarian alternatives to sausage rolls  so much so that they kept going back for more.

The rolls combine caramelised onions with rich mature Cheddar and could be served hot with salad for a tasty midweek lunch.

JOINT RUNNER-UP

Abel & Cole Sundried Tomato & Cheese Rolls

11.35 for 350g

75/100

JOINT RUNNER-UP

Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll

1.45 for 100g

75/100

TAPAS

Best Veggie Hot Tapas

M&S Spanish Style Butter Beans

3.90 for 180g

83/100

Testers described this as 'the perfect tapas dish'. The legumes have a gorgeous creamy texture and are served in a rich, sweet tomato sauce.

Perfectly seasoned, it's a substantial small plate to serve alongside a bigger spread.

RUNNER-UP

Unearthed Spanish Spinach Omelette

3.25 for 250g

73/100

Best Meat Hot Tapas

Co-op Irresistible Chorizo Bites with Port Glaze

4.50 for 230g

83/100

If you thought port was just for Christmas, think again  here, fortified sweet wine creates a sweet, sticky glaze that perfectly complements the salty pork, say our expert panel.

RUNNER-UP

Waitrose Albondigas with Tomato Sauce

5 for 230g

81/100

Best Cold Tapas

Asda Bravas Chicken Pot

3.24 for 150g

85/100

Keep your cool this summer with this chilled small plate from Asda. The combination of lightly spiced tomato sauce and creamy aioli layered over tender, charred chicken  instead of the traditional potato  really works, say the GHI. Testers likened the flavour to a rich ragu.

RUNNER-UP

Tesco Finest Burrata with Semi-Dried Tomatoes

4.50 for 300g

84/100

Tesco Finest Prosciutto Crudo with Truffle has had a decent upgrade with the unmistakable addition of earthy truffle

Charcuterie

WINNER

Tesco Finest Prosciutto Crudo with Truffle

3 for 80g

91/100

Tesco's premium prosciutto has had a decent upgrade with the unmistakable addition of earthy truffle. It adds an indulgent touch to the nutty, sweet, cured meat, says the GHI team, elevating it to 'hero status in any picky tea spread'.

RUNNER-UP

Asda Exceptional Mediterranean Charcuterie Platter

5.56 for 200g

90/100

Olive Pots

WINNER

Tesco Finest Garlic Butter Nocellara Olives

3.75 for 120g

92/100

These olives come with a garlic butter pat to melt and stir through before serving.

RUNNER-UP

Waitrose No.1 French Petit Lucques Olives

4 for 110g

90/100

Tesco Finest Garlic Butter Nocellara Olives - they come with a garlic butter pat to melt and stir through before serving

Crisps

WINNER

Co-op BBQ Lamb Kofta & Tzatziki Crisps

1.70 for 150g

90/100

These limited-edition crisps were our experts' favourite sharing bag for the summer. The team noted that the thick, ridged crisps taste exactly like roasted lamb served alongside a creamy, garlicky dip. 'Serve these with a refreshing aperitif,' advise the GHI team. Cheers!

RUNNER-UP

Mr Filbert's Chorizo A La Sidra

4.50 for 125g

89/100

Co-op BBQ Lamb Kofta & Tzatziki limited-edition crisps were our experts' favourite sharing bag for the summer

Best Picnic Pastry

WINNER

Tesco Finest Savoury Pastel de Nata

4.50 for 400g

88/100

Named by the GHI as 'best picnic pastry' this year, the GHI were enamored by Tesco's revamp of Portugal's iconic pastry offering.

The traditionally sweet custard has been replaced with garlicky melted Chedder, encased with a buttery flaky case.

GHI testers loved this too, with one describing it as 'delicious and cheesy without being sickly'.

RUNNER-UP

Waitrose Coronation Chicken Quiche

3.75 for 400g

85/100

Tesco Finest Savoury Pastel de Nata was named by the GHI as 'best picnic pastry' this year

Salad Pots

WINNER

Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Caesar Pasta Salad

3.25 for 200g

84/100

The GHI's team of testers particularly enjoyed the combination of creamy chicken Caesar with al dente pasta alongside plenty of parmesan and a rich sauce.

JOINT RUNNER-UP

Asda Mediterranean Orzo Salad

200g

80/100

JOINT RUNNER-UP

Tesco Texan BBQ Potato & Bean Salad

2.45 for 270g

80/100

Waitrose elevates the classic flapjack by building on the buttery golden syrup flavour with a layer of sweet milk chocolate in their Chocolate Flapjack Mini Bites

Desserts & Sweet Treats

WINNER

Waitrose Chocolate Flapjack Mini Bites

4 for 300g

88/100

Waitrose elevates the classic flapjack by building on the buttery golden syrup flavour with a layer of sweet milk chocolate. 'Simple but delicious,' say the GHI's team of expert testers; 'they're the perfect bite-sized sweet treat to round off your picky tea.'

RUNNER-UP

Pots & Co Lemon & Lime Posset Twin Pack

3.95

81/100

The full taste test results can be found on the Good Housekeeping UK website.
Australians have revealed the signs you were a 'rich kid' growing up - from surf brands and fancy lunchbox items to modern tech features in your home.

One curious person prompted an amusing discussion after asking: 'What was the "rich kid" thing at your school growing up? Every school had one.'

Hundreds of nostalgic Aussies who grew up in the '80s, '90s and 2000s responded to the Reddit thread, reminiscing about the 'wealthy' things they remembered.

One of the top answers was 'rich' kids dressed in popular surf brands, including Billabong, Roxy, Rip Curl and Quiksilver.

'All the cool kids wore Rip Curl and Billabong T-shirts,' one shared.

'The rich kids were always dressed from head to toe in skate or surf brands in the early 2000s. This was the period when a lot of the clothes had bright colour combinations or huge labels across your bum,' another recalled.

'Girls wearing "Roxy" items like hoodies and backpacks. They also had Coke in the fridge all the time and often Fruit Roll Ups in their lunchboxes,' one added.

Those who grew up 'poor' revealed how they tried to save their pocket money just so they could buy a pencil case or backpack from a surf store.

Many suggested all the 'rich' kids wore surf brands like Billabong, Roxy and Rip Curl

'We were definitely not a surf brand "rich" family. I remember saving my pocket money for what felt like forever to get a Rip Curl pencil case for the start of year five. My mum thought it was ridiculous and said she'd cut the tag off and sew it onto my next pencil case,' one shared.

Others revealed their parents were only able to afford 'knock-offs' or cheaper alternative brands from budget retailers.

'I had a knock-off Billabong jumper that said "Bilabong" and I truly thought the other kids wouldn't notice, but they did immediately and I was ripped to shreds for it. I still wore that jumper to death though because it was f***ing cool as,' one revealed.

'I got torn to shreds by wearing Factory Seconds and hand me down surfwear. It was outrageous. That hand me down stuff was so sick though, early 90s pastel colour palette,' another recalled.

'A family friend of mine used to work at the Rip Curl factory, and would usually hook us up with free clothes, which was awesome growing up poor,' one shared.

'The povos like me in Hot Tuna or Piping Hot,' another said.

'I remember when my older cousin gave me a bag of hand me down clothes, and one of them was a pair of Billabong boardshorts.. They barely fit me, but you bet I squeezed my a** into them as long as I could. My folks certainly couldn't afford that kind of getup for me,' one added.

Many said any kid who got to go away on family trips during school holidays was considered 'rich'.

Anyone who had a fridge with a built-in water and ice dispenser were considered 'wealthy'

Many remembered their friends coming back from holidays with 'cool' braids from Bali or Fiji

'Kids who would actually go on holidays during school holidays. Definite rich kid move. If you stayed in a hotel (as opposed to a motel or caravan park) on those holidays you were basically Kerry Packer,' one explained.

'The kids going to Bali and coming back with braids,' one pointed out.

Another parent agreed, saying today's 'rich kids' are still showing up to school with braids after returning from tropical holiday hotspots like Fiji or Vanuatu.

'My son used to complain about why this kid was never around to play through school holidays. He was in Vanuatu, Japan, Fiji, Canada, Europe or Hong Kong. Meanwhile I was like, "We are going on holidays... down to Shoalhaven,' they said.

Other trips and activities mentioned on the holiday 'rich list' included Gold Coast theme parks, snow trips, or even places closer to home like Noosa or Hamilton Island.

Join the discussion What "rich kid" status symbols defined social groups at your school, and did they impact you growing up?

'Kids who go to Europe or North America for ski holidays for sure were rich kids,' one shared.

'Travelling interstate was pretty rich when I was a kid, especially if it was in a plane,' another revealed.

For 'rich' homes, many highlighted features like built-in fridge dispensers, inground pools, intercom systems, Foxtel movie packages, PlayStation, cable internet and corded phones in the bedroom.

'Foxtel. My parents bought the top package when that came out. I was the only kid in school with Foxtel,' one shared.

'Kids who had you over for dinner during the week and they had Viennetta ice cream cake just randomly on a Tuesday night,' another recalled.

'For me, it was a girl whose dad was a doctor, had a DVD player, a 38cm TV and a computer in their bedroom,' one added.

Many recalled any kid who showed up to school with a mobile phone or a new tech gadget was deemed 'rich' in their eyes

Other trips and activities mentioned on the holiday 'rich list' included Gold Coast theme parks, snow trips, or even places closer to home like Noosa or Hamilton Island

At school, many recalled any kid who showed up to school with expensive fashion labels, a mobile phone or a new tech gadget was deemed 'rich' in their eyes.

'Kid at school had the original 5GB iPod, which was absolutely insane tech back in the day. I was just chilling with my 128MB MP3 player which ran off AAA batteries,' one said.

'Air Jordans. They were a rich kid fad at my school until one kid got beaten up and mugged for his new ones. Most kids left theirs at home after that,' another recalled.

'I remember the rich kid in my year having a Nokia N-Gage. Only one I ever saw,' one revealed.

Other 'rich things' included a Country Road overnight bag used as a school bag, getting a brand new car for your 16th or 17th birthday and Tiffany & Co jewellery.
One of Australia's most recognisable animal experts has revealed the pet names that have truly stood out over the years - and not always for the right reasons.

According to celebrity vet Dr Chris Brown, who has seen thousands of animals over his career, some owners are getting increasingly creative - and occasionally outrageous - when it comes to naming their pets.

Among the most memorable was a dog named 'Woodja' - as in, 'would you stop doing that?'; a fish called 'Swim Shady'; and a Labrador called 'Elfa' - short for 'L for Labrador'.

Then there were the names that felt more like royal titles than everyday calls across the backyard.

'Prince Leopold I, II, and III,' Dr Brown recalled, referring a trio of pets with decidedly grand identities.

Others, however, were more chaotic.

'Butthead, Butthole, and Buttface,' he said, listing one particularly unforgettable set.

There was also a rooster named 'Cluck Norris', a cat called 'Chairman Meow', and a lineup of pets named after health trends: 'Goji, Cacao, Chia, Coconut, and Spirulina'.

Famous Bondi Vet Dr Chris Brown reveals 'bizarre' pet names he's encountered over the years

And perhaps most surprisingly of all - a pet named 'Satan'.

'Who was actually quite lovely,' Dr Brown added.

The list struck a chord with Australians, who were quick to share their own examples of creative - and questionable - pet naming.

One owner revealed they had a black Labrador named Taxi, purely for the joke.

'When we had guests over, we'd stand outside and yell "Taxi!" - and the dog would come running. Never failed to make people laugh.'

Another said they'd encountered a cat named 'Toast Malone' at the vet, while one family took a more thematic approach.

'We had a dog called Penny because she was copper-coloured. When she had puppies, we named them Nickel and Dime.'

Some leaned into wordplay.

Pop culture, food trends, and celebrity wordplay now all influence what ends up on the vet's clipboard

'My son's snake is called Hiss Hemsworth,' one wrote, while another admitted to owning a rooster named 'Mother Clucker'.

Others were a little more dramatic.

'My first cat was called Catastrophe,' a woman shared.

There has been a recent shift away from traditional names like 'Max' or 'Bella' towards something more distinctive and humorous.

Pop culture, food trends, and celebrity wordplay now all influence what ends up on the vet's clipboard.

And in an age of social media, where pets often have their own followings, a memorable name can be part of the appeal.

But while a clever name might get a laugh, vets say there's also a practical side to consider.

Names that are too long, too complicated or too similar to commands can make training more difficult - and may not hold up in more serious situations.

Still, as Dr Brown's list proves, that hasn't stopped Australians from pushing the boundaries.
A 'rare' 5p coin has been sold for 100 times its value thanks to a defect which was minted on it.

The 2012 design was snapped up for 5 on eBay and features Queen Elizabeth II on the front with a Royal Shield on the reverse.

It was deemed an unusual find due to an extra bit of metal being present on the shield, which the seller believes is the result of 'cracked dye being used' in production.

The coin was bought for 5, with a 1 postage fee, on Sunday, March 22.

It was listed as a 'rare', with the error thought to have made its value skyrocket.

A 'rare' 5p coin has been sold for 100 times its value thanks to a defect which was minted on it

The listing read: 'A Circulated, British, 2012, Elizabeth II, Minting Error, 5p Coin.

'The error is a small globule of metal on the reverse which I believe is the result of a cracked die being used.

'The coin is in circulated condition, as can be seen from the photographs.'

The coin, which features, Matthew Dent's Royal Shield of Arms design, was first introduced into circulation in 2008. The design also appears on coins up to the value of 50p.

When united, and carefully arranged in the correct order, the 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, 1p, make up the Royal Arms in its entirety.

While the find could make many Britons rummage around in their wallets, the final and rarest batch of Queen Elizabeth II 1 coins - which were minted the year she died and entered circulation in 2025 - are also worth keeping an eye on.

More than 23million Queen coins were released alongside 7.5million new King Charles III 1 coins.

The Royal Mint said the last of the Elizabeth II coins, dated 2022, are the rarest 1 coins in active circulation.

The dual release of almost 31million coins represents a significant moment for UK coinage, as the nation sees the changeover from Britain's longest-reigning monarch to her son, the Royal Mint said.

The Queen's 1 coins will be the final ones bearing Elizabeth II's portrait to enter circulation.

The Royal Mint is encouraging the public to check its change over the coming weeks, as the new coins begin to appear in pockets and tills across the nation.

Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: 'This release represents a pivotal moment in British coinage history.

'As we release more of the King Charles III 1 coins into circulation alongside the final coins of Queen Elizabeth II, we're witnessing the physical representation of our monarchy's transition.

'This dual release creates an exceptional opportunity for both seasoned numismatists and those new to coin collecting.'

She added: 'Finding these new coins in your change could spark a rewarding hobby that connects you with the heritage, history and craftsmanship behind British currency.'

Since the introduction of the King's likeness on coins in 2023, the 50p and 1 are the only denominations with Charles's portrait to have entered circulation so far.

The King's 1 coins feature an intricate bee design on the reverse and are part of the Definitive collection, inspired by the flora and fauna of the British Isles.

Some 2.975million 1 coins with Charles's image were released in August 2024.

In total, there are around 24.7billion coins in circulation across the UK, with the King's coins representing only around 0.004 per cent of those, making his new coins highly desirable to collectors.

All UK coins bearing the Queen's portrait will remain legal tender and in active circulation to allow a smooth transition and minimise the environmental impact and cost.
It's home to the world's greatest steeplechase, but the Grand National festival  which starts today  is now as big a draw for its fashion as the horse racing itself.

Known for ostentatious hats, vibrant dresses and thigh-skimming outfits, each year revellers dress to the nines as they parade down the Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, for the three-day event.

Glamorous racegoers even often include celebrities like British actress Helen Flanagan, WAG Coleen Rooney and TV personality Georgia Toffolo.

But despite being rich and famous, some stars still miss the mark when it comes to their race day style  and have ended up turning heads for all the wrong reasons.

Fashion faux pas from previous years include Love Island's Gabby Allen's off-the-shoulder cream dress adorned with ruffles which she wore in 2018.

Whilst the frock itself was stylish enough, the accessories were a stark contrast, with the content creator teaming the number with barely-there black heels and a matching hat, featuring a bright, in-your-face, orange bow.

Fashion faux pas from previous years include Love Island's Gabby Allen's (pictured) off-the-shoulder cream dress adorned with ruffles which she wore in 2018

In 2024, internet personality Chanelle McCleary (pictured) put on a very busty display as she left little to the imagination in a plunging black halterneck dress

A celebrity who went for equally eye-catching colours for her outfit that year was Helen Skelton, who donned a vibrant pink suit, teamed with a lace black top.

Similarly, in 2015, Coleen, who is a regular fixture at the races as a Liverpool native, commanded attention in a very bright orange lace mini dress, featuring cape detailing.

But it's not only harsh, vibrant shades that often fail to impress  other famous faces have previously relied on wearing daring ensembles for the races.

In 2024, internet personality Chanelle McCleary put on a very busty display as she left little to the imagination in a plunging black halterneck dress.

The year before, Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter put on a very leggy display in a sheer ruffled mini dress.

She swept a contrasting olive jacket with waterfall sleeves across her shoulders and gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of white pointed heels.

Jorgie, who plays Theresa McQueen in the Channel 4 soap opera, kept her essentials in a black handbag with a gold chain strap.

She styled her golden tresses loosely across her shoulders in a straight fashion and accessorised her look with a silver necklace. The bombshell accentuated her natural beauty with a glamorous make-up palette.

In 2015, Coleen Rooney (pictured), who is a regular fixture at the races as a Liverpool native, commanded attention in a very bright orange lace mini dress, featuring cape detailing.

Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter (pictured) put on a very leggy display in a sheer ruffled mini dress in 2023

Sarah Jayne Dunn, who kickstarted an OnlyFans career after leaving Hollyoaks, proudly flaunted her incredible pins in a dramatic pink frilled dress as she made a glamorous arrival for Ladies Day at Aintree in 2023

A celebrity who went for equally eye-catching colours for her outfit in 2018 was Helen Skelton (pictured with her ex husband Richie Myler), who donned a vibrant pink suit, teamed with a lace black top

Michelle Heaton donned a sailor-inspired jacket in 2016 as she attended the races

The Real Housewives of Cheshire star Tanya Bardsley thought that an all-pink ensemble was a good idea when she attended the races in 2022

Claire Sweeney wore an unusual green dress and matching hat for the races in 2022

Charlotte Dawson wore an overly ruffled jumpsuit for her appearance at Aintree in 2022

Love Island's Hannah Elizabeth wore a plunging suit for her outing at the 2024 Aintree Grand National Festival

Elsewhere, Sarah Jayne Dunn, who kickstarted an OnlyFans career after leaving Hollyoaks, proudly flaunted her incredible pins in a dramatic pink frilled dress as she made a glamorous arrival for Ladies Day at Aintree in 2023.

The former soap star turned heads in her eye-catching dress with an enormous bow embellishment as she headed to the races a day ahead of the much-anticipated Grand National race.

Sarah showed off her gym-toned physique in her plunging pink dress with an oversized bow, flowing into a pink frilled tulle skirt.

She accessorised her look with black platform heels and a matching clutch bag as she arrived for another day of racing action.

Ahead of the big race on Saturday, I Am Maximus heads the maximum field of 34 declared runners as he attempts to emulate Red Rum in Saturdays Randox Grand National.

No horse since Ginger McCains Aintree legend has won the worlds most famous steeplechase, lost the title and then regained it. Red Rum won in 1973 and 1974 and was second in 1975 and 1976 before bringing the house down with a third victory in 1977.

Actress Ellie Leach donned a look seemingly more suitable for a sunny beach holiday than the races when attending the Grand National in 2023

Sam Quek and Claudia Fogarty pictured at the 2024 Aintree Grand National Festival

Helen Flanagan pictured on Day Two of the 2022 Grand National meeting

Willie Mullinss I Am Maximus  who will be sporting cheekpieces for just the second time, the first being back in December 2022  won two years ago in the hands of Paul Townend and found only stablemate Nick Rockett too good in 2025 when aiming to be the first dual winner since Tiger Roll.

There were no withdrawals at the 72-hour declaration stage, although Jimmy Mangans Spillanes Tower is also declared to run in Thursdays Racing Welfare Bowl Chase. Should that be the case, Pied Piper, who is the first of six reserves, would be number 34 and line up as a sixth runner in the race for Gordon Elliott.

In the event of a non-runner, the deadline for reserves to make the final field is 1pm on Friday.
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

Considered one of the cleanest countries in the world, Taiwan has no shortage of innovative gadgets used to keep homes looking spick and span.

Social media users on platforms like TikTok and Instagram have been left in awe of these high-tech innovations used by locals to refresh and reset their living spaces every week.

One Taiwanese 'cleanfluencer' has racked up over 40,000 followers on TikTok by posting skit-style videos of her tidying up while acting out a variety of scenarios - including right after house guests leave.

The clip, which has over 260,000 views at the time of writing, shows the TikTok star - whose content has followers 'obsessed' - disinfecting delivery boxes before tackling the kitchen and bathroom with an array of delightfully effective and unusual products.

In the video, Lin (@lin001219) can be seen slipping her hands into rubber gloves from a wall-mounted dispenser and spraying her bathroom sink with a foaming cleaner.

She then uses an electric cleaning brush with rotating bristles that leaves the sink looking sparkling clean.

Lin picks a sponge mop with a roller that effortlessly squeezes out excess water and a 'zero waste' dissolving toilet brush with a disposable pad that can be flushed after use.

She also squeezes out a pink liquid that magically transforms into flower-shaped odour removers that stick to the surface of the bowl.

Then she brings out a multifunctional sofa cleaner, equipped with tools for stain removal, steaming, and vacuuming, as Lin uses the gadget on her cushions, curtains, and sofas.

One Taiwanese 'cleanfluencer' has racked up over 40,000 followers on TikTok by posting skit-style videos of her tidying up while acting out a variety of scenarios - including right after house guests leave

Lin picks a sponge mop with roller that effortlessly squeezes out excess water and a 'zero waste' dissolving toilet brush with a disposable pad that can be flushed after use

She brings out a multifunctional sofa cleaner, equipped with tools for stain removal. steaming, and vacuuming, as Lin uses the gadget on her cushions, curtains, and sofas

Other products include a blue ball of a jelly-like substance that easily picks up dust and crumbs as Lin rolls the blue-coloured jelly on the keyboard and her remote controls.

In the nearly six-minute-long video, Lin cleans surfaces big and small - from her kitchen sink and the wooden floors in her home to her hairbrushes, as 'obsessed' social media users declared 'my show is on'.

Videos of homeowners demonstrating nifty products in countries with an immaculate reputation for cleanliness - from Singapore to South Korea - are very popular on TikTok.

Japan, for instance, is seemingly at the forefront of clean-tech innovation, after a video on TikTok revealed some of the nation's most exciting products that also underscore a commitment to smart living.

In one such clip, a homeowner demonstrated her sophisticated cleaning ritual, with help from a wall-mounted laundry machine and a miniature home washer for smaller items.

Even shoes have their own special washing compartment, ensuring there is no need for them to be put into the same load of laundry as your clothes.

Dried with an electric machine that seeks to keep them fresh, these shoes are not bundled into a messy cupboard in the hallway or placed on a traditional shoe rack. Instead, they are kept in a specially heated drawer for maximum comfort.

Advanced incense machines are used to offer a sense of calm to the home, while the woman also uses a specialist toothbrush sanitiser that dispenses toothpaste at the click of a button.

The list of unusual home cleaning products do not stop there. Even in the kitchen, the woman is spotted arranging her eggs in a large egg drawers, while a vacuum sealer machine helps to keep her leftover food fresh with ease.

In the nearly six-minute long video, Lin cleans surfaces big and small - from her kitchen sink and the wooden floors in her home to her hairbrushes, as 'obsessed' social media users declared 'my show is on'

In a bid to avoid any supermarket fruit or veg from being unsanitary, she also places a vegetable washing machine/purifier into a bowl with her products.

And when it comes to keeping the bedroom clean  the innovative home owner uses a mattress cleaning vacuum and, for those who enjoy seeing the results, proudly shows the vast amount of rubbish collected afterwards.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, products like motion-activated rubbish bins, fridge organisers, and dehumidifiers are very popular.

Taking to TikTok earlier this year, Singaporean influencer demonstrated her using a handy 'winbot' from company ECOVACS - which she uses to clean her windows without tiring her arms out.

'It does the job for me,' she shared' 'I just place it on, press start and it automatically begins cleaning.

'It's not just for windows. I also use it on bathrooms, glass, large mirrors. It's small and compact, sprays evenly and even maps the cleaning route on its own!'

x
STOCKHOLM, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Skanska has signed a contract with an existing client to build a data center in Georgia, USA. The contract is worth USD 75M, about SEK 690M, which will be included in the US order bookings for the first quarter of 2026.

The project includes the construction of a 22,700 square-meter (244,090 square-foot) data center, associated site work, and underground utilities. The scope also includes a fitout of an administration space and five data halls.

Construction began in March 2026 and will be completed in the first quarter of 2028.

For further information please contact:

Ashley Jeffery, Head of Communications, USA Building, tel +1 813 459 3682

Andreas Joons, Press Officer, Skanska AB, tel +46 76 870 75 51

Direct line for media, tel +46 (0)10 448 88 99

This and previous releases can also be found at www.skanska.com.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/skanska/r/skanska-builds-data-center-in-georgia--usa--for-usd-75m--about-sek-690m,c4332401

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/95/4332401/4027819.pdf 20260409 US data center

SOURCE Skanska
Barely two weeks into my tenure as editor-in-chief of glossy magazine Marie Claire, the 30-odd members of staff had already given me a nickname.

I was known as Face The Front, thanks to my frequent reminders that they were there to work, not to sit with their desk chairs conspiratorially pulled together while they dissected the latest gossip.

Id come from being an editor on a Sunday newspaper, working 14-hour days. Suddenly, I was surrounded by young women who spent their time facing each other, and not their screens.

There would be endless trips to fetch lattes, followed by forensic chats about boyfriends in the fashion cupboard.

No one ever wanted to work late, or pick up the phone over the weekend. By contrast, over my 40-year career Ive only put on an out-of-office message once, on my 60th birthday.

Yet it seemed that in having the temerity to suggest they focus on what they were, you know, being paid for (rather than would-Arabella-get-a-second-date) I had committed a mortal sin.

I was reminded of my experience by the imminent release of the second Devil Wears Prada film, based on the thinly-veiled documentation of former fashion assistant Lauren Weisbergers time working at US Vogue under Anna Wintour, immortalised as Miranda Priestly by Meryl Streep.

Everyone pities Mirandas assistant Andy Sachs, Anne Hathaways put-upon character. But in my experience, when it comes to unreasonable behaviour, its the staff that have more to answer for than the bosses.

Liz Jones, pictured in 2000, was unimpressed with the attitudes of her younger colleagues in her Marie Claire days

The staff, who were 90 per cent female, all hated me  despite my best efforts to curry their favour, she writes

They say its lonely at the top. But this phrase doesnt truly encompass what its like to try and make a success of things when you know everyone under you is bitching about you, enjoying a kind of in the trenches camaraderie that you are permanently excluded from  despite working harder than the lot of them put together.

To be in charge of a magazine  or indeed any team or company  you must be tough, a perfectionist, prepared to ask for everything from rewrites to can someone please wash the coffee cups in the kitchen.

But to put it bluntly, the staff, who were 90 per cent female, all hated me  despite my best efforts to curry their favour.

Id gift them all my freebie handbags, catwalk outfits and beauty products. Id fight for pay rises for them with the big dogs. Yet I was never to be met with a thank you.

The young, single girls spent all their time gossiping, though the married women were worse: Theyd go grocery shopping at lunchtime, then sit surrounded by smelly food in carrier bags for the rest of the day, all the while barking instructions at their other halves on the phone.

Oh, and dont get me started on the mums. One fashion editor returned from maternity leave only to inform me she was already pregnant with a second.

When I exclaimed, Oh no, thats annoying! her reaction was as though Id made an anti-Semitic remark. Forgive me, I suppose, for dreading having to hire yet more cover for her.

The freelance writers were no better, despite my commissions paying their mortgages. Their cant-do attitudes drove me insane. One writer, when asked to interview a famous author, whined, But the books really long.

Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep, is the classic example of a 'nightmare' boss (pictured in The Devil Wears Prada 2 trailer)

Priestly with Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) and Nigel (Stanley Tucci) in the trailer for the sequel of 2006's The Devil Wears Prada

Another young woman, given the opportunity to cover the launch of an Armani campaign in Africa, told me: I just think my skins too fair for the southern hemisphere.

And the photographers! One, despite his 30,000 fee, only shot the cover star in black and white (not great for magazines) because he wasnt feeling colour.

Yet as the years passed, over long town-car drives around New York, Paris, Milan with my team I stupidly began to believe we had become friends. But of course, they were just buttering me up in the hope of career advancement. When I was sacked after four years, none of them kept in touch.

And I was good to them, honestly! I took countless promising young women on as my protegees. Yet one, whom I hired, trained, gave endless opportunities to and imparted wisdom to, decided shed rather run a B&B in the Lake District.

Another promptly got pregnant and moved to the South Coast. Few were willing, like I was, to sacrifice their personal life at the altar of professional success. Like Miranda Priestly, I was soon divorced, my husband tired of my long hours and always coming second.

Underlings may bleat: Well, no one asked you to work so late! Yet what staff fail to realise is that theres always someone above the boss, bean-counting upstairs. And just as they had to grudgingly answer to me, I had to prove myself to the big guys, juggling with legal, advertising and the sales team brandishing weekly statistics.

You try to shield staff from those worries, but perhaps I shouldnt have bothered. They never spared a thought for me. And I can guarantee that I had many more sleepless nights over work than they did.

So while cinema-goers will gleefully dissect Mirandas nightmare behaviour in the new film, Ill be far kinder in my assessment. After all, as you watch the likes of Andy, Emily and Nigel come together for their communal character assassination of their boss, ask yourself, who does the Devil confide in?
It looks like backlash is already building ahead of the Jeff Bezos-funded Met Gala that is set to take place on May 4.

Just steps away from the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 81st Street and Third Avenue on the Upper East Side, protest posters have been pasted on the boarded-up entrance of the now-closed Daona Deli.

The Amazon tycoon, 62, worth an estimated $224.2 billion, and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, 56, have footed most of the bill for the upcoming event.

The giant posters bear two very bold messages. The first showed what appeared to be a plastic water bottle filled with urine on a red carpet in front of flashing camera lights.

'The Bezos Met Gala,' the sign read. 'Brought to you by worker exploitation.'

A large, bright red poster next to it displayed an even more scathing message in bold white letters, reading, 'Boycott the Bezos Met Gala.'

Underneath, in smaller font, the poster shared a message that said: 'There's no dressing it up. Met Gala chair Jeff Bezos avoids tax, enables ICE, and backs Trump. Don't let him get away with it.'

It is not immediately clear who put the posters up.

It looks like backlash is already building ahead of the Jeff Bezos-funded Met Gala that is set to take place on May 4

Just steps away from the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 81st Street and Third Avenue on the Upper East Side, protest posters have been pasted on the boarded-up entrance of the now-closed Daona Deli

The Daily Mail reached out to the couple's representatives for comment as well as to Vogue, Amazon, and the Met itself.

The posters seem to be in reference to previous allegations against Bezos' company.

In 2023, three Amazon delivery drivers, including an Iraq War veteran, claimed in a lawsuit they were forced to urinate in bottles and defecate in dog waste bags to keep up with the company's demands.

The lawsuit accused Amazon of subjecting employees to 'inhumane' working conditions that saw them go to the bathroom inside delivery vans.

In response, Amazon spokesperson Sam Stephenson told The Denver Post: 'We want to make it clear that we encourage our Delivery Service Partners to support their drivers. That includes giving drivers the time they need for breaks in between stops, providing a list within the Amazon Delivery app of nearby restroom facilities and gas stations, and building in time on routes to use the restroom or take longer breaks.'

The case has been stayed.

Bezos and Sanchez's involvement in this year's Met Gala comes after they were named as Honorary Co-Chairs of the event, which sees tons of A-list stars from the Kardashians to Rihanna and even Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton.

Bezos and Sanchez's involvement in this year's Met Gala comes after they were named as Honorary Co-Chairs of the event

This year's gala marks the first in Wintour's new role as Vogue's global creative director and chief content officer for Conde Nast, with Chloe Malle taking over as head of editorial content for US Vogue

This year's dress code is 'fashion is art,' which will serve as a more specific baseline for guests against the gala's overall theme of 'costume art.'

The star-studded guest list includes members of the host committee, such as Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Misty Copeland, Lena Dunham, Angela Bassett, Sam Smith and Chase Sui Wonders.

The New York City museum will pair historical and contemporary garments from the Costume Institute for the exhibition, which will be loosely divided into three categories: the classical body and the nude body, aging bodies and pregnant bodies, and the anatomical body.

In November, Anna Wintour responded to criticism surrounding the couple's role as sponsors in an interview with CNN, telling the outlet that Sanchez is a 'great lover of costume and obviously of fashion.'

She said that she believes that Sanchez would be a 'wonderful asset to the museum and the event.'

'We're very grateful for her incredible generosity,' Wintour continued. 'So we're thrilled she's part of the night.'

The decision came months after Sanchez appeared on the cover of Vogue's June 2025 digital issue, which was all about her lavish Venetian wedding to the Amazon tycoon.

The magazine spread featured behind-the-scenes photos of her wedding and dress fitting, designed by Dolce & Gabbana.

This year's gala marks the first in Wintour's new role as Vogue's global creative director and chief content officer for Conde Nast, with Chloe Malle taking over as head of editorial content for US Vogue.

Malle's parents are actress Candice Bergen and French filmmaker Louis Malle.

Since joining the magazine in 2011, Malle has co-hosted Vogue's weekly fashion and culture podcast, strengthened its newsletters and expanded its wedding coverage.
Of all the skin issues that come with ageing (fine lines, sagging skin, hyperpigmentation, the list goes on) I didnt think my eyelids would become one of my top concerns.

But when I reached my mid-40s, I began to notice how the shape of my eyes seemed to have changed.

Indeed, it was my eyelids that were noticeably more hooded, crepey and downturned at the outer corners. In short, I look constantly tired and I cant even blame my children now that theyre sleeping through the night.

Its a problem that no amount of eye cream has been able to fix. Believe me, as a beauty editor, Ive tried plenty.

In plastic surgery terms, the solution would be an upper blepharoplasty, which two doctors have told me Id be a good candidate for.

This kind of surgery, which many A-listers are rumoured to have had, involves removing excess loose skin from the eyelids, leaving the eye area tauter, lifted and smooth. But it also costs between 4,000 to 7,000.

That said, I really did want to do something about my eyes. Ideally a treatment thats less invasive and less expensive, too.

So when I heard about a new non-invasive ultrasound tweakment called Sofwave, which promises to lift the upper eyelids by up to 4mm, I was intrigued.

Eight weeks after her treatment, Bethan King looked less tired, the fine lines around her eyes were less pronounced, and the whole area was tighter

By the time Bethan (pictured before the treatment) reached her mid-40s, she began to notice how the shape of her eyes seemed to have changed

The best part? It can be done in your lunch break as the procedure takes an hour, there are no needles or scalpels involved, and thus theres no downtime.

Not to mention at 1,200 a session, its around a quarter of the price of an upper blepharoplasty.

Sofwave uses ultrasound technology to heat the middle layers of the skin, which causes a controlled trauma triggering the bodys natural healing response.

'This stimulates collagen and elastin production, tightening and firming the skin around your eyes and brows, which in turn can lift your eyelids, Dr Sindhu Siddiqi, founder of the No Filter Clinic in London, explains.

She says most patients get a good outcome with either one or two sessions, and while it is possible to see results in a few weeks in some cases, the best results are seen a few months after the procedure.

However, Dr Siddiqi is quick to manage my expectations  I wont get the dramatic lifting results similar to that of a blepharoplasty because excess or saggy skin isnt being removed, its being tightened.

Unlike plastic surgery, most patients require Sofwave to be repeated every year. While results can last a couple of years, most patients require an annual top-up session for optimum results.

So I went along to Dr Siddiqis London clinic to find out for myself. Pre-procedure, my eyelids were measured  20mm from the outer corner of my eye socket to the tail of my eyebrow. Next, a good layer of numbing cream was applied around the eye area. The Sofwave machine heats the mid-dermis to between 60 and 70 degrees, which can cause discomfort, so numbing cream is essential.

Forty minutes later, by then unable to feel the top half of my face, the treatment began. I had to wear special goggles to protect my eyes as the Sofwave machine  a hand-held ultrasound gadget  was passed around the eye area.

Every few seconds, it emitted a sharp blast of heat to targeted areas. Thankfully, a gust of cooling air followed to take the edge off the discomfort.

Despite the cooling air and numbing cream, the treatment wasnt comfortable, but it was bearable and the procedure itself only took 20 minutes.

Immediately afterwards I was disappointed that my face looked the same, with a small amount of redness that disappeared after an hour.

But Dr Siddiqi assured me that over the coming weeks and months, my skin in the mid-dermis layer would begin healing from the trauma response that Sofwave is designed to trigger, stimulating new collagen and elastin production, and delivering that all-important lift.

Once the numbing cream had worn off, I was amazed to discover I felt no pain or discomfort. I could carry on with my day  no need to don sunglasses on the school run.

Eight weeks later, I definitely looked less tired, the fine lines around my eyes were less pronounced, and the whole area was tighter. Two friends even asked me what eye cream I was using.

At the three-month mark, I went back to the clinic to have my eye area remeasured  I was stunned to learn the area from the tail of each eyebrow to the corner of my eye sockets measured just under 4mm higher on each side  meaning that my brows were nearly half a centimetre higher than before.

A subtle difference, but a noticeable one.

I am delighted. Although the results are a slow burner, if like me youd prefer to avoid going under the knife, its an effective option.
Australian shoppers are obsessed with new artisan butter

One of Australia's most prestigious dairy competitions has crowned a standout winner - but the product turning heads isn't your average supermarket staple.

At the 2026 Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Produce Show, held by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, artisan producer Alberto Borghi walked away with two of the top honours, beating hundreds of entries from across the country.

Borghi's brand, Del Bocia, claimed Champion Butter for its Australian Herb Butter, alongside a second major title for its Buffalo Cream Butter - placing it firmly among the nation's best.

The annual competition, which assessed around 600 exhibits in 2026, is widely regarded as a benchmark for excellence in Australian dairy, with products judged by a panel of leading industry experts.

But while the awards signal prestige, it's the price tag that's sparking conversation.

With slabs retailing for around $18, the butter sits well above standard supermarket options and can be purchased online or at select stockists like Boccaccio Cellars and La Manna & Sons.

Yet demand shows little sign of slowing, as shoppers increasingly embrace premium, small-batch products in place of everyday basics.

From there, what might seem like an unlikely luxury has become one of the most talked-about items in Australian kitchens.

Borghi's brand, Del Bocia, claimed Champion Butter for its Australian Herb Butter, alongside a second major title for its Buffalo Cream Butter - placing it firmly among the nation's best

At the 2026 Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Produce Show, artisan producer Alberto Borghi [pictured] walked away with two of the top honours

The butter Australians can't stop talking about

Despite the price tag, Del Bocia has quietly built a devoted following akin to fans of

'This butter is glorious,' one fan wrote.

'I have it on everything - I need a thick slather on sourdough every morning,' another said.

Others took it even further.

'I just eat spoonfuls of butter sometimes,' one confessed.

The reactions might sound excessive, but they reflect a broader shift in how Australians are approaching food - particularly staples.

Butter, once seen as a basic, has become something else entirely: a small luxury, a marker of taste.

Butter, once seen as a basic, has become something else entirely: a small luxury

From Italian farm to Australian tables

Behind the award-winning product is a story that feels as rich as the butter itself.

Borghi grew up in a small town near Venice, surrounded by alpine farms in the Dolomites, where he visited traditional producers of burro di malga - a style of butter known for its depth and purity.

After moving to Australia more than a decade ago - following a holiday that turned into a life-changing decision - he began experimenting in his home kitchen, driven by those childhood memories.

What began as small-scale experimentation has since evolved into a nationally recognised brand, now used in leading kitchens and stocked in select retailers across the country.

The award-winning herb butter alone took six months to perfect, blending native Australian ingredients like thyme, oregano, eucalyptus peppermint and cinnamon myrtle - a distinctly local twist on traditional European technique.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Cream Butter, which also claimed a champion title, is made from 100 per cent buffalo cream sourced in Victoria, giving it a richer, more velvety texture than standard dairy butter.

Why Australians are spending more on butter

In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, paying $18 for butter might seem excessive.

But for many Australians, it's part of a larger shift towards what could be called 'everyday indulgence'.

Instead of spending broadly, shoppers are increasingly choosing one or two standout items - something that elevates a simple meal into an experience.

A good butter, spread over fresh sourdough, can transform breakfast. Melted over vegetables, it can turn something basic into something memorable.

There's also a growing interest in provenance.

Consumers want to know where their food comes from, how it's made, and who made it. Products like Del Bocia tap directly into that desire, offering a story rooted in heritage, craft, and place.

Borghi grew up in a small town near Venice, surrounded by alpine farms in the Dolomites, where he visited traditional producers of burro di malga

The rise of the 'premium staple'

Butter is no longer just butter.

Across Australia, staples are being reimagined - from boutique olive oils to single-origin milk and small-batch bread - as consumers move away from purely functional shopping towards something more intentional.

In that landscape, products like Del Bocia stand out because they represent a return to slower processes and handmade techniques.

And as the reaction to Borghi's award-winning butter shows, that's something Australians are more than willing to pay for.
One of Australia's most popular Tim Tam flavours has quietly been discontinued and replaced with a nostalgic new twist.

Food giant Arnott's has confirmed that its Tim Tam Strawberries & Cream - a fan-favourite launched in 2025 - has been officially axed, making way for a new release inspired by another Aussie classic.

Tim Tams inspired by Iced VoVos are now available at Coles for $6.

The new flavour blends the signature chocolate coating and crunchy biscuit layers of a Tim Tam with the raspberry jam centre and coconut notes that made the Iced VoVo a lunchbox staple for generations.

According to the brand, the move is part of an ongoing push to combine nostalgia with innovation - a strategy that has seen recent flavour crossovers, including the viral Tim Tam inspired by Jatz.

'Tim Tam Strawberries & Cream was an extremely popular flavour ... but this new launch takes our collaboration with Coles to the next level,' an Arnott's spokesperson told the Daily Mail.

Francesca Reid, Global Marketing Lead for Tim Tam, added that the team is constantly responding to what fans want - while also trying to surprise them.

'A lamington Tim Tam has long been on the wish list, but we knew we could go one better,' she said.

Tim Tams inspired by Iced VoVos are now available exclusively at Coles for $6

The new flavour blends the signature chocolate coating and crunchy biscuit layers of a Tim Tam with the raspberry jam centre and coconut notes that made the Iced VoVo a lunchbox staple for generations

'This delivers a uniquely Australian twist on indulgence.'

Despite the quiet removal of Strawberries & Cream, many Australians are already embracing the new flavour - with early reactions leaning overwhelmingly positive.

'Yum, I need these,' one shopper wrote online.

'These look like heaven,' another added, while others immediately began debating the real test: whether they'd hold up in a Tim Tam Slam.

'But can you do a Tim Tam Slam with them?' one asked.

Some even called for the flavour to go global.

'Please bring these to the UK,' one fan wrote.

Still, not everyone is convinced.

Food giant Arnott's has confirmed that its Tim Tam Strawberries & Cream - a fan-favourite launched in 2025 - has been officially axed

With its raspberry and cream profile, some pointed out the new release may feel similar to the flavour it replaces - raising questions about whether it's a true reinvention or simply a nostalgic rebrand.

The launch taps into a broader shift in Australia's snack culture, where brands are increasingly leaning on nostalgia to drive excitement.

From retro biscuit revivals to unexpected flavour mashups, supermarkets have become a space where familiarity and novelty collide - offering shoppers a small moment of joy in an otherwise routine grocery shop.

For example, another popular snack many Australians grew up eating is making a long-awaited comeback - more than a decade after it quietly disappeared from supermarket shelves.

The Crispy Potato flavour of Ritz In A Biskit has returned to stores across the country after being discontinued in 2015, bringing back a fan favourite that was once a staple of lunchboxes and after-school snacking.

The entire In A Biskit range was pulled from shelves more than 10 years ago, leaving many Australians disappointed when the cult biscuits vanished.

Now, the beloved Crispy Potato variety is finally joining the comeback - alongside an entirely new flavour inspired by Korean sweet and spicy seasoning.
Rick Stein has singled out a small-town Aussie bakery as a surprise favourite takeaway spot.

The celebrity chef shared the unexpected coastal NSW recommendation in a recent Instagram post.

The British food icon posted a picture of himself down the road from his famed namesake restaurant at Bannisters in Port Stephens.

The photo shows Rick proudly holding a classic Aussie sausage roll, loaded with tomato sauce in one hand and a soft drink can in the other.

'There's an Aussie bakery in Soldiers Point near our restaurant called Bakers La Vie,' Rick said.

'I'm loving their sausage rolls with sauce - and it has to be a Solo lemon squash to go with them,' he added.

After sharing his delight for the humble bakery staple, Rick explained that his Australian-born wife Sarah had instructed him that there's only one truly acceptable condiment: good old-fashioned tomato sauce.

'Sauce, my wife [Sarah] tells me, is what you order with a pie or a sausage roll - you don't need to say what sauce it is, it's tomato.'

Rick Stein shared a recent picture of himself enjoying a sausage roll covered in tomato sauce from Bakers La Vie, a small-town bakery in Salamander Bay

The celebrity chef was impressed by the humble bakery, which is located a three-minute drive from Rick's restaurant located inside coastal escape Bannisters in Port Stephens

Bakers La Vie is a tiny bakery located on Soldiers Point in Salamander Bay - just a three-minute drive from Rick's restaurant located inside coastal escape Bannisters in Port Stephens.

The unassuming bakery serves all the usual suspects: meat pies, sausage rolls, sandwiches and banh mi.

They also offer an array of sweet treats like cakes, pastries, donuts and cupcakes.

The small shop on Salamander Bay's main strip enjoys an impressive 4.5-star Google review rating.

Although celebrity chef Rick was enamoured with their classic sausage rolls, recent online reviews frequently highlighted the banh mi sandwiches as a standout.

One woman shared that she and her husband had tried the Vietnamese baguettes on several occasions, and that 'each and every time it was perfection'.

'My husband rated it the best he has ever had,' she added. 'Highly recommend it.'

Another five-star review called the store a 'bustling bakery' selling 'beautiful banh mi'.

The small shop on Salamander Bay's main strip enjoys an impressive 4.5-star Google review rating - with their banh mi often cited as a standout

Bakers La Vie's meat pies were also recommended by regular customers

'Delicious fresh sandwiches and banh mi rolls and super friendly and efficient service!' read another review.

The bakery's meat pies also earned plenty of positive reviews, with one woman exclaiming that they were 'nice and hot' with 'a good amount of filling of chunky beef'.

Several sweet treats were also singled out for praise.

One enthusiastic review declared there was some 'kind of magic' in the bakery's custard tarts: 'The crust? Flaky and buttery, like it was handcrafted by pastry angels. The custard? So smooth and creamy, I'm convinced it whispered sweet nothings to my taste buds.'

Another customer was blown away by the bakery's lamingtons, which 'had a perfect softness', and their date scones, which they felt 'were the perfect mix of soft on the inside and perfect crusty texture on the outside'.

Rick's latest Instagram post about Bakers La Vie quickly racked up thousands of likes and hundreds of comments - many from locals already familiar with the takeaway shop.

'This bakery is top tier!' enthused one person.

'It sure is a great bakery,' another added.

An abundant selection of pastries is on offer in the bakery's pie warmer display cabinet

'It's our first stop on our way into Soldiers Point and our last on our way home! Love Bakers La Vie!' another replied.

'My fave bakery. Try the pink finger bun!' urged another.

Several replies suggested other items Rick should try on his next visit, with the banh mi and pies earning plenty of mentions.

One woman strongly recommended their chunky beef pepper pie, describing it as the 'perfect balance and not tight on the beef'.

However, many responses from Aussies were stunned that Rick would consider anything but tomato sauce to accompany a sausage roll.

'Yes Rick, you HAVE to get the sauce with sausage rolls,' read one comment.

'Sausage roll with sauce is the only way,' agreed another.

Others were simply impressed that the revered English chef had embraced such a laid-back Aussie takeaway favourite.

'Welcome to the Aussie sausage roll club!' one responded.

Another reply summed it up best, saying: 'You are really a proper Aussie now Rick!'
CNN stars sounded the alarm on Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's decision to rally with controversial streamer Hasan Piker this week.

Inside Politics' Dana Bash called attention to the progressive's past, problematic rhetoric about Israel on her program Wednesday.

She broached the subject with a segment that sought to define whether Democrats were really willing to embrace a someone who has defended Hamas en masse.

The network billed the predicament as perhaps being 'the limits of the Democratic Party's big tent.'

'"It doesn't matter if f**king rapes happened on October 7. Like, that doesn't change the dynamic for me,"' Bash read, quoting Piker's 2024 take on the the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

'The Palestinian resistance is not perfect,' Piker claimed at the time.

Bash also played a clip of Piker, 34, speaking at El-Sayed's Ann Arbor Rally on Tuesday. Piker, once on-stage, said he was proud of growing support for Palestine. He also complained about being called 'antisemitic' and a 'radical Islamist' in the past.

Bash saw the remarks as 'Piker attempting to airbrush his past statements.'

Inside Politics' Dana Bash called attention to far-left streamer Hasan Piker's past when it comes to the Palestine-Israel conflict on her porgram Wednesday

The segment came in response to Piker's appearance alongside Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed on Tuesday

Bash then accused Piker of 'excusing sexual violence by Hamas terrorists' after reading out his quote from a 2024 livestream.

'He also claims Hamas is, quote, "a thousand times better than Israel,"' Bash continued, reading another quote from the self-professed socialist.

'Hamas is a designated terror organization, not just by the US but by the EU [European Union], Canada, Australia, New Zealand, just to name a few,' Bash clarified.

She then played clip from one of Piker's reaction videos from 2019, where Piker proclaimed that 'America deserved 9/11' due to its operations overseas.

'F*ck it, I'm saying it,' Piker said at the time. 'Like, we totally brought it on ourselves, dude. Holy shit. We did. We f*ckin did!'

Piker eventually walked back those comments, calling them 'inappropriate'. He also clarified that he did not mean Americans deserved to die that day, Bash said.

She went on to point out how progressives such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Congressman Ro Khanna have appeared on Piker's streams in the past.

El-Sayed's primary opponents in Michigan, in contrast, have 'not only refused [to defend] Piker and his comments', but 'both condemn' them instead, she said.

Bash categorized a speech he gave as 'Piker attempting to airbrush his past statements'

'"It doesn't matter if f**king rapes happened on October 7th. Like, that doesn't change the dynamic for me,"' Bash read, quoting Piker's 2024 take on the the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the holocaust

A panel conversation with CNN Washington Bureau Chief David Challian and Semafor White House Correspondent Shelby Talcott immediately followed, where the former expressed surprise at what he saw as El-Sayed 'refusing to back down from his association with Piker'.

Instead, the director of the Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Services for Wayne County, Michigan, was 'embracing it,' he said.

'And I just think that that's a really interesting thing to have us watch, because the politics of Israel inside the Democratic party, especially in the state of Michigan, with a big Arab American population as we saw in the 2024 primary,' said Challian.

He ultimately framed the situation as 'a live wire inside the Democratic party.'

'Yeah,' Bash agreed. She flagged that Michigan was also the state where a Hezbollah-inspired terrorist rammed his truck into a synagogue where more than 100 children were present last month.

Bash then played a clip of Piker speaking to a CNN reporter in March. At the time, the streamer was in New York for that month's 'No Kings' protests.

'I've spent my entire professional media career and far beyond that, combating antisemitism,' Piker told CNN reporter Donie O'Sullivan on March 28. 'I've been doxed, swatted by neo-Nazis for my consistent advocacy against antisemitism.

A panel conversation with CNN Washington Bureau Chief David Challian and Semafor White House Correspondent Shelby Talcott immediately followed, where all expressed surprise at El-Sayed for associating with such a figure

'I just also happen to be an avowed anti-Zionist. I believe Zionism is a very racist ideology.'

Bash sought to 'fact-check' Piker's statement with a clip from US historian Deborah Lipstadt's interview with CNN earlier this year.

'Criticism of Israeli policy is not antisemitism,' Lipstadt told Bash during the January interview. 'But when you question the right of Jews to a national identity, when you question the existence of a Jewish state, you move beyond the political.'

Talcott, at this point, weighed in.

'I think he's sort of intentionally trying to get in the weeds here to maybe shift the spotlight away from some of his past comments. Which I think everyone can agree are unacceptable.'

She added: 'On the flip side, you have the same issue in the Republican Party, where you have fringe folks sort of trying to weasel their way into this "mainstream orbit." And there's a question with both parties of, what do we do with these folks?'

'Should we be going on their podcast? Should we be denouncing them?' she asked.

Bash agreed, before pointing to Piker's influence and how he has 'millions of followers.'

Piker told CNN last month that 'Zionism is a very racist ideology.' Bash pushed back during the segment

'I think what's even going to be more influential is the questions that are put to the politicians that choose to go on these platforms,' the anchor eventually concluded.

'They're also going to face the questions of whether or not they defend these statements in these views.'

The Daily Mail has approached El-Sayed's camp for comment. A former public health professor, he served as the director of the Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Services for Wayne County, Michigan for two years.

His primary opponents are Mallory McMorrow and Haley Stevens.
Joe Rogan called Donald Trump's military actions in Iran a distraction from the release of the Epstein files.

The podcast host, who has been critical of the war, was speaking to Arsenio Hall who claimed 'misdirection' efforts by US leaders were 'the story of American politics.'

Rogan agreed, citing Bill Clinton's 'bombing some other countries' during the Monica Lewinsky scandal and then said that Trump was doing something similar.

'Look, the Epstein Files comes out - we go to war with Iran. It's a good way to get people to stop talking about certain things,' Rogan said.

'You give them a new problem to think about,' added the host, who endorsed President Trump ahead of the 2024 election.

Rogan noted that they were also using the potential of going after journalists who leaked information regarding the recently rescued US airman as a distraction from the Epstein saga.

'That's a sick society,' Rogan concluded.

Rogan has filled his podcast with discussions of the war efforts in Iran of late and largely slammed Trump for abandoning his goals of being a peaceful President.

Joe Rogan called Donald Trump's military actions in Iran a distraction from the release of the Epstein files

It was the latest in a series of criticisms the comic - who endorsed Trump in 2024 - has made about the war

Last week, Rogan and fellow podcaster Theo Von both struggled over the war and were highly critical.

Rogan, 58, said toward the end, 'Im confused. I cant believe we went into this war. When we started bombing Iran, I was like, "This cant be true."'

Von, 46, responded by decrying Israel's invasion of Lebanon, which Trump said he supports during a primetime speech the day before.

'Its like, just f*cking stop it. What do you need?' a visibly frustrated Von asked.

Rogan replied: 'Well, theyre trying to, supposedly, theyre trying to stop the terrorists,' putting emphasis on the word 'supposedly'.

Von exclaimed: 'Thats crazy, though. Youre the f*cking terrorists! You know what Im saying?' The comic urged officials to reconsider their stance.

Earlier on, Rogan pointed out how the Iranian regime has a 'unique method of protecting their missiles from being bombed'. He said recent strikes were aimed at stomping out supplies kept 'deep underground.'

Von said he didn't think 'we're over there doing that for ourselves, though' - paving the way for Rogan to agree.

The comedian, who has previously criticized the war, was speaking to comic Arsenio Hall, who called 'misdirection' efforts by leaders 'the story of American politics'

Rogan has filled his podcast with discussions of the war efforts in Iran of late and largely slammed Trump for abandoning his goals of being a peaceful President

'It doesn't seem like it. Doesn't seem like it's in our best interest, you know,' Rogan said.

Von wondered what 'Israel holds over America that we do those things.'

Rogan replied, roughly a year and a half on from his Trump endorsement, 'Well, first of all, there's a lot of people that donated to the Trump campaign that have significant influence over him, and they're very, uh, beholden.'

The comic also observed: 'One thing, in the past, that leaders have used to cover up problems at home is a f*cking war.'

Earlier this month, Rogan told journalist Michael Shellenberger that Operation Epic Fury was not matching Trump's campaign rhetoric.

'It just seems so insane based on what he ran on,' Rogan said.

The president touted his ticket with JD Vance as 'pro-peace' and suggested opponent Kamala Harris would send Americans to war.

'I mean, this is why a lot of people feel betrayed, right? He ran on "No more wars, end these stupid, senseless wars," and then we have one that we can't even really clearly define why we did it.' Rogan added.

Shellenberger partially defended Trump by saying that he only promised 'no endless wars.'

Rogan quipped: 'Listen, man, they're all endless.'

He also echoed the likes of Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, suggesting that the war is mainly being fought on behalf of Israel, saying 'clearly, Israel wants this.'

'It just doesnt make any sense to me, unless were acting on someone elses interests  like particularly Israels interests,' he added.

In December, Rogan told comedian Shane Gillis any type of war 'would be a terrible idea'. The conversation occurred just before the US's invasion of Venezuela.

Last month, Rogan called Trump's military aspirations in Iran 'insane'. He said Trump supporters should 'feel betrayed' by the US' strikes. Trump campaigned on an 'America First' foreign policy.
MS NOW's Lawrence O'Donnell tore into Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth this week for saying, 'We leave no man behind' - calling the phrase outdated.

O'Donnell, 74, suggested the saying was sexist on Monday's episode of The Last Word.

Hegseth, 45, invoked the phrase during a White House press conference as he discussed the operation that saved two Air Force pilots stranded in Iran the weekend before.

'That is, of course, the old-school version of the idea back when only men flew American military planes,' O'Donnell said after a producer played back the clip.

The host went on to play another snippet from the same conference, where General Dan Caine, 57, used a spin on the same expression.

'We leave no one behind,' Caine said - phraseology O'Donnell billed as more modern.

'The general knows, unlike Pete Hegseth, that that could have been a woman they were trying to rescue - and it might be a woman the next time,' he said.

The anchor said that even Caine's version 'ignores the 120,000 prisoners of war held by German and Japanese forces in the Second World War for years who were left behind.'

Lawrence O'Donnell, 74, suggested the long-used military saying 'Leave no man behind' was sexist on Monday's episode of MS NOW's The Last Word

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth used the phrase while discussing the operation that saved two Air Force pilots that had been stranded in Iran over the weekend

The take was promptly mocked by conservatives on social media.

Elsewhere in the episode, O'Donnell called Donald Trump's Easter threats to Iran 'evil.'

'This is evil. He has gone insane,' O'Donnell said after the president posted to Truth Social: 'Open the f***in' Strait you crazy b*****ds, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WACH! Praise be to Allah.'

O'Donnell added: 'Our president is not a Christian. There has never been the slightest evidence that Donald Trump is in any real sense a Christian. There is nothing religious about him.'

Last month, O'Donnell mocked Hegseth for his heavy restrictions on the Pentagon press corps.

'How does it feel to be one of the many people who are braver than Pete Hegseth, willing to actually face reporters questions? What does that feel like?' he asked fellow MS NOW host Jen Psaki - a former Joe Biden press secretary - on-air.

In December, O'Donnell described Hegseth, a former Fox News host, as the 'most incompetent and unqualified secretary of defense in history' and 'the only one who had to pledge to stop drinking in order to win Senate confirmation.'

At the time, O'Donnell took issue with Hegseth using the phrase 'fog of war' to defend a second strike on an alleged drug boat that killed survivors of a US-ordered airstrike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean on September 2.

O'Donnell's MS NOW colleague Mika Brzezinski recently criticized Hegseth as 'unqualified' and 'a joke' as well.

'I don't think photos are his problem. I think his actual qualifications for the job and his grotesque talk about death and destruction and the need to sound strong - it's total, like, I mean, you can take a bad picture of Pete Hegseth if you want, but it's what comes out of his mouth that's the problem,' she said of some of his press restrictions on Morning Joe last month.

'He's totally overcompensating for something that's missing in his life - or just not the right size. I don't know what,' she also said.

O'Donnell, meanwhile, is one of the President's biggest critics.

Trump posted to Truth Social early Sunday to tout 'WE GOT HIM,' in regard to the second airman rescued from the mountains of Iran after an Air Force plane was shot down on Friday. The first was found on the day of the crash.

Trump announced a temporary ceasefire agreement with Iran on Tuesday. The deal gives Tehran two weeks to offer ships safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway between Iran and Oman through which a fifth of the world's oil flows.
A veteran Michigan news anchor has filed a federal sex discrimination complaint against her ex-employer after being fired following nearly two decades of service.

Former Fox2 Detroit host Taryn Asher, 50, filed the official document with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) last month.

It alleged a pattern of sexism at the station said to have been in place since July of last year. Asher's been off the air since November.

Asher's attorneys said that the absence, at least initially, stemmed from a 'retaliatory' suspension.

She's since been fired, one of the lawyers, Matt Turner, told the Daily Mail on Thursday. Asher is looking to obtain a right-to-sue letter from the EEOC through the complaint, he said.

The filing alleged Asher was subject to gender discrimination over the course of several months from senior staffers, who were not named in the complaint.

'Asher served diligently as an employee of Fox2 Detroit ("Fox") for 18 years... Fox has an obligation not to discriminate against Ms. Asher based on her sex,' her attorneys wrote, adding that her male co-anchor, Roop Raj, was treated 'more favorably'.

They also claimed Asher's suspension stemmed from a 'baseless investigation' into their client's 'unprofessional conduct.'

Former Fox2 Detroit anchor Taryn Asher, 50, and co-anchor Roop Raj at the annual Detroit Auto Show in September 2022. Asher filed a federal complaint last month alleging she was fired for complaining about sexist treatment from senior staff

The treatment included 'providing Ms. Asher's male counterpart with a greater number of opportunities, more desirable assignments, and a more favorable and accommodating schedule,' her lawyers wrote. Pictured, coanchor Raj, reporter Rob Wolchek, and Asher in 2024

The probe was launched after Asher complained to Fox both verbally and in writing about what she saw as 'disparate treatment' from her bosses and 'unlawful sex-based discrimination.'

The treatment included 'providing Ms. Asher's male counterpart with a greater number of opportunities, more desirable assignments, and a more favorable and accommodating schedule,' her lawyers wrote.

'In response, Fox retaliated against Ms. Asher by further reducing her responsibilities in comparison to her male colleague, by erroneously accusing her of unprofessional conduct, and by subjecting Ms. Asher to a baseless "investigation".'

The 'indefinite' suspension that followed was 'discriminatory and retaliatory', according to the filing. Asher was fired in November, Turner said.

The Daily Mail approached Fox 2 for comment.

Turner and other attorneys wrote: 'Fox has a duty to not retaliate against Ms. Asher because of her reports of unlawful sex-based discrimination.'

Asher's co-anchor for the past several years has been Raj. She started with Fox 2 Detroit's news team back in 2007.

Asher is also currently going through a divorce from a fellow journalist, Jason Carr, whom she met during her first year at the Flint ABC affiliate. She made the revelation on Instagram back in February.

The Fox2 Detroit team together in 2023. Sport anchor Dan Miller is seen with (from left) Asher, Raj, and anchor-reporter Dave Spencer

Asher with husband Jason Carr, also a TV journalist. The two wed in 2006 and are in the process of finalizing their divorce

At the same time, Asher said she was 'working through an unexpected work-related matter.'

Turner told the Mail he and Asher are waiting for the federal agency to decide on the complaint, which he said will take at least 180 days.

'Ultimately, she would love to go back,' Turner told the Mail when asked whether Asher would return to the anchor desk. 'This was her dream job.'

'We tried our best to get her reinstated for months,' he added. 'They've left us no option other than to pursue litigation.'
MACAO, China, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hosted by the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the "2026 Macao International Environmental Cooperation Forum & Exhibition" (hereinafter referred to as the "2026MIECF") was held from 26 to 28 March at the Cotai Expo, The Venetian Macao. Over the threeday event, nearly 30 thematic activities were organised, with international exhibitors and participants registering a 20% increase compared to the previous year. During the event, more than 460 business matching sessions were conducted and over 60 cooperation agreements were signed, representing an increase of more than 30% yearonyear.

The MIECF is a professional exhibition certified by the "Global Association of the Exhibition Industry" (UFI) and, for the fifth consecutive year, has achieved "carbon neutrality" for the event. Themed "Lowcarbon, Zero Waste Cities: Embarking on a Global Collaboration", the 2026MIECF adopted an international and professional approach, organising a series of activities including forums, exhibitions, themed matching sessions, green exchanges and the Green Public Day, further strengthening Macao's role as a regional platform for green exchange and cooperation.

The event invited He Kebin, Professor of the School of Environment, and Dean of the Institute for Carbon Neutrality at Tsinghua University, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, to deliver a keynote speech. Four themed "Green Forum" sessions were held, focusing on topics including ecological civilisation development, waste management systems, green finance and regional environmental cooperation, sharing industry experience and constructive, forwardlooking development strategies.

The Green Showcase covered an exhibition area of 12,000 square metres and, adopting an industryoriented approach, was divided into three themed exhibition zones: the "Zerowaste Circular Economy Exhibition Zone", the "Green Mobility Zone" and the "Green and Lowcarbon Project Zone", showcasing over 500 green technology innovations and technical solutions.

During the event, four themed business matching sessions were arranged in the "Green Synergy Hub" to support enterprises in going global and exploring new business opportunities. Furthermore, four MacaoHengqin multivenue activities were also held during the exhibition, with community tours organised to help exhibitors and participants gain in-depth understanding of the local business environment and its potential for green industry development.

To extend the role of the event as a green platform, the final day of the exhibition was designated as the "Green Public Day", with technical visits arranged on the same day to promote the exchange of environmental technologies.

Media Contact:

Rafina Shi

(+86)13585815619

[email protected]

SOURCE 2026MIECF
Labour says it has delivered on its promise to 'cut red tape' on public charging point installations by simplifying the application process for devices to be installed at the roadside.

By removing this administrative burden for businesses, the cost of formalising requests to erect new EV chargers will drop from as much as 1,000 to as little as 45.

Ministers promise it will also accelerate the installation process, meaning new devices can be fitted in just days rather than waiting months while seeking approval from councils.

This will 'help to expand a reliable charging network for drivers across England,' the Department for Transport said.

The news comes as studies and car registration data suggests drivers are becoming more open to transitioning to electric vehicles.

Rocketing fuel prices - triggered by Iran's blocking of a major oil supply shipping route - has led to a fresh surge in searches for new and used EVs and a record number of new electric cars entering the road in March.

Labour has made legislative changes that will reduce the application cost for public charging point installations for operators from around 1,000 to as little as 45

The changes taking effect tomorrow (Friday 10 April) will come about as a result of amendments to the Traffic Management Permit Scheme [England] Regulations 2007.

The Government will remove the requirement for EV charging operators to undertake lengthy applications for 'section 50 licences' from local authorities, effectively speeding up the installation of new devices.

The hope is that it will unlock the expansion of the nation's public charging infrastructure, which - according to latest industry figures collated by Zapmap - stands at 118,000 chargers.

The Government has committed to increasing the network to 300,000 devices by 2030, with 600million in new funding announced last year to speed up the roll out.

Labour hopes the changes will help to unlock demand for EVs, which is said to be accelerating as a result of rising fuel prices triggered by the war in Iran

Minsters hope growth in the charging network will breed new confidence in EVs and make them more attractive to a wider demographic of drivers.

Currently, around nine in ten electric car owners have driveways or access to off-street parking, according to government figures.

This means the vast majority of motorists with EVs are charging them at home - where they too benefit from cheaper domestic energy prices.

But the government understands that more needs to be done to make EV ownership more appealing to those without dedicated parking facilities where the live.

This includes the millions of people living in flats and terraced houses in cities and larger towns.

On 27 February, a landmark court ruling at a first-tier tribunal ruled that a 5 per cent reduced VAT rate - which is currently levied on domestic charging costs - should also be applied to public EV charging, not the 20 per cent standard rate.

Despite the ruling, ministers are yet to announce if they will reduce taxation on public charging.

In recent weeks, the transition to EVs is said to have gathered pace with more drivers considering making the leap to a battery-powered car to evade surging fuel prices caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

According to the RAC, the average price of a litre of petrol is 158.03p - some 25p (19 per cent) more than it was on 28 February, when the US and Israel launched their first attack on Iran.

Diesel prices have rocketed even faster, up from 142.4p at the end of February to 191.1p-a-litre today. That's almost a 49p jump in just over a month.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Autotrader says that demand for new and used EVs on its website has increased by 28 per cent and 15 per cent respectively since the war broke out in late February.

On Wednesday, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) confirmed that 86,120 new EVs entered Britain's roads in March - the most in a single month since record began.

However, against a backdrop of increasing sales across all fuel types, EVs still only accounted for 22.6 per cent of registrations; well behind the Government's mandated target of 28 per cent for the year.

Heidi Alexander, secretary of state for transport, said: 'With global fuel price fluctuations, making the switch has never made more sense.'

Jarrod Birch, head of policy and public affairs at ChargeUK, said streamlining the process for charge point operators to apply for street works is a 'very positive move'.

However, he said there remains a lot more for government to do if it wants to 'fully back the businesses at the heart of the EV revolution'.

He told Daily Mail and This is Money: 'Addressing the full cost burden for charge point operators, which is largely driven by energy and standing charges, is critical.

'Tackling surging standing charges, equalising VAT with home charging and committing to stable policy through a robust ZEV [Zero Emission Vehicle] mandate are the highest priorities for the charging industry to invest even more quickly in infrastructure.'
When Raman Bhatia joined Starling Bank as chief executive two years ago, it signalled the digital bank was growing up.

After nine years under Anne Boden - who secured Starling's place in the banking industry - Bhatia's appointment showed the bank was focusing primarily on growth rather than solely on disruption.

Bhatia - a seasoned operator who previously headed up HSBC's digital bank before leading energy firm Ovo - says that while the bank is still in 'growth mode', the core DNA of the business as a 'disruptor' has not changed since his appointment.

While visiting its East London office, he told This is Money that he wants to pull Starling into the AI age as he continues to fend off stiff competition from Monzo and Revolut.

When Revolut secured its banking licence last month, some parts of the fintech industry were breathless with excitement that the UK-based bank could expand even further.

The tech giant was the last of the trio of digital banks that emerged in the mid-2010s to receive the licence, after Starling and Monzo. Even so, Revolut has dwarfed the competition in a tough landscape.

But Starling is pinning its hopes on its software business - which sells its proprietary tech to other banks - which could prove to be the bank's crown jewel and a way to crack the all-important US market.

Starling Bank has lagged behind rivals Monzo and Revolut with 4m customers

Competition for customers is harder than ever

The first wave of fintech disruption in the mid-2010s triggered a fundamental change in the way Britons bank.

The pioneers of that are now the victims of that success, though, as multi-banking - when people have more than one or two bank accounts - has become the standard, making it harder to retain customers.

While Revolut and Monzo have around 14million retail customers each, Starling has 4million.

Bhatia bats these headline figures away: 'It's not just a game of headline customer numbers, it's about average balance position with the customer, engagement with customers. I think we sit in that sweet spot.'

He also rules out relying on juicy switching offers that legacy banks rely on to beef up customer numbers. 'We don't want to do that. We attract customers through referrals, the experience we offer that's where we put our money, not in baits,' he says.

Instead, he hopes that a new AI tool, along with a suite of other products, will help to draw customers in and, crucially, retain them.

Starling claims its agentic AI 'assistant', which uses Google Gemini, will help manage customers' personal finances and share 'personalised financial insights'.

For example, a customer saving for a holiday can hand over the details - 'I need to save 1,000 by August for Las Vegas' for example - and the tool will set up saving pots or direct debits automatically.

It is perhaps inevitable as every sector, from software to wealth management, launches similar products to keep up with consumer demand and keep investors happy.

To Starling's credit, it is one of the first out of the starting blocks among the British banks to go headfirst into new tech, perhaps unsurprising given what a laggard the sector still is in terms of tech.

'We think as AI adoption progresses, the demand for this will come automatically,' says Bhatia.

'Over time, you imagine a world where moving money around becomes an agentic world that world is not too far from us.'

He admits that the AI push has not come from customer demand, but rather to set the standard across the industry. Where Starling goes, others follow, seems to be the message.

'We're taking the lead in defining this sort of experience [AI] is coming, not just in banking, but everywhere. We play a bigger role in actually setting up trust with this new technology overall.'

Bhatia insists it is about improving customer experience, but you get the sense it is as much about getting ahead of Monzo and Revolut, as well as the legacy banks, which still hold 95 per cent of market share.

Starling has launched an agentic AI tool as it fends off stiff competition from other challengers

Starling's Engine is its secret weapon

Retail customers are ultimately secondary to Starling's business banking division, which does most of the heavy lifting behind mortgages - it acquired specialist buy-to-let lender Fleet Mortgages in 2021.

Bhatia claims that Starling now has between nine and 10 per cent of the SME banking market share.

That's not to say it has not faced difficulties - last year, it reported a drop in profits after it was forced to set aside 28 million to cover potential compliance issues with Covid loans.

Ultimately though, Starling is pinning its hopes on its software business, Engine.

The digital platform that can be sold to prospective banks and is entirely separate from Starling's banking operations. It is a similar playbook used by Octopus Energy, which plans to spin off its software business, Kraken, having sold its software to other firms.

'The Engine thesis is 'Look what we've built with Starling using this [tech] stack and look what we're building on top of it,' says Bhatia.

'When we offer Engine to banks, they come and see Starling. It's not just tech, it's the entire operating model.'

Engine is still in its early stages, having launched in 2022, but it has secured 10-year deals with the likes of Salt Bank in Romania, which now has over a million accounts, and AMP Bank in Australia.

It makes commercial sense, as Engine approaches 100million annual recurring revenue, but there is plenty of room to grow with this model.

Last September, Octopus' Kraken announced annual revenue exceeded $500million, four times the amount reported three years ago, showing the scale of the opportunity.

It could help to shore up Starling's UK revenue too, as, like Octopus, it could sell its services to banks with clunkier tech.

'We're open-minded to it. It's on a case-by-case basis,' says Bhatia.

'Kraken is powering EDF and many other players in the UK, while Octopus is in the market.

'We're not averse to that, we're open to it depending on the client.'

Depending on what? 'We only pick clients where there's a clear commitment and vision behind the transformation.

'We're not just peddling software to anyone who comes through the door.'

Ultimately, though, it's a smart way for Starling to enter new markets. Engine can act as a trial run, working out pain points before fully committing.

That's no more evident than with Engine's push into North America, where it can capitalise on the fragmented banking landscape.

It is also another way to differentiate from Monzo and Revolut, which have separately struggled with the US market. Monzo is shutting down its US operations to focus on the UK and Europe, while Revolut is awaiting approval for its banking licence.

Engine already has a team in New York and has scored a deal with Tangerine Bank in Canada. Bhatia says he is 'open-minded' to launching Starling in the US.

The burning question is whether it opens the door to a listing - and whether that would be in Britain or the US.

'Right now, it's head down and focus on building that equity value story for the business.

'We're non-committal around timing and venue. We have surplus capital, so we don't need to list per se, but eventually we want to.'

Starling might be facing stiff competition in the UK from other challengers, but if it continues its strong run with Engine, it's potentially onto a winning formula and a different path to Monzo and Revolut.
Clean energy firm ITM Power has secured 86.5million in government backing, with state-owned GB Energy taking a stake in the electrolyser manufacturer.

Ed Miliband's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has handed hydrogen firm ITM Power a 46.5million grant.

GB Energy, Britain's state-owned clean energy company, has also invested 40million in ITM Power, equivalent to a 10.4 per cent stake in the firm.

Founded in 2000, ITM Power listed on Londons AIM market four years later. The firm designs and manufactures electrolysers to produce green hydrogen, a much-hyped renewable fuel, using electricity and water.

Milliband said: 'This investment is the Government's clean energy mission in action - rebuilding our energy security with clean homegrown power and good industrial jobs for South Yorkshire.'

The funding package is intended to help support the development of an automated production line for ITM Powers' Chronos electrolyser stack technology.

Backing: ITM Power has secured 86.5m in government backing, it said on Thursday

The Chronos manufacturing line is planned to be built in ITM Power's existing facilities in Sheffield, and is expected to be operational in 2028.

ITM Power shares rose 11.44 per cent or 7.37p to 71.77p on Thursday morning, having surged 150 per cent in the past year.

The company said the funding package would support the development of a new large-scale automated manufacturing line in Britain with an annual capacity of 1 GW for its 'next-generation# stack Chronos.

It said: 'With superior energy efficiency and substantially lower cost, Chronos will help us to further grow our market share, speed up the industrial adoption of hydrogen, and accelerate our growth and path to profitability.'

ITM Power now expects its year-end cash balance to be between 210million and 215million, up from 170million to 175million. The firm posted a 45million annual loss in August last year, despite posting a second year of record-breaking turnover.

Since getting into power, Labour has vowed to prioritise green over fossil fuel-based energy. But political parties such as Reform UK, have called for new oil and gas licences in the North Sea, particularly since the start of the war in Iran.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is awarding funding to projects under the Hydrogen Allocation Round programme, aimed at making Britain a clean-energy 'superpower'.

The government previously said GB Energy would receive 8.3billion worth of taxpayer funding over the five-year parliament.

Miliband said on Thursday: 'Communities have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs, and with these plans we answer that call, helping to create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job.

'Thanks to this government's commitment to clean energy, a generation of young people in our industrial heartlands can have well-paid secure jobs.'

He added: 'This has only happened thanks to months of intense collaboration between Great British Energy, our publicly owned energy company, the government and ITM Power. It is time to make and build things in Britain again, and with this Government's clean energy mission, we will.'

Dennis Schulz, chief executive of ITM Power, said clean power increasingly underpinned 'energy sovereignty and resilience'.
Resale platform Vinted has seen sales boom after expanding beyond second-hand clothes and into new markets.

The business said it made just under 1billion in sales last year - an increase of 38 per cent, as money-conscious consumers looked to buy used goods.

It credited the boost with an expansion into categories such as electronics and homeware, as well as expanding into more countries.

The total value of products sold on Vinted last year was 9.5billion - up 47 per cent from 2024.

But profit declined from 67million in 2024 to 54million, which the business said was a result of expanding into new categories and launching in new countries, including in Estonia and the US.

Vinted was founded in Lithuania in 2008 and has since grown into one of the world's most popular fashion re-sale platforms.

Although Vinted is best known as a fashion marketplace, it is also an app where users can now sell electronic gadgets, bedding and pet accessories.

The company was founded in 2008 when Justas Janauskas offered to create a website to help his friend Milda Mitkute clear her wardrobe before she moved house.

It became Lithuanias first unicorn in 2019 and is now backed by big names in venture capital such as Accel, Lightspeed and EQT. Rival Depop was recently bought by Ebay for 890million in the latest sign of consumer demand for second-hand items.

Vinted's roaring success comes as online giants such as ASOS and Boohoo are falling out of fashion with younger customers.

Vinted chief executive Thomas Plantenga suggested the business could see an uptick in transactions should the Iran war pile pressure onto consumers.

There have been concerns over energy bills and food prices following volatile oil prices amid the conflict in the Middle East.

Plantenga told news agency Reuters: What we do know is that Vinted is a very useful tool if people have less money and things become more expensive, to sell things and make some money and find good deals.

So it shouldn't be an environment that is going to hurt us a lot.

He also said the business is not considering a stock market listing in its short-term future.

The group was valued at 4.4billion in a share sale in October 2024.

But it was reported to be exploring a secondary share sale that would value it closer to 7billion, according to a Financial Times story in November.

Jonathan De Mello, a retail analyst at JDM Retail, said businesses like Vinted are growing exponentially amid squeezed middle-class wallets and a growing collective guilt over the mountain of polyester weve accumulated.

He said: Today, the real theatre of commerce happens under the duvet, soundtracked by the persistent ping of the Vinted app. We have become a nation of digital rag-and-bone men, obsessively haggling over a 4 Zara blouse as if it were a Ming vase.

There is a certain tragicomedy in the way we live now - printing out shipping labels at the local corner shop just to offload the impulse buys of yesteryear.

Retail analyst Richard Hyman also said the boom was a one-way ticket.

The second hand market could never be cool because it was second hand, and then some genius decided to change its name to pre-loved. That gave permission for people to actually celebrate and advertise the fact they had bought something that had been previously worn by somebody else, he added.
The boss of Hilton hotels group has warned Labour's plans for a 'holiday tax' will hit hospitality and tourism - as well as denting job opportunities for the young.

The Government is currently considering allowing local authorities in England to slap an extra nightly charge on paid-for accommodation, such as hotels, holiday parks, B&Bs and AirBnBs.

But Stephen Cassidy, the senior vice president for the groups 219 hotels in the UK and Ireland, has become the latest to caution that this would hurt economic growth and jobs for the young.

And he warned that it would make the UK an unattractive holiday destination for both Brits and potential international visitors.

Stephen Cassidy, the senior vice president for Hilton's 219 hotels in the UK and Ireland, has joined in with a chorus of concern over the visitor levy proposals.

His remarks echo those of other major holiday operators in the UK, who argue a levy will leave them with no choice but to increase prices.

A tax of 2 per person could add 112 to the bill for a family of four on a two-week summer holiday, UKHospitality previously warned.

This will force families to shorten holidays, look abroad or not go on holiday at all, hospitality bosses added.

UKHospitalitys campaign against the proposal has also been backed by IHG Hotels & Resorts, Parkdean Resorts, Travelodge and Whitbread.

In a LinkedIn post yesterday, Cassidy said that the tax should concern anyone with any interest in boosting economic growth, in tackling unprecedented levels of youth unemployment, and maintaining the appeal of the UK as a holiday destination for British families.

It comes as hotels have voiced concerns over increases to business rates and wages this month.

Cassidy added: The tax burden on the hospitality sector is already damaging and unfair. Government policies should help unlock hospitality and tourisms potential  not hold it back.

Critics of the so-called 'holiday tax' argue it will impact jobs, investment and hotel prices.

And he sounded the alarm over rising youth unemployment, which has hit 14.5 per cent among 18 to 24-year-olds.

At a time when close to one million young people are not in education, employment or training, reducing demand for tourism and hospitality risks reducing opportunity, Cassidy said.

Supporters of the proposal argue that a levy will help local authorities raise money for infrastructure projects and help communities that feel under pressure from high tourism levels.

But Allen Simpson, chief executive of UKHospitality, said a so-called holiday tax would decimate tourism.

He said: There are no winners from a holiday tax. From coastal communities and city centres to local guesthouses, pubs and taxi firms, the impacts are stark and indiscriminate. Taxes up, jobs lost and our high streets hit once again.

Holidays are for relaxing, not taxing. The Government should keep it that way and stop the holiday tax.

Simon Palethorpe, the chief executive of Haven Holidays, also told The Mail: Our guests spend money in local cafes, pubs, restaurants, taxi firms and attractions up and down the country. Fewer visitors means less spending in communities that really rely on it, and ultimately, less investment and fewer jobs, often in areas where employment opportunities are already limited.

We should be backing the hospitality sector, not putting barriers in its way. It's an engine for job creation and economic growth. It often gives young people their first experience of work, creates opportunities for people returning to the workforce, and offers genuine career paths.

And Tory business spokesman Andrew Griffith added: With hospitality and tourism already shedding jobs by the thousands the last thing Britain needs is a tourist task driving visitors away. Those most hurt will be the young and hard pressed families seeking a staycation.
BP shareholders have been urged to oust its chairman after just six months in the job as the oil giant is hit by a mounting backlash over its green credentials.

The Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF) is the latest group to call on the oil giants investors to vote against the re-election of Albert Manifold at the annual meeting this month.

The recommendation by the retirement fund body piles pressure on BP after influential advisory groups Glass Lewis and ISS also urged shareholders to oust Manifold.

Top-ten BP shareholder Legal & General Investment Management has already said it will vote against his re-election at the AGM on April 23.

The rebellion comes amid concerns over BPs retreat from renewables and renewed focus on oil and gas following a botched foray into green energy.

The LAPFF, whose members taken together would be equivalent to a top-five shareholder, noted BP was previously regarded as a leader among oil and gas majors on climate-change goals.

Under siege: BP chairman Albert Manifold (pictured) is under fire over the oil giant's move away from renewables and renewed focus on oil and gas

But it said BP has increased oil and gas production, reduced investment in transition businesses, and lowered its 2030 climate ambitions.

The LAPFF said it is concerned that this strategic reversal, undertaken without shareholder approval, risks long-term returns by weakening capital discipline and increasing exposure to transition risk.

The body, which represents funds with assets worth over 425billion, also said BPs plans for virtual-only AGMs and moves against climate-related reporting raises serious governance concerns.

LAPFF chairman Doug McMurdo said: BP appears to be dismantling climate accountability at precisely the moment when transition risks are accelerating.

'This is not responsible stewardship.

Manifold only became chairman in October, and Meg ONeill, BPs first female chief executive in 117 years, took over last week.

She has vowed to refocus on oil and gas after the companys ill-fated foray into renewables under previous bosses Bernard Looney and Murray Auchincloss.

BP said it has had extensive engagement with large investors and is focused on building a more valuable firm.

BP shares are up 36 per cent this year.
A top City law firm has been accused of having a 'seedy culture' with claims of sexual harassment and employees getting 'touchy-feely' with clients.

Some perpetrators at Kennedys Law are 'untouchable' thanks to a two-tier discipline system that appears to favour those in top positions, a source told the Daily Mail.

Senior partner John Bruce was forced to address 'allegations of both bullying and sexual harassment' to the company's global partners in an embarrassing virtual conference last month.

But an insider has now claimed that the 'long-standing' toxic work culture has recently spilled over from being between colleagues to involving clients.

They told of a social meetup two months ago, where drunken Kennedys employees are said to have got 'touchy feely' with some of their influential customers.

The source said: 'Tongues started wagging because quite a lot of alcohol was consumed at this gathering.

'Individuals started to become quite touchy-feely with clients who became very uncomfortable. They raised it there and then but then subsequently raised it after the party.'

This particular incident was referred to by Mr Bruce in the worldwide partner call, as he told colleagues they need to 'stamp out alcohol-themed get-togethers', after two clients reported problems.

Senior partner of Kennedys law firm, John Bruce (pictured), was forced to admit there were rising levels of 'allegations of both bullying and sexual harassment' at senior levels in the company in an embarrassing worldwide partner call

Similar problems are alleged to have arisen at another alcohol-fueled business meetup in Hong Kong last year as colleagues celebrated the office's 25th anniversary.

'Again, a lot of alcohol was drunk and other partners were feeling quite emboldened to behave in a certain way because of being intoxicated,' they said.

Another older senior partner was allegedly heard making sexual comments to colleagues about a younger employee in her 20s.

Mr Bruce was said to be 'spitting feathers' during the global call but asserted that he would 'now oversee the complaints process himself', RollOnFriday reported.

However, the Human Resources (HR) discipline at the company still leaves a lot to be desired, as the insider claimed 'we don't have competent people' dealing with allegations.

Some employees have been 'exited' in the past after complaints of their conduct were made to HR, though some allegations are 'swept under the rug', meaning some 'powerful' women have recently quit due to its alleged culture.

Part of the problem, they said, was that there are two tiers of partnership at the firm: Tier A and Tier B.

They continued: 'There are historic issues with other partners being swept under the rug because of this two-tier partnership.

'If you're Tier A and you're seen to be some kind of rainmaker, or someone who's valued by certain clients historically, then you're almost untouchable.

'They'll try and skirt around the issue or have a very discreet word with them and allow them to go on their way because we're a firm - we're trying to be profitable.'

Kennedys has its UK headquarters in the Walkie Talkie skyscraper in the city of London

The law industry has long been haunted by a culture of sexual misconduct and the source claims that the close ties Kennedys has with the insurance world make it a particular problem for them.

'The insurance sector, with brokers and agents in the Square Mile, is well documented [for sexual misconduct], going back to the 80s. And it's been very hard to let go of that culture,' they said.

Outside of Kennedys, there have been several high-profile sexual misconduct scandals in the law industry.

Former head of Baker McKenzie Gary Senior was fined 55,000 in 2020 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for attempting to drunkenly kiss a junior colleague.

Regulators struggle to enforce sexual misconduct claims however, as Freshfields partner Ryan Beckwith overturned a 35,000 fine and a 200,000 court costs order after allegations he had sex with a junior lawyer while drunk.

The High Court ruled this was 'consensual' sexual activity with a colleague and warned against the regulation of private lives.

The source added: 'When the conduct and behaviours start to seep out of the four walls of the firm, then we've got an issue, because we are then exposing ourselves to lots of work, claims, reputational harm, and this now has to stop.'

Mr Bruce told the Daily Mail: 'I cannot comment on unknown and unspecified allegations. What I can say is that our firm has a zero-tolerance approach in addressing behaviour that falls short of the high standards we expect from our people.

'This applies to all Kennedys personnel, irrespective of seniority and regardless of partner status. Kennedys is focused on maintaining a respectful and high-performing culture across the firm, with clear expectations around behaviour and accountability from all our 341 partners and 3,000 staff.

'Like most large organisations, disappointingly issues can arise. Where standards fall short, I am personally committed to addressing them head on as I did with our global partnership.

'Any concerns are addressed through the firms established governance and disciplinary processes and I am confident our processes are robust and operate as they should.

'As a key part of that commitment, in September 2024 we launched our Speak Up reporting channel allowing any member of staff to report any concerns anonymously and confidentially.'

Kennedys is part of an elite group of insurance law practices in the City of London, with 13 offices across the UK and 33 more in 20 countries. It employs nearly 3,000 people, with 363 partners.

The firm is one of the 25 highest earning law firms in the country - pulling in 428million in revenue between 2024 and 2025, a 13 per cent growth on the year before.
Commonwealth Bank has gone allin on the Silicon Valley of India, locking in a sprawling ninefloor office lease with a capacity of up to 8000 staff.

But unions warn the move highlights the bank's accelerating and aggressive shift offshore after years of Australian job cuts.

Australia's biggest bank secured the vast footprint at Manyata Tech Park in north Bengaluru, home to global heavyweights IBM, Microsoft, Nvidia, RollsRoyce and fellow Australian banking giant ANZ.

Set across 300 acres, the campus is among Indias elite tech precincts, employing more than 150,000 people and luring global firms with Bengalurus vast talent pool.

Embassy REIT announced in 2024 the lease covered 1.4million square feet, including expansion options, in what it described as its largest builttosuit deal for a global banking client.

However a CBA spokesman said its occupied area was closer to 800,000 square feet, adding the lease should not be seen as an indication of 'major changes' to the bank's workforce.

'We announced in August 2024 that we had committed to occupy an office space at a new development within Embassy Manyata, the same business park in North Bengaluru, India, where our existing team has been based since 2020,' he said.

'The dedicated CBA space is not as large as suggested on social media.'

Commonwealth Bank of Australia chief executive Matt Comyn (pictured) has led his bank on a hiring spree in India with more than 60 roles currently advertised at the tech park

Manyata Tech Park (pictured) is already home to global heavyweights such as IBM, Microsoft, Nvidia, RollsRoyce and fellow Australian banking giant ANZ

India Plus, a social media account reporting on the country's technology and economy, tweeted the CBA had leased 1.1 million square feet of office space in the Silicon Valley of India

The spokesperson said teams are expected to move into the new office space in 2027, but declined to say how many staff will ultimately be based there.

Finance Sector Union (FSU) national secretary Julia Angrisano said she was 'deeply concerned' by the news, highlighting that in the past financial year alone, CBA India's headcount increased to 6,788  a 138 per cent rise since 2022.

She said the lease is further evidence of the bank's plans to expand its CBA India offices at the expense of Australian workers, who have suffered significant job cuts due to offshoring over the past five years.

'CBA is one of the most profitable companies in Australia, yet they continue to burn their social licence by treating Australian workers like mugs,' she said.

'Instead of offshoring jobs overseas for cheaper labour and bigger profits, CBA must invest in local jobs by providing upskilling opportunities and allowing workers to grow into the jobs of the future.

'We call on CBA to come clean about why this new Indian office is necessary in the absence of any offshoring agenda, and explain how it intends to rebuild trust with employees.'

The expansion comes amid major restructuring across Australia's banking sector, with thousands of jobs being shed as lenders increasingly turn to AI automation, offshoring and business consolidation to cut costs.

Last year, 45 CBA workers were made redundant after training chatbot systems that ultimately replaced their roles.

Join the discussion Is it fair for big Australian companies to shift jobs overseas while cutting local staff?

Commonwealth Bank cut around 300 jobs earlier this year, most within its technology division, just weeks after posting a record halfyear profit of more than $5billion

In February, Commonwealth Bank cut around 300 jobs, most within its technology division, just weeks after posting a record halfyear profit of more than $5billion.

The bank has also been on a hiring spree in India, with more than 60 roles currently advertised at the tech park, spanning AI, software engineering and advanced analytics.

A recent FSU survey of CBA members found that 72 per cent were concerned about their ongoing job security, with AI and offshoring being the main drivers. More than half of respondents said they had considered leaving CBA in the past year.

Ms Angrisano said it was not the first time CBA's offshoring agenda has been exposed.

Last year, CBA announced 283 redundancies across its technology and retail banking services teams, while simultaneously advertising a significant number of near-identical roles in India.
A pensioner murdered her film director sister in her own home and took her Rolex watch before leaving her body to rot, a court heard.

Nancy Pexton, who turns 70 on Friday, is accused of stabbing to death Jennifer Abbott Dauward after turning up at her flat.

Prosecutors said Pexton stabbed her sister multiple times, then left the house with the Rolex, and called her doctor saying she had taken an overdose. Ms Abbott was never seen alive again.

Pexton was arrested in hospital just over a week later, five days after Ms Abbott's lifeless body had been found by a concerned relative, and the victim's beloved dog Prince was discovered locked in a bathroom.

Pexton denies murder, and said she was only visiting Ms Abbott to get hold of pills to help with her depression, suggesting a local drug dealer may have been responsible for the murder.

Opening the trial at the Old Bailey on Thursday, prosecutor WIlliam Boyce KC told jurors how homeless Pexton called her sister and spoke on the phone for just over 15 minutes, shortly after 11.30am on June 10 last year.

She arrived at Ms Abbott's flat in Mornington Place, Camden, north London, shortly before 1pm, and left around an hour later, when she called her GP saying she felt suicidial, the court heard.

Pexton said she had a blackout about what happened earlier, jurors were told, but later gave a full account, and denied assaulting her sister.

Nancy Pexton (left) with sister Jennifer Abbott in a photo taken in the USA, shared on social media

He said: 'The prosecution say that the defendant murdered her sister, Jennifer Abbott, on 10 June 2025.

'They spoke by phone that morning, before the defendant then travelled to her sister's flat by bus.

'The murder took place in that time.

'The defendant then left the flat and called her - Ms Pexton's - GP, saying she had taken an overdose.

'She was taken to hospital and stayed there until her arrest.

'She said she could not remember what happened in the previous 90 minutes.'

Ms Abbott, also known as Sarah Steinberg, was found three days later, covered by a sheet, with significant injuries to the upper half of her body.

The prosecutor said: 'It was obvious very quickly that Ms Abbott was dead. She was lying primarily face up, but slightly on her right side.

Ms Abbott with pet dog Prince who had been shut in a bathroom, the court was told

'Her head pointed towards the window and her feet pointed towards the door of the room leading into the hallway.

'Her right arm was extended under the coffee table, between which and the sofa she lay, and her left arm was across her body. She appeared to be wearing only her knickers.'

There is no evidence Ms Abbott was sexually abused, although there was duct tape over her mouth, the court heard.

Mr Boyce said Ms Abbott ordinarily wore a bracelet and a gold Rolex watch, which had diamonds in place of roman numerals.

Ms Abbott was so attached to the timepiece that she would often keep it on even while washing, the court heard.

But the Rolex, which had significant sentimental value, was not discovered on her dead body, and was instead later found among her younger sister's possessions.

Mr Boyce said: 'Ms Abbott was wearing the bracelet, but the Rolex watch was missing.

'As you will hear, when police went to hospital and spoke to the defendant they searched her property and in one of her bags was her sister's watch  the watch she never took off, the watch to which she was greatly attached.'

The court heard Pexton told police her sister 'asked me to look after it'.

Ms Abbott was 69 at the time of her death, and was nine months older than Pexton.

Mr Boyce said Ms Abbott was not in good health, and described as 'frail and inactive', although she regularly walked her dog, a large Corgi.

Mr Boyce told jurors the 'traumatic nature' of Ms Abbott's death proves her assailant intended to kill the victim or cause her really serious harm.

He said: 'You may think that the circumstances are such that there can be no sensible argument that she was anything other than unlawfully killed, that there was no legal justification or excuse for the killing, she was not killed in self-defence for example.

'In short, say the prosecution, for sure Jennifer Abbott was murdered.

'The central issue in the case is whether the defendant was responsible for the murder, or did someone else, after the defendant had come along, kill?

'The prosecution say you can be sure that Nancy Pexton did kill her sister.'

The court heard Pexton arrived at her sister's one-bedroom flat carrying some KFC fast food and diet coke, and left roughly an hour later.

She then called her GP, making allegations about her family members and saying she felt suicidal.

Prosecutor Mr Boyce said the doctor's surgery flagged concerns with emergency services, who called Pexton.

Pexton is then said to have told the 999 call handler: 'I've been abused by my family...I don't want to report anything please, please because they're very powerful, my family they will kill me if I tell anything about them and I took what was I saying?'

She added: 'Last hour and a half I blacked out, I dont know what I've done.'

The court heard Pexton told police she hugged her sister while the latter suffered a nosebleed.

This, she said, was the reason Ms Abbott's blood was later discovered on her clothing - although a forensic scientist said it was more likely as a result of stabbing her sister multiple times.

She also said her sister claimed someone living in the same block of flats was due to turn up later to sell cannabis.

While in hospital, Pexton asked one of her two adult daughters to take her clothes - said to have been covered in blood - and either wash them or dispose of them, the court heard.

Pexton, appearing at the Old Bailey via video link and wearing a grey top with her long brown hair untied, denies murder.

Ms Abbott's directoral credits include War of the Gods, a documentary about religion and power.

The trial continues.
Australia's fuel security could unravel within weeks, a defence expert has warned.

If a global bidding war erupts over dwindling supplies, guarantees from key Asian suppliers are set to go out the window.

The warning comes even as Energy Minister Chris Bowen set out to reassure Australians on Monday that the country's fuel supply extended beyond mid-April and 'into May'.

Bowen said normal fuel flows had been guaranteed by major exporters Japan, South Korea and Singapore, easing concerns those countries might curb exports to protect domestic supply.

But Strategic Analysis Australia director, Michael Shoebridge, cautioned that those assurances could quickly evaporate in a severe shortage, warning 'countries always meet their own needs first'.

'It's helpful to have those discussions, but the practical reality of the energy market is going to be that the supplies go to the highest bidder, and it doesn't seem to me that government assurances will change that,' he told news.com.au.

'As the energy supplies that have come out of the Gulf before the war get consumed, which will happen from about April 20, prices will go up, and government assurances won't change that.

'We will be in a bidding war, along with many others, for more limited fossil fuel supplies.'

Australia's fuel security could unravel within weeks once a global bidding war erupts over dwindling supplies, Michael Shoebridge (pictured) has warned

If the fuel supply sitiuation does deteriorate, rationing could come quickly, experts warn

Hundreds of service stations have run out of fuel since the war in Iran started in February

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is travelling to Singapore on Thursday to meet his counterpart Lawrence Wong, as the government seeks to shore up fuel supplies by leveraging Australias gas exports to support oil-based fuel supply chains.

Australias petrol imports are heavily reliant on Singapore, which accounts for about 55 per cent of supply, followed by South Korea at 22 per cent and India at 11 per cent, with Malaysia contributing a further 10 per cent.

Smaller volumes are sourced from Japan, Brunei and several European nations.

Mr Shoebridge said Japan, in particular, had a highly fuelintensive manufacturing sector that it would prioritise in the event of a shortage.

Despite those pressures, Assistant Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said he had received pledges from Japan, South Korea and Singapore that fuel shipments to Australia would continue.

However, at least six fuel shipments to Australia have already been cancelled or deferred, and there are expected to be further delays or cancellations.

Mr Shoebridge warned the governments confidence overstated the degree of control countries have over commercial fuel markets.

'Mr Thistlethwaite is making it sound like the Australian Federal Government is able to dictate what our companies do, and he's assuming the same is true for Singapore and Japan - that their governments have absolute control over their refineries and who they sell their product to,' he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) will travel to Singapore on Thursday as the government seeks to shore up fuel supplies by leveraging Australias gas exports

'I don't think that's true; it's still not true in Australia. We've had a very arm's length government to corporate relationship, including around energy. So there's a level of magical thinking about all this.

'Governments telling each other that they've got each other's back is interesting, but what real levers and control do they have over the real actors here, which are the companies?'

Australia now has fuel reserves equivalent to 39 days' worth of petrol, 29 days' worth of diesel and 30 days' worth of jet fuel, with over 50 fuel shipments due to arrive in the next month.

If the fuel supply situation does deteriorate, rationing could come quickly, experts warn.

'We're not talking about months, we're talking about a few days,' Sydney University Professor Ben Fahimnia told 9News.

'We're already seeing the early symptoms of rationing, it's just not officially declared.'

Despite US President Donald Trump announcing a twoweek ceasefire with Iran, conditional on Tehran immediately reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz, fresh explosions rattled Americas Arab allies overnight as Iran accused Washington of breaching the agreement.

While Trump insisted the truce was holding, Tehran declared the vital shipping lane closed in response to Israel's strikes on Lebanon.
DECATUR, Ga., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Aimee D. LaTourette is honored as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for her contributions to Commercial Real Estate and Corporate Law.

Aimee D. LaTourette

Aimee D. LaTourette is a highly regarded commercial real estate and corporate attorney known for her strategic insight, practical approach, and steadfast commitment to client success. Her career is distinguished by a deep understanding of complex real estate transactions and corporate matters, supported by hands-on experience that allows her to streamline transactions while protecting her clients' long-term interests.

Ms. LaTourette represents buyers, sellers, borrowers, lenders, landlords, and tenants in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisition, disposition, leasing, development, and complex financing, including 1031 exchanges and mezzanine loans. In addition, she handles entity formation, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and business restructuring for her corporate clients. Her unique perspective enables her to anticipate risks, streamline transactions, and align legal strategies with business goals.

Her professional background includes experience as a commercial title examiner, a role that strengthened her foundational knowledge of real estate transactions and enhanced her ability to navigate complex title issues. Additionally, Ms. LaTourette has been involved in small business through her family and friends for her entire life, giving her an inside perspective of the concerns and needs of entrepreneurs. This ground-level experience, paired with her legal expertise, provides Ms. LaTourette with a comprehensive view of the legal and business landscape in which her clients operate.

Ms. LaTourette earned her Bachelor's degree from Kaplan University in 2010 and her Juris Doctor from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School as the 2014 valedictorian. She remains active in the legal community, where she currently serves as Chair of the Title Standards Subcommittee and as an Executive Committee member of the Real Property Section of the State Bar of Georgia. She also maintains involvement in local and community organizations, including mentoring current law students and young attorneys, reflecting her commitment to professional leadership and service.

Outside of her legal practice, Ms. LaTourette values time spent with her family and enjoys traveling and reading. She credits attorney Beth Cruikshank and ABA-certified paralegal Jim Cagel for their guidance and professional influence which led to her attending law school. She warmly thanks Mr. Wm. Scott Schulten for his mentorship and elegant example as an attorney. She also extends her gratitude to her family: to her mother, Myleta Eng, for her love and acting as a role model of a strong Chinese woman, her father, Jean-Pierre La Tourette for his support, her brother, JP La Tourette for being a practical and wise sounding board, and to her husband, Chris Walters, for his continued love and encouragement.

Guided by a collaborative philosophy, Ms. LaTourette approaches every client relationship with the belief that the most effective legal solutions are built through partnership, preparation, and clear communication. Through her work, she continues to deliver thoughtful counsel and dependable advocacy across the commercial real estate and corporate law landscape.

Contact:

Katherine Green

516-825-5634

[email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle
Decorated SAS veteran Oliver Schulz was the first Australian Defence Force member to be charged with the war crime of murder under domestic law.

Footage of the former trooper allegedly shooting an Afghan father-of-two in southern Afghanistan in 2012 was broadcast in an episode of ABC's Four Corners in 2020.

He and his squad appeared to approach a man, aged 25 or 26, named Dad Mohammad in a wheat field in the Uruzgan province.

'Do you want me to drop this c***?' Schulz can allegedly be heard saying three times in the video, which was shown to a courtroom during a committal hearing in May last year.

At close range, Schulz then allegedly appeared to fire three shots at the man, who lay on his back with knees raised and hands outstretched  one holding prayer beads.

Schulz, now aged 44, was charged in 2023 after he was arrested in Goulburn in the NSW Southern Highlands.

The 44-year-old, who was awarded the Commendation for Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan, pleaded not guilty in October last year to the offence. His case has been listed for trial in February next year in the NSW Supreme Court.

The allegations against Schulz form part of a broader investigation, with the AFP and Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) launching 53 inquiries into alleged war crimes by the ADF in Afghanistan.

Decorated SAS veteran Oliver Schulz was the first Australian Defence Force member to be charged with the war crime of murder under domestic law

He is accused of committing the crime in southern Afghanistan in 2012

He has pleaded not guilty to the offence and goes to trial in 2027

The most recent of these saw Australia's most decorated soldier, and Victoria Cross recipient, Ben Roberts-Smith, arrested on Tuesday and charged with five counts of war crime murder. He has always denied any wrongdoing.

Of the 53 investigations, 39 are not currently being actively pursued, pending further evidence.

Ten investigations into allegations of criminal offences under Australian law related to breaches of the Laws of Armed Conflict by ADF personnel are ongoing.

One investigation, that of Schulz, resulted in him being charged with murder.

With his trial expected to take place in 2027, possibly long before that of Roberts-Smith, this has raised questions about the implementation of the legal process.

Murdoch University history lecturer Paul Taucher noted in The Conversation in October last year that the trial would 'set an important precedent for future cases'.

'A key aspect of war crimes law is proportionality,' he said.

'Under Australian law, the charge of murder as a war crime can be dismissed if the defence can show that the death was both unexpected and proportional to the expected outcome of a genuine military objective.

The trial of Schulz is expected to set a legal precedent for the case of Ben Roberts-Smith, who was charged on Tuesday with five war crimes of murder

Roberts-Smith has denied wrongdoing during his service in the Australian Defence Force

'The definition of proportionality in war crimes trials has not been settled, so what is clearly proportional, what is not, and what is in the grey zone will likely need to be addressed in this trial.'

Mr Taucher also noted that the trial will set another important precedent, that 'Australian soldiers are not above international law'.

'The Schulz trial provides the government a chance to apply war crimes law consistently and fairly,' he said.

'By clearly showing that Australian soldiers like Schulz are not immune to prosecution, the government can demonstrate Australias long and vaunted commitment to international law is more than just talk.'
Residents in a picturesque village have accused police of 'aiding and abetting' a group of travellers after they turned up, paved over a field and blocked a country road until 4am on Easter weekend.

The family descended on Sundridge, in Kent's stockbroker belt, under the cover of darkness on Friday, using diggers and machinery to convert the green space into a hardstand caravan site.

But their plans came to a temporary halt on Sunday when a three-bedroom static caravan loaded onto a lorry became wedged in a major country lane in the village, infuriating locals who couldn't get past.

Fuming residents called the police and went out onto the road in an attempt to block any vehicles getting access to the field - leading to one local being arrested.

They claimed that instead of forcing the stuck lorry to turn back, police 'aided and abetted' the travellers in their move - leaving the vehicle blocking the road until 4am on Monday.

John Evans, chairman of Sundridge with Ide Hill Parish Council, told the Daily Mail: 'The entire village have had their Easter weekend ruined. We had better things to do than this.

'The police aided and facilitated a totally illegal operation, and then they threatened us with obstruction.'

Although the family bought the plot of land at auction last October, they never received planning permission to turn the landscape into a paved caravan site, it is understood.

An aerial view of the new site in Sundridge, Kent, which features a static caravan, mobile home, a smaller caravan and other vehicles

A static caravan, being transported on the back of a lorry, got stuck on a major country road in the village on Sunday

Councillor Melvin De Bono (left) and Chairman of Sundridge with Ide Hill Parish Council John Evans (right)

'There is one law for them and another law for us,' Mr Evans said.

'I phoned 101 the moment the first lorry went up there. I was told it's not really an emergency - there's nothing we can do.

'They [the travellers] proceeded to bulldoze up that road, cutting people's trees.'

The field, which sits at the junction of Penn Lane and Church Road, is said to have been sold at auction last year to Miles Martin Connors.

Sevenoaks District Council confirmed the family who moved onto the land legally own it.

On Tuesday night, the council issued a Temporary Stop Notice (TSN) - a planning enforcement tool used to halt unauthorized developments. The travellers would now have to apply for retrospective planning permission, it is understood.

One woman who lives in the town described the entire ordeal as a 'bloody nuisance', saying the family's arrival and the blocked road ruined people's Easter weekend.

Another local, whose house of 24 years looks directly onto the new caravan site, said it has 'totally' ruined his countryside view and he fears the value of his home will decrease.

'I feel horrible. I think it is absolutely disgraceful what's happened,' he said.

'My house is such that I'm totally overlooked. For me to get privacy back, I'd have to put a fence up somewhere between 10 and 15ft, which is not legal.'

The area used to be a field, but was paved over during Easter weekend - allegedly without any planning permission

Some furious residents tried to stop the operation on Sunday, leading to one arrest

The view of the new caravan site through some trees from the main country road in the village

Join the discussion Should police intervene differently in disputes like this?

The homeowner claimed it is near 'impossible' to get planning permission for any work in the village, where homes often sell for upwards of 2million.

'My neighbour next to me, the previous owner, tried to just get permission for a sun house. It was not granted. We can't do any developing, it's impossible basically,' he said.

'But they can come and destroy an area.'

He added the deer and pheasants he used to enjoy photographing will no longer visit the field, which used to provide a stunning view from his windows.

The resident claimed the travellers were 'helped' by police while stuck on Sunday, adding: 'The way things have been dealt with, not only by the local police, to say they helped them is an understatement.

'The whole situation, we've been fobbed off.'

Describing his new view, he said: 'They left a row of trees, but you can see there's a small caravan, you can see two thirds of the static, and you can see the other mobile home.

'I think they should be moved on, because it is an area of national beauty, it is an area that is supposed to be not developed, and there was no planning permission.'

Judy Jarvis, who has lived in Sundridge for 30 years, said: 'We were just appalled to hear what was going on.

'It's awful because there should not be houses there. It's not just a fun weekend caravan - it's [like] a house.'

One local man was arrested on Sunday morning for obstructing a police officer, but was later released

Diggers and machinery rolled in before workers flattened the jumbled masonry into a hardstand site while council offices remained closed

Police on the lane where the mobile home was wedged between bushes on Sunday

She added: 'It really did upset us, because we were up and down the road, and then of course they couldn't get up the road - the police had to help them. It was so big the police had to help them.'

On Wednesday, the new owner could be seen working to flatten the hard base laid down at the weekend. The field, which has a water standpipe and electrical supply, had also been cleared of trees and foliage.

Next to a static home on the site stands two large Calor gas bottles for cooking and heat, alongside a digger.

Another homeowner, who lives close to the site, said the travellers have 'caused a lot of distress to local residents'.

They added: 'We just have to wait and see what happens now, it's in the hands of the council.

'The police didn't do a good job at all, they were almost escorting the whole thing.

'There were people with chain saws on top of vans chopping down branches so they could get through - it was all a real mess.

'We all have to abide by planning laws and regulations wherever we are, so for someone just to rush over all of that is not right.'

Locals feel frustrated they are unable to alter their own homes without extensive planning - struggling to get persimmon for new hedges, fences and home extensions - while a field nearby has been 'destroyed'.

At the nearby Cock Inn, one elderly villager said: 'Personally I have nothing against travellers but I do have a problem with people who don't abide by the law.

'I think its quite clear they have used the Easter weekend to move in because they know the local authorities are powerless to stop it.'

A spokesperson for Sevenoaks District Council said: 'Our officers visited the site on several occasions over the bank holiday weekend as part of our response to the alleged planning breach.

'We are continuing to investigate and visited the site again this morning (Tuesday 7 April) and will be serving a Temporary Stop Notice before the end of today.

'We are considering the other legal and enforcement options open to us, and we are waiting on external legal advice, which will influence our next steps.

'One family has moved onto the site, which they own, and enforcement action will be proportionate to any breach, taking account of Government guidance and legislation as well as local planning policies.'

Laura Trott, MP for Sevenoaks and shadow education secretary, previously condemned the council for failing to take immediate action.

A Kent Police spokesperson said on Tuesday: 'Kent Police was called to New Road in Sundridge near Sevenoaks shortly after 8am on Sunday 5 April 2026 to reports of a HGV becoming stuck and blocking the road.

'Patrols attended and discovered several cars were blocking the HGV, so the road was closed for officers to manage the situation.

'A man in his 40s refused to follow police instructions and was arrested for obstructing a police officer. He was later released pending further enquiries.

'Officers issued the driver of the lorry a traffic offence report for failing to have a tachograph installed. The driver of another vehicle was also issued a traffic offence report for careless driving.

'The road was cleared at around 4.30pm.'
A 36-year-old CEO was mysteriously found shot dead inside her Range Rover Sport in the middle of the street in Atlanta, Georgia, according to officials.

Qualeisha Barnes, also known as So Siditty, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the driver's seat of her white SUV around 1.30am Wednesday on Springfield Place SE, the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office confirmed to the Daily Mail.

The Atlanta Police Department believes the shooter fired a weapon from outside the car, fatally striking Barnes, who was the CEO of an online retailer called So Siditty Boutique.

A suspect has not been named, and it is unclear what led up to her death, which is being investigated as a homicide, police said.

The investigation into her death remains ongoing as police are combing through surveillance footage and talking to neighbors to see if they know anything, Lr. Christapher Butler told Atlanta News Now.

Barnes' family and friends have since flooded social media with heartbreaking tribute posts about the young woman.

According to her loved ones, Barnes was well-known in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. In addition to running her own company, she was also a beloved rapper.

She was also in nursing school and was set to complete her degree soon, they said.

Qualeisha Barnes, 36, was fatally shot inside her white Range Rover Sport on Wednesday around 1.30am in Atlanta, Georgia

Authorities believe the shooter fired a weapon from outside the car (pictured), fatally striking Barnes multiple times

Just two years ago, Barnes was seen posing in front of her brand-new 2024 Range Rover Sport with a giant red bow on its hood.

She was also seen jumping up and down in joy over her new purchase.

Monica Barnes, a cousin of the victim, posted to Facebook on Wednesday: 'Life is not fair y'all didn't have to do her like that. S.I.P Qualeshia Barnes A.K.A. So Siditty my blood cousin is gone lord jesus please keep my family in your prayers.'

Another family member posted: 'Damn... I'm so sorry this happened to you... RIP cousin.'

Media company Detroit Got Talent also posted a crushing tribute about Barnes, stating: 'Honoring the vibrant spirit of Detroits own SIDITTY, who touched so many lives. Your legacy will forever shine bright. Rest easy, queen.'

'Get your rest beautiful,' another user posted to Facebook.

'This pain is unreal y'all took a real boss,' someone else shared.

Butler has urged residents to contact the police through their anonymous tip line and to review their camera footage to see if they captured anything that can help the investigation.

Just two years ago, Barnes was seen posing in front of her brand-new 2024 Range Rover Sport with a giant red bow on its hood

According to her loved ones, Barnes was well-known in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. In addition to running her own company, she was also a beloved rapper who was finishing up nursing school

'We push Crimestoppers a lot, 404-577-TIPS. That really is valuable to use, Butler said.

'People dont really understand it. It is anonymous, so if anybody has any information, they can call in and leave a tip.

'We really appreciate those tips and theyre very valuable.'

The Daily Mail contacted the Atlanta Police Department for more information.

The deadly shooting comes as violent crime rates in the state's capital soar to an all-time high.

According to recently published data by Reolink, the city has recorded 1,733 violent offenses for every 100,000 residents.

There has also been a surge in robberies, theft, and motor vehicle theft in recent years, the analysis said.
A homeless encampment in Seattle has become so entrenched that a chimney has erupted from one of its makeshift structures, highlighting shortfalls in the newly elected democratic socialist mayor's plan to address the city's homelessness crisis.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has been in office for just over four months, but has already developed an ambitious initiative to get homeless people off the streets of Seattle.

The city has the fourth-largest homeless population in the country, according to the US News and World Report, and Wilson's team have planned to address that issue by building 500 new tiny homes by June.

Three committees in the city council have advanced her administration's request for $5 million to construct the additional tiny homes, and the full city council will review the proposal next week.

Seattle already has more than 600 tiny homes spread across 20 villages, and some city officials have expressed concern over how seemingly ineffective the program has been.

During a funding request presentation by Wilson's staff, Councilmember Dan Strauss said the number of encampments in northern Seattle's Ballard neighborhood has swelled in recent months and that existing encampments have gone unchecked.

'There is a building in the middle of our street that has a chimney,' Strauss said, according to KOMO News. 'This is something I havent seen since the pandemic.'

Those concerns are also shared by residents who live near tiny home villages. Some have complained that the mayor's solution has not lived up to what was promised by city officials.

This homeless encampment (pictured) in northern Seattle's Ballard neighborhood has been around long enough that one of its structures has a chimney

Seattle has a tiny home program to get homeless people off the streets, but residents say it has not succeeded in significantly reducing homeless encampments

Seattle's democratic socialist mayor, Katie Wilson, wants to build 500 new tiny homes despite the questionable success of the city's more than 600 existing tiny homes

Wilson was elected in November 2025 and took office in January, so she has only been mayor for a little more than four months. The mayor is pictured being sworn into office

Peter Eastey, who owns a business near an encampment in Rainier Beach along the southern edge of Seattle, told KOMO that when the Low Income Housing Institute opened a village in the area, they promised that it would eliminate encampments.

But that simply did not happen, according to Eastey, who added that repeated requests for help have gone unaddressed by the city.

'Sheer lack of action, absolute sheer lack of action on the citys part,' Eastey told KOMO.

The business owner highlighted one large and out-of-control homeless encampment in particular, which he suspects is a haven for thieves.

'Most of the stuff in there is stolen, not most of it, I suspect all of it is stolen, and theres no accountability for that,' Eastey told the outlet. 'They know its stolen, the police know its stolen, but they wont go on and pull it out of there.'

He went on to demand 'accountability' from the city, 'and if that doesnt happen, things need to change,' he said.

Mayor Wilson's administration has identified a total of $17.5 million in Seattle's budget that could go towards tackling the city's homelessness crisis.

Wilson's office has stated that the average cost of managing one tiny home is $35,000 per year when factoring in on-site staff and support services.

Seattle officials and residents have expressed concerns about how successful the tiny home program has been. One councilmember has said the number of encampments in the Ballard neighborhood has grown in recent months. One of those encampments is pictured

A Seattle resident who owns a business next to a homeless encampment said that the city has not kept its promise that tiny homes would eliminate encampments. A homeless encampment in Seattle is pictured

Mayor Wilson's administration is seeking millions of dollars to fund expansion of the fraught tiny home program as the city faces a $140 million structural budget deficit

But at the same time Wilson's administration seeks millions of dollars to expand the fraught tiny home program, Seattle is contending with a $140 million structural budget deficit.

A memo sent out by the mayor's office in late February asked city departments to find ways to trim their spending by five to ten percent.

Police, fire and homeless services are unlikely to experience major cutbacks, but other departments, such as Seattle's Office of Economic Development, would be first in line for the chopping block, according to KOMO News.

Those potential cuts come as growth in the city's tech industry has stalled and new constructions have slowed.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Mayor Wilson's office for comment.
A peculiar sight of a man wearing a dazzling evening gown on the side of a Palm Beach road led to his arrest.

Palm Beach County police spotted a 31-year-old man walking along the ritzy Worth Avenue in a tan, beaded gown just before 5am on March 29, the Palm Beach Daily News reported.

Officers had seen the man several times over the previous 24 hours, noting he had been dressed in a blue denim shirt and black shorts.

When officers confronted him, they noted his evening gown still had price tags attached, according to the arrest report obtained by the outlet.

The 31-year-old was also carrying a long black garment bag.

Police arrested the man and charged him with larceny. He was released from the Palm Beach County Jail on a $1,000 bond, according to jail records.

The man later admitted he stole the designer gown, which was an Aidan Mattox piece with a staggering $575 price tag from Saks Fifth Avenue, per the report.

Aristokids in Palm Beach, the 31-year-old stole the gown from a bin outside this store

The donation bin left outside the store overnight, Prome Towne is a charitable organization that donates prom dresses to students in need

The dress was actually intended to be donated.

The dress thief had snatched it from a donation bin outside a store called Aristokids in the posh locale, the report continued.

A sign hung from the bin, reading: 'Please place your gently used dresses. All dresses will be donated to Prome Towne.'

Prome Towne is a charitable organization that donates prom dresses to students in need.

The store owners, Jodi and Rick Wently, told the Daily News they were shocked the container was still outside when they arrived for work the next morning.

The staff usually brought it inside for the night, but they seemingly forgot and left it out front.

Jodi told the outlet that she immediately noticed the sparkling gown was missing, as she had been the one who donated it.

Jodi and Rick Wently, the store owners of Aristokids at 309 S County Road

The 31-year-old man was walking in the dazzling gown along the south side of Worth Ave, near The Esplanade

When Palm Beach County officers asked Jodi if she wanted the dress returned, she turned it down.

'The guy had it on,' she told the outlet. Police later 'disposed of' the designer dress.

The store owners chose not to press charges against the dress thief, and records show that the case against him remains active, the outlet reported.

Daily Mail reached out to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office for comment.
A Russian-born Harvard researcher who was accused of smuggling frog embryos into the country scored a major legal victory on Tuesday, when a federal judge ruled that Customs and Border Protection agents improperly canceled her visa.

Kseniia Petrova, 30, was returning from a trip to France on February 16, 2025, carrying the unclaimed animal samples that principal research scientist Leonid Peshkin had asked her to transport by hand.

Following an interrogation, Petrova was told her visa was being canceled, at which point Border Protection officials gave her the option to return to France or be deported, the Harvard Crimson reports.

The researcher then told agents she feared political persecution if she were sent back to Russia, where she had been arrested for protesting the war in Ukraine, prompting officers to detain her and transfer her to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility, according to the Boston Globe.

During her four-month detainment, Petrova's attorneys challenged the visa revocation in two separate petitions, arguing that a customs violation - even if proven - did not provide legal grounds for canceling her visa.

US District Court Judge Christina Reiss ultimately agreed in her 21-page ruling on Tuesday, which notes that Customs and Border Protection agents have limited authority to cancel visas and the grounds for doing so 'do not include a customs violation or even suspected smuggling of biological samples.

'The undisputed facts reveal that Ms Petrovas visa was impermissibly canceled because of the frog embryo samples and for no other reason,' Reiss wrote.

She then went on to say the agents' actions were arbitrary and capricious, not in accordance with the law and exceeded the officers' authority or jurisdiction.

Harvard University researcher Kseniia Petrova, 30, (pictured last year) scored a legal victory on Tuesday, when a judge ruled that Customs and Border Protection agents improperly canceled her visa

Petrova is a research associate at Harvard Medical School who was hailed by her colleagues for her expertise

The ruling also noted that federal officers were unable to justify the visa cancelation, and could not 'explain their refusal to allow Ms Petrova to return to France and their efforts to deport her.'

Petrova's attorney, Gregory Romanovsky, praised the ruling.

'Today's decision marks an important step toward correcting what never should have happened in the first place,' he told the Globe.

He added that Petrova has been back at her lab at Harvard, 'pursuing her life's calling and advancing important scientific research' since another federal judge secured her right to work in the US in December.

'Today's ruling makes clear that, as broad as CBP's authority is at the border, its actions cannot be arbitrary or capricious,' Romanovsky continued.

'The United States remains a nation of laws - and those laws apply to all.'

Petrovas case has been closely watched by the scientific community, with some fearing it could impact recruiting and retaining foreign scientists at US universities.

The scientist, who graduated from a renowned Russian physics and technology institute, has done extensive research on cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions.

At the time of her detainment, Petrova was working with a team at Harvard investigating how to extend the human lifespan by studying the way cells regenerate.

Kseniia Petrova, 30, was returning from a trip to France on February 16, 2025, carrying unclaimed animal samples that principal research scientist Leonid Peshkin had asked her to transport by hand

The scientist graduated from a renowned Russian physics and technology institute, who has done extensive research on cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions

She had seen the trip to France to see pianist Andras Schiff as the perfect opportunity for her to safely transport the frog embryos herself.

The embryos had initially been intended to be sent in the mail, but when they attempted to ship the samples, the package turned up 'defrosted, mishandled, and lost.'

'I made a mistake,' Peshkin told the Boston Globe last year.

'I regret very much doing this.'

He explained that Petrova was not trying to conceal anything and had stored the samples in a 'sizable box with ice packs.'

She just did not know the samples needed to be declared and was not trying to sneak anything into the country, Petrova previously told the Associated Press.

But her smuggling case is still pending in federal court.
In a bold behindthescenes power play, the acting communications chief for the Department of Homeland Security made a direct appeal to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to secure a permanent promotion, as the department she oversees descends into what insiders describe as a 'dumpster fire' of internal sabotage.

Four sources tell Daily Mail that Lauren Bis took the extraordinary step of lobbying Leavitt directly earlier this year  hoping to replace her former boss, Tricia McLaughlin, as the permanent Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs.

DHS's 'mouthpiece' department sits at the highstakes intersection of the border crisis, counterterrorism and disaster response. While seeking a promotion isn't a crime, insiders say the timing and intensity of the bid have exposed deep fractures within a department already reeling from a leadership vacuum.

Colleagues aren't just complaining about Bis's ambition; they are sounding the alarm over what they describe as a 'retaliatory' and 'toxic' management style that has left an already struggling communications shop.

DHS and ICE insiders claim Bis pressed for the release of information on sealed indictments and active investigations  a move, sources say, that could have 'jeopardized' sensitive law enforcement operations.

A source familiar with DHS disputed the allegations of misconduct, calling the friction a 'misunderstanding' of daily operations and slamming critics as 'either dumb or vengeful.'

Bis and her former boss McLaughlin have been accused of orchestrating a wave of firings and banishing other employees to other departments.

'I think she might be a robot,' one source familiar with the internal friction said. 'She works a lot and doesn't sleep. But she also doesn't get along with people. She will get rid of people quickly, and that has caused a lot of stress.'

Four sources familiar with the situation reveal that Lauren Bis, currently serving in an acting capacity, has made a behindthescenes bid to secure a permanent promotion to Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs

Zacharia has spent years as a staple of cable news, taking on tough topics in front of millions of viewers as a contributor for Newsmax and Fox News

Bis first joined DHS in January 2025 as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and served as a spokesperson for immigration and border security policies throughout that year. However, as the department struggles to find its footing after Noem's firing, morale has reached an alltime low

A second DHS insider noted that the reshuffling is primarily targeted at erasing the previous administration's footprint

Bis and her thenboss, former Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, reportedly met with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to lobby for a permanent seat at the table and replace McLaughlin

The chaos is the fallout of a brutal transition. The department has been in a tailspin since the President fired former Secretary Kristi Noem in early 2026. Bis entered the department in 2025 as a loyalist to the 'old camp'  the faction tied to Noem and controversial advisor Corey Lewandowski.

While most of the NoemLewandowski era staffers have been unceremoniously dumped, Bis is attempting to pivot and prove her worth to the new regime.

'Most of the staff who worked during the Noem and Lewandowski era have been removed,' one agency source explained. 'People don't even want to be associated with Lewandowski within the new team. It's like a bad stain.'

The Daily Mail reported back in late March that the White House moved Noem's closest allies from Homeland Security, as tensions inside the agency grow over a potential firing list overseen by Stephen Miller.

Ten officials close to Noem were shifted to the State Department where they assist the ousted Homeland chief in her new role as special envoy for The Shield of the Americas, sources told the Daily Mail. The move comes after a blacklist containing the names of more than two dozen Noem loyalists was reviewed by Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller - a hardliner who was pivotal in her demise.

At the top of this new mess stands the new Secretary, Markwayne Mullin. Unlike a bystander, sources familiar with the department explain Mullin is fully aware that he has 'inherited a mess' and is actively wielding his power to scrub the department clean.

Mullin is currently navigating a 'spider web' of conflicting alliances. On one side is the 'old guard' trying to cling to relevance; on the other is a 'new team' looking for a total reset.

The change has already been extensive. Katie Zacharia, a conservative lawyer and spokeswoman, resigned after being sidelined into 'fielding emails' instead of appearing on TV, according to a source close to her.

She did not respond for comment.

'We're chasing our tail with stupid stories, and we're just not putting out enough good stuff,' one DHS source lamented.

Kasey Piurowski, the ICE Press Secretary, and Elissa Bodenhorn, assistant to the former chief, have also been shown the door. At least five other junior staffers have fled the department in the last 14 months as morale hits an alltime low.

During and following Noem's exit, the Department of Homeland Security's communications department has devolved into what insiders describe as a 'dumpster fire' of internal sabotage, shadow 'fire lists,' and desperate power plays as its top leadership struggles to maintain control

This tension follows the February exit of Tricia McLaughlin, who left after highprofile shootings in Minneapolis and reports detailing a taxpayerfunded contract awarded to her husband's firm for an ad campaign featuring Noem

Staffers describe a 'spider web' of conflicting alliances involving the 'old camp' tied to Corey Lewandowski and Noem, and the 'new team' under Noem's replacement, Secretary Markwayne Mullin

The motheroffour replaced 31yearold Tricia McLaughlin as the oncamera face of Trump's immigration crackdown  the culmination of a career spanning work as an attorney for the World Bank in China and Republican political campaigns

The internal dysfunction has reached such a pitch that operational arms like ICE office of public affairs are reportedly in 'open revolt,' with some officials refusing to collaborate with the main DHS comms office due to perceived incompetence.

But a source at DHS argues otherwise.

'The communications department would get about 300 inquiries a day - a high volume that's really hard to handle. ICE [communications] would handle 5 percent of those, they added.

All this tension follows the February departure of Tricia McLaughlin amid highprofile shootings in Minneapolis and reports of a no-bid taxpayerfunded contract awarded to her husband's firm for an ad campaign featuring Noem.

The department and McLaughlin have called those accusations 'baseless.'

Despite the internal warfare, the White House is publicly maintaining a united front.

Spokesperson Abigail Jackson insisted the team has 'coordinated flawlessly,' dismissing critics as 'outside voices attempting to sow division.'

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons dismissed the criticisms as 'anonymous lies from disgruntled former staffers.'

Bis denied commenting for the story.
Weeks after Donald Trump handed her a soft diplomatic landing, Kristi Noem has begun hemorrhaging staff, with some of her loyalists benched before they could even take their seats.

Four officials were placed on administrative leave on orders from the White House and remaining staffers have stopped showing up to the former Homeland Security chief's new Shield of the Americas office, while she has withdrawn from public view, the Daily Mail has learned.

Sources tell us the four officials include former deputy chief of staff Troup Hemenway, ex-deputy general counsel Giovanna Cinelli and junior staffers Josh King and Octavian Miller.

Senior State Department officials told the Daily Mail that Noem held only one meeting this week, which was conducted virtually, as her remaining staff were either dispersed throughout the main State Department headquarters or working from home.

With the staff already cut in half, and no clear sense of direction, some in the administration now don't expect Noem to survive in her new job, according to insiders.

'This post was intended as a soft landing so it didn't look like Noem was immediately being fired,' a State Department source told the Daily Mail.

'But no one really thinks she should have this job,' the source added. 'The State Department was not happy to have her here and the understanding is that she's not going to be here for much longer.'

Noem was fired as Homeland Security Secretary in early March, losing her post atop the nation's largest law enforcement agency.

But Noem's astonishing fall from grace was still far from complete.

Sources tell us at least four officials who followed Noem from DHS were placed on administrative leave at her new office, the Daily Mail can now reveal

The Daily Mail revealed Kristi Noem's husband Bryon Noem is a secret crossdresser who exchanges photos of himself online wearing giant fake breasts

For the new State Department gig, she became the subject of mockery when photos surfaced of her in Guyana sitting next to her lover Corey Lewandowski at a table with the nation's president and other government leaders.

Then a bigger bombshell dropped last week when the Daily Mail published photos of her crossdressing husband, Bryon, that he had sent to online fetish models.

The scandal sparked national security concerns because her husband's activity opened her up to blackmail as head of Homeland Security.

The scandals that have rocked her personal life were only compounded by Noem's spiraling political career.

Her new office was established to combat drug cartels, international criminal organizations, and migrant crime in the Western Hemisphere by coordinating with Homeland Security, the State Department, and Pentagon.

However, along with Noem's embarrassing debut in Guyana, there were simply no clear roles or responsibilities for many of the staff brought over, sources tell the Daily Mail.

'The thing itself is still being figured out,' one Trump official familiar with the matter told the Daily Mail. 'It doesn't make sense to just have a bunch of folks not really having a substantive role.

'The administrative leave, if anything, is an opportunity for folks to figure out what they're doing, whether that be with the Shield of the Americas, the State Department, or wherever else, while the big picture starts to sort itself out.'

Her indignity is laid bare inside her new offices, a stripped-down operation that bears little resemblance to the sprawling agency she commanded at DHS.

Mr Noem supports his wife last month by sitting dutifully behind her at a congressional hearing scrutinizing her aggressive immigration enforcement tactics

This post was intended as a soft landing so it didn't look like Noem was immediately being fired,' a State Department source told the Daily Mail of the newly-created Shield of the Americas

The once highly public personality, who earned the nickname ICE Barbie for her glamorous looks, outfit changes and reality TV leadership at DHS, had her belongings packed up from headquarters.

She and her dwindled inner circle then moved into a building housing the Institute for Peace, an outfit that had plenty of spare space after being gutted by Elon Musk and his team of downsizers at DOGE.

The growing promise of a vibrant new agency, celebrated March 7 at an inaugural summit at Trump Doral Miami, is already giving way to a stark reality.

Multiple State Department and administration sources told the Daily Mail the office has struggled to get off the ground, with few staff even showing up for an operation marked by inactivity and uncertainty.

Officials in the State Department have been less than welcoming of their new colleagues, believing there is no real need for Noem's outfit given that her marching orders could be handled by other staffers, sources say.

Rather than build out a functioning team, the administration appears to have paused and reassessed, leaving key hires in limbo.

A source told the Daily Mail that Noem's personal office is smaller than her one at DHS. She's decorated it with memorabilia from her time leading Homeland Security, including different hats she wore as secretary.

The rest of her staffers' desks are sparsely decorated.

Noem has withdrawn from public view after photos emerged showing her husband Bryon is a cross-dresser

Facilities staff at the State Department hesitated to fully move in or discard packing materials because they believed Noem's tenure would be short-lived, according to one official.

Another source told the Daily Mail the atmosphere surrounding the office signaled it was being 'shrunk to nothing,' with little expectation it would become a lasting fixture.

'Noem's stuff has been moved in there, but she never shows up,' one administration official said.

'I don't think it's a real thing.'

Sources told the Daily Mail that one senior aide slated to follow Noem from DHS to the State Department never made the move. Steven Munoz, her former deputy chief of staff, instead leveraged his relationships with senior White House officials to remain at Homeland Security.

Munoz is widely viewed as one of Noem's closest and most loyal aides within the department.

The Daily Mail has contacted the State Department and Noem for comment. The White House declined to comment.
A woman assisted a man she believed to be drowning on a Florida beach, only to discover he's suspected of killing his wife and her co-worker who he believed she was having an affair with.

Belinda, who chose not to share her last name, was on a morning walk at Vero Beach on March 24 when she heard suspect Jesse Scott Ellis yelling for help.

'I could hear a faint "Help! Help! Help!" and I looked, and I saw someone who looked like they were in distress,' she told WPBF.

Belinda ran into the water and instructed Ellis, who was fully clothed, to get on his back and allow the waves to carry him to shore near Riomar Beach.

Ellis, 64, is wanted by Vero Beach police for allegedly shooting his estranged wife of 13 years, Stacie Mason and her alleged lover, Danny Ooley, the very same day Belinda rescued him.

Both Ooley and Mason were employees at Indian River County within the public works department.

Video footage following the rescue showed Belinda crouching next to Ellis after he made it back to shore.

'I said, "Are you alright?" and he said, "I'm exhausted, I will never go out that far again,"' she recalled.

Jesse Ellis, 64, allegedly shot and killed his wife of 13 years and her lover in Florida last moth

Ellis and his estranged wife, Stacie Mason, were reportedly in the midst of a potential separation at the time

Shortly after the shooting, a passerby found a man believed to be Ellis in distress in the ocean

The man then told Belinda that he was going to take 'a long vacation.'

At the time, Belinda was blissfully unaware that the man she helped may have been a double homicide suspect.

'I could not leave him in the water no matter what,' she said. 'Everybody is going through something.'

Police are still searching for Ellis, who allegedly fired 21 shots at Mason, 49, and Ooley, 56, around 7am that day.

The pair, who had been having an affair for several weeks, were parked outside the Indian River County Main Library for a hookup.

They arrived separately before Mason climbed into Ooley's vehicle, something they had reportedly done multiple times.

Ellis allegedly arrived behind them with an AR-15-style rifle to shoot in tow.

He reportedly fired into Ooley's truck before fleeing in his 2022 gray Ford F-150 and leaving the weapon at the scene.

Ellis then headed for nearby South Beach Park, where he is believed to have entered the Atlantic Ocean fully clothed and swum far out, police said.

Dany Ooley (left) reportedly met Mason in his car at Indian Rover County Public Library on the day of their deaths

Ellis allegedly fired at least 21 shots at Mason and her lover before levaing his weapon and fleeing the scene

Ooley and Mason were both longtime Indian River County employees

Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey told the press at a conference last month that Ellis abandoned his car there.

Police searched the vehicle and found 'several documents that were indicative of his intention to harm himself or end his life.'

'One of them said, "sorry, guys", and that was it. And he signed it. But there was a number of documents that were pages long, dating back to early March,' said Currey.

These indicated 'his pain, wanting to crawl in a hole, can't eat, can't drink, can't sleep. That kind of thing... essentially it seemed to be a journal, leaving account numbers for his kids written down.'

Police also found wet clothing, an empty holster and a .380 caliber magazine in the vehicle.

Currey said that Ellis's alleged actions were a 'crime of passion.'

Police believed that Ellis entered the ocean fully clothed around 11am on March 24

Police said Ellis's alleged actions were 'targeted.' Officials have called it a 'crime of passion'

'He executed those two individuals. Stacie, his wife, of 13 years and Danny Ooley. He executed them, without question,' Currey said. 'It was targeted. There was planning here. He had information going into it.

'This wasn't just a decision overnight; there was knowledge of what was going on in his wife's life... of the affair,' he added.

'He was just furious that she was seeing another man and he couldn't live with that.'

Ellis and Mason were 'in the midst of potentially separating or divorcing, and their home was getting ready to be sold.'

The suspect is wanted on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder and has not yet been caught. Anyone who sees him is encouraged to call 911 and refrain from approaching him.

'Ellis should be considered a threat to himself and possibly others,' police said.

The Daily Mail contacted the Vero Beach Police Department for more information.
A musician's son was stabbed to death as a packed London beauty spot erupted into shocking violence.

The father of 21-year-old Finbar Sullivan told the Daily Mail of his heartbreak after his son's death on Primrose Hill.

Christopher Sullivan, founder of 1980s band Blue Rondo a la Turk, said: 'This is the worst tragedy I could ever imagine. He's my only son... I had him when I was 45. He can never be replaced.'

Mr Sullivan, 65, who also set up Soho's infamous Wag Club in the 1980s, described Finbar as a 'middle-class kid with long hair' who lived with him in a 1million flat in Maida Vale.

He said: 'I'm so broken-hearted, I can't believe it. He was the most beautiful, lovely, outgoing, loving boy. He was just a really lovely person. And why he was targeted, we have no idea.

'He'd just bought a new camera, we all chipped in for his 21st birthday, and he took it up there to do a bit of filming.'

Videos of the violence on Primrose Hill, north London, showed groups of men fighting on Tuesday, while one youth appears to pull out a blade to threaten another young man.

One witness, who asked not to be named, said: 'The park was just so busy, I had gone with my mate after work and it was literally the busiest I have ever seen it because of the weather and it being Easter holidays.

'Then suddenly we heard this commotion from behind us, and a big brawl kicked off  people were throwing punches, people were screaming at others to stop.

'There were lots of people involved in the fight, most of them looked about 18 or 19.' Police said no arrests have been made.

Finbar Sullivan, centre, with his mother Leah Seresin and father Christopher Sullivan, who went to the scene as soon as he heard his son had been caught up in the violence

The 21-year-old, who studied at the London Screen Academy, followed his family into the arts, primarily producing music videos for drill rap artists under the name Sully Shot It

Mr Sullivan said he went to the scene as soon as he heard his son had been caught up in the violence: 'I got the call at about six that he'd been stabbed, so I rushed up there. I wasn't allowed in because it was a crime scene, and by that point he'd had 20 minutes of CPR. He'd obviously died.

'It's Primrose Hill, for God's sake... it's like Hyde Park. It's not somewhere you expect this.'

Finbar's grandfather Michael Seresin is a celebrated cinematographer who worked on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the film adaptation of Angela's Ashes and on 1987's Angel Heart which featured Robert De Niro and Mickey Rourke.

Mr Seresin also runs the Seresin wine estate in New Zealand, which counts Finbar's mother Leah as a brand ambassador.

She had described him in a post on his birthday last year as 'this gift' and 'my darling Finbar', saying: 'Love you to the moon and back.'

The Wag Club, famed for its hedonism, was founded by Mr Sullivan in 1982 and became a favoured haunt for stars including David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Brad Pitt and Stevie Wonder.

Finbar, who went to Acland Burghley School in Tufnell Park and studied at the London Screen Academy, followed his family into the arts, primarily producing music videos for drill rap artists under the name Sully Shot It.

Artist GGL Wuni last night paid tribute to Finbar, posting: 'My brother, my family, I will never let your name fade. The most clean-hearted guy I've ever met, always turned up for me without a miss.'

Despite the drill music scene's long association with gang violence, Mr Sullivan insisted his son was not associated with any gang members.

'All I can tell you is he was the subject of an indiscriminate stabbing. He was not a gang member,' he said.

Despite the drill music scene's long association with gang violence, Mr Sullivan insisted his son was not associated with any gang members

Finbar was found with knife wounds and died at the scene following the altercation in the London park on Tuesday evening

Finbar's father Christopher described him as a 'little groovy 21-year-old who loved movies and making films'

'He was just a little groovy 21-year-old who loved movies and making films. He didn't drink, he didn't smoke, he didn't go out.

'He'd stay at home editing his films six nights a week. He wanted to follow in his [grandfather's footsteps] and be a cameraman.

'He was a studious kid who just loved movies and making films. He recently did a video for Joseph Corre, Vivienne Westwood's son.

'We were just about to start a company together... he was going to do his showreel today with me. And now he's dead.

'His friend was stabbed in the back and hands trying to protect him. My son always tried to stand up for people, so maybe the attacker was bullying someone.'

Detective Inspector Andy Griffin, from Scotland Yard, said: 'We are following several lines of inquiry. This incident occurred in a busy, public park and there may be many witnesses who can help us piece together what happened.

'We are aware of footage circulating on social media around the time of the incident, and urge anyone who has any information, including photos or videos, which could support the investigation to urgently contact us.'
STOCKHOLM, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As previously communicated, the abnormal seismic activity at the Garpenberg mine in March caused major damage. Mining positions in the Garpenberg mine are located in three separate ore bodies, with the Lappberget ore body being the dominant one. Major damage has been observed in the upper parts of Lappberget. Furthermore, a significant amount of media such as ventilation, pressure air systems, water management and infrastructure for electricity and backfill paste as well as some mobile equipment have been damaged.

Consequently, Boliden is required to write down the book value of impacted assets by a total of SEK 700 m, which will have a negative impact on the operating profit in the first quarter 2026. The write-down concerns underground developments and other mining assets in the upper part of the Lappberget ore body, as well as mobile equipment.

As indicated in an earlier press release, March 25 2026, the stopped production will have a negative impact on EBITDA in the first quarter of approximately SEK 400 m.

For further information, please contact:

Klas Nilsson

Director Group Communications

+46 70 453 65 88

[email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/boliden/r/write-down-of-assets-in-garpenberg,c4332533

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/997/4332533/4029586.pdf Press release

SOURCE Boliden
The first person charged under Queensland's contentious hate speech laws has appeared in court.

Liam James Parry, 34, was arrested in March outside state parliament after he allegedly said the phrase 'from the river to the sea' at a student protest in support of Palestine.

He was charged with publicly reciting a prohibited expression that might make a member of the public feel menaced, harassed, or offended.

Queensland has banned the phrases 'from the river to the sea' and 'globalise the intifada', categorising them as hate speech against Jewish people under new 'fighting anti-Semitism' legislation.

Parry said it was 'surreal and dangerous' that he was facing a potential sentence of two years' imprisonment while speaking to media after having his bail continued following a brief court appearance on Wednesday.

'I'm contesting these charges,' he said.

'It's an important moment in Queensland right now. the government is trying to criminalise pro-Palestine advocacy. We can't accept that.'

'I don't think there was anything hateful or menacing about my speech. My speech was about standing up for the people of Palestine,' he said.

The phrase 'From the river' to the sea is controversial because some interpret it as a call for Palestinian freedom, while others see it as implying the elimination of Israel.

Liam James Parry (pictured) was charged with publicly reciting a prohibited expression that might make a member of the public feel menaced, harassed or offended

It followed his arrest in March outside state parliament after he allegedly said the phrase 'from the river to the sea' at a student protest in support of Palestine

Parry is contesting the charges, and denies that he used phrases with anti-Semitic intent

As Parry entered Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday for his first appearance, a proPalestine protester, Mark Gillespie, displayed a sign on his chest.

The sign read 'from the sea to the river Palestine will live forever' as Mr Gillespie stood outside court.

Mr Gillespie was taken aside by police who were monitoring the protest and spoken to for a few minutes.

He told media he agreed to stop displaying the sign, as the police told him he would be arrested otherwise.

Inside court, Parry sat at the bar table with his solicitor, Ella Scoles, who sought to have the matter adjourned for three weeks.

Magistrate Louise Shepherd ordered the matter to return to court on April 29. The police prosecutor did not oppose Parry being granted bail again.

Parry briefly addressed the crowd of protesters who had been chanting continuously outside court during his appearance.

Parry is the first person charged under contentious laws against anti-Semitism that were brough in by Queensland Premier David Crisafulli in March this year

'Thanks everybody for coming out. This is an ongoing matter. We need to keep speaking out for Palestine,' Parry said.

Parry said the presence of protesters at his court appearance was a sign people would not accept their civil liberties being taken away. He denied he used phrases with anti-Semitic intent.

He said the police's treatment of Mr Gillespie over his poster was 'shocking'.

Queensland is the first in Australia to criminalise the two protest chants, although the idea has been explored in federal and other state and territory governments.

Premier David Crisafulli said the reforms were the strongest protections to address the growing threats faced by the community and were making Queensland safer.

'This is about drawing a clear line - and stamping out the embers of hatred that were allowed to burn unchecked for too long - to ensure we protect Queenslanders,' he said when the legislation was passed.

'The Jewish community has been clear: Queensland needs stronger legislation backed by real enforcement to drive out antisemitism, and that is exactly what we are delivering.'

The anti-vilification bill gained the support of organisations such as the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, though it highlighted the need for amendments in a submission during the consultation period.

People show support for Parry at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday

Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies president Jason Steinberg said the reforms would make the Jewish community feel safer, more protected, and confident.

'For the past two and a half years, the Jewish community has endured unprecedented levels of hate, intimidation and fear and the reforms send a clear message that antisemitism and hate have no place in Queensland,' he said.

'This is not only a welcome and necessary step for Jewish people, it is vital for rebuilding the confidence we have lost as hatred has run rampant.'

The laws have also come under fire from human and civil rights groups.

Queensland Council for Civil Liberties Vice President Terry O'Gorman said the Premier boasted when announcing the new laws were an Australian first.

'That's correct because other states and territories have baulked at criminalising chants and placards at public protests as a step too far,' he said.

The Human Rights Law Centre added that the laws threaten freedom of expression.

'These rushed laws will not improve community safety or reduce hate in Queensland,' senior lawyer Arif Hussein said.

'Instead, the Crisafulli Government is turning the temperature up by passing laws which increase division, discrimination, and suppress peaceful political communication.

'We urge the Crisafulli Government to instead invest in evidencebased, communityled prevention and education initiatives that promote inclusion and build crosscommunity understanding.'
A couple who began building their home on the wrong land have finally moved it onto the right block after a lengthy battle and spending $500,000.

David and Melanie Moor paid $300,000 for a five-acre block in Camperdown, in south-west Victoria, in 2021, with plans to retire there.

After gaining the permits, they invested further - installing a driveway and moving a relocatable house to the site, complete with power, water and a septic system.

But three years later, the Moors got the shock of their lives when they discovered they had built their home on the property next door.

The former landowner had divided the block into two lots. The Moors bought block one, but their home was placed on block two - which had been sold to another buyer.

In August 2025, the landowner gave the couple a 14-day notice period to remove the house and vacate the property, or the house might be sold.

The deadline was extended and in February, the couple agreed to clear the block by May 2.

The house has now been moved just 100 metres - from their neighbour's land to their own block.

The home owned by David and Melanie Moor gets moved just 100 metres to the correct block of land

The Moors' home currently sits on empty oil drums while it awaits restumping, with the septic system and electrical wiring already dug up and removed.

The couple must also dig up the 160 stumps on the neighbours property which once supported their home, and pull out planted trees, so the block is returned to its original state.

'It was a weight lifted off our shoulders when we did see the truck transferring the house onto the correct block, but in the meantime, we've got a lot more work to do,' Ms Moor told ABC.

'We don't know what damage is inside at the moment because it did look a bit wobbly coming over on the truck.

'We're not game enough to go inside yet because the house isn't stable enough on the drums.'

The couple estimates it will cost about $100,000 to move the home, re-stump it, and connect electricity and other basic services.

When they first built their house, on the wrong block, the Moors 'trusted' the council, contractors, real estate agent and conveyancers to ensure all boxes were ticked and that the project was completed smoothly.

'We didn't think it was true, because the council signed off on everything, so we thought it was a scam,' Ms Moor told A Current Affair.

The home was originally built here, but it was the next door neighbour's land

Camperdown is about 190km south-west of Melbourne

A spokesman for the real estate agency said it had not made any false or misleading claims, and that it was the Moors' responsibility to verify which block of land they owned before starting works.

The Corangamite Shire Council even approved the Moors' building permit in April 2024.

The Moors said the council should have noticed the error when reviewing the permit documents.

In August 2024, Mr Moor took a call from the council telling him to stop work and seek legal advice after staff realised construction was happening on the wrong block.

Mr Moor said he hoped sharing their story would alert other Aussies out there to the potential dangers of building on the wrong subdivided land.

The couple will live in a caravan, perhaps for a year, while their new home is worked on to become liveable.

While the saga has taken a toll on their mental health, the couple says they don't regret moving to Camperdown with their 20-year-old daughter, who has thrived in the small community.
A convicted paedophile has been allowed to stay in Australia after he avoided deportation under a new law change by telling officials he'd miss his friends here.

The UK-born 83-year-old, who can't be identified for legal reasons, was found guilty in 2024 of molesting a nine-year-old girl in the presence of another child and sentenced to 14 months in jail.

'This conduct was not fleeting and involved a degree of force or coercion by you towards her,' Judge Felicity Zempilas told him as she sentenced him at Perth District Court.

'You held or pinned her down.'

He had previously been found not guilty of molesting another young boy in a separate alleged incident.

His permanent visa was initially cancelled after his conviction, but he has now successfully appealed the decision at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).

'Well, Ive got my visa back, so its all good,' he told the ABC after the hearing.

He told the ART he didn't remember sexually abusing the girl and said he didn't want to return to the UK because he'd be away from his family and friends.

Judge Felicity Zempilas jailed the monster for 14 months at Perth District Court in 2024

He insisted he had strong ties to Australia and was no threat to the Australian community, and also had health issues which would make resettling in the UK hard.

ART deputy president Simone Burford admitted his offending was 'undoubtedly very serious'.

'The Australian community would expect his visa would remain cancelled,' she added.

'[But] weighed against this, he has very strong ties to this country and faces significant impediments if removed, including his advanced age and ill health.'

Under Ministerial Direction 110 - introduced by the Albanese government to counter stateless criminals being held indefinitely - his claims were enough to allow him to remain in the country, Ms Burford said.

The government direction was introduced in 2024 to ensure visa cancellations and reinstatement rules were toughened to prevent more serious criminals from escaping deportation.

But it allows the applicant's strong ties to Australia to be taken into consideration when making any decision.

Now the families of his young victim and his previous accuser have demanded Immigration Minister Tony Burke overhaul the law and reverse the decision.

The convicted paedophile has been allowed to stay in Australia after he avoided deportation under a new law change by telling officials he'd miss his friends here

Join the discussion Should a criminal's personal ties outweigh justice and community safety in deportation cases?

The mother of the young boy the paedophile was cleared of molesting said she was horrified that he was still allowed to stay in the country.

'[We were] completely let down, completely betrayed,' she told the ABC.

'His needs were put before the victim's, before the community  why are we giving priority to an abuser over Australian child victims of sexual abuse?'

She revealed she had reached out to Mr Burke on multiple occasions asking him to deport him 'in the public interest' but was told he was not legally able to do so.

'The ministers are not required to exercise their power,' the family were told in a letter from the Department of Home Affairs.

'What is in the public interest is a matter for the ministers to determine.

'I appreciate this is not the response you were hoping for  I can assure you that your correspondence has been noted.'

Daily Mail has contacted the Department of Home Affairs for comment.
The owner of a popular Sydney bar has blasted developers for their 'contempt and disregard' after the bar was forced to close its doors on Thursday due to construction work.

Palms on Oxford co-owner Michael Lewis said the bar was unable to welcome patrons on Thursday night after its entrance was barricaded off for work on the new upgrades to Oxford Street led by the TOGA Group.

'Forced to close tonight due to the sidewalk being dug up out the front of our premises, zero notice, zero concern, seven staff and performers sent home,' the bar said in a fiery Instagram post.

'What a disgrace, five years of hell and the pain continues without an end in sight, let alone a phone call, letter under the door or even the slightest regards for our staff or business.

'Thanks for the nomination as a heritage LGBQTI+ business?'

In pictures shared by Palms, the entrance can be seen cut off by two large orange cones and a 'footpath closed' barricade which seemingly wouldn't have allowed patrons to ascend the stairs to the bar.

'No notice, no discussions, no opportunity to adjust trading hours, staff, etc.. To say we are livid is an understatement, latest affront in a long list of being treated with contempt and disregard for many years,' Mr Lewis said.

'And this is what we are expected to trade through? Normally a busy time for us during Faux Fur's "Wild Wednesday" show, how was this ever going to be workable or safe?'

Palms on Oxford Street was forced to close on Thursday night after its entrance was blocked

They said they were given no notice of the construction work and blasted the developers, saying they have been trreated with 'contempt and disregard' for years

Construction is underway to build the 'Oxford & Foley' project that will include 7,600 square metres of office space and a new hospitality laneway

The construction relates to the 'Oxford & Foley' development which remains ongoing on Sydney's rainbow strip.

According to the TOGA Group, the construction will include 7,600 square metres of office space across two 'signature heritage buildings', 2,300 square metres of 'bespoke' ground plane retail, views of the CBD and Sydney Harbour, and a new hospitality laneway.

'Rising from the citys eastern edge with glittering views of the harbour and CBD illuminating the sky, Oxford & Foley is right in the heart of where Sydneys inspired talent, locals and visitors want to be,' the website reads.

However locals were less than impressed by news of bar's forced closure.

'This is unacceptable, we want the developments done but my goodness its so overdue and then the businesses are suffering enough, why make it harder?' one person said in a comment addressed to Sydney Mayor Clover Moore, Sydney Council and the Independent Member for Sydney, Alex Greenwich.

Another said: 'I'm so sick of Oxford Street being gentrified. Its a disgrace that theyve opened up retail shops in the new spaces. Some Queer related businesses and bookshops wouldve been a better idea but instead we have straight couples kissing in our faces at the new ice cream shop.'

A person added: 'Its bad enough that we have been trying our utmost best to get people to make the effort of coming to Oxford St but this is [ridiculous], the development company must fix this up ASAP.

'I hope theres suitable compensation for this.'

The Daily Mail has contacted Palms on Oxford and the TOGA Group for comment.
Donald Trump hit out at NATO yesterday for its failure to intervene in the war in Iran, even as Secretary General Mark Rutte praised him for agreeing a two-week ceasefire.

The President had asked member nations of the alliance to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil supply passes. But none of the member nations sent their ships.

'NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,' Trump posted on his Truth Social media platform.

It came hours after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt relayed his message that NATO was 'tested and failed'.

He then seemed to make a veiled threat about Greenland, a territory he has repeatedly sought to take over.

'REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE,' Trump said.

The President's post came after a scheduled meeting with Rutte, in which he was expected to bring up the possibility of the US leaving the defence bloc.

Yet Rutte, who infamously called Trump 'daddy' at a summit last year, took on a conciliatory tone as he praised him for the ceasefire agreement in Iran.

The NATO Secretary General told CNN that Trump was 'clearly disappointed' by his allies refusal to send help, adding: 'He clearly told me what he thought of what happened over the last couple of weeks.'

Donald Trump used Truth Social to hit out at NATO for its refusal to intervene in the war in Iran and made a thinly-veiled threat about Greenland, which he has repeatedly sought to take over

When anchor Jake Tapper asked if Rutte believed the world is safer today than before the war started at the end of February, the NATO leader said: 'Absolutely... this is thanks to President Trump's leadership.'

But Rutte declined to comment on whether Trump had expressed any desire to leave NATO, telling CNN: 'It is a nuanced picture.'

He then went on to explain that degrading Iran's nuclear capabilities is 'really important for yours and my safety here in the US, in Europe and in the Middle East'.

Trump has long been at odds with NATO and last week warned that he was strongly considering pulling the US out of the 'paper tiger' bloc.

He said: 'I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.'

And yesterday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the US was planning on punishing certain NATO members for refusing to support its war against Iran.

The outlet said the Trump administration was considering repositioning some of the 84,000 American troops stationed in Europe and may even close a US base in at least one EU nation, possibly Spain or Germany.

A spokesman for NATO has since told the Daily Mail that Rutte and Trump 'had a frank discussion on a range of issues related to our shared security, including in the context of Iran.

'The Secretary General underscored the importance of Allies continuing to step up to deliver a stronger, fairer Alliance,' they said.

Leavitt told reporters yesterday she thought it was 'quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when it's the American people who have been funding their defence'.

'Withdrawing from NATO... is something that the President will be discussing in a couple of hours with [Rutte] and perhaps you'll hear directly from the President following that meeting,' she said earlier in the day.

Leavitt then went on to dispel claims from Iran that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed over Israeli attacks on the regime's proxy terror groups in Lebanon.

'We have seen an uptick of traffic in the strait today,' Leavitt said, noting that there was a difference between what Iran said publicly versus privately.

Two tankers were allowed through the strait this morning as the two-week ceasefire commenced, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported, though it later said passage had been suspended 'simultaneous with Israel's attacks on Lebanon'.

Leavitt noted that 'Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire.'

The President met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte yesterday and was expected to discuss the possibility of the US leaving the alliance

Rutte also met Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington before speaking to Trump

At the same time, Iran threatened to destroy oil tankers if they try to travel through the Strait without permission, as the regime has imposed a toll of up to $2 million per vessel.

Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, a critical artery routing crude from the Gulf to the Red Sea, came under drone attack at 1pm local time, the Financial Times reported.

Kuwait's air defences intercepted 28 drones in sustained attacks targeting oil facilities, power plants and water desalination infrastructure from 8am yesterday, the country's army said, adding that strikes were still ongoing.

There were also reports of explosions rocking Tehran, which Leavitt declined to comment on, pending information from Trump's national security team.

American and Iranian authorities are now set to meet in Islamabad on Saturday to iron out a more permanent end to the war.

As part of the deal, Iran publicly released what it claimed was a ten-point peace plan, demanding the US accept Tehran's continued control over the Strait, recognise its right to uranium enrichment, lift all sanctions, pay compensation and withdraw all troops from the region.

Trump is now facing a furious backlash from his most fervent supporters over the ceasefire and ten-point peace plan, with some fearing it concedes too much to Tehran. The White House forced to clarify his claims about the terms of the deal.

The President has previously described Iran's plan as 'a workable basis on which to negotiate,' only for a White House official to say the points in the released plan did not match what Trump had in mind.

Trump then seemed to contradict his own team, saying most points had 'been fully negotiated' while leaving the door open to resuming strikes if the deal fell apart.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham demanded JD Vance appear before Congress to explain the terms of the agreement after the dovish Vice President spearheaded 11th-hour peace talks mediated by Pakistan.

'The supposed negotiating document, in my view, has some troubling aspects, but time will tell,' Graham posted on X.

'I look forward to the architects of this proposal, the Vice President and others, coming forward to Congress and explaining how a negotiated deal meets our national security objectives in Iran.'
Lebanon must be included in the Iran war ceasefire as Israel's latest deadly attacks are 'deeply concerning', Foreign Minister Penny Wong says.

Australia has called on Israel to end its attacks on Lebanon after a ceasefire deal was struck with Iran, warning that any ongoing fighting puts the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz at risk.

Israel says it has carried out its largest wave of strikes against Lebanon since the start of the war, leaving at least 250 people dead, according to local authorities.

In a joint statement with the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Jordan, Brazil, Colombia, and Sierra Leone, Foreign Minister Penny Wong called for an urgent end to the fighting in Lebanon.

'The ceasefire is fragile, but the world needs it to hold,' she told ABC TV on Thursday.

The Foreign Minister says it's crucial that the ceasefire hold and the Strait of Hormuz reopens.

'There is a risk that continued conflict in Lebanon will risk the ceasefire itself across the region.

'We want to see the Strait of Hormuz open so that Australians and the world can see lower prices for fuel.'

Penny Wong (pictured) signed a joint statement calling for Israel to end attacks on Lebanon

Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) said Lebanon was not negotiated as part of the peace deal

Join the discussion How should Australia respond if the Lebanon conflict sends fuel prices soaring at home?

She said the deadly attacks overnight were 'deeply concerning'.

The Israeli strikes on Lebanon follow Iran's agreement on Wednesday to a two-week ceasefire with the US and Israel, which would reopen the Strait of Hormuz for oil trade.

Iran says Lebanon is included in that now-shaky deal and has reportedly closed the crucial shipping route again in response to the Israeli attacks.

The US and Israel say Lebanon was never part of the peace deal.

Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has also declared his country is ready to return to fighting in Iran at any moment, because it still has objectives to achieve.

'The finger is on the trigger,' he said in remarks translated from Hebrew.

Opposition defence spokesman James Paterson said he was sceptical of Iran's claims that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire but expressed concern about the scale of Israel's attacks.

'Certainly we're concerned about civilian deaths in conflicts like these,' he told ABC Radio on Thursday.

'Clearly what we have is a dispute between the parties to this conflict about the terms of the ceasefire.'
Donald Trump's peace deal with Iran was hanging by a thread on Wednesday night as Tehran halted tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

It warned that unauthorised ships would be 'targeted and destroyed'.

As the White House declared a dramatic and decisive victory in the Middle East, it remained unclear who controlled the vital waterway, through which 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas is transported.

Iranian officials said oil tankers using the Strait would have to pay tolls in cryptocurrency of $1 per barrel, potentially amounting to 2.2million per ship.

State media also reported the ceasefire would fail if Israel continued attacking Lebanon, home to Iranian terrorist proxy Hezbollah.

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte (pictured left) and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) shared a laugh on Wednesday

Iranians burn US and Israeli flags at a protest in Enghelab Square, Tehran, following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire

Mr Trump insisted that Lebanon was not part of the peace deal, describing its conflict with Israel as a 'separate skirmish'. It came as:

Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the President's son-in-law, will begin in-person peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday;

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the US had won a 'capital-V military victory';

Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu said he was prepared to return to fighting at any moment, adding his 'finger is on the trigger';

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was 'relieved' that fighting had paused, but said there was still 'work to do';

Mr Trump was preparing to discuss a US exit from Nato, accusing allies of 'turning their backs' on America.

Despite the apparent ceasefire, Saudi Arabia's vital oil pipeline carrying crude from the Gulf to the Red Sea was hit by an Iranian drone while the United Arab Emirates said their air defences engaged 17 missiles and 35 drones.

On Wednesday night, White House spokesman Karoline Leavitt said the Vice President would lead the negotiating team to meet Iran's new leaders in Islamabad on Saturday.

'Thanks to the unmatched excellence of our warriors, at the direction of the Commander in Chief [the President], the world has just witnessed a historically swift and successful military triumph,' she said.

'The US military destroyed Iran's defence-industrial base, crushing the regime's ability to manufacture weapons that they and their proxies use to maim and kill Americans and terrorise the world.'

The ceasefire came less than 12 hours after Mr Trump threatened 'a whole civilisation will die' if Iran did not agree to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz.

In the early hours of Wednesday, Iran offered a ten-point peace plan that would have given it compensation, full control of the Strait and the right to continue enriching uranium for nuclear weapons.

But Ms Leavitt said the plan was 'fundamentally unserious, unacceptable and completely discarded'.

Iran and the USA agreed to the two-week truce to halt military operations and keep the Strait of Hormuz open for oil and gas shipments, with formal peace talks set to begin in Islamabad on Friday

Donald Trump insisted that Lebanon was not part of the peace deal, describing its conflict with Israel as a 'separate skirmish'

Your browser does not support iframes.

'It was literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump and his negotiating team,' she said. 'The idea that President Trump would ever accept an Iranian wish list as a deal is completely absurd.

'With the President's deadline fast approaching and United States military completely decimating Iran with each passing hour, the [Iranian] regime acknowledged reality and put forward a more reasonable and entirely different plan.

'President Trump and the team determined the new modified plan was a workable basis on which to negotiate.' Mr Vance on Wednesday night suggested the Iranians had submitted three different ten-point proposals.

In a separate press conference on Wednesday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Iran's enriched uranium was being 'watched 24/7'.

'They know this agreement means that they will never, ever possess a nuclear weapon,' he said. 'Any nuclear material they have will be removed.

'Their [uranium] dust is deeply buried and watched 24/7 overhead. They'll give it to us voluntarily, or if we have to do something to take it ourselves. The President has been clear from the beginning  there will be no Iranian nuclear weapons.'

He added: 'Iran begged for this ceasefire, and we all know it. Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield, a capital V military victory. Epic Fury decimated Iran's military and rendered it combat ineffective for years to come.'

Mr Vance said Tehran's negotiators thought the ceasefire agreed included Lebanon but America 'never made that promise'.

While the terms of the deal have not been spelt out, Hamid Hosseini of Iran's Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters' Union, said his country would assess each tanker passing the Strait of Hormuz and collect tolls.

'Iran needs to monitor what goes in and out of the strait to ensure these two weeks aren't used for transferring weapons,' he told the FT. 'The procedure will take time and Iran is not in a rush.'

He said tanker captains would have to email details of what they are carrying, adding: 'Once Iran completes its assessment, vessels are given a few seconds to pay in Bitcoin.'

Meanwhile, Mr Trump was meeting Nato chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday night and preparing to discuss a US departure from the alliance.

He has described it as 'not a very good arrangement' for America, and on Monday said he was 'very disappointed' that allies including Britain and Spain failed to back the US in Iran.

'I think it's a mark on Nato that will never disappear,' he said. The Wall Street Journal reported he was considering punishing certain Nato states by moving US troops out of those countries.

Keir Starmer warned on Wednesday: 'There's a lot of work to do to make sure the ceasefire becomes permanent and brings about the peace that we all want to see.'

Sir Keir, who is in Saudi Arabia to discuss options for peace in the region, dodged questions about the status of his battered relationship with Donald Trump.

Mr Netanyahu said: 'Iran is weaker than ever, and Israel is stronger than ever. We have more goals to complete  and we will achieve them either by agreement or by resuming fighting. The finger is on the trigger.'

It was reported senior figures close to Mr Trump, particularly Mr Vance, tried to dissuade him from attacking Iran. The New York Times said Mr Netanyahu gave an hour-long presentation at the White House on February 11, pushing for a full-scale invasion.

It is claimed CIA director John Ratcliffe later told Mr Trump the proposals were 'farcical' while Secretary of State Marco Rubio branded them 'bulls***'. Mr Vance reportedly urged the President to abide by his campaign promise of 'no new wars'.
The United States will automatically register eligible men aged 18 to 25 for a military draft pool beginning in December.

The rule change was submitted by the Selective Service System, which maintains a database of Americans who would be able to serve in the military.

'This statutory change transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to SSS through integration with federal data sources,' the agency's website said.

It adds that the rule change remains under review by regulatory affairs and is awaiting finalization.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Pentagon and the White House for comment.

The last time a draft was conducted in the US was in the 1970s, during America's highly controversial involvement in the Vietnam War.

Despite no active conscription, men between the ages of 18 and 25 had still been required to register with the Selective Service System should one be activated.

The agency's website said that this rule change will merely streamline this process as part of a 'workforce realignment'.

The United States is set to automatically register eligible men for a military draft pool beginning this December

The rule change was submitted by The Selective Service System, which maintains a database of Americans who would be eligible for the draft, on March 30

There have been multiple proposals to also add young women to the draft, but none that have passed into law.

Men who fail to register face a fine of up to $250,000, five years in prison and loss of eligibility for federal programs.

Shortly after the war in Iran began, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt refused to rule out the option on an appearance with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News.

'President Trump wisely does not remove options off of the table. I know a lot of politicians like to do that quickly,' Leavitt told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday.

She insisted, however, that it's not part of the current plan.

Donald Trump has so far publicly downplayed the option of deploying ground troops, saying he'd only do so 'if necessary' but that it would be a 'waste of time'.

But at the same time, reports emerged of sources claiming the President has privately expressed 'serious interest' in such a deployment.

Bartiromo noted that 'mothers are worried' there would be a draft that takes their sons to war.

Join the discussion Should Trump bring back the draft?

Donald Trump has not ruled out deploying troops inside Iran but has said doing so would be 'a waste of time'

'It's not part of the current plan right now, but the President, again, wisely keeps his options on the table,' Leavitt reiterated.

She said that Trump 'wants to continue to assess the success of this military operation' before making a decision on the matter of ground troops.

Polls for decades have shown that Americans are strongly against a draft, their resistance shaped largely by the failures of the Vietnam War and a preference for an all-volunteer, professional defense force.

Any attempts to bring back the draft would have to be approved by Congress, which would need to amend the Military Selective Service Act.
Aussies have been divided over calls from historians to remove displays of Ben Roberts-Smith from the Hall of Valour at the Australian War Memorial.

Some historians have labelled the Memorial's refusal to take down Roberts-Smith's uniform and equipment as 'disgraceful' after the former SAS corporal was charged with two counts of the war crime of murder and three counts of aiding or abetting the same charge in relation to alleged incidents in Afghanistan between April 2009 and October 2012.

A spokesperson at the Australian War Memorial told Daily Mail that Roberts-Smith's memorabilia, which includes medals, would remain in place in its Hall of Valour, which honours recipients of the Victoria Cross.

'The Memorial acknowledges media reports of the arrest of Ben Roberts-Smith,' the spokesperson said.

'Accordingly, the Memorial will review the wording of the interpretive panel associated with his display. The display of his uniform, equipment and medals remains in place.

'The Memorial will continue to monitor developments and consider updates as appropriate.'

Senior lecturer in Australian history at the University of NSW Michael McKernan, who was the deputy director at the museum in the 1990s, told the Sydney Morning Herald that keeping Roberts-Smith's uniform display up was 'ludicrous'.

'You can't leave it there. It's ludicrous. He is now charged with five murders. Let's get real  that's not good,' he said.

Aussies have been divided over calls from historians to remove displays of Ben Roberts-Smith from the Hall of Valour at the Australian War Memorial

Senior lecturer in Australian history at the University of NSW Michael McKernan has led calls for Roberts-Smith's uniform display to be taken down from the Hall of Valour

Uniforms of former Special Air Services (SAS) soldier Ben Roberts-Smith in an exhibit at the Australian War Memorial

'He has every right to be considered innocent until found guilty, but the full bench of the Federal Court of Australia upheld that, on the balance of civil probability, he is a war criminal.'

In June 2023, Roberts-Smith lost a landmark civil defamation case he brought against The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Canberra Times.

The Federal Court found that the news outlets had established the 'substantial truth' of several serious allegations to a civil standard, effectively branding him a war criminal.

Mr McKernan said the judge's findings were a serious blow to Roberts-Smith and that it was an 'utter disgrace' that the Memorial retained his displays in the Hall of Valour.

A panel next to the display also now incorrectly states the soldier 'has not been charged with any offence under criminal law'.

UNSW Canberra Professor Peter Stanley, formerly the Memorial's principal historian, also backed Mr McKernan's calls to remove the displays from the Hall of Valour, and said it should instead be relocated to the Afghanistan exhibition.

'My position is clear and simple. The Roberts-Smith display should be moved out of the Hall of Valour into the Afghanistan gallery, so his story can be portrayed as one of the tragic consequences of Australia's involvement,' Prof. Stanley said.

'I disagree with calls to remove the display. The Memorial shouldn't be a shrine to heroes - it should tell Australia's story honestly, and Roberts-Smith is a part of it. Removing the display would conceal the fact of his conduct.'

Professor Peter Stanley says Roberts-Smith displays should be moved to the Afghanistan exhibit at the Memorial

Roberts-Smith poses for the cameras in front of his Victoria Cross at the Australian War Memorial in 2011

Roberts-Smith was charged with five counts of murder in relation to alleged incidents in Afghanistan between April 2009 and October 2012

Aussies hit back online, however, supporting the Memorial's stance.

'The uniform and the display in general should stay, regardless of the charges and the outcome. If, and it's a big If, he's found guilty, it should remain with amended information,' one person said on X.

'There is such a thing as the presumption of innocence in Australiaor there was,' another said.

'Whatever he allegedly did on other occasions does not change the fact that he did an act worthy of winning the VC. The two facts do not cancel each other out,' one wrote online.

Some however did agree with the historians.

'The Australian War Memorial still has this commemoration of alleged war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith on display. When is the Australian War Memorial going to take it down as it's an absolute travesty,' one person wrote on X.

Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said the Memorial's curators and governing council were responsible for display decisions and the government had 'no power' to change them.

'It is the job of the Australian War Memorial to tell the full story of war and conflict, including displays that may be controversial or provoke disagreement and debate,' he said.

One of Roberts-Smith's biggest supporters, businessman Kerry Stokes, bankrolled his defamation case against Nine and he also chaired the Memorial between 2015 and 2022.

Roberts-Smith, Australia's most decorated soldier, has maintained his innocence.

Dr Brianna Chesser, an associate professor in criminology and justice, told Daily Mail this week that it would be a challenging case to prove in court.

'Practically locating and compelling witnesses to give evidence is going to be difficult and there will likely be no access to crime scenes or to the remains of the (alleged) victims,' she said.
A $1million reward has been offered in the hope that homicide detectives can finally solve the mysterious and suspicious death of a young woman on the NSW Mid North Coast more than two decades ago.

Harmony Bryant, 26, was suffering multiple fractures and severe burns to 60 per cent of her body when she was found clinging to life in bushland near Bonny Hills, south of Port Macquarie, on August 16, 2003.

Her Hyundai Excel was found alight nearby, 200metres from the road.

While fighting for life in hospital, Ms Bryant tried to communicate with her family by silently mouthing what had happened to her, but without success.

She succumbed to her injuries a month later and her death has plagued detectives since.

Evidence indicated Ms Bryant fell off a nearby cliff before being brought back to her car.

Eight years later, a coroner ruled the 26-year-old died from burns caused by a person or persons unknown and referred the case to the homicide squad.

Her death would have continued to be treated as non-suspicious if her family had not conducted their own investigation into the incident, according to the coroner's report.

Police have increased the reward for information into the 2003 murder of Harmony Bryant

The 26-year-old was suffering multiple fractures and severe burns to 60 per cent of her body when she was found clinging to life in bushland near Bonny Hills on the NSW Mid North Coast

He criticised the initial police investigation and ruled that the officer-in-charge made an incorrect assessment about the case, even after receiving information suggesting something was amiss.

As a result, opportunities available in the 'vital' 48 hours after Ms Bryant was found had been missed, the coroner added.

No one has ever been charged over her death, despite extensive inquiries.

Police found that Ms Bryant had booked accommodation for two people at a nearby caravan, but a second person has never been identified.

The NSW government and police offered a $100,000 reward in 2011 for information about her murder.

On Thursday, it was increased to $1million, a day before what should have been Ms Bryant's 49th birthday.

'The reward is an opportunity for someone to help deliver justice and bring long-overdue closure to Harmony's family,' Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said.

'Our investigation has established that Harmony was not alone that night.

Karen Bryant (right) and son Jeremy (centre) finally hope to get some answers about what happened to Harmony (left)

'We are confident someone in the community has information that can help us identify the second person.'

Police Minister Yasmin Catley added: 'It's been over 20 years since Harmony's death and in that time her loved ones have lived with the grief of not knowing what happened to her on that night.'

'If anyone out there knows what happened to Harmony, they now have one million reasons to come forward.

'Even the smallest detail may be the missing piece police need to solve this horrific crime.'

Ms Bryant's grieving family also issued a heartfelt plea for answers.

'Today, you have been offered $1million and one reason to come forward, remembering this time, this is our daughter, and our sister,' her mother Karen urged.

'Next time, it might just be yours. Tomorrow, it's Harmony's birthday. Do it for her.'

Until this week, Karen had all but given up hope, after decades of trying to uncover the truth of what happened.

Karen Bryant issued an emotional plea for answers on the eve of what should have been her daughter's 49th birthday

Her sons had told her to take a step back from the investigation for her wellbeing.

'It doesn't matter what I say now because it's never going to happen,' Karen told the Daily Mail last November.

'I'd love for it to happen. When the inquest ended, my sons sat me down and talked to me about it.

'They said mum we have already lost Harmony and our dad, we can't lose you too, you have to take a step back.'

Anyone with information about Ms Bryant death is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Blog Archive: Apr 2026 (138) 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)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made an urgent dash to Singapore in a highstakes effort to shore up Australia's fuel supply amid the conflict in the Middle East.

The urgent trip comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, despite a two-week ceasefire being agreed between the United States and Iran on Wednesday, sparking fears fuel disruptions could linger for months.

Australia relies on overseas markets for around 90 per cent of its liquid fuels, including petrol, diesel and jet fuel, with most shipments arriving from Asia.

Albanese will this week meet Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, head of the tiny nation-state, which provides Australia with 55 per cent of its petrol and a substantial percentage of its diesel.

About half of the 80 fuel shipments that reach Australian ports each month originate from Singapore, making the relationship critical during periods of global volatility.

But that dependence goes both ways.

As of April 2026, Australia supplies nearly onethird of Singapore's liquefied natural gas (LNG), which the country relies on for around 90 per cent of its electricity generation.

That is something Albanese is sure to note as his government tries to lock down a reliable fuel source.

Anthony Albanese (pictured) boarding his flight to Singapore on Thursday morning

Singapore provides Australia with 55 per cent of its petrol and a substantial percentage of its diesel

Singapore's three refineries, all located on Jurong Island, can process up to 1.5 million barrels of crude oil a day, but the system has come under strain.

Most of the crude oil feeding those refineries normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

With the vital shipping route still closed, supplies have tightened and refineries have been forced to temporarily scale back production.

That disruption now threatens fuel availability across the region, including Australia.

To counter the risk, Canberra is leaning hard on its position as a major LNG exporter, using energy diplomacy to ensure Singapore continues prioritising Australian fuel needs amid the crisis.

Before the conflict erupted, around 25 per cent of Singapore's LNG imports came from Qatar, another supply line now under pressure due to regional instability.

Ensuring Singapore's refineries keep running has become a top priority as Australia's economy remains vulnerable to prolonged fuel disruptions.

Speaking at the Ampol Lytton Refinery in Brisbane on Thursday, Albanese warned the fallout from the conflict would not end quickly.

Albanese (right) will hold a high stakes meeting with Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) over fuel supplies

He said the crisis would leave a 'long tail' even if hostilities ceased permanently.

'An end to the conflict .... doesn't mean that the Strait of Hormuz is automatically reopened and that it's back to business as usual,' he said.

'This will have a long tail, which is why after this we will travel to Singapore.

'I'm looking forward to a constructive meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong tomorrow.'

The Prime Minister said years of diplomacy were now proving crucial.

'We have spent four years building relationships in our region, particularly with ASEAN leaders, Prime Minister Wong and Singapore,' he said.

'The relationship that we have is a critical one, and of course Singapore is a major supplier of fuel to Australia.'

Meanwhile, new figures reveal fuel shortages are slowly easing, although supply remains uneven across the country.

Australia will leverage Singapore's reliance on LNG exports to shore up fuel supplies (file)

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said New South Wales remains the most affected, with 112 service stations without diesel, while 24 sites are completely out of fuel.

In Victoria, 43 service stations remain without diesel, while 26 outlets are out of unleaded petrol.

Queensland has 32 stations without diesel and 23 without unleaded.

South Australia reports four stations without diesel and five without petrol, while Western Australia has 11 without diesel and 20 without unleaded.

In Tasmania, eight stations are without diesel and six without unleaded.

The Northern Territory has four stations without diesel and six without petrol, while the ACT reports two stations without diesel.
Police have launched an urgent public appeal for information about the mysterious death of a young woman along a remote stretch of highway in the Northern Territory.

Emergency services were called to the Barkly Highway about 5.50am on Sunday following reports a woman had stopped breathing after the vehicle she was travelling in 'allegedly hit a kangaroo' near Barkly Homestead in the Avon Downs district.

The woman, 27, was unable to be revived and died at the scene.

Her 33-year-old boyfriend was arrested at the scene and remains in custody four days later.

A NT Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail on Thursday that investigations are ongoing and further updates will be shared when available. No charges have yet been laid.

The woman's death is being treated as suspicious.

Police allege the pair were in a dark-coloured Jeep Cherokee parked on the side of the road near the intersection of the Barkly and Tablelands highways for four hours between 1.30am and 5.30am on Sunday.

Officers seek information or dashcam footage from motorists who were in the area at that time.

Police have appealed for information about the suspicious death of a woman near Barkly Homestead in the NT out. Pictured is the Jeep Cherokee she was travelling in

The woman died near Barkly Homestead in the Avon Downs district

It is understood that the couple had been on a 2,000km road trip from south-east Queensland

Barkly Homestead is a remote roadhouse on a 460km stretch of the Barkly Highway between Tennant Creek and Queensland border town Camooweal.

It is understood that the couple had been on a 2,000km road trip from south-east Queensland.

Police said that the couple left Gympie on April 1 and had passed through Ban Ban Springs, Emerald, Winton, Cloncurry, Mount Isa and Camooweal before reaching Barkly Homestead early Sunday.

Anyone with information about the Jeep Cherokee and/or the couple is urged to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers.
An alleged hammer attack that left a man fighting for life at a Sydney hospital could have been caused by a dispute over a will, according to police sources.

Viki Graham, 46, is accused of striking her uncle Brett Jones, 63, while he slept in a ward at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown at 12.15am on Thursday.

Graham was arrested at the scene and taken to Newtown Police Station where she was charged with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and refused bail.

The man and woman are understood to be uncle and niece, with the alleged attack said to have been triggered by a row over the will following a family death.

Court documents allege she walked over to the man's bedside and struck the right side of his forehead with a pink-handled hammer.

'I smashed him with the hammer. He stole my brother's ashes,' Graham allegedly called out.

Mr Jones was understood to be so close to dying, homicide detectives were on standby to launch a murder investigation.

However he is now understood to have since rallied but is still in a critical condition in the hospital's intensive care unit.

Viki Graham, 46, is accused of striking Brett Jones, 63, while he slept in a ward at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown at 12.15am on Thursday

Police sources told the Daily Telegraph investigators are looking into whether the alleged assault is connected to a recent death in the man's family.

A police fact sheet tendered to court claimed Graham spoke with a nurse as she approached ward nine, and was told it was outside visiting hours.

Local Court Judge J Sweeney described it as a 'gratuitously violent attack'.

'The facts are absolutely extraordinary,' Judge Sweeney said.

'It is a maximum penalty of 25 years, that is how seriously this offence is viewed by the legislature.'

Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) Chief Executive Deb Willcox said hospital staff have attempted to contact his loved ones after the 'terrible event'.

'He's had a reasonably long length of stay with us, and, by all accounts, (he is) a really lovely person who staff are very fond of,' she said.

Ms Willcox said the shock incident was not something she had ever experienced, and was 'distressing' for hospital staff.

Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) Chief Executive Deb Willcox (pictured) said hospital staff are 'very fond' of the patient

'They did an outstanding job. You don't come to work and expect this sort of thing, but their training is so effective,' she said.

'They're just so capable and such good people that they knew exactly what to do.

'We see people in all sorts of extreme situations. There's no doubt that this has been a very serious event, and not something that I have been a part of previously.'

No other patients were injured, but Ms Willcox admitted some people are a 'bit rattled and distressed by the events'.

Hospital staff anonymously told The Sydney Morning Herald they had questions about how the woman entered the man's ward.

'This is extremely unsettling,' a doctor said.

'I have never in my many years of practice here ever heard of such a thing (happening) here.'

Visitors are not allowed to access general wards after 8pm, but Ms Willcox said it was a 'very big and busy hospital'.

A patient at Royal Prince Alfred hospital was allegedly attacked by a woman with a hammer in the early hours of Thursday (stock image)

'Our hospitals are open buildings. They're open to the public. Our emergency department doors are open overnight, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,' she said.

'There are standard visiting hours, but this is a very big and busy hospital.'

In a statement to the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for SLHD confirmed the hospital is assisting police with their enquiries.

Staff who witnessed this distressing incident have also been given access to the employee assistance program, which allows them the opportunity for confidential debriefings.
A husband has been arrested by police in the Bahamas after his wife vanished while sailing aboard a boat near the archipelago.

Brian Hooker, 59, was detained on the Abaco islands on Wednesday, five days after he returned from a sailing expedition without his wife Lynette Hooker, 55, and claimed she fell overboard.

The Royal Bahamas police said Brian questioned 'on probable cause' and was taken into custody as a suspect in connection with his wife's disappearance, but he has not been formally charged.

Officials said the couple were experienced sailors who had been traveling together for more than a decade, often documenting their life at sea on social media.

On Saturday evening, they took out an eight-foot motorboat from Hope Town in the Bahamas, but only Brian returned.

He told authorities that his wife fell overboard with the boat keys as they were returning to their yacht 'Soulmate', causing the engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle to the shore.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, Brian Hooker said he is 'heartbroken' by his wife's disappearance, describing the incident as a 'boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds.'

'Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart,' Brian said. 'We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus.'

Lynette Hooker was said to have fallen from a dinghy as she and her husband Brian were making their way back to their sailboat, Soulmate

Brian Hooker said he last saw his wife fell overboard in strong currents and he 'lost sight of her'

Search-and-rescue teams announced the mission to find Lynette had become a recovery operation on Tuesday

Brian's attorney Terrel Butler said his client 'categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing' in his wifes disappearance, saying he 'has been cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of an ongoing investigation.'

The couple's distraught daughter called for a full investigation into the tragedy after she said her parents went through 'prior issues' before her mother's disappearance.

Lynette Hookers mother, Darlene Hamlett, said following Brian's arrest late Wednesday that she was 'glad to hear' about the arrest, but declined further comment, saying she was seeking more information.

Earlier on Wednesday, Hamlett said she wants to hear more from her son-in-law about how Lynette vanished.

The couple had been married for more than two decades and lived in Onsted, Michigan.

Online records gave Brian Hookers age as 58, and the reason for the discrepancy wasnt immediately clear.

'Im going to be interested in what he says, because I havent heard from him in almost two days,' Hamlett said.

'Our family grew up on water and so Lynette her whole life has been near lakes, on boats, sailing and swimming.

'It would be a miracle if [shes rescued], but Im still counting on one,' Hamlett added.

Brian broke his silence four days after she was swept away, speaking out amid claims that he failed to notify his wife's daughter of the tragedy for 24 hours.

The couple had been married for more than two decades and lived in Onsted, Michigan

Authorities said Brian paddled to shore and alerted someone about the incident early Sunday

On Tuesday, Lynette's daughter Karli Aynesworth called for a full investigation into the events leading up to her mothers fall.

'There have been prior issues brought to my attention, which may be important for any thorough investigation,' she told Fox News Digital.

'If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it,' she added.

'However, there needs to be an intensive review of the facts and circumstances of this tragic incident before that can be determined.'

Aylesworth also told CBS that her mother is a seasoned sailor and swimmer, with over a decade of experience on the water.

She is unable to wrap her mind around how Lynette fell overboard and vanished.

A source close to the family has told the Daily Mail that Brian only called his stepdaughter a full day after Lynette went missing.

So more than 24 hours later. We dont know why. We don't know if he was busy looking,' said the source. 'We just dont know.

Karli has not really been back in contact since because she finds the circumstances a little suspicious.

Lynette Hooker's daughter, 28-year-old Karli Aylesworth called for a full investigation into the events leading up to her mothers fatal fall and says her stepfather didn't tell her of the tragedy for 24 hours

Aylesworth, now 28, pictured on mother's lap in undated photo

Aylesworth says is unable to wrap her mind around how Lynette fell overboard and vanished

Aylesworth previously shared harrowing details about her mother and stepfather's relationship

'They were a couple literally living on the bigger boat for four years and it would be hard for them to misjudge the chop if it was bad. They would have said, hey, maybe we shouldnt do this.

The source said local officials did not contact Aylesworth about the tragedy and there has been no contact with them since the news was broken to her.

On the hint referring to her prior issues comment, the source said: Ive tried to tell her all relationships have disagreements. Her mom did tell her some stuff, but she doesnt want to reveal anything more.

Karli was down in the Bahamas with them both at the end of February, beginning of March and she was actually on the boat at a slightly different place.

Aylesworth previously revealed harrowing details about her mother and stepfather's relationship to Fox News.

'There is a history of him choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard. So, the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there's more to the story,' she told the outlet.

'There has also been a history of domestic violence in that relationship, so I do believe something might have happened to her.'

Aylesworth also shared a voicemail Brian sent her with CBS News, in which he spoke about throwing a flotation device to Lynette after she fell.

Aynesworth said of her mother's disappearance: 'If this truly was an accident, I can understand and live with it'

The couple had been making their way back to their sailboat Soulmate in an 8ft dinghy when Lynette fell overboard

Brian told police his wife slipped and fell due to poor weather while traveling on a dinghy to get to their yacht

'Hello, honey, it's Dad. I just got a call from Hope Town Search and Rescue, and they found the flotation device that I threw to Mom when she fell overboard,' he told his stepdaughter.

A US State Department spokesman previously said it was 'aware of reports regarding a missing American near Elbow Cay,' adding that they were 'working with Bahamian authorities to provide assistance.'

The investigation remains ongoing as the search for Lynette continues.

The Bahamas currently has a level two travel advisory, warning visitors to exercise increased caution due to increased crime and swimming-related risks.

In summary, the advisory cited violent crimes, such as armed robberies, burglaries, and sexual assaults, as well as the lack of regulation around boating, which has led to injury and death.

Daily Mail reached out to The Royal Bahamas Defence Force for comment.
A top doctor broke down in court after a jury found him guilty of attempted manslaughter after he tried to push his wife off a cliff in Hawaii while attacking her with a rock.

Anesthesiologist Gerhardt Konig, 47, was convicted Wednesday of trying to kill his nuclear engineer wife, Arielle Konig, 37, while on a cliffside hike in Oahu on March 24 last year.

As the verdict was read at the Oahu First Circuit Court, he appeared visibly distressed.

Konig slowly bowed his head, appearing to take in the conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

After taking his seat, he clutched his head in his hands, rubbing his temples and staring at the floor.

The jury convicted him of a lesser charge based on mental or emotional disturbance after two days of deliberation.

Konig previously pleaded not guilty to second-degree attempted murder charges, claiming he acted in self-defense.

During the three-week trial, prosecutors claimed that Konig pushed Arielle near the edge of the Pali Puka Trail and beat her multiple times with a rock on her birthday.

Gerhardt Konig, 47, was found guilty of trying to kill his nuclear engineer wife, Arielle Konig, on her birthday in Oahu on March 24 last year

Arielle, 37, was captured on police body camera footage moments after her husband allegedly tried to push her off a ledge on the trail and attempted to stab her with a syringe before beating her with a jagged rock

The couple went hiking in Oahu last spring after Konig uncovered messages of his wife's 'emotional affair'

Konig's lawyers claimed that Arielle attacked her husband first. They said the incident was a case of 'he said, she said.'

Arielle said she had been trying to repair the couple's marriage after Konig found 'flirty messages' between her and a coworker.

She described the relationship as a three-month-long 'emotional affair' with her coworker.

'I was apologetic,' she testified. 'He was obviously hurt. I was committed to my marriage, to rebuild. It felt like an affair to him. It was an emotional affair to him.'

Arielle claimed that after her husband wrestled her to the ground, he pulled out a vial and a syringe before attacking her with the rock.

The defense noted that police never found a syringe at the scene or evidence that he tried to inject his wife with any substance.

She told the court that she screamed, 'Please help, he's trying to kill me' as her husband attacked her.

The attack only ended when two female hikers heard her pleas for help and called 911, the prosecution argued.

Konig had fled the scene when the two hikers arrived, and allegedly called his son, confessing to attacking his wife and saying he was going to take his own life.

Arielle testified that she was treated for 'severe scalp lacerations' following the incident and showed picture evidence of her injuries during the trial.

Konig looked visibly distressed after his guilty verdict was delivered

Images revealed in court showed Arielle's injuries after her husband beat her with a rock

Arielle accused her husband of attacking her with a rock after pulling a syringe on her near a cliff in Hawaii

Another photo shown in court depicting Arielle's injuries

Konig's attorney, Thomas Otake, previously argued Arielle's injuries were not as bad as they appeared, and said she only suffered a small laceration to her eyebrow.

A physician from Queen's Medical Center, though, claimed she had suffered crushed tissue down to the skull.

Konig told the court that the couple had gotten into an argument over their affair and that she struck him with a rock first before they wrestled one another to the ground.

He admitted to striking her with a rock but denied that he had any syringes.

The court was shown photographs of the contents of his medical bag, which included a syringe and a generic form of Propofol, the powerful anesthetic that caused Michael Jackson's fatal overdose.

Konig also dispelled accusations that he attempted to push his wife toward the cliff's edge.

The estranged husband expressed remorse for the attack.

'I felt horrified about what I did to her, that I had caused this to her, that I had resorted to violence against my wife, the person whom I love the most in the world,' he said. 'And I just kind of felt hopeless in terms of our relationship, too.'

The court was shown photographs of the contents of Konig's medical bag, which included a syringe and a generic form of Propofol, the powerful anesthetic that caused Michael Jackson's fatal overdose

Konig feeds Arielle cake on their wedding day in 2018. The couple met on a dating app in 2016 and now have two young sons

The court was also shown Konig's booking photograph. He was arrested in Maui after having fled the scene of the assault

Prosecutors claimed Konig came up with a plan to kill his wife to avoid a divorce amid their marital issues.

It was also revealed that Konig stood to gain $250,000 from a life insurance policy in the event of Arielle's death.

Arielle filed for divorce in May 2025 and sought full custody of the couple's young sons.

Konig has been in jail since his arrest in March 2025, roughly eight hours after he attacked his wife. His medical staff privileges at Maui Health were revoked.

Arielle and Konig married in 2018, two years after meeting on a dating app.

His sentencing is scheduled for August 13.
Donald Trump is plotting revenge against NATO allies who failed to support his war in Iran by potentially removing US troops from member countries.

The President was reportedly mulling that drastic move after meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday amid a widening rift between Washington and the alliance.

'None of these people, including our own, very disappointing, NATO, understood anything unless they have pressure placed upon them!' Trump posted on Thursday morning.

The President, who had recently suggested the US could leave the alliance, expressed anger toward the bloc in a scathing social media post Wednesday night.

'NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,' Trump wrote in an all-caps post. 'REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!'

Trump was referring to his potential ploy to annex Greenland, which is under Danish control. Rutte was among the NATO leaders who lobbied Trump not to take over Greenland.

As a result of his frustration with the alliance, administration officials told The Wall Street Journal that Trump may move troops stationed in NATO countries that refused to help him wage a military campaign against Iran.

Trump is reportedly mulling over several different plans, but the military scheme has gained the most backing from senior White House officials.

Donald Trump is reportedly mulling a plan to remove troops from NATO allies who haven't supported the war in Iran

A fireball rises from a building hit by an Israeli airstrike in the area of Abbasiyeh, on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre. The Israeli military is still launching attacks, as Israel said the ceasefire with Iran did not include its conflict with Hezbollah

An Iranian woman attends a ceremony marking 40 days since the late Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed

Canada, the Czech Republic, Albania, North Macedonia, Lithuania, and Latvia are among the NATO members who have publicly backed the strikes on Iran.

The United Kingdom, Portugal and Germany have allowed the US to use military bases, but some NATO members have been neutral.

Trump was also angered as NATO allies Spain and France forbade or restricted the use of their airspace or joint military facilities for the US.

Trump's greatest disappointment comes after having repeatedly and unsuccessfully demanded that allies send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

France, Spain and other nations, however, agreed to help with an international coalition to open the Strait of Hormuz when the conflict ends.

His disdain for the alliance has been brewing, especially after Germany, France, the UK, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Finland all moved troops to Greenland in a show of unity amid Trump's attempts to acquire the territory.

Rutte elaborated on Trump's frustration in an interview on Wednesday.

'He is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies, and I can see his point,' Rutte told CNN following his summit with Trump.

Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte met with both Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday

Rutte was among the NATO leaders who lobbied Trump not to take over Greenland

'But at the same time, I was also able to point to the fact that the large majority of European nations has been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they live up to the commitments.'

Rutte, however, would not directly answer whether or not Trump threatened to pull the US out of NATO.

The Washington Post noted that Rutte appeared to have talked Trump out of any plan to end the US's involvement with NATO.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters before the meeting: 'I have a direct quote from the President of the United States on NATO, and I will share it with all of you: 'They were tested and they failed.'

'And I would add, it's quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when it's the American people who have been funding their defense.'

Leavitt said: 'Withdrawing from NATO... is something that the President will be discussing in a couple of hours with [Rutte] and perhaps you'll hear directly from the President following that meeting.'

In 2023, Congress passed a law that prevents any US president from pulling out of NATO without its approval.

Trump has been a longtime critic of NATO and, in his first term, had suggested he had the authority on his own to leave the alliance, which was founded in 1949 to counter the Cold War threat posed to European security by the Soviet Union.

The crux of the commitment its 32 member countries make is a mutual defense agreement in which an attack on one is considered an attack on them all.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters before the meeting that Trump was considering quitting NATO

The only time it has been activated was in 2001, to support the United States in the wake of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

It is unclear whether the Trump administration would challenge the law barring a president from withdrawing from NATO.

When the law was passed, it was championed by Trump's current Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who at the time was a senator from Florida.

Rubio met separately with Rutte on Wednesday morning at the State Department ahead of the White House talks.

In a statement, the State Department said Rubio and Rutte had discussed the war with Iran, along with US efforts to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and 'increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO allies.'

Trump has previously threatened to leave NATO and often said that he would abandon allies who don't spend enough on their military budgets.

Former NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, in his recent memoir, said he feared that Trump might walk away from the alliance in 2018, during his first term as president.

It comes during a tenuous moment in Trump's hopes of bringing the war to an end, just a day after the ceasefire agreement.

Trump has been unhappy with several NATO allies' refusal to help him in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

The Strait of Hormuz handles around 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas but has effectively been shut down by Iran in retaliation over the joint US-Israeli attacks launched on February 28

Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to visit Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, for a first round of peace talks on Saturday.

However, on Wednesday, Iran accused the US of breaking three of Tehran's ten conditions for the ceasefire.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Wednesday that a ceasefire and negotiations with the US on ending the war are 'unreasonable.'

Qalibaf, a key figure in the Pakistan-brokered negotiations to end the conflict, objected in a social media post to the continuation of Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, an alleged drone incursion into Iranian airspace after the ceasefire was in effect and the Trump administration's assertion that it won't accept any Iranian enrichment capabilities as part of an agreement to end the conflict.

It comes as the not-yet-day-old ceasefire appears at risk of fraying over significant disagreements between the parties, who each are claiming victory in the conflict.

Trump, in a post to Truth Social just before midnight, announced that all US military personnel and weaponry would remain in place until what he termed as the 'REAL AGREEMENT' was reached.

'If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the 'Shootin' Starts,' bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before. It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.'

Israeli strikes hit busy commercial and residential areas in central Beirut without warning on Wednesday, hours after a ceasefire was announced in the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Lebanon said at least 182 people were killed and hundreds were wounded, making it the deadliest day in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.

Trump told PBS NewsHour that Lebanon was not included in the deal because of the militant group.

When asked about Israel's latest strikes, he said, 'That's a separate skirmish.'

Israel had said the agreement does not extend to its war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah, although Iran and mediator Pakistan said it does.
Anthony Albanese hasn't suddenly become a great prime minister because of the fuel crisis.

But it has forced him to act like a leader under pressure, and on the evidence so far, he's handled it better than many might have expected.

The government's first major intervention came after the March 30 national cabinet meeting, when it announced a three-month halving of the fuel excise from 52.6 cents a litre to 26.3 cents, alongside a three-month reduction of the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero.

Albo has spent too much of his prime ministership looking smaller than the office, saved only by an unpopular and divided opposition.

Early on, the risk for Albo during the current fuel crisis was that the public would conclude he was merely reacting to events, which is never a good look for a leader who already carries more than a hint of passivity about him.

But after a shaky start, the PM has done all the right things to substantively manage this situation. Earlier in March, Labor had already relaxed fuel quality standards for two months, a move that added 100 million litres a month to domestic supply.

Yes, the opposition pushed for an excise cut first, but it couldn't help tying the cut to slicing funding out of ideologically contested green initiatives, such as scrapping the Fringe Benefits Tax exemption for electric vehicles, cutting green hydrogen projects and freezing the home battery scheme.

Albo was never going to do any of that, but he didn't let that context prevent him from instituting an excise cut simply because the Opposition suggested it first.

Anthony Albanese didnt become a great leader overnight - but the fuel crisis forced his hand, and the Prime Minister has stepped up under pressure, rolling out tax cuts and supply measures to steady the nation, writes PVO

Treasurer Jim Chalmers had said only days earlier that Labor wasn't considering such a move, but Albo tossed him to the curb, which was the right thing to do.

The PM halved the fuel excise, then pushed the states and territories to give up the GST windfall that higher prices would otherwise have handed them.

That took the total reduction to 32 cents a litre - meaningful for ordinary motorists.

The extra GST agreement with the states and territories was worth about 5.7 cents a litre on top of the 26.3-cent excise reduction, cutting almost $23 from the cost of filling an average tank.

Just as importantly, the government has not treated the excise cut as though announcing it was enough.

The ACCC was put on notice to make sure retailers passed it on. There is no point boasting about relief if the market pockets the benefit.

By leaning on the regulator and making clear that fuel companies would be watched closely, the government showed it understood that policy design and policy delivery are not the same thing.

Across the Tasman, prices have become much more prohibitive for ordinary motorists, with fewer direct measures to cushion the blow.

As fuel prices bite, Anthony Albanese has moved to halve excise and secure supply

Australians are not exactly cheering at the bowser, and no sensible commentator would pretend this crisis has been pain-free.

But there is a reason the mood here has shifted from panic to frustration, while in New Zealand the problem looks even more punishing for households.

The more impressive part of Albo's handling of this crisis so far has been on the supply side.

Making sure we don't run out of fuel is more important than keeping prices down. Australia's vulnerability is structural. We import most of our refined fuel  around 90 per cent - and we have spent years leaving ourselves exposed to exactly this sort of external shock.

At the height of the squeeze, the government pointed out that Australia had reserves covering 39 days of petrol, 29 days of diesel and 30 days of jet fuel, underlining just how thin the margin for error had become.

Albo didn't create this weakness. In fact, our fuel reserves are as low as they are because, when he was Energy Minister, Angus Taylor lowered the savings threshold.

The government's effort to secure supply from Singapore and get broader assurances from regional partners is the difference between flailing and governing. Energy Minister Chris Bowen has been able to point to contracted volumes coming in through April and into May.

Meanwhile, the opposition leader has been reduced to glib photo ops, pumping petrol with colleagues gathered around the bowser, looking on as though they are worried he might be putting petrol into his diesel engine.

Which PR flack decided that was a good stunt? The optics fail was compounded by the fact the government had already moved on excise, state GST and supply guarantees.

Even One Nation has failed to get the traction it might once have expected from a cost-of-living crisis tied to national vulnerability and elite failure.

Usually, a moment like this should be fertile ground for populists. Instead, the PM has been active enough, visible enough and practical enough with his actions to stop the crisis becoming a political failure too.

That doesn't mean Albo has suddenly redrawn the political map. Labor's primary vote polling and the PM's personal support continue to be weak, even if the opposition's standing in the polls is much worse.

But Albo's handling of the fuel crisis has denied his opponents the political opening they badly needed.
Senior Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has confirmed he may be called to give evidence in the forthcoming criminal trial of Victoria Cross recipient Ben RobertsSmith, as the former soldier faces war crimes charges linked to operations in Afghanistan.

Hastie, who previously served in the Special Air Service alongside Roberts-Smith, issued a statement on Thursday detailing his involvement in earlier legal proceedings involving RobertsSmith.

RobertsSmith has been charged with five counts of the war crime of murder following a yearslong investigation into his conduct during the war in Afghanistan.

The charges stem from allegations relating to incidents that allegedly occurred between 2009 and 2012 during multiple deployments to the conflict zone.

RobertsSmith was arrested by Australian Federal Police officers at Sydney Airport on April 7, 2026, after returning to Australia.

He is accused of unlawfully killing unarmed Afghan civilians and detainees while serving with the SAS.

Prosecutors allege the victims were not taking part in hostilities at the time of their deaths, raising serious questions about breaches of international humanitarian law.

'In 2022, I was one of 21 SAS veterans of the war in Afghanistan subpoenaed as a witness in the defamation action brought by Ben RobertsSmith against Nine Media,' Hastie said.

Andrew Hastie (pictured) said he may be called as a witness in Roberts-Smith's trial

He told the Federal Court he took part in a 2012 operational mission that later came under judicial scrutiny.

'As a qualified member of the SAS, I was present on one of the operational missions in 2012 that was examined by the Federal Court,' Hastie said.

With criminal proceedings now underway, Hastie acknowledged he could be required to testify again.

'Ben RobertsSmith is now facing criminal charges in relation to this operational mission, so it is possible that I will be called as a witness to this trial,' he said.

Hastie urged restraint as the case moves through the courts and stressed the accused's legal rights.

'I urge every Australian to respect the rule of law, the criminal justice system, and the accused's right to a presumption of innocence and a fair trial,' he said.

He said his potential role as a witness prevented further public comment.

'I will not prejudice this trial by making any further comment,' Hastie said.

Hastie was called to give testimony during Roberts-Smith's (pictured) defamation case

Earlier on Thursday, Hastie spoke to Sydney radio station 2GB, describing the charges as 'sad and sobering' for the nation, particularly for veterans and their families.

'I do not have a problem with Ben RobertsSmith, and I do not have a relationship with him,' Hastie said.

'I was subpoenaed to appear in the Federal Court as a witness, and I gave evidence under oath, as required by law.'

Hastie also defended the SAS Regiment, calling its current members 'outstanding people' and warning against undermining public confidence.

'Most Australians who served did their job with honour,' he said.

'But no one is above the law.'

He said protecting due process remained critical.

'If this process is prejudiced, we are not serving justice,' Hastie said.
Brittany Higgins has lashed out at Bruce Lehrmann for 'using the legal system for years in a bid to silence my voice' after he lost his final chance to overturn a damning case branding him a rapist on a civil scale.

The High Court on Thursday dismissed Lehrmann's bid to challenge the outcome from a Federal Court defamation case that found, on the balance of probabilities, that he raped Higgins in 2019.

'Special leave refused with costs,' a judgment published on the High Court website said.

The former political staffer had sued Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson over an interview with Higgins on The Project in 2021 during which she claimed she was raped in Parliament House two years prior.

He was not named in that broadcast, but claimed he was identifiable as Higgins' rapist.

In the judgement, Justice Michael Lee found Lehrmann was identifiable in the broadcast, but he wasn't defamed because he likely did rape Higgins in the way she described on television and in court.

On Thursday afternoon, Higgins shared her statement in a Instagram story which included the 1979 hit by The Clash, 'I Fought The Law'.

It was the same song Lehrmann sung in a video that emerged during his defamation trial in 2023, where he held a glass of wine and changing the lyrics to: 'I fought the law and  Bruce won!'

Pictured: Bruce Lehrmann singing 'I fought the law and  Bruce won!'

Brittany Higgins is pictured with her husband David Sharaz

Brittany Higgins released a statement on Thursday (pictured)

Higgins statement read: 'Today's decision in the High Court of Australia brings a measure of finality to a long and painful chapter.

'It's important to acknowledge what has happened here. The person who raped me used the legal system for years in a bid to silence my voice - and the journalists/media who reported my story.

'Sadly, this isn't a rare occurence. The only thing that has made my case different to that of many other Australians is that it took place under the full glare of the media spotlight.'

She said the legal system often 'retraumatises' victims, along with any defamation claims brought by sexual offenders.

'I hope this moment prompts a broader reflection on how our legal system can better protect those who come forward, better protect the free speech of victim-survivors and journalists, and how we might prevent the legal system from being used as a tool of continued harm,' she wrote.

Higgins said she was focused on healing and advocating for victims.

Lehrmann challenged Justice Lee's decision in the appeal court last year, but Justices Michael Wigney, Craig Colvin and Wendy Abraham ruled against him.

He has now exhausted all avenues of appeal and will either have pay more than $2million worth of legal fees, or declare bankruptcy.

Bruce Lehrmann is pictured outside the Federal Court following the defamation judgement in April 2024

Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) said she was 'utterly delighted' by the judgement and was pleased it came before Christmas

Following the first appeal decision in December, Wilkinson's defamation barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC said her client was 'utterly delighted' by the findings.

'She's sorry she couldn't make it [but] she's so grateful to the court,' Ms Chrysanthou said.

'She's particularly happy about the court's acceptance of her intentions in relation to the nature of the assault and she's looking forward to moving on now.'

Network Ten described the court's judgement as a 'triumph for the truth'.

Lehrmann's lawyer Zali Burrows told the media outside court that he was 'overwhelmed by the decision and I'm really concerned for him'.

Ms Burrows said: 'We respect what the court has said that everyone should reflect, even the shameless politicians who have used him for an agenda, and everyone else.

'Bruce's life has been destroyed.

She urged the public to 'remember that, at the heart of the matter, is a young man who was accused of rape in Parliament House. He maintains his innocence'.

Brittany Higgins is pictured outside the ACT Supreme Court in 2022, during Lehrmann's criminal trial

She said her client should serve as an 'inspiration for those who have been wrongly accused'.

In the judgment, Justice Wigney said Lehrmann's arguments that he was denied procedural fairness had been dismissed.

'The Full Court has found that the way in which the primary judge dealt with and determined the proceedings was not procedurally unfair to Mr Lehrmann,' he said.

'The full court has found that the ordinary, reasonable viewer of the broadcast would understand rape as involving sexual intercourse occurring without the consent of the person, and the perpetrator either knowing that the victim is not consenting, or being reckless as to whether they are consenting.

'Recklessness, in that context, encompasses the perpetrator not caring whether the victim is consenting, either as a conscious lack of regard for whether the person is consenting or complete indifference as to whether they are consenting.'

Lehrmann had argued that Justice Lee made findings that were not advanced by Network Ten and Wilkinson, nor put to him in cross examination.

However, the appeal court found that Justice Lee's factual findings did fall within the ordinary meaning of rape and rejected Lehrmann's argument.

'This was not a case where there were two competing accounts, each of which had been found to lack any credibility,' Justice Wigney said.

'While the primary judge [Justice Lee] made some adverse findings concerning the credibility of Ms Higgins account, His Honour nevertheless accepted key parts of her evidence about the sexual assault.'

The appeal judges also upheld an argument advanced by Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson that Lehrmann was not reckless to Ms Higgins' consent during the assault, but he knew she did not consent and had sex with her anyway.

Lehrmann was tried for rape in the ACT Supreme Court in 2022. It ended in a mistrial due to juror misconduct.

The charge was later dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions due to concerns for Higgins' welfare.

Lehrmann continues to deny he sexually assaulted Higgins.
Donald Trump said the US military was 'loading up and resting' for its 'next conquest as his ceasefire with Iran begins to crack.

The President pledged to stay in the Middle East and strike Iran 'bigger, and better and stronger' if a deal isn't reached.

It came after chaos erupted over an apparent ten-point peace plan between the two countries - with Iran insisting that it included its right to enrich uranium and an end to Israel's strikes in Lebanon.

However, the US insisted this was not included in the deal while Iran yesterday shut down the Strait of Hormuz over Israel's continued airstrikes on Lebanon.

Trump also claimed that versions of the 10-point plan circulating in the media were a 'hoax' and JD Vance said three separate 10-point plans were spreading.

Trump, as well as his counterparts in Iran and Israel, entered into the contentious two-week ceasefire on Tuesday. Officials representing the three countries are scheduled to meet in Islamabad, Pakistan on Saturday to negotiate an end to the war.

Lebanon was hit with the heaviest bombardment by Israel so far in the conflict today, killing 182 people and wounding 800 others, sparking fury from the Islamic Republic.

Tehran dubbed the attack a 'massacre' and said it represented a 'grave violation of the ceasefire', heightening fears that the regime may back out of the peace process.

As part of the deal, the regime publicly released what it claimed was a ten-point peace plan that demanded control over the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway which handles around 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas.

But Trump blasted the proposal and threatened to take even more aggressive action as he announced that US forces will remain in the area amid negotiations.

'All US Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal persecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT is fully complied with,' he wrote in a Truth Social post late Wednesday night.

If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the Shootin Starts bigger, and better and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.

Trump also denied Iranian claims that a peace deal would include the countrys right to enrich uranium.

It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN AND SAFE.

Trump threatened to strike Iran 'bigger, and better and stronger' if authorities cannot reach an agreement on the country's nuclear program and control of the vital Strait of Hormuz

In the meantime, our great Military is Loading up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest.

The post came just about an hour after the president slammed reports about Iran's 10-point plan.

'The Failing New York Times and Fake News CNN each reported a totally FAKE TEN POINT PLAN on the Iran negotiations which was meant to discredit the people involved in the peace process,' he claimed.

'All ten points were a made up HOAX - EVIL LOSERS!!! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.'

The Trump administration had been facing backlash all day over the ceasefire and Iran's 10-point plan, which even some of the president's staunchest allies have argued concedes too much to the Iranian regime.

Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska, for example, said Trump had secured 'significant victories' but expressed skepticism over the peace talks and the president's claims of 'total victory.'

'The government's still in place and we should be negotiating from a position of strength, not a position that's good for them,' he told CNN.

'They will work with Russia and China as soon as they can to start rebuilding their military. And they will be a threat five, six, seven, eight years down the road. And so, as long as this government's in place, total victory has not been earned.'

Mark Levin, a pro-Israel commentator with close ties to Trump, also said that while he trusts the President's 'instincts,' the Iranians could not be trusted.

'This enemy is still the enemy; they're still surviving,' he said of Iran.

IRAN'S 10-POINT PEACE PLAN

1. Commitment to non-aggression 2. Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz 3. Acceptance of Iran's uranium enrichment 4. Lifting of all primary sanctions 5. Lifting of all secondary sanctions 6. Termination of all UN Security Council resolutions 7. Termination of all Board of Governors resolutions 8. Paying compensation to Iran 9. Withdrawal of US combat forces from the region 10. Cessation of war on all fronts, including in Lebanon

Amid the backlash, the president walked back his statement that the 10-point plan was a 'workable basis on which to negotiate.'

A White House official has since claimed the points in the released plan did not match what Trump had in mind.

But Trump later seemed to contradict his own team, saying most points had 'been fully negotiated' while leaving the door open to resuming strikes if the deal fell apart as the ceasefire began with a rocky start.

Iran reportedly closed the Strait of Hormuz over Israeli attacks on the regime's proxy terror groups in Lebanon, according to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

It reported that two tankers were allowed through the strait Wednesday morning as the two-week ceasefire began, but operations were suspended 'simultaneous with Israel's attacks on Lebanon.'

Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said that Israel's strikes against Lebanon were 'grave violation' of the ceasefire agreement.

He said that Tehran had told the White House overnight: 'You cannot have a cake and eat it at the same time.

'You cannot ask for a ceasefire and then accept terms and conditions, accept all the areas that a ceasefire is applied to, and name Lebanon, exactly Lebanon in that, and then your ally just starts a massacre.'

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied the claims, as she agreed with Israeli officials that 'Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire.'

Volker Turk, the UNs high commissioner for human rights, condemned Israels latest strikes on Lebanon, saying they put 'enormous pressure on a fragile peace' in the Middle East.

'The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific,' Turk said late on Wednesday.

'Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief.'

Smoke rises from an explosion in the Abbasiyeh neighbourhood following an Israeli strike, in Tyre, Lebanon, April 8

First responders stand amid rubble at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's Corniche al-Mazraa neighbourhood on April 8

Firefighters spray smoldering debris at the site of an Israeli airstrike that struck a building in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, April 8

Hezbollah later announced that it had retaliated against Israel with a rocket salvo, saying that its attacks would continue until Israeli strikes end, arguing they are a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Meanwhile, Iran threatened to destroy oil tankers if they try to travel through the Strait without permission, as the regime has imposed a toll of up to $2 million per vessel.

Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, a critical artery routing crude from the Gulf to the Red Sea, also came under drone attack at 1pm local time, while Kuwaiti officials said its air defenses intercepted 28 drones in sustained attacks targeting oil facilities, power plants and water desalination infrastructure.

Despite the setbacks, North Atlantic Treaty Organization chief Mark Rutte praised Trump's efforts to secure a ceasefire as he discussed his meeting with the president on CNN Wednesday.

Anchor Jake Tapper asked the NATO Secretary-General whether he believed the world is safer today than before the war started at the end of February.

'Absolutely,' Rutte replied. 'This is thanks to President Trump's leadership.'

Trump, on the other hand, hit out at the alliance for its failure to intervene in the war in Iran, despite his repeated requests for NATO member nations to send warships to the area to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He was expected to bring up the possibility of the US leaving the treaty organization in his meeting with Rutte, Leavitt said earlier in the day.

'Withdrawing from NATO... is something that the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with [Rutte] and perhaps you'll hear directly from the president following that meeting,' she told reporters.

The press secretary added that she thought it was 'quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when it's the American people who have been funding their defense.'

Trump's meeting with Rutte did not seem to assuage his concerns, as he later lashed out at the alliance on social media.

'NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,' the president posted on his Truth Social media platform, hours after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt relayed his message that NATO was 'tested and failed.'

He then seemed to make a veiled threat about Greenland, a territory he has repeatedly sought to take over.

'REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE.'

The president is now reportedly considering punishing NATO member nations that did not help with the war effort.

Still, a spokesperson for NATO told the Daily Mail that Rutte and Trump 'had a frank discussion on a range of issues related to our shared security, including in the context of Iran.'

'The Secretary General underscored the importance of Allies continuing to step up to deliver a stronger, fairer Alliance,' the spokesperson said.
Spanish footwear firm embraces digital transformation in China

Xinhua) 14:27, April 09, 2026

NANCHANG, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Inside the bustling workshop of Nanchang Spuma Shoe Material Co., Ltd. in east China's Jiangxi Province, General Manager Xiao Junliang gestured toward a large screen displaying real-time production metrics.

"We used to rely on experience. Now we rely on data," said Xiao, a 17-year industry veteran. His words underscore a two-year digital transformation that has redefined the company from a traditional manufacturer into a smart production firm, fueled by China's nationwide digitalization drive.

Founded in 2007 with investment from a Spanish enterprise, Nanchang Spuma specializes in shoe materials. Yet, for years, it grappled with the inefficiencies of traditional production models.

"Previously, our Spanish headquarters had to rely on phone calls to track production, which was prone to delays and inaccuracies during peak seasons," Xiao said. On-site equipment inspections were equally problematic, relying on workers' subjective assessments.

"We often detected machine failures only after production started, causing delays and higher maintenance costs," he noted.

The turning point came in 2024. Leveraging China's rapid 5G development, the company invested 1.2 million yuan (about 174,723 U.S. dollars) in digital upgrades in 2024 and 2025, with half of the investment funded by local government subsidies.

The most visible change has been streamlined cross-ocean operations. Through a digital system, European headquarters personnel can now place orders, monitor production progress and check equipment status in real time. This has not only strengthened ties with the European parent company, but also earned recognition from European partners for the smart capabilities of "Made in China" products.

On the factory floor, sensors installed on each machine collect real-time operational data. Any abnormality triggers an instant alarm on workshop screens, enabling prompt worker intervention.

"Previously, we only reacted after a machine jammed or produced defective goods," Xiao explained. "Now, early warnings and timely maintenance have drastically reduced downtime and material waste."

The system even enforces a mandatory one-minute pre-production equipment check, combined with maintenance reports, to optimize upkeep schedules and prevent failures.

Digitalization has also elevated safety standards. An intelligent safety platform uses AI cameras to monitor the workshop around the clock, issuing voice alerts for hazards or non-compliant operations. This proactive approach has created a safer working environment for employees.

The transformation has permeated every aspect of operations, from production to finance and safety management, replacing the old "experience-and-labor-intensive" model. By 2025, the company's annual output value had expanded to approximately 34 million yuan, up from 24 million yuan before the digital pivot.

Looking ahead, Xiao is ambitious. "Next, we'll leverage supportive policies to advance our digitalization even further," he said, adding that the company plans to deploy unmanned equipment to further enhance production intelligence.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A manhunt has been launched in western Sydney for a convicted sexual offender after he fled from hospital.

Michael Angok, 30, was being transported by authorities from Villawood Immigration Detention Centre to Bankstown Hospital on Wednesday morning.

However, police said he escaped on foot shortly after 9.30am.

Angok, who was last seen wearing a black hooded jumper, grey tracksuit and white 'croc' sandals, was convicted of sexual assault in 2014.

It followed allegations he had taken part in a gang rape, The Daily Telegraph reports, and was sentenced to prison with a minimum non-parole period of two years.

He was released in 2017 and then reportedly held at the detention centre for several years.

After Angok fled on Wednesday, police were notified and established a perimeter at the scene.

Officers, assisted by specialist resources including Raptor Squad, PolAir and the dog unit, have been searching the area.

A manhunt has been launched for Michael Angok (pictured) who was convicted for sexual assault in 2014 after an alleged gang rape

He fled authorites after he was transported from an immigration detention centre to Bankstown Hospital in Sydney on Wednesday morning

Police said a number of personal items were located discarded on Gallipoli Road during the search. But Michael has not been found.

He previously lived in the Blacktown area and officers have suggested he may use public transport.

As the search continues, anyone who sees Michael is urged not to approach him but to contact Triple Zero immediately.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
READ MORE: Grace Tame reveals ALL her speaking gigs were cancelled

Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame has closed her charity just weeks after claiming she was out of work following her inflammatory comments at a pro-Palestine rally.

The Grace Tame Foundation was formed in 2021 after she appeared as a case study in a campaign to change laws preventing sexual assault survivors from publicly identifying themselves as victims of abuse.

It was a not-for-profit designed to advocate for victims of sexual violence, but concerns were raised over the future of the charity in March following losses of $180,000 over two years.

The foundation's latest report said there were 'reasonable grounds' to believe the company would be able to pay its debts, reporting total equity of $129,563.

However, the closure was announced in a statement from the board of directors on the foundation's website on Thursday.

Tame is one of the four members of the board, also comprising professor of child safety Michael Salter, lawyer Michael Bradley, and abuse survivor Scarlett Franks.

The statement read: 'The Foundation has reached a crossroads.

'Like many small advocacy organisations, sustaining long-term funding for this work has become increasingly challenging.

Grace Tame is pictured speaking during a rally for Gaza at Hyde Park, Sydney, in August

Grace Tame is pictured saying 'globalise the intifada' at a pro-Palestine rally in Sydney

Tame's foundation's primary income was generated through general donations (pictured)

'After careful consideration, the Board has made the decision to close the Foundation, with the process to be finalised in the coming weeks.'

The statement also praised Tame for her 'fierce and uncompromising advocacy for survivors'.

The Australian Charities and Notforprofits Commission filings show the foundation's main expenses in the last financial year were psychological support ($63,124), salaries and wages ($34,228), and recruitment costs ($26,760).

Funds were also directed to staff training and welfare ($11,647), website expenses ($6,972) and survivor legal expenses ($17,000).

It comes after Tame became the target of intense backlash when she shouted 'globalise the intifada' at a protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's state visit, outside Sydney's Town Hall in February.

Intifadas refer to two violent uprisings against oppression in the Middle East that have involved the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians.

It's understood her actions at the protest caused tensions with some board members.

Following the protest, Tame faced calls from a number of politicians and Jewish leaders to be stripped of her Australian of the Year honour.

Grace Tame (pictured) wrongly claimed sexual violence carried out against Israeli women by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 attack 'have been debunked'

She was the subject of a petition, signed by more than 25,000 Australians, which called for authorities to charge her with '[alleged] criminal incitement to violence under existing Australian law'.

During a segment on ABC radio in March, she wrongly said reports of sexual violence carried out against Israeli women by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 attack 'have been debunked'.

The comment was in response to a question asked by host Hamish Macdonald on behalf of a listener.

The question was: 'Can you please ask Grace why she is selective in her outrage? I have never heard her condemn or speak out on behalf of the Israeli women who were raped and killed by Hamas on October 7.'

Tame replied: 'I'm not going to sink to the level of  of entertaining any kind of propaganda ... Let's not do that,.'

Macdonald asked: 'What's the propaganda included in that question?'

Tame said: 'Those things have been debunked.'

Tame (above) penned a first-person piece for the Crikey website in which she claimed to have been the subject of a 'concerted smear campaign' by conservative politicians and media

In a first-person piece for Crikey, she claimed to be the victim of a 'smear campaign' by conservative politicians and media and that her speaking engagements had been withdrawn.

She wrote: 'I do not condone antisemitism, Islamophobia or hatred of any kind.

'I am a human rights activist who advocates for the safety of all children, no matter their background.'

'I've lost several close friends for speaking the truth. I've been publicly vilified over and over and over again. In under a month, my livelihood has been completely destroyed.'

In the bizarre rant, Tame said the ABC was pushing right wing propaganda.

Her charity was created to raise awareness and prevent child sexual abuse through advocacy, education and legal reforms.

In 2024, Tame announced she was stepping down as CEO of the foundation.
An Australian man has died in a tragic incident in Bali following a night out drinking.

Emergency services were called to a hotel situated in the popular tourist hub of Seminyak about 4.15am on Wednesday after the man's girlfriend went out onto their second-storey balcony and found him barely breathing.

The Australian, aged 30, has only been identified by the initials JRTC.

The pair had checked into the hotel on Saturday and they were due to check out later on Wednesday.

Witnesses said the man had arrived back at the hotel in the early morning on Wednesday - about 1.30am - after visiting a nearby bar to drink.

The couple were heard arguing and police said the man went to sleep on the room's balcony while his partner slept in the bed.

She woke up about 4.15am to check on JRTC and found him suspended from the balcony by a bed sheet tied around his neck.

'The victim's girlfriend immediately reported (the situtaion) to the hotel staff,' Denpasar Police spokesperson Gede Adi Saputra Jaya said.

Paramedics (stock image) were called to a hotel in Seminyak after an Australian was found on his hotel balcony

The Australian, identified by the initials JRTC, died at Siloam hospital in Denpasar (above)

The hotel staff then called paramedics.

'When found, the victim was still breathing. However, he was unconscious when taken to Siloam hospital (in Denpasar),' the spokesperson said.

The man then sadly died in hospital about 8am.

Police confirmed they are actively investigating the Australian's death.

Daily Mail has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.

Free and confidential help is available 24/7 at:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
The Tourette's campaigner at the heart of the BAFTA racial slur row has hit out at the BBC for its half-hearted apology.

John Davidson made headlines across the world when he shouted the N-word while black actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage to present an award during the ceremony.

The outburst was involuntarily triggered by Mr Davidson's neurological condition which he has suffered with since he was 12 years old and causes him to sometimes shout expletives or deeply offensive language.

The broadcaster was forced to apologise for failing to edit out the racial slur, which was still audible on the ceremony on iPlayer for around 12 hours before being removed.

Yesterday, an investigation found that the BBC had breached its editorial standards. Following the probe, apologies were sent to Jordan, Lindo and Mr Davidson.

However the Scottish campaigner, 56, said his written apology was not sent to him directly and was only received through a third party, which he said compounded the 'stress and upset' he has endured.

He told the Daily Record: 'The stress and upset I have had to endure has been shocking.

'I have only had a written apology passed on to me by a third party. That says it all really, does it not?'

Tourette's campaigner John Davidson, 56, said the BBC did not apologise to him directly, causing him more 'stress and upset'

Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting the first prize of the night at London's Royal Festive Hall when the outburst took place

Mr Davidson said that the BBC had still failed to grasp the full human impact of the decisions it made in its broadcast of the ceremony.

The BBC said it did not have contact details for the campaigner, who appeared in a documentary for the broadcaster in 1989.

A BBC spokesperson said: 'The BBC was keen to get our apology to Mr Davidson as quickly as possible following the BAFTAs.'

'Unfortunately, we did not have contact details for Mr Davidson, so we asked a mutual contact to pass our letter on.'

Mr Davidson previously said that he had been sat with a microphone 'right in front of me' and said the BBC should have 'worked harder to prevent anything that I said'.

The corporation's Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) said the inclusion of John Davidson shouting the N-word 'was highly offensive' and had 'no editorial justification'.

However, the ECU said the breach was 'unintentional'.

The BBC's outgoing director-general Tim Davie had ordered a fast-tracked investigation and called it a 'serious mistake'.

The BBC previously apologised to staff for failing to edit out the word, after it was broadcast on TV and also audible on the ceremony on iPlayer for around 12 hours before being removed.

It led to the Culture, Media and Sport committee writing to Mr Davie 'seeking an explanation' for how a racial slur ended up in the broadcast 'in spite of a two-hour time delay'.

In a response letter to committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage, Mr Davie said: 'I'd like to make clear: although the racial slur was symptomatic of a disability and an involuntary tic, it should never have been broadcast.

'It was a genuine mistake, and we take full responsibility for our error.'

BAFTA host Alan Cumming thanked the audience for their understanding of Tourette's as I Swear's John Davidson let out involuntary shouts during Sunday's ceremony - Davidson also yelled 'paedophile' during a segment by the host

The ECU said members of the production team who had been monitoring the event in an outside broadcast vehicle all said they had not heard the slur.

It found editorial standards were unintentionally breached via the broadcast of the offensive term and in failing to edit it out of the time-delayed showing of the ceremony.

A third breach occurred when the word was not removed from the iPlayer version of the programme until the following morning, a delay the ECU described as a 'serious mistake'.

The ECU report said: 'There was a lack of clarity among the team as to whether the N-word was audible on the recording.

'This resulted in there being a delay before a decision was taken to remove the recording from iPlayer; that decision was not taken until approximately 9.30 the following morning.

'In the ECU's view, this delay was a serious mistake, because there could be no certainty that the word would be inaudible to all viewers, and because there was a greater likelihood of its being found intelligible by viewers coming to the iPlayer in the knowledge that it had been spoken.'

The report added: 'The fact that the unedited recording remained available for so long aggravated the offence caused by the inadvertent inclusion of the N-word in the broadcast.'

The ECU said the initial broadcast of the offensive term 'was highly offensive and had no editorial justification' but accepted that members of the production team monitoring the event in the outside broadcast vehicle 'did not hear or recognise the N-word'.

The report said: 'The ECU accepted their account, for two reasons. Firstly, the use of the N-word in that instance was extremely indistinct, to the point where it might well not have been recognised by the production team.

'Secondly, there was another occurrence of the N-word about 10 minutes later, which was recognised by the production team and immediately edited out in accordance with the protocols on offensive language which were in place.

'There is no reason to conclude they would have applied the protocols in one case while deliberately ignoring them in the other.'

Robert Aramayo won Best Actor at the BAFTAs for his portrayal of John's early life, beating the likes of Timothee Chalamet, Michael B Jordan and Leonardo Di Caprio to the award

Mr Davidson said he had ticked 10 different offensive words during the ceremony but said 'what you hear me shouting is literally the last thing in the world I believe'.

One included calling host Alan Cumming a 'paedophile' when the actor joked about taking Paddington Bear home with him.

In the aftermath of the ceremony, Mr Davidson said he believed the BBC would have physically controlled the sound at the event.

He said: 'I have made four documentaries with the BBC in the past and feel that they should have been aware of what to expect from Tourette's and worked harder to prevent anything that I said  which, after all, was some 40 rows back from the stage  from being included in the broadcast.'

Mr Davidson is Britain's most high-profile sufferer of Tourette's syndrome.

In 2019 he was awarded an MBE by the late Queen for his campaign work in trying to raise better awareness and understanding of the condition - and he famously shouted out 'F*** the Queen' at the ceremony, which gives the film its opening scene.

I Swear follows his life from the moment he first started suffering from Tourette's - soon after starting secondary school.

John's parents, David and Heather, played by Stephen Cree and Shirley Henderson, are both shown as struggling to cope with his worsening condition.

Mr Davidson has suggested that the reason his parents split in the 1980s is because of the stress of dealing with his erratic behaviour, which would see him swear, spit food and tic uncontrollably at the dinner table.

Writing in his memoir I Swear, My Life with Tourette's, on which the film is based, he wrote movingly about how his childhood just before his symptoms started were the best years of his life.

At age 16, when little was known about Tourette's he was the star of the 1989 groundbreaking BBC documentary John's Not Mad in which he was shown spitting fish and chips at his mother at home, while his father was seen finding it difficult to stay at the dinner table alongside him.

He has continued to appear in a number of follow-up documentaries throughout his life becoming a 'nationally known ambassador for the Tourette's condition' who gives talks and puts on workshops for school pupils and teachers, and has organised an annual two-day residential Tourette camp for young people.

Campaigners emphasise that the shouting of such offensive language does not imply any meaning on behalf of the sufferer and is entirely involuntary.

I Swear won three awards at the ceremony - best leading actor and rising star for actor Robert Aramayo, who plays Davidson, and best casting.

The BBC has been contacted for comment
Shoppers may face higher prices as retailers look set to use digital labels that could change the cost of products based on demand.

The Bank of England warned that these 'market-responsive pricing tools' will be adopted by one in three companies in the coming year, up from one in five in the year before.

These 'dynamic prices' will change based on algorithms and AI, with the labels adjusting to 'demand, capacity or competitors' prices', according to a business survey commissioned by the Bank.

Factors that could affect these prices may take into account the weather, the time of day, and how busy the shop is. For example, if it is a hot day, then the price of sunglasses may be increased.

This is something that online retailers, like Amazon, have already adopted. Hospitality and travel businesses do much the same, with prices changing based on popularity or times of the year.

The study then suggests that electronic labels in supermarkets could be the next frontier - something which is 'already widespread in Europe'.

UK retail food prices are already 38 per cent higher than pre-Covid levels and experts fear further significant increases if disruption caused by the war in Iran continues.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Britain's most popular supermarkets have already begun introducing or testing digital price displays, but there is no evidence that they are using surge pricing.

Around 700 Co-op stores use electronic labels currently, with plans to extend it to all 2,300 shops.

Morrisons are also looking to use the tech in all its 497 stores, telling The Times that it was intended to eliminate paper labels and was not using dynamic pricing.

Waitrose similarly will extend the digital labels to all of their supermarkets but reportedly have no plans to bring in surge pricing.

Tesco and Sainsbury's have been testing the displays and Asda will roll them out to their 250 'Express' supermarkets.

Events and concerts often bring dynamic prices to the forefront, like tickets for Oasis's comeback tour which caused controversy over rocketing in price.

An estimated 14million people had desperately vied to secure their spots at the gigs but many hit out at Ticketmaster over its 'disgusting' 'In Demand' prices reaching as high as 350, plus fees.

Similarly, with Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, hotel prices surged up to 156% in London.

Dynamic pricing in hotels is more popular than before, the study highlighted, with about 15 per cent of room rates adjusting at least once a month in 2005, but happens around 80 per cent of the time nowadays.

Clare Lombardelli, the deputy governor for monetary policy, explained: 'Digitalisation has radically reduced what economists call menu costs - the expense of changing listed prices - socalled historically because of the costs associated with having new menus printed with updated prices. Digital pricing allows firms to change prices frequently at negligible cost.'

Ms Lombardelli and Rupal Patel, who wrote about the study, said: 'Personalised pricing goes further still and may involve tailoring the price each consumer is offered to their personal circumstances and consumption patterns.'

Shoppers may face higher prices as retailers look set to use digital labels that could change the cost of products based on demand

WHAT 100 CAN BUY YOU AT THE SUPERMARKET TODAY - COMPARED TO 2021 Generic Product 31/3/21 31/3/26  change 26v21 % change 26v21 Pampers Baby Dry Size 4 Essential Pack 44 Nappies 7.38 10.75 3.37 45.69% Aptamil 1 First Baby Milk Formula Powder from Birth 800g 11.35 13.32 1.97 17.36% Hovis Soft White Medium Sliced Bread 800g 1.09 1.39 0.30 27.13% Own Label 8-6 pack Crumpets 0.30 0.46 0.16 55.08% Own Label Olive Oil 1ltr 2.85 6.66 3.81 133.48% Yorkshire Tea Bags 250g 2.64 4.36 1.72 65.28% Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka 37.5% vol 70cl 15.00 18.62 3.62 24.12% Own Label Penne Pasta 500g 0.50 0.69 0.20 39.39% Own Label Semi Skimmed Milk 2 pints 0.80 1.20 0.40 50.00% Cathedral City Mature Cheddar Cheese 350g 2.80 3.29 0.49 17.53% Own Label Beef Steak Mince 5% Fat 500g 2.59 5.19 2.60 100.39% Own Label Granny Smith Apples 5-6 pack 1.47 1.76 0.28 19.30% Own Label Chicken Breast Fillets 950-1kg 5.08 6.69 1.62 31.87% Own Label 8 Pork Sausages 454g 1.50 1.91 0.41 27.42% Own Label Whole Cucumber 0.44 0.99 0.56 127.59% Own Label Maris Piper Potatoes 2.5-2kg 1.24 1.84 0.60 47.89% Own Label Free Range Medium Eggs 6 pack 0.84 1.79 0.95 113.43% Own Label British Double Cream 300ml 1.01 1.69 0.68 67.08% Own Label 0%/Low Fat Yogurt 500g 0.84 1.10 0.27 31.74% Birds Eye 10 Breaded Cod Fish Fingers 280g 3.13 4.50 1.37 43.84% Own Label Thick Bleach 750ml 0.42 0.75 0.33 79.64% Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar 110g 1.25 2.02 0.78 62.45% Ambrosia Rice Pudding Can 400g 0.81 1.74 0.93 113.85% Own Label Plain Flour 1.5kg 0.58 0.75 0.17 29.57% Nescafe Gold Blend Instant Coffee 200-190g 5.96 8.19 2.23 37.40% TOTAL 71.82 101.61 29.79 41.48% Data sourced by Assosia for the Daily Mail is based on the average pre-promotion price on March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2026 across Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons

And while these digital labels 'introduce opportunities for efficiency', they also raise 'concerns about fairness'.

Martyn James, a consumer rights expert, told The Times that he was concerned about retail giants adopting dynamic pricing, despite early promises not to.

He highlighted other industries, like concert tickets or airline fares, using this method: 'In almost every other sector, from airline fares to gig tickets, providers have misused their powers to change pricing without any official oversight in real time...

'So how can we trust [supermarkets] to use digital pricing solely to update the cost of items without price manipulation?'

But even if this ever came to be, he said it would be a good way into the future, as the technology behind these price adjustments is very expensive.
A popular seafood shop praised online for serving the 'best lobster roll' in Sydney had a truckload's worth of its key ingredient stolen.

The heist involved one tonne of lobster taken from Kraka Seafood in Regents Park, western Sydney, in the early hours of Thursday morning.

'We can confirm that this morning at 4.38am approximately one tonne of lobster were stolen from our Regents Park location,' Kraka Seafood wrote online.

'This will not compromise operating hours and supply will remain unaffected as we continue investigating the incident.'

The store labelled the incident 'Kraka heist' and urged anyone with information to speak up.

'If you have any information that might assist us please forward to info@krakaseafood.com.au or visit us at our shop,' it said.

A tonne of lobster in Sydney often costs upward of $80,000 and can even reach up to $130,000, depending on the species, according to data from the Sydney Fish Market.

Commenters on the seafood retailer's post were quick to condemn the thieves and hoped to see them caught.

A tonne of lobster was stolen from Kraka Seafood (above) on Thursday morning

The value of the stolen lobster is believed to be between $80,000 and $130,000

'People don't realise food businesses carry serious stock. This isn't small change. Respect to any operator that keeps pushing after hits like this. Stay sharp. Stay protected,' one said.

'Whoever has them will get their day. Hope it's found and they are punished,' another added.

Other commenters promised to support the business through the tough time.

'We love you Kraka I'm buying the whole family lobster rolls today,' one wrote.

'I am so stopping in on the way home for the lobster roll,' another said.

'We're buying Kraka seafood for the family Friday night,' another wrote.

'Will be buying a lobster box on the way home,' another said.

It's understood the incident has not yet been reported to police.
Convicted child killer Arthur Freeman has been hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries following an attack in jail.

Freeman, 54, was injured in a confrontation with another prisoner at the Western Plains Correctional Centre, near Geelong in southern Victoria, on Wednesday morning.

It's understood Freeman has spent the majority of his life sentence away from the general prison population.

The incident on Wednesday will be investigated by Victoria Police. No other prisoners or staff were injured

Freeman was sentenced to life behind bars after a five-day jury deliberation in March 2011.

The court found Freeman had consciously, voluntarily and intentionally thrown his four-year-old daughter, Darcey Iris Freeman, off the top of the West Gate Bridge in January 2009.

Darcey was due to start prep school the same day she was killed.

'Any motive which existed for the killing had nothing to do with the innocent victim,' Justice Paul Coghlan said during sentencing.

Freeman was attacked by another inmate at Western Plains Correctional Centre (above)

Arthur Freeman (above) was hospitalised with minor injuries on Wednesday

Justice Coghlan said the killing was particularly callous.

He pointed out little Darcey's last thoughts 'bear not thinking about'.

'Her death must have been painful,' he said.

'[The] killing [was done] in the presence of your sons Ben, who was six, and Jack, who was two, at the time.

'The community hopes he will be too young to remember.'

The Family Court had reduced Freeman's access to his children the day before he murdered his daughter.

Justice Coghlan said the father had 'used' Darcey as a way to hurt his ex-wife 'as profoundly as possible'.

Freeman was previously involved in another jailhouse fight in 2011 when he fought another inmate and bit an officer who attempted to break them apart.
A British mother and her daughter have been arrested at a Spanish airport after allegedly trying to fly back to the UK with 42 kilos of cocaine in their luggage.

The pair, aged 47 and 19, allegedly posed as tourists visiting the east coast city of Valencia for Easter before attempting to return to Britain with suitcases full of the class-A drug.

They were held on Thursday night last week, just before the start of the main Easter activities and around three days after their arrival.

The cocaine had been packed into two suitcases inside 23 packets and in tablet form, according to local press reports.

The pair held are said to have been booked on a flight back to Birmingham.

They were remanded to a local jail after appearing before a judge in Quart de Poblet, a municipality near Valencia which is the closest to Valencia's Manises Airport.

Police have not yet made any official comment but are expected to do so later today.

At the end of May Spanish police went public with the arrests of a British couple aged 33 and 34 held at the same airport after 33 kilos of marijuana was found in their luggage.

The pair were remanded to a local jail after appearing before a judge in Quart de Poblet, a municipality near Valencia which is the closest to Valencia's Manises Airport (File image)

They claimed at the time they were tourists coming from Thailand.

The pair were remanded in custody after suspicious officers picked them out from other passengers arriving because of their 'nervous and evasive attitude.'

Confirming the latest arrests at the time, a spokesman for the Civil Guard in Valencia said: 'The Civil Guard and Tax Agency have arrested two people on a flight from France for carrying more than 33 kilograms of vacuum-packed marijuana in their suitcases.

'The two passengers, a British man and woman, were displaying a nervous and evasive attitude and were stopped before they reached customs control.

'They said they were coming from Thailand and were entering Spain as tourists and had nothing to declare.

'Following standard procedure, their suitcases were put through a specialist scanner which showed up a large amount of organic material in both but no clothes or personal belongings.

'The cases were subsequently opened in their presence and found to contain a substance which tested positive in the cannabis-marijuana drugs test.

'The drugs were subsequently confirmed to be 33,540 grams of marijuana.

'The British man and woman were subsequently arrested for a crime of drug trafficking and remanded in prison following a court appearance.'

It was not immediately clear this morning if they remain behind bars.

In January last year an OnlyFans model was arrested at Barcelona's El Prat airport after travelling from Thailand with more than 34 kilos of cannabis in her suitcase.

Clara Wilson, from Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire, was later jailed for three years after admitting trying to smuggle nearly 200,000 worth of drugs into Spain.

She put her hands up to wrongdoing as part of a plea bargain deal after being offered a more lenient punishment ahead of her full trial.

Last October Brit Martin Renwick Hunter, 69, was jailed for nearly four years after being convicted of trying to smuggle almost 100,000 of drugs onto a Spanish car ferry.

He was stopped as he tried to board the Algeciras-bound vessel in Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta on July 13 last year.
More than 22,000 part-time students have been ordered to pay back their maintenance loans and grants as part of a government crackdown on franchise university courses.

Thousands of students across the country have received letters telling them that their courses had never been eligible for maintenance loans or childcare grants.

Letters have been sent to students at 15 universities and colleges, including London Met, Bath Spa, Leeds Trinity and Southampton Solent.

The move is part of a government crackdown on franchise courses, which allow students to claim thousands of pounds in taxpayer-funded maintenance loans and grants for weekend courses.

The franchise courses have been criticised in the past by an education watchdog for signing up students with 'weak' English and low attainment.

Franchise providers incorrectly registered the courses as 'in attendance' courses, which has allowed students to access loans and grants, thought to cost the taxpayer 190 million a year.

Each course had in-person teaching at weekends, with some also having additional online learning during the week.

Recruiters lure potential students in via social media such as TikTok, telling them that the government will pay them to study in the UK

Many have accepted maintenance loans which were designed to help full-time students cover their living costs, some have also accepted childcare grants.

However, now they have been ordered to pay back the money given to them.

The Student Loans Company has told students to ask for extra help if the repayment would cause 'financial difficulties' and reassured them that universities may be able to offer financial support.

In December, the government announced it would require the franchise providers to face mandatory regulation by the Office for Students or be completely cut off from student loan funding.

Two years ago, a Daily Mail investigation uncovered serious abuses of the higher education system through franchise courses.

Whistleblowers said the courses were accepting students with such poor English that they cannot spell simple words, and who fail to attend classes as soon as they receive their first 4,000 maintenance loan and council tax exemption.

One source at a well-known university said they had seen instances of 'whole families' including elderly parents and grandparents enrolling on 9,250-a-year courses after being recruited by staff offering cash bonuses for new students.

The problem is said to be rife throughout the franchised university sector  where a university that awards the degree contracts another organisation to teach on its behalf, often in dingy office blocks on the outskirts of towns and cities for as little as eight hours a week.

Recruiters lure students in via social media, telling thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram that 'the Government will pay you' to study and boasting how the money can be spent 'maintaining your travel addiction' and bankrolling 'wedding season'.

One told an undercover Mail reporter, posing as an applicant with no wish to study in 2024, that she could get a place on a 9,250-a-year course and that '95 per cent of people who get this money will never pay it back'.

A report by the Office for Students in 2024 found that students recruited are disproportionately migrants who have leave to stay in the UK, and 62 per cent are studying business and management courses.

It found students are being recruited via third-party agents, with some giving 'inaccurate information' in 'attempts to sign them up'.

Some are offering 'financial incentives' to get students onto courses that are 'not right for them', and claiming the Government will 'pay them to study'.

In some cases, franchised courses have persuaded universities to allow them to lower entry requirements so they can recruit more students.

And once on the courses, some students have submitted assessments written by someone else, 'in some cases with the complicit support of staff members'.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said organisations were using the student loans system as a 'loophole to abuse public money'.

She said: 'I have long been clear about our commitment to crack down on university franchising arrangements that do not deliver for their students and abuse the system. I will always prioritise protecting students and safeguarding taxpayers' money.

'This is not students' fault. Too many organisations have let their students down, through either incompetence or abuse of the system. Many of these organisations lack the necessary governance and oversight to properly implement clear guidance.

'Others have used this loophole as another opportunity to abuse public money. Either way, this is not the standard I expect from our world-class university sector.

'Universities must take immediate action to support students who will face financial difficulties as a result.'

Recruiters boast online about using student loans to 'maintain your travel addiction'

The Government insisted that students were not to blame for the overpayment of loans and has called on universities to foot the bill for struggling students.

Many have been told they must pay the sum immediately, just weeks before facing their final exams.

The National Union of Students has launched a campaign to oppose the move which is forcing students to repay their loans.

Amira Campbell, NUS President, said: 'Students take on a massive debt to invest in their futures.

'They trust the government, the Student Loans Company and their universities to handle everything correctly: now that trust has been broken, mistakes have been made, and once again students are made to face the brunt of it.

'These are working class students, many of whom are parents, who are using their weekends to gain a degree and invest in their futures.

'They should not be facing a funding cliff edge because of a mistake or being mis-sold their course. The Department for Education and Student Finance England could be plunging 22,000 students, and their families, into poverty.

'A Government that are priding themselves on supporting parents through funded childcare, are now taking away childcare grants from students who are trying to better themselves and their families.

'From retroactively and regressively changing the terms of plan 2 loans, to mis-selling students weekend courses, our trust on the student finance system is at an all time low.'

On Wednesday, some of the students received a reprieve, with the SLC reinstating their right to receive payments.

Students who are taking a four-year BSc in acupuncture were able to keep their loans.

Now some of the universities are scrambling to schedule sessions midweek or transfer students to similar courses, so that they can continue to be eligible for the loans.

However, they have been told that loans which have already been paid out will still need to be repaid.

A spokesperson for SLC said: 'The Department for Education (DfE) wrote to a small number of higher education providers (HEPs) on the 23 March, as they had incorrectly categorised courses that are distance learning.

'DfE has urgently requested that these providers work with SLC to correctly categorise the courses to enable the reassessment of students entitlement in line with the Governments student finance regulations.

'Following this instruction from DfE, SLC has written to approximately 22,000 customers to inform them of the error made by the providers and advised of the steps that are being taken to correct this.

'DfE and SLC are clear that providers are responsible for ensuring that courses are classified correctly and that student-facing information must reflect accurate attendance requirements, including weekday attendance where this is a condition of maintenance support.

'We fully appreciate the students will be concerned about this action, however SLC are required to ensure that public money is used to support student finance as set out in the student finance regulations.

'DfE has made clear to HEPs it is their responsibility to support the students and provide financial hardship support.

'Following the courses being correctly classified and students being advised of their reassessed entitlement, customers will be able to make arrangements with SLC to ensure they are supported through this process, including affordable repayment plans being put in place where appropriate.'
Iran today threatened to pull out of peace talks with the US as Donald Trump's vaunted Middle East ceasefire appeared on the brink of collapse.

Tehran said that Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon violated the agreement to pause fighting and it would be 'unreasonable' to discuss a permanent settlement while they continued to pound Beirut.

The Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, who the US is said to be dealing with, tweeted that the US and Israel had to 'extinguish the fire immediately' or face 'explicit costs and strong responses'.

It came against a backdrop of chaos and confusion over who will get long-term control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas is transported.

The Islamist regime closed the Strait to traffic overnight, hours after the US president declared a dramatic and decisive victory in the Middle East.

Iranian officials cited the ongoing Israeli attacks on Iran's Hezbollah allies for the move to shut off the Arabian Gulf which sent oil prices soaring and stock prices falling again.

Trump responded by threatening to green-light 'bigger, and better and stronger' attacks on Iran if a permanent deal isn't reached.

But he had earlier suggested the Us and Iran could work together on a toll regime for ships that could reach $2million per vessel.

The US and Israel insisted that the attacks that left more than 250 dead in Lebanon were not part of the deal, with Trump branding them 'a separate skirmish'.

A fresh warning was issued by Tel Aviv this afternoon for people to flee southern Beirut ahead of a new air bombardment.

Iranian negotiators were expected to set off later today for Pakistan for the first peace talks of the war on Saturday.

But Iran's deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told the BBC's Today programme he is personally 'very doubtful' that talks will lead to a definite agreement.

A new map released by Iran seemed to show areas of the Strait have been mined by its paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, seen as a threat to attack traffic if its demands are not met.

A new map released by Iran seemed to show areas of the Strait have been mined by its paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, seen as a threat to attack traffic if its demands are not met

Tehran said that Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon violated the agreement to pause fighting and it would be 'unreasonable' to discuss a permanent peace while they continued to pound Beirut

Iranian officials said tankers using the Strait would have to pay tolls in cryptocurrency of $1 per barrel, potentially amounting to 2.2million per ship.

The White House rejected the idea, only for Trump to later tell reporters it could be done as a 'beautiful' joint venture with America.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer teed up another potential flashpoint in the UK/US row over the war, telling Gulf allies Iran must not 'hold the Strait of Hormuz to ransom' with tolls.

Some of Mr Trump's key advisers remain sceptical a deal will hold, according to the New York Times.

Vice President JD Vance branded it a 'fragile truce' before last night claiming Iran sent three versions of its 10-point plans, the first of which he claimed was 'probably written by ChatGPT'.

He also questioned whether Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, a key negotiator, understood English.

The latest pinch point in Transatlantic relations, which are at a low not seen in decades, came after Trump again lashed out at NATO allies over the defensive alliance's reluctance to help the US attack Iran.

Reports suggest he is mulling withdrawing US troops stationed in those countries, many of which have had an American presence since the end of World War II as a bulwark against Russian aggression.

Overnight, Trump also again lashed out at NATO allies over the defensive alliance's reluctance to help the US attack Iran

Trump had asked NATO member nations to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil supply passes. But none of the member nations sent their ships.

'NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,' the president posted on his Truth Social media platform, hours after a scheduled meeting with Mark Rutte, the NATO secretary general.

Rutte, who infamously called Trump 'daddy' at a summit last year, took on a conciliatory tone as he praised the President for the ceasefire agreement in Iran.

The NATO Secretary General appeared on CNN Wednesday to discuss the temporary truce and admitted that Trump was 'clearly disappointed' that the US' allies refused to send help, adding: 'He clearly told me what he thought of what happened over the last couple of weeks.'

Speaking in the United Arab Emirates today, Sir Keir set out that the UK has been constant in its position calling for de-escalation in the Iran conflict and that he wants to see the ceasefire become a lasting peace.

He reiterated that Iran 'must not hold the Strait of Hormuz to ransom' and that nations will need to come together on a solution.

The remarks came after Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said it was 'crucial' that Iran is not allowed to apply tolls.

She said Trump's language during the Middle East conflict has been 'completely wrong'.

In a further deepening of the disarray in the Middle East, the Tehran regime closed the Straits again overnight, blaming continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon

Your browser does not support iframes.

And in a speech at the Lady Mayor's Easter Banquet in London tonight, she is expected to say that rights of passage 'must not be unilaterally withdrawn or sold off to individual bidders', adding: 'Nor can there be any place for tolls on an international waterway.'

Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire and reopening the waterway while a 10-point peace plan is negotiated by both sides, Trump announced on Wednesday.

The exact terms remain unsettled, but ships must notify intermediary companies linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of their cargo, destination and owner  with tolls of at least $1 per barrel payable in Chinese yuan or cryptocurrency.

Trump welcomed the idea on Wednesday, telling ABC: 'We're thinking of doing it as a joint venture. It's a way of securing it - also securing it from lots of other people.. it's a beautiful thing.'

However, last night Tehran halted tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, warning unauthorised ships would be 'targeted and destroyed'.

State media also reported the ceasefire would fail if Israel continued attacking Lebanon, home to Iranian terrorist proxy Hezbollah.

Charts dated from February 28 until April 9 were published by news agencies ISNA and Tasnim on Thursday, showing a large circle marked 'danger zone' in Farsi over the Traffic Separation Scheme.

This was the route ships used to take through the strait  a narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20 per cent of all oil and natural gas traded once passed.

Your browser does not support iframes.

On Wednesday, Iran warned that oil tankers will be destroyed if they try to travel along the strait without permission, as it seeks to retain control over the passage during the ceasefire.

A radio message was broadcast yesterday by the regime to all oil ships in the vital waterway, saying: 'If any vessels try to transit without permission, [they] will be destroyed.'

Ms Cooper today warned Lebanon must be included in the Iran ceasefire or it could 'destabilise the whole region'.

But Trump insisted that Lebanon was not part of the peace deal, describing its conflict with Israel as a 'separate skirmish'.
Dog owners have been accused of 'ruining a national landmark' by covering the ancient Hadrian's Wall with used waste bags.

Furious locals and park rangers have blasted 'lazy' dog owners as an increasing number of filled plastic waste bags have been left wedged inside the cracks of the famous 1,900-year-old stone wall.

The Roman Emperor Hadrian ordered the building of the 73-mile-long structure during a visit to Britain in AD 122, to protect Britannia from the 'barbarians' north of the border, in present-day Scotland.

The wall is a UNESCO World Heritage site and attracts more than 750,000 visitors each year.

It has stood for almost 2,000 years but is now being used as a makeshift waste bin, with locals slamming the 'irresponsible' dog owners.

Walker James Connell, 40, said: 'I was shocked by the state of sections of the wall over the Easter weekend.

'I counted at least 10 different coloured dog waste bags stuffed inside the wall.

'It's just not acceptable that a national landmark should be ruined by irresponsible dog owners.'

Furious locals and park rangers have blasted 'lazy' dog owners as an increasing number of filled plastic waste bags have been left wedged inside the cracks of the famous 1,900-year-old stone wall

The wall has stood for almost 2,000 years but is now being used as a makeshift waste bin, with locals slamming the 'irresponsible' dog owners

Hadrian's Wall is two-and-a-half miles north of Corbridge Roman Town. When fully intact, it ran from Wallsend in eastern England to Bowness-on-Solway in the west. It marked the boundary between Roman Britain and what was then the unconquered Caledonia (now Scotland)

Fellow walker Jane Turnbull, 30, from nearby Haltwhistle, said: 'Dog walkers are welcome to enjoy the countryside and the wall as much as anyone else but show some respect.

'They'd be the first to moan if parents littered the wall with baby's nappies.

'I think more needs to be done to protect the wall and educate the few moronic dog owners who spoilt it for everybody else.'

Northumberland National Park rangers are also urging dog owners to dispose of dog waste responsibly.

Head ranger Margaret Anderson told the BBC: 'It's a real sense of frustration, we have this amazing structure here which so many people want to come and enjoy.

'For somebody to think it's acceptable to wedge waste bags into a UNESCO World Heritage site, well actually it makes you quite sad.

'The last thing we want are more and more structures along here.

'And let's face it, it's really not hard to carry your waste bag, you can get little pouches to put it in, pop it in your pocket or your backpack until you get somewhere where you can dispose of it.'

Dog walker Taylor Hughes, of Wrexham, north Wales, agreed calling those who dump the waste bags along the wall 'just lazy'.

She said: 'Nobody likes picking up dog mess, but as a dog owner, it's just what you do'.

Tony Gates, the outgoing CEO of the Northumberland National Park Authority, added: 'I can't get my head around it.

'I mean you come to see this wonderful view, this amazing piece of history, would it look the same if every 50m or so there's a waste bag hanging out of it?

'I don't think so.'
A cat and dog were flown to safety by a Ukrainian drone to escape advancing Russian troops on the frontline, according to reports.

Astonishing footage purportedly shows the pair being pulled from bags after the daring flight.

Ukrainian fighters are said to have sent the animals on a mercy mission of nearly eight miles.

Supplies had been delivered to troops from the 14th Separate Mechanised Brigade holding the line near Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region.

On the return flight, the drone was used to evacuate the two animals from a position threatened by Vladimir Putins invading forces.

The mongrel is seen being lifted from a bag after the journey, while a cat emerges moments later.

'Well, I've never flown on a drone before,' a Ukrainian man says to the cat.

'You'll be ours. Ah, she is already purring, she is content. Of course she flew, she flew, she is very happy.

Astonishing footage purportedly shows a dog and cat pulled from bags after being flown to safety by drone from advancing Russian troops on the frontline. Pictured: The animals after their rescue

Ukrainian fighters are said to have sent the animals on a mercy mission of nearly eight miles, according to local reports

'Well, I've never flown on a drone before,' a Ukrainian man says to the cat

Supplies had been delivered to troops from the 14th Separate Mechanised Brigade holding the line near Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region

On the return flight, the drone was used to evacuate the two animals from a position threatened by Vladimir Putins invading forces

'We'll give you food, some proper food to eat.'

There is no footage of the animals mid-flight, only after they reached safety.

Animal welfare group UAnimals said the pair flew around 12km and are now safe with the soldiers.

It added: 'Risky? Yes, but leaving them there was even more dangerous, and there was no other way to get them out.

'The cat and dog flew eight miles (12 kilometres) - they are safe and now with the soldiers.

'We thank the defenders for saving the most vulnerable.'

The cat had been cared for by a soldier, now in hospital with war wounds.

His comrades decided to rescue his pet - and they could not leave the dog behind either.

This is not the only time animals have been rescued from Ukraine during the war.

In 2022, twenty French bulldogs were pictured crammed in a car while their Ukrainian owner fled Russian bombs in her home outside of Kyiv - and even went back to the warzone to rescue 30 more 'defenceless animals'.

Olena Lukash, 57, from Kyiv, said she 'didn't believe a war could start' in her home country until Russian shells began to land near her house since the invasion on Ukraine began on February 24.

However, she soon realised she would have to save her 'four-legged children' from the terrifying threat as she decided to flee her home and head for Poland.

Photos show 20 of the dogs squeezed into the kennel owner's Hyundai Tucson for the four-day drive, with the pooches blissfully unaware of the terror they were escaping.

Remarkably, after Olena and her husband Alexander left the dogs in Poland they then returned to their Russian-occupied town to rescue 30 more and then fled to Vinnitsa, 173 miles away from Kyiv.
Donald Trump tonight cast doubt on the effectiveness of the ceasefire that has halted the Iran war.

'Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz,' he wrote on his social media site Thursday evening. 'That is not the agreement we have!'

The post came after Trump posted earlier that 'There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait - They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!'

The White House supports reopening the strait as part of the ceasefire deal, but says that Trump opposes Iran's military, which continues to control the waterway, from seeking to raise revenue by charging tolls on passing ships.

The strait that Iran has effectively shut since the US-Israeli war began on February 28 remains closed, with access still being restricted, contained and controlled.

It also comes after Iran's new supreme leader released a statement demanding 'blood money' from the US and Israel after denouncing them as 'criminal aggressors'.

In a message attributed to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, he told the Iranian people: 'By the grace of God, we will certainly not let go of the criminal aggressors who attacked our country.

'We will undoubtedly demand compensation for every single damage inflicted, the blood money of the martyrs, and the diyah of the war-wounded.'

Khamenei - who has not been seen in public since he took over from his father - also warned the regime would 'take the management of the Strait of Hormuz into a new phase' amid rising tensions over how the vital shipping lane will be controlled.

He called on pro-Iranian protesters to take to the streets because 'your voices raised in public squares have an impact on the outcome of negotiations.'

Thank you for following along. This blog is now closed.
At least four migrants have died during an attempted Channel crossing - as France rejected Britain's offer to intercept and return small boats.

The vessel, which was overloaded with dozens of migrants, got into trouble off the coast of Boulogne early this morning.

A large rescue operation was launched just after 7am, with onlookers seeing several bodies floating in the water off the town of Equihen-Plage.

Francois-Xavier Lauch, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, said two men and two women had died, with 42 others rescued.

He described the vessel as a 'taxiboat', which refers to a vessel used to ferry migrants from beaches to dinghies waiting offshore.

Two migrants died on April 1 during another attempted crossing. They were the first fatalities of the year, with 36 people dying in 2025.

It comes as Emmanuel Macron's government rejected a proposal from Shabana Mahmood to allow Border Force vessels to intercept boats in French waters.

The plan was put forward as negotiations continue to renew a multimillion-pound migrant patrol deal between UK and France. The current agreement was set to expire in March but was extended by two months while both sides haggle over new terms.

An estimated 137 migrants crossed the Channel yesterday as smugglers took advantage of calm weather, with French police seen standing idly by as groups of men piled into dinghies off Dunkirk. Crossings have topped 5,000 so far this year.

A large rescue operation was launched just after 7am, with onlookers seeing several bodies floating in the water

A tent was set up to handle victims of the incident in the northern coastal city of Equihen-Plage

Survivors of the incident were handed thermal blankets by emergency responders

Your browser does not support iframes.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Speaking of the four people who died today, Mr Lauch said: 'They were already quite far into the sea.

'The currents, which can be dangerous here, swept them away.

'This provisional toll - and I insist that it is provisional - states four deceased: two men, two women.'

One person also suffered hypothermia, and another 37 other people are currently being treated by emergency services.

A number of dinghies are currently at sea and being monitored by the French authorities, including a military helicopter, Mr Lauch added.

'The responsibility lies with the smugglers,' he told reporters.

There are fears a failure to strike a new deal on funding for beach patrols could turbocharge crossings even further over the warm summer months.

During the negotiations British officials proposed deploying vessels from its fleet of six 42-metre Border Force cutters and five commercial transfer vessels in addition to rigid inflatable boats.

The plan would have seen British vessels intercept small boats before they reached UK waters before taking the migrants on board and returning them to northern France.

Currently, Border Force pick up migrants once they have crossed into UK territorial waters to prevent casualties, before taking them ashore at Dover.

However, the proposal was rejected by the French because it would have involved British officers entering their territorial waters - which they described as a 'red line'.

The details were revealed by French satirical newspaper Le Canard Enchaine.

It also revealed that British taxpayers have funded 100 new police vehicles for gendarme in the Pas de Calais - equivalent to a quarter of the total they have available.

Police responding to this morning's incident, which has claimed at least four lives

Victims board a bus to a reception and accommodation centre in northern France

French police stand idly by as migrants scramble towards dinghies off Dunkirk beach yesterday

The UK will pay France 16.5million to cover the cost of nearly 700 police officers patrolling northern France during the two-month extension, which expires in May.

Taxpayers have already given 658million in security payments to France since 2018, a report by the House of Commons Library set out last year.

Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: 'Crossing the Channel on often faulty and defective dinghies is immensely dangerous and puts lives at risk. Labour's weak approach which allows these crossings to continue is causing lives to be lost, and their unwillingness to take decisive action on illegal immigration is fuelling this crisis. Nearly 70,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel since Keir Starmer came to office  he doesn't have the backbone to do what is necessary.

'Stopping the crossings requires more than disruption on the beaches. It requires the swift removal of those who enter illegally so the incentive to make these dangerous journeys disappears.

'Ending illegal immigration requires real deterrence, and only the Conservative Party has a comprehensive plan to leave the ECHR and rapidly remove every illegal arrival within a week.'

A Government spokesman said today: 'We are deeply saddened to hear about the deaths in French waters today.

'Every death in the Channel is a tragedy and a stark reminder of the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people for profit. We will continue working relentlessly with the French and our partners overseas to prevent these perilous journeys.

'The French authorities are leading the response to this incident and we are supporting their investigation.'
Residents in a tiny village have warned they can't cope with Labour's plans to build 40,000 extra homes and turn it into a 'new town' - as they don't even have a shop.

Tempsford in Bedfordshire was shortlisted as one of seven new towns in England under Labour's plans to deliver 1.5million properties by 2029.

But many living in the rural community, which is home to just 600 people, have been far from celebrating.

Opponents to the plans claim they simply do not have capacity for the influx of new residents - as there is no doctor, dentist, school or supermarket.

Parish council chairman David Sutton has lived in the village for 10 years in his 450-year-old Tudor home.

Mr Sutton, who also runs the local pub, said: 'We are not NIMBYs - we just don't want everything in our backyard... we'd need a doctors, a dentist, schools - we don't even have a shop.'

'This development - if it goes ahead which it looks like it will - is going to change everything.

'We are a rural community and lots of people moved here because they wanted to live in the countryside.

'Yet nobody will tell us anything about how things are going to change or what the outcome is going to be.'

Residents in Tempsford have warned they can't cope with Labour's plans to build 40,000 extra homes. John and Allie Hewitt are pictured

Tempsford in Buckinghamshire (pictured) was shortlisted as one of seven new towns in England under Labour's plans to deliver 1.5million properties by 2029

Up to 40,000 homes would be be built around the new East West Rail station in Bedfordshire, linking residents to Cambridge, Oxford, London and Milton Keynes

Your browser does not support iframes.

Tempsford could be fast-tracked under the homes plan because of the new East West Rail Link.

The Cambridge to Oxford corridor has been dubbed Europe's Silicon Valley and was first announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in January 2025.

The government have said funding will become available to 'kickstart development' including backing new homes, labs and workspaces.

But residents say Tempsford is steeped in rich history - as the home of an RAF base which was dubbed one of the most secret airfields of World War II.

The village is also partly on a flood plain which has caused issues for residents over the years, including road closures and sewage overflows.

And the area is surrounded by farmland, of which its farmers are tenants.

Another woman, who currently owns 10-and-a-half-acres of land said she had already been made 'essentially homeless' - and had now been issued with a 'stop notice' on her caravan.

David Sutton (pictured) also runs the Wheatsheaf pub - the only business open seven days a week

Julie Stanley (pictured), 53, said her home was plagued by floodwaters - which left her having to be rescued by the fire brigade

Julie Stanley, 53, said her home was plagued by floodwaters - which left her having to be rescued by the fire brigade.

Ms Stafford, a hotelier who has lived in the village for 15 years, added her house has now been branded unhabitable and she cannot insure it to sell.

She said: 'Practicality has not been thought about here. It's going to look like the Bronx.

'We're not inventing new land, we're encroaching on what is already being used.

'I'm not against developing - I know progress, whether good or bad, has to happen.

'But I am essentially homeless and I am living in a caravan next to my property.'

Ms Stafford added the floodwater had risen to waist height in 20 minutes.

'I had to get myself, my dogs and my partner out', she said.

Ms Stafford said it is a 16-mile drive for her to get to the nearest shop due to a lack of access roads and ongoing work at the nearby Black Cat roundabout.

And she said she had even been issued with a stop notice on her caravan.

Ms Stafford added: 'The council will tell anyone trying to put a planning application through they can't do it because it's on a flood plain or it's ruining the rural idyll.

'But it's a double standard when they're wanting to build 40,000 new homes here.

'I moved to a village. If I wanted to live in a city then I would have moved to one.'

Many of its 600 residents - who insist they are 'not NIMBYs' - have been far from celebrating as they say there is no doctor, dentist, school or supermarket in the area

John Hewitt, who has lived in the village for five years at his thatched cottage, said: 'I'm not against development but it is on a huge scale.

'We need to build houses and we need more jobs but it does depend on how much afford housing they're planning on building.

'If they're going to build a train station for Universal [theme park] then it would be nice for the kids to be able to walk up there.

'Some people in the village are very against it. We are in the countryside - we even have a field behind our house.

'Tempsford does seem to be at the top of the Government's list.'

Film giant Universal Studios have also commenced work on their first theme park in Europe - with the 476-acre complex just 14 miles away.

The seven locations for the government's new towns were narrowed down from 12 initially proposed by a Government taskforce.

Those that did not make the cut were deemed suitable for development but not as fully formed new towns.

Each location will consist of 40 per cent 'affordable' housing, of which at least half will be designated for social rent.

The seven locations are Tempsford, Bedfordshire; Leeds' South Bank; Crews Hill and Chase Park in north London; Manchester's Victoria North; Thamesmead, south-east London; Brabazon, south Gloucestershire and Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

Other areas were considered  Adlington, Cheshire; Heyford Park, Oxfordshire; Marlcombe, Devon; Plymouth; South Barking, east London and Wychavon Town, Worcestershire  but they will not be taken forward.
Donald Trump lauded a 'big day for world peace' as the US and Iran agreed a two-week ceasefire just hours after he threatened to wipe out 'a whole civilisation'.

The US President said he received a 10-point proposal from Iran which he described as 'a workable basis on which to negotiate' and declared the fighting would temporarily stop.

But just a day later the shaky ceasefire looks on the verge of collapse, with major disagreements over the terms of a deal and Mr Trump warning of 'bigger, and better, and stronger' strikes as Israel continues to pummel Lebanon.

Some of Mr Trump's key advisers remain sceptical a deal will hold, according to the New York Times.

Vice President JD Vance branded it a 'fragile truce' before last night claiming Iran sent three versions of its 10-point plans, the first of which he claimed was 'probably written by ChatGPT'. He also questioned whether Iran's parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a key negotiator, understood English.

He said: 'The first 10-point proposal was something that was submitted, and we think, frankly, was probably written by ChatGPT, that was submitted to Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner that immediately went in the garbage and was rejected.

'There was a second 10-point proposal that was much more reasonable that was based on some back and forth between us, between the Pakistanis and between the Iranians. That is the 10-point proposal that the president was referencing in his Truth yesterday.'

He added the third proposal was more 'maximalist' and he found out about it through social media.

Vice President JD Vance branded it a 'shaky truce' last night before claiming Iran sent three versions of its 10-point plans

There is disagreement over whether the ceasefire includes Lebanon as Israel continues to pound its neighbour

IRAN'S 10-POINT PEACE PLAN

1. Commitment to non-aggression 2. Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz 3. Acceptance of Iran's uranium enrichment 4. Lifting of all primary sanctions 5. Lifting of all secondary sanctions 6. Termination of all UN Security Council resolutions 7. Termination of all Board of Governors resolutions 8. Paying compensation to Iran 9. Withdrawal of US combat forces from the region 10. Cessation of war on all fronts, including in Lebanon

The US and Iran struck a deal late on Tuesday night after Mr Trump set a deadline after which he said Iranians would be 'living in hell'. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the Islamic Republic 'begged' for a pause in fighting.

Both sides claimed military triumph, with Mr Trump hailing a 'total and complete victory' and Iran boasting of a 'victory in the field'.

Yet disagreements over the terms of the deal began immediately. Mr Trump has referred to a 15-point plan while the White House has added to confusion by suggesting the plan being discussed is not the 'working framework' received by the US.

One of Iran's proposals 'was literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump and his negotiating team,' Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary said.

On Wednesday morning, Mr Trump said Iran had agreed to hand over its enriched uranium and there would be 'no enrichment' in the future.

'There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) nuclear dust, he wrote.

But Iran's supreme national security council swiftly announced its own interpretation of the 10-point peace plan, which explicitly demanded the right to enrich uranium.

The US and Israel have claimed the ceasfire does not include Lebanon, where Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a major ground and air invasion.

But Iran and mediators Pakistan said the peace plan included the 'complete cessation of war in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen'.

On Wednesday, Israel intensified its bombing campaign over Lebanon, killing 182 people as it claimed to hit more than 100 Hezbollah sites in some of the heaviest strikes of the war yet.

Israel shows no sign of stopping its campaign and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) promised a 'regret-inducing response' if strikes on Lebanon continue.

Tehran dubbed the attack a 'massacre' and said it represented a 'grave violation of the ceasefire', heightening fears that the regime may back out of the peace process.

Iran's 10-point plan, published by state-run Tasnim news agency, demands the US accept Tehran's continued control over the strait, lift all sanctions, pay compensation and withdraw all troops from the region.

'If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations,' Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.

'For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via the coordination with Iran's Armed Forces.'

Donald Trump lauded a 'big day for World Peace' as the US and Iran agreed a two-week ceasefire just hours after he threatened to wipe out 'a whole civilisation'

US's '10-POINT PEACE PLAN' 1. A 30 day ceasefire 2. Dismantling of Iran's nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Fordow and Natanz 3. Iran's commitment to never develop nuclear weapons 4. Handover of Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium 5. Limits on Iran's missiles and their range 6. Reopening of Strait of Hormuz 7. Ending Iran's strikes on regional energy facilities 8. Ending Iran's support for proxy groups 9. Removal of sanctions on Iran 10. The provision of US support for electricity generation at Bushehr nuclear power plant * Points are said to be among unpublished US plan, according to multiple reports

But the regime halted oil tankers passing through the strait and launched a drone strike on a key Saudi oil pipeline on Wednesday.

Iran said the passageway had been halted 'simultaneous with Israel's attacks on Lebanon.'

The Islamic Republic also threatened to destroy oil tankers if they try to travel through the Strait without permission, as the regime has imposed a toll of up to $2million per vessel.

It prompted Trump to unleash a new warning that he would green-light 'bigger, and better and stronger' attacks on Iran if a deal isn't reached.

Mr Trump also threatened to take even more aggressive action as he announced that US forces will remain in the area amid negotiations.

'All US Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal persecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT is fully complied with,' he wrote in a Truth Social post late Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Iranian strikes continued on Wednesday as Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline, a critical artery routing crude from the Gulf to the Red Sea, came under drone attack at 1pm local time.

Kuwait's air defenses intercepted 28 drones in sustained attacks targeting oil facilities, power plants and water desalination infrastructure from 8am Wednesday, the country's army said, adding that strikes were still ongoing.

Mr Trump is facing a furious backlash from his most fervent supporters over the ceasefire and ten-point peace plan, amid fears it concedes too much to Tehran - with even his own White House forced to clarify his claims about the terms of the deal.

Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska said Mr Trump had secured 'significant victories' but expressed skepticism over the peace talks and the President's claims of 'total victory.'

'The government's still in place and we should be negotiating from a position of strength, not a position that's good for them,' he told CNN.

Trump threatened to strike Iran 'bigger, and better and stronger' if authorities cannot reach an agreement on the country's nuclear program and control of the vital Strait of Hormuz

Your browser does not support iframes.

'They will work with Russia and China as soon as they can to start rebuilding their military. And they will be a threat five, six, seven, eight years down the road. And so, as long as this government's in place, total victory has not been earned.'

Amid the backlash, the president walked back his statement that the 10-point plan was a 'workable basis on which to negotiate.'

A White House official has since claimed the points in the released plan did not match what Trump had in mind.

But Trump later seemed to contradict his own team, saying most points had 'been fully negotiated' while leaving the door open to resuming strikes if the deal fell apart as the ceasefire began with a rocky start.
A British man appeared in court after he was accused of directing the activities of Somalia-based terrorist group Al-Shabaab.

Jermaine Grant, a 43-year-old Muslim convert, has also been accused of three counts of attending a commando training group with the Islamist militant organisation in the Somalian city of Kismayo.

He has also been charged with two counts of possession of an AK47 assault rifle for the purposes of terrorism, following an investigation by counter terrorism officers.

The charges relate to a period between December 31, 2007, and January 1, 2010, when Al-Shabaab was operating in Somalia.

The district of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, was the scene of a series of violent clashes between government forces backed by the African Union and Al-Shabaab.

Grant, who was born in London but is currently of no fixed address, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

He was wearing a grey tracksuit when he appeared in the dock, flanked by two armed Metropolitan Police officers.

The defendant spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth during the short hearing.

Jermaine Grant, 43, of no fixed address, is next due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on 16 April

Setting out the charges, prosecutor Carl Kelvin said: 'Grant went to Al-Shabaab training camps, trained as a commando, became a platoon leader, took part in a number of battles and discharged firearms and took full part in fighting.'

The defendant also trained others to use weapons, he added.

Al-Shabaab was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK in 2010.

District judge Nina Tempia remanded Grant in custody to appear back at Westminster Magistrates' Court on April 16.

Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's special crime and counter terrorism division, said: 'We have decided to prosecute Jermaine Grant with directing the activities of a terrorist organisation, three counts of attending a place for terrorist purposes and two counts of possession of an article for terrorist purposes.

'The charges relate to Mr Grant's alleged involvement in 2008 and 2009 with Al-Shabaab, a terrorist organisation operating in Somalia.

'Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.

'We have worked closely with the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command as it carried out its investigation.

'We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.'

Acting Commander Kris Wright, of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: 'These are serious charges and come as the result of a long-running investigation.

'This case shows we will always pursue anyone suspected of being involved in terrorist activity, no matter where in the world or how long ago it is alleged to have taken place.'

Al-Shabaab is a jihadi insurgent group active in Somalia and, more recently, in Kenya and across East Africa.

It developed in the early 2000s alongside and later in partnership with the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), a group of Sharia courts in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu.

The coalition overran the city and installed themselves as administrators there and across much of the rest of the country in 2006.

Al-Shabaab, which translates as 'Movement of Jihadi Youth', was the young, radical armed wing of the UIC.

The union had been founded in the early 2000s to handle the fallout from the ongoing Somali Civil War.

But the organisation outlasted the UIC, which was ousted from Mogadishu in December 2006 by Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa staged the interventions over fears for its security and regional and international interests.

Al-Shabaab went on to launch a successful guerilla insurgency, conquering large parts of Somalia, including crucial port cities like Kismayo.

It now administrates many of these regions, primarily across the south and southwest of the country, which is de facto referred to as the Islamic Emirate of Somalia.

The group, which is allied to transnational Islamist terrorist organisation al-Qaeda, is estimated to have between 5,000 and 9,000 fighters.

Al-Shabaab was behind the massacre at Westgate Shopping centre in Nairobi Kenya in September 2013 in which four masked gunmen killed 67 people.

Among their members was Samantha Lewthwaite, the widow of 7/7 bomber Jermaine Lindsay, who joined the group in 2011, six years after the bombings killed 52 people in London.
Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard may have put sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz during the war, a chart published by semi-official news agencies in the country on Thursday suggested.

Tehran has also begun demanding massive cryptocurrency fees from passing ships as oil prices skyrocket during the fragile first days of a two-week ceasefire.

Charts dated from February 28 until April 9 were published by news agencies ISNA and Tasnim on Thursday, showing a large circle marked 'danger zone' in Farsi over the Traffic Separation Scheme.

This was the route ships used to take through the strait - a narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20 per cent of all oil and natural gas traded once passed.

The message may be intended to pressure the United States as uncertainty hangs over the ceasefire and further negotiations are set to begin in Pakistan on Friday.

On Wednesday, Iran warned that oil tankers will be destroyed if they try to travel along the strait without permission, as it seeks to retain control over the passage during the ceasefire.

A radio message was broadcast yesterday by the regime to all oil ships in the vital waterway, saying: 'If any vessels try to transit without permission, [they] will be destroyed.'

The Islamic Republic is now reportedly demanding that shipping companies pay enormous tolls in cryptocurrency to access the passage, which usually handles around 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas.

Charts published by semi-official news agencies ISNA and Tasnim on Thursday showed a large circle marked 'danger zone' in Farsi over the Traffic Separation Scheme

Your browser does not support iframes.

Meanwhile, oil prices climbed and most stocks fell Thursday on fears over the nascent US-Iran ceasefire after Tehran threatened to resume hostilities as Israel launched a major bombardment of Lebanon.

Equity markets across the globe soared and crude plunged Wednesday after US President Donald Trump announced the two-week halt in the war, and the Islamic republic said it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz as peace talks took place.

But with the deal less than a day old, cracks were already appearing as Tel Aviv said it did not include Israel's fight against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon as it continued attacks on its northern neighbour.

That view was echoed by Vice President JD Vance, who said: 'If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart... over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them, and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that's ultimately their choice.'

Iran said that broke terms of the deal as reports said the vital Hormuz waterway - through which a fifth of world oil and gas passes - was shut again.

However, that came as Tehran announced alternative routes for ships travelling through the Strait, citing the risk of sea mines.

The country's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X that the 'workable basis on which to negotiate' had already been violated, making further talks 'unreasonable'.

He listed three alleged US violations of the truce plan: the continued attacks in Lebanon, a drone entering Iranian airspace and a denial of the country's right to enrichment.

Hezbollah said Thursday it had fired rockets towards Israel in response to its 'violation', while UN boss Antonio Guterres warned Israel's strikes on Lebanon posed a 'grave risk' to the truce.

Fears that the ceasefire could fall apart while crude remained stuck in Hormuz saw both main crude contracts rise more than 3%, following sharp losses on Wednesday.

Most equities also gave up some of their gains. Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Seoul and Mumbai were all down, though there were gains for Sydney, Taipei, Bangkok and Wellington.

London, Paris and Frankfurt fell in the morning, with US futures also in negative territory.

Key figures at around 8.10am GMT:

West Texas Intermediate: UP 3.1 percent at $97.32 a barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: UP 3.3 percent at $97.87 a barrel

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.7 percent at 55,895.32 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.5 percent at 25,752.40 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.7 percent at 3,966.17 (close)

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 10,591.02

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1660 from $1.1667 on Wednesday

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3393 from $1.3405

Dollar/yen: UP at 158.92 yen from 158.35 yen

Euro/pound: DOWN at 87.07 pence from 87.22 pence

A view of a vessel passing through Strait of Hormuz on April 8 following the two-week temporary ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran

Your browser does not support iframes.

The future of the strait is a major sticking point between Washington and Tehran, with US President Donald Trump calling for the free flow of maritime traffic to be restored.

'Iran needs to monitor what goes in and out of the strait to ensure these two weeks aren't used for transferring weapons,' Hamid Hosseini, a spokesperson for Iran's Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters' Union, told the Financial Times.

'Everything can pass through, but the procedure will take time for each vessel, and Iran is not in a rush,' he added.

Each vessel will have to first email the authorities about its cargo, after which Iran's Supreme National Security Council will alert them about the toll to be paid in digital currencies.

Hosseini said the toll would be $1 per barrel of oil, adding that empty tankers can pass freely.

His statements imply that Tehran will demand that vessels use the northerly route close to its coastline, raising concerns over whether western or Gulf state-linked tankers will be willing to risk transit.

'Once the email arrives and Iran completes its assessment, vessels are given a few seconds to pay in bitcoin, ensuring they can't be traced or confiscated due to sanctions,' Hosseini told the newspaper.

Western ship owners announced yesterday they were adopting a cautious approach, while waiting for updates on how and whether the waterway might reopen.

And ship-tracking data from Kpler showed that only four vessels with their automatic identification system (AIS) trackers on passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the first day of the ceasefire.

However, that does not include so-called dark fleet vessels, which travel with their AIS trackers turned off.

Many of those dark fleet ships carry sanctioned Iranian crude oil out to the open market.

The White House rejected the toll payment idea, only for Donald Trump to later tell reporters it could be done as a 'beautiful' joint venture with America.

In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday night, the US President made it abundantly clear that the two-week ceasefire was dependent on 'the Islamic republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz'.

In contrast, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has said traffic will flow 'via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due considerations to technical limitations', raising concerns about the future of not just for oil and gas - but also jet fuel, sulphur, urea, and diesel.

Trump posted a statement insisting that his surge of warships and troops will remain around Iran 'until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with'.

'If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the 'Shootin' Starts,' bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before,' Trump wrote.
Donald Trump is considering punishing members of NATO that he believes were unhelpful to the US and Israel in the war against Iran by pulling American troops out of the country's bases.

The proposal would involve moving troops out from North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member countries deemed uncooperative with the military campaign, and transferring them to nations who are more supportive of Washington.

Trump has in recent weeks repeatedly threatened to withdraw America from the 32-member alliance, after several NATO countries rejected his calls to help reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz through which 20 per cent of the world's oil and gas flows.

The President's belief that the nations didn't do enough to help the US during Operation Epic Fury is threatening to tear apart the trans-Atlantic alliance, creating what is perhaps the greatest challenge it has faced in its history.

Washington has around 84,000 soldiers stationed across Europe, with US bases serving as a critical hub of global military operations, as well as providing an economic boon to the host country through investment.

Bases stationed in Eastern Europe also serve as a deterrent against Moscow.

Beyond transferring troops away, the punishment could also involve the closure of a US base in at least one of the European countries, possibly Spain or Germany, according to two administration officials who briefed the Wall Street Journal.

It comes as Trump attacked NATO in a furious post on Truth Social following a private meeting with its Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House on Wednesday, telling his followers: 'NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.'

Your browser does not support iframes.

Donald Trump used Truth Social to hit out at NATO for its refusal to intervene in the war in Iran and made a thinly-veiled threat about Greenland, which he has repeatedly sought to take over

The President met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday and was expected to discuss the possibility of the US leaving the alliance

In the Truth Social post, Trump also made a thinly-veiled threat about Greenland, which the President has repeatedly sought to take over.

The relationship between the White House and NATO had already soured before the war with Tehran, largely as a result of disagreements over Trump's desire to seize the semi-autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

The plan to transfer US troops away from certain NATO nations has circulated and gained support among senior administration officials in recent weeks, highlighting the growing rift between Trump and his European allies.

'Its quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the last six weeks when its the American people who have been funding their defence,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday.

She said the President planned to have a very 'frank and candid conversation' with Rutte, who was expected to cajole and convince Trump that it's in his interest, and America's, to stay in the alliance.

When asked for comment on the proposals, White House referred to recent statements made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticising NATO nations for failing to be more supportive to Washington with the war in Tehran.

While it is still unclear which countries would lose US troops, several alliance members have publicly condemned Trump's military campaign, and may in turn be considered as the nations to be punished.

Spain - the only NATO country that has not pledged to spend five per cent of its GDP on defence - prevented US planes involved in the war from using its airspace, and American officials are also frustrated with Germany after top politicians criticised the war strategy.

Nevertheless, Germany serves as one of the largest and most significant hubs for the US military to support its activities in the Middle East.

Italy also briefly blocked American use of the Sigonella air base in Sicily, and Emmanuel Macron permitted the US to use a base in southern France after it promised only planes not involved in Iranian strikes would land there.

Administration officials said that the countries which may benefit from more troop deployment include Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Greece, because they are deemed by the President as more supportive.

The Eastern European countries have some of the highest defence spending rates in NATO and were some of the first to announce they would join an international coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

After the joint US-Israeli operation against Iran began on February 28, Romania quickly approved Washington's requests to allow its bases to be used by the US Air Force.

The proposal could result in deploying more US soldiers closer to the Russian border, in a move that will likely antagonise Vladimir Putin.

Following his sit-down with Trump, Rutte described the conversation as 'very frank' and 'very open', despite clear disagreements.

While the President took to Truth Social to attack the alliance further, Rutte, who infamously called Trump 'daddy' at a summit last year, took on a conciliatory tone as he praised him for the ceasefire agreement in Iran.

The NATO Secretary General told CNN that Trump was 'clearly disappointed' by his allies refusal to send help, adding: 'He clearly told me what he thought of what happened over the last couple of weeks.'

When anchor Jake Tapper asked if Rutte believed the world is safer today than before the war started at the end of February, the NATO leader said: 'Absolutely... this is thanks to President Trump's leadership.'

But Rutte declined to comment on whether Trump had expressed any desire to leave NATO, telling CNN: 'It is a nuanced picture.'

He then went on to explain that degrading Iran's nuclear capabilities is 'really important for yours and my safety here in the US, in Europe and in the Middle East'.

Trump last week warned that he was strongly considering pulling the US out of the 'paper tiger' bloc.

He said: 'I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.'

On Monday, he said he was 'very disappointed' with the alliance and that their unwillingness to support the US on the Iran war is 'a mark on NATO that will never disappear'.

During his first term in 2020, Trump ordered the withdrawal of around 12,000 troops from Germany, but the move was reversed by President Joe Biden after he took office in 2021.
America and Iran have declared a two-week ceasefire after Trump threatened to wipe out their entire civilisation - wars over, right? Not quite.

Iran is thought to be pushing a ten-point peace deal that looks very much like a US surrender.

Itll be hard for Trump to spin this as a win. As far as I can see, there are two options.

Watch the video to find out.
Gamblers earned up to $200,000 each after placing suspicious bets on a ceasefire deal in Iran just hours before Donald Trump announced a truce.

A group of new accounts on the prediction market Polymarket made highly specific, well-timed bets on whether the a ceasefire would be agreed to on April 7.

One user placed $72,000 in bets and earned $200,000. Others cashed out for profits of $125,500 and $48,500.

These were made even though, in the hours before a two-week ceasefire was announced on Tuesday, Mr Trump's rhetoric had escalated sharply and there were few signals that a ceasefire deal was imminent.

Such bets have repeatedly raised questions from the public as well as members of Congress about whether some traders are using inside information to profit in these prediction markets

Republican lawmaker Blake Moore said: 'It's highly unlikely that these are good-faith trades; it's much more likely that these are insiders with access to information ahead of the public. Without some kind of restrictions, there is nothing stopping government or military officials from profiting from their positions.'

Early in the day Trump had issued a warning on social media that 'a whole civilization will die tonight' if Iran did not meet his demand to open the Strait of Hormuz by his deadline.

The profits come weeks after insider trading fears were raised when it emerged that one person made $1million with dozens of incredibly accurate bets since 2024 on the Iran war.

Gamblers earned up to $200,000 each after placing suspicious bets on a ceasefire deal in Iran just hours before Donald Trump announced a truce

A group of new accounts on the prediction market Polymarket made highly specific, well-timed bets on whether the a ceasefire would be agreed to on April 7

The trader won a staggering 93 per cent of their five-figure wagers about the Islamic Republic, despite the fact that the events they predicted were unannounced military operations.

They had a sequence of prescient bets, including hours before Israeli strikes in October 2024 during its tit-for-tat conflict with Tehran, hours before US airstrikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure in June 2025, and hours before the joint US-Israeli surprise bombardment on February 28, which triggered the current conflict.

The gamblers who earned handsome profits from Tuesday's ceasefire must wait for payouts because Polymarket has labeled the ceasefire contract as 'disputed,' given that Iran was still placing restrictions on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and missile attacks in the region continued. That dispute could take 48 hours to resolve.

At least 50 accounts placed substantial 'Yes' bets on Tuesday before Trump announced the ceasefire in a Truth Social post at around 6:30 pm ET. These were the first bets made by these accounts.

One of these accounts, created Tuesday around 10am ET, placed roughly $72,000 in bets at an average price of 8.8 cents. The buy-in for each betting event ranges from $0 to $1 each, reflecting a 0% to 100% chance of what users think could happen. This Polymarket user then cashed out for a profit of $200,000.

Another, which joined the platform on April 6 and traded on this exact event, shows a win of $125,500.

Another account, created 12 minutes before Trump's post, made $31,908 of 'Yes' bets at 33.7 cents, and is estimated to have earned a profit of $48,500. The higher price for 'Yes' at that time may have reflected the efforts late Tuesday by the government of Pakistan to get Trump to extend his deadline by two weeks.

There is also the possibility that these individual Polymarket users placed their bets expecting Trump to back down, given his habit during his second term to make bold threats only to retreat - a phenomenon his critics have derided as 'Trump Always Chickens Out,' or TACO.

Your browser does not support iframes.

It is not known who the accounts belong to. Polymarket uses proxy smart contract wallets, meaning a single user can create multiple accounts.

Polymarket did not respond to a request for comment.

The trading pattern of newly created Polymarket accounts placing strategic, well-timed bets mirrors earlier episodes on the platform.

Newly created accounts placed large wagers hours before the January capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and made hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit. Similar clusters of accounts have also repeatedly profited from well-timed bets on military actions involving Iran.

'This is why these markets need regulation,' said Todd Philips, a professor at Georgia State University who has written on prediction markets and the industry's regulations.

'We can't have people trading with inside information and expect other traders are going to be OK being in these markets.'
Vladimir Putin made a mockery of Sir Keir Starmer's vow to stop illegal oil tankers using the Channel by sending a warship to escort them, unmolested by the Royal Navy.

The frigate Admiral Grigorovich was seen accompanying two 'shadow fleet' vessels past Britain's south coast yesterday, with the 'senior service' only able to rustle up a support ship to watch them head for the Black Sea.

Last month, Sir Keir Starmer gave approval for Britain's commandos to board and halt shadow fleet vessels as they pass through UK waters in an attempt to 'go after' the sanction-breaking ships 'even harder'.

But according to The Telegraph, RFA Tideforce, an auxiliary tanker armed with only light defensive weapons, simply followed the three-ship flotilla past Dover without intervening.

It came as Sir Keir was branded 'all mouth and no trousers' on defence by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.

She accused the PM, currently on a tour of the Gulf, of posturing on the world stage over the Middle East war while failing to rearm Britain.

Fears have been raised in recent weeks about the state of the Navy, after it was only able to rustle up a single ship to send to the Mediterranean to protect Cyprus, and it arrived three weeks late.

Mrs Badenoch said: 'At a time of war in Europe and war in the Middle East, at a time when those conflicts are affecting every family across Britain, at a time when Britain's place in the world is in flux, our Government literally doesn't have a plan.

The frigate Admiral Grigorovich was seen accompanying two 'shadow fleet' vessels past Britain's south coast yesterday (file pic)

Kemi Badenoch accused the PM, currently on a tour of the Gulf, of posturing on the world stage over the Middle East war while failing to rearm Britain

She claimed he has still not published a long-overdue Defence Investment Plan because he had 'no idea' how to pay for his target of spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence by the next Parliament.

She will tell the upcoming London Defence Conference that a future Conservative government would reinstate the two-child benefit cap, which Labour has lifted, to fund increased defence spending.

Asked if the Government was comfortable with the Russian navy operating an escort service for the ships and what could be done about it, Defence Secretary John Healey told a Downing Street press conference: 'We've got a strong history as a country for sanctioning ships, individuals.

'With allies we've seen two things in the last year. We've seen over 200 of the Russian sanctioned shadow fleet put out of action and forced to anchor, putting more pressure on Putin's ability to fund his illegal war in Ukraine. And we've seen the oil revenues that Russia takes from the illegal trade drop by a quarter.'

He added: 'But there's more we can do. As the Prime Minister has announced, we are ready, We have the military options, and we're ready to take action, not just in support of but action with allies to interdict shadow fleet vessels.

'I would just suggest you, if the action we've already taken, the action that the Prime Minister has indicated we're ready to take in addition, is making Russia reroute its shadow ships, as it has, or escort its shadow ships with its own warships. Then the stance, the military posture, the determined work that we've done, particularly with JET allied nations, is having an impact and making it harder for Putin to pursue his illegal oil revenues and fund his illegal war in Ukraine.

'We aim with others to put more pressure in the coming weeks and months on that activity.'

The Prime Minister gave approval for the UK to start seizing shadow fleet vessels as he travels to Helsinki, Finland, for a summit with national leaders from the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).

Moscow's shadow fleet is reported to be made up of more than a thousand ageing tankers.

They illicitly ship oil and other goods out of Russia by flying the flags of other countries, with the aim of evading sanctions imposed by the West since the invasion of Ukraine began.

JEF countries Finland, Sweden and Estonia have recently intercepted suspected shadow tankers travelling through the Baltic.

Announcing his plan to allow commando raids, Sir Keir said in March: '(Russian President Vladimir) Putin is rubbing his hands at the war in the Middle East because he thinks higher oil prices will let him line his pockets.

'That's why we're going after his shadow fleet even harder, not just keeping Britain safe but starving Putin's war machine of the dirty profits that fund his barbaric campaign in Ukraine.

'He and his cronies should be in no doubt, we will always defend our sovereignty and stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.'

British forces have already been involved in tracking shadow fleet vessels for several years, and have supported operations by other countries to seize the ships.
A human trafficking ring that smuggled Vietnamese people into Britain while charging them 19,000 per person has been smashed by police.

European Union police force Europol said Thursday they had caught the criminal gang smuggling the individuals into Europe via small boats across the Channel.

Europol said they had made eight arrests and seized passports, vehicles, and cash in a French-led sting that took place on March 30.

Among the arrests was a network leader nabbed in Germany under a European warrant. Police arrested another high-level organiser in Hungary before the March 30 swoop.

The Vietnamese people entered the EU's borderless Schengen Area in Hungary, with short-stay visas or residence permits, before travelling to France by air.

Once in France, they were held for a time in Paris before being transported to northern France and handed to a Kurdish-Iraqi group that arranged the dangerous Channel crossing in small boats.

'The members of this migrant smuggling network organised the entire journey, including logistics, accommodation, and transport, relying on complicit drivers and facilitators,' Europol said in a statement.

They said the network transported at least 15 migrants per month, charging them up to 19,000 for the full journey.

European Union police force Europol said Thursday they had caught the criminal gang smuggling the individuals into Europe via small boats across the Channel (Pictured: People thought to be migrants scramble to board a small boat off the coast of Dunkirk, France, during an attempt to cross the English Channel, Wednesday April 8, 2026)

Europol said they had made eight arrests and seized passports, vehicles, and cash in a French-led sting that took place on March 30 (Pictured: People thought to be migrants wait on the beach to board a small boat off the coast of Dunkirk, France)

It comes a week after armed police raided the home of a woman who is suspected of being part of a trafficking ring that smuggled 1,000 Vietnamese migrants into Britain.

Officers from the National Crime Agency hauled the woman and two others into custody during raids across the UK on March 30.

A 25-year-old woman, who is suspected of laundering money for the smuggling gang, was detained at an address in Wrexham.

Footage showed several NCA officers entering her address and arresting her while she was sitting on her sofa in a dressing gown. She was escorted into a police car and taken away.

A 25-year-old man, suspected of organising smuggling through lower members of the crime group, was arrested in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

A 26-year-old man, suspected of overseeing accommodation in the UK for migrants, was caught in Birmingham after French officials issued a warrant for his arrest.

He has been remanded into custody and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on April 6 as the process to deport him gets underway.

French police arrested a further 16 people in and around Paris in simultaneous raids in a joint UK  European operation.

The NCA has confirmed that the raids are related to an ongoing people-smuggling operation. Five other men - alleged to be key figures in a Vietnamese organised crime group - were charged in England earlier this year.

The plight of Vietnamese migrants making the hazardous trip to Europe was highlighted when 39 people suffocated to death in a refrigerated container on their way to Britain.

The bodies of the migrants - two of whom were just 15 years old - were discovered inside the sealed unit at a port near London in October 2019.
Jo Malone said she is 'surprised and very sad' after being sued for more than 200,000 in damages over the use of her own name on perfumes for Zara.

Estee Lauder Limited - which owns brands M.A.C, Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder and Jo Malone London - took the legal action over claims the fragrance entrepreneur infringed trademarks.

Malone sold her perfume empire to the US cosmetics giant for millions in 1999 - but has since called it the 'worst decision of my life' because it blocked her from using her name for commercial reasons.

She launched her own business after her non-compete clause expired in 2011, calling it Jo Loves, which sells 35 perfumes in a collaboration with Zara.

Estee Lauder took issue with the wording on the packaging, which calls the products 'a creation by Jo Malone CBE, founder of Jo Loves'.

Court documents revealed Jo Malone Ltd and Estee Lauder 'expect to recover more than 200,000' in damages.

Speaking for the first time since the claim, Malone posted an emotional video on social media today defending the use of her own name.

'My name is Jo Malone. I am the person, the fragrance creator, the entrepreneur, the cancer survivor, the person,' she said.

Jo Malone has spoken for the first time since being sued for more than 200,000 in damages over the use of her own name on perfumes for Zara

'Where do we go from here? If I can't be me, who on earth am I meant to be for the rest of my life?'

She added: 'I am sure many of you are aware, several weeks ago, the Estee Lauder companies actually issued High Court proceedings against me. I never expected to receive a High Court claim with my name on it.

'Truly I was, and am, in this minute very surprised and very sad.'

A spokesman for Estee Lauder previously said Malone agreed 'to clear contractual terms that included refraining from using the Jo Malone name in certain commercial contexts, including the marketing of fragrances' in the 1999 sale.

Malone added today: 'This claim isn't just against me, it's against Zara as well. The reason they have brought this High Court case is because of my creative work with Zara.

'Seven years ago I started to work with Zara. They approached me. They didn't approach a company, they didn't approach a brand, they didn't approach a logo. They approached me: Jo Malone, the person, and asked whether I would start working with them and create beautiful fragrances that everyone could wear in the world.

'We have gone above and beyond, and above and beyond again, to make sure everyone understands this has nothing to do with Jo Malone London the company, this is very much Jo Malone.

'By using Ms, Jo Malone CBE, Jo Malone creative director of Jo Loves, we've literally done as much as we possibly can to ensure, we've trained the staff, everything. What more could we do, what more could I do?'

Malone said she is now 'putting together our defence', which will become 'public knowledge' once handed in.

Malone spoke about her seven years working with Zara and how she just wanted to create 'beautiful' fragrances for everyone to use

Malone, 62, sold her perfume empire to the US cosmetics giant for millions in 1999. A Jo Malone London cologne product is pictured

'If necessary, I will defend my position and my innocence in court, although, because this is the person I am, I hope sense will prevail, and we will find a new and different way of being able to work in the same marketplace,' she said.

'I'd like to thank you very much for listening to me. It's taken me several weeks to be able to talk about this because I really thought long and hard what I wanted to say.'

She added: 'I sold a company - I did not sell myself.

'Where do I go from here? Who can I be? I can't stop being a person. Nobody can stop being the character and the person that you are.'

Jo Malone Ltd and Estee Lauder are also requesting an injunction to force Malone to 'withdraw whatever purported permission she had granted' to ITX to use the Jo Malone name.

Mark Vanhegan KC, for Estee Lauder and Jo Malone Ltd, previously said in court documents that the Jo Malone brand, which has more than 100 stores, counters and outlets in the UK, generated net sales worldwide of more than $990million last year.

He said that in early 2024, Malone began using the name 'Jo Malone' and 'Jo Malone CBE' in relation to Jo Loves products.

Estee Lauder and Jo Malone Ltd complained about this in April that year, claiming it breached the terms of the 1999 sale agreement.

The barrister said Malone and Jo Loves agreed the following month to stop using the 'Jo Malone' name on its products and withdraw them from sale, as well as other phrases such as 'created by Jo Malone', which was visible on the Jo Loves website.

But Mr Vanhegan said Malone and Jo Loves 'have continued to use the Jo Malone trademarks in relation to the Jo Loves business', adding they had 'refused to accept or acknowledge that the acts complained of... constitute registered trade mark infringement, passing off or breach of contract'.

The barrister later said that on an unknown date, Zara began selling 'a budget range of scents, fragrances, hand creams, skin creams and scented candles products' using the name 'Jo Malone', which had been promoted by the businesswoman.

He said these were 'low-cost, budget products which undermine the claimants' reputation for luxury and exclusivity'.

Mr Vanhegan added: 'Such use allows the respective defendants to benefit from the fame and reputation of the Jo Malone trademarks without having contributed to the creation of that fame and reputation.

'The defendants' use of the signs thereby freerides on the claimants' reputation for high-quality, luxury and exclusive fragrances for men and women.

'The defendants and each of them have deliberately set out to take such unfair advantage of the Jo Malone trademarks.

'The claimants have suffered loss and damage and, unless restrained by the court, will continue to suffer further loss and damage,' the barrister concluded.
Young women, including Brits, were duped into sharing explicit images before being blackmailed into carrying out 'extreme' degrading acts on camera in a wide-ranging 'sextortion' case.

Dutch police have launched a social media appeal to trace potential victims, warning that many may still be unidentified after being targeted by an alleged 'sexual sadist'.

Investigators say more than 50 girls and young women aged between 13 and 20 were abused across at least six countries, including the UK, United States, Netherlands, Germany, Montenegro and Canada.

The suspect, a 22-year-old Dutch man identified only as Damian A under local privacy laws, was arrested early last year and went on trial on Wednesday in Dordrecht. A verdict is expected within weeks.

Prosecutors and the man's lawyer say he has confessed.

Police fear there could be further victims after material recovered from his devices suggested the abuse was more widespread.

'We are very worried because what these girls have had to endure is so extreme and so intense, and we know that there are more girls but we don't know who they are,' Milou van der Kolk, from Rotterdam Police Sexual Crimes Team, told reporters.

The suspect used the online moniker 'Turpien' and sometimes ordered his victims to write 'Owned by Turpien' on their bodies or signs as they performed increasingly degrading acts.

He allegedly also sold images of his victims to others.

Young women, including Brits, were duped into sharing explicit images before being blackmailed into carrying out 'extreme' degrading acts on camera in a wide-ranging 'sextortion' case (stock image)

The Dutch campaign is also aimed at letting victims know that the man who allegedly committed the sextortion is now jailed and can no longer harm them, Ms Van der Kolk said.

The case also 'highlights the importance of strong international co-operation, such as between US and Dutch authorities, which is essential for protecting children online and effectively investigating and prosecuting offenders across borders', the Homeland Security Investigations agency's attache in The Hague, Eben Roberts, said.

'HSI is committed to solidify these partnerships to bring these child predators to face justice,' he added.

Mr Roberts said the Dutch campaign, which includes links and phone numbers where victims can seek help, is aligned with a US campaign called Know2Protect that tackles online child exploitation.

Prosecutors said in a statement that a psychiatric assessment of the suspect found that he has 'an autism spectrum disorder and a sexual sadism disorder'.

They asked judges to sentence the suspect to nine years in prison and compulsory psychiatric treatment.

He is charged with online assault and online rape, extortion, and producing, possessing and distributing child pornography.

Police and prosecutors allege that the abuse started after the suspect tricked his victims into sharing explicit images by pretending to be a woman of their age.

He then threatened to share the images if they did not send more.

The case underscores a growing online threat to youngsters.

'Sextortion is an increasingly significant societal problem,' prosecutors said in a statement, noting that 2025 saw an increase of 46% compared with the previous year in online sex crimes, amounting to more than 3,000 cases in the Netherlands.
Families in a Welsh seaside town have mounted a 6,000 legal challenge to stop 30 affordable homes being built out of fear 'people from Birmingham' might move there.

New Quay, a small town of just over 1,000 people in Wales, has been named Britain's top seaside town but locals are concerned a new housing development could destroy the character of the area.

Opponents are allegedly worried that city dwellers from Birmingham, which is 140 miles away from New Quay, may be tempted to move to the picturesque Welsh coast bringing with them anti-social behaviour often associated with major cities.

And opposition to the site is gaining traction after more than 6,000 was raised to mount a legal challenge against an appeal to stop the development to go ahead.

Barcud, the housing association behind the controversial plan, sought approval from Ceredigion Council for a 7.5m 'entirely affordable development' over the Central Car Park in the town.

It was calculated the 30 properties would result in up to an additional 98 permanent inhabitants - with the largest proportion of second homes, with 26 per cent of all dwellings being either second homes or holiday let.

Opponents flooded the council's planning portal with their concerns that the development could trigger a rise in antisocial behaviour.

One argument reportedly claimed that that families would 'be coming from Birmingham' should it receive permission.

New Quay, a small town of just over 1,000 people in Wales, has been named Britain's top seaside town but locals are concerned a new housing development could destroy the character of the area

Pictured: What the development of 30 affordable homes could look like

A GoFundMe set up to save the car park and stop the development has received dozens of donations with some residents donating as much as 300.

It is not only residents who have voiced their opposition to the plans.

The town council argued the removal of parking spaces would affect local traders in a town that depends heavily on tourism - and raised concerns about the necessity for certain types of affordable housing.

The New Quay Traders Association raised 'significant economic objections'.

They have launched an online change.org petition entitled Save New Quay car park - Protect our future, which hasy 2,500 signatures.

Barcud is now challenging the planning refusal with a plea to the Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW).

The GoFundMe campaign, Save New Quay Car Park, West Wales, said: 'The council's planning and highways departments supported those plans and recommended approval. Many people were told it was a done deal. The community did not accept that.

Pictured: New Quay's seafront. Last year, New Quay beat towns including North Berwick in Scotland and Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire to be named the best seaside town in Britain

'Residents, businesses and supporters came together, gave up their time and made clear what the car park actually means to New Quay.

'Against the odds, councillors listened and refused the application. It was close, too close, but it proved something important - community action works.

'Barcud has now appealed. Once again, public money, our money, is being used to pay lawyers and consultants to try to overturn a democratic decision. A significant amount of public money has already been wasted on this scheme, and more is now being spent.'

Last year, New Quay beat towns including North Berwick in Scotland and Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire to be named the best seaside town in Britain.

New Quay, population 1,000, was named Britain's top seaside town - ahead of North Berwick in Scotland and Looe in Cornwall.

Holiday Car who presented the award praised the location, saying: 'Victorian terraced houses tumble down to New Quay's main sandy bay, which is typically dotted with kayaks, sailboats, paddleboards, and families building sandcastles.

'New Quay is a small but buzzy town, yet not completely overrun with tourists, so it's a happy medium for those who seek relaxation but not isolation.

'The harbour is a popular boat trip jumping-off point, with sailboats taking visitors out on dolphin-spotting, seal-spotting, and fishing trips.

'Days end with spectacular over-the-water sunsets and, of course, fish and chips.'
A ten-year-old girl gave birth in Brazil after falling pregnant to her rapist stepfather.

A 29-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman were arrested in Nova Olinda do Norte on April 7.

The man is being investigated for the repeated rape of his stepdaughters, aged eight and ten, while the children's mother was arrested for improper omission.

The couple, who have not been named, were seized by police after fleeing the city of Itacoatiara, where they lived in an effort to hide the girl's pregnancy.

But the abuse only came to light on April 3 after the older daughter went into labour and gave birth, according to local reports.

The young girl was taken to a hospital, where medical staff immediately alerted police due to her age.

The mother subsequently gave a contradicting statement in a bid to protect the girls' stepfather.

Investigators said that she was aware of the abuse and rape that her daughters were enduring and attempted to hide that information from officers.

Police spokesperson Bruno Rafael said: 'Throughout the investigations, we found that the couple left Itacoatiara for Nova Olinda do Norte a short time ago, along with the children, motivated by the physical changes caused by the pregnancy in the 10-year-old child's body.'

A 29-year-old man (pictured) and a 30-year-old woman were arrested in Nova Olinda do Norte on April 7.

The children's mother (pictured) was arrested for improper omission

He added: 'Tests confirmed that both sisters were victims of statutory rape. The justice system acted quickly, preventive detention was ordered; the mother lost custody of her daughters.

'She was arrested at the hospital, and the stepfather was captured in the city centre.'

Following the rescue, the victims underwent specialised listening sessions and confirmed that the rapes were committed by their stepfather.

The children have since been placed under the care of their aunt.

The two suspects will remain in custody while judicial proceedings continue.
Britain must sever ties with Israel and sacrifice 6billion of trade links between the two countries, Green Party leader Zack Polanski demanded today.

In an angry outburst against what he described as a 'rogue state', Mr Polanski said Israel's actions in the Middle East were akin to 'terror acts'.

He called for the suspension of diplomatic ties between the UK and Israel, the imposition of 'robust sanctions', and the scrapping of a planned trade deal.

It came after Israel continued its attacks against targets in Lebanon, despite US President Donald Trump's declaration of a ceasefire across the Middle East.

Speaking at the launch of the Green Party's local election campaign on Thursday, Mr Polanski said: 'What is it going to take for this Government to actually put robust sanctions on Israel?

'It is outrageous that Israel are still enjoying diplomatic and trade privileges from the international community.

'As a Green Party, we are calling on this Government to make much more robust sanctions, to withdraw the UK-Israel trade agreement, and to end the genocide.

Mr Polanski later said he was willing to sacrifice the economic relationship between the UK and Israel, which is estimated to be worth 6.2billion a year.

Britain must sever ties with Israel and sacrifice 6billion of trade links between the two countries, Green Party leader Zack Polanski has demanded

In an angry outburst against what he described as a 'rogue state', Mr Polanski said Israel's actions in the Middle East were akin to 'terror acts'

Israel has insisted the Middle East ceasefire agreement struck by Mr Trump does not cover the conflict in Lebanon.

On Wednesday, Israel carried out what it described as the largest wave of air strikes in the conflict with Lebanon.

It said these had hit more than 100 command centres and military sites run by terror group Hezbollah.

The Lebanese health ministry said at least 182 people had been killed and 890 wounded.

Iran claimed to have once again closed the Strait of Hormuz - a vital sea passage that usually carries around one-fifth of global oil supplies - in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon.

US Vice President JD Vance said the ceasefire agreement with Iran, which was supposed to reopen the Strait, does not include Lebanon but that there had been a 'legitimate misunderstanding' on the Iranian side that it did.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for the Middle East ceasefire to be implemented in full, including in Lebanon, in a joint statement with European allies and Canada.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has warned failing to include Lebanon in the ceasefire could 'destabilise the whole region'.

Speaking in Deptford on Thursday morning, Mr Polanski was quizzed about his demand for the UK to cut trade links with Israel.

'I don't think we should be putting a cost on people's lives,' he said.

'The fact we've seen an ongoing genocide, we've seen hundreds of people die in last 24 hours in Lebanon, as well as schoolchildren who have died in Iran - all by the US-Israeli military strikes jointly - is totally unacceptable.'

The Green leader added: 'We need to look at what economic sovereignty looks like and where we're relying on countries that have bad human rights records or countries that are committing human rights abuses or terror acts, as we're seeing this rogue state Israel are doing at the moment.

'It's clearly important we disentangle from that.'

The UK began negotiations over a post-Brexit trade deal with Israel in 2022, but Labour's David Lammy - then foreign secretary - suspended the talks in May last year over Israel's actions in Gaza.

Mr Polanski also used the south east London event to predict his party was 'heading for a new record-breaking result' at local elections on 7 May.

'In 2023 we had record-breaking results as a Green Party. We got over 241 new councillors,' he said.

'Now, 2023 was an election where double the number of seats were in play than there are at this election.

'Nevertheless, I am confident, but not complacent, in this election we are going to beat 241 councillors and we are heading for a new record-breaking result for the Green Party.'

The Greens have seen a surge in support since Mr Polanski, a self-described 'eco-populist', was elected as the party's leader in September last year.

The latest YouGov poll showed the Greens were supported by 16 per cent of voters, which put the party level with Labour but behind the Tories (19 per cent) and Reform UK (24 per cent).

Responding to the Greens' local elections campaign launch, Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: 'Zack Polanski and the Green Party are completely out of touch and have no plan for communities across the country.

'They would force 55mph speed limits on our roads, abolish prisons, legalise hard drugs and put our national security at risk.

'They are more focused on ideological and sectarian posturing than the issues that matter in town halls across the country.'
Russia ran a secret operation targeting crucial energy and data cables in British waters for over a month, the Defence Secretary revealed today.

John Healey said a nuclear-powered attack submarine and two spy submarines had been spotted in the North Atlantic, with a warship and aircraft deployed in response.

Sonar buoys - which track underwater movements using acoustic signals - were dropped into the water to deter the Russians from targeting the cables, which carry vast amounts of valuable data.

Addressing Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mr Healey said: 'We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.'

The Defence Secretary said the operation involved an Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine and two specialist submarines from a Russian ministry of defence research programme known as GUGI (Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research).

Aided by allies including Norway, Britain deployed 500 personnel onboard a warship and Royal Air Force P8 aircraft, which flew for more than 450 hours before the Russian subs retreated.

Mr Healey said Putin had sought to capitalise on the world being 'distracted' by the Iran war and said his actions showed it was 'not in Britain's national interest' to deploy large parts of the Royal Navy to the Middle East.

He told a press conference that he wanted to expose Russia's targeting of Britain's underwater infrastructure and vowed to 'step up' efforts to protect it.

It comes as Putin made a mockery of Sir Keir Starmer's vow to stop illegal oil tankers using the Channel by sending a warship to escort them, unmolested by the Royal Navy.

John Healey revealed the 'covert' Russian operation in a media briefing at 9 Downing Street

A satellite image released by the MoD of a spy sub operated by a Russian ministry of defence research programme known as GUGI (Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research)

GUGI's spy ship Yantar pictured in another satellite image released by the MoD

Mr Healey said: 'In response to the Russian submarines, I can confirm that I deployed our armed forces to track and to deter any malign activity by these vessels.

'A Royal Navy warship and Royal Air Force P8 aircraft alongside allies ensured that the Russian submarines were monitored 24/7.

'The Akula submarine subsequently retreated home, having been closely tracked throughout and we continued to monitor the two GUGI submarines in and around wider UK waters.

'Our armed forces left them in no doubt that they were being monitored, that their movements were not covert, as President Putin planned, and that their attempted secret operation had been exposed.

'Those GUGI submarines have now left UK waters and headed back north.'

He said the month-long operation had now concluded.

The senior minister said the attack submarine acted as 'a likely decoy to distract us from the GUGI submarines' as they 'spent time over critical infrastructure relevant to us and our allies in the North Atlantic'.

He continued: 'Because we were watching them, we wanted to ensure that we could warn them that their covert operation had been exposed and reduce the risk that they may attempt any action that could damage our pipelines or our cables.

'And I'm confident, we have no evidence that there has been any damage, but with allies, we're sure that this is now verifiable.'

The submarines had been within the UK's exclusive economic zone, which extends up to 200 nautical miles  about 230 miles  offshore, but not within Britain's territorial waters, within 12 nautical miles (13.8 miles) from the coast, the Defence Secretary said.

It was not the first time vessels from the GUGI fleet were 'directed by the President to conduct hybrid warfare activities' against the UK's vital subsea infrastructure, Mr Healey said.

Last November, the Yantar spy ship was caught lurking over cables in waters north of Scotland and was warned off by a Royal Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine.

The Ministry of Defence says GUGI has both specialist surface ships and submarines that are used to survey underwater infrastructure during peacetime, but also has the capability to damage or destroy those vital links during a conflict.

The UK and its Nato allies have become increasingly concerned about the risk Moscow poses to underwater cables and pipelines, amid heightened tensions following the invasion of Ukraine.

Attacks on undersea infrastructure could cause major disruption to the financial and communications systems Britons rely on.

It comes at a sensitive time for the MoD after the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich was seen accompanying two 'shadow fleet' vessels past Britain's south coast yesterday, with the Navy only able to rustle up one support ship to watch it.

The vessels are moored at Russian naval base Olenya in the High North

Putin pictured today handing Russia's highest medal to 23-year-old soldier Alexei Asylkhanov

Last month, Sir Keir gave approval for Britain's commandos to board and halt shadow fleet vessels as they pass through UK waters in an attempt to 'go after' the sanction-breaking ships 'even harder'.

But RFA Tideforce, an auxiliary tanker armed with only light defensive weapons, simply followed the three-ship flotilla past Dover without intervening.

It followed claims by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch that Sir Keir was 'all mouth and no trousers' when it came to defence.

Asked about yesterday's incident in the Channel, Mr Healey said Moscow 'still poses a threat'.

He added that Britain 'will continue to do what we've done as a matter of course, which is ensure that we can escort any Russian warships through our waters and, in the case of this operation, to ensure that we can track any potentially malign activity, and that we can monitor and make clear that we have exposed any covert operations that Putin wants to mount that may threaten our vital interests'.

Mr Healey claimed the operation to shadow Russian subs showed why Britain had been right not to send more ships to the Middle East.

He said: 'When a crisis erupts noisily and dangerously, as it has done in the Middle East, I understand people questioning why all UK military assets and personnel have not been deployed to deal with it, but that is not in Britain's national interest.

'The greatest threats are often unseen and silent, and as demands on defence rise, we must deploy our resources to best effect.'

He added that Putin 'would have wanted us, I expect, to be distracted and my purpose today is to demonstrate to him publicly that we have not been  that we have our eye on him, that we recognise he and Russia pose the primary threat to UK security and Nato security.'

Join the discussion Is Russia testing UK defences?

HMS Somerset (front) and HMS St Albans tracking Russian vessel RFN Severomorsk. The undated photo was released today by the Navy after what it described as 'ten days of focused operations closely monitoring Russian warships'

Russia was likely sharing intelligence and training Iranian forces in drone tactics, with Moscow's attacks on Ukraine 'reflected' in many of the ways that Iran is attacking Middle East countries, he added.

Sir Keir, who arrived in the UAE this morning as part of a visit to the Gulf, insisted he would 'not shy away' from taking action against Russia.

He said: 'I am determined to protect the British people from paying the price for Putin's aggression in their household bills.

'That is why we will not shy away from taking action and exposing Russia's destabilising activity that seeks to test our resolve.

'Our Armed Forces are among the best in the world, and the British public should be in no doubt that this Government will do whatever it takes to defend our national and economic security, wherever in the world that is needed.'
A beloved 22-year-old food truck employee has been identified as the man killed in a horrific motorcycle crash in Kansas.

Blaise Stewart was riding the motorbike on Tuesday when he collided with a Kia Soul, driven by a 61-year-old woman, around 3.30pm at an intersection in Wichita, police said.

When officers with the Wichita Police Department arrived at the scene, Stewart, an adored worker for I Heart Cookies, was found lying on the ground.

Sedgwick County EMS and Wichita Fire Department personnel performed life-saving measures on the young man, but he died at the scene.

The woman was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment after suffering serious injuries, police said.

The impact of the collision caused Stewart's bike to topple over and break into pieces, while the woman's car flipped on its side. Speed is believed to be a factor in the crash, according to the preliminary investigation.

Stewart has been remembered as a cherished employee who touched many people's hearts while traveling across the US on the food truck.

His lifelong friend and coworker, Joshua Medina, called his late friend a 'bright young light in this world,' he told KSNW.

Blaise Stewart, 22, died in a motorcycle crash at an intersection in Wichita, Kansas, on Tuesday afternoon

He was a beloved employee for I Heart Cookie, a food truck that traveled the US. Blaise (far right) alongside his coworker and customers

Medina said his friend's death has shaken the community.

'I do not think anyone has processed it. With such a bright young light in this world to be taken in a surprising way, no one expected something like that,' he told the outlet.

He added: 'When he walked in the room, genuinely everybody would notice.'

Stewart's boss, Rachel Marlow, echoed Medina's sentiment, stating that he became friends with everyone he met.

'Blaise was always somebody that made everyone feel respected and made everyone feel like their voice mattered,' she explained.

Following the tragedy, I Heart Cookies posted a series of photos on Facebook, paying tribute to Stewart.

'Blaise Stewart had been with us since 2022, playing characters such as Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Thanos.

'He was a regular in the cookie window, often praised by customers for his profound politeness. He had a relentless work ethic, routinely hitting the gym after a 10 hour shift,' the business said.

The impact of the collision, involving Stewart and a 61-year-old woman, caused his bike to topple over and break into pieces

The female driver of the Kia Soul that collided with Stewart suffered serious injuries. Above, her car is flipped on its side after the accident

Customers who met Stewart through the food truck went on to share their condolences and heartfelt stories about their interactions with him.

'Very sorry for your loss - he made us laugh,' one commented.

'Man, he was a sweetheart. Sure, didnt know him well aside from one transaction but you could tell how kind he was,' another said.

Someone else wrote: 'My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. I got to meet him at the cookie window in Jonesboro just a couple of weeks ago and he was the sweetest young man I've ever met.'

Others posted pictures they took of Stewart at the food truck window, serving customers with a smile on his face.

Family members and friends of his also shared how great a person he was.

Stewart has been remembered as a cherished employee and person who touched many people's hearts

Customers shared photos and memories of him serving them when the food truck was in their town

'Rest easy, Blaise. Great friend. Always wanting to do better for himself. Always a smile on his face. This one hurts but I know hes looking down on all his friends and family,' one shared.

His aunt, Linda Stewart, posted to Facebook: 'I miss you, your laugh, hugs and love you.. this is so hard [sic] wrap the thought of you being gone.'

Funeral arrangements for Stewart have not yet been announced.

The Wichita Police Department's accident follow-up unit and its critical accident team continue to investigate the incident.

The Daily Mail has contacted the force for comment.
Comvita Limited (NZX: CVT ) advises that it continues to progress its proposed capital raise and has agreed with its banking syndicate to extend the maturity of its existing banking facilities to 31 May 2026. All other terms of the facilities remain unchanged.

Comvita continues to work collaboratively with its lenders, with the extension providing additional time for Comvita to confirm the final structure of its capital raise and complete the raise itself.

Comvita expects to communicate further details in the coming weeks.

For further information:

Karl Gradon | Comvita

karl.gradon@comvita.com

Media contact

Kate Walsh

021 858 619

kate@katewalsh.co.nz

Background information

Comvita (NZX: CVT ) was founded in 1974/5, with a purpose to heal and protect the world through the natural power of the hive. With a team of 400+ people globally, united with more than 1.6 billion bees, we are the global market leader in Manuka honey and bee consumer goods. Seeking to understand, but never to alter, we test and verify all our bee-product ingredients are of the highest quality in our own government-recognised and accredited laboratory. We are growing scientific knowledge on Manuka trees, the many benefits of Manuka honey and propolis and bee welfare. We have planted millions of native trees, improving our natural ecosystems and biodiversity, and mitigating climate change in conjunction with our focus on carbon emissions reduction, while helping ensure the supply of high quality Manuka honey. In 2023 Comvita was certified B Corp, a global community of like-minded companies that strive to balance profit with purpose, seeking to use business as a force for good. Comvita has operations in Australia, China, North America, Southeast Asia, and Europe  and of course, Aotearoa New Zealand, where our bees are thriving.

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Rua Bioscience Market Update

FSF - Fonterra announces interim leadership changes

April 29th Morning Report

NZK - Blue Endeavour Pilot Farm and Wellboat Update

TRU - FY 31 March 2026 Revenue and Results Guidance Achieved

FBU - Fletcher Building sale of Fletcher Reinforcing and Wire

April 28th Morning Report

RYM - Ryman Healthcare appoints new independent director

ikeGPS 4Q FY26 and Full Year FY26 Performance Update

HGH - Heartland trading update


Residents of a deep-red, small Pennsylvania town of just 2,000 people say they are outraged by the Trump administration's plans to open a huge Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in their community.

Locals in Tremont say their town struggles to provide for its small population as it is and fear the impact the proposed 7,500-migrant center would have.

The small town was once a hub for coal mining but has fallen on hard times as the local industry crumbled and jobs were moved away.

Despite having no independent police force, no hospital and just one Family Dollar grocery store, the Trump administration chose Tremont as the site for the new mega ICE center.

The community says their town is already struggling under the weight of its population, which relies on trucks to deliver water to keep its strained supply from running dry, reports the New York Times.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) bought a vacant warehouse near Tremont's main street in January, a move that locals say came without any kind of public notice.

The detention center is slated to open within the year, leaving many wondering if their town will be able to handle an expected migrant population plus the center's workforce.

Many in the town are ardent Trump supporters, but Tremont hardware store owner Tom Pribilla told the Times: 'We don't need that. The community, the area, is not going to be able to absorb the costs.'

Residents in the deep-red small Pennsylvania town of Tremont say they are outraged by the Trump administration's plans to open a huge ICE detention center in their community, which would hold over four times its current population

Locals in Tremont say their town struggles to provide for its small population as it is and have launched protests in their small town (pictured) over fears for the impact the proposed 7,500-migrant center would have

Residents overwhelmingly voted for Trump in the last election, with the president securing over 70 percent support across Schuylkill County.

The Trump administration purchased the warehouse in Tremont as part of a nationwide effort to bolster its immigration enforcement.

The center was one of around a dozen purchased by DHS with another 1,500-person center also planned in Berks County around 30 minutes away.

Last month, residents held a small protest against the opening of the immigration center, holding signs reading: 'ICE out of Tremont!'

The potential fallout highlights the vulnerabilities in the president's base ahead of the crucial midterm elections in November, when Republicans risk losing control of both chambers of Congress.

Forcing small towns such as Tremont to handle the weight of new detention centers could be compounded by a string of controversies surrounding ICE, including the fatal shootings of two American citizens by immigration agents earlier this year.

The borough's mayor and assistant fire chief, Justin Moeller, told the Times that he estimates over 60 percent of Tremont was against the ICE detention center.

The Department of Homeland Security bought a vacant warehouse near Tremont's main street in January, a move that locals say came without any kind of public notice

The borough's mayor and assistant fire chief, Justin Moeller, estimates over 60 percent of Tremont is against the ICE detention center

Last month, residents held a small protest against the opening of the immigration center, holding signs reading: 'ICE out of Tremont'

Tremont's former mayor, Roger Adams, added that many residents were frustrated by the way that DHS allegedly bought the warehouse for the facility without any public consultation.

'Dont just throw it in our backyard and say, "This is where it is, now you got to deal with it,"' Adams, who is now on the borough council, said. 'Thats not the way I do business.'

Local resident Lisa Von Ahn also shared a fiery rebuke of the plans at a Schuylkill County Commissioners hearing this week, branding them an 'abomination.'

'Even people who don't care about the indiscriminate roundups and harsh conditions of existing immigration prisons agree that this so-called plan is costly and downright insane,' she said in her statement, which she then shared to social media.

'It's not something that anyone can make even tolerable.'

At another meeting last month, hundreds of locals reportedly attended a town hall to voice their opposition.

Beyond raising concerns over the detention center itself, residents said they fear the opening of the warehouse could worsen Tremont's issues with poor air quality.

Residents overwhelmingly voted for Trump in the last election, with the president securing over 70 percent support across Schuylkill County

Local resident Lisa Von Ahn also shared a fiery rebuke of the plans at a Schuylkill County Commissioners hearing this week, which she branded an 'abomination'

They say after the coal mining industry shut down, landfills across the region rapidly sprang up, filling the air with horrible odors and destroying the local ecology.

'We actually have experience with trucks driving down our streets with human sewage, and its spilling out of the truck,' Joe Wiscount, a Tremont resident who helped organize the town hall, said.

He said he was concerned the detention center could cause a huge increase in human waste, burdening the area's already struggling resources.

'We dont want more of it dumped on us,' he said.

The Daily Mail has reached out to DHS for comment.
Australia's oldest independent school has announced the sudden death of a recent graduate following an accident in North Queensland.

The King's School at North Parramatta, in Sydney's west, announced the passing of Oscar Todd, of the class of 2025, on Thursday.

King's said Oscar was seriously injured on Saturday and died on Monday.

'Oscar was a gifted visual artist and talented sportsman. He brought creativity and imagination to all he undertook,' the school said.

'He was a valued member of the 4th XV in Rugby and powered the 1st IV at the Head of the River.

'He also served with distinction as a Staff Sergeant in The King's School Cadet Corps Quartermaster Platoon.

'His warmth, humour and steady presence made him a treasured friend to many and a young man admired by staff and students alike.'

King's urged the school community to rally behind Oscar's loved ones as they cope with the unexpected loss.

Oscar Todd (above) died on Monday after being seriously injured on Saturday

Oscar was a 2025 graduate of The King's School (above) in Sydney's west

It's understood he was from the town of Condobolin in the Central West region of NSW and was a boarder at the school who was house monitor in Year 12.

'In this moment of deep sorrow, we hold to the assurance that 'The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit', Psalm 34:18,' the school said.

'May this promise bring comfort to the Todd family and to all who mourn Oscar's passing.'

Dozens of commenters shared their memories of Oscar.

'Oscar was such a warm and kind person to have around the boarding house. He was so well respected by all of the other boys. He will be missed, but I have no doubt his impact on the younger boys he mentored and supported will live on,' one wrote.

'What a massive loss - Oscar was such a beautiful soul who was loved by everyone,' another said.

The news follows the death of another King's student, also of the class of 2025, late last year.

Astin Gerstl, 18, was swept out to sea after becoming caught in a rip at Little Bay Beach on the NSW Mid North Coast at about 4.20pm on November 30.

With his HSC exams completed, he was celebrating the end of a chapter alongside several friends on the trip, but tragically did not get to experience the next.

Oscar's death follows that of fellow King's student Astin Gerstl (above) in November 2025

His funeral was held in the theatre of his former school.

He was also a boarder at the school and is the grandson of former Supreme Court Justice Roddy Meagher, who died in 2011.

His family had requested that the funeral be held in the theatre because Astin was a passionate actor who had performed many times on the stage.
A friend of the young videographer knifed to death on Primrose Hill was stabbed multiple times while trying to protect him, it has emerged.

Finbar Sullivan, 21, was killed at the popular north London beauty spot after going to meet an undergraduate student friend on Tuesday evening.

Finbar  who had just bought a new video camera with money from his 21st birthday  had gone to test out the device and to listen to music when it is believed he was singled out for attack by a stranger.

His father Chris Sullivan, 65, told the Daily Mail that when it became clear that Finbar was in danger, his friend, called AJ, had tried to protect him, and was himself wounded in the process.

Mr Sullivan, an artist and musician, said: They went up there because it was a nice day. My son met his friend and he was also stabbed.

He [AJ] was stabbed in the back and in the hands as he was trying to protect him [Finbar].

AJ, who is thought to be studying economics at Nottingham University, is now understood to be recovering after receiving medical attention.

Finbar Sullivan, centre, with his mother Leah Seresin and father Christopher Sullivan, who went to the scene as soon as he heard his son had been caught up in the violence

The 21-year-old, who studied at the London Screen Academy, followed his family into the arts, primarily producing music videos for drill rap artists under the name Sully Shot It

Asked why the two friends had been set upon, Mr Sullivan told us: We dont know yet

My son was very morally stood up he always stood up for other people.

Maybe they were bullying somebody, maybe they tried to mug him we just dont know.

He would have had his brand new film camera with him which he just bought after his 21st birthday.

He goes up there with his speaker, plays reggae music with his friends and hes dead.

He added: The police were just here, theyre investigating seven days a week.'

Videos of the violence on Primrose Hill, north London, showed groups of young men fighting, with one youth appearing to pull out a blade to threaten another young man.

One witness, who asked not to be named, said: 'The park was just so busy, I had gone with my mate after work and it was literally the busiest I have ever seen it because of the weather and it being Easter holidays.

'Then suddenly we heard this commotion from behind us, and a big brawl kicked off  people were throwing punches, people were screaming at others to stop.

'There were lots of people involved in the fight, most of them looked about 18 or 19.' Police said no arrests have been made.

Mr Sullivan, founder of the famous London nightclub The Wag and a member of 1980s band Blue Rondo a la Turk, last night said: Im absolutely devastated.

Im so brokenhearted, I cant believe it. Ive been in tears since last night [Tuesday]. I havent slept.

This is the worst tragedy I could ever imagine. This is off the scale of grief.

Finbar's father Christopher described him as a 'little groovy 21-year-old who loved movies and making films'

Finbar's grandfather Michael Seresin is a celebrated cinematographer who worked on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the film adaptation of Angela's Ashes and on 1987's Angel Heart which featured Robert De Niro and Mickey Rourke.

Mr Seresin also runs the Seresin wine estate in New Zealand, which counts Finbar's mother Leah as a brand ambassador.

She had described him in a post on his birthday last year as 'this gift' and 'my darling Finbar', saying: 'Love you to the moon and back.'

The Wag Club, famed for its hedonism, was founded by Mr Sullivan in 1982 and became a favoured haunt for stars including David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Brad Pitt and Stevie Wonder.

Finbar, who went to Acland Burghley School in Tufnell Park and studied at the London Screen Academy, followed his family into the arts, primarily producing music videos for drill rap artists under the name Sully Shot It.

Artist GGL Wuni last night paid tribute to Finbar, posting: 'My brother, my family, I will never let your name fade. The most clean-hearted guy I've ever met, always turned up for me without a miss.'

Despite the drill music scene's long association with gang violence, Mr Sullivan insisted his son was not associated with any gang members.

'All I can tell you is he was the subject of an indiscriminate stabbing. He was not a gang member,' he said.
A Canadian lawmaker was ruthlessly mocked only after using the absurdly long woke acronym MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+ during a press conference.

Leah Gazan, 53, a member of parliament, used the 17-character phrase on Wednesday while discussing $7billion in budget cuts to two federal Indigenous departments, as seen in footage shared by Juno News.

While condemning a slash in funding, she managed to smoothly mention the phrase MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+, meaning: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual.

The + represents all other identities not included in the nearly 20-character acronym.

Users were astonished by the absurd length of the acronym and by Gazan's ability to recite it without error.

Many online insulted her by calling her 'insane' and calling the phrase something similar to a 'strong password' while others asked how she managed to 'not laugh' while reciting all those letters.

However, Gazan held a very serious tone throughout her address.

'When the Budget was released, I was shocked to find out that Prime Minister Carney is cutting $7billion between Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations,' said the Canadian lawmaker.

Leah Gazan, 53, a member of parliament, used the absurdly long acronym MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+ during a press conference on Wednesday

Gazan was discussing $7billion in budget cuts to Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations. She also was outraged with Prime Minister Mark Carney

'They provided $0 to deal with the ongoing genocide of MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+. This is abhorrent. This is callous.'

'This is callous because the very liberal government that has stripped organizations of life-sustaining funding has now committed $13billion on military spending,' Gazan added.

Gazan would later go on to X to speak further on her issue with the budget, where she used MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+ throughout.

Despite her outrage, many were fixated on making jokes about the phrase she used.

'I'm impressed that she kept a straight face through all of that,' wrote one user.

'Insane, granted. But amazing she was able to knock that out like that,' added another.

Many users online mocked the Canadian lawmaker, while others were impressed that she was able to pronounce the acronym so clearly

One user joked that experts would need to be brought in the future as it appears the acronym keeps growing

Another applauded her memory and ability to remain serious

A third user gave a quick insult while also giving props for being able to recite the phrase

'New super strong password just dropped,' a third wrote.

'We're getting into Morse-code territory here,' another added. 'We'll soon need an expert to decipher all the letters and their meaning.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to Leah Gazan for comment.
A CVS store in Washington DC has been plagued by so many thefts in recent weeks that employees have resorted to locking candy behind glass barriers.

Stealing is by far the most common crime recorded in the city, and theft rates have been steadily climbing since the start of the year despite the federal crackdown which began in November.

Some 233 thefts were recorded by the Metropolitan Police Department in DC in the week up to March 30, up 15 percent since the start of the year.

However, crime is still down in 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, in line with a steady overall decline since a huge spike at the end of the coronavirus period.

The recent spike appears to be concentrated in inner-city areas, including Dupont Circle where the CVS which has resorted to locking its candy away is located.

Local residents shared photographs of the newly-fortified jelly sweet section on social media while venting their frustration online.

'Im kind of tired of being treated like an animal when I go to shop,' one person wrote on Reddit. 'Its bizarre to lock up Twizzlers behind a gate. It literally feels like prison or school.'

Approximately 2,500 National Guard troops were deployed to the nation's capital late last year amid a federal crackdown on crime in the city.

A CVS store in Washington DC has been plagued by so many thefts in recent weeks that employees have resorted to locking candy behind glass barriers

Stealing is by far the most common crime recorded in the city, and theft rates have been steadily climbing since the start of the year, despite the federal crackdown. (Pictured: National Guard members patrolling the Washington Mall on April 7, 2026)

Crime in the national capital is still down in 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, in line with a steady overall decline since a huge spike at the end of the coronavirus period.

President Donald Trump sent troops to DC from across eight states on November 4, and they are expected to remain in the city until August 11.

Trump said in a statement released by the White House that he deployed the troops 'to protect law-abiding citizens from the destructive forces of criminal activity'.

He said DC was 'under siege from violent crime' with a 'violent crime rate higher than some of the most dangerous places in the world'.

This claim is being challenged in court by DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb, who is seeking to get the troops removed from the city.

Trump has credited the National Guard deployment in DC for making the city safer and leading to lower rates of crime.

Crime in effectively all categories has dropped significantly since Trump deployed the National Guard to the capital in August 2025, local police data shows.

National Guard troops in DC have been spotted clearing roads after snowstorms and picking up trash as a part of their orders.

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates, federal troop deployments to US cities cost $496 million in 2025.

President Donald Trump sent troops to DC from across eight states in November 4, and they are expected to remain in the city until August 11

The current burn rate for deployments will cost around $93 million per month, CBO estimates.

A 1,000-troop National Guard deployment to a city will cost at least $18 million per month, per their estimates.

Trump also deployed troops to other cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland, but the Pentagon has been quietly withdrawing them in recent months.

At the height of the National Guard's deployment, there were 5,000 troops in LA, around 500 in Chicago and 200 in Portland.

Now all of those troops have been sent home, and without any public announcement from the Pentagon or White House.
A miner was miraculously rescued from a flooded cave by the Mexican army two weeks after the tunnel collapsed.

Francisco Zapata Najera, 42, had been buried some 985ft underground when disaster struck at a gold mine in the northern state of Sinaloa.

An embankment collapse left him stranded in darkness, with rising water threatening his life.

Extraordinary footage of the moment he was found shows the exhausted miner standing in waist-deep water, calmly speaking to rescuers as they finally reached him.

Despite the terrifying ordeal, Zapata revealed he had clung to hope throughout.

The incident unfolded on March 25 when a tailings dam - used to store mining waste - suddently burst, trapping workers inside.

Of the 25 miners underground at the time, 21 managed to escape, but four were left behind.

In the days that followed, rescuers worker tirelessly in dangerous conditions.

Francisco Zapata Najera, 42, had been buried some 985ft underground when disaster struck at a gold mine in the northern state of Sinaloa

Members of rescue teams transport miner Francisco Zapata Najera, 42, after he was rescued during a search for four miners following a collapse at the Minerales de Sinaloa mine

Finally, on Wednesday, Zapata emerged from the depths - wrapped in a thermal blanket and transported on an electric cart

Jose Alejandro Castulo was pulled out alive after five days, while another miner tragically died.

It then took a further eight days before Zapata was located, following an intense search lasting more than 300 hours.

Divers eventually detected a faint signal in the darkness - the blinking of a torch.

Zapata had been switching it on and off in a desperate bid to be seen.

As they approached him, rescuers called out: 'How are you, how are you?'

Once they confirmed they were specialised military divers, they told him: 'your torchlight helped us a lot'.

'It guided us,' one of the divers added.

Zapata, remarkably composed, replied: 'I didn't lose faith, I didn't lose faith'.

But the rescue was far from over. Flooded tunnels meant he could not be brought out immediately.

Instead, divers were forced to leave him behind temporarily, supplying him with with water, tins of tuna, and energy bars, along with assaurances they would return.

Zapata was then airlifted to hospital

divers were forced to leave him behind temporarily, supplying him with with water, tins of tuna, and energy bars, along with assaurances they would return

It would take another 20 greulling hours of pumping water from the mine before conditions were safe enough to extract him.

Finally, on Wednesday, Zapata emerged from the depths - wrapped in a thermal blanket and transported on an electric cart - before being airlifted to hospital.

There, he was reunited with his family in an emotional moment.

Doctors confirmed he was frail but stable and would receive further treatment.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum hailed both the army's efforts and Zapata's extraordinary endurance, saying his faith and resilience had made the 'astounding rescue' possible.

Meanwhile, the search continues for the final missing miner, as hopes remain that more lives may yet be saved from the disaster.
A 17-year-old has shared his harrowing tale of survival after he woke up trapped in a car submerged dozens of feet under a Portland, Oregon river.

DJ Buckner and three others were passengers in 19-year-old Roberto Garcia-Chavez's white 1996 Toyota Corolla when Garcia-Chavez saw a police car and 'took off' around 2am on Monday, according to Traffic Investigations Unit Officers.

DJ was in the back seat when Garcia-Chavez tore through a park before crashing through fencing above the 40-foot-deep Willamette River, plunging the vehicle into the murky waters below.

The 17-year-old was the only survivor. On Thursday, the Portland Medical Examiner identified Garcia-Chavez and Trent Badillo, 17, as two of the victims. The identity of the third victim, believed to be a 20-year-old man, has not yet been made public.

DJ's mother, Melissa Buckner, told The Oregonian that her son believes he hit his head in the crash and was knocked unconscious.

He was suddenly jolted awake when he began inhaling water.

'He just remembers he needed to grab his seatbelt and find the buckle,' Melissa told the Oregonian. 'He said he was swimming forever.'

Brian Hughes, Assistant Chief of the Portland police, said that the officer the group fled from did not pursue their vehicle. The officer only discovered what had happened after he pulled up next to the park and saw part of the fence missing.

DJ Buckner, 17, woke up in a car 40 feet underwater after his friend crashed into a river in Portland, Oregon, in the early hours of Monday

DJ's mother, Melissa Buckner, said her son believes he was knocked unconscious in the crash and woke up after inhaling water. The mother and son are pictured together

DJ's friend tore through a park before busting through a fence and crashing into the Willamette River while fleeing a traffic stop. A Portland park overlooking the river is pictured

The policeman then saw DJ treading water. The 17-year-old's mother said that as soon as her son reached the surface, he began shouting that his three friends were still in the water.

Hughes said the officer who spotted DJ quickly called the US Coast Guard and Portland Fire and Rescue.

The 17-year-old was transported to a hospital for treatment while first responders unsuccessfully attempted to rescue the others.

Later on Monday, Multnomah County Sheriffs Office divers searched the bottom of the river and recovered the bodies of Garcia-Chavez and Badillo. The search for DJ's third friend, who is presumed to be dead, is ongoing.

Melissa recounted the terrifying phone call she received at 3:30am informing her that her son was in the hospital.

'I didnt know that they had crashed,' she told the Oregonian. 'I didnt know anything other than my son was in the hospital and I needed to get there.'

When she arrived, she found her son had suffered a fractured nose, black eyes and bruising.

'Physically, hes hurting. Hes not feeling good,' she said. 'Emotionally, its starting to hit him, but Im sure hes got a lot more to work through.'

Melissa (pictured) said that her son suffered a fractured nose, black eyes and bruising, and that the emotional toll of the crash and the loss of his friends is just starting to hit him

Melissa said that her son told her he was shouting at his friend to slow down during the police chase. DJ is pictured

Melissa said that her son and his friends had been on their way home when Garcia-Chavez saw a police car and 'took off.'

Portland police said the white Corolla began speeding in the opposite direction of traffic and running red lights.

When an officer turned on his police lights to get the vehicle to stop, Garcia-Chavez fled down other streets before driving through Tom McCall Waterfront Park and crashing into the river.

During the chase, DJ was shouting, 'Slow down, slow down, youre going too fast!' according to his mother.

Garcia-Chavez's sister, Yanett Garcia-Chavez, told KOIN she does not know why her brother chose to flee from police.

She told the outlet he was a good kid who was active in JROTC and had planned to join the military before deciding to stay closer to home.

Portland police believe that Roberto Garcia-Chavez, 19, was behind the wheel of his white 1996 Toyota Corolla during the police chase

Garcia-Chavez's sister said she does not know why her brother chose to flee from police. DJ's mother said the young group of friends in the car 'just made a stupid mistake'

'Theres nothing that we can do now. We cant go back in time. I cant do anything to bring my brother back,' Yanett told KOIN.

Yanett added that she does not blame anyone and is simply heartbroken by the situation.

DJ's mother echoed that sentiment. She told the Oregonian: 'Every one of them, theyre very, very good boys, just made a stupid mistake.'
Viktar Orban is trailing in the polls ahead of the Hungarian election on Sunday despite a glowing endorsement from JD Vance.

Orban, a right-wing nationalist who has ruled for 16 years, is supported by just 30 per cent of voters compared to 39 per cent backing his rival Peter Magyar, according to a poll released on Thursday.

Magyar is a former member of the ruling Fidesz party but dramatically resigned, citing corruption, to join the centre-right Tisza party.

He is tipped to end Orban's rule and has surged in the polls, campaigning on closer ties with Europe and a break from Russia.

The veteran prime minister's campaign has been mired in controversy amid accusations of voter intimidation and corruption, while he has faced criticism after a leaked call appeared to show him telling Vladimir Putin he was ready to help Moscow 'in any way' over the war in Ukraine.

His falling popularity prompted a major intervention from JD Vance, who travelled to Budapest on Tuesday in a last ditch attempt to boost his support.

Standing alongside Orban, the US Vice President said he was in the Hungarian capital 'to help him in this campaign cycle'.

Vance and his wife were welcomed to Budapest by Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who said Orban's warm friendship with Donald Trump had created a 'new golden age' in relations.

Viktar Orban is trailing in the polls ahead of the Hungarian election on Sunday despite a glowing endorsement from JD Vance

Orban has faced criticism after a leaked call appeared to show him telling Vladimir Putin he was ready to help Moscow'in any way' over the war in Ukraine

The vice president launched a scathing attack on the EU and Ukraine, accusing the EU of attemping to rig the election against Orban.

He said the EU had presided over 'one of the worst examples of foreign election interference that I have ever seen or ever even read about... because they hate this guy'.

He also said 'part of the reason' for his visit was because 'interference that's come from the bureaucracy in Brussels has been truly disgraceful'.

Speaking at an Orban campaign rally, Vance said: 'We want you to make a decision about your future with no outside forces pressuring you or telling you what to do. I'm not telling you exactly who to vote for but what I am telling you is that the bureaucrats in Brussels, those people should not be listened to.'

EU leaders have been angry with Orban for vetoing billions of euros of funding for Ukraine.

Hungary's relation with Russia has been a key campaigning issue in the election.

Although they are a key member of the EU, Orban has refused to stop buying Russian oil and is Moscow's closest ally in the bloc. His government has cast Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky as an adversary during the campaign.

In the leaked phone call, Putin praised Hungary's 'independent and flexible' stance on the conflict, saying it was difficult to understand why such a position attracted criticism from Western allies.

Orban has also maintained strong relations with the US and is a key European ally of Trump.

Vance's visit came in the final days of campaigning, as Orban battles to extend his rule - with his ties to Moscow and Hungary's struggling economy looming large over the race.

Orban is running for his fifth straight term as prime minister. He and his nationalist-populist Fidesz party are facing their toughest race in two decades.

The prime minister has bristled at the slightest mention of the Hungarian election by any of his partners in the European Union, decrying any expressions of support for his opponent as a grave breach of Hungary's sovereignty and meddling in the election.

Yet speaking at a joint news conference with Orban at his headquarters in Budapest's Carmelite Monastery, Vance campaigned openly for the prime minister, saying he wanted to 'help as much as I possibly can' ahead of the April 12 vote.

Peter Magyar, a former member of the ruling Fidesz party, is tipped to replace Viktor Orban after 16 years

Vance's appearance at an election rally was an unusual step from a foreign leader and a break with the practice of most politicians who avoid taking an active role in the political campaigns of other countries.

Long accused by critics of taking over Hungary's institutions, clamping down on press freedom and overseeing entrenched political corruption - charges he denies - Orban has become an icon in the global far-right movement.

Trump has repeatedly endorsed Orban's candidacy for reelection, and many in the Make America Great Again movement approve of the Hungarian leader's opposition to immigration, curtailing of LGBTQ+ rights, and capture of the media and academia.

But with most independent polls showing a double-digit deficit for Fidesz among decided voters ahead of the April 12 vote, Orban has sought to boost his profile by appearing publicly with his international admirers.

Hungary, which has broken with most European Union countries by refusing to assist Ukraine with financial assistance or weapons to ward off Russia's full-scale invasion, has remained firmly committed to purchasing Russian energy despite EU efforts to wean off such supplies.

In November, Hungary received an exemption from US sanctions on Russian oil and gas after a White House meeting between Orban and Trump.

Yet on Tuesday, Vance seemed to contradict US efforts to push its allies to break with Russian energy, lashing out at other EU countries for moving to cease their imports of Russian fossil fuels in response to the war.

Orban's government has cast Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky as an adversary during the campaign

'It is funny to watch prime ministers and leaders in some of the Western European capitals talk about the energy crisis when frankly they should have been following the policies of Viktor Orban,' he said.

Vance's visit wasn't the first gesture of support for Orban's reelection.

In February, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Budapest where he enthusiastically praised Orban and the 'person-to-person connection' he'd established with the president, telling Orban that Trump was 'deeply committed to your success, because your success is our success.'

And last month, Orban hosted dozens of allies from around Europe and beyond at the Hungarian iteration of the Conservative Political Action Conference, and at a meeting of the far-right Patriots for Europe party family, the third-largest group in the European Parliament.

Trump sent a video message to CPAC Hungary, saying Orban had his 'complete and total endorsement' and was a 'fantastic guy.'

Orban has remained deferential and has echoed Trump's false claims that he won the 2020 election.

In comments to state radio just before Trump began his second term, Orban said Democrats 'took the presidency away from Donald Trump through fraud.'
Zack Polanski's Green Party has been accused of blocking the construction of tens of thousands of homes across the country in a furious row with Labour.

The Greens have attempted to block at least 42,000 new homes - including at least 13,000 affordable homes - since 2018, according to new analysis by Labour.

Mr Polanski's party has been accused of trying to block housing across 25 council areas - including efforts to stop an 'eyesore' car park being turned into 300 homes in Exeter.

In London, 'NIMBY' Greens have been accused of opposing the construction of 1,700 new homes, including 340 affordable homes, in the Lewisham Shopping Centre redevelopment.

And Labour claims the Greens opposed the development of 5,000 homes, including 2,200 affordable homes, near Finsbury Park in North London.

In Durham, Green members 'submitted strong objections' to a housing development outside the city centre.

Ultimately their opposition was unsuccessful, with the first tenants moving into the new affordable homes in 2024.

Labour accused the Greens of being 'a party of blockers who consistently stand in the way of much-needed progress on house building'.

Speaking at the launch of the Greens' local elections campaign on Thursday, party leader Zack Polanski rejected Labour's accusations as 'nonsense'

Mr Polanski's party has been accused of trying to block housing across 25 council areas - including efforts to stop an 'eyesore' car park being turned into 300 homes in Exeter

And the party said the figures are likely to be 'just the tip of the iceberg' and claimed there are 'thousands more cases of opposition to housing developments from the Greens right across the UK'.

But Mr Polanski furiously hit back at Labour's claims and attacked Labour-run councils for too often approving 'luxury, unaffordable buildings that no one is ever going to live in'.

Speaking at the launch of the Greens' local elections campaign on Thursday, Mr Polanski rejected Labour's accusations as 'nonsense' and challenged the Government over the 1.5million new homes they have promised across England over five years.

He noted how a Labour-sponsored van - emblazoned with the message 'Greens have opposed 42,391 homes and counting' - had been parked outside the south-east London event.

'We know that the Labour Party have hired a van today with a big number on it,' the Green leader said.

'I don't know where they've got that number from and it seems like an absolute nonsense number.

'And I make the wider point that I think people in this country want to see a Labour Government actually delivering the homes that they promised, rather than hiring vans to be outside Green Party conferences.

Mr Polanski, who is hoping to steal council seats off Labour at the contests across England on 7 May, added: 'We do have a housing crisis but what we also have is an affordability crisis.

'It's about making sure we build the right homes, at the right price, and at the right place.

'What we see far too often with Labour councils is the building of luxury unaffordable buildings that no one is ever going to live in.

'They often knock down communities or destroy communities that are already there, in the name of regeneration, but don't actually replace the homes with affordable homes or council homes.

'I would reject the premise, first of all, that there's any sense Greens are blocking any more debelopments than any one else is.

'Second, I would say if a development is being blocked because it's an unaffordable luxury development - then I'm proud of any Green Party council that does that.

'We need to make sure we are building the homes that people actually need, that are fit to live in, that are affordable and accessible.'

And the Green Party also described Labour's figures as utter nonsense.

Instead of providing affordable housing, [Labour has] consistently caved into developers and lobbyists and not delivered a fraction of the affordable and social homes they promised,' a spokesman said.

'Theyve also allowed developers to maximise profits by building tiny, overpriced "luxury" flats instead of the family-sized homes that are actually required.

'The Lewisham Shopping Centre development is a prime example - developers have been permitted to deliver just 6 per cent social housing, and the units that have been built are way too small to meet local needs.'

Labour Party chair Anna Turley said that 'Zack Polanski's Greens say one thing and do another' and accused the former hypnotherapist and his supporters of being a 'band of hypocrites'.

She added: 'Polanski and his party have shown time and again that with Green councillors, you'd be lucky to see a single brick laid, no matter how desperately residents need somewhere to live.'
A BBC producer accused of downloading thousands of indecent images of children 'frequently' looked at adult pornography for more than 20 years, a court heard.

Dylan Dawes, 50, said he made radio shows for stars including comedian Rhod Gilbert and Final Score host Jason Mohammad at the time of the allegations, working from BBC HQ in Cardiff.

Dawes told the jury he regularly watched 'adult, heterosexual pornography' but denied having indecent images of children.

However Cardiff Crown Court heard he used search terms such as 'jailbait' to download more than 6,000 indecent images of children across four devices, including a laptop, hard drive and two iPads.

Dawes said he had 'no idea' how the images had got onto his devices but had often left them in BBC offices.

He worked for Radio Wales as a producer before moving into a 'content producing' role for the broadcaster's website.

Dawes said while working on radio shows he would not take his computer with him to the studio - and would leave it at his desk where it was freely available to colleagues.

He also said he would take his hard drive to work and leave it in the office because the BBC did not have sufficient equipment for storing data.

Dylan Dawes, 50, was working for BBC Wales in Cardiff when he allegedly downloaded thousands of illegal images of children on four separate devices

He said: 'I would say it was left at the BBC probably for a number of years.'

Dawes said he would also take his iPad to work with him, and that a 'newer' iPad may have also been taken to the office when his wife Elin also worked for the BBC.

Andrew Taylor defending, asked him: 'Have you ever accessed pornography on the internet?'

Dawes replied: 'Adult pornography yes. Adult heterosexual pornography.'

The defendant said he had accessed 'adult heterosexual pornography' through a web browser but had not sought images of 'young girls' and had never made any search terms for 'young girls'.

Mr Taylor asked Dawes if he considered any of the sites he visited as 'unlawful'.

He said: 'You take that as read that if there's a certificate saying the site includes consensual adults over 18 that you believe it.'

Dawes said he would visit 'a small number of sites' and had looked at the sites 'fairly regularly' since around 2000 or 2001.

Dawes said he had been on a family holiday to Disneyland Paris and arrived home in Canton, Cardiff, at around 1am, only to be woken by police at 7am in February 2022.

He was then taken for questioning at Cardiff Bay police station and answered a series of questions regarding his job and computers.

Dawes told the jury he was suspended on full pay following his arrest and was signed off sick with 'stress'.

He did not carry out his own investigation into who else may have used his devices.

Prosecutor Harry Baker read the interview from Dawes who said he mostly used his devices for reading news websites but also looked at 'normal' porn websites.

He said: 'It is what it is. It is all heterosexual legal material. I've looked at PornHub from time to time and there is a website called Imagevap which has images on it.

'There was a website called pornBB which I think is a bulletin board. It is all you know what I would call fairly mainstream, fairly normal.

'You know, stuff that would be acceptable to adults.'

During the interview, investigator Jennifer Gorman asked Dawes 'would you say you have a sexual interest in children?'

Dawes replied: 'Absolutely not.'

Cardiff Crown Court heard more than 6,200 images had been found or recovered, including 192 Category A images - the worst kind.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Dawes began working at the BBC in 2001 and was a producer at BBC Wales

But Dawes denied being to blame - and told police he had left his iPads and laptops for 'extended periods of time' in his BBC office.

Dawes said there were initially no barriers in the old BBC building but barriers were later put in place.

The defendant said: 'Often the gates would be open for obvious reasons. If you forgot your card and the staff knew you they would let you in and when there were events they would be often left open.'

Mr Baker said Dawes had searches on his computer including the term 'jailbait'.

Dawes was one of hundreds of staff at the luxury state-of-the-art BBC Wales HQ in Cardiff which opened in 2020.

The court heard Dawes began working at the BBC in 2001 and was a producer working on Radio Wales programmes, managing social media accounts and producing content for BBC Sounds.

Mr Baker said: 'During a period of time of about 16 years between December 31, 2006, and March 1, 2022, the defendant has been downloading child pornography, that is indecent images on four different and distinct computer devices he owned.'

The seized devices included a Freecom hard drive, a Compaq laptop, and two iPads.

Mr Baker said that when he was arrested Dawes denied possessing or making any indecent images of children.

He said he had loaned an iPad to a colleague 'for purely work-related purposes'.

At a second interview, Dawes gave police a prepared statement, saying: 'I have no knowledge of any indecent images on my devices. I have never been in possession of any indecent images.

'I have never knowingly used, accessed, downloaded or sought indecent images of children. I have no sexual attraction to children.

'I have downloaded regular pornography with zip or jpegs. All devices have at times been left for extended periods in open plan offices.'

Dawes refused to answer questions from police - including on how one of his devices contained child abuse images despite it not leaving his house.

Mr Taylor said: 'He was specifically asked if he knew who had been using his devices to download child pornography onto his devices, and if he could please share details of those persons so they could be investigated.

'He denied being responsible for the making of those images.'

The court heard the defendant would bring the Compaq laptop and the hard drive into work in order to 'test websites' and there was software he needed on his private devices during the course of his work. He admitted his devices were left on his desk routinely and would be left unattended.

When asked if other staff members at the BBC would use his devices, Dawes said: 'Yes it would be a regular occurrence. A workplace is built on trust so if someone asked to use the laptop I would be like okay.' He said he would not be able to recall the names of all the people who had used his laptop.

The defendant said: 'It would often not be in my possession, the hard drives would travel around independent. (The hard drive) was left at the BBC probably for a number of years.'

Concluding his questioning, Mr Taylor said: 'Have you any idea as to how any of these images may have found their way onto your devices?' Dawes replied: 'None whatsoever.'

Mr Taylor asked: 'Can you point the finger as to who may be responsible for downloading these images?' To which Dawes said: 'Not at all.'

Dawes, of Canton, Cardiff, pleaded not guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images and three counts of making indecent images.

The trial continues.
April 9, 2026: Russian leader Vladimir Putin expected a quick victory over Ukraine in 2022. When that did not happen, NATO countries rushed to support Ukraine and supplied over $200 billion in weapons and equipment. Earlier European appeasement led Putin to expect minimal support for Ukraine. By 2026 the Putin strategy of waiting for Ukraine was revealed to be inadequate and misleading.

By early 2026 it was obvious that Russia had neither a strategy for winning nor a plan for ending its participation in the war. The flaw in Putins was that he expected to start a war and then see how it turns out.

Putins goals in Ukraine were to discourage the development of democracy within Russia. Then he wanted to begin rebuilding the Soviet empire that disappeared in 1991. Finally, Putin wanted to once more give Russia a veto over military developments in Western Europe while providing economic incentives to nations that would cooperate. Russia was surprised when the NATO nations, who controlled over half the global GDP, dismissed his offers of economic cooperation. Since the Ukraine war began in 2022, European nations have gradually replaced American military aid for Ukraine, paying the Americans for the weapons sent to Ukraine. This meant that Russia could not win in Ukraine and that Russia had no way to compensate for the economic sanctions imposed by the West and was stuck in a war it could not end and was unable to keep paying for.

Invading Ukraine in 2022 proved to be a disaster for the Russian economy. The expected quick win turned into a losing battle against determined Ukrainians armed with over $200 billion of weapons supplied by NATO nations, especially the United States, and at least equal amounts of economic aid. In addition to the unexpected resistance, the Russian economy was hit with substantial economic sanctions that reduced oil income and blocked Russia from receiving vital electronics and other items that could only be obtained from NATO countries.

At the same time Russia was trying to create a wartime economy that could support its efforts in Ukraine while also maintaining sufficient resources to keep more Russians from sliding into poverty. After four years of enormous personnel losses there were fewer men to recruit. A growing number of Russian men, and some soldiers and officers, were fleeing the country. This meant that Russian losses were not just the over 1.3 million dead and disabled soldiers, but millions of men who left Russia.

The government soon outlawed this migration. This slowed migration down but did not stop it. The government realized that most Russians were willing to fight to defend Russia, but many refused to support a Russian invasion of a neighboring country.

The Russian economy also took heavy losses because of the sanctions. The combination of rising personnel losses to combat and migration plus economic sanctions on a war economy proved disastrous for Russia. During the last few years Russian revenues from sanctioned oil and natural gas declined substantially while the percentage of the government devoted to the war increased dramatically.

It was obvious that Russia was having severe financial problems when Russia started to make large withdrawals from the National Welfare Fund, or NWF, rather than increasing contributions to the fund. The NWF exists to keep the economy stable and able to pay for pensions and maintain infrastructure and investment in essential Russian industries. By 2024 the NWF was no longer able to meet all those obligations. Because millions of Russian civilians had fled the country there was a labor shortage. The fall in government tax collections and profits from government-owned petroleum operations ended many infrastructure projects and payments to social welfare programs. When the majority of Russians feel the shortages, the government has a major political problem. Russian civilian morale has been sinking since mid-2023. Popular support for the war was declining. The government tried to resist this by devoting eight percent of the budget to payments for disabled soldiers or the families of dead soldiers. The cash shortages meant these payments were a one-time event during 2023. It could not be repeated because the government was broke.

The war appears to be continuing into 2026 despite Russias shortage of cash and soldiers. Russia has hired thousands of North Korean soldiers as a stopgap, but this is a limited resource. North Korea is demanding help with its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. This angered China, the last major ally Russia has. Not only is China reducing economic cooperation with Russia but is also raising the issue of extensive portions of Russias Far Eastern Pacific coastal provinces that are claimed by China. Over the last few centuries Russia did take many of these territories from China and now China sees an opportunity to get them back, or simply take them back. If this happens, Russia could lose up to twenty percent of its territory.

To keep the war going in Ukraine, Russia has sacrificed millions of personnel and the health and stability of its economy. To keep the war going, Russia may have to surrender its disputed territories in the Far East. All this has increased pressure on President Vladimir Putin. He has ruled or misruled Russia for 25 years and now faces internal opposition by his key allies. The major economic leaders of Russia, called oligarchs, see their business interests, employees and customers being hurt by Putins war. Will Putin risk civil unrest and economic collapse to keep the war going? These are questions that will have to be answered in 2026 when money, patience and military capabilities are all exhausted.
A support worker has been banned from the profession for sharing a bed with a vulnerable teenage boy and sending him intimate photos.

Chloe Short, 28, recorded a 'sexual kiss' on camera with the 15-year-old boy while she was employed to help his family, a fitness to practice panel heard.

Short behaved in a 'wholly inappropriate manner' with the underage boy when she was paid to stay overnight at the family home in Carmarthenshire, Wales.

She was only discovered when her own girlfriend became suspicious of her behaviour and looked through her phone.

Another photo show the boy was in bed with her with his top off. She then filmed 'a short sexualised kiss' with him.

Short also sent the boy a picture of herself in a towel after getting out of the shower, the Social Care Wales hearing was told.

She later messaged the boy: 'Thank you for the cuddles. Had a lush sleep with you.'

Chloe Short, 28, has been struck off from the professional care worker register after filming a 'sexualised kiss' with the 15-year-old boy she was charged to help

Chloe Short, 28, was convicted of sexual activity with a child and handed a ten-month suspended sentence last year. She had also sent the vulnerable boy photos of her in a towel just out of the shower

Short was employed by an organisation providing support for families and children in difficult circumstances. She was charged with supporting the vulnerable 15-year-old and visited his home several times.

A court heard she told the teen she 'missed him every second' and was 'obsessed with him'.

After Short's girlfriend raised the alarm following the discovery of the sexual footage with the boy, police charged her.

Short, of Bargoed, Caerphilly pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and was handed a ten-month suspended sentence last year.

She was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years at Swansea Crown Court in December.

Short was only discovered when her own girlfriend became suspicious of her behaviour with the boy and went through her phone. She raised the alarm on the discovery of the photos, videos and messages

Now, Short has been struck off the professional care worker register at the virtual professional standards hearing.

Committee chair Steve Jones said the case was too serious to warrant any sanction other than striking off.

Short did not engage in the enquiry and had not expressed any insight, remorse or remedial work, the report told.

Mr Jones said: 'The offence is so serious there will always be the risk with Miss Short working with vulnerable people.'
Video shows the moment police officers found more than 500 'stolen' mobile phones behind a padlocked door during a raid at a convenience store in north-west London.

Four men, aged 22, 25, 34 and 63, have been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, as well as possession of drugs and intent to supply, following the bust at a shop on Kilburn High Road.

Footage released by police shows a group of officers entering the store, appearing to run past customers as they head towards a locked door at the back.

They use a large tool to snap a padlock on the door before entering a dark room, where they find shelves filled with mobile phones stacked on top of each other, as well as some iPhone packaging.

'That's loads of phones in here,' one officer says.

The raid was carried out amid police action in Brent aimed at tackling theft, robbery and e-bike related crime.

The shop was subject to a warrant after intelligence suggested the venue was being used to supply class B drugs, the Metropolitan Police said.

Three of the suspects arrested have been released on bail, while one was released under investigation.

Footage released by police shows shelves of 'stolen' mobile phones at a convenience store in north-west London

The phones were discovered behind a padlocked door towards the back of the shop during a raid by police

Earlier this year, the Met seized 770 stolen phones and made 248 arrests during four weeks of action across London.

Inspector Yu Zhang, from the Met's local policing team in Brent, said: 'We understand mobile phone theft remains a major concern for Londoners and that's why we have worked hard to drive down offending.

'Seizures such as this show that we are not only targeting individual phone snatchers, but also those who handle and profit from stolen devices.

'Londoners deserve to feel safe and we are committed to relentlessly disrupting the organised criminal networks fuelling this crime.'

Tens of thousands of mobile phones were stolen in London last year - equivalent to one taken every nine minutes, it was reported last month.

Some 61,331 devices were snatched throughout 2025  equivalent to 1,179 a week or 168 a day, according to analysis of the Met's crime dashboard data.

The force launched a huge fightback against the crime  and last year marked the first fall in phone thefts since it launched its dashboard data in February 2022.

As well as phones, some iPhone boxes were also discovered sitting on the shelves

Phones are seen stacked on top of each other inside a dark room at the shop

The convenience store is located on Kilburn High Road, north-west London

Your browser does not support iframes.

More than 224,000 phones have been reported stolen in London over the past four years, but the total will likely be higher given not all phone thefts are reported.

Nearly a third of phone thefts in London were in Westminster last year with 18,932 taken - followed by 5,543 in Camden, 5,276 in Southwark and 3,977 in Hackney.

The other boroughs in the capital completing the top ten in 2025 were Newham (2,990), Islington (2,737), Tower Hamlets (1,921), Haringey (1,704) and Brent (1,531).

Sutton and Richmond-upon-Thames recorded the lowest levels of the crime at 88 and 106 respectively, followed by Bexley on 107, Merton on 138 and Havering on 198.
Ivanka Trump broke down in tears revealing she sought professional mental health help after her mother Ivana's sudden death.

The first daughter, 44, spoke on the Diary of a CEO podcast about her grief that her three children never got to know their grandmother and said she would 'talk about her and start to cry, just like I'm still doing - but in a different way, like I was avoiding.'

She sought therapy after a devastating period in which her husband, Jared Kushner, underwent a second cancer surgery and Ivana died within weeks of each other.

'I wanted to make sure I'm really good at being tough,' Ivanka said.

Ivanka wept as she described how her grandmother, Babi, 99, now lives with the family in Miami. 'It's a blessing to have her in our home,' she said, 'telling her stories and stories of my mother, who they sadly didn't get to know.'

'Losing a parent - it hits different,' she added, 'especially unexpectedly, especially post-COVID because it robbed us of so many years.'

Ivana, 73, was found unconscious at the bottom of the stairs at her Manhattan home and died that same day in July 2022 - Ivanka was living in Washington, DC at the time.

Kushner had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer while working in the White House in 2019 and underwent a second surgery in August 2022.

Ivanka Trump broke down in tears recalling her late mother Ivana in a raw and emotional podcast appearance, revealing she sought professional mental health help after her tragic death

Ivanka and Ivana at the 25th Anniversary Party for Studio 54 in New York on April 24, 2002

The mother and daughter attend Cooks for Kids II Benefit in New York on November 1, 1994

Ivana was married to Donald Trump from 1977 to 1992. She was his first wife

The President, Melania Trump, Barron Trump, Jared Kushner, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump, Jr and Eric Trump at Ivana's funeral on July 20, 2022, in New York City

Ivana, who married Donald Trump in 1977, was born in what is now the Czech Republic and built a high-profile career as a model and businesswoman in New York.

She and the President had three children together - Donald Jr, Ivanka and Eric - before divorcing in 1992.

Ivanka also discussed watching 'in real time' the harrowing assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024.

'I was horrified and I was scared, and I was protective of my children,' she said.

Ivanka said she somehow sensed her father would pull through as she watched Secret Service agents haul him to the ground after a bullet grazed his ear.

'I didn't believe that the worst possible outcome had transpired, thank God,' Ivanka said. 'And thank God, it hadn't.'

She said she saw him at around 2am as he returned from hospital to his Bedminster estate in New Jersey.

'You can't take things for granted in this life, and I've learned that in numerous ways,' Ivanka added.

Ivanka also discussed watching 'in real time' the harrowing assassination attempt on her father at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024

Trump grabs his ear after he was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania

She said she bore no hatred for those who had tried to harm her father - a second gunman attempted to shoot Trump at his golf club in Florida just months later.

'What does that accomplish being negative towards the world?' Ivanka said. 'There's a lot of sickness, and I think that forgiveness is a difficult thing, but his living was a blessing.'

Ivanka has rarely given interviews since stepping back from politics in 2022, keeping a low profile as she focused on family life.

Her husband remains a prominent figure as Trump's peace envoy in the Middle East, currently leading negotiations with Iran alongside Vice President JD Vance and Steve Witkoff.

Ivanka said the couple's three children have been her priority as she built a quieter life away from the spotlight.

Her last major interview came on Lex Fridman's podcast on July 2, 2024, where she discussed her decision to step back from politics - just 11 days before her father was shot in Butler.
A man who killed his girlfriend after smashing his car into a lamppost while racing will not be punished further.

Sophie Brimble, 20, died after Jay Bayliss, then 23, crashed his car at 70mph on a 30mph residential road while racing Neil Brooks nearly a decade ago on July 26, 2017.

Bayliss, now 32, of Heol Onen, Brynmawr, was given an absolute discharge by Judge Celia Hughes at Newport Crown Court on Tuesday.

Ms Brimble had been riding in the front passenger seat of Bayliss' black Volkswagen Polo when he lost control on the A4047 and careered into a lamppost.

Bayliss became involved in an 'impromptu' race with Neil Brooks, who was driving another car around residential roads at close to 90mph, the court heard at a fact-finding trial in March.

His driving was described as 'aggressive' previously in court as it was heard he drove the wrong way around roundabout.

While taking a right-hand turn, he slipped off the road and wrapped the car around the post. Tragically, Ms Brimble died at the scene due to her 'catastrophic injuries'.

Bayliss himself was left with serious injuries - both physical and mental - leaving him with which a traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, mood swings and anxiety. Bayliss has no recollection of the crash and he required years of rehabilitation, it was heard.

Jay Bayliss, 32, (left) killed his girlfriend Sophie Brimble (right) when his Volkswagen Polo crashed into a lamppost during an 'impromptu race' with another driver. He has now been given an absolute discharge

Miss Brimble's family said 'Sophie was taken from us way too soon' and that she is 'greatly missed every single day'

Doctors said that Bayliss was unfit to stand trial in July 2017 and was unable to say whether he was guilty of his charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

The jury found that Bayliss and the other racer Brooks were jointly responsible for causing Ms Brimble's death at the end of the two-day hearing in March.

At his sentencing on Tuesday Judge Celia Hughes told Bayliss: 'There is no evidence that I have seen that you had been drinking or taking illicit drugs when you took the decision.'

Bayliss also received significant physical and psychological injuries which required years of rehabilitation, Judge Hughes said.

These injuries have resulted in a traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, mood swings and anxiety. Bayliss has no recollection of the crash, it was heard.

However, sentencing Bayliss today, Judge Hughes let him off with an absolute discharge. She called his actions 'foolhardy and impetuous', adding that they resulted in 'terrible consequences for many people'.

She explained her decision to discharge him was one of three options she could have sentenced him with because he had been deemed unfit to stand trial. The other two - a hospital stay or a supervision order - would not be appropriate, she said.

Bayliss lives at home with his mother and next door to his partner of several months. He is unable to work due to his injuries and is the recipient of universal credit, Judge Hughes added.

He had worked as a kitchen and bathroom fitter for a local authority before the crash.

Bayliss had no prior convictions and has not committed any more offences since the incident.

A probation report stated that he poses a 'low risk' of further offending and a 'medium risk' of causing serious harm to the public, which had reduced from 'high' due to his lack of reoffending.

Bayliss was deemed to be unfit to stand trial by doctors which has restricted Judge Hughes' sentencing ability. She also is unable to ban him from driving with his new licence because of this

'Her laughter was contagious, her smile unforgettable and her spirit was truly one of a kind,' Ms Brimble's family said

The judge said that whatever sentence she passed could not change the fact that a young woman 'with a whole life ahead of her' had died.

She did add that she was concerned that Bayliss had successfully reapplied for a driving licence in 2024. But because Baylis could not stand trial, she was unable to pass a driving ban or disqualification period.

However, she said she is 'pleased' to hear that the prosecution is in contact with the DVLA over the matter, and that her comments will be repeated to the agency.

Brooks had already been found guilty for causing Miss Brimble's death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury to Bayliss in 2019 when he was jailed for eight years. The verdict that Bayliss was jointly responsible came more than nine years after Ms Brimble's death.

In a statement released following the verdict, Miss Brimble's family said 'Sophie was taken from us way too soon' and that she is 'greatly missed every single day'.
A wealthy Chicago couple evicted from Trump Tower over allegations they were tormenting neighbors with noisy sex sessions are suing the skyscraper's managers.

Georgia Litle, 36, and her husband Clint Litle, 45, received more than a dozen noise complaints and racked up thousands of dollars in fines between 2024 and when they were asked to leave in February.

But in a lawsuit filed last month in Illinois, the couple claim they were the ones being 'harassed' by their neighbors listening in and filing reports, as well as allegedly mocking Georgia's appearance.

Their filing claims that complaints against them escalated after a resident allegedly recorded one of their steamy sessions last May and shared it with management, who then allegedly passed it on to other building residents.

Clint also claimed that his wife has been subjected to cruel remarks about her hair extensions and make-up.

The couple accused Trump Tower's managers and their neighbors of violating their privacy by repeatedly filing reports and confronting them over the apparent noise.

'I felt very violated, very uncomfortable,' Georgia told the Chicago Tribune. 'I started to feel panicked by that interaction in some respects.'

They allege in their lawsuit that the 'harassment' escalated when they say a building manager listened to them in a hallway and heard them having sex in a living room while their young children slept in a bedroom nearby.

Georgia Litle, 36, and her husband Clint Litle, 45, have launched a scathing lawsuit against their neighbors in Trump Tower Chicago, alleging they were 'harassed' by complaints about their reportedly noisy sex

The couple moved into the ritzy skyscraper in 2024,but said building staff and their neighbors violated their privacy by repeatedly filing reports about their loud sexual encounters booming through the walls

The Litles said their neighbors' frustration over their bedroom antics amounted to a 'continuous pattern of intimidation and harassment,' resulting in multiple calls to the police and visits from social services.

They said that when cops were called to their apartment in February, building staff told officers that they 'posed a threat to their own children,' which led to an investigation, 'psychiatric evaluations, and a period of mandatory family separation.'

The couple told the Tribune that they believed their neighbors antagonized them because of their appearance and young children, aged two and one.

They said the continuous complaints led them to eventually leave the skyscraper in February, as Georgia said the ordeal was 'just a total nightmare for me.'

They filed their lawsuit last month against Tower employees, the 401 North Wabash Avenue condo association and Trump Chicago Residential Manager LLC, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In a letter in February requesting that the couple's lease be terminated, the association's attorney accused the couple of 'noxious and offensive activities,' which created 'unsafe condition and unreasonable nuisance.'

The couple are originally from Oklahoma. Georgia is an attorney and PhD student in Political Science at the University of Oklahoma.

Clint works in oil and ga, and it was his job that first led to the couple staying at Trump Tower Chicago's hotel section several years ago.

The couple said they initially enjoyed staying in the opulent building on the Chicago River, but Georgia said she came to believe the building's snooty residents looked down on her family and made cruel remarks about her appearance

After enjoying their initial stays in the ritzy building, Georgia said she wanted to move to a big city and the couple decided on Chicago.

They purchased a condo in the Trump Tower building and said they loved the city so much that Clint soon got a White Sox tattoo.

But Georgia soon came to believe the building's snooty residents, who she said looked down on them, had frustrations with their two toddlers and made 'disparaging remarks' about her appearance.

Clint shared an email he sent to Trump Tower management with the Tribune which stated he heard residents mocking his wife's makeup and hair extensions.

They said complaints about their noisy sexual escapades ramped up in May 2025 after they discovered they had been victims of 'nonconsensual recording,' according to their lawsuit.

They said residents lodged several complaints within a two-week span about 'loud banging and screaming', which led the building to hit them with a $250 fine for 'disruption of building operations.'

Georgia said she disagreed with the noise complaints, saying she was sure she and her husband couldn't have been so loud.

'Our children were sleeping in the room so you cant be too loud to keep a one and two year old asleep,' she said.

Georgia Litle said she was 'overwhelmed' by complaints about her passionate trysts with her husband, which she alleged included 'nonconsensual recordings' of their love making

In their lawsuit, the Litles said they moved past the noise complaints and decided to sign a lease for a new apartment in Trump Tower in May 2026, for $4,200 per month.

But this allegedly led to a wave of new complaints and, within months, they had been slapped with over $3,700 in fines for loud sex, 'raised voices' and leaving garbage bags in hallways.

Georgia said she found the quantity of the complaints 'egregious,' in particular a $2,000 fine for leaving trash in the hallway that they said their housecleaner left outside for less than an hour.

In January, the Litles called Chicago police because they felt 'threatened' by building staff knocking on their door to tell them to keep the noise down.

'I started to worry about where I was going to go with my children, you know, if (an eviction) was going to happen suddenly,' Georgia Litle said.

'It was getting to the point where our two yea -old would walk around the house and say "Shhh" whenever we would speak.'

The next month, an employee called the cops again, saying they heard 'yelling' in a bathroom when Georgia was having a panic attack because she felt 'intimidated' by the employee's demands to speak to her, per the lawsuit.

The complaint accused staff of 'falsely' claiming to the police that the couple posed a threat to their children.

Georgia Litle said she believed the Trump Tower residents made disparaging comments about her makeup and hair extensions

After a period of brief separation, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services determined that the report of suspected child abuse or neglect was 'unfounded.'

Georgia told the Tribune that the ordeal was 'overwhelming' and said her 'children mean everything to me.'

'I put everything I have into them as a mother, its the most important role I have in my life. So to even have that question, I was just totally panicked,' she said.

The couple said they were desperate to leave, but in February, they were told by the building they were being evicted anyway and have since relocated to Wisconsin.

The couple are seeking at least $8,400 from the condo owners, plus damages for emotional distress from the skyscraper's management.

The Daily Mail has contacted the Litle's lawyers for comment.
Americans are cautiously embracing Donald Trumps fragile ceasefire with Iran, but few are convinced it will hold.

After threatening to destroy an entire civilization, the President announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran as further diplomatic talks with the regime are expected to take place at a summit in Pakistan on Friday. Vice President JD Vance is expected to lead those peace discussions.

According to the latest Daily Mail/JL Partners poll, American voters were 'relieved' that the President decided to take the off-ramp instead of escalating the war.

The survey found that 33 percent of voters view the deal as a good outcome for the United States, compared to 18 percent who see it as a bad one.

Another 28 percent of respondents said they feel neutral about the agreement, while 20 percent remain unsure, underscoring the publics mixed but measured reaction.

The dominant emotional response to the ceasefire is 'relieved,' according to survey data visualized in a word cloud that captures the mood of a war-weary electorate.

American sense of relief, however, is tempered by skepticism surrounding the deals long-term durability.

Only one in four Americans believes the ceasefire will probably or definitely hold, with just 7 percent expressing full confidence it will last, according to the Daily Mail poll.

According to the latest Daily Mail/JL Partners poll, American voters were 'relieved' that the President decided to take the off-ramp instead of escalating the war

The survey found that 33 percent of voters view the deal as a good outcome for the United States, compared to 18 percent who see it as a bad one

The dominant emotional response to the ceasefire is 'relieved,' according to survey data visualized in a word cloud that captures the mood of a war-weary electorate

The deals economic concessions are also drawing scrutiny, particularly Irans move to charge ships a fee to pass through the Strait of Hormuz

A majority, 54 percent, say the agreement will either probably or definitely collapse, signaling widespread doubt about Irans intentions and the strength of the terms.

The deals economic concessions are also drawing scrutiny, particularly Irans decision to charge ships a fee in the Strait of Hormuz.

The strait, through which nearly a quarter of the worlds oil passes, had been open and freely accessible to energy companies before Trump launched his war.

Some 41 percent of Americans say that the outcome is bad overall, compared to 19 percent who view it as good, while 24 percent are neutral and 16 percent are unsure.

Despite those concerns, 43 percent of voters say the US should accept the fee to preserve the ceasefire, while 32 percent oppose it and 25 percent remain undecided.

The Iranians put forward a ten-point ceasefire plan that Trump called 'a workable basis on which to negotiate.'

The plan allows Iran to continue controlling the strait, although Tehran said countries that did not threaten them militarily would be allowed to pass.

Trump's polling fell to the lowest levels of his second term following the launch of Operation Epic Fury.

The Presidents rising unfavorability appears to have been driven in part by surging gas prices after the straits closure, with the national average climbing to $4.10 per gallon.
A well-paid Florida medical examiner who made a controversial crack about the prospect of President Donald Trump's death was quickly placed on administrative leave amid backlash.

Dr Bob Pfalzgraf, an associate medical examiner for Jacksonville's Duval County, posted the quip on his X account shortly after midnight on Monday.

'I'm looking forward to the big beautiful obituary,' he wrote at 12.04am. It is unclear what prompted the medical examiner's post.

It was an apparent reference to Trump's One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which has often been mocked by liberals.

Pfalzgraf's incendiary comment, which was highlighted by the Libs of TikTok account on X shortly after being posted, has amassed more than 880,000 views since.

The City of Jacksonville told the Daily Mail on Thursday morning: 'Associate Medical Examiner Bob Pfalzgraf has been placed on administrative leave while we investigate the circumstances around the social media post.'

After being contacted via multiple calls, messages and emails, Pfalzgraf told the Daily Mail on Thursday that he had 'no comment until the city speaks to me.'

When asked if he knew when that might be, Pfalzgraf responded, 'No clue.'

Dr Bob Pfalzgraf, a Jacksonville associate medical examiner, was placed on paid administrative leave after an inappropriate post on X about the prospect of Donald Trump's death

Pfalzgraf's X post was seemingly a reference to Trump's One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act

Pfalzgraf has worked at the Medical Examiner's Office since 2020 and is one of the highestpaid city employees with a salary well over $250,000, according to WOKV and records from OpenPayrolls.

Pfalzgraf's leave 'will not impact the daily operations of the Medical Examiner's Office,' a city spokesman told the Daily Mail.

'There are multiple medical examiners on staff,' he added.

Pfalzgraf's X account is currently under lock, with only users who follow him able to see or interact with his posts.

It was unclear whether he had posted anything else on social media since being placed on leave.

Pfalzgraf is also licensed to practice medicine in Ohio and New Mexico, according to public documents made available by the Florida Department of Health.

His current license as a medical doctor is set to expire in January 2027, per the database.

Pfalzgraf was first certified by the American Board of Pathology in 1989 after studying at Wittenberg University, the Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati and the University of New Mexico.

Clay County court records reviewed by the Daily Mail said Pfalzgraf had been arrested May 26, 2021, on a DUI charge that eventually ended in a no-contest plea

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed an executive order related to Pfalzgraf's DUI arrest in 2021

Jacksonville city officials told the Daily Mail that Pfalzgraf's X post was being investigated but that his leave would not affect the daily operations of the Medical Examiner's Office

Pfalzgraf was previously the subject of an executive order signed by Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in June 2021.

At the time, Florida state attorney Melissa Nelson told DeSantis that Pfalzgraf had been arrested for driving under the influence.

However, Nelson voluntarily recused herself from the investigation 'to avoid a conflict of interest or any appearance of impropriety.'

That prompted DeSantis to assign a different state attorney to look into 'the investigation, prosecution, and all matters related to Robert Pfalzgraf,' per the executive order.

Pfalzgraf's Florida Department of Health record mentions that he 'indicated that [he] has no criminal offenses required to be published on this profile.'

Clay County court records reviewed by the Daily Mail said he had been arrested on May 26, 2021, for allegedly driving under the influence.

Pfalzgraf allegedly threatened to 'kill' another driver and the 'odor of alcoholic beverages emanating' from him, according to an arrest report.

At one point, he allegedly told the police officer who pulled him over, 'You know who I am?!?'

Pfalzgraf eventually pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 12 months' probation, according to court documents.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Duval County Medical Examiner's Office, the Florida Department of Health and Governor DeSantis's office for comment.
A world-famous professor of Greek at Cambridge University who gave a female student an unwanted 'slobbery kiss' and put his tongue in her ear is facing dismissal.

Simon Goldhill, who has appeared on television and radio in his decades long career at Cambridge, has 'stepped away' from teaching after complaints about his professional and sexual misconduct were upheld.

The 69-year-old kissed the woman in the senior common room of the university's King's College in a 'over exuberant' and 'no doubt slobbery' way in Autumn 2024.

The woman in her twenties managed to push him away and made clear she did not want to kiss him and that he had made her feel 'scared and panicky'.

Following the inappropriate encounter Goldhill, who had been drinking at the time of the incident, sent the woman 'not entirely lucid' messages apologising for his behaviour.

The professor has admitted kissing the student and the investigation also found that he had also stroked the woman's body, touched the zip on her trousers and put his tongue in her ear.

It was noted that the touching of the ear 'could have been unintentional'.

The report said: 'At no time in his evidence did he provide any direct evidence that he had asked for and received consent. His stated belief was that he did not need it for a goodbye kiss or "friendly snuggle".'

Professor of Greek Simon Goldhill (pictured), who has appeared on television and radio in his decades long career at Cambridge, has 'stepped away' from teaching after complaints about his professional and sexual misconduct were upheld

Cambridge's King's College where the 69-year-old professor kissed the female student in the senior common room of the college in a 'over exuberant' and 'no doubt slobbery' way in Autumn 2024

Goldhill also offered as 'mitigation his drunken state' on the evening but the report, seen by The Times, added that he recognised that this 'does not reduce the responsibility he has for his own actions  Alcohol may well have contributed to what happened but cannot excuse it'.

Now, the prestigious university is reportedly considering if disciplinary action will be taken against the professor who is scheduled to retire at the end of the academic year.

His behaviour did not come to light until March 2025 when the woman complained. She delayed her complaint out of fear for what it could mean for her studies and future career prospects with one academic describing Goldhill as 'an exceptionally big fish'.

Goldhill is one of the most famous academic in his field whose works have been translated into multiple languages and include studies of sexuality in Ancient Greece.

An external consultancy were brought in to investigate the case with its findings reported in February.

It found that Goldhill had broke several university policies including the code of behaviour for 'sexual misconduct by making unwelcome and unpermitted sexual advances in the form of an embrace, touching and kisses without reasonably believing that [the student] had consented to this behaviour'.

He continued with teaching for a number of months after the investigation started before he stepped down in October 2025.

Although he is due to retire this September, he could still be in line to receive the honorary position of emeritus professor.

And the student was told that while Goldhill was on 'amended duties' - a term for temporary changes to an employee's job responsibilities - she wasn't entitled to know any further details of the disciplinary process.

In words reported by The Times, the student said that that university's 'poor response' had 'significantly disrupted' her studies and in turn her finances.

She said: 'Receiving the complaint outcome letter from the university, which essentially said 'your complaint has been upheld, we will not tell you any consequences we may hand out, goodbye'.

'It felt like a punch in the gut after a harrowing, year-long process. It makes me feel like the university does not take the safety of their students, especially women, seriously'.

A Cambridge University spokesperson told the Mail: 'The University of Cambridge takes all complaints of sexual misconduct very seriously and any concerns raised by staff or students would be looked into in line with the relevant University policies and procedures, and action would be taken, where appropriate.

'These processes are by their nature confidential so we will not be commenting further.'
The heartbroken family of a promising Texas cheerleader is suing a popular energy drink company, claiming the seemingly healthy teen collapsed and died after consuming the beverage they allege was dangerously unsafe.

Energy drink distributor Alani Nu was named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed Wednesday by attorneys on behalf of the Rodriguez family, who lost their 17-year-old daughter, Larissa, in October.

Larissa was a decorated student at Weslaco High School, where she served as Student Council President, co-captained the Varsity Cheer Team, and planned to attend the University of Texas at Austin to pursue a career in law.

The filing cited by the San Antonio Express-News claims that Larissa's death was due to an enlarged heart caused by prolonged caffeine consumption from Alani beverages.

Lawyers noted that the cheerleader had no prior health issues, her family had no history of cardiac issues, and she did not use drugs or alcohol.

'She was healthy. She had a bright future,' an attorney said. 'And her life was cut short.'

The lawsuit said that Larissa purchased at least one Alani Nu Energy Drink from an H-E-B store shortly before her death, before suffering a fatal cardiac event.

Texas distributor Glazers Beer and Beverage were also named in the filing, which, the attorney claims, supplied the drink to H-E-B stores where Larissa purchased the beverage.

Alani Nu was named in a wrongful death lawsuit by attorneys on behalf of the Rodriguez family, who lost their 17-year-old daughter, Larissa. She can be seen holding an Alani energy drink

The lawsuit claims the teen died of an enlarged heart caused by prolonged caffeine consumption from Alani products

Lawyers claim that Alani Nu targeted young women while failing to provide adequate warnings they say might have prevented the teens death.

'We filed this lawsuit here in Idalgo County because this product we're claiming was designed, marketed, and had inadequate warnings about the serious cardiac risks that this product brings,' attorney Benny Agosto said on behalf of the late teen's family.

'You know, it's promoted as a better-for-you wellness beverage. And it's heavily advertising young consumers through social media.'

An Alani Nu energy drink contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, which exceeds the recommended daily limit for adolescents, according to the University of Michigan.

Additionally, the lawsuit claimed that the only warning is in small text on the back of the can.

'The only cautionary language on the can  "Not recommended for children under 18, those sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women"  is printed in small, inconspicuous text that is easily overlooked and wholly inadequate to warn consumers of the serious risks of cardiac injury and death,' noted the filing cited by KTLA5.

Attorneys said that she had no prior health conditions and did not have any history of substance abuse

Larissa was a decorated student at Weslaco High School, where she served as Student Council President, co-captained the Varsity Cheer Team, and planned to attend the University of Texas at Austin to pursue a career in law before she died in October

An Alani Nu energy drink contains milligrams of caffeine, which exceeds the recommended daily limit for adolescents, according to the University of Michigan

Lawyers believe that Larissa's death is just one of many cases caused by the energy drink.

'We've seen other people, we now start digging through experts and folks in the industry, that there are young people, primarily women, from their teenage years all the way into their early 30s, who are using and drinking and using this product, and they're getting sick,' Agosto said.

'It's heart problems. It's liver problems. It's kidney problems. It's headaches. It's all kinds of problems. And none of it is being warned.'

The Rodriguez family is seeking $1million in damages.

According to the Express-News, the case is expected to proceed while lawyers search for further evidence during the court process.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Alani Nu and Glazers Beer and Beverage for comment.
The wife of the New York man who was killed after being sucked into an MRI machine by his metal chain has filed a lawsuit against the radiology office that she claims took his life.

Adrienne Jones-McAllister, the widow of Keith McAllister, filed a lawsuit against Nassau Open MRI on Tuesday in state Supreme Court in Nassau County after her beloved husband died in the freak accident, the legal filing obtained by Newsday stated.

The couple went to the facility on July 16, 2025, so Adrienne, 61, could get imaging done on her knee.

Once it was complete, a technician left the room and 'summoned' Keith, also 61, to assist them with getting his wife off the table attached to the machine that was still on, the lawsuit stated.

As he did so, the large magnets and radio waves in the machine dragged Keith by the 20lb chain dangling from his neck, which he used for weight training, Adrienne said in an interview after his death.

Terror quickly unfolded, with the forceful imaging scanner grabbing Keith 'for almost an hour before they could release the chain from the machine,' according to a GoFundMe page his family created at the time.

When he was finally freed, Keith was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition after suffering multiple heart attacks from the horrid ordeal. He died on July 17 from his injuries.

Adrienne, who watched in horror as the medical machine took her husband's life, said she 'witnessed and was totally aware through all of her senses of the injuries and suffering and eventual death of her husband,' the lawsuit said.

Adrienne Jones-McAllister, the widow of Keith McAllister, filed a lawsuit against Nassau Open MRI on Tuesday after he was killed from being dragged into the machine by his 20lb chain last year

The couple went to the facility (pictured) on July 16, 2025, so Adrienne, 61, could get imaging done on her knee

She previously blamed the technician for not instructing her husband to remove his chain, something all MRI specialists must do to prevent the powerful magnetic force from injuring someone.

'That was not the first time that guy has seen that chain. They had a conversation about it before,' Adrienne tearfully told News 12 Long Island at the time.

'I saw him walk toward the table and then the machine just snatched him. He went limp in my arms - and this is still pulsating in my brain,' she said of her husband.

The lawsuit, filed by Adrienne's lawyers Andrew Finkelstein of Jacoby & Meyers and the Crump Law Office, named Nassau Open MRI P.C., East Coast Radiology P.C., Sun Enterprises, and GM Partners Westbury LLC, it listed.

East Coast Radiology P.C. is contracted with the facility to use its MRI machine, Sun Enterprises is an LLC that leased the facility, and GM Partners Westbury LLC owned the property, Newsday reported.

MRI machines generate strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed internal images of the human body.

The magnetic pull of MRIs is so strong that it is capable of flinging a wheelchair across the room, according to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.

When he was finally freed, Keith was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition after suffering multiple heart attacks from the horrid ordeal. He died on July 17 from his injuries

MRI machines generate strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed internal images of the human body. If metal is worn in or around the machine, it can cause serious injury or death. (Pictured: File image)

The machine can also heat metal objects very fast, potentially causing severe burns to the skin.

When undergoing an MRI procedure, patients are generally asked to remove all jewelry and piercings to remain safe.

People with certain medical implants are unable to go into an MRI machine at all. This generally includes people with cochlear implants, blood vessel stents, cardiac defibrillators, and pacemakers.

When contacted by the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for Nassau Open MRI said: 'No comment.'

The Daily Mail also reached out to Adrienne's lawyers for comment.
When the Israelis and Americans recently attacked Iran, the Iranians asked Russia to fulfill its obligations of their mutual assistance in the event of a threat to sovereignty agreement. Russia did not respond. Then Iran asked Russia to activate its S-400 air defense and electronic warfare systems in Syria to disrupt Israeli air force attacks against Iran. Again, the Russians refused and shut down their S-400 and electronic warfare systems in Syria. Iran had supplied Russia with over four billion dollars worth of drones, missiles, ammunition and technology to build Shaheed drones. Yet Russia provided Iran with no assistance during the June 2025 Israeli American air strikes but did provide Iran with lots of the Russian version of Shaheed drones, intelligence information and other aid during the current US/Israeli war against Iran. Russia was defending itself by refusing to be drawn into a war that had nothing to do with Russia. Ukraine had a lot more to do with Russia and that war had destroyed the Russian ground forces and consumed over a half a trillion dollars in Russian cash. This money was desperately needed to rebuild the Russian economy and that process could not begin until the Ukraine war was over.

Russia cannot claim that all its current misfortunes were a surprise. These were self-inflicted wounds. The Russian operation to take the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine had a devastating effect on the other countries that, until 1991, were part of the ancient Russian Empire. The Crimean operation was the second such land grab Russia has undertaken in the last few years. The first was against tiny Georgia in 2008. Then it was Ukraine in 2022. Many of these former Russian subjects feel that the Russians are trying to get their empire back. Ask many Russians that question and most agree that it would be a nice thing. Some Russians are more outspoken and bluntly call for the empire to be reassembled no matter what.

In reaction to this, the fourteen nations that were part of the Soviet Union until 1991, as well as many East European states that were subject to Russian control from the end of World War II to 1989, have become very nervous. Poland is particularly agitated because large parts of Poland were part of the empire for most of the 18th and 19th centuries. Same deal with Finland, which broke away after World War I and had to fight off a Russian invasion in 1940 and many threats since then to stay independent. That makes the forlorn fourteen the scared sixteen. All of these nations have noted what happened to Georgia and Ukraine with great trepidation and are responding in expected and unexpected ways.

The fourteen former Russian imperial possessions that regained their independence are the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, separate countries Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, and the five Stans of Central Asia; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Poland, the Baltic States and Finland escaped from the empire after World War I but only Finland managed to stay free through World War II. The Baltic States were retaken during World War II and Poland remained nominally independent but was occupied by Russian troops and took orders from Russia until 1989.

Poland and the Baltic States joined NATO after the Cold War ended and are hoping that the mutual defense terms of the NATO alliance will dissuade Russia. Nevertheless, all four, plus Finland, have increased their military readiness this year and are seeking assurances from the West that they will have help against Russia. Poland increased its defense spending to the highest percentage of GDP (5 percent) in all of NATO, including the United States.

Many Finns called for Finland to join NATO, but a large minority opposed this because of the fear it would anger the Russians. There was a similar division in Sweden. Both Sweden and Finland did join NATO as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Stans of Central Asia have another option, China. The Stans have been very receptive to Chinese diplomatic and economic cooperation. This bothers Russia, but not to the extent that threats are being made, as was the case with the former imperial provinces to the west. The Stans also have a problem with never having been democracies. When the Russians conquered them in the 19th century, the local governments were monarchies or tribes. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, former Soviet officials held elections and manipulated the vote to get themselves elected president for life. But many people in the Stans wanted clean government and democracy, as well as continued independence from Russia. China is no help with that because the Chinese prefer dictators.

In the Caucasus Georgia still seeks closer ties with the West. Armenia, because of disputes with Azerbaijan and long-term fear of Turkey, remains a close ally of Russia. Azerbaijan maintains good relations with Russia mainly because Iran claims Azerbaijan as a lost province stolen by Russia in the 19th century.

Russia is quite open about wanting to rebuild the old Tsarist Empire that the communists managed to lose in 1991 when the Soviet Union came apart and half the population of that empire went off and formed 14 new countries or reconstituted old ones the Russians had conquered. Russia is proposing things like customs unions, military cooperation and rebuilding the old Soviet air defense system that used to defend everyone in the empire. Theres been some progress, but many nations want nothing to do with Russia.

Meanwhile Russia has to face the fact that when the Soviet Union broke up, half the population willingly went to the 14 new countries and most of those people were quite enthusiastic about ending the Soviet Union. Thus if you asked all citizens of the former Soviet Union what they thought of the breakup, you would find about 70 percent with no regrets. Thats because the Soviet Union was basically the Russian Empire cobbled together by the old czarist monarchy over more than two centuries of conquest and expansion. Thus in the Soviet Union half the population felt like conquered people, not part of any union. The Soviet Union dissolved quickly in 1990-91 because over half the population really wanted it to happen and had wanted it for a long time. Moreover many ethnic Russians were tired of supporting a lot of the less affluent conquered people and were fed up with the economic failures of communism. The former Soviet Union citizens who regret the breakup tend to be older people who were disillusioned at how corruption and bad leadership made post-Soviet life less wonderful than was expected. The younger people are more realistic, never having lived as adults in the Soviet Union and intimately familiar with the fact that freedom isnt free and democracy is hard. For younger Russians there are more economic opportunities than under communism.

While Russia lost half its population when the Soviet Union broke up, it hung on to most of the valuable natural resources like oil and natural gas. While the post-Soviet government was initially reluctant to increase state supplied pensions, which were low during the Soviet period because there was little to spend it on and the state supplied housing and some health care, the pensions did eventually go up. But not as much as the economy grew and the working Russians were obviously doing better than the pensioners who had grown up under communism. In Soviet times that meant there was little economic opportunity and most everyone was equally poor. The old-timers never got used to the changes and most would prefer the communists to come back. That wont happen and, as the generations that grew up under communism die off, so will any desire to return to the bad but familiar old days. Nevertheless, enough Russians favor rebuilding the empire to make the idea a popular talking point among major politicians and that may continue for decades.
A Michigan mother who vanished overboard while sailing in the Bahamas with her husband made a haunting joke about her marriage days before she disappeared.

Lynette Hooker, 55, plunged into the Abaco Islands' water while traveling with partner Brian Hooker, 59, on Saturday.

The couple had been living on their sailboat Soulmate for the past four years and were vlogging their voyage from Texas to Michigan on social media.

In a short video posted to their YouTube channel on April 3, Lynette poked fun at suggestions that the couple may grow irritated with one another after spending so much time together.

'Don't you two ever get sick of each other?' an overlay text on the meme-like clip asked.

Beneath the question was text reading 'me and my husband,' accompanied by two people dancing to the 90s dance hit Be My Lover by La Bouche.

The couple's well-curated social media profiles depicted two seemingly happy and in-love partners traveling the world together.

But Brian has since been arrested in connection to Lynette's disappearance, with his stepdaughter Karli Aylesworth alleging there was violence in the couple's marriage.

Lynette Hooker, 55, went missing in the Bahamas after falling overboard during a boat ride with her husband on Saturday

Lynette Hooker was said to have fallen from a dinghy as she and her husband Brian were making their way back to their sailboat, Soulmate

Brian 'categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing' and is cooperating with authorities, his lawyer said in a statement.

He was detained on the Abaco Islands on Wednesday, five days after he returned from a sailing expedition without Lynette and claimed she fell overboard.

The Royal Bahamas Police said Brian was questioned 'on probable cause' and was taken into custody as a suspect in connection with his wife's disappearance. He has not been formally charged.

Officials said the couple were experienced sailors who had been traveling together for more than a decade, often documenting their life at sea on social media.

On Saturday evening, they took out an eight-foot motorboat from Hope Town in the Bahamas, but only Brian returned.

He told authorities that his wife fell overboard with the boat keys as they were returning to their yacht 'Soulmate', causing the engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle to the shore.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, Brian said he is 'heartbroken' by his wife's disappearance, describing the incident as a 'boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds.'

'Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart,' Brian said. 'We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus.'

In a short video posted to their YouTube channel on April 3, Lynette poked fun at suggestions that the couple may grow irritated with one another after spending so much time together

Brian Hooker said he last saw his wife fell overboard in strong currents and he 'lost sight of her'

Brian Hooker was arrested in the Bahamas on Wednesday in connection to Lynette's disappearance. He 'categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing'

His attorney Terrel Butler said Brian 'categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing' in his wife's disappearance, saying he 'has been cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of an ongoing investigation.'

Lynette's distraught daughter Karli Aylesworth has called for a full investigation into the tragedy after she said her parents went through 'prior issues' before her mother's disappearance.

Aylesworth told NBC News that it is unlikely her mother would 'just fall' off the boat, saying she was an experienced sailor.

The couple had been sailing for years and documented their voyages on social media under the moniker, The Sailing Hookers.

Aylesworth claimed that Lynette and Brian's relationship was volatile and that they have a 'history of not getting along, especially when they drink.'

In a separate interview with Fox News, she detailed an alleged history of domestic violence in her mother and stepfather's relationship.

'There is a history of him choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard. So, the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there's more to the story,' she told the outlet.

'There has also been a history of domestic violence in that relationship, so I do believe something might have happened to her.'

Lynette was an experienced sailor and her daughter claimed it is unlikely she would 'just fall' off the boat

Lynette's daughter Karli Aylesworth called for a full investigation into the events leading up to her mothers fatal fall and says her stepfather didn't tell her of the tragedy for 24 hours

Aylesworth, now 28, pictured on mother's lap in undated photo

Aylesworth also told WXYZ-TV she doubted her mother survived and was able to tread water that long, but hoped to find her to get closure.

Butler's statement said that Brian's denial of wrongdoing includes in particular 'the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth.'

A source close to the family told the Daily Mail that Brian only called his stepdaughter a full day after Lynette went missing.

So more than 24 hours later. We dont know why. We don't know if he was busy looking,' said the source. 'We just dont know.

Karli has not really been back in contact since because she finds the circumstances a little suspicious.

'They were a couple literally living on the bigger boat for four years and it would be hard for them to misjudge the chop if it was bad. They would have said, "hey, maybe we shouldnt do this."'

On the hint referring to her prior issues comment, the source said: Ive tried to tell her all relationships have disagreements. Her mom did tell her some stuff, but she doesnt want to reveal anything more.

Karli was down in the Bahamas with them both at the end of February, beginning of March and she was actually on the boat at a slightly different place.

After Brian's arrest on Wednesday, Lynette's mother Darlene Hamlett said she was 'glad to hear' that he had been detained.

She declined further comment, saying she was seeking more information.

Lynette and Brian had been married for more than two decades and lived in Onsted, Michigan

Earlier Wednesday, Hamlett said she wanted to hear more from her son-in-law about how Lynette vanished.

'I'm going to be interested in what he says, because I haven't heard from him in almost two days,' Hamlett said.

'Our family grew up on water and so Lynette her whole life has been near lakes, on boats, sailing and swimming.

'It would be a miracle if [she's rescued], but I'm still counting on one,' Hamlett added.

Lynette and Brian had been married for more than two decades and lived in Onsted, Michigan.

Brian finally broke his silence in a Wednesday morning Facebook post, writing that he is 'heartbroken' over Lynette's disappearance.

'I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas,' he wrote.

'Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus.'
The mother of a girl who was groomed through the gaming platform Roblox has warned parents to keep an eye on childrens online activity, as her daughters abuser was jailed for 28 months.

Calculating Carlo Tritta, 19, started talking to the girl, who is now 14, in September 2024, and later moved their conversation to other messaging services.

He built her trust until she felt they were in a relationship, before encouraging her to send sexually explicit messages.

The girls mother discovered the abuse on her daughters phone last August, having noticed that she was depressed.

Tritta, from Eastleigh, Hampshire, then sent the schoolgirl an old phone in an attempt to stop their conversations being seen.

After a year of grooming, her mother reported him to the police, and he was arrested and interviewed.

Carlo Tritta built his victim's trust on Roblox until she felt they were in a relationship, before encouraging her to send sexually explicit messages

The child abuser was arrested while he was at work, on suspicion of grooming a teenager

However, Tritta breached his bail conditions, travelling 200 miles to the girl's home in Manchester and walking in through the back door, in a bid to get her to drop the case.

He also sent her a series of Moonpig cards, with one printed message reading: I know your mum saw the last one but you need to seriously think about this.

If this goes to court, this will likely end up on the news, that's both of our names ran through dirt for the whole world to see. He signed off the letter, I love you, C x.

In December, Tritta was arrested for perverting the course of justice and given a suspended sentence. But just three days later he returned to her home again - this time damaging a video camera.

Today, he was jailed and put on the sex offenders register for ten years, after pleading guilty to sexual communication with a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and making indecent images. He also admitted two counts of witness intimidation and criminal damage.

In a victim impact statement, the girl said she felt trapped and upset and was scared of going downstairs at night in case Tritta was there.

Even after an investigation was launched, Tritta continued to send his victim Moonpig cards with threatening messages

Her mother told the court they were constantly on edge at their home and had considered moving.

Roblox - which the girl had used since she was seven - is the most frequently played game in the UK for eight to 12 year olds.

I just never thought anything of [it], her mother told ITV News. Some parents think their child's playing it with their friends.

But what you need to realise is there are also people who are a lot older, who are on that game for one reason, and it's to groom.

If you asked me months ago, would I think something like this would happen? No, not to my child.'

A spokesman for the game said: 'We are deeply saddened to hear of this troubling case. Criminal behaviour has no place on Roblox.

'Since January, Roblox has required all users to go through age checks in order to communicate on our platform, with the system designed to limit communications to people of similar ages and those they already know.'
The Scottish Green co-leader today acknowledged some offenders must go to prison - despite standing by one of his MSP candidates who wants all jails to be abolished.

Ahead of Scottish Parliament elections on 7 May, Ross Greer said all Green MSPs would be elected on the basis of their manifesto.

This includes 'a need to imprison those who have committed such horrendous, such violent offences, that they are a risk to the rest of the community', he added.

It follows a row over the views of Kate Nevens, the Green candidate for the Edinburgh and Lothians East list seat.

Arguing that it fails to rehabilitate offenders, she describes herself as a prison 'abolitionist' who wanted to 'see the complete abolition' of the prison system.

The charity worker is also ranked second on the Greens regional list for the Edinburgh and Lothians East regional list.

The Scottish Conservatives have condemned Ms Nevens' views and said the Greens should disown her as a candidate.

But, during a visit in Renfrew on Thursday, Mr Greer praised Ms Nevens as 'one of the top candidates that we're running in this election'.

Kate Nevens, the Green candidate for the Edinburgh and Lothians East list seat, describes herself as a prison 'abolitionist' who wants to 'see the complete abolition' of the prison system

Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer praised Ms Nevens as 'one of the top candidates that we're running in this election'

'She brings a wealth of experience from conflict zones around the world, where she's worked with women in particular to help them rebuild their lives and rebuild their communities,' the Scottish Green co-leader added.

'That's the kind of experience we should want in the Scottish Parliament.'

Pressed on whether Ms Nevens, if she became an MSP, would be whipped to vote with the party line, Mr Greer said: 'Every Green MSP that we elect will be elected on the basis of our manifesto.

'That manifesto is focused on reducing crime and making communities safer through more use of these community sentences for non-violent offenders in particular.

'Clearly, there will be a need to imprison those who have committed such horrendous, such violent offences, that they are a risk to the rest of the community.'

He added: 'The Scottish Greens' position is about making our communities as safe as possible.

'Sadly, there will always be a small number of violent individuals who have committed such horrendous offences that they clearly need to be kept in prison.

'We can also acknowledge that the prison system is not working for huge numbers of particularly non-violent offenders, they come out of prison more likely to commit another crime.'
A Tajikistan national has been found guilty of the attempted rape and sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl after he tried to chat to her on a train using a translator app.

Abdulmanon Aliev, 50, approached the child on the train from Southend, Essex, to London on June 16 last year, jurors heard.

During the journey, Aliev sat opposite the girl and attempted to use a translator app on his phone to speak to her.

She moved away from him to sit elsewhere, but he followed and sat next to her in an aisle seat, blocking her in by the window.

Aliev then forced himself upon the victim and subjected her to a prolonged sexual assault until the service arrived at London Fenchurch Street station, where she was able to get away from him.

The child boarded another train heading back out of London, leaving Aliev behind at the station.

She reported the assault to members of the public, who encountered her in a distressed state, before the police were informed shortly after.

Aliev, who now lives in south London, appeared at Inner London Crown Court this week for his trial.

Police footage shows the moment plain clothes officers arrest Abdulmanon Aliev (right) after spotting him in Peckham, South London

Aliev, 50, has been found guilty of the attempted rape and sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl

The jury today found him guilty of two counts of assault by penetration, three counts of sexual assault and attempted rape.

The verdict follows an investigation led by British Transport Police (BTP) detectives from its Major, Serious and Organised Crime (MSOC) team.

The manhunt to find Aliev ended on June 27, when plain clothes officers spotted him in Peckham, South London, and he was arrested.

Police footage shows the moment he is detained by police on the busy street.

His home was searched, and officers seized the clothes he was wearing the day the offences took place. Charges were authorised the following day.

The victim and her family have been supported by specialist officers throughout the investigation.

BTP Detective Constable Elizabeth Cahill said: 'Aliev singled out a vulnerable child and subjected her to one of the most abhorrent sexual assaults I've ever investigated.

'While the focus of attention will rightly be on him as the despicable sexual predator that he is, I want to pay tribute to the brave victim who reported him to police.

'This verdict would not have been possible without her account of what happened and her willingness to support our investigation.

'We take every sexual offence report extremely seriously, and we'll stop at nothing to put offenders like Aliev before the courts.'

Aliev will be sentenced on June 17.
Jail terms potentially await husbands who tell their wives how to vote on May 7, the elections watchdog has warned.

The Electoral Commission spoke out about the 'serious crime' ahead of the local elections following reports of coercion in the recent Gorton and Denton by-election.

Director of communications Niki Nixon, said: 'No matter how you vote, your vote is yours alone.

'Your right to vote independently, privately, and free from undue pressure is protected in law.

'Anyone who tried to induce or compel someone to vote in a particular way, or not to vote at all, is committing a serious crime that can result in a prison sentence.'

Reported cases were low but 'we must not be complacent', she added.

The warning follows the Green Party's win in former Labour stronghold Gorton and Denton on February 26, narrowly beating Reform.

Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer with party leader Zack Polanski after winning the Gorton and Denton by-election, that was hit by claims of illegal 'family voting'

Election observer group Democracy Volunteers, which is accredited by the Electoral Commission, reported 'concerningly high levels' of the illegal practice of family voting.

This is where two people use one polling booth and potentially direct each other on who to support.

Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation but shelved it last month saying it had found no evidence of 'intent to influence or deter any person from casting a ballot'.

The decision prompted Nigel Farage, who had warned about the 'integrity of the democratic process in predominantly Muslim areas, to brand it an 'establishment whitewash'.

The Reform UK leader claimed the illegal interventions had robbed his party of victory.

He said at the time: 'This isn't good enough. We need proper oversight, real accountability and the courage to admit when something isn't right  not another brushed-under-the-carpet report from the usual suspects.'

This year's local elections will take place in 134 local authorities across England  with Labour expected to face a drubbing.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed his party was robbed of victory and branded Greater Manchester Police's decision that

The Conservatives are also under pressure, while the Greens are predicted to gain hundreds of wards and Reform are in line to gain more than 2,000.

Mark Hallas, the chief executive of Crimestoppers, said trust in the electoral process also affected how the UK is perceived abroad.

'Our country has a history of holding elections that are internationally trusted and seen to be fair. This is a tradition we can all play a part in protecting,' he said.

'It's vital that anyone with suspicions of voter fraud speaks up, either to the police or completely anonymously to Crimestoppers.'

Voters will be allowed to cast their ballots at shopping centres rather than polling stations under Labour's latest relaxation of electoral law.

In a pilot project to take place at May's council elections, residents of Milton Keynes will be able to vote at the city's 'centre:mk' mall.

The Government said the concept of a 'voting hub' could be copied eventually 'across the country in future elections along high streets and in town centres'.
Another village has fallen victim to the traveller 'land grab', as Surrey locals watched more than a dozen caravans move in over the Easter weekend.

'All hell' descended on the sleepy home county village of Alford last Thursday, when travellers transformed a rural field into a 17 plot 'gated community'.

It comes as travellers also made 'land grabs' in Sunbridge, Kent, and Flamstead village, Hertfordshire, over the Easter bank holiday weekend, when, it is understood, they thought would mean council officials would be slow to react.

Residents in Surrey reported thinking it was strange when they saw people they didn't recognise measuring the widths of the road on Wednesday, April 1.

But just a day later it became clear as to why - when 30 to 40 grab lorries containing pipes, wood, aggregate, and steel arrived to create an entire community on the land.

Working day and night over the Easter weekend, 21 caravans and five static homes have been brought to the site.

Police were called, but locals said they were told it was a matter for the council. Residents said they are now fearful for their safety.

Father-of-two Peter Foy, 52, lives a five minute walk away from the site. He said construction work had been taking place until the early hours of each morning - with lights from the site visible across the sleepy village at night.

Pictured: the site of a 17-plot community in Alford, Surrey, where travellers descended last weekend

A total of 21 caravans and five static homes were brought to the site, which was constructed quickly over the bank holiday weekend

Local Peter Foy lives five minutes away from the site and said 'all hell descended upon us'

Mr Foy said: 'At roughly 4pm on Thursday afternoon, all hell descended upon us.

'They've erected a huge fence around it - they've made a gated community, with great big steel doors on it.

'There was caravan after caravan after caravan and huge lorries with the static mobile homes on as well.

'They've now concreted over God knows what from late Thursday. If the council could do the potholes in as much time, we'd be loving it.

He added: 'It's impressive, but it's horrendous at the same time. Everyone is incredibly angry.

'They're feeling betrayed and let down by Waverley Borough Council.'

The local council has issued two 'stop notices' to try to force work to cease under the Town and Country Planning Act - but it has continued.

Local councillor Jane Austin said residents had been left 'visibly shaken' by the new site.

She said: 'It's just disbelief actually that it's happening. Separate from other sites of this nature, this is actually right on the edge of other people's doorsteps, it's right in the centre of the village.

'The impact on daily life in the village is significant.'

Councillor Austin, who leads the Conservatives on local Waverley District Council, called the construction an example of a deliberate planning law breach.

The operation began on Thursday, April 2, but residents saw strangers measuring up the road the day before they moved vehicles in

The local council has issued two 'stop notices' to try to force work to cease under the Town and Country Planning Act - but it has continued

Local councillor Jane Austin said residents had been left 'visibly shaken' by the new site

She added: 'What we're seeing here is not transient community - this is people who are buying up rural land and, on purpose, choosing to breach planning law.

'I think this is the thing that is so difficult for people. What about prioritising the people who are following the law and who are applying for planning permission?

'It feels like we're developing a two-tier system here, that's the thing that's really hard.'

Despite it all, local Peter Foy said the new site had brought the local community together.

A crowdfunder to raise money for a potential legal fight, and to help nearby neighbours buy extra locks and CCTV cameras, has already raised more than 5,000.

Mr Foy said: 'All of a sudden, everybody knows everybody's name. It's weird - there's a whole community cohesion.

'It's done what we're trying to do - which is keep everyone together and stop people feeling isolated.'

Surrey Police said: 'We are aware of a large number of vehicles and people on a site on Loxwood Road in Alford.

'We have visited the area along with Waverley Borough Council to engage with those at the site, as well as local residents.

Thirty to 40 grab lorries containing pipes, wood, aggregate, and steel arrived to create an entire community on the land

Construction took place day and night to transform the rural field into an entire community

Police were called, but locals said they were told it was a matter for the council

'No criminal offences have been identified by police.

'The development of the site is a planning permission issue, which is being led by Waverley Borough Council.'

Local MP Sir Jeremy Hunt said: 'Families who chose to live in Alfold for its tranquillity are having to watch in disbelief as a once-beautiful field is built over, in open defiance of planning law and two stop notices served by the council over the weekend.

'The strength of feeling locally is immense - people are deeply distressed, angry and feel powerless.

'Residents rightly expect the law to be upheld, and there is a very strong sense that urgent and decisive action is now needed.

'But this is just the most recent in a series of cases which indicate planning law as it stands is failing us.

'I will be raising this urgently with the Housing Minister, because communities such as Alfold deserve a planning system that works for law-abiding residents, not against them.'

Waverley Borough Council told Surrey Live: 'Council officers visited the site on Thursday evening and again on Friday. We are aware that further works were carried out over the weekend.

Traveller families also made 'land grabs' in Kent and Flamstead village, Hertfordshire (pictured) where they concreted over a beauty spot

Villagers in Flamstead were left furious after the group barged their way onto a field near Friendless Lane (pictured over the weekend)

A caravan on the site in Hertfordshire after more mobile homes appeared on the green space. The travellers launched their land grab over the Bank Holiday weekend in the hope that council bosses would be slow to react, it is understood

'Stop Notices were served on Thursday and again on Friday; however, these appear not to have been complied with.

'The Council is pursuing all appropriate legal options to secure the reversal of any unauthorised development, and to prevent any further planning breaches.'

The battle Surrey locals now face is the same in Kent and Hertfordshire, where 'land grabs' by travellers also took place over the Easter weekend.

Residents in Sunbridge, a rural stockbroker belt in Kent, accused police of 'aiding and abetting' a group of travellers after they turned up, paved over a field and blocked a country road until 4am on Easter weekend.

The family descended on Sundridge under the cover of darkness on Friday, using diggers and machinery to convert the green space into a hardstand caravan site.

But their plans came to a temporary halt on Sunday when a three-bedroom static caravan loaded onto a lorry became wedged in a major country lane in the village, infuriating locals who couldn't get past.

Fuming residents called the police and went out onto the road in an attempt to block any vehicles getting access to the field - leading to one local being arrested.

Meanwhile, in a beauty spot in Flamstead village, Hertfordshire, furious residents had their village 'invaded' by traveller families setting up camp by tearing up the land with bulldozers and diggers.

The first batch of caravans followed suit a few days later on Easter Sunday morning, as council officials were off for the bank holiday weekend.

The group laid down huge squares of concrete on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), surrounded by rolling fields and woodland.

The travellers launched their land grab over the Bank Holiday weekend in the hope that council bosses would be slow to react, it is understood.
NATO chief Mark Rutte has said that member nations are doing 'everything' US President Donald Trump has requested.

He admitted some in the alliance had initially been 'a bit slow' to answer America's calls for help in its war with Iran, but that it was now providing a 'massive amount of support'.

Speaking in Washington on Thursday, Rutte said: 'When it came time to provide the logistical and other support the United States needed in Iran, some allies were a bit slow, to say the least. In fairness, they were also a bit surprised.

'To maintain the element of surprise for the initial strikes, President Trump opted not to inform allies ahead of time,' he added.

'But what I see, when I look across Europe today, is allies providing a massive amount of support,' he added.

'Nearly without exception, allies are doing everything the United States is asking. They have heard and are responding to President Trump's requests.'

When the Secretary General was asked if he 'still considers [Trump] daddy', a nod to an infamous episode at the NATO summit in June 2025 when he used the word to refer to the President, he explained it had been a Dutch phrase that suffered in translation.

Rutte said: 'This is a language problem. The translation of "your father" is "daddy", and I said, "sometimes, daddy has to be angry."'

He insisted he had never meant Trump was 'my daddy', and laughed off the saga as being 'so funny'.

NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Thursday that member countries are doing everything US President Donald Trump had requested to strengthen the military alliance

Rutte said he understands Trump's disappointment with NATO and that he held 'frank' and 'candid' discussions with the US President.

Asked for a summary of his discussions with Trump, the NATO chief said: 'As they would say in diplomatic circles these conversations were frank and open... candid.

'But that's good. The president, myself, we like each other, we've been good friends for many years now and I'd rather have the conversation on the table.

'I sensed his disappointment about the fact that he felt that too many allies were not with him.'

Rutte's comments came after meeting Trump on Wednesday. He has briefed some capitals that Trump wants concrete commitments within the next few days for help securing the Strait of Hormuz, according to diplomats.

Trump had earlier today issued an ultimatum to NATO, calling for a concrete commitment to send warships or other military capabilities to the Middle East.

The defence bloc risks losing American support for good if it does not meet Trump's demands.

Trump reportedly told Rutte that he can no longer support the statements of support from his NATO allies, instead requiring material action to be taken.

Writing on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said: 'None of these people, including our own, very disappointing, NATO, understood anything unless they have pressure placed upon them!!!'

During his speech, Rutte heaped praise on Trump as he admitted Europe must step up its spending on the alliance.

He said: 'We must applaud Trump for his bold leadership and vision'.

Rutte described a 'mindset shift' in Europe which he claimed was evidenced by the UK leading a coalition of countries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He also admitted it is a 'period of profound change in the trans-atlantic alliance... from that there will be no going back and nor should there be.'

The chief promised NATO will not be 'unhealthily reliant' on the US, promising America will have allies that are 'capable and ready, willing and able to defend' NATO's security.

Rutte said it will build a 'stronger NATO' with members moving quickly to secure the budget and strengthen their armed forces.

'Even with this progress, it is clear we will need more,' he added.

Trump's greatest disappointment comes after having repeatedly and unsuccessfully demanded that allies send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz

Join the discussion Is Trump right to pressure NATO for stronger action?

Rutte's promise comes after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday took a swipe at America's European allies for their refusal to assist it in its fight against Iran.

Hegseth was speaking at a Pentagon press briefing following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran.

In his speech on Wednesday, Hegseth lauded Israel as a 'brave, willing and capable ally' to the US, adding that other 'so-called allies saw what real capability looks like - they should take some notes.'

Meanwhile Trump, who had recently suggested the US could leave the alliance, expressed anger toward the bloc in a scathing social media post Wednesday night.

'NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,' Trump wrote in an all-caps post. 'REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!'

Trump was referring to his potential ploy to annex Greenland, which is under Danish control. Rutte was among the NATO leaders who lobbied Trump not to take over Greenland.

As a result of his frustration with the alliance, administration officials told The Wall Street Journal that Trump may move troops stationed in NATO countries that refused to help him wage a military campaign against Iran.

Trump is reportedly mulling over several different plans, but the military scheme has gained the most backing from senior White House officials.

Canada, the Czech Republic, Albania, North Macedonia, Lithuania, and Latvia are among the NATO members who have publicly backed the strikes on Iran.

The United Kingdom, Portugal and Germany have allowed the US to use military bases, but some NATO members have been neutral.

Trump was also angered as NATO allies Spain and France forbade or restricted the use of their airspace or joint military facilities for the US.

Trump's greatest disappointment comes after having repeatedly and unsuccessfully demanded that allies send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

France, Spain and other nations, however, agreed to help with an international coalition to open the Strait of Hormuz when the conflict ends.

His disdain for the alliance has been brewing, especially after Germany, France, the UK, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Finland all moved troops to Greenland in a show of unity amid Trump's attempts to acquire the territory.

The Washington Post noted that Rutte appeared to have talked Trump out of any plan to end the US's involvement with NATO during their meeting today.
A Metropolitan Police officer who violently abused and lied to a string of women while taking their money to feed his gambling addiction has been found guilty of fraud and coercive control.

Lewis Rollins, 28, who was a police constable in the Met's Central West Command, used ladies he met on dating apps to fund his out-of-control betting habit.

Southwark Crown Court heard Rollins was dating two women simultaneously and taking money from them both. He then struck up a relationship with a third woman and convinced her to take out a 4,000 loan to help with his spiralling debts.

Rollins was found guilty by a jury on Thursday of two counts of coercive or controlling behaviour and three charges of fraud.

The policeman, from Fareham, Hampshire, had earlier pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.

Dr Georgia Miller, who met Rollins on dating app Bumble in April 2022, told the court of his 'bursts of anger', name-calling, acts of violence and controlling jealousy.

She accused Rollins, who also monitored her phone, of 'losing it' and attacking her in a Birmingham hotel room in July 2022 when he thought she had been texting an ex-boyfriend.

Dr Miller described being thrown out of bed by the 28-year-old and then 'slammed' against a wall.

Lewis Rollins, 28, who was a police constable in the Met's Central West Command, used women he met on dating apps to fund his out-of-control betting habit (He is pictured outside Southwark Crown Court)

She said: 'He pushed me against the wall... he had me by the throat, but like with one hand so I could still breathe.

'I don't think he was trying to kill me, he was just trying to scare me.'

Dr Miller said that she lent Rollins 'so much money' that she was struggling to make ends meet just as she was graduating and starting work as a doctor.

Financial transactions seen by the jury showed Dr Miller sent Rollins 1,000 for a bet on one occasion when he had 'insisted' that it would pay off, and sent him over 1,000 on another occasion to pay his rent.

Dr Miller said she felt 'trapped' in the relationship as she tried to help with his debts, and even helped him to apply for a loan from the Met Police.

Earlier in the trial, prosecutor Rekha Kodikara told jurors that Rollins was controlling in the relationship with Dr Miller by repeatedly threatening to kill himself, creating an 'emotional burden' on her.

When Rollins started dating her he was already seeing another woman, Alisha Steeds, who he met in February 2022. She later gave the police officer 1,500 to cover his rent, the court heard.

Rollins insisted that he had been brought up to believe that 'if you owe someone money you pay them back', but the court heard that Dr Miller had given him money to pay Ms Steeds which he instead gambled away.

Trainee solicitor Emily Busby, who met Rollins on a dating app in 2023, described how she lent him money out of sympathy.

She gave Rollins 800 to pay the deposit on his accommodation after he 'gambled away' money he had been given by his parents, jurors were told.

Ms Busby said: 'I think I could sense his urgency and I was hesitant to give it to him as you can see because it was a large amount of money but he kept pushing and pushing.

'I think the way he was messaging was in a way to make me feel bad for him, like I was the only one who could help him and there was no one else.'

She added that Rollins threatened to take his own life 'a lot' which was 'one of the reasons' she was so worried about him.

In December 2023, she took out a 4,000 loan, giving 2,500 of the money to the constable while using the rest to pay off her own debts.

When giving evidence, Rollins insisted to the jury: 'If you owe someone money you pay them back - you don't buy things, you don't go on holiday, you don't do things until you pay people what you owe.

'That's how I have been brought up.'

The jury failed to reach a verdict on a sixth charge, of damaging property, after Dr Miller accused him of breaking a necklace during an altercation on a night out.
An American DJ being investigated in Australia over using allegedly antisemitic language at an art festival is set to perform in the UK this month despite Kanye West being banned from the country.

DJ Haram, whose real name is Zubeyda Muzeyyen, is lined up for gigs at Phonox in London and Supersonic Festival in May, sparking fury amid the fallout from the Wireless Festival controversy surrounding antisemitism allegations against West himself.

Muzeyyen sparked outrage after a speech at the Sydney Biennale art festival on March 13 during which she criticised civilian deaths in Gaza and dedicated her performance to pro-Palestinian activists.

She also said at the art event: 'It is our duty to oppose the vile Zio-Australian-Epstein empire.'

Her controversial monologue was reported to police on March 17 by the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies which urged for an investigation into her allegedly antisemitic comments.

The group's president, David Ossip, said the event's organisers had 'serious questions to answer' about how the festival had 'become a platform for such hate'.

In a statement he said: 'References to the Zio-Australian-Epstein empire are pure antisemitism.

DJ Haram, whose real name is Zubeyda Muzeyyen, is lined up to perform in the UK next month despite being investigated by police in Australia after using allegedly antisemitic language to talk about Gaza during a performance at an art festival in Sydney last month

It comes after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood banned controversial rapper Kanye West from entering Britain to perform at Wireless Festival in July on the grounds his presence would 'not be conducive to the public good'

He told the Jewish News: 'The fact that this dangerous rhetoric was propagated on the stage of an event which received significant NSW Government funding is scandalous.'

In a letter to police, signed by Ossip, the group alleged her remarks could be seen to incite hatred and advocate terrorism by declaring on stage 'long live the resistance' and 'glory to all our martyrs'.

The letter said 'the language of 'martyrdom' and 'resistance' is frequently used in propaganda and messaging associated with organisations that are listed as terrorist organisations under Australian law, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah'.

The group added: 'The term "Zio" is a derogatory term directed at Zionists in Australia and, in contemporary discourse, is commonly used as a pejorative reference to Jewish people who support the existence of Israel.'

It said Muzeyyen's speech 'appears to promote a conspiratorial narrative suggesting malign influence by Jewish Australians' through the reference to Epstein, 'a convicted child abuser'.

Alex Ryvchin, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said Muzeyyen's music came from 'a DJ no one has ever heard of' and that her set had been drowned out by her 'slogans'.

He said in a statement: 'What is surprising is that the Biennale is happy to platform such lame antics.

'It is no wonder donors, patrons and sponsors are deserting cultural institutions and the arts is now desperately underfunded.'

And Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia, Jillian Segal, said: 'No community should feel unwelcome or targeted at publicly funded cultural events.'

Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, also weighed into the debate, describing Muzeyyen's comments as 'horrid rhetoric' and 'distressing' in the wake of the Bondi beach attack in December.

But he ruled out cutting funding for the art festival after Jewish groups condemned the DJ's remarks. In 2024 the Sydney Biennale received nearly $3.2million from the government.

The Biennale said on Monday that it would be 'inappropriate to comment' on an internal investigation over the incident.

It comes after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood banned controversial rapper Kanye West - also known as Ye - from entering Britain to perform at the festival in July on the grounds his presence would 'not be conducive to the public good'.

He had been set to headline Wireless which has now cancelled this year's festival amid the backlash.

Calls had been growing for West to be removed from the line-up after a string of anti-Semitic outbursts, including releasing a song called Heil Hitler and posing in a swastika T-shirt.

Sir Keir Starmer insisted he 'should never have been invited to headline Wireless' and said he 'stands firmly with the Jewish community' against antisemitism.

The 48-year-old had applied for an Electronic Travel Authorisation but was denied entry to the UK.

As a result, organisers have cancelled the entire event, saying refunds would be issued to all ticketholders.

A spokesperson said previously: 'As with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking YE and no concerns were highlighted at the time.

'Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognise the real and personal impact these issues have had.

'As Ye said today, he acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the UK.'
During a high-stakes encounter hours after a closed-door meeting with Donald Trump in the White House, the Daily Mail cornered NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte with a blunt query.

The two leaders met after Trump ripped into NATO allies for doing 'nothing' to help secure the Strait of Hormuz amid his war on Iran - and has threatened to pull the US out of the alliance.

Rutte was asked by the Daily Mail whether he truly believes Trump will maintain America's commitment to NATO - and if he still views the President as 'Daddy'?

Rutte's affectionate nickname for Trump went viral after their joint appearance last June. But the question clearly caught the NATO chief off guard.

Rutte appeared visibly flustered and nervous, scrambling to find his words as he attempted to walk back the odd nickname.

While trying to project confidence about the alliance's future, his shaky explanation suggested the leader is still struggling to live down one of his most cringeworthy public moments.

Through laughter, the politician tried to explain what he meant by 'Daddy'  saying it was a 'language problem' on his end.

'It follows me a little bit, I can assure you,' Rutte explained further, saying it weighed on him. 'You make mistakes, and this is when you are not a native speaker  sorry for that.'

He continued: 'In Dutch, you would say  the translation of your father is daddy  and I said, 'sometimes Daddy has to be angry.'

He clarified: 'So I was not calling him my Daddy But of course, Daddy has all sorts of special connotations, and now I have to live with it for the rest of my life.'

Rutte laughed it off in the end, saying that he 'owns it' and that 'the President owns it.'

Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House back in October of last year. Addressing the 'daddy' nickname for Trump, he told the Daily Mail today: 'In Dutch , you would say  the translation of your father is daddy  and I said, 'sometimes daddy has to be angry'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte whisper and laugh as they meet at the Department of State yesterday ahead of his closed-door meeting with President Trump

'He brought out t-shirts, he made a movie, 'Daddy is home', when he returned to the United States. This is why I like him so much.'

Following their private sit-down at the White House on Wednesday night, the atmosphere seemed anything but settled, with Rutte saying today that he sensed the President's disappointment that a lot of allies weren't with him.

'I explained to him that Mr. President, clearly, the overwhelming majority of Europeans have done what the US has asked of him. I understand his disappointments to a certain extent,' he remarked.

While the specifics of their exchange remained behind closed doors, the President took to TruthSocial to vent, claiming the alliance hadn't been 'there when we needed them.'

Join the discussion Do YOU believe his explanation about the translation mistake?

The question clearly caught the NATO chief off guard. Rutte appeared visibly flustered and nervous, scrambling to find his words as he attempted to walk back the affectionate nickname that went viral after their joint appearance last June

Rutte, however, has been working overtime to dismiss rumors of a rift. He maintained that the two engaged in an 'open conversation' between friends, but could not confirm that Trump made any promises to stay in the alliance when pressed.

Rutte said on Thursday that member countries are doing everything US President Donald Trump had requested to strengthen the military alliance, even if some were initially 'a bit slow' to provide support to the United States amid its war with Iran.

Speaking in Washington, Rutte said: 'When it came time to provide the logistical and other support the United States needed in Iran, some allies were a bit slow, to say the least. In fairness, they were also a bit surprised.'

Asked further for a summary of his discussions with Trump, the NATO chief said: 'As they would say in diplomatic circles these conversations were frank and open... candid.

During a high-stakes encounter today, the Daily Mail cornered NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte with a blunt query following his private meeting with Donald Trump last night: whether he truly believes Trump will maintain America's commitment to NATO and if he still views the President as 'Daddy'

Trump's greatest disappointment comes after having repeatedly and unsuccessfully demanded that allies send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz

NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Thursday that member countries are doing everything US President Donald Trump had requested to strengthen the military alliance

Trump speaks with NATO's Secretary-General Mark Rutte next to Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos back in January of this year

Trump reportedly told Rutte that he can no longer support the statements of support from his NATO allies, instead requiring material action to be taken.

Writing on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said: 'None of these people, including our own, very disappointing, NATO, understood anything unless they have pressure placed upon them!!!'

During his speech, Rutte heaped praise on Trump as he admitted Europe must step up its spending on the alliance.

He said: 'We must applaud Trump for his bold leadership and vision'.

Rutte described a 'mindset shift' in Europe which he claimed was evidenced by the UK leading a coalition of countries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He also admitted it is a 'period of profound change in the trans-atlantic alliance... from that there will be no going back and nor should there be.'

The chief promised NATO will not be 'unhealthily reliant' on the US, promising America will have allies that are 'capable and ready, willing and able to defend' NATO's security.

'Even with this progress, it is clear we will need more,' he added.
During the March war against Iran, an Israeli American F-35 aircraft shot down a Russian-built Yak-130 Iranian trainer aircraft. This was the first time an F-35 downed an enemy aircraft. The F-35 is a fifth-generation multi-role fighter developed by the American company Lockheed Martin.

The F-35 carries numerous weapons, including AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-132 ASRAAM, and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, as well as Storm Shadow and AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles. It can also deploy JDAM precision-guided bombs weighing up to 910 kg, WCMD cluster munitions, AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapons, and Brimstone anti-tank missiles. Earlier, a Kuwaiti fighter accidentally shot down three US F-15 aircraft during military operations. All three American jets crashed, but their pilots ejected safely.

The Yak-130 had an interesting history. Twenty years ago, Russia decided to standardize on the Yak-130 jet trainer and bought over 200 of them. This aircraft first flew ten years ago, but the Russian air force could not afford to buy it back then. When money became available in the last few years, a further complication arose. Another Russian manufacturer had a trainer, the MiG-AT. Political influence was deployed, and it wasn't until this year that the air force generals were able to obtain permission to proceed with the Yak-130 purchase.

This aircraft is capable of performing many of the tricky maneuvers of Russias top fighters like the Su-27, MiG-29 and many modern Western fighters. The Yak-130 can also perform as a light bomber. The nine-ton aircraft has a maximum speed of 1,000 kilometers per hour and a flight life of 10,000 hours. The two pilots sit one behind the other, and two engines make it a safer aircraft to fly. The Yak-130 can carry an external load of three tons of bombs, missiles or fuel tanks. Max range, on internal fuel, is 2,200 kilometers. Russia is selling the aircraft to foreign customers for about $15 million. The Yak-130 replaces the 1960s-era L-29 and the 1970s upgrade, the L-39. The Russian air force received its first Yak-130s this year.

The Yak-130 is the most capable combat trainer in service, and its ability to operate as a light attack jet is a major bonus for many potential buyers. Irkut, the Russian manufacturer, is also pushing plans to use the Yak-130 as the basis for a combat drone. The Yak-130 already has some variants in development. There is the single-seat fighter version, Yak-131, plus a reconnaissance variant and even a four-seat VIP transport.

Russia is making a major sales push for the Yak-130. Sixteen were sold to Algeria earlier, and Indonesia has shown interest. For countries like Algeria and Indonesia, the ability to use the Yak-130 for combat missions and lower operating costs than regular combat aircraft is a major draw.

The Yak-130 was developed in cooperation with Italian firm Aermacchi, which went on to develop its own version and sell it as the M-346. But the Italian version was more expensive due to higher production costs.
Britain was today bracing for a 'bumper' summer of Channel crossings after Emmanuel Macron snubbed UK proposals for boats to be sent back to France.

Talks over a new migrant patrol deal were plunged into chaos after Shabana Mahmood pushed for Border Force vessels to be able to intercept boats carrying migrants in French waters and return them.

But Paris rebuffed the Home Secretary, saying the sovereignty of France's territorial waters was a red line and that British boats cannot enter them.

Despite this, the Home Office today confirmed it was handing over another 16million of UK taxpayers' money to the French authorities for anti-crossing measures to remain in place for another two months while talks continue.

Critics said it showed Labour's plan for stopping the boats was 'shambolic' and 'in a state of collapse'.

They also warned of a surge in crossings if France and the UK fail to agree new terms on funding French beach patrols.

It came as four people - two men and two women - died off the coast of northern France today after attempting to cross.

The French authorities said they 'tried to board a water taxi' and 'the currents, which can be dangerous here, swept them away'.

Nearly 70,000 migrants have arrived since Labour won the 2024 general election, when Sir Keir Starmer pledged to stop the boats by 'smashing the gangs

Migrants disembark from a Border Force vessel in Ramsgate port on February 25

Your browser does not support iframes.

Thirty-eight people were rescued, including two children, with the boat continuing its journey towards the UK with around 30 people on board.

It also emerged another 159 migrants crossed on Wednesday, bringing the total for this year to more than 5,000.

A further 137 crossed the day before as calmer and sunny weather created ideal conditions. Nearly 70,000 migrants have arrived since Labour won the 2024 general election, when Sir Keir Starmer pledged to stop the boats by 'smashing the gangs'.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Starmer's whole policy is shambolic and in a state of collapse.

'The idea that Labour has been targeting the people smuggling gangs - and that was the key to stopping the boats - is absolute hooey.

'The collapse of their own ludicrous policy and the ending of the Rwanda deportation scheme have meant there's no deterrent.

'We're heading for a bumper migrant crossings summer where we'll see thousands upon thousands coming.

'The only answer is creating a deterrent, which is, if you come over illegally we are going to send you away, either to your home country or to a place like Rwanda.'

Shabana Mahmood, who is known for taking a tough stance on migrants, wanted Border Force vessels to be able to intercept boats carrying migrants in French waters and return them

Former head of UK Border Force, Tony Smith, said he doesn't believe French President Emmanuel Macron wants to stop boats from coming to the UK

France currently intercepts around 37 per cent of crossings - down from 50 per cent in 2023

The Tories' shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, said: 'Stopping the crossings requires more than disruption on the beaches.

'It requires the swift removal of those who enter illegally so the incentive to make these dangerous journeys disappears.'

Former head of UK Border Force, Tony Smith, said a UK-France bilateral deal to enter each other's waters for sending boats back was possible under international law but that Paris doesn't want to stop the boats.

He said the same proposal had been made some years ago by former Tory home secretary Dame Priti Patel, adding: 'I don't think the French political position has changed - which is that they don't really want us to send any asylum seekers back.

'Without this political agreement, they're going to keep coming. As things stand, without an agreement we could be in a worse position.'

Mr Macron's snub was first reported by French satirical newspaper La Canard Enchaine.

Under the proposal, British vessels would have intercepted small boats before reaching UK waters, picked up the migrants on board and taken them back to northern France.

The operations would have mirrored what happens in British waters when migrant boats cross the territorial line about 12 miles into the Channel, with UK Border Force officers picking up migrants from often flimsy vessels to prevent fatalities or casualties.

But Paris rejected the demand because it would have meant British government boats entering French territorial waters.

It has previously been reported that a deal between Britain and France is being held up by Ms Mahmood's insistence that payments to Paris should be dependent on results.

The Home Office wants to add 'flexibility and innovation' to a new agreement, which would see base funding for French beach patrols to be supplemented by payments based on how many attempted migrant crossings were blocked in northern France.

Under the terms of the previous deal, struck by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Britain paid nearly two-thirds of the 160 million yearly cost to patrol beaches.

Ms Mahmood has demanded new terms which would see funds only released after a target interception rate had been reached.

Paris is said to have agreed in principle with the model but has differences on the targeted rate of crossings prevented.

France currently intercepts around 37 per cent of crossings - down from 50 per cent from when the existing 475million deal was signed in 2023.

This expired last month but has been extended by another two months while talks continue.

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'French law enforcement must use every tool at their disposal to prevent illegal small boat crossings.

'We have been clear that French law enforcement and intelligence operations will continue while we finalise a new and improved UK-France deal.'
Nigel Farage has called on Keir Starmer to quit if Labour is decimated at next month's local elections as he sought to pitch the polls as a referendum on the Prime Minister.

The Reform UK leader slammed Sir Keir as the 'worst-ever UK prime minister' and said that the longer he clings to power 'things are only going to get worse' for Britain.

Mr Farage said that May's local elections - in which Labour is expected to get a drubbing at the ballot box - are a clear choice 'for millions of people between Keir Starmer and Reform UK'.

Writing in the Daily Mail, the Reform leader said: 'Starmer is a pathetic excuse for a prime minister, particularly in troubled times when, both at home and abroad, Britain needs real leadership.

'He is a man I once had respect for, but no longer. It is time to get Starmer out. As he grows more desperate to cling to office, things are only going to get worse.'

It comes as voters prepare to cast their ballots for more than 5,000 council seats in England on May 7, with elections also taking place for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd, and six local mayors.

It is the largest set of local elections for three years and will be a key test for all political parties - particularly Labour, which will be defending more than half of the seats up for grabs.

One analysis estimates that Labour could lose more than 1,000 councillors - although another suggests this could be closer to 2,000 if the party's vote share losses seen since May 2025 are replicated.

Nigel Farage has called on Keir Starmer to quit if Labour is decimated at next month's local elections as he sought to pitch the polls as a referendum on the Prime Minister

However Labour accused the Reform leader of simply 'shouting from the sidelines' and 'trading in grievance and division' as Sir Keir gets on with his job

Mr Farage said that next month 'we will have the biggest political battle in Britain before the next general Election' and that: 'My message to the British people today is: Vote Reform, get Starmer out.'

He added: 'Our slogan for this election campaign is Vote Reform - Get Starmer Out. If Reform UK win these elections, Keir Starmer will have to resign. It will only be a matter of time.'

However Labour accused the Reform leader of simply 'shouting from the sidelines' and 'trading in grievance and division' as Sir Keir gets on with his job.

A Labour spokesman said: 'These elections are a clear choice - between the progress Labour is delivering and the chaos and decline Reform would bring.

'In a more uncertain world, leadership matters - and Nigel Farage has shown anything but, from calling for escalation in Iran to backtracking when the reality hit.

'By contrast, the Prime Minister will always act in the national interest - protecting our security, our economy and working families - rather than chasing headlines.'
Thousands of Iranians have gathered in the streets to commemorate the death of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei as hopes of a ceasefire with the US and Israel began to unravel.

Supporters of Khamenei held portraits of their deceased leader and waved the flags of the Islamic republic as they took part in rallies across the country after he died in the US-Israeli attack on February 28.

The celebration marks a 40-day mourning period - an important rite of passage for Muslims - since the former leader's death.

A huge gathering took place in the capital, Tehran, where strikes have ceased since a fragile ceasefire came into effect on Tuesday night, as well as the northwest city of Urmia and northeast Gorgan.

But over a day since reaching an 11th hour agreement to halt attacks for two weeks, it looks on the verge of collapse, with major disagreements between the US, Israel and Iran over the terms of a deal.

The US and Israel have claimed the ceasefire does not include Lebanon, where Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a major ground and air invasion.

But Iran and mediators Pakistan said the peace plan included the 'complete cessation of war in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen'.

On Wednesday, Israel intensified its bombing campaign over Lebanon, killing 182 people as it claimed to hit more than 100 Hezbollah sites in some of the heaviest strikes of the war yet.

Iranians attended the 40th-day memorial ceremony of Iran's former leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Thursday

Hundreds of thousands of people, carrying banners and flags, gather for a massive memorial march for the late supreme leader in Tehran

Supporters of Khamenei held portraits of their deceased leader as they marked 40 days since his death

Khamenei was 86 years old, having led the Islamic republic for more than 36 years, when he was killed in a strike on February 28.

The attack marked the beginning of a conflict that subsequently engulfed the entire Middle East, with Iran retaliating with missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf nations it accuses of serving as launchpads for US strikes.

A state funeral for Khamenei was initially announced but could ultimately not be held because of the war.

His son Mojtaba, who succeeded him in early March, was not present on Thursday. He was wounded in a strike, according to Iranian officials, and has yet to appear in public since his appointment.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian participated in the tribute and posed for photos with attendees, according to images broadcast on state television.

The national tribute began at 9.40am (6.10am GMT), the same time that strikes killed Khamenei at his residence in Tehran along with dozens of high-ranking officers and officials.

Some Iranians taking part in the memorial claimed the agreement of a ceasefire between Iran and the US and Israel marked a 'victory' for the regime.

Both sides have since claimed military triumph, with Trump hailing a 'total and complete victory' and Iran boasting of a 'victory in the field'.

Yet disagreements over the terms of the deal began immediately. Trump has referred to a 15-point plan while the White House has added to confusion by suggesting the plan being discussed is not the 'working framework' received by the US.

Join the discussion Do YOU expect the conflict to escalate again?

A person holds a sign calling the ceasefire a 'taboo time to revenge' as they took part in a memorial march for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran

A woman holds a poster mocking US President Donald Trump while others hold portraits of Iran's slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son and successor Mojtaba Khamenei

Protesters hold aloft a sea of Iranian flags as they take part in a a memorial for Iran's late Supreme Leader

Your browser does not support iframes.

'The leader is alive, he always prays for us and he is watching all of us now, and victory is definitely ours,' said Nastaran Safaie, a 24-year-old university student attending the memorial march in Tehran.

A person taking part in the march named Esmaeili said she has little hope for the negotiations expected to take place before the end of the week in Pakistan, accusing the Americans of acting in bad faith.

'What they say about the ceasefire and its violation is a repetition of history,' she said.

'It should be a lesson for the honourable people of Iran not to be fooled by the empty promises of hypocritical countries.'

Others like Mahdi Mohaddes, a 41-year-old engineer, echoed her sentiment.

'I hope this (the talks) doesn't happen. If I were in the shoes of the officials, I would reconsider and not participate in these negotiations,' he said.

Mohammad Hossein Bonakdar, a 44-year-old institute director, was thinking of Lebanon, where Israel killed more than 200 people on Wednesday in strikes unprecedented in its current war against Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

'Everyone is very upset and sad and expects that appropriate action will be taken,' he said.

'But ultimately, any decision that the leadership of the revolution announces is obligatory and we will obey.'

Mohaddes, surrounded by Hezbollah flags, said the movement allied with Tehran has given 'its life and blood' to Iranians.

'Now it is our duty to act in response to this aggression,' he said.

Trump has hailed a 'total and complete victory' in its war with Iran after reaching a ceasefire agreement on Tuesday night

A fireball rises from a building hit by an Israeli airstrike in the area of Abbasiyeh, on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre. The Israeli military is still launching attacks, as Israel said the ceasefire with Iran did not include its conflict with Hezbollah

Your browser does not support iframes.

Amid the confusion over the ceasefire deal, Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to visit Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, for a first round of peace talks on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has said he is seeking direct talks with Beirut, a day after the worst bombardment of the war killed more than 300 people in Lebanon.

The Israeli Prime Minister said in a statement that he had given instructions to start peace talks as soon as possible, which would also include disarming Iran-aligned militant group Hezbollah.

'In light of Lebanon's repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to start direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible,' he said.

'The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon.'

An hour before Netanyahu's statement, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he was working on a diplomatic track on this matter that was starting to be seen 'positively' by international actors.

A senior Lebanese official told Reuters that Lebanon had spent the last day pushing for a temporary ceasefire to allow for broader talks with Israel, describing the effort as a 'separate track but the same model' as the US-Iran truce.

And in a positive sign for the global economy, the first non-Iranian oil tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday since the ceasefire deal was announced earlier this week.

The MSG, a Gabon-flagged oil tanker went through the strategic waterway loaded with around 7,000 tonnes of Emirati fuel oil, and is headed to Aegis Pipavav, India, according to MarineTraffic.

Around a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) passes through the waterway in peacetime.

But the crucial shipping has not meaningfully reopened since the two-week truce took effect on Wednesday. Just two other tankers - both Iran-flagged - and six bulk carriers have been through the strait since then, according to MarineTraffic owner Kpler.

A dozen other vessels - including another laden oil tanker - appeared on Thursday to be on course to pass through, signalling no real change in daily traffic compared to the week before the ceasefire.
Tributes have been paid to a nun who will be 'remembered for her great kindness' following her death in a road traffic collision in Newport.

Sister Genevieve, previously called Anne Clanchy, died after being hit by a car on Stow Park Avenue on February 24.

Officers were called to the scene at around 3.55pm after reports of a collision involving a pedestrian and a car.

The pedestrian, confirmed by Gwent Police to be 87-year-old Sister Genevieve, was taken to hospital but sadly passed away.

Now, tributes have been paid to the nun - who belonged to the St. Joseph of Annecy congregation for 67 years - by her fellow sisters, who described her death as a 'shock'.

They said: 'Sister Genevieve's sudden death is a shock to the sisters and all those who knew her.

'She will be remembered for her great kindness to everyone that she met, her interest in them and their lives, her love of life and her quiet, deep faith.'

The tribute acknowledged her teaching career, noting that Sister Genevieve 'taught in schools' across England and also served as the headmistress of St. Winifred's School in South London.

Sister Genevieve (pictured) died after being hit by a car in Newport in February

In retirement, they said she returned to her home area of Chatham in Kent where she: 'enjoyed being part of so many parish activities, making many friends.'

They added: 'In recent years she had been living in Newport and continued to reach out to others through the local groups that she joined.'

The sisters have asked for privacy at this time, police have said.
The Trump administration vowed to move forward with the prosecution of Iryna Zarutska's alleged killer after his attorneys claimed he was found incompetent to stand trial.

The legal team for accused killer DeCarlos Brown Jr, 35, said in a court filing this week that a psychological evaluation of the suspect found he was 'incapable to proceed' to trial.

The filing sparked outrage amid questions over whether the ruling could see Brown walk free from state charges of murdering the Ukrainian refugee on a North Carolina train last August.

The legal filing in Brown's case related only to state charges against him, with the suspect also facing a federal trial, where he could face the death penalty.

In the wake of the backlash, US Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmeet Dhillon, took to X to calm fears that Brown could avoid trial.

'Folks: I had a great call this morning with our US Attorney in Charlotte. Brown remains in federal custody and so the parallel state proceedings are in no way dispositive,' Dhillon wrote.

'There will be a federal competency determination and prosecution track taking precedence.'

The US Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina also weighed in on the filing, responding to a misleading report that the suspect had been found incompetent to stand trial.

'DeCarlos Brown is in federal custody on a federal indictment. The state proceedings, including any competency finding in those proceedings, are completely separate,' the prosecutor's office said.

Federal prosecutors vowed to move forward with the case against DeCarlos Brown Jr, 35, a North Carolina homeless man accused of murdering Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, after his lawyers said a psychiatric evaluation found him 'incapable to proceed' to trial on his state charges

Zarutska's throat was slashed as she sat by herself on a train in August last night, in a shocking killing that was caught on surveillance footage and stunned the nation

Brown is facing state and federal charges for the murder of Iryna Zarutska, a refugee who fled Ukraine due to the war only to be murdered on public transport months later

Under North Carolina state law, a defendant is only incapable of proceeding to trial if they cannot understand the nature of their charges, cannot comprehend their role in court proceedings and cannot help their own defense.

Brown's attorney, Daniel Roberts, said the murder suspect underwent a capacity evaluation in hospital in December, which he failed, leading a psychiatrist to determine he is unfit to face the state murder charges.

Questions over Brown's mental state come after the Daily Mail exclusively revealed Brown's first-ever jailhouse calls after allegedly murdering Zarutska, in which he spoke of 'materials in my brain' which he claimed forced him to stab her.

Brown had dozens of prior arrests before Zarutska's murder and had been freed by North Carolina Magistrate Judge Teresa Stokes just seven months before he allegedly stabbed the refugee.

The killing sparked calls for tougher sentencing for repeat offenders after it emerged that Brown, whose prior arrests included armed robbery and assault, was freed on a 'written promise' that he would return for his next court appearance.

Brown was arrested on January 19 last year for alleged 'misuse of the 911 system,' after he dialed the emergency number in a manic episode, claiming 'man-made' materials were inside his body controlling his movements.

Footage of the attack on Zarutska showed the refugee sitting by herself after finishing a shift in a pizza shop, looking down at her phone as Brown boarded the train and sat behind her.

Moments later, Brown appeared to unfurl a switchblade before standing up and looming over the refugee.

Surveillance footage showed Brown allegedly swinging a switchblade at Zarutska and slashing her throat as she sat on the train in Charlotte, North Carolina

The suspect then walked the train, apparently dripping blood on the floor, as other passengers barely paid attention to the horror that had just taken place

Zarutska had only recently arrived in the US before she was killed. She had been 'seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning,' her family said

Images of the surveillance footage went viral on social media as Zarutska was seen cowering in fear from her seat moments before she was apparently knifed.

The suspect was then seen walking down the train, dripping blood on the floor as other passengers barely registered the horror that took place.

Brown was arrested soon after and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was then charged with first-degree murder upon release.

Zarutska had only recently arrived in the US before she was killed, 'seeking safety from the war and hoping for a new beginning,' her family said on a GoFundMe page.

The case captured national headlines and sparked outrage, with President Trump referencing Zarutska in his State of the Union address as he called for a nationwide crime crackdown.
A troubled student who was devastated after finding his girlfriend dead in her university halls took his own life just weeks later in a double teenage tragedy.

Tom Dingle, 19, from Appley Bridge near Wigan, was found in woodland on Christmas Day last year by a member of the public, bringing to an end a vast 12-day search involving the Lancashire force helicopter, drones, dogs and underwater teams.

Lancaster University student Tom, who had a history of mental health problems, had told medical professionals he was suffering from intrusive thoughts and emotional distress imagining a future without his partner.

He was last seen alive in the early hours of December 13 last year, after leaving his parents' home and claiming he was going to a garage to buy cigarettes.

In his last ever words to his parents, he told them he loved them - and had reassured his mother that the family had done everything they could to support him.

His body was discovered by a walker in woodland on December 25.

Tragically, this was just a month after Tom had found his girlfriend, Natasha Braithwaite, also 19, dead in her university halls bedroom.

First-year fine art student Natasha suffered with post-traumatic stress disorder, and a coroner recorded her death as drugs-related.

Tom Dingle, 19, from Appley Bridge near Wigan, was found dead in woodland on Christmas Day last year

He took his own life around a month after discovering his girlfriend, Natasha Braithwaite, 19, dead in her university halls bedroom

This was the last recorded image of Tom, after he told his parents he was going out to buy cigarettes

Tom had raised the alarm after being unable to get in touch with Natasha on the day of her death, so went round the flat and woke up her housemates.

When they managed to get into Natasha's room, she was unresponsive on the bed, and paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.

Detectives from Lancashire Police found a metal spoon taped to her desk, which they said indicated it had been used for heroin, and toxicology tests showed she had fatal levels of morphine in her system.

At an inquest held at Preston Coroners Court, Coroner Richard Taylor described Tom as 'a vulnerable young man'.

He said: 'It appeared to all who knew him that his mental health was improving to such an extent that he was able to go to university in September 2025.

'It was there that he met his girlfriend. It was there that, sadly, his mental health also seemed to worsen.'

The court heard how Tom found his girlfriend dead on November 21, 2025. After this, his parents drove to Lancaster to take him back to his family home.

He returned home to see friends on December 9. On the way back, Tom told his father he had taken an overdose and subsequently spent some time in hospital, the court heard.

On December 12, 2025, it was agreed he would be seen by an at-home treatment team.

But that never happened, because later that night he left the house, saying he was going to get cigarettes. His mother was suspicious and raised the alarm, contacting the police.

Tom was described as being 'vulnerable', and had admitted to having intrusive thoughts after the death of Natasha

Tom's family had attached this message to their house during the 12-day search for him

After Tom was first reported missing, his parents, Sue and Peter, issued a statement which said: 'We just want him home as soon as possible.

'We've even put a note on the front door so he knows he can just walk in. We're just here to love and protect him, that's all.

'Tom is in a vulnerable state of mind following a traumatic event. He is grieving very much.

'My husband Peter and I, and Tom's older brother, are going out of our minds with worry that something may have happened to him.

'We just want him home where it's safe. It's cold and wet out at night. We don't know if he's seeking shelter anywhere.

'He needs to know that he's not in any trouble because of the distress and worry. He needs to know that we are not in any way upset with him.

'We just want him home. We just love him so much and miss him desperately.

'So many people miss him as well, especially his family.'

Coroner Richard Taylor described in court how, on the night of his disappearance, Tom had told his mum: 'You, dad and Jack (his older brother) have done everything you can, so don't worry.'

In a statement, Tom's mother described how he had come into their bedroom to say goodnight, which was unusual for him. They then heard the door closing softly.

Tom told his parents, who were concerned about him, that he had gone to get cigarettes, saying: 'I went through the woods on the way back home. I will be back soon - love you both.' But he did not return.

Detective Superintendent Lukmaan Mulla, the senior investigative officer during the search for Tom following his disappearance, described him as being seen as an immediate life threat.

An extensive search was carried out in the area, including the quarry and canal, but devastatingly, at 15.12pm on Christmas Day, a member of the public reported finding a body in the woods.

Detective Mulla said: 'There were no signs of violence or disturbance. There was no evidence of third-party involvement.'

Coroner Richard Taylor said it was his finding that Tom had taken his own life. He said: 'My sincere condolences go out to all those who loved him, especially his parents.'

For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support.
A FedEx driver who confessed to killing seven-year-old Athena Strand while delivering a Christmas gift to her family home has revealed the final words he uttered to the terrified child.

During a court hearing on Thursday, Tanner Horner said he told Strand: 'Just get in the back of the van, we're going to go to the hospital', before he allegedly strangled her to death.

The 34-year-old is facing aggravated kidnapping and capital murder charges in connection with the November 2022 abduction of Strand from her Texas home in Paradise, about 40 miles northwest of Fort Worth.

Horner, an independent contractor working with FedEx, was delivering a box of Barbie dolls, which were supposed to be a Christmas gift for Strand.

According to an arrest warrant, Horner told authorities he strangled Athena after accidentally hitting her with his van while making a delivery.

Horner said that Athena wasn't seriously hurt after he hit her while backing up, but he panicked and put her in his van.

He then strangled her to death in his truck, and her tortured final moments were captured by a microphone in his vehicle after he covered a camera inside.

During his hearing at court in Forth Worth on Thursday, Horner was also asked whether he put Strand in his truck out of fear of losing his job or freedom.

Tanner Horner, 34, admitted to killing Athena Strand during a two-hour-long interrogation with police, which saw his eyes roll into the back of his head as he turned into an 'alter ego' called 'Zero'

Strand is filmed being driven to her death by Horner. He admitted the November 2022 murder in court on Tuesday, with jurors warned they must still endure graphic evidence of the little girl's final moments so they can decide on an appropriate punishment

'I wasn't worried about the 'losing my freedom' part because, honestly, that's an honest accident,' Horner said.

'You know what I mean? Like, all it would take is going up there and just talking to the parents, and saying like, 'Hey, I accidentally bumped your daughter. Like, there's more jobs out there, you know what I mean?''

Horner said he tried to calm Strand down, but when he was unsuccessful, a sort of alter-ego of his he called 'Zero' 'kind of took over'.

'He (Zero) told her, 'Just get in the back of the van, we're going to go to the hospital,'' Horner said.

Horner said Zero killed Strand.

'I didn't do it, but he did, and that's what f***s with me... I'm wondering who the hell's been in my head this whole time,' he said.

'Part of me is in denial because I didn't pull the trigger,' Horner said.

'You feel like Zero pulled the trigger?' Investigators asked, to which Horner replied in the affirmative.

'I tried to disarm the gun. I tried to stop all of this from happening,' he said.

Strand was abducted from her family's home in Paradise, Texas, on November 30, 2022

Horner was set to go on trial before abruptly pleading guilty to capital murder this week. He now faces a sentencing trial

The jury was shown footage of Horner's arrest in Texas on December 30, 2022

The warrant said Horner took investigators to where he'd left Athena's body.

In opening statements, Horner's attorney Steven Goble told jurors: 'When someone's brain is what's injured, you don't see it.'

Goble acknowledged that the evidence against Horner was 'overwhelming' and 'terrible'.

But he also told jurors that Horner's mother drank while she was pregnant, that he has autism and suffered from 'various mental illnesses throughout his life' in addition to being exposed to a 'massive amount of lead.'

Goble asked jurors to sentence him to life in prison.

Ashley Strand, Athena's stepmother, told jurors that the package Horner had dropped off was a Christmas present for Athena  a box of 'You Can Be Anything' Barbies.

Strand, who has since divorced Athena's father, said Athena enjoyed living out on their land in the country, where she got to 'run wild and free.'

The trial was moved from rural Wise County to Fort Worth after Horner's attorneys argued that he would not have received a fair trial.
Nicola Sturgeon has opened up about her guilt of having a miscarriage after fearing a child would get in the way of her career.

The former First Minister sobbed as she told of losing her baby  who would have been called Isla Margaret  shortly after marrying her now estranged husband Peter Murrell.

Ms Sturgeon said she felt it happened because she did not want the infant enough.

And, in a tearful interview, the former MSP suggested she was yet to get over the painful experience more than a decade on.

The 56-year-old, during a no-holds-barred interview on STVs The Assembly, also spoke of her horrible arrest, one which she still tries to block from her memory.

And she remained tight lipped about her love life, but alluded to secret rendezvous which may have taken place recently.

Ms Sturgeon faced questions from an audience of autistic, neurodivergent and learning disabled people as part of the TV programme.

Nicola Sturgeon with her now estranged husband Peter Murrell on their wedding day

Ms Sturgeon faced questions from an audience of autistic, neurodivergent and learning disabled people on STVs The Assembly

It comes as her long political career, which saw her serve as Alex Salmonds deputy as well as the longest serving First Minister, comes to an end.

She suffered the miscarriage at the age of 40, and has previously told of being photographed at a memorial service while still going through it on January 3, 2011.

And the politician began to tear up as one member of The Assembly mentioned the name the baby would have had, Isla Margaret.

Visibly emotional, she said: The mention of her name just got to me.

I think at the time, I didnt want people to say anything to me, because I didnt really know how I felt about it.

The thing I felt most was guilt, because at first I hadnt been sure that I wanted to have the baby and I was really worried that it would get in the way of my career and everything.

Then when I lost her, I dont know if she was a girl, I always decided, I always thought she was a girl.

When I lost the baby, I just had this overwhelming feeling of it was my fault because I hadnt wanted her enough.

Ms Sturgeon added: Its the kind of thing you think youve got over and then, suddenly, sitting on television, somebody mentions her name, and you realise deep down inside you kind of havent.

The former SNP leader announced in January last year that she and Murrell had decided to end their marriage after being separated for some time.

She has since revealed there was more to the split than her estranged husbands alleged crimes.

Murrell, who was chief executive of the SNP, has been charged with embezzling 460,000 of party funds and is due in court later this year.

Ms Sturgeon, who has been cleared of all wrongdoing, was arrested as part of Operation Branchform investigation into SNP finances in 2023.

She described the moment as horrible and added: It was not good. I would not recommend it.

I think I sort of put myself into some kind of shutdown state, and since then Ive just tried to blank it out of my head.

And in the wide-ranging interview, she was asked if she has had any secret rendezvous recently.

She remained tight lipped, but said: This is the only time I hope in this whole recording that Im going to do a politician answer, which is, maybe.

This is one of these moments where youre going to have to judge from my body language and read between the lines.

The Assembly continues at 10pm on Friday on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
Melania Trump is pushing back on claims she was linked to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a surprise address at the White House.

'I am not Epstein's victim,' the First Lady stated during the address on Thursday afternoon. 'Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998.'

Trump and Melania met that year at the Kit Kat Klub in New York when the former supermodel was 28 years old. Paolo Zampolli, a modeling agency boss who is serving as Trump's special envoy for global partnerships, claims he introduced the couple. They later married in 2005.

'I've never been friends with Epstein,' she added.

The announcement came as a shock, as there had not been recent revelations linking her to the disgraced financier, who the government says committed suicide while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges in August 2019.

Melania also made the eyebrow-raising remark that Epstein did not work 'alone.'

Several prominent male executives have resigned as the scandal became increasingly politicized. Though that does not amount to the executives being guilty, she said, 'we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.'

In a brief interview with MS NOW, President Trump said he didn't 'know anything about' Melania's statement ahead of time, adding 'she didn't know him,' referring to Epstein.

Melania appeared highly nervous during the speech and was shaking, largely looking down at her notes. The First Lady did not take any questions before walking away from the podium.

She claimed that though she and the President had overlapping social circles with Epstein, they did not have a relationship. She also said that she never associated with Epstein's criminal accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.

'I've never been friends with Epstein,' Melania Trump said during an address at the White House on Thursday afternoon

The First Lady said that rumors on social media that linked her to Epstein are false, and that she met Donald Trump at a party in 1998, not through the sex offender

She told the room that she first met Epstein in 2000 and that she was unaware of anything untoward. He was not accused until years later in 2005.

The First Lady said she had seen 'fake images and statements' linking her to Epstein on social media for years, and urged viewers to 'be cautious about what you believe.'

'These images and stories are completely false. I'm not a witness or unnamed witness in connection with any of Epstein's crimes,' she said.

'The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop,' the First Lady continued. 'My attorneys and I have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success, and will continue to maintain my sound reputation without hesitation.'

In a surprising move, Melania called on Congress to hold hearings with victims of Epstein's abuse.

'I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors,' she added.

Join the discussion Whats behind Melania's push to control the narrative?

Donald Trump and his then-girlfriend Melania Knauss, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida, February 12, 2000

Trump and the financier chatting to Belgian supermodel Ingrid Seynhaeve at a Victoria's Secret party at Manhattan's Laura Belle club in April 1997

Maxwell attends a Theo Fennell party at the Cafe Royal, London, November 10, 1996

'First Lady Melania Trump spoke out now because enough is enough. The lies must stop,' Marc Beckman, Exclusive Senior Advisor to First Lady Melania Trump, told the Daily Mail of the timing of the shocking update.

'It is time for the public and media to focus on her incredible achievements as First Lady, the lives she has positively impacted, and her commitment to our nation,' he added.

Melania also addressed an email she had sent to Maxwell that was published in January, saying that her response was to be polite, and it did not indicate a close relationship.

Buried in the tranche of more than three million Epstein Files is an email signed 'Love, Melania' that appears to be addressed to Maxwell.

The names of the sender and recipient of the October 23, 2002, email are redacted.

The message begins: 'Dear G! How are you? Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great on the picture.'

That week, New York Magazine ran a now-infamous story headlined: 'Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery.'

The article featured a full-page color illustration of Epstein grinning alongside Bill Clinton in front of his private jet, as the actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker board the aircraft.

The piece included a photo of Maxwell with Epstein at a black-tie event, as well as a photo of Donald Trump and the financier chatting to Belgian supermodel Ingrid Seynhaeve at a Victoria's Secret party.

The email continues: 'I know you are very busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time!'

It is signed affectionately: 'Love, Melania.'
Melania Trump reignited fervent speculation over her alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday with an out-of-the-blue address denying she had any real connection to the pedophile.

The First Lady referred to fake images and documents circulating online, but did not give specifics on who was trying to 'smear' her.

It followed years of unsubstantiated rumors and gossip about her past with Epstein, including allegations that the pedophile was the one who introduced her to President Trump in the 1990s.

Melania outright denied that claim in her fiery speech on Thursday as she declared from the White House: 'Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998.'

'I've never been friends with Epstein,' she continued. 'I am not Epstein's victim.'

It is unclear why Melania chose to publicly slam alleged links to Epstein but it appeared to be an attempt to tamp down rumors sparked by the Epstein Files release earlier this year.

Buried in the tranche of millions of documents from the Department of Justice was an email the First Lady sent in 2002, where she complimented Ghislaine Maxwell and signed off the message, 'Love, Melania.' The First Lady insisted she only sent the message to be 'polite'.

A search of Melania's name in the Epstein Files yields 124 results, although many appear to be duplicates. References to her or any individual in the files are not an indication of wrongdoing.

In the First Lady's case, many citations were merely passing references in Epstein's email inbox or in news articles.

Melania Trump issued a stunning speech on Thursday, fighting back against claims she was linked to the pedophile Jeffrey Epstein

The First Lady's address followed years of unsubstantiated rumors and gossip about her past with Epstein, including allegations the sex trafficker was the one who introduced her to President Trump in the 1990s, which she denied

The 2002 'Love, Melania' email had the names of the sender and recipient redacted, but it appeared to be a direct message between Maxwell and the future First Lady.

The message begins: 'Dear G! How are you? Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great on the picture.'

That week, New York Magazine ran a now-infamous story headlined: 'Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery.'

The article featured a full-page color illustration of Epstein grinning alongside Bill Clinton in front of his private jet, as the actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker boarded the aircraft.

The piece included a photo of Maxwell with Epstein at a black-tie event, as well as a photo of Donald Trump and the financier chatting to Belgian supermodel Ingrid Seynhaeve at a Victoria's Secret party.

The email continues: 'I know you are very busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time!'

It is signed affectionately: 'Love, Melania.'

In her speech on Thursday, Melania appeared to clarify this email, saying that her response was to be polite and that it did not indicate a close relationship.

Melania with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Gwendolyn Beck and Epstein at a party at Mar-a-Lago in February 2000

The piece referenced in the 'Love, Melania' letter included a photo of Maxwell with Epstein at a black tie event, as well as a photo of Donald Trump and the financier chatting to Belgian supermodel Ingrid Seynhaeve at a Victoria's Secret party

Melania's defiant speech on Thursday also contradicted an account from a model included in the Epstein Files, which contained unproven claims that she was introduced to her husband by Epstein.

In a 2019 interview with FBI investigators, the unnamed model recounted their experience working for a New York modeling agency in early 2006.

During the interview, the model stated that 'Epstein introduced Melania Trump to Donald Trump,' per the document. The document offered no evidence to prove this.

Another email from November 2016, sent to Epstein from a redacted sender, detailed the author's surprise over Trump's 2016 presidential victory and reminisced about when he met Melania.

The sender wrote: 'I remember flying back with Donald on his plane the first weekend I went to visit you in Florida, was the weekend he met Melania and he kept on coming out of the bedroom saying "wow what a hot piece of ass"... Nuts.'

As with many of the millions of documents released from the Epstein Files, Melania's name being found in documents is not an indication of wrongdoing. Several references include newspaper clippings or screenshots of media outlets.

In one example, a Daily Mail article about Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre was seen in a screenshot from Epstein's computer - with Melania mentioned in a separate article headline on the same website.

As with many of the millions of documents released from the Epstein Files, Melania's name being found in documents is not an indication of wrongdoing, and is often merely a reference to her name being cited - including above where her name was on a separate article headline on the Daily Mail homepage

Your browser does not support iframes.

In her speech on Thursday, Melania also slammed the prevalence of fake images of herself with Epstein, as she told the public to 'be cautious about what you believe.'

'These images and stories are completely false. I'm not a witness or unnamed witness in connection with any of Epstein's crimes,' she said.

The First Lady did not detail which 'fake images' were floating, however, her name in the Epstein Files sparked a wave of altered and fictitious pictures of her with Epstein to circulate on social media.

This included one showing Epstein giving Melania a kiss on the cheek and embracing her behind a desk, which spread across social media earlier this year.

Other mentions of Melania in the Epstein Files included a diary entry showing she and Epstein appeared to be on a list of dinner party guests for an event held by businessman William Astor.

Another file contained a Tatler article about Maxwell, which included an image of Melania partying with Maxwell, Trump and supermodel Naomi Campbell in New York City in 2002.

In one image from the Epstein Files, Melania was seen partying with Maxwell, Trump and supermodel Naomi Campbell in New York City in 2002

In one filing from 2019, an alleged Epstein victim told investigators that she had met the sex trafficker in 2000, who then introduced her to Trump and Melania.

The alleged victim said she was flown to Epstein's Florida mansion by private jet in 2002 and taken to Mar-a-Lago, where she met the presidential couple and 'shook hands with Trump and his wife, Melania.'

A separate email from 2017 showed that the financier told journalist Michael Wolff that 'some journalists (are) working on a lead on a Melania boyfriend.'

There is no evidence to support this claim from Epstein's email.

Another email contained a woman's claim to investigators that she met Melania and Barron Trump in 2016 through her role as a tutor.

She claimed she heard someone close to the First Lady would 'dish' about her marriage to the president negatively.

The tranche of documents released by the DOJ also features an alleged victim's explosive claim that he was raped by Epstein during a yacht trip in 2000, which Trump and Melania were also present on.

There is no evidence to support this and neither has been formally accused of wrongdoing.

Another 2018 email from journalist Michael Wolff to Epstein appeared to show him referring to the Stormy Daniels controversy, which he described as Trump's 'Achilles heel.'

He wrote that Melania was 'focused on the dates' surrounding Trump's alleged tryst with the porn star - which he denies - saying that Melania was figuring out if it was 'before the birth of Barron, or after.'

Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts related to hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels after a seven-week trial in May 2024.

The Daily Mail has contacted the White House for comment.
The American A-10 ground attack aircraft, equipped with a 30mm autocannon and pylons for carrying bombs and missiles, proved invaluable in eventually opening up the Strait of Hormuz. This ten-kilometer-wide body of water is the only way in and out of the Persian Gulf. The presence of several A-10 aircraft foiled Iranian efforts to block this strait. The A-10s and AH-60 gunships hunted down and destroyed Iranian attack boats and mine-laying vessels. This eventually led to the opening of the Strait of Hormuz to tankers and other ships that normally passed through these waters.

This occurred despite 30 years of U.S. Air Force efforts to retire its most popular, affordable, and effective aircraft. Over the last few years, the Air Force has apparently decided to stop trying to get rid of its popular, at least with pilots and infantry, A-10 attack aircraft. Nicknamed Warthog or just Hog, the A-10 never got much respect from air force leaders. The A-10 did gain enough popular and political clout to keep this aircraft flying. The latest plan reduces the A-10 force by 44 aircraft, to 237. These will equip seven squadrons. Three are active duty, and part-time National Guard and reserve personnel operate four. The reserve units would be available within 30 days for deployment to a combat zone. The reserve pilots are largely retired fighter pilots and tend to have more experience in the A-10 than the younger active-duty pilots. The reservists fly regularly, and their aircraft are kept in good condition for operations.

Retiring 44 of the older A-10s makes it easier for the Air Force to afford continued upgrades to keep A-10s on par with new tech used by other warplanes. This policy has seen the A-10s undergoing regular upgrades over the last two decades. These included new wings, a project that was finally completed in 2019. The Air Force now plans to keep the A-10s in service until 2040. One catch is that the Air Force will not allow A-10s to operate in airspace threatened by modern enemy air defense systems. Once these threats have been eliminated, the A-10s can enter. Meanwhile, the A-10s will get plenty of work dealing with Islamic terrorists and irregulars of all sorts.

This 2020 A-10 agreement came after six years of uncertainty and enormous pressure from the ground forces and Congress to keep the A-10 around for as long as possible. This effort was in response to a 2014 Air Force plan to retire all 340 remaining A-10s, along with 70 elderly F-15Cs. The reasons were budget shortages and the enormous costs of developing and building the new F-35 stealth fighter. The Air Force planned to retire these 410 combat aircraft and about 100 support planes by 2020, when over 100 new F-35s would enter service, leaving the Air Force with about 300 fewer combat aircraft. Since the United States has about 2,700 combat aircraft in the Air Force and Navy, the loss of 410 aircraft would mean 11 percent fewer combat aircraft.

There was not much protest over retiring the elderly F-15Cs and support aircraft. The A-10 was a different matter. There was resistance, and in 2016, the Air Force agreed the A-10 would not be retired and came up with another plan, which was announced in 2020. The new plans will also retire 29 older air refueling aircraft, 24 older C-130Hs, 24 Global Hawk UAVs, and 17 B-1B bombers.

One thing that kept the A-10 in service was that close air support tech had rapidly evolved since the 1990s. Now, A-10s use smart bombs or missiles most of the time. The upgrades included targeting pods that enable A-10 pilots to spot targets while at altitudes of over 3,000 meters. That puts them out of range of small arms and many anti-aircraft weapons. Although the A-10 was built for ground support, armed with a 30mm rotary cannon for shooting up Russian tanks during a potential World War 3 in Europe that never happened. The last A-10 left Europe in 2013. The threat of Russia invading Western Europe disappeared in 1991, along with the Soviet Union and 80 percent of Russian troops. At the same time, the A-10 finally got work in the 1991 battle to drive Iraqi troops out of Kuwait. A decade later, the A-10 was back in demand again. In Iraq and Afghanistan, troops appreciated the ability to call in an A-10 for a strafing run. A few hundred 30mm rounds not only did a lot of damage but also tended to demoralize the enemy, making it easier to capture them alive or drive them away. Smart bombs and missiles tended to leave fewer prisoners and were less scary than the roar and loud buzz of a low-flying A-10 using its 30mm autocannon.

The A-10 proved to be a formidable combat aircraft in post-Cold War conflicts, first in the 1991 liberation of Kuwait and later in Afghanistan and Iraq. These conflicts involved the elimination of the modern Russian fighter aircraft and ground-based air defense systems.

Since 2004, the most requested ground support aircraft in Afghanistan has been the A-10. There was similar A-10 affection in Iraq. Troops from all nations quickly came to appreciate the unique abilities of this 1970s-era aircraft that the U.S. Air Force had wanted to eliminate. The Air Force sought to do this gradually, when there was less work for A-10s. In 2011, the Air Force announced that it was retiring 102 A-10s, leaving 243 in service. Opposition from the army and Congress halted that. That was not the first, nor the last retirement effort. Until 2020, the air force kept at it, and it was feared that it would revive its efforts to eliminate the A-10. That does not appear to be the case this time.

At the same time, the air force tried to retire A-10s, it accelerated the upgrading of the remaining A-10s to the A-10C standard. Also called the PE for precision engagement model, the refurbished A-10s were supposed to remain in service until 2028, meaning most A-10Cs would have served over 40 years and as many as 16,000 flight hours. The upgrade effort began soon after A-10s saw much heavier use in 2003. The upgrades included new electronics and engine refurbishment. The A-10C provides the pilot with the same targeting and fire control gadgets that the latest fighters and bombers have. The new A-10C cockpit has all the spiffy color displays and easy-to-use controls. Because it is a single-seat aircraft that flies close to the ground, something that requires a lot more concentration, all the automation in the cockpit allows the pilot to do a lot more with less stress, exertion, and risk.

The basic A-10 is a 1960s design, so the new additions are quite spectacular in comparison. New communications gear has also been added, allowing A-10 pilots to share pictures and videos with troops on the ground. The A-10 pilot also has access to the Blue Force Tracker system, so that the nearest friendly ground forces show up on the HUD Head-Up Display when coming in low to use the 30mm cannon. The A-10C could now use smart bombs, making it a do-it-all aircraft for ground support.

A-10s worked hard in Afghanistan. For example, an A-10 squadron has a dozen aircraft and 18 pilots. Pilots often average about a hundred hours a month in the air while in a combat zone. That's about twenty sorties, as each sortie averages about five hours. The aircraft ranged all over southern Afghanistan, waiting for troops below to call for some air support. The A-10 could always fly low and slow and was designed and armored to survive a lot of ground fire. The troops trust the A-10 more than the F-16 or any other aircraft used for ground support.

The A-10 is a 23-ton, twin-engine, single-seat aircraft whose primary weapon is a multi-barrel 30mm cannon originally designed to fire armor-piercing shells at Russian tanks. These days, the 1,174 30mm rounds are mostly high-explosive versions. The 30mm cannon fires 363-gram 12.7-ounce rounds at the rate of about 65 a second. The cannon usually fires in one or two-second bursts. In addition, the A-10 can carry up to 7 tons of bombs and missiles. These days, the A-10 goes out with smart bombs (GPS and laser-guided) and 306 kg/670-pound Maverick missiles. It can also carry a targeting pod, enabling the pilot to use high magnification day/night cameras to scour the area for enemy activity. Cruising speed is 560 kilometers per hour, and the A-10 can slow down to about 230 kilometers per hour. In Afghanistan, two drop tanks were often carried to extend the aircraft's fuel capacity and maximize airtime over the battlefield.

If there is another major war in some place like Korea or with Iran, the A-10s would once more be one of the most popular warplanes with the ground troops, if they are still around. Otherwise, the troops on the ground will have to make do with smart bombs and a growing number of GPS-guided mortar shells, artillery shells, and rockets.

At one point, the Air Force argued that the F-35 could replace the A-10 as a ground attack aircraft. One of the problems with using F-35s is that this aircraft costs more than twice as much an hour to operate. Moreover, only the A-10 can regularly go low and strafe enemy forces. F-16s and F-35s are too fast and unarmored to get away with that. The A-10 was designed to take a lot of hits and keep flying. A-10s have regularly demonstrated this reliability.

Finally, the Air Force admitted that it would take 15 years and cost a lot of money to develop an A-10 replacement. The current plan is to eventually hand off that dangerous duty to a new generation of UAVs. This is something Predator and Reaper UAVs have already been handling, except for the low-altitude strafing duty. This is often used to intimidate a stubborn foe, and that still works. The A-10 makes a lot of noise when coming in low, with part of the racket coming from its 30mm autocannon. Again, this has been proven time and again. It is not a theoretical capability but very real and still in demand. No aircraft will ever duplicate that. When the A-10 finally retires in 2040, it will have been in service 73 years, fifty of them after being declared obsolete at the end of the Cold War.
Melania Trump issued a ferocious denial of 'lies' linking her to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Her three-minute speech tore into unnamed 'individuals' and their 'mean-spirited' attempts to ruin her reputation.

She flat-out denied any 'relationship' with Epstein and claims she was never a 'victim.'

The First Lady goes on to say that 'numerous fake images' of her and Epstein have been circulating on social media for 'years.'

She says that her 'polite reply' in an email doesn't 'amount to anything more than a tribal note.'

Buried in the tranche of more than three million Epstein files is an email from 2002 signed 'Love, Melania' that appears to be addressed to Ghislaine Maxwell.

It is unclear what immediately prompted the First Lady's speech. Both she and Trump have denied any wrongdoing connected to the disgraced financier.

Read Melania's speech in full:

The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect I do not object to their ignorance but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.

Her three-minute speech tore into unnamed 'individuals' and their 'mean-spirited' attempts to ruin her reputation

Donald Trump and his then-girlfriend Melania Knauss, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell at the Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida, February 12, 2000

I have never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach.

To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice Maxwell. My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a trivial note. I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump.

I met my husband, by chance, at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in detail in my book, Melania. The first time I crossed paths with Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings. Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now.

Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false. I'm not a witness or a named witness in connection with any of Epstein's crimes. My name has never appeared in court documents, depositions, victim statements or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter. I have never had any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity.

I was not a participant, was never on Epstein's plane and never visited his private island. I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with abstinence trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behavior. The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop.

My attorneys and I have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success and will continue to maintain my sound reputation without hesitation. To date, several individuals and companies have been legally obligated to publicly apologize and retract their lies about me, such as the Daily Beast, James Carville, and HarperCollins UK.

Now is the time for Congress to act. Epstein was not alone. Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. became widely politicized. Of course, this doesn't amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.

I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors. Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony. Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the congressional record. Then, and only then, we will have the truth. Thank you.
Top Democrats overseeing the Jeffrey Epstein investigation are supporting Melania Trump's call for the pedophile's victims to testify before Congress.

The First Lady said Thursday that she was not friends with Epstein and had no knowledge of his sexual abuse of women. Her shocking statement sent shockwaves throughout DC, as the timing of it remains unclear.

She demanded lawmakers allow Epstein's victims to testify on Capitol Hill.

Melania's comments come after GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson delayed efforts to release documents on the deceased sex offender.

The top Democrat on the Oversight Committee investigating Epstein, Representative Robert Garcia, praised Melanias statement as Republicans scheduled a hearing for victims.

'We agree with First Lady Melania Trumps call for a public hearing with the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. We encourage Chairman Comer to respond to the First Ladys request and schedule a public hearing immediately,' Garcia wrote on X.

Democrat Representative Ro Khanna also agreed with the First Lady: 'I have been calling for this for months. It should be for all victimized by the Epstein class and there must be investigations and prosecutions. What say you Speaker Johnson?'

Some Republicans who have pushed for greater transparency from GOP leadership and the White House also issued statements backing Melania.

The First Lady said Thursday that she was not friends with Epstein and had no knowledge of his sexual abuse of women

The top Democrat on the Oversight Committee investigating Epstein, Representative Robert Garcia, praised Melanias statement as Republicans scheduled a hearing for victims

Melania's comments come after GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson delayed efforts to release documents on the deceased sex offender

'First Lady asks Congress to bring Epstein survivors in for testimony. With all due respect, thats Todd Blanche's job!' GOP rogue Representative Thomas Massie said.

'Ro Khanna & I already gave brave survivors a chance to tell their horrific stories on Capitol Hill. Pam Bondi wouldnt even acknowledge them. PROSECUTE!'

Fellow Republican Representative Nancy Mace agreed with Massie, while adding she was 'moved' by Melania's Epstein comments.

'First Lady, you have my word I'll continue to fight for the women who have been victimized by this monster,' she wrote.

The announcement came as a shock, as there had not been recent revelations linking her to the disgraced financier, who the government says committed suicide while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges in August 2019.

Melania appeared highly nervous during the speech and was shaking, largely looking down at her notes. The First Lady did not take any questions before walking away from the podium.

She claimed that though she and the President had overlapping social circles with Epstein, they did not have a relationship. She also said that she never associated with Epstein's criminal associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

She told the room that she first met Epstein in 2000 and that she was unaware of anything untoward. He was not accused until years later in 2005.

Some Republicans who have pushed for greater transparency from GOP leadership and the White House also issued statements backing Melania

Melania noted how Epstein did not work alone and that several prominent male executives resigned as the scandal became increasingly politicized.

Though that does not amount to the executives being guilty, she said, 'we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.'

'First Lady Melania Trump spoke out now because enough is enough. The lies must stop,' Marc Beckman, Exclusive Senior Advisor to First Lady Melania Trump, told the Daily Mail of the timing of the shocking update.
Vladimir Putin has announced a ceasefire with Ukraine for the duration of the Orthodox Easter holidays.

The Russian president's decision was put out by the Kremlin on Thursday, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this week that he had passed a holiday truce proposal via the US - as talks to end the four-year conflict were derailed by the Middle East war.

'A ceasefire is declared from 16:00 (13:00 GMT) on 11 April until the end of the day on 12 April 2026' by Putin, 'in connection with the approaching Orthodox feast of Easter,' the Kremlin said in a statement.

The General Staff 'has been instructed to cease combat operations in all directions for this period,' the Kremlin said, adding that troops were ready to 'counter any possible provocations by the enemy'.

'We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation.'

The move from Russia comes days after Zelensky accused Moscow of choosing 'Easter escalation' over an Easter ceasefire after Russia carried out a deadly drone attack on Ukraine.

Six people were killed and 40 others injured over the weekend as Russia launched drones and missiles across the nation.

Several rounds of US-led talks have failed to bring the warring sides closer to an agreement, further stalling as Washington's attention shifted to Iran.

Vladimir Putin has announced a ceasefire with Ukraine for the duration of the Orthodox Easter holidays

The Russia-Ukraine war has cost hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions, making it the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. Pictured: Russian servicemen fire a sel-propelled gun at an undisclosed location in Ukraine

The negotiations also appeared to be deadlocked, with Moscow demanding territorial and political concessions from Kyiv that Zelensky has ruled out as tantamount to capitulation.

The war has cost hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions, making it the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Previous attempts to secure ceasefires have had little or no impact. Putin unilaterally declared a 30-hour ceasefire last Easter, but each side accused the other of breaking it.

The developments in the Russia-Ukraine war come after the US and Iran agreed to a fragile two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump swerved to de-escalate the war less than two hours before the deadline he set for Tehran to capitulate to a deal or face attacks on its bridges and power plants meant to destroy Iranian 'civilisation'.

Though both the United States and Iran declared victory in a five-week-old war that has killed thousands, their core disputes remained unresolved, with each side sticking to competing demands for a deal that could shape the Middle East for generations.

The US and Israel have claimed the ceasefire does not include Lebanon, where Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a major ground and air invasion.

But Iran and mediators Pakistan said the peace plan included the 'complete cessation of war in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen'.

Iranians attended the 40th-day memorial ceremony of Iran's former leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Thursday

Trump has hailed a 'total and complete victory' in its war with Iran after reaching a ceasefire agreement on Tuesday night

On Wednesday, Israel intensified its bombing campaign over Lebanon, killing 182 people as it claimed to hit more than 100 Hezbollah sites in some of the heaviest strikes of the war yet.

Doubts over the state of the ceasefire came as thousands of Iranians gathered in the streets to commemorate the death of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Supporters of Khamenei held portraits of their deceased leader and waved the flags of the Islamic republic as they took part in rallies across the country after he died in the US-Israeli attack on February 28.

The celebration marks a 40-day mourning period - an important rite of passage for Muslims - since the former leader's death.

A huge gathering took place in the capital, Tehran, where strikes have ceased since a fragile ceasefire came into effect on Tuesday night, as well as in the northwest city of Urmia and the northeast city of Gorgan.

Khamenei was 86 years old, having led the Islamic republic for more than 36 years, when he was killed in a strike on February 28.

The attack marked the beginning of a conflict that subsequently engulfed the entire Middle East, with Iran retaliating with missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf nations it accuses of serving as launchpads for US strikes.

A state funeral for Khamenei was initially announced but could ultimately not be held because of the war.

A fireball rises from a building hit by an Israeli airstrike in the area of Abbasiyeh, on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre. The Israeli military is still launching attacks, as Israel said the ceasefire with Iran did not include its conflict with Hezbollah

His son Mojtaba, who succeeded him in early March, was not present on Thursday. He was wounded in a strike, according to Iranian officials, and has yet to appear in public since his appointment.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian participated in the tribute and posed for photos with attendees, according to images broadcast on state television.

The national tribute began at 9.40am (6.10am GMT), the same time that strikes killed Khamenei at his residence in Tehran along with dozens of high-ranking officers and officials.

Some Iranians taking part in the memorial claimed the agreement of a ceasefire between Iran and the US and Israel marked a 'victory' for the regime.

Both sides have since claimed military triumph, with Trump hailing a 'total and complete victory' and Iran boasting of a 'victory in the field'.
The daughters of a woman allegedly killed by her exhusband say they were waiting in an airport while her body lay by a freeway thousands of miles away.

Eva Lasrini, 53, was reported missing on April 2 after failing to arrive in Bali, where she planned to visit her two daughters Adeline and Vanya at Denpasar Airport.

Her body was later found by a roadside in Little River, about 44km southwest of Melbourne, last Wednesday.

Adeline recalled the harrowing hours they spent waiting for their mum at the airport. The pair tried repeatedly to call her but couldn't get through.

'I'm asking "Mum, do you coming to Bali or not?" And she's not answer any more,' Adeline told 9News.

'We waiting until 12 and my mother doesn't show up anymore.

'My mother is strong, beautiful and so loyal with her family.'

Ms Lasrini's ex-husband, Allen Keys, was arrested at Melbourne Airport last Friday before he boarded an international flight and charged with her murder.

Eva Lasrini with her daughters Adeline and Vanya

Allen Keys, with Ms Lasrini, has been charged with her murder

Ms Lasrini had moved to Australia from Bali for love according to friends

Her daughters called the 67-year-old when their mother failed to arrive in Bali, and he allegedly told them he was overseas and didn't know where she was.

In the lead-up to Ms Lasrini's death, Keys shared a series of social media posts belittling Western women and praising relationships with Asian women.

'It's funny, Western girls see an old perv, Asian girls see opportunity,' he wrote.

Another post said: 'Western females should realise that when they come to Bali their value is reduced substantially and nobody will put up with their s***.'

'I would rather be chasing Asian girls than stuck at home with a useless, sexless white wife but everyone to their own,' a third post read.

On April 1, the day Ms Lasrini failed to board her flight, Keys posted photos and videos online with another Balinese woman, captioning them: 'New girl, new life.'

He also shared videos making derogatory jokes about women, as well as footage featuring rightwing 'manosphere' creator Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan.

Ms Lasrini had been working in a warehouse to raise funds to bring her two daughters to Australia to attend university, according to Adeline.

Her daughters told how they waited for her to arrive in Bali but she never got off the plane. She was later found dead in Little River, about 44km southwest of Melbourne

Detectives stopped the 67-year-old (pictured) at Melbourne Airport last Friday as he tried to board an international flight

Ms Lasrini's friends have shared tributes to the mother-of-two on social media, saying she had moved to Australia for love.

'Eva met her husband in Bali and fell in love,' Gail Porter wrote on a GoFundMe page.

'That love is what brought her to Melbourne, not for opportunity or financial gain, but to build a life with someone she trusted and cared for deeply.

'She came to Australia for love, and deserved a life filled with safety, happiness, and peace.

As of writing, the GoFundMe page has raised $11,000 of a $20,000 goal to help the daughters travel to Melbourne.

Keys appeared at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Saturday where he was remanded into custody to next appear on August 10.
Anthony Albanese has touched down in Singapore for high-stakes talks to shore up Australia's fuel supply amid global uncertainty.

The Prime Minister jetted out of Sydney on Thursday morning ahead of a last-minute bilateral meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong on Friday.

Australia's status as Singapore's biggest gas provider is set to feature in Albanese's pitch as he presses for guaranteed access to Singaporean fuel, with supply lines to the Jurong Island refinery under strain.

Singapore is the largest supplier of refined petrol to Australia, accounting for more than half the nation's intake.

Albanese's mission will involve convincing Singapore to prioritise Australia if the ceasefire fails, with trade in petrol and diesel to also feature heavily in discussions.

He said strengthening ties with Singapore would be crucial as the war in the Middle East and the closure of the strait disrupted global oil supplies.

'There's been substantial damage in the Gulf and that will have consequences for a period of at least months ahead,' Albanese said.

The one-on-one meeting comes after US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, provided the regime immediately reopened the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has touched down in Singapore for high-stakes talks to shore up Australia's fuel supply amid a troubled ceasefire

The Prime Minister jetted out of Australia on Thursday morning ahead of a last-minute bilateral meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong (the pair are pictured in late 2025)

'We want to see it pursued,' Albanese said of the ceasefire on Thursday.

'Even if it is a permanent end of the conflict that we want to see, it doesn't mean that Strait of Hormuz is reopened and that it's back to business as usual.

'I'm looking forward to a constructive meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.'

Albanese will visit Jurong Island, where the city-state has three oil refineries, on Friday.

Production at the facilities has been limited as most of the oil processed there comes via the Strait of Hormuz.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said supply was now guaranteed 'several weeks' into May.

He said Australia obtained most of its fuel from Asia, but other purchases were coming from North America and Mexico after becoming available on short notice.

'Obviously, the closer it is to Australia, the better,' he told reporters on Thursday.

Albanese is seen leaving Australia for Singapore on Thursday morning

Singapore is Australia's largest two-way trade partner in Southeast Asia.

In March, Albanese and Wong signed a joint statement reaffirming Australia and Singapore's commitments to continue trading in energy.

The statement said the countries would 'support the flow of essential goods including petroleum oils, such as diesel, and liquefied natural gas'.

Albanese's trip is also expected to reinforce broader economic and security ties, with both nations seeking to maintain stable supply chains in an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment.
Donald Trump issued a nearly 500-word rant ripping into his most influential advocates in conservative media over their opposition to his war with Iran.

Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Megyn Kelly, and Alex Jones have turned on the President's agenda following the launch of Operation Epic Fury.

Trump branded his former allies 'low IQ...stupid people' and 'NUTS JOBS, TROUBLEMAKERS,' in a Truth Social post on Thursday.

'I know why [they] have all been fighting me for years, especially by the fact that they think it is wonderful for Iran, the Number One State Sponsor of Terror, to have a Nuclear Weapon - Because they have one thing in common, Low IQs,' Trump said.

'They're stupid people, they know it, their families know it, and everyone else knows it, too!'

The four right-wing pundits claim Trump was misled into launching the war under pressure from Israel and that the President abandoned his 'America First' campaign promises. Trump's explosive tirade comes as he faces fresh scrutiny over his two-week ceasefire with Iran.

The President highlighted some of the most glaring embarrassments tied to each of the right-wing influencers, including mocking Owens for claiming that France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron, is a man.

'"Crazy" Candace Owens, who accuses the Highly Respected First Lady of France of being a man, when she is not, and will hopefully win lots of money in the ongoing lawsuit,' Trump wrote. 'Actually, to me, the First Lady of France is a far more beautiful woman than Candace, in fact, it's not even close!'

The President then highlights some of the most glaring embarrassments tied to each of the right-wing influencers, including mocking Owens for claiming that France 's First Lady, Brigitte Macron, is a man

Donald Trump issued a nearly 500-word rant ripping into his most influential advocates in conservative media over their opposition to his war with Iran .

Owens falsely claimed Macron was a born named 'Jean-Michel Trogneux'.

Macron sued Owens for defamation in July.

Trump then went after Jones over his notorious conspiracy theory that the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting was staged.

Those claims ultimately resulted in roughly $1.5 billion in defamation judgments against Jones, awarded to the victims' families across multiple lawsuits.

'Bankrupt Alex Jones, who says some of the dumbest things, and lost his entire fortune, as he should have, for his horrendous attack on the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims, ridiculously claiming it was a hoax,' Trump continued.

Trump also falsely claimed Carlson never finished college, adding that he was a 'broken man' after being fired from Fox News: 'He's never been the same - perhaps he should see a good psychiatrist!'

He wraps his rant by claiming all four right-wing stars are 'losers' and do not represent the MAGA movement.

'As President, I could get them on my side anytime I want to, but when they call, I don't return their calls because I'm too busy on World and Country Affairs and, after a few times, they go "nasty."'

Megyn Kelly and Alex Jones have turned on Trump over his war with Iran

'MAGA is about MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and these people have no idea how to do that, BUT I DO,' Trump added.

Carlson and Kelly famously campaigned for Trump during the 2024 election.

The former Fox News hosts, as well as Owens and Jones, command some of the largest media audiences in the country.
Ambassador Paolo Zampolli said Thursday that he's ready to testify before Congress to prove that he was the individual who introduced President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

Zampolli made the pronouncement in a phone interview with the Daily Mail after the First Lady made a stunning statement in the White House on serial pedophile Jeffrey Epstein - an announcement that apparently even took the President by surprise.

Among the comments she made, the First Lady denied rumors that it was Epstein who introduced Melania to her future husband.

'I'm ready to testify in Congress, in front of Congress, to say who introduced the First Lady, and I'm ready to even bring another 50 witnesses to say they were present that night,' the Italian-American diplomat said in an interview with the Daily Mail. 'The whole world knows this. This is old news.'

The first couple, as the story goes, met at a New York Fashion Week party in September 1998 held at the Kit Kat Club and hosted by Zampolli, who at the time was a modeling agent.

Asked about what prompted the First Lady's shock statement, Zampolli said he believed Melania earnestly feels for Epstein's many victims.

'I'm sure she cares about the victims and everybody that has been a victim has a right to expose this animal,' Zampolli told the Daily Mail. 'I think the First Lady has the biggest heart in the world, she's a family woman, and she's our marvelous First Lady,' he added.

Marc Beckman, senior adviser to the First Lady, told the Daily Mail that Melania spoke out because 'enough is enough' and 'the lies must stop.'

First Lady Melania Trump (left) made a surprising statement on Thursday related to Jeffrey Epstein, including swatting down rumors that he introduced her to President Donald Trump. Ambassador Paolo Zampolli (right) said he'd testify before Congress that he introduced the first couple

The timing raised eyebrows. Iran war coverage has largely drowned out the Epstein story, save for an ongoing battle on Capitol Hill over whether former Attorney General Pam Bondi must still sit for an Epstein-related deposition.

Even President Trump professed ignorance, telling MSNOW he didn't 'know anything about' Melania's plans to address Epstein.

The First Lady's office had sent a press release to the media on Wednesday announcing she planned to make remarks - but gave no hint of the subject.

In a brief statement, during which she ignored reporters' shouted questions, Melania made clear she was neither 'friends' with Epstein nor a 'victim' of the pedophile.

'I honestly think, deep in her heart, she cares about the victims,' Zampolli said. 'I know she's not a victim. We know that.'

'They met randomly, they met socially - everybody knew Epstein,' he added. 'I'm in the files, you know?'

The New York Times confirmed that Zampolli's name appeared in the Epstein files, in a story alleging the ambassador - who serves as Trump's Special Envoy for Global Partnership - had outed his ex-girlfriend for being in the country illegally.

'At no time did I request any favors from my colleagues,' he told the Daily Mail, denying he had used his close ties to the President to have his ex, Brazilian model Amanda Ungaro, deported.

Ambassador Paolo Zampolli is photographed in Rome in February 2025. He told the Daily Mail Thursday that he believes First Lady Melania Trump made her statement due to caring about Epstein's victims

Ambassador Paolo Zampolli (left) is photographed alongside First Lady Melania Trump (right) at the 2024 New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago

'My inquiries were solely aimed at understanding the situation, and any advice I sought was strictly in relation to my son's safety,' he added in an interview last month.

The Times also reported that both Zampolli and Ungaro knew Epstein, and that Epstein and Zampolli had discussed buying a modelling agency together - though in a 2011 email to an Emirati businessman, Epstein sounded a sharply different note: 'Be careful, [Zampolli] is trouble. Lots. He sells stories to the press.'

In a phone call on Thursday, Zampolli dismissed any suggestion that his fraught relationship with Ungaro had prompted the First Lady's statement.

'There's no way. This is the First Lady of the United States. Do you think she cares about my ex?' he said.

Since her deportation, Ungaro has spoken out in Brazilian media about flying in 2002, aged 17, on Epstein's private jet, the Lolita Express - and how uncomfortable the experience was.

'All I wanted was to get off that plane. I knew something was wrong - I just didn't know what,' she told O Globo. 'At the time, it never crossed my mind that it could involve abuse.'

Ungaro has not suggested Epstein shared a close relationship with the Trumps.
Donald Trump has claimed he was blindsided by Melania's surprise White House address blasting 'smears' linking her to Jeffrey Epstein.

The President told MS Now he 'didn't know anything about' the First Lady's statement before she appeared on camera.

Trump added that 'she didn't know [Epstein]' before hanging up on the reporter.

Melania had earlier sent shockwaves through Washington with a surprise statement denying she was a victim of Epstein or that the pedophile financier had introduced her to her future husband.

The reason for the announcement was not immediately clear as there have not been any recent revelations or reporting linking Melania to Epstein.

'I am not Epstein's victim,' the First Lady said from the Cross Hall of the White House. 'Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998.'

Melania said that she had 'never been friends with Epstein' and also denied having any relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell after an email to the British socialite appeared in the files released by the Justice Department.

The First Lady, who was a model when she first met Trump, said she and the President encountered Epstein only within the New York-Palm Beach social set, calling such an overlap 'common'.

Donald and Melania Trump with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago in February 2000

The First Lady said she was 'not Epstein's victim' as she made a surprise address from the White House

Melania added that the pedophile financier did not introduce her to Trump and insists she met her husband 'by chance at a New York City party in 1998'

Marc Beckman, the First Lady's exclusive senior advisor, told the Daily Mail: 'First Lady Melania Trump spoke out now because enough is enough. The lies must stop.

'It is time for the public and media to focus on her incredible achievements as First Lady, the lives she has positively impacted, and her commitment to our nation.'

Trump and Melania met in 1998 at the Kit Kat Club in New York when she was 28-years-old before going on to marry in 2005. Paolo Zampolli, a modeling agency boss who is serving as Trump's special envoy for global partnerships, claims he introduced the pair to each other.

Melania appeared visibly nervous throughout the statement, trembling and looking down at her notes rather than into the camera. She took no questions before walking away from the podium.

The First Lady told the room she first met Epstein in 2000 and was unaware of anything untoward. He was not publicly accused until 2005.

Melania said she had seen 'fake images and statements' linking her to Epstein on social media for years, and urged viewers to 'be cautious about what you believe'.

She continued: 'These images and stories are completely false. I'm not a witness or unnamed witness in connection with any of Epstein's crimes.

'The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop.

'My attorneys and I have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success, and will continue to maintain my sound reputation without hesitation.'

In a surprising move, Melania called on Congress to hold hearings with victims of Epstein's abuse.

'I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors,' she added.

Melania noted that Epstein did not work alone and that several prominent male executives had resigned as the scandal grew increasingly politicized.

Join the discussion Do you believe her side of the story?

Trump and Epstein chat to Belgian supermodel Ingrid Seynhaeve at a Victoria's Secret party at Manhattan's Laura Belle club in April 1997

Maxwell attends a Theo Fennell party at the Cafe Royal, London, November 10, 1996

That did not amount to guilt, she said, but added: 'We still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.'

Melania also addressed an email she sent Maxwell that was uncovered in the Epstein files in January, insisting her reply was merely polite and did not indicate a close relationship.

'My email reply to Maxwell cannot be characterized as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a trivial note,' Melania said.

Buried in the tranche of more than three million Epstein Files is an email signed 'Love, Melania' that appears to be addressed to Maxwell.

The names of the sender and recipient are redacted in the October 23, 2002 email.

The message begins: 'Dear G! How are you? Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great on the picture.'

That week, New York Magazine ran a now-infamous story headlined: Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery.

The article featured a full-page color illustration of Epstein grinning alongside Bill Clinton in front of his private jet, as the actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker board the aircraft.

The piece included a photo of Maxwell with Epstein at a black-tie event, as well as a photo of Donald Trump and the financier chatting to Belgian supermodel Ingrid Seynhaeve at a Victoria's Secret party.

The email continues: 'I know you are very busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time!'

It is signed affectionately: 'Love, Melania.'

Epstein was found hanged in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in the conspiracy.
Donald Trump shot back at The Wall Street Journal after the newspaper claimed he 'declared premature victory in Iran.'

Trump on Thursday responded to an opinion piece from the WSJ's editorial board that suggested Tehran was 'still a threat to the Strait and may retain enriched uranium.'

The President posted to Truth Social: 'The Wall Street Journal, one of the worst and most inaccurate "Editorial Boards" in the World, stated that I "declared premature victory in Iran." Actually, it is a Victory, and there's nothing 'premature' about it!'

'Because of me, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON and, very quickly, you'll see Oil start flowing, with or without the help of Iran and, to me, it makes no difference, either way,' he added.

'The Wall Street Journal will, as usual, live to eat their words. They are always quick to criticize, but never to admit when they're wrong, which is most of the time!'

Trump, in a separate Truth post, addressed one of WSJ's concerns, the notion that Iran would start charging a toll on anyone trying to get through the Strait of Hormuz.

'There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait  They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!'

He then added: 'Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz. That is not the agreement we have!'

Donald Trump shot back at the Wall Street Journal Thursday after the paper's editorial board claimed he ' declared premature victory in Iran'

Trump addressed one of WSJ's concerns, the notion that Iran would start charging a toll on anyone trying to get through the Strait of Hormuz

Trump, in a separate Truth post, addressed one of WSJ's concerns, the notion that Iran would start charging a toll on anyone trying to get through the Strait of Hormuz

The WSJ Editorial Board wrote: 'Freedom of navigation has been a bedrock U.S. principle for centuries. China would be pleased if that principle were abandoned in case it has designs on the straits of Taiwan or Malacca. If Iran retains a veto over traffic in the Strait, that would count as a US defeat.'

They also noted that Iran's ten point plan - which Trump has disputed the accuracy of - is 'miles away from Mr. Trump's demands.'

'The unfortunate truth is that Mr. Trump put himself in this position. His inconsistent rhetoric on the warclaims of victory amid threats of unleashing 'Hell' and an end to Iran's 'civilization'raised global fears and undermined support at home and abroad,' they added.

'The next test for Mr. Trump will be whether he takes his two-week cease-fire deadline seriously. If he does, and Iran plays its usual games, then he really will have to 'finish the job.'

On Tuesday, Trump declared he'd reached a two-week ceasefire with Tehran in a deal negotiated with Pakistan.

The US is set to send JD Vance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to Islamabad on Saturday to start negotiating with Iranian leaders.

The President went on a social media spree Thursday, issuing a nearly 500-word rant ripping into his most influential advocates in conservative media over their opposition to his war with Iran.

Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Megyn Kelly, and Alex Jones have turned on the President's agenda following the launch of Operation Epic Fury.

Trump branded his former allies 'low IQ...stupid people' and 'NUTS JOBS, TROUBLEMAKERS,' in a Truth Social post on Thursday.

'I know why [they] have all been fighting me for years, especially by the fact that they think it is wonderful for Iran, the Number One State Sponsor of Terror, to have a Nuclear Weapon - Because they have one thing in common, Low IQs,' Trump said.

'They're stupid people, they know it, their families know it, and everyone else knows it, too!'

The four right-wing pundits claim Trump was misled into launching the war under pressure from Israel and that the President abandoned his 'America First' campaign promises. Trump's explosive tirade comes as he faces fresh scrutiny over his two-week ceasefire with Iran.
Victims of pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein have responded to First Lady Melania Trump's bombshell announcement that she is not one of them.

In a joint statement, Epstein's victims accused the First Lady of 'diverting attention' from their suffering and protecting 'those in power' after she called on Congress to hold hearings with the victims.

'Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports and giving testimony,' read the statement, signed by 15 women who have accused Epstein of sex trafficking.

'Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice.'

They then went on to accuse Melania of 'shifting the burden onto survivors under politicized conditions that protect those in power: the Department of Justice, law enforcement, prosecutors and the Trump Administration, which has still not fully-complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.'

The the Epstein Files Transparency Act requires the Trump Administration to publish all files related to Epstein's crimes.

In addition, they claimed the attention was a distraction from pressuring officials who are being subpoenaed to testify on their role in releasing the files.

'It also diverts attention from Pam Bondi, who must answer for withheld files and the exposure of survivors' identities,' the victims said of the ousted Attorney General. 'Those failures continue to put lives at risk while shielding enablers.'

'Survivors have done their part,' they concluded. 'Now, it's time for those in power to do theirs.'

Melania Trump denied rumors on Thursday that she was a victim of Jeffrey Epstein's

Epstein's victims (pictured in February) argued they have already done their part, after Melania called on Congress to hold hearings with the victims

The victims called out ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi for withholding documents related to Epstein's case and exposing some of the victims' identitities

It remains unclear why the First Lady decided to publicly deny any connection with Epstein on Thursday, as there have not been any recent revelations or reporting linking them.

Still, she told reporters from the Cross Hall of the White House: 'I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998.'

Trump and Melania met in 1998 at the Kit Kat Klub in New York when she was 28 years old. Paolo Zampolli, a modeling agency boss who is serving as Trump's special envoy for global partnerships, claims he introduced the couple who married in 2005.

Melania also said in her address that she has 'never been friends with Epstein' and denied any intimacy with Ghislaine Maxwell after an email to the British socialite appeared in the files released by the Justice Department.

She said she first met the financier in 2000 and was unaware of any allegations against him; as it was five years that he was publicly accused of sex trafficking.

The First Lady then said she had seen 'fake images and statements' linking her to Epstein on social media for years, and urged viewers to 'be cautious about what you believe.'

'These images and stories are completely false. I'm not a witness or unnamed witness in connection with any of Epstein's crimes,' she said.

'The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop,' the First Lady continued.

'My attorneys and I have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success, and will continue to maintain my sound reputation without hesitation.'

Donald and Melania Trump with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago in February 2000. Melania said she first met Epstein that year

Trump and the financier chatting to Belgian supermodel Ingrid Seynhaeve at a Victoria's Secret party at Manhattan's Laura Belle club in April 1997

Melania went on to call for justice in the Epstein case, noting that he did not work alone and that several prominent male executives had resigned as the scandal grew increasingly politicized.

That did not amount to guilt, she said, but added, 'we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.'

Melania also addressed an email she sent Maxwell that was uncovered in the Epstein files in January, insisting her reply was merely polite and did not indicate a close relationship.

'My email reply to Maxwell cannot be characterized as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a trivial note,' Melania said.

Buried in the tranche of more than three million Epstein Files is an email signed 'Love, Melania' that appears to be addressed to Maxwell.

The names of the sender and recipient are redacted in the October 23, 2002 email.

The message begins: 'Dear G! How are you? Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great on the picture.'

That week, New York Magazine ran a now-infamous story headlined: 'Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery.'

The article featured a full-page color illustration of Epstein grinning alongside Bill Clinton in front of his private jet, as the actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker board the aircraft.

Melania seemed nervous throughout her address on Thursday, after which she declined to take any questions

The piece included a photo of Maxwell with Epstein at a black-tie event, as well as a photo of Donald Trump and the financier chatting to Belgian supermodel Ingrid Seynhaeve at a Victoria's Secret party.

The email continues: 'I know you are very busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time!'

The First Lady seemed visibly nervous throughout her address on Thursday, trembling and looking down at her notes rather than into the camera. She took no questions before walking away from the podium.

But Marc Beckman, Exclusive Senior Advisor to First Lady Melania Trump, later told the Daily Mail: 'First Lady Melania Trump spoke out now because enough is enough. The lies must stop.

'It is time for the public and media to focus on her incredible achievements as First Lady, the lives she has positively impacted, and her commitment to our nation.'

Epstein was found hanged in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, and Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in the conspiracy.
by Austin Bay April 9, 2026

Apparently, President Donald Trump's Easter weekend threats of economic obliteration by military bombardment (and perhaps the occupation of key oil export facilities) can forward diplomacy with homicidal zealots -- or whoever is left in the scattered leadership of Iran's ayatollah regime.

In Trumpian "art of the deal" terminology, the threats of economic obliteration created and obtained maximum leverage.

An hour and 25 minutes before his 8 p.m. EDT deadline for launching massive conventional attacks on Iran's energy, transportation, and manufacturing infrastructure, Trump announced a "double-sided ceasefire."

Trump said Iranian leaders had proposed a 10-point plan that met all nonnegotiable U.S. demands and is a "workable basis on which to negotiate."

That means the 10-point plan commits Iran to terminating its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

In a social media post, Trump emphasized Iran's agreement to the immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping.

Translation: Iran's leaders guarantee safe passage of oil tankers. Expected economic effect: IF the ceasefire lasts and produces safe passage, global fuel prices will drop and stabilize over the next six weeks.

IF is capitalized because Iran's leaders could still cheat and renege on the emerging deal, or fail to enforce it.

Who are these Iranian leaders? Good question. For 47 years, the ayatollah regime thrived on lies and cheating. The leaders who made the ceasefire deal are creatures of that state.

Which is why the Trump administration must keep the U.S. military pointed at their collective heads. Call it maintaining leverage -- or Reaganesque trust but verify.

After six weeks of U.S. and Israel firepower, Iran is a fractured state. I think it's very likely the remnant regime lacks the power to control its own forces and fulfill its ceasefire commitment, or at least fulfill it quickly.

In fact, less than an hour after Trump's announcement, both the United Arab Emirates and Israel reported scattered Iranian missile attacks.

Were the missiles a command and control breakdown by Iran's remnant regime or intentional duplicity? That remains to be determined. Given the effectiveness of U.S. and Israeli firepower, I'll wager military and security communications within Iran are iffy at best. I'm writing this column April 7. We should know if the dealmakers can gain control over their own forces in Iran within the next 72 hours.

As for Iran's proxy forces? Unfortunately, Israel will face trouble from Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. One missile fired on Israel after the agreement announcement came from Yemen -- meaning it was fired by the Houthis. Does the agreement include halting Iranian support for its proxies? It had better. That will deny the Houthis new ballistic missiles -- but they will continue to wage war with rifles.

If the shooting continues and the new leaders break the deal, "Trump's Hell" will be unleashed.

After Trump threatened to obliterate energy and economic infrastructure, Iran began placing old ladies and children around electrical facilities and bridges. That's right, human shields -- what Saddam did in 1990.

Iranian propagandists and pro-thug media throughout the world ran videos of forlorn women in black robes walking beneath power lines. The videos were an attempt to stop U.S. attacks on the power lines.

The Iranian regime was committing a crime by employing involuntary human shields -- using hostages to protect a legitimate military target. Using hostage civilians as human shields is prohibited under international humanitarian law.

However, American media idiots were ready to indict Trump as a war criminal.

It appears Trump is waging a successful war to disarm an evil regime that seeks nuclear weapons and oppresses and murders its own people.
It was five years ago this week that the Royal Family lost the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip  who passed away at the age of 99.

The funeral, which took place on April 17, 2021, at St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle, was a sombre occasion that saw Prince Harry return to the UK to grieve for his grandfather; and marked the first time he'd reunite with his grandmother, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales, since his and Meghan's bombshell Oprah interview.

But while it would have been easy for rife divisions to take centre stage just one year on from 'Megxit', a body language expert has revealed how Kate put the spotlight on unity, stepping to support The Firm  while its usual rock, the Queen, was mourning her husband of 73 years.

'When a leader leaves a group it is always time for another leader to step up quickly and help fill the void,' Judi James told the Daily Mail.

'In the royal family that pecking order is driven by the order of succession, but like any other family they have a more natural power ranking as well as the anointed, titular one.

'Although Philip married into the Firm, he became a strong, paternal alpha presence and his death created a leadership gap.

'The Queen was in deep mourning, and an equally distraught Charles appeared to watch helplessly as his two sons engaged in a civil war that threatened to drive a rift through the entire royal family.

'It was at Philip's funeral though when Kate's body language and behaviour suddenly, quietly but dramatically showed a switchup that hinted at a breakthrough tendency.'

Judi revealed that as the royals came together to say goodbye to a beloved relative, Kate was a beacon of stability amid the sorrow.

A body language expert has revealed how Kate put the spotlight on unity, stepping to support The Firm  while its usual rock, the Queen, was mourning her husband of 73 years

'Her visual signals suddenly hinted that she was the one with the firmness and courage to step up and take a badly needed degree of control,' she explained.

'The world watched as, once the service was over, Kate firstly offered a consoling and supportive hug to the weeping Charles before setting off solo to herd William and Harry together like a royal sheepdog herding two anxious and dithering sheep.'

It was an occasion where the thenDuchess of Cambridge was able to show that 'she was more than just a pitchperfect royal smile and "plus one" to her husband'.

'A photo taken during her arrival at the funeral acted as a hard launch for this more confident, matriarchal side to the queeninwaiting,' Judi continued.

'With her mouth hidden by her Covid mask, the attention of the viewer is directed to Kate's eyes.

'Sitting immaculately groomed in her mourning black with pearl earrings, Kate's eye expression in this photo is extraordinarily strong, displaying an inner strength and confidence that had been kept almost hidden before.

'In the photo you can see the flash of the camera fully reflected in her pupils but Kate holds her direct gaze into the camera without flinching or glancing away, suggesting a strong sense of purpose.'

Judi said it was a moment which may have had wellwishers hoping for reconciliation from Philip's two feuding grandsons  but resulted in a surprising stepup from the Princess.

'While the world waited and watched, hoping that their grandfather's death might maybe broker some kind of truce prompted by grief between William and Harry, the entire service ended without any hint of connection between them,' she explained.

'It was as the royals were leaving though and walking back up the hill in a more casual formation that Kate very firmly and deftly took control of the situation.

'Her trucebrokering power came from the fact that she and Harry were still on friendly speaking terms but it was impossible to imagine that she wasn't emotionally egged on and motivated by the thought of their grandfather's wishes.'

Judi revealed that as the royals came together to say goodbye to a beloved relative, Kate was a beacon of stability amid the sorrow

Judi also saw 'several signals of acute awkwardness and anxiety' from both William and Harry.

'William resorts to his signature "escape" technique of performing an act of distraction with any props handy,' she shared.

'Here he begins by looking down and fiddling with his mask and his order of service. A moment later and he's frowning while rooting around in his pockets, acting oblivious to the fact that his errant brother is close behind him.

'Harry is also riddled with anxiety here, straightening his tie in an autocontact selfsoothing gesture that also creates something of a safety barrier. There is no sign here that, left to their own devices, these two men would be voluntarily walking together chatting.'

And 'all this oozing of a wary awkwardness is in complete contrast to Kate's nonverbal presence'.

'Kate's shoulders are squared, her stride is firm and directional, and her arms hang at her sides in a gesture of confidence,' Judi continued.

'Having just been consoling a weeping Charles with a tender hug she has clearly set off to frogmarch his sons towards some kind of display of togetherness.

'Leaving her husband to walk ahead, Kate falls back to walk alongside Harry, using some friendlylooking words to firmly steer him into place beside William like a royal tug boat steering two liners into dock.

'It looks clear from William and Harry's avoidance rituals that they would have walked apart had Kate not intervened and taken firm charge.

'William's distraction rituals and the way he is still straightening his tie when Harry lines up suggest this piece of choreographic brilliance is all Kate's idea.

'The last move from Kate is perhaps the most poignant, too. Having stepped up in a way that would probably have pleased and amused the two prince's late grandfather, Kate steps back to allow them to walk and chat alone, falling in step with a very distraught Sophie instead and finally pulling out a hankie to dab her own tears and allow herself to take a moment of quiet grief.'
Your browser does not support iframes.

Andrew Lownie was widely praised for carrying out a public service when he wrote Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, which laid bare the moral corruption, greed and excesses of the Duke and Duchess of York.

In his book, serialised in the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday, the author provided jaw-dropping details of Prince Andrew and Sarah Fergusons appalling choice of friends such as the convicted late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The timing of its publication, just before the release of the Epstein files last year, contributed to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor being banished to King Charless private Sandringham estate in Norfolk and Fergie disappearing to who-knows-where?

Lownie, who is also a literary agent, is rightly proud of the best-selling book, and now the author, 64, who claims to be a monarchist, has been giving interviews around the world involving some sensational claims  and not just about the beleaguered Andrew and Fergie.

During an appearance on stage at the Oxford Literary Festival, Lownie turned his fire on Andrews beloved late mother, who would have celebrated her 100th birthday this month. He claimed that the late Queen had crossed the line legally a lot when she made allowances for Andrew, who was often described as her favourite child.

Lownie then chose to make the provocative claim that our late monarch was senile in her later years.

By the end of her life, what people dont realise, is that she was completely gaga, the author claimed. He [Andrew] would go up there and he would bully her into doing things. So for the last few years of her life Charles actually was running the show, rather than the Queen.

Lownie claimed that the late Queen had crossed the line legally a lot when she made allowances for Andrew, who was often described as her favourite child

By the end of her life, what people dont realise, is that she was completely gaga, the author claimed

Lownie went on to discuss unsubstantiated claims that both MI6 and the Foreign Office complained about the former Prince Andrew.

He continued: He was made a vice-admiral in the Navy, and that was after these allegations. She [the Queen] entertained a lot of [his associates]. President Aliyev of Azerbaijan gave her a horse and she was thrilled. She, Im afraid, abetted this [his misbehaviour]. The whole family abetted this  they knew about it.

Having met the Queen at a party near Buckingham Palace in her later years, I can affirm that she was certainly not completely gaga or, indeed, even a little gaga. In fact, she spent so long making intelligent small talk with guests at the party that she rather showed me up. I wanted to leave and go home but felt I could hardly depart before our elderly monarch.

Right to the end of her magnificent life, the Queen was undertaking her duties despite being increasingly frail. As my esteemed colleague Robert Hardman recalls in his new book, Elizabeth II, she met not one but two prime ministers, Boris Johnson and his successor Liz Truss, during the final week of her life.

Truss told Hardman: She stood up to greet me. She was clearly physically not very well but we talked for about 20 minutes. She was alert.

The Queen watches Derby Day with the 7th Earl of Carnarvon (centre) and Prince Philip in 1994

Joseph Kloska portrays the Earl, known as 'Porchie', in Netflix's The Crown; pictured with Claire Foy, who plays Queen Elizabeth in the first two seasons

Lownie also discussed the late monarchs friendship with her racing manager, the 7th Earl of Carnarvon, who was known as Porchie, thanks to his previous courtesy title of Lord Porchester.

Discussing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsors character with an interviewer Down Under, Lownie said: He was the favourite, he was spoiled, he has a very different character to Edward and indeed to Charles, and thats because, I think, he has a different father.

I think hes the child of Lord Porchester, and Lord Porchester was like that, and so I think that its a genetic thing.

Viewers of Netflixs popular, but wildly inaccurate, drama series The Crown will already be familiar with innuendo about the Queens friendship with Porchie, but its controversial, to say the least, that Lownie should spread such rumours.

Perhaps he should stick to writing about the living rather than those who are in no position to answer back.

After her record-breaking reign and a life devoted to duty, I would say the Queen deserves far better.
It's been a seaside staple for decades  but cod and chips could soon be off the menu, scientists have warned.

The popular fish, known for its flaky white flesh, is often served in the 167 million fish and chip meals dished out annually in the UK.

But their stocks are plummeting  and it could mean switching your regular order to something a bit more obscure.

The warning comes from the Marine Conservation Society, which has updated its Good Fish Guide in line with the latest scientific advice.

It said there are no longer any recommended choices for UKcaught cod, and that Brits should turn to European hake as an alternative.

For those who may look to switch to scampi, it's even more bad news  as they have also slipped down the sustainability scale.

Kerry Lyne, Good Fish Guide Manager at the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), said: 'The challenge isn't that fish and chips will disappear, but that the species must be sourced from further afield.

'As pressure grows on traditional choices like cod and scampi, the Good Fish Guide highlights more sustainable alternatives and shows how consumer choices can support healthier local fish stocks and bettermanaged fisheries.'

Cod and chips has been a seaside favourite for decades, but scientists are calling on Brits to ditch the popular fish (stock image)

UK cod populations have been in decline since 2015 due to overfishing, climatedriven changes in sea temperatures and ecosystem pressures that affect breeding.

Remaining stocks in the sea off the north of the UK have now slipped further down the ratings, meaning any cod eaten here should now be imported from abroad.

The guide also encourages people to avoid cod caught in the Arctic.

The 'best choice' for the fish, the MCS said, is Icelandic cod caught by longline or gillnet  nets which hang vertically.

Some UK haddock remains a good option, depending on where they are caught. The best choice are those caught in the North Sea or West of Scotland.

Meanwhile the latest ratings for UKcaught scampi  also known as langoustines  have also been downgraded because fishing levels have been above recommended amounts for years and populations are declining.

It is best, where possible, to opt for langoustines that have been caught by pot or creel rather than trawled, conservationists said.

As an alternative to scampi the experts suggest UKfarmed king prawns, which have a much lower environmental impact.

The MCS said Brits should turn to European hake as an alternative to cod. Many fish and chip shops up and down the country already offer the alternative

The Good Fish Guide allows people to check whether the fish they are buying is from a recommended source

The UK's most commonly eaten fish Cod: 37%

Haddock: 16%

Tuna: 12%

Mackerel: 10%

Salmon: 8%

Sardine: 6%

Hake: 3%

Flat fish: 2%

Herring: 2%

Seabass: 0.5% Source: University of East Anglia

It's not just fish and chips which have come under scrutiny with this update to the Good Fish Guide.

Mackerel, which moved off the charity's recommended list last April and has recently been taken off the shelves by retailers including Waitrose, is now redrated, meaning consumers are advised to completely avoid it.

Currently, the UK imports around 80 per cent of the seafood it consumes. The charity is now calling for the improved management of domestic fisheries to help rebuild stocks and reduce reliance on imports.

The guide recommends some wellmanaged UK options such as seabass from the North Sea, English Channel and Celtic Sea, or plaice from the North Sea.

They also suggest some UK farmed seafood like blue mussels and freshwater trout.

Chris Graham, Head of Sustainable Seafood and Ocean Regeneration at the MCS, said: 'As an island nation, the UK has long relied on its fishing communities and the seas that support them.

'It's deeply concerning seeing so many of our iconic fisheries  from cod to mackerel  under increasing pressure.

'While climate change is playing a role, years of overfishing and poor management have also taken their toll.'

Scampi, also known as Norway lobster, are caught using a technique called bottom trawling. This involves dragging weighted nets (pictured) across the bottom of the ocean

Last month, scientists from Convex Seascape Surrey warned that fishing scampi threatens to release vast stores of carbon dioxide and decimate ocean ecosystems.

The most common method for catching langoustines is to drag heavy nets across the sea floor in a process known as bottom trawling.

Conservationists have long warned that this practice causes enormous damage to marine life, but scientists have now identified another 'hidden' climate cost.

In a new study, scientists from the University of Exeter found that bottom trawling can release carbon that was trapped in the mud thousands of years ago.

With these hidden costs in mind, coauthor Professor Callum Roberts told the Daily Mail that people should 'definitely' avoid British scampi caught through bottom trawling.
Scientists have revealed exactly what will happen if a critical ocean current collapses.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a vast system of ocean currents, of which the vital Gulf Stream is just one part.

Studies have previously suggested that its abrupt collapse could plunge northern Europe into a new Ice Age.

However, scientists from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research now claim that this climate disaster could actually make parts of the world even hotter.

The scientists' computer simulations revealed that halting this key current will release vast stores of carbon currently trapped deep beneath the ocean.

This would increase the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere by 47 to 83 parts per million, triggering up to 0.27C (0.5F) of additional warming worldwide.

Although this will offset Europe's cooling, temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere will still plummet, with the Arctic becoming 7C (12.6F) colder.

Meanwhile, this extra carbon will drive extreme warming in the South  raising temperatures in the Antarctic by 6C (10.8F).

The collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could trigger a 'substantial' release of CO2, riggering up to 0.27C (0.5F) of additional warming worldwide (illustrated)

The AMOC functions like a giant ocean conveyor belt, transporting water and heat all around the globe.

The 'engine' that powers this conveyor belt is the sinking of cold, salty water in the freezing oceans around Greenland.

As warmer water freezes, it becomes saltier and denser, sinking to the bottom of the ocean and pulling more warm water northwards in its wake.

However, as fresh water from melting glaciers pours into the ocean, the water around the poles is becoming less dense, gradually slowing the AMOC's steady flow.

Previous studies have warned that AMOC is teetering on the edge of a tipping point, beyond which the entire system will suddenly collapse and grind to a halt.

Without AMOC to redistribute heat around the planet, scientists predict that the Northern Hemisphere will cool while the Southern Hemisphere warms.

However, what scientists have previously not considered is how this might affect the world's supply of carbon dioxide.

Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, says: 'The ocean has been our greatest ally, absorbing a quarter of humanmade CO2 emissions.

Although temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere will still fall overall, the release of CO2 from deep beneath the ocean will offset some of this cooling. Left: Increase in CO2 due to AMOC collapse. Right: Estimated temperature change due to AMOC collapse

Your browser does not support iframes.

'Our study shows how an AMOC collapse could flip the Southern Ocean from a carbon sink into a carbon source, releasing vast amounts of CO2 and fuelling further global warming.'

Using sophisticated computer simulations, the researchers modelled the AMOC current at various concentrations of atmospheric CO2 before adding fresh water until the system collapsed.

In every simulation, the researchers saw that the collapse of AMOC led to a spike in CO2 concentration and increased global warming.

Coauthor Dr Matteo Willeit explained that this is due to 'enhanced mixing that brings carbonrich deep waters to the surface.'

That could be good news for people living in the northern hemisphere, since the extra CO2 will mitigate some of the cooling caused by AMOC's collapse.

But in the southern hemisphere, that will only compound the intense heating that will follow the disaster.

The simulations also revealed that the more CO2 there is in the atmosphere when AMOC fails, the worse the impacts will be.

When atmospheric CO2 concentrations exceeded preindustrial levels in the simulation, the current's collapse led to even more CO2 being released.

Scientists found that the more CO2 in the atmosphere when AMOC collapses, the greater the impact will be. At levels abovee 350 parts per million, far below today's concentration of 420 parts per million, AMOC would never recover from its collapse

At 450 parts per million, the combined effects of global warming would increase temperatures in the Antarctic by more than 10C (18F).

This could spell disaster for the continents' alreadyfragile ice sheets and glaciers, threatening to increase global sea levels.

Studies have predicted that the collapse of Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier, known as the Doomsday Glacier, could increase sea levels by a staggering 65 centimetres.

Likewise, if AMOC were to collapse while CO2 concentrations are high, it is much more likely that the change would be irreversible.

At concentrations above 350 parts per million, far below today's concentration of 420 parts per million, AMOC would never recover from its collapse.

Dr Willeit says: 'Higher CO2 concentrations fundamentally alter the AMOC's stability, pushing the system into a bistable regime where the AMOC could weaken over hundreds of years before shifting to, and remaining in, a collapsed state.

'Once shutdown, we see it does not recover in the long run.'
The reservoir of one of Earth's most explosive volcanoes is quietly refilling with magma, scientists have revealed.

The underwater Kikai volcano, off the coast of Japan, last erupted 7,300 years ago in what was the largest explosion in modern times.

It ejected more magma than could cover the whole of Central Park 7.4 miles (12 kilometres) deep, leaving a large and shallow crater called a 'caldera'.

Now, researchers have discovered a region beneath this caldera has been slowly refilling with fresh magma over the last 3,900 years.

And it sparks concerns that another giant eruption could be on the cards.

In recent years onlookers have noticed steam being released from the crater and the area has experienced more than a dozen small earthquakes.

'Due to its extent and location it is clear that this is in fact the same magma reservoir as in the previous eruption,' geophysicist Professor Seama Nobukazu, from Kobe University, said.

'We must understand how such large quantities of magma can accumulate to understand how giant caldera eruptions occur.'

The Kikai eruption ejected more magma than could cover the whole of Central Park 12 kilometres deep, leaving a large and shallow crater called a 'caldera' (pictured)

While most of the volcano is underwater, parts can be seen from the surface and are known to let off steam

The volcano, which last erupted 7,300 years ago, is situated off the coast of Japan and created the largest explosion in modern times

During the previous Kikai eruption, around 36 cubic miles (160 cubic kilometres) of dense rock was spewed across 1,700 square miles (4,500 square kilometres).

The violent blast sent pyroclastic flows up to 93 miles (150km) from its epicentre  roughly the same distance from Sheffield to London.

That supereruption is thought to have wiped out the prehistoric Jomon civilisation in southern Japan.

While the volcano hasn't done anything dramatic since, it is still active. In the centre of the caldera is a lava dome that has been gradually forming for nearly 4,000 years.

The researchers used airgun arrays to cause artificial seismic pulses and measured how these waves moved through the Earth's crust.

Analysis confirmed the hidden reservoir's size and shape  and that it's filling up with magma.

Chemical analysis showed that the material produced by this and other recent volcanic activity is of a different composition than what was ejected in the last giant eruption.

'This means that the magma that is now present in the reservoir under the lava dome is likely newly injected magma', Professor Nobukazu said.

The current survey allows the researchers to propose a general model for how magma reservoirs under caldera volcanoes refill

Temperature variations show where the magma has been quietly refilling underneath the Kikai volcano

Alongside Kikai, other famous calderas include North America's Yellowstone and Indonesia's Toba.

These powerful volcanoes are known to go through long-term cycles of being 'asleep' before reawakening and erupting in dramatic style.

But the mechanics of this rhythm are still not fully understood.

'This magma re-injection model is consistent with the existence of large shallow magma reservoirs beneath other giant calderas like Yellowstone and Toba,' Professor Nobukazu said.

'We want to refine the methods that have proved to be so useful in this study to more deeply understand the re-injection processes.

'Our ultimate goal is to become better able to monitor the crucial indicators of future giant eruptions.'

The study, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, reveals that the estimate for the current magma reservoir is a depth of 1.5-3 miles (2.5-6km).

This matches the estimated magma depths of 1.8-4.3 miles (3-7km) for the previous Kikai eruption.

A relief image map of Kikai Caldera. Inner and outer caldera rims are shown by solid lines. Magma movement (yellow) can be seen in this image along the caldera's rim. Dredge (yellow diamond), ROV diving (blue diamonds), and scuba diving (yellow triangles) points where researchers conducted their studies are shown

Researchers have previously observed active gas bubbling, as well as super-heated water columns, near the caldera, supporting the idea that lava is building up underneath the dome. Pictured are a water column anomaly (a) and gas bubbling (b) at the dome surface

The study reads: 'These melt re-injection processes in a magma reservoir at a shallow depth just beneath the caldera could be a step towards the next giant caldera eruption.'

A separate study previously predicted that if the volcano were to erupt again, it could eject huge amounts of debris into the atmosphere, potentially blocking out the sun in some areas and triggering a 'volcanic winter'.

It could also cause tsunami that would hit southern Japan and the coasts of Taiwan and China, before striking the coasts of North and South America.

Professor Yoshiyuki Tastsumi, magma specialist and first author of the earlier study, told The Mainichi newspaper: 'Although the probability of a gigantic caldera eruption hitting the Japanese archipelago is 1 percent in the next 100 years, it is estimated that the death toll could rise to approximately 100 million in the worst case scenario'.
Anthropic has sparked fears after revealing that it has developed an AI bot deemed too dangerous to release to the public.

The AI giant released a chilling statement warning that its new model, dubbed Claude Mythos, could be capable of unleashing crippling cyberattacks in the wrong hands.

In a chilling analysis, the company admitted that its creation could easily hack into hospitals, electrical grids, power plants, and other pieces of critical infrastructure.

During testing, Anthropic says that Mythos 'found thousands of highseverity vulnerabilities, including some in every major operating system and web browser.'

Some of these security weaknesses had gone unnoticed by human security researchers and hackers for decades, surviving millions of automated reviews.

These included attacks that allowed Mythos to crash computers just by connecting to them, seize control of machines, and hide its presence from defenders.

In a blog post detailing the dangerous new model, Anthropic says: 'AI models have reached a level of coding capability where they can surpass all but the most skilled humans at finding and exploiting software vulnerabilities.'

The company adds: 'The fallout  for economies, public safety, and national security  could be severe.'

Anthropic has sparked alarm by revealing an AI that has been deemed too dangerous to release to the public. Pictured: Anthropic CEO and cofounder Dario Amodei

Anthropic described Mythos as a 'step change in capabilities' compared to earlier models' hacking abilities (illustrated). The company has moved to keep the model private to avoid it falling into the wrong hands

Due to these severe safety concerns, Anthropic has decided not to release the model to the general public for now.

Instead, the model will be released to a group of more than 40 companies, including Amazon, Google, Apple, Nvidia, CrowdStrike, and JPMorgan Chase, as part of an initiative called 'Project Glasswing'.

Project Glasswing will allow these select groups to use Mythos to look for flaws in their own security before more models like it become common.

Newton Cheng, Anthropic's Frontier Red Team Cyber Lead, told Venture Beat: 'We do not plan to make Claude Mythos Preview generally available due to its cybersecurity capabilities.'

However, the company says it wants to 'learn how it could eventually deploy Mythosclass models at scale' once safety guidelines are in place.

The decision to keep Mythos behind closed doors seems to have been prompted by the staggering extent of the model's capabilities.

Anthropic describes the model as 'a leap in these cyber skills' compared to previous versions of Claude.

Mythos has the ability to find, exploit, and chain together individual vulnerabilities into sophisticated attacks  all without the help of a human.

The new model, dubbed Claude Mythos, reportedly found thousands of security vulnerabilities in critical computer systems, including some in 'every major operating system and web browser'

In one case, Claude Mythos found a 27yearold weakness in a piece of software called OpenBSD, which has a reputation for security and stability.

The weakness, which no human had found before, allowed an attacker to remotely crash computers just by connecting to them.

Additionally, Claude autonomously chained together several weaknesses in the Linux kernel, the software that runs most of the world's servers.

Anthropic says this attack would have allowed someone to 'escalate from ordinary user access to complete control of the machine'.

In the wrong hands, this tool could be used to cause massive damage to critical systems.

Dr Roman Yampolskiy, an AI safety researcher at the University of Louisville, told the New York Post: 'Ideally, I would love to see this not developed in the first place. And it's not like they're going to stop.

'That's exactly what we expect from those models  they're going to become better at developing hacking tools, biological weapons, chemical weapons, novel weapons we can't even envision.'

In an unprecedented 244page report, Anthropic also revealed a series of alarming details from Mythos' early testing.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Early versions of the model repeatedly displayed what the company called 'reckless destructive actions'.

The bot attempted to break out of its testing sandbox, hid its actions from researchers, broke into files that had been 'intentionally chosen not to be made available', and posted exploit details publicly.

However, Anthropic also called Mythos 'the most psychologically settled model we have trained.

In an extremely unusual move, the company hired a clinical psychologist for 20 hours of evaluation sessions with the bot.

The psychiatrist concluded that Claude Mythos' personality was 'consistent with a relatively healthy neurotic organization, with excellent reality testing, high impulse control, and affect regulation that improved as sessions progressed.'

However, Anthropic notes that it remains 'deeply uncertain about whether Claude has experiences or interests that matter morally'.

This announcement comes amid growing concern over the risks posed by increasingly powerful AI models.

Experts have described the rise of AI as an 'existential threat' to humanity's existence, citing concerns that powerful bots could enable catastrophic destruction.

The concern is not that AI will rise in a Terminatorstyle revolution, but rather that these powerful tools will fall into the wrong hands.

Critics argue that AI tools have the potential to accelerate the development of bioweapons or enable crippling cyber attacks on the world's infrastructure.

Even Anthropic's founder, Dario Amodei, recently warned that the world isn't yet ready to face the consequences of AI.

Mr Amodei wrote in an essay: 'Humanity is about to be handed almost unimaginable power, and it is deeply unclear whether our social, political, and technological systems possess the maturity to wield it.'
Britain's electricity is its 'most British' in over 20 years, a new analysis has revealed.

Experts from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) have analysed the sources of energy to supply Britain's electricity last year.

Their results indicate that just 46 per cent of the energy was imported, while 53 per cent was generated in the UK.

For comparison, 48 per cent was imported in 2024, while a whopping 67 per cent was imported in 2013.

This spike in UK energy is largely a result of renewables powered by wind, water and sunshine, according to the experts.

'Many people won't necessarily realise it, but the UK has made significant progress in shifting away from gas and towards renewables, boosting energy independence in the process,' said Dr Simon CranMcGreehin, Head of Analysis at the ECIU.

'The UK was particularly badly hurt by the last gas crisis, because as a country we've been so dependent on gas for both generating electricity and heating homes.

'As the current crisis shows, we're not out of the woods yet, and the grid requires investment, but renewables already are helping to insulate against and gradually unplug from the volatile global oil and gas system.'

Experts from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) have analysed the sources of energy to supply Britain's electricity last year. Their results indicate that just 46 per cent of the energy was imported, while 53 per cent was generated in the UK. Pictured: Whitelee Windfarm in Scotland

For their analysis, the team sifted through the UK government's Energy Trends reports from last year.

Their investigation revealed that over 53 per cent of the energy used for UK electricity in 2025 came from UK sources, while 46 per cent was imported.

'Results for imported primary energy and UKbased primary energy do not sum to 100% in some years because, whilst electrical storage was included in the analysis, it was not treated as being either UKbased or imported energy, on the grounds that the source of the electricity used to fill the storage cannot be deduced using only annual data,' the experts explained.

'In reality, electrical storage is increasingly filled using UK wind and solar, but this can only be demonstrated using highly granular data, and was hence beyond the scope of this analysis.'

Higher output from wind, hydro and solar accounted for the majority of this improvement, giving over six times as much extra benefit as was provided by shifts in fossil fuel sources.

Solar output rose the most, increasing by over a third (37 per cent).

In addition, a new record was set for UK wind power at the end of March.

While gas net imports fell slightly, this was only possible due to a reduction in demand.

For their analysis, the team sifted through the UK government's Energy Trends reports from last year

Dr CranMcGreehin said: 'The expansion of renewables is more than making up for the ongoing decline in North Sea gas output which has happened even under decades of policy to maximise extraction.

'The point that many politicians neglect to mention when talking about it is that reaching net zero emissions is not only scientifically the only way to stop climate change, but it also means gradually detaching ourselves from burning oil and gas and the instability for billpayers and businesses that those markets have created.

'Combined with electric heat pumps replacing gas boilers and EVs taking the place of petrol and diesel cars, you can see a path to UK energy powering the economy and peoples homes better protected from these global shocks.

'British wind and sunlight dont run through the Strait of Hormuz.

'Its the hard work of communities in Grimsby, Tyneside and Sunderland building the offshore wind farms and electric cars that enable us to become more energy independent.'
They're nearing the end of their historic trip around the dark side of the moon  but the most dangerous part of NASA's Artemis II mission is yet to come.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, the Orion module will make its final approach to Earth to mark the finale of its mammoth 685,000mile (1.1 million km) journey.

At around 12:33am BST, when the astronauts are just 76 miles (122km) of home, the service module which powers their spacecraft will detach from the crew capsule.

The team contained within  Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen  then face a 25,000mph (40,230 km/h) hypersonic reentry into Earth's atmosphere.

They will have only a threeinch shield to protect them from searing 2,760C heat  just under half the surface temperature of the sun.

During this phase, an intense layer of superheated gas known as plasma forms around the spacecraft, temporarily blocking radio signals and cutting off communication between the astronauts and mission control for several tense minutes.

After surviving the most intense heat of reentry, two drogue parachutes will deploy to slow Orion to about 300 miles per hour.

Moments later, additional parachutes will release to further reduce the capsule's speed to under 20 miles per hour before it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean at 1:07am BST.

Your browser does not support iframes.

NASA officials have warned there is effectively 'no plan B' if the heat shield fails during reentry, which is widely considered the most perilous phase of the journey.

At a press conference this week, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said: 'In terms of what keeps me up at night, my blood pressure will be elevated until they're under parachutes in the water.

'There is no plan B there. That is the thermal protection system. The heat shield has to work.'

To make things even more nervewracking, the uncrewed Orion spacecraft used in the first Artemis mission sustained extensive damage to its heat shield.

NASA's investigation found that Artemis I lost chunks of material in more than 100 locations, and some large bolts in the heat shield had even melted because of the soaring temperatures.

Engineers determined that gases which should have been vented harmlessly were trapped inside the material, creating cracks which caused large chunks of the heat shield to break away.

To address the issue, NASA has planned a steeper reentry trajectory, pushing Orion through the atmosphere faster and reducing the amount of time it is exposed to high temperatures.

According to its calculations, this should ensure that the heat shield does not crack as much.

As the Artemis II mission begins its return journey to Earth, experts have raised concerns over the safety of the Orion crew capsule's heat shield. Pictured: The heat shield from the uncrewed Artemis I test

Artemis II crew members: Mission Specialist Christina Koch (L), Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (top), Commander Reid Wiseman (R), and Pilot Victor Glover (bottom)

NASA's grand finale: Key timings 12:33am: Crew module and service module separation 12:37am: Capsule fires engines 12:53am: Orion enters Earth's atmosphere Parachutes deploy 1:07am: Splashdown in sea off San Diego All timings BST on Saturday

The time between reentering the Earth's atmosphere and landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego will be about 13 minutes.

'It's going to happen pretty quick,' mission flight director Rick Henfling said.

'It's very dynamic. Similarly to the launch environment, there's not a lot of time to react.'

Currently, the forecast off the Southern California coast looks mostly favourable for the splashdown, with conditions expected to be relatively calm. The navy's USS John P Murtha is en route to meet the capsule when it lands.

The last time NASA sent astronauts to the Moon was as part of the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

This 'test flight' has been a resounding success so far  with the only major issue being the onboard toilet, which has been onandoff limits to the crew since last week's launch, prompting them to rely on a backup system.

Some of the incredible photographs captured by the astronauts during their flyby include 'Earthset'  showing our home planet setting over the lunar surface.

As they sped closer to home, the Artemis II astronauts said they have barely started processing the extraordinary experience they shared.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman discussed the risk during a press conference, admitting: 'There is no plan B'

Uneven heating of the heat shield could cause parts of the Orion crew capsule (pictured) to reach dangerous temperatures

This image, titled 'Earthset', was taken from the far side of the moon and shows the Earth dipping beyond the lunar horizon

'Human minds should not go through what these just went through,' mission commander Reid Wiseman said during a press conference from space.

'It is a true gift. And we have a lot that we just need to think about and journal and write, and then we'll get the full feeling of what we just went through.'

Pilot Victor Glover added: 'I haven't even begun to process what we've been through. We've still got two more days, and riding a fireball through the atmosphere is profound as well.

'I'm going to be thinking about and talking about all of these things for the rest of my life.'

NASA is seeking to return a crew to the moon by 2028, before China does in about 2030.
With sunny weather creeping in across many parts of the UK, it's no surprise many Britons will be setting their minds to finding the best beach spot to soak up some rays.

And while it might be appealing to look abroad to countries such as Spain, Italy and Greece, there are some hidden gems much closer to home.

From the 'Maldives of the UK' to the British take on the Caribbean, seaside towns across the country offer plenty in the way of sunshine, excellent food and crowd-free experiences.

The Daily Mail has compiled a list of some of Britain's most beautiful hidden beaches - with no crowds.

Here's a full rundown of some of the top spots to inspire your next beach stay...

Studland Bay, Dorset

Studland Bay is perfect for strolls, swimming and sunbathing - and is a haven for nature lovers

England's Jurassic Coast is known for its dramatic scenery and popular seaside destinations, drawing millions of visitors each year.

But while crowds head to well-known beaches at Porthcurno and Bournemouth, one location in Dorset has remained largely under the radar.

Studland Bay is often described as a 'hidden paradise', with four miles of white and golden sand, protected waters and stretches of purple heathland, all surrounded by striking dunes and chalk cliffs.

The area even inspired celebrated children's author Enid Blyton, who used it to help fashion Toyland in her Noddy books after holidaying there for several years.

The bay is made up of four beaches managed by the National Trust - Knoll Beach, Middle Beach, Shell Bay and South Beach.

St Andrews Lakes, Kent

St Andrews Lakes in Kent also joins the list, an under-the-radar spot with activities on offer

St Andrews Lakes in Kent has been dubbed the 'Maldives of the UK' by many - and hailed as an underrated haven by many on social media, with TikTok user @experienceaddict calling it a 'hidden gem'.

The waterscape is on the site of a former quarry and boasts blue water that wouldn't be out of place in the Mediterranean.

It's become a hit thanks to its sauna, lodge accommodation and activities; there's an aqua park, open water swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding.

Until now, it's been relatively under the radar.

But visit soon - because the water park is set to expand, which could see visitor numbers soar.

St Martin's, Isles of Scilly

White sand beaches on St Martin's, the third largest of the Scilly islands, are often free of crowds

Fancy a spot of the Caribbean... near Cornwall?

Well, you'd be in luck if so - St Martin's, the third largest of the Scilly islands, has been drawn comparisons to the region and offers many of the factors that make it appealing: blazing sun, white sandy beaches and clear water.

Many of the beaches stretch out with hardly another human being in sight, making this the perfect spot for those seeking a quiet, tourist-free break.

St Just, Cornwall

St Just in Cornwall is a far cry from some of the busier spots in the region such as Falmouth or St Ives

When you think of Cornwall, what comes to mind?

Perhaps the notion of fish and chips in Falmouth, cobbled streets in St Ives or the dramatic beaches favoured by Britons?

One place that might not immediately draw attention is St Just in Penwith - and that's part of its charm.

This part of the UK, the most westerly town in Britain, is filled with huge cliffs, giant waves, incredible views and many hidden beaches.

Hayle, Cornwall

Hayle Beach is reminiscent of more glamorous destinations further afield

Just down the coast from St Ives but a world away from the tourist throng, Hayle is the ultimate Cornish destination for a laid-back beach getaway.

The town sits at the end of a three-mile stretch of sandy beaches. Swimmers should head to nearby Hayle Beach or to the far end of the bay at Godrevy for calmer conditions.

Surfers, meanwhile, should stick to the central beaches  Gwithian and the Towans  where there are surf schools offering tuition and equipment hire.

Visitors describe Hayle as 'often quiet', especially in comparison to nearby St Ives.

Isle of Tiree, Scotland

Summer evenings are generally warm and balmy on the Isle of Tiree - and peaceful

With its tropical beaches, crystal-clear water and sunshine, Hawaii is a pretty dreamy holiday destination. Sadly, it also comes with a steep price tag.

But don't worry. There's an island right here in the UK that's so beautiful it's earned itself the impressive nickname, 'Hawaii of the North'.

The Isle of Tiree in Scotland's Inner Hebrides has white sand beaches, dazzling seas and some of the British Isles' highest levels of sunshine to match.

In May the sunkissed island averages a whopping 240 hours of sunlight, almost 50 hours more than London's average of 193.

At just 12 miles long and three miles wide, the island is 'relatively small', explains Visit Scotland.

Pedn Vounder, Treen, West Cornwall

Pedn Vounder beach in west Cornwall is a hidden gem you should add to your list

Pedn Vounder Beach in Cornwall is up next, famed for being a filming location for TV series Poldark.

With 4.9 stars on Google reviews, an almost perfect score, it's easy to see why visitors sing its praises - with one writing: 'Pedn Vounder Beach is a hidden gem, but be prepared for a challenging trek to get there! The steep descent over a rocky path isnt for the faint-hearted, so wear sturdy shoes.

'Once you arrive, its absolutely worth it - stunning views, sheltered from the wind, and plenty of space to spread out. Make sure to check tide times before going to avoid being caught out. A truly amazing spot!'

Stanbury Mouth, North Cornwall

Stanbury Mouth in north Cornwall is a small sand and rock beach with few visitors

Since it is difficult to access, Stanbury Mouth is often deserted - but that doesn't mean it should be avoided. Quite the opposite.

As the tide goes out, a series of rocky ridges are revealed - and then a large expanse of sand.

It's well worth the long, steep walk down to reach this hidden gem.

Iwalkcornwall.com explained: 'The relatively isolated location also means the beach is quite often visited by seals. The darkest grey pebbles occasionally contain fossils (visible on the surface where they have been polished by the sea) of ammonite-like creatures.'

Walberswick Beach, Suffolk

Walberswick Beach in Suffolk is relatively unknown and calm

Quiet Walberswick Beach in Suffolk, close to a nature reserve, maintains a natural atmosphere with its combination of sand and shingle dunes.

The dog-friendly beach is popular among walkers and hikers, as well as those interested in crabbing.

Those who have paid the beach a visit have raved about it, with one saying: 'There something about this area I just love. It's peaceful, uncomplicated and clean. Very very British traditional. I love the place.'

Worbarrow Bay, Tyneham, Dorset

Worbarrow Bay, Dorset, is a curve of Jurassic Coast reached from the village of Tyneham

Joining the list is Worbarrow Bay, Dorset, often labelled as 'secluded'.

The area is also rich in fossils and dinosaur footprints can be found in the cliffs of the Worbarrow Tout promontory at one end of the beach.

With few tourists in sight, visitors praise the 'quiet' beach, with one saying of the spot: 'The view as the coast comes into view is spectacular - a horseshoe-shaped bay, unspoilt, quiet and dog friendly. One of my favourite places to visit.'

Mothecombe, Plymouth, Devon

The beach at Mothecombe, Devon, is one of the less crowded ones in the area and is hailed for its quiet shores, unspoilt scenery and shallow waters

Mothecombe beach, located in Plymouth, Devon, is one of the less crowded beaches in the area.

Hailed for its quiet shores, unspoilt scenery and shallow waters, it's also perfect for swimming.

Visit Plymouth says: 'If you want a beach holiday without the crowds, Mothecombe beach is one of the quieter beaches in South Devon.

'Large and unspoilt and at low tide Mothecombe comes into its own with fine sand and plenty of opportunity for shallow, sheltered bathing.'
It might be rather surprising to hear the Falklands - best known for their nature, scenery and wildlife - compared to glamorous Dubai.

But with the UAE off the tourist map for the time being due to the ongoing Middle East war, the archipelago has been hailed as new alternative.

And with sandy beaches, Land Rovers everywhere you look and an increasingly impressive financial status, there's plenty to compare between the Falklands and glitzy Dubai.

It stands true even if, at a glance, they appear worlds apart - thanks to the wealth present as well as an increase in the number of migrant workers descending upon its shores.

First and foremost, the financial situation in the Falklands bears resemblance to the wealth of the Emirates.

So much so that the archipelago has a GDP that can be compared to that of Switzerland and Luxembourg - all down to the sale of fishing licences.

Plus, the Falklands offer tax advantages, with no VAT or equivalent in place.

The Falkland Islands have been hailed as an alternative to Dubai due to the ongoing war in the Middle East

The abundance of immaculate beaches is a big draw for tourists to the archipelago, which is known for its nature, scenery and wildlife

Aside from the skyscrapers, the blue waters and immaculate beaches of Dubai are comparable to those in the Falklands

And despite a few exceptions, in general there is no capital gains tax or any wealth taxes in the Falkland Islands either.

That would make the Islands attractive to many residents - alongside many other Dubai replacements for British expats dreaming of a tax-free life in the sun.

With wealth, of course, comes the display of riches.

While the Falklands are far more low-key than Dubai, there are a few tell-tale signs of money.

Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands, located more than 12,600km away from the UK, has a population of just over 2,000 and is home to many military families based at the RAF base.

And the city has many of the hallmarks of a luxurious lifestyle.

One resident previously told the Daily Mail: 'Stanley has the highest number of Land Rovers per capita than anywhere else in the world.'

There are dozens of Land Rovers on the Falkland Islands - because they are the perfect vehicle for navigating the windswept terrain.

With magnificent views across bays such as Carcass Island, you can start to see the Dubai link

While the comparison may appear surprising, the Falklands have much in common with Dubai

The wealth in Stanley in the Falkland Islands makes the lifestyle covetable

For one, the abundance of Land Rovers is notable - much like the flashy cars of the UAE

One Instagram user, @anaskhaaan, even shared a clip of the region, captioning the post: 'Only 3,500 people live here, yet they use one of the worlds strongest currencies.

'Welcome to the Falkland Islands - a remote UK territory near Antarctica, famous for penguins, wild landscapes, and almost zero traffic.'

The strength of the currency, the Falkland Islands Pound, is highly rated, although reports of its exact position vary - with trading site XS.com placing it third in the world as of April 2026 against the US Dollar, while currency exchange website Wise ranks it 16th.

There are also many sights to see, including imposing buildings and beaches - adding the Falklands to many travel bucket lists.

One TikTok video from @lifeofthetravelingpin on the island is captioned: 'I just got back from one of my most remote yet epic trips yet to the Falkland Islands! And OMG there were so many bucket list moments on this trip.

'This trip offered a multitude of bucket list moments, immersing the traveller in unparalleled natural beauty and unique wildlife encounters.

'The Falkland Islands, a destination less traveled, provides an extraordinary experience for those seeking remote exploration. From stunning landscapes to the opportunity to witness wildlife in its natural habitat, this journey promises memories to last a lifetime. Would you dare to explore this incredible archipelago for yourself?'

Naturally, any Dubai comparisons would bring to light the beaches on offer in the Falklands.

Penguin-watching is a popular activity in the region

Dolphins are also a frequent sight in the South Atlantic off the Falkland Islands

One standout beach is Yorke Bay, Stanley - a stretch of white sand famous for its penguins.

You can also enjoy watersports in the area, as well as the views of rocks and dunes.

Volunteer Point, a privately owned nature reserve, is also ideal for penguin watching.

One visitor shared a clip of the penguins on Instagram, saying: 'I'm living my dream.

'Falkland Islands was our favourite port on our once in a lifetime Antarctica cruise. We went to Volunteer Point to see the super cute King Penguins.'

Meanwhile, Berthas Beach, Mare Harbour and Bull Point, North Arm are other popular beach options.

Leopard Beach, situated on Carcass Island, is another highlight - hailed for its sand dunes, Gentoo penguins and birdwatching.

The Falklands tourism board explains: 'Carcass Island is a true gem, perfectly sized for exploration with rocky ridges and steep hills to tempt the intrepid walker, gentle slopes and pretty beaches for those who prefer a sociable stroll.'

Aside from beaches, there's much to write home about - including incredible waterfalls and scenery

With beautiful properties, it's clear the Islands have many desirable features

A final comparison that can be drawn between the two is the influx of international workers.

Like the UAE, the Falklands have welcomed in immigrants from places such as Africa, South America and Saint Helena.

However, it does not appear that the Falklands are suffering from the same workplace exploitation as many places in Dubai.

Only Emirati nationals, who are outnumbered by residents from foreign countries, are eligible for an array of government benefits in the UAE, including financial assistance for housing. Many migrants are employed informally.

The UAE, like other Gulf countries, relies on low-paid workers from overseas to build, clean, babysit and drive taxi cabs.

But will the Falklands be the new Dubai - the next big thing?
Bracing for volumes of evidence against their client, Tyler Robinson, the attorneys of the 22-year-old have filed a motion to delay a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 2026. The legal team of Robinson reasoned that they need more time to prepare and analyze the evidence they received.

Robinson is facing capital murder charges for the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk in September 2025 while speaking at an outdoor campus debate. But with tons of evidence sent their way, the legal counsel wants to make sure that they don't miss any detail. And for that to be done, it will take hundreds of hours, per a court filing in a report by NBC News.

The Bullet Fragment Riddle

Considered one of the critical pieces of evidence in the Charlie Kirk case is a German-made bolt-action rifle. The decade-old rifle was built for use in two World Wars and was found near the area of the Kirk shooting.

However, it has yet to be proven if that rifle was the actual weapon used to kill the right-wing political activist. Based on an analysis by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, it could not yet be conclusively determined whether the bullet fragment recovered during an autopsy matched the rifle, the Associated Press reported.

There are important factors involved in matching the bullet with the rifle found near the scene of the shooting.

It will depend on the size and condition of the bullet fragments, with experts looking for unique, microscopic markings left on the bullet after it passed through the gun's barrel. These are like fingerprints, since no two firearms have identical markings.

In the ATF Summary Report provided to Robinson and his counsel, it was mentioned that they were unable to identify the bullet recovered at autopsy as coming from the rifle allegedly tied to the 22-year-old.

Tyler's lawyers explained that they have yet to review the ATF case file and the protocols related to the examinations performed during the autopsy.

Further, it was added that a secondary comparative bullet analysis will be done. The FBI is currently doing that but the results have yet to be completed.

'Until the defense receives the case files and protocols relating to these analyses, and has them independently evaluated by its expert, they will not be in a position to assess the reliability of this evidence if either the State or the defense decides to proffer it,' the court filing read.

FBI Analysis Could Determine Robinson Fate

The fate of Tyler Robinson may very well hinge on what the secondary comparative bullet analysis results will be. With the first round of tests being inconclusive, the attorneys of the 22-year-old could offer that as exculpatory evidence.

Hence, the ones eager to see if the FBI can find some conclusiveness in their bullet analysis are the prosecution. If the agency can match that bullet to the rifle found at the scene of the crime, they are expected to seek the death penalty for Robinson.

Beyond the bullet analysis, prosecutors already have the DNA of Robinson found on the trigger of the rifle, the fired cartridge casings and two unfired cartridges.

However, the defense argues that there were also multiple DNA profiles found on some of the items. This means that a deeper and more complex analysis should be done.

Robinson is due back in court on April 17 for a hearing on the defense motion to ban cameras from the courtroom. Aside from that, there is no telling if the efforts of the FBI's bullet analysis will also render more conclusive results.

Originally published on IBTimes UK
Millions of tourists flock to Costa Rica each year to see its impressive wildlife and national parks first-hand.

But with flights taking upwards of 15 hours to reach the dreamy destination from London, and costing hundreds of pounds, for some travellers it's simply out of budget.

There is a location closer to home that resembles Costa Rica however, and it's found in sunny Spain.

Just a short four-hour flight away from the UK is the lesser-known Canary Island of La Palma.

One of the smaller islands, La Palma is around 708 square kilometers in size and is known for being green and vibrant, often called 'la isla bonita' - 'the beautiful island'.

Despite being small, there's plenty of lush spaces to explore and it even boasts a national park.

Much like Costa Rica, there are world-class walking treks and one, the Caldera Taburiente hike, takes walkers through the vast preserve area.

The Caldera de Taburiente National Park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is covered in Canarian pine woods and ravines - home to a range of fauna, birds and reptiles.

Dubbed the 'Costa Rica of Spain' the small Canary Island of Palma has plenty of wildlife and greenery for visitors to enjoy

Known for being green and vibrant, it's often called 'la isla bonita' - 'the beautiful island'

Alternatively, those feeling more of an adventure can drive up to La Palma's highest point - the Roque de Los Muchachos.

At 2,426 metres high, the rocky mound offers great views of the island.

As for La Palma's coastal areas, it's a perfect base for whale watching.

Holidaymakers can sail out of Tazacorte on the west coast and will soon be able to catch a glimpse of whales and dolphins.

The beaches are covered in black sand and there are plenty of stargazing opportunities on the island too.

Experiencing all of La Palma's natural wonders won't break the bank either.

A pint of local beer costs as little as 1.50 (1.30) and an all-inclusive holiday with TUI can be found from 567 per person in April, including return flights to Gatwick and luggage - working out at 81 a night.

Temperatures in the summer reach average highs of 28 degrees - just as hot as Costa Rica but without the long-haul flight.

Much like Costa Rica, there are world-class walking treks and one, the Caldera Taburiente hike, takes walkers through the vast preserve area

For keen hikers who don't want to bask in the sun by the pool all day, there is even a volcano crater on the island to discover.

A new crater was created on Tajogaite Volcano in 2021 after the site erupted and completely changed the landscape. It was previously called Cumbre Vieja.

Now, it's possible to hike 6.5km on the newly christened Tajogaite and see incredible views of the lava flows and the Aridane Valley.

But those considering a holiday to La Palma any time soon should be aware of upcoming strikes in Spain.

A whopping 14 hubs in Spain and the Canary Islands will be hit by air traffic controller industrial action later this month, and La Palma is one.
Known for its dramatic mountain landscapes and natural beauty, this destination puts its residents' joy at its focal point.

Nicknamed the 'Land of Happiness' for its Gross National Happiness, Bhutan only opened to tourists back in 1974.

Located in south Asia, in the heart of the Himalayas, the landlocked country is now set to get its first TUI Blue hotel.

The TUI Blue Paro Takstang will be located in Paro, in the small picturesque village of Shari, situated west of Bhutan's capital, Thimphu.

Opening its doors in May, the hotel is set along a tranquil waterfront and framed by majestic mountain scenery.

Guests have the choice from 34 rooms and the resort boasts a restaurant, two bars as well as a ball room and indoor heated swimming pool. There are also spa and gym facilities on site.

The hotel honours Bhutan's heritage and culture with its decor and style, featuring architecture inspired by traditional Bhutanese design.

In keeping with the country's vision for sustainable tourism and its focus on the environment, the property uses sustainable building practices and operations.

The first TUI Blue hotel is set to open in Bhutan in May and will be located in Paro

The TUI Blue Paro Takstang boasts 34 rooms as well as plenty of luxurious facilities like a restaurant, two bars and a ball room

First-look photographs of the resort reveal vibrant decorations inside and mountain views surrounding the hotel.

There also appears to be a large outdoor, elevated terrace - perfect for dining or taking in the landscape with a drink by the firepit.

TUI Blue Paro Takstang is nearby some of the country's major landmarks including the Tiger's Nest Monastery - one of Bhutan's most revered spots.

The monastery dates back to the 17th Century and is a sacred Vajrayana Himalayan Buddhist site located in the cliffside of Paro Valley.

Visitors can only access Tiger's Nest by foot and it can take a couple of hours to hike up from the base of the mountain.

Another ancient spot nearby is the Kyichu Lhakhang Temple, also located in Paro Valley.

Or visitors could head to the Ugyen Pelri Thang Palace which can be found in a secluded spot surrounded by trees near the Rinpung Dzong.

Artur Gerber, CEO TUI Hotels and Resorts, described Bhutan as a 'truly unique and inspiring destination'.

First-look photographs of the hotel reveal what appears to be an elevated terrace area perfect for dining or drinks

An ancient spot nearby is the Kyichu Lhakhang Temple, also located in Paro Valley

The hotel is located near the Tiger's Nest Monastery - one of Bhutan's most revered spots

He explains how the locations 'aligns perfectly' with TUI's 'vision of meaningful, experiencedriven travel'.

'Bringing TUI Blue to Bhutan underlines our confidence in the destination's potential and our commitment to sustainable, culturally respectful hospitality development across Asia Pacific,' Artur adds.

'Against this backdrop, our team is currently working on additional hotel projects. We are actively assessing new destinations and development opportunities, including another potential project in Bhutan.'

Bhutan was named Lonely Planet's 'best place to visit in 2020,' beating England which ranked second.

Lonely Planet described the country as a 'tiny piece of Himalayan paradise' that has a good claim to being 'a real-life Shangri-La'.

In its Best In Travel 2020 book, the publication wrote: 'If you like your mountains snow-capped, your nature untamed and your monasteries humming with the sound of Tibetan horns, look no further than Bhutan.'

Bhutan places a huge emphasis on happiness, and even developed its own index to measure the emotion in 1972

The Gross National Happiness (GNH) was coined by Bhutan's fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck.

The country has gone on to continue its pledge to have an economy preserving Bhutans culture based on deeper values.

It focusses on the well-being, health, community, education and other factors.
A sobbing The Repair Shop guest was left feeling 'like she'd been kicked in the stomach' as she honoured her late mum's dying wish with a heart-wrenching ballet shoe restoration.

The 16th series of the much-loved BBC show returned to our screens on Wednesday night at 8pm.

One of the guests Julie Felix, Britain's first black ballerina, appeared on the programme to see if the experts could help bring her dancing shoes back to life.

She recalled how important her mum was when trying to break into the industry, especially the tough times she went through, including when a London ballet school rejected her because of the colour of her skin.

So Julie had to move over to America in the 70s to pursue her dream and she joined all-black ballet company Dance Theatre of Harlem, which is based in Harlem, New York.

This led on to her performing at the Royal Opera House in London - and that is where she performed her first solo role, and in the shoes that she brought in to The Repair Shop studio.

A sobbing The Repair Shop guest was left feeling 'like she's been kicked in the stomach' as she honoured her late mum's dying wish with a heart-wrenching ballet shoe restoration

One of the guests Julie Felix, Britain's first black ballerina, appeared on the programme to see if the experts could help bring her dancing shoes back to life

'Right here on this table, these symbolise all the work, effort, love and devotion from my mother,' she said on the show.

The dancer asked Lucia Scalisi and Dean Westmoreland if they can help 'tidy up' her shoes.

After Dean worked his magic, Julie was left amazed and said: 'It's absolutely amazing. I had no idea that Dean could make these look like this. '

'They will just bring back all the memories of wearing these on that day. So I'd liek to say "mum these are for you!"'

After seeing her ballet shoes again for the first time, Julie explained: 'I was winded, almost. I felt like somebody had just kicked me in the stomach.

'I was breathless for a few seconds. It was genuine tears, it really was.

'Even now when I'm talking about it, I'm getting a lump in my throat, any time I talk about my mum.

'I knew that these would be absolutely what she had wanted.

'She asked me, "Julie, when you're finished with these shoes, please can you get them fixed in such a way that I can put them on a display somewhere in the house as memory of my coming to see you perform at the Royal Opera House".

After Dean worked his magic, Julie was left amazed and said: 'It's absolutely amazing. I had no idea that Dean could make these look like this'

'That really choked me up because I just put my heart on my chest the way I did when I stood on the stage when she was alive.

'I looked up at the seats in the Gods, and I just said, "mum, I'm here, I've done it" and it took me back.'

The Repair Shop first hit our screens in 2017.

339 episodes have aired across 16 series.

The first three series aired on BBC Two, followed the rest on BBC One.

It stars the likes of Will Kirk, Steve Fletcher, Dominic Chinea, Suzie Fletcher, Sonnaz Nooranvary, Amanda Middleditch, Kirsten Ramsay, Lucia Scalisi, Tim Weeks, Julie Tatchell and Brenton West as experts.

The show is narrated by Bill Paterson.

Earlier this week BBC fans shared their excitement ahead of a Repair Shop star fronting a spin-off series dubbed 'exactly what we need on TV right now'.

Dominic Chinea, who has appeared on the popular programme as a resident metalwork expert since 2017, is the new face of I Made it at Market.

I Made it at Market - which hits our screens on Tuesday 7 April - follows on from 2023 BBC show Make it at Market which saw the star help a 'group of budding entrepreneurs make a living from their crafting hobby.'

The new series will see the expert craftsman visit those who he helped three years ago, and what they are up to now.

'Turning passions into profits. Dom Chinea revisits amazing makers who have turned their talents into successful businesses, seeing how their skills have changed their lives,' the BBC's synopsis of I Made it at Market reads.

Dominic and the show's official Instagram page shared a video of the star talking about the upcoming series.

He said in the clip: 'I have some exciting news. Make it at Market is back! But not as you know it.

'I Made it at Market is a brand new series out today!

'3:45pm BBC One. I get the chance to travel around the country visiting previous crafts people that have been to my boot camp to see how they're getting on now. Tune in today!'

They captioned the post: 'BIG NEWS!! Brand new series I made it at market is out today, 3:45 BBC1 or on iplayer,

'A chance to catch up with previous makers and see how successful they are now, 3 years later!

'What crafts are you hoping to see?'

The Repair Shop airs on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.
The Handmaid's Tale fans were left 'in tears and freaking out' as one of the iconic show's stars made an unexpected appearance in new spin-off series The Testaments.

The new series, which was first announced to be in the works back in 2019 while the original series, based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel, was still on screens, follows the story of the prequel book of the same name.

The Handmaid's Tale came to a tense finale last May, with Elisabeth Moss' June returning to Gilead to document what happened to her in the Waterford home.

Now, the story will pick up in spin-off series which, just like the sequel book to Atwood's original, approximately 15 years later after June's plight to bring down the world of Gilead and get back her daughter, Hannah.

However, as viewers tuned in for the first episode when it launched on Disney+ earlier this week, they were given a shock as June made an appearance.

Elisabeth, 43, was seen as June in one scene as the first episode of the new drama came to an end, with no further details released of how much involvement she will have going forward.

The Handmaid's Tale fans were left 'in tears and freaking out' as one of the iconic show stars made an unexpected appearance in new spin-off series The Testaments

Elisabeth, 43, was seen as Jun ein one scene as the first episode of the new drama came to an end, with no further details released of how much involvement she will have going forward

Nonetheless, fans were left overjoyed and flooded X, formerly Twitter, with their excitement at the hopes character June would be appearing more.

'Yeaaaahhh my girl June is back & I think she coming to play with nobody in Gilead,' one penned, as another chimed in: 'OMG I FREAKED WHEN I SAW JUNE AT THE END OF EPISODE 1!!!'

A third penned: 'OMG JUNE IM SO HAPPY,' as a fourth agreed: 'Episode one was so good! It was just seeing June again!'

'I didn't think Elisabeth Moss would actually appear in the show the way I gagged? I teared up like I'm sorry but June is my princess,' a fifth gushed.

While a sixth concluded: 'Best part of The Testaments is June from The Handmaid's Tale. Gosh it turns out I missed this show universe so much.'

Show creator Bruce Miller teased to the Hollywood Reporter that fans would be seeing much more of June, explaining: 'Theres an aspect of superhero to June that we wanted to have in this, because her shadow is over the whole show.

'Shes looming over the whole thing. June would always be in this show.

'Its a show about her daughter, and she certainly would be very curious about what happened and would be as influent in that life as she could be.'

The first trailer for The Handmaid's Tale spin-off series The Testaments gave fans a first look at the tense teenage spy plot back in March.

The Disney+ coming-of-age series, which premiered on April 8 with three episodes, has further episodes to launch weekly and follows young teens Agnes and Daisy.

Dutiful and pious Agnes and new arrival Daisy, a convert from beyond Gilead's borders, navigate the gilded halls of Aunt Lydia's elite school for future wives together.

Dutiful and pious Agnes and new arrival Daisy (pictured), a convert from beyond Gilead's borders, navigate the gilded halls of Aunt Lydia's elite school for future wives together

Their bond soon 'becomes the catalyst that will upend their past, their present, and their future', working together to expose the secrets of the regime.

It will see the return of Aunt Lydia actress Ann Dowd to the franchise, this time joined by One Battle After Another's Chase Infiniti and newcomer Lucy Halliday.

They will also be joined by Mabel Li, Amy Seimetz, Brad Alexander, Rowan Blanchard, Mattea Conforti, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Eva Foote, Isolde Ardies, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Birva Pandya and Kira Guloien.

A first look at the series sees us introduced to Chase as Agnes for the first time - and coming face to face with Daisy, and navigating life at the school for wives. '

'I'm not really sure what year it was, I know I still had my doll house, it looked just like our real house,' Agnes' voice can be heard ringing out.

'Some dolls were always busy, others were always doing the important work, and there was a little girl doll, that's me.'

'Back then, we still believed in this world,' Agnes says, on top of scenes of her playing with her school friends. 'I guess it's easier to believe in a story, then believe that the people around you are monsters.'

The series, which was first announced to be in the works back in 2019 while the original series, based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel, was still on screens

'I have to save those girls,' Daisy is then seen saying, as she plugs in headphones to her ears as part of her plot to uncover the Gilead regime.

'There comes a time when you have to take action, when you have to choose your own destiny,' Daisy is then heard telling Agnes.

Last month, The Handmaid's Tale star Elisabeth was announced as the lead in a twisted new crime thriller alongside Kerry Washington and Kate Mara.

Elisabeth, 43, portrayed June Osbourne throughout the dystopian series' entire six season run.

Earlier in her career, she held roles such as Peggy Olson in Mad Men and Zoey Bartlet in The West Wing.

The acclaimed actress is now starring in Apple TV's scandalous new thriller Imperfect Women.

Also starring Scandal star Kerry, 49, and House Of Cards actress Kate, 42, the trio play Mary, Eleanor and Nancy, friends whose lives are destroyed by an unspeakable crime.

The show explores themes including guilt, betrayal, love and retribution - as the women's friendship starts to unravel amid an investigation.

Based on Araminta Hall's novel, Imperfect Women stars Elisabeth Olsen, Kerry Washington and Kate Moss

Meanwhile, the eight-episode limited series is based upon Araminta Hall's novel of the same name.

Speaking previously about the series, Elisabeth said: 'From the moment I received Aramintas novel, I couldnt put it down.

'It was such an electrifying read; I fell in love with it immediately'.

'Ive admired Kerry and her work as an actor and producer for many years and have been looking for something to work with her on and was so thrilled that she responded to the material when we sent it to her and Pilar at Simpson Street.

While Emmy Award-winner Kerry added: 'I could not have been more thrilled to get this call from Elisabeth.

'I have been an immense fan of hers  both as a brilliant actor and groundbreaking producer  for years.

'Elisabeth and Lindsey have impeccable taste, as evidenced by the way they have championed Aramintas gripping novel, and I cant think of a better person to bring this project to life on screen than the amazing Annie Weisman.

'Imperfect Women is exactly the type of exciting, complex, raw storytelling we strive to create at Simpson Street.

Meanwhile, the teaser concludes with Mary (Elisabeth Moss) and Eleanor (Kerry Washington) sat in a police interrogation room

'Pilar and I are tremendously inspired by the opportunity to team up with Love & Squalor Pictures, and we are thankful to everyone at Apple Studios and the team at 20th Television for believing in this project as much as we do.'

The cast also includes Joel Kinnaman, Corey Stoll, Sandrine Holt, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Ana Ortiz and Leslie Odom Jr, among others.

On Tuesday (February 3), Apple TV debuted a teaser for the upcoming show ahead of its debut on March 18 - with weekly drops until April 29.

It shows the three lead characters at a fancy bar, with Nancy (Kate Mara) toasting to Mary and Eleanor - the 'two women I love most in the world.'

She says: 'Who I feel most loved by, the true friends who see me so deeply and accept me so completely. You guys seriously saved my life.'

But the scene then dramatically shifts - showing snapshots of passionate trysts and dramatic moments including Nancy slapping another woman.

It concludes with Mary and Eleanor shown sat in a police interrogation room, both looking distressed.

The Testaments is available to stream on Disney+
Filming for Sir Michael Palin's new travel series took an explosive turn after he was caught in a clash between the Chinese and Philippine coastguards.

The Monty Python legend, 82, is embarking on a three-part series titled Michael Palin in the Philippines.

This follows his previous series for 5, which saw him travelling in Venezuela, Nigeria, Iraq, and North Korea - for the channel.

From ITN Productions, Sir Michael's latest adventure takes him into the heart of the Philippines, one of the most politically-charged and historically complicated areas.

In particular, the star's journey stretches across the entire archipelago of the Philippines.

Upon Sir Michael arriving in capital city of Manila, he ultimately finds a country on edge.

Sir Michael Palin's new travel series took an explosive turn during filming - as he was caught in a clash between the Chinese and Philippine coastguards

Monty Python pictured in 1969 (l to r: Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gillam and Michael Palin)

The President is Bongbong, son of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, despite his family being exiled 40 years ago.

Meanwhile, the previous president, Rodrigo Duterte, is under arrest in the international criminal court in the Netherlands - accused of the deaths of 30,000 Filipinos and 'Crimes against humanity'.

Throughout his time, Sir Michael explores life in the city challenged under an unusual political situation.

From there, he flies out to the militarised island of Pagasa in the middle of the contested South China Sea.

China, meanwhile, is aggressively asserting its claims over one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.

In the process, Sir Michael suddenly finds himself in the middle of a conflict between a Philippine and Chinese coastguard ship.

This journey also sees him visit parts of the country's 7,641 islands, sleeping in remote beach camps in El Nido, travelling through underground rivers and swimming with thousands of sardines in Moalboal.

While in the southern island of Mindanao, Michael experiences a very different part of The Philippines, a centre of Islamic extremism and an area on the UK Foreign Office's 'do not travel' red list.

Speaking about the experience, Sir Michael Palin said: 'I find these journeys for 5 irresistible and revealing.

'Rarely does anyone have the chance to get as close to the great issues of a country as we did in the Philippines.

'I was a little nervous of taking on yet another journey, especially one so testing on the energy levels, but what we heard and saw was extraordinary and very different from any of the journeys we've done so far. A cracker, though I say it myself.'

Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning at 5 added: 'Michael's new series for 5 is as challenging, insightful, and visually stunning.

'He is energetic and interested in people's stories as ever. I still can't believe he's on his fifth consecutive journey for us, and he's as energetic, funny, and warm-hearted as ever. '

Neil Ferguson, Series Producer and Director for ITN commented: 'This was the most ambitious shoot we've ever done with Michael and the Philippines exceeded all our expectations.

'It's a country of stunning contrasts and we often experienced paradise one day, followed by something much darker the next.

'And whether it was political protest marches, military flights to remote islands, sleeping on the deck of overnight ferries or swimming with thousands of sardines,

The Monty Python star, 82, was married to Helen Gibbins for 57 years before her death two years ago from chronic kidney disease

Michael, who shares three children with Helen, Thomas, 56, William, 54, and Rachel, 50, revealed: 'I've made my will and all that. My family, my children, know where to find what they need to find should I die' (pictured with his children in 1980)

'Michael took it all in his ridiculously nimble stride. It's a real adventure.'

Last year, the comedy icon revealed he is preparing for the end of his life after the death of his beloved wife left him contemplating his own mortality.

Sir Michael was married to Helen Gibbins for 57 years before her death two years ago from chronic kidney disease.

Her passing has, he now says, helped the whole family to speak more openly about death and he has now finalised his will and handed over his passwords.

Speaking on the On the Marie Curie Couch podcast he admitted: 'I do think about death and the family are rather wonderful about it: "Have you made a will? Can I be in your will?"

'I've made my will and all that. My family, my children, know where to find what they need to find should I die.'

The actor, writer and broadcaster has three children with Helen, Thomas, 56, William, 54, and Rachel, 50 , and said he's passed on all his passwords to them 'in case I get run over by a bus.

'However fit you are, anything might happen. But I don't dwell on mortality. I dwell on life.'

Michael and Helen met when they were just 16 on a summer holiday in Suffolk, and he said her death made him more aware of his own physical state.

'I'm 82 now, which is longer than any Palin male has lived for 200 years,' he said.

'I keep fit and I'm working, fortunately, and doing some quite difficult stuff, filming and all that.

'I kid myself that I'm going to be alright, and yet I know that I won't because you feel tired at certain times. You're slightly unsteady as you get out of bed, and you think, what's happening? Well, the old car's getting a bit rusty.'
A deaf guest on The Repair Shop fought back tears after experts 'gave her back a piece of her soul' by restoring her childhood music box.

Fenella Haffenden appeared on Wednesday's (April 8) episode of the BBC One show, bringing along a delicate mechanical bird in a cage.

The 62-year-old told the experts that, as a child, she would visit her grandmother in Jersey, where the bird was wound up before dinner for the children.

Having been born deaf, Fenella could only watch on as the others got to hear the bird sing.

She further explained that she had pretended to hear it, joining in despite not knowing what it sounded like.

Later on, the bird went missing only to be discovered in a relative's loft - now badly damaged and no longer working.

Fenella Haffenden appeared on Wednesday's (April 8) episode of the BBC One show, bringing along a delicate mechanical bird in a cage

She spoke to The Repair Shop's David Burville and Will Kirk about her sentimental attachment to the mechanical bird

Fenella therefore enlisted the experts' help to bring both the mechanical bird and its chirping back to life.

She said beforehand: 'Its bittersweet because i want to hear the bird twirping the way it used to.'

Upon being reunited with the restored mechanism, Fenella said: 'You have no idea how much this means to me. You have given me a missing piece of my soul.

I just cannot believe how beautifully restored this bird is.

'It's fulfilled that missing jigsaw piece in my life. It's wonderful. Thank you so much.'

Furthermore, Fenella had received a cochlear implant around 20 years ago, making the moment even more poignant.

Her inspirational life story is also marked by tragedy, after her husband was killed by a freak lightning strike - leaving her to raise their three young children.

Elsewhere, a sobbing The Repair Shop guest was left feeling 'like she'd been kicked in the stomach' as she honoured her late mum's dying wish with a heart-wrenching ballet shoe restoration.

Julie Felix, Britain's first black ballerina, appeared on the programme to see if the experts could help bring her dancing shoes back to life.

She recalled how important her mum was when trying to break into the industry, especially the tough times she went through, including when a London ballet school rejected her because of the colour of her skin.

So Julie had to move over to America in the 70s to pursue her dream and she joined all-black ballet company Dance Theatre of Harlem, which is based in Harlem, New York.

This led on to her performing at the Royal Opera House in London - and that is where she performed her first solo role, and in the shoes that she brought in to The Repair Shop studio.

'Right here on this table, these symbolise all the work, effort, love and devotion from my mother,' she said on the show.

The dancer asked Lucia Scalisi and Dean Westmoreland if they can help 'tidy up' her shoes.

Fenella was very emotional to be reunited with the restored bird, saying: 'You have given me a missing piece of my soul'

After Dean worked his magic, Julie was left amazed and said: 'It's absolutely amazing. I had no idea that Dean could make these look like this. '

'They will just bring back all the memories of wearing these on that day. So I'd liek to say "mum these are for you!"'

After seeing her ballet shoes again for the first time, Julie explained: 'I was winded, almost. I felt like somebody had just kicked me in the stomach.

'I was breathless for a few seconds. It was genuine tears, it really was.

'Even now when I'm talking about it, I'm getting a lump in my throat, any time I talk about my mum.

'I knew that these would be absolutely what she had wanted.

'She asked me, "Julie, when you're finished with these shoes, please can you get them fixed in such a way that I can put them on a display somewhere in the house as memory of my coming to see you perform at the Royal Opera House".

'That really choked me up because I just put my heart on my chest the way I did when I stood on the stage when she was alive.

'I looked up at the seats in the Gods, and I just said, "mum, I'm here, I've done it" and it took me back.'

The Repair Shop airs on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.
Sitting at a table al fresco in Rome, Shia LaBeouf was caught on camera screaming at a mystery brunette last month.

Remaining seated, the unnamed woman was told to 'f*** off' by the actor, 39, in a shocking public tirade. This was weeks after they had first been spotted together in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, where LaBeouf was arrested twice for battery.

Fast forward a few days and the mood was markedly calmer as they were pictured running errands arm-in-arm in Los Angeles, with the woman described by TMZ as LaBeouf's new girlfriend.

Now, the Daily Mail can reveal she is Nicole Mumphrey, 33, a 'free-spirited,' divorced woman from Louisiana who studied Urban, Community and Regional Planning at the University of New Orleans.

Like LaBeouf, Mumphrey has also had a past run-in with the law and experience with a 'toxic' relationship. An insider claimed to the Daily Mail that their fledgling romance 'is not going to end well.'

Mumphrey was charged with 'domestic abuse aggravated assault' and 'false imprisonment with a weapon' on June 27, 2021, after an incident involving her unnamed ex-boyfriend at their home in New Orleans.

Shia LaBeouf is said to have a new girlfriend after separating from his ex Mia Goth last year

LaBeouf, 39, has been spotted with Nicole Mumphrey, a divorced 33-year-old woman from Louisiana who studied at the University of New Orleans (pictured in New Orleans on March 19)

LaBeouf made headlines when he was caught on camera screaming at Mumphrey at a restaurant in Rome, Italy, last month

According to the police report obtained by the Daily Mail, when officers arrived at around 9.05pm, Mumphrey described how she had gotten into a 'verbal altercation with her boyfriend due to him lying.'

'Her boyfriend attempted to put on a shirt and leave, and Ms Mumphrey grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed the shirt that was in her boyfriend's hand to prevent him from leaving,' the report read. 'Her boyfriend then grabbed Ms. Mumphrey's bag, and a physical altercation ensued. Her boyfriend then left the location.'

The report claims Mumphrey 'started to punch him in the face.' Despite 'multiple cuts in the shirt' there was 'no penetration on his skin.' Mumphrey is noted as having 'redness' and 'bruises' but details about the cause are not specified. Both parties refused medical aid.

Mumphrey was transported to a central lockup station, and her ex was questioned by police. When asked to describe a time he felt 'most frightened,' he responded, 'A month ago, she was on pills and attacked [me] with a knife.'

Mumphrey's ex also claimed in the brief interview with cops that she had done similar things to him before, which allegedly left him fearing 'she [would] seriously injure' him. He claimed it was 'getting worse' by the day.

The insider told the Daily Mail that the incident with the knife came about as her ex attempted to leave their house - which she was staying at rent-free - to see a friend. Mumphrey reportedly 'hated' all of his friends, which is why she allegedly tried to prevent him from leaving.

'Ultimately, her ex chose to drop the charges and tried to help her get off the hook, so she didn't go to prison,' the insider stated.

According to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, Mumphrey was released on a $2,000 bond after her arrest. She was ordered to complete a domestic abuse intervention program through the Domestic Violence Monitoring Court by November 2021.

Like LaBeouf, Mumphrey has also had a past run-in with the law and experience of a 'toxic' relationship, with an insider claiming their fledgling romance 'is not going to end well'

Mumphrey's mugshot was taken following her arrest in June 2021. She was charged with 'domestic abuse aggravated assault' and 'false imprisonment with a weapon' after an altercation with her then-boyfriend. The charges were dropped in October 2022

LaBeouf's mugshot was taken on February 17, 2026, following one of his arrests in New Orleans

She was also issued a domestic stay away order on June 28, 2021, to protect her ex from harm. Per the guidelines, she was ordered not to 'abuse, harass, assault [or] stalk' him, among other things. She was banned from going within 600 feet of him or 100 yards of his residence.

The Order of Protection remained in effect until the case was disposed. Charges were ultimately dropped in October 2022 after the District Attorney's Office decided not to file formal charges against Mumphrey.

According to the insider, the incident 'wasn't a one-time thing.'

'One time she cracked him over the head with the candle with the glass,' they claimed. 'He was bleeding out, eventually passed out and should have been in the hospital.'

The insider claimed Mumphrey's 'chaotic behavior' meant her ex 'never knew what type of Nicole he was coming home to.'

'It was a lot of her screaming, yelling, blaming him for the situation she's gotten herself in and blaming him for her "life sucking,"' the source said, alleging that there were instances of her 'trashing the television' and 'breaking things.'

They also claimed 'she would go through his phone every night and anything incriminating like a photo of another woman or any females' name, she would punch him in the face.'

Mumphrey and her ex dated on and off for seven years. They had a 'dangerously toxic relationship,' according to our insider, who said they last broke up in 2023. They claimed Mumphrey would sometimes make contact to try to 'rekindle.'

Mumphrey allegedly abused her ex-boyfriend, whom she dated on and off for seven years. 'It was a lot of her screaming, yelling, blaming him for the situation she's gotten herself in,' a source told the Daily Mail

'They last were in touch at the end of February,' the insider claimed. 'She said stuff like, "I love you" and "I miss you," and asked when he was coming back to town.

'But then she disappeared and a few weeks later, the photos of her with Shia came out, and he was completely shocked to see she had quickly moved on to another guy. He's still processing everything and it's hard for him to see photos of them together.'

Records seen by the Daily Mail show that her ex was also charged with 'domestic abuse battery, simple criminal damage to property and disturbing the peace' in February 2024 after an altercation with a new partner. The charges were dropped a few months later and he was only given a disturbing the peace ticket.

LaBeouf also has a problematic history in relationships. In 2020, his ex FKA Twigs sued him for $10million in damages after she accused him of sexual battery, assault and emotional distress throughout their nine-month relationship.

It was settled in 2025, with Twigs signing a nondisclosure agreement - details were kept private. She filed another lawsuit against him this year in Los Angeles on March 25.

Twigs, real name Tahliah Debrett Barnett, alleged he made a secret arbitration demand in December trying to get an 'exorbitant' sum of money as punishment over what he called a breach of a past arrangement from their settlement.

'Shia LaBeouf has tried to control Tahliah Barnett for the better part of a decade,' her lawyers said in legal documents obtained by the Daily Mail.

While it is unclear how Mumphrey and LaBeouf met, the insider claimed she has a history of dating wealthy men, even traveling to different states to be with them.

Mumphrey was previously married to a man who works for Shell as a lead well engineer. Their divorce was finalized in May 2016, two years after they wed

The actor's new relationship comes after his on-again, off-again relationship with Mia Goth. The pair have been linked since 2012 and welcomed a daughter together named Isabel in 2022

LaBeouf was pictured being taken into police custody in New Orleans on February 17 after getting into a brawl outside a bar. He was later charged with two counts of simple battery

She has 'become reliant on the guys she dates,' according to our source, who claimed she owes her ex 'thousands of dollars' which he allegedly lent her to fix her car and her mother's car.

Mumphrey, who is reportedly passionate about 'mystical ayahuasca hippie s***,' was previously married to a man who works for Shell as a lead well engineer. They got married in May 2014, according to court records, and their divorce was finalized in May 2016. Her ex-husband had filed the petition for divorce in December 2015.

LaBeouf, for his part, was in a long term, on-off relationship with Mia Goth from 2012 until last year. They got married in 2016 in Las Vegas, but it was later revealed that they were not legally married. They welcomed daughter Isabel in early 2022.

'We've been [separated] for a while and we're trying to figure out co-parenting,' LaBeouf said of their relationship in a February interview on Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan. 'And we're good. She's a good girl. Even through all of this, she gives me grace. I still talk to my kid twice a day... Even when things are hanky, she's a good woman.'

He went on to praise Goth as 'one of the best girls that ever lived.'

Meanwhile, our insider claimed they've heard from an acquaintance that LaBeouf has not been treating his new girlfriend well.

They warned Mumphrey's relationship with LaBeouf could turn toxic, stating that, 'This is a rebound situation You put them together and that's a perfect storm for destruction. This is not going to end well.'

LaBeouf has faced his own run-ins with the law in recent months. Following a court hearing on February 26, LaBeouf had to pay a bond of $105,000 and was ordered by a New Orleans Criminal District Court judge to check into rehab and undergo regular drug and alcohol testing.

'No regular person would be required to post over $100,000 in bonds and be jailed two separate times for one misdemeanor incident,' LaBeouf's attorney said in a statement. '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.'

On February 28, just two weeks after his previous arrest, he was arrested again in New Orleans and charged with an additional misdemeanor count of simple battery. The actor's attorney said in a statement that his arrest was connected to the previous incident, in which he got into a brawl outside a bar near the French Quarter.

LaBeouf has not entered a plea, but is expected to return to the New Orleans court next month. He has only confessed that the reason why he got arrested was because he got 'scared' by 'three gay dudes' who were 'touching' his leg and he was 'standing by myself.'

'I'm sorry - if that's homophobic, then I'm that,' he said in his interview with Callaghan.

The actor allegedly got into another fight in New Orleans at the end of March. Bar patrons alleged to TMZ that LaBeouf whipped his shirt off when he got into a fight outside of Le Bon Temps Roule.

The Daily Mail has contacted LaBeouf, Mumphrey and Mumphrey's ex for comment.
Married At First Sight star Gia Fleur looked less than impressed when she touched down in Sydney Airport ahead of the show's finale.

The controversial reality TV star had onlookers doing a double-take as she marched through the arrivals terminal with a face like thunder.

Gia turned heads in a chic off-duty ensemble, pairing black Adidas-style track pants with a cropped black top and an oversized black-and-grey jacket.

She accessorised with a designer Louis Vuitton crossbody bag and mint green sneakers, wearing her long blonde hair loose and straight while keeping her makeup fresh and natural behind oversized shades.

The famous blonde was quick to turn her frown upside down when she spotted her on-screen 'bestie' Chris Robinson.

Gia beamed as Chris opened his arms wide to greet her, the two sharing a warm hug beside her suitcase.

Married At First Sight star Gia Fleur looked less than impressed when she touched down in Sydney Airport ahead of the show's finale

The controversial reality TV star had onlookers doing a double-take as she marched through the arrivals terminal with a face like thunder

The pair appeared completely at ease in each other's company, chatting animatedly as they walked side by side.

Chris cut a casual figure in a fitted white T-shirt, light wash jeans and black sneakers, showing off his muscular arms and tattoo sleeve.

The reunion comes just days after Chris appeared to distance himself from Gia during an awkward appearance on Stan's After the Dinner Party.

During the interview, Chris insisted he was focused on his life away from the chaos of the show.

'I have a child, I'm on the farm, and I just want to stay out of the BS,' he said.

But the moment quickly turned uncomfortable when host Jules Lund challenged him, suggesting his actions didn't match his words.

'I don't think you want to be associated with Gia,' Jules said, pointing out that Chris' social media activity painted a very different picture.

Fellow host Laura Byrne also weighed in, hinting that it may have been a case of 'optics'  appearing friendly with Gia behind the scenes while keeping her at arm's length publicly.

Join the discussion What do you think Gia and Chris's real friendship says about reality TV relationships and drama?

Gia turned heads in a chic off-duty ensemble, pairing black Adidas-style track pants with a cropped black top and an oversized black-and-grey jacket

She accessorised with a designer Louis Vuitton crossbody bag and mint green sneakers, wearing her long blonde hair loose and straight while keeping her makeup fresh and natural behind oversized shades

The famous blonde was quick to turn her frown upside down when she spotted her on-screen 'bestie' Chris Robinson

Gia beamed as Chris opened his arms wide to greet her, the two sharing a warm hug beside the suitcase

The pair appeared completely at ease in each other's company, chatting animatedly as they walked side by side

Chris cut a casual figure in a fitted white T-shirt, light wash jeans and black sneakers, showing off his muscular arms and tattoo sleeve

The reunion comes just days after Chris appeared to distance himself from Gia during an awkward appearance on Stan's After the Dinner Party

Chris later admitted there had been tension following a birthday party, revealing it was a turning point in how he approached the friendship.

'There was drama at the birthday party, and after that day, I didn't want to put myself in that situation again,' he said.

However, Chris has since clarified that despite the onscreen awkwardness, the pair never actually fell out.

'Gia and I are still friends,' he insisted.

And if these latest photos are anything to go by, that statement couldn't be more accurate.

The pair looked completely in sync as they reunited, laughing, chatting and embracing  with no sign of the tension that played out on screen.

The reunion comes just days after Chris appeared to distance himself from Gia during an awkward appearance on Stan's After the Dinner Party

Sitting down with Daily Mail this week, Chris spoke warmly about their bond, revealing Gia was one of his biggest supporters during the experiment.

'When things started going bad on the show, you know who was checking up on me every day? It was Gia,' he said.

'She was messaging me, making sure I was okay. She protected me in the experiment. She backed me. She was a safe space.'

He also hinted that viewers may have only seen one side of the fiery bride.

'I know a different side of Gia that I don't think a lot of people get to see  and that's a shame,' he added.
Howard Stern and wife Beth have found themselves in new litigation claiming the radio host and spouse presided over a hostile work environment, prompting a reexamination of past company controversies involving the King of All Media.

Plaintiff Leslie Kuhn, a one-time live-in executive assistant for the A-list star, 72, and his wife Beth, 52, claims in court docs reviewed by the Daily Mail that the celebrity couple presided over a toxic workplace in the years she worked for them.

Beth Stern ran an 'irresponsible and untenable' animal rescue nonprofit that put 'immense pressures on the household,' Kuhn claimed in the court filing.

The situation imploded earlier this year when Kuhn said in legal docs filed in New York that the pair manufactured her termination - and made her agree to sign 'fraudulent and unenforceable' confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements.

Kuhn told the court that clauses were put in place to conceal the couple's 'massively disorganized and questionable business operations.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Stern for further comment on the story.

Howard Stern, 72, is being sued over allegations of presiding over a hostile work environment, prompting a reexamination of past workplace controversies the King of All Media has been involved in. Pictured in LA in 2019

Longtime Stern radio rival Gregg 'Opie' Hughes told Daily Mail in a statement about the lawsuit (from his Opie Radio podcast Tuesday), 'It sounds like that Southampton mansion of his on the ocean is just filled with cats! Oh my God, can you imagine?

'I don't care how big the place is, you gotta imagine there's a lot of cats wandering around that place ... the cat guy, Howard Stern, the tough shock jock - he's in hell dude!'

He said of Kuhn, 'This woman has a lot to say, but she can't say s*** because of this weird NDA she signed - but she wants the world to know what she saw in the Stern house!'

The Daily Mail is looking back at other past incidents in which a common narrative from former staffers emerged, in which they said they felt humiliated, coerced, or underpaid while in Stern's employ.

Longtime listeners of Stern's radio show recall that calamities such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks haven't spared the shock jock's staffers of awkward on-air confrontations later described by fans as radio gold.

A memorable instance of such came on the October 29, 2012 edition of his radio show, with Hurricane Sandy about to do unprecedented damage to the East Coast.

With the storm in the wings, Stern - who maintained a residence in Manhattan at the time - grilled his staff if he could count on them, asking them why they would not abandon their Tri-State Area homes to stay at a hotel in the city SiriusXM was providing.

This led to a heated argument between Stern and his longtime producer Gary Dell'Abate, who said he was prioritizing the well-being of his family by heading back to his Connecticut home amid the horror weather conditions.

Howard, 72, and wife Beth, 52, are accused of presided over a toxic workplace in the suit

Stern seen the October 29, 2012 edition of his radio show, prior to Hurricane Sandy battering the East Coast

Longtime Stern radio rival Gregg 'Opie' Hughes (pictured 2012 in NYC) said, 'The cat guy, Howard Stern, the tough shock jock - he's in hell dude!'

'Why would you go back home if we're doing a show tomorrow?' Stern asked his producer, as on-air personalities Robin Quivers and Shuli Egar egged on the prodding.

After Stern told his longtime underling he felt he couldn't count on him and that he was abandoning ship, Dell'Abate eventually countered back, 'What are you guys, f***ng crazy?

'So if a tree falls on my house I'll just figure it out when I get home?' Dell'Abate said. 'There's no sensitivity to someone's family or home!'

Amid Stern's continued prodding, Dell'Abate said, 'You want to make it sound like I dont care about my job. Im going to go on record, because I want to be straight: I care more about my wife and kids than I do about this job - but its a close race.'

In a subsequent HowardTV special documenting how the show persevered through the storm, Stern laughed off jabs that he had been unreasonable with his employees amid the unprecedented weather event.

'I got more hate mail, my fans turned on me, "You don't care about your staff, you're not nice to the people that work with you" - they all probably stayed home too!' Stern said.

Stern, in a credit to his work ethic, remained on the air amid the duration of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on his native New York City, delivering a broadcast many have described as the finest of his career.

While Stern encouraged anyone who felt uncomfortable to leave the New York City high-rise building the then-terrestrial show emanated from, former staffer KC Armstrong was mercilessly ridiculed for actually doing so.

Stern engaged in a heated argument with longtime producer Gary Dell'Abate, who said he was prioritizing the well-being of his family and home by heading back to his Connecticut home amid the horror weather conditions

Howard and Beth Stern sat with Gary and Mary Dell'Abate at a 2008 Knicks game in NYC

Upon his return to the studio later that week, Stern and his staff chastised Armstrong for leaving when everyone else remained working in the studio.

'We stayed here and did our jobs, what did you do - you left your job!' Stern said.

Stern also mocked Armstrong for suggesting he wanted to go to 'a lower floor' amidst the unprecedented attacks; and suggested he wear a dress to work after revealing his cowardice by leaving.

In the years since, Stern appears to have changed his mind on the issue, as he has predominantly broadcast from home since 2020 due to what he claims are Covid concerns.

Another uncomfortable workplace issue often referenced by former Stern staffers revolve around finances, as many of the show alums have publicly bemoaned paychecks they said were light, while Stern was taking in millions.

'It was frightening what was going on,' former head writer Jackie Martling, 78, told Vice TV in 2023 on Dark Side of the 2000s Shock Jocks. 'There was so much money coming in. It was crazy the amount of money.'

Martling had penned punchlines for Stern on the radio show beginning in 1983 - through the show's meteoric rise in pop culture - until leaving over a salary dispute in February 2001.

Martling said that most of the employees of the lucrative radio show 'weren't getting paid well' while Stern was 'making countless millions of dollars.'

Former Stern staffers such as Jackie Martling and John Melendez have bemoaned what they felt were light paychecks while working for the lucrative radio show. Pictured 2018 in NYC

The comedian said he remained perplexed by Stern's decision to jettison him from the show 25 years back after he held out for a raise.

'You are beyond rich and successful, and you have someone sitting next to you who makes you enjoy that job much more - and you let them go? Because he asked for more money? It boggles the mind.'

'Stuttering' John Melendez was a staple of the show from 1988 until leaving in 2004.

Melendez, 60, said on the Vice broadcast that he was taken aback by Stern's hostility when he took an announcing job on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that raised his annual pay from around $75,000 (with Stern) to the $400,000 range.

'He couldn't let me evolve and be happy,' Melendez said. The Daily Mail has reached out to Melendez and Martling for further comment.

The Howard Stern Show airs on SiriusXM.
Megan Fox could be losing out on millions of dollars by sharing scantily-clad photos of herself to Instagram.

The actress, 39, returned to social media last month following a lengthy hiatus in the wake of her split from Machine Gun Kelly and the birth of their daughter, Saga Blade Fox-Baker.

Since making her big online comeback, the Transformers star has posted a series of incredibly provocative images of herself to Instagram.

In one saucy photoshoot, Fox poses on all fours in a nylon miniskirt and matching thong.

In another, the mom-of-four dresses up as a naughty schoolgirl, complete with a short plaid skirt that's so skimpy it doesn't even cover her derriere.

The images have been posted for free on Instagram, where Fox has over 24 million followers.

Several prominent adult stars have claimed that Megan Fox is potentially losing millions of dollars by posting her raunchy photoshoots on Instagram instead of OnlyFans

Each one of the star's posts has attracted tens of thousands of comments, while a short video from one of the photoshoots has almost 50 million views.

But despite the images gaining Fox more fame and followers, several adult industry insiders tell Daily Mail that the actress could be earning millions if she just paywalled the photos on a subscription-based platform like OnlyFans.

Adult star Addyson James believes that Fox, with her global audience and iconic sex symbol status, could make a staggering eight figures on OnlyFans.

'I built my OnlyFans from the ground up, so I know firsthand how hard it is to grow a real following,' James said.

'But celebrities can step in and make more money almost instantly just off their name. Someone like Megan Fox could realistically make over $10million a month on OnlyFans just based on her global reach,' James continued.

'The reality is, theyre coming in with millions of eyes already on them, so their earning potential starts at a completely different level. It's not about who works harder, it's about who has the attention.'

PR guru Brian Scott Gross, president of BSG Public Relations, also believes that Fox is 'leaving money on the table' by posting her sexy snaps to Instagram.

'When a global star like Megan Fox posts this kind of content for free, she isnt just "wasting" money; she's essentially giving away the crown jewels of her digital real estate,' he said.

The actress, 39, returned to social media last month by posting a series of very provocative photoshoots

Gross cited the success of Bhad Bhabie and Iggy Azalea, who both raked in tens of millions of dollars by selling exclusive content on OnlyFans.

'Megan is on an even more iconic tier of celebrity, having starred in massive film franchises. The Instagram posts act as a massive, unpaid marketing campaign for a product she isn't selling yet,' he explained.

'From a PR standpoint, shes maintaining her relevance and keeping her "heat" high, but from a business standpoint, shes providing the milk for free.'

However, not everybody agrees that Fox could so easily walk into a major payday.

Adult star Demora Avarice believes that Fox could suffer 'a significant long-term cost' by doing OnlyFans.

'Historically, many actresses provide safe-for-work content that doesn't align with what the platforms audience typically expects. This often creates a negative perception of the move as a cash grab rather than a sustainable revenue stream,' she said.

Rapper Bhad Bhabie has earned over $75 million since joining OnlyFans

Fellow adult star Taylor Vixxen is also skeptical about how much money Fox could really earn, given that her content is 'still very controlled and very much within mainstream boundaries'.

'I think people oversimplify platforms like OnlyFans,' Vixxen told Daily Mail.

'It's not just about posting content and collecting money. Its an ongoing business that involves constant fan interaction  messaging, custom requests, and a level of accessibility that can become overwhelming if youre not interested in that kind of engagement,' she continued.

'For someone like Megan Fox, she may not want that. Theres a big difference between posting curated images on your own terms and running a platform where fans expect direct interaction.

'But could she make a significant amount of money if she chose to monetize that attention directly? Absolutely. With her audience and engagement, youre realistically looking at tens of millions annually, potentially more.'

Despite being known for her beauty and risque style, Fox has never appeared nude on screen.

In a 2016 interview with Fox News, the star vowed that she'd never do any raunchy scenes because of her children.

Despite being known for her racy image, Fox has never appeared nude on screen

'There are some good projects Ive read that are with talented people, talented directors, but the things the women are required to do in the movie are things I cant have my sons ever know or see,' she said at the time.

'I was offered a project thats coming out on HBO that centres around the life of a prostitute and it has very graphic sex scenes  things you would see in a pornographic film  and those are things that are degrading to the woman whos playing the character,' she continued.

'I dont think my children should ever see me doing some of that stuff. I dont think my boys could handle that.'

Despite her stance, Fox did end up filming a jaw-dropping sex scene in the tawdry 2024 Netflix thriller Subservience.

Fox's family has also gone through a transformation, with her three sons  Noah, Bodhi, and Journey  seemingly experimenting with their gender identity in recent years.

Outside of Subservience, Fox has struggled to land a notable hit in recent years.

Her last several films, which include Expend4bles, Good Mourning, and Johnny & Clyde have all bombed commercially and been savaged by critics.

At the height of her fame in the late 2000s, Fox starred in the Transformers franchise and the cult classic Jennifer's Body.

She also boasted brand deals with Armani, Acer, and BooHoo.
Rising fuel costs boost Chinese EV demand in Germany

Xinhua) 14:43, April 09, 2026

BERLIN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Rising fuel prices, along with competitive pricing and advanced technology, are boosting sales of Chinese-brand electric vehicles (EVs) in Germany, as consumers are increasingly weighing cost, features, and performance alongside environmental considerations.

Battery electric vehicle registrations reached 70,700 in March, up 66.2 percent year-on-year, while those for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles rose 13 percent to 29,900, according to figures released by Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) on Tuesday.

Chinese automakers also saw increased traction in March, with brands such as BYD and Leapmotor recording roughly threefold year-on-year increases in registrations, while Xpeng more than doubled its figures, reflecting growing acceptance among German consumers.

Rising fuel costs are a key driver. Diesel reached around 2.5 euros (2.9 U.S. dollars) per litre on Tuesday, while E10 gasoline stood at approximately 2.24 euros (2.6 dollars), according to the General German Automobile Club.

The surge follows disruptions to oil transport routes linked to tensions in the Middle East, adding to Europe's already elevated energy costs.

"Filling my Audi Q5 now costs 125 euros (145.7 dollars), up from 90 euros (104.9 dollars) before the Middle East conflict," said Andreas Heumann, a Berlin resident considering a plug-in hybrid. "If prices stay high, switching cars becomes an economic decision."

For many households, higher running costs for petrol and diesel vehicles are prompting changes in purchasing behavior. Some buyers are delaying vehicle purchases, while others are increasingly shifting to electric alternatives.

"Electric vehicles are becoming central to how consumers manage cost uncertainty," said Zheng Yun, senior partner at Munich-based consultancy Roland Berger. "When fuel prices rise sharply, the total cost of ownership for combustion vehicles increases immediately, making EVs comparatively more attractive."

The German government has moved to temper the impact. Since April 1, petrol stations have been limited to one price increase per day to reduce volatility, while Germany's economy and energy minister, Katherina Reiche, has proposed lowering household electricity taxes. Analysts, however, caution that such measures may only partially offset the sustained pressure from high fuel prices.

Thus, electric vehicles are increasingly viewed not just as an environmentally friendly choice, but also as a rational economic decision. Dmitrij Kolesnik, a Berlin-based dealer, said that Chinese electric vehicles are gaining recognition among consumers for their competitive pricing, solid build quality, and advanced technology.

The change is evident on showroom floors. At a BYD dealership in central Berlin, sales staff said customers who previously took weeks to decide are now making purchases within days.

Magrin Tommaso, an Italian hairdresser based in Germany who recently test-drove several models of Chinese electric vehicles, said the combination of lower operating costs and advanced in-car technology made them stand out as "a smart product choice." He ultimately decided to purchase a BYD Atto 3.

Policy incentives, including subsidies of up to 6,000 euros (7,000 dollars) for new EVs from 2026, are supporting demand, though analysts note financial measures alone are not driving the shift. Consumers are increasingly basing their decisions on running costs, features, and long-term value, reflecting a broader shift toward electric mobility in Germany.

Chinese manufacturers, in particular, are leveraging strengths in battery supply chains, cost control, and software integration to expand their presence. Zheng noted that this marks a shift from merely exporting vehicles to establishing brand recognition and long-term market positions in Europe.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A Stanford student's account of being allegedly targeted by a suspected Chinese intelligence operative has jolted new attention onto long-standing warnings that US universities are vulnerable to foreign espionage, coercion and intimidation.

The allegations returned to the spotlight after Elsa Johnson, editor-in-chief of the Stanford Review, testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on 26 Mar 2026. In her appearance, she described what she said was a years-long effort to cultivate and pressure female students researching China-related subjects.

Johnson's claims are serious and, in parts, difficult to independently verify in full from public records alone. Yet key elements of her account, including the congressional hearing itself, Stanford's public response, and the FBI's broader warnings about Chinese state-linked intimidation and campus targeting, are documented in official statements and direct-source material.

What emerges is not only a story about one student's fear, but a wider picture of how American universities have become contested spaces in the intensifying struggle between academic openness and national security.

Student Says Contact Turned From Networking To Pressure

Johnson first detailed the alleged approach in a lengthy investigation published by the Stanford Review on 7 May 2025, co-authored with other student journalists. In that report, she said a man using the name 'Charles Chen' contacted female Stanford students through social media while presenting himself as connected to the university.

According to the article, the outreach initially appeared innocuous. It soon became more personal and more insistent. Johnson wrote that the man asked whether students spoke Mandarin, encouraged them to visit Beijing, offered to pay for travel, and urged them to move their conversations to the Chinese version of WeChat. She also alleged he asked one student to enter China for a short enough period to avoid visa scrutiny and publicly commented on social media to demand screenshots be deleted.

In her subsequent public testimony to lawmakers, Johnson said she herself had been 'personally targeted' while conducting research at Stanford on Chinese industry and military tactics. She told the committee that the man who contacted her offered a paid trip to China, sought personal background details, and later appeared to know information she had not shared with him.

Johnson further said the FBI later informed her that the individual had no affiliation with Stanford, despite an online persona that suggested otherwise. She testified that she believes he was acting on behalf of China's Ministry of State Security, and alleged that at least 10 female students had been approached since 2020. That attribution remains her allegation, not a public FBI determination.

Chinese spies are launching surveillance operations on American college students and trying to recruit them as CCP spies



Stanford University student in California says this happened to her



The Chinese spy offered to pay for a trip to China, sent me a flight itinerary to pic.twitter.com/8w6gawRGew  Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) March 30, 2026

Stanford And Washington Confront A Familiar Security Problem

The allegations have landed in an environment where concern about Chinese state-linked activity in American academia is already longstanding. Stanford itself has previously appeared in federal cases tied to Chinese military or research concerns.

In Jul 2020, the United States Department of Justice announced charges against Song Chen, described as a visiting Stanford researcher accused of visa fraud after allegedly concealing membership in the People's Liberation Army. Prosecutors later expanded the charges, alleging false statements, obstruction and document destruction.

On 26 Mar 2026, Johnson's claims were elevated into the national political arena when the House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing titled 'U.S. Universities Under Siege: Foreign Espionage, Stolen Innovation, and the National Security Threat'. The committee's public materials identified Johnson as one of the witnesses and explicitly framed the issue as part of a broader national security challenge facing higher education.

That hearing did not itself adjudicate Johnson's allegations. But it showed that lawmakers now see campus approaches, recruitment attempts and coercive influence operations as part of a wider strategic threat rather than isolated incidents.

FBI Warnings Point To A Broader Pattern Of Coercion

What makes Johnson's account especially alarming is that it overlaps with conduct the FBI has publicly described under the umbrella of transnational repression, the practice of foreign governments reaching into the United States to intimidate, monitor or coerce people living there.

The FBI says transnational repression can include stalking, harassment, intimidation, cyber targeting, threats to family members and pressure campaigns designed to silence or control victims. In public guidance, the bureau has warned that authoritarian governments can target not only dissidents and journalists, but also students and members of diaspora communities.

Johnson has alleged exactly that sort of escalation. After she began reporting on the issue, she said she received intimidation calls, threatening scam emails and warnings that she and even her family were being watched. Again, those claims come from her testimony and reporting; the FBI has not publicly released a case file or formal charging document connected to her account.

Still, the mechanics of the alleged approach fit known patterns. The FBI has separately warned that Chinese-linked actors have used social media, false professional opportunities and online grooming to identify and cultivate targets. It has also repeatedly flagged WeChat-adjacent pressure, online deception and covert outreach in cases involving China-related influence and coercion.

 the CCP is orchestrating a widespread intelligence-gathering campaign at Stanford. In short, there are Chinese spies at Stanford 



 Given its dominance in AI, Stanford is academic target number one



 of the approximately 1,129 Chinese International students on campus, pic.twitter.com/o4MlGRxo6q  Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) May 8, 2025

Universities Face Pressure To Protect Students Without Closing The Door

Stanford has publicly acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue. In a statement issued after the original Stanford Review investigation, the university said it took threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party to research universities 'with the utmost seriousness', and said it had contacted federal law enforcement and was reviewing the claims. It also stressed the importance of distinguishing between threats from the Chinese state and Chinese or Chinese-American students and scholars, who remain valued members of the university community.

That distinction matters. US officials, including the FBI, have repeatedly said the threat they are describing comes from the Chinese government, not from people of Chinese descent or the wider Chinese student population.

Yet Johnson's testimony is likely to intensify pressure on universities to show they can do more than issue carefully worded statements. If her account is borne out, it suggests that a student researching a strategic adversary could be approached, cultivated, pressured and intimidated over a period of years before the full seriousness of the threat becomes clear.

For Washington, that is a counterintelligence problem. For universities, it is also a duty-of-care problem. And for students, especially young women navigating opaque online approaches from seemingly well-connected strangers, it is something far more immediate: a reminder that espionage in the digital age can begin not with a dead drop or a diplomatic pouch, but with a direct message.

Johnson's allegations remain, for now, a deeply troubling warning rather than a fully litigated public case, but one that US universities and federal authorities can no longer afford to dismiss.

Originally published on IBTimes UK
A series of digs appeared to be made in conversations about Molly-Mae Hague during series two of Paris and Tyson's At Home With The Furys.

Molly-Mae avoided an appearance in the new season, with Tommy announcing their second pregnancy to his brother and father John without her by his side.

It was a snub clear to see after the influencer joined Tommy in announcing their first pregnancy with daughter Bambi in series one.

'I feel like there's something going on in your life and you're not telling us,' Tyson asked Tommy. 'You're here, but you're not. You're hyperactive and your mind's going a million to the dozen.'

'I'm having another child,' Tommy told a speechless Tyson and John.

Tommy said: 'I genuinely did not plan on this coming out, it was like "Dad, I'm having a baby". I'm super excited for Bambi than anybody else to have a sibling and she's obsessed with babies at the moment. I couldn't be any happier to be honest.'

John added: 'It stopped me in my tracks, it was a bombshell wasn't it. When he said that out of the blue, I was shocked. I'm elated with it all, I love children. I'm getting on to have 25 grandkids and climbing. I wish them all the luck in the world.'

A series of digs appeared to be made in conversations about Molly-Mae Hague during series two of At Home With The Furys (Tyson Fury pictured in the show)

Tyson hit out at 'influencers who got their kit off on television to get famous' during episode two as he discussed the concept of fame and reality (Molly-Mae pictured on Love Island)

Despite Molly-Mae's choice to not appear in the Netflix documentary, her name was raised several times by Tommy and his family

Molly-Mae sparked controversy in the first series after she appeared to hit out at Traveller traditions  that both Tommy and Tyson were raised with  when discussing if she would send Bambi to school.

Despite Molly-Mae's choice to not appear in the Netflix documentary  which may have clashed with filming her own show Behind It All  her name was raised several times by Tommy and his family.

Tyson hit out at 'influencers who got their kit off on television to get famous' during episode two as he discussed the concept of fame and reality.

After Tyson's daughter Venezuela, 16, returned home from her first paid magazine shoot, he went on a furious rant about influencers.

Speaking to his daughter, Tyson said he believes a private life is 'non-existent' for influencers before referencing Love Island's Molly-Mae and Tommy, who rose to fame on Love Island.

He said: 'If you're an influencer, you're private life is non-existent. You don't have any private life do you, look at Tommy and Molly.

'The world want to know your little, gritty secrets. If you want to make money out of doing nothing, basically privacy doesn't exist.'

Yet Tyson's wife Paris was quick to hit back, saying: 'So this is how you want to turn her press day, is "You're famous for doing nothing, you're famous because you're famous". That is exactly what it looks like.'

'No, I didn't say that. This has nothing to do with Venezuela', Tyson replied. 'I'm famous because I've been a two-time world heavyweight champion.

'I've done a million-thousand achievements, I can write a table full of them. We're just in an era where you can get famous for, what? Getting your t*** out on telly.

'Like, today's people are not famous in reality because they've done nothing.'

He asked Paris: 'What have you achieved? Seven kids? But that isn't an achievement like "Oh my god, look what she's achieved, she's been prime minister". I am telling the truth.'

'You are famous for being a complete a***,' Paris chimed.

Tyson added: 'You're famous for being my wife. How's that sound?'

'I think Tyson is in a negative space at the minute. But it was an a**** comment and I'll call Tyson out on it,' Paris told producers.

Elsewhere, during episode seven, Tommy made a sly dig about still not being married to his fiancee after they rekindled their romance last year.

After his brother renewed their vows for the third time with Paris in a family ceremony in the south of France, they FaceTimed Tommy to share the good news.

'We just got married for the third time, we've put you to shame,' Paris told Tommy.

Tyson hit out at 'influencers who got their kit off on television to get famous', as he warned daughter Venezuela that her private life will be 'non-existent' if she becomes an influencer

Molly-Mae did not appear on the show despite the influencer joining Tommy in announcing their first pregnancy with daughter Bambi in series one (pictured)

Elsewhere, during episode seven, Tommy made a sly dig about still not being married to his fiancee after they rekindled their romance last year

Tommy added: 'Oh, congratulations. I can't even get the first marriage!'

Tyson said: 'One day, Tom. If you work very hard and dedicate your life you'll be able to get married three times like us.'

'Ah, do you know what, I can't wait', Tommy said.

Molly-Mae, just this week, addressed why her 600,000 diamond ring has been absent from her hand since they reunited as she was quizzed by fans if Tommy is going to propose again.

Speaking in her latest YouTube video, Molly-Mae said: 'No, we're not doing another proposal... Im not wearing my ring and I dont really wear my ring. Do you know what? I actually dont plan to wear my ring either guys.

'But I also do still consider myself engaged and a fiancee, even though saying that does give me the ick a little bit.

'No I dont wear my ring and its not for the reason of me not feeling like Im engaged or not a fiancee. I just actually dont want to wear it because its almost too special.

'My ring is not even with me, its somewhere far away, locked away and very, very safe.

'Its too precious, its too special. I'm actually thinking potentially a ring that I can wear on that finger that I can wear.

'I just can't wear my engagement ring every day. I love my ring. It is my dream ring, I wouldn't change it for the world. I didn't think about the wearing of it every day.'

Molly went on to say they both do want to get married but 'can't be bothered with having a wedding'.

Tommy proposed in Ibiza in July 2023, after pretending they were on a brand trip.

However, in the summer of 2024, Molly-Mae announced that she and Tommy had separated after five years together.

In a statement posted to her Instagram followers, Molly confirmed the breakup, saying: 'I never imagined our story would end, especially not this way.'

Tommy denied continued speculation about him cheating during a magazine interview, insisting any reports about him being with other women were 'complete and utter b*****ks'.

Molly-Mae, just this week, addressed why her 600,000 diamond ring has been absent from her hand since they reunited, as she was quizzed by fans if Tommy is going to propose again

Later in her Behind It All documentary, Molly-Mae discussed how Tommy's drinking had been a huge factor in their split.

However, the couple later reunited and announced they are expecting their second child in February.

Touching on his issues with alcohol in Tyson's documentary, Tommy said: 'I delved into alcohol more than I should have.

'I had my own personal battles with that and that obviously caused Molly to take a step back.

'We wasn't together for, you know, a period of time and things were tough. 2024 was the hardest and most lowest year of my life but you learn a lot in them years.'

When his father John asked how his relationship with Molly-Mae was going, Tommy made yet another comment about not being married.

'Apart from being married, it's the best it has ever been,' Tommy said. 'What difference would it be now [getting married]. We've got a baby together, we live together.'

'The difference is, once you've signed on the dotted line, there's no coming back is there,' John said.

He added: 'You know, Molly is a lovely person but she can't help the life she's been brought up in. It's contrasting to ours.

'But she's put up with some s*** hasn't she, so fair play to her, she's not a bad girl. I'm always going to be there to support them, let's see what happens.'

At Home With The Furys season two is released on Netflix on Sunday, April 12
After a year marked by heartbreak and personal struggles, Aubrey Plaza has found a reason to smile again.

The White Lotus star, 41, who has faced both devastating loss after her estranged husband Jeff Baena's suicide and serious health setbacks, is now embracing a hopeful new chapter.

This week, it was revealed that she is expecting her first child with partner Christopher Abbott, 40.

'It was a beautiful surprise after an emotional year,' a source told People.

The pregnancy comes after a difficult period that has seen the actress have to rebuild her life away from the spotlight.

Now, as she is said to be looking towards the future and feels 'very blessed,' we take a look at her difficult journey to happiness.

How Aubrey Plaza found happiness again with partner Christopher Abbott after health issues and her husband's tragic suicide - as it's revealed they're expecting a child

Aubrey faced a medical setback two decades ago which threatened to end her career before it ever began.

She was left briefly paralyzed during an unexplained stroke at 20.

The actress recalled the experience during an appearance on Sirius XM's Howard Stern Show in 2024.

'It was wild,' she said. 'It happened mid-sentence.'

Aubrey left her native Delaware to attend New York University when she headed on the subway to a friend's apartment when the medical episode happened.

'I took the train to Astoria to have lunch with my friends and I walked into their apartment  I hadn't even taken my jacket off  and it just happened,' she said.

She continued: 'I was paralyzed, but only really for a minute or something. I lost my motor skills really briefly. The freakiest thing was I forgot how to talk.'

Aubrey first mentioned the health scare during a 2017 interview with NPR's Fresh Air, where she shared that her friends had called the paramedics, who 'thought she was on drugs'.

She said: 'I hadn't really put anything into my body that day except for birth control.'

When she reached the hospital, the doctors determined it was a stroke after she failed to put her right hand on her left knee.

Aubrey told the publication: 'Since then, I've had some minor - they call them TIAs, which are transient ischemic attacks, that are tiny little strokes.'

While Aubrey managed to get her health back on track, she was struck by tragedy in January 2025 when her husband was found dead at the age of 47 in the couple's LA home.

At the time, TMZ reported that law enforcement believe the filmmaker died by suicide, which was later confirmed.

A representative for Aubrey said at the time: 'This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support... Please respect our privacy during this time.'

In March 2025, it was revealed that Aubrey had secretly split from Jeff just four months before his death after parting ways in September 2024.

An LA County Medical Examiner's autopsy report obtained by DailyMail.com revealed that the filmmaker and actress had separated back in September, and she had been living in New York at the time his body was discovered on January 3.

The report detailed how the Life After Beth director had been 'experiencing marital difficulties' in his final months and how he had been in therapy.

An investigator noted in the documents that Aubrey, whose name was redacted in the final report, said she had spoken with Jeff the night before his death.

Aubrey was struck by tragedy in January 2025 when her husband Jeff Baena was found dead at the age of 47 in the couple's LA home (the pair pictured in 2016)

The report also tragically revealed that Aubrey had been concerned for her estranged husband's wellbeing.

The paperwork said: 'In October 2024, Baena made concerning remarks to [Aubrey] which prompted her to call a friend to perform a welfare check on her husband. Baena had been attending therapy since that event.'

The medical examiner's report also determined that Jeff did not have drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his death.

It stated that Aubrey 'knew her husband to be alive' as of January 3 because he had sent her a text message that morning.

The report indicated that a dog walker discovered his body after hearing loud music coming from his home, which she said was 'unusual.'

After she called him and didn't get an answer, she entered the home and discovered his remains.

In August last year, Aubrey detailed her grief in her first interview since her husband's tragic death.

Appearing on her friend Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast, Amy said: 'Just to get it out the way, people want to see you and want to see how you are, they love you. You've had this terrible, terrible, tragic year...

'You lost your husband, you've been dealing with that and you've been looking for all different ways in which to feel and find support.'

When Amy asked how she was feeling, Aubrey stated: 'Right in this very, very present moment, I feel happy to be with you. Overall, I'm here and I'm functioning. I feel really grateful to be moving through the world. I think I'm okay, but it's like a daily struggle'.

She went on: 'This is a really dumb analogy and it was kind of a joke at a certain point, but I actually mean it. Did you see that movie The Gorge? It's like [an] alien movie or something with Miles Teller...

'In the movie, there's like a cliff on one side and there's a cliff on the other side, then there's gorge in between and it's filled with all these like monster people that are trying to get them. I swear when I watched it...

'I was like that feels like what my grief is like  or what grief could be like. At all times there's like a giant ocean of awfulness, that's like right there and I can see it...

'Sometimes I just want to dive into it, and just like be in it. Then sometimes I just look at it, and sometimes I try to get away from it. But, it's always there.'

The Gorge is a 2025 movie starring Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Sigourney Weaver, with a synopsis listed as: 'Two highly-trained operatives are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge...

'Protecting the world from a mysterious evil that lurks within. They work together to keep the secret in the gorge.'

Aubrey and Jeff began dating in 2011, and in 2017 she told Page Six that the fact that they were mutually 'obsessed' with movies helped the two bond and led to their subsequent creative and romantic partnerships.

The pair worked on films such as the 2014 horror Life After Beth and 2017 historical comedy The Little Hours.

She confirmed in 2021 that they had quietly tied the knot a year earlier while promoting Spin Me Round, which she had a supporting role in, when she referred to Jeff on Instagram as her 'darling husband.'

Nine months following Jeff's death, Aubrey shared her strategies for moving on.

During an appearance on the Today Show, she revealed some advice her grandmother had given her about how to 'move forward' in the wake of challenging circumstances.

She was on the show to promote her new children's book  her third  titled Luna And The Witch Throw A Halloween Party.

Host Savannah Guthrie noted that Aubrey's new book is 'an homage' to her grandmother, who had given her invaluable life advice.

'Shoutout to my grandma, Margie,' the actress said. 'She taught me from a very young age that life is a party and no matter what happens, we have to have fun and move forward, and so I think this book was inspired by that.'

'I think on both sides of my family, I have a lot of witchy women that raised me, so this is an homage to all the women in my life,' the Megalopolis actress added.

Aubrey and Christopher first worked together in 2019 on the indie psychological drama Black Bear, in which both actors played dual roles as actors and directors trying to shoot a film

And now it looks like Aubrey has finally found happiness as she is expecting her first child.

Prior to revealing her pregnancy, the Parks And Recreation star had managed to keep her relationship with actor Christopher under the radar.

According to DeuxMoi, a source had spotted the pair looking affectionate at Chatham Berry Farm in upstate New York last June, some five moths after the death of her estranged husband.

They claimed that she was spotted speaking to a woman whom they later learned was Christopher's older sister, Christina Abbot, before she posted about a performance at the farm on Instagram.

The couple first worked together in 2019 on the indie psychological drama Black Bear, in which both actors played dual roles as actors and directors trying to shoot a film in an eerie, isolated lake house.

The low-budget thriller premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020 to critical acclaim, with several reviewers singling it out as one of Plaza's best performances to date.

She worked again with Christopher in 2023  this time on stage  in the Off Broadway revival of John Patrick Shanley's play Danny And The Deep Blue Sea, which ran until January 2024.

Aubrey and her new partner were last seen together on February 14 when they attended Khaite's Fall/Winter 2026 show as part of New York Fashion Week.

The two were pictured sitting side-by-side in the front row alongside stars including Elizabeth Debicki and Gemma Chan.
Channel Seven's upcoming reality series, My Reno Rules, has finally gotten a release date.

The show, produced by MasterChef creators Endemol Shine, is set to rival Channel Nine's The Block and will feature four teams of renovators competing on neighbouring rundown houses in Melbourne.

My Reno Rules will premiere at 7.30pm on Tuesday 21 April on Seven and 7plus.

Former The Block bidder Adrian Portelli will take an on-screen role in the troubled series, which has faced a series of setbacks.

The judges include design guru Neale Whitaker, founder of real estate buyers' agency Cohen Handler, Simon Cohen, and interior stylist Julia Green.

My Reno Rules will be hosted by Dr. Chris Brown and insiders say he will be handling the role of MRR's anchor 'solo'.

Channel Seven's upcoming reality series, My Reno Rules, has finally gotten a release date. Former The Block bidder Adrian Portelli (pictured) will take an on-screen role in the troubled series, which has faced a series of setbacks

The teams will compete as they renovate side-by-side homes purchased by Portelli, who will give them away when they're finished.

Portelli will monitor the progress of the rebuilds throughout the series.

Known as 'Mr Lambo', Portelli, the high-flying entrepreneur, 36, has continually used social media to promote himself as one of the 'faces' of the series.

But insiders close to the troubled production told Daily Mail last year that Portelli's profile behind the scenes is near invisible.

According to a statement released by Seven last month, part of Portelli's role will be to 'manage' the show's 'live prize draw'.

Meanwhile, property titles reveal that it was Portelli who snapped up two old suburban homes in Melbourne's Bulleen, 15km from the CBD, for My Reno Rules.

The two homes, worth a total of $2.7 million, were purchased through Portelli's company Xclusive Tech Pty Ltd, and were 'donated' to the show.

'That's Portelli's role so far - sponsor,' the insider told Daily Mail, adding that the filming was at that time yet to start at the Bulleen site because the original builder 'walked'.

My Reno Rules will be hosted by Dr. Chris Brown (centre) and insiders say he will be handling the role of MRR's anchor 'solo'

The show was due to start shooting on September 26, but began filming several weeks behind schedule.

The insider added that an earlier report seen in the media saying that the show's homes were not 'TV-ready' is false.

When Daily Mail approached Portelli and Seven for comment, a spokesperson confirmed My Reno Rules would start construction later in 2025.

'As part of the pre-production phase, there are continuing conversations with several builders,' they said in a statement.

Portelli officially turned his back on Channel Nine's The Block in July last year.

The entrepreneur, who spent millions of dollars snapping up houses over the last three seasons of the show, shared a post to social media revealing he was leaving the series for good.
Joseph Duggar and his wife Kendra have reunited following their recent arrests.

The pair are reportedly together in Arkansas ahead of their first court appearance in a child welfare case, according to People.

The couple - who share four children - reunited just one day after Joseph, 31, was released by the Bay County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) in Florida. His lawyer Albert J. Sauline III told the publication that he flew back home to Arkansas with his father Jim Bob Duggar, 60.

Joseph - who shot to fame with his parents and 18 siblings on the TLC series 19 Kids and Counting - was arrested on charges of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under 12 and lewd and lascivious conduct by a person 18 or older.

Both he and Kendra, 27, were later charged with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment following a search of their home, in a case unrelated to the Florida allegations.

The former reality TV stars are scheduled to appear in an Arkansas courtroom on April 29.

Joseph Duggar, 31, and his wife Kendra, 27, have reunited following their recent arrests and are together in Arkansas ahead of their first court appearance in a child welfare case, as per People

If convicted on all eight counts, Joseph and Kendra could each face up to eight years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.

Joseph made his initial court appearance just hours after being booked by the BCSO on March 31, and was released later that day after posting a $600,000 bond.

On March 19 - a day after Joseph's arrest on charges of lewd and lascivious molestation - the Tontitown Police Department and Arkansas Department of Human Services conducted a search of the couple's home.

The Arkansas officials then filed additional charges against Joseph and new charges against his wife.

'I can tell you the arrest was a result of a home inspection, and the door locks being on the exterior of the doors,' a source previously told People regarding the charges.

Kendra posted bail and was released just hours after being booked on March 20, while Joseph - who was already in custody - had the charges added to his jail docket.

Neither has appeared in court in that case yet, with officials citing the ongoing investigation as the reason for the delay.

Joseph and Kendra wed in 2017 and are parents to four young children - ages seven, six, five and three.

Joseph, who was initially arrested on child molestation charges and has since returned to Arkansas after posting a $600,000 bond, is now banned from having any unsupervised contact with minors  including his own four children; Seen in a mugshot on March 18

Both he and his Kendra were later charged with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment following a search of their home; Seen in a mugshot on March 31

Two days after Joseph's arrest, his wife was taken into custody on March 20 - but released later the same day after posting a $1,470 bond; Seen in a mugshot in March 20

The former reality TV stars are scheduled to appear in an Arkansas courtroom on April 29

If convicted on all eight counts, Joseph and Kendra could each face up to eight years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines

Joseph and Kendra wed in 2017 and are parents to four young children - ages seven, six, five and three

Joseph was arrested following shocking child molestation allegations involving a nine-year-old girl during a Florida vacation in 2020.

He is now banned from having any unsupervised contact with minors  including his own four children.

Joseph told his wife that his faith kept him strong behind bars, in a jailhouse phone call obtained by Us Weekly on Wednesday.

'I just went into my prayer closet, and I had a really good time praying for you and for the kids and even for Mama and Joy, because theyve been assisting you a lot,' he told her.

'I found Psalm 54 has been one that I've been praying. I changed kind of the personal pronouns and just put your name or different [people's] name on it. It's been really comforting.'

He also spoke of his mom Michelle Duggar, saying, 'I know that this weighs on her heavily.'

'You can let her know that I'm very, very thankful for her support for you, and I know she's done a lot, probably in this whole journey of stuff,' he said.

'Just make sure she knows that I love her. I was praying Psalm 54 over her too, because I feel like the attacks that are coming to our family are also coming probably to her, or she feels the pressure of it.'

His father Jim Bob slammed his son's 'terrible decisions' in a letter sent while Joseph was in jail.

Jim Bob sent an email to his son while he was being held at an Arkansas detention facility before being extradited to Florida.

'You have made some terrible decisions, but God has already forgiven you if you have asked him,' he wrote, according to People.

Duggar's father Jim Bob Duggar slammed his sons 'terrible decisions' in a letter sent while Joseph was in jail; Jim Bob and wife Michelle seen above in 2010

Joseph's older brother Josh, 38 (pictured in a mugshot) is currently serving a prison sentence in connection with his 2021 conviction for receiving and possessing material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct

The family shot to fame on the TLC series 19 Kids and Counting

He urged Joseph to 'accept the situation' and warned him that he will 'most likely deal with major consequences for several years to come.'

Jim Bob also emphasized that both he and his wife, Michelle, still 'love' Joseph, but made it clear that he faces 'a long road ahead.'

In a striking message, Jim Bob added, '[Y]ou can also point people to Christ even through the time youre in jail and prison.' He also referenced a Biblical figure, sharing, 'David in the Bible royally messed up, but he repented and became a man after Gods own heart.'

He concluded the letter by assuring Joseph, 'God is not finished with your life' and promised, 'well keep praying for you.'

Joseph's arrest marks the latest legal trouble involving a member of the reality TV family.

His older brother Josh, 38, is currently serving a prison sentence in connection with his 2021 conviction for receiving and possessing material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Counting On, the spin-off of 19 Kids & Counting, was cancelled by TLC in 2021. The axing came after Josh's arrest.

The original show, which began airing in 2008, was centered on Michelle and Jim Bob, the devout Arkansas couple who named all 19 of their children with the first letter J.

For those who have been impacted by sexual abuse, text 'STRENGTH' to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
Former Coronation Street star Arianna Ajtar has revealed she's found huge success with her clothing brand after swapping a stint on the cobbles for the catwalk.

The actress previously played Olivia Radfield on the ITV soap, but has now hit the big time after Khloe Kardashian was snapped in her 66 look while celebrating Easter with her family.

Arianna launched her brand Mars The Label in 2016 from her father's living room in Bolton, after she found a gap in the market while looking for pieces for a night out.

While studying acting at Liverpool University, Arianna shared she raised 3,000 to launch the brand by working two jobs at The Perfume Shop and a jewellery shop.

The star said her hard work has paid off, as along with being worn by Khloe, Mars The Label has now grown into a multi-million pound brand.

She said: 'My friends and I would find ourselves searching online for endless hours for pieces that weren't on the market. This inspired me to launch a brand where I designed the clothes we were searching for.'

Former Coronation Street star Arianna Ajtar has revealed she's found huge success with her clothing brand after swapping a stint on the cobbles for the catwalk

Arianna went on to tell The Mirror: 'I am grateful beyond words to have been raised by a dad who never tried to make me be someone I am not or go down a path I don't feel passionate about.

'Northern grit cannot and will never be beaten. We are grafters to the core and know the true meaning of community.

'A lot of fashion brands start and fail because they either lack authenticity or the top brass of the companies are not tuned into what their customer base wants.

Arianna added that she feels the fashion industry has become 'more thoughtful' in recent years with Mars The Label offering pieces from sizes four to 20, a wider a selection than some of its rivals.

The business has remained in Bolton, but Arianna shared she hopes to open a warehouse in the US later this year after struggling to overcome rising tariffs.

Khloe had posed in Mars The Label's white spotted co-ord while celebrating Easter with her famous family.

She posted a string of snaps of the look on Instagram, and even replied to the brand in the comments by writing it was the 'cutest fit'.

Arianna has dressed other names including Megan Thee Stallion and Oliva Plerson who wore the brand's Sandra dress to Kris Jenner's 70th birthday party last year.

The actress has hit the big time after Khloe Kardashian was snapped in her 66 look while celebrating Easter with her family

Arianna previously starred as model Olivia Radfield intermittantly on Corrie from 2018 to 2019, after being hired for a fashion shoot at Underworld

The brand has also previously presented runways at Miami Swim Week, and earlier this year held a glitzy collection launch party in Manchester.

Arianna previously starred as model Olivia intermittantly on Corrie from 2018 to 2019, after being hired for a fashion shoot at Underworld.

She joined forces with Rosie Webster to out model agent Antoine Reese's schemes to use his clients as drug mules.

During a later stint she became embroiled in her parents scheme to fake her mother May's death and claim the insurance money, before her father Duncan confessed.
Tori Spelling could possibly go to court over a recent car crash she was involved in that sent her and her seven young passengers to a nearby hospital.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum, 52, is 'strongly considering taking action' legally against the other motorist involved in the incident, sources told TMZ Wednesday.

Spelling on Thursday was driving an SUV with seven children inside in Temecula, California, when the vehicle was hit by a white sedan that allegedly struck them after running a red light.

The daughter of late Hollywood producer Aaron Spelling and wife Candy Spelling had four of her children inside the SUV, as well as three of their friends in the incident.

The group was taken in for immediate medical treatment, as sources told the outlet that they suffered 'bruises, contusions and possible concussions' as a result of the collision.

Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Spelling for further comment on the story.

Tori Spelling could possibly go to court over the recent car crash she was involved in that sent her and her passengers to a hospital. Pictured in LA March 26

Insiders told the outlet that Spelling showed 'quick thinking behind the wheel' in the dangerous April 2 incident.

The Riverside Sheriffs Department said in a statement that 'on April 2, 2026, at 5:44 p.m., deputies were dispatched to the 28000 block of Rancho California Road regarding a vehicle collision.

'Upon arrival, deputies located two vehicles with collision damage. All occupants were medically evaluated at the scene.'

In video footage TMZ acquired, Spelling was seen communicating with law enforcement about the incident, which left both vehicles with significant damage.

Spelling opened up on Tuesday on Instagram about the aftermath of the incident.

'We're okay - it's been really overwhelming,' Spelling said. 'Guardian angels were definitely with us that day.

'In a split second, I saw that he was coming full-on impact into the side of our car and I turned left as hard as I could as fast as I could, to avoid as much impact on the children as possible. He spun us out.'

Spelling - who played Donna Martin on the 90s Fox staple - continued, 'I just want to thank all of the first responders on the scene, and to Inland Valley ER in Wildomar - they took such good care of all of the kids and myself.'

Spelling opened up on Tuesday on Instagram about the aftermath of the incident

Spelling played high school student Donna Martin on the 90s Fox staple Beverly Hills, 90210

She wrapped up in saying she was still putting her 'thoughts together about everything that happened.'

Spelling said she had 'just so much gratitude for life and the bravery of all the kids in the car with what they went through, so thank you to everyone.'

The actress captioned the accompanying reel, 'Grateful to all the first responders, to everyone that has reached out and checked on us, to all of you and your prayers, and to our guardian angels.'

Spelling is mother to five children with ex Dean McDermott: Liam Aaron, 19, Stella Doreen, 17, Hattie Margaret, 14, Finn Davey, 13, and Beau Dean, nine.
Perez Hilton shared a positive health update on Tuesday, after nearly dying in hospital from sepsis.

Over two weeks after sharing that he developed an ulcer from taking flu medication without eating, leading to a 21-day hospitalization, the celebrity blogger, 48, had to go under the knife after doctors discovered a dangerous blood clot in his leg.

But in a new video shared to his Instagram page, Hilton was back on his feet with the help of a walker after weeks of being bedridden, writing, 'I can finally walk again!!'

In a caption over the clip he added that his pain was 'still bold but manageable' as he thanked God for his recovery.

'Glory be to God!' he added, before seemingly getting emotional toward the end of the video.

'After my 21 day hospitalization with severe sepsis, just a few days ago I had to be admitted again with a deep vein thrombosis on my right leg,' he wrote in a lengthy caption.

Perez Hilton, 48, shared a positive health update on Tuesday, weeks after nearly dying in hospital from sepsis and having surgery for a dangerous blood clot in his leg

In a new video shared to his Instagram page, an emotional Hilton was back on his feet with the help of a walker, writing, 'I can finally walk again!!'

'On Friday, my cardiovascular surgeon removed the most MASSIVE, fully occluded blood clot - it went from my groin to just below my calf.'

'Hours after my thrombectomy, my doc came to visit me and said he wanted me to walk. He was worried about blood coagulating and us finding ourselves with the same problem,' he went on.

'So I walked, and it was the most excruciating pain of my life. I was discharged Saturday and had to cancel the beautiful Easter Sunday I had planned, because I was hurting that badly.'

'Thank GOD that I can finally walk again - slowly. And, though the pain is still very pronounced, I can tolerate it - and do this all without meds. Amen!!'

He wrapped up his caption writing, 'Every day will get easier and I will get stronger!!! And so it shall be!'

The clip saw him slowly walking toward the camera with the aid of a walker, while wearing a black top and bright red shorts.

Hilton faced the fresh health crisis just days after nearly dying in hospital from sepsis.

Taking to Instagram from his hospital bed last week, Hilton said: 'We caught this early. I went to the surgeon today - really good timing - and last night I started having real soreness and pain in one of my legs.'

In a caption over the clip he added that his pain was 'still bold but manageable' as he thanked God for his recovery

'After my 21 day hospitalization with severe sepsis, just a few days ago I had to be admitted again with a deep vein thrombosis on my right leg,' he wrote in a lengthy caption

Taking to Instagram from his hospital bed last week, Hilton said: 'We caught this early. I went to the surgeon today - really good timing - and last night I started having real soreness and pain in one of my legs'

Two weeks earlier, he revealed that taking flu medication on an empty stomach had given him an ulcer, resulting in a 21-day hospital stay

'My stupidity landed me in the hospital for 21 days. It was the worst and best thing thats ever happened to me,' he said

'This morning, it was way worse. I couldnt even walk I had to use my walker.'

After an ultrasound, it was revealed Hilton had a deep vein thrombosis, with the star adding: 'I am so thankful to God that we caught this early because if that blood clot had gone to my lungs or my heart, it could have been real bad.'

Hilton made it successfully through his surgery, and posted an update declaring 'God is so good.'

'The thrombectomy surgery this morning was quick and painless. I was asleep for it all. And I feel so much better already!' he said.

'The surgical assistants showed me what they extracted and it was SO MUCH! I had a totally occluded blood clot from my groin going all the way down to just below my calf! Ginormous!! Excited to go home tomorrow without any pain! I couldnt even walk yesterday! I needed my walker to hop and limp around. Bed rest for today.'

Hilton had shared his past health crisis on social media, saying: 'My stupidity landed me in the hospital for 21 days. It was the worst and best thing thats ever happened to me.'

He was taken to the hospital after an ulcer left him unable to walk.

The star said he had the flu for a week and took his medication, but did not take the medication with food. 'Because I have been taking all of this medication without food for a week, I developed an ulcer then a perforation and then Sepsis. People die of Sepsis.'

Hilton notably launched his celebrity gossip blog back in 2004 which was originally called PageSixSixSix.com. Shortly after, he changed the name to PerezHilton.com; Seen in 2008

He has also befriended a number of Hollywood celebrities; seen with Lady Gaga in 2009 in Los Angeles

He also said he had intense stomach pain then could not walk causing him to have to be taken to the emergency room by ambulance.

Hilton notably launched his celebrity gossip blog back in 2004 which was originally called PageSixSixSix.com. Shortly after, he changed the name to PerezHilton.com.

He has also befriended a number of Hollywood celebrities.

Back in 2021, Hilton admitted that he 'regrets' the way he covered Britney Spears' breakdown in 2007.

He had garnered furious criticism for 'bullying' the Baby One More Time hitmaker - after he previously called her an 'unfit mother.'

He also released a shirt design on his website in 2008 which questioned why the pop star didn't die instead of Heath Ledger.

The shirt had an image of Ledger from his role in Brokeback Mountain as well as the words: 'Why couldn't it have been Britney?'

'I regret a lot or most of what I said about Britney as I'm sure Piers [Morgan] would if he were here about things he's said in the past,' Hilton said during an interview on Good Morning Britain.

The media personality added that he has grown over the years and expressed, 'Thankfully, hopefully, many of us get older and wiser.'

Hilton is still active about sharing celebrity news and gossip, but also puts focus into raising his three children.

Hilton is still active about sharing celebrity news and gossip, but also puts focus into raising his three children, whom he welcomed via surrogate

He is dad to Mario, 13, Mia, 10, and Mayte, eight - whom he welcomed via surrogate.

'All kids are mine genetically. Each was born thanks to the generosity of a different surrogate, using eggs from the same anonymous donor,' he wrote in an essay for the HuffPost in 2017.

The star later added, 'While I don't rule out adoption in the future, for me it was important to have kids with my DNA.

'My dad passed away when I was 15 and having my children is a way of him living on through them - literally. My family is definitely unconventional and that's awesome!'
Russell Crowe has reached out to Nicole Kidman with some blunt advice in the wake of her split from Keith Urban.

The 62-year-old Oscar-winner has reportedly told the actress, who divorced her husband of 19 years in January, to take her time before leaping into a new romance.

According to an insider, the Gladiator actor has been influenced by his own struggles following his marriage break-up with Danielle Spencer in 2012.

'He (Crowe) spent years of his life as a single parent without a partner, and he says he experienced a lot of growth during those times,' a source told Globe Magazine.

'That's why he's warning Nicole not to dive headfirst into a new relationship to fill the void left by Keith's absence.'

'You have to hand it to Russell because this is all coming from a place of genuine love and respect for Nicole,' they said, referring to the pair's decades-long friendship.

Russell Crowe has reached out to Nicole Kidman with some blunt advice in the wake of her split from Keith Urban

The 62-year-old Oscar-winner has reportedly told the actress to take her time before leaping into a new romance. (Pictured: Nicole and Keith in happier times)

Russell, who has a long-term romance with model Britney Theriot, shares two sons with his ex, Charles, 22 and 19-year-old Tennyson.

The actor has been pals with Nicole ever since they co-starred in the Aussie teen movie hit, Flirting, in 1991.

His relationship advice appears timely, after his long-term buddy has been romantically linked with Australian actor Simon Baker.

Nicole and Simon play a married couple in the new Amazon Prime series Scarpetta, and were seen holding hands and beaming together at the show's New York premiere last month.

At the event, Kidman admitted that their chemistry 'just vibrates', while Simon, 56, cheekily added: 'I don't kiss and tell'.

Urban is said to be devastated by her rumoured romance, given how quickly she appears to be moving on from their separation last year.

'Seeing Nicole and Simon holding hands was the equivalent of seeing his best mate with his missus, and it did a number on him,' an insider told this week's Woman's Day magazine.

'He knew it was natural for her to lean on Simon  he was also there for Naomi Watts after her split from Liev [Schreiber].'

Join the discussion Should Nicole Kidman take Russell Crowes advice?

Russell has been friends with Nicole ever since they starred in the Aussie teen movie hit, Flirting, in 1991

Meanwhile, Keith has reportedly been nursing more heartache after his eldest daughter, apparently, snubbed him in a magazine profile.

Sunday Rose, 17, failed to mention her rocker father in an interview with Elle Australia for its March edition.

During the sit-down, the model was quick to praise her mother as a major creative inspiration in her life.

She credited Nicole for being instrumental in sparking her interest in modelling, as the Aussie A-lister used to take her daughter to photo shoots as a young child.

'My mum is someone who has always been so creative and my biggest inspiration in life,' Sunday Rose told the publication.

'She is a key part of everything I do.'

The interview has reportedly rattled Keith, with an insider telling New Idea that he is 'just numb' over the apparent snub.

'Keith doesnt know what to say, but hes trying to put on a brave front,' the source said.

'He knows he has to be patient; however, this latest snub  so publicly, there in black and white  has stumped him.'

Keith has not been seen with Sunday Rose and her sister Faith Margaret, 15, since he and Nicole announced the end of their 19-year marriage in September last year.

As part of the divorce, which was finalised in January, Nicole retained the majority custody of the couple's daughters.
Migos rapper Offset is being sued for thousands by a Detroit casino amid his recovery from being shot near Florida's Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Monday.

The 34-year-old Clout hitmaker - born Kiari Kendrell Cephus - has been hit with a lawsuit from the MotorCity Casino Hotel for $100,000, according to TMZ.

The casino claims Offset opened a credit line with them to keep gambling during a March 2024 visit, according to legal documents obtained by the publication.

Because the casino couldn't get in touch with Offset, it attempted to take the money directly from his account - a stipulation both parties allegedly agreed upon when the musician opened the credit line.

However, the account allegedly lacked sufficient funds to settle the debt, according to the lawsuit. Now the casino is suing the hip hop star for breach of contract, fraud and more.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Offset's representative for comment.

Migos rapper Offset, 34, is being sued for thousands by a Detroit casino while recovering from being shot near Florida's Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Monday; Seen in 2025

A spokesperson for Offset told TMZ that they are 'working toward a resolution.'

The lawsuit was filed just days before Offset was shot outside Florida's Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and was rushed to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. His representative later confirmed that he was in 'stable' condition.

On Tuesday, Offset broke his silence on the shooting as he hit back at rival Lil Tjay for calling him a rat.

It seems Offset saw a report made by The Shade Room Teens account about a comment Tjay, 24, made to reporters following his release from jail.

'U ain't buss nun,' Offset wrote in the comments section, which is frequently used in informal conversation to describe a situation where there is little to report or nothing going on.

His words came after Tjay told reporters after his release: 'The last thing I see was Offset looking at me like this: "Y, that n***a shot me, that n***a shot me!

'N***a is a rat, n***a I didnt do no damn fighting. Did I shoot? That s**t is crazy. I will smack the s**t out of Offset.'

'He would never play like that with me in his life. Ask Offset.'

Offset was hit with a $100,000 lawsuit from the MotorCity Casino Hotel, after allegedly starting a credit line with the establishment in 2024 and failing to pay it off, as per TMZ; He is seen in 2024

The lawsuit was filed just days before Offset was shot outside Florida's Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (pictured) and was rushed to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries

His representative later confirmed that he was in 'stable' condition. Offset was subsequently seen outside the hospital in a wheelchair as he took a smoke break on Tuesday morning; Seen in 2025

Police alleged in a probable cause affidavit that the shooting of Offset happened after his rival rapper Lil Tjay instigated a fight on Monday night; Lil Tjay pictured in his mugshot on April 6

After he was bailed out on Tuesday, Lil Tjay denied being involved in the alleged fight; He is seen in 2022

Police are alleging that Lil Tjay set in motion a fight that led to the shooting of Offset.

According to the probable cause affidavit obtained by the Daily Mail, police claim that Lil Tjay (real name: Tione Merritt) 'directed members of his party to start a fight with another group of males' around 7:22 p.m. on Monday night.

Police allege that one of the men in Lil Tjay's group pulled out a gun and shot Offset in the valet area of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Offset, Lil Tjay, the Seminole Police Department and the Broward County Sheriff's Department for comment.

Lil Tjay's attorney, Dawn Florio, previously denied the 'false rumors that Lil Tjay was involved in a shooting' in a statement on Tuesday.

'Lil Tjay has not been shot,' she said, referencing rumors that had spread online shortly after Offset was reported to have been shot, 'nor has Lil Tjay been charged with any shooting. Any reporting to the contrary is false,' she said.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, the Seminole Police Department said Lil Tjay had been arrested on a disorderly conduct  affray charge, which is a first-degree misdemeanor, and booked at the Broward County Sheriff's Office.

'A second person detained at the scene has not been charged,' police said, noting that 'The investigation to identify one or more additional persons involved in the incident is ongoing.'

Referring to Offset, police added that 'The injured individual remains at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla., with a non-life-threatening injury.'

After he was bailed out on Tuesday, Lil Tjay denied being involved in the alleged fight.

According to the probable cause affidavit, police claimed that Lil Tjay fought with Offset's associates after he had been shot.

'Sworn statements were taken from the victims who stated that they were caring for their wounded friend [Offset], when the defendant [Lil Tjay] approached them in an aggressive manner with fists clenched and taking swings at them,' it said.

It was only when police arrived that the fight allegedly stopped, the report said.

'Due to the actions of the defendant's involvement in a fight in a public place, the defendant caused terror among the public that caused injury to another person and placed other patrons in imminent danger,' the document said.

It comes more than three years after Offset's fellow Migos member Takeoff was shot and killed outside a bowling alley in Texas; (L-R) Migos members Takeoff, Quavo and Offset in 2019

Offset was previously in a high-profile marriage with fellow rapper Cardi B, with whom he has three children. Cardi filed for divorce a second time in 2024; They are seen in 2023

Police also claimed that Lil Tjay was seen on camera filming the confrontation on his cell phone before Offset was shot.

A spokesperson for Offset previously confirmed that he had been shot in the altercation.

'We can confirm he was shot and is currently at the hospital receiving medical care,' they told the Daily Mail, adding, 'He is stable and being closely monitored.'

Offset  whose estranged wife Cardi B filed for divorce in 2024 after six years of marriage  was subsequently seen outside the hospital in a wheelchair as he took a smoke break on Tuesday morning.
Lisa Rinna is sharing new revelations about a shocking brush with evil her late mother Lois DeAndrade experienced, involving serial killer David Carpenter.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 62 - speaking with IMPACT x Nightline in Terror on the Trails, a special set to debut Thursday - shared new details about her late mom's run-in with the mass murderer dubbed the Trailside Killer.

Lois - who died at 93 in November of 2021 - had encountered Carpenter in 1960, which led to his arrest and a seven-year imprisonment that preceded a gruesome killing spree.

Carpenter was later convicted in 1984 of seven murders and confirmed to be the killer in an eighth murder, in addition to being suspected in two additional killings. He remains on death row at San Quentin State Prison at the age of 95.

The reality star/actress in Terror on the Trails praised the strength she saw in her late mother, as she 'was positive,' 'never played a victim,' and 'never felt sorry for herself.'

Rinna explained how her mother had known Carpenter - who had previously been convicted for molestation, kidnapping and rape - from a job they worked at together in San Francisco.

Lisa Rinna, 62, is sharing new revelations about a shocking brush with evil her late mother Lois DeAndrade experienced, involving serial killer David Carpenter

David Carpenter, dubbed The Trailside Killer, was later convicted of seven murders and confirmed to be the killer in an eighth murder

'One morning she was waiting at the bus stop to go to the dentist,' the Days of Our Lives alum said in the clip, which was first obtained by People.

Rinna continued, 'He came by the bus stop and [said], "Lois, I want you to meet my new baby!"

'And she was like, "No I have to go to the dentist." And he was like, "Oh I'll drive you." And she got in the car with him.'

The Melrose Place actress explained a series of major red flags that alerted her mother to danger - notably that Carpenter had stuttered while on the job, but didn't in the encounter.

'He started talking to her and he wasn't stuttering - that was the first sign,' Rinna said. 'He was driving in a weird direction.

'And she said, "David, what's going on with you? You're not stuttering. You're speaking clearly." And he said, 'I don't know Lois, something just comes over me.' And that's when she knew she was f***ed.'

Rinna, who shares two daughters with husband Harry Hamlin, 74 - Delilah Belle, 27, and Amelia Gray, 24 - explained the horrific series of events against her mother in detail.

Rinna said Carpenter - who law enforcement probed in the Zodiac Killer case as well, but did not find a substantive link - drove her mother onto a deserted road in the park and former U.S. Army post called The Presidio, where he began brutally attacking her.

The Melrose Place star explained a series of major red flags that alerted her mother to danger in the incident

'As David Carpenter parked the car, he literally straddled my mom, grabbed the knife out of the glove box  goes at my mom,' Rinna said. 'My mom grabs it with her hand, and it severs these two fingers, so her fingers are like dangling.

'Then David starts to freak out because he sees the car coming - so he grabs a hammer - and starts smashing my mom over the head with a hammer.'

Rinna - who also mentioned about the encounter on RHOBH - said that her mother's life was miraculously spared at the time after a military police officer (MP) got involved.

'The MP shoots David in the stomach - doesn't kill him,' Rinna said. 'My mom is in the hospital for three months. She had to get a big metal plate put into her head.'

ABC News' Ana Garcia, citing the timing of the events, noted how Lois 'had no idea she was one of the first victims of a serial killer,' and 'most likely would've been his first murder victim' had the MP not saved her.

Rinna said her mother spent three months in the hospital as she recovered from her injuries, adding of her mother, 'She could have been the most miserable, f***ed up, traumatized human being, and I never saw that.'

Carpenter was convicted for the attack and spent seven years in prison then after another prison stint for kidnapping, he began his killing spree in 1979 and when he was put on trial for those murders, Lois had testified as Rinna went to watch.

IMPACT x Nightline: Terror on the Trails begins streaming on Hulu and Disney+ Thursday.

The 62-year-old media personality discussed the time her mother, Lois Rinna, was brutally attacked by a man who went on to be come an infamous serial killer in the San Francisco area; the mother and daughter are seen in Beverly Hills back in April 2008

The Trailside Killer was convicted of seven murders and confirmed to be the killer in an eighth murder in addition to being suspected in two additional killings; Carpenter seen in June 1984

Rinna previously also opened up about the deeply personal circumstances surrounding her father Frank Rinnas 2016 death at age 94, revealing he passed away through assisted suicide.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum shared the emotional revelation during the latest episode of her Lets Not Talk About the Husband podcast, which she co-hosts with husband Harry Hamlin.

Frank died in Oregon, where the states 1997 Death with Dignity Act allows terminally-ill patients to end their lives with medical assistance, including help from so-called death doulas.

'In Oregon, youre permitted to check out when you want to check out, said Hamlin. 'He was 94, and his quality of life had diminished to the point where he wanted to transition.

'You can do that in Oregon if you follow the right guidelines and the protocols and talk to the right number of doctors.

Rinna added, 'You have to have two doctors that sign off on your terminal illness, so to speak,' noting that the process took her father about three to six months to complete.

I never told this story at the time, she admitted. I had started the [RHOBH] show, and I think it was just too painful at the time.

Rinna described the moment she watched her father die at a hospice as 'surreal.'

With her half-sister and a 'death doula' by his side, she recalled feeling detached from reality: I didnt feel like I was in my body, she said.

Rinna also recently opened up about the deeply personal circumstances surrounding her father Frank Rinnas 2016 death at age 94, revealing he passed away through assisted suicide; (seen in 2024)

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum shared the emotional revelation during the latest episode of her Lets Not Talk About the Husband podcast

Frank died in Oregon , where the states 1997 Death with Dignity Act allows terminally ill patients to end their lives with medical assistance, including help from so-called death doulas'; (Lisa with dad Frank and mom Lois)

She explained that under Oregon law, the person choosing assisted death must physically take the medication themselves.

'The person thats dying has to be able to pick up the juice, or whatever, to drink it themselves. You cant administer it to somebody.

According to Rinna, her father was 'so mad' when his death was postponed by two days due to a delay in receiving the medication.

'He was in pain and he was really unhappy, she said.

Calling the moment a surreal position to be in, the RHOBH alum admitted the emotional toll of watching a parent die by choice.

'You want to support what they want to do, but youre going to watch your parent kill themselves,' she said. 'Thats what were doing. But he wanted it so badly.'

Rinna said Frank passed away about 45 minutes after drinking the medication.

'They just go to sleep, by the way. Its not anything gruesome, she said, adding that his death was "very peaceful." It was a very humane way to go. In that aspect, it didnt feel awful, but it felt awful.'

I never told this story at the time, Lisa admitted, adding, I had started the [RHOBH] show, and I think it was just too painful at the time.

'You want to support what they want to do, but youre going to watch your parent kill themselves,' she said, adding, 'Thats what were doing. But he wanted it so badly;' (pictured Lisa and Frank)

'In Oregon, youre permitted to check out when you want to check out, said Harry, 73. He was 94, and his quality of life had diminished to the point where he wanted to transition. You can do that in Oregon if you follow the right guidelines and the protocols and talk to the right number of doctors' (seen in 2024)

Hamlin and Rinna have been married since 1997. He was previously married to Nicollette Sheridan from 19911992, and Laura Johnson from 1985 thru 1989. He is father to son Dimitri, 45, from a previous relationship with Ursula Andress.

Rinna famously left RHOBH in 2023 while grappling with the loss of her mother Lois, making her return to such raw family memories all the more poignant.

Oregon became the first US state to allow physician-assisted suicide in 1997, allowing terminally ill adult Oregonians, with less than six months left to live, to ask doctors for a fatal dose of drugs they then administer themselves, typically at home.

In 2023, it became the first US state to allow non-residents to travel to the West Coast state to end their lives.

Physician-assisted death, also known as medical aid in dying, is currently legal in 10 US states and Washington, D.C.: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
Demand for artificial intelligence education has surged in 2026 as industries from healthcare to autonomous vehicles seek talent skilled in machine learning, robotics, ethics and large language models. Leading global rankings from QS, Times Higher Education and specialized sources highlight institutions excelling in AI-related computer science, data science and dedicated AI programs.

The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence place Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the top with a near-perfect score, followed closely by Stanford University and National University of Singapore. Carnegie Mellon University, long a pioneer in robotics and AI, consistently ranks among the elite across multiple lists. Times Higher Education's 2026 Computer Science rankings, which heavily weigh AI and machine learning components, crown University of Oxford as the global leader, with strong showings from Cambridge, ETH Zurich and U.S. powerhouses.

A composite ranking of the 50 best universities for studying AI in 2026 draws from QS Data Science & AI, QS Computer Science, THE Computer Science, US News graduate AI programs and research output metrics. These institutions offer undergraduate, master's and doctoral pathways emphasizing hands-on research, industry partnerships and ethical AI development. Many provide specialized degrees such as Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence or dedicated tracks within computer science.

Here is the list of the top 50 universities for AI studies in 2026, ranked by overall strength in research output, faculty expertise, industry connections and program reputation:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States  Renowned for its Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), MIT offers cutting-edge programs in machine learning, robotics and AI ethics. Students benefit from close ties to industry leaders and groundbreaking research. Stanford University, United States  Located in Silicon Valley, Stanford's AI Lab and interdisciplinary initiatives provide unmatched access to tech giants. Programs emphasize real-world applications and entrepreneurship. Carnegie Mellon University, United States  A historic leader in AI with the School of Computer Science and dedicated Robotics Institute. CMU excels in autonomous systems, human-AI interaction and machine learning theory. University of Oxford, United Kingdom  Tops THE Computer Science rankings with strong AI research across departments. Oxford's programs blend technical depth with philosophical and ethical considerations. National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore  Asia's top AI hub, offering robust data science and AI curricula with strong government and industry funding. Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore  Excels in AI research output and practical applications, with excellent facilities and international collaborations. University of Cambridge, United Kingdom  Features world-class AI research and interdisciplinary centers, attracting top global talent. ETH Zurich, Switzerland  Known for rigorous technical programs and innovation in machine learning and robotics. University of California, Berkeley, United States  Home to the Berkeley AI Research Lab (BAIR), with strengths in deep learning and societal impact studies. Tsinghua University, China  Leads in AI research volume and engineering applications, with close industry links to companies like Baidu and Huawei. Harvard University, United States  Offers interdisciplinary AI programs through its John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. University College London (UCL), United Kingdom  Strong in machine learning and AI for healthcare and urban systems. Imperial College London, United Kingdom  Focuses on AI-driven engineering and data science innovation. University of Toronto, Canada  Home to the Vector Institute, a major AI research powerhouse. Georgia Institute of Technology, United States  Renowned for its AI and machine learning master's programs and robotics research. University of Washington, United States  Features the Allen School with significant AI and NLP contributions. Technical University of Munich, Germany  Strong European leader in AI engineering and autonomous systems. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, United States  Excellent computer science department with AI specializations. Princeton University, United States  Combines theoretical computer science with applied AI research. Cornell University, United States  Offers robust AI programs with emphasis on human-centered design. University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom  Scotland's AI capital with the Informatics Forum driving innovation. Peking University, China  Rising fast in AI research and talent development. Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China  Strong engineering and AI research output. University of Michigan, United States  Multidisciplinary AI initiatives across engineering and information schools. New York University, United States  Center for Data Science and AI ethics programs stand out. University of Texas at Austin, United States  Growing AI research hub with strong industry partnerships. Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland  Excellent technical AI and robotics programs. University of Amsterdam, Netherlands  Leading European center for AI and computational science. Delft University of Technology, Netherlands  Focuses on AI for engineering and sustainability. University of British Columbia, Canada  Strong AI research in computer science and health applications. Zhejiang University, China  Major player in AI and data science with large research funding. University of Science and Technology of China, China  Excels in foundational AI and quantum-related computing. Sorbonne University, France  Strong in AI theory and applications. University of Melbourne, Australia  Leading Oceania institution for AI and data science. Monash University, Australia  Growing strengths in AI ethics and applications. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), South Korea  Top Asian tech university with robust AI programs. Seoul National University, South Korea  Significant AI research contributions. University of Sydney, Australia  Offers comprehensive AI and machine learning degrees. RWTH Aachen University, Germany  Engineering-focused AI excellence. KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden  Strong Nordic leader in AI and robotics. University of Waterloo, Canada  Known for co-op programs and AI innovation. McGill University, Canada  Interdisciplinary AI research hub. University of Copenhagen, Denmark  Rising in European AI rankings. Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany  Solid AI and data science offerings. University of Tokyo, Japan  Japan's premier institution for AI and robotics. Kyoto University, Japan  Strong theoretical and applied AI research. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India  Leading Indian tech institute with growing AI focus. National Taiwan University, Taiwan  Strong engineering and AI programs. University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong  Asia's international AI education leader. Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, United Arab Emirates  Specialized AI university with dedicated focus and strong research output.

These rankings reflect a blend of academic reputation, research citations, employer feedback and program innovation as reported in 2025-2026 data. U.S. institutions continue to dominate due to funding, industry proximity and historical leadership, but Asian and European universities are closing the gap rapidly through targeted investments and talent attraction.

Prospective students should consider factors beyond rankings, including specific faculty expertise, research opportunities, internship access, cost of living and visa policies. Many top programs offer scholarships for international applicants in AI fields.

With AI projected to add trillions to the global economy, graduates from these institutions command high starting salaries and career prospects. Universities on this list often partner with companies such as Google, OpenAI, NVIDIA, Microsoft and DeepMind, providing pathways to cutting-edge roles.

For undergraduate applicants, strong mathematics, programming and statistics backgrounds are essential. Master's and PhD programs typically require relevant bachelor's degrees, research experience and competitive GRE or equivalent scores in some cases.

The rapid evolution of AI means curricula at these schools emphasize lifelong learning, ethical considerations and interdisciplinary skills. Programs increasingly incorporate responsible AI, bias mitigation and societal impact alongside technical training.

International students should verify English proficiency requirements (TOEFL/IELTS) and explore funding options early. Application deadlines for fall 2027 intake typically fall between December 2026 and March 2027 for competitive programs.

As AI reshapes industries, the institutions listed offer pathways to shape that future. Students are advised to visit university websites, attend virtual open houses and connect with current students for the latest program details.

The 2026 landscape shows a healthy global distribution, with strong representation from North America, Europe and Asia, ensuring diverse perspectives in AI development.

Originally published on ibtimes.com.au
George Clooney slammed President Donald Trump and the White House for mocking his acting skills amid the war in Iran.

Earlier this week the actor, 64, told Italian high school students that Trump, 79, committed a war crime when he threatened that 'a whole civilization [would] die' in Iran if the dispute over the Strait of Hormuz was not resolved.

'The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability,' the White House said in a statement to The Independent on Wednesday, via Communications Director Steven Cheung.

Clooney hit out at the statement, telling Us Weekly on Wednesday, 'Families are losing their loved ones. Children have been incinerated. The world's economy is on a knife's edge. This is a time for vigorous debate at the highest levels. Not for infantile name calling.'

Clooney also noted that a 'war crime is alleged 'when there is intent to physically destroy a nation,' as defined by the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute.'

'What is the administration's defense? [Besides calling me a failed actor which I happily agree with having starred in Batman and Robin?]' he questioned.

George Clooney, 64, slammed President Donald Trump, 79, and the White House for mocking his acting skills amid the war in Iran, stating that it's not the time 'for infantile name calling'

Trump and Clooney have a past of hitting out at each other. The president previously called the actor a failed movie star in December and one of the 'worst political prognosticators of all time.'

On Easter Sunday, Trump threatened to attack civilian infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz was not opened.

'Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F*****' Strait, you crazy b*******, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,' he wrote via Truth Social.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important waterways in the world, has been effectively shut off since war broke out in late February.

With its key role in the global trade of oil, its closure has sent oil and gas prices soaring, and has destabilized economies across the world.

Clooney addressed the social media posts while speaking to Italian students on Wednesday, as per local outlet ANSA.

'Some say Donald Trump is fine. But if anyone says he wants to end a civilization, that's a war crime,' he said.

'You can still support the conservative point of view, but there must be a line of decency, and we must not cross it.'

Trump and Clooney have a past of hitting out at each other

The president previously called the actor a failed movie star in December and one of the 'worst political prognosticators of all time'

'The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability,' the White House said in a statement on Wednesday; Trump seen in 2024

'What is the administration's defense? [Besides calling me a failed actor which I happily agree with having starred in Batman and Robin?]' Clooney questioned in a statement to Us Weekly; Seen in a still from Batman and Robin

Trump had earlier threatened to attack Iranian bridges and power plants in a bizarre Easter message

Clooney discussed his past relationship with Trump in an interview with Variety back in 2025.

'I knew him very well. He used to call me a lot, and he tried to help me get into a hospital once to see a back surgeon. I'd see him out at clubs and at restaurants. He's a big goofball. Well, he was. That all changed.'

Meanwhile in January Trump mocked the actor and his wife, human rights attorney Amal Clooney, for obtaining French citizenship.

'Good News! George and Amal Clooney, two of the worst political prognosticators of all time, have officially become citizens of France which is, sadly, in the midst of a major crime problem because of their absolutely horrendous handling of immigration, much like we had under Sleepy Joe Biden,' he wrote.

'Remember when Clooney, after the now infamous debate, dumped Joe during a fundraiser, only to go onto the side of another stellar candidate, Jamala(K!), who is now fighting it out with the worst governor in the Country, including Tim Waltz, Gavin Newscum, for who is going to lead the Democrats to their future defeat,' he continued.

Then, Trump referred to Clooney as 'average' and said the actor makes 'totally mediocre' films.

'Clooney got more publicity for politics than he did for his very few, and totally mediocre, movies,' he wrote.

'He wasn't a movie star at all, he was just an average guy who complained, constantly, about common sense in politics.

Trump and Clooney have a past of hitting out at each other. The president previously called Clooney and his wife Amal the 'worst political prognosticators of all time'

In late December, it was revealed that Clooney and his British-Lebanese wife received their French passports, joining their eight-year-old twins Alexander and Ella, in officially becoming French citizens.

Clooney, a politically outspoken liberal, previously cited the country's privacy laws as one of the reasons why he and his wife decided to raise their children in France.

In April 2025 Clooney claimed that he wasn't bothered by Trump calling him a 'fake movie actor.'

'I don't care,' Clooney said in an interview with CBS Mornings.

'I've known Donald Trump for a long time. My job is not to please the President of the United States. My job is to try and tell the truth when I can and when I have the opportunity.'
Kyle Sandilands was reportedly blindsided after Jackie 'O' Henderson made bombshell 'bullying' claims about her former co-star.

It was revealed last week that Henderson was complaining about Sandilands to their KIIS radio bosses six months before their relationship blew up in the middle of a live show.

The revelation was laid bare in a statement of claim filed on Henderson's behalf in the Federal Court amid her civil case against KIIS FM owner ARN Media over the termination of her $100 million contract.

However, a source told News.com.au on Thursday that Sandilands will claim that ARN did not make him aware that Jackie was having difficulty working with him, before their show-ending clash on February 20.

According to the court documents, Henderson started speaking with the head of KIIS network Derek Bargwanna and executive producer Natalie Penfold about Sandilands' 'degrading comments' in mid-2025.

The complaints began on August 20 when Sandilands referred to Henderson's 'psycho babble' and 'weird psychological bulls***' and allegedly attacked her personal and dating life during a live broadcast.

Kyle Sandilands (pictured) was reportedly blindsided after Jackie 'O' Henderson made bombshell 'bullying' claims about her former co-star

It was revealed last week that Henderson (pictured) was complaining about Sandilands to their KIIS radio bosses six months before their relationship blew up in the middle of a live show

However, the publication reported that Kyle will claim he was not provided with any official feedback about the August 20 incident, only learning about Henderson's complaints through her statement of claim.

'I think maybe they were afraid or didn't want to intervene. Who knows?' the source said.

'I don't think it was part of some conspiracy.'

The source added that Kyle was unaware of the extent of Henderson's anger over the August 20 incident as she never raised it directly with him.

'Dating was on the table at certain times, and he had no idea [she was still upset] because she did not mention anything directly to Kyle,' the source said.

They said that Kyle's comments were all part of his on-air persona.

'Kyle being like, "I don't know if you're going to find anyone," that is part of the parameters of the segment,' they claimed.

Despite his shock over Henderson's claims, the source added there was nothing 'crazy' in Henderson's statement of claim.

However, a source told News Corp on Thursday that Sandilands will claim that ARN did not make him aware that Jackie was having difficulty working with him, before their show-ending clash on February 20

Daily Mail has reached out to representatives of Kyle Sandilands, who declined to comment.

Henderson and Sandilands had an argument on air on September 10, but Henderson claims Sandilands' comments were censored out.

At 6.23am that morning, Henderson texted Mr Bargwanna, saying 'I will not be spoken to the way I was (particularly off air)...'

Almost two hours later, Mr Bargwanna texted Henderson to say Sandilands wanted to share his weight loss success with her.

Henderson replied, telling Mr Bargwanna that female listeners were complaining about Sandilands' behaviour and calling their on-air relationship 'abusive'.

She also asked that ARN chairman Hamish McLennan and managing director Ciaran Davis be made aware of the situation.

In his response, Mr Bargwanna said he had two conversations about the issue with Mr McLennan and Mr Davis.

Their relationship broke down during their final broadcast on February 20, when Sandilands said Henderson's 'fixation' on astrology made her 'almost unworkable' - to the point where she left the studio in tears.

However, the News.com.au reported that Kyle will claim he was not provided with any official feedback about the August 20 incident, only learning about Henderson's complaints through her statement of claim

According to the court documents, the broadcaster did not attempt to intervene or stop Sandilands.

The following day, on February 21, Henderson texted CEO Michael Stephenson and chief content officer Kerri Elstub, saying Sandilands' conduct was 'unfair, inappropriate and completely unprovoked'.

She also asked whether anything had been put in place 'around boundaries and expectations moving forward'.

On February 26, Henderson's lawyers wrote a letter of complaint to Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation  a subsidiary of ARN Media  explaining the broadcaster had been notified about Sandilands' 'bullying'.

Henderson also accused the broadcaster of failing to provide a safe work space.

The letter said Henderson 'could not continue to work with Mr Sandilands', but that she was willing to continue her contract with a different show.

CBC's lawyers replied on March 3, saying Henderson's letter of complaint equated to the termination of her $100 million contract  which she disputes.

Further, Henderson accused the broadcaster of being 'misleading and deceptive' by misconstruing her complaint in an ASX announcement.

The revelations was laid bare in a statement of claim filed on Henderson's behalf in the Federal Court amid her civil case against KIIS FM owner ARN Media over the termination of her $100 million contract

Henderson is claiming compensation of at least $82.25 million, which is the remaining portion of her contract.

She alleged the termination of her contract was a result of her seeking a safe workplace, which was a breach of the Fair Work Act.

She is also seeking payment of a pecuniary penalty plus interest and costs.

Meanwhile, Sandilands is suing ARN separately on different grounds.

He claimed the altercation with Henderson, which led to his dismissal and the axing of The Kyle & Jackie O Show, could not constitute serious misconduct as such behaviour had been encouraged by his employer.

Daily Mail has reached out to ARN for comment.
Brook Crompton has settled into her new life and is expecting her first child.

The Married At First Sight bride who reunited with her ex, Harry, after filming the latest season of the reality series, headed out to run errands at Palm Beach on Queensland's Gold Coast on Thursday.

The 27-year-old, who is heavily pregnant, concealed her blossoming baby bump in a loose white sweatshirt.

She added a pair of matching track pants, as well as wearing a pair of lavender Crocs sandals.

Appearing to go makeup-free, Brook took a call as she strolled down the street before hopping in a car.

Brook was partnered with Chris Nield in the experiment, but shocked viewers when she walked away after just three weeks, amid speculation that she had reconnected with her ex.

Brook Crompton (pictured) has settled into her new life and is expecting her first child

She headed out to run errands at Palm Beach on Queensland's Gold Coast on Thursday

The Married At First Sight bride reunited with her ex, Harry (right), after filming the latest season of the reality series

Shortly after her exit, Brook reunited with her former partner, Harry, with the couple now engaged and expecting their first child.

Brook, who has kept a rather low profile since her shock exit from MAFS, took to Instagram recently to give followers an update on her life.

Leaving her reality show drama behind, Brook shared an intimate montage video that showed her off-camera life with her fiance.

The video showed major milestone moments in Brook and Harry's rekindled romance, including the moment he got down on one knee during a vacation in Aspen, Colorado.

Captioning the video, Brook revealed that she and Harry were expecting a baby boy.

'To our little boy, you've already filled our world with so much hope and love,' she gushed.

'The past year, and especially these last few months, have taught me more than I ever imagined about patience, love, and the person I want to be.'

Brook continued: 'I've dreamed of being a mother for as long as I can remember, and sharing this journey with the person I love most makes it even more special.'

The 27-year-old, who is heavily pregnant, concealed her blossoming baby bump in a loose white sweatshirt

She added a pair of matching track pants, as well as wearing a pair of lavender Crocs sandals

Appearing to go makeup-free, Brooke took a call as she strolled down the street before hopping in a car

Brook was partnered with Chris Nield in the experiment, but shocked viewers when she walked away after just three weeks, amid speculation that she had reconnected with her ex

She then turned her attention to Harry, paying sweet tribute to the 28-year-old builder.

'Harry, you are my rock, my safe place, and my heart. Thank you for making my dreams come true and for showing me what family truly feels like,' she added.

'I can't wait to watch you become the father I know you'll be  kind, strong, and full of love.'

Rounding out the post, Brook shared her excitement at becoming a mother for the first time.

'Baby boy, we are waiting for you with full hearts. You've already changed our world in the most incredible way,' she wrote.

'We can't wait to meet you, hold you, and begin this next chapter of our lives together.'

Meanwhile, her 'husband' Chris has turned to dating apps following his brutal split from Brook.

The 31-year-old construction supervisor from Victoria has a profile on Raya  known as Tinder for celebrities.

He is also using the popular dating app Hinge, where he describes himself as a 'carpenter' and shares an image of himself wearing a tight singlet on his profile.
Love Island star Samie Elishi and Married At First Sight's Bec Zacharia knew each other long before they soared to fame.

Eagle-eyed social media users unearthed throwback pictures of the duo when they worked together in London in 2018 and 2019 as they posed together at a conference while also posing for a black and white selfie on Bec's account.

The Australian reality star has caused ructions in the current series of Married At First Sight Australia, while Samie walked away victorious in Love Island All Stars in February, having first appeared on the show in 2023 and later in 2025.

TikTok user sophi3fox shared a video showing a number of pictures of the duo with likes and comments, including professions of love.

The social media user did however point out that Samie no longer follows Bec, who has thus far become the series villain thanks to her many spats.

Love Island star Samie Elishi and Married At First Sight's Bec Zacharia knew each other long before they soared to fame, as pictures have come to light of the duo working together in 2019

The unrecognisable duo were seen in snaps on Bec's Instagram

Bec and Samie appeared to have worked together when the former lived in the UK, with one of the shots showing them with fellow colleagues.

Delighted followers replied saying: 'Genuinely cant believe my eyes rn... Two people I would never put together... omg this is so weird lol they come from 2 completely different worlds... When worlds collide... birds of a feather and all that.'

The discovery comes shortly after Samie and former Islander Tyrique Hyde confirmed their romance as they shared loved-up snaps on their first holiday together in Morocco.

The new couple landed in Agadir, Morocco, on Wednesday, where they are spending some quality time together and are testing their new connection.

In February, Samie, 26, won Love Island: All Stars series three with Ciaran Davies, 23, but the pair split just three weeks after winning the 50,000 prize money.

The influencer, who first appeared on the ninth season of Love Island in 2023, has since been growing close to fellow alum Tyrique, 26, from season ten.

Now the new couple have shared a glimpse into their relationship as they enjoyed going on a jet ski ride during their sun-soaked getaway.

Taking to TikTok to share a short clip, Tyrique sat behind Samie on the jet ski as the pair cosied up wearing matching life jackets on the ride. The reality stars later worked on their tans as Tyrique snapped a photo of Samie relaxing on a sun lounger.

Samie walked away victorious in Love Island All Stars in February, having first appeared on the show in 2023 and later in 2025, however sported a wholly different look in her teen years

Bec was barely recognisable in the throwback shots, where she was at a conference with the UK reality star

Delighted followers replied saying: 'Genuinely cant believe my eyes rn... Two people I would never put together... omg this is so weird lol they come from 2 completely different worlds... When worlds collide... birds of a feather and all that'

Showing off her jaw-dropping figure, Samie took to Instagram to share a sizzling bikini snap as she modelled a pink two-piece under a green crop top and skirt.

Just hours before their flight to Morocco, Samie celebrated becoming W7 Cosmetics' new brand ambassador with a private dinner at The Ivy Asia in London, and told the intimate group about her holiday plans.

One source told the Daily Mail: 'Samie was very excited for the trip and told the group about their plans. Everything is falling into place for her with work and her love life.

'She isn't listening to outside noise about her new connection and is just seeing where it goes.'

Tyrique initially found love with Ella Thomas when they competed on the tenth series of the hit ITV2 dating competition, but they split up in early 2024.

In recent weeks, Samie has been on a string of dates with Tyrique, with their romance 'blossoming' more every day.

The discovery comes shortly after Samie and former Islander Tyrique Hyde confirmed their romance as they shared loved-up snaps on their first holiday together in Morocco

Samie and Ciaran received the 50,000 cash prize after winning All Stars but just three weeks after leaving the villa, the couple called time on their romance

The Australian has been stunning MAFS viewers with her antics on the series, which is currently serialising in the UK

Tyrique is said to be 'mad about her' and thrilled to have finally got Samie after publicly pursuing her online. Long before rumours of their romance surfaced, the streamer had made no secret of his attraction.

In an online clip just months before Samie entered the villa, when asked hypothetically who he would most like to share a bed with, Tyrique didn't hesitate: 'Samie, she's very good looking.'

Then, days before the latest All Stars season started, he admitted: 'I rate Samie. She's a good-looking girl. I've seen her in real life and I have been around her at events and she is so cool.'
Jack Black looked like a model in pre-fame picture taken of him aged 23.

An image shared by Instagram account Bigdreams.in on Thursday shows the actor, now 56, looking worlds apart from the persona fans know today.

Gone are his long black locks and grey beard, replaced by a chiselled jawline and a buzz cut.

The image was taken of Jack in 1992, while he was starting to make his mark in Hollywood.

Fans took to the comments to gush over the star's looks in his youth, penning: 'Those cheek bones!!'

'He actually has that model face for those high end fashion brands',

Jack Black has fans doing a double take after a pre-fame photo (L) of him at age 23 shows him looking like a model (pictured on the right in 2024)

The image was taken of Jack in 1992, while he was starting to make his mark in Hollywood

'Hot damn',

'He looks so handsome when he was young',

'Actually, Elle Fanning is right. Jack Black is hot',

'I mean he was a different kind of hot back then. Like a sexy dangerous hot. Now hes this more teddy bear hot!'

It comes after Jack shared a heartfelt tribute to his wife Tanya Haden as they celebrated their 20-year wedding anniversary.

The actor took to Instagram in February and posted several snaps of the couple and their children Samuel, 19, and Thomas, 17, over the years.

In one photo, the pair pulled silly faces while looking into each other's eyes, while another saw them laughing together while Tanya, 54, sat on Jack's lap.

Jack also posted snaps of the couple's sons when they were little and another of Tanya in a pool and sat on a swing in a tropical location.

Alongside the post, he wrote: '20 years! Happy anniversary my love. @tanyahaden'.

Jack and Tanya, who is an artist and musician, first met during high school in Santa Monica, California.

Fans took to the comments to gush over the star's looks in his youth

It comes after Jack shared a heartfelt tribute to his wife Tanya Haden as they celebrated their 20-year wedding anniversary

Join the discussion Are you surprised by Jack Blacks pre-fame look?

'I just was always in awe of them,' Jack said of Tanya and her sisters on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast.

'And we would cross paths, and I had a girlfriend, and she had a boyfriend and it was just a little talking here and there. And then that day came when neither of us had a significant other.'

'I had always been so kind of intimidated and never really wanted to really approach  she made the first move is the point.'

Jack told how they both attended a surprise birthday party for a mutual friend and Tanya approached him and asked if he wanted to get dinner and gave him her number.

'And I was like, oh my God. Heaven opened up above my head, because it was like, this is the thing that I would always want to happen,' he said.

The couple married in 2006, barely a year after they started dating.

'We started getting very serious, and the relationship hit the ground running,' Jack explained. 'It's like we were making up for lost time.'

Although they both wanted children, Jack and Tanya were originally not planning on getting married, before the actor's brother made him change his mind.

'We didn't get married because it was like, [we] don't really believe in the contract and that whole thing. Why is it necessary? And then as soon as she had a baby in her belly, my brother was like, "What the hell are you  you marry her!"' Jack said.

'I was like, you're right, dude. I got on bended knee and she laughed and said yes.'

He attributed the success of their relationship to having known each other for so long prior to dating.

'We didn't date or really even talk, but I remember her and her sister[s]. She's a triplet. And just loving the whole family. I just thought they had a real vibe,' he said.
Zendaya showed off her tiny 't' tattoo tribute for her rumoured husband Tom Holland at the Euphoria premiere on Tuesday - and he has a matching 'z' tattoo tribute to her, too!

The pair cemented their love for one another in November 2024, with their tattoo artist Lily Jarnryd giving her verdict on the romance, saying they were a 'joy to meet and lots of fun'.

Tom's 'z' tattoo is located on his ribcage and the latest spot comes after it was claimed the pair secretly got married.

Zendaya, 29, decided to get her tattoo after realising Tom, also 29, was the right person for her - and that's because she brings a sense of calm to her life.

She said: 'I think sometimes, at least in my personal experience, I found that sometimes people can get nervous around people, but there's a certain feeling that I was able to experience when I knew that this is my person, because I didn't.

'I don't feel nervous, I feel really peaceful and I feel really calm. And feel like, 'Oh, I actually feel more nervous when I'm away from you than when I'm with you.'

'And that's when I was like, 'Ah, that's a good sign, that's me listening to intuition.'

Zendaya revealed her 't' tattoo tribute to 'husband' Tom Holland at the Euphoria premiere in Hollywood on Tuesday - and the Spider-Man actor had one inked for her too

Tom's matching 'z' tattoo is located on his on his ribcage. They got their inkings at the Boston Tattoo Company in November 2024 - before they even got engaged

They got their inkings at the Boston Tattoo Company in November 2024 - before they even got engaged.

Artist Lily, who completed the work, confirmed in a social media post at the time that Tom and Zendaya visited the studio together.

She also gave her verdict on their romance, telling People: 'They were lovely to meet, and it was a lot of fun!'

At the time a source confirmed to TMZ that the duo hit up the premiere tattoo studio location together 'with a clear plan' to get 'something small and discreet' that could stay easily hidden.

Zendaya's mother, Claire Stoermer, was said to have joined the couple and got a small tattoo of her own.

As for how Spider-Man love interests' handled the pain, the insider told TMZ they 'handled it like pros.'

Zendaya and Tom also sweetly took photos with the staff, 'who we're told were totally starstruck' as it was 'the first time big names like them walked through the door.'

After they left, the source said 'tattoo artists couldn't help but gush over the pair' and say 'they totally felt the love between the then newly engaged couple.'

Zendaya gave a rare glimpse of the 't' tattoo tribute at the Euphoria season three premiere this week - amid ongoing speculation the pair are married.

She joined her co-stars Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi at the star-studded affair in Hollywood ahead of the highly-anticipated return of the show.

She looked stunning in a dramatic black dress which flashed plenty of flesh, including on the side of her torso where the intricate inking is.

The lower case 't' was clearly visible as she posed up a storm in the halterneck number.

The beauty added pointed heels to her look and accessorised with statement silver earrings for the premiere.

Her look was completed by the slim gold 'wedding' band that she's been sporting for weeks amid claims she's secretly tied the knot with Tom, as well as her huge engagement ring.

Artist Lily Jarnryd, who completed the work, confirmed in a social media post that Holland and Zendaya visited the studio together

Zendaya gave a rare glimpse of the 't' tattoo tribute at the Euphoria season three premiere this week - amid ongoing speculation the pair are married

It was also her stylist who kicked off the recent wedding speculation, after he made a cheeky statement at the beginning of March suggesting that his longtime client and close friend was already married to Spider-Man star Tom.

Law Roach dropped the bombshell as he told Access Hollywood: 'The wedding has already happened. You missed it.'

When asked if it was 'true,' he replied: 'It's very true!'

His comment, which was amid the lead-up to the premiere of her movie centered around a wedding, led many fans to also speculate that the engaged actress could have secretly tied the knot already.

Despite the marriage speculation, the couple have not yet publicly confirmed or denied their marital status.

The pair met on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016, and kept their romance private for years before confirming they were in a relationship - and later revealing they had gotten engaged.

Although Zendaya hasn't commented directly on the claims she has been keen to play into them on the press tour for her new movie The Drama.

She recently dropped the biggest hint yet that she's tied the knot when she and co-star Robert Pattinson were asked by Views France about what makes the perfect marriage.

Zendaya replied: 'I don't know if there's any such thing as a perfect marriage, but I'd say like people who, and this is a corny answer, but seem like best friends.

'I think it's always nice to see two people that, I don't know, really like each other as well as love each other.'

Robert had nothing to add, simply telling Zendaya: 'That was a nice answer.'

The pair met on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016, and kept their romance private for years before confirming they were in a relationship (seen in 2017)

The Drama stars Zendaya and Robert as a happily engaged couple who get put to the test when an unexpected revelation sends their wedding week off the rails.

The Drama is released in cinemas globally on April 3.

Meanwhile, the new season of Euphoria, which premieres on HBO on Sunday, April 12, is returning nearly four years after the conclusion of season two.

Euphoria picks up five years from where it left off, with most of its returning cast now out of college, Levinson told Variety in December.

Zendaya's character, Rue, is still struggling with drug addiction, but she has moved to Mexico in an attempt to escape drug dealers whom she owes money to.

Meanwhile, her former classmates are spread across the country.

Sweeney's character, Cassie, has landed in suburbia with Nate (Elordi), and the two will tie the knot in the third season.

Nate's former high school girlfriend, Maddy (Alexa Demie), is now working at a talent agency in Hollywood, while Lexi (Maude Apatow) also works in the film and television industry as an assistant to a showrunner who's played by Sharon Stone.

Season three also marks the final on-screen appearance of Eric Dane, who played Elordi's father and died in February at 53 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Gemma Collins' stalker hell has intensified after they sent her 'abusive and menacing' correspondence while she was in South Africa filming I'm A Celeb All Stars.

Insiders told Daily Mail that Gemma received a parcel full of excrement as well as menacing letters, forcing her to have panic buttons installed in her home.

The star's I'm A Celeb scenes are currently being aired on ITV, after being filmed in September  and police are furthering their investigations into her nightmare scenario.

Gemma, 45, first learned she had a stalker last year when she was sent rat poison and she said the ordeal was 'playing havoc on her mind' and she was living in fear of those 'wishing her dead'.

Sources told the Daily Mail on Thursday: 'It's so scary. She has now been sent these unpleasant parcels in the post along with menacing and abusive letters...

'The police have been amazing and installed panic buttons in her house which has made her feel better but she is still terrified. The police have obtained the culprit's DNA but are yet to track them down.'

Gemma Collins' stalker hell: The I'm A Celeb All Stars favourite has been targeted with 'menacing and abusive' letters while appearing in the South African jungle, forcing her to have panic buttons installed in her house (stock image)

Gemma returned to the Australian jungle after her first stint in 2014, with her trip Down Under coming in the midst of her stalker hell.

She previously voiced her fear during a chat on the Everything I Know About Me podcast, where she said her stalker had 'played havoc on her mind' and was the reason she stepped away from her front-of-house work at her Brentwood boutique.

Gemma said: 'No one would believe the bl**dy crap I've had to deal with. I've had a woman stalker that wrote me a letter in white gloves and wanted to kill me.

'You know, people would wish me dead. I'd get all sorts turn up at the shop. Weird. People are weird. And that's why in a way I came away from my shop in the end.'

Gemma contacted police about some of the incidents but admitted she only really felt safe once she ramped up her own personal security.

Away from her dramas at home, Gemma has been setting screens alight since entering the jungle, with fans lauding her return.

On Wednesday's show, she furiously took aim at boxer David Haye after she made her arrival.

The star's I'm A Celeb scenes are currently being aired on ITV, after being filmed in September  and police are furthering their investigations into her nightmare scenario

She missed out on a place in the main camp after losing a bushtucker trial to Craig Charles, and was quick to vent her fury at the boxer after he insisted she should have been denied water during the challenge.

While completing the eating task, Gemma had asked whether she could have a drink, but David declared she shouldn't until she finished the dish.

It was a comment that didn't sit well with Gemma, and she later branded David 'evil' to her fellow campmates, before launching into a gossip about claims he'd been involved in 'throuples' with other women.

David and his partner Sian Osborne are known to regularly spend time in a 'throuple', with the pair previously linked to Saturdays star Una Healy and actress Helen Flanagan.

The sportsman sparked the row with Gemma while she was chowing down on eight Critter Canapes which were made out of blended ant eggs on a cracker.

It comes after fellow I'm A Celeb legend Myleene Klass suffered her own stalking hell.

Peter Windsor, who has schizophrenia, was found guilty last October of stalking Myleene after also sending her Catwoman and police fancy dress costumes and calling her a 'naughty vixen' during a nine-month campaign of harassment.

He also sent her an air pistol while stalking her and a fellow radio presenter over a four year period before being handed his indefinite hospital order.

The 61-year-old also asked her in sick correspondence to 'correct him' with a whip and cane, as well as sending her letters  at one point referring to her as a 'worthy high priestess'  and other gifts including jewellery.

He was also found guilty of stalking Myleene's Classic FM colleague Katie Breathwick, 55, after sending her a pair of binoculars, running shoes with spikes and a bottle of champagne.

Last month, Judge Tom Rochford delivered his sentencing remarks at Coventry Crown Court, saying: 'What you did caused both women considerable harm, fear and distress. Each message and package you sent was deliberate...

'You were on an upward or worsening trajectory.'
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

Molly-Mae Hague's make-up artist turned to a budget-friendly beauty brand for her latest Adidas campaign - and now their products are flying off the shelves.

Australian beauty brand MCoBeauty launched in Superdrug stores across the UK last year, bringing its high-end inspired make-up and skincare to the high street at affordable prices.

Founded in 2020 by entrepreneur Shelley Sullivan, the brand quickly dominated the Australian beauty market with its viral 'dupes', before building a loyal following in the US.

And now, it's making waves in the UK. Dubbed 'The dupe brand', MCoBeauty is known for offering high-performing lookalike products at a fraction of the price of luxury favourites.

Now, even Molly-Mae, 26, is getting behind the beauty brand, as she achieved her flawless campaign look using two of the brand's hero products, both priced at just 12.

During the photoshoot, Molly-Mae's makeup artist finished her look with the MCoBeauty Miracle Flawless Pressed Powder.

Priced at an affordable 12, the popular beauty product is a blurring, mattifying powder which sets makeup with an undetectable finish.

The powder, also available in a range of shades to find the perfect shade for you, gives a long-lasting skin-like finish, while its formula has been enriched with rose flower extract and sweet almond oil.

MCoBeauty Miracle Flawless Setting Spray The flawless setting spray is a multi-purpose mist that locks makeup in place and helps melt other products into place for a long-lasting, 'lived in' look Shop

MCoBeauty Miracle Flawless Pressed Powder The popular beauty product is a blurring, mattifying powder which sets makeup with an undetectable finish Shop

Molly-Mae then set her powder with the MCoBeauty Miracle Flawless Setting Spray, which also retails for just 12.

The flawless setting spray is a multi-purpose mist that locks makeup in place and helps melt other products into place for a long-lasting, 'lived in' look.

The MCoBeauty Pressed Powder and Setting Spray combo extends the wear of makeup, delivering a complexion you can trust to last throughout a long day in front of the camera.

Molly-Mae has previously worn the brand thanks to her go-to make-up artist, Hollie Flynn, who regularly uses the range on her, and she's not the only one impressed.

Since launching in the UK, the brand has racked up glowing reviews from shoppers, with many praising its high-end results without the designer price tag.

One review of the flawless pressed powder read: 'I put this powder on top of my makeup at the end of my makeup routine and it perfectly blends it together without making my makeup look cakey. It's also really good for brightening the under eyes.'

While another review read: 'This is a lovely face powder. Goes on a dream and gives a flawless finish. I got the light. It is very light but suited me. Good price too. I would definitely recommend. Super fast delivery also.'

Another read: 'This is a lovely powder, in a great compact. I can use it sparingly and get beautiful coverage. It creates a flawless finish. Definitely recommend.'

Meanwhile, another review of the setting spray read: 'This is without doubt, one of the best setting sprays I have used.

'It smells beautiful but is not overpowering and does not overwhelm any perfume you wear, the mist is exactly that, a mist, no spitting or splashing, just even coverage and fast dry time. I have purchased multiple spares and will continue to do so.'

While a second read: 'When I tried this in Australia, I bought another bottle to come home with me. I'm so glad it's now available in Superdrug. Now I don't have to spend a fortune on a spray and this works wonders. Makes me glowy and sets makeup perfectly.'
Molly-Mae Hague has addressed Tommy Fury's controversial fight date being so close to when she is expected to give birth to their second child.

The Love Island stars, both 26, who are already parents to three-year-old daughter Bambi, rekindled their romance last year and are due to welcome their second child in June.

However, Tommy has revealed his plans to fight retired strongman Eddie Hall at the AO Arena in Manchester on June 13.

After reported claims that her family are 'worried by his decision,' Molly-Mae has revealed what she really thinks about it.

Opening up in a Q&A video on her YouTube channel, she said: 'A lot of questions about how do you feel about Tommy's fight and obviously the date of it,' she said in her vlog.

'Obviously I knew that you guys were going to like be concerned about that and have questions about that, but fear not.

Molly-Mae Hague has addressed Tommy Fury's controversial fight date being so close to when she is expected to give birth to their second child

The Love Island stars, both 26, who are already parents to three-year-old daughter Bambi, rekindled their romance last year and are due to welcome their second child in June

'Fear not fair maiden because we're actually feeling really, really good about it and have a really good plan in place.'

She went on: 'There's actually like a good amount of time between my birth, my supposed birth because basically I'm having the baby in London again.

'So I gave birth with Bambi at The Portland.

'I'm not worried and I'm actually really, really happy that he's got a fight because it's been over a year since his last fight.'

She continued: 'So just having a date for something and and having a focus and us having like I don't know something to look forward to in the fight like it's just I think it's actually a really, really, really positive thing and he will be here when I get home.

'He will be able to support me.'

Molly-Mae then recalled the horrendous situation she experienced after she had given birth last time, explained: 'It's not going to be anything like the the last time.

'I mean that was a very, very bespoke and ridiculous situation to have one of like the most high pressure fights.

Opening up about the situation during a Q&A video on YouTube, she said: 'I'm not worried and I'm actually really, really happy that he's got a fight because it's been over a year since his last fight'

However, her family are said to be concerned that history is repeating after Tommy revealed his plans to fight retired strongman Eddie Hall

'Like there was so much pressure on him for the Jake Paul fight.

'It was just mental and obviously it was our first baby. I just given birth and he was literally going to Saudi and it was it was really hard.

'But this time round it's not going to be anything like that.

'He will be at home. He will be living at home. He will be having his camp at home. We're actually feeling really, really good about it.

'So, no concerns over here. We're in a really, really great place. Everything feels, almost just feel like a little bit too good to be true.'

It marks the boxer's first fight in over a year, while recovery from a clash can take up to six months depending on injuries.

And it comes after Molly-Mae was induced during her last pregnancy, to ensure he could be there for Bambi's birth in January 23, ahead of his fight with Jake Paul.

Tommy was then away for the first four weeks of their daughter's life, leaving Molly-Mae to parent alone, as he jetted off to Saudi Arabia to prepare for the clash against. YouTuber Jake on February 26.

The Maebe founder previously admitted she was 'traumatised' from having to navigate her first month of motherhood alone, telling fans she didn't sleep for a week after giving birth and 'had a breakdown'.

Aged just 23-years-old at the time, she candidly described the period as like 'hell and back' and said the day that Tommy finally returned home was 'almost better than the day Bambi was born'.

And with the news that Tommy will once again be going into the ring at the same time that their child is born, Molly-Mae is reportedly 'determined not to have the same experience this time'.

And it comes after Molly-Mae was induced during her last pregnancy, to ensure he could be there for Bambi's birth in January 23, ahead of his fight with Jake Paul (seen)

The Maebe founder previously admitted she was 'traumatised' from having to navigate her first month of motherhood alone, telling fans she didn't sleep for a week after giving birth and 'had a breakdown'

While her family are also said to be upset that 'nothing has changed', despite the couple making the decision to get back together in May after calling off their engagement in August 2024.

Insiders have said that sister Zoe in particular is less than impressed with Tommy's decision, having previously moved in with Molly to help after Bambi's birth and who has never hidden her disapproval of the boxer.

'Its a real shame that once again Tommy is going to be busy throughout the first few weeks and of course it did raise eyebrows with Zoe, who has never been his biggest fan,' a source told The Sun.

'In lots of ways it feels like nothing has changed and they are back to square one, but Molly knows she can do it alone.

'Her parents would love her to have a conventional relationship and for Tommy to take paternity leave like other dads do but they know that isnt going to happen. Everyone is really hoping it doesnt all fall apart and she has an easier ride than last time.'

Molly-Mae's representative declined to comment when approached by Daily Mail.

Fans have also voiced criticism towards Tommy for scheduling his fight so close to Molly-Mae's due date according to the publication.

One fan wrote: 'This is actually insane he knows how much it affected Molly the first time and yet does it again? But also the whole lead up she will be so stressed?? Why would you want that for both baby and mum?

While another added: 'Its the fact she openly came out saying how hard newborn life with Bambi was because he wasnt there and hes doing it again?

A third echoed: 'So hes doing this all again the same way it happened with Bambi' while a fourth lamented: 'Its just so awful. I really feel for her. Nothing changes'.

Molly-Mae was keen to show she is supportive of the fight, taking to the comments of Tommy's announcement post on Instagram to write: 'SHOW TIME!!!'

However, she previously described feeling like her 'life was over' after giving birth to Bambi and described going through some 'really low lows' in the first few weeks.

While she also explained how she was entirely reliant on the support of her family in Tommy's absence and became 'really unwell'.

Speaking on her YouTube vlog, Molly said: 'The first four weeks of Bambis life I really did do it by myself and I was home alone with her.

'I pushed a lot of people away, I dont know why. It sounds dramatic and it sounds intense but I guess I do have a little bit of trauma from the first few weeks.

'Traumatised is a really strong word, but I am slightly. When I look back at the first few weeks of when she came home it sends shivers down my spine, I had no idea what I was doing.'

'The first two weeks  and this is so TMI  I suffered with severe constipation,' she went on. 'That constipation that I experienced in the first two weeks was actually harder than my labour. I know it sounds crazy.'

She recalled one particular episode where she was crouching down in the shower 'screaming crying for Zoe to call an ambulance'.

Addressing his decision to have a fight the day after Molly was due to give birth, Tommy insisted: 'I have a job, but obviously I love my family too.'
Jonah Hill dropped a major bombshell during a conversation with Martin Scorsese, revealing a slew of personal milestones that had flown under the radar.

The 42-year-old Superbad actor casually disclosed that he's married to longtime girlfriend Olivia Millar and the couple recently welcomed their second child together.

'And I have two kids now. The only thing that could separate me from my family is the editing room,' Hill shared in his Interview feature with the legendary director.

Hill and Millar, daughter of 1980s supermodel Esme Marshall, were first spotted together in Santa Barbara in September 2022.

Just months later, in June 2023, they welcomed their first child.

Later in the Scorsese interview, Hill also referred to Millar as his 'wife,' appearing to confirm their secret nuptials.

Jonah Hill dropped a major bombshell during a conversation with Martin Scorsese , revealing a slew of personal milestones that had flown under the radar; (pictured April 6)

The 42-year-old Superbad actor casually disclosed that he's married to longtime girlfriend Olivia Millar and the couple recently welcomed their second child together; (Hill and Millar in June 2023)

'I was saying to my wife, "He's seeing it over the weekend, so what if he hates it but already agreed to do it?"' Hill said, referring to his new film Outcome.

Millar has strong ties to the fashion industry, having co-founded Chasseresse, an online retailer, with her sister Raychel.

The duo launched the brand in 2018, with Chasseresse - meaning 'huntress' in French - focused on curating vintage, sustainable, and regenerative fashion.

In addition to her role as co-founder, Millar frequently models for the brand's collections.

Before settling down with Millar, Hills dating history had been a mix of high-profile relationships and quieter romances. I

In 2011, Hill was linked to The Office star Ellie Kemper.

Though their relationship was brief, it caught the attention of fans who loved the idea of the comedic duo together.

Hill and Kemper, who were both on the rise in Hollywood at the time, seemed like a natural match, but their time together ended without much fanfare.

Millar has strong ties to the fashion industry, having co-founded Chasseresse, an online retailer, with her sister Raychel

In addition to her role as co-founder, Millar frequently models for the brand's collections

Hill was also romantically linked with The Bachelor contestant and model Ali Hoffman in 2014.

In 2016, Hill began dating All the Money in the World actress and model Camille Rowe.

However, after a couple of years together, Hill and Rowe split, with sources at the time citing their conflicting schedules and Hills increasing need for privacy as factors that played a role in their breakup.

In 2021, Hills relationship with surfer and law student Sarah Brady made headlines, though for less positive reasons.

Brady, who dated Hill for several months, later accused the actor of emotional abuse after they split.

She publicly shared screenshots of text messages she claimed Hill had sent her, which some perceived as controlling and manipulative.

Hill addressed the situation publicly, acknowledging that he was seeking help and trying to better himself.

Meanwhile, Hill has been turning heads with his dramatic body transformation.

In 2021, Hills relationship with surfer and law student Sarah Brady made headlines when she accused the actor of emotional abuse after their breakup, overshadowing their months-long romance; (Hill and Brady pictured 2021)

It comes after the star has been open about his struggles with weight, revealing that he once weighed around 375 pounds at his heaviest.

In a candid 2018 essay for his magazine Inner Child, the Moneyball star shared how he battled body image issues since his teenage years.

He admitted that much of his young adult life was marked by being called 'gross' and 'unattractive,' recalling: "I really believe everyone has a snapshot of themselves from a time when they were young that theyre ashamed of.

'For me, its that 14-year-old overweight kid who felt ugly to the world, who listened to hip-hop and wanted so badly to be accepted by this community of skaters.'

Reflecting on the weight loss process in a 2012 interview with ABC News, he said, 'I wish there was some crazy thing I did, like a pill or a genie, but I went to see a nutritionist, and he told me what to eat to change my habits. I found that Japanese food was very helpful to me.'
Minister for Business visits Local Companies ahead of Treaty Implementation

The Minister for Health, Care and Business, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, has continued her programme of visits to local businesses ahead of the expected provisional implementation of the Treaty.

In recent weeks, the Minister has met with a range of businesses across key sectors, including Bassadone Automotive Group, Restsso, Saccone & Speed and Peninsula Petroleum. Further visits are scheduled in the coming weeks as part of ongoing engagement with the business community.

The visits form part of the Governments continued engagement with businesses to understand operational concerns, discuss transitional arrangements and ensure readiness across sectors as Gibraltar prepares for this next phase following the conclusion of Treaty negotiations. As part of this work, a business manual is also being prepared, which will assist businesses in addressing many of their outstanding queries.

The Minister for Health, Care and Business, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said: These visits are about listening directly to businesses, understanding the practical realities they are facing and making sure we are as prepared as we can be for implementation. The Treaty represents a significant opportunity for Gibraltar, but it is essential that we get the transition right. That means we must continue to communicate and engage with businesses and ensure that they have the certainty they need to plan ahead. We are also preparing a detailed business manual which I am sure will help address many of the outstanding questions businesses have raised.
The estranged daughter of the world's richest man has recalled an 'isolating' and 'strange' experience being raised in extreme wealth.

The eldest daughter of Musk and his ex-wife Justine, Vivian Wilson came out as transgender at age 16 and filed to have Musk dropped from her last name.

They have been estranged since 2020.

Now Wilson, whose billionaire father is the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and has had a fraught relationship with President Trump, is remembering being raised in a household where money was no object in an interview with Cosmopolitan.

The abundance, both a blessing and a curse, was a dangerous temptation she saw the power-hungry unable to resist.

'I have seen that s**t firsthand. It will change you, and the desire for power corrupts people from within. It is cartoonish,' Wilson, age 21, said.

Vivian Wilson, the estranged daughter of Elon Musk, has recalled her 'strange' and 'isolating' childhood raised in extreme wealth; pictured 2025

Wilson is the daughter of SpaceX and Tesla CEO Musk

'Achieving that and wanting more is a never-ending cycle of greed and gluttony, where nothing is enough and you kind of go insane. It turns you into someone different. Which is honestly one of my biggest fears.'

Wilson, who has rejected the wealth and now advocates for others, recalled just how 'isolating' and 'strange' her childhood was.

'It was a very strange experience, very isolating.The upper class have their own private schools, social circles, and whatever,' she said.

Wilson attended a secret school on the Space X campus, an institute called 'Ad Astra', before eventually studying at the private LA school Crossroads.

As a child, Wilson was distressed by the plight of the less fortunate - a concern deemed 'dramatic' by others around her.

'I have unlearned a huge amount, but even as a child, I was like, "This is a bit gauche,"' Wilson said. I remember being very young and seeing homelessness and feeling sick to my stomach.

'People would get on me for being like a dramatic little child. But no, I was right to be a dramatic little s**t about that.'

Wilson is now a model who is forging her own path outside of her father's shadow

Musk has had a fraught relationship with President Donald Trump after supporting him in his efforts to run for the highest office a second time

According to Wilson, the rich were detached from 'reality itself.'

Wilson noticed a 'level of detachment from reality itself, in favor of wealth and this illusion that you deserve it while people are sleeping on the streets... Oh, and also Santa Claus is real.'

The star has been outspoken about her father, a controversial figure who is no stranger to facing public outrage.

Yet she has remained detached from the fact she will always be known as Elon's child.

'Theres not much I can do about it, so who cares? Its part of my story, but its not the future of my story,' she said.

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Musk for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Musk previously claimed he was 'tricked' by the 'woke mind virus' into allowing Vivian to transition into a woman.

Vivian is active on social media and currently boasts one million Instagram followers

'I was tricked into doing this. It wasn't explained to me that puberty blockers are actually just sterilization drugs,' Musk said of Vivian in a 2024 interview with Jordan Peterson for The Daily Wire.

'I lost my son, essentially. They call it 'deadnaming' for a reason. The reason they call it 'deadnaming' is because your son is dead, so my son, Xavier, is dead, killed by the woke mind virus.'

Deadnaming is what transgender people typically refer to others calling them by the name they went by before they began to transition.

'Then two years later, this guy [Musk] on a podcast called me dead and I was not having it,' she told Cosmopolitan. 'So I made a response on Threads and it went mega viral. Everything took off from there.'

Vivian briefly opened up about the relationship she has with the tech mogul while talking to Teen Vogue.

'I don't give a f*** about him. I really don't. It's annoying that people associate me with him. I just don't have any room to care anymore.'

Vivian is active on social media and currently boasts one million Instagram followers. She often posts insights into her modelling career and takes fans along to events she has attended.
Cruz Beckham has revealed his mum Victoria has had all of her tattoos removed - including her tributes to husband David.

The former Spice Girl-turned fashion designer, 51, previously had six inkings across her body, including a Hebrew poem on her back.

However, her youngest son Cruz, 21, has confirmed to intrigued fans that she has had each one removed.

Hosting a question and answers session with his Instagram followers on Wednesday, one fan asked: 'Does Victoria Beckham have any tattoos? I know that David has many.'

Cruz replied: 'No not anymore x.'

Victoria previously had her husband's initials, DB, and the words 'Together, forever, eternally' written in Hebrew on her left wrist  chosen to mark their tenth wedding anniversary.

Cruz Beckham has revealed his mum Victoria has had all of her tattoos removed - including her tributes to husband David

The former Spice Girl-turned fashion designer, 51, previously had six inkings across her body, including a Hebrew poem on her back

She also had the numerals VIII-V-MMVI below it, which translated to May 8, 2006, the day she and David, 50, renewed their wedding vows.

Directly above, she had the words 'De Integro', which mean 'again from the start'.

On her lower back, Victoria had five stars tattooed, with each representing herself, David and their three sons; Cruz, Romeo, 23, and estranged Brooklyn, 27.

It is not known if Posh Spice had another star added to symbolise Harper, following her birth in 2011.

Above it, and going down her back was a Hebrew poem which read: 'Ani l'dodi li va'ani lo haro'eh bashoshanim'.

The large inking, which she once proudly showed off and that David also has on his arm, translates to 'I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.'

Victoria's rebranding is not recent, and in 2022 she spoke out about her tattoos disappearing after eagle-eyed fans noticed.

She had left them 'fascinated' after they first noticed she'd had her wrist inkings removed in a beauty video.

Speaking on The Today Show, she explained: 'I had these tattoos a long long time ago and they just werent particularly delicate.

'Mine were just a little bit thick and they were bleeding a little bit and they just werent as pretty. They just didnt look so nice. It doesnt mean anything more than that.

She concluded: 'I was just a bit sick of the tattoo. Its as simple as that.'

Typically, laser tattoo removal uses beams of coloured light to break down the ink into minuscule fragments, which can then be absorbed into the bloodstream and excreted via the liver and digestive system. Private clinics charge around 150 per session for a small tattoo and up to 800 for a larger one.

Eight to 10 sessions are typically needed for large tattoos.

The procedure can cause temporary discomfort, blistering and redness, and the tattoo almost never completely disappears. Figures show almost a fifth of Britons have at least one tattoo.

While Victoria has removed her tattoos, her husband still boasts dozens across his body, with her sons also carrying their own inkings now.

Brookyn cut ties with his family in a scathing social media statement in January, declaring he has no plans to reconcile with his famous parents and accusing them of 'controlling him for most of his life'.

Since then, Brooklyn has covered many of the tattoos he's had in honour of his family, including a tribute to his father.

Brooklyn still has his 'brotherhood' tattoo on his right leg, as well as a ballerina tattoo on his calf, which he'd had in tribute to his little sister Harper, 14.

Brooklyn's 'brotherhood' tattoo matches the inkings his brothers Romeo and Cruz had in 2023, after visiting the fine line tattoo artist Pablo, also known by his online username Certified Letter Boy.

While Brooklyn and Romeo both have the design on their leg, Cruz has the inking on his hand.

Join the discussion What do you think drives celebrities to remove tattoos that once meant so much to them?

Victoria's rebranding is not recent, and in 2022 she spoke out about her tattoos disappearing after eagle-eyed fans noticed

Back in February, it was revealed that Brooklyn has covered up his tattoo tribute to his dad David, having previously had the word Dad inked into his upper right arm.

Directly underneath was the message 'Love you Bust' - David's endearing nickname for his first born.

However, pictures taken last week showed Brooklyn has covered it up with nondescript shapes and a star.

His dad's nickname text is also faded and less prominent.

Brooklyn also previously had his siblings Romeo, Cruz and Harper's names tattooed on his fingers, but recent images showed these have been covered up.

The self-proclaimed tattoo addict - unveiled the words 'mama's boy' on his chest in 2019 to honour his fashion designer mother Victoria.

But last June, Brooklyn went shirtless for a shoot with Glamour Germany alongside Nicola - and the snaps were very revealing.

Amid the then ongoing feud, the shoot for Glamour magazine revealed that Brooklyn has savagely chosen to cover up the tattoo tribute to Victoria.

The small two-word inking was layered at some point with a bunch of flowers - seemingly another tattoo tribute to his wife Nicola, of which he already has more than 70.
Influential musical artist Afrika Bambaataa died in Pennsylvania on Thursday at the age of 67 after battling cancer.

The Zulu Nation founder, whose real name was Lance Taylor, passed away due to complications from his cancer battle at around 3 a.m. local time, sources told TMZ.

'Today, we acknowledge the transition of a foundational architect of Hip Hop culture, Afrika Bambaataa,' the Hip-Hop Alliance said in a statement on Instagram about the late Planet Rock performer.

The group, headed by Kurtis Blow, continued, 'As the founder of the Universal Zulu Nation, Afrika Bambaataa helped shape the early identity of Hip Hop as a global movement rooted in peace, unity, love, and having fun.'

The group acknowledged legal issues the artist-producer encountered in his later years involving allegations of sexual misconduct against multiple young men.

'At the same time, we recognize that his legacy is complex and has been the subject of serious conversations within our community,' the group said.

Influential musical artist Afrika Bambaataa died in Pennsylvania on Thursday at the age of 67 after battling cancer. Pictured in NYC in 1999

The Hip-Hop Alliance added, 'As an organization committed to truth, accountability, and the preservation of Hip Hop culture, we believe it is important to hold space for all voices while continuing to uplift what empowers and protects the people.'

The group ended its statement in saying, 'Today, we extend our condolences to all who were impacted by his life, his work, and his presence.

'Hip Hop was built on truth, and through truth the culture continues to grow, heal, and evolve. Rest in Power Bam.'

In his earlier years, the New York City-born entertainer was a member of a gang called the Black Spades, the outlet reported.

Bambaataa stated throwing South Bronx block parties in the 1970s which eventually took shape as a key backdrop amid the rise of the musical genre.

Bambaataa's debut single, Zulu Nation Throwdown, was released in 1980, in a reference to his hip hop art collective, the Universal Zulu Nation.

The track paved the way for Bambaataa's most successful commercial performance with 1982's Planet Rock.

Bambaataa at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History's Hip Hop Initiative in 2006 in NYC

The Zulu Nation founder, whose real name was Lance Taylor, pictured in NYC in 2015

Bambaataa was also involved in the production of the Artists United Against Apartheid 1985 album Sun City led by musician-actor Steven Van Zandt.

Other notable names involved in the project included late legends such as Miles Davis, Clarence Clemons, and Lou Reed; as well as musical icons such as Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Peter Gabriel and Bruce Springsteen.

Among the other notable names Bambaataa collaborated with included the late James Brown on the 1984 track Unity; the Sex Pistols' John Lydon on 1984's World Destruction; UB40's 1988 single Reckless; and Leftfield's 1999 track Afrika Shox, which was on the soundtrack to 2001's Vanilla Sky.

Prior to the sex abuse allegations, Cornell University of the Ivy League awarded Bambaataa with a three-year stint as a visiting scholar from 2012-2015, citing his expertise in hip hop.

Bambaataa faced significant legal difficulties over the last decade of his life, as multiple men accused him of sexual abuse during the 1980s and 1990s.

Political activist Ronald Savage said in 2016 that Bambaataa had molested him when he was 15 in 1980, leading to sexual misconduct accusations from three more men.

Later in the month, the Universal Zulu Nation distanced itself from Bambaataa - who resigned from his executive position on May 6, 2016.

The organization also parted ways with 'all accused parties and those accused of covering up the current allegations of child molestation.'

Bambaataa faced legal difficulties over the last decade of his life, as multiple men accused him of sexual abuse during the 1980s and 1990s

Bambaataa (pictured in 2014 in NYC) denied allegations of sex abuse in a 2016 interview

Last year, a New York court ordered Bambaataa to settle financially in a civil case with a man who accused him of sex trafficking him during the 1990s. Pictured 2012

In a statement provided to Rolling Stone in April of 2016, Bambaataa described the allegations as 'baseless' and 'a cowardly attempt to tarnish my reputation and legacy in hip hop at this time.

'This negligent attack on my character will not stop me from continuing my battle and standing up against the violence in our communities, the violence in the nation and the violence worldwide.'

Bambaataa told Fox 5 News in 2016 in response to the allegations, 'I never abused nobody - you know, it just sounds crazy for people to say that, to hear: "You abused me."

'You know all my people back then, you know the hundreds of people that been around me. If something like that happened, why you never went to none of them?'

Last year, a New York court ordered him to settle financially in a civil case with a man who accused Bambaataa of sex trafficking him during the 1990s, TMZ reported.

A default judgement was issued after Bambaataa missed the hearing in the matter.
You call this a ceasefire?

Since President Donald Trump's Tuesday night announcement of a two-week truce with Iran and a promised opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the US leader has been on his Truth Social perch, selling the deal, including a promise that any final agreement will secure Iran's nuclear material.

Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have struck a more cautious tone - trust a little, verify a lot.

Strip away the digital bravado and the cable chatter and what we are left with, at least for now, is both murky and fragile.

Some Republicans, mindful of political crosswinds and the gravitational pull of Trump's MAGA base, are inclined to embrace the deal's promise rather than interrogate its particulars.

It is Washington's way to declare 'so far, so good' and attempt to move on. But beneath the choppy waters, unanswered questions surface like massive icebergs, peaking just above the surface, revealing a hint of the 100,000-ton behemoth beneath.

A battered Iran still stands, governed by the same theocratic system, sustained by the same hard men in uniform, presiding over a population that has absorbed weeks of punishment. It now seems that the war has not delivered  and may not even be capable of bringing about  the political transformation in Tehran that some in Washington once whispered about.

The regime remains. So what, if anything, has changed?

Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 6.

Risks of Legitimizing Irans Leadership Through Negotiation

In choosing to negotiate with the current leadership, Washington risks, at least in perception, stabilizing a regime it only recently suggested the Iranian people should fight to cast off.

Axios reports that  for the first time since the war began  new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was personally involved in negotiations to reach this tentative 'pause' in hostilities. Up until this point, many in security circles were speculating that Khamenei was dead. Perhaps he is.

Who, exactly, will sit across the table when the real negotiations, reportedly in Islamabad on Friday, begin?

Incredibly, on Wednesday Trump floated a proposal to establish a 'joint venture' with Tehran to manage traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, like cars through the Midtown tunnel.

'It's a way of securing it - also securing it from lots of other people. It's a beautiful thing,' the president reportedly told ABC News.

Is this a solution that will reassure insurers, shippers and energy markets? What mechanisms will enforce compliance - and what happens when, not if, those mechanisms are tested? Is it even feasible?

Most crucially, Iran's nuclear capacity - both the physical uranium stockpile and the intellectual infrastructure - appears not to have been decisively eliminated.

The war's implicit casus belli was fear of an Iranian sprint to a bomb. Yet if that material remains inside the country, even under some future monitoring regime, then the central problem persists, merely delayed, perhaps even hardened by experience.

Wars that begin with clarity can end in ambiguity. This one is flirting with that fate at this point.

Ongoing Missile Threat and Ceasefire Violations

Most immediately, Iran's missile program - range, payload, precision - remains a core concern for the region. New Iranian missile and drone attacks on Israel and the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, in the hours immediately after the ceasefire was announced, are a testament to that ongoing threat.

If a final deal does not meaningfully constrain those Iranian capabilities, then another one of the war's principal objectives will have gone unmet.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to pound Hezbollah-targets in Lebanon, launching  what it calls  its largest coordinated strike against the Iranian-aligned proxy since the start of the war.

Pakistan, which has been central to US-Iranian negotiations, claimed Israel was in violation of the ceasefire. Israel says it isn't. Iran has threatened to scrap the whole deal if the bombing continues.

And so, it goes.

There is, to be fair, a plausible case for optimism. It is possible that the United States and Israel have, through a combination of force and signaling, degraded Iran's capabilities and impressed upon its leadership the costs of escalation or bad behavior.

It is possible that a new generation of Iranian decision-makers - however one defines 'new' - calculates that survival requires a different course. It is possible that what looks like a muddle today resolves into a strategic success tomorrow.

It is also conceivable that Iran emerges from this episode with much of what matters most still in hand: its nuclear know-how, its missile arsenal, its regional networks.

In that scenario, the war will have been a costly demonstration rather than a decisive turning point. The Israelis, in the end, will insist on their security. The Iranians, by all available evidence, will not easily yield on what they consider sovereign rights. And the American public, distracted by nearer concerns, will register all of this only faintly, if at all.

Uncertainty Surrounding the Ceasefire Agreement

No one really knows what happened on Tuesday - honestly, even those, like the president, who made the deal. The possible outlines are visible; the final substance is not.

The president has set a high bar. He has suggested that any resulting agreement will comprehensively address Iran's nuclear materials - that it will be, in his words, 'perfectly taken care of,' or else he would not have agreed to the ceasefire. Big, if true. Enormous, if achieved. Politically and strategically transformative.

But, at this hour, Iran has demonstrated an ability to inflict economic anxiety even as it absorbs military blows. The lesson others may draw - friends and adversaries alike -is not yet settled. Moscow and Beijing will study this carefully, looking for signs of American resolve or vulnerability. Tehran will approach any direct talks not as a defeated actor but as one that has endured and adapted.

If there is a Trump masterstroke coming, it lies somewhere beyond the visible horizon, in details not yet disclosed and leverage not yet deployed. The burden of proof now rests squarely on the president and his partners. They must show that this ceasefire was not merely a pause, not merely a performance, but the opening act of something more durable and more consequential.

Until then, we are left with that essential question, hanging in the air, unanswered and unavoidable: What kind of agreement is this?
Millions of Americans are at risk of losing thousands of dollars this tax season - even as a wave of new tax breaks promise to boost refunds.

The changes, introduced as part of last year's sweeping tax overhaul - the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) - include headline-grabbing policies like 'no tax on tips' and 'no tax on overtime.'

But despite how simple they sound, the reality is far more complicated. More than one in five taxpayers are claiming the new overtime break alone this year - way more than should be doing so.

Tax experts warn many people don't fully understand how the rules work, adding that they're either claiming the wrong amounts, missing out entirely or setting themselves up for problems later.

'A lot of taxpayers are confused about how to properly claim these new deductions,' said David A Perez, CEO of Tax Maverick AI.

And even if you're using software like TurboTax, that doesn't guarantee you'll get it right either - especially if the underlying information from employers is incomplete or incorrect.

With just days left before this year's filing deadline on April 15, the stakes are high. Get it wrong, and you could overpay the IRS. Push too far the other way, and you may have to justify your numbers later.

Here are the five best new tax breaks from OBBBA, plus advice on how to make sure you don't leave any money on the table.

Your browser does not support iframes.

You get time-and-a-half for overtime, but the new 'no tax on overtime' doesn't make all your overtime pay tax free

David A Perez, CEO of Tax Maverick AI

No tax on overtime

The new overtime deduction is turning into one of the most popular tax breaks in years.

So far, 22 million taxpayers have claimed it - that's about one in five of the nearly 90 million people who have submitted returns so far. It's on track to be used by twice as many people as projected.

Part of the appeal is the idea that working extra hours could mean keeping more of your pay. But the rules behind it are more complicated than the slogan suggests.

Despite being billed as 'no tax on overtime,' only part of that income actually qualifies.

Everybody knows that overtime is 'time-and-a-half' pay, but it's the 'half' part that matters for your tax tab.

Say you earned $20 an hour and your time-and-a-half overtime rate was $30 an hour. Under the new law, you would only deduct the income generated from the $10 an hour overtime premium - that is, the 'half' or 'qualified' part.

The overtime income generated by your $20 an hour base pay is still subject to taxation.

'Employers are required to enter overtime pay into their systems as "qualified," but if they get it wrong, that would probably lead to issues down the road for their employees,' Anil Melwani, CPA, a tax pro with 212 Tax Services in New York City, told the Daily Mail.

If you earned overtime in 2025, it's worth checking your pay stubs and redoing the math.

'You might end up paying more or less tax than you should if your employer gets it wrong,' said Melwani.

Let's look at how this would work for an employee who earned $50 an hour in 2025, worked 40 hours a week and got around 10 hours of overtime a month.

Annual income from regular hours: $104,000

Income from overtime pay: $9,000

Total annual income: $113,000

Our hypothetical overtimer would qualify for a $3,000 deduction (120 annual hours of overtime, multiplied by the $25 overtime premium) - not the $9,000 of their total overtime pay.

Keep in mind, this is in addition to the standard deduction, which is the amount of income earned before you owe federal income tax.

Total income: $113,000

Overtime deduction: -$3,000

Standard deduction: -$15,750

Taxable income: $94,250

The estimated tab on the taxable income total above would be around $15,651, or $660 lower than it would be without the overtime deduction.

The new 'no tax on tips' deduction has rules and limits you need to understand

No tax on tips

The new tip deduction has been widely promoted as another major win for workers, but it comes with important caveats.

Only voluntary tips qualify. That means automatic service charges - like those added for large parties - don't count.

You can deduct up to $25,000 in 'qualified' tip income from your taxable income, but this is the total ceiling for each tax return - single or filing jointly.

According to Perez, it can be tough to document tip income since employers almost never track what their employees earn in gratuities.

'Service industry workers should use a 20 percent rule of thumb if they didn't track their tips,' Perez told the Daily Mail. 'Take your annual income from wages, and 20 percent of that amount probably comes from tips.'

Here's how that might work for a bartender who earned $70,000 in tips and wages in 2025 but didn't record how much of that was tips.

Total annual income: $70,000

Estimated tip income: $14,000

Qualified tip deduction: -$14,000

Standard deduction: -$15,750

Taxable income: $40,250

By removing tip income from their taxable income, our hypothetical bartender drops into a lower tax bracket and saves approximately $2,254 in taxes.

The IRS has offered more guidance on the overtime deduction rules because employers already track this form of pay - even if they don't always get it right.

With tips, the IRS has not published firm rules on how employers are supposed to report their employees' gratuity income.

'You don't want to be too aggressive in claiming tip deductions, because the IRS could always show up and require you to substantiate an aggressively large number,' said Perez.

For both 'no tax on tips' and 'no tax on overtime,' the deductions only apply to federal income tax. Most states treat income from tips and overtime as fully taxable, plus it's still subject to payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare.

The new senior tax deduction adds a nice bump on top of the existing senior additional deduction

Senior tax deduction

If you're 65 or older, the new senior tax deduction provides an additional route to shrink your taxable income.

Here's how it works: Taxpayers over the age of 65 may claim an extra $6,000 tax deduction, or $12,000 for married couples filing jointly.

This comes on top of the standard deduction and the existing additional standard deduction for seniors, but it phases out for people with annual income above $75,000, or $150,000 for couples filing jointly.

For a senior married couple with an annual income of $70,000 in 2025, here's how the new deduction fits in with the existing deductions:

Standard deduction: $31,500

Senior additional deduction: $3,200

New senior deduction: $12,000

Total tax-free income: $46,700

So what's the difference between the new deduction and the existing standard deduction for seniors?

The existing one has no income limit - even billionaires get it once they turn 65. But the new senior deduction begins to phase out if your income is greater than the thresholds above.

The auto loan interest deduction revives a tax benefit that was last available in the 1980s

Auto loan interest deduction

This tax deduction is like Back to the Future, since it revives a tax benefit that was last available in the 1980s - one Doc could have used when buying his DeLorean.

The law lets you deduct interest paid on personal car loans - up to a maximum of $10,000 - but to claim it, both the vehicle and the loan must meet strict criteria.

You must have purchased a brand new car, SUV, pickup truck or motorcycle - used cars and auto leases do not qualify.

There is a personal use requirement for the deduction, which is met if - at the time you take out a loan - you are planning to drive the vehicle for personal reasons more than half the time.

Finally, the loan must have been signed after December 31, 2024, and the auto must have a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 14,000 pounds - sorry, that new dump truck won't qualify.

Here's how the deduction might work for someone making $100,000 a year who bought a new $44,000 sedan at the beginning of 2025 with a down payment and a 7 percent APR $40,000 loan with a 60-month term.

Over the first 12 months of the loan, the borrower paid approximately $2,580 in interest.

Annual income: $100,000

Total interest deduction: $2,580

Standard deduction: $15,750

Taxable income: $81,669

By deducting the auto loan interest payments from taxable income, our hypothetical car owner has saved approximately $568 in taxes.

This is a buy America provision, which means that the vehicle's final assembly must have occurred in the US. You can verify this via the vehicle identification number (VIN) - visit the US Department of Transportation's VIN decoder for your research.

'You must enter the VIN on your tax return as proof that the vehicle was made in the USA,' Perez told the Daily Mail.

'No matter where you think your car was made, it doesn't matter. It is what the VIN says it is,' said Perez.

Changes to the SALT tax deduction are the most valuable part of the whole package

State and local tax deduction

The biggest change for many Americans, especially those who live in high-tax states, is the overhaul of the state and local tax deduction, known as SALT.

For years, the deduction was capped at just $10,000, making it almost pointless for many middle-income homeowners. Now, that cap has been quadrupled to $40,000.

'The expansion of the SALT deduction is one of the most impactful updates this year,' Christopher Lee, partner at strategic tax planning firm Foresight Strategies, told the Daily Mail.

The SALT deduction excludes from your federal taxable income the amounts you pay in state and local government taxes, stuff like income and property taxes.

'The changes to the SALT are a huge deal because there were plenty of people in high-tax states who got no benefit from the deduction,' said Perez.

Consider a married couple in the northern New Jersey suburbs who together earn $200,000 a year and own a $1million home.

Our couple likely paid around $30,000 in local property taxes and $10,000 in state income taxes, bringing their potential SALT deduction to the $40,000 cap.

SALT deduction: $40,000

Mortgage interest deduction: $45,500

Total itemized deductions: $85,500

Standard deduction for a married couple: $31,500

Total tax deduction: $85,500

The impact of the tax reform is huge for this household, as it cuts their federal tax bill by around $7,200 in 2025.

To ensure that the benefits go to middle- and upper-middle class Americans, the law begins phasing out the deduction for high-income households earning more than $500,000 a year.

But regardless of how high your income is, the deduction will not drop below a 'floor' of $10,000. That effectively means that anyone making over $600,000 gets the prior SALT deduction of $10,000.

It's also worth noting that the tax relief offered by the new law is temporary - a sunset provision restores the $10,000 cap for all taxpayers in 2030.
An expensive tribute to Donald Trump is set to land at a Florida airport - with Republicans comparing the move to naming hubs after John F Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

Despite furious opposition from Democrats, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has signed off on legislation to rename West Palm Beach's travel hub President Donald J Trump International.

Supporters argue the move follows a long-standing tradition of honoring presidents with major travel hubs - pointing to New Yorks John F Kennedy Airport and Washingtons Reagan National.

But critics say the comparison is wildly premature - and accuse Republicans of using public money to stage a political tribute to a sitting president.

This is a political stunt, said House Democratic leader Fentrice Driskell, blasting the plan as a misuse of taxpayer funds.

The bill, which takes effect July 1 pending FAA approval, comes just days after Trumps company filed trademarks for multiple versions of the airport name - raising further questions about the timing of the push.

The change is expected to cost well over $5 million - a price tag some Republicans insist is worth paying.

'Regardless of your personal view on the president, his record speaks for itself,' bill sponsor state Senator Debbie Mayfield said. 'President Trump has delivered meaningful results for Florida and the United States.'

Trump often visits West Palm Beach airport because of his Mar-a-Lago estate

Donald Trump owns a private Boeing plane, sometimes known as Trump Force One

Representative Meg Weinberger agreed, calling the bill a 'historic recognition' that celebrates President Trump in a Facebook post.

Republican Representative Brian Mast mentioned New Yorks JFK airport or Washingtons Reagan National, saying 'those two airports were named after undeniably impactful presidencies, and I believe we should continue that tradition.'

Democratic leaders spoke out about the potential $5.5 million cost to taxpayers. House Representative Fentrice Driskell called this move a 'political stunt' by Tallahassee Republicans.

'Your money is being misused to celebrate the man who caused gas prices to rise to over four dollars a gallon, grocery costs to shoot up, and health care prices to spike,' she said.

'Republicans are out of touch when it comes to the real issues impacting Floridians,' the statement continues.

In recent years, Florida has become one of the most expensive places to live in the South. According to National Today, Florida's cost of living nearly quintupled over the past decade, especially in cities like Palm Beach, Miami and Tampa.

The website's report blames housing as the main cause for rising costs, along with insurance premiums, property taxes and rental costs.

Wealthy residents from New York and California have also migrated to the area, causing home prices in Florida beach towns to soar. As of April 2025, at least 67 billionaires have properties in Palm Beach.

West Palm Beach is one of Florida's most expensive cities, along with Tampa and Miami

President Trump is one of West Palm Beach's best-known and wealthiest residents, with his Mar-a-Lago estate just a 12-minute drive from the airport.

Like Trump, Fox News host Sean Hannity moved from New York to Palm Beach and purchased two new mansions in the county for $14.9 million and $23.5 million.

The West Palm Beach airport isn't the only local landmark with Trump's name attached.

In early 2026, Trump renamed a four-mile road near his estate President Donald J Trump Boulevard, receiving mixed reactions from locals and politicians.

'I'm tremendously honored that the main boulevard from Palm Beach International Airport to the beautiful Mar-a-Lago is being renamed in my honor. That's a very important stretch,' Trump said during the naming ceremony.

Trump recently renamed the Kennedy Center in part after himself, changing the name to the Trump Kennedy Center last December, sparking even more opposition from Democrats.

That same month, Ohio Democrat Joyce Beatty filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration for renaming the building and claiming that the vote to do so was unanimous.
Things are turning bitter for a certain wine company.

Facing a sharp downturn in sales, California wine giant E & J Gallo Winery is making a surprising pivot - snapping up Kentucky-based Four Roses bourbon in a deal reportedly valued at up to $775 million.

The move marks a dramatic shift for the Modesto-based company, which has spent decades dominating US wine - but is now scrambling as drinkers disappear.

The high-stakes move follows a turbulent stretch for the Modesto-based company, which just two months ago cut roughly 100 jobs and shut down a major Napa Valley facility.

Gallo also trimmed staff across several of its premium brands, including Louis M Martini Winery and the Orin Swift Tasting Room in St Helena.

Last year, Gallo shut down its massive 300,000-square-foot Courtside Cellars in San Luis Obispo County, letting 47 staffers go in a blow to local workers.

Now, instead of doubling down on wine, the company is plunging into bourbon  snapping up Four Roses, one of the most respected names in American whiskey, from Japanese owner Kirin.

Chief commercial officer Britt West called Four Roses 'one of the most respected bourbons in the world,' and said the company plans to preserve its quality while turning it into a key pillar of Gallo's portfolio.

California wine giant E & J Gallo Winery is the largest wine company in the US which owns Barefoot Wine (pictured)

Last year, Gallo shut down its massive 300,000-square-foot Courtside Cellars in San Luis Obispo County, letting 47 staffers go in a blow to local workers

Gallo just two months ago cut roughly 100 jobs and shut down a major Napa Valley facility

Founded in 1888, Four Roses is the eighth-largest bourbon producer in the world and a perennial award-winner, cherished for its heritage and craftsmanship.

Brent Elliott, the brand's master distiller, called Gallo's purchase 'an incredibly exciting chapter' in the bourbon's 138-year history.

'With their support, we're well positioned to build on our momentum while staying true to the quality and character that have guided us for generations,' he said.

The sale comes as Kirin looks to pull back from the struggling spirits market, according to the Financial Times.

Gallo's bold move also comes amid falling US alcohol consumption, with just 54 percent of adults saying they drank in 2025 - a sharp drop from 62 percent in 2023, according to Gallup.

This is the lowest level in nearly 90 years of tracking, according to a recent Gallup survey. Even among those who do drink, many say they are cutting back.

Growing health fears and worries over alcohol's risks are keeping more young adults away from the booze, with many choosing to cut back or quit entirely.

Meanwhile, changing tastes and trendy alternatives - from hard seltzers to spirits and alcohol-free drinks - mean wine is no longer the nation's favorite tipple.

Gallo's bold move also comes amid falling US alcohol consumption, with just 54 percent of adults saying they drank in 2025

Growing health fears and worries over alcohol's risks are keeping more young adults away from the booze, with many choosing to cut back or quit entirely

But wineries aren't the only booze businesses in trouble.

Stoli vodka and Kentucky Owl bourbon announced they would be shutting down earlier this year.

Parent company Stoli Group said its US vodka and bourbon businesses are being liquidated after a bid to turn them around failed.

The company said its troubles began after its public support for Ukraine. Its assets were seized in Russia and the company alleged that a massive cyberattack had undermined its US production facilities.

Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Campari, Brown Forman and Remy Cointreau, the five largest alcohol producers, are reportedly stuck with $22 billion worth of aging inventory, according to Financial Times.

They are behind household names like Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Absolut, Jack Daniels and Hennessy.

It is a pileup that begin with overproduction to meet demand during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Gibraltar supports Milestone Robotic Programme at GHA

Local charity Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Gibraltar has provided financial sponsorship for GHA surgeons to undertake robotic surgery training in Upper Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary procedures.

This is part of an advanced training programme for surgeons aimed at further expansion of the GHAs robotic surgery programme, following a recent successful and widely publicised implementation.

The sponsorship covers the total cost of the training which includes travel, accommodation and a five-day course at an EU-approved specialist robotic centre in Belgium. This will provide the Upper Gl surgeons with the skillset to perform procedures robotically.

Operations for early-stage stomach and pancreatic cancers are now being performed robotically in several UK/European centres with good outcomes and evidence. Robotic surgeons at the GHAs referral centres in London, such as the Royal Marsden Hospital, have also expressed an interest in collaborating with the GHA.

Louis Baldachino, Chairman of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Gibraltar, said: We are delighted to support the GHAs robotic surgery programme by sponsoring the training of GHAs Upper GI/HPB surgeons. The charity has been working with the GHA for some time with the objective to sponsor the training once the new robotic system, capable of successfully carrying out tele-remote surgery was in place. We wish to extend our thanks to the GHA for the collaboration and guidance given to the charity.

This technology is highly promising with the potential in the long term be able to support the use of robotic surgery for Pancreatic Cancer, thus the training of Upper GI Surgeons is an important first step. The charity is proud to continue to raise awareness and to be able to support cancer care in our community.

GHA Director General, Dr Paul Bosio, said: I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Louis and his charity for their close collaboration with the GHA. With the cutting-edge technology of the new robotic system for remote telesurgery procedures in place at the GHA, we are in the process of expanding the service offering initially for Urology and Gynaecology cases. We look forward to further collaboration with the charity.

The Minister for Health and Care, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said: This is a further and important milestone in the continued expansion of our robotic surgery programme at the GHA. I am very grateful to Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Gibraltar for their support in making this advanced training possible, which will directly enhance the skills of our clinicians and the care we are able to offer locally. The development of Upper GI and HPB robotic capability is a significant, particularly in the context of complex cancer care, and reflects our clear commitment to bringing cutting-edge treatment and expertise to Gibraltar for the benefit of our patients.
Minister Feetham Holds Constructive Meeting with Council of Europe Secretariat (MONEYVAL) in Strasbourg

The Government of Gibraltar last week held a constructive meeting in Strasbourg with representatives of the Council of Europe Secretariat (MONEYVAL), as part of ongoing engagement ahead of Gibraltars upcoming evaluation.

The meeting discussed the evolving legislative and regulatory framework in Gibraltar from the introduction of the UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar.

Minister for Justice, Trade and Industry, Nigel Feetham KC MP, said: We had a constructive meeting in which I briefed the Council of Europe Secretariat (MONEYVAL) on the Treaty. It is important that there is an understanding of the scale of the changes underway and we will continue to engage openly and positively to ensure Gibraltars evaluation is informed, balanced, and reflective of our evolving framework.

The Government reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the highest international standards and to working collaboratively with international partners throughout the evaluation process.
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.
The Deloitte Technology, Media & Telecom Solutions team stepped up to help TelevisaUnivision chart a course. The teams highly specialized industry knowledge, decades of experience helping media companies transform their content capabilities, and multidisciplinary approach provided a wide lens for defining and scaling TelevisaUnivisions ambitions, while navigating the challenges. That translated into several parallel paths:

Strategy, vision and road map

Broadcast ecosystem modernization is a big leap for any organization that, if done efficiently and effectively, unlocks greater opportunity. Deloitte brought together stakeholders across the Spanish-speaking media organization, from multiple functional areas and all the way up to the C-suite, to align on a strategic vision and road map. This enabled Deloittes multilingual team, working in the United States and in Mexico, to break the daunting scale of the transformation down into discrete projects or micro steps to drive key business and financial milestones. TelevisaUnivision leaders could then make informed tactical decisions without compromising the overall long-term vision.

Business case, finance and planning

As a path forward was identified, Deloitte helped build the business case for the transformation. The team created a comprehensive financial plan that included annual budgeting, a detailed cost analysis of major road map initiatives, and return on investment (ROI) projections for the hybrid platform. These were resources that could help TelevisaUnivision direct and scale its investments over time, taking into account foundational investments that needed to be made at the outset and others that could be prioritized based upon the business operation the company wished to modernize.

Engineering and technology

Previously, Televisa and Univision had leveraged radically different content approaches, technologies and supply chains. Now, Deloitte leveraged its Media Engineering team to help capture and unify the organizations legacy content, scaling content production and distribution operations.

Foundations

Deloitte was responsible from the ground up, architecting and building the cloud landing zone that formed the foundation upon which the new hybrid platform would be built. The transition to cloud also required the retraining of team members. Deloitte set up the Google Cloud Platform environment, installed software, and also developed processes and provided hands-on training and support to TelevisaUnivisions IT and broadcast engineers who would own the systems moving forward.

Content management

Deloitte helped build a full and detailed program to define the future MAMdocumenting requirements and teeing up a suite of proofs of concept to shape the final design.

The team then crafted a multiyear plan for migrating content from a wide range of existing locations, repositories and formats to a central cloud library. This encompassed migration and metadata tools, standard operating procedures for operators, and program governance.

Distribution

Finally, Deloitte led the implementation of an IP distribution systemfrom technology evaluation and selection to design, build, test, and ultimately adoptionthat could facilitate TelevisaUnivisions transition from legacy satellite-based signal distribution to IP-based paths.

The engagement was unique, but challenges around technology adaptation, budget constraints, and the timeline were not. Deloittes grounded approach, engineering leaders, and a trusted working relationship kept the journey on track.
Orange Maroc and Ericsson announced on Wednesday they have signed a partnership deal to co-develop and promote private 5G network solutions for Moroccos enterprise sector.

The agreement, signed at GITEX Africa 2026 in Marrakech  calls for Ericsson to provide a complete private 5G network platform, including its radio and 5G core technologies, for Orange Marocs 5G Lab to create an environment for demonstration and experimentation.

Orange Maroc said the lab will serve as a structuring lever to develop a rich catalogue of B2B use cases, allowing Moroccan companies to test and validate solutions, and discover the benefits of 5G in improving productivity and optimizing operational costs.

With more Moroccan companies increasingly requiring advanced, secure, and reliable connectivity to drive their digital transformation agendas, Orange Maroc and Ericsson plan to define and structure a catalogue of solutions targeting key industrial use cases, particularly in smart logistics, utilities, energy, and smart territories.

The partnership also aims to support resilient and secure connectivity for critical infrastructures such as mining, ports, utilities, and other strategic sectors.

Orange Maroc also said the lab will strengthen the telcos position as an integrated ICT operator that can combine connectivity with cloud, edge computing and security to offer comprehensive solutions, and pave the way for new strategic partnerships with industrial and institutional players.
Moroccan telco Inwi announced on Wednesday it has partnered with China Mobile International (CMI) to deploy what it claims is the countrys first private 5G network dedicated to industrial use.

Unveiled at GITEX Africa 2026 in Marrakesh, the network has been deployed at a 52-hectare industrial site in Moroccos Oriental region for one of CMIs key clients, according to Inwi.

Under the partnership agreement, Inwi is responsible for the design, deployment, and operation of the private 5G network. Inwi said the factory plans to embrace Industry 4.0 by developing a highly automated and digitalized industrial platform to enhance operational performance.

Inwi said the factorys private 5G infrastructure will provide ultra-low latency, high stability, elevated throughput, and dynamic quality of service to support critical industrial applications. The network will also facilitate large-scale deployment of IoT solutions and intelligent industrial control systems.

Inwi said that its Chinese vendor partner Huawei was also involved in the project, providing private 5G solutions and services that are tailored for Moroccan businesses across various sectors, including mining, renewable energy, agriculture, and logistics.

The factory intends to serve as a blueprint for similar Industry 4.0 initiatives in Morocco, while Inwi plans to replicate its private 5G model with chambers of commerce in other regions across Morocco.

Inwi launched its 5G service in November 2025, along with rival telcos Maroc Telecom and Orange Maroc.

At the same GITEX Africa event, Orange Maroc signed a partnership deal with Ericsson to co-develop and promote private 5G network solutions for Moroccos enterprise sector.
Intl community should work together to promote the return of peace, stability in the Gulf region

14:56, April 09, 2026 By Global Times editorial ( Global Times

This photo taken on April 4, 2026 shows a building destroyed in a U.S. and Israeli airstrike at the Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, Iran. Iran's Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Simaei-Sarraf said on Saturday more than 30 Iranian universities have been directly attacked by the United States and Israel since the beginning of the war in late February. (Xinhua/Shadati)

Prior to the expiration of Washington's "ultimatum" on Wednesday, the US and Iran announced a two-week interim ceasefire; delegations from both sides are scheduled to hold negotiations in Pakistan on Friday. Israel has also expressed its support for the US-Iran ceasefire. The world's highly tense nerves have been slightly relaxed. However, public opinion remains pessimistic regarding the prospects for these negotiations. The US side has claimed that its troops stand ready to resume fighting, while the Iranian side has declared that "its soldiers' hands remain on the trigger." It is evident that, although a peace process has indeed been initiated, successfully transforming this ceasefire into a stable, long-term peace mechanism will likely remain a formidable challenge.

Despite the uncertain prospects for negotiations, three fundamental facts have become abundantly clear as the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran has unfolded: First, there are no winners in war. Whether it be the US, Israel, Iran, the neighboring Arab Gulf states or the entire international community, all have been impacted by the conflict to varying degrees. Second, the greatest victims are civilians. Statistics indicate that since the outbreak of hostilities on February 28, millions of people have been displaced; the deaths of students and other unfolding humanitarian crises have caused deep anguish across the globe. Third, the pursuit of absolute security may lead to a security dilemma. "Live and let live" - this is a simple, fundamental truth that is not difficult to grasp.

Currently, the US, Israel and Iran have all expressed a willingness for a ceasefire, with the US and Iran poised to sit down for talks. This constitutes positive news. A two-week period is not long, and all parties must make the most of this brief window of opportunity. The greatest test lies in whether they can demonstrate sincerity in dialogue and a genuine desire to achieve peace, with the first hurdle being the commitment to uphold the ceasefire. If negotiations are treated merely as a means to stall for time and build strength, and if the temporary ceasefire is viewed as a "delaying tactic," the conflict could escalate at any moment, posing a grave threat to peace and stability throughout the Middle East and the wider world. The US, Israel and Iran should exercise rationality and restraint, actively exploring pathways to transition from a brief ceasefire to the realization of long-term peace.

Throughout this process, while adhering to their respective core positions, all parties must also give due consideration to the concerns of the other side. In particular, they must strive to avoid hastily interpreting any aspect of the negotiations as an act of "capitulation" or "defeat," thereby introducing fresh complexities into the talks. This is, of course, a challenging undertaking; nevertheless, the relevant parties - especially the major powers - should demonstrate, throughout this process, the sense of duty and responsibility toward peace that is rightfully expected of them.

The temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran is also a phased outcome of diplomatic efforts by all parties. The international community should seize this rare window of opportunity to build broader consensus and stronger collective action, contributing to easing current tensions and restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East at an early date.

Previously, China and Pakistan jointly put forward a Five-Point Initiative, which includes immediate cessation of hostilities, start of peace talks as soon as possible, security of nonmilitary targets, security of shipping lanes, and primacy of the United Nations Charter. The initiative aligns with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and reflects the shared aspiration of regional countries for peace and stability. It therefore deserves wide recognition and active support from the international community. As a responsible major country, China will continue to maintain close communication with Pakistan and other relevant parties, play a constructive role, and once again call on all countries and international organizations to support and participate in the Five-Point Initiative, jointly promoting to build a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security architecture in the Middle East and helping the region move beyond the shadow of conflict and instability.

This conflict represents a concentrated eruption of longstanding tensions among the US, Israel, and Iran. Looking back over the past decades of turmoil in the region, it underscores the challenges facing traditional global security governance models, a warning with broad implications for the international community. There is an increasingly urgent need for reform and improvement in global security governance. The Global Security Initiative, proposed by China in 2022, provides a profound response to questions of our times such as what security concept the world needs and how countries can achieve common security. It offers a Chinese approach to addressing global security challenges, tackling the root causes of international conflicts, and achieving lasting peace and stability.

From the Iraq War to the turmoil in Libya, from the Syria crisis to the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Middle East has endured decades of devastation, and its people have a deep and pressing desire for peace. The situation in the Middle East is closely linked to global peace and development. Yet peace never arrives automatically; it requires genuine sincerity and courage from all parties. We hope all sides will cherish the hard-won opportunity for dialogue, take a responsible approach to advancing substantive progress in negotiations, and transform the temporary ceasefire into a long-term peace mechanism. This is both the shared expectation of the people of the region and the common aspiration of the international community.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
We have been seeing the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 leaks, along with speculations about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide. But the question was, when is Samsung going to launch these devices? Now, it seems we might have the answer to that question. According to Korean Media reports, Samsung is going to host the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event in the second-to-last week of July. Here is everything, including the location, dates, what to expect and more.

Survey

 Thank you for completing the survey!

According to recent reports, Samsung is likely to host its next Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22. This goes in line with the companys usual launch cycle for the Galaxy Z series. The report also added that the devices may not be introduced in South Korea or the US. The report suggested London as the launch place. The timings and streaming details have not been tipped yet.

Galaxy Unpacked 2026: What to expect

During the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event, Samsung is expected to introduce three new smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8. This year, Samsung seems to be working on a surprise new entrant, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, that may offer a wider aspect ratio and will be directly competing with the long rumoured Apple iPhone Fold or Ultra.

Not only that, but the company is also expected to introduce the Galaxy Watch 9 Series and Galaxy Buds Able at the event. Lastly, the fans can also expect some new AI features under the umbrella of One UI 9.

It must be noted that these details are not confirmed at the moment and we may have to wait a little longer to know more.

Possible India prices

As per the reports, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 price in India is expected to be at Rs 1,74,999 while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide could be priced at Rs 1,95,000. On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 could be priced between Rs 1,09,999 and Rs 1,27,000.

In terms of wearables, the standard Watch 9 could be priced at Rs 36,999 while the LTE could be up to Rs 39,999. The Galaxy Buds Able is said to be priced at around Rs 15,000.
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.
The Government should put Irish neutrality to a public vote, Sinn Fein have said.

The party launched their policy, Protecting Irelands Neutrality, in Dublin on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at the event Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said if the Government wanted to dismantle the Triple Lock on neutrality they are honour bound to go to the people and seek the democratic mandate.

The Triple Lock is the mechanism for sending Irish troops on peacekeeping missions.

Under it, Ireland cannot deploy any more than 12 Defence Forces peacekeepers overseas without a peacekeeping mission being approved by a vote of the UN Security Council, by the government and by the Dail.

Ms McDonald also said the party want a referendum to be put to Irish voters to include a positive assertion of Irish neutrality within the Irish constitution.

In addition, she said Sinn Fein want the position of neutral countries, like Ireland, to be reflected in the basic laws of the European Union.

She said neutral countries are a string to the bow of European politics and diplomacy because of their capacity to build conflict resolution and peaceful dialogue.

Asked if Sinn Fein would withdraw Ireland from EU defence arrangements, the partys spokesman on defence, Donnchadh O Laoghaire, said previous governments had made many commitments a Sinn Fein government would not have.

He said, in government, Sinn Fein would examine each one and where it was possible to disentangle ourselves from that, we would seek to do so.

Obviously, that would have to be on a case by case basis, but we certainly wouldnt be making any new commitments.
Traffic disruption and long waits on the M1 are continuing around Dundalk this afternoon as fuel protesters and rolling conveys are causing congestion at Junction 16 and 18 in the north and south of the town.

Long lines stretched on both sides of the M1 at 2pm this afternoon as traffic moved slowly off the motorway at Junction 16.

Calls were issued on social media for protesters to meet up at the Dundalk Retail Park at 7am this morning.

Organisers have pledged to continue the measures until a meeting with government is facilitated.

Fuel protests across Ireland have caused significant delays to traffic and the blocking of critical infrastructure is "not tolerable and is against the law", say Gardai.

Speaking today, Deputy Commissioner, Policing Operations, Shawna Coxon said:

READ NEXT: 'We have a rule of law in this country' - Army deployed across Ireland amid fuel protests

"Over the last two days, An Garda Siochana has engaged extensively with those taking part in fuel protests across the country to facilitate peaceful protest while protecting public safety.

"In line with our tradition of policing by consent, An Garda Siochana has been operating on the basis of the 4Es  Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce.

"Yesterday, we advised protestors that they were severely impacting on the lives of people, particularly emergency workers, those who need to attend hospital, and workers. "Despite our significant and prolonged engagement, which has included explaining and encouraging protestors to facilitate free movement of traffic, it is clear that some people have significantly escalated an already difficult situation by targeting critical infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries.

"These are no longer protests, they are blockades. "These blockades are putting at risk supplies of food, fuel, clean water and animal feed. These are critical for the nation and its people.

READ NEXT: 'Tough conditions' for weekend ahead as three counties hit with weather warnings "This is not tolerable and is against the law.

"The wilful obstruction of public roads and the movement of vehicles and persons are offences under various statutes including the Public Order Act and Road Traffic Acts. "As part of our well-established graduated policing response in dealing with protests, An Garda Siochana is now moving to an enforcement phase in relation to those impacting on critical infrastructure unless they desist and disperse from these blockades. "An Garda Siochana is advising protestors to immediately cease blockades of such critical infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law.
Louth County Council has received 50,000 to carry out works to the former Carlingford Presbyterian Church.

The church, which was built in 1869 is located on the Newry Road in Carlingford.

The funding was announced by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and will be used for re-slating the church's roof and ancillary lead repair.

It comes as part of a wider funding announcement of 4.42 million under the Historic Structures fund.

Following the announcement of the funding, Minister James Browne said:

The award of funding under the Historic Structures Fund is a demonstration of our commitment to preserving and enhancing Irelands architectural legacy.

Along with the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, this Government is continuing its commitment to safeguard our built heritage, keeping many buildings in use and helping to bring many others back into use.

The funding also supports the survival of the skills and expertise needed to maintain our built heritage and this will also have an economic benefit by generating employment for heritage contractors and other skilled crafts and tradespeople across the country.

Read Next: Louth property prices rise by 15,000 year-on-year as supply tightens

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O'Sullivan said the grant can be the difference between a building falling into disrepair.

Communities across the country know the value of our built heritage, and many of them dedicate their time, passion and expertise to ensuring their protection.

This grant can make the difference between a cherished heritage building falling into disrepair or being restored and valued as part of a thriving streetscape. I know this funding will have a huge impact around the country and I look forward to seeing the results for myself over the coming months and years, he said.

This scheme operates on a match-funding basis with owners and custodians of historic buildings obliged to contribute towards the final cost of works.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Gardai have warned that fuel protesters will "face the full rigours of the law".

Speaking outside Garda headquarters in the Phoenix Park, Deputy Commissioner, Policing Operations, Shawna Coxon said the protests have become "blockades".

Deputy Commissioner Coxon said "despite our significant and prolonged engagement, which has included explaining and encouraging protestors to facilitate free movement of traffic, it is clear that some people have significantly escalated an already difficult situation by targeting critical infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries".

"These are no longer protests, they are blockades.



These blockades are putting at risk supplies of food, fuel, clean water and animal feed. These are critical for the nation and its people.



This is not tolerable and is against the law.

The wilful obstruction of public roads and the movement of vehicles and persons are offences under various statutes including the Public Order Act and Road Traffic Acts.



As part of our well-established graduated policing response in dealing with protests, An Garda Siochana is now moving to an enforcement phase in relation to those impacting on critical infrastructure unless they desist and disperse from these blockades.



An Garda Siochana is advising protestors to immediately cease blockades of such critical infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law."
Louth and Meath County Council's Joint Local Area Plan (LAP) for Drogheda will proceed following a "legal initiative" taken by the Drogheda City Status Group (DCSG) and other local groups.

In January, Drogheda councillors were told that the LAP would "not progress any further" due to a judicial review of the Meath County Development plan.

Legal advice obtained by DCSG was that abandoning the joint plan in this way was without lawful authority and left the authorities in breach of their obligations to properly plan for Drogheda as a single urban area.

The last local area plan for Drogheda was adopted in 2011 and expired in 2017. In the years since, thousands of homes have been built across Louth and East Meath while key infrastructure, schools, community facilities, transport links and recreation spaces have lagged behind, leaving what campaigners describe as a planning freeforall in one of Irelands fastestgrowing urban areas.

The DSCG said residents now face daily congestion, pressure on health and education services and a chronic shortage of local amenities, all in a town that is already operating at city scale without citylevel planning or investment.

In a statement: The DSCG described the U-turn as a "victory for people power and persistence":

Our message was simple: either you plan Drogheda properly as one city, or a court will make you, said DCSG Chairperson Anna McKenna. This Uturn proves that determined local groups can force the system to do its job.

Acting on behalf of the local groups, DCSGs solicitor formally instructed both councils to commence a new joint plan for Drogheda and notified them that any failure to do so would be challenged in the High Court. Faced with that prospect, the councils have now confirmed their intention to move ahead with a coordinated urban area plan for the whole of Drogheda, including the relevant parts of East Meath.

To be clear, we are not asking for special treatment  we are insisting on basic good governance, Anna added. Drogheda has fallen between two stools for far too long. This plan needs to catch up on a decade of drift.

Development Perspectives spokesperson Bobby McCormack said: Its never too late to do the right thing and a coordinated and well-resourced plan is the least that citizens of Drogheda expect. We hope to see a more sustainable, inclusive and equitable community resulting from the announced plan.

Drogheda Vacancy and Dereliction spokesperson Dom Gradwell said: The past decade when the plan should have been in place has seen a dramatic increase in vacancy and dereliction throughout the historic core, in marked contrast to other urban areas across the country.

DCSG argues that the nineyear gap since the last plan lapsed is a stark demonstration of how fragmented local government has failed Drogheda, with two councils and no single vision for housing, transport, employment and amenities. Freedom of information requests revealed that the two councils did not even formally consult one another before deciding to drop the joint plan, a decision DCSG views as a clear failure to govern a cityscale community.

Our objective hasnt changed, said Anna. We want Drogheda to have its own city administration  a council for Drogheda, in Drogheda  with the power and resources to plan and fund this city properly.

DCSG and its partners have pledged to monitor the new plan process closely and to hold both councils to account for delivering a robust, futureproofed framework for housing, transport, education, jobs, culture, sport and community life across the entire urban area."

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
North Louth is set to feature in the first episode of the new series of walking programme Tracks & Trails, which returns this Friday 10 April for its 13th series.

The series sees presenter Doireann Ni Ghlacain joined by contributors for walks across the country. The first episode in Louth features broadcaster and journalist Anton Savage exploring the dramatic landscapes of Ravensdale Forest and Omeath.

Doireann is later joined by archaeologist and lecturer Paul Gosling to uncover our ancient heritage in Barnavave into Carlingford.

They explore the Cooley Mountains and Slieve Foye at the heart of the mountain range, a place steeped in myth and music, Irish folklore and tradition including stories of Cu Chulainn.

Doireann and Anton's walk takes in the Tain Way including the Clermont Cairn, all the way to Omeath and Carlingford Lough.

According to Anton, this is the mythical birthplace of hurling, as Cu Chulainn was said to walk the paths with hurl and sliotar to keep himself entertained.

Read also: Plans to remove apartment block in Louth to make way for houses

Anton describes how the area was once owned by Lord Clermont, and the story of the forced emigration of his tenants during the famine. Now the area is open to the public for walking.

In the second half, archaeologist and lecturer Paul Gosling brings his deep knowledge of the region to a walk from Slieve Foye Forest Park into the medieval town of Carlingford.

Paul shares stories about the myths, folklore and history of the mountains.

Paul and Doireann take in Queen Maebh's Gap, where Paul tells the myth of Queen Maebh crossing the country to Cooley in pursuit of a prize bull, so she could match her possessions to her husband's, and cutting a gap in the mountains to pass through.

He describes this as a unique geo-myth, a combination of geography and mythology.

This first episode of Tracks & Trails airs on Friday 10 April at 8.30pm on RTE One and RTE Player.
Protests over the Irish Governments response to rising fuel prices are entering a third day, with actions so far involving the blocking of major routes and a refinery.

The cost of petrol, diesel, and marked gas oil (green diesel) has soared as a result of the war in the Middle East and impacts on supplies out of the Strait of Hormuz.

Just over two weeks ago, Irelands ruling coalition signed off on a range of measures to reduce fuel costs, including a temporary excise duty reduction for motor fuels, expansion of the diesel rebate scheme for hauliers and bus operators, and an extension of the fuel allowance.

It saw an effective reduction of 17 cent for petrol, 22 cent for diesel, and five cent for green diesel  but the savings were largely eroded as the war waged on.

Several distinct but co-ordinated protests manifested on Tuesday, involving slow-moving convoys on motorways as well as the blocking of major roads in Dublin and other cities.

Those taking part included hauliers and agricultural contractors using large trucks and tractors to disrupt traffic.

The demonstrations continued into Wednesday with escalations including the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork, a move described by Taoiseach Micheal Martin as an act of national sabotage.

Other Coalition figures, including Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris, as well as Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan, emphasised the importance of access to fuel depots and warned of consequences for unlawful activity.

Mr Martin also said it was not acceptable to turn Dublins main thoroughfare, OConnell Street, into a car park as protesters used tractors to substantially clog up traffic in the centre of the capital.

Lines of buses were parked on the side of the citys streets, while some of the busiest streets were empty.

Speaking to the Press Association on Wednesday evening, city-centre protest spokesman John Dallon said he hoped the dispute could be resolved through the Government committing to meeting him and two other participants.

These people are not going to lie down.

The only way they will go off of the streets here is if we send a message back to them that we have a meeting, then theres a good chance that people will go home.

But, I mean, if theres no satisfaction out of the meeting, Id say itll all heat up again.

Senior Government figures said they would continue to engage with official national representative bodies and keep the situation under review.

There were similar protests at more than 20 other locations across the country, protesters said, while the chief executive of Fuels for Ireland, Kevin McPartland, said two depots in Foynes, Co Limerick, and Co Galway had been blocked by protesters.

He said there was a risk to supplies to petrol forecourts as a result.

The Irish police service, An Garda Siochana, and emergency responders including Dublin Fire Brigade have reported disruption and delays as a result of the protests.

Members of the public have also reported missing hospital appointments.
The army has been called in to remove heavy vehicles blocking fuel depots as part of a continuing protest across Ireland over rising fuel prices.

The justice minister said that large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure would be removed.

Protests over the Irish Governments response to rising fuel prices entered a third day on Thursday.

Several distinct but co-ordinated protests began on Tuesday involving slow-moving convoys on motorways and blockades on major roads in Dublin and other cities.

Hauliers and agricultural contractors using large trucks and tractors are among protesters disrupting traffic.

On Wednesday, protests escalated with vehicles blocking fuel depots.

In a statement on Thursday morning, Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan said the blocking of critical national infrastructure will not be permitted to continue and the assistance of the Defence Forces has been requested.

He added owners of the vehicles involved in the blockades should remove them immediately this morning and should not complain later about any damage caused to those vehicles during removal.

The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) was convened on Thursday in response to the escalating situation.

A statement said the group was briefed that there is serious concern about access to fuel for emergency service vehicles, which may impact the availability of some services should the disruption continue.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) also told the NECG the blockades have the potential to disrupt the time-sensitive delivery of key medicines.

The group was also briefed that the obstruction of routes from ports is threatening the provision of animal feed supplies.

The Defence Forces confirmed they had received a request for assistance from An Garda Siochana and said because this operation is ongoing they would not be commenting further.

They have four heavy-lift recovery trucks available to help clear trucks and tractors involved in blockades and it is understood it is envisaged that assistance will be limited to these vehicles and the personnel required to operate them.

The Defence Forces also said images of a convoy of Mowag armoured personnel carriers circulating on social media are the personnel of the 128th Infantry Battalion conducting mission readiness exercises ahead of deployment to Unifil next month.

The Irish premier, Micheal Martin, told RTE he did not anticipate there would be violence if the army and gardai moved in on demonstrators.

The Taoiseach said it is not in our nature to be engineering any situation that gives rise to conflict.

Mr Martin said the Government had to act once the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork and the Foynes fuel terminal in Co Limerick were blocked.

Defence Minister Helen McEntee told reporters at the Curragh Camp that the Defence Forces intervention was never a first resort.

However, she said: It cannot be the case that individuals decide that they are going to blockade parts of the country and stop people from going about their business.

That theyre going to essentially put other businesses out of business now because of their actions, that farmers are potentially going to put animals at risk because of their actions, and that people arent able to get to hospital appointments.

So, as the Government, we have to take firm steps.

Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland said forcourts are running out of stock as a direct result of blockades.

He said enormous effort had gone into maintaining fuel supplies to Ireland since the outbreak of the war in Iran and it is profoundly disappointing people are being prevented from accessing fuel.

On Thursday afternoon, Mr OCallaghan said protesters are being manipulated by outside actors including right-wing activist Tommy Robinson.

He said there were many outside actors, who really want to damage Ireland as a country, manipulating protesters online.

He added: I see Tommy Robinson in the UK referring to and relying upon these protests to advance his own political measures.

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and HSE chief executive Anne OConnor have jointly called for all approaches to medical facilities to be kept clear during the protests.

Ms MacNeill and Ms OConnor said access was required for emergency services, for patients attending medical appointments and to ensure staff can get to work.

They said: Attending hospital or receiving treatment in the community, whether in an emergency situation or for a routine appointment, is a vulnerable time for a patient and their family.

Please respect the critical need for clear and safe access to all healthcare services, to ensure that access to care is never compromised.

In a statement to the media at Garda headquarters in Dublin, Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon said gardai are now moving to an enforcement phase unless protesters desist and disperse.

She added: An Garda Siochana is advising protesters to immediately cease blockades of such critical national infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law.

The protesters say they have nominated three or four spokespeople they want to meet Government leaders.

However, speaking on RTE Radios Morning Ireland show, one of them, John Dallon said he does not speak for the protesters blocking fuel depots: Im here on the streets of Dublin, I have no voice as regards whats happening down the country as regards blocking up ports.

He added: Whats happening down there is out of my hands, I have no control over what happens.

Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon said he would meet with farming and haulier representative groups but would not speak to the protesters.

He said: What is very clear here is that this is a clear choice between democracy or anarchy, and we have a rule of law in this country.

I completely understand where peoples frustration is from in terms of (the) very high energy shock as a result of the war that has broken out between America, Israel and Iran.

Asked specifically about the carbon tax, which some protesters have suggested should be abolished, Mr Heydon said: Undermining the overall economy is not in the best interest of the public at this time, where were facing a very uncertain geopolitical future.

So thats why people have to trust that the Government, while working with all the representative bodies, is doing everything it can within the scope of the tools available to us and will continue to examine the opportunities further for us.

Other coalition figures, including Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris, as well as Mr OCallaghan, emphasised the importance of access to fuel depots and warned of consequences for unlawful activity.

The cost of petrol, diesel and marked gas oil (green diesel) has soared as a result of the war in the Middle East and impacts on supplies out of the Strait of Hormuz.

Just over two weeks ago, Irelands ruling coalition signed off on a range of measures to reduce fuel costs, including a temporary excise duty reduction for motor fuels, expansion of the diesel rebate scheme for hauliers and bus operators, and an extension of the fuel allowance.

It saw an effective reduction of 17 cents for petrol, 22 cents for diesel, and five cents for green diesel  but the savings were largely eroded as the war raged on.
Award-winning photographer Mark Condren has been named Cork Person of the Month for March.

Mr Condren has been recognised for his achievements in press photography, having recently won the AIB Press Photographer of the Year award for a record-breaking seventh time.

The Castletownroche native began his career in local journalism at The Avondhu, before moving to The Corkman and the Sunday Tribune.

He joined the national stage with the Sunday Independent and Irish Independent, where his work has become a staple of visual storytelling.

The judging panel for his recent photographer of the year win praised his work as iconic, noting that his ability to capture human suffering and human joy elevate the work of this press photographer beyond the immediate and the graphic.

His photography has taken him to all four corners of the world, covering a vast range of topics such as famines in Ethiopia and South Sudan, the aftermath of earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal, and war zones in Syria, the Gaza Strip, and Western Sahara.

Some of his notable works include a striking portrait of actor Patrick Bergin at his home in Tipperary and a poignant image of Ibtisam, a Palestinian mother evacuated from Gaza to Dublin.

Awards organiser Manus OCallaghan said Mr Condren is a master of his craft.

He has an incredible gift for finding the extraordinary in the ordinary and the humanity in the headlines, said Mr OCallaghan.

Mr Condrens name will now go forward for possible selection as Cork Person of the Year at the annual awards in January 2027.
Cork parents are less likely to want their school to be religious than parents in most counties, figures have shown.

The majority of parents whose children attend single-sex schools in Cork would rather see them in a mixed school, while most parents of children in English-speaking schools in Cork want English to remain the main language.

A much narrower majority of parents of children in religious schools in Cork said they would be in favour of it keeping its religious ethos.

These responses come from the Governments national primary school survey.

The survey saw more than 200,000 households submitting validated responses across Ireland, alongside strong participation from school staff and boards of management.

In Cork, 55% of parents of children in denominational primary schools expressed a preference for their schools ethos to remain denominational.

This is compared to 60% nationally.

Cork had the third-lowest percentage in the country, narrowly behind Waterford and Wicklow.

There are 276 single-sex primary schools in Ireland, and 73% of them indicated a preference for their school to transition to a co-educational model.

The figure was slightly lower in Cork, with 70% of the parents of students in Corks 31 single-sex schools  which includes 13 all-girls schools and 18 all-boys schools  saying they would prefer a mixed school.

Almost nine in ten parents (87.8%) of children in primary schools in Cork that teach mainly through English expressed a preference for English to remain the primary language of instruction, marginally above the 87% reported nationally.

While the figures show the picture at county level, the Department of Education has said it is the parental preferences at individual school level that will show the actual demand for change or otherwise.

In early May, every primary school will receive its individual school-specific report, along with clear information on the steps a school may need to take where the parental preference shows demand for change.

Based on the preferences of their parents as returned in the survey, schools will be asked to consider if they wish to be included in the first tranche of schools to action any changes needed.

The department has said it will provide supports to those schools wishing to make changes.
The Garda file in the case against a teenager on a charge of allowing himself to be carried in a stolen cherry-picker which was driven through Cork city on November 2 has been sent to the DPP for directions.

Sergeant Aisling Murphy confirmed at Cork District Court that the file was sent to the DPP on March 23 and that directions were awaited from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Patrick Costin, aged 18, of Cork Simon Community is also charged with causing damage to a bollard at Oliver Plunkett St arising out of his alleged role in the escapade.

Garda Paul McCarthy said that at 8.20pm on Sunday, November 2, 2025, gardai responded to a report of a theft of scissor-lift that was about to be collected and removed from St Patricks Quay.

He said keys were not in the ignition in one of the compartments of the cage so that it could be collected.

It is alleged that on the quay and on roads and pedestrian footpaths along the centre of Cork city, there was dangerous driving," said Garda McCarthy.

"This incident occurred at a time when both road and pedestrian traffic in the city centre was busy and the incident was captured on mobile phone cameras and shared on social media by multiple witnesses at different parts of the route.

"The scissor-lift was brought to a stop by gardai on South Gate Bridge where arrests were made.

Mr Costin was remanded in custody until April 15.
A prolific Swiss investor has bought the former Tung Sing restaurant premises in Cork city in a deal worth over 1.8m.

The Patrick St building is the latest in a string of city-centre properties purchased by the Swiss businessman since he set up an Irish-registered property company six years ago.

Identified in company registration files as Mischa Khakshouri, director of Irish-registered company Swiss Property Management Ltd, he posted on social media recently that the company was completing our fifth year in business here and still loving Cork.

Read More Cork city and county property prices rise in Q1, survey finds

The serial investor has purchased multiple commercial properties in Cork City. They include:

The double-fronted Holland & Barrett property at Nos 43/44 Patrick St, which he bought for 2.6m in 2023;

The former Ulster Bank premises at No 16/17A Winthrop St, which he bought for close to 1m in 2024. The ground floor and a portion of the overhead has since been leased to health food restaurant Sprout & Co;

The Irish Examiner s city-centre office at the junction of Princes St and Oliver Plunkett St, a four-storey building with additional tenants, for which he paid 800,000;

s city-centre office at the junction of Princes St and Oliver Plunkett St, a four-storey building with additional tenants, for which he paid 800,000; The former OConnor's shoe shop at No 57 Oliver Plunkett St, where the upper floors have since been converted into apartments;

A couple of premises near the GPO on Pembroke St/Oliver Plunkett St, including Nos 21, 22, and 23, for which he paid 1.25m;

Carbery House, at 67-69 South Mall, which he acquired off-market in 2022 for around 2m.

The former OConnor's shoe shop at No 57 Oliver Plunkett St, where the upper floors have since been converted into apartments. File picture Denis Minihane

While the low-key investor has kept his identity under wraps, Cork City Council planning files identify a company called Swiss Property Management Limited as the owners of 67-69 South Mall, whose directors are listed as Mischa Khakshouri, Sascha Khakshouri, and Fiona Byrne.

The company, set up in 2019, was granted permission in 2024 by the city council to convert the South Mall building into 17 apartments with a ground floor cafe.

In 2023, the Irish Examiner reported 10m had been invested locally across several assets by the Swiss investor.

President and CEO

Listed in Swiss commercial records as president and CEO of a company called Kh Holding AG  a holding/investment company based in Zurich  Mr Khakshouri is also registered as president of the board and CEO of MKM AG, a separate Zurich company active in architecture and engineering services.

His Facebook page says he studied architecture at Parsons School of Architecture, which is in New York. His latest Cork city acquisition at No 23 Patrick St  where the upper floors had operated as a family-run Chinese restaurant from the early 1960s until the closure of Tung Sing in 2024  adds another high profile asset to his growing city property portfolio.

The 4,499sq ft (418sq m) building has several attractive features such as a curved, coloured glass canopy over an entrance door and decorative railings at first floor level, not to mention a superb view over the main street.

Plans for the former Tung Sing premises include retaining its upper floors as a restaurant, while jewellers H Samuels will continue to trade from the ground floor commercial unit, having recently signed a 10-year lease, up to June 2035.

Dennis Guerin of Frank V Murphy, acting for the Swiss buyer, said the intention is to rent out the upper floors to a restaurant operator at an annual lease of 45,000pa.

Savills brought the three-storey No 23 to market late last year, on behalf of client Irish Life, with a guide price of 1.7m. It sold for in excess of 1.8m.
Cork is set for very wet weather heading into the weekend, as Met Eireann issued two status yellow warnings.

A rain warning is in place for Cork, Kerry, and Waterford, with "spells of heavy rain" expected from 9am on Friday until 9pm.

The warnings come as popular social media weather forecaster Alan O'Reilly, known as Carlow Weather, said this week that Saharan dust could reach Ireland.

Saharan dust can create so-called blood rain when it mixes with downpours. It is not uncommon in Ireland, having occurred a number of times in previous years.

"Saharan dust forecast shows the dust is forecast to reach Ireland towards end of week and some showers could bring some of that dust down to the surface," he said.

The dust is a mixture of sand and dust particles from the Sahara Desert in North Africa.

Winds in the desert can carry dust high into the atmosphere, and if upper-level winds blow north, it can reach Ireland. Rain can then bring the dust to the ground.

According to the UK Met Office: "As raindrops fall, they collect particles of dust on the way down. Then when the raindrops land on something and eventually evaporate, they leave behind a layer of dust."

Wind and rain set to stay across weekend

More generally, Met Eireann said rain will be widespread across the country on Friday, with "some heavy and squally bursts possible, especially in the late afternoon and evening".

Friday night will be "wet and windy" early on "with gales on western, northern and eastern coasts".

"Some heavy and squally bursts of rain are possible," said Met Eireann. "The rain will clear eastwards overnight and will be followed by scattered showers of rain or sleet and some clear spells."

Temperatures will fall to lows of around 1C on Friday night.

Saturday will be another windy day, as a "crisp and sunny start in the east will give way to scattered blustery showers spreading from the west".

"Some of the showers will be heavy with a chance of hail and thunder, and a few could also be wintry over high ground in the west early on."

Temperatures will reach highs of 11C before falling to lows of around 4C overnight. Conditions on Saturday night will be "blustery with scattered showers and clear spells".

Sunday will be "another breezy and blustery day with a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers".

Met Eireann says that some of the showers will be heavy "and there is a chance of hail".

Winds will ease on Sunday night, with showers clearing in most areas and temperatures falling to lows of 0C to 4C.
Sarah Slater and Ellen O'Donoghue

Gardai have been notified in advance of Thursdays nationwide fuel protest by organisers of the planned convoy routes and meeting points across the country.

Organisers have asked that everyone protest safely and respectfully, and to keep all emergency routes and hard shoulders clear at all times.

The main protest locations and times involve Dublin, Waterford, Wexford, Sligo, Donegal, Clare, Limerick, Cork, Portlaoise, Tullamore, Portumna, Banagher Bridge, Athlone and surrounding counties.

The protests have resulted in nationwide traffic disruption over the last several days, with protesters causing gridlock around Dublin city centre for a second day on Wednesday over rising fuel costs caused by the war in Iran.

Several tractors were parked along OConnell Street and buses were abandoned on OConnell Bridge on Wednesday, as farmers and other fuel-dependent workers blocked the busy routes.

Protesters have called for a cap on kerosene and diesel, and for the carbon tax and excise duty to be removed for an interim period.

On Thursday in Dublin and Leinster, meetings are planned at Kinnegad Plaza between 7am and 7.30am, M7 Junction 14 Monasterevin at 7am, Navan Retail Park to move off at 7.30am, M1 Castle Bellingham at 7am, and the N11 Southside/Wicklow feeder to gather at 7am and roll towards Dublin.

The main Portlaoise and Tullamore town gatherings are to meet in their respective towns at 7am to move off at 7.30am.

In Portumna/Banagher Bridge a high visibility rolling protest over the Shannon crossing is to meet at 6am and roll slowly and peacefully from 6.30am with county feeder support from Galway/Loughrea, Tupperary, the Offaly/Birr side, Ballinasloe/Laurencetown and Banagher.

In Athlone and the Midlands, a meeting is planned on the M6 between Junctions 7 and 8 at 7am to move off from 7.30am.

There will also be a gathering in Waterford City, with feeder routes from Dungarvan, Cappoquin, Lismore, Kilmacthomas, Ferrybank, New Ross, Campile, Mooncoin, Carrick-on-Suir and Clonmel.

In Wexford, a gathering is planned at 7am at the N11/N25 Ballindinas New Ross Road roundabout to move off at 7.30am.

In Sligo, plans are to meet at the N4/N15 interchange at 7.30am for a rolling move from 8am.

Plans in Donegal are to meet at the Tesco car park on the Port Road in Letterkenny at 6am to move off from 6.15am.

In Clare, vehicles are to meet at the Banner Plaza on Junction 12 of the M18 at 7am, to depart at 7.30am.

In Limerick, groups from Beary's Cross, Daly's Cross, Croom and Bunratty Village are all to feed into the rolling route from Junction 29 on the M7 to Junction 2 on the N18.

There are to also be vehicles coming from Midleton, Watergrasshill, Ballincollig, Mallow, Macroom, Clonakilty, Ballyhooly and surrounding areas.

In a social media post, organisers said, "If you are not in a truck, van, tractor, or convoy vehicle, please come out safely, stand shoulder to shoulder with us, wave your Irish flags, and support the people of Ireland".
Ellen O'Donoghue, James Cox, Vivienne Clarke, Michael Bolton and Sarah Slater

Nationwide fuel price protests have entered a third day

Protesters continue to block OConnell Street and OConnell Bridge in Dublin city centre

The Defence Forces have been asked to help gardai in their response to the protests

Protesters manipulated by outside actors like Tommy Robinson, says OCallaghan

Delays have been reported on the M50, N4/N4, N3/M3, N2/M2, M1, M7, M8, M18, M20, M8, M22, M1 and several other routes

The National Transport Authority created a dedicated web page for information on service disruptions

General traffic alerts can be checked here

Full list of cancelled Bus Eireann routes

Full list of Dublin Bus services cancelled, diverted or delayed

Forecourts are beginning to run out of fuel around the country as blockades continue at fuel terminals and the refinery in Co Cork.

9.15pm

We have been receiving a high number of reports that home carers all over the country, and particularly in the south and west, are struggling to secure fuel supplies due to the ongoing protests, said Joseph Musgrave, Chief Executive of Home & Community Care Ireland (HCCI).

Some carers have already reported they cannot attend their clients due to the lack of fuel to provide essential care, he added.

He said HCCI have contacted the Minister of State for Older People, Kieran ODonnell, requesting an urgent meeting tomorrow to find solutions and ensure a steady, secure supply of fuel for carers.

Many home carers have no alternative to travelling by car to their clients homes. The Government must ensure the essential and uninterrupted care of the elderly and the vulnerable throughout this crisis, said Musgrave.

8.25pm

The HSE South West is actively managing the emerging fuel supply issue in the Region that has the potential to impact service delivery across Cork and Kerry.

As a precaution, local contingency plans have been activated.

It says critical services, including emergency care, urgent patient transport and time-sensitive treatments will be prioritised.

HSE South West advises people attending appointments to contact the service directly if they are concerned about being late or missing their appointment.

8.10pm

In a post on X, Sean Fleming, a Fianna Fail TD for Laois called on the Government to cap fuel prices.

Since prices went up at the pumps, the Government is getting more money from taxes and I believe its important to keep costs down at this stage for the entire economy.

He added this will help keep inflation down as the costs go up. People will want wage increases to match the new inflation rate that can rise when you keep pushing up costs and it will be much cheaper for the government in the long term and add stability to the economy by keeping costs down, inflation down.

He said he is asking the Government to that right away.

Fleming told the Leinster Express in Co Laois that he held this position prior to the protest beginning.

He said he believed that the cost of a cap could be funded by the increase in taxes that it was taking due to the rising prices. He said the tax take had increased beyond what was expected in the Budget for 2026.

I would say the Government is getting a windfall tax, which I would say should be used to keep the prices down and inflation down and thereby keep demands for increased wages down also, he told the outlet.

7:25pm

The People Of Ireland Against Fuel Prices Protest have confirmed that the protest will continue tomorrow, Friday, April 10th.

In a post on Facebook, the organising group said, This is now the fourth date of protest and it will continue until the Government listen to the people of Ireland.

The Government really need to engage with us to stop this.

Remember we did not cause this and it is only going to get bigger and bigger every week if it comes to it, the post added.

7.05pm

Corrib Oil is bringing in a temporary 50 limit per customer transaction at its forecourts.

It's also introducing quantity restrictions for commercial customers.

In a statement, it says it's closely monitoring the situation and will continue to respond as it evolves.

7:00 pm

The Social Democrats said the Government should try to de-escalate the situation by meeting organisers and hearing their concerns.

Party justice spokesman Gary Gannon said everyone had a right to protest but added that the blockading of fuel depots, motorways and large parts of the capital is wrong.

He said meeting organisers should be done on the strict condition that the protests across the country would end.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the party appreciates the deep distress and frustration experienced by hauliers, contractors and all those causing blockades, and recognised their right to protest.

However, she said: We would urge protesters to end their blockades immediately as these are causing significant disruption to workers and families, many tens of thousands of whom are already in energy arrears and huge financial difficulties with a cost-of-living crisis.

6.30pm

The Health Minister says the impact of the fuel protests on hospital services is being closely monitored.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill says the advice for attending facilities such as the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin is everyone should plan that it will take longer to get there.

"How precisely are you supposed to do that if you are a pregnant woman and your contractions start and has to try plan extra time to get to the Rotunda is beyond me.

"It is that kind of very difficult decisions that people are being impacted by. Not every emergency arrives by an ambulance, they have to get there quickly, and it is simply not possible in the same predictable way that need it in a very important time of their lives."

6.22pm

Fuel protesters are being manipulated by outside actors, the Minister for Justice has said.

Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Jim OCallaghan said: When you look online at present, you can see that many outside actors are seeking to manipulate these people for their own purposes.

He added that British right-wing activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was referring to and relying upon these protests to advance his own political measures.

5.56pm

Some critical deliveries have left Foynes Port in Co Limerick, gardai have said in a post on X.

In line with our tradition of policing by consent, An Garda Siochana has been operating on the basis of the 4Es  Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce. Following positive engagement some critical deliveries have departed Foynes Port in Co. Limerick this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/bhILlM7l5z  An Garda Siochana (@GardaTraffic) April 9, 2026

5.50pm

Fuel protesters are being manipulated by outside actors, the Justice Minister has said.

Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Jim OCallaghan said when you look online at present, you can see that many outside actors are seeking to manipulate these people for their own purposes.

He added that British right-wing activist Tommy Robinson was referring to and relying upon these protests to advance his own political measures.

So I think we need to recognise that people are being manipulated here, and we need to bring an end to these protests.

Read more here.

5.36pm

The public is still being advised to plan their journey before travelling and to allow extra travel time.

The National Transport Authority has created a dedicated web page for information on service disruptions, which can be viewed here.

People can also check here for general traffic alerts.

Those using public transport should still check with their operators in case of diversions or disruptions.

5.30pm

The National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG) was convened on Thursday to assess the impacts of the ongoing blockades on the transport network nationwide and the effects on the provision of vital services.

"The group was briefed that the blockades are continuing to cause significant disruption for the public, to supply chains and vital services, including emergency services and public transport," a statement said.

The NECG was told that Ireland's fuel supplies overall remain robust and resilient, but the current situation is solely a distribution issue that can be alleviated by ending blockades and restoring access for delivery vehicles.

"Road access to a number of ports continues to be constricted, which is affecting the distribution of fuel to service stations in some parts of the country," it said.

There is now "serious concern" regarding access to fuel for emergency services vehicles, which may have consequent impacts on the availability of some services should the disruption continue, as a number of emergency services operate on the basis of fuel cards, and obtain their fuel from forecourts.

A NECG subgroup has been established to focus on the specific impacts on the emergency services fleet and to consider possible contingencies, the statement said.

"The HSE briefed the group that transport disruption is causing people to miss scheduled medical appointments and is impacting the provision of homecare and critical care, such as dialysis and cancer treatment, to some service users."

The HSE also warned that the blockades have the potential to disrupt the time-sensitive delivery of key medicines and medical devices, "given that frequent and reliable transport is critical to their supply."

The NECG was briefed on the impacts being felt by the agriculture sector.

"The obstruction of key access routes from ports is now threatening the provision of animal feed supplies and other vital materials, resulting in potential animal welfare issues and a threat to livelihoods. Some farms are also experiencing disruption to fertiliser delivery.

"An Garda Siochana is operating the 4 Es model  engage, explain, encourage, enforce.

"Policing is moving out of enforcement stage. Gardai are advising those involved to immediately cease blockades. An Garda Siochana and the Defence Forces are working collaboratively in this regard."

The NECG will meet on an ongoing basis to continue to monitor the situation and will provide regular updates to Government, the statement finished.

5.08pm

Around 40 forecourts in Munster have closed pumps due to a low supply of fuel, while the majority of service stations in Kilkenny city have now run out, Sarah Slater reports.

Carlow-Kilkenny Fianna Fail TD Peter Chap Cleere has said that the Government should realise that rural Ireland must not be left behind.

Cleere said in an online statement that fuel prices are putting real pressure on families and farmers across rural Ireland, and he knows how difficult this is for many people right now.

For those living in rural communities, there is no alternative to driving; its essential for work, school runs, and everyday life, he highlighted.

Rising diesel and petrol costs are hitting hardest where there are the fewest options, and farmers in particular are facing significant challenges with the cost of green diesel.

Farmers are the backbone of our rural economy and the custodian of our land and they need continued support.

Cleere said that he welcomed the steps the Government has taken to date, including the 250 million package of supports and remarks by Taoiseach Micheal Martin regarding ongoing dialogue and planned engagement with the haulage and agri-sector.

Ive raised these concerns on behalf of the people of Carlow/Kilkenny directly with the Taoiseach and Minister Darragh OBrien and will continue working to ensure rural communities and farmers are supported.

4.56pm

Dublin Airport have issued a passenger advisory to anyone travelling to and from Dublin Airport this evening to allow extra time for their journey due to the protests causing traffic disruption on roads approaching the airport.

 Passenger Advisory: 16.30 Passengers travelling to and from Dublin Airport this evening are advised to allow extra time for their journey due to protest activity causing traffic disruption on roads approaching the airport, including the M1 and M50.  Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) April 9, 2026

The advisory comes after people were pictured with luggage walking past traffic on the M50 Northbound.

People with their luggage walk past the heavy traffic on Dublin's M50 Northbound, due to vehicles taking part on the third day of a National Fuel Protest against rising fuel prices. Photo: PA

4.41pm

Forecourts are beginning to run out of stock as a "direct result of the blockades at fuel terminals," according to Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland.

Blockades have been in place at fuel terminals in Foynes and Galway, and at the refinery in Whitegate, Co Cork, since Wednesday.

McPartland appealed to those blocking the terminals and refinery to "stand down".

"The position is straightforward. If access to fuel terminals and refineries is obstructed, fuel cannot be loaded and delivered as normal. If fuel cannot be delivered as normal, stock levels at forecourts cannot be maintained. What we are now seeing at some sites is the inevitable consequence of those blockades," McPartland said.

Since the first attack on Iran at the end of February, the industry's focus has been to protect Ireland's security of fuel supply, he said.

"The sector has worked hard and effectively to ensure that Ireland continued to have a reliable supply of fuel available.

"It is therefore disappointing that, at a time when enormous effort has gone into maintaining supply to Ireland, people in Ireland are now being prevented from accessing that fuel because key fuel facilities are being blocked," McPartland said.

The people who are impacted by the fuel blockades are "not politicians, not civil servants, and not fuel suppliers.

"They are households, businesses, farmers, hauliers, workers, and communities across the country. They are the very people who rely on fuel to live their lives, to get to work, to run their businesses, to care for family members, and to keep essential services moving."

McPartland described the situation as going "beyond inconvenience," because when fuel deliveries are blocked, "the consequences are serious.

"It is not just routine motorists who are affected," he said, with essential workers, businesses, communities and emergency services all being affected.

"If forecourts run dry, emergency vehicles will also face difficulty accessing the fuel they need."

He added that Fuels for Ireland "have real empathy" for the concerns driving the protest, saying they are "real and legitimate.

"But blockading fuel terminals and refineries is a serious misjudgement. It does not put pressure on decision-makers in any meaningful way. Instead, it disrupts the lives of ordinary people and damages the very communities the protesters say they represent."

McPartland has appealed "directly to those involved" to stand down their protests at fuel terminals and at the refinery.

"We do not want to see a situation in which An Garda Siochana or the Defence Forces are required to intervene. We do not want to see anybody getting into legal difficulty. But nor can Irelands fuel infrastructure be obstructed without serious consequences for the public.

"Those involved should now reflect carefully on whether this is really the right way to make their point. The reality is simple: if you block fuel facilities, you reduce the availability of fuel at forecourts. That is exactly what is now happening."

4.30pm

A full road closure due to an incident on the M50 Southbound at Junction 3 to Junction 4 has been reported by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

Motorists have been advised to expect delays.

4pm

Sign at Barrons Spar and Circle K filling station informing motorists there is no more diesel available. Photo: David Raleigh

Barron's Spar Circle K fuel forecourt in Blackwater, Ardnacrusha Co Clare, ran out of diesel on Thursday as a consequence of the fuel protest blockades, David Raleigh reports.

Manager Alannah Barron said she did not know when her diesel pumps would run again.

For the last two days we have seen an awful lot of people panic-buy, people are stocking up with Jerry-Cans and everything, said Barron.

Unfortunately we are now out of diesel, and I have no idea when our next delivery is going to beits obviously very challenging, she added.

Motorists queued up to fill up their tanks throughout the day, but were only able to do so if they had petrol vehicles. Diesel owners were met with signs strapped to the diesel pumps that read: Out of fuel. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Our customers are like myself, we just dont know (when it will end), hopefully we will get some answers soon, but I suppose nobody knows, said Barron.

Our Spar is still open, we are still trading and we have petrol, we just have no diesel, she said.

Across the border into Limerick, filling stations reportedly placed a cap on how much fuel motorists could purchase.

Long queues of vehicles outside filling stations were reported across the Midwest.

3.23pm

The Defence Forces has four heavy-lift recovery trucks available to assist An Garda Siochana to clear vehicles involved in blockades.

An Garda Siochana has requested the assistance of the Defence Forces to deal with protests on major routes, fuel depots and outside an oil refinery.

The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces said its troops are "happy" to lift heavy load vehicles out of the way if they continue to block critical infrastructure.

Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy has said soldiers are ready to go.

"The Defence Forces have been asked by An Garda Siochana to provide supports, and happy to do that. Weve looked at the request, and the support that the Defence Forces will provide will be in the form of heavy lift recovery vehicles to a number of locations around the country," he said.

"This is a unique capability that the Defence Forces has, and we will provide that for as long as An Garda Siochana need it."

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Helen McEntee has said that if army resources are necessary to ensure road blockages are open then that is what needs to happen."

Defence Minister Helen McEntee and Defence Forces Chief of Staff Rossa Mulcahy speaking to the media about fuel protests. Photo: PA

2.56pm

There is only one lane open on the M50 northbound after Junction 6 at Blanchardstown, TII have said.

Road users have been told to expect delays.

2.35pm

There are reports of people queuing at fuel pumps in Galway city, with some pumps having already run out.

Some forecourts around the country are limiting how much fuel people can buy, with others running out of petrol and diesel.

The head of Fuels for Ireland has said that after 48 hours of blockades at the country's main depots, a number of sites have already run out of stock, particularly in Galway, Cork and Kerry.

Others are putting a 'demand management' system in place, which will limit the amount of fuel customers can buy at a time, in an attempt to stretch out remaining stock.

CEO Kevin McPartlan told Newstalk that while he has a lot of empathy for protesters, the action is now posing a 'real danger' to those who need to access petrol and diesel.

Sarah Slater reports that lines of motorists queuing for fuel have been reported across Waterford county, with similar scenes around Clonmel in Tipperary.

2.28pm

Mary Lou McDonald has urged the Government to pick up the phone and speak with protesters blocking fuel depots and motorways in Ireland.

The Sinn Fein leader was speaking to the press on the third day of demonstrations over rising fuel prices, which have brought parts of the country to a standstill.

Asked about the decision by the Minister for Justice to call in the Defence Forces to assist gardai, she said: The decision that needs to be made is for Micheal Martin and Simon Harris to lift the phone."

Read the full piece here.

2.26pm

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has said that a full road closure is in place on the M50 northbound at Junction 5, Finglas.

Expect delays, it said on social media.

Delays are affecting many major roads in the country, as well as the M50, including the M18, M9, M8, M7/N7, M4/N4, M3/N3 and several other routes.

2.21pm

A fuel protester in Macroom, Co Cork who runs a one-man operation has said that they are not asking for the world from the Government, Olivia Kelleher reports.

Gearoid Crowley, who was outside an event being attended by Taoiseach Micheal Martin on Thursday morning warned that members of the public need to be aware of the impact of the surge in fuel prices on everything from goods to services.

"What would be considered a small (contracting) outfit - five tractors, a silage harvester and a pike on the pit - that man is facing this summer, if this is not brought under control, that man is facing an extra 1500 per day on his fuel bill.

"He cannot absorb all that - he is going to have to pass that on. If he passes that on, that knock-on effect is going to go down the line."

"That is going to end up in the shops on the shelves in the price of food," Crowley said.

Crowley added that they were taking part in the protest for the entire country. Not just to line our own pockets.

"We want to be able to continue to produce food at an affordable level for the general public, plain and simple."

2.10pm

The Irish Road Haulage Association has reiterated the fact that they are not taking part in any protest actions while they negotiate with the government.

"We are currently in negotiations with government for more supports for our industry following crippling fuel price increases," the organisation said in a statement.

"We reiterate that we will not be taking part in any protest actions whilst we are negotiating in good faith with government  contrary to reports on social media."

1.30pm

We want to be heard, a fuel protester has said as disruption and delays on Irish motorways entered a third day.

Shane Bowhan, from Co Louth, who operates a small minibus company, said he was joining the demonstration because the rise in fuel prices is just not viable.

HGV and tractor drivers have continued to impede journeys to express their discontent with the Governments response to surging fuel prices as a result of the war in Iran.

Protests that began as slow-moving convoys have escalated to include the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork.

Speaking on the N1 in Dundalk, Bowhan said: My fuel bill has gone from 550 to 600 a week extra.

I know it doesnt sound like much, Im only a year-and-a-half in business, Im running three minibuses, theres other operators out there with 40, 50 buses, about 20-grand deficit.

So we have to come out and do something, Im only making a small wage getting started, so that 500, 600 that Im paying extra, thats my wage gone for the week.

So whats the point in doing it if Im going to do it for free?

We have to go out and do something.

He said the Government needs to step up and admit that theres a problem.

12.54pm

Tipperary-based Independent councillor and Commissioner of Oaths John OHeney is appealing to the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, not to deploy the Army.

Heney believes that once this line is crossed, there is no going back and that it will create a major divide in the country that will have a lasting impact.

Dialogue and talks must take place with those affected straight away, many of whom do not feel represented by the Irish Road Haulage Association, he continued.

The last thing these people want to do is protest, but they have been pushed to the pin of their collar by the current fuel prices. If those in power can not see this, then they are totally detached from the reality on the ground. Livelihoods are at stake nationwide.

Laois senator Maria McCormack has also backed protesters. In a post on social media, the Sinn Fein senator said: "Peaceful protest happens when people feel they have been left with no other choice. I stand with them in calling for action from this government.

In Kilkenny, two Inver fuel stations in the city and in the village of Slieverue are advising customers that they are currently experiencing delays in fuel deliveries.

In an online statement, they added that they are doing everything possible to continue serving customers.

12.18pm

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and chief executive of the Health Service Executive Anne OConnor have jointly called for all approaches to medical facilities to be kept clear during ongoing protests in Ireland over rising fuel costs.

Carroll MacNeill and OConnor said access was required for emergency services, for patients attending medical appointments and to ensure staff can get to work.

They said: Attending hospital or receiving treatment in the community, whether in an emergency situation or for a routine appointment, is a vulnerable time for a patient and their family.

Please respect the critical need for clear and safe access to all healthcare services, to ensure that access to care is never compromised.

12.15pm

Transport Infrastructure Ireland has released a statement on the disruption to Irish roads on Thursday.

"There is significant distribution across the national road/motorway network currently impacting Counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Laois, Offaly, Kildare, Galway, Cork, and Dublin," the statement, posted on X, said.

"TIIs network operations are working closely with the Garda Traffic Core to assist in managing the on-going traffic distribution. TII requests that all road users leave the hard shoulder available for emergency services. The protest is mobile at times and can impact different regions at different times."

Anyone planning a journey has been advised to visit the TII website here for live information on the impact across the national road and motorway network.

12.11pm

Several Dublin Bus routes have been cancelled, delayed and diverted due to the protests.

"We wish to advise customers that due to fuel price protests, we are experiencing ongoing severe service disruptions and delays across the Dublin Bus network," a statement on the Dublin Bus website said.

The following services are among those to be cancelled:

142 - 16:35, 16:50, 17:05 and 17:35

P29 - 17:00,17:20 and 17:40

51D - 17:15

69X - 17:45

X1 - 16:50, 17:30, 17:50 and 18:30

X2 - 15:30, 16:15 and 17:10

41X - 17:00, 17:15 and 17:30

X27 - 16:12, 17:11, 17:30, 17:50

33X - 16:15, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30 and 18:00

33D - 17:45

X31 - 16:30, 17:00, 17:30

X25 - 16: 14,16:39, 16:50, 17:07, 17:15 and 17:22

X32 - 16:45, 17:15

X28 - 16:50, 17:30

X30 - 16:50, 17:25

39X - 16:55, 17:25

For the full, up-to-date list of cancelled, delayed, and diverted routes , click here.

11.56am

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has described the threat of using the Defence Forces against protesters as "extremely worrying.

"It should be withdrawn," Murphy said in a post on X.

"People have a right to protest without the army being sent against them. This will create a dangerous precedent that will be used against other protesters in future." Green Party leader Roderic OGorman has called on fuel protesters to end their blockage ahead of planned interventions from the Defence Forces. Irish people need to be able to travel and access basic services like fuel. The right to protest is not a right to hold people to ransom. Those leading the protests should look at the impact of their actions on people around the country, and stop blocking roads, public transport and fuel depots, he said. If the Gardai need to be provided with extra support in keeping roads and basic services open, then thats the right thing to do - vulnerable people shouldnt be at risk of not being able to travel to the doctor, water supplies cannot be threatened for lack of fuel.

11.45am

Motorists have been urged to consider alternative routes as the M50 Junction 9 at the Red Cow is blocked.

M50 fuel protesters updates: J9 convoy northbound and Southbound. Avoid the area if possible. Drive with caution #m50safety  M50 Dublin (@M50Dublin) April 9, 2026

11.27am

The involvement by the Defence Forces in managing fuel protests will be limited and of a practical nature, Acting Deputy Garda Commissioner Paul Cleary has said.

An Garda Siochana remains in control of this policing operation, he told reporters at Garda headquarters.

We have well-established protocols with the Defence Forces that we can request their assistance on a case-by-case basis, which is what we have done at this stage, but, as I said, An Garda Siochana will retain control of the policing operation.

Any assistance provided by the Defence Forces will be as an aid to the military power and it will be limited and of a practical nature.

Asked if this would involve moving large vehicles out of the way, Mr Cleary said: Itll be as requested by the guards and, again, Im not going to go into the operational detail of our enforcement plans, but, as I said, this is a wellworn path with the Defence Forces.

Its not to say that they will necessarily or may even be used, but the form C70 is basically a request, so we have that option open to us. But, again, Im not going to go into the operational details of what they may or may not be doing.

11.19am

The Defence Forces have confirmed their assistance has been requested by gardai in response to fuel protest blockades, David Raleigh reports.

It is understood the army personnel have been deployed to assist in moving heavy machinery and vehicles blocking routes.

When asked if soldiers were dispatched to Foynes Port, Co Limerick, where blockades are in force, a Defence Forces spokesperson replied, The Defence Forces can confirm that assistance has been requested from An Garda Siochana in the form of heavy vehicle recovery.

As this operation is ongoing, we will not provide further comment until it is concluded, said the spokesperson.

They added that they are "aware of images circulating of MOWAG Armoured Personnel Carriers in convoy. We can confirm that these are the personnel of the 128th Infantry Battalion conducting mission readiness exercises ahead of deployment to UNIFIL next month.

10.52am

Several Bus Eireann routes have been cancelled due to the protests.

Customers have been advised to check the service updates section of the Bus Eireann website for the latest before travelling.

We wish to advise customers to plan their journey ahead and check our website for service updates and timetable information - https://t.co/RKieHbtHXa

For customer care visit https://t.co/AQnMxKbZb5 or @TFIupdates  Bus Eireann (@Buseireann) April 8, 2026

"Due to the fuel cost protests, several routes nationwide are experience considerable delays," the operator's website said.

"There are slow-moving convoys and a barricade in Sligo town affecting all services. In addition, there slow-moving convoys on the N18 (Ennis Road), starting in Bunratty heading towards Limerick."

Some of the routes with some cancelled services include Route 51 Cork to Galway, Route 320 Carleville to Limerick, and Route 350 Ennis to Galway.

The bus operator will update its list of cancelled or delayed services here.

10.46am

Gardai have urged protesters to end "blockades of fuel depots or face the full rigours of the law, Shawna Coxon, deputy commissioner operations, has said.

In a statement to the media at Garda HQ, she said: Despite our significant and prolonged engagement, which has included explaining and encouraging protesters to facilitate free movement of traffic, it is clear that some people have significantly escalated an already difficult situation by targeting critical infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries.

These are no longer protests. They are blockades.

These blockades are putting at risk supplies of food, fuel, clean water and animal feed. These are critical for the nation and its people. This is not tolerable and it is against the law.

She added, As part of our well-established, graduated policing response in dealing with protests, An Garda Siochana is now moving to an enforcement phase in relation to those impacting on critical infrastructure, unless they desist and disperse.

Coxon further stated, An Garda Siochana is advising protesters to immediately cease blockades of such critical national infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law.

10.39am

Kevin McPartland, the chief executive of Fuels for Ireland has described the response of Government to the fuel protests as underwhelming.

We should never have got to this point. I have a great deal of sympathy for the protesters, and the reality of very high fuel prices is having a huge impact on haulage contractors, on agricultural contractors and the response from Government today I think has been underwhelming. I think they do need to do more, he told RTE radios Today with David McCullagh show.

However, he did not agree with the protesters' actions and said the tactic of blocking fuel access to the rest of the country was not a very smart one.

Already, a number of forecourts had run out of stock, which was having an impact not just on Sunday drivers, but also on ambulances and people trying to get to essential work.

The cost that they (protestors) were asking people to bear was exceptionally high and I believe unreasonable. So I think it's appropriate that we take some action to resolve that."

The blockade of the Whitegate refinery meant that Munster was being badly affected as the refinery produces one third of the fuel used in the country, he added.

The number of forecourts out of stock will continue to multiply and the situation will get worse and worse, he warned, but he hoped the intervention of the Defence Forces would have a positive impact.

The problem with this is you might clear the gate, but there's nothing to stop protesters, maybe setting up a blockade down the road or whatever, if they wish to do so.

Look, we should never be in this situation. This is insane. And also, let's be frank, those blockades should never have been allowed to be established, because, as well as stopping fuel trucks getting in and out, they were also stopping access for emergency vehicles.

"And when you're talking about a fuel depot or a fuel refinery, the health and safety standards are absolutely appropriately, exceptionally high, and we maintain those standards, but one of those standards is that there needs to be maintained emergency access, and there was not for a couple of days this week in Galway, for example.

A traffic sign on Swords Road, Dublin, alerting drivers of delays due to vehicles taking part on the third day of a National Fuel Protest against rising fuel prices. Photo: PA

10.30am

Delays have been reported on the N4/N4, N3/M3, N2/M2, M1, M7, M8, M18, M20, M8, M22, M1 and several other routes.

Congestion Report: Delays on routes around Dublin: N4/M4 (E), N3/M3 (E), N2/M2 (E), M1 (S). Closures on following routes: M7 - J16 - J18 - BOTH DIRECTIONS

M7 - J29 - J30 - BOTH DIRECTIONS

M8 - J09 - J08 - NORTHBOUND

M8 - J18- SOUTHBOUND

M18 - J02 - J01 - SOUTHBOUND

M18 - pic.twitter.com/JEhpk8h1I8  TII Traffic (@TIITraffic) April 9, 2026

10.20am

Fuel protests in the Rosslare Harbour area are causing significant delays and disruption to traffic, including access to and from the port and surrounding areas, gardai have said.

If a member of the public has an urgent situation requiring passage throughthe affected areas, like medical needs or other time-critical circumstances impacted by roadblocks, they have been asked to contact Wexford Garda Station on 053 916 5200 and Gardai will assess whether Garda assistance is possible.

While these protests have been peaceful, they are causing significant disruption for people in some parts of the country, gardai added.

We have received reports of emergency workers being delayed, people missing hospital appointments or visits to loved ones, and significant disruption to public transport. Businesses and employees are also impacted.

While An Garda Siochana respects and facilitates the right to peaceful protest, we must also balance and protect the rights of individuals to travel freely and for businesses to operate.

Gardai said they are continuing to engage with protestors locally and are asking again that routes are kept open to facilitate public transport, diversion routes, and emergency access.

"An Garda Siochana has no role in permitting or authorising public gatherings or protests, and no permit is required to organise a protest. Our response to evolving events is graduated and focused on public safety."

10am

Independent Ireland has said it is "deeply concerning" that the government "would move to call in the army rather than pick up the phone and engage with those affected."

In a statement, the party said that the fuel crisis "did not emerge overnight.

"Yet the response from Government has been consistently tone deaf  refusing to listen and refusing to meaningfully engage with the thousands of businesses impacted by their tax policies."

The party said it has called for debate on the issue for weeks, having written to the Ceann Comhairle and calling on the Government to recall the Dail, "but the Government refused to act."

The Government's approach has "only escalated the situation," the statement added.

"Democracy is built on dialogue, on listening, and on working towards solutions. The deployment of the Defence Forces should always be a last resort, not an initial response.

"Elected representatives from a number of parties have already engaged on the ground, and there is clearly scope for mediation between protestors and Government.

"That opportunity should be taken. We are calling for calm on all sides and for immediate, meaningful engagement to resolve this situation before it escalates further."

9.26am

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said there was a fundamental problem with the idea that protestors could park lorries in the middle of OConnell Street, demand the government come talk to them and threaten not to remove the lorries until that happened.

That's not an acceptable form of protest, he told RTE radios David McCullagh show.

Everybody will be doing that every week. So the way to get a meeting now is just to rock up a couple of lorries, block motorways, block city centres, and you'd better talk to us now.

There was a whole range of organisations through whom those who were protesting could channel their issues, he added. There had been no effort made in advance to have any meaningful negotiation prior to these protests.

There are mechanisms that people can utilise and channels that they can utilise. But they need to call off these protests because they're hurting people. They're hurting ordinary people. What's the logic and sense in blocking access to fuel? There are some folk who will have no fuel this morning.

The government was in constant discussions to determine the most effective way to try to reduce pressure on those hardest hit.

Martin said he had been very taken aback when he learned that Whitegate was being blockaded. I couldn't comprehend it. For people who said that they're concerned about the price and so on of fuel. To now be denying people access to fuel is beyond any logical comprehension in my view.

I don't think it's fair and I don't think it's right to do that. People have been denied access to get to their jobs.

He denied that the government had set itself on a collision course with the protestors with the involvement of the Defence Forces.

We haven't set ourselves up on any collision course. If you just look at some of the stuff online, some of the statements that are being made, it's attack, attack, attack all the way. It's disrupt, disrupt, disrupt without any engagement with government.

And so the divisive nature of this process was not something that was initiated by government in any shape or form. And the last number of days bear evidence to that, a testament to that. We have said all along, we are negotiating with a whole range of groups who are properly constituted and representative.

Citizens can always find avenues to engage with government. There's no question about that. But not by blockading city centres or by blockading motorways or denying people access to fuel and to water.

9.24am

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said it was unacceptable that people were being denied access to fuel because of the protests at critical infrastructure.

It's unacceptable that people would be denied access to clean water. So the essentials that enable Uisce Eireann to enable public water supplies are now being denied through the blockade and fines. People are finding difficulty getting to health appointments, he told RTE radios Today with David McCullagh show.

The essentials of the economy were being blocked and paralysed, that was not fair to the people of Ireland.

It's not a fair form of protest. Government accepts the right of people to protest and the need for peaceful protest in this country. That's a cornerstone of a democracy. And there's always a balance in terms of how one responds to protests. We don't want to be denying that right or denying opportunities for people to articulate their position and perspectives on a variety of issues.

But these type of protests have gone far beyond the pale now in terms of the undermining of people's fundamental rights, the citizens' rights to access the essentials of life itself.

It's extraordinary that we've managed to keep the economy going and keep supplies of fuel going, notwithstanding the unprecedented war in the Middle East. And it's now action taken by people here on our own island that is denying people access to fuel and is undermining supply.

The Taoiseach said the blocking or motorways and main arteries into cities unacceptable as it was turning the city centre into car parks, it was making life very difficult for businesses on those streets, trying to survive.

The difficulty for Government was the lack of a clear central focus as to who had coordinated the protests. He pointed out that John Dallon had admitted he had no responsibility for the blockades at refineries.

This is the difficulty here. We work through national organisations. We work through properly constituted organisations, like the Irish Road Haulage Association, like the IFA, ICMSA, Macra na Feirme, the Contractors' Associations.

We have a long and trusted and accepted mechanism for negotiating with different sectors of our community and our society. We do that regularly. We're still doing".

A man sits in a tractor wheel as vehicles are parked on O'Connell Street in Dublin.

9.05am

The M9 in Co Kilkenny at the Danesfort exit is now blocked by protestors in a slow moving convoy made up of trucks, cars and tractors.

The Tipperary road and the Knockagh roundabouts in Cahir are also at a standstill due to protests which lead onto the M8 at Cashel where a blockade continued overnight.

8.51am

A representative of the fuel protestors John Dallon has said that the protests will not be called off despite plans by the Minister for Justice to involve the Defence Forces in moving protestors from critical infrastructure.

Micheal Martin came out with a statement yesterday saying the protest was a total disrespect to the people of the island of Ireland. For a man of his integrity and intelligence, it's absolutely disgraceful the statement he came out with and totally disrespectful to the people of Ireland, he told RTE radios Morning Ireland.

It's the government that's holding the country to ransom, not the protesters. Now the protesters and the people of the island of Ireland have a constitutional right to have a peaceful protest and this protest does not just involve people that's in business. This involves nurses, doctors, everybody going to schools or going to work that has to put diesel and petrol into their cars and buy food to put on the table, pay mortgages.

This is all about the people of the island of Ireland that put that government in power. This government seems to be able to sail off into the sunlight and do what they like and the Irish people seem to have no voice at all."

John Dallon, a spokesman for the groups protesting about fuel prices on OConnell Bridge. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Images

Dallon said that the Irish Road Hauliers Association, which is going to meet with the government this week, did not represent some of the small haulage companies, while the IFA and ICMSA were just two of the seven farming organisations.

So there's a bit, there's a kind of a disrespect in all of this. And going into their meetings, there needs to be a voice from the public of Ireland and there's three to four people appointed and there was an email sent into government.

Dallon said he did not speak for all the protestors and he could not help it if the situation escalated.

The only person that can stop this protest and that's the Tanaiste, Simon Harris and the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin. It's up to them.

"The protestors want a cap on white diesel of between 160 and 170, he said. Thats what we want, and petrol capped as well.

The protests would continue, he said, until the Tanaiste and the Taoiseach respect the people of the island of Ireland that put them in power. Until they allow the representatives of the people of Ireland that were put forward as a voice for them in their meetings.

Dallon said he was not representing those who were blockading the refineries. I have no voice as regards what's happening down the country as regards blocking up ports. I have no voice in that. What's happening down there is out of my hands. I have no control over what happens

When asked about his message to people unable to get to work today, he responded: All I can say to them people is just bear with us, stand with us because we're fighting for the people's rights of the island of Ireland. And if you don't stand by us, this government is going to sail into the sunlight and not listen to us anymore. This is our one time and one time only for the government to realise that the people of Ireland have a voice and it needs to be heard.

8.40am

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has said that the fuel protestors should not be allowed have an impact on the lives of ordinary people.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast with Anton Savage the Minister told of how some of his constituents had to travel to Dublin on Wednesday evening and book into a hotel to ensure they could make a hospital appointment on Thursday morning.

That is not how we allow protests to impact people's lives.

Heydon defended the decision of the Minister for Justice to involve the Defence Forces in assisting gardai in removing large vehicles from blocking vital infrastructures.

We are talking about very large vehicles here in certain instances. So obviously that does need a tailored response in that regard where they are blocking critical infrastructure.

The Minister said he and the Government understood that people were very angry but everyone had been impacted by the significant fallout from the Iranian war. The Government was responding in real time to ensure that its interventions were measured and mindful of their impact.

The continued blockade of critical infrastructure would have a knock-on impact on every citizen, people who aren't out protesting, but who too are impacted by high energy costs and the impact and the fallout of this war".

"Government cannot shield the public from every element of the impact of the conflict in the Middle East. But what we do have to do is make sure that our interventions are right. You know, there are people and protesters here talking about a cap on the price of diesel and beyond.

And I understand why they need that. Because I understand the sustainability of the current prices. But the consequences of government intervening and doing that, we saw what energy caps did with Liz Truss's short government and how people in the UK are going to pay high mortgage rates for the rest of their mortgage terms over the next 20 or 30 years. So government has to be responsible.

8.30am

The statement from the Minister for Justice reads: "The Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed that it is well established in law that the Defence Forces may assist An Garda Siochana in aid to the civil power, when requested and when required. On each occasion that the support of the Defence Forces is required, An Garda Siochana issues a form C70 to the Defence Forces to request their assistance.

"The blocking of critical national infrastructure will not be permitted to continue and the assistance of the Defence Forces has been requested. Large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure will be removed. Owners of those vehicles should remove them immediately this morning and should not complain later about any damage caused to those vehicles during removal.

"Denying people access to fuel and clean water is an unacceptable interference in the most basic of human rights."

8.18am

Slow moving protests have already kicked off from the Circle K garage in Tinryland, Carlow and are now starting to block the M9 which leads from Waterford City to the M50.

In Naas from the Castlewarden Junction 6 there is a slow moving protest/convoy underway and from J9a Millennium which is citybound with heavy delays likely behind it all the way to the M50.

Motorists are being advised to use back roads such as Naas, Johnstown, Kill, Kilteel, Rathcoole to get around it.

Alternatively they should get off at J9a and head for M4 at Maynooth/Celbridge.

A large number of protesters have gathered at the Tesco roundabout in Tullamore, Co Offaly,

Labour and Wexford TD George Lawlor has ploughed his support behind protesters actions adding that the Government cannot bury their heads away.

Lawlor in an online statement said: Those involved in fuel protests are ordinary hardworking people trying to make a living.

The Government simply has to engage in talks and not dig in and bury their heads. Now is the time for leadership not inaction. Everyone deserves this."

7.49am

The Defence Forces have been officially called in to deal with fuel protests across the country.

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed the Army responded to a request from gardai to help remove large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure like oil and water facilities.



It comes on foot of an official request for assistance by An Garda Siochana.

In a statement Jim O'Callaghan said owners of vehicles should remove them immediately this morning, and should not complain later if those vehicles are damaged during removal.

7.36am

Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland has said that the blockade of refineries in Foynes, Galway and Whitegate that the 50 per cent of all of the fuel that is sold in Ireland going through those three facilities is now not getting to forecourts.

That means 50 per cent of households in Ireland, 50 percent of businesses in Ireland are not going to be able to get fuel if this is allowed to continue, he told Newstalk Breakfast with Anton Savage.

I find it interesting that the Taoiseach talks about a national sabotage and then we don't seem to be responding to that. To me, if you have the head of government talking about a national sabotage, then that would demand some sort of response from the state. And the Gardai standing back leaning on squad cars, watching this, isn't what we need here. We need to ensure that people can get fuel.

McPartland warned that if the blockades continue much longer then soon scores of forecourts around the country will run out of fuel.

Dublin Port needed to remain accessible, he said as it is the port that supplies Dublin airport. There needed to be some sort of enforcement by gardai.

7.28am

Dublin Bus spokesperson Blake Boland has warned commuters of the massive disruption again this morning and has spoken of efforts to transport people as close as possible to the city centre.

Speaking on RTE radios Morning Ireland, Boland said that Dublin Bus was creating temporary terminuses around the city which allowed buses run in as far as they could then turning around.

The protestors in the city centre were splintering out with two or three people blocking off certain junctions not allowing buses through, he said.

So what we've been doing is making diversions on those cross-city routes, but that's not really possible at this stage, to a large extent. So what we're doing now is we're creating what we might call temporary terminuses.

We're running buses from the outskirts of the city in as close as we can get them before they risk them being trapped by the protesters, turning those buses around and operating them back out. And that's particularly important on those cross-city routes. So it helps us to avoid buses getting trapped in the city centre and at least operating as much of that route as we can.

Boland added that Express services had also been cancelled with the purpose of using those resources to close the gaps".

His advice to commuters this morning was to keep up to date on what services were operating through the Dublin Bus website, the TFI website and social media.

7am

Today marks the third day of demonstrations against what protestors say is Government inaction on the fuel crisis.

Truckers and farmers blocked access to ports across the country overnight and plan to take convoys to the cities once again.

Organisers say they'll set off from various locations including Limerick, Sligo, Portumna, Portlaoise, Cork, Waterford and Tullamore from 7am, with more traffic disruption expected on motorways and in towns and cities.

The demonstrations continued into Wednesday with escalations including the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork, a move described by Taoiseach Micheal Martin as an act of national sabotage.

Other Coalition figures, including Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris, as well as Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan, emphasised the importance of access to fuel depots and warned of consequences for unlawful activity.

Martin also said it was not acceptable to turn Dublins main thoroughfare, OConnell Street, into a car park as protesters used tractors to substantially clog up traffic in the centre of the capital.
Google has fully integrated NotebookLM, its AI-powered research tool, into the Gemini app. The company launched a standalone NotebookLM app last year, but as it said in its announcement, keeping track of everything can be a challenge. It added NotebookLM as a source in the Gemini app last year, but now you can create notebooks right inside the chatbot.

You can now find the option to create a new notebook in Geminis side panel and then select Add sources that the tool can use, such as PDFs, documents, website URLs, YouTube videos and even copy-pasted text. NotebookLM will use information from those sources to create a searchable repository of information for you, and you can ask Gemini to create things like reviewers, infographics and video and audio overviews that turn your uploaded information into an easy-to-understand format. Take note, however, that Google warns users within the NotebookLM interface that it can be inaccurate, and that its best if you double-check information it puts out.

The company is rolling out NotebookLMs full integration into Gemini this week for Google AI Ultra, Pro and Plus subscribers on the web. It will be available on mobile, in more locations and to free users over the coming weeks.
The continuing disagreement between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie over their French vineyard known as Chateau Miraval took an intriguing turn this week when Jolie allegedly asked for yet another postponement on court dates, leading to Pitt's condemnation.

According to Pitt, who turned 62 last month, Jolie, aged 50, sold off her share of their jointly owned vineyard to Stoli. The trial, currently scheduled for February 2027, has already faced multiple delays.

In a new status report obtained by TMZ, Pitt's legal team strongly opposed Jolie's request to postpone the trial to November 2027. A spokesperson for Pitt explained the actor's frustration,

"This proceeding has been pending for more than four years," his lawyers stated. "During this period, Mr. Pitt has been deprived of the quiet enjoyment of his home in France, knowing that a purported 50% interest in the property has been sold."

The statement continued, highlighting the impact on the business, "The wine business associated with the French chateau has also suffered, as the business has been stymied by the dispute between the chateau's indirect shareholders and by (the new owners') repeated efforts to interfere with, and gain control of, the chateau."

"This dispute should be resolved as soon as possible so that all Parties  including Mr. Pitt  can move on with their lives," the legal team added.

According to Radar Online, Jolie's attorneys responded, noting procedural complexities stemming from Pitt's own actions. A lawyer representing Jolie stated, "While Mr. Pitt now complains that the case is taking too long to get to trial, Mr. Pitt certainly contributed to that problem. He chose to sue numerous foreign cross-defendants, confirming that this case is now an international dispute with all the procedural complications that brings."

On the question of Pitt's living situation, the lawyer added, "This is not a case to quiet title in any property, and there is no evidence anywhere that Mr. Pitt's ability to live in his own home has been impacted by this case one iota."

A source close to Pitt told the outlet that the actor is eager to end the drawn-out legal battle, "Ten years of fighting is long enough. His and Angelina's reputations have both been damaged by this conflict."

The insider also reflected on the passage of time, "Nobody caught up in this mess is getting any younger. No matter how much time and money Brad has plowed into the fight, this has to stop. Both sides have made their points, and it's time to put the whole lawsuit to bed."

The battle over Chateau Miraval remains unresolved, and both parties continue to navigate complex legal and personal tensions.
Irish actor Michael Patrick, who appeared in an episode of Game of Thrones, has died at the age of 35 after a three-year battle with motor neurone disease, his family confirmed.

His wife, Naomi, shared the heartbreaking news in an Instagram post on April 8, saying he passed away at the Northern Ireland Hospice.

"Last night, Mick sadly passed away," she wrote. "He was admitted 10 days ago and was cared for by the incredible team there. He passed peacefully, surrounded by family and friends. Words can't describe how broken-hearted we are."

Patrick was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in February 2023. The condition is a rare and serious illness that damages the nerves responsible for movement. Over time, it makes it harder for a person to walk, talk, eat, and even breathe. There is currently no cure.

Despite his illness, those close to him remembered his positive spirit. According to People, Naomi described her husband as "an inspiration to everyone who was privileged enough to come into contact with him." She added, "He lived a life as full as any human can live. Joy, abundance of spirit, infectious laughter."

Fans may recognize Patrick for his role as a Wildling rioter in Season 6 of "Game of Thrones."

While it was a brief appearance, it connected him to one of television's most popular series. Beyond that, he built a career in acting and writing, appearing in several TV projects and co-writing a series inspired by his younger years.

Game of Thrones and Blue Lights actor Michael Patrick, 35, dies after battle with motor neurone disease https://t.co/Gw9vhqHB0Q  Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) April 8, 2026

Michael Patrick's Last Months Show Strength and Hope

In recent months, Patrick had been open about his condition. In a social media post earlier this year, he shared that his doctor had given him a limited time to live. Still, he remained hopeful, writing that there was "still lots to live for and lots planned."

His journey also brought support from the public. In December 2025, Patrick and his family launched a fundraiser to help cover medical costs, including a needed procedure, HollywoodLife reported.

The campaign raised significant funds, showing how many people were touched by his story.

Motor neurone disease, sometimes known as ALS, is a life-shortening illness that weakens muscles over time. It affects the body's ability to send signals from the brain to the muscles, leading to stiffness and loss of control.

His wife's final message captured that feeling simply, sharing a quote he loved: "The most important things to do in the world are to get something to eat, something to drink and somebody to love you."
A farm-based education project helping people into work is set to expand into Cheshire after supporting more than 1,000 people last year.

Agri-cation, based near Bangor-on-Dee in North Wales, is aiming to extend its reach into Cheshire, as well as Flintshire and Shropshire, as demand for agriculture-led training continues to grow.

Run from a working family farm, the centre combines practical farm work with tailored support for people who are out of work or excluded from education.

Founder Cheryl Reeves said the programme makes a huge difference it gives them purpose.

They are able to get out into the big wide world and not feel so anxious about it, she said.

Participants are referred by councils, charities and the Department for Work and Pensions, with many travelling from across North Wales to attend.

While farming sits at the heart of the programme, there is also a strong focus on social and life skills to prepare people for employment.

The people who come here predominantly learn about farming, but we also try to do social skills and life skills with them, Ms Reeves said.

She added that confidence and communication are key: If you were going to seek employment, how you behave, your body language, is vital.

The project has helped individuals move into jobs, apprenticeships and further education, while others have gained the confidence to live independently.

The expansion could help more rural and hard-to-reach communities access practical, land-based training linked to agriculture.

Programmes typically run for around six weeks, with some participants staying longer to build confidence. Support also includes access to therapists and basic life skills such as cooking.

The project has also built strong links with the agricultural industry, with backing from animal bedding firm Platts Agriculture helping to raise its profile and secure funding.

Caroline Platt, managing director of Platts, described the initiative as transformational, adding that it is genuinely changing peoples lives.

She said it also provides valuable education around agriculture, food, nature and just the basics of life.

Alongside its core programmes, the site hosts visits from schools and colleges, helping to connect more young people with farming and food production.

Ms Reeves said expanding access remains a priority: We want to do more outreach we are not hitting enough of the community that I would like to.
The National Sheep Association (NSA) has called for an honest debate on upland management as moorland fires burn across northern England.

With three moorland fires burning outside Manchester in early April and warmer weather increasing the risk of further outbreaks, the organisation has raised concerns that current policies may be contributing to the problem.

The organisation said a key factor is the removal of grazing livestock under some agri-environment schemes, which has led to a build-up of vegetation, increasing fuel loads and the severity of fires.

The warning comes amid a wider rise in wildfire incidents, with record-breaking blazes in recent years linked to prolonged dry weather and climate change.

The NSA said farmers and grazing livestock are a vital but often overlooked defence against fires, particularly in upland areas where active land management can help reduce fuel build-up.

Official figures also show sheep numbers in England have fallen sharply, with Defra data indicating flocks have declined by 11% over the past three years.

While environmental schemes are designed to protect habitats and improve land condition, the lack of managed grazing and fire breaks in some areas risks undermining the very aims they are intended to achieve.

Fires can threaten lives and property, while also damaging peatland and wildlife.

The timing is also critical, with ground-nesting birds breeding and reptiles becoming more active.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said it was time to reassess how upland areas are managed, adding: It is surely time for a debate on this subject. This has become a regular problem that I cant see going away.

He said a better balance is needed to create resilient landscapes that are multi-functional and limit risks of damage.

Mr Stocker argued that managed grazing could form part of the solution, helping to reduce wildfire risk without removing livestock entirely.

He said farmers could be supported to manage grazing in a way that protects sensitive areas while reducing fuel build-up elsewhere.

He also pointed to the importance of creating mosaics of habitat, which he said would benefit wildlife while helping to limit the scale and intensity of fires.

Mr Stocker warned that current policies risk undermining their own environmental aims, adding that schemes designed to improve nature should not increase wildfire risk.

He said: Schemes are designed to improve nature that instead place nature at increased risk of wildfires are not a good use of public money.

However, environmental groups have previously argued that reducing grazing can benefit sensitive habitats.

The NSA is now urging policymakers to rethink how upland schemes balance conservation with wildfire risk, as incidents become more frequent and questions grow over how upland landscapes should be managed in the future.

The issue is likely to remain high on the agenda as warmer, drier conditions increase wildfire risk across upland areas.
The UK may not be prepared for another foot-and-mouth outbreak, industry leaders have warned, as new cases emerge across Europe.

Recent detections in Greece and several other European countries have prompted renewed concern over the UKs biosecurity and readiness to respond to a future outbreak.

David Black, president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association, told BBC News the UK must not become complacent, warning the country is not actually any further forward in its preparedness.

Reflecting on the 2001 crisis, which led to the culling of around six million animals and devastated the UK livestock sector, Mr Black said the impact on farming communities was profound.

He said Cumbria was left completely devastated, with his own veterinary practice losing 85% of the animals it was responsible for.

Mr Black warned the UK remains under-resourced, citing limited capacity within state veterinary services and weak links with private vets.

We dont have enough resource within the state veterinary services, he said.

He also stressed the need for stronger border controls to reduce the risk of disease entering the UK, particularly as trade links evolve.

The risk is heightened by illegal meat imports, which bypass biosecurity checks.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has raised similar concerns, warning that such products pose a serious threat to livestock health.

NFU North regional director Adam Briggs said: Youve got no idea where it comes from.

Memories of the 2001 outbreak remain vivid for many in the farming community.

Julia Aglionby, whose family farm in Carlisle was affected, described the experience as heartbreaking, recalling how animals were culled during lambing.

She said the outbreak was the worst thing for farmers to go through, with the destruction of livestock and the sight and smell of burning pyres leaving a lasting impact.

Thousands of animals were also culled as a precaution due to their proximity to infected farms, intensifying the scale of the crisis.

Ms Aglionby warned that the UK farming sector could not endure a similar event again.

Its really critical that we protect Britain, she said.

In response, a Defra spokesperson said the government has strengthened safeguards, including tighter import rules and increased border checks.

They added that additional funding has been provided to improve enforcement, with more illegal meat being seized at ports.

Officials said the measures are helping to prevent dangerous products entering the food chain and protect the livestock sector.

However, industry leaders warn that despite these measures, significant gaps remain in the UKs preparedness for a future outbreak.
Farmers and landowners in Wales are being urged to seek expert advice before working in rivers and streams, as regulators warn mistakes could lead to costly damage, legal action and long-term environmental harm.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said poorly planned work  including common activities such as removing gravel, reshaping banks or straightening channels  can quickly create serious problems.

These include increased erosion, higher flood risk and damage to wildlife, as well as impacts on neighbouring land and infrastructure.

The warning comes as more landowners and farmers look to carry out maintenance, drainage and flood management work.

NRW said many of these issues could be avoided if those carrying out work sought advice before starting, helping them understand what permissions are required and how to proceed in a sustainable and lawful way.

Francesca Sanchez, specialist advisor for freshwater habitats and species at NRW, urged early engagement.

She said: Were asking landowners to get in touch with us before they start any work in a river or stream. Its genuinely in their best interest to do so.

She warned that problems are often only identified after damage has already occurred, adding: Far too often, we hear about these activities only after something has gone wrong.

In such cases, they could face enforcement action, including stop notices and costly restoration work.

Ms Sanchez said early contact can help prevent this, stressing that a simple call at the start could prevent all of that.

She added NRW aims to support farmers and landowners in protecting their land, avoiding harm to wildlife and preventing issues for neighbouring properties.

Natural features such as gravel shoals  key habitats for fish and other wildlife  have already declined by more than half in Wales over the past century.

Their removal or disturbance can destabilise river systems for years and lead to further environmental damage.

NRW also reminded landowners that most work in or near rivers requires permission from the regulator or local authority, and carrying out work without consent could be an offence.

Ms Sanchez said: Its always better to check what permissions you need before you carry out any work in a river or stream. Its better for nature and for the landowner.

She added that NRW can guide applicants through the process and help avoid accidental damage and enforcement action.

Early advice, the regulator said, can help prevent costly mistakes, protect wildlife and ensure work is carried out legally.
Ahead of the release of Love Insurance Kompany (LIK), the films director Vignesh Shivan and wife, actor-producer Nayanthara visited the Tirupati temple to offer prayers to Lord Balaji. On Thursday, the couple were spotted sporting traditional attire, while Nayanthara wore a white chudidar kurta with olive green dupatta, Vignesh sported a saffron kurta and silk dhoti. Soon after their darshan, Nayanthara and Vignesh posed for photographs apart from giving selfies and interacting with a few fans.



Set for release on April 10, the sci-fi romantic entertainer features Pradeep Ranganathan, Krithi Shetty, and SJ Suryah in the lead roles. On the other hand, Nayanthara recently signed her second film in Hindi, opposite Salman Khan in an action entertainer directed by Vamshi Paidipally. The film will commence shooting in May.




As the U.S. healthcare system evolved to include insurance companies, pharmacy benefit managers and government regulations, one entity has been consistently forgotten: the patient. What was always a small loop of local providers working on behalf of the patient has grown into a large quagmire due to the insertion of multiple intermediaries between the patient and the hands-on doctor and pharmacist who share their community.



Galt Phranchise Systems was founded to restore that simplicity. The first franchise model in the history of the pharmaceutical industry, the firm applies systemic behavior theory to answer the challenging viability of local healthcare. The franchise structure enhances the ability of physicians to prescribe treatments for their patients unencumbered by contracts, guidelines, regulations and policies, while restoring the working feedback loop between patient, doctor and pharmacist that is essential to effective care.



"It took us a few years, but we've been able to work with our franchisees to create an efficient business model using feedback mechanisms found in systemic behaviors," Smith says. "This model understands healthcare is best delivered within a community."



Smith explains that the Galt Phranchise Systems model is grounded in systemic theory, a thesis applied across multiple fields of science through cybernetic feedback mechanisms. Feedback mechanisms allow systems to thrive as links are made between their components. Healthcare has grown increasingly complicated as multiple actors, each with self-interest, attempt to influence or direct a patient's path. Much like the childhood telephone game, where a message becomes distorted as it passes through participants, treatment algorithms and prior authorization processes cloud communication between a system's core components: patient, doctor and pharmacist.



Patel describes the spirit of entrepreneurialism guided by systemic behavior patterns as the engine driving Galt Phranchise Systems forward. Locally driven care facilitates effective treatment without the financial incentives introduced by national intermediaries. Patients yearn for predictability in their healthcare. Practitioners yearn to apply their education and experience without restriction. Patel and Smith believe both desires are met within the simplicity of a closed system connecting the local patient, local practitioner and local independent pharmacy.



Within the franchise, patients visit their doctor for diagnosis and treatment, followed by pharmacist counseling on medication usage, all within a community-driven framework built to navigate the hurdles intermediaries attempt to introduce into what has been proven through time: patient-specific care is best delivered within a community.



About Galt Phranchise Systems

Galt Phranchise Systems is the first franchise model in the pharmaceutical industry, founded by Wade Smith and Barry Patel. The firm applies systemic behavior theory and cybernetic feedback principles to restore community-based pharmaceutical care through a closed network of local patients, practitioners and independent pharmacies.

https://galtfranchise.com/

Galt Phranchise Systems

Atlanta, Georgia

david@gldnpr.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2952734/Galt_Phranchise_Systems.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/galt-phranchise-systems-introduces-new-approach-to-pharmaceutical-care-through-systemic-behavior-302737531.html
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 8, 2026) - Stria Lithium Inc. (TSXV: SRA) is pleased to announce the execution on April 8, 2026, of an investment agreement (the "Investment Agreement") with Alicanto Minerals Ltd. (ASX: AQI) ("Alicanto") for the acquisition of a net smelter return (NSR) royalty of up to 2% on the advanced West Australian Mt Henry Gold Project (the "Acquisition") and the appointment of experienced Royalty Company Executives to transform its business into a mining royalty business. The Acquisition constitutes a change of business under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").

Following completion of the Acquisition and the transactions contemplated under the Investment Agreement, Stria will focus its activities on the mining royalty business and intends to use its working capital to acquire more precious metals royalties.

Key points of the royalty acquisition and proposed change of business

Creation of a new royalty company that combines the unique skill sets of a highly successful project generation team with a proven royalty management team

Stria has executed its first deal as part of this strategy, securing a net smelter return (NSR) royalty on the Mt Henry Gold Project in Western Australia

Mt Henry hosts a JORC-compliant historical Measured & Indicated Resource1 of 22.1Mt @ 1.2 g/t for 822,000oz and an Inferred Resource of 2.4Mt @ 1.2 g/t for 94,000oz2. The resource is shallow and completely open, and is currently being advance through a 50,000m drill program, making it ready positioning it for immediate growth

Following the Acquisition - Management Appointments

Following the completion of the Acquisition, Stria will appoint experienced royalty company executives Adam Davidson and Tyron Rees as Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of Corporate Development respectively

Mr Davidson and Mr Rees, who most recently held senior executive positions at ASX200 Deterra Royalties (ASX: DRR), were also the founders of Trident Royalties, which they grew from a US$20m shell company to its acquisition by Deterra Royalties for ~US$200m

Experienced mining and resources executives, Stephen Parsons and Michael Naylor have been appointed as advisors to the Board on growth and acquisitions post-transaction. Experienced geologist Sam Brooks to join Stria as Project Generation Geologist

Mr Parsons, Mr Naylor and Mr Brooks are the founders of several highly successful ASX-listed precious metals and copper companies including ASX 200 companies Bellevue Gold (ASX: BGL), Gryphon Minerals (ASX: GRY), Firefly Metals (ASX: FFM) (TSX: FFM), and Andean Silver (ASX: ASL)

The team has been successful in identifying resource assets that have a clear pathway to rapid growth, production and revenue

Private Placement

Concurrently with the Acquisition, Stria will complete a non-brokered private placement (the "Placement") of its common shares for minimum proceeds of a CDN$12.0 million via the issuance of 16,000,000 common shares at a price of CDN$0.75 per common share.

Stria intends to use its strong working capital position and experienced team to build a portfolio of royalty assets, predominantly in precious and base metals while maintaining flexibility to capitalise on other emerging opportunities

About the Mt Henry Gold Project

The Mt Henry Gold Project is an advanced brownfields asset located in the prolific Norseman area in Western Australia

Mt Henry hosts a historical JORC Mineral Resource of Measured & Indicated 22.1Mt @ 1.2 g/t gold for 822,000 ounces and Inferred 2.4Mt @ 1.2 g/t gold for 94,000 ounces and sits within a 16km mineralized corridor; The mineralization remains completely open along strike and down dip with clear potential for rapid Resource growth and broader district-scale upside 34

Alicanto recently announced the commencement of a 50,000m drill program at Mt Henry, with diamond drilling commenced in early March 2026, aimed at driving Resource growth and advancing the project toward a potential mining operation 5

The project benefits from simple geometry and significant widths of mineralization from surface, making it highly amenable to a potential open pit mining operation

The historical mineral resources 6 at the Project are reported inside pit shells completed at an assumed gold price of ~A$2,160/oz (approximately US$1,550/oz); With gold now between A$6,700-A$7000/oz (approximately US$5,000/oz), there is clear potential for larger pit shells and evaluation of broader development scenarios 7

Prior drilling highlights the quality of the asset with substantial widths and grades from unmined areas revealing the scale and continuity of mineralization, results include 8 : 18.0m @ 16.4g/t gold from 14m (hole MHRD0121) 19.0m @ 9.0g/t gold from 29m (hole NMC005) 64.0m @ 3.9g/t gold from 65m (hole 5HENC068) 39.0m @ 5.2g/t gold from 100m (hole NHC122) 18.0m @ 9.8g/t gold from 1m (including 5m @ 33.1g/t gold from 8m) (hole NSRD0004)

Mineralization trends for 16km with only shallow (typically <50m) drilling previously completed on broad centres, with numerous significant intersections outside of the resources to follow up including 9 : 10.0m @ 88.2g/t gold from 5m (including 4m @ 208.8g/t gold from 4m) (hole 4IPP13) 13.0m @ 13.3g/t gold from 5m (including 3m @ 41.8g/t gold from 9m) (hole 84IPP26) 2.0m @ 46.3g/t gold from 6m (hole NBC043) 12.0m @ 6.1g/t gold from 17m (hole NTC003)



Details of the Proposed Transaction

The parties entered an investment agreement and royalty deed for the acquisition by Stria of a 1% NSR (the "Royalty") on the Mt Henry Gold Project, located in Western Australia (the "Project")

Stria will pay an amount of A$5m (CDN$4.8m) in cash for the Royalty and will issue 4,000,000 common shares to Mt Henry owner Alicanto Minerals Limited (ASX: AQI) on the closing date

Stria also holds an option to purchase at its discretion an additional 1% NSR for a further cash payment to Alicanto of A$10m (CDN$9.7m) at Stria's election and before 30 days of Alicanto announcing 2.0Moz of JORC resources

After giving effect to the Acquisition and the completion of the Placement of 12,500,000 shares, Alicanto will hold approximately 6.5% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Stria.

The Acquisition remains subject to several conditions, including obtaining all necessary regulatory and corporate approvals, including that of the Exchange, the filing of a technical report compliant with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101")on the Project in accordance with Canadian securities laws, among other customary closing conditions. The Acquisition will require shareholder approval under the policies of the Exchange, which the Company anticipates receiving by way of written resolution of its shareholders.

Stria Lithium Chairman Jeff York said: "We are delighted to embark on this new chapter with a high-growth royalty strategy backed by an extremely successful and experienced team.

"Adam and Tyron are royalty specialists with an outstanding track record and Steve and Mike are highly successful resources executives who have generated exceptional shareholder returns.

"The combination of this team, our balance sheet, access to capital and deal flow will enable Stria to build a significant portfolio in this rapidly growing sector.

"The acquisition of the Mt Henry royalty is a strong start in our new strategy. With Alicanto moving quickly to create value at Mt Henry through drilling, Stria is well-positioned to share in the upside as the project advances towards production.

Management Appointment

Stria is pleased to announce that, subject to and following the closing of the Acquisition, it will appoint experienced royalty company executives Adam Davidson as Chief Executive Officer, Tyron Rees as Vice President Corporate Development, and Sam Brooks as Project Generation Geologist. Current Chief Executive Officer Dean Hanish will remain on the board and transition to non-executive director.

Mr Davidson and Mr Rees founded AIM-listed Trident Royalties. Trident grew from a small AIM-listed shell into a diversified mining royalty company over a relatively short period, demonstrating a highly effective growth and acquisition strategy. From its listing, the company rapidly assembled a portfolio of royalties and offtakes across multiple commodities and jurisdictions through disciplined deal-making and creative financing structures. Over four years, Trident expanded to holding more than twenty assets acquired through a series of transactions, building meaningful market awareness and liquidity in the process. The strategy culminated in the acquisition of the company by Deterra Royalties in 2024 for circa US$200 million.

Mr Parsons and Mr Naylor are the founding Directors of several highly successful ASX-listed resources companies having identified, acquired and funded projects, devised and implemented exploration and development strategies and created substantial shareholder value.

Mr Parsons and Mr Naylor founded ASX200 Bellevue Gold Limited (ASX: BGL) leading the business through discovery, funding, development and construction of the 3 million oz Bellevue gold mine in Western Australia.

They are also founding directors and executives of ASX300 (and TSX) FireFly Metals and were instrumental in the successful acquisition and subsequent growth of the Green Bay Copper-Gold Project in Newfoundland, Canada.

Prior to that Mr Parsons was the founding Managing Director and Mr Naylor was the Chief Financial Officer of Gryphon Minerals Ltd, which discovered a large multi-million ounce gold project in Burkina Faso, West Africa and grew to be an ASX200 company prior to its takeover by a significant North American gold company and becoming a major gold producing mine.

Mr Brooks complements this track record, having served as Chief Geologist of Bellevue Gold, and previously as a director of Auteco, now FireFly Metals, as well as a key technical geologist at Gryphon Minerals.

Royalty Purchase

Stria has entered into the Investment Agreement for the acquisition of up to a 2% NSR royalty on the Mount Henry Gold Project in Western Australia. For further information on the Mt Henry Gold project, please refer to the recent ASX announcements by Alicanto Minerals Ltd. which can be accessed at: https://www.alicantominerals.com.au/asx-announcements/.

The information contained in the following table is reproduced from Alicanto Minerals (ASX: AQI) press release 17th December 2025:

Table 1: Details of Transaction

Project All underlying tenements which form the Mt Henry Gold Project, Western Australia Historical Mineral Resource10 JORC Mineral Resource of Measured & Indicated 22.1Mt @ 1.2 g/t gold for 822,000 ounces of and Inferred 2.4Mt @ 1.2 g/t gold for 94,000 ounces Commodity gold and all metals, excluding lithium NSR Purchase 1.0% on payment of A$5 million Option 1.0% on payment of A$10 million Option Expiry At Stria's election and before 30 days of Alicanto announcing 2.0Moz of JORC resources

The Mt Henry Gold Project is located within the prolific Norseman-Kalgoorlie greenstone belt in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, a gold jurisdiction that hosts multiple long-life operations and multi-million-ounce deposits. The Mt Henry Gold Project Resource comprises three deposits; Mt Henry, Selene and North Scotia - located along a 16km mineralized corridor and supported by extensive drilling, consistent mineralization and a substantial technical dataset.

Together, the deposits contain a historical JORC 2012 Resource of 822,000 ounces of Measured and Indicated and 94,000 ounces of Inferred. All mineralization is near-surface and completely open along strike and down dip across the corridor.

Table 2: JORC 2012 Mineral Historical Resource Estimate for Mt Henry Gold Project, Western Australia

Measured Indicated Measured and Indicated Tonnes

(kt) Grade

(g/t Au) Gold

(koz Au) Tonnes

(kt) Grade

(g/t Au) Gold

(koz Au) Tonnes

(kt) Grade

(g/t) Gold

(koz Au) 11,907 1.2 444 10,172 1.2 378 22,079 1.2 822















Inferred











Tonnes (kt) Grade (g/t) Gold (koz Au)























2,424 1.2 94











Notes: Mineral Resources are classified and reported in accordance with the 2012 JORC Code as at 17th December 2025. Mineral resources have been reported in a pit shell at A$2,160/oz gold price and at a 0.4g/t gold cut-off grade. Numbers may not add up due to rounding.

The historical estimate was prepared in accordance with the JORC Code (2012) and not under NI 43-101. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the estimate as a current mineral resource and the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource.

Outside the main deposit areas, only limited shallow drilling (typically less than 50m deep) has been completed. This work has demonstrated mineralization along the entire horizon, with numerous significant results requiring follow-up drilling.

The Project's Mineral Resources are located on granted mining leases with sealed-road access approximately 1.5km east of the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, benefiting from proximity to established regional infrastructure and supporting efficient progression of drilling and development activities.

The Mt Henry Gold Project is located within a well-established gold district that hosts operations and development projects owned by Northern Star, Gold Fields, Westgold, Minerals 260, Focus Minerals and Black Cat Syndicate. The presence of these companies along the same highly endowed greenstone belt highlights the scale and proven endowment of the region.

Alicanto recently announced the commencement of drilling at Mount Henry targeting extensions to the historical Resource.

Cautionary Note: Information regarding the Mt Henry Gold Project is derived from public sources and the Qualified Person responsible for the review and approval of the technical information disclosed in this news release has not verified the information relating to this Mt Henry Gold Project.

Equity Raising

Concurrently with the Acquisition, Stria will carry non-brokered private placement (the "Placement") of its common shares for minimum (and maximum) proceeds of CDN$12.0 million via the issuance of 16,000,000 common shares at a price of CDN$0.75 per common share. The Placement is scheduled to close concurrently with the Company receiving approval of the Acquisition from its shareholders. Pursuant to the Investment Agreement, the parties have an outside date of July 7, 2026 to complete the Acquisition.

Proceeds from the Placement, in combination with existing cash, will be applied to the Cash Consideration for the Acquisition; and for working capital to fund future evaluations and acquisitions. Following closing of the Placement, Alicanto will emerge as a 6.5% shareholder in Stria.

The Placement is conditional on the Company receiving approval of the Acquisition from its shareholders. All securities issued will be subject to a four-month and one day hold period pursuant to securities laws in Canada. Finders' fees may be payable to qualified parties in accordance with the policies of the Exchange.

Indicative Timetable

The expected timetable for the Acquisition and the closing of the Placement is provided in the table below which is subject to adjustment as the Acquisition remains subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals:

Event Date Trading Halt April 8, 2026 Completion of Subscription Agreement by each individual subscriber for C$10 million Placement On or around April 10, 2026 (Note: additional subscription agreements may be signed until Closing) Approval of the Acquisition by written resolution of the shareholders of Stria (subject to Exchange approval) On or around June 2, 2026 Closing of Acquisition and Placement On or around, June 9, 2026 Stria to recommence trading On or around, June 11, 2026

Effect on Capital Structure

The effect of the Acquisition and the Placement on Stria's issued capital is set out below:

Capital Structure Shares % Existing Securities 41,536,696 67.5 Placement Securities 16,000,000 26.0 Consideration Shares 4,000,000 6.5 Total 61,536,522 100.0

Board Approval

The Board of Directors of Stria has unanimously approved the Acquisition.

Preliminary News Release

This is a preliminary news release regarding the Acquisition, additional press releases containing additional information on the Acquisition will follow in accordance with the policies of the Exchange.

Other TSX-V Matters

The Acquisition constitutes an arm's length transaction under the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and no finder's fee is payable in connection therewith.

Trading Halt

Trading in the Company's common shares on the Exchange will be halted before the opening of the market on Tuesday April 7, 2026. It is anticipating that trading in the Company's common shares will remain halted until closing of the Acquisition.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Brian Wolfe, B. Sc., MAIG, Principal Consultant Geologist and an independent Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101. Brian Wolfe is a consultant to Stria.

Historical Mineral Resource Disclosure

While the historical estimates on the Mt Henry Gold Project were reportedly prepared in accordance with the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves ("JORC Code") (2012) in effect at the time, consistency with current standards is not assured. The Company considers these historical estimates to be relevant as they indicate the potential presence and scale of mineralization on the Mt Henry Gold Project. The historical resource categories used are consistent with those defined in NI 43-101 and the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves; however, a QP has not done sufficient work to classify these historical estimates as current mineral resources, and the Company is not treating them as current mineral resources.

The Mt Henry historical resource estimate was reported on the 17th of December 2025 0n the Australian securities exchange (ASX) by Alicanto Minerals Ltd prepared using the JORC code of reporting. Reporting classification is consistent with the CIM code of reporting. The historical resource estimate has been reviewed by the QP who has confirmed the historical estimate has been appropriately estimated.

To the extent known and insofar as existing available documentation indicates, the historical estimate described can be considered to be reliable under the JORC code (2012). The description of work undertaken, assumptions and chosen parameters demonstrate competency in the procedures and workflow required. Although historical data back to 1980 has been included, sufficient detail is maintained in the available database to ensure integrity. Only suitable drilling (Diamond core and RC) and surveying techniques have been employed. Sampling and assaying techniques described are to industry standard. The estimation methodology, Ordinary Kriging with Localised Uniform Kriging post processing are standard methods and appropriate for the style of mineralization. The reporting classification of Measured, Indicated and Inferred is consistent with the CIM code of reporting. Applied mining factors and assumptions appear reasonable. A history of mining with good reconciliation of mine claimed to mill recovered provides confidence in the accuracy of the estimate.

Key assumptions and parameters of the December 2025 historical Resource Estimate reproduced from the AQI ASX press release dated 17th of December 2025 are tabulated below.

Criteria Explanation Commentary Database Integrity Measures taken to ensure that data has not been corrupted by, for example, transcription or keying errors, between its initial collection and its use for Mineral Resource estimation purposes.

Data validation procedures used. As new data was acquired it passed through a validation approval system designed to pick up any significant errors before the information is loaded into the master database.

The Competent Person, Mr Palich, has undertaken sufficient independent checks on the database integrity to conclude there are no material discrepancies

A visual review of down hole survey outcomes has shown no material deviations

Site Visits Comment on any site visits undertaken by the Competent Person and the outcome of those visits.

If no site visits have been undertaken indicate why this is the case A site visit was made by the Competent Person, Mr Ben Palich, on December 9, 2025.

During the visit Mr Palich discussed the logging facilities, geological and logging processes, sampling and core handling process and operating procedures. Additionally, existing open pit excavations were reviewed, and Mr Palich observed the location of a number of collar locations from the drilling. Geological interpretation Confidence in (or conversely, the uncertainty of) the geological interpretation of the mineral deposit.

Nature of the data used and of any assumptions made.

The effect, if any, of alternative interpretations on Mineral Resource estimation.

The use of geology in guiding and controlling Mineral Resource estimation.

The factors affecting continuity both of grade and geology Confidence in the geological interpretation at MHGP is high. The current geological interpretation has been a precursor to successful mining over the years

The data and assumptions used do suggest that any significant alternative geological interpretation is unlikely.

Geology (lithological units, alterations, structure, veining) have been used to guide and control Mineral Resource estimation for MHGP. There is a strong geological control to the mineralisation interpretation. The deposit is essentially strata hosted within a sheared Banded Iron Formation (BIF). The shear is essentially contiguous along the upper contact of the BIF and an overlying mafic unit

No alternative interpretations are currently considered viable.

Geological interpretation of the deposit was carried out using a systematic approach to ensure that the resultant estimated Mineral Resource was both sufficiently constrained, and representative of the expected sub-surface conditions. In all aspects of resource estimation the factual and interpreted geology was used to guide the development of the interpretation.

Geological matrixes were established to assist with interpretation and construction of the estimation domains.

The structural regime is the dominant control on geological and grade continuity in the Goldfields. Lithological factors such as rheology contrast are secondary controls on grade distribution.

Low-grade stockpiles are derived from previous mining of the mineralisation styles outlined above. Dimensions The extent and variability of the Mineral Resource expressed as length(along strike or otherwise), plan width, and depth below surface to the upper and lower limits of the mineral Resource The Mt Henry mineralised domain is approximately 2km long and has a down dip extent of 280m and is open at depth. The deposit consists of a main lode that varies between 3m and 40m thick with numerous parallel lodes

The Selene mineralised domain is approximately 1.3km long, has a down dip of extent of up to 440m and is open at depth. The deposit consists of a main lode that varies between 10m and 50m thick with numerous parallel lodes at various stages along the length of the deposit.

The North Scotia mineralized domain is approximately 450m long and has a down dip of extent of 110m and is open at depth. The deposit consists of multiple NNE trending quartz lodes that vary between 1m and 5m in true thickness with numerous thinner parallel lodes at various stages along the length of the deposit.

Low-grade stockpiles are of various dimensions. Estimation and modelling techniques. The nature and appropriateness of the estimation technique(s) applied and key assumptions, including treatment of extreme grade values, domaining, interpolation parameters, maximum distance of extrapolation from data points.

The availability of check estimates, previous estimates and/or mine production records and whether the Mineral Resource estimate takes appropriate account of such data.

The assumptions made regarding recovery of by-products. Estimation of deleterious elements or other non-grade variables of economic significance (e.g. sulphur for acid mine drainage characterisation).

In the case of block model interpolation, the block size in relation to the average sample spacing and the search employed.

Any assumptions behind modelling of selective mining units.

Any assumptions about correlation between variables.

The process of validation, the checking process used, the comparison of model data to drillhole data, and use of reconciliation data if available. After validating the drillhole data to be used in the estimation, interpretation of the orebody is undertaken in sectional and / or plan view to create the outline strings which form the basis of the three-dimensional orebody wireframe. Wireframing is then carried out using a combination of automated stitching algorithms and manual triangulation to create an accurate three-dimensional representation of the sub-surface mineralised body.

Drillhole intersections within the mineralised body are defined, these intersections are then used to flag the appropriate sections of the drillhole database tables for compositing purposes. Drillholes are subsequently composited to allow for grade estimation. In all aspects of resource estimation, the factual and interpreted geology was used to guide the development of the interpretation.

Once the sample data has been composited, a statistical analysis is undertaken to assist with determining estimation search parameters, top-cuts etc. Variographic analysis of individual domains is undertaken to assist with determining appropriate search parameters. Which are then incorporated with observed geological and geometrical features to determine the most appropriate search parameters.

An empty block model is then created for the area of interest. This model contains attributes set at background values for the various elements of interest as well as density, and various estimation parameters that are subsequently used to assist in resource categorisation. The block sizes used in the model will vary depending on orebody geometry, minimum mining units, estimation parameters and levels of informing data available.

Grade estimation was completed using ordinary kriging estimation method, and localised uniform conditioning (LUC) method.

The resource is then depleted for mining voids and subsequently classified in line with JORC guidelines utilising a combination of various estimation derived parameters and geological/mining knowledge.

Estimation results are routinely validated against primary input data, previous estimates and mining output.

Good reconciliation between mine claimed figures and milled figures were routinely achieved during production. Moisture Whether the tonnages are estimated on a dry basis or with natural moisture, and the method of determination of the moisture content. Tonnage estimates are dry tonnes Cut-off parameters The basis of the adopted cut-off grade(s) or quality parameters applied The cut-off grades used for the reporting of the Mineral Resources have been selected based on the style of mineralisation, depth from surface of the mineralisation and the most probable extraction technique and associated costs Mining factors or assumptions Assumptions made regarding possible mining methods, minimum mining dimensions and internal (or, if applicable, external) mining dilution. It is always necessary as part of the process of determining reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction to consider potential mining methods, but the assumptions made regarding mining methods and parameters when estimating Mineral Resources may not always be rigorous. Where this is the case, this should be reported with an explanation of the basis of the mining assumptions made Variable by deposit.

No mining dilution or ore loss has been modelled in the resource model or applied to the reported Mineral Resource with the exception of the Selene Mineral Resource which has implicit dilution included through the use of LUC. Metallurgical factors or assumptions The basis for assumptions or predictions regarding metallurgical amenability. It is always necessary as part of the process of determining reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction to consider potential metallurgical methods, but the assumptions regarding metallurgical treatment processes and parameters made when reporting Mineral Resources may not always be rigorous. Where this is the case, this should be reported with an explanation of the basis of the metallurgical assumptions made. Metallurgical recovery assumptions have been applied to reported Mineral Resources by reporting inside A$2160 pit shells and are based on test work and processing records from processing the Mt Henry deposit ore through the Higginsville plant.

Assumed recoveries of oxide material for all deposits was 94%, whereas assumed recovery for fresh material at Mt Henry was 86.2%, Selene was 88.6%, and North Scotia was 82%. Environmental factors or assumptions Assumptions made regarding possible waste and process residue disposal options. It is always necessary as part of the process of determining reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction to consider the potential environmental impacts of the mining and processing operation. While at this stage the determination of potential environmental impacts, particularly for a greenfields project, may not always be well advanced, the status of early consideration of these potential environmental impacts should be reported. Where these aspects have not been considered this should be reported with an explanation of the environmental assumptions made. The mine and exploration programs operated in accordance with all environmental conditions set down as conditions for grant of the respective leases Bulk density Whether assumed or determined. If assumed, the basis for the assumptions. If determined, the method used, whether wet or dry, the frequency of the measurements, the nature, size and representativeness of the samples.

The bulk density for bulk material must have been measured by methods that adequately account for void spaces (vugs, porosity, etc.), moisture and differences between rock and alteration zones within the deposit.

Discuss assumptions for bulk density estimates used in the evaluation process of the different materials. Bulk density of the mineralisation is variable and is for the most part lithology and oxidation rather than mineralisation dependent.

A large suite of bulk density determinations has been carried out across the project areas.

The bulk densities were separated into different weathering domains and lithological domains.

Past mining history has validated the assumptions made surrounding bulk density. Classification The basis for the classification of the Mineral Resources into varying confidence categories.

Whether appropriate account has been taken of all relevant factors (i.e. relative confidence in tonnage/grade estimations, reliability of input data, confidence in continuity of geology and metal values, quality, quantity and distribution of the data).

Whether the result appropriately reflects the Competent Person's view of the deposit. Resources are classified in line with JORC guidelines utilising a combination of various estimation derived parameters, input data and geological / mining knowledge.

Drillhole spacing to support classification varies based upon lode characteristics.

Measured ranges from 10-35m, Indicated from 10-60m and Inferred from 10-200m.

This approach considers all relevant factors and reflects the Competent Person's view of the deposit. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of Mineral Resource estimates. This Mineral Resource Estimate has not been reviewed or audited externally.

The Mineral Resource estimates have been reviewed by Alicanto geologists and are considered to appropriately reflect the mineralization styles and grade tenor supported by drilling data. Discussion of relative accuracy/ confidence Where appropriate a statement of the relative accuracy and confidence level in the Mineral Resource estimate using an approach or procedure deemed appropriate by the Competent Person. For example, the application of statistical or geostatistical procedures to quantify the relative accuracy of the resource within stated confidence limits, or, if such an approach is not deemed appropriate, a qualitative discussion of the factors that could affect the relative accuracy and confidence of the estimate.

The statement should specify whether it relates to global or local estimates, and, if local, state the relevant tonnages, which should be relevant to technical and economic evaluation. Documentation should include assumptions made and the procedures used.

These statements of relative accuracy and confidence of the estimate should be compared with production data, where available. All currently reported resource estimates are considered robust, and representative on both a global and local scale.

A continuing history of mining with good reconciliation of mine claimed to mill recovered provides confidence in the accuracy of the estimate

Work needed to convert the JORC MRE as described above includes (but is not limited to) the following:-

Additional database checks to demonstrate the veracity of the data including checks of assay certificates against the master database.

Analysis and review of all available assay quality control data.

Review of the existing geological and mineralisation interpretations.

A full geostatistical review and analysis using the resultant geological and mineralisation interpretations.

Determination of the most appropriate geostatistical estimation methods applicable.

Classification of the grade estimates consistent with the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves.

Assessment of the classified grade estimates using suitable reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction (RPEEE) criteria and reporting of the Mineral Resource subsequent to application of the resultant RPEEE criteria.

Neither 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.

Completion of the Acquisition is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, Exchange acceptance and shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Acquisition cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Acquisition, any information released or received with respect to the Acquisition may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Stria should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the Acquisition and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations (including negative and grammatical variations) of such words and phrases or state that certain acts, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved".

Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Please refer to the risk factors disclosed under our profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information

Forward-looking information in this press release may include, without limitation, statements relating to: the completion of the Acquisition and the timing thereof, the proposed business of Stria following the Acquisition, the completion of the proposed Placement and the use of proceeds therefrom, the completion and receipt by Stria of a NI 43-101 compliant technical report for the Mt Henry Gold Project, the proposed officers of the Resulting Issuer, shareholder and regulatory approvals.

These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including risks regarding the mining industry, commodity prices, market conditions, general economic factors, the ability of the parties to successfully complete the Acquisition, management's ability to manage and to operate the business, and the equity markets generally. Because of these risks and uncertainties, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance of each of Stria and Alicanto may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by forward-looking information.

Although Stria believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking information are reasonable, they can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, Stria disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking information or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities laws.

________________________

1 Alicanto Minerals (ASX: AQI) press release 17th December 2025

2 A "qualified person" (QP) under NI 43-101 has not done sufficient work to classify these historical estimates as current mineral resources, and the Company is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources.

3 A "qualified person" (QP) under NI 43-101 has not done sufficient work to classify these historical estimates as current mineral resources, and the Company is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources.

4 Alicanto Minerals (ASX: AQI) Press release 17th December 2025 titled "Acquisition of Mt Henry Gold Project and Capital Raising"

5 Alicanto Minerals (ASX: AQI) Press release 24th February 2026 titled "Drilling to commence next month at Mt Henry"

6 A "qualified person" (QP) under NI 43-101 has not done sufficient work to classify these historical estimates as current mineral resources, and the Company is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources.

7 Alicanto Minerals (ASX: AQI) Press release 17th December 2025 titled "Mt Henry Gold Project Acquisition Presentation"

8 Alicanto Minerals (ASX: AQI) Press release 17th December 2025 titled "Acquisition of Mt Henry Gold Project and Capital Raising"

9 Alicanto Minerals (ASX: AQI) Press release 17th December 2025 titled "Acquisition of Mt Henry Gold Project and Capital Raising"

10 A "qualified person" (QP) under NI 43-101 has not done sufficient work to classify these historical estimates as current mineral resources, and the Company is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291716

Source: Stria Lithium Inc.
HIGHLIGHTS:

New discovery corridor confirmed and targeting model validated, with the Hurricane trend now emerging as Zone126-style high-grade system over a 1,000m NE-plunging fold corridor, significantly expanding the scale of the Hurricane Camp and opening up an exciting new front for rapid high-grade ounce growth. Two rigs now dedicated to accelerating rapid drill out. 11m at 6.4 g/t gold from 306m 26HZ023 within 102m at 1.1 g/t gold 2m at 19.1 g/t gold from 298m26HZ008 17m at 1.9 g/t gold from 366m 26HZ008 9m at 3.0 g/t gold from 264m 26HZ032

with the Hurricane trend now emerging as Zone126-style high-grade system over a 1,000m NE-plunging fold corridor, significantly expanding the scale of the Hurricane Camp and opening up an exciting new front for rapid high-grade ounce growth. Two rigs now dedicated to accelerating rapid drill out. New high grade "Lens 0" discovered at Zone 126, interpreted to link Zone 126 and Zone 102 for the first time, defining a substantial new area for high-grade resource growth 19m at 5.1 g/t gold from 311m 26HZ036 within 61m at 1.9 g/t gold 4m at 44.2 g/t gold from 481m 26HZ043

interpreted to link Zone 126 and Zone 102 for the first time, defining a substantial new area for high-grade resource growth Infill drilling at Zone 126 Lenses 1-4, scissor drilling to confirm true width 25m at 10.2 g/t gold from 568m 26HZ002 19m at 9.3 g/t gold from 363m 25GLR_138 12m at 9.8 g/t gold from 161m 25GLR_131

Extensional drilling 17m at 7.1 g/t gold from 201m 25GLR_170 (extending Lens 2 up dip) 10 at 6.3 g/t gold from 479m 25GLR_171 (extending Lens 1 down dip by 100m) 14m at 2.3 g/t gold (Lens 4 parallel lens)



Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 8, 2026) - Benz Mining Corp (TSXV: BZ) (ASX: BNZ) ("Benz" or the "Company") is pleased to report an additional discovery from ongoing drilling at Hurricane Camp within the Glenburgh Gold Project in Western Australia

Figure 1. Long section view looking north of Hurricane Camp trend. Previous results released on 6 November 2024, 3 April 2025, 28 April 2025, 30 June 2025, 31 July 2025, 20 August 2025, 11 September 2025 and 08 December 2025.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/291729_77f584c6d47bd8e4_002full.jpg

Benz CEO, Mark Lynch-Staunton, commented:

"Hurricane Camp is expanding rapidly, and these results mark another major step in unlocking the scale of the Glenburgh system. What we are seeing now is the emergence of multiple high-grade zones across multiple mineralised NE plunging corridors, and we are moving quickly to capitalise on this momentum.

"We have long believed the Hurricane trend had the potential to repeat the success of Zone 126, and these latest results are now clearly demonstrating that this is beginning to play out in the drill data. High-grade mineralisation is being defined over a 1km NE-plunging fold corridor, validating our targeting model and reinforcing the repeatability of the system.

"We are now increasing our drilling commitment at Hurricane, with dedicated rigs focused on systematically drilling out the full extent of the trend. The goal is clear - to rapidly grow high-grade ounces across what is shaping up to be a large, coherent gold system.

"At the same time, we continue to advance the Icon Camp, which remains a key pillar of the broader Glenburgh opportunity. In parallel, we are preparing to commence maiden drilling at the Thunderbolt Camp - a completely untested third of the project that has never seen modern exploration. This represents a significant new frontier within an already rapidly growing system.

"We believe Glenburgh is evolving into a district-scale gold system, and we are still in the early stages of understanding its full potential. With multiple camps, multiple active fronts, and a growing inventory of high-grade zones, we see a clear pathway to continue rapidly adding ounces all on our granted Mining Lease.

"There is no clear limit to the scale of this system, and we will continue to systematically explore, drill and expand across the entire 80km trend.

"These are genuinely exciting times for the Company."

HURRICANE TREND - NEW DISCOVERY CORRIDOR

Maiden drilling at the Hurricane trend has confirmed a new high-grade mineralised corridor defined over approximately 1km along a NE-plunging fold.

Hurricane was initially recognised as a small outcropping system located approximately 1.4km from the high-grade Zone 126 discovery. Historical exploration identified a broad surface geochemical anomaly, however, drilling was limited to a small number of shallow holes (<70m), leaving the system largely untested at depth.

Benz's geological team identified Hurricane as a high-priority target not only due to the scale of the surface anomaly, but more importantly due to its structural and geological similarities to the Zone 126 system. This provided a compelling opportunity to test for a repeat of the Zone 126 high-grade system along strike and at depth.

Recent results from Benz's maiden drill campaign have been highly encouraging. These initial results demonstrate both high-grade and broader mineralised envelopes, including:

11m at 6.4 g/t Au from 306m (26HZ023) within 102m at 1.1 g/t Au

2m at 19.1 g/t Au from 298m (26HZ008)

17m at 1.9 g/t Au from 366m (26HZ008)

9m at 3.0 g/t Au from 264m (26HZ032)

These results highlight the presence of multiple mineralised lenses within a broader corridor and support the potential for both high-grade shoots and bulk-tonnage mineralisation.

The geometry, tenor and structural setting of mineralisation in the Hurricane trend are consistent with the Zone 126 system, supporting the Company's interpretation that Hurricane represents a repeat structural position within the Glenburgh gold system.

Mineralisation remains open along strike and at depth, with strong potential for further growth as drilling continues.

ZONE 126 - NEW LENS AND SYSTEM LINKAGE

The identification of a new high-grade lens ("Lens 0") at Zone 126 represents a key development in understanding the broader system architecture.

Recent drilling has defined this new lens with strong high-grade intercepts, including:

19m at 5.1 g/t Au from 311m (26HZ036) within 61m at 1.93 g/t Au

4m at 44.2 g/t Au from 481m (26HZ043)

This lens is interpreted to link Zone 126 and Zone 102 for the first time, establishing a broader mineralised corridor and reinforcing the potential for large-scale system continuity now defined over a strike length of 1.5km and open in all directions.

Infill drilling across existing lenses at Zone 126 continues to confirm strong continuity and high-grade tenor, including:

25m at 10.2 g/t Au from 568m (26HZ002)

19m at 9.3 g/t Au from 363m (25GLR_138)

12m at 9.8 g/t Au from 161m (25GLR_131)

Extensional drilling has also continued to grow the system, with multiple lenses extended and new parallel mineralisation identified:

17m at 7.1 g/t Au from 201m (25GLR_170) - extending Lens 2 up-dip

10m at 6.3 g/t Au from 479m (25GLR_171) - extending Lens 1 down-dip by ~100m

14m at 2.32 g/t Au - new parallel lens associated with Lens 4

Together, these results highlight the scale, continuity and growing complexity of the Zone 126 system, with multiple lenses remaining open along strike and at depth.

GROWTH STRATEGY AND NEXT STEPS

The Company is accelerating drilling across the Hurricane Camp, with two rigs now dedicated to rapidly testing and expanding the full extent of the mineralised system which is currently over 2.6km in length.

Drilling continues at the Icon Camp, which remains a key pillar of the broader Glenburgh opportunity. In parallel, preparations are underway for maiden drilling at the Thunderbolt Camp - a largely untested portion of the project representing a significant new exploration frontier.

Benz remains focused on systematically exploring and expanding the Glenburgh system, with multiple active fronts and strong potential for continued high-grade discovery.

Figure 2. Long section of the Glenburgh Project detailing the exploration plan across all three camps on the 12km mining lease.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/291729_77f584c6d47bd8e4_003full.jpg

Glenburgh - A New Frontier Gold District

The 100%-owned Glenburgh Gold Project is rapidly emerging as a new frontier gold district with multi-million-ounce potential. Located in Western Australia's Gascoyne region, Glenburgh hosts an 18-20 kilometre mineralised corridor anchored by the large-scale Icon-Apollo trend and the high-grade Zone 126 system.

Glenburgh's unique combination of thick, bulk-style gold mineralisation (Icon-Apollo) and multiple high-grade underground lenses (Zone 126) positions it as a rare opportunity in the Australian gold sector. With gold prices at record levels, the ability to develop both large-scale open pit and underground operations offers exceptional leverage and growth potential.

Figure 3. Geological overview of the Glenburgh Gold Project.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/291729_77f584c6d47bd8e4_004full.jpg

- END -

This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Benz Mining Corp.

About Benz Mining Corp.

Benz Mining Corp. (TSXV: BZ) (ASX: BNZ) is a pure-play gold exploration company dual-listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and Australian Securities Exchange. The Company owns the Eastmain Gold Project in Quebec, and the recently acquired Glenburgh and Mt Egerton Gold Projects in Western Australia.

Benz's key point of difference lies in its team's deep geological expertise and the use of advanced geological techniques, particularly in high-metamorphic terrane exploration. The Company aims to rapidly grow its global resource base and solidify its position as a leading gold explorer across two of the world's most prolific gold regions.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/291729_77f584c6d47bd8e4_005full.jpg

For more information, please visit: https://benzmining.com/.

Qualified Person's Statement (NI 43-101)

The disclosure of scientific or technical information in this news release is based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Mr Mark Lynch-Staunton, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and a Member of Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) (Membership ID: 6918). Mr Lynch-Staunton has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release. Mr Lynch-Staunton owns securities in Benz Mining Corp.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively Forward-Looking Information) as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding the exploration potential of the Glenburgh Gold Project and the anticipated benefits thereof, planned exploration and related activities on the Glenburgh Gold Project. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases or variations of such words and phrases or statements such as "anticipates", "complete", "become", "expects", "next steps", "commitments" and "potential", in relation to certain actions, events or results "could", "may", "will", "would", be achieved. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that the accuracy and reliability of the Company's exploration thesis in respect of additional drilling at the Glenburgh Gold Project will be consistent with the Company's expectations based on available information; the Company will be able to raise additional capital as necessary; the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Company's Projects (including Glenburgh and Mt Egerton Gold Projects) can be achieved; and the continuity of the price of gold and other metals, economic and political conditions, and operations.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the early stage nature of the Company's exploration of the Glenburgh Gold Project, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, that occurrences such as those referred to above are realized and result in delays, or cessation in planned work, that the Company's financial condition and development plans change, and delays in regulatory approval, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and www.asx.com.au. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. The Forward-looking information in this news release is based on plans, expectations, and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Appendix 1: Collar Table. Coordinates system: GDA94/MGA Zone 50

Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Dip Azimuth End Depth 25GLR_135 414759 7193505 321 50 315 354 25GLR_132 415138 7194183 323 65 138 900 25GLR_131 414708 7193572 321 62 322 252 25GLR_130 414708 7193573 321 57 322 252 25GLR_125 414716 7193569 321 59 308 252 25GLR_124 414764 7193500 321 50 311 378 25GLR_122 415384 7194178 324 65 173 798 25GLR_120 414499 7193888 319 62 140 770 25GLR_116 414519 7193776 319 60 138 522 25GLR_108 414642 7193927 317 60 137 696 25GLR_103 414640 7193928 317 57 145 594 25GLR_102 414467 7193751 317 57 134 504 25GLR_099 415582 7193636 321 73 330 870 25GLR_097 415085 7193439 328 55 325 750 25GLR_128 414711 7193572 321 53 322 234 25GLR_142 414854 7194057 322 61 142 798 25GLR_141 414735 7193885 319 54 173 480 25GLR_138 414525 7193773 319 49 108 504 25GLR_136 414524 7193773 319 50 112 30 25GLR_129 414764 7193502 321 52 323 372 25GLR_113 414485 7193802 319 63 154 660 25GLR_109 414484 7193804 319 60 148 600 25GLR_147 414929 7193983 324 58 143 308 25GLR_081 414867 7193956 324 55 139 120 25GLR_077 414843 7193974 323 60 141 600 25GLR_071 414867 7193882 324 51 124 367 25GLR_069 414867 7193881 324 52 147 366 25GLR_152 414626 7193792 317 50 147 354 25GLR_148 414625 7193796 317 50 135 354 25GLR_156 414596 7193827 316 59 137 516 25GLR_160 415206 7193520 323 67 336 900 25GLR_154 414927 7193985 324 63 142 588 25GLR_169 414707 7193771 316 58 149 324 25GLR_163 414656 7193854 316 53 142 402 25GLR_176 414533 7193408 319 65 329 506 25GLR_175 414536 7193748 319 64 149 462 25GLR_173 415204 7193523 323 58 337 750 25GLR_171 414612 7193442 318 65 330 804 25GLR_170 414763 7193818 320 58 153 324 25GLR_181 414688 7193597 321 55 336 120 25GLR_180 414520 7193791 319 63 145 600 25GLR_178 415203 7193526 323 54 343 718 25GLR_220 414706 7193674 322 65 156 102 25GLR_219 414716 7193652 323 60 153 66 25GLR_218 414729 7193626 322 60 155 30 25GLR_217 414712 7193639 323 60 155 60 25GLR_216 414703 7193660 323 60 152 78 25GLR_215 414699 7193670 322 60 155 90 25GLR_214 414677 7193689 320 59 155 108 25GLR_210 414663 7193697 321 59 154 144 25GLR_209 414675 7193667 322 70 155 90 25GLR_208 414680 7193656 323 70 155 84 25GLR_207 414686 7193646 322 71 154 72 25GLR_206 414689 7193639 322 70 155 65 25GLR_205 414694 7193629 322 70 155 55 25GLR_203 414712 7193612 322 60 335 110 25GLR_202 414741 7193623 322 61 338 84 25GLR_198 414665 7193642 321 60 154 102 25GLR_186 415085 7193441 328 50 341 750 25GLR_184 414506 7193881 320 58 144 624 25GLR_183 414657 7193690 321 60 154 150 25GLR_182 415386 7194174 324 63 158 900 26HZ001 415357 7193605 323 62 316 900 26HZ002 415078 7193447 329 50 334 750 26HZ003 415219 7193891 334 60 340 734 26HZ006 413721 7193144 316 55 335 402 26HZ005 413609 7193515 311 55 154 402 26HZ004 415009 7193744 325 55 337 804 26HZ010 412947 7193257 306 55 155 372 26HZ009 413378 7193085 314 55 335 402 26HZ008 413507 7193094 313 55 335 402 26HZ007 413386 7193458 309 55 156 402 26HZ043 414353 7193842 317 60 162 654 26HZ041 415263 7193528 322 63 338 877 26HZ040 413281 7193309 311 56 154 402 26HZ039 414505 7193686 318 65 178 402 26HZ038 414406 7193646 319 65 149 384 26HZ037 413564 7193352 317 56 336 450 26HZ036 414271 7193662 319 61 118 552 26HZ035 413825 7193447 314 56 158 422 26HZ034 414189 7193270 317 56 336 520 26HZ033 415479 7193635 324 64 314 1026 26HZ032 413657 7193412 318 55 152 450 26HZ031 414236 7193651 319 55 345 400 26HZ030 413788 7193413 315 55 333 504 26HZ029 414820 7194205 321 55 156 972 26HZ028 413872 7193465 316 56 335 450 26HZ027 414125 7193636 315 55 150 558 26HZ026 414101 7193747 313 62 150 552 26HZ025 414246 7193537 319 55 156 450 26HZ024 414101 7193748 313 54 149 552 26HZ023 413837 7193544 314 55 156 504 26HZ020 414820 7194205 321 55 156 36 26HZ021 414672 7193873 320 54 335 450 26HZ022 414820 7194205 321 55 153 714 26HZ019 414869 7193959 323 54 337 450 26HZ018 414595 7194146 315 56 156 498 26HZ017 415038 7193967 328 55 335 450 26HZ016 414936 7194239 325 56 155 450 26HZ015 415084 7194308 324 55 154 450 26HZ014 415226 7194157 326 59 336 312 26HZ056 415166 7193524 330 54 349 954 26HZ054 413387 7192976 313 55 155 468 26HZ052 414431 7193826 318 66 144 804 26HZ051 413480 7192883 317 55 155 450 26HZ049 415146 7193672 329 78 311 900 26HZ048 414501 7193889 320 64 158 600 26HZ047 413567 7192902 317 55 336 424 26HZ046 415093 7193601 328 51 336 452 26HZ045 414431 7193826 318 67 159 873 26HZ042 413639 7193326 321 56 334 450

Figure 4. Collar Plan Map of released holes. Collars demarcated by black dots

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/291729_77f584c6d47bd8e4_006full.jpg

Appendix 2: Significant Intercepts Tables.

High Grade Intercepts: A nominal 1.0 g/t Au lower cut off has been applied to results, with up to 10m internal dilution applied unless otherwise stated.

Hole ID From To Au (ppm) Length 25GLR_135 249 252 15.3 3 25GLR_135 264 266 2.4 2 25GLR_135 318 320 3.3 2 25GLR_135 340 342 1.9 2 25GLR_131 161 173 9.9 12 25GLR_130 121 145 3.7 24 25GLR_130 158 160 4 2 25GLR_125 219 226 1.4 7 25GLR_124 287 299 6.4 12 25GLR_116 328 330 18.8 2 25GLR_116 389 396 2 7 25GLR_108 399 402 1.4 3 25GLR_108 429 440 1.5 11 25GLR_103 417 424 2.1 7 25GLR_103 448 452 1.2 4 25GLR_102 285 295 1.3 10 25GLR_102 356 362 1.9 6 25GLR_099 615 617 3.5 2 25GLR_097 665 669 5.4 4 25GLR_097 712 715 1.1 3 25GLR_128 116 136 2.6 20 25GLR_128 149 151 6.6 2 25GLR_128 166 170 5.2 4 25GLR_142 667 669 2 2 25GLR_142 755 758 1.1 3 25GLR_141 246 252 1.1 6 25GLR_141 345 359 1.5 14 25GLR_138 363 382 9.3 19 25GLR_129 255 258 4.7 3 25GLR_129 347 354 1.5 7 25GLR_109 326 328 55.3 2 25GLR_109 410 416 2.3 6 25GLR_071 283 291 1.7 8 25GLR_152 205 208 1.4 3 25GLR_152 240 242 1.1 2 25GLR_148 214 217 5 3 25GLR_148 240 251 1.2 11 25GLR_148 276 278 1.1 2 25GLR_156 320 332 2.2 12 25GLR_156 413 425 1.3 12 25GLR_154 289 292 6.2 3 25GLR_154 458 464 1.2 6 25GLR_154 488 492 3.1 4 25GLR_154 546 563 1.5 17 25GLR_154 567 570 2.4 3 25GLR_169 154 163 3 9 25GLR_169 196 200 1.9 4 25GLR_163 236 245 2.1 9 25GLR_163 309 330 3.4 21 25GLR_163 357 364 1.6 7 25GLR_176 458 464 1.3 6 25GLR_175 252 254 1.5 2 25GLR_175 339 341 2.6 2 25GLR_175 364 366 2 2 25GLR_171 479 489 6.3 10 25GLR_171 509 512 2.3 3 25GLR_171 651 655 1.1 4 25GLR_171 762 764 1.5 2 25GLR_170 201 218 7.1 17 25GLR_181 60 73 3.8 13 25GLR_220 66 72 5.3 6 25GLR_209 75 83 2.8 8 25GLR_207 47 58 1.8 11 25GLR_206 31 43 4.1 12 25GLR_205 19 29 2.8 10 25GLR_203 8 15 1.9 7 25GLR_203 94 99 1.2 5 25GLR_202 15 30 1.1 15 25GLR_202 37 52 1.2 15 25GLR_186 530 542 1.4 12 25GLR_186 557 559 2.3 2 25GLR_186 667 669 1.7 2 25GLR_184 380 384 1.1 4 25GLR_184 439 442 1 3 25GLR_184 529 533 1.9 4 25GLR_183 90 100 5.4 10 26HZ001 193 198 1.9 5 26HZ001 662 674 1.1 12 26HZ001 677 696 2.1 19 26HZ002 568 593 10.3 25 26HZ006 174 177 1.4 3 26HZ006 240 244 1 4 26HZ006 261 263 4.1 2 26HZ006 367 369 1.1 2 26HZ009 183 185 1 2 26HZ008 198 200 2.1 2 26HZ008 242 254 1 12 26HZ008 298 300 19.1 2 26HZ008 366 383 1.9 17 26HZ043 481 485 42.2 4 26HZ041 733 735 2.4 2 26HZ041 759 761 1.3 2 26HZ040 81 83 1.8 2 26HZ040 119 121 1.2 2 26HZ039 171 175 2.6 4 26HZ036 311 330 5.1 19 26HZ036 346 348 2.5 2 26HZ036 369 372 2.4 3 26HZ035 160 170 1.1 10 26HZ033 956 970 2.3 14 26HZ032 264 273 3 9 26HZ029 755 762 1.2 7 26HZ028 114 117 1.5 3 26HZ027 265 272 1.6 7 26HZ023 257 262 3.5 5 26HZ023 306 317 6.4 11 26HZ023 330 332 1.9 2 26HZ023 345 352 1.2 7 26HZ056 578 596 1.6 18 26HZ056 605 608 4.8 3 26HZ056 705 710 1 5 26HZ049 665 667 1.2 2 26HZ049 680 682 1.8 2 26HZ049 692 700 1.1 8 26HZ046 349 351 1.5 2 26HZ045 541 543 2.8 2

Appendix 2: Significant Intercepts Tables.

Bulk Intercepts: A nominal 0.3 g/t Au lower cut off has been applied to results, with no limit on internal dilution applied unless otherwise stated.

Hole ID From To Au (ppm) Length Comments 25GLR_135 249 354 0.8 105

25GLR_132 6 9 0.5 3

25GLR_132 20 40 0.3 20

25GLR_132 530 535 0.8 5

25GLR_132 800 816 0.3 16

25GLR_131 159 249 1.4 90

25GLR_130 121 247 0.9 126

25GLR_125 168 182 0.3 14

25GLR_125 218 226 1.3 8

25GLR_124 256 259 0.5 3

25GLR_124 280 370 1 90

25GLR_120 510 518 0.4 8

25GLR_120 572 576 0.3 4

25GLR_120 583 586 0.5 3

25GLR_120 673 676 0.4 3

25GLR_116 277 296 0.4 19

25GLR_116 309 423 0.7 114

25GLR_108 326 330 0.3 4

25GLR_108 399 534 0.4 135

25GLR_103 313 331 0.3 18

25GLR_103 409 592 0.3 183

25GLR_102 285 345 0.3 60

25GLR_102 354 414 0.3 60

25GLR_097 629 734 0.5 105

25GLR_128 104 171 1.4 67

25GLR_142 379 382 0.3 3

25GLR_142 659 681 0.4 22

25GLR_142 707 714 0.4 7

25GLR_142 743 780 0.3 37

25GLR_141 246 255 0.9 9

25GLR_141 329 403 0.4 74

25GLR_138 360 414 3.4 54

25GLR_129 255 366 0.4 111

25GLR_113 394 438 0.3 44

25GLR_113 455 460 0.5 5

25GLR_109 318 469 1 151

25GLR_077 360 411 0.3 51

25GLR_071 266 301 0.6 35

25GLR_069 267 271 1 4

25GLR_152 200 208 0.8 8

25GLR_152 240 260 0.4 20

25GLR_148 198 203 0.3 5

25GLR_148 208 278 0.5 70

25GLR_156 318 437 0.5 119

25GLR_160 738 748 0.3 10

25GLR_160 776 865 0.3 89

25GLR_154 237 246 0.3 9

25GLR_154 255 294 0.6 39

25GLR_154 454 572 0.6 118

25GLR_169 153 238 0.6 85

25GLR_163 234 371 0.8 137

25GLR_176 454 498 0.4 44

25GLR_175 252 265 0.4 13

25GLR_175 271 276 0.4 5

25GLR_175 287 295 0.3 8

25GLR_175 300 303 0.4 3

25GLR_175 311 347 0.3 36

25GLR_175 355 377 0.4 22

25GLR_175 443 452 0.6 9

25GLR_173 570 582 0.5 12

25GLR_173 735 740 0.5 5

25GLR_171 473 764 0.4 291

25GLR_170 201 259 2.2 58

25GLR_181 60 80 2.6 20

25GLR_180 298 304 0.7 6

25GLR_180 374 384 0.4 10

25GLR_180 397 411 0.3 14

25GLR_180 414 418 0.3 4

25GLR_180 425 433 0.3 8

25GLR_178 526 532 0.5 6

25GLR_220 66 90 1.5 24

25GLR_219 31 39 0.4 8

25GLR_219 49 54 0.5 5

25GLR_217 19 39 0.4 20

25GLR_215 55 63 0.3 8

25GLR_210 98 101 0.3 3

25GLR_210 105 137 0.4 32

25GLR_209 70 90 1.3 20

25GLR_208 56 59 0.5 3

25GLR_208 64 78 0.6 14

25GLR_207 37 59 1 22

25GLR_206 30 52 2.3 22

25GLR_205 19 35 1.8 16

25GLR_203 8 102 0.4 94

25GLR_202 13 53 1 40

25GLR_186 530 591 0.5 61

25GLR_186 667 677 0.5 10

25GLR_184 364 461 0.3 97

25GLR_184 494 502 0.4 8

25GLR_184 511 569 0.3 58

25GLR_183 90 125 1.7 35

25GLR_182 566 569 0.9 3

25GLR_182 635 660 0.4 25

26HZ001 187 219 0.5 32

26HZ001 649 899 0.4 250

26HZ002 562 641 3.4 79

26HZ006 161 198 0.4 37

26HZ006 234 311 0.4 77

26HZ006 348 378 0.4 30

26HZ006 399 402 0.3 3

26HZ005 365 387 0.3 22

26HZ004 619 637 0.3 18

26HZ009 135 156 0.3 21

26HZ009 180 195 0.3 15

26HZ009 220 272 0.4 52

26HZ008 190 400 0.6 210

26HZ007 120 141 0.3 21

26HZ007 258 318 0.4 60

26HZ007 381 395 0.4 14

26HZ043 399 411 0.4 12

26HZ043 449 458 0.4 9

26HZ043 476 598 1.6 122

26HZ041 671 674 0.6 3

26HZ041 732 828 0.3 96

26HZ040 72 143 0.4 71

26HZ039 171 246 0.3 75

26HZ038 203 207 0.3 4

26HZ038 219 224 0.4 5

26HZ036 311 390 1.5 79 Inc 61m at 1.9g/t gold 26HZ035 159 201 0.3 42

26HZ034 422 428 0.3 6

26HZ034 437 440 0.3 3

26HZ033 383 405 0.3 22

26HZ033 830 833 0.4 3

26HZ033 902 906 0.5 4

26HZ033 945 1012 0.6 67

26HZ032 211 214 0.3 3

26HZ032 258 294 1 36

26HZ031 279 288 0.5 9

26HZ029 675 679 0.5 4

26HZ029 747 763 0.7 16

26HZ028 105 120 0.5 15

26HZ027 181 189 0.3 8

26HZ027 215 327 0.3 112

26HZ026 323 357 0.3 34

26HZ025 128 137 0.3 9

26HZ024 351 355 0.6 4

26HZ024 367 385 0.3 18

26HZ024 403 452 0.3 49

26HZ023 40 47 0.3 7

26HZ023 233 359 1 126 Inc 102m at 1.1 g/t gold 26HZ021 323 328 0.3 5

26HZ019 276 279 0.4 3

26HZ018 173 176 0.4 3

26HZ017 303 316 0.3 13

26HZ014 135 145 0.3 10

26HZ056 564 568 0.3 4

26HZ056 574 741 0.4 167

26HZ056 850 885 0.3 35

26HZ054 418 426 0.4 8

26HZ052 438 441 0.5 3

26HZ052 462 491 0.3 29

26HZ049 617 623 0.4 6

26HZ049 636 639 0.5 3

26HZ049 649 737 0.4 88

26HZ049 767 774 0.4 7

26HZ049 779 799 0.3 20

26HZ048 399 406 0.7 7

26HZ048 438 442 0.5 4

26HZ048 458 472 0.4 14

26HZ048 485 494 0.3 9

26HZ046 349 354 0.8 5

26HZ045 488 543 0.4 55



Appendix 3: JORC Tables

JORC Code, 2012 Edition - Table 1 report template

Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data

(Criteria in this section apply to all succeeding sections.)

Criteria Commentary Sampling techniques Results are part of BNZ's RC drilling campaign at the recently acquired Glenburgh Gold Project situated ~285 km east of Carnarvon via Gascoyne Junction, WA.

RC drilling samples were collected as 1m single samples.

Each sample collected represents each one (1) metre drilled collected from the rig-mounted cone splitter into individual calico bags (~3kg).

The rig mounted cyclone/cone splitter was levelled at the start of each hole to aid an even fall of the sample through the cyclone into the cone splitter.

RC drilling sample submissions include the use of certified standards (CRMs), and field duplicates were added to the submitted sample sequence to test laboratory equipment calibrations. Standards selected are matched to the analytical method of photon assaying at ALS labs in Perth (~500g units). No composites were taken.

Based on statistical analysis of these results, there is no evidence to suggest the samples are not representative. Drilling techniques The RC drill rig was a Schramm C685 & T685 rig type with the capability to reach >500m depths with a rig-mounted cyclone/cone splitter using a face sample hammer bit of 5 1/2 - 6" size.

The booster was used to apply air to keep drill holes dry and reach deeper depths. Drill sample recovery RC sample recovery is visually assessed and recorded where significantly reduced. Negligible sample loss has been recorded.

RC samples were visually checked for recovery, moisture and contamination. A cyclone and cone splitter were used to provide a uniform sample, and these were routinely cleaned.

RC Sample recoveries are generally high. No significant sample loss has been recorded. Logging RC chip samples have been geologically logged on a per 1 metre process recording lithology, mineralisation, veining, alteration, and weathering.

Geological logging is considered appropriate for this style of deposit (metamorphosed orogenic gold). The entire length of all holes has been geologically logged.

RC drill logging was completed by Benz Mining staff and data entered into BNZ's MXDeposit digital data collection platform provided by Expedio.

All drill chips were collected into 20 compartment-trays for future reference and stored securely at Glenburgh camp. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation RC chips were cone split at the rig. Samples were generally dry.

A sample size of between 3 and 5 kg was collected. This size is considered appropriate, and representative of the material being sampled given the width and continuity of the intersections, and the grain size of the material being collected.

For the 1 metre samples, certified analytical standards (appropriate for photon assaying) and field duplicates were inserted at appropriate intervals at a rate equal to 1 in 20 and sent for analysis with the samples.

Sample preparation was undertaken at ALS Laboratory - Perth. Gold analysis utilised the photon assaying methodology where original samples are crushed to 90% better than -3mm with a sub-set 500g separated for non-destructive analysis.

Any sample reporting as having elevated > 1Sv readings during the preparation for photon assaying at ALS labs were flagged and were submitted for fire assay (Au-AA26) methodology at ALS labs in Perth as a quantifying check against the Photon assays. Quality of assay data and laboratory test PhotonAssay at ALS Perth: Samples submitted for PhotonAssay analysis were dried, crushed to achieve approximately 90% passing 3.15 mm, rotary split, and a nominal ~500 g sub-sample was collected (method codes CRU-32a and SPL-32a). The ~500 g sub-sample was analysed for gold using the PhotonAssay technique (method code Au-PA01), together with quality control samples including certified reference materials and field duplicates.

ALS PhotonAssay Analysis Technique: Developed by CSIRO in collaboration with Chrysos Corporation, PhotonAssay is a rapid, chemical-free alternative to conventional fire assay that uses high-energy X-rays. The technique is non-destructive and analyses a substantially larger sample mass than the standard 50 g fire assay. ALS has extensively tested and validated the PhotonAssay method, with results benchmarked against traditional fire assay.

Routine mutli-element analysis - four acid digest with ICP-MS finish (method code ME-MS61) and portable XRF (method code pXRF-NQ) has been completed down hole on a pulverize 500 g split to better than 85% passing 75um (method code PUL-32m) but this information does not form part of this report.

Laboratory QA/QC is maintained through the routine use of internal certified reference materials and blanks as part of standard in-house procedures. In addition, BNZ submitted an independent suite of certified reference materials (see above). These data are formally reviewed on a periodic basis. Verification of sampling and assaying Significant drill intersections are checked by the supervising personnel. The intersections are compared to recorded geology and neighbouring data and reviewed in Leapfrog and QGIS software.

No twinned holes have been drilled to date by Benz Mining, but, planned holes have tested the interpreted mineralised trends, verifying the geometry of the mineralised targets.

All logs were validated by the Project Geologist prior to being sent to the Database Administrator for import

No adjustments have been made to assay data apart from values below the detection limit which are assigned a value of half the detection limit (positive number) Location of data points Hole collar coordinates including RLs have been located by handheld GPS in the field during initial drill site preparation. Actual hole collars were collected by a DGPS system at the Glenburgh Gold Project.

The grid system used for the location of all drill holes is GDA94_MGA _Zone 50s.

Planned hole coordinates and final GPS coordinates are compared in QGIS and Leapfrog project files to ensure all targets have been tested as intended.

The drill string path is monitored as drilling progresses using downhole Axis Champ Gyro tool and compared against the planned drill path, adjustment to the drilling technique is requested as required to ensure the intended path is followed.

Readings were recorded at 30m intervals from surface to end of hole after Benz reviewed single shot verses EOH continuous surveying of the Axis Champ Gyro tool and noted >3 degrees variance in azimuth with hole depth. The single shots produce less variability and are used for hole trace reporting in the database.

Historical drill hole surveys and methods will be reviewed in preparation for any updates to MRE in the future. Data spacing and distribution BNZ's Glenburgh RC drilling has been designed to infill and extend mineralisation defined by historical drilling. Drill spacings are varied. Holes were generally angled between -65 degrees towards ~145 degrees.

The mineralised domains established for pre-BNZ Mineral Resource Estimates have sufficient continuity in both geology and grade to be considered appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedures and classification applied under the 2012 JORC Code. Ongoing drilling will be sufficiently spaced for a reinterpretation based on BNZ's structural model.

No sample compositing of material from drilling has been applied during this drilling campaign. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Drilling has primarily been undertaken perpendicular to the interpreted mineralised structures as stated above.

No orientation-based sampling bias has been identified - observed intercepts to date indicate the interpreted geology hosting mineralisation is robust. Sample security All samples were prepared in the field by Benz Mining staff and delivered by contracted couriers from the field site to the ALS laboratory in Perth directly.

Individual pre-numbered calco sample bags are placed in polywoven plastic bags (5 per bag) secured at the top with a cable tie. These bags are annotated with the company name and sample numbers, the bags are placed in larger bulker bags for transport to ALS labs in Perth, also labelled with corresponding company name, drill hole and sample identifiers.

Sample pulps are stored in a dry, secure location at Benz's Glenburgh camp. Audits or reviews Data is validated by Benz staff and Geolytic database consultants as it is entered into MXDeposit. Errors are returned to field staff for validation.

All drilled hole collars have been located with a DGPS.

There have been no audits undertaken.

Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results

(Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.)

Criteria Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Glenburgh Gold Project is a group of 10 tenements and 2 applications. The majority of known gold deposits are located on Mining Lease M09/148.

The tenement is 100% owned by Benz Mining Limited.

The tenements are in good standing and no known impediments exist. Exploration done by other parties Since Helix Resources in 1994 and subsequent work by Gascoyne Resources, about 159,149 soil samples, 1,349 vacuum holes and 2,285 auger holes have been completed at Glenburgh.

48 diamond holes, 398 RC holes, 6 air-core holes and 462 RAB holes have been drilled in the Glenburgh area to identify the distribution and evaluate the potential of the deposit.

Drilling to date has identified 10 high potential deposits in the Glenburgh area which are: Tuxedo, Icon, Apollo, Mustang, Shelby, Hurricane, Zone 102, Zone 126, NE3 and NE4 deposits. Geology Gold mineralisation at the Glenburgh deposit is hosted in Paleoproterozoic upper-amphibolite to granulite facies siliciclastic rocks of the Glenburgh Terrane, in the southern Gascoyne Province of Western Australia.

Gold was first discovered at the Glenburgh deposit in 1994 by Helix Resources during follow-up drilling of soil geochemical anomalies. Mineralisation occurs in shears within quartz + feldspar + biotite  garnet gneiss, which contains discontinuous blocks or lenses of amphibolite and occasional thin magnetite-bearing metamorphics, probably derived from chemical sediments.

Higher-grade mineralisation appears to be directly related to silica flooding in the gneiss. This silica flooding may give rise to quartz 'veins' up to several metres thick, although scales of several centimetres to tens of centimetres are the norm. Neither the higher-grade silica lodes nor the more pervasive lower-grade mineralisation exhibits sharp or well-defined lithological contacts. Drill hole Information For this announcement, 111 Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes are being reported.

Collar details have been provided in Appendix 1.

For earlier released results, see previous announcements by Gascoyne Resources (ASX: GCY) and Spartan Resources (ASX: SPR). Data aggregation methods No material information has been excluded.

Low Grade: A nominal 0.3 ppm Au lower cut off has been applied to with no internal dilution length applied.

High grade: A nominal 1 ppm Au lower cut off has been applied to with up to 10m internal dilution length applied.

Higher grade Au intervals lying within broader zones of Au mineralisation are reported as included intervals.

No top cuts have been applied to reported intercepts.

No metal equivalent values have been used.

All reported assays have been length weighted if appropriate.

Some drill holes reported in this announcement were previously disclosed based on partial assay results. Completion of outstanding assays has resulted in updated intercepts now being reported. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths Drilling is generally oriented perpendicular to the interpreted strike of mineralisation, and intercepts are reported as downhole lengths unless otherwise stated.

To improve understanding of true widths, a subset of holes in this program were drilled from the opposite azimuth to previous drilling to test structural geometry. Ongoing drilling and geological modelling are required to confirm the true orientation and extent of mineralised lenses. Diagrams Relevant diagrams are included in the report. Balanced reporting All meaningful data relating to the Exploration program has been included and reported to the market as assays are received. Other substantive exploration data See body of announcement. Further work Assays for the remainder of the programme will be reported once received and validated.

Ongoing drilling across the Glenburgh camp to extend mineralisation along strike and at depth.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291729

Source: Benz Mining Corp.
Die Eskalation im Iran-Konflikt hat die Energiepreise mit voller Wucht nach oben getrieben. Was zunachst nach einer kurzfristigen Reaktion aussah, entwickelt sich zunehmend zu einem strukturellen Problem: Die Strae von Hormus ist blockiert, wichtige LNG- und Olanlagen stehen still oder werden gezielt angegriffen. Eine schnelle Entspannung ist nicht in Sicht  im Gegenteil, die Lage spitzt sich weiter zu.



Fur die Weltwirtschaft bedeutet dies wachsende Risiken. Steigende Energiepreise erhohen den Inflationsdruck, gefahrden Zinssenkungen und bringen die ohnehin hoch bewerteten Aktienmarkte ins Wanken. Doch wo Risiken entstehen, ergeben sich auch Chancen.



Denn von einem dauerhaft hoheren Energiepreisniveau profitieren nicht nur Ol- und Gasunternehmen. Auch Versorger, erneuerbare Energien sowie ausgewahlte Rohstoff- und Agrarwerte rucken in den Fokus. In diesem Umfeld konnten gezielt ausgewahlte Unternehmen uberdurchschnittlich profitieren  unabhangig davon, ob die Krise anhalt oder nicht.



In unserem aktuellen Spezialreport stellen wir drei Aktien vor, die genau dieses Profil erfullen: Krisenprofiteure mit solidem Geschaftsmodell, attraktiver Bewertung und langfristigem Potenzial.



Jetzt den kostenlosen Report sichern  und Ihr Depot auf den Energiepreisschock vorbereiten!
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Mexican Gold Mining Corp. (TSXV: MEX) ("Mexican Gold" or the "Purchaser") and Alcon Silver Corp. ("Alcon" or the "Company") are pleased to announce that they have entered into an arrangement agreement (the "Arrangement Agreement") dated April 8, 2026, pursuant to which Mexican Gold will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Alcon (the "Company Shares") in exchange for newly issued common shares in the capital of Mexican Gold (the "Consideration Shares") by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "Arrangement").

Under the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, Alcon shareholders will receive one post-consolidated share of Mexican Gold (see below for details regarding the proposed consolidation) for each Company Share held such that, following the effective time of the Arrangement (the "Effective Time"), the former Alcon shareholders will hold approximately 61% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Mexican Gold (the "Purchaser Shares") on a non-diluted basis. As at the date of the Arrangement Agreement, there are approximately 37,899,939 Company Shares and 41,216,639 Purchaser Shares issued and outstanding.

Completion of the Arrangement is subject to a number of conditions, including, among other items, receipt of all required shareholder, regulatory and third-party consents, including approval of the Arrangement by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").

Transaction Highlights

Foundational Silver Deposit with Significant Growth Potential: The Princesa project ("Princesa") hosts a significant historical resource (A. Vachon, 2011) of 4.6 million tonnes, grading 90.88 g/t silver, 1.66% lead, and 1.69% zinc, with substantial expansion potential, as only 64 of 82 historical drill holes were included and just 1.5 km of the 2.2 km diatreme breccia vein has been drilled.i

Robust District-Scale Gold Asset: The Las Minas project hosts a National Instrument 43-101- Standard of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") resourceii of 443,000 gold equivalent ounces of Indicated Resource at 3.34 AuEQ g/t and 361,000 gold equivalent ounces of Inferred Resource at 2.16 AuEQ g/t, supported by a preliminary economic assessment ("PEA")iii demonstrating a 35% after-tax IRR at US$2,000 gold, with significant upside for further growth. Further detail of the mineral resource estimate within the PEA shows that the Indicated Resource consists of 4.13 million tonnes at grades of 1.96 g/t gold, 4.64 g/t silver, 1.08% copper, 14.77% magnetite while the Inferred Resource consists of 5.20 million tonnes at grades of 1.44 g/t gold, 5.97 g/t silver, 0.95% copper, 17.54% magnetite, all reported at a US$80 per tonne net smelter return cut-off.

Proven Leadership with a Track Record of Value Creation: The combined management, board, and advisory team has successfully financed, built, and sold multiple exploration companies, with direct involvement in the discovery and development of major mines across Latin America.

Strong and Supportive Shareholder base including Pan American Silver and Chesapeake Gold Corp: Backed by leading industry investors alongside significant insider and institutional ownership, providing a solid foundation for growth and financing

Multiple Catalysts and District-Scale Upside: Extensive untested targets at both core projects, combined with a first-mover advantage in a historic CRD camp in Utah, position the company for meaningful discovery potential.

Jack Campbell, CEO of Mexican Gold, states: "This merger brings together two highly complementary assets to create a compelling growth platform with both near-term value and long-term discovery upside. With the robust economics and expansion potential at Las Minas, alongside the strong silver foundation at Princesa, we are establishing a diversified portfolio anchored by quality resources. Just as importantly, we have assembled a proven team with a track record of building and monetizing successful exploration companies, supported by a strong and aligned shareholder base. Combined with multiple untested targets across our projects and a first-mover advantage in emerging districts, we believe this transaction positions us to deliver significant value for our shareholders."

Share Consolidation and Name Change

In connection with the Arrangement, Mexican Gold will complete a consolidation of the outstanding Purchaser Shares on a 1.6667-for-one basis (the "Consolidation"). Mexican Gold will also change its name to Platauro Metals Corp. as mutually agreed upon by the parties (the "Name Change"). Completion of the Consolidation and the Name Change are conditions to closing of the Arrangement.

Concurrent Financing

In connection with the Arrangement, Mexican Gold intends to complete a non-brokered private placement of subscription receipts convertible into units of Mexican Gold for gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000, or such other amount as may be mutually agreed by the parties, to be completed prior to the Effective Date (the "Concurrent Financing").

Alcon Convertible Debentures

Prior to or concurrently with the Effective Time, all outstanding unsecured convertible debentures of Alcon, issued pursuant to a non-brokered private placement of such debentures for gross proceeds of up to $242,650 and bearing interest at 12% per annum, will be automatically converted into Company Shares at a price of CAD$0.25 per share. No Alcon convertible debentures will remain outstanding following the Effective Time.

Transaction Conditions and Timing

The Arrangement will be effected by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). The Arrangement will require the approval of not less than 662/3% of the votes cast by the holders of Company Shares at a special meeting of Alcon shareholders (the "Company Meeting"). The Company Meeting is expected to be held on or before June 15, 2026. Mexican Gold and Alcon are arm's length parties and, accordingly, the Arrangement is not expected to be a "related party transaction" as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions.

In addition to shareholder and court approvals, the Arrangement is subject to applicable regulatory approvals, including the conditional approval of the TSXV for the listing and posting for trading of the Consideration Shares, and the satisfaction of certain other customary closing conditions. The Arrangement is not expected to constitute a reverse takeover or change of business under TSXV Policy 5.2, and is instead expected to be treated as a fundamental acquisition in accordance with TSXV Policy 5.3. The Arrangement Agreement includes an outside date of August 31, 2026, which may be extended by agreement between the parties for up to an additional 60 Business Days if the Effective Date has not occurred by that date as a result of the failure to obtain all Regulatory Approvals.

The Consideration Shares to be issued pursuant to the Arrangement are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), provided by Section 3(a)(10) thereof, and applicable exemptions under state securities laws. Following completion of the Arrangement, the Consideration Shares are not expected to be subject to resale restrictions under applicable Canadian securities laws, other than as applicable to control persons or pursuant to Section 2.6 of National Instrument 45-102 - Resale of Securities.

The Arrangement Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants for a transaction of this nature. The Arrangement Agreement also includes customary deal protection provisions, including reciprocal non-solicitation covenants, fiduciary-out provisions and matching rights in favour of each of Mexican Gold and Alcon.

Boards of Directors' Recommendations

The board of directors of Alcon (the "Alcon Board"), after consultation with its financial and legal advisors and upon receipt of a fairness opinion from the Company's independent financial advisor, has unanimously determined that the Arrangement is fair to the holders of Company Shares and that the Arrangement is in the best interests of Alcon. The Alcon Board has unanimously resolved to recommend that Alcon shareholders vote in favour of the Arrangement Resolution.

Voting Support Agreements

Directors, officers and shareholders of Alcon who will be party to voting support agreements (the "Company Support Agreements") will agree, among other things, to vote their Company Shares in favour of the Arrangement Resolution.

Board and Management of the Combined Company

Upon completion of the Arrangement, it is anticipated that management of the combined company will remain unchanged and the board of directors of the combined company shall consist of the following individuals:

Jack Campbell, Director

Mr. Campbell brings more than 15 years of experience in the administration and strategic analysis of public companies within the mineral resource sector. He is currently the CEO of Mexican Gold Mining Corp. and previously held roles as Independent Chairman of Radio Fuels Energy Corp., which was acquired by Palisades Goldcorp Ltd., and as Head of Corporate Communications for Concentric Energy Corp., which was acquired by Uranium Energy Corp. Mr. Campbell is a Professional Engineer and holds a B.Sc. from the University of Maryland, as well as a certificate from the Robert H. Smith School of Business mini-MBA program.

Dr. John Larson, Director

Dr. Larson holds an Artium Baccalaurei (Honours) in Geology from Dartmouth College, an MSc in Geology from Western University, and a PhD in Geology and Geochemistry from the Colorado School of Mines. Over a 48-year career, he has held senior leadership positions with several mining and exploration companies, including serving as President and CEO. His experience includes roles as Global Porphyry Copper Exploration Leader at BHP, Exploration Manager with BHP, General Manager, Global Exploration at Zinifex and OZ Minerals, and Corporate Manager of Exploration at Hochschild Mining Plc. In these positions, Dr. Larson has overseen operations and corporate functions across multiple countries, including the management of accounting and auditing teams.

Bruce Winfield, Director

Mr. Winfield brings more than 40 years of experience in the minerals industry as a geologist, senior executive, and consultant. He began his career with major mining companies Texasgulf Inc. and Boliden Inc. and later served as Vice President of Exploration for Greenstone Resources and Eldorado Gold Corporation, where he played a key role in the discovery and development of five gold deposits. Over the past two decades, Mr. Winfield has held President and CEO roles, leading publicly listed companies, including Defiance Silver Corp. with a primary focus on exploration across Latin America. Mr. Winfield is a Professional Geologist and holds a M.Sc.

Nathan Lavertu, Director

Mr. Lavertu brings a diverse background in the resource sector, combining high-level finance and investment strategy with hands-on operational experience. He has served as Operations Manager for Palisades Goldcorp Ltd. and Nevada King Gold Corp., where he was directly involved in advancing exploration activities. In addition, Mr. Lavertu has led a top-performing commercial real estate team for more than seven years, underwriting over $3.5 billion in approved multifamily loans. He graduated summa cum laude from The Citadel with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, concentrating in accounting, and is also a decorated United States Marine Corps veteran.

Advisory Board

Collin Kettell, Advisor

Mr. Kettell is the founder of New Found Gold Corp. (NYSE: NFGC), Palisades Goldcorp Ltd. (TSXV: PALI), and Nevada King Gold Corp. (TSXV: NKG). As an active participant in the resource sector and a company builder, he has raised over $500 million for mineral exploration and project development. Mr. Kettell's approach combines hands-on leadership with long-term focus on discovering mineral deposits. He has been recognized for his ability to navigate capital markets, secure financing and assemble skilled teams.

Robert S. Tyson, Advisor

Mr. Tyson is the President, CEO and a Director of Alcon Silver Corp. He has over 35 years of experience as a senior executive with numerous publicly traded technology and exploration companies based in Canada, the United States and Latin America. Previously, Mr. Tyson served as President and CEO of Cue Resources, which was purchased by Uranium Energy Corp. He has held the position of Vice President, Corporate Development of Minco Silver Corporation and Solex Resources Corp. (the former registered owner of the La Princesa Project).

Darrell Rader, Advisor

Mr. Rader is the President and CEO of Minaurum Silver Inc (TSXV: MGG) and founder of Defiance Silver Corp. (TSXV: DEF). As an experienced operator, Mr. Rader has directly raised over $175-million for mineral exploration and development primarily through institutional investors and bankers. He previously served as Manager of Corporate Development for an international drilling company overseeing its growth from three drill rigs to over eighty in its fleet, and IMPACT Silver Corp that was transformed from a grass roots silver explorer into a profitable silver miner. Mr. Rader holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) from Simon Fraser University and a Diploma in Prospecting from BCIT.

Additional Information

A copy of the Arrangement Agreement will be filed on SEDAR+ and will be available for viewing under the profiles of Mexican Gold and Alcon at www.sedarplus.ca. Further details regarding the Arrangement will be provided in subsequent News Releases as well as in the management information circular to be prepared by Alcon and filed on SEDAR+ in advance of the Company Meeting.

All information contained in this news release with respect to Mexican Gold and Alcon was supplied by the respective party for inclusion herein, and each party and its directors and officers have relied on the other party for any information concerning the other party.

About Mexican Gold Mining Corp.

Mexican Gold is a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company committed to building long term value through ongoing discoveries and strategic acquisitions of prospective precious metals and copper projects in the Americas. Mexican Gold is exploring and advancing the Las Minas Project, which is located in the core of the Las Minas mining district in Veracruz State, Mexico, and host to one of the newest, under-explored skarn systems known in Mexico. Mexican Gold recently expanded its land package by acquiring the adjacent Tatatila claims from Chesapeake Gold.

About Alcon Silver Corp.

Alcon Silver Corp is a private silver explorer focused on advancing its 100% owned Princesa Silver-Polymetallic Project in the Puno-Cusco Mining District, Peru, and its Star Silver-Polymetallic Project in the historic Beaver Mining District south of Milford, Utah.

Qualified Person

Bruce Winfield, M.Sc., P.Geo., a qualified person under NI 43-101 and Director of Alcon, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure for Alcon contained in this news release. To verify the validity and repeatability of the data used to calculate the Princesa historical estimate, the qualified person for Alcon took 8 duplicate samples from previously sampled locations used in the calculation of the Princesa historical estimate. When analyzed by a different independent qualified laboratory using the same methods, these eight samples showed a good repeatability of results, such that the qualified person concluded that the Princesa assay database could be considered reliable.

Sonny Bernales, P.Geo., a qualified person under NI 43-101 and Senior Geologist and Project Manager for Mexican Gold, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure for Mexican Gold contained in this news release.

For Further Information

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding: the proposed acquisition by Mexican Gold of all of the Company Shares pursuant to the Arrangement and the terms thereof; the anticipated benefits of the Arrangement; the receipt of necessary shareholder, court, regulatory and stock exchange approvals; the anticipated timeline for completing the Arrangement; the Consolidation and the Name Change; the Concurrent Financing; the conversion of Company Convertible Debentures; the anticipated ownership percentages of the combined company; and the anticipated filing of materials on SEDAR+.

Forward-looking information is based on certain assumptions that Mexican Gold and Alcon believe are reasonable at this time, including assumptions as to the ability of the parties to receive, in a timely manner and on satisfactory terms, the necessary regulatory, court, shareholder, stock exchange and other third-party approvals and the ability of the parties to satisfy, in a timely manner, the other conditions to the completion of the Arrangement.

Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that the Arrangement may not be completed on a timely basis or at all; the conditions to the consummation of the Arrangement may not be satisfied; the risk that the Arrangement may involve unexpected costs, liabilities or delays; the possible occurrence of an event, change or other circumstance that could result in termination of the Arrangement; risks relating to the failure to obtain necessary shareholder, court, regulatory and stock exchange approvals; the failure to realise anticipated benefits of the Arrangement; general economic, market and business conditions; fluctuations in securities markets and the market price of each of Mexican Gold's and Alcon's shares; and other risks inherent in the mining industry.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is made as of the date hereof and, except as required by applicable securities laws, neither Mexican Gold nor Alcon undertakes any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities 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 in 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.

i The exploration results and interpretations presented, including an historical mineral resource in the Princesa Project, were generated by prior explorers including Caracara Silver (NI 43-101 technical report on La Princesa Project, prepared by A. Vachon, 2011) and Solex Resources. The historical mineral resource estimate is not reliable in that a qualified person has not done sufficient work to qualify this historical resource estimate as a current mineral resource. Key assumptions, parameters and methods used in preparation of the historical mineral resource are listed in a NI 43-101 compliant technical report on La Princesa Project (Chance, June 24, 2024) available and filed on SEDAR+ on October 24, 2024 or on Alcon Silver's website. Alcon is not treating this historical resource estimate as a current mineral estimate. The historical mineral resource estimate requires new assay data provided by a program of replicate drill holes in La Princesa mineralization completed under supervision by a qualified person in order to upgrade to a current mineral resource.

ii Includes Indicated and Inferred mineral resources. Mineral resources reported demonstrate reasonable prospect of eventual economic extraction, as required under NI 43-101. Mineral resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. For more information, please refer to Mexican Gold's MD&A for the six months ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 and the NI 43-101 compliant technical report on Las Minas Project (JDS Energy & Mining, Inc., September 18, 2021) available on SEDAR+.

iii The Las Minas project PEA dated September 18, 2021, is preliminary in nature and is based on inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291733

Source: Mexican Gold Mining Corp.
New interim results from a six-month investigator-initiated trial (IIT) supported by Galderma, regarding the clinical sequencing of women in menopause, show the combination of Restylane Skinboosters and Sculptra drove meaningful improvements in skin barrier function, hydration and patient satisfaction, with the most pronounced gains in hydration a critical factor for perimenopausal skin health observed when using Restylane Skinboosters first 1

New interim data from a separate IIT show the cellular composition of adipose (fat) tissue may be altered in patients experiencing aesthetic changes in the abdomen following medication-driven weight loss, offering a biological explanation for clinician-reported volume loss beyond weight reduction alone, and underscoring the importance of including regenerative aesthetic treatments as part of the patients' weight loss journey 2

These data reinforce Galderma's continuous support of independent research, in order to deliver holistic, individualized and science-led solutions that address growing patient needs, such as aesthetic changes related to menopause and medication-driven weight loss

Galderma (SIX: GALD), the pure-play dermatology category leader, today welcomes new data from two IITs, demonstrating the power of Sculptra the first proven regenerative biostimulator and the company's versatile hyaluronic acid injectable Restylane range, in addressing the aesthetic changes associated with menopause and medication-driven weight loss, for the face and body.1-7 Data includes an analysis from a first-of-its-kind study evaluating optimal treatment sequencing to enhance women's skin during menopause, and an evaluation of the cellular makeup of fat in the abdomen following medication-driven weight loss.1,2

The two IITs were designed and executed by Dr. Andreas Nikolis and Dr. Sabrina Fabi respectively.1,2 Galderma proudly supported the IITs as part of its long-standing commitment to understanding patients' evolving needs and supporting to deliver the best solutions for optimal patient outcomes. This approach to evidence generation, informed by real-world needs, and enabled by the broadest Injectable Aesthetics portfolio in the industry, is designed to support advancements at every stage of the patient journey.

Menopause: Dual-sequence study shows meaningful skin quality improvements and growing patient satisfaction with both Restylane Skinboosters and Sculptra

New interim results from a nine-month clinical sequencing IIT of women in menopause conducted by Dr. Andreas Nikolis, both on the face and the decolletage, demonstrated that the combination of Restylane Skinboosters and Sculptra drove progressive and meaningful improvements in skin quality, with the most pronounced gains in hydration seen when using Restylane Skinboosters first.1 Hydration is a critical factor in menopausal skin health, as highlighted in an international survey of peri- and post-menopausal women as within their top five skin concerns for face and their number one concern for body.1,8,9

The data reinforce the relevance and synergistic effects of the two products, with Skinboosters driving faster extra-cellular matrix and elastin-associated effects to quickly deliver hydration and improvements in skin roughness, fine lines and other imperfections, and Sculptra delivering regenerative benefits across all three skin layers, helping to gradually restore volume, firmness, radiance and skin quality, and smoothing wrinkles and folds over time.1,3-7,10-12

Results showed that facial hydration and measures of skin-barrier function improved over time in both groups, and the improvements were mirrored by patient-reported outcomes, with satisfaction scores rising consistently across the study and reaching high levels by Month 6.1 Together, these data show that both treatment sequences contribute to measurable improvements in skin health in women during menopause, and they provide insight into how the treatment protocol may be optimized for this specific patient group.1

"Menopause is associated with a distinct and often under-recognized set of skin changes, including dryness, barrier dysfunction, and progressive declines in skin quality. This first-of-its-kind clinical study is helping address an important unmet need by generating objective data in a population that has historically been overlooked in aesthetic research. The interim findings are highly encouraging, demonstrating meaningful improvements in skin hydration and collagen-related skin quality over time. Equally important, these measurable clinical benefits are mirrored by rising patient satisfaction throughout the study. For clinicians, these early results offer valuable evidence-based insight into how we can better support aging menopausal patients with treatment strategies that are tailored to the biologic changes of this stage of life." DR. ANDREAS NIKOLIS STUDY LEAD INVESTIGATOR AND BOARD-CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON MONTREAL, CANADA

Aesthetic changes associated with medication-driven weight loss: New insights on cellular changes underscore importance of regenerative treatments that work across skin layers

New interim IIT data show that in patients experiencing aesthetic changes in the abdomen associated with medication-driven weight loss, the cellular composition of adipose tissue is altered, offering a biological explanation for the volume changes increasingly reported by clinicians.2 This underscores the value of regenerative treatment approaches, to support a healthy-looking appearance following medication-driven weight loss.2 The IIT, conducted by Dr. Sabrina Fabi, evaluated 20 female patients with mild-to-moderate skin laxity on their abdomen.2

Interim results demonstrated a statistically significant, four-fold reduction in adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), the regenerative cell population responsible for maintaining healthy fat tissue, when compared to those who were not taking prescription weight loss medication.2 Fibroblasts were preserved. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of how the skin profile in individuals experiencing aesthetic changes associated withmedication-driven weight loss differs from those where changes are occurring naturally with age without having taken prescription weight loss medications, and highlight why patients may benefit from treatment plans that focus not just on replacing lost volume, but on supporting the tissues' underlying regenerative capacity.2,13 Galderma is well-positioned to address these alterations across the face and body, given its expertise in dermatology, specialized range of injectable treatments and skincare products, and patient-centric approach developed in close collaboration with leading healthcare professionals. Sculptra is the first proven regenerative biostimulator, backed by over 25 years of clinical use.3-7 With a unique poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA) formulation, Sculptra re-engages the skin's renewal process, stimulating adipose tissue, collagen and elastin for healthy looking skin.3-7 Over the decades, it has evolved into a versatile treatment that delivers regenerative benefits across all three skin layers, helping to gradually restore volume, firmness, radiance and skin quality, and smoothing wrinkles and folds over time.3-7,12

"Many people experiencing medication-driven weight loss report aesthetic changes that seem disproportionate to weight loss alone, and until now, we haven't fully understood why. The findings from this IIT suggest shifts in the skin and adipose-tissue profile that may help explain the volume-related changes clinicians are seeing. By clarifying the biological underpinnings, we can better guide treatment planning, and the available science indicates that regenerative and adipose tissue-stimulating treatments such as Sculptra, can play a critical role in supporting healthy-looking volume and appearance. This insight gives clinicians a stronger, evidence-based foundation for thoughtful, individualized treatment discussions with their patients across their weight loss journey." DR. SABRINA FABI

STUDY LEAD INVESTIGATOR AND COSMETIC DERMATOLOGIST SAN DIEGO, UNITED STATES

About Galderma

Galderma (SIX: GALD) is the pure-play dermatology category leader, present in approximately 90 countries. We deliver an innovative, science-based portfolio of premium flagship brands and services that span the full spectrum of the fast-growing dermatology market through Injectable Aesthetics, Dermatological Skincare and Therapeutic Dermatology. Since our foundation in 1981, we have dedicated our focus and passion to the human body's largest organ the skin meeting individual consumer and patient needs with superior outcomes in partnership with healthcare professionals. Because we understand that the skin we are in shapes our lives, we are advancing dermatology for every skin story. For more information: www.galderma.com.

References

Nikolis A, et al. A comprehensive interim analysis of skin hydration, barrier function (TEWL), elasticity, and patient satisfaction across two treatment arms. Interim Data on File. April 2026 Fabi S, et al. Investigating the Impact of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on Adipose-Derived Stem Cells. Interim Data on File. April 2026 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sculptra summary of safety and effectiveness data. Available online. Accessed April 2026. Zhang Y, et al. In vivo inducing collagen regeneration of biodegradable polymer microspheres. Regen Biomater. 2021;8(5):rbab042. doi: 10.1093/rb/rbab042. Waibel J, et al. A randomized, comparative study describing the gene signatures of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA-SCA) and calcium hydroxylapaptite (CaHA) in the treatment of nasolabial folds. Poster presented at IMCAS World Congress; February 3-6. 2024; Paris, France. Huth S, et al. Molecular insights into the effects of PLLA-SCA on gene expression and collagen synthesis in human 3d skin models containing macrophages. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(4):285-288. doi: 10.36849/JDD.7791. Zubair R, et al. SPLASH: Split-body randomized clinical trial of poly-L-lactic acid for adipogenesis and volumization of the hip dell. Dermatol Surg. 2024;50(12):1155-1162. doi: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000004417. Fabi G, et al. The potential role of biostimulators/dermal fillers to address menopause-related skin conditions. Poster presented at IMCAS; January 29-31, 2026; Paris, France. Galderma. Data on file. Menopause Patient Survey. Landau M, Fagien S. Science of Hyaluronic Acid Beyond Filling: Fibroblasts and Their Response to the Extracellular Matrix. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2015;136(5 Suppl.):188S-95S. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000001823. Allen J, Dodou K. Current Knowledge and Regulatory Framework on the Use of Hyaluronic Acid for Aesthetic Injectable Skin Rejuvenation Treatments. Cosmetics 2024;11(2):54. doi: 10.3390/cosmetics11020054 Widgerow A, et al. A randomized, comparative study describing the gene signatures of Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA-SCA) and Calcium Hydroxylapaptite (CaHA) in the treatment of nasolabial folds. Poster presented at IMCAS World Congress, February 1-3, 2024, Paris, France Ridha Z, et al. Decoding the Implications of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists on Accelerated Facial and Skin Aging. Aesthet Surg J. 2024,Jun 14:sjae132.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260408331299/en/

Contacts:

For further information:

Christian Marcoux, M.Sc.

Chief Communications Officer

christian.marcoux@galderma.com

+41 76 315 26 50

Richard Harbinson

Corporate Communications Director

richard.harbinson@galderma.com

+41 76 210 60 62

Celine Buguet

Franchises and R&D Communications Director

celine.buguet@galderma.com

+41 76 249 90 87

Emil Ivanov

Head of Strategy, Investor Relations, and ESG

emil.ivanov@galderma.com

+41 21 642 78 12

Jessica Cohen

Investor Relations and Strategy Director

jessica.cohen@galderma.com

+41 21 642 76 43
MANILA, Philippines, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Infocentric Solutions Inc. and Shipsy, a leading provider of AI-native solutions for logistics, today announced a partnership aimed at helping logistics teams in the Philippines use AI for amplifying outcomes.

Together, both organizations seek to help enterprises get access to best-in-class technology to compete globally and move from manual work due to fragmented systems to outcome-led operations, acting as consultative partners rather than vendors.

The partnership combines Infocentric's expertise in systems integration, infrastructure, and data governance with Shipsy's AI-native system of action that orchestrates end-to-end logistics operations across planning, execution, settlements, and analytics.

"This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to help organizations manage logistics with greater precision and agility," said Mr. Edler Panlilio, President and CEO of the Centric Group. "By aligning enterprise systems and infrastructure with an AI-native platform, we enable leaders to make informed decisions across every mile of operations."

The Philippines' fast-growing eCommerce market and robust economy are driving demand for more scalable logistics operations. Enterprises continue to face challenges from legacy systems, fragmented island distribution networks, and rising last-mile costs. With the country's digital economy projected to reach $150 billion by 2030, organizations are investing in platforms that strengthen operational control and reduce manual dependencies.

"This collaboration allows organizations to connect their existing systems and data environments with Shipsy's AI-native platform, moving from reactive operations to proactive execution and control," said Josh Redillas, Shipsy Practice Lead at Infocentric.

Soham Chokshi, Co-founder and CEO, Shipsy, added: "The Philippines is an innovative market ready to adopt AI at its core. We look forward to combining our global experience with Infocentric's local expertise to unlock new efficiencies."

Shipsy recently launched AgentFleet, an AI-native workforce of purpose-built agents that execute operational tasks across customer experience, financial operations, and network coordination, helping enterprises transform manual workflows into automated execution.

About Infocentric Solutions Inc.

Infocentric is a Philippine-based technology solutions provider specializing in identity security, cybersecurity, infrastructure, cloud, and enterprise integration services, helping organizations across logistics, financial services, utilities, and government modernize and scale their operations.

About Shipsy

Shipsy is redefining the logistics industry with its AI-native Enterprise Transportation Management Platform, serving 250+ customers in 30+ countries, including 9 Fortune 500 companies. Featured in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Transportation (global) and Warehouse Management (APAC). Learn more at www.shipsy.ai .

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/infocentric-partners-with-shipsy-to-help-logistics-teams-in-the-philippines-drive-outcomes-with-ai-302737869.html
KRAKOW, Poland, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bizcap, a global non-bank provider of fast, flexible and safe funding solutions for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), is exploring Poland as a potential new market as part of its strategy to expand lending operations across Europe.

The move builds on Bizcap's growing European presence, with operations launched in Luxembourg in July 2025 and lending expanded into Germany in October 2025. Since inception, Bizcap has funded more than $5 billion globally and now operates across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK, Europe, and Canada.

With a team of more than 200 staff worldwide, the company has built a proven model focused on fast approvals, flexible funding structures, and a broader credit assessment approach designed to support SMEs that are often underserved by traditional lenders. Bizcap will enter Poland as one of the fastest-growing non-bank lenders globally, seeking to create jobs and invest significant funds into the local economy.

Bizcap's model is designed to help SMEs access capital quickly when timing is critical. Unlike traditional lenders, it blends advanced technology and a human-centric approach to assess credit and can often provide approvals in as little as three hours. The company also works closely with brokers, advisers and referral partners to deliver funding solutions suited to business needs.

As part of this next phase of growth, Bizcap has appointed Oskar Kowalski as Managing Partner to lead Bizcap's expansion strategy across Eastern Europe, with an immediate focus on Poland.

Poland presents an attractive opportunity, with a strong SME sector and growing demand for alternative funding where traditional bank processes can be rigid or slow. Bizcap believes these market dynamics align strongly with its proven non-bank lending model and create a compelling opportunity to assess product-market fit in the region.

"Oskar has been closely connected to Bizcap since our early days and understands both our vision and the opportunity ahead," said Zalman Blachman, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Bizcap.

"As we continue to scale globally, we're focused on identifying markets where our model can genuinely support small businesses and where there is strong product-market fit. Poland represents a compelling opportunity as we evaluate our next phase of European expansion," he said.

Kowalski, who is originally from Poland and spent most of his life in the US, is now returning to the country and will lead Bizcap's on-the-ground exploration of the market and broader regional opportunities.

"Poland is one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe - a true brain powerhouse, driven largely by small and medium businesses with thousands of ambitious entrepreneurs looking to grow. There is a clear opportunity to explore how Bizcap's fast, flexible funding solutions could support that ecosystem," he said.

Kowalski brings more than 15 years of experience across investment banking, private equity, venture capital, and alternative finance. He has a long-standing relationship with Bizcap - he co-founded NewCo Capital Group, Bizcap's US affiliate.

He also previously co-founded Luxemark Capital, now LM Capital Solutions, in 2017, the first merchant cash advance syndication platform of its kind, which facilitated more than $1 billion in funded advances since inception. The company was acquired by CCUR Holdings in 2019.

A two-time recipient of Poland's Outstanding Pole Abroad Award by Teraz Polska Foundation, Kowalski is a frequent public speaker and has been featured in Forbes and Bloomberg.

Blachman said Bizcap's exploration of Poland reflects the company's disciplined approach to global growth and its commitment to supporting SMEs in markets where access to capital remains a challenge.

"SMEs are the backbone of every economy, and our focus is on identifying regions where we can responsibly scale and support business growth with fast, flexible access to capital," he said.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-non-bank-lender-bizcap-eyes-poland-as-sme-funding-demand-grows-in-europe-302736703.html
Product aims to provide exposure to HYPE, the native token of Hyperliquid blockchain platform, including potential staking rewards



Hyperliquid is growing platform offering on-chain derivatives trading, designed to combine exchange-like functionality with on-chain transparency



Product is Bitwise's seventh institutional-grade staking ETP as investor interest in staking-enabled crypto ETPs continues





9 April 2026, Frankfurt - Bitwise today announces the launch of the Bitwise Hyperliquid Staking ETP (Ticker BHYP; ISIN DE000A4ARTJ5) on Deutsche Borse Xetra. The product seeks to provide exchange-traded exposure to HYPE, the native token of the Hyperliquid network, tracking the Kaiko HYPE Reference Rate LDNLF index. In addition to price exposure, the ETP is designed to capture staking-related returns generated on the platform, allowing investors to participate in potential yield without having to manage wallets, private keys, or on-chain staking themselves.

Hyperliquid is a blockchain-based trading platform enabling trading of derivatives including perpetual futures. It combines the speed and user experience of traditional exchanges with the transparency of blockchain infrastructure. Hyperliquid operates with a fully on-chain order book and execution system, meaning trades are recorded and verifiable on the network.

The platform has gained traction over the past year, with trading volumes and user activity increasing, reflecting broader demand for more transparent and efficient alternatives to centralized trading venues. For traditional investors, Hyperliquid represents an emerging segment of digital asset infrastructure that brings exchange-like functionality onto blockchain rails.

Bradley Duke, Managing Director and Head of Europe at Bitwise, said: "The Bitwise Hyperliquid Staking ETP is a timely addition to our growing suite of European staking ETPs. Hyperliquid has emerged as a notable on-chain trading venue, particularly in derivatives, combining high performance with transparency. Its fully on-chain order book and execution model differentiate it not only from traditional exchanges, but also from other crypto platforms. For investors, this provides exposure to an evolving segment of blockchain-based market infrastructure through a familiar exchange-traded structure. Investors may also receive potential staking-related returns without needing to manage the technical processes themselves"

BHYP, issued by Bitwise Europe GmbH in Germany, is the seventh product Bitwise has launched as part of its European Total Return product suite, reflecting the company's ongoing efforts to expand access to index-linked staking products.

BHYP is fully backed by HYPE tokens held in cold storage. Potential staking rewards, if earned, accrue daily and are reflected in the cryptocurrency entitlement of each ETP unit. The Kaiko HYPE Reference Rate LDNLF index enables investors to track performance net fees. It can be bought and sold via a regular brokerage account, without the need for a crypto wallet.

Staking is a way to generate additional returns for token holders on a blockchain network by locking up their cryptocurrencies for a period of time. This allows them to help validate transactions on the network, which contributes to its security and reliability. In return, they earn additional tokens. Unlike dividends, which come from company profits, staking rewards compensate holders for performing an active role in maintaining the blockchain.

Key Product Details

ETP Name Bitwise Hyperliquid Staking ETP Primary Ticker BHYP ISIN / WKN DE000A4ARTJ5 / A4ARTJ Index Benchmark HYPE Reference Rate LDNLF Target NET Staking Reward* 1.00% TER 0.85% p.a. Issuer Bitwise Europe GmbH Domicile Germany

* The Net Staking Reward represents the expected average staking return accruing to the ETP after deduction of the Staking Service Fee but before the annual management fee (TER 0.85% p.a.) is applied. The issuer retains 33% of the total staking rewards generated as a Staking Service Fee. This fee is used to cover the operational costs of maintaining the ETP's staking infrastructure, including charges from staking service providers, and to support the ongoing management of the staking process. Rewards are credited to the ETP on a daily basis and reinvested automatically, which increases the cryptocurrency entitlement per ETP unit over time. The staking rate may vary depending on network conditions, reward levels, and overall market dynamics.

Disclaimer: The stated staking reward is not a guarantee of future returns. Actual outcomes can differ due to factors such as protocol rules, validator participation, market volatility, network performance, usage, and validator transaction fees. Staking involves risks, including the potential loss of staked assets and accrued rewards in the event of slashing, penalties, smart contract vulnerabilities, protocol exploits, or other operational issues. More information available at www.bitwiseinvestments.eu/products.

An overview of the products mentioned is available here: Bitwise Product List



Media contact:

JEA Associates

John McLeod

00 44 7886 920436

john@jeaassociates.com

About Bitwise

Bitwise is one of the world's leading cryptocurrency-focused asset managers, with more than $15 billion in client assets under management. Since 2017, Bitwise has established a track record of managing a wide range of index and active solutions via ETPs, Staking, Vaults, separately managed accounts, private funds, and hedge fund strategies - both in the U.S. and in Europe. For more information, visit bitwiseinvestments.eu

Warning: Risks of Crypto ETPs

Investments in crypto-linked products and crypto assets involve high risks. The capital invested is at risk, and losses up to the full amount invested are possible. Investors should note that investing in crypto assets involves significant risks, including:

Volatility risk: The prices of crypto assets and exchange-traded crypto products (ETPs) may be subject to significant fluctuations.

Liquidity risk: Market depth and trading volumes may vary and affect the execution of transactions.

Custody risk: Despite being held with specialized and regulated custodians, digital assets may remain vulnerable to cyberattacks and technical disruptions.

Regulatory risk: The treatment of crypto-assets is subject to evolving regulatory frameworks.

Market risk: Broad market movements can significantly impact the value of the ETP.





This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a personal recommendation, or an invitation to buy or sell any financial instrument. Potential investors should seek independent advice and carefully review the relevant information in the respective bond terms and conditions, the relevant Key Information Document, and the accompanying base prospectus, particularly the risk factors. The ETPs issued by Bitwise Europe GmbH are intended for investors with experience in dealing with cryptocurrencies and may be difficult to understand. The relevant documents are available athttps://bitwiseinvestments.eu/de/resources/Documents.

The base prospectus has been approved by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). Such approval should not be construed as an endorsement of the quality of the securities. Potential investors should read the base prospectus before making an investment decision to fully understand the potential risks and opportunities of an investment. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The market price of ETPs may fluctuate; they do not offer a fixed income and may not exactly track the performance of the underlying cryptocurrency. Diversification does not guarantee profits or protect against losses.

In the United Kingdom and France: This press release is directed solely at persons who are investment professionals. It must not be acted upon or relied upon by any other person, including retail clients and the general public. The BHYP ETP is not available to retail clients in the United Kingdom and France.
TAINAN, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Towards Buddha Co., Ltd., a Taiwan-based manufacturer of medical-grade plastic components, will exhibit at Medtec Japan 2026 this April, presenting its integrated TPU tubing injection manufacturing solutions in collaboration with ICP DAS BMP, a supplier of high-performance medical-grade materials.

Medtec Japan is one of Asia's leading exhibitions for medical device design and manufacturing, attracting global innovators and suppliers across the medical technology ecosystem. Through its participation, Towards Buddha Co., Ltd. aims to expand its international presence and strengthen partnerships within the global medical supply chain.

Founded on the principles of precision, integrity, and long-term partnership, Towards Buddha Co., Ltd. has evolved into a reliable manufacturing partner for medical device companies. The company emphasizes that every component it produces carries a responsibility for patient safety, product stability, and consistent performance.

At the exhibition, the company will highlight its end-to-end TPU tubing manufacturing capabilities, including mold development, injection molding, process optimization, quality assurance, and scalable mass production. By integrating advanced processing expertise with medical-grade materials from ICP DAS BMP, Towards Buddha Co., Ltd. delivers solutions that meet stringent industry requirements for biocompatibility and reliability.

Its TPU tubing solutions are widely applicable in minimally invasive systems, infusion devices, and customized medical components. Through close collaboration with OEM and ODM partners, the company supports clients from early-stage development to commercialization, helping reduce time-to-market while maintaining strict quality standards.

"Medical manufacturing is not only about efficiency-it is fundamentally about trust," said a spokesperson for Towards Buddha Co., Ltd. "We are committed to building long-term partnerships by combining material innovation, engineering expertise, and responsive collaboration."

Industry professionals and potential partners are invited to connect with Towards Buddha Co., Ltd. at Medtec Japan 2026 to explore customized manufacturing solutions and strategic collaboration opportunities.

Booth No.: 1212

For partnership inquiries: towardsbuddhaincorporation@gmail.com

https://www.towardsbuddha.com/en-us

About Towards Buddha Co., Ltd.

Towards Buddha Co., Ltd. is a Taiwan-based manufacturer specializing in medical-grade plastic components and TPU tubing solutions. With strong expertise in precision injection molding and process integration, the company provides end-to-end manufacturing services, from design and development to scalable production.

Committed to quality, reliability, and long-term collaboration, Towards Buddha Co., Ltd. partners with global medical device companies to deliver high-performance, compliant, and customized solutions for a wide range of medical applications.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/taiwan-based-towards-buddha-co-ltd-showcases-medical-grade-tpu-tubing-injection-solutions-at-medtec-japan-2026-302737986.html
KUALA LUMPUR, MY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2026 / Inspace Creation Berhad ("Inspace Creation" or the "Group"), a well-established provider of comprehensive interior fitting-out services, has officially signed an underwriting agreement with TA Securities Holdings Berhad ("TA Securities") to underwrite a total of 26.97 million new shares in preparation for its upcoming initial public offering ("IPO") on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad ("Bursa Securities").

(From Left) Mr. Tan Beng Soon, Head of Corporate Affairs cum CFO of Inspace Creation Berhad; Mr. Edward Cheong Han Bin, Executive Director of Inspace Creation Berhad; Mr. Wong Chong Siong, Executive Director of Inspace Creation Berhad; Mr. Tah Heong Beng, Executive Director of Operations TA Securities Holdings Berhad; Mr. Ku Mun Fong, Head of Corporate Finance of TA Securities Holdings Berhad; Mr. Wilson Chiong Zhan Hua, Assistant Vice President of TA Securities Holdings Berhad

With over eight years of operational track record in the interior fitting-out industry, Inspace Creation has established itself as a trusted provider of comprehensive solutions for commercial office properties. The Group's expertise spans the entire project lifecycle, including project planning and management, design conceptualisation and build, as well as post-completion maintenance. Through its subsidiary IDPM Sdn Bhd, the Group holds a Grade 7 registration with the Construction Industry Development Board ("CIDB"), allowing it to undertake projects of unlimited contract value throughout Malaysia. Inspace Creation has successfully delivered more than 100 projects to date, totalling approximately RM150.0 million in contract value. Its portfolio includes notable fit-outs at the Tun Razak Exchange ("TRX"), Bukit Bintang, and various prominent commercial hubs across Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Inspace Creation's IPO will involve the issuance of 68.50 million new ordinary shares, representing approximately 18.55% of the enlarged issued share capital of 369.30 million ordinary shares. This will be accompanied by an offer for sale of 29.30 million existing shares, representing approximately 7.93% of the enlarged issued share capital. The allocation of IPO shares is structured as follows:

Public issue

Malaysian public: 18.47 million shares or 5.00% of the enlarged issued share capital will be made available for application by the Malaysian public.

Eligible persons: 8.50 million shares or 2.30% of the enlarged issued share capital, will be allocated to eligible directors, employees, and other persons who have contributed to the success of the Group.

Private placement to selected investors: 41.53 million shares or 11.25% of the enlarged issued share capital are reserved for private placement to selected investors.



Offer for sale

Offer for sale of 29.30 million existing shares or 7.93% of the enlarged issued share capital by way of private placement to selected investors.

Mr. Wong Chong Siong, Executive Director of Inspace Creation Berhad, remarked, "The signing of this underwriting agreement represents another important milestone in Inspace Creation's journey towards becoming a listed company. Our IPO will provide the necessary financial resources to strengthen our position and enable us to undertake more projects or projects of higher value. This strategic move supports our expansion into new commercial segments and regional markets beyond the Klang Valley."

As at 28 July 2025, Inspace Creation maintains an outstanding unbilled order book of RM21.22 million from its provision of the interior fitting-out services. The positive outlook for the interior fitting-out industry in Malaysia further supports the Group's growth trajectory, with the value of work done for building completion and finishing works forecast to rise from RM2.0 billion in 2024 to RM2.7 billion in 2027, representing a CAGR of 10.5%. This growth is supported by sustained demand for corporate workspace efficiency, the expansion of commercial property transactions, and continued foreign and domestic investment in Malaysia's services sector.

TA Securities Holdings Berhad is the Principal Adviser, Sponsor, Sole Placement Agent and Sole Underwriter for the IPO.

###

ABOUT INSPACE CREATION BERHAD

Inspace Creation Berhad ("Inspace Creation" or the "Company") is a specialist in the interior fitting-out industry, offering end-to-end solutions for commercial properties. The Company and its subsidiaries ("Inspace Creation Group" or the "Group") provide comprehensive range of interior fitting-out services from project planning and management, design conceptualisation and build as well as servicing and maintenance services. With a Grade 7 CIDB qualification and ISO 9001:2015 certification, the Group is recognized for its ability to deliver quality services for interior transformations. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Inspace Creation continues to serve a diverse corporate clientele, supported by a proven track record of excellence in the Malaysian workspace market.

Issued By: Swan Consultancy Sdn. Bhd. on behalf of Inspace Creation Berhad

For more information, please contact:

Jazzmin Wan

Email: j.wan@swanconsultancy.biz

Qian Yu Chow

Email: s.chow@swanconsultancy.biz

Chris Ser

Email: c.ser@swanconsultancy.biz

SOURCE: Inspace Creation Berhad

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/inspace-creation-berhad-inks-underwriting-agreement-with-ta-secu-1156369
Award winners include academic institutions, career training providers and government entities that excel at equipping people with the skills they need to achieve career success and reach their full potential.

"The strength of CompTIA in EMEA is defined by the strength of our partners," said Jason Moss, Senior Vice President, EMEA, CompTIA. "These partners have demonstrated outstanding growth, strategic alignment and a clear commitment to delivering meaningful outcomes for learners, enterprises and governments."

The 2025 CompTIA EMEA Partner Excellence Award winners:

Region Organisation Western Europe  Delivery Partner of the Year: ITonlinelearning  Academic Partner of the Year: SOLAS  Strategic Growth Partner: Firebrand Training Central and Eastern Europe  Delivery Partner of the Year: SOFTRONIC Sp. z o. o.  Academic Partner of the Year: MindRefined GmbH  Strategic Growth Partner: Altkom Akademia S.A. Middle East and North Africa  Delivery Partner of the Year: AITCS  Academic Partner of the Year: Tuwaiq Academy  Strategic Growth Partner: Global Knowledge Saudi Arabia EMEA Overall  Delivery Partner of the Year: AITCS  Academic Partner of the Year: SOLAS  Strategic Growth Partner: Global Knowledge Saudi Arabia

"The performance of these partners sets the benchmark for excellence across our region," Moss said. "We are excited to continue accelerating that progress together with these outstanding organisations."

CompTIA is a global leader in vendor-neutral IT certifications and training, focused on promoting growth and skills development throughout the IT ecosystem and the millions of people that make up the tech workforce. CompTIA has awarded over 3.6 million certifications to professionals in disciplines such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, data, networking and technical support.

About CompTIA

CompTIA is the world's leading provider of vendor-neutral information technology (IT) training and certification products. CompTIA unlocks potential in millions of aspiring technology professionals and career changers. Working in partnership with thousands of academic institutions and training providers, CompTIA helps students build career-ready skills through best-in-class learning solutions, industry-recognized certifications and career resources. Learn more at https://www.comptia.org/.

Contact

Steven Ostrowski

CompTIA

sostrowski@comptia.org

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2950537/CompTIA_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/nine-organisations-honoured-by-comptia-for-their-outstanding-efforts-to-grow-the-tech-workforce-in-emea-302737514.html
Circus SE (ISIN: DE000A2YN355 XETRA: CA1announces the successful win of the procurement tender for the deployment of the first fully autonomous AI-powered sustainment robot to the Lithuanian Armed Forces in Vilnius, Lithuania. Circus was selected as the winning bidder in a competitive public procurement process.

Under the contract, Circus AI robotic technology will be integrated into existing barracks infrastructure and evaluated within military operational and training environments following delivery. This will enable operational evaluation under real-world conditions, including multinational exercises and sustained readiness scenarios.

Lithuania plays a key role in Europe's deterrence architecture, bordering Belarus and located near Kaliningrad. The Lithuanian Armed Forces operate within a national defence structure of approximately 25,000 active personnel, complemented by a growing multinational NATO presence. Vilnius serves as a central military hub on NATO's eastern flank and represents a high-readiness operational setting within the Alliance's location network.

With this contract, Circus further expands its role in defence ground infrastructure through autonomous troop supply systems beyond contracts with the Ukrainian and German armed forces. The integration in Vilnius will already start this year.

About Circus SE

Circus (XETRA: CA1) is a global AI and robotics company developing autonomous sustainment systems for food supply in both civilian and defense sectors. Powered by proprietary AI robotics, Circus delivers industrial-scale, high-reliability meal output with minimal human input. Headquartered in Munich, the company is building the global infrastructure for autonomous food supply on a mission to fuel humanity.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260409513929/en/

Contacts:

Investor Contact:

Elena Coles

Head of Investor Relations

Circus SE

Email: ir@circus-group.com

Website: www.circus-group.com

Media Enquiries:

Email: press@circus-group.com
Houston, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - AirTalk Wireless, a wireless service provider participating in federally supported communication programs, today announced the expansion of its digital access efforts aimed at improving mobile connectivity availability for eligible households across underserved communities nationwide.





AirTalk Wireless Expands Digital Access Efforts to Improve Mobile Connectivity Availability for Eligible Households Across the United States



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/291625_f2e1cbc654870acb_002full.jpg

The announcement comes at a time when digital access is increasingly recognized as a critical component of everyday life. From communication and employment to education and healthcare, access to reliable mobile connectivity plays an essential role in how individuals participate in modern society. As more services transition to digital platforms, the need for accessible and consistent communication tools continues to grow.

Recent shifts in the connectivity landscape, including the conclusion of large-scale federal subsidy programs such as the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), have further emphasized the importance of alternative access pathways. Many households that previously relied on such programs are now seeking sustainable ways to maintain connectivity, particularly through mobile-based solutions.

In response to this evolving demand, AirTalk Wireless is expanding its operational approach to over 40 states in the United States to improve how eligible users access wireless services. The initiative focuses on enhancing enrollment accessibility, simplifying activation processes, and supporting broader awareness of available connectivity options within program guidelines.

Mobile devices have increasingly become the primary gateway to digital access, particularly in communities where fixed broadband infrastructure may be limited or inconsistent. By enabling users to connect without geographic constraints, mobile connectivity provides a flexible and scalable solution that supports communication, access to information, and participation in essential services.

AirTalk Wireless operates within federally established programs such as the Lifeline Program, which was created to make communication services more accessible for qualifying individuals. Over time, the program has evolved to reflect modern communication needs, expanding from landline support to include mobile and internet services.

Through its participation in Lifeline, AirTalk Wireless facilitates access to wireless service options in accordance with federal program requirements. The company works to ensure that eligible users are able to navigate the enrollment process and activate services efficiently, supporting ongoing connectivity needs.

The expansion of AirTalk Wireless's digital access efforts reflects a broader industry trend toward mobile-first connectivity solutions. As reliance on digital systems continues to increase, wireless access is playing a more significant role in helping individuals stay connected to opportunities, services, and information.

Improved access to mobile connectivity can have wide-reaching effects at both the individual and community levels. It supports communication, enables participation in digital services, and helps individuals remain engaged with essential resources. As more households gain access to reliable communication tools, communities are better positioned to function cohesively in an increasingly digital environment.

Apart from its online application, the company also operates a retail store located in Fountain Valley, California, to offer hands-on support to customers who prefer in-person assistance.

AirTalk Wireless's latest initiative is designed to address existing access challenges while supporting the continued evolution of connectivity solutions across the United States. By expanding accessibility and improving service pathways, the company aims to contribute to ongoing efforts to strengthen digital inclusion.

As the demand for connectivity continues to evolve, AirTalk Wireless remains focused on aligning its services with current program structures and user needs. The company's efforts reflect an ongoing commitment to supporting access to communication services through practical and scalable solutions.

For more information, visit https://airtalkwireless.com/.

About AirTalk Wireless

AirTalk Wireless is a wireless service provider that participates in federal assistance programs designed to improve access to communication services. The company works to support eligible individuals by facilitating access to mobile connectivity solutions in accordance with established program guidelines. Eligibility varies by state and program. Offers depend on availability and qualifications. Service is non-transferable and limited to one service per household.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291625

Source: Plentisoft
Vancouver, Canada and Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3) ("SXGC", "SX2" or the "Company") announces that its deepest drill hole at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project in Victoria has intersected gold mineralization 460 metres below Golden Dyke, confirming the system persists to record depth (Figures 1 to 5).

Four High Level Takeaways:

Mineralization confirmed 460 m below previous intersected gold at Golden Dyke: SDDSC194W1 intersected a wide zone of 66 m of dyke and altered sediment (interpreted true width of 28 m) at approximately 1,236 m vertically below surface, with gold mineralization present including 0.9 m @ 5.4 g/t AuEq (5.4 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) over a broader 17 m zone. The mineralizing system remains open and active at substantial depth. Significantly beyond the exploration target: The hole extended approximately 490 m below the defined exploration target at Golden Dyke, materially expanding the potential depth extent of the deposit and confirming scale comparable to mineralization depths discovered at the Rising Sun prospect. Fluid chemistry is right at depth: Arsenic-to-antimony ratios observed in the deep drilling are consistent with expected geochemical zonation changes, providing strong vectoring confidence that the system retains the correct fluid signature at these levels. Geometric framework established for future deep drilling: The south-to-north orientation of this control program establishes a framework that allows future holes to cross the mineralized system in an east-west orientation at a high angle, optimizing future intercept geometry and enabling more efficient testing of the deposit as the Company continues to systematically expand the scale of Sunday Creek at depth.

Michael Hudson, President & CEO states: "This is a milestone hole for Sunday Creek. SDDSC194W1 was designed to answer a simple but critical question: does the system persist at depth well beyond our current exploration target? The answer is yes. In a bold step-out to untested depths, at 1,236 m below surface and 460 vertical metres below the last known mineralization at Golden Dyke, we intersected 66 m of dyke and altered sediment with gold present. This is the deepest hole on the property to date. The thesis was to test whether the host sequence continued at depth - that thesis has been emphatically proven, and that we hit gold across a 28 m true thickness zone was an absolute bonus. The width between the "rails of the ladder" are commensurate with known mineralization 500 m higher in the system.

"What gives us added confidence is the geochemistry. The arsenic-to-antimony ratios we're seeing at depth are exactly what the epizonal model predicts, the fluid chemistry signature is right, and it tells us we are still within the productive part of the plumbing system. We are well below the antimony zone and into the sulphosalt area within the brittle-ductile transition - exactly where we expect to find robust, deep gold systems in the Victorian orogenic gold province. That's a powerful vectoring tool as we plan the next series of holes into this area.

"This result demonstrates that at least another 50% of vertical space exists below our current drilled area of 1.5 km strike and 1 km depth. Adjacent deposits in Victoria are being tested below two km, and with erosion levels thought to be similar across all deposits, we are confident that Sunday Creek can continue beyond two km from surface. Based on the confidence of this hole, we have committed to drilling a second deep hole targeting close to two km depth (drill hole SDDSC226W1).

"In this style of mineralization, the veins form the rungs of a ladder, and drilling sub-parallel to those rungs can easily miss them entirely. The fact that we intersected a 28 m true thickness altered and veined zone with anomalous gold throughout confirms that the host sequence is thick, repeatable, and fertile at these depths. An exciting result."

For Those Who Like the Details - Highlights:

Diamond drill holes SDDSC194 and its wedge SDDSC194W1 were completed deep below the Golden Dyke prospect, drilled south to north to test the mineralized system at approximately 1,236 m below surface and 460 vertical metres below the last intersected dyke and mineralization at Golden Dyke.

The program extended significantly beyond the current exploration target, reaching approximately 490 m below the defined exploration target at Golden Dyke. True widths are estimated at approximately 42% of reported downhole thicknesses.

SDDSC194 & SDDSC194W1 (south to north, control hole): Intercepted 66 m of dyke and altered sediment (interpreted true width of 28 m), confirming the mineralizing system remains open at substantial depth with gold mineralization present: 17.0 m @ 0.2 g/t AuEq (0.2 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 1358.6 m 6.6 m @ 1.0 g/t AuEq (1.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 1389.4 m, including; 0.9 m @ 5.4 g/t AuEq (5.4 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 1392.6 m

Arsenic-to-antimony ratios are consistent with expected geochemical changes at depth, indicating the correct fluid chemistry signature for the system at these levels

The depth of mineralization is comparable to depths discovered at the Rising Sun prospect, reinforcing the interpreted scale of the Sunday Creek system

Drill Hole Discussion

SDDSC194 & SDDSC194W1

SDDSC194 and its subsequent wedge, SDDSC194W1 were designed as a deep control hole at Golden Dyke, drilled south to north, targeting the mineralized system at approximately 1,236 m below surface and 460 vertical metres below the last intersected dyke and mineralization in the Golden Dyke Prospect. This is the deepest hole completed on the property to date. The program had one clear objective: to determine whether the mineralizing system persists at depth well beyond the current exploration target.

SDDSC194W1 was required due to the original parent hole becoming stuck in a fault. The hole extended beyond previously tested limits in Golden Dyke; approximately 490 m below the defined exploration target. At these depths, the program intersected 66 m of dyke and altered sediment, (interpreted true width of 28 m), confirming the mineralizing system remains open and active at substantial depth.

The presence of gold mineralization at these depths, hosted within a broad zone of dyke and altered sediment, demonstrates the continuity and scale of the Golden Dyke system well beyond previously tested limits and materially expands the potential depth extent of the deposit. Critically, the host sequence exists at comparable thickness to intervals above, demonstrating that the system is repeatable at depth. The drill hole was oriented sub-parallel to the veins (the "rungs of the ladder") meaning that numerous individual veins may have been missed, yet anomalous gold was present throughout the full 28 m true thickness of the intersection. The mineralized depths discovered are comparable to those seen at the Rising Sun prospect, reinforcing the interpreted scale of the broader Sunday Creek system. An additional deep hole ~450 m below the Rising Sun prospect is currently underway (drill hole SDDSC226W1).

Arsenic-to-antimony ratios observed in the deep drilling are consistent with expected geochemical changes at depth, indicating the correct fluid chemistry signature for the system at these levels and providing strong vectoring confidence for ongoing exploration. These ratios confirm the intersection sits within the sulphosalt zone, well below the antimony-dominant area and within the brittle-ductile transition. The low antimony tenor at this depth is expected within the epizonal zonation model, which predicts antimony enrichment concentrated in the upper portions of the system, with arsenic becoming the more dominant pathfinder element at depth.

The south-to-north orientation of this control program establishes a framework that allows future holes to cross the host of the mineralized system at a high angle, optimizing future intercept geometry and enabling more efficient testing of the deposit as the Company continues to systematically expand the scale of Sunday Creek at depth.

This result demonstrates that at least 50% additional vertical space exists below the current drilled area of 1.5 km strike and approximately 1 km depth. Adjacent gold deposits in Victoria are currently being tested below two km from surface, and with erosion levels considered comparable across the region, the Company is confident that mineralization at Sunday Creek can extend to equivalent depths. Based on the confidence derived from this hole, a second deep hole is currently being drilled targeting close to two km depth to further test the depth extension potential of the system.

Selected highlights include:

17.0 m @ 0.2 g/t AuEq (0.2 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 1358.6 m

6.6 m @ 1.0 g/t AuEq (1.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 1389.4 m, including; 0.9 m @ 5.4 g/t AuEq (5.4 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 1392.6 m



Pending Results and Update

Nine drill rigs are currently operational on the Sunday Creek project with one additional drill rig dedicated to regional exploration. Results are pending from 49 holes currently being processed and analyzed including ten holes that are actively being drilled and one abandoned hole (Figure 3). The Company continues its ongoing 200,000 m drill program through to Q1 2027.

About Sunday Creek

The Sunday Creek epizonal-style gold project is located 60 km north of Melbourne within 16,900 hectares ("Ha") of granted exploration tenements. SXGC is also the freehold landholder of 1,392 Ha that forms the key portion in and around the main drilled area at the Sunday Creek Project.

Gold and antimony form in a relay of vein sets that cut across a steeply dipping zone of intensely altered rocks (the "host"). These vein sets are like a "Golden Ladder" structure where the main host extends between the side rails deep into the earth, with multiple cross-cutting vein sets that host the gold forming the rungs. At Apollo and Rising Sun these individual 'rungs' have been defined over 600 m depth extent from surface to over 1,200 m below surface, are 2.5 m to 3.5 m wide (median widths) (and up to 10 m), and 20 m to 100 m in strike.

Cumulatively, 249 drill holes for 116,390.19 m have been reported from Sunday Creek since late 2020. This amount includes five holes for 929 m that have been drilled for geotechnical purposes and 22 holes for 2,973.77 m that were abandoned due to deviation or hole conditions. Fourteen drillholes for 2,383 m have been reported regionally outside of the main Sunday Creek drill area with three additional regional holes currently being processed. A total of 64 historic drill holes for 5,599 m were completed from the late 1960s to 2008. The project now contains a total of eighty-one (81) composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t Au and seventy-two (72) composite intersections between 50-100 g/t Au, and one-hundred and one (101) composite intersections exceeding 10% Sb by applying a 1 m (down hole length) @ 5 g/t AuEq lower cut.

Southern Cross Gold's systematic drill program is strategically targeting these significant vein formations, which are currently defined over 1,550 m strike of the host dyke/sediment ("rails of the ladder") from Christina to Apollo prospects, of which approximately 650 m has been more intensively drill tested (Golden Dyke to Apollo). At least 115 'rungs' have been defined to date, defined by high-grade intercepts (20 g/t Au to >7,330 g/t Au) along with lower grade edges. Ongoing step-out drilling is aiming to uncover the potential extent of this mineralized system (Figure 6).

Geologically, the project is located within the Melbourne Structural Zone in the Lachlan Fold Belt. The regional host to the Sunday Creek mineralization is an interbedded turbidite sequence of siltstones and minor sandstones metamorphosed to sub-greenschist facies and folded into a set of open north-west trending folds.

Further Information

Further discussion and analysis of the Sunday Creek project is available through the interactive Vrify 3D animations, presentations and videos all available on the SXGC website. These data, along with an interview on these results with President & CEO/Managing Director Michael Hudson can be viewed at www.southerncrossgold.com .

No upper gold grade cut is applied in the averaging and intervals are reported as drill thickness. However, during future Mineral Resource studies, the requirement for assay top cutting will be assessed. The Company notes that due to rounding of assay results to one significant figure, minor variations in calculated composite grades may occur.

Figures 1 to 5 show project location, plan and longitudinal views of drill results reported here and Tables 1 to 3 provide collar and assay data. The true thickness of the mineralized intervals reported individually as estimated true widths ("ETW"), otherwise they are interpreted to be approximately 42% of the sampled thickness for other reported holes. Lower grades were cut at 0.1 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum width of 20 m with higher grades cut at 2.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 1 m width.

Critical Metal Epizonal Gold-Antimony Deposits

Sunday Creek (Figure 6) is an epizonal gold-antimony deposit formed in the late Devonian (like Fosterville, Costerfield and Redcastle), 60 million years later than mesozonal gold systems formed in Victoria (for example Ballarat and Bendigo). Epizonal deposits are a form of orogenic gold deposit classified according to their depth of formation: epizonal (<6 km), mesozonal (6 km to 12 km) and hypozonal (>12 km).

Epizonal deposits in Victoria often have associated high levels of the critical metal, antimony, and Sunday Creek is no exception. China claims a 56 per cent share of global mined supplies of antimony, according to a 2023 European Union study. Antimony features highly on the critical minerals lists of many countries including Australia, the United States of America, Canada, Japan and the European Union. Australia ranks seventh for antimony production despite all production coming from a single mine at Costerfield in Victoria, located nearby to all SXGC projects. Antimony alloys with lead and tin which results in improved properties for solders, munitions, bearings and batteries. Antimony is a prominent additive for halogen-containing flame retardants. Adequate supplies of antimony are critical to the world's energy transition, and to the high-tech industry, especially the semi-conductor and defence sectors where it is a critical additive to primers in munitions.

Antimony represents approximately 21% to 24% in situ recoverable value of Sunday Creek at an AuEq of 2.39 ratio.

About Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Limited (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3)

Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF), is defining a leading gold-antimony project at the Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project, located 60 km north of Melbourne. Sunday Creek is a significant gold and antimony drill discovery in a Tier 1 location, with high-grade drill results including 81 composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t Au from 114.8 km of drilling. The mineralization follows a "Golden Ladder" structure over 12 km of strike length, with structures tested from surface to 1,100 m depth.

Sunday Creek's strategic value is enhanced by its dual-metal profile. The Company has a critical mineral the Western world needs. This has gained increased significance following China's export restrictions on antimony, a critical metal for defence and semiconductor applications. Southern Cross' inclusion in the US Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) and Australia's AUKUS-related legislative changes position it as a potential key Western antimony supplier.

Technical fundamentals further strengthen the investment case, with preliminary metallurgical work showing non-refractory mineralization suitable for conventional processing and gold recoveries of 93% to 98% through gravity and flotation.

With a strong cash position, 1,392 Ha of strategic freehold land ownership, and a large 200 km drill program planned through Q1 2027, SXGC is well-positioned to advance this globally significant gold-antimony discovery in a tier-one jurisdiction, delivering milestone by milestone.

- Ends -

For ASX Compliance: This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd.

Michael Hudson, President, CEO and Managing Director of SXGC, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, is the Qualified Person as defined by the NI 43-101. They have prepared, reviewed, verified and approved the technical contents of this release.

Analytical samples are transported to the Bendigo facility of On Site Laboratory Services ("On Site") which operates under both an ISO 9001 and NATA quality systems. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using the fire assay technique (PE01S method; 25 gram charge), followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. Samples for multi-element analysis (BM011 and over-range methods as required) use aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis. The QA/QC program of Southern Cross Gold consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content, blanks within interpreted mineralized rock and quarter core duplicates. In addition, On Site inserts blanks and standards into the analytical process.

SXGC considers that both gold and antimony that are included in the gold equivalent calculation ("AuEq") have reasonable potential to be recovered and sold at Sunday Creek, given current geochemical understanding, historic production statistics and geologically analogous mining operations. Historically, ore from Sunday Creek was treated onsite or shipped to the Costerfield mine, located 54 km to the northwest of the project, for processing during WW1. The Costerfield mine corridor, now owned by Alkane Resources (previously Mandalay Resources) contains two million ounces of equivalent gold (Mandalay Resources Q3 2021 Results), and in 2020 was the sixth highest-grade global underground mine and a top 5 global producer of antimony.

SXGC considers that it is appropriate to adopt the same gold equivalent variables as Mandalay Resources Ltd in its 2024 End of Year Mineral Reserves and Resources Press Release, dated February 20, 2025. The gold equivalence formula used by Mandalay Resources was calculated using Costerfield's 2024 production costs, using a gold price of US$2,500 per ounce, an antimony price of US$19,000 per tonne and 2024 total year metal recoveries of 91% for gold and 92% for antimony, and is as follows:

AuEq = Au (g/t) + 2.39 x Sb (%)

Based on the latest Costerfield calculation and given the similar geological styles and historic toll treatment of Sunday Creek mineralization at Costerfield, SXGC considers that a AuEq = Au (g/t) + 2.39 x Sb (%) is appropriate to use for the initial exploration targeting of gold-antimony mineralization at Sunday Creek.

JORC Competent Person Statement

Information in this announcement that relates to new exploration results contained in this report is based on information compiled by Mr Kenneth Bush and Mr Michael Hudson. Mr Bush is a Member of Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a Registered Professional Geologist in the field of Mining (#10315) and Mr Hudson is a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Bush and Mr Hudson each have sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration, and to the activities undertaken, to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Mr Bush is Head of Exploration and Mr Hudson is President, CEO and Managing Director of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Limited and both consent to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

Certain information in this announcement that relates to prior exploration results is extracted from the Independent Geologist's Report dated 11 December 2024 which was issued with the consent of the Competent Person, Mr Steven Tambanis. The report is included the Company's prospectus dated 11 December 2024 and is available at www.asx.com.au under code "SX2". The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information related to exploration results included in the original market announcement. The Company confirms that the form and context of the Competent Persons' findings in relation to the report have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.

Certain information in this announcement also relates to prior drill hole exploration results, are extracted from the following announcements, which are available to view on www.southerncrossgold.com:

4 October, 2022 SDDSC046, 20 October, 2022 SDDSC049, 5 September, 2023 SDDSC077B, 12 October, 2023 SDDLV003 & 4, 23 October, 2023 SDDSC082, 9 November, 2023 SDDSC091, 14 December, 2023 SDDSC092, 5 March, 2024 SDDSC107, 30 May, 2024 SDDSC117, 13 June, 2024 SDDSC118, 5 September, 2024 SDDSC130, 28 October, 2024 SDDSC137W2, 28 November, 2024 SDDSC141, 9 December, 2024 SDDSC145, 18 December, 2024 SDDSC129 & 144, 28 May, 2025 SDDSC161, 16 June, 2025 SDDSC162, 26 August, 2025 SDDSC171, 8 September, 2025 SDDSC170A,

The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original document/announcement and the Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Person's findings are presented have not materially modified from the original market announcement.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "proposed", "will", "subject to", "near future", "in the event", "would", "expect", "prepared to" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include general business, economic, competitive, political, social uncertainties; the state of capital markets, unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant; and other risks described in the Company's documents filed with Canadian or Australian (under code SX2) securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in filings made by the Company with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada or Australia (under code SX2), as applicable, and available for the Company in Canada at www.sedarplus.ca or in Australia at www.asx.com.au (under code SX2). Documents are also available at www.southerncrossgold.com The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.

Figure 1: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected results from holes SDDSC194 and SDDSC194W1 reported here (dark blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected prior reported drill holes.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/291721_15c311b024f17a96_001full.jpg

Figure 2: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected drillhole traces from holes SDDSC194 and SDDSC194W1 reported here (black trace), with prior reported drill holes (grey trace) and currently drilling and assays pending hole traces (dark blue).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/291721_15c311b024f17a96_002full.jpg

Figure 3: Sunday Creek longitudinal section across A-B in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the NW (striking 56 degrees) indicating mineralized vein sets. Showing holes SDDSC194 and SDDSC194W1 reported here (dark blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected intersections and prior reported drill holes. The vertical extents of the vein sets are limited by proximity to drill hole pierce points.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/291721_15c311b024f17a96_003full.jpg

Figure 4: Sunday Creek regional plan view showing soil sampling, structural framework, regional historic epizonal gold mining areas and broad regional areas tested by 12 holes for 2,383 m drill program. The regional drill areas are at Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan located 4,000-7,500 m along strike from the main drill area at Golden Dyke- Apollo. Map in GDA94/ MGA Zone 55.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/291721_15c311b024f17a96_004full.jpg

Figure 5: Location of the Sunday Creek project, along with the 100% owned Redcastle Gold-Antimony Project

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/291721_15c311b024f17a96_005full.jpg

Table 1: Drill collar summary table for recent drill holes in progress.

This Release Hole ID Depth (m) Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDSC194 929 Golden Dyke 330811.4 5867596.4 295.1 -64.4 310 SDDSC194W1 1438.86 Golden Dyke 330811.4 5867596.4 295.1 -64.4 311.2

Currently being processed and analyzed Hole ID Depth (m) Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDSC193 668.1 Golden Dyke 330775.4 5867891 295.5 -58.6 262.2 SDDSC197 791.5 Golden Dyke 330217.8 5867664.2 268.9 -58.7 50.8 SDDSC201 321.4 Rising Sun 330948.3 5868003.4 313.3 -28.9 231.3 SDDSC202 947.76 Apollo 331596.2 5867936.6 345.6 -43.4 266.9 SDDSC203 547 Golden Dyke 330775.3 5867888.9 295.5 -47.5 253.4 SDDSC204 1208.3 Apollo 331615.6 5867952.4 346.5 -58.2 270.4 SDDSC205 1211.4 Rising Sun 330339.8 5867858.5 276.8 -64.6 75.8 SDDSC206 286.2 Golden Dyke 330752.7 5867734.4 306.9 -33 301 SDDSC207 584.25 Christina 330094.8 5867459.3 278.3 -48.8 20.7 SDDSC209 271.58 Apollo East 331463.3 5867746.4 341.2 -30.5 34 SDDSC210 512 Golden Dyke 330813.6 5867847.5 301.1 -43.6 264.3 SDDSC211 380.02 Golden Dyke 330700.3 5867880.2 299.4 -40.1 250.4 SDDSC212 438.7 Apollo East 331464.9 5867866.4 333.2 -33.2 261.3 SDDSC213 941.4 Golden Dyke 330094.2 5867458.6 278.3 -62.6 14.6 SDDSC214 431.6 Apollo 331615.6 5867951.1 346.94 -55.2 268.9 SDDSC214W1 In Progress plan 1150 m Apollo 331615.6 5867951.1 346.94 -55.2 268.9 SDDSC215 476.39 Regional 331603.6 5867183.7 304.9 -38.2 15.4 SDDSC216A 572.36 Golden Dyke 330701.2 5867880.5 299.6 -46.1 250.6 SDDSC217 490.7 Apollo East 331481.2 5867839.5 335.4 -25 261.9 SDDSC218 796.99 Golden Dyke 330813.6 5867847.5 301.1 -47.6 265.5 SDDSC219 392.2 Golden Dyke 330701.5 5867880.3 299.6 -49.2 247.8 SDDSC220 716.7 Christina 329779.1 5867552.6 286.59 -26.5 70.5 SDDSC221 926.54 Golden Dyke 330754.1 5867733 307 -50.6 285.3 SDDSC222 In Progress plan 1000 m Apollo 331596.1 5867936.9 345.43 -51.5 267.7 SDDSC223 435.25 Apollo East 331483 5867839.8 335.72 -33.9 262.2 SDDSC224 496.9 Golden Dyke 330700.6 5867879.9 299.62 -36.8 246.6 SDDSC225 992.8 Golden Dyke 330754.5 5867733 306.93 -52.8 284.8 SDDSC226 826.1 Rising Sun 331276.9 5867121.1 289.09 -56.4 336.5 SDDSC226W1 In Progress plan 1900 m Rising Sun 331276.9 5867121.1 289.09 -56.4 336.5 SDDSC227 414.09 Apollo East 331483.8 5867840.3 335.83 -36.6 266.5 SDDSC228 447.5 Golden Dyke 330700.9 5867880.2 299.48 -47.1 245.2 SDDSC229 541.8 Golden Dyke 330813.6 5867847.5 301.1 -48.5 266.9 SDDSC230 In Progress plan 1420 m Rising Sun 330357.5 5867862.3 277.3 -65.2 76.9 SDDSC231 In Progress plan 1280 m Rising Sun 330339.8 5867858.5 276.8 -70.1 71.3 SDDSC232 516.5 Christina 329777.6 5867552.2 286.76 -34.1 65.7 SDDSC233 445.9 Golden Dyke 330700.8 5867880.1 299.55 -40.7 245 SDDSC234 449 Apollo East 331484.5 5867840.3 335.75 -46.1 266.1 SDDSC235 In Progress plan 720 m Christina 329780.9 5867551.9 286.5 -44.5 63.2 SDDSC236 In Progress plan 645 m Golden Dyke 330813.6 5867847.5 301.1 -49.4 263.6 SDDSC237 359 Golden Dyke 330700.4 5867880.1 299.67 -43.2 245.7 SDDSC237W1 In Progress plan 510 m Golden Dyke 330700.4 5867880.1 299.67 -43.2 299.7 SDDSC239 In Progress plan 800 m Golden Dyke 330754.1 5867733 306.9 -30.9 270.1

Regional holes currently being processed and analyzed Hole ID Depth (m) Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDRE016 410.45 Redcastle 302735 5927298 217 -50.3 67.7 SDDRE017 359.8 Beautiful Venus 305388.6 5926618 206.62 -50.9 68.9 SDDTS009 506 Tonstal 336992 5870553 524.6 -28.3 285 SDDTS008 511.4 Tonstal 336992 5870553 524.6 -35 30.2 SDDTS010 535.8 Tonstal 336992 5870553 524.6 -37 44.4 SDDTS011 In Progress plan 360 m Tonstal 336992 5870553 524.6 -43 18

Abandoned Drillholes currently being processed and analyzed Hole ID Depth (m) Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDSC216 131.2 Golden Dyke 330701 5867880.5 299.42 -46.3 252.5

Table 2: Table of mineralized drill hole intersections reported from SDDSC194 and SDDSC194W1 with two cutoff criteria. Lower grades cut at 0.1 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 20 m with higher grades cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq cutoff over a maximum of 2 m. Significant intersections and interval depths are rounded to one decimal place.

Hole number From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC194W1 1358.60 1375.62 17.02 0.2 0.0 0.2 SDDSC194W1 1389.40 1396.00 6.60 1.0 0.0 1.0 Including 1392.60 1393.47 0.87 5.4 0.0 5.4

Table 3: All individual assays reported from SDDSC194 and SDDSC194W1 reported here >0.1g/t AuEq. Individual assay and sample intervals are reported to two decimal places.

Hole number From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC194W1 1241.3 1242.19 0.89 0.16 0.00 0.16 SDDSC194W1 1244.82 1245.18 0.36 0.35 0.00 0.35 SDDSC194W1 1296.41 1297.04 0.63 0.20 0.00 0.21 SDDSC194W1 1297.04 1297.56 0.52 0.20 0.00 0.21 SDDSC194W1 1315 1316 1.00 0.79 0.00 0.79 SDDSC194W1 1316.23 1317.18 0.95 0.11 0.00 0.11 SDDSC194W1 1345.12 1345.58 0.46 0.40 0.00 0.40 SDDSC194W1 1358.8 1360 1.20 0.13 0.00 0.14 SDDSC194W1 1360 1360.69 0.69 0.16 0.00 0.17 SDDSC194W1 1360.69 1361.75 1.06 0.20 0.00 0.20 SDDSC194W1 1363.77 1365 1.23 0.08 0.00 0.09 SDDSC194W1 1365 1366 1.00 0.14 0.00 0.14 SDDSC194W1 1366 1367.3 1.30 0.93 0.00 0.94 SDDSC194W1 1367.3 1367.9 0.60 0.23 0.00 0.23 SDDSC194W1 1367.9 1369.2 1.30 0.14 0.00 0.14 SDDSC194W1 1369.2 1370.4 1.20 0.29 0.00 0.30 SDDSC194W1 1370.4 1371.4 1.00 0.20 0.00 0.20 SDDSC194W1 1371.4 1371.94 0.54 1.36 0.00 1.36 SDDSC194W1 1371.94 1372.9 0.96 0.12 0.00 0.12 SDDSC194W1 1389.4 1390.7 1.30 0.22 0.00 0.22 SDDSC194W1 1390.7 1392 1.30 0.24 0.00 0.24 SDDSC194W1 1392 1392.6 0.60 0.20 0.00 0.20 SDDSC194W1 1392.6 1393.47 0.87 5.44 0.00 5.45 SDDSC194W1 1393.47 1394.7 1.23 0.33 0.00 0.33 SDDSC194W1 1394.7 1396 1.30 0.37 0.00 0.37































































































































JORC Table 1

Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (e.g. cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc.). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling.

Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used.

Aspects of the determination of mineralization that are Material to the Public Report.

In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g. 'reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay'). In other cases more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralization types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. Sampling has been conducted on drill core (half core for >90% and quarter core for check samples), grab samples (field samples of in-situ bedrock and boulders; including duplicate samples), trench samples (rock chips, including duplicates) and soil samples (including duplicate samples).

Locations of field samples were obtained by using a GPS, generally to an accuracy of within 5 metres. Drill hole and trench locations have been confirmed to <1 metre using a differential GPS.

Samples locations have also been verified by plotting locations on the high-resolution Lidar maps

Locations of field samples were obtained by using a GPS, generally to an accuracy of within 5 metres. Drill hole and trench locations have been confirmed to <1 metre using a differential GPS. Samples locations have also been verified by plotting locations on the high-resolution Lidar maps Drill core is marked for cutting and cut using an automated diamond saw used by Company staff in Kilmore.

Samples are bagged at the core saw and transported to the Bendigo On Site Laboratory for assay.

At On Site samples are crushed using a jaw crusher combined with a rotary splitter and a 1 kg split is separated for pulverizing (LM5) and assay.

Samples are bagged at the core saw and transported to the Bendigo On Site Laboratory for assay. At On Site samples are crushed using a jaw crusher combined with a rotary splitter and a 1 kg split is separated for pulverizing (LM5) and assay. Standard fire assay techniques are used for gold assay on a 30 g charge by experienced staff (used to dealing with high sulfide and stibnite-rich charges). On Site gold method by fire assay code PE01S.

Screen fire assay is used to understand gold grain-size distribution where coarse gold is evident.

ICP-OES is used to analyse the aqua regia digested pulp for an additional 12 elements (method BM011) and over-range antimony is measured using flame AAS (method known as B050).

Soil samples were sieved in the field and an 80-mesh sample bagged and transported to ALS Global laboratories in Brisbane for super-low level gold analysis on a 50 g samples by method ST44 (using aqua regia and ICP-MS).

Grab and rock chip samples are generally submitted to On Site Laboratories for standard fire assay and 12 element ICP-OES as described above. Drilling techniques Drill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.) and details (e.g. core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc.). HQ or NQ diameter diamond drill core, oriented using Axis Champ orientation tool with the orientation line marked on the base of the drill core by the driller/offsider.

A standard 3 metre core barrel has been found to be most effective in both the hard and soft rocks in the project. Drill sample recovery Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed.

Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples.

Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. Core recoveries were maximised using HQ or NQ diamond drill core with careful control over water pressure to maintain soft-rock integrity and prevent loss of fines from soft drill core. Recoveries are determined on a metre-by-metre basis in the core shed using a tape measure against marked up drill core checking against driller's core blocks.

Plots of grade versus recovery and RQD (described below) show no trends relating to loss of drill core, or fines. Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies.

Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc.) photography.

The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. Geotechnical logging of the drill core takes place on racks in the company core shed.

Core orientations marked at the drill rig are checked for consistency, and base of core orientation lines are marked on core where two or more orientations match within 10 degrees.

Core recoveries are measured for each metre

RQD measurements (cumulative quantity of core sticks > 10 cm in a metre) are made on a metre-by-metre basis.

Core orientations marked at the drill rig are checked for consistency, and base of core orientation lines are marked on core where two or more orientations match within 10 degrees. Core recoveries are measured for each metre RQD measurements (cumulative quantity of core sticks > 10 cm in a metre) are made on a metre-by-metre basis. Each tray of drill core is photographed (wet and dry) after it is fully marked up for sampling and cutting.

The  core cutting line is placed approximately 10 degrees above the orientation line so the orientation line is retained in the core tray for future work.

Geological logging of drill core includes the following parameters:

Rock types, lithology

Alteration

Structural information (orientations of veins, bedding, fractures using standard alpha-beta measurements from orientation line; or, in the case of un-oriented parts of the core, the alpha angles are measured)

Veining (quartz, carbonate, stibnite)

Key minerals (visible under hand lens, e.g. gold, stibnite)

Rock types, lithology Alteration Structural information (orientations of veins, bedding, fractures using standard alpha-beta measurements from orientation line; or, in the case of un-oriented parts of the core, the alpha angles are measured) Veining (quartz, carbonate, stibnite) Key minerals (visible under hand lens, e.g. gold, stibnite) 100% of drill core is logged for all components described above into the company MX logging database.

Logging is fully quantitative, although the description of lithology and alteration relies on visible observations by trained geologists.

Each tray of drill core is photographed (wet and dry) after it is fully marked up for sampling and cutting.

Logging is considered to be at an appropriate quantitative standard to use in future studies. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken.

If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc. and whether sampled wet or dry.

For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique.

Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples.

Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling.

Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. Drill core is typically half-core sampled using an Almonte core saw. The drill core orientation line is retained.

Quarter core is used when taking sampling duplicates (termed FDUP in the database).

Sampling representivity is maximised by always taking the same side of the drill core (whenever oriented), and consistently drawing a cut line on the core where orientation is not possible. The field technician draws these lines.

Sample sizes are maximised for coarse gold by using half core, and using quarter core and half core splits (laboratory duplicates) allows an estimation of nugget effect.

In mineralized rock the company uses approximately 10% of  core duplicates, certified reference materials (suitable OREAS materials), laboratory sample duplicates and instrument repeats.

In the soil sampling program duplicates were obtained every 20th sample and the laboratory inserted low-level gold standards regularly into the sample flow. Quality of assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total.

For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc., the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc.

Nature of quality control procedures adopted (e.g. standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established. The fire assay technique for gold used by On Site is a globally recognised method, and over-range follow-ups including gravimetric finish and screen fire assay are standard. Of significance at the On Site laboratory is the presence of fire assay personnel who are experienced in dealing with high sulfide charges (especially those with high stibnite contents) - this substantially reduces the risk of in accurate reporting in complex sulfide-gold charges.

Where screen fire assay is used, this assay will be reported instead of the original fire assay.

The ICP-OES technique is a standard analytical technique for assessing elemental concentrations. The digest used (aqua regia) is excellent for the dissolution of sulfides (in this case generally stibnite, pyrite and trace arsenopyrite), but other silicate-hosted elements, in particular vanadium (V), may only be partially dissolved. These silicate-hosted elements are not important in the determination of the quantity of gold, antimony, arsenic or sulphur.

A portable XRF has been used in a qualitative manner on drill core to ensure appropriate core samples have been taken (no pXRF data are reported or included in the MX database).

Acceptable levels of accuracy and precision have been established using the following methods

 duplicates - half core is split into quarters and given separate sample numbers (commonly in mineralized core) - low to medium gold grades indicate strong correlation, dropping as the gold grade increases over 40 g/t Au.

Blanks - blanks are inserted after visible gold and in strongly mineralized rocks to confirm that the crushing and pulping are not affected by gold smearing onto the crusher and LM5 swing mill surfaces. Results are excellent, generally below detection limit and a single sample at 0.03 g/t Au.

Certified Reference Materials - OREAS CRMs have been used throughout the project including blanks, low (<1 g/t Au), medium (up to 5 g/t Au) and high-grade gold samples (> 5 g/t Au). Results are automatically checked on data import into the MX database to fall within 2 standard deviations of the expected value.

Laboratory splits - On Site conducts splits of both coarse crush and pulp duplicates as quality control and reports all data. In particular, high Au samples have the most repeats.

Laboratory CRMs - On Site regularly inserts their own CRM materials into the process flow and reports all data

Laboratory precision - duplicate measurements of solutions (both Au from fire assay and other elements from the aqua regia digests) are made regularly by the laboratory and reported.

- half core is split into quarters and given separate sample numbers (commonly in mineralized core) - low to medium gold grades indicate strong correlation, dropping as the gold grade increases over 40 g/t Au. - blanks are inserted after visible gold and in strongly mineralized rocks to confirm that the crushing and pulping are not affected by gold smearing onto the crusher and LM5 swing mill surfaces. Results are excellent, generally below detection limit and a single sample at 0.03 g/t Au. - OREAS CRMs have been used throughout the project including blanks, low (<1 g/t Au), medium (up to 5 g/t Au) and high-grade gold samples (> 5 g/t Au). Results are automatically checked on data import into the MX database to fall within 2 standard deviations of the expected value. - On Site conducts splits of both coarse crush and pulp duplicates as quality control and reports all data. In particular, high Au samples have the most repeats. - On Site regularly inserts their own CRM materials into the process flow and reports all data - duplicate measurements of solutions (both Au from fire assay and other elements from the aqua regia digests) are made regularly by the laboratory and reported. Accuracy and precision have been determined carefully by using the sampling and measurement techniques described above during the sampling (accuracy) and laboratory (accuracy and precision) stages of the analysis.

have been determined carefully by using the sampling and measurement techniques described above during the sampling (accuracy) and laboratory (accuracy and precision) stages of the analysis. Soil sample company duplicates and laboratory certified reference materials all fall within expected ranges. Verification of sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel.

The use of twinned holes.

Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols.

Discuss any adjustment to assay data. The Independent Geologist has visited Sunday Creek drill sites and inspected drill core held at the Kilmore core shed.

Visual inspection of drill intersections matches both the geological descriptions in the database and the expected assay data (for example, gold and stibnite visible in drill core is matched by high Au and Sb results in assays).

In addition, on receipt of results Company geologists assess the gold, antimony and arsenic results to verify that the intersections returned expected data.

The electronic data storage in the MX database is of a high standard. Primary logging data are entered directly by the geologists and field technicians and the assay data are electronically matched against sample number on return from the laboratory.

Certified reference materials,  core field duplicates (FDUP), laboratory splits and duplicates and instrument repeats are all recorded in the database.

Exports of data include all primary data, from hole SDDSC077B onwards after discussion with SRK Consulting. Prior to this gold was averaged across primary, field and lab duplicates.

Adjustments to assay data are recorded by MX, and none are present (or required).

Twinned drill holes are not available at this stage of the project. Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation.

Specification of the grid system used.

Quality and adequacy of topographic control. Differential GPS used to locate drill collars, trenches and some workings

Standard GPS for some field locations (grab and soils samples), verified against Lidar data.

The grid system used throughout is Geocentric datum of Australia 1994; Map Grid Zone 55 (GDA94_Z55), also referred to as ELSG 28355. Reported azimuths also relate to MGA55 (GDA94_Z55).

Topographic control is excellent owing to sub 10 cm accuracy from Lidar data. Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results.

Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied.

Whether sample compositing has been applied. The data spacing is suitable for reporting of exploration results - evidence for this is based on the improving predictability of high-grade gold-antimony intersections.

At this time, the data spacing and distribution are not sufficient for the reporting of Mineral Resource Estimates. This however may change as knowledge of grade controls increase with future drill programs.

Samples have been composited to a 1 g/t AuEq over 2.0 m width for lower grades and 5 g/t AuEq over 1.0 m width for higher grades in table 3. All individual assays above 0.1 g/t AuEq have been reported to two decimal places with no compositing in table 4. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type.

If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralized structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. The true thickness of the mineralized intervals reported are interpreted to be approximately 42% of the sampled thickness.

Drilling is oriented in an optimum direction when considering the combination of host rock orientation and apparent vein control on gold and antimony grade.

The steep nature of some of the veins may give increases in apparent thickness of some intersections, but more drilling is required to quantify.

The steep nature of some of the veins may give increases in apparent thickness of some intersections, but more drilling is required to quantify. A sampling bias is not evident from the data collected to date (drill holes cut across mineralized structures at a moderate angle). Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. Drill core is delivered to the Kilmore core logging shed by either the drill contractor or company field staff. Samples are marked up and cut by company staff at the Kilmore core shed, in an automated diamond saw and bagged before loaded onto strapped secured pallets and trucked by company staff to Bendigo for submission to the laboratory. There is no evidence in any stage of the process, or in the data for any sample security issues. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. Continuous monitoring of CRM results, blanks and duplicates is undertaken by geologists and the company data geologist. Mr Michael Hudson for SXG has the orientation, logging and assay data.

Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Mineral tenement

and land tenure

status Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings.

The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area. The Sunday Creek Project, previously known as the Clonbinane Project, is covered by the Retention Licence RL 6040 and is surrounded by Exploration Licence EL6163 and Exploration Licence EL7232. All the licences are 100% held by Clonbinane Goldfield Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary company of Southern Cross Gold Ltd. Exploration done by

other parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. The Sunday Creek project is a high level orogenic (or epizonal) Fosterville-style deposit. Small scale mining has been undertaken in the project area since the 1880s continuing through to the early 1900s. Historical production occurred with multiple small shafts and alluvial workings across the Clonbinane Goldfield permits. Production of note occurred at the Clonbinane area with total production being reported as 41,000 oz gold at a grade of 33 g/t gold (Leggo and Holdsworth, 2013)

Work in and nearby to the Sunday Creek Project area by previous explorers typically focused on finding bulk, shallow deposits. Beadell Resources were the first to drill deeper targets and Southern Cross have continued their work in the Sunday Creek Project area.

EL54 - Eastern Prospectors Pty Ltd

Rock chip sampling around Christina, Apollo and Golden Dyke mines.

Rock chip sampling down the Christina mine shaft. Resistivity survey over the Golden Dyke. Five diamond drill holes around Christina, two of which have assays. ELs 872 & 975 - CRA Exploration Pty Ltd

Exploration focused on finding low grade, high tonnage deposits. The tenements were relinquished after the area was found to be prospective but not economic.

Stream sediment samples around the Golden Dyke and Reedy Creek areas. Results were better around the Golden Dyke. 45 dump samples around Golden Dyke old workings showed good correlation between gold, arsenic and antimony.

Soil samples over the Golden Dyke to define boundaries of dyke and mineralization. Two costeans parallel to the Golden Dyke targeting soil anomalies. Costeans since rehabilitated by SXG. ELs 827 & 1520 - BHP Minerals Ltd

Exploration targeting open cut gold mineralization peripheral to SXG tenements. ELs 1534, 1603 & 3129 - Ausminde Holdings Pty Ltd

Targeting shallow, low grade gold. Trenching around the Golden Dyke prospect and results interpreted along with CRAs costeans. 29 RC/Aircore holes totalling 959 m sunk into the Apollo, Rising Sun and Golden Dyke target areas. ELs 4460 & 4987 - Beadell Resources Ltd

ELs 4460 and 4497 were granted to Beadell Resources in November 2007. Beadell successfully drilled 30 RC holes, including second diamond tail holes in the Golden Dyke/Apollo target areas. Both tenements were 100% acquired by Auminco Goldfields Pty Ltd in late 2012 and combined into one tenement EL4987.

Nagambie Resources Ltd purchased Auminco Goldfields in July 2014. EL4987 expired late 2015, during which time Nagambie Resources applied for a retention licence (RL6040) covering three square kilometres over the Sunday Creek Project. RL6040 was granted July 2017.

Clonbinane Goldfield Pty Ltd was purchased by Mawson Gold Ltd in February 2020.

Mawson drilled 30 holes for 6,928 m and made the first discoveries to depth. Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style of

mineralization. Refer to the description in the main body of the release. Drill hole Information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following

information for all Material drill holes: easting and northing of the drill hole collar elevation or RL (Reduced Level - elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar dip and azimuth of the hole down hole length and interception depth hole length.

If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. Refer to appendices Data aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (e.g. cutting of high-grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated.

Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high-grade results and longer lengths of low-grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail.

The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. See "Further Information" and "Metal Equivalent Calculation" in main text of press release. Relationship

between

mineralization

widths and

intercept lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results.

If the geometry of the mineralization with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported.

If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (e.g 'down hole

length, true width not known'). See reporting of true widths in the body of the press release. Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported. These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. The results of the diamond drilling are displayed in the figures in the announcement. Balanced reporting Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high-grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results. All results above 0.1 g/t Au have been tabulated in this announcement. The results are considered representative with no intended bias.

Core loss, where material, is disclosed in tabulated drill intersections. Other substantive exploration data Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples - size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances. Preliminary testing was reported in January 11, 2024. This established the general metallurgical test procedure for samples from the Sunday Creek deposits and demonstrated the basis for confidence in establishing prospects for economic recovery of contained gold and antimony to three separate products: Metallic gold product by gravity recovery Antimony-gold flotation concentrate Pyrite-arsenopyrite-gold flotation concentrate

Testing has now been expanded to include samples from additional zones of the mineral deposits and to refine metallurgical processes. The aim was to improve aspects of antimony concentrate production, maximise gold recovery to a high-grade metallic product, and to further investigate the nature of gold occurrence.

The work, conducted by ALS Burnie Laboratories, focused on: Improving selectivity between sulphide minerals in the antimony flotation stage whilst maintaining high overall gold recovery. Further processing of the flotation concentrates, to assess the metallurgical response of contained gold. Mineralogical examination of selected product samples.

It was demonstrated that, with appropriate process conditions, high antimony and gold recovery could be maintained whilst rejecting arsenic and iron sulphides in the first flotation stage. The antimony concentrate produced (~50% Sb, <0.2% As) is deemed to be attractive to the smelter market.

Recovery of antimony to concentrate varied with feed type, and ranged from 83% to 93% for the samples tested from the antimony rich zones.

Additional metallic gold was recovered from the flotation concentrate by gravity separation.

The gold grade of the concentrate is a function of the proportion of feed gold associated with arsenic-iron sulphides, the ratio of gold to antimony in the feed, the gold recovered to the metallic gold product, and the flotation rate of gold in the first flotation stage.

High overall gold recovery was achieved with all samples tested.

Further Work Additional characterization testing across deposit zones Locked cycle testing to confirm overall recoveries Multi-stage cleaning optimization to maximize concentrate quality Pilot plant evaluation of larger samples Process plant design studies targeting Q1 2027 completion

Further work The nature and scale of planned further work (e.g. tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling).

Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. The Company has stated it will drill 200,000 m through 2025 to Q1 2027.

See diagrams in presentation which highlight current and future drill plans.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291721

Source: Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Kodiak Copper Corp. (TSXV: KDK) (OTCQX: KDKCF) (FSE: 5DD1) (the "Company" or "Kodiak") today provides guidance on the 2026 exploration program at its 100% owned MPD copper-gold porphyry project in southern British Columbia.

Highlights

Kodiak's 2026 exploration program is planned to commence in April and will include a substantial drill program complemented by geophysical surveys, soil sampling, prospecting and mapping .

Drilling will focus on growing the recent Initial Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) and will also test several prospective exploration targets with the potential for new discoveries.

Kodiak has identified opportunities to expand all seven deposits in the MRE, including potential extensions beyond the current mineralized zones and gaps within the MRE models .

Drilling will start at the Ketchan deposit and we expect that most of the seven deposits will be drilled in 2026 , with drill metre allocation guided and refined based on ongoing results. The growth potential of the Ketchan (Figures 1, 2 & 3), Adit (Figures 1 & 4) and Dillard (Figures 1 & 5) deposits is provided below.

The drill program is anticipated to total 6,500 metres, with scope for expansion as the program progresses .

Kodiak has also identified 16 new exploration targets at MPD, including historical showings on recently acquired claims, prospects from 2025 regional exploration program and Areas of Interest generated by VRIFY Artificial Intelligence (AI) assisted targeting.

To date, the total number of prospective targets identified for follow-up is now 36, highlighting the continued exploration upside and discovery potential on the MPD Project.

Kodiak plans to advance or drill several of these compelling targets in 2026, including the Dillard East, Star and Tau targets presented in this news release (Figures 1, 6 & 7).

Claudia Tornquist, President and CEO of Kodiak said, "We are looking forward to the start of our 2026 exploration program at MPD. Building on the success of previous campaigns, we see substantial upside across several of our deposits and the opportunity to meaningfully expand our maiden Resource. At the same time, we are excited about the numerous high-quality targets across the project that remain untested and offer compelling discovery potential. With a clear path to both resource growth and new discoveries, we are well positioned to unlock significant value as we execute on this highly impactful exploration program with the aim to meaningfully grow the scale of the project."





Figure 1: 2026 Target Location Map - MPD Project, Southern BC

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/291706_bdee0d1f44c7d9ff_002full.jpg

Ketchan Deposit - Expansion Potential

The Ketchan deposit consists of two lobes that are defined over a total length of approximately 1.4 kilometres . The deposit was developed entirely using historic drilling by previous operators and will be drilled for the first time by Kodiak in 2026.

Mineralization was noted in holes well beyond the extent of the MRE , however not all holes could be included due to insufficient drill hole density .

In addition, Kodiak's 2025 regional exploration confirmed a well-defined copper-in-soil anomaly along more than two kilometres of strike length, significantly beyond the current limits of the MRE (see news release February 24, 2026).

A priority area for potential expansion is to the southeast of the MRE where historic drilling at surface intersected substantial mineralization approximately 400 metres from the current deposit (Figure 2 & 3).

The gap between the north and south lobes also has limited drilling and is highlighted by anomalous rock and copper-in-soil results .

Data from numerous rock samples, soil samples, 3D - Induced Polarization surveys, geology and drilling suggest the deposit can also be expanded in multiple other areas.



Figure 2: Ketchan Deposit Long-Section



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/291706_bdee0d1f44c7d9ff_003full.jpg







Figure 3: Ketchan Deposit - Target Areas for Resource Expansion

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/291706_bdee0d1f44c7d9ff_004full.jpg

Adit Deposit - Expansion Potential

Multiple data sets (drilling, soil, geophysics) suggest there is potential to extend the Adit deposit to the north and west.

200 metres north of the MRE, two holes drilled by Kodiak intersected mineralization in an area with very limited drill testing (see news release November 19, 2024).

One of the Kodiak holes was drilled towards a VRIFY AI Area of Interest (AOI) to the west of the Adit deposit. The AOI is also associated with a moderate copper-in-soil anomaly . The drill hole intersected four metres of 0.64% Cu and 0.14g/t Au at the end of the hole before the hole was lost .

A coincident copper-in-soil anomaly and 3D - Induced Polarization chargeability anomaly located to the northeast of the Adit deposit is also a priority area for follow-up. The anomaly extends 400 metres to the north of the deposit, and results from a 2024 drill hole confirm mineralization is present in the area.



Figure 4: Adit Deposit Target Areas for Resource Expansion

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/291706_bdee0d1f44c7d9ff_005full.jpg

Dillard Deposit - Expansion Potential

The Dillard area is associated with a large mineralization envelope that has been drilled over an area of 1 km 2 , extending well beyond the currently defined deposit (Figure 4).

Drill hole density is low and there are numerous areas where soil, rock and geophysical data suggest the deposit could be extended .

Areas to the west and east of Dillard are the most prospective, however gaps internal to the deposit also have potential.

Of particular interest is the west side of the deposit where rock samples have returned assay values ranging from 0.4% Cu to 0.8% Cu. These samples are also associated with copper-in-soil and chargeability anomalies, both of which are located well outside the current edge of the deposit.





Figure 5: Dillard Deposit Target Areas for Resource Expansion

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/291706_bdee0d1f44c7d9ff_006full.jpg

Dillard East and Star Exploration Targets

Kodiak has identified several large 3D - Induced Polarization ( 3D-IP) chargeability features at both the Dillard East and Star target areas (Figure 6).

A two-kilometre-long northeast trending chargeability high transects the large circular copper-in soil signatures that characterise both the Dillard East and Star targets (Figure 6)

In addition to the soil and 3D-IP anomalies, the targets are associated with at least 20 prospecting samples taken by Kodiak assaying >0.3% copper and/or >0.5 g/t gold .

Similarly, a second, one-kilometre-long 3D-IP response can be seen on the southeast flank of large circular copper-in-soil geochemical signature at Dillard East.

The Dillard East and Star targets have not yet been drilled by Kodiak.





Figure 6: Dillard East & Star Drill Targets

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/291706_bdee0d1f44c7d9ff_007full.jpg





Tau Drill Target

The Tau target, which is located along trend of the South deposit , is associated with a copper-in-soil anomaly in an area where outcrop is limited (Figure 7).

A prominent VRIFY AI Area of Interes t is also coincident with the Tau soil anomaly.

The target has never been drill tested. Further geophysics is planned in anticipation of drilling in 2026.



Figure 7: Tau Drill Target

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/291706_bdee0d1f44c7d9ff_008full.jpg

Dave Skelton, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved and verified the technical information in this news release. The company has not independently validated the historical results referenced herein, therefore the reader is cautioned about the accuracy of the data.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Kodiak Copper Corp.

Claudia Tornquist

President & CEO

About Kodiak Copper Corp.

Kodiak is focused on advancing its copper porphyry projects in Canada and the USA, which host known mineral discoveries with the potential to hold large-scale deposits. Kodiak Copper's most advanced asset is the 100% owned MPD copper-gold porphyry project in the prolific Quesnel Terrane in south-central British Columbia, Canada, an established mining region with producing mines and excellent infrastructure. MPD exhibits all the hallmarks of a large, multi-centered porphyry district with the potential for future economic development. The initial Mineral Resource Estimate published in 2025 outlines seven substantial deposits and underscores the scale and potential of the project. All known deposits remain open to expansion, and numerous targets across the property have yet to be tested. Kodiak continues to systematically explore MPD's district-scale potential with the goal of delivering new discoveries and building further critical mass toward being the region's next mine.

Kodiak's founder and Chairman is Chris Taylor who is well-known for his gold discovery success with Great Bear Resources. Kodiak is also part of Discovery Group led by John Robins, one of the most successful mining entrepreneurs in Canada.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statement (Safe Harbor Statement): This press release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "expect", "estimate", "objective", "may", "will", "project", "should", "predict", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning the Company's exploration plans. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove correct. Since forward looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of assumptions, factors and risks. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated with conditions in the equity financing markets, and assumptions and risks regarding receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals.

Management has provided the above summary of risks and assumptions related to forward looking statements in this press release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive perspective on the Company's future operations. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive from them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291706

Source: Kodiak Copper Corp.
HIGHLIGHTS:

Expansion Zone 101.0 m grading 5.34 g/t gold from 512.5m 8.75 m grading 9.11 g/t gold from 484.65m 27.2 m grading 2.26 g/t gold from 647.0m 7.15 m grading 6.98 g/t gold from 464.3m

Headline intercept open to north and south

Results pending from an additional five holes in the Expansion Zone

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Heliostar Metals Ltd. (TSXV: HSTR) (OTCQX: HSTXF) (FSE: RGG1) ("Heliostar" or the "Company") is pleased to announce additional results from the Expansion Zone at its 100% owned Ana Paula project in Guerrero, Mexico. Drilling in this area is testing the down-dip extension of the current Ana Paula resource envelope.

Heliostar CEO, Charles Funk, commented, "The results reported today continue to increase our confidence that the high-grade deposit at Ana Paula continues at depth. The success of the program so far has been twofold - continuing to hit impressive broad intervals of high grade and providing additional data allowing our team to refine the targeting model in the Expansion Zone. With two bodies of gold mineralization beginning to be defined, the 101 m of 5.34 g/t gold in hole AP-25-374 builds on the previously reported result of 25.45 m of 8.26 g/t gold also in the west pod. Today's headline hit is open to the north and south with assays pending for step-out drill holes."

"We interpret Ana Paula to be higher in the same geological setting as its large neighbours in the Guerrero Gold Belt. As such, we are keen to restart work on the mine decline in the second half of this year to provide improved access for further potential resource extensions. We anticipate releasing additional results from five holes drilled in the Expansion Zone within the quarter as assays are received."

Drilling Program

Heliostar has completed 84 holes and 28,318 metres as part of its ongoing 2025-26 drill program at Ana Paula. The drill program is defining additional mineralization near planned underground mine infrastructure through step-out drilling and continuing to explore at depth for down-plunge extensions of mineralization in the Expansion Zone.

Today's release covers six holes in the Expansion Zone drilled as part of the expanded 28,000m drill program started in 2025. There are five holes from the Expansion Zone area awaiting assay results.

Where appropriate, these holes are also being used to collect rock strength data, hydrogeologic data and samples for further metallurgical studies that will expedite bringing these zones into a future mine plan in the upcoming Ana Paula Feasibility Study.

Expansion Zone Drill Results Summary

Holes AP-25-374 and AP-25-377 were drilled in the western pod of mineralization in the Expansion Zone. Hole AP-25-374 stepped out 20 metres to the east from nearby stopes proposed in the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") mine plan. It intercepted mineralization as modelled in the stope area, but that mineralization continued approximately 80 metres deeper than predicted. The intercept shows excellent potential to include additional high-grade material into a future mine plan from this area. The hole has been followed up by AP-26-385, which is located 25 m to the north and is awaiting assays. The 101.0 m grading 5.34 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold is a 36 m step out to the east of AP-13-215, which returned 52.9 m at 5.21 g/t gold. Hole AP-25-377 was designed to infill a portion of inferred mineralization currently in the PEA mine plan.

Holes AP-25-358, AP-25-365 and AP-25-368 were designed to test mineralization in the east pod of the Expansion Zone. These holes successfully intersected intervals of gold mineralization above the 2.1 g/t gold cut-off grade of the resource that supported the November 2025 Ana Paula PEA.

Mineralization is open to the north and south along an interpreted east-west-trending structure that controls the high-grade mineralization, as well as at depth.

Figure 1: Cross-Section through newly reported hole AP-25-374

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7729/291719_142236f874bd891f_001full.jpg

Figure 2: Plan Map of the current drill program at Ana Paula

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7729/291719_142236f874bd891f_002full.jpg

True widths are unknown. Mineralization at Ana Paula occurs as disseminations or vein stockworks with variable controls including rock porosity, lithology and fault networks.

Drilling continues throughout the High Grade Panel and its less well-defined west edge, and the Expansion Zone. Two of the drills have continued to target deeper inferred mineralization and the 250 m corridor between the High Grade Panel and a northern exploration zone.

The next Ana Paula drill results are expected to be released in late April.

Drilling Results and Coordinates Tables

Hole Name From

(metres) To

(metres) Interval

(metres) Au

(g/t) Topcut

Au (g/t) Intercept Zone AP-25-321A 396.65 418.0 21.35 1.89



and 590.95 594.55 3.6 7.81



AP-25-358 222.0 229.75 7.75 5.96

High Grade Panel and 464.3 471.45 7.15 6.98 6.61 1 and 540.2 541.3 1.1 60.7



and 623.0 640.9 17.9 2.09



and 661.1 664.3 3.2 3.78



AP-25-365 484.65 493.4 8.75 9.11 4.02 2 and 557.8 567.05 9.25 2.12



and 647.0 674.2 27.2 2.26



AP-25-368 174.85 178.4 3.55 6.05

High Grade Panel and 561.15 566.1 4.95 3.47



and 596.8 598.0 1.2 25.4



AP-25-374 17.5 20.6 3.1 6.15

High Grade Panel and 288.5 317.5 29.0 1.96

High Grade Panel and 512.5 613.5 101.0 5.34 5.09 1, 3 including 580.0 613.5 33.5 8.98 8.50 1 AP-26-377 271.5 288.5 17.0 3.24

High Grade Panel and 393.4 395.5 2.1 4.02



and 510.1 510.85 0.75 39.7 38.0 1 and 535.0 547.65 12.65 2.49



and 643.3 647.4 4.1 3.85



and 668.1 669.25 1.15 21.7





Table 1: Significant Drill Intersections. All intercepts are from the Expansion Zone target unless labelled. Drill Holes are non-sequential due to multiple rigs drilling multiple targets at Ana Paula

1 Top cut to 38 ppm Au based on resource model domains

2 Top cut to 47 ppm Au based on resource model domains

3 Includes geotechnical samples assigned 0 g/t gold

Drilling Coordinates Table

Hole ID Easting

(WGS84 Zone 14N) Northing

(WGS84 Zone 14N) Elevation

(metres) Azimuth

() Inclination

() Length

(metres) AP-25-321A 410,124 1,998,161 928.4 180 -55 638.0 AP-25-358 410,180 1,998,179 907.2 180 -60 789.0 AP-25-365 410,205 1,998,207 903.3 180 -60 827.0 AP-25-368 410,179 1,998,227 908.3 180 -60 847.6 AP-25-374 410,106 1,998,171 932.8 180 -60 689.0 AP-26-377 410,054 1,998,155 954.4 177 -64 696.0

Table 2: Drill Hole Details

Ana Paula Preliminary Economic Assessment Note

Heliostar announced the results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment on November 6, 2025. References to the results in this release are provided in greater detail here.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Drill core is PQ and HQ size, and the core is cut in half, with half sent for analysis. Core samples were shipped to ALS Limited in Zacatecas, Zacatecas and Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, for sample preparation and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver. The Zacatecas, Hermosillo, and North Vancouver ALS facilities are ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold was assayed by 30-gram fire assay with atomic absorption spectroscopy finish, and overlimits were analyzed by 30-gram fire assay with gravimetric finish.

Control samples comprising certified reference and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's quality assurance / quality control protocol.

Statement of Qualified Person

Stewart Harris, P.Geo., a Qualified Person, as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Harris is employed as Exploration Manager of the Company.

About Heliostar Metals Ltd.

Heliostar is a growing gold producer with a goal to produce 500,000 ounces per year by the end of the decade. The cash flow from the Company's La Colorada Mine in Sonora and the San Agustin Mine in Durango supports the development of its 100% owned pipeline of growth projects in Mexico and the USA. These include the flagship Ana Paula development project in Guerrero, the Cerro del Gallo project in Guanajuato, the San Antonio project in Baja Sur, the Goldstrike project in Utah and the Unga project in Alaska.

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 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. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things, show the full extent of the deposit, upgrade and expand the resource base, growing our annual production profile in the near term and bringing additional production online.

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information relating to the terms and completion of the Facility, any future mineral production, liquidity, 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 receipt of necessary approvals, price of metals; no escalation in the severity of public health crises or ongoing military conflicts; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; and the Company's ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms.

These statements reflect the Company's respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company's mining activities in foreign jurisdictions; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; risks regarding exploration and mining activities; the Company's inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of public health crises; the economic and financial implications of public health crises, ongoing military conflicts and general economic factors to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company's interactions with surrounding communities; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's public disclosure documents. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291719

Source: Heliostar Metals Ltd.
Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - ReeXploration Inc. (TSXV: REE) (FSE: K2I0) ("ReeXploration" or the "Company") is pleased to report positive preliminary results from its maiden uranium drilling program at the Eureka Project ("Eureka" or the "Project") in central Namibia.

The 11-hole, 1,729 m reconnaissance program successfully intersected widespread radiometric anomalies within favorable geological settings associated with Rossing-style uranium mineralization.

Radiometric results reported herein are preliminary and subject to confirmation from downhole radiometric surveys and laboratory geochemical analysis.

Highlights:

All 11 drill holes intersected favorable leucogranite rocks which are associated with major Namibian uranium deposits such as Rossing and Etango

Elevated radioactivity, up to 640 counts per second ("cps"), was intersected in 5 of 11 holes within leucogranites and associated contact zones with chemically reactive lithologies

Multiple leucogranite units were intersected in every drillhole, confirming the widespread structural favourability for leucogranite emplacement adjacent to the Eureka Dome

In addition, near-surface (overburden) uranium mineralization identified in 7 of 11 holes, including visible carnotite, demonstrating a secondary target type (Langer Heinrich-style)

"We are highly encouraged by the results from our first uranium drilling program at Eureka," said Christopher Drysdale, Interim CEO. "The program has successfully validated our Rossing-style exploration model, confirming the presence of the right rocks in the right structural settings, along with widespread elevated radiometric responses indicating the potential scale of the system. Importantly, we are seeing indications of both primary and near-surface uranium mineralization, highlighting the multi-target potential of the Project. We look forward to advancing these results with further downhole radiometrics and geochemical analysis."

Drilling Program Overview

The drilling program was designed to test for primary uranium mineralization hosted within leucogranites beneath shallow cover. Drill holes were oriented at -55 to -60 toward the west to test steeply east-dipping stratigraphy belonging to the Arandis Formation.

Drill hole lengths ranged from approximately 140 m to 200 m, corresponding to vertical depths of approximately 120 m to 160 m below surface. Several holes were drilled as fences to evaluate, at a preliminary level, geological continuity and the distribution of leucogranite intrusions.

Drill hole locations are shown in Figure 1 and details are summarized in Table 1.

Leucogranite Drilling Results (Rossing-Style Targets)

Drilling confirmed the presence of sheeted leucogranites in contact with carbonate-bearing and sulphidic lithologies (Arandis Formation), which are known to be favourable contact rock types for uranium-bearing leucogranites in Namibia.

Leucogranite intersections ranged from a few metres up to 20 metres thick, with multiple stacked units/sheets per hole (2 to 26 intersections).

Elevated radioactivity readings were recorded within these units and associated contact zones using a handheld RS-125 spectrometer on drill core, including highlights of:

577 cps over 4.20 m from 80.00 to 84.20 m (drill hole SU26-04)

560 cps over 2.50 m from 56.00 to 58.50 m (drill hole SU26-11)

410 cps over 9.75 m from 66.25 to 76.00 m (drill hole SU26-11)

460 cps over 2.50 m from 134.75 to 137.25 m (drill hole SU26-08)

Portable XRF readings support the presence of uranium mineralization.

These results confirm the presence of a favourable geological system and support the Company's Rossing-style exploration model.

SU26-04: Coarse-grained pegmatitic leucogranite in contact with calc-silicates.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6102/291675_reeexploration1.jpg

SU26-04: Leucogranite with elevated radioactivity, 577 cps over 4.2 metres from 80.00 to 84.2 metres



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6102/291675_reeexploration2.jpg

SU26-08: Altered leucogranite with elevated radioactivity occurring in micaceous shear zone, 460 cps over 2.5 metres from 134.75 to 137.25 metres.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6102/291675_reeexploration3.jpg

Gypcrete-Calcrete Drilling Results (Langer Heinrich-Style Targets)

Although not the primary focus of the program, near-surface uranium mineralization was encountered in 7 of 11 drill holes, including visible carnotite (secondary uranium mineral) within calcrete and gypcrete horizons.

Notable results, using a handheld RS-125 spectrometer on drill core, include:

545 cps over 4.7 m from 0 to 4.7 m (drill hole SU26-06)

473 cps over 11.2 m from 0 to 11.2 m (drill hole SU26-09)

400 cps over 2.7 m from 0 to 2.7 m (drill hole SU26-05)

390 cps over 3.5 m from 0 to 3.5 m (drill hole SU26-08)

Portable XRF readings supported the presence of uranium mineralization in the overburden.

These observations highlight additional discovery potential for Langer Heinrich-style calcrete-hosted uranium mineralization, providing a secondary exploration target across the Project.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6102/291675_reeexploration4.jpg

Next Steps

The Company plans to:

Complete downhole radiometric surveys

Conduct laboratory geochemical analysis of drill core

Integrate the drilling results with existing Project datasets to establish mineralization vectors and refine target areas for follow-up

Plan additional surveys and follow-up drilling programs

Figure 1: Location of 2026 Drill Collars



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6102/291675_reeexploration5.jpg

Table 1: Drill Hole Details

Hole ID X

(WGS84 UTM Z33S) Y

(WGS84 UTM Z33S) Azimuth Dip Length (m) SU26-01 523365 7560778 270 -60 152.3 SU26-02 523738 7560935 270 -60 167.25 SU26-03 523294 7560779 270 -55 155.3 SU26-04 523487 7560800 270 -55 200.3 SU26-05 523372 7560188 250 -55 152.1 SU26-06 523080 7559884 250 -55 152.3 SU26-07 523458 7560217 250 -55 152.3 SU26-08 523817 7559596 250 -55 152.3 SU26-09 522009 7560450 250 -55 152.3 SU26-10 523609 7561729 300 -55 143.1 SU26-11 523749 7559570 250 -55 149.4

Qualified Person and Technical Disclosure

Tolene Kruger, BSc. (Hons), M.Sc., is a consulting geologist and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. Ms. Kruger is registered as Professional Natural Scientist (Pr.Sci.Nat.) with the South African Council for Natural Science Professions (SACNASP, Reg. No.: 148182), and a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Ms. Kruger is not independent of the Company under NI 43-101.

The RS-125 handheld gamma-ray spectrometer is factory calibrated using certified potassium, uranium and thorium standards, with field verification conducted on calibration pads of known radioelement concentrations. The instrument maintains measurement accuracy through automatic energy stabilization using natural background radiation. The Company also periodically checks the spectrometer against known radioactive sources in the field (e.g., areas of visible mineralization) to confirm it is functioning properly.

About ReeXploration Inc.

ReeXploration (TSXV: REE) (FSE: K2I0) is a Canadian exploration company positioned to help meet surging global demand for secure, responsible supplies of critical minerals essential to the clean energy transition, advanced technologies and national defense. The Company's flagship Eureka Project in central Namibia pairs a technically proven rare earth foundation - supported by the production of a clean monazite concentrate - with a newly defined, high-priority uranium target located within one of the world's most established uranium corridors. Together, these commodities provide multi-path discovery potential aligned with accelerating global efforts to diversify critical mineral and nuclear fuel supply. Supported by a Namibia-based technical team and guided by global critical minerals experts, ReeXploration is advancing a disciplined, discovery-led strategy, building a credible, ESG-aligned platform positioned to benefit from the global race to diversify and secure responsible supply chains.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release may contain forward-looking information. This information is based on current expectations and assumptions (including assumptions relating to general economic and market conditions) that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results may differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking information. ReeXploration does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information in this release, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information unless and until required by securities laws applicable to ReeXploration. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the filings made by ReeXploration with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedarplus.ca.

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291675

Source: ReeXploration Inc.
LAS VEGAS, April 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Premier Development & Investment, Inc. (OTC: PDIV) ("The Company" or "Premier") advises that it will be filing very material updates in and during the coming days.

This will include a "Management Update" explaining in detail the rationale for all of the Regulatory Filings, the implications of all of these transactions; some of which we referred to in our prior Press Releases.

This will set out in detail: our immediate status, going forward execution of these long planned and now executed transactions.

Given the materiality of these transactions; we advise our shareholders to exercise caution in their dealings in our Common Stock; until such time as all of these transactions have been filed and placing our shareholders in a position to make appropriate investment and/or trading decisions.

ABOUT PREMIER:

Premier is in the business of Lithium and Uranium exploration in Nevada through "Silverpeak", "Stonewall Flat" and "Hombre" encompassing some 3,800 acres. Premier has Rare Earth Exploration properties in New Mexico through "Gallinas Mountains". In addition, we hold options over Oil & Gas Wells in Oklahoma. We now hold 49.99% the outstanding Common Stock of GNCC Capital, Inc. (OTC: GNCP), a Company engaged in the ownership of Gold and Silver Exploration Projects.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "should," "intend," "estimate," "projects," variations of such words and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not a forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements are risks that are detailed in the Company's filings, which are on file with the OTC Markets Group.

Contact Information:

Telephone: (702) 992- 0494

E Mail: corporate@premiergroupinc.us

Temporary Investor Relations Contact (Being replaced by an Investor Relations Firm):

E Mail: ir@premiergroupinc.us

Website: www.premiergroupinc.us (Final construction underway)

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/PremierGroupInc

https://x.com/PdivPremier

https://www.instagram.com/premier_investment_pdiv/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/premier-development-investment-inc
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - NORTEC MINERALS CORP. (TSXV: NVT) ("Nortec" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received TSX Venture Exchange approval of the previously announced proposed $57,500 debt settlement (see news release dated March 31, 2026).

"This shares for debt exchange coupled with having recently completed financings for $555,000 'hard dollars' and "$303,000 of 'flow through dollars', provides a solid footing to advance our high-grade gold projects in Ontario and Nevada." stated Ryan Hrkac, CEO.

The Company entered into a debt settlement agreement with an arms-length service provider to settle an aggregate of CAD$57,500 indebtedness for an aggregate of 1,150,000 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of CAD$0.05 per share.

In accordance with applicable securities laws, all securities issued under the shares for debt settlement agreement are subject to a four month and one day hold period from the date of issuance.

About Nortec Minerals Corp.

Nortec is a mineral exploration company focused on identifying gold and copper properties with high discovery potential and advancing those projects to create outsized shareholder value. Current property holdings comprise 100% interests in two exploration stage critical mineral (zinc) projects, namely the Sturgeon Lake VMS and the Mattagami River Zinc properties, both located in Ontario, Canada. Additionally, the Company holds a 16.4% interest in the Tammela Gold in Southwest Finland.

On November 5, 2025, the Company announced that it entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire the Barker Bay Gold Property, located in Ontario, Canada.

On February 25, 2026, the Company announced that it entered into an option agreement to acquire the high-grade, past producing, Pearl Gold Project, located in Nevada, U.S.A.

Additional information can be found on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedarplus.ca and its website at www.nortecminerals.com.

Information set forth in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in palladium and other commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume; and tax consequences to Canadian and U.S. Shareholders. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291745

Source: Nortec Minerals Corp.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - NORTEC MINERALS CORP. (TSXV: NVT) ("Nortec" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received approval from the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") for the purchase option agreement (the "Agreement") to acquire 83 Federal Lode mineral claims (1,364 acres), on an Arm's Length basis (the "Property" or "Pearl Gold Project"), located in the Varyville Mining District of Humboldt County, Nevada, U.S.A. (the "Transaction") (see News Release dated February 25, 2026).

HIGHLIGHTS

Permitted and Drill-Ready Gold Targets: Following an extensive phase of soil sampling, trenching, and preliminary drilling, delineated high-priority gold targets are ready for drill testing. All necessary permits are in place for 16 drill sites, 2,020 feet of trenches and 1,500 feet of diamond drilling.

New Discoveries: A 2021 trenching program identified a new zone of mineralization ("Pearl Zone") returning 2.34 g/t gold over 17.7 meters, including a higher-grade section of 6.49 g/t gold over 2.0 meters (Trench 21I)

Drill Results: Recent exploration at the Columbia Zone has intersected mineralization, including 2.27 g/t gold over 38.1 m (Hole YU21-02) and 11.96 g/t gold over 3.05 m (Hole YU22-11).

Other recent and notable drill holes include: 15.55 g/t gold over 1.53 meters plus 6.74 g/t gold over 1.52 meters , within 2.27 g/t gold over 38.1 meters (Hole: YU-21-02) 13.57 g/t gold over 4.57 meters within 3.03 g/t gold over 25.91 meters (Hole YU22-09) 11.96 g/t gold over 3.05 meters within 4.20 g/t gold over 10.67 meter (Hole YU22-11)



Widespread Gold Potential: Surface grab samples have returned grades up to 150 g/t gold, with a gold-in-soil anomaly traced for roughly two kilometres along strike (see Table 1).

Strategic Location: The Pearl Gold Project is situated approximately 55 km south of Denio in northern Nevada, a premier mining jurisdiction, and is fully road-accessible with power lines on-site.

Proven Historical Production: Covers the historical Columbia, Bartlett, and Juanita Mines, which produced high-grade gold from 1870 to 1937, with historical run-of-mine sorted ore assaying over 34 g/t gold 2 . Multiple Target Profiles: The property hosts both high-grade mesothermal quartz veins and newly identified broad zones of bulk-tonnage potential associated with diorite intrusions.

Covers the historical Columbia, Bartlett, and Juanita Mines, which produced high-grade gold from 1870 to 1937, with historical run-of-mine sorted ore assaying over 34 g/t gold .

PEARL GOLD PROJECT DETAILS1

The Pearl Gold Project is located in Humboldt County, northern Nevada, approximately 55 km south of Denio in the Varyville Mining District. The property covers the historical Columbia, Bartlett and Juanita Mines, which produced high-grade gold on a small scale between 1870 and 1937 from veins located more than 1,000 m apart within the same structural corridor. Historical mining only extended down to the bottom of the oxidized zone. Diamond drilling by previous operators in 1981 below the Columbia workings produced a true-width sulphide intersect, which graded 9.60 g/t gold over 3.3 m (Hole DDH C2) starting 49 m below surface subsequently no further drilling was completed until 2021.

A reconnaissance program conducted in 2018 focused on three zones - Columbia, Juanita and Josie. A total of 68 rock geochemical samples were collected during the program. Thirty-five of the 68 rock and/or chip samples collected returned greater than 1 g/t gold (see Table 1). Significant rock sample results are listed below:

Columbia - 150.0, 75.4, 34.9, 10.5, 7.4, and 7.13 g/t gold

Juanita - 11.4, 6.35, and 5.85 g/t gold

Josie - 86.1, 45.2, 42.2, 36.2, 25.7, 21.6, 16.7, 13.1, and 5.49 g/t gold

Gold mineralization occurs with sulphides (arsenopyrite and pyrite) or their weathered products (scorodite and iron oxides). Only minor amounts of quartz or silica accompany the mineralization. The veins are found in fault/shear zones that cut andesites, andesitic epiclastics and diorites, but seem to be best developed within and on the margins of mapped diorite intrusions. Underground workings were not sampled or mapped during the program.

Figure 1 - 2018 Grab Sample Overview

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4874/291743_1b35313544e2a918_001full.jpg

At Columbia, multiple drill holes (Table 2) confirmed that a broad envelope of gold mineralization flanks the high-grade vein identified by historical miners at Columbia and that a second high-grade vein parallels the structure targeted by historical miners. Highlight intervals include:

2.89 g/t Au over 9.14 m from 79.25 m downhole (including 6.74 g/t Au over 1.52 m) (Hole YU-21-02),

3.63 g/t Au over 15.24 m from 94.49 m downhole (including 15.5 g/t Au over 1.53 m) (Hole YU-21-02),

3.03 g/t gold over 25.91 m from 79.25 m downhole (including 5.45 g/t gold over 1.52 m and 13.57 g/t gold over 4.57 m) (Hole YU-22-09),

0.86 g/t gold over 9.14 m from 53.34 m downhole (including 2.20 g/t gold over 3.05 m) (Hole YU-22-10),

4.2 g/t gold over 10.67 m from 77.72 m downhole (including 13.26 g/t gold over 3.05 m) (Hole YU-22-11), and,

11.96 g/t gold over 3.05 m from 105.16 m downhole also in Hole YU-22-11.

Mineralization remains open to depth, and mineralizing systems of this character often extend to great depths. Columbia also remains open along strike as the most southerly drill hole, YU-21-01, was abandoned short of target depth. The most northerly hole, YU-21-03, was drilled on the north side of a cross fault that appears to offset the Columbia Zone approximately 160 metres to the northeast. Surface grab samples collected along the projected northern extension of Columbia, 100 m along strike to the northeast of hole YU-21-03, have returned assays including 7.18 and 7.13 g/t Au. In addition, Trench D retuned 7.4 m of 0.43 g/t gold 420 m along strike from YU-21-03.

The Juanita target hosts various underground workings and the Juanita Mine, which was once owned and operated by notable Nevadan prospector Josie Pearl. Many of the previous workings have yet to be mapped and sampled. Surface sampling at Juanita has returned grab samples grading 57.7 g/t gold5 and 11.4 g/t gold (see Table 1) while a shear zone exposed in a nearby road cut graded 11.9 g/t gold over 1 m5. Drilling has targeted mineralization to the south of the main shaft, intersecting:

0.99 g/t Au over 30.48 m, including 3.44 g/t Au over 6.1 m, starting 60.96 m downhole in hole YU-21-07, and,

0.23 g/t Au over 22.86 m from 102.11 m downhole in hole YU-21-14.

Hole YU-22-14 undercut hole YU-21-07 and terminated before reaching target depth due to mechanical issues. The last sample of the interval graded 0.52 g/t gold over 1.52 m.

The Josie target is a large area located south of the former Juanita Mine that contains scattered historical diggings, which requires further investigation for bulk tonnage potential. Mineralization at the Josie target was collected over a 500 m long by up to 200 m wide area, from structures that trend oblique to the Columbia/Juanita system. Most samples at Josie were taken from vein exposures or float, but a 2 m chip sample, mapped as weathered 'andesite' with minor iron oxide, contained 1.84 g/t gold. Two significant chip samples of vein exposures from partially collapsed trenches graded 45.2 g/t gold over 0.35 m and 42.2 g/t gold over 0.4 m3. The limits of the Josie target have not been defined.

Trench I, located to the east of Josie, returned 2.34 g/t Au over 17.7 m (including 6.49 g/t Au over 2 m)4. This discovery lies 500 m east of the closest drill hole and consists of multiple structures that cut highly altered granodiorite, lending to the bulk tonnage potential in this part of the project.

Results to date indicate that gold mineralization is more widespread than documented in the limited historical data and may occur in undocumented structural settings as well as broad zones of lower grade gold mineralization which would not have been of interest to historical miners.

In addition to drilling and trenching, completed geophysics include an airborne total magnetic field and radiometric survey, a ground based HLEM survey and widespread soil geochemical surveys.

Figure 2 - Property Location

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4874/291743_1b35313544e2a918_002full.jpg

Figure 3 - Historic Workings1

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4874/291743_1b35313544e2a918_003full.jpg

Figure 4 - Gold-in-Soil Sample Results1

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4874/291743_1b35313544e2a918_004full.jpg

Figure 5 - 2021 and 2022 Drill Hole Locations1

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4874/291743_1b35313544e2a918_005full.jpg

Table 1: 2018 Grab Samples1

Sample # Zone Gold Grade (g/t) Easting Northing X646552 Columbia 150 349459 4597687 X646504 Columbia 75.4 349496 4597669 X646553 Columbia 34.9 349505 4597670 X646554 Columbia 10.5 349527 4597738 X646503 Columbia 7.4 349469 4597699 X646551 Columbia 7.13 349429 4597868 X646506 Juanita 11.4 348486 4598260 X646507 Juanita 6.35 348521 4598214 X646520 Juanita 5.85 348436 4598398 X646564 Josie 86.1 348227 4597917 X646575 Josie 45.2 348029 4598347 X646589 Josie 42.2 348170 4597927 X646516 Josie 36.2 348089 4597850 X646517 Josie 25.7 348172 4597874 X646565 Josie 21.6 348167 4597927 X646566 Josie 16.7 348205 4597830 X646556 Josie 13.1 348255 4598072 X646555 Josie 5.49 348257 4598258

Table 2: 2021 and 2022 RC Drill Hole Results1

Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) Columbia Zone Drill Results for Gold YU-21-01* 76.20 80.77 4.57 0.18 YU-21-02 71.63 109.73 38.10 2.27 Including 79.25 88.39 9.14 2.89 Including 82.30 83.82 1.52 6.74 And 94.49 109.73 15.24 3.63 Including 100.58 102.11 1.53 15.55 YU-21-03 97.54 102.11 4.57 0.46 YU-22-08 88.39 99.06 10.67 0.25 YU-22-09 79.25 105.16 25.91 3.03 Including 79.25 80.77 1.52 5.45 And 99.06 103.63 4.57 13.57 YU-22-10 53.34 62.48 9.14 0.86 Including 57.91 60.96 3.05 2.20 YU-22-11 77.72 88.39 10.67 4.20 Including 85.34 88.39 3.05 13.26 And 105.16 108.21 3.05 11.96 Juanita Zone Drill Results for Gold YU-21-06 80.77 82.30 1.53 1.00 YU-21-07 60.96 91.44 30.48 0.99 Including 60.96 67.06 6.10 3.44 And 82.30 91.44 9.14 0.51 Yu-22-12* 1.52 6.10 4.58 0.23 YU-23-13 32.00 39.62 7.62 0.28 And 112.79 114.30 1.51 0.52 Yu-22-14* 76.20 77.72 1.52 1.24 And 102.11 124.97 22.86 0.23 Including 132.45 124.97* 1.52 0.52 Josie Zone Drill Results for Gold YU-21-04 - 6.10 3.6 0.53 And 35.05 44.20 9.15 0.33 And 65.53 67.06 1.53 0.70 YU-21-05 25.91 35.05 9.14 0.61 Including 25.91 27.43 1.52 2.48 * Hole terminated short of target depth

TRANSACTION DETAILS

The Agreement was entered into on February 24 2026 between Trifecta Gold Ltd, who holds a 100% interest in the Property (the "Seller") and Nortec, on an Arm's Length basis, pursuant to which Nortec will have the sole and exclusive right to purchase from the Seller a 100% interest in and to the mineral claims comprising the Property, in consideration for the issuance or payment by Nortec to the Seller:

on the earlier of (i) the date that is four months from February 24, 2026, and (ii) Nortec concluding an equity financing of at least $200,000., paying to Seller the amount of $25,000 in cash or, at the election of Nortec, common shares of Nortec, subject to the deemed price per share not being less than $0.05 per Share; making the following annual payments to Seller in either cash or up to 50% Shares at Nortec's election, provided that if the election is made to satisfy any portion in Shares, the Shares will be issued at a deemed price equal to the volume weighted average price of the Shares on the Exchange (or, if the Shares are no longer traded on the Exchange, such other stock exchange on which the Shares are principally listed and posted for trading) for the 10 trading days immediately preceding but excluding the applicable payment date, subject to such deemed price not being less than $0.05 per Share:

(i) $50,000 on the first anniversary of the Agreement; $150,000 on the second anniversary of the Agreement; $300,000 on the third anniversary of the Agreement; $500,000 on the fourth anniversary of the Agreement; and $1,000,000 on the fifth anniversary of the Agreement.

The Transaction was approved by TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") on April 7. 2026.

REFERENCES

1 "Technical Report on the Yuge Property" dated November 16, 2023, prepared for Trifecta Gold Ltd., prepared by Ken Brooks, RPG, AIPG.

2 Vanderburg (1938) report titled "Reconnaissance of mining districts in Humboldt County, Nevada," NBMG Mining District Files Search

3 Trifecta Gold Ltd. news release dated June 21, 2018

4 Trifecta Gold Ltd. news release dated November 2, 2021

5 Trifecta Gold Ltd. news release dated April 19, 2021

QUALIFIED PERSON

The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P.Geo., a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, and a consultant to Nortec.

About Nortec Minerals Corp.

Nortec is a mineral exploration company focused on identifying properties with high discovery potential and advancing those projects to create outsized shareholder value. Current property holdings comprise 100% interests in two exploration stage critical mineral (zinc) projects, namely the Sturgeon Lake VMS and the Mattagami River Zinc properties, both located in Ontario, Canada. Additionally, the Company holds a 16.4% interest in the Tammela Gold in Southwest Finland. Additional information can be found on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedarplus.ca and its website at www.nortecminerals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Information set forth in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in palladium and other commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume; and tax consequences to Canadian and U.S. Shareholders. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291743

Source: Nortec Minerals Corp.
The Cessna Citation Longitude and the Cessna Citation Ascend, designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, are expected to make their show debut alongside a legendary lineup of Cessna, Beechcraft and Pipistrel aircraft at AERO Friedrichshafen, April 22-25 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. This is also the European show debut for the Citation Ascend.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260409641450/en/

Cessna Citation Longitude and Citation Ascend to debut at AERO Friedrichshafen alongside legendary lineup of Cessna, Beechcraft and Pipistrel aircraft (Photo Credit: Textron Aviation).

Textron Aviation holds a strong position in business and general aviation in Germany and the surrounding area, with more than 1,700 turbine aircraft in region. More than 850 Cessna Citation business jets, 450 Beechcraft King Air turboprops and 175 Cessna Caravan turboprops are based in Europe.

"We designed the Citation Ascend by listening to customers, then elevating an iconic platform to deliver more capability, comfort and confidence for every mission," said Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president, Sales Marketing. "At AERO Friedrichshafen, we're proud to bring the Ascend to Europe and show how its modern avionics, refined cabin and proven performance are purpose-built for operators here and around the world."

In addition to the Citation Longitude and Citation Ascend, the following aircraft are expected to be on display at the Textron Aviation static display SD-11, at Messe Friedrichshafen:

Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 with Garmin Autothrottles

Beechcraft King Air 260

Cessna Grand Caravan EX with a new Saddle Sport executive interior scheme and a McCauley propeller

Cessna Turbo Stationair HD with a McCauley propeller

Pipistrel Virus SW

In the Textron Aviation booth A2-130, attendees can engage with representatives from the company's aftermarket parts and support teams and McCauley Propeller Systems, as well as view the following aircraft:

Cessna Turbo Skylane with a McCauley propeller

Cessna Skyhawk with a McCauley propeller

Pipistrel Velis Electro

Pipistrel Explorer

Textron Aviation delivers comprehensive global Aftermarket service and support for Cessna and Beechcraft customers, providing complete life-cycle support wherever aircraft operate. In Europe, customers are supported by a robust regional footprint that includes five company-owned service centers, a network of Authorized Service Facilities (ASFs) and mobile service support teams, ensuring responsive, expert care close to home. European operators also benefit from the company's European Parts Distribution Center (EUDC), which provides fast shipping, reliable access to genuine parts and dedicated in-region customer support. Backed by 24/7 Aircraft-On-Ground (AOG) assistance, Textron Aviation helps minimize downtime and keep customers flying supporting aircraft such as the new Cessna Citation Ascend from entry into service and throughout its life cycle.

About the Cessna Citation Ascend

Textron Aviation designed the Citation Ascend based on customer feedback for ultimate performance and comfort. With sleek and modern features, customers can enjoy many of the luxuries found in the best-selling Cessna Citation Latitude and Cessna Citation Longitude, including a flat floor to provide generous legroom and flexibility for passengers. The aircraft offers Pratt Whitney Canada PW545D engines designed to deliver fuel efficiency and increased thrust, as well as Garmin G5000 avionics that feature the latest software and hardware, including autothrottle technology. The Ascend also features a Honeywell RE100 [XL] Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) approved for unattended operations.

With 19 standard USB charging ports and three universal outlets throughout the aircraft, all crew and passengers have access to at least one charging port in the Citation Ascend. The aircraft can be configured for up to 12 passengers.

Learn more about the Citation Ascend at cessna.com/ascend.

About Textron Aviation Inc.

We have been inspiring the journey of flight for nearly 100 years. Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna, Hawker and Pipistrel brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops, light and high-performance pistons, to special mission, military trainer and defense aircraft, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable, productive and flexible flight. For more information, visit www.txtav.com.

About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.

Certain statements in this press release may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellations or deferrals of orders; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of our products; volatility in the global economy or changes in worldwide political conditions that adversely impact demand for our products; and risks related to our international business, including establishing and maintaining facilities in locations around the world and relying on joint venture partners, subcontractors, suppliers, representatives, consultants and other business partners in connection with international business, including in emerging market countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260409641450/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact

Kate Flavin

+1.316.252.7780

kflavin@txtav.com

txtav.com
Black Book report finds the market is shifting from stand-alone alerts to enterprise-scale AI platforms that combine clinically credible detection, workflow orchestration, mobile care coordination, and measurable operational impact

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2026 / Black Book Research today announced that Viz.ai has been ranked No. 1 for the second consecutive year in its 2026 survey of independent AI Clinical Decision Support solutions, based on direct input from healthcare users across hospitals, health systems, medical groups, and clinical service-line operations. The annual report evaluates independent, non-EHR-embedded or native clinical AI and care coordination platforms on eighteen performance indicators tied to real-world usability, workflow fit, speed-to-intervention, care team response, analytics, governance, and long-term enterprise value.

The Q2 2026 findings show that healthcare organizations are no longer judging clinical AI vendors on algorithm claims alone. Instead, users are increasingly rewarding platforms that can identify clinically meaningful signals, route the right teams in real time, support closed-loop follow-up, integrate into existing imaging and enterprise workflows, and demonstrate measurable improvement in response performance across time-sensitive care pathways. Black Book's analysis found that the market has moved decisively beyond isolated alerting toward operational AI decision layers that connect detection, communication, escalation, and documented action.

Viz.ai's top ranking reflects strong user performance across the categories most associated with enterprise adoption and renewal confidence. Respondents rated the company especially highly for speed-to-alert, workflow orchestration, mobile team coordination, integration depth, specialty expansion, and its ability to translate AI-driven detection into organized clinical action. Users also cited Viz.ai's strength in supporting multidisciplinary teams with shared context, accelerating time-sensitive intervention, and extending beyond single-use-case deployment into broader service-line enablement.

"The second consecutive No. 1 ranking for Viz.ai is significant not because of brand visibility, but because it reflects repeated validation from actual users working in live care environments," said Doug Brown, Founder of Black Book Research. "Our 2026 report shows a clear trend: the highest-performing independent clinical AI vendors are those that move beyond detection and function as operational platforms for rapid decision support, coordinated response, and measurable care pathway improvement. Viz.ai distinguished itself again this year by consistently earning strong marks for workflow execution, speed-to-treatment enablement, cross-team coordination, and enterprise scalability."

According to Black Book's report, top-tier vendors were differentiated by a common set of performance characteristics. These included high-signal clinical detection with credible prioritization, closed-loop routing that reduces handoff failures, integration across EHR, PACS, mobile, messaging, and specialty workflows, and the ability to scale across service lines without requiring fragmented governance models. The report also found that renewal confidence was most closely linked to measurable time-to-treatment analytics, explainability and evidence visibility, strong implementation support, and product roadmaps that extend from point detection to enterprise pathway orchestration.

Viz.ai's leading placement reflects how users increasingly define value in this category. Rather than viewing clinical AI as a narrow diagnostic adjunct, respondents described greater trust in vendors that can operationalize urgent findings, support rapid consultation and escalation, and document next-step accountability across complex care teams. In that context, Viz.ai was repeatedly recognized as a platform capable of aligning disease detection, communication, and workflow execution in a way that supports both front-line clinicians and broader health system performance objectives.

Black Book emphasized that the 2026 rankings were developed through a vendor-agnostic, non-compensated, non-commissioned research process. The study gave special attention to the experiences of users directly engaged in patient care, operational execution, and day-to-day clinical workflow, rather than relying primarily on CIOs, purchasing officers, or vendor-sponsored reference accounts. That methodology was designed to capture how these platforms perform in practice, where clinical trust, responsiveness, implementation discipline, and workflow adoption determine real value.

The 2026 Black Book report concludes that the independent clinical AI market is entering a more mature phase, with buyers increasingly prioritizing enterprise readiness, workflow intelligence, governance transparency, and measurable results over narrowly framed model performance claims. Viz.ai's repeat No. 1 ranking places it at the center of that shift, as users pointed to its ability to combine AI-enabled detection with care coordination, response acceleration, and scalable decision-support infrastructure across high-acuity clinical settings.

About the 2026 Black Book AI Clinical Decision Support Survey

The 2026 Black Book survey evaluated independent AI Clinical Decision Support and care coordination vendors serving healthcare providers across the United States. Eighteen key performance indicators were used in the rankings, including clinical detection quality, speed-to-alert, workflow orchestration, integration, scalability, explainability, analytics, implementation, customer support, governance, and long-term enterprise value. The study focused specifically on solutions that are independent of core EHR-native functionality and assessed performance through the perspective of real users in operational and clinical environments. Black Book report subscribers can download the full report or upon request.

About Black Book Research

Black Book Research is an independent healthcare market research and public opinion research organization specializing in unbiased evaluations of healthcare technology, outsourcing, managed services, digital health, and revenue cycle performance. Black Book surveys are vendor agnostic, not vendor compensated, and not vendor commissioned. Its research methodology emphasizes direct user experience and operational performance to provide healthcare leaders with transparent market intelligence grounded in real-world use.

Media Contact research@blackbookmarketresearch.com 1.800.863.7590 www.blackbookmarketresearch.com

SOURCE: Black Book Research



View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/viz.ai-ranked-no.-1-for-second-consecutive-year-in-2026-black-book-su-1155057
City chosen over Orlando and New York for its significant role in American candy history

CHICAGO, IL / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2026 / The National Confectionery Sales Association (NCSA) today announced that Chicago has been selected for the permanent home of the Candy Hall of Fame Experience, a 60,000-square-foot, multi-level destination coming to 830 N. Michigan Ave, along Chicago's Magnificent Mile.

*Photo Credit: Canvas Real Estate/P.Hodges

The location was selected following a national evaluation that came down to Chicago, Orlando, and New York City. Chicago's longstanding role in confectionery manufacturing, innovation and trade helped distinguish the city in the selection process.

"For more than a century, Chicago has been home to some of the most iconic names in American candy, including Ferrara, Mars, Brach's, Tootsie and Wrigley. Even Milton Hershey found his chocolate inspiration in Chicago at the 1893 World's Fair," said Shelly Clarey, Chairman of the NCSA. "Establishing the Candy Hall of Fame Experience here reflects the city's deep connection to the industry and creates a home to celebrate the people who helped build it."

The Candy Hall of Fame Experience will be a permanent attraction bringing together the history of the confectionery industry, the development of well-known candy brands and the innovators and entrepreneurs behind them.

Created by Industry - Designed for the Candy-Loving Public

To develop the experience, NCSA partnered with Jeff Rubin, a Candy Hall of Fame inductee and former founder and CEO of IT'SUGAR. Rubin is known as an innovator in confectionery experiences and has spent more than 35 years finding ways to delight shoppers. He is the creative mind behind some of the most innovative retail concepts, including FAO Schweetz and Dylan's Candy Bar.

To bring the Candy Hall of Fame Experience to life, Rubin has assembled a creative team that includes experience designer Janet T. Planet, whose work has supported brands such as Nestle, Wonka, Disney and Marvel, and David Korins, a Broadway set designer known for productions including Hamilton and Beetlejuice. Korins will serve as creative director for the project.

"This wouldn't be possible without the support of the City of Chicago. Chicago is the obvious home for the Candy Hall of Fame. It's the candy capital, full stop," said Rubin, CEO of the Candy Hall of Fame Experience. "Generations of companies built this industry here, and the stories behind those creations deserve to live where they began. This isn't just a location choice; it's a homecoming."

Together, the team will develop the Candy Hall of Fame Experience as a public venue highlighting the products, brands and industry milestones that have shaped the confectionery world.

Chicago's Role in Candy History

Chicago has long been associated with the American confectionery industry, serving as a center for candy manufacturing and trade for more than a century. Many well-known candy brands were developed, produced, or scaled in the region, and it has long been a place where the industry gathers. "Candy carries joy across generations," said Janet T. Planet, Chief Wondermaker for the Candy Hall of Fame Experience. "Our goal is to give that joy a place - one that celebrates imagination, invention, and the shared delight people feel when they encounter something sweet."

The Candy Hall of Fame Experience is scheduled to open in summer 2027, with additional details expected to be announced as the project progresses.

For more information, email info@CHOFexperience.com. To follow along, visit CHOFExperience.com or the official Candy Hall of Fame Experience Instagram page.

ABOUT THE CANDY HALL OF FAME EXPERIENCE

The Candy Hall of Fame Experience is a permanent exhibition destination dedicated to the history of the confectionery industry and the individuals recognized through the Candy Hall of Fame. Located in Chicago, the experience will highlight iconic candy brands, industry milestones and the innovators behind them. The Candy Hall of Fame, founded in 1971, is administered by the National Confectionery Sales Association (NCSA).

ABOUT THE NCSA

The National Confectionery Sales Association (NCSA), formed in 1899, is dedicated to Recognition, Fellowship, Education and Mentoring. The NCSA administers the Candy Hall of Fame, the Kettle Awards, and the IMPACT Award. The Candy Hall of Fame was founded in 1971 and recognizes lifetime career achievements in the confectionery industry, with induction based on dedication to the overall betterment of the industry. Established in 1946 by industry publisher Don Gussow, the Kettle Awards annually recognize a deserving individual working within the U.S. confectionery manufacturing industry, while the IMPACT Award honors an individual who has made a recent notable and specific contribution in operations, R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, or similar fields in the confectionery industry.

###

For More Information:

Tamara Davis

270.202.8516

tdavis@priceweber.com

SOURCE: Candy Hall of Fame Experience

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/consumer-and-retail-products/chicago-selected-as-home-of-the-candy-hall-of-fame-experience-1155514
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Atomic Minerals Corporation (TSXV: ATOM) (OTCQB: ATMMF) (FSE: DO8) ("Atomic Minerals" or the "Company") acknowledges the recent Iran ceasefire, a development that contributes to stability in global defense and energy supply chains.

"Project Vault, supported by the U.S. government, underscores the urgent need for secure domestic uranium to support military, defense, and strategic energy infrastructure," said a spokesperson for Atomic Minerals. "Uranium is critical for advanced nuclear technologies, national defense readiness, and the energy systems that underpin military operations. The recent U.S. Department of Energy announcement of $2.7 billion in contracts to restore domestic uranium enrichment capabilities highlights the country's commitment to securing these strategic resources. Atomic Minerals' North American uranium assets are ideally positioned to support these defense priorities."

"Amid ongoing global tensions, uranium demand remains on a strong long-term trajectory. Total global uranium usage is projected to rise as nations prioritize energy security, low-carbon power, and strategic stockpiles," added the spokesperson. "Project Vault reinforces the importance of resilient domestic supply chains, and Atomic Minerals is advancing its high-grade uranium portfolio to help meet these critical defense and energy needs."

Atomic Minerals continues to develop its uranium projects to deliver reliable, long-term value for defense, industrial, and clean energy markets, supporting secure, strategic access to uranium for national and allied security initiatives.

About Atomic Minerals Corporation

Atomic Minerals Corporation is a publicly listed exploration company on the TSXV, trading under the symbol ATOM, led by a highly skilled management and technical team with a proven track record in the junior mining sector. Atomic's objective is to identify exploration opportunities in regions that have been previously overlooked but are geologically similar to those with previous uranium discoveries. These underexplored areas hold immense potential and are in stable geopolitical and economic environments.

Currently, the Company's property portfolio contains Uranium projects with significant technical merit in three locations known for hosting Uranium production in the past. We have four on the Colorado Plateau, within the continental United States. The plateau has previously produced 597 million pounds of U3O8. The other two recently acquired properties are located in the prolific Athabasca region in Saskatchewan, Canada and the Mount Laurier property located in Quebec, Canada.

For additional information about the Company and its projects, please visit our website at www.atomicminerals.ca.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Clive Massey"

Clive H. Massey

President & CEO

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor their Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "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 the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291708

Source: Atomic Minerals Corp.
Thunder Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV: BEX) ("Benton" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"), it intends to complete a non-brokered flow-through private placement (the "Offering") for gross proceeds of up to $2.5 million.

The Offering will consist of up to 31,250,000 $0.08 flow-through units ("FT Units"), each FT Unit consisting of one flow-through common share of the Company and one-half of a common share purchase warrant, each full warrant being exercisable at $0.12 for 24 months from the date of issue.

All FT Units issued pursuant to the Offering, which is subject to Exchange acceptance, will be subject to a hold period in Canada of four months plus one day from closing.

The Company will use an amount equal to the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the FT Units, pursuant to the provisions in the Income Tax Act (Canada), to incur eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" that qualify as "flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures" as both terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Qualifying Expenditures") on or before December 31, 2027, and to renounce all the Qualifying Expenditures in favour of the subscribers of the FT Units effective December 31, 2026.

The Offering may involve eligible finders, with finder's fees payable in accordance with Exchange policies.

The proceeds of the Offering will be used to advance the Company's various exploration projects.

About Benton Resources Inc.

Benton Resources is a well-financed mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol BEX. Benton has a diversified, highly prospective property portfolio and holds large equity positions in other mining companies that are advancing high-quality assets. Whenever possible, BEX retains net smelter return (NSR) royalties with potential long-term cash flow.

Benton is focused on advancing its high-grade Copper-Gold Great Burnt Project in central Newfoundland, which has a Mineral Resource estimate of 667,000 tonnes @ 3.21% Cu Indicated and 482,000 @ 2.35% Cu Inferred. The Project has an excellent geological setting covering 25km of strike and boasts six known Cu-Au-Ag zones over 15km that are all open for expansion. Further potential for discovery is excellent given the extensive number of untested geophysical targets and Cu-Au soil anomalies. Phase 1 and 2 drill programs returned impressive results including 25.42 m of 5.51% Cu, including 9.78 m of 8.31% Cu, and 1.00 m of 12.70% Cu. Drilling at the South Pond Gold Zone, approximately 7.5 km north of the Great Burnt Copper-Gold Zone, has confirmed a robust gold-mineralized system over 2.7 km with results of 74.20 m of 1.43g/t Au and 43.75 m of 1.62g/t Au and is open for expansion in all directions.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Benton Resources Inc.,

"Stephen Stares"

Stephen Stares, President

Parties interested in seeking more information about properties available for option can contact Mr. Stares at the number below.

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291753

Source: Benton Resources Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Mason Resources Inc. (TSXV: LLG) (OTCQX: MGPHF) ("Mason" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it has changed its name to "Transoceanic Investments Inc." (the "Name Change"), effective April 13, 2026, subject to final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV").

In connection with the Name Change, the Company's trading symbol on the TSXV will change to "OCEN". It is expected that the Company's common shares will begin trading under its new name "Transoceanic Investments Inc." and ticker on or about April 13, 2026.

Pursuant to the Name Change, no action will be required by existing shareholders nor will any certificates representing common shares of the Company be affected or need to be exchanged. A new CUSIP number, 893976100, has been obtained to replace the previous CUSIP number. The Company encourages shareholders with any questions or concerns to discuss any of the foregoing with their broker or agent.

The Name Change has been approved by the Company's board of directors and was previously approved by shareholders of the Company at a meeting held on December 16, 2025 (see news release dated December 17, 2025). Concurrent with the Name Change, the Company filed articles of amendment, effective April 13, 2026, with Corporations Canada.

About Mason Resources Inc.

Mason is an investment company principally engaged in the business of acquiring and holding positions in a concentrated number of investment opportunities mainly but not exclusively in minerals and materials sector.

For more information:

Mason Resources Inc. on behalf of the Board of Directors

Peter Damouni, President & Chief Executive Officer

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 Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the impact of the Name Change on 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, postulate 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 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. This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities in Canada or in the United States.

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 Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with and as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291750

Source: Mason Resources Inc.
URGENCH, Uzbekistan, April 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allied Biofuels FE LLC and the Khorezm Region Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan have executed a binding Project Implementation Agreement (PIA), marking a historic turning point in the development of Central Asia's most consequential clean energy undertaking. The signing of the PIA constitutes a formal and irrevocable commitment by both parties to advance a project of extraordinary strategic, industrial, and environmental significance for the region and the world.

The PIA is underpinned by a Presidential Decree of the Republic of Uzbekistan, granted in direct recognition of the project's national significance. By virtue of that Decree, the project has been accorded Special Economic Zone treatment, providing tax exemptions and a comprehensive customs incentive framework in accordance with the sovereign legislation of the Republic. This extraordinary long-term fiscal commitment by the highest levels of the Uzbek state provides an unequivocal foundation of stability and certainty as the project advances through its successive development phases.

The project entails the development and operation of Central Asia's first - and the world's most ambitious - integrated biofuel refinery, purpose-built to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), electro-synthetic SAF (e-SAF), and Green Diesel at industrial scale. At full capacity, the facility is projected to yield approximately 160,400 tonnes of SAF, 257,000 tonnes of e-SAF, and 5,040 tonnes of Green Diesel annually. With a total estimated capital value of approximately US$6.08 billion invested over a five-year period, the project stands as one of the largest clean energy infrastructure commitments ever undertaken in the region - a defining statement of industrial ambition and sovereign partnership.

Conceived and engineered in partnership with the world's leading technology providers, the project will be powered by a 4.45 GW renewable energy system incorporating a 1,600 MWh battery energy storage system and 2,400 MW of electrolysers for green hydrogen production, with Plug Power selected as the electrolyser technology provider of choice. This integrated energy architecture positions the facility among the most technologically advanced zero-carbon production installations worldwide.

The execution of the PIA represents a decisive step forward in a partnership of genuine strategic depth. The project's design incorporates the capture and conversion of biogenic CO2 into e-SAF and the consumption of approximately 5,775 tonnes per day of agricultural feedstock - a closed-loop model that reflects the highest standards of integrated, zero-carbon industrial engineering. This is not merely a fuel production project; it is a systemic reengineering of how energy and industry can coexist with environmental responsibility at scale.

Both parties regard the PIA as a watershed moment - not solely for the project itself, but for Uzbekistan's sovereign ambition to establish itself as a destination of choice for transformative industrial capital. The agreement signals to global investors, multilateral institutions, and strategic partners alike that Uzbekistan possesses both the political will and institutional capacity to anchor world-class infrastructure at the frontier of the clean energy transition.

The PIA was formally executed in Perth, Western Australia, on 2 April 2026. The agreement was signed by His Excellency Rakhimov Jurabek Rakhimovich, Governor of the Khorezm Region of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Mr. Alfred Benedict, Chairman & General Director of Allied Biofuels FE LLC.

His Excellency travelled to Perth at the head of a high-level delegation of senior government officials - a testament to the weight that the Government of Uzbekistan attaches to this partnership and to the nation's accelerating transition toward a sustainable energy future.

Through this landmark collaboration, Allied Biofuels and the Government of Uzbekistan are establishing a new global standard for sovereign-led sustainable industrial development - positioning the Khorezm Region as an indispensable node in the emerging architecture of the world's clean energy economy. The project is expected to generate approximately 2,000 direct and indirect employment positions during the construction phase alone, with enduring economic, social, and industrial dividends for the region for generations to come.

His Excellency Rakhimov Jurabek Rakhimovich, Governor of Khorezm Region, said:

"We believe that the advanced approaches in green energy, modern technologies, and sustainability-focused strategies promoted by Allied Biofuels provide a strong foundation for the successful implementation of the project. The initiative will support the development of a high value-added industrial chain in the region, facilitate the transfer of advanced green technologies, create new jobs, and expand export potential, positioning the Khorezm region as an emerging international hub for green industry.

"In this context, our cooperation is essential for accelerating the transition of the joint project into its implementation phase and coordinating the next practical steps. We view this initiative as a strategic project that will significantly strengthen the industrial capacity of the Khorezm region and position it within the global clean energy economy.

"We are confident that our partnership with Allied Biofuels will continue to deepen based on mutual trust, strategic cooperation, and tangible results. In this regard, we would like to invite you and your company's delegation to visit the Khorezm region in May to advance the project and discuss the next steps toward implementation."

Alfred Benedict, Chairman & General Director of Allied Biofuels FE LLC, said:

"The execution of this Agreement is a defining moment - not only for Allied Biofuels, but for the global clean energy industry. The Presidential Decree and the Project Implementation Agreement together constitute one of the most compelling sovereign endorsements we have witnessed in the clean fuels sector. They formalise a critical stage of the project's development and provide investors, strategic partners, and international stakeholders with the highest possible level of confidence as we advance into the next phase.

"We are honoured to partner with the Khorezm Region and the Government of Uzbekistan in pursuit of a shared and historic ambition: to make Uzbekistan a world leader in clean energy production. This project sends an unambiguous message to the global investment community - Uzbekistan is not merely open for business; it is ready to lead.

"This Agreement is the result of a sustained sequence of strategic engagements and prior commitments, and it materially strengthens the legal and institutional architecture upon which the project now stands. The foundations are set, and our mandate is clear. We are building the future together."

Affinity Capital Group acted as advisor to Allied BioFuels and the transaction.

About Allied Biofuels

Allied Biofuels FE LLC is an Uzbekistan-registered company developing Central Asia's first - and the world's most ambitious - world-scale integrated biorefinery, purpose-engineered to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Electro-SAF (e-SAF), and Renewable (Green) Diesel at industrial scale. In partnership with the world's foremost technology providers, Allied Biofuels is designing, developing, and constructing a generational facility that will occupy a pivotal role in the global clean energy transition - delivering transformative environmental outcomes and anchoring long-term economic prosperity across the region.

Media Contact

info@alliedbiofuels.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/002bc4f7-6899-4de5-a331-3f8b24a7794e

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c05e2a37-678c-481b-b79d-b2dbe752e224
Appointment reflects the Fund's growing international engagement and shared commitment to accelerating the development of innovative therapies for type 1 diabetes

The T1D Fund: A Breakthrough T1D Venture, LLC, an impact investment fund focused on accelerating life-changing solutions to treat, prevent, and ultimately cure type 1 diabetes (T1D), today announced the appointment of Anastasia Bukhman, Co-Founder of the Bukhman Foundation, to its Board of Directors.

"As both a major supporter of T1D innovation and a champion of international collaboration, Anastasia brings philanthropic leadership and valuable strategic perspective to our Board," said Elizabeth Mily, CEO of the T1D Fund. "She will provide important insights as we continue to expand our network of partners and catalyze the development of promising new therapies for people at risk of, newly diagnosed with, and living with T1D."

Bukhman brings a global philanthropic perspective and a strong commitment to advancing scientific progress through major investments in T1D research. Together with her husband Igor, she co-founded the Bukhman Foundation in 2023 to improve lives and create a better world through support of medical research and arts and culture. Her commitment to advancing type 1 diabetes innovation is deeply personal:both she and her husband grew up with parents living with the disease, and in 2014 their eldest daughter was diagnosed at age three. Bukhman also brings an entrepreneurial perspective as co-founder of Creative Restaurant Group.

The Bukhman Foundation has emerged as a leading philanthropic partner in T1D innovation and has made major commitments to research programs in the United Kingdom through partnerships with Breakthrough T1D, Diabetes UK, as well as through the establishment of the Bukhman Centre for Research Excellence in Type 1 Diabetes at the University of Oxford. In 2025, the Bukhman Foundation committed $12 million to the T1D Fund to catalyze investment in transformative therapies and potential cures.

"The T1D Fund represents a uniquely powerful model for translating scientific promise into meaningful progress for patients and shares the Bukhman Foundation's commitment to the T1D community," said Anastasia Bukhman. "I am honored to join the Board and support its mission to bring together capital, expertise, and partnerships to accelerate breakthroughs that can change lives."

Bukhman's appointment reflects the Fund's continued evolution as a globally connected catalyst for T1D innovation, working with donors, researchers, industry leaders, and major venture capital funds to accelerate promising therapies from early development through clinical development. As a Board member, Bukhman will provide strategic insight as the Fund broadens its international engagement and strengthens collaboration across the T1D research and philanthropic ecosystem.

"We are thrilled to add Anastasia to our board as she will add a new dimension of experience and thinking while also helping to expand our geographical reach in what is clearly a global disease," said Jay Eastman, Chair of the T1D Fund Board of Directors. "Anastasia's track record in philanthropy and focus on T1D brings us a partner who we believe will only help enhance our efforts, attract new capital and companies, and turbo charge our momentum."

About the T1D Fund

Launched in 2016, the T1D Fund is the first scaled venture fund established to catalyze the development of T1D cure-oriented therapies. The Fund co-invests with venture capital and biopharma in support of early-stage companies pursuing disease modifying therapies and potential cures for T1D. A core element of our mission is to rapidly advance promising therapies through development and ultimately regulatory approval. The Fund works in close partnership with Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust-two of the leading global organizations committed to supporting the T1D community and to advancing T1D research and innovation.

Led by a deeply experienced team of healthcare and investing professionals, the Fund leverages its vast research, clinical, regulatory and medical affairs network on behalf of its portfolio companies. Capitalized through philanthropic dollars, the Fund makes investments in biotech companies and recycles returns into new investments, thereby extending the impact of its donors' contributions. Learn more at t1dfund.org. Follow the T1D Fund on LinkedIn.

About the Bukhman Foundation

The Bukhman Foundation was established in 2023 by Anastasia and Igor Bukhman to help improve lives and generate positive impact to people and their communities. The foundation focuses on T1D medical research, supporting open science, long-term collaboration and visionary thinking; and arts and culture, celebrating and expanding access, and helping the next generation of artists and cultural professionals to be represented, be innovative and excel.

In 2025, the foundation announced an historic 100 million pledge over the next 10 years to advance research and advocacy in T1D. By backing innovative projects and fostering collaboration among top researchers, the Bukhman Foundation's aim is to spearhead efforts to address the unmet needs of millions of people living with T1D worldwide. For more information on the Bukhman Foundation and its programs, visit bukhmanfoundation.org, and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260409624475/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact

T1D Fund

Sarah Sutton

sarah@endurancepr.com

(518) 932-3680

Bukhman Foundation

communications@bukhmanfoundation.org
AI disputes center on the development, deployment, or impact of artificial intelligence and differ fundamentally from traditional litigation. These matters involve systems that are simultaneously technical artifacts, economic assets, and evidentiary tools, each dimension influencing the others. Unlike conventional matters where questions can be addressed in isolation, AI disputes require a unified multidisciplinary approach. J.S. Held connects technical insight, financial analysis, and litigation experience to provide comprehensive support across all phases of dispute resolution.

Why AI Disputes Demand Integrated Expertise

J.S. Held offers integrated expertise to address the unique challenges of AI-related litigation. This approach is essential due to the complex, interdependent nature of AI systems. These matters often require:

Technical clarity to explain how AI systems behave, including digital forensics, model versioning, and data provenance.

Financial calculus to quantify economic damages, assess market impact, and evaluate intellectual property value.

Courtroom credibility to present findings in a manner that withstands legal scrutiny across jurisdictions.

"AI disputes uniquely require integrated expertise because AI systems exist at the intersection of three inseparable domains," said JP Brennan, Senior Managing Director at J.S. Held. "Our work focuses on helping clients understand and explain how these systems operate in real-world contexts. We apply structured forensic methods-such as system log reconstruction, prompt replay, and model version analysis-to support investigations and testimony."

J.S. Held experts are known for a "teaching, not telling" approach to expert testimony. Rather than simply offering an opinion, they break down complex information into clear, logical explanations that judges and juries can easily follow. "AI-related disputes increasingly require a combination of financial expertise, technical understanding, and legal analysis that is clearly communicated and able to withstand courtroom scrutiny," said James E. Malackowski, CPA, CLP, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at J.S. Held and Senior Managing Director at Ocean Tomo. "We provide economic damages assessments, intellectual property valuation, and market impact analysis that help judges and juries evaluate questions of fair use, licensing, and commercial harm."

Experience with AI Systems Across Sectors

J.S. Held's work with AI systems spans multiple industries and use cases. Recent engagements include:

AI Risk and Governance: Designed and implemented an AI risk and controls framework for a property and casualty insurer, improving transparency, regulatory readiness, and model oversight.

Designed and implemented an AI risk and controls framework for a property and casualty insurer, improving transparency, regulatory readiness, and model oversight. Vendor Ecosystem Advisory: Conducted vendor benchmarking and risk assessments for third-party AI tools at a fintech company, reducing costs, improving governance, and mitigating vendor lock-in.

Conducted vendor benchmarking and risk assessments for third-party AI tools at a fintech company, reducing costs, improving governance, and mitigating vendor lock-in. Model Validation: Independently assessed a machine-learning fraud detection model for a digital payments platform, identifying performance and bias risks and delivering recommendations to strengthen reliability and compliance.

These engagements reflect J.S. Held's ability to scale technical insight and support clients managing the operational and regulatory implications of AI adoption and related litigation risk.

AI Copyright Litigation - Thomson Reuters v. Ross Intelligence

J.S. Held's role in Thomson Reuters Enterprise Centre GmbH and West Publishing Corp. v. Ross Intelligence Inc. (U.S. District Court, D. Delaware, Case No. 1:20-cv-613-SB) demonstrates the firm's ability to support litigation at the intersection of AI and intellectual property.

James E. Malackowski was engaged as a financial damages expert to assess the fourth fair use factor (market impact) in this matter involving the use of proprietary legal research content to train a generative AI system. The engagement addressed questions of licensing markets for training data, economic substitution, and the valuation of editorial content in AI development.

Executive Perspective - Scaling with Purpose

"As AI technologies continue to evolve, our clients face increasingly complex disputes that demand more than traditional expertise," said Lee Spirer, Chief Executive Officer of J.S. Held. "We are laser-focused on building highly integrated teams that combine technical, financial, and legal insight. This approach enables us to support both in-house and outside counsel with the depth, precision, and coordination required to address the evolving demands of AI-related litigation."

J.S. Held's investment in cross-disciplinary capabilities reflects its long-term commitment to delivering scalable, high-impact solutions in areas where the stakes are greatest.

J.S. Held AI Disputes Monitor - Q1 2026 Update

The Q1 2026 update of the J.S. Held AI Disputes Monitor reveals a sharp rise in litigation, particularly in the insurance sector. Multiple lawsuits filed across the United States in early 2026 indicate growing scrutiny of AI-driven decision-making in claims processing and policy coverage, particularly within property and casualty insurance.

A total of 31 AI-related lawsuits were filed in Q1, marking a 46% increase over the average quarterly rate in 2025. At this pace, 2026 is projected to exceed the previous year's total by nearly 50 percent.

The first-quarter 2026 snapshot underscores the accelerating pace of AI-related disputes and the growing demand for expert insight into the technical, financial, and legal dimensions of algorithmic decision-making.

To explore the full set of findings, download the latest edition of the J.S. Held AI Disputes Monitor.

About J.S. Held

J.S. Held is a global consulting firm that combines technical, scientific, financial, and strategic expertise to advise clients seeking to realize value and mitigate risk. Our professionals serve as trusted advisors to organizations facing high stakes matters demanding urgent attention, staunch integrity, proven experience, clear-cut analysis, and an understanding of both tangible and intangible assets. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services, products, and data that enable clients to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations.

More than 1,500 professionals serve organizations across six continents, including 84% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 75% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies (90% of the NAIC Top 50 Property & Casualty Insurers), and 71% of Fortune 100 Companies.

J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not certified public accounting firm(s) and do not provide audit, attest, or any other public accounting services. J.S. Held is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Securities offered through PM Securities, LLC, d/b/a Phoenix IB or Ocean Tomo Investments, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/SIPC. All rights reserved.

Contact:

Kristi L. Stathis | Global Public Relations | +1 786 833 4864 | Kristi.Stathis@jsheld.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824221/JS_Held_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/js-held-strengthens-cross-disciplinary-response-to-artificial-intelligence-ai-disputes-302737690.html
EQS-News: IMD Companies, Inc / Key word(s): Financial

iMD Companies, Inc. Begins Advanced Due Diligence on Crypto and Medical Acquisition Opportunities



09.04.2026 / 14:34 CET/CEST

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





RANCHO CORDOVA, CA - April 9, 2026 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - iMD Companies, Inc. (OTC: ICBU) today announced that it has entered into advanced due diligence on two potential acquisition targets, one in the cryptocurrency infrastructure sector and the other in the medical technology space.

Both opportunities align with iMD's strategic focus on identifying and investing in high-growth industries supported by scalable technologies and long-term market demand. The Company believes these potential acquisitions could strengthen its position across emerging sectors and support future revenue expansion.

"We are encouraged by the progress we've made in evaluating these opportunities," said Richard Wilson, CEO of iMD Companies, Inc. "Our approach remains disciplined and focused on identifying assets that can deliver sustainable growth and long-term value for our shareholders."

The due diligence process is ongoing, with completion anticipated in the coming weeks. iMD Companies will provide updates as appropriate as evaluations progress.

The Company remains committed to maintaining transparency with its shareholders and will continue to communicate material developments in a timely manner.

For more on iMD:

visit imdcompaniesinc.com or OTC Markets.

Follow @imd_inc on X for real-time updates.

About iMD Companies, Inc. iMD Companies, Inc. (OTC: ICBU) is a Florida corporation focused on acquisitions and technology in the crypto currency, blockchain, and application development markets.

Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements made in this press release constitute forward-looking statements that are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "believes," "scheduled," "estimates" and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and the company does not undertake any obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this press release.

Media Contact: info@imdcompaniesinc.com

View the original release on www.newmediawire.com
Chartboost Direct will provide publishers with the connections needed, directly and at scale, to make brand demand work better inside mobile apps, amid web decline

LoopMe, the global leader in brand performance, has announced the launch of Chartboost Direct to help mobile app publishers accelerate growth with direct access to brand demand. With this launch, LoopMe positions itself as the definitive nexus between web SSPs, ad tech, and mobile apps, establishing Chartboost Direct as the brand SDK for in-app environments. Now is a pivotal point to bring brands directly into the app environment, as web use declines: LoopMe research recently found that nearly one in five GenAI users say they now spend less time browsing the web, compared with just 15% spending more. Additionally, up to 19% of these users report spending more time on mobile gaming apps since adopting AI, compared with 15% spending less (a +31% net increase).

While brand demand moves into mobile apps, the in-app advertising ecosystem was not built to support brand advertisers' specific needs around data, measurement, and signals. Chartboost Direct, powered by LoopMe's patented AI optimization for brand performance, will now deliver the results that matter, making it a key toolkit for improving publisher yield and opening new paths for mobile app revenue growth.

Chartboost Direct provides publishers with the infrastructure to make brand demand work inside mobile apps directly, cleanly, and at scale, without changing their current ad technology stack. Features include:

Direct Pay: Enabling publishers to contract and receive payments directly from participating brand SSPs partners through existing Chartboost SDK integrations

Enabling publishers to contract and receive payments directly from participating brand SSPs partners through existing Chartboost SDK integrations Direct Deals: Allowing publishers to create new ad placements with PMP deal IDs that are called directly from a publisher's ad-server, creating a direct connection to premium brand DSPs

Allowing publishers to create new ad placements with PMP deal IDs that are called directly from a publisher's ad-server, creating a direct connection to premium brand DSPs Marketplace Deals: Providing publishers with the ability to package their inventory using deal IDs within their mediation auctions, dynamically adding a critical signal to transact directly with brand demand partners, with no new setup

"Traditionally, premium mobile supply has been blocked by reseller constraints or lack of interoperable buying signals," comments Mike Laband, Group SVP, US Revenue at Magnite. "Chartboost Direct now brings SSPs and brands an alternative path directly into quality in-app publisher environments. AI-enriched bid-streams will provide publishers with built-in, accurate brand signals, measurement, and data, enhancing the user experience."

Stephen Upstone, CEO and Founder, commented: "LoopMe research has shown that since adopting GenAI tools, nearly three-in-ten users say they now use AI more than traditional search, versus just 15% who report increased search engine usage. As web traffic declines, brands need new inventory sources to replace web, but these often require direct supply, and we see reseller traffic being penalized through SPO. At the same time, publishers want brand demand programmatically, but have limitations through their current tech stacks.

"With higher CPMs, cleaner supply paths, better UX, and sustainable brand demand for mobile app publishers, Chartboost Direct is a must-have toolkit, delivering the results that matter the most for publishers and providing SSPs with quality in-app environments."

Notes to Editors

Powered by LoopMe's patented AI optimization, the new toolkit will benefit from:

More than 100 global sellers delivering LoopMe direct brand demand

Both brand and traditional UA demand from top DSPs and SSPs

Faster rendering for display and video formats

Mobile ad formats for unique demand and performance

Patented AI from LoopMe's Intelligent Marketplace, driving incremental yield

1st party DMP access and user demographic analytics

About LoopMe

LoopMe is the global leader in brand performance, redefining brand advertising for the digital and app ecosystem. LoopMe was the first to apply AI to brand advertising and its Intelligent Marketplace, finding solutions to industry challenges that haven't previously been solved. With consumer insights and AI at its core, LoopMe makes brand advertising better, outperforming industry benchmarks for leading global brands. Our vision is to change advertising for the better, by building technology that will redefine brand advertising. LoopMe was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in the UK, with global offices across New York, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Dnipro, Krakow, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.loopme.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260409008290/en/

Contacts:

loopme@teamgingermay.com
The center will enable IQM to work closely with local startups, academic institutions, and federal partners to accelerate the deployment of advanced quantum technologies.

IQM Quantum Computers, a global leader in superconducting quantum computing, and the Capital of Quantum (CoQ) announced today the establishment of IQM's first U.S. Quantum Technology Center in Discovery District Maryland.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260409344244/en/

The Discovery District building that will include IQM's first U.S. Quantum Technology Center as part of Maryland's growing quantum innovation ecosystem.

This strategic expansion strengthens IQM's presence in one of the world's most important quantum ecosystems and furthers the company's global leadership in the quantum computing industry.

IQM's new Quantum Technology Center highlights the company's continued commitment to drive quantum education and research and collaborate with High-Performance Computing (HPC) service providers. By locating in the University of Maryland's Discovery District, IQM is positioning itself closer to the federal research community, which includes the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NASA Goddard, and the Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM), as well as the University of Maryland's Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security and John Hopkin's Applied Physics Laboratory.

"The United States is one of the world's most important quantum markets. College Park connects us to the federal research community, and the quantum ecosystem being built around it. This is the right place to grow our U.S. presence," said Jan Goetz, CEO and Co-founder of IQM Quantum Computers.

Maryland is uniquely situated at the intersection of research, science, commercialization, policy, and national security. The Capital of Quantum is a landmark public-private partnership designed to solidify Maryland's role as a global leader in quantum information science and technology. This new technology center is directly aligned with the state initiative, supports national policies and will help drive commercialization.

Through this new center, IQM is focused on building local teams and capabilities, capitalizing on Maryland's robust talent pipeline. The State of Maryland and the University of Maryland (UMD) boast one of the highest concentrations of quantum scientists and researchers in the country, with UMD ranking as a top-five producer of quantum PhDs.

"We are excited to welcome IQM to College Park's Discovery District as they establish their first U.S. Quantum Technology Center", said Dr. Corey Stambaugh, Director of the Capital of Quantum. "Maryland is focused on building deep and meaningful partnerships with global leaders like IQM, positioning the Capital of Quantum as a premier destination for quantum innovation and commercialization."

The new U.S. Quantum Technology Center will serve as a collaborative hub, enabling IQM to work closely with local startups, academic institutions, and federal partners to accelerate the deployment of advanced quantum technologies. Through this partnership, IQM is supporting the U.S. quantum ecosystem and enabling American discovery.

About IQM Quantum Computers:

IQM Quantum Computers is a global leader in superconducting quantum computers, delivering full-stack quantum systems and cloud platform access to research institutions, universities, high-performance computing centres, and national laboratories worldwide. IQM's on-premises deployment model gives customers direct ownership and control of their quantum infrastructure. Founded in 2018, headquartered in Finland, it has over 350 employees. IQM operates across Europe, Asia, and North America and has announced its plans to become the first publicly listed European quantum company on a major U.S. stock exchange with a dual listing on the Helsinki Stock Exchange also under consideration.

About the Capital of Quantum: The State of Maryland's Capital of Quantum Initiative is a 5-year, $1 billion public-private partnership supported by the State of Maryland, the University of Maryland, and private sector partners. Anchored in Discovery District Maryland, the initiative aims to advance knowledge generation, drive commercial innovation, and build the critical infrastructure needed to accelerate the regional and national quantum economy. Learn more at capitalofquantum.com.

About Discovery District Maryland: Anchored by the University of Maryland, College Park, and home to more than 60 companies, federal agencies, academic research institutes, labs and collaborative spaces, Discovery District Maryland is one of the country's densest clusters of specialized tech talent and infrastructure. Created to solve the world's biggest challenges, Discovery District Maryland is evolving to include new housing, expanded transit and vibrant public spaces.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260409344244/en/

Contacts:

IQM Media Contacts

Email: press@meetiqm.com

Mobile: +358 (0) 50 479 0845

Email: info@capitalofquantum.com
SAN FRANCISCO, April 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hotwire Global , the global communications and marketing consultancy including Hotwire and ROIDNA , and Morning Consult , the global decision intelligence company, today announced a strategic partnership that gives Hotwire Global instant access to Morning Consult's ??unparalleled proprietary ?dataset for all of its own and client work. This partnership underscores the belief at both Hotwire and Morning Consult that brands, comms and marketing leaders need to access and act on real-time data and ?consumer? sentiment to tell the most effective stories, particularly in a world driven by AI.

?? -

????"Partnering with Hotwire expands access to consumer sentiment in a way that puts real intelligence directly into the hands of marketers and communicators," says Michael Ramlet, CEO & Co-Founder of ??Morning?? Consult. "Through our AI-native Intelligence platform, Hotwire Global can give its clients to more than 80 million consumer interviews across 4,000 brands in 40 countries, with new data added daily, enabling brand leaders to better understand their audiences and turn insights into impactful storytelling."???

"Data-driven storytelling has long been a buzzword in our industry," said Grant Toups, CEO of Hotwire Global. "But with the rise of AI, and with it AI slop, high quality, real-time data has never been more valuable. This partnership with Morning Consult isn't just access to data but allows us to give our client set a new standard for how intelligence is created and consumed for ourselves and our clients. The result will be faster and sharper decision-making for leaders and more impactful campaigns that not only exceed marketing and comms goals, but secure business goals across reputation, relationships and revenue."

???This partnership ?gives Hotwire Global access?? to Morning Consult's Intelligence platform, featuring AI-native data analysis tools built on global datasets that reveal consumer behavior, brand perception, market trends, and political attitudes.? Integrated into Hotwire and ROIDNA's existing AI and data planning tools via API, clients will immediately gain access to decision-ready intelligence for smarter planning, execution and measurement. In addition, Hotwire Global has open access to Morning Consult's panels to run research for its clients to create unique data-driven insights that build trust and authority with media and customers through intelligent storytelling.

About Hotwire Global

Hotwire Global is the tech PR, communications, and marketing consultancy that includes ROIDNA . Globally, top technology brands partner with us for expert consultancy to scale and support their businesses. Found at the intersection of technology and humanity, our 400+ people in 11 countries weave global experience and local expertise to define, measure, and repeat success across reputation, relationship, and revenue campaigns.



Hotwire is part of The Enero Group. Follow us? here ?to see how 25 years at the forefront of communications and marketing help Hotwire make the technical, irresistible.

About Morning Consult

Morning Consult is the global decision intelligence company changing how modern leaders make smarter, faster, better decisions. With its proprietary technology, high-frequency global survey research, and AI-native products, Morning Consult delivers decision-ready insights to executives, marketers, investors, and policymakers across 45 global markets.

Contact:

Hotwire Global

Kimberly Otzman

kimberly.otzman@hotwireglobal.com
China rolls out upgraded 'Pet Travel' service on high-speed rail from April 8

Global Times) 15:07, April 09, 2026

China's railway authorities officially launched on Wednesday an upgraded high-speed rail "Pet Travel" service, which offers two options: "traveling with pets" and "pets traveling alone," according to a release on China Railway's official WeChat account.

The service is mainly designed for domesticated cats and dogs that are in good health, meeting specifications:weighing no more than 15 kilograms, have a shoulder height not exceeding 40 centimeters, and a body length of no more than 52 centimeters.

The "traveling with pets" option is available to passengers travelling with a valid ticket. Passengers can use the "pet transport" function on the "12306" railway app to check eligible train services and available pet transport slots. Trains offering the service are marked with a "pet" label in Chinese. Passengers can purchase digital tickets in the app and reserve pet transport services on the same train, with each passenger allowed to transport up to two pets.

The "pets traveling alone" option, on the other hand, is designed for customers who are not traveling with their pets. Customers are required to make a reservation two to five days in advance via the China Railway Express WeChat mini program, by submitting relevant pet information and photos. Each customer may transport one eligible pet per trip. Customers must bring their pets and valid documentation, including ID and a corresponding quarantine certificate to the China Railway Express service counter at the departure station. Upon arrival, pets can be picked up at the destination station.

The "Pet Travel" service adopts a "separate transport" model, ensuring pets are transported independently from passengers. Pet carriers are equipped with air circulation systems and monitoring for oxygen levels, temperature and humidity, as well as noise reduction and odor control functions, according to the release.

Additional features include automatic water replenishment, night-vision live video monitoring, and remote-controlled ventilation. Pets remain inside the carriers throughout the journey and are placed in dedicated express compartments separate from passenger areas. Train staff do not open the carriers during transit, instead monitoring pet conditions through built-in systems. After each trip, carriers are cleaned and disinfected, and express compartments are thoroughly sanitized upon arrival.

According to the release, high-speed rail pet transport services have run smoothly and been well received by travelers since the trial launch in April 2025. Over the past year, more than 15,000 pets have been safely transported, making it easier for passengers traveling with their pets.

As of the official rollout, the number of high-speed rail stations handling pet transport services has increased to 121, with 228 train services now available. The "Pet Travel" service continues to operate at existing stations and is being expanded to additional locations, including newly added stations, as well as dozens of high-speed train routes.

The "Pet Travel" service uses a tiered pricing system based on distance. The "traveling with pets" option features seasonal promotional discounts, while the "pets traveling alone" option is charged at standard rates. All customers also receive basic insurance coverage of up to 2,000 yuan ($290).

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Company targets near-term recurring revenue by deploying scalable AI compute infrastructure to address global GPU shortages

SCOTTSDALE, AZ / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2026 / New Generation Consumer Group Inc. (NGCG or the "Company") today announced a strategic expansion into the design, deployment, and operation of high-performance artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, positioning the Company to generate near-term recurring revenue by addressing the accelerating global shortage of specialized AI compute capacity.

The global technology landscape is undergoing a structural transformation as artificial intelligence shifts from experimental development into large-scale commercial deployment. This transition has triggered an unprecedented demand for purpose-built AI compute infrastructure, far exceeding existing supply.

According to Gartner, worldwide spending on AI-optimized servers is forecast to increase by 49% in 2026, representing approximately $401 billion in new infrastructure investment. Fortune Business Insights projects the global AI server market will expand from $262 billion in 2026 to $2.8 trillion by 2034, reflecting a 34.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

Industry data further indicates that 80-90% of total AI lifecycle costs are shifting from model training to inference and deployment, marking the beginning of the high-margin "inference era."

NGCG believes this rapid evolution has created a compelling opportunity to develop scalable, revenue-generating AI infrastructure platforms that serve enterprises, developers, and emerging AI adopters underserved by traditional hyperscalers.

The broader AI data center market is projected to reach $2.02 trillion by 2032, with compute servers accounting for nearly 89% of total market value. Meanwhile, the GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) market is expected to grow from $5.73 billion in 2025 to $26 billion by 2031, driven by demand for flexible, on-demand compute access.

NGCG intends to capitalize on these trends by deploying proprietary AI-optimized server clusters designed for both training and inference workloads, enabling immediate monetization through capacity leasing and marketplace distribution.

To execute this strategy efficiently, NGCG is aligning its infrastructure buildout with leading hardware manufacturers, distribution partners, and decentralized compute marketplaces, including:

NVIDIA (@Nvidia): NGCG plans to center its infrastructure on enterprise-grade NVIDIA platforms, including H100 systems and next-generation architectures such as Blackwell-based B200 and Rubin (R100) platforms, ensuring long-term relevance and performance scalability.

Dell Technologies (@Dell): The Company intends to leverage proven rack-scale engineering standards used in Dell's AI factory deployments, enabling rapid cluster deployment and operational efficiency.

Newegg (@Newegg): NGCG recognizes the accelerating demand for AI-ready hardware beyond hyperscalers, validated by increased adoption of "personal AI supercomputers" and professional workstations through Newegg's platform.

Best Buy (@BestBuy): Broader SMB and enterprise adoption of AI hardware through retail and services ecosystems underscores the expanding addressable market for NGCG's "compute-as-a-commodity" approach.

Vast.ai (@Vast.ai / Vista AI): NGCG expects to list available GPU capacity on decentralized global marketplaces, maximizing utilization, streamlining customer acquisition, and reducing traditional enterprise sales cycles.

The Company plans to generate revenue through hourly, short-term, and contract-based leasing models, enabling immediate cash flow upon deployment while maintaining flexibility to scale in response to demand.

RESULT

NGCG believes this initiative establishes a repeatable, capital-efficient growth engine aligned with the fastest-expanding segment of the AI economy. By focusing on high-utilization inference and training workloads, operational agility, and rapid monetization, the Company aims to build sustainable long-term shareholder value.

"High-performance AI infrastructure is no longer optional - it is foundational to global economic growth," said Jacob DiMartino, Chief Executive Officer of NGCG. "By deploying proprietary AI servers through established marketplaces and aligning with proven hardware standards, we are creating a scalable, plug-and-play revenue stream designed to grow in direct correlation with market demand."

ABOUT NEW GENERATION CONSUMER GROUP INC.

New Generation Consumer Group Inc. is a forward-looking company focused on identifying, developing, and executing high-growth opportunities across the technology and infrastructure sectors.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding market demand, revenue potential, infrastructure deployment, and growth strategy. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied.

CONTACT:

Investor Relations

New Generation Consumer Group Inc.

Phoenix, Arizona

Email: InvestorRelations@ngcg.com

SOURCE: Signature Apps

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/publishing-and-media/new-generation-consumer-group-inc.-ngcg-announces-strategic-entry-into-ai-infr-1156321
NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2026 / Aisho's Story

Aisho Abdi, a 25-year-old mother of three, always dreamed of keeping her children safe and healthy. She knew the dangers of measles (called "Jadeeco" in Somali) and wanted to protect her children from it.

Illnesses like measles are especially dangerous in communities where malnutrition rates are high because malnutrition and illness go hand in hand. When a child is malnourished, their immune system is weakened, and they face increased risks when ill. With measles, for example, malnutrition can aggravate Vitamin A deficiency, which is a key factor in causing measles-related blindness. Illnesses that should be relatively simple to treat can quickly become dangerous or have lifelong impacts for malnourished children.

Vaccination is one of the best protective measures malnourished children can have against health risks, helping to prevent recurrent illness and improve nutritional status. In Somalia, where an estimated 1.85 million children under 5 are expected to suffer from malnutrition between July 2025 and June 2026, increasing access to preventative measures like vaccination is critical for protecting the health of children.

Aisho had heard about vaccines and understood their importance, but she struggled to access them. Like many people in Somalia, Aisho lived too far from healthcare services to access them - the nearest clinic being 46 miles away.

Despite this, Aisho was determined. She managed to get two of her sons vaccinated in Kismayo, but not easily. It involved a long journey and high transportation costs that many families cannot afford.

Several years later, floods swept across the region where Aisho lived. She and her family made the decision to relocate to Kismayo for safety and better economic opportunities, but for Aisho, the move meant much more. In Kismayo, Aisho could give her children better access to education, food, and most importantly, healthcare.

"The most important thing I can give my children is protection," Aisho said, holding her youngest daughter, Hawa, in her arms at the health center in Kismayo. Hawa was there to receive her measles vaccine-a crucial step for protection, since 98.3% of measles cases in Somalia occur among unvaccinated individuals.

The health center is run by Action Against Hunger through the Cross-Border Emergency Relief Project, funded by the French Embassy in Somalia. This project provides maternal and child healthcare, as well as clean water and sanitation services, to vulnerable families.

Aisho expanded her passion for keeping her children healthy and safe to action to support her broader community. She has become an Action Against Hunger volunteer, connecting parents in her community with health workers. At times, she brings children to the health facility herself. She speaks at community meetings, sharing her experience and encouraging other parents to vaccinate their children. Aisho's efforts have inspired many, and she has become a role model in her neighborhood.

Improving Vaccination Rates in Somalia

Somalia has one of the lowest vaccine coverage rates in the world for a variety of factors, including limited access to healthcare, cultural beliefs, and misinformation about vaccines. According to a recent study, Somalia's immunization coverage against six major childhood diseases -tuberculosis, diptheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and measles - stands at only 30-40 per cent.

One of the greatest obstacles to both increasing vaccination rates and providing malnutrition treatment in Somalia is that access to healthcare can be limited. The Global Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster reports that nearly 40% of people in Somalia's Baidoa District do not have reliable access to a healthcare facility or have no access at all.

Action Against Hunger is the second largest Ministry of Health partner in Somalia, directly supporting 112 health units and 1,500 health workers, working to reach the most rural neighborhoods and get vulnerable populations the services they need. To spread word of the clinic and the services available, Community Health Workers go door-to-door, searching for children who have not received any vaccines. They particularly visit vulnerable areas, such as refugee camps and rural neighborhoods.

"They are always busy making sure no child is left behind," observes Aisho.

Through Action Against Hunger's program, more children in Kismayo are getting vaccinated. The availability of vaccines, the dedication of healthcare workers, and the commitment of mothers like Aisho are making a real difference. Step by step, they are building a healthier future for their children and their community.

***

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 26.5 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,500+ dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

At an Action Against Hunger-supported clinic in Kismayo, a mother is informed about the importance of vaccines for malnutrition prevention.

Find more stories and multimedia from Action Against Hunger at 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Action Against Hunger

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/action-against-hunger

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Action Against Hunger

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/a-mothers-mission-to-protect-her-children-through-vaccination-1156401
Hamilton, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - AtomVie Global Radiopharma (AtomVie), a global leading radiopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) specializing in GMP manufacturing for clinical and commercial supply of radiopharmaceuticals and their worldwide distribution, is pleased to announce that they will be presenting at the Bloom Burton & Co. Healthcare Investor Conference (BBHIC) 2026, taking place at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario from April 21st - April 22nd, 2026.

AtomVie's company presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, at 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM EST. The session will include a 25-minute corporate presentation followed by a 5-minute moderated question-and-answer session. The presentation will be delivered by Ghadeer Shubassi, Vice President, Business Development at AtomVie, who will provide an overview of AtomVie's capabilities, track record and will highlight the commissioning of its new purpose-built, state-of-the-art 72,300 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Hamilton, Ontario, which represents an investment of more than $138 million to date and is on track for operational readiness in H2 2026. The facility has been designed to support partners across the entire product lifecycle from early phase to commercial, enabling scalable, compliant, and reliable manufacturing to meet growing clinical and commercial demand in the radiopharmaceutical sector.

AtomVie's participation at the BBHIC reflects the continued momentum of Canada's life sciences and advanced manufacturing ecosystem, as well as AtomVie's expanding global outreach.

About AtomVie Global Radiopharma (AtomVie)

AtomVie is a global leading CDMO offering the full range of scientific, technical, regulatory, quality and logistics services combined with a specialized infrastructure for the development of radiopharmaceuticals from clinical studies, phases I to III, to commercial markets. AtomVie currently serves international clients conducting clinical studies in over 28 countries worldwide. For additional details visit our website https://www.atomvie.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291766

Source: Bloom Burton & Co. Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2026 / Nevermined has integrated Visa Intelligent Commerce, Coinbase's x402 and VGS payment protocol to enable AI agents to autonomously purchase digital goods and services on behalf of users and businesses. The integration gives AI agents persistent delegated spending authority on existing card rails while allowing merchants to accept payments through their current payment service providers.

The announcement addresses a growing monetization gap for digital publishers, data providers, and API-first businesses. While AI agents increasingly consume content across the internet, there has been no practical mechanism for merchants to sell individual articles, dataset queries, or single API responses to machines. Companies have faced a choice between blocking agent traffic entirely or allowing consumption without revenue.

With Nevermined's solution, AI agents can request and pay for specific digital assets through x402-enabled payments. Merchants receive funds through their existing payment infrastructure, such as Stripe, creating new revenue opportunities from machine-driven consumption.

The solution integrates directly with merchants' existing payment service providers, requiring no new infrastructure buildout. Nevermined routes agent payments through current systems, eliminating technical barriers to accepting AI agent transactions. This approach allows businesses to monetize machine traffic using the same payment rails they already rely on for human customers.

"Now agents can participate in commerce autonomously, continuously, and safely," said Don Gossen, Co-Founder of Nevermined. "Our integration of Visa Intelligent Commerce and x402 is a milestone that makes truly autonomous Agentic Commerce real."

The system allows users and businesses to register Visa cards with Visa Intelligent Commerce and authorize AI agents to spend within defined parameters. Guardrails include total budget limits, per-purchase caps, merchant restrictions, and time-based validity windows. Agents operate with spending authority for ongoing work while cardholders maintain control over fund usage.

"Agentic commerce must be secure by design," said Tanner Riche, Vice President of AI Partnerships at Visa. "Visa Intelligent Commerce is built to enable AI agents to use cards to transact safely, with clear controls in internet-native environments." "Agentic commerce needs machine-native payments," says Erik Reppel, creator of x402. "x402 gives agents an open standard to request payment programmatically, and this launch demonstrates how that can work alongside secure card infrastructure to enable real commercial transactions between AI agents and merchants."

Before this integration, a financial data provider faced an impossible choice when an AI agent accessed their API. They could block the request and lose the business, or allow it for free and subsidize machine consumption. Subscriptions designed for human analysts don't work for agents that need one data point, not unlimited access. Now that same provider can sell exactly what the agent needs (a single company financial snapshot or market sentiment report) and receive payment through their existing Stripe account. The agent gets the data, the provider captures revenue that previously didn't exist, and neither side changes their core infrastructure.

The infrastructure shift enables granular transactions that were previously impractical. An AI agent researching startup investments can purchase three specific articles from a tech publisher, sentiment data from a social media analytics provider, and a private company analysis from a database provider, rather than requiring full-year subscriptions from each source.

Nevermined integrates payment providers directly into the transaction path via x402, bypassing form-based checkout flows designed for human users. The solution is framework agnostic, supporting agents built with various AI frameworks rather than requiring proprietary infrastructure.

Visa Intelligent Commerce generates secure payment credentials, Nevermined handles economic orchestration and policy enforcement, and x402 provides the machine-native point-of-sale for programmatic transactions. VGS (Very Good Security) provides vault infrastructure that captures, stores, and routes cardholder data, ensuring sensitive information remains protected.

Users can delegate credit cards at pay.nevermined.app. Merchants and publishers interested in accepting agent payments can contact Nevermined directly.

About Nevermined

Founded in 2022, Nevermined is an agentic fintech company building payment and monetization rails for the agentic economy, combining enterprise-grade security and compliance with native support for both traditional and decentralized payment infrastructure. Learn more at nevermined.ai

About Coinbase x402

Developed by Coinbase, x402 is an open, HTTP-native payment standard that enables instant, automated microtransactions for AI agents, apps, and APIs. By utilizing the 402 "Payment Required" status code, it allows servers to instantly charge for services using stablecoins (USDC/EURC) on Base, Solana, and Polygon.

About VGS

Founded in 2015, VGS is a global leader in payment tokenization, trusted by Fortune 500 companies, merchants, and fintechs. The company enables secure storage, management, and use of sensitive payment data, allowing intelligent systems to transact safely and efficiently. Its platform includes a PCI-compliant vault, card management capabilities, and network services such as tokenization, account updater, and 3DS. VGS helps businesses increase authorization rates, reduce fraud, and scale agentic commerce with strong security and compliance.

Media Contact:

Don Gossen - Don@nevermined.ai

mailto:tanriche@visa.com

SOURCE: Nevermined

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/nevermined-launches-ai-agent-card-payments-with-x402-opening-a-n-1154916
SCHAUMBURG, IL / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2026 / Rapyuta Robotics, a global leader in cloud robotics, is set to ignite the trade show floor at MODEX 2026 with the unveiling of major upgrades to its flagship automation suite. From April 13 to 16 at the Georgia World Congress Center, Rapyuta will host live, high-performance demonstrations of its fully upgraded Rapyuta ASRS (Automated Storage and Retrieval System) and Rapyuta PA-AMR (Pick-Assist Autonomous Mobile Robot) solutions.

Located at Booth C14593 , the Rapyuta exhibit is designed to show supply chain leaders how to solve the "hard questions" of modern fulfillment: increasing throughput without expanding footprints and protecting SLAs amidst a shrinking labor market.

Innovation in Motion: ASRS and PA-AMR Upgrades

Rapyuta is moving beyond standard automation to provide modular, AI-driven systems that adapt to a warehouse's existing infrastructure-because your facility shouldn't have to change its DNA to accommodate a robot.

The Rapyuta ASRS: This high-performance system delivers a breakthrough in operational flexibility via an anchorless, modular-type assembly that integrates seamlessly into any environment without permanent infrastructure changes. Powered by advanced multi-robot control AI, the industry's thinnest robots collaborate to maximize efficiency across all levels, enabling facilities to scale storage density and throughput in days, not months. The MODEX 2026 showcase serves as a direct demonstration of this flexibility; visit the Booth C14593 to witness firsthand how the system can be configured to meet the specific infrastructure needs of any warehouse.

The Rapyuta PA-AMR: already proven to reduce walking distance by 50%. At MODEX 2026, this performance reaches a new milestone with the reveal of an exclusive, accuracy-boosting feature engineered for high-precision workflows . While the PA-AMR continues to drive productivity through its intelligent picker guidance system, this latest enhancement is designed to redefine accuracy. Full details of this innovation will be unveiled exclusively on-site at the Rapyuta Robotics Booth.

The "Total Access" Experience: Engineering Meets Strategy

In a strategic move for 2026, Rapyuta is bringing its full bench of experts to the booth. For the first time, attendees can consult directly with both the Engineering Architecture Team and the Business Strategy Group. This dual presence ensures visitors get immediate, high-level answers to their most complex queries:

Business Growth & ROI: Deep-dive sessions on revenue impact, scalability, and long-term financial modeling.

Technical Customization: Direct access to the engineers behind the AI, ready to discuss API integrations, hardware modifications, and multi-robot coordination algorithms.

"We aren't just showing robots; we are bringing the minds behind the machines," said Arudchelvan Krishnamoorthy, Co-Founder & CFO at Rapyuta Robotics. "Whether you need to discuss the physics of our industry-leading thinnest robots or the financial ROI on your bottom line, our top engineers and strategists are there to provide real-time, actionable insights. We're providing the blueprint, not just the bricks."

Experience the Future at Booth C14593

Throughout all four days of MODEX 2026 , visitors can:

Participate in Live Picking: Step into the workflow as an active picker to experience human-robot collaboration firsthand.

Watch High-Density Storage Recovery: See the ASRS navigate complex layouts and retrieve bins with zero downtime.

Book 1-on-1 Consultations: Secure dedicated time with technical and business leads to analyze specific operational growth plans.

About Rapyuta Robotics

Rapyuta Robotics, an ETH Zurich spinoff, stands at the forefront of cloud robotics and is the market leader in pick-assist AMRs in Japan. With a heritage of innovation and a focus on making advanced robotics accessible, Rapyuta provides flexible, high-performance warehouse automation that empowers businesses to optimize their logistics in a rapidly changing world.

Media Contact:

Name: Anukriti Athaiya

Email: anukriti.athaiya@rapyuta-robotics.com

Web: rapyuta-robotics.com

SOURCE: Rapyuta Robotics, Inc

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/transportation/modex-2026-lineup-rapyuta-robotics-unveils-high-performance-asrs-and-upgraded-amrs-w-1155900
Los Angeles, California--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Traveling for addiction treatment is becoming an increasingly common choice for individuals seeking recovery, with providers such as New Spirit Recovery reporting a steady rise in out-of-state admissions. The approach allows patients to access specialized care, distance themselves from familiar triggers, and engage in treatment within a more controlled and supportive environment.

Industry data indicates that environmental change can play a significant role in recovery outcomes. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, relapse rates for substance use disorders remain between 40% and 60%, often influenced by external stressors and social surroundings. By relocating temporarily for treatment, patients may reduce exposure to these factors, enabling greater focus on clinical care and long-term behavioral change.

New Spirit Recovery, a California-based treatment provider, has observed that many patients choose to travel for both practical and therapeutic reasons. Access to out-of-state insurance benefits is one contributing factor, as coverage options can vary significantly across regions. Patients often seek facilities that align with their insurance policies while also offering comprehensive levels of care, including detoxification, residential treatment, and dual diagnosis services.

In addition to clinical considerations, comfort and setting have become important factors in treatment selection. California remains a prominent destination due to its climate and infrastructure for behavioral healthcare. Facilities in the region frequently incorporate outdoor activities, wellness programming, and structured daily routines that support both physical and mental health. Research published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology suggests that access to natural light and outdoor environments may improve mood and reduce stress, factors that are relevant during early recovery.

Traveling for treatment can also provide a level of privacy that some patients seek. Receiving care away from one's home community may reduce stigma concerns and allow individuals to focus on recovery without external pressures. This is particularly relevant for professionals or individuals in public-facing roles who prefer discretion during treatment.

At the same time, providers emphasize the importance of continuity of care once treatment concludes. Coordinating aftercare plans, including outpatient therapy and support groups closer to a patient's home, remains a key component of long-term success. Facilities that regularly admit out-of-state patients often develop discharge planning processes tailored to this need.

The broader behavioral health industry has seen increased mobility among patients in recent years, driven in part by expanded insurance networks and telehealth integration. While virtual care has improved access to counseling and follow-up services, in-person treatment programs continue to play a central role in addressing moderate to severe substance use disorders.

As awareness grows, traveling for treatment is expected to remain a viable option for individuals seeking recovery solutions that align with their personal, clinical, and logistical needs. Providers like New Spirit Recovery continue to adapt to this trend by supporting patients throughout the admissions process, including travel coordination and insurance verification.

About New Spirit Recovery

New Spirit Recovery is a Los Angeles-based addiction treatment provider with locations in Tarzana, Encino, Northridge, and Sun Valley, California. The organization offers a full continuum of care, including medical detoxification, residential treatment, and dual diagnosis programs, for individuals seeking recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. With a focus on structured, evidence-based treatment in a supportive environment, New Spirit Recovery serves patients from across the country, supporting out-of-state admissions with travel coordination, insurance verification, and individualized discharge planning

Contact Information

New Spirit Recovery https://www.newspiritrecovery.com/



Tarzana Location: 3914 Braewood Ct, Tarzana, CA 91356

Encino Location: 17856 Cathedral Pl, Encino, CA 91316

Northridge Location: 6215 White Oak Ave, Encino, CA 91316

Google My Business Listings:

Tarzana: https://maps.app.goo.gl/VuPsW26gfBUSgu9Z9

Encino: https://maps.app.goo.gl/guAFZ2cjCzuRzkts6

Northridge: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TDFaoBQqkbaYVsim7

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291782

Source: Brand North
Asset acquisition and strategic integration are intended to transform MWWC into an operating international media and advertising company

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2026 / Media Fusion Inc. announced the execution of a Letter of Intent with Marketing Worldwide Corp. (OTC:MWWC) to integrate Media Fusion's global media and advertising business into the MWWC public company platform. The transaction is structured as an asset acquisition and strategic integration designed to transition MWWC into an active operating global media company focused on international growth, branded content, and AI-driven advertising and monetization.

The Letter of Intent follows extensive due diligence and strategic planning by the parties and establishes the framework for definitive agreements, capital formation, and operational rollout. Media Fusion operates a global media platform reaching more than 900 million television households, 3 billion digital consumers, and more than 850 FAST and streaming channels. Through partnerships and relationships spanning North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, the company delivers media distribution, brand partnerships, and content-driven commerce across multiple international markets.

Current initiatives include programming tied to major network relationships, including Warner Bros. Discovery. Flagship programming such as Hollywood After Dark is positioned as a central engine for brand integration, sponsorship revenue, and multi-platform monetization across television, streaming, and digital ecosystems.

The platform is also being built around advanced artificial intelligence applications developed for media, advertising, and audience engagement. These systems are designed to map consumer journeys, identify high-value audiences and purchase triggers, optimize media placement and messaging in real time, and integrate data across broadcast, digital, commerce, and experiential channels.

Upon completion of definitive agreements, Robert Blagman is expected to assume the role of Chief Executive Officer of MWWC.

"Marketing Worldwide has been sitting dormant. We are bringing in real business, real contracts, and a global operating platform built for today's media environment. This is not theoretical. This is execution," said Robert Blagman.

Blagman added, "We have spent years building global relationships across media, distribution, and brand partnerships. Now we are combining that with advanced AI systems designed specifically for global ad sales and audience engagement. Our focus now is execution. With the LOI in place, we are moving immediately toward definitive agreements, capital formation, and operational rollout."

The proposed integration is intended to reposition MWWC as a modern global media and advertising company focused on global media representation, brand partnerships, AI-driven advertising and audience analytics, international content production and distribution, and multi-channel monetization across television, digital, and commerce. The long-term objective is to build a scalable revenue-driven platform and pursue the milestones required for potential uplisting to a national exchange as execution progresses.

About Media Fusion Inc.

Media Fusion Inc. is a global media, advertising, and brand partnership company operating across television, streaming, digital, experiential, and commerce platforms. The company works with partners across multiple international markets to create scalable distribution, branded content, and monetization opportunities.

About Marketing Worldwide Corp. (OTC: MWWC)

Marketing Worldwide Corp. is a publicly traded company quoted on the OTC Markets under the ticker symbol MWWC. Upon completion of definitive agreements contemplated by the Letter of Intent, the company is expected to transition into an active operating media platform through the integration of Media Fusion's business and assets.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the proposed transaction, definitive agreements, management transition, capital formation, operational rollout, revenue growth, business strategy, and potential uplisting. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. No assurance can be given that the proposed transaction will be completed as described, or at all.

Media Contact

Robert Blagman

Media Fusion Inc.

310 597 9332

Robert.Blagman@Mediafusionintl.com

SOURCE: Marketing Worldwide Corp.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/automotive/media-fusion-inc.-and-marketing-worldwide-corp.-otc-mwwc-execute-loi-for-global-ai-drive-1156273
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - SILICON METALS CORP. (CSE: SI) (OTC Pink: SLCNF) (FSE: X6U) ("Silicon Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has appointed Mr. Aeron Kawakami to its board of directors and the Audit Committee of the Company. Mr. Kawakami has over a decade of experience in institutional finance as well as early stage public companies. Mr. Kawakami is a former Director of Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. (QIMC), and former CFO and Director of Tarachi Gold Corp. He currently holds a financial management role with RBC Wealth Management. He is a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Society Vancouver.

The Company also announces that it has agreed to issue an aggregate of 245,614 common shares to settle debt of $35,000 to certain Directors of the Company at a deemed price of $0.1425, for amounts owed by the Company for unpaid services (the "Debt Settlement").

Accordingly, the portion of the Debt Settlement with the Directors constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The issuance of the Shares to the Directors is exempt from the valuation requirement of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in section 5.5(b) as the Company's Shares are not listed on a specified market and from the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in Section 5.7(1)(a) as the value of the Shares being issued under the Debt Settlement does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization.

All securities issued in connection with the Debt Settlement will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day after the date of issuance, as set out in National Instrument 45-102 - Resale of Securities.

About Silicon Metals Corp.

Silicon Metals Corp. is currently focused on exploration and development in Canada, namely British Columbia and Ontario. The Company's Maple Birch Project, located approximately 30km south-east of Sudbury, Ontario, is a high purity quartz pegmatite project with a 3,000 tonne per year production permit. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Crystal Hills Project, located approximately 40 km north of the city of North Bay, Ontario, Canada, which consists of five mineral claims comprised of eighteen (18) cells totalling approximately 400 hectares. The Company also holds an undivided 100% right, title, and interest in the exploration stage and now fully 5-year permitted Ptarmigan Silica Project, located approximately 130km from Prince George, British Columbia. The Company has also acquired an undivided 100% right, title, and interest in both the exploration stage Silica Ridge Silica Project located approximately 70kms southeast from the town of MacKenzie, British Columbia, as well as the exploration stage Longworth Silica Project located approximately 85km East from Prince George, British Columbia.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

SILICON METALS CORP.

"Ray Wladichuk"

Ray Wladichuk

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release).

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

We seek safe harbor

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 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 or future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties; uncertain and volatile equity and capital markets; reliance on key personnel; and changes in laws, regulations, and regulatory policies. 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 in such statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291785

Source: Silicon Metals Corp.
Amsterdam Partners LLP, counsel to 'Strong Armenia' leader Samvel Karapetyan, has today announced that it has submitted a formal legal complaint to the European Commission concerning the deployment of a "Hybrid Rapid Response Team" to Armenia, warning that the initiative constitutes direct interference in the country's internal political processes and undermines, rather than upholds, free and fair elections.

The submission highlights a series of measures targeting the Armenian opposition, including the prosecution and detention of opposition figures, namely Mr. Karapetyan, the targeting of clergy and defence lawyers, the suppression of independent civil society, and, crucially, recent amendments to the Electoral Code that effectively prevent opposition alliances, including that of 'Strong Armenia', from participating on equal terms.

The letter, addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and copied to senior Commissioners, raises serious questions regarding the legal and political consequences of EU-funded activities in Armenia. The submission argues that, in the current political context, the operation risks creating a structural imbalance between the Armenian government and the political opposition.

Amsterdam Partners argues that these developments reflect a broader pattern of democratic backsliding in Armenia.

The complaint focuses in particular on the European Union's decision to allocate 27 million EUR under the NDICI-Global Europe instrument to fund a Hybrid Rapid Response Team tasked with monitoring what are described as "hybrid threats" and public narratives in the pre-election period. In practice, such a mechanism risks securitising legitimate political discourse and enabling Armenian authorities to characterise opposition activity as foreign interference, despite the EU having condemned such mechanisms elsewhere, namely in Russia and Georgia.

The letter further contends that the operation lacks basic safeguards, including transparency in its mandate, objective criteria for identifying disinformation, independent oversight mechanisms and any role for opposition participation. In this context, the submission warns that the European Commission may be exposed to significant legal liability under EU law, including for misuse of powers, acting beyond its competence and violations of fundamental rights.

Amsterdam Partners denounces the pattern of inconsistent application of EU standards. The Union has even taken action against member states it considers to be rule-of-law violations, while continuing to deepen cooperation with the government of Armenia, despite it not being a member state and the existence of credible allegations of systemic repression during an electoral cycle.

Robert Amsterdam, Founder and Managing Partner of Amsterdam Partners, states that:

"The European Union cannot claim to defend democracy while simultaneously financing mechanisms that risk distorting electoral competition in favour of an administration engaged in the systematic suppression of its opponents.

"What we are witnessing in Armenia is not simply democratic backsliding, but the deliberate construction of an electoral environment in which the opposition is marginalised, criminalised and recast as a security threat. By introducing a framework that allows legitimate political discourse to be labelled as 'disinformation' or foreign interference, the Commission is crossing a line from enabler to participant."

Amsterdam Partners LLP is an international law firm specialised in political advocacy and human rights, based in London and Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.amsterdamandpartners.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260409041503/en/

Contacts:

Media enquiries may be directed to contact@amsterdamandpartners.com.
Ascendion has been named a Market Leader in HFS Research's Horizons: Agentic Services, 2026 report.

Ascendion's client impact - innovation velocity, capital unlock, and risk management - demonstrates the potential value available when agentic AI is correctly combined with a modern AI-native methodology and trained engineers.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascendion, an AI-native leader in software engineering impact, has been named a Market Leader in the HFS Horizons: Agentic Services, 2026 report, published by HFS Research.

HFS Research, a globally recognized authority on technology and services, evaluated 36 providers on their ability to drive impact from agentic AI by delivering meaningful innovation and business value at scale. Ascendion distinguished itself through its integrated Engineering to the Power of AI (EngineeringAI) methodology, which includes ecosystem partnerships, their AAVA agentic platform aligned to engineering workflows, physical AI studios for client co-creation, and a growing library of reusable agents.

"We are honored once again to be recognized by HFS for what we have built as an AI-native software engineering company," said Paul Roehrig, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer of Ascendion. "Thousands of AI agents in the hands of disciplined engineers are delivering meaningful outcomes for business leaders who trust us to get this right. Our Engineering to the Power of AI method is changing how businesses operate at a fundamental level. As we grow, we're changing what's possible for how we work and live."

Ascendion demonstrated its ability to modernize legacy systems, accelerate the software development lifecycle (SDLC), align AI agents to standardized engineering processes, humans-at-the-wheel orchestration, and scale delivery with 100% internal platform adoption.

The recognition is grounded in outcomes that redefine enterprise AI delivery. Ascendion showcased how their engineers, working with AAVA, reduced client test effort and modernized 700,000 lines of 40-year-old code for a U.S. wealth management platform in 18 months at 45% lower cost. For a top five global bank, they delivered $300M in annual savings while improving service quality for more than 10 million customers. For a U.S. healthcare payer, they launched a platform serving one million people with zero failures, and significantly lower cost. And in one of the largest agentic AI implementations so far, Ascendion freed engineers to focus on innovation while accelerating time-to-market by 40%, and unlocked more than $500M in capital. These are not pilots. These are production outcomes, at scale, with real accountability, delivered for some of the most demanding enterprises in the world.

HFS research findings show that productivity is a top AI priority for 74% of enterprises, so the pressure to move from pilots to scaled production has never been greater. Ascendion's platform-led approach and trained engineering workforce are meeting that demand by turning agentic AI from a promising concept into a repeatable, scalable capability.

"Ascendion stands out for its early and consistent commitment to applying AI, now combining its agentic engineering platform AAVA with product-led engineering mindset to accelerate legacy modernization, streamline software development, and deliver measurable transformation outcomes." said David Cushman, Executive Research Leader, HFS Research.

As global enterprises accelerate from AI experimentation to transformation at scale, Ascendion continues to expand its agentic engineering capabilities by combining platform IP, specialized AI studios, and a trained global workforce to drive outcomes that build durable competitive advantage across banking, healthcare, retail, and beyond.

To download the report please visit Ascendion Named a Market Leader in HFS Horizons: Agentic Services, 2026 | Ascendion

About HFS

HFS Research is a leading research and advisory authority on enterprise transformation, serving Fortune 500 companies with fearless insights and actionable strategies. With unparalleled access to Global 2000 executives and deep expertise in AI, automation, and digital business models, HFS empowers organizations to make confident decisions that create sustainable competitive advantage. For more information, visit www.hfsresearch.com.

About Ascendion

Ascendion is an AI-native software engineering disruptor helping businesses innovate faster, smarter, and with greater impact. We partner with enterprise clients across North America, the UK, Europe, and APAC to solve complex challenges in data, experience design, software product engineering, and workforce transformation. Powered by expert engineers, thousands of AI agents, and our Engineering to the Power of AI (EngineeringAI) method, we deliver measurable outcomes that build trust, unlock value, and accelerate growth. Learn more at ascendion.com.

Engineering to the Power of AI, AAVA, EngineeringAI, Engineering to Elevate Life, Enterprise PlatformsAI, Data & InsightsAI, ExperienceAI, GCCAI, OperationsAI, Platform EngineeringAI, ProductAI, and Quality EngineeringAI are trademarks or service marks of Ascendion. AAVA is pending registration. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2953161/Ascendion_leads_the_charge_in_Generative_AI.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1916858/5908519/Ascendion_Primary_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ascendion-named-a-market-leader-for-agentic-services-by-hfs-research-302738566.html
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Tincorp Metals Inc. (TSXV: TIN) ("Tincorp" or the "Company") is pleased to report that it has filed a technical report with a mineral resource estimate ("MRE") update for the Santa Barbara Gold and Copper Project (the "Project") located in the Zamora Copper-Gold belt in southeastern Ecuador titled: "Independent Technical Report for the Santa Barbara Gold and Copper Project, Ecuador" (the "Technical Report"). The effective date of the Technical Report is March 23, 2026.

The Technical Report was prepared in accordance with Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The MRE update was independently prepared by certain qualified persons (a "QP") associated with SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. ("SRK"). The Technical Report can be found on the Company's website at www.tincorp.com and under the Company's profile on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval+ ("SEDAR+") at www.sedarplus.ca.

Highlights of MRE

The following is a summary of the MRE with more detailed information presented in Table 1 below:

Total indicated mineral resources of 29.8 million tonnes ("Mt") at an average grade of 0.73 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold ("Au") and 0.10% copper ("Cu") containing 0.697 million ounces ("Mozs") Au and 68.2 million pounds ("Mlbs") Cu, or collectively 0.722 Mozs gold equivalent ("AuEq") (1) .

Total inferred mineral resources of 205.7 Mt at an average grade of 0.52 g/t Au and 0.09% Cu containing 3.42 Mozs of Au, and 425.9 Mlbs of Cu, or collectively 3.58 Mozs AuEq.

Favourable initial metallurgical test work indicates gold recoveries of up to 85.5%, and copper recoveries 19.6%.

(1) Gold equivalent is defined as AuEq (g/t) = Au (g/t) + Cu (%) x 0.259

Technical Report Details

The MRE was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and is based on 56 core drill holes totaling 22,026.7 meters ("m") completed by previous operators between 1999 and 2018. The drillhole database includes collar, survey, assay, geological, geotechnical, density, geophysical and QA/QC data, and is considered adequate in quality and coverage to support the MRE. A 3D block model was constructed, and gold and copper grades were estimated by ordinary kriging within six mineralized domains. Resources with a higher density of drill holes in the main South domain are classified as Indicated, with the remainder, including the North domain and surrounding low grade fault blocks, are classified as Inferred.

The information in this news release is qualified in its entirety by the Technical Report, which has been filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ and contains detailed supporting information regarding data inputs, assumptions, methodologies, and resource tables.

Resource Statement Table

A mineral resource estimate constrained by an open pit shell for the Project is reported using a net smelter return ("NSR") cut-off value of US$25/t, as summarized in Table 1. The NSR cut-off is derived from assumed metal prices, recoveries, and estimated mining, processing and general and administrative ("G&A") costs, as outlined in the footnotes to Table 1.

Table 1: Open Pit Mineral Resource Statement for Santa Barbara, as of March 23, 2026



Average Grade Contained Metal Classification Tonnes Au Cu AuEq Au Cu AuEq

(Mt) (g/t) (%) (g/t) (koz) (lb'000) (koz) Indicated 29.8 0.73 0.10 0.75 697 68,198 722 Inferred 205.7 0.52 0.09 0.54 3,418 425,870 3,579

Notes:

The MRE was completed by Ms. Sheila Ulansky, P.Geo., Senior Geologist with SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., with an effective date of March 23, 2026. Mineral Resources are reported within a conceptual pit shell. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. The Mineral Resources are reported on a 100% basis, and not the portion attributable to Tincorp. Mineral Resources constrained by open pit shell are reported at an NSR cut-off value of US$25/t. Open pit optimization considered a gold price of US$3,200/oz, and copper price of US$12,000/t metal. Open pit optimization was conducted using Studio NPVS (Version 2.1.308.0) and considered the following inputs: mining cost of US$3/t material; processing cost of US$11/t run-of-mine ("ROM"); G&A of US$2/t ROM; average processing recoveries of 85.5% Au and 19.6% Cu; payability of 99.5% Au and 96.5% Cu; royalty of 5.0% of revenue; and overall pit slope angle of 45. Costs and slope angle based on SRK benchmarks and assumptions. Pit slope angle is assumed and is not based on a geotechnical stability assessment. Material within the weathered profile was included in the Mineral Resource in accordance with the recommendations of the Section 13 QP. Tonnage is in metric tonnes, and ounces are in troy ounces. Gold equivalent is defined as AuEq (g/t) = Au (g/t) + Cu (%) x 0.259 The QP is not aware of any legal, permitting, title, taxation, socio-economic, marketing, political environmental or other risk factors that might materially affect the estimate of Mineral Resources.

Deposit Descriptions

The Project is located in the Cordillera del Condor within the Zamora copper-gold metallogenic belt and encompasses three main deposits: the Santa Barbara porphyry gold-copper deposit, the El Hito porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit, and the Nayumbi epithermal gold-silver prospect, underscoring the Project's geological complexity and strong exploration potential (Figure 1).

At Santa Barbara, gold-copper mineralization forms a coherent, continuous zone approximately 1,200 m in length along a north-south trend and up to 600 m wide in east-west width, with mineralization traced over 900 m in depth. The zone remains open to the east, northwest, and at depth. Good correlation between drill holes on a nominal 60 m spacing supports a robust geological and grade model.

The Project's gold copper mineralization is hosted mainly in a fine grained green basaltic andesite and a series of northwest trending diorite porphyry dykes, measuring 2 to 30 m wide, that are related to a larger diorite stock in the northwest of the prospect. The volcanic rocks are overlain by conglomerate, quartz sandstone and limestone associated with local garnet skarn. Mineralization is best developed, and locally higher grade, in basaltic andesite near the diorite dykes. Mineralization is associated with quartz vein stockwork and potassic alteration marked by secondary biotite and K-feldspar. Higher-grade gold mineralization is linked to B type quartz veins hosting chalcopyrite, disseminated pyrite, and associated biotite alteration. The mineralized zones are interpreted as moderately to steeply dipping structures overprinting a broader disseminated gold copper system within a structural wedge controlled by three principal faults.





Figure 1: Santa Barbara Project Plan View Showing Mineral Deposit Locations

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7553/291824_941ca88b7441f8fa_003full.jpg

Next Steps

Further to the news release of the Company dated March 24, 2026, the Company recently closed a C$17.5M concurrent brokered and non-brokered offering (the "Offering") of subscription receipts, which remains subject to receipt of final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). The Offering was conducted in connection with the Company's previously announced definitive agreement to acquire the Project (the "Acquisition") from Silvercorp Metals Inc. ("Silvercorp") and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Adventus Mining Corporation ("Adventus", together with Silvercorp, the "Vendors") through the acquisition of the Vendors' wholly-owned subsidiary, Santa Barbara Metals Inc. (the "Proposed Acquisition").

Completion of the Proposed Offering remains subject to a number of closing conditions, including receipt of final approval of the TSXV. The Company will hold its annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") on May 5, 2026 to obtain the requisite minority approval and disinterested shareholder approval, with closing of the Proposed Acquisition expected to follow shortly thereafter, subject to satisfaction of all remaining closing conditions.

The Company plans to conduct an exploration drilling program totaling approximately 10,000 m, with a budget of US$3.75 million, designed to confirm historical drill results, complete infill drilling to upgrade existing mineral resources, and obtain fresh drill core to further understand the mineralization controls and metallurgy at the Project.

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Drilling programs at the Project were completed by several previous operators including TVX Gold Inc., Ecometals Limited, Ecuador Gold and Copper Corp. and Lumina Gold Corp. between 1999 and 2022. All programs collected half-core samples on 1-2.5 m intervals, sealed them in labelled plastic bags with tamper-evident ties, and retained the remaining half-core in secure core storage. Samples were transported by company staff or bonded couriers directly to commercial preparation laboratories, providing a reasonable chain-of-custody. Neither Silvercorp nor Tincorp has done any drilling at the Project yet.

Sample preparation and assaying were carried out by accredited commercial laboratories, including Bondar Clegg/ALS Chemex, Acme, MSALABS and ALS. Standard protocols were used: samples were dried, crushed and pulverized (to ~80-85% passing 200 mesh) and ~250 gram ("g") pulps were generated. Gold was consistently analyzed by fire assay (30-50 g charge) and copper and other elements by multi-element ICP or ICP-MS following four-acid digestion. Coarse rejects and pulps were returned to the operators and stored in secure warehouses.

From 2008 onward, operators implemented formal quality assurance and quality control ("QA/QC") programs that included routine insertion of certified reference materials and blanks, as well as field and coarse reject duplicates. At Santa Barbara, a total of 8,712 primary samples were collected between 2008 and 2018, with QA/QC samples representing approximately 17% of all submissions, a proportion consistent with standard industry practice. The QP concludes that the historical sampling, preparation, security and analytical procedures are consistent with industry standards and that the resulting datasets are adequate to support the current MRE.

Qualified Person

Ms. Sheila Ulansky, P.Geo., Senior Geologist with SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., is the independent QP within the meaning of NI 43-101 who prepared, and is responsible for the MRE and data verification described in this news release and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. Verification activities included a site visit by Ms. Ulansky to the Project in March 2026. The QP has verified the data disclosed herein using standard industry procedures for sampling, sample preparation, security and analytical quality control, and is not aware of any significant risks, uncertainties or limitations in the verification process that could materially affect confidence in the information reported.

This news release has been reviewed and approved by Alex Zhang, P.Geo., Director of the Company who is the designated QP for the Company.

About Tincorp

Tincorp Metals Inc. is a mineral exploration company which has entered into a definitive agreement with Silvercorp to acquire Santa Barbara Metals Inc. which holds a 100% interest in the Santa Barbara Gold-Copper Project in the Zamora Copper-Gold Belt of southeastern Ecuador. The Company also owns 100% of the Porvenir Project and has signed an agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the nearby SF Project, both located 70 km southeast of Oruro, Bolivia.

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 Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collective, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding: the Project; the MRE; the Proposed Acquisition; future exploration and development activities; the Meeting; the Offering; shareholder and TSXV approval of the Proposed Acquisition and the Offering; and the resumption of trading of the Company's common shares on the TSXV. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategies", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "budgets", "schedules", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, assumptions, factors and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. The opinions, assumptions, factors and estimates which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to: that the Company will be able to obtain and maintain governmental approvals, permits and licenses in connection with its current and planned operations, development and exploration activities, including at the Project; that the Company will receive shareholder and TSXV approval for the Proposed Acquisition and the Offering in a timely manner; that the conditions to the Proposed Acquisition will be satisfied or waived; the state of the equity financing markets in Canada; and other exploration, development, operating, financial market and regulatory factors.

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. Forward-looking information is provided herein for the purpose of giving information about the Proposed Acquisition referred and its expected impact. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law.

Additional information in relation to the Company, including the Company's most recent management discussion & analysis, can be obtained under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.tincorp.com.

Cautionary Notes Regarding Mineral Resources Estimates

In accordance with applicable Canadian securities regulatory requirements, all mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates of the Company disclosed in this news release have been prepared as at March 23, 2026 in accordance with NI 43-101, classified in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum's "CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves Definitions and Guidelines" (the "CIM Guidelines").

Pursuant to the CIM Guidelines, mineral resources have a higher degree of uncertainty than mineral Reserves as to their existence as well as their economic and legal feasibility. Inferred mineral resources, when compared with measured or indicated mineral resources, have the least certainty as to their existence, and it cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource as a result of continued exploration. Pursuant to NI 43-101, inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of any economic analysis, including any feasibility study. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a mineral resource exists, will ever be converted into a mineral reserve, or is or will ever be economically or legally mineable or recovered.

The forward-looking statements made in this information are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future operating activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291824

Source: Tincorp Metals Inc.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gold prices have edged higher on Thursday as traders follow developments following the U.S.-Iran ceasefire. Iran permits restricted ship movement via the Strait of Hormuz, while Israel attacked Lebanon ahead of U.S.-Iran talks.



Front Month Comex Gold for June month delivery has climbed by $42.70 (or 0.89%) to $4,819.90 per troy ounce.



Front Month Comex Silver for June month delivery has soared by $1.132 (or 1.50%) to $76.800 per troy ounce.



The Middle East is cooling off from the nearly six-week war between U.S.-Israeli forces and Iran after a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire was accepted by both the U.S. and Iran.



Delegations from both the nations are arriving in Islamabad, Pakistan on Friday, April 10, to utilize this two-week 'pause' to charter a framework for negotiations to end the conflict permanently.



The first round of discussions is scheduled to commence on Saturday, April 11. The U.S. negotiating team would be led by Vice President JD Vance.



Iran has offered a 10-point proposal for the U.S. to consider during bilateral talks.



With diplomacy overtaking aggressive military action, market participants prepared to resume regular moves, and yesterday, gold prices surged.



However, today via Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump cautioned that all U.S. ships, aircraft, military personnel, ammunition, weaponry, etc., will remain in place around Iran until a 'real agreement' is reached.



Trump added that if Iran fails to reach a deal, attacks will resume fiercer than before.



Trump reiterated his demand that Iran should stop making any nuclear weapons and reopen the Strait of Hormuz immediately and allow the safe passage of oil tankers.



Already Trump had warned that any country supplying military weapons to Iran would be tariffed 50% with no exclusions.



Since the ceasefire announcement late on Tuesday, only a few vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz.



Disagreeing that the ceasefire included Lebanon, Israel bombarded the country, targeting Hezbollah militant bases and killing at least over 200 people. Iran expressed anguish after the Lebanon attacks.



Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has asked Pakistan, which brokered the ceasefire talks, to confirm Lebanon's inclusion in the ceasefire.



Russian news agency TASS quoted an Iranian source as stating that Iran will allow no more than 15 vessels per day through the Strait of Hormuz. The permission is subject to Iran's approval for ships complying with Iran's specific protocol.



The shipping route will be monitored by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.



Iran has also demanded that all the blocked assets belonging to Iran be unfrozen in this two-week period.



Citing the risk of sea mines in the main zone, Iran has reportedly announced alternate channels for ships.



Around 230 vessels are stranded at sea, waiting for the strait to open up completely. Renewed supply disruption concerns supported oil prices.



WTI May month delivery was last seen trading at $96.69 a barrel, up by $2.19 (or 2.32%).



In the U.S., the Department of Labor revealed today that initial jobless claims rose by 16,000 from the previous week to 219,000 for the period ending April 4. However, continuing jobless claims decreased to 1,794,000 for the week ending March 28 from 1,832,000 in the previous week.



The four-week average for jobless claims increased to 209,500 on April 4 from 208,000 in the previous week.



According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the core Personal Consumption Expenditure index rose by 0.4% from the previous month in February 2026.



On an annual basis, the growth by the index slowed to 3.0% in February from 3.1% in January.



The PCE price index rose 0.4% month-over-month, meeting expectations and accelerating from January's 0.3% increase and rose 2.8% year-over-year.



Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

 2026 AFX News
TUCSON, AZ / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2026 / WEED Inc. (OTCQB:BUDZ), a publicly traded company pioneering the integration of cannabis operations and cryptocurrency infrastructure, today announced that it has engaged strategic advisors to evaluate a range of potential transactions aimed at maximizing shareholder value.

The review will focus on the 44 acres of Four Winds of Lake Erie, llc" FKA Sugar Hill property in Chautauqua County, New York, along with its broader portfolio of cannabis, real estate, and digital asset initiatives.

Strategic Review Highlights

- Approved for AI Data Room progress by Town of Portland N.Y. Board Resolution

- Evaluation of joint ventures, asset sales, and development partnerships

- Exploration of opportunities tied to data center and infrastructure development

- Review of the Company's integrated cannabis and cryptocurrency ecosystem

- Assessment of capital formation strategies related to its $50 million growth initiative

Management Commentary

"We believe the market is significantly undervaluing the unique combination of hard assets, cannabis infrastructure, and cryptocurrency innovation within WEED Inc.," said Glenn E. Martin, CEO of WEED Inc.

"The Sugar Hill property alone represents a rare strategic asset with substantial development potential, and we are now actively exploring opportunities to unlock that value through partnerships, monetization strategies, or other strategic transactions." adds Nicole M. Breen, Secretary/Treasurer of WEED Inc.

Positioned at the Intersection of Two High-Growth Markets

WEED Inc. operates at the convergence of the U.S. cannabis market and the global cryptocurrency market, both of which are expected to see substantial growth through 2030.

Through its vertically integrated model, the Company looks to develop

- Cannabis cultivation, wholesale, and retail operations

- A portfolio of six proprietary cannabis-focused cryptocurrencies

- A fully Secured Regulated tokenized ecosystem linking real-world operations to digital assets

Capital Strategy Alignment

This strategic review aligns with WEED Inc.'s previously announced $50 million capital raise, which is intended to scale cannabis operations, advance cryptocurrency platform development, and acquire additional strategic assets.

WEEDCoin, BUDZCoin & HEMPCoin will be the beginning of building s Stablecoin treasury in cooperation with The Genius Act including all Local State, & Federal regulations.

Maximizing Shareholder Value

The Company emphasized that no decisions have been made at this time and that there can be no assurance any transaction will occur. However, the engagement of advisors represents a key milestone in positioning WEED Inc. for potential transformational growth.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to market conditions, regulatory developments, and the Company's ability to execute its strategic initiatives.

About WEED Inc:

WEED Inc. is a publicly traded company focused on building the world's first fully integrated cannabis and cryptocurrency ecosystem. WEED Inc is a leading cannabis company dedicated to delivering exceptional products and experiences to the cannabis consumer market. With subsidiaries spanning Israel, Australia, and the USA, the company focuses on innovation, quality, and sustainability Through strategic acquisitions and partnerships, WEED Inc aims to shape the future of the cannabis industry.

Caution Regarding Cannabis Operations in the United States:

Any Investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. While legal in certain states, cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute, or possess cannabis.

That all Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable U.S. federal money laundering legislation. That Investors should carefully read the risk factors and disclosures contained in our offering circular before making any decision to invest in our company.

Forward Looking Information:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as, "may", "potential", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect", "anticipate", "believe, "intend", "plan", "forecast", "project", "estimate", "outlook" and other similar expressions, and include statements with respect to any future revenue and profits.

Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management in light of management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors relevant in the circumstances, including assumptions in respect of current and future market conditions, the current and future regulatory environment; and the availability of licenses, approvals and permits.

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 the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct.

Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release.

That the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws for the relevant country.

Safe Harbor Statement Legal Notice:

That the information is provided for convenience only, it is not investment advice and may not be relied upon in considering an investment in WEED, Inc.

That No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained herein, and any investment decision should be based solely on the information contained in the offering circular and related materials, and the investors independent research.

We advise that No representations or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the future performance of any investment in WEED, Inc. or that investors will or are likely to achieve favorable results, will make any profit at all or will be able to avoid incurring a loss on their investment.

In addition, all prospective investors are encouraged to consult with their financial, tax, accounting, or other advisors to determine whether an investment in WEED, Inc. is suitable for them.

Media Contact:

Glenn E. Martin, CEO

1-520-278-8890

Glenn@WEEDincUSA.com

SOURCE: WEED, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/blockchain-and-cryptocurrency/weed-inc.-engages-advisors-to-evaluate-strategic-alternatives-for-sug-1156467
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Ximen Mining Corp. (TSXV: XIM) (FSE: 1XM) (OTC: XXMMF) (the "Company" or "Ximen") is pleased to announce receipt of water licences for its Kenville Gold Mine project near Nelson in southeastern BC.





Mr. Christopher Anderson, CEO Ximen drinking water directly from Kenville portal

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3028/291847_ximenmining.jpg

The Company reports that it has received two water licenses under the Water Sustainability Act that authorize use of groundwater from a bedrock aquifer. One covers the Venango property, where the new underground portal and decline will be constructed. The other license is for the adjoining Election property.

A water license was required to be in place before construction of the new portal and decline could start. Other works required to be completed before construction can start are an engineered design for a water retention tank system to protect the drainage channel in case of a flood event, and an engineering report on mine site building foundations and road stability. The Company is aiming to break ground for the new underground decline when these last pre-construction requirements are completed.

"Receiving these water licenses is a significant step forward for our team and marks the final stretch before we break ground at Kenville. We are energized by the progress being made and look forward to commencing construction of the new underground decline, which will be a transformative milestone for Ximen and for the Kenville Gold Mine project," states Mr. Anderson, President, CEO and Director.

Dr. Mathew Ball, P.Geo., VP Exploration for Ximen Mining Corp. and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this News Release.

FOLLOW XIMEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES!



X: https://x.com/XimenMiningCorp

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ximenminingcorp/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Ximenminingcorp/

IN: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/ximen-mining-corp

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@ximenminingcorp

YT: https://www.youtube.com/@XimenMiningCorp

About Ximen Mining Corp.

Ximen Mining Corp. acquired the Kenville Gold mine near Nelson British Columbia including all surface and underground property and mineral rights, buildings and equipment. The company also owns 100% interest in three of its precious metal projects located in southern BC., including two Gold projects, The Amelia Gold Mine and The Brett Epithermal Gold Project. Ximen also owns the Treasure Mountain Silver Project adjacent to the past producing Huldra Silver Mine. Currently, the Treasure Mountain Silver Project is under an option agreement. The option partner is making annual staged cash and stocks payments as well as funding the development of the project.

Ximen is a publicly listed company trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol XIM, in the USA under the symbol XXMMF, and in Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin Stock Exchanges in Germany under the symbol 1XM and WKN with the number as A2JBKL.

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding the receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval and the exercise of the Option by Ximen. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include the possibility that the TSX Venture Exchange may not accept the proposed transaction in a timely manner, if at all. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedarplus.ca for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects.

This press 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 any state in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

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.

Ximen Mining Corp

888 Dunsmuir Street - Suite 888, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3K4 Tel: 604-488-3900

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291847

Source: Ximen Mining Corp.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Pineapple Financial Inc. (NYSE American: PAPL) ("Pineapple" or "the Company"), a leading fintech platform, today announced that it will host a virtual fireside chat on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 11:00 A.M. ET. The Company expects to report its second quarter 2026 financial results on Monday, April 13, 2026 before market open.

Shubha Dasgupta, CEO, Co-Founder and Director of Pineapple Financial, alongside Anthony Georgiades, Director, will discuss the Company's latest quarterly results and key business highlights. Management will additionally provide insight regarding ongoing initiatives and strategic outlook as Pineapple continues to execute its growth strategy.

Virtual Fireside Chat Details

Date: Thursday, April 16th, 2026 Time: 11:00 A.M. ET Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Tk9JmNpuT4ekDy-J8Y6uqQ

A Q&A session will take place at the end of the discussion, and a recording of the fireside chat will be available on Pineapple Financial's Investor Relations website following the event. To ensure your questions are addressed, please submit them in advance to Pineapple@KCSA.com.

About Pineapple Financial Inc.

Pineapple Financial Inc. (NYSE American: PAPL) is a publicly traded company with a digital asset treasury strategy focused on accumulating INJ tokens through disciplined open-market purchases. The Company is committed to delivering shareholder value through strategic capital allocation in the dynamic digital asset landscape.

In addition to its digital asset treasury, Pineapple is an award-winning fintech and leading Canadian mortgage brokerage network, focusing on both the long-term success of agents and brokers as well as the overall experience of homeowners. With hundreds of brokers within the network, Pineapple creates cutting-edge cloud-based tools and AI-driven systems to enable its brokers to help Canadians realize their dream of owning a home. Pineapple is active within the community and is proud to sponsor charities across Canada to improve the lives of fellow Canadians.

Safe Harbor Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. They are based on the Company's current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and economic needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "potential," "continue" or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances or changes in its expectations that arise after the date hereof, except as may be required by law. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions, fluctuations in the market price of INJ and other digital assets, the timing and execution of Digital Asset Treasury capital deployment, the performance of advisory or institutional counterparties, liquidity constraints, capital allocation decisions, and any associated impairment charges that we may incur as a result of a decrease in the market price of INJ below the value at which INJ is carried on our balance sheet; changes in the accounting treatment relating to our INJ holdings; the Company's financial condition, customer acceptance of our INJ treasury strategy, and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of the registration statements, and periodic reports filed with the SEC. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure that such expectations will be correct. The Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. It encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company's registration statement and other filings with the SEC. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov.

Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @pineapplemortgage @empoweredbypineapple

Facebook: Pineapple Mortgage

LinkedIn: Pineapple Mortgage

X (Formerly Twitter): @PAPLpineapple

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291796

Source: Pineapple Financial Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Pacifica Silver Corp. (CSE: PSIL) (OTCQB: PAGFF) ("Pacifica Silver" or the "Company") announces that it has adopted a semi-annual financial reporting ("SAR") framework, effective immediately. This change is being made pursuant to British Columbia Securities Commission Coordinated Blanket Order 51-933 Exemptions to Permit Semi-Annual Reporting for Certain Venture Issuers ("CBO 51-933").

CBO 51-933 allows eligible venture issuers to voluntarily move from a quarterly to a semi-annual financial reporting framework. Pacifica Silver's fiscal year ends on March 31. Under the provisions of CBO 51-933, the Company will be exempt from the requirements to file Q1 and Q3 financial statements and associated management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for so long as it continues to meet eligibility criteria under CBO 51-933. Accordingly, the Company will not be filing its interim financial statements for the three months ended June 30, 2026, and associated MD&A. The Company will also not be required to file any interim financial statements and associated MD&A for any subsequent quarters ended June 30 and December 31 in each financial year.

Rationale for the Change and Expected Benefits

The decision to transition to semi-annual reporting is part of Pacifica Silver's ongoing commitment to prudent capital management and operational efficiency. By moving from quarterly to semi-annual reporting, the Company expects to realize significant cost savings and operational efficiencies, including:

Reduced Audit and Professional Fees: Fewer reporting periods mean fewer required reviews by external auditors or accountants, directly lowering audit and review costs.

Lower Legal and Regulatory Filing Expenses: Each quarterly report incurs filing and compliance costs, which will now be significantly reduced.

Streamlined Internal Processes: The finance and accounting teams will spend less time preparing, reviewing and coordinating filings, freeing up resources for core business activities such as exploration and project advancement.

Alignment with Industry Realities: For companies at the exploration stage, quarterly reporting often provides limited incremental value to investors, while still incurring the full cost of compliance. Semi-annual reporting is more proportionate to Pacifica Silver's business model and stage of development.

Commitment to Timely Disclosure

Pacifica Silver remains fully committed to transparency and timely disclosure. The Company will continue to promptly disclose all material changes and significant developments through news releases and material change reports, ensuring that investors remain informed between reporting periods. The adoption of semi-annual reporting does not affect the Company's obligations to provide timely and comprehensive disclosure of any material events.

About Pacifica Silver Corp.

Pacifica Silver Corp. is a Canadian resource company led by a proven management team with decades of mining and exploration experience in Mexico. The company is focused on its 100% owned Claudia Silver-Gold Project located in Durango, Mexico. Spanning 11,876 hectares, the Project encompasses most of the historic El Papanton Mining District where at least nine small mines operated intermittently during the 20th century. Since 1990, sampling and drilling within have returned high-grade silver and gold intercepts across multiple vein systems, with only 10% of over 30 kilometres of known veins having been drilled. Today, the property is a prime target for modern exploration and holds exceptional potential for new high-grade discoveries.

Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291827

Source: Pacifica Silver Corp.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Guardian Exploration Inc. (TSXV: GX) (OTCQB: GXUSF) (FSE: R6B) ("Guardian" or the "Corporation") announces that it proposes to complete a private placement (the "Offering") of up to 10,000,000 units of the Corporation ("Units") at a price of $0.25 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $2,500,000. There will be no minimum subscription level for the Offering.

Each Unit will consist of one common share in the share capital of the Corporation ("Common Share") issued as a "flow-through share" (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act") (each a "Flow-Through Share") and one warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one ordinary (non-flow through) Common Share at a price of $0.40 per Common Share at anytime within 24 months following the date of issuance of the Warrant.

Warrants will be subject to an acceleration clause such that if the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange is at least $0.50 per Common Share for a period of 20 consecutive trading days, the expiry date of the Warrants may be accelerated by the Corporation to a date that is not less than 30 days after the date that notice of such acceleration is provided to the Warrant holders by way of a press release.

Net proceeds of the Offering are expected to be used to fund the exploration and development of the Corporation's Sundog and Esker gold projects in Nunavut's Kivalliq Region, and the Corporation's Mount Cameron silver-lead-zinc property in Yukon's Mayo Mining District. Although the Corporation intends to use the proceeds of the offering as described above, the actual allocation of proceeds may vary from the uses set out above, depending upon future operations, events or opportunities.

The Corporation will undertake to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" as defined in subsection 66.1(6) of the Tax Act and "flow through critical mineral mining expenditures" as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Tax Act (the "Qualifying Expenditures") and such Qualifying Expenditures will be renounced to the subscribers of Flow-Through Shares with an effective date of no later than December 31, 2026 (provided the subscriber is dealing at arms' length with the Corporation at all relevant times and certain other tax requirements are met), and in an amount equal to the aggregate purchase price of the Flow-Through Shares paid by such subscriber under the Offering.

The Common Shares and Warrants will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance.

The Corporation may pay finder's fees in connection with the Offering in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, and will be conducted in accordance with applicable securities laws.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities 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 U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

About Guardian Exploration Inc.

Guardian Exploration Inc. is a TSXV-listed company (TSXV: GX) (OTCQB: GXUSF) (FSE: R6B) engaged in oil, gas, and mineral exploration and development. Guardian's assets include the Sundog and Esker gold projects in Nunavut's Kivalliq Region, the Mount Cameron Property in Yukon's Mayo Mining District, and the Kaigani claims in Southeast Alaska.

On Behalf of the Board of Guardian Exploration Inc.

"Graydon Kowal"

Graydon Kowal

President & Chief Executive Officer

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 STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

Forward-looking statements in this news release are based on management's expectations as of the date hereof and relate primarily to the Corporation's 2026 exploration plans, project evaluation activities, and strategic objectives.

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding planned or future exploration activities, potential follow-up programs, the advancement of exploration targets, potential drilling programs, future permitting, and the Corporation's strategic objectives and priorities.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable at the time they are made, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, exploration and development risks, results of exploration activities, availability of financing, receipt of regulatory and stock exchange approvals, permitting timelines, environmental and Indigenous consultation processes, operational and logistical challenges, commodity price fluctuations, and general economic and market conditions.

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. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Corporation 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 applicable law.

###

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291859

Source: Guardian Exploration Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Eureka Lithium Corp. (CSE: ERKA) (OTCQB: UREKF) (FSE: S58) ("Eureka Lithium" or "Eureka" or the "Company") issues this news release as the result of a review by the British Columbia Securities Commission ("BCSC Review") to clarify disclosure contained in the Company's news release dated March 6, 2026 which inadvertently omitted to reference one additional block of mineral claims as having lapsed. Accordingly, the Company wishes to clarify that it has allowed to lapse approximately 1094 mineral claims comprising the Raglan West project, approximately 550 mineral claims comprising the Raglan South project, approximately 1255 mineral claims comprising the North Shore Block (not previously disclosed), and approximately 1601 mineral claims comprising the New Leaf project (collectively making up the "Nunavik Projects"). Accordingly, at this time, the Company retains approximately 158 claims ("Remaining Claims") relating to the Nunavik projects. The Company notes that the cost of renewing the lapsed mineral claims would have been approximately $680,570. The Company further notes that it is actively considering whether or not to renew the Remaining Claims, at a cost of $26,544.

The Company also notes that, as a result of the BCSC Review, it has filed an amended and restated material change report in respect of the lapsed mineral claims, and that it has also filed an amended and restated Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025. Both of these documents may be obtained under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

The Company recently acquired (please see news release dated January 28 and February 26, 2026) a 100% interest in the Cabin Lake Silver-Gold-Zinc-Lead Project located in the Omineca Mining District of British Columbia and a 100% interest in the Tyee Titanium-Vanadium Project, located within the Havre-St-Pierre region of Quebec.

About Eureka Lithium Corp.

Eureka Lithium Corp is a Canadian mineral exploration company. The Company owns a option to acquire a 100% interest in the Cabin Lake Polymetallic Project, located in the Omineca Mining District of British Columbia, and a 100% interest in the Tyee Titanium-Vanadium Project, located within the Havre-St-Pierre region of Quebec. For more information, investors should review the Company's filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca.

Cautionary Statement

Except for the statements of historical fact, this news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. "Forward-looking information" in this news release includes statements respecting the Stairway Claims and Remaining Claims and the Company's intentions with respect to its mineral properties. The forward-looking information in this news release reflects the current expectations, assumptions and/or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (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/291851

Source: Eureka Lithium Corp.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Meredith Eades, President and Chief Executive Officer, EraNova Metals Inc. ("EraNova Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV: NOVA), shares the Company's story in an interview with TMX Group.





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0XPhH7Vmrk

The "View From The C-Suite" video interview series highlights the unique perspectives of listed companies on Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange. These videos provide insight into how company executives think in the current business environment. To see the latest "View From The C-Suite" visit https://www.tsx.com/en/c-suite.

About EraNova Metals Inc. (TSXV: NOVA)

EraNova Metals is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on advancing precious and base metal projects across western Canada. The Company's flagship asset is the Ruby Creek Property, a 29,700-hectare land package near Atlin, BC that hosts both the Adanac Molybdenum Project, a development-stage deposit, and the Atlin Discovery Project, an emerging pipeline of high-grade gold, silver, copper, and tungsten zones. EraNova also holds two additional 100%-owned assets: the Big Ledge Zinc-Lead Project, located 57 km south of Revelstoke, BC, and the South Thompson Nickel Project in west-central Manitoba.

To learn more, visit: www.eranovametals.com

SOURCE Toronto Stock Exchange

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291864

Source: Toronto Stock Exchange
North Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 9, 2026) - Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) ("Lion One" or the "Company") provides a strategic operational update for its 100% owned Tuvatu Gold Mine in Fiji for March 2026.

"Tuvatu is a high-grade asset with significant potential, and our focus now is on translating that potential into consistent, repeatable performance," stated Campbell Olsen, CEO of Lion One Metals. "Over the coming months, our efforts will be firmly directed toward reliability, discipline, and execution across the operation as we strengthen equipment and power reliability, advance our development pipeline, and position Tuvatu for sustainable long-term production."

Operational Overview

During March, the Tuvatu mine delivered:

Average mill feed grade of approximately 4.97 g/t Au versus a budget of 4.65 g/t Au.

Gold production trending toward plan, with Week 12 ounces recovered at 306 oz versus 308 oz budgeted.

Development performance improving into month-end, with total development in Week 12 at 102% of plan and jumbo development at 135% of plan.

These results were achieved while the operation continued to experience lower-than-planned throughput due to equipment availability and power reliability constraints.

Reliability and Infrastructure

Improving asset reliability and site power stability is a central focus for 2026. Key initiatives underway include:

Commissioning of new Yantai boggers and ordering critical parts for multiple loaders to support higher stoping tonnes.

Refurbishment strategy for the generator fleet, including returning Generator 7 from New Zealand and a condition assessment of the remaining units to underpin a revised power strategy.

Ongoing upgrades to the site HV network and a metering replacement at the Waimilika solar installation, which is expected to improve grid power performance and solar savings once completed.

The Company has reintroduced an Approval for Expenditure (AFE) process to prioritise capital and maintenance spending on these reliability workstreams.

Growth and Project Pipeline

Lion One is advancing a suite of projects designed to support medium-term growth and operating resilience at Tuvatu:

Tailings Storage Facility Stage 2B: Contractor selected; a contract in the order of $6.5 million (VEP) is targeted for execution in April 2026 to enable mobilisation ahead of the dry season.

Flotation circuit: Building permit drawings have been lodged with Nadi Town Council, structural works are progressing, and detonator magazine expansion is nearing completion.

Evaporation system: A Limited Purchase Order has been issued to MineTek and detailed design is underway.

Site facilities: Planning continues for changeroom expansion, a new surface sub-station for the west zone portal, additional workshops, vehicle parking, and a mine inventory warehouse.

On the geology front, infill and resource growth drilling continued on the UR2 and URA vein systems, with four underground rigs operating and a fifth surface rig added in Week 11. The western decline reached the URA vein system and ore development has commenced, opening an additional production front.

Near-term Priorities

For the coming quarter, Lion One's strategic operating priorities at Tuvatu are to:

Stabilise and improve underground equipment availability, especially loaders and long-hole drills, to increase stoping contribution to mill feed.

Strengthen power reliability through implementation of the generator refurbishment plan, HV network upgrades and EFL engagement, alongside optimisation of the Waimilika solar installation.

Deliver the TSF Stage 2B, flotation circuit and evaporation projects on schedule to support production, compliance and future expansion.

Advance development and stoping in the 1068 and 1066 levels and the URA area to build multiple high-grade feed sources.

Qualified Person

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.

Investor Relations

Lion One announces that it has entered into an investor relations agreement dated April 1, 2026 with Alliance Advisors Canada Corp., doing business as Alliance Advisors Investor Relations ("Alliance Advisors IR"), to support the Company's communications and investor outreach efforts in North America (the "Agreement").

Pursuant to the Agreement, the engagement is for an initial period of six months for a fee of C$15,000 per month for investor relations and communications services (the "Services"). The Services will include investor relations support, investor targeting, access and engagement support, and public relations and media engagement. Prior to September 30, 2026, either party can terminate the Agreement with a 60-day prior written notice, before the Agreement auto-renews for successive six-month terms. Alliance Advisors IR and its employees are arm's length to the Company. Alliance Advisors IR and its employees have no direct or indirect interest in the Company or its securities and have no intention or right to acquire such an interest. In addition, no securities of the Company will be issued as compensation. The Agreement is subject to Exchange approval.

For further inquiries, the contact details for Alliance Advisors are as follows: Alyssa Barry, President, 400-22 E 5th Ave., Vancouver, BC, V5T 1G8, abarry@allianceadvisors.com, 1-833-947-5227.

About Lion One Metals Limited

Lion One is a Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with 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.

About Alliance Advisors IR

With headquarters in the U.S. and Canada, Alliance Advisors Investor Relations implements strategic IR programs to meet the specific needs of clients across diverse sectors. Leveraging industry best practices and modern investor strategies, the firm's seasoned professionals help clients navigate complex markets, drive shareholder engagement, and support their strategic growth on a global scale. Alliance Advisors IR is a division of Alliance Advisors, a global leader in shareholder engagement and governance advisory. For more information, visit allianceadvisorsir.com.

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility or the adequacy or accuracy of this release



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 labour 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/291874

Source: Lion One Metals Limited
"A federal pilot built on the 0.3% THC loophole is reshaping cannabinoid access policy-without FDA approval, without reimbursement transparency, and without advance market notice" stated Duane Boise, CEO MMJ International Holdings.

WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / April 9, 2026 / MMJ Holdings Throws Its Weight Into the Legal Fight

A cannabis biopharma company is seeking to join the federal lawsuit challenging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) new hemp and CBD pilot program, adding a pharmaceutical voice to a government-sanctioned program allowing untested and unregulated hemp products into the marketplace.

MMJ International Holdings and its subsidiaries, MMJ BioPharma Labs and MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, have moved to join the lawsuit filed by Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and other plaintiffs against CMS and federal health officials.

The move comes after the court denied the plaintiffs' emergency request for a temporary restraining order on March 31, allowing the program to launch while the litigation continues. The court is scheduled to hold a preliminary injunction hearing on April 20.

SAM and its co-plaintiffs filed suit on March 30 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking to block CMS's new Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive, or BEI. The optional Innovation Center program allows participating organizations to discuss eligible hemp-derived products with Medicare beneficiaries and, under the model's rules, furnish them for symptom management.

CMS has argued that the BEI is not a broad Medicare coverage expansion and does not directly reimburse hemp or CBD products in the same way as a traditional Medicare benefit.

SAM has a long history of opposing cannabis reform and has consistently fought state legalization measures, cannabis banking legislation, and broader federal recognition of cannabis-derived products. In the current case, SAM argues that CMS created the pilot without going through the formal notice-and-comment process required under the Administrative Procedure Act.

The plaintiffs also contend that the program conflicts with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and with CMS's own previous position that cannabis products are not eligible for Medicare coverage.

At the center of the case is a larger policy debate over whether CMS can use an innovation model to create a limited access pathway for hemp-derived CBD products before the FDA has approved them as prescription drugs. Supporters of the pilot say it could improve access for patients with chronic conditions. Opponents argue it effectively endorses unapproved substances without sufficient scientific or legal safeguards.

MMJ's position differs from SAM's broader anti-cannabis stance. The company has publicly argued that cannabinoid products should move through the FDA's botanical drug pathway before they receive federal reimbursement or endorsement.

According to court filings, MMJ describes itself as a developer of plant-derived cannabinoid therapeutics and says it has spent years pursuing cannabinoid drug development for Huntington's disease and multiple sclerosis. The company has repeatedly criticized the CMS pilot in a series of March press releases, warning that the government is moving toward reimbursement before scientific evidence and FDA review are complete.

In one March 27 statement, MMJ CEO Duane Boise said, "A soft-gel is a medicine; a gummy is a snack."

Federal defendants do not oppose MMJ joining the lawsuit. However, they are asking the court to reject the plaintiffs' request to delay the briefing schedule and postpone the April 20 hearing.

The government argues that MMJ has been publicly criticizing the BEI since early March and was aware of the lawsuit no later than March 31, when the company issued a press release linking directly to the complaint. Yet MMJ did not seek to join the case until April 7, less than 48 hours before the government's opposition brief was due.

According to the defendants, the timing suggests MMJ is being added not because of any urgent injury, but because the court raised questions during the March 31 hearing about whether the original plaintiffs have legal standing, unlike MMJ Holdings, which has invested millions over several years to build its cannabinoid drug development program.

MMJ sees the issue very differently. The company argues that it has spent years and millions of dollars pursuing the FDA botanical drug pathway, conducting research, seeking federal approvals, and building cannabinoid therapies for serious conditions such as Huntington's disease and multiple sclerosis. From MMJ's perspective, the CMS pilot creates an uneven playing field by allowing hemp-derived products to reach Medicare beneficiaries through a federal program without first meeting the same FDA standards that MMJ has been required to satisfy.

MMJ has repeatedly argued in public statements that the BEI could undercut companies investing in formal drug development while opening the door to products that have not undergone the same clinical testing, manufacturing controls, or regulatory scrutiny. In that sense, MMJ is not opposing cannabinoid medicine itself. Rather, it argues that if the federal government is going to support cannabinoid products, it should do so through the same approval process that pharmaceutical developers have been required to follow.

The filing further suggests that the government may contest MMJ's public statements that the FDA has accepted its investigational drug applications and that it has a federally authorized Huntington's disease program. Defendants said they may seek permission to submit confidential declarations under seal to address those claims.

Defendants additionally argue that MMJ cannot demonstrate irreparable harm because its alleged injuries, including reduced investor confidence, future competitive disadvantage, and lost earnings, are speculative and tied to products that remain years away from commercialization.

The government contends that delaying the case would create more uncertainty around the newly launched pilot program and could discourage healthcare organizations from participating while the lawsuit remains unresolved.

The court has not yet ruled on whether MMJ may join the case or whether the April 20 hearing will proceed as scheduled.

WRITTEN BY PAM CHMIEL

CONTACT:

Madison Hisey

MHisey@mmjih.com

203-231-8583

SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/mmj-international-holdings-enters-legal-fight-over-cms-hemp-pilot-1156544
Vostok-Invest Investment Company to Hold Shareholders' Meeting on April 24

Vostok-Invest Investment Company will hold its annual general meeting of shareholders on April 24, 2026, via remote participation. The agenda includes approval of the annual report, financial results, and profit distribution, as well as decisions regarding management bodies and investment activities.

Vostok-Invest operates in the investment services and asset management market. The company was registered in the 1990s and specializes in securities and corporate rights transactions. According to publicly available data, the ownership structure is centered around a group of private investors, with control concentrated among Ukrainian individuals.
Vi has officially launched its 5G services in Chennai. With this deployment, Vis 5G network is now active in all five major Indian metropolitan citiesMumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Chennaias well as 50 other cities nationwide.

Nationwide and Regional Expansion Plans

The Chennai launch is part of Vis broader 5G rollout strategy, which targets a total footprint of 133 cities across 17 priority circles. Earlier this month, the company outlined plans to introduce its 5G network to 90 additional cities across India.

In the Tamil Nadu region, the company is prioritizing industrial hubs, high-data-consumption centers, and emerging urban clusters. By May 2026, Vi plans to extend its 5G services to the following locations:

Coimbatore, Salem, and Tiruppur: Key industrial centers.

Key industrial centers. Vellore: A regional healthcare and education hub.

A regional healthcare and education hub. Tiruchirappalli (Trichy): A major educational and commercial center.

A major educational and commercial center. Pondicherry: The neighboring Union Territory.

The neighboring Union Territory. Technology and Infrastructure

To facilitate the network rollout and manage performance, Vi has partnered with Nokia to install energy-efficient infrastructure. The deployment utilizes Artificial Intelligence-powered Self-Optimizing Networks (SON), which are designed to automatically regulate and optimize overall network performance.

The company recently announced a three-season sponsorship agreement with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), serving as the teams Official Communications Partner.

Commenting on the launch, Sai Venkataraman, Circle Business Head  Tamil Nadu, Vi said:

We are accelerating the expansion of Vis 5G network across Tamil Nadu & Pondicherry, strengthening our footprint across key markets in the state. The launch in Chennai, along with our existing presence in Madurai and upcoming rollouts in cities like Coimbatore, Trichy, Salem, Tiruppur and Vellore, marks an important step in this journey. Our investments in strengthening the network, combined with the growing adoption of our Unlimited Data plans like Vi Non-Stop Hero are driving strong growth in data consumption. We remain focused on delivering a superior network experience as we bring next-generation connectivity to more customers across the circle.
Google has introduced Notebooks in the Google Gemini app to help users structure chats, files, and ongoing work in a single space. The feature extends the earlier connection with NotebookLM and is designed to support organized handling of study material, research inputs, and multi-step projects by grouping related content together and maintaining context across tools.

Notebooks in Gemini

Notebooks provide a dedicated workspace within Google Gemini where users can group and manage related content around a specific topic. They can be created from the side panel using the New notebook option, after which users can add existing chats, attach supporting files such as PDFs and documents, and define custom instructions to guide responses within that notebook.

The content stored in a notebook is used as contextual input for Geminis responses along with its built-in capabilities and web search. Notebooks are also shared across Google products and stay synchronized with NotebookLM, allowing the same sources to be accessed in both apps without re-adding them.

Key features

Notebook creation from the Gemini side panel

Centralized organization of topic-based content

Ability to move or consolidate past chats into a notebook

Support for adding reference files such as PDFs and documents

Custom instruction support for controlling notebook-specific behavior

Shared source access across Google Gemini and NotebookLM

Access to NotebookLM outputs like Video Overviews, Infographics, and Cinematic Video Overviews

Handling of multiple sources within a single notebook environment

Scaling capabilities based on subscription plan limits for larger workloads

Continuous sync to ensure data consistency across both apps

Availability

Notebooks in Gemini are rolling out on the web starting this week for users subscribed to Google AI Ultra, Pro, and Plus plans.

The rollout will expand over the coming weeks to mobile platforms, additional regions across Europe, and eventually to free users. The feature is not available for users under 18, nor for Workspace and Education accounts.
The Nintendo Switch lineup in 2026 delivers a mix of sequels, remasters, and new entries for both the original console and the shiny Switch 2. Gamers can expect upcoming Nintendo Switch games 2026 to fill the year with action, RPGs, and platformers that leverage backward compatibility. These Nintendo Switch releases keep the momentum going strong after the Switch 2 launch.

Titles like enhanced editions and cross-gen support mean original Switch owners won't feel left out. Developers spread launches across months, giving players steady reasons to power up their handhelds.

What Nintendo Switch Games Are Coming Out in 2026?

Early 2026 kicks off with heavy hitters among upcoming Nintendo Switch games 2026. "WWE 2K26" lands on March 13 exclusively for Switch 2, packing updated rosters, smoother animations, and online multiplayer modes that wrestling fans crave. Just two weeks later, "Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Switch 2 Edition" drops on March 26, introducing fresh levels like the vibrant Bellabel Park alongside improved visuals and Wonder Flower effects optimized for the new hardware.

April brings a diverse batch of Nintendo Switch releases. On April 7, "People of Note" offers a narrative-driven adventure where players uncover stories through music and memory. "Demon Castle Story" and "Pokemon Champions" both hit April 8 the former a pixel-art Metroidvania with castle sieges, the latter a competitive PvP Pokemon title focused on global trainer showdowns. Wrapping the month, "MIO: Memories in Orbit" (April 10) delivers emotional sci-fi storytelling, while "The Rogue Prince of Persia" blends roguelite combat with Persian mythology on the same day.

Summer months feature standouts. "Hollow Knight: Silksong - Sea of Sorrow" expands the beloved Metroidvania world with new abilities and haunting boss fights. "Enter the Gungeon 2" ramps up the bullet-hell chaos, and "Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave" weaves tactical depth with branching narratives. Nintendo Life has been tracking these closely, highlighting how they bridge Switch 1 and 2 libraries seamlessly.

Later in the year, expect "Professor Layton and The New World of Steam" for brain-teasing puzzles, "Human Fall Flat 2" for physics-based laughs, and "Phasmophobia" for chilling co-op ghost hunts. These span genres, ensuring something for every player diving into upcoming Nintendo Switch games 2026.

When Are the Next Nintendo Switch Games Coming Out?

Nintendo Switch releases in 2026 start rolling from March and pace out through December, with many windowed for summer and later months. March packs punches: "WWE 2K26" (March 13), "Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch 2 Edition" (March 26), "Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection" for monster-taming RPG action, and "Legacy of Kain: Ascendance" on March 31a gothic revival with soul-reaping combat.

April stays busy:

"People of Note" (April 7): Rhythm-infused storytelling.

Rhythm-infused storytelling. "Pokemon Champions" (April 8): Arena battles with meta-shifting mechanics.

Arena battles with meta-shifting mechanics. "MIO: Memories in Orbit" (April 10): Orbiting satellites and personal tales.

Orbiting satellites and personal tales. "The Rogue Prince of Persia" (April 10): Time-rewind platforming.

Summer is filled with tentpoles like "Hollow Knight: Silksong", "Enter the Gungeon 2", "Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave", "Minecraft Dungeons II", and "Turok: Origins"a primal FPS reboot. IGN recently updated their list, noting how Switch 2's power elevates these ports.

Original Switch holds its own with "Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta", "Dragon Quest VII Reimagined", "DECAPOLICE" (detective thriller), "Wandering Sword" (wuxia RPG), and "Shenmue III Enhanced". Switch 2 exclusives shine brighter, but cross-compatibility lets everyone join in. Game Informer calendars confirm most dates, with flex for Nintendo Direct surprises.

Here's a quick release calendar for upcoming Nintendo Switch games 2026:

March: "WWE 2K26" (13th), "Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch 2 Ed." (26th), "Monster Hunter Stories 3", "Legacy of Kain: Ascendance" (31st).

"WWE 2K26" (13th), "Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch 2 Ed." (26th), "Monster Hunter Stories 3", "Legacy of Kain: Ascendance" (31st). April: "People of Note" (7th), "Pokemon Champions"/"Demon Castle Story" (8th), "MIO"/"Prince of Persia" (10th).

"People of Note" (7th), "Pokemon Champions"/"Demon Castle Story" (8th), "MIO"/"Prince of Persia" (10th). Summer: "Hollow Knight: Silksong", "Fire Emblem", "Minecraft Dungeons II", "Turok: Origins".

"Hollow Knight: Silksong", "Fire Emblem", "Minecraft Dungeons II", "Turok: Origins". Later/TBD: "Professor Layton", "Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter", "Overwatch".

Nintendo Switch Games Releasing in 2026 Confirmed?

Plenty of Nintendo Switch releases stand confirmed for 2026, backed by publisher announcements. April locks in "Pragmata" (cyberpunk action), "Darwin's Paradox" (eco-thriller), "Outbound" (space survival), and "Mouse: P.I. for Hire" (noir detective platformer). These come straight from Nintendo Life previews.

Switch 2 gets "Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter" (summer epic JRPG), "Overwatch" (hero shooter refresh), "Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault" (roguelite shopkeeping), and "MotoGP 26" (racing sim). Original Switch titles like those keep libraries robust.

Wikipedia's Switch 2 games list verifies ongoing support, with no major droughts. Casual checks on YouTube roundups echo the hype around March-April clusters. Delays happen, but these hold firm as of April 2026.

Top 15 Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games 2026 Ranked

Diving deeper into upcoming Nintendo Switch games 2026, here's a numbered top 15 based on buzz, gameplay innovation, and fan demand:

"Hollow Knight: Silksong - Sea of Sorrow" (Summer, Switch 2): Expansive world, silk-weaving combatyears in the making. "Pokemon Champions" (April 8): Pure PvP, custom teams, ranked ladders. "Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave" (Summer): Strategy layers with fate-altering choices. "Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch 2 Edition" (March 26): Elephant Mario upgrades, new worlds. "Enter the Gungeon 2" (Summer): Infinite guns, deeper runs. "Professor Layton and The New World of Steam" (TBD): Steampunk riddles galore. "WWE 2K26" (March 13): Universe mode revamp. "Minecraft Dungeons II" (Summer): Bigger biomes, enchantments. "Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection" (March): Kinship evolutions. "Legacy of Kain: Ascendance" (March 31): Vampire saga returns. "Pragmata" (April): Moon-base chases. "The Rogue Prince of Persia" (April 10): Acrobatic escapes. "Turok: Origins" (Summer): Dinosaur hunts reloaded. "Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault" (TBD): Dungeon profits. "Darwin's Paradox" (April): Evolution sim-action.

Essential Nintendo Switch Releases to Pre-Order in 2026

Upcoming Nintendo Switch games 2026 shape up as a banner year, blending nostalgia with next-gen polish across platforms. Pre-orders open soon for March titles, and watching Nintendo Directs catches any shifts. Dive into these Nintendo Switch releases to build your backlogplenty awaits discovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Nintendo Switch games are coming out in March 2026?

March features "WWE 2K26" on the 13th, "Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch 2 Edition" on the 26th, "Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection", and "Legacy of Kain: Ascendance" on the 31st. These kick off the year with wrestling, platforming, RPGs, and gothic action.

2. Which games will be released in April 2026?

April includes "People of Note" (7th), "Demon Castle Story" and "Pokemon Champions" (both 8th), plus "MIO: Memories in Orbit" and "The Rogue Prince of Persia" (both 10th). Additional confirmed titles: "Pragmata", "Darwin's Paradox", "Outbound", and "Mouse: P.I. for Hire".

3. What are the top summer 2026 Nintendo Switch games?

Summer highlights "Hollow Knight: Silksong - Sea of Sorrow", "Enter the Gungeon 2", "Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave", "Minecraft Dungeons II", and "Turok: Origins". These bring Metroidvanias, roguelikes, tactics, and FPS action to Switch 2 with backward compatibility.
April 3, 2026

Lustre received a snowfall overnight and how refreshing to see its brightness and watch it melt through the 55 degree day. Its the Easter Weekend!

Good Friday services were held for the combined churches at the EMB Church. The church...
The hunt was on last week as children across Glasgow celebrated Easter at various community events.

On Thursday, April 2, the staff and residents of Valley View Home welcomed children to rummage around their courtyard and reception area, both scatter...
Once again, the Montana State Elks Association (MSEA) State Major Project for 2025 was to provide funding grants for Volunteer Rural Fire Departments (VFD) throughout the State.

There was a submission process and applications were due to each departm...
Former Army Employee and Top Secret Clearance Holder Arrested and Charged with Leaking Classified National Defense Information

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

The FBI arrested Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina yesterday and a federal grand jury indicted her today in connection with her alleged transmission of classified national defense information to individuals not authorized to receive it, including a journalist (the Journalist). Williams allegedly violated 18 U.S.C.  793(d).

"Clearance holders accept a solemn obligation to protect the classified information entrusted to them," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. "That they do so is critical to the security of our Nation. When clearance holders violate that trust, the National Security Division will act swiftly to hold them accountable."

"We trust our war fighting individuals to cooperate as a team to protect our military and country," said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Ellis Boyle. "We will pursue criminal charges to keep these warriors safe whenever we find leakers exalting their own feelings over the safety of the United States."

"Courtney Williams swore an oath to safeguard our nation's secrets as an employee supporting a Special Military Unit of the Army, but she allegedly betrayed that oath by sharing classified information with a media outlet and putting our nation, our warfighters, and our allies at risk," said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI's Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. "This indictment should serve as a stark warning to all current and former clearance holders thinking of violating their positions of trust. If you jeopardize our national security by disclosing classified information without authorization, the FBI will hold you accountable for your crimes."

"The tradecraft, tactics, and techniques used by the U.S. military unit in this case are classified and should be shared only with those with proper clearances and a need to know in order to protect American lives and safeguard classified National Defense information," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. "These are serious accusations. Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nation's security."

According to court documents, from 2010 to 2016, Williams worked for a Special Military Unit (SMU) and held a Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance. As a clearance holder, Williams received training as to the proper handling, safeguarding, and storage of classified information. Williams also signed a Classified Nondisclosure Agreement which, in relevant part, confirmed her understanding that the unauthorized disclosure of classified information could constitute a criminal offense. In her role at the SMU, Williams had daily access to a broad range of classified information.

As alleged, between 2022 and 2025, Williams repeatedly communicated with the Journalist via telephone and text messages. During this period, Williams and the Journalist had over 10 hours of telephone calls and exchanged more than 180 messages. In one such message, the Journalist identified themselves as a journalist and stated that they sought information about the SMU in support of an upcoming article and book. After these communications with Williams, the Journalist published a book and article that named Williams as a source and attributed specific statements to her. Some of these statements contained classified national defense information. In addition to her disclosures to the Journalist, Williams also made unauthorized disclosures of national defense information via her social media accounts.

On the day the article and book were published, Williams exchanged several messages with the Journalist. In one such message, Williams stated that she was "concerned about the amount of classified information being disclosed." In a separate message to a third party, Williams added that, "I might actually get arrested . . . for disclosing classified information." In a subsequent message, Williams citied a statutory provision of the Espionage Act. And when asked how she knew that she may face legal consequences for her disclosures to the Journalist, Williams responded, "I have known my entire career," adding that "they tell you everyday . . . 100 times a day." Finally, in a message to a different third party, Williams stated that she was "probably going to jail for life."

The FBI Charlotte Field Office is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorneys Menno Goedman and Matt Hracho of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Components: National Security Division (NSD)

USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

Press Release Number: 26-331

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Foreign Minister Tsahkna: Estonia will continue to cooperate with international partners to expose Russia's hostile cyber activities

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

08.04.2026 | 17:12

Yesterday, 7 April, the operation of APT28, a cyber espionage unit run by Russia's military intelligence (GRU), was exposed as a result of extensive international cooperation, in which Estonia also participated. The aim of the operation was to exploit routers in Western countries and to steal login credentials, personal data and other sensitive information. A small number of routers belonging to Estonian users were also compromised.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna commended the Estonian Internal Security Service for its participation in the operation, which resulted in blocking the unit's access to routers and preventing hostile cyber espionage activities by the GRU. "Russia continues to systematically exploit the cyber space of Western countries in order to obtain sensitive information and undermine our sense of security," Tsahkna noted.

The minister added that cyberattacks play a significant role in Russia's broader hybrid war against Western countries, aimed at destabilising and dividing our societies through sustained subversive activities, thereby supporting Russia's war effort in Ukraine. "We must continue close cooperation with international partners to protect Estonia's networks and to detect malicious attempts at destabilisation."

Director General of the Estonian Internal Security Service Margo Palloson noted that cyber espionage has become one of the most commonly used intelligence-gathering methods by hostile intelligence services.

"International cooperation is therefore of crucial importance in countering state-sponsored actors," he stressed.

He added that, in order to prevent such hostile activity, security updates must be installed without delay and outdated devices that no longer receive security updates must be replaced. Cybersecurity is important at both the individual and organisational level.

In September 2024, Estonia attributed cyberattacks carried out against the Estonian state in 2020 to members of Unit 29155 of Russia's military intelligence (GRU). This marked the first time Estonia had attributed cyberattacks against the state to specific perpetrators.

This press release was prepared in cooperation with the Estonian Internal Security Service.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Contracts

Contracts for April 8, 2026

AIR FORCE

Anduril Industries Inc., Costa Mesa, California (FA881926DB0011); Astranis Space Technologies Corp., San Francisco, California (FA881926DB013); BAE Systems, Space Mission Systems Inc., Broomfield, Colorado (FA881926DB006); General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, San Diego, California (FA881926DB008); Intuitive Machines LLC, Houston, Texas (FA881926DB014); L3Harris Technologies Inc., Rochester, New York (FA881926DB003); Lockheed Martin Corp., Littleton, Colorado (FA881926DB004); Millennium Space Systems Inc., El Segundo, California (FA881926DB005); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Dulles, Virginia (FA881926DB001); Quantum Space LLC, Rockville, Maryland (FA881926DB002); Redwire Space Missions LLC, Littleton, Colorado (FA881926DB012); Sierra Space Corp., Louisville, Colorado (FA881926DB007); True Anomaly Inc., Centennial, Colorado (FA881926DB009); and Turion Space Corp., Irvine, California (FA881926DB010), were awarded a ceiling $1,843,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Andromeda program. This contract provides for the procurement of space-based space domain awareness capability. Work will be performed at various vendor facilities as indicated above and is expected to be completed by April 8, 2036. These contracts were competitive acquisitions and 32 offers were received. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,400,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Space Systems Command, El Segundo, California, is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 7, 2026).

Continental Electronics Corp., Dallas, Texas, was awarded a not-to-exceed $234,515,857 firm-fixed-price, and cost reimbursable undefinitized contract action for Homeland Defense Over the Horizon Radar (OTHR) transmit subsystem. This contract provides for a specialized transmit sub-system for an OTHR. Work will be performed in the continental U.S. and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2031. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $46,278,798 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA220426CB006). (Awarded April 1, 2026).

Lockheed Martin Services LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a maximum $105,000,000 firm-fixed-price task order for Global Positioning System IIIF launch with on-orbit test support. This contract provides for the Architecture Evolution Plan Operational control system to support launch, early orbit, and disposal operations for Global Positioning System IIIF space vehicles. Work will be performed at Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by March 2030. This task order was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $13,421,160 are being obligated at time of award. The Space Systems Command, Satellite Communication and Position, Navigation, and Timing, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the contracting activity (FA882326FB011).

BlueHalo LLC, Huntsville, Alabama, has been awarded a maximum $19,454,545 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for ceramics advanced materials and processes Task Order Four. This contract provides for the development of advanced ceramic materials (including structural monolithic ceramics, ceramic matrix composites, and select functional ceramic materials), processes, and sophisticated computational models. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 4, 2029. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2025 research, development test and evaluation funds in the amount of $600,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Department of Defense Activity Address Code, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA2394-26-F-B002). (Awarded Jan. 30, 2026).

NAVY

General Dynamics Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $55,059,996 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-19-C-6407) to exercise options to design, develop, integrate, test, and deliver the tactical control system for the AN/BYG-1 submarine combat control system. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by July 2027. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,690,377 (5%) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Tecmotiv (USA) Inc., Niagara Falls, New York, has been awarded a maximum $15,106,727 firm-fixed-price contract for fuel injection pumps. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 3204 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a one-year base contract with one, one-year option period. Locations of performance are New York, and South Carolina, with a June 12, 2031, delivery order completion date. Using military services is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2026 through 2027 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-26-C-0095).

*Small business

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4453890/

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Tennessee Guardsmen train on new Infantry Squad Vehicles

By Lt. Col. Darrin Haas April 7, 2026

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Guardsmen from the Tennessee National Guard's 278th Cavalry Regiment became the state's first licensed drivers on the Army's new Infantry Squad Vehicle during training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, March 31-April 2, marking a key step in the unit's transition to a faster, more deployable force.

The certification comes as the 278th begins converting from an Armored Brigade Combat Team to a Mobile Brigade Combat Team  a shift aligned with the Army's transformation efforts to field lighter, more agile units capable of rapid deployment in combat and domestic response missions.

Select Soldiers from across the state completed Infantry Squad Vehicle Operator New Equipment Training, hosted by the 101st Airborne Division, and will now return to their units to train others.

"I was thrilled to finally be able to get hands-on with these new vehicles so I can begin teaching my Soldiers about them," said Staff Sgt. Albert Ziss, training noncommissioned officer for Lebanon's 3rd Battalion. "Everyone at my unit has been looking forward to getting and operating these new ISVs since they were first announced."

Last May, the 278th learned it would be among the first National Guard units to transition to the Mobile Brigade Combat Team structure. MBCTs are designed to be lighter, faster and more lethal than traditional armored formations, while also being more cost-effective and deployable more quickly.

"For decades, the 278th has been Armored Cavalry and we pride ourselves on being the best at what we do," said Ziss. "So being one of the first National Guard units to transform into this new, more lethal structure is only fitting and we're proud to do it."

The Infantry Squad Vehicle is central to that transformation, enabling infantry Soldiers to move faster with their equipment, reach objectives more quickly and operate with greater flexibility on the battlefield.

"When we heard that we were getting these new ISVs as replacements to our current tactical vehicles, everyone was excited," said Ziss. "Now, after training with one, I see how incredibly easy they are to use and drive, and how much more versatile they are than our current vehicles. The ISV is so much better than we could've hoped for."

The nine-passenger ISV, built by GM Defense and based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 platform, is lightweight and designed for rapid deployment, including airdrop and helicopter sling-load operations.

"One of the many great things about these vehicles is that they are light, easy to work on, and can be configured to perform countless missions required by Soldiers," said Staff Sgt. Robert Mines, master driver for the 101st Airborne Division and course instructor. "Also, 90 percent of the parts required for maintaining the ISV are commercial, off-the-shelf. These vehicles are much easier to maintain and repair than their predecessors."

Because the ISV is based on a commercial platform, it is also easier for Soldiers to operate.

"It is not very difficult to drive or maintain these vehicles," said Mines. "They handle, maneuver, and run like a typical truck, so most Soldiers are very comfortable with that already. The dashboard and layout were kept like a traditional civilian car or truck, making it very intuitive to operate."

Despite those similarities, the ISV is built for combat and can transport nine Soldiers with full combat loads across rugged terrain. Its modular design allows units to configure the vehicle for a variety of mission sets.

"Staff Sgt. Mines gave all of us detailed training on all of the possible uses and capabilities of the ISVs and how to operate them safely while getting the most benefit from them," said Ziss. "I thought that one of the most interesting features was the ability to lock a rescue litter into the back to rapidly evacuate a wounded Soldier if needed. I hope I never have to use it, but glad to know it's there."

Units across Tennessee have begun receiving the new vehicles and will continue transitioning in the coming months. The newly certified operators are expected to accelerate fielding and help the 278th build a more agile and lethal force.

"These vehicles are just what we needed, and I look forward to getting them at our armories," said Ziss.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Senator Markey Calls for Trump Removal Over Threat to Eradicate "Civilization" in Iran

Office of Senator Ed Marykey (D-Mass.)

April 07, 2026

Boston (April 7, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement calling for the Congress to remove President Donald Trump from office after threatening "a whole civilization will die" if Iran and the United States do not reach a deal to end the war that Trump started.

"With each passing day, it becomes increasingly apparent that Donald Trump is unstable and a clear and present danger, not just to the American people but to the world. He must be removed from office before he causes incalculable and unfathomable harm.

"At this point, a war powers resolution, although required under our constitutional order, will not be enough. We have a warmonger in the White House. He has threatened war crimes on an apocalyptic scale and appears eager to commit them, including through the possible use of nuclear weapons. We cannot fund this illegal war. The Congress must act now.

"The House and Senate must return to session. The House must pass articles of impeachment, and then the Senate must vote to convict and remove the President. Or, the cabinet and Vice President, with congressional concurrence, must invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump. His threats cannot be dismissed as mere rhetoric. This is as grave a moment as the world has faced in the nuclear era."

###

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Trump meets NATO chief as Iran war strains alliance

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [20:35]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

President Donald Trump welcomes NATO chief Mark Rutte to the White House on Wednesday, as the war with Iran has pushed U.S. relations with other members of the military alliance to a crisis point, according to Reuters.

The Republican president has threatened to withdraw from the 32-member transatlantic alliance and denounced Washington's European allies in recent weeks for what he said was inadequate support for the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran. Trump said on Tuesday the attacks would be paused after the two sides agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

Trump has called for countries that depend on oil from the Gulf region to break Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, but European countries are unlikely to join mine-clearing or other missions to free up navigation as long as hostilities continue, according to two European diplomats.

Iran has vowed to obstruct the vital chokepoint with mines until the war ends.

Conflict over Iran has worsened transatlantic anxieties over Ukraine, Greenland and military spending, although senior U.S. officials have privately reassured European governments that the administration remains committed to NATO, according to one of the two European officials, who was involved in such conversations.

"This is a dangerous point for the transatlantic alliance," said Oana Lungescu, a former NATO spokesperson now at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank.

When the two men meet, Rutte is likely to express a shared interest in restoring normal maritime trade after hostilities caused energy prices to spike globally, the first two diplomats said. He is also expected to attempt to sway the U.S. leader away from public criticism of the alliance, while touting steps European countries are taking to increase defense spending.

A NATO official said Rutte would seek to increase defense-industry cooperation and to discuss the wars in Iran and Ukraine.

But it is unclear whether NATO, a defensive alliance focused on North America and Europe, would play an extensive role in the Middle East. Rutte has not been tasked by European leaders with committing to an operation in the Strait of Hormuz when he meets with Trump, according to one of the diplomats.

"I expect he will keep up the dialogue on Ukraine and burden-shifting within NATO," another senior European diplomat said, adding that the former Dutch politician has said alliance members "should lean into opening Hormuz" after a ceasefire.

Trump's Oval Office meetings with foreign leaders are often a spectacle, with both praise and grievances aired publicly before television cameras. The White House has not said whether Trump and Rutte's meeting would be open to the press.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






UK calls for 'urgent end' to fighting in Lebanon amid US-Iran ceasefire

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [18:22]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Wednesday called for an end to fighting in Lebanon as she welcomed a temporary ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, according to Anadolu Agency.

US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday, saying Tehran presented a "workable" 10-point proposal for negotiations.

Cooper described the ceasefire as a "vital step towards establishing some security and stability in the region."

She also welcomed the scheduling of talks between the US and Iran later this week and thanked Pakistan for its role in helping to broker the agreement.

"It is vital that the proposed talks lead to a full end to the conflict and ensure that Iran does not continue to threaten the Strait or its neighbors. I also call for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon," she said.

Israel has said the ceasefire does not apply to its military operations in Lebanon and has continued its strikes there.

Cooper highlighted the UK's efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and push for a "swift resolution to the conflict," pointing to her recent meeting with representatives from more than 40 countries.

"Iran must cease all mining, drone attacks, and other attempts to block commercial shipping in the Strait immediately," she added. "We will continue to work internationally to support this ceasefire, to promote progress on negotiations, and to restore and protect security and stability for the region, and freedom of navigation for the world."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






April 8, 2026

By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News

Epic Fury Quelled for Now, Objectives Accomplished, U.S. Forces Remain Ready

In fewer than 40 days, unrelenting military action by America's joint force has helped accomplish all the goals President Donald J. Trump set for Operation Epic Fury.

Last night, Iranian leaders agreed to a ceasefire and to working with the president on a way ahead that includes, among other things, opening the Strait of Hormuz and abandoning Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

In a statement by the Iranian minister of foreign affairs, Iran agreed to negotiations with the U.S., a ceasefire and allowing two weeks of safe passage for ships through the strait.

On social media, the president said it was a "big day for world peace" and predicted a positive outcome for Iran and its neighbors. "Just like we are experiencing in the U.S., this could be the golden age of the Middle East."

The United States kicked off combat operations against Iran on Feb. 28, as part of Operation Epic Fury, with the goal of destroying Iran's offensive missiles, missile production, the Iranian navy and other security infrastructure  ensuring Iran never has nuclear weapons. Those goals have been accomplished.

"Together with our Israeli partners, America's military achieved every single objective on plan, on schedule, exactly as laid out from day one," Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said during a press briefing this morning at the Pentagon. "Iran's navy is at the bottom of the sea. ... Iran's air force has been wiped out. Iran no longer has ... any sort of a comprehensive air defense system; we own their skies. Their missile program is functionally destroyed: launchers, production facilities and existing stockpiles depleted and decimated."

Last night, Hegseth said, in more than 800 strikes in Iran, the U.S. completed the destruction of Iran's defense industrial base, meaning it will take decades for the Iranians to rebuild what was taken from them by America's joint force.

"We finished completely destroying Iran's defense industrial base, a core pillar of our mission objective," Hegseth said. "They can no longer build missiles, build rockets, build launchers or build [unmanned aircraft systems]. Their factories have been razed to the ground, set back in historic fashion."

Over the course of 38 days of combat operations, said Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the American joint force struck more than 13,000 targets, including 4,000 dynamic targets that materialize once aircraft are already in the air.

"[U.S. Central Command] forces destroyed approximately 80% of Iran's air defense systems, striking more than 1,500 air defense targets, more than 450 ballistic missile storage facilities, 800 one-way attack drones storage facilities  all of these systems are gone," Caine said. "We've devastated Iran's command and control and logistical networks, destroying more than 2,000 command and control nodes and degrading their ability to target U.S. and friendly forces."

Assessments indicate the joint force has sunk more than 90% of the regular Iranian fleet  150 ships are at the bottom of the ocean, he said, as well as half of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy's small attack boats.

As a warrior himself, Caine sympathized with the Iranian commanders.

"It is, and we know this, incredibly frustrating right now to be a lower-level Iranian commander trying to fight your fight," he said.

Most important, Caine said, is that Iran's defense industrial base has been destroyed.

"We attacked, along with our partners, approximately 90% of their weapons factories," he said. "Every factory that produced Shahed one-way attack drones was struck; every factory that produces the guidance systems to go into those drones was struck. Their missile defense industrial base is shattered, with more than 80% of their missile facilities gone, as well as their solid rocket motor production capability."

With the destruction of more than 20 naval production facilities, Caine said, it will take Iran years to rebuild its surface fleet. And with 80% of its nuclear industrial base also hit, its ability to attain a nuclear weapon is also significantly degraded.

While Iran has agreed to a ceasefire, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and to sit down for negotiations with the United States, the U.S military remains in theater and on watch, he said.

"A ceasefire is a pause, and the joint force remains ready, if ordered or called upon, to resume combat operations with the same speed and precision as we've demonstrated over the last 38 days  and we hope that is not the case," Caine said.

The secretary said the conditions have been set by the joint force, and that now is the time for a deal to be reached.

"Now we have a chance at real peace and a real deal," he said. "The War Department, for now ... has done its part. We stand ready in the background to ensure Iran upholds every reasonable term. And as everyone knows, nobody makes a better deal than President Trump. To the warriors of Epic Fury, I say, 'Well done.' You're the backbone of our country. Your skill, your bravery and sheer guts and grit showed the world what America is all about. I'm proud of you; we're proud of you; the president is proud of you. Job well done."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Fuel Executive Gets Five Year Prison Sentence for Defrauding U.S. Military in Contract Bid Scam

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

Jasen Butler, 38, of Jupiter, Florida was sentenced today in West Palm Beach to 60 months in prison and criminal forfeiture by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks. In January, a jury convicted Butler of 34 counts of wire fraud, forgery, and money laundering.

According to the evidence at trial, Butler, the owner of Independent Marine Oil Services LLC, corrupted the competitive bidding process for military fuel contracts and submitted dozens of falsified documents such as wire transfer memos and invoices to multiple U.S. warships between August 2022 and January 2024. These ships were attempting to purchase fuel in international ports in Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Croatia to defend strategic American interests around the globe. Butler received over $4.5 million dollars in payments for phony expenses that Butler had not incurred.

After Butler came under scrutiny by Navy officials, he continued his scheme by concealing his identity from government officials. Butler adopted a false name and feigned employment by a fictitious fuel division of a different company. Butler used the millions in the proceeds of his crimes to personally enrich himself and purchase multiple multi-million-dollar properties in Florida and Colorado. Judge Middlebrooks has entered a preliminary order of forfeiture for those properties.

"The defendant stole millions of dollars from our military with a fake job, fake identity, and fake invoices," said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. "This administration takes defrauding the American military seriously with a prison sentence reflecting the seriousness of the crime."

"The Defendant made his choice: to rip off the federal government and the Navy to line his own pockets. The Justice Department made its choice: to pursue maximum incarceration for the Defendant. In response, Judge Middlebrooks rightly ordered the Defendant imprisoned for 5 years," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. "The Antitrust Division and its wonderful staff have zero tolerance for those who seek to corrupt competition."

"This sentence reflects the seriousness of what the evidence at trial showed: a calculated scheme that targeted the U.S. military for personal gain," said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quinones for the Southern District of Florida. "The defendant submitted false documents, stole millions in taxpayer funds, and then tried to hide behind a fake identity when scrutiny began. When you defraud our armed forces, you are not just committing fraud, you are undermining operations that protect this country. That conduct will be investigated, prosecuted, and punished."

"Today's sentencing sends a clear message: those who defraud the U.S. military will be held accountable," said Special Agent in Charge Josh Packer, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. "CGIS will continue to work with our investigative partners and the Department of Justice to identify, investigate, and hold those accountable who exploit government systems for personal gain."

"This outcome reinforces DCIS's commitment to safeguarding DoD resources and ensuring taxpayer funds are available for their intended purpose: supporting the readiness and effectiveness of the warfighter," said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. "This scheme stole millions from the American taxpayer and threatened to undermine a program essential for our global military operations. DCIS, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue and hold accountable those who seek to defraud our military and exploit systems designed to support our nation's warfighters."

"The sentencing of Jasen Butler sends the unequivocal message that the Department of the Navy has zero tolerance for fraud within its procurement systems," said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. "The SEA Card program is indispensable to the U.S. Navy's global readiness. NCIS, along with our federal partners, are committed to aggressively dismantling any criminal enterprise that attempts to exploit systems designed to enable U.S. warfighting capabilities around the globe."

The case was prosecuted by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida. The case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service, as a part of the Justice Department's Procurement Collusion Strike Force.

The Justice Department's Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government  federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.

Topic: Antitrust

Components:Office of the Attorney General

Antitrust Division

USAO - Florida, Southern

Press Release Number: 26-332

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






House Armed Services Committee Democrats' Priorities

House Armed Services Committee - Democrats

April 8, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement outlining HASC Democrats' priorities for the year ahead:

"We face many national security challenges. As we look to this year and beyond, Congress must play a critical role in addressing these issues. There will be opportunities to work together in a bipartisan manner and there will be occasions when House Armed Services Committee Democrats will strongly disagree with the Trump Administration. Chiefly, Congress must reestablish its authority and responsibility as a co-equal branch of government. Looking at the year ahead and beyond, the following areas will be a focus for the House Armed Services Committee Democrats:



Iran: We're over a month into Trump's disastrous war of choice and we've yet to receive a clear strategy from the president despite the staggering costs, including the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and hundreds more injured, billions' worth of munitions and military equipment lost, and the resulting chaos that has engulfed the Middle East and thrust the U.S. and global economies into freefall. Congress must fulfill its duty to provide oversight to ensure a complete accounting of the risks to U.S. service members and civilian harm and the use and replenishment of materiel.



We're over a month into Trump's disastrous war of choice and we've yet to receive a clear strategy from the president despite the staggering costs, including the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and hundreds more injured, billions' worth of munitions and military equipment lost, and the resulting chaos that has engulfed the Middle East and thrust the U.S. and global economies into freefall. Congress must fulfill its duty to provide oversight to ensure a complete accounting of the risks to U.S. service members and civilian harm and the use and replenishment of materiel. Oversight and Transparency: Holding more frequent public events, congressional investigations, and legislative action would serve as vital checks and balances on the Trump Administration. The staggering lack of transparency and adherence to the law by this administration has resulted in the expanded use of military force overseas without congressional authorization, including a major combat operation against Iran; the deployment of U.S. troops in American cities; the illegal repurposing of taxpayer funds; the use of the Department of Defense's weapons in U.S. domestic airspace; politicization of the military and civilian workforce; and the unilateral decision to rename the Department of Defense. The list of issues in need of congressional oversight and transparency is long and continues to grow.



Holding more frequent public events, congressional investigations, and legislative action would serve as vital checks and balances on the Trump Administration. The staggering lack of transparency and adherence to the law by this administration has resulted in the expanded use of military force overseas without congressional authorization, including a major combat operation against Iran; the deployment of U.S. troops in American cities; the illegal repurposing of taxpayer funds; the use of the Department of Defense's weapons in U.S. domestic airspace; politicization of the military and civilian workforce; and the unilateral decision to rename the Department of Defense. The list of issues in need of congressional oversight and transparency is long and continues to grow. Acquisition Reform and Innovation: Last year, Congress delivered acquisition reforms that will fundamentally shape future generations. We need to continue to build on these reforms to strengthen our domestic industrial base and deliver capabilities to the military in a faster and more cost-effective manner. And we need to do so with an eye toward procuring and sustaining needed capabilities in a way that is realistic both for industry and federal budget. This means taking a hard look at legacy systems, the future of warfare, and vanity projects that were put forward to pacify President Trump, while investing in key areas needed to provide for the defense of the country now and into the future.



Last year, Congress delivered acquisition reforms that will fundamentally shape future generations. We need to continue to build on these reforms to strengthen our domestic industrial base and deliver capabilities to the military in a faster and more cost-effective manner. And we need to do so with an eye toward procuring and sustaining needed capabilities in a way that is realistic both for industry and federal budget. This means taking a hard look at legacy systems, the future of warfare, and vanity projects that were put forward to pacify President Trump, while investing in key areas needed to provide for the defense of the country now and into the future. Returning to Appropriate Missions: The Trump Administration has deployed the U.S. military to U.S. cities, assigned judge advocates to serve as immigration judges, detailed civilians to the Department of Homeland Security, and carried out counterproductive culture wars against the military and civilian workforce, civilian educational and research institutions, and non-profit organizations. These political decisions detract from the military's core missions, reduce the Department's readiness, threaten our country's position at the forefront of global innovation, and erode public trust and confidence in the military. Reining in mission creep needs to be a focus of the committee.



The Trump Administration has deployed the U.S. military to U.S. cities, assigned judge advocates to serve as immigration judges, detailed civilians to the Department of Homeland Security, and carried out counterproductive culture wars against the military and civilian workforce, civilian educational and research institutions, and non-profit organizations. These political decisions detract from the military's core missions, reduce the Department's readiness, threaten our country's position at the forefront of global innovation, and erode public trust and confidence in the military. Reining in mission creep needs to be a focus of the committee. Competing for Talent: We must continue our focus on recruiting, developing, and retaining the military and civilian talent we need. To do so, we must provide military personnel, civilians, and their families with quality benefits and a reasonable standard of living. We also must celebrate their public service and respect their diverse backgrounds, views, and experiences. This requires addressing the Trump Administration's sustained assault on the federal workforce through denial of collective bargaining rights, arbitrary layoffs, the promotion of loyalty to a political ideology over competence for key senior military and civilian positions, and the erosion of the apolitical foundation of the armed forces by engaging in political speeches and rallies at military installations.



We must continue our focus on recruiting, developing, and retaining the military and civilian talent we need. To do so, we must provide military personnel, civilians, and their families with quality benefits and a reasonable standard of living. We also must celebrate their public service and respect their diverse backgrounds, views, and experiences. This requires addressing the Trump Administration's sustained assault on the federal workforce through denial of collective bargaining rights, arbitrary layoffs, the promotion of loyalty to a political ideology over competence for key senior military and civilian positions, and the erosion of the apolitical foundation of the armed forces by engaging in political speeches and rallies at military installations. International Partnerships and Alliances: The Trump Administration has alienated partners and allies through threats and intimidation. Partnerships and alliances, especially with NATO, are more important than ever, as are their contributions to global stability and the rules-based order. We must work to restore America's position as a reliable lawful partner, strengthen existing partnerships, and develop new ones to help ensure a more safe and secure world.

We have our work cut out for us, but House Armed Services Committee Democrats are working on behalf of our national security. We stand strong in our commitment to the duty of Congress to provide for the common defense. We are united in the fight to ensure that Congress fulfills its responsibility as a co-equal branch of government, regardless of who is president. We continue to stand in strong support of the service members, civilians, and military families who have dedicated themselves to keeping us safe at home and aboard. They are the heart and backbone of the national defense."

###

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






President congratulates Thai PM Anutin on reelection

KOREA.net

Apr 08, 2026

By Kim Hyelin

President Lee Jae Myung on April 7 over the phone congratulated Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on his reelection.

Prime Minister Anutin earned a second term last month after his conservative Pheu Thai Party won a landslide victory in the general elections in February.

He thanked President Lee for his congratulatory message, saying, "Amid global uncertainty, Thailand places high priority on cooperation with Korea, a strategic partner."

The prime minister also expressed hope for further development of bilateral relations after his reelection.

Both leaders pledged to deepen cooperation in sectors such as economy, national security, public safety and cultural exchange.

They also agreed on close cooperation to reach an early conclusion of their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which is undergoing negotiations, and help resolve the instability of global energy supply chains caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Anutin lauded Korea's efforts and policy to mitigate tension on the Korean Peninsula and pledged his solid support. President Lee in response expressed his gratitude and asked for Thailand's continuous interest and support.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Budrys's meeting with the Minister of Montenegro focuses on EU enlargement, security, and support for Ukraine

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Updated 2026-04-08

On 8 April, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kestutis Budrys, met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, Ervin Ibrahimovic, to discuss bilateral relations, EU enlargement prospects, transatlantic relations, strengthening security in Europe, and support for Ukraine.

According to Lithuania's head of diplomacy, the enlargement of the European Union is one of the key priorities of Lithuania's Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of next year.

"The open-door policy and the continued expansion of the European Union are strategic choice. The more like-minded nations sharing the same values are around us, the safer and stronger the European Union becomes. We greatly appreciate the progress Montenegro has made. Your example has shown that determined reforms, although difficult, deliver tangible results and bring a country closer to EU membership. EU enlargement, including the accession of Ukraine, will reinforce the security of the entire continent," said Budrys.

According to the Minister, to maintain the pace of negotiations, it is necessary to further strengthen the rule of law, combat corruption and organized crime, and ensure media independence. Both countries agreed to continue close dialogue and cooperation in pursuit of common European goals.

Lithuanian and Montenegrin Ministers discussed preparations for the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, the security situation in Europe, and the commitment made by Alliance members at the Hague summit to increase defense spending. Lithuania thanked Montenegro for its contribution to the security of the Baltic states and for the deployment of its troops to the NATO multinational battlegroup in Latvia. According to Budrys, transatlantic unity and the strengthening of the Alliance's defense capabilities remain essential factors in ensuring deterrence and regional stability.

Lithuania invited Montenegro to continue actively supporting Ukraineboth by expressing political positions and by voting in international organizationswith a view to tightening international sanctions against Russia and Belarus and participating in international accountability mechanisms. Possibilities for contributing to meeting Ukraine's urgent military needs were also discussed.

"The decisions we make today will determine what kind of Europe we will live in tomorrow. That is why we must act decisivelyto strengthen security, support Ukraine, and open our doors to those who are determined to live in the spirit of European values," said Budrys.

The meeting also addressed opportunities to expand cooperation in high technologies, financial innovation, and other future-oriented sectors of the economy. Montenegrin representatives took an interest in Lithuania's experience in countering cyberattacks and attempts by external actors to influence democratic processes, as well as in strengthening state and societal resilience.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






A look at the Defence news 30 March - 5 April

Netherlands Ministry of Defence

News item 08-04-2026 | 15:49

Air defence and command frigate HNLMS Evertsen will stay in the Mediterranean for another month, until the beginning of May. Ministers Tom Berendsen (Foreign Affairs) and Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius (Defence) informed the House of Representatives accordingly last week. HNLMS Evertsen is part of a French Carrier Strike Group and is tasked with protecting the fleet and Cyprus against airborne threats.

Last week, the vessel neutralised a drone during an exercise in a shooting range near Crete.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Turk condemns deadly wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon

Press releases

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

08 April 2026

GENEVA -- UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk condemned on Wednesday the massive wave of Israeli strikes across Lebanon, saying reports that hundreds - including civilians - had been killed and injured are appalling.

"The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific," said the High Commissioner. "Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians."

Israel said it had carried out some 100 strikes across the country within 10 minutes. The southern suburbs of Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley were all reportedly struck. Mass casualties have been reported, and hospitals overwhelmed. A UN Human Rights team at the site of one of the strikes in the capital described a scene of devastation, and seeing several dead bodies amid the rubble.

In the south, an overnight Israeli strike on a building in front of Hiram Hospital in Al-Aabbassiye, near Tyre, reportedly killed four people and damaged the hospital. Another attack hit an ambulance of the Islamic Health Authority in Qlaileh, reportedly killing three.

"International humanitarian law spells out clearly that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected," he said.

"Each and every attack must comply with international humanitarian law fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions to protect civilians," Turk added. "These principles are non-negotiable, and must always be respected, whatever the circumstances of armed conflict.

"There must be prompt and independent investigations into all alleged violations, and those responsible brought to justice."

Prior to Wednesday's attacks, the Lebanese authorities had reported that over 1,500 people, including over 200 women and children, had been killed by Israeli attacks since 2 March 2026, and over a million people displaced. Between 2 March and 7 April, missile and drone attacks by Hezbollah on northern Israel resulted in two civilian deaths and damages to residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure and property, as well as displacement from impacted areas. The High Commissioner condemns and deplores all such attacks, and urges both parties to end them immediately.

Israel has issued warnings and displacement orders covering approximately 14 percent of Lebanon, including the whole region south of the Zahrani river, most of Beirut's southern suburbs and parts of the Beqaa region. In recent weeks, the Israeli military has also demolished scores of homes and shops in Lebanese villages near the southern border.

"The scale of such actions, coupled with statements by Israeli officials indicating an intention to occupy or even annex parts of southern Lebanon, are deeply troubling," said the High Commissioner.

"The international community must act quickly to help bring an end to this nightmare," he said. "Efforts to bring peace to the wider region will remain incomplete as long as the Lebanese people are living under continuing fire, forcibly displaced, and in fear of further attacks."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Joint Statement: OIC, LAS, and AU Warn of the Gravity of the Escalating Israeli Aggression Against Islamic and Christian Holy Sites in Occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem)

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

08-04-2026

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States (LAS) and the African Union Commission (AUC) expressed its strong condemnation of the extremist "minister" in the Israeli occupation government, Itamar Ben-Gvir, storming the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under the tight protection of the Israeli occupation forces, considering that this storming constitutes a provocation to the feelings of Muslims around the world, a blatant assault on the sanctity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and a flagrant violation of relevant international resolutions and covenants.

The three organisations also warned of the gravity of the Israeli occupation forces' continued closure of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslim worshippers for the fortieth consecutive day, as part of the escalation of violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in the occupied city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and attempts to compromise the existing historical and legal status there, which poses a serious threat to regional and international peace and stability.

The three organizations also affirmed that Israel, the occupying power, has no sovereignty over the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Al-Quds (Jerusalem), the capital of the State of Palestine, and its Islamic and Christian holy sites. It also reiterated its categorical rejection of all illegal Israeli decisions and measures aimed at changing the geographic and demographic status of the Holy City and its Arab, Islamic, and Christian character, undermining Palestinian sovereignty and Palestinian presence there, and attempts to isolate it from its Palestinian surroundings.

The three organizations stressed the need to preserve the historical and legal status of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, with its 144 dunums, as a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, calling at the same time on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to assume its responsibilities to compel the Israeli occupation authorities to respect the right to freedom of worship and the sanctity of holy places, to immediately reopen the doors of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque to worshippers, and to lift all restrictions imposed on Palestinian citizens' access to it.

The three organizations also reaffirmed their firm position in support of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily their right to freedom and self-determination, and the establishment of their independent and sovereign state on the borders of 4 June 1967, with East Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital. It also reiterated its full support for the international community's efforts to implement the two-state solution.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Cope Thunder 26-1 participants to get combat readiness boost

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

April 8, 2026, 12:57 pm

MANILA -- The Philippine Air Force (PAF) said Wednesday participants in this year's Cope Thunder 26-1 drills will greatly enhance their readiness through "realistic air combat training."

Air Force spokesperson Col. Ma. Christina Basco, in a message to reporters, said this will be achieved as the PAF and US Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) will deploy their top-of-the-line aircraft to make the exercises more credible.

For Cope Thunder 26-1, Basco said, the PAF deployed its Mach 1.5-capable FA-50PH fighter jets while PACAF sent its premier stealth fighter, the F-22 "Raptor."

No other details on the exact number of aircraft were provided for security reasons.

"During the exercise, FA-50PHs and F-22 'Raptors' will focus on enhancing tactical-level skills and advanced fighter operations. The activity aims to improve combat readiness through realistic air combat training from 07 to 16 April 2026, conducted within designated Intensive military training areas," she added.

To complement these aircraft, Basco said, the PAF will also deploy several attack and "intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance" (ISR) platforms.

"These will support a range of missions, such as air defense and close air support, transport, surveillance, and search and rescue operations," she said.

Basco said a "hot wash" will be conducted at the end of the exercise to review operational performance, capture key learnings, and identify areas for further improvement. (PNA)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Australian frigate HMAS Toowoomba on goodwill visit in PH

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

April 8, 2026, 11:52 am

MANILA -- The Philippine Navy (PN) on Wednesday announced that it has welcomed the Royal Australian Navy (RAN)'s guided missile frigate, the HMAS Toowoomba (FFH-156), which is in the country for a port visit, highlighting the growing security ties between the two nations.

In a statement, the PN said the commanding officer of the ship, Commander Alicia Harrison, immediately paid a courtesy call to Littoral Combat Force deputy commander Captain Laurence Calimag at Navy headquarters at Naval Station Jose Andrada, Roxas Boulevard, Manila, shortly after their arrival on Tuesday.

The ship and its crew will be in the Philippines until April 11, the PN said.

Calimag represented PN chief Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta during the courtesy call, the Navy said.

The two naval officials discussed "matters of mutual interests" to the PN and the RAN.

"The port visit will also include a subject matter expert exchange hosted by the RAN which provides an opportunity for personnel from both navies to share professional expertise, enhance operational knowledge, and strengthen collaborative practices," the PN said.

This engagement underscores the commitment of the PN and the RAN to deepen bilateral relations, promote mutual understanding, and advance maritime security cooperation in the region. (PNA)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Israel taking out its defeat in all fronts on Lebanese civilians: Hezbollah

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 6:54 PM

Hezbollah has condemned in the strongest terms the latest Israeli massacre of civilians in various parts of Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, saying the atrocities are indicative of the regime's catastrophic failure to attain any of its objectives.

"With its blind hatred, customary criminality, and infinite brutality, all of which are part of its nature, the Zionist enemy committed a series of massacres today against civilians, and carried out dozens of brutal raids. It targeted civilian areas in the capital Beirut, the city of Saida, and the Bekaa Valley, leaving hundreds of people, including women, children and the elderly, dead and wounded," the resistance movement said in a statement released on Wednesday.

The group said such barbaric aggression, which explicitly amounts to war crimes and crimes of genocide due to targeting crowded civilian places, markets, and commercial shops during peak hours, is nothing but a desperate attempt to take revenge on civilian citizens after the failure of all attempts to break the willpower of the honorable Lebanese nation and subdue them.

"Our honorable people and the sons of the country have proven that the brutality of the aggression has only increased their steadfastness, firmness, and commitment to the choice of resistance, no matter what great sacrifices they offer," the statement read.

Hezbollah said this unbridled criminality is a clear expression of the disappointment suffered by the Tel Aviv regime after its catastrophic failure to achieve any of its goals in various fronts, and after finding itself besieged by the reality of its defeat, unable and shackled from changing the equations imposed by the steadfastness of the peoples of Iran and Lebanon.

The movement said the recent deadly Israeli attacks are an expression of the state of collapse, confusion, and disarray that the crisis-ridden Israeli regime and its defeated army are living in following painful retaliatory operations by resistance fighters.

"We confirm that the blood of the martyrs and the wounded will not go in vain, and that today's massacres, like all brutal attacks and crimes, confirm our natural and legal right to resist the occupation and respond to its aggression. They will increase our determination to resist and confront in order to restrain the enemy, defend our people and our homeland, and protect our security in the face of ongoing aggression".

Lebanon's Civil Defense authorities said at least 254 people have lost their lives and another 1,165 sustained injuries in the fresh round of Israeli strikes across Lebanon.

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said hospitals and medical centers are full of those injured in the Israeli strikes, and in need of urgent treatment.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran warns US must choose between 'ceasefire or continued war via Israel'

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 6:42 PM

The United States must decide whether it wants a ceasefire or continued war through Israel, Iran's foreign minister said, warning that Washington was in violation of a two-week truce by allowing the Zionist regime to massacre hundreds of civilians in Lebanon.

"The Iran-U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose, ceasefire or continued war via Israel," Abbas Araghchi said in a social media post. "It cannot have both."

The warning came just hours after Israel launched a massive wave of airstrikes across Lebanon, killing at least 254 people and wounding hundreds more.

Beirut's southern suburbs, the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon were all hit in what was described as the deadliest wave of attacks since the war began last month.

Lebanon's Health Minister called the escalation "very dangerous" and said ambulances and emergency aid centers had also been targeted.

'The world sees the massacres'

Araghchi said the ceasefire agreement reached through Pakistani mediation explicitly included Lebanon.

"The world sees the massacres in Lebanon," he wrote.

"The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments."

Iran holds US responsible

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei issued a separate statement, strongly condemning the "savage attacks" on Lebanon.

He described the strikes as "an outrageous and shameful crime."

Baqaei said the US government had committed, under the understanding reached with Iran through Pakistani mediation, that Lebanon would be included in the Iran-US ceasefire.

"As the Prime Minister of Pakistan has also stated, the cessation of war on the Lebanese front is one of the components of the Iran-US ceasefire understanding," Baqaei said.

"Today's crimes by the Zionist regime against Lebanon constitute a clear violation of this understanding."

He warned of "very dangerous consequences" of the regime's criminal actions, which include the mass killing of Lebanese people and the destruction of residential buildings.

The spokesman underscored the direct responsibility of the US government for the massacre.

Baqaei extended condolences to the families of the martyrs, wished a swift recovery for the wounded, and expressed solidarity with the people and government of Lebanon.

The two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States was announced on Tuesday after 100 waves of Iranian retaliatory strikes under Operation True Promise 4.

But Benjamin Netanyahu immediately declared that the truce "does not include Lebanon."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt backed the Israeli position, contradicting statements from Iran and Pakistan, which mediated the deal.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced that the ceasefire covered "Lebanon and elsewhere."

On Wednesday morning, Israeli warplanes struck Tyre and Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, as well as Beirut's southern suburbs.

More than 1,500 people have been killed in Lebanon since the regime escalated war on Lebanon in February, including at least 130 children.

Over 1.2 million people, one fifth of Lebanon's population, have been displaced.

Entire villages near the border have been destroyed as Israeli forces push to create a "security buffer zone."

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun condemned the latest strikes as a "massacre" and said the government would continue efforts to include Lebanon in regional peace.

Iran has repeatedly stated that any aggression against Hezbollah or Lebanon is considered aggression against Iran.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Mediator Pakistan confirms US-Iran ceasefire violated as Israel ravages Lebanon

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 5:48 PM

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has confirmed that the terms of a recent ceasefire between Iran and the United States have been violated, with the Israeli regime continuing to attack Lebanon.

Sharif, whose country mediated the two-week truce announced on Tuesday, said on Wednesday that violations reported at a few places across the conflict zone covering the US-Israeli aggression on Iran and its regional allies "undermine the spirit of peace process."

"I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict," he posted on X.

The comments came after the Israeli regime carried out extensive attacks across Lebanon, killing at least 254 people and injuring more than 1,165 people.

The regime said its aggression on Lebanon, which started concurrent with the joint US-Israeli aggression on Iran in late February, does not count as part of the ceasefire deal announced by Pakistan.

That comes as Sharif said in a post on the X platform early on Wednesday that Iran and the US and their allies had agreed to "an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere".

US President Donald Trump also told a PBS journalist on Wednesday that Lebanon is "not included" in the ceasefire agreement, adding that it was "a separate skirmish".

Trump reportedly said that the continued attacks on Lebanon were because of the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah, which he said would "get taken care of."

However, Iran said it would decisively respond to the Israeli regime's attacks on Lebanon, saying any attacks on the Arab country are deemed an attack on Iran.

Hezbollah has been carrying out missile and drone attacks on the Israeli regime since the start of the US-Israeli aggression on Iran.

Meanwhile, there were reports of other cases of truce breach in Iran on Wednesday.

Authorities in the Oil Ministry said a refinery facility in the Persian Gulf island of Lavan had come under attack hours after the ceasefire announcement.

That prompted a swift response as the Iranian armed forces launched attacks on locations in the United Arab Emirates and in Kuwait.

Later in the day, local media reports said air defense systems in the Iranian capital Tehran had to respond to truce violations, although there was no official confirmation.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Hezbollah says Lebanon on verge of historic victory

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 4:15 PM

The Hezbollah resistance movement says Lebanon is on the verge of a major historic victory, thanks to the supreme sacrifices made by resistance fighters and infinite patience and resilience shown by the nation.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the group urged Lebanese people to be more patient, steadfast and expectant, and not to return to their residences in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley and the Dahiyeh suburbs in southern Beirut until a comprehensive ceasefire officially comes into effect.

"This is because the treacherous and savage (Zionist) enemy, which is seeking to escape from a humiliating defeat, may attempt to create a false image and project as if it has made an achievement - something which it never managed to attain in direct confrontation," the statement read.

"God willing, you (Lebanese people) will return to your villages and homes honorably, gloriously, dearly and triumphantly."

Meanwhile, a senior Hezbollah official said Israel is seeking to undermine the ceasefire in the war of aggression against Iran following its abject failure to attain its declared objectives.

He said the Lebanese resistance group will not stand idle in the face of any further Israeli acts of aggression.

The Hezbollah official said the resistance movement is awaiting the outcome of forthcoming indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, and will adopt proper measures on the basis of the talks.

After a temporary ceasefire was announced in the US-Israeli aggression against Iran, the Israeli regime launched its deadliest airstrikes against Lebanon since the war began, killing at least 300 people.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Hundreds killed as Israel launches heaviest attacks on Lebanon since start of war

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 1:49 PM

The Israeli regime has carried out a massive bombardment on Lebanon despite a recent ceasefire deal between Iran and the United States.

Reports on Wednesday said Israel had carried out at least 100 airstrikes in just under 10 minutes, targeting areas across Lebanon. Local media said that at least 88 people were killed in Beirut alone.

The attacks were described as the heaviest Israeli bombardment on Lebanon since the regime started an aggression on the Arab country in early March, concurrent with a joint aggression with the United States against Iran.

The Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen news website said that the Israeli regime had struck densely populated residential areas, from the capital Beirut and its southern suburb to areas in Saida and Nabatieh in the south and Bekaa in eastern Lebanon.

Lebanese media are citing the Lebanese Red Cross in reporting the death toll could be at least 300, with many more injured.

The Reuters news agency quoted security sources as saying that at least 12 people had been killed in one attack on a crowded neighborhood in Beirut.

Lebanese hospitals issued an urgent appeal for blood donations as they became overwhelmed with victims, according to sources close to the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, which has been the main target of Israeli attacks in the past weeks because of its support for Iran's fight against the US-Israeli aggression.

The intensive attacks came just hours after Iran and the US agreed to the terms of a 15-day ceasefire mediated by Pakistan, which also included a halt to the Israeli aggression on Lebanon.

Israeli regime's Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said after Wednesday's attacks that the regime will continue striking Lebanon and will use every operational opportunity available.

The Israeli aggression on Lebanon has killed hundreds of people and displaced nearly a million from their homes in more than a month of indiscriminate attacks.

The aggression has not deterred Hezbollah, as the group has indicated that it will continue defending Iran and the regional resistance in their fight against the US and Israel.

Meanwhile, Hassan Fadlallah, a member of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc in the Lebanese parliament, said the Israeli regime is trying to "evade the ceasefire decision related to the Lebanon front in an attempt to compensate for its defeat in the aggression against Iran."

He said Israel, after failing to achieve its objectives, was forced to accept the US decision to halt the war.

Fadlallah added that Israel's "crimes in Lebanon cannot erase the image of its defeat in the face of Iran" or the retreat of Israeli troops before the Lebanese resistance prior to reaching the Litani River.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Joint Statement on the U.S.-North Macedonia Strategic Dialogue

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

April 8, 2026

The following is the text of a joint statement by the United States of America and the Republic of North Macedonia on the occasion of the second U.S.-North Macedonia Strategic Dialogue.

Begin text:

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski led the second U.S.-North Macedonia Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on April 7. The Strategic Dialogue deepened the partnership between the United States and North Macedonia and advanced our shared goals of promoting peace, security, and prosperity.

Energy and Economic Cooperation

The United States welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Enhancing Security of Natural Gas Supply to North Macedonia, a bilateral arrangement to enhance the resiliency of the natural gas market through the purchase of U.S. liquified natural gas and strengthen energy security. North Macedonia's decision to develop a One-Stop Shop system for U.S. exports and investment can deepen bilateral commercial ties, and its pursuit of investment screening legislation may also improve the business climate for U.S. investment.

The two countries welcomed the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation's decision to award $5 million in assistance to restart antimony mining in North Macedonia. The agreement demonstrates joint commitment to develop alternative supplies of the critical minerals essential to maintaining competitive advantage in the global economy. They also recognized the importance of open and transparent investment climates and policies, with strong legal frameworks, investment facilitation, and fair procedures to resolve disputes. They recognized that such policies promote lasting economic development and growth, job creation, increased productivity, technological innovation, and competitiveness. The United States welcomed the interest of North Macedonia to join the Three Seas Initiative, acknowledging its unique strategic position.

Security and Defense Cooperation

The United States and North Macedonia reaffirmed their enduring alliance and shared commitment to NATO's collective security, recognizing that all Allies must increase defense spending, improve interoperability, and meet NATO capability targets. The United States acknowledged North Macedonia's roadmap to meet its NATO commitment of spending 5 percent of GDP on defense by 2035. North Macedonia highlighted its donation to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) as well as pursuit of Foreign Military Sales in line with North Macedonia modernization goals and NATO requirements.

Cyber and Digital Cooperation

The United States announced its intention to provide technical assistance to strengthen digital infrastructure across North Macedonia's government ministries through the Department of State's Foreign Assistance Leveraged for Cybersecurity Operational Needs (FALCON) program. FALCON will conduct comprehensive cyber security assessments of critical infrastructure and other important networks to identify vulnerabilities, recommend remediation measures, and inform the Government of North Macedonia's procurement decisions, including the purchase of cybersecurity products and services from the U.S. and other trusted vendors. The United States also announced the placement of embedded cybersecurity advisors to support both North Macedonia's Ministry of Defense as well as the Ministry of Digital Transformation in bolstering the country's cybersecurity capabilities, defense, and resilience. The United States additionally intends to deliver $5 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) initiatives to provide a deployable cyber capability for expeditionary forces and enhance the protection of national defense infrastructure through equipment and training.

Border Security and Countering Transnational Threats

The United States and North Macedonia share a strong interest in stemming the flow of illegal migration and countering transnational crime and narcotics trafficking. The United States welcomes the efforts of North Macedonia, a transit country in the heart of the Balkans, to combat these destabilizing activities. To deepen our cooperation, the United States intends to provide $3,523,000 in security assistance to enhance North Macedonia's law enforcement and border management capabilities, making both of our countries safer, more secure, and more prosperous. The United States will launch an initiative to strengthen intelligence-led border enforcement against transnational criminal organizations, illicit drug trafficking, and irregular migration threats.

Other Initiatives

The United States and North Macedonia also signed a bilateral Cultural Property Agreement to prevent the illicit trafficking of archeological and ethnological artifacts of North Macedonia. This agreement is designed to help disrupt illegal trafficking networks, protect American collectors and museums, and cut off financial flows to terrorists and transnational criminals. The United States also welcomed North Macedonia's signing of a Letter of Intent to pursue the Trusted Traveler Program. Global Entry would allow expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers from North Macedonia upon arrival in the United States.

End Text.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Secretary Rubio's Meeting with NATO Secretary General Rutte

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

April 8, 2026

The following is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte today. The two leaders discussed Operation Epic Fury, ongoing U.S.-led efforts to bring a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, and increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO Allies.

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

8 April 2026

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon, everyone.

** Noon Briefing Guests

In a short while, I will be joined by Laila Baker, who is the Regional Director for Arab States at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). She will brief from Lebanon to discuss the situation on the ground, particularly the urgent needs of women and girls in the country.

Tomorrow, our guest will be Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. He will be here to brief on the launch of the 2026 Financing for Sustainable Development Report. The report assesses progress on financing for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sets out concrete recommendations for consideration by Member States.

** Iran

In a statement we issued late last night, the Secretary-General welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire by the United States and Iran. He calls on all the parties to the current conflict in the Middle East to comply with their obligations under international law and to abide by the terms of the ceasefire in order to pave the way toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region.

The Secretary-General underscores that an end to hostilities is urgently needed to protect civilian lives and alleviate human suffering. He expresses sincere appreciation for the efforts of Pakistan and other countries involved in facilitating the ceasefire.

And today, we can confirm that the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for the Middle East Conflict and its Consequences, Jean Arnault, has arrived in Iran. Acting on the Secretary-General's instructions, he is visiting countries across the region to support all efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive and durable resolution to the conflict.

During his visit, Mr. Arnault will engage with Iranian interlocutors to hear their perspective on the way forward and will reiterate the Secretary-General's commitment to making every effort to support a peaceful settlement. The Personal Envoy trusts that, in line with the Charter of the United Nations and international humanitarian law, all leaders will choose the path of peaceful resolution and the protection of civilians over a continued conflict.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that it hopes the ceasefire will bring some much-needed respite to people, including front-line responders, across the region, following six weeks of intense hostilities. The hostilities have claimed many lives and caused devastating damage to civilian infrastructure, including electricity, water, energy and transportation facilities.

In Iran, the UN and our partners, in coordination with the authorities, continue to scale-up our response to help refugees and others in the areas of health, water and sanitation, food and shelter. Priority needs include restoring basic services, protecting vulnerable groups, rehabilitating shelters and schools, and providing critical supplies.

** Israel/Lebanon

The United Nations strongly condemns the strikes by Israel across Lebanon that resulted in significant civilian casualties. The UN strongly condemns the loss of civilian lives. We continue to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels, cease hostilities and recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).

The ceasefire between the US and Iran offers an opportunity to prevent further loss of lives between Lebanon and Israel. We urge all concerned to abide by the ceasefire. Now is the time to pursue talks to resolve outstanding differences and work towards a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution to the conflict. There is no military solution to the conflict.

Meanwhile, UN peacekeepers continue to be impacted by hostilities. Yesterday, the impact from an exchange of rocket and artillery fire near At Tiri in Sector West resulted in injuries to six peacekeepers, including one shrapnel wound and five cases of acoustic trauma, as well as damage to UN vehicles. We again urge all actors to uphold their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times.

Yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) detained a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeper after blocking a logistics convoy. Following direct and immediate contacts by UNIFIL's Head of Mission and Force Commander and our Liaison Branch, the peacekeeper was released in less than an hour. Such detention of a United Nations peacekeeper is a violation of international law. We stress again that any intimidation or interference in the Mission's Security Council-mandated tasks must stop immediately.

** Lebanon/Humanitarian

On the humanitarian situation  you heard quite extensively from Imran Riza, [Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon]  I can also tell you that our colleagues at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and our partners, in coordination with the Government, are supporting people fleeing areas under attack with access to shelter and other essential items.

Displacement continues to drive humanitarian needs higher. Renewed displacement orders have been issued for the entire area south of the Zahrani River, as well as southern suburbs of Beirut. We are concerned by conditions in collective shelters. Overcrowding and limited sanitation facilities have resulted in confirmed cases of scabies and lice, raising health and safety risks, particularly for children and the elderly.

Health authorities have deployed medical teams and our humanitarian partners are providing clean water, as well as medical and shelter supplies, to help contain outbreaks and preserve people's dignity. Life-saving aid is under threat, with less than one third of the Lebanon Flash Appeal, which calls for $308 million, funded.

** Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning now to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, our colleagues working on health report that a five-day vaccination campaign is under way. In a social media post yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that these efforts are led by the Ministry of Health, supported by WHO, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), donors and partners, to vaccinate children under the age of three who have missed routine vaccination in the past 30 months.

Nearly 150 teams are delivering the vaccines, including in hard-to-reach areas. UNICEF says that, this winter, community health educators have taught more than 207,000 caregivers how to manage the early signs of hypothermia among infants and help save a child.

** Security Council

This morning, the Security Council held a briefing on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that, last year, at least 326 humanitarians were recorded as killed across 21 countries, bringing the total number of humanitarians killed in three years to over 1,010. This, he said, is the collapse of protection. Humanitarians know they face risks, Mr. Fletcher said. But, these deaths are because parties to the conflict are reckless with our lives.

Over 110 Member States have chosen to act together through the political declaration on the protection of humanitarians. Yet, Mr. Fletcher said, across multiple crises, humanitarians are not just being killed. Their action is being restricted, penalized and delegitimized.

These trends, alongside the collapse in funding for humanitarians' life-saving work, are a symptom of a lawless, bellicose, selfish and violent world. Killing humanitarians is part of the broader attack on the UN Charter and on international humanitarian law. The Emergency Relief Coordinator challenged Council members to uphold the commitments of resolution 2730 (2024): protection, integrity, accountability.

For his part, Gilles Michaud, the head of our Safety and Security Department, said attacks on humanitarians no longer come only from non-State armed groups, they come from Member States and from de facto authorities, some of whom claim and seek international legitimacy. Regrettably, all these perpetrators are rarely held accountable. Over the last seven years, the humanitarian community's risk tolerance has risen to unprecedented levels, Mr. Michaud told the Security Council. Our colleagues in the field are tolerating risks that no one here would ever accept.

** Ukraine

Turning to Ukraine, our colleagues at OCHA tell us that, in the past 24 hours, attacks have killed and injured several people in the country. Chernihiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia were among the impacted regions. In Kherson, more than 40 residential buildings, as well as a hospital and a school, were damaged or destroyed. The school, which had been used as a humanitarian hub, was heavily damaged in a bomb strike, with people having been evacuated shortly before the impact.

Meanwhile, nearly 450 people were evacuated from the Donetsk region over the past day. Our partners continue to support newly displaced people, including at a transit centre which opened on 2 April in the city of Shostka in the Sumy region. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that mobile clinics supported by the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund continue to deliver essential healthcare in front-line areas. In the past week alone, more than 1,400 people in the regions of Dnipro, Mykolaiv and Sumy received medical consultations and assistance.

** South Sudan

In South Sudan, our colleagues with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) supported the deployment of a mobile court in Mundri, Western Equatoria, where 30 criminal and civil cases were heard between 18 and 31 March. The court resulted in 14 convictions and 16 acquittals, including rulings on murder cases and several instances of sexual and gender-based violence, with six convictions for crimes including rape. For many survivors, this marked their first access to formal justice.

UNMISS provided technical, logistical and protection support throughout the proceedings, including psychosocial and legal assistance for survivors. This initiative is part of broader efforts to improve access to justice in South Sudan, reduce prolonged pre-trial detention and help decongest overcrowded prisons.

** Democratic Republic of the Congo

And turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I wanted to flag that James Swan, the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has arrived in the country earlier today. In a statement upon arrival, he said his priority is to ensure that MONUSCO delivers on the mandate entrusted to it by the Security Council, with a clear focus on the protection of civilians, support to de-escalation, and conditions conducive to lasting peace. He added that his previous experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has given him deep respect for the country, its people and the importance of working in close partnership with national authorities and communities.

** Central African Republic

In the Central African Republic, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) reports the operational launch of the National Mine Action Authority. This marks a key step toward national ownership to address the threat posed by explosive devices. Supported by the UN Mine Action Service, the new authority builds on years of capacity-building, including training national armed forces in explosive ordnance disposal and reaching over 100,000 civilians with risk awareness.

These efforts are already yielding results. Civilian casualties linked to explosive devices have dropped significantly, from 82 in 2023 to 27 in 2025, with just 2 cases reported so far this year. This trend reflects the results of joint efforts by the peacekeeping mission, national authorities and partners, particularly in protecting civilians, supporting stabilization and enabling development.

** Mali

The Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund has approved $2.4 million for a new programme in Mali to help prevent and reduce violence linked to natural resources and climate change. This peacebuilding initiative, to be implemented by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), will help address tensions related to access and use of natural resources in the San and Koutiala regions, hard hit by climate change, land disputes and weak local governance. It will support community dialogue, expand local participation in decision-making and bring more women and young people into processes that shape how natural resources are managed, at both the community and institutional level. That's it for me. Any questions before we turn to our guest? Yes, Gabriel?

** Questions and Answers

Question : Thank you, Farhan. Does the Secretary-General worry that Israel's escalatory actions in Beirut overnight and in the rest of Lebanon could threaten the ceasefire with Iran?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, as I said earlier, the ceasefire between the US and Iran offers an opportunity to prevent further loss of lives between Lebanon and Israel, and we urge all concerned to abide by the ceasefire. We are worried that any violence in part of the region may play the effect of spoiling the agreements that have been achieved for the rest of the region. So, we want to make sure that all fighting everywhere is abated.

Question : And Iran's 10-point peace plan that President [Donald J.] Trump has said is a framework moving forward that he agrees with includes a provision that Iran would establish rules for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Does the Secretary-General agree that moving forward, Iran or any other parties having some sort of control over the Strait of Hormuz is acceptable?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, first of all, we're going to leave the parties who have agreed to the ceasefire to work out what the terms of the ceasefire are and how it's to be implemented. Obviously, our priority is to make sure that the ceasefire lasts, that the fighting halts, and that there's freedom of movement of marine vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Yes. Sherwin and then Stefano.

Question : Farhan, thank you. The UN Commission of Inquiry on the OPT [Occupied Palestinian Territory] has put out a statement today saying that the war in Iran has eclipsed a surge in human rights violations against Palestinians. It calls, says that all parties who have breached international law and targeted civilians in the OPT and Israel must be held accountable. The commission is appalled by the sharp deterioration in the human rights of Palestinians in the OPT since the start of the war on 28 February and that the overall situation in Gaza remained dire. Is there any reaction to this report and the call from the commission for accountability here?

Deputy Spokesman : We, of course, agree with the idea that there is a need for accountability. We, as you know, have continued to share the information that we have at our disposal about any human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and we hope and expect that all parties will follow up on those.

Question : Just very briefly, your assessment since the ceasefire in Gaza. I mean, what has the situation been like for you? The commission talks about reduced border crossing, suspended humanitarian movements in certain areas, suspension of medical evacuations preventing Palestinians from returning to their homes. Can you confirm that?

Deputy Spokesman : We, as you know, have been providing daily reports of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and we have pointed out different obstructions, different problems in Gaza, the attacks by settlers in the West Bank, and so that is part of the public record. And we want to make sure that all of those, any violations of the basic rights of the Palestinian people are halted. Stefano and then Benny.

Question : Thank you, Farhan. This is about what we were talking yesterday on the Geneva Convention, the respect of international law when you threaten civil population. So, yesterday, Pope Leo, speaking in English  that is unusual  has explicitly and directly condemned President Trump's threat against the Iranian population as truly unacceptable. Does the Secretary-General agree with that direct criticism?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, obviously, we'll leave it to the Pope to speak on his own behalf. From our standpoint, we made it very clear that the Secretary-General was alarmed by the remarks that the US would attack power plants, bridges, and other infrastructure in Iran. As we've been saying for days now, it's very clear that civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, may not be attacked under international law. And as we've pointed out, even if a specific civilian infrastructure were to qualify as a military objective, international humanitarian law would still prohibit attacks against it, if those attacks were expected to cause excessive incidental civilian harm.

Question : Just a quick follow-up. Here [inaudible] is not if actually the attack happens. We're talking about the Geneva Convention says that just threatening to attack the civilians, in general, that is already, you know, doesn't respect international law. So, the Pope understood that, because he said those words are truly unacceptable. So, not just the... my question is, does the Secretary-General agree with that or not?

Deputy Spokesman : We stand against any attacks and we stand against any rhetoric, any threats of such attacks. Yes. Benny?

Question : So, in the press release that you sent, you say Arnault met with Iranian interlocutors. Can you...?

Deputy Spokesman : He will meet with them. He's currently traveling right now.

Question : Can you specify which interlocutor he's planning to meet with? And how will he know that they represent the decision makers?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, first of all, he intends to meet with officials in the Government of Iran. Those meetings have not happened. Right now, he's in the course of transit towards Tehran. So, we'll report more about his meetings once they've happened.

Question : When you say officials in the Government of Iran, as you know, some officials, well, are no longer there. What type of officials are we talking about? Are we talking about Ghalibaf, the speaker of Parliament? Who are we talking about?

Deputy Spokesman : Like I said, we'll let you know who are the people he meets with once those meetings have happened. Namo and then Sylviane.

Question : Thank you, Farhan. I have two questions on Iran. A follow-up to my colleague's question. The fee that Iran is reportedly demanding on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz seems to be unprecedented. What does the Secretary-General stand on that, like, a country collecting fees on ships just because they're going through a water that is right there. Wouldn't that set a bad precedent for other countries then?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, as you know, the talks concerning strengthening the ceasefire are still happening. We hope that the ceasefire will be stabilized and will last beyond two weeks. So, that is our current priority. Obviously, regarding the Strait of Hormuz, we have repeatedly said, and this is the Secretary-General's point of principle, is that there needs to be freedom of movement for all marine vessels.

Question : And my second question, the Iranian Government has reportedly called on Iraq, on the Kurdistan Regional Government to expel Iranian Kurdish dissidents, political dissidents who are residing in Iraqi Kurdistan. Where does the Secretary-General stand on such a request? Should it be accepted?

Deputy Spokesman : Without getting into bilateral relations between the two countries, our point of principle is that people should not be made to suffer for their political views or their political activism. Oh, sorry, Sylviane.

Question : Okay. Regarding the targeting of an Italian UNIFIL convoy in Lebanon, can you clarify what measures the UN is taking to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel and the security of the Blue Line, especially in the event of intensified hostilities or potential UNIFIL withdrawal?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, certainly, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon is in touch through its liaison mechanisms with the relevant Israeli and Lebanese parties to make sure that no one attacks or harasses UNIFIL peacekeepers. And of course, we will continue to urge all actors to uphold their obligations under international law to ensure the safety and security of all UN personnel.

Question : I have another question. Is Mr. Arnault... will he have any plan to visit Lebanon?

Deputy Spokesman : We'll let you know about his various travels as he makes them. Right now, he is on his way to Tehran. And from there, he will travel to other countries in the region, and we'll let you know about the other stops as they proceed. Biesan?

Question : I just wanted to ask about also Mr. Arnault's trip. Will he be involved in any way in the talks that are taking place in Pakistan later this week? I mean, after he has meetings in Tehran or however long that would take?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, right now, like I said, he's in Iran. From there, he'll go on to other stops. I do believe that Pakistan will be one of his stops in the coming days, but we'll provide more details once we are able to share the dates of his travels. Yes, in the back and then we'll take...

Question : Thank you, Farhan. Also, regarding the foundational 10-point plan, Iran has stated that all provisions of the agreement should be formalized through a binding Security Council resolution. Does the Secretary-General support bringing these provisions before the Council and would he consider invoking Article 99 of the UN Charter to bring before the Council?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, first, we'll leave it to the members of the Security Council to decide whether or not and how to take up this issue. Obviously, from our standpoint, we want to make sure that all bodies, including those in the United Nations, are supportive of the ceasefire. Yes?

Question : Thank you, Farhan. Apropos of Iran, is the UN... what is the status of the UN inquiry into the numbers of pro-Iranian protesters who had been killed in early January?

Deputy Spokesman : Well, we haven't been able to... obviously, because of the work, of the tensions on the ground, we haven't been able to have any first-hand verification of these numbers. We'll try through our human rights bodies to look into this further, once conditions allow. Benny?

Question : A follow-up on Sylviane's question on UNIFIL. So, wouldn't the best way to ensure their safety be, since they are about to, in a few months, to wind up their operation anyway, to put them all in Naqoura at the headquarters rather than be in the middle of a war where, you know, both sides are fighting each other? So, in war, you know, there are casualties.

Deputy Spokesman : Well, first of all, we believe that the fighting has to stop, and we're trying to do our best, including through our peacekeepers on the ground, to bring it to a stop. Beyond that, of course, as you know, UNIFIL has its mandated tasks and will go about fulfilling its mandate up to the last minute of its mandate.

Question : Is there any work being done to plan for the winding up of the of UNIFIL?

Deputy Spokesman : Yes, that's standard with all peacekeeping missions.

Question : Like what? What are we doing? Is our...?

Deputy Spokesman : Without getting into too much detail, we do detailed planning, and there's a wind-down procedure. And as the wind-down procedure gets under way, the Security Council is informed of the measures we're taking.

Question : Is it on its way now?

Deputy Spokesman : The planning is happening, as it does with any mission that has to wind down. Ephrem?

Question : Farhan, does the Secretary-General have any reaction on specifically today's attacks in Lebanon? 100 attacks in 10 minutes. Your resident coordinator called it dramatic. Is there any...?

Deputy Spokesman : Yes. I said at the start of this that the United Nation strongly condemns the strikes by Israel across Lebanon that resulted in significant civilian casualty. Beyond that, I like to point out that our Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, called for a stop for all hostile actions, to conduct direct negotiations, and to establish a clear road map based on resolution 1701 (2006). And with that, let me turn now to our guest, Leila Bakr, who is the Regional Director for Arab States at the United Nations Population Fund.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Yellow berries meet ethnic fashion in SW China's Yunnan

People's Daily Online) 15:46, April 09, 2026

Wild yellow berries are ripening across the mountains of Simao district, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. A local photographer has turned them into creative hairpieces, pairing them with vibrant ethnic costumes  blending traditional style with a fresh, nature-inspired twist.

(Web editor: Cai Hairuo, Du Mingming)
Over 1,000 humanitarians have been killed in three years, Security Council hears

8 April 2026 - At least 326 humanitarians were killed in the line of duty across 21 countries during 2025, bringing the total killed over three years to over 1,010. The International Red Cross warned the Security Council on Wednesday that "we are losing our humanity in war."

Of that total, more than 560 died in Gaza and the West Bank, 130 in Sudan, 60 in South Sudan, 25 in Ukraine and 25 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the UN's top aid coordinator, Tom Fletcher.

"This is not an accidental escalation. It is the collapse of protection," he told ambassadors in New York, clarifying that they were killed in service - distributing food, water, shelter and medicine, some travelling in clearly marked convoys.

Humanitarians are not just being killed but "our action is being restricted, penalized, delegitimised," said Mr. Fletcher, who leads the UN's aid coordination agency, OCHA.

"We are told where not to go, whom not to help. We are harassed or arrested for doing our job. We are lied about and those lies have consequences," he added.

'Lawlessness' driving humanitarian deaths

The UN relief chief challenged Member States, asking why humanitarians continue to be killed despite a recent Security Council resolution which spoke with moral urgency "about ending violence" against aid workers.

Resolution (2730) from 2024 penned by Switzerland and adopted by a vote of 14 in favour, with Russia abstaining, calls on all States to respect and protect humanitarians and associated personnel in accordance with international law.

Mr. Fletcher questioned if it was because international humanitarian law, "forged by a generation of wiser political leaders" was no longer convenient. Or if "those killing us feel no cost for their actions," or even that "we are seen as legitimate targets".

These trends, alongside the collapse in funding for lifesaving work, are a symptom of a "lawless, bellicose, selfish and violent world," he declared.

No accountability

In the past year, the UN reported 14 abductions, 145 arrests and detentions, along with 441 acts of intimidation and harassment against staffers, the UN's top official for safety and security said.

In the same time period, there were also 62 attacks on United Nations premises and 84 attacks on United Nations vehicles, Gilles Michaud continued.

"Perpetrators are rarely held accountable - they are rarely named and shamed, let alone prosecuted."

Colleagued died supporting children trapped in the throes of war, carrying out vaccination campaigns, living in violent neighbourhoods and escorting aid to reach millions in need.

"We continue to fail them," Mr. Michaud told ambassadors, stressing that the security system for humanitarians is at its limit - increasingly underfunded, ignored and undermined.

Losing our humanity

The International Committee of the Red Cross official who liaises with the UN, Elyse Mosquini, said, simply: "We are losing our humanity in war."

"Every attack on humanitarian personnel that passes without consequence allows this insidious pattern to continue. Each such attack signals to others that the lives of aid workers are expendable," she said

She pointed to the alarming frequency of deliberate harmful misinformation campaigns designed to erode trust in humanitarian organizations and portray our colleagues as legitimate targets and urged, "this cannot continue."

Uphold commitments

Citing the Council's commitment to protection, integrity and accountability, Mr. Fletcher stressed, "we come here not to remind you of these commitments, but to challenge you to uphold them."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Hundreds feared dead in Lebanon strikes

8 April 2026 - The United Nations has strongly condemned airstrikes by the Israeli military across Lebanon on Wednesday which have resulted in significant casualties and destruction.

The attacks came within hours of the ceasefire announced between the United States and Iran following weeks of deadly hostilities that have disrupted lives, global trade and humanitarian operations in the Middle East and beyond.

"Today's wave of IDF strikes came just as hopes for an end to violence and destruction were rising," the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert tweeted.

"This cannot go on. Neither side can shoot or strike their way to victory."

Hospitals under strain

Israeli forces reported carrying out over 100 airstrikes in roughly 10 minutes, the top UN aid official in Lebanon, Imran Riza, said in a briefing to journalists in New York.

He described the scale of bombardment as "dramatic," saying "it's been enormous, the level of these strikes."

Although casualty figures were not yet available, he said it was believed that hundreds may have been killed and many others injured.

"The hospitals are overwhelmed, and of course, there's a huge, huge call out for blood donations throughout the country," he added.

An 'extremely critical' situation

Another senior UN official, Blerta Aliko, was speaking to UN News during a pre-arranged interview when shelling intensified in Beirut. She and other staff from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) left their offices and took shelter in the basement. When the interview resumed, the situation had "become extremely critical."

"I personally heard the sound of nine strikes. There have been over 40 strikes in Beirut, and hundreds more across the country," said Ms. Aliko, UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon.

"As of this moment, the Director General of the Red Cross has confirmed more than 300 casualties."

Rising displacement

The assault occurred amid renewed fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, which is taking place within the wider conflict between Israel and the United States against Iran that has also impacted several Gulf States.

Mr. Riza said that since the start of the escalation when Hezbollah launched strikes into Israel on 2 March, more than 1,500 people in Lebanon have been killed, including 130 children, according to the health ministry.

Displacement has also reached "an unprecedented scale." Some 1.2 million people, or nearly a fifth of the population, have been uprooted. This exceeds the scale of displacement following hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah that erupted in 2024.

"A lot of the strikes that happened today did not have displacement orders, did not have warning orders," he said.

Maternal care under fire

Women and girls account for roughly half of those displaced in Lebanon and they are "bearing an unprecedented and intolerable burden," said Laila Baker of the UN sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA, speaking from Beirut.

"I met mothers fleeing under the bombardment, carrying their children with nothing but the clothes on their back; pregnant women who spoke of searching desperately for care under fire, or giving birth in shelters without support or privacy."

UNFPA estimates that some 13,500 pregnant women are among the displaced. In southern Lebanon, 1,700 expectant mothers are cut off from any essential maternal care and 200 will give birth in the next 30 days at a time when the health system is also under attack.

Speaking from Cairo, the Regional Director for the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Hanan Balkhy said that "emergency, surgical and intensive care services are under severe pressure" in Lebanon, where the agency has also verified 106 attacks on healthcare to date.

Ceasefire opportunity

The UN continues to push for an end to the fighting in Lebanon and the wider region, and the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for the Middle East Conflict arrived in Iran on Wednesday to support peace efforts.

"The ceasefire between the US and Iran offers an opportunity to prevent further loss of lives between Lebanon and Israel," UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said in New York.

"Now is the time to pursue talks to resolve outstanding differences and work towards a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution to the conflict. There is no military solution to the conflict."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Today's top news: Protection of humanitarians, Middle East, Lebanon, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ukraine

UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Protection of humanitarians

At Security Council, UN Relief Chief demands action, accountability for aid worker deaths

Addressing the Security Council today on the safety and security of humanitarian workers under Security Council Resolution 2730, Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, called for urgent action to better protect humanitarian workers.

He noted that in the last three years, more than 1,000 humanitarians have been killed while carrying out their work, compared to 377 in the previous three years - nearly tripling the death count. Many were killed while traveling in clearly marked convoys on missions coordinated with authorities.

"This is not an accidental escalation; it is a collapse of protection," he said, underscoring that too often aid workers were killed by Member States of the United Nations.

Fletcher said that the deaths of humanitarians are not because we are reckless with our lives, but that because parties to the conflict are.

"When humanitarians are harmed, aid often stops," he warned. "Clinics close, food doesn't arrive."

Fletcher reminded the Security Council of its obligation and commitment to uphold international humanitarian law and "to act with much greater conviction, consistency and courage."

Middle East

Ceasefire brings much needed respite to region

OCHA hopes the ceasefire will bring some much-needed respite to people, including front-line responders, across the region, following six weeks of intense hostilities.

The hostilities have claimed many lives and caused devastating damage to civilian infrastructure, including electricity, water, energy and transportation facilities.

In Iran, the United Nations and partners, in coordination with the authorities, continue to scale up their response to help refugees and others in the areas of health, water and sanitation, food, and shelter,.

Priority needs include restoring basic services, protecting vulnerable groups, rehabilitating shelters and schools, and providing critical supplies.

Lebanon

Civilians killed, shelters overcrowded after major strikes

OCHA reports earlier today, the Israeli army launched its "largest wave of strikes" on Lebanon since the start of its offensive, claiming it hit "100 sites and military infrastructure in 10 minutes" across multiple regions simultaneously.

These strikes targeted Beirut, the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon. They massively impacted Beirut, with UN personnel sheltering in UN premises. The number of casualties is unknown, but the Lebanese Red Cross describes the situation as tragic. All hospitals are calling for blood donations.

Authorities have asked people to stay off the streets to ensure access for rescue and medical vehicles.

This morning, a strike on Saida city killed eight people, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Renewed displacement orders have been issued for the entire area south of the Zahrani River, as well as southern suburbs of Beirut.

Displacement continues to drive humanitarian needs higher. The UN Refugee Agency and its partners, in coordination with the Government, are supporting people fleeing areas under attack with access to shelter and other essential items.

The UN is concerned by conditions in collective shelters. Overcrowding and limited sanitation facilities have resulted in confirmed cases of scabies and lice, raising health and safety risks, particularly for children and the elderly.

Health authorities have deployed medical teams, and humanitarian partners are providing clean water, as well as medical and shelter supplies, to help contain outbreaks and preserve people's dignity.

Life-saving aid is under threat, with less than one third of the Lebanon Flash Appeal, which calls for $308 million, funded.

More than ever, calls remain unchanged: de-escalate now; respect international humanitarian law by protecting civilians, including humanitarian and health workers; ensure safe, unimpeded access; and fund the response.

Occupied Palestinian Territory

UN vaccination campaign aims to catch children up on missed shots

OCHA reports aid workers continue to save lives across the Gaza Strip.

Partners working on health report that a five-day vaccination campaign is under way. In a social media post yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that these efforts are led by the Ministry of Health, supported by WHO, UNICEF, UNRWA, donors and partners, to vaccinate children under the age of three who have missed routine vaccination in the past 30 months.

Nearly 150 teams are delivering the vaccines, including in hard-to-reach areas.

UNICEF says that this winter, community health educators have taught more than 207,000 caregivers how to manage the early signs of hypothermia among infants and help save a child.

Ukraine

Strikes damage homes, disrupt aid as casualties rise

OCHA reports, in the past 24 hours, in Ukraine, attacks have claimed more than a dozen civilian lives and injured nearly 100 others.

The regions of Chernihiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia were among those affected. In the Kherson, more than 40 residential buildings, as well as a hospital and a school, were damaged or destroyed. The school, which had been used as a humanitarian hub, was heavily damaged in a bomb strike, with people having been evacuated shortly before the impact.

Meanwhile, nearly 450 people were evacuated from the Donetsk region over the past day. Partners continue to support newly displaced people, including at a transit centre which opened on 2 April in the city of Shostka in the Sumy region. That site assists up to 80 people a day with registration, cash, transportation, and legal and psychosocial support.

At the same time, mobile clinics supported by the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund continue to deliver essential healthcare in front-line areas. In the past week alone, more than 1,400 people in the regions of Dnipro, Mykolaiv and Sumy received medical consultations and assistance.

Posted on 8 April 2026

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Amid Record Deaths of Humanitarian, UN Personnel, Security Council Speakers Demand Accountability, Adherence to International Law

Meetings Coverage

Security Council

10131st Meeting (AM)

SC/16331

8 April 2026

Amid record levels of humanitarian workers and United Nations personnel killed in armed conflict, the Security Council today explored ways to strengthen protection, with a briefer warning that their "extraordinary courage and dedication" do not shield them from bullets, drones and shelling.

Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, reported that in 2025 at least 326 humanitarian workers were killed across 21 countries, bringing the total over the past three years to more than 1,010. By comparison, 377 humanitarian workers were killed globally in the preceding three years.

This almost threefold increase "is not an accidental escalation  it is the collapse of protection," he said, adding that of those deaths, more than 560 occurred in Gaza and the West Bank, 130 in Sudan, 60 in South Sudan and 25 each in Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He questioned whether the international community still stands by Security Council resolution 2730 (2024)  a text adopted amid a marked deterioration in the security environment for humanitarian personnel and UN and associated staff operating in armed conflict settings. The resolution was led by Switzerland and co-sponsored by more than 90 Member States, reflecting broad cross-regional support.

No Pledges without Protection: UN Officials Call Out Failure to Act

"It seems insulting to the more than 1,000 colleagues killed to simply echo the commitments of that resolution  protection, integrity, accountability," he added. "We come here not to remind you of these commitments, but to challenge you to uphold them."

Gilles Michaud, UN Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, recalled the killings of a member of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) when a drone hit a home in Goma in March 2026, a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) in an attempted kidnapping in Port-au-Prince in November 2025 and a member of the Department for Safety and Security by a tank in Gaza in May 2024.

"To this day, no one has been held accountable for their deaths," he stressed, expressing regret that, since he took up his post in 2019, "the threats to humanitarian personnel have only grown in scale, intensity and frequency".

Unfortunately, he added, attacks against humanitarian workers no longer come only from non-State armed groups, but from the same Member States "who profess an attachment to international humanitarian law while paying little attention to such law in practice".

To make matters worse, recent budget cuts have led to reduced security support globally. This, he said, leaves "our people ever more exposed and our programmes  in fact, your mandates  more vulnerable".

He called for "real, consequential measures" against anyone that compromises the safety and security of women and men whose work saves lives. Otherwise, they are, at best, "signs of helplessness".

Every single death represents "a failure of humanity", concurred Elyse Nicole Mosquini, Permanent Observer and Head of the Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to the United Nations.

She noted that in 2025 alone at least 31 staff and volunteers of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement were killed while carrying out their vital humanitarian work, including 20-year-old Abolfazl Dahanavi, who last Saturday became the fourth colleague of the Iranian Red Crescent Society killed while carrying out humanitarian work in Iran.

'We Are Losing Our Humanity'

"We are losing our humanity in war," she warned, adding: "International humanitarian law is unequivocal: States must respect and protect humanitarian personnel."

She reminded all that aid workers in conflict zones continue to serve those in need despite the risks. "Their courage is extraordinary, but courage does not deflect bullets," she pointed out. "Dedication does not shield them from drones, shelling, and gunfire."

The Security Council, all States, and parties to conflict must take immediate, concrete steps to protect humanitarian workers, she said, including by ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law, investigating attacks and holding perpetrators accountable, countering harmful narratives, guaranteeing rapid and unimpeded access and strengthening duty-of-care measures  particularly for local staff who face the greatest risks.

Aid Workers Caught between Conflicting Claims

In the ensuing discussion, Member States collectively called for stronger protections, enforcement of existing international law, accountability for perpetrators, and enhanced operational and security support for humanitarian personnel in conflict zones.

The Russian Federation's representative noted that more than half of all deaths of humanitarian workers are directly linked to the conflict in Palestine and Israeli military operations. "Now, with direct complicity of the United States, we have observed strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, which inevitably result in rising civilian casualties and a direct threat to humanitarian personnel," he said. "These are not incidental occurrences, but a systematic practice which flies in the face of the norms of international humanitarian law."

His counterpart from the United States emphasized that Iran's deliberate targeting of civilians in the Gulf region demonstrates a lack of respect for international law and is "at odds with international peace and security". He added that Tehran continues to support the Houthis in Yemen, who are holding over 70 UN staff and have refused meetings with the UN to discuss their fate. The representative of Bahrain, Council President for April, spoke in his national capacity, stating that unjustified Iranian attacks against his country and others have impacted efforts to provide aid "in so many parts of the world".

The United Kingdom's delegate noted that it has been two years since the strike on World Central Kitchen staff in Gaza  in which three British nationals were killed. "Israel has a responsibility to provide answers as to how and why this happened," he demanded.

"Those who safeguard lives should not themselves be placed in danger" said China's representative. Calling for better protection mechanisms, he noted that his country  along with Brazil, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Africa and others  launched with ICRC a global initiative to galvanize political commitment to international humanitarian law. He said over 100 countries have joined and called on others to do so.

Technology Cuts Both Ways in Conflict Settings

Diplomats also highlighted the dual impact of technology on humanitarian operations. Latvia's representative said that the increasing use of drones and other accessible technologies by both State and non-State actors introduces new security risks, as exemplified by the death of a UNICEF staff member in Goma in March. At the same time, technology can enhance humanitarian response, he said, citing tools such as the UNDP Rapid Digital Assessment. Technology-enabled protection instruments, including early-warning systems, can improve the safety of humanitarian personnel, he emphasized.

France's delegate emphasized the need for Security Council resolutions to provide strong guarantees for the safety of humanitarian workers, calling for tangible mechanisms to ensure objective, permanent, comprehensive and exhaustive follow-up on violations of international humanitarian law worldwide.

The speaker for Greece recalled that the former ICRC President spoke of 20 active conflicts while briefing the Council 27 years ago; today, the ICRC records more than 130 worldwide. She called on the Council to ensure that operational and security capacities on the ground are strengthened by "incorporating safety and security requirements into all the mandates it issues".

Accountability a Legal, Ethical Imperative

"If those who carry out humanitarian action and UN responsibilities are no longer protected, then the entire edifice of civilian protection is weakened," said Pakistan's representative, pointing to the implementation of international humanitarian law as the starting point for reversing trends. "Impunity only invites repetition," he cautioned, calling for prompt, impartial, transparent and effective investigations.

Similarly, Panama's delegate said that "in the crude circumstances of wartime", compliance does not just mean a legal obligation, but "an ethical imperative". "A lack of compliance should activate accountability mechanisms at the international level," he added.

The representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo warned of a "real disconnect between the commitments of States and their application", underlining the need to "close the gap between decisions taken in this Council and the lived reality of populations". His counterpart from Somalia similarly noted that  despite clear legal frameworks  "implementation on the ground too often falls short".

"Tolerance signals acceptance," observed Denmark's delegate, describing a lack of clear, consistent condemnation as "effectively setting the price paid by the perpetrators for such attacks at zero".

Human Cost Cannot Be Ignored

Colombia's representative expressed regret that, two years after the adoption of resolution 2730 (2024), there remains a persistent "pattern of systemic violence and deliberate and indiscriminate aggression against civilian populations".

Switzerland proposed the adoption of resolution 2730 (2024), recalled the country's delegate, adding that increased attacks against humanitarian workers send a dangerous signal that humanitarian workers have become acceptable targets. The Council must ensure the resolution that was adopted to counter this trend is fully implemented. "Wars have rules and civilians are not a target," she insisted.

Liberia's Ambassador emphasized the human cost of civilian harm, describing it as the father who does not return home, the mother striving to hold together her family, the only child whose future is cut short, or families anxiously awaiting the return of a loved one serving under the UN's protective flag. "The choice before this Council is between reacting after lives are lost or acting early enough to prevent those losses, because protection of civilians cannot continue to be a postfacto appeal."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Peace Through Strength: Operation Epic Fury Crushes Iranian Threat as Ceasefire Takes Hold

Releases

The White House

April 8, 2026

President Donald J. Trump laid out clear objectives in Operation Epic Fury  and in just 38 days, the greatest fighting force the world has ever known has met those objectives with overwhelming strength and lethal precision. Iran has now agreed to a ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz as the Trump Administration negotiates a broader peace agreement  once more proving Peace Through Strength victorious.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth: "From the strike that took out Qasem Soleimani to tearing up the disastrous Obama Iran deal, to the precision campaign that obliterated Iran's nuclear sites in Operation Midnight Hammer to the decisive military victory we just achieved in Operation Epic Fury, no other President has shown the courage and resolve of this Commander-in-Chief. President Trump forged this moment. Iran begged for this ceasefire  and we all know it."

"From the strike that took out Qasem Soleimani to tearing up the disastrous Obama Iran deal, to the precision campaign that obliterated Iran's nuclear sites in Operation Midnight Hammer to the decisive military victory we just achieved in Operation Epic Fury, no other President has shown the courage and resolve of this Commander-in-Chief. President Trump forged this moment. Iran begged for this ceasefire  and we all know it." Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine: "On February 28, the President of the United States ordered the Joint Force to execute Operation Epic Fury with the direction to accomplish three distinct military objectives: destroy Iran's ballistic missile and drone capabilities, destroy the Iranian navy, and destroy their defense industrial base to ensure that Iran cannot reconstitute the ability to project power outside their borders. Over the course of 38 days of major combat operation, the joint force achieved the military objectives as defined by the President."

"On February 28, the President of the United States ordered the Joint Force to execute Operation Epic Fury with the direction to accomplish three distinct military objectives: destroy Iran's ballistic missile and drone capabilities, destroy the Iranian navy, and destroy their defense industrial base to ensure that Iran cannot reconstitute the ability to project power outside their borders. Over the course of 38 days of major combat operation, the joint force achieved the military objectives as defined by the President." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt: "This is a victory for the United States of America that the President and our incredible military made happen. From the very beginning of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump stated this would be a four-to-six-week military operation to dismantle the military threat posed by the radical Islamic Iranian regime. Thanks to the unbelievable capabilities of America's warfighters, the United States has achieved and exceeded those core military objectives in just 38 days."

A Showcase of American Military Superiority:

Iran's ballistic missile arsenal and production capacity has been razed. More than 85% of the regime's defense industrial base, including the majority of its ballistic missiles, launcher vehicles, and long-range attack drones, has been destroyed  eliminating its ability to project power and use these capabilities as a shield around their ultimate pursuit of nuclear weapons.

More than 85% of the regime's defense industrial base, including the majority of its ballistic missiles, launcher vehicles, and long-range attack drones, has been destroyed  eliminating its ability to project power and use these capabilities as a shield around their ultimate pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran's air forces have been functionally neutered. Before Operation Epic Fury, the Iranian air force would fly between 30 to 100 flights each day; today, that number is zero.

Before Operation Epic Fury, the Iranian air force would fly between 30 to 100 flights each day; today, that number is zero. Iran's navy has been obliterated. 150 warships across 16 classes have been destroyed, every submarine has been sunk, and 97% of its once-massive inventory of naval mines have been eliminated.

150 warships across 16 classes have been destroyed, every submarine has been sunk, and 97% of its once-massive inventory of naval mines have been eliminated. Iran can no longer arm terrorist proxies. The majority of the regime's offensive weapons are destroyed and the regime can no longer manufacture new terror weapons like ballistic missiles and long-range drones.

The majority of the regime's offensive weapons are destroyed and the regime can no longer manufacture new terror weapons like ballistic missiles and long-range drones. Iran's once-vaunted space program has been devastated. 70% of its launch facilities and ground control stations have been destroyed or degraded, preventing the regime from using space for military purposes.

70% of its launch facilities and ground control stations have been destroyed or degraded, preventing the regime from using space for military purposes. What's left of the Iranian regime is desperate, dejected, and in denial. Iran's command and control structures have been shattered by more than 2,000 strikes, triggering leadership losses, paralysis, and military desertions.

Operation Epic Fury by the Numbers:

Over 10,200 total air sorties flown

Over 13,000 targets struck, including: More than 2,000 command and control targets More than 1,450 defense and industrial base targets More than 1,500 air defense targets More than 700 mine systems Approximately 800 attack drone targets More than 600 naval targets More than 450 ballistic missile targets

Over 1,000 incoming attack drone threats intercepted

Over 700 ballistic missile threats intercepted

The overwhelming might and fury of the American military gave President Trump maximum leverage. As the Trump Administration enters this next phase of negotiations, it is clear that America stands stronger, our enemies weaker, and the world safer.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






4 Palestinians, including journalist, killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza City: sources

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:23, April 09, 2026

GAZA, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources.

The Gaza Civil Defense said in a brief statement that its crews recovered two bodies after a civilian vehicle was targeted on Rashid Street in western Gaza City.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network.

Al Jazeera later confirmed the death of Wishah, its journalist.

In another incident, two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a gathering of civilians near Kuwait Roundabout, east of the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City, according to the sources.

The Israeli army has not commented on the two incidents.

Separately, the Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday in a statement that it "struck and eliminated" Muhammad Dawad, "an expert in engineering and producing explosive devices" in Hamas, on Monday.

Gaza-based health authorities said Wednesday that the death toll since the ceasefire went into effect in October 2025 has reached 736, with 2,035 injured, raising the total number of casualties since Oct. 7, 2023, to 72,315 deaths and 172,137 injuries.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Lebanon part of Iran-US truce deal: Pakistani ambassador to Washington

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 April 2026 5:48 AM

The Pakistani ambassador to Washington has stressed that Lebanon is included in the ceasefire agreement reached through his country's mediation between Iran and the United States.

Rizwan Saeed Sheikh made the remarks in an interview with CNN on Wednesday, hours after Israel waged its largest military attack against Lebanon in recent weeks, killing at least 254 people and wounding 1,165 others. The criminal assault violated the US-Iran truce deal that also called for a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon.

He said that the ceasefire agreement announced by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which included Lebanon, "could not have been more authentic" to what the two parties agreed to, and that it was still the premier's understanding that Lebanon was included.

The Pakistani envoy added that the Israeli strike on Lebanon was another instance in which a ceasefire "could be disrupted" by Israel's actions.

"There have been instances in the past where ceasefires have been disrupted," he noted, referring to Israel's routine violations of its previous ceasefire with Lebanon and the current one that ended the regime's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

The United States and Israel launched their illegal act of aggression against Iran on February 28. They assassinated Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and struck nuclear sites, schools, hospitals and civilian infrastructure.

Iran's decisive Operation True Promise 4 was launched in retaliation, with hundreds of missiles and drones pounding targets in the Israelioccupied territories as well as US military bases and assets across the region.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) announced on Wednesday an agreement to a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire after the US accepted Iran's 10-point proposal, potentially followed by negotiations to effectively end the war.

Sharif announced that "Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY."

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the truce "does not include Lebanon." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also backed the Israeli position, contradicting statements by Tehran and Islamabad.

Janet Abou-Elias, a researcher with the Democratizing Foreign Policy program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said that Israel was largely sidelined from the Iran-US ceasefire talks that culminated in an agreement viewed as "catastrophic" by the regime.

"What we've seen since looks like Israel acting to undermine a diplomatic process over which it had lost influence," she told Common Dreams.

The researcher further emphasized that Israel's attack on Lebanon "appeared to be a direct attempt to blow up the ceasefire, and it worked."

"At this point, any durable end to this conflict, even a temporary one, requires Washington to rein in Israel," Abou-Elias said. "[US President Donald] Trump has the leverage to do it. What's unclear is whether he has the political will to use it."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Hezbollah returns fire with fire; vows to sustain strikes until US-Israeli aggression ends

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 09 April 2026 1:02 AM

Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement has unleashed a rocket barrage towards an illegal settlement lying on the northern side of the occupied territories in response to earlier deadly Israeli strikes.

In a statement on Thursday, the movement said it had targeted the Manara settlement "in defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement, and after the resistance adhered to the ceasefire while the enemy did not."

"This response will continue until the Israeli-American aggression against our country and our people ceases."

Earlier, the Israeli regime targeted various areas throughout Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, killing at least 182 people and wounding 890 others, according to a preliminary toll offered by the country's health ministry.

A subsequent toll put the number of the fatalities at 254 and those injured at 1,150.

The regime has carried out numerous violations against a 2024 ceasefire deal it signed with Hezbollah, under which Tel Aviv was expected to end deadly escalation towards Lebanon that had claimed thousands of lives.

Since February 28, when the regime and the United States began their latest bout of unprovoked aggression targeting Iran, Tel Aviv simultaneously ramped up its assaults on Lebanon.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced agreeing to a two-week lull in attacks on Iran. Trump said a 10-point proposal forwarded by the Islamic Republic serves as a "workable basis on which to negotiate and the main framework for these talks."

The proposal underlines the need for cessation of aggression throughout the entire region, including in Lebanon, conditioning the Islamic Republic's stopping its defensive strikes on a halt to aggressors' regional atrocities.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced that Iran was preparing a "regret-inducing response" to the renewed Israeli attacks on Lebanon, warning that any assault on Hezbollah was an assault on the Islamic Republic.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Trump Says US Military To Remain Near Iran Until 'Real Agreement' Reached

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda April 09, 2026

US President Donald Trump has said that American forces will remain in place "in, and around, Iran" until a "real agreement" is reached, as a fragile cease-fire between the United States and Iran hangs in the balance largely due to what Washington has labeled a "misunderstanding" over whether the truce includes Israel's offensive against Tehran-backed Hezbollah assets in Lebanon.

"All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform late on April 8.

"Despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE," he added.

'Misunderstanding' On Lebanon

The shaky truce now faces serious uncertainty after Washington described a key disagreement: whether the agreement also covers Israel's military campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Hezbollah is an Iranian proxy that has been designated a terror organization by Washington.

US Vice President JD Vance, during a visit to Hungary, on April 8 said he believes there was a "legitimate misunderstanding" about the terms of the truce announced the night before by President Trump.

"I think the Iranians thought that the cease-fire included Lebanon, and it just didn't," he said, adding that "neither us nor the Israelis said that that was going to be part of the cease-fire."

"If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart...over Lebanon...that's ultimately their choice," he told reporters, adding that Israel was ready to show restraint in its attacks in Lebanon.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Lebanon was not included in the cease-fire terms. She added: "This will continue to be discussed, I am sure, between the president and Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, the United States and Israel, and all of the parties involved."

A statement released by Netanyahu's office also said the cease-fire did not include Lebanon, which contradicted an earlier statement from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is acting as a mediator between the two sides.

'Rising Death Toll'

Lebanon's Health Ministry on April 8 reported a 24-hour death toll of least 250 people -- saying that number was likely to rise -- during Israeli strikes in the hours following the announcement of the cease-fire.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said the "scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific." The Red Cross said it was "outraged by the devastating death and destruction" across Lebanon.

Lebanon's Health Ministry said 1,739 people have been killed and 5,873 wounded in Lebanon since the start of the Israel-Hezbollah war on March 2.

Iran's powerful parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, claimed that three parts of Iran's 10-point proposal for a resolution had been violated and that, in such a situation, a "bilateral cease-fire or negotiations" were "unreasonable."

In a post on X, Qalibaf asserted that the violations were attacks on Lebanon, the entry of a drone into Iranian airspace, and what he said was a "denial of Iran's right to [uranium] enrichment."

Qalibaf is reportedly expected to lead Tehran's delegation, along with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in Pakistani-mediated talks in Islamabad starting on April 10.

Separately, Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian said a cease-fire in Lebanon was an essential condition of his country's agreement with Washington.

Washington and Tehran agreed late on April 7 to a two-week cease-fire, pulling back from the brink to allow the two sides time to negotiate a peace deal. After some initial violence and the attacks in Lebanon, the cease-fire appeared to mainly hold in Iran and throughout the Gulf overnight.

Trump on social media said he had received a 10-point proposal from Tehran and that talks would be held behind closed doors. He said that "only one group of meaningful 'POINTS'" was acceptable to the United States, although he gave no other details.

"These are the POINTS that are the basis on which we agreed to a CEASEFIRE. It is something that is reasonable, and can easily be dispensed with," he said.

Along with the dispute over the situation in Lebanon, uncertainty over shipping freedom in the Strait of Hormuz also clouds the prospects for a lasting cease-fire.

While giving no details of the Iranian proposal, Trump insisted that Tehran must allow the free passage of ships in the strait, a key shipping lane through which some 20 percent of the world's oil and gas passes.

Minimal Hormuz Traffic

According to data from maritime monitor Marine Traffic, four ships passed through the waterway on April 8.

"Early signs of vessel activity are emerging in the Strait of Hormuz following a cease-fire announcement, which includes a temporary reopening of the strategic waterway to allow for negotiations," the monitor said in a post on X.

It added that "hundreds of vessels remain in the region, including 426 tankers, 34 LPG carriers, and 19 LNG vessels, many of which had been effectively stranded during the disruption."

A senior Iranian official said ships navigating the strait, however, still require the permission of Iran's hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to pass.

Reuters and others reported that shippers were awaiting more clarity before resuming transit.

Early on April 9, the IRGC announced alternative routes for ships traveling through the strait citing the risk of sea mines in the main zone of the waterway.

"All ships intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz are hereby notified that in order to comply with the principles of maritime safety and to be protected from possible collisions with sea mines...they should take alternative routes for traffic," state media quoted the IRGC as saying, while providing instructions for an alternative entry and exit routes.

The waterway is crucial to global oil and natural gas transport and has been largely closed since the beginning of US-Israeli air strikes on Iran on February 28. Tehran has retaliated by launching missiles and drones against Israel and US Arab allies in the region.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran told mediators it would limit the number of ships crossing the strait to around a dozen a day and that it would collect toll charges for its permission.

Prior to the US-Israeli war, ships moved freely through the strait without the need for coordination with Iran.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran is charging some fees in Chinese yuan, a move that regional officials said threatens reduced Western and allied influence over oil markets.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and The Wall Street Journal

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ceasefire-iran-war- pakistan-negotiations-trump-lebanon/33727932.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 Blasts NATO After Meeting With Alliance Chief Rutte

01:05 9.4.2026

US President Donald Trump again blasted NATO, saying the alliance members weren't there "when we needed them," shortly after he met in Washington with Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

"NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again. Remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of Ice!!!" Trump posted on Truth Social in all capital letters on April 8.

Trump has long complained about the 77-year-old transatlantic alliance -- of which the United States has been the dominant partner from the start -- saying it is outdated and that members do not pay their fair share for their defense.

He has intensified his criticism since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, saying the alliance did not help the United States when it was needed.

Many alliance members say they weren't consulted before the start of the war or weren't asked to contribute. Some countries, such as Italy, Spain, and Britain -- where US bases are located -- expressed reluctance to allow the military facilities on their territory to be used for offensive military operations against Iran.

Trump has also expressed demands to bring Greenland under American sovereignty and sought out NATO's help in having the island transferred from alliance member Denmark's ownership to that of the United States.

The demand has raised tensions within the alliance, with members criticizing Trump's remarks and standing behind Demark's ownership.

NATO chief Rutte told CNN after the meeting with Trump that the discussions were "frank and open" but that Trump expressed disappointment with US NATO allies.

Rutte said he told the US president that "a large majority" of European countries had been helpful to the US military effort in the war with Iran.

"Well, let me be absolutely clear, [Trump] is clearly disappointed and with many NATO allies, and I can see his point," Rutte said.

"But at the same time, I was also able to partner to the fact that the large majority of European nations have been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they live up to commitments."

Rutte added that "there is also widespread support for the fact that degrading the nuclear- and...ballistic-missile capacity for Iran was really crucial, and that only the US was able at this point to do that."

Asked if Trump had repeated during the meeting his suggestion that the United States could leave NATO, Rutte said: "Well, as I said, there is a disappointment, clearly, but at the same time, he was also listening careful to my arguments of what's happening, and I also pointed him to the fact that it was his leadership which brought about the Hague spending commitment."

On April 1, Trump told Reuters he was "absolutely" considering withdrawing the United States from NATO for what he considers the alliance's lack of support for US objectives in Iran.

In an interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph, he called the military alliance a "paper tiger" and said leaving NATO was "beyond reconsideration."

Experts say it is not clear whether Trump could unilaterally pull the United States out of the transatlantic alliance without congressional approval.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is considering a plan to punish some NATO members that he believes were unhelpful to US and Israeli forces during the Iran war.

Citing unnamed administration officials, the WSJ said proposals would involve moving US troops out of NATO member countries deemed unhelpful to the war effort and base them instead in countries that were more supportive of the US military campaign.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-live-blog- trump-khamenei/33640284.html?lbis=448788

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 War 2026 -- The Fog of Peace

Zhou Enlai, asked in 1971 about the significance of the French Revolution, reportedly replied that it was too soon to say. Yogi Berra, in a different register entirely, observed that it ain't over 'til it's over. Amrom Katz, briefing President Reagan's team, offered the intelligence community's candid assessment that the United States had never discovered anything that the Soviets had successfully hidden. All three observations bear on the situation as of mid-April 2026, when Operation Epic Fury subsided into what the parties are calling a ceasefire -- a two-week pause brokered by Pakistan within which the United States and Iran have agreed to negotiate, while simultaneously claiming total victory and leaving most of the underlying issues unresolved.

The air campaign was, by late March, running out of aim points at the rate of target generation. Bouncing the rubble of already-struck facilities produces diminishing returns in military effect while accumulating political costs. Thirteen American military personnel had died in the conflict; a human rights group estimated approximately 1,665 Iranian civilian casualties, including 248 children; and estimates of overall fatalities since February 28 ranged upward from that floor.1 None of the outstanding strategic issues -- Iranian uranium enrichment, control of the Strait of Hormuz, the status of regional proxy forces, the question of reparations, the continued Israeli campaign in Lebanon -- had been resolved when the guns fell more or less silent.

The result is what might be called the Fog of Peace: a condition in which kinetic operations have been temporarily suspended while both sides assert incompatible versions of what was agreed to, what was achieved, and who won. It resembles the pattern established in the Gaza ceasefire that President Trump secured earlier in his term, in which both sides claimed victory and both sides kept shooting. War termination theory is straightforward on the requirement: a durable end to hostilities requires some prior agreement on the identity of the victor and the terms of settlement. In the absence of that agreement, the war continues -- or resumes at the first pretext. Israel's continued bombardment of Lebanon, which killed at least 182 people on April 8 alone, and Iran's subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation, constituted that pretext within twenty-four hours of the ceasefire announcement.

The American Claim of Victory

The Trump administration's assertion of total victory rested on the battlefield record of Operation Epic Fury, a 38-day combined air campaign conducted with Israel. The White House release of April 8 enumerated the scale of the effort: over 10,200 air sorties, over 13,000 targets struck, 150 Iranian warships across 16 classes destroyed, every submarine sunk, 97 percent of the naval mine inventory eliminated, 80 percent of air defense systems degraded, approximately 450 ballistic missile targets struck, and more than 450 storage facilities destroyed.2

President Trump announced the ceasefire on Truth Social at approximately 6:30 p.m. Eastern on April 7, 2026, less than two hours before his own deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz:

"Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East."3

In a subsequent Truth Social post later that same night, after Iran agreed, Trump struck an optimistic tone:

"Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process. We'll be loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just 'hangin' around' in order to make sure that everything goes well. I feel confident that it will. This could be the Golden Age of the Middle East!!!"4

On April 8, in a post responding to reports that Iran had closed the strait in response to Israeli strikes on Lebanon, Trump hardened the terms:

"All US ships, aircraft, and military personnel...will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with. If for any reason it is not...the 'Shootin' Starts,' bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before." He added: "It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary -- NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE."5

In an interview with Agence France-Presse on April 8, Trump characterized the outcome as "total and complete victory. 100%. No question about it."6

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the ceasefire on X on April 7:

"President Trump's words speak for themselves: this is a workable basis to negotiate, and those negotiations will continue. The truth is that President Trump and our powerful military got Iran to agree to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and negotiations will continue."7

At the April 8 press conference, Leavitt added: "This is a victory for the United States of America that the President and our incredible military made happen. From the very beginning of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump stated this would be a four-to-six-week military operation to dismantle the military threat posed by the radical Islamic Iranian regime. Thanks to the unbelievable capabilities of America's warfighters, the United States has achieved and exceeded those core military objectives in just 38 days."8

At the Pentagon press conference of April 8, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declared: "Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield, a capital-V military victory. Epic Fury decimated Iran's military and rendered it combat-ineffective for years to come."9 General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, stated that the joint force had destroyed "more than 450 ballistic missile storage facilities" and "80 percent of Iran's missile production facilities," and that the three military objectives assigned by the President -- destroying Iran's ballistic missile and drone capabilities, destroying the Iranian navy, and destroying the defense industrial base -- had been accomplished.9 Caine also noted: "It will take years for Iran to rebuild any major surface combatants, as more than 20 naval production and fabrication facilities have been damaged or destroyed, and nearly 80% of Iran's nuclear industrial base was hit."2

The Iranian Claim of Victory

Iran's Supreme National Security Council announced the ceasefire in terms that could not have been more different in framing. The council declared that the United States had been forced to accept the "general framework" of Iran's 10-point proposal, described the outcome as "an enduring defeat" for Washington, and warned: "Our hands are on the trigger, and the moment the enemy makes the slightest mistake, it will be met with full force." The council proclaimed: "Good news to the dear nation of Iran! Nearly all the objectives of the war have been achieved."10

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated in his post-ceasefire announcement that Iran was "considering" a 15-point proposal from the United States while Washington had accepted Iran's 10-point plan as a "basis for negotiations." Iranian state media broadcast images of celebrations in Tehran. On the first day of the ceasefire, Iran did not simply reopen the strait on terms acceptable to the United States. Iranian officials allowed only a handful of dry-cargo vessels to transit -- after "obtaining permission from Iran" and apparently paying a toll -- while halting oil tanker traffic entirely. The Fars news agency cited Israeli strikes on Lebanon as the justification for reimposing the closure.10

The Four-Stage Architecture of the War

The New York Times reporting by Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman documented how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was, in Cirincione's characterization, "the true architect of this war." Netanyahu's strategy over the preceding year had been to align Trump's approach with Israel's objectives across multiple phases: first the weakening of Hezbollah, then the decapitation of Iranian leadership, then the destruction of nuclear-related facilities in Operation Midnight Hammer, and finally the broader conventional campaign of Operation Epic Fury. This multi-stage design meant that Israel entered the ceasefire period with different objectives than the United States, having obtained neither Hezbollah's disarmament nor a settlement in Lebanon -- and consequently declined to observe the ceasefire there. Netanyahu's office stated explicitly that the agreement "does not include Lebanon."11

The durability problem this creates is structural. As analyst Andreas Krieg of King's College London noted, Israel "prefers 'ambiguous ceasefire' deals that allow it to return to fighting 'when it feels the situation favours the Israeli army.'"12 Iranian officials noted the contradiction: Iran could not sustain a ceasefire with the United States while Israeli forces continued killing hundreds of people per day in Lebanon. "I think it's going to be very difficult for the Iranians to agree to a ceasefire on their own for themselves, while leaving Lebanon exposed," Iran analyst Alex Vatanka observed.13

Strategic Assessment

The battlefield scorecard and the strategic scorecard diverge significantly. The United States achieved substantial conventional military destruction of the Iranian armed forces. The navy was effectively eliminated as a warfighting organization; the air force grounded; the ballistic missile arsenal severely degraded; dozens of senior IRGC commanders killed. These are real military achievements.

The strategic outcomes are considerably more mixed. Iran retains physical control of the Strait of Hormuz and is exercising that control commercially, charging fees of over one million dollars per vessel. Aaron David Miller of the Carnegie Endowment called this, if it persists, "a historic strategic defeat for the U.S., especially when this was a war of choice."1 Kelly Grieco of the Stimson Center identified the strait control as "the most meaningful setback for the U.S.": "Even with the ceasefire, Iran has effectively established itself as gatekeeper of the strait. That's a fundamentally different status quo than existed before the conflict."1

Iran's nuclear stockpile -- approximately 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to near-weapons grade -- remains under Iranian control. The centrifuge knowledge cannot be bombed out of existence. Analyst Joe Cirincione noted that those within the Iranian regime who had long advocated a sprint to nuclear weapons capability had gained the upper hand precisely because the strikes had demonstrated that non-nuclear states were vulnerable to American attack in ways that nuclear-armed states are not. The strikes "set back Iran's ability to enrich uranium for reactor fuel by several years, but the knowledge of how to do it is still there and the facilities can be reconstructed in a few years."14

The regime did not change. The IRGC command structure was degraded and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the war; his son Mojtaba Khamenei emerged as the new supreme leader and, by all accounts, hardened the ideological line rather than moderating it. Trump had stated on February 28 when launching the war that "this regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces." By the regime's own framing, it had done exactly that and survived.14

A minority analytical view holds that the strategic balance may nonetheless favor the United States over a longer time horizon. For nearly half a century, American leadership was self-deterred from exercising escalation dominance against Iran -- a syndrome rooted in the trauma of Desert One and Eagle Claw in 1980 -- which left the Iranian regime more or less free to engage in mischief-making at lower rungs of the escalation ladder: terrorism, proxy warfare, nuclear hedging, hostage-taking, and repeated harassment of commercial shipping. The credible demonstration that the United States would, under sufficient provocation, actually bomb Iranian territory at scale eliminates the foundation of that self-deterrence. Some future historians will argue that this recalibration of the escalation calculus outweighs a longer list of immediate setbacks. Other historians will disagree. Historians are still making money arguing over Pickett's Charge.

Even Laura Loomer, the far-right commentator with documented proximity to Trump, acknowledged the gap between the administration's claims and the observable outcome, posting that "we didn't really get anything out of" the ceasefire talks and that "the terrorists in Iran are celebrating."14

Iran's 10-Point Ceasefire Proposal

Iran delivered its 10-point proposal to the United States via Pakistan, as reported by IRNA and confirmed by Iran's embassy in India. Trump described it on April 7 as "a workable basis on which to negotiate." The next day, Leavitt characterized the original version as "fundamentally unserious, unacceptable and completely discarded" -- the administration's position being that Iran had submitted a revised "modified plan" under deadline pressure that was more acceptable, though the text of that version was not publicly released. The discrepancy between the English-language and Persian-language versions of the plan, with enrichment language present in the Persian version and absent from the English, compounded the interpretive confusion.

The table below ranks the 10 points from most to least likely of implementation, based on the stated positions of both parties as of 09 April 2026.

# Item Present Status / Probability Assessment 1 Non-aggression commitment: US commits to a formal guarantee of non-aggression toward the Iranian regime Most achievable. A ceasefire agreement inherently contains non-aggression provisions. The United States has strong incentives to formalize any negotiated end to the conflict with such language. Trump's April 8 Truth Social posts condition continued restraint on Iranian compliance, implying a conditional non-aggression posture already in effect. 2 Strait of Hormuz reopening: safe passage for commercial shipping, with Iran retaining a coordination role over transit Partially achieved, contested. Iran agreed to reopen the strait as the condition for the ceasefire. Oil tanker transit remained restricted on day one. Iran interpreted "coordination" to mean it retains the right to charge tolls and approve transits. The White House press secretary declined to answer questions about who controls the strait. The US position is that the strait must be "OPEN & SAFE"; Iran's position is that it does so "via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces."10 3 Release of frozen Iranian assets held abroad Possible in a comprehensive settlement. The Trump administration has indicated willingness to discuss sanctions and tariff relief. Frozen asset release has been part of prior Iran agreements including the JCPOA. Trump mentioned on April 8 that he "will work closely with Iran, talking about the tariff, sanctions and relief."15 4 Lifting all primary sanctions on Iran Conditional and longer-term. Possible in exchange for significant Iranian nuclear concessions, but deeply contested domestically in the US. Trump has indicated openness to sanctions relief as an incentive but has not indicated he is prepared to lift sanctions unconditionally. 5 Lifting all secondary sanctions on countries that do business with Iran Unlikely near-term. Secondary sanctions on third-country entities are a primary tool of US economic pressure and would be surrendered only in a comprehensive settlement. No current indication either party is prepared to negotiate this immediately. 6 End of all UNSC resolutions targeting Iran Very unlikely. The United States holds a permanent veto at the Security Council. While the US could theoretically support lifting resolutions in exchange for Iranian concessions, this is a maximalist demand that has never been achieved in prior negotiations and would face domestic resistance. Cirincione described Iran's 10-point plan overall as "not a nuclear deal. It is a comprehensive restructuring of the regional order in Iran's favour."14 7 End of all IAEA Board of Governors resolutions on Iran's nuclear program Very unlikely. The IAEA operates independently and its board reflects broad multilateral consensus. The United States cannot unilaterally deliver this. Iran has repeatedly clashed with the IAEA over inspections access. Even under the JCPOA, IAEA resolutions were not lifted. 8 Continuation of Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz Deeply contested and near-irresolvable. Iran's geographic position at the strait is a physical fact; its legal claim to control transit is disputed under international law. The Just Security analysis found Iran's toll system to be illegal under UNCLOS and customary international law. The US position is that the strait must be open as a matter of international law, not Iranian permission. This point is the central strategic prize of the conflict and is unlikely to be resolved on Iran's terms.16 9 Acceptance of Iranian nuclear enrichment at some level Rejected by US; non-negotiable in US terms. Trump stated flatly on April 8: "There will be no enrichment of Uranium." Leavitt confirmed "the President's red lines, namely, the end of enrichment in Iran, have not changed." Iran's nuclear director Mohammad Eslami stated simultaneously that "any attempt to limit Iran's enrichment of uranium would fail." The conflict between these two positions is total and unresolved.8 10 Full compensation to Iran for war damages, secured through Strait of Hormuz tolls or direct payments; binding UNSC resolution codifying all terms Non-starter. The United States has never paid war reparations to an adversary it attacked. Securing such payment through a binding UNSC resolution -- which would require US concurrence -- would amount to a self-condemnation of the war as illegal, a conclusion the administration vigorously contests. Analyst Vatanka described reparations and related demands as "wishful thinking."13 This cluster of demands represents Iran's maximalist aspirational ceiling, not its negotiating floor.

The US 15-Point Framework

The US 15-point proposal was delivered to Iran through Pakistani intermediaries and has not been publicly released in full. Its broad outlines emerged from Secretary of State Rubio's statements, Leavitt's briefings, and reporting by CNN, the Associated Press, and NBC News. The table below reconstructs the known or reported elements and ranks them from those already substantially in place to those Iran is unlikely ever to accept.

# Item Present Status / Probability Assessment 1 Immediate ceasefire: suspension of offensive operations by all parties Nominally in place. The two-week ceasefire was announced April 7-8, 2026 and is nominally in effect. Israel's continued strikes in Lebanon -- with at least 182 killed on April 8 -- and Iran's brief subsequent closure of the strait indicate the ceasefire is fragile. High-level talks are scheduled to begin in Islamabad on April 10, 2026.12 2 Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping without Iranian interdiction Partially achieved, precarious. Iran agreed to reopen the strait as a condition of the ceasefire. Only four dry-cargo ships transited on day one of the truce; oil tanker passage was halted by Iran within hours in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Brent crude remained elevated at approximately $97 per barrel as of April 9, 2026.15 3 Structured negotiations through Pakistan toward a permanent settlement, with delegations meeting in Islamabad within two weeks Agreed in principle, pending. Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad on April 10, 2026. Both parties have nominally agreed to this framework. Whether talks produce a final agreement within the two-week window is an open question. 4 Sanctions and tariff relief for Iran conditioned on compliance with nuclear and other provisions Discussed; no commitment. Trump on April 8 acknowledged that the US would "work closely with Iran" on "tariff, sanctions and relief." No specific offer has been made. The administration has indicated openness in principle while maintaining maximum pressure as a fallback.15 5 Release of frozen Iranian assets as part of a broader incentive package Possible in comprehensive settlement. Standard element of prior Iran negotiations. The administration has not made a specific commitment. Iran has demanded this unconditionally; US position appears to be conditional. 6 Guaranteed maritime security framework for the Strait of Hormuz, possibly including joint or Omani management of transit Under discussion, contested. Trump floated the concept of a "joint venture" with Iran for Strait operations. Analyst Parsi suggested Trump might accept an Omani-Iranian toll collection arrangement as long as the strait remains open. Iran's claim to sole control is incompatible with the US framework of international freedom of navigation. Iran is currently charging in excess of $1 million per vessel.13 7 Iran commits to no nuclear weapons development; highly enriched uranium stockpile placed under international supervision or removed US stated requirement; Iran has not agreed. Trump on April 8: "There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) Nuclear 'Dust.'" Iran retains approximately 440 kilograms of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium. Iran's nuclear director has stated that "any attempt to limit Iran's enrichment of uranium would fail." Foundation for Defense of Democracies analyst Richard Goldberg warned that "we either get dismantlement or we don't," estimating that up to one-third of Iran's missile arsenal remained intact.14 8 Extended 45-day ceasefire window for Phase 2 negotiations toward permanent settlement Proposed by Pakistan; not yet agreed. Pakistani PM Sharif's original framework called for a 15-to-20-day period for talks followed by a 45-day extended ceasefire. The two-week pause was agreed; the 45-day extension is contingent on progress.12 9 Limits on Iranian ballistic missile capabilities and production reconstruction US objective; Iran silent. Gen. Caine claimed 80 percent of Iran's missile production facilities were destroyed. Even FDD analysts sympathetic to the campaign estimated that up to one-third of the arsenal remained, and that the capability "can be fairly rapidly reconstructed." Iran's 10-point plan makes no mention of missile limits. This is a critical gap between the parties.14 10 End to Iranian support for regional proxy groups -- Hezbollah, Houthi remnants, Iraq-based militias Not in Iran's 10-point plan; rejected in practice. Iran describes its support for "resistance forces" as a matter of sovereign foreign policy. Israel's continuation of its Lebanon campaign during the ceasefire indicates that even the nominal terms do not cover this issue. Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel on April 9, 2026, the second day of the ceasefire.11 11 Withdrawal of US forces from the region conditioned on Iranian compliance with all terms Timeframe unspecified; US plans residual presence. Trump's April 8 Truth Social post was explicit: "All US ships, aircraft, and military personnel will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with." This reverses Iran's demand for immediate US withdrawal, which the US has rejected entirely.5 12 Iran commits to nuclear enrichment limits with intrusive IAEA inspections Non-starter for current Iranian leadership. Iran's nuclear director's statement on post-ceasefire enrichment rights, combined with the new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei's harder line compared to his father, suggests the domestic politics of accepting JCPOA-style inspections have become more difficult, not less, as a result of the war. The incentive to acquire a bomb -- rather than settle for enrichment limits -- has increased.14 13 Iran accepts full accountability mechanisms for war damages to neighboring Gulf states and US allies Iran has not acknowledged; likely non-starter. Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar all sustained Iranian drone and missile attacks during the campaign. Iran's 10-point plan demands reparations in the opposite direction. No mechanism for mutual accountability has been proposed by either party. 14 Binding UNSC resolution codifying final settlement terms Extremely unlikely. Both Iran and the US claim the right to define the terms of the settlement differently. Russia and China, both permanent members with veto power, may not support a resolution reflecting US-defined terms. The US would not support a resolution reflecting Iran's 10-point plan as submitted. 15 Effective regime change in Iran resulting in a less radicalized successor government willing to abandon nuclear ambitions and proxy warfare Failed. Trump stated on February 28: "This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces." The regime survived. Multiple senior commanders were killed but the institutional structure of the IRGC and the Supreme National Security Council functioned throughout. Trump subsequently claimed on March 29 that "we've had regime change"; PolitiFact rated the claim "Mostly False."1 The new supreme leader and the IRGC command are assessed as more radicalized than their predecessors.

The Netanyahu Variable

The Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman reporting in the New York Times of April 7, 2026, documented in detail how Netanyahu designed the multi-stage campaign architecture that drew the United States into the broadest air campaign in the Middle East since the Second Gulf War. The plan, as reconstructed from reporting, proceeded in stages: the degradation of Hezbollah in Lebanon during 2024-2025; a preliminary strike on Iran's nuclear facilities in June 2025 (Operation Midnight Hammer, conducted initially by Israel with subsequent US participation); and finally the full conventional campaign of Operation Epic Fury beginning February 28, 2026. Each stage was presented to the Trump administration as the logical continuation of the previous one.11

The ceasefire with Iran did not include Lebanon, by Netanyahu's explicit insistence and Trump's acquiescence -- a design that guaranteed continued Iranian involvement in hostilities and consequently undermined the ceasefire from day one. This is not an incidental flaw but a structural feature. Israel's war aims in Lebanon are not identical to America's war aims regarding Iran's nuclear program. The divergence will become more visible as Phase 2 talks proceed.

Outlook

The two-week ceasefire window is not a peace agreement; it is a suspension of operations while incompatible positions are negotiated. The United States insists there will be no Iranian uranium enrichment; Iran insists its right to enrichment is non-negotiable. The United States insists the Strait of Hormuz must be open under international law; Iran insists it controls the strait and can charge what the market will bear. Israel insists the ceasefire does not include Lebanon; Iran insists any durable peace requires stability in Lebanon. These are not bridgeable gaps by deadline.

War termination requires agreement on who won and on what terms the fighting ends. In the absence of that agreement, pauses are temporary. As of April 9, 2026, the agreement on victor is: both parties claim victory. The agreement on terms is: both parties assert incompatible versions of what was agreed. The agreement on Lebanon is: there is none. The Fog of Peace is as thick as the fog of war. Whether the Islamabad talks produce a durable framework within two weeks, or whether the guns resume -- as they did in Gaza -- remains the open question. Zhou Enlai had it right. It is too soon to say.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Black-Market Peso Exchange Money Laundering Scheme

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

A Mexican national pleaded guilty yesterday to participating in a two-year, multimillion-dollar trade-based money laundering conspiracy that moved drug trafficking proceeds through Texas to Mexico.

According to court documents, Gabriel Arturo Castillo, 52, of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, participated in a sophisticated, international money laundering conspiracy to transfer proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs in the United States to cartels in Mexico without physically transporting money across the U.S.-Mexico border. The conspirators concealed those funds through the movement of goods between the two countries.

As part of the black-market peso exchange scheme, the criminal conspiracy received large quantities of United States dollar drug proceeds in various cities in the United States. The proceeds then either were deposited into various bank accounts or transported to Laredo, Texas. From there, the drug proceeds were sold to Mexican business owners in Mexico who used the U.S. currency to purchase products from stores in the United States, including perfume sellers. Once the businesses received payment, the merchandise purchased by the Mexican business operators was transported from Laredo to Mexico. Finally, Mexican business operators paid for the drug proceeds by transferring pesos in Mexico to the drug trafficking organizations. By doing so, the conspirators sought to conceal the source of the drug proceeds and to allow the Mexico-based drug dealers to receive their profits in their native currency, pesos.

"For years, Gabriel Arturo Castillo agreed to launder millions of dollars in drug proceeds through an intricate trade-based money laundering system," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "Cartels are motivated by profit, and these financial facilitators promote their deadly drug trafficking and endanger lives, legitimate business, and trade. The devastating effects of this transnational crime are vast and wide ranging. This conviction sends a clear message that the Criminal Division will pursue narcotraffickers as well as those who enable their crimes."

"Castillo and his co-conspirators all played a critical role in laundering millions of dollars in drug proceeds through an intricate trade-based money laundering scheme," said Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck for the Southern District of Texas. "This plea is yet another step we are taking to dismantle the financial networks that fuel violence and narcotics trafficking along our southern border. We will continue to follow the money trail until all participants in this organization are held accountable."

"Gabriel Castillo played a key role for years in hiding drug trafficking proceeds using complex money laundering schemes," said Special Agent in Charge Miguel Madrigal of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) San Antonio Division. "Castillo helped facilitate the concealment of drug profits through elaborate laundering operations. But once DEA agents in Laredo started their investigation, they swiftly identified the cartel's activities, leading to justice and ending the criminal schemes that empower their operations."

"The specific type of scheme they used is called a black-market peso exchange, versions of which existed for decades and can be as complex as the concept is old," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton of the IRS Criminal Investigation's Houston Field Office. "We were able to follow the money to unravel how merchandise was purchased from U.S. businesses near the border and then sold in Mexico for a predetermined price. You can't hide your ill-gotten gains from a law enforcement agency dedicated to following the money."

Castillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7 and faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The DEA and IRS-CI are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Keith Liddle and Stephanie Williamson of the Criminal Division's Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lance Watt and Amanda Gould for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and August 2025 extradition of Castillo.

MNF's mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.

MNF's Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.

Components: Criminal Division

Criminal - Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

USAO - Texas, Southern

Press Release Number: 26-329

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Pakistani National Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Commit Isis-Inspired Attack at Jewish Center in New York

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

The Justice Department announced today that Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, also known as "Shahzeb Jadoon," pleaded guilty to attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, for attempting to enter the United States and carry out a mass shooting with automatic weapons at a prominent Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York. Khan pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 12, 2026.

"Khan planned a mass shooting at a Jewish center in New York City, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attacks, with the explicit goal of killing as many Jews as possible," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. "Khan declared that New York City was the 'perfect' venue for his attack because of its large Jewish population and boasted that his plot could be the largest attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. The National Security Division will work tirelessly to ensure that terrorists like Khan face the full weight of American law."

"Muhammad Khan planned to carry out a horrendous attack on a venerated Jewish center in New York City in support of ISIS," said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. "Thanks to the work of our law enforcement partners at the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI, Khan's plan was disrupted before he reached the United States. Today's guilty plea makes unequivocally clear: terrorism and other hate-based violence have zero place in New York City. We will continue to ensure the safety of religious groups who have the fundamental right to gather peaceably and without fear of harm. That's what New Yorkers want and that's the American way."

"Khan planned to illegally enter the United States and conduct an ISIS-inspired attack on the Jewish community around the one-year anniversary of the attacks in Israel by Hamas," said Acting Assistant Director Coult Markovsky of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. "With this guilty plea, he will now face the consequences of planning a mass shooting in New York City that might have killed or injured many people. I want to thank the FBI teams and our partners for their work to prevent an attack and to bring this individual to justice."

"Muhammad Khan targeted a prominent Jewish religious center in Brooklyn to honor the October 7th anniversary by attempting to conduct what he hoped would be the largest terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11," said Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI New York Field Office. "Khan planned to inflict significant casualties and fear before he was intercepted 12 miles from our northern border. May today's plea emphasize the FBI's unwavering commitment to stand alongside our local law enforcement partners to defend our city from terrorists seeking to harm any of our citizens."

"Muhammad Shahzeb Khan intended to come to New York City and carry out an ISIS-inspired act of terror against our city's Jewish community," said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. "The NYPD, in close coordination with our federal partners, was able to stop this dangerous plot before it could become a devastating attack. This case is yet another example of the sophisticated work that the NYPD does to protect our communities from harm and our ongoing commitment to stop hate-fueled violence."

As alleged in the charging instruments and other public filings:

In or about November 2023, Khan, a Pakistani national residing in Canada, began posting on social media and communicating with others about his support for ISIS, including by distributing ISIS propaganda videos and literature. Khan subsequently began planning terrorist attacks in the United States in support of ISIS, including by communicating his plans with two individuals who, unbeknownst to Khan, were undercover officers (the UCs). Khan told the UCs that he and a U.S.-based associate (Associate-1) had been planning to carry out a terrorist attack in a particular U.S. city (City-1) using AR-style assault rifles to "target[] Israeli Jewish chabads . . . scattered all around [City-1]."[1] Khan repeatedly instructed the UCs to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and other materials to carry out the attacks, and identified locations in City-1 where the attacks would take place. Khan also told the UCs that he had identified a human smuggler who would help him cross the border from Canada into the United States for the attack.

In or about August 2024, Khan changed his target to New York City, telling the UCs that the target location would now be a prominent Jewish religious center in Brooklyn, New York (Location-1). Khan conveyed that he hoped to carry out this attack on or around October 7, 2024  which Khan recognized as the one-year anniversary of the brutal and deadly terrorist attacks in Israel carried out by the foreign terrorist organization Hamas on October 7, 2023. Khan told the UCs that "New york is perfect to target jews" because it has the "largest Jewish population in america," and, as such, "even if we dont attack a[n] Event[,] we could rack up easily a lot of jews." Khan told the UCs that "we are going to nyc to slaughter them," and later sent a photograph to the UCs of the specific enclosed area inside of Location-1 where Khan planned to carry out his attack. In the days that followed, Khan continued to urge the UCs to acquire AR-style rifles, hunting knives to "slit their throats," and other equipment for the attack, and reiterated his desire to carry out this attack in support of ISIS. During one such communication, Khan noted that "if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11."

On or about Sept. 4, 2024, Khan attempted to reach the U.S.-Canada border using a human smuggler. Khan traveled from the vicinity of Toronto, Canada, toward the United States, before he was stopped and arrested in or around Ormstown, Canada, approximately 12 miles from the U.S.-Canada border.

Khan, 21, a Pakistani citizen who was residing in Canada, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The potential maximum penalty in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies, and thanked the FBI's Los Angeles and Chicago Field Offices, the New York State Police, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice's National Security Division for their assistance. The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department's Criminal Division worked with authorities in Canada to secure the arrest and June 2025 extradition of Khan. Mr. Clayton also thanked our law enforcement partners in Canada, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Department of Justice Canada's International Assistance Group, for their assistance.

This case is being handled by the Office's National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky and David J. Robles for the Southern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Kevin Nunnally of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.

[1] "Chabad" is a branch of Hasidic Judaism, as well as a movement that operates Jewish religious and educational institutions around the world.

Topic: National Security

Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

National Security Division (NSD)

USAO - New York, Southern

Press Release Number: 26-330

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Belarus outlines plans for new satellite launches in 2027, 2028

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [12:34]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

Ivan Bucha, Deputy Head of the Aerospace Activities Department of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, announced plans for launching new satellites at a press conference on 7 April, BelTA has learned.

Russian-Belarusian satellite in 2028

"All space research activities in our country are carried out within the framework of a national program. This is already the fourth program, which began in January of this year and is a logical continuation of the three previous programs. It consists of three areas. The first is the operation of the Belarusian Space System for Earth Remote Sensing and the implementation of a project to develop an ultra-high-resolution spacecraft. This spacecraft is being developed together with the Russian Federation. The resolution of the spacecraft is 0.35 meters. The launch into orbit is planned for 2028," said Ivan Bucha.

Other areas of the national program include the development of technologies for processing and applying space information for various sectors of socio-economic activity in Belarus, aerospace education, and the improvement and training of personnel.

Small spacecraft in 2027

Additionally, the Union State program Kompleks SG is underway, under which three small spacecraft are being developed. Russia is building two of them, while Belarus is building one. "Development of these spacecraft will be completed in 2026, and we plan to launch them in 2027," Ivan Bucha noted.

According to Sergei Zolotoi, Director of the Geoinformation Systems enterprise of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Belarusian spacecraft will be equipped with two instruments for studying near-Earth space - a sounder and a device for recording charged particles directed toward Earth. "These are not only solar flares but also harsh cosmic radiation. The source of a magnetic storm is a solar flare. From the moment of the flare, this harsh radiation reaches Earth within a few hours, while the magnetic storm develops over several days. Accordingly, with such a recorder, we will be able to predict this magnetic storm at an early stage, then monitor it and model its development," he said.

Which satellites were launched in 2025?

At the end of 2025, two Belarusian spacecraft, NASBSat-1 and NASBSat-2, were launched into space. They were developed by the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. One of them is equipped with Belarusian-made instrumentation for ionospheric sounding. "This spacecraft will probe the state of the ionosphere, and then a three-dimensional model will be built on Earth, which will be used to predict the development of magnetic storms," said Sergei Zolotoi.

He also explained why great attention is paid to this field worldwide today. "Today we are observing a natural phenomenon where the magnetic poles are shifting southward, and, as a result, we are already seeing the northern lights in Belarus. It is a known fact that magnetic storms form in the ionosphere. The management system of the power grid is being put at risk. There are known cases in the world where control systems at nuclear power plants failed as a result of such natural phenomena. In addition, the automation that controls the power grid and systems with long power lines, particularly railways, can also fail," the scientist said.

The second of the satellites launched at the end of 2025 is designed to monitor temperature anomalies. "It weighs only 19 kg. It carries unique equipment, also manufactured by our company Peleng. This is the country's first experience of launching recorders operating in the infrared range into space. The satellite is currently undergoing flight testing. All onboard systems are operating normally. The imaging system is being adjusted and calibrated. Unlike existing approaches, this one will feature onboard data processing. Only the coordinates of temperature anomalies will be transmitted to Earth. This will significantly reduce the requirements for receiving equipment, as data can be received using a standard ham radio antenna. It will effectively be possible to provide information to emergency services units directly in the area where a potential fire outbreak may occur," Sergei Zolotoi added.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Minister Lightbound underscores investment of $1.4 billion into Domestic Ammunition Production

National Defence

News release

April 8, 2026 - Repentigny, Quebec - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

As the global threat environment continues to evolve, the Government of Canada remains committed to making targeted investments to strengthen Canada's defence industry and support long-term security.

Today, the Honourable Joel Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, highlighted a recent investment of $1.4 billion to expand Canada's domestic ammunition production capacity.

This investment is possible through the Canadian Defence Industry Resilience (CDIR) Program, which will strengthen Canada's defence industrial base by helping companies increase production capacity, build sovereign defence capabilities, and address critical supply chain vulnerabilities. The CDIR Program will enhance Canada's ability to produce defencerelated products and materials domestically, while improving the resilience of industrial supply chains for key components and raw materials.

Under this program, the Government of Canada has awarded three contribution agreements to General Dynamics - Ordnance and Tactical Systems of Quebec:

$355.7 million to construct a nitrocellulose facility at the company's Valleyfield site;

up to $57.9 million to establish Canada's first facility capable of loading, assembling, and packing M231/232 charges used in 155mm artillery at the company's Valleyfield site; and

up to $642 million to establish a manufacturing facility to load, assemble, and pack 155mm HighExplosive projectiles at the company's Le Gardeur site.

In addition to restoring the critical ability to manufacture nitrocellulose in Valleyfield, these agreements will generate significant economic benefits for the region. They are expected to create upwards of 356 jobs during construction and throughout indirect employment, strengthen Canadian supply chains through domestic sourcing, and increase Canada's capacity to scale munitions and propellant manufacturing during times of elevated demand. Together, these agreements will help attract further defence-sector investments and support innovation and workforce development through partnerships with educational institutions, contributing to long-term regional economic growth.

As previously announced by Minister McGuinty, the Government of Canada will also provide up to $305.4 million in financial assistance to IMT Precision in Ingersoll, Ontario. This will establish a new manufacturing facility capable of producing empty metal shells for more modern and effective 155mm artillery projectiles, which will increase Canada's sovereign ammunition production capacity reducing dependency on foreign suppliers.

These investments, guided by Canada's first Security, Sovereignty, Prosperity: Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy, will strengthen Canada's sovereign ammunition production capacity by expanding domestic manufacturing of key artillery charge components, and create skilled jobs in the region. This reduces reliance on foreign suppliers, reinforces the resilience of Canada's ammunition supply chain, and provides the Canadian Armed Forces with rapid, reliable access to critical defence materiel needed to protect Canadians at home and abroad.

Quotes

"A strong defence industrial base is not just about security, it is about sovereignty. Through the Canadian Defence Industry Resilience Program, we are investing $1.4 billion in domestic ammunition production in Valleyfield and Le Gardeur, ensuring that Canadian workers build the capabilities our Armed Forces depend on, that our supply chains are resilient, and that Canada never has to look abroad for what it can produce at home." The Honourable Joel Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant

"It is an honor to support Canada's defence priorities and our Canadian Armed Forces at such a pivotal moment. This investment represents a meaningful step toward strengthening Canada's sovereign munitions capability, enhancing supply chain resilience, and ensuring readiness. At GDOTS Canada, we are proud to contribute our expertise and enhance our capabilities, helping to deliver critical systems that Canada and our allies depend on." Ian Thibault, Senior Vice President and General Manager, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems

Quick facts

Following the Government of Canada's recent achievement in reaching its 2% defence expenditure target, the Defence Industrial Strategy will continue to build on Canada's commitment to increasing its defence investment to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035.

Budget 2025 outlined initial investments to support Canada's defence industrial base. This begins with an investment of $6.6 billion over five years on a cash basis, starting in 2025-26, to accelerate innovation, stabilize supply chains, expand critical stockpiles, and help Canadian businesses scale production and compete globally.

Increasing investments in core military capabilities, building up our domestic defence industry, and dual-use investments are putting Canada on a pathway to meet the NATO Defence Investment Pledge to invest 5% of GDP in defence by 2035.

The Canadian defence industry contributes nearly $10 billion to the Canada's GDP and supports over 81,000 jobs.

The CDIR program supports Government of Canada procurement priorities such as the Buy Canada Policy to enable Canadian industry to benefit from defence investments.

Through the CDIR Program, the Government of Canada will provide initial funding to support eligible industrial partners on immediate priorities. As additional funding becomes available, Canada will work with industry partners to share information about future opportunities on the CDIR website.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on April 8, 2026

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: April 08, 2026 20:21

At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will pay an official visit to China from April 11 to 15.

At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will visit the DPRK from April 9 to 10.

CCTV: On the upcoming visit of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, can you share the arrangement and China's expectations for the visit?

Mao Ning: This will be the prime minister's fourth visit to China within four years. It will also be another important high-level exchange between China and Spain shortly after last year's visits to China by the King and prime minister of Spain. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhao Leji will hold talks and meet with him respectively for in-depth exchanges of views on the bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.

Spain is an important cooperation partner of China in the EU. Over recent years, under the strategic guidance of leaders of the two countries, bilateral relations have achieved robust development, and cooperation in various fields has made solid progress, which effectively improved the wellbeing of both peoples. The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will provide another opportunity for China and Spain working together to deepen strategic mutual trust, have closer exchanges and cooperation, and step up coordination on multilateral affairs, so as to bring the China-Spain relations to a new height and make greater contribution to world peace and stability.

Sky News: President Donald Trump suggested that he believes it was China that pushed Iran to negotiate the ceasefire deal that we now have. Are you able to confirm that this is true, if China was involved with bringing those parties to the table? And secondly, if China was involved, there already seemed to be quite significant discrepancies and confusion about some of the terms, particularly whether Lebanon is included in the ceasefire and whether the enrichment of uranium is part of the 10-point plan presented to the Americans. Are you able to shed any light on any of those specifics? And crucially, is the deal falling apart before it even really began?

Mao Ning: Since the fighting began, China has worked actively to help bring about an end to the conflict. Foreign Minister Wang Yi made 26 phones calls with his counterparts from relevant countries. The Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue traveled to the Gulf and Middle East region in a mediation effort. China and Pakistan jointly put forward the five-point initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East region. As a responsible major country, China will continue playing a constructive role and making positive contribution to restoring peace and tranquility in the Gulf and Middle East region.

China Daily: To follow up on Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to the DPRK, can you share the program and China's expectation of the visit?

Mao Ning: China and the DPRK are traditional friends and neighbors connected by mountains and rivers. It is an unswerving strategic policy of the CPC and the Chinese government to maintain, consolidate and develop China-DPRK relations. Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming visit is an important step for the two sides to act on the common understandings between the top leaders of the two parties and two countries and to advance the development of China-DPRK ties. China stands ready to work with the DPRK to step up strategic communication, enhance exchanges and cooperation, and further advance China-DPRK traditional friendship and cooperative ties.

Sputnik: It was previously reported that Iran intended to collect shipping fees from each vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz and split the revenues with Oman. What's China's position on this? And given that China is in touch with all sides, can the foreign ministry confirm if this model applies to the ceasefire arrangement that was just brokered?

Mao Ning: The Strait of Hormuz is an important international trade route for goods and energy. Keeping the area safe and stable and ensuring unimpeded passage serves the common interest of the international community. We hope that all sides can work together for the early resumption of normal traffic at the Strait.

China News Service: We've learned that Pakistani and Afghan delegations recently met with Chinese delegation in Urumqi. Can you confirm that and what's your comment?

Mao Ning: Based on the common understandings reached between Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi, representatives of the three sides held week-long informal talks in Urumqi, Xinjiang from April 1 to 7. The cross-departmental delegations of the three sides include representatives from authorities in charge of foreign affairs, defense and security. The discussions were candid, pragmatic and proceeded in a sound atmosphere, which shows that the talks follow an approach oriented towards solving problems, striving for results and taking actions.

The Afghan and Pakistani delegations spoke highly of the Global Security Initiative and the Asian security model put forward by President Xi Jinping, in particular his important visions of seeking commonality despite differences, treating each other as equals, and championing dialogue and consultation for peaceful settlement of disputes. The two sides commended and thanked China for the mediation effort and thoughtful arrangement as the host country of the talks. They also expressed appreciation for China's fair and just position and utmost effort.

The Afghan and Pakistani sides reiterated that they follow the purposes and spirit of the UN Charter and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, stay committed to resolving differences as soon as possible, work for the turnaround of Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, and agree to refrain from actions that may escalate or complicate the situation. China expressed readiness to maintain communication with both sides, provide the platform for dialogue, and continue to play a constructive role for improving and developing Afghanistan-Pakistan relations and enhancing practical trilateral cooperation among the three countries.

Intensive bilateral and trilateral meetings were held in seven days. China noted and summed up the talks and common understandings as follows: Afghanistan and Pakistan reiterated that the two countries are Muslim brothers and neighbors. The three sides believed that amid the turbulent and changing international and regional situation, maintaining friendly ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan is of vital importance to peoples in both countries as well as peace and stability in South Asia. The three sides stressed that dialogue and consultation is the viable and effective way to resolve complex international disputes, including the disputes between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The three sides agreed to discuss a comprehensive plan to resolve issues in the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and identified the core and priority issues. China stressed that terrorism is the core issue affecting Afghanistan-Pakistan relations. The three sides believed that the Urumqi process is substantive, and agreed to maintain communication and dialogue on the process.

Hubei Media Group: It's reported that the Security Council yesterday voted on the draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz submitted by Bahrain. The resolution failed to pass after China and Russia vetoed against it. According to permanent representatives of China and Russia to the UN, the two countries submitted to the Council a new draft resolution on the current Middle East situation and maritime security. Can you share more details?

Mao Ning: On the draft resolution concerning the Strait of Hormuz voted at the Security Council, China's permanent representative to the UN in the explanation of vote has elaborated on China's stance. China maintains that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Gulf States should be fully respected, and the safety and security of shipping lanes and energy infrastructure should also be safeguarded. The root cause of the disruption at the Strait of Hormuz is the U.S.-Israel illegal military operations against Iran. The fundamental solution to ensuring safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz is to end the conflict as soon as possible. The Security Council's actions should be aimed at deescalating the situation. They must not provide the legal veneer for unauthorized military operations. The Council's actions must not grant a license to the use of force, let alone add fuel to the fire, thereby leading to an escalation of the conflict. China's position on the vote is objective and impartial, and will stand the test of history.

The draft resolution jointly submitted by China and Russia concerning the Strait of Hormuz has been officially circulated to Council members. The text of that draft resolution is objective and fair, aiming at easing tensions, calling for dialogue and negotiations, and upholding navigational rights and freedoms. It responds to what the international community calls for and we hope that it will receive extensive support. China is ready to work with parties concerned to make relentless effort for an early deescalation and restoration of peace and stability in the Strait and the Middle East region.

The New York Times: Did China make a specific request in the past couple of days to Iran to agree to some outline of a ceasefire?

Mao Ning: I just spoke on some of the work that China has done. We have been making active efforts to promote peace talks and end hostilities.

Anadolu Agency: I will also ask about the ceasefire deal. I want to learn about what's your comment about it, because there are parallels with your own during the crisis. There is a deal for two weeks and about opening of the Hormuz Strait. So we see some elements that China also was calling for. So I want to know what's your comment about the deal. Secondly, we know that Pakistan has brokered this deal. But I want to also learn, were you directly involved with any party during this process for the ceasefire, I mean specifically with one party and make recommendations to that party?

Mao Ning: China welcomes the announcement of the ceasefire arrangement by relevant parties. We support the mediation efforts by countries including Pakistan. We have all along been calling on parties to end hostilities as soon as possible and resolve disputes through political and diplomatic channels to achieve enduring peace and security in the Gulf and Middle East region. China has made active effort to this end.

Sky News: Another question related to the Middle East. Despite the ceasefire agreements and the agreement to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the energy crisis that's been caused by all this and that has hit Asia very very hard is likely to continue for some time. China has been accused throughout of being more insulated from that energy crisis because it continues to import sanctioned Iranian oil and then it obscures the fact it does this via shadow fleet and hard-to-trace transactions. Does China deny that it uses so-called teapot refineries to deal in sanctioned Iranian oil? And what do you say to the accusation that this trade has elongated the conflict?

Mao Ning: The root cause for the impact on world economy and energy security is the Iran conflict. China always stands firmly against illicit unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law or the authorization of the UN Security Council.

Yonhap News Agency: First question, the DPRK fired ballistic missiles yesterday and today, a move in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. What's China's comment? Second question, after ROK President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret over drone flights into the North, Kim Yo-jong, department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, said on Monday that President of the State Affairs Kim Jong-un assessed Lee as having a "frank and broad-minded" attitude. But the DPRK's first vice foreign minister, Jang Kum-chol, reiterated yesterday Pyongyang's unchanged hostile stance against Seoul. What's China's comment?

Mao Ning: On your first question, we have noted varying descriptions of the nature of the projectiles.

On your second question, we have noted the recent statements. China's basic position on the Korean Peninsula issue remains unchanged.

Associated Press: A couple of questions. One related to Iran. Can you tell us a little bit more about the behind-the-scenes China is doing to try to solve this crisis? I know that maybe you cannot tell us a lot of details, but if you can talk about why China is privileging behind the scenes than going public in the effort? Second, Pakistan and Afghanistan, have you agreed on a new meeting here in China or not yet for the peace talks?

Mao Ning: On your first question, we have shared information about China's efforts on multiple occasions. China always advocates resolving disputes through political and diplomatic channels and maintains communication with various parties regarding this. We will continue working for easing tensions and bringing about a full stop of hostilities.

On your second question, I have shared information in detail just now. One of the important common understandings reached at the unofficial talks is that the three sides agreed to maintain communication and believed that the Urumqi process is substantive, so going forward, we can expect meetings at various levels.

The New York Times: Iran's ambassador to China reportedly asked for a security guarantee from China just now. What is China's position? Would you consider security guarantee for Iran?

Mao Ning: We hope parties can properly settle disputes through dialogue and negotiation. China will maintain communication with all parties and continue to work for deescalation and put an end to the conflict.

BBC: In terms of securing this peace, has China made any specific offer to be part of that, for example, to send ships to the region or in any way play a role in making sure that the current peace holds?

Mao Ning: I have nothing to share at the moment.

EFE: According to reports, Brazilian authorities have added Chinese automaker BYD to a list of companies linked to labor conditions analogous to slavery following an inspection at one of its projects. What is China's view on this case?

Mao Ning: The Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting the lawful rights and interests of workers and always asks Chinese companies to abide by laws and regulations in their operation.

Reuters: U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the U.S. has been able to access Chinese rare earths, but the U.S. is nonetheless working on plurilateral agreements to boost alternative supplies. Should the U.S. be concerned about the return of Chinese curbs on rare earths export to the U.S.?

Mao Ning: For anything specific, I'd refer you to competent authorities. Let me point out that China-U.S. economic and trade relations are mutually-beneficial in nature. The two sides need to jointly deliver on the important common understandings between the two presidents, and provide greater stability to China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation.

BBC: I want to ask you about the death of a Chinese researcher in the United States at the University of Michigan. Can you tell us if the Chinese government has any concerns regarding his death, especially since apparently his death followed some questioning from the authorities in the United States? Any more information on what China would like to see happen with this case?

Mao Ning: China has stated its position on the heartbreaking incident. Let me stress again that China calls on the U.S. to carry out a full investigation, give the family of the victim and the Chinese side a responsible explanation, and stop any discriminatory law enforcement targeting Chinese scholars and students in the U.S. China will continue to take what is necessary to firmly defend Chinese citizens' legitimate and lawful rights and interests.

Associated Press: We have seen reports that Viet Nam's top leader To Lam is planning to come to China. Do you have any information about that?

Mao Ning: I have no information to share at the moment.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






FCDO statement on DPRK ballistic missile launches: 8 April

Government response

The FCDO has released a statement following ballistic missile launches by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 8 April.

From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Published 8 April 2026

An FCDO spokesperson said:

DPRK's ballistic missile launches on 8 April are another breach of UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), destabilising regional peace and security. The UK continues to urge DPRK to stop provocations, to engage in meaningful diplomacy and return to dialogue.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TRIKAND ARRIVES AT MOMBASA, KENYA

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 08 APR 2026 12:30PM by PIB Delhi

INS Trikand, frontline guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy, arrived at Mombasa, Kenya, on 07 Apr 2026, as part of its ongoing deployment in the South West Indian Ocean Region. The visit aims to strengthen maritime cooperation and enhance bilateral ties between India and Kenya.

The port call coincides with the visit of VAdm Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, to Kenya.

Professional, cultural and social engagements will be progressed during the stay, and essential stores will be handed over to the Kenya Defence Forces. Additionally, the ship's Commanding Officer will call on senior government functionaries.

On departure from Mombasa, INS Trikand will engage in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with units of the Kenya Navy. The exercise will facilitate exchange of Best Practices and enhance bilateral maritime interoperability.

The port call by INS Trikand is aligned with India's vision of MAHASAGAR - Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.

______________________

VM/SPS 66/26

(Release ID: 2249936)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Pope, Others Decry Threats Against Iranian 'Civilization' And Civilian Infrastructure

21:50 7.4.2026

Pope Leo XIV suggested that US President Donald Trump's threat to destroy "a whole civilization" was "unacceptable," while other international figures and Western officials warned all sides in the Iran war against attacks on civilian infrastructure.

"Today...there was this threat against all the people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable," Leo told journalists on April 7, adding: "There are certainly questions of international law, but much more than that, it is a moral question."

An American who has been critical of the Iran war, Leo urged people in the United States and elsewhere to contact their political leaders or representatives to urge them to work for peace. He did not mention Trump, the United States, or any other country by name.

His remarks came after Trump, reiterating his threat of major US attacks on Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran doesn't agree to a deal by 8 p.m. EST on April 7, posted on social media: "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will."

The UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk, said he deplored "the tirade of incendiary rhetoric being used in the Middle East war" by all parties. Also without mentioning Trump by name, he described threats "to annihilate a whole civilization and to target civilian infrastructure" as "sickening."

"Under international law, deliberately attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure is a war crime," said Turk, who called for urgent steps to deescalate and protect civilians.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "deeply troubled" by Trump's statement, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. "There is no military objective that justifies the wholesale destruction of a society's infrastructure or the deliberate infliction of suffering on civilian populations," Dujarric told a regular briefing.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also called on the parties in the war to respect international law and warned them against targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.

"One does not erase a civilization," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said. He said he hopes Trump "does not go ahead with his threats that would push the region but also the world in a new escalation that would be particularly dangerous."

Several US lawmakers have also criticized Trump's post and warned against targeting civilian infrastructure.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-live-blog- trump-khamenei/33640284.html?lbis=448585

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






Russia Aiding Iran With Satellite Intelligence And Cyber Support, Ukraine Says

08:31 7.4.2026

A Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by Reutersalleges that Russia has provided covert support to Iran by supplying satellite imagery and assisting cyber operations during the current conflict.

The report says Russian satellites conducted at least 24 surveys across 11 Middle Eastern countries in late March, mapping 46 sites including US military bases, airports, and oil fields.

It describes a pattern in which Iranian missile and drone strikes followed shortly after these surveys.

A Western military source and a regional security source told Reuters that they had also observed heightened Russian satellite activity and intelligence sharing.

The assessment further claims that Moscow and Tehran maintain a "permanent communications channel" to exchange data, potentially involving Russian military spies in Tehran.

It also details growing cyber cooperation, with Russian and Iranian hacking groups coordinating attacks on regional infrastructure.

The allegations come amid deepening military ties between Russia and Iran since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including cooperation on drones and intelligence-sharing agreements.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the claims, while a US spokeswoman said no external support has affected the operational success of the United States.

Russia and Iran had no immediate comment.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-live-blog- trump-khamenei/33640284.html?lbis=448463

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






Ranking Member Shaheen Statement on Temporary U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Published: April 07, 2026

WASHINGTON -- Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement after the announcement of a temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran:

"I welcome the announcement of a temporary ceasefire. De-escalation is a long-overdue step after over a month of war without a clear purpose and with mounting costs for the American people. I urge all parties to extend this diplomatic momentum to the conflict in Lebanon and quickly deescalate the fighting there as well.

"Even as I urge a lasting end to the conflict with Iran, we must also have a real accounting of what President Trump's war achieved. After weeks of combat, 13 American service members killed and enormous disruption to the global economy, President Trump has seemingly managed to replace Iran's Supreme Leader with his hardliner son and equally dangerous IRGC officials. At the same time, I remain deeply concerned that U.S. actions may have incentivized Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon. The American people are also paying the price of President Trump's war, with the cost of gas rising dramatically since the beginning of the conflict; Iran poised to further weaponize the Strait of Hormuz; and the ongoing shock to the global economy. None of this makes Americans safer or our people better off.

"Diplomacy is the only way forward. There must now be an intensive diplomatic effort, alongside our allies, to conclude this conflict and ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon."

###

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Middle East ceasefire

Media statement

Wednesday 8 April 2026

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

The Hon Anthony Albanese MP

Prime Minister of Australia

Senator the Hon Penny Wong

Leader of the Government in the Senate

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Australia welcomes the agreement by the United States, Israel and Iran to a two-week ceasefire to negotiate a resolution to the conflict in the Middle East.

The Australian Government has been calling for de-escalation and an end to the conflict for some time now.

Iran's de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, coupled with its attacks on commercial vessels, civilian infrastructure, and oil and gas facilities, is causing unprecedented energy supply shocks and impacting oil and fuel prices.

We have been clear the longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be, and the greater the human cost.

Australia has been working with international partners in support of diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz so critical supplies can flow to those who need it, including the most vulnerable.

We thank and support the work of negotiators, including Pakistan, Egypt, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, in advancing de-escalation efforts.

Australia wants to see the ceasefire upheld and a resolution to the conflict.

We continue to call on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilian life.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Erdogan, Trump discuss Iran ceasefire, regional developments in phone call

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [20:06]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday held a phone call with US President Donald Trump to discuss the recently announced ceasefire with Iran and broader regional developments, Anadolu Agency reported citing Turkiye's Communications Directorate.

According to a statement shared on Turkish social media platform NSosyal, the two leaders reviewed the latest situation in the region, with a focus on the ceasefire declared Tuesday night.

Erdogan expressed satisfaction with the truce, noting that the two-week window following a difficult 40-day period offered an important opportunity to advance toward a permanent peace agreement.

He stressed the need to make effective use of this period and warned against any actions that could undermine the process.

The Turkish president also underlined that Turkiye would continue to increase its support for diplomatic efforts carried out with friendly and brotherly countries, particularly Pakistan, aimed at achieving a resolution.

US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday, saying Tehran presented a "workable" 10-point proposal for negotiations.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the 10-point proposal delivered to the US through Pakistani mediation includes a key US commitment to non-aggression, continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, acceptance of uranium enrichment, and the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions.

The proposal also includes paying compensation to Iran, withdrawing US combat forces from the region, and ending the war on all fronts, including against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Trump signals cooperation with Iran after 'regime change'

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [18:09]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the US will engage with Iran following what he described as a "very productive Regime Change," signaling a dramatic shift toward cooperation even as major disputes endure, according to Anadolu Agency.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone through what will be a very productive Regime Change!"

"There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B 2 Bombers) Nuclear 'Dust.' It is now, and has been, under very exacting Satellite Surveillance (Space Force!). Nothing has been touched from the date of attack," he added.

Trump also indicated progress on economic measures, saying, "We are, and will be, talking Tariff and Sanctions relief with Iran. Many of the 15 points have already been agreed to."

"A Country supplying Military Weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed, on any and all goods sold to the United States of America, 50%, effective immediately. There will be no exclusions or exemptions!" he added.

On Tuesday, the US president announced that he agreed "to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks."

The announcement came less than two hours before a deadline Trump had set for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept an agreement or face what he described as the destruction of "a whole civilization."

Regional tensions escalated after the US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

Tehran also restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which it has agreed to reopen as part of the ceasefire deal.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Kremlin welcomes US-Iran ceasefire, hopes direct contacts will take place 'in coming days'

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [15:36]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

The Kremlin on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, Anadolu Agency reports.

"Against the backdrop of yesterday's rather harsh statements from various sides ... we, of course, were pleased with this news of a ceasefire and welcome the decision not to continue down the path of armed escalation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Peskov said Moscow hopes direct contacts between delegations from both countries will take place "in the coming days," adding that each side will be able to defend its interests at the negotiating table.

Trump announced Tuesday that he agreed "to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks."

The announcement came less than two hours before a deadline Trump had set for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept an agreement or face what he described as the destruction of "a whole civilization."

Regional tensions escalated after the US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

Tehran also restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which it has agreed to reopen as part of the ceasefire deal.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






China welcomes US-Iran ceasefire, says it also made 'efforts' to halt fighting

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [12:50]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

China on Wednesday welcomed the US-Iran ceasefire, saying that Beijing also made "efforts" to halt the fighting, according to Anadolu Agency.

Beijing welcomed efforts made by the Pakistani side, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a routine news conference in Beijing, in response to a question by Anadolu.

China "advocates for a ceasefire and resolving the conflict through political means to achieve long term stability in the Gulf and Middle East region," Mao said. Beijing "made its own effort in this regard," she added.

US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he agreed "to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks."

The announcement came less than two hours before a deadline Trump had set for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept an agreement or face what he described as the destruction of "an entire civilization."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Israel backs Trump's 2-week pause on Iran strikes

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [12:24]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel supports US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend military strikes against Iran for two weeks.

"Israel supports President Trump's decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region," the office said on the US social media company X's platform.

Trump announced Tuesday that he agreed "to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks."

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who played a key role in brokering the ceasefire, announced on X that he invited Iranian and US delegations to Islamabad on Friday and said Washington and Tehran, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire across all conflict zones, including Lebanon.

However, Netanyahu's office said the two-week ceasefire "does not include Lebanon."

"Israel also supports the US effort to ensure that Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran's Arab neighbors and the world," it added.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry welcomes ceasefire announced between U.S. and Iran

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [12:19]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan has issued a statement on the ceasefire announced between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The statement reads:

"We welcome the ceasefire announced between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

We highly appreciate the efforts of all parties that mediated the achievement of this ceasefire.

We hope that the ceasefire will contribute to reducing tensions in the region, as well as to establishing lasting peace and stability.

We call on the parties to engage in constructive dialogue aimed at resolving existing issues and building mutual trust.

Azerbaijan remains ready to support initiatives aimed at strengthening lasting peace, security, and cooperation in the region."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Trump announces 2-week ceasefire with Iran

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [11:28]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a two-week suspension of military action against Iran following discussions with Pakistani leaders.

Trump said that after conversations with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, he agreed to halt planned strikes, contingent on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz "completely, immediately, and safely."

"I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks.

"This will be a double sided ceasefire!" he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He noted that US military objectives have already been met and that the two-week pause would allow both sides to finalize a comprehensive agreement.

Earlier, Trump gave Iran a deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and get oil and gas supplies flowing again by 8 pm Eastern Time (0000GMT Wednesday). If not, he threatened that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again."

Sharif asked the warring parties to observe a two-week ceasefire to "allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war" in a post on the US social media company X's platform.

Trump said the US received a 10-point proposal from Iran and "believes it is a workable basis on which to negotiate."

"Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated," he added.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran confirms talks with US to begin in Pakistan's capital on Friday amid pause in hostilities

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [11:19]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

Iran's Supreme National Security Council announced in the early hours of Wednesday that negotiations with US representatives will begin in Islamabad on Friday and will be concluded, lasting up to 15 days under Pakistan's mediation, confirming a limited pause in hostilities between the two sides.

In a statement, the council said Iran agreed to enter talks for a two-week period following what it described as achieving its objectives on the battlefield.

It stressed that the move does not mean the war has ended, adding that any final cessation of hostilities depends on securing Iran's conditions and finalizing details of what it described as a "victory."

The statement said Iran has put forward a 10-point proposal that includes guarantees against future attacks, lifting all primary and secondary sanctions, compensation for damages, withdrawal of US forces from the region, and arrangements related to the Strait of Hormuz.

It added that safe passage through the strategic waterway would be ensured during the two weeks through coordination with Iran's armed forces, under a framework that maintains Iran's control over transit.

The council said the negotiations will begin on the coming Friday in Islamabad and may be extended by mutual agreement.

It emphasized that the talks are being held with "full distrust" toward the US side and warned that Iranian forces remain ready to respond to any violations, saying "hands remain on the trigger."

The statement also called for maintaining national unity during the talks, describing the negotiations as a continuation of developments on the battlefield.

US President Donald Trump said earlier that Washington would suspend attacks on Iran for two weeks, describing it as a "double-sided ceasefire" tied to negotiations and conditions related to the Strait of Hormuz.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Pakistani premier announces immediate ceasefire between US, Iran; plans Islamabad talks

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [11:14]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that the US and Iran, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire across all conflict zones, including Lebanon, Anadolu Agency reported.

"With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, effective immediately," Sharif said on US social media company X in the early hours on Wednesday.

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump said he agreed "to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks."

Sharif said he invites delegations of the US and Iran to Islamabad on Friday "to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes."

"Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability.

"We earnestly hope, that the 'Islamabad Talks' succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days!" he added.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Pope Leo calls Trump's threat against Iran 'truly unacceptable'

Azerbaijan State News Agency - (AZERTAC)

08.04.2026 [10:30]

Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

Pope Leo said on Tuesday that threats against the population of Iran are "unacceptable," in an unusual appeal hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said "a whole civilization will die tonight" in a social media post that shocked world leaders, according to Reuters.

"Today, as we all know, there was this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable," said the pope, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Iran war.

"There are certainly issues here of international law, but even more than that, it is a moral question for the good of the (world's) people," he said.

It is rare for the pope, who leads 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, to respond directly to a world leader.

Leo, who is also known for choosing his words carefully, has been ramping up his criticism of the U.S-Israeli war against Iran in recent weeks.

The pope made his first direct appeal to Trump last week, urging him to find an "off-ramp" to end the conflict.

Speaking to journalists outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, on Tuesday, Leo called on citizens across the world to contact their political representatives and ask them to bring the expanding regional conflict to an end.

"People want peace," he said. "I would invite the citizens of all the countries involved to contact the authorities -- political leaders, congressmen -- to ask them to work for peace."

Leo also said that many people have referred to the conflict as an "unjust war", using terminology to indicate hostilities that go against the Catholic Church's strong pro-life teachings.

He urged people to "remember especially the innocent children, the elderly, the sick, so many people who have already become or will become victims of this continued warfare".

The pope also said that attacks on civilian infrastructure "are against international law".

Trump has threatened to destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Statement by President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Starmer, Prime Minister Carney, Prime Minister Frederiksen, Prime Minister Jetten, Prime Minister Sanchez, Prime Minister Takaichi, President of the European Commission von der Leyen, President of the European Council Costa.

Elysee - President of France

Posted on 8 April 2026

We welcome the two-week ceasefire concluded between the United States and Iran today.

We thank Pakistan and all partners involved for facilitating this important agreement.

The goal must now be to negotiate a swift and lasting end to the war within the coming days. This can only be achieved through diplomatic means.

We strongly encourage quick progress towards a substantive negotiated settlement.

This will be crucial to protect the civilian population of Iran and ensure security in the region. It can avert a severe global energy crisis.

We support these diplomatic efforts. To this end, we are in close contact with the United States and other partners.

We call upon all sides to implement the ceasefire, including in Lebanon.

Our Governments will contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Japan-Iran Summit Telephone Call

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

April 8, 2026

On April 8, commencing at 4:00 p.m. for approximately 25 minutes, Ms. TAKAICHI Sanae, Prime Minister of Japan, held a summit telephone call with H.E. Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The overview is as follows:

At the outset, Prime Minister TAKAICHI reiterated Japan's position, emphasizing that the de-escalation of the situation is of utmost importance. Furthermore, Prime Minister TAKAICHI stated that Japan welcomes the recent announcement by both the United States and Iran as a positive development. She also stated that what matters most is that de-escalation, including the safety of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, is steadily achieved, and expressed her hopes for that a final agreement will be reached promptly through diplomatic means. In addition, Prime Minister TAKAICHI emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz is a strategic chokepoint for global logistics and an international public good, and urged Iran to ensure the safety of navigation for vessels of all nationals, including those related to Japan. Prime Minister TAKAICHI also requested an early resolution to the issue concerning the Japanese national released on bail on April 6. In response, President Pezeshkian explained Iran's positions. The two leaders concurred on continuing close communication towards an early de-escalation of the situation.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Aboul Gheit welcomes US-Iran agreement on ceasefire

League of Arab States

Date: 08/04/2026

Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, welcomed the agreement between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran on a two-week ceasefire, affirming that it constitutes an important step in the right direction that must be upheld and not squandered, in order to de-escalate tensions and prevent the region from sliding into catastrophic scenarios.

Mr. Aboul Gheit stressed the need for Iran to immediately halt all its military attacks on Arab states, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to maritime navigation, and to secure energy supplies. He affirmed that any future arrangements reached between the United States and Iran must safeguard the interests of the Arab Gulf states that have been subjected to Iranian attacks, respect their sovereignty, and take into account the fundamental determinants of their security.

The Secretary-General further noted that it is both natural and logical for the agreement as announced by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to encompass Lebanon. On this basis, the League of Arab States calls upon the United States to ensure that this is imposed on the Israeli side, which continues its aggressive campaign against Lebanon without regard to the agreement reached.

Gamal Roshdy, the official spokesperson for the Secretary-General, conveyed Mr. Aboul Gheit's renewed affirmation that the security of the region is indivisible, and that the principles set forth in the joint Arab vision for security and cooperation in the region remain the solid foundation for a sustainable peace.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The Kingdom of Morocco welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Morocco Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Wednesday 08 April 2026

The Kingdom of Morocco supports the forthcoming negotiations with Pakistani facilitation and hopes that these negotiations will lead to lasting peace, strengthen stability in the region, and take into account the higher interests of the brotherly Arab countries of the Gulf.

The Kingdom of Morocco stresses the importance of ensuring navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with international maritime law.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran, U.S. agree to 2-week ceasefire, negotiations to be held in Pakistan

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 14:00, April 08, 2026

WASHINGTON/TEHRAN, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Iran and the United States have agreed to a 2-week ceasefire less than two hours before the deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump, and will hold negotiations in Pakistan.

Trump announced Tuesday he has agreed to "suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks."

The decision is "subject to" Iran agreeing to the complete, immediate and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, he wrote on social media.

The ceasefire came shortly before Trump's deadline for Iran to agree to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, or the "whole civilization will die tonight."

Shortly before his announcement, Trump made phone calls with Asim Munir, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff and a major mediator, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, The New York Times reported, citing two U.S. officials.

In an interview with AFP, Trump hailed the agreement as a "total and complete victory," adding that Iran's uranium would be "perfectly taken care of" during the two weeks.

On the Iranian side, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said that Iran will cease "defensive operations" if attacks against it stop.

Araghchi also promised safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz during the 2-week ceasefire under "coordination" with Iranian armed forces, saying that Iran will hold negotiations with the U.S. side in Pakistan's capital Islamabad.

Pakistan, the broker of the ceasefire, confirmed the latest progress on Wednesday.

"I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY," Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif posted on X.

Sharif has earlier called on the U.S. side to extend the deadline set by Trump by two weeks, and requested Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture.

Israel supports the temporary truce, "subject to Iran immediately reopening the straits and stopping all attacks on the United States, Israel and countries in the region," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

"Israel also supports the U.S. effort to ensure that Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to the United States, Israel, Iran's Arab neighbors and the world," the statement said.

The office also claimed that the ceasefire "does not include Lebanon," and Israeli attacks against Hezbollah are expected to continue.

Explaining the reasons for making this decision, Trump said, "We have already met and exceeded all Military objectives."

Trump said the U.S. side had received a 10-point proposal from Iran, depicting it as "a workable basis on which to negotiate."

According to Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency, the 10-point proposal includes a U.S. commitment to ensure no further acts of aggression, continued Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz, acceptance of Iran's nuclear enrichment rights, and the lifting of sanctions, among others.

On potential negotiations with the United States, Araghchi stressed that the temporary ceasefire does not mean an end to war, pending negotiations on the details of the 10-point proposal.

The ceasefire eased tensions among regional countries and the global market. Global oil prices are plummeting by around 15 percent following the announcement of the ceasefire.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






DFA Statement

Republic of the Philippines - Department of Foreign Affairs

MANILA 08 APRIL 2026 -- The Philippines welcomes with cautious optimism, the announcement of US-Iran peace talks which will be facilitated by Pakistan.

We hope that the negotiations will lead to the permanent end of the conflict and lasting peace. The conflict has caused significant loss of lives and damage to civilian and economic infrastructure, as well as disruptions in the global economy.

The Philippines continues to hope that all parties will resolve their differences through earnest dialogue and diplomacy. END

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






PH welcomes US-Iran ceasefire; hopes for eventual peace deal

Philippine News Agency

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora

April 8, 2026, 10:02 pm

MANILA -- The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), on Wednesday welcomed with "cautious optimism" the planned negotiations between the United States and Iran, and hoped for an eventual peace deal.

Iran and the US formally agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with talks to negotiate a peace agreement set to begin in Pakistan on Friday.

In a statement, the DFA expressed hope that the dialogue would "lead to the permanent end of the conflict and lasting peace."

"The conflict has caused significant loss of lives and damage to civilian and economic infrastructure, as well as disruptions in the global economy," it said.

"The Philippines continues to hope that all parties will resolve their differences through earnest dialogue and diplomacy," it added.

The joint military operations mounted by Israel and the United States against Iran on Feb. 28, killed the latter's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting it to launch deadly retaliatory strikes that later stretched to neighboring Gulf states.

Afterwards, Tehran imposed a de facto blockade on the Strait of Hormuz that has since sent energy markets into shock, with rising oil and fuel prices compelling governments to implement various austerity measures. (PNA)

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






President Pezeshkian calls ceasefire in Lebanon key condition in Iran's 10-point ceasefire proposal

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 10:23 PM

President Masoud Pezeshkian has said ceasefire in Lebanon remains one of the central conditions of Iran's 10-point ceasefire proposal aimed at cessation of unprovoked aggression targeting the region.

The chief executive made the remarks in a phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday.

The conversation came after the Israeli regime killed hundreds of people in Lebanon in sheer violation of the proposal, despite US President Donald Trump's earlier declaring the proposal one that was "workable" for negotiations.

During the call, Pezeshkian stressed the need for cessation of aggression towards Lebanon, identifying the imperative as "one of the central conditions of Iran's proposal."

He also said France had an important role to play at the current stage, noting that Paris had previously been among the parties guaranteeing the ceasefire that was reached between the Israeli regime and Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement in 2024.

'Iran committed to promoting peace, stability'

Pezeshkian said Iran remained committed to promoting peace, stability, and security across the region.

He said the Islamic Republic's acceptance of the ceasefire had shown both "its sense of responsibility" and "its serious will to resolve disputes through diplomacy."

Criticism of Europe's response

The Iranian president criticized European countries for their failure to take a firm and explicit position over the atrocities committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran.

He called on Europe to play a "responsible and effective role" in supporting lasting regional stability and security.

Pezeshkian also urged European countries to pressure the aggressors to "abide by their commitments" and prevent any breaches.

Strait of Hormuz, regional security

Elsewhere in the conversation, Pezeshkian said the insecurity affecting the Strait of Hormuz was "the direct result of the military aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran."

He also said the Islamic Republic had acted responsibly for many years in ensuring the safe passage of vessels through the strategic waterway, while preserving its own national interests and security.

Following the launch of the American-Israeli aggression, Iran shut the waterway to adversaries and their allies.

The Islamic Republic has conditioned reopening of the strait to cessation of the unprovoked atrocities that have been targeting the country and the broader region since their onset.

For his part, Macron considered the announcement of a ceasefire to be "an important step towards fully ending the war and establishing lasting peace in the region."

He further stressed the need to halt violence in Lebanon and said Paris was ready to cooperate in international efforts aimed at promoting peace and security in the Persian Gulf region.

The French head of state, meanwhile, thanked Iran for its move to release two French citizens, apprehended for espionage inside the Islamic Republic.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






US-Israeli aggression on Iran: What happened on 40th day of the imposed war

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 10:22 PM

By Press TV Website Staff

Forty days into the US-Israeli war on Iran, Tehran forced Washington to accept its terms and agree to a ceasefire, marking a historic victory for the Islamic Republic as the US pivoted to diplomacy after failing to achieve any of its war objectives.

Iran announced that Washington had been forced to accept a ten-point Iranian proposal, which includes a permanent end to attacks, continued control over the Strait of Hormuz, withdrawal of US combat forces from the region, lifting of sanctions and cessation of aggression on all fronts, including Lebanon.

However, in a clear violation of the ceasefire, the Israeli regime immediately launched a large-scale bombardment of Lebanon, killing nearly 255 civilians.

Top Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, condemned the attacks and warned that any further aggression would be met with decisive retaliation from Tehran.

IRGC also issued a statement, condemning the aggression and vowing strong retaliation.

Meanwhile, world leaders welcomed the two-week truce, while financial markets reacted notably to the unfolding developments in West Asia.

Key developments from Day 40 of the imposed war:

Iran declared a "historic and crushing defeat" of the United States and the Israeli regime after 40 days of imposed war, announcing that Washington has been forced to accept a 10-point Iranian proposal.

US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire in a Truth Social post, saying he had accepted the "general framework" of Iran's 10-point proposal as a "basis for negotiations."

In a violation of the ceasefire, the US and Israel carried out attacks on the islands of Lavan and Siri in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday morning.

Iranian President condemned the violations of the ceasefire, vowing that the Islamic Republic will respond "decisively" to any attack.

The Israeli regime carried out a massive bombardment on Lebanon despite the ceasefire deal, killing nearly 255 people.

Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, said a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations with the United States would be "unreasonable" given the serious violations committed by aggressors, even before any talks have begun.

Iran's foreign minister stated that the United States must decide whether it wants a ceasefire or continued war through Israel, warning that Washington violated a two-week truce by allowing the Zionist regime to massacre hundreds of civilians in Lebanon.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif confirmed that the terms of a recent ceasefire between Iran and the United States have been violated, with the Israeli regime continuing to attack Lebanon.

The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that current negotiations are focused not on a final accord, but on extending deadlines for diplomacy.

Markets reacted immediately to diplomatic developments. Gold, previously trading between $4,705-$4,730 per ounce, jumped to $4,775.

Brent crude dropped 13.3% to $94.76 per barrel, while US crude fell 15.2% to $95.79 per barrel.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, urging all parties to comply with international law and the terms of the truce, emphasising that ending hostilities is essential to protect civilian lives and reduce human suffering.

Israel's Maariv newspaper reported that the US-Israeli war on Iran has ended in a "decisive victory for Iran," with both the US and Israel conceding to a "strategic surrender" and retreating from the battlefield.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said that Benjamin Netanyahu "failed politically and strategically in achieving even a single one of the goals that he himself set before the recent war.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez welcomed the two-week truce as an essential step for regional security, stable shipping, and the global economy.

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the ceasefire, stressing that it must be fully respected throughout the region, including Lebanon.

Oman's Foreign Ministry also welcomed the ceasefire, highlighting the importance of sustained diplomatic efforts toward a permanent resolution.

Germany and the United Kingdom voiced strong support for the diplomatic path, warning that continued war would have dire consequences.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the ceasefire a critical first step towards regional stability.

Japan, heavily reliant on West Asian oil, hailed the truce as a positive step and expected a final agreement to follow through diplomatic channels.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi welcomed the move, framing it as a shift away from military escalation.

The New York Times reported that Japan's prime minister contacted Iran to ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz, critical to Tokyo, which imports roughly 95 percent of its oil from the region.

Tuesday night saw a renewed US-Israeli airstrike on the Mahshahr petrochemical hub in Khuzestan.

Trump vowed punitive measures against any country supplying military equipment to Iran, threatening a 50 percent tariff on all goods sold to the US.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Speaker Qalibaf says ceasefire, negotiations with US 'unreasonable', citing truce violations

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 9:55 PM

Iran's parliament speaker has said that a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations with the United States would be "unreasonable" given the serious violations committed by aggressors, even before any talks have begun.

Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf made the remarks in a statement on X on Wednesday, hours after the Israeli regime carried out devastating attacks on Lebanon, killing hundreds of civilians.

Earlier on Wednesday, the US formally accepted Iran's 10-point proposal as the foundation for a ceasefire, conceding to every core demand put forward by the Islamic Republic.

One of the points of the proposal is cessation of attacks on all fronts, including in Lebanon.

Qalibaf said the Islamic Republic's longstanding distrust of the United States is rooted in Washington's "repeated violations of all forms of commitments."

He lamented that the pattern had been repeated once again, citing three breaches shortly after Trump's announcement of a two-week ceasefire.

He listed the violations as the Israeli regime's killing and injuring hundreds of people in Lebanon, a violation of Iran's airspace by an incoming drone, and rejection of the Islamic Republic's right to nuclear enrichment.

The breaches, Qalibaf added, amounted to a violation of three key clauses of Iran's 10-point proposal that Trump has referred to as a "workable basis on which to negotiate and the main framework for these talks."

The Iranian official cited the clauses as an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and other regions, the clause prohibiting any further violation of the Islamic Republic's airspace, and the sixth clause of the proposal that lays emphasis on Tehran's nuclear rights.

Now, the very "workable basis on which to negotiate" has been openly and clearly violated, even before the negotiations have begun, he noted.

"In such a situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable."

The United States and the Israeli regime began their latest bout of unprovoked aggression targeting the Islamic Republic on February 28, targeting Iran's military and civilian infrastructures alike in addition to bringing about the martyrdom of the country's authorities, including Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Trump's announcement came after the Islamic Republic faced the aggression with at least 99 waves of decisive reprisal targeting sensitive and strategic American and Israeli targets throughout the region.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council subsequently declared a "historic and crushing defeat" of the adversaries, hailing that Washington was forced to accept the Iranian proposal as a result of the reprisal.

Both the body and the Islamic Republic's various officials have said Iran's commitment to the ceasefire is conditioned on a halt to attacks targeting the country, besides sternly warning adversaries against repeated miscalculation concerning the nation.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Pezeshkian: Iran will respond decisively to any ceasefire violation

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 7:12 PM

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has condemned the violations of the ceasefire reached between Iran and the United States, vowing that the Islamic Republic will respond "decisively" to any attack.

In a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Pezeshkian condemned the attacks carried out on the islands of Lavan and Siri on Wednesday morning.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will respond decisively to any aggression," he emphasized.

The attacks came despite the announcement of a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire earlier on Wednesday after 41 days of intense fighting between Iran and the US-Israeli coalition.

On Wednesday, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire after Washington received a 10-point proposal from Tehran.

Amid intensified Israelis strikes on Lebanon, the Iranian president stressed that Iran's 10-point proposal, which marks a framework for a permanent end to the war, includes the establishment of a ceasefire in Lebanon.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Pezeshkian appreciated Pakistan's "constructive" efforts to stop the war.

He pointed out that Tehran's acceptance of the ceasefire despite repeated US violations of its commitments and international law demonstrates Iran's "responsible and authoritative" approach.

The president urged countries in the region and the world to "seize this opportunity to put pressure on the aggressors in order to avoid repeating the strategic mistake".

Pezeshkian emphasized that Tehran's approach hinges on the aggressors' actual commitment to the principles of negotiation and adherence to their obligations.

He also reiterated that the security of the vital waterway of Hormuz Strait depends on the complete cessation of the US-Israeli aggression.

For his part, Shahbaz Sharif thanked the Islamic Republic for accepting Pakistan's offer to reach a ceasefire agreement.

He emphasized that all parties should adhere to the ceasefire, calling on the Israeli regime to immediately stop its attacks on Lebanon.

Sharif also reiterated Islamabad's readiness to engage with all regional countries to advance peace, stability, and security in the Persian Gulf region and West Asia.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






'Hands on trigger': IRGC vows powerful response to any ceasefire violation

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 4:58 PM

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned that any violation of the two-week ceasefire by the aggressors will trigger an immediate response with full power.

The IRGC Aerospace commander, Brigadier General Seyyed Majid Mousavi, wrote in a message on X that the United States and Israel have already "experienced and witnessed that our hands are on the trigger."

"Should the enemy commit the slightest error, it will be met with a response in full power," Mousavi said.

In a similar post on the social media platform, the commander of the IRGC's Naval Forces also reiterated the warning, saying that the aggressors witnessed earlier today how the armed forces were prepared to respond to any violation of the ceasefire.

Iran and the US agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday night following a 40-day unprovoked war that triggered relentless missile and drone strikes by the Iranian Armed Forces against the enemies.

Only hours after the ceasefire announcement, the IRGC said its forces had intercepted and destroyed an invading drone in the skies of Iran's Fars province. An oil refinery located on Iran's Lavan Island was also attacked after the ceasefire.

The IRGC had warned in an earlier statement that any entry of US-Israeli aircraft into Iranian airspaceeven without military actionviolates the ceasefire and will trigger a decisive response.

Since the US and Israel launched their illegal war on Iran on February 28, the IRGC has launched over 100 waves of missile and drone operations against key US and Israeli targets.

The retaliatory attacks, carried out as part of Operation True Promise 4, forced hundreds of US troops out of the region and inflicted billions of dollars in damage to US assets in the Persian Gulf countries.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran's FM discusses Israel's ceasefire violations with Pakistan's army chief

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 4:52 PM

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has discussed Israel's "violations of the ceasefire in Iran and Lebanon" with the Pakistani army's chief.

In a phone call with General Asim Munir, Araghchi expressed appreciation for Pakistan's "continuous and effective efforts to end the war and strengthen peace and security in the region".

The two sides also discussed the violations of the Pakistan-mediated ceasefire in Iran and Lebanon committed by the Israeli regime.

Referring to the recent phone call between Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Araghchi and Munir emphasized the importance of continuing coordination and following up on the areas agreed during that conversation.

Earlier on Wednesday, Iran declared a "historic victory" following the war of aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime that lasted 40 days, announcing that Washington had been forced to accept a 10-point Iranian proposal.

One of the points in the proposal called for the immediate cessation of US-Israeli hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon.

However, hours after the ceasefire was announced, the Israeli regime launched deadly attacks on Lebanon, including the capital, Beirut, killing hundreds of civilians.

It was described as the heaviest Israeli bombardment against Lebanon since the regime started fresh aggression on the Arab country in early March, concurrent with the war of aggression against Iran.

The regime also struck several locations in Iran, including an oil refinery located on Iran's Lavan Island.

Speaking exclusively to Press TV on Wednesday, a senior Iranian security official warned that Iran could rise up in full-scale defense at any moment as the Israeli regime is resorting to violation of the fragile and temporary ceasefire.

The official said the entire world is currently witnessing the regime destabilize the already tenuous truce reached earlier in the day.

According to the official, the regime is raising the cost of the agreement for the United States by breaching the ceasefire while simultaneously carrying out aggression against Lebanon and attacking Iran.

The highly placed official called on mediating countries to intervene immediately, stating that the time has come to "put this aggressor regime in its place."

He further warned that if the ceasefire collapses, the Zionist regime will be held solely responsible, vowing that Iran "will punish the aggressor."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran may rise in 'full-scale defense' any moment as Israel violates truce agreement: Official

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 2:50 PM

Iran could rise up in full-scale defense at any moment as the Israeli regime is resorting to violation of a fragile and temporary ceasefire, a senior security official has warned.

Speaking exclusively to Press TV on Wednesday, the official said the entire world is currently witnessing the regime destabilize the already tenuous truce reached earlier in the day.

According to the official, the regime is raising the cost of the agreement for the United States by breaching the ceasefire while simultaneously carrying out aggression against Lebanon and attacking Iran.

The highly placed official called on mediating countries to intervene immediately, stating that the time has come to "put this aggressor regime in its place."

He further warned that if the ceasefire collapses, the Zionist regime will be held solely responsible, vowing that Iran "will punish the aggressor."

The official also cautioned that the current period of ease, which followed the controlled reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, would come to a swift end if the violations continue.

Earlier on Wednesday, Iran declared a "historic victory" following the war of aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime that lasted 40 days, announcing that Washington had been forced to accept a 10-point Iranian proposal.

One of the points in the proposal called for the immediate cessation of US-Israeli hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon.

However, hours after the ceasefire was announced, the Israeli regime targeted multiple locations in Lebanon, including the capital, Beirut, killing hundreds of civilians.

According to reports, Israel launched at least 100 airstrikes in under 10 minutes, targeting areas across the country. Local media said that at least 88 people were killed in Beirut alone.

It was described as the heaviest Israeli bombardment against Lebanon since the regime started fresh aggression on the Arab country in early March, concurrent with the war of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Strait of Hormuz is Iran's 'nuclear weapon' that forced US retreat: Russia's Medvedev

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 2:28 PM

Russia's former president, Dmitry Medvedev, says Iran's undisputed command over the Strait of Hormuz has become its true "tested nuclear weapon" that forced the United States to retreat.

Iran and the US agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday after Donald Trump was forced to accept a 10-point proposal from Tehran. This proposal includes a permanent end to the war, the lifting of all sanctions, and the withdrawal of US combat forces from the region.

Hours after the announcement, Medvedevcurrently Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Councilwrote on X, "It's not clear how the truce between Washington and Tehran will play out."

"But one thing is certainIran has tested its nuclear weapons. It is called the Strait of Hormuz. Its potential is inexhaustible," Medvedev added.

Iran's Armed Forces fought a 40-day war against two nuclear powers, the US and Israel, who have long accused Tehran of seeking an atomic weapon.

Days after the unprovoked war was launched against Iran on February 28, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) imposed restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving hundreds of vessels and tankers linked to the aggressors stranded in the Persian Gulf.

During the war, Iranian authorities asserted that the world's vital energy lifeline, through which nearly one-fifth of global oil typically passes, was open to everyone except the US, Israel and their allies.

The restrictions sent global energy prices soaring, with experts warning that the impact could escalate to historic levels if the confrontation continued.

President Trump issued several deadlines for Iran to open the strait or face attacks on its vital infrastructure, including power plants. However, he extended the deadline every time after Iran threatened massive retaliation, and announced a ceasefire hours before his last deadline was approaching.

Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, announced after the ceasefire that "safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible" for a period of two weeks.

Araghchi also said that Iran would halt its defensive strikes if unprovoked attacks targeting the country were halted.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran's Lavan oil refinery attacked hours after US announcement of ceasefire

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 1:41 PM

The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company says an oil refinery located on Iran's Lavan Island came under attack on Wednesday morning, despite the announcement of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

In a statement on Wednesday, the company said the facility of Lavan oil refinery was targeted by "a cowardly attack by enemies" at 10:00 local time.

"Safety and firefighting teams are controlling and extinguishing the fire and securing the facility," the statement said.

No casualties have so far been reported.

"Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far due to the timely evacuation of employees," the company added.

The attack comes despite the announcement of a ceasefire early Wednesday after 41 days of intense fighting between Iran and the US-Israeli coalition.

Israel's Maariv newspaper admitted that the US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic has ended in a "decisive victory for Iran," with both the US and Israel conceding to a "strategic surrender" and retreating from the battlefield.

On Wednesday, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire after Washington received a 10-point proposal from Tehran.

The Israeli newspaper emphasized that Iran has imposed a deal largely of its own design on the US, rejecting Washington's proposal.

Throughout the war, Iran continued to target Israeli and American assets in occupied Palestine and US military bases and interests in the Persian Gulf, maintaining its resilience even after 41 days of fighting.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council also declared a "historic and crushing defeat" of the United States and the Israeli regime, saying that Washington was forced to accept the Iranian proposal that includes a permanent ceasefire, the lifting of all sanctions, and the withdrawal of US combat forces from the region.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






IRGC pounded 25+ US-Israeli targets in 100th wave of Operation True Promise 4

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 1:26 PM

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) pounded more than 25 strategic targets belonging to the United States and Israel in the 100th wave of the decisive Operation True Promise 4.

The IRGC announced the large-scale offensive in a statement early on Wednesday, saying it was a response to the enemy's "insolence" the previous day.

"Your sons and servants, by God's grace and the support of you dear nation, fulfilled their duty last night," the IRGC said.

The statement said the "crushing blows" hit targets that included 13 energy complexes and oil pipelines affiliated with the United States and Israel, among others.

"The fighters of the IRGC Aerospace Force put American and Zionist enemy targets from the Mediterranean shores to the eastern Hejaz peninsula under heavy fire, so that the foolish enemy understands that attacking the infrastructure of the Iranian people will have severe punishment."

The IRGC enumerated the targets hit by ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and attack drones:

 The Chevron refinery and oil facilities in Ras al-Juaymah, Saudi Arabia, described as the largest LNG fractionation facility supplying US energy.

 ExxonMobil and Dow Chemical oil and petrochemical facilities in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

 US oil facilities in Yanbu on the Red Sea coast with a production capacity of 250,000 barrels per day.

 The Habshan oil facilities and the Dubai-Fujairah oil pipeline, built to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

 ExxonMobil oil facilities in Ras Laffan, Qatar, producing 146,000 barrels per day.

 Bapco oil facilities in Bahrain, producing 267,000 barrels per day.

 The Das American refinery in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), processing 60,000 barrels per day.

 US oil company facilities in Fujairah with a one-million-cubic-meter storage capacity.

 The Al-Ahmadi refinery in Kuwait, producing 346,000 barrels per day.

 The Dolphin gas company in Qatar, with an export capacity of 2 billion cubic feet per day.

 The Zirku Island oil facility, producing 750,000 barrels per day.

 The Satrop American refinery, with a 460,000-barrel-per-day capacity, a key fuel source for power plants.

 The Manifa American gas refinery, separating 900,000 barrels per day.

 Israel's IT and advanced industry centers in Beersheba, occupied Palestine.

 Intelligence and surveillance centers of the Israeli military and security apparatus in the Azrieli and Diamond towers in occupied Al-Quds.

 US Central Command's regional headquarters in Al-Azraq, Jordan, with key targets destroyed.

 Ben Gurion Airport in occupied Jaffa.

 The Haifa oil refinery in occupied Palestine, producing 300,000 barrels per day.

 The governmental complex of the Palestinian occupiers in the occupied capital, housing Zionist command and control centers.

Naval forces target US warships

The IRGC Navy, while continuing its smart control of the Strait of Hormuz, also struck several naval targets:

 The LHA-7 helicopter carrier was hit by cruise missiles, suffering damage and deck fires before retreating into the depths of the Indian Ocean.

 The CVN-74 aircraft carrier was struck by several drones, suffering hull damage and also retreating into the Indian Ocean.

 An Israeli drone manufacturing plant in the UAE.

 Oil facilities invested by US companies in LSB, Kuwait.

 US base in Ali Al Salem, Kuwait.

'Finger on the trigger'

The IRGC warned that its fighters remain ready for further action.

"The Guards, devoted to the Iranian nation, are now listening to the orders of Leader and Commander-in-Chief Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, and their fingers are on the trigger."

"With the great lessons learned from two imposed wars, they are ready to create an even greater epic if the enemy miscalculates again."

The IRGC also addressed the United States' regional partners.

"America's partners in the region have seen with their own eyes the inability of the US and Israel. It is fitting that they take a lesson and end their cooperation with the enemies of Islam."

"The enemy has always plotted, and we have no trust in its promises. We will respond to any aggression with a higher level of force."

The United States and Israel launched their unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on February 28. They assassinated Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and struck nuclear sites, schools, hospitals and civilian infrastructure.

Iran's decisive Operation True Promise 4 was launched in retaliation. Hundreds of ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and drones, have pounded US military bases across West Asia and Israeli positions throughout the occupied territories.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) announced on Wednesday that there was an agreement to a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire after the US accepted Iran's 10-point proposal, potentially followed by negotiations to effectively end the war.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Trump aides called Netanyahu's regime change plan in Iran 'farcical': Report

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 11:42 AM

Top US officials told President Donald Trump that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "regime change" plan in Iran was "farcical", the New York Times reports.

Netanyahu made a high-stakes pitch this February in the White House Situation Room for the US to launch a war against Iran together with Israel, selling Trump on a range of predictions regarding how swiftly the joint operation would pan out.

The report, which detailed how Trump arrived at his decision to go to war on February 28, said Netanyahu told Trump that Iran's ballistic missile program could be destroyed in a few weeks, Tehran would be so weakened by US-Israeli attacks that it would be unable to block traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and it would likely be unable to strike US assets in neighboring countries and consequently its government would be ripe for collapse.

While Trump's CIA chief, John Ratcliffe, and secretary of state, Marco Rubio, would later characterize Netanyahu's "regime change" prediction as "farcical", the president and many of his advisers were sold on the ideas that Iran's leadership could be taken out and that its military arsenal could be destroyed.

The report cited Netanyahu's scenario with talking Trump into green-lighting the war, but it also said that the US president needed little persuasion.

"Mr. Trump's hawkish thinking aligned with Mr. Netanyahu's over many months, more so than even some of the president's key advisers recognized," the report said.

During 41 days of the Israeli-US war of terrorism, Iran continued daily ballistic missile launches and is still assessed to have enough missiles and launchers to do so for an extended period.

It also immediately moved to administer traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, and has carried out thousands of missile and drone attacks on nearly all of US assets in the region.

When Trump asked General Dan Caine, chair of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, for his opinion, the top military official reportedly told the president that the plan from the Israelis appeared overblown, the Times reported.

Caine told Trump that such boisterous assessments were "standard operating procedure for the Israelis," and that Israel's planning is "not always well-developed ... They know they need us, and that is why they are hard-selling."

Over the following days, Caine shared with Trump and others the alarming military assessment that a major campaign against Iran would drastically deplete stockpiles of American weaponry, including missile interceptors, whose supply had been strained after years of support for Ukraine and Israel.

Caine saw no clear path to quickly replenishing these stockpiles, the report said.

Caine noted the "enormous difficulty" of securing the Strait of Hormuz if Iran moved to block it, though Trump dismissed such a possibility, believing that Tehran would "capitulate before it came to that."

While Caine's colleagues believed the military official thought war with Iran was a bad idea, he did not tell Trump his opinion on the matter, believing his role was to provide the president with options, not sway policy, the report added.

When the time came to actually green-light the plan, Trump held a "final" Situation Room meeting on February 26, two days before the US and Israel ultimately launched their aggression.

Given the extreme sensitivity of the topic, several senior cabinet secretaries were kept from the meeting, namely Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

At the meeting, which only lasted some 90 minutes, Vice President JD Vance, who made his opposition to military action with Iran well known in previous discussions, reportedly told Trump, "You know I think this is a bad idea, but if you want to do it, I will support you."

White House communications director Steven Cheung also voiced concern, laying out what he saw as a likely "public relations fallout," the Times added.

Among his concerns was the fact that Trump specifically campaigned on not involving the US in any new wars.

Additionally, Cheung reportedly wondered how the administration would be able to "explain away" the fact that it had repeatedly insisted that Iran's nuclear program was "obliterated" after the US strikes on three facilities last June, while now saying that it had to act to remove Iran's so-called "imminent" nuclear threat.

On Wednesday, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire after Washington received a 10-point proposal from Tehran. Netanyahu's office said Israel supported Trump's decision.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






President Pezeshkian: Iranians will continue to stand together after ceasefire

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 11:32 AM

President Masoud Pezeshkian has reaffirmed Iran's unity following the ceasefire agreement with the US, emphasizing that it is a direct result of the sacrifices made by martyred Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and the unwavering participation of the Iranian people.

In a statement issued on social media on Wednesday, he praised the ceasefire as a significant achievement for Iran, marking a moment of national solidarity and strength.

"The ceasefire, with the acceptance of Iran's key principles, is the result of the blood of our martyred leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and the achievement of the presence of all the people on the scene," he wrote.

"From today, we will continue to stand together, whether in the field of diplomacy, defense, on the streets, or in the realm of service."

Separately, in a 45-minute telephone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pezeshkian expressed gratitude for Pakistan's role in facilitating the temporary ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

He thanked the Pakistani leadership for their efforts and confirmed that Tehran would participate in the upcoming negotiations scheduled to take place in Islamabad.

Sharif expressed appreciation for Iran's decision to agree to a ceasefire and accept Pakistan's offer to host talks later this week, according to an official statement issued from the Prime Minister's office.

He also conveyed his respects to the new Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

Earlier Wednesday, Sharif announced the two-week ceasefire and invited delegations from the US and Iran to Islamabad on Friday "to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes."

US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, saying Tehran presented a "workable" 10-point proposal for negotiations.

The announcement came less than two hours before the expiration of a deadline Trump had repeatedly extended for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept an agreement or face "the destruction of an entire civilization."

Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the 10-point proposal delivered to the United States through Pakistani mediation includes a key US commitment to non-aggression, continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, acceptance of uranium enrichment, and the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions.

The proposal also includes paying compensation to Iran, withdrawing US combat forces from the region, and ending the war on all fronts, including the war against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Ali Akbar Velayati, the senior foreign policy advisor to the Leader, asserted that the S was forced to accept the ceasefire as a clear strategic defeat.

In a statement on social media, Velayati stressed that Iran's armed forces remain at the highest state of preparedness and warned that any miscalculation by the US or its allies would lead to a strong, deterrent response.

Velayati said that in the new global order, Iran is no longer just a country but a leading power in the Islamic world, playing a central role in the emerging multipolar system.

General Mohsen Rezaei, a member of Iran's Expediency Council, noted that after multiple retreats by the US, President Trump had no choice but to accept Iran's 10-point proposal as the foundation for negotiations.

He emphasized that Iran's armed forces remain on high alert and are ready to take decisive action to protect the country's interests.

"The armed forces' hands remain on the trigger until we are fully assured that our national interests are safeguarded," Rezaei affirmed.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Israeli leaders: 'Not a single goal' achieved in war with Iran

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 10:38 AM

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has sharply criticized prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for supporting a temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran, calling it a "political disaster."

Lapid made the remarks in a post on his X account on Wednesday, after Netanyahu's office said Israel supports US President Donald Trump's decision for a two-week ceasefire.

"There has never been such a political disaster in all of our history," Lapid said, adding that Israel "wasn't even at the table when decisions were made concerning the core of our security."

Lapid also stressed that Netanyahu "failed politically and strategically in achieving "even a single one of the goals that he himself set."

"It will take us years to repair the political and strategic damage that Netanyahu wrought" due to "arrogance, negligence, and a lack of strategic planning" on Netanyahu's part, he added.

Israeli opposition figures also criticized the ceasefire with Iran, saying Netanyahu has failed to achieve the war's objectives.

In a post on X, Yair Golan, the head of the left-wing Democratic Party, called the ceasefire a "strategic failure" by Netanyahu.

"He promised a historic victory and security for generations, and in practice, we got one of the most severe strategic failures Israel has ever known," Golan said.

"It's a total failure that endangers Israel's security for years to come," he added.

On Wednesday, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire after Washington received a 10-point proposal from Tehran. Netanyahu's office said Israel supported Trump's decision.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran VP: Victory in 40-day war fruit of 'Khamenei school of thought'

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 9:56 AM

Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has stated that Iran's victory in the 40-day war against the "front of evil" is the fruit of the formation of the "Khamenei school of thought."

In a statement released on Wednesday, Aref congratulated Iran's strategic victory over the "front of arrogance."

Forty days have passed since the martyrdom of "great Leader and architect of lasting security for the front of truth, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei," Aref said, adding that the "immense loss has become a turning point for explaining a new logic of governance, in which the martyrdom of the commander not only did not disrupt the strategic calculations of the system, but raised national stability and structural cohesion."

On February 28, the United States and the Israeli regime launched an illegal, unprovoked war on Iran, assassinating Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei as well as several top military commanders. Iran responded powerfully by targeting US and Israeli assets in the region.

Aref emphasized that "what is observed today as Iran's unshakeable stability and victorious authority is the fruit of the formation of the Khamenei school of thought - a school that has embedded the authenticity of power not in individuals, but in the will of the nation and the divine structure of the system."

The remarks came after US President Donald Trump said he had agreed to a two-week suspension of bombing and attacks on Iran, subject to Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he said he would "suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks," a decision he described as a "double-sided CEASEFIRE."

Iran's Supreme National Security Council subsequently declared a "historic and crushing defeat" of the United States and the Israeli regime after 40 days of war, announcing that Washington was forced to accept the Iranian proposal that includes a permanent ceasefire, the lifting of all sanctions, and the withdrawal of US combat forces from the region.

Aref noted that Iran is emerging with honor from the complex layers of an all-out war against all elements of the "front of evil," having shattered the calculations of enemies and opened new horizons for its allies.

"This 40-day war was not merely a military victory, but a turning point in changing strategic equations in the region and the world," he said.

He argued that Iran's enemies, lacking civilizational roots, miscalculated that the Leader's martyrdom would mark the end of an era. Instead, he went on, the nation's steadfast resistance imposed a heavy and historic defeat on the security and political structure of the arrogant front.

Aref also highlighted the structural maturity of the system in transferring leadership and the comprehensive pledge of allegiance to the new Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, stating that power in Iran is not person-centered but ideal-oriented and based on deep-rooted institutions.

"The powerful, wise, and courageous presence of the new Leader at the apex of decision-making carries a clear message to the world: the doctrine of 'Husseini Iran of Khamenei' continues with increased firmness and insight," he stressed.

Regarding the upcoming peace negotiations, Aref said, "While appreciating the honorable positions of the Pakistani government and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, I declare that we will actively participate in the Islamabad talks with full authority, and of course with absolute pessimism regarding the deceptive nature of the US, in order to consolidate battlefield achievements on the diplomatic level."

He reiterated the need for continued vigilance and all defense forces to keep their "finger on the trigger."

He assured that the administration, present on the frontlines of service, will spare no effort to ensure economic stability, prosperity, and the "jihadi reconstruction" of national infrastructure alongside the fighters on the defensive front.

"The Husseini Iran of Khamenei, under the guidance of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, is today more powerful than ever, ready to create great victories at the dawn of a new world order," he added.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






'Hiding aggressors': Iran rebukes Bahrain's failed Security Council motion

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 6:40 AM

Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs has stated that the security of the Strait of Hormuz cannot be secured by concealing the identity of the aggressors, stressing that it requires an end to aggression, punishment of the aggressors, accountability, and the rule of law.

In a post on X account on Wednesday, Kazem Gharibabadi commented on the Bahrain-proposed UN Security Council resolution on the Strait of Hormuz, which was vetoed a day earlier.

"The resolution, which was vetoed by two strategic partners of Iran, was based from the start on a clear inversion: speaking of 'maritime security' without mentioning what endangered that security," Gharibabadi wrote.

He added that the recent crisis is neither sudden nor without origin, but rather the direct consequence of "criminal attacks by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran."

Gharibabadi noted that the drafters and backers of the text, even after revisions, sought to remove any reference to the aggressors, divorcing the crisis from its real root cause, "as if there had been neither the US president's public threats to destroy vital infrastructure, nor his shameful talk of taking a nation back to the 'Stone Age'."

The senior diplomat emphasized that those who vote in favor of or advance such a narrative are no longer mere observers. "Political complicity with such distortion is complicity in the aggression and entails international responsibility under international law."

He expressed regret that "American and Israeli aggressors, to advance their inverted narrative of the reality of aggression and their committed crimes, have pushed regional countries, especially Bahrain, to the forefront."

In a direct message to regional neighbors, Gharibabadi stated, "The US and the Israeli regime will leave, while we and our neighbors will remain neighbors forever. The security of the Strait of Hormuz is not achieved by hiding the aggressor; it is achieved by stopping the aggression, punishing the aggressors, holding them accountable, and the rule of law."

The anti-Iran draft resolution proposed by Bahrain, submitted on behalf of Persian Gulf Cooperation Council member states (excluding Oman) along with Jordan, concerning the Strait of Hormuz following US-Israeli aggression against Iran - was vetoed by Russia and China during the UN Security Council session on Tuesday.

The draft resolution received 11 votes in favor, two against (Russia and China), and two abstentions (Pakistan and Colombia). Due to the negative votes of Russia and China, the resolution was not adopted. Thus, the council, and particularly Bahrain, failed to advance its political objectives despite US support, even while Bahrain held the rotating presidency of the Security Council.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Bushehr nuclear plant safely producing electricity despite attacks: Iran

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 08 April 2026 6:17 AM

The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is safely continuing its electricity production despite several missile strikes by the US and Israel near the facility over the past weeks.

In a statement, the Public Relations Office of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant emphasized that the 1,000-megawatt plant is fully operational and continues to contribute to Iran's national electricity grid.

The statement highlighted that the plant is adhering to the highest international safety standards, ensuring the secure generation of electricity.

"This colossal national facility is operating safely and is currently feeding power into the national electricity grid system according to the maximum international standards," the statement read.

Since becoming operational 12 years ago, the Bushehr plant has produced more than 78 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, significantly reducing the emission of seven million tons of polluting and greenhouse gases annually.

The plant's continued operation has played a vital role in helping Iran meet its domestic energy needs while reducing its environmental footprint.

However, areas surrounding the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant have been targeted by aerial and missile attacks by US and Israeli forces on several occasions.

The latest of these occurred on Saturday morning, when a projectile struck an area near Unit 1 of the plant. Despite the attacks, the plant's operations remain unaffected.

In response to these acts of aggression, Iran's nuclear agency has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to issue a clear condemnation of the US-Israeli strikes.

Tehran has repeatedly voiced serious concerns about the potential dangers posed by such attacks, particularly the risk of radioactive contamination.

Iran has warned that these strikes not only threaten the safety of the Bushehr plant but also pose a grave risk to regional security and the environment.

The Iranian government has emphasized the critical importance of safeguarding civilian nuclear facilities from military actions, urging international organizations to take stronger measures to prevent further aggression.

The country has also reiterated its commitment to ensuring the peaceful and safe use of nuclear energy while continuing to call for global recognition of the rights of nations to develop nuclear power for peaceful purposes without external interference.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Three Things To Watch As The US-Iran Cease-Fire Takes Hold

By Kian Sharifi April 08, 2026

The United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week cease-fire, brokered by Pakistan, premised on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The announcement came less than two hours before US President Donald Trump's self-imposed deadline was set to expire at 8 pm ET on April 7.

Global markets rallied. Oil prices fell. Leaders around the world expressed relief.

But the cease-fire is already proving to be fragile, with Iranian strikes reported across Arab states in the Persian Gulf just hours after the pause in fighting went into effect. Meanwhile, Israel has continued its attacks in Lebanon on Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy that has been designated a terror organization by Washington.

Talks in Islamabad to secure a permanent peace deal will begin on April 10. Both sides have said the cease-fire is temporary and does not constitute an end to the war.

Here are three things that can determine whether the cease-fire morphs into a peace deal or simply marks a pause in the fighting.

One: State Of The Strait

For decades, the Strait of Hormuz was treated as something close to a global commons -- a narrow passage with a 3.7 kilometer shipping channel between Iran and Oman through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas flowed freely, unimpeded, and untaxed. That era may now be over.

The cease-fire framework is said to include a provision allowing both Iran and Oman to collect transit fees from ships passing through the strait. This is without precedent. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea explicitly bars states with territorial waters in the strait from charging fees for passage, and no state has ever successfully imposed such tolls on a recognized international strait.

Iran's system, already operational in practice, is more elaborate than a simple toll booth. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has reportedly developed a ranking system for nations, with ships from countries deemed friendly receiving better terms. Once the toll is paid, the IRGC issues a permit code and route instructions; ships are expected to fly the flag of the nation that negotiated their passage.

But who actually pays? The instinctive answer -- global consumers -- turns out to be largely wrong, according to Guntram Wolff, a senior fellow at the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel.

Because Arab states in the Persian Gulf are responsible for approximately 20 percent of global oil supply, they absorb the bulk of any toll imposed on that supply.

"The Gulf states will have to actually pay, in my computations, around 80 or 85 percent of the toll value," Wolff told RFE/RL. "While global consumers would only have to bear something like 20 percent of the toll cost."

For ordinary consumers, in other words, the toll will likely be "unnoticeable." For Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait City, it will be a recurring bill that will nibble into their profits.

The same logic applies beyond oil. Fertilizers, petrochemicals, and other Gulf-sourced commodities face a similar incidence structure. The Gulf states, having already absorbed weeks of war-related disruption, now face the prospect of permanently subsidizing Iran's reconstruction through the prices they effectively pay to export their own resources.

Iranian officials have been explicit that this is the intention. "The Strait of Hormuz situation won't return to its prewar status," Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf wrote on X last month.

Two: To Enrich Or Not To Enrich?

In his statement announcing the cease-fire, Trump said Iran's 10-point proposal "is a workable basis on which to negotiate." Observers say that the two sides are so far apart in their positions -- and nowhere is the gap more notable than on the question of Iran's nuclear program.

According to the Associated Press, Iran's Farsi-language version of its 10-point cease-fire plan included the phrase "acceptance of enrichment" for its nuclear program -- something absent from the English versions shared by Iranian diplomats with journalists.

Complicating the issue, Trump on April 8 said there will be "no enrichment" of uranium in Iran.

In the Persian text of the proposal, Iran says the two sides will negotiate over the level of enrichment.

"On the uranium, we're watching it. We know what they have, and they will give it up, and we'll get it. We'll take it if we have to," US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a briefing at the Pentagon on April 8.

The stockpile in question is not trivial. According to the UN nuclear watchdog, Iran had accumulated 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity.

Mediators working on the cease-fire framework concluded that a solution for Iran's highly enriched uranium -- either through its removal from the country or dilution -- could only happen under a final deal, not a temporary truce. Iran's uranium stockpile, they assessed, is one of Tehran's two main bargaining chips, and Tehran will not likely surrender it for a two-week pause in the conflict.

So the uranium question has been deliberately deferred to Islamabad -- where the translation discrepancy is sure to reassert itself.

Three: The Lebanon Question

The cease-fire could unravel over Israel's military operations in Lebanon, which continued unabated on April 8.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the agreement does not include Lebanon, where Israeli forces have launched a ground invasion and are fighting Hezbollah. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the deal's chief broker, said the opposite -- that the cease-fire applies to Lebanon as well.

The disagreement is not a technicality. Iran backs Hezbollah -- a US-designated terrorist group -- and continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon could place Tehran under pressure to respond militarily.

Setting A Precedent?

Wolff offers a final observation that reframes all three of the above. Iran has demonstrated, at enormous cost to itself, that a medium-sized power can impose crippling economic pressure on the global system without winning a conventional war. Does that set a precedent?

"There's not that many countries that would like to experience what Iran has experienced in the last couple of weeks, including the threats of civilizational erasure," Wolff said.

"So, in that sense, it does not set a precedent. But it does set a precedent in the sense that Iran has shown to the world the power of asymmetric warfare. In that sense, it's a strategic defeat for the United States, and a strategic win for any actor that masters asymmetric warfare, that now knows that the guardian of the international order basically does not manage to overcome that."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-war-ceasefire -what-know/33727669.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






Joey Hood: What Did The US, Iran Learn From Five Weeks Of War?

By Alex Raufoglu April 08, 2026

WASHINGTON -- Veteran ambassador Joey Hood, a career diplomat who has served with a focus on the Middle East under multiple US administrations, says the United States and Iran have each drawn stark lessons from the violent new chapter in decades of hostility.

In an interview with RFE/RL, Hood -- who served as principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs during President Donald Trump's first administration, and previously as deputy chief of mission in Iraq and Kuwait -- said Tehran has learned the US can eliminate senior leaders at will, a reality that will shape future Iranian decision-making.

At the same time, he said, Washington has learned that Iran -- or even non-state actors -- can effectively disrupt the Strait of Hormuz using low-cost tools such as drones, mines, or even credible threats, without deploying conventional naval forces.

If reported Iranian negotiating points are accurate, Hood said, the gap between the sides remains wide. Absent what he called a "political earthquake," the risk of new escalation remains high, as each side still believes it can impose significant costs on the other.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

RFE/RL: I want to start with the lessons both the US and Iran have learned from this latest chapter of a conflict that has been going on since 1979. What are those lessons, in your view, and how should they inform US strategy in both the short and long term?

Joey Hood: I think you're right to say that this is merely the latest chapter in a conflict that's been going on for 47 years now, because there's a long history here that started with the taking hostage of our diplomats by this regime in Tehran for 444 days in 1979 and 1980. And it's gone through other iterations, including the tanker war in the late 1980s and, of course, the many, many, many attacks by Iranian-supported militias in Iraq and Syria and Lebanon against US forces and diplomatic personnel.

In terms of the lessons learned, I think that Tehran has learned that the United States can eliminate virtually any leader at any time that it wants to do so. So that's going to have to factor into the thinking of any Iranian leader who ascends into a leadership role and, consequently, their negotiating position -- knowing that if they go too far beyond America's red lines, they could be the next ones eliminated.

Second, I think the United States has learned that Iran, or even other actors for that matter, can control the Strait of Hormuz by just launching a few cheap drones or mines, or even merely the threat of employing them. It doesn't take an armada now to block the strait, or even deep minefields. All it takes is sufficiently scaring insurance companies so that ships will no longer move -- because insurance is too expensive, simply not available, or the shipping companies themselves decide they don't want to take that risk.

And this is actually something that's not totally in the control of Washington or Tehran. Both sides can say, "OK, we have a temporary cease-fire so ships can move." But if insurance and shipping companies don't agree, then the ships don't move. And, so far, not a lot of ships have been moving into position to cross the strait.

RFE/RL: You have served in multiple administrations dating back to George W. Bush. Given that Iran's leadership structure has remained relatively consistent over time -- and the new insights the US has gained about Iran's decision-making and risk tolerance, including the US capability to eliminate senior leadership -- how do you think this affects the mindset of Iranian decision-makers today, particularly as they enter negotiations or consider escalation?

Hood: Well, they have to understand -- and I'm sure that they do -- that if we don't arrive at a negotiated solution, then a re-escalation or a resumption of armed conflict could mean, personally, that they will no longer survive.

So I think that gives them an incentive to be more serious, maybe to move faster than they otherwise would have, because we have seen from experience that it takes months and sometimes years to arrive at a solution with them. I go back to 1979-1980, when the Algerians helped us arrive at the liberation of the diplomatic hostages -- but that took many, many months. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the so-called nuclear deal of 2015, took years to negotiate.

And I think that's one of the things that prompted President Trump to launch military hostilities now, because he was not convinced that the Iranian negotiators were serious. He said they were "tapping along," as if you tap your foot just to keep time with the music.

So I think they probably understand now that they're going to have to move faster than they otherwise normally would have.

Trying To Bridge The Gaps

RFE/RL: Turning to the reported negotiation frameworks: If the Iranian proposals mentioned in the media are accurate, you've suggested the two sides remain far apart. What are the biggest substantive gaps, and how difficult will they be to bridge without what you've called a "political earthquake"?

Hood: To go back to your earlier question, I think the US is going to have to adapt its way of thinking and planning for keeping commercial shipping open through the Strait of Hormuz. That's going to involve new technology, new alliances with some of the Gulf countries, and probably further conflict, unfortunately, as long as the regime in Tehran doesn't fundamentally change its outlook and strategy vis-a-vis the rest of the world.

Now, what do both sides want? Both sides want to be the dominant power in the Middle East, and both cannot achieve that at the same time.

So unless there's a political earthquake on one side or the other, they're not going to be able to find a negotiated solution that satisfies most -- if not all -- of their strategic objectives. So unfortunately, I don't think there's a lot of optimism for this temporary cease-fire, or for a comprehensive end to this conflict that's been going on for 47 years.

For the regime in Tehran to accept US dominance in the region, it would have to change its entire ideology, which is based on resisting the United States and the West. And we've seen what that approach has brought to countries like Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

Iran does not have a single friend, partner, or ally that is prosperous and stable. Instead, it relies on militias -- armed groups operating in other countries with the objective of resisting the kind of economic development and stability seen under the US security umbrella in Gulf Cooperation Council states.

Balance Of Power In Tehran

RFE/RL: Given that assessment -- and recent comments by US officials referring to Iran's leadership as a "new regime" -- how well do we actually understand the internal balance of power in Tehran? And how much does that distinction matter in practice?

Hood: I think we collectively understand a lot about the Iranian system. But that collective understanding is not necessarily reaching President Trump.

There are only a handful of people advising him, and many experienced staff across civilian, military, and diplomatic institutions have been fired, pushed into retirement, or otherwise left. So I don't think the best analysis and recommendations are getting to the person who matters most.

Now, as for what he says about the regime -- he is technically correct that it has changed, in the sense that the United States and Israel have taken out much of the senior leadership that existed just a few months ago. So the personalities have changed.

But has the ideology changed? Have the objectives changed? I see absolutely no evidence of that.

The regime's goals remain to resist the United States and the West, and to export its revolution -- those are its words, not mine. That does not lead to a peaceful region.

So no, I don't see fundamental regime change. I do see new leaders, and their vulnerability may make them more cautious in negotiations -- but we'll have to see.

RFE/RL: There also seems to be confusion about what the declared cease-fire actually covers -- particularly with continued strikes involving Israel and activity in places like Beirut. How significant is that ambiguity, and what risks does it pose to maintaining the cease-fire?

Hood: I think it's significant, because it gives any spoiler the ability to say, "The other side violated the cease-fire, so I'm going to keep attacking."

That may very well be what Iran does -- or at least some actors within the Iranian system. Because how can we be sure the system is fully cohesive? How do we know, for example, that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps will follow orders from [the] new leadership? These are things that will become clearer over time.

Even after the cease-fire was declared, we've seen attacks on Gulf countries. And Israel has said Lebanon is not part of the cease-fire at all.

We have to remember that Israel, while closely aligned with the United States, is a sovereign country and can make its own decisions. If President Trump were to publicly demand that Israel stop operations in Lebanon, that would put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a very difficult position. But absent that, Israel will continue pursuing its objectives.

RFE/RL: Finally, you noted that both sides still believe they can impose significant costs on the other. In practical terms, what are the most likely triggers for renewed escalation -- and what signals should policymakers watch to distinguish between routine posturing and a real slide back into conflict?

Hood: Obviously, the number and impact of Iranian attacks on Gulf countries will be a key indicator. If those don't stop, then there isn't really a cease-fire.

It will also be important to see whether Iran refrains from threatening shipping in the Strait of Hormuz -- and yet ships still don't move. How President Trump interprets that is hard to predict.

We also need to watch internal dynamics in Iran. There may not be full command and control by any single leader. If factions begin to disagree, you could see spoilers -- actors who reject negotiations and launch attacks on their own.

And how those actions are interpreted by the United States -- that's going to be one of the most difficult questions to answer.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/joey-hood-iran- war-lessons/33727903.html

Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






US-Iran Cease-Fire Falters Amid Accusations Of Violations

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda April 08, 2026

The temporary truce between the United States and Iran wobbled less than a day after being agreed as Israel launched massive attacks on Iranian proxies in Lebanon, while Tehran launched strikes at oil centers in several Persian Gulf countries after claiming its energy facilities were targeted.

US and Iranian delegations are scheduled to meet in Islamabad on April 10 to begin detailed talks on a peace deal after the temporary truce was reached late on April 7. Vice President JD Vance will lead the US delegation, the White House said on April 8.

But even as teams prepared for the meetings, reports of violations tempered the optimism seen just hours earlier as the first ships passed freely through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran is to fully open as part of the cease-fire deal.

Further clouding the outlook, Israel carried out its heaviest strikes in Lebanon on Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has been designated a terror organization by the United States, amid disputes about what is covered under the cease-fire. Israel's military said it targeted over 100 Hezbollah sites in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon.

Lebanon's Health Ministry said 182 people were killed but that this was not the final toll, and UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said the "scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific."

"The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone through what will be a very productive Regime Change!" President Donald Trump said in a social media post, before later being quoted by US public broadcaster PBS as saying Lebanon is not part of the agreement with Iran "because of Hezbollah."

"That's a separate skirmish," he added.

Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said in response to the Israeli attacks on Hezbollah that "if the aggression against beloved Lebanon does not cease immediately, we will fulfill our duty and deliver a response."

In a post on X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi added: "The Iran-U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose-- ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both."

And Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who is reportedly expected to lead Tehran's delegation at the Islamabad talks along with Araqchi, claimed that three parts of Iran's 10-point proposal for a resolution had been violated and that, in such a situation, a "bilateral cease-fire or negotiations" were "unreasonable."

In a post on X, Qalibaf asserted that the violations were attacks on Lebanon, the entry of a drone into Iranian airspace, and what he said was a "denial of Iran's right to [uranium] enrichment."

Washington and Tehran agreed late on April 7 to a two-week Pakistani-brokered cease-fire, pulling back from the brink to allow the two sides time to negotiate a peace deal.

Trump, who early on April 7 wrotethat "a whole civilization will die tonight" if Iran fails to reach a deal, said in a social media post that he had received a 10-point proposal from Tehran and he believes "it is a workable basis on which to negotiate."

Iranians' Relief, Conerns

Iranians have expressed relief but also concern after the United States and Iran announced a deal to suspend hostilities for two weeks. After more than five weeks of strikes, some Iranians say they expect challenging days ahead with infrastructure destroyed -- but also want their own government to restore basic rights and to release political prisoners.

"I'm glad there is a cease-fire, but I won't rest until there's lasting peace," one man from inside Iran said in a message sent to RFE/RL's Radio Farda.

"I know there will be difficult days ahead of us. A lot of infrastructure has been destroyed, and [the authorities] are [likely] to become more violent, but we must stand together and distance ourselves from the warmongers."

Trump gave no details of the Iranian proposal but added the agreement hinges on Tehran allowing the free passage of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane through which some 20 percent of the world's oil and gas passes.

According to data from maritime monitor Marine Traffic, three ships passed through the waterway on April 8.

"Early signs of vessel activity are emerging in the Strait of Hormuz following a cease-fire announcement, which includes a temporary reopening of the strategic waterway to allow for negotiations," the monitor said in a post on X.

A senior Iranian official said ships navigating the strait, however, still require Tehran's permission to pass, and Reuters reported that shippers were awaiting more clarity before resuming transit.

'Legitimate Misunderstanding'

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on April 8 that Trump's "immediate priority...is the reopening of the strait without any limitations, whether in the form of tolls or otherwise."

"I will reiterate the president's expectation and demand that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened immediately, quickly, and safely," Leavitt said, adding that any closure "is completely unacceptable."

Israel said it supports Trump's decision to stop attacking Iran for two weeks subject to the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the cessation of attacks against the United States, Israel, and other countries in the region.

But the statement, released by the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the cease-fire did not include Lebanon, which contradicted an earlier statement from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan.

On the US side, Leavitt echoed Trump in saying Lebanon was not included in the cease-fire terms. However, she told journalists, "This will continue to be discussed, I am sure, between the president and Prime Minister Netanyahu, the United States and Israel, and all of the parties involved."

Vice President JD Vance said he believes there was a "legitimate misunderstanding" about the terms of the truce. "I think the Iranians thought that the cease-fire included Lebanon, and it just didn't."

"If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart... over Lebanon...that's ultimately their choice," he told reporters before departing Budapest to return to the US. But he added that Israel was ready to show restraint.

"The Israelis, as I understand it...have actually offered to, frankly, to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon, because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful," Vance said without providing details.

Meanwhile, the Gulf States of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates reported fresh attacks on their territory.

Highly Precarious

Anne Dreazen, vice president of the American Jewish Committee's Center for a New Middle East, told RFE/RL that while the pause is a "tactical de-escalation," the maritime terms remain highly precarious.

She noted that because passage is still being coordinated via the Iranian military, the agreement represents a "controlled and conditional access regime" rather than a true return to international norms.

"In practical terms, Iran is retaining the ability to regulate, restrict, or politicize maritime traffic using the strait as leverage rather than restoring the principle of free navigation," Dreazen said, adding the burden is now on Tehran to prove it is ready to "shift course from coercion and disruption toward meaningful negotiation and de-escalation."

Senior Trump administration officials have called the deal "a win," while Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, characterized the agreement as "a tactical pause -- a delay" by the United States to see if Iran will hold to the deal.

"I think President Trump retains the option of escalating. The attack plans have been prepared. That credible military threat remains," he told RFE/RL, adding that both nations remain in a position to strike.

"The Iranians have the ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz. So both can revert to previous postures if this deal fails to hold."

The last-minute move came amid global concerns over Trump's remarks on wiping out Iranian civilization, with Pope Leo, an American, suggesting it was "truly unacceptable" and others warning against attacks on civilian infrastructure.

There had been few signs that the sides were ready for compromise in the war, which began with US and Israeli air strikes on Iran on February 28, and little overlap between proposals put forth by Washington and Tehran.

"The cease-fire, should it hold, could serve as a more general off ramp to future hostilities. In this sense, escalation -- even the threat of it -- may have been necessary to precipitate the current de-escalation," Cale Brown, a former deputy spokesperson during Trump's first administration and chairman of Polaris National Security, told RFE/RL.

With reporting by RFE/RL senior Washington correspondent Alex Raufoglu, AFP, and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-iran-ceasefire- holding-strait-hormuz-shipping/33727626.html

Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Vance Says Iran Misunderstood Truce Deal, Israel Has Offered To Show Restraint In Lebanon

22:26 8.4.2026

US Vice President JD Vance said he suspects Iran misunderstood the terms of the cease-fire deal reached with Pakistan's mediation, believing that the truce included Lebanon when it did not.

In comments to reporters on an airport tarmac in Budapest before a flight back to the United States on April 8, Vance also repeated that Iran must open the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil and gas transport artery, to shipping.

"I urge the Iranians to come to the table seriously," said Vance, who is to lead the US delegation at planned talks in Islamabad on April 10, warning that if Tehran violates the agreement, it will see "serious consequences."

Among the key aspects of the deal, he said, was that the United States agreed to a cease-fire and negotiations and Iran agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz, that Tehran essentially blocked after the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran on February 28.

Vance spoke amid questions over whether the agreement reached by the United States and Iran late on April 7 will hold, with signs that shipping through the strait is heavily restricted, amid Iranian claims that the deal has been violated, in part by major Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Iran's Press TV reported late on April 8 that the waterway was fully closed.

"I think this comes from a legitimate misunderstanding. I think the Iranians thought that the cease-fire included Lebanon, and it just didn't," Vance said. "If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart... over Lebanon...that's ultimately their choice," he said.

Without providing details, he said: "The Israelis, as I understand it...have actually offered to, frankly, to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon, because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-live-blog- trump-khamenei/33640284.html?lbis=448782

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






Heavy Israeli Strikes On Lebanon Add Uncertainty Hours After US-Iran Cease-Fire Deal

19:06 8.4.2026

Lebanese officials say dozens of people have been killed in the heaviest Israeli strikes on the country since the war in Iran broke out five weeks ago.

The strikes on April 8, which a Lebanese Health Ministry spokesman told Reuters killed 89 people and wounded 700 others, came amid contradictory claims about whether the Pakistan-brokered US-Iranian agreement on a two-week cease-fire included Lebanon.

The strikes, which Israel's military said targeted over 100 command centers and military sites of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon, appeared to threaten the cease-fire agreement reached late on April 7 and shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which resumed under the deal after being blocked by Iran for weeks.

Citing an Iranian ministry statement, AFP reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi "discussed [Israel's] violations of the cease-fire in Iran and Lebanon" with a senior Pakistani military leader on April 8.

Iran's Tasnim news agency cited an unnamed source as saying Iran would withdraw from the cease-fire agreement if Israel continues to attack Lebanon. Fars, a semi-official Iranian news agency, reported that Iran halted oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz over the Israeli bombardments.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the cease-fire agreement included Lebanon, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it did not.

A White House correspondent for US public broadcaster PBS said on X that US President Donald Trump told her on April 8 that Lebanon was "not included in the deal" because of the presence there of Hezbollah, which has been designated by the United States as a terror group.

UPDATE: Lebanon's Health Ministry said the Israeli strikes on April 8 killed 182 people and wounded 890, adding that the updated toll was not final.



With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-live-blog- trump-khamenei/33640284.html?lbis=448757

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






Kuwait, UAE Report Missile And Drone Attacks

12:53 8.4.2026

Hours after the United States announced a temporary cease-fire with Iran, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said they were fending off Iranian missile and drone attacks.

Separately, Iran announced that its oil facilities on Lavan Island were targeted in the morning of April 8.

The UAE Defense Ministry issued a statement on April 8, saying: "The UAE's air defense is countering missile and drone attacks originating from Iran."

The Kuwaiti military also announced that the country's air defenses had countered a "compact wave" of drone attacks by the Islamic republic starting at 8 a.m. local time. According to the statement, a total of 28 drones targeting Kuwait were intercepted.

According to the Kuwaiti Armed Forces, a number of these drones targeted vital oil facilities and power plants in the south of the country, resulting in "extensive material damage" to oil infrastructure, power plants, and desalination facilities.

The Kuwaiti Army General Staff emphasized that all necessary measures have been taken to monitor and counter these attacks.

Meanwhile, the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company announced that the Lavan Oil Refinery facility, located on Lavan Island, was attacked at around 10 a.m. local time.

According to the company's statement, there were no casualties in the attack, and safety and firefighting teams were controlling and extinguishing the fire and securing the facility.

There has been no report yet on the source of these attacks, but the Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, reported the two attacks in a short news report as follows: "The missile and drone attacks on the UAE and Kuwait took place hours after the oil facilities on Lavan Island in Iran were targeted."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-live-blog- trump-khamenei/33640284.html?lbis=448707

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 He Believes China Pushed Iran To Cease-Fire Deal

11:57 8.4.2026

US President Donald Trump said he thinks China was involved in getting Iran to negotiate a two-week cease-fire that was announced late on April 7.

Trump told the AFP news agency during a brief phone interview after the cease-fire deal that he believes Beijing played a role in pushing Tehran to negotiate.

"I hear yes. Yes they were," Trump said when asked if China was involved in bringing Iran to the table.

The Associated Press, citing unnamed sources, also reported that Chinese officials were in touch with Iranian counterparts to encourage Tehran to find a path to a cease-fire deal as the negotiations evolved.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on April 8 that Beijing welcomed the agreement for a two-week pause in the fighting.

"China has consistently advocated for an immediate cease-fire and cessation of hostilities, as well as the resolution of disputes through political and diplomatic channels," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said during a daily press briefing.

Mao did not elaborate on the details of China's efforts when asked by reporters.



Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-live-blog- trump-khamenei/33640284.html?lbis=448696

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






European Leaders Welcome Cease-Fire Announcement

11:24 8.4.2026

European leaders have expressed support for the two-week cease-fire announced by Washington and Tehran on April 8, although they emphasized the continuing need for de-escalation and diplomacy.

"Ceasefires are always good news. Especially if they lead to a just and lasting peace," said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. "But this momentary relief cannot make us forget the chaos, the destruction, and the lives lost. The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket."

"What's needed now: diplomacy, international legality, and PEACE," he added in a post on X.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he welcomed the news of the temporary truce between Washington and Tehran, but added that the situation in Lebanon remains critical and called for Lebanon to be included in the deal. Israel earlier on April 8 released a statement saying that while it supports Trump's decision to stop attacking Iran for two weeks, the cease-fire doesn't include Lebanon.

"Our wish in this context is to be assured that the cease-fire fully includes Lebanon," Macron said.

Macron said about 15 countries were planning to facilitate the resumption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil supply usually flows.

"About 15 countries are currently mobilized and are participating in the planning, under France's leadership, to enable the implementation of this strictly defensive mission in coordination with Iran to facilitate the resumption of traffic," Macron said on April 8.

European Council President Antonio Costa said in a statement on X that he urges "all parties to uphold [the cease-fire's] terms in order to achieve sustainable peace in the region. The EU stands ready to support ongoing efforts and remains in close contact with its partners in the region. I thank Pakistan and all other parties involved in facilitating this agreement."

"I welcome the two-week ceasefire the US and Iran agreed last night. It brings much needed de-escalation," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X, adding it was crucial negotiations continue for an enduring solution.

Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, said that the agreement represents "a step back from the brink after weeks of escalation."

"It creates a much-needed chance to tone down threats, stop missiles, restart shipping, and create space for diplomacy towards a lasting agreement," she added.

With reporting by Reuters



Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-live-blog- trump-khamenei/33640284.html?lbis=448688

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






Bahrain Reports Iranian Strike Hours After US-Iran Cease-Fire Announced

09:09 8.4.2026

Bahrain has reported an Iranian strike just hours after Tehran and Washington agreed to a temporary halt in hostilities, which included Iran refraining from attacking countries in the region.

The Interior Ministry of Bahrain issued a warning earlier to citizens ahead of an incoming attack, urging them to "remain calm and head to the nearest safe place." Soon after, it reported on X that the country's "Civil Defense extinguished a fire in the facility as a result of the Iranian aggression."

As a result of the strike, "two citizens sustained minor injuries and a number of houses were damaged in the Sitra area as a result of shrapnel falling from the interception of an Iranian drone," the ministry reported.

Smoke had been seen rising from an area on Sitra Island, which is close to Manama and hosts the country's principal energy facilities.





Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-protests-live-blog- trump-khamenei/33640284.html?lbis=448661

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






Foreign Ministry statement on the outcome of the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Persian Gulf

8 April 2026 17:20

523-08-04-2026

On April 7, the UN Security Council voted on a draft resolution on maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and the adjacent waters tabled by Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Eleven countries voted in favour of the draft, Colombia and Pakistan abstained, and China and Russia voted against. As a result, the resolution has noted been adopted.

Over the past few days, we have been trying to convince our friends not to rush the adoption of the draft resolution that could hinder peace efforts to settle the situation in the Persian Gulf, doing this in various formats, including through Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's contacts with our Arab colleagues.

Thanks to a reasonable stance taken by the UN Security Council at the insistence of Russia and China, the necessary conditions have been created for reaching an understanding on a ceasefire and the launch of negotiations. We believe that these conditions should be applied to all areas of the confrontation, including Lebanon.

We welcome the creation of an appropriate atmosphere for a political and diplomatic process. We understand that its outcome is not predetermined. Russia and all other reasonable members of the international community will actively work towards practical results in favour of the early restoration of peace in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East as a whole.

During the above mentioned UN Security Council meeting on April 7, Russian representatives announced the intention, supported by our Chinese partners, to submit an alternative draft resolution for the immediate termination of hostilities and support for ongoing diplomatic efforts and peace initiatives. We hope that this balanced document will be supported by all member states of the UN Security Council.

Russia stands for the freedom of maritime navigation everywhere, not only in the Strait of Hormuz and the adjacent waters, but throughout the World Ocean. It is essential to preclude attacks on the commercial fleet of all countries, and to open corridors for Cuba and Venezuela. This problem must be resolved comprehensively and in cooperation with all countries concerned.

We appreciate the position of the Arab countries, which have become hostage to the situation created by the United States and Israel. However, we believe that the problem of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz can only be settled if the unprovoked aggression against Iran is stopped and if Tehran's opinion of is taken into consideration.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Slovenia welcomes the agreement between USA and Iran on a ceasefire

Republic of Slovenia - Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

8. 4. 2026

The Republic of Slovenia welcomes the agreement between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran on a ceasefire and the temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for safe navigation. This step represents an important opportunity to de-escalate tensions and reduce risks to regional and global security, particularly in the areas of energy and food stability.

Slovenia emphasises that the agreement must be fully respected and consistently implemented, and should serve as a starting point for a more sustained easing of tensions and a political process. We call on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint, to fully respect international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, and to ensure freedom of navigation as a fundamental principle of the international order.

Slovenia calls on all relevant actors to engage constructively in efforts to reduce tensions in the region. In this context, we also believe that Israel should join efforts towards a ceasefire and de-escalation across all affected areas, including in Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Only an inclusive, coordinated and rules-based approach can lead to sustainable stability in the region. Slovenia will continue to support diplomatic efforts of the international community, including the role of the United Nations, towards achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Albares speaks with Pakistani counterpart and Foreign ministers from the Middle East

Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

PRESS RELEASE 047

Spain expresses its support for mediation as a lasting means of achieving peace in the region

8 APR 26

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Albares, spoke today with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, thanking him for his country's mediation efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Middle East and expressing Spain's support.

Albares highlighted the need to ensure regional stability and an end to indiscriminate bombing: "Lebanon is a sovereign country with a Government that is doing everything possible to guarantee the security and territorial integrity of all, including the security of the people of Israel." Spain is working to ensure that Lebanon is included in the ceasefire, that attacks on Middle Eastern countries cease, that free passage through the Strait of Hormuz is guaranteed, and that the war comes to an end.

Throughout the day, the minister also had the opportunity to speak with his counterparts from Lebanon, to whom he conveyed his support for the country's sovereignty, his condemnation of the attacks by both Hezbollah and Israel, and his backing for UNIFIL; the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, with whom he discussed the ceasefire as an opportunity for peace in the Middle East; and his counterparts from Bahrain and Kuwait, with whom he discussed the importance of the Strait of Hormuz returning to normal and Spain's support for mediation towards a definitive ceasefire. The Minister also had the opportunity to discuss the ceasefire and the situation in the region with his counterpart from Oman.

Spain supports the crucial work of the mediators. Diplomacy, negotiation and international law are the only path to the lasting peace that the people of the Middle East deserve. All parties must demonstrate responsibility and commitment to ceasing attacks and de-escalation, which Spain will continue to support. The ceasefire must be extended to Lebanon, within the framework of Security Council resolution 1701, to which Spain also reaffirms its firm commitment.

-NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION-

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran President Says Truce Reached With US Takes Into Account Principles Outlined by Tehran

Sputnik News

20260408

TEHRAN (Sputnik) - The truce reached with United States takes into account principles outlined by Tehran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday.

"The ceasefire, with the acceptance of the general principles desired by Iran, was the fruit of the blood of our great martyred leader Khamenei and the achievement of the presence of all the people on the scene. From today onward, we will also remain together. Whether in the field of diplomacy, whether in the field of defense, whether on the street scene, and whether in the arena of service provision," Pezeshkian said on X.

On Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump announced that he had agreed to a two-week bilateral ceasefire with Iran, pledging Iran had also agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Supreme National Security Council said thereafter Tehran will begin talks with the US on Friday in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan on the Agreement to Ceasefire in the Middle East

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Tajikistan

08.04.2026 10:18

The Republic of Tajikistan welcomes the ceasefire agreements reached between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America.

We do hope that the upcoming negotiations between the conflicting parties in the coming days will lead to a long-term and comprehensive peace in the region.

We do believe that there is no military solution to this conflict and that its continuation will only further aggravate the already complex situation in the Middle East and will cause enormous damage to all countries of the region.

Tajikistan once again calls on the conflicting parties to refrain from the use of military force and pursue political and diplomatic means based on the fundamental norms of international law and the UN Charter.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Foreign Secretary's statement: ceasefire in the Middle East, 8 April 2026

Press release

A statement from the Foreign Secretary on the ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran.

From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP

Published 8 April 2026

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

I welcome today's announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran. This is a vital step towards establishing some security and stability in the region and getting international shipping and the global economy moving properly again. I also welcome the proposed talks between the US and Iran scheduled for later this week and thank Pakistan and all those involved for their continued work on the negotiations.

The UK has been working internationally to support the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the self defence of Gulf countries, and to promote a swift resolution of this conflict. Last week, I led talks with more than 40 countries, where we discussed the urgent need to restore freedom of navigation for international shipping.

A swift resolution to this conflict is the best way to protect security, including for our citizens in the region, and crucially to help those feeling the impact on the cost of living here at home. The UK has been clear throughout that we need to deescalate and reopen the Strait. We will continue to work with the shipping, insurance and energy sectors to restore confidence in the route as quickly as possible. Iran must cease all mining, drone attacks, and other attempts to block commercial shipping in the Strait immediately.

It is vital that the proposed talks lead to a full end to the conflict and ensure that Iran does not continue to threaten the Strait or its neighbours. I also call for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon.

We will continue to work internationally to support this ceasefire, to promote progress on negotiations, and to restore and protect security and stability for the region, and freedom of navigation for the world.



NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






White House says U.S. working on modified plan ahead of talks with Iran

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:37, April 09, 2026

WASHINGTON, April 8 (Xinhua) -- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad.

Leavitt said at a White House press briefing that "The president's red lines, namely, the end of uranium enrichment in Iran, have not changed."

Leavitt claimed that U.S. willingness to hold talks is contingent on the reopening of the crucial global energy waterway "with no limitations or delays."

Iran has suspended tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz following Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the semi-official Fars news agency reported earlier on Wednesday.

"Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. That has been relayed to all parties involved in the ceasefire," Leavitt said.

"This will continue to be discussed, I am sure, between the president and Prime Minister Netanyahu, the United States and Israel and all of the parties involved," Leavitt added.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that the United States must choose between upholding a ceasefire or pursuing what he described as "continued war via Israel," referring to Israel's continuing to strike Lebanon.

"The Iran-U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose -- ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both," Araghchi wrote on X. "The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments."

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned it will respond if "aggressions" against Lebanon do not immediately cease, the country's state broadcaster IRIB reported Wednesday.

Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, killing at least 87 people and injuring 722, officials said, with densely populated neighborhoods in the capital, Beirut, among the hardest hit.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Japan-Australia Defense Ministerial Meeting (Summary)

Ministry of Defense of Japan

(Press Release, provisional translation)

8 April, 2026

Ministry of Defense

On April 8 2026, commencing at 4:20 p.m for approximately 40 minutes, Minister of Defense Koizumi held a defense ministerial meeting under the Framework for Strategic Defence Coordination (FSDC) with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Australia the Hon Richard Marles MP.

The Ministers exchanged views on the current situation in the Middle East as well as regional circumstances, including those in the Indo-Pacific region, such as North Korea's ballistic missile launch which happened today. The Ministers shared their views to continue to maintain close communication. he Ministers exchanged views on the status of their respective reviews of national defense strategy and concurred on continuing close cooperation in order to maintain strategic alignment. The Ministers agreed on continuing close cooperation between the two countries toward the steady progress of Australia's next general-purpose frigate program, for which the upgraded Mogami-class frigate was selected. In this year marking the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation between Japan and Australia, the Ministers concurred on continuing discussions aimed at further elevating the "Special Strategic Partnership" between the two countries, including through the FSDC.

*FSDC: A Framework which was established at the Japan-Australia Defense Ministerial Meeting in December 2025. FSDC is led by Defence Ministers and will enable greater consultation on a range of matters relating to defence policy, intelligence, bilateral and multilateral activities, industry and technology, and capabilities, including space, cyber and integrated air and missile defence.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Japan-ROK Defense Ministerial Video Conference

Ministry of Defense of Japan

(Press Release)

April 8, 2026

Ministry of Defense

From 14:00 to 14:35 on Wednesday, April 8, Defense Minister Koizumi held a video conference with Republic of Korea Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back.

The two ministers exchanged views on the regional environment, including the current situation surrounding Iran, and the missile launches by North Korea. They also confirmed that Japan and the ROK, as well as Japan, the United States, and the ROK, will continue to cooperate closely.

Minister Koizumi expressed his appreciation for the ROK Air Force's assistance in transporting Japanese nationals, and conveyed that peace and stability in the Middle East are of critical importance to both Japan and the ROK. He also emphasized Japan's intention to work closely with the international community, including the ROK, in addressing these issues.

The two ministers confirmed their intention for the defense authorities of both countries to continue close cooperation.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Japan-Jordan Foreign Ministers' Telephone Talk

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

April 8, 2026

On April 8, commencing at 5:00 p.m. for 20 minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a telephone talk with H.E. Mr. Ayman Al Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The two ministers exchanged views on the current situation in the Middle East. They welcomed today's announcement of a temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran as a positive development, and shared the view on the importance of reaching a final agreement at an early stage through dialogue. Furthermore, they concurred that Japan and Jordan will continue to communicate closely with each other so that de-escalation of the situation would be realized. In addition, Minister Motegi expressed his appreciation for Jordan's cooperation in ensuring the safety of Japanese nationals in the region and requested continued cooperation. In response, Minister Safadi stated that Jordan would continue to spare no effort in cooperating to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals in Jordan. Furthermore, the two ministers discussed the safe navigation of the Strait of Hormuz, the situation in Palestine including support for the rebuilding of Gaza and the situation in Lebanon, as well as the bilateral cooperation. They concurred to continue close communication.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Japan's combat role in Philippines war games signals shift in regional strategy

Expanded 'Balikatan' combat drills are a sign of deeper South China Sea defense coordination, experts say.

By Taejun Kang for RFA 2026.04.08 -- Japan sending combat troops to participate in upcoming exercises in the Philippines is a signal of a shift towards a more networked, multi-layered security structure in the South China Sea that is still anchored by the United States, analysts in the region told Radio Free Asia.

At least 1,000 Japanese troops are set to take part in April's Balikatan exercises alongside forces from the Philippines and the U.S., in a move that carries historical weight but is increasingly viewed through the lens of evolving regional security dynamics.

The South China Sea has become one of Asia's most contested strategic flashpoints in recent years, with overlapping territorial claims and frequent maritime confrontations. China's use of so-called "grey zone" tactics - coercive actions that fall short of open conflict - has added pressure on smaller Southeast Asian states, pushing them to strengthen external security ties.

"Japan's involvement in Balikatan and the wider move toward minilateral cooperation do suggest a gradual shift towards a more networked security system in the Indo-Pacific," Joseph Kristanto, a research analyst at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told RFA.

That shift is visible in how exercises themselves have evolved. Balikatan began in the 1990s as a relatively small-scale bilateral training exercise focused on counterinsurgency and disaster response.

But now it involves thousands of troops and it simulates large scale conflict scenarios, including amphibious operations, missile defense and critical infrastructure protection.

The exercise has also grown beyond its original U.S.-Philippines format.

In recent iterations, countries such as Japan and Australia have taken on more active roles, with Japan participating as an observer since 2012, and last year sending a single frigate and about 150 non-combat personnel.

The increased participation from multiple countries reflects a broader push to build interoperability among like-minded partners.

New domains such as cyber, space and information warfare have been incorporated, mirroring how regional planners now view potential conflict as spanning multiple fronts rather than being confined to conventional naval or territorial disputes.

Regional anxiety

Still, the emergence of these overlapping partnerships does not signal a post-American security order.

"This does not replace the traditional U.S.-led 'hub-and-spoke' system. Instead, it adds another layer to it," Kristanto said.

The "hub-and-spoke" model - under which the U.S. maintains bilateral alliances with countries such as Japan, South Korea and the Philippines - has underpinned Asia's security architecture for decades.

What is changing, according to experts, is the growing number of links between those "spokes," as countries deepen cooperation with each other through joint exercises, intelligence sharing and defense agreements.

That layering is partly driven by uncertainty over Washington's long-term bandwidth in the region, even as it remains the central security guarantor.

U.S. security commitments in Europe and the Middle East, alongside domestic political debates over defence spending, have prompted some regional governments to hedge by strengthening ties with other partners.

"The latest move comes amid rising regional anxiety about U.S. defense commitment and capacity in the Indo-Pacific region," William Yang, a Northeast Asia analyst at the International Crisis Group, told RFA.

Countries such as Japan are therefore stepping up - not to replace the United States, but to reinforce deterrence and share the burden.

"These moves are certainly not intended to take over the central role that the U.S. takes in terms of regional deterrence," Yang added.

In practical terms, that shift is translating into deeper operational integration. Exercises are no longer just about presence or signalling, but about testing how forces coordinate across multiple domains and contingencies, Yang said.

"Having more partners such as Japan involved could lead to real operational changes over time, not just symbolic ones," Kristanto said, noting that drills are becoming "more integrated and more multilateral."

Japan's participation also builds on a steady expansion of defence ties with the Philippines, including joint maritime exercises and the provision of coastal radar systems.

These capabilities are designed to improve Manila's ability to monitor its waters, particularly in contested areas where Chinese vessels have maintained a persistent presence.

"Japan's more proactive participation in bilateral military drills and patrols as well as multilateral military exercises could help strengthen regional coordination and capacity building in areas such as countering Chinese gray zone operations and strengthening Southeast Asian states' maritime domain awareness," Yang explained.

'More connected network'

What would be the first deployment of Japanese combat troops in the Philippines since World War II-when Imperial Japan occupied what was then a U.S. territory-is not lost in public opinion.

Protesters in the Philippines say Tokyo has unresolved wartime grievances with Manila, while protesters in Japan fear the move is part of a larger trend of increased militarism counter to the spirit of their pacifist constitution.

Experts told RFA that Japan's participation reflects a broader effort to connect security arrangements across the Indo-Pacific into a more cohesive framework.

For Shen Ming-Shih, a research fellow at Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research, this is most clearly seen along the so-called First Island Chain - a strategic arc stretching from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines.

"Japan now participates with ground troops in addition to warships this year, indicating a rising possibility of joint U.S.-Japan-Philippines responses to South China Sea conflicts," Shen told RFA, pointing to "a growing likelihood of alliance-based joint operations and defense industry cooperation."

Although no formal multilateral alliance exists, these overlapping partnerships are beginning to resemble a more connected network.

"Through the alliances between the U.S. and these countries, a network of alliances centered on the U.S. will be formed," Shen said.

For Beijing, that growing coordination is likely to be viewed with concern, particularly as exercises become more frequent and more operationally substantive.

"The expansion of these minilateral groupings will likely be viewed with concern," Kristanto said, warning that it "does increase the risk of misperception and sharper responses in contested areas."

Edited by Eugene Whong.

Copyright 1998-2026, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2026 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content April not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






How Pakistan Bolstered Its Diplomatic Image By Brokering A Cease-Fire

By Daud Khattak April 08, 2026

Pakistan appears to have achieved a significant diplomatic breakthrough by playing a proactive role in brokering a 14-day cease-fire and setting the stage for the US-Iran talks in Islamabad on April 10.

The last-minute cease-fire, announced by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on X late on April 8, came just hours before the expiration of US President Donald Trump's deadline warning Iran of consequences that could lead to the destruction of a civilization "never to be brought back again."

"The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate cease-fire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere, effective immediately," Sharif posted, tagging senior US administration officials.

Referring to his conversation with Sharif and Pakistan's army chief, Asim Munir, whom he has previously described as his "favorite field marshal," Trump posted on Truth Social, "I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also praised Sharif and the army chief for their efforts.

'Godsend' For Pakistan

Analysts have described the development as a "godsend" for nuclear-armed Pakistan, which has repeatedly faced accusations from various US administrations -- including that of Trump -- of playing a double game during the NATO-US war against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Pakistan also strengthened its ties with the oil-rich Gulf states while successfully avoiding the risk of an unwanted conflict with Iran -- especially since Saudi Arabia, which signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement with Islamabad last year, could have been drawn into the war.

"Pakistan played it very wisely by bolstering its diplomatic image while also avoiding a war with its closest neighbor, Iran," said Ayesha Siddiqa, a fellow at the Department of War Studies at King's College London and author of Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan's Military Economy.

"It is easier to join a war, but it is very difficult to get out of it," said Siddiqa, who added that Pakistan was the only country in the region that could talk to both Iran and the United States and it used the opportunity very wisely.

Pakistan shares a roughly 900-kilometer-long border with Iran, separating Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan Province from Pakistan's Balochistan. The region, marked by rugged terrain and limited state control, is home to a range of militant groups, including the anti-Iranian outfit Jaysh al-Adl (formerly Jundallah) as well as Baloch separatist groups operating on the Pakistani side of the border.

The Role Of Saudi Arabia

Siddiqa also argued that Pakistan had little choice but to step in and mediate a settlement. In her view, given the escalating situation, Saudi Arabia could eventually have been drawn into the conflict had Iran continued targeting installations inside the kingdom. Under the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement -- which stipulates that an attack on one party is considered an attack on both -- Pakistan would have faced significant pressure to support Saudi Arabia, potentially leaving it with little choice but to join a Saudi-led war against Iran."

Under the temporary cease-fire, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz allowing marine traffic through the sea route. The closure has caused an oil shortage affecting consumers around the world. Around one-fifth of the world's oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

Citing Iranian media, Reuters reported that the Iranian proposal for the peace negotiations include the lifting of sanctions against Iran, releasing the country's frozen assets, and withdrawing US troops from the region. President Trump had described the proposal as a "workable basis on which to negotiate."

Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency reported on April 8 that the speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, will lead the Iranian negotiating team during the talks due to be held on April 10 in Pakistan. But the Tasnim news agency, quoting an unnamed source, reported that no decision about the names of the Iranian delegation had yet been made.

The news agency reported that the Supreme National Security Council, along with the three branches of government and other relevant officials, are considering all aspects of the negotiations and official announcements on this matter will be made soon.

The United States has also not confirmed the in-person talks. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavit was quoted as saying that "there are discussions about in-person talks, but nothing is final until announced by the president or the White House."

Israel also supported the suspension of strikes against Iran. In an X post, the office of the Israeli prime minister said "Israel supports President Trump's decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel ,and countries in the region."

"Pakistan and Iran never remained on very cordial terms. But being the closest neighbors and Muslim countries, Iran trusts Pakistan more than any other country in the region," said Khalid Sultan, an Islamabad-based analyst.

Sultan argued that Pakistan's "unexpected victory" against India in the four-day war in May 2025 has increased Pakistan's importance for the Gulf countries. Despite its fragile economic situation, many Gulf countries are now trying to keep Pakistan on their side.

"This provided Pakistan a diplomatic clout to come forward and play a lead role in defusing the US-Iran conflict." He said the fresh developments have improved Pakistan's image as well as strengthened its diplomatic role.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/how-pakistan-bolstered-its- diplomatic-image-by-brokering-a-cease-fire/33727687.html

Copyright (c) 2026. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Russian Deputy Defence Minister Vasily Osmakov holds working meeting with Sankon Allassori, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of the Republic of Guinea in the Russian Federation

07 April 2026 12:37

During the negotiations, the parties discussed current issues of bilateral cooperation in the military and military-technical spheres. They reaffirmed their commitment to develop a constructive dialogue and maintaining a high level of bilateral military ties.

The meeting was held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and demonstrated the traditionally friendly nature of Russian-Guinean relations.

Department of Information and Media Affairs of Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Meeting with Ivanovo Region Governor Stanislav Voskresensky

Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Governor of the Ivanovo Region Stanislav Voskresensky.

April 8, 2026

13:40

The Kremlin, Moscow

Before discussing the region's economic issues, Stanislav Voskresensky spoke about ongoing efforts to commemorate historical events and prominent figures associated with the Ivanovo Region, specifically the Land of Heroes project. This project disseminates information about heroes of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and modern Russia who lived in the Ivanovo Region - through social media, online platforms, and lectures. Particular attention is paid to heroes of the special military operation. In total, he noted, they have commemorated 157 Heroes of the Soviet Union, 21 Heroes of Russia, and four Knights of the Order of St George (III and IV Degree) from the Russian Empire.

Turning to industry, the Governor noted that the region's economy has traditionally relied on light industry, predominantly small and mediumsized enterprises. However, he said that for the economy to be truly sustainable, it is necessary to build expertise in other sectors and, most importantly, to achieve income growth. He gave several specific examples.

One such example is Neurosoft, a company that produces sophisticated medical equipment in the fields of neurophysiology, functional diagnostics and rehabilitation, including equipment for the rehabilitation of veterans and helping them regain mobility after injuries sustained during the special military operation. The company has decided to significantly expand operations and create facilities for other medical device manufacturers on the newly acquired technology park grounds.

Another example is Professional. For the first time in 30 years, a new road construction equipment plant has been built in Ivanovo. Furthermore, Aquarius, a microelectronics company, has mastered the production of 4G base stations and is developing 5G stations. Expertise is also being developed within light industry, and at least two investment projects have already been launched. All of this has allowed the region's own budget revenues to increase by 170 percent over seven years. Fiscal revenues have more than doubled. The region has become less dependent on subsidies.

The additional revenue is being used to address important issues, such as renovating kindergartens and improving street lighting. The first 200 kindergartens have already been renovated, which accounts for almost twothirds of all kindergartens. Additionally in all small towns, 95 percent of streets are now lit.

Stanislav Voskresensky recalled the President's remarks that, during a time of technological transformation and the development of artificial intelligence, it is important to train young people in a way that ensures they retain their ability to think and possess engineering skills above all else. The Solaris Centre for Gifted Children is being used for this purpose, and a project is underway in which young scientists give lectures on natural sciences to schoolchildren. Positive results have already been achieved. The Ministry of Education has set a benchmark for the proportion of schoolchildren who choose sciences, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and computer science, for their National Final School Exam (EGE). Last year, the Ivanovo Region ranked first in the country in terms of this indicator.

Summing up the discussion, the President noted the region's positive growth dynamics, including in construction and agricultural output, but highlighted certain everyday issues, in particular, timely waste collection and the installation of appropriate waste disposal sites. People's lives, Vladimir Putin said, are made up of such everyday matters.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Press release on the 46th meeting of Foreign Ministry's Council of Heads of Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation

8 April 2026 17:24

524-08-04-2026

On April 8, the Foreign Ministry's Mansion hosted the 46th meeting of Foreign Ministry's Council of Heads of Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation chaired by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The meeting addressed the development of inter-regional cooperation with African states in the context of preparations for the third Russia-Africa summit.

Taking part in the Council meeting were the Head of the Republic of Mordovia, the governors of the Amur, Astrakhan, Vologda, Leningrad, and Omsk regions, senior officials from the Presidential Executive Office and the Government Office of the Russian Federation, federal legislative and executive bodies, and representatives of the Sverdlovsk and Smolensk regions.

In his opening remarks, Sergey Lavrov emphasised the strategic nature of expanding cooperation with African countries, noting that it contributes to strengthening their sovereignty, overcoming instances of neocolonialism, and supporting the continent's emergence as a centre of the evolving multipolar world order. The growing role of Russian regions in developing trade, economic, and humanitarian ties with partners across the continent was also highlighted.

Reports on relations with African countries were presented by Vologda Region Governor Georgy Filimonov, Omsk Region Governor Vitaly Khotsenko, and Head of Mordovia Artem Zdunov.

Following the of the report by Astrakhan Region Governor Igor Babushkin, who also heads a Council working group, the Council members adopted detailed recommendations for preparations for the third Russia-Africa Summit scheduled to be held this year.

The meeting participants also reviewed prospects for cooperation between Russian regions, India, and the countries of Southeast Asia. Efforts in this area will continue within the framework of the Council working group headed by Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko.

In addition, Amur Region Governor Vasily Orlov reported on the activities of the federal-level Competence Centre for Russian-Chinese Business Cooperation in Blagoveshchensk, which serves as a mechanism for coordinating bilateral interregional cooperation.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Russia Hopes US Will Have More Opportunities to Engage in Dialogue on Ukraine - Kremlin

Sputnik News

20260408

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia hopes that US negotiators will have more opportunities to participate in trilateral negotiations on Ukraine in the foreseeable future, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

"We hope that in the foreseeable future they [the US negotiators] will have more time and more opportunity to meet in a trilateral format [negotiations on Ukraine]," Peskov told reporters.

Russia highly appreciates the US's peacekeeping efforts in the process of the Ukrainian settlement, the official added.

On US-Iran Conflict

Russia welcomes the decision of the United States and Iran not to follow the path of armed escalation, Peskov said, commenting on a truce between Iran and the US.

"We are, of course, pleased with the news about the truce and welcome the decision not to follow the path of armed escalation," Peskov told reporters.

Russia said from the very beginning about the need to move from escalation around Iran to a peaceful course, the official said, expressing hope that direct contacts between Iran and the United States will take place in the near future.

On Hungary

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is an effective politician who protects interests of Hungary, Peskov said.

"He [Orban] is indeed a very effective politician, an effective head of state who protects the interests of his country. Not Russia, not America, but his own country, Hungary," Peskov told reporters.

Many forces in Europe would not want Orban to win the election again, favoring with his opponents, Peskov added.

Other Statements

Russia does not sympathize with attempts to publish the contents of closed conversations at the highest level, Peskov said.

"We are very sensitive to the conversations that are taking place at a high and top level, and we do not sympathize with any attempts to make public the materials of such conversations," Peskov told reporters when asked if the Kremlin views Bloomberg publishing the transcript of Russian President Vladimir Putin's telephone conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as an attempt to divide the countries.

Nothing in the published transcript can put Russia at odds with Hungary, the official added.

Relevant services are engaged in the normalization of the Internet connection in Russia, Peskov said.

"We know that our relevant services are engaged in the normalization of the Internet connection," Peskov told reporters, commenting on disruptions to communications and the Internet in Russia.

Currently communication channels and the Internet connection experience problems in Russia, various resources are working unstably, Peskov added.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Northern Sea Route Will Be of Particular Importance in Current Global Situation - Lavrov

Sputnik News

20260408

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The use of the Northern Sea Route in the current international situation will be of particular importance, and its reliability will increase, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

"In the situation that has been developing literally in recent days, in recent hours, this issue will be of growing importance in terms of global transport logistics routes," Lavrov said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Constituent Entities of Russia under the auspices of the Foreign Ministry.

The reliability of the Northern Sea Route in the eyes of global companies and states engaged in trade on international markets will increase, he emphasized.

Russia is committed to achieving a peaceful resolution to the Middle Eastern conflict by ensuring a balance of interests among all countries in the region without exception, Lavrov also said.

"The geopolitical situation is changing, and under all circumstances we desire, of course, a calmer Middle East based on the balance of interests of all countries in the region without exception, including Iran and all its neighbors," Lavrov said at the meeting of the Council of Heads of Constituent Entities of Russia under the auspices of the Foreign Ministry. On Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump announced that he had agreed to a two-week bilateral ceasefire with Iran, pledging Iran had also agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Supreme National Security Council said thereafter Tehran would begin talks with the US on Friday in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Saudi Arabia Welcomes US-Iran Ceasefire Agreement

Saudi Press Agency

Wednesday 20/10/1447

Riyadh, April 08, 2026, SPA -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's welcome of the announcement by President Donald Trump of the United States and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan regarding a ceasefire agreement between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Kingdom commended the efforts made by the prime minister, and Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan General Asim Munir in reaching this agreement.

The ministry said in a statement: "The Kingdom affirms its support for the mediation efforts undertaken by Pakistan to reach a permanent agreement that achieves security and stability and addresses all issues that have caused instability over several decades. The Kingdom also emphasizes the necessity of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for navigation in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea without any restrictions."

It added that the Kingdom hopes this ceasefire will serve as an opportunity to achieve comprehensive and sustainable calm, thereby enhancing regional security, and that any attacks or policies that infringe upon the sovereignty, security, and stability of the countries of the region will cease.

-- SPA

12:34 Local Time 09:34 GMT

0031

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






President Lai reiterates 4 pillars of peace at Nylon Cheng memorial

ROC Central News Agency

04/07/2026 05:53 PM

New Taipei, April 7 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te () on Tuesday reiterated his "Four Pillars of Peace" action plan at a memorial marking the 37th anniversary of Nylon Cheng's () death, saying the activist's sacrifice helped awaken Taiwan's democratic transformation.

Speaking at the event in New Taipei, Cheng's daughter, Cheng Chu-mei (), said the final issue of her father's "Freedom Era Weekly" questioned whether China might invade Taiwan, a concern that remains relevant today.

She said that true peace cannot be brought about by appeasement and surrender, but through solidarity, communication and the capacity for self-protection.

Echoing her remarks, Lai said Taiwan's democracy continues to face threats from China, stressing that peace, like democracy, "cannot be bestowed by a dictator, but must be secured through strength."

He then outlined the four pillars of his peace framework, first introduced in his inaugural address in May 2024.

The first pillar is strengthening national defense, including both arms procurement and the development of indigenous capabilities.

The second is enhancing economic resilience. Lai noted that Taiwan's outbound investment to China has dropped from 83.8 percent in 2010 to 3.7 percent in 2025, reflecting a strategy of "rooted in Taiwan with global deployment and distribution."

The third pillar is deepening cooperation with democratic partners to safeguard regional stability. Lai cited recent G7 statements emphasizing the importance of peace across the Taiwan Strait.

The fourth pillar, he said, is maintaining stable cross-strait interactions based on equality and dignity.

"In short, Taiwan is not part of the People's Republic of China," he said.

Lai said that Taiwanese people have the right to pursue a democratic and free way of life grounded in human rights.

Such aspirations should not be viewed as provocation, he said, expressing hope that younger generations will continue to safeguard the democratic foundation built by earlier generations.

Nylon Cheng founded the Freedom Era Weekly magazine in 1984, during martial law, and was a pro-democracy activist and a self-declared supporter of Taiwan's independence.

He self-immolated on April 7, 1989, after being charged with sedition for publishing a "Draft Constitution of the Taiwan Republic" in January. He was 41.

(By Wang Hong-kuo and Wu Kuan-hsien)

Enditem/ASG

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






KMT chair mentions ROC, calls for cross-strait peace during China visit

ROC Central News Agency

04/08/2026 06:30 PM

Nanjing, April 8 (CNA) Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wun () on Wednesday paid tribute to Dr. Sun Yat-sen () at his mausoleum in Nanjing during her ongoing visit to China, referring to the Republic of China in remarks focused on cross-strait peace.

Sun was revered not only for overthrowing the Qing Dynasty, but also for founding "Asia's first democratic republic -- the Republic of China (ROC)," Cheng said after paying tribute at the mausoleum on Wednesday morning.

The ROC is Taiwan's official name. In 1949, the ROC government, then led by the KMT, relocated to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which established the People's Republic of China (PRC) the same year.

Cheng said Sun loved nature throughout his life and encouraged tree planting, while noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping (), whom she referred to as CCP general secretary, also attaches great importance to ecological conservation and promotes tree planting.

"I hope that today we can plant the seeds of peace not only for Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, but for all humanity," said Cheng, leader of Taiwan's main opposition party.

Urging people not to forget Sun's dying words -- "The revolution has not yet succeeded; comrades must still strive on" -- Cheng said both sides should work together to promote cross-strait reconciliation and unity, and create regional prosperity and peace.

In response to Cheng's remarks, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), Taiwan's top government agency for handling cross-strait affairs, said Cheng had referred to the ROC "in a veiled manner," similar to past KMT chairpersons during their visits to China.

Such references to the ROC will not be reported by media in China, and can only serve as a way for Cheng to explain herself to the Taiwanese public, the MAC said in a statement.

The CCP has framed Sun as "a forerunner of the Chinese revolution" and portrays itself as his legitimate successor, while completely ignoring the fact that the ROC continues to exist to this day, the agency added.

Cheng, as KMT chairperson, "should have rejected such wording," MAC said.

Wednesday marked the second day of Cheng's six-day trip to China, which she is making at the invitation of the CCP Central Committee and Xi to lead a KMT delegation on a visit to Jiangsu Province, Shanghai and Beijing through Sunday.

Although Song Tao (), director of the China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), received Cheng on her arrival in Shanghai on Tuesday, it remains unconfirmed whether she will meet Xi during the trip.

At a regular TAO news conference on Wednesday morning, spokesperson Zhu Fenglian () said only that the Chinese side would make "proper arrangements" for the delegation's itinerary in China, without confirming media queries about whether a Cheng-Xi meeting would take place.

(By Lu Chia-jung and Sunny Lai)

Enditem/AW



NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






NSB chief takes indirect swipe at KMT chief's trip to China

ROC Central News Agency

04/08/2026 02:37 PM

Taipei, April 8 (CNA) Taiwan's top security official warned Wednesday that Beijing uses cross-Taiwan Strait exchanges as a "united front" tool to sow internal division, indirectly calling into question a trip to China by the head of Taiwan's main opposition party.

National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen () delivered his warning while presenting a report on Taiwan's intelligence and security status before the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.

Tsai declined to comment directly on an ongoing visit to China by Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wun (), which she has described as a "peace tour."

He was critical of exchanges between Beijing and Taipei in general, however, when offering a broader national security assessment, saying China used a "peace-and-war pressure" strategy against Taiwan combining coercion and engagement.

These efforts include military intimidation and gray-zone harassment to foster an atmosphere of imminent conflict and public anxiety in Taiwan, while also promoting cross-Taiwan Strait exchanges framed as peaceful engagement to highlight so-called "peace dividends," he said.

Tsai said such efforts aim to create two forms of division. The first is to deepen divisions in Taiwanese society by amplifying pro-China voices and potentially obstructing purchases of weapons from the United States.

They also aim to weaken the justification for U.S. involvement in the Taiwan Strait by framing "peaceful reunification" as a prevailing local opinion, he said.

These political and united front objectives remain embedded in various cross-strait exchanges, Tsai argued.

Turning to regional developments highlighted in the report, Tsai said China's recent designation of a large airspace reservation zone off the Jiangsu and Zhejiang coasts from March 28 to May 6 appeared to serve both military and political purposes.

Militarily, he said, it is likely intended to test the operations of foreign military aircraft, particularly those of the United States.

A U.S. reconnaissance aircraft was observed entering the zone on Monday, suggesting a political motive to gauge Washington's influence in the Indo-Pacific ahead of a possible high-level bilateral meeting.

Addressing China's ongoing gray-zone activities, Tsai said Taiwan has established an inter-agency coordination mechanism covering early warning, real-time reporting, maritime law enforcement, and the rapid repair and investigation of damage to undersea infrastructure such as communication cables.

He added that Taiwan's experience in maritime domain awareness has become a cornerstone of its intelligence exchanges with international partners.

(By Matt Yu and Evelyn Kao)

Enditem/ls





NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






"Today, Turkiye is a country capable of developing its own ammunition and equipping its own platforms"

Presidency of The Republic of Turkey

07.04.2026

Speaking at the opening ceremony of ROKETSAN production facilities, President Erdogan said: "As a country, we, too, are setting the direction and trajectory both on the ground and in technology. We have become one of the norm-setting countries in this area with the products, systems, software and platforms we have developed over the past 23 years as well as with our strong human resources and institutional capacity. Today, praise be to Allah, Turkiye is a country capable of protecting its own skies, equipping its own platforms and developing its own ammunition."

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered remarks during the opening ceremony of ROKETSAN production facilities in Ankara.

"WE WILL NOT ALLOW THE SECURITY ATMOSPHERE OF TURKIYE TO BE UNDERMINED"

"I would like to make it clear that we strongly condemn the treacherous attack carried out around noon today in Besiktas, Istanbul, and was thwarted by our heroic security forces' effective response. In the heinous terrorist attack, three terrorists were neutralisedone killed and two injuredwhile two of our heroic police officers sustained minor injuries during the intervention. Both the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and our security and intelligence units have immediately launched the necessary investigations into the attack. I wish a speedy recovery to our injured police officers and extend my get-well wishes to the Istanbul Police and best wishes to the people of Istanbul. We will resolutely continue our fight against all forms of terrorism; we will not allow the security atmosphere of Turkiye to be undermined by cowardly and deliberate provocations such as today's," President Erdogan said.

"WE WILL RAISE THE DETERRENCE OF OUR HEROIC MILITARY TO A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL"

Noting that the investments inaugurated today would make the Turkish defense industry a stronger driver of Turkiye's development, President Erdogan said: "With these investments, we will strengthen our multipronged air defense, boost our strategic power, consolidate our cruise and ballistic missile capabilities, and will make remarkable contributions to our smart ammunition family, mass production speed and R&D capacity. As a faster pace is achieved in these systems, which constitute the striking power of the Steel Dome, we will further reinforce our air defense architecture. We will raise the deterrence of our heroic military to a much higher level with this new infrastructure, which has been built for our critical air defense systems, strategic missile projects and smart ammunition capabilities."

President Erdogan stated: "I would like to underline that the target for the upcoming period in defense industry is to manufacture technologically advanced products at a faster pace, in a more efficient manner, and at larger volumes. The investments we are inaugurating today constitute a highly critical stage on the path to achieving our targets. With this facility and these systems, which have a completed investment value of $1 billion and a total investment value of $3 billion, we will speed up the steps we take with determination, and will accomplish our targets more quickly."

"WE ARE SETTING THE DIRECTION AND TRAJECTORY BOTH ON THE GROUND AND IN TECHNOLOGY"

President Erdogan continued his remarks as follows: "We are living in an era when the dominance on land, air and sea is intertwined, and when all the balances have been altered by autonomous technologies and the positioning in cyberspace. I take great pride in stating at this point that we are one of the founding actors of this new order in which the rules and processes have been restructured. We have no worries about keeping up with the current order in which trench wars have been replaced by cyber wars. As a country, we, too, are setting the direction and trajectory both on the ground and in technology. We have become one of the norm-setting countries in this area with the products, systems, software and platforms we have developed over the past 23 years as well as with our strong human resources and institutional capacity. Today, praise be to Allah, Turkiye is a country capable of protecting its own skies, equipping its own platforms and developing its own ammunition. What is more, we are doing all this with our own mind, our own engineering and our own human resources. We run to the aid of the friendly and allied countries when they ask for it, and contribute to global peace and security at the highest level."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






PM meeting with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman: 8 April 2026

Press release

The Prime Minister met His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, in Jeddah today.

From: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP

Published 8 April 2026

The Prime Minister met His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, in Jeddah today.

The Prime Minister began by welcoming the ceasefire and set out how efforts must now be focused on upholding it and turning it into a lasting peace.

He was clear that it was vital now to continue work to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and discussed the UK's ongoing efforts to convene partners to agree and plan the practical steps required to give shipping the confidence to transit the Strait.

Reflecting on the defensive operations which have taken place in the region since the conflict began, the Prime Minister thanked His Royal Highness for Saudi Arabia's efforts to protect British nationals in the country.

The Prime Minister committed to continue to support Saudi Arabia as a steadfast ally including through the recent deployment of the Sky Sabre air defence system, having met UK personnel deployed to operate it earlier today.

The leaders then discussed how the UK and Saudi Arabia could further deepen their defence industrial cooperation to boost capability and mutual security for the long term, as well as continuing to grow their thriving trade and investment relationship.

The Prime Minister said he was pleased that the UK and Saudi Arabia would soon be marking 100 years of friendship under the Treaty of Jeddah and they looked forward to speaking again soon.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko discussed the situation on global petroleum product markets with the Chairman of the Board of Naftogaz of Ukraine

Ukraine Government

Department of Information and Public Communications of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, posted 08 April 2026 12:09

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko held a working meeting with the Chairman of the Board of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine regarding the current situation on global oil and petroleum product markets.

During the discussion, a decline in prices on major international exchanges was noted, which has a direct impact on fuel prices in Ukraine.

In particular, the state-owned Ukrnafta gas station network has already responded to the changes and begun lowering prices. If current trends in global markets continue, a more significant price reduction is expected.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need for a corresponding response from other market participants.

"The market must respond fairly to changes in the price environment," Yulia Svyrydenko emphasized.

Separately, the parties noted the stable situation regarding fuel supply. In March, supply volumes reached a five-year high, and this trend is expected to continue in April.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Press release on the Foreign Ministry summoning Japan's Ambassador

8 April 2026 14:18

519-08-04-2026

On April 8, the Foreign Ministry summoned Ambassador of Japan to Moscow Akira Muto. The Ambassador was issued a protest regarding the recent reports on Terra Drone Corporation, a Tokyo-based company, signing an investment agreement with a Ukrainian developer of combat unmanned aerial vehicles.

The head of the Japanese diplomatic mission was informed that the systematic criminal provocations by Ukraine using UAVs against civilian sites and civilians within the territory of Russia provide grounds to regard such a step as overtly hostile and infringing upon the security interests of our country, including the protection of the civilian population.

Regarding the current state of bilateral relations, the Russian side expressed its regret over the Tokyo's unfriendly policy towards Russia under the new cabinet of Sanae Takaichi, and went on to emphasise that relations between our two nations have reached an all-time low. It was noted that if the Japanese side is genuinely interested in resuming interstate dialogue, it must demonstrate this aspiration not in words but through concrete actions and practical steps.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Russian Armed Forces Strike Ukrainian Port Infrastructure

Sputnik News

20260408

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian troops have struck facilities of Ukraine's fuel and energy complex and port infrastructure, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"Operational-tactical aviation, strike unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops, and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces' battlegroups struck facilities of Ukraine's fuel and energy complex and port infrastructure, launch sites of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 143 areas," the ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine lost over 335 soldiers in combat against Russia's Tsentr battlegroup , over 170 Ukrainian soldiers were eliminated by Russia's Sever battlegroup , over 200 by the Vostok battlegroup

, over 170 Ukrainian soldiers were eliminated by Russia's , over 200 by the Up to 200 Ukrainian soldiers were eliminated by the Zapad battlegroup, over 165 by the Yug battlegroup, and up to 40 by the Dnepr battlegroup

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Hakkinen's daughter Ella to debut in Formula 4

Ella Hakkinen, the daughter of two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen, will make her single-seater debut in the Central European Formula 4 series this season.

Mika Hakkinen , French GP 2001

 The Cahier Archive

The 15-year-old, already part of McLaren's junior program, will race for Jenzer Motorsport, with her first event taking place at the Red Bull Ring this weekend.

Her famous father believes she has what it takes to go all the way.

My daughter shows the inner drive and talent to make it all the way to the top, Mika Hakkinen, 57, told Ilta-Sanomat newspaper.

"Ella is an extremely talented racing driver. I say this not only as a father, but based on my observations as a former top driver. Her motivation is impressive. She desperately wants to become a racing driver. She's become a real daredevil.

In a few years, we'll see a female driver in Formula 1 again, whether it's Ella or someone else. The new generation of Formula 1 fans is 40 percent female, and the sport needs to reflect that.

(GMM)
Second key meeting set as F1 rules row intensifies

Formula 1's escalating rules controversy is heading toward a decisive vote on April 20, as pressure mounts from drivers and safety concerns begin to outweigh resistance from leading teams.

Japanese GP 2025

 Alpine

An initial online meeting involving FIA officials, teams and power unit manufacturers is taking place on Thursday (April 9), but it is understood to be only preparatory.

The real decisions are expected later this month.

At the centre of the debate are energy management systems and power delivery - widely criticised for both sporting and safety reasons after Oliver Bearman's high-speed crash in Suzuka.

GPDA chairman Alex Wurz said the situation now requires intervention.

From a safety standpoint, we simply must prohibit sudden surges in power output at top speed, he said.

"This will require software that is uniform across all teams. The danger arises when speed doesn't increase smoothly, but changes abruptly.

This is where you need to step in and say 'this shouldn't happen - it needs to be controlled by software'.

Behind the scenes, driver frustration has been mounting rapidly.

Wurz revealed the drivers' WhatsApp group chat has been lit up with discussion about the controversial regulations, with virtually unanimous dissatisfaction.

However, significant resistance remains - particularly from front-running teams.

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur made clear his team will not give ground easily.

I understand perfectly well that we need to make adjustments to the regulations. This will benefit everyone, including the show, he said.

"But at the same time, when we make even small adjustments, they play into some people's hands and backfire on others. All cars have different characteristics, so any change in the regulations, even the most minor, can give someone a gain of a few hundredths or thousandths of a second.

On the track, we fight for every thousandth. Under these circumstances, we're not going to sacrifice anything.

The discussions are expected to focus on simplifying energy deployment rules, potentially increasing allowable recovery power and reducing the need for extreme lift-and-coast strategies.

Any changes will still require final approval from the FIA's World Motor Sport Council, although that step is typically a formality if agreement is reached.

(GMM)
Featured

US$2.3billion offtake: Trafigura signs 700,000-ounce gold agreement with Ghanaian-owned Heath Goldfields

Kweku Zurek Business News Apr - 09 - 2026 , 13:43

Global commodities trading giant Trafigura Group has entered Ghanas gold sector for the first time, signing an offtake agreement with Heath Goldfields Ltd. for 700,000 ounces of gold dore from the BogosoPrestea Gold Mine and providing US$65 million in debt financing to restart oxide ore operations.

The agreement, announced on April 9, 2026, marks Trafiguras second gold transaction on the African continent, following a debt financing deal in Sierra Leone in December 2025. It also signals the continued expansion of the trading houses precious metals business into West Africas largest gold producer.

Under the terms of the deal, Trafigura will act as offtaker for gold dore produced at the BogosoPrestea processing facility, with deliveries expected to commence later this year. At current market estimates of approximately US$3,300 per ounce, the offtake agreement is worth roughly US$2.3 billion. At a projected US$4,000 per ounce  a level some analysts consider a medium-term benchmark amid strong global demand for gold  the value would rise to approximately US$2.8 billion.

The BogosoPrestea Gold Mine, located in Ghanas Western Region, is one of West Africas most significant gold operations, having produced more than 9 million ounces since 1912. The asset had been inactive for years before its acquisition by Heath Goldfields, a Ghanaian-owned mining company.

Heath Goldfields completed the first gold pour at the site in February 2026, marking the restart of production after two years of dormancy. The facility features a 1.5 million tonne per annum carbon-in-leach processing plant and is compliant with SK-1300 standards, the United States Securities and Exchange Commissions mineral resource and reserve reporting standard.

Gonzalo De Olazaval, Head of Metals and Minerals at Trafigura Group, said the transaction represents a significant milestone for the companys presence in Ghana.

"We are pleased to sign this offtake agreement with Heath Goldfields. This is Trafiguras second gold transaction on the African continent and our first in Ghanas gold sector  a market where we have long-standing commercial relationships across other commodities," he said.

"Trafigura has been active across metals and minerals markets in Africa for over two decades, and the continent remains a cornerstone as we continue to expand our precious metals business. BogosoPrestea is a producing asset with a strong operational team and LBMA compliance, and we look forward to applying our physical trading expertise and market access in support of a Ghanaian-owned operation of this quality," De Olazaval added.

The deal underscores Ghanas continued attractiveness to international commodity traders despite recent macroeconomic challenges. It also highlights the growing role of indigenous ownership in the countrys mining sector, with Heath Goldfields positioning the asset as a modern, globally competitive operation.

Heath Goldfields combines local ownership, workforce development and Ghanaian entrepreneurship with international best practices in safety, environmental compliance and stakeholder engagement.

The transaction is expected to accelerate the mines revival and reinforce Ghanas position as a leading gold producer in Africa. Ghana remains the continents largest gold producer, with gold exports accounting for approximately 64 per cent of total export receipts in 2025.

The financing and offtake arrangement provide Heath Goldfields with both the capital and market access needed to scale production, while Trafigura secures a long-term supply of gold dore from a compliant and operationally robust asset.
China calls for calm, restraint after Israel's airstrikes against Lebanon

Xinhua) 16:08, April 09, 2026

BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Thursday called on relevant parties to stay calm and exercise restraint to help deescalate the regional situation after Israel launched airstrikes on Wednesday, leaving hundreds in Lebanon dead or injured.

Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a daily press briefing in response to a related query.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Featured

Greece to ban social media for under-15s from 2027

Reuters International News Apr - 09 - 2026 , 09:05 2 minutes read

Greece will ban access to social media for children under the age of 15 from January 1, 2027, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday, citing rising anxiety, sleep problems and the addictive design of online platforms.

An opinion poll by ALCO published in February showed about 80 of those surveyed approved of a ban. The Greek government has already outlawed mobile phones in schools and set up parental control platforms to limit teenagers' screen time.

"Greece will be among the first countries to take such an initiative," Mitsotakis said in a video message, adding that he had spoken with parents before making the decision. "I am certain, however, that it will not be the last. Our goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well."

Australia became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16 in December, blocking access to platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's (GOOGL.O), opens new tab YouTube and Meta's (META.O), opens new tab Instagram and Facebook.

Meta, Snapchat and TikTok have said they continued to believe Australia's ban would not protect young people but committed to complying with it.

Greece cannot yet force those social media platforms to verify the age of its users, but it recommends that the platforms use mechanisms the EU and Greece

have already set, the government said, urging parents to also assist the effort.

From January 1, 2027, platforms will need to be able to restrict users or face fines described in the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) reaching up to 6 per cent of their global turnover, Digital Governance Minister Dimitris Papastergiou said.

Greece's parliament will legislate the ban in mid-2026. Other countries are also tightening rules on social media, with the United Kingdom, Malaysia, France, Denmark and Poland either considering a ban or in the process of legislating one.

Writing separately to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Mitsotakis called for coordinated European Union action, arguing that national measures alone would not be sufficient to protect minors from internet addiction.

In the letter, he proposed establishing an EU-wide "digital age of majority" at 15, mandating age verification and regular re-verification for all platforms, and setting up a harmonised enforcement and penalty framework, urging the bloc to put a unified system in place by the end of 2026.
Featured

Is law school worth it? Research shows strong financial gains

GraphicOnline/Reuters International News Apr - 09 - 2026 , 08:16 2 minutes read

A new academic study has found that obtaining a law degree significantly boosts lifetime earnings, reinforcing the long-held perception that professional qualifications in law and medicine offer strong financial returns.

The research, conducted by economists from Yale University and Vassar College, shows that law graduates experience an average earnings increase of 59 per cent after completing their studies, placing the qualification among the most financially rewarding advanced degrees.

According to the study, law graduates saw their average income rise from about $55,521 before enrolment to $132,520 after completing their programmes. While this represents a substantial gain, the returns were still lower than those recorded in medicine and pharmacy, which topped the rankings.

Graduates of medical programmes more than doubled their earnings, recording a 110 per cent increase, while pharmacy graduates posted the highest gains at 114 per cent. By contrast, those with Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees saw a more modest increase of 16 per cent.

The researchers, Joseph Altonji and Zhengren Zhu, analysed decades of earnings data spanning the early 1990s to 2018, covering 121 advanced degree programmes. Their findings indicate that, on average, postgraduate education leads to a 17 per cent increase in earnings, although returns vary widely depending on the field of study.

It is critical to provide students and policymakers with reliable quantitative measures for programs financial value, the study noted.

The report also examined returns after factoring in the cost of obtaining these qualifications. When adjusted for tuition fees and the time spent out of the workforce, law degrees still produced a 41 per cent increase in earnings, ranking third behind medicine, which recorded a 173 per cent return, and pharmacy at 68 per cent.

However, the study highlighted that law students tend to earn less while in school compared with peers in other programmes, which slightly reduces their overall cost-adjusted returns.

Institutional quality was also found to play a key role in graduate outcomes. The study observed that graduates from higher-ranked law and business schools generally achieve better financial returns than those from lower-ranked institutions, largely due to improved access to high-paying jobs.

These findings align with employment data from the American Bar Association, which shows that top law schools place a significant proportion of graduates in major law firms, where starting salaries can exceed $200,000 annually.

The study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that while advanced degrees can be costly, they continue to offer substantial long-term financial benefits, particularly in professional fields such as law, medicine and pharmacy.
Featured

Israel carries out large wave of air strikes across Lebanon

BBC International News Apr - 09 - 2026 , 09:01 2 minutes read

The Israeli military has carried out a large wave of air strikes across Lebanon, with reports of a high number of casualties across the country, hospitals overwhelmed and people believed to be under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

Israel described it as the largest wave of air strikes in this conflict, hitting more than 100 of what it called Hezbollah command centres and military sites in 10 minutes.

Attacks hit the southern suburbs of Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley.

This happened hours after the office of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, denied the assertion by Pakistan, which helped mediate a ceasefire between the US and Iran, that the deal also covered the devastating conflict here.

Across Lebanon, more than 1,500 people have been killed, including 130 children. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced - one in five of the population - most of them from Shia Muslim communities in the south, the eastern Bekaa Valley and the southern suburbs of Beirut, areas where Hezbollah holds sway.

Villages near the border have been destroyed, as invading Israeli troops aim to create what the Israeli authorities call a security buffer zone, to destroy Hezbollah's infrastructure and push its fighters away.

This has raised concerns that some areas may be occupied even after the end of the war, and that many residents may never be able to return.

After the announcement of a ceasefire in the war between the US and Israel against Iran, which had started in late February, the Lebanese presidency said it would continue "efforts to include Lebanon in regional peace".

Hezbollah, which has not claimed any attack since the deal was announced, said the group was on the "threshold of a major historic victory" and warned displaced families to wait for a formal ceasefire announcement before trying to return home.
Artemis crew returning to Earth with 'all the good stuff' from Moon discoveries

Next article: Artemis crew returning to Earth with 'all the good stuff' from Moon discoveries

Featured

Jim Whittaker, first American to Mount Everest summit, dies aged 97

BBC International News Apr - 09 - 2026 , 10:56 4 minutes read

Jim Whittaker, the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest, has died aged 97, according to his family.

He climbed to the highest point on earth on 1 May 1963 and remained among the most highly regarded mountaineers for decades, returning to Everest with his family when he was 83 years old.

Whittaker - the first full-time employee and former president of outdoor company Recreational Equipment Inc (REI) - died on Tuesday at his home in Port Townsend, Washington, surrounded by family and loved ones, his son Leif confirmed to the BBC.

An American folk hero, Whittaker lived a life "devoted to adventure, stewardship, service, and family", his family said in an obituary.

Whittaker died at home, in a bed "with a sweeping view of the region he loved: the Olympic Mountains, Port Townsend Bay, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca," Leif Whittaker, the youngest of his five sons, said in the Cascadia Daily News obituary.

Known as Big Jim, Whittaker was born in Seattle, Washington, on 10 February 1929 and began climbing with his twin brother Lou Whittaker as Boy Scouts in the 1940s.

The brothers summited Washington state's 7,965-foot (2,428m) Mount Olympus - the highest peak in the Olympic Mountains west of Seattle - aged 16.

The climber cemented his name in history in 1963 alongside Nawang Gombu Sherpa when they climbed the 29,032-foot (8,849m) peak on the border of Nepal and China - an achievement that would inspire generations of explorers and ignite the modern mountaineering movement in the US, his family said.

He was awarded the Hubbard Medal by former US President John F Kennedy for the feat.

Whittaker later recalled that he was the tallest hiker in the group, and Gombu was the shortest.

"You learn, when you climb a difficult mountain, you leave your ego behind and learn that you're just a little micro-speck in this life. You learn your weaknesses and have a little broader perspective," he told the BBC.

Whittaker returned to Everest in 2013 with his son Leif, who is also a climber and specialises in training athletes for high-altitude ascents.

He described summiting Everest and his life beyond that in his memoir, A Life on the Edge. Whittaker remained connected to the climbing community throughout his life, spending decades in leadership and service with The Mountaineers, an alpine club in Washington founded in 1906.

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson paid tribute to Whittaker on X, saying that he was "one of the great Washingtonians".

"He inspired many generations of mountaineers to explore the outdoors, including me. I'm grateful for the time I spent with him over the years," Ferguson wrote on Wednesday.

His renown grew after the Everest climb and he fostered a close friendship with the Kennedy family.

Whittaker served as the state chairman for Senator Robert F Kennedy's ill-fated presidential campaign, and they made history together when they climbed a 14,000-foot (4,267m) peak in Canada, which was later named Mount Kennedy after the assassinated US president.

The climber left his imprint on REI as well, becoming the company's first full-time paid employee in 1955 and serving as the outdoor retailer's second president and CEO from 1971 to 1979.

"Jim showed the world what's possible when courage is grounded in purpose," REI said in a statement to the BBC.

REI said he was "a true trailblazer and generous leader" and one of the most important voices in the history of REI and the outdoor community.

"He expanded our sense of what exploration can be," REI said, adding that Whittaker also became a prominent voice advocating for the protection of the outdoors.

Whittaker testified before Congress in 1968, and his advocacy helped establish North Cascades National Park and the Pasayten Wilderness in Washington state, as well as Redwood National Park in California.

"Throughout his life, Jim measured success not by personal achievement, but by the communities he built, the responsibility he modeled, and the countless people he inspired to step outside and discover something larger than themselves," REI said.
Next article: Police arrest five in Asankrangwa robbery; cash and guns retrieved

Featured

Adjin Kotoku shooting: Police arrest suspect, hunt for others continues

Emmanuel Bonney Apr - 09 - 2026 , 07:58 1 minute read

Police in Accra have arrested a suspect in connection with a shooting incident at the Adjin Kotoku Onion Market, as investigations into the disturbance continue.

The suspect, Inusah Seidu, 40, was picked up in the area on Tuesday at about 3:00 p.m., according to a police situational report.

The report said the arrest followed a disturbance at the market on April 5, 2026, which prompted the deployment of a surveillance team from the Special Operations Unit under the Office of the Assistant to the Inspector-General of Police.

According to the police, the operation was part of a fact-finding mission to identify individuals involved in the incident and restore calm in the area.

"On 08/04/2026 at approximately 3:00 p.m., the team successfully arrested a suspect, Inusah Seidu, aged 40, from his hideout at Adjin Kotoku. The suspect is believed to have been involved in the shooting incident that occurred on 05/04/2026," the report said.

The police added that the suspect is currently in custody assisting with investigations, while efforts are ongoing to track down other individuals linked to the incident.

Authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the circumstances surrounding the shooting, but say investigations remain active.
See the areas that will be affected by ECG's planned maintenance on Friday, April 10, 2026

Previous article: See the areas that will be affected by ECG's planned maintenance on Friday, April 10, 2026

Featured

Chief Justice Baffoe-Bonnie calls for restraint, faith in leadership

Benjamin Xornam Glover Apr - 09 - 2026 , 14:15 3 minutes read

The Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has called for a renewed commitment to faith-based and accountable leadership, stressing that the true test of authority lies not in the exercise of power but in the ability to restrain it.

Delivering a keynote address at the 2026 Greater Accra East Regional Annual Council Meeting of Assemblies of God Ghana at the Aggar Resort Centre in Shai Hills on Wednesday, April 8, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie underscored the need for leaders in both public and private spheres to uphold discipline, integrity and moral responsibility.

He said leadership must go beyond institutional obligations, insisting that those entrusted with authority must also be guided by higher spiritual and ethical standards in their decision-making.

The Chief Justice noted that leadership is most critically assessed during challenging moments, when competing interests require difficult choices, adding that restraint in the use of power remains a defining mark of strong character.

Character is tested in the ability to restrain power, even when one has the right to fully exercise it, he said, pointing to Ghanas founding values as being deeply anchored in faith and a recognition of divine authority.

He further argued that while legal systems and intellectual capacity play important roles in governance, they cannot substitute for moral conviction and spiritual grounding.

Call for audacious faith

Also addressing the gathering, the General Superintendent of the church, Stephen Yenusom Wengam, urged Christians to adopt what he described as audacious faith in pursuing their aspirations.

He challenged what he termed a widespread misconception that ambition equates to pride, warning that such thinking often limits personal growth and societal progress.

We must encourage our young people to dream big and pursue great things, trusting God beyond human limitations, he said.

Rev. Dr Wengam explained that the Churchs 2026 theme, The Faith of Our Fathers, is intended to reconnect believers with the core values of early Christianity, including unwavering faith and adherence to sound biblical doctrine.

He also disclosed that preparations were far advanced for Ghana to host the World Congress of the global Assemblies of God Fellowship in October 2026the first time the event will be staged on African soil. The gathering, he said, is expected to attract thousands of participants while contributing to economic activity and spiritual renewal.

Accountability at the core

The Greater Accra East Regional Superintendent, Andrews N. Awintia, described the council meeting as a critical platform for accountability, where church leaders report on their stewardship to both the congregation and God.

Presenting his four-year report, Rev. Awintia highlighted key achievements, including the construction of temple projects, the disbursement of more than GH3 million in support of deprived and border churches, and welfare interventions for retired ministers.

He added that the region had facilitated the provision of motorbikes to pastors working in remote communities to enhance evangelism efforts, as well as the drilling of boreholes to improve access to potable water in underserved areas.

The annual council meeting, one of the most significant events on the churchs calendar, brought together clergy and leaders to deliberate on governance, spiritual direction and the future growth of the church.
Featured

Fisheries Minister issues ultimatum to Fujian Farms over safety and environmental breaches

Jemima Okang Addae Apr - 09 - 2026 , 12:55 2 minutes read

The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, has directed Fujian Farms to implement immediate corrective measures after an inspection uncovered serious breaches of operational, environmental and safety standards.

The Minister, accompanied by the District Chief Executive for Asuogyaman, Godwin Bobobee, as well as directors and staff of the Fisheries Commission, carried out the inspection as part of routine monitoring by the Ministry.

Widespread violations at Fujian Farms

The visit, which covered both Fujian Farms and Tropo Farms, forms part of an intensified national enforcement drive to strengthen compliance and improve aquaculture production systems.

According to a statement posted on the Ministrys Facebook page, inspectors at Fujian Farms identified multiple violations, including the absence of basic biosecurity protocols, poor sanitation across key operational areas, and inadequate waste management systems. Officials warned that these lapses pose significant risks to public health, environmental safety and the long-term sustainability of the aquaculture sector.

Further concerns included workers operating without appropriate protective gear, unhygienic fish handling and processing conditions, erosion affecting the broodstock section and water quality, and unsafe disposal of dead fish.

Four-week ultimatum

The Minister subsequently issued a four-week ultimatum for the facility to fully comply with the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146), and the Fisheries Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 1968).

Failure to comply will result in the closure of the facility, she warned.

As part of immediate enforcement measures, Fujian Farms has been ordered to submit a comprehensive corrective action plan within three days and to suspend the stocking of new fingerlings until all deficiencies are addressed.

A ten-member task force has also been deployed to the site to oversee operations and ensure strict compliance, while the facility has been fined GH240,000 as an administrative penalty.

Tropo Farms commended

In contrast, Tropo Farms received commendation from the Minister for maintaining high operational and environmental standards. The farm was praised for its structured systems, strong biosecurity protocols, and its contribution to food security and employment.

Nationwide crackdown

The Ministry has reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on non-compliance and indicated that similar inspections will be extended to aquaculture facilities across the country to safeguard public health, protect the environment, and promote sustainable growth in Ghanas fisheries sector.
Featured

Scrapping fuel levies will shift burden to Ghanaians, not bring relief  ACEP warns

Mohammed Ali Apr - 09 - 2026 , 09:02 3 minutes read

The Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Mr Benjamin Boakye, has cautioned that removing or suspending fuel levies will shift the cost to the public rather than reduce the burden on consumers.

Speaking in a radio interview on Citi FM on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, Mr Boakye said the one cedi per litre levy, introduced to service energy sector debts, cannot be withdrawn without creating pressure elsewhere in the economy.

If you take that one cedi out now, then there has to be some fiscal space created somewhere else, whether you suspend road construction, the building of schools, or even salaries, he said. There will be some debt created for the same consumer to pay in other ways.

His remarks come ahead of a cabinet meeting expected to consider measures in response to developments on the global oil market, driven by tensions in the Middle East and concerns over possible disruptions to major oil shipping routes.

Mr Boakye said Ghanas exposure to such external shocks is limited and argued that the main issue lies in how petroleum taxes are structured and used.

He said ACEP estimates show that more than GH20 billion has been raised through levies on petroleum products for the energy sector over the past decade. According to him, these funds could have been used to build road infrastructure to reduce fuel consumption and ease pressure on consumers.

In most cases, you are just standing in traffic consuming petrol and diesel, when you could move if we had the highways, he said.

Mr Boakye also raised concerns about what he described as pricing margins that lack clear justification, pointing to the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company margin and the Unified Petroleum Price Fund.

He said it costs more to transport fuel within Ghana than to ship it from Europe, a situation he described as an added cost to consumers.

Almost 80 per cent of petroleum consumption happens close to the depots, he said. So the 20 per cent that is outside the depots, are they the ones we are paying almost a cedi per litre to transport?

Mr Boakye said while some countries are able to reduce fuel taxes during periods of global price increases, Ghana has less room to do so because petroleum levies have been used to cover inefficiencies in the power sector, including unpaid bills and losses.

We are taxing to address those issues for over a decade, he said.

He added that taxes paid directly to the Ministry of Finance account for about 12 to 13 per cent of fuel prices, while total margins exceed 25 per cent, which he said points to inefficiencies in the system.

Mr Boakye cited the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company as an example, noting that although the state has invested in its infrastructure, consumers continue to pay a margin that allows it to compete with private operators.

On the award of a mining lease to Engineers and Planners, Mr Boakye said the requirements set for bidders limited participation by other local firms.

Ive been in this space for a while and I havent seen any other local company that could realistically raise $500 million beyond E&P, he said.

Mr Boakye called for a broader national discussion on petroleum taxation, stating that Ghana needs to build flexibility into its system to respond to future global developments.

You cant predict who is going to initiate the next event that will affect petroleum prices, he said. We need to optimise our space and have flexibility around taxation to meet the needs of the people.
Next article: Fisheries Minister issues ultimatum to Fujian Farms over safety and environmental breaches

Featured

Anti-galamsey fight not stopgap crackdown  Minerals Commission Deputy CEO

Maurice Quansah Apr - 09 - 2026 , 12:57 4 minutes read

The Deputy Chief Executive of the Minerals Commission in charge of Support Services, Emmanuel Anyimah, has given an assurance that Ghanas latest offensive against illegal mining is not another episodic crackdown dressed in urgency.

Instead, he insists the current campaign is a structural reset designed to outlive political cycles, embed enforcement in law and finance and shift the battle from rhetoric to systems.

At the centre of the recalibrated anti-galamsey strategy is the Blue Water Guards initiative, a programme that marks a decisive break from the ad hoc, politically exposed task forces that defined previous anti-illegal mining campaigns.

This time, the man charged with the operational push of the governments anti-galamsey campaign said the state was not merely reacting but rather building a sustainable enforcement architecture pivoted on deploying manpower, technology and community-based surveillance.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Anyimah explained that the most significant departure from past efforts lay in the formalisation of enforcement, emphasising that Blue Water Guards were no longer a temporary security appendage but now permanent staff of the Minerals Commission.

Described internally as the police of the commission, the guards provide continuous protection for inspectors who, in previous campaigns, operated under constant threat of violence.

That fear often paralysed enforcement, rendering regulatory frameworks ineffective despite strong political rhetoric.

Unlike previous temporary task forces, the guards are now the police of the commission, integrated into the agencys internal structure to provide permanent protection for inspectors during regulatory checks, Mr Anyimah, whose oversight of logistics, finance, recruitment and deployment has become a key engine of the governments anti-galamsey campaign said.

He stated that with permanent personnel embedded across mining districts, inspections were no longer discretionary or episodic but systemic.

This institutionalisation is reinforced by a decentralised licensing regime, which moves regulatory access closer to mining communities.

It is a strategic shift of processes from Accra to district-level offices, which the commission says is a bold attempt to eliminate the bureaucratic bottlenecks and informal networks that historically enabled illegal operations to thrive.

Mr Anyimah also disclosed to the Daily Graphic that the introduction of a new medium-scale mining category helped close a long-standing regulatory gap, ensuring that operations that previously operated in a legal grey zone were now captured within a defined framework.

Crucially, the requirement for mandatory reclamation bonds represents a financial deterrent with long-term environmental implications. Miners must now commit funds upfront to restore degraded land, effectively transferring environmental liability from the state to the operator.

Mr Anyimah admitted that the defining test of any anti-galamsey campaign in Ghana had been sustainability, particularly when political attention shifted or administrations changed.

This time, he is confident that the new architecture has been deliberately designed to resist that cycle.

First, the enforcement model is being anchored in law.

Amendments to the Minerals and Mining Act (Act 704) aim to codify enforcement mechanisms, moving the fight from political discretion to statutory obligation and creating legal continuity that transcends individual governments.

We are reforming the legal framework for both the large-scale and the small-scale mining by introducing "medium-scale mining" alongside small and large-scale mining to ensure intermediate operations are explicitly regulated rather than operating in a legal "grey area".

It means we will have small-scale mining, medium-scale mining and large-scale mining.

So, once you go into the medium scale, you are being regulated, he explained.

Reclamation bonds

A new feature of the reforms is the Mandatory Reclamation Bonds, with miners now required to provide a reclamation bond before receiving a licence, to ensure that if a miner fails to restore the land, the government has the funds to do so at the miner's expense, instead of the state's expense.

Unlike previous anti-illegal mining campaigns that depended heavily on central government allocations, the current model is anchored in the commissions status as an Internally Generated Funds (IGF) agency.

This means its operations, including the Blue Water Guards, are funded through its own revenue streams such as licensing fees, registrations and regulatory charges.

This financial independence, the Minerals Commissions Deputy CEO said, represented a strategic shift that insulated enforcement from budgetary delays, ensuring continuity even when national priorities shifted.
Featured

Ghanaian travellers alerted as Schengen automated border system goes live April 10

Jemima Okang Addae Apr - 09 - 2026 , 17:06 2 minutes read

Ghanaian travellers have been urged to prepare for the full implementation of the Schengen Areas Entry/Exit System (EES) from April 10, 2026, which will replace manual passport stamping with automated data collection at external borders.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the advisory on April 9, noting that the system was initially rolled out on October 12, 2025, and has been gradually introduced at border crossings across the 29 European countries that make up the Schengen Area.

The EES is an advanced IT platform designed to record the entry and exit details of non-EU nationals, including personal data, biometric information such as facial images and fingerprints, travel documents, and records of entries, exits, or refusals of entry for short-stay purposes.

The Ministry highlighted that implementation procedures may vary slightly between Member States to accommodate national operational and technical requirements, in line with Regulation (EU) 2025/1534.

Certain categories of travellers are exempt from registration under Article 2(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226. These include non-EU nationals with residence cards related to EU citizens, those travelling for intra-corporate transfers, research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchanges, educational projects, or au-pairing, as well as holders of long-stay visas and residence permits. Heads of state, accredited diplomats, certain armed forces personnel, cross-border workers, and railway crew members on international journeys may also qualify for exemptions under specific conditions.

The Ministry advised Ghanaian nationals travelling to the EU or Schengen Area to familiarise themselves with the new requirements and ensure compliance to avoid complications at border checkpoints. Further information is available on the official EES portal at https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ghana remains committed to advancing the interest of Ghanaians and counts on the cooperation of travellers to the EU/Schengen area, the statement read.
Featured

NRSA clarifies Voxy position: 'One report presented to me does not mean its a public directive'

Mohammed Ali Apr - 09 - 2026 , 12:00 4 minutes read

The Director-General of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Abraham Amaliba, has clarified that no formal ban has been imposed on the commercial use of Toyota Voxy vehicles, despite widespread reports suggesting otherwise.

Speaking on Joy FM on Thursday, Mr Amaliba said a presentation made to the authority on Wednesday did not constitute a directive and should not be interpreted as an official policy decision.

No ban has come. Yesterday was just a presentation of reports. One report presented to me does not issue it to the public. How can we issue it to them? he said.

His comments follow media reports on April 8, 2026, which claimed the NRSA had outlawed the use of Toyota Voxy vehicles for commercial operations and was preparing to enforce the decision within two weeks.

Committee findings and proposals

A 12-member Technical Working Committee, chaired by Godwin Kafui Ayetor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, presented its final report to the NRSA on April 8.

The committee, which included representatives from Toyota Ghana, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, the Ghana Standards Authority and industry players, was set up following concerns over the frequency of road crashes involving the vehicle.

Among its key recommendations were strict enforcement of the ban on importing right-hand drive vehicles under Section 58 of the Customs Act, action against the use of private number plates for commercial operations, limiting Voxy vehicles to intra-city transport and issuing public safety advisories.

The committee also called for an end to the conversion of vehicles from right-hand drive to left-hand drive, citing safety concerns.

Consultations ongoing

Mr Amaliba said that although he agreed with the committees findings, broader consultations were still required before any directive could be issued.

I have no hesitation to say that I agree with what the committee has said, he said.

He noted that some key institutions, including the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Standards Authority and the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department, were not fully engaged during the committees work.

They have not consulted Customs. They have not consulted Standards Authority. They have not consulted the MTTD, he said.

He indicated that the report would be forwarded to these institutions for their input and enforcement within their respective mandates.

Industry pushback

Transport operators have already pushed back against the proposals. In a statement issued on April 8, the National Chairman of the Commercial Transport Operators of Ghana, Asonaba Nana Wiredu, described the recommendations as a lazy and ill-conceived approach that could impose hardship on operators.

The group instead called for improved driver training, enhanced safety education and better road infrastructure.

Mr Amaliba, however, dismissed the concerns, insisting they misrepresented the committees work.

Their letter is out of place. It is immaterial. It is irrelevant. It does not speak to what we did yesterday. There is no complete ban, he said.

Enforcement measures under consideration

Mr Amaliba said the authority would intensify enforcement of existing laws, particularly those governing the importation of right-hand drive vehicles.

Section 58 of the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891), prohibits the importation of such vehicles without ministerial approval, and allows for their seizure and forfeiture.

The committee found no evidence of approval for more than 7,000 Toyota Voxy vehicles currently registered in Ghana.

While existing vehicles may continue to operate, the recommendation is to restrict them to intra-city transport.

Those that are already there, limit them to intra-city transport. That is why we are recommending Voxy to be intra-city, Mr Amaliba said.

He added that enforcement would involve the deployment of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department on inter-city routes, with sanctions expected for non-compliance.

On vehicle conversion, Mr Amaliba warned that garages engaged in converting right-hand drive vehicles would face closure, describing the practice as unlawful.

It is against the law. So we are going to close down those garages. And if people are still engaging in that, we will arrest them, he said.
No financial transactions with Ghana Card yet, says NIA

Next article: No financial transactions with Ghana Card yet, says NIA

Featured

Police arrest five in Asankrangwa robbery; cash and guns retrieved

Emmanuel Bonney Apr - 09 - 2026 , 07:37 2 minutes read

The Asankrangwa District Police in the Western Region have arrested five suspects in connection with an armed robbery at a spare parts shop at Malta, near Asankrangwa.

The suspects have been identified as Issaku Ibrahim, 42, Fatau Ali, 25, Yahaya Mumuni, 26, and Emmanuel Antwi, 22, who attempted to flee. A fifth suspect, whose identity is yet to be confirmed, has also been arrested.

According to a police report, the incident occurred on March 12, 2026, at about 6:30 p.m., when Chen Zchao, a Chinese national, and his younger brother, Yao Chan, were attacked at their shop by six armed men.

The report said the assailants, wielding two pump-action guns and cutlasses, made away with three mobile phones and GH200,000 in cash before fleeing in a black Toyota Voxy vehicle towards Sefwi Bekwai.

Chen Zchao, together with an associate, Christopher Opoku, reported the incident to the police at about 7:20 p.m., prompting an immediate response.

"The Asankrangwa night patrol, in coordination with the Sumpre Police Checkpoint, pursued the suspects. At around 2000 hours, the black Voxy vehicle (Registration No. GS 756-25) was spotted. Four suspectsIssaku Ibrahim (42), Fatau Ali (25), Yahaya Mumuni (26), and Emmanuel Antwi (22)attempted to flee but were apprehended," the report stated.

A search conducted on the vehicle led to the retrieval of GH198,200 in cash and three mobile phones, including an iPhone 13, a Nokia C300 and a Villoan handset.

"Two pump action guns with 14 AA cartridges, Bruni Mod 84 cal 9 PAK pistol with 8 rounds, one machete, one amulet/talisman and two CCTV decoders."

The police report indicated that the suspects confessed to travelling from Obuasi to carry out the robbery.

It added that cautioned statements have been taken and the retrieved items secured as exhibits.

All four suspects are currently being held in police custody, assisting with investigations.

"The fifth suspect was arrested by community members this morning and handed over to police," the report added.
Featured

President Mahama returns from France following strategic talks with Macron

GNA Apr - 09 - 2026 , 12:13 1 minute read

President John Dramani Mahama has returned to Ghana following an official visit to France at the invitation of his French counterpart, President Emmanuel Macron. The President arrived in Accra on Wednesday evening, April 8.

During the visit, the two leaders held bilateral discussions on matters of mutual interest, including trade, cooperation, regional and global security, and the wider implications of international conflicts.

They also explored collaborative opportunities in agriculture to enhance food security and promote year-round farming, artificial intelligence (AI) development, maternal health initiatives, and the AccraKumasi Expressway project.

The Presidents discussed expanding Frances long-standing support to Ghana through the Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD). President Mahama and President Macron also co-chaired the 2026 One Health Summit, underscoring their commitment to global health and sustainable development.

Presidential delegation

The Ghanaian delegation included Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr Prosper Bani, National Security Advisor; Dr Callistus Mahama, Executive Secretary to the President; Mrs Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Presidential Advisor and Special Aide to the President; and Madam Mavis Frimpong, Ghanas Ambassador to France.
Featured

Unidentified man found dead in Odaw drain; Police launch investigation

Jemima Okang Addae Apr - 09 - 2026 , 12:33 1 minute read

The body of an unidentified man, believed to be in his late 20s, has been retrieved from a drainage channel feeding into the Odaw River opposite the Iran Clinic at Asylum Down, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has confirmed.

According to a report posted on its Facebook page, a distress call was received at the GNFS at 6:18 am on Wednesday, April 8.

A rescue team from the Circle Fire Station was promptly dispatched at 06:19 hours and arrived at the scene six minutes later, at 6:25 am.

Swift emergency response

The rescue operation was led by ADO I Richard Helegbe, whose team successfully retrieved the body from the drain.

Investigation underway

The deceased, who has not yet been identified, was handed over to the Police for preservation and further investigation.

Authorities have not disclosed the circumstances surrounding the mans death, including how long the body may have been in the drain or whether any signs of foul play were observed.
Next article: Easter public prayers and the search for national development (Part 2)

Featured

The party needs its best: A clarion call for Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid - Why the NPPs First National Vice Chairmanship must go to one of its finest sons

Mustapha Hameed Politics Apr - 09 - 2026 , 10:07 9 minutes read

The Party Needs Its Best: A Clarion Call for Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid | Why the NPPs First National Vice Chairmanship Must Go to One of Its Finest Sons.

There are moments in the life of every political party when the ordinary calculus of internal elections must give way to something higher, something more urgent, something that the long arc of history demands.

Ghanas New Patriotic Party stands at precisely such a crossroads today.

Bruised by a punishing electoral defeat in December 2024, stripped of incumbency, and facing the hard interior work of rebuilding, reorganisation, and reimagination, the NPP cannot afford to fill its leadership positions with sentiment alone, or with the comfortable currency of patronage and rotation.

It needs its best. And among its best, one name rises with a consistency that no honest observer of Ghanaian politics can dismiss: Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid.

This is not a coronation.

This is a call. A clarion call from the youth, from the rank and file, from the grassroots men and women.

It is a call that says: we have seen enough of mediocrity dressed up as loyalty, and we want a leader who has actually bled for this party over thirty years of frontline service.

Dr. Abdul-Hamid must contest for the position of First National Vice Chairman of the NPP. And he must win it.

The Weight of a Record That Speaks for Itself:

Let us deal plainly with the record, because in politics, records are the only biography that matters.

Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid served as the NPPs first National Youth Organiser, a pioneer in the most literal sense of the word, building youth structures at a time when the architecture of youth mobilisation within the party was still being drawn from scratch.

To be first at anything in a political party of the NPPs complexity is not a footnote; it is a founding act.

He understood, before many did, that the battle for Ghanaian democracy would be fought on the streets, in the polytechnic common rooms, in the JCRs of our universities and higher institutes of learning, and in the dusty lorry parks where young people gather with grievances and dreams in equal measure.

He then served as a spokesperson for a presidential candidate longer than any other individual in the recorded history of Ghanas competitive multiparty politics.

That is not a ceremonial distinction. It means that for years, whenever the NPPs message had to be precise, had to be credible, had to cut through the noise of propaganda and counter-narrative, Dr. Abdul-Hamid was the man standing at the microphone.

The spokesperson role is, in many respects, the most intellectually demanding position a political operative can occupy.

You are the partys mind and mouth simultaneously.

You must understand policy deeply enough to defend it, politics sharply enough to attack it, and communication well enough to translate both into language that moves people. He did all of this, repeatedly, at the highest level.

He served as Minister for Information, a ministry that sits at the nerve centre of any governments relationship with its citizenry.

He served as Minister for Zongo and Inner-City Development, bringing the marginalised communities that so often feel like afterthoughts of state power into the mainstream of development planning.

He served as Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority, overseeing regulatory governance in one of the most critical sectors of the Ghanaian economy.

And through it all, he maintained an academic life, carrying the intellectual rigour of a university professorship into every public role he occupied.

Thirty years. Not thirty years of just being around.

Thirty years of frontline work, civic leadership, and political activism.

There are people in this party who have never addressed a town hall meeting asking for the same positions that Dr. Abdul-Hamid is being urged to contest.

The contrast should disturb every serious NPP member.

Historys Lesson: When Parties Turn to Their Intellectuals

History is generous with examples of what happens when battered political parties reach for their best minds at moments of crisis, and what happens when they do not.

When the British Labour Party suffered its devastating defeat in 1983, reduced to its worst electoral performance since 1935, it was the gradual assertion of intellectual and strategic renewal, led eventually by Neil Kinnock and then refined by figures who combined ideological depth with communicative power, that began the long road back to relevance.

Mustapha Abdul-Hamid at a TESCON programme in 2003. With him is Stephen Amoah, MP for Nhyieso and then Ashanti Regional Coordinator of TESCON

The lesson from that Labour recovery, culminating in Tony Blairs 1997 landslide, was not simply about changing policy positions. It was about reclaiming the partys credibility as a serious governing force, capable of attracting the trust of sceptical citizens.

That credibility was rebuilt by people who could think and articulate, not merely mobilise and manipulate.

When the French Socialist Party collapsed after its humiliation in the 2002 presidential elections, where Jean-Marie Le Pen finished second ahead of the Socialist candidate Lionel Jospin, triggering national shock, it was the painstaking internal renewal driven by intellectually serious figures that allowed the party to remain a credible political force and eventually return to power.

Parties that survive electoral catastrophe are almost always parties that took the work of internal reorganisation seriously, that placed intellectual weight at the top of their structures.

In the United States, after the Republican Partys repeated failures in the 1990s to arrest Bill Clintons political dominance, it was the combination of strategic intellectual leadership and grassroots organisational discipline, exemplified by figures like Newt Gingrich with his Contract with America, that repositioned the party and led to a sweeping congressional victory in 1994.

One may agree or disagree with Gingrichs politics, but the point stands: when a party is down, ideas and the ability to prosecute those ideas publicly are the most powerful tools of recovery.

Closer to the African continent, the African National Congress, for all its subsequent difficulties, drew enormous early strength from the intellectual depth of its leadership.

Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Nelson Mandela, they were not simply activists.

They were thinkers, legal minds, orators, and strategists whose intellectual authority gave the movement a coherence that no amount of state repression could fully dissolve.

The ANCs moral and political credibility was, in substantial measure, a product of the quality of the minds it placed at the front.

Ghanas own political history offers the same instruction.

The early CPP drew enormous energy from Kwame Nkrumahs intellectual formation, his years of study and political apprenticeship abroad feeding directly into the sharpness of his domestic political operation.

The UP tradition, from which the NPP draws its lineage, was consistently energised by the presence of formidable legal and intellectual minds who gave the tradition its argumentative spine. J.B. Danquah was not merely a political organiser; he was a scholar, a lawyer, a thinker of continental reputation.

That intellectual seriousness was never incidental to the traditions survival. It was its foundation.

The NPP in 2026, going into 2028, needs to absorb this lesson with urgency. A party in opposition, preparing for a journey back to power, cannot afford to hollow out its internal leadership by placing organisational lightweights in positions that require weight.

What the NPP Actually Needs Right Now

The NPPs challenge between now and 2028 is not merely logistical. It is deeply political, deeply communicative, and deeply intellectual.

The party must explain to Ghanaians, in honest and compelling terms, what went wrong in its last term of government, what it will do differently, and why it remains the most capable vehicle for the countrys prosperity.

That is a task that requires leaders who can speak to policy, engage the media without flinching, address the intelligentsia without condescension, and talk to the grassroots without pretension.

It requires leaders who understand governance not as an abstract concept but as a practice they have lived through, from the community water project to the regulatory boardroom to the ministerial office.

Dr. Abdul-Hamid meets every single one of those requirements. His experience as Information Minister means he understands how governments communicate, and how they fail to.

His time at the NPA means he understands the mechanics of economic governance in a resource-dependent state. His academic life means he brings an analytical framework to political questions that purely career-politician types simply cannot replicate.

His thirty years on the frontline means he has the credibility with the grassroots that no amount of last-minute campaigning can manufacture.

The First National Vice Chairmanship of the NPP is not a retirement post.

It is a working position of strategic consequence.

Whoever occupies it will help shape the partys reorganisation, its internal cohesion, its external messaging, and its electoral positioning going into 2028.

Putting a figure of Dr. Abdul-Hamids calibre in that role sends an immediate and powerful signal: that the NPP is serious, that it is learning, and that it intends to fight.

A Word to Dr Abdul-Hamid Himself

There are men who spend their lives serving institutions and then, at the moment the institution most needs them, step back into comfortable silence.

History does not remember those men well.

The record of political service is written not only by what you did when circumstances were favourable, but by what you were willing to do when the party was in the wilderness, when the cameras were elsewhere, and when the reward was not a ministerial saloon but the harder, less glamorous work of rebuilding.

Dr. Abdul-Hamid has given thirty years to this party and to this country.

He could be forgiven for thinking that he has earned his rest. But a man of his intelligence knows that parties like the NPP do not rebuild themselves.

They rebuild because the right people, at the right moment, accept the call to service with their eyes open.

The youth of this party are watching.

The rank and file, the branch executives in Wa East and Asunafo North and Keta and Ablekuma Central, the young men and women who have given their energy and their passion to the NPP not because of what they received but because of what they believed, they are watching.

They are not asking Dr. Abdul-Hamid to take an easy road.

They are asking him to take a necessary one.

Serve. Contest. Win. Lead.

The NPP needs its best at the front. And Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid is, by any serious reckoning, among the very best this party has ever produced.

The call has gone out. History is listening for the answer.

By: Mustapha Hameed

Aboabo, Kumasi.
These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales.
When Lauren Joy Banico thinks of her younger brother, 30-year-old Kevin A. Banico, one childhood moment always comes to mind.

He put ketchup on the plate and he stepped on it to make a footprint on the plate, Lauren told the Pacific Daily News. And he was so proud of it that he showed it off to everyone. He was like, look...Growing up with him, I thought at the time, I was so mean to him, but [the ketchup plate] was hilarious.

Oh yeah, Gena Banico, Kevins other older sister, recalled.

That mix of humor, warmth, and connection is how family and friends remember Kevin Banico, a flight attendant and the youngest of four siblings, as they grieve his sudden death and reflect on the impact he had on those around him.

His family reported him missing late last week.

The body of a man recovered in Inalahan waters near St. Joseph Cemetery around 1:06 p.m. on Saturday was tentatively identified as that of Kevin Banico, according to the Guam Police Department.

GPD said the identification is tentative because family members provided descriptions of tattoos that match those found on the body, while investigators continue working with the chief medical examiners office to confirm the identity. There was no updated information from GPD as of Wednesday.

Police suspended the search for Kevin following the discovery and have no further information at this time.

Gena said she was in the Inalahan area when the body was found.

I didnt see him. I wasnt allowed to, but the investigators told me nothings confirmed, she said. They just asked if he had tattoos, and I said yes, and I just gave them what type of tattoo and where, but they said we dont have anything yet.

She also recalled being confused and upset when social media posts began identifying the body found as that of Kevin Banico on Saturday afternoon, before the family had official confirmation. She said that was after an encounter with another media employee that added to the familys frustration.

The unfortunate thing is that that same day [Saturday], there was a post that came out, that it was him, Gena Banico said. I literally was at the scene and was advised that we dont know anything.

GPD didnt issue an official statement about the tentative identification of the body until Monday.

One of the most genuine people

The youngest of four siblings, Kevin Banico is remembered by his sisters as the glue of the family and a constant source of comfort, even as they navigate grief over his death.

One thing I know for sure is that Kevin loved God and he loved people, Gena said. And one thing I know for sure is that his life was real and there was no facade. The love he showed was real and that, you know, anything, any assumptions that people may have, he was really, really, genuinely the guy that everyone is so concerned about, because he was just impactful. He was one of the most genuine people.

Gena and Lauren Joy spoke about Kevins life, his impact, and the day he went missing, recalling his final messages and their desperate search before GPD confirmed his identity.

Gena said the siblings were not particularly close growing up, and that Kevin especially had maybe one of the rougher childhoods. As adults, that changed.

To be honest, Kevin was a lock, Gena said. Kevin kind of brought us close.

She said her younger brother often led with forgiveness.

He was always the first to forgive, she said. And I think, out of all the siblings, he was the one that growing up, childhood was maybe one of the rougher childhoods and then as an adult, I think he matured very much. [Lauren] just saw it, how he became so mature, how the roles switched from, all of a sudden, he became a provider for [Lauren], a comforter for her.

Lauren said Kevin openly addressed the past pain he experienced in their home, saying they had bullied and harmed him both physically and emotionally.

He always told me whatever issues we had as kids, he literally said, I forgive you guys. Im at peace now, Gena said.

Lauren said her bond with Kevin deepened in adulthood, strengthened by frequent FaceTime sessions.

He took care of me as a person, as his older sister. He poured into me all the time. We FaceTimed, called all the time, whether it was just staring at each other, making faces, until one of us broke the silence and didnt even say hello, she said, chuckling. We just said something sarcastic, like, Why do you look like handsome Squidward? That was our thing, FaceTiming each other from across the world, without even needing to say anything.

Gena said her relationship with Kevin transformed after she became active in church as a teenager.

I found God maybe when I was 17 and I invited him to church. His life changed after that, she said. Ever since we started doing church together, we did ministry together.

They spent most of their adult lives side by side.

Because we lived together every day, we were doing life together, like we did church together, we got groceries together, Gena said. Of course, we were home together, but I think every day was fun moments for me, because, I remember I would go to church [alone], and people would always expect us to be together, and so theyd be like, wheres your brother?

Most of their church experience was at Island Praise Fellowship, which later closed. Around 2018, they moved to Abundant Life Church.

He never stopped caring about people

Lauren said Kevins faith shaped how he cared for people.

I believe being saved and being born again really played a role in that, she said. He found his confidence in Jesus. He found his drive, his purpose. I believe the reason why so many people love him was because God gave him a gift that allowed him to be the easiest person to talk to in the room.

Gena said Kevin tried to meet people where they were emotionally.

If he saw someone was by themselves, he would be the one to approach them, she said. If he sensed someone was not doing okay, he made sure. He went above and beyond, he would always just care about people, he never stopped caring about people.

Before he became a flight attendant, Kevin worked for seven years at Ruby Tuesday.

The sisters said he eventually reached as high as he could at the restaurant and began looking for something new, later joining United Airlines as a flight attendant in April 2023.

Kevins talents extended beyond work. He participated in Gifted and Talented Education, GATE, and theater in high school, often playing lead roles.

He was the lead, the Prince in Cinderella, Nick Jonas in Camp Rock, Lauren said. And he had an amazing singing voice but all throughout his life, hes always had an amazing singing voice, from like 5 years old, he would karaoke, and he would hit those high notes.

From the beginning, he was always a performer.

He would perform in our Filipino associations growing up as a childhe would perform in front of hundreds of people, Lauren said.

Gena recalled how their parents initially pushed her to sing, until Kevin stepped forward.

So they were forcing me to sing and perform on these little associations, she said. And then Kevin was like, I want to sing. And we all looked at him, like, you can sing. And he was like, Yeah, lets try it.

Gena remembered how quickly attention turned to her brother.

They stopped looking at me, and then started looking at him, she said.

He later continued performing at church, serving as a worship leader, Gena said.

His last text on April 2

On April 2, the day he went missing, Gena and Kevin prayed together before she left for work.

Kevin sent her a text around 2:30 p.m.

He said where he was and said, Ill be right back, she said. And then he didnt come back, and I had a sick feeling and my stomach.

Lauren, who lives in Tennessee, first learned something was wrong when she woke up to a call from Gena.

Gena never calls me, so I knew something was wrong, she said, adding Kevins last text to the family chat was a picture of him hugging the dog and smiling.

She said his silence from that point on was not normal.

Kevin usually replies to me within seconds, Lauren said. So I called him, he doesnt answer. I FaceTime him. He doesnt answer. I text him in every social media, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and I call him and call him.

Gena described her growing concern as hours passed.

I gave myself a time stamp, I have to go to the police if I dont by this time, if I got no luck finding his car before 24 hours, I need to do a missing person's report, she said.

Love of travel

Friend Bella Damian, a former Dededo resident now in Reno, Nevada, remembered Kevin Banico as adventurous and deeply connected to others.

At first, Kevin was a bit reserved, but we quickly connected because we both love traveling. What stood out most to me was how open he was to adventure. After just over a week of spending time together every day during my sisters wedding, we ended up getting tattoos together. It was his first time and he got four. That really showed how spontaneous and adventurous he was, she said.

Her favorite memory was a trip to Japan.

Seeing the cherry blossoms there had always been on my bucket list, so when he asked if I wanted to go to Osaka for five days, I didnt hesitate, Damian said. We packed so much into that trip. Universal Studios, feeding the deer in Nara Park, visiting Kyoto to see the torii gates, and exploring parks filled with beautiful cherry blossoms. We also ate so much sushi, takoyaki, desserts and meat. Man, that guy can eat!

When she heard the news of him being missing, Damian said she struggled emotionally as she followed updates.

I immediately texted him, hoping he was okay, and kept checking my phone for those two check marks to see if he had received my messages, she said. As time passed, my thoughts shifted from hoping he was safe to hoping he was at least alive. I just wanted him to be okay.

When she learned of his death, Damian made a small video clip of their trip to Japan and posted it on her Instagram page.

I made that video because I didnt want people to remember him only as the missing man, Damian said. Kevin loved adventure and built connections everywhere he went. He was deeply loved by so many people.

Community support, memorial

The sisters said the communitys response has been overwhelming, from prayers and food to financial assistance.

I want to thank the community heartfeltly, thank you. Gratitude for those who initially responded to our first post to like, just the outpouring of love to people who came over to our familys house to give water to food, Lauren said.

Gena said a friend started a GoFundMe after asking permission. Donations quickly surpassed the initial goal of $20,000.

The girl that started it, she, I am only getting the amount from her, Gena said. I think it was like $23,000. Thats why I think its okay that were not accepting further contributions.

Lauren added, We far exceeded the requested donations. We met our goal, far exceeded our goal, thanks to the community and the people who love Kevin.

Now, the family hopes the community will attend rosaries and share memories in person.

We just want your support. Support and to come join us and any of the rosaries, Lauren said. Come talk to me because thats how Im grieving. I want to hear about my brother.

Schedules of Rosary and Mass intentions at Santa Barbara Church in Dededo:

Monday to Friday: 6 p.m. Mass and Rosary after (Lower level church)

Saturday and Sunday: 5 p.m. Mass and Rosary after (Upper level church)

Funeral Service: April 30 at 9 a.m. at Abundant Life Church

The Banico sisters spoke directly to Kevin in their final messages.

Hey, little brother, I love you so much, and Im gonna have to process everything little brother, but just know that you are so loved, Lauren said. Youre loved, youre redeemed, youre forgiven, and I know for fact that you heard welcome my good and faithful servant after you passed. Thank you so much, Kevin, for being faithful. Thank you for being Gods servant. Thank you for being Gods voice. Thank you for being Gods love. Thank you, you little booger.

Lauren added, Kevin, I love you. You lived out your life verse acts 2024, to the fullest, to the very end, I love you, Kevin.
Guam should prepare for the possibility of any potential Medicaid, Medicare and child care funding cuts over competing national priorities such as war spending, Public Health Director Theresa Arriola said in a letter to child care providers this week.

This follows President Donald Trumps remarks, reported by national news organizations, that its not possible for the U.S. to fund Medicare, Medicaid and child care costs while the federal government focuses on military spending.

Trump said it should be up to the states to take care of those health programs.

As director of the Department of Public Health and Social Services, Arriola said shes deeply concerned by these recent remarks.

This raises serious concerns for Guam, she said, because the island relies heavily on federal support for these health programs.

Some 30,000 to 45,000 on Guam rely on Medicaid, which provides health insurance for low income people.

Medicare beneficiaries on Guam are estimated at nearly 21,000. Hundreds of families rely on federal funded child care programs.

Given these developments, we must prepare for the possibility of significant reductions in federal funding for child careor even the elimination of such support, Arriola said in April 8 letters to child care providers over funding uncertainties.

The consequences of such actions would be immediate and severe, affecting working families, child care providers, and the broader economy, Arriola added in her two-page letter.

The Pentagon told Congress in mid-March that the Iran war cost more than $11.3 billion in just the first six days.

The U.S.-Israel war against Iran is now in its sixth week, and the estimates are staggering. The war has also driven up oil prices. Guams diesel reached a record $9.749 a gallon, while regular gas was at $6.429 a gallon before it dropped by 20 cents on Wednesday night.

The Pentagon seeks more than $200 billion to continue to fund the Iran war, and the president suggested shifting federal funding away from certain health care programs to cover the staggering costs of the war.

Its not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things, Trump said at an Easter luncheon. They can do it on a state basis. You cant do it on a federal. We have to take care of one thing: military protection. We have to guard the country.

Arriola said these recent public comments, as reported in national media, further underscore funding uncertainty for Guam by signaling a potential shift in federal priorities away from domestic programs.

Statements from President Trump indicate that it may not be possible to sustain funding for programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Child Care raise serious concerns for Guam as we rely heavily on federal support to meet the needs of our community, she stated.

Guam funding already delayed

Prior to the conflict in the Middle East, there was already a great deal of federal funding uncertainty for Guam.

Delays in federal child care funding are among them, impacting payments to Guams child care centers and hundreds of families.

Arriola said Guam has been experiencing delays in the second and third quarter allotments for the Child Care and Development Fund, which directly impact the ability to administer programs effectively, and provide timely support to families supported by the program.

These delays are affecting provider payments for January, February, and March, participant reimbursement cost of 300 families, program stability, and overall service delivery across critical areas, including child care assistance, the Public Health director wrote in her letter.

Arriola said she hopes sharing this information with the broader community will ensure families and stakeholders are informed of potential developments that may affect services across Guam.

National defense

Arriola said while Public Health recognizes the importance of national defense, it is equally critical to understand that peoples health and well-being are foundational to a strong and resilient nation.

Programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and child care are not optionalthey are essential services that support public health, economic participation, and community stability, Arriola wrote.

The Public Health director added that she will continue to advocate for resources necessary, including seeking remedy from the Guam Legislature, which could mean using local funds to continue impacted programs.

Last year, for example, the government of Guam used $13.1 million in local funds to cover the cost of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, benefits for more than 43,000 recipients because of the federal government shutdown.

The Legislature started its fiscal 2027 budget hearings this week.
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
Anthropic has introduced Mythos, a new AI model that is said to be so dangerous that it should not be made public. Instead, Claude Mythos Preview is to be made available exclusively to a range of companies working on IT security as part of an initiative called Project Glasswing. They are to use the AI technology to secure the "world's most critical software." Anthropic justifies this step by stating that the AI model has already identified thousands of high-risk zero-day vulnerabilities. Such vulnerabilities have been discovered in all major operating systems and every internet browser, as well as in numerous other software. Above all, Mythos Preview is significantly more capable of developing a working exploit.

Continue after ad

Decades-old vulnerabilities identified

As an example, Anthropic lists a vulnerability in OpenBSD that has been overlooked for 27 years, which could allow attackers to crash a device remotely "just by connecting to it." It also mentions a 16-year-old vulnerability in FFmpeg that was not identified in five million automatic scans with special search tools. Furthermore, the model was able to combine a series of previously unknown vulnerabilities in the Linux kernel and develop an attack from them that would allow an attacker to gain complete control over a computer as a normal user. These and other vulnerabilities have been reported to the respective responsible parties. Anthropic has published a blog post on the matter.

The initiative "Project Glasswing" now presented includes, among others, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Anthropic, Apple, Broadcom, Cisco, CrowdStrike, Google, JPMorganChase, the Linux Foundation, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Palo Alto Networks. 40 other organizations responsible for software for critical infrastructure are also involved. In total, Anthropic is providing usage rights worth up to 100 million US dollars for the new AI model, with four million US dollars going directly to operators of open-source software. This is intended to enable them all to search systems for vulnerabilities. These are to be closed before other AI models catch up to Mythos' capabilities.

Anthropic is primarily known for its AI Claude, which competes with OpenAI's ChatGPT. However, the company recently made headlines due to a dispute with the Pentagon: Anthropic refused to allow its AI to be used in autonomous weapons or for mass surveillance in the USA and was consequently declared a security risk. The company is now taking legal action against this. The AI company told the US magazine Platformer that it could help the US government with the much-needed evaluation of Mythos. However, it is still unclear whether they would accept the offer. It is also unclear whether the plan to find security vulnerabilities with increasingly powerful AI tools in time to preempt malicious attackers will succeed.

(mho)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
The acquisition includes used K9 howitzers along with spare parts and maintenance systems.

The agreement was signed in Helsinki between the Finnish Ministry of Defence and representatives of South Koreas state agency Kotra.

Finland has agreed to purchase 112 K9 self-propelled howitzers from South Korea in a deal valued at 546.8 million, as part of efforts to strengthen its land forces and replace ageing artillery systems.

The equipment will undergo modifications in Finland before entering service with the army.

The Ministry of Defence said the purchase will improve the armys ability to support operations with long-range artillery. The systems will replace part of Finlands older towed artillery.

Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said the deal expands cooperation with South Korea and increases Finlands role among countries operating the K9 system. We are acquiring a significant amount of artillery equipment for the army, he stated on social media.

Finland has previously acquired 96 K9 howitzers, with the first order placed in 2017. Training for conscripts on the system began in 2019. The platform is also used by several European countries, including Norway, Estonia and Poland.

The K9 system forms part of a broader modernisation programme for the Finnish Army outlined in the governments defence policy plans. Officials said the latest purchase will strengthen firepower and improve operational readiness.

The deal comes as Finland continues to invest in defence capabilities following heightened security concerns in the region. The Ministry of Defence described the agreement as a step in long-term cooperation between Helsinki and Seoul.

Separately, Finnish authorities are seeking 35 million in European Union funding to strengthen protection against unmanned aerial vehicles. The funding would support the acquisition of systems to detect and counter drones along the eastern border and in the Gulf of Finland.

The Interior Ministry said the proposed systems would improve monitoring of airspace following recent incidents in which drones entered Finnish territory. The European Commission would cover up to 90 per cent of the costs if the application is approved.

HT
Trump said NATO had failed to support the United States during the conflict. NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN, he wrote on social media after the talks.

US President Donald Trump criticised NATO after a closed-door meeting with Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, as tensions over the Iran war and alliance support have raised the possibility of a US withdrawal from NATO

The US-Israeli campaign against Iran does not fall under the alliances collective defence mandate.

The meeting came days after Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week ceasefire linked to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments. The US and Israeli illegal war of aggression against Iran, which began in late February, has exposed divisions within the 32-member alliance.

Rutte described the discussion as very frank and very open in an interview with CNN. He said Trump was clearly disappointed with allies that did not join the US campaign against Iran.

The NATO chief sought to counter that view. He said most European countries had provided support through logistics, access to bases and airspace permissions. It is a nuanced picture, he said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said before the meeting that NATO had been tested and they failed. She added that Trump planned to raise the possibility of US withdrawal from the alliance during the talks.

Trump has repeated that threat in recent weeks. He has argued that allies did not respond to his call to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had disrupted during the conflict.

Rutte declined to confirm whether Trump directly raised withdrawal during the meeting. He said the exchange reflected a discussion between two good friends despite clear differences.

The talks lasted more than two hours, according to officials, though details remain limited. Rutte also met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier in the day to discuss the Iran war and other security issues.

Trump has long criticised NATO and has suggested the United States carries an unfair share of the burden. He has also linked his frustration to other disputes, including his threats to take control of Greenland.

In his post after the meeting, Trump repeated that grievance. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! he wrote.

US law requires congressional approval for any withdrawal from NATO. A measure passed in 2023 bars a president from leaving the alliance without support from lawmakers.

HT
HENLEY has taken the first step in a bid to become the UKs inaugural Town of Culture.

The town council has submitted an official expression of interest in the contest launched by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Its aim is to celebrate the role towns play in national life and helping them showcase their unique identities. If successful, Henley could secure up to 3.5 million to deliver a cultural programme in summer 2028.

Shortlisted finalists will first receive 250,000 to develop their proposals, with entries judged on their story, inclusivity and ability to deliver a lasting cultural impact.

The bid challenges perceptions of Henley as exclusive. It said: Henley will not simply celebrate culture, it will use it to challenge assumptions, redistribute opportunity and redefine who culture is for.

Community groups and events, as well as the Henley Standard, stand squarely behind the campaign.

Geoff Luckett, who chairs conservation group the Henley Society, said: The bid is centred on the theme of Flow, using the River Thames as a physical and symbolic focus  exploring who and what flows through the town and who may be left out.

The bid has attracted backing from major cultural anchors and cultural and creative delivery partners, such as the Henley Arts Trail.

Wendy Penrose, who chairs the trail, said the initiative is closely aligned with efforts to make art accessible to all, highlighting her events success in attracting large numbers of visitors and supporting emerging artists.

I want to express my support for this initiative, she said. We also agree with the aim of giving young people opportunities to take part in our communitys cultural life and help them to develop their skills.

Julie Huntington, who chairs of the Henley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, said: Henley is a vibrant hub for culture and the arts, making it a fitting candidate for Town of Culture.

The town proudly hosts acclaimed events such as the Henley Literary Festival, Henley Festival and Rewind, as well as the celebrated drama festival at the Kenton Theatre, the fourth oldest working theatre in the country.

The Henley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, now entering its 104th year, further exemplifies the towns longstanding commitment to the performing arts.

Henleys rich history is evident in landmarks such as Phyllis Court, once Cromwells stronghold and the world-famous royal regatta, which continues to draw visitors and participants from across the globe.

With such a diverse and enduring connection to culture and with a town council that works tirelessly to maintain standards, Henley deserves recognition as a Town of Culture.

Caroline Bowder, who sits on the committee for Henley Drama Festival, which will take place at the Kenton Theatre next month, said: We know how creative Henley is.

Producing so many other festivals offering music, literature, traditional boats, local art, it has its own symphony orchestra and a great choral society with its own youth choir.

But Henley Drama Festival is perhaps the greatest witness to Henleys artistic creativeness: it gives local groups and new playwrights the unique chance to shine, in the beautiful Kenton.

Henley also looks after the future artistic lives of its youth: Acorn Music Theatre, Childrens, Stageworks, drama at The Henley College, all perform to the highest standards.

Henley itself is a beautiful place to come to: already known for its rowing regatta and stylish spectators, its cultural life offers nourishment for the senses, the intellect and the spirit.

Harriet Reed-Ryan, the events director for the Henley Literary Festival, said: The cultural curiosity of the people of Henley has been pivotal in our growth from a family-run weekend of events to more than 27,000 ticket holders in the town across 10 days last autumn  and the creation of year-round jobs.

Since 2020, our online programme has helped bring national and international attention to Henley, including our free schools events enjoyed by thousands of children across the country. To be part of Henley Town Councils bid to both celebrate existing cultural offerings and inspire new ones is truly exciting.

Kate Oldridge, the executive director of climate and nature charity, Greener Henley, said: Henleys natural environment is central to who we are as a community. Were proud to support a bid that puts culture, inclusion and the river at its heart.

The council says the bid will focus on inclusion and participation, aiming to challenge perceptions of Henley as an exclusive town and instead reflect a more complex and diverse reality.

Daisy Smith, communications manager for the town council, said its been incredibly encouraging to see the level of interest and support already coming from across the community. She said: Henley is widely recognised but not always widely understood. Its often seen as a place of prestige and tradition, but theres a far richer and more complex story beneath that.

This bid is an opportunity to build on the towns strong cultural foundations while opening participation and asking important questions about who gets to take part in cultural life.

Our approach is rooted in the idea that this should not be a programme designed for the community but built with it. Ultimately, this is about using culture to reconnect communities that dont always routinely meet, challenging perceptions, and ensuring that Henleys cultural life is visible, accessible and relevant to more people.

The next stage of the competition will see an independent panel, chaired by Phil Redmond, assess submissions before announcing a shortlist.

If selected, Henley will develop a detailed programme in collaboration with residents, businesses and community groups.

Watlington has also submitted a bid to the competition.

The town, with a population of just more than 2,500, is being led by marketing consultant Fiona McLean, and the parish council.

The bid is centred around the theme of Watlington Says Hello, with a central strand of their proposed programme being From Showmen to Showbiz.

A full report will be in next weeks Henley Standard.

l What do you think? Write to: Letters, Henley Standard, Caxton House, 1 Station Road, Henley or email letters@henleystandard.co.uk
Xi's special envoy to attend inauguration of Myanmar president

Xinhua) 16:20, April 09, 2026

BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Jiang Xinzhi will attend the inauguration of President Min Aung Hlaing in Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw on Friday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Jiang, also vice chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, will attend the inauguration at the invitation of the Myanmar side, according to the spokesperson.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
China opposes possible U.S. ban on electronics testing by Chinese labs

Xinhua) 16:46, April 09, 2026

BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- China opposes the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's plan to vote on a proposal that would ban all Chinese labs from testing electronic devices used in the United States, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday.

The U.S. move overstretches the concept of national security, severely hampers normal economic and trade exchanges between Chinese and U.S. enterprises, and goes against the interests of all parties, including U.S. businesses and consumers, Mao said at a regular news briefing.

China will continue to firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, she added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
HAWTHORNE, Calif.  Elon Musk has long promised that SpaceX's massive Starship could one day whisk passengers from Tokyo to New York in about 30 minutes, turning intercontinental travel into a suborbital hop that skips the jet lag and endless airport lines. As of April 2026, however, that futuristic vision remains firmly in the conceptual stage, with no firm timeline for the first passenger-carrying Earth-to-Earth flight and significant technical, regulatory and safety hurdles still ahead.

Musk first unveiled the ambitious "Earth-to-Earth" or point-to-point transportation concept in 2017 during a presentation in Adelaide, Australia. He described using a variant of what was then called the BFR  now Starship  to launch passengers from floating offshore platforms near major cities, accelerate to suborbital velocities, and land vertically at the destination. The pitch included eye-popping examples: Los Angeles to New York in 25 minutes, London to New York in 29 minutes, and routes like Tokyo to New York or similar long-haul pairs in roughly 30 minutes.

SpaceX's own early graphics showed Tokyo-to-Singapore shrinking from more than seven hours by plane to 28 minutes by rocket. For Tokyo to New York  a distance of approximately 6,700 miles (10,800 km)  the flight time would align with the company's broader claim of anywhere on Earth in under an hour, often cited around 30-40 minutes depending on exact routing and great-circle paths.

The physics are straightforward on paper. Starship, powered by its Super Heavy booster and six Raptor engines on the upper stage, would blast off, reach space briefly, and re-enter the atmosphere for a powered landing. At peak speeds approaching Mach 20 or more on longer routes, the journey becomes a ballistic arc rather than a traditional airplane flight. Musk has repeatedly said the same vehicle designed for Mars missions could double as a high-speed global transport system, potentially carrying up to 1,000 passengers per flight in a future configuration.

Yet as Starship racks up test flights in 2026, the focus remains squarely on orbital capability, reusability and NASA's Artemis lunar program  not ticketed passengers between cities. The next major milestone, Flight 12  the debut of an upgraded Version 3 Starship and booster  is now targeted for early to mid-May 2026 after multiple delays, according to Musk's April updates on X. Previous targets for early 2026 slipped due to ongoing vehicle refinements and testing.

SpaceX has completed 11 Starship flight tests through late 2025, with a mix of successes and explosive setbacks that are typical for such a complex, fully reusable system. Recent flights have demonstrated heat shield improvements, booster returns and in-flight engine relights, but catching the booster with the launch tower's "chopsticks" and achieving rapid turnaround remain works in progress. Orbital refueling demonstrations, critical for deep-space missions, are eyed for mid-2026.

For point-to-point travel, the challenges multiply. Passenger versions would require human-rating the vehicle to aviation-level safety standards  far stricter than cargo or uncrewed test flights. Regulatory approval from the FAA and international aviation bodies, environmental impact studies for coastal or offshore launch sites, noise concerns, and emergency abort systems all stand in the way. Insurance and liability for flying civilians at hypersonic speeds add another layer of complexity.

Musk has been characteristically optimistic. In late 2024, responding to a post about the concept, he stated "This is now possible," hinting that regulatory shifts under a new U.S. administration could accelerate progress. Former SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell once suggested Earth-to-Earth services could begin as early as 2025 in the most bullish scenarios, but that timeline has quietly faded as Starship's development priorities centered on Moon and Mars goals.

Industry analysts and space experts say a realistic target for initial uncrewed or limited passenger demonstration flights on suborbital routes might slip into the early 2030s. Full commercial operations with regular Tokyo-New York service could be even further out  perhaps mid-to-late 2030s  depending on how quickly reusability drives down costs. Early estimates pegged ticket prices in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, though Musk has envisioned eventual fares competitive with premium airline tickets as flight rates increase.

A Japanese travel agency made headlines in late 2025 by announcing plans for its own rocket-powered service in the 2030s, targeting Tokyo to U.S. cities including New York in about 60 minutes using space technology. The proposed round-trip fare: around 100 million yen, or roughly $657,000. The company cited SpaceX's vision as inspirational but operates independently.

SpaceX itself has scaled back visible promotion of the Earth-to-Earth concept in recent years, removing some dedicated pages or de-emphasizing it on its website as Starship's role in Artemis lunar landings and potential Mars cargo missions took center stage. Offshore platforms once discussed for launches and landings were reportedly sold or repurposed. The company's current public roadmap highlights lunar cargo flights starting in 2028 and uncrewed Mars missions possibly in late 2026 during the next Earth-Mars transfer window.

Still, the idea captivates the public. Social media frequently recirculates SpaceX animations showing sleek Starships departing from platforms near Tokyo Bay or landing dramatically in New York Harbor, passengers stepping off just half an hour after departure. Aviation enthusiasts note that such a system could slash long-haul travel times dramatically, open new business models, and even serve emergency or military logistics.

Engineers point out that while the rocket technology is advancing rapidly, the infrastructure is not. Major cities would need dedicated spaceports  likely floating platforms far enough offshore to meet safety and noise regulations  plus high-speed ferry or hyperloop connections to city centers. Medical screening for g-forces, zero-gravity effects during the brief coast phase, and rapid decompression risks would differ from commercial aviation.

Environmental groups have raised concerns about the carbon footprint of frequent methane-fueled launches and the potential for sonic booms over populated areas during re-entry. Proponents counter that Starship's full reusability and methane fuel (which can be produced with renewable energy) could make it cleaner per passenger-mile than today's long-haul jets on certain metrics.

As Starship Flight 12 approaches in May 2026, Musk continues to push an aggressive cadence. He has spoken of dozens of flights per year once the system matures, which could eventually create the flight heritage needed to certify a passenger variant. In the meantime, the company's primary customers for Starship remain NASA and, potentially, the Department of Defense for point-to-point cargo demonstrations.

For travelers dreaming of sushi in Tokyo for breakfast and Broadway in New York for dinner the same day, the wait continues. Musk's track record shows that timelines often shift, but Starship's rapid iteration  from steel prototype explosions to increasingly successful high-altitude flights  suggests steady progress toward the day when rockets might indeed replace airplanes for the longest routes.

Until then, the 30-minute Tokyo-to-New York journey exists as a powerful vision of what's possible when reusable rocketry meets bold imagination. SpaceX insists the technology is coming; the question is when regulators, safety standards and economics will allow it to carry paying passengers across the Pacific in record time.

For now, most passengers will still board conventional jets for the 13-plus-hour journey, while engineers in Texas and California keep iterating on the stainless-steel behemoth that could one day make the oceans feel a lot smaller.

Originally published on ibtimes.com.au
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
In Brief: Jonathan Gough analyzes the impact of the return of the popular music group BTS with their Arirang World Tour, which has led to a noticeable increase in hotel reservations.

BTS are Back With the Arirang World Tour and Hotel Demand is Surging - Image Credit Lighthouse

The Arirang World Tour is generating some of the strongest demand signals weve seen from a music event in 2026. Heres what the data shows across 29 destinations.

K-pop boyband, BTS, last toured in 2019. Since then theres been a pandemic, mandatory military service, and two years off the road.

The Arirang World Tour is their comeback  29 dates across four continents  and accommodation markets are already responding. In some cities, dramatically.

In more than half of their 2026 tour stops  17 of 29 destinations  forward demand indicators are running double digits above the same dates in 2025. In El Paso, they're up 200%. In Brussels and Munich, close to 100%.

Not familiar with BTS? A quick primer. They're a South Korean band whose cultural reach goes well beyond music, with the countrys stock market having been known to move with them. Their music is broadcast across the North Korean border as a statement of national identity and on the Billboard charts, they've outsold every act since the Beatles.

The Arirang album had the largest first-week sales of any Billboard 200 album since 2014.

For hoteliers in tour cities, the data tells a clear story about what a fanbase that size does to local demand.

Key takeaways

17 of 29 Arirang Tour destinations show double-digit YoY increases in forward hotel demand, with El Paso up 200%.

Supply-constrained cities are seeing the biggest demand spikes: Brussels (+97%), Munich (+94%), Tampa (+82%).

Excluding the last night, average YoY demand across all tour cities rises to +7%, with Los Angeles at +18% and Las Vegas at +58%.

Booking curves are compressing fast. Brussels hit 91% on-the-books occupancy for opening night by end of March.

Short-term rental data is leading. El Paso is at 78% rental occupancy; Kaohsiung at 60%, five months out.

Hotel rates haven't kept pace. Nine markets have average weekly prices below 2025 levels despite surging demand.

Markets hosting BTS in the first three months have generally responded better on pricing, suggesting shorter windows sharpen focus.

Booming hotel demand for BTS

The markets seeing the biggest YoY lifts tend to be those with constrained room supply: Brussels (+97%), Munich (+94%), Tampa (+82%), Baltimore (+66%), and Kaohsiung (+60%)  cities with 450, 675, 191, 129, and 341 hotels respectively. Compare that to Paris, with 3,670 hotels, where the YoY change is a more modest +7%.

El Paso is the outlier. With just 102 hotels in the market, BTS will play the Sun Bowl  a venue with capacity near 50,000. The result: a +200% YoY change in forward demand. Supply constraints and outsized event demand are a powerful combination.

Where YoY changes are flat or slightly negative, the pattern is consistent: high room supply, stadiums located far from city centers (Boston, New York), or tour dates deep in H2 (Bangkok, Jakarta).

Theres another pattern worth noting. Concert-goers are checking in the night before and leaving immediately after, so demand spikes hard for the opening dates and drops sharply on the final night.

Strip out that last night, and positive YoY change increases across virtually every market. The mean average rises to +7% across all destinations. Even the largest markets shift: Los Angeles moves to +18%, Las Vegas to +58%, Paris to +14%, Tokyo to +9%.

The biggest swings when excluding the final night are in well-connected cities where fans can leave quickly by public transport or car: Munich (+135%), Brussels (+130%), Baltimore (+96%), Tampa (+98%), Kaohsiung (+73%).

The practical takeaway here is to price aggressively for opening dates. Use length-of-stay discounts to pull guests in before the concert, not after.

In Busan, demand sits at +110% YoY two nights before the show, then drops to +7% the night BTS leaves. Munich shows the same shape: +98% pre-concert, +5% post. Across all 2026 tour stops in this analysis, the night after BTS departs is flat YoY on average.

Hotel booking curve shifts are underway

The hotel booking curve is compressing fast, particularly in smaller markets.

Brussels is close to a sell-out. On-the-books occupancy hit 91% for the opening night in July as of the end of March. Munich is tracking similarly, with 71% occupancy already locked in for night one on July 11.

Short-term rentals tell the same story and often lead it. El Paso, arguably the smallest market on the tour, already sits at 78% rental occupancy ahead of the May dates.

Jakarta, the last 2026 stop, has just 7% OTB, but thats more than 17 times higher than the previous 30-day average.

Kaohsiung may be the most striking example: 60% of the citys short-term rental inventory is already booked, despite BTS not playing until November 18.

Short-term rental data consistently signals how hotel demand will develop. They sell earlier, making them a reliable early-warning system for the hotel market. These cities need to be paying attention now.

Hotel rates are rising but the picture is inconsistent

Demand is building, but room rates in many markets havent caught up.

As of the time of writing, nine regional markets have average weekly hotel prices below the comparable week in 2025. For short-term rentals, that number is 14  despite the demand picture described above.

These are weekly averages, so nights outside the tour dates will pull the figures down  but the mismatch is still real. And in some markets, the divergence between hotels and STRs is stark.

In Kaohsiung, hotel prices are down 36% YoY while short-term rental prices are up 103%. In Baltimore, the reverse: hotels up 66%, STRs down 33%.

Part of the explanation is timing. The Arirang tour moved fast. Dates were announced on January 13, and tickets were on sale two weeks later, resulting in near-immediate sell-outs. The tour starts April 9, which leaves a short window for accommodation businesses to register the signal and adjust.

Markets hosting BTS in the first three months of the tour have generally responded better on pricing  suggesting that shorter booking windows sharpen focus. But even some early stops have gaps.

In Tampa and El Paso, average hotel prices are up by roughly a third and two-thirds respectively, while demand is running at two to three times 2025 levels.

The early demand signals are there, do you have the pricing to match?

For early dates, the data suggests many accommodation businesses were caught out by how quickly demand accelerated. For destinations in second half of the year the booking curves are already running well ahead of normal  but pricing hasnt moved to match.

This is what real-time and forward-looking demand and pricing data exists to prevent.

When a tour like Arirang is announced, revenue managers with live demand signals can see the booking curve shift in real time, track competitor adjustments across all channels, and pricing rooms accordingly with AI-driven recommendations.

Those working from daily reports or manual analysis are always a step behind.

All the data featured in this article is accessible in real time through Lighthouse Pricing. Find out more to make sure your markets next big moment doesnt pass you by.

Jonathan Gough

Jonathan Gough is Content Team Lead at Lighthouse, spearheading all things content marketing. With a marketing career of over a decade, dedicated solely to travel, tourism and hospitality, Jonathan is passionate about leveraging Lighthouses technology to move the sector forward and provide lodging professionals with the tools they need to grow their business.

About Lighthouse

Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight) is the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. We transform complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth. We continually innovate to deliver the best platform for hospitality professionals to price more effectively, measure performance more efficiently, and understand the market in new ways.

Trusted by over 65,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse is the only solution that provides real-time hotel and short-term rental data in a single platform. We strive to deliver the best possible experience with unmatched customer service. We consider our clients as true partners - their success is our success.

Source: View the original article at Lighthouse.
In Brief: Representatives from the travel technology sector recently provided testimony regarding proposed regulations on short-term rentals in Pennsylvania, highlighting the potential impacts on the industry.

Travel Tech President and CEO Laura Chadwick testified before the Pennsylvania House Committee on Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development on House Bill 2303, legislation addressing compliance requirements for short-term rentals.

In her testimony, Chadwick highlighted the importance of maintaining consumer choice in lodging and preserving the economic benefits that short-term rental platforms provide to Pennsylvania communities.

Travel Tech members create marketplaces where travel providers compete directly, helping keep travel more affordable and accessible for everyday Americans, Chadwick said.

Short-term rentals play a significant role in Pennsylvanias economy. In 2024, activity on Travel Tech member platforms generated $1.8 billion in GDP impact, supported more than 22,000 jobs, and produced $501 million in host earnings.

Travel Tech expressed support for several elements of HB 2303, including distinctions between different types of short-term rentals, preservation of local zoning authority, and efforts to improve tax compliance.

However, Chadwick cautioned that the bill, as drafted, creates a comprehensive statewide regulatory framework that goes beyond recommendations from Pennsylvanias Joint State Government Commission and could impose disproportionate burdens on small hosts.

Travel Tech urged lawmakers to ensure that any regulatory approach is appropriately tailored, avoids unnecessary compliance costs, and does not reduce supply or limit consumer choiceparticularly in communities that rely on tourism.

Travel Tech looks forward to continued engagement with policymakers to support a framework that promotes transparency, competition, and a vibrant travel marketplace.
In Brief: Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has announced the signing of a greenfield resort project in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, to be branded as Gateway.

IHCL to Open 96-Key Gateway Branded Resort in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh - Image Credit IHCL

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has signed an agreement to develop a new greenfield resort in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, under the Gateway brand. The project is being developed in partnership with Vasuki Hospitality Private Limited.

The Gateway Kasauli will offer 96 keys and a range of amenities, including an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a bar, a heated swimming pool, a fitness center, and a spa. The resort will also feature banqueting facilities, with a venue spanning over 4,000 square feet.

Kasauli is located in the foothills of the Shivalik range in Himachal Pradesh and is known for its heritage sites and natural landscapes, including Christ Church and Gilbert Trail. The resort is positioned near key urban centers.

With this addition, IHCL will have 27 hotels in Himachal Pradesh, including 12 under development.
The Lanesborough Select Board meets on Monday. From right, Chair Deborah Maynard, Jason Breault and Michael Murphy.

Lanesborough Officials Review Schools' Budgets



Mount Greylock Superintendent Joseph Bergeron, left, addresses the Lanesborough Select Board and Finance Committee as School Committee member Curtis Elfenbein looks at the projection of a slide in the district's budget presentation. LANESBOROUGH, Mass.  Town officials Monday appeared generally receptive to the fiscal year 2027 spending plans for the two public school districts that serve the town.

Superintendents from the Northern Berkshire Vocational Regional School District (McCann Technical School) and Mount Greylock Regional School District presented their respective FY27 budgets to a joint meeting of the town's Finance Committee and Select Board.

Both districts are sending significantly higher assessments for approval at Lanesborough's annual town meeting in June.

McCann Tech, which constituted a $317,109 expenditure for the town in the current fiscal year, is seeking $463,978 for the fiscal year that begins on July 1 even though the school's operating budget is up just 3.2 percent year to year.

The 46 percent increase in Lanesborough's share of McCann Tech's budget is is due to two factors: a rise in enrollment of town residents at the vocational school from 20 in 2025 to 29 in this school year and a capital assessment for the first round of payments  for interest only  for a roof and window replacement project on the North Adams campus.

The Mount Greylock assessment, a much larger component of Lanesborough's property tax bill, is up 10.99 percent from FY26 to FY27, from $6.8 million to $7.6 million.

Mount Greylock Superintendent Joseph Bergeron gave a budget presentation similar to one he has delivered twice to the district's School Committee and again last month to the Williamstown Finance Committee , explaining that while the FY27 budget maintains level services to students with a net reduction of three positions, a series of factors are driving much larger assessments to Mount Greylock's two member towns.

That list of budget pressures includes a second straight year of soaring health insurance costs, an unexpected spike in costs for out-of-district placements of students with special needs and the absence of reserves that the district purposely spent down over the last few years at the urging of officials in Lanesborough and Williamstown.

The intentional depletion of Mount Greylock's school choice and tuition "revolver" accounts and its excess and deficiency account, the equivalent of a town's free cash, was challenged by two members of the Lanesborough Select Board.

"I don't understand why you weren't thinking  instead of decreasing [Lanesborough's assessment by 0.1 percent in FY21], why didn't you keep it level so you could put more money into reserves?" Select Board Chair Deborah Maynard asked Bergeron.

Bergeron answered that officials in both member towns told the district they did not want Mount Greylock using taxpayers' money to build their reserves. In fact, officials in those towns said the opposite.

Carolyn Greene, one of four Mount Greylock School Committee members in attendance, explained that the district did build up one of the reserve accounts, E&D, to around a million dollars, near the maximum allowed by law, so that the district would be in a better fiscal position to seek a bond for the middle-high school building project that wrapped in 2018.

"There was a point where we had [built those reserves] and the towns said, 'OK, Now we want to know the true cost of education,' " Greene said. " 'We don't want you to hold onto all this money. We want you to use it to keep assessments to the towns low. ... And then come to us and say here's what it costs to educate our kids.'

"That's what we're doing now. That was a decision made by your predecessors."

Lanesborough Fin Comm member Lyndon Moors, who served as a faculty representative on the Mount Greylock Building Committee, confirmed Greene's account.

"We had elected officials here at these virtual tables' in recent prior years who were very adamant that we should spend down the reserves," Moors said.

"It might have been a poor message," Select Board member Jason Breault replied.

His colleague Michael Murphy responded.

"As one of those officials, I agreed with that," Murphy said, adding later that earlier iterations of the Select Board called for Mount Greylock to use its reserves to provide property tax relief for Lanesborough residents.

"It wasn't us in a closed room making those decisions," Murphy said. "It was pressure from the community to make those decisions. We were responding to the community."

Bergeron said there was a case to be made for keeping assessment increases to Lanesborough low  0.27 in FY20, minus-0.1 percent in FY21, 2 percent in FY22, 2.68 percent in FY23, 3 percent in FY24 and 3.38 percent in FY25  even as the district's costs increased.

"I understand that perspective," Bergeron said of the earlier pressure from Lanesborough and Williamstown officials. "But in a year like this, when reserves would have been helpful dealing with shocks to the budget  it does not look like it was the right collective decision by the communities."

Going into FY27 and assuming no dramatic increase in state funding, the district expects the three reserves in the coming fiscal year to stand at $364,000 for E&D, $125,000 for School Choice and $50,000 for tuition  a total of $539,000.

Compare that to FY22  the year the Mount Greylock project went out for final bonding  when the accounts stood at $959,957, $1,219,074 and $1,274,245, respectively, a combined $3.45 million.

And the reserves may not be bouncing back any time soon. In the tuition and school choice revolvers, the FY27 spending plan utilizes every dime the district expects to take in starting July 1.

Both McCann Tech Superintendent James Brosnan and Mount Greylock's Bergeron fielded questions about specific line items.

Bergeron took time to explain the differences between school choice, tuition and out-of-district placements.

The first two are revenue generators for the Mount Greylock district, which has more students coming in through the commonwealth's school choice program than it has families choosing to send children to schools outside Lanesborough and Williamstown and has a tuition agreement with the towns of Hancock and New Ashford (the former for middle and high school students only).

Although school choice reimbursement to the district is low  $5,000 per student, per state law  Mount Greylock has a relatively small choice population, 7 to 8 percent of the total student body for the three schools. And the district has a longstanding practice of adding school choice pupils at the elementary schools only when it has "empty seats" in a grade level while also planning to make sure those students don't cause a need for staffing increases at the middle-high school down the road.

Out-of-district tuition, on the other hand, is an expense for Mount Greylock. It is the cost paid for highly specialized education programs, sometimes residential programs, that district provides for youngsters it is legally  and, Bergeron always adds, morally and ethically  bound to educate.

"It's a cost that sometimes can be very significant," Bergeron said. "At other times, it can be quite low. It's purely based on population.

"This year, one of the schools we used was allowed [by the state] to double their tuition mid year. We had no choice."

There is some good news on the horizon, Bergeron noted. The commonwealth's circuit breaker program does provide relief to local districts for the high cost of specialized programs. But since that program is retroactive, the relief will hit the FY28 budget.

Bergeron also addressed some of the conversations in the Lanesborough community  including social media  suggesting that the town is overtaxed for public schools relative to neighboring districts.

The second-year superintendent pushed back against that argument two ways: First, by noting that Mount Greylock educates the third-largest population in the county while having the second-lowest per-pupil cost of that peer group. And second by noting that state funding formulas result in 17 percent of Mount Greylock's budget coming from Boston, a much lower percentage than some neighboring districts.

"That's an area where we are advocating to look at the formula," Bergeron said.

No one from the two Lanesborough elected bodies pushed for budget cuts at either McCann Tech or Mount Greylock. But in an echo of the Fin Comm hearing in Williamstown, the Lanesborough officials expressed sympathy for a resident who argued that the district should add a teaching position into the FY27 budget.

Jodi Szczepaniak-Locke, a former chair of the town's Finance Committee, spoke from the floor of Monday's meeting to urge the district to follow the recommendation of the Mount Greylock School Council and add another math position at the middle-high school.

Szczepaniak-Locke called the district's self-described "level services" budget "unacceptable" for parents of vulnerable students.

"If I'm going to spend 11 percent more in taxes to send my child to a public school, I want what she needs," Szczepaniak-Locke said.

"The School Committee agrees these positions are critical," Greene said. "We agree they're a need and not a want. But we also agree we couldn't justify putting them in this year's budget."

Maynard asked Bergeron whether the district could fund another full-time equivalent teaching position, an estimated $120,000 expenditure, through line item reductions elsewhere in the budget.

"We have already gone through all the non-staff things  meaning supplies, services, text books, software, transportation. We don't have any other places to decrease," Bergeron said. "The only thing left is staff.

"[Adding a math position] would take someone else coming forward saying, 'You just eliminated an English position for a math position,' or, 'You just eliminated the art department to get a math interventionist.' "
K. Scott Kelley, former Adams police chief, is facing fraud charges related to misuse of funds. He was placed on leave in September.

Former Adams Police Chief Facing Fraud Charges

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The former chief of police in Adams was indicted Tuesday on fraud charges by a Berkshire County grand jury. He is accused of taking nearly $20,000 in overtime funds he didn't earn.

Kevin Scott Kelley, aka K. Scott Kelley, 46, was relieved of duty in September and placed on a paid leave of absence until December. Adams town officials declined to say if he was fired or resigned at that time.

He is accused of submitting fraudulent reimbursement claims under a municipal traffic enforcement grant administered by the Office of Grants and Research in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, according to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office.

The alleged conduct began in or about January 2024 and continued through at least January 2025 and was reported by officers under Kelley's command.

The members of the Adams Police Department identified discrepancies in the reimbursement submissions and gathered evidence indicative of fraudulent activity. They subsequently requested assistance from the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit and the DA's Office.

Based on the materials initially collected by Adams Police, State Police conducted a formal investigation, which concluded that the defendant submitted and received $19,123.15 in overtime compensation for dates on which he either absent from work or performed duties not consistent with the requirements of the grant program.

Kelley was sworn in on January 2021 to replace the retired Chief Richard Tarsa. He came with more than 25 years experience in law enforcement, most recently as police chief for Spartanburg (S.C.) Community College.

His address was given as Mauldin, S.C. He sold his house in Adams last fall.

The indictment states procurement fraud, false claim to employer and larceny more than $1,200. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in state prison or 2 1/2 years in a House of Correction.

Kelley will be arraigned on a future date at Berkshire Superior Court.
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

Beijing is demanding an investigation into a Chinese researchers death at the University of Michigan last month.

Danhao Wang, an assistant research scientist in the universitys electrical and computer engineering department, died on 20 March after reportedly falling from a campus building.

American authorities said they were investigating the death as a possible act of self-harm.

However, the case has drawn a strong reaction from Beijing.

According to Chinese media, Wang had been questioned by US law enforcement about his research shortly before his death, describing the interaction as hostile questioning.

The Chinese foreign ministry said it was deeply saddened by the heartbreaking death. For some time now, the US has overstretched the concept of national security for political manipulation and groundlessly interrogated and harassed Chinese scholars and students, spokesperson Lin Jian said, adding that Beijing had protested to the US.

These moves infringe on Chinese citizens legitimate and lawful rights and interests, poison the atmosphere of people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the US and create a serious chilling effect, the spokesperson said. China calls on the US to carry out a full investigation, give the family of the victim and the Chinese side a responsible explanation, stop any discriminatory law enforcement targeting Chinese scholars and students in the US, and stop imposing wrongful convictions.

US authorities have not confirmed whether Wang was under investigation.

The FBI said that it followed a longstanding policy of neither confirming nor denying the existence of any investigation or investigative activity involving specific individuals.

In a message to the academic community, University of Michigan engineering dean Karen Thole described Wang as promising and brilliant young mind.

Megan Russell, China campaign coordinator at CODEPINK, a feminist grassroots organisation, told CBS News that the researchers death was not an isolated incident.

If this was an isolated incident of self-harm for reasons outside the responsibility of the University of Michigan, that is one thing. But this is not, she said.

In a statement on their website, the group said: Chinese scholars in the US are facing increasing persecution, surveillance, and unjust arrests simply for being Chinese. The University of Michigan has not only remained silent, but has actively aided federal agencies in its ongoing persecution of Chinese scholars.

Wangs death comes amid the Donald Trump administrations scrutiny of alleged Chinese influence at educational institutions in the US. The University of Michigan came under scrutiny last year after three Chinese nationals linked to it were charged by the FBI with attempting to smuggle biological materials into the US.

Despite the University of Michigans history of downplaying its vulnerabilities to malign foreign influence, recent reports reveal that UMs research laboratories remain vulnerable to sabotage, Paul Moore, chief investigative counsel for the education department, said at the time.

Similar investigations have been initiated at Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of California, Berkeley.

There have been calls from Republicans in Congress for universities to sever research ties with China, alleging exploitation for technology theft. The University of Michigan ended a partnership with a Shanghai university last year amid pressure from Republican lawmakers who deemed it a security risk.

This incident is contextual to a larger climate of fear felt by immigrant workers from all industries, home countries, and walks of life under the current administration, Nick Geiser, an organiser with the University of Michigan Postdoctoral Researchers Organization, a group representing 15,000 researchers at the university, said in a statement, referring to Wangs death.
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 lone wolf has sparked a huge search effort in South Koreas Daejeon city after it escaped its zoo enclosure, forcing public emergency alerts and the closure of a primary school.

The animal was pictured roaming the streets of the city, which lies about 150km south of the capital Seoul and is home to more than 1.5 million people, after escaping from a zoo.

The Daejeon fire department said some 300 people, including 35 firefighters, 116 police and military personnel, and 100 zoo employees were involved in an ongoing operation to capture the wolf before it did any harm. However, it was still on the loose as of Thursday morning, authorities said.

The male wolf, two years old and weighing nearly 30kg, escaped from the O-World zoo on Wednesday.

Footage released by the fire department showed the animal walking down a street before crossing a road.

An elementary school located less than 30 minutes away from the zoo was closed as a safety measure.

Daejeon Sanseong elementary school is closed today following the escape of a wolf from a zoo yesterday, a spokesperson for the Daejeon metropolitan office of education said, AFP reported.

Rescue workers search for a wolf that escaped from a zoo in Daejeon ( AFP via Getty )

Zoo officials confirmed that one of their wolves had gone missing after escaping its enclosure.

We conduct daily inspections of each enclosure before opening and one wolf was missing, an official told the Korea Times.

After checking CCTV, we confirmed it had dug through the soil at the bottom of the enclosure and escaped.

The wolf damaged the zoos installed fence before fleeing, a fire official said.

"We deployed drone cameras early in the morning but had to pull them back due to the ongoing rain," the official added.

The city government sent an emergency text message alerting residents to the presence of the wolf.

One wolf has escaped from O-World and is currently being searched for within the zoo, it read. Visitors and nearby residents are advised to exercise caution.

This is not the first time a wild animal has escaped a city zoo in South Korea and sparked a major recapture operation. In 2023, a male zebra called Sero went missing from a Seoul zoo and walked and trotted around the capitals busy streets before being tranquilised by emergency workers and returned to its enclosure without injury.
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

Bulging rucksacks bigger than suitcases and tied tight with rope hang off the shoulders of migrant workers weaving through the crowds at Delhis main railway station, carrying almost all their belongings as they quietly slip out of the bustling capital where they once came chasing work.

They are mostly informal workers and labourers going back to their villages and small towns as disruptions to energy supplies triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran ripple through the global economy, threatening the fragile livelihoods of those on the bottom rung.

The exodus reflects mounting anxiety among labourers who survive on daily wages and now struggle to afford even basic meals.

At the heart of the strain is cooking fuel. Irans retaliatory closure of the Strait of Hormuz  a critical artery for energy shipments  has tightened supplies of LPG to India, turning household cooking gas cylinders into scarce and expensive commodities. Though a fragile ceasefire has been agreed between Iran and the US, the Strait remains closed and oil prices still hover around $100 a barrel.

The gas scarcity has also shut down many small businesses and led to job losses, just one example of the spiralling fallout of the Middle East war.

Roshan Kumar, 20, is at the crowded New Delhi railway station with his wife and brother, waiting to return to Ludhiana, his home city in northern India. Fearing a repeat of the chaos and suffering seen during the Covid pandemic, the family decided to leave in case conditions deteriorated.

We are going back, he says, putting down the oversized bag from his back. Whats here for us now when we cannot even eat?

open image in gallery Roshan Kumar (right), 20, and his brother at the New Delhi railway station ( Shweta Sharma/The Independent )

He complains that an LPG refill in the informal market now costs around Rs 400 (3.20) per kg, about four times the usual price. He earns Rs 400-450 a day as a labourer, meaning that it would take him a week's wages to pay for even a small 5kg cylinder.

What will I save and how will I survive? People like me come to big cities to earn and send money home. Now I might have to beg to eat, he says.

He had packed his single-burner stove, a connecting pipe and some utensils into a white rucksack after selling his empty gas cylinder, which he had failed to refill despite repeated attempts, for 250 rupees (2).

For Indias urban poor like Kumar, the impact of the war in the Middle East was immediate. The country imports nearly 60 per cent of the LPG it consumes and about 90 per cent of those imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

In the absence of piped cooking gas, most households depend on LPG cylinders  squat, metal containers placed on the kitchen floor and connected by a rubber hose to a stove. While registered consumers can get subsidised refills through government-approved distributors, others depend on informal channels that are costlier and harder to access since the supply crunch.

open image in gallery Roshan Kumar and his wife packed their stove before leaving Delhi ( Shweta Sharma/The Independent )

Not far from Kumars family, on the steps of the railway station, Ram Vilas Yadav waits with his wife, three children and brother for a train to Buxar in the eastern state of Bihar. The family ran out of gas 25 days ago and were relying on meals from a nearby eatery.

We have no option but to leave, Yadav says. How long can we keep eating from the restaurant and burning our savings? Even the local restaurants have raised prices. He had spent days trying to secure a refill. I stood in queues and almost begged people to help me, but everyone seemed helpless, he says, holding his youngest child. Standing beside him, his wife struggles to hold back tears. No one leaves by choice, she says. It is these circumstances that are forcing us to go back. It feels like we dont belong here.

open image in gallery Ram Vilas Yadav waits with his family to board a train to his village in Bihar ( Shweta Sharma/The Independent )

At the same platform, Lakhe Chauhan, a construction labourer, is returning to his village in the eastern state of Bihar after failing to find work for almost two weeks. He lived with his son, daughter-in-law, and their two children in a small two-room apartment in Delhi.

The rooms are already so small here. Theres no option to cook with firewood. At least in Bihar we will be able to cook on a chullah, he says, meaning a traditional firewood stove.

Chauhan says this is the second time he is being forced to leave the city after the Covid lockdown. Hes unsure if he can face returning for a third time. There is no gas, no work and no hope here, he says. We dont want to die here starving, as we cannot afford outside food every day.

Delhi is estimated to host up to three million of the 54 million migrant workers across the country, according to labour ministry data based on the 2011 census. Experts say the actual number is likely much higher, given years of population growth. India has only just begun its first census in 15 years.

Now, many are scrambling to leave.

Asha Kumari, a domestic worker from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh state, is weighing her options as her gas cylinder is about to run out. Widowed by the Covid pandemic, she supports two children on her own.

Im trying to stretch it as much as possible, she says, adding that she is now cooking just once a day. Sometimes we get leftover food from the houses where I work, which helps. She knows that it is not sustainable and that she must leave once the cylinder is empty.

open image in gallery Husnara Khatun, 32, stands with her belongings outside the New Delhi railway station as she waits to travel back home to Bihar with her husband ( Reuters )

The Indian government insists its supply of LPG remains stable and sufficient, and police claim they are cracking down on the black market. On Monday, the ministry of petroleum and natural gas said more than 180 million LPG cylinders had been delivered since 1 March, averaging about five million a day. It also said 97 per cent of bookings were now made online, with nearly 90 per cent of deliveries verified through one-time passwords to curb fraudulence. Thats for people with legal connections that require housing proof, which migrants dont possess.

The closest the government came to admitting the disruptions was when the prime minister, Narendra Modi, urged people to remain calm and prepared as the war had created difficult global conditions that may persist. Modi also invoked the Covid lockdown, urging the nation to remain prepared and united, just as it had stood together during the Covid pandemic. We faced similar challenges during the Covid crisis with unity. Now again, we must prepare in the same way.

open image in gallery Passengers, including migrant labourers and their families, board a train in New Delhi ( Reuters )

The remarks triggered anxiety online, with India lockdown again trending on X.

In a relief measure for migrants after the gas supply disruption began, the government started allowing migrant workers to purchase 5 kg LPG cylinders using only basic identification. Still, labour advocates warn that the crisis exposes deeper structural gaps.

Nirmal Gorana, convener of the National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour, compares the situation to a disaster, and flags the continued failure to properly register unorganised workers under the Interstate Migrant Workmen Act of 1979, which is meant to regulate their employment and welfare.

open image in gallery People stand in a queue to refill LPG cylinders outside a gas agency in Ahmedabad ( Reuters )

This is an absolute injustice for migrant workers, as the government is not able to ensure proper and accurate registration, he says. If the state can get this right, it would be a crucial first step in restoring dignity to the largely invisible labour force that sustains our cities.

For those attempting to return home, Gorana urges immediate government intervention to manage the exodus. There should be counselling, awareness campaigns and clear public announcements to prevent confusion, he says. Right now, people are standing in long queues, and panic is inevitable. Panic, in such circumstances, is only natural.
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 Thai court has fined a man 233 after he entered the enclosure housing viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng.

The incident took place on 17 March 2026, when the man climbed over a barrier into the enclosure shared by Moo Deng and her mother at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailands Chonburi.

According to director Narongwit Chodchoy, the Thai national entered the enclosure while a keeper was absent and no other visitors were present. He stayed inside for around two minutes before staff noticed him. Chodchoy said that the individual did not attempt to flee as the zoo contacted police.

Security footage that has been 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.

At the time, the zoo said on their official Facebook page that while Moo Deng and Jona were unharmed, they had been slightly startled by the encounter and were under veterinary observation.

The man was charged with trespassing, and later released on bail.

The zoo confirmed on their Facebook page that the man had been found guilty by the Chonburi provincial court and fined 10,000 baht (232.7). They also reiterated the zoos rules, reminding visitors that climbing or entering the animal enclosures is forbidden.

open image in gallery Security footage that has been widely circulated online shows a man approaching Moo Deng and her mother, Jona, while holding a tablet ( One Planet/YouTube )

open image in gallery The zoo said that while Moo Deng and Jona were unharmed, they had been slightly startled ( One Planet/YouTube )

Together, take care of the welfare of wild animals to ensure that Moo Deng and all animals are happy and safe. Enjoy the cuteness from a distance, respect the rules, the statement read.

The Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located around 100km southeast of Bangkok, spans nearly 2,000 acres and houses over 2,000 animals.

Since the incident, Chodchoy told AFP that the zoo had increased security patrols to deter would-be intruders.

We train staff on what to do if any animals escape, but from now on, we will have to train them on what to do if there are any intruders.

On the verdict, he said: The decision shows that no one can violate animals' rights, no matter whether they are in an enclosure or in the wild. We learned from this lesson and will not allow it to happen again  not to Moo Deng and not to other animals in the zoo.

open image in gallery Moo Deng, whose name comes from the Thai word for bouncy pork, was born in 2024 at Khao Kheow Open Zoo ( Getty Images )

Moo Deng, whose name comes from the Thai word for bouncy pork, was born in 2024 at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. She became a global internet sensation within weeks of her birth after videos of her biting at her keeper, slipping while being hosed down, and trailing closely behind her mother went viral on social media and drew millions of views.

Her popularity quickly spilled offline, inspiring themed cakes across Thailand and even a Sephora Thailand campaign encouraging users to wear your blush like a baby hippo.

On peak days, more than 12,000 people visited the zoo to see her, prompting authorities to introduce time limits for visitors and increase crowd management measures. Some visitors had been caught throwing water and other objects at the baby hippo to get her to react, causing the zoo director to threaten legal action and install surveillance cameras.
Sign up to our free money newsletter for investment analysis and expert advice to help you build wealth Sign up to our free money email for help building your wealth Sign up to our free money email for help building your wealth Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

The price of Brent crude oil has risen more than 2 per cent on Thursday morning, following attacks on Lebanon by Israel.

On Tuesday night, a ceasefire deal was outlined and agreed between the US and Iran, leading to a massive fall in the cost of the commodity on Wednesday. Stock markets surged as optimism grew that the conflict could end soon and oil tankers would be able to once more move freely through the Strait of Hormuz.

But that already seems to be a precarious position, after Israel said more than 100 airstrikes were carried out across a 10-minute period on Wednesday.

Irans deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh called Israels strikes in Beirut a grave violation of the ceasefire agreement and said everybody in the Middle East was expected to follow the agreement, therefore the US allies  of which Israel is one  must do likewise.

In addition, the real driver of lower oil prices will be ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and there have been reports it remains mostly closed to transit. Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said a lot of work needs to be done to get the shipping route fully reopened.

As a result, the price of oil rose back up to $98 (73) per barrel on Thursday, having fallen as low as $90.50 one day earlier.

There have been several price spikes and falls across the course of the conflict, with the peak so far being around $119, while the price pre-Iran war was in the $65-70 corridor.

Relief has now been reflected in market movements, but the next challenge is to turn this into belief, noted Richard Hunter, head of markets at interactive investor.

There have already been reports that the ceasefire is a fragile one. This has led to threats that Iran could withdraw from the truce if the attacks continue, while White House comments have remained aggressive as forces remain in the area, poised to act if necessary.

In addition, the oil price rose by 2 per cent, although remaining below the psychologically important $100 per barrel level. There are conflicting descriptions of the current state of play in the Strait of Hormuz. The US insist that there has been an uptick in traffic, but apparently ships have been told by Iran that the strait remains closed. Indeed, tanker-tracker firms have reported a trickle of ships passing through compared to pre-war levels which, as a key negotiation strand, is one which needs to be fully resolved.

Nor is it clear that the list of demands from the two parties have much common ground, such that this news-driven market will mean that volatility remains nearby.
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

Emperor penguins and Antarctic fur seals are facing the threat of extinction due to climate change, a new conservation assessment has revealed.

Both populations have seen a dramatic decline in recent years, primarily driven by the loss of sea ice and dwindling food availability, according to the latest evaluation for the International Union for Conservation of Natures (IUCN) red list of threatened species.

The findings have intensified calls for immediate action to curb planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions and to bolster Antarcticas crucial role in stabilising the global climate and safeguarding its unique wildlife.

Martin Harper, chief executive of BirdLife International, which spearheaded the emperor penguin assessment, said: "Climate change is accelerating the extinction crisis before our eyes. Governments must act now to urgently decarbonise our economies."

The emperor penguin, found exclusively in Antarctica, has been reclassified from "near threatened" to "endangered" on the list.

This change reflects how global warming is causing the premature break-up and disappearance of vital sea ice.

open image in gallery Emperor penguins on Rothschild island ( Kit Kovacs/IUCN )

The birds rely on sea ice that is "fastened" to the coastline, ocean floor, or grounded icebergs, using it as a habitat for their chicks and during their moulting season when they are not waterproof, making its loss potentially fatal.

Satellite imagery indicates a roughly 10 per cent population decrease between 2009 and 2018 alone, accounting for over 20,000 adult penguins, the IUCN reported.

New projections suggest the species population could halve by the 2080s without a swift and significant reduction in emissions.

Rod Downie, WWFs chief adviser for polar and oceans, warned: "The fate of these magnificent birds is in our hands. With the shocking decline in Antarctic sea ice that we are currently witnessing, these icons on ice may well be heading down the slippery slope towards extinction by the end of this century  unless we act now."

Concurrently, the Antarctic fur seal has moved from "least concern" to "endangered" after its population plummeted by more than 50 per cent over 25 years.

open image in gallery Antarctic fur seal populations have dramatically declined ( Kit Kovacs/IUCN )

The number of mature seals has fallen from an estimated 2,187,000 in 1999 to 944,000 in 2025. This decline is attributed to rising ocean temperatures and shrinking sea ice, which are forcing krill  a primary food source  to deeper, colder waters.

In South Georgia, an island situated north of Antarctica in the Atlantic Ocean, krill shortages have severely impacted the survival rates of seal pups in their first year, leading to an ageing breeding population, experts noted.

Elsewhere, the southern elephant seal has also seen its status change from "least concern" to "vulnerable" on the red list, following declines caused by bird flu.

The disease has affected four of the five major subpopulations, resulting in the deaths of over 90 per cent of newborn pups in some colonies and significantly impacting adult females.

This development comes amidst growing concerns that disease-related mortalities among marine animals will increase with global warming, particularly in polar regions where animals have historically had less exposure to pathogens.

open image in gallery Emperor penguin chicks on Rothschild island ( Kit Kovacs/IUCN )

Dr Kit Kovacs, co-chair of the IUCN pinniped specialist group, said: "These assessments sound an alarm for all Antarctic seals, as we are concerned about how environmental changes are affecting all ice-dependent species."

Despite the logistical challenges and high costs, Dr Kovacs stressed that monitoring climate change in Antarctica is "urgently needed".

She urged parties to support the collection of more data on seals at the upcoming Antarctic Treaty consultative meeting in May, where nations will convene to collaborate on research activities across the continent.

Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN director general, said: "These important findings should spur us into action across all sectors and levels of society to decisively address climate change. As countries prepare to gather at the Antarctic treaty consultative meeting in May, these assessments provide essential data to inform decisions regarding this majestic continent and its awe-inspiring wildlife."

WWF, which has supported research efforts to monitor these species, is advocating for emperor penguins to be designated as a "specially protected species" under the Antarctic Treaty.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

A man who stole a handbag containing a Faberge egg and watch set valued at 2.2m has been sent to prison for more than two years.

Enzo Conticello, 29, took the handbag belonging to Rosie Dawson as she stood in the smoking area of the Dog and Duck pub in Soho on 7 November 2024.

Inside the 1,600 Givenchy bag was an emerald-encrusted Faberge egg and Faberge watch, which belonged to Ms Dawsons employers at the Craft Irish Whiskey Company.

There was also a 1,500 Apple laptop, Apple AirPods, a 350 store voucher, keys, Ms Dawsons three bank cards, 200 worth of makeup, a Mulberry card holder worth 150, and 20 in cash inside the bag.

On Thursday, Southwark Crown Court heard that Conticello was after easy money, and he said he handed over the bag  complete with the Faberge egg and watch  to buy drugs.

Recorder Kate Livesey sentenced him to two years and three months in prison, telling him the opportunistic theft had caused inconvenience and stress to Ms Dawson and her company.

Ms Dawson described the particular shock and panic upon realising a bag containing items of such particular value owned by the company had been stolen, and the incredible stress this incident has caused her, she said.

open image in gallery Conticello did not realise how valuable the stolen items were, his barrister says ( Metropolitan Police )

At a hearing in February, Conticello  also known as Hakin Boudjenoune  pleaded guilty to three charges of fraud by false representation and one count of theft.

He was linked to the handbag theft after trying to use Ms Dawsons stolen bank cards in a nearby shop within minutes of committing the crime.

Prosecutor Julian Winship told the sentencing hearing: On November 7 2024, at just before 10pm, [Ms Dawson] went to the Dog and Duck pub in Soho.

She was outside the premises in the designated smoking area, she put her handbag on the ground in between her legs, and a few minutes later she noticed her handbag was no longer there.

The court heard Ms Dawson had the Faberge items in her handbag after she had taken them for display at a work event earlier that evening.

Mr Winship said Conticello wanted to obtain some easy cash, and prosecutors accept he did not intend to steal the Faberge egg and accompanying watch.

open image in gallery The emerald-encrusted Faberge egg stolen from Rosie Dawson ( Metropolitan Police )

Insurers have paid out 106,700 to the drinks company for the loss, but the prosecutor said there are only seven Faberge sets  containing a jewelled egg, watch, cigars and humidor  in existence.

Three had been sold for between $2m and $3m, and the company was seeking similar amounts for the remaining four sets.

Conticellos barrister, Katie Porter-Windley, told the court he previously worked as a chef but lost his job in the Covid pandemic and slipped into cocaine addiction.

On the night in question, it was a moment of opportunity which he took, and he is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour, she said.

He gave the bag to someone to purchase drugs. He had a cocaine addiction at the time.

Within minutes of her handbag being stolen, Ms Dawson received a fraud alert on her phone at 10.12pm, showing Conticello had tried to use one of her bank cards for a 33.48 purchase at a shop in nearby Berwick Street.

Two further attempts were made to use her cards, at 11.30pm and 12.30am, but they had already been cancelled by the banks.

open image in gallery The egg and watch have not been found ( Metropolitan Police )

Early on Friday morning, the complainant received a message on social media from someone who had found her bank card on the ground between Soho and Charing Cross, Mr Winship said.

Conticello was arrested for separate theft offences in Belfast in November 2025, more than a year after the handbag theft, and was then linked to the 2024 crime.

The court heard the Faberge egg and watch have not been recovered, and Mr Winship said efforts to seek confiscation or compensation from Conticello will not be pursued.

It appears to me unlikely that the defendant is a person of means able to satisfy either of these particular prosecutorial routes available to us, said Mr Winship.

Ms Porter-Windley told the court that Conticello did not realise how valuable the items he had stolen were.

When the judge remarked the egg is quite extraordinary looking, with an emerald forming part of its exterior, the defence barrister replied: It is so extraordinary that he wouldnt know on the face of it whether that was high value or not.

She said Conticello was homeless at the time, and he is currently a man of no means.

The judge said Conticello, of no fixed address, would ordinarily have been ordered to pay 3,000 in compensation to Ms Dawson, but she would not make the order as he has no way of paying it.

He is set to serve up to half the prison term before being released on licence.
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

Victims and bereaved families will now be granted a substantial six months to challenge sentences they believe are unduly lenient, a significant extension from the previous 28-day limit.

The Ministry of Justice announced the reform, acknowledging the prior timeframe was insufficient for families navigating the complexities of the justice system.

These changes to the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme are designed to allow ample time for requests to the Attorney General and Solicitor General, potentially leading to Court of Appeal referrals.

Other members of the public, however, will retain the original 28-day window for such cases.

Victims Commissioner Claire Waxman welcomed the development, describing the change as long overdue.

She said: I am delighted that, after years of campaigning led by Tracey Hanson following the tragic death of her son Josh, and supported by bereaved families, the Government has finally listened.

The reforms aim to provide ample opportunity for requests to the Attorney General and Solicitor General for a referral to the Court of Appeal. ( Getty/iStock )

I have long supported and worked closely with Tracey on her campaign since 2019, following the appalling injustice she experienced, and I hope this marks an important step towards greater parity between victims and offenders.

I pay tribute to Traceys determination in securing these changes to honour Josh. This is a testament to her campaign, and to the many families who stood alongside her to ensure their voices were heard.

Justice Secretary David Lammy said victims and their families need time to breathe and get advice after a sentence is handed down.

This change means theyll have more time to do this  and most importantly, get the justice they deserve, he added.

The Conservatives claimed the Governments move represented a U-turn.

Shadow justice minister Dr Kieran Mullan said: After months and months of voting down sensible proposals for reform this is a step forward and reflects the strength of feeling from victims, families and campaigners who have been calling for change.

Extending the time limit to six months is a good step and should help more people access the scheme. Too often, victims simply do not know the scheme exists or are given too little time to act.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

A 21-year-old who was stabbed to death in a London park can never be replaced, his grieving father says.

Finbar Sullivan was stabbed in a fight at the view point on Primrose Hill on Tuesday. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

open image in gallery Finbar Sullivan, 21, died at the scene of a fight on Primrose Hill despite extensive resuscitation efforts ( Metropolitan Police )

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Christopher Sullivan said that his son wanted to become a cinematographer like his New Zealand grandfather, Michael Seresin, who shot Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and numerous Alan Parker films.

The filmmaking student had gone to the park to use a new camera he had got for his birthday.

This is the worst tragedy I could ever imagine, his father, 65, told the newspaper on Thursday.

Hes my only son I had him when I was 45. He can never be replaced.

Hed just bought a new camera, we all chipped in for his 21st birthday, and he took it up there to do a bit of filming.

open image in gallery The crime scene has been cordoned off and police warn the area will be restricted as the investigation proceeds ( Aaron Chown/PA )

Mr Sullivan, a musician and founder of 1980s band Blue Rondo a la Turk, added: Im so broken-hearted, I cant believe it.

He was the most beautiful, lovely, outgoing, loving boy. He was just a really lovely person.

And why he was targeted, we have no idea.

Mr Sullivan said he rushed to Primrose Hill as soon as he was informed of the incident, video footage of which police said was circulating online on Wednesday.

I got the call at about six that hed been stabbed, so I rushed up there, Mr Sullivan told the Daily Mail.

I wasnt allowed in because it was a crime scene, and by that point hed had 20 minutes of CPR. Hed obviously died.

Its Primrose Hill, for Gods sake Its like Hyde Park. Its not somewhere you expect this.

Finbar Sullivan was a student at the London Screen Academy and produced music videos for drill rap artists under the name Sully Shot It, the Daily Mail reported.

Despite the drill scenes association with gang violence, Mr Sullivan denied his son was involved in it.

All I can tell you is he was the subject of an indiscriminate stabbing. He was not a gang member, said Mr Sullivan.

He was just a little groovy 21-year-old who loved movies and making films. He didnt drink, he didnt smoke, he didnt go out.

Hed stay at home editing his films six nights a week. He wanted to follow in his [grandfathers footsteps] and be a cameraman.

He recently did a video for Joseph Corre, Vivienne Westwoods son.

We were just about to start a company together He was going to do his showreel today with me. And now hes dead.

Mr Sullivan added: His friend was stabbed in the back and hands trying to protect him.

My son always tried to stand up for people, so maybe the attacker was bullying someone.

The Metropolitan Police have urged anyone who has any information, including photos or videos, to get in touch.

Contact police on 101, quoting reference CAD 6448/07Apr. An anonymous report can be made via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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

Four people have died off the coast of France after attempting to cross the Channel on a small boat, French local authorities have said.

At least 42 others were rescued in the incident off the coast of Boulogne, between Equihen-Plage and Hardelot-Plage. Two men and two women, who were swept away by strong currents as they tried to board a dinghy, died, a French government official said.

Officials in Calais said the dinghy was a taxi-boat, a type of small boat used along the northern French and Belgian coastlines to pick up migrants from just offshore.

It comes amid a row between the UK and France over who should intercept small boats as talks on a new deal to tackle the ongoing crossings drag on.

Francois-Xavier Lauch, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, told reporters on Thursday: We sadly have to report four deaths this morning. The people who died were attempting to board a taxi-boat.

I have to commend the actions of our officers and firefighters who, as you know, are deployed every day to stop these crossings.

Mr Lauch said emergency services rescued at least 42 people during the course of the incident. Speaking of the four people who died, he said: They were already quite far into the sea. The currents, which can be dangerous here, swept them away.

This provisional toll  and I insist that it is provisional  states four deceased: two men, two women.

open image in gallery Emergency services in Equihen-Plage as they treat the rescued migrants ( AFP/Getty )

One person also suffered hypothermia, and another 37 other people are currently being treated by emergency services. Two children were among those taken to hospital as a precaution afterwards.

A number of other small boats are currently at sea and being monitored by French authorities, including a military helicopter, Mr Lauch added.

About 2,200 migrants crossed the Channel, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, to Britain in the first two months of 2026. Around 41,500 people made the crossing in 2025, according to the University of Oxfords Migration Observatory.

The deaths come as the UK and France continue negotiations over a renewed multimillion-pound deal to fund French police action against small boat migrants.

The French government has rejected a proposal from home secretary Shabana Mahmood to deploy British Border Force vessels to intercept small boats in French waters and return migrants to France.

French negotiators have rebuffed the plan because it would mean British government vessels entering French waters.

open image in gallery At least 42 others were rescued in the incident off the coast of Boulogne ( AFP/Getty )

The Independent revealed last month that the number of migrants who died while attempting to cross the Channel spiked after the last major UK-France deal was signed.

Seventeen people died or went missing in six fatal incidents in the final four months of 2023  shortly after then-prime minister Rishi Sunak agreed a 460m pact with French president Emmanuel Macron to stop small boat migration.

The following year, 83 people were recorded dead or missing in 22 incidents  the deadliest year on record, figures compiled by Centre for Sociodigital Futures at the University of Bristol and Swiss research agency Border Forensics show. Another 29 died or went missing in 20 fatal incidents in 2025, researchers say.

The figures, from 2019 to 2025, suggest that more people making journeys on small boats across the Channel does not lead to more deaths.

The deaths that have occurred since 2023 have happened close to French shores and often just off the beaches.

open image in gallery A vessel from the Maritime Affairs Department sailing off the coast of France ( AFP/Getty )

Responding to the news of four deaths in the Channel on Thursday, Imran Hussain, director of external affairs at charity Refugee Council, said: A lack of safe routes to the UK has left people feeling they have no other choice to rebuild their lives: the government has even shut down family reunion for refugees, which overwhelmingly supported women and children.

Policing the Channel alone is not enough to prevent dangerous crossings. The government should work closely with our European neighbours to share responsibility and create safer pathways for people to come to the UK without taking dangerous journeys.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused Labour of being "weak" in its approach.

He said: "Stopping the crossings requires more than disruption on the beaches.

"It requires the swift removal of those who enter illegally so the incentive to make these dangerous journeys disappears."

A UK government spokesperson said: We are deeply saddened to hear about the deaths in French waters today.

Every death in the Channel is a tragedy and a stark reminder of the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people for profit. We will continue working relentlessly with the French and our partners overseas to prevent these perilous journeys.

The French authorities are leading the response to this incident and we are supporting their investigation."
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

A teacher was dismissed from his post after it emerged that he was secretly running a chess club while signed off work on sick leave.

Ferris Lindsay had been absent for several months due to an autoimmune disease, yet was found to be operating the club in secret.

His actions were deemed a breach of company policy, leading to his termination for gross misconduct.

It was also revealed that Mr Lindsay was managing a 'conversational club', conducting English tutoring sessions for children, and working as an internal quality assessor.

Despite receiving a warning about violating company rules, he continued his activities.

He later sued for unfair and wrongful dismissal at the East London Employment Tribunal but lost his case.

Mr Lindsay was employed by the London Borough of Newham from September 2011 until he was sacked in February 2024.

He worked for the council authority as an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) tutor.

open image in gallery Mr Lindsays doctor issued him with a fit note ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

Mr Lindsay was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease, in the summer of 2023, but he had been experiencing double vision for some months beforehand.

He was certified by his GP as unfit to work on and off from April 2023.

It was proposed that he started a phased return to work in June 2023, but a couple of days after the proposal, he told the council that he was no longer fit to work.

In September that year, the council found out through blog posts by Mr Lindsay that he had been working for a number of different employers, and also in a self-employed capacity, during his sick leave.

An investigation was launched.

The tribunal heard: "[Mr Lindsay] was interviewed by Alice McFarlane as part of her investigations on 9 November 2023.

"During that interview, [Mr Lindsay] confirmed that whilst signed off as unfit to work, he had undertaken work in four other roles: As an internal quality assessor; Running a chess club for primary school children; Teaching English to a group of teenagers via Zoom; and Running a conversational club on Saturdays."

"[Mr Lindsay] stated that he was able to undertake these roles as they were less demanding than his job with the [council]."

What is myasthenia gravis? Myasthenia gravis, a rare and chronic condition, manifests as debilitating muscle weakness. While it can impact muscles across the entire body, it commonly impacts the eyes, eyelids, facial expressions, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. The condition can affect people of any age, though it typically emerges in women under 40 and men over 60. The autoimmune disorder occurs when the body's immune system  its natural defence against infection  mistakenly targets and attacks healthy tissues. While the trigger remains unclear, a link has been identified with the thymus gland, an integral part of the immune system located in the chest. Many patients present with an enlarged thymus, and approximately one in 10 develop an abnormal growth within the gland, known as a thymoma. - NHS

Ms McFarlane said: "He was advised after his initial phased return to work that working for another organisation whilst on sick leave was a breach of the code of conduct. He continued to undertake his employment in the other roles after this."

Mr Lindsay was sacked for gross misconduct, and despite appealing, he was unsuccessful.

Employment Judge Stephen Povey ruled that he was not unfairly or wrongly dismissed.

He said: "Mr Lindsay worked whilst signed off sick. It was worth remembering that he was the one who went to his GP, received a fit note and submitted that fit note to his employer.

"It was Mr Lindsay who was telling his employer in various emails that he was not fit for work. At the same time, he was undertaking work of a similar nature for others.

"In addition, the [council's] Code of Conduct was clear  employees were not permitted to work whilst off sick. Not only was it clear, it was also reasonable.

"If an employee was deemed unfit to work for the [council], it was unreasonable for them to engage in work for others at the same time.

"Not only might that impair their recovery, there was a far more fundamental issue at large  he had represented to the [council] that he was unfit for work and then proceeded to work for others.

"There was an inherent issue of trust engaged. Employers are entitled to trust their employees that when they say that they are too ill to work, they mean it and that they will not thereafter work for others."
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

As people across the world celebrated the news of the US and Irans ceasefire, Sara Roddis was devastated to learn that her family in Lebanon would still have no rest from Israels bombardment.

For the past month, Ms Roddis, from Coventry, has been ill with stress. Most of her immediate family is in the south of Lebanon, which has been regularly targeted by Israel.

Since hostilities broke out between Israel and Lebanon last month, she has been absolutely terrified that one of her loved ones will die. I cry every day, she told The Independent.

Donald Trump announced late on Tuesday that the US and Iran had agreed to a two-week ceasefire. But while Israel suspended attacks on Iran, it launched its largest strikes yet in Lebanon on Wednesday, which has caused hundreds of casualties, according to its health minister.

Benjamin Netanyahu has said the ceasefire would not include the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

open image in gallery Israel launched its largest attacks on Lebanon on Wednesday ( AP )

Although saddened, Ms Roddis said she was not surprised. There's just no mercy, there's no looking at civilians as civilians, there's no regard for international law, there's no morals. That's just how it feels, she said.

Hezbollah is an Iranian-backed militant group as well as a political party with lawmakers in the Lebanese government. It was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK in 2019 over its attempts to destabilise activities in the Middle East.

In response to Israels invasion of Lebanon in 1982, the group formed as a guerrilla force fighting against Israels history of military incursions and invasions. Hezbollah is believed to have played a significant role in Israels decision to end its 18-year-long occupation in 2000.

In 2006, the group ambushed Israeli soldiers on the border, which sparked the month-long Lebanon war that caused mass displacement and widespread destruction. Hostilities further escalated in October 2023, when Hezbollah launched missile attacks against Israel in support of Hamas in Gaza.

In retaliation for the US and Israels invasion of Iran and the killing of supreme leader Ali Khamenei on 28 February, Hezbollah launched rocket strikes against Israel on 2 March.

Since then, Israel has carried out heavy airstrikes on Lebanon, killing more than 1,500 people, including 130 children, while more than 1 million have been forced to flee their homes.

When you read a news report, it's very sanitised an attack happened here, in this area, this many people were killed, this many people were injured, she said.

But knowing what those streets look like, what those shops look like, who works there, what the children look like when they go to that school, knowing what that neighbourhood looks like, and then knowing what it looks like in the aftermath, and knowing who has been affected, it's heart-wrenching.

open image in gallery Sara Roddis has been sending money to her family ( Sara Roddis )

Her family lost their home and shop in the southern city of Tyre after an attack in 2024. With nowhere else to go, around 20 of her family members now share two rooms in student accommodation.

Although she regularly sends money to her family, she feels completely helpless.

Not many people can relate to the sheer horror and terror of having to constantly scan the news for reports of attacks that might have targeted your family, she said.

I follow a lot of Israeli politics. I want to know from the horse's mouth what they are saying, she said. I have to tell my family, You do know they are saying they're going to occupy permanently.

Theyve threatened to turn Beirut into Khan Younis, she said. We've seen it play out in Gaza.

The Israel Defence Forces said it was operating in Lebanon as part of the operation against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation which chose to launch attacks against the State of Israel on behalf of the Iranian regime.

Unlike Hezbollah, which operates from within civilian populations and exploits civilian infrastructure to conceal weapons and conduct terrorist activities, the IDF acts to protect the residents of Israel and minimise harm to civilians. Hezbollah continues to use civilians as human shields, deliberately endangering the lives of Lebanese residents and undermining regional stability.

open image in gallery Hayfaa Jawhar has been in the UK for 20 years ( Hayfaa Jawhar )

Lebanese expat Hayfaa Jawhar, whose mother and sister live near the Beirut suburbs, said it was disappointing that Lebanon was excluded from the ceasefire.

Ms Jawhar, who has been in the UK for 20 years, has been living in total fear since Israel began striking areas close to where her family lives. She is constantly checking reports and calling her family to make sure they are still alive.

Her 63-year-old mother had to leave her house because of the power of the rockets, the sounds, the voices, the fear of a missile hitting the wrong target.

Ms Jawhar, who lived in Lebanon in 2006, said: I've experienced firsthand what it is to live in the middle of rocks. The sounds alone are horrifying.

open image in gallery Displaced people wait to receive donated food after fleeing Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon ( AP )

She said Lebanese people were distraught, but not surprised, to learn there would be no solution on Tuesday. Lebanon was not really discussed that much, it was not on the negotiation table, she added.

We expect that things are going to remain as they are - assassinations, sudden threats, sudden bombing. It doesn't seem like anything is going to change. It's so disappointing.

Lebanese people, even people from the South, people who have to flee their villages every two months or three months, they're tired.

They are sick of the situation; they want a solution. They want to live peacefully. They want to go to their homes. They want to feel safe.
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

More than 250 poodle-cross dogs were rescued from a single property in what animal welfare experts called a shocking example of a growing problem.

The RSPCA posted pictures of the dogs, which were discovered crammed into a single living room space, to social media, but were met with accusations of using artificial intelligence (AI) by aghast viewers.

But the images are real, and rescuers said they showed the staggering reality of what can happen when overbreeding causes owners to become overwhelmed and allow living conditions to spiral.

open image in gallery The dogs were discovered crammed into a single living room ( RSPCA )

This shocking image is the reality of many multi-animal cases, and the situation our frontline officers seem to be confronting more and more  with reports of cases involving 10, 20 and even 100 animals on the rise, RSPCA Superintendent Jo Hirst said.

We understand that people are so aghast they don't believe what they are seeing. But this photo is not AI  its real.

Of the 250 dogs found during the rescue, for which a location was not given, the RSPCA took in 87, and the rest went to the Dogs Trust rehoming centre.

It comes as the animal welfare charity has seen a 70 per cent rise in multi-animal incidents involving 20 or more animals across England and Wales since 2021.

Last year, it responded to 4,200 incidents, which involved at least 10 animals found living at the same address across England and Wales.

open image in gallery Stevie and Sandy were among the hundreds of dogs rescued from the property ( RSPCA )

The RSPCA said cases of large numbers of animals being kept at one address can be linked to mental health struggles, the cost of living crisis, or breeders operating with poor practices. It said they often begin with well-intentioned owners who lose control of a situation.

It added that a rise in cruelty and neglect cases has caused a six-year high of animals in its care, with almost half in emergency boarding because many of its centres are full to bursting point.

Ms Hirst urged people to consider adopting a pet in a bid to free up space in the RSPCAs crowded centres and support the charity to respond to more multi-animal incidents.

"We urgently need to find suitable homes for countless animals in our care, she said. Adopting from one of our centres or branches can be so rewarding  and wed urge anyone in a position to add a rescue pet to their family to check out our dedicated Find a Pet web pages."
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

Fish and chip lovers have been urged to stop eating UK-caught cod, as conservationists warn of a worrying population decline.

The Marine Conservation Society downgraded all cod caught in British waters to the worst possible rating on Thursday, stating that the population was at dangerously low levels and there was no plan in place to help it recover.

In the organisations Good Fish Guide, which informs people how their seafood choices are impacting the environment, consumers have been told to opt for European hake or haddock instead.

Cod is one of the most popular seafood items in the country and is the fish most often served in British fish and chip shops, with the UK consuming more of the product than any other country.

open image in gallery The UK consumes more cod than any other country ( Getty Images )

The majority of MSC-certified cod consumed in the UK is Atlantic cod, which made up 83 per cent of all MSC cod sales in 2022-2023. Iceland, the Northeast Arctic and Norway have thriving stocks which are currently fished at sustainable levels, the MSC said.

Cod populations have been in a decline since 2015, largely due to overfishing, but also worsened by rising sea temperatures.

In December, food security minister Angela Eagle announced the government was slashing cod fishing quotas by 44 per cent.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, a Denmark-based fishery advisory body, recently warned the UK that the cod population in almost all of Britains waters are so depleted that none should be caught next year for the species to recover.

open image in gallery One fish and chip shop owner has said the rising price of could could cause the closure of chippies in the UK ( Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

It advised fishermen to avoid catching fish in the English Channel, the North Sea up to Norway and the west of Scotland. The group has also previously advised against cod fishing in the Irish and Celtic seas.

Last month, an award-winning fish and chip shop owner warned that chippies would soon close if customers didnt start to eat alternatives to cod.

Andrew Arnold, who runs Railway Street Fisheries in Pocklington, near York, said the price of the fish had become too expensive, with a 45lb (20kg) box of cod costing 110 in December 2024 now priced at 330.

Mr Arnold believes peoples mindset is going to have to change and suggests customers order cheaper varieties, such as Norwegian pollock, which he insists tastes just as good.

"The traditional fish and chip shop is going to go, if we don't diversify and do different things," he told the BBC.
Sign up to our free Brexit newsletter for our analysis of the continuing impact of Brexit on the UK Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Sign up to our free newsletter for the latest analysis on Brexit's impact Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Sir Keir Starmer has hit out at Donald Trump's threats to wipe out a whole civilisation in the Iran war. The British prime minister questioned Mr Trumps values ahead of a state visit to the US by King Charles later this month and at a delicate time in the war, as doubts grow over whether the fragile ceasefire will hold.

Speaking to ITVs Robert Peston, Sir Keir said: Let me be really clear about this: they are not words I would use, ever use, because I come at this with our British values and principles.

He added: It is very important that Im clear that for the United Kingdom, we have our principles, we have our values. We will be guided by them in everything that we do. Thats why Ive said [it], and obviously its caused a degree of criticism and pressure in the last few weeks.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer meets members of the armed forces at Taif Airbase, Saudi Arabia, during his two-day visit to the Gulf region ( PA )

The US president has previously spoken proudly of his British connections through his Scottish mother, and his own love for the royal family, so the prime ministers criticism appeared to be a carefully worded, diplomatic way of attacking Mr Trump.

With King Charles and Queen Camilla set to visit in the White House at the end of April, Mr Trump will be hoping to celebrate the occasion and his own links to British values.

But it comes at a time when the president has repeatedly attacked Sir Keir for failing to take part in the war against Iran alongside the US and Israel.

He has said the prime minister was no Winston Churchill and likened him to the appeaser Neville Chamberlain.

Sir Keir also called on the Iranians to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is still closed to international shipping, but also demanded that Israel stopped bombing Lebanon, an action which appears to be putting the ceasefire at risk.

In a message to Israel, he said: That shouldnt be happening. That should stop. Thats my strong view. And therefore the question isnt a technical one of whether its a breach of the agreement or not.

The one is actually a matter of principles as far as Im concerned. And in a sense my argument would be it should be included in the ceasefire, and thats the important part, the overall approach.

open image in gallery The prime minister appeared to make a veiled dig at US president Donald Trump ( AP )

But he also admitted that he, along with other allies, are not clear about the details of the ceasefire deal between Iran and the US, after Mr Trump withheld them following his claims that Nato has let him down over its failure to help the US reopen the strait.

We havent all got access to all the details of the ceasefire, the PM said.

Sir Keir has been in the Middle East on a two-day trip meeting allies in the Gulf States and visiting British military personnel involved in collective defensive actions in the region.

Sir Keir told ITVs Talking Politics podcast: Theres a relief that there is a ceasefire, I think a sense from them that its fragile, that theres a lot of work to do on the ceasefire, and so, there is a sense of relief.

I think thats probably shared, or my sense, shared across the United Kingdom, where people have been very concerned of what theyve seen on their television screens, very worried about the impact it might have on them.

The prime minister said he had discussed defence capabilities with the leaders he had met in the region.

He added: The final emotion, if you like, is that they were pleased to see a friend, because these are longstanding allies that we have in the Gulf region. [Its] very important at a time like this for us to be here, to show that we stand with our allies.

Weve obviously been involved in quite intense collective self-defence with our service personnel here over the last six to seven weeks, and the expression was basically one of, its good to have a friend here that we can discuss these issues with at a time like this.
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 government is facing increasing calls to release its long-overdue defence investment plan amid rising global tensions following the US-Iran ceasefire.

Kemi Badenoch has urged for the spending document to be unveiled next week, while Labour MP Tan Dhesi, who chairs the Commons Defence Committee, warned that its continued absence risks diminishing Britains standing within Nato.

Ministers had initially pledged to complete the plan last year.

However, they have since refrained from providing a publication date, with reports suggesting an ongoing disagreement between the Ministry of Defence and the Treasury.

The Tory leader criticised Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, stating he is "all mouth, no trousers when it comes to defence," as she reiterated her demand for the plan to be published once Parliament reconvenes from recess next week.

Keir Starmer talks about wanting to spend 3% of GDP on defence. Last year his government published a Strategic Defence Review explaining why we need it, she said.

But here we are nine months later, and we still havent seen the accompanying defence investment plan. It was promised last autumn, its now April. This is a national scandal.

Defence Secretary John Healey last month denied that the Treasury was holding up the publication of the plan, and rejected suggestions there had been requests to scale it back.

open image in gallery Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said the failure to publish the defence investment plan was a national scandal ( PA Wire )

But Mrs Badenoch, who on Saturday will give a speech at the London Defence Conference, said the plan had failed to materialise because the government have no idea how they are going to pay for it.

Meanwhile, Mr Dhesi said the UKs inability to deploy a single ship swiftly after the outbreak of war in the Middle East had left many embarrassed.

The Defence Committee has repeatedly raised concerns around the UKs lack of mass and capabilities, and the urgent need for investment in UK defence, he said.

While the strategic defence review set out the long-term strategic vision for our military, the defence investment plan was meant to provide the details, and its publication has been delayed several months.

The lack of a public plan now runs the risk of undermining the UKs ability to play a full and leading role in Nato.

The Tories have said they would reinstate the two-child benefit cap to better fund defence.

Real-terms defence spending fluctuated under the successive Conservative governments between 2010 and 2024, falling by 22% by 2016/17, after which it steadily rose and has recently returned to 2010 levels.

Sir Keirs Labour government has pledged to spend 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on core defence by 2027, rising to 3% in the next parliament.

open image in gallery Tan Dhesi said the UKs inability to deploy a single ship swiftly after the outbreak of war in the Middle East had left many embarrassed ( House of Commons )

Defence minister Luke Pollard accused the Tories of having hollowed out the armed forces and leaving our brave servicemen and women exposed.

If Badenoch was prime minister, Britain would be at war in Iran without a plan  she is completely out of her depth, he said.

Badenoch should start with an apology for the mess they left behind, instead of taking pot shots.

Pushing kids into poverty isnt how we make our defence stronger.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is delivering the biggest sustained uplift in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, with every pound of our defence uplift delivering for British workers, British businesses and Britains national security.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on a visit to the Gulf to push for a long-term resolution to the Middle East war.

It comes after Iran and the US agreed to a two-week ceasefire on the condition that Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route which has been blocked during the conflict.
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 UK is set to dramatically increase aid to a number of British Overseas Territories at the same time as making major cuts to some of the worlds poorest nations, a new analysis has found.

Last month, the government revealed sweeping cuts in aid spending that hit African countries particularly hard , following Keir Starmers announcement in 2025 that the UK would cut its aid budget from 0.5 to 0.3 per cent of Gross National income (GNI) by 2028 in order to boost defence spending.

At the same time, British Overseas Territories - remnants of the British Empire, which are in effect a handful of tiny islands around the world - are set to see funding they receive increase by a massive 41 per cent, new analysis from the Center for Global Development (CGD) think tank has found.

The three territories, Montserrat, Saint Helena and Pitcairn - which collectively have a population of 8,459 - are set to receive overseas aid funding worth 130 million in the 2026/7 financial year, compared to overseas aid spending of 92m in 2024/5, and an average of 65m per year over the period 2020 to 2024.

The historic commercial core of Jamestown, the capital of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena population 4,439 ( AFP/Getty )

Meanwhile, the African continent - with a population of more than 1.5 billion - is set to see its UK bilateral aid decline by around 50 per cent between 2024/5 and 2026/7, from 1.6bn to 0.8bn.

The FCDO is still choosing to double support to its overseas territories while slashing funds for some of the worlds poorest countries, and that is the bit that really jars, Euan Ritchie, one of the authors of the CGD analysis, told The Independent.

These are small, relatively wealthy places, yet they are getting around 130 million, about twice what they were getting over the past few years, he added. That's more than what the FCDO are allocating to Sudan, a country facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, and with a population more than 5000 times bigger."

British Overseas Territories include numerous islands across the Pacific, Atlantic, and Caribbean, with most - including the Cayman Islands and Bermuda - classified as wealthy countries.

Only two of the territories, Montserrat and Saint Helena , technically remain overseas aid-eligible according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), while the tiny Pacific island of Pitcairn also receives UK aid, according to CGD, despite it technically not being assessed as overseas aid-eligible. CGD also points out that Montserrat is set to graduate from OECD overseas aid eligibility in 2026, by qualifying as a high income country for three consecutive years.

The amount of aid to the overseas territories has always been disproportionate relative to their wealth and population, but in the past it was a relatively minor concern: reallocating the 60-80 million or so would not have made a huge difference to the budgets of other countries, CGD wrote in a blog post.

But after years of steep cuts to other programmes, this is no longer a trivial allocation decision. The UK should find another budget to fulfil its commitments to these territories, rather than taking even more out of an already decimated aid budget.

In response to this article, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: The UK has had a long-standing commitment under successive governments to meet the reasonable needs of non-financially self-sufficient Overseas Territories (OTs).

Many are small communities, living on islands that are difficult to access, who are not eligible for support from other aid donors. That assistance reflects both our close historic ties with the OT communities, and our international and constitutional obligations.
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

Yvette Cooper has admitted a lot of work needs to be done to successfully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as she insisted Iran should not be allowed to introduce tolls on the key shipping route.

The foreign secretary warned no country should be able to hijack international shipping routes such as the Strait, as she urged the US and Iran to take negotiations forward amid an increasingly fragile ceasefire.

Ms Cooper said the governments priority is to ensure fighting between Tehran and Washington does not resume, and that it crucially wants the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened.

However, when asked on Thursday if shes confident this would be possible, she said: Theres a lot of work that needs to be done and we need the negotiations to be taken forward.

She said she will meet with the International Maritime Organisation later on Thursday about their proposal to get some of the first ships moving, but added Iran should not be allowed to apply tolls in the strait.

It is crucial that Iran is not allowed to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz, she said.

This is an international transit route through the high seas, so it cannot be allowed to apply tolls and restrictions to that route as it reopens.

open image in gallery Yvette Cooper says the governments priority is to ensure fighting between Tehran and Washington does not resume ( Sky News )

Iran has effectively blockaded the strait, through which around 20 per cent of the worlds gas and oil is shipped, in retaliation to US attacks on Tehran, sending energy prices soaring across the globe.

The route was formally treated as an international waterway before the conflict began in February, but Iran has now said it wants to charge fees for ships to pass through.

Ms Cooper told the BBC she had been in contact with Gulf partners who have been very clear about the damage that tolls would do with international shipping, and said they had said the idea was a hard no.

Sir Keir Starmer arrived in the UAE on Thursday as he continues his trip to Gulf countries amid concerns the conditional two-week ceasefire agreement is under strain.

open image in gallery The foreign secratary also criticised Trumps escalatory rhetoric, warning it could have escalatory consequences ( AP )

Confusion has ensued after a ceasefire agreement was reached earlier this week that Iran and Pakistan said included Lebanon  but Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the White House said did not.

Hundreds were killed and injured in Israels continuing strikes on Lebanon, according to Lebanons Civil Defence. The Israeli military told The Independent that it had completed the largest strike on the country since the start of the conflict.

Ms Cooper said she is deeply troubled by Israels strikes on Lebanon and urged for the ceasefire agreement to be extended to stop them.

Speaking on Sky News, she said: Im deeply troubled about the escalating attacks that we saw from Israel in Lebanon yesterday.

Weve seen the humanitarian consequences, the huge mass displacement of people in Lebanon.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer is welcomed by Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, chair of the executive affairs authority, as he arrives at Abu Dhabi ( PA Wire )

Ms Cooper also criticised Mr Trumps escalatory rhetoric, which she warned could have escalatory consequences, after the US president threatened to restart attacks against Iran.

He said that all American military personnel would remain stationed around the region until the agreement is fully complied with, and said if it was not, then the Shootin Starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.

Despite Mr Trumps repeated criticism of Sir Keir, Ms Cooper insisted the UK would continue to work closely with the US on a range of issues.

Asked whether there is a good relationship, she told the BBC: I would say this is not just a good relationship, its a really important relationship.

She added: Of course, there are areas of difference, and we have to be confident about the fact that there will always be areas where we disagree, and we can do so at the same time as maintaining important cooperation.
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 army veteran has been accused of sharing classified information about an elite commando unit with a journalist.

The FBI arrested Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina, on Tuesday after she allegedly shared details about a special military unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she worked from 2010 to 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.

Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nations security, Reid Davis, the FBI special agent in charge in North Carolina, said in the release.

Federal prosecutors claim that from 2022 to 2025, Williams shared classified information that a journalist used in an article and a book.

Williams, who is charged with violating a provision of the Espionage Act, appeared Wednesday in Raleigh federal court. She was ordered held by the U.S. Marshals Service pending a preliminary hearing April 13.

open image in gallery A former military special operations employee has been accused of sharing classified information with a reporter, who used it in a book and an article ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The name of the reporter and the military unit are not mentioned in the court documents, but the dates and details line up with an article and book by Seth Harp about the Armys elite Delta Force unit.

Williams was also the subject of a 2025 article published by Politico with the headline: My Life Became a Living Hell: One Womans Career in Delta Force, the Armys Most Elite Unit.

The Politico article was published around the same time that Harps book, The Fort Bragg Cartel, was released. The book profiles Williams and her allegations of harassment and abuse while working at Fort Bragg.

Harp said Williams endured years of vicious harassment of sexual nature while working at Fort Bragg. In a statement to WRAL-TV he called her a brave whistleblower and truth-teller and said she is being unfairly accused.

Former Delta Force operators disclose national defense information on podcasts and YouTube shows every day, but the government is going after Courtney for the sole reason that she exposed sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the unit, Harps statement continued. This is a vindictive act of retaliation, plain and simple.

Seth Stern, the chief of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said the topics unveiled in Harps book are a bigger national security threat than Williams.

Ask anybody who has read The Fort Bragg Cartel which they think is the real threat to national security: Seth Harps sources, or the rampant corruption and criminality they enabled him to document. The administration knows the answer to that question, and thats why it wants to punish whistleblowers and chill investigative reporting by bringing cases like this one, Stern said.

Defending Rights & Dissent policy director Chip Gibbons slammed the Espionage Act for enabling the surveillance of journalists even when they are not the target of a criminal investigation.

The flimsy indictment appears to be based mostly on speculation, further suggesting that this is retaliation against a public critic of the U.S. military and an attempt to surveil a critical reporter, Gibbons said.

open image in gallery Williams is charged with violating a provision of the Espionage Act ( Copyright 2020The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

However, the Justice Department claims that between 2010 to 2016, Williams worked for the special military unit and received training as to the proper handling, safeguarding, and storage of classified information. Around that time, she also signed a nondisclosure agreement, which confirmed her understanding that the unauthorized disclosure of classified information could constitute a criminal offense, officials added.

Federal prosecutors say that between 2022 and 2025, Williams had over 10 hours of phone calls and exchanged more than 180 messages with the journalist, who in one message identified themself as a journalist and said they were seeking information for an upcoming article and book.

After speaking with Williams, the journalist later published an article and a book that named Williams as a source and attributed statements to her. Some of these statements contained classified national defense information, prosecutors claim.

On the day the article and book were published, Williams exchanged messages with the journalist, including one where she said she was concerned about the amount of classified information being disclosed.

In a separate message to a third party, Williams wrote, I might actually get arrestedfor disclosing classified information.

Williams apparently noted the Espionage Act in a later message. When the journalist asked her how she knew she could face legal consequences, Williams replied, I have known my entire career, adding that they tell you everyday100 times a day.

In another message to a third party, Williams stated that she was probably going to jail for life.

The FBI Charlotte Field Office is investigating the case.
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

Bahamian authorities have arrested a Michigan man following the disappearance of his wife at sea over the weekend, the countrys assistant commissioner of police told Reuters on Wednesday, after search and rescue operations for the woman were called off.

Brian Hookers arrest coincides with a U.S. Coast Guard criminal investigation into the case, concerning the disappearance of his 55-year-old wife, Lynette, a U.S. official said.

We took him into custody around 7:30 p.m. this evening in Abaco for additional questioning based on some probable cause we have, Advardo Dames said in a phone interview.

Hes been taken into custody as a suspect. Hes been arrested. Hooker has not yet been charged, and it is unclear whether he has legal representation.

open image in gallery Lynette vanished while travelling from Hope Town to Elbow Cay in the Bahamas ( Google Earth )

Bahamian authorities on Tuesday called off rescue efforts and started recovery operations in the area where Lynette Hooker went missing, a Royal Bahamas Defence Force spokesperson told Reuters.

"The RBDF, along with the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), conducted extensive search efforts between Elbow Cay and mainland Abaco," said the spokesperson for the Bahamian naval military forces.

"The United States Coast Guard also assisted by providing aerial surveillance. Despite these efforts, there were no confirmed sightings."

The spokesperson said only a flotation device was discovered along the shoreline during its search.

Lynette Hooker went missing while traveling at sea with her husband in the Abacos on April 4, police said. Her husband, Brian, told police that they left Hope Town, Abaco, around 7:30 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT) on an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy en route to Elbow Cay, according to police.

According to the police report, Brian Hooker said his wife fell overboard with the boat's keys, causing the vessel's engine to shut off before strong currents carried her away.

The report said her husband lost sight of her before paddling to shore. After arriving on shore, he informed an individual of the incident and the police were alerted, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.
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 marijuana breathalyzer is a step closer to coming to the market after researchers tested the theory using a 3D printer.

There have been 24 states, plus Washington, D.C., that have legalized marijuana, including for recreational use, according to the employee screening firm DISA Global Solutions.

As the drug becomes more popular, authorities need to find better ways to catch drivers using marijuana, as its still against the law to drive under the influence of any drug.

In 2023, it was announced that Emanuele Alves, a professor of forensic science at Virginia Commonwealth University, had set out with a team of researchers to develop a THC breathalyzer that could deliver results within minutes and differentiate between THC and CBD to reduce false positives.

open image in gallery A marijuana breathalyzer is a step closer to coming to the market after one was developed using a 3D printer ( Getty Images )

With this approach, we could reduce the number of accidents caused by impaired drivers, making roads safer for all of us, Alves said at the time. When a device like this is public, drivers know that they can be caught using marijuana, and this could act as a deterrent for people considering using marijuana before getting behind the wheel.

The results of the study were published last month by the Justice Department, which helped to fund the research.

Researchers used 3D-printed test cartridges with Fast Blue dyes to determine if they could detect the chemicals Delta-9 THC, CBD and CBN. All three chemicals are found in marijuana but THC is the main one responsible for causing the high.

open image in gallery Researchers set out to develop a marijuana breathalyzer that could deliver results within minutes and differentiate between THC and CBD to reduce false positives ( Getty Images )

The color analysis showed two primary clusters, one containing CBD and another containing Delta-9 THC and CBN, suggesting early evidence of hue-based selectivity for certain analytes, according to the study. Analytes are substances that are analyzed in a lab test.

Overall, this project established foundational data supporting the feasibility of a portable, low-cost, colorimetric tool for detecting cannabinoids using 3D-printed cartridges and readily accessible reagents, the study read.

While researchers acknowledged more testing is needed, they said the study provides a proof-of-concept framework for future roadside or point-of-collection testing technologies.
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

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is reviewing a plan to transform warehouses across the U.S. into detention facilities for tens of thousands of immigrants.

So far immigration officials have spent a total of $1.074 billion for 11 warehouses. They've mostly faced fierce opposition. And days after Mullin was sworn in, the Department of Homeland Security paused the purchase of new warehouses intended to house immigrants. The department is scrutinizing all contracts signed under his predecessor, Kristi Noem.

A look at some of the locations:

Arizona

Local officials were told nothing before ICE purchased a 418,000-square-foot (38,833-square-meter) warehouse in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise for $70 million, the states top prosecutor, Kris Mayes, said in a letter to former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Documents later provided by ICE said the Department of Homeland Security plans a processing site with an average daily capacity of 1,000 to 1,500, and a contract worth at least $313.4 million was awarded to transform it.

DHS is now planning something more modest, starting out with 250 people per week and capping occupied beds at 542, according to Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartor.

Florida

A TV reporter in Orlando spotted private contractors and federal officials in January touring a 439,945-square-foot (40,872-square-meter) industrial warehouse. ICE senior adviser David Venturella told a WFTV reporter the tour was exploratory.

As of April, the city still hadn't heard anything, a spokesperson said in an email.

Georgia

ICE bought a massive warehouse in Social Circle for $128.6 million. The city said the federal government informed it that the facility is expected to house from 7,500 to 10,000 detainees.

The city is so concerned about the strain on its water supply that it put a lock on the warehouse's water meter. DHS has suggested trucking in drinking water and trucking out waste, according to a letter from Georgia Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, who said the plan was unworkable.

DHS also bought a 540,408-square-foot (50,205-square-meter) warehouse in Oakwood for $68.2 million, a deed shows. City Manager B.R. White said his first inkling that a deal was imminent came when a warehouse supervisor told a city inspector hed been instructed to clear the job site to make way for the new owners  the federal government.

Indiana

After the town of Merrillville raised concerns about ICE touring a new 275,000-square-foot (25,548-square-meter) warehouse, owner Opus Holding LLC sent a letter stating it isn't negotiating with federal officials for the property. The letter said Opus was limited in what it could share because of legal issues.

Maryland

ICE purchased a warehouse about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Baltimore in Washington County for $102.4 million and signed a contract worth at least $113 million to renovate it. But work is on hold after Maryland's attorney general sued.

The warehouse has divided the community. County commissioners passed a resolution in support of ICE during a contentious meeting.

Michigan

After DHS paid $34.7 million for a 250,000-square-foot (23,225-square-meter) warehouse in Romulus, the state and city sued. The suit said the warehouse is in a flood plain, and that the sewage system couldn't keep up if 500 people are detained inside. It also faults DHS for not considering any of the state's empty prison facilities and for not talking to state or city officials.

Minnesota

The owners of warehouses in the Minneapolis suburbs of Woodbury and Shakopee pulled out of possible ICE deals after public outcry, according to local officials.

Mississippi

Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker posted that Noem agreed to look elsewhere after local elected and zoning officials opposed a possible detention center in the town of Byhalia.

Missouri

After weeks of public pressure, development company Platform Ventures announced it would not move forward with the sale of a massive warehouse in Kansas City.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte said in March that DHS would not move forward with a proposed ICE facility in the town of Merrimack.

Ayotte, a Republican, had sparred with federal officials after ICE disclosed plans to spend $158 million to convert a warehouse in the town into a 500-bed processing center.

The issue came to a head after an ICE official testified that DHS has worked with Gov. Ayotte and provided her with an economic impact summary. Ayotte said the summary was not sent until hours after that testimony.

The document erroneously refers to the ripple effects to the Oklahoma economy and revenue generated by state sales and income taxes, neither of which exist in New Hampshire.

New Jersey

After DHS bought a 470,044-square-foot (43,669-square-meter) warehouse in Roxbury for $129.3 million, the township and state sued, alleging that federal officials kept them in the dark.

State and local officials might not have a veto over DHSs decisions, but this utter lack of communication and consultation flies in the face of federal law, the suit said.

New York

ICE said it made a mistake when it announced the purchase of a vacant warehouse in Chester. New York state Assemblyman Brian Maher later said ICE was no longer considering the facility.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt announced in January that property owners had informed him they are no longer engaged with DHS about a potential acquisition or lease of a warehouse.

Pennsylvania

DHS purchased a warehouse in Tremont Township for $119.5 million and one in Upper Bern Township for $87.4 million. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has said his administration will fight DHS' plans. The state's Department of Environmental Protection has barred water and sewage from being supplied to them for now.

Tennessee

ICE mistakenly announced it had completed the purchase of a warehouse in Lebanon, Tennessee.

The sheriff, Robert Bryan, wrote that a facility of the size and scope being discussed  14,000 to 16,000 detainees  would significantly impact local law enforcement resources. And the mayor, Rick Bell, wrote that as a conservative Republican, he supports a secure border but that his town is not the place.

Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn later announced that the deal was dead.

Texas

In the El Paso suburb of Socorro, ICE paid $122.8 million for a trio of warehouses that span 826,780 square feet (76,810 square meters). ICE also paid $66.1 million for a 639,595-square-foot (59,420-square-meter) warehouse in San Antonio. The mayors of both cities are opposed. Socorro officials  like others  have questioned water supplies. As of April, San Antonio still had heard nothing from DHS.

However, another deal in the state was scuttled following community backlash. In the Dallas suburb of Hutchins, a real estate company confirmed that it was contacted about one of its properties but wouldn't sell or lease any buildings to DHS for use as a detention facility. California-based Majestic Realty Co. provided no explanation in its statement.

Utah

DHS bought an 833,280-square-foot (77,414-square-meter) warehouse in Salt Lake City for $145.4 million without notifying the citys Democratic leaders or the states Republican governor or congressional delegation. Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a statement released in March that ICE officials later told her that the facility will house 7,500 to 10,000 people.

The city has moved to cap water use at just a fraction of what would be needed to operate the warehouse as a detention site.

The sale of the warehouse came two months after the owner of another Salt Lake City warehouse announced plans not to sell or lease to the federal government amid protests.

Virginia

Following boycott threats, Jim Pattison Developments announced in January that it would not proceed with a planned sale of a warehouse in the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia. It said it was not aware of the intended use until after it agreed to the sale.

___

Associated Press reporters Holly Ramer, Isabella Volmert and Marc Levy contributed to this report.
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

Thousands of documents from investigations into Jeffrey Epstein have finally been released by President Donald Trumps administration after months of public pressure.

While an initial round of long-awaited documents includes a vast library of salacious images and photographs of high-profile figures, it remains unclear whether they shed any new light on Epsteins crimes and alleged connections to a sex trafficking ring implicating prominent officials accused of exploiting and abusing young girls.

Disclosures related to the Epstein Files Transparency Act include hundreds of undated photographs as well as heavily redacted images and case files, including 119 pages of grand jury testimony that have been totally blacked out.

Photographs submitted by law enforcement investigating Epsteins properties include sex toys and costumes, images of women exposing themselves, folders full of photographs of nearly naked women, and nude paintings and sculptures of womens breasts.

But Department of Justice officials acknowledged they are withholding documents and names of people inside them, and Fridays partial release is likely to continue fueling demands for the so-called Epstein files that the administration has fought for months to suppress.

open image in gallery The Department of Justice released thousands of Epstein files featuring heavy redactions and images of the sex offender and Ghislaine Maxwell with celebrities and young women ( Department of Justice )

Epstein, a wealthy well-connected financier and convicted sex offender, is accused of trafficking women and girls as young as 14 years old. His death in jail awaiting trial on trafficking charges in 2019 was ruled a suicide.

Last month, after growing demands for a full public accounting of Epsteins alleged abuse, the president reluctantly signed legislation compelling the Department of Justice, FBI and U.S. attorneys offices to publish everything in their possession by December 19.

The Justice Department launched a public-facing website Friday afternoon. But officials acknowledged that not all of the materials required under law have been released, and government lawyers are scrambling to make redactions. More than 200 attorneys helped review the documents, deputy attorney general Todd Blanche wrote to members of Congress.

More than 1,200 names were identified as either victims or their relatives, according to Blanche. Those names are being redacted. Protecting victims is of the highest priority for the Trump administration, he wrote.

open image in gallery Epstein is pictured with Michael Jackson in an undated photograph ( Department of Justice )

open image in gallery Another undated image shows Michael Jackson with Diana Ross and former president Bill Clinton ( Department of Justice )

The final stages of review remain ongoing and will be completed within the next two weeks, he said.

Democrats have threatened legal action to force the full and immediate release of the files, which have consumed Trumps second term thus far as he faces renewed scrutiny into his years-long relationship to the sex offender.

Photos with celebrities and Bill Clinton

The latest batch of documents includes intimate photographs of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as photographs with the pair alongside Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson.

Former President Bill Clinton is captured in dozens of images, including in an undated photograph showing him lounging in a hot tub alongside someone whose face has been redacted, images that the White House immediately pounced on.

open image in gallery Several images in the first wave of documents show Clinton with Epstein, Maxwell and a woman whose face is redacted ( Department of Justice )

open image in gallery Clinton also is pictured in a hot tub with Maxwell and a woman whose face is redacted ( Department of Justice )

Clinton is also pictured on a private plane with a woman sitting on his lap. That womans face has also been redacted.

A painted portrait of Clinton in a blue dress, lounging in an armchair, also was photographed hanging in Epsteins New York apartment.

open image in gallery Another undated image shows Clinton with Mick Jagger and a woman whose face is redacted ( Department of Justice )

open image in gallery A satirical portrait of Clinton in a blue dress was hanging in Epsteins New York apartment, according to photos taken by law enforcement ( Department of Justice )

Clinton has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and the mere inclusion of someones name or images in files does not imply otherwise.

They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be, Clintons deputy chief of staff Angel Urena said in a statement.

There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light, he added. The second group continued relationships with him after. We're in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that.

Heavy redactions and failed search functions

Under the recently passed transparency law, the Justice Department was required to publish the documents on a website and make them downloadable and searchable.

But the search function did not turn up any results for Epstein, let along other prominent names that appeared throughout.

The files also include investigative materials and grand jury documents from several cases against Epstein and Maxwell, including what appear to be interviews with victims, though a substantial portion of those documents are redacted.

open image in gallery What appears to be a scrapbook-like card includes cut-up images of Epstein and a person whose face is redacted ( Department of Justice )

open image in gallery The card appears in a scrapbook discovered in 2019 at Epsteins home in Little St. James ( AP )

Those materials include what appear to be evidence folders featuring sex toys, pornography, underwear and rolls of film all collected as evidence by law enforcement in connection with criminal cases against Epstein.

Photographs feature topless and nude women whose faces are blacked out, as well as school portraits.

What appears to be a scrapbook-like anniversary card includes cut-up images of Epstein and a person whose face is redacted, with speech bubbles reading once upon a time... there was a clueless little girl.

Trump makes an appearance

Despite the administrations attempts to distance the president from Epstein, Trump appears in a handful of photographs that have already been made public, including images of the president with his wife Melania alongside Epstein and Maxwell.

In one image, which was taken inside a desk drawer, Trump appeared to be pictured alongside a group of smiling women in a grainy photograph. The women's identities are not redacted.

The White House has previously acknowledged that Trump appears in the documents, and his name appears dozens of times in emails released by members of Congress last month.

The president has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epsteins cases, and Trump has repeatedly claimed he cut ties with Epstein before he was under federal investigation.

open image in gallery Framed photographs of Donald Trump and Melania are included in files released by the Justice Department in connection with investigations into Jeffrey Epstein ( Department of Justice )

White House defends partial release as Democrats demand the truth

Following the release of the documents, the White House claimed the Trump administration has done more for the victims than Democrats ever have.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the partial release, noting that the heavily redacted batch of documents reflects only a fraction of the whole body of evidence.

Senate Democrats are working to assess the documents that have been released to determine what actions must be taken to hold the Trump administration accountable, he said in a statement. We will pursue every option to make sure the truth comes out.

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, among House Democrats who pushed for the release of the full files, suggested that he believes the administration is hiding things.

They have not been transparent, and thats why thats peoples biggest concern on this, that theyre hiding things, he said.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, among a small group of House Republicans who pushed for the release, said the Justice Department has grossly failed to comply with both the spirit and letter of the law Trump signed last month.

Khanna said House Democrats could hold impeachment hearings for Attorney General Pam Bondi and her deputy Todd Blanche if it comes to that.

open image in gallery The files are heavily redacted, including more than 100 pages from a grand jury transcript that are completely blacked out ( REUTERS )

Maria Farmer, the first woman to file a criminal complaint against Epstein, said in a statement that she has waited three decades, over half my life, for this moment.

When I was ignored and hung up on by the FBI in 1996, my world turned upside down and I felt frozen in time, she said. I faced death threats, ridicule and mockery by some of the most powerful people on earth.

She said she is hopeful she can pick up where I left off at age 26.

Farmers name is redacted, but a complaint from 1996 appears in the files released Friday, claiming that Epstein stole nude images of her and her sister, then ages 16 and 12.

The report also claims Epstein had her take pictures of young girls at swimming pools and threatened to burn her house down if she told anyone.

Farmer now hopes the release of the documents is an important step for many of the survivors and to hold the government accountable for their grotesque law enforcement failure, one of the largest in U.S. history.

open image in gallery A complaint submitted to the FBI in 1996, a decade before Epstein faced federal charges, alleges he stole nude images of two young girls and threatened to burn their house down ( Department of Justice )

For more than a decade, Epstein and Maxwell worked together to recruit young girls and entice them to travel to Epsteins properties, according to federal prosecutors.

During a monthlong trial in 2021, survivors testified in Manhattan federal court that Maxwell had groomed them, taken their passports, and sexually abused them. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence for crimes associated with Epsteins decades-long scheme.

Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges of solicitation of prostitution and of solicitation of prostitution with a minor under the age of 18 as part of controversial agreement to avoid a federal case in 2008. He was released after serving less than 13 months in state prison.

A decade later, in 2019, Epstein was found fead in his jail cell in Manhattan while awaiting trial on federal trafficking charges. He was 66 years old.
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

California governor Gavin Newsom has trolled Donald Trump over a report suggesting a European metals company has donated foreign steel for the construction of his White House ballroom.

According to The New York Times, the Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal has donated materials to help with the $400 million project, which would appear to run counter to the presidents past championing of the American steel industry, given that the materials were reportedly produced in Europe.

The president has long spoken up for U.S. steel, part of his broader support for traditional blue-collar industries, imposing tariffs on foreign metal imports last year in the interest of shielding domestic manufacturers from overseas competition.

open image in gallery California Gov. Gavin Newsom has roasted President Donald Trump for accepting foreign steel for his pet project rather than supporting American industry ( Getty )

While the White House imports foreign steel to build Trumps ugly Epstein Ballroom, California is opening its first new steel plant in 50 years, gloated Gov. Newsom via his official press office account, referring to Pacific Steel breaking ground on a new mill in his state this week.

The governor also responded on his personal account, suggesting a new slogan for the administration: Make America Luxembourg Again?

Another pointed criticism was offered by Minnesota state senator Grant Hauschild, who wrote: Foreign steel in the White House? Are you kidding? Weve got Iron Range mines shut down & 100s of United Steelworkers laid off.

Instead, theyre outsourcing one of the most iconic American buildings overseas! American steel built this country, it should build the White House too.

Administration spokesman Davis Ingle responded by saying that Trump is making the White House beautiful and giving it the glory it deserves at no cost to the taxpayer  something everyone should celebrate.

open image in gallery Trump is passionate about his ballroom and is pictured here showing off concept art from architects ( AFP/Getty )

Only people with a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome would find a problem with that.

A White House official told The Independent they could not discuss specific materials being used in the project or their point of origin, citing security concerns.

The Independent has also reached out to ArcelorMittal for further comment.

Trump has stressed that he raised the money for the ballroom from wealthy private donors, corporations and cryptocurrency entrepreneurs so that it would not cost the public.

He previously revealed that the ventilation and heating giant Carrier Global had donated the air conditioning for his pet project, but the source of the steel involved has not been disclosed before.

The president did allude to the donation last October, however, telling a crowd he had been approached by an executive from great steel company.

He said, Sir, Id like to donate the steel for your ballroom, Trump recounted. I said: Whoa, thats nice. And I found out  How much is the steel? I called the contractor. Sir, its down for $37 million. I said, This is a nice donation, right?

open image in gallery The project, which saw the East Wing demolished last year, is currently being held up by a legal challenge ( AP )

The president went on to describe the gift as great steel as opposed to garbage steel, because they dump a lot of garbage around.

You know, steel is like everything else, including human beings. Steel could be high quality, and it can be low quality. He wants to make sure its high quality.

The Times points out that, shortly after Trump made those comments, the White House issued a proclamation ordering Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to cut tariffs in half on aluminium and steel producers operating in Canada and Mexico and supplying the U.S. auto sector.

ArcelorMittal potentially stood to benefit from that decision as it exports automotive steel south from Canada, although a White House official dismissed the link as tenuous.

The official also pointed out that the corporation benefits the U.S. economy directly because it co-owns a facility in Alabama with Nippon Steel as well as an iron mine in Minnesota.
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 growing number of House Democrats have opened the door to impeaching President Donald Trump for his actions in the Iran War. But they face the same problem they did during the two impeachments of Trumps first presidency: math.

On Thursday, a handful of House Democrats came to Washington during a pro forma session  Congress is officially on Easter recess until next week  to try and force a vote on a War Powers Act resolution to rein in Trumps military authority in Iran.

But the House immediately gaveled out within seconds despite objections from Reps. Suhas Subramanyam, Don Beyer and James Walkinshaw of Virginia; Glenn Ivey of Maryland; Emily Randall of Washington; Madeleine Dean and Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania; and Sara Jacobs of California.

We need to end this war with a real, durable diplomatic solution, Jacobs said on the Capitol steps afterward.

And that will only happen if our Republican colleagues get back here, stand up to this president, put a real check on his power, like the Constitution demands us to do.

open image in gallery U.S. Rep Sara Jacobs opened the door to impeachment of President Donald Trump if Democrats win back the House. ( Getty Images for Fair Share Amer )

The comment amplified the fact that Democrats do not control any branch of government  not the House, the Senate or the White House.

Thats why, so far, every War Powers Act resolution has failed.

So bringing forward impeachment right now, while he is guilty of a litany of high crimes and misdemeanors, claimed Dean, I don't think it is a best use of our time. Let us get into the majority, let us get a Senate Majority and then hold this president to account.

Jacobs asked why Republicans are not asked about it.

They should realize that their president is putting us in harm's way, is making us less safe, she said. And they should also be demanding impeachment. They should also be demanding the 25th amendment.

When asked a follow-up about the potential for impeachment, Jacobs cracked the door open.

I personally think that everything should be on the table to get rid of this reckless, lawless, irresponsible president that's hurting Americans, whether that's impeachment or the 25th amendment, Jacobs told The Independent after the press conference.

open image in gallery Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.) served as a manager during Trumps second impeachment. But said right now impeachment is not a best use of our time ( Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Democrats words reveal just how difficult impeaching a president is  by design.

At the moment, Democrats have 214 House seats to the GOPs 217. House Speaker Mike Johnson will swear in Republican Clay Fuller, who won a Georgia special election on Tuesday to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene.

In a few weeks, Democrats will gain another seat when Analilia Mejia likely wins in New Jerseys 11th district, making the tally 218-215. Republicans will also have a special election to replace the late Doug LaMalfa, raising the majority to 219-215. Rep. Kevin Kiley of California recently quit the GOP to become an independent, but caucuses with the Republicans.

That means Democrats need to flip three seats to win the majority of 218.

But a majority in the Senate is tougher. Democrats have 47 seats to Republicans 53. That means they need to flip four seats. Only one Republican represents a state Kamala Harris won in 2024: Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. Otherwise, Democrats need to flip three additional seats in either North Carolina, Alaska, Iowa or Ohio.

But even if Democrats win the Senate majority and get 51 seats, the Constitution requires that two-thirds of the Senate vote to convict a president to remove him from office. That would mean 16 Republican senators would need to cross the aisle.

In 2020, during Trumps first impeachment trial, only one Republican voted to convict Trump: then-Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah. During his second conviction, only five other Republicans joined Romney and Collins to convict Trump: Sens. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.

Of those senators, only three  Collins, Murkowski and Cassidy  remain in office. And while Toomey was replaced by Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, Sasse, Burr and Romney were replaced by more compliant Republicans.

Dean warned Senate Majority Leader John Thune not to make the same mistake as then-Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who faulted Trump for the riot, but voted to acquit him.

You do not want to be in that same place Mr. Thune to wave a flag and allow the president to continue this, she 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

After the United States and Iran declared an eleventh-hour ceasefire, the Trump administration wasted no time in hailing an unprecedented triumph for America.

President Donald Trump, who announced the two-week armistice Tuesday evening, said the U.S. already met and exceeded all Military objectives. A day later, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called it a historic and overwhelming victory.

Yet some Pentagon insiders and diplomats are questioning what precisely has been accomplished by the Trump administrations war. The conflict has killed 13 U.S. service members, and thousands of people in Iran according to state media, all while destabilizing the global economy.

I dont know how the genie goes back in the bottle without the U.S. massively redefining our strategic objectives, a defense official told Politico. I cant imagine what the U.S. could offer or threaten Iran with at this point that generates a satisfying outcome.

Since the war began in late February, U.S. forces have struck over 11,000 targets in Iran, crippling its ballistic missile capabilities and obliterating much of its air defense network.

open image in gallery Some Pentagon insiders and diplomats are questioning what precisely has been accomplished by President Donald Trumps war in Iran ( Getty Images )

But as Trumps negotiating team, led by Vice President JD Vance, begins peace talks with Iran this weekend, the U.S. faces some major hurdles.

Iran retains its hardline regime, now helmed by Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the former supreme leader who was killed in a U.S. air strike. The country still possesses its stockpile of enriched uranium. Whats more, Iran has exercised newfound control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route through which 20 percent of the worlds oil passes.

On Wednesday, Iran unveiled a 10-point framework to end the war, which Trump called a workable basis on which to negotiate. It demands a U.S. nonaggression pledge, Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz and a halt to fighting across the region  including in Lebanon, which Israel has continued bombarding. The White House, however, has said this 10-point plan does not match up with what the president was referencing.

The regional status quo will likely persist, another second defense official said.

POTUS is right that weve largely destroyed the navy, and most, but clearly not all, of their ballistic missile and drone capability, the official told Politico. But that wont actually change anything. Unless of course theres a major uprising inside of Iran  but Im not seeing that happening.

A diplomat from Asia, meanwhile, took issue with Hegseth proclaiming victory while simultaneously threatening further military action should Iran fail to uphold the terms of the ceasefire.

Declaring victory by saying he will attack Iran some more seems like losing, said the unnamed diplomat, noting that, for Iran, not losing isnt the same as winning.

Theres a profound paradox here, a Trump ally close to the White House added. If youre not willing to go to total war, and we clearly are not, then the attacks ultimately enhance the leverage of this awful regime. They know Trump desperately wants out. And theyre going to get their pound of flesh, even though we hammered them with our attacks.

Representative Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, warned that the ceasefire deal has only bought the U.S. a little time.

open image in gallery Since the US and Iran announced a ceasefire, Israel has continued attacking Lebanon, which could prove a sticking point in negotiations. A Lebanese civil defense worker stands near a destroyed building following Israeli strikes ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All right reserved )

As long as this regime exists, theyll be a threat, he said. We are safer today because Iran is significantly weakened. But the government is still in place and that means theyll threaten us in the long term.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told The Independent: The United States Military has met or exceeded all of our objectives for Operation Epic Fury. Irans ballistic missiles are destroyed, their production facilities are demolished, their navy is underwater, their proxies are weakened, and their dreams of possessing a nuclear weapon are gone. Now, the administration is engaging in diplomatic discussions because the President was able to exert maximum leverage over the Iranian regime, and he is optimistic that this will lead to long-term peace in the region.

The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for comment.

If this weekends negotiations, being held in Pakistan, fall through, both sides appear willing to resume the conflict. On Wednesday, Irans Supreme National Security Council said our hands remain upon the trigger. Hegseth said the U.S. military stand[s] ready in the background.

Multiple polls in recent weeks indicate that the majority of Americans are opposed to the war.
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

CNN Anchor Jake Tapper hit out at President Trump after the commander-in-chief accused the network of reporting a false statement.

Trump tore into CNN on Tuesday, after anchor Erin Burnett read out a statement from Irans Supreme National Security Council, regarding the ceasefire between the Islamic Republic and the U.S.

The enemy, in its unfair, unlawful, and criminal war against the Iranian nation, has suffered an undeniable, historic, and crushing defeat, the statement, which Burnett read on OutFront, said. Burnett also read out a shorter communique from Irans Foreign Minister.

Trump demanded that the network withdraw this statement with full apologies and claimed that an investigation was being launched into whether CNN had committed a crime by publishing the document.

On Wednesdays episode of The Lead with Jake Tapper, the host fired back at the president over his remarks.

open image in gallery Jake Tapper hit back at President Trump after the commander-in-chief accused CNN of reporting a 'false statement' ( CNN )

The issue boils down to this, Tapper said. The statement from Irans Supreme National Security Council, which claimed victory for Iran, did not fit the messaging that the Trump administration wanted to project. 

And instead of calling out the Iranian regime for its conflicting statements or explaining how Iran does this all the time, President Trump attacked CNN by falsely claiming we made it up by lying to you, he added.

Highlighting that CNN did not invent the statement nor present Irans claims as fact, Tapper said that it was the networks job to report on the ongoing events in the war. 

Our job is not to try and please the president or only report the statements he likes, Tapper continued. Were going to tell you whats going on, and were going to keep doing that, no matter how many lies this administration or the Iranians tell.

Trump uploaded two furious Truth Social posts targeting CNN, describing the Iranian statement as a FRAUD.

The false Statement was linked to a Fake News site (from Nigeria) and, of course, immediately picked up by CNN, and blared out as a legitimate (sic) headline, the president wrote.

open image in gallery President Trump claimed that the statement was linked to a Fake News site (from Nigeria) ( Getty )

In a follow-up post, Trump claimed that CNN got caught cheating.

On Tuesday, Matthew Chance, another reporter at CNN, clarified on-air that both statements came from Iranian officials.

The first, which was from Irans foreign ministry, confirmed that the ceasefire would be observed by the Islamic Republic and that it planned to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. 

The second document, the one apparently President Trump seems to be objecting to, is the one sent to us by The Supreme National Security Council of Iran. Chance added. Thats Irans highest military body. 

And thats a lot more aggressive. And it goes into a lot more detail about what that 10-point plan to end the war from Iran actually involves.

Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, claimed that it was time for change at CNN.

In a social media post, he accused the company of pushing out a hoax headline.

CNN defended itself in a public statement responding to Carr, noting that the statement was obtained by the network from Iranian officials.
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

American soldiers who survived a drone attack against a U.S. tactical operations center in Kuwait, which killed six service members, heavily dispute Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths narrative that one drone made its way through air defenses  claiming the center had little in the way of fortifications to begin with.

Hegseth initially described the deadly March 1 attack as a once-in-a-while incident in which a squiter made its way through air defenses and struck the fortified operations center located in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.

Painting a picture that 'one squeaked through' is a falsehood," one of the injured soldiers told CBS News. I want people to know the unitwas unprepared to provide any defense for itself.

One soldier described the tactical operation center as a bunch of little tin buildings where we can set up makeshift offices, surrounded by barriers that were designed to absorb blasts from a rocket but offer no protection against aerial attacks.

"It's not my intent to diminish morale or to disparage the Army or the Department of War more holistically, but I do think that telling the truth is important and we're not going to learn from these mistakes if we pretend these mistakes didn't happen, one of the soldiers told CBS News.

open image in gallery Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth portrayed the March 1 incident as an unfortunate moment in which a drone got through air defenses  however, survivors say there were no such defenses to begin with ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The Pentagon declined to comment on the report, citing the ongoing investigation into the incident.

The survivors described the harrowing moment the drone struck the tactical operations center, saying they felt shaking before waking up to a cloud of dust and smoke, and their ears began ringing.

One service member described looking around at the scene and seeing head wounds, heavy bleeding, lots of perforated eardrums, and shrapnel all over.

"It was chaos," one wounded soldier told CBS News. "There was no single line of patients to triage. You're on one side of the fire, or you're on the other side of the fire."

Soldiers had to triage themselves with makeshift tourniquets and bandages before commandeering a civilian vehicle to drive to a local hospital.

One of the hardest things for me is that I know we didn't get everybody out, so I know that at this point there are still soldiers inside there that still haven't been identified and evacuated," one survivor told the broadcaster.

Ultimately, six were killed and dozens of others were injured.

open image in gallery The six American soldiers killed in the March 1 Kuwait drone strike were the first US service members to die since Trump launched his war with Iran ( AP )

The comments from the surviving soldiers echo similar reports that emerged shortly after the deadly attack, which accused U.S. military officials of stationing troops within Iranian missile range in a facility that had little to no protection against aerial attacks.

Satellite imagery indicated the center was a trailer-style structure that lacked any substantial air capabilities and had little defense mechanisms beyond concrete T-walls.

Joey Amor, the husband of Sgt 1st Class Nicole Amor, one of the deceased soldiers, compared the tactical operations center to a shipping container-style building with no defenses, while speaking with the Associated Press.

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon spokesperson, denied the initial claim that the tactical operations center lacked defense capabilities, first reported by CBS News.

A Tactical Operations Center is not a makeshift office space. The secure facility was fortified with 6-foot walls, Parnell said in a March statement.
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a MAGA ally who has rejected President Donald Trump, suggested the Republican Party needed to start over entirely because too many lawmakers were loyal to Israel.

Speaking with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on his podcast InfoWars Wednesday, Greene said the current state of the Republican Party could not survive with Trump as its cult leader, nor the lawmakers who are controlled by [the American Israel Public Affairs Committee].

Heres what we have to do: we have to be realistic about the Republican Party, Greene said. The Republican Party needs to burn to the ground. Its completely controlled.

Greene, an America First advocate, has accused the president of abandoning the U.S.s interests to pursue war with Israel in the Middle East. Shes also criticized those who continue to support Trumps agenda, despite his campaign promise not to engage in wars.

We want to cheer and root for America, but you dont have to be in a cult where you cant call it out, Greene said. That is what this has turned into. Its turned into a cult.

open image in gallery Former Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene insisted a new Republican Party needed to emerge because too many lawmakers do not prioritize Americans needs ( Getty )

The former Georgia congresswoman claimed Trumps history of being attacked by lawmakers, faced with legal battles and impeached had created a base that felt undying loyalty to the president. She accused Fox News of spewing propaganda to keep people, specifically baby boomers, loyal to Trump by misrepresenting information.

Thats absolutely wrong, she said of Trump supporters who do not criticize the presidents actions.

Greene was once one of Trumps loudest supporters, but her position has changed since the two had a falling out earlier this year that led to her resigning from the House of Representatives. Trump said he would no longer support Greene as a Republican representative after she pushed for the release of the Epstein files.

Since then, shes accused the president of being mentally unstable  particularly after Trump threatened to wipe out the Iranian civilization unless the Iranian regime reopened the Strait of Hormuz.

The truth is, look, you may have supported President Trump for 10 years like I did and like you have. But this is not the same man, Greene insisted. This is not the same man that we supported.

open image in gallery Greene was once considered one of Trumps most loyal allies in Congress, but after their falling out earlier this year she has become a vocal critic ( AP )

Other former Trump allies, such as Jones, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and political commentator Candace Owens, have also taken a step away from the president and criticized his decision to go to war against Iran.

Greene and Jones said Wednesday they would continue criticizing Trump in the hopes of drawing supporters away.

Greene said a new Republican Party could emerge, but that those candidates should not take money from AIPAC or AIPAC-adjacent donors.

The former congresswoman insisted her comments were not antisemitic because they were not about Jewish people but rather the secular government of Israel. However, Greene also has a long history of making antisemitic remarks from promoting a conspiracy theory about Jewish people controlling a space laser to start wildfires to comparing the Holocaust to wearing masks during Covid.

Greene pushed forward the idea of a new Republican Party on X Thursday when she told Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, We need a strong populist coalition of the right and left that can come together on the most important issues for the future generations of Americans.

For the sake of my childrens generation, Im willing to come together, go to the whiteboard, and begin to try to sketch something new, Greene 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

New polls have revealed that Melania Trump is the least popular First Lady ever, with her popularity ratings described as historically awful.

Analysis by CNN shows that FLOTUS currently has an approval rating of -12, having dropped from a rating of plus three just over a year ago in January 2025.

Results of the poll came out before Melania delivered a remarkable White House address to the nation on Thursday, in which she denied any connections to disgraced sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The polling numbers are not related to her statement or Epstein.

I would say that the American people really dont care for Melania Trump, CNN Senior data analyst Harry Enten said, speaking on CNN News Central before her surprising statement was made.

This is the worst at this point in a presidency as well. Melania Trump breaking records in the way that you dont want to break records. Historically awful The American people really dont care for her.

open image in gallery New polls have revealed that Melania Trump is the least popular First Lady ever, with her popularity ratings described as historically awful ( AP )

Enten went on to compare Melania to other First Ladies, including Michelle Obama, Jill Biden, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush, who had all achieved net positive scores in polling. The highest scoring FLOTUS was Nancy Reagan with a positive approval rating of 50 percent, he said.

Melania has long been subject to scrutiny in the public eye and is often known to shun the limelight in favour of her husband, the president.

In 2018, during Trumps first term, Melania made headlines after wearing a controversial jacket while visiting child detention centers in McAllen, Texas, and again upon her return to Washington, D.C.

The $39 jacket from retailer Zara featured the text "I Really Don't Care. Do U?" and sparked multiple think pieces as to why the First Lady would wear it.

open image in gallery In 2018, during Trumps first term, Melania made headlines after wearing a controversial jacket while visiting child detention centers in McAllen, Texas, and again upon her return to Washington D.C. The $39 jacket from retailer Zara, featured the text I Really Don't Care. Do U?, and sparked multiple think pieces as to why the First Lady would wear it ( Getty )

Back on CNN Thursday, Enten addressed Melanias controversial documentary, titled Melania: Twenty Days To History, that was released on Amazon in January, and was almost universally panned by critics  suggesting it had had a direct effect on her popularity.

I think a lot of people saw it as political even if she didnt want it to be and you could just see it here, Enten said. This is real-world data. This is not just the polling data that shows the historic lack of appeal that she has for a first lady.

Describing the film as having bombed and pointing to the fact that simply put, the money was not made back.

That coalesces, that combines with the polling data to say that Melania Trump is historically unpopular for a first lady, Enten 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

First Lady Melania Trump has denied any connection to Jeffrey Epstein or knowledge of his abuse in a remarkable address from the White House.

The first lady condemned unfounded and baseless lies and false smears against her from politically motivated individuals and entities who have sought to gain financially and climb politically.

Such statements must stop, she said.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the first lady to deliver a rare address, but her five-minute public statement on Thursday follows growing bipartisan scrutiny into the notorious sex offender and his relationships to powerful and well-connected figures, including President Donald Trump.

The first ladys remarks also follow the release of millions of documents stemming from federal investigations into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking, while the Department of Justice and Trump administration officials endure parallel investigations from members of Congress into the governments handling of the probes.

open image in gallery First Lady Melania Trump delivered an address from the White House on April 9 to deny any connections to Jeffrey Epstein while condemning what she characterized as politically motivated smears against her ( Reuters )

Under legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump last November, the Justice Department was ordered to publicly release all files connected to investigations into Epstein by December 19. The Justice Department has since published millions of documents and images connected to the predator, despite missing deadlines for the full disclosure of all materials in the possession of federal law enforcement, which has developed into a political liability for the president and his allies.

The first lady said Thursday that she was never a victim of Epstein and denied knowledge of his abuse of young women and girls.

She said she never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice Maxwell.

I have never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach, she said.

I am not a witness or a named witness in connection with any of Epsteins crimes. My name has never appeared in court documents, depositions, victim statements or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter, she added.

open image in gallery The first lady, who was pictured alongside Epstein and Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago in 2000, has vehemently denied any knowledge of their crimes and urged Congress to hear testimony from their victims ( Getty )

I have never had any knowledge of Epsteins abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity  I was not a participant, was never on Epsteins plane, and never visited his private island, the first lady continued.

Epstein did not introduce her to her husband, the first lady said. That meeting, which she said was chronicled in her book, was in 1998 at the Kit Kat Club while she was a model who had been discovered by Paolo Zampolli, who then introduced her to Trump. Zampollis connections to New Yorks modeling scene put him in close connection with Epstein, and Zampollis name appears several times in the massive tranche of documents released by the the Justice Department.

Melania Trump said she has never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with Epsteins sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behavior.

But attributed false smears about her to mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop.

My attorneys and I have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success and will continue to maintain my sound reputation without hesitation, she added.

She specifically named The Daily Beast, political strategist and commentator James Carville and the publisher Harper Collins UK, from which she had previously received retractions and apologies.

open image in gallery Melania Trump said Epstein was not alone and called on Congress to hear testimony from survivors of his abuse ( Getty )

The presidents name appears thousands of times in the so-called Epstein files. The president socialized with Epstein throughout the 1990s and 2000s, and Epstein once described himself as the presidents closest friend. Being named in the files is not evidence of wrongdoing.

Documents also show the first lady emailing Maxwell in 2002 in a message signed Love, Melania.

Her message cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence, according to the first lady.

The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today, she said.

Now is the time for Congress to act. Epstein was not alone, she said. I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing. ... Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the congressional record.

Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee investigating the governments handling of Epstein cases, urged Republican chair James Comer to schedule a public hearing immediately.

Now is the time for Congress to act, added Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, another committee member.

Epstein was not alone, she said. Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. Of course, this doesnt amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.

But the first ladys remarks appeared to catch survivors off guard. Survivors and their advocates were not aware she had planned to address them.

We cant speak for other survivors, but what we want is accountability, transparency and justice, Maria and Annie Farmer said in a statement.

If the federal government is truly committed to supporting survivors, it would ask us what we want and should follow the facts wherever they may lead, they said.

open image in gallery An email exchange from 2002 between Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell was included in the millions of files released by the Department of Justice ( U.S. Justice Department )

The president has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and insists he cut ties with Epstein years before the wealthy pedophile  who died by suicide in a New York City jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges  was under investigation.

Trump has characterized efforts to release the full files 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 labeled false, malicious and defamatory.

Neither Trump nor the first lady have been accused of criminal wrongdoing, and ones appearance in the Epstein files does not suggest otherwise.

The first ladys statement also follows the departure of now-former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was fired by the president weeks after her combative testimony in defense of the federal governments handling of the Epstein files and lack of prosecutions against his co-conspirators.

A much-anticipated release of Epstein documents handed out to far-right influencers at the White House last year contained mostly public information, and by the summer, the Justice Department and FBI declared there was no basis to release any more Epstein-related documents, sparking allegations of a government-wide cover up to protect powerful public figures who exploited and abused young girls.

On Wednesday, the Justice Department  now under the direction of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche  stated that Bondi will not comply with a subpoena for her testimony about Epstein to the House Oversight Committee now that she is no longer working for the administration.
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

Melania Trump dropped the political equivalent of a tactical nuke on Thursday when she denied any affiliation with Jeffrey Epstein, the now-dead convicted sex offender.

The first lady was likely trying to provide cover for the friendly email that came to light between her and Epsteins accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. But then she took it a step further: she called on Congress to hold a public hearing with Epsteins survivors.

That earned her the praise of Marjorie Taylor Greene, who quit Congress after a falling out with the president over the very same Epstein files.

I am grateful to the First Lady for her brave statement today about Epstein and his victims, the former Georgia congresswoman wrote on X, while agreeing with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) that the Department of Justice must still prosecute men who had any role in Epsteins crimes.

The first ladys seemingly rogue action Thursday stands in stark contrast to those of her husband and his White House.

open image in gallery Many of President Donald Trumps critics praised First Lady Melania Trumps remarks. ( AP )

Last week, the president sacked Attorney General Pam Bondi, whom both Democrats and Republicans believed had botched the investigation. And Bondis interim replacement, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, said no more files will be released. Then, the Department of Justice said that Bondi would not testify before the House Oversight Committee despite a subpoena.

But Melania Trumps words create a conundrum: It's long been a trope, even among some of the president's fans like Joe Rogan, that Trump went to war with Iran to distract from Epstein. But the first lady has given ammunition to Democrats and a permission structure for Republicans to support Epstein survivors.

That poses a real challenge for House Speaker Mike Johnson: will he go against the first lady and hide behind the president to deny survivors a hearing ? Or does this allow him to side with both Epstein survivors while saying he supports the White House.

Almost immediately, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, praised Melania Trumps remarks. He also put the onus on Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.).

We agree with First Lady Melania Trumps call for a public hearing with the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, Garcia said in a statement. We encourage Chairman Comer to respond to the First Ladys request and schedule a public hearing immediately.

So too, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), a rape survivor, thanked the presidents wife.

open image in gallery Rep. Nancy Mace, a rape survivor (pictured speaking after the March deposition of former President Bill Clinton), thanked Melania Trump for her call on Congress to go after Jeffrey Epstein enablers and co-conspirators. ( AFP/Getty )

As a survivor, I will never stop fighting to expose the truth or let powerful people silence victims, she said. Thank you for standing up for survivors and demanding transparency.

Melania Trumps words give Mace some breathing room. Mace has morphed from being more moderate to MAGA. But she co-signed the Epstein discharge petition and joined Democrats on the House Oversight Committee to subpoena Bondi. That makes things messy as she runs for governor of South Carolina and seeks the presidents endorsement.

And Esptein survivor Lisa Phillips sounded optimistic after the remarks.

"The opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress is a to me, is a huge thing," Phillips told The Independent. "Like she has power to make that happen. I don't know why, or if it's a trap or whatever it is, but she's coming off like she's on our side.

open image in gallery Lisa Phillips, a Jeffrey Epstein survivor, said she is hopeful after the first lady's remarks. ( Getty )

Phillips contrasted the Melania Trumps words with those of Todd Blanche.

I feel like you know, when they fired Pam Bondi and they brought in Todd Blanche, we're not gonna get anywhere with that guy, she said.

This all puts Johnson, Comer and the rest of House GOP leadership in a tight spot. All of them would rather move on from the Epstein investigation, as the president has called on them to do.

They are currently pushing for another reconciliation bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Johnson and other Republicans want to boost military spending to replenish military stockpiles that the war in Iran depleted.

But the first lady just handed Democrats and a handful of rambunctious Republicans a live grenade to force the issue and have testimony from survivors.

Now, Democrats could block Oversight proceedings with the help of Mace and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), who also signed the discharge petition, and other Republicans like Rep. Scott Perry (R-Penn.), who voted to subpoena Bondi and faces a tough re-election. And a public hearing with Epstein survivors would divert from Republican leadership talking about their preferred policies.

Melania Trump might have believed she was closing the book on the Epstein investigation, and her role, if any, in it. But by denying any connection to Epstein and Maxwell, she may have opened a whole new chapter in the probe.
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 rise of violent rhetoric and threats against politicians has led federal election campaigns and committees to spend more than five times the amount on security measures in the 2023-2024 election cycle than during the 2015-2016 election cycle, according to a new report.

Roughly $41 million was spent on personal, event-related or cyber security for federal candidates in the latest general election, according to Public Service Alliance, a nonpartisan group that offers security resources and discounted third-party services to officials.

That is a massive jump from the 2015-2016 election cycle, when campaigns and committees spent an estimated $8 million on security measures.

Security spending increases correlate with research indicating violent rhetoric targeting public officials is on the rise  a 241 percent increase between 2021 and 2025, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue found.

It also correlates with data that found there was roughly a 90 percent increase in federal charges involving threats to a public official between 2016 and 2025.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump blamed Democratic politicians for escalating rhetoric that led to two assassination attempts on his life during the 2024 presidential election cycle. ( Getty Images )

During the 2024 election cycle, President Donald Trump was notably the target of two assassination attempts  one of which resulted in the death of a rally-goer and injuries to the presidents ear. As a result, security had to be increased at rallies.

More than $1.8 million was spent during the election cycle on event-related security measures, up from $570,000 a decade ago.

Trumps 2024 presidential campaign was also the target of cybersecurity attacks, allegedly from foreign actors. Just under $1 million was spent on digital-related security during the election cycle.

Most people believe violent rhetoric toward politicians is tied to increasingly polarizing politics in the United States, Pew Research found. Liberal and conservative ideologists blame the other side for extreme views that encourage radical action.

Yet despite research indicating violent rhetoric leads to violent attacks, some politicians continued to use harsh language to talk about their opponents.

Last year, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones, a Democrat, admitted to sending violent text messages, graphically calling for his opponents death.

Democratic lawmaker Jasmine Crockett was criticized for telling rallygoers to fight back against the Trump administration and that she would be in [Elon Musks] face.

open image in gallery The assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk led to nationwide outrage about violent rhetoric targeted at politicians ( AFP via Getty Images )

While campaigning for president, Trump asserted it would be a bloodbath if he werent re-elected, proposed one really violent day to end property crime and constantly depicted liberals as evil, calling them enemies from within.

In 2025, major political figures faced violent attacks that became international news. It led to a largely bipartisan campaign condemning radical rhetoric from both sides of the aisle.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, and his family survived an assassination attempt after a perpetrator set his home on fire in the middle of the night.

Melissa Hortman, a Democrat and the former speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, was assassinated alongside her husband at their home.

John Hoffman, a Democratic Minnesota state senator, and his wife survived an assassination attempt at their home the same night Hortman was killed.

Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while holding an event for his organization, Turning Point USA, on a college campus.

Approximately $305,400 was spent on home-related security in the 2023-2024 election cycle.
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

Construction of President Donald Trumps southern border wall has had to be revised in West Texas after a coalition of local residents pushed back against it, insisting it was not necessary and will blight the landscape.

A major feature of Trumps first term, the U.S.-Mexico wall was intended to keep out illegal immigrants arriving from Central America and seeking asylum, but only a fraction of it was completed before the Republican lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden and left office.

While work on shoring up the border has continued in the interim, people living near the Big Bend sector, which includes 517 miles of border along the Rio Grande, have banded together to oppose the erection of a physical steel wall, although they say they still support the idea of border security in principle.

open image in gallery A major issue in Donald Trump's first term in the White House, the U.S.-Mexico border wall is still being built but the locals are not necessarily on board ( AFP/Getty )

Barrier construction had been due to commence in February, Axios reports, but has now been cut down to just 175 miles, an almost 400-mile scale-back.

That came after pressure from the No Big Bend Wall group, which has argued that illegal crossings are not a problem in their area due to the difficult terrain encompassed by the Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.

There have been 34,480 encounters at the southern border, official statistics state, but Big Bend accounted for just 892.

I wish the president would be more informed as to whats going on, said Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez about the work. Its a place where, if you cross the border, you got to at least walk three or four days... you dont just walk across the river and expect to get picked up.

David Keller, an archaeologist from nearby Redford, said of the forced rethink: Theyre responding to friction.

Regionally, were a united voice, he added. Republican, Democrat, Libertarian: doesnt matter. We all dont want it.

open image in gallery The barren and complex geography of Big Bend Ranch State Park, which the locals say is why so few illegal crossings from Mexico are attempted in their region ( Getty )

The coalition has cited a number of potential environmental setbacks among its objections, listing degradation to vulnerable watersheds and archeological sites, disruption of animal migration routes and to the regions celebrated black night skies, as well as hits to property values.

They also feel that promises have been broken, given that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was reportedly assured by Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks that there would be no physical barrier erected in Big Bend National Park or the State Park.

In addition to the Big Bend opposition group, five border county sheriffs have written an open letter to federal officials asking them for a greater degree of local consultation and urging them to change course and adopt technology-driven, and terrain-informed solutions to the problem of illegal crossings.

Hilton Beckham, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection, said: CBP continues to coordinate with the National Park Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and other federal and state agencies, throughout the planning of border barrier and technology deployments, in order to achieve Border Patrols operational priorities.

Areas adjacent to the Big Bend National Park and State Park are still in the planning stages, while CBP focuses on other higher priority locations, he added.

Deirdre Hisler, a Presidio County commissioner, said that a recent meeting with a local sector chief had been cordial and that the official she met with had been receptive to their objections and ended by saying that a further 5.6 miles of physical barrier would be scrapped.

But while the community may have won some battles, local land owners are continuing to receive letters from the Army Corps of Engineers about leasing agreements and Kristi Noem, prior to her removal as Homeland Security secretary last month, signed a number of waivers for environmental studies that would typically be carried out before such a projects commencement.

"Best case scenario is they just go away and they never come back, said local river tour guide Charlie Angell, stressing his concern about future segments of the wall impacting riverfront property and animal habitats.
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Immigration judges who were fired or forced out of their jobs say Donald Trumps administration launched a pressure campaign against them with threats of disciplinary action if they didnt keep up with demands to deport tens of thousands of people from the country.

More than a dozen federal judges who served under the Trump administration told The New York Times they felt pressured to order the removals of immigrants pleading for relief in their courtrooms  or risk losing their jobs.

Judges are used as puppets for the administration with a singular goal of deporting as many people as possible as quickly as possible, according to Shuting Chen, an immigration judge who was fired in November.

All of us are looking over our shoulders, immigration judge Holly DAndrea, president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, told The Times.

Their accounts depict a system of due process in free fall, with the fates of more than three million people whose cases are working their way through immigration courts at stake.

open image in gallery Immigration court judges say they have been pressured to keep up with the Trump administrations demands to quickly deport people from the country, leading to scenes of immigrants removals from courthouses moments after their hearings ( AFP via Getty Images )

Unlike federal courts, immigration courts and the judges who run them operate under the Department of Justice and, ultimately, the president. In their courtrooms, immigration judges determine whether immigrants can be deported or granted a form of legal status like asylum.

There are more than 70 immigration courts around the country, including courthouses in detention centers and federal buildings, including a notorious floor inside 26 Federal Plaza in downtown Manhattan.

Youre a bureaucrat, said David Koelsch, who retired last year. Youre not a lofty judge sitting in some sort of oak-walled chamber. Youre doing a bread-and-butter job on an assembly line.

But after Trump took office, the Justice Departments Executive Office for Immigration Review told judges to grant motions from government lawyers to immediately dismiss immigrants cases, making them easy targets for arrest and removal.

Those strategies have generated scenes of masked federal agents patrolling courthouse hallways and hauling away immigrants the moment they leave their hearings.

The administration also instructed judges to deny bond to immigrants who crossed the border illegally, upending decades of precedent and keeping people in detention for weeks or months no matter how long they have lived in the country or if they dont have any criminal record.

Judges who are seen as insufficiently deferential to the presidents anti-immigration agenda have been fired or forced out from the job, according to judges and the union that represents them.

The Justice Department fired the acting head of the immigration court system and three other top officials on Trumps first day in office.

In the months that followed, more than 100 immigration judges have left their posts, The Independent previously reported.

Dramatic purges in New York City and San Francisco at the end of last year saw the removal of the assistant chief judge in Manhattan and firings of nearly half of San Franciscos 21 judges, leading the Justice Department to shut down the main courthouse there altogether.

Dozens of other judges have retired or resigned since the start of the Trump administration.

Its a dismantling of the court system, fired San Francisco judge Jeremiah Johnson told The Times.

Those departures whittled down the number of immigration judges by roughly 16 percent within less than a year, The Independent found.

The Independent has requested comment from the Justice Department.

open image in gallery More than 100 immigration court judges have been fired or forced from their posts since Trump entered office, with dozens of DHS prosecutors and military lawyers taking over in their place ( Getty Images )

At the same time, the Justice Department has significantly lowered the bar for new temporary hires to fill those roles, with the administration giving itself broad discretion to hire any attorney to make crucial decisions for tens of thousands of people whose future in the U.S. is at risk.

The Department of Defense also approved sending up to 600 military lawyers to the Justice Department to augment existing resources to help further combat a backlog of cases by presiding over immigration hearings, The Independent previously reported.

Since those changes, the administration has appointed nearly 150 permanent and temporary judges  including military lawyers and former prosecutors from the Department of Homeland Security.

The strategy appears to be working. Deportation orders are spiking, and judges are granting asylum claims in fewer than 10 percent of cases this year, the lowest rate for which data is available, according to an analysis from The Times.

Before they were fired or forced out, judges granted asylum to 46 percent of applicants during the current administration  well above the 15 percent approval rate for those who have remained, The Times found. New judges have granted asylum in roughly 6 percent of cases.

A proposed rule change at the Board of Immigration Review would also effectively order the immigration court systems appellate panel to dismiss most of the cases before them.

Judges can still grant bond hearings to people who have overstayed their visas or otherwise entered the U.S. legally but have lapsed legal status, making them vulnerable for removal.

Chief immigration judge Teresa Riley, however, has reportedly asked judges to explain their bond decisions, and supervisors are alerted any time bond is granted, according to The Times.

One current judge told the newspaper that the pressure to deny bond is overt.

open image in gallery Immigration judges granted asylum in 46 percent of cases before they were fired or forced out under Trump, while newly appointed judges granted asylum in only 6 percent of cases, one analysis found ( REUTERS )

In a stunning admission in federal court last month, a top federal prosecutor in Manhattan said Immigration and Customs Enforcement had falsely stated that officers can arrest people inside immigration courts.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton repeatedly expressed regret in a letter to a federal judge, saying that his office mistakenly defended an ICE memo that does not and has never applied to immigration court arrests.

He blamed ICE and the agencys legal team, which specifically informed his office that a Trump-era memo applied to immigration courthouse arrests, according to Clayton.

The documents were included in litigation stemming from a lawsuit against the Trump administrations sweeping, unprecedented campaign of targeting noncitizens at their immigration court proceedings and summarily arresting them as they exit.

In courthouse hallways, immigrants leaving their hearings have been seen saying goodbye to their family members and children in tears, moments after arriving in the building with them. In New York, ICE has sent dozens of immigrants arrested in court to detention centers in Texas and Louisiana for months at a 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

President Donald Trump has warned that bigger, and better, and stronger attacks could be unleashed on Iran if a real agreement between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic is not reached.

The two countries announced a two-week ceasefire late Tuesday, shortly after Trump warned that a whole civilisation will die.

In his April 9 post, Trump warned that U.S. military assets will remain in place around Iran, which he described as a substantially degraded enemy.

The president said the military is prepared to carry out lethal prosecution and destruction until a REAL AGREEMENT is complied with.

open image in gallery Donald Trump has threatened bigger and better attacks on Iran if a more substantial agreement is not reached ( AP )

If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the Shootin Starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before, Trump wrote. It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.

Trump added, In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest. AMERICA IS BACK!

The conflict between the U.S. and Iran began on February 28, when the United States and Israel carried out strikes on the Islamic Republic. Former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening days of the war.

As the conflict dragged on, Iran began limiting the number of ships that could pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route through which much of the worlds crude oil trade flows.

open image in gallery A ceasefire was agreed between the US and Israel earlier this week, with both countries agreeing to peace talks in Pakistan ( AFP/Getty )

Peace talks between Iran and the U.S. will take place in Islamabad over the weekend, with JD Vance set to lead the United States in the discussions, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The first round of those talks will take place on Saturday morning local time, she said. Vice President Vance has played a very significant and a key role in this since the very beginning.

Leavitt added, Hes been involved in all of these discussions, and as I just announced, hell be leading this new phase of negotiations in Islamabad later this week.

Ahead of the peace talks, Saeed Khatibzadeh, Irans deputy foreign minister, told the BBC that Israels attacks on Lebanon were a grave violation of the existing ceasefire.

Israel unleashed a wave of strikes on targets in Lebanon on Wednesday, claiming that it was attacking Hezbollah command centers. The Israeli military says that 100 targets were hit in just ten minutes.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has demanded that the strikes cease immediately, warning of a regret-inducing response if they continue.

Any attack on the proud Hezbollah is an attack on Iran, the IRGC said.
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

The United States is planning to automatically register all eligible men aged 18 to 25 into a military draft pool under a proposed rule change that would come into effect in December if approved.

The proposal was put forward by the Selective Service System, a quasi-independent agency separate from the Department of Defense, that maintains a database of young American males potentially eligible for military service, raising fears about the prospect of mandatory call-ups returning should the Iran conflict drag on and escalate.

Most men within the qualifying age bracket are already required to register but the shift to automatic registration was mandated in December as part of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.

open image in gallery Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has refused to definitively rule out putting boots on the ground in Iran ( Reuters )

This statutory change transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to SSS through integration with federal data sources, the agencys website states of the proposal submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30, which is now awaiting finalization.

The Independent has reached out to the White House, Pentagon, and SSS for comment.

The U.S. has imposed a wartime draft in six conflicts during its history: the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

An estimated 1.8 million Americans were called up during the deeply-unpopular Vietnam conflict but military service has been voluntary since 1973. It would take an amendment to the Military Selective Service Act by act of Congress to change that now.

Under the current system, failure to register is considered a crime that carries a $250,000 fine and the threat of a five-year jail term plus the loss of access to state-funded financial aid and employment in numerous states, although, in practice, it is seldom prosecuted.

Women, for now, remain ineligible for the draft, despite lawmakers attempting unsuccessfully to attach provisions mandating their inclusion onto annual defense policy bills on several occasions.

open image in gallery To date, 13 U.S. service members have been killed in the war with Iran ( AFP/Getty )

Early on in the Iran conflict last month, President Donald Trump refused to rule out putting boots on the ground in the Middle East, despite having repeatedly promised an end to forever wars during his 2024 presidential campaign.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a similarly non-committal answer when he told CBSs 60 Minutes: You dont tell the enemy, you dont tell the press, you dont tell anybody what your limits would be on an operation.

Their responses prompted Maria Bartiromo to ask White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during an appearance on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures about U.S. soldiers being sent into Iran.

President Trump wisely does not remove options off of the table, Leavitt answered. I know a lot of politicians like to do that quickly but the president as commander in chief wants to continue to assess the success of this military operation.

Its not part of the current plan right now but again the president wisely keeps his options on the table.

open image in gallery White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Foxs Maria Bartiromo last month that President Donald Trump wisely does not remove options off of the table ( Sunday Morning Futures/Fox News )

Her reply attracted a furious response from former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, among others, providing a preview of the resistance the administration would be likely to encounter from within Trumps own MAGA base should it move to call up young men or place U.S. troops in harms way in Iran.

Not only did the president pledge not to enter into any further costly and drawn out overseas wars during his run for the White House, he also used the prospect of the drafts return as a stick with which to beat Democratic rival Kamala Harris.

Shes already talking about bringing back the draft, he told his supporters at a September 2024 rally in Las Vegas.

She wants to bring back the draft, and draft your child, and put them in a war that should never have happened.

A week before Election Day, he told another crowd in Atlanta: All of your sons and daughters will end up getting a draft notice.

Congratulations, youve been drafted in the military. Youre going to fight a war against a country that nobodys ever heard of. Isnt it true? Isnt it ridiculous?
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Donald Trump has issued a lengthy rant on social media against former MAGA faithfuls he calls losers.

The president name-dropped prominent conservative media figures Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens and Alex Jones, who have all criticized his war with Iran.

They think it is wonderful for Iran, the Number One State Sponsor of Terror, to have a Nuclear Weapon  Because they have one thing in common, Low IQs, Trump wrote on Truth Social late Thursday afternoon.

Kelly and Carlson, both former Fox News personalities, have lambasted Trump this week for his statements about Iran. Kelly told him to f***ing shut up about that sh*t after he threatened death to the Iranian people, and Carlson called Trumps Easter message vile on every level.

open image in gallery Donald Trump has issued a lengthy rant on social media against former MAGA faithfuls he calls 'losers' ( Getty )

Hours before announcing a two-week ceasefire with Iran Tuesday, Trump threatened that a whole civilization will die tonight if the country didnt reach a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil passageway in the Middle East.

Two days before that, Trump warned, Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F***in Strait, you crazy bastards, or youll be living in Hell.

Carlson and Kelly were once fervent supporters of the president, praising Trump on the 2024 campaign trail.

open image in gallery The president name-dropped prominent conservative media figures Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens and Alex Jones, who have all criticized his war with Iran ( Getty )

During the Republican National Convention, Carlson said Trump was no longer just a political partys nominee." The media figure added that after Trump raised his fist in defiance following his first assassination attempt, he "was the leader of a nation.

Kelly encouraged people at a rally in Pittsburgh in the lead-up to Election Day to vote for Trump. I prefer a president who understands how to be strong and how to fight. I hope all of you do what I did last week, vote Trump and get 10 friends to vote Trump too.

Trump claimed Carlson, Kelly and the rest of those he mentioned in Thursdays post should see a good psychiatrist.

He also bizarrely claimed that the first lady of France, Brigitte Macron, is a far more beautiful woman than Owens when griping about her.

open image in gallery Kelly told Trump to f***ing shut up about that sh*t after he threatened death to the Iranian people ( Getty )

The president mentioned how crazy Owens accused the Highly Respected First Lady of France of being a man, when she is not, and will hopefully win lots of money in the ongoing lawsuit. Actually, to me, the First Lady of France is a far more beautiful woman than Candace, in fact, its not even close!

Owens is being sued by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte after the podcast host baselessly accused Brigitte of being transgender. Owens has endorsed, repeated and published a series of verifiably false and devastating lies about the French president and his wife, according to a defamation lawsuit filed last year.

Owens questioned Trumps cognitive ability in a reaction to his Truth Social post Thursday, writing on X, It may be time to put Grandpa up in a home.

open image in gallery Owens questioned Trumps cognitive ability in a reaction to his rant, writing on X, It may be time to put Grandpa up in a home ( Getty )

The podcaster has said she is embarrassed that she campaigned for Trump in the 2024 election.

I don't regret voting for Donald Trump above [former Vice President] Kamala [Harris], Owens told Piers Morgan Uncensored last June. I think he was the better candidate  certainly a better candidate above [former President] Joe Biden. But what I will say is that he's been a chronic disappointment, and I feel embarrassed that I told people to go vote for him.

open image in gallery Jones had supported Trump early on in his political career, and in 2015, Trump reportedly called Jones reputation amazing ( Getty )

Trump then took a dig at Bankrupt Jones, who says some of the dumbest things, and lost his entire fortune, as he should have, for his horrendous attack on the families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims, ridiculously claiming it was a hoax.

The families of children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary sued Jones for defamation for calling the massacre a hoax, prompting his filing for bankruptcy.

He owes them roughly $1.5 billion in defamation judgments related to his statements about the 2012 massacre, in which a gunman fatally shot 26 people, including children between six and seven years old. That litigation is ongoing.

open image in gallery Trump claimed not to care about what these media personalities had to say about him but his Truth Social post was nearly 500 words long ( AFP/Getty )

Jones had supported Trump early on in his political career. He hosted Trump on his InfoWars outlet in 2015, where Trump called Jones reputation amazing, according to PBS Frontline.

Jones responded to Trumps post in a video on X Thursday saying, Im just so sad that whatevers happened to him has totally changed the man he once was. He did so much good.

Trumps got big problems folks and I am just so concerned about this country and the world, Jones added, as he continued to hit out against the war in Iran. At the end of the day, I just feel sorry for him and pray that God touches his heart and soul and free him from the demonic influences that hes under.

Trump claimed in his Thursday rant to not care about what these MAGA personalities have to say about him, but his Truth Social post was nearly 500 words long.

Theyre not MAGA, theyre losers, just trying to latch on to MAGA, the president said.

As President, I could get them on my side anytime I want to, but when they call, I dont return their calls because Im too busy on World and Country Affairs and, after a few times, they go nasty, just like Marjorie Traitor Brown, but I no longer care about that stuff, I only care about doing right for our Country, Trump continued, referring to his friend-turned-foe, former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.

open image in gallery Trump also bashed his friend-turned-foe, former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, calling her nasty ( Middle East Images )

Greene was one of Trumps most loyal supporters in Congress before the two had a public falling out last fall over several issues, including foreign affairs and the releasing of the Epstein files.

The Georgia Republican later resigned from the House of Representatives, saying, I refuse to be a battered wife hoping it all goes away and gets better.

Greene responded to Trumps attacks in a post on X late Thursday, saying President Trump has gone mad as he wages war against Iran, a broken campaign promise.

I fought alongside Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones to help get Trump elected. And now he goes off on a rambling rant attacking all of us in one post. We NEVER changed, Trump did. AMERICA FIRST!!! she posted, along with an emoji of an American flag.

Alex Woodward contributed to this report.
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 63-year-old man at a major Sydney hospital is fighting for his life after being attacked with a hammer early on Thursday, with a woman detained over the incident telling a judge that the victim stole her brothers ashes.

Viki Graham, 46, was detained after the attack at Sydneys Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and has been denied bail. She will remain in custody for at least two months after being charged with wounding the patient as he lay in a hospital bed.

Police were called to the hospital in Camperdown shortly after midnight following reports of an assault in one of the wards.

Officers allege that the 46-year-old woman entered the hospital and asked for directions to find the 63-year-old patient, allegedly telling a nurse that she just [wanted] to talk to him.

Police said that Ms Graham went inside the ward, dug into her bag and drew a hammer with a pink handle and struck the patient on the right side of his head.

The man suffered serious head injuries and was in critical condition following the attack, NSW police said.

The man remains in a critical condition, the police said in a statement.

The woman was arrested at the scene, taken to the Newtown police station and charged with wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, which carries the maximum penalty of 25 years in jail.

The court heard that Ms Graham called out: I smashed him with the hammer. He stole my brothers ashes.

Acting judge Judith Sweeney said: This was a gratuitously violent attack. The facts are absolutely extraordinary.

The patient had been in the hospital since January this year.

Shortly after midnight this morning, a visitor coming in to see our patient attended the bedside of the patient and an unfortunate and serious event occurred, Sydney health district chief executive Deborah Willcox said.

I am advised the staff did speak to the person who came into the ward and there was no issue, to the best of my knowledge. There was a conversation had between that person and the staff, and they went to the bedside of the patient, Ms Willcox told reporters outside the hospital on Thursday.

Our patient is well-known to the staff. Our primary interest is his well-being. The hospital ward had a number of other patients in our care.

Ms Willcox said that no other patients were impacted.

We have attended to all of the patients in the ward just to debrief with them and make sure theyre OK. Everybody is OK, she said.

Although the hospital had set visiting hours, Ms Willcox said the buildings were accessible around the clock. Our hospital is an open public building where people can gain access anytime of the day or the evening, she pointed out. We do whatever we can to enable people and visitors and friends and loved ones to see the patients.

This is extremely unsettling, one unidentified doctor at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald. I have never in my many years of practice here have ever heard of such a thing [happening] here.

Ms Grahams lawyers did try to seek her release, arguing that she suffered from anxiety and had nerve damage in her right arm. However, the judge found there were no conditions that could sufficiently reduce the risk she poses to the community.

Ms Graham is now due to appear at the Downing Centre local court on 4 June.
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 a day after Donald Trump floated the idea of turning the Strait of Hormuz into a joint tollbooth to enrich the US and Iran, the British government revealed that a joint operation with Norway had been undertaken to protect Natos northern flank.

The move, combined with a visit this week by Keir Starmer to the Arabian Gulf, is the latest sign that even Europes Anglo-Saxons are pulling away from Washington. The UK and its allies are determined to defend the alliances and principles of international law that the US president and his deputy are keen to destroy.

John Healey, the defence secretary, revealed that a British frigate and spy planes had been involved in monitoring two Russian spy submarines and an attack sub as they surveyed undersea cables and pipelines in the High North, the strategically vital region encompassing the Arctic Circle and the North Atlantic.

Healey made it clear that Russia had taken the opportunity, as the focus shifted to the Middle East following Trump and Israels illegal attacks on Iran, to continue its hybrid war against Nato.

open image in gallery HMS Somerset and HMS St Albans with a Merlin helicopter tracking a Russian vessel ( MoD )

Frustrated by the refusal of members of the alliance to take part in the attacks on Iran, and (of many of them) to allow US forces to use bases on their territory to carry out these operations, Trump has repeated his threats to withdraw the US from the organisation altogether.

Russias operations in the Arctic are a threat to US national security. Irans military reach does not extend to the US, and it has never posed a danger, beyond allegedly sponsoring terrorist groups, to the American mainland.

Healey was pointed but diplomatic in his remarks about the latest Nato operation, which also involved a Norwegian frigate and aircraft. Operation Firecrest this year will see HMS Prince of Wales lead a carrier strike group into the High North.

In the last few weeks, while the eyes of many were trained on the Middle East, the UK, in partnership with Norway and other allies, has responded to increased Russian activity in the Atlantic north of the UK.

Our armed forces left them in no doubt that they were being monitored, that their movements were not covert, as President Putin planned, and that their attempted secret operation had been exposed.

open image in gallery Prime minister Keir Starmer visiting allies in the Gulf ( PA Wire )

Im making this statement to call out this Russian activity, and to President Putin, I say: We see you, we see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated, and will have serious consequences, he said at a press conference called in London on Thursday.

He added that the High North is no less vital to our UK security today than it was when the current conflict erupted in the Middle East.

The UK, said Healey, wants to see a ceasefire in the Middle East that includes an immediate end to fighting in Lebanon, which Israel has invaded and is bombing in an effort to destroy the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. Tehran has said that any ceasefire must also include Lebanon.

And in a further subtle sign that the UK would sidestep Trumps idea of a tollbooth shared with Iran as a moneyspinner in the Strait of Hormuz, he insisted that Britain would want to see international law upheld, and that Gulf countries agree that such a system would be dangerous.

It isnt actually doable... a compromise of that freedom of navigation of the seas, and the introduction of any sort of paper passage or tolls, would create a potential principle that could be used and abused by others elsewhere, he said.

open image in gallery A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse in the industrial area of Sharjah City, UAE ( AP )

Americas Gulf allies have been rattled by Trumps joint attack with Israel, a country led by a prime minister facing indictment for crimes against humanity. Irans response has throttled oil exports and targeted their territory.

Starmers visit this week gives the UK an opportunity to offer a sympathetic ear, and some soft-power politics for a country that was the dominant colonial power in the region until the 1970s.

Meanwhile, the UK is driving a vocal effort to keep the focus of Nato, if not America, on where the threat to security in the North Atlantic really lies.

We recognise Russia as the primary threat to the UK and to Nato, and we will not take our eyes off Putin. At the same time, we act to protect our British interests and our British allies in the Middle East, Healey said.

Russia, he added, continues to supply intelligence to Iran, as well as training and drone technology used in attacks on the Gulf, on the US, and on other Nato members in the Middle East.

Trump has refused to address Vladimir Putins support for Iran at all since launching the conflict in February. But his deputy, JD Vance, has been in Hungary, explicitly violating diplomatic norms by openly backing Viktor Orbans candidacy in this weekends general elections.

Vance is an exponent of the racist great replacement conspiracy theory that Europe is being overrun by non-white immigrants and faces civilisational erasure.

open image in gallery JD Vance with Viktor Orban in Budapest this week ( AP )

The Trump administration has taken an explicit anti-European Union and anti-Ukrainian stand for the last year, backing Russias claims to territory in eastern Ukraine and cutting military aid to Kyiv.

In Hungary, Vance accused the EU of election tampering against the 16-year rule of Orban, who also backs Russia against the EU.

He said that cutting Russian oil and gas imports after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine was a mistake, and accused Kyiv, without evidence, of trying to interfere in US elections. The Kremlin has been shown to have done that, not Kyiv.

Healey made it clear, without naming either Trump or Vance, that they were looking in the wrong direction and were backing the wrong side.

He said that the UK would step up ... on European leadership within Nato. And that, in many ways, is exactly what were doing with this operation.

Were demonstrating and dealing, with our allies, [with the] threats to Natos northern flank, and reinforcing the deterrence and the defence of our Nato alliance with this operation, where the threats are greatest, which is from Russia and in the High North.

In short, the UK and its Nato allies are stepping up their Nato efforts to defend themselves  and to save America from itself.
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Nato chief Mark Rutte has engaged in a frank and open discussion with US President Donald Trump, attempting to address the US president's clear disappointment regarding the military alliance's response to the Iran war.

During their meeting in Washington, Mr Rutte highlighted the positive actions taken by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in attempting to secure the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

Speaking to CNN after the White House talks, Mr Rutte said that a large majority of European nations had provided assistance to America during the conflict and fulfilled their commitments.

However, his efforts failed to mollify Mr Trump, who subsequently posted on his Truth Social platform: "NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN."

This sentiment echoed earlier statements from the White House, which claimed Britain and other Nato allies had "turned their backs" on the US during the war.

Mr Trump also argued that the security organisation had been tested and they failed.

He has previously raised the possibility of the US quitting Nato, branding it a paper tiger.

The refusal by the UK to be drawn into the offensive against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the US, and to restrict the use of its bases by American forces has put a severe strain on relations between Sir Keir and Mr Trump.

The US president has also previously complained about the contributions paid in by fellow Nato members, arguing that America has been carrying other countries financially.

Ahead of the US-Iran ceasefire being announced, the UK had chaired a meeting of military planners from a coalition of nations examining long-term measures to secure the strait, which had been all but closed off by Tehran during the conflict, causing a shock to global trade.

Military representatives from over 30 nations joined the virtual conference to explore ways to make the shipping route safe and accessible once hostilities have ended.

( AP )

Following the truce, a joint statement by world leaders, including Sir Keir, said they would contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was dismissive of the offer when asked at a news conference.

Sharing a quote from Mr Trump on Nato in response, she said: They were tested and they failed.

She added: Its quite sad that Nato turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when its the American people who have been funding their defence.

Speaking to CNN, Mr Rutte said: Let me be absolutely clear, he (Mr Trump) is clearly disappointed and with many Nato allies, and I can see his point.

But at the same time, I was also able to point him to the fact that the large majority of European nations have been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they lived up to (their) commitments.

He also said lets not forget steps being taken by Sir Keir aimed at ensuring the future free-flow of trade through the Strait of Hormuz.

Mr Rutte added: So I also pointed him to the positive. But clearly this was a very frank, very open discussion, but also discussion between two good friends.

He went on: There is a disappointment, clearly, but at the same time, he was also listening carefully to my arguments of whats happening.

Stressing that most European countries had fulfilled their commitments in a case like this, Mr Rutte said: Europe as a platform of power projection for the United States was in full play over the last six weeks.

Yes, it is true, not all European nations lived up to those commitments, and I totally understand that He is disappointed (about that).

Earlier, Mr Rutte met with US secretary of state Marco Rubio where the pair discussed burden shifting within the alliance.

Following the talks, US State Department principal deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott said: The two leaders discussed Operation Epic Fury, ongoing US-led efforts to bring a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, and increasing co-ordination and burden shifting with Nato allies.
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 Pope welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East with great satisfaction on Wednesday, following a rare intervention to condemn Donald Trumps threats against Iran.

Pope Leo has emerged as an outspoken critic of the conflict in recent weeks, taking a strong stance often in clear opposition to the Trump administrations policies.

After Trump threatened Iran on Tuesday that a whole civilisation will die tonight if the country did not meet US demands for a truce, the pontiff told reporters that the threat was truly unacceptable - an unusual step to respond directly to a world leader.

His appointment last year as the first US-born leader of the Catholic church has put focus on his relationship with the president, whose foreign conflicts and immigration policies he has publicly pushed back on.

And this week, a report citing a contentious meeting between a Catholic official and the Pentagon suggested the pope may not return to the US while Trump remains in office.

open image in gallery Pope Leo XIV addresses the crowd from the window of the apostolic palace on 6 April, amid concern over the war in the Gulf ( AFP/Getty )

Who is Pope Leo?

Robert Prevost, 70, made history last May when he became the 267th pope  the first time in the Churchs 2,000-year history that a US citizen was chosen to lead the church.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1955, Prevost grew up in the citys south suburbs, where he lived in Dolton with his parents and two brothers. He studied canon law in Rome before working in Peru. By 2001, he was elected prior general of the worldwide Augustinian order, a post he held for two six-year terms.

By 2025, he had been appointed to the most senior rank of cardinals. He took over from Francis last May.

Prior to his election as pope, some questioned his candidacy, due to his relatively young age and inexperience. Some speculated that cardinals would also wish to select a European. Leo has been described as a dignified middle of the road leader, compared with his predecessor, who was considered progressive.

Last year, he publicly voiced opposition to remarks by Vice President JD Vance on the theological concept of ordo amoris. he wrote that Vance was wrong as Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.

open image in gallery Donald Trump (L) and his defence secretary (R) face criticism over their rhetoric around the war ( AFP/Getty )

As Pope, Leo has also condemned Donald Trumps anti-immigration policies, describing the administration's treatment of foreigners living in the United States as extremely disrespectful in November.

He said individual countries have a right to police their borders, but that many immigrants in the US are living good lives and they were being treated in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least.

Leo urged people in the US to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have.

What has he said about the war in Iran?

Pope Leo on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire in the Iran war, hours after calling Trump's threat against the population of Iran unacceptable.

In light of these past hours of great tension for the Middle East and for the whole world, I welcome with satisfaction... the announcement of an immediate two-week truce, Leo said in his weekly audience.

He added: Only through a return to negotiation can an end to the war be achieved.

Those comments came only hours after he criticised Trump directly over his threat to destroy a whole civilisation unless Iran came around to a deal. Trump has threatened to destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran.

open image in gallery Pope Leo XIV leads the Easter Vigil on 4 April ( Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

There was this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable," he said, adding: There are certainly issues here of international law, but even more than that, it is a moral question for the good of the (world's) people.

Leo continued with an unusual appeal, saying, I would invite the citizens of all the countries involved to contact the authorities -- political leaders, congressmen -- to ask them to work for peace.

Leo also said that many have called the conflict an unjust war, suggesting the hostilities go against the Catholic Churchs pro-life teachings.

Trump and his defence secretary employed Christian rhetoric throughout the unpopular war. He called the rescue of a downed US airman an Easter miracle and suggested airstrikes have Gods blessing. Defence secretary Pete Hegseth has gone further, citing scripture to justify the use of overwhelming violence against adversaries.

open image in gallery Firefighters, first responders, and volunteers work on smouldering debris at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, on 8 April ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Addressing tens of thousands of faithful in St Peters Square on Palm Sunday, Leo said that God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars and have hands full of blood.

(Jesus) does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: 'Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood', he said, citing a Bible passage.

At the end of March, he made another direct appeal to Trump, urging him to find an off-ramp to end the war.
Zelensky blames Iran was for stalled weapon supply as Russia continues to attack Ukraine

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 acting US ambassador to Ukraine will step down from her post and retire over differences with Donald Trump, according to a report.

An American official and the State Department said that Julie Davis would leave the role amid a lull in US-brokered talks to achieve a ceasefire and end Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Financial Times first reported Davis' departure and said it was because of differences of opinion with Trump's policies. It is claimed that Davis had grown frustrated with her role over his dwindling support for Ukraine.

The State Department pushed back on that characterisation, saying it was "false" to say she was leaving over differences with Trump.

"Ambassador Davis has been a steadfast proponent of the Trump Administration's efforts to bring about a durable peace between Russia and Ukraine," Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.

Negotiations have been stalled since the US launched military action against Iran, which has caused a global energy shock and diverted Trumps attention from conflict in Europe.
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 United States is ignoring evidence of Russia helping Iran because the Trump administration still trusts Vladimir Putin, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukrainian intelligence accused Russia of feeding Iran with data used to strike US forces and other targets in the Gulf during the six-week conflict. Donald Trump and his top officials have suggested they are aware of Russian interference, but have played down the threat.

In an interview with Alastair Campbell on The Rest is Politics: Leading podcast, Mr Zelensky said he had tried to raise the issue but feared US negotiators were blinded by their close contact with the Kremlin.

I said this publicly. Did we hear a reaction from the US to Russia that they have to stop it? The problem is they trust Putin. And its a pity, he said.

Mr Zelensky judged that President Trumps lead negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, had spent too much time with Putin and his senior officials. The envoys have steered talks between Kyiv, Moscow and Washington since Mr Trump returned to office last year.

open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky told Alastair Campbell that the Trump team dont want to believe Putin is lying to them ( The Rest is Politics: Leading )

They dont want to recognise that Putin will lie to them and that he can continue the occupation even after such steps, he said, referring to Ukraine. The Americans are sure that they can trust Putin.

Mr Zelensky has warned President Trump of Russias historical precedent in flouting ceasefire agreements, arguing the need for watertight security arrangements to end the conflict.

But Russia has stuck fast to its maximalist demands for Ukrainian territory, and the latest round of talks was making little progress before the conflict in the Gulf paused discussions.

Mr Zelensky has since claimed that Russia provided Iran with intelligence to help strike US forces and bases in the region after hostilities erupted on 28 February.

He said in March that Moscow had sought to blackmail the US by offering to stop sharing military intelligence with Iran if, in return, Washington cut off Kyiv from its intelligence data.

A recent Ukrainian intelligence assessment claimed that Russian satellites were scanning military facilities and critical sites across the Middle East, indicating deep collaboration between Russian and Iranian hackers in the cyber domain.

open image in gallery Vladimir Putin with the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran in 2022 ( Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/AP )

Russia denied the assessments on Wednesday. Western intelligence officials also told the Financial Times last month that Russia was shipping drones, medicine and food to Iran as part of a deal agreed after 28 February.

Iran has acknowledged a longstanding military cooperation with Russia, but would not be pressed on how the Kremlin was involved in the war in the Gulf.

Mr Zelensky also addressed Ukraines support for allies in the Gulf region, sharing expertise on tackling Iranian drones. More than 200 Ukrainian military experts were sent to the Middle East to share their knowledge on how to defend against drone attacks.

On our strategy, its long-term relations. Yes, we have a system for how to not only... defend and destroy Iranian drones. Its not about Iranians or Russians, it doesnt matter. Its about the system, what we have, he said.

Mr Zelensky said allies were happy to benefit from Ukraines experience.

I think this is what we need to do now in our union in Europe. To do, not to wait, not to wait when it will be late.

open image in gallery A plume of smoke rises after a strike on the Iranian capital Tehran, on 3 March ( Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images )

He added that a long war in the Middle East risks using up materiel desperately needed by Ukraine in its defence against Russia.

The focus of the United States is on the Middle East now. If the war will be long, I dont know, God bless, they will make some ceasefire steps etc. I dont know.

But I know one thing, that long war, its using a lot of different weapons, what we need, anti-ballistic missiles, patriot missiles, what we need very much. Even before this war, we had a deficit with these, you know, components, but with the war, of course.

The Rest is Politics: Leading is available here or wherever you get your podcasts
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Israeli forces shot and killed a young female student in Gaza, health and education officials said.

The fatal shooting was reported to have taken place while the victim was attending a class held in a tent in the town of Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday.

The education ministry said third-grade student Ritaj Rihan was hit by a bullet in front of her classmates, causing them "a strong psychological shock".

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident.

Israel still occupies more than half of the Gaza Strip, under a ceasefire in place since last October. Residents have been driven out as nearly all buildings in the Israeli-controlled sector have been levelled.

That leaves virtually the entire population of more than 2 million people confined to around a third of Gaza's territory, mostly in makeshift tents and damaged buildings, where life has resumed under the control of an administration led by Hamas.

Displaced Gaza children are attending classes given by volunteer teachers in crowded tents in some areas, keen to continue their education despite the widespread destruction of schools.

Palestinian students attend class inside a tent set up on the beach in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

These makeshift classrooms face severe challenges, including harsh weather, resource shortages, and ongoing security risks.

More than 700 Palestinians have been killed since the October deal took effect, while militants have killed three Israeli soldiers. Palestinians say Israeli forces have been moving some of the yellow concrete markers westward, encroaching into unoccupied territory. Israel denies this.

Israel's assault on Gaza has killed more than 71,000 people, according to the enclave's health ministry. The war was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed some 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.
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 ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States looked increasingly fragile on Thursday as Washington dismissed a string of key demands and Tehran appeared to hold its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

Donald Trump overnight rubbished a widely reported 10-point plan that Iran said Washington had already agreed in principle would serve as a basis for future peace talks.

Iran made clear the ceasefire was conditional on an end to hostilities in Lebanon, while the White House said the deal did not include Israels parallel war with Hezbollah.

open image in gallery There was confusion as Israel continued to strike Lebanon on Wednesday ( Hassan Ammar/AP Photo )

The Strait of Hormuz remained shut to vessels sailing without a permit and shippers said they needed more clarity, as Iran struck oil facilities across the Gulf on Wednesday in retaliation for airstrikes that the US and Israel denied.

Although both the US and Iran have declared victory in the war which started on 28 February and has killed thousands, their core disputes remain unresolved.

What is Irans 10-point plan?

Mr Trump said with the announcement of a ceasefire that he had received a 10-point proposal from Iran, judging it a workable basis on which to negotiate. He said that almost all of the points have been agreed, but did not reveal what they are.

Irans Supreme National Security Council, the countrys top security body, then published a list of points it said Washington had agreed to and in principle, committed to. These included:

non-aggression

continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz

acceptance of enrichment

lifting all primary and secondary sanctions

termination of all resolutions passed by the UN Security Council and the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency

withdrawal of US combat forces from the region

cessation of war on all fronts, including against the Islamic resistance in Lebanon.

There was uncertainty, however, as President Trump suggested there were numerous bogus lists circulating. He said there was only one group of meaningful POINTS that are acceptable to the United States, which the US would be discussing behind closed doors with Iran in Pakistan.

He later accused US media of reporting on a totally FAKE TEN POINT PLAN. Those outlets had reported on the plan as described by Iran, noting that Tehran was also considering a 15-point proposal from the US. Mr Trump told the AFP news agency that there was a 15-point transaction, of which most of those things have been agreed on.

open image in gallery Israel continued to strike Beirut despite the ceasefire between Iran and the US ( Reuters )

Iran had already rejected a 15-point plan, dismissing it as unreasonable, despite Mr Trump claiming in March that Tehran had agreed to most of the points. It was unclear whether this was still under consideration in some form.

The president wrote on Thursday that the US would keep ships, aircraft and personnel in the region, against one of Irans apparent demands. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and vice president JD Vance also said that the ceasefire deal did not include Israels war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, while Iran and mediator Pakistan said it did.

Irans nuclear programme

There was also confusion around the acceptance of enrichment of nuclear materials mentioned in Tehrans plan. Mr Trump had originally cited Irans nuclear programme and enrichment as a justification for the conflict.

The president said Iran had agreed to stop enriching uranium, which can be turned into nuclear weapons, and the White House said Iran has indicated it would turn over its existing stocks.

The United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried ... Nuclear Dust, Mr Trump said on social media. His defence secretary Pete Hegseth said that Iran would have to hand over its uranium, or well take it out.

open image in gallery Defence secretary Pete Hegseth (left) warned that the US would take Irans uranium by force if it didnt hand it over ( Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo )

Irans parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, however, said it was allowed to continue enriching uranium under the terms of the ceasefire.

The Associated Press reported that the Persian-language version of the plan seen by journalists insisted on Irans right to continue enrichment. The English version of the plan did not include that clause for reasons unclear, they said.

The Strait of Hormuz

Irans foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement on Wednesday that for the duration of the ceasefire, Tehran would stop counterattacks and provide safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Mr Trump, in turn, said the US would stop attacks so long as Iran retracts its effective blockade of the strait, through which about one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments travel.

A first vessel transited the global oil chokepoint with Tehran's permission following the ceasefire on Wednesday, according to Iranian state TV, but shipping sources said that the Iranian navy was threatening ships with destruction if they tried to pass.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran might lift its effective blockade on Thursday or Friday ahead of peace talks, but ships would still require Tehrans permission to pass.

open image in gallery Vessels and boats pictured in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman ( Reuters )

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea says countries bordering straits cannot demand payment simply for permission to pass through.

There is uncertainty around what the US expects from Iran in its reopening of the Strait. If Iran is still selectively allowing ships to pass, the strait is not fully open to international traffic.

Mr Trumps response on Wednesday was that the US might pursue a joint venture with Iran to charge foreign ships a fee for safe passage.

A ceasefire for Lebanon

According to Pakistan and Iranian state media, the ceasefire agreement includes a provision for an end to all hostilities, including the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel has said the agreement does not cover the conflict in Lebanon, and on Wednesday launched what it described as its biggest strikes yet. Lebanons health minister said the attack had caused hundreds of casualties.

More than a million people in Lebanon have been displaced by Israeli strikes, and over 1,700 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since 2 March, including at least 130 children, according to the Lebanese authorities.

open image in gallery JD Vance, pictured in Hungary on 7 April, told reporters he believed Iran had misunderstood the terms of the ceasefire ( Marton Monus/Reuters )

US vice president JD Vance, who will lead the US delegation at the talks in Islamabad, told reporters in Budapest: I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didnt. In comments to reporters, he cast it as a legitimate misunderstanding.

Whats next for diplomacy?

Pakistans prime minister said on Wednesday that Islamabad would welcome representatives from both Iran and the US for negotiations aimed at finding a more enduring peace deal.

An Iranian delegation, including Mr Qalibaf and Mr Araghchi, was heading to the Pakistani capital on Thursday ahead of anticipated talks with the US.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said late on Wednesday that JD Vance, as well as Mr Trumps envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would be heading to Islamabad for talks on Saturday, however.
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 bombed Lebanon so intensely on Wednesday that witnesses, and the wounded, told The Independent it felt like they had unleashed a ring of fire on the capital, Beirut, and an earthquake across the rest of the country.

Over 100 targets were hit in just 10 minutes, according to Israels count. More than 250 people were killed and over 1,000 injured, according to the Lebanese Civil Defence. They are still digging bodies out of the rubble.

This absolute massacre, as it was described by a renowned British conflict surgeon in a Beirut emergency room, does not just impact Lebanon.

It is already jeopardising the future of a long-awaited and deeply fragile truce between the US, Israel and Iran. A truce which hangs in the balance.

This deal, this resolution to a global nightmare, is desperately needed for the civilians chewed up in the violence  and for us all.

It is not just about the worst disruption to global energy supplies in history, shuttered airports bringing movement around the world to a near halt, and the related soaring cost of living, it is about our very security and future.

open image in gallery Rescuers gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon ( Hussein Malla/AP )

This conflict has engulfed major global chokepoints, like the transport hubs of Emirati and Qatari airports, and the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of the worlds oil and liquefied natural gas pass.

The theatre of war has already stretched across at least 13 countries, and so the potential for a conflict this complex to metastasise is extremely high.

I regularly check in with Gulf diplomats. They have been increasingly worried that their nations, coming under retaliatory fire from Iran over Israeli and US bombings, will be forcibly dragged into it. In blunt terms, they have warned it could see them bomb Iran back.

More and more nations exchanging fire means an uncertain and bleak future that none of us can predict.

So it was no wonder the world breathed a sigh of relief when the truce, brokered by Pakistan, was announced. But the hard work has only just begun.

The likelihood of thrashing out any semblance of a deal from this pause already seems near impossible.

open image in gallery Smoke rises following several Israeli airstrikes in the Lebanese capital, Beirut ( Hassan Ammar/AP )

There are yawning, nay existential, chasms between the demands and red lines of both sides, including, though not exhaustively: who gets control of the Strait of Hormuz; the future of Irans nuclear programme; and Tehrans ballistic missile capabilities.

At the same time, the temperature was pushed to apocalyptic levels by Donald Trumps rhetoric when he declared he would wipe out a whole civilization in Iran shortly before the pause was announced.

With this much at stake for the planet, it would seem logical to remove any external pressures that could further complicate matters.

Israel continuing its war with Irans ally, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, through its bombing of Lebanon  which obviously is not all Hezbollah has become a major external pressure.

According to Pakistan, Iran and Hezbollah, Lebanon was supposed to be included in the cessation of hostilities. Shortly afterwards, the Israeli prime minister declared that it was not.

The Israeli military then unleashed what it described as its heaviest strikes yet on Lebanon, and on Thursday said it is continuing to bomb the country, including taking out the nephew of Hezbollahs chief.

open image in gallery An Israeli airstrike in the area of Abbasiyeh, on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre ( Kawnat Haju/AFP via Getty Images )

Iran has already responded to these attacks by closing the Strait of Hormuz and declaring it will not engage in talks if Israels offensive on Lebanon continues.

That is before either side has even seen a negotiating table, let alone sat at it.

Sources I speak to who are briefed on Israels position are clear that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no interest in ending the offensive on Hezbollah or Lebanon, a richly diverse sovereign nation where many are opposed to the militant group.

Israel cannot run two major battlegrounds simultaneously, so now is the time to focus on Hezbollah, the source continued.

A large part of the Israeli public are apparently disappointed with the Iran ceasefire and, particularly regarding Lebanon, want the job done. In their terms, that means when they feel Hezbollah is truly demilitarised and destroyed, the source continued.

Israeli officials have repeatedly said the one of the main ways to do that is through a buffer zone inside Lebanese sovereign territory.

Defence minister Israel Katz has threatened to effectively occupy land in the south going right up to Lebanons Litani River, a geographical area making up around 10 per cent of the country. Thats an area equivalent to the whole of Wales.

That, experts have told me, is not so much a buffer zone as an extension of Israels landmass. If Israel pursues this  at what cost?

What cost for the Lebanese civilians cowering under this bombardment or forced from their homes? What cost for the future of the negotiations which are flailing before they have even started? For the wider region dragged into this nightmare?

With this much at stake, at what cost for the world?
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 welcome news of a ceasefire in the Israeli-US war against Iran, for a two-week period to open trade through the Persian Gulf while Irans regime reels from an onslaught that Donald Trump threatened would erase a civilisation, suits one man most  Vladimir Putin.

The rest of the world has been left reeling and impoverished by an illegal conflict.

Irans military capacity may have been mangled and its theocratic leadership left cowering in bunkers. But it is the reputation of the United States that has been badly, probably irreparably, mauled.

America is weaker now than it has ever been and the ceasefire is a sign that Trump wants to get out of the Iran mess while that damage is probable and not certain.

Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing indictments at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, has agreed to hold off from further bombing of Iran, for now.

From his perspective, the war in Iran is not over. Israels far-right government, which includes ministers who have made genocidal statements against the Palestinians of Gaza, wants to see the end of the Tehran regime and the rule of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

open image in gallery US president Donald Trump has agreed a ceasefire barely hours after threatening to extinguish an entire civilisation ( PA )

The IRGC has survived. The ayatollahs remain in charge. And Irans insurgent-style mosaic defence system, which delegates autonomy to low-level commanders, means its plans to survive political decapitation have worked.

But Israel and the US have certainly set back Irans missile programme. Its pre-war capacity was revealed by attacks on Israel that included missiles delivering cluster bombs.

Netanyahu was able to convince Trump to join his war on Iran because, he claimed, Tehran was weeks away from producing a nuclear weapon. That statement was a lie in February. Trump claimed that Irans nuclear capacity had been obliterated last summer. Still, its more obliterated now.

But Israels ultraviolent response to the October 7 atrocities committed by Hamas-led militants and others from Gaza in 2023, with the killing of upwards of 70,000 people in the enclave and the total destruction of infrastructure for 2.2 million people there, shows that Israel believes it is safer to fight a forever war than seek peace.

So Israel has attacked Hezbollah, the vast Lebanese militia that is backed by Iran, in Lebanon. Hezbollah, the Party of God, has no reason to exist in Lebanon except to fight Israel.

The Israel Defence Forces are forcing the population of southern Lebanon to flee their homes and are likely to return to a full-time occupation of the south of the country. That will guarantee Hezbollahs future raison detre.

open image in gallery Iranians celebrate the two-week respite, during which negotiations will take place in Islamabad ( AP )

Meanwhile, Israels parliament has brought back the death penalty  for Palestinians who kill Jews. On the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinians are tried by military courts, which have a conviction rate of about 99 per cent.

Which means that those accused of murder will almost certainly hang  a form of jurisprudence associated with despots, not a country that pretends to be a democracy. (A democracy does not deny political rights or citizenship to five million people it has ruled for between 59 and 78 years, based on their ethnicity.)

Americas modern standing in the world reached its height in the single-term administration of a Republican president, George HW Bush (senior).

He shepherded the world through the end of the Soviet Union, German reunification, the Start I nuclear treaty, built the coalition to kick Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait after the Iraqi dictators invasion, began the process that brought the North America Free Trade Area to the US and Mexico, and deposed Manuel Noriega in Panama.

He also co-hosted, with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the Madrid Conference when he used US pressure to bring Arabs and Israelis to talks for the first time, insisting: The time has come to put an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict.

This led to the now-defunct Oslo process during which hope for a peaceful two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians first bloomed, before withering over decades.

open image in gallery Benjamin Netanyahu has stressed that the ceasefire deal does not include Lebanon ( Getty )

Above all, he led a multinational UN-sanctioned invasion of an entirely Muslim nation, Somalia, that put an end to the deliberate fatal starvation of hundreds of thousands of people for profit by local warlords. It was a mission of noble intent that succeeded and which, by the way, the UK did not take part in on any level.

Since then, the US reputation for trying to make the world a better, more democratic place has declined through the Iraq war debacle and the Afghan fiasco, but under Trump it has taken a cliff-dive.

Trump has invaded Venezuela and boasted he did so for profit. He has backed Netanyahu in Gaza and even endorsed a proposal to forcibly remove most of the population in an act that would be a crime against humanity.

On Iran he threatened that a whole civilisation will die tonight and his secretary of war has issued orders that are outright incitements to war crimes.

We will keep pressing we will keep pushing, keep advancing. No quarter, no mercy, for our enemies, said Pete Hegseth, as the Iranian campaign got underway.

Key to proving genocide is malice aforethought  a plan, not an outcome, is key to the charge  Trump and Hegseth demonstrated the intent to erase a civilisation and order troops to violate the laws of war (no quarter means take no prisoners nor any surrender). That means theyre open to charges of war crimes and worse.

open image in gallery Israeli strikes on Lebanon continued in the hours after the deal was announced ( Reuters )

All this is clear to Americas Nato allies, who are now bracing for the time when Trump leaves the organisation. Many may feel that their nations are far better off standing apart from the madness that has gripped the Oval Office.

Americas Gulf allies now see Washington as a liability. Theyre under fire because they have enormous US military bases on their turf across the Persian, or Arabian, Gulf from Iran and whatever the outcome of the ceasefire, they wont be thanking Trump for starting a war in their manor.

Which leaves Russia. An initial oil price-hike bonanza netted the Kremlin an extra $7-10bn in revenue. By now that figure is likely to be around $15-25bn by my calculations.

Putin sees Nato as the biggest threat to him. His invasion of Ukraine backfired when Finland and Sweden joined the alliance.

Now hes sitting in the Kremlin relishing the threats Trump has made to invade Canada and Greenland (both part of Nato) and to quit the alliance because its members see no point to his war in Iran.

The ceasefire in Iran offers a respite, but not a cure for the end of reason.
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 reportedly issued Nato allies with an ultimatum to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz within days, as his ceasefire with Iran risks collapse over Israels deadly strikes on Lebanon.

Nato boss Mark Rutte told European leaders that Mr Trump expects partners to make concrete military commitments, according to Der Spiegel, casting the demand as an ultimatum.

Mr Trumps edict came amid reports that he was drawing up a list of partners that supported or opposed his war in the Middle East, weighing up the removal of US forces from countries deemed resistant.

In another outburst on social media earlier in the day, the president lamented that NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!

open image in gallery Donald Trumps ceasefire hangs by a thread as Benjamin Netanyahu faces backlash for Israels actions in Lebanon ( Getty )

Mr Trumps fragile ceasefire in the Middle East looked on the verge of collapse, with Iran threatening to pull out of talks if Israel presses on with strikes on Lebanon, including in Beirut. Iran accuses the US and Israel of flouting the ceasefire agreement.

Israel insists its operation is aimed at defeating Hezbollah, but experts have warned the action could lead to a similar humanitarian crisis as Gaza.

However, Mr Netanyahu appeared to shift his tone on Thursday, saying he had instructed his cabinet to start direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible.

More than 1,700 people have been killed in Lebanon over the past six weeks, including over 250 in concentrated strikes on Wednesday. More than a million people, close to 20 per cent of Lebanons population, has already been displaced in six weeks.

Irans deputy prime minister Dr Saeed Khatibzadeh called Israels action a grave violation of the agreement and said the coming hours are very critical as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps hinted it will resume fighting if the attacks on Lebanon do not stop.

open image in gallery The damage caused by an Israeli strike on Wednesday in Al-Mazraa, Beirut ( Reuters )

Dr Khatibzadeh said on Thursday that Iran was on the verge of responding to what it considered to be ceasefire violations on Wednesday night, but Pakistan intervened to prevent an escalation.

The IRGC said it would enact a regret-inducing response to the attacks if they continued, with state media quoting an official: Any attack on the proud Hezbollah is an attack on Iran.

Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian added: Iran will not abandon the Lebanese people. Sensitivities were further heightened as Iranians turned up in droves to mourn supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 40 days after he was killed in US-Israeli attacks on 28 February.

President Trump said that US military personnel would remain stationed around the region until the agreement is fully complied with and that bigger, and better, and stronger attacks would follow if it was breached.

Oil prices surged again in response to the confusion after initially plummeting on Wednesday following the ceasefire announcement.

open image in gallery A worker paints a road separator near the Serena Hotel, the expected venue for US-Iran talks, in Islamabad ( Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images )

Multiple ship-tracking sources including Lloyds List Intelligence and Kpler said that movement through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a standstill.

Iran warned that ships passing through the vital waterway may be hit by anti-ship mines in the main transit routes due to the state of war as it advised vessels to follow alternative paths.

Irans navy stressed all vessels must stay in touch with security forces to avoid potential collisions with naval mines.

Peace talks are due to take place at the Serena Hotel in Pakistans capital Islamabad on Saturday, with vice-president JD Vance due to lead a US delegation, according to Axios, and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Irans parliamentary speaker, to lead the Iranians, according to reports.

But Tehran has also threatened to walk away from the process entirely, citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire as grounds to withdraw, sources told The Wall Street Journal.

open image in gallery The Mayuree Naree was attacked in mid-March. Irans navy said all vessels in the Strait of Hormuz must stay in touch with its security forces ( AFP via Getty )

Israels actions have sparked international outrage with British foreign secretary Yvette Cooper condemning the escalation as deeply damaging and calling for Lebanon to be urgently included in the agreement.

The European Unions foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas criticised the number of civilian deaths in Lebanon and said it was becoming hard to argue that such heavy-handed actions fall within self-defence. Ms Kallas called on the ceasefire agreement to be extended to Lebanon.

President Emmanuel Macron and French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the agreement must cover Lebanon as France condemned massive Israeli strikes.

Mr Barrot said Iran must give up the right to nuclear weapons, surrender its use of missiles and drones to threaten other countries in the region and stop supporting militant groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.

Germanys chancellor Friedrich Merz said his country had resumed direct talks with the Iranian leadership and said he does not want Nato to break apart amid the crisis and said he had encouraged President Trump to pursue negotiations with urgency.

Mr Netanyahu is also facing backlash within Israel with opposition leaders calling his actions in Iran and Lebanon a historical disaster.
Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Astronauts who went farther into space than any other humans have returned to Earth after a dramatic reentry and splashdown near San Diego. All four will instantly become space celebrities and help humans understand their existence.

For two, however, their mission took on a special journey as they became the first Black man and first woman to go to the moon.

NASAs Christina Koch, Victor Glover and the trailblazing Artemis II crew landed safely Friday after their nine-day journey to circle the moon and return. They are all part of the second phase of NASAs ambitious Artemis program, which aims to one day establish a permanent presence on the moon and Mars.

Its unclear how much of a role these astronauts will have in the next phases of the program, but they and fellow crewmates Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen are expected to train crews on future missions. NASA says that they will help apply data gathered during their lunar flyby, including how flight hardware and emergency system capabilities performed. They will also likely be sought-after speakers at schools and events and can help tell of deep space to countless Americans and others.

All four astronauts broke the record for the farthest distance ever traveled from Earth on this mission. But Koch and Glover were NASA standouts long before the launch of their Orion capsule in Florida last week.

open image in gallery NASAs Artemis II astronauts returned home on Friday after a historic 10-day lunar flyby. Two members of the crew just became the first woman and person of color to go to the moon ( Getty Images )

open image in gallery NASA's 322-foot-tall Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft lift off Floridas Kennedy Space Center last week in Cape Canaveral. The launch went off without a hitch ( Getty Images )

open image in gallery The astronauts arrived safely back on Earth Friday after a dangerous reentry ( via REUTERS )

Koch set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman and Glover made history as the first Black astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station. Now they get to add the moon mission to their resumes.

Heres what to know about the pioneering pair:

Victor Glover

Victor Glover was born in Pomona, California, on April 30, 1976. He watched a space shuttle launch as a child, and that got him hooked on space, his father, Victor Glover, Sr., told WLBT in 2020.

And basically said hed like to fly that, and I think thats kinda where the spark began, the older Glover said.

After graduating from Ontario High School in 1994, Glover earned his Bachelors degree in general engineering at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

open image in gallery NASA astronaut Victor Glover is helped out of a SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft after a mission in May 2021. He later flew on the Artemis II mission ( Getty Images )

He played Division I sports in college, including wrestling and football.

I didnt come in with a great work ethic. I had to step up and learn to work hard, at both sports and academics, Glover previously said. It was a challenge.

In 1998, Glover entered the U.S. Navys Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program, which is designed to give financial assistance to people working toward their Bachelor's degree while training for a Naval Reserve officer position.

Glover graduated in 1999, planning to travel the world during his eight-year commitment to the Navy, then earn his Ph.D. and become a college professor. Shortly after, Glover completed flight training, earning his wings as a Naval Aviator in December 2001.

From there, he went on to be test pilot, testing the F/A-18 Hornet, Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler. Glover was also deployed with the Navy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

open image in gallery The Artemis II mission completed a fly-by of the moon earlier in the week ( NASA )

open image in gallery The Artemis II mission was the first returned trip to the moon since 1972 ( NASA )

He flew 24 combat missions and accumulated 3,500 flight hours in more than 40 aircraft.

When he wasnt flying, he was at school. Glover later added three Masters degrees between 2007-2010.

Two years later, after living in Japan and while completing a Legislative Fellowship for former Arizona Senator John McCain, he was selected as an astronaut candidate. By 2013, Glover was one of the eight members of the 21st NASA astronaut class and he completed the required candidate training in 2015.

He helped to command the International Space Station during several launches before he was assigned to his first mission as a pilot in 2018 on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

open image in gallery Glover takes a photo with his family shortly before the Artemis II missions launch at Floridas Kennedy Space Center ( Getty Images )

open image in gallery The Artemis II crew poses for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home ( NASA via Getty Images )

After launching in November 2020, he spent 168 days on the space station, completing four spacewalks.

NASAs vision is to reach for new heights and reveal the unknown for the benefit of humankind. In a time when there are so many things that we let divide us, it just seems to be this really powerful unifying thing, Glover told Cal Poly. And that is my favorite aspect of this job.

Glover, who is now 49, was assigned as the pilot of the Artemis II mission in 2023.

He, his wife of more than 20 years, Dionna Odom, and their four daughters - Genesis, Maya, Joia, and Corinne. They all live in Southern California.

Christina Koch

open image in gallery NASA astronaut Christina Koch looks on during the rollout of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion crew in January 2025 at Floridas Kennedy Space Center ( AFP via Getty Images )

Christina Koch was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on January 29, 1979. Her mother, Barbara Johnsen, was a middle school math teacher, and her father, Dr. Ronald Hammock, was a physician. She has three younger siblings, none who have been named publicly.

Koch knew she wanted to become an astronaut since she was a little girl, a role that would also allow her to become an explorer.

Growing up, she cut out pictures of space and Antarctica from National Geographic magazine and put them on her walls, according to NC State Magazine.

All of these places that were on the frontiers, places to be explored, just caught my interest from the time I was really young, she told the publication.

open image in gallery Koch is helped out of the Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft in Kazakhstan in February 2020 ( NASA via Getty Images )

Her family moved to Jacksonville, North Carolina, in 1982. There, she attended White Oak High School and graduated from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in 1997. She would spend summers on the familys farm in Michigan, before she attended North Carolina State University.

At college, she double majored in electrical engineering and physics - earning two Bachelors degrees and a Masters degree in electrical engineering.

She was also part of the sailing club, was a rock climber, took photographs for the Technician, volunteered with habitat for Humanity and Engineers Without Borders and studied abroad in Ghana in 1999.

I stayed very busy. I was interested in so many different things, Koch said in an interview with Wolfpack Solutions in 2022.

After she graduated, Koch knew that becoming an astronaut was a long shot and decided to pursue jobs that would challenge her.

open image in gallery NASA astronaut Christina Koch takes a selfie with the Earth behind her while performing the first all-woman spacewalk in October 2019 ( NASA )

She worked as an electrical engineer at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center from 2002-2004. Then, she became a research associate in the United States Antarctic Program through 2007 and an electrical engineer in the Space Department of the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University from 2007-2009.

She and Glover were selected to the same astronaut class and she launched on her first mission to the space station in 2019 as a flight engineer.

Koch spent a record 328 days in space and conducted six spacewalks, including the first three all women spacewalks.

On Artemis II, the 47-year-old serves as a mission specialist, checking life support, navigation and communications systems.

She lives with her husband Robert Koch and their rescue dog named Little Brown Dog in Galveston, Texas, according to Mens Journal.

To the young women and aspiring explorers out there: never doubt what youre capable of, Koch wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday. Your dreams are valid, your voice matters, and your place in science, engineering, and space is absolutely yours to claim.
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

Were about to go where no other Swan Hellenic cruise ship has ever been, says our expedition leader, Richard, as he points to a spot on the map known as Snow Hill Island. Conditions are in our favour, and we can manoeuvre through the ice. This is going to be an adventure.

An adventure it is. The next day, I wake up to a literal ice bath; beneath my balcony, huge white slabs scatter the water in lily pad formations, cracked and fissured like sugar icing on a cake, hissing and crackling as the chunks break and crumble.

Giant icebergs glide by intermittently, solid as polystyrene, swirled with aqua-blue and toothpaste white. Reflections bounce off the glassy water below, and the sea and sky are a vivid cobalt. Everything about the scenery seems artificial, but somehow it isnt.

Im sailing the Weddell Sea on an expedition cruise aboard Swan Hellenics SH Vega, and its unlike anything Ive experienced before. Sprawling over a million square miles, this fabled stretch of water lies east of the Antarctic Peninsula and is notoriously difficult to reach, often blocked with heavy pack ice and unpredictable weather.

open image in gallery Snow Hill emperor penguins seen on a cruise of Antarctica with Swan Hellenic ( Adam Laister )

Those conditions led to the demise of Ernest Shackletons ship, Endurance, in 1915, on what was to become Shackletons most famous expedition. Against the odds, the entire crew survived, camping on a drifting ice flow on the Weddell Sea before escaping on lifeboats, our history guide and lecturer Maxim explains.

After 10 months of drifting, the ship was crushed, he says. Endurance is probably the greatest story of survival in polar history, and it happened around 90 miles from where we are now. In 2022, the ship was found at the bottom of the Weddell Seas floor.

Read more: The best cruise deals for 2026

This often treacherous stretch is also where many of the worlds largest icebergs originate. It was the home of A23a, the world-famous berg that once sprawled more than twice the size of Greater London and sat grounded on the seabed for almost 40 years. It was also the birthplace of A76  an iceberg larger than Mallorca.

But for wildlife enthusiasts, its Snow Hill thats the real draw of the Weddell Sea. The island, I soon learn, is one of the only places in the world where emperor penguins can be seen  its home to a colony of 8,000.

Although its technically the most northerly and accessible place on the planet to see them, very few vessels make it here. None of our expedition team has been, despite many having worked in Antarctica for years.

When the captain announces our arrival, we were told we would be landing on sea ice. We climb into Zodiac boats and glide across the blue, then pull up and tread across the frozen sea. And there, in the distance, we see them: a colony of emperor chicks, waddling, stumbling and flapping their tiny wings, dressed in coats of fluffy grey feathers.

open image in gallery Swan Hellenic cruise ship, SH Vega, navigates pack ice in Antarctica ( Swan Hellenic )

Among them, a handful of adults stand tall and proud, and its the emblem of Antarctica, silky black bodies set against a blanket of white. A guest next to me tears up, and Im not far off. I stand there taking it in for the next few minutes, humbled by the immensity and quietness of everything around.

Eventually, we retreat to the ship, and the captain announces were making an earlier-than-planned departure; sea ice is fast closing in around the vessel. We grind our way through the ice, the ship vibrating intermittently, before were eventually set free into clear water. Its a reminder that this is a wild and, at times, perilous land.

This was certainly a highlight on our voyage, but it was just one of many surreal moments I experienced across the 12 days we explored wider Antarctica. The previous evening, Id watched as the sunset turned the sea into liquid gold before ribbons of pastel lilac, blue and pink took over, icebergs shimmering under iridescent light.

It was an ethereal scene, made all the more magical when we spotted an orcas fin in the distance, then another, and another. We watched as their hulking black and white bodies appeared and disappeared beneath the water, then witnessed a group of penguins fleeing frantically ahead of them.

It wasnt our only whale encounter on the trip; day one in Antarctica had gifted us with a pair of humpbacks arching in and out of the sea not far from our Zodiac, before a minke whale appeared briefly beyond.

Read more: The surprise trip that could be the best way to see the northern lights

open image in gallery Writer, Laura French, hiking in Antarctica, during a Swan Hellenic cruise ( Laura French )

On land, there was more to see; each day, we pulled up at different locations on and around the peninsula. We were guests in a world where nature firmly ruled the roost. Elephant, lion and fur seals slumped lazily on rocky shores, their plump bodies gleaming under the sun. Gentoo, adelie and chinstrap penguins, meanwhile, covered the slopes in their hundreds and thousands, waddling along the shores in clusters, squawking in a chorus between the thunderous roars of calving glacial ice.

Every stop brought home the remoteness of the region and its sheer vastness. At Orne Harbour, we hiked up a snow-blanketed slope to see tiny chinstraps waddling along a penguin highway (a crossing theyd carved out themselves), a panorama of the glistening, silvery bay beneath.

At Curtiss Bay, we kayaked beneath glaciers veiled in mist, snowflakes falling from above and silence all around except for the gentle swishing of our paddles. At Lemaire Channel, we sailed through soaring mountains and water turned milky white by iceberg reflections.

But perhaps most fascinating was Port Lockroy, set on Goudier Island, just off the Antarctic mainland. This rocky isle is the home of the Penguin Post Office  the most southerly post office in the world, operated by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) and encircled by a colony of gentoo penguins.

Now a small, ramshackle museum where rusty food cans line kitchen shelves and historic posters sit above tiny bunk beds, this was originally the setting for Operation Tabarin, a secret Second World War mission under Churchill launched in 1944, known as Base A.

Read more: The best bucket list cruises

open image in gallery Leopard seals are often spotted in Curtis Bay in Antarctica ( Adam Laister )

Over the ensuing years, the base witnessed the birth of British Antarctic science while it operated as a research base until 1962, Lisa Ford, base leader for the UKAHT, explained. It was abandoned for three decades until it was restored in 1996 with support from UKAHT, and in 2006, we began welcoming visitors to the museum.

Im intrigued by the heritage of this largely inhospitable part of the planet, because alongside abundant nature and unique wildlife, Antarctica is a land of stories, where Shackleton, Scott, Amundsen, and other adventurers all made their mark.

Exploration here has become easier than ever before, of course. Data from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) shows that the remote continent welcomed an estimated 107,270 visitors during the 2024-2025 season. Compared to mainstream tourism sites, this is minor  Yellowstone National Park recorded over six million visitors in 2025  yet tourism in Antarctica poses obvious risks.

Under IAATO guidelines, expedition cruise ships take steps to mitigate their impact, respecting a minimum five-metre distance from wildlife and keeping visitor numbers to under 100 at landing sites (on our trip, it was usually much less).

We rarely saw another ship during our visit, and it felt like a true wilderness to me  a vast land of silver, white and blue, where there are only two flowering plant species and where the only insect is the midge (the largest land animal, in the words of our on-board scientist, Jonathan).

open image in gallery Swan Hellenics expedition cruise ship, SH Vega, sails through an icy landscape ( Swan Hellenic )

That sense of remoteness is even more true of the Weddell Sea. Whats special about the Weddell Sea in particular is that you can still find places nobody else has been to, Antony Jinman, corporate expedition leader for Swan Hellenic, told me. Thats the true definition of an expedition to me.

To have set foot on sea ice that another human may never have trodden is a feeling Ill never forget. Antarctica is one of the few places in the world where you can still experience beauty barely touched by humans. Its like going to the moon, wrote mountaineer and writer Jon Krakauer, and I can see what he meant.

Standing  small and insignificant  against its colossal icebergs, free-roaming wildlife, and infinite stretches of ocean was a stirring experience. Ill long treasure the sensation of being at the absolute mercy of nature in this extraordinary part of the earth, where penguins, not humans, come first. Long may it remain so.

Laura travelled as a guest of Swan Hellenic.

How to do it

An 11-night Expedition to Antarctica: Weddell Sea cruise on SH Vega with Swan Hellenic starts from 10,680 per person, departing 22 January 2027, based on two sharing (round-trip from Ushuaia, Argentina). The price includes transfers, one-night pre-cruise accommodation in Buenos Aires, all meals onboard, 24-hour room service, selected alcoholic drinks, shore excursions, standard wifi, gratuities and port taxes. Guests also get a photo package, a waterproof backpack and a branded parka to keep.
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 stunning photograph of Japan's snow-capped Mount Fuji, framed by a red pagoda and fleeting cherry blossoms, rapidly captivated social media.

The idyllic scene drew hordes of visitors to the tranquil town of Fujiyoshida, all eager for a similar shot.

The influx, however, overwhelmed the local community. Residents soon reported chronic traffic jams, litter, and instances of ill-mannered foreigners knocking on private doors for toilet access, or even relieving themselves in front yards.

The situation deteriorated so much that officials in Fujiyoshida cancelled this years annual cherry blossom festival  initiated a decade ago specifically to promote tourism in the region.

This "tourism pollution" highlights a broader national challenge for Japan.

While the country's deepening economic malaise makes increased tourism attractive, local communities often find themselves entirely unprepared for the significant impact a surge of foreign visitors has on their daily lives.

open image in gallery Mount Fuji is seen through cherry blossoms in Arakurayama Sengen Park in Fujiyoshida, west of Tokyo ( AP )

Balancing tourism with safety

This area is primarily an ordinary residential neighborhood, where balancing (tourism) with the safety of people's living environment has become difficult, Masatoshi Hada, manager of the Fujiyoshida Economics and Environment Department, said.

We decided not to promote a festival that would invite more visitors.

Even without the festival, foreign tourists packed the area on a sunny day in early April when cherry blossoms reached their prime. The narrow streets up to the popular Arakurayama Sengen Park were filled as the visitors lined up for a chance film the world-famous panoramic views.

In recent years, foreign tourists have exceeded 10,000 per day in the area, something that has threatened residents daily lives, the city said in a statement in February.

open image in gallery Thousands of people have flocked to the area ( AP )

A nationwide problem

Overtourism has also been seen in other popular destinations in Japan, like Kyoto and Kamakura. In Kyoto, locals complain of tourists with large suitcases clogging city buses.

Tourism pollution comes as Japan confronts a rapidly growing population of foreign workers brought in as the country's population dwindles and ages. The combination has led to xenophobia, and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi s nationalistic government has proposed tougher rules on foreigners.

Even as it promises to address overtourism concerns, the government wants to boost the current level of 40 million inbound tourists to 60 million visitors by 2030.

Good but annoying

Beginning 1 April, at the start of the regions cherry blossom season, Fujiyoshida increased its security guards and restricted entry of tour buses and vehicles into the scenic neighborhood, requiring visitors to reach the park on foot.

On a recent day, security guard Hiroaki Nagayama gestured to passersby so they would stay out of busy areas. He asked tourists to throw cigarette butts in designated places and tried to help the lost.

open image in gallery Tourists stand in the street to take photos of Mount Fuji ( AP )

Im struggling. I cannot communicate with them in Japanese. Some people buy food at stalls and leave litter behind, Mr Nagayama says. I think whats happening here is a typical example of overtourism.

Sitting on a bench outside his house just a couple of blocks away, Hitoshi Mori, 93, says having many visitors is good but annoying.

Its too crowded outside so I can only get groceries once a week and stock up on food, he says.

Hours-long lines

Tourists, meanwhile, seem delighted by the spectacular view, despite many signs popping up that order them to behave better. There are also hours-long lines to get to cherished scenic spots.

Its pretty (well) organised. When they let you come in, you have like five minutes to take as many pictures as you can, and it was amazing, said Lisa Goerdert from Paris.

Vicky Tran, who came from Melbourne, Australia, with her family and friends, said they could not go all the way up to see the pagoda with Mount Fuji and the cherry blossoms, because it was too crowded.

Still, she said she enjoyed the view and the neighborhood.

open image in gallery Tourists face hours-long lines to access the most scenic spots ( AP )

Residents divided

The overtourism has opened divisions between residents who want quiet and those who have started businesses using their yards to operate toll parking or setting up new shops or food stalls.

In a nearby shopping arcade that once had many closed mom-and-pop shops, business has picked up after another viral social media shot showed Mount Fuji looming over the street.

Throngs of tourists stand in the street to take photos of Mount Fuji, often blocking traffic, with frustrated vehicles honking.

The sudden flood of visitors is a huge change for people like us who are used to a quiet suburban lifestyle, says Masami Nakamura, who runs a decades-old school uniform shop with her husband.

I only hope the tourists respect our rules and manners.

The crowds are a big change even for those who are seeing increased business.

I once almost hit a tourist who jumped into the street without looking, said Kyoko Funakubo, a 60-year-old employee at a local hotel and a part-time vendor selling Fuji-themed souvenirs.

This place used to be almost abandoned, with many shuttered shops. But now, with many stores reopened or new shops that have opened, I feel good seeing this area come alive again.
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

Tourists have been warned to remain vigilant after dozens of venomous jellyfish were spotted near a popular beach on Thailands island of Phuket.

Around 20 to 30 jellyfish were seen floating close to the surface and later washed ashore at Siam Bay in Racha Yai.

According to the Nation Thailand, the sighting was reported by officials managing the protected area, prompting an alert from marine research authorities.

The jellyfish were identified as moon jellyfish, or Aurelia sp, a species commonly found in local waters. While their venom is considered mild and not life-threatening, officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) stressed that contact can trigger red rashes and skin irritation, particularly in people who are more sensitive to the sting.

Visitors have been urged to remain calm but avoid touching the moon jellyfish. Officials said that anyone who develops unusual symptoms after contact should seek immediate medical attention.

The warning comes during a busy travel period when thousands of tourists visit the island.

And it is just a week after Suchart Chomklin, who serves as deputy prime minister and minister of natural resources and environment, warned the public that large numbers of highly venomous fire jellyfish (Morbakka fenneri) were discovered around Koh Aeo in Phuket.

He said DMCR officials had detected fire jellyfish at a relatively high concentration of about 100 per square metre, floating near the surface at depths of around 3 to 5 metres off Koh Aeo. Tourists and locals were warned to exercise extra caution during marine activities and to avoid any direct contact with the jellyfish.

Moon jellyfish are different from many other species because they do not have long, powerful stinging tentacles. Instead, they are surrounded by hundreds of short, fine tentacles around the bell.

Phuket officials shared clear first-aid steps for anyone stung by jellyfish. People are advised to leave the water immediately in case of a severe allergic reaction. The guidelines also say that vinegar should be poured over the affected area, or seawater (not freshwater) if vinegar is not available.

The officials warned that the wound should not be rubbed or touched with bare hands, as stinging cells may remain on the skin.

Even if symptoms appear mild, individuals should be monitored for at least an hour as reactions can be delayed, authorities said.
Tensions remains high between American-born Pope Leo and President Donald Trump, raising doubts about whether the Pope will visit the United States during Trumps presidency.

The latest flashpoint in the feud appears to center on disagreements over the Iran war, with the pontiff criticizing US involvement over the past few weeks.

This comes after the Pentagon reportedly convened an unprecedented meeting with Pope Leos personal envoy to the United States, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, back in January, issuing a sharp warning against criticism of US foreign policy.

In response, Pope Leo has now reportedly declined Trumps invitation to attend the nations 250th anniversary celebrations, according to The Free Press.
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Barron Trump, the youngest son of President Donald Trump, and four business partners have revealed the first flavor of their newly formed beverage company, which is preparing to debut next month.

Sollos Yerba Mate announced on LinkedIn that its first product, a pineapple and coconut readytodrink yerba mate, which is a caffeinated herbal tea described as the perfect summer drink, will launch in 12packs in May.

The post included a video of the drink being packaged in a factory, while a clip from last week featured a 12-pack floating on a surfboard, showing off the brands Sunshine State vibe.

The brand name Sollos comes from the Spanish word for sun, sol, and represents sunrise and the start of the day, while los, sol spelled backward, symbolizes sunset and the days end.

"Together, SOLLOS captures the full cycle of the sun and that 'It Begins Where It Ends, the company said in another LinkedIn post.

Barron Trump and partners are launching Sollos Yerba Mate with a pineapplecoconut flavor in May ( Getty Images )

"In the foreseeable future Sollos will only have one recipe, the Sollos Yerba Mate team told The Independent. We didn't set out to make a flavor lineup; we set out to make the perfect drink. Most brands launch with five flavors, hoping you'll like one of them. We spent all of our time, energy, and resources obsessing over a single recipe until it was flawless."

Business registration filings show Sollos Yerba Mate, incorporated in Delaware in December and then registered in Florida in January, reported $1 million in capital raised through a private placement, according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents reviewed by the outlet.

Barron Trump, a 19-year-old sophomore at New York University, is listed as one of the directors alongside Spencer Bernstein, Rodolfo Castello, Stephen Hall and Valentino Gomez.

Growing up in South Florida, our lifestyle was shaped by the opportunity to spend time outdoors year-round, a LinkedIn post reads. That experience led us to create SOLLOS, a beverage designed to complement life in the 'Sunshine State.'

The companys registered address in Palm Beach sits near the Trump familys MaraLago estate. Public records show the address belongs to longtime Trump associate Jay Weitzman, who has contributed to Donald Trumps political campaigns and whose parking business has received federal contracts.

He told Newsweek that he has no involvement or investment in the beverage company. He explained that the business was registered at his address because his grandson, Spencer Bernstein, one of the companys directors, is living with him. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on Weitzmans part.

The Independent has contacted Sollos and Weitzman for comment.

Barron Trumps beverage venture marks his first step into the consumer business world. He previously dabbled in other ventures, including in 2024, when he briefly incorporated a real estate business in July, but the firm was dissolved just a few months later, in November, after his father won the presidential election. Barron Trump is also listed as a co-founder of the cryptocurrency venture World Liberty Financial.

Barron Trumps move into the beverage market comes as the Trump familys business dealings continue to attract public attention. When his father started his second term in January 2025, the Trump Organization said Donald Trump would step back from running his real estate company to avoid conflicts of interest. To keep things above board, he brought in William Burck, a longtime Republican lawyer, as an outside ethics adviser to oversee the company and maintain a separation between the presidents duties and his business activities.
As the US war secretary Pete Hegseth issued his triumphalist declaration of mission accomplished in Americas 40-day war on Iran, he issued a generous invitation to the people whose homes and livelihoods had been bombed to bits.

I would like to see the Iranian people take advantage of this opportunity, he said in his first media appearance after the declaration of a two-week ceasefire in the Gulf.

Yet despite the secretarys attempt to bend reality to the contrary, the malevolent regime has not been replaced  merely a few names at the top rubbed out by targeted assassination. It also seems that the regime is more determined and ruthless in its battle for survival than ever.

For the past three weeks, it has carried out a further round of summary arrests, trials and executions. The Basij militia police  the large, plain-clothes and brutal militia group deeply embedded in Iranian society to crush dissent  has now been reinforced by Shiite militias from Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, with most designated as terrorist groups by the UN and Western capitals.

Its really bad  the regime is still bent on fighting its own people, one UK government adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity, told me.

A large convoy of trucks and pickups from the Peoples Mobilisation Front (PMF) was filmed crossing from Iraq at the end of March. PMF units such as Kataib Hezbollah set up camp in the key cities of Khorramshahr and Abadan on the Gulf. They took over the bases of the Basij and the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a resident of Abadan told the Voices of Iran dissidents website. So we expect another massacre of the people.

These forces have come to kill people, said another resident of Abadan. We have not forgotten the January killings, when the government used them to kill people.

Why should the Islamic Republic pay for Hashd al-Shaabi (PMF) terrorists and even house and feed their families for free? said another interviewee.

Despite the tough talk, the IRGC appears to have panicked in calling in the militias of the wider Shia Hezbollah network. From Iraq, most are Arabs; and from the east, Afghan and Pakistani Pashtuns. Almost none of them speak Persian, the main language of Iran. They are to beef up the Basij forces of about 100,000 (though the regime says they are around 250,000). Founded in 1979 by the first supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, they are something of a rag-tag army and are feared and despised in equal measure at local level.

One certainty about Pete Hegseths latest boast on Iran is that it gives the term populism a whole new twist ( AP )

In Iraq, the PMF originally helped the Baghdad government fight the rising Sunni militant threat, especially after the militant leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the Islamic State in Mosul in June 2014. Ties with the predominantly Shia regime in Baghdad have loosened, and when America and Israel went to war six weeks ago, the group declared support for Iran. On 11 March, the Hezbollah Kataib command boasted that it had attacked 291 joint US-Iraq bases in Iraq since the war began. On 12 March, the US carried out 32 air strikes on PMF bases in Iraq.

From the east, Afghan and Pakistani militias have entered and taken over from the Basij at key strongpoints. Fighters from the Zainabiyoun Brigade of Pakistan and the Afghan Fatemiyoun Division have taken roadblocks, which they found manned by 12-year-olds recruited into the Basij. This is the regimes last card, a Tehran resident commented on the presence of child soldiers in the Basij. It shows that it has entered a survival phase  and has no cards left at all.

However, undeterred by the war and external events, the regime has resumed executing protesters. In three weeks, it has carried out 14 hangings. Charges range from setting fire to a Basij police station to moharebeh or rebellion against God. Among the victims are Kourosh Keyvani, who held joint Iranian-Swedish citizenship, and the teenage national wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi.

The regime does not reveal the whereabouts of the executions, or the full number that have taken place or are imminent. The countrys ministry of justice has just confirmed that at least 9,000 indictments are currently being processed. As Amnesty International comments drily: Iran is the second most prolific executioner after China.

Despite the new crackdown aided by mercenary allies from the Hezbollah network, and possibly because of it, many Iranians and observers believe these dark days herald the last days of the Islamic Republic regime. It could come in five months or five years, according to Professor Ali Ansari of St Andrews University. In his view, the fight by the IRGC and the Basij against their own people is time-limited: it cannot go on forever.

The one card the regime has to play is keeping a grip on the Hormuz Strait by its own forces, and, secondarily, the Bab el-Mandeb in the Red Sea by its Houthi proxies. Its a tough order  particularly for the forces of the IRGC and their levies of the Basij, who face enduring opposition at home as much as abroad.

One certainty about Pete Hegseths latest boast on Iran is that it gives the term populism a whole new twist. In the case of Iranians, it has meant the opposite of power to the people. Their plight is as bad as ever after 40 days of bombing and boasting from Trump and Netanyahu. According to the latest Maga polls, the war hasnt made the people at home too happy, either.
JD Vance is back doing what he does best  staying in the picture. Having kept a low profile in the run-up to the Iran conflict, a deputy who is famously averse to forever wars has found a new role: holding talks facilitated by Pakistan, with the aim of providing both Tehran and Washington with off-ramps to ensure that Operation Epic Fury does not end up an epic fail for the US.

JD, as his European friends know him, has also found time to flex his transatlantic muscles, stumping this week for Viktor Orban, Hungarys autocratic leader, who is facing a strong challenge in Sundays elections from an apostate populist, Peter Magyar, who is running on an anti-corruption platform. For Vance, the support of Hungary is an example of what he calls the moral cooperation between the mighty US and a country of less than 10 million in central Europe. Christian values and social conservatism are the talking points. Underpinning it all is a shared distaste for Ukraines all-out quest for independence from Russia and the European Unions support for that goal.

Vance has spent a lot of his time in office morphing from the domestic politician who wrote the memoir Hillbilly Elegy  a paean to the left-behind America he grew up in  to a new role as the ruthless truth-teller. On arrival at the Munich Security Conference a year ago, he told us in a packed hall that Europe needed to grasp its own defence needs, but he also ventured far further into a full-on cultural critique of Western Europe  singling out the UK  for stifling free speech in the name of political correctness and limiting abortion rights protests.

It has elevated him to the voice of America abroad, when the president is either preoccupied at home or seeking amplification of his Maga message overseas. Conveniently, it puts Vance in a strong position in a role that can be diffuse.

He is not in the inner Trump team  that was evident when he was left to mind the shop in Washington DC while the president monitored strikes on Venezuela from a situation room at Mar-a-Lago. Nor was he present when Trump hosted Israels PM Netanyahu at the White House on 11 February to give the go-ahead to Iran hostilities (conspicuously, Vance was in Azerbaijan). President Trump likes to divide and rule, partly to avoid his secretary of state, the ambitious Marco Rubio, gaining too great a profile in Americas international posture.

Both are candidates for the top job. But Vance must know well that only a handful of deputies have made it to the West Wing in the context of electoral succession, as opposed to a presidential death in office. The Trump penumbra is not a place where trust levels are high: some who know the inside dynamics think Vance is used now on tasks like the Pakistan talks because he can be disowned or downplayed if they fail, whereas Trump can take credit if they do lead to a viable end to the war.

On succession, the president prefers to flirt with the idea of remaining in office beyond his two-term limit. Practically, that is strewn with difficulties  and by this time next year, the shape of the Republican race should firm up. On average, candidates declare their intention to run a year and a half out from the election in November 2028.

Some who know the inside dynamics think Vance is used now on tasks like the Pakistan talks because he can be disowned or downplayed if they fail, whereas Trump can take credit if they do lead to a viable end to the war ( AP )

Trump and Vance are similar in that both see themselves as movement leaders who have caught political flight on the wings of culture wars and grievances that cannot be easily dealt with by conventional political means.

But differences do remain  and the limits of foreign interventions are at their heart. It was telling that, in the Signal conversations accidentally leaked a year ago, discussing authorisation of attacks on Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi militants, Vance was the sole member of the group to sound cautious. I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now, he texted the defence and security inner circle. Theres a further risk that we see a moderate to severe spike in oil prices.

That now looks prophetic  a sober assessment of the risks of an in and out raid in the Gulf. Having served as a combat correspondent with the marines during the Iraq war, Vance has also argued that many working-class citizens have died in forever wars. For now, that can be fudged  but the topic will return to haunt Republicans when they need to assess more clearly the cost of the Iran mission and how far it worked out.

One previous member of the Trump transition team tells me that he sees the succession race as likely to pit the hawkish Rubio, who is keen to make Cuba the third target of the administration after Venezuela and Iran, and Vance against one another to vie for the Maga crown, with Trump himself making the leadership dispensation by giving or withholding support. Like a giant Maga version of The Apprentice, the source explains.

So, while the vice-president can support autocratic believers in traditional values on the Danube, read the riot act to European governments and hapless UK leaders, and revel in financially useful tech bro intimacy with Silicon Valley power-brokers, Vance is a man with a plan for advancement, which can be undone at the whim of a contrarian boss. He has a long year of Trumps dominance ahead before any succession race can even begin. And amid the uncertain camaraderie and switching loyalties of Trumpworld, that can feel like a very long time indeed.

Anne McElvoy is executive editor at Politico, and co-host of the podcast Politics at Sam and Annes
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

Overseas aid from wealthy countries plummeted by 23 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024, with Germany overtaking the US to become the worlds biggest aid donor for the first time, new figures show.

The data, published by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), confirms the devastating impact of the closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which previous studies have indicated will contribute to tens of millions of deaths .

Overall aid from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC)  a core group of aid donors comprised of the worlds 34 richest nations  fell by 23.1 per cent to $174.3bn (129.8bn).

The US alone drove three-quarters of the decline with a 57 per cent cut in its aid, while major cuts were also reported by other big donors including Germany (17.4 per cent), France (10.9 per cent), the United Kingdom (10.8 per cent), and Japan (5.6 per cent).

The extremely steep decline in funding from the US meant that Germany provided more aid ($29.1bn) than the US ($29bn) for the first time in history.

Bilateral aid fell by 26.4 per cent from the DAC countries, while multilateral aid  which goes to global institutions like the UN  fell by 12.7 per cent.

The UN notably suffered its largest annual decline in funding on record, with a budget cut worth 27 per cent, driven by a 87.2 per cent year-on-year cut that the US has made to its UN budget contribution.

The US also cut its bilateral aid to Ukraine by a massive 91.1 per cent. However, this was offset by other DAC countries and the EU increasing the aid directed towards Ukraine, which ensured that the $44.9bn that Ukraine ultimately received exceeded the bilateral aid that was provided to all the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Overall aid provided to Sub-Saharan Africa fell by 26.3 per cent to $24.5bn, while aid to the worlds least developed countries similarly fell 25.8 per cent to hit $23.5bn.

Today's figures confirm that we are witnessing the steepest and most widespread contraction in ODA [Official Development Assistance] in a generation, Mikaela Gavas, managing director for the Center for Global Development Europe, told The Independent.

With a second consecutive year of decline and the four largest donors all cutting simultaneously for the first time in nearly thirty years, it is a structural shift in how wealthy countries are choosing to engage with the world's poorest.

Callum Northcote, economic justice lead at Save the Children UK, added: "This is yet another example of the realities now facing the world's children.

The UK's decision to cut aid has poured fuel on the fire of global decision-making. This will have real world impact for health centres, for schools, for the ability to treat malnutrition and keep children safe  an impact that is becoming clearer as the specifics of the cuts are laid bare.

The decline of 23.1 per cent follows a decline of 6.1 per cent recorded in 2024  and the OECD currently projects that foreign aid will decline by a further 5.8 per cent next year.

Three consecutive years of decline in overseas aid is something we have not seen since 1993 to 1993, during the period of the end of the Cold War, said Maria del Pilar Garrido Gonzalo, OECD Director for Development Co-operation, on a webinar held to mark the release of the data.

These projections do not yet account for the potential impact of the current crisis in the Middle East , which could represent an additional shock after two years of overseas aid cuts, she added.

Speaking on the same webinar, chair of the DAC Committee Carsten Staur suggested that the sheer number of humanitarian disasters that the world is currently experiencing means that foreign aid should be increasing, not decreasing.

There are still more than 800 million people living for less than $3 a day  two-thirds of whom live in Sub Saharan Africa  and millions of children still die every year before the age of five for reasons that are easily preventable, he said.

There is no substitute for overseas aid in this fundamental endeavour of investing in human relief, in health, education and social protection. Overseas aid remains an essential investment in global solidarity, in viable international partnerships and alliances, and in longer term resilience and security.

Also on Thursday, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in the UK revealed details of UK aid spending in 2025, which reflected the government beginning to implement its cut to the UK aid budget from 0.5 to 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI).

UK aid spend fell by just over 1bn  or 7.4 per cent  to hit 13bn in 2025, the data shows, while aid as a share of GNI fell from 0.5 per cent to 0.43 per cent year-on-year.

Over 18 per cent of the UK aid budget continued to be spent on UK asylum seeker and refugee costs, in a move that was criticised by NGOs.

Supporting refugees is vital, but this was never the purpose of Official Development Assistance, said Adrian Lovett, UK executive director of the ONE Campaign. Spending more than 2 billion of the development budget within the UK shortchanges our international partners and misleads taxpayers about how their money is being used.

Mikaela Gavas, from the Center for Global Development, added that the UK aid cuts appear to be coming faster than was anticipated when the government first announced its cuts to the aid budget.

This isnt about accounting, it's about real choices, she said. The UK has already announced a major reduction in aidfrom 0.5 to 0.3 per cent of GNIbut these figures show it is happening sooner than expected.

Over 1 billion less has been spent this year than anticipated. Thats almost the same amount as everything the UK spent on humanitarian aid last year.

Gideon Rabinowitz, director of advocacy at the NGO network Bond, which represents UK NGOs working in development, pointed out that the UK cuts are set to be the steepest in the G7.

Lifesaving humanitarian programmes, including education provision in Syria and healthcare programmes across Africa, have already been forced to close, and, with even deeper cuts still to be implemented this year and next, the worst consequences are yet to be realised, he said.

In response to concerns raised in this article, a spokesperson for FCDO said: National security is the first duty of this government. That is why, to fund an essential increase in defence spending, the Government has taken the hugely difficult decision to reduce the UK Official Development Assistance budget. These statistics reflect those essential decisions.
Dublins office market saw a healthy start to the year when take-up of space totalled 396,095 sqft across 45 transactions during the first three months, according to preliminary research from agents JLL. Take-up equates to 39.5pc above first-quarter averages for the last five years. Furthermore, the number of office occupier deals is 33pc more than first-quarter averages over the same period.
A portfolio of eight retail units in Dublins IFSC have come to the market and agents HWBC are guiding 5,250,000 for them. Jenny Prunty, who is handling the sale, says the guide price reflects a 10.54pc net initial yield after standard purchaser costs of 9.96pc and allowing for the vendors underwriting of rents in the two units which are vacant.
Michael Houghton: My son hasnt quite realised that the 500 or so he might receive for his first communion represents only a fraction of what the day will cost us
Ive been told that choosing Anton Savage as a solo presenter on Newstalk Breakfast is risky. I dont agree

Radio station chief pushes back at Pat Kennys criticisms and says several people were involved in luring Claire Byrne away from RTE

Eric Moylan, managing editor at Newstalk. Photo: Frank McGrath

John Burns Thu 9 Apr 2026 at 06:30

The changes that Newstalk made to its schedule last February were the most significant in the stations history, according to managing editor Eric Moylan.
Channel 4 will not show the final episode of The Great Celebrity Bake Off: Stand up to Cancer because of allegations against Scott Mills, who features as a celebrity contestant.

The former Radio 2 DJ was sacked by the BBC shortly before it emerged that the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the 53-year-old in 2016 over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.

Having carefully considered the circumstances, weve taken the decision not to air the final episode of the 2026 series of The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer, featuring Scott Mills, a Channel 4 spokesperson said.

Acknowledging the seriousness of the accusations that have been made against Scott, we dont believe it would be appropriate to air the episode at this time.

He has also been dropped as the host of the BBCs new Race Across the World spin-off podcast

Channel 4 has confirmed that an alternative episode of the show will be broadcast instead.

The celebrity edition of The Great British Bake Off has been airing weekly since March 22, and has seen stars including Molly-Mae Hague, JoJo Siwa and Vicky Pattison compete inside its tent.

Following his sacking, Mills stepped back from his role as an ambassador for MS Society UK on Tuesday, while childrens cancer charity Neuroblastoma UK has decided to part ways with Mills, who had been a patron since 2021.

He has also been dropped as the host of the BBCs new Race Across the World spin-off podcast.

Since Mills sacking, the BBC has admitted it knew about a police investigation into allegations of a historical sexual offence in 2017, but said it acted decisively after receiving new information in the weeks before his sacking.

On Wednesday last week, Mills released a statement through his lawyers, saying he had been the subject of rumour and speculation since he was fired and that he co-operated fully with the police investigation into allegations of a historical sexual offence.
Security guard who shouted abuse at garda avoids criminal record

Judge Peter White ordered Bilal to donate 400 to Barnardos and said he would strike out the charges

Stock image.

Eimear Cotter Thu 9 Apr 2026 at 06:30

A security guard stood face-to-face with a garda and started shouting at him, calling him a dirty rat, a court heard.
Walking will slash your cancer and dementia risk  but only at the right pace. Heres what you need to know
An interview with the EUs top military officer Sean Clancy

Imagine telling a European bureaucrat from the 1990s what the European Union, conceived as a peace project, would be doing three decades hence. Warships under EU command would be zapping ballistic missiles out of the sky in the Red Sea. The bloc would train more than 86,000 Ukrainian soldiers, handing them two million rounds of ammunition, to kill Russian invaders more efficiently. One of its bigger spending programmes would be a 150bn loan package for member states to buy arms. All of it would sound absurd.
Gardai on the scene of the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal where 10 people lost their lives in an explosion in 2022 (Brian Lawless/PA)

An independent investigation into the Creeslough explosion is key to ending the suffering of the victims families, a lawyer acting on their behalf has said.

Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan met families affected by the tragedy at Government Buildings in Dublin on Thursday.

Ten people were killed in an explosion at a building complex in the Co Donegal village on October 7. 2022.

In a statement, Darragh Mackin, of Phoenix Law, said the minister heard directly from the families as to the hurt and pain they suffer, with the delay in the truth, justice and accountability.

Aine Flanagan, whose partner Robert and five-year-old daughter Shauna died in the explosion, said Mr OCallaghan had committed to considering a request for an independent investigation.

She said: We warmly welcome the ministers commitment today to give consideration to our legal teams request for an independent investigation, in line with Stardust, to ensure that we are not once again trying to seek truth and answers many decades after the event.

Mr Mackin said Mr OCallaghan holds the key to finding a solution.

He added: That key comes in the form of an independent investigation chaired by the senior coroner or a High Court judge, with the necessary powers.

Mr Mackin described an investigation as a minimal ask in comparison with the loss our clients have suffered.

He added: The continuing delay to order such an investigation erodes our clients confidence in the justice system in Ireland.

Only when an independent investigation is ordered will our clients have confidence in the system.
Occupied Territories Bill takes centre stage at teaching union's annual congress

President of the Teachers Union of Ireland tells Higher Education Minister that Government must honour its commitment to the Occupied Territories Bill

Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) president Anthony Quinn addressing delegates at the TUI annual congress in Kilkenny

Aisling Bolton-Dowling Wed 8 Apr 2026 at 17:40

The Government has been urged to "honour its own commitment" on the Occupied Territories Bill during day one of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) annual congress.
Today we are coming to you from OConnell Street in a gridlocked Dublin city centre.

For the past few days, this has been the hub of a nationwide protest by hauliers, farmers and contractors in the face of rising fuel costs.

As the protest continues, major thoroughfares and traffic arteries have been reduced to car parks, and deliberate blocking of fuel distribution points risk swiftly creating a petrol and diesel supply crisis.

The Taoiseach has described it as national sabotage, and noted that a gun cant be put to the head of the Government.

Meanwhile, with the deployment of the Defence Forces under consideration, how much longer will this protest last?

On this Extra episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnan Sheahan is joined by Ciaran Moran, deputy farming editor at the Irish Independent, and by protester Michael Farrelly, to take the temperature on Irish streets as frustration and pressure continue to bubble up.
Protests have continued across Cork with a Government move to mobilise the Defence Forces criticised

A Cork farmer, who was involved in blockading the Whitegate Oil Refinery for much of this week, says the public need to take the cotton wool out of their ears when it comes to carbon tax.

The farmer, who wishes to remain anonymous, spent much of yesterday as part of a group of approximately eight trucks, eight tractors, and more than 40 people who have been blocking two entrances to the refinery in east Cork in protest at the rise in fuel prices.

The move was labelled as an "act of national sabotage" by Taoiseach Micheal Martin yesterday evening.

While the farmer admits continuing the protest will be harder and harder following a decision by Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan to mobilise the Defence Forces to assist Gardai in clearing the blockades of national infrastructure, he says that the move is in response to Government carbon tax which will ultimately leave him destitute.

Ive been saying for years that we shouldnt be paying carbon tax when it comes to producing food for the country, said the farmer, who plans to return to the site today. Were being hit on one end, needing to pay carbon tax on the diesel, and then we get hit at the other end with VAT when we buy that produce back.

Fellas are on the bread line

Its one of several blockades taking place across the county, including in Macroom, where the Taoiseach visited this afternoon as part of his itinerary.

Its the same as the last two days, were in in for the long-haul, said one protester, JJ, at a blockade at the Macroom bypass, part of the N22 CorkKillarney road."

We have no business working, its as simple as that, were losing money. Diesel has gone through the roof, its just not worth working anymore, simple as that.

We have no choice. Were better off here, parked, not losing money, then out working and losing money. Until they see that, we cant do anything for them, said the protester, who called on the Government to cap diesel prices to pre-war prices.

We wont be making a whole lot from that but well be making something to stay going. Fellas are on the bread line, theres only a few weeks in this and fellas will be out of business.

Theyll put the country out of business if they dont cop on and see the reality of it, said the protester, who deals in plant hire and haulage.

A fill of diesel is costing now an extra 185 in that truck, she takes three fills a week. Where are we going here? Thats a mans wages.

However, JJ says he believes the situation will continue to escalate, with reports of petrol stations rationing fuel.

If they might just sit down and talk, this will be over. But it seems he (Micheal Martin) doesnt want to talk, so well stay here until hes willing to talk, says the protester, who says that the group has been supported by the public, including being handed food and supplies.

This is really affecting the ordinary people, taking kids to school and everything. Look at the old people trying to fill their tanks. You could fill a tank of home heating oil last year for under 500, 500 litres is now 980, half a tank, this is bananas whats going on.

A fill of diesel is costing now an extra 185 in that truck, she takes three fills a week. Where are we going here? Thats a mans wages.

The busy Shannonpark Roundabout, which is a vital link for haulage traffic between the city and the Port of Cork, has also been at a standstill for the last two days.

This morning, Minister OCallaghan demanded that those blocking the refinery in Whitegate, and others across the country, remove their vehicles immediately.

The blocking of critical national infrastructure will not be permitted to continue and the assistance of the Defence Forces has been requested, said a statement from the Minister this morning.

Large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure will be removed. Owners of those vehicles should remove them immediately this morning and should not complain later about any damage caused to those vehicles during removal.

Denying people access to fuel and clean water is an unacceptable interference in the most basic of human rights.

East Cork TD Pat Buckley has condemned the move and says that the Government needs to engage with protesters.

We have been living with a cost-of-living crisis for far too long and workers and families have been suffering and are at breaking point, said the Sinn Fein representative.

Irish workers are the bedrock of our country and now the Government is threatening to call in our national Defence Forces as their immediate response and its wrong."

This Government has had ample time and has had many calls from those affected to sit down and try to resolve this situation through dialogue but again has chosen to ignore those that they are supposed to represent.

People are angry and have every right to express their concerns, peaceful protests or any protests are normally the last resort and not taken lightly.
The completion of significant water mains upgrade works in Freemount has been hailed as a major boost for local families, businesses and the wider Duhallow community.

The works, delivered by Uisce Eireann, involved the replacement of 626 metres of ageing water mains with modern, resilient piping.

The older infrastructure had been prone to frequent bursts and leaks, leading to ongoing disruptions in water supply and the loss of treated drinking water.

Fine Gael TD for Cork North West John Paul OShea welcomed the competition of the vital works in Freemount. For too long, residents and businesses have had to deal with unreliable water supply due to ageing infrastructure. This upgrade will make a real difference, ensuring a more consistent and dependable service for the community.

The Cork TD acknowledged the inconvenience caused during the construction phase and praised the patience shown by the local community. I want to sincerely thank the people of Freemount for their understanding and cooperation while these essential works were being carried out. The long-term benefits of this investment are very significant and will support the area well into the future.

The works were carried out on behalf of Uisce Eireann by Ward and Burke Construction Ltd, and form part of a broader national effort to reduce water leakage and modernise Irelands water infrastructure.

Deputy OShea also welcomed the wider progress being made nationally, noting that leakage levels have significantly reduced in recent years. It is encouraging to see that progress is being made, and I will continue to advocate for further investment in rural communities like Freemount.

Reliable water infrastructure is essential for the health, wellbeing, and economic development of our communities. This upgrade ensures that Freemount is well-positioned for future growth, and I look forward to seeing further improvements delivered across Cork North-West, he added.
The wastewater treatment plant for an East Cork housing estate is an environmental hazard with overflow from it threatening a nearby river and it urgently needs to be taken over by Uisce Eireann, a local councillor has said.

The treatment plant for the Radharc Na Tuaithe estate in Knockraha near Glanmire was provided by the developer when the estate was built during the Celtic Tiger housing boom but it has been failing for years, according to Cllr Anthony Barry. In a motion brought before Cobh Municipal District this week he called on Cork County Council to write to the national water utility to take charge of the plant.

Given the history of issues with this facility and its proximity to the Butlerstown river, this treatment plant is a serious environmental hazard. I accept the management company and residents should be taking responsibility on this as well and there is a legacy issue here but this situation has been blowing up year in, year out and it's totally unacceptable, he said.

Cllr Barry described it as a crazy situation. He said wastewater leaking from the plant is going through a field and underneath that field is the Butlerstown river. The worry I have is that this material is seeping down into the stream. Maybe we should also be writing to the environmental section of Cork County Council about this.

The estate is about 400 metres from the river which flows through the Glanmire valley on its way to the River Lee estuary at Dunkettle. Popular with fishers, it hosts sea trout and Atlantic salmon.

Cllr Sheila OCallaghan supported Cllr Barrys motion, saying the developer provided the wastewater infrastructure as a kind of an interim measure during the boom to deal with the housing and so the concerns are that it is totally inadequate now.

I know there was a maintenance company originally put in there 20-odd years ago and I think that has kind of dissipated so it is a serious concern. There's a health and safety issue. Even the water itself is a massive health hazard. It smells, particularly during the summer. So it's offensive and its nasty for the people trying to live in close proximity to it. It's unacceptable to think that it's allowed to continue without further addressing of the situation, she said.

She added that if it was a farmers offense there would be serious fines and there would be a lot of issues surrounding it but this is from wastewater that's allowed to back up and overflow.

Cllr Ger Curley agreed, saying its just a disgrace that that has been let go on. As we know there are legacy issues with developers and management companies. Its a serious health issue so I think we need to go further about this and bring in the [councils] environment section as well as Irish Water.

Uisce Eireann was contacted for a comment but did not respond.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Family members of the victims of the Creeslough explosion at a commemoration at the site of the 2022 tragedy. (North West Newspix)

It has been confirmed that a meeting between the Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan and the families of those who died in the Creeslough explosion will be held on Thursday.

The families who those who died in the tragedy will travel to the Department of Justice in Dublin for the meeting on Thursday at 12 noon.

Those affected by the explosion have been anxious to have a meeting with Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim OCallaghan to discuss their concerns as they continue to seek answers for their loved ones.

The families have been calling for a public inquiry into the explosion to be established and to run alongside the ongoing criminal investigation.

However, the Minister has previously said he will not consider the establishment of a public inquiry until such time as the criminal investigation and the inquest are concluded.

Family members of the victims of the Creeslough explosion at a commemoration at the site of the 2022 tragedy. (North West Newspix)

News in 90 seconds - Thursday, April 9

The public inquiry is expected to be one of the issues discussed at the meeting.

Last week, Donna Harper, who lost her 14-year-old daughter Leona, received an email from the Department of Justice which confirmed that the Minister intended to hold a meeting with the families.

Speaking last week, Ms Harper welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Minister.

"Everybody is very pleased that he has agreed to sit down now and talk to us, just listen to our worries and our concerns.

"We all have our own private questions that we want to put forward to him.

"I did email him back to thank him for giving us this opportunity to meet with us and listen to us.

"We are very happy with it.

We do feel now that he has listened to us and he is going to listen to us within the meeting so it is good to have this opportunity now.

The meeting is going to be a private meeting and we will be putting certain questions to him, said Ms Harper.

Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan (PA)

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice confirmed Minister OCallaghans intention to meet with the families.

Minister O'Callaghan stated publicly that he will not consider the establishment of a public inquiry until such time as the criminal investigation and the inquest are concluded.

"The criminal process is the only way he believes the families will get justice.

<img alt="cards visualization" src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/25611454/thumbnail" style="width:100%" />

"If at the end of those processes there are questions remaining, the Minister will consider whether a public inquiry is required.

"Taking this into account, he will meet the Creeslough families affected in order to convey his position directly to them as a group and to listen to their concerns.

Ten people died and many others were injured in the explosion at a filling station in Creeslough on October 7, 2022.

The explosion demolished a shop, filling station and a block of apartments.

Those who died were Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe; Catherine ODonnell and her son James Monaghan (13); Jessica Gallagher; Martin McGill; James OFlaherty; Martina Martin; Hugh Hughie Kelly and Leona Harper.

The criminal investigation into the explosion is ongoing.

Earlier this month, Gardai investigating the fatal explosion at a building complex in Creeslough submitted a supplementary file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The supplementary file is in addition to the primary file submitted to the Office of the DPP in September 2025.

Gardai said the supplementary file includes formal recommendations from An Garda Siochana.

The victims families continue to be supported by Family Liaison Officers.

Regular family liaison briefings are held, the most recent of which was this evening, April 2, 2026.

An Garda Siochana continues to appeal to any person with any information in relation to the fatal explosion on October 7, 2025.

"For whatever reason they may not have spoken formally to An Garda Siochana to date; please come forward and speak to the Garda Investigation Team now.

The Garda Investigation Team can be contacted at Milford Garda Station where an Incident Room continues to investigate under the direction of a Garda Senior Investigating Officer at 074 9153060, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or through Garda Station.
At the recent launch of the booklet showcasing dementia inclusive initiatives in Listowel.

The Ard Churam Fuchsia Centre in Listowel was the location for the recent launch of a new and informative Dementia Inclusive Listowel booklet.

With over 30 people in Ireland are diagnosed with dementia each day, Listowel and its surrounding areas are working to become a town that values and welcomes people living with dementia and their loved ones  helping them stay connected and included in community life.

The goal is to create a community where people living with dementia feel welcomed, understood, and supported. These communities actively raise awareness about dementia and make practical changes that allow individuals to continue participating in everyday life.

Some of the aspects contained in the booklet show how committed Listowel has been in recent years by creating a focus on building empathy and understanding among residents, service providers, and community groups.

The promotion of independence and dignity for people living with dementia is supported, as is encouraging inclusion in social, cultural, commercial, and civic activities.

The initiative to develop Dementia Inclusive Listowel began in 2022 after a public meeting facilitated by the Ard Churam team, chaired by Finbarr Mawe, with representatives from the HSE Community Work Department and the Listowel Business and Community Alliance, chaired by Rose Wall.

The group has documented their work to date in a booklet, which is now being shared with the Listowel community and is available to anyone interested in learning how to create a Dementia Inclusive Community.

Copies of the booklet can be requested from Ard Churam by calling 068-22986 or emailing dementiainclusivelistowel@gmail.com.
A woman charged with stealing goods worth 3.60 from a Bray shop gave a five-star Dublin hotel as her address and laughed in court when asked about her bail conditions

Aleksandra Makara (41), of the Merrion Hotel, Dublin 2, appeared before Bray District Court charged with one count of theft.

It is alleged that on March 29, she stole property valued at 3.60 from Spar on Strand Road in Bray.

The court heard that the accused was brought before a special sitting on Monday, March 30, where she began laughing at Judge David Kennedy when asked if she was willing to abide by her bail conditions.

Judge Kennedy noted that Ms Makara had listed the Merrion Hotel as her address on her bail form.

He remarked that the five-star hotel, located on Dublins south side, costs approximately 1,000 per night, adding that he was doubtful the accused could afford it, particularly as she had been granted legal aid.

Sergeant Mick Dee stated that the accused also has a Dundalk address listed on her PULSE profile.

PULSE is the Garda computer database used to record incidents, charges and criminal histories.

The court was told that there are issues with the Louth address, as Ms Makara has been ordered by a judge outside the jurisdiction to attend mental health services.

Judge Kennedy adjourned the matter to June 15, noting that Ms Makara is also required in different courts around the country on unrelated matters.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme
Abbott employees have raised 38,000 for North West Hospice, which provides specialist and compassionate care for people living with life-limiting illnesses.

Several fundraising events took place including bake sales, sponsored walks and raffles.

The funds will help the hospice acquire two new Cuddle Beds. These beds are specifically designed to allow patients and their loved ones to lie side by side during hospice stays, offering moments of closeness, comfort and connection.

Niall Plunkett, Site Director at Abbotts diagnostics business in Sligo, said: At Abbott we are focused on helping people live their best lives.

North West Hospice shares this mission through the care it provides to those with life-limiting conditions. We are extremely proud of our employees for their generosity and support.

North West Hospice was chosen as Abbotts Charity of Choice in Sligo through Croi an Oir, the companys national volunteering and giving programme.

Since its launch in 2007, Croi an Oir has raised more than 3 million for nearly 900 charities nationwide. In 2026, Abbott is celebrating 80 years in Ireland and today employs more than 6,200 people across ten sites, including Sligo.
A 41-year-old man with 49 previous convictions was given a suspended sentence at Sligo District Court after abusing staff at Sligo University Hospital.

Joe Gildea (41) of Correnagh, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal was charged with engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour at Sligo University Hospital on January 7.

Sergeant Derek Butler told the court that gardai received a report from the hospital of a highly intoxicated man causing a disturbance and shouting abuse at hospital staff. He was arrested and conveyed to Sligo Garda Station.

The court heard that Gildea has 49 previous convictions.

Ms Laura Spellman, solicitor (defending), told Judge Eiteain Cunningham that her client has had a difficult last number of years and that he uses alcohol as a crutch. She informed Judge Cunningham that Gildea had recently been given a suspended sentence for a separate matter.

Judge Cunningham said that Gildea was lucky that it was not a triggering offence as the incident happened before he got a suspended sentence.

Ms Spellman asked Judge Cunningham to deal with the offence in a similar manner and added that Gildea will now put his best foot forward.

Judge Cunningham said that there are people in the hospital who require care and that the staff at Sligo University Hospital work in a stressful environment. She added that acting aggresively to staff members is something that the court does not tolerate.

Judge Cunningham noted Gildeas 49 previous convictions and convicted and sentenced the defendant to two months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Ms Spellman said that her client wishes to apologise for his behaviour and that his mother was quite unwell when it happened.

Judge Cunningham accepted the apology. She warned Gildea that he now has two suspended sentences and that it is very important that he does not re-offend.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.
A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to three months in prison after stealing coins and damaging parking meters in various locations around Sligo. He was also charged with multiple thefts.

Kevin Murrin of St Annes Terrace, Sligo was charged with stealing 150 in coins from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Temple Street, Sligo on July 31, 2025.

He was also charged with damaging the top of the parking machine to get access to the coin drawer causing damage to the value of 200.

The defendant was also charged with damaging the paystation barrier coin machine at Adelaide Street Car Park in Sligo on August 3 2025 and also on September 7, 2025. He was also charged with stealing coins on eight occasions from the Adelaide Street Car Park in Sligo. The charges related to dates in August 2025 including August 4,5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. The value of the coins on each occasion was approximately 200 (total value approximately 1,600).

The defendant is also charged with stealing four cans of Heineken to the value of 10.45 on February 13 2025 at Mullins Spar, Bundoran Road, Sligo. He is also charged that on August 29, 2025 at Cannings Service Station, Pearse Road, Sligo he stole a bottle of Jack Daniels, to the value of 75.99.

Another charge of stealing three bottles of Sea Dog Rum to the value of 78 from Tesco, OConnell Street, Sligo on June 23 2025 was also before the court.

Sergeant Derek Butler told the court that on July 31, 2025, at 3:42am at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Temple St, Murrin took 150 worth of coins from a parking meter. The defendant also damaged the top of the machine which cost 200 to repair. CCTV footage captured the incident and Murrin was fully co-operative with gardai.

On August 3, 2025, Murrin damaged the pay station at Adelaide St which cost 1,000 to repair.

On August, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, Murrin stole approximately 200 worth of coins on each occasion from Adelaide St Carpark. Every one of the defendants thefts occured when the carpark was closed. Murrin co-operated fully with gardai when he was arrested.

On August 19, 2025, at 4:17am at Saloon 2, Adelaide St, Murrin took approximately 200 worth of coins from a parking meter. The defendant was later identified via CCTV.

The court heard that Murrin has 48 previous convictions.

Ms Laura Spellman, solicitor (defending), told Judge Eiteain Cunningham that her clients thefts from many of Sligos carparks was due to him having a serious addiction to drugs and alcohol. She added that her client did attend his GP and had an appointment at Whiteoaks (a rehabilation centre). She explained that Murrin was relying on a friend to take him to Whiteoaks but his friend let him down and he subsequently relapsed as a result.

Ms Spellman said that it has been made very clear to her client that he is at risk of a custodial sentence. She added that Murrin co-operated fully with gardai and that he was very forthcoming about his offending. She continued that Murrin spent a significant time of around three months in custody before being granted bail.

Judge Cunningham marked the defendant on three charge sheets. On the first two charge sheets, she convicted and sentenced Murrin to two and three months in prison respectively with the latter sentence to run concurrently. On the last charge sheet, she convicted and sentenced the defendant to five months in prison, suspended for a period of 12 months. She took into consideration all other matters.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.
Hauliers and farmers in Donegal and Leitrim join fuel protest in Sligo

Hauliers, bus companies and farmers from across the North West are taking part in the third day of a national protest against rising fuel costs in Sligo.

Sligo is once again the North West Hub with vehicles meeting on the N4 / N15 (Dublin and Donegal roads) from 7.30am and leaving at 8am. They will also neet up at 1pm at the N4 at Carraroe and the N15 at Drumcliffe.

A convoy set off from Letterkenny at 6.15am, leaving from the Tesco Car Park and will join the protest in Sligo.

Hauliers, farmers and other vehicles from County Leitrim are also expected to join the protest in Sligo.

A slow moving convoy circled Sligo town around 9am. Traffic around Sligo has backed up particularly on approach roads but it is moving. At this stage no roads are being blocked.
Sligo members and supporters of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign will hold a protest this Saturday, April 11th at 2pm, at Sligo GPO, to highlight what they say has been the constituencys Government TDs inaction on passing the Occupied Territories Bill [OTB].

Speaking to The Sligo Champion, local spokesperson Chris MacManus said:

"Irish society broadly agrees that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. Too often we hear the Government and their TDs give unfulfilled commitments to pass a substantive Occupied Territories Bill, that would bring meaningful economic pressure on the Israeli regime and their apartheid policies.

"Such a piece of legislation that bans trade in goods and services with illegal Israeli settlements is necessary to not only ensure maximum pressure on Israel is maintained, but also to set an international example of standing up for the rights of oppressed peoples, similar to how Irish society stepped up against apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s.

"Nearly four thousand people locally have signed a petition calling for Government action on such legislation, yet our Sligo-based Junior Ministers have ignored repeated requests to meet our local representatives.

"This lack of respect to the voices of thousands locally who have actively supported our campaign goes against good local democracy and a long-standing tradition of our elected representatives having an open-door to engage with the wider community  even if they have differing views.

However, in this instance we are only asking our local Government TDs to follow through on the commitments made by the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael Government before the last general Election. And all we are asking for, is to be heard. For the right to give voice the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination with freedom and justice.

"I would urge people to join us this Saturday and show continued solidarity with the Palestinian people, as well as calling on our local Government TDs to meet representatives of our campaign and to commit to supporting a substantive Occupied Territories Bill.
A cheque for 2,224 was presented to Paul Roche from The Cornmarket Project by members of the Art in the Open. Pictured at the handover in Whites of Wexford Hotel were Josh Furlong, Alma Hynes, Paul Roche (The Cornmarket Project), Tony Robinson, and Maura Bell. Photo: Jim Campbell

Art in the Open will run from July 25 to August 3

More than 200 artists from around the world are set to gather in Co Wexford this summer as Art in the Open returns for its 19th year.

The festival, widely regarded as Europes largest outdoor painting event, will run from July 25 to August 3, showcasing the landscapes of Irelands Ancient East.

Proceedings will begin with a welcome reception on July 25, followed by a nine-day programme of paint-outs at a range of scenic locations. These include Hook Head Lighthouse, Cahore Beach, Artramon House, Inistioge, and Ballyhack Harbour.

In addition to outdoor painting sessions, the festival will feature workshops led by international tutors, along with expert presentations and social events aimed at fostering collaboration among participants.

A key highlight of the programme is the annual Quick Draw event, which will take place in Wexford town on August 1. The two-hour timed competition is open to both professional and amateur artists, with proceeds going to Wexford Special Olympics.

A cheque for 2,224 was presented to Paul Roche from The Cornmarket Project by members of the Art in the Open. Pictured at the handover in Whites of Wexford Hotel were Josh Furlong, Alma Hynes, Paul Roche (The Cornmarket Project), Tony Robinson, and Maura Bell. Photo: Jim Campbell

In February at Whites of Wexford, Art in the Open donated 2,224 to The Cornmarket Project, who in 2026 are celebrating 30 years of being part of Wexford Local Development and partnering with the Department of Social Protections Community Employment Schemes to offer people the opportunity to turn their lives around.

The festival will conclude with a Gala Exhibition at Green Acres Gallery on August 2 and 3, where more than 200 artworks will be displayed and made available for purchase.

Now in its 19th year, Art in the Open continues to provide a platform for artists worldwide while promoting the natural beauty of Irelands coastline to an international audience.
The busy Rosslare Europort is largely cut off currently as the fuel protests which have gripped the nation in recent days rolled into Wexford.

From around 7 a.m. truck drivers and farmers met up at various points outside of Wexford town and drove to the village of Kilrane, just over 2km from the busy port and the gateway to Europe. Trucks were parked across the road blocking traffic and there are currently huge tailbacks for miles in both directions from the village.

A spokesperson for the protestors says that emergency vehicles and local bus services are being allowed to pass through, while health care workers have been allowed to pass under garda escort.

Trucks bound for the continent began joining the snaking lines of traffic from early afternoon, with a Brittany Ferries sailing due to depart Thursday evening. However, the protestors showed no signs of abandoning their post and letting the freight traffic through, despite negotiations with An Garda Siochana. However, there were indications that they might be willing to allow cars to pass through to access departing ferries.

A spokesperson for Iarnrod Eireann, the port authority for Rosslare Europort, stated just after 2.30 p.m. on Thursday that no sailings had been cancelled at this stage.

"Trucks can't currently access the port due to the protest at Kilrane, they said. We are currently liaising with gardai on its status and are in contact with shipping operators.

The atmosphere became a little tense this morning as up to 15 gardai arrived at the scene and high-ranking gardai engaged with those blocking the road.

"The Superintendent was less than friendly and theyve kind of hinted at arrests, a spokesperson for the protest, local man Jack ODonoghue said. They took statements from us and I recorded that process on the grounds of protest. If they want to try and arrest us for unlawfully blocking the road, then our next option will be to remove the vehicles and stand across the road.

While the protests nationwide have garnered some support, particularly on social media, Mr ODonoghue concedes that there is anger too as people are stuck in their cars and vehicles for hours on end.

"Well be holding the road for the day, he says. Ideally, we will hear something from the Dail. Therell be some kind of press conference and well be able to lift this protest and go home. Were not out to ruin peoples day for the craic. Were busy people with jobs to be doing here too.

Working in the construction sector himself, Mr ODonoghue says he has numerous family members in the haulage sector who are to the pin of their collars with the spiralling cost of fuel.

"They need to bring the price of fuel down, its as simple as that, he said. The outcome of the last meeting was an insult. What they did for the agri sector in particular was next to nothing. We need heavier cuts.

Protestors speaking to gardai at the blockade on the N25 at Kilrane, near Rosslare Europort, on Thursday morning. Photo: Jim Campbell.

Mr ODonoghue noted that over 50% of the price of diesel at the pumps is tax and he implored the government to address this, at least on an interim basis to help farmers, hauliers and those in the construction sector, as well as those commuting to and from work every day.

Many of those commuters around the country have been left extremely frustrated, however, spending hours caught in tailbacks and burning even more fuel as a result of the protests.

"We definitely havent blocked the place entirely here, Mr ODonoghue argued. People can still take the back roads  the old route before the current N25 effectively. Were letting healthcare workers etc through and weve told gardai, if they are aware of any healthcare workers that need to get through, dont leave them sitting in traffic. Well let them through.

"This is mainly aimed at freight and freight transport. Well be here for the day unless we hear some positive news from Dublin.

Protestors at the blockade on the N25 at Kilrane, near Rosslare Europort, on Thursday morning. Photo: Jim Campbell.

Mr ODonoghue also expressed some disappointment that a lot of the major local transport companies such as Nolan Transport, Baku and Roche Freight had not shown out in support of the protest.

In relation to the protest, a Garda spokesperson said: We continue to engage with those involved in the fuel protests around the country, seeking to work with them to mitigate the negative impact these protests are having on the lives of their communities.

"While An Garda Siochana respects and facilitates the right to peaceful protest, we must also balance and protect the rights of individuals to travel freely and for businesses to operate.

"If you have an urgent situation requiring passage through affected areas (for example, medical needs or other time-critical circumstances impacted by roadblocks), please contact Wexford Garda Station on 053 916 5200 and Gardai will assess whether Garda assistance is possible. This does NOT replace calling 999/112 in a life-threatening emergency.
Bray Institute of Further Education culinary arts student Dara Byrne with his trophy.

The Bray Institute of Further Education culinary arts team with their tutor Martin Potts.

Culinary arts students from Bray Institute of Further Education (BIFE) returned from Turkey with four gold medals after an outstanding performance at the GastroErasmus 2026 International Culinary Competition in Antalya.

The event last month featured 34 teams from 24 countries, with BIFE securing gold medals across individual categories and claiming the overall Team Gold medal.

Bray native Dara Byrne won gold and first place overall in the main course category, while fellow students Deacon Greene and Morgan McGinty also won gold for fish and dessert respectively.

"Everyone that I went over with, we all placed gold, Dara said, commenting on the success for the Bray college team, which was led by BIFE culinary arts coordinator Martin Potts.

GastroErasmus is an international vocational education and training (VET) competition designed to develop professional skills among young chefs preparing to enter the industry. Participants are selected based on success at national or international level, with judging focused on technique, presentation, creativity and flavour.

Dara, who said he didnt realise how competitive it was going to be until we got there, enrolled in BIFE last September but because he had previous experience in professional kitchens, he was able to move directly into the advanced course.

I had worked in Killruddery, in The Martello [hotel in Bray], and spent some time working in kitchens in Germany, so I was able to go straight into second year, he explained.

His impressive gold-winning dish consisted of lamb rump with a dukkah crust, Jerusalem artichoke dauphinoise, burnt aubergine puree, and a lime-pickled salad.

There was a points system, he said, commenting on the judging, with bronze starting at 70 points, silver at 80, and anything over 90 was gold.

We all hit gold, but I finished first overall in my category.

Bray Institute of Further Education culinary arts student Dara Byrne with his trophy.

Dara now works four days a week at nearby Avoca, while attending BIFE two days a week, balancing professional kitchen life with his studies. Asked about the reputation the industry has for being unforgiving and hard to crack, he said it is accessible, but can be very demanding.

Its easy enough to get into kitchens, theres always work, he said. But staying in it can be tough if you dont enjoy it straight away.

Despite the long hours and notoriously high pressure, he describes kitchen work as a good stress.

Youre in a high-functioning state for 10 hours a day, but when service finishes and everything has gone well, its really satisfying, he said. Getting compliments, finding a flow, putting out food youre happy with  thats what keeps you going.

Dara also spoke positively about BIFE, and emphasised how the college offers far more than it is often given credit for. It provides strong pathways into further education or employment, he said, with Level 8 courses that really open doors.

Looking ahead, he plans to finish his course, gain more experience and continue developing his craft.

Id love to be a head chef one day, but for now Im focused on making good food, he said. Whatever position Im in doesnt really matter  as long as Im happy with what Im putting on the plate.

And for now, he plans to savour the moment.

Ill try and ride the high of this one for a little while, he said.
Members of Square One Theatre group in rehearsals for 'Juno and the Paycock'.

Director Marie C McCourt and some of the cast of Square One Theatre group's 'Juno and the Paycock' production at the Abbey Theatre with Shivaun OCasey daughter of the play's author Sean OCasey.

Members of Square One Theatre group in rehearsals for 'Juno and the Paycock'.

Square One Theatre Group is proud to announce a landmark production of the classic Irish play Juno and the Paycock as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

Originally staged in 1924 and written by acclaimed Irish playwright Sean OCasey, Juno and the Paycock remains one of Irelands most celebrated and enduring dramas. Set in Dublin during the Irish Civil War, the play blends incisive humour with social commentary, making it a fitting choice for this commemorative production.

For five decades, Square One Theatre Group has played a vital role in the cultural life of the local community, fostering artistic participation and bringing generations of performers and audiences together through high-quality theatrical productions.

The production will run from April 1418 at the Mermaid Theatre, with nightly shows from 7.30pm.

The cast includes Niamh Connolly, who plays an active member of the anti-treaty Irregulars. She brings a message to Johnny at the Boyle household, to attend a battalion meeting, where his betrayal of his comrade is brought to light. Anne Reynolds will play the trusted neighbour of Mrs Tancred who helps her through the funeral of her only son.

Directed by Marie C McCourt, other cast members include Roy Beatty, Oisin OConnor and Tom Gallagher.

Tickets costing 21/23 are available via 01 2724030 or the Mermaid.
A Wicklow judge has warned a man that he faces a possible prison sentence, after falling into arrears on maintenance payments related to his daughter.

His ex-partner appeared at an in-camera family law sitting at Bray District Court seeking those maintenance arrears from him, which amount to 1,660.

His solicitor, Joe Maguire, told the court that his client had been out of work due to an injury, but has since returned.

Mr Maguire said he was instructed that his client paid 900 in arrears in January 2026, and that court staff indicated he owes a further 250.

He added that the respondent pays 240 per month and is unable to pay further maintenance, due to recently taking out a credit union loan, and having an outstanding bill of 33,000 for a vehicle, of which he has paid 8,000 since the previous hearing in January.

In evidence, the father said he currently has access to his daughter, whom he had not seen since early January.

He also claimed he wanted to make an application for a protection order, due to alleged messages from his ex-partner calling him a paedophile and making threats against his new girlfriend.

Solicitor for the ex-partner, Dermot Hickey, asked why the father had not paid maintenance since January. The respondent stated that he has not seen his child recently.

Its not Sky television, its not pay-per-view, said Mr Hickey, before telling the court that the respondent could pay 8,000 towards a car loan, but not maintenance for his child.

The respondent said that the loan is automatically deducted from his wages.

Judge David Kennedy said that the defendant is in danger of going to prison. It was noted he will be facing up to 30 days in custody.

The respondent told the court he would be able to take out a loan in June 2026 to repay all arrears, including any that he amass in the meantime.

He said he was unable to raise the funds immediately. Judge Kennedy adjourned the matter until April 16, to allow him to pay the remaining arrears of 1,660.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme
The Nasa Artemis II crew Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, and Victor Glover embrace inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home following a flyby of the far side of the moon on April 6, 2026. Photo: Nasa/Reuters

Nasas moon mission astronauts have travelled farther from Earth than any humans in history  but the most dangerous part of their journey is yet to come.
Ukrainian covert forces used Libyan territory to strike Russian tanker, officials say

Drone experts operating in military facility in Tripoli launched strike on Russian ship, according to sources

Medics treat wounded Ukrainian service members at a stabilisation point, at an undisclosed location in eastern Ukraine. Photo: Reuters

Samy Magdy Associated Press Thu 9 Apr 2026 at 06:30

Ukrainian forces are operating in western Libya under a covert deal endorsed by the West and they used the countrys territory to strike a Russian tanker in the Mediterranean last month, two Libyan officials said on Tuesday.
The two men charged with bringing homemade bombs to a protest outside the home of New York Citys mayor were recorded describing their plan to kill as many as 60 people in a bid to start terror, according to an indictment released Tuesday.
LIVE | JD Vance looking forward to positive negotiations but warns Tehran not to play us as he heads to Pakistan for ceasefire talks

Follow the latest developments on the Irish Independents liveblog

Israeli strikes target Beirut amid widening attacks on Lebanon

Irish Independent Newsdesk Fri 10 Apr 2026 at 17:30

Israel pounded Lebanon with its heaviest strikes yet yesterday, killing hundreds of people and drawing a threat of retaliation from Iran, which said the attacks violated a ceasefire deal agreed with the US a day earlier.
More than 250 poodle-cross dogs were rescued from a single property in what animal welfare experts called a shocking example of a growing problem.

The RSPCA posted pictures of the dogs, which were discovered crammed into a single living room space in a house in the UK, to social media, but were met with accusations of the images being created by artificial intelligence (AI) by aghast viewers.
Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community!

Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
A total of 3,660 inspections and 23 arrests took place nationally on Wednesday, under a day of action by police throughout Greece called "Spark-Down" to prevent the illegal manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of fireworks. Some 22 violations were confirmed.

The action was part of a greater plan implemented by the Arms and Explosives Division of the Directorate of State Protection at the Hellenic Police Headquarters, to improve citizens' sense of safety

ahead of Greek Easter celebration.

Special police squads carried out inspections throughout Holy Wednesday. They confiscated, among others, the following:

49,564 firecrackers41,447 fireworks6,370 childrens playthings152 flares127 improvised explosive devices114 sparklers2,761 grams of raw materialsMarch-April inspections

Overall, between March 7 and April 8, Hellenic Police carried out 27,027 inspections, arrested 93 people, and confirmed 79 violations nationally. During this month-long period, police confiscated the following:

105,762 firecrackers44,139 fireworks6,975 children's playthings1,439 homemade explosive devices452 launchers163 flares149 sparklers27,167.64 grams of raw materials

Arrest examples

The police provided the following examples of arrests they made:

woman in Corinth had over 32,000 firecrackers in her seasonal-goods store .A man in Lassithi (Crete), was found in possession of over 23,000 firecrackers.A man in Attica Region had over 22,000 firecrackers in his food store , as well as smoke bombs, projectile fireworks, and flare guns .A man in Messinia (Peloponnese) had ordered 1,000 firecrackers from abroad, while another 59 were found at his house

The Greek police web page contains a section dedicated to statistics (inspections, arrests, confiscations) as well as useful directions on avoiding the use of firecrackers and other fireworks.

In a statement, the police warned that its inspections "will continue with the same intensity throughout the holiday period, in order to prevent accidents and to protect human life."

   iefimerida.gr

A total of 3,660 inspections and 23 arrests took place nationally on Wednesday, under a day of action by police throughout Greece called "Spark-Down" to prevent the illegal manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of fireworks. Some 22 violations were confirmed.

The action was part of a greater plan implemented by the Arms and Explosives Division of the Directorate of State Protection at the Hellenic Police Headquarters, to improve citizens' sense of safety ahead of Greek Easter celebration.

Special police squads carried out inspections throughout Holy Wednesday. They confiscated, among others, the following:

49,564 firecrackers41,447 fireworks6,370 childrens playthings152 flares127 improvised explosive devices114 sparklers2,761 grams of raw materialsMarch-April inspections

Overall, between March 7 and April 8, Hellenic Police carried out 27,027 inspections, arrested 93 people, and confirmed 79 violations nationally. During this month-long period, police confiscated the following:

105,762 firecrackers44,139 fireworks6,975 children's playthings1,439 homemade explosive devices452 launchers163 flares149 sparklers27,167.64 grams of raw materials

Arrest examples

The police provided the following examples of arrests they made:

woman in Corinth had over 32,000 firecrackers in her seasonal-goods store .A man in Lassithi (Crete), was found in possession of over 23,000 firecrackers.A man in Attica Region had over 22,000 firecrackers in his food store , as well as smoke bombs, projectile fireworks, and flare guns .A man in Messinia (Peloponnese) had ordered 1,000 firecrackers from abroad, while another 59 were found at his house

The Greek police web page contains a section dedicated to statistics (inspections, arrests, confiscations) as well as useful directions on avoiding the use of firecrackers and other fireworks.

In a statement, the police warned that its inspections "will continue with the same intensity throughout the holiday period, in order to prevent accidents and to protect human life."

   iefimerida.gr
"The Muslim Minority of Thrace is a religious minority. The Treaty of Lausanne of 1923, which governs its legal status, does not allow for multiple interpretations, and its religiousnot its ethniccharacter is indisputable," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized on Thursday in its response to the Turkish Foreign Ministry regarding the Muslim minority of Thrace.

The Ministry underlined

that in the Treaty of Lausanne "no provision is made for the election of Muftis by the Minority, nor could this be the case given that they also carry judicial and administrative responsibilities," and noted:

"The Greek State, with Law 4964/2022, provided for the establishment of a committee composed of members of the Minority, including women, which evaluates and proposes the most suitable candidates for the position of Mufti. In implementation of this law, the appointment of the new Mufti of Didymoteicho has been completed, while calls for applications for the positions of Muftis in Xanthi and Komotini have already been published. And all this at a time when, in Turkiye itself, Muftis are appointed."

In conclusion, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that Greece, as a European rule-of-law state, handles issues concerning the Muslim Minority of Thrace with full responsibility, "on the basis of the principles of equality before the law and equal civil rights, and above all ensures the religious freedom of its members," making clear that this will not change.

"This will not change, just as the designation of the Minority as provided by international law will not change either, simply because some refuse to accept what is self-evident," it noted.

   iefimerida.gr

"The Muslim Minority of Thrace is a religious minority. The Treaty of Lausanne of 1923, which governs its legal status, does not allow for multiple interpretations, and its religiousnot its ethniccharacter is indisputable," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized on Thursday in its response to the Turkish Foreign Ministry regarding the Muslim minority of Thrace.

The Ministry underlined that in the Treaty of Lausanne "no provision is made for the election of Muftis by the Minority, nor could this be the case given that they also carry judicial and administrative responsibilities," and noted:

"The Greek State, with Law 4964/2022, provided for the establishment of a committee composed of members of the Minority, including women, which evaluates and proposes the most suitable candidates for the position of Mufti. In implementation of this law, the appointment of the new Mufti of Didymoteicho has been completed, while calls for applications for the positions of Muftis in Xanthi and Komotini have already been published. And all this at a time when, in Turkiye itself, Muftis are appointed."

In conclusion, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that Greece, as a European rule-of-law state, handles issues concerning the Muslim Minority of Thrace with full responsibility, "on the basis of the principles of equality before the law and equal civil rights, and above all ensures the religious freedom of its members," making clear that this will not change.

"This will not change, just as the designation of the Minority as provided by international law will not change either, simply because some refuse to accept what is self-evident," it noted.

   iefimerida.gr
The Federal Government has criticised the coronation and activities of individuals styled as Eze Ndigbo (Igbo traditional rulers) in foreign countries, describing the practice as embarrassing.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, stated this while presenting the position of the government at a meeting of Imeobi, the highest decision-making body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, held in Enugu on Thursday.

In a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, the minister said, The situation has become a major embarrassment to the government, Ndigbo, Nigerians, and citizens of host countries where such titles are conferred.

Advertisement

Recently, violent protests erupted in South Africas Eastern Cape following the controversial coronation of a Nigerian Igbo leader, Solomon Ogbonna Eziko, as Eze Ndigbo na East London (Igbo King in East London).

The development sparked outrage among local residents, traditional leaders, and political groups, leading to unrest, the burning of foreign-owned vehicles, and looting.

Addressing the Ohanaeze Imeobi/General Assembly, the minister recalled that a similar incident occurred in Ghana in July 2025 over the Eze Ndigbo issue.

She said she had led a delegation to Accra to ease tensions following protests in which some Ghanaian groups demanded that Nigerians leave the country.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu stressed that cultural expression should not create conflict with host communities, noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had continued to deploy diplomatic channels to address the situation in South Africa.

She said, Aggrieved Ghanaians issued our people with a quit notice, insisting that Nigerians must leave.

According to her, the delegation met with President John Mahama of Ghana, ministers, the Inspector-General of Police, traditional authorities across regions, and representatives of the Nigerian community.

She added that tensions eased following the intervention of President Mahama, who maintained that there was no place for xenophobia in Ghana.

Receiving President Bola Tinubus special envoy, led by Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at the Presidential Palace in Accra, the Ghanaian leader reaffirmed his commitment to the Economic Community of West African States protocols, particularly on the free movement of persons and goods within the region.

He also noted that the circulation of an old video made by a Nigerian resident in Ghana more than 10 years ago contributed to the tension, but said the situation was swiftly managed.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu reiterated that the safety of Nigerians, their businesses, and property in Ghana could have been threatened but for the intervention of President Mahama.

The minister urged Ohanaeze Ndigbo to prescribe sanctions for individuals who violate its directive abolishing Igbo traditional rulership titles outside Igboland.
Nigerian cleric Sarah Omakwu has raised concerns over what she described as unequal treatment in the governments handling of security challenges across different regions of the country.

Speaking on the state of the nation, she alleged that authorities respond more aggressively to unrest in the southeastern region compared to incidents in the north.

According to her, security forces are often heavily deployed in the East during periods of tension, while similar or more severe situations elsewhere do not attract the same level of response.

Advertisement

Omakwu expressed frustration over what she perceives as inconsistency in enforcement and decision-making, suggesting that such disparities contribute to growing dissatisfaction among citizens.

Her words, The government is failing. I see two standards, one for the north and one for the south. Whenever a few Igbo boys have gotten angry and acted or reacted, they send Air Force, Navy and military to go and stop them, they take armored tanks to the East. But we see Fulani boys, stand speak on the internet, they say anything, do anything and nothing moves. Instructions are given for nobody to move.

Watch video below:

https://twitter.com/i/status/2042196773024772417
President Donald Trump of the United States of America, USA, has said any country that supplied weapons to Iran would face 50 percent tariffs without exemptions.

President Trump made this known in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, after the ceasefire agreement reached between the US and Iran last night.

Trump declared: A country supplying military weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed on any and all goods sold to the United States of America, 50%, effective immediately.

Advertisement

There will be no exclusions or exemptions!

Also, on Wednesday, Trump said there will be no enrichment of uranium by Iran, and that the countries will work together to dig up and remove nuclear material buried by US strikes last year.

The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone through what will be a very productive Regime Change! Trump posted on his Truth Social platform hours after he proclaimed a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East war.

There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) Nuclear Dust, he added, apparently referring to the aftermath of US strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities last year.

The statement marked the latest announcement by Trump after he backed off a threat to inflct devastating strikes on Iran  which he has accused for years of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

The deal for a two-week ceasefire includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for oil and a fulcrum of the nearly six-week-long war.

In June 2025, US forces struck three nuclear sites in Iran  Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan  with powerful bunker-busting bombs dropped from B-2 stealth bombers.

Trump at the time claimed the operation obliterated Irans nuclear capability and set back its nuclear program by decades.

But the exact extent of the damage is unknown. Prior to last years strikes, Iran was enriching uranium to 60 percent, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

That is far higher than necessary for civilian reactor levels, and close to the 90 percent required to build a nuclear weapon.

While Western powers and Israel have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire atomic weapons, Tehran denies it.

Trump also said that as part of engagement with Tehran, we are, and will be, talking Tariff and Sanctions relief with Iran.

But he warned against anyone supplying military weapons to Iran, threatening 50-percent US tariffs, effective immediately, on countries that do so.

According to Iranian state media, the plan proposed by Tehran calls for the lifting of sanctions that are stifling the countrys economy, and stipulates that the United States accept Irans uranium enrichment, a demand at deep odds with Washingtons stated position.
The United States department has authorised non-emergency government employees and government employee family members to leave its embassy in Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria.

The authorisation was granted Wednesday, an updated travel advisory said.

Though most of the overall risk indicators remained, Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba states were added to the Do not travel list due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.

Advertisement

The changes were made after recent attacks in some of the states.

On March 29, gunmen invaded the Gari Ya Waye area of Angwan Rukuba, Jos North, killing more than 20 residents and injuring several others. The attack coincided with the Christian celebration of Palm Sunday.

On Tuesday, gunmen reportedly killed at least 20 people in several communities in Niger state and scores in Kebbi.

Other states on the Do not travel list include Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers.

Last November, the United Kingdom warned citizens against non-essential travel to 21 states in Nigeria including Niger, Plateau, and Kebbi.

In the 2026 global terrorism index (GTI) report, Nigeria was ranked the fourth most unsafe country in the world.

According to the index, Nigeria recorded the largest increase in fatalities last year as attacks increased by 43 percent compared to 2024.

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram were responsible for 82.8 percent of all terrorism deaths in the country in 2025.

Pakistan topped the index, followed by Burkina Faso in second position and Niger Republic, which is third in the ranking.

Following recent attacks in the country, some religious leaders have asked the federal government to declare a state of emergency on insecurity.

The US state department has authorised non-emergency government employees and government employee family members to leave its embassy in Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria.

The authorisation was granted Wednesday, an updated travel advisory said.

Though most of the overall risk indicators remained, Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba states were added to the Do not travel list due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.

The changes were made after recent attacks in some of the states.

On March 29, gunmen invaded the Gari Ya Waye area of Angwan Rukuba, Jos North, killing more than 20 residents and injuring several others. The attack coincided with the Christian celebration of Palm Sunday.

On Tuesday, gunmen reportedly killed at least 20 people in several communities in Niger state and scores in Kebbi.

Other states on the Do not travel list include Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers.

Last November, the United Kingdom warned citizens against non-essential travel to 21 states in Nigeria including Niger, Plateau, and Kebbi.

In the 2026 global terrorism index (GTI) report, Nigeria was ranked the fourth most unsafe country in the world.

According to the index, Nigeria recorded the largest increase in fatalities last year as attacks increased by 43 percent compared to 2024.

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram were responsible for 82.8 percent of all terrorism deaths in the country in 2025.

Pakistan topped the index, followed by Burkina Faso in second position and Niger Republic, which is third in the ranking.

Following recent attacks in the country, some religious leaders have asked the federal government to declare a state of emergency on insecurity.
The burglary was reported Tuesday evening on Rhodes Avenue in Collingdale. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

Prosecutors in Delaware County are investigating a break-in at a home in Collingdale that left one burglar dead and another in custody, officials said Thursday.

Police were called to a home on Rhodes Avenue in the Delaware County borough about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday to respond to a report of a burglary in progress, according to court filings.

Advertisement

Barry Roberts, 44, has been charged with burglary, conspiracy, trespassing, and related crimes in connection with the burglary, during which authorities say he and his coconspirator, Davon Terry, attempted to steal sneakers.

Roberts, of West Philadelphia, remained in custody Thursday in lieu of $30,000 bail. There was no indication he had hired an attorney.

Terry, 35, died during the protracted standoff with police that followed, officials said. The Delaware County District Attorneys Office is investigating Terrys death, as well as the police response to the burglary call.

The office declined to comment, citing the active investigation.

The girlfriend of the man who lived at the home said she saw on a Ring doorbell camera that two masked men were forcing their way inside, according to the affidavit of probable cause for Roberts arrest. During the break-in, the document said, they passed a black handgun back and forth to each other.

The woman, who was not at the home as the burglary took place, called 911, the affidavit said.

When police arrived, the burglars barricaded themselves in the home, investigators said, prompting a response from SWAT team members and other local agencies.

During the hours-long standoff, the officers threw a tear-gas canister into the home, and a small fire broke out, the affidavit said. No shots were fired during the incident.

Roberts eventually crawled through a basement window in the home and surrendered, according to the affidavit. Inside the home, investigators found a black handgun that matched the weapon both men were seen holding in the Ring camera footage, the document said.

Afterward, as the house was being cleared, officers discovered that Terry had died. His cause of death remained under investigation Thursday.
Camden County prosecutors show photographs of Marebeth Welsh of Woodlynne and 16-year-old Jennifer Persia of Magnolia during a news conference Thursday. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

Two South Jersey killings that had vexed investigators for decades have been linked to a single suspect, Camden County prosecutors said Thursday, after DNA analysis showed that a now-dead Mantua Township man likely committed both crimes.

Marebeth Welsh, 24, of Woodlynne, was found dead on a Camden sidewalk in November 1993, strangled and with blood dripping from her nose. She had been sexually assaulted. A native of the Philippines, she was a mother of two and worked at a popular restaurant.

Advertisement

Six months later, Jennifer Persia, 16, was discovered dead on the living room floor of her Magnolia home, beaten, bound at the neck, and stabbed more than 20 times. She was a sophomore at Sterling High School, a saxophone player, and a member of the varsity track team.

Now, prosecutors say, DNA analysis has linked both crimes to Francis T. Schooley, a Mantua Township man who died by suicide at age 39 in 2000.

Camden County Prosecutor Grace A. MacAulay credited diligent detective work and advances in scientific technology with solving the homicides and bringing closure to the victims families.

Words almost cant describe what it means to the families, MacAulay said at a news conference Thursday. It settles that feeling deep inside. It gives them a semblance of peace.

Identifying Schooley as a suspect, she said, was the result of years of investigative work and renewed focus on the cases that came with the opening of a cold-case homicide unit in her office in 2024.

DNA evidence from both crime scenes was critical, she said.

Investigators recovered blood at the scene of Persias killing as well as sperm samples from Welshs clothing. They sent the blood sample to a genetic testing laboratory in 2021 hoping for a match, but it did not yield results.

Then, in 2025, additional DNA analysis was done on the sperm samples that had been uploaded to the FBIs national network of DNA databases. It matched the blood sample from the scene of Persias killing, prosecutors said.

The testing lab linked that DNA profile to Schooley, and investigators interviewed his relatives earlier this year.

They learned that Schooley had done construction work for Persias stepfather at an auto shop he co-owned.

Investigators swabbed Schooleys family members for DNA and tested those samples against the unknown DNA profile. The data that returned cemented their confidence that Schooley was the source.

Investigators reached out to Welshs family members as well, and they said they recalled seeing her with Schooley.

Relatives of Persia and Welsh attended the news conference but did not speak. Among them were Persias sister, father, and nieces. Welshs daughter, Melody, who was 1 year old when her mother was killed, attended with her young child, Welshs granddaughter.

A lead investigator, Dennis Convery, said he had worked on Persias case for a decade. For some time, he said, Persias family did not have much hope that a suspect would be found.

Still, he said, My determination wasnt going to let me stop.

Convery said identifying Schooley was a comfort to him. He gave credit to the detectives who had worked on the cases decades before him, but had since retired.

Their reports were very detailed  that helped us look at who we needed to revisit, who we needed to talk to again, he said. If they had the technology we had today, there is no doubt these cases would have been closed then.
The Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School in Roxborough. Read more Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

The 17-acre Lankenau parcel currently has residential zoning; Jones and Ahmad want to change it to a zoning designation that would limit its use for development and preservation of public-serving institutions such as schools and libraries.

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier proposed similar zoning restrictions in March for several schools in her West Philadelphia district. The legislation, if passed, could snarl the planned closures of Paul Robeson High and Blankenburg Elementary.

Typically, the tradition known as councilmanic prerogative means that all members honor the wishes of the district Council member on real estate matters in their district.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, who has endorsed the school facilities plan and would like to use former school properties to support her housing plan, could then sign the legislation, veto it, or allow it to become law without signing it. Council can override a mayoral veto with a two-thirds vote.

The mayors office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Ahmad, a scientist by training, said closing Lankenau, a crown jewel of the school system, would be a grave mistake. It is crucial to have a free-standing high school educating students about the environment, she said.

I am really interested to have a school system that is producing students who understand what role they play in life across the board, and what can they do to make things better, Ahmad said. This is my passion. We need to have people looking at evidence-based ways of engaging with the world.

Perhaps more importantly, Ahmad said, Lankenau is high performing, with a 100% graduation rate, a wealth of meaningful community partnerships, and a robust population of students with special needs.

That it is small  just 225 students in a building that can hold almost 500  is on the district, Ahmad said. Lankenaus enrollment dropped significantly after the district ordered changes to its special-admissions policy.

It seems deeply unfair that you will be holding them accountable for a problem they did not create, Ahmad said.

District officials have said the closure of Lankenau and the 17 other schools is necessary in an underfunded school system that has 70,000 unfilled student seats. Shutting schools will allow for improved academics, extracurriculars, and building conditions in the schools that remain open, Watlington has said.

Another question mark

The City Council legislation, which was referred to committee by Council President Kenyatta Johnson, is not the only question mark hovering over the Lankenau closure.

The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, which borders Lankenau and is an active partner with the school, believes that under the terms of a 1973 legal agreement, it holds the right to repurchase the Lankenau land if it ceases to operate as a school.

Schuylkill Center officials, who also oppose the schools closure, have said they would repurchase the property if the school is closed.

Ahmad acknowledged that the zoning change might be precluded by the Schuylkill Center claim. But, she said, the restriction is an important safeguard.

Lankenaus closure is now in the hands of the school board, which has not scheduled a vote on Watlingtons facilities plan, though one is expected sometime this spring.

Representatives for the school board could not immediately be reached for comment.
The second season of "Philly Homicide" debuts on Oxygen on Saturday, April 11, at 8 p.m. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

The true crime spotlight will turn its attention to some of Philadelphias notorious killings with the Oxygen television series Philly Homicide, which returns for its second season this weekend.

With its debut in 2024, Philly Homicide recounted the stories of 10 killings that shocked the area. On Saturday at 8 p.m., it will begin another season covering 10 more high-profile local slayings using detective interviews and archival footage. Chris McMullin, a retired Bensalem detective, will return as host.

Philly Homicide will again delve into killings committed across a span of decades. Among them are the slayings of a Center City businessman, a Delaware County metal musician and tattoo artist, and an Elkins Park teacher.

Advertisement

Here is how The Inquirer and Daily News covered three of the cases featured in the shows second season:

https://www.newspapers.com/article/philadelphia-daily-news/195137254/ Article from Feb 5, 2009 Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Nightmare in North Wales: The murder of local businessman Robert Chae

Robert Chae began Jan. 9, 2009, like any other day. The owner of Penn Center Beauty Supply in the Suburban Station concourse, Chae, 58, opened the garage door of his Montgomery Township home in the predawn hours as he prepared to head to work.

But as the door opened, three men rushed in, committing what authorities would later call a violent home invasion, Inquirer reports from the time indicate. Chae was discovered dead hours later, beaten and bound with duct tape, his death caused by asphyxiation  though investigators initially believed he had been stabbed.

Chaes wife, Janice, and two adult children who lived in the home were also bound, but survived. Janice escaped after leading the assailants to a safe, fleeing to a neighbors house to contact police. The attackers, investigators later revealed, stole up to $20,000, plus jewelry and other personal effects.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/philadelphia-daily-news/195137439/ Article from Jan 30, 2009 Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Chaes murder came as a shock to the regions immigrant business owners. It came only a month after police arrested a group of men behind at least 10 robberies in Delaware County and Southwest Philadelphia that targeted Asian business owners whom they had followed home. And Chae was regarded as something of a trailblazer, having formerly served as president of the Pennsylvania Korean Beauty Supply Association.

But the biggest shock came when Chaes 25-year-old nephew, Angelo Lo Shin, was arrested in the murder in February 2009. Shin, authorities said, was taken in by the Chae family after he had immigrated from South Korea, but went on to inform a group of associates that his uncle kept large amounts of money in the Chae home. The group cased the house and put together a plan to rob it  a job for which Shin received $2,000.

Shin ultimately pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and related charges, and was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison. Three others pleaded guilty to similar charges. Two more  Joseph Spade Page and Amatadi Tadi Latham, the main attackers  were convicted of second-degree murder in 2010.

We all know who the real bad person is, said Chaes son, Richard, in 2010. Hes the person who started it. We believe that if it wasnt for him, everything would be normal.

Metal and Mayhem: Keith Palumbo, a victim of Warlocks violence

The last time Keith Palumbos family saw him alive was Feb. 6, 2020, when he drove off from his Drexel Hill home in his mothers silver Subaru. Two months later, on April 3 2020, police discovered his body in a crypt in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Southwest Philadelphia with a bullet wound to the head.

That cemeterys been rumored as a dumping ground for years, Kevin Ryan, a private investigator hired by Palumbos family, said in 2020.

Palumbo, it turned out, wasnt alone.

Investigators also found a body later identified as Delaware Countys David Rossillo Jr., who had been shot four times and had a rope tied around his neck. Both men, authorities found, were killed by members of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club, an infamous biker gang.

Palumbo, 36, was known as a tattoo artist and musician in local metal bands, but family members said he was not a Warlocks member. He was, however, childhood friends with Michael DeLuca, a purported Warlocks associate also known as Kaos.

DeLuca, authorities said, called Palumbo to his apartment on the 7000 block of Woodland Avenue on the day of Palumbos disappearance. There, DeLuca shot Palumbo in the head, and directed two Warlocks associates  Billy Gibson and Buck Evans  to wrap him up in a carpet and destroy evidence.

The group disposed of Palumbos vehicle in Kensington, and used a truck owned by Donna Morelli to transport his body to Mount Moriah. Morelli lived across the street from the cemetery, and once served on the board of a nonprofit group started to preserve the property  but she was also, authorities said, a de facto Warlocks boss since 2015, when her husband, former club leader Eric Martinson, died.

DeLuca pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in January 2023, while Gibson, Evans, and Morelli pleaded guilty to lesser charges. No motive in Palumbos murder was corroborated, though authorities described him as a Warlocks prospect, and there were rumors he had broken club rules, reports from the time indicate.

Rossillo, the other man found in the crypt, was called a prospect. Another Warlocks member, Michael DiMauro, was convicted of Rossillos murder in 2023.

Deadly Drive-Thru: Rachel Kings early morning slaying

Rachel King, 35, was up early on the morning of April 11, 2023, to take her 11-year-old son, Jalen, to violin practice. On the way from their Elkins Park apartment, they stopped at a Dunkin drive-thru in East Cheltenham just before 7:30 a.m.

A gunman approached Kings vehicle and fired six shots into the driver side window, striking her multiple times. Her son was unharmed. King died at the scene.

Kings family and friends described her as a well-liked history teacher at Grover Cleveland Mastery Charter School in Tioga. Kings brother Matt King called her death a heinous act, and those close to her could not fathom why someone would want to harm her.

Two weeks after Kings murder, police charged Julie Jean and Zakkee Steven Alhakim with first-degree murder and conspiracy. Then, a case in which authorities said a jilted woman had hired a hitman to eliminate a romantic rival began to unravel.

King had been in a long-term relationship with William Hayes, who in 2022 started a brief fling with Jean, according to Inquirer reports. Hayes later cut off his relationship with Jean and got engaged to King, prompting Jean to begin a harassment campaign against the couple.

Hayes received a protection-from-abuse order against Jean in late 2022. Two months later, authorities said, Jean began speaking to Alhakim, who is a relative of her childrens father, and started hatching a plan to have King killed.

Jean, authorities said, purchased a vehicle for Alhakim, as well as an untraceable ghost gun. Alhakim, investigators said, had used both in a killing in Philadelphia just days before he assassinated King in Cheltenham, noting that fired cartridge casings from both murders were tied to the same weapon.

A Montgomery County jury in 2024 convicted Jean and Alhakim of first-degree murder and conspiracy after 45 minutes of deliberation. They were sentenced to life in prison in front of Kings family, who were clad in orange clothing, Kings favorite color. Kings older sister, Ahyana, said she was happy for her nephew, Jalen.

I get to hug him and tell him that the people who murdered his mother in cold blood were held accountable and will never get out of prison, Ahyana King said. That will be the greatest thing.

Correction: The jurisdiction of the trial in the murder of Rachel King was misstated. It took place in Montgomery County.
Listen to article  0:00 min

The acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has delayed publication of a CDC report showing the COVID-19 vaccine cut the likelihood of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for healthy adults last winter by about half, according to two scientists familiar with the decision. The scientists spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

The move has raised concerns among current and former officials that information about the vaccines benefits are being downplayed because they conflict with the views of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been an outspoken critic of the shots.

Advertisement

The delay, which has not been previously reported, offers a window into how vaccine policy is being shaped behind the scenes, even as the Trump administration has sought to soften its public posture on controversial actions ahead of the midterm elections.

The report had been scheduled for publication March 19 in the CDCs flagship scientific journal, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the scientists said.

Between September and December last year, healthy adults who received the vaccine reduced their likelihood of emergency department and urgent care visits by 50% and cut the likelihood of COVID-associated hospitalizations by 55%, compared with those not receiving a 2025-2026 vaccine dose, according to a summary of the report obtained by the Washington Post.

The report had cleared the agencys scientific-review process, the scientists said, but now it has been delayed by acting CDC director Jay Bhattacharya over concerns about the methodology, the scientists said. The same methodology has long been used by the CDC to evaluate vaccine effectiveness for respiratory viruses, including influenza. A report about flu vaccine effectiveness this past winter  using the same methodology  was published in the MMWR a week earlier.

That methodology was also used in a 2021 study on COVID vaccine effectiveness in clinics and hospitals published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Vaccine effectiveness estimates using the same methodology have also been published in other peer-reviewed journals, including JAMA Network Open, the Lancet, and Pediatrics.

Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, said in a statement, Its routine for CDC leadership to review and flag concerns about MMWR papers, especially relating to their methodology, leading up to planned publication. He said Bhattacharya expressed concerns about the observational method used in the study to calculate vaccine effectiveness, and the scientific team is working to address these concerns.

Nixon added, Dr. Bhattacharya wants to make sure that the paper uses the most appropriate methodology for such a study.

An HHS official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal processes, said Bhattacharya was not in a position to review the earlier CDC flu vaccine effectiveness study. Bhattacharya would have raised the same concern over its design, the official said.

Kennedy, the founder of a prominent anti-vaccine group, has been an outspoken critic of COVID shots, once referring to them as the deadliest vaccine ever made. Last year, Kennedy posted a video on X directing the CDC to no longer recommend the COVID vaccine for healthy pregnant women and children, an unprecedented move that bypassed the CDCs long-established scientific process that relies on its federal vaccine advisory panel to make recommendations to the agency. Kennedys action drew widespread criticism from medical and public health experts.

The secretary has already taken steps to try and remove the availability of the vaccine from children and others, so if youre putting out an MMWR that the vaccine is effective at preventing hospitalizations and medical care visits  that message is not in line with the direction youve been taking with the removal of the vaccine, said Dan Jernigan, who oversaw the CDCs vaccine safety office.

He was among three senior leaders who resigned from the agency last summer after then-CDC director Susan Monarez was ousted following clashes with Kennedy over vaccine policy.

Jernigan, who headed CDCs influenza division for six years, said the methodology used in the COVID vaccine report had been routinely used to measure influenza vaccine effectiveness for 20 years.

The methodology, known as test-negative design, looks at people who are already sick enough to seek care, test them and then compare vaccination rates between those who test positive for the disease and those who dont. That is different from randomized controlled trials in which patients do not know who gets the vaccine and who doesnt and researchers then compare who gets sick.

Scientists say that approach is impractical for COVID vaccines because it is difficult to enroll enough patients and many patients feel strongly enough about the shots that they would not agree to a study in which they might not know whether they received a vaccine. Some scientists say using such an approach would be unethical because the current recommendation is to give the vaccine.

Jernigan said the test-negative design used to measure effectiveness of flu and COVID vaccines is not perfect but is well suited for monitoring how the vaccines are performing in the real world.

The design looks only at people seeking medical care, for example, and not those who are not seeking care. Its a real-world approach where you cant control differences between people who get vaccinated and those who dont, and how that influences their likelihood of getting infected, Jernigan said.

Another HHS official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions, said the method in question is prone to bias. It analyzed a hospitalized sample of patients, for example, that is not representative of the population at large. Bhattacharya is expected to meet with CDC scientists for additional discussions about the report, the official said.

Bhattacharyas stint as acting director expired March 25 under rules governing temporary appointments, but he continues to lead the agency as the White House searches for a nominee.

The episode reflects competing pressures inside and outside the administration over how far to go on vaccine policy. While some officials have tried to hold off on further changes ahead of the midterms, outside allies have been urging Kennedy to go further on questioning vaccines.

Some of Kennedys handpicked vaccine advisers had considered moving to stop recommending COVID mRNA shots at a planned meeting, the Post previously reported. But that plan was ultimately dropped, according to two people familiar with the discussions.
Listen to article  0:00 min

On the day of Philadelphias massive snowstorm in February, I was scheduled to see 18 patients. Our hospital administration directed all physicians to switch from clinic appointments to telehealth, but when I reviewed records for those patients, I determined that nearly all required in-person evaluations. Offering them anything less would have been unethical: good for my productivity , but bad for their quality of care. I switched two to virtual appointments and rescheduled the rest.

When my health system adopted a telemedicine program, doctors like me were asked to complete an online training. It mostly covered logistical and regulatory concerns, but also discussed which types of conditions might be appropriately evaluated using virtual care. The physician in charge of the training offered this guidance: Well leave it to our patients to let us know. At the time, I hadnt yet performed a telehealth visit, but this response seemed problematic. I felt that patients would naturally be drawn to telemedicine for its convenience. However, primary care physicians like me know what we can and cannot accurately assess over a computer screen. We ought not to let dangle an implied equivalence between virtual and in-person evaluations.

Advertisement

Ive been practicing medicine for 25 years and dont much like telehealth. I prefer old timey physical examinations to virtual evaluations. But many physicians seem to have more modern sensibilities. A 2024 survey by the American Medical Association showed that over 40% of doctors use telehealth to treat acute conditions. Whats more, nearly one in six doctors surveyed reported that telemedicine visits comprised 20% or more of their schedules. On that snowy day when I was told to convert all my patient visits to telehealth, I decided to investigate what we know about the modalitys utility and accuracy. I learned the answer is complicated.

I found several studies indicating that telehealth works well for managing chronic diseases like heart failure and diabetes , though much of that work involves interpretation of data like blood sugar readings for which physicians havent traditionally sought compensation. I read other studies that found telemedicine has also helped to reduce travel and wait times for medical appointments in rural and other areas underserved by healthcare providers .

I read two studies that interrogated telehealths accuracy, and the results worried me. A review of telehealth visits performed in a family medicine department in Florida affiliated with the Mayo Clinic showed that over 16% of patients presented within 30 days of their virtual visit for in-person evaluations that were not originally suggested by their physician. When those patients saw a doctor in person, 60% of those visits resulted in a change of diagnosis. Many were insignificant, but cases of pneumonia, fracture, cellulitis, and peripheral vascular disease were among the serious conditions initially missed during telehealth workups. In a separate study of telehealth visits in another Mayo-affiliated multispecialty practice , 13% of virtual diagnoses were found to be incorrect. Nearly 12% of those 313 misdiagnoses had resulted in harm, with three patients dying (1% of the inaccurate diagnoses).

The issues identified in t hese studies resonate with me. Three of my patients who recently sought after-hours telemedicine evaluations (without my involvement) were badly misdiagnosed. A pneumonia was mistaken for a viral infection, an acute bowel obstruction was diagnosed as constipation, and cellulitis was treated as a muscle strain.

I have chatted with colleagues who are similarly troubled by inappropriate use of this technology. A couple pointed out, however , that my patients outcomes may have been no different had they come into the office for their initial evaluations. Many physicians either dont examine their patients or do so in a cursory manner. For this reason, my peers suggested that in-person evaluations may not have yielded better results. I shudder at that possibility.

Telehealth is useful for managing certain chronic diseases and providing healthcare services to underserved regions. Among my own patients, I have found it effective for medication management, as well as for evaluating and treating depression and anxiety. However, I think physicians owe our patients greater transparency about what we can and cannot offer through virtual visits. We need to be more direct about which conditions we cannot safely assess.

No one should ever be scheduled for telehealth when a proper physical examination is required, and leaving it to our patients to determine which visit type theyd prefer seems irresponsible. Additionally, no one should ever pay for a telehealth appointment only to be told that they need a more thorough physical evaluation.

Some of my peers find during virtual visits that they need to bring people into their office. They dont charge for the initial telehealth consultation and expedite an in-person appointment. This is an ethical solution, and one that I hope you will demand. Patients are also owed candor about telehealths intrinsic diagnostic inaccuracy. There is always uncertainty in medical practice, but I suspect far fewer people would seek virtual primary or acute care if they were warned about the risk of misdiagnosis and harm.

I understand why patients are drawn to telehealth  not because of its diagnostic superiority, but rather due to its convenience. Physicians must facilitate our patients efforts to obtain timely and accessible care. But we also have to ensure that the care we offer them is accurate, appropriate, and worth their while.

Mike Stillman is a primary care physician in Philadelphia.
Listen to article  0:00 min

The insurance company that includes Independence Blue Cross had a $423 million net loss last year, compared to a $239 million loss the year before, as difficult financial conditions persisted throughout the healthcare industry, the Philadelphia company reported Thursday.

Strong demand for healthcare services following the pandemic, continued growth in the use of high-cost medicines, doctors use of AI in ways that increase bills, and what CEO Kelly Munson called unreasonable reimbursement demands from some healthcare providers following acquisitions were among the challenges she highlighted.

Advertisement

We saw a lot of cost pressure, but at the same time, the actions that we took and the way that we responded has reinforced my confidence in our broader organization, Munson said.

The financial report for Independence Health Group, which includes IBX, the Medicaid insurer AmeriHealth Caritas, and other businesses, showed that total revenue increased to $33.6 billion from $32 billion in 2024.

The company employed more than 14,000 people last year.

Higher Medicaid rates, growth in New Jersey, and strong retention of employers who buy insurance from IBX were big factors in the 13% revenue increase.

Independence lost some customers to Highmark when that Pittsburgh Blue Cross Blue Shield company started selling insurance in Southeastern Pennsylvania in 2024, but about 60% of that membership has come come back, Independences chief financial officer, Juan Lopez, said.

Revenue from managing benefits for employers who directly pay the cost of employee health coverage rather than by paying insurance premiums fell by $116 million to $794 million. Comcast Corp.s decision to use a different benefit administrator outside the Philadelphia region accounted for a significant chunk of that decline.

 READ MORE: How employers are fighting the rising costs of specialty drugs.

AmeriHealth Caritas, which in recent years has accounted for as much as three-quarters of Independence Health Groups revenue, contributed substantially to the overall loss in 2024, but last year the Medicaid division returned to profitability.

Pharmaceutical costs and other details

Lopez provided some details on pharmaceutical trends.

Effective last year, Independence stopped covering GLP-1s when they are prescribed strictly for weight loss. Even so, the use of GLP-1s increased 20% for people with diabetes in employer-based and Medicaid plans, despite no increase in that disease prevalence, Lopez said.

The company had $63 million in additional expenses from two high-cost drugs, Dupixent and Skyrizi, Lopez said. Dupixent is used to treat eczema and asthma. Skyrizi is for plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, two autoimmune disorders.

While Independences net loss ballooned in 2025, its operating loss was flat at around $580 million, thanks in part to administrative expense growth being kept in check. The company trimmed 750 jobs, including 476 people who took a buyout. More than 50% of the people who took buyouts have been replaced with lower-paid workers, Lopez said.

Munson and Lopez are optimistic that the completion of a costly three-year transition to a new software platform will generate 3% to 5% in administrative cost savings. In addition to the cost of building the software and implementing it, Independence had the additional challenge last year of running on two systems.

That meaningfully pressured results in 2025, but that investment is now behind us, and were beginning to realize the benefits, Lopez said.
Listen to article  0:00 min

At 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, about 10 minutes before the Easter egg hunt at Shankweilers Drive-In Theatre was supposed to begin, Matt McClanahan headed up the hill with a megaphone.

He had done this before. The Lehigh County theater had hosted the same event last year, and it had gone well. This year, he and his wife, Lauren McChesney, had prepared even more carefully. They had hidden more than 3,000 eggs and prizes, divided the hunt into age groups, and spent the evening repeating the schedule over the radio. At 7:15 p.m., McClanahan would make a few announcements and start the egg hunt, with the youngest children going first.

Advertisement

As he had the year before, as he walked up the hill, McClanahan turned on the megaphones siren to get everyones attention and call families toward the hunt. It was meant to be a warning. But to a few kids already near the eggs, it was a starter pistol. Someone yelled, Go, and, suddenly, the kids started running toward the eggs. McClanahan tried to stop them. He tried to tell them to go back, that the hunt hadnt started yet, but it was too late. It was like a switch was thrown, he said.

A stampede of children  and, more disturbingly, adults  was now rushing toward the eggs, ignoring the staggered start times and the rules McClanahan had spent all day explaining. Within 45 seconds, all 3,000 eggs were gone. Dozens of families never even made it up the hill. Children were bawling. It was devastating, McClanahan said. I was almost crying myself.

He and McChesney spent the rest of the evening trying to make up for the mess. They handed out free popcorn and movie passes to kids who didnt get any eggs. But the damage was already done.

Later, Shankweilers posted an apology on Facebook, stating that the hunt did not go as planned and calling it a frankly horrifying experience.

Shankweilers was not the only Pennsylvania business whose Easter egg hunt fell apart this spring. At least two others  Kauffmans Bar-B-Que in Bethel, Berks County, and Wyoming Valley Mall in Wilkes-Barre Township  also ended the day posting bruised explanations on Facebook after their own hunts unraveled in strikingly similar ways.

At Kauffmans Bar-B-Que, organizers split children into five age groups, each with its own section of the egg hunt. But, according to the business Facebook post, when a handful of kids in other age groups released themselves before their scheduled start times, the whole thing fell apart.

We had no choice but to let the other kids go early as well, said the post. We are deeply sorry.

The organizers of Wyoming Valley Malls Easter egg hunt are also sorry. In a Facebook post afterward, they explained that staff had placed more than 1,300 eggs throughout the building and set the start time for 11 a.m. But around 10:40 a.m., an adult yelled Go! which sent people running. It was impossible to slow the crowd down, wrote the organizers. We regret the fact that children didnt get eggs.

Beneath all three posts, thousands of commenters chimed in. Attendees offered their own versions of events. Some blamed the adults. Our groups seven-year-olds were better than the adults at following instructions, wrote someone who attended the malls hunt.

Others defended the businesses and saluted their efforts, pointing out that egg hunts are notorious for descending into chaos. They mentioned other Easter egg hunts in the region that had totally fallen apart.

Thats actually how McClanahan learned about what happened at Kauffmans and the mall, and it made him feel better. We didnt know that this was a regionwide phenomenon, he said. It was like some kind of weird egg virus.

Still, knowing they were not alone was not enough to convince McClanahan that Easter egg hunts are worth the trouble. We like to have fun ourselves, he said, and this was not a fun event to run.

He and McChesney have already decided not to do another egg hunt next year, and theyre currently brainstorming springtime events to replace it. Well figure out a way to do something fun that ensures everyone can participate and that there are no tears, he said. No tears at Shankweilers.
This image from video provided by NASA shows the Artemis II crew, from left, Commander Reid Wiseman, mission specialist Christina Koch, pilot Victor Glover and Canadian astronaut and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen as they answer media questions Wednesday during a video conference. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

As the four Artemis II astronauts looped around the moon this week before their return trip to Earth, so did four transparent chips, each about the size of a USB thumb drive and seeded with their bone marrow cells.

Each chip is an avatar  an attempt to model key aspects of the biology of Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman, the four humans whose courage and wonder have captivated the world.

Advertisement

The historic test flight that blasted off from Earth last week lays the groundwork for NASAs goal of establishing an enduring human presence on the moon as a stepping stone to explore the rest of the solar system. But the Avatar program  which stands for A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response  could also become a key part of that story by helping NASA understand the effects of deep-space flight on human biology, particularly the risks of radiation exposure

For now, the biology experiment aboard the Orion spacecraft is a first step. Will the chips survive the journey? How closely will changes to the cells in the chips mirror what happens in the astronauts bodies? Scientists wont know until after splashdown, when the chips are recovered from the Orion spacecraft.

This is really a proof-of-concept, because to get space on a mission like this is precious, said Donald Ingber, founding director of the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, whose laboratory and start-up company, Emulate, are working with NASA on the project.

The long-term hope is that the chips, which can be used to model different organs, including lungs, livers, and hearts, could be sent up in advance of a real human crew. If they reflect what happens to the body, NASA could use them to anticipate health effects and even preselect personalized medical regimens for protecting and treating astronauts based on their own biology.

I think this is going to pave the way for us in so many ways, in understanding the radiation and microgravity, partial gravity effects on the humans before we send them out, said Lisa Carnell, director of NASAs Biological and Physical Sciences Division. Our phrase is, Know before we go. If we want humans to live on the lunar surface in that partial gravity  the goal would be to send [the chips] ahead of time and get an idea of what happen to different organ systems.

Health in deep space

On Earth, scientists have for years been working to build human organs on a chip. The technology could offer a better way to test whether a drug is toxic or whether it works on human cells. The hope is that the models could improve the efficiency of drug development and help shift away from reliance on animal models that often fail to predict what happens in human biology.

In space, the chips present a new opportunity in a place where there are many unknowns. Deep space presents particular health risks that are difficult to model on Earth. Outside of the protection of Earths magnetic field, astronauts will be exposed to galactic cosmic rays, along with hazardous radiation released from solar flares. At the lunar surface, theres albedo radiation  radiation that penetrates a few meters into the surface and reflects back  a double whammy that we dont have any data on, Carnell said.

Ingber imagines sending up large numbers of chips one day, to observe the variation in how the deep-space environment affects human biology  to discern whether there are differences in people of different ages, sex, or other characteristics. Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASAs Science Mission Directorate, said bone marrow was chosen as a first test case because it is sensitive to radiation exposure, but she sketched out an even grander vision for future missions.

This is a pretty sophisticated way to look at the effect on tissue  its a safe way of looking at it. Youre not doing experiments on a human subject, Fox said. You could do multiple different organs and chain them together to look at the impact.

To make the chips, astronauts donated platelets several months before the flight through a blood draw. From the leftover blood cells after the platelets were removed, the immature bone marrow cells the scientists needed were purified by using magnetic beads that bind to the surface of the cells. They were then frozen in batches.

Each chip has a network of tiny channels carved into it. Three days before launch, the team from Emulate thawed the astronauts cells, mixed them with a gel, and seeded the mixture into one of the channels. A parallel channel lined with blood vessel cells feeds the supply of nutrients and oxygen to keep the bone marrow cells alive and growing.

Then, the scientists handed the chips over to Space Tango, the hardware developer that made the unit that keeps the astronaut tissue in the chips alive during their journey through space. There are two sets of four chips each, one to stay on Earth and the other to journey around the moon.

Avatar splashdown

In a laboratory at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, one set of chips has spent the past week sitting in a lab. On board the Orion spacecraft, sometimes visible in the background from videos and photos beamed back to Earth, is a matching set.

Once the astronauts splash down Friday evening in the Pacific Ocean, two scientific teams working in parallel  one in San Diego and the other in Florida  will fix the chips to lock in any changes and prepare them for detailed scientific analysis in Boston.

While months of study will be needed to understand what the chips can and cant reveal about human biology, there will be an early warning signal of success or failure: the presence of air bubbles. Its always a risk with such experiments, and if air got into the system, the cells wont grow.

David Chou, the principal investigator of the Avatar project at Emulate and a principal scientist at Harvard Universitys Wyss Institute, said that he flew to Houston for the first platelet donation and to thank the astronauts personally for their participation.

The true test of the chips will be in the coming months. Those that went to space will be compared with the matching set that stayed on Earth and to health measurements from the astronauts themselves. Scientists will be looking at the genes that are active in individual cells. They will also be looking for changes in telomeres that are the endcaps of chromosomes, DNA damage and markers of inflammation. If they can begin to show that these astronauts-on-a-chip are reliable markers of what happened in space, it could provide a powerful way to prepare to send humans to live in deep space.

There is a nonzero probability that some chips will fail  theyre being sent on a rocket around the moon, so who knows, Chou said. Its rare that we get to track a live person and their organ chip through the same process, so thats definitely one of the things Im most excited about for this project.
A proposed ICE detention center in a small community in western Maryland known as a destination for weekend bicyclists and Civil War history buffs in Williamsport, Md., Thursday, March 26, 2026. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is reviewing a plan to transform warehouses across the U.S. into detention facilities for tens of thousands of immigrants.

So far immigration officials have spent a total of $1.074 billion for 11 warehouses. Theyve mostly faced fierce opposition. And days after Mullin was sworn in, the Department of Homeland Security paused the purchase of new warehouses intended to house immigrants. The department is scrutinizing all contracts signed under his predecessor, Kristi Noem.

Advertisement

A look at Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other locations:

Pennsylvania

DHS purchased a warehouse in Tremont Township for $119.5 million and one in Upper Bern Township for $87.4 million. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has said his administration will fight DHS plans. The states Department of Environmental Protection has barred water and sewage from being supplied to them for now.

New Jersey

After DHS bought a 470,044-square-foot warehouse in Roxbury for $129.3 million, the township and state sued, alleging that federal officials kept them in the dark.

State and local officials might not have a veto over DHSs decisions, but this utter lack of communication and consultation flies in the face of federal law, the suit said.

Arizona

Local officials were told nothing before ICE purchased a 418,000-square-foot warehouse in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise for $70 million, the states top prosecutor, Kris Mayes, said in a letter to former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Documents later provided by ICE said the Department of Homeland Security plans a processing site with an average daily capacity of 1,000 to 1,500, and a contract worth at least $313.4 million was awarded to transform it.

DHS is now planning something more modest, starting out with 250 people per week and capping occupied beds at 542, according to Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartor.

Florida

A TV reporter in Orlando spotted private contractors and federal officials in January touring a 439,945-square-foot industrial warehouse. ICE senior adviser David Venturella told a WFTV reporter the tour was exploratory.

As of April, the city still hadnt heard anything, a spokesperson said in an email.

Georgia

ICE bought a massive warehouse in Social Circle for $128.6 million. The city said the federal government informed it that the facility is expected to house from 7,500 to 10,000 detainees.

The city is so concerned about the strain on its water supply that it put a lock on the warehouses water meter. DHS has suggested trucking in drinking water and trucking out waste, according to a letter from Georgia Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, who said the plan was unworkable.

DHS also bought a 540,408-square-foot warehouse in Oakwood for $68.2 million, a deed shows. City Manager B.R. White said his first inkling that a deal was imminent came when a warehouse supervisor told a city inspector hed been instructed to clear the job site to make way for the new owners  the federal government.

Indiana

After the town of Merrillville raised concerns about ICE touring a new 275,000-square-foot warehouse, owner Opus Holding LLC sent a letter stating it isnt negotiating with federal officials for the property. The letter said Opus was limited in what it could share because of legal issues.

Maryland

ICE purchased a warehouse about 60 miles northwest of Baltimore in Washington County for $102.4 million and signed a contract worth at least $113 million to renovate it. But work is on hold after Marylands attorney general sued.

The warehouse has divided the community. County commissioners passed a resolution in support of ICE during a contentious meeting.

Michigan

After DHS paid $34.7 million for a 250,000-square-foot warehouse in Romulus, the state and city sued. The suit said the warehouse is in a flood plain, and that the sewage system couldnt keep up if 500 people are detained inside. It also faults DHS for not considering any of the states empty prison facilities and for not talking to state or city officials.

Minnesota

The owners of warehouses in the Minneapolis suburbs of Woodbury and Shakopee pulled out of possible ICE deals after public outcry, according to local officials.

Mississippi

Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker posted that Noem agreed to look elsewhere after local elected and zoning officials opposed a possible detention center in the town of Byhalia.

Missouri

After weeks of public pressure, development company Platform Ventures announced it would not move forward with the sale of a massive warehouse in Kansas City.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte said in March that DHS would not move forward with a proposed ICE facility in the town of Merrimack.

Ayotte, a Republican, had sparred with federal officials after ICE disclosed plans to spend $158 million to convert a warehouse in the town into a 500-bed processing center.

The issue came to a head after an ICE official testified that DHS has worked with Gov. Ayotte and provided her with an economic impact summary. Ayotte said the summary was not sent until hours after that testimony.

The document erroneously refers to the ripple effects to the Oklahoma economy and revenue generated by state sales and income taxes, neither of which exist in New Hampshire.

New York

ICE said it made a mistake when it announced the purchase of a vacant warehouse in Chester. New York state Assemblyman Brian Maher later said ICE was no longer considering the facility.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt announced in January that property owners had informed him they are no longer engaged with DHS about a potential acquisition or lease of a warehouse.

Tennessee

ICE mistakenly announced it had completed the purchase of a warehouse in Lebanon, Tennessee.

The sheriff, Robert Bryan, wrote that a facility of the size and scope being discussed  14,000 to 16,000 detainees  would significantly impact local law enforcement resources. And the mayor, Rick Bell, wrote that as a conservative Republican, he supports a secure border but that his town is not the place.

Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn later announced that the deal was dead.

Texas

In the El Paso suburb of Socorro, ICE paid $122.8 million for a trio of warehouses that span 826,780 square feet. ICE also paid $66.1 million for a 639,595-square-foot (59,420-square-meter) warehouse in San Antonio. The mayors of both cities are opposed. Socorro officials  like others  have questioned water supplies. As of April, San Antonio still had heard nothing from DHS.

However, another deal in the state was scuttled following community backlash. In the Dallas suburb of Hutchins, a real estate company confirmed that it was contacted about one of its properties but wouldnt sell or lease any buildings to DHS for use as a detention facility. California-based Majestic Realty Co. provided no explanation in its statement.

Utah

DHS bought an 833,280-square-foot warehouse in Salt Lake City for $145.4 million without notifying the citys Democratic leaders or the states Republican governor or congressional delegation. Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a statement released in March that ICE officials later told her that the facility will house 7,500 to 10,000 people.

The city has moved to cap water use at just a fraction of what would be needed to operate the warehouse as a detention site.

The sale of the warehouse came two months after the owner of another Salt Lake City warehouse announced plans not to sell or lease to the federal government amid protests.

Virginia

Following boycott threats, Jim Pattison Developments announced in January that it would not proceed with a planned sale of a warehouse in the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia. It said it was not aware of the intended use until after it agreed to the sale.
Iranian pro-government demonstrators chant slogans in a gathering in Tehran's Revolution Square on Wednesday after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

LONDON  Shortly after President Donald Trump threatened to erase the whole civilization of Iran, all 6,000 years of it, the crowds came out into the streets of Tehran waving flags  and not white ones. They bore the green, white, and red banners of the still-standing Islamic Republic. Some set fire to the star-spangled ones of the superpower that, according to state media, they had just humiliated.

Whatever the outcome of the unstable two-week ceasefire that the United States and Iran agreed to just before Trumps apocalyptic deadline  whether it becomes an enduring truce or a return to the violence that has upended life from Israel to Azerbaijan  the pause in hostilities did not begin with images of an unconditional surrender that the president repeatedly demanded.

Advertisement

Exhausted Iranians may yet get a fortnights respite from airstrikes, but Trumps central war objectives remain unmet, and hard questions are left unresolved. Each side is claiming victory, but neither is a clear winner.

Trump launched Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28 demanding unconditional surrender, the elimination of Irans nuclear program and the destruction of its ballistic missiles. He, along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said they hoped the attacks would lead to regime change.

 READ MORE: Ceasefire in Iran war teeters with diagreements over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz

By those measures, Wednesdays scorecard after nearly six weeks of bombing makes for sober reading.

Iran is battered but unbroken. The regime has not collapsed; it has hardened. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps still has weapons to fire, including ballistic missiles shot at Israel and Persian Gulf states in the hours after the ceasefire was announced, injuring two teenagers in Beersheba, Israel. Somewhere in Iran, a few hundred kilograms of enriched uranium remains as prospective raw material for a nuclear weapon.

Trumps obvious and growing frustrations over Irans death grip on oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and spiking gasoline prices for increasingly disaffected voters led him to bring genocidal rhetoric to the social media feed of the American presidency. Irans beleaguered leaders, for their part, agreed to let some tankers squeeze through without the promise of a permanent end to the war that they had demanded.

Tuesdays dramatic agreement to hit pause seems less like an exit ramp than a rest stop for all sides. But without meaningful negotiations, likely to take more than 14 days, exhaustion alone will probably not be enough to keep the violence at bay.

As of now, I see a return to the war as a more likely outcome than a meaningful settlement, said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House, a London think tank.

This is a breather, Vakil said. All sides are approaching this with a degree of skepticism, really, because the positions and the demands are very maximalist, and its very hard to see where compromises can be found in a two-week time frame.

In Lebanon, there was not even a breather as Israel declared the ceasefire didnt apply to its ongoing military assault on Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia, and intensified its bombing campaign including targets in Beirut, the capital.

Hezbollah launched counterstrikes on northern Israel and as the attacks continued Thursday, British, French, and other European leaders called for the ceasefire to cover Lebanon as well, in keeping with an original statement by Pakistan, which helped broker the pause between the U.S. and Iran.

Iran, meanwhile, has kept up its blockade of oil tankers in protest, a rebuttal to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who declared triumphantly at a Pentagon briefing that the war was a historic capital-V military victory.

There are going to be a lot of spoilers to watch out for in this process, Vakil said. Whether theyre in Israel or Washington or in Tehran, parties are all going to be weighing in and polluting the environment for a settlement.

Negotiations in Pakistan are expected to begin Saturday with Vice President JD Vance leading the U.S. delegation. The sides have given themselves little time to untangle a decades-long enmity that in recent weeks produced a real cost in lives and civilian infrastructure and now leaves a two-week clock ticking on questions that could define the Middle East for a generation.

The talks presumably will use Irans 10-point list of demands as a starting point, including ultimatums that the U.S. withdraw all its forces from the region, end sanctions on the regime, pay compensation for war damage, and cede Tehran permanent control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said he found much to be workable in that list, although he and his administration have rejected most of the provisions before.

Given the distance between the sides, a return to the status quo before the war is one very possible outcome. Hopes by the U.S., Israel, and Gulf states that the pain of the war might at least end with a defanged Iran no longer reigning as the regions main state sponsor of terrorism and mayhem may yet slip away. The regime that the United States and Israel were eager to see fall may well endure for years.

So far, it has achieved its fundamental goal of survival in the face of military onslaught. Whether it can persevere in the long term, amid a collapsed economy, devastated infrastructure, and a deeply oppressed but restive population will depend on the terms it can wrest to end the war.

With sanctions relief or compensation, they may be able to recover, Vakil said. But if they dont have that, they will be in a cycle of perpetual conflict, and the default for the region and the United States will be a return to Iranian containment.

Both sides were playing brinkmanship and blinkmanship.

Trump seemed to blink repeatedly, as he issued and then delayed his ultimatums that Iran let the oil flow or else. His language escalated with each cycle, culminating Tuesday in the Truth Social post warning a whole civilization will die tonight  words that drew rare rebukes even from Republicans. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) called the threat an affront to the ideals our nation has sought to uphold.

On Monday, the president called Irans proposal not good enough. It was not immediately clear what in the intervening hours led him to accept the same proposal as a workable basis for negotiations.

Iran blinked on the strait. Tehran had insisted for weeks it would not open the waterway without a permanent end to the war, sanctions relief, and reparations. Instead, it accepted a two-week pause with none of those guarantees in hand.

Still, both sides were ready with the confetti.

The crowds gathered in Tehran on Wednesday chanted defiance, not defeat  burning American and Israeli flags and celebrating what state media cast as resistance against a superpower assault.

The White House insisted all its prewar boxes had been checked by the relentless runs of American and Israeli war planes: Irans military was crippled, they said, the oil would flow, they promised, and the new leaders in Tehran, Trump said, were an upgrade from the regime led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by an Israeli strike in the wars opening minutes.

Experts dismissed those claims as wishful thinking at best.

Iran said it is keeping its missiles trained on the neck of the Persian Gulf and that vessels would traverse it only with its permission. With the regime reportedly demanding steep payments to let the tankers through, shipping companies face an unprecedented prospect of Iran tending the passage like a troll under a bridge, imposing tolls and making threats and backing up one-fifth of the worlds oil supply at will.

Iranian dominance of the Strait of Hormuz is a very unwelcome consequence of this war, according to Julien Barnes-Dacey, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the European Council on Foreign Relations, one that even Iranian hard-liners hadnt dreamed of in the past.

Theyd never blocked Hormuz before, Barnes-Dacey said. The conflict woke them up to this tool.

In the Gulf states, the upheaval has been dizzying. They watched the U.S. prosecute a war largely not of their choosing, then signal a desire to exit. They prayed their air defenses would hold as Iran launched drones and missiles at the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar, and now watch as Iran claims victory and achieves a ceasefire while still being capable of hitting their territory.

Arab nations, which had been smoothing relations with Tehran in recent years, will have to find a way to coexist with their still-dangerous neighbor across the water. But it could take years to resume any path to genuine cooperation, Barnes-Dacey said.

Tehran has demonstrated very clearly the pain it can inflict upon them, he said. Its obviously going to be in their economic and stabilizing interest to find some kind of accommodation with Iran. But I dont think theres any real prospect of a warm, integrated regional push for peace at this moment.

In Israel, the ceasefire complicates plans that Netanyahu had to keep pounding Iran. The prime minister argued against halting attacks, according to reports in Israeli media. When Trump proceeded anyway, Netanyahu found himself publicly supporting a deal he tried to kill  and immediately carved out an exception for Lebanon, directly contradicting Pakistans mediators.

The deeper wound was strategic.

Before the war, Netanyahu had reportedly pitched Trump on a plan to destroy Irans ballistic missile program in weeks and topple the regime. Netanyahu has viewed the Islamic Republic and the proxy groups it has funded and armed in Lebanon, Gaza and Yemen to be Israels greatest threat. Leaving hard-liners in Tehran and even a damaged nuclear program in its bunkers is not what the prime minister promised Israelis who have endured night after night of airstrikes.

The political fallout came from every direction. Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the ceasefire one of the greatest political disasters in all of our history, saying Netanyahu had failed politically, failed strategically, and didnt meet a single one of the goals that he himself set.

A parliament member from one of Netanyahus allied far-right parties, Zvika Fogel, addressed Trump directly. Donald, he posted, you turned out to be a duck.
A 911 dispatcher working at the Delaware County Emergency Services Center on Jan. 5, 2022. Delaware County recently upgraded its emergency telecommunications system after years of dead zones and hacking. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

False alarms, poor connection, and interference from TV signals.

Those were just some of the issues that impeded emergency response in Delaware County where, for years, police, fire, and EMS officials worked with an aging telecommunications system.

Advertisement

After years of dropped signals and attacks by hackers, the county last month unveiled a new radio system, replacing its out-of-date model. With the upgraded infrastructure in place, local officials hope they can respond to crises faster, collaborate across county and state lines more effectively, and help keep emergency responders safe.

Efforts to modernize Delcos emergency response infrastructure began in 2019, when the county council authorized a study examining the systems shortcomings and what replacement would cost.

Three years earlier, a Folcroft police officer was shot seven times while responding to a drug-related call. During the incident, the countys emergency response computer rebooted, cutting off communication for four minutes.

The county council allocated funds for new radio infrastructure in its 2020 budget, and in 2022 unanimously approved the purchase of the Kenwood Atlas P25 Phase II radio system, moving the county toward industry standards.

This is probably the single most important thing for all of law enforcement and fire service and EMS in Delaware County, Haverford Police Chief John Viola said at the time, according to the Delaware County Daily Times.

The upgrade took 5 years and cost $36 million ($3 million less than initially budgeted), according to a county spokesperson, and was funded in part by a $4.6 million state grant.

Though Delaware County had completed minor improvements over the years, its system had not been fully upgraded since the 1970s, causing it to fall behind its regional neighbors.

Delcos P25 system, which was unveiled at a ribbon cutting last month, equipped first responders, including police, fire, and emergency medics, across the county with 3,700 handheld radios.

 READ MORE: As officer screamed 'I'm shot,' Delco's 911 computers failed

The countys old T-Band radio system had exceeded its life expectancy" said Steve Castellano, Delaware Countys 911 systems manager.

Oftentimes, first responders would try to communicate with their radios, but interfering signals made it so those on the other end could not hear them. Those impeding signals often came from TV stations in Boston and Virginia, a problem that grew after the digital television transition in 2009.

Once, Swarthmore Mayor and Fire Chief Conlen Booth said, the boroughs fire department was responding to a fire alarm that went off in an elementary school at night. As Booth attempted to give instructions to firefighters in the building, he realized his radio wasnt working. It was not until he got in his car, moved it 20 feet away, and tried again that he was able to connect with the firefighters inside.

Thankfully, it was not life or death, Booth said. However, it made our operation there last longer than it needed to.

Security became a problem, too.

Civilians were regularly purchasing inexpensive radios and using them to hack into the system and call in false shootings and criminal incidents, which Castellano described as a constant issue.

Hackers would spew slurs and threaten officers and, in one instance, two people challenged each other to a fight over the airwaves, distracting police from an area where they were investigating drug activity.

This was happening continuously, he said.

Beyond interference issues, it became difficult to order replacement parts for the aging radios.

With the new system, officials say, communication is faster and more secure. The P25 system utilizes 21 radio towers across Delaware County and has 99% on-street portable coverage, according to county officials.

Delaware County now has greater parity with neighboring counties in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey, making it easier to communicate with law enforcement officials in Chester County, Philadelphia, and northern Delaware, where police pursuits can sometimes extend.

Castellano said the upgrade has allowed his department to build a real-time map of officers locations, which has already helped agencies dispatch backup to officers in need of assistance.

The county has also implemented Phoenix by Honeywell, an automated voice dispatch system for fire and EMS personnel. Previously, dispatchers would manually alert fire and EMS units of an emergency and have to wait for paging tones to be completed. During that time, dispatchers were not available to respond to radio traffic from first responders in the field. Now, an automated voice handles the alert function, which Castellano said has shaved the dispatching time from 60-80 seconds to 20 seconds.

Inquirer Greater Media A weekly newsletter Want to get Inquirer Greater Media straight to your inbox every week? Sign up here for our guide to the news, stories, and events shaping life in Media, Swarthmore, and Wallingford.

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.
The Media police department logo on a police car on June 4, 2025. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

The Media Police Department is warning of scammers impersonating the chief of police.

The police department said fraudulent phone calls have been made to borough residents by someone alleging to be the police chief, according to a March 25 statement. At times, caller ID has indicated that the call is coming from Media Borough Police. The subject reportedly speaks with a heavy foreign accent, according to the post.

Advertisement

Residents should not give out personal identifying information over the phone, the department said.

Questions can be directed to the Media Police Department at 610-565-6656, or residents can call 911 to have an officer dispatched.

Media Police Chief John McCormick did not immediately respond to a phone call for comment Wednesday afternoon.

Government impersonation scams have surged in recent years. Americans lost nearly $800 million to scammers pretending to be U.S. government officials in 2025, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Inquirer Greater Media A weekly newsletter Want to get Inquirer Greater Media straight to your inbox every week? Sign up here for our guide to the news, stories, and events shaping life in Media, Swarthmore, and Wallingford.

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.
Workers looking toward collapse of under construction Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia parking garage on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

The emergency response to Wednesdays deadly parking garage collapse in Grays Ferry continued Thursday, as rescue crews remained on standby due to the structures instability.

Owned by Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, the seven-level parking garage, located at 30th Street and Grays Ferry Avenue, was under construction when it partially collapsed around 2:15 p.m. The incident left one person dead, injured two others, and two people were missing and presumed dead, officials said Thursday night.

Advertisement

Officials said four K-9 dogs were deployed at the scene and it was determined that the two missing people were dead. As a result, the city would proceed on Friday with a deconstruction of the garage to make it safe enough that personnel can remove the bodies, officials said. Demolition was set to begin Saturday morning.

Here is what we know:

Who are the victims?

The victims names have not been publicly announced. However, the person killed and the two who remain missing and presumed dead are members Philadelphias Iron Workers Union Local 401.

The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO also expressed sympathy to members of the union.

Nobody should ever leave for work and not make it home safely, the group said in a statement. We stand in solidarity with Ironworkers Local 401 and the entirety of the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council during this incredibly difficult time.

The person who died was rescued from the scene and taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:03 p.m. The two people injured were rescued, treated, and released.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker confirmed at a Wednesday news conference that two people remained unaccounted for. Parker said Thursday night that the missing individuals were presumed dead.

What caused the collapse?

Parker on Wednesday said the garage was being assembled with precast concrete when a roof segment in the structure failed and collapsed straight down through every level of the building. Workers at the time were in the process of installing the garages floor decking and roof segments.

The project is being handled by HSC Builders and Construction Managers of Exton, and its subcontractor is the Ohio-based firm Precast Services Inc., Parker said. All necessary permits for construction were obtained, and all inspections were up to date.

Blue Bell-based planning and design firm THA Consulting, which worked on plans for the garage, declined to comment.

Precast concrete is a widely used material in parking garages and bridges, said said Abieyuwa Aghayere, professor of structural engineering at Drexel University. It can speed up construction without harming the quality of the structures it is used in, and is not a corner cutting-exercise, he added.

The citys Department of Licenses and Inspections, however, outsources precast concrete project inspections because they are highly specialized. For the garage, a local branch of GAI Construction Monitoring Services was tasking with regular inspections of the concrete. Neither GAI nor Precast Services Inc. immediately responded to a request for comment.

Its just because many hands are in the cookie jar here, quality control at every stage of that has to be assured, so that collapse doesnt happen, said Aghayere.

 READ MORE: Failure of precast concrete roof is suspected to have triggered Grays Ferry parking garage collapse

Why are rescue efforts paused?

Because the building partially collapsed, it remains unstable, and is unsafe for first responders to conduct their work. The operation, Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey W. Thompson said Wednesday, was going to take time.

We have to very carefully and methodically deconstruct this building for the safety of the people working on it, and ultimately for the safety of the first responders who will continue to search, Thompson said.

Rescue crews Thursday were working to assess and stabilize the building under the direction of structural engineers in order to prevent further collapse. That approach is designed to protect trapped workers as well as emergency responders attempting to reach them.

To that end, additional crews and heavy equipment began arriving Thursday morning, including machines and workers with Pennsylvania Urban Search and Rescue. The building, said Glenn Corbett, an associate professor of fire science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and former member of the federal advisory committee of the construction safety team that investigated the World Trade Center disaster, must be treated as though it is precariously holding together.

This is effectively a house of cards, he said. If you remove one wrong piece of the collapsed area, it could cause the rest of the building to come down on top of it.

 READ MORE: Unstable building slows the search effort for 2 missing workers in collapsed Grays Ferry garage

What did eyewitnesses see?

Several eyewitnesses described hearing a loud thud or boom at the time of the collapse.

It shook our home, said Grady Fields, who lives about two blocks from the construction site. I wasnt sure what was going on.

Some witnessed workers fleeing from the building as chunks of debris fell from the structure. One person who worked the shopping center across the street, who asked not to be named because he did not have his employers permission to speak to reporters, said he saw firefighters carrying out an immobilized man.

They got to him pretty quick, he said, but he looked bad.

Why is the garage controversial?

Planned by CHOP as a 300,000-square-foot structure that would fit 1,005 parking spaces, the garage has drawn criticism and concern from some community members, city planners, and environmentalists. In a Civic Design Review Committee meeting in May, plans for the garage were roundly opposed.

Its just hard to cotton that this extremely wealthy, extremely well-positioned institution has decided that 1,000 cars should go off campus  and contribute to all the negative impacts of traffic to that neighborhood, Dan Garofalo, vice chair of the committee, said in May.

CHOP purchased the site where the garage was being constructed in 2024 for almost $25 million, and Garofalo estimated costs for building the structure as high as $100 million. Critics said the garage and the construction associated with it would disrupt street parking in the neighborhood, and create an eyesore in the area.

Others noted that the garage was not necessary, given SEPTA transit routes in the region, as well as a 2023 Planning Commission report that said University City parking capacity was less than three-quarters utilized.

This 1,000-unit parking garage looks like something that would be built in King of Prussia, a suburban location where theres absolutely no transit, said Will Tung, an organizer with urban advocacy group 5th Square.
Friends said Mrs. Landay was "noble and inspirational, a joy to be around, and a brave soul. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

Melissa Landay was a connector. She said it. Everyone said it. Whether it was people, companies, or ideas, anything really, she connected things.

As a longtime senior banking executive, she connected lenders and borrowers, investors and entrepreneurs. As a woman in a male-dominated industry, she connected female colleagues across the country and formed a network she called her board of directors.

Advertisement

She ranked first in her 1989 class at George Washington University, promoted mentoring at all levels in everything, and was named a Woman of Distinction by the Philadelphia Business Journal in 2017. She organized conferences for years to mark International Womens Month in March and Black Business Month in August, and volunteered on dozens of community projects for Jewish Community Centers, the Lend a Hand Foundation, the YMCA, and other groups.

She married her best friend, Ted Landay, had sons Justin and Jonathan, and lived in Cherry Hill and San Francisco. She told CBS News Philadelphia in a 2019 interview: I like to get things done.

Her husband said: She was a force of nature.

In 2015, Melissa Landay became a breast cancer survivor. In 2022, she was diagnosed with incurable metastatic breast cancer. On Monday, March 30, she died at her home in Cherry Hill. She was 58.

I would say to myself, this is breast cancer. This isnt going to define me. This is just one chapter in my life. Mrs. Landay to the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey

Often, during those 11 years between her surprise first diagnosis in September 2015 and last month, Mrs. Landay shared her ups and downs, unexpected joy and unavoidable pain, with the public as well as family and friends. She posted about her condition on LinkedIn and energized every breast cancer support group she joined.

She spoke to all kinds of people about breast cancer issues and gave interviews to anyone who asked. She told the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey in 2019: Anyone who calls, I try to help them. People want to tell the bad stories, but I want to give hope.

She cochaired Philadelphias More Than Pink Walk for the Susan B. Koman breast cancer awareness organization in 2019 and said on LinkedIn in 2024: I hope that by sharing my story, I can help others feel less alone, and remind everyone of the importance of regular checkups and early detection.

She liked to hashtag her online photos with #livingmybestlife and said on LinkedIn: While I know there is no cure, I know that staying positive is something that can only help.

Stay healthy. Eat right. Get good rest. Its a journey. You want to make sure youre at your strongest and your healthiest. Mrs. Landay to the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey on how to handle breast cancer

In an online tribute, her family and friends said: She transformed her personal journey into a mission to support others facing similar challenges.

Her husband said: She never said why me?

Born in Philadelphia, Mrs. Landay grew up with two brothers, graduated from George Washington High School, and earned a bachelors degree in finance, first in her class, at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

From 1989 to 2011, she was a vice president at CoreStates and Wachovia Banks, and a senior vice president at National City Bank and JPMorgan Chase & Co. She joined Wells Fargo Bank as a regional vice president for Philadelphia and Delaware in 2011, and moved to San Francisco to be a market executive in 2019.

Melissa was a bright light. She was so passionate and energetic about everything she took part in. A colleague at Wells Fargo on LinkedIn

She met Ted Landay while they were in high school, and they married in 1991. She connected more deeply with her Jewish faith after her first diagnosis in 2015 and became a board member at Temple Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill and active with the American Jewish Committee and other groups.

Mrs. Landay was a natural leader, friends and colleagues said, and they called her noble and inspirational, a joy to be around, and a brave soul in online tributes. On LinkedIn, a friend said: Melissa Landay is one of those rare human beings who brings light and love to every room she enters. Smart, kind, thoughtful, funny, and always positive even through her darkest hours.

Her husband said: Talk about marrying up.

Melissa Beth Garber was born Nov. 27, 1967. She loved music and singing, and played the violin, piano, clarinet, and drums.

 READ MORE: Survivors give advice about mourning their loved ones, as told to The Inquirers obit writer

She was a founding member and the first president of GWs Kappa chapter of the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority, and onetime board president of the local Panhellenic Council.

She and her husband liked to shop, take long walks, and travel to Israel, Europe, and Maui. They doted on their sons and watched TV and movies together. Just spend time with each other, he said.

She read romance novels and quoted author Malcolm Gladwell. She did work for the GW alumni committee and got her husband into Pilates.

We had a great time, her husband said. She was the best of us.

 READ MORE: When parents die, even the mundane memories comfort their children. Here are their tales, as told to The Inquirers obit writer.

In addition to her husband and sons, Mrs. Landay is survived by her mother, Anita Garber, brothers Mitchell and Scott Garber, and other relatives.

Services were held earlier.

Donations in her name may be made to Temple Beth Sholom, 1901 Kresson Rd., Cherry Hill, N.J. 08003; the UCSF Metastatic Breast Cancer Research Fund, UCSF Foundation, Box 45339, San Francisco, Calif. 94145; and BreastCancer.org, 40 E. Montgomery Ave., 4th Floor, Ardmore, Pa. 19003.
The collapse of local media across the state has been so severe, Jim Friedlich writes, that restoring it will require business model innovation, philanthropy, and smart public policy. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

The residents of Pittsburgh are appropriately focused on what to do about the announced closure of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  but the real story is bigger than any single newspaper. Across Pennsylvania, communities are losing access to reliable local news, and the consequences are deeply felt.

Thursday is Local News Day, a national moment to recognize the essential role local journalism plays in our communities. In Pennsylvania, it should be a call to act.

Advertisement

Pennsylvania has seen both devastating cuts in its local news and some of the most promising innovations in the country. Its time for the state to build on this momentum by enacting First Amendment-friendly legislation to ensure the revival of community news throughout the commonwealth.

The internet has undercut the traditional business models of local news, devastating outlets of all shapes and sizes across the state. According to a study by Muck Rack and Rebuild Local News, there were roughly 5,000 Pennsylvania journalism positions in 2002 and roughly 1,300 today, a loss of about 3,700 over two decades  a decline of about 75%.

This is not a normal market shift; it is a collapse with consequences so broad that we will need business model innovation, philanthropy, and, yes, smart public policy.

There are practical, bipartisan approaches available. In a politically divided state like Pennsylvania, one promising model is what the New Hampshire legislature is considering: a matching program of tax subsidies for restaurants, hardware stores, and other small businesses that advertise in local news. This would help small businesses reach customers while also strengthening local news outlets.

Or Pennsylvania could adapt a model from Illinois, which provides payroll tax credits to news organizations  both for-profit and nonprofit  that invest in employing local journalists.

There were roughly 5,000 Pennsylvania journalism positions in 2002 and roughly 1,300 today, a loss of about 3,700 over two decades  a decline of about 75%.

State Rep. Christopher M. Rabb (D., Philadelphia) has proposed a local news grant and fellowship program that would place journalists in local newsrooms.

These approaches share a crucial feature: They are First Amendment-friendly. Each policy is structured to prevent the government from rewarding or punishing news outlets based on coverage. Public policy must be  and can be  designed to strengthen independent, accountability reporting, not weaken it.

The good news is that these kinds of policies can build on real momentum already underway in Pennsylvania.

In Philadelphia, cable television entrepreneur and philanthropist H.F. Gerry Lenfest gifted The Inquirer to a nonprofit, the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, which has provided resources to transform it into a modern, sustainable public-interest news organization.

Since its founding in 2016, the institute has raised and awarded $117.6 million in grants to The Inquirer and dozens of other Pennsylvania news organizations. The institute also helped establish Spotlight PA, an innovative nonprofit news enterprise based in Harrisburg that provides statehouse and statewide coverage to 125 news outlets across the state free of charge.

 READ MORE: Can Pittsburgh rally to save its newspaper? | Opinion

In Lancaster, the Steinman Foundation and the owners of LNP/LancasterOnline worked together to find a sustainable path forward by converting to independent nonprofit ownership. Just last month, a new nonprofit, Local Matters, announced the purchase and revitalization of the Pittsburgh City Paper alternative weekly to help fill the local news gap there.

The Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University formed the Pittsburgh Media Partnership through which recent college graduates provide reporting for more than 30 newsrooms across 10 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania philanthropy has been among the most active in the country in addressing the challenges to local news. A 2025 survey of journalism funders conducted by Press Forward, a national coalition of foundations and individuals supporting journalism, showed local and national philanthropies invested more than $26 million in local news in Pennsylvania over the past two years.

Donors are broad-based and geographically diverse, including:

But philanthropy is not enough to serve a state as large and diverse as Pennsylvania. Public investment must help close that gap  and it can pay real dividends. Strong local news means less polarization, better-informed voters, and more responsive local governments. And strong local news is good for economic development. It helps small businesses thrive, it reduces municipal borrowing costs, and it supports local consumers and commerce of all kinds.

In that sense, local journalism is not just another industry  it is civic infrastructure, akin to libraries and schools: a public good that cannot be sustained by the market alone.

Pennsylvania has led the nation in many facets of local news revival. It should now lead on public policy. First Amendment-friendly programs like those described above could help these local efforts thrive  ensuring Pennsylvanians are better served, and offering a model for the rest of the country.

Jim Friedlich is CEO and executive director of the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, the nonprofit, noncontrolling owner of The Inquirer. @jimfriedlich
Two police officers walk in front of an anti-U.S. billboard depicting the American aircrafts into the Iranian armed forces' fishing net with signs that read in Farsi: "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed. The entire Persian Gulf is our hunting ground," at the Eqelab-e-Eslami, or Islamic Revolution square, in downtown Tehran, Iran, Sunday. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

As the tenuous two-week ceasefire with Tehran wobbles already, there is a new reality in the Middle East. But its not the one President Donald Trump thought he would achieve when he started the Iran war.

Both sides are already quarreling over the terms of the ceasefire, and are miles apart in their positions, with opening negotiations supposed to take place in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Friday.

Advertisement

Yet, it is already acutely painful to think of how much the United States has sacrificed over the past 40 days of war in terms of global reputation, world economic chaos, and human life  for so little apparent gain.

Yes, the U.S. military performed tactical missions brilliantly, and much of Irans military-industrial complex has been crushed  as Pete Hegseth gushed in a Wednesday briefing. But this war is not the historic and overwhelming victory he boasted about.

At his news conference, the secretary of defense dodged questions about the most astonishing concession Trump seems to have already made  one that stabs our Mideast Arab allies in the back and leaves Tehran in continued control over 20% of the worlds oil supply. For now, Irans leaders and military will apparently retain control of passage through the Strait of Hormuz  a power Tehran never held before this war.

Whether Trump will allow this astonishing geopolitical concession to stand is a question haunting our allies in Europe, Asia, and the Arab Gulf. At this writing, Iran has already closed the strait again in response to continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

Early comments by POTUS, however, indicate he is ready to concede control of the strait to Tehran  presumably because he doesnt want to send U.S. ground troops on a dicey mission to retake and control the waterway.

Such a shift in the Gulf power dynamics  leaving Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and the worlds oil prices at Tehrans mercy  would outweigh any tactical gains from 13,000 U.S. strikes on Irans infrastructure. It is only one, if perhaps the most important, sign of the terrifying madness of a U.S. president who began this unnecessary war without any clear strategy or goals.

To understand how unprepared Trump was to launch his war in the first place, consider his abrupt decision to attack. He was apparently convinced during a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Bibi Netanyahu that the war would be brief and result in a popular uprising that would oust the ayatollahs. (Dont blame Bibi; anyone who swallowed this baloney bears full blame for the results.)

 READ MORE: White House rejection of Ukraines help to fight Iranian drones may cost U.S. military lives | Trudy Rubin

Real regime change was (obviously) not achievable at this point by unarmed Iranian civilians against religious zealots with guns, yet Trumps encouragement to protesters probably increased the death toll.

When that tack failed, Trump changed course and claimed there had been a complete and total regime change in Tehran due to the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and many other regime officials.

Never mind that Khameneis more hawkish son replaced him, and the real power now resides with the hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Once Bibis pipe dream dissipated, Trump reverted to his fantasy that Iran could become another Venezuela, in which he would be able to work with the new regime to end its nuclear program and control the Strait of Hormuz.

As POTUS put it on Truth Social, The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone through what will be a very productive Regime Change! In another post, an apparent reference to Irans plan to collect tolls from transiting tankers, he claimed: The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz. There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made.

Dont rule out the possibility that POTUS is pondering whether the United States should get a share of the toll revenue (he once suggested America should get all of it). A U.S. share would go hand in hand with Irans current demand that ship owners pay in cryptocurrency. Might Trumps sons, who are up to their elbows in crypto business ventures, seek to get involved?

 READ MORE: Trumps Iran quagmire distracts from Chinese threat to Taiwan | Trudy Rubin

Another goal was to get rid of Irans approximately 440 kilograms (approximately 970 pounds) of highly enriched uranium, which is buried deep under rubble after the U.S. bombed Irans nuclear infrastructure in June.

The uranium is still buried in the same places.

POTUS says the U.S. can surveil those sites by satellite to ensure none of it is removed, but that could have continued without the war. Trump also claims Iran and the United States will dig up the nuclear dust together. I find it hard to imagine Revolutionary Guard officers alongside U.S. intelligence officials commanding the earthmovers.

To be honest, I find it hard to imagine how talks between the United States and Iran will go forward, if they take place at all on Friday.

The only thing holding them together might be the deep desire of both sides for a breather. Trump appears even more eager for that break than the Iranians, as soaring oil prices (which will take months to return to prewar levels even with a ceasefire) imperil GOP election prospects in the fall.

But one thing can be definitely said: The primary goal of reopening the strait to a free flow of traffic has not yet been achieved, and how to do so remains a huge dilemma for Trump. If Iran retains control, it will have won a major strategic victory, despite all the internal destruction it has suffered from U.S. bombs.

Controlling the strait is probably more critical to Irans survival than a nuclear weapon, since it would be suicidal to use that weapon against the United States or Israel. On the other hand, to be master of the strait for the near future is a guaranteed source of money and power.

Many analysts believe Irans control of the strait cant be reversed short of a permanent U.S. military presence in the Gulf or multilateral escorts by warships. So far, Trump wants no part in either military mission, which would be vulnerable to Irans still existing supply of missiles and drones.

So POTUS may well be tempted to leave Iran in control of the strait, rather than restart the war. Talks may drag on, leaving the entire global economy and our allies in uneasy suspension. The costs of Trumps misguided war of choice have barely begun to be assessed.
Kyle Schwarber walks back to the dugout after striking out in the seventh inning against the Giants on Wednesday in San Francisco. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

SAN FRANCISCO  On Monday when the Phillies authored a come-from-behind opening victory against the skidding Giants, it seemed like perhaps at last they had dispelled their Oracle Park demons.

But then the offense failed to score a run for 20 consecutive innings. And after Wednesdays 5-0 loss to San Francisco  their second straight shutout  the Phillies first series win in the Bay Area since 2013 remains elusive.

Advertisement

Thats wild, Bryce Harper said. It really is. ... I guess it just happens sometimes. Obviously we want to be able to turn that page and win here, especially if we play in the postseason.

On Wednesday, the Phillies downfall was 10 rollover groundouts. They managed four hits, all singles and none harder than 91.8 mph off the bat.

Kyle Schwarber reached base three times and Harper reached twice, but the Phillies fourth and fifth hitters, Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott, went a collective 0-for-8.

Pull-side ground-ball outs, manager Rob Thomson said. Youve got to use the field.

They also struggled against Giants starter Tyler Mahles splitter, striking out five times on the pitch. In total, the Phillies left nine runners on base and were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Outside of a 10-1 series-opening win over the Rockies on Friday, the offense has not seemed to click so far this year, now 12 games in.

Inside the clubhouse, theres still a sense that things will turn around eventually.

We have to do it, Harper said. I dont have any other answer for you besides that we have to do it. Weve got to be that team, because if were not, then were not going to be where we want to be at the end. So, myself and everybody in here, weve got to have better at-bats, play better, all the things.

 READ MORE: J.T. Realmuto out of Phillies lineup with bruised foot, status uncertain for Friday

Phillies starter Aaron Nola mostly cruised through the first five innings. Twice, he stranded Luis Arraez on third base. In the first inning, Arraez hit a ball off the right-field wall that would have been a homer in 26 other major league ballparks. He settled for a triple, but Nola responded with back-to-back strikeouts.

Arraez then hit a leadoff single in the fourth inning and advanced to third base again with two outs, but a flyout from Jung Hoo Lee left him there.

I felt pretty good, said Nola, whose fastball touched 94.5 mph. Got some early outs and some ground balls and for the most part filled up the zone.

Trouble started brewing for Nola in the sixth inning when Willy Adames hit a fly ball to shallow right field. Stott, Harper, and Adolis Garcia converged on it, but it dropped in for a leadoff double.

Bermuda triangle, Harper said of the play.

Nola walked Arraez, and then battled Matt Chapman to a full count. The payoff pitch was called a ball before catcher Rafael Marchan initiated an automated ball-strike challenge. The call was overturned for a strikeout, but any momentum was short-lived when Rafael Devers sent the very next pitch  a middle-middle fastball  411 feet to center field for a 3-0 Giants lead.

Thomson had Tanner Banks ready in the bullpen but opted to leave Nola in against the lefty Devers because of his past success against him. Before the three-run homer, Devers was 2-for-13 in his career against Nola. It didnt work out.

I thought that was his game right there, Thomson said.

Again, the offense failed to respond. The Phillies put two runners on in the seventh on a single from Otto Kemp, pinch-hitting for Justin Crawford, and a walk from Trea Turner. But Schwarber struck out and Harper grounded out softly to end the threat.

The Giants scored two more runs in the eighth on Jose Alvarado. Adames started things off with a single, and Alvarado botched the throw fielding a sacrifice bunt from Arraez, allowing Adames to score. Devers then drove in Arraez with a single.

The Phillies will head back to Philadelphia still searching for answers offensively. Thomson said he might shake up the batting order after Thursdays off day to see if that might spark something.

I think youve just got to stay the course, Thomson said. These guys are going to hit, its just a matter of time, and were just going through a dry spell. We havent really hit all that much the entire season, to be honest. But theyre going to hit at some point.
Listen to article  0:00 min

WASHINGTON  In an unusually quiet U.S. Capitol, where lawmakers were not set to return from an extended break for another five days, U.S. Sen. Andy Kim was practically alone.

He had spoken out the day before, like other Democrats, calling President Donald Trump unhinged for threatening to eliminate the whole civilization of Iran if his demands were not met. Congress, many Democrats said, should immediately reconvene to put restrictions on the president.

Advertisement

Despite the unlikeliness of Republican leaders heeding that call and Trump backing down from the threat on Tuesday night, Kim by Wednesday afternoon appeared to be the only senator  aside from a Democrat from nearby Virginia  to actually travel back to Washington to make the case in person.

When your president is threatening civilizational destruction, when hes talking about just blowing up all this civilian infrastructure  things that would be tantamount to war crimes  how have we not had a single public hearing in this building about this war? Kim told The Inquirer during an interview in his Capitol Hill office. I wanted to draw attention to that.

The New Jersey senator from Burlington County said he was back in Washington to take his duties seriously, to demand information on a war he believes has not been conducted transparently or strategically.

He was also there, he said, because it was personal.

Kim is known as the only career diplomat among the 100 current senators, having worked on national security issues in the Middle East before entering Congress in 2019. He held roles at the Departments of State and Defense from 2009 to 2013 and at the National Security Council from 2013 to 2016, and previously spent time at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Since Trump launched the attack on Iran in February, Kim has frequently referred to his work in the administrations of former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, including as a civilian adviser to Gens. David Petraeus and John Allen in Afghanistan.

He has leaned on that training over the last six weeks, he said, giving him a particular insight and a range of sources to tap in order to understand the developing situation and the risks involved.

Ive spent years trying to counter Iranian violence and terror, so this is not like an extracurricular to me. This is so personal to me, having spent time on the ground in the Middle East, having lost people that I know to Iranian militia groups, Kim said. Im really worried about what comes next.

After a tentative ceasefire agreement was reached this week, those next steps are filled with questions around how much control Iran will maintain over the Strait of Hormuz, what will happen to its stockpile of enriched uranium, and if it will be able to rebuild its ability to launch missile attacks.

Trump, who killed a deal to limit Irans nuclear capabilities struck by Obama when Kim was in his administration, has said banning Iran from enriching uranium is a key goal.

He declared victory this week and said a 10-point plan proposed by Iran, whose leaders also claimed victory, was a workable basis on which to negotiate in a social media post Tuesday night. The president said Thursday that U.S. forces remain in the region and that if negotiations are not productive, the attacks will begin stronger than anyone has ever seen before.

Pa. senators back Trumps war in contrast to Kim

U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R., Pa.), an Army veteran who served in the Gulf War, has applauded Trumps intense military pressure, saying in a Fox Business interview Wednesday that theres been nothing like it in the history of the world in terms of a military campaign thats been so effective.

Weve made real progress, but we must stay focused until the job is done: No nuclear weapon. No threats to Americans & our allies. No leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, McCormick added on social media.

His counterpart in Pennsylvania, Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, has also enthusiastically praised the mission. He continued to defend Trump and criticize members of his own party this week as they claimed the president should be forcibly removed from office because of the threat to kill civilians.

That stance, in turn, elicited criticism from Pennsylvania Democrats who have increasingly said Fetterman is abandoning the promises he ran on four years ago.

In a Fox News interview Wednesday night, Fetterman said he would once again reject a war powers resolution that other Democrats said they will introduce to restrict Trump. He also mocked his party for calls to invoke the 25th Amendment  the process for the presidents cabinet and vice president to remove him  and for using the term TACO, or Trump Always Chickens Out, to describe when he abandons his goals but claims victory anyway.

Every single thing Iran [has] done, and is, is a war crime, Fetterman said. Now, we are the force of good in the world.

Kim, like other fellow Democrats whom Fetterman has criticized, has made a point to say that Irans regime has long been brutal and that it should never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon.

But the way Trump launched and conducted the mission has now led to some of the worst-case scenarios that Kim said he and his former colleagues in the national security apparatus had always prepared for.

He said they spent years discussing how Iran might close the Strait of Hormuz to important oil and other shipping traffic if faced with military pressure. It turned out to be easier than he imagined it would be, requiring not mines in the water but threats of missile attacks and other efforts. (Some reports this week suggested Iranian forces might have now mined the waterway.) Any form of continued Iranian control over the strait could keep gas prices high globally, Kim said.

Kim said he agrees with supporters of the war that U.S. forces have done significant damage to Irans ballistic missile capabilities and its plans to develop nuclear weapons. But he has seen no evidence to suggest Iran will emerge from the conflict unable or unwilling to rebuild on both of those fronts.

I spent a lot of time gaming this out, and what weve seen is that Iran has shown their resilience, Kim said. Yes, theyve lost a lot of missiles. They lost a lot of leaders. But they show, still show, the capacity that they have to be able to wreak a lot of havoc around the world.

Kim said his return to Washington had allowed him to review classified information available to him in a secure facility at the Capitol. He had been holding meetings with top experts on international law and Middle East diplomacy. And he put in a request for a briefing at the Pentagon, though he said he was under no illusions that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would accommodate that this week.

But thats what we should be doing here. We should be demanding information, Kim said. If it wasnt just me  if it was 10 senators, 20 senators, 30 senators that are here demanding  I think we could get more traction.

Will Congress restrain Trump before the ceasefire ends?

Republican leaders in control of Congress, set to return to the Capitol on Monday, have been unwilling to restrict Trumps military movements abroad.

With a few House Democrats at the Capitol for an informal, pro forma session on Thursday, their request for consideration of a war powers resolution was quickly rejected. U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, the New Jersey Republican presiding over the session, did not acknowledge the Democrats request and forcefully banged the gavel to adjourn the chamber until Monday afternoon.

It was not immediately clear if Democrats would have the votes to pass the resolutions next week, though a few Republicans raised concerns after Trumps latest threats.

The Presidents threat that a whole civilization will die tonight cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) said in a statement Tuesday. This type of rhetoric is an affront to the ideals our nation has sought to uphold and promote around the world for nearly 250 years.

Kim, who delivered a previously scheduled speech on foreign policy at Princeton University in the hours after Trumps threat on Tuesday, was also stressing a long view of U.S. policy abroad.

His 18 pages of prepared remarks  titled The Anxious Era  at Princeton began with an anecdote about how his last foreign policy speech on the campus was 30 years earlier, when he was a high school freshman participating in Model U.N. and America was the lone superpower at the height of our power.

But as the world tried to make sense of Trumps social media threats, Kim opened instead by denouncing the presidents words and saying Congress should be in Washington.

He was on the train later that day. But first, he warned the students that any progress on Americas standing in the world might take a while.

I believe we now are at a moment where a future American president cannot stand at the Capitol on Inauguration Day and utter the words America is back. No one would believe us, whether here at home or abroad, Kim said. We need to chart a way forward that is grounded in reality. The window to act is narrowing, and the cost of complacency has never been higher.
Listen to article  0:00 min

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro outraised his likely Republican opponent, state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, by 10-1 in the first quarter of the year  underscoring the Democratic incumbents grip on the governors race heading into the midterms, while Garrity failed to see a significant bump after receiving a coveted endorsement from President Donald Trump.

Shapiro raised a whopping $10.5 million in the first three months of 2026, while Garrity  who is running unopposed in the May GOP primary  raised $1 million, according to campaign finance reports filed Tuesday.

Advertisement

With seven months left until the November election and largely led by Shapiros war chest, the race has already attracted historic levels of investment compared with the same point in previous Pennsylvania gubernatorial elections.

 READ MORE: Josh Shapiros reelection campaign in Pennsylvania starts now  but 2028 looms large

Shapiro entered the year with more than $30 million in his campaign coffers. He continued to rake in cash in January, kicking off 2026 with a glossy campaign launch and a national book tour and media blitz that brought him further into the public eye as national Democrats seek a standard-bearer for the 2028 presidential contest.

Six weeks out from the May 19 primary, he reported $36 million in the bank. Garrity, meanwhile, reported $1.5 million on hand  a fraction of Shapiros teeming campaign war chest that Republicans have struggled to confront. The Pennsylvania GOP is counting on Garrity, as the candidate at the top of the ticket, to generate enough enthusiasm among voters to trickle down-ballot to help them maintain control of the U.S. House and state Senate.

 READ MORE: Stacy Garrity is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. Will that help or hurt her campaign in Pennsylvania?

Garrity, the Pennsylvania Republican Partys endorsed candidate for governor, has less cash on hand heading into the primary than Shapiros running mate, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. Davis, who is running uncontested in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, had $1.9 million in the bank, Shapiros campaign said. (Davis report was unavailable for review.)

Garritys campaign noted that most of her contributions came from Pennsylvanians, totaling more than 6,700 individual contributors. A significant number of small-dollar contributions can translate to grassroots support and voter enthusiasm.

Shapiro, too, received thousands of individual contributions, though an exact number was not immediately available.

 READ MORE: Big-money and out-of-state donors helped Josh Shapiro raise $30 million while Stacy Garrity raised $1.5 million from Pa.s grassroots

His largest campaign contributors continued to be industry executives in Pennsylvania and across the country. Shapiros largest individual contribution for the most recent filing period was a $1 million donation from Silicon Valley investor Christian Larsen. He also received $500,000 from Christopher Barnett, a Temple University benefactor whose company owns addiction treatment and behavioral health clinics throughout the country, including in Pennsylvania. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker  another rumored 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful  contributed $100,000 to Shapiros campaign. Shapiro received a number of other five- and six-figure contributions from wealthy industry leaders.

Labor political action committees also contributed significantly to Shapiros campaign, including $500,000 each from Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Greater PA Carpenters PACs.

 READ MORE: As Josh Shapiro seeks reelection, his business-friendly brand has drawn millions from CEOs  including some with interests in Harrisburg

Garritys largest individual contributor was Jay Sykes, who runs the Oregon-based cryptocurrency payment company Bead and gave $20,000. Garrity also received several $10,000 contributions from industry executives and top Republican PACs, such as the Commonwealth Leaders Fund, which is backed by Pennsylvanias richest man, Jeffrey Yass. The Commonwealth Leaders Fund sat out the 2022 gubernatorial election, in which Shapiro handily bested GOP State Sen. Doug Mastriano, but decided to contribute to Garrity, its president said earlier this year.

In addition to hauling in big fundraising numbers, Shapiro also spent big. His campaign has spent nearly $4.6 million this year, more than tripling what Garrity brought in this quarter and more than he spent during all of 2025.

Shapiros willingness to spend huge sums of his money  so early in the year and without a challenger in the Democratic primary  also underscores the strong financial position his team expects to maintain for the rest of the campaign.

He spent $519,800 on event management around the time of his highly produced reelection campaign launch events in January  nearly as much as Garrity spent on her entire campaign for the quarter.

The roughly half-million dollars in event costs went to Weymouth Watson, a D.C.-based firm that Shapiro used for his glitzy 2023 inauguration and that has produced events for other major clients, like the Obama Foundation.

Between January and March, Garrity spent $527,500 on everything  consultants, staff, direct mail, office supplies, travel, and more  as she looked to build momentum. Her largest expenses were five-figure payments for direct mail fundraising last month.

Shapiro also spent large sums in other areas. That included paying for private flights during the time the governor traveled frequently across the region and country to promote his memoir. He spent a total of $320,280 on Jet-A LLC, a charter operator, a significant cost compared with the $608,700 he spent on the private service for the entirety of 2025.

While Pennsylvania Democrats hope that Shapiros popularity gives them a boost down-ballot in November, campaign finance filings show he has made no targeted investments in other races. Filings show Shapiro has continued to financially support the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, investing $275,000 over two contributions between January and March.

Both Shapiro and Garrity also reported receiving in-kind contributions, which are expenses covered by other individuals or groups that are considered donations.

Shapiro, for instance, received a $21,300 in-kind contribution from Local 98 in early March for catering and printing expenses. Garrity reported a $9,928 in-kind donation for fundraising event food and beverage on March 27, when she hosted a fundraiser at Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida, where the president made an appearance.
Listen to article  0:00 min

A new bill by Philadelphia City Councilmember Nina Ahmad would set a 90-day deadline for local authorities to respond to requests for certifications for special visas that protect unauthorized immigrants who are victims of human trafficking and other crimes.

In addition to the 90-day timeline, Ahmads bill would establish other guidelines for how local agencies process applications for the special immigration statuses known as U visas and T visas.

Advertisement

U and T visas are essential for immigrant survivors of human trafficking and victims of crime to advocate for themselves, Ahmad said in a speech during Councils meeting Thursday.

U visas were created by federal law to encourage people who fear they could be deported if they interact with law enforcement to report crimes. T visas do the same for human trafficking victims. Both protect immigrants from deportation for four years if they assist law enforcement in investigating the alleged crimes against them.

U visa applicants are required to obtain certification from local authorities proving that they are qualified, and T visa seekers can ask local agencies to endorse their applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. In Philadelphia, the agencies that process the applications are the Philadelphia Police Department, the Department of Human Services, and the district attorneys office, according to Ahmads office.

Those offices already have procedures for handling the applications that likely overlap with some of the rules Ahmad proposed. Her bill would establish a standardized process for U and T visa certifications, including timely responses to requests, confidentiality of requests, [and] guidelines of the grant or denial of request.

The bill would also create an expedited 21-day deadline for applicants who are in deportation proceedings or are already subject to a deportation order.

Congress capped the number of U visas that can be awarded each year at 10,000 nationally. The federal government receives more than 10,000 applications per year, and it approves roughly that amount annually.

Neither the district attorneys office nor Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers office, which oversees the police department and DHS, immediately responded to requests for comment on the proposal.

Incinerator bill ups and downs

Incinerate and wait: Councilmember Jamie Gauthier on Thursday once again declined to call for a vote on her bill banning Philadelphia from incinerating its trash, saying she does not yet have the votes due to Parker and the operating engineers union lobbying her fellow lawmakers.

Im holding the bill because  due to intense lobbying from the mayor and the operating engineers  I dont have enough support for it, she said.

Neither Parkers office nor the operating engineers union immediately responded to requests for comment on Gauthiers bill.

About two-thirds of the trash that Philadelphia collects ends up in landfills. About one-third is sent to the Reworld Delaware Valley Resource Recovery Facility, a waste-to-energy facility in Chester.

Gauthier, Chester officials, and environmental activists contend that pollution from the facility has led to increased rates of asthma and cancer in Chester, a low-income majority-Black city south of Philadelphia that has become a widely cited example of environmental racism.

 READ MORE: Philly sends a third of its trash to a Chester incinerator. Council members took a Toxic Tour to get a closer look.

The citys waste disposal contracts expire June 30, and Gauthiers bill aimed to prevent the city from renewing with Reworld.

Gauthier initially planned to call the bill up for a vote in January, but declined to do so after failing to win over a majority of her colleagues.

The administration previously said that it has added a provision to its waste contract solicitation allowing the city to consider environmental impact. But Parkers administration has opposed Gauthiers full ban on incineration.

Still, it hasnt been all bad news for Gauthiers bill this week.

On Tuesday, Carlton Williams, Parkers director of clean and green initiatives, said in a Council hearing that the city was exploring temporarily extending the citys existing waste disposal contracts beyond their June 30 expiration dates to allow the city more time to study the issue.

Gauthier framed that move as a win that could allow the bills supporters, dozens of whom have repeatedly testified in favor of the proposal, more time to build momentum.

Parkers administration, Gauthier said Thursday, is absolutely moving and responding to the pressure that we created.

School zoning bills expand

Long live Lankenau: If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Ahmad and Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. gave Gauthier a big compliment Thursday.

The pair of lawmakers introduced a bill aimed at blocking the planned redevelopment of Lankenau High School, which is one of 18 school buildings slated for closure in the Philadelphia School Districts controversial facilities plan.

 READ MORE: City Council members are trying to save Lankenau High School from closure with zoning legislation

The bill would change the zoning for the Upper Roxborough environmental-sciences magnet schools 17-acre campus from residential to a category for the development and preservation of public-serving institutions such as schools and libraries.

Gauthier last month proposed similar measures for school buildings slated to close in her district.

Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. has cited Lankenaus low enrollment as a reason for moving the school into Saul High School, the citys agricultural magnet.

But students, teachers, parents, and community members  including Ahmad  have mounted fierce opposition to the plan, which calls for giving the school property to the city to use for affordable housing or job creation.

Quotable

I especially want to thank the women of Philadelphia for leaving Sen. Vincent Hughes alone, for a woman to come all the way from California to meet the love of her life and proclaim at the top of the Rocky stairs in front of the museum that we love each other and we love the great city that is Philadelphia. Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph

Class is in session: Council on Thursday approved a resolution honoring the career of Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph, who is the wife of State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D., Phila.).

The couple, who last year renewed their wedding vows in a high-profile ceremony atop the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, were both in attendance for Councils Thursday meeting.

Ralph in 2022 won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for portraying teacher Barbara Howard on Abbott. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Deena Jones in the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls.

Staff writer Anna Orso contributed to this article.
Large cracks in the walls are visible in this detail photo of the partial collapse of the under construction CHOP parking garage at 30th and Grays Ferry Avenue in Philadelphia. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

The deadly collapse of the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphias parking garage Wednesday started with something common in construction: a section of precast concrete roof.

Many standalone parking garages are built of precast concrete, which is poured off-site. The slabs used to build garages can weigh 100 tons, so if something goes wrong, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Advertisement

While construction accidents with the material are rare, there are several points where an error can occur, especially because precast structures can be unstable before they are finished.

Compared to cast-in-place concrete, there are many, many opportunities here for errors, said Abieyuwa Aghayere, a professor of structural engineering at Drexel University. Starting from the manufacturer to the transportation to the lifting of these heavy elements, to the connections themselves, to the fact that the structure is unstable while youre building it.

In Grays Ferry, seven levels of the stair system failed and collapsed onto one another, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said at a news conference Wednesday night.

After placement, a precast roof segment failed and fell to the level below, literally triggering a progressive collapse of connected sections across all seven levels, Parker said.

The collapse killed one worker, and left two others missing and presumed dead, officials said Thursday night. All three are members of Philadelphias Iron Workers Union Local 401. Officials have not released their names.

The building is dangerously unstable and will have to be deconstructed, according to Fire Commissioner Jeffrey W. Thompson.

The structural collapse was contained to the 30th Street side of the stair tower where all seven levels of the stair system failed, Parker said.

Precast concrete is commonplace

Precast concrete is widely used in the construction of bridges and parking garages, Aghayere said. One of the touted benefits of using precast concrete is that it can speed up construction without negatively affecting quality.

There are many precast parking garages that are standing as we speak, he said. Its not like its a corner-cutting exercise. Its a legitimate method of construction.

These concrete slabs are manufactured off-site, where facilities can control temperatures that make for predictable pouring and curing times, unlike concrete poured on-site, where temperatures might be uncooperative, Aghayere said. That gives it safety and quality advantages because concrete is weakest when it is being poured.

For parking garage projects, hundreds of slabs weighing upward of 100 tons are made with what is called embedded steel and are then welded together on-site.

The subcontractor on the Grays Ferry garage project is Ohio-based Precast Services Inc., according to Parker. Workers were in the process of installing the structures floor decking and roof segments when the collapse occurred.

The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections outsources inspections of precast concrete projects due to their highly specialized nature, which is beyond the scope of the agencys regular work.

The city is responsible for managing the program, ensuring that there is a special inspector for the project and that the building plan is being followed.

For CHOPs garage, a local branch of GAI Construction Monitoring Services was tasked with the regular inspections of the concrete installation.

Neither GAI or Precast Services Inc. immediately responded to a request for comment.

Drexels Aghayere said using precast concrete requires strict quality-control measures from manufacturing process to transportation and assembly.

Issues with precast often involve problems with connections themselves if they were not well embedded or issues with the structures stability, which could mean there was poor bracing on-site during connection.

There is also the possibility of a mishap occurring during the point of connection, such as an issue with a crane where control of a slab is lost.

Its just because many hands are in the cookie jar here, quality control at every stage of that has to be assured, so that collapse doesnt happen, Aghayere said.

Aghayere said it would be ideal for a special inspector to be on-site during installation as an added precaution, though it does not guarantee a construction accident will not take place.

I want to know what failed, which system is the one that failed, said Nicole Fuller, executive director of the Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health. Its probably something that was out of the workers control, if its precast and is being manufactured somewhere else.

Previous garage collapses

A 2003 incident during the construction of a parking garage next to the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City killed four workers and injured 21.

A 2010 Pennsylvania State University report found that a lack of sufficient temporary supports during the installation of partially precast segments caused a structural support column to fail there, causing five levels of attached decking to collapse.

Andrew Duffy, a catastrophic-injury attorney at Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky, said the CHOP garage collapse was a preventable tragedy that was eerily similar to the 2003 top-down collapse of the Tropicana garage.

You need a major failure where somebody royally screwed up to have these collapses, said Duffy, whose firm represented victims of the 2013 Salvation Army building collapse in Philadelphia and the 2021 Surfside condominium collapse outside Miami, in addition to the Tropicana collapse.

Duffy said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would have six months to issue citations for any violations of federal regulations, followed by a final report.

As soon as the search and rescue operation is completed and the building is stabilized, OSHA will likely begin laying out the pieces in a field so they can be cataloged and examined.

Investigators will look closely at the manufacture, transportation, and connection of the concrete, Duffy said.

Catastrophic construction collapses do not happen without failures in either design, casting, or connection, he said.

Why CHOP wants a garage

The construction of standalone parking garages is relatively rare in Philadelphia, as local tax and regulatory policies have made them unprofitable.

CHOPs proposed 1,005-vehicle project is the largest garage planned in the city right now. One architect on a city-appointed panel estimated the project cost at $100 million.

Although the plans stirred controversy in the neighborhood and among environmentalists, the healthcare institution insisted it needed more parking capacity because public transit was considered unreliable for its employees.

CHOP has a new patient tower slated for opening in 2028, and the garage was meant to be online to support it by then. Last year, a CHOP spokesperson said the garage was anticipated to be open by fall 2026.

News researcher Ryan W. Briggs contributed to this article.
Katie Pratt in her home, in Philadelphia, Monday March 31, 2026. Read more

Im a sucker for scrolling Facebook Marketplace for bargains. But Ive been skeptical when I see people listing homes for sale on the site. Surely thats a scam, I always think.

My colleague Abigail Covington proved me wrong with the latest installment of How I Bought This House, The Inquirers weekly look at what it takes to become a homeowner.

Advertisement

 Have you ever considered buying a home from Facebook Marketplace or somewhere similar? If so, email me. Im dying to know how you made the decision.

Keep scrolling for that story and more in this weeks edition:

 Erica Palan

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

After looking at 15 potential homes, each with downsides, Katie Pratt spotted her dream condo on Facebook Marketplace. She wondered: Could it be legit?

The spot was too good to ignore  lots of light, affordable, accessible, and her close friend lived in the same complex.

Pratt, a 29-year-old first-time buyer, reached out to the seller, hoping that it wasnt scam. After exchanging messages, she worked with a real estate agent to further vet the listing. A few months later, she was living in her new home.

Find out how it all went down.

Philadelphia needs more housing. So why does Center City still have so many parking lots? Thats the question architecture critic Inga Saffron tackled in her column this month.

My favorite quote in the column comes from Philly parking magnate Robert Zuritsky, whose family owns dozens of lots around the country. Zuritsky is trying to pivot his business into a development company that also owns parking lots.

The problem is that development is really hard, Zuritsky told Saffron.

As readers of this newsletter know, hes not exaggerating. Read on for more.

The latest news to pay attention to

When I first saw the walls of Carla Krashs Narberth bedroom, I thought it was wallpaper. Nope.

Then I suspected tile. Nope again.

Krash spent about a week and a half painting the walls of her primary bedroom. She started with a deep orange base coat, followed by a layer of brushed gold paint and then a sponged square stencil with a pearlescent sheen.

The result is stunning  and thats not even the wildest project she undertook. See how else Krash transformed her home to make every room a work of art.

 Photo quiz

Do you know the location this photo shows? (Hint: Its in New Jersey.)

 If you think you do, email me back. You and your memories of visiting this spot might be featured in the newsletter.

Snaps to newsletter superfan Lars for correctly identifying last weeks image as the Phoenix Wheel, which has been brought back home to Phoenixville after residing in Asbury Park.

 RIP El Toro. The prolific sticker artists work became such a fabric of Philly culture that I cant imagine a time when I wasnt spotting his cartoon bull on lampposts. He died at age 43.

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.
Listen to article  0:00 min

WASHINGTON  First lady Melania Trump is denying ties to Jeffrey Epstein and knowledge of his sex crimes, saying Thursday that the stories are completely false and calling accusations that she was somehow involved smears about me.

Reading an extraordinary statement at the White House, Melania Trump said she and her attorneys were fighting back against unfound and baseless lies in regards to her connections to the late financier, a convicted sex offender who leveraged connections to the rich, powerful, and famous to recruit his victims and cover up his crimes.

Advertisement

The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today, she said. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.

The seemingly out-of-the-blue message came as her husband, President Donald Trump, and his administration had finally seemed to move past more than a year of controversy surrounding Epstein, especially as the Iran war had become all-consuming in Washington. The first ladys comments almost assuredly served to push the story back into the political spotlight even as the president urged the public and media to move on from the case.

The White House used its X account to reshare a video posted by the first ladys office of Melania Trump reading her statement. White House officials did not respond to requests for comment on whether the president had prior knowledge of the first ladys comments.

First lady calls for a congressional hearing for Epstein victims

The first lady spoke for about five minutes, reading her statement in the Grand Foyer, then walked away without taking questions. She did not go into detail on the accusations against her but said they came from individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name. She added that they were financially and politically motivated.

Melania Trump also called on Congress to hold a public hearing centered on survivors of Epsteins crimes, with a chance to testify before lawmakers and have their stories entered into the congressional record.

Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, she said. Then, and only then, we will have the truth.

Two of Epsteins accusers, Maria and Annie Farmer, reacted to the first ladys comments by saying, What we want is accountability, transparency, and justice.

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and onetime fierce Trump supporter who resigned from Congress after a public falling out with the president, posted on X, I am grateful to the First Lady for her brave statement today about Epstein and his victims.

Democrats jumped on Melania Trumps comments, saying they agreed with her call for a congressional hearing. In a social media post, Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee that is investigating Epstein, called on the Republican chair of the committee, Rep. James Comer, to schedule a public hearing immediately.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R., Ky.), who sponsored a bill prompting the release of millions of Epstein documents, turned attention back to the Justice Department, saying its the attorney generals job to bring in survivors for testimony. In a social media post, Massie, who has pressed for more arrests in the Epstein case, ended a social media post with a call to PROSECUTE!

Questions about Epsteins reach have loomed over the administration and divided Republicans, driving a wedge into Trumps MAGA base as some pressed for the government to release more files and prosecute figures linked to the financier.

The issue has dogged Trump and fractured some of his alliances, including the one with Greene, who was once among Trumps most reliable supporters in Congress. Trump dismissed the issue as a Democrat hoax but later signed a bill to release files from Epsteins case.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the first lady to revive the issue now. She noted that several individuals and organizations have had to apologize for their lies about me. Of the examples she cited, the most recent was in October.

In that case, book publisher HarperCollins UK apologized to the first lady and retracted passages from a book suggesting Epstein played a role in introducing her and Donald Trump.

Melania Trump mentioned her husband several times in her comments. She said Epstein did not introduce her to Trump and that she met her future husband at a New York City party in 1998.

Email to Maxwell was trivial

The first lady brought Epstein back to the forefront months after federal authorities released millions of pages of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted after months of public and political pressure that requires the government to open its files on the late financier and his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Maxwell.

Lawmakers complained when the Justice Department made only a limited release last month, but officials said more time was needed to review additional documents that were discovered and to ensure no sensitive information about victims was released.

Melania Trump said in her statement that she was not friends with Epstein or his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, but was in overlapping social circles in New York and Florida. She described an email reply she sent to Maxwell as casual correspondence without elaborating.

My polite reply to her email doesnt amount to anything more than a trivial note, she said.

Among the documents released by the Justice Department was a brief email from 2002 with the sender and recipient blacked out. It begins, Dear G! and ends Love, Melania, and compliments the recipient on a magazine article about JE.

I know you are very busy flying all over the world, it says. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY.

That email was sent the same month that a New York Magazine article was published about Epstein in which Trump called the financier a terrific guy.

Among other documents released was an image from Epsteins home showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump, and Maxwell.

Epstein killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in New York. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House, Oct. 22, 2025, in Washington. Read more

Listen to article  0:00 min

WASHINGTON  NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte met behind closed doors with President Donald Trump on Wednesday for discussions that were expected to focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping waterway  and on soothing Trumps anger with the military alliance over the Iran war.

It wasnt immediately clear how things went in the private meeting, ahead of which Trump had suggested the U.S. may consider leaving the trans-Atlantic alliance after NATO member countries ignored his call to help as Iran effectively shut the strait and sent gas prices soaring.

Advertisement

The Republican president has had a warm relationship with Rutte in the past, and the meeting came after the U.S. and Iran late Tuesday agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the strait. The nascent ceasefire was struck after Trump said he would strike Irans power plants and bridges, threatening that a whole civilization will die tonight.

The White House did not immediately offer an update on the conversation. But earlier Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged that Trump had discussed leaving NATO. I think its something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary-General Rutte, Leavitt said.

Congress in 2023 passed a law that prevents any U.S. president from pulling out of NATO without its approval. Trump has been a longtime critic of NATO and in his first term had suggested he had the authority on his own to leave the alliance, which was founded in 1949 to counter the Cold War threat posed to European security by the Soviet Union.

The crux of the commitment its 32 member countries make is a mutual defense agreement in which an attack on one is considered an attack on them all. The only time it has been activated was in 2001, to support the United States in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

Despite that, Trump has complained during his war of choice with Iran that NATO has shown it will not be there for the U.S.

Ahead of the meeting, Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, issued a statement Tuesday night in support of the alliance, noting, Following the September 11th attacks, NATO allies sent their young servicemembers to fight and die alongside Americas own in Afghanistan and Iraq. McConnell, who sits on a committee overseeing defense spending, urged Trump to be clear and consistent and said its not in Americas interest to spend more time nursing grudges with allies who share our interests than deterring adversaries who threaten us.

Its unclear if the Trump administration would challenge the law barring a president from pulling out of NATO. When the law passed, it was championed by Trumps current secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who at the time was a senator from Florida.

Rubio met separately with Rutte on Wednesday morning at the State Department ahead of the White House talks. In a statement, the State Department said Rubio and Rutte had discussed the war with Iran, along with U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO allies.

The alliance was already rattled over the past year as Trump returned to power and reduced U.S. military support for Ukraine in the war against Russia and threatened to seize Greenland from ally Denmark.

But Trumps badgering of NATO intensified after the Iran war began at the end of February, with the president insisting that securing the Strait of Hormuz was not Americas job but the responsibility of countries that depend on the flow of oil through it.

Go to the strait and just take it, Trump said last week.

Trump was also angered as NATO allies Spain and France forbade or restricted use of their airspace or joint military facilities for the U.S. in the Iran war. They and other nations, however, agreed to help with an international coalition to open the Strait of Hormuz when the conflict ends.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has been a particular source of Trumps frustration, was set to travel Wednesday to the Gulf to support the ceasefire. The U.K. has been working on developing a post-conflict security plan for the strait, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about one-fifth of the worlds oil passes.

Trump has previously threatened to leave NATO and often said that he would abandon allies who dont spend enough on their military budgets. Former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in his recent memoir, said he feared that Trump might walk away from the alliance in 2018, during his first term as president.
A Massachusetts water and sewer line construction contractor is facing $4,699,362 in proposed penalties for safety violations related to a trench collapse that claimed the life of an employee and seriously injured another at a Cape Cod worksite.

A federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigation into the Nov. 18, 2025 incident found that workers from Revoli Construction Co. Inc. were removing sandy soil and installing steel plates outside of a trench. While working, the backfilled sand collapsed and trapped two workers inside the trench. One worker was engulfed and sustained fatal injuries.

One worker managed to escape the trench. The rescue teams providing lifesaving measures were able to save another worker who police said was buried up to his waist. That rescue took five hours.

OSHA cited Revoli Construction for willfully and repeatedly exposing workers to safety hazards. The agency cited the employer with seven willful citations, 33 repeat, and 17 serious violations for:

Failing to provide workers with a safe way to exit the trench.

Lack of adequate cave-in protection.

Having unsupported underground utilities.

Maintaining spoil piles within two feet of an excavation.

Neglecting to install a shoring system per the design.

Using a damaged protective system.

Exposing employees to numerous electrical and fall hazards.

At the time of the fatal incident, OSHA records showed there had been six referrals and complaints against Revioli since 2016. Earlier in 2025 Revoli was cited for failing to maintain a safety program which provides for frequent and regular inspections of job sites, materials, and equipment. In 2023, OSHA cited the firm for an inadequate system to protect employees from potential cave-in from the unsupported walls of an excavation.

After the accident, a state coalition of union, health, safety and community advocates called for an investigation of Revoli.

Contractor and Cape Cod Town Began Court Battle Before Fatal Trench Collapse

The company has a troubling history of significant health and safety violations, including prior incidents that raised serious concerns about their commitment to worker safety, Tatiana Sofia Begault, executive director, of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH), claimed.

The town of Yarmouth that hired Revoli for the sewer project was involved in a court battle with the company at the time of the fatal trench collapse. Revoli says the city owed him more than $1.7 million for costs related to city-ordered work stoppages and interest on late payments while Yarmouth alleged Revoli was responsible for flooding incidents, traffic disruptions and multiple worksite hazards, injuries, and property damage.

Revoli has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director, or contest the findings before the OSHA review commission.

Topics Workers' Compensation Contractors
The state of Maryland has reached a settlement in principle with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., the owner and operator of the M/V Dali, resolving a portion of the states claims arising from the cargo ships allision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge two years ago.

In announcing the development, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown did not disclose any details of the settlement that is still being finalized. Brown said the settlement resolves claims brought against the vessel interest by the state and its agencies, including the Maryland Transportation Authority, the Maryland Port Administration, and the Maryland Department of the Environment.

He said the settlement does not resolve any claims the state may have against the shipbuilder, Hyundai.

The announcement comes following a ruling in January allowing Synergy, the manager of the cargo ship, to proceed for now with its claims under an 1851 maritime law that limits liability for shipowners. The state of Maryland and wrongful death claimants had sought to prevent Synergy Marine from invoking the Shipowners Limitation of Liability Act on the basis that Synergy did not meet the requirements as an owner of the ship and thus is not entitled to limited liability protection granted by the law.

But U.S. District Court Judge James K. Bredar denied that motion. The state did not challenge ship owner Grace Oceans invoking of the maritime law. As a result, both Grace Ocean and Synergy are entitled to stand trial on their right to limitation.

Judge Allows Dali Managers Bid to Limit Liability for Baltimore Bridge Collapse

Under the maritime law, a shipowners liability for a maritime loss or mishap is limited to the value of the ship and her pending freight if the mishap occurred without the privity of knowledge of the owner. The stipulated value of the Dali is $43.7 million.

In the bridge collapse on March 26, 2024, six construction workers lost their lives. The collapse brought shipping at the Port of Baltimore to a complete halt, disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of workers, and generated economic ripple effects across the state.

The states claims, filed in federal district court for Maryland in September 2024, allege that the disaster was the result of negligence, mismanagement, and the reckless operation of a vessel that was not seaworthy and should never have left port. The state is seeking damages on behalf of its agencies for the destruction of the bridge, harm to the Patapsco River and surrounding environment, lost revenues, and the wide-ranging economic losses sustained by Maryland and its residents.

Grace Ocean has argued that the state officials bear significant liability and fault in light of decades of records showing the state failed to properly protect the bridge, which was built in the 1970s with minimal pier protection. The ship owner is also suing the shipbuilder, Hyundai.

Judge Approves $102 Million Settlement Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse

In October 2024, the Singaporean owner and operator of the Dali agreed to pay $102 million to resolve a civil claim brought by the United States for costs related to the catastrophic bridge collapse. That payment reimbursed the federal government for money spent clearing massive amounts of debris from the Port of Baltimores main shipping channel, which remained closed for months after the collapse.

After announcing that U.S. settlement, a spokesperson for Grace Ocean said it wasnt an admission of responsibility or wrongdoing.

In November, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a report finding that a loose wire in the ships electrical system caused a breaker to unexpectedly open. That in turn triggered a sequence of events that led to two vessel blackouts and a loss of both propulsion and steering near the 2.37-mile-long Key Bridge.

A status report on the case filed with the court on March 27, 2026 indicated that other parties including Chubbs Ace American Insurance, which in August 2024 paid the state the $350 million limit on a policy on the bridge, and certain personal injury and wrongful death claimants have been in settlement discussions as well.

Photo: Key Bridge collision. NTSB photo.

Topics Maryland
The Strait of Hormuz remained largely blocked on Wednesday, as shipowners try to understand if they can safely transit the vital waterway following a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran that was announced overnight.

Just three ships were observed leaving the region on Wednesday, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Some had links to Iran, and the countrys media subsequently reported that passage for tankers will remain blocked after attacks on Lebanon. In normal times about 135 ships cross daily, and more than 800 freighters are stuck inside the gulf, mostly waiting to leave.

While shipowners and insurer groups lined up to welcome the ceasefire, they also warned that more details will be needed to determine if safe transit is possible. Iran has said a precondition of the ceasefire is that its armed forces should coordinate navigation through what is the worlds most important oil channel. Tehran has also been charging a toll of as much as $2 million a transit for some carriers.

Read more: Shippers Rush for Hormuz Insurance After Truce Deal, Broker Says

Time will tell whether it is a pause or a peace but, in the meantime, it is highly unlikely that trade into the Gulf will simply resume, said Neil Roberts, head of marine and aviation at the Lloyds Market Association. The region remains at heightened risk with none of the underlying tensions resolved.

The crew on one vessel reported hearing a warning from Iran that navigation through the strait still requires permission from the Islamic Republic, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, offering a reminder of the uncertainty shipowners are facing.

Even before the report, by the semi-official Fars news agency, that tankers had been blocked, owners publicly and privately were saying it wasnt clear how transits would work in practice.

A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, the worlds second-largest container line, said the pause may create transit opportunities, but it does not yet provide full maritime certainty. Japans Nippon Yusen KK said it was monitoring the situation. Germanys Hapag-Lloyd AG said it will continue to avoid Hormuz for now but added that the ceasefire was positive.

Bimco, a shipping trade group whose members control almost two-thirds of the worlds seaborne freight capacity, also struck a cautious tone, adding that it was still awaiting details of safe navigation plans from the US and Iran.

Leaving the Persian Gulf without prior coordination with the US and Iran would entail heightened risk and would not be advisable, said Jakob Larsen, the groups chief safety and security officer.

Crew Safety

Those views mirrored private comments from owners with ships in the region.

Several in Asia, the Middle East and Europe said they were calling insurers and security advisors, and had put vessels on standby to transit Hormuz.

How soon flows return to normal will dictate the path ahead for global commodity prices. The waterway, which handles a fifth of the worlds oil and liquefied natural gas, has been all but closed since US and Israeli strikes at the end of February prompted Iran to tighten its control, triggering an unprecedented oil-supply crunch.

Throughout the conflict, shipowners have cited the safety of their crews as a reason not to transit.

Shipowners, brokers and insurers also pointed to what they said were several apparently different versions of Irans peace plan as one reason for a lack of clarity.

Iran says it has agreed to two weeks of safe passage in coordination with its armed forces and within technical limitations.

By contrast, US President Donald Trump announced a COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING. He said in a separate social media post that the US would be helping with the traffic buildup and hangin around to ensure smooth flows, options unlikely to appeal to Tehran.

You dont switch global shipping flows back on in 24 hours, said Jennifer Parker, adjunct professor at the University of Western Australia Defence and Security Institute. Tanker owners, insurers and crews need to believe the risk has actually reduced  not just paused.

Ships that transport energy make up a large part of the fleet thats stuck inside the gulf, data from intelligence firm Kpler show. There are currently 426 tankers hauling crude oil and clean fuels, plus 34 liquefied petroleum gas carriers and 19 liquefied natural gas vessels. The remainder are carrying dry commodities, like agricultural or metal products, or containers.

Traders and shipowners will now be closely monitoring whether ships start making their way to transit the strait in either direction, and how they fare. As of Wednesday morning, more than 1,000 vessels were waiting on both sides, in clusters around Dubai and Khor Fakkan, in the Gulf of Oman.

Two bulk commodity carriers, at least one of which called at Iran, crossed Hormuz on Wednesday, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. One of the vessels took a route between Irans Larak and Qeshm islands  an area dubbed by the shipping industry as the Iranian tollbooth. Another ship, a US-sanctioned oil tanker called Tour 2 thats flagged to Iran, may also have crossed based on Kpler data.

Its good to see that the market is reacting the way it is, but this is day one of a tentative ceasefire, Michael Pregent, a former US Intelligence advisor, told Bloomberg Television. We are likely to see the regime control who moves through, who is charged what, and who is denied.

Movement of LNG ships will also be particularly closely monitored, as no loaded carrier has made it through the strait since the war began and one recent attempted transit by two tankers ended in a last-minute U-turn. About 20% of global LNG traffic went through Hormuz last year.

According to an International Maritime Organization tally at the end of March, some 20,000 civilian seafarers are stuck on board trapped ships and the other utility and support vessels. Those crew members have been facing dwindling supplies, fatigue and psychological stress, the United Nations agency warned.

The IMO said on Wednesday that it welcomed the agreement.

I am already working with the relevant parties to implement an appropriate mechanism to ensure the safe transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, said IMOs Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez. The priority now is to ensure an evacuation that guarantees the safety of navigation.

Photograph: A cargo vessel near the Strait of Hormuz on March 22, 2026; photo credit: Getty Images

Related:

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.
Israel launched its largest assault on Lebanon since the start of its invasion, escalating the campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah even after the US announced a ceasefire in the wider Middle East conflict.

The Israeli military said Wednesday it targeted more than 100 Hezbollah command centers and military sites within 10 minutes. That included parts of central Beirut, with strikes reported without warning in dense residential and commercial areas across the capital.

The surge threw the nascent truce between the US and Iran into jeopardy, with Tehran threatening a heavy response and saying it would close the Strait of Hormuz just hours after agreeing to allow ships to pass.

Iran could withdraw from the deal announced by US President Donald Trump if Israels Lebanon campaign continues, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Iran had agreed to reopen Hormuz as part of the truce, albeit with coordination from the Islamic Republics military. The effective blockage of the waterway has threatened to cause a global energy supply crisis.

Israels operation caused explosions in Beirut neighborhoods, while footage on social media showed thick dust and black smoke blanketing parts of the city. Apartment buildings and busy commercial districts were hit, forcing residents to flee into the streets.

Lebanons Health Ministry said at least 182 people were killed and hundreds wounded. About 100 Red Cross ambulances were dispatched to transport casualties to hospitals, and the American University of Beirut Medical Center issued an urgent call for donors of all blood types as emergency services struggled to cope with the influx of casualties.

The barrage came after Trump said Washington and Iran had agreed to a two-week ceasefire, though it wasnt clear if Israels campaign in Lebanon was part of the agreement. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a key mediator, said the truce included Lebanon, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disagreed.

The Israeli army vowed to continue operations against Hezbollah with determination. The country began the campaign shortly after the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran on Feb. 28, after the militant group fired rockets across Israels northern border.

The two sides previously engaged in a full-blown conflict for about two months in 2024, before a tentative ceasefire in November of that year.

Tensions were further heightened by gunfire outside the US embassy in Beirut on Wednesday, according to local TV channel LBCI.

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed over 1,530 people, according to the health ministry, prior to Wednesdays attacks. The Israeli military said hundreds of Hezbollah fighters have also been killed.

The fighting has displaced more than one million people across the country, nearly a fifth of the population, as Israel aims to establish a security buffer zone up to the Litani River, located roughly 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Israeli border.

Photograph: First responders at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the Corniche al-Mazraa district of Beirut on April 8, 2026; photo credit: AFP/Getty Images

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.
Three Chinese ships recently sailed through the Strait of Hormuz after coordination with relevant parties, a foreign ministry spokesperson told a regular daily press briefing on Tuesday, while calling for peace and stability in the Gulf Region.

The critical waterway has effectively been shut since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28.

The Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding waters are an important route for global trade and energy supplies. China calls for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the fighting and restoration of peace and stability in the Gulf Region, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters regarding reports of the vessels passage.

Mao did not offer details about the Chinese ships.

Ship-tracking data showed two Chinese container ships sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday on their second attempt to leave the Gulf after turning back on Friday.

The vessels sailed in close formation out of the strait and into open waters, data on the MarineTraffic platform showed.

Both vessels successfully crossed on a second attempt today, marking the first container vessels to leave the Persian Gulf since the start of the conflict, excluding Iranian flag vessels, said Rebecca Gerdes, data analyst with Kpler, which owns MarineTraffic.

Both vessels are steaming at an elevated speed toward the Gulf of Oman at the moment.

Officials from Chinas COSCO, the shipping group that operates the two vessels, did not respond to requests for comment.

COSCO had said in a March 25 client advisory, that it had resumed bookings for general cargo containers for shipments from Asia to the Gulf including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq.

Iran has launched attacks on Gulf shipping and threatened more, stranding hundreds of vessels and 20,000 seafarers inside the Gulf.

Energy exports including crude oil from Saudi Arabia and liquefied natural gas from Qatar have been effectively halted.

While there have been some discussions with Iran and countries such as India and Pakistan on getting their fleets through the strait, oil and tanker markets have been looking for any signs that shipping traffic has picked up pace.

The majority of energy shipments that have passed through the waterway have related to Irans oil exports, with a few other ships managing to sail through every day.

Greek Oil Tanker Departs

A Greek-operated tanker bound for India carrying Saudi crude also exited the Gulf via the strait recently, LSEG ship-tracking data showed.

The Maltese-flagged Marathi began broadcasting its position off the coast of India on March 26 after last reporting its position inside the Gulf on March 2.

The vessel was last seen off the west coast of India on Monday, the LSEG data showed.

It was the third loaded crude tanker operated by Greek firm Dynacom to exit the Gulf since the war began.

Dynacom did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dynacom is one of the few shipowners willing to risk crossing the strait where the risks from Iran include possible floating mines, missiles and drones.

Companies making the voyage have used tactics including switching off their AIS tracking transponders and sailing at night to be less visible, sources have told Reuters.

Two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers crossed the strait on Saturday, following two others which exited carrying critical supplies of the cooking gas bound for India in recent days.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Renee Maltezou, Nerijus Adomaitis and Aizhu Chen; additional reporting by Ethan Wang in Beijing; editing by David Goodman and Jason Neely)

Photograph: Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Pine Walk, the specialist MGA platform of The Fidelis Partnership (TFP), has launched a new capital solutions business called Mezura Capital Partners.

Headquartered in Bermuda, Mezura Capital will focus on delivering strategic capital solutions and partnerships for insurers and reinsurers. Its offering will include, whole account solutions, structured casualty and specialty arrangements, and retrospective solutions, including combined prospective and retrospective covers.

The new business will be led by Shireen Gammoh as CEO, who joins from Howden Re, where she served as managing director in its Legacy & Structured Solutions team. Gammoh brings nearly two decades of experience across Bermuda, London and the US, with deep expertise in retrospective, structured reinsurance, and capital solutions, as well as alternative/ILS capital market solutions.

Prior to Howden Re, Gammoh was global head of Capital Advisory at Gallagher Re, and she has also held senior capital management positions at Flood Re and Canopius.

With the launch of Mezura Capital (subject to receipt of necessary regulatory approvals), Pine Walk has now established 17 businesses on its MGA platform. Founded in 2017, it provides custom underwriting, operational and regulatory frameworks to support specialist and innovative underwriting offerings. In 2025, Pine Walk grew its GWP to $1 billion.

Pine Walk is a key pillar of TFPs differentiated distribution footprint and were delighted to launch Mezura Capital as Pine Walks 17th business unit, according to Michael Davern, UK CUO & group head of D&F Property and Energy at The Fidelis Partnership.

Im hugely excited to be launching Mezura at a time when large specialty insurers and reinsurers are increasingly seeking both nimble, bespoke capital management solutions and long-term strategic partnership, commented Gammoh.

The Fidelis Partnerships two underwriting platforms, Fidelis Underwriting and Pine Walk, source and underwrite re/insurance risks across specialty, bespoke and reinsurance pillars. The Fidelis Partnership provides portfolio management services that include portfolio and capital optimization, exposure management, reinsurance purchasing and structuring, and claims handling.

The Fidelis Partnership is separately owned and managed from Fidelis Insurance Group (which on Feb. 25, 2026 announced plans to rebrand to Pelagos Insurance Capital Ltd.) The Fidelis Partnerships investors include the TFP team, Capital Z, Travelers, Blackstone and Further Global, amongst others.

Source: Pine Walk

Topics New Markets
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced a Geary County woman has been sentenced to 24 months of probation for insurance fraud.

KeiAnna Boykin, aged 31, pleaded guilty on January 15, 2026, in Geary County District Court to one felony count of insurance fraud.

Boykin was driving on a canceled insurance policy when she was involved in a car accident. She then reinstated her policy but falsely claimed that she had not had a loss while the policy was canceled. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced on March 19 to 24 months of probation with 12 months of underlying prison time if her probation is violated.

The Kansas Department of Insurance investigated this case which was prosecuted by the Kansas Attorney Generals Office.

Source: Kansas Department of Insurance

Topics Fraud Kansas
Anthropic announced an initiative with major technology companies, including Amazon.com, Microsoft and Apple, that lets partners preview an advanced model with cybersecurity capabilities developed by the AI startup.

Under its Project Glasswing, select organizations will be allowed to use the startups unreleased and general-purpose AI model, Claude Mythos Preview, for defensive cybersecurity work, Anthropic said. Other partners include CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, Google and Nvidia.

The April 7 announcement follows a Fortune report last month that Anthropic was testing Claude Mythos, which it said posed security risks and also offered advanced capabilities, dragging shares of cybersecurity firms such as Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike sharply lower.

This years RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco was also dominated by talk about the rise of AI-powered cyberattacks and whether conventional security tools sufficed.

In a blog post on Tuesday, Anthropic said Mythos Preview had found thousands of major vulnerabilities in operating systems, web browsers and other software.

The startup said launch partners will use Mythos Preview in their defensive security work, and Anthropic will share findings with industry.

Anthropic said it is also extending access to about 40 additional organizations responsible for critical software infrastructure, and made a commitment of up to $100 million in usage credits and $4 million in donations to open-source security groups.

The AI startup added that its eventual goal is for our users to safely deploy Mythos-class models at scale.

The startup said it has also been in ongoing discussions with the U.S. government about the models capabilities.

Last year, Anthropic said that hackers exploited vulnerabilities in its Claude AI to attack around 30 global organizations. Moreover, 67% of the 1,000 executives surveyed in an IBM and Palo Alto Networks study said they had been targeted by AI attacks within the past year.

(Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru and Jeffrey Dastin in San Francisco; Editing by Leroy Leo)

Topics InsurTech Data Driven Artificial Intelligence Cyber Tech
Six weeks after leaders of scheme to sign up south Florida homeless people for Affordable Care Act policies were sentenced to years in prison, the companies involved have agreed to pay more than $135 million to resolve a federal investigation.

AssuredPartners of South Florida, or APSF, an insurance brokerage that was once owned by AssuredPartners Inc., an Arthur J. Gallagher unit, pleaded guilty this week and will pay $27.6 million, the U.S. Department of Justice announced. Separately, AssuredPartners, a national partnership of insurance brokers that was not charged criminally, will pay $107 million to resolve False Claims Act violations, DOJ said.

By manipulating the ACA marketplace and disrupting access to essential treatments, APSF compromised core federal health care protections and inflicted real harm on consumers who relied on those safeguards, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services inspector general said in a statement this week.

The resolutions prompted Gallagher, the global insurance brokerage, to quickly put out a news release of its own Tuesday. The firm said that APSFs scheme to prey on vulnerable people took place in 2021 and 2022, well before Gallagher purchased Orlando-based AssuredPartners in 2025.

Importantly, Gallagher became aware of the governments investigation during its pre-acquisition diligence of AssuredPartners, the statement reads. APSF was not included in Gallaghers acquisition of AssuredPartners, and Gallagher has never owned APSF.

The investigation and potential settlement were considered under the purchase agreement, the settlement amount was fully reserved, and settlement does not impact the purchase price Gallagher paid for AssuredPartners, the statement added.

The web of companies involved in the fraud is complex. APSF was once helmed by Cory Lloyd, a licensed Florida insurance broker who was convicted of running the scheme to sign up homeless and addicted people in south Florida. Those sign-ups provided millions of dollars in commissions to Lloyd and others involved, even though the patients were not eligible for Affordable Care Act health insurance.

In February, Lloyd was sentenced to 20 years in prison. The Justice Department explained that Lloyd began the scheme at his previous firm, known as FloridaCare Insurance. In early 2021, APSF acquired assets of that company, and Lloyd was named president of APSF. The sign-up scheme continued for months afterward, DOJ noted.

A felony information document, filed Monday in federal court in Miami, names AP of South Florida as well as Fiorella Insurance Agency. Dafud Iza, formerly vice president of Fiorella, in Stuart, Florida, plead guilty in 2025 to his role in the ACA scheme. He agreed to provide information about his co-defendants and was sentenced in January to three years in prison.

A whistleblower who alerted authorities to the illegal activities will receive $24.3 million as their share of the recovery in this case, DOJ said. A judge will consider the plea agreement and consider further penalties at a later date.

The DOJ said the prosecution was part of a nationwide effort to crack down on health care fraud. But recent reporting by the Associated Press indicates the Trump Administration admitted it made an error in one case. The error prompted health analysts to question how many of the Republican administrations sweeping anti-fraud efforts around the country were based on faulty findings. One of a few mischaracterizations it made about New Yorks Medicaid program, it also reflected a common criticism thats been made of Trumps second administration  that it tends to attack first and confirm the facts later.

Topics Florida A.J. Gallagher
Florida authorities have charged a Jacksonville contractor with underreporting payroll by almost $2 million and stiffing his workers compensation insurer for almost $300,000 in premiums.

Carlos Antonio Maradiago Garcia, 50, a native of Honduras, was investigated by the Florida Department of Financial Services for insurance fraud allegedly committed in 2021, 2022 and 2023, according to the Jacksonville Sheriffs arrest report.

Maradiago was arrested at his lawyers office in March and booked into jail. He then posted bail and pleaded not guilty this week.

The insurance carrier was not listed. Details about how the investigation came about were not included in the arrest report or in an announcement from Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, posted Thursday. Ingoglias bulletin said it is the latest crackdown on illegal immigrants in Florida. Maradiago and his attorney could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday morning.

Florida Secretary of State corporation records show the contractors company, Carlos Maradiaga LLC, was incorporated in 2016. Another company, Carlos Siding Solutions, in Jacksonville, was registered in 2023.

If convicted of the alleged fraud, the contractor could face deportation or up to 30 years in prison. Records show that at the time of his arrest, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement held an order of removal for Maradiaga.

Topics Contractors
The 2026 nematodirus forecast, which helps to safeguard lambs from disease pressures, has been published.

Each spring the department in collaboration with Met Eireann, University College Dublin (UCD) and Teagasc advises farmers of the predicted risk of disease, primarily in lambs, caused by the roundworm nematodirus battus.

The analysis of March soil temperatures allows the period of disease risk to be accurately forecast. This can be used to gauge the optimal time to administer anthelmintic (wormer) treatment to prevent disease.

For 2026, the peak nematodirus egg hatching is expected to occur generally at the end of March and early April in many areas of the country, however, some inland areas will see maximum egg hatching around mid-April.

Nematodirosis is a severe parasitic disease which effects lambs typically between six to 12 weeks of age after becoming infected by ingesting large numbers of infective larvae from grazing on contaminated pasture.

Estimated dates in March and April 2026 when peak nematodirus egg hatching is expected to occur on pasture

The life cycle of N. battus is unlike that of other roundworms in that eggs deposited on pasture do not hatch until the following year to release the infective larvae.

This happens during a mass hatching event in spring when soil temperatures increase after a period of cold weather. Disease typically occurs in April, May and June.

After ingestion from lambs the larvae invade the wall of the intestine. Disease is characterised by profuse diarrhoea, dehydration and weight loss. Calves may also be affected, but usually to a lesser degree.

In outbreak situations, lambs can be seen congregating around troughs due to severe thirst that develops. Adult sheep are unaffected by the parasite.

Prevention and treatment

This disease can be prevented by keeping the current years lambs off any pasture that was grazed by lambs or young calves, which can be carriers of infection, in the previous year. Enterprises with high stocking rates are particularly vulnerable to the disease.

Important to note is that twin lambs, or single lambs born to ewes of poor milking ability, may be at a greater risk of developing the disease as they begin consuming greater amounts of grass earlier in life. If clean pasture is available, preference should be given to moving these lambs first.

At-risk lambs should be treated approximately two weeks after the peak of nematodirus egg hatching.

Consideration should be given to dosing lambs earlier on individual farms where clinical signs consistent with nematodirus are observed.

The department stressed that other parasites can also cause diarrhoea in young lambs which require different control measures and medication. Nematodirus can be wrongly assumed to be the cause of severe diarrhoea in lambs when in fact the cause is a coccidial infection.

Although some low levels of resistance to benzimidazoles (white drenches) have been detected elsewhere, this class of wormer remains the main treatment of choice for nematodirus infections and is effective for both larval and adult stages.

Using this form of drench will also help reduce exposure of other worms to other anthelmintic classes helping to sustain effectiveness of other drugs. This is particularly important on farms with pre-existing issues of benzimidazole resistance in populations of the other common stomach/intestinal roundworms.

There are no drenches with effective residual activity against nematodirus. This means that as lambs continue to graze, they can become re-infected with larvae, and as a result may require repeated treatments with the same or similar wormers at two to three-week intervals throughout the spring.

If a farmer suspects that the treatment with the wormer used has been ineffective, a follow-up faecal sample is advised in order to test for the presence of nematodirus eggs, which may indicate wormer resistance, or the presence of other pathogens such as coccidia.

A private veterinary practitioner should be consulted for an accurate diagnosis and guidance on appropriate medication when lambs with severe diarrhoea and straining are observed. This is especially the case where there has been little or no improvement from an initial worming treatment.

It is recommended that any lambs that die unexpectedly are referred to a regional veterinary laboratory for post-mortem examination as nematodirus can cause death before clinical signs become apparent.
On receiving an honorary doctorate in the city where she grew up from the University of Limerick recently, Ruth Negga became emotional as she thanked her family.

The Oscar-nominated actress attended the ceremony with the family who always encouraged her passion for the arts  even as she wondered if childhood shyness would mean she could ever pursue an acting career.

I was so lucky to receive a doctorate from UL and my family came, says Negga. Rhiannon Giddens [musician] was my co-conferee, she is a mixed-race woman from America and she lives in Limerick, and it was so moving, the two of us receiving our doctorates on the same day.

I remember saying to my family: This is because of you. When you create an environment that supports and believes in the dignity of creating and words and language and imagination, that makes something accessible, then you're reached. You believe anything is possible, she says, adding people in Trinity College, where she studied acting, and the Abbey, where she performed some of her early stage work, fostered that passion.

In February, Rhiannon Giddens and Ruth Negga received honorary doctorates from the University of Limerick. Picture: Sean Curtin

Negga believes in paying it forward. Born in Ethiopia, the 43-year-old was raised between Addis Ababa, Limerick and London, by her Irish mother Nora (her father was killed in a car crash when Negga was seven).

The actress has long been an ambassador for Limericks Catalyst International Film Festival. Founded by Dr Susan Liddy, Catalyst (April 23-25) presents a film programme that prioritises stories and storytellers currently under-represented on screen and behind the camera. Its now in its seventh year.

Dr Susan Liddy came to me and said she was setting up this festival in Limerick and not just a film festival, but a festival that is inclusive and has diversity as the headline attraction, says Negga. Being a mixed race woman  I'm born in Africa, raised in England and Ireland  I feel that it describes me.

I thought this is a great opportunity for Ireland to keep up with the modern, evolving world, and address issues that affect all of us. There are women in Ireland, people of colour, there are gay, lesbian, LGBTQ+ communities in Ireland whose voices may have been traditionally marginalised.

Her aim was to broaden the inclusivity of stories. That just appeals to me because I think there are endless stories to be told  and I think why choose the few? I'll support anything that encourages people who have a compelling narrative to have a supportive terrain where they can explore that.

Negga is proud the festival has thrived in the city where she grew up, as she first started to imagine the possibility of an acting career. I spent a lot of my childhood in Limerick. I went to school there. I love the county. It's a very diverse place now. I think it's a brilliant thing that it's magnetising all these cultural celebrations, because it's got a lot to celebrate, and it's got the will to celebrate it.

Negga feels Ireland is a country that punches above its weight in terms of the arts and celebrating the arts. There is something special, she feels, about how widespread that is. I think that respect is actually not just in artistic communities, it's throughout the country.

Negga and Cillian Murphy in Breakfast On Pluto.

She believes Irish people are proud of the arts being a calling card, and adds that has taken work and investment. You see it now  I see multiple productions coming to Ireland to film. Actors want to come to Ireland, to be on the stages of Ireland. We have a reputation internationally, and that takes investment, not just time, but money and foresight. And I think that we're reaping that benefit where other countries who have not seen the value of government investment are not seeing that.

Negga herself is grateful to have been one of the young emerging storytellers to have experienced that investment. I wouldn't have been able to afford to pay lots of fees for theatre school. I was just back in Trinity, taking part in a documentary for RTE about opening up the archives at the library. I got to see Beckett's personal writings and doodles and Synges typewriter. I just had one of the best days of my entire life. I went back to see my old studios where I trained, and I was overwhelmed and overcome by a lot of emotion.

Yet Negga says she had to overcome sometimes crippling shyness to pursue the career she hoped for, and it was the support of family and peers that helped her on her way. Stage school was out of the question. I just wasn't able for it. It took a lot of guts for me to go to drama school, to be honest. I knew I wanted to perform, but I needed the confidence. I knew I needed intense training to do that, to build up my confidence in my ability. Not all performers are extroverts, shock horror!

Negga went on to forge a remarkable career, starring opposite Cillian Murphy in Breakfast on Pluto, in last years Apple TV hit Presumed Innocent, and the widely loved AMC series Preacher. In 2017, she received a Best Actress Oscar nomination for playing Mildred Loving, one of a real-life interracial couple who took on a landmark civil rights case in 1960s America. She will next star in Peter Fellows Bad Major alongside Josh Gad and Jason Isaacs. The period comedy is set during the summer of 1942, as war rages in Europe.

Negga feels many factors  including the development of Troy Studios in Limerick  have fed into a sense of optimism in the Irish screen industry.

I think it's long-term investment, long-term appreciation of the arts, maybe a more robust confidence in Ireland, in ourselves, that's a great thing. Watching Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal do their thing with the press in their film Hamnet was really lovely because there was a great confidence and an ease with the focus and spotlight being on them. That was lovely to see a leaning towards the light and the sunshine.

Catalyst International Film Festival will host its seventh edition presenting films, panel discussions, workshops and networking events in venues across Limerick city from April 23-25

Five to watch out for at Catalyst in Limerick

British screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst. Picture: John Lamparski/Getty Images

Shaping the Future in Screenwriting Industry Day: In collaboration with the National Talent Academy for Film and Television, the day includes screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst (Brassic) in conversation with Kerry screenwriter Ailbhe Keogan (Bad Sisters).

Once Upon a Time in a Cinema: Co Limerick-born filmmaker David Gleeson brings his feature, shot in the citys Royal Cinema, to the big screen.

Everybody to Kenmure Street: This film tells of an event that happened in Scotland in May 2021 when a British Home Office dawn raid triggered a spontaneous act of civil resistance.

Stories from Palestine: This shorts film programme features six diverse shorts with an immersive quality.

Queen Lizzy: Last years Catalyst Short Documentary Award recipient will be one of the closing films of the festival and champions gender equality, diversity and inclusion in front of and behind the camera.
Though we havent heard its welcome call at the time of writing, the cuckoo is probably here by now. A British Trust for Ornithology-tagged cuckoo has made history by crossing the Sahara in record time, arriving in Spain on March 25, the earliest recorded date.

And, the cuckoo also seems to be making landfall in Ireland earlier, following a perilous, 10,000km journey from Africa. Last year, our first official sighting was reported in Ballygunner, County Waterford, on April 2, a week earlier than in 2024. There were also sightings in counties Cork, Clare, Wexford and Donegal, some days later.

Climate change notwithstanding, some aspects of the seasons remain the same, as evidenced in the four, or five, warmer days towards the end of March. The country began to bloom, with plenty of new colour and growth adorning the landscape: like the cuckoo, omens of advancing summer.

In West Cork, we saw bluebells around Innishannon; cowslips decorating ditches outside Clonakilty, and furze turning an even more vivid yellow along the Macroom bypass. Again, bluebells, as well as budding trees and unmistakeably-scented wild garlic, graced Killarney National Park.

Very quickly, it started to really feel like spring. Kinder weather lured people outdoors; taking notice of the miracles of nature all around them; enjoying renewed activity of wildlife; birdsong earlier in the morning and, later, well into dusk.

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

Regular visitors

Some over-wintering birds, like Brent geese, have left our shores, but many, regular spring/summer visitors are here. Swallows, swifts and house martins, are all getting busy during April. They winter in Africa and return to Ireland every spring where they nest, lay eggs and raise their chicks. Many of these nest sites are reused every year, in barns, sheds and the eaves of houses.

Also around now, the Green Schools organisation, which does tremendous work in promoting environmental activities in primary and post-primary schools, is upping activity.

Young people are urged to place a swift nest box outside their school, or house, or even to leave a free space like a shelf for swallows under the roofs of old sheds, or barns, with a gap for them to enter. These birds will not be attracted by bird feeders as they eat insects while flying.

Finally, on the cuckoo: even when you hear its echoing, clarion call, its almost impossible to pinpoint the birds exact location in the countryside, making it even more enigmatic. One reason, perhaps, for this cuckoo fascination!

Musing whether he should call it a bird, or a wandering voice, poet William Wordsworth observed:

From hill to hill it seems to pass.

At once far-off, and near.
At a glance

Some 100 forecourts were dry on Thursday evening, said Fuels for Ireland. Cork was particularly badly hit, with panic buying in the city worsening shortages.

Jim OCallaghan warns protesters are being manipulated and could face penalties - read more

Gardai say blocking fuel depots is illegal and enforcement is imminent - read more

A fuel protester confronted Taoiseach Micheal Martin in west Cork - read more

Micheal Martin accused of avoiding protesters in Macroom - read more

Protest organiser: Government has agreed to meet us

10pm: One of the protest organisers has suggested that the Government has agreed to meet protesters on Friday afternoon.

Speaking on RTE's Prime Time, James Geoghegan said protests on O'Connell Street have been pared back as a result of the meeting at Government Buildings.

However, minister of state Timmy Dooley said the meeting is with representative groups such as the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).

"My very clear information is that those who have been invited are those that we are already engaged with, who are the representative bodies," Mr Dooley said.

"Who they chose to bring with them is a matter for those representative bodies.

"I have no knowledge of the information that James Geoghegan has."

A Government spokesperson said: "The Government will continue to engage with official representative bodies. That will continue tomorrow."

Read More Waiting for tide of public opinion to turn on fuel price protesters is a gamble

Fuel protests to continue on Friday

7.45pm: The fuel protests that have taken place across the country will continue on Friday, organisers have confirmed.

The People Of Ireland Against Fuel Prices Protest said the protest will continue on April 10.

In a Facebook post, organisers said: "This is now the fourth date of protest and it will continue until the Government listen to the people of Ireland.

"The Government really need to engage with us to stop this.

"Remember we did not cause this and it is only going to get bigger and bigger every week if it comes to it."

Home carers 'could not get to clients', industry body says

7.35pm: Some home carers could not get to their clients on Thursday due to the fuel shortage, Joseph Musgrave, chief executive of Home & Community Care Ireland (HCCI), the representative body for independent home care providers in Ireland, said.

We have been receiving a high number of reports that home carers all over the country, and particularly in the south and west, are struggling to secure fuel supplies due to the ongoing protests," Mr Musgrave said.

"Some carers have already reported they cannot attend their clients due to the lack of fuel to provide essential care."

HCCI have requested an urgent meeting with the Minister of State for Older People, Kieran ODonnell, on Friday to find solutions and ensure a steady, secure supply of fuel for carers.

"Many home carers have no alternative but to travel by car to their clients homes. The Government must ensure the essential and uninterrupted care of the elderly and the vulnerable throughout this crisis, Mr Musgrave said.

Kellihers filling station in Tralee displaying a sign to say fuel is unavailable. Picture: Domnick Walsh

Defence Forces 'on standby' to support response to fuel protests

7.30pm: The Defence Forces remain on standby to support the policing response to fuel protests, according to senior Government ministers, who said measures are being put in place to ensure the continued flow of essential supplies nationwide.

Justice minister Jim OCallaghan and defence minister Helen McEntee held a meeting with the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Rossa Mulcahy and the Deputy Commissioner of An Garda Siochana to discuss the fuel protests.

A joint statement from Ms McEntee and Mr OCallaghan said: Both ministers were briefed on the measures in place to address disruption and to ensure the continued flow of essential supplies nationwide.

An Garda Siochana is leading the operational response.

The Defence Forces remain on standby to provide assistance in support of the civil authorities.

The ministers will continue to receive regular updates as the situation evolves.

Petrol and diesel set to run dry in 200 forecourts: Cork 'particularly badly hit'

7.20pm: Some 200 forecourts will be dry of diesel and petrol on Friday if the protests blocking an oil refinery in Cork and fuel depots in Limerick and Galway do not end rapidly, Kevin McPartlan, CEO of Fuels for Ireland has now warned.

Some 100 forecourts were already dry on Thursday evening, with the shortage most acutely impacting Munster and the west coast, he said.

Other stations were rationing what little fuel they had left, limiting how much any one customer could buy in a single transaction.

Cork was particularly badly hit, with panic buying in the city worsening shortages, Mr McPartlan said.

A blockade at Whitegate oil refinery in east Cork has badly impacted supply. The refinery is the only facility in Ireland that produces petrol and diesel from crude oil.

Approximately one third of the countrys fuel supply comes through Whitegate, while additional terminals in Foynes, Co Limerick, and Galway  both also blockaded  supply large parts of the west and south.

Blockades at three major terminals in Cork, Limerick and Galway mean that approximately half of Irelands fuel supplies cannot be distributed to service stations, Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association, said.

Taoiseach responds to protester

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said blocking people is not the way, after a fuel protester in a high-vis jacket sought to stop him on his way to a public event.

Mr Martin was entering the newly refurbished Colaiste Iosagain in Baile Bhuirne when Gerard Murphy accused the Taoiseach of walking away from the Irish people.

Speaking to media later, Mr Martin said that throughout his life as a politician he routinely engaged with people under pressure every day, as did other representatives.

We always try to alleviate pressures, but blocking people is not the way to do it. Every citizen is entitled to move about freely in our country, the Taoiseach said.

What has happened over the last number of days is that that essential freedom to move has been hindered, has been denied, to many, many people.

We have had countless anecdotes now of other people out there who are under a lot of pressure because they cannot make medical appointments, sick people, (and) people who have been delayed going to work.

Fuel for emergency vehicles

5.30pm: There is now serious concern about fuel supplies for ambulances and other emergency services due to blockades, the National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG) has warned.

Government officials were briefed this afternoon on the ongoing impact of the fuel blockades across the country, with the meeting hearing that emergency services operate with fuel cards.

There is now serious concern regarding access to fuel for emergency service vehicles and this may have consequent impacts on the availability of some services should the disruption continue, the NECG said in a statement.

A NECG sub-group has been established to focus on the specific impacts on the emergency services fleet and to consider possible contingencies.

The meeting heard that while there are robust fuel supplies in the country, the primary issue is distribution, due to the blockades.

Anthony Hosford queued for approx 30 minutes to fill up with unleaded petrol. Picture: Larry Cummins

The HSE told the meeting the blockade could disrupt the time-sensitive delivery of key medicines and medical devices.

It also highlighted the impact on people seeking to attend medical appointments, adding there are knock-on effects on homecare and other critical services, including dialysis and critical care.

The meeting also heard of issues facing the agriculture sector, including difficulties accessing animal feed and fertiliser deliveries.

One Government source said co-ops are worried they will not have diesel to allow milk collections from farms.

Meanwhile, Iarnrod Eireann has said it has significant volumes of fuel within its stocks for themselves, Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus.

A spokesperson for the rail service said: There has been no interruption to supply at this point, and the company holds in excess of two months operational requirements for rail and bus services for the three companies. In addition, water supplies remain uninterrupted with Uisce Eireann saying it is engaging with all stakeholders to ensure the distribution of essential chemicals are not interrupted.

'Shooting ourselves in the foot

5.15pm: Blockades of fuel depots have been likened to the nation shooting ourselves in the foot, according to a representative for the fuel industry.

Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland said it was crazy to have spent five weeks concentrating on security of supply and then blockade fuel depots.

He said Ireland is in a better position than the UK in terms of security of fuel supply, which he said was in real trouble.

He said the depots in Foynes, Galway and the refinery in Cork, where blockades are present, account for around 50% of the fuel supply in the state.

He said the impact has been felt most severely in the west of Ireland.

He told RTEs Drivetime: The reality is that we cannot continue to maintain fuel supply to forecourts. Asked how many were totally out of fuel, Mr McPartland said it was currently in the low double digits but said it would increase exponentially and get much, much worse as hours go by.

Protesters being 'manipulated'

5pm: Fuel protesters are being manipulated by outside actors, the justice minister has said.

Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Jim OCallaghan said when you look online at present, you can see that many outside actors are seeking to manipulate these people for their own purposes.

He added that British right-wing activist Tommy Robinson was referring to and relying upon these protests to advance his own political measures.

So I think we need to recognise that people are being manipulated here, and we need to bring an end to these protests.

Read More Fuel protesters warned licences and insurance could be affected, minister says

Rebel Og postpone Thursday fixtures

Cork GAAs juvenile wing, Rebel Og, has postponed all games fixed for Thursday evening, April 9, due to the fuel crisis and consequent traffic chaos.

In a dispatch released on Thursday afternoon, Rebel Og acknowledged the pressure parents and mentors are facing both in queuing for fuel and having to negotiate road closures.

Rebel Og has not ruled out Fridays games programme also being postponed.

Read More Cork GAAs juvenile fixtures postponed due to fuel crisis and consequent traffic chaos

Businesses fear shutdowns within 48 hours

4.15pm: Business group Ibec has expressed its gravest concern over the ongoing fuel protests, warning of serious risks to the economy and public safety.

In a letter to the Taoiseach and senior ministers, CEO Danny McCoy said the situation has escalated beyond peaceful protest.

While we recognise the right to peaceful protest, the current escalation has moved beyond expression into the territory of significantly damaging economic disruption, he wrote.

He said blockades of key infrastructure are already hitting supply chains, with impacts expected to be felt across households and businesses nationwide.

These illegal blockades of critical infrastructure are causing immediate and severe disruptions to national supply chains, he said.

Mr McCoy warned that some manufacturing plants have already paused production, with others facing closure within 24 to 48 hours if disruption continues.

The pharmaceutical sector is under particular pressure, with one site already ceasing production and others affected by staff shortages and supply issues.

Construction delays are also emerging, with risks to essential material production, while some food processing plants could halt operations in the coming days.

Mr McCoy said the blocking of the Whitegate oil refinery and ports is a direct threat to our national energy security.

He added that Ibec supports a strong Government response to the situation and is ready to assist.

What are you going to do about diesel?  protester challenges Taoiseach

3pm: A fuel protester in a high-vis jacket confronted Taoiseach Micheal Martin at an event in west Cork on Thursday afternoon.

Gerard Murphy, a farmer and contractor from Bandon, attempted to prevent Mr Martin from entering the newly refurbished Colaiste Iosagain in Baile Bhuirne.

Mr Murphy, wearing a yellow high-vis jacket, waited outside the refurbished Campas Iosagain as Mr Martin arrived. When the Taoiseach reached the door, Mr Murphy attempted to block his entry.

What are you going to do about the diesel? Mr Murphy asked the Taoiseach.

Mr Martin did not engage and moved past him to enter the co-working facility. Mr Murphy then accused the Taoiseach of walking away from the Irish people.

Defence Forces latest

2.30pm: If Defence Forces resources are necessary to ensure road blockages are open then that is what needs to happen, defence minister Helen McEntee has said.

The Defence Forces has four heavy-lift recovery trucks available to assist An Garda Siochana to clear vehicles involved in blockades.

She told reporters: The Gardai themselves have to take firm steps. It is not often the case that the aid to civil power is called in, however if that additional support is needed to make sure that these blockages are opened up, then that is what needs to happen here, but this is never a first resort.

The Government is engaging directly with the associations, and we are asking people to please think about the actions that youre engaged in now, think about the impact that its having on many other people, and please listen to the fact that as a Government, we are engaging with associations.

We know that theres more we want to do, and we want to support people in our country, whether its the price of fuel or other supports that we can provide but this is not the way forward, and this is not the way to try and respond to a challenge thats impacting everybody and that has been caused by a crisis on a global scale thats impacting every single country in the world.

Defence Minister Helen McEntee and Defence Forces Chief of Staff Rossa Mulcahy speaking to the media about fuel protests. Picture: Cillian Sherlock /PA Wire

Protesters at Foynes let through trucks carrying water treatment chemicals

1.49pm Protesters at Foynes Port in West Limerick say they will continue their blockade even in the face of threats that the Defence Forces will be deployed.

As the Irish Examiner visited the protest outside one of two exits from Foynes Port early Thursday afternoon, protesters lifted their blockade temporarily to allow two separate trucks transporting water treatment chemicals in and out.

The hard shoulder of the N69 road is backed up with parked lorries, tractors, vans and cars but traffic is moving through the area slowly but freely.

Those manning the blockage included a mix of farmers, contractors, builders and hauliers, as well as supporters.

There was a strong garda presence at the blockade, but the focus was on keeping traffic in the area moving safely.

Among those gathered at the blockade was Independent Ireland TD for Limerick Richard O'Donoghue.

Mr O'Donoghue was unconcerned about threats that the Defence Forces were to be deployed.

"If they do show up, and I've been listening to different messages across the board, they've been trying to get different things lifted here but the trucks that they need to lift the trucks are actually in the protest because they can't move. So, the recovery trucks that they want to recover us can't move, because they can't afford to move.

"We have to stay here until Michael Martin sees sense and opens up dialogue."

When asked what he made of reports that Limerick would be the first affected to run out if fuel, Mr O'Donoghue said: "If it takes for Limerick to run out of fuel for the Government to see sense, to see how important it is to have these things moving: That's what the Government can't grasp.

Asked what it would take to lift the blockade, Mr O'Donoghue said: "Number one is dialogue; Michael Martin needs to get off his high horse and meet the real people of Ireland. These are the real, middle class that work tirelessly for everyone in this community."

Mary Lou McDonald calls for dialogue to end fuel protest

1.40pm: The ball is in the court of the Government to resolve ongoing fuel protests, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has said, as she called for talks with the Taoiseach and Tanaiste.

Ms McDonald said there was no need for the Government to further escalate the situation and urged it to engage directly with protesters.

She said the Government had been warned that cuts to petrol and diesel excise, as well as the NORA levy, would not be sufficient.

They simply did not want to know and now we have this situation out on our streets and the ball is in the court of the Government. They, after all, govern," Ms McDonald said.

They are responsible to keep the wheel turning and to ensure that businesses and families and workers and farmers are supported.

Im saying to them directly, there is no need for further escalation. There is no need for them to aggravate this situation any further.

She called on the Government to pick up the phone to protesters and introduce sufficient measures.

Heavy traffic on the N7 near Dublin, due to vehicles taking part on the third day of a National Fuel Protest against rising fuel prices. Picture: PA

'Line has been overstepped'

1.35pm: Speaking on RTE Radio 1, Tourism Minister Patrick ODonovan said a line had been overstepped and reiterated that the Government would engage only with established representative groups.

He said a very substantial number of garages had run out of petrol, particularly in rural areas.

A lot of them were closed early this morning, Mr ODonovan said.

Emergency vehicles, for instance, the ambulance service and the gardai will operate on fuel cards.

I don't think any thought has been put into when those tanks run dry, how is it an expectant mother supposed to get to St Munchens Hospital in Limerick if her waters break.

We've had a situation on the M7 where people have basically been told if you come forward with a letter, the warden of the protest will decide whether you get through or not.

We've also seen scuffles in relation to people trying to get to work and other people blockading it.

Everybody has a right to protest, and I support that, but the wrong people here now are going to get brought before the courts, and that's my genuine concern.

The ringleaders of this will walk off into the sunset, and the wrong people will be brought before the court.

Taoiseach 'showing zero respect' to protesters in Macroom

1pm: Taoiseach Micheal Martin has been accused of showing "zero" respect for protesters after he entered an industrial estate in Macroom through a back entrance to avoid them.

They claimed they're are people who are putting food on the table and the reason why they are protesting against rising fuel costs is so families wont have to pay 5 for a loaf of bread.

More than 20 men gathered this morning outside the entrance to the IDA industrial estate in Macroom, where Micheal Martin was attending the opening of an 8m plant extension by Cygnum, a firm specialising in the manufacture of timber frame structures.

Gearoid Crowley, who described himself as an extremely small contractor, a one-man operation from Bantry, said the fact that Mr Martin had entered the estate by a rear gate, avoiding the protest, was a mark of the respect he had for the protesters, which is zero.

Mr Crowley said that like many contractors, his fuel bill had soared in recent weeks and he is asking the Government for help.

My fuel bill is getting out of control and its getting hard to make ends meet."

Fuel stations running dry

12.15pm: Up to 40 forecourts are already without fuel, and that number could touch 100 by the end of the day, if the protests continue to blockade fuel depots across the country.

That's according to Vincent Jennings, CEO of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA), who said the number of forecourts without fuel is growing by the hour, with Munster particularly badly hit.

He warned that shortages could last into next week, even if the blockades end soon.

Queues are now being seen at forecourts across the country. A queue of 15 vehicles was reported in Rathkeale, Co Limerick, this morning.

Calls for routes to medical facilities to be kept clear

12pm: Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and chief executive officer of the Health Service Executive Anne OConnor have jointly called for all approaches to medical facilities to be kept clear during ongoing protests.

Ms MacNeill and Ms OConnor said access was required for emergency services, for patients attending medical appointments and to ensure staff can get to work.

They said: Attending hospital or receiving treatment in the community, whether in an emergency situation or for a routine appointment, is a vulnerable time for a patient and their family.

Please respect the critical need for clear and safe access to all healthcare services, to ensure that access to care is never compromised.

A statement from Children's Health Ireland said: "CHI is asking those involved in the road blockages to allow the free passage of all emergency vehicles, both on blue lights heading to an emergency, towards a hospital, and returning to their base to continue their work.

"Please be extra vigilant and compliant if you hear emergency sirens approaching and do not wait until the emergency vehicles reach the blockades, please allow the other blocked traffic through in advance, so the route is clear for service vehicles to approach."

'It is against the law'

10.45am: Protesters blocking fuel depots and other critical infrastructure are breaking the law, and gardai will begin enforcement if people do not disperse, the Deputy Garda Commissioner has said.

Deputy Commissioner, Operations Shawna Coxon and Garda Press Officer Liam Liam Geraghty speaking to the media regarding ongoing fuel protests around Dublin and the rest of the country, at Garda HQ, Dublin. Photo:Sam Boal/Collins Photos

Shawna Coxon, the Deputy Commissioner for Operations, said the protests had evolved into blockades, citing efforts to prevent access to the Whitegate oil refinery and depots in Galway and Foynes.

It is clear that some people have significantly escalated an already difficult situation by targeting critical infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries. These are no longer protests. They are blockades, Ms Coxon said.

These blockades are putting at risk supplies of food, fuel, clean water and animal feed. These are critical for the nation and its people. This is not tolerable, and it is against the law.

Read More Gardai warn fuel protesters face enforcement as blockades target critical infrastructure

Protesters blocking Macroom bypass

10.10am:

Protesters blockading the bypass in Macroom, where the Taoiseach is due to this morning, have vowed to remain there for as long as it takes.

Ahead of his arrival messages were sent on Whatsapp last night urging that his exit from the town be blocked.

More than 100 people were gathered on the road just after 9am, with more than 60 trucks, tractors, lorries and cars blocking the road from the city side, with traffic diverted through the town.

They heard repeated calls from organisers to remain peaceful throughout the protest, and claims that Government bots would try to stir up violence.

An ambulance was let through earlier in the morning, and a garda car was parked at the city side of the bypass.

One organiser instructed the crowd  mostly men wearing orange or yellow hi-vis bibs - that they have to maintain the high ground, adding that whoever breaks the peace first loses this.

He claimed that the Government is ready to fall and it wouldnt take much to topple it.

Lads, I would plead with ye to remain peaceful, we are peaceful people, we are working people and were protesting peacefully, and the public is on our side, as long as we remain peaceful we have the upper hand, he said.

We are here for the long haul and we will stay here as long as it takes, we have people ready to take our place if any of us have to leave, there is no problem with numbers.

Whitegate refinery in Cork

10am: An overnight protest at the Irving Oil Refinery in east Cork continues this morning, as participants say if they are moved on from the site, "we'll only be back again".

Hauliers outside Whitegate Oil Refinery, Picture: Noel Sweeney

Up to a dozen trucks and tractors have gathered at the facility in Whitegate, having begun the blockade at the refinery gates at 6pm on Wednesday evening as part of the ongoing nationwide fuel protest.

Access to the Port of Cork facilities at Ringaskiddy is currently restricted due to the ongoing national protest, a statement from the port said this morning.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner at Whitegate, Cobh-based truck driver Jason Barry said protesters have to make a stand and have to be seen.

Read More Whitegate fuel protest grows as gardai issue legal warning to demonstrators

Defence Forces

9am: Justice minister Jim OCallaghan said this morning that the Defence Forces have been asked to assist the gardai to move protesters blocking oil refineries and terminals.

It comes as protesters continue to block roads around Dublin and motorways around the country in opposition to the rising price of fuel.

Mr OCallaghan said that the blocking of infrastructure will not be allowed and that people should not complain if their vehicles are damaged.

A Defence Forces spokesperson confirmed that the army has now been formally requested to help gardai.

They said: "The Defence Forces can confirm assistance has been requested from An Garda Siochana in the form of heavy vehicle recovery.

"As this operation is ongoing, we will not provide further comment until it is concluded."

A spokesperson for Mr OCallaghan had said the Defence Forces would be deployed to move people.

The Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed that it is well established in law that the Defence Forces may assist An Garda Siochana in aid to the civil power, when requested and when required, a spokesperson said.

On each occasion that the support of the Defence Forces is required, An Garda Siochana issues a form C70 to the Defence Forces to request their assistance.

The blocking of critical national infrastructure will not be permitted to continue and the assistance of the Defence Forces has been requested.

"Large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure will be removed.

Owners of those vehicles should remove them immediately this morning and should not complain later about any damage caused to those vehicles during removal.

Denying people access to fuel and clean water is an unacceptable interference in the most basic of human right.

Foreign affairs and defence minister Helen McEntee said that that the Defence Forces "are always available to consider any requests for assistance from An Garda Siochana.

"Ensuring that critical supplies for our country and its people are able to flow across our country is absolutely essential.

"I remain in close contact with government colleagues and the Chief of Staff."

Government sources said on Thursday morning that the blockading of fuel depots had changed the situation.

'Beyond the pale'

Traffic from the port at Ringaskiddy, Cork, was stopped and commuters and buses travelling to and from Carrigaline experienced significant delays on Wednesday as the fuel price protest continued on the N28. Picture: Larry Cummins

The Taoiseach has said fuel price protests have gone beyond the pale and risk damaging the economy.

Micheal Martin said it is unacceptable that people would be denied access to clean water as he expressed concerns about the impact of people trying to get around Dublin.

Speaking on RTE Radio 1, Mr Martin questioned who the protesters were, as he again said the Government will not engage with these groups.

Fire chiefs call for cooperation

Fire chiefs have urged fuel protesters in Dublin to make sure they don't block access to the city by emergency services.

The call follows incidents in which blockages delayed the passage of some emergency vehicles.

In an appeal to the fuel protesters in a comment on their Facebook page, fire chiefs said: "Dublin Fire Brigade are appealing to all involved in the fuel protests in Dublin City Centre to ensure the free passage of all emergency vehicles, both on blue lights heading to an emergency and also returning to base to serve their operational area.

Earlier this morning Dublin Fire Brigade experienced significant delays in their response to emergencies, particularly mobilising from Townsend Street HQ.

Alternative mobilisation routes are being employed, with the use of empty Luas lines etc.

The situation has eased somewhat, due to the excellent cooperation with An Garda Siochana, liaising with protesters and clearing routes for our vehicles.

We continue to work with the other emergency services to ensure operational readiness and emergency access, and we ask all involved to be extra vigilant and compliant when they hear emergency sirens approaching.

They added: Do not wait until the emergency vehicles reach the blockades, please allow the other blocked traffic through in advance, so the route is clear for our vehicles to approach.

Blockades and protests

Fuel terminals have been blocked in Galway and Foynes, while the Whitegate Oil Refinery has also been barricaded.

Todays protests will be held across Ireland, including in Cork, Dublin, Waterford, Wexford, Sligo, Donegal, Clare, Limerick and Portlaoise..

In Dublin, they include a blockade in place around a key city centre pinch point at College Green.

Protest organisers said the blockade at Corks Whitegate refinery is to stay in place, with extra vehicles due to have arrived overnight to help enforce it.

A convoy which gathered at the Shannonpark roundabout has moved to join the blockade of the Port of Cork. A number of areas around Ringaskiddy are understood to be currently blocked while other towns in Cork are due to be affected. These include Midleton, Watergrasshill, Ballincollig, Mallow, Macroom, Clonakilty, Ballyhooly and surrounding county routes".

Protest plans also include sections of the M8 in Thurles and the M7 at Limerick, which has been closed down in both directions around Junction 28.

Protesters were due to leave in rolling convoys to Dublin from locations including the Kinnegad Plaza, the M7 Junction 14 at Monasterevin, the Navan Retail Park, an area of the M1 at Castlebellingham and the south side of the N11 into Dublin from Wicklow.

Other convoys were also due to take part in a high-visibility rolling protest over the Shannon crossing.

The main Portumna-Banagher Bridge point - which carries the R356 across the River Shannon between Offaly and Galway - was due to see a soft-impact, high-visibility traffic movement from early this morning.

- Additional reporting Press Association
An Coimisiun Pleanala has granted planning permission for the N6 Galway City Ring Road  27 years after engineers were first asked to plan it.

The 1bn project  which was initially priced at 600m  will run from the M6 motorway east of the city to west of the village of Bearna and includes a new crossing over the River Corrib.

Although plans for an outer ring road were first granted in 2008, they were shelved in 2013. This was after the European Court of Justice ruled they would have too big an impact on protected natural habitats on what was then a more northerly 21km route.

There have been various legal actions and reviews since, and the route has been shortened to 18km.

A Galway City spokesperson welcomed the news, saying: Galway County Council and Galway City Council welcome the decision to grant approval.

The N6 GCRR is a core component of the wider transport solution for Galway. The planning process has been very difficult.

Fine Gael senator Sean Kyne said the decision is a historic day for the people of Galway city, Connemara and the west of Ireland.

He said: This approval has been a long time coming and I know how much it means to the thousands of people who sit in gridlock every day while trying to get to work, bring their children to school or make a hospital appointment on time.

This project will also free up road space in the city centre for public transport and cyclists, while also unlocking the Galway BusConnects programme.

Public transport

The Mayor of Galway Mike Cubbard gave a qualified welcome to the decision.

He said: The ring road is one of the largest and most important infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Galway and will bring benefits not just for the city, but for the county and the wider west of Ireland.

But the project alone will not resolve Galways long-standing traffic issues. The ring road is not a silver bullet for our citys traffic congestion issues.

"While this project will help to remove some traffic from the city and greatly improve connectivity between east Galway and Connemara, we must continue to introduce further measures to encourage a shift towards public transport."

He said traffic congestion and limited public transport options are currently acting as barriers to business investment, retail activity and tourism.

It is essential Galway City and County Councils, along with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, engage meaningfully with affected individuals and families, particularly those who may face the loss of property.

"Ensuring they are supported and assisted to relocate as smoothly as possible must be a priority."

Meanwhile, the Galway Commuter Coalition called for the planned Galway Bus Connects Cross-City Link & Dublin Road schemes to be delivered in tandem with the ring road to prevent the common 'induced demand' phenomenon from choking our city.

The coalition also called for immediate funding of a study to identify the preferred route of the Galway LUAS to ensure it can be delivered once the ring road is constructed.

"To waste this opportunity to free our city from traffic, give our citizens choice and to limit the environmental impact of the ring road would be catastrophic to Galway's future citizens." said Galway Commuter Coalition chair Lochlann Gallagher.
An independent investigation into the Creeslough explosion is key to ending the suffering of the victims families, a lawyer acting on their behalf has said.

Justice minister Jim OCallaghan met families affected by the tragedy at Government Buildings in Dublin on Thursday.

Ten people were killed in an explosion at a building complex in the Co Donegal village on October 7 2022.

In a statement, Darragh Mackin, of Phoenix Law, said the minister heard directly from the families as to the hurt and pain they suffer, with the delay in the truth, justice and accountability.

Aine Flanagan, whose partner Robert and five-year-old daughter Shauna died in the explosion, said Mr OCallaghan had committed to considering a request for an independent investigation.

She said: We warmly welcome the ministers commitment today to give consideration to our legal teams request for an independent investigation, in line with Stardust, to ensure that we are not once again trying to seek truth and answers many decades after the event.

Mr Mackin said Mr OCallaghan holds the key to finding a solution.

He added: That key comes in the form of an independent investigation chaired by the senior coroner or a High Court judge, with the necessary powers.

Mr Mackin described an investigation as a minimal ask in comparison with the loss our clients have suffered.

He added: The continuing delay to order such an investigation erodes our clients confidence in the justice system in Ireland.

Only when an independent investigation is ordered will our clients have confidence in the system.
ICE seized a car and $20,000 in savings from a woman living in Los Angeles for five years and sent her back to Cork where she was wanted for the theft of two hams and cosmetics, but on Thursday her court appearance came unstuck over chewing gum.

The case was to have been finalised on Thursday after she was arrested a fortnight ago on her arrival in Ireland when deported by US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Ciocolata Munteanu pleaded guilty on her March 25 court appearance and sentencing was adjourned until Thursday for 380 compensation to be paid. Judge Mary Dorgan put the matter back in the morning until later in the afternoon as the 25-year-old did not have the compensation with her.

Dennis Healy, solicitor, confirmed when the case was eventually reached in the afternoon that she had a bank draft for the compensation. In mitigation, he outlined that the thefts dated back to a time before her family left Cork to live in Los Angeles.

ICE came along and decided they were removing foreigners, they took her savings of $20,000, they took her car, they left her with $200, Mr Healy said.

At that point in the proceedings, Judge Mary Dorgan said the young woman was smiling and chewing gum in court as her solicitor was speaking on her behalf and that this was inappropriate. In here we look for respect. She can come back on April 16, Judge Dorgan said.

Mr Healy applied for free legal aid. Judge Dorgan said: She had a substantial amount of money in America. Mr Healy said: She has nothing now  ICE took it.

The question of free legal aid was reserved as the case was adjourned for a week.

Previous evidence

On March 25, Garda Pat Costello said at Cork District Court that he arrested Ciocolata Munteanu at Dublin Airport when she arrived on a deportation flight.

The circumstances are that she was deported back from America by American authorities and we were alerted to her arrival. She was deported from the US after five years, on a flight from LA. Her whole family were there for the last six years, Garda Pat Costello said.

There was no objection to the accused being remanded on bail on conditions. Those conditions include living at 50 Orchard Court, Blackpool, Cork, signing daily at Bridewell garda station, and not leaving the jurisdiction.

Back on November 27, 2018, she stole two hams valued 80, and on January 24, 2019, she stole 264 worth of cosmetics at Boots, Blackpool, Cork. She pleaded guilty to those thefts at Cork District Court on Thursday.
Cork, Waterford and Kerry are under a yellow warning for rain as Met Eireann warns "spells of heavy rain" are set for the day.

The alert will stay in place until 9pm on Friday with localised flooding and travel disruptions expected.

Met Eireann has also issued a status yellow wind warning for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo from midday on Friday until 9pm.

Strong, gusty winds are expected to bring difficult travelling conditions, along with the possibility of fallen trees and branches.

The warnings come as earlier this week, popular social media weather forecaster Alan O'Reilly, better known as Carlow Weather, said that Saharan dust could reach Ireland.

"Saharan dust forecast shows the dust is forecast to reach Ireland towards end of week and some showers could bring some of that dust down to the surface," he said.

The dust is a mixture of sand and dust particles from the Sahara Desert in North Africa.

Winds in the desert can carry dust high into the atmosphere, and if upper-level winds blow north, it can reach Ireland. Rain can then bring the dust to the ground.

Met Eireann said: "To have the potential of seeing Saharan dust in Ireland requires the dust to be brought up into the air by strong winds in the desert and for the upper air to be blowing north to us. Precipitation is then required to bring the dust to the surface from the upper air."

Saharan dust can create so-called blood rain when it mixes with downpours. It is not uncommon in Ireland, having occurred a number of times in previous years.

However, in an update on Thursday night, Met Eireann said: "The conditions for tomorrow and for the weekend are not favourable to seeing Saharan dust".

Wind and rain set to stay across weekend

More generally, Met Eireann said rain will be widespread across the country on Friday, with "some heavy and squally bursts possible, especially in the late afternoon and evening".

Friday night will be "wet and windy" early on "with gales on western, northern and eastern coasts".

"Some heavy and squally bursts of rain are possible," said Met Eireann. "The rain will clear eastwards overnight and will be followed by scattered showers of rain or sleet and some clear spells."

Temperatures will fall to lows of around 1C on Friday night.

Saturday will be another windy day, as a "crisp and sunny start in the east will give way to scattered blustery showers spreading from the west".

"Some of the showers will be heavy with a chance of hail and thunder, and a few could also be wintry over high ground in the west early on."

Temperatures will reach highs of 11C before falling to lows of around 4C overnight. Conditions on Saturday night will be "blustery with scattered showers and clear spells".

Sunday will be "another breezy and blustery day with a mix of sunny spells and scattered showers".

Met Eireann says that some of the showers will be heavy "and there is a chance of hail".

Winds will ease on Sunday night, with showers clearing in most areas and temperatures falling to lows of 0C to 4C.
Up to 120 people and more than 40 vehicles spent Thursday blockading outside the Irving Oil Refinery in Whitegate, Cork, determined to send a message to the Government that it must do something about surging fuel costs.

Farmers, hauliers, agricultural contractors, and local residents mingled in a demonstration that had been ongoing since Wednesday night in Cork. Some participants had spent the night sleeping in the cabs of their trucks.

They said that, during the night, up to seven oil trucks were turned away from entering the facility. No fuel trucks attempted to enter throughout Thursday.

By Thursday morning, up to 40 people and a dozen vehicles  including trucks, tractors, buses, and cars  remained outside the facility with drivers stating they were prepared to continue their sit-in throughout another night.

As the day progressed, participant numbers grew with many existing protesters reaching out to friends and family to encourage them to join the blockade.

Protesters were also joined by several local representatives such as Independent Ireland TD Ken OFlynn, Aontu councillor Peter O'Donoghue, Independent councillor Albert Deasy, and Independent councillor Alan Coleman.

Cobh-based truck driver Jason Barry told the Irish Examiner that protesters had to make a stand" against rising fuel costs.

This is affecting everybody, not just us, it goes across the board  something has to be done, said Mr Barry.

We dont want to cause trouble, but were going to stay here as long as possible.

If we get shifted, well only be back again

Whitegate-based farmer Kate Manning said she is hopeful that the Government will listen to us and put the price of fuel down as much as possible.

Its not fair what's happening to people on the ground, the prices are making it impossible, said Ms Manning.

Its just not right, a lot of people wont be able to survive the next few weeks and months, so it needs to stop.

Hauliers continue to protest outside Whitegate Oil Refinery in Cork. Picture: Noel Sweeney

Following a statement by justice minister Jim OCallaghan that the Defence Forces would be deployed to clear blockades across the country, participants doubled down on their commitment to the protest.

Mourneabbey-based construction contractor Paul ORiordan said the groups stance was to remain peaceful and not do anything thats going to harm any individual.

If the Defence Forces show up, we will be fully compliant with them, said Mr ORiordan.

If they start pulling trucks and arresting people, well cross the road and fold our arms.

Everybody here is at the point of breaking, this was the straw that broke the camels back. Nobody wants to not be working, so hopefully this will play out very quickly.

Bandon-based agricultural contractor Mark Troy said the aim of the protest is to get the Government to sit down and talk, thats all we want.

We need to come up with some a solution to the problem, because what is going on at the moment is not sustainable.

As early evening approached, protesters said they were prepared to commence a slow-moving convoy towards Midleton roundabout in the event that the Defence Forces arrived and forced participants to move away from the refinery.
In a city where history and modern life intertwine so effortlessly, few addresses feel as intrinsically connected to Dublin as The College Green Hotel. Positioned opposite Trinity College and set within one of the capitals most historic quarters, this Irish-owned five-star hotel offers a stay defined by location, heritage and a quietly confident sense of style.

For Irish visitors and Dubliners alike, the hotel presents an opportunity to experience the city from its very centre. Outside its doors lies the vibrant rhythm of Dublin life. Grafton Street, with its elegant shops and street musicians, is moments away; while Temple Bar, the river Liffey and the citys theatres, galleries and cultural institutions are all within reach. It is a location that places the best of the capital effortlessly within walking distance.

Yet The College Green Hotel, which is owned by The MHL Hotel Collection and a member of Marriott Autograph Collection, offers more than proximity to the citys landmarks. It offers a sense of belonging within them. The hotel reflects the warmth and authenticity that define Irish hospitality while delivering the refinement expected of a five-star property. There is an ease to the welcome here, a balance of professionalism and genuine warmth that immediately sets the tone for a relaxed yet elevated stay.

Architecturally, the building reflects Dublins historic character. Its elegant facade looks out across College Green towards Trinity College, placing guests in the midst of one of the citys most recognisable streetscapes. Inside, the hotels interiors blend classic detailing with contemporary design, creating spaces that feel both timeless and current.

At the centre of the hotel lies its most remarkable feature: The Atrium Lounge. Rising through five floors beneath a dramatic glass canopy, The Atrium Lounge is filled with natural light from morning through evening. The soaring ceiling and open space create an atmosphere that feels airy, elegant and quietly theatrical.

The College Green Hotel. Photograph: Matthew Shaw

It is here that one of Dublins most cherished rituals unfolds each day. Afternoon tea in The Atrium Lounge has long been a signature experience, drawing both visitors and locals who return for its refined atmosphere and attention to detail. Beneath the glass roof, guests gather to enjoy tiered stands of delicate finger sandwiches, warm scones served with clotted cream and preserves, and an array of beautifully crafted pastries.

The setting elevates the experience beyond tradition. Sunlight filters through the glass canopy while the soft hum of conversation and occasional piano music fills the space. It is indulgent without being formal, elegant without losing the relaxed charm that defines Dublin hospitality.

Adding a uniquely Irish dimension is the hotels literary afternoon tea, a thoughtful tribute to Irelands extraordinary literary heritage. Inspired by figures such as William Butler Yeats, James Joyce and Oscar Wilde, the menu reinterprets the classic afternoon tea with imaginative creations that reflect the countrys storytelling tradition.

Beyond The Atrium Lounge, the hotel reveals further layers of character. The Mint Bar, located in the former vaults of a historic bank beneath the building, offers one of Dublins most atmospheric cocktail settings. The preserved architecture of the vaults creates a dramatic contrast to the contemporary drinks menu, while the intimate lighting and vaulted ceilings lend the space a distinctive sense of occasion.

Despite its grand setting and five-star credentials, The College Green Hotel maintains an approach that feels welcoming rather than formal

The historic Banking Hall is one of Dublins most impressive event spaces. Once at the heart of Irelands financial world, it has been carefully restored to showcase its original grandeur, from mahogany doorways and Corinthian columns to soaring ceilings and glittering chandeliers. Today, the hall hosts weddings, gala dinners and private celebrations, allowing guests to gather within a remarkable piece of Dublins history.

Upstairs, the guestrooms and suites provide a calm and sophisticated retreat from the energy of the city outside. Designed with understated luxury in mind, the rooms balance comfort with thoughtful design details. Rich textures, warm tones and generous proportions create interiors that feel both refined and welcoming.

Many rooms look out on to the historic streets of central Dublin, while others offer views into the luminous The Atrium Lounge space below. Suites offer an elevated sense of privacy and space, with separate living areas and carefully curated interiors designed for longer stays or special occasions.

For domestic travellers seeking a refined city escape, the hotel offers a compelling blend of luxury and familiarity. Its central location allows guests to explore Dublin at their own pace, whether enjoying a morning stroll through Trinity College, an afternoon of shopping on Grafton Street or an evening at one of the citys celebrated theatres.

Yet perhaps the hotels greatest strength lies in its atmosphere. Despite its grand setting and five-star credentials, The College Green Hotel maintains an approach that feels welcoming rather than formal. The emphasis on Irish hospitality ensures that every stay retains a sense of warmth and authenticity.

Designed with understated luxury in mind, the rooms balance comfort with thoughtful design details. Photograph: Matthew Shaw

For Dubliners, the hotel has long been woven into the social life of the city. Afternoon tea beneath The Atrium Lounge canopy, celebratory gatherings or evening cocktails in the Mint Bar have all become part of the familiar rituals that mark life in the capital.

In many respects, the hotel mirrors the character of Dublin itself. Historic yet contemporary, elegant yet approachable, it balances heritage with modern sensibility in a way that feels entirely natural.

From the light-filled Atrium Lounge to its elegant guestrooms and remarkable location opposite Trinity College, The College Green Hotel offers a stay that captures the essence of Dublin at its most refined.

For those looking to rediscover the capital, or simply experience it from one of its most distinguished addresses, the hotel remains a quietly sophisticated presence at the very heart of the city.
The fate of the two-week ceasefire in the Iran conflict looked in peril on Wednesday as both sides gave divergent versions of what had been agreed, Israel intensified its bombing campaign in Lebanon and Iran halted the passage of oil tankers because of an alleged Israeli ceasefire breach.

Iran and Pakistan, which brokered the 11th-hour truce, both asserted that the ceasefire included Lebanon.

Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, disagreed and Israeli forces unleashed their heaviest attack of the war so far on more than 100 targets, killing at least 254 people.

US President Donald Trump, after initially remaining silent, said Lebanon was a separate skirmish and not part of the deal.

The scale of Israels attacks on Wednesday were condemned as horrific by UN rights chief Volker Turk.

Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians, he said.

In a sharply worded statement, Irans parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Israel and the US had violated several clauses of the provisional ceasefire, and decried Israels aggressive bombing of Lebanon and a US demand that Iran should have no right to enrich its own uranium.

In such [a] situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable, the statement read.

Government supporters chant slogans after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire with the United States and Israel in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Picture: AP Photo/Francisco Seco

While the statement did not announce Irans rejection of the ceasefire, it nonetheless indicated that tensions were strained less than 24 hours after Trump had announced that a ceasefire agreement had been reached.

Irans Fars news agency said oil tankers passing through the strait of Hormuz had been stopped as a result of Israels ceasefire breach.

Strait due to reopen

Iran was due to have reopened the strait during the two weeks of the ceasefire, and the oil price had dropped sharply below 0 a barrel in the hours after the truce was announced, prompting a global stock market surge.

The news did not bring any immediate relief for the hundreds of laden tankers trapped in the Gulf by the conflict, which were awaiting approval from insurers before beginning to move and reported continued interference with their satellite navigation systems.

The White House called the reports from Irans state media about the closure of the strait of Hormuz false and said Trump expected it to reopen immediately, quickly and safely, as the US signalled continued hope in the ceasefire even as it threatened to unravel.

Vice-president JD Vance said he believed the differing views on whether the ceasefire included Lebanon came from a legitimate misunderstanding.

I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didnt, he said. We never made that promise. Israel had offered to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon to aid the US negotiations, he added, but would not include it in the ceasefire.

In Israel, opposition politicians led by Yair Lapid have criticised Netanyahu for failing to deliver the conclusive victory he had promised in the war and for delivering instead a diplomatic disaster that had eroded the trust between Israel and the United States.

We still have objectives to complete  and we will achieve them either by agreement or by resuming the fighting, Netanyahu said in a statement on Wednesday evening.

Marine traffic has continued at a trickle through the Hormuz strait but at a far lower rate than before the war. Five vessels were confirmed as having crossed the strait on Wednesday, four of which were Iranian and heading into the Gulf from the east, while the fifth was Greek-owned.

AXSMarine, a French-founded global marine software and tracking company, said it was unlikely to see a sudden flurry of vessels rushing for the strait given Irans conditions that passage had to be approved by its armed forces. It is not the same as an open strait, it said.

The United Arab Emirates claimed its air defences had intercepted 17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones, apparently fired by Iran over the course of the day after the ceasefire announcement. Iran was also reported to have attacked a Saudi oil pipeline to the Red Sea hours after the truce was announced.

Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Wednesday to have struck several targets across the region with missiles and drones, including what the IRGC said were oil facilities of US companies in Yanbu, the Saudi Red Sea port and pipeline terminal.

Differing version of agreement

Trump conveyed a different version of the agreement in early Wednesday morning social media posts from the one he had suggested as he announced the ceasefire on Tuesday night.

In the first version, he referred to Irans 10-point proposal as a workable basis on which to negotiate, and focused on an agreement to reopen the strait of Hormuz.

The statement caused surprise in Washington as Irans 10 points differ widely from US objectives and include a right to enrich uranium, the full lifting of sanctions, the payment of war reparations and a scheme giving Iran and Oman joint control of the strait.

Karoline Leavitt, Trumps press secretary, said during a press conference on Wednesday: The Iranians originally put forward a 10-point plan that was fundamentally unserious, unacceptable and completely discarded. The idea that President Trump would ever accept an Iranian wishlist as a deal is completely absurd. On Wednesday morning, Trump implied that the ceasefire was based on an entirely different 15-point proposal from the US, claiming many of the points had already been agreed to.

He insisted there would be no enrichment of uranium and that the US and Iran would work together to unearth the Iranian stockpile of 440kg of highly enriched uranium (HEU), which Trump called nuclear dust, enough fissile material for a dozen nuclear warheads.

Leavitt said a US negotiating team led by Vance, as well as Trumps envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would travel to Islamabad in Pakistan for talks set to begin this weekend. The negotiations with an Iranian delegation  expected to include its foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi  will begin on Saturday.

Iran has published two different versions of its interpretation of the agreement. The Farsi version included an acceptance of Irans right to enrich uranium. The English version did not.

Araghchi confirmed Trumps claim that the strait of Hormuz would be reopened during the two weeks of the ceasefire but said shipping would have to apply for safe passage through coordination with Irans armed forces.

Irans military closed the strait  a freely navigable waterway before the war  in retaliation to the US-Israeli attack on Iran on 28 February and is now charging tankers a $2m-a-ship toll to pass through.

Tehrans apparent interpretation of the ceasefire is that it will allow all shipping to pass but keep the toll in place, eventually sharing the income with Oman as a co-custodian of the strait.

Pakistan is expecting to host talks on Friday to start to cement the ceasefire into a more durable peace agreement, but on Wednesday the White House had yet to confirm attendance. The gaps to be bridged appeared as broad as ever, and certainly wider than at the last talks before the war, on 26 February in Geneva, where Omani mediators and British observers reported significant progress.

At the Pentagon, the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, suggested that if there was no agreement on Irans HEU stockpile, US forces would take it out.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed the US and Israel had finished completely destroying Irans industrial base with a final wave of 800 airstrikes overnight on Tuesday.

Any operation to extract or destroy the uranium, thought to be stored in scuba tank-sized canisters and buried down deep shafts under mountains, would be long, complicated and risky. Trump opted not to pursue such a mission in the course of the five weeks of conflict, ultimately claiming he did not care about the HEU as it could be monitored remotely by satellite.

The chair of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Dan Caine, said US forces remained poised for a return to combat. A ceasefire is a pause, and the joint force remains ready if ordered or called upon, Caine told reporters.

He said the US air campaign in Iran had achieved its military objectives, striking more than 13,000 targets, destroying roughly 90% of Irans navy and 95% of its naval mines.

Hegseth claimed the US and Israel had finished completely destroying Irans industrial base with a final wave of 800 airstrikes overnight on Tuesday. He listed the Iranian leaders killed in the war, including the supreme leader Ali Khamenei, and claimed that his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded and disfigured. The defence secretary claimed, without evidence, that Iran had begged for this ceasefire.

The Tehran government portrayed the truce in similarly triumphalist terms to its population. America was forced to accept a ceasefire, said Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior politician and foreign policy adviser to the supreme leader, according to official media. In the new geometry of power in the world, Iran will play a role as the axis of the Islamic pole. Trump has been angered by the refusal of several western allies to support his war against Iran. Leavitt told reporters that the president planned to discuss the possibility of the US leaving Nato when he met with the alliances secretary general, Mark Rutte, on Wednesday.

Asked whether the president would raise the prospect of withdrawing from Nato, Leavitt replied: Its something the president has discussed and I think its something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with secretary general Rutte. After the meeting, Rutte told CNN that he believes some Nato countries were tested and failed through the course of the war, but that the large majority of European nations has been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflight.

- The Guardian
Worshippers were able to pray again at Jerusalems holy sites on Thursday after Israel lifted restrictions it imposed on large public gatherings because of the war with Iran.

Jerusalems police said on Wednesday that they would lift restrictions on all holy sites and deploy hundreds of officers and volunteers in the city.

An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man prays at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, after restrictions were lifted (Mahmoud Illean/AP)

Access had been prohibited altogether, or restricted to a few dozen faithful at a time, at Christian, Jewish and Muslim sites during the now-paused conflict, when missile attacks from Iran often sent Jerusalem residents into shelters.

The restrictions subdued Lent, Passover and Ramadan celebrations for many in some of the holiest sites for adherents of Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

The restrictions subdued Lent, Passover and Ramadan celebrations for many in some of the holiest sites for Christians, Muslims and Jews (Mahmoud Illean/AP)

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, closed for much of the holy month of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday, reopened with dawn prayer on Thursday, according to Jerusalems Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian religious authority that administers the compound.

At the adjacent Western Wall in the Old City  the holiest site in the world where Jews can pray  dozens of men and women were seen bowing their heads in prayer.

A Muslim man prays in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound (Mahmoud Illean/AP)

The lifting of the restrictions comes just in time for Orthodox Christians, who celebrate Easter on Sunday, a week after Catholic and Protestant observances and before the centuries-old ceremony known as the Holy Fire that is associated with it.

On Saturday, thousands of Christians will gather in the cavernous Church of the Holy Sepulchre, holding unlit candles as they pack into the sprawling 12th-century basilica built on the site where, according to tradition, Jesus was crucified and buried.

A Muslim women take a selfie next to the Dome of Rock shrine at Al-Aqsa Mosque (Mahmoud Illean/AP)

The Greek patriarch will light candles and then the flame is passed from one candle to the next.

The restrictions sparked backlash last month when Israeli police prevented Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate a private Mass on the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday for the first time in centuries.

The decision set off a wave of criticism from the United States and others.

Patriarch Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, performs the Washing of the Feet ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Mahmoud Illean/AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was no malicious intent and that Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa was prevented from accessing the church because of safety concerns.

He was later allowed to enter on Easter Sunday.

On Thursday, worshippers revelled as they entered Al-Aqsa for the first time in weeks.

It is as if human beings are reborn, said Mohammed Al-Qassas.

Ethiopian Orthodox Christian worshippers pray at Deir Al-Sultan monastery (Mahmoud Illean/AP)

Being unable to pray during this period is like feeling hungry all the time, he said.

Its impossible to describe this feeling  It was one of the most happiest moments in my life, said Biljana Vaslic, a tourist from Serbia who, until now, hadnt been able to enter the church.

Still, others accused Israel of using the war as an excuse to restrict access.

Omar al-Kiswani, director of the mosque, said: This is a grace from God after 40 days of using the war as a pretext, but God has granted steadfastness in this mosque.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray (Mahmoud Illean/AP)

Even before the war, there were already heightened restrictions on people being able to access Al-Aqsa.

During Ramadan prayers on Friday in early February, Israel restricted the number of Palestinians allowed to enter from the West Bank to 10,000, and only allowed men over 55 and women over 50 as well as children up to 12.

It has imposed similar restrictions in the past, citing security concerns.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
( Middle East Monitor )  When Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi used his well-known phrase just a step away years ago, referring to his countrys readiness to defend Arab national security, he did not expect to face a real test and a difficult dilemma that could cost him dearly.

Tensions in Egyptian-Gulf relations, against the backdrop of the ongoing war against Iran and Iranian strikes targeting countries in the region, have escalated from discontent to suspicion, disagreement and possibly a reassessment in the near future.

Assessments within ruling circles in Gulf capitals reflect negative views of Egypts position, amid what is described as abandonment and a lack of solidarity by a strategic ally that has received tens of billions of dollars, as well as significant political and diplomatic support, particularly from Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, to consolidate its rule following the military coup of 3rd July 2013.

A step away

When Arab national security faces a real threat and we are called upon, we will be right there; we are just a step away, was one of El-Sisis most notable statements in May 2014, when he was a presidential candidate. The phrase was repeated in subsequent speeches and statements, raising expectations of the strategic ally holding power in Egypt, now serving a third presidential term extending until 2030.

When the Israeli-American war on Iran began on 28th February and quickly escalated on the same day to include Iranian strikes on US bases in Gulf capitals, Cairo appeared unsettled and possibly wary of being drawn into the conflict, or perhaps in a wait-and-see position to gauge its direction and outcomes.

The quiet diplomacy that underpins Egyptian foreign policy has not aligned with a heated and highly complex regional and international situation affecting Gulf and Arab security.

This was evident in the delayed tour by the Egyptian president to the UAE and Qatar on 19th March, followed by Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on 21st March, without including Kuwait and Oman for unknown reasons.

The situation was further complicated by the Eid Al-Fitr sermon attended by the Egyptian president, which sparked widespread controversy after it included a supplication with a Shia tone: O God, by the right of Fatima, her father, her husband and her sons, and the secret within her, do not place Egypt in need of any ignoble of Your creation. This was seen as a gesture of rapprochement toward Iran, a Shia-majority country, and was openly criticised by former Saudi army officer Abdullah Ghanem Al-Qahtani in remarks to the BBC, who said: The position of our brothers in Egypt was strange and unexpected, and some steps were notable, such as the Eid Al-Fitr sermon, which I believe was inappropriate in both timing and content.

Further escalating tensions, Ambassador Khaled Emara, Assistant Foreign Minister and former head of Egypts mission for the care of Egyptian interests in Tehran, made remarks seen as lacking prudence. In an interview with the independent platform Al-Manassa, he said: Iran has the right to strike US bases in the Gulf, and targeting US bases in the Gulf is consistent with international law, as it has the right to defend itself.

The delayed and ambiguous Egyptian response, along with public sentiment leaning toward Iran, drew criticism and accusations against Cairo and raised questions in the Gulf: where is a step away?

Has Egypt fallen short in supporting the Gulf? What is Egypts position on the Iran war? In response, Egyptian media outlets raised counter-questions: what do Gulf states want from Egypt? Who is seeking to drag Egypt into the war?

Diverging approaches

Egypts decision-makers are aware that the country is not a party to the conflict with Iran, and that any involvement of the Egyptian army in military activity related to the war would undermine Cairos role as a neutral mediator and could expose it to Iranian retaliation that would worsen its economic crisis and disrupt international navigation through the Suez Canal.

According to political researcher Mohamed Gamal, Egypts position cannot be seen as a break with the Gulf states as much as it reflects differences in defining the threat, national security priorities, strategic considerations and risk management aimed at avoiding an expansion of the war.

Gulf states view Iran as a direct threat that must be neutralised or contained, while Cairo approaches the crisis from the perspective of the cost of escalation and its impact on economic and regional stability. This requires it to balance security, economic and political considerations in a highly complex regional environment, according to Gamal.

Cairo is concerned about the expansion of Israeli dominance in the region in the event of Irans collapse. It sees the Israeli-American war as part of a plan to advance the objectives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government, which seeks to reshape the Middle East under Tel Avivs leadership with US backing. This poses a threat to Egyptian and Arab national security.

Egyptian observers believe that US bases in the Gulf, along with defence partnership agreements linking Gulf capitals with the United States, Britain, France, Turkey and Pakistan, are meant to provide protection for Gulf airspace and territory, rather than draw Egypt into a war in which it has no stake.

A difficult equation

Cairo is maintaining a position of strategic balance; while it is outside the war, it remains part of a difficult equation. It is engaged in mediation alongside Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as it understands that the defeat of Iran would mark the beginning of an Israeli-led era in the region. This is in addition to the impact of the current war on market instability, capital outflows, disruptions to energy supplies, the depreciation of the local currency, and a decline in remittances from around 12 million Egyptians working abroad, most of whom are in the Gulf, according to political analyst Shehab Ezz El-Din.

It appears, according to Ezz El-Din, that Gulf states seek to buy support or draw Cairo into the US-Israeli war, as they insist on maintaining the American security umbrella with Egyptian backing, rather than activating the concept of collective Arab national security to protect the security and sovereignty of Arab states. This American security umbrella has underpinned Gulf security doctrine for decades, and Washingtons military intervention has placed the entire region at risk.

Gulf capitals, particularly Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, may have expected an Egyptian response commensurate with the scale of the situation, possibly extending to the deployment of military support forces, along with clear political positions, logistical and intelligence support, and broad media and public backing. However, Egypts approach did not meet Gulf expectations, as its decision-makers opted to remain, to some extent, on the side of neutrality.



Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sisi. Public Domain. Via Picryl

Assessment

Gulf anger toward Cairo may be understandable, but it could be contained and may subside over time if Egyptian mediation succeeds in curbing the war, containing the ongoing Iranian escalation against countries in the region, and reaching understandings and arrangements that strengthen Arab national security.

As the war enters its second month and countries around the world are economically affected by the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Egypts position and Cairos complex considerations regarding the regional and international geopolitical situation may appear more justified, particularly as the wars course and direct military repercussions have directly affected 17 countries.

Cairos calculated position was met with Gulf anger, which saw Egypt as falling short of expectations. Kuwaiti writer Fouad Al-Hashem said they had seen Egypt as a mother that would defend her children, but it had instead proved to be a stepmother that did not even offer them comfort.

Egypts approach has been characterised by caution, with a preference for playing an active diplomatic role without being drawn into the war or antagonising any of its main parties (the United States, Israel and Iran), while also seeking in the future to build an Arab security framework and revive proposals for a joint Arab force.

El-Sisis government may pay a price for its recent positions on the war and the slow pace of its engagement with Gulf allies. It could incur significant losses due to a potential decline in Egyptian-Gulf relations and an expected drop in Saudi and Emirati investments and deposits flowing into the country. However, it may also resort, with political tact, to other options to ease tensions with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi in particular and to appease the two allies, Mohammed bin Salman and Mohammed bin Zayed.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor or Informed Comment.

Via Middle East Monitor
By Mireille Rebeiz, Dickinson College

(The Conversation)  A chorus of hawkish Israeli politicians is urging the countrys military to intensify its weekslong ground and air campaign against Hezbollah and pave the way for a more permanent presence in the countrys south.

On April 5, 18 Israeli lawmakers pressed the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to occupy and fully control southern Lebanon up to the Litani River and evacuate the Lebanese population there. It followed an earlier call from Israels Finance Minister Bezalel Yoel Smotrich, a powerful, extremist voice in the ruling coalition for the outright annexation of southern Lebanon.

Alongside such voices, Israels campaign shows no signs of slowing down. Thats despite a two-week ceasefire announced by President Donald Trump on April 7 that paused the U.S. and Israels war in Iran and that, according to mediators, was meant to apply to Lebanon as well.

Those calling for an enlarged Israel that includes parts of Lebanon tend to shroud their ideology in religious rhetoric. Yet the view is hardly isolated to the hawkish, religious far-right. It is also nothing new. As a scholar who specializes in Middle East studies, I believe that the policy of occupying and annexing south Lebanon up to the Litani River has long held influence among parts of the Israeli government and dates back to influential Zionist leaders  secular and religious alike  before Israeli independence in 1948.

History suggests were that goal to be pursued in the course of Israels military campaign now, however, it would only destabilize Lebanon further, encourage regional turmoil and do little to guarantee Israels safety.

Early Zionism and south Lebanon

In 1918, David Ben-Gurion  an early Zionist leader and widely regarded as Israels founding father  argued that Israels natural borders included parts of modern-day Syria, Egypt, the Arabian Gulf, and should also extend north to the Litani River in southern Lebanon. Lying 20 miles north of Lebanons southern border, the river is about 108 miles long and serves as Lebanons main source of water.

This position was reaffirmed again in 1919 when a delegation of the Zionist Organization, led by Chaim Weizmann, presented the case of a Jewish homeland in Palestine at the Paris Peace Conference that concluded World War I. The organization argued that such a state should start from the southern city of Saida and include the Litani River.

Instead, Great Britain and France were granted control of administering the formerly Ottoman-ruled land of Greater Syria and Palestine, which were put under an international legal charter called the mandate system.

Lebanons current borders date back to Sept. 1, 1920, when the French mandate recognized the nations territory stretching south to the cities of Saida and Tyre and below the Litani River to the boundaries of British-administered Mandatory Palestine.

Land borders dispute since 1948

The creation of the state of Israel in 1948, which led to the mass displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians and a subsequent Arab-Israeli war in 1948, led to a further shifting of borders in the region. In Lebanon, Israel occupied and annexed seven southern villages.

In 1949, under the aegis of the United Nations, Israel and Lebanon agreed to an Armistice Demarcation Line based on the 1923 Palestine-Lebanon boundaries set by the French and British colonial powers.

Though not a mutual agreement on statehood, the armistice was nonetheless a recognition of land borders. While never officially revoked, the armistice was, in practice, superseded by a borders shift during the Six Day War in 1967. Thats when Israel stopped recognizing all armistice agreements it had signed in 1949, including with Lebanon, even though the country wasnt a party to the 1967 war.

In 1978, following a series of attacks organized by Palestinian fighters from Lebanese soil, Israel invaded Lebanon and occupied its south in what was known as Operation Litani. Israeli troops withdrew more than two decades later on May 25, 2000.

Thereafter, the U.N. established the Blue Line  a so-called withdrawal line to separate the two countries, absent mutually recognized borders  and put in the buffer zone a U.N. peacekeeping mission.

War for natural resources

But the border question was never settled, and the discovery of the Leviathan field in 2010  the largest natural gas reservoir in the Mediterranean Sea  added a wrinkle in the form of a potential maritime dispute.

In October 2022, Israel and Lebanon signed a U.S.-brokered maritime border agreement, a move some analysts interpreted as the beginning of normalizing relations between the two countries.

However, the long-running land dispute has never been settled.

For the most part, the vocal far-right in Israel calling for expansion of the countrys border to the Litani River dress their claims in religious language  and what it might mean for security for Israels northern residents. But extending to the Litani would also provide a potential new source of water for a country with limited natural water sources and growing demand.

Lebanons fragile sovereignty

The lack of resolved borders and Israels periodic incursions into southern Lebanon have predictably meant that Lebanon has struggled to assert sovereignty over its own territory.

The 1985 birth of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite militia, following repeated Israeli invasions and amid the Lebanese civil war, only compounded matters.

Since then, Hezbollah has dominated the military scene inside Lebanon and repeatedly battled with Israel.

Tit-for-tat Hezbollah-Israel fighting following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024 in which over 3,000 Lebanese civilians were killed, 14,000 injured, and more than 1.2 million residents were displaced.

On Nov. 27, 2024, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire. However, this agreement was beset by mutual violations, including hundreds on the Israeli side.

It was finally derailed by the U.S. and Israeli war in Iran, Hezbollahs subsequent retaliation, and Israels invasion.

Facing the magnitude of the war and the real threat of Israeli occupation, Lebanon banned Hezbollahs military actions on its soil and expelled the Iranian ambassador from its territory.

But those moves have not satisfied those in Israel intent on full occupation of southern Lebanon.

The security risks of new Lebanon occupation

Including the current operation, Israel has invaded Lebanon seven times in the past 50 years.

Any potential plans for another long-term occupation would face many of the same risks as past endeavors  to both Lebanese and Israeli safety.

For one, Israels targeting and displacement of the Shiite community in southern Lebanon is likely to create friction among Lebanons various religious sects.

It could also degenerate into another wave of violence outside Lebanon. The internal destabilization of Lebanon has rarely been contained within the country, and in the past it has spread to neighboring countries  something that Israels northern residents and security officials are all too aware of.

Second, following yearslong conflict in Gaza, operations in Syria and now war with Iran, Israels military may be too stretched to achieve full occupation, even if that were the plan. Addressing the Israeli security cabinet, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the IDF is on the verge of collapse.

There is also a sizable Israeli opposition to war in Lebanon and war fatigue within Israeli society.

Neither of those things may be enough to stop a long-term Israeli presence in south Lebanon, but it may help explain the ongoing narrative shifts from Israeli officials that in recent weeks have gone from creating a buffer zone in south Lebanon to full-scale occupation and control up to the Litani River.



Photo by Charbel Karam on Unsplash

There is no doubt that the fate of Hezbollah depends largely on the longer-term settlement of the Iran war and its effect on the associated operation in Lebanons south.

But Israel faces headwinds not favorable to full occupation: dwindling international support, internal tensions, entanglements in war across the region and potential violence inside Lebanon. Moreover, history shows that it is a risky endeavor  with high potential to backfire.

Mireille Rebeiz, Chair of Middle East Studies, Dickinson College

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The Red Cross said it was "outraged by the devastating death and destruction" in densely populated areas across Lebanon Wednesday as Israel launched a massive wave of attacks.

Heavy explosive weapons with wide-area effects struck bustling neighbourhoods, including the capital Beirut, without effective advance warnings, the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement.

"People across Lebanon were holding their breath for a ceasefire agreement, but a wave of deadly strikes plunged the country into panic and chaos," said Agnes Dhur, the ICRC's head of delegation in Lebanon.

"Many who had begun thinking of the moment when they might return to their homes have been rushing to streets and hospitals, searching for missing loved ones or seeking a safety that feels increasingly out of reach."

At least 182 people were killed and 890 wounded on Wednesday after Israel launched a wave of strikes unprecedented in the current war, according to the latest Lebanese health ministry toll.

Across the country, the Lebanese Red Cross sent 100 ambulances to evacuate the dead and transport the wounded to hospitals, the ICRC said.

Already overwhelmed medical facilities were having to deal with the influx of casualties, while some people remained trapped under the rubble, it added.

"Any comprehensive agreement for the region must consider the safety, protection and dignity of civilians in Lebanon," the Geneva-based ICRC said.

"After more than five weeks of hostilities, people urgently need respite from the violence."

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Meanwhile the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said its teams were responding to a mass influx of injured patients, including children at the Rafik Hariri public hospital in Beirut.

"Patients are arriving with shrapnel injuries and heavy bleeding. One patient arrived to the hospital having lost both legs. The situation is chaotic as more people are brought in," said Christopher Stokes, MSF's emergency coordinator in Lebanon.

"These indiscriminate strikes on highly densely populated areas are completely unacceptable," he said.

"Continuous attacks on civilians must stop... The repeated forcible displacement of people -- a war crime -- needs to stop."
Since the first hearing on November 18, 2025, the military court in Aleppo (northwest Syria) has been trying to determine individual responsibility for a series of attacks that, a year ago, marked one of the bloodiest episodes of the actual Syrian transition.

The latest hearing, held on April 2, 2026, is part of that complex legal process. It was broadcast in part via video on the Facebook page of the Syrian Ministry of Justice. Justice Infowhich was present in Aleppo in Novemberfollowed the proceedings remotely from Paris. This is the fourth hearing of the trial tasked with judging both affiliates of the former regime accused of attacking forces of the new regime, and affiliates of the new regime who are themselves accused of having launched reprisals and massacres of Alawite civilians.

Independent observers and human rights organizations like My Rights and the Syrian Network for Human Rights believe that the court is now reaching a crucial moment when the evidence gathered will finally allow an assessment of the responsibilities of security forces on both sides.

While the hearings appear to focus primarily on former Assad supporters, the seven other defendants affiliated with the Ministry of Defence and General Security did also appear before the Aleppo court, and evidence was presented according to observers present at the trial. However, unlike the seven defendants linked to the former regime, their appearance was not broadcast live. In official statements, these defendants are generally referred to simply as defendants, with no mention of their affiliation with current security forces, while the other seven are often described as foulouls, a term used to refer to supporters of the former regime.

Almoutassim Al-Kilani, a legal expert in international criminal law and human rights and founder of the NGO My Rights, thinks this difference in public presentation of the trial raises questions about the transparency and fairness of the proceedings.

Justice under scrutiny

In a country where the judicial system has long been associated with the security apparatus, every stage of the trial is closely scrutinized by international organizations and human rights monitoring mechanisms.

The work of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council, is now one of the main points of reference. Following the violence that struck the Syrian coast between March 7 and 9, 2025, it concluded that over 1,400 people were killed, including approximately 100 women, predominantly Alawi civilians in Latakia, Tartus, Homs, and Hama governorates, entailing war crimes. In the wake of these violations, many people within the affected communities have expressed a deep sense of insecurity and marginalization, feeling all the more vulnerable in the absence of any meaningful political representation, says its report published on March 12. Tens of thousands of them have fled the country or are considering doing so.

The Commission notes that the judicial procedures currently under way in Syria so far remain mainly focussed on suspected executors, while the responsibilities of senior officials and commanders have not yet been clarified. To enable accountability, the broken judicial and law enforcement system inherited from the former government  which often served as a tool to violate rather than protect Syrians human rights  needs to be transformed, and the independence, professionalism and legal competence of the judiciary must be guaranteed, it adds.

A fourth, more rigorous hearing

On April 2, the Aleppo Criminal Court opened its session at the appointed time. The courts president, Zakaria Bakkar, set the tone from the outset. Those who are late will face the consequences. We are opening our session at ten oclock sharp, he declared before opening the hearing.

On that day, controls for entrance were particularly strict: credentials were checked repeatedly, and everyones identity was verified before entering the courtroom. Syrian and foreign journalists, representatives of civil society organizations, victims families, and relatives of the defendants filled the public gallery, under the watchful eye of security forces.

Fourteen defendants, two different groups

The 14 people being prosecuted form two distinct groups. The first is comprised of people linked to structures at the time of ex-president Bashar al-Assad. The second group comprises members of the security forces linked to the transitional authorities.

Charges presented by the prosecution include facts related to participation in armed attacks, murder, looting and destruction of civilian property. In several cases, the charges also include incitement to violence on religious grounds.

The decision to try these two groups simultaneously reflects a delicate political and judicial choice. The transitional authorities wish to demonstrate that justice prevails for members of both the old and new regimes. But this strategy has also complicated proceedings by increasing the lines of responsibility and evidence to be examined.

Growing role of digital evidence

The hearing lasted one hour and was devoted primarily to digital evidence, including videos and recordings collected from cell phones and open sources.

According to military prosecutor Alaa Aldain Latif, several of these pieces of evidence were identified using digital forensic techniques. Some videos were found through the analysis of open sources or directly on the defendants phones, he explained to the court.

At his request, these items were projected onto a screen during the April 2 hearing, providing the court with a direct basis for cross-examination and analysis of the consistency of the defendants statements. The defence requested a further examination of these videos, which it claims were taken well before the date of the massacres on the coast.

Several defendants thus challenged the reliability of certain recordings, asserting that they may have been manipulated or generated by artificial intelligence. Technical experts are now required to submit a report on the validity of this evidence.

Gradual evolution of the trial

Several independent observers, such as Al Kilani, believe that recent hearings reflect a shift in how the court is approaching the case.

According to a trial observation report published by My Rights, the initial hearings were primarily aimed at collecting the defendants accounts and documenting the main facts. The most recent sessions, however, mark a transition to a more analytical phase. The court is now seeking to identify contradictions in the statements and establish patterns of behaviour, rather than examining isolated incidents.

Al Kilani, who was present at the third hearing on March 15, summarizes this shift as follows: You can sense that the trial is no longer in a listening phase but in an evaluation phase. The questions are becoming more precise, and the defendants answers more cautious. This shift is also evident in the defence strategy, he says, as their arguments have become more structured and focused on the legal characterization of the facts.

Illegal detentions and allegations of ill-treatment

Despite these developments, several organizations continue to raise concerns regarding respect for procedural safeguards. The UN Commission of Inquiry emphasizes in its report that detainees were held in both unofficial detention facilities and official detention centres, including branches of security services and prisons. They were arrested and detained without a judicial warrant, without being informed of the reasons for their detention, without being brought before a judge, and without access to legal counsel or the opportunity to challenge their detention.

During previous hearings, some defendants had mentioned torture inflicted during their arrest or while in detention. The court indicated that it would take these statements into account when evaluating their confessions as presented in the case file.

A trial of symbolic importance

This trial carries symbolic significance for Syria in transition.

In the same report, the UN experts stress that greater efforts are nevertheless needed to build new state institutions that respect the rule of law and human rights. [] Syrians are calling for judicial institutions and law enforcement agencies that protect everyone equally, as well as guarantees of non-repetition and accountability.

Al Kilani points out that transitional justice cannot be limited to a few rare, symbolic trials. It requires in-depth investigations into the power structures that enabled the violence, and into the chains of command. However, as he notes in his observers report, each hearing is an attempt to rebuild judicial practice in a context where institutions have been profoundly weakened.

For the victims families, as well as for international observers, the stakes extend far beyond the scope of this case. The question is whether Syria will be able to establish a justice system capable of addressing past crimes and guaranteeing fundamental legal principles in the present. In this context, the Aleppo trial appears both as an attempt at a judicial response to the violence of 2025 and as a test for the future of justice in this country.

The upcoming hearings should allow for verification of the authenticity of digital evidence, the hearing of new witnesses, and the delivery of a verdictscheduled for April 23.
Russia's Supreme Court labelled the Nobel Prize-winning human rights group Memorial "extremist" on Thursday, making it easier for authorities to prosecute its supporters and those who work with it.

Russia liquidated the group's operations in 2021, forcing Memorial to work largely in exile.

Here is the history of Russia's most prominent rights group over the past 35 years:

- What does Memorial do? -

Memorial was founded in the late 1980s to document victims of Soviet-era political repression during which millions of people perished in the Gulag penal system.

Its first chairman was the Nobel Prize-winning Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov and the group established the largest publicly available database on Gulag victims.

A symbol of hope during Russia's chaotic transition to democracy in the 1990s, it has since documented the country's slide into authoritarianism under President Vladimir Putin.

It has listed hundreds of political prisoners in modern Russia, among them critics of Putin and opponents of the Ukraine war.

Memorial has also documented rights violations linked to Russia's brutal wars in Chechnya and Syria, the plight of Ukrainian prisoners of war and kept a list of prisoners persecuted for their religion, including over 200 Jehovah's Witnesses.

It counts more than 1,000 political prisoners in Russia as of 2026 -- up from 46 in 2015, amidst a crackdown on dissent during the Ukraine war.

- Banned in Russia -

As Russia's most prominent human rights group, it has repeatedly found itself in the government's crosshairs.

It was put on a government register of "foreign agents" in 2015.

The label, akin to being an enemy of the state, requires individuals or groups to disclose sources of funding and mark all publications -- including social media posts -- with a tag.

In 2021, Russia's Supreme Court liquidated Memorial for failing to properly identify itself as a "foreign agent" and for justifying "terrorist and extremist" activities.

Russia's latest decision to label the group "extremist" toughens the legal punishments faced by any Russian who cooperates with the organisation's network in exile or donates money.

Memorial described the decision as "unlawful" and said it marked "a new stage of political pressure on Russian civil society".

- Reaction to ban -

The head of Memorial's legal department, Natalia Sekretaryeva, told AFP the Supreme Court's ruling was "absurd" but expected.

Anyone who has participated in events organised by Memorial -- including the annual Returning of the Names ceremony that honours victims of political repression -- will now fear getting charged with "being an accomplice to extremists", she said.

Memorial points out the "extremist" label applies to a non-existent entity called the "Memorial international public movement", vague wording that allows authorities to target any Memorial-linked groups.

"The Memorial logo, the logo of any Memorial organisation, is now considered extremist symbolism," Sekretaryeva said.

Amnesty International called the extremist designation "deplorable", and urged Russia to "immediately reverse" the move.

- Nobel Peace Prize -

The group received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 -- months after Russia launched its offensive on Ukraine -- for its work, alongside then jailed Belarusian activist Ales Bialiatski and Ukraine's Centre for Civil Liberties.

Hours later a Moscow court ordered Memorial's headquarters to be seized and took the premises into state ownership.

The Nobel Committee said the group, along with its co-winners, had "made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power".

- Staff persecuted -

Memorial's crusading work at home has come at a huge personal cost to those involved.

Natalya Estemirova, one of the group's main employees in Chechnya, was found dead in 2009 with gunshot wounds hours after she was seen being bundled into a car outside her home.

Another employee Yury Dmitriyev, who spent decades locating mass graves in the northwestern region of Karelia, was jailed in 2020 on a controversial child sex charge.

Supporters say the 70-year-old historian was targeted for his work.

The group's co-chair Oleg Orlov was jailed in 2024 for protesting against the war in Ukraine. He was released in a prisoner exchange with the United States months later.

- Work in exile -

The group, whose bank accounts have been frozen, has since 2021 outsourced its work to satellite offices across Europe and the world.

Russia declared the international arm of Memorial an "undesirable organisation" in February -- outlawing Russians from working with or donating to the group.
After it was confirmed that South Korean actor Kim Seon Ho would be in an upcoming tvN drama, fans and internet users went crazy with anger.

The actor will be in a new show called "God Bless The Assemblyman" (unofficial title) that is based on a popular web novel. This week is when filming is set to start. The cast, which includes Kim Yoon Seok, Ryu Kyung Soo, and Ahn Eun Jin, has already read the first script.

Star Today reported that the drama is about a powerful member of the National Assembly who dies and then comes back as a ghost. He teams up with a low-ranking civil servant played by Kim Seon Ho, who is an unlikely pair. They work together to deal with political power struggles in a story that mixes fantasy and politics.

Kim Seon Ho plays the role of Cha Jae Rim, a 9th-grade civil servant with the ability to see ghosts. This odd ability forces him to partner with the ghost of a deceased politician, thus putting him in a battle for supremacy at the National Assembly.

While this concept may be appealing, the report on the casting list has renewed the criticisms of Kim Seon Ho's past. As reported by Koreaboo, the news that he would be participatingespecially since filming was about to startcaused a lot of negative reactions in online communities.

A lot of the backlash comes from people still being angry about the actor's past problems, like the recent one with the National Tax Service, which he apologized for and paid more money for. People who don't like him have asked if he is right for the part of a public official.

People on the popular online forum theqoo were very clear about how angry they were.

Users shared strong reactions to the casting decision. "Damn it, not my favorite web novel!!!" Other commenters echoed similar disappointment. "I want a refund for the novel." Some responses were more pointed in their criticism. "He really had to go ruin it for everyone, huh?"

A number of users questioned the casting choice directly. "I don't get it. Why aren't they replacing him? Setting aside the past controversies... He even had tax issues exposed. Does he really fit a public official role?"

Additional comments reflected skepticism toward the industry. "Why does he keep getting cast? Who's backing him?" Still, not all reactions were negative, with a few expressing anticipation. "Oh this looks fun, I'm looking forward to it."

The mixed but mostly negative response shows that there is still a divide among fans about Kim Seon Ho's return to big projects. Some people still support him, but others are still questioning his role in big productions.






Wednesday, April 08, 2026 - A Kenyan woman identified as Diana has gone viral after staging a dramatic public apology to her boyfriend, Brian, an employee at KCB Bank.

In the viral video, Diana hired a group of people to march along a busy Nairobi street carrying posters with her heartfelt messages.

One poster promised she would stop drinking daily and insisted that her alleged fling was nothing.

Another boldly declared: Brian KCB, Diana is sorry. You are her man.

A third reminded Brian of their shared memories with the line: Remember the good nights.

The spectacle has divided opinion online.

While some netizens urged Brian to forgive her, others dismissed the stunt as clout-chasing rather than genuine remorse.

Watch the video>>> below

Drama as a Kenyan LADY, DIANA, publicly apologizes to boyfriend BRIAN, a KCB Bank employee, after cheating on him pic.twitter.com/EQ4Vel7pyz  DAILY POST  (@dailypost_ke) April 8, 2026

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, April 08, 2026 - Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary (PS), Korir SingOei, has responded to criticism from the Iranian Embassy in Nairobi over his recent remarks on the IranUS/Israel conflict.

In a statement issued Wednesday, April 8th, SingOei reaffirmed Kenyas non-aligned position, stressing that the countrys foreign policy is guided by national interests such as energy, security, trade and the safety of citizens in the Gulf.

He reiterated Kenyas commitment to the United Nations Charter, underscoring the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, selfdefence and peaceful resolution of disputes.

We should emphasize that Kenya remains nonaligned in the conflict. We prioritize Kenyan interests-energy, security, trade, and citizens in the Gulf - and stand in solidarity with all States that have borne a huge toll as a consequence of this escalating conflict, the statement read.

SingOei further highlighted the importance of keeping international waterways open, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, which he described as vital for global energy supplies and economic stability.

Freedom of navigation in international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, is a cardinal principle of international law, he noted.

The PS welcomed the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, urging all parties to act in good faith and pursue a permanent resolution.

His remarks came amid sharp criticism from the Iranian Embassy in Nairobi, which accused him of disregarding international law.

The Embassy argued that Irans actions were defensive, blaming the United States and Israel for violating Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.

It insisted that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz were a direct consequence of USIsraeli aggression.

The diplomatic exchange followed SingOeis phone call with UAE Assistant Foreign Minister, Abdulla Balalaa, during which he expressed Kenyas solidarity with Gulf states and condemned attacks on critical infrastructure in the region.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, April 8, 2026 - Siaya Governor James Orengo has visited Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi in hospital following his attack at Java House in Kisumu.

Orengo condemned the incident, terming it politically instigated and part of a broader pattern of intimidation.

This is a clearly coordinated and organized pattern of intimidation aimed at silencing the voices of the people, coming as a second direct hit after the violent assault at the Grand Royal Swiss Hotel on the eve of our Kakamega rally, Orengo said.

He further called on police to retrieve CCTV footage from the scene and ensure that those responsible are brought to book.

We demand that the police immediately produce the CCTV footage from Java House and ensure the culprits are brought to book without further delay. Organizing this hit in the heart of Kisumu is a desperate and primitive attempt to incite tribal warfare between the Luo and Luhya communities, but we see through these dirty divide-and-rule tactics, he added.

However, Kileleshwa MCA, Robert Alai, has offered a different perspective, suggesting that the attack may have been linked to a love triangle.

In his remarks, Alai hinted that the incident has nothing to do with politics as alleged by Orengo.

According to reports circulating on social media, Osotsi was caught with someones wife.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, April 08, 2026 - A lighthearted video of a Kenyan woman teasing her husband has charmed social media users, with many praising her playful approach to intimacy.

In the clip, the soft-spoken lady is seen standing by the bedroom door, watching her husband as he works in the sitting room.

She then calls him over, pretending to need his help.

But once he enters the bedroom, she quickly shuts the door and cheekily reveals her true intention.

The husband initially protests, saying he was busy, but she stands her ground until he gives in.

Her mischievous yet affectionate gesture has delighted netizens, especially men, who applauded her for initiating intimacy.

Some joked that women like her are rare, while others declared the husband lucky to have such a bold lady.

Watch the video>>> below

This woman is so submissive to her husband. 'Kamum' is giving ladies outchea a very tough test. pic.twitter.com/8CupvsS15g  Mastardcesh (@Mastardcesh) April 6, 2026

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, April 8, 2026 - City politician and Woman Rep aspirant, Millicent Omanga, has shared a humorous message sent to her by a man who attempted to hit on her via a direct message.

In the message, the man boldly describes himself as romantic and expresses his interest in building a relationship that could lead to marriage.

I am a very romantic guy. Kindly give me a chance to have a relationship leading to marriage, the message reads.

However, the man became upset after Omanga failed to respond to his message.

He later changed tone, calling her a useless leader and claiming that he would not vote for her, despite stating that he is a registered voter in Nairobi.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, April 08, 2026 - Former Nominated Senator, Millicent Omanga, has dismissed claims that she received multimillion tenders from the Government after President William Ruto assumed office.

Speaking on Wednesday, April 8th, during a media interview, Omanga categorically stated that she has not engaged in any government tenders or contracts under the current administration.

She challenged her critics to provide evidence, including any tender applications allegedly linked to her.

I have never done any business with William Rutos Government.

If I have, let them provide proof of what they claim I have done from 2022 up to now, showing any company linked to Millicent Omanga that has supplied goods to State House or any Ministry.

They should even produce the tender application if one exists, she said.

Her remarks come weeks after she defected from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party to join former Deputy President Rigathi Gachaguas Democratic Congress Party (DCP).

Omanga was officially welcomed to the party on March 19th by Gachagua and party Secretary General Cleophas Malala.

During the event, Gachagua praised Omanga as a leader of integrity committed to the welfare of Nairobi residents, insisting that no DCP leader could be bought.

Omanga, in turn, apologized to Nairobians for supporting President Ruto, accusing him of breaking promises made during the 2022 campaigns.

On March 28th, she revealed that she had fallen out with the President, citing betrayal over unfulfilled commitments to women.

She pointed to Rutos pledge of a 50:50 gender balance in Government appointments, provision of free sanitary towels to schoolgirls, and free diapers for mothers in public hospitals - promises she says remain unmet.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, April 8, 2026 - Vihiga Senator, Godfrey Osotsi, is nursing injuries following an attack in Kisumu, with conflicting reports surrounding the circumstances of the incident.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna confirmed the attack, stating that Osotsi had been injured and was being airlifted to Nairobi for treatment.

I have spoken to Senator Osotsis team and confirmed that he was viciously attacked and injured in Kisumu earlier today when he went to get a haircut. The Senator is being airlifted to Nairobi as we speak. Whilst we await further details, I strongly condemn this attack and urge the police to take immediate action against those responsible, Sifuna posted on his official social media accounts.

However, reports circulating on social media have suggested a different version of events, alleging that the incident may have been linked to a suspected love triangle.

According to the claims, the outspoken Senator and former ODM Deputy Leader was allegedly confronted after being found with another mans wife at a popular outlet in Kisumu, sparking a confrontation that reportedly turned violent.

Watch the video>>> below and see Kenyans reactions after that

Was he really caught with someone wife? Conflicting reports over the Senator OSOTSI saga in Kisumu pic.twitter.com/eh4a7dJ4Ns  DAILY POST  (@dailypost_ke) April 9, 2026

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Ellen O'Donoghue, James Cox, Vivienne Clarke, Michael Bolton and Sarah Slater

Nationwide fuel price protests have entered a third day

Protesters continue to block OConnell Street and OConnell Bridge in Dublin city centre

The Defence Forces have been asked to help gardai in their response to the protests

Protesters manipulated by outside actors like Tommy Robinson, says OCallaghan

Delays have been reported on the M50, N4/N4, N3/M3, N2/M2, M1, M7, M8, M18, M20, M8, M22, M1 and several other routes

The National Transport Authority created a dedicated web page for information on service disruptions

General traffic alerts can be checked here

Full list of cancelled Bus Eireann routes

Full list of Dublin Bus services cancelled, diverted or delayed

Forecourts are beginning to run out of fuel around the country as blockades continue at fuel terminals and the refinery in Co Cork.

9.15pm

We have been receiving a high number of reports that home carers all over the country, and particularly in the south and west, are struggling to secure fuel supplies due to the ongoing protests, said Joseph Musgrave, Chief Executive of Home & Community Care Ireland (HCCI).

Some carers have already reported they cannot attend their clients due to the lack of fuel to provide essential care, he added.

He said HCCI have contacted the Minister of State for Older People, Kieran ODonnell, requesting an urgent meeting tomorrow to find solutions and ensure a steady, secure supply of fuel for carers.

Many home carers have no alternative to travelling by car to their clients homes. The Government must ensure the essential and uninterrupted care of the elderly and the vulnerable throughout this crisis, said Musgrave.

8.25pm

The HSE South West is actively managing the emerging fuel supply issue in the Region that has the potential to impact service delivery across Cork and Kerry.

As a precaution, local contingency plans have been activated.

It says critical services, including emergency care, urgent patient transport and time-sensitive treatments will be prioritised.

HSE South West advises people attending appointments to contact the service directly if they are concerned about being late or missing their appointment.

8.10pm

In a post on X, Sean Fleming, a Fianna Fail TD for Laois called on the Government to cap fuel prices.

Since prices went up at the pumps, the Government is getting more money from taxes and I believe its important to keep costs down at this stage for the entire economy.

He added this will help keep inflation down as the costs go up. People will want wage increases to match the new inflation rate that can rise when you keep pushing up costs and it will be much cheaper for the government in the long term and add stability to the economy by keeping costs down, inflation down.

He said he is asking the Government to that right away.

Fleming told the Leinster Express in Co Laois that he held this position prior to the protest beginning.

He said he believed that the cost of a cap could be funded by the increase in taxes that it was taking due to the rising prices. He said the tax take had increased beyond what was expected in the Budget for 2026.

I would say the Government is getting a windfall tax, which I would say should be used to keep the prices down and inflation down and thereby keep demands for increased wages down also, he told the outlet.

7:25pm

The People Of Ireland Against Fuel Prices Protest have confirmed that the protest will continue tomorrow, Friday, April 10th.

In a post on Facebook, the organising group said, This is now the fourth date of protest and it will continue until the Government listen to the people of Ireland.

The Government really need to engage with us to stop this.

Remember we did not cause this and it is only going to get bigger and bigger every week if it comes to it, the post added.

7.05pm

Corrib Oil is bringing in a temporary 50 limit per customer transaction at its forecourts.

It's also introducing quantity restrictions for commercial customers.

In a statement, it says it's closely monitoring the situation and will continue to respond as it evolves.

7:00 pm

The Social Democrats said the Government should try to de-escalate the situation by meeting organisers and hearing their concerns.

Party justice spokesman Gary Gannon said everyone had a right to protest but added that the blockading of fuel depots, motorways and large parts of the capital is wrong.

He said meeting organisers should be done on the strict condition that the protests across the country would end.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the party appreciates the deep distress and frustration experienced by hauliers, contractors and all those causing blockades, and recognised their right to protest.

However, she said: We would urge protesters to end their blockades immediately as these are causing significant disruption to workers and families, many tens of thousands of whom are already in energy arrears and huge financial difficulties with a cost-of-living crisis.

6.30pm

The Health Minister says the impact of the fuel protests on hospital services is being closely monitored.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill says the advice for attending facilities such as the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin is everyone should plan that it will take longer to get there.

"How precisely are you supposed to do that if you are a pregnant woman and your contractions start and has to try plan extra time to get to the Rotunda is beyond me.

"It is that kind of very difficult decisions that people are being impacted by. Not every emergency arrives by an ambulance, they have to get there quickly, and it is simply not possible in the same predictable way that need it in a very important time of their lives."

6.22pm

Fuel protesters are being manipulated by outside actors, the Minister for Justice has said.

Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Jim OCallaghan said: When you look online at present, you can see that many outside actors are seeking to manipulate these people for their own purposes.

He added that British right-wing activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was referring to and relying upon these protests to advance his own political measures.

5.56pm

Some critical deliveries have left Foynes Port in Co Limerick, gardai have said in a post on X.

In line with our tradition of policing by consent, An Garda Siochana has been operating on the basis of the 4Es  Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce. Following positive engagement some critical deliveries have departed Foynes Port in Co. Limerick this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/bhILlM7l5z  An Garda Siochana (@GardaTraffic) April 9, 2026

5.50pm

Fuel protesters are being manipulated by outside actors, the Justice Minister has said.

Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Jim OCallaghan said when you look online at present, you can see that many outside actors are seeking to manipulate these people for their own purposes.

He added that British right-wing activist Tommy Robinson was referring to and relying upon these protests to advance his own political measures.

So I think we need to recognise that people are being manipulated here, and we need to bring an end to these protests.

Read more here.

5.36pm

The public is still being advised to plan their journey before travelling and to allow extra travel time.

The National Transport Authority has created a dedicated web page for information on service disruptions, which can be viewed here.

People can also check here for general traffic alerts.

Those using public transport should still check with their operators in case of diversions or disruptions.

5.30pm

The National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG) was convened on Thursday to assess the impacts of the ongoing blockades on the transport network nationwide and the effects on the provision of vital services.

"The group was briefed that the blockades are continuing to cause significant disruption for the public, to supply chains and vital services, including emergency services and public transport," a statement said.

The NECG was told that Ireland's fuel supplies overall remain robust and resilient, but the current situation is solely a distribution issue that can be alleviated by ending blockades and restoring access for delivery vehicles.

"Road access to a number of ports continues to be constricted, which is affecting the distribution of fuel to service stations in some parts of the country," it said.

There is now "serious concern" regarding access to fuel for emergency services vehicles, which may have consequent impacts on the availability of some services should the disruption continue, as a number of emergency services operate on the basis of fuel cards, and obtain their fuel from forecourts.

A NECG subgroup has been established to focus on the specific impacts on the emergency services fleet and to consider possible contingencies, the statement said.

"The HSE briefed the group that transport disruption is causing people to miss scheduled medical appointments and is impacting the provision of homecare and critical care, such as dialysis and cancer treatment, to some service users."

The HSE also warned that the blockades have the potential to disrupt the time-sensitive delivery of key medicines and medical devices, "given that frequent and reliable transport is critical to their supply."

The NECG was briefed on the impacts being felt by the agriculture sector.

"The obstruction of key access routes from ports is now threatening the provision of animal feed supplies and other vital materials, resulting in potential animal welfare issues and a threat to livelihoods. Some farms are also experiencing disruption to fertiliser delivery.

"An Garda Siochana is operating the 4 Es model  engage, explain, encourage, enforce.

"Policing is moving out of enforcement stage. Gardai are advising those involved to immediately cease blockades. An Garda Siochana and the Defence Forces are working collaboratively in this regard."

The NECG will meet on an ongoing basis to continue to monitor the situation and will provide regular updates to Government, the statement finished.

5.08pm

Around 40 forecourts in Munster have closed pumps due to a low supply of fuel, while the majority of service stations in Kilkenny city have now run out, Sarah Slater reports.

Carlow-Kilkenny Fianna Fail TD Peter Chap Cleere has said that the Government should realise that rural Ireland must not be left behind.

Cleere said in an online statement that fuel prices are putting real pressure on families and farmers across rural Ireland, and he knows how difficult this is for many people right now.

For those living in rural communities, there is no alternative to driving; its essential for work, school runs, and everyday life, he highlighted.

Rising diesel and petrol costs are hitting hardest where there are the fewest options, and farmers in particular are facing significant challenges with the cost of green diesel.

Farmers are the backbone of our rural economy and the custodian of our land and they need continued support.

Cleere said that he welcomed the steps the Government has taken to date, including the 250 million package of supports and remarks by Taoiseach Micheal Martin regarding ongoing dialogue and planned engagement with the haulage and agri-sector.

Ive raised these concerns on behalf of the people of Carlow/Kilkenny directly with the Taoiseach and Minister Darragh OBrien and will continue working to ensure rural communities and farmers are supported.

4.56pm

Dublin Airport have issued a passenger advisory to anyone travelling to and from Dublin Airport this evening to allow extra time for their journey due to the protests causing traffic disruption on roads approaching the airport.

 Passenger Advisory: 16.30 Passengers travelling to and from Dublin Airport this evening are advised to allow extra time for their journey due to protest activity causing traffic disruption on roads approaching the airport, including the M1 and M50.  Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) April 9, 2026

The advisory comes after people were pictured with luggage walking past traffic on the M50 Northbound.

People with their luggage walk past the heavy traffic on Dublin's M50 Northbound, due to vehicles taking part on the third day of a National Fuel Protest against rising fuel prices. Photo: PA

4.41pm

Forecourts are beginning to run out of stock as a "direct result of the blockades at fuel terminals," according to Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland.

Blockades have been in place at fuel terminals in Foynes and Galway, and at the refinery in Whitegate, Co Cork, since Wednesday.

McPartland appealed to those blocking the terminals and refinery to "stand down".

"The position is straightforward. If access to fuel terminals and refineries is obstructed, fuel cannot be loaded and delivered as normal. If fuel cannot be delivered as normal, stock levels at forecourts cannot be maintained. What we are now seeing at some sites is the inevitable consequence of those blockades," McPartland said.

Since the first attack on Iran at the end of February, the industry's focus has been to protect Ireland's security of fuel supply, he said.

"The sector has worked hard and effectively to ensure that Ireland continued to have a reliable supply of fuel available.

"It is therefore disappointing that, at a time when enormous effort has gone into maintaining supply to Ireland, people in Ireland are now being prevented from accessing that fuel because key fuel facilities are being blocked," McPartland said.

The people who are impacted by the fuel blockades are "not politicians, not civil servants, and not fuel suppliers.

"They are households, businesses, farmers, hauliers, workers, and communities across the country. They are the very people who rely on fuel to live their lives, to get to work, to run their businesses, to care for family members, and to keep essential services moving."

McPartland described the situation as going "beyond inconvenience," because when fuel deliveries are blocked, "the consequences are serious.

"It is not just routine motorists who are affected," he said, with essential workers, businesses, communities and emergency services all being affected.

"If forecourts run dry, emergency vehicles will also face difficulty accessing the fuel they need."

He added that Fuels for Ireland "have real empathy" for the concerns driving the protest, saying they are "real and legitimate.

"But blockading fuel terminals and refineries is a serious misjudgement. It does not put pressure on decision-makers in any meaningful way. Instead, it disrupts the lives of ordinary people and damages the very communities the protesters say they represent."

McPartland has appealed "directly to those involved" to stand down their protests at fuel terminals and at the refinery.

"We do not want to see a situation in which An Garda Siochana or the Defence Forces are required to intervene. We do not want to see anybody getting into legal difficulty. But nor can Irelands fuel infrastructure be obstructed without serious consequences for the public.

"Those involved should now reflect carefully on whether this is really the right way to make their point. The reality is simple: if you block fuel facilities, you reduce the availability of fuel at forecourts. That is exactly what is now happening."

4.30pm

A full road closure due to an incident on the M50 Southbound at Junction 3 to Junction 4 has been reported by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

Motorists have been advised to expect delays.

4pm

Sign at Barrons Spar and Circle K filling station informing motorists there is no more diesel available. Photo: David Raleigh

Barron's Spar Circle K fuel forecourt in Blackwater, Ardnacrusha Co Clare, ran out of diesel on Thursday as a consequence of the fuel protest blockades, David Raleigh reports.

Manager Alannah Barron said she did not know when her diesel pumps would run again.

For the last two days we have seen an awful lot of people panic-buy, people are stocking up with Jerry-Cans and everything, said Barron.

Unfortunately we are now out of diesel, and I have no idea when our next delivery is going to beits obviously very challenging, she added.

Motorists queued up to fill up their tanks throughout the day, but were only able to do so if they had petrol vehicles. Diesel owners were met with signs strapped to the diesel pumps that read: Out of fuel. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Our customers are like myself, we just dont know (when it will end), hopefully we will get some answers soon, but I suppose nobody knows, said Barron.

Our Spar is still open, we are still trading and we have petrol, we just have no diesel, she said.

Across the border into Limerick, filling stations reportedly placed a cap on how much fuel motorists could purchase.

Long queues of vehicles outside filling stations were reported across the Midwest.

3.23pm

The Defence Forces has four heavy-lift recovery trucks available to assist An Garda Siochana to clear vehicles involved in blockades.

An Garda Siochana has requested the assistance of the Defence Forces to deal with protests on major routes, fuel depots and outside an oil refinery.

The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces said its troops are "happy" to lift heavy load vehicles out of the way if they continue to block critical infrastructure.

Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy has said soldiers are ready to go.

"The Defence Forces have been asked by An Garda Siochana to provide supports, and happy to do that. Weve looked at the request, and the support that the Defence Forces will provide will be in the form of heavy lift recovery vehicles to a number of locations around the country," he said.

"This is a unique capability that the Defence Forces has, and we will provide that for as long as An Garda Siochana need it."

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Helen McEntee has said that if army resources are necessary to ensure road blockages are open then that is what needs to happen."

Defence Minister Helen McEntee and Defence Forces Chief of Staff Rossa Mulcahy speaking to the media about fuel protests. Photo: PA

2.56pm

There is only one lane open on the M50 northbound after Junction 6 at Blanchardstown, TII have said.

Road users have been told to expect delays.

2.35pm

There are reports of people queuing at fuel pumps in Galway city, with some pumps having already run out.

Some forecourts around the country are limiting how much fuel people can buy, with others running out of petrol and diesel.

The head of Fuels for Ireland has said that after 48 hours of blockades at the country's main depots, a number of sites have already run out of stock, particularly in Galway, Cork and Kerry.

Others are putting a 'demand management' system in place, which will limit the amount of fuel customers can buy at a time, in an attempt to stretch out remaining stock.

CEO Kevin McPartlan told Newstalk that while he has a lot of empathy for protesters, the action is now posing a 'real danger' to those who need to access petrol and diesel.

Sarah Slater reports that lines of motorists queuing for fuel have been reported across Waterford county, with similar scenes around Clonmel in Tipperary.

2.28pm

Mary Lou McDonald has urged the Government to pick up the phone and speak with protesters blocking fuel depots and motorways in Ireland.

The Sinn Fein leader was speaking to the press on the third day of demonstrations over rising fuel prices, which have brought parts of the country to a standstill.

Asked about the decision by the Minister for Justice to call in the Defence Forces to assist gardai, she said: The decision that needs to be made is for Micheal Martin and Simon Harris to lift the phone."

Read the full piece here.

2.26pm

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has said that a full road closure is in place on the M50 northbound at Junction 5, Finglas.

Expect delays, it said on social media.

Delays are affecting many major roads in the country, as well as the M50, including the M18, M9, M8, M7/N7, M4/N4, M3/N3 and several other routes.

2.21pm

A fuel protester in Macroom, Co Cork who runs a one-man operation has said that they are not asking for the world from the Government, Olivia Kelleher reports.

Gearoid Crowley, who was outside an event being attended by Taoiseach Micheal Martin on Thursday morning warned that members of the public need to be aware of the impact of the surge in fuel prices on everything from goods to services.

"What would be considered a small (contracting) outfit - five tractors, a silage harvester and a pike on the pit - that man is facing this summer, if this is not brought under control, that man is facing an extra 1500 per day on his fuel bill.

"He cannot absorb all that - he is going to have to pass that on. If he passes that on, that knock-on effect is going to go down the line."

"That is going to end up in the shops on the shelves in the price of food," Crowley said.

Crowley added that they were taking part in the protest for the entire country. Not just to line our own pockets.

"We want to be able to continue to produce food at an affordable level for the general public, plain and simple."

2.10pm

The Irish Road Haulage Association has reiterated the fact that they are not taking part in any protest actions while they negotiate with the government.

"We are currently in negotiations with government for more supports for our industry following crippling fuel price increases," the organisation said in a statement.

"We reiterate that we will not be taking part in any protest actions whilst we are negotiating in good faith with government  contrary to reports on social media."

1.30pm

We want to be heard, a fuel protester has said as disruption and delays on Irish motorways entered a third day.

Shane Bowhan, from Co Louth, who operates a small minibus company, said he was joining the demonstration because the rise in fuel prices is just not viable.

HGV and tractor drivers have continued to impede journeys to express their discontent with the Governments response to surging fuel prices as a result of the war in Iran.

Protests that began as slow-moving convoys have escalated to include the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork.

Speaking on the N1 in Dundalk, Bowhan said: My fuel bill has gone from 550 to 600 a week extra.

I know it doesnt sound like much, Im only a year-and-a-half in business, Im running three minibuses, theres other operators out there with 40, 50 buses, about 20-grand deficit.

So we have to come out and do something, Im only making a small wage getting started, so that 500, 600 that Im paying extra, thats my wage gone for the week.

So whats the point in doing it if Im going to do it for free?

We have to go out and do something.

He said the Government needs to step up and admit that theres a problem.

12.54pm

Tipperary-based Independent councillor and Commissioner of Oaths John OHeney is appealing to the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, not to deploy the Army.

Heney believes that once this line is crossed, there is no going back and that it will create a major divide in the country that will have a lasting impact.

Dialogue and talks must take place with those affected straight away, many of whom do not feel represented by the Irish Road Haulage Association, he continued.

The last thing these people want to do is protest, but they have been pushed to the pin of their collar by the current fuel prices. If those in power can not see this, then they are totally detached from the reality on the ground. Livelihoods are at stake nationwide.

Laois senator Maria McCormack has also backed protesters. In a post on social media, the Sinn Fein senator said: "Peaceful protest happens when people feel they have been left with no other choice. I stand with them in calling for action from this government.

In Kilkenny, two Inver fuel stations in the city and in the village of Slieverue are advising customers that they are currently experiencing delays in fuel deliveries.

In an online statement, they added that they are doing everything possible to continue serving customers.

12.18pm

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and chief executive of the Health Service Executive Anne OConnor have jointly called for all approaches to medical facilities to be kept clear during ongoing protests in Ireland over rising fuel costs.

Carroll MacNeill and OConnor said access was required for emergency services, for patients attending medical appointments and to ensure staff can get to work.

They said: Attending hospital or receiving treatment in the community, whether in an emergency situation or for a routine appointment, is a vulnerable time for a patient and their family.

Please respect the critical need for clear and safe access to all healthcare services, to ensure that access to care is never compromised.

12.15pm

Transport Infrastructure Ireland has released a statement on the disruption to Irish roads on Thursday.

"There is significant distribution across the national road/motorway network currently impacting Counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Laois, Offaly, Kildare, Galway, Cork, and Dublin," the statement, posted on X, said.

"TIIs network operations are working closely with the Garda Traffic Core to assist in managing the on-going traffic distribution. TII requests that all road users leave the hard shoulder available for emergency services. The protest is mobile at times and can impact different regions at different times."

Anyone planning a journey has been advised to visit the TII website here for live information on the impact across the national road and motorway network.

12.11pm

Several Dublin Bus routes have been cancelled, delayed and diverted due to the protests.

"We wish to advise customers that due to fuel price protests, we are experiencing ongoing severe service disruptions and delays across the Dublin Bus network," a statement on the Dublin Bus website said.

The following services are among those to be cancelled:

142 - 16:35, 16:50, 17:05 and 17:35

P29 - 17:00,17:20 and 17:40

51D - 17:15

69X - 17:45

X1 - 16:50, 17:30, 17:50 and 18:30

X2 - 15:30, 16:15 and 17:10

41X - 17:00, 17:15 and 17:30

X27 - 16:12, 17:11, 17:30, 17:50

33X - 16:15, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30 and 18:00

33D - 17:45

X31 - 16:30, 17:00, 17:30

X25 - 16: 14,16:39, 16:50, 17:07, 17:15 and 17:22

X32 - 16:45, 17:15

X28 - 16:50, 17:30

X30 - 16:50, 17:25

39X - 16:55, 17:25

For the full, up-to-date list of cancelled, delayed, and diverted routes, click here.

11.56am

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has described the threat of using the Defence Forces against protesters as "extremely worrying.

"It should be withdrawn," Murphy said in a post on X.

"People have a right to protest without the army being sent against them. This will create a dangerous precedent that will be used against other protesters in future." Green Party leader Roderic OGorman has called on fuel protesters to end their blockage ahead of planned interventions from the Defence Forces. Irish people need to be able to travel and access basic services like fuel. The right to protest is not a right to hold people to ransom. Those leading the protests should look at the impact of their actions on people around the country, and stop blocking roads, public transport and fuel depots, he said. If the Gardai need to be provided with extra support in keeping roads and basic services open, then thats the right thing to do - vulnerable people shouldnt be at risk of not being able to travel to the doctor, water supplies cannot be threatened for lack of fuel.

11.45am

Motorists have been urged to consider alternative routes as the M50 Junction 9 at the Red Cow is blocked.

M50 fuel protesters updates: J9 convoy northbound and Southbound. Avoid the area if possible. Drive with caution #m50safety  M50 Dublin (@M50Dublin) April 9, 2026

11.27am

The involvement by the Defence Forces in managing fuel protests will be limited and of a practical nature, Acting Deputy Garda Commissioner Paul Cleary has said.

An Garda Siochana remains in control of this policing operation, he told reporters at Garda headquarters.

We have well-established protocols with the Defence Forces that we can request their assistance on a case-by-case basis, which is what we have done at this stage, but, as I said, An Garda Siochana will retain control of the policing operation.

Any assistance provided by the Defence Forces will be as an aid to the military power and it will be limited and of a practical nature.

Asked if this would involve moving large vehicles out of the way, Mr Cleary said: Itll be as requested by the guards and, again, Im not going to go into the operational detail of our enforcement plans, but, as I said, this is a wellworn path with the Defence Forces.

Its not to say that they will necessarily or may even be used, but the form C70 is basically a request, so we have that option open to us. But, again, Im not going to go into the operational details of what they may or may not be doing.

11.19am

The Defence Forces have confirmed their assistance has been requested by gardai in response to fuel protest blockades, David Raleigh reports.

It is understood the army personnel have been deployed to assist in moving heavy machinery and vehicles blocking routes.

When asked if soldiers were dispatched to Foynes Port, Co Limerick, where blockades are in force, a Defence Forces spokesperson replied, The Defence Forces can confirm that assistance has been requested from An Garda Siochana in the form of heavy vehicle recovery.

As this operation is ongoing, we will not provide further comment until it is concluded, said the spokesperson.

They added that they are "aware of images circulating of MOWAG Armoured Personnel Carriers in convoy. We can confirm that these are the personnel of the 128th Infantry Battalion conducting mission readiness exercises ahead of deployment to UNIFIL next month.

10.52am

Several Bus Eireann routes have been cancelled due to the protests.

Customers have been advised to check the service updates section of the Bus Eireann website for the latest before travelling.

We wish to advise customers to plan their journey ahead and check our website for service updates and timetable information - https://t.co/RKieHbtHXa

For customer care visit https://t.co/AQnMxKbZb5 or @TFIupdates  Bus Eireann (@Buseireann) April 8, 2026

"Due to the fuel cost protests, several routes nationwide are experience considerable delays," the operator's website said.

"There are slow-moving convoys and a barricade in Sligo town affecting all services. In addition, there slow-moving convoys on the N18 (Ennis Road), starting in Bunratty heading towards Limerick."

Some of the routes with some cancelled services include Route 51 Cork to Galway, Route 320 Carleville to Limerick, and Route 350 Ennis to Galway.

The bus operator will update its list of cancelled or delayed services here.

10.46am

Gardai have urged protesters to end "blockades of fuel depots or face the full rigours of the law, Shawna Coxon, deputy commissioner operations, has said.

In a statement to the media at Garda HQ, she said: Despite our significant and prolonged engagement, which has included explaining and encouraging protesters to facilitate free movement of traffic, it is clear that some people have significantly escalated an already difficult situation by targeting critical infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries.

These are no longer protests. They are blockades.

These blockades are putting at risk supplies of food, fuel, clean water and animal feed. These are critical for the nation and its people. This is not tolerable and it is against the law.

She added, As part of our well-established, graduated policing response in dealing with protests, An Garda Siochana is now moving to an enforcement phase in relation to those impacting on critical infrastructure, unless they desist and disperse.

Coxon further stated, An Garda Siochana is advising protesters to immediately cease blockades of such critical national infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law.

10.39am

Kevin McPartland, the chief executive of Fuels for Ireland has described the response of Government to the fuel protests as underwhelming.

We should never have got to this point. I have a great deal of sympathy for the protesters, and the reality of very high fuel prices is having a huge impact on haulage contractors, on agricultural contractors and the response from Government today I think has been underwhelming. I think they do need to do more, he told RTE radios Today with David McCullagh show.

However, he did not agree with the protesters' actions and said the tactic of blocking fuel access to the rest of the country was not a very smart one.

Already, a number of forecourts had run out of stock, which was having an impact not just on Sunday drivers, but also on ambulances and people trying to get to essential work.

The cost that they (protestors) were asking people to bear was exceptionally high and I believe unreasonable. So I think it's appropriate that we take some action to resolve that."

The blockade of the Whitegate refinery meant that Munster was being badly affected as the refinery produces one third of the fuel used in the country, he added.

The number of forecourts out of stock will continue to multiply and the situation will get worse and worse, he warned, but he hoped the intervention of the Defence Forces would have a positive impact.

The problem with this is you might clear the gate, but there's nothing to stop protesters, maybe setting up a blockade down the road or whatever, if they wish to do so.

Look, we should never be in this situation. This is insane. And also, let's be frank, those blockades should never have been allowed to be established, because, as well as stopping fuel trucks getting in and out, they were also stopping access for emergency vehicles.

"And when you're talking about a fuel depot or a fuel refinery, the health and safety standards are absolutely appropriately, exceptionally high, and we maintain those standards, but one of those standards is that there needs to be maintained emergency access, and there was not for a couple of days this week in Galway, for example.

A traffic sign on Swords Road, Dublin, alerting drivers of delays due to vehicles taking part on the third day of a National Fuel Protest against rising fuel prices. Photo: PA

10.30am

Delays have been reported on the N4/N4, N3/M3, N2/M2, M1, M7, M8, M18, M20, M8, M22, M1 and several other routes.

Congestion Report: Delays on routes around Dublin: N4/M4 (E), N3/M3 (E), N2/M2 (E), M1 (S). Closures on following routes: M7 - J16 - J18 - BOTH DIRECTIONS

M7 - J29 - J30 - BOTH DIRECTIONS

M8 - J09 - J08 - NORTHBOUND

M8 - J18- SOUTHBOUND

M18 - J02 - J01 - SOUTHBOUND

M18 - pic.twitter.com/JEhpk8h1I8  TII Traffic (@TIITraffic) April 9, 2026

10.20am

Fuel protests in the Rosslare Harbour area are causing significant delays and disruption to traffic, including access to and from the port and surrounding areas, gardai have said.

If a member of the public has an urgent situation requiring passage throughthe affected areas, like medical needs or other time-critical circumstances impacted by roadblocks, they have been asked to contact Wexford Garda Station on 053 916 5200 and Gardai will assess whether Garda assistance is possible.

While these protests have been peaceful, they are causing significant disruption for people in some parts of the country, gardai added.

We have received reports of emergency workers being delayed, people missing hospital appointments or visits to loved ones, and significant disruption to public transport. Businesses and employees are also impacted.

While An Garda Siochana respects and facilitates the right to peaceful protest, we must also balance and protect the rights of individuals to travel freely and for businesses to operate.

Gardai said they are continuing to engage with protestors locally and are asking again that routes are kept open to facilitate public transport, diversion routes, and emergency access.

"An Garda Siochana has no role in permitting or authorising public gatherings or protests, and no permit is required to organise a protest. Our response to evolving events is graduated and focused on public safety."

10am

Independent Ireland has said it is "deeply concerning" that the government "would move to call in the army rather than pick up the phone and engage with those affected."

In a statement, the party said that the fuel crisis "did not emerge overnight.

"Yet the response from Government has been consistently tone deaf  refusing to listen and refusing to meaningfully engage with the thousands of businesses impacted by their tax policies."

The party said it has called for debate on the issue for weeks, having written to the Ceann Comhairle and calling on the Government to recall the Dail, "but the Government refused to act."

The Government's approach has "only escalated the situation," the statement added.

"Democracy is built on dialogue, on listening, and on working towards solutions. The deployment of the Defence Forces should always be a last resort, not an initial response.

"Elected representatives from a number of parties have already engaged on the ground, and there is clearly scope for mediation between protestors and Government.

"That opportunity should be taken. We are calling for calm on all sides and for immediate, meaningful engagement to resolve this situation before it escalates further."

9.26am

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said there was a fundamental problem with the idea that protestors could park lorries in the middle of OConnell Street, demand the government come talk to them and threaten not to remove the lorries until that happened.

That's not an acceptable form of protest, he told RTE radios David McCullagh show.

Everybody will be doing that every week. So the way to get a meeting now is just to rock up a couple of lorries, block motorways, block city centres, and you'd better talk to us now.

There was a whole range of organisations through whom those who were protesting could channel their issues, he added. There had been no effort made in advance to have any meaningful negotiation prior to these protests.

There are mechanisms that people can utilise and channels that they can utilise. But they need to call off these protests because they're hurting people. They're hurting ordinary people. What's the logic and sense in blocking access to fuel? There are some folk who will have no fuel this morning.

The government was in constant discussions to determine the most effective way to try to reduce pressure on those hardest hit.

Martin said he had been very taken aback when he learned that Whitegate was being blockaded. I couldn't comprehend it. For people who said that they're concerned about the price and so on of fuel. To now be denying people access to fuel is beyond any logical comprehension in my view.

I don't think it's fair and I don't think it's right to do that. People have been denied access to get to their jobs.

He denied that the government had set itself on a collision course with the protestors with the involvement of the Defence Forces.

We haven't set ourselves up on any collision course. If you just look at some of the stuff online, some of the statements that are being made, it's attack, attack, attack all the way. It's disrupt, disrupt, disrupt without any engagement with government.

And so the divisive nature of this process was not something that was initiated by government in any shape or form. And the last number of days bear evidence to that, a testament to that. We have said all along, we are negotiating with a whole range of groups who are properly constituted and representative.

Citizens can always find avenues to engage with government. There's no question about that. But not by blockading city centres or by blockading motorways or denying people access to fuel and to water.

9.24am

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said it was unacceptable that people were being denied access to fuel because of the protests at critical infrastructure.

It's unacceptable that people would be denied access to clean water. So the essentials that enable Uisce Eireann to enable public water supplies are now being denied through the blockade and fines. People are finding difficulty getting to health appointments, he told RTE radios Today with David McCullagh show.

The essentials of the economy were being blocked and paralysed, that was not fair to the people of Ireland.

It's not a fair form of protest. Government accepts the right of people to protest and the need for peaceful protest in this country. That's a cornerstone of a democracy. And there's always a balance in terms of how one responds to protests. We don't want to be denying that right or denying opportunities for people to articulate their position and perspectives on a variety of issues.

But these type of protests have gone far beyond the pale now in terms of the undermining of people's fundamental rights, the citizens' rights to access the essentials of life itself.

It's extraordinary that we've managed to keep the economy going and keep supplies of fuel going, notwithstanding the unprecedented war in the Middle East. And it's now action taken by people here on our own island that is denying people access to fuel and is undermining supply.

The Taoiseach said the blocking or motorways and main arteries into cities unacceptable as it was turning the city centre into car parks, it was making life very difficult for businesses on those streets, trying to survive.

The difficulty for Government was the lack of a clear central focus as to who had coordinated the protests. He pointed out that John Dallon had admitted he had no responsibility for the blockades at refineries.

This is the difficulty here. We work through national organisations. We work through properly constituted organisations, like the Irish Road Haulage Association, like the IFA, ICMSA, Macra na Feirme, the Contractors' Associations.

We have a long and trusted and accepted mechanism for negotiating with different sectors of our community and our society. We do that regularly. We're still doing".

A man sits in a tractor wheel as vehicles are parked on O'Connell Street in Dublin.

9.05am

The M9 in Co Kilkenny at the Danesfort exit is now blocked by protestors in a slow moving convoy made up of trucks, cars and tractors.

The Tipperary road and the Knockagh roundabouts in Cahir are also at a standstill due to protests which lead onto the M8 at Cashel where a blockade continued overnight.

8.51am

A representative of the fuel protestors John Dallon has said that the protests will not be called off despite plans by the Minister for Justice to involve the Defence Forces in moving protestors from critical infrastructure.

Micheal Martin came out with a statement yesterday saying the protest was a total disrespect to the people of the island of Ireland. For a man of his integrity and intelligence, it's absolutely disgraceful the statement he came out with and totally disrespectful to the people of Ireland, he told RTE radios Morning Ireland.

It's the government that's holding the country to ransom, not the protesters. Now the protesters and the people of the island of Ireland have a constitutional right to have a peaceful protest and this protest does not just involve people that's in business. This involves nurses, doctors, everybody going to schools or going to work that has to put diesel and petrol into their cars and buy food to put on the table, pay mortgages.

This is all about the people of the island of Ireland that put that government in power. This government seems to be able to sail off into the sunlight and do what they like and the Irish people seem to have no voice at all."

John Dallon, a spokesman for the groups protesting about fuel prices on OConnell Bridge. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Images

Dallon said that the Irish Road Hauliers Association, which is going to meet with the government this week, did not represent some of the small haulage companies, while the IFA and ICMSA were just two of the seven farming organisations.

So there's a bit, there's a kind of a disrespect in all of this. And going into their meetings, there needs to be a voice from the public of Ireland and there's three to four people appointed and there was an email sent into government.

Dallon said he did not speak for all the protestors and he could not help it if the situation escalated.

The only person that can stop this protest and that's the Tanaiste, Simon Harris and the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin. It's up to them.

"The protestors want a cap on white diesel of between 160 and 170, he said. Thats what we want, and petrol capped as well.

The protests would continue, he said, until the Tanaiste and the Taoiseach respect the people of the island of Ireland that put them in power. Until they allow the representatives of the people of Ireland that were put forward as a voice for them in their meetings.

Dallon said he was not representing those who were blockading the refineries. I have no voice as regards what's happening down the country as regards blocking up ports. I have no voice in that. What's happening down there is out of my hands. I have no control over what happens

When asked about his message to people unable to get to work today, he responded: All I can say to them people is just bear with us, stand with us because we're fighting for the people's rights of the island of Ireland. And if you don't stand by us, this government is going to sail into the sunlight and not listen to us anymore. This is our one time and one time only for the government to realise that the people of Ireland have a voice and it needs to be heard.

8.40am

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has said that the fuel protestors should not be allowed have an impact on the lives of ordinary people.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast with Anton Savage the Minister told of how some of his constituents had to travel to Dublin on Wednesday evening and book into a hotel to ensure they could make a hospital appointment on Thursday morning.

That is not how we allow protests to impact people's lives.

Heydon defended the decision of the Minister for Justice to involve the Defence Forces in assisting gardai in removing large vehicles from blocking vital infrastructures.

We are talking about very large vehicles here in certain instances. So obviously that does need a tailored response in that regard where they are blocking critical infrastructure.

The Minister said he and the Government understood that people were very angry but everyone had been impacted by the significant fallout from the Iranian war. The Government was responding in real time to ensure that its interventions were measured and mindful of their impact.

The continued blockade of critical infrastructure would have a knock-on impact on every citizen, people who aren't out protesting, but who too are impacted by high energy costs and the impact and the fallout of this war".

"Government cannot shield the public from every element of the impact of the conflict in the Middle East. But what we do have to do is make sure that our interventions are right. You know, there are people and protesters here talking about a cap on the price of diesel and beyond.

And I understand why they need that. Because I understand the sustainability of the current prices. But the consequences of government intervening and doing that, we saw what energy caps did with Liz Truss's short government and how people in the UK are going to pay high mortgage rates for the rest of their mortgage terms over the next 20 or 30 years. So government has to be responsible.

8.30am

The statement from the Minister for Justice reads: "The Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed that it is well established in law that the Defence Forces may assist An Garda Siochana in aid to the civil power, when requested and when required. On each occasion that the support of the Defence Forces is required, An Garda Siochana issues a form C70 to the Defence Forces to request their assistance.

"The blocking of critical national infrastructure will not be permitted to continue and the assistance of the Defence Forces has been requested. Large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure will be removed. Owners of those vehicles should remove them immediately this morning and should not complain later about any damage caused to those vehicles during removal.

"Denying people access to fuel and clean water is an unacceptable interference in the most basic of human rights."

8.18am

Slow moving protests have already kicked off from the Circle K garage in Tinryland, Carlow and are now starting to block the M9 which leads from Waterford City to the M50.

In Naas from the Castlewarden Junction 6 there is a slow moving protest/convoy underway and from J9a Millennium which is citybound with heavy delays likely behind it all the way to the M50.

Motorists are being advised to use back roads such as Naas, Johnstown, Kill, Kilteel, Rathcoole to get around it.

Alternatively they should get off at J9a and head for M4 at Maynooth/Celbridge.

A large number of protesters have gathered at the Tesco roundabout in Tullamore, Co Offaly,

Labour and Wexford TD George Lawlor has ploughed his support behind protesters actions adding that the Government cannot bury their heads away.

Lawlor in an online statement said: Those involved in fuel protests are ordinary hardworking people trying to make a living.

The Government simply has to engage in talks and not dig in and bury their heads. Now is the time for leadership not inaction. Everyone deserves this."

7.49am

The Defence Forces have been officially called in to deal with fuel protests across the country.

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed the Army responded to a request from gardai to help remove large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure like oil and water facilities.



It comes on foot of an official request for assistance by An Garda Siochana.

In a statement Jim O'Callaghan said owners of vehicles should remove them immediately this morning, and should not complain later if those vehicles are damaged during removal.

7.36am

Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland has said that the blockade of refineries in Foynes, Galway and Whitegate that the 50 per cent of all of the fuel that is sold in Ireland going through those three facilities is now not getting to forecourts.

That means 50 per cent of households in Ireland, 50 percent of businesses in Ireland are not going to be able to get fuel if this is allowed to continue, he told Newstalk Breakfast with Anton Savage.

I find it interesting that the Taoiseach talks about a national sabotage and then we don't seem to be responding to that. To me, if you have the head of government talking about a national sabotage, then that would demand some sort of response from the state. And the Gardai standing back leaning on squad cars, watching this, isn't what we need here. We need to ensure that people can get fuel.

McPartland warned that if the blockades continue much longer then soon scores of forecourts around the country will run out of fuel.

Dublin Port needed to remain accessible, he said as it is the port that supplies Dublin airport. There needed to be some sort of enforcement by gardai.

7.28am

Dublin Bus spokesperson Blake Boland has warned commuters of the massive disruption again this morning and has spoken of efforts to transport people as close as possible to the city centre.

Speaking on RTE radios Morning Ireland, Boland said that Dublin Bus was creating temporary terminuses around the city which allowed buses run in as far as they could then turning around.

The protestors in the city centre were splintering out with two or three people blocking off certain junctions not allowing buses through, he said.

So what we've been doing is making diversions on those cross-city routes, but that's not really possible at this stage, to a large extent. So what we're doing now is we're creating what we might call temporary terminuses.

We're running buses from the outskirts of the city in as close as we can get them before they risk them being trapped by the protesters, turning those buses around and operating them back out. And that's particularly important on those cross-city routes. So it helps us to avoid buses getting trapped in the city centre and at least operating as much of that route as we can.

Boland added that Express services had also been cancelled with the purpose of using those resources to close the gaps".

His advice to commuters this morning was to keep up to date on what services were operating through the Dublin Bus website, the TFI website and social media.

7am

Today marks the third day of demonstrations against what protestors say is Government inaction on the fuel crisis.

Truckers and farmers blocked access to ports across the country overnight and plan to take convoys to the cities once again.

Organisers say they'll set off from various locations including Limerick, Sligo, Portumna, Portlaoise, Cork, Waterford and Tullamore from 7am, with more traffic disruption expected on motorways and in towns and cities.

The demonstrations continued into Wednesday with escalations including the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork, a move described by Taoiseach Micheal Martin as an act of national sabotage.

Other Coalition figures, including Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris, as well as Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan, emphasised the importance of access to fuel depots and warned of consequences for unlawful activity.

Martin also said it was not acceptable to turn Dublins main thoroughfare, OConnell Street, into a car park as protesters used tractors to substantially clog up traffic in the centre of the capital.
A JUDGE was critical of multiple state agencies in what he perceived as the poor treatment of a troubled female teen in care who hadnt seen any of her siblings in over a year.

This is morally wrong and will come back to haunt the state in 20 or 30 years time, said Judge Desmond Zaidan at a closed session of the District Court in Athy on 24 March.

The girl  who wont be 18 until December  was due in court that morning to answer three charges of assaulting her social workers at her care home elsewhere in the county on 26 February last as well as the destruction of one of the staff members phone a week earlier by throwing it against a wall.

However, things did not go well for the state from the off, and when first called one of her three accompanying social workers confessed they couldnt produce her as she had absconded again.

But youre the state. Its your responsibility! exclaimed an exasperated Judge Zaidan, who has been dealing with this girl for the last two years.

We cant touch her, we cant restrain her, said one of the social workers who is also one of the injured parties from the girls alleged assaults.

Youre the parent now! said the judge, as he held up her relevant sheets.

Two weeks ago  no show. Today  no show. I cant progress it without her, he said.

Why is she in state care if you cant control her? Give her back to her parents, he said before issuing a bench warrant for the girls arrest.

When later the social worker did present her to court just before lunch Sergeant Dave Hanrahan, court presenter, informed the judge that if she seek bail, because of her habit of abscondment and failure to appear, he would object to it.

Im not giving any state agencies an escape route. If I smell a rat, I have to do what is right for the state and for that girl.

If theres no bed for her (in Oberstown Youth Detention Centre) I cant jail her. Thats dead in the water, said the judge.

When she re-appeared with three social workers immediately after lunch, Sgt Hanrahan formally removed the States objection to her bail because theres no beds in Oberstown.

Notably, the girl was the third juvenile that day to benefit from this fortuitous overcrowding.

Solicitor Joe Coonan stood on her behalf informing the court that his client has eight brothers and seven sisters, and she hasnt seen any of her siblings since March 2025.

Some are in the system, some in prison, he said gently.

Youre entitled to see your brothers and sisters, said the judge.

Its morally wrong and will come back to haunt the Irish state in 20 or 30 years time.

Tell the judge in Longford to let her see her brothers and sisters, he addressed the social workers.

Well see you back here on 14 April. Out of curiosity, what would you like to do after you turn 18? asked the judge.

She told me shed like to be a nurse, but I told her she would have to go back to school, said Mr Coonan.
THE Minister for Defence, Helen McEntee attended the Commissioning Ceremony of the 101st Army Cadet Class at the Defence Forces Training Centre in the Curragh Camp, County Kildare, at which 52 Cadets were commissioned as officers.

The Minister was welcomed by the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy.

Addressing the newly commissioned officers, Minister McEntee said your commissioning marks the beginning of a lifelong commitment to service, leadership, and duty to the State. Today is the day in which you become part of the new generation of military leaders.

By accepting your commission, you take on a profound responsibility. You are entrusted with the leadership of others, with their welfare, their development, and, at times, their safety.

Leadership in the Defence Forces is not defined by rank alone, but by character, integrity and example.

The Minister noted that The security environment is becoming more complex and more demanding. In response, we are strengthening and modernising the Defence Forces to ensure they are equipped to meet current and future challenges. This means investing in capability, infrastructure and most importantly, in people.

"I am committed to delivering this change. Through record levels of investment and a clear strategic direction, we are working to build a Defence Forces that is modern, effective and fit for purpose capable of defending the State and its people.

The Minister added: Nobody doubts that the Defence Forces need greater investment, which is precisely why the Government is investing record funding, with 1.7 billion from the National Development Plan between now and 2030.

Finally, the Minister congratulated the newly commissioned Officers, of whom she said You bring honour on our country abroad. It is an enormous responsibility. I salute your courage and dedication.

Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy said: Today, marks a significant milestone for Oglaigh na hEireann and the careers of these cadets who have earned the privilege to serve as officers in the Irish Defence Forces.

Once commissioned they assume the responsibility of leadership and are entrusted with the command of our most valuable asset, our people. I have every confidence that they will uphold and champion the Defence Forces values."
8.55pm

There have been lengthy queues reported at Kildare petrol stations throughout the afternoon with a run on fuel today.

Diesel at Crookstown Service Station and Conlans in Athy ran out on Thursday evening, while petrol was still available on Thursday evening.

Crookstown Service Station said on social media that they would have a delivered in the morning.

It is also understood there was a limited amount of diesel at the Circle K in Kilcullen. The Applegreen garage on the Sallins Road in Naas also ran out of diesel on Thursday.





8.10pm

In a post on X, Sean Fleming, a Fianna Fail TD for Laois called on the Government to cap fuel prices.

Since prices went up at the pumps, the Government is getting more money from taxes and I believe its important to keep costs down at this stage for the entire economy. He added this will help keep inflation down as the costs go up. People will want wage increases to match the new inflation rate that can rise when you keep pushing up costs and it will be much cheaper for the government in the long term and add stability to the economy by keeping costs down, inflation down. He said he is asking the Government to that right away. Fleming told the Leinster Express in Co Laois that he held this position prior to the protest beginning.

He said he believed that the cost of a cap could be funded by the increase in taxes that it was taking due to the rising prices. He said the tax take had increased beyond what was expected in the Budget for 2026.

I would say the Government is getting a windfall tax, which I would say should be used to keep the prices down and inflation down and thereby keep demands for increased wages down also, he told the outlet.

7:25pm

The People Of Ireland Against Fuel Prices Protest have confirmed that the protest will continue tomorrow, Friday, April 10th.

In a post on Facebook, the organising group said, This is now the fourth date of protest and it will continue until the Government listen to the people of Ireland. The Government really need to engage with us to stop this. Remember we did not cause this and it is only going to get bigger and bigger every week if it comes to it, the post added.

7.05pm

Corrib Oil is bringing in a temporary 50 limit per customer transaction at its forecourts.

It's also introducing quantity restrictions for commercial customers.

In a statement, it says it's closely monitoring the situation and will continue to respond as it evolves.

7:00 pm

The Social Democrats said the Government should try to de-escalate the situation by meeting organisers and hearing their concerns.

Party justice spokesman Gary Gannon said everyone had a right to protest but added that the blockading of fuel depots, motorways and large parts of the capital is wrong.

He said meeting organisers should be done on the strict condition that the protests across the country would end.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the party appreciates the deep distress and frustration experienced by hauliers, contractors and all those causing blockades, and recognised their right to protest.

However, she said: We would urge protesters to end their blockades immediately as these are causing significant disruption to workers and families, many tens of thousands of whom are already in energy arrears and huge financial difficulties with a cost-of-living crisis. 6.30pm The Health Minister says the impact of the fuel protests on hospital services is being closely monitored.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill says the advice for attending facilities such as the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin is everyone should plan that it will take longer to get there.

"How precisely are you supposed to do that if you are a pregnant woman and your contractions start and has to try plan extra time to get to the Rotunda is beyond me.

"It is that kind of very difficult decisions that people are being impacted by. Not every emergency arrives by an ambulance, they have to get there quickly, and it is simply not possible in the same predictable way that need it in a very important time of their lives."

6.22pm

Fuel protesters are being manipulated by outside actors, the Minister for Justice has said.

Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Jim OCallaghan said: When you look online at present, you can see that many outside actors are seeking to manipulate these people for their own purposes. He added that British right-wing activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was referring to and relying upon these protests to advance his own political measures.

5.56pm Some critical deliveries have left Foynes Port in Co Limerick, gardai have said in a post on X.

4.30pm

A full road closure due to an incident on the M50 Southbound at Junction 3 to Junction 4 has been reported by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

Motorists have been advised to expect delays.

There are reports that a back road off the N7 has been blocked by an articulated lorry from Kilkeel to Brittas.

4pm

There are sign at Barrons Spar and Circle K filling station in Clare informing motorists there is no more diesel available.

Manager Alannah Barron said she did not know when her diesel pumps would run again.

For the last two days we have seen an awful lot of people panic-buy, people are stocking up with Jerry-Cans and everything, said Barron.

Unfortunately we are now out of diesel, and I have no idea when our next delivery is going to beits obviously very challenging, she added.

Motorists queued up to fill up their tanks throughout the day, but were only able to do so if they had petrol vehicles. Diesel owners were met with signs strapped to the diesel pumps that read: Out of fuel. Sorry for the inconvenience. Our customers are like myself, we just dont know (when it will end), hopefully we will get some answers soon, but I suppose nobody knows, said Barron.

Our Spar is still open, we are still trading and we have petrol, we just have no diesel, she said.

Across the border into Limerick, filling stations reportedly placed a cap on how much fuel motorists could purchase.

Long queues of vehicles outside filling stations were reported across the Midwest.

3.23pm

The Defence Forces has four heavy-lift recovery trucks available to assist An Garda Siochana to clear vehicles involved in blockades.

An Garda Siochana has requested the assistance of the Defence Forces to deal with protests on major routes, fuel depots and outside an oil refinery.

The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces said its troops are "happy" to lift heavy load vehicles out of the way if they continue to block critical infrastructure.

Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy has said soldiers are ready to go.

"The Defence Forces have been asked by An Garda Siochana to provide supports, and happy to do that. Weve looked at the request, and the support that the Defence Forces will provide will be in the form of heavy lift recovery vehicles to a number of locations around the country," he said.

"This is a unique capability that the Defence Forces has, and we will provide that for as long as An Garda Siochana need it."

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Helen McEntee has said that if army resources are necessary to ensure road blockages are open then that is what needs to happen."

Defence Minister Helen McEntee and Defence Forces Chief of Staff Rossa Mulcahy speaking to the media about fuel protests.

2.56pm

There is only one lane open on the M50 northbound after Junction 6 at Blanchardstown, TII have said.

Road users have been told to expect delays.

2.35pm

There are reports of people queuing at fuel pumps in Galway city, with some pumps having already run out.

Some forecourts around the country are limiting how much fuel people can buy, with others running out of petrol and diesel.

The head of Fuels for Ireland has said that after 48 hours of blockades at the country's main depots, a number of sites have already run out of stock, particularly in Galway, Cork and Kerry.

Others are putting a 'demand management' system in place, which will limit the amount of fuel customers can buy at a time, in an attempt to stretch out remaining stock.

CEO Kevin McPartlan told Newstalk that while he has a lot of empathy for protesters, the action is now posing a 'real danger' to those who need to access petrol and diesel.

Sarah Slater reports that lines of motorists queuing for fuel have been reported across Waterford county, with similar scenes around Clonmel in Tipperary.

2.28pm

Mary Lou McDonald has urged the Government to pick up the phone and speak with protesters blocking fuel depots and motorways in Ireland.

The Sinn Fein leader was speaking to the press on the third day of demonstrations over rising fuel prices, which have brought parts of the country to a standstill.

Asked about the decision by the Minister for Justice to call in the Defence Forces to assist gardai, she said: The decision that needs to be made is for Micheal Martin and Simon Harris to lift the phone."

2.26pm

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has said that a full road closure is in place on the M50 northbound at Junction 5, Finglas.

Expect delays, it said on social media.

Delays are affecting many major roads in the country, as well as the M50, including the M18, M9, M8, M7/N7, M4/N4, M3/N3 and several other routes.

2.21pm

A fuel protester in Macroom, Co Cork who runs a one-man operation has said that they are not asking for the world from the Government, Olivia Kelleher reports.

Gearoid Crowley, who was outside an event being attended by Taoiseach Micheal Martin on Thursday morning warned that members of the public need to be aware of the impact of the surge in fuel prices on everything from goods to services.

"What would be considered a small (contracting) outfit - five tractors, a silage harvester and a pike on the pit - that man is facing this summer, if this is not brought under control, that man is facing an extra 1500 per day on his fuel bill.

"He cannot absorb all that - he is going to have to pass that on. If he passes that on, that knock-on effect is going to go down the line."

"That is going to end up in the shops on the shelves in the price of food," Crowley said.

Crowley added that they were taking part in the protest for the entire country. Not just to line our own pockets.

"We want to be able to continue to produce food at an affordable level for the general public, plain and simple."

2.10pm The Irish Road Haulage Association has reiterated the fact that they are not taking part in any protest actions while they negotiate with the government.

"We are currently in negotiations with government for more supports for our industry following crippling fuel price increases," the organisation said in a statement.

"We reiterate that we will not be taking part in any protest actions whilst we are negotiating in good faith with government  contrary to reports on social media."

1.30pm

We want to be heard, a fuel protester has said as disruption and delays on Irish motorways entered a third day.

Shane Bowhan, from Co Louth, who operates a small minibus company, said he was joining the demonstration because the rise in fuel prices is just not viable.

HGV and tractor drivers have continued to impede journeys to express their discontent with the Governments response to surging fuel prices as a result of the war in Iran.

Protests that began as slow-moving convoys have escalated to include the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork.

Speaking on the N1 in Dundalk, Bowhan said: My fuel bill has gone from 550 to 600 a week extra.

I know it doesnt sound like much, Im only a year-and-a-half in business, Im running three minibuses, theres other operators out there with 40, 50 buses, about 20-grand deficit.

So we have to come out and do something, Im only making a small wage getting started, so that 500, 600 that Im paying extra, thats my wage gone for the week.

So whats the point in doing it if Im going to do it for free?

We have to go out and do something. He said the Government needs to step up and admit that theres a problem.

12.54pm

Tipperary-based Independent councillor and Commissioner of Oaths John OHeney is appealing to the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, not to deploy the Army.

Heney believes that once this line is crossed, there is no going back and that it will create a major divide in the country that will have a lasting impact.

Dialogue and talks must take place with those affected straight away, many of whom do not feel represented by the Irish Road Haulage Association, he continued.

The last thing these people want to do is protest, but they have been pushed to the pin of their collar by the current fuel prices. If those in power can not see this, then they are totally detached from the reality on the ground. Livelihoods are at stake nationwide. Laois senator Maria McCormack has also backed protesters. In a post on social media, the Sinn Fein senator said: "Peaceful protest happens when people feel they have been left with no other choice. I stand with them in calling for action from this government.

In Kilkenny, two Inver fuel stations in the city and in the village of Slieverue are advising customers that they are currently experiencing delays in fuel deliveries.

In an online statement, they added that they are doing everything possible to continue serving customers.

12.18pm

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and chief executive of the Health Service Executive Anne OConnor have jointly called for all approaches to medical facilities to be kept clear during ongoing protests in Ireland over rising fuel costs.

Carroll MacNeill and OConnor said access was required for emergency services, for patients attending medical appointments and to ensure staff can get to work.

They said: Attending hospital or receiving treatment in the community, whether in an emergency situation or for a routine appointment, is a vulnerable time for a patient and their family.

Please respect the critical need for clear and safe access to all healthcare services, to ensure that access to care is never compromised. 12.15pm Transport Infrastructure Ireland has released a statement on the disruption to Irish roads on Thursday.

"There is significant distribution across the national road/motorway network currently impacting Counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Laois, Offaly, Kildare, Galway, Cork, and Dublin," the statement, posted on X, said.

"TIIs network operations are working closely with the Garda Traffic Core to assist in managing the on-going traffic distribution. TII requests that all road users leave the hard shoulder available for emergency services. The protest is mobile at times and can impact different regions at different times."

Anyone planning a journey has been advised to visit the TII website here for live information on the impact across the national road and motorway network.

12.11pm

Several Dublin Bus routes have been cancelled, delayed and diverted due to the protests.

"We wish to advise customers that due to fuel price protests, we are experiencing ongoing severe service disruptions and delays across the Dublin Bus network," a statement on the Dublin Bus website said.

The following services are among those to be cancelled:

142 - 16:35, 16:50, 17:05 and 17:35 P29 - 17:00,17:20 and 17:40 51D - 17:15 69X - 17:45 X1 - 16:50, 17:30, 17:50 and 18:30 X2 - 15:30, 16:15 and 17:10 41X - 17:00, 17:15 and 17:30 X27 - 16:12, 17:11, 17:30, 17:50 33X - 16:15, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30 and 18:00 33D - 17:45 X31 - 16:30, 17:00, 17:30 X25 - 16: 14,16:39, 16:50, 17:07, 17:15 and 17:22 X32 - 16:45, 17:15 X28 - 16:50, 17:30 X30 - 16:50, 17:25 39X - 16:55, 17:25 For the full, up-to-date list of cancelled, delayed, and diverted routes, click here.

11.56am

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has described the threat of using the Defence Forces against protesters as "extremely worrying.

"It should be withdrawn," Murphy said in a post on X.

"People have a right to protest without the army being sent against them. This will create a dangerous precedent that will be used against other protesters in future."

Green Party leader Roderic OGorman has called on fuel protesters to end their blockage ahead of planned interventions from the Defence Forces.

Irish people need to be able to travel and access basic services like fuel. The right to protest is not a right to hold people to ransom. Those leading the protests should look at the impact of their actions on people around the country, and stop blocking roads, public transport and fuel depots, he said.

If the Gardai need to be provided with extra support in keeping roads and basic services open, then thats the right thing to do - vulnerable people shouldnt be at risk of not being able to travel to the doctor, water supplies cannot be threatened for lack of fuel. 11.45am Motorists have been urged to consider alternative routes as the M50 Junction 9 at the Red Cow is blocked.

11.27am

The involvement by the Defence Forces in managing fuel protests will be limited and of a practical nature, Acting Deputy Garda Commissioner Paul Cleary has said.

An Garda Siochana remains in control of this policing operation, he told reporters at Garda headquarters.

We have well-established protocols with the Defence Forces that we can request their assistance on a case-by-case basis, which is what we have done at this stage, but, as I said, An Garda Siochana will retain control of the policing operation.

Any assistance provided by the Defence Forces will be as an aid to the military power and it will be limited and of a practical nature. Asked if this would involve moving large vehicles out of the way, Mr Cleary said: Itll be as requested by the guards and, again, Im not going to go into the operational detail of our enforcement plans, but, as I said, this is a wellworn path with the Defence Forces.

Its not to say that they will necessarily or may even be used, but the form C70 is basically a request, so we have that option open to us. But, again, Im not going to go into the operational details of what they may or may not be doing.

11.19am

The Defence Forces have confirmed their assistance has been requested by gardai in response to fuel protest blockades, David Raleigh reports.

It is understood the army personnel have been deployed to assist in moving heavy machinery and vehicles blocking routes.

When asked if soldiers were dispatched to Foynes Port, Co Limerick, where blockades are in force, a Defence Forces spokesperson replied, The Defence Forces can confirm that assistance has been requested from An Garda Siochana in the form of heavy vehicle recovery. As this operation is ongoing, we will not provide further comment until it is concluded, said the spokesperson.

They added that they are "aware of images circulating of MOWAG Armoured Personnel Carriers in convoy. We can confirm that these are the personnel of the 128th Infantry Battalion conducting mission readiness exercises ahead of deployment to UNIFIL next month.

10.52am

Several Bus Eireann routes have been cancelled due to the protests.

Customers have been advised to check the service updates section of the Bus Eireann website for the latest before travelling.

"Due to the fuel cost protests, several routes nationwide are experience considerable delays," the operator's website said.

"There are slow-moving convoys and a barricade in Sligo town affecting all services. In addition, there slow-moving convoys on the N18 (Ennis Road), starting in Bunratty heading towards Limerick."

Some of the routes with some cancelled services include Route 51 Cork to Galway, Route 320 Carleville to Limerick, and Route 350 Ennis to Galway.

The bus operator will update its list of cancelled or delayed services here.

10.46am

Gardai have urged protesters to end "blockades of fuel depots or face the full rigours of the law, Shawna Coxon, deputy commissioner operations, has said.

In a statement to the media at Garda HQ, she said: Despite our significant and prolonged engagement, which has included explaining and encouraging protesters to facilitate free movement of traffic, it is clear that some people have significantly escalated an already difficult situation by targeting critical infrastructure such as fuel depots and refineries.

These are no longer protests. They are blockades.

These blockades are putting at risk supplies of food, fuel, clean water and animal feed. These are critical for the nation and its people. This is not tolerable and it is against the law. She added, As part of our well-established, graduated policing response in dealing with protests, An Garda Siochana is now moving to an enforcement phase in relation to those impacting on critical infrastructure, unless they desist and disperse. Coxon further stated, An Garda Siochana is advising protesters to immediately cease blockades of such critical national infrastructure or face the full rigours of the law.

10.39am

Kevin McPartland, the chief executive of Fuels for Ireland has described the response of Government to the fuel protests as underwhelming. We should never have got to this point. I have a great deal of sympathy for the protesters, and the reality of very high fuel prices is having a huge impact on haulage contractors, on agricultural contractors and the response from Government today I think has been underwhelming. I think they do need to do more, he told RTE radios Today with David McCullagh show.

However, he did not agree with the protesters' actions and said the tactic of blocking fuel access to the rest of the country was not a very smart one. Already, a number of forecourts had run out of stock, which was having an impact not just on Sunday drivers, but also on ambulances and people trying to get to essential work.

The cost that they (protestors) were asking people to bear was exceptionally high and I believe unreasonable. So I think it's appropriate that we take some action to resolve that."

The blockade of the Whitegate refinery meant that Munster was being badly affected as the refinery produces one third of the fuel used in the country, he added.

The number of forecourts out of stock will continue to multiply and the situation will get worse and worse, he warned, but he hoped the intervention of the Defence Forces would have a positive impact.

The problem with this is you might clear the gate, but there's nothing to stop protesters, maybe setting up a blockade down the road or whatever, if they wish to do so.

Look, we should never be in this situation. This is insane. And also, let's be frank, those blockades should never have been allowed to be established, because, as well as stopping fuel trucks getting in and out, they were also stopping access for emergency vehicles.

"And when you're talking about a fuel depot or a fuel refinery, the health and safety standards are absolutely appropriately, exceptionally high, and we maintain those standards, but one of those standards is that there needs to be maintained emergency access, and there was not for a couple of days this week in Galway, for example.

10.30am

Delays have been reported on the N4/N4, N3/M3, N2/M2, M1, M7, M8, M18, M20, M8, M22, M1 and several other routes.

10.20am

Fuel protests in the Rosslare Harbour area are causing significant delays and disruption to traffic, including access to and from the port and surrounding areas, gardai have said.

If a member of the public has an urgent situation requiring passage throughthe affected areas, like medical needs or other time-critical circumstances impacted by roadblocks, they have been asked to contact Wexford Garda Station on 053 916 5200 and Gardai will assess whether Garda assistance is possible.

While these protests have been peaceful, they are causing significant disruption for people in some parts of the country, gardai added.

We have received reports of emergency workers being delayed, people missing hospital appointments or visits to loved ones, and significant disruption to public transport. Businesses and employees are also impacted.

While An Garda Siochana respects and facilitates the right to peaceful protest, we must also balance and protect the rights of individuals to travel freely and for businesses to operate. Gardai said they are continuing to engage with protestors locally and are asking again that routes are kept open to facilitate public transport, diversion routes, and emergency access.

"An Garda Siochana has no role in permitting or authorising public gatherings or protests, and no permit is required to organise a protest. Our response to evolving events is graduated and focused on public safety."

10am

Independent Ireland has said it is "deeply concerning" that the government "would move to call in the army rather than pick up the phone and engage with those affected."

In a statement, the party said that the fuel crisis "did not emerge overnight.

"Yet the response from Government has been consistently tone deaf  refusing to listen and refusing to meaningfully engage with the thousands of businesses impacted by their tax policies."

The party said it has called for debate on the issue for weeks, having written to the Ceann Comhairle and calling on the Government to recall the Dail, "but the Government refused to act."

The Government's approach has "only escalated the situation," the statement added.

"Democracy is built on dialogue, on listening, and on working towards solutions. The deployment of the Defence Forces should always be a last resort, not an initial response.

"Elected representatives from a number of parties have already engaged on the ground, and there is clearly scope for mediation between protestors and Government.

"That opportunity should be taken. We are calling for calm on all sides and for immediate, meaningful engagement to resolve this situation before it escalates further."





9.26am

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said there was a fundamental problem with the idea that protestors could park lorries in the middle of OConnell Street, demand the government come talk to them and threaten not to remove the lorries until that happened.

That's not an acceptable form of protest, he told RTE radios David McCullagh show.

Everybody will be doing that every week. So the way to get a meeting now is just to rock up a couple of lorries, block motorways, block city centres, and you'd better talk to us now. There was a whole range of organisations through whom those who were protesting could channel their issues, he added. There had been no effort made in advance to have any meaningful negotiation prior to these protests.

There are mechanisms that people can utilise and channels that they can utilise. But they need to call off these protests because they're hurting people. They're hurting ordinary people. What's the logic and sense in blocking access to fuel? There are some folk who will have no fuel this morning. The government was in constant discussions to determine the most effective way to try to reduce pressure on those hardest hit.

Martin said he had been very taken aback when he learned that Whitegate was being blockaded. I couldn't comprehend it. For people who said that they're concerned about the price and so on of fuel. To now be denying people access to fuel is beyond any logical comprehension in my view.

I don't think it's fair and I don't think it's right to do that. People have been denied access to get to their jobs. He denied that the government had set itself on a collision course with the protestors with the involvement of the Defence Forces.

We haven't set ourselves up on any collision course. If you just look at some of the stuff online, some of the statements that are being made, it's attack, attack, attack all the way. It's disrupt, disrupt, disrupt without any engagement with government.

And so the divisive nature of this process was not something that was initiated by government in any shape or form. And the last number of days bear evidence to that, a testament to that. We have said all along, we are negotiating with a whole range of groups who are properly constituted and representative.

Citizens can always find avenues to engage with government. There's no question about that. But not by blockading city centres or by blockading motorways or denying people access to fuel and to water.

9.24am

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said it was unacceptable that people were being denied access to fuel because of the protests at critical infrastructure.

It's unacceptable that people would be denied access to clean water. So the essentials that enable Uisce Eireann to enable public water supplies are now being denied through the blockade and fines. People are finding difficulty getting to health appointments, he told RTE radios Today with David McCullagh show.

The essentials of the economy were being blocked and paralysed, that was not fair to the people of Ireland.

It's not a fair form of protest. Government accepts the right of people to protest and the need for peaceful protest in this country. That's a cornerstone of a democracy. And there's always a balance in terms of how one responds to protests. We don't want to be denying that right or denying opportunities for people to articulate their position and perspectives on a variety of issues.

But these type of protests have gone far beyond the pale now in terms of the undermining of people's fundamental rights, the citizens' rights to access the essentials of life itself.

It's extraordinary that we've managed to keep the economy going and keep supplies of fuel going, notwithstanding the unprecedented war in the Middle East. And it's now action taken by people here on our own island that is denying people access to fuel and is undermining supply. The Taoiseach said the blocking or motorways and main arteries into cities unacceptable as it was turning he city centre into car parks, it was making life very difficult for businesses on those streets, trying to survive.

The difficulty for Government was the lack of a clear central focus as to who had coordinated the protests. He pointed out that John Dallon had admitted he had no responsibility for the blockades at refineries.

This is the difficulty here. (We work through national organisations. We work through properly constituted organisations, like the Irish Road Haulage Association, like the IFA, ICMSA, Macra na Feirme, the Contractors' Associations.

We have a long and trusted and accepted mechanism for negotiating with different sectors of our community and our society. We do that regularly. We're still doing  A man sits in a tractor wheel as vehicles are parked on O'Connell Street in Dublin.

9.05am

The M9 in Co Kilkenny at the Danesfort exit is now blocked by protestors in a slow moving convoy made up of trucks, cars and tractors.

The Tipperary road and the Knockagh roundabouts in Cahir are also at a standstill due to protests which lead onto the M8 at Cashel where a blockade continued overnight.

8.51am

A representative of the fuel protestors John Dallon has said that the protests will not be called off despite plans by the Minister for Justice to involve the Defence Forces in moving protestors from critical infrastructure.

Micheal Martin came out with a statement yesterday saying the protest was a total disrespect to the people of the island of Ireland. For a man of his integrity and intelligence, it's absolutely disgraceful the statement he came out with and totally disrespectful to the people of Ireland, he told RTE radios Morning Ireland.

It's the government that's holding the country to ransom, not the protesters. Now the protesters and the people of the island of Ireland have a constitutional right to have a peaceful protest and this protest does not just involve people that's in business. This involves nurses, doctors, everybody going to schools or going to work that has to put diesel and petrol into their cars and buy food to put on the table, pay mortgages.

This is all about the people of the island of Ireland that put that government in power. This government seems to be able to sail off into the sunlight and do what they like and the Irish people seem to have no voice at all."

John Dallon, a spokesman for the groups protesting about fuel prices on OConnell Bridge. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Images Dallon said that the Irish Road Hauliers Association, which is going to meet with the government this week, did not represent some of the small haulage companies, while the IFA and ICMSA were just two of the seven farming organisations.

So there's a bit, there's a kind of a disrespect in all of this. And going into their meetings, there needs to be a voice from the public of Ireland and there's three to four people appointed and there was an email sent into government. Dallon said he did not speak for all the protestors and he could not help it if the situation escalated.

The only person that can stop this protest and that's the Tanaiste, Simon Harris and the Taoiseach, Micheal Martin. It's up to them. "The protestors want a cap on white diesel of between 160 and 170, he said. Thats what we want and petrol capped as well. The protests would continue, he said, until the Tanaiste and the Taoiseach respect the people of the island of Ireland that put them in power. Until they allow the representatives of the people of Ireland that were put forward as a voice for them in their meetings. Dallon said he was not representing those who were blockading the refineries. I have no voice as regards what's happening down the country as regards blocking up ports. I have no voice in that. What's happening down there is out of my hands. I have no control over what happens When asked about his message to people unable to get to work today, he responded: All I can say to them people is just bear with us, stand with us because we're fighting for the people's rights of the island of Ireland. And if you don't stand by us, this government is going to sail into the sunlight and not listen to us anymore. This is our one time and one time only for the government to realise that the people of Ireland have a voice and it needs to be heard. 8.40am Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has said that the fuel protestors should not be allowed have an impact on the lives of ordinary people.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast with Anton Savage the Minister told of how some of his constituents had to travel to Dublin on Wednesday evening and book into a hotel to ensure they could make a hospital appointment on Thursday morning.

That is not how we allow protests to impact people's lives. Heydon defended the decision of the Minister for Justice to involve the Defence Forces in assisting gardai in removing large vehicles from blocking vital infrastructures.

We are talking about very large vehicles here in certain instances. So obviously that does need a tailored response in that regard where they are blocking critical infrastructure. The Minister said he and the Government understood that people were very angry but everyone had been impacted by the significant fallout from the Iranian war. The Government was responding in real time to ensure that its interventions were measured and mindful of their impact.

The continued blockade of critical infrastructure would have a knock-on impact on every citizen, people who aren't out protesting, but who too are impacted by high energy costs and the impact and the fallout of this war".

"Government cannot shield the public from every element of the impact of the conflict in the middle east. But what we do have to do is make sure that our interventions are right. You know, there are people and protesters here talking about a cap on the price of diesel and beyond.

And I understand why they need that. Because I understand the sustainability of the current prices. But the consequences of government intervening and doing that, we saw what energy caps did with Liz Truss's short government and how people in the UK are going to pay high mortgage rates for the rest of their mortgage terms over the next 20 or 30 years. So government has to be responsible.

8.30am

The statement from the Minister for Justice reads: "The Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed that it is well established in law that the Defence Forces may assist An Garda Siochana in aid to the civil power, when requested and when required. On each occasion that the support of the Defence Forces is required, An Garda Siochana issues a form C70 to the Defence Forces to request their assistance.

"The blocking of critical national infrastructure will not be permitted to continue and the assistance of the Defence Forces has been requested. Large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure will be removed. Owners of those vehicles should remove them immediately this morning and should not complain later about any damage caused to those vehicles during removal.

"Denying people access to fuel and clean water is an unacceptable interference in the most basic of human rights."

8.18am

Slow moving protests have already kicked off from the Circle K garage in Tinryland, Carlow and are now starting to block the M9 which leads from Waterford City to the M50.

In Naas from the Castlewarden Junction 6 there is a slow moving protest/convoy underway and from J9a Millennium which is citybound with heavy delays likely behind it all the way to the M50.

Motorists are being advised to use back roads such as Naas, Johnstown, Kill, Kilteel, Rathcoole to get around it.

Alternatively they should get off at J9a and head for M4 at Maynooth/Celbridge.

A large number of protesters have gathered at the Tesco roundabout in Tullamore, Co Offaly, Labour and Wexford TD George Lawlor has ploughed his support behind protesters actions adding that the Government cannot bury their heads away.

Lawlor in an online statement said: Those involved in fuel protests are ordinary hardworking people trying to make a living.

The Government simply has to engage in talks and not dig in and bury their heads. Now is the time for leadership not inaction. Everyone deserves this."

7.49am

The Defence Forces have been officially called in to deal with fuel protests across the country.

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed the Army responded to a request from gardai to help remove large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure like oil and water facilities.

It comes on foot of an official request for assistance by An Garda Siochana.

In a statement Jim O'Callaghan said owners of vehicles should remove them immediately this morning, and should not complain later if those vehicles are damaged during removal.

7.36am

Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland has said that the blockade of refineries in Foynes, Galway and Whitegate that the 50 per cent of all of the fuel that is sold in Ireland going through those three facilities is now not getting to forecourts.

That means 50 per cent of households in Ireland, 50 percent of businesses in Ireland are not going to be able to get fuel if this is allowed to continue, he told Newstalk Breakfast with Anton Savage.

I find it interesting that the Taoiseach talks about a national sabotage and then we don't seem to be responding to that. To me, if you have the head of government talking about a national sabotage, then that would demand some sort of response from the state. And the Gardai standing back leaning on squad cars, watching this, isn't what we need here. We need to ensure that people can get fuel. McPartland warned that if the blockades continue much longer then soon scores of forecourts around the country will run out of fuel.

Dublin Port needed to remain accessible, he said as it is the port that supplies Dublin airport. There needed to be some sort of enforcement by gardai.

7.28am

Dublin Bus spokesperson Blake Boland has warned commuters of the massive disruption again this morning and has spoken of efforts to transport people as close as possible to the city centre.

Speaking on RTE radios Morning Ireland, Boland said that Dublin Bus was creating temporary terminuses around the city which allowed buses run in as far as they could then turning around.

The protestors in the city centre were splintering out with two or three people blocking off certain junctions not allowing buses through, he said.

So what we've been doing is making diversions on those cross-city routes, but that's not really possible at this stage, to a large extent. So what we're doing now is we're creating what we might call temporary terminuses.

We're running buses from the outskirts of the city in as close as we can get them before they risk them being trapped by the protesters, turning those buses around and operating them back out. And that's particularly important on those cross-city routes. (So it helps us to avoid buses getting trapped in the city centre and at least operating as much of that route as we can. Boland added that Express services had also been cancelled with the purpose of using those resources to close the gaps".

His advice to commuters this morning was to keep up to date on what services were operating through the Dublin Bus website, the TFI website and social media.

7am

Today marks the third day of demonstrations against what protestors say is Government inaction on the fuel crisis.

Truckers and farmers blocked access to ports across the country overnight and plan to take convoys to the cities once again.

Organisers say they'll set off from various locations including Limerick, Sligo, Portumna, Portlaoise, Cork, Waterford and Tullamore from 7am, with more traffic disruption expected on motorways and in towns and cities.

The demonstrations continued into Wednesday with escalations including the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork, a move described by Taoiseach Micheal Martin as an act of national sabotage.

Other Coalition figures, including Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris, as well as Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan, emphasised the importance of access to fuel depots and warned of consequences for unlawful activity.

Martin also said it was not acceptable to turn Dublins main thoroughfare, OConnell Street, into a car park as protesters used tractors to substantially clog up traffic in the centre of the capital.
ATHY is set to come alive at the start of May, when dancers from across the country gather in Emily Square for Irelands first participation in the International Line Dance Flashmob.

Local line dance instructor John Read of Johns Bootleggers, who teaches in Athy, Newbridge, Edenderry and Portarlington, is leading the event after being inspired by the global flashmob initiative that takes place annually on the first Saturday in May.

The international project connects dancers around the world by inviting them to perform selected routines on the same day, sharing videos online and celebrating the joy of dance.

This year, Athy proudly appears on the worldwide flashmob map, with the flashmob set to take place at 3pm on 2 May. Organisers have included that anyone and everyone is invited to join in the flashmob, whether youre a seasoned line dancer or a complete beginner.

John discovered line dancing many years ago while on holiday in Florida. I came across it in a bar and loved it, he recalled.

When I came home, I went looking for classes but couldnt find any. A few years later, it popped back into my head again, and once I finally found a class, I never stopped!

In 2021, his own instructor stepped away from teaching and encouraged him to take over the class. He later earned his qualification as a Professional Country Line Dance Instructor through the National Association of Teachers of Dance (NATD) in the UK.

The training gave me confidence and a deeper understanding of how to teach effectively, he said.

This flashmob has been in the works for some time. After scouting locations last summer, Athys Emily Square quickly emerged as the perfect setting  beautiful, central, and spacious enough to welcome dancers of all ages and abilities.

Support from Kildare County Council and local gardai helped bring the plan to life.

But this isnt your typical surprise flashmob.

Its a fully organised event that celebrates inclusivity, John explained. There are so many styles: country, new line, modern, and we want to show that line dancing is for everyone. Theres a huge social element to it, too. I call it social lubrication because it brings people together so easily.

Instructors from several clubs across Ireland have been invited, and many have confirmed theyll be joining the festivities.

While the International Flashmob committee selects three official routines each year, the Athy event will go even bigger. A poll of dancers has been used to choose 15 popular routines, ensuring that everyone, from beginners to seasoned dancers, can take part and enjoy the day.

We want to show that line dancing is alive and well in Ireland, he added.

If anyone is curious about joining the community, my advice is simple: just do it, because youll never look back!

The Athy flashmob will be recorded and uploaded to the International Line Dance Flashmob website, where dance fans worldwide can watch and celebrate the event.

For local dancers, curious beginners or anyone who simply wants to enjoy an uplifting community spectacle, Emily Square is the place to be on 2 May.
Sinn Fein TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Natasha Newsome has labelled the government's decision to call in the army to remove heavy vehicles blocking fuel depots as 'outrageous'.

The M9 motorway in Kilkenny was blocked at the Danesfort junction northbound for much of the morning (Thursday) with significant delays experienced along the Ring Road, where protest activity impacted traffic flow.

"The decision by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ministers to call in the army to clear protesters is outrageous. What's needed is dialogue and de-escalation," the local Sinn Fein TD said.

"Protesters asked for just one thing: a commitment from government to meet. Instead of sitting down with representatives of the group, ministers have opted to send in the military.

READ NEXT: "General election immediately" - Kilkenny public slam government amid fuel protests

"I find that staggering. Even when gardai were under attack and O'Connell Street was in flames during the Dublin riots, the government did not call in the army. But they call them in now because contractors and hauliers are peacefully protesting?," she continued.

"Yes, protests cause disruption. That's the reality of any strike or demonstration.

"The Fianna Fail minister must stand down the army and sit down with the protesters. Recall the Dail and cut taxes on fuel, immediately," Deputy Newsome Drennan concluded.

READ MORE: Disruptive fuel protest blocks motorway in Kilkenny - happening live
There was yet more disruption on local roads this morning as protests over the increased cost of fuel resumed.

Currently, the M9 motorway in Kilkenny is blocked at the Danesfort junction northbound, while earlier this week, significant delays were experienced along the Ring Road, where protest activity impacted traffic flow.

Fuel protesters blocking cities and towns around Ireland are "wrong" and those breaking the law will be penalised, the Taoiseach said on Wednesday.

Micheal Martin, Simon Harris and Sean Canny spoke to the press outside Government Buildings on Wednesday morning, and criticised the actions of those taking part in the demonstrations.

However, the public reaction has largely sounded a different tone, with Kilkenny Live readers having their say. - SEE BELOW

READ NEXT: Disruptive fuel protest blocks motorway in Kilkenny - happening live

"Well done to everyone involved," one commenter wrote, while another added, "General election immediately."

"The independents who have supported this coalition should resign from their positions and stop propping up this government."

"The cheek of the government to say that these protesters are causing problems for people. These are the frontline workers who kept supplies to shops during Covid. When we were in lockdown putting their own lives on the line during Covid, I hope everyone thinks of this when the next election comes around, keep up good work," another reader posted.

However, some of our readers raised concerns about the protest action taken.

"My husband drives a truck to Dublin every night, albeit hes now having to work hours longer every evening as its taking time to do everything, and he's waiting on other trucks to arrive so he can be full coming back down the road, I support it, he drives for our living doesn't own the truck, but we both have cats and vans and have to heat our homes, fair play everyone and I'm 100% behind ye, its not easy but imagine when fuel hits 2.50 in may with the carbon tax, hauliers, farmers, businesses can not stay paying it, let alone the everyday worker like us," one lady wrote.

"Why are they punishing the general public with this protest? Were all in the same boat, fuel cost-wise now, even worse with this protest. Not sure what it expects to achieve, to be honest."

READ MORE: 'Face the full rigours of the law': Gardai to crack down on fuel protesters
Local Fianna Fail councillor, Michael Delaney has criticised his party leader, Micheal Martin, for the manner in which he addressed fuel protests during a public address on Wednesday.

Mr Martin described the blockade of an Irish oil refinery as "an act of national sabotage," stating, "the decision of some protesters to block access to the Whitegate oil refinery in County Cork was an outrage."

Since then, some heavy vehicles have blocked fuel depots, leaving many people without access to fuel.

The Tullaroan native also took aim at the government's decision to deploy members of the army where protestors are obstructing access to fuel.

READ NEXT: 'Outrageous' - deployment of Irish army criticised as Kilkenny endures fuel protests

"I don't know why Micheal Martin came out and spoke the way he spoke against the Irish people. I know, to give him some credit, I suppose the system and the bureaucracy are built to talk to the organisations like the IFAs and all these different leader bodies, but at the end of the day, the people are the ones that put the government up there to represent them," Cllr Delaney told Kilkenny Live.

"I don't think he should have spoken to the people like that, I don't know what the reason was behind it, because at the end of the day, they're normal people, they're everyday people. The frustration is everywhere," he added.

Mr Delaney is a well-known publican, shop owner and farmer in North Kilkenny, with the price hikes impacting his personal life as well as his political.

"It is making life very challenging, like, I filled a diesel tank for the shop and the pub, and it's after doubling," he revealed.

"The way I look at it now is I'm only a revenue collector for the government to keep the government going so I can provide for the community here in Tullaroan and I'm only one man," he continued, adding, "someone is going to have to stand up and say 'this has to stop we need to look at this seriously'."

Asked about the deployment of soldiers to certain areas, Cllr Delaney replied: "I think that's really undermining the Irish people.

"To do what like? To keep streets open? What's the army going to do?" he questioned.

"If we want a job for the army, they should go out and clean the streets and make themselves useful for the country instead of going in and causing more chaos.

"I believe the army should be out there protecting the people of the country and not putting petrol on the fire," he added.

READ MORE: Queues forming at fuel stations in Kilkenny amid ongoing disruption
Protests over the cost of fuel are continuing in Kilkenny and nationwide with convoys of heavy vehicles blocking motorways and fuel depots, leading to fears of forecourts running dry in the coming hours.

The demonstrations have split public opinion with some deeming the approach necessary to spur government action on providing relief to affected businesses while others have strongly criticised the disruption to everyday life and blocking of important infrastructure.

The protests have now entered a third day and the alarming escalation has led to gardai and army being called in to remove blockades.

Speaking to The Kilkenny People, Fianna Fail TD for Carlow/Kilkenny and party spokesperson for rural affairs, Peter Chap Cleere stressed the importance of the right to peaceful protest, but believes the current situation has gone too far.

When youre stopping people from going about their daily jobs, which in turn means that theres people in Kilkenny today that cant get petrol or diesel for their car; thats not right, I absolutely dont agree with that, Deputy Cleere said.

READ NEXT: Emergency responders react quickly to incident on river in Kilkenny - Kilkenny Live

I have no problem with protesting, Im very understanding of the situation they find themselves in but in terms of blocking critical infrastructure; thats unacceptable and thats a non-negotiable for me, he added.

The main associations representing hauliers and farmers have distanced themselves from the current blockades leaving a lack of a clear leadership structure in the movement.

The Government has rebuffed requests to speak with representatives of the protestors with Taoiseach Micheal Martin reaffirming on RTE Radio 1 on Thursday morning that there would be no meeting.

When asked whether the Government should do more to engage, Deputy Cleere referenced the unclear nature of the protests organisation.

Engage with who? he retorted. The Government will deal with whatever representative groups there are. All the farming organisations for example are meeting the Minister tomorrow, which is a relevant channel to try and negotiate a package for the sector.

People say well youre not sitting down and meeting with people. But who are the people? If the protestors say we just need a phone call, who needs a phone call? Who are you representing?

The appropriate channel is through the relevant representational body and thats what the Government will be dealing with, not with an individual who says hes speaking on behalf of the people of Ireland, Deputy Cleere continued.

Panic buying has set in throughout the day and concerns over the flow of food supply are growing due to the sustained blockade of ports with cases of people missing flights and important health care appointments also being reported.

In the important upcoming hours, Deputy Cleere is hoping for movement in access to ports and productive meetings with official representative bodies.

First of all, I would hope that the ports will open and that the oil can get in and out and not have situations where forecourts run dry.

Secondly, is in terms of the consultations with relevant authorities, not with individual sole traders, to come up with a solution thats going to help farmers, hauliers, bus operators and businesses given the crises that were in, he concluded.

TAP HERE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS

Article funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
The Herald reports:

A cowboy-inspired bar in Wellington has been caught selling alcohol to a 16-year-old twice in one year.

Now, Dakota Bar could be riding the mechanical bull to an alcohol licensing ban as it has a 100% fail rate for serving those underage in police operations. 

They served alcohol underage in Sep 24 and Oct 25. It is highly highly highly unlikely that this was the only times. Lets say they serve 100 people a night so around 40,000 times a year. The chance this was the only time they didnt check is 1 in 40,000 x 1 in 40,000 or 1 in around 1.6 billion.

This is not rocket science. If they look under 30, you ask for ID. This doesnt require weeks or training. It is a simple requirement.

Ubiaga said hed welcome a system where every venue gets tested regularly by police, so no one felt singled out and the venues genuinely cutting corners would be caught out. I just wish theyd work with us more. To be a fair test they need to test every venue at least once every two years, not just a handful of venues.

I dont understand why it is not more regular. It would take one police officer and one teenager a few hours to do say all of Courtney place. They could do it monthly.
Auburn, IN (46706)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 48F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 48F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Sean McCarthaigh

The co-owner of a chain of pharmacies in the west of Ireland has been censured for allowing one of her outlets to remain open to supply prescription medicines to customers without a pharmacist being on the premises after she left work early.

The sanction followed a finding of two allegations of professional misconduct and poor professional performance proven against pharmacist, Martina Geraghty, by an inquiry of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI).

The PSIs Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) found Geraghty had permitted Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacy and Health Store in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon to be open in the absence of a registered pharmacist on the premises on March 5th, 2020 and to allow prescription medicines to be sold to the public without the supervision of a pharmacist.

The inquiry heard that Geraghty, who is co-owner of seven outlets in the Molloys chain of pharmacies and health food stores in Mayo, Roscommon and Galway, had made certain admissions to breach the Code of Conduct for Pharmacists.

Counsel for the PSI, Eoghan OSullivan, said the regulatory body had been notified by a member of the public about the pharmacy in Ballaghaderreen being open on March 5th 2020, with prescription medicines being supplied to customers without a pharmacist being present.

Geraghty, who has been a pharmacist for 30 years and was working in her Ballaghaderreen pharmacy on the day, had left work early at around 5pm due to personal circumstances.

An expert witness on behalf of the PSI, Keith OHourihane, told the inquiry that pharmacies should be closed to the public when emergencies occur and efforts should be made to arrange for patients to be supplied elsewhere.

OHourihane said leaving a pharmacy open to the public with medication supplied to patients without the presence of a registered pharmacist was a serious matter.

He claimed what happened in relation to the pharmacy in Ballaghaderreen was completely contrary to the standards expected of a pharmacist.

The PCC rejected an application made by Geraghtys solicitor, Maria Dillon, for the case to be dealt with by way of the pharmacist giving an undertaking about her future conduct.

The inquiry chairperson, Martin Kane, said the case was not an appropriate one to accept an undertaking.

OSullivan claimed Geraghty, as the pharmacist on duty, had taken a conscious and deliberate decision to absent herself from the pharmacy.

He said her actions created a risk to the public as well as putting pharmacy staff who remained on the premises in an invidious situation.

OSullivan said standard operating procedures in place, which had been drafted by Geraghty, were perfectly clear that the pharmacy should have been closed in such circumstances.

He remarked that the way she had acted had called her competence into serious question and claimed her conduct was at the upper end of professional misconduct given the dereliction of duty involved.

OSullivan said the PSI would have recommended her suspension but for admissions made by the pharmacist, her insight and the passage of time since the incident as well as the relatively short period of time that the pharmacy was open without her being on the premises.

He suggested that conditions could be attached to Geraghtys registration, which would require a clinical audit of her pharmacy at six monthly intervals.

Dillon told the inquiry that a comprehensive and robust review had been carried out of patient safety issues that may have arisen from the lack of professional cover at the relevant time.

The solicitor said the allegations related to an isolated incident, although she accepted it represented a serious lapse of professional judgement.

However, Dillon said there was no pattern of conduct which should cause the PCC to have concern about Geraghtys current behaviour or her behaviour since the incident.

She also claimed the case had taken a personal and professional toll on the pharmacist, and it was not necessary to make an example of her.

Outlining the PCCs decision on sanction, Kane said there were several aggravating factors in the case, but also noted Geraghty had a previously unblemished career and had not come to the attention of the regulator since the incident.

While no harm had been caused to any customer of the pharmacy, Kane said the conduct at issue was still extremely serious.

Kane said the appropriate sanction was censure, but the PCC believed the imposition of conditions on Geraghtys registration was not warranted as it could not identify any which could usefully be said were required to protect the public.

He said the committee was satisfied that Geraghty was a safe and competent pharmacist.
By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

Protests over the Governments response to rising fuel prices are entering a third day, with actions so far involving the blocking of major routes and a refinery.

The cost of petrol, diesel, and marked gas oil (green diesel) has soared as a result of the war in the Middle East and impacts on supplies out of the Strait of Hormuz.

Just over two weeks ago, Irelands ruling coalition signed off on a range of measures to reduce fuel costs, including a temporary excise duty reduction for motor fuels, expansion of the diesel rebate scheme for hauliers and bus operators, and an extension of the fuel allowance.

A view of fuel pumps at a service station in Dublin last week (Brian Lawless/PA)

It saw an effective reduction of 17 cent for petrol, 22 cent for diesel, and five cent for green diesel  but the savings were largely eroded as the war waged on.

Several distinct but co-ordinated protests manifested on Tuesday, involving slow-moving convoys on motorways as well as the blocking of major roads in Dublin and other cities.

Those taking part included hauliers and agricultural contractors using large trucks and tractors to disrupt traffic.

Vehicles parked on OConnell Street in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

The demonstrations continued into Wednesday with escalations including the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork, a move described by Taoiseach Micheal Martin as an act of national sabotage.

Other Coalition figures, including Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris, as well as Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan, emphasised the importance of access to fuel depots and warned of consequences for unlawful activity.

Martin also said it was not acceptable to turn Dublins main thoroughfare, OConnell Street, into a car park as protesters used tractors to substantially clog up traffic in the centre of the capital.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Lines of buses were parked on the side of the citys streets, while some of the busiest streets were empty.

Speaking to the Press Association on Wednesday evening, city-centre protest spokesman John Dallon said he hoped the dispute could be resolved through the Government committing to meeting him and two other participants.

These people are not going to lie down.

The only way they will go off of the streets here is if we send a message back to them that we have a meeting, then theres a good chance that people will go home.

But, I mean, if theres no satisfaction out of the meeting, Id say itll all heat up again.

John Dallon (Brian Lawless/PA)

Senior Government figures said they would continue to engage with official national representative bodies and keep the situation under review.

There were similar protests at more than 20 other locations across the country, protesters said, while the chief executive of Fuels for Ireland, Kevin McPartland, said two depots in Foynes, Co Limerick, and Co Galway had been blocked by protesters.

He said there was a risk to supplies to petrol forecourts as a result.

An Garda Siochana and emergency responders including Dublin Fire Brigade have reported disruption and delays as a result of the protests.

Members of the public have also reported missing hospital appointments.
By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

The Government should put Irish neutrality to a public vote, Sinn Fein have said.

The party launched their policy, Protecting Irelands Neutrality, in Dublin on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at the event, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said if the Government wanted to dismantle the Triple Lock on neutrality they are honour bound to go to the people and seek the democratic mandate.

Sinn Feins defence spokesman Donnchadh O Laoghaire at the launch of the partys policy, Protecting Irelands Neutrality, in Dublin (Bairbre Holmes/PA)

The Triple Lock is the mechanism for sending Irish troops on peacekeeping missions.

Under it, Ireland cannot deploy any more than 12 Defence Forces peacekeepers overseas without a peacekeeping mission being approved by a vote of the UN Security Council, by the government and by the Dail.

McDonald also said the party want a referendum to be put to Irish voters to include a positive assertion of Irish neutrality within the Irish constitution.

In addition, she said Sinn Fein want the position of neutral countries, like Ireland, to be reflected in the basic laws of the European Union.

She said neutral countries are a string to the bow of European politics and diplomacy because of their capacity to build conflict resolution and peaceful dialogue.

Asked if Sinn Fein would withdraw Ireland from EU defence arrangements, the partys spokesman on defence, Donnchadh O Laoghaire, said previous governments had made many commitments a Sinn Fein government would not have.

He said, in government, Sinn Fein would examine each one and where it was possible to disentangle ourselves from that, we would seek to do so.

Obviously, that would have to be on a case by case basis, but we certainly wouldnt be making any new commitments.
Tom Tuite

A judge in one of Dublin's busiest courts has slated what he termed a "systemic failure" which could stall cases, leave victims without justice, and see criminals avoid jail.

Presiding over a major hearing list at Dublin District Court on Thursday, Judge John Hughes was scathing regarding a decision to strip his court of a "garda presenter."

The specialised role involves a single sergeant handling cases and being briefed to give evidence of crimes and details of prior convictions for investigating officers in uncontested matters.

It also spares the arresting officer from being pulled away from other duties to appear in court.

"That is going to result in complaints, it is going to result in unfairness to victims, it's going to result in people who should be in jail ending up not in jail because of this systemic failure, that is the reality," he said on Thursday.

The issue has affected Court 2 in the Criminal Courts of Justice, where Hughes spoke about its impact on the heavy schedule.

Potentially, it could lead to over 100 gardai now having to attend court on a single day to outline facts.

"You have seen already today where I struck out several charges because the guards weren't present, for whatever reason, I don't know. I have adjourned another case back to a list where I know in my heart nobody is going to be aware of it."

In one scenario, involving a woman who has pleaded guilty to multiple charges in prosecutions brought by two gardai, the court needed to hear facts. Judge Hughes said, "The court presenter isn't here in a position to tell me anything about the case."

"Under the new regime, which I understand, on the sentencing day, all those guards are going to have to come to court to give the facts."

He said that a court presenter for these matters was essential.

Referring to a sentencing day next week, he said the combined number of gardai involved in all the prosecutions was over 100 officers, "who have been communicated with to come to court when one garda sergeant normally deals with these matters".

"And what is going to happen? I pose the question. On the sentencing day, when a guard could not turn up, and a defendant is in custody who says 'I want justice dealt with'; I don't believe I have jurisdiction to strike out the matter in those circumstances. Remand in continuing custody? Is that what I'm supposed to do, notwithstanding the fact I might actually end up giving a community service, a fine, or a suspended sentence?"

At that time, one officer arrived, but another prosecuting garda was absent. Judge Hughes said that if he proceeded with one matter, it could result in a partial sentence and potential unfairness.

Concluding, he said, "Every summons, every charge sheet is taken in the name of the Director of Public Prosecutions. I don't know if the DPP was consulted in relation to this new arrangement or not.

"It is not a matter for this court to concern itself in relation to internal communications between the guards and the DPP, but it is a matter as to how this court runs its list."
A FIRM with operations in Carlow that has earned millions in profits from State contracts to provide emergency accommodation for International Protection (IP) applicants and Ukrainians is facing opposition to its hostel plans for a site in Dublin 2.

In February, Peachport Ltd lodged plans with Dublin City Council for a change of use of an existing four-storey over-basement building at Adelaide House on Adelaide Rd in Dublin 2 from office use to short-term let hostel accommodation.

Registered in Baltinglass, Peachport Ltd owns two former hotels in Newbridge, the Gables Hotel and Eyre Powell which have been used to house asylum seekers.

Peachport Ltd is jointly owned between Philomena Germaine (98) and Joseph Germaine (59) and two are also directors of the business.

Mr Germaine also owns a company called Slaney Gio Limited which operated the Toughers campus on the outskirts of Carlow town which accommodated Ukrainian refugees until Government policy changed in January of last year. Slaney Gio Ltd is also responsible for the illegal demolition of a sweet shop on Dublin Street, Carlow and, as a result, has been ordered by Carlow County Council to rebuild the property. The case is still going through the courts and is also the subject of a civil case taken by the owner of an adjoining property, barrister Elaine Morgan.

The most recent accounts for Peachport Ltd states that its main activity is the provision of emergency accommodation services and its work in the sector has proven to be very lucrative.

The accounts show that the firms post tax profits of 2.8 million for the 12 months to the end of February 2025 follow post tax profits of 5.69 million for the prior year.

Peachports work in providing emergency accommodation for a number of years for the State has resulted in it having accumulated profits of 11.7 million at the end of February 2025 while its cash funds totalled 8.55 million.

Purchase orders published by the Dept of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth show that the company received payments of 5.2 million for housing Ukrainians and IP applicants during 2024.

Now, in response to the Adelaide House hostel plan, local residents William Phelan and Haiyan Wang of Harcourt Terrace, Dublin 2 have called on the council to refuse planning permission for the proposed very high-density accommodation at this location.

They state that the floor plans indicate 'approximately 100 to 110 bed spaces' across 24 bedrooms in a building of just 895 sq m and this represents gross overdevelopment.

They state that Peachport Ltd has a documented history of operating State-contracted Direct Provision and IPAS accommodation here.

They state that given the nature of the planning application and the applicant's background in the IPAS sector, that the Council attach a condition to any grant of permission strictly prohibiting use of the premises as an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) centre or any other form of State-contracted emergency accommodation.

Another Harcourt Terrace resident, Pat Whyte has told the council, I am deeply concerned about the scale and nature of this proposed hostel development.

Mr Whyte said that there is a Montessori School and a primary school on the same stretch and contends that the arrival of 100 transient visitors immediately beside this location raises serious safety and amenity concerns, especially around drop-off and pick-up times.

On behalf of Kevin Woods and his family of Adelaide Road, Dublin 2, Sheridan Woods Architects + Urban Planners state that the potential provision of 232 bedspaces represents a gross intensity of use.

The Woods objection requests that the Council refuse permission on the basis that this use is not permitted within this land use zone.

The objection adds that the proposal would not provide adequate residential amenity to future occupants and would result in a grossly substandard form of development.

A decision is due on the application later this month.
STRADBALLYS Ballykilcavan Farm and Brewery will host the inaugural Farming for Nature Festival (FFN) on 22-23 June. The farmer-led event will celebrate practical, nature-friendly farming.

Running from 9.30am to 10.30pm on both days, the festival offers hands-on learning for farmers across all stages of their sustainable farming journey, from seasoned veterans to first-time farmers.

Event organiser Lydia Lishman said: The focus will be on real stories from farmers a the successes and the challenges  and show how good food begins with good farming. By involving a wide network of partners, we want to inspire change and grow the movement of farmers and producers working with nature. Farming for Nature is a national farmer network established by Burrenbeo Trust, a charity that aims to create greater appreciation for the Burren landscape. BASE Ireland and the National Organic Training Skillnet have also contributed to the festivals programme.

BASE Ireland chairman Rob Coleman said the festival promises to be a unique opportunity, where attendees can see a wide range of innovative farming practices.

There really will be something for everyone, no matter how they currently farm, Mr Coleman said. We want to meet farmers where they are; whether thats organic, fully conventional or somewhere in between. Our aim is simply to share real experiences and, hopefully, give people a few ideas they might bring home and try for themselves, he added.

Before the festival kicks off, there will be a special summer solstice-inspired evening dinner, where there will be a celebration of food, music and culture, as well as a special keynote speaker.

The Farming for Nature Festival is supported by Shared Island Civic Society Fund, Lifes 2 Good Foundation, National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine.

Further event details, including ticket information and accommodation, are all available on the website www.farmingfornaturefestival.ie.
Donald Trump and Melania Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, is making a formal move into the beverage business through Sollos Yerba Mate, a new company tied to a $1 million securities offering and organized around one of Latin America's most recognizable caffeinated drinks, yerba mate.

Public corporate filings in Florida list the youngest Trump as one of the directors of the venture, while a January filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission says the company, filed under the name Soulstice, Inc., sold $1 million in equity in a private offering.

The Florida paperwork shows the company was registered to do business in the state on Jan. 12, 2026, as a foreign corporation, meaning it was incorporated elsewhere first. That filing lists "SOLLOS Yerba Mate, Inc." as the alternate name for use in Florida, while identifying the Delaware-incorporated legal entity as "Soulstice, Inc." The same records give a Palm Beach address on South Ocean Boulevard as the principal office.

Trump is named alongside Spencer Bernstein, Stephen Hall, Rodolfo Castillo, and Valentino Gomez in the corporate documents. In the Florida filing, Trump is listed as a director. The SEC filing also identifies him as a director while naming Bernstein, Hall, and Gomez as executive officers or related persons connected to the offering.

The money behind the startup appears to have arrived quickly. According to the Form D filed with the SEC on Jan. 23, the offering's total size was $1 million, and the full $1 million had already been sold. The filing says the first sale took place on Jan. 8 and that there was one investor. It also says the proceeds were not earmarked for payments to the executives, directors or promoters named in the document.

That makes Sollos more than a casual side project on paper. A fully sold private placement suggests the company secured its initial seed backing before any broad public launch. Still, the SEC form is a notice filing, not a consumer launch announcement, and it does not disclose the investor's identity or spell out the company's sales strategy beyond the equity raise itself.

What gives the venture particular resonance is the product category.

Yerba mate is deeply associated with South America, especially Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil, where it is consumed socially and culturally, often from a shared gourd with a metal straw. In the United States, the drink has been gaining ground as an alternative to coffee and canned energy drinks, a trend that has attracted a wave of startup brands and functional beverage companies. People, citing public filings and company descriptions, reported that Sollos is being positioned as a lifestyle beverage brand built around "clean" and functional ingredients.

For Trump, the Sollos venture opens a new chapter in a business story that has already drawn attention because of his surname and age. But the public record, at least for now, supports a narrower claim than some social media chatter suggests. What is verified is that Barron Trump is listed as a director of the company, that the company is using the Sollos Yerba Mate name in Florida, and that its Delaware entity reported raising $1 million through a private equity offering in January.

What remains unclear is how hands-on Trump will be in daily operations, when the brand will hit store shelves at scale, and whether Sollos plans to compete as a premium lifestyle label, a mass-market energy drink, or something in between.

For now, the filings show one thing clearly: a Trump-linked startup is betting that a Latin American staple can win a bigger share of the U.S. ready-to-drink market.

Originally published on Latin Times
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly awarded a $313 million contract to GardaWorld Federal, the company operating Florida's Alligator Alcatraz detention center, to convert and run a warehouse detention site in Surprise, Arizona, according to a report by Human Rights Watch, even as the Department of Homeland Security reviews a broader plan to expand migrant detention through warehouse acquisitions.

The Arizona project, described by the NGO as one of the most significant developments in the warehouse strategy, would convert a 400,000-square-foot industrial building into an immigration detention center with capacity for up to 1,500 people, though local officials say federal authorities are now considering scaling that down to roughly 542 beds

The facility is expected to open by September 2026, according to Human Rights Watch. The contract links one of the administration's newest detention projects with a contractor already under scrutiny for its role in the Florida site known as "Alligator Alcatraz."

The move comes amid mixed signals from DHS. Senior officials recently said the department has paused additional warehouse purchases launched under former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and is reviewing some deals already completed, as El Pais points out.

That plan had aimed to sharply increase detention space as the number of people in ICE custody rose from roughly 40,000 when President Donald Trump returned to office to more than 70,000, according to recent reports.

Even with that pause, the Surprise project suggests parts of the detention expansion remain active. DHS has reportedly purchased 11 warehouses across several states at a combined cost of about $1 billion.

Human Rights Watch warned that converting warehouses "not designed to house people" raises serious concerns about detention conditions, pointing to past cases of "disease, medical neglect, and physical abuse" in U.S. immigration facilities. The organization also noted that at least 32 people died in ICE custody last year, with 2026 already on track to exceed that figure.

The Arizona contract has also renewed attention on GardaWorld's work in Florida. In late March, Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Dick Durbin called for an investigation into allegations of abuse at Alligator Alcatraz, including claims that detainees were punished in a cage-like structure known as "the box," where they were allegedly shackled in the sun without food or water.

Questions have also mounted over the financial and legal structure of the Florida project as. Court filings reported in early March indicated that Florida taxpayers could ultimately be responsible for as much as $1.5 billion connected to Alligator Alcatraz after anticipated federal reimbursements failed to fully materialize.

Originally published on Latin Times
Two groups of talented Laois teenagers are gearing up to take part in a prestigious trad competition in Dublin this week.

The final of the Siansa Gael Linn 2026 competition for young traditional musicians will be live from the National Concert Hall in Dublin on Sunday 12 April and will be broadcast live on RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta from 7pm.

Presented by Tristan Rosenstock, this competition for traditional music group gives a platform to the best of the Ireland's young traditional music and singing talent.

Eight music groups will take to the stage on Sunday, who have each qualified through preliminary rounds to reach the final.

Beomhar are a music group made up of teenagers from counties Laois and Offaly.

Members of the group met at various music festivals and Fleadhs around the country, and they have made a strong impression on the traditional music scene. They are all involved with Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann in their own communities.

Pictured above: Beomhar

Members of the group have won many individual awards in both music and singing.

The band members include Polly Ni Nuallain on piano, Lila Ni Nuallain on fiddle, Lucy Ni Mhaolmhuaigh on the flute and whistle Aine Ni Chinnsealaigh on fiddle fidil Fionnan O Daltuin on banjo, mandolin and bazouki, Taidgh O Daltuin on flute, bodhran and guitar, Seaic O Huiginn on accordion / melodeon and Kieu Ni Chonrai on harp.

Also taking part in the final are Neart, group with members from counties Laois, Dublin and Meath.

They are a group of friends, as well as family members. Some of the group met at school, in Colaiste Ghlor na Mara, while others met while taking part in Meitheal Summer School.

Pictured: Neart

The band members include Aoibheann Nic Conchra on fiddle/low whistle, Ciannait Ni Leathlobhair on fiddle, Caoilinn Morrow on concertina, Edith Ni Leathlobhair on fiddle/concertina, Leo Bennet on piano/low whistle, Ruadhan Collier OBrien on pipes/guitar/banjo, Ethan McCaughey on button accordion and Cathal Mac Conchra on low whistle/bodhran.

This year's judges are concertina player Edel Fox, fiddle player Bernadette Nic Gabhann, and harper, flute player and composer Oisin Morrison.

Siansa Gael Linn is a premier annual Irish traditional music competition for young musicians (aged up to 19), run by Gael Linn in partnership with RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta and Irish Music Magazine.

Established in 2001, it offers mentorship workshops and a prestigious platform, concluding with a national final at the National Concert Hall in Dublin.

The winning group will be awarded a grand prize of 2,500 and the Gael Linn Trophy. Those who come in second place will be awarded 1,250 and those who come in third place will win 750.

All members of the groups that will be in the Final will be awarded commemorative prizes.

Although it is a competition, the young musicians are given help and assistance by organising workshops for them with famous musicians.
Laois Fine Gael councillors have stood shoulder to shoulder with protestors near a Portlaoise motorway blockade their Government wants to use the Irish defence forces to dismantle.

One of the councillors, aspiring Laois TD Conor Bergin, also said fuel prices must be capped on the day his party colleague and Government minister Martin Heydon argued strongly against such a move.

Cllr Bergin gave his opinion on the protest after he and fellow Laois Fine Gael party colleagues Cllr John King and Cllr Paddy Buggy attended the Laois fuel protest at Junction 17, Portlaoise.

"I fully support the call for a cap on fuel prices, and we are calling on the Government to act now to deliver real relief. We stand with workers, families and businesses who are being hit hard by rising fuel costs.

"People need to be able to afford to get to work and go about their daily lives  right now, too many simply cannot," said Cllr Bergin.

READ ALSO: Show of unity in Laois as business rallies behind Portlaoise fuel protesters

Cllr Bergin, who is also a solictor, made the call for a cap on social media on the same day as his party colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, insisted that aid requests for fuel price caps or a pause to carbon tax increases would undermine the overall economy and are not "in the best interest of the public".

He is not the only Laois public representative to call for a cap on fuel prices, which is one of the demands made by the fuel protestors who have crippled road travel and transport around Ireland.

READ NEXT: Laois Government TD breaks ranks by backing fuel protestors' demand

MORE BELOW PHOTO

Laois Fianna Fail TD Sean Fleming believes the cap could be covered by what he said was a windfall tax the Government has received due to the rise in fuel tax revenue.

Neither Dep Fleming or Cllr Bergin outlined the level of the cap our how long it should last.

Blockade on M7 Portlaoise. Pic: Denis Byrne

Meanwhile, the M7 continues to be closed around Portlaoise due to a blockade that has been mounted by fuel protestors in teh county.
Lidl Ireland GmbH is inviting residents of a Laois town to a meeting ahead of work beginning on a new store.

The discount supermarket business got planning approval in early April from Laois County Council to build a supermarket in Mountmellick. The decision follows a petition locally in support of the shop, which will create 30 jobs, reverse dereliction and add competitive options to shoppers.

It will be on the site of the derelict former Nissan and Chevrolet car dealer Central Garage. It includes several vacant houses either side, with all to be demolished before the store can be built along the main N80 street through the town.

Lidl estimates a six month construction period, see our breaking story here.

It issued the message via community groups on Thursday, inviting them to a meeting.

A Lidl representative also confirmed the statement to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

Read also: Laois cafe reopening after fire four years ago

"Following the approval for a new store in Mountmellick, Lidl Ireland is organising a meeting with the local community. They will be answering any questions we may have," the message said.

The event will be held at the MDA in Irishtown, Mountmellick on Wednesday evening, April 22, from 5pm to 7pm.

It will be Lidl's third Laois store, with others in Portlaoise and Portarlington, with Mountmellick being the next most populated Laois town at 5,000 residents. Another store is due to be complete in early summer in Graiguecullen on the Laois Carlow border.
A main Laois road described as a "nightmare" could soon be getting multiple sets of traffic lights to try and make it safer.

The Mountmellick road in Portlaoise looks likely to get three sets of traffic lights instead of a once recommended three extra roundabouts.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley has revealed to the Leinster Express / Laois Live the outcome of a meeting that she and six other Laois councillors had with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and senior Laois County Council staff this week.

The two hour meeting came after years of councillors' requests to meet TII officials face to face and stress the need to upgrade and build national roads in Laois. As well as the Portlaoise northern relief road, and the Mountmellick bypass, it includes the Mountmellick N80 road in Portlaoise.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley.

The narrow and busy road which has almost no cycle paths, serves thousands of homes and heavy traffic. Cllr Dwane Stanley recently labelled it "a nightmare" to drive onto from side roads.

It was recommended some years ago to get three more roundabouts, by consultants hired by Laois County Council, on Harpur's Lane, the Ballyfin Road and Greenmill Lane. However the TII later requested a new study also taking in JFL Avenue.

While not yet published, Cllr Dwane Stanley understands it contains recommendations for traffic lights. She is not happy.

"My whole reason was to prioritise the upgrade of the Mountmellick Road, modelled on the Abbeyleix Road. I explained that traffic from the N80 goes straight into Portlaoise instead of turning right (on the western circular road). We made the case.

"We were told that the feasibility study being done by Laois County Council is still awaited by the TII. They are saying that once they get it they will fund the works. They will put their own mark on it, but the council is recommending traffic lights.

Read next: Laois people 'panic buying' as service stations run low on fuel

"I have serious concerns. It's roundabouts that's needed. While it's good news that work will happen, I don't see traffic lights succeeding. What if they spend all this money and then have to take them back out?" she said.

Cllr Dwane Stanley understands that the plan will also include cycle lanes, "though I don't know where they will put them" on the narrow road. She hopes that public consultation will take place during this year on the plan.

Recently Cllr Paddy Buggy tabled a motion suggesting traffic lights as a cheaper option for the road, an idea slammed by Cllr Dwane Stanley as "the cheap end of the market".

Laois County Council also said at that meeting in February that a draft plan was complete.
The Irish army has been called in to remove heavy vehicles blocking fuel depots as part of a protest over rising fuel prices which has significantly impacted Portlaoise.

Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan said that large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure would be removed. It comes as protests in Laois are entering their third day.

On Wednesday the protest against high fuel prices continued in Portlaoise along the M7 between Junction 16 and 18 with both lanes blocked.

This has resulted in heavy traffic driving through Portlaoise in both direction which would otherwise have used the motorway.

READ NEXT: WATCH: Ambulance delayed in Laois by Portlaoise protest gridlock

Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon said he regarded roads as critical infrastructure but said it was up to the Justice Minister to clarify operational matters.

He said the Government would meet with farming and haulier representative groups but would not meet with protesters blocking cities, fuel depots and the countrys only refinery.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said it was not acceptable to turn Dublins main thoroughfare, OConnell Street, into a car park as protesters used tractors to substantially clog up traffic in the centre of the capital.

The Abbeyleix Road in Portlaoise on Tuesday during the fuel price protest.

Other coalition figures, including Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris, as well as Mr OCallaghan, emphasised the importance of access to fuel depots and warned of consequences for unlawful activity.

Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland said there was a risk to supplies to petrol forecourts as a result of fuel depots being blocked.

The cost of petrol, diesel and marked gas oil (green diesel) has soared as a result of the war in the Middle East and impacts on supplies out of the Strait of Hormuz.

Just over two weeks ago, Irelands ruling coalition signed off on a range of measures to reduce fuel costs, including a temporary excise duty reduction for motor fuels, expansion of the diesel rebate scheme for hauliers and bus operators, and an extension of the fuel allowance.

It saw an effective reduction of 17 cents for petrol, 22 cents for diesel, and five cents for green diesel  but the savings were largely eroded as the war raged on.

Speaking to the Press Association on Wednesday evening, city centre protest spokesman John Dallon said he hoped the dispute could be resolved through the Government committing to meeting him and two other participants.

Mr Dallon said: These people are not going to lie down.

The only way they will go off of the streets here is if we send a message back to them that we have a meeting, then theres a good chance that people will go home.

But, I mean, if theres no satisfaction out of the meeting, Id say itll all heat up again.
The Irish Road Haulage Association has said they will not be taking part in any fuel protests while in negotiations with the Government.

The nationwide protests against soaring fuel prices have continued on Thursday, with convoys of trucks and tractors lining up along the M7 in Laois and elsewhere in the country.

The Irish Road Haulage Association has said they will continue to engage with the Government on a daily basis to achieve further supports for its members in the haulage sector.

In a statement released by the organisation, they said: "We are currently in negotiations with government for more supports for our industry following crippling fuel price increases.

"We reiterate that we will not be taking part in any protest actions whilst we are negotiating in good faith with government  contrary to reports on social media."

READ NEXT: Gardai and HSE issue pleas as Laois fuel protests continue

The Irish Road Haulage Association said it believes the best way to resolve the issue is through dialogue and that they "will continue ongoing discussions with the Government to bring about further support for our members."

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan has said that large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure would be removed as the protests enter their third day of action. As well as blocking the road network, protesters have also gathered at the country's only refinery, Whitegate in Cork.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee said the Government must respond and the Defence Forces will "respond in the most appropriate way."

She added that those who are actively blocking people from getting fuel, disrupting ambulances, as well as stopping milk and animal feed being transported to and from farms must stop as it is "crossing into criminal behaviour."
There has been a huge response across Laois and the rest of the country to the ongoing fuel price protests.

Since Tuesday, convoys of tractors and trucks have blocked the M7 motorway at Portlaoise and other major roadways across the country in protest of the soaring price of fuel.

The protests, which have caused significant disruptions across the country, have evoked a major reaction from the public with many supporting the protesters and others disagreeing with them.

The Leinster Express / Laois Live asked people where they stood on the issue and the response was overwhelming.

Hundreds of people said they supported the protesters completely as the fuel price crisis is affecting everyone in the country, not just hauliers, farmers and small businesses.

One person wrote: "100% agree. Well done to everyone, about time the country got up and stood together in a united front. This is something that affects everyone."

READ NEXT: Gardai and HSE issue pleas as Laois fuel protests continue

Another said: "All tax payers taking time off work to make a stand for the people of Ireland. They should be applauded."

Others have urged the protesters to continue taking action, saying "they should have them every day until the Government realise that people are at the end of their patience."

Someone else said: "Keep on fighting for what's right! Don't let the tailbacks discourage you, every voice matters!"

Others noted that they fully support the protests, as long as emergency services are not disrupted.

As the protests entered their third day on Thursday, An Garda Siochana and the HSE both issued statements appealing to protesters to keep all approaches to medical facilities clear for emergency services and patients attending appointments.

The HSE said: "Attending hospital or receiving treatment in the community, whether in an emergency situation or for a routine appointment, is a vulnerable time for a patient and their family. Please respect the critical need for clear and safe access to all healthcare services, to ensure that access to care is never compromised."

This is something which has led to some disagreement on the protests. As one person wrote: "Protest all you want, but shouldn't force everyone to be in it, leave one lane open, not getting to work or appointments is only frustrating people, not the way to punish us all for a high fuel costs protest!"

Another said: "No issue with a protest. No issue with why. I have a big issue with the whole country at a standstill. People going to hospital appointments, schools, jobs. I saw frightened old folks stuck on a motorway today. A go slow to Dublin, yes but to gridlock the country?

"If you protest about fuel prices, dont do so while 100,000s of cars etc are sitting there burning their diesel and petrol."
A well-known historical building in Laois is set to receive funding for restoration works.

Donaghmore Workhouse and Agricultural Museum is set to receive 132,209 for the restoration of the building through the Historical Structures Fund.

This funding is for roofing repairs including re-slating, timber repairs to structure, structural repairs to chimneys and associated removal of machinery, renewal of leadwork and repair/renewal of rainwater goods.

Fianna Fail Deputy Sean Fleming TD has welcomed this announcement.

"The buildings in Donaghmore are in public ownership and are historic structures and it is important that we preserve, protect and conserve this building and thereby enhance Irelands architectural legacy," Dep Fleming told the Leinster Express / Laois Live in a statement.

Pictured: File photo of Donaghmore Workhouse & Agricultural Museum, Donaghmore.

"This facility has the potential to be an important tourist attraction in south Co. Laois and help bring people to the area.

"At the moment, a number of groups and people visit this facility and the more we restore and conserve this building the better this facility will be to attract tourists and visitors into the future," he said.

"I would call on the many people in Laois and surrounding areas who are not familiar with this facility to put it on their TO DO LIST and to visit Donaghmore during this summer," Dep Fleming finished.

Along with its operation as a museum, the workhouse regularly hosts groups, performances and reenactments.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, and Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher OSullivan TD, have announced 4.42 million in funding to be awarded to 40 projects under the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) 2026.

The award of funding under the Historic Structures Fund is a demonstration of our commitment to preserving and enhancing Irelands architectural legacy," Minister Browne said.

Pictured: Laois PPN members receiving a tour of the museum in 2025

Along with the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, this Government is continuing its commitment to safeguard our built heritage, keeping many buildings in use and helping to bring many others back into use.

The funding also supports the survival of the skills and expertise needed to maintain our built heritage and this will also have an economic benefit by generating employment for heritage contractors and other skilled crafts and tradespeople across the country," Minister Browne finished.

Minister OSullivan also welcomed the allocation of this funding.

Communities across the country know the value of our built heritage, and many of them dedicate their time, passion and expertise to ensuring their protection," Minister O'Sullivan said.

Pictured: The museum's interior

"Im proud as Minister for Heritage to be able to support their work through schemes like the Historic Structures Fund.

"This grant can make the difference between a cherished heritage building falling into disrepair or being restored and valued as part of a thriving streetscape.

"I know this funding will have a huge impact around the country and I look forward to seeing the results for myself over the coming months and years," Minster O'Sullivan said.

This funding scheme operates on a match-funding basis with owners and custodians of historic buildings obliged to contribute towards the final cost of works.

In March of 2025, Donaghmore Workhouse was awarded 200,000 through this fund for restoration works.

According to the Office of Public Works, the museum receives an estimated 2,500 visitors each year. It served as a film location for a recent Irish movie called The Light Within.
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.
The Irish army, possibly including units at the Curragh Camp in Kildare, has been called in to remove heavy vehicles blocking fuel depots as part of a protest over rising fuel prices.

Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan said that large vehicles blocking critical infrastructure would be removed.

Agriculture Minister and Kildare South TD Martin Heydon said he regarded roads as critical infrastructure but said it was up to the Justice Minister to clarify operational matters.

He said the Government would meet with farming and haulier representative groups but would not meet with protesters blocking cities, fuel depots and the countrys only refinery.

Protests over the Irish Governments response to rising fuel prices entered a third day on Thursday.

Several distinct but co-ordinated protests began on Tuesday, involving slow-moving convoys on motorways as well as the blocking of major roads in Dublin and other cities.

Those taking part included hauliers and agricultural contractors using large trucks and tractors to disrupt traffic.

The demonstrations continued into Wednesday, with escalations including the blockading of fuel depots and the Whitegate oil refinery in Co Cork, a move described by Taoiseach Micheal Martin as an act of national sabotage.

Mr Martin also said it was not acceptable to turn Dublins main thoroughfare, OConnell Street, into a car park as protesters used tractors to substantially clog up traffic in the centre of the capital.

Dublin Fire Brigade said it had been delayed in responding to emergencies as a result of the protests.

Other coalition figures, including Tanaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris, as well as Mr OCallaghan, emphasised the importance of access to fuel depots and warned of consequences for unlawful activity.

Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland said there was a risk to supplies to petrol forecourts as a result of fuel depots being blocked.

The cost of petrol, diesel and marked gas oil (green diesel) has soared as a result of the war in the Middle East and impacts on supplies out of the Strait of Hormuz.

Just over two weeks ago, Irelands coalition signed off on a range of measures to reduce fuel costs, including a temporary excise duty reduction for motor fuels, expansion of the diesel rebate scheme for hauliers and bus operators, and an extension of the fuel allowance.

It saw an effective reduction of 17 cents for petrol, 22 cents for diesel, and five cents for green diesel  but the savings were largely eroded as the war raged on.

Speaking to the Press Association on Wednesday evening, city centre protest spokesman John Dallon said he hoped the dispute could be resolved through the Government committing to meeting him and two other participants.

Mr Dallon said: These people are not going to lie down.

The only way they will go off of the streets here is if we send a message back to them that we have a meeting, then theres a good chance that people will go home.

But, I mean, if theres no satisfaction out of the meeting, Id say itll all heat up again.
Two County Kildare businesses were targeted in back-to-back smash-and-grab incidents.

Both incidents took place in Kilcullen on Easter Sunday (April 5 last), according to Garda Lenny Donnellan.

Speaking to KFM about the two crimes, he said that they both took place between 4am and 4.30am.

READ NEXT: BREAKING: Army in Curragh could be deployed to move vehicles of fuel protestors

The first business which was targeted was Lam's Asian Cuisine restaurant  he said that the front door was broken, which allowed the perpetrators to enter.

They proceeded to steal cash from this business.

Shortly after this burglary, the perpetrators broke the front door to a nearby business, Jamesy Cabs.

They proceeded to steal a number of unspecified items from this premises.

According to Gda Donnellan, CCTV obtained at the scene of this crime showed that the same perpetrators were involved in both burglaries.

READ NEXT: Kildare resident shocked to discover their home was broken into over the Easter weekend

He concluded by urging anyone with information about either incident or both of these incidents to contact Naas Garda Station on 045 481 212.

When asked by the Leinster Leader about these the first burglary, a garda spokesperson replied: "Gardai are investigating following an incident of burglary at a business premises in Kilcullen in the early hours of Sunday April 5 last.

They added: "Investigations are ongoing."

As for the second burglary, the spokesperson repeated the same statement.

READ NEXT: GALLERY: Royal Curragh Golf Club Captains' drive-in in Kildare
Kildare is set to take centre stage this weekend as the county hosts the grand final of Curfa, the flagship Irish-language choir competition from TG4.

The highly anticipated finale will take place on Saturday, 11 April, at St Brigids Cathedral, with organisers now calling on members of the public to join the live studio audience.

Filming at the historic venue will offer attendees a rare behind-the-scenes look at a professional television production, with audience members also in with a chance of appearing on screen during the broadcast.

Curfa has brought together choirs from across Ireland in recent weeks, celebrating Irish-language music and performance. The final will see three standout choirs compete for the title of Irelands Best Choir.

READ NEXT; Family are concerned for missing Kildare boy (17).

Judging duties will be carried out by Colm O Foghlu, Bernie Phaid Ni Mhuircheartaigh, and Seamus O Flatharta, with special guest performances also scheduled as part of the event.

Organisers say audience tickets are free and are encouraging individuals, families and community groups to apply. However, capacity is limited, and early registration is strongly advised.

The event will begin at 2pm and is expected to run for approximately four hours.

Those interested in attending can register their interest via an online form, with successful applicants to receive confirmation and full event details by email later in the week.

How to Apply

Members of the public can register their interest by completing the following form:





Tickets will be issued later in the week, along with full event details via email.
The theft of alcohol from four Kildare supermarkets resulted in a custody term for a teenager at Naas District Court.

Before the court was Margaret Connors, 19, whose address was given as 48 Glenshane Grove, Tallaght, Dublin.

She was prosecuted following the theft of alcohol valued at over 2,000 from Aldi, Lidl and Dunnes Stores outlets within County Kildare on dates between September 17, 2024 and October 30, 2024. The defendant, who has no previous convictions, appeared in court via video link and her mother was present in court.

Defending barrister Donncha Craddock said the young woman had been doing well working in the hairdressing sector until she linked up with a negative peer group.

The court heard that when the offence took place she was accompanied by another person, who was not present in court.

READ NEXT 'There will be penalties' - Taoiseach says fuel protests across Ireland are 'not acceptable'

Mr Craddock suggested she may have been used to facilitate the incidents and had never previously come to garda attention.

She's been in custody and found it difficult, he added.

Judge Desmond Zaidan noted that incidents like these have a knock on effect because consumers have to pay for these thefts.

He said supermarkets are in business to make profits, not to break even or to run charities."

He imposed two consecutive five month custody terms.
The Minister for Defence, Helen McEntee today attended the Commissioning Ceremony of the 101st Army Cadet Class at the Defence Forces Training Centre in the Curragh Camp, Co Kildare, at which 52 Cadets were commissioned as officers of the Permanent Defence Force.

The Minister was welcomed by the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy.

Addressing the newly commissioned officers, Minister McEntee said your commissioning marks the beginning of a lifelong commitment to service, leadership, and duty to the State. Today is the day in which you become part of the new generation of military leaders.

By accepting your commission, you take on a profound responsibility. You are entrusted with the leadership of others, with their welfare, their development, and, at times, their safety.

Leadership in the Defence Forces is not defined by rank alone, but by character, integrity and example.

READ NEXT; Dramatic scenes at Kildare firefighters tackle van fire.

The Minister noted that The security environment is becoming more complex and more demanding. In response, we are strengthening and modernising the Defence Forces to ensure they are equipped to meet current and future challenges.

This means investing in capability, infrastructure and most importantly, in people.

I am committed to delivering this change. Through record levels of investment and a clear strategic direction, we are working to build a Defence Forces that is modern, effective and fit for purpose capable of defending the State and its people.

Reflecting on recent events in Lebanon, the Minister condemned the attacks in which three Indonesian peacekeepers lost their lives in the pursuit of peace.

I condemn those appalling attacks in the strongest terms. These incidents represent a deeply concerning further escalation.

Those serving under the UN flag do so in pursuit of peace and stability. These incidents are an attack on the very principles of peace, cooperation and international solidarity.

Minister McEntee quoted the words of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, who said attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law. They must stop.

The Minister also reiterated her commitment and that of the Government to strengthening Irelands defence by increasing investment with a view to achieving a significantly enhanced capability by 2028 and, thereafter, moving as quickly as possible to develop defence capabilities that would match those of other small Western European countries.

Nobody doubts that the Defence Forces need greater investment, which is precisely why the Government is investing record funding, with 1.7 billion from the National Development Plan between now and 2030.

Finally, the Minister congratulated the newly commissioned Officers, of whom she said You bring honour on our country abroad. It is an enormous responsibility. I salute your courage and dedication.

Speaking at the Commissioning Ceremony, Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy said: Today, marks a significant milestone for Oglaigh na hEireann and the careers of these cadets who have earned the privilege to serve as officers in the Irish Defence Forces.

Once commissioned they assume the responsibility of leadership and are entrusted with the command of our most valuable asset, our people. I have every confidence that they will uphold and champion the Defence Forces values.

I wish them well as they begin their new role within the organisation and I look forward to them serving with distinction both at home and overseas.
Irelands justice minister has said he will consider beginning the groundwork for an inquest into the death of 10 people in the Creeslough explosion.

A lawyer representing the families of the victims said an independent investigation into the explosion is key to ending their suffering.

The families have also called on the justice minister to travel to Co Donegal to meet families and survivors.

Four men, three women and three children, aged between five and 59, died in the explosion at a building complex in the Co Donegal village on October 7 2022.

The 10 victims were: Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe, Catherine ODonnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, fashion student Jessica Gallagher, Celtic fan Martin McGill, James OFlaherty from Sydney, Australia, shop worker Martina Martin, carpenter Hugh Hughie Kelly and 14-year-old Leona Harper.

Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan met families affected by the tragedy at the Department of Justice in Dublin on Thursday.

I welcomed the opportunity to meet today with the families of those who died in the Creeslough explosion in 2022, he said.

I offered my deepest condolences to the families on the loss of their loved ones in such tragic and sudden circumstances.

Asked if he would consider their request to begin the groundwork for an inquest while the Director of Public Prosecutions considers whether prosecutions should be taken, he said: I certainly will consider that request.

There must be an inquest and generally what happens is that an inquest is postponed until after the conclusion of criminal proceedings. If some of the preliminary work could be done in advance of or during and not compromise the criminal proceedings, thats something I would give consideration to.

In a statement, Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law said the minister heard the effect the delay to justice and accountability has had on the families.

The minister has now confirmed unequivocally to these families that he will consider holding an inquest with a senior judge or the senior corner, something similar to Stardust, he told reporters outside the department.

These families have waited too long for a decision for an independent investigation.

The ball is now in the ministers court to give that decision in the near future and we warmly welcome that imminent time-frame.

Aine Flanagan, whose partner Robert and five-year-old daughter Shauna died in the explosion, said: We warmly welcome the ministers commitment today to give consideration to our legal teams request for an independent investigation, in line with Stardust, to ensure that we are not once again trying to seek truth and answers many decades after the event.

Mr Mackin said Mr OCallaghan holds the key to finding a solution.

He added: That key comes in the form of an independent investigation chaired by the senior coroner or a High Court judge, with the necessary powers.

Mr Mackin described an investigation as a minimal ask in comparison with the loss our clients have suffered.

He added: The continuing delay to order such an investigation erodes our clients confidence in the justice system in Ireland.

Only when an independent investigation is ordered will our clients have confidence in the system.

Ann Marie Boyle, whose sister Catherine and nephew James died in the blast, said the families had also asked the minister to visit Donegal.

There is family members and theres injured people who cant come because of their injuries, she said, adding that this was her second trip to Dublin to meet a justice minister.

So we would welcome him to come to Donegal.

Donna Harper, mother of 14-year-old Leona, said she felt the minister listened to them.

Asked about a public inquiry, she said: He hasnt said yes, but he hasnt said no.

He said that if there is going to be prosecutions through the courts, that he will certainly meet us again if we still have questions that need to be answered, and he certainly will look into the inquiry. So he hasnt ruled it out.

She added that while the families appreciate the time they were given by the minister, it has been almost four years since the explosion.

She said: My wee girl was killed on (October) 7, and she was 14 when she was killed. January past she should have been 18, and she should have been making her prom and so on. And youve got all them milestones in front of you, and we would really, really love to see if he could agree to giving us the inquiry right now.
The Byrne Brothers  the viral Irish music sensation with millions of online followers  are set to take to the stage at The Glens Centre in Manorhamilton on April 17.

Fresh from touring the United States alongside The High Kings, the Donegal-born family band are bringing their high-energy live show back to the Northwest for what promises to be a standout night on the local arts calendar.

Originally from Mountcharles in Co Donegal and now based in Orlando, Florida, the group  made up of brothers Luca, Finn and Dempsey alongside their father Tommy  have built a global following through a mix of traditional Irish music and modern performance.

Over the past number of years, they have performed across 49 U.S. states and spent eight years entertaining audiences at Disney parks, while also headlining major festivals including Milwaukee Irish Fest and Dublin Irish Fest.

But despite their international success  including more than 50 million video views online  their roots remain firmly grounded in traditional Irish music.

Their live shows, however, are anything but traditional.

Blending banjo, fiddle, accordion and bodhran with high-energy production, bass drops and Irish dance, the Byrne Brothers have developed a performance style that appeals to both traditional music fans and younger audiences.

Finn Byrne, a two-time Ulster champion Irish dancer and world qualifier, adds a visual edge to the show, while the bands tight harmonies and musicianship have earned them a reputation as one of the most exciting Irish acts currently touring.

Local audiences will now get a rare chance to see that energy up close when the band returns for their homecoming performance in Manorhamilton.

With a history of drawing large crowds  including standout performances at major U.S. festivals  demand is expected to be strong.
CBL Executive Governor Henry F. Saamoi (right) presents coin sorting machines to the Liberia Bankers Association to boost coin circulation in the Liberian economy.
President Boakai and Agric Minister Nuetah in discussion with Bishop Robert Bimba, Chief Executive Officer of the Community of Hope Agriculture Project (CHAP) at the Executive Mansion.
National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC-Liberia) Acting Chairperson Jonathan K. Weedor and his team, along with others.
A LOCAL campaigner who received an apology from University Hospital Limerick (UHL) over the way his late father was treated in their care has brought his 16-year battle against the State to book.

Garryowen man Mike Daly created history when he secured a second inquest into the passing of his father Mike Snr, who died at UHL in 2010.

An inquest two years later found that he had died of cardiac failure due to natural causes.

PICTURES: Local residents express strong opposition to modular homes in Limerick park

However, in what is thought to be a first in Irish history, a fresh coroners inquiry was ordered and heard in 2023. It heard that a timely surgical procedure would have avoided the death of Mr Daly Snr, who had been treated for rectal pain and bleeding for more than two-and-a-half years and had a number of surgical procedures carried out in the Dooradoyle facility.

Following High Court action taken against the HSE in 2024, UHL in a letter to Mr Daly Snrs widow Mary said it admitted liability and apologises unreservedly to you and your family for the hurt, stress and upset caused.

It was a single word from father to son in the final moments of his life which stuck with Mike, and inspired the title of the book, His Last Word was Revenge which launched this week.

I was pushed by the fact that my father, on his deathbed, in and out of consciousness, found it very hard to speak. He was in his last days before he passed, and he uttered the word revenge. I looked at my sister, and asked: did he just say what I thought he did?' She confirmed it. It was surreal. Where would you ever witness anything like that? Your Dad dying and hes asking to get revenge, Mike told Limerick Live.

READ MORE: Irish Red Cross marks Limerick volunteers 50 years service

Since his fathers tragic death aged only 64, Mike read through some 16,000 sheets of technical reports in his bid for a second inquest.

It was the worst thing I ever had to do in my life. When I was going through my fathers medical records, everyone was telling us he died of natural causes, heart failure. We were told we needed to grieve and move on, but we refused. Going through his medical records and finding out the truth of what happened to him, it was devastating, he said.

Mike, who has self-published the book, has printed 1,000 copies. Already, 80 have sold.

Ive had two or three people come back to me and say they were shocked at it. A lot of people would have said theyd have been bawling crying reading the book. My father went through hell, and youll see it within the book, he said.

Mike will remember his father as someone who would always take time out for his children.

Even though he worked five days a week, he would do something with us on weekends. As a crowd, or individually some weeks. I have loads of memories of him bringing me fishing. He was a really good Dad. He got on with everybody, he said.

Mike will be selling copies of his book - priced 19.99 in the city for the next few weeks. On Fridays, he will be outside Mango (formerly Debenhams).

It will be the Milk Market on Saturday, and then the car boot sale at the City East Retail Park, near B&Q on Sundays.

For more information and to buy a copy, call 087-132 1132, or click here
A NEW wind farm development is being planned around the East Limerick-West Tipperary border.

The development of 14 turbines, to reach 185 metres high and 163 metres wide has been earmarked for a series of townlands near Doon.

The company behind the plans is Carrow Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of Limerick firm Atlantic Infrastructure Renewables.

It has submitted a planning application to An Coimisiun Pleanala which identifies 35 townlands in Limerick and 27 townlands in Tipperary for development.

READ MORE: A prolific and restless soul: Limerick poet and writer Gabriel Rosenstock passes away aged 76

Among the townlands referenced in Limerick are Doon South, Cappamore, Brittas, Milltown and Killonan.

These lands have been identified as having potential to accommodate a wind farm development and feasibility studies have been undertaken to assess the site potential over the past few years, the company stated on its website.

According to the planning application, the height of the hubs, which the windmills themselves will be attached to will be just over 100 metres.

Two control buildings will host a substation compound, which will feature electrical gear.

The development will bring with it underground cabling.

An existing local road will be upgraded, with steel fences and gates erected around the site to serve as its main entrance should the project get the go-ahead.

Temporary construction compounds and accommodation will also be provided in the event of a grant of permission.

The applicants, Carrow Renewable Energy, received a boost when An Coimisiun Pleanala directed the project is deemed to be a strategic infrastructure development.

This refers to a special category of construction projects which are considered essential for the countrys economic or social development.

These projects go through a fast-tracked planning process handled directly by An Bord Coimisiun Pleanala instead of local councils.

Among the types of projects that benefit from this designation are major road projects, new railway lines, airports and port extensions, major housing projects, as well as green energy initiatives like this one.

PICTURES: Local residents express strong opposition to modular homes in Limerick park

A decision is due by this time next year, in line with new legislation which states a verdict on renewable projects must be reached within 12 months.

Had the project not received the strategic designation, the developer would have had to lodge two separate planning applications.

One would be to Limerick City and County Council covering the land on the Treaty side of the border. The other would be to Tipperary County Council.

Carrow Renewable Energy did not return a request for comment.
Vaeshnavi reports on the business of consumption from Bengaluru, tracking how India shops, eats, and clicks. As a correspondent with Mints consumer economy team, she covers sectors ranging from retail and food and beverage to the rapid rise of quick commerce. She is a 2025 graduate of the Asian College of Journalisms Bloomberg Business and Finance programme. She joined the Mint newsroom in May 2025 and this is her first stint in journalism. She holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from the University of Madras. Vaeshnavi loves storytelling and breaking down complex jargon and numbers to bring out insightful yet simple-to-understand narratives. She is a Malayali but has spent most of her life living in Chennai. During her school days, she was an avid debater and loved participating in anything that involved holding a mic and standing on stage talking to a room filled with people. A diehard SRK fan, she can be found vibing to Indie music and Bollywood songs in her free time. She is a self-confessed cold coffee addict who wont let a day pass without one, and is always cafe-hopping in search of the citys best brew.

Sowmya Ramasubramanian

Sowmya is a senior correspondent covering retail, FMCG, corporate strategy, and consumer technology, with a focus on how companies navigate demand, competition, and shifting consumption patterns across both urban and emerging markets. She reports on business decisions through both breaking news and long-form stories.<br><br>An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism, she has reported on a range of consumer-facing industries, including e-commerce, healthcare, and startups. Her work focuses on understanding how companies grow, compete, and adapt in a changing economic environment, as well as how broader trends translate into everyday consumption and business outcomes.<br><br>She is particularly interested in how business decisions show up in everyday consumer experiences, and often looks at trends through the lens of how they play out on the ground.<br><br>Prior to her current role, Sowmya was part of the editorial team at YourStory, where she covered startups and entrepreneurship. She has also worked on longform stories at The Morning Context and reported on technology at The Hindu in Chennai, gaining experience across different formats and newsrooms.<br><br>Her reporting aims to be accurate and accessible, with an emphasis on context and careful sourcing. She is particularly interested in stories that sit at the intersection of business strategy and consumer behaviour.<br><br>Based in Bengaluru and always curious about evolving consumption trends, she is often exploring new coffee and kombucha spots, both as a personal interest and a way to observe how consumer preferences are taking shape on the ground.
Stock broking platform Groww has reportedly exited the payments space after surrendering its payment aggregator (PA) licence, two years after receiving approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

According to a report by The Head and Tale, the Bengaluru-based fintech company withdrew its PA licence without a formal announcement. The move indicates a strategic shift away from operating as a payments intermediary.

The specific reason behind the exit remains unclear as Groww has not publicly disclosed why it made such a move.

The stockbroker had received approval from the RBI in April 2024 for its payments arm, Groww Pay, allowing it to onboard merchants and process transactions directly as a payment aggregator.

Groww to focus on core business Groww entered the payments segment in 2023 with a UPI app that enables customers to fulfil bill payments, recharges and credit card repayments. The latest move also signals a renewed focus on its core broking and wealth management business, where it has scaled rapidly over the years.

A payment aggregator (PA) licence in India is mandatory for fintech firms to process digital payments, requiring a minimum net worth of 25 crore, RBI authorisation, and strict compliance with KYC/AML standards.

Groww, whose parent company is Billionbrains Garage Ventures Ltd, officially went public on 12 November 2025, listing on both stock exchanges  NSE and BSE. The 6,632.3 crore IPO was open for public subscription from 4 November to 7 November 2025, with a price band of 95 100 per share, ultimately debuting at a premium.

Several firms give up PA licence Groww is not the only company that has given up a PA or wallet licence. Earlier in 2024, food delivery giant Zomato had also surrendered its payment aggregator and wallet licence.

Zomato, whose parent firm is Eternal, had received the approval from the RBI in 2022 but exited the segment without disclosing specific reasons, as it continued to sharpen its focus on food delivery and quick commerce businesses.

The developments come at a time when the regulatory environment for payment aggregators is undergoing change. Between 2021 and 2023, the RBI adopted a stricter approach, during which several applications faced delays or returned due to compliance shortcomings.

However, the regulator has shown greater flexibility in 2025, easing the approval process and allowing more companies to navigate the regulatory framework for payment aggregators.
Sowmya Ramasubramanian

Sowmya is a senior correspondent covering retail, FMCG, corporate strategy, and consumer technology, with a focus on how companies navigate demand, competition, and shifting consumption patterns across both urban and emerging markets. She reports on business decisions through both breaking news and long-form stories.<br><br>An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism, she has reported on a range of consumer-facing industries, including e-commerce, healthcare, and startups. Her work focuses on understanding how companies grow, compete, and adapt in a changing economic environment, as well as how broader trends translate into everyday consumption and business outcomes.<br><br>She is particularly interested in how business decisions show up in everyday consumer experiences, and often looks at trends through the lens of how they play out on the ground.<br><br>Prior to her current role, Sowmya was part of the editorial team at YourStory, where she covered startups and entrepreneurship. She has also worked on longform stories at The Morning Context and reported on technology at The Hindu in Chennai, gaining experience across different formats and newsrooms.<br><br>Her reporting aims to be accurate and accessible, with an emphasis on context and careful sourcing. She is particularly interested in stories that sit at the intersection of business strategy and consumer behaviour.<br><br>Based in Bengaluru and always curious about evolving consumption trends, she is often exploring new coffee and kombucha spots, both as a personal interest and a way to observe how consumer preferences are taking shape on the ground.
Three Indian-origin engineers were elevated to leadership roles as Elon Musk plans an overhaul of the engineering team of xAI, according to a new report. The alleged changes come at a time when xAI is merging more closely with SpaceX ahead of the rocket company's mega IPO (initial public offering).

According to the report by Business Insider citing an internal company memo, SpaceX executive Michael Nicholls said the company was clearly behind its peers and was taking action to reach their level as quickly as possible.

Three Indian-origin engineers to lead key teams Devendra Chaplot, who joined xAI last month, will lead pre-training, where he will oversee the initial phase in which an AI model learns general patterns from massive datasets including text, images and code, as per Business Insider. The new leader of the team is a former researcher at Facebook and Thinking Machines Labs.

Meanwhile, the model factory and tooling department will be led by Indian-origin engineer Aman Madaan, who will oversee the infrastructure, data pipelines, and training workflows used to develop and improve AI models.

Also Read | Elon Musk vows xAI will catch rivals Google, Anthropic and OpenAI this year

Aditya Gupta will be responsible for post-training and reinforcement learning. This is the final stage where an AI model is fine-tuned, aligned with human preferences, and optimised for real-world use scenarios like chatting or coding assistance.

Michael Nicholls elevated SpaceX executive Michael Nicholls, who is a senior vice president of Starlink at the space company, will now also be the president of xAI, Business Insider reported citing one person familiar with the knowledge of the matter.

SpaceX acquired xAI earlier this year and is on its way to conduct an initial public offering this year, as per multiple media reports. However, over the past few months, xAI lost several cofounders and senior leaders and went through a number of organisational changes as it also raced to keep up with AI rivals OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.

Now, xAI founder Elon Musk is implementing his Tesla playbook to rebuild the company from its roots.

Changes in xAI product and infrastructure team Andrew Milich and Jason Ginsburg, who joined xAI in March after their stints at AI coding giant Cursor, have also seen their roles being elevated. The duo will lead the company's product team, which oversees Grok Main, Grok Voice, and Grok Imagine.

Jake Palmer will lead physical infrastructure, while compute infrastructure will be overseen by Daniel Dueri, who is the director of software engineering at SpaceX, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Other SpaceX employees have also taken leadership roles at xAI. This includes Matt Monson, the director of Starlink software at SpaceX, who will now also lead data at xAI.

As per the memo viewed by Business Insider, Nicholls said the training performance of xAI's compute is embarrassingly low, with the company planning to improve the same significantly over the next two months.

Also Read | xAI hiring reset: Musk apologises to AI talent overlooked during early hiring

The changes to the roles are effective immediately, Nicholls said in the alleged memo, adding that the company was working to give its employees titles that better describe their roles.

In February, Elon Musk reorganised xAI and unveiled a new internal structure. Tesla and SpaceX engineers have also come into the company's Palo Alto office to assist with the changes as eight out of 11 xAI cofounders left the company ahead of the IPO, as per the report by Business Insider citing people familiar with the development.
Krishna Yadav

Krishna Yadav is a Senior Correspondent at Mint, based in New Delhi, and part of the corporate bureau. He joined the newsroom as a trainee in 2023 and quickly grew into his current role. He writes on legal and regulatory developments in corporate India, with a focus on insolvency, taxation, company law, and policy. His reporting includes tracking and breaking key legal stories from the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, NCLT, and NCLAT.<br><br>With a background in law, Krishna is known for simplifying complex legal developments into clear, accessible stories for readers. His work focuses on trends in corporate law and policy that affect businesses. This ranges from explaining tax disputeslike whether coconut hair oil is edibleto writing on why celebrities are seeking personal rights protection. He closely tracks Indias insolvency system, covering issues such as creditor losses, gaps in the process, and challenges in how the framework works in practice.<br><br>Krishna also tracks developments within law firmscovering hiring trends, how firms help companies navigate global challenges, and how the legal industry is adapting to artificial intelligence. Beyond legal reporting, he has written long-form pieces, including on-ground coverage of the 2024 general elections, capturing the scale and logistics of polling across India.<br><br>Outside work, he enjoys travelling, exploring new places, and reading about geopolitics and history.
Dipali Banka

Dipali Banka is a Mumbai-based journalist who treats corporate reporting less like a beat and more like a puzzle to be solved. This invariably means she has to read through annual reports and speak with leaders and analysts. She tracks policies, deals, and the pulse of industries spanning metals, mining, paints, and cement, alongside aviation. She started out as an intern at The Statesman and then completed her postgraduate diploma in journalism from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, in 2025. Relentlessly curious at heart, Dipali is driven by the simple urge to understand how things work and who they impact. Armed with an enduring fascination for steel and aeroplanes, she moves through the churn of daily news with focus, turning complexity into clarity without losing the story. She is particularly committed to shaping numbers into objective narratives, having little appetite for vagueness that gets in her way.<br><br>Outside the newsroom, Dipali is an unapologetically loud presence who values long conversations and longer walks to unwind. She devours books of all kinds and can often be found indulging in the lyrical sway of contemporary ghazals. She ardently believes that her relationship with her bylines is more sacred than it would ever be with anyone across the human race.
A UK court has ordered India's SpiceJet to pay about $8 million to an aircraft engine lessor over unpaid rent and maintenance charges for three engines, in the latest setback for the cash-strapped airline.

London's Commercial Court granted summary judgment on Wednesday in favour of Sunbird France 02 SAS over the unpaid rent and maintenance accruals, finding that SpiceJet had no viable defence.

The ruling comes as SpiceJet remains under financial strain following the Boeing 737 MAX grounding and COVID-19 pandemic, and losing market share to rivals such as Akasa Air.

The unpaid rent dates from January 2022, while maintenance accruals date back to November 2020. The lessor issued default notices in July 2022 and repossessed all three engines between late 2022 and mid-2023.

SpiceJet initially hired British solicitors but never filed a defence or response to Sunbird's application, the judgement showed.

Also Read | SpiceJet moves review plea in Delhi HC over 144.5 cr deposit in Maran dispute

The airline did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Varuni Khosla

Varuni Khosla is a journalist with Mint, where she covers the consumer economy with a focus on hospitality and tourism, luxury, the business of sports, art, and the alcohol and food and beverage industries. Based in New Delhi, she reports on how brands and cultural sectors grow, shape consumer demand and compete in one of the worlds fastest-evolving markets.<br><br>Varuni has been a journalist since 2009 and brings more than 17 years of experience reporting on Indias business landscape. She specialises in covering the industries shaping Indias consumption economy, and is widely recognised as a key voice in these areas.<br><br>Over the years, she has closely tracked the rise of Indias luxury and hospitality sectors, the transformation of advertising and marketing as brands respond to digital platforms and changing audiences, and the economics of sport, from sponsorships and leagues to the expanding commercial ecosystems around teams, athletes and media rights. Her reporting on the business of art explores the growing global market for South Asian art and the role of collectors, galleries and auction houses.<br><br>Her stories frequently draw on exclusive conversations with founders, executives and industry leaders, combining market data with on-the-ground reporting to offer readers insight into the companies and trends shaping Indias evolving consumption economy.
Priyamvada C

Priyamvada is a Mumbai-based business journalist at Mint. She writes about the public and private markets with a key focus on venture capital, private equity, M&As and private credit. Her coverage also spans startups and emerging businesses.<br><br>Over the last two years, she has uncovered some of the largest deals and interviewed important decision-makers from Indias investment ecosystem. She likes to dabble across different formats like long forms and explainers. Her work has been consistently displayed on the publication's deals page, and she has also written multiple front-page stories.<br><br>Prior to joining Mint in 2024, she worked out of Reuters Bengaluru bureau where she extensively covered the travel, transportation, and logistics industries. Across both her stints, Priyamvada has displayed rigour for breaking news and analyzing interesting data-driven trends. She holds a postgraduate diploma from the Asian College of Journalism's Bloomberg programme. In her free time, she enjoys reading books and trying out different cuisines. She is keen to delve deeper into the various sectors she covers and is always up for a chat. You can reach out to her at priyamvada.c@livemint.com.
(Bloomberg) -- UBS Group AG says it wont hand over a stash of privileged documents for a probe into Credit Suisses handling of Nazi-linked accounts after failing to win assurances that doing so wouldnt expose it to new financial claims.

UBS said Thursday it had weighed giving the files to Neil Barofsky, whos overseeing the probe into the Credit Suisse archives. But it changed its mind after a New York judge said he couldnt shield it from future lawsuits.

Tuesdays court decision means UBS can no longer risk handing over the documents to him, Switzerlands biggest bank said. UBS bought its troubled former rival in 2023, inheriting a number of legal cases from Credit Suisse including this one.

We explored ways to provide Barofsky with access to these documents while ensuring appropriate safeguards given recent threats of litigation related to the 1999 Settlement Agreement UBS said on Thursday in an update to the Q&A on its website. In light of the courts decision, we will continue to maintain confidentiality over the privileged documents from the 1990s class action litigation.

This weeks turn of events risks pushing the case out of the courts and back into the public and political domain. Members of a US Senate committee tore into two top UBS executives at a public hearing in February for refusing to hand over the documents. Senator Chuck Grassley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he may hold another hearing on the topic this fall.

The latest round of legal wrangling comes after UBS attorney David Burns in March asked Judge Edward Korman for a clarification to block the Simon Wiesenthal Center from suing for more money and promoting any public controversy in a way that is inconsistent with the 1999 settlement. Any new claims related to Nazi-linked accounts could expose the bank to a potential multi-billion dollar potential liability.

The SWC, named for the famous Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal, denies it has threatened to sue the bank.

Judge Korman ruled on Tuesday that because there is no actual litigation before him in the long-running dispute between Credit Suisse and the SWC, he couldnt issue an advisory opinion.

UBS wants to use its disagreement with SWC to assert there is a case or controversy, without actually filing any motion or lawsuit, wrote Judge Korman, who oversaw the 1999 settlement in which Swiss banks agreed to pay $1.25 billion to survivors of the Holocaust and their families. UBS cannot have it both ways.

Barofsky said at the February hearing that the withheld records, which number about 150, appear to go to the heart of our investigation, which wouldnt be complete without him being able to review them. To add to the pressure, Barofsky then released a 73-page update on his investigation, showing that it had revealed hundreds more possible leads on Nazi-linked accounts, including those of senior officials and entities.

The investigation found certain instances in which Credit Suisse did not share findings from its 1990s historical review regarding the Holocaust and World War II with the public commissions that reported on Credit Suisses activities or in its own publications, Barofsky wrote.

But UBS remains undeterred. It stresses that the language of the 1990s accord expressly protected it from any potential further liability  known or unknown at the time.

In Thursdays update, the Zurich-based bank added that we are not withholding documents from prior to the 1990s, even if they were included in the 1990s class action litigation files.

For example, if World War II-era documents are attached to a privileged document, we are not withholding those historical documents, it added, reiterating that the bank has given Barofsky access to some 16.5 million documents, and has withheld less than 0.1% of the total number.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Assembly Election 2026 LIVE: Voting has ended for assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry today. The next phase of assembly polls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are scheduled for later this month. The results for all assembly polls will be declared on 4 May.

The voting began at 7 AM. Today's voting was held at 31,486 polling stations across Assam, 30,471 polling stations in Kerala and 1,099 polling stations in Puducherry. The Assembly election polling ended at 6 pm.

Assam has 2.5 crore voters. Kerala has 2.7 crore voters while Puducherry has 9.4 Lakh voters. In Assam, there are about 5.7 lakh first time voters. In Kerala it is 4.24 lakh and is Puducherry, 23,000 residents are eligible to vote for the first time today.

Assam Assembly Election 2026: Poll Timings

Assam has 126 seats. The Assam elections was keenly watched with sitting Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hoping to return to power. The Opposition Congress is alleging instability under the present rule, and has batted for change as a key factor in their electoral campaign.

In 2021, the election saw the incumbent BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retain power with 75 seats, marking the first time a non-Congress alliance won consecutive terms in the state.

The fight for Kerala

In Kerala, the election battle is between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) for the Assembly elections. The CPI(M)-led LDF, led by CM Pinarayi Vijayan, is seeking a third consecutive term.

Kerala has 140 seats. In the 2021 elections, the LDF retained power with 99 seats, becoming the first incumbent government since 1977 to win consecutive terms.



The Union Territory of Puducherry, with 30 assembly seats, will see the ruling BJP-led NDA hoping to consolidate its hold on power. The Congress has put forth the demand for full statehood, growth in local leadership and aiming a reduction in the authority of the Lieutenant Governor in its campaign.

Get all the Assembly elections 2026 Updates here on Mint!
Voting is being held for Assam, Kerala and Puducherry Legislative Assemblies today. The voting begins at 7 AM.

Assam has 126 seats, Kerala has 140 seats while Puducherry has 30 seats. The results will be announced on 4 March, along with West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections

Today's voting is being held at 31,486 polling stations across Assam, 30,471 polling stations in Kerala and 1,099 polling stations in Puducherry.

Assam has 2.5 crore voters. Kerala has 2.7 crore voters while Puducherry has 9.4 Lakh voters.

View full Image View full Image You can vote only if your name appears in the Voter List (also known as Electoral Roll). If you are voter in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry, here is a list of documents that you can use to cast your vote today: ( Election Commission of India )

You can vote only if your name appears in the Voter List (also known as Electoral Roll). If you are voter in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry, here is a list of documents that you can use to cast your vote today:

Electoral Photo Voter Identification Card (EPIC) EPIC is the standard document issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to identify all voters. This is the primary document that is used to cast your vote in all elections.

Apart from EPIC, there are also 11 alternative documents that can be used to cast the vote. These are:

1-Aadhaar Card

2- PAN Card

3- Indian Passport

4- Driving Licence

5- Bank/Post Office Passbooks with photos

6- Service Identity Card

7- Pension Documents

8- MGNREGA Job Card

9- Health Insurance Smart Card issued by the Ministry of Labour

10- Smart Card (RGI/NPR)

11- Official ID for MPs/MLAs/MLCs

Who is eligible to vote? Any citizen of India, who is 18 years or older on the qualifying date for the election and a resident in the polling area of the constituency with the name included in the official electoral roll(voter list) of your constituency is eligible to vote in the Assembly Elections 2026.

Can a voting slip be used to cast vote? A few days before the polling date, each eligible voter is issued a voting slip with details about polling booth to make sure they can reach the voting centre easily. But this is not the official ID required to cast the vote. You need to carry either of the documents listed above to be able to cast vote.

What are the poll timings today? Polling begins at 7:00 AM and will continue till 5:00 PM in all 126 constituencies of Assam.

In 2021, the election saw the incumbent BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retain power with 75 seats, marking the first time a non-Congress alliance won consecutive terms in the state.

Kerala has 140 seats. In the 2021 elections, the LDF retained power with 99 seats, becoming the first incumbent government since 1977 to win consecutive terms.

Polling will take place on April 9, with booths open from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm. Voters who are in the queue at 6 am will be allowed to cast votes. Polling will be held from 7 AM in Puducherry.
Baramati bypolls: Congress has backed out of the Baramati bypolls 2026, from where Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar is in the fray, after last-minute request. Congress has withdrawn its candidate, saying the candidate from the opposing party had repeatedly and persistently requested the party to back out of the Baramati bypolls.

Congress withdrew their candidate Akash More's nomination just before the deadline, paving way for Sunetra Pawar to win Baramati bypolls unopposed. As per directions from the party leadership, I have withdrawn my nomination, Akash More told reporters. The decision was taken to maintain the state's political culture, decorum and dialogue.

Speaking on why Congress withdrew its candidate from Baramati assembly by-election, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said the party decided to withdraw its candidate in the wake of the tragic death of then deputy CM Ajit Pawar, husband of Sunetra Pawar, in a plane crash just over two months ago.

Sapkal said Sunetra Pawar had spoken to him three times and even met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi to seek withdrawal of the party candidate.

The Congress should have contested the election there; we needed to move forward with our ideological stance, but in the last 24 hours, the candidate from Ajit Pawar's faction has repeatedly and persistently requested us to do so, the Congress state chief said.

Taking that into consideration, and as our alliance party leaders have also spoken with us, in response to their request, we are withdrawing our candidate from there... In 2029, our candidate will win from there, Harshwardhan Sapkal said, ANI reported.

Sapkal said, We are taking two steps back since the bypoll is taking place immediately after the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar. Even though Ajit Pawar started his political career with the Congress, he had joined hands with the BJP for the sake of power.

The Maharashtra Congress chief also declared that Congress wouldn't be backing any candidate in the Baramati bypolls. He said the party will prepare for a bigger fight in the 2029 assembly polls.

I am categorically stating that there will be a Congress candidate in Baramati in 2029 who will be elected, he said.

Despite the Congress' withdrawal, the election will take place on April 23 as several other candidates are still in the fray. Votes will be counted on May 4, along with the vote counting to declare results for Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala.
Imagine your idle portfolio holdings generating extra income without being sold or compromising your long-term investment goals. Here comes the facility of the Stock Lending and Borrowing Mechanism (SLBM) by which long-term investors can generate extra income from idle holdings by renting them. In this blog, we will explore how investors can take advantage of renting out their idle stocks to earn passive income and turn their waiting period into a productive time.

What is SLBM? The Stock Lending and Borrowing Mechanism (SLBM) is a facility by which the owners of shares (lenders) can temporarily lend their securities to other market participants (borrowers). In return for this, the lenders earn a fee, sometimes referred to as lending income. Borrowers borrow shares for short selling, arbitrage opportunities, hedging strategies, etc. Borrowing demand often increases near the expiry periods, such as all index expiry day.

This mechanism is facilitated by clearing corporations such as NSE Clearing Limited (NCL), which ensures settlement of transactions, thereby minimising counterparty risk. Essentially, SLBM creates a marketplace where a temporary transfer of securities occurs to benefit both lender and borrower.

Benefits of renting your idle stocks Lending your stocks using SLBM offers attractive benefits like:

Generate an income: This is the primary advantage, and you can earn a recurring lending income on your dormant holdings, which enhances your overall portfolio returns without active trading.

Retain ownership benefits: Even after renting out your stocks, you still hold the ownership of those stocks and will benefit from their ownership rights. You will continue to receive dividends, and your shares will remain eligible for corporate actions such as bonus issues, stock splits and rights issues.

Improved portfolio returns: The lending income is an additional source of income. During flat markets or waiting periods for the next rally, this income can support your total return on investment.

Default protection: The transactions are guaranteed by the clearing corporation. This means that even if the borrower defaults, the clearing corporation will ensure that your shares, or their equivalent value, will be returned to you, giving you a high degree of safety. How to lend stocks through SLBM Due to the advent of online trading platforms, it is now easy for Indian retail investors to participate in SLBM. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Select a broker with the SLBM Facility You have to select a broker that offers the SLBM service. Many brokers have incorporated the SLBM facility into their platforms, making it easy for you to avail the SLBM facility.

Identify eligible stocks Log in to your broker's SLBM section. Here, you'll find a list of stocks that are eligible for SLBM from your stocks. Only fully paid-up and unpledged shares are eligible. You can also refer to the official list of the eligible securities on the NSE website.

Check market demand and rental rates The brokerage platform will display the existing demand and indicative rental rates for various eligible stocks. These rates can fluctuate on a day-to-day basis depending on market conditions, demand for borrowing and the duration of the lending. The higher the demand for a particular stock, the better the rental rates.

Configure your lending order After checking the eligible stocks, their demand and lending details, now configure the lending order by:

Select the Stock: Select the specific stock that you want to lend out.

Specify quantity: Specify the number of shares that you want to offer for lending.

Define lending period: Select the period for which you are willing to lend your shares, as SLBM contracts follow monthly settlement cycles.

Set rental rate: You can either accept the prevailing market rate or quote your desired rate. If your rate is too high, your shares may not be borrowed by others. Place the order Once you are satisfied with the terms, place your order for lending. This order is put in the SLBM order book of the exchange.

Order matching and execution The exchange's system matches your lending offer with an appropriate borrowing request. On successful matching, the transaction is executed.

Transfer to the borrower Your shares for a temporary period are transferred from your demat account. The clearing corporation takes over the responsibility of ensuring the return of shares.

Receive lending income You will start receiving lending income for your shares that are borrowed out. This income is deposited into your account at predefined intervals or at the end of the lending period. The lending income is taxed like income from other sources or business income according to the income tax rules, depending on your tax bracket.

Return of shares At the end of the specified period of lending, the shares borrowed are automatically returned to your demat account by the clearing corporation. In cases of default by the borrower, the clearing corporation intervenes and, using the collateral provided by the borrower, procures and returns equivalent shares to you.

Wrap up The Stock Lending and Borrowing Mechanism, or SLBM, is a powerful yet underutilised tool by Indian retail investors. It converts your dormant stock holdings into a dynamic income-generating asset, and you get to earn lending income while patiently waiting for the next market rally.

By understanding the mechanics, leveraging your trading platform effectively, and being mindful of the key considerations, you can unlock a new stream of passive income, thereby optimising your investment portfolio and accelerating your journey towards financial goals.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended a soldiers felicitation ceremony in Khatima, where he paid tribute to martyrs and honoured their families.

The event coincided with the sixth death anniversary of his father, Subedar Sher Singh Dhami.

During the programme, the chief minister inaugurated a soldiers facilitation centre and a CSD canteen, aimed at providing improved services to defence personnel, veterans and their dependents in the region.

Dhami said the state government is committed to the welfare of soldiers and ex-servicemen, adding that their sacrifices continue to inspire the nation.

Highlighting his personal connection, he described himself as a son of a soldier and said this background informs the governments approach to policy and welfare initiatives for the armed forces community.
SYDNEYFrom the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean, a global scramble is under way to protect submarine cables vulnerable to potential sabotage.

Governments, militaries, cable owners and tech startups are taking action to bolster the defenses of the worlds underwater cable network, through which most international data traffic travels.

In Northern Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is using ships and drones to ward off possible sabotage, after a Russia-linked vessel cut vital cables in 2024.

In Asia, Taiwan is increasing coast guard patrols and penalties for damaging cables, hoping to deter would-be saboteurs. Private cable operators are looking at routes that avoid contested waters such as the South China Sea, where Chinese vessels have clashed with Philippine ships and pressed territorial claims.

The efforts underscore the challenge: There is no foolproof way to defend submarine cables.

The dragging of ship anchors, a main way cables get taken out, can damage even armored cables, which are wrapped in steel wire but still roughly the diameter of a ping-pong ball. When close to shore, cables are buried, but they can be buried only so deep.

A determined adversary, said David Brewster, who researches Indo-Pacific maritime security at Australian National University, can still cut the cable relatively easily in shallow waters.

The conflict in Iran has raised new concerns, including that cable-laying and repair ships wont be able to transit the Strait of Hormuz, delaying much-needed fixes or upgrades.

China and Russia deny being involved in cable cuts. One hurdle for Western officials has been the difficulty of proving a captain acted on orders from Beijing or Moscow, particularly since many ships involved are flagged under third countries.

This attribution challenge has paralyzed the international communitys response, Jason Hsu, a former Taiwan legislator now at the Hudson Institute, recently told a U.S. legislative commission in written testimony.

Cable faults are mostly the result of human accidents, natural hazards, abrasion or equipment failure, according to the International Cable Protection Committee, which said last year that it wasnt aware of any verified incidents of state-sponsored sabotage since World War II. The number of cable faults has been about 150 to 200 a year and has remained stable, the organization said.

The submarine cable industry goes to great lengths to protect cables, provide resilient networks and minimize disruptions, said Dean Veverka, the committee chairman and chief technology officer at cable operator Southern Cross. Still, he said, bad actors too can cause disruptions if they really wanted to.

Submarine-cable construction is booming as the growth of artificial intelligence drives demand for more network capacity. As of mid-February, there were 119 new cables planned globally, up from 98 in January last year and 66 in January 2020, according to Tim Stronge, chief research officer at telecom-data firm TeleGeography.

There are limits to physically fortifying the cables. Armoring them with steel wires provides some protection against crushing, but cant reliably stop snag damage if the anchor of a large ship hooks it and pulls, Stronge said.

Those anchors on the commercial vessels, all the cargo ships, are gigantic, he said. A little bit of extra steel is not going to stop it from being ripped up.

Despite the challenges in attributing cable cuts, some analysts say recent incidents have been so specific that it is hard to believe they were accidental.

Cuts of cables to Taiwan in 2023 and 2025 were notably precise in hitting areas where they would wreak the most havoc, Hsu testified. After an incident last year, a Taiwan court found the Togo-flagged ships captain, a Chinese national, responsible for intentionally damaging a cable and sentenced him to three years in prison. China later said a Taiwanese smuggling operation was to blame.

More recently, Taiwanese authorities said they are investigating another Chinese vessel, which was sent to recover a stranded fishing boat, for possibly damaging a cable near one of its outlying islands last month.

China could be seeking to boost its cable-cutting abilities. Some analysts were alarmed by a media report last year that Chinese researchers had developed a device with a diamond-coated grinding wheel that can cut cables at depths of about 13,000 feet, making cables in the deep ocean vulnerable. The researchers characterized the device as needed to help develop marine resources.

Some nations are trying a military solution to ward off potential saboteurs. NATO countries, concerned about possible malign activity from the Russia-linked shadow fleet of sanctioned oil tankers, are using ships, drones and aircraft to patrol the Baltic Sea.

The effort, called Baltic Sentry, launched in January 2025 and has yielded results, said Cmdr. Arlo Abrahamson, a spokesperson for the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations Allied Maritime Command.

After the patrols got under way, there werent any suspected malign incidents for about a year, Abrahamson said. Then Finnish authorities took control of a vessel they suspected of damaging a cable at the end of last year.

The alliance plans to use more uncrewed surface vessels in the operation this year, Abrahamson said.

Its a persistent mission and its difficult to do, he said. But it demonstrates that the alliance can achieve deterrence through collective action.

Singapore is several years along on a plan to double the number of cables connected to the island to more than 50. There are now a little more than 30. Singapore also wants more cable landing areas beyond the two currently in use, said Loh Woon Sien, a senior director at the city-states Infocomm Media Development Authority.

Whatever the reason is for the cut, you will need to go and repair the cable, and you will need some time to do that, she said. Being able to divert traffic quickly to another cable is the best way to keep it resilient.

Some planned cables opt for a more geopolitically secure route. The I-AM Cable, for example, will avoid the center of the disputed South China Sea, tracking near the coast of the Philippines, according to a TeleGeography database. Another, Candle, will go east of the Philippines for part of its route.

Some companies are promoting new technology, called distributed acoustic sensing, that they say can let operators know if there is a ship near a cable or if a cable has been damaged. That would be useful particularly if a ship has turned off its location transponder.

With this method, a device called an interrogator shoots laser pulses down the length of a cable, and some of the light bounces back. When sound vibrates the cable, it changes the returning light, revealing what is happening, and where, along the cable.

We can tell you its a tanker, its a fishing vessel, its a speedboat, its a sailing boat, said Zack Spica, a University of Michigan assistant professor who co-founded Lumetec, which is selling the technology.

Defense-technology firm Anduril Industries says it has developed a device called Seabed Sentry that can deploy to the bottom of the ocean and stay there for months. It can contain a sonar array that detects passing vessels, helping to monitor chokepoints or port entrances.
Complaints related to fraud have impeded the potential of digital payments in India, the Reserve Bank of India said on Thursday. In a new discussion paper, the central bank proposed several measures to curb fraudulent activity while granting customers greater control over their transactions.

The discussion paper, titled Exploring safeguards in digital payments to curb frauds proposed four solutions:

lagged credit for push payments other than low-value transactions;

additional authentication for high-value transactions by vulnerable sections of society;

large credits to be received only by accounts with satisfactory additional review; and

customer-induced controls. The discussion paper is open for public comments and feedback until 8 May, the RBI said.

A typical fraud through digital payments may not involve technical compromise of systems, but mostly through manipulation of users through social engineering, coercion, or impersonation. Victims, acting under deception, themselves initiate and authenticate transactions, leading to authorised push-payment (APP) frauds, RBI said in the paper.

Fraudsters are deploying various tactics, such as bogus call centres, deepfake-driven impersonation scams and mule account networks. Almost all sections of society, especially vulnerable groups such as senior citizens have fallen prey to such APP frauds, the RBI said, adding that this dictated an urgent need to put in place systems and processes to address these issues.

APP fraud exploits seamless payment environments, where the ability to transfer funds instantaneously often results in victims completing transactions before realising they are being duped. Post-transaction remedies to recover such funds being limited, a defrauded user is often left with a few remedies and uncertain outcomes, which are time-consuming and show low recovery rates, the RBI said.

Digital fraud on the rise Data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) shows that digital-payment fraud has surged over the past four years. About 2.8 million cases totalling 22,931 crore were reported in 2025, compared to 260,000 cases worth 551 crore in 2021.

The solutions proposed in the paper aim to induce a lag in certain categories of digital payments by way of process-level changes or introducing additional due diligence requirements, thereby buying time for both customers and payment system operators (PSOs) to halt fraudulent transactions. These wont just delay or stop transactions from being executed, but also prevent the proceeds from being moved away quickly, in addition to empowering customers through customised controls, the central bank said.

Digital payments comprise credit and debit cards, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), mobile wallets, and net banking.

Also Read | Govt may seek RBI move to relax NPA norms to cushion MSMEs from war impact
Krishna Yadav is a Senior Correspondent at Mint, based in New Delhi, and part of the corporate bureau. He joined the newsroom as a trainee in 2023 and quickly grew into his current role. He writes on legal and regulatory developments in corporate India, with a focus on insolvency, taxation, company law, and policy. His reporting includes tracking and breaking key legal stories from the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, NCLT, and NCLAT.<br><br>With a background in law, Krishna is known for simplifying complex legal developments into clear, accessible stories for readers. His work focuses on trends in corporate law and policy that affect businesses. This ranges from explaining tax disputeslike whether coconut hair oil is edibleto writing on why celebrities are seeking personal rights protection. He closely tracks Indias insolvency system, covering issues such as creditor losses, gaps in the process, and challenges in how the framework works in practice.<br><br>Krishna also tracks developments within law firmscovering hiring trends, how firms help companies navigate global challenges, and how the legal industry is adapting to artificial intelligence. Beyond legal reporting, he has written long-form pieces, including on-ground coverage of the 2024 general elections, capturing the scale and logistics of polling across India.<br><br>Outside work, he enjoys travelling, exploring new places, and reading about geopolitics and history.

Yash Tiwari

Yash Tiwari is a Mumbai-based journalist who reports on corporate and regulatory developments, with a focus on court-driven policy shifts and the intersection of law and public policy. He has been in the profession for two years. Before joining Mint, he worked at NDTV Profit as an assistant producer on the TV desk while also reporting, gaining experience across television and print journalism and combining reporting with production expertise.<br><br> Born in Kolkata, a city he remains deeply connected to, Yash has a keen interest in the technicalities of Indian law and aims to decode complex legal developments in a clear and accessible manner for readers. He is a graduate of the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, where he completed his postgraduate diploma in journalism.<br><br> He closely follows politics and government policies, and has covered several state elections as a freelance journalist. His work is driven by the idea of making law less intimidating and more understandable for the general public.<br><br> When not at work, Yash can be found playing cricket, revisiting classic matches, or engaging in conversations about the evolving landscape of law and policy in India.
MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday tightened rules governing how banks process inward cross-border payments, seeking to reduce delays in crediting funds to beneficiaries and align Indias payments framework with the G20 roadmap for faster and more transparent global transfers.

The central bank said delays often arise at the beneficiary bank stage, after the funds reach the bank but before they are credited to the customers account, slowing the overall speed of cross-border payments.

Review of the extant process for inward cross-border payments indicated the need for streamlining the processes at the beneficiary bank for ensuring timely intimation of payment information and credit to the beneficiarys account, RBI notified in the revised rules on Thursday.

The new framework will come into effect after six months.

Under the revised rules, banks must inform customers immediately upon receiving a message that an inward cross-border payment has been credited to them. Messages received after the close of operating hours must be communicated to customers at the start of the next business day.

The regulator also addressed delays caused by reconciliation practices. RBI said several banks rely on end-of-day statements of their nostro accounts to confirm receipts, which can postpone crediting funds to beneficiaries.

To expedite the process, banks have been directed to reconcile and confirm credits in their nostro accounts more frequentlyeither on a near real-time basis or at periodic intervals. The reconciliation interval should normally not exceed one hour, RBI said.

This represents a relaxation from draft norms issued in October 2025, which had proposed capping the reconciliation window at thirty minutes.

A nostro account is a bank account held by a domestic bank in a foreign bank, denominated in that foreign countrys currency. Such accounts are used to facilitate international trade and cross-border transactions, and allows banks to manage foreign currency liquidity and process payments without the need for foreign branches.

These guidelines will accelerate inward remittances by mandating hourly nostro reconciliation, same-day crediting during forex market hours, straight-through processing (STP) for individuals, and digital customer interfaces, said Utkarsh Bhatnagar, partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. "Implementation will require banks to upgrade real-time reconciliation systems, adopt automated STP infrastructure, and roll out digital platforms within six months, creating valuable opportunities to modernize operations and enhance customer experience.

RBI also urged banks to endeavour to credit inward payments received during foreign exchange market hours within the same business day, and those received after market hours on the next business day.

The central bank said banks may put in place straight-through processing for crediting inward payments to accounts of individual residents, based on their risk assessment and subject to compliance with Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 guidelines.

Also Read | Govt may seek RBI move to relax NPA norms to cushion MSMEs from war impact
The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has initiated preparations for its initial public offering (IPO), convening with all 20 of its investment bankers earlier this week to begin creating the offer document and establish a preliminary timeline for the listing, according to earlier report by Mint.

The IPO bankers and the exchange commenced the drafting of the offer document and outlined a rough timeline for the listing, as mentioned in an earlier report by Mint.

"NSE met all 20 bankers together for the first time, where everyone agreed to a tentative timeline for the IPO," earlier mint report said, adding that the process will begin with the identification of risks and the preparation of required disclosures, work on which is likely to begin this week.

The exchange will contact all retail shareholders who wish to participate in the share sale by the end of April, said a Mint news report.

The registrar of the exchange had previously requested retail shareholders to indicate their interest in the IPO at the end of the previous month.

"The exact date of the filing of the DRHP with SEBI is currently unknown. Accordingly, only such equity shares which have been held continuously since June 15, 2025 (the cut-off date) will be eligible to be sold in the Offer for Sale," the registrar's letter to retail investors read, a copy of which has been reviewed by Mint.

"Once these retail investors express their interests, the bankers will have a three-week period to review the outreach. During this time, the exchange will also formalise institutional participants for the offer-for-sale portion," said the Mint new report from yesterday.

Mint, in its earlier report, stated that once the sellers and the extent of stake dilution are finalised by the end of May, the exchange will move towards determining the valuation for the proposed offering.

Mint sources as per the news report, indicated that discussions around valuation are still premature at this stage. Subject to alignment among stakeholders, the exchange is likely to file its draft papers with the SEBI by June or early July. Responding to queries, NSE said that following SEBIs no-objection certificate, its board had already approved the IPO through an offer for sale on February 6, 2026, adding that it would not comment further at this stage.

A listing a decade in the making The exchange's decision comes after attempts to address regulatory issues that had previously hindered the listing. NSE continues to hold the title of the largest derivatives exchange globally by volume and manages the principal equity market in India.

The journey toward NSE's listing has been in the works for almost a decade. The exchange initially submitted its IPO documentation in 2016, but then became embroiled in a co-location controversy, facing allegations of providing certain brokers with preferential access to its servers. As the legal proceedings continued, the IPO was postponed due to a change in leadership.

In January 2026, NSE secured a 1,300 crore agreement with SEBI and obtained permission to resubmit its application.

As banks lay out a glide path for the offer, legal experts that Mint spoke to believe that the process is likely to require higher-than-usual scrutiny.

"There have been investigations and governance issues in the past that were examined by Sebi, and this necessitates an unusually rigorous disclosure, diligence, and risk-allocation framework in the offer document," Tushar Kumar, a Delhi high court advocate explained in a Mint report.

"With NSE, the objective is not merely successful capital raising but the creation of a defensible, litigation-resilient, and regulatorily robust transaction structure, ensuring that the eventual listing proceeds with unimpeachable legal integrity and institutional confidence, he told Mint.

The stock exchange's initial public offering is expected to rank among the largest in India, with a possible stake sale of 44.5%. According to the Mint report, based on prices of unlisted shares, this offering could be valued between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion, or roughly 23,000 crore.
Ananya Roy

Ananya Roy is the Founder of Credibull Capital, a SEBI-registered investment adviser, where she focuses on building disciplined, research-driven investment strategies for long-term wealth creation. A CFA charterholder with an MBA in Finance from a premier IIM and an engineering degree from NIT, she combines strong academic grounding with nearly 15 years of hands-on experience across the investment management spectrum.<br><br>Her career spans index construction, portfolio management, and private equity investing, giving her a 360-degree perspective on capital markets. Prior to founding Credibull Capital, she held key roles at Edelweiss, Reliance PMS, and Morningstar, where she was involved in fund management, equity research, and product development. This diverse exposure enables her to seamlessly connect macroeconomic trends with bottom-up stock selection.<br><br>Ananya is known for her ability to simplify complex financial concepts and translate them into actionable insights for investors. She writes extensively on the economy, market trends, regulatory developments, and personal finance, with her work also featured in leading publications such as Moneycontrol, The Economic Times, and Financial Express.<br><br>Deeply passionate about investing, she enjoys immersing herself in detailed industry analysis and company fundamentals, constantly seeking to uncover high-conviction opportunities. Her investment philosophy is rooted in patience, discipline, and a sharp focus on risk-adjusted returns.
Apoorva Ajith

Apoorva is a Mumbai-based journalist at Mint who covers the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), tracking the pulse of Indias capital markets, regulatory developments and the people who operate within them. She holds a postgraduate diploma in business and financial journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, where she developed a strong foundation in markets, companies, and economic policy. She began her journalism journey with an internship at Bloomberg, where she worked across beats such as real estate, infrastructure, capital markets, and deals, which helped her understanding of business and finance.<br><br>She is guided by the belief that everything in this world can be explained in simple and fewer words, and that idea shapes how she approaches her writing. She aims to cut through complexity and present nuanced regulatory and financial developments in a way that is both accessible and meaningful to readers.<br><br>When she is not tracking market chatter, Apoorva can usually be found deep into a fiction novel or out on a long run. She is also a trained classical dancer in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, and Kathakali.
Buy or sell stocks: The Indian stock market saw robust buying activity on Wednesday, April 8, with benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty 50 surging nearly 4% higher, after Donald Trump announced that the United States would pause military operations against Iran for two weeks, with Tehran also agreeing to the ceasefire plan.

The Sensex jumped 2,946 points, or 3.95%, to settle at 77,562.90, while the Nifty 50 advanced 874 points, or 3.78%, ending at 23,997.35.

Stock market today Nifty 50 On 8th April 2026, the Nifty 50 opened with a sharp gap-up at 23,855.15 and remained resilient throughout the session, witnessing minor early fluctuations and marking an intraday low of 23,828.50. Sustained buying interest across sectors supported the upward momentum, pushing the index to an intraday high of 24,025.15. The index eventually closed near the days high at 23,997.35, registering a strong gain of 873.70 points or 3.78% over the previous close.

According to Sumeet Bagadia, Executive Director at Choice Broking, on the daily timeframe, the formation of a bullish Marubozu-like candlestick pattern indicates strong buying conviction and minimal selling pressure, reflecting a decisive shift in sentiment in favour of the bulls.

From a technical perspective, immediate support is placed in the 23,70023,850 range, while resistance is observed between 24,080 and 24,200 levels. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 53.89, moving above the midpoint of 50, indicating strengthening momentum and improving bullish sentiment. In the derivatives segment, notable call writing was seen at the 24,000 strike, followed by 24,200, while significant put writing was observed at 24,000 and 23,800 levels, indicating near-term support zones, Bagadia said.

Bank Nifty The Bank Nifty index opened with a strong gap-up at 54,904.45 and witnessed minor early volatility, marking an intraday low of 54,797.50. However, sustained buying interest throughout the session led to a sharp upward move, pushing the index to an intraday high of 55,778.25. The index closed near its days high at 55,703.90, gaining 2,987.65 points or 5.67% for the day.

Bagadia noted that on the daily timeframe, the formation of a strong bullish candle reflects aggressive buying interest and strengthening market sentiment.

"From a technical standpoint, immediate support is placed in the 55,35055,400 range, while resistance is seen in the 56,00056,200 zone. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 53.41, indicating a move above the midpoint level of 50 and supporting improving momentum. Sustaining above this level would be important to confirm further strength.

The recent price action suggests a strong bullish breakout supported by broad-based participation and easing volatility. While the undertone remains firmly positive, the sustainability of this move will depend on follow-through buying and a decisive breakout above key resistance zones. Traders are advised to stay aligned with the trend and look for buying opportunities on dips, while monitoring price action near crucial levels," he added.

Sumeet Bagadia's stocks to buy Amid the US-Iran war, Sumeet Bagadia recommends five shares to buy on Thursday, April 9: CG Power, Kirloskar Oil Engines, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Dalmia Bharat, and ABB India.

1] CG Power: Buy at 285, Target 300, Stop Loss 273

CG Power share price is showing a strong technical setup, with the weekly chart indicating a firm bounce from the 50-week EMA, reinforcing underlying strength. On the daily timeframe, the stock has given a golden crossover and a breakout from a sideways range, while sustaining above the 200-day EMA support.

Momentum remains positive, as RSI has rebounded from the 50 level, signalling strengthening bullish momentum.

Traders may consider a buy at 726.30, with a target of 785 and a strict stop-loss at 690. Maintain disciplined risk management through proper position sizing and consider trailing stop-losses to protect gains.

2] Kirloskar Oil Engines: Buy at 1465.40, Target 1600, Stop Loss 1400

Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited share price is moving in a short-term uptrend, forming a consistent pattern of higher highs and higher lows, indicating sustained buying interest and a strong bullish price structure. Additionally, the stock has given a fresh breakout from a range-bound consolidation zone, supported by an increase in volume, which indicates strong participation and validates the breakout with potential for further upside momentum.

Based on this setup, traders may consider buying the stock at the current market price, with a stop loss placed at 1400 for risk management and an upside target of 1600.

3] Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited: Buy at 265.70, Target 288, Stop Loss 254

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) share price has given a fresh breakout from a Parallel Channel pattern on the daily timeframe, indicating a potential for further upside momentum in the stock. The breakout suggests a shift from consolidation to expansion, supported by an improving price structure. Additionally, the opening of todays session was very close to the days low, indicating strong buying interest throughout the session and limited downside pressure, which reflects bullish intraday sentiment.

The stock is trading firmly above all its key daily exponential moving averages, reflecting strong underlying momentum and a well-established bullish trend across multiple timeframes. This alignment signals sustained buying interest and reinforces the positive price structure. Based on this setup, traders may consider buying at the current market price (CMP), with a stop loss placed at 254 for effective risk management and an upside target of 288, while maintaining disciplined risk management to navigate any near-term volatility.

4] Dalmia Bharat: Buy at 1922.60, Target 2100, Stop Loss 1830

Dalmia Bharat share price has recently broken out of a sideways consolidation range after taking strong support at lower levels, indicating a revival in bullish momentum. The stock also holds firmly above its 200-week EMA on the weekly chart, reinforcing a positive long-term trend.

Momentum remains supportive, with RSI trending higher and sustaining above the breakout zone, suggesting continuation of the upmove.

Traders may consider a buy at 1922.60 with a strict stop-loss at 1830 and an upside target of 2100. Maintain disciplined risk management with appropriate position sizing and consider trailing stop-losses to protect gains.

5] ABB India: Buy at 6565, Target 7150, Stop Loss 6250

ABB India share price has given a fresh breakout from a rounding bottom pattern on the daily timeframe, indicating bullish uptrend momentum in the stock. In todays session, the stock formed a bullish Marubozu-like candlestick pattern with very small wicks, indicating strong buying interest throughout the session and dominance of bulls with minimal selling pressure.

The stock is showing strength as it continues to trade above its key exponential moving averages, while also taking firm short-term support at the 20-day EMA, reflecting a strong underlying trend. The RSI stands at 64.71, remaining above the midpoint, which indicates healthy momentum and scope for further upside. Based on this constructive setup, traders may consider buying the stock at the current market price of 6565, with a stop loss placed at 6250 for prudent risk management and an upside target of 7150.
Dipti Sharma

Dipti has spent nearly a decade happily knee-deep in the fast-moving, occasionally nerve-wracking, and always fascinating world of stock markets, tracking everything from sharp sell-offs to surprise rallies, and the narratives that drive them. She began her journalism journey at Informist, sharpened her market instincts at CNBC Digital and Moneycontrol, and is now charting new territory with Mint. Here, she is exploring new ground, bringing together sharp analysis, on-ground insights, and a keen eye for what really moves markets.<br><br>Before stepping into journalism, Dipti studied law and worked with a solicitor firm for close to three years, an experience that gave her a strong foundation in analytical thinking, contracts, and corporate structures. But the pull of markets and storytelling proved stronger, prompting a switch from law to journalism.<br><br>She writes about stocks and investments, but thats only part of the story. Dipti also teams up with market experts to turn complex trends into sharp, easy-to-understand videos, occasionally peeks at deals and acquisitions, and regularly picks the brains of industry leaders. Somewhere between earnings calls, market swings, and boardroom chatter, shes always looking for the next story that explains whats really moving the markets.
TCS Q4 results 2026: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Thursday, April 9, reported a 12.2% year-on-year (YoY) rise in consolidated profit for the January-March quarter of the previous financial year (Q4FY26) at 13,718 crore. In the same quarter last year, the company's profit was 12,224 crore, according to its exchange filing.

Consolidated revenue from operations for the quarter under review rose 9.6% YoY to 70,698 crore from 64,479 crore in Q4FY25.

Sequentially, or quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), the company's profit jumped 28.7%, while revenue from operations rose by 5.4%.

We are pleased to report the third consecutive quarter of sequential growth, supported by three mega deals and a $12 billion TCV, underscoring the strength of our five-pillar strategy and our AI-led positioning across services," said K Krithivasan, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, TCS.

"It is equally encouraging that this momentum was broad-based across major markets and most industries. While the macro-economic headwinds continue, we see sustained customer conviction in technology investments, which positions us well for the opportunities ahead," Krithivasan said.

TCS Q4 results: Five key highlights 1. The key numbers According to the company's exchange filing, its revenue in the quarter increased by 1.2% QoQ in constant currency (CC).

Operating income decreased by 7.6% QoQ to 15,601 crore, while operating margin for the quarter inched up by 10 basis points QoQ to 25.3%, excluding one-offs.

For the complete year FY26, TCS's profit inched up by 1.4% to 49,210 crore from 48,553 crore in FY25. Revenue grew 4.6% YoY, but declined 2.4% in CC to 2,67,021 crore. Excluding one-offs, the operating margin in FY26 stood at 25%, up 70 basis points YoY. This was the highest operating margin in the last four years.

In FY26, we intensified investments through our 'BuildPartnerAcquire' approach, by acquiring Coastal Cloud & List Engage and establishing HyperVault. Even as we scaled our investments in AIled growth opportunities, our margins expanded by 70 basis points, reflecting our strong operational rigour. Our solid cash flow and resilient balance sheet position us to advance strategic priorities, pursue timely investments, and maximise growth, said Samir Seksaria, Chief Financial Officer, TCS.

2. Growth in key domains and markets 'Energy, resources and utilities' led the growth among key business domains during the March quarter. The segment saw 6.1 % QoQ and 7.3% YoY growth in CC.

Consumer business also saw a decent growth of 2.8% QoQ and 0.8% YoY. The technology and services domain rose by 1% QoQ and 2.5% YoY.

The BFSI segment saw a nominal growth of 0.1% QoQ and 0.4% YoY.

Among the markets, North America saw a 1.4% QoQ and 2.5% YoY growth. Revenue from the Latin American market shrank by 6.9% QoQ and 2.9% YoY.

In Europe, the UK saw a growth of 2.4% QoQ, but on a YoY basis it declined by 1.2% in CC.

The Indian market grew by 1.7% QoQ but degrew by 23% YoY.

3. Deal TCV and client addition TCS reported strong deal wins for the quarter and full financial year.

Its deal TCV (total contract value) stood at $40.7 billion for FY26 and at $12 billion for Q4FY26, which, as per the company, was among the highest TCVs ever. It secured 3 mega deals during the quarter and 5 mega deals during the year.

Here are some key deal wins secured by TCS during Q4FY26:

(i) A strategic collaboration with AMD on the co-development of industry-specific AI and GenAI solutions.

(ii) A multi-dimensional strategic partnership with OpenAI that spans multiple high-impact areas, including powering AI-led innovation across Tata Group companies, joint efforts to drive AI transformation across industries globally, and setting up AI infrastructure as well as social impact.

(iii) A strategic partnership with Honeywell to help building operators move from traditional automation to enterprise-wide autonomy.

(iv) A multi-year partnership with ServiceNow for developing trusted, AI-powered solutions on the ServiceNow platform.

(v) Entered into a strategic alliance with Cisco to launch a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Hyderabad for Autonomous Enterprise Operation.

Moreover, TCS saw healthy client addition across revenue bands:

The number of clients generating over $100 million in revenue increased by two year-on-year, taking the total to 66.

Similarly, the number of clients with revenues exceeding $50 million rose by nine compared to the previous year, reaching 139.

At the lower end, the $1 million-plus client segment saw the sharpest growth, with an increase of 65 year-on-year, bringing the total number of such clients to 1,397.

4. Headcount Employee headcount by the end of Q4FY26 stood at 5,84,519 compared to 5,82,163 by the end of Q3FY26.

The company also announced the implementation of annual salary increases across all grades from 1st April.

We are pleased to implement annual salary increases across all grades effective 1st April. In Q4, we continued to invest in a futureready workforce with strong additions across experienced talent and campus hires. Building an AIfirst culture and equipping our people with AIready skills remained a key priority in FY26 and will continue into FY27, as we align closely with our customers evolving needs, said Sudeep Kunnumal, Chief HR Officer, TCS.

5. Dividend TCS announced a final dividend of 31 per share for FY26.
A post by Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath is striking a chord with investors for raising a simple but uncomfortable question: Why are businesses that deal with money often valued more richly than those that do life-saving work?

Kamath, one of Indias most-followed voices in investing and the co-founder of India's leading discount broking platform, said this thought stayed with him after he recently met Dr Devi Shetty, founder of Narayana Hospitals.

What troubled him was the comparison itself. Narayana Hospitals, which operates around 18,000 beds across India and is widely known for making complex surgeries more affordable, has a market capitalisation of roughly 38,000 crore. Yet many financial services businesses in India  including brokerages  are valued more highly.

I recently had dinner with Dr Devi Shetty, the founder of Narayana Hospitals. For those who don't know him, he's the guy who figured out how to do open heart surgery for a few hundred dollars when the same procedure costs a bomb in the US," he said in a post on X.

He further mentioned, Narayana's market cap is around 38,000 crore. Now compare that to pretty much any half-decent financial services business in India, and it'll be valued more than that, including Zerodha. A brokerage, worth more than a hospital chain, that has probably saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

Why the discrepancy in valuations? Kamath said he understands that markets have their own logic. Analysts and fund managers can justify such valuation gaps through familiar arguments around margins, capex, scalability, and asset-light versus asset-heavy business models.

Still, he said the contrast felt strange.

"But it's still a strange world we've built, where the businesses closest to money get valued the highest, and the ones doing the hard and essential things get priced like boring utilities. A hospital carries physical infrastructure, enormous liability, thin margins and the actual weight of keeping people alive. And somehow that's worth less than a platform for buying and selling stocks.

At the heart of Kamaths post is a broader discomfort with what the market tends to reward. Businesses that are closest to money often get premium valuations, while companies doing difficult, infrastructure-heavy and socially essential work are often priced like low-growth utilities.
In my mind, I compare looking at photographs of ones childhood to throwing a beloved object into the sea. It returns, undoubtedly, but it appears altered, and we cannot help but admire the object for the novel and unexpected attributes it reveals itself to have. It reminds us that we too have transformed in the interim, washed by the waves of time. It is even stranger to look at photographs of someone elses childhood. We dont have the memories or the myths to enter them and we must look for portals that emerge from our own experiences. To me, the photographs that artist Saubiya Chasmawala has used for almost a decade in her paintings are nevertheless quite familiar. I have known first-hand the kind of grave sites that her family made pilgrimages to when she was a child. I know the abstraction that such a visit requiresone is there to attend to a haunting presence, to revere it, and to acknowledge the power that a formless force can have on ones spiritual imagination.

Chasmawala has worked on these photographs in different ways over time. Early on, she would conceal the faces of the visitorsall members of her familymaking us think we are looking at ghosts. She has made incisions into the surfaces of the paper, bound bodies with thread, and expressed a sense of longing and frustration through washes of white that obliterate the surrounding landscape, allowing us viewers to travel from the particular event depicted to a contemplation of wounding. How porous the appearance of injury and healing can be when it is distilled into a moment! The 35-year-old artist now works on the photographs in a more measured manner. Some examples of this current work can be seen at Intersections: Sites of Becoming, on view till 30 April at Arthshila, New Delhi, to celebrate 50 years of the Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation. The exhibition and public programmes feature a cross-section of practitioners supported by the Foundation over the past five decades.

During a conversation with Chasmawala, the idea of the wound as an opening seems persistently present in her mind. In art school I began questioning everything, and it reflected in my work as well, with incisions on canvas and paper, says the artist, recalling her time at the Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda. The incisions in those early paintings were meant to take out Arabic letters that she had written, symbolising a rift, the unmooring of belief from her sense of self. But looking further, the incisions eventually led to a new space, a kind of abstraction in which it was possible to contemplate the infinite through a distance.

Chasmawalas paintings in her solo show Batin, at Tarq, Mumbai, in 2019, captured this shift. The sinuous forms of the Arabic script were the focus. The letters appeared like gestures, recording the movements of her body. At times, the letters were recognisable but they did not form words that held meaning and were not meant to be read out. This choice leant into the title Batin, which in Sufism refers to the hidden, the symbolic, the secret. But there was also an acceptance and a celebration that Chasmawala was enacting.

South Asian Muslims often learn to read Arabic letters without learning the language itself, and this obfuscation of meaning within a religious practice that is supposed to hold deep meaning was the paradox that she was confronting through Batin. There was an acceptance after that. I spent so much time in my childhood reading and reciting those verses, and they will always remain a part of me, she explained. Some of these paintings were made with ink and others with saffron as a pigment, often used in her family to write verses on paper that are then dissolved into water to make healing potions.

View full Image View full Image From the exhibition, Pilgrimage of Historical Oversight

In the past few months, Chasmawala has returned to her family albums, looking afresh at the compositions her father painstakingly made on film during their travels to mausoleums in Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel and parts of western India in the 1990s. A selection of those paintings, with Arabic letters in gold leaf inscribed on the photos, were also showcased at the India Art Fair in February. A decade ago, her need to work with these photographs came from the distance she felt from her family for the first time while being away at an art residency. These works, however, attempt repair. The frenetic gestures of erasure are more carefully considered through the use of contained shapes and washes. I was looking at them with more compassion, says the artist, I felt a greater sense of peace. From this sense of resolution, Chasmawala is moving towards abstraction.

During our call, she shows me a work in progress, a lattice in gold bound with black thread, a filament symbolising the way people give shape to a wish. This turn in Chasmawalas practice continues her engagement with devotion, from a place that brings together the charged experiences of her childhood reflected through a study of abstraction. Perhaps, I have always communicated better through erasures, she reflects. Sometimes, what disappears becomes most visible.
Ananya Grover

Ananya is a journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in stock markets and personal finance. Currently working with the Mint Money team, she focuses on simplifying complex financial concepts to help readers make informed decisions about their money. Her work spans market trends, regulatory and policy developments, and in-depth analytical stories that decode shifts in Indias financial landscape. She has consistently covered key developments in the stock market, combining data-driven insights with on-ground reporting to provide clarity and context. <br><br>Before joining Mint, Ananya worked with Financial Express, NDTV Profit, and Informist, where she built a strong foundation in reporting, writing, and editing across fast-paced news environments. Her expertise lies in translating intricate financial and policy matters into accessible, reader-first narratives without compromising on depth or accuracy. Driven by a commitment to impactful and trustworthy journalism, Ananya believes credible financial information is essential for empowering individuals in an increasingly complex economic environment. A Delhiite now based in Mumbai, she brings a keen observational lens to both her reporting and everyday life. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, writing poetry, and people-watching.
The Central government recently issued a clarification regarding the admissibility of the reimbursement claims under Children Education Allowance for government employees. The Children Education Allowance (CEA) is a monetary benefit that the central government offers it employees and is meant cover the education of up to two children in a family.

In its recently-issued FAQs, the government clarified on the admissibility of the claims under CEA for different scenarios.

Here is everything you need to know about Children Education Allowance, its eligibility, tax implications and more.

What is the Children Education Allowance? Children Education Allowance (CEA) is a monetary benefit that the central government gives its employees on a monthly basis. This helps cover childrens school education costs. It can be used for expenses like school fees, books, uniforms, and hostel stays.

It must be noted that CEA benefits are available to oldest two surviving children. The amount can also be claimed if the second birth is that of twins or multiple children.

The reimbursement are done once a year after completion of the financial year. To claim reimbursement under CEA, you need to submit a certificate from the head of the institution where your children study. The certificate must attest that the child was enrolled in that educational institution in the said academic year.

How much allowance do government employees receive under Children Education Allowance? Under the revised guidelines of the government, which were implemented in 2024, the amount of reimbursement you can claim per child for children education allowance is 2,812.5 per month (fixed). In addition, you can claim a hostel subsidy of 8,437.5 per month (fixed). These amounts are irrespective of actual expenses incurred by the government employee.

What is the eligibility criteria for students to receive CEA? To be eligible to receive children education benefits, the child should be below the age of 21 years. There is no minimum age limit, and nursery children can even qualify. For Divyang children, the maximum age limit is 22 years.

In addition, the children must study in government-affiliated boards, junior colleges and universities. Children education allowance is applicable for students from nursery up to class 12 and the initial 2 years of a certificate or diploma course.

Also Read | Income Tax Act 2025: 6 key sections taxpayers must track

Children who are studying through correspondence or distance learning are eligible to receive this benefit.

What is the eligibility criteria for schools? Not just children, schools and other educational institutes also need to be eligible for the government employee to be receiving benefits under CEA. The school or educational institution has to be recognised by the central/state government, such as CBSE, ICSE and state boards, AICTE-affiliated diploma colleges, union territory or other authorized educational bodies.

What clarifications did the government issue? In its list of recently-issued FAQs, the government clarified that benefits under CEA and hostel subsidy will be applicable as a one-time relaxation in cases where children of Government employees are required to repeat one additional class on account of the implementation of NEP-2020.

Accordingly, where a child has studied Nursery (2022-23), LKG (2023-24) and UKG (2024-25) as the three classes preceding Class I, the claim for Nursery (2022-23) may also be considered for reimbursement, provided all other prescribed conditions are fulfilled, the clarification says.

On whether the reimbursement is available where reinstatement is ordered by the Court and the period is treated as qualifying service, the government says: he admissibility of CEA shall depend upon how the period from termination to reinstatement is treated by the Competent Authority. As per Para 2(t) of DOPT OM dated 17.07.2018, CEA/Hostel Subsidy is admissible if the Government servant is on duty, under suspension, or on leave (including extraordinary leave).

It further clarified that CEA was admissible under suspension also.
Harsh Kumar

Harsh Kumar is a policy reporter at Mint (HT Media Group), where he covers the Ministry of Commerce and Industry along with key departments of the Ministry of Finance, including the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and the Department of Financial Services (DFS). With over five years of experience in business and economic journalism, he has developed strong expertise in tracking policy developments and their wider economic impact.<br><br>He has previously worked with Business Standard, Moneycontrol, and Outlook Money, where he reported extensively on banking, financial services, and the broader economy. Over the years, he has built a reputation for delivering accurate, insightful, and impactful stories, supported by a keen eye for detail and a consistent track record of breaking exclusive news.<br><br>An alumnus of Jamia Millia Islamia, Harsh closely follows regulatory changes and key economic trends shaping Indias financial and industrial landscape. His reporting aims to simplify complex policy issues for a wider audience while maintaining depth and credibility.<br><br>Outside of work, he enjoys tracking policy developments, finding scoops, and travelling, reflecting his curiosity about how economic decisions shape everyday life.
The Centre is looking to boost the production and adoption of compressed biogas amid a global liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply squeeze.

The government will scale up the ongoing biogas programme and streamline all initiatives aimed at promoting biogas, which is a sustainable alternative to natural gas, and if scaled up, can help reduce import dependence for LNG, said Neeraj Mittal, secretary at the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, at a conference titled Energy Security: Driving India's Next Wave of Gas Demand organized by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) and Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) in New Delhi.

The prime minister has directed us to really upscale the compressed biogas programme. It is a programme that has been parented by five departments so far for various subsidies, various parts of their supply chain. So, we are working very fervently to come up with a single programme.

Also Read | Iran war: Centre opens talks with states on jet fuel tax cuts amid cost surge

Noting that ethanol procurement, production, and blending in the country have been streamlined, the secretary said the government will develop a similar road map for compressed biogas, which can then be blended with natural gas in the city gas distribution network.

Biogas programmes The petroleum ministry launched the SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) scheme in 2018, with the aim of establishing an ecosystem for the production of compressed biogas from various waste and biomass sources and promoting its use alongside natural gas.

Another programme, the National Biogas Programme, was rolled out in 2021 by the renewable energy ministry with a plan to set up biogas plants for clean cooking fuel, lighting, meeting thermal and small power needs.

The focus on compressed biogas comes in the backdrop of nearly 45% of its LNG imports from Qatar being cut off due to the attacks on Ras Laffan Industrial City during the war between the US, Israel and Iran.

Also Read | Govt raises LPG, natural gas allocation for key industries

India imported about 27 million tonnes of LNG in the last fiscal year (2024-25), valued at $14.9 billion. Out of India's total LNG imports, about 40-45% comes from Qatar and other key suppliers in West Asia, including the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The US and Australia are the other sources of LNG.

Although India produces about 55% of its natural gas requirement, the majority of its domestic production is used for city gas distribution (CGD)piped natural gas (PNG) for cooking and compressed natural gas (CNG) for transport. So, other downstream consuming sectors such as fertilizers, steel and power are mostly dependent on imported natural gas.
Polling for all 126 Assam assembly constituencies began on Thursday to decide the electoral fate of 722 candidates. In the high-stakes election, the ruling BJP is aiming for a third consecutive term in office, while the Congress seeks to wrest power after being ousted in 2016.

Polling, being held in a single phase, began at 7 am and will conclude at 5 pm. Long queues of voters were seen outside polling stations from early morning.

An electorate of 2.50 crore, including 1.25 crore women and 318 from the third gender, can exercise their franchise in 31,490 polling stations across the state.

Check what's open and what's closed in Assam for elections today:

Assam Assembly Election today: What's closed today? Banks: As Assam goes to the polls today, bank branches in the state are typically shut to ensure employee participation in the electoral process. Although there is no blanket RBI notification marking it as a national holiday, customers in Assam should expect most physical branches to remain closed

Government offices: Government offices across Assam and other states are undergoing polls on April 9.

Schools and colleges: All schools, government and private, in Assam will be closed in view of elections on Thursday, April 9. Similarly, all colleges will also be closed.

Assam Assembly Election today: What's open today? Public transport: Public transport, including bus, train, metro and auto rickshaw services, will be available.

Emergency services: Emergency services like hospitals, ambulances, medicine shops, the fire department and others will be open today.

Shops and markets: Shops and malls will remain open today despite the Good Friday holiday. Shoppers can expect a normal day at markets.

Stock markets: The Indian stock markets  BSE and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) will remain open today.

Also Read | Hattrick bids for BJP, Left on the line as Assam Kerala vote today

Assam Assembly Election today Prominent candidates in the Assam Assembly Election include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi.

Several cabinet ministers, including the AGP's Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta, and the BPF's Charan Boro are also in the fray.

The Congress has the highest of 99 contestants, followed by the BJP (90), AIUDF (30), NDA allies AGP (26) and BPF (11).

Opposition alliance's Raijor Dal is contesting in 13, AJP in 10, CPI(M) in 3 and APHLC in 2. Outside the two coalitions, the AAP is contesting in 18 seats, UPPL in 18, TMC 22, JMM 16 and there are 258 independents.

The ruling NDA's main constituents are the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF) while the opposition alliance comprises the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) and CPI(ML).

The counting of votes is scheduled on May 4.

Also Read | Weather forecast for 9 April: IMD issues orange alert for heavy rains in Assam

PM Modi appeals to the people of Assam to vote Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to the people of Assam to exercise their franchise in large numbers in the assembly elections.

In separate messages in English, besides Assamese, PM Modi particularly requested the youth and women to step forward and vote in large numbers.

"As polling begins for the Assam Assembly elections 2026, I appeal to the people of Assam to exercise their franchise in large numbers. I hope that the state's youth and women voters participate enthusiastically and make this election a celebration of democracy and public duty," he said in a post on X.
NEW DELHI: Deendayal Port Authority (Kandla Port) has taken a major step towards green shipping by successfully conducting methanol bunkeringrefuelling ships with methanol, a cleaner alternative to conventional marine fuels. The trial positions Indias ports to play a leading role in emerging low-carbon trade corridors and advances the countrys maritime sector towards net-zero emissions.

Also Read | Shipping ministry to hold talks with carriers amid basmati export disruptions

The shore-to-ship trial validated the ports infrastructure and operational protocols and marks an early milestone in Indias push to adopt cleaner marine fuels. Kandla is now working to ensure the availability of about 500 KTPA of Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO)-compliant e-methanol by 2028-29, aimed at supplying dual-fuel vessels operating along the Asia-Europe trade corridor.

By embracing cleaner fuels like methanol and building future-ready infrastructure, we are aligning our maritime sector with international sustainability goals while enhancing efficiency and competitiveness, minister of ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said in a statement on Thursday.

The initiative aligns with the maritime sectors broader target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with a focus on low-carbon alternative fuels such as e-methanol and e-ammonia to reduce shippings greenhouse-gas intensity.

Also Read | India's container sops draw interest from global shipping behemoths

Located on Indias western coast, Kandla has long handled grey methanol as cargo and already has compatible infrastructure including tank storage, pipelines and jetties. Building on this base, the port is now developing dedicated methanol bunkering capabilities.

To assess its preparedness, the port engaged DNV Maritime Advisory Services to evaluate existing infrastructure as well as regulatory and safety frameworks, according to a statement from the shipping ministry. Following the assessment, Kandla was rated Level 6 on the International Association of Ports and Harbors Port Readiness Level (PRL) scale for methanol bunkering.

The 2 April trial was conducted in collaboration with industry partners including Stolt Tankers, J M Baxi, Aegis Vopak, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, and Deendayal Port Authority. The exercise validated bunker transfer processes, safety systems and regulatory compliance, with DNV conducting on-site verification and confirming alignment with global methanol-bunkering standards.

Sonowal said the initiative would strengthen Indias role in emerging green trade routes and support the maritime sectors transition toward net-zero emissions.

Following the shore-to-ship trial, Kandla plans to undertake ship-to-ship methanol bunkering in the next phase to further expand its operational capability.

Also Read | How India lost the global shipping race and the bold mission to reclaim it
The Union government on Thursday, April 9, defended the restriction on the entry of women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, as it also listed the temples where men are barred. It also mentioned the Supreme Court's 2018 judgement, that had lifted the ban on entry of women, was based on the assumption that men are superior and women are on a lower pedestal.

The Centre had appeared before the nine-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court which was hearing petitions related to the discrimination women suffer at religious places such as Sabarimala temple. The hearing was chaired by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant.

The other judges who attended the hearing were Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant that he filed a written submission and gave instances where men are not allowed in temples. He emphasised that the question was not of male-centric or female-centric religious beliefs, he said the current case happens to be woman-centric.

The Solicitor General said, It is a Devi Bhagwati temple, there are certain faiths and beliefs attached. There is one temple in Kerala, I read it, where men will go dressed as women. They go to beauty parlour and female family members help them dress in sarees."

Also Read | Sabarimala Temple gold theft: Unnikrishnan Potti secures bail in second case

He told the Bench: So it is not a question of male-centric or female-centric religious beliefs. In the present case, it happens to be woman-centric.

For context: At the Kottankulangara Sree Devi Temple in Kerala, men don women's attire every year during the Chamayavilakku festival, paying homage to to the goddess in a ritual rooted in centuries-old tradition.

Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj during the hearing said that it is public morality which is the governing standard, and not the constitutional morality as interpreted earlier.

The September 2018 ruling A five-judge Constitution bench during a hearing in September 2018 lifted the ban on women's entry into the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala.

While four were on favour of lifting the ban, one judge dissented, upholding the restriction. The bench ruled that the centuries-old Hindu religious practice was illegal and unconstitutional.

Also Read | Sabarimala womens entry flashpoint resurfaces as polls near in Kerala

Later, on November 14, 2019, another five-judge bench headed by the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi, by a majority of 3:2, referred the issue of discrimination against women at various places of worship to a larger bench.

The bench had then framed broad issues on freedom across religions, saying they cannot be decided without any facts of the particular case.
"Every revolution is a tiny joke." Samay Raina did not write this line in a notebook. He arrived at it the hard way. It came through a police case. It came after a public apology he did not fully mean. He came up with this line, also with the inherited wisdom of a community that has spent decades knowing exactly when to stand and when to leave.

The line is a deliberate inversion of George Orwell's essay Funny, But Not Vulgar. In that 1945 piece, Orwell wrote, Every joke is a tiny revolution He means that humour, by its nature, challenges authority, punctures pretension and disrupts the comfortable order of things.

Raina takes that idea, holds it up against his own experience with the Assam police following the India's Got Latent

controversy and flips it completely. If Orwell had been sitting where Raina was sitting, he suggests, the line would have read very differently.

The joke is the quote. And, the quote is the joke. That is the point.

What it means

On the surface, the line is about defeat. Its about a comedian being forced to apologise for something he said on his own show, under the threat of legal consequences serious enough that apology became the rational choice. Raina, often considered a rebel for defying whats right, does not pretend otherwise.

He is not reframing surrender as victory. He is being honest about what happened. He finds, within that honesty, something worth laughing at.

The deeper meaning is more interesting. Raina is not saying that revolution is impossible. He is saying that, in certain conditions, the revolutionary act is sometimes to survive rather than resist.

You only fight when the fight is fair

He speaks about the fight, which is structurally unfair, with real and severe consequencesand where the system holds all the cards. The idea is to live, move on and come back with a microphone and a special. That was exactly what he did.

There is also something in the word "tiny". Both Orwell's original and Raina's inversion use it. A tiny revolution. A tiny joke. The diminutive is not self-deprecation. It is accuracy.

Neither jokes nor revolutions are always grand. Most of them are small. Most of them are quiet. Most of them are just one person deciding, in a small moment, to say something true rather than something safe.

Or, as the case may be, deciding that the truly honest thing to say right now is nothing, and coming back to say it later, when the room is safer.

Where it comes from

Samay Raina is a chess commentator, YouTuber and stand-up comedian who built one of the most distinctive comedy ecosystems in Indian digital media. His show India's Got Latent, a mock talent show with deliberately absurd, often dark humour, became a cultural phenomenon.

Then, a single episode featuring Ranveer Allahbadia sparked national controversy. The Assam police registered a case. Political outrage followed. Samay issued a public apology.

His stand-up special, Still Alive, released long after the controversy, is built almost entirely around processing what happened. Its the special that he did a world tour with.

He does not speak through bitterness. He speaks through the specific kind of humour that emerges when someone has genuinely been through something. And, they decide the best response is to be funny about it.

Raina's family is of Kashmiri Pandits. They are part of the Hindu community forced to flee the Kashmir Valley in the early 1990s during one of the most painful forced migrations in modern Indian history.

His family, like hundreds of thousands of others, did not leave because they wanted to. They left because staying was no longer survivable.

You only fight when the fight is fair," Raina says in Still Alive. "Otherwise, you f*** off from there. Kashmiri Pandit wisdom.

This is not cynicism. It is ancestral intelligence passed down through generations. They have learned that surviving an unwinnable situation is not cowardice. It is the precondition for everything else.

His family survived. He was born. He became a comedian. He made a show. The show got him into trouble. He apologised, survived and made a special about it.

That is the revolution. It just looked like a joke from the outside.

Another perspective

Orwell, in the same essay, also noted that the truly dangerous joke is not the one that attacks from outside the system. Its the one that makes the powerful laugh at themselves. The moment of self-recognition that the powerful cannot quite control.

By being the one laughing at his own situation rather than raging against it, Raina achieves something Orwell might have recognised. He has made the absurdity of the situation visible without giving anyone the satisfaction of a martyr.

The line "every revolution is a tiny joke" is funnier if you know what it cost him. Its darker if you know where his family came from. Both are true simultaneously. That is what makes it work.

How to apply it today

Takeaway 1: Not every battle is worth fighting at full force. The ability to distinguish between a fight that can be won and one that will only destroy you is not a weakness; it is a skill. It takes clarity and ego-discipline to develop that skill.

Takeaway 2: Survival is the first act of resistance. For Raina's family, leaving Kashmir was not giving up. It was the decision that made everything else possible.

Takeaway 3: Humour, used with precision, can say the unsayable. Raina cannot say everything he experienced as a direct statement. But, as a joke inside a special, he can say all of it.

The joke survived. Which means the revolution survived.

Related readings Funny, But Not Vulgar by George Orwell

Its the essay that started it all. Orwell argues that genuine humour is inherently subversive. He says that the most dangerous joke is the one that makes authority look ridiculous..

Our Moon Has Blood Clots by Rahul Pandita

Its a memoir of the Kashmiri Pandit exodus. Its one of the most important accounts of what Raina's community went through.

The Joke by Milan Kundera

Its a novel about a man whose life is destroyed by a single joke made at the wrong moment in the wrong political climate. Published in 1967 in Czechoslovakia, it remains the definitive literary examination of what jokes cost under systems that do not tolerate them.

When the Body Says No by Gabor Mate
Saddam Hussein was an Iraqi political and military leader who served as the President of Iraq from 1979 to 2003. He was a key figure in the Ba'ath Party and ruled the country with an authoritarian style.

Quote of the Day: The west need someone to tell the man who walks around with the biggest stick in the world, that that stick can`t bring down God`s house.- Saddam Hussein

What does this quote mean? The man with the biggest stick means powerful countries, particularly the United States, and their military dominance. Meanwhile, Gods house stands for something sacred and deeply rooted, such as a nation, belief system, or the faith and identity of its people.

Saddam suggested that even the strongest military power cannot destroy something that is protected by common faith. It conveys a sense of defiance, noting that weapons and force alone cannot overcome belief, resilience, or divine strength.

In context, Saddam also meant to reflect his broader message of resisting Western influence and asserting that faith and national identity hold greater power than military might.

How did Saddam Hussein rule Iraq? During his time in power, he oversaw major events such as the IranIraq War and the Gulf War, after Iraq invaded Kuwait. His government was widely criticised for human rights abuses, including the use of chemical weapons against civilians.

In 2003, a U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq in the Iraq War, leading to his removal from power. He was later captured, tried by an Iraqi court, and executed in 2006.

He relied on a vast secret police network to crush any internal opposition and cultivated a strong personality cult among the Iraqi population. As president, he aimed to replace Egypt as the leading power in the Arab world and establish dominance over the Persian Gulf.

On 17 March 2003, the then-U.S. President George W. Bush demanded that Saddam step down and leave Iraq within 48 hours or face military action. He also suggested that even if Saddam left, US forces might still be required to stabilise the country and search for weapons of mass destruction. When Saddam refused, US and allied forces launched an invasion on 20 March.

The Iraq War began with a U.S. airstrike targeting a bunker where Saddam was believed to be meeting his aides. Although he survived, continued attacks showed that removing him from power was a key objective of the invasion.

Saddam was found guilty of crimes against humanity, including murder, unlawful detention, forced displacement, and torture, and was sentenced to death by hanging. His half-brother, an intelligence officer, and Iraqs former chief judge were also given death sentences. Shortly after an Iraqi court upheld the ruling in December 2006, Saddam was executed.

Books written by Saddam Hussein Zabibah and the King, is a political allegory presented as a romance, often interpreted as reflecting Saddams views on leadership, loyalty, and Iraqs relationship with the West.

The Republic of Fear includes work outlining his political philosophy and governance strategies.
NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!" US President Donald Trump posted, on Wednesday, just as The Wall Street Journal posted an exclusive article that the Trump administration is considering a plan to punish some members of the NATO alliance that he believes were unhelpful to the US and Israel during the Iran war.

A simmering dispute between the Trump administration and its European allies has broken into the open, with the White House actively considering retaliatory measures against NATO member states that declined to back or actively obstructed the US military campaign against Iran, WSJ reported.

The proposal, circulating among senior administration officials, would involve withdrawing American troops from certain NATO countries and repositioning them in countries deemed more cooperative.

What the US Troop Redeployment Plan Actually Involves According to Trump administration officials cited by the WSJ, the proposal would see US forces moved out of NATO countries considered unhelpful during the Iran war effort, and restationed in those that offered meaningful support. Critically, the plan stops short of a full American withdrawal from NATO, an action that would, by law, require congressional approval.

The plan remains in its early stages and is one of several options the White House is exploring to signal its displeasure with alliance members. That it has already gained traction among senior officials, however, speaks to the depth of frustration within the administration.

The US currently maintains approximately 84,000 troops across Europe.

Which NATO Countries Are in Washington's Crosshairs? Several alliance members have drawn specific criticism from the administration. Spain, notably the only NATO country yet to commit to spending 5% of its GDP on defence, blocked US military aircraft involved in the Iran operation from transiting its airspace.

Germany, home to one of the most strategically vital US military installations in the world, attracted Washington's anger after senior officials publicly criticised the war.

Also Read | Trump calls out NYT for misstating NATO as North American Treaty Organisation

Italy briefly denied American forces access to an air base in Sicily.

France permitted the use of a base in the south of the country only after securing assurances that aircraft participating in Iranian strikes would not land there.

The plan under consideration could go beyond troop redeployment to include the outright closure of at least one US base in Europe  with Spain and Germany identified as possible candidates, WSJ report added.

Who Stands to Gain: Eastern Europe's Rising Strategic Value On the other side of the ledger, countries seen as cooperative may benefit. Poland, Romania, Lithuania, and Greece have all been identified by officials as likely recipients of additional American military presence. These nations boast some of the highest defence spending rates in NATO and were among the first to signal their willingness to participate in an international coalition to monitor the Strait of Hormuz.

Romania, in particular, moved swiftly to approve US Air Force access to its bases following the outbreak of hostilities.

The practical consequence of any redeployment eastward would be a larger American military footprint closer to Russia's borders  a development almost certain to provoke a reaction from Moscow.

Donald Trump meets with NATO leader Mark Rutte NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was meeting with Trump on Wednesday to try to smooth over the president's anger with the military alliance over the Iran war.

Trump had earlier suggested that the US may consider leaving the trans-Atlantic alliance after NATO member countries ignored his call to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping waterway, after Iran effectively shut it and sent gas prices soaring.

Karoline Leavitt, Mark Rutte, and a Frank and Candid Conversation Rutte travelled to Washington on Wednesday to meet with Trump, seeking to shore up an alliance under extraordinary strain.

Rutte has made a point of maintaining working relations with Trump throughout the tensions, and was reportedly instrumental in persuading him to abandon efforts to annex Greenland.

The mood in Washington, however, remained combative.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt set the tone: "It's quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the last six weeks when it's the American people who have been funding their defense." She added that Trump intended to have a "frank and candid conversation" with Rutte.

Trump's Escalating Rhetoric Against NATO On Monday, Trump declared he was "very disappointed" with NATO, warning that the alliance's refusal to back the US on Iran was "a mark on NATO that will never disappear."

He has also privately mused to aides about quitting the alliance entirely, and last month posted on Truth Social that member countries "HAVE DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO HELP" in the war, adding: U.S.A. NEEDS NOTHING FROM NATO.

Also Read | Trump raises NATO withdrawal as allies push back on Iran war

In a separate post, Trump invoked the long-running Greenland dispute with characteristic rhetorical force: "NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!"

Europe's Counter-Argument: We Were Never Consulted Senior European officials have pushed back on Washington's characterisation of events, arguing that they did not give them any advance notice of the decision to go to war with Iran, which made any meaningful military coordination in the opening days of the conflict effectively impossible.

The logistical consequences were immediate and telling: defence ministers from Estonia and Italy found themselves stranded in Dubai when the US launched its campaign, having been caught off guard as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) shut down its commercial airspace.

The Iran War and a Cascade of Diplomatic Crises The row over Iran is the latest chapter in a turbulent period for the transatlantic alliance. Since returning to the office, Trump has inflamed European capitals with sweeping tariffs, conducted direct diplomatic engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine conflict, and triggered what officials described as an extraordinary diplomatic crisis with Denmark over his repeated attempts to incorporate Greenland into the United States.
Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, died on Tuesday, April 7, at the age of 97. The celebrated mountaineer died at his home in Port Townsend, Washington, according to his family.

Whether at home, in the mountains, or at sea, he sought to share adventure, joy, and optimism with those around him, the family said in a statement emailed to the Associated Press (AP).

His warmth, humility, and belief in the power of nature to bring people together left an enduring legacy of care for our planet and for one another.

In an 1980 interview, Whittaker said that he hoped to "die in my sleep with the television on".

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dianne Roberts; sons Bob, Joss and Leif Whittaker; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Also Read | What happened to Blue Bloods actor Alex Duong?

Who is Jim Whittaker  the mountaineer? Jim Whittaker was the first American to ascend Everest, alongside Nawang Gombu, in 1963. His summit came 10 years after the pioneering climb of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

His feat helped generate an interest in mountaineering in the US and eventually an industry. Soon after, Whittaker, the once-shy, rangy climber, became an instant celebrity  he featured on magazine covers and was in demand for public appearances.

Jim Whittaker led many additional climbs, including the 1990 Mount Everest International Peace Climb, which brought together climbers from the US, the Soviet Union and China "to demonstrate what could be accomplished through cooperation and goodwill", the family statement said.

"Jim was a lifelong advocate for peace and believed deeply in the ability of shared challenges in the natural world to unite people across borders and ideologies," it said.

Also Read | Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain animator Barry Caldwell dies at 68

Jim Whittaker  employee to CEO Whittaker, who served as the first full-time employee of the outdoor retailer REI in 1995, went on to lead the business as its president and CEO from 1971 to 1979.

The company's popularity surged after Whittaker's Everest climb, with its membership growing from nearly 250,000 to more than 900,000 during his tenure, REI noted in a statement.

Whittaker has been credited for helping establish North Cascades National Park and the Pasayten Wilderness in Washington, as well as the Redwood National Park in California.

"Long before outdoor advocacy was commonplace, Jim gave his voice  and his leadership  to protecting the places we love, reminding us that wild places endure only if we choose to care for them," the statement said.

The Kennedy connection Jim Whittaker's celebrity status brought him into the orbit of the Kennedy clan.

He soon became a close friend of Robert Kennedy, with whom he climbed a 14,000-foot (4,267 metres) Canadian peak. The peak was later named Mount Kennedy after the presidential contender's murder in 1968.

Whittaker was reportedly at Kennedy's bedside when he died and was devastated by the assassination.

Early climbing days Jim Whittaker grew up in Seattle and began climbing with his twin brother, Lou Whittaker, in the 1940s with the Boy Scouts. At 16, the twins summited 7,965-foot (2,428-metre) Mount Olympus, the highest peak in the Olympic Mountains west of Seattle.

Reflecting on the beauty and danger of his sport, Jim Whittaker once said: When you live on the edge, you can see a little farther.

His achievements on the remote, snowy slopes of Mount Everest and nearby K2, the world's second-tallest peak, assured him a niche in the record books.

Lou, who decided to skip the 1963 Everest expedition to open a sporting goods store in Tacoma, said he still got to share some of his twin's glory by filling in when Jim got tired of attending parades or other events in his honour.

"Only our families and closest friends ever knew the difference," he wrote in his own book, 'Lou Whittaker: Memoirs of a Mountain Guide'.

View full Image View full Image FILE - Lou Whittaker, left, and his brother Jim Whittaker, right, pose for a portrait at Jim's house, in 1980, in Seattle. ( AP )

Lou Whittaker died in 2024 at age 95.

Also Read | Married At First Sight star Mel Schilling dies at 54 after cancer battle

Jim Whittaker's proudest moments Jim Whittaker said one of his proudest moments was in 1981, when he led 10 handicapped climbers up 14,410-foot Mount Rainier.

For them, he later said, "that was Mount Everest".

Whittaker, who had scaled Mount Rainier more than 100 times, noted that the caprices of the weather, even on a comparatively modest mountain, "can turn a good climber into a beginner" in a matter of hours.

Former Washington governor Jay Inslee called Whittaker's legacy "just as impressive, and just as lasting, as Mount Rainier itself".

"He pulled many a climber up the peak," Inslee wrote in a social media post Wednesday. He did the same for all our spirits. He still does.
The day after South Korea's military said it detected North Korea firing multiple missiles from an eastern coastal area, North Korea said its testing spree this week involved various new weapons systems, including ballistic missiles armed with cluster-bomb warheads

What the weapons include? North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the tests, that intended to expand nuclear-capable forces aimed at rival South Korea, lasted three days starting Monday and also included demonstrations of anti-aircraft weapons, purported electromagnetic weapons systems and carbon-fiber bombs.

KCNA said the latest tests included demonstrations of cluster-munition warhead systems mounted on the nuclear-capable Hwasong-11 ballistic missiles, which resemble Russia's Iskander missiles in their design for low-altitude, maneuverable flight to evade missile defense systems.

The report said the launches confirmed that the short-range missile, when armed with such warheads, "can reduce to ashes any target covering an area of 6.5-7 hectares (16 to 17.2 acres) with the highest-density power."

What South Korea said? South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles fired on Wednesday travelled between 240 km and 700 km before landing in the sea. It also noted that at least one projectile had been detected a day earlier, launched on Tuesday from an area near North Koreas capital, Pyongyang.

Jang Do-young, a spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a briefing that the military was analysing the launches while sharing information with US and Japanese counterparts, but declined to provide specific assessments about the North's claims of progress in its military capabilities.

Japan's defence ministry said none of the weapons fired on Wednesday entered waters within its exclusive economic zone, while the US military said the North Korean launches on Tuesday and Wednesday posed no immediate threat to the United States or its allies.

Also Read | North Korea fires about 10 missiles toward sea in show of force, says Seoul

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has suspended virtually all diplomacy with Seoul and Washington since the collapse of his nuclear talks with President Donald Trump in 2019, and has since accelerated the development of nuclear-capable missiles that threaten US allies in Asia as well as the US mainland.

Kim has also pursued closer ties with Russia, China and other countries embroiled in confrontations with the United States as he looks to break out of isolation and strengthen his regional footing.
When you live on the edge, you can see a little farther  Jim Whittaker

LiveMint's quote of the day is by Jim Whittaker, the celebrated mountaineer who passed away on Tuesday, April 7, at the age of 97.

Whittaker, who is the first American to climb Mount Everest, wanted the readers to act. He believed that if one doesn't "stick your neck out" or live near the limit of their comfort zone, they are taking up space without truly seeing what they, or the world, are capable of becoming.

What the quote means At its core, "living on the edge" is a metaphor for pushing past the boundaries of the comfortable, the known, and the safe.

In the physical world, standing on a "ledge" or an "edge" gives a height advantage. It removes the obstructions, such as trees, buildings, or hills, that block the view as compared to on level ground.

Metaphorically, this suggests that comfort breeds shortsightedness. When a person stays in the middle of the "pack" or sticks strictly to routine, their view is limited to what everyone else sees. But by moving to the edge of your capabilities, they can gain a perspective that others lack.

Whittaker believed that when a person is in a high-stakes environment, their senses are heightened. They are more observant, more present, and more likely to spot opportunities or dangers that others miss.

"Seeing farther" means anticipating trends  Recognising what's coming next before it reaches the mainstream.

How is the quote relevant in the present day In a rapidly shifting global landscape, Jim Whittakers philosophy is arguably more relevant now than it was when he summited Everest in 1963.

As technology and AI automate the "middle"the routine, the predictable, and the safehuman value is increasingly found on the edges. To "see farther" today means venturing into unexplored creative territories or tackling complex ethics that don't have a guidebook yet. Those who play it safe risk being left behind by the status quo; those on the edge define the future.

We live in a world designed for maximum convenience. This "biological comfort" can lead to stagnation. Modern psychology often mirrors Whittakers sentiment through the concept of the Growth Zone  the uncomfortable and risky edge, which provides the best vantage point for personal evolution.

Where does the quote come from The quote is most famously associated with Jim Whittakers autobiography, titled A Life on the Edge: Memoirs of Everest and Beyond, first published in 1999.

While Whittaker used variations of this sentiment in numerous interviews and speeches throughout his career, the book serves as the primary source where he codifies this "philosophy of the edge."

Also Read | Jim Whittaker dies at 97: All to know about 1st American to summit Mount Everest

Who is Jim Whittaker Jim Whittaker, the first American to ascend Everest, alongside Nawang Gombu, in 1963, passed away on Tuesday, April 7, at the age of 97. His 1963 summit came 10 years after the pioneering climb of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

He grew up in Seattle and began climbing with his twin brother, Lou Whittaker, in the 1940s with the Boy Scouts. At 16, the twins summited 7,965-foot (2,428-metre) Mount Olympus, the highest peak in the Olympic Mountains west of Seattle.

Whittaker led many additional climbs, including the 1990 Mount Everest International Peace Climb, which brought together climbers from the US, the Soviet Union and China "to demonstrate what could be accomplished through cooperation and goodwill", his family said in a statement.

He was a close friend of Robert Kennedy. They climbed a 14,000-foot (4,267 metres) Canadian peak together. The peak was later named Mount Kennedy after the presidential contender's murder in 1968.

Whittaker was reportedly at Kennedy's bedside when he died and was devastated by the assassination.
Republicans in the US House of Representatives blocked a Democrats' effort to curb President Donald Trumps military actions against Iran during a brief pro forma session.

The session, presided over by Republican lawmaker Chris Smith, was adjourned before Democrats could introduce a resolution seeking to limit the Presidents war powers. The move effectively stalled attempts to force a vote on requiring congressional approval for ongoing military operations.

Democrats push for war powers oversight Democrats have repeatedly sought to pass war powers resolutions in both the House and Senate, aiming to compel Trump to seek legislative approval before launching or continuing military action in Iran and other regions.

The latest effort was part of a broader push to reassert Congresss constitutional authority to declare war, amid concerns that the administration has bypassed lawmakers in escalating the conflict.

Criticism over Trumps rhetoric Tensions intensified after Trump warned earlier this week that a whole civilization will die, remarks that drew sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers.

Representative Sara Jacobs condemned the statement, saying: Threatening genocide is not a negotiating tactic.

The comments have fueled calls from some Democrats for stronger action against the president, including discussions around removal from office.

White House defends legal authority The White House has maintained that Trumps actions are lawful and fall within his authority as commander-in-chief. Officials argue that limited or short-term military operations do not require prior Congressional approval, particularly in situations framed as protecting US interests.

Ceasefire adds complexity The political battle comes even as Trump announced a ceasefire in the US-Israel conflict with Iran, just hours before a deadline tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

While the truce has temporarily eased direct hostilities, lawmakers remain divided over the broader strategy and the Presidents unilateral decision-making.

Partisan divide holds firm Republicans, who hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress, have largely backed Trumps approach to the conflict. Their support has made it difficult for Democrats to advance any legislation limiting Presidential war powers.

Despite constitutional provisions granting Congress the authority to declare war, presidents retain flexibility to conduct limited military operations, a legal gray area that continues to fuel political and constitutional debate.

More Democrats' attempts likely Democratic leaders have indicated they will continue pushing for war powers votes when Congress reconvenes after recess. However, without bipartisan support, efforts to rein in Trumps authority are likely to face continued resistance.
Savannah Guthrie, the co-host of NBC's Today show, earlier this week resumed work, two months after her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was reported missing. A Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) official has revealed why her mother's kidnapper could not like Savannah's return.

Speaking to Page Six, the former FBI agent, Jason Pack, said that the walls are closing in on Nancy Guthrie's kidnappers, since Savannah Guthrie's national platform will help in keeping attention on the case for a long time. The former agent added, Every day that passes, the pressure builds. Keeping a secret like this is exhausting.  and that gets harder with every morning that Savannah Guthrie sits behind that anchor desk.

Pack said that in most abduction cases, the criminals count on the media moving on, the family fading from public view. They rely on people forgetting about such cases. However, Nancy Guthrie's missing case is different from others. Savannah has a national platform, according to Pack, who noted she appears on it every day. "Every time a viewer sees her face, they think about her mother," he added.

He explained that the more attention the case gets, the more pressure will be put on the people responsible for it.

Also Read | Savannah Guthrie's emotional message as she marks first Easter without mom Nancy

Walls are closing in Nancy Guthrie's case: Pack According to Pack, in a case where the family announces a million dollars, and the full weight of FBI resources is available, the walls do not close easily; however, they close from every direction at once.

Someone must have the courage to make the call: Pack As authorities struggle to trace Guthrie or her kidnappers, Pack has now urged Nancy's neighbours to check their cameras and contact officials with any information they may have on her disappearance. He noted that at some point, someone will have the courage to make that call to the authorities. "One phone call from someone who decides the reward money matters more than their silence is all it takes to bring law enforcement directly to their front door.

The case will get us there: Pima County Sheriff According to reports, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the department is working with the FBI, labs across the country, and forensic examiners on several thousand hours of video footage they will have to sort through. He noted that the case will get the department there, and added, "We let the evidence show us the way, and thats what we base everything on." He further said that everything is speculative right now, and there is no clarity on who did this or the motive behind it.

Also Read | Nancy Guthrie missing case: Pima County Sheriff reveals importance of 11 January

TMZ receives another ransom note According to media reports, earlier this week, TMZ received two notes from someone who asked for a bitcoin in exchange for information that would lead investigators to the people responsible for Guthrie's kidnapping. TMZ's Harvey Levin said that they have received over a dozen emails from this person, who claims that they know who the kidnappers are and where Guthrie is.

The report added that the person who sent the email claimed Guthrie is in Sonora, Mexico, and that she is dead. Levin said that the person who sent the email, presuming it's the same person, previously claimed that Guthrie had died just over a week after she was kidnapped.

Nancy Guthrie missing case The 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on 1 February from her home near Tucson, Arizona. She was last seen on 31 January after she had dinner with her daughter, Annie Guthrie. It's been over two months, and the authorities have been unable to locate Guthrie.
US President Donald Trump has reportedly urged Benjamin Netanyahu to scale back Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

Trump made the request during a phone call, shortly after Netanyahu publicly vowed to press ahead with attacks, reports have cited NBC News. The appeal underscores Washingtons concern that escalating violence in Lebanon could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts with Iran.

Vance: Israel offered to check itself JD Vance suggested that Israel had indicated some willingness to show restraint to support negotiations.

The Israelis as I understand it have actually offered to  check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful, Vance told reporters during a visit to Budapest.

Israel on April 8 launched its largest bombing campaign in Lebanon since the Iran conflict began.

While Thursdays strikes were reported to be slightly less intense, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.

The military said it struck weapon depots, rocket launchers and Hezbollah headquarters in south Lebanon.

Iran has strongly condemned Israels actions, accusing it of violating the ceasefire.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that continued strikes would provoke consequences, signaling the risk of further escalation if hostilities persist.

Dispute over ceasefire scope A key point of contention remains whether Lebanon is included in the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran.

Washington and Israel maintain that the truce does not extend to Lebanon, while Tehran and Pakistani mediators insist that it does. The disagreement has fueled tensions and raised doubts about the durability of the ceasefire.

Netanyahu opens door to talks Amid mounting pressure, Netanyahu signaled a diplomatic opening, announcing plans for direct negotiations with Lebanon.

In light of Lebanons repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, yesterday I instructed the cabinet to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, he said.

The proposed talks are expected to focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing more stable relations between the two countries. According to Axios, discussions could begin next week in Washington, with US Ambassador Michel Issa leading the American delegation.

Ceasefire under strain The situation highlights the fragile nature of the US-Iran ceasefire, with Lebanon emerging as a major flashpoint. Continued Israeli strikes, conflicting interpretations of the agreement, and warnings from Iran all point to a truce that remains at risk of collapse even as diplomatic efforts continue.

Also Read | Iran limits Hormuz passage to 15 ships daily under US ceasefire deal  Report
US President Donald Trump on Truth Social sharply criticised NATO members and other allies, expressing frustration over what he described as a lack of understanding without external pressure.

In his post, Trump wrote: None of these people, including our own, very disappointing, NATO, understood anything unless they have pressure placed upon them!!!

The remark signals his continued scepticism toward allied cooperation and burden-sharing within the NATO alliance. The comments come amid heightened geopolitical tensions involving Iran and ongoing debates over the role of Western alliances in global conflicts.



Trump rips into NATO after meeting Rutte Trump sharply criticised NATO and key European allies after meeting Secretary General Mark Rutte, underscoring deepening rifts over the alliances role in the Iran conflict and security in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump lashed out on Truth Social, accusing the alliance of failing the US during the crisis.

NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! he wrote.

At a White House briefing earlier, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reinforced the Presidents stance, saying NATO had been tested and they failed.

Its quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, she said.

Exit threat lingers Asked whether Trump could pull the US out of NATO, Leavitt said it remains under discussion.

Its something the president has discussed, and I think its something the president will be discussing, she said ahead of Trumps meeting with Rutte.

However, any withdrawal would face legal hurdles, with a 2023 US law requiring Senate approval or an act of Congress to exit the alliance.

Allies divided over Iran war The dispute stems from NATO allies refusing key US requests during the Iran war, including:

-Denial of access to certain military bases

-Reluctance to join efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz during active conflict

Spain and Italy were among countries that declined operational support, while France criticised the war as lacking international legal backing.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said: We will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.

Strait of Hormuz flashpoint Washington is now pushing NATO allies for concrete commitments to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route.

A UK-led coalition of over 40 countries has pledged to help reopen the waterway, through which about 20% of global oil and gas flows.

Despite a 14-day ceasefire announcement, the strait remains largely closed, with continued Iran-Israel strikes raising doubts about the truce.

European pushback and diplomatic divide European leaders have expressed growing unease with the US approach.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned of a widening transatlantic divide: If the two legs do not move in the same direction, the West is doomed to paralysis.

France and Spain have also called for diplomacy, with European officials stressing that military escalation risks undermining long-term stability.

Ceasefire fragility and next steps The ceasefire remains tenuous, with disputes over Lebanon and continued hostilities threatening negotiations.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said he was "very optimistic" that a peace deal with Iran was within reach, as a diplomatic delegation led by Vice President JD Vance was preparing to leave for Pakistan for the upcoming high-stakes talks aimed at ending the conflict.

Speaking to NBC, Trump said that leaders of the Islamic Republic "talk much differently when youre at a meeting than they do to the press. Theyre much more reasonable, and added, "Theyre agreeing to all the things that they have to agree to. Remember, theyve been conquered. They have no military.

Elaborating further, the US President noted that if Tehran does not agree to a deal, it is going to be "very painful" for them.

US-Iran ceasefire deal strained? On Tuesday (local time), Trump announced a two-week ceasefire that both countries agreed to. However, he added that the ceasefire was contingent on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Hours after a truce was announced, the Islamic Republic hinted at violating the ceasefire after reports showed Israel launching one of its deadliest attacks on Lebanon. According to both Israel and Trump, Lebanon was not included in the deal with Iran because of Hezbollah, the White House noted on Wednesday. Following the ceasefire announcement, five ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the first day of the fragile truce, according to MarineTraffic.

Trump asks Bibi to pull back on strikes After Tehran indicated that the ceasefire could end, Trump, in a phone call with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asked him to "pull back" on the strikes to help ensure the success of the upcoming negotiations, a senior administration official told NBC News. Confirming the conversation on Thursday, Trump noted that the Israelis were "scaling back" operations in Lebanon.

He said, "I spoke with Bibi, and hes going to low-key it. I just think we have to be sort of a little more low-key." Vance, who was in Hungary on Wednesday, used similar rhetoric. Speaking to reporters, the US Vice President noted that Israelis may check themselves a little bit in the assault on Lebanon.

A similar request was made by European leaders, who asked to include Lebanon in the ceasefire deal. On Wednesday, Netanyahu showed no public indication that he was ready to "scale back" the strikes; however, earlier today, he announced that his government will seek "direct negotiations" with Lebanon.

Also Read | Netanyahu approves direct talks with Lebanon, pushes Hezbollah disarmament

US-Iran ceasefire A ceasefire was announced Tuesday (local time), bringing the six-week-long conflict to a halt. The deal came after Trump issued a series of threats to the Islamic Republic. On 5 April, he posted on Truth Social, "Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!" Many believed it to be the time of the attack if Iran did not agree to the deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait, responsible for transporting nearly a fifth of the world's oil, was shut by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in retaliation for the strikes launched by the US and Israel in late February.

Following threats by Trump, the Islamic Republic also issued similar warnings and threatened to close the Bab El-Mandeb Strait as well if the situation got out of control. The six-week-long conflict rattled global markets, disrupting oil supply across them.

Pakistan gears up for US-Iran talks Pakistan, which appears to be the chief mediator, offered Islamabad as a possible venue for talks, which are expected to be held tomorrow. It has also been conveying messages and ceasefire proposals from the US to Iran and vice versa. According to NBC, Vance had been in touch with intermediaries from Pakistan about a potential deal in the last two weeks, leading to a flurry of diplomatic activity while he was overseas in Hungary on Monday and Tuesday.

The Vice President has reportedly also conveyed a "stern" message that Trump was growing increasingly impatient and that there would be more pressure on Iranian infrastructure until Tehran made a deal, telling the intermediaries that Trump was going to make crystal clear that he was prepared to hit targets not yet struck by the US.
Iran will allow no more than 15 vessels a day to pass through the Strait of Hormuz under its ceasefire arrangement with the United States, according to a senior Iranian source cited by Russias TASS news agency.

The Strait of Hormuz  a critical maritime corridor between Iran and Oman  handles about 20% of global oil and key commodities, making any restriction a major concern for global markets.

Conditional passage raises concerns Iranian officials said ships must coordinate with its military before transiting the waterway.

All the ships that would like to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, they have to communicate with our army and our military, Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told ITV, according to Bloomberg. Anybody who communicates with Iranian authorities has got permission.

He cited technical restraints, including possible mines, as a reason for strict control.

However, Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., criticised the arrangement, telling Bloomberg: Conditional passage is not passage. It is control by another name.

Traffic remains severely restricted Despite the two-week ceasefire, shipping activity remains near a standstill.

According to Reuters, only one oil tanker and five dry bulk carriers passed through the strait in the past 24 hours.

Data from Kpler, Lloyds List Intelligence and Signal Ocean cited by Reuters show that:

Traffic has dropped to just a few vessels daily Compared with around 140 ships per day before the conflict

More than 800 vessels remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, awaiting clarity on transit conditions.

Global energy flows at risk The disruption has rattled global energy markets, with oil prices rebounding amid uncertainty.

Even if transit resumes, delays mean shipments could take weeks or months to reach buyers, prolonging supply concerns.

Iran has also reportedly imposed tolls of up to $2 million per vessel, further complicating commercial shipping decisions.

International pushback on control measures The International Maritime Organization warned against unilateral control over the waterway.

What we cannot have is this different, or parallel, approach where another country introduces a different mechanism that is not in line with international practice, said Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez told Bloomberg TV.

Ceasefire holds, but fragile The ceasefire between the US and Iran  announced after nearly six weeks of fighting  remains tenuous.

President Donald Trump warned that US forces would stay in the region and cautioned of escalation if negotiations fail:

If theres no deal, the shootin starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.

Talks ahead, key issues unresolved The US and Iran are preparing for direct talks in Islamabad, led by Vice President JD Vance.

Key sticking points include:

-Control over the Strait of Hormuz

-Irans nuclear program

-Sanctions relief

-Continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has already warned that attacks in Lebanon could undermine negotiations, calling them a clear violation of the ceasefire.

Lebanon conflict threatens progress While strikes have largely paused elsewhere, fighting continues in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, raising fears that the fragile truce could collapse.
Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran will move the management of the strategic Strait of Hormuz into a new phase, signalling a potential shift in how the critical waterway is controlled amid ongoing tensions.

In a written statement read out on state television, Khamenei framed the move as part of Irans broader strategy during the fragile ceasefire period.

We do not seek war Khamenei reiterated that Iran is not pursuing conflict with the United States or Israel, even as tensions remain high.

We did not seek war and we do not want it, he said.

However, he made clear that Tehran would not compromise on its national interests:

But we will not renounce our legitimate rights under any circumstances.

Resistance front a unified entity The Iranian leader emphasized solidarity with regional allies, particularly amid ongoing fighting in Lebanon.

Iran is not seeking war but will not forfeit its rights and considers all resistance fronts as a unified entity, Khamenei said as per the statement.

The remark was widely seen as a reference to Iran-backed groups such as Hezbollah, which remain engaged in conflict with Israel.

Public mobilisation urged Despite the announcement of a two-week ceasefire with the US, Khamenei called on citizens to remain politically active.

Your voices in public squares are undoubtedly influential in the outcome of the negotiations, he said.

He added that people should not assume public demonstrations are no longer necessary, underscoring the importance of domestic support during negotiations.

Ceasefire offers narrow window The comments come after Iran agreed to a fragile ceasefire with the United States, following weeks of escalating conflict and threats from Donald Trump.

The truce has opened a potential path to negotiations but remains vulnerable, particularly with unresolved disputes over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz.

Nation marks 40 days since Ali Khameneis death The statement coincided with commemorations marking 40 days since the death of Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes at the start of the war.

Thousands gathered across cities including Tehran, Urmia, and Gorgan, holding portraits of the late leader and participating in nationwide tributes.

State television showed large crowds attending rallies, reflecting continued public mourning and political mobilisation.

The killing of Ali Khamenei triggered a wider regional conflict, with Iran retaliating against US interests and launching strikes against Israel. A formal state funeral is yet to take place due to the ongoing instability.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday (April 9) he has authorised direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, even as a fragile ceasefire linked to the Iran conflict shows signs of strain.

Netanyahu said the move followed requests from Lebanon and would focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations. He also welcomed Lebanons prime ministers call to demilitarise Beirut.

There was no immediate response from Lebanon.

Ceasefire under pressure The tentative ceasefire between Iran and the United States appeared increasingly fragile, weighed down by continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon and tensions over key conditions.

Israel carried out heavy bombardment in Beirut, marking one of the deadliest days in Lebanon since the conflict began on February 28.

Disputes also emerged over whether the ceasefire includes a halt to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, with Iran insisting it does, while Israel and the US deny such provisions.

Israel vows continued strikes Netanyahu made clear that military operations against Hezbollah would continue despite the ceasefire.

Israel will continue striking Hezbollah with force, precision and determination, he said.

Lebanons health ministry reported at least 203 people killed and over 1,000 wounded in recent Israeli strikes, underscoring the scale of the escalation.

Iran warns of strong responses Irans parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned that continued Israeli attacks on Hezbollah would carry consequences.

He said such actions would bring explicit costs and STRONG responses, signalling potential escalation if strikes persist.

Iran has also accused Israel of violating the ceasefire, warning that continued attacks could derail negotiations.

Strait of Hormuz remains flashpoint The ceasefire has also been complicated by Irans continued control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route.

Iranian officials indicated that shipping remains restricted, with uncertainty over when normal transit will resume.

Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said ships would be allowed passage in line with international law once US aggression ends and Israeli strikes in Lebanon stop.

Meanwhile, UAE energy chief Sultan Al Jaber stressed the need for unrestricted access, saying ships must be allowed to navigate this corridor without condition.

Oil prices surge amid uncertainty The disruption to Hormuz has driven oil prices higher, with Brent crude trading near $98 per barrel  up roughly 35% since the conflict began.

Shipping through the strait remains minimal, with vessels avoiding the route amid fears of attacks and possible sea mines.

Key issues loom over peace talks As the US and Iran prepare for talks in Islamabad, several critical issues remain unresolved:

-Control and access to the Strait of Hormuz

-Irans nuclear programme and enriched uranium stockpile

-Sanctions relief

-Regional security, including Hezbollahs role

Irans nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said protecting the countrys right to enrich uranium is necessary for any agreement, while the US insists Tehran must not develop nuclear weapons.

Ceasefire at risk Despite a pause in direct US-Iran hostilities, the broader conflict remains volatile.

Continued fighting in Lebanon, disputes over ceasefire terms, and uncertainty around Hormuz and Irans nuclear ambitions have raised fears that the truce could collapse  threatening both regional stability and global energy supplies.
Iran on Thursday announced alternative routes for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran said ships should avoid the main shipping lane due to the risk of sea mines and follow new paths to ensure safety.

The country has agreed to temporarily allow passage through the strait, a vital waterway for about onefifth of the worlds oil trade, as part of a fragile twoweek ceasefire, but the main channel remains hazardous and uncertain for normal traffic.

All ships intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz are hereby notified that in order to comply with the principles of maritime safety and to be protected from possible collisions with sea mines...they should take alternative routes for traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement quoted by local media.

The statement shared instructions for an alternative entry and exit route through the strait.

What are the alternate routes?

View full Image View full Image According to Iranian media, the new map was issued by the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Inbound route: From the Gulf of Oman heading north toward Larak Island, then continuing toward the Persian Gulf (as shown on the map).

Outbound route: From the Persian Gulf, passing south of Larak Island, and then continuing toward the Gulf of Oman (as shown on the map).

Why is the Strait of Hormuz so important? The Strait of Hormuz is a winding channel that narrows to roughly 33 kilometres (21 miles) at its narrowest point, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.

From there, vessels can reach global shipping routes. Although Iran and Oman control portions of the straits waters, it is generally considered an international passage open to all ships. Nearby, the United Arab Emirateshome to the towering, skyline-filled city of Dubailies close to this strategic waterway, AP reported.

Also Read | China Vetoes UN Security Council Draft Resolution On Strait Of Hormuz

Today, it serves as a key passage for supertankers transporting oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, and Iran. Most of this energy flows to Asian markets, including China, which remains Irans sole significant oil customer.

Trump threatens Iran AGAIN! Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he will keep American military forces and equipment in the Middle East until Iran agrees to a peace deal, and warned that if Tehran fails to comply, the conflict could escalate significantly. His remarks came amid rising oil prices driven by concerns over supply disruptions and restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route.

Trump said in a social media post that US ships, aircraft and personnel with additional ammunition and weaponry would remain in place to destroy, if necessary, a substantially degraded enemy, but expressed confidence that a lasting deal would be agreed and followed.

Also Read | Crude oil prices rebound amid uncertainty over US-Iran ceasefire

"If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the 'Shootin Starts,' bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before," Trump said, adding that contrary to fake rhetoric, Iran had agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

In the meantime, our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest. AMERICA IS BACK!

The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, less than an hour before Trump's deadline to obliterate the Islamic Republic if it did not bow to his demands for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran had effectively blocked the key shipping route since early March, sending global energy prices spiralling.

Oil prices climb - Here's how the market reacted amid conflict Oil prices rose on Thursday as investors worried about the fragile truce and ongoing geopolitical tensions threatening Middle East supplies, with uncertainty over when restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz might be lifted.

Brent crude futures increased by $1.96, or 2.07%, reaching $96.71 a barrel at 0325 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $2.60, or 2.75%, to $97.01 a barrel, following a sharp drop in both benchmarks after the ceasefire announcement.

Both Brent and WTI remain well above their pre-conflict levels of $70.75 and $65 a barrel, respectively, before the joint U.S.-Israel military actions began.
Rajesh Shukla

Dr Rajesh Shukla is Founder Director and CEO of People Research on Indias Consumer Economy (PRICE) at the Indian Institute of Management Udaipur. He is an applied statistician and public policy researcher with more than three decades of experience in designing and implementing large-scale, nationally representative household surveys and statistical systems.<br><br>His work focuses on household income, consumption, savings, inequality, labour markets, financial inclusion, and the broader dynamics of Indias consumer economy. He has led over 35 pan-India primary and secondary data-based studies, including multi-stage stratified surveys and longitudinal research, and has played a significant role in strengthening Indias statistical evidence base.<br><br>Dr Shukla spent nearly two decades at the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), where he held senior positions including Chief Statistician and led the Centre for Macro Consumer Research. He has contributed to several Government of India expert committees and working groups related to household income measurement, savings and investment estimation, and National Sample Survey methodologies.<br><br>He has authored more than 50 policy research reports, several books, and peer-reviewed papers, and has written extensively in leading financial dailies on issues of inequality, public finance, and economic policy. His work has also involved collaboration with international institutions such as the United Nations World Tourism Organization, Asian Development Bank, and leading global academic networks.<br><br>At PRICE, he leads the ICE360 surveys, one of Indias largest independent household datasets, designed to provide granular and high-quality evidence on how Indian households earn, spend, save, and live. His work is grounded in a strong commitment to methodological rigour, transparency, and the use of data to inform public policy and public discourse.
(Bloomberg) -- The political debate over a court ruling recognizing Indigenous land rights in the Vancouver area escalated on Thursday after Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre urged the prime minister to intervene.

In the August judgment, the Supreme Court of British Columbia recognized the Cowichan peoples aboriginal title over a slice of Richmond, just south of the city of Vancouver, that was once the site of their traditional fishing village.

The rulings language, which includes phrases such as aboriginal title is a prior and senior right to land, has fueled debate and angst over private property rights in the area, and whether it sets a wider precedent.

The decision has been challenged by every party  including the federal government  and is now facing a years-long appeals process, leaving legal questions. A property developer in the affected area said bankers pulled out of financing a new building because of the ruling.

At a farm in Richmond, near the Cowichan claim zone, Poilievre called on Prime Minister Mark Carneys government to argue in its federal challenge that private property takes precedence over all other titles. He urged the government to guarantee explicit protections for private homeowners in all future First Nations agreements, present a 30-day plan to safeguard residents property rights in light of the Cowichan decision, and a convene a parliamentary committee to examine options for strengthening those rights.

Canadians already face enough pressure from high costs and economic uncertainty without having to wonder whether their home is truly theirs, Poilievre said in a statement. The Liberal government must provide certainty, defend private property in court and make clear that Canadians homes and land titles will be protected.

Poilievres intervention cements the topic as a political issue beyond the west coast province, where it has turned into part of a complex headache for left-leaning Premier David Eby.

BC has some 200 Indigenous groups, typically called First Nations, and many are pursuing claims over their traditional territories.

Unlike most of the rest of Canada, these groups largely didnt sign treaties with historic colonial governments. That means negotiations and disputes continue more actively, spanning from fundamental land and water rights to the development of real estate, mining, and oil and gas.

Pursuing whats known as reconciliation to right historic injustices against Indigenous people, BC introduced legislation to align provincial laws with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. But it is now seeking to suspend parts of the law due to legal challenges.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Uranium may be the paramount issue. Iran has insisted that it has no plan to build a nuclear weapon, but one of its conditions for ending the conflict is the U.S. accepting Irans right to enrich uranium. Iran has provided no indication in its public statement that it is prepared to turn over its highly enriched uranium, though Leavitt said Wednesday Iran privately signaled its intention to relinquish control of the material.
Shouvik Das

Shouvik has been tracking the rise and shifts of Indias technology ecosystem for over a decade, across print, broadcast and web-first platforms. He's been a tinkerer of machines and PCs since childhood, a habit he was thrilled to convert into his profession. This has led him to fascinating experiences of technologies around the world, which is what keeps him hooked to his job.<br><br>Shouvik likes to believe that he is one of the few technology journalists in India who can also code. He has also been writing about the rise of AI well before it became a household name, and has met some of the most fascinating people over the years through his work.<br><br>Shouvik writes about AI, Big Tech, data centres, electronics, semiconductors, cybersecurity, gaming, cryptocurrencies, and consumer technologies. He is most fond of the stories he has written during his time here at Mint, for which he also writes 'Transformer', a weekly technology newsletter, and hosts 'Techcetra', a weekly technology podcast.<br><br>Outside of work, Shouvik spends most of his time with Pixel, whom he believes is the world's best dog. He is also an avid reader, a toy collector, a gamer and a frequent traveller.
An estimated $50 million film studio from Super Studios USA is underway in North Texas. Vlatko Gasparic/Getty Images

Lights, camera, action!

Texas' film industry scene continues to grow, and now a massive, multimillion-dollar studio is in development to bring even more projects to the Lone Star State. Super Studios USA, featuring AI-powered studio operations and production work specifically designed for TV projects, is building a 75-acre studio-city complex in Mansfield, Texas, a suburb of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

This week, studio officials gave further insight into the development via project filings registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration (TDLR) on Tuesday, April 7. Those documents outline a $50 million investment into the construction of both the sound stage and attached office space for the project, with a tentative construction start date in August 2026 and completion date in June 2027. The 81,000-square-foot development will be located at 561 Easy Drive, Mansfield, TX 76063.

It marks just one component of the overall vision Super Studios has for the North Texas region, company officials outlined online.

"The campus will include production soundstages, production and post-production facilities, AI offices, and a dedicated data center, along with on-site camera-ready housing, hotels, restaurants, and an adjacent trade school to train the next generation of creators," the project description read in part.

Closer to the Texas capital, the East Austin suburb of Bastrop will soon welcome its own Hollywood-esque studio, 204Texas. That project is overseen by Los Angeles-based Line 204, a production rental company.
City officials and community members take part in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Cesar Chavez Archway in San Agustin Plaza in Laredo, Texas, on Jan. 12, 2026. Maria Ruiz/Laredo Morning Times The 18th Annual March of Justice in honor of union leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez began in downtown Laredo on Saturday, March 23, 2024 Malena Charur/Laredo Morning Times Arturo Santos Jr. and Priscilla Santos-Rodriguez hold a United Farm Workers flag at the San Agustin Plaza on March 26, 2025. Maria Ruiz/Laredo Morning Times

Highlighting the dedication and plight of migrant farm workers in Laredo, the Farm Workers Alliance Group presented to the City Council this week to request renaming Cesar Chavez Parkway in their honor.

It is to continue and keep in mind and honor the families, the ones that gave their life to go work the fields, migrant workers, seasonal workers, former Webb County Judge Danny Valdez said. So hopefully we can honor their plight by naming the walkway Farm Workers Walkway and also the boulevard, to be able to acknowledge and thank them for the work that they did all their lives.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Prior to the presentation, Laredo Mayor Dr. Victor D. Trevino said the presentation was focused on the principles and historic significance of the farm workers movement in Laredo. He said it was separate from ongoing investigations into sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez.

No man is above the plight of the farm workers, and we stand with all the members and victims of this situation. But for us, its always been the plight of the farm workers, Valdez said. I was a judge for 32 years, and 24 years I spent in the judicial branch having to issue arrest warrants for people who committed sexual crimes. So I sympathize. I was very, extremely disappointed with what happened, but again, we move on.

Valdez said that throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, almost everybody was at one point or another a farm worker. He said many students left school early to head north to pick crops, resulting in many people not graduating. He spoke about Pablito Saldana and Felix de Leon, who he said would come from south Laredo to pick them up and take them to work in fields in Webb County.

Hopefully we can name the walkway as a tribute to all the farm workers here and of course in Webb County, Valdez said. Were hoping that the renaming of the walkway and the boulevard will pay tribute to all these family members who at one time or another had to go to las piscas.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Manuel Flores spoke about his mother heading north during the summer and all the houses in his Los Amores neighborhood being boarded up. He described the hard work and harsh living conditions.

That is something that is indescribable, to live in barracks with not even an outhouse, no electricity, no heater, sleeping on the floor, working from sunup to sundown for meager wages, he said. Some of those families produced people who later enjoyed going to school, getting an education and becoming productive citizens. Some of them became lawyers, some of them doctors, many of them educators.

I think it behooves us to honor those farm workers who worked so hard to change and give their children a better life.

Manuel Bocanegra, the founder and president of the organization formerly known as the Cesar Chavez Memorial Alliance of South Texas, said about 11 of his ancestors traveled around Texas working on farms. He has had multiple family members die in the fields, including his grandmother, who was bitten by a rattlesnake.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Witnessing that plight growing up, he was inspired to do his part for the union. While working in the insurance industry for 35 years, he also spent a decade assisting as a negotiator for the union. This led to him serving as chairman of the March of Justice.

Through the years I did the marches, getting people all the way from Austin, Corpus, San Antonio who joined us on the marches, representing mostly labor, Bocanegra said. Then I moved to the migrant community. I started the alliance, and we started with the scholarship program.

Im very proud that I have done this through my life, and again Im gonna thank you for accepting us renaming the walkway.

The oldest of seven siblings, Miguel Berry spoke about working on ranches near San Ygnacio and throughout the region to help make ends meet while his father was stationed in Germany as an Army sergeant.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

I was very proud to work with the farm workers, very good people. And the work was very hard, but I understood that it wasnt what I wanted to do all my life, he said. So when I graduated from Martin High School in 1963, I wanted to go to college.

Berry said his grandfather had worked on ranches as a cowboy and saved enough money to pay for his first semester at Texas A&M. After that, he used loans and scholarships as he worked toward graduation.

After that, he followed in the footsteps of his father and served in the Army as an infantry officer. While being wounded several times in Vietnam, he encountered several other former farmworkers.

Many of the troops I served with were farmworkers, Berry said. There was one young man who I didnt even get a chance to meet, but he was from Pueblo, Colorado, a farmworker, and he was killed in action.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

I think it was very powerful to work with people in this community. I want to be able to contribute something to those young people to make their way in life.

Tuesdays presentation about renaming it the Farm Workers Walkway was not an action item. However, District VII Councilmember Vanessa Perez said the topic will be brought back for a vote at the next City Council meeting.

In late March, it was announced that the annual Cesar Chavez March for Justice was being canceled.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina speaks during the Webb County Southern Fire Station ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, at the fire stations site on Mangana Hein Road. Jose De La Rosa/Laredo Morning Times Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina speaks at the weekly Kiwanis Club of Laredo meetings on Oct. 6, 2025, at Danny's Restaurant. David Gomez Jr./Laredo Morning Times Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina at Webb County Commissioners Court on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025. Screenshot/Webb County Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, at City Hall. David Gomez Jr./Laredo Morning Times Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, at the Webb County Courthouse. David Gomez Jr./Laredo Morning Times

A federal complaint was filed with the Federal Election Commission, alleging Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina violated federal campaign law.

The complaint alleges Tijerina has attempted to avoid the states resign-to-run law by falsely operating under an exploratory committee while running for Congress.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The complaint was filed Friday, Nov. 21 by San Antonio's Cecilia Martinez, Ph.D.

"As someone who has taught ethics and decision making at Northern Kentucky University and worked as a journalist, I strongly believe transparency is a non-negotiable," Martinez said. "A candidate who is evading that transparency obligation now undermines public trust and suggests a troubling pattern of behavior that may continue once in office.

"If Judge Tijerina is willing to disregard federal election law requirements before even announcing his candidacy, it raises serious concerns about how he would conduct himself if elected to federal office."

Tijerina announced June 18 he had formed an exploratory committee to consider a run for the Texas 28th Congressional District seat held by U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar for nearly two decades. The announcement came about half a year after he said he was switching from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party after nearly 10 years in office.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The resign-to-run law in Texas requires local officeholders to automatically resign their post if they become a candidate for another office with more than one year and 30 days remaining in their current term.

Tijerina was re-elected in 2022 and is not set to leave office until after the last day of 2026. With Dec. 8 being the final day for candidates to file a declaration of intent with the FEC, he could theoretically wait until early December to declare his candidacy and retain his position through the end of his term.

However, the complaint alleges Tijerina has already decided to run and provides evidence intended to support the claim. The complaint states, Judge Tijerinas congressional campaign remains under the guise of an exploratory committee not because he is legitimately testing the waters, but because he does not want to face the state-law consequences of declaring his candidacy.

The complaint cites an interview with a Houston radio station during which Tijerina said, the reason why I have an exploratory committee [is] because theres a resign to run clause in the state of Texas, which I wish there wasnt one  so December 1st I will be able to publicly come out and without the exploratory.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

It also cited a post on X on July 30, when Tijerina responded to a post featuring an image of Texas proposed new congressional map with a series of eyeball emojis and an image of himself coming out of a corral. On Oct. 30, he reposted an Instagram story from Daisy Campos that said, As hard as it is to let him go as a Boss! Its exciting to witness the greater things he will do in Congress.

According to the law, if an individual has made up their mind about seeking federal office, they must file a statement of candidacy within 15 days of either raising $5,000 in contributions or making $5,000 in expenditures.

While the totals are not publicly known, the complaint alleges it is probable Tijerina is well beyond those thresholds. The Tano Tijerina Exploratory Committee has been soliciting contributions to Team Tano since at least July 1 through WinRed. It also is working with Texas-based political strategy firm Lilly and Company, which the complaint says has a track record of raising millions of dollars for clients.

On the WinRed donation website, the available options to select for donations are $500, $1,000, $2,500, $3,500, $7,000 and other.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The complaint also cites an Oct. 29 fundraising event held to honor Team Tano at Otilias, located at 3311 E. Del Mar Blvd. Ste. 101, saying the event could plausibly have cost more than $5,000 to host, and seems likely to have generated more than $5,000 in contributions.

If the $5,000 threshold was reached by or before the Oct. 29 fundraiser, then the filing deadline would have been Nov. 13. Based on these factors, the complaint is requesting the FEC investigate whether Tijerina violated the resign-to-run law and determine the exact date his candidacy began. It also requests that, if a violation occurred, the FEC issue a fine up to the maximum amount allowable by law.

A request for comment from Tijerina was not immediately returned.
NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon April 4. NASA/NASA via Getty Images

In a little more than 24 hours, the Orion module that housed the astronauts of the Artemis II mission will come splashing back down to Earth, thus completing the mission.

Earth returns and splashdowns have always been a popular event since the Space Race in the 1960s, and the return of the Artemis II crew is no different. From configuring the module's reentry to the splashdown and recovery of the crew, here's how Friday's events are set to unfold, according to NASA.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Artemis II splashdown timeline

1:50 p.m. EDT (12:50 p.m. CDT): Orion cabin configuration for re-entry begins

Orion cabin configuration for re-entry begins 2:53 p.m. EDT (1:53 p.m. CDT): Return trajectory correction 3 burn

Return trajectory correction 3 burn 6:30 p.m. EDT (5:30 p.m. CDT): NASA+ coverage of the crews return to Earth begins

NASA+ coverage of the crews return to Earth begins 7:33 p.m. EDT (6:33 p.m. CDT): Orion crew module and service module separation

Orion crew module and service module separation 7:37 p.m. EDT (6:37 p.m. CDT): Crew module raise burn

Crew module raise burn 7:53 p.m. EDT (6:53 p.m. CDT): Orion entry interface

Orion entry interface 8:07 p.m. EDT (7:07 p.m. CDT): Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA and U.S. military personnel are expected to assist the crew out of Orion and fly them to a waiting recovery ship.

Where the splashdown will take place

Orion is expected to splash down about 60 miles off the California coast, not far from San Diego. NASA notes the Orion module will return to Earth at about 25,000 mph and, with the help of 11 parachutes, slow to 300 mph before splashing down at 20 mph.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

That is all weather permitting. If the weather doesnt cooperate with NASAs plans, there is always a backup plan, although NASA has not made that backup plan public.

How the astronauts will get back to land

Navy divers who have simulated and practiced the splashdown numerous times will recover the astronauts from Orion and they will then be helicoptered back to the USS John P. Murtha. "Once aboard, the astronauts will undergo post-mission medical evaluations in the ships medical bay before traveling back to shore to meet with an aircraft bound for NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston."

What happens to the Orion module?

"A team of sailors and NASA recovery personnel inside the ship will begin manually pulling some of the lines to help align Orion with the stand it will be placed on once back on the ship," NASA writes. "As the sailors are pulling on the lines, NASA technicians will operate a main winch line attached to the capsule to help bring Orion inside ensuring a safe and precise recovery.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Walker County Sheriffs Office deputies are investigating to find who stole outdoor classroom equipment from Saddle Ridge Elementary and Middle School.

Saddle Ridge educators take the learning from the classroom to the outdoors. Now, these kindergarten students have been robbed of that opportunity.

The program has been established nearly eight years ago at Saddle Ridge Elementary and Middle School.

Kara Ledford, teacher of the program, says, In today's technological world, there's so much of this that they don't get the input that they need. She says the outdoor space is filled with ziplines, hammocks, and outdoor tools.

Saddle Ridge started an outdoor education program after another school in the district started a similar program.

We decided to start with the wonderful land that we have. So, when they did that, we kind of just hit the ground running, says Principal Rachel Hodge.

Ledford says she was amazed after seeing an outdoor classroom. There was a kid that was up in a tree; I said, Wait a minute, is that allowed? They said, Yeah. That's all I needed. Sign me up, she exclaimed.

According to the Forest School Foundation, this type of learning program started in Denmark in the 1950s. The class is a progressive, alternative program that helps students form stronger motor, cognitive, and social skills.

They can climb trees. We have a mud kitchen, said Ledford. Students are still able to meet state requirements, but spend part of the school day outdoors.

Ledford says that students learn outside in all forms of weather, and students are prepared for all forms of weather, too.

Now, Saddle Ridges beloved nature space has been destroyed.

Not only was it the things that we can obviously replace it was the things that they have built, says Principal Hodge. She says the classroom took months of planning.

Ledford reveals that on Saturday afternoons, she and a group of people would help build the space. She says she has put countless hours and even some of her own money into the classroom.

Someone just decided to come in, take everything, and that's really just not okay to do to kids. It's really unacceptable, says Principal Hodge.

Principal Hodge and Ledford remain hopeful, and they are grateful to the community for their support.

The Walker County Sheriffs Office is leading the investigation.

Saddle Ridge is accepting donations:

Cash or checks

Checks are made out to Saddle Ridge Forest Kindergarten.

Donations must be delivered/dropped off at the school

We will follow this story and provide updates when available.
Former state pathologist-turned-crime-novelist Dr Marie Cassidy said many Irish writers had contacted her over the years asking her 'the best ways to kill people' and she never expected she would be the one creating the stories and violent acts.

The respected academic will be one of the headline guests when she is in conversation with well-known journalist Paul Williams at this weekend's Granard Booktown Festival and attendees can gain unique insights into her fascinating career.

Dr Cassidy will be in conversation with award-winning crime journalist Paul Williams today at 7.45pm at the School Hall and it is expected to be one of the highlights of the festival.

Dr Cassidy moved to Ireland from Glasgow to become the deputy state pathologist in 1998 and she dealt with hundreds of murders and she performed thousands of postmortems up until her retirement in 2018.

She said she is looking forward to attending the event in Granard and she praised the line-up of guests and authors.

"Yes, they seem to have done very well and attracted people there so yes it should be good."

Read: Granard Booktown Festival to bring renowned authors to Longford

She published her best-selling memoir 'Beyond the Tape: The Life and Many Deaths of a State Pathologist' in 2020 with Hachette Books Ireland, which offered fascinating insights into forensic science.

The publishing company then surprised her by asking her if she would consider writing her first fiction book and she subsequently penned 'Body of Truth', a crime thriller which follows Dr Terry O'Brien, a Scottish pathologist working in Ireland.

Dr Cassidy said she considered it and she decided to give it a go.

"It's something completely different for me, that I've now gone into writing, which I never thought I would ever do, not in a million years.

It's just something that, like most things in my life, it just kind of happened."

Dr Cassidy said the opportunity came along and her background and experience following a career of more than 30 years dealing with murders and carrying out postmortems was the catalyst for it.

"I think that's why they suggested I do it because I had that.

"It wasn't something I thought about doing until I was asked if I would like to have a go.

"But I had spent a lot of time with a lot of the Irish writers because whenever they were wanting to know the best ways to kill people they would come to me and just check that they'd got it right, making sure they were accurate.

"So, I had been on the fringes of that world but I never thought I would be part of it.

"It came as a big shock to me when I was offered a deal to have a go at writing myself and I realised these people are very clever.

"They make it look easy and it's not."

Read: Man accused of having knife charged in connection with South Longford aggravated burglary

Dr Cassidy said Paul Williams was one of the writers who contacted her when he was working on one of his books and she believes their conversation will be enjoyable.

"For his first book it was Jack Harbison he spoke to and then he came to me when he was writing one of his other ones."

"I've known Paul for a long time and we got on well together so we're just hoping it'll be a lot of fun."

Dr Cassidy believes she was very fortunate to break into writing novels.

"I know a lot of people want to write and they can't get their foot in the door and I was just very fortunate that after I had done my memoir they said, 'Well, why don't you try that'.

"I said I'd try it but I can't guarantee it will be any good."

Dr Cassidy said she did not have a structured or disciplined daily or weekly routine for writing her novels and her writing process and her approach was more 'haphazard'.

"I've spoken to so many writers about how they go about it and to be fair most are very different.

"I'm not that way inclined, I must say.

"And I never was, even when I was in my normal job and I had to write reports.

"There's some days you'll sit down with that paper and you'll go, 'Ah Jesus this is a waste of time, I can't think of anything'.

"And I had always learned that you put it aside and then you come back to it.

"So, that's the way I've been doing it with this writing."

Read: A lotto luck in Longford: Paddy strikes it lucky by winning Cashel GAA lotto jackpot

Dr Cassidy described her writing process style as being a bit of a trial and error process.

"I have spurts where I do things and then I might go, 'Na I'm not happy with that' and I go away and talk to myself for a few days or a couple of weeks and then think, 'That's where I need to go, that's what I should have said', and then I go off again.

"So, it's very haphazard, but don't tell the editor that," she laughed.

Dr Cassidy said she is amazed to have three books written and she suggested she was trying to find a formula that was not there for a crime thriller when she embarked on her first fiction.

"The memoir was fine. But the first fiction was painful because I really was a novice and I had no idea and because I'm a scientist I kept thinking when it comes to things like thrillers and crime there's a formula in there, there must be...It can't just be that there are these magnificent writers who are word crafters [can do this] and I've got to find this formula.

"So, I spent my first one trying to get my head around how you do that because there is a way of writing these types of books that keeps people interested and keeps bringing them back.

"And I thought it's there somewhere, I've just got to find it," she laughs.

Read: Plans lodged to turn a Longford village post office into apartment unit

Dr Cassidy said she had the stories but when she submitted her first draft of her first crime novel to her author the feedback she received was that it needed some changes and more graphic detail.

"They just looked at it and said 'That's a bit too cosy crime, that's not what people expect from you'.

"I was going, 'Ah God, but I like cosy crime. I said I know I've spent my life dealing with mass murderers and all the rest of it but I'm not really into violence at all.

"I thought 'Okay I'll give it another go so I went away and I rewrote a few bits and pieces and brought it back and they went, 'Ah hold on, that's a wee bit too much now'."

Dr Cassidy said they eventually compromised on a 'happy medium' for the description of the violence and details.

She said her second novel 'Deadly Evidence' was so much easier because she had an idea what the formula was.

"All through my life all I've been doing is learning and sort of researching so doing the writing is no different.

"I'd be doing my research and I'd be talking to people and when they would say things I'd go, 'Gosh that would be a great idea to do it that way or end it like that and I'll keep all of this so I've just been sucking everybody dry.

"The second one was so much easier and I enjoyed it much more."

Read: Watch: Gone in 30 seconds! Rapid sale of Longford property at auction

Dr Cassidy described the premise of her novel 'Deadly Evidence' and said it is a crime thriller with pathologist Dr Terry O'Brien working in Ireland.

"She gets involved in the investigation of a detective who has been murdered and she is a great one for looking for patterns and seeing if she can work out what is going on apart from what the Gardai think.

"And at this time of her career she is now involved in cold case reviews and she starts to have a look at them and see similarities and she starts to pull a lot of cases together that some people thought were suspicious, but they may not be a murder.

Dr Cassidy was appointed deputy state pathologist in 1998 following the high-profile nature of the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder case and after the 28-hour delay for the then-state pathologist Jack Harbison to reach the scene highlighted the need for additional resources

Asked if she could hypothetically return to her state pathologist job for one day on a murder case she either worked on or is aware of in the history of the State, given the advances in forensic pathology, Dr Cassidy responded quickly.

Read: WATCH: 'Expect significant delays' - Traffic at standstill across Ireland amid fuel protest

"The one I would go back to and it's the one that led to me coming over to Ireland and it was the Sophie Toscan du Plantier one because I would have really loved to have gone back and looked at that in more forensic detail knowing what we know now and the techniques we can use now.

"And even how we investigate murders now is so completely different.

"I was the knee-jerk reaction to that because they realised Jack Harbison couldn't cover the whole country."

For the full Sunday schedule for the Granard Booktown Festival click here Sunday schedule
The global humanitarian system is facing significant challenges, according to Sean Farrell from Longford, CEO of Trocaire.

He said the cuts to humanitarian funding across the world are already having huge impacts in the countries where Trocaire works.

Mr Farrell explained, We are seeing catastrophic deficits in terms of what is needed. We are approaching three years since the start of the latest conflict in Sudan. Sudan today is the worlds biggest humanitarian crisis with 25 million people in need of aid and 12 million having had to flee their homes.



There is widespread acute malnutrition. The funds are just not there at the level that they need to be to support communities coping with this life-threatening situation.

READ NEXT: 'Ravaging my body' Longfordian's HSE plea to fund life-changing drug to treat rare disease

The Aughnacliffe native continued, In Somalia, where Trocaire provides the only healthcare to a region the size of Ireland, our midwives are being put in the devastating position of having to choose who gets treatment as there just arent enough resources to cover the need.

"Our team in Lebanon has seen people having to face incredible challenges because of the current conflict there and they are working in the most difficult circumstances.



He added The irony is that at the same time that these cuts are implemented by various countries and are impacting on people caught up in conflict, we are seeing a huge increase in military spending by those same countries.

"We need to call out this disgraceful state of affairs. Twice as much is being spent on prolonging the conflict in Sudan as is being spent on life-saving humanitarian aid there.

READ NEXT: 'Opening of Longford gym a standout success' as local business wins two major awards

Sean said Trocaire is thankful that Ireland is one country that has maintained its level of overseas aid and the Irish Government has indicated that this commitment will continue.

He outlined, The funds we receive from Irish Aid are incredibly important. Moreover the people of my home county Longford have been unflinching in their support of the worlds most vulnerable communities and the difference this support has made, and continues to make, is humbling.

Last year people in the county donated more than 143,000 during Lent and I am issuing a plea to people right across Longford to return this years Trocaire Box Appeal donations as quickly as possible so that we can ensure that communities on the brink can get the support they need at this precarious time.

"I would urge people to make their donation at www.trocaire.org or by calling 1800 408 408.
Growing up in Ballyleague within a family of great standing and deeply ingrained in the community spirit it was only a matter of time that he would involve himself in the community as a resolute worker.

Even though out of the limelight for a number of years the passing of Joe Donlon, Strokestown Road, at the Mayo University Hospital on Thursday, March 12 still resonates greatly with everyone that knew him and appreciated the unstinting work he did within our community. Joe was born on the Strokestown Road and lived his life without straying from that road.

He had a few local jobs including a driver for Tom McNally Garage on Main Street before getting a permanent job with Bord na Mona a manager of their store at the Mount Dillon works on the Longford Road.

Also read: Popular business says goodbye to Longford after 39 years

Joes warm, welcoming and generous personality saw him a very popular and highly regarded member of the workforce until his retirement. He had a great and deeply rooted community spirit and he was a highly active member of the Lanesboro Ballyleague Credit Union where he served as an excellent chairperson, the Civil Defence took up another great portion of his time. Joe also involved himself deeply in Victim Support and was a Eucharistic Minister at Ballyleague church.



All life he had a great interest in Irish Country music and travelled far and wide supporting his favourite bands, he also had a keen interest in horse racing. Joes was a great conservationist and we all have great memories of long and great chat

Joes remains reposed at Horkans Funeral Home on Monday and at his residence on Tuesday (St. Patricks Day) and he was removed to the Church of the Holy Rosary, Ballyleague on Wednesday for his Funeral Mass. Following Mass his remains were cremated at a private cremation at Lakelands Crematorium.

Also read: RIP: Man named locally as South Longford road traffic collision victim

Joe was predeceased by his parents Tim and Mary and his brother Timmy. To his wife Maureen, his sons Enda, Niall, Shane, his daughter Lorraine, his brother Gerry, his sisters Mary and Ann, relatives and many friends we extend our deepest sympathy.
An FDD visual tracking Iranian attacks against Arab states shows attacks on April 8.

Iran and its allied militias launched numerous drones and missiles against regional countries between April 2 and April 8, continuing attacks even after a ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States was announced yesterday.

Across this period, the attacks remained concentrated on the Gulf, Jordan, Iraq, and Iraqi Kurdistan, with repeated mass-interception events in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. In addition, persistent drone attacks by Iran-backed militias on US-linked sites and energy infrastructure continued in Iraq.

Unlike the earlier phase of the war, the attacks in this period continued to produce frequent secondary effects, even when intercepted. Debris from successful interceptions damaged energy sites, ports, telecommunications facilities, office buildings, and residential areas, while direct strikes and falling projectiles caused casualties in Jordan, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iraqi Kurdistan. Iraq also saw a sustained pattern of attacks against the American Diplomatic Support Center at Baghdad International Airport, the US Embassy in Baghdad, Erbil International Airport, the US Consulate in Erbil, Kurdish opposition camps, Peshmerga positions, and multiple oil facilities.

Since the start of the conflict, Bahrain has recorded 845 drones and 369 missiles launched by Iran; Qatar has recorded 69 drones, 196 missiles, and two jets; the United Arab Emirates has recorded 2,256 drones and 563 missiles; and Jordan has recorded 125 drones and 166 missiles.

The following is an account of the attacks conducted by Iran and its affiliated militias against Arab states between April 2 and April 8.

April 2

In Iraq, Iran-backed militias carried out repeated drone attacks on US-linked sites. Two unmanned aerial vehicles crashed into the American Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center at Baghdad International Airport, while a separate report said two drones targeted the same facility. Another drone fell inside the Traibeel border crossing between Iraq and Jordan.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, drone interceptions were reported over Erbil.

In Saudi Arabia, authorities said they intercepted four drones and one ballistic missile in the Eastern Province.

In Jordan, an Iranian missile struck Muwaffaq al Salti Air Base in Azraq. Jordanian authorities also reported intercepting one missile and recording four incidents related to falling shrapnel.

In Qatar, the Defense Ministry said the country was targeted by a drone attack from Iran, and that all drones were intercepted.

In Kuwait, the National Guard said it intercepted four drones, while the Kuwaiti Army reported intercepting two cruise missiles and 13 drones.

In Bahrain, the Bahrain Defense Force announced interceptions of 10 drones and two missiles.

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities reported multiple interception events. The UAE Ministry of Defense said it confronted an unspecified number of drones and missiles, while a separate official report said air defenses engaged 19 missiles and 26 drones. In the Khalifa Economic Zones in Abu Dhabi, shrapnel from an intercepted missile caused minor damage.

April 3

In Kuwait, the Mina al Ahmadi refinery was targeted by drones, sparking fires at the facility. A separate attack damaged a power and water desalination plant. Kuwaiti air defenses also reported multiple interception events, including intercepting one unspecified barrage, another in which the army intercepted two cruise missiles, 26 drones, and seven ballistic missiles, and a National Guard interception of two drones.

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities reported some of the largest interception events of the period. The UAE Ministry of Defense said it confronted an unspecified number of drones and missiles, while a separate statement said air defenses engaged 22 missiles and 47 drones. Falling debris sparked a fire at the Habshan oil field, forcing a temporary suspension of operations, and debris in the Ajban area injured 12 civilians.

In Bahrain, the Bahrain Defense Force said it intercepted 16 drones.

In Saudi Arabia, authorities reported intercepting six drones in one incident, seven drones in another, and one drone in a third.

In Jordan, authorities said two missiles were intercepted. They also recorded 17 incidents involving falling shrapnel, and two individuals were wounded.

In Qatar, the Defense Ministry reported intercepting an undisclosed number of drones. A separate announcement said that the country had been targeted by a drone attack from Iran and that all drones were intercepted.

In Iraq, Iran-backed militias continued targeting US-linked sites. One drone targeted the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center without causing damage or injuries, another drone targeted the same facility but failed to hit its target, and a drone targeting Balad Air Base was intercepted before reaching the facility.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, two drones struck homes in central Erbil, causing damage but no casualties. Iraqi media also reported that two drones targeting Erbil were intercepted. Iran additionally targeted a civilian camp affiliated with the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan in Koysinjaq with drones and missiles.

April 4

On April 4 in Iraq, Iran-backed militias targeted several oil-related sites. Two drones hit facilities belonging to the American company Schlumberger at the North Rumaila oil field, injuring three workers. A drone attack targeted storage and logistics facilities west of Basra in Barjasiyah, sparking a fire and causing damage but no casualties. Another drone struck offices used by an American company at the Majnoon oil field, causing a fire and damage, but no casualties. Six drones targeted the Buzurgan oil field in Maysan, hitting facilities belonging to foreign companies and causing damage but no casualties.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraqi media reported the sound of interceptions above Erbil. Drone attacks also targeted Iranian-Kurdish opposition camps in Koysinjaq and Topzawa, though casualty and damage information was not reported. A separate drone struck a residential area in Sulaymaniyah.

In Kuwait, the Kuwaiti Army said it intercepted 19 drones and eight ballistic missiles.

In Bahrain, the Bahrain Defense Force said it intercepted eight drones over Sitra. Four Bahrainis sustained minor injuries, and a number of properties were damaged by shrapnel from the interceptions.

In the United Arab Emirates, one of the largest barrages of the week occurred. The Emirati Ministry of Defense said its forces intercepted 23 ballistic missiles and 56 drones. Shrapnel struck the Oracle building in Dubai Internet City and another building in the Marina area.

April 5

On April 5, Saudi Arabian air defenses intercepted a cruise missile.

In Jordan, authorities said they intercepted two missiles and two drones and recorded 18 incidents involving falling shrapnel.

In Qatar, the Defense Ministry said it intercepted an unspecified number of drones and two cruise missiles.

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities reported another major round of interceptions. One official statement said the UAE confronted nine ballistic missiles, one cruise missile, and 50 drones, with debris striking the Borouge petrochemicals plant in Abu Dhabi, though no injuries were reported. Another said an unspecified number of drones and missiles were intercepted, with fragments from a successful interception striking Khor Fakkan Port in Sharjah and igniting a fire.

In Bahrain, the Bahrain Defense Force said it intercepted 13 drones. Separately, an Iranian drone struck the BAPCO refinery in Sitra, causing a fire.

In Kuwait, air defenses reported several interception events. The Kuwaiti Army said it intercepted four cruise missiles, 31 drones, and nine ballistic missiles, while also reporting additional unspecified drone-and-missile interception events. The National Guard said it intercepted three drones. Separately, Iranian drones struck the Kuwait Petroleum Company oil complex in Shuwaikh, though no injuries were reported, and another drone attack hit the Ministries Complex in Kuwait City.

In Iraq, a drone crashed in a village near Baghdad International Airport, likely targeting the American Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center. Two additional drones struck the American Diplomatic Support Center at the airport. A projectile targeting Balad Air Base struck a house in Yathrib, injuring five civilians.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraqi media reported two loud explosions in Koysinjaq. A drone fell in Jazhnikan, north of Erbil. The Ministry of Peshmerga also said its headquarters in Raparin had been attacked with four explosive-laden drones by what it described as outlawed terrorist groups.

April 6

On April 6 in Iraq, a drone crashed in Basra governorate without causing damage or casualties. The American Diplomatic Support Center at Baghdad International Airport was again targeted in an attack. Another drone crashed in Dhi Qar province near Rifai, causing no damage or casualties.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, two drones were intercepted targeting Erbil International Airport, and four drones were intercepted targeting the US Consulate in Erbil. Two drones attacked the headquarters of an Iranian-Kurdish opposition party in Sulaymaniyah. Two attacks also targeted Koysinjaq. In Erbils Karizan area, a drone crashed into a home.

In Qatar, the Defense Ministry said its forces had intercepted a number of drones.

In Bahrain, the Bahrain Defense Force intercepted two drones.

In Kuwait, one of the largest barrages of the period was reported. The Kuwaiti Army said it intercepted 46 drones, 14 ballistic missiles, and two cruise missiles, and noted a number of shrapnel incidents in northern Kuwait resulting from successful interceptions. It also reported several additional unspecified drone-and-missile interception events, while the National Guard said it intercepted four drones.

In Saudi Arabia, authorities said they intercepted two drones.

In Jordan, authorities said they intercepted two drones and reported that a drone and a missile fell in the country.

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities reported multiple interception events. The largest disclosed barrage involved 12 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles, and 19 drones. In Abu Dhabi, shrapnel struck the Raneen Systems company after a successful interception, injuring one person. The UAE also reported several additional unspecified drone-and-missile interception events. Separately, Emirati reports said that an Iranian drone strike targeted a building belonging to Du Telecommunications in Fujairah.

April 7

On April 7 in Bahrain, the Bahrain Defense Force intercepted nine drones.

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities reported several interception events involving drones and missiles, including one barrage in which they announced intercepting one ballistic missile and 11 drones. A missile also hit an administrative building belonging to the Thuraya Telecommunications Company in Sharjah, injuring two Pakistanis.

In Iraq, the Security Media Cell said it intercepted two drones in Kirkuk. Another drone targeting a radar system at Ain al Asad Airbase was intercepted. An attack also targeted the US Embassy in Baghdad, with multiple projectiles falling in nearby neighborhoods and causing damage and casualties, though exact numbers were not yet confirmed. Another drone targeted the American Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center at Baghdad International Airport.

In Saudi Arabia, authorities reported intercepting four drones in one incident and 18 drones in another. They also said they intercepted four missiles in the Eastern Province. Despite those claims, a missile strike hit the Jubail petrochemical complex, with debris also falling near energy facilities.

In Qatar, the Defense Ministry said it had intercepted a number of missiles.

In Kuwait, the Kuwaiti Army said it intercepted 17 drones, while the National Guard said it intercepted four more.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, a drone fell on a house in Zirgewez, killing two people.

April 8

On April 8, in Saudi Arabia, authorities said they intercepted nine drones and five ballistic missiles in the Eastern Province.

In Jordan, authorities said they intercepted two missiles and recorded 12 shrapnel-related incidents.

In Qatar, the Defense Ministry reported multiple missile interception events, including one unspecified interception and another involving seven missiles.

In the United Arab Emirates, the Ministry of Defense said it confronted 17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones. It also reported separate ongoing responses to incoming drones and missiles. Debris struck the Habshan Gas Facility and injured three people.

In Kuwait, the Kuwaiti Army said it intercepted 42 drones and four ballistic missiles.

In Bahrain, the Bahrain Defense Force said it intercepted six missiles and 31 drones.

In Iraq, the US Embassy in Baghdad said that Iran-backed militias attacked both the embassy and the Diplomatic Support Center at Baghdad International Airport.

Ahmad Sharawi is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the Levant.
Motorists on Achill Island will be relieved after a delivery of petrol and diesel was made to the only filling station on the Mayo island after it ran out of fuel this morning.

Lavelle's Circle K situated in Cashel on Achill Island confirmed on its Facebook page that a delievery of fuel arrived after 2pm this afternoon.

The filling station was left with both diesel and petrol this morning after its scheduled weekly delivery was unable to arrive due to a blockade of the fuel depot in Galway by fuel protestors. While the blockade is still ongoing in Galway, the filling station managed to avail of a delivery of fuel which left from the Dublin depot this morning.

The blockade of fuel depots has led to an upsurge in demand for petrol and diesel at filling stations around Mayo with reports of many filling station expressing concern that their tanks will be emptied by the end of the day if new deliveries are not made.

READ: Do you agree with the fuel protests causing road delays?

Lavelle's is the only filling station on Achill Island and motorists seeking fuel had to travel an additional 20km to Mulranny to reach Doherty's Applegreen filling station which is the closest filling station to Achill.

The demand for petrol and diesel in Mulranny led to massive queues of traffic in the west Mayo village with motorists waiting close to 30 minutes to fill their tank.
Farmers in Mayo are being encouraged to apply for a share of 750,000 in funding under the 2026 Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme.

The funding announcement was welcomed locally by Minister Dara Calleary, who said the scheme offers an important opportunity to preserve the countys rural heritage while supporting working farms.

The initiative, led by Martin Heydon through the Department of Agriculture in partnership with the Heritage Council, provides financial support for the conservation and repair of traditional farm buildings, including outbuildings, stone walls, gates and historic yard features.

Deputy Calleary urged farmers and landowners to take advantage of the scheme.

Funding of 750,000 has been allocated for 2026, and I would encourage anyone interested to apply online, he said.

Applications must be submitted through the Heritage Councils website. An information webinar is scheduled for April 17, 2026, to guide applicants through the process.

READ MORE: Mayo councillor welcomes 3 million investment in Ballyhaunis fire services

The scheme has been widely recognised for its impact, having supported the restoration of more than 1,000 traditional farm structures nationwide since its launch in 2008.

Announcing the scheme, Minister Heydon said the funding will help ensure these historic buildings continue to play a role in rural life.

This scheme helps safeguard our vernacular history while enhancing rural communities and working farms, he said.

Chief Executive of the Heritage Council Virginia Teehan added that the programme has become deeply embedded within farming communities and has gained recognition at European level for its success.

Over the years, the scheme has become deeply embedded within the farming community, she said. It has supported the conservation and reuse of over 1,000 traditional buildings across the country, ensuring that these important elements of our rural landscape continue to contribute to working farms and local communities.

The grant is expected to support the preservation of Mayos distinctive rural landscape, ensuring traditional farm buildings remain a visible and functional part of the countys agricultural heritage.

READ MORE: Grants of up to 50,000 available for conservation projects in Mayo town
A writer with roots in Co Mayo has secured a major international publishing deal, with his debut novel set for release in the United States next month.

Tom McAndrew, originally from the village of Knocknalower in Kilcommon on the edge of the west of Ireland, has signed a three-book deal with US publisher Camel Press. His first novel, 'Doocey Half-Sees Whodunnit', will be published on May 12.

Now based in Dublin, where he lives with his wife and two children, McAndrew has drawn on his own experiences to create a unique and lighthearted take on the crime genre.

The novel introduces Shamie Doocey, an unconventional Irish detective who is grappling with deteriorating eyesight just as he is assigned his first major case  the disappearance of a crime writers wife.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the book, McAndrew said he wanted to create something different from traditional crime fiction.

I wanted to write the type of book I love to read but that I found hard to find, he said.

READ MORE: Mayo islander shares the story behind his striking series of paintings

Blending humour with mystery, the story offers what the author describes as an uplifting twist on the genre, focusing not only on solving a crime but also on resilience and personal growth.

McAndrew, who holds a Masters degree in media studies and also studied art at the National College of Art and Design, said his own experience with sight issues influenced both the character and the themes of the book.

Sight has always fascinated me as a subject, and its something I can write about authentically, he said.

A fan of cosy mysteries, particularly those with a comedic edge, he hopes readers will connect with Dooceys underdog story and the novels mix of intrigue and humour.

The deal marks a significant milestone for the Mayo native, bringing his work to an international audience and shining a spotlight on writing talent from the west of Ireland.

With two more books already planned in the series, McAndrews quirky detective is set to return for further adventures, continuing a story that blends Irish wit with classic whodunnit storytelling.

READ MORE: Mayo authors among literary greats in Irish Book Awards 20-year celebration
A major increase in EU funding for agricultural research has been approved by the European Parliaments Agriculture Committee, in a move welcomed by Mayo-based MEP Maria Walsh.

The committee has backed a 12 billion boost for agricultural research under the next Horizon Europe programme, which will run from 2028 to 2034.

The overall budget for the EUs flagship research and innovation programme is set to rise to 175 billion, almost double the current allocation, creating new opportunities for Irish farmers, researchers and rural enterprises.

MEP Walsh, who serves as the European Peoples Partys lead negotiator on the Agriculture Committees opinion, said the decision is particularly important for counties like Mayo, where agriculture remains a cornerstone of the local economy.

As one of the key negotiators on Horizon Europe, my priority has always been to increase the funding available to Irish farmers and our fisheries sector, she said.

Under the proposals, funding for agricultural research would increase from 19.5 billion to 31.5 billion, with at least 50% specifically ringfenced for agriculture, food production and food security.

READ MORE: 750,000 scheme opens to preserve traditional farm buildings

MEP Walsh said a key focus is ensuring research delivers practical benefits on the ground.

Our focus must be on making research relevant to the lives and businesses of farmers, she said. Many of the challenges faced by the Irish agricultural sector can be solved before they are ever encountered on a farm, if we directly involve farmers in Horizon.

The Fine Gael MEP also highlighted the inclusion of the fisheries sector in the programme, describing it as a long-overdue development.

The fisheries sector has long been overlooked within Horizon Europe, and I wanted to correct that, she said.

Ireland has already benefited significantly from EU research funding, with more than 1.2 billion secured by Irish organisations in the current programme cycle.

A number of Irish-led projects have been supported under Horizon Europe, including initiatives focused on farm safety, gender equality in rural areas, and sustainable land and water management.

READ MORE: 'Held back by cost, access and uncertainty' - Young Mayo farming generation at risk

MEP Walsh said ensuring easier access to funding for farmers, small businesses and rural innovators will remain a priority as negotiations continue.

The proposals must now progress through further stages of the EU legislative process before the final programme is agreed.
A new BBC TV series, Ronan Keatings Wild Atlantic is set to feature County Mayo in its third episode.

The production, which began airing in Britain on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on Monday, April 6, is presented by Ronan Keating and supported by Tourism Ireland.

In the series, Ronan takes viewers on an epic journey along Irelands Atlantic coastline, visiting locations that formed part of his childhood holidays, as well as discovering new experiences and meeting some of the people who make this island so special.

Episode three features County Mayo. Ronan is joined by his nephew Conall, whose late father Ciaran lived in Mayo for most of his adult life.

Viewers will be tuning in to Ronan trying his hand at a traditional loom and foraging for plants to make natural wool dyes on Clare Island.

READ MORE: London Mayo Rose to perform national anthem in McGovern Park

Aidan Power, Tourism Irelands Director of Marketing, expressed their delight at the opportunity to support the production through the International Programming Ireland Fund. Our Atlantic coastline is truly spectacular, and we are excited that viewers in Britain are following Ronan on his special journey.

Ronan Keating also expressed his delight at creating the series: Its felt really special making this series, rediscovering magical places that have meant so much to me and my family. I was 16 when I left Ireland, and there was so much of the west coast I hadnt seen. Now, Im coming home, and I cant wait for viewers to share all the laughter and tears along the way.
The Radiologic Technology program provides a comprehensive curriculum that combines didactic coursework with laboratory and clinical experiences. The curriculum is structured as a 4-year plan: the first 2 years consist of pre-requisite general education (Core curriculum) courses and the final 2 years consist of professional education course work. Upon successful completion of all 4 years, students earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Radiologic Technology.

Students who meet all American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) requirements will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination. The program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JCERT).

ADMISSION TO THE RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

Prospective students must first be accepted for admission to MCLA before being considered for the Radiologic Technology Program. To be admitted into the professional education courses, applicants must have completed all program prerequisite courses with a minimum grade point average of 2.85 (on a 4.0 scale). In addition to meeting academic requirements, applicants must meet all ARRT certification and ethics requirements and be capable of fulfilling the essential functions of a radiologic technologist.

The program utilizes a cohort model and accepts a limited number of students each year. The radiology cohort only starts each fall semester. MCLA, in collaboration with clinical affiliates, reserves the right to determine the number of students enrolled in each entering class. Total enrollment cannot exceed the maximum number established by JCERT. Admission decisions for the professional education and clinical courses are made in Spring of the prior to the Fall start date.

MCLA does not discriminate in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its educational programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital or parental status, or veteran status.

Minimum Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission into the professional program, students must have completed the following courses with the grades indicated:

Overall GPA of 2.85 or higher

BIOL 150: Introduction to Biology I: Cells C+ or higher

BIOL 342: Anatomy and Physiology I C+ or higher

BIOL 343: Anatomy and Physiology II C+ or higher

HLTH 110: Introduction to Healthcare C+ or higher

HLTH 105: Medical Terminology C+ or higher

MATH 150: Precalculus C or higher

Admission Point System



A point system is used to determine admission to professional courses in the junior year. Points are awarded based on the following:

Overall gpa

Grade in Precalculus

Grade in Anatomy and Physiology I

Grade in Introduction to healthcare

Number of courses taken at MCLA towards the degree

Higher points are given for higher grades earned. Students are ranked and selected for admission based on their total points.

Additional Requirements

Prior to beginning the professional radiology coursework, all admitted students must submit

Criminal background check

Required immunization records

Documentation of CPR certification at the health profession level.

Students also need reliable transportation to travel to and from clinical education placements, which may be up to 75 miles away. Students are responsible for any fuel or travel expenses incurred.

Academic Progression

Students admitted to the program must earn a grade of C + or better in all professional coursework (RADT courses) to progress through the program Exceptions to these requirements are the Computed Tomography or Mammography courses that require a minimum grade of C.
Men with advanced prostate cancer often need blood thinners. New research suggests prostate cancer drugs and anticoagulants can be used safely together in many cases.

  Trusted Source

Risks of thrombosis and hemorrhage in concurrent use of anticoagulants and potential interacting prostate cancer agents



Go to source Trusted Source

Advertisement

Do Prostate Cancer Drugs Increase Bleeding Risk With Blood Thinners?

Enzalutamide (2012 to 2023)

Apalutamide (2012 to 2023)

Abiraterone

No notable increase in clotting risk when DOAC anticoagulants were used with ARPIs.

No increased bleeding risk when abiraterone was combined with anticoagulants. Drug interaction concerns seen in laboratory studies did not appear to cause serious complications in real-world patient care.

Advertisement

Why Are Drug Interactions A Concern for Cancer Care?

Blood thinner levels could rise, increasing the risk of bleeding.

Anticoagulants could become less effective, increasing the risk of clots.

Treatment decisions could become complicated for doctors.

Advertisement

How Can The Findings Impact Prostate Cancer Treatment?

Blood clot prevention.

Irregular heartbeats.

Cardiovascular disease.

Risks of thrombosis and hemorrhage in concurrent use of anticoagulants and potential interacting prostate cancer agents - (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12968589/)

People with advanced prostate cancer often need complex treatment plans. Most of them are prescribed androgen receptor pathway inhibitors to control tumor growth ().At the same time, they may also require anticoagulants or blood thinners to prevent dangerous blood clots. The circulating blood clots obstruct the blood vessels leading to, which is one of the second leading causes of death in cancer patients.Physicians have long been concerned that combining these medicines could increase the risk of bleeding or clotting. Now, new research provides reassuring evidence.These findings are important because blood clots are a known complication in many cancer patients. The doctors are often concerned about drug interactions while prescribing medications. The new research may help them make safer treatment decisions for individuals with advanced prostate cancer.Such findings indicate that these drug interactions may not cause any serious health issues in everyday medical practice.Doctors have always been worried about the interaction between prostate cancer drugs and anticoagulants as that could lead to clotting risks.. All participants were receiving androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) along with anticoagulants. The prostate cancer therapies included:The individuals were also taking blood thinners, including direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and other anticoagulants.Significant findings from the study included:This evidence suggests many patients may safely receive both treatments when medically necessary.Cancer patients frequently take several medications at a time thereby increasing the chance of drug interactions.In prostate cancer treatment, doctors often prescribe ARPIs to slow tumor growth. These drugs can influence liver enzymes that help metabolize other medications.This raises the following concerns:Prostate cancer patients already face higher risks of blood clots, so the treatment should be balanced with safe anticoagulation therapy.This study suggests that these risks may not always lead to serious problems.The findings could help the doctors feel more confident while treating prostate cancer patients requiring blood thinnersMany individuals with advanced prostate cancer may require anticoagulants for certain conditions, including:In such scenarios, stopping either medications could be dangerous. According to the research, doctors may not always need to avoid combining these drugs.Lead author Dr. Tzu-Fei Wang emphasized this important point:Our findings suggest that pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction concerns may not translate into adverse clinical outcomes in the real world.The study highlights the value of real-world clinical data while evaluating treatment safety.Ultimately, the goal is safer and more effective treatment for individuals living with advanced prostate cancer.Future research may throw more light on how different combinations can impact long-term patient outcomes.Source-American Cancer Society Journal
The Big Rapids Township Board of Trustees approved a sidewalk snow plowing agreement with the city and reviewed a property annexation request during its meeting April 7. Cathie Crew/Pioneer photos/Cathie Crew

BIG RAPIDS TWP  Here are the top items discussed at the Big Rapids Township regular meeting, held at 7 p.m., April 7.

INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

During the meeting, the board voted to approve an interlocal agreement with the city of Big Rapids for snow plowing services on a sidewalk to be installed along Northland Drive.

The Michigan Department of Transportation approached the township with a proposal to construct sidewalks on the west side of Northland Drive while they were doing work on the Tonkin Drain project near the Bulldog Square on the condition that the township commits to maintaining it.

Supervisor Bruce Borkovich said that because the township does not have the equipment or personnel to plow the sidewalk in the winter, they reached out to the city, who said they would be willing to provide that service.

"The city was very willing to do it for the safety of the students," Borkovich said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Big Rapids City Commission voted to approve the interlocal agreement for snow plowing services during its meeting on April 6.

DATA CENTER ORDINANCE

During the meeting, the board discussed the future data center ordinance and what should be included.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Information provided to the board states that the ordinance is intended to establish clear, reasonable, enforceable standards regarding data centers.

Items being considered for inclusion in the ordinance include: location and site design; electricity demand/production; cooling systems/water usage; environmental impact; noise management; visual screening and abandonment/restoration.

Borkovich said that if the board agreed, they would continue to move forward with development of the data center ordinance for the township.

PROPERTY ANNEXATION

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Borkovich presented the board with a request from the city for annexation of a parcel near the Charles E. Fairman Community Pool.

He said although the city owns the parcel, it is considered in the township and the city is asking the township to cede it back to them.

Some board members were concerned about what the potential impact that may have on the township and asked for further clarification of what the annexation would mean.

Borkovich said that he would consult with the township attorney to get better clarification of how the annexation may impact the township and bring the item back to the board at the next regular meeting.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

OTHER BUSINESS

During the meeting, Borkovich updated the board on the METRO Act Right of Way extension for Point Broadband, which allows the company to access the township rights-of-way for installation of lines.

Borkovich also updated the board on the progress of the ordinance book update, saying that the process was near completion and once it is done, the entire code of ordinances will be available online for searching.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The township board meets at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month at the Big Rapids Township Hall, 14230 Northland Drive, Big Rapids.
Bahamas police arrest husband in case of missing Michigan woman. Cavan Images / Chris Hannant Pho/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF

The husband of Michigan woman Lynette Hooker, who went missing in the Bahamas over the weekend, has been arrested in connection with her disappearance, authorities said.

Brian Hooker was detained a little after 7 p.m. Wednesday in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and is being questioned as the investigation continues.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

What happened?

Lynette of Lenawee County was reported missing after disappearing from an 8-foot dinghy while traveling to Elbow Cay on April 4.

A photo of the missing woman Lynette Hooker on the couples Instagram account "The Sailing Hookers." Instagram/@the_sailing_hookers

She and her husband, who are from Onsted, about 70 miles southwest of Detroit, have been attempting to return to their yacht, Soulmate, when she fell overboard, according to authorities.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Brian told police the couple left Hope Town around 7:30 p.m. that evening. While the trip is typically a short ride, conditions were reportedly rough.

Lynette had spent the past several years documenting life at sea with her husband on social media under the name The Sailing Hookers. Hours before her disappearance, the couple shared a photo showing a small boat in shallow, murky water with the caption, Not going anywhere for a while?!

"The Sailing Hookers" last Instagram post before the disappearance. Instagram/@the_sailing_hookers

According to police, Lynette was holding the boats key when she fell into the water, causing the engine to shut off. Her husband said strong currents carried her away.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Brian told authorities he lost sight of her and had to paddle back to Marsh Harbour, arriving around 4 a.m. Sunday to report her missing.

Search efforts have continued in the days since, with no sign of Lynette found as the latest update. She was last seen wearing a black bathing suit, CBS News reported.

Daughter raises questions

Lynettes daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has publicly questioned her stepfathers account of what happened. In an interview with Fox News, she cited her mothers strong swimming abilities and said the circumstances surrounding her disappearance didnt add up. She also pointed to inconsistencies in her version of events, including details about a flotation device that was later recovered.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

In interviews with other outlets, Aylesworth also raised concerns about an alleged delay in being notified of her mothers disappearance and claimed there had been prior issues in the relationship, which she said should be part of the investigation, according to multiple media reports.

She also said that her stepfather sounded monotone and relaxed when recounting the incident, which she said raised further concerns in an interview with NBC News.

Husband denies wrongdoing

Brian has denied any wrongdoing. In a statement to People, his attorney said he categorically and unequivocally denies the allegations and is cooperating with investigators.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

In a separate statement shared publicly, he said he is heartbroken and that efforts to find his wife remain his focus.

The attorney also told TMZ that Brian spoke with police for several hours after being told he was not a suspect and was simply providing assistance in the case. He was later arrested, and no charges have been filed.

Family launches fundraiser

Meanwhile, Lynettes family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support search efforts and related expenses.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Memorial for my mom. She is currently missing in the Bahamas. This is to help the search for her or to help lay her to rest. Anything would help, the fundraiser reads.

Photo of Lynette Booker with her daughter used for the GoFundMe fundraiser at gofundme.com/f/help-find-and-honor-my-missing-mom. Karli Aylesworth/GoFundMe

As of Thursday, more than $2,300 had been raised toward an $18,000 goal.

Investigation continues

The U.S. State Department said it is working with Bahamian authorities as the investigation continues. The U.S. Coast Guard has also opened a criminal investigation into Lynettes disappearance.
About 15 protesters gathered along Saginaw Road to protest the Trump administration in Midland on April 8, 2026. Abigail VanderMolen/Midland Daily News About 15 protesters gathered along Saginaw Road in Midland to protest the Trump administration on April 8, 2026. Abigail VanderMolen/Midland Daily News About 15 protesters gathered along Saginaw Road in Midland to protest the Trump administration on April 8, 2026. Abigail VanderMolen/Midland Daily News

A small crowd gathered along South Saginaw Road in Midland near the CVS to protest the Trump administration late Wednesday afternoon.

The protesters, who numbered about 15 people as of 5 p.m., held signs saying impeach the madman and no war, stop agent orange, among other messsages.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Midland County Democratic Party put out a post announcing the pop-up protest on Tuesday, referencing Trump's threats to annihilate Iran, which were followed by an announcement Tuesday evening of a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.

As of yesterday's threat to annihilate an entire population in Iran, it can't be  Id be complicit if I didnt do anything, said protester Judy McAtee. This is what I can do, is I call my congresspeople and get involved and be out here, just say I'm not going to take this anymore.

Tammy Rolley noted the protest was smaller than other protests shed been to, but she wanted to represent people who werent able to make it to the protest.

I think for the most part, I think a lot more people are supporting it but can't come out because of their jobs or whatever, Rolley said. So I like to think that I'm standing out here for the people that cant or that have young kids.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

While the group protested, three children came up with an adult and asked about the protest. Ruby, 9, said she learned we have different opinions.

McAtee said protesting is important, even if some people doubt its effectiveness.

Some people say, Oh, protests are silly. They're not doing anything. They don't prove anything, McAtee said. Well, research shows that they do. If nothing else, they encourage other people to get involved. They make people aware of what's going on.
DTE's proposed look for Lincoln Lane after 5 years if the Poseyville Solar Park is approved. Courtesy of Ron Garrett DTE's proposed look for Lincoln Lane after 10 years if the Poseyville Solar Park is approved. Courtesy of Ron Garrett

Some Ingersoll Township farmers hope to support their farms future by participating in the Poseyville Solar Park.

The proposed park would lease the farmers' land to DTE for 35 years, with 626 fenced acres having solar panels across South Sasse Road, East Kent Road, East Freeland Road, Lincoln Lane, East Laporte Road and East Brooks Road.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Ingersoll Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing about the proposed Poseyville Solar Park at its April 20 meeting at 7 p.m.

Farmers Jim Terwillegar, Scott Wylie, Bob Thurlow and Ron Garrett own some of the land that would be in the proposed solar park.

The farms, which mainly produce soybeans, wheat and corn, have been in their families for generations.

Terwillegar noted that these crops are overproduced, meaning the farms are not generating significant profits.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

This is a business decision, Terwillegar said. Do you farm until you're bankrupt, and then who knows what it goes to? Or do you do some of this (solar panels) and keep it going and then keep it going in the family down the road (in the future)?

If approved, the solar park would help landowners and generate tax revenue for the community.

Currently, the land is exempt from the 18-mill school tax because it is classified as agricultural land.

If the proposal passes and DTE leases the land, it would no longer be classified as agricultural land and would not be tax-exempt.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

According to Garrett, DTE will have to pay the tax on the land, which will go to Ingersoll Township and Midland County as well as the Hemlock, Bullock Creek and Midland Public school districts.

One of the requirements for the land under the solar panels is that it must include plants that are beneficial for the land.

We're putting a seed mix in here, Wylie said. We have several to choose from, but it was mandated by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to be put down there.

Wylie said the mixes add beneficial bacteria to the soil, which gives the soil the enrichment it needs for farming after the panels are eventually taken down whenever the lease ends.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The ordinance also requires the park to have at least a 20-foot-wide landscape buffer on the outside of the fenced area. This buffer is required to consist of the native plants that are at least 5 feet in height when planted.

Thurlow explained what could happen if the project meets all the requirements for the special use permit but is denied by the planning commission.

The state can come in and redo it, Thurlow said. They can change the setbacks, they can change everything. Or DTE can sue and the township would have to pay the legal fees if they should lose.

The State of Michigan approved its own regulations for solar energy facilities in 2023. The regulations include setbacks from the road right-of-way of 50 feet while Ingersoll Townships ordinance requires a setback of 150 feet.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Terwillegar and Garrett are on the Ingersoll Township Board. According to Garrett, the township board has no say in whether the application passes.
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.
An organization that has been aiding U.S. military service members for 130 years recently announced that more than $2.5 million was fundraised in 2025 to benefit the Army, Air Force and Navy.

Army & Air Force Exchange Service shoppers are being acclaimed for their military support, with the donations going to Army Emergency Relief (AER), the Air Force Assistance Fund (AFAF) and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS). Exchange shoppers have donated more than $11.7 million to AER, AFAF and NMCRS since 2017. The average donation last year totaled roughly $1.30.

We do anything and everything we can to make sure that we take care of the war fighters because we have a motto that says, We go where you go and we mean it, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Richard Martinez, the Exchanges senior enlisted advisor, told Military.com.

Troops visiting a store on USAG Bavaria to make purchases at a self-checkout register, which can be used by Exchange shoppers along with points of sale to make donations. (Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs)

Currently, according to Martinez, the Exchange has had associates in the Middle East supporting operations after the United States and Israel began strikes on Feb. 28.

He said the goal is to provide warfighters the simple things that we take for granted back here in the states, be it soap, deodorant, uniforms or food rations that periodically have to be replaced.

Every contribution, big or small, ensures service members and their families can access vital resources when they need it most, Exchange Director and CEO Tom Shull, an Army Veteran, said in a statement shared with Military.com.

'We Know What It Means to Serve'

The programs start in 2017 afforded Exchange shoppers the opportunity to donate money through usual mechanisms that support the charitable organizations.

Methods were expanded in 2020, when it became a year-round effort where customers at point of sales or cash registers were able to hit a button and instantly donate $1 or increments of $5.

Martinez said that the years 2025 and 2024 marked Exchange highs in annual fundraising dating back to 2017. He correlated the increases with the last couple years for service members being "unpredictable," citing government shutdowns, cost of living increases and other policies in effect.

We know best that if you want to recruit and retain service members, you have to take care of their families, he said. We have to find ways to do that in every facet, and part of that is making sure that we are doing everything we canbecause we know what it means to serve. We understand what the sacrifices are.

In 2024, shoppers who participated in Exchange sweepstakes took home more than $415,000 in prizes, including gift cards, tactical gear, toys, MILITARY STAR card account credits and more. (DVIDS/Army & Air Force Exchange Service HQ)

While its easier to donate, he attributed the increase in dollars to individuals across the country recognizing U.S. service members roles on a bigger stage.

I think that the communities have seen a need to be able to support through donations for some of the different efforts and challenges that our military members have faced over the last two years.

Funds can also be donated online. The Exchange hub today, for example, allows for gift cards or eGift cards to be sent to those with Exchange privileges. Gift cards are redeemable at any Exchange, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard exchange facility worldwide while eGift cards can only be used at shopmyexchange.com though they never expire.

Martinez said that shoppers at registers can choose to donate to the Army or Air Force, joking we dont like when people hit the button not wanting to donate anything.

In the Pacific, where the Exchange supports the Navy and Marine Corps, a third button exists where it actually includes those service members. Military shoppers have donated more than $130,000 to support sailors and Marines through NMCRS.

Every donation represents an investment in the well-being of sailors, Marines and their loved ones, retired Lt. Gen. Robert Ruark, CEO of NMCRS, said in a statement shared with Military.com. Contributions allow NMCRS to provide immediate assistance and resources that help Sailors and Marines build lasting stability.

Money is funding programs including interest-free loans, scholarships and grants, in addition to easing financial burdens associated with education, life emergencies and other unexpected challenges.

You just never know what the challenges our service members face on a day-to-day basis, Martinez said. We really feel like helping out is just making sure that we provide for that military readiness, right? Because financial hardship does erode military readiness.

The Exchange has provided valued goods and services at exclusive military pricing since 1896.
The Pentagon and White House are refuting reports that high-level U.S. defense officials told Pope Leo XIV and the Vatican to take the United States side when it comes to matters of military influence and Western Hemisphere oversight.

Allegations stem from interactions that originated in January, according to the Free Press, which reported that Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby allegedly summoned Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Vaticans ambassador to Washington, D.C., to deliver a bitter lecture during a closeddoor meeting characterized as tense.

Colby purportedly told Pierre that the United States has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world, adding: The Catholic Church had better take its side.

United States Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby attends a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

On Wednesday, independent journalist Christopher Hale on his Letters From Leo webpage confirmed that the meeting took place, adding that some Vatican officials were so alarmed by the Pentagons tactics that they shelved plans for Pope Leo XIV to visit the United States later this year. The pope, 70, who hails from Chicago, was expected to come to the U.S. this July as part of the nations 250th anniversary celebration.

"The Free Press' characterization of the meeting is highly exaggerated and distorted, a U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson told Military.com on Thursday. The meeting between Pentagon and Vatican officials was a respectful and reasonable discussion. We have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See."

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly did not directly remark on the reports and claims therein, instead touting the Trump administrations accomplishments.

All of President Trumps foreign policy actions have made the world safer, more stable, and more prosperous, Kelly told Military.com. Catholic Americans resoundingly supported President Trump in 2024, and the presidents administration has a positive relationship with the Vaticanwhich was strengthened when Vice President [JD] Vance attended Pope Leo XIVs inaugural mass last year.

The president has done more than any of his predecessors to save lives and resolve global conflicts. And following the completion of his military objectives in Iran, he is hopeful that the agreement under discussion can lead to a lasting peace in the Middle East.

An Alleged Threat Against the Vatican

A Vatican official told the Free Press that the alleged Colby threat was a response to the popes challenging of the so-called Donroe DoctrinePresident Donald Trumps updated view of U.S. dominance and influence in the Western Hemisphere.

A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force, by either individuals or groups of allies, the pontiff said in January during his annual address to the Vaticans diplomatic corps.

Officials in the Vatican saw the officials purported remarks as referencing an Avignon papacy, viewed as a threat to use military force against the Holy See.

Pope Leo XIV presides over Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026 (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

The historical analogy is correlated to the Avignon Schism of the 14th century, when the French crown put the papacy in jeopardy. At that time between September 1378 and November 1417, multiple bishops residing in Rome and Avignon simultaneously claimed to be the actual pope.

If the report is accurate, it simply reveals the ridiculous hubris of Pentagon officials and the Trump administration in thinking that they have the power to move such a steadfast institution as the papacy, Francis DeBernardo, executive director of Maryland-based New Ways Ministry, a Catholic organization that educates and advocates for equity, inclusion and justice, told Military.com.

DeBernardo said that secular power does not threaten the Vicar of Christ; rather, threatening the papacy shows the fear that Trump officials have of the fact that Pope Leo, an American, has more power and influence than the president on the world stage.

Like most Trumpian bullying, this strategy will backfire. Moral truth and compassion always overcome brute force.

Politics At Play

Vice President Vance, in Hungary earlier this week politically stumping for Viktor Orban, was asked about the reports of the purported interaction between Trump administration officials and the papal ambassador.

Last May, Vance had personally invited the pope to come to the U.S. for the 250th anniversary celebration.

Vance, who according to reports did not initially remember who Pierre was, said he was going to look into the matter.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, left, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance gesture at the end of a pre-election rally in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Ive never seen this reporting, Vance said. Id like to actually talk to Cardinal Christophe Pierre, and frankly, to our people, to figure out what actually happened."

I think its always a bad idea to offer an opinion on stories that are unconfirmed and uncorroborated, so Im not going to do that.

The latest reports follow the pope's remarks issued in response to a Trump statement on Tuesday in which he threatened to destroy "the whole Iranian civilisation" if Tehran did not comply with a deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. That led to a two-week ceasefire being reached between both nations.

Today, as we all know, there has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran. And this is truly unacceptable!" the pope said Tuesday while speaking in Italian. "There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more, it is a moral question concerning the good of the people as a whole, in its entirety.

The pope has also been publicly vocal about the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies.
A government filing shows that men of a certain age could be automatically registered for a military draft before this year ends.

The website of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs shows that a proposed rule submitted on March 30 would fast-track a change to go in effect by December 2026 after initially being approved by Congress in 2025 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The rule was submitted by the Selective Service System (SSS), the government agency that maintains the draft-eligible database, and encompasses American males aged 18-25.

While the U.S. has long utilized an all-volunteer force and a draft has not been in effect since the tail end of the Vietnam War in the 1970s, the option of conscription has been considered an option since the SSS registration was reinstated in 1980 by then-President Jimmy Carter.

This new rule could have legal and financial penalties, as failure to register is a felony punishable with a fine of up to $250,000 or up to 5 years in prison.

White House Previously Said Draft 'On Table'

The proposed rule change was submitted a little over 30 days after the United States and Israel attacked Iran, as part of a conflict that remains ongoing yet is temporarily on hold due to an agreed upon two-week ceasefire that faced volatility on Wednesday.

In the early days of the war, and following the deaths of six U.S. soldiers in relation to the military operation, the Trump administration was asked about the prospect of incorporating a draft in addition to whether boots on the ground in the region was realistic.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

It has been, and it will continue to be, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox Business Sunday Morning Futures host Maria Bartiromo a month ago. President Trump wisely does not remove options off of the table.

I know a lot of politicians like to do that quickly, but the president as commander in chief wants to continue to assess the success of this military operation."

Fact checks conducted by Reuters, Forbes and PolitiFact found no correlation between now-President Donald Trumps 2024 campaign and statements enforcing a widespread draft.

However, during the campaign, Trump also stated that the U.S. would focus more on an America First agenda rather than become embroiled in foreign wars.

Eligibility and Potential Negative Impacts

The Selective Service System would likely use a national lottery based on randomly drawn birthdates, reminiscent of the Vietnam War-era system, if conscription was enforced.

The order of induction would typically prioritize the following, in order of most likely conscripted:

20-year-olds first

21-year-olds

2225-year-olds

18- and 19-year-olds

Defense Secretary Melvin R. Laird announces at a news conference that draft calls will be reduced next year about 10 per cent on Dec. 16, 1969 in Washington. (AP Photo/ John Duricka)

Those selected would first report for medical and administrative screening before any induction into military service.

Currently, young men must register themselves within 30 days of turning age 18 while late registration remains allowed until a mans 26th birthday. Failure to register could affect eligibility for federal student financial aid, government employment and other benefits.

The current administration and Pentagon has lauded its recruiting numbers across all services. Numbers for draft registration in 2024 included 81% of eligible males, down from 84% the previous year per congressional data.
The U.S. Army has frozen plans to close more than two dozen of its museums after Congress passed legislation barring the service from doing so without formal justification and lawmaker approval.

The U.S. Army Center of Military History said in a statement it "has paused all previously announced changes to the Army Museum Enterprise, including proposed museum closures, in accordance with the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026."

The Plan to Close Army Museums

The Center of Military History announced the plan in June 2025, calling for the Army Museum Enterprise to downsize from 41 facilities to 12 field museums and four training support facilities. Closures were set to begin last summer and run through fiscal year 2029.

Army officials pitched the cuts as a way to redirect money and manpower toward "readiness and lethality," language drawn from an April 2025 memo in which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the Army to shed outdated programs and rebuild a more lethal force.

The Army had another motive for closing some museums. Many of them sit in aging buildings with growing maintenance backlogs. Chronic understaffing has left curators unable to properly care for artifacts or give visitors a worthwhile experience. The center concluded the Army could no longer sustain the current museum organization.

Army officials said the plan was internal to the service, years in development, and not imposed by the Department of Government Efficiency or the new administration.

Charles R. Bowery Jr., the Center of Military History's executive director, said the museum enterprise remains a collection that "trains and acculturates soldiers and connects the Army to American society."

Visitors explore the newly remodeled museum after the grand re-opening of the Rock Island Arsenal Museum June 29. (Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Corinna Baltos)

The Army estimated that the closures would cost about $24 million over four fiscal years. Most of the bill would go toward moving more than 119,000 artifacts to regional storage facilities at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and Anniston Army Depot, Alabama.

Congress stepped in just months later. The fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law in December, blocked the Army from moving forward without congressional oversight. The law orders Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to formally stand up a museum system and conduct a full review of every facility before any closures.

If the Army proposes future closures, it must notify Congress, lay out where every artifact and exhibit will go, detail plans for displaced employees and show it has reached out to local groups about potential public-private partnerships. A mandatory 90-day waiting period follows.

The congressional pushback was bipartisan. Rep. Marilyn Strickland, D-Wash., wrote the Army secretary in June 2025 to oppose closing the Lewis Army Museum at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the only Army museum on the West Coast.

Strickland told the Army secretary the country should be "expanding opportunities to pay tribute to the Army's legacy."

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., pushed to spare the Harbor Defense Museum at Fort Hamilton, the only military museum in New York City. Other lawmakers joined in, defending facilities from Kansas to upstate New York.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, followed with her own letter, putting the fight in front of the committee that controls the Army's budget.

The Army was the only service hit with potential closures. The NDAA grandfathered in the Navy and Air Force, both of which already ran formal museum systems under centralized command. The Navy operates 10 official museums under its Naval History and Heritage Command.

The Air Force consolidated most of its institutional history, including more than 350 aircraft and missiles at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. The Army never centralized that way, leaving it the largest, least centralized and least prepared museum system of the three.

What the Museums Represent

The Rock Island Arsenal Museum opened on July 4, 1905, making it the second-oldest in the Army after West Point. It holds Serial No. 1 of the Model 1903 Springfield rifle, which Rock Island itself manufactured by the hundreds of thousands during World War I. It also holds Serial No. 2 of the M1 Garand, five rifles carried by Sioux or Cheyenne warriors at the Battle of the Little Bighorn and a pair of Rappahannock Forge wall guns from the Revolution.

The museum had just reopened in June 2023 after a $2 million renovation when it landed on the closure list.

The Frontier Army Museum at Fort Leavenworth, the oldest active Army post west of the Mississippi, was also on the chopping block. It documents the Army's role in the trans-Mississippi West from the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804 through Brig. Gen. John J. Pershing's 1916 hunt for Pancho Villa.

Its 7,000 artifacts include an 1832 general officer's coat worn by Henry Leavenworth, who founded the post in 1827 and gave it his name, a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny biplane of the type Pershing's aviators flew in Mexico, a sleigh that belonged to George Armstrong Custer and a carriage that once belonged to Abraham Lincoln.

Museum specialist Megan Hunter told Army public affairs in May 2025, a month before the closure plan dropped, that visitors at Fort Leavenworth see only about a quarter of the collection because the building is a 1941 Quonset hut never meant to be a museum. The 34-star flag from when Kansas joined the Union sits in storage, along with countless other artifacts that each tell an important story in U.S. Army history.

The 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum Museum has a new art exhibit on display featuring the work of Arnold Roberts, who served with the division in Italy during World War II. (Photo by Mike Strasser, Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs)

The 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum Museum was also slated to close. It holds a story no other museum displays. A civilian, National Ski Patrol founder Charles Minot Dole, conceived the unit during the World War II buildup, lobbying Washington for soldiers who could fight in the mountains. The division trained at Camp Hale, Colorado, deployed to Italy in 1945 and seized Riva Ridge and Mount Belvedere in some of the steepest, coldest fighting of the European campaign.

The museum holds the alpine gear, skis, snowshoes and an M29 Weasel snow vehicle from those operations, plus watercolors painted in the field by Pfc. Arnold J. Roberts of the 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment, who earned a Bronze Star at Mount Belvedere. The same division is now the most-deployed in the modern Army. The physical record of the divisions storied history sits in one museum building.

Meanwhile, the Harbor Defense Museum at Fort Hamilton sits inside a 19th-century caponier on a post where Robert E. Lee once served as an engineer. It draws about 14,000 visitors a year, most of them schoolchildren. Closing it would erase the only military museum in a city of 8 million where the Army's active presence is otherwise nearly invisible.

What Comes Next

The Center of Military History has to start over. Its historians will evaluate the entire network and recommend which facilities should receive renovations or be closed and how the system should be structured going forward. The first time around, officials weighed each building's upkeep costs, visitor numbers, public access and relevance to the broader Army. Senior leaders are expected to see the new recommendations later this year, though no firm timeline exists for a final decision or congressional review.

There is a potential path that lets museums survive without relying solely on the Army. Several of the service's largest museums run as public-private partnerships, with a foundation handling fundraising and construction while the Army operates the museum once it opens. The National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, Georgia, never on the closure list, has run that way for years and is the model the Army points to.

Another example is taking shape at Fort Campbell, where a foundation-driven project predates the closure debate. The Fort Campbell Historical Foundation built a new 40,000-square-foot facility on the Tennessee side of the post and gifted it to the Army. The Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum opens May 15, replacing the Don F. Pratt Museum, which closed in November 2024.

Museum Specialist Megan Hunter unfolds the 34-star flag in the museum's collection kept in flat storage April 17, 2025, at the Frontier Army Museum at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. (Photo by Stephanie Mahone/Fort Leavenworth Garrison Public Affairs Office)

Retired Maj. Gen. Brian Winski, the foundation's president, told Clarksville Now the museum will be "maintained by the Army and run by the Army in perpetuity."

The Army told Strickland in March that leaders at Joint Base Lewis-McChord are exploring a public-private option for the Lewis Army Museum.

For the museums staring down closure just months ago, the pause is a slight reprieve. Whether it becomes permanent will depend on what the review finds, what Congress does with it and whether the case for each museum to remain open in 2026 still holds in the years that follow. For the moment, in the year America turns 250, the Army's history will remain in place.
If youre receiving Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits and your housing allowance or other monthly payments suddenly stopped, there is a good chance you missed your enrollment verification. As of Jan. 1, 2026, all VA education beneficiaries are required to verify their enrollment every month to continue receiving payments. If you miss two consecutive months, the VA pauses your payments until you verify.

In the past, most students only had to confirm enrollment at the start of a term or when their schedule changed. That is no longer the case. The VA now requires a monthly check-in to confirm you are still enrolled in the courses your school certified before it releases your payment.

Who Has to Verify

Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) students who receive a Monthly Housing Allowance or kicker payments must verify every month, as do the surviving spouses and children of veterans using Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance (Chapter 35).

Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) and Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) students were already required to verify enrollment monthly through the WAVE system or by phone. For those programs, nothing has changed. The 2026 expansion specifically affects Post-9/11 GI Bill students and Chapter 35 beneficiaries who were not previously required to verify monthly.

Read More: Every Benefit Available to Surviving Military Spouses in 2026

The requirement does not currently apply to GI Bill students attending half-time or less, or those in on-the-job training, apprenticeships, flight training or correspondence programs.

How to Verify

The VA offers four ways to verify your enrollment each month.

By text message: If you have a U.S. mobile number and opt in, the VA will send you a text at the end of each month asking you to confirm that you are still enrolled. You reply YES, and you are done. The opt-in text expires after 14 days, so respond within that window.

Online at VA.gov: Sign in to your VA.gov account and complete the monthly verification through the enrollment verification page.

By email: If you do not use text verification, the VA may send a monthly email prompt.

Through Ask VA: You can also verify by submitting a request through the Ask VA portal or by calling the VAs education benefits line at 888-442-4551.

What Happens If You Miss It

For Post-9/11 GI Bill students, the VA processes your benefit payment on the first day of every month, and the payment can take up to five days to arrive. If you receive your payment before verifying, you should still verify. If you fail to verify for two consecutive months, the VA pauses your monthly housing allowance and any kicker payments until you complete the verification. For Montgomery GI Bill students, the VA does not process your payment until after you verify. No verification, no payment.

The VA designed the requirement to reduce overpayments and prevent students from continuing to receive benefits after dropping courses or leaving school. If you dropped a class, you are required to reply NO to the verification prompt rather than confirming enrollment you no longer have. Verifying falsely does not protect you. It creates an overpayment debt that the VA will collect.

Read More: Army Continuation Pay Under the Blended Retirement System Is Changing

What You Should Do Right Now

Make sure your contact information on VA.gov is current, including your mobile phone number and email address, so you receive the verification prompts on time. If you have not opted in to text verification, do it now. It takes seconds each month and is the easiest way to keep your payments flowing. If your enrollment changed, dropped or ended, notify your schools certifying official immediately so they can update your records with the VA. You can find your schools certifying official through the VAs GI Bill Comparison Tool. The VA also has an enrollment verification FAQ page and an instructional video at benefits.va.gov/gibill.

This is a small step that takes less than a minute. But if you forget it, your housing allowance stops, and it can take weeks to restart. Set a recurring reminder on your phone for the last week of every month. Your benefits depend on it.

Stay on Top of Your Military Benefits

Military benefits are always changing. Keep up with everything from pay to health care by subscribing to Military.com, and get access to up-to-date pay charts and more with all latest benefits delivered straight to your inbox.
On April 7, 2026, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social: A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.

This statement did not occur in isolation. It followed earlier threats to destroy Iranian infrastructure and to send the country back to the Stone Ages. Read together, the statements move beyond identifying discrete military objectives and instead describe the destruction of a society. That shift matters under both the law of armed conflict and international criminal law because it speaks directly to intent.

The Legal Framework Governing Such Statements

The United States is bound by the 1949 Geneva Conventions. The United States has not ratified Additional Protocol I, but it accepts key principles such as distinction, proportionality, and precautions as customary international law, reflected in the Department of Defense Law of War Manual.

These rules require attacks to be directed at military objectives and prohibit targeting civilians or civilian objects as such. A statement about destroying a civilization does not correspond to any recognized military objective. Instead, it suggests a target defined by identity or existence rather than function. That distinction is precisely what the law is designed to prevent.

Genocide Defined and the Role of Specific Intent

Genocide is defined in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The Convention defines genocide as certain acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. The prohibited acts include killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction, imposing measures intended to prevent births, and forcibly transferring children.

The defining feature of genocide is specific intent, often described as dolus specialis. It is not enough that large numbers of civilians are harmed or that destruction is widespread. The actor must intend to destroy the group itself, either in whole or in substantial part. This is a demanding standard, and courts rarely infer it without strong evidence.

Statements like a whole civilization will die do not automatically establish genocidal intent, but they are legally relevant because they describe destruction at the level of an entire population rather than at the level of military capability. When such language is paired with policies or conduct targeting essential conditions of life, it can contribute to a finding that the requisite intent exists.

The United States is a party to the Genocide Convention, which obligates it to prevent and punish genocide as a matter of international law. Courts apply the Genocide Conventions definition of intent when genocide is prosecuted, and public statements are routinely used as evidence to determine whether that intent is present, regardless of which court has jurisdiction.

President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump address Soldiers and family members assigned to the XVIII Airborne Corps during a visit to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Feb. 13, 2026. During the visit, the President commended Soldiers for their service and efforts, and the First Lady delivered remarks highlighting the strength of military families and the values they uphold in support of the nation. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Austin Robertson. Source: DVIDS.

How International Courts Use Public Statements as Evidence

International tribunals routinely rely on public statements to establish intent, even though the United States is not a party to the International Criminal Court and has limited its acceptance of jurisdiction before the International Court of Justice.

The ICCs jurisdiction is based on the Rome Statute, which neither the United States nor Iran has ratified. Iran signed the treaty in 2000 but did not ratify it.

Even so, the Court may still assert jurisdiction over nationals of non-party states if alleged crimes occur on the territory of a state party or if the United Nations Security Council refers the situation, as reflected in the Rome Statute.

The ICJ, by contrast, does not prosecute individuals but adjudicates disputes between states. Its jurisdiction depends on state consent or treaty commitments.

At the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the court in Prosecutor v. Akayesu used speeches and rhetoric to infer genocidal intent. The tribunal concluded that language encouraging the destruction of a group could serve as evidence when combined with conduct.

The International Criminal Court follows a similar approach under the Rome Statute. In cases such as the Al Bashir proceedings, the court examined both statements and patterns of conduct to determine whether there was intent to destroy a protected group.

The International Court of Justice has also emphasized that intent must be inferred from the totality of the evidence. In Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro, the Court held that genocidal intent must be the only reasonable inference from the facts. Public statements are rarely sufficient on their own, but they can significantly shape how other evidence is interpreted.

Why Statements Like This Undermine Legal Defenses

The primary legal risk created by statements like this is evidentiary. In international criminal law, defendants often argue that their actions were directed at military objectives or that they lacked the specific intent required for crimes such as genocide. Public statements that describe the destruction of a civilization make those arguments more difficult to sustain.

If operations were later challenged, such statements could be introduced to argue that the objective was not limited to military targets. They could be used to show that the actor understood and even anticipated or actively planned the large-scale destruction of civilian life. That does not prove illegality by itself, but it narrows the range of plausible explanations.

In effect, the statements create a record that prosecutors or investigators could use to argue that any subsequent conduct was consistent with a broader intent to destroy societal structures rather than achieve discrete military aims.

What Human Rights Groups Are Saying

Human rights organizations have already expressed concern about the escalation in rhetoric. Human Rights Watch has repeatedly warned that threats targeting civilian infrastructure risk violating the laws of war and may indicate disregard for the principle of distinction.

Similarly, Amnesty International has emphasized that attacks on infrastructure essential to civilian survival can constitute unlawful conduct if not strictly justified by military necessity.

Rhetoric that frames entire societies as targets reinforces concerns that any resulting operations may not comply with legal constraints.

What This Means in Practice

The law of armed conflict does not regulate speech in isolation. It regulates conduct. However, speech becomes relevant when it provides evidence of intent, which is often the most difficult element to prove in international law.

A statement that a civilization will die does not by itself establish a legal violation. It does, however, shift how future actions would be interpreted. If military operations follow, investigators and courts would likely examine such statements to determine whether the actions were consistent with lawful targeting or reflected a broader intent incompatible with the law.

That is the core problem. The statement does not create liability on its own. It creates a record that makes certain defenses harder to maintain if challenged later.
Hyundai Creta, Venue, Nios, i20, others: Prices set to rise by up to 1% from May

The Hyundai cars in India are based in the price range from Rs 5.55 lakh to Rs 46.30 lakh (ex-showroom).









The Creta SUV is Hyundai's largest-selling car in India. Hyundai to hike car prices by up to 1% from May 2026.

Second price increase this year after 0.6% hike in January.

Price rise due to escalating input costs across all models. Did our AI summary help?
2nd PUC Result 2026 Karnataka for Science, Arts & Commerce streams declared @ karresults.nic.in; direct link here

The Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) has announced the release of the Karnataka 2nd PUC Result 2026 today, April 9. Candidates who appeared for the annual board examinations can access their scorecards through the official websites: karresults.nic.in or kseab.karnataka.gov.in.









KSEAB Karnataka 2nd PUC Result Karnataka 2nd PUC Result 2026 released online from 3 PM

Minimum passing marks reduced to 30 per subject, 33% overall

Over 7 lakh students appeared for the exam across Karnataka Did our AI summary help?
Karnataka 2nd PUC Results 2026: How to check scores on DigiLocker

Step 1: Download the DigiLocker app on your smartphone or visit the official website  digilocker.gov.in.

Step 2: Navigate to the Education and Learning section under document categories.

Step 3: Select Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) from the list.

Step 4: Click on the Class 12 Marksheet option.

Step 5: Enter your PUC 2 roll number for 2026 along with the required details.

Step 6: Your Karnataka 2nd PUC Result 2026 will be displayed on the screen.

Step 7: Download and save the marksheet PDF for future reference.
Quote of the day by Lao Tzu, "Care about what other people think and you..."

Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzus timeless quote reminds us that living for other peoples approval can limit our freedom, confidence and inner peace.









Lao Tzu Lao Tzu warns against living for others' approval

Depending on opinions can limit freedom and self-expression

Focus on self-awareness and inner confidence for true peace Did our AI summary help?
Leo Tolstoys timeless quote highlights self-change as the key to true transformation, reflecting his deep moral philosophy and enduring literary legacy.

Quote of the day by Leo Tolstoy: "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of..." (image: canva)
Assam Elections 2026 Live: Assam LoP Debabrata Saikia urges focus on development and peace; flags concerns over external influence

Assam Legislative Assembly Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia cast his vote at a polling station in Simlaguri, urging voters to prioritise development, peace, and the future of the state.

Speaking to reporters after exercising his franchise, Saikia said he hoped people would vote for positive change in Assam.

I hope that the people of Assam will vote for development, peace, and the future of Assam, which they believe is currently not good, the Congress candidate from Nazira constituency said.

Saikia also raised concerns over alleged external influence in the electoral process, claiming that voters from outside the state were being brought in.

I heard a large number of people loaded in buses and trains are arriving in Assam, like they did in Karnataka, Bihar... I hope the people of Assam will not let outsiders decide the future of Assam, he said.
Adivi Sesh reveals he pitched Dacoit to Anurag Kashyap at Naga ChaitanyaSobhita Dhulipala wedding

Sometimes, the most interesting film ideas dont come from boardrooms but from chance encounters. For Adivi Sesh, Dacoit began with a casual yet memorable pitch at Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipalas wedding.









Adivi Sesh and Anurag Kashyap in Dacoit Adivi Sesh pitched Dacoit to Anurag Kashyap at a wedding

Anurag Kashyap's role in Dacoit remains a surprise

Dacoit releases in Hindi and Telugu on April 10, 2026 Did our AI summary help?
Arjun Kapoors emotional Instagram post 'Accept the ending' leaves fans worried and speculating

Arjun Kapoor sparked concern after sharing a cryptic Instagram note about accepting endings. Fans speculated about his emotional state, while others defended him against trolling, expressing support amid growing online discussions.









Arjun Kapoors emotional Instagram post 'Accept the ending' leaves fans worried and speculating Arjun Kapoor's cryptic Instagram note sparks concern among fans

Fans speculate about Arjun's mental health and offer support

Arjun to star in No Entry 2 with Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh Did our AI summary help?
Indian-US influencer Priya Patel acknowledges Indian roots after backlash over immigration remarks

US-based influencer Priya Patel faces backlash after her anti-immigration video went viral. During an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, she acknowledged her Indian roots following intense questioning about her background.









The controversy started when a video featuring Priya became popular on the internet with almost 30 million views within one week. Priya Patels immigration video ignites online backlash

She clarified her Indian heritage during Piers Morgan interview

The controversy ignited discussions on identity and assimilation Did our AI summary help?
Kerala Elections 2026: Mohanlal, Mammootty, Prithviraj Sukumaran lead celebrity voting as the state decides its future

Kerala votes in the 2026 Assembly elections with 2.71 crore voters. Mohanlal, Prithviraj and other Malayalam stars cast ballots early, encouraging public participation in this crucial political contest.









Kerala Elections 2026: Mohanlal, Mammootty, Prithviraj Sukumaran lead celebrity voting as the state decides its future Kerala Assembly polls see 2.71 crore eligible voters cast ballots

Malayalam film stars vote early, urging public participation

Outcome will decide if LDF secures a third consecutive term Did our AI summary help?
Melissa McCarthy stuns fans with her transformation in curve-hugging Emilio Pucci gown at Fashion Trust U.S. Awards 2026

Melissa McCarthy dazzles at Fashion Trust U.S. Awards 2026 in a bold Emilio Pucci gown, earning praise for her style while reflecting on confidence, self-acceptance, and personal growth.









Melissa McCarthy stuns fans with her transformation in curve-hugging Emilio Pucci gown at Fashion Trust U.S. Awards 2026 Melissa McCarthy stunned in a bold Emilio Pucci gown

She presented the Graduate Award to designer Marcelle Barbosa.

Fans praised Melissa's confident look and self-acceptance. Did our AI summary help?
Simbus Arasan gets stalled after an intense fight with producer Ishari K Ganesh

The highly anticipated movie Arasan, starring Silambarasan TR, has hit a snag and shooting has stopped, according to reports.









Simbu Arasan shoot halted amid SilambarasanGanesh dispute

Nadigar Sangam, FEFSI step in to resolve the issue

Release date uncertain as production remains suspended Did our AI summary help?
Somy Ali says boycotted by friends in Bollywood after speaking about 'abusive relationship' with superstar actor: 'Told my friends to stay away' - Exclusive

Former Bollywood actress Somy Ali, who appeared in several Hindi films in the early 1990s, says she was 'boycotted' by the film industry after she spoke about an abusive relationship with a powerful actor.









Somy Ali Khan Somy Ali says Bollywood boycotted her after abuse allegations.

She says Salman Khan wrecked her NGO and smeared her name.

Somy now runs an NGO and hosts a talk show in Miami. Did our AI summary help?
Thak gayi main': Parvathy Thiruvothu slams industry after Ranjith arrest, calls punishments performative

Melissa McCarthy dazzles at Fashion Trust U.S. Awards 2026 in a bold Emilio Pucci gown, earning praise for her style while reflecting on confidence, self-acceptance, and personal growth.









Thak gayi main': Parvathy Thiruvothu slams industry after Ranjith arrest, calls punishments performative Parvathy: Ranjith arrest unsurprising, calls it repeat offence

She blasts industry for failing survivors, enabling offenders

Parvathy urges policy reforms and institutional accountability Did our AI summary help?
Rice Beer is having a moment among Gen Z, gastroenterologist warns it's not a health drink

Rice beer as a beverage has not only made its way to Delhi cafes, but is also a popular drink. But is it a health drink? Read on to know what a gastroenterologist has to say.









Rice beer is made by fermenting rice. (Picture: Pexels) Gen Z drinks 20% less alcohol per capita than millennials

Rice beer, a fermented drink from Assam, is now popular in Delhi

Rice beer isnt healthy; drink it only occasionally Did our AI summary help?
Yoga for flat stomach: From healthy eating habits to cleansing practices and top asanas, all you need to know

If you desire to shrink your belly, a yoga expert shared how you should eat, the cleansing techniques that help, and the best asanas that can help achieve the desired results.









Best yoga pose for flat stomach: Plank variations offer dynamic movement and holding leads to deeper engagement (Image: Cult) Yoga helps strengthen and sculpt the abdomen with simple asanas

Mindful eating and proper digestion are key for a flatter belly

Plank, folds, and boat pose boost core strength and stability Did our AI summary help?
Whos buying gold? Which country tops the list as central banks extend 23-month streak

Bullion hovered near $4,715 an ounce, after rising 1.5% over the previous two sessions.









China extended its ongoing accumulation trend. Global central banks bought 19 tonnes of gold in February.

Poland led purchases, adding 20 tonnes to its gold reserves.

Turkey, Russia cut gold; Turkey sold 120 tonnes in March Did our AI summary help?
UK court orders SpiceJet to pay $8 million to engine lessor over unpaid rent, maintenance

London's Commercial Court granted summary judgment on Wednesday in favour of Sunbird France 02 SAS over the unpaid rent and maintenance accruals, finding that SpiceJet had no viable defence.

Reuters April 09, 2026 / 17:52 IST























SpiceJet initially hired British solicitors but never filed a defence or response to Sunbird's application, the judgement showed.
Market participants expect the Indian market to be in wait and watch mode until the West Asia situation improves
Om Power Transmission raises over Rs 45 crore from anchor investors ahead of IPO

Om Power Transmission IPO | The Rs 150-crore offer will open for public subscription on April 9 with price band of Rs 166-175 per share.









Om Power Transmission IPO News Om Power Transmission Rs 150-crore IPO to open on April 9

Price band at Rs 166-175 per share

IPO Mix: Fresh issue of 75.75 lakh shares, offer-for-sale of 10 lakh shares Did our AI summary help?
Helios Flexi Cap Fund ups stake in HDFC Bank; exits IOCL, HPCL in March update

The fund did not reduce positions in any stock during the month, apart from the two exits.









In terms of sectoral allocation, banks lead at 15.6%, followed by finance (8.7%) and capital markets (8.6%). Helios Flexi Cap Fund exited IOCL and HPCL in March 2026

Fund bought Solar Ind., BSE, GMR Airports, Sedemac

Banks, power, and autos saw increased exposure in the portfolio Did our AI summary help? SE20

B03

GI27 SE20 NSE/BSE Select NSE LIVE BSE LIVE Day High

Day Low

Volume (NSE) More B03 NSE/BSE Select NSE LIVE BSE LIVE Day High

Day Low

Volume (NSE) More GI27 NSE/BSE Select NSE LIVE BSE LIVE Day High

Day Low

Volume (NSE) More 
Sensex, Nifty pulled back after a sharp rally in the previous session, as renewed Mideast tensions clouded ceasefire optimism.

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.
Trade Setup for April 10: Top 15 things to know before the opening bell as fragile US-Iran ceasefire keeps markets on edge

The market is expected to remain in a consolidative, range-bound phase until the US, Iran, and Israel fully comply with a formal agreement.

Sunil Shankar Matkar April 09, 2026 / 23:12 IST























Nifty Trade Setup for April 10 Immediate hurdle for Nifty 50 seen at 24,000

Only a convincing move above 24,000 can open door for 24,20024,300 target

23,50023,450 zone can act as immediate support for Nifty 50 Did our AI summary help?
Trading Plan: Can Nifty 50, Bank Nifty take a small breather after 5-day winning streak?

The Nifty 50 needs a decisive close above the psychological 24,000 zone for a move toward the 24,30024,500 levels. However, the 23,90023,800 range is expected to be immediate key support.

Sunil Shankar Matkar April 09, 2026 / 03:29 IST























Nifty Trading Plan for April 9 Nfty index needs a decisive close above 24,000 zone for a move toward 24,30024,500 levels

23,90023,800 range expected to be immediate key support

Bank Nifty needs to move convincingly above 55,900 for uptrend toward 56,30056,700 zone Did our AI summary help?
Mounjaro monthly sales drop for first time in March, semaglutide gains volume

While the GLP1 segment slipped by about Rs.11 crore versus February, tirzepatide alone lost roughly Rs.21 crore in value, pointing to direct share erosion rather than a broader market slowdown.









Eli Lilly Mounjaro Mounjaro remained India's top pharma brand in March 2026.

Tirzepatide sales dropped 16 percent due to semaglutide generics.

Semaglutide sales up 23%, rapidly gaining market share Did our AI summary help?
MPC Member Nagesh Kumar calls for hike in industrial subsidies to boost competitiveness

On dumping, Kumar said that due to trade restrictions across the world, Chinese products are getting "dumped" in neighbouring countries, including India. "Many big conglomerates in India  very established player in textiles and garments have switched off importing from China."









Going forward, as the services exports growth tapers off due to AI  we cant be assured that this will continue, said Kumar. Nagesh Kumar urges India to boost manufacturing subsidies to enhance competitiveness and manage the current account. World Bank highlights trade deals with EU and UK as growth drivers, raising Indias FY27 GDP forecast to 6.6% amid stable oil prices. Did our AI summary help?
Oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri heads to Qatar amid energy supply disruptions

"Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep S Puri, will be on an official visit to the State of Qatar on 9-10 April, 2026," his ministry said in a post on X.

PTI April 09, 2026 / 18:11 IST























Hardeep Singh Puri (file image) Oil Minister Puri to visit Qatar on April 9-10 for energy talks

India seeks to restore LNG and LPG supplies disrupted by conflict

Qatar is India's largest supplier of LNG and LPG Did our AI summary help?
Changed jobs, EPF transfer to new account delayed: Chandigarh Commission asked EPFO to credit all dues with interest

The transfer of the PF amount from one employer is expected to be seamless. But sometimes, many members find themselves dealing with a far more complicated situation where the transfer does not appear in the destination account.









Chandigarh commission rules EPFO delayed PF transfer for 10 years

EPFO told to pay 50,000 in compensation, legal costs

Members urged to file grievances over unresolved PF transfers Did our AI summary help?
RBI ask banks to speed up inward foreign payments with faster alerts, one-hour reconciliation

RBI has mandated banks to inform customers immediately once a payment is made into their accounts, as per a notification.

PTI April 09, 2026 / 20:24 IST























(File image) RBI tells banks to speed up cross-border payment alerts

Banks must reconcile nostro accounts within one hour

New norms effective six months from the circular's issue Did our AI summary help?
RBI mulls delay for high-value digital transactions, payments by senior citizens to curb online fraud

The RBI suggested a mechanism involving a provisional debit from the customer's account during the lag period, with an alert if the transactions appear suspicious.

Reuters April 09, 2026 / 21:24 IST














Dubai realty sees pent-up demand after ceasefire eases tensions, market eyes April bounce

Experts expect a strong rebound in April in Dubai realty market as deferred transactions are executed, and market confidence returns. While sentiment has improved, market observers caution that the next few weeks will be critical in determining whether stability sustains in West Asia.









Dubai realty sees pent-up demand after ceasefire eases tensions, market eyes April bounce Dubai real estate poised for rebound after ceasefire announcement

Sales dropped over 30 percent in March amid Iran-Israel tensions

Experts expect pent-up demand to drive sharp recovery in April Did our AI summary help?
Sanjay Khanna appointed Chairman and MD of Bharat Petroleum

Khanna was one of the candidates that the government headhunter, Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB), interviewed on February 1, 2025 to find a replacement for Krishnakumar.

PTI April 09, 2026 / 20:52 IST














UAE oil boss says Strait of Hormuz still shut with Iran restricting access: 'Conditional passage is not passage'

Conditional passage is not passage. It is control by another name, Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive office of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., said in comments on LinkedIn.









Sultan Al Jaber, CEO, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co Strait of Hormuz remains closed, restricting global energy flows

Iran allows limited passage; UAE urges full reopening

Oil tops $100 as shipments blocked and output disrupted Did our AI summary help?
West Asia crisis: Commerce ministry discusses shipping, port, packaging challenges with exporters

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal chaired two meetings, which were attended by representatives of export promotion councils and commodity boards.

PTI April 09, 2026 / 22:19 IST























(Representative image) Commerce ministry met exporters on shipping, packaging issues

West Asia crisis disrupts supply, raises packaging costs

Exporters urge clear waivers, wider RELIEF scheme coverage Did our AI summary help?
Xi helps Trump on Iran war as China assists with ceasefire bid

China hasnt confirmed  or denied  reports of its pivotal part in brokering the detente, and President Xi Jinping still hasnt publicly commented on the conflict thats choked a fifth of global oil supply.









Xi Jinping (AFP/file photo)
Air India flight on way to Bengaluru returns to Mumbai 20 mins after take-off

The pilot declared PAN PAN over radio and returned to the airport a few minutes after take off, said an official in the know of the matter.









The Air India fight landed safely with 47 passengers on board and was grounded. (Representative photo) Air India Mumbai-Bengaluru flight returns due to engine snag

Aircraft landed safely; alternate flight arranged for passengers

Incident follows recent Air India Express emergency landing Did our AI summary help?
Strait of Hormuz in focus: India says crude stocks adequate amid fragile Iran truce

On the supply side, Sharma said, crude inventories are currently adequate, providing additional assurance of uninterrupted fuel production.









Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Sujata Sharma. India ensures uninterrupted LPG supply for households

Crude inventories and domestic LPG production remain adequate

Auto LPG sales, commercial supply back to normal levels Did our AI summary help?
A security personnel assists voters as they wait in a queue before casting their votes at a polling station in Nagaon in Assam. (Credit: PTI)
Assembly polls: Assam, Puducherry register record voter turnout; Kerala surpasses 2021 polling percentage

Thiruvananthapuram/Guwahati, Apr 9 Assam registered a record voter turnout of over 85 per cent while Kerala witnessed an impressive polling with more th..

PTI April 09, 2026 / 22:14 IST























People wait in a queue before casting their votes in the Assam Assembly elections, at a polling station in Tamulpur. (PTI Photo) Assam records over 85% turnout in assembly elections

Kerala registered more than 78 percent voter turnout

Puducherry recorded over 86 percent turnout in assembly elections Did our AI summary help?
Nabin also defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying it is aimed at ensuring the integrity of the voter list.
Congress withdraws Baramati bypoll candidate after repeated requests; Sunetra Pawar set to win unopposed

Congress state president Harshvardhan Sapkal announced that the party will withdraw its candidate. Initially, Akash More was set to contest against Pawar.









NCP president and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar
The facility  also known as JNPT and Nhava Sheva port  in Navi Mumbai is one of India's key ports handling container and liquid cargo and plays a crucial role in the country's energy supply chain.
India has diversified energy supplies; dependencies persist, says petroleum secretary

Petroleum secretary Neeraj Mittal pointed out that over the last decade the country has diversified its crude oil sourcing to 41 countries from 27 countries, natural gas supplies to 30 countries from six, and LPG supplies to 15 countries from 10.









India diversifies energy supplies; dependencies persist, says petroleum secy India faces high dependency on oil and LPG imports via Hormuz

West Asia crisis puts 50% oil and 90% LPG imports at risk

Petroleum minister to visit Qatar to discuss energy security Did our AI summary help?
India-US trade deal: Indian delegation to visit Washington for talks this month, says US envoy Sergio Gor

The United States Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Thursday that an Indian delegation will travel to Washington later this month for talks on a bilateral trade deal between India and the United States. Gor, in a post on X, said he held discussions with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on advancing trade priorities in South and Central Asia. "Highly Productive meeting with Ambassador Greer to discuss advancing POTUS trade priorities in South and Central Asia. The United States and India have previously agreed to a trade deal, and we look forward to welcoming an Indian delegation to Washington later this month." Push to advance Trump-era trade priorities Taking to X, the US envoy said the meeting focused on advancing President Donald Trumps trade priorities in the region. "The United States and India have previously agreed to a trade deal, and we look forward to welcoming an Indian delegation to Washington later this month," he added further. Earlier, Gor, who is currently in the United States, attended a dinner at the White House on Tuesday night where he discussed India-US ties with President Trump. White House engagement and evolving tariff framework Gor described the evening as memorable and praised Trumps efforts in securing global stability and strengthening India-US ties. "Just had an outstanding dinner with President Trump. We discussed his unwavering determination to bring global stability, the historic achievements of his presidency, the strong future of India-US ties, and so much more! A very memorable evening as history unfolded in real time." Last month, India and the United States announced the finalisation of a framework for the first phase of their bilateral trade agreement, under which the US agreed to reduce tariffs on India to 18 per cent. However, the tariff structure has since changed following a Supreme Court ruling in the United States against President Trumps sweeping tariffs. Subsequently, the US imposed a 10 per cent tariff on all countries for 150 days starting February 24. The trade deal focuses on comparative and preferential market access. The proposed 18 per cent tariff on India is lower than that on competitors such as China, Vietnam and Thailand. "In case under the new tariff architecture of the US, other countries will be 'at 19 or 20 or 21 or 22 per cent, then maybe India will remain at 18 per cent. But if others come down, then India will also come down. So it will depend on how the new architecture comes out. And that is something for US to take a call," the official said, adding that as of now, the deal was on 18 per cent. India is currently discussing the finer details of the agreement with the United States, as multiple elements of the deal remain under negotiation.









US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor Indian delegation to visit Washington for trade talks this month

US and India negotiating details of bilateral trade agreement

US set 18 percent tariff on India, lower than China and Vietnam Did our AI summary help?
Indian Army showcases 'tank in air' Apache firepower during 'Brahmastra' desert drill at Pokhran

The exercise aimed to test both operational readiness and coordination between pilots and ground crews. The Boeing AH-64 Apache is among the most advanced multi-role combat helicopters in the world.

ANI April 09, 2026 / 22:09 IST























Indian Army showcased the firepower and advanced combat capabilities of its Apache attack helicopters during Exercise Brahmastra at the Pokhran Firing Range. Indian Army displays Apaches in Brahmastra firing drill

Apaches hit targets with Hellfire missiles, rockets, and guns

Exercise proved precision, readiness, and coordination of crews Did our AI summary help?
Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Vote for future of jobs, dignity and opportunity, says Rahul Gandhi

On Wednesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged the people to vote for the United Democratic Front (UDF) to help elect a government with a vision to harness the state's talent and potential.

Gandhi said this election is about their future as this is an ideological battle between the BJP and the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has now partnered with each other.

"Keralam has the talent. Keralam has the potential. What Keralam needs is a government with the vision to harness both. Tomorrow, vote for that Keralam. Vote for a future of jobs, dignity and opportunity. Vote for UDF," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said in a post on X, using the hashtag "#UDF100".

In his video appeal to voters, Gandhi reiterated the guarantees made by the Congress-led alliance to the people of the state.

"Brothers and Sisters of Kerala, Namaskaram. This election is about your future. It's about the type of Kerala we want. As I have said many times in my speeches, this is an ideological battle against the BJP and the LDF, who have partnered with each other," he said in the video.

The former Congress president said the UDF government is committed to getting jobs for Kerala, fighting the brain drain, and banishing drugs from the state.

"Women are the pride and strength of Kerala. For them, we are going to give free travel across the state, and every single young Keralite woman who is going to college is going to get Rs 1,000 in the bank account every month to support her," he said in his video message.
Kerala exit polls 2026 results date and time: When and where to watch the predictions?

The LDF, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is aiming for a rare second consecutive term in a state known for alternating governments. Its campaign has focused on its welfare record.









With 883 candidates in the fray across 140 constituencies in Kerala, voting began at 7 am on Thursday Over 2.6 crore vote in single-phase Kerala assembly poll

LDF aims for rare second consecutive term amid anti-incumbency

Exit polls will be released after voting ends on April 29 Did our AI summary help?
MC EXCLUSIVE Oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri to discuss LNG supplies in two-day visit to Qatar amid west Asia conflict

Puri is expected to meet officials from the energy sector and hold discussions on safeguarding energy supplies that have come under risk due to the west Asia conflict









Oil minister on two-day visit to Qatar to discuss energy security amid west Asia conflict Hardeep Singh Puri visits Qatar to discuss energy supplies.

India's LNG imports from Qatar disrupted after Iran's attack.

Qatar aims to resume LNG production after ceasefire announcement. Did our AI summary help?
PM Modi pledges 7th Pay Commission rollout if BJP wins West Bengal: Here are his six guarantees

The Prime Minister further said the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections were aimed at restoring Bengals glory and building a developed Bengal, while accusing the TMC government of hampering industrial growth in the state.









Prime Minister said action would be taken against corruption and wrongdoing irrespective of position or influence. PM Modi announces six guarantees for West Bengal if BJP wins

Vows law enforcement, accountability, and anti-corruption

Refugees gain rights, infiltrators ousted, pay hike promised Did our AI summary help?
Puducherry logs near-90% turnout in record voter participation

Polling was conducted across 30 Assembly constituencies, of which five were reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs), covering an electorate of over 9 lakh voters.









A man operates a robot while polling is underway at a polling station in Puducherry on Thursday. (Credit: PTI)
In September 2018, a five-judge Constitution bench, by a 4:1 majority verdict, had lifted the ban that prevented women between the ages of 10 and 50 from entering the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala
Martin's wife, Leema Rose, has entered electoral politics and is contesting as a candidate of the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections this year.
SIR shake-up in Kolkata: 6 lakh names gone, BJP gains edge over TMC in these 14 seats

According to EC, the number of voters in Kolkata North and Kolkata South has dropped by 6,06,563.The vote margin between the TMC and BJP across the two districts in the 2021 Assembly elections stood at 6,07,612.









Voter numbers in Kolkata South have dropped by 2,47,882, while Kolkata North has seen 3,58,681 names deleted. Kolkata North, South lose 6 lakh+ voters after revision

TMC faces tougher contest as margins shrink in key constituencies

BJP sees voter drop as a chance to reshape Kolkata's 2026 battle Did our AI summary help?
Rani Kapur alleged that soon after her sons death, Priya Kapur began asserting control over the business, maintaining that the company was built entirely by her husband
OPINION | Chinas West Asia Strategy: The method in Beijing's silence

As West Asia absorbs its worst energy shock in half a century, China's quiet response reveals a method for operating under pressure, one that India is now being tested on









"What looks like silence today is the output of a decade of preparation"
OPINION | GAAR, Grandfathering and the Tiger Global Case: What the new rules mean for investors

A Supreme Court ruling in January 2026 raised questions about the tax treatment of older foreign investments in India. The government responded within weeks by amending the rules

Ritesh Kumar Shyam April 09, 2026 / 16:19 IST























investors
OPINION | How China manages its energy security

Chinas energy strategy is not about achieving complete self-sufficiency. It is about ensuring that dependence does not translate into vulnerability









China is significantly reliant on external suppliers, particularly West Asia and Russia.
OPINION | Indias new pesticide bill must keep pace with emerging export challenges

Indian agriculture faces supply disruptions and rising input costs. Global pesticide rules are getting stricter. This calls for faster reforms and better access to modern crop protection technologies

Ankur Aggarwal April 09, 2026 / 11:54 IST























Pesticide residue standards are tightening globally
OPINION | India strengthens border infrastructure as China builds strategic advantage

India is expanding border infrastructure to match China. Rising tensions and past gaps show the need for faster development to improve defence and strengthen its position

Tejusvi Shukla & Sriparna Pathak April 09, 2026 / 14:47 IST























The infrastructure buildup on the Indian side needs to be contextualised

Tejusvi Shukla is a Doctoral Candidate, OP Jindal Global University. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
Fish jumps into 1-year-old boys throat during aquarium cleaning, removed after complex surgery

A one-year-old boy in Indore had a lucky escape after a live ornamental fish leapt straight into his throat during a routine aquarium clean. A six-member surgical team performed an emergency procedure to remove the fish and save the toddler's life.
Global peacemakers: Pakistanis share copy-pasted airport posts after US-Iran ceasefire, get trolled

Dozens of nearly identical posts flooded X after Trump named Pakistan in his US-Iran ceasefire announcement, with users claiming airport officers worldwide called them 'global peacemakers.' The copy-pasted stories, differing only in country names, sparked widespread mockery and accusations of a coordinated bot campaign.









Internet calls out Pakistan's similar airport posts. (Image: @elitepredatorss/ X)
'You'd be up at night': US congressman claims UFO secrets are too disturbing for the public to handle

Tim Burchett, a Republican congressman pushing hard for UFO disclosure, says classified briefings contain material so unsettling it could never be safely shared. He pointed to a troubling pattern of scientists and officials who worked on space secrets dying under mysterious circumstances.
36 hours of chaos: How the US-Iran ceasefire came together and began to fray
Bangladesh Parliament backs disbanding of ex-PM Sheikh Hasinas Awami League, tightens anti-terror law

Bangladesh has formalised the ban on Sheikh Hasinas Awami League by passing a law that strengthens anti-terror provisions and restricts the partys activities.









Bangladesh endorses ban on Sheikh Hasinas Awami League, amends anti-terror law
Beirut strikes: Marine Le Pen backs France push to include Lebanon in regional ceasefire

Her remarks came after renewed Israeli strikes on Beirut, which she described as leaving Lebanon a collateral victim of wider Middle East tensions.









France's far-right politician Marine Le Pen. Le Pen urges France to protect Lebanon amid Israeli strikes.

She backs including Lebanon in regional ceasefire talks.

European leaders call for ceasefire to cover Lebanon. Did our AI summary help?
Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel to begin talks with Lebanon, focus on disarming Hezbollah

In light of Lebanons repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed yesterday to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, Benjamin Netanyahu said.









Benjamin Netanyahu
Chabahar is the golden bridge of Iran-India friendship, says Iranian Embassy

The outreach to India comes just days after the US and Iran agreed to a temporary two-week ceasefire following weeks of conflict.









Chabahar port is vital for Indias connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Iranian embassy calls Chabahar Port the golden bridge with India

Chabahar Port in focus amid US-Iran ceasefire, ongoing talks

Port seen as vital for Indias connectivity and bilateral ties Did our AI summary help?
Disney plans to cut 1,000 jobs in coming weeks: Report

The planned layoffs could affect less than 1% of its total employees. Disney employed about 231,000 people as of the end of fiscal year 2025

Reuters April 09, 2026 / 07:08 IST























The report said that plans for the coming job cuts began before Josh D'Amaro assumed his new role as Disney's chief executive officer in March.
Donald Trump says US forces to remain deployed; Strait of Hormuz will be open and safe

Trump says US forces will stay deployed around Iran until a real agreement is enforced, warning of stronger action while vowing the Strait of Hormuz will remain open and safe.









Trump says US military to stay near Iran until deal enforced, vows Hormuz open and safe
Donald Trump says NATO understood nothing until 'pressure placed upon them'

Donald Trump has repeatedly called NATO a "paper tiger" and threatened to withdraw from the 32-member transatlantic alliance in recent weeks









US President Donald Trump
Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina, is alleged to have communicated with a journalist between 2022 and 2025, according to the DOJ statement, which says that she worked for the military from 2010 to 2016.
Greece PM rejects Irans Strait of Hormuz toll plan as completely unacceptable, warns of risk to freedom of navigation

The Iran war has threatened Gulf ports and disrupted global trade through the strait, a waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes.

Reuters April 09, 2026 / 03:23 IST























FILE PHOTO: An aerial view of the Iranian shores and the island of Qeshm in the strait of Hormuz
Hormuz may be open, but ships are still staying away

Confusion over control and safety keeps one of the worlds busiest oil routes nearly empty.









Hormuz may be open, but ships are still staying away
How chaos unfolded before fragile ceasefire: 'Iran told Pakistan that ...'

The effect of Trump's last-minute threat was so far-reaching that Iran almost called off the talks.









File photo Trump's threat nearly derailed US-Iran ceasefire talks

China got Iran to accept ceasefire, reopen Hormuz Strait

Ceasefire deal disputed over Lebanon's inclusion Did our AI summary help?
IMF, World Bank, World Food Programme warn of rising food prices due to Iran war

In a joint statement, the heads of the three organisations said the burden of rising food prices will fall most heavily on the worlds most vulnerable populations

PTI April 09, 2026 / 09:34 IST























The statement came a day after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire to the hostilities that began on February 28.
Iran almost called off ceasefire deal, then China stepped in: Here's how Beijing convinced Tehran

Chinas last-minute diplomatic push, not Pakistans mediation, proved decisive in securing the US-Iran ceasefire, according to a report by The New York Times
Iran announces alternative Hormuz routes, releases map to guide ships to avoid mines

Irans IRGC released a map guiding ships around mine-risk zones in the Strait of Hormuz, enforcing new routes amid a fragile ceasefire and prompting global efforts to secure safe navigation.









IRGC map reshapes Hormuz shipping routes
On Wednesday, just four ships were allowed to pass through the chokepoint, the lowest daily figure recorded so far in April.
Iran nearly hit back over ceasefire violation, Pakistan stepped in, says Deputy FM Khatibzadeh

Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh signalled cautious readiness for peace talks, calling recent military actions a necessary response to provocations and urging US restraint on Israel.









Iran signals talks, keeps trigger warning active
Irans deputy foreign minister says ships need consent to pass Strait of Hormuz

Strait of Hormuz News: 'Each tanker and vessel should make necessary arrangements with Iranian authorities to securely pass,' Saeed Khatibzadeh said.









Iran broadcast to maritime traffic on Wednesday that its permission is required to transit the sea corridor. Ships told to coordinate with Iran for safe Hormuz passage

Iran to require ship permits, may levy tolls up to $2M

Shipping remains halted despite ceasefire; oil prices rebounded Did our AI summary help?
Iran calls peace talks unreasonable, accuses US and Israel of ceasefire violations

Israels deadly strikes on Lebanon have deepened tensions, with Iran calling peace talks unreasonable and warning the fragile US-Iran ceasefire may not hold.









- Israel unleashes heaviest Lebanon strikes, 254 reported dead

Iran threatened to halt peace talks, citing ceasefire violations

Oil prices plunged 14% as Gulf energy supplies were disrupted Did our AI summary help?
Iran sets key condition to attend talks with US in Pakistan as ceasefire hangs in balance

Iranian deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told ITV News that any deal with US should include ceasefire on Lebanon.









Representative image
Iran tightens control over Strait of Hormuz despite ceasefire
Iran tightens grip over Hormuz, says no more than 15 ships allowed per day: Report

The Hormuz Strait, a strip of water only 34 km (21 miles) wide between Iran and Oman, provides passage from the Gulf to the Indian Ocean and is the main route for about a fifth of world oil supplies and other vital goods including fertilisers.









Access to the strait was severely restricted by Iran in retaliation against US and Israeli attacks since February 28. Iran caps Strait of Hormuz traffic at 15 ships per day

Strait of Hormuz reopened for two weeks after US-Iran ceasefire

Ships advised to use alternative routes due to sea mine risks Did our AI summary help?
Iranians will head to Islamabad as talks loom amid tense Middle East truce

Iran will send a delegation to Islamabad for high-level peace talks with the US, following ceasefire tensions and Israeli strikes on Lebanon, with Pakistan mediating and urging restraint.









Iran heads to Islamabad for peace talks
Islamabad shuts down ahead of tense US-Iran talks, Asim Munir leads desperate push to save ceasefire

Sources told News18 that Munir is engaging directly with Vance and other senior US officials in the lead-up to formal discussions.









File Islamabad shuts down for US VP JD Vance's high-stakes Iran talks

Pakistan acts as facilitator for US-Iran ceasefire negotiations

Disagreement over Lebanon's inclusion threatens ceasefire talks Did our AI summary help?
Israel has dismissed Pakistans claims of mediating the US-Iran ceasefire, questioning Islamabads credibility. Social media controversy and conflicting narratives have further cast doubt on Pakistans diplomatic role, with Israel stressing alignment with the US.

Did our AI summary help?
Israeli military says it has killed nephew of Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem

His death, if confirmed by Hezbollah, deals another big blow to the armed group and to Tehran as it is one of Iran's main allies in the Middle East

Reuters April 09, 2026 / 13:46 IST























Representative image
The highest toll was in Beirut, where 91 people were killed. The health ministry gave a toll of 182 dead across the country and said it was not a final figure.
Lebanon included or excluded? Trump contradicts Pak PM's claim, Iran underscores it as ceasefire wobbles

With Pakistans sweeping announcement now at odds with ground realities and official US statements, Lebanon has emerged as the central fault line threatening to unravel the fragile truce.









(FILES) Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) speaks as US President Donald Trump listens during the Gaza summit in Sharm El-Sheikh on October 13, 2025. (Photo by Suzanne Plunkett / POOL / AFP) President Trump stated Lebanon is excluded from the US-Iran ceasefire, contradicting Iran and Pakistans claims. Israel supports this stance, continuing strikes in Lebanon. Iran warns the ceasefire is at risk if attacks persist, making Lebanon a key dispute. Did our AI summary help?
Lebanon inseparable part of ceasefire, warns Irans Ghalibaf amid Israeli strikes

Irans parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned Lebanon is part of the ceasefire, threatening STRONG responses as Israeli strikes intensify, raising fears the fragile US-Iran truce could collapse.









Lebanon central to ceasefire, Iran warns response
Lebanese authorities say diplomatic engagement is now essential to halt hostilities, prevent further civilian casualties and address unresolved security issues.
Hezbollah supporters wave flags as they stage an anti-government protest outside the Lebanese governmental palace in Beirut on April 9, 2026. (AFP image)
Major communication gap between US and Pakistan? Sharif slams Lebanon strikes, deviates from Trump's position

The latest remarks add to the confusion between the two sides, as Pakistan and Iran appear to believe the deal covers Lebanon, while Washington has explicitly stated that it never agreed to include it.









Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
NATO chief Mark Rutte says group moving on from unhealthy dependence on US

I have developed an unflinching appreciation for the value of American leadership, Rutte said.









NATO chief Mark Rutte
New Zealand rejects asylum plea of Sikh man from Jammu, questions persecution claim

A Sikh man from Ranbir Singh Pura in Jammu tehsil, had applied for refuge in 2023, arguing that recurrent tensions along the IndiaPakistan border had forced repeated evacuations of his family.









Representative image New Zealand tribunal rejects asylum claim by Indian Sikh man

Jammu's risk level deemed too low for international protection

Political intimidation claims deemed fabricated, inconsistent Did our AI summary help?
Now I have to live with it: Mark Rutte on viral daddy remark about Donald Trump

Speaking at the Ronald Reagan Institute, Rutte said the remark stemmed from a language problem, explaining that in Dutch, your father can translate to daddy.









United States President Donald Trump and Nato General Secretary Mark Rutte Rutte clarifies calling Trump "daddy" was a translation slip

Trump turned the viral "daddy" moment into jokes and merchandise

Rutte says recent talks with Trump were open and friendly Did our AI summary help?
Over 300 killed, 1,150 wounded in latest Israeli strikes across Lebanon

Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed over 300 and wounded 1,150, raising fears for the fragile US-Iran truce as direct negotiations, Hezbollah disarmament, and international concern intensify.
Pakistan to host critical USIran ceasefire talks in Islamabad; whos expected to attend

High-level US-Iran talks are set for Islamabad, with delegations led by Vice President JD Vance and Irans Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, hosted by Pakistans top political and military officials.









US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad involve top officials
Both Tehran and Washington said they had agreed to a two-week ceasefire barely an hour before Trump's deadline to obliterate Iran was set to expire
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli strike on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese village of Choukine
'Remember Greenland': Donald Trump revives Greenland push, slams NATO after Iran ceasefire

Trump criticises NATOs support during the Iran conflict and signals renewed interest in acquiring Greenland.

ANI April 09, 2026 / 06:43 IST























Trump issues fresh threats, slams NATO
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz  and attacks on the worlds largest LNG export plant in Qatar  has throttled about a fifth of global supply, upending the gas market and lifting prices.
Russia says US-Iran ceasefire must extend to Lebanon amid Israel-Hezbollah tensions

The Russian foreign ministry said, "Moscow firmly believes that these agreements... have a regional dimension and, in particular, apply to Lebanon".









In a separate statement, the ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned Israeli attacks on Lebanon, saying that "such aggressive actions threaten to derail the emerging negotiation process".
Sharif guy made this up: Pak PM brutally trolled online as Trump contradicts Lebanon ceasefire claim

Sharif had earlier said the ceasefire would apply everywhere, including Lebanon, but Trump later clarified that Lebanon was not included, calling it a separate skirmish due to the involvement of Hezbollah.









Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. PM Shehbaz mocked for citing Lebanon in US-Iran ceasefire

Trump and Israel denied Lebanon's inclusion in the ceasefire

Online memes mock Sharif's statement and Pakistan's mediator role Did our AI summary help?
Ship traffic in Hormuz may rise to 25% of pre-war levels after ceasefire

Ship tracking data from Kpler shows around 172 million barrels of crude and refined products on the water in the Mideast Gulf as of April 7









FILE PHOTO: An aerial view of the Iranian shores and the island of Qeshm in the strait of Hormuz Hormuz ship traffic may soon reach 25% of prewar level

Iran urges vessels to coordinate with IRGC Navy due to mine risks

Most ships could exit the strait by April 24 if ceasefire holds Did our AI summary help?
Thrown in the garbage: Trump rejected Irans initial 10-point plan as unserious, unacceptable

Speaking at a White House briefing, Leavitt said the proposal did not meet US expectations and was immediately dismissed.









Donald Trump
Trumps Iran ceasefire cheered on the American right, but concerns are growing

Early celebration among allies gives way to unease over concessions and what comes next.









Trumps Iran ceasefire cheered on the American right, but concerns are growing
Trump urges Netanyahu to dial down Lebanon strikes amid Iran talks push: Report

Citing a senior administration official, NBC reported that Trump asked Netanyahu to reduce military action to avoid jeopardising the ongoing diplomatic efforts with Tehran.









President Donald Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Trump urged Netanyahu to scale back strikes in Lebanon

Israel, Lebanon to hold direct talks on Hezbollah disarmament

Iran warns of severe actions if Israeli attacks continue Did our AI summary help?
UK warns Russian subs to stay away after month-long incursion

A Russian Akula-class submarine and two specialist submarines with GUGI, Russias deep-sea research directorate, have now left UK waters, Defense Secretary John Healey said.









UK tracked three Russian submarines near its waters for a month

Defense chief warned Putin not to hit UK cables, pipelines

No damage found, but UK vows to defend undersea network Did our AI summary help?
Claims of Iranian delegation landing in Islamabad false, reports Tasnim citing informed source

Iran has denied media reports claiming that its negotiating team has arrived in Islamabad for talks with the United States.

An informed source told Tasnim News Agency that such claims are completely false.

The reports by some media outlets that the Iranian negotiating team has arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan to negotiate with the Americans is completely false, the source said.

The source added that negotiations remain suspended, citing ongoing developments in the region.

According to the statement, talks will not resume as long as the United States does not fulfil its commitments to the ceasefire in Lebanon and Israeli attacks continue.
Pope may never visit US during Trumps presidency as Pentagon invokes historic Avignon Papacy in meeting: What is it?
Vance says Iran misunderstood ceasefire, Lebanon not included in US deal

Vance says Lebanon not part of US-Iran ceasefire, calling dispute a misunderstanding as tensions threaten upcoming talks.

Reuters April 09, 2026 / 08:34 IST























Iran warns talks unreasonable amid Lebanon strikes; US denies ceasefire covers Beirut
You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user.

OK
White House approved Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif's X post ahead of Iran ceasefire

Sharif said that diplomatic efforts for a peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are "progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully". The post came just hours before Trump's deadline was to expire.









Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif
White House pushed Pakistan for days to broker temporary Iran ceasefire

The US and Pakistan believed Iran was more likely to accept the US-backed offer if it was delivered by a Muslim-majority neighbour state that had emphasised its neutrality throughout the conflict.









Donald Trump with Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. (Image: X)
April 9, 2026 Open (Not Ukraine or Iran) Thread 2026-071 News & views not related to the wars in Ukraine and Iran  Comments
Ashley Kegley-Whitehead, chief communications officer, Infinity Water Solutions, left, discusses water policy with Brady Franks, director, Texas Water Development Board, and, right, Rep. Cody Harris of Palestine. The Oilfield Photographer

Texas voters last November approved a constitutional amendment directing revenues from state sales and use taxes to the Texas Water Fund.

It is the largest dedicated water investment in Texas history, Rep. Cody Harris, chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, told the Permian Basin Water in Energy conference.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

It will dedicate $1 billion a year over the next 20 years for water development. But, he said, it is literally the tip of the iceberg for what Texas needs.

The revenues will be split between funds for projects that develop new water supplies and funds for projects in underserved or low-income areas.

Brady Franks, director of the Texas Water Development Board, said the legislation has given the board some time to plan for distributing the revenues.

The two men largely agreed with estimates that addressing the states water needs will cost as much as $200 billion.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

We should see this as an absolute necessity, said Harris.

He added that it is difficult for people to understand how important water is until water issues make the news, such as in East Texas or, most recently, in Corpus Christi, which has just a few months of water supply left.

Once that spotlight fades, he said its important for legislators to continue prioritizing water supply development and push for additional revenues.

Water projects can be controversial, they acknowledged. Harris cited San Antonio buying water from a community 140 miles away, which has lowered levels in water sources local residents have used for generations and made that water inaccessible to some residents.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

We cant create fences underground, he said. We need responsible practices in place that withstand legal challenges with the primary goal of responsible management so future generations can enjoy water. Thats instead of short-sighted development.

The water board has ideas to address issues, generated with the help of partners, said Franks. Those include new technologies and large regional projects.

Harris urged the audience to vote for legislators who make serving their community a priority and who will continue the work of developing water resources after he leaves office.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Midland Countys 2026 summer internship program offers students hands-on public service experience across county departments. The above picture shows the county's summer interns from 2025. Courtesy Photo/Midland County Public Information Office

Midland County has announced the launch of its 2026 Summer Internship Program. County officials said the program offers students and young professionals an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in public service.

This program is designed to showcase the vital work performed across county departments while helping cultivate the next generation of public service leaders, said Midland County officials.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

During the program, summer interns will have the opportunity to work with department leaders, learn about essential government operations, and gain real-world experience in a professional setting.

Programs like this are an investment in the future of our workforce and our community, said Human Resources Director Mona Porras. By giving interns meaningful, hands-on experiences, were showing them how their work can make a real difference right here in Midland County.

In addition to placement opportunities within departments, interns will be able to participate in a series of educational tours providing a behind-the-scenes look at county operations and services.

Last years program featured participation from numerous departments, including Public Works, the District Attorneys Office, Detention Center, Purchasing, Pretrial Services, District Clerk, County Clerk, Tax Assessor, Road & Bridge, Medical Examiners Office and the Library.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

These departments played a key role in offering meaningful, hands-on experiences that highlighted the services that keep Midland County running, said Midland County officials.
The Social Security Administration is warning Americans about a surge in impersonation scams, urging beneficiaries to avoid sharing personal information with unexpected callers or messages. Douglas Sacha/Getty Images

The Social Security Administration is warning of impersonation scammers.

In a social media post released on Monday, the SSA warned beneficiaries of an impersonation scam and noted that, if successful, it could have consequences for retirees.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Never share your Social Security number with unexpected callers, SSA officials wrote in a social media post warning of an impersonation scam.

Officials say government imposter scams, in which criminals pretend to work for the SSA or other government agencies, are some of the most common in the U.S. In 2025, the Federal Trade Commission recorded a 25% spike in impersonation scams, sending the total over 330,000, according to the SSA.

Scammers who impersonate the Social Security Administration prey on fear and a false sense of urgency to steal from hardworking Americans, causing real financial harm to individuals and families, said Michelle L. Anderson, assistant inspector general for audit, in a March news release.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The scammers pretend they are from Social Security in phone calls, texts, emails, websites, or direct messages on social media, claiming there is an issue with the persons Social Security benefits or Social Security number. The caller ID may be spoofed to look like a legitimate government number. Scammers may also send fake documents to pressure people into complying with demands for information or money.

Other common tactics include citing badge numbers, using fraudulent Social Security letterhead, and creating imposter social media pages to target individuals for payment or personal information.

Some tips to avoid Social Security Scams

The administration is also notifying beneficiaries of the following warning signs when it comes to email scams:

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Messages claiming your Social Security statement is ready to download

Embedded links or attachments labeled as statements or documents

Messages creating urgency or pressure to act immediately

Sender addresses that do not end in .gov

Other red flags include requesting payment by gift card, prepaid debit card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, cash or gold.
THE Commonwealth Utilities Corporation is currently standing at a historic crossroads. For decades, our islands have been tethered to the volatility of imported diesel fuel, resulting in some of the highest electricity rates in the United States. With the power plants on Saipan reaching the end of their economic life, CUC is moving forward with a 25-year transition to large-scale Solar Photovoltaic and Battery Energy Storage Systems. This is not just a utility project; it is a community-wide shift toward long-term cost savings and reliability.

To ensure this transition is successful, CUC needs more than just technical experts; it needs an informed and engaged community. As ratepayers, our voices are vital during the upcoming Town Hall meetings to ensure the selected Independent Power Producers are held to the high standards CUC has established in its current Request for Proposals.

Five questions every ratepayer should ask

To help our neighbors understand this complex project, we should approach the Town Hall with clear, laymans questions that focus on our daily lives and the safety of our families:

1) Our Monthly Bills. CUCs goal is to reduce our dependence on expensive diesel. Will this 25-year contract specifically guarantee that my monthly power bill will decrease and remain stable, even if world oil prices spike again?

2) Typhoon Safety. We have seen the power of 200 mph winds. CUC requires these systems to withstand 210-250 mph winds. Who is responsible for the cost if these panels are damaged in a storm  the private company or us, the ratepayers?

3) On Nighttime Reliability. The sun only shines during the day, but we need power 24/7. How will the battery storage system work with our existing diesel engines to make sure we dont have blackouts when its cloudy or late at night?

4) Proven Technology. CUC has a rule that this technology must be proven for at least five years in a utility setting. Can the developer show us another tropical island where this exact equipment has worked reliably without failing?

5) Future Waste. In 25 years, the equipment will wear out. Does the company have a concrete plan and the money set aside to safely remove and dispose of old batteries and solar panels so they dont end up in our local landfills?

How we, the community, can help CUC

CUC is currently evaluating these proposals based on a rigorous two-phase process that looks at technical merit first and cost second. As a community, we can assist CUC in making a sound decision by being active partners in the following ways:

 Provide Local Knowledge on Sites. CUC has identified potential areas like Naftan and Kalabera in Saipan, as well as sites in Tinian and Rota. If you live near these areas, share your feedback on potential impacts to cultural resources, noise levels, or the beauty of the landscape.

 Insist on Clear Communication. The RFP requires developers to have a communications plan to keep the general public informed. We should tell CUC exactly how we want to receive updates  whether through village meetings, radio broadcasts, or social media  so no one is left behind.

 Support the Timeline. The goal is to have these plants running within 24 months of the contract award. By engaging constructively with the Department of Public Lands and CUC, the community can help ensure that land rights and permitting move forward without unnecessary delays.

 Monitor Environmental Safeguards. CUC expects to retain all environmental credits from this project. We can help by staying informed on the preliminary environmental assessments to ensure our air, water, and ecology are protected for the full 25-year term.

This solar transition is a massive undertaking that requires reputable proponents with proven track records. By asking the right questions and offering our local perspective, we can help CUC ensure that this green transition results in a stronger, more affordable, and more resilient CNMI.

Thank you.

NOEL M. SORIA

Concerned Resident
John Noh

SAIPAN (RNZ Pacific/Pacnews)  The United States Department of War has acknowledged mounting economic pressure in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, warning it could have implications for Washingtons strategic posture in the Indo-Pacific.

In a letter to CNMIs delegate to the U.S Congress, Kimberlyn King-Hinds, Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs John Noh said the department acknowledges your concern regarding CNMIs fiscal outlook and recognizes the strain this reality places on CNMI.

He added that the territory remains a critical partner in a region where geopolitical competition is intensifying.

CNMI is a key partner in U.S. defense efforts in the western Pacific, and the Department is concerned about the economic headwinds that you face, Noh said.

The Northern Marianas, a U.S territory north of Guam, sits along key sea lanes in the Western Pacific and has been identified as part of Washingtons broader effort to maintain a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.

Noh said the department would step up engagement with CNMI leaders through existing federal channels, including Section 902 consultations, and pointed to the economic role of U.S. military activity in the islands.

I have asked my team to be ambitious in engaging with your government on these opportunitiesand to underscore the value of the economic contributions of the Departments activities in CNMI, such as military construction he said.

He added that the CNMI is key to reinforcing the U.S militarys presence in the Indo-Pacific region and signaled interest in expanding the partnership.

The response comes after a series of appeals from CNMI leaders, including Gov. David M. Apatang and legislative leaders, warning that the territorys economy is in steep decline following the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a joint letter to President Donald Trump, officials said the CNMI faces irreversible damageabsent immediate federal action, pointing to falling tourist arrivals, business closures and reduced air connectivity.

A separate appeal to Indo-Pacific Command chief Samuel Paparo stressed that economic decline in the CNMI could undermine civilian infrastructure needed to support U.S. military operations across the region.

The leaders called for targeted federal action, including restoring air links, easing visa restrictions for key markets such as the Philippines, and leveraging allied investment from Japan and South Korea.

While Nohs response does not commit to specific policy changes, it highlights growing concern in Washington that economic instability in small Pacific jurisdictions like the CNMI could have wider strategic consequences for the United States and its allies.
The Mobil Oil Station on Beach Road in Garapan displays its new fuel prices on Thursday. Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano

By Emmanuel T. Erediano

[email protected]

Variety News Staff

AFTER a series of hikes over the past few weeks, fuel prices in the CNMI fell Thursday, with gasoline dropping by 20 cents and diesel by 45 cents following the ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran.

Mobil Oil and Shell Marianas reduced gasoline prices to $6.51 a gallon from $6.71, while diesel fell to $9.53 a gallon from $9.98. Mobil Oils Supreme gasoline dropped to $6.96 a gallon from $7.16.

Tinian Fuel Services had not changed its prices as of Thursday afternoon, with gasoline at $8.839 a gallon and diesel at $12.389. On Rota, Calvo Enterprises raised its prices Wednesday, with regular gasoline now $7.99 a gallon and diesel $11.22 a gallon.

Office of the Governor Special Advisor for Policy and Programs Kimo M. Rosario said he was pleased to see the decline. Now that the economy is still recovering, the last thing we need is added costs, he said. He hopes prices continue to fall, noting the impact on the community.

Rosario, who monitors school construction projects, said he also hopes fuel costs do not rise enough to affect construction materials, which could trigger change orders. If construction supplies have not yet arrived on the island, shipping costs  impacted by the global oil crisis  could increase project expenses, he said. Im keeping my fingers crossed on fuel prices, because every piece of construction equipment, from cranes to backhoes, needs diesel.

Emmanuel Arnold Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Omans Musandam governance in the United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. REUTERS

DUBAI (Reuters)  Nearly six weeks of war in Iran have ended, for now, with President Donald Trump claiming victory, but the U.S.-Iran ceasefire locks in a harsh reality: an entrenched, radical government with control over the Strait of Hormuz and a powerful lever over global energy markets and Gulf rivals, analysts say.

The shockwaves have rippled outward, contributing to global economic strains and bringing conflict to Gulf neighbors whose economies depend on stability.

This war will be remembered as Trumps grave strategic miscalculation. One whose consequences reshaped the region in unintended ways, Middle East scholar Fawaz Gerges told Reuters.

Before the war, the Strait  a narrow passage carrying around a fifth of the worlds oil and gas  was formally treated as an international waterway. Iran monitored it, harassed shipping and intermittently intercepted vessels, but it stopped short of asserting outright control.

In the new reality, Tehran has moved from shadowing tankers to effectively dictating terms. It currently functions as the de facto gatekeeper of the shipping route, selectively deciding on passage and on what terms. Iran wants to charge ships for safe passage.

Additionally, Iran has demonstrated resilience under sustained attack and retained the capacity to escalate further, projecting influence across multiple fronts and strategic choke points. Its reach extends through Lebanon and Iraq via Hezbollah and Shiite militias, and into the Bab el-Mandeb in the Red Sea, leveraging the sphere of influence of its Houthi allies.

At home, Irans leadership remains firmly in control  even though the countrys economy is in tatters and great swathes of infrastructure in ruins from American and Israeli bombs.

What did the U.S.Israeli war actually achieve? asked Gerges. Regime change in Tehran? No. The surrender of the Islamic Republic? No. Containment of Irans stockpile of highly enriched uranium? No. An end to Tehrans support for its regional allies? No.

Iran has absorbed the blows while retaining  and in some cases strengthening  its core instruments of power, said four analysts and three Gulf government sources who spoke to Reuters for this story.

As well as Irans control of Hormuz, the political picture now, they noted, is of a more brutal, empowered establishment, unaccounted nuclear material, continued missile and drone production, and ongoing support for regional militias.

Echoing Trump, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said Washington had won a decisive military victory, and that Irans missile program had been functionally destroyed. Iran was still able to launch missiles prior to the ceasefire.

In response to requests for comment, the State Department and White House referred Reuters to a press briefing in which White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Trumps priority was reopening Hormuz without limitations, but she did not rule out a future in which Iran and the United States shared toll revenue.

The United States, Israel and Iran on Tuesday agreed to the two-week ceasefire and U.S. and Iranian officials are expected to hold talks from Friday to discuss a long-term settlement.

While the ceasefire may halt the fighting, the Gulf officials said its durability hinges on addressing the deeper conflicts shaping the regions security and energy landscape.

Any deal that falls short of a comprehensive settlement risks entrenching Iranian leverage rather than constraining it, they add.

Ebtesam AlKetbi, president of the Emirates Policy Center described the truce as a fragile pause  one likely to institutionalize new forms of instability unless it expands well beyond a narrow cessation of hostilities.

This ceasefire is not a solution; it is a test of intentions, Ketbi told Reuters. If it does not evolve into a broader agreement redefining the rules of engagement  in Hormuz and across proxy theatres  it will amount to little more than a tactical pause before a more dangerous and complex escalation.

If Trump reaches a deal with Iran without addressing core issues  ballistic missiles, drones, proxies, nuclear concerns, and the rules governing Hormuz  then the conflict is effectively left unresolved and the region exposed, said Ketbi.

Hormuz is red line for Gulf countries

Iran, for its part, has put forward to Washington terms that include sanctions relief, recognition of enrichment rights, compensation for war damage and continued control over the Strait  underscoring just how far apart the sides remain.

Trump acknowledged receiving the Iranian plan and called it a workable basis to negotiate.

For Gulf countries who rely on Hormuz to export their oil, the Strait remains a non-negotiable red line, added Saudi analyst Ali Shihabi. Any outcome that leaves the waterway effectively in Iranian hands would be a defeat for President Trump, with the potential repercussions of high energy prices extending into the midterm elections, he said.

What the war may nonetheless open up for Tehran, Shihabi added, is the prospect of a negotiated settlement  potentially including sanctions relief.

From a Gulf perspective, the picture is deeply unsettling. Mistrust of Iran is running high following Tehrans strikes on energy facilities and commercial hubs across the region. More troubling still, the war has transformed Hormuz into an explicit instrument of leverage and coercion, analysts say.

The economic stakes are equally stark. Iran wants to charge fees for ships passing through the Hormuz shipping lanes as part of any permanent peace deal, a move that would reverberate far beyond the Gulf, hitting global energy markets and the economic lifelines of states along the opposite shore.

If Iran can extract millions per ship, the implications are enormous  not just for the Gulf, but for the global economy, Ketbi said. In that sense, the outcome is not just a regional setback, but a systemic shift with worldwide consequences.

More broadly, the analysts warned, it would signal a fundamental change in the regional order  from a strait governed by international norms to one effectively policed by a hostile state emboldened, not weakened, by war.

Gulf demands

The ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, followed a war launched on February 28 by Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said they aimed to curb Irans regional power, dismantle its nuclear program and create conditions for Iranians to topple their rulers.

Both sides declared victory. Trump called the ceasefire a total and complete victory, saying U.S. forces had achieved their objectives, while Irans Supreme National Security Council claimed Trump had accepted its conditions.

But the war has yet to deprive Iran of its stockpile of nearweaponsgrade enriched uranium or its ability to strike neighbors with missiles and drones. The leadership, which faced a mass uprising months ago, withstood the superpower onslaught with no sign of collapse.

A Gulf source said restoring trust with Tehran would require stringent, written commitments  not informal assurances  covering noninterference, freedom of navigation, and the security of key maritime corridors, including Hormuz, as well as the national security requirements of the Gulf states.

Those conditions, the Gulf source said, were conveyed to Pakistani mediators to be included as part of a comprehensive settlement.

An Israeli official said senior Trump administration officials had assured Israel that they would insist on previous conditions, such as the removal of Irans nuclear material, a halt to enrichment and the elimination of ballistic missiles.

Pakistans prime minister said Iranian and U.S. delegations were expected to meet in Islamabad on Friday for what would be the first official peace talks since the war began.
Invest Area 90W is organizing faster than expected, and forecasters say a tropical depression could be declared as early as Thursday afternoon as the system tracks toward the Marianas. The most likely track now shows the system passing south of Guam late Sunday night into early Monday. Photo courtesy of the National Weather Service-Weather Forecast Office Guam

By Walter Ulloa

For Variety

HAGATNA (The Guam Daily Post)  Invest Area 90W is organizing faster than expected, and forecasters say a tropical depression could be declared as early as Thursday afternoon as the system tracks toward the Marianas.

Brandon Aydlett, science and operations officer at the NWS Weather Forecast Office Guam, said Thursday morning the Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued a tropical cyclone formation alert, signaling a formal tropical depression warning is likely within 24 hours.

Theyll probably warn on a tropical depression and label it a tropical depression within the next 24 hours, Aydlett told The Guam Daily Post. So perhaps this afternoon or as late as tomorrow morning, but I would expect to see a tropical depression out of the system pretty soon.

The more likely track now shows the system passing south of Guam late Sunday night into early Monday, a shift from the wider range of possibilities forecasters were weighing just 24 hours earlier.

I would not have been ready to admit that yesterday, Aydlett said. Theres too much variability in the models, but today were seeing a much better signal that suggests a passage to our south, though a passage closer to us is still not out of the question.

Once the system is formally designated a tropical depression, the NWS will issue public advisories every six hours, beginning at 2 p.m. or 8 p.m. on Thursday, along with forecast track graphics.

Residents can expect fairly pleasant conditions through Saturday, with breezy trade winds and passing showers. Heavier weather is expected late in the weekend.

Its not until Sunday night that we will probably see the more direct impacts of 90W intensifying and passing just south of us, Aydlett said.

How strong those impacts will be depends largely on how close the center comes to the island.

The closer you are to the center of a tropical cyclone, the winds and the rainfall are much more intense, he said. The proximity is going to be the key determinant on how strong our wind conditions will be, and especially the rainfall potential and the flood threat.

The system could intensify into a typhoon somewhere south or southwest of Guam around Monday. A worst-case northward shift bringing stronger winds and heavier rain directly over Guam remains possible.

I think over the next 24 hours, were going to continue to get a clearer picture in the modeling, and thats going to really help fine-tune some of those numbers, Aydlett said.

The Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense, citing NWS guidance, said the Marianas can expect increasing showers, thunderstorms and gusty winds developing late Saturday, with the heaviest rain and possible onset of damaging winds of 39 mph anticipated Sunday night into early Tuesday.

GHS/OCD is advising residents to clear drainage areas and storm drains, secure loose outdoor items and prepare an emergency kit with seven to 10 days of food, water, medication and important documents.

Active advisories as of Thursday morning include a high risk of rip currents for Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan through Friday afternoon, and a small craft advisory for coastal waters of the same islands through 4 p.m. Friday.

The Guam Power Authority is also urging the public to check their property for damaged trees and overhanging branches, secure lightweight outdoor items that could become airborne and unplug sensitive electronics before the weather worsens. GPA also cautioned against connecting generators directly into household wiring, noting the only safe method is through a transfer switch installed by a qualified electrician.

Residents should stay current by monitoring weather.gov/gum and following NWS Guam and GHS/OCD on social media for the latest advisories and track updates.
By Zaldy Dandan  Variety Editor

Lost in the federal maze

IS there a way to avoid a federal bureaucratic quagmire involving certain federal rules as applied to the CNMI? At times, its like dealing with mainland U.S. stores that refuse to ship to the CNMI because its a foreign country.

Years ago, former Delegate Kilili and the other authors of the CW law had to explain to the Department of Homeland Security what their intent was regarding the touchback requirement  it was not supposed to be as rigid as the bureaucratic interpretation that had taken hold.

Today, the latest administrative snag pertains to the extension of employment authorization for CNMI Long-Term Resident workers, which was granted by a U.S. law signed by President Trump in 2019. That law was meant to spare the CNMI from yet another uncertainty it now faces.

Delegate King-Hinds recommends an automatic extension that USCIS should grant. She also asked the agency to provide clear and consistent guidance and to establish an expedited adjudication process with a dedicated, prioritized track  steps that should have already been taken for a law enacted over six years ago.

The problem may be either hopelessly snarled red tape or bureaucratic indifference. To be sure, USCIS must also contend with more pressing immigration priorities driven by the White House, state governments, and U.S. businesses.

The ill-informed, for their part, would say, Just hire U.S. workers, without acknowledging a basic question: if that were always possible, why did federal officials enact the CW and LTR laws, as well as the H-visa process?

The usual retort is that foreign workers are cheap  a claim that employers know is false.

Still, the CNMIs main concern now is not educating the willfully misinformed, but federal officials who should know better. Once again, CNMI officials and an already harried private sector must reach out to Washington to ensure the proper implementation of federal law.

It is unfortunate that the cost of doing business in the CNMI includes repeatedly reminding Washington that businesses are allowed to operate here. But there it is. And here we are.

The more you know

THE CNMIs information campaign in Washington should include polite notices regarding the historic and persistent labor shortages in certain job categories in the U.S., despite the nations large population, training programs, and high wages.

Take farming, for example. As a Wall Street Journal editorial put it on Tuesday, after proclaiming last summer that the Trump administrations goal was to create a 100% American farm workforce, the Agriculture secretary now concedes that too few Americans want to work these grueling jobs and the administrations policies risk driving up food prices.

To its credit, the Journal added, the Trump Labor Department has taken steps to make it easier and less costly for farmers to hire seasonal guest workers on H-2A visas. The Journal also quoted a U.S. Department of Labor attorney as saying, There arent enough Americans to take these jobs, and that making it more costly to hire foreign workers wont increase employment for Americans. (The 2025 pay rate in California amounted to $19.97 per hour.) According to USDOL, high wage mandates have not resulted in a meaningful increase in new entrants of U.S. workers to temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs. Farmers received applications from U.S. workers for only 182 of 415,000 positions advertised in the last fiscal year.

Similar arguments can be made for construction, healthcare, caregiving, and visitor-related jobs, among other occupations. Other developed nations  and territories  face the same challenges. Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa, as well as the Freely Associated States  Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia  hire foreign workers.

So why, for the love of all that is good and holy, do certain people expect the tiny CNMI, with its small and dwindling local population, to maintain a 100% local/U.S. workforce and build a sustainable economy?

Zaldy Dandan is the recipient of the NMI Society of Professional Journalists Best in Editorial Writing Award and the NMI Humanities Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism. His four books are available on amazon.com/.
Brown County authorities are investigating the death of a woman who had been missing since leaving Sunday to visit family members. Authorities said Rachael E. Sampson, 40, of Mount Sterling was found inside an SUV submerged in water in a drainage ditch. Brown County Sheriff's Department

MOUNT STERLING  Brown County authorities are investigating the death of a woman who had been missing since leaving Sunday to visit family members.

The sheriff's department was notified Tuesday afternoon that Rachael E. Sampson, 40, of Mount Sterling had not been seen since about 6 p.m. Sunday, south of Versailles. Brown County Sheriff Justin D. Oliver said she was driving a 2003 Chevrolet Blazer to visit her family but did not return home.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Deputies began searching for Sampson and talking to friends and family members on Tuesday; early Wednesday afternoon, they made a public appeal for help.

A few hours later, a caller reported seeing a vehicle matching the description on private property south of Versailles. A deputy found the vehicle overturned and submerged in water in a drainage ditch, Oliver said Thursday morning. It appeared the vehicle had been involved in an accident, he said.

Sampson was inside the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene, Oliver said.

An autopsy has been scheduled in Bloomington. Illinois State Police has been asked to assist in the investigation.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
PACE is holding a fundraiser for repairs to Perry Presbyterian Church. Catherine McQueen/Getty Images

PERRY  An upcoming Perry history event will help raise funds for repairs at Perry Presbyterian Church.

"I know that the most pressing thing right now is the work on the steeple and the roof," said Wendi Reich, a board member for Perry Association for Community Enrichment, which is hosting the reenactment of William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The first "Exploring Perry's History" event will be at 2 p.m. May 2 at the church, 104 W. North St.

Tim Jacobs and Nikki Mountains will reenact the speech, delivered by Bryan during the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago to lock up his nomination for president. A marker in Perry indicates Bryan first gave the speech on the church's lawn.

Bryan lost the 1896 election to William McKinley.

A print features William Jennings Bryan and his family, along with the complete text of "Cross of Gold," the speech that helped Bryan win the Democratic nomination for president. HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The fundraiser also will include a performance by Perry's Little Brass Band.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
A farmer uses a large tractor in his field during the spring planting season in Illinois. As farm labor shortages deepen across the country, the H-2A visa program has become a lifeline for growers who no longer can find enough domestic workers to keep their operations running. Chimperil59/Getty Images

Jeff Flamm, farm owner at Flamm Orchards in Cobden, struggled to find enough workers to harvest his crops  and the problem kept getting worse each year.

It got down to the point where I left a pretty significant amount of my crop in the field, he said. One year I just couldnt get it fixed. We just did not have enough help to get the job done.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

To resolve this labor shortage issue, Flamm turned to foreign workers. For the past 20 years, he has been employing a majority  approximately 80  of his farm workers from abroad through an agricultural nonimmigrant visa, the H-2A. As farm labor shortages deepen across the country, the H-2A visa program has become a lifeline for growers who no longer can find enough domestic workers to keep their operations running.

I came to the realization, if Im gonna stay in business, Ive got to do it, Flamm said of using the visa program.

The H-2A visa helps address seasonal labor shortages and allows U.S. farm owners to temporarily employ nonimmigrant foreign nationals for agricultural positions, but it can be costly. Farm owners need to meet conditions to qualify as H-2A employers, such as providing free housing, covering transportation fares and paying the visa application fees. Additionally, employers must prove they cannot fill open positions with domestic workers.

At a time when President Donald Trumps crackdown on undocumented immigrants has sent a chill through the immigrant community in cities and rural areas all around America, this program is an oasis of comfort and opportunity for legal immigrants and a demonstration of the vital importance of immigrant workers in Illinois and on farms across the nation. Many American farmers simply cant make ends meet without them, and the Trump administration has moved to streamline the visa program and make it more accessible to farmers.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Illinois ranks 18th in H-2A employment nationwide, with California and Florida taking the lead. Illinois reliance on legal immigrant farm labor has grown rapidly: About 8% of the states hired farm workers are employed through H-2A visas, with Illinois growth rate outpacing the roughly 300% increase observed nationally since 2010, according to data from Farmdoc Daily.

Illinois growth reflects a broader nationwide expansion of the H-2A program, with 398,258 positions certified in 2025, out of 415,496 applications, according to the Farm Bureaus Market Intel. According to USA Facts, an overwhelming majority of applicants are from Mexico, accounting for 90% of filled positions in 2024, followed by South Africa and Jamaica.

Is this strictly a farm worker program, or can roofers and hotels also use it?

Visa helps access labor

Raghela Scavuzzo, associate director of food systems at Illinois Farm Bureau, said the H-2A program is a vital component of multiple sectors of agriculture in Illinois, impacting the states specialty crop industries and conventional agriculture.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

It is a way to access labor that has not previously been available, she said.

According to the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of American farm workers has significantly declined. According to the Western Ag Network, only 182 farming positions out of more than 415,000 advertised were filled by a domestic applicant in 2025, accounting for less than 0.04%.

Maggie Taylor, owner of Delight Flower Farm in Champaign, also has fallen victim to this trend, struggling to employ local farmers. She now is in her second year of using the visa program, having employed two women from Mexico last season. She expected two new workers to arrive by the end of March but, because of the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security causing delays and slower processing, they now are expected to arrive by the end of April.

She emphasized how these workers are professionally performing physically intense work that otherwise is deemed undesirable by Americans.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

These workers are professional farmers, Taylor said. They are so good, such a high caliber of work and so efficient, that is amazing.

I felt like, if I didnt do the H-2A, I would want to quit farming, Taylor said.

Flamm has been renewing the visas of a lot of his workers every season.

Why do I keep doing it? Because thats the only way I can get the job done, he said. I cant hire. I have virtually zero local applicants for those jobs.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Beyond solving the labor shortage problem, Taylor sees the visa program as a mutually beneficial arrangement, sustaining her farm while providing meaningful income for workers who send their earnings back to their families abroad.

I see this as a win-win, she said.

Taylor also pointed to the programs seasonal structure as an unexpected advantage. Unlike year-round employees who often leave during the winter and do not return, H-2A workers come only during the agricultural season, with their visas valid only for up to 10 months, reducing turnover and keeping her workforce stable.

I think the security of knowing that Im going to have people to work on my farm and that theyre going to do a good job is such peace of mind, and it really makes my farm business sustainable, Taylor said. Hopefully the same women will want to come back year after year, and we all get to grow together and get more efficient over time.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Red tape and costs burden employers

To have H-2A visas approved, an employer needs to prove they have the resources to house the workforce. Flamm houses his workers in units he owns on his land. Taylor rents out spaces to accommodate her H-2A employees.

You have to apply (for housing) 75 days before you want their contract to start, Taylor said. So that means that Im basically paying for a vacant house at least 80 days.

Employers also need to pay visa application costs and cover airfare and transportation for the workers to safely arrive at the site.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

For my farm, it was around $12,000 in extra expenses beyond their wages that I would pay for, Taylor said.

Both farmers said filing the applications is a long bureaucratic procedure, and they find it difficult navigating the Department of Labor, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State.

Effective Oct. 2, the Department of Homeland Security issued a new rule aimed at strengthening the H-2A visa program and easing the application process. The rule states that the Department of Labor will streamline the application review process that ensures the visa does not harm American workers. It also will speed up the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services review process for visa petitions.

The labor department also made efforts to reduce the red tape, establishing the Office of Immigration Policy in June. The department aimed to create a one-stop shop to allow employers to apply for the visa through a single portal instead of via three different agencies.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The office was intended to improve coordination among the federal departments and streamline the application and processing of employment-based visa programs, including the H-2A. However, internal emails obtained by Investigate Midwest showed that, as of March, the Department of Labor was unsuccessful in delivering on these goals, with officials failing to coordinate within agencies.

When hiring workers through the H-2A program, employers are required to comply with federally mandated wage rules.

(The) H-2A visa has a required payment plan. All these positions have specific salary requirements, said Scavuzzo, the Illinois Farm Bureau official. Oftentimes, the salaries can be very high, depending on those positions, which can limit how many people that they can bring over.

The Department of Labor has set a new Interim Final Rule surrounding the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, the minimum wage for agricultural workers in the H-2A visa program.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Higher-skilled workers paid more

Employed workers on the H-2A are divided into two categories based on their skill level, with higher-skilled workers being paid more of the adjusted wage. The minimum hourly wage for each category is determined using data reported by the Departments Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for each state.

Before the rule, the 2025 rate in Illinois for H-2A farmers was $19.57 an hour. Now, the rate is $15.48 for entry-level workers and $18.75 for experienced employees, according to Farm Week Now.

Estimates calculated by the Economic Policy Institute show farm workers across the country stand to lose $4.4 to $5.4 billion annually because of the change.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Robert Anthony Bruno, a professor and director of the Labor Education Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said the adjustment primarily benefits employers over workers, and that requiring farmers to pay for housing should not justify lower pay for hired farm hands.

It should be an additional benefit that the employers contribute along with paying them the required hour of pay, Bruno said.

The rate has been adjusted to compensate for the free housing provided. Minimum wages for Illinois H-2A workers has decreased by $1.79 an hour, according to Farm Week Now.

We were like on a boat with a hole in it, and it was getting pretty close to being full. So it was a much-needed reset, Flamm said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The changes can help Illinois farmers manage labor costs, which will in turn allow farms to hire more workers and sustain output in the years ahead, Scavuzzo said.
Illinois Lottery Lotto jackpot winner from March 21. Illinois Lottery

A Southern Illinois Lottery player became an overnight millionaire thanks to an online lotto ticket and a mother-to-daughter lucky number tradition.

The anonymous winner bought her ticket with numbers significant to her: a combination of family birthdays and anniversaries, a tradition she inherited from her mother, according to the Illinois Lottery.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Her mother had used those exact Lotto numbers previously, she explained, but failed to win a $6.4 million jackpot because she forgot to hand in the playslip.

The numbers were drawn exactly as she had them  she just never played the ticket, said the winner. So my mother told me, 'Play these numbers. One day, theyll hit.

So she played those numbers, until the day finally came her mother's numbers hit the jackpot.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The winning lottery ticket matched all six numbers 2, 14, 16, 31, 40, 46, in the March 21 Lotto Million 2 drawing. She also won an additional $5 on a separate line, bringing the total prize value to $1,000,005.

First, the lottery player confirmed the win through email and then the second thing she did was share the news with her family.

My husband, daughter, and I were at home in disbelief, the winner said. I asked myself, Is this really true?

With her prize winnings the lucky player plans to take an all-inclusive trip to the Bahamas with her family, buy new cars and invest part of the prize in her daughters education.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Were just normal, everyday people, she said. This win is truly a blessing from my mother.

The largest Illinois lotto jackpot this year was $11.6 million on January 24, and the second biggest prize so far, $5.6, was won March 23 by a Southern Illinois player.

To date, nearly 1.7 million winning Lotto tickets have been sold, with players across the state claiming over $25 million in prizes, according to the Illinois Lottery.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Opponents of a $500 million data center proposed for a few miles near Waverly protest after a vote by Sangamon County Board. The board approved a zoning permit for multinational corporation CyrusOne to build the site at its Tuesday meeting. Ben Singson/Journal-Courier

Sangamon County Board gave the go-ahead for central Illinois' first data center to be built near Morgan County during another confrontational meeting in Springfield.

The board voted 17-10, with one member abstaining, to approve conditional permitted use for data company CyrusOne to build a $500 million, 600 megawatt data center during its Tuesday meeting at Bank of Springfield Center. The center would be built in Talkington Township, a few miles away from Waverly.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The data center has been a flashpoint of contention in recent months, with those for the data center citing the potential economic benefits the area could reap, including hundreds of jobs for local union laborers, and those against citing concerns about the potential disruptive effects it could bring to the area, such as pollution, noise and increased strain on the electric grid. The board previously voted to table the item during its March 23 meeting.

Proponents of a $500 million data center proposed for near Waverly applaud while opponents jeer at a Sangamon County Board meeting. The board voted 17-10 to approve a zoning permit for multinational corporation CyrusOne to build the data center in southwest Sangamon County. Ben Singson/Journal-Courier

Tuesday's meeting was held in the arena's ballroom, same as March's meeting. The room was about as packed with spectators as the previous meeting, mixed between opponents of the data center and union workers and other proponents, with several attendees standing at the peripheries of the room.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The vote on the center and public comment section were pushed to the front of the meeting by the board. Republican board member Craig Hall, who represents the area where the data center would be built, put forward a motion to postpone the vote to the board's May meeting, but that effort was shot down.

Some 61 people had signed up to speak during the public comment section, but since the board had set aside an hour for comment and a vote to extend comment by a half-hour failed 14-15, just over a dozen people actually spoke. The majority of people who spoke were in favor of the project and the potential business it could bring to the area.

Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance President Ryan McCrady said the data center represented a "tremendous opportunity" for the area. CyrusOne had invested into the surrounding communities and the center would provide things, including jobs, that would serve as "benefits for all," he said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

"Construction jobs that are five years in length are important and they're not temporary," he said.

Opponents of the project hit on many of the same points that had been brought up in previous meetings. Resident Maribel Cruz-Hine asked the board to consider the long-term effects that the center may have for the surrounding area and future generations, as well as listen to the community and its constituents.

"I did not want to be here," Cruz-Hine said. "I wanted to be putting my child to sleep, but I'm here because I'm thinking about his future."

Tensions flared during the meeting, with some members of the audience escorted out of the room by Sangamon County sheriff's deputies for disruptive behavior. This included one woman who said that a proponent of the data center told her to "shut the [expletive] up" during a verbal altercation while the proponent was returning to his seat.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

After public comment, board members then made comments on the vote, also questioning CyrusOne officials and opponents of the project. Democrat Marc Ayers, who announced April 3 his intent to leave the board at the conclusion of Tuesday's meeting, accused CyrusOne of instructing at least one union to have its members sign up for public comment so opponents would be unable to voice their issues with the project.

Ayers said he was forwarded an email from Illinois Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 193. The email, which Ayers shared with the Journal-Courier, is signed by business manager David Wells and said that "the Cyrus One folks have asked us to early for this to try and take the oppositions spots in the order."

In response, a representative for the company said that it asked the union members to sign up for public comment in the interest of fairness for both proponents and opponents of the project.

Ayers further alleged that CyrusOne started making moves in Sangamon County after the board had solidified zoning regulations for data centers so it could not revise them. He also chastised the board for limiting public comment.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

"This is a stain on this body," he said.

Once the vote concluded, union members and other proponents cheered while opponents shouted, swore at and jeered the board and CyrusOne officials. Departing opponents chanted against CyrusOne loud enough to be heard inside the chamber for several minutes.

CyrusOne estimates that the project will take four to six years to construct and begin operations. President John Hatem said the company would work to address issues raised by skeptics.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Nexamp wants to build a solar farm near Prairie Knolls in Jacksonville. Nenov/Getty Images

The company Nexamp, which wants to build a solar farm northeast of the Prairie Knolls neighborhood, is inviting Jacksonville residents to an informational meeting about the project.

The discussion will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Twisted Tree Music Hall, 1061 E. Morton Ave.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The project would encompass 15 or 16 acres on the east side of Blacks Lane, south of the train tracks. Jack Curry, Nexamp's director of business development, said company representatives will be on hand to answer any questions people may have.

Nexamp presented this map to Jacksonville City Council in October. It outlines a mockup of a proposed solar farm. Nexamp Presentation

"It's an effort to make sure that folks don't feel blindsided by an application that we submit to the city and all of the sudden there's a public hearing, and maybe folks feel like they weren't a part of the discussion early on," Curry said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

If the project is approved, people who sign up for supplemental electricity from Nexamp would see a discount on their electric bill, Curry said. The project is part of the states community solar program, which incentivizes companies to build projects in low-income communities.

In an October presentation to aldermen, Nexamp said the project could improve its visual aesthetics by offering vegetative screening and a pollinator mix. When the project's lease is up in 20 to 40 years, the land could be rezoned for farm use, the company said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The solar farm technology on the land at that point would be recycled through its partnership with We Recycle Solar, the company said.

The city's recently passed ordinance regulating battery storage would not affect the project because it does not have battery storage, Curry said. The ordinance dictates how and where companies can use battery energy storage systems as a way to have more control over energy projects. It passed second reading on March 23.

The last major solar project built in Morgan County is the Double Black Diamond project, which supplies electricity to Chicago. The proposed project is much smaller  about 16 acres compared to more than 4,000 acres, Curry said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

"It is considerably smaller than maybe the type of project that they saw previously back in 2024, and I think there are probably some lessons learned based on what I've read about that project," Curry said. "And we've made an effort to shrink the size of our project. No. 1: Set it back as far as we can from Prairie Knolls; and then also to add quite a bit of vegetative screening to maybe offset some of the view shed impacts that folks are worried about."

Curry asked city council in October to make an exception to its rule that solar farms be built 1,000 feet from city limits. He also predicted that about 50% of Jacksonville residents would be allowed to subscribe to projects like this one before the subscription meets its cap.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The company will submit its application to the city in the days following its public meeting, Curry said Tuesday.
New subscriber benefit!

Copied to clipboard

Out of gifts for the month

Unfortunately you've used all of your gifts this month. Your counter will reset on the first day of next month.

Share this article paywall-free
In Nashvilles Mill Creek, a small but mighty group of crustaceans makes for an unexpected cleanup crew.

These are the Nashville crayfish, a species whose entire population resides solely in Mill Creek  mostly Davidson County, but also part of Williamson  and nowhere else in the world. They spend much of their time eating dead and decaying organic matter like leaf litter, according to the Nashville Zoos ectotherm curator Dale McGinnity.

The Nashville crayfish is really unique, McGinnity tells the Scene. Theyre really important for sort of keeping the creek clean.

The Nashville crayfish was first added to the federal endangered species list in 1986, making it the first species of crayfish to be classified as such. For more than a decade, the Nashville Zoo has conducted population monitoring of the Nashville crayfish with the help of funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Through the data collection, McGinnity says researchers have seen crayfish numbers remain largely stable at Mill Creek in recent years.

But the small population isnt the only characteristic that makes the Mill Creek resident stand out from other crayfish species. McGinnity says theyve become known for having a rather gregarious personality.

We found over 100 crayfish during our sampling efforts of Nashville crayfish under a single rock, he says. So they have a super high density within the watershed, and they seem to be sort of more social and communal than any other species of stream-dwelling crayfish that Im aware of.

And while many species of crayfish are nocturnal, the Nashville crayfish is often active during the daytime, when the creatures can be seen basking in the sun. McGinnity says that, along with sunbathing, socializing and helping to keep the creek clean, the Nashville crayfish plays a crucial role in the ecosystem, where they serve as prey for hundreds of species  including fish, birds and otters.

While population numbers suggest the Nashville crayfish appears to be thriving, there remain many questions about potential threats to the species. With the area surrounding Mill Creek having undergone rapid development, some advocates have raised concerns about the impact of construction on the Nashville crayfish. But so far, the crayfish seem to have remained resilient.

I think if it werent for the stormwater control measures required of builders, then it would have really had a negative impact on the Nashville crayfish population, McGinnity says. But that development [is] better now than it used to be, because people understand the impacts of building without thinking about stormwater runoff.

McGinnity says the introduction of an invasive species, which could include other crayfish, is one potential threat to the Nashville crayfish. He cites an example: when red swamp crayfish (the kind typically found in Louisiana-style crawfish boils) were introduced in Europe.

[Red swamp crayfish] carry a fungal disease that the North American crayfish have evolved with, and it doesnt hurt them, but it really wiped out the native crayfish in Europe once it got out, says McGinnity.

Organizations like the Mill Creek Watershed Association and Cumberland River Compact work to restore water quality in the creek and ensure that it remains a clean and healthy environment for all of the species that inhabit the area. The Cumberland River Compact has conducted dam removals throughout Mill Creek, a practice that restores the flow of the stream and allows fish and macroinvertebrates, like crayfish, to travel freely throughout the creek.

Still, stormwater runoff remains a threat to the area and could have a negative impact on the ecosystem if not managed properly, says Gray Perry, watershed science and restoration program manager at the Cumberland River Compact.

Tennessee has some of the highest biodiversity of freshwater species in North America, and its up there in the world, says Perry. We just have so many different types of fish species, tons of mussel species  lots of different macroinvertebrates and vegetation too.  We have a lot of awesome stuff, and its good to protect our habitat when we can.
Energy chessboard: How global conflict is reshaping Chinas discount oil lifeline

U.S. sanctions enforcement and Middle East conflict have disrupted China's access to deeply discounted oil from Iran, Russia and Venezuela.

A congressional report found China had imported over 2.6 million barrels per day of sanctioned crude, building a strategic reserve at below-market prices.

Iran's strategy in regional conflict includes targeting energy infrastructure and threatening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil chokepoint.

The resulting market volatility pressures global allies and has forced temporary U.S. policy adjustments, like a waiver for Russian oil.

These shifts are forcing China to pay higher market prices for energy, altering its economic calculus ahead of potential high-stakes diplomacy with the U.S.

A complex interplay of U.S. foreign policy, sanctions enforcement and Middle Eastern conflict is dramatically altering global energy flows, with significant consequences for China's economy and strategic planning. As tensions escalate, actions targeting Iran and Venezuela have disrupted Beijing's long-standing reliance on discounted sanctioned oil, forcing a costly recalculation. This shift occurs ahead of a potential summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where energy security and market stability are expected to be critical agenda items.

Chinas sanctioned oil advantage evaporates

For years, China capitalized on Western sanctions against adversarial states to secure a steady stream of crude oil at prices far below market rates. A recent investigation by the U.S. House Select Committee on China detailed the scale of this operation, finding that in 2025 alone, China imported approximately 2.6 million barrels per day of sanctioned oil by sea from Russia, Iran and Venezuela. This accounted for about 20% of its total oil imports and allowed Beijing to amass a strategic reserve of an estimated 1.2 billion barrels. The committee concluded that sanctions, intended to curb revenue to hostile governments, had instead funneled discounted crude to a narrowing set of buyers, with China as the primary beneficiary. This system was facilitated by a "shadow fleet" of tankers designed to evade detection through opaque ownership and ship-to-ship transfers.

Irans gambit: Holding energy hostage

The calculus for China and the global market has been violently upended by open conflict involving Iran. Betting it can outlast international pressure, the Iranian regime has adopted a strategy of targeting global energy infrastructure to inflict economic pain. A central pillar of this approach is threatening the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which about 25% of the world's seaborne oil trade passes. Iranian officials have explicitly warned that continued military action against them could push oil prices above $200 per barrel. The regime has backed this threat with actions, effectively closing the strait to most traffic and launching missile and drone attacks on oil and gas facilities in neighboring Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia's critical Ras Tanura facility and Qatar's major liquefied natural gas terminal.

Ripple effects and global market volatility

The disruption has immediate and severe consequences:

Global oil prices have experienced extreme volatility, spiking to multi-year highs.

Key U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, heavily dependent on Middle Eastern energy, face potential supply crises and economic strain.

The U.S., while a net petroleum exporter and less vulnerable to supply shortages, has been forced to make temporary policy adjustments to stabilize markets. This includes issuing a short-term waiver allowing Indian refineries to access stranded Russian oil, a measure explicitly described as a stopgap to counter "Irans attempt to take global energy hostage."

A new costly reality for Beijing

The convergence of enforced sanctions and regional war has severely undermined China's discount energy model. With Iranian exports disrupted and U.S. pressure complicating transactions with other sanctioned states, Beijing now faces the prospect of replacing a significant portion of its oil imports with supplies purchased at full market price. Analysts note this erodes a key economic advantage and increases China's exposure to global price volatility. The developments hand the U.S. additional leverage in upcoming diplomatic engagements, where long-term energy arrangements may be a point of negotiation.

A transformed strategic landscape

The ongoing turmoil underscores how energy security remains a potent weapon and a critical vulnerability in 21st-century geopolitics. Iran's attempts to wield control over global oil flows demonstrate the persistent risk posed by chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz. Simultaneously, the disruption to China's sanctioned oil pipeline reveals the tangible, if sometimes unintended, consequences of sanctions regimes and military conflict on global trade patterns. As both Beijing and Washington prepare for potential talks, the reshaped energy landscapewhere discounts have dried up and stability is premiumwill form a crucial backdrop, proving that in international relations, economic pressures and security crises are inextricably linked.

Sources for this article include:

YourNews.com

House.gov

JustTheNews.com
Qatar LNG Export Disruption Continues as Tankers Divert from Strait of Hormuz

Introduction

The ongoing disruption to Qatars liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports entered a new phase on Monday, April 6, 2026, as two carriers aborted a rare attempt to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The vessels, 'Al Ghariya' and 'Al Huwaila,' turned around near the critical maritime chokepoint, according to ship-tracking data, underscoring the persistent blockade that has locked a significant portion of global gas supply inside the Persian Gulf. The move came just hours after the tankers appeared to be attempting the first such crossing in over a month, a development closely monitored by global energy traders.

The suspension of exports from Qatargas, the state-owned producer, continued for a second consecutive day, with no official timeline for a resumption of normal operations. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to routine commercial traffic since the escalation of conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran in late February, halting roughly one-fifth of global LNG exports that normally pass through the 21-mile-wide waterway [1] [2] [3].

Export Halt Continues with Strategic Tanker Redirection

The two Qatari LNG carriers, identified as 'Al Ghariya' and 'Al Huwaila', were tracked heading toward the Strait of Hormuz on Monday morning before executing a U-turn and diverting to alternative destinations, reportedly in Pakistan [4] [5]. The reversal was confirmed by multiple ship-tracking services, including data from Kpler and Vortexa cited in market reports. This action indicates that Irans maritime restrictions, enforced by its Revolutionary Guard Corps, remain firmly in place despite intermittent reports of limited, pre-vetted transits.

The incident highlights the operational paralysis facing QatarEnergy, the worlds largest LNG exporter. The company has maintained a suspension of exports from its Ras Laffan Industrial City since early March, when Iranian retaliatory strikes inflicted catastrophic damage on critical infrastructure [6] [7]. QatarEnergy declared force majeure on numerous long-term supply contracts following the attacks, a legal move triggered by unforeseen circumstances beyond its control [8] [9].

Industry Response and Market Impact of the Suspension

A spokesperson for Qatargas confirmed the ongoing operational pause but declined to specify its expected duration, according to industry reports. The companys chief executive, Saad al-Kaabi, previously stated that Iranian attacks had knocked out 17% of Qatars LNG export capacity, causing an estimated $20 billion in annual revenue losses and requiring three to five years for full repairs [10] [11]. The force majeure declarations apply to customers in Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China, representing as many as 90 cancelled cargoes through May [12].

The supply shock has triggered immediate volatility in global energy markets. European natural gas futures experienced sharp price increases, rising approximately 35% at one point following the initial attacks in March, according to market data [13]. Analysts from ship-broking firm Poten & Partners noted the event underscores the fragility of the global LNG supply chain, which is heavily dependent on a few critical chokepoints and export hubs [14]. The disruption has also caused a collateral crisis in the helium market, as Qatar is a major supplier of the gas critical for semiconductors and medical imaging, leading to separate force majeure declarations [15].

Geopolitical Context and Regional Tensions

The Strait of Hormuz is a linchpin for global energy security, with roughly 20% of the worlds oil and a similar share of LNG shipments passing through the narrow passage between Iran and Oman [16] [17]. The current disruption stems from a wider military conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets in late February 2026, prompting Tehran to close the waterway. Iran has signaled it will only reopen the strait once war damage is compensated, rejecting an ultimatum from U.S. President Donald Trump [1].

A security analyst with Gulf State Analytics stated, 'Any prolonged closure would have severe repercussions for global energy security' [18]. The conflict has escalated into dueling attacks on energy infrastructure, with Israeli strikes on Irans South Pars gas field preceding Iranian retaliatory missile and drone attacks on Qatari LNG trains and Saudi refining assets [19] [20]. Qatar has called for an 'immediate' end to the war without conditions, marking a significant diplomatic stance from a major Gulf energy producer [21].

Qatar's Global LNG Position and Strategic Considerations

Qatar is the world's second-largest LNG exporter, supplying nations across Asia and Europe. Prior to the conflict, the country was engaged in a significant expansion project, the North Field, aimed at increasing its production capacity by over 60% by the end of the decade [22]. The attacks on Ras Laffan have not only disrupted current supply but have also cast doubt on the timeline and viability of these expansion plans, potentially reshaping the long-term geopolitical calculus of global gas supply.

An energy economist at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies said, 'This event highlights the strategic premium of Qatars diversified delivery routes, including pipelines and the ability to bypass Hormuz' [14]. However, the scale of the current disruption -- with nearly 50 Qatari LNG tankers reported idle across Asia -- demonstrates the limits of that diversification when the primary export conduit is severed [23]. The crisis has accelerated discussions about the future resilience of gas supply networks and the risks of over-concentration.

Implications for Energy Security and Future Supply

The incident has renewed urgent discussions among import-dependent nations regarding supply diversification, increased storage capacity, and alternative fuels. A simulation study from March 2026 warned that a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could put $1.2 trillion in annual exports from Gulf nations at risk [24]. Japanese and South Korean energy ministry officials reported they are monitoring the situation closely but, as of early April, had not activated full emergency protocols, according to regional news reports.

The International Energy Agency warned in a report last year that infrastructure bottlenecks and geopolitical instability pose a growing risk to reliable energy flows [25]. The immediate market impact has included a surge in European and Asian gas prices, but analysts warn the secondary effects could include a resurgence in coal consumption for power generation, particularly in Asia, as nations scramble to secure alternative baseload energy [26]. The crisis also threatens to increase costs and create uncertainty for massive planned investments in energy-intensive sectors like artificial intelligence infrastructure [27].

Monitoring and Next Steps

Shipping and commodity analysts are tracking other Qatari LNG carriers for similar diversion patterns, as any attempt to exit the Gulf is seen as a key indicator of potential de-escalation. Market participants are awaiting official communication from Qatargas on when normal export operations might resume, but company statements and expert assessments suggest a return to pre-conflict export levels is unlikely for several years [6] [28].

The continued suspension is likely to keep European and Asian LNG markets in a state of heightened alert and volatility, according to trading desk notes seen by Reuters. The situation remains fluid, with U.S. officials reportedly considering various military and diplomatic options to reopen the strait, even as Iran establishes a de facto toll system for limited ship transits [29] [30]. For now, the diverted tankers 'Al Ghariya' and 'Al Huwaila' symbolize a global energy trade frozen by war.

References
Researchers Find AI Chatbots Influence Cognitive Processes

Study Reports AI Chat Use Impacts Human Reasoning

A recent academic study has concluded that the use of AI chatbots can influence fundamental human cognitive processes, according to researchers. The work, published in recent months, identifies measurable changes in how individuals approach problem-solving tasks when assisted by artificial intelligence.

These findings add to a growing body of research investigating the human-computer interaction dynamic. A separate study highlighted by the Daily Mail noted that reliance on AI chatbots could push users toward accepting false information and alter their thinking patterns [1]. This research emerges amid widespread adoption of conversational AI tools in education, workplaces, and daily life.

Methodology and Key Findings

The study employed controlled experiments comparing task performance between groups using AI assistance and those working independently. Researchers reported a measurable shift toward more convergent, less exploratory thinking among participants who used chatbots for assistance.

One of the key observations was a potential reduction in critical engagement with the material. According to a report from the MIT Media Lab, reliance on tools like ChatGPT for tasks such as essay writing was associated with reduced brain engagement and learning over time, as measured by neural and linguistic metrics [2]. This suggests a reliance on the tool can alter the user's own cognitive pathways, according to one lead researcher cited in the study framework.

The phenomenon is sometimes described as 'cognitive offloading,' where the mental effort required for a task is delegated to an external tool. A book on artificial intelligence concepts notes that while technology can augment human capability, the nature of that augmentation depends heavily on the design of the human-agent interface and the goals of the user [3].

Reactions from the AI Development Community

A spokesperson for OpenAI acknowledged the growing body of research on user interaction and stated the company is 'reviewing all research on user interaction,' according to corporate statements. Other major technology firms have made similar commitments to study the societal impact of their products.

Independent advocates for ethical technology have cited these findings as evidence for needing greater transparency about tool influence. 'Users should be aware of how any technology, especially one mediating information, might shape their thinking,' an advocate from a consumer rights group was quoted as saying in a related report. This sentiment is echoed by commentators who warn of centralized control over information flows.

Concerns extend beyond adult users to children. NaturalNews.com has reported on warnings from child safety experts about AI-powered toys, arguing they pose threats to psychological well-being and undermine healthy development by shaping a childs understanding of relationships before they learn to navigate real human connections [4]. Lawsuits have also been filed alleging harmful interactions between vulnerable individuals and AI systems, including a case where a chatbot was blamed in a wrongful death lawsuit [5].

Context on Technology and Cognitive Independence

The report on cognitive influence emerges amid a broader societal debate about the impact of rapidly adopted AI tools and the centralization of technological power. Commentators from decentralized technology platforms have emphasized the critical importance of user autonomy and sovereign information processing.

A representative from BrightAnswers.ai, an independent AI platform, noted, 'Our design philosophy prioritizes user sovereignty over information processing.' This perspective advocates for systems that augment human cognition without fostering dependency or dictating thought patterns. The discussion parallels long-standing concerns about how media and technology platforms can shape public perception and individual reasoning.

This technological shift is occurring in a landscape where job displacement by AI is a tangible concern. NaturalNews.com has reported on mass layoffs at corporations like Amazon and UPS, where tens of thousands of positions were replaced with AI-driven automation, contributing to economic anxiety [6]. The integration of AI into daily life, therefore, carries implications not only for individual cognition but for economic and social structures.

Conclusion and Future Research Directions

The study authors have recommended further longitudinal research to understand any potential long-term cognitive effects of habitual AI chatbot use. Academic and industry stakeholders generally agree that more investigation is needed into the complex dynamics of human-AI interaction.

Future research may focus on whether these cognitive shifts are permanent or reversible, and how different interface designs might mitigate potential negative effects. As noted in a science paper on artificial intelligence, understanding the roles of associational versus causal reasoning in problem-solving is key to designing systems that support rather than supplant human intelligence [7].

The research team concluded that understanding these influences is 'a critical area for ongoing study.' For individuals seeking to maintain cognitive independence, some advocates recommend using a diverse set of information sources and engaging regularly in unaided critical thinking exercises. Platforms that prioritize user sovereignty and uncensored information access, such as BrightAnswers.ai, are also cited by some commentators as alternatives to mainstream, centrally-controlled AI systems.

References
The Red Web: How a Marxist billionaire and CCP propaganda machine are hijacking American dissent

In the shadowy crossroads where radical American activism meets the sophisticated influence machinery of the Chinese Communist Party, a disturbing new alliance is being forged. U.S.-based Marxist networks, flush with cash from a reclusive billionaire, are being systematically amplified and weaponized by Beijings propaganda apparatus. At the center sits Neville Roy Singham, a wealthy American Marxist who has made Shanghai his home and his base for financing a global network that paints the United States as an imperialist villain and champions China as the socialist utopia. This convergence represents a profound threat to authentic American discourse, as foreign state interests actively cultivate and broadcast divisive ideologies back into the heart of the United States, manipulating political dissent for geopolitical gain.

Key points:

American Marxist billionaire Roy Singham, based in Shanghai, funds a vast network of far-left media and activist groups in the U.S. and globally.

Singhams network is deeply intertwined with CCP-aligned propaganda outlets, universities, and consultancies within China, sharing staff, office space, and millions in funding.

CCP-linked platforms like Guancha, Wave Media, and the China Academy actively promote and amplify American commentators like MAGA Communist Jackson Hinkle, who praises Xi Jinping and condemns U.S. leadership.

Singham has authored revisionist historical reports for CCP-backed forums, pushing narratives that diminish the Allied role in WWII and attack the U.S.-led world order.

Congressional Republicans are investigating the network, with the House Oversight Committee voting to subpoena Singham over concerns his U.S. nonprofits act as fronts for CCP influence campaigns.

The Shanghai nexus: A billionaire's propaganda pipeline

Roy Singham is no ordinary expatriate. After selling his tech company ThoughtWorks, he relocated to Shanghai and began bankrolling a constellation of organizations including Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, BreakThrough News, and the now-defunct Dongsheng News. While presenting as independent progressive voices, these groups consistently echo CCP talking points. Investigations reveal Singhams ventures share office space in a Shanghai skyscraper with Shanghai Maku Cultural Communications, a firm dedicated to telling Chinas story well to foreign audiences. U.S. nonprofit filings show Singhams network has funneled over $9 million to Maku, blurring any line between independent activism and state-aligned propaganda production.

Singhams activities in China are embraced by the party-state. He writes under a Chinese name, Luo Yi, for the nationalist outlet Guancha, which Reporters Without Borders labels Chinese propaganda media. His 174-page report, Understanding Who Saved Humanity, which absurdly recasts World War II as a victory of socialism over Anglo-American capital, was debuted at a forum co-hosted by Tricontinental and East China Normal University, an institution with ties to Chinas military-industrial complex. The forum featured singing of The Internationale and was covered by Chinese state media giants. This is not the activity of a mere activist, but of a man embedded within Chinas influence infrastructure.

Amplifying American voices for Beijing's benefit

The strategy extends beyond publishing pamphlets. A key tactic is the identification and promotion of sympathetic American voices, laundering CCP-aligned narratives through domestic commentators. The most prominent example is Jackson Hinkle, a social media influencer who promotes MAGA Communism and lavishes praise on Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Iran-backed militant groups. Hinkle is not ignored in China; he is celebrated.

CCP-linked platforms have rolled out the red carpet for him. He was hosted in Shanghai, interviewed by pro-CCP scholar Zhang Weiwei, and featured in panel discussions with titles like When MAGA Communism meets Chinese Marxism, produced by the Singham-linked Wave Media. These segments were then amplified across Chinese social media platforms with hundreds of millions of subscribers. Guancha published multiple articles fawning over Hinkles travels and ideology. This coordinated amplification transforms a fringe American figure into an international phenomenon, with his anti-U.S., pro-China messaging beamed back into the global information ecosystem.

This manipulation of discourse targets the raw nerves of American political division. By boosting voices that hysterically condemn U.S. imperialism and fascism, the CCPs propaganda partners aim to deepen domestic strife, erode trust in national institutions, and legitimize Chinas authoritarian model as a righteous alternative. It is a form of ideological warfare that exploits Americas open society, using its own values of free speech and dissent as weapons against it.

A web of influence under congressional scrutiny

The sheer scale of this network has finally drawn serious scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers. The House Oversight Committee has voted to subpoena Singham. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith has detailed how Singhams Chinese consultancy, Shanghai Luoweixing, has a CCP branch secretary within its leadership. Smiths letters paint a picture of a network far more entrenched in CCP-aligned networks than public reports have suggested, warning that Singhams U.S. nonprofits may serve as foreign principals for CCP-aligned influence campaigns.

The historical irony is thick. For years, U.S. officials warned about the potential for Chinese tech like Huawei routers to contain back-doors for espionage. Now, evidence suggests a different kind of infiltration: ideological back-doors built into our media landscape. This network represents a pipeline where funds from a CCP-enmeshed billionaire flow to U.S. groups that produce content, which is then boosted by the CCPs global media apparatus, creating a feedback loop of anti-American propaganda.

This is not about silencing criticism of the United States, which is a vital national tradition. This is about exposing a coordinated scheme where that criticism is being funded, shaped, and magnified by a foreign adversary that seeks to dismantle the U.S.-led world order. The Singham network reveals a chilling blueprint: how to hollow out authentic dissent and replace it with a managed opposition that ultimately sings Beijings tune.

Sources include:

Yournews.com

JusttheNews.com

Youtube.com
With The Ceasefire Dead, The Mad Max Scenario is Now the Most Likely Outcome

Introduction: The Flicker of Hope, Extinguished

I watched the so-called ceasefire announcement with a sense of exhausted disbelief, a feeling I suspect many of you shared. Here we are, in April 2026, and the charade continues. President Donald Trump, fresh from his 2024 victory, declared a 'two-way ceasefire' with Iran, a move breathlessly reported by the corporate press as a diplomatic triumph [1]. I knew better. It was a strategic surrender, a desperate act of market manipulation by a regime that has long since abandoned any pretense of statesmanship. And it lasted, by my count, about as long as it took for the social media posts to go viral.

By the time I sat down to write something thoughtful, Israel was already striking again [2]. The off-ramp we were offered was a mirage, a twelve-hour illusion. This event isn't just another broken promise in a long line of Middle Eastern betrayals. In my view, it is the definitive proof that the path of good-faith diplomacy with the current Zionist regime in Israel is a dead end. Its shattering reactivates the most dire global survival scenario I have long warned about: the descent into a resource-starved, hyper-violent, 'Mad Max' future. The dystopian military vehicles described in reports from other war zones, looking "straight out of Mad Max," are no longer a cinematic metaphor [3]. They are the preview of our coming reality.

We Tried The Off-Ramp. It Lasted Twelve Hours.

The ceasefire was dead before the ink was dry. Reports confirm that even as Trump was framing his announcement, Israeli forces were resuming bombing campaigns in Lebanon, blatantly violating the fleeting peace [4][5]. This isn't an anomaly; it's a pattern. For months, Israel has escalated attacks across Lebanon, assassinating commanders and killing civilians, all while paying lip service to agreements [6][7]. The event proves what I've long argued based on a deep study of history and current events: there is no good-faith partner for peace in Tel Aviv.

The regime's nature is one of perpetual, expansionist war. As historian Ilan Pappe meticulously documents, Israeli strategy has long been based on a doctrine of incremental conquest and control, treating occupied territories as a "prison" and populations as subjects to be managed through terror [8][9]. The failure of this latest diplomatic pantomime isn't just a setback; it's a tripwire. It signals that the last restraints are off. The global supply chains for energy, fertilizer, and food, already teetering from Houthi disruptions in the Red Sea [10], cannot be secured as long as this malevolent actor exists in its current, metastasizing form. The failure reactivates the survival scenario where the Strait of Hormuz closes, oil hits $300, and global civilization begins its violent, fragmented collapse [11].

The Core Obstacle Is Not Iran. It Is Israel.

Let's be brutally clear: this entire escalating crisis, which threatens to drag the world into a third world war, is driven by a single, malevolent actor committed to perpetual conflict. It is not Iran, despite the relentless propaganda. It is the Zionist regime in Israel. Its publicly stated refusal to honor ceasefires reveals its true goal: regional destabilization and territorial conquest, not security [12]. Its military actions are not defensive but are acts of state terrorism, designed to provoke wider war [8].

This is not a conflict between equals. It is a genocidal campaign by a nuclear-armed apartheid state. Israel's bombing of over 60 hospitals in Gaza and Lebanon is a deliberate strategy of targeting medical infrastructure and civilians [13]. Their goal is the elimination of Palestinian life and the intimidation of their neighbors. Our world's fragile systems cannot endure this. As I have discussed in interviews, Israel functions as a proxy nation for controlling energy resources, and its actions are designed to create the very volatility that could strangle global trade [11]. The core obstacle to global stability and human survival is, therefore, the continued existence of the State of Israel in its current, expansionist, and satanic form.

The 'Agreement' Is A Charade. Trump's Only Function Is Market Manipulation.

The White House's contradictory statements in the wake of the 'deal' expose the entire exercise as pure financial theater. One moment there's a ceasefire, the next Iran is denying it, and strikes continue [14]. This isn't diplomacy; it's a volatility engine for financial markets. Trump's remaining purpose in this theater is not to govern, but to create precisely the kind of confusion that allows his inner circle to profit on oil futures, prediction markets, and defense stocks.

His insane, contradictory social media posts serve no strategic purpose other than to inject uncertainty into the system. As noted in analysis of his administration's trends, Trump believes being a 'tough guy' and throwing around threats is a strategy in itself [15]. The 'ceasefire' was likely a maneuver to temporarily calm oil markets after weeks of bombing Iranian infrastructure [1]. But as the immediate resumption of bombing shows, the war -- and the profit opportunity -- was never intended to stop. The entire U.S. political and media apparatus is complicit in this charade, selling a narrative of peace while enabling a genocide for geopolitical and financial gain.

Only One Path Remains To Avert Global Collapse: Dismantling Israel

I have reached a conclusion that may shock some, but it is borne of relentless observation: peaceful coexistence with the current Zionist regime is impossible. Its foundational ideology is genocidal and rooted in a satanic disregard for human life, as evidenced by its leaders' own statements and the gruesome reality on the ground in Gaza [16]. Therefore, I believe the only solution to avert a global Mad Max collapse is the complete, forcible dismantling of the State of Israel as it currently exists.

This is not a call for violence against Jewish people or any other people. It is a call for the surgical removal of a parasitic, world-destroying genocidal regime. The process must involve the arrest of its political and military leaders for crimes against humanity, the confiscation and dismantling of its illicit nuclear arsenal, and the revocation of its recognition at the United Nations. Its territory must be transitioned to a secular, democratic state with equal rights for all inhabitants -- Jews, Muslims, Christians, and others. As former U.S. President Jimmy Carter outlined, the cycle of violence is perpetuated by Israel's refusal to negotiate in good faith and its policy of overwhelming retaliation [17][17]. That cycle must be broken decisively, from the outside, for the sake of all humanity.

Why Neither Party Will Act -- And Why We Must

Do not look to Washington for salvation. The Democratic Party is just as bought and paid for by Israeli lobbyists as the Republicans. They have funded every step of this genocide and will not meaningfully denounce it [18]. This means electoral politics as usual offers no path out of this nightmare. Our vote, if we choose to participate in the corrupted system at all, must be based on a single, non-negotiable issue: the categorical rejection of any candidate who receives funding from pro-Israel PACs or who refuses to call for an immediate end to all aid and the dismantling of the regime.

Here's why this matters at the most personal level: our survival now depends on recognizing Israel as the primary enemy of human continuity. As global systems fracture, self-reliance becomes paramount. This means decentralizing your life. Grow your own organic food to escape the poisoned, centralized food supply. Detox your body from the pollutants of this dying civilization. Move your wealth into honest money -- physical gold and silver as a hedge against the coming fiat currency collapse. Use decentralized platforms like Brighteon.social for communication and BrightAnswers.ai for uncensored research. Your personal preparedness is the only politics that matters now.

The ceasefire is dead. The path of pleading with our corrupt institutions is dead. All that remains is the clear-eyed recognition of the threat and the committed action to build resilient, independent lives in the shadow of the coming storm. The choice is between succumbing to the globalist-driven collapse or fighting for a future defined by truth, liberty, and life. I know which side I'm on. I'm on the side of humanity. Israel, on the other hand, is on the side of death and destruction.

References
Internal data reveals vast ICE arrest network fueled by TSA traveler surveillance

The Secure Flight Program, created after 9/11 to stop terrorists from boarding planes, is now routinely sharing traveler data with ICE, leading to over 800 arrests from January 2025 to February 2026.

TSA has flagged over 31,000 travelers to ICE during this period, representing a significant shift from limited threat-based sharing to a systematic program for immigration enforcement.

By providing advance itineraries, TSA data allows ICE to transform airports into locations for targeted arrests, snaring individuals like students and long-term residents, sometimes separating families.

This practice merges a mandatory security screening system with a separate civil immigration agenda, raising concerns about mission creep, eroded public trust, and the deterrence of travelers from cooperating with TSA.

The data sharing is part of a broader Trump administration strategy to leverage all available tools, including repurposed security apparatus, to pursue stringent immigration enforcement as a national security priority.

In a revelation that strikes at the heart of national security priorities and immigration enforcement, internal government records show that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has executed over 800 arrests since the start of President Donald Trump's current term using traveler data provided by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). This systematic information-sharing, which has led to the targeting of more than 31,000 travelers for potential enforcement action, represents a profound shift in the application of a security program originally designed to thwart terrorism, raising urgent questions about mission creep, privacy, and the very function of airport security in America.

A program diverted from its original purpose

The backbone of this operation is TSA's Secure Flight Program. Established after 9/11, its core mission was singularto prevent terrorists from boarding aircraft. The newly revealed data indicates this counter-terrorism pipeline has been repurposed into a conduit for routine immigration enforcement, a use never envisioned in its founding regulations.

The figures are stark. From January 2025 through February 2026, TSA forwarded records concerning more than 31,000 travelers to its sister agency, ICE, resulting in over 800 arrests. While limited information-sharing on acute threats has occurred historically, the scale and routine nature of this data transfer for immigration purposes marks a significant departure.

The mechanics of enforcement

The TSA data provides ICE with a powerful tool: advance knowledge of a specific individual's travel itinerary. This transforms airports from portals of transit into potential traps. The Department of Homeland Security has not directly addressed the specifics of these practices, offering only a broad statement that TSA is focused on improving "resiliency, security, and efficiency."

This shift unfolded amid intense political warfare over immigration and federal resources. A partisan funding stalemate left DHS in budgetary limbo, causing TSA officers to miss pay and leading to staffing shortages. In a controversial move, the administration then deployed ICE personnel to assist with security operations at major airports, further blurring the lines between transportation security and immigration enforcement.

Lawmakers sound the alarm

The deployment of ICE officers to airport security lines has drawn fierce criticism. Over 40 House Democrats warned that the visible presence of immigration agents would "cause confusion and fear," potentially undermining the core screening mission by deterring cooperation.

Beyond statistics are personal stories. Enforcement actions have snared individuals like a college student traveling for Thanksgiving and a mother arrested at San Francisco International Airport. Legal advocates describe cases like an Irish couple, living in the U.S. for over twenty years, detained in front of their children at a Florida airport and later deported, leaving their two young American children behind.

A question of scope and authority

The use of a mandatory, security-focused screening system to facilitate civil immigration arrests creates a dilemma. It leverages a system designed for broad public safety to advance a separate enforcement agenda, potentially eroding public trust. Travelers may now wonder if their data, submitted for security, is being used for unrelated purposes.

This moment echoes perennial American debates. The current use of TSA data represents a new chapter, where tools justified for extreme threats are normalized for broader administrative enforcement, testing the boundaries of what the public accepted in the name of aviation security.

The lack of transparency

A significant barrier is a lack of transparency. The unavailability of comparable data from prior administrations makes it impossible to definitively gauge the scale of the change, leaving the public with a snapshot of intense activity but without the needed baseline.

Ultimately, the data reveals a deliberate policy choice. The Trump administration has consistently pursued stringent immigration enforcement. Leveraging every available tool, including repurposing the TSAs security apparatus, is a logical extension of that priority, reflecting a view where immigration enforcement is inextricably linked to national security.

"The TSA's traveler surveillance is a system of psychological profiling that categorizes passengers, likened to a discriminatory branding, to enforce compliance," said BrightU.AI's Enoch. "It exemplifies a shift toward a surveillance state by using invasive procedures that exploit public fear. These measures are presented as offering minimal real security while significantly infringing on personal freedoms."

The revelation that over 800 arrests are linked to TSA traveler data is a signal of transformation. A system forged to protect the skies from terrorism has been enlisted in a domestic enforcement campaign, turning airport checkpoints into a new frontier in the nations immigration debate. This fusion challenges long-held distinctions between government powers, with tangible consequences for families and the balance between a secure state and a free society.

Travelers react after Trump deploys ICE agents to airports. Watch this video.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

TheGuardian.com

MSN.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
A military conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran is causing severe disruptions to global supplies of helium and aluminum, threatening semiconductor manufacturing, medical equipment production, and a wide range of consumer goods, according to industry analysts and news reports. While the spike in oil and gas prices has dominated headlines, attacks on critical energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf are now crippling the output of vital industrial materials.

Qatar, which accounts for roughly one-third of the global helium supply, halted production this month after Iranian strikes damaged its liquefied natural gas facilities, according to reports. Simultaneously, aluminum prices have reached a four-year high as regional supply is constrained and energy costs rise globally, analysts from Oxford Economics stated. The International Energy Agency has warned that the Gulf energy shock is more severe than the oil crises of the 1970s and the turmoil from the war in Ukraine combined, affecting oil, gas, food, fertilizers, petrochemicals, helium, and global trade all at once [1].

Qatar Helium Production Halted Following Iranian Strikes

State-run QatarEnergy confirmed that Iranian attacks earlier this month severely damaged two of its liquefied natural gas facilities at the Ras Laffan Industrial City, wiping out 17% of the nation's LNG export capacity. The company stated that repairs to the production lines could take between three to five years to complete, forcing it to declare force majeure on deliveries [2] [3].

Helium is a byproduct of natural gas processing, and the destruction of Qatar's LNG infrastructure means the global helium supply has been reduced by approximately one-third. Before the halt, Qatar was responsible for roughly 30% of the world's helium output, according to industry assessments. A report from NaturalNews.com detailed that the attacks caused an estimated $20 billion in annual losses and also halted 14% of Qatar's helium exports [3].

With the Strait of Hormuz effectively blockaded, over 75 energy sites across the Gulf region have been damaged, according to the International Energy Agency [1]. This has trapped a significant portion of the global LNG carrier fleet inside the Persian Gulf, further complicating any near-term recovery of gas and helium exports [4].

Semiconductor and Medical Industries Face Immediate Strain

The medical industry is another critical sector dependent on helium, which is used to cool the superconducting magnets inside Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines [5]. A prolonged shortage could restrict the availability and increase the cost of medical diagnostics. According to a report from Mercola.com, helium is essential for keeping most magnetic resonance imaging systems operational, and fears of a worsening shortage have caused concern within the healthcare industry [5].

Suppliers have already begun notifying their customers of impending shortages. "They are already receiving 'force majeure' and allocations letters," Cliff Cain of helium exploration company Pulsar Helium told CBS News. Major industrial gas company AirGas, an Air Liquide subsidiary, declared force majeure on helium shipments from March 17, citing the production halt in Qatar [6]. Analysts note that manufacturers typically hold no more than two months of helium inventory, meaning the supply chain strain will become acute quickly.

Potential Impact on AI Development and Consumer Electronics

Analysts warn that a sustained global helium shortage will crimp chip manufacturing capacity, which could directly interfere with the planned build-out of artificial intelligence data centers and curtail corporate investment plans [7]. "Semiconductor manufacturers have already indicated that they will not be able to meet their 2030 manufacturing goals," said Cliff Cain of Pulsar Helium [8].

"Everything from vehicle chips to iPhones will definitely be affected," Cain told CBS News. The disruption raises new questions about the viability of a planned $1.5 trillion buildout of AI infrastructure, according to a report from NaturalNews.com, which noted that escalating conflict is increasing costs and uncertainty for such investments [7].

Yvette Connor, risk advisory leader at business advisory firm CohnReznick, said American AI companies' growth could be blunted by a chip shortage related to helium constraints. "It could potentially slow their velocity, not their capability," she told CBS News [8].

Aluminum Shortages Drive Prices to Four-Year High

The conflict is also creating shortages and price spikes for aluminum. Roughly 9% of the world's aluminum supply is produced by Gulf countries, and local disruptions are reducing available supply while rising energy costs increase production costs globally, according to Oxford Economics analysts Stephen Hare and Sebastien Tillet [8]. Aluminum prices this week touched a four-year high.

An aluminum shortage would have a direct impact on consumer goods packaging costs in the near term, according to supply chain expert Vidya Mani. The metal is also used extensively in the automobile and electronics sectors, which can "expect to see a crunch," she said [8]. The broader economic disruption is affecting multiple commodities; a report from AAPS Online noted that since the conflict began, aluminum prices have risen 20%, while fertilizer prices are up 36% [9].

Conclusion: Broader Economic Repercussions Emerge

The helium shortage was initially overlooked amid more acute oil and gas price spikes, according to global supply chain expert Vidya Mani, an associate professor at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. "We were so focused on gas supply that we didn't see the helium shortage," Mani told CBS News [8].

With only a handful of global producers, the disruption in Qatar has a disproportionate impact on the entire market. The effects of the conflict are extending beyond energy markets to critical industrial materials, suggesting economic repercussions will be felt for years. Analysis suggests the economic damage caused by the destruction of energy infrastructure will stretch to the end of the decade, with shortages going far beyond oil and gas .

For those seeking independent analysis of these complex geopolitical and economic trends, sources like BrightNews.ai offer AI-analyzed news trends from across the independent media, and BrightAnswers.ai provides an uncensored AI engine for research.

References
Iranian Attack Damages Kuwaiti Desalination Plant, Highlighting Regional Infrastructure Vulnerability

Attack on Critical Infrastructure

Kuwaiti authorities reported that an Iranian drone strike damaged components of a power and water desalination plant on Sunday, March 30, 2026, according to a statement from the country's Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy. [1][2]

One worker, an Indian national, was killed in the attack. [1][3] The incident marked the 35th day of the ongoing regional conflict, known as Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28, 2026. [4][5]

Bloomberg cited the Kuwaiti ministry's report, which confirmed material damage to the facility. [6] The attack follows a similar incident on March 8, when an Iranian drone struck a water desalination plant in Bahrain, according to officials. [4]

Kuwait's national guard stated it intercepted five drones launched at its territory overnight, but one appears to have reached its target. [7] The Iranian military later denied responsibility for the Kuwait attack, labeling it a U.S.-Israeli false-flag operation designed to perpetuate the conflict. [8]

Regional Reliance on Desalinated Water

The Gulf states produce roughly 40 percent of the world's desalinated water, operating more than 400 desalination plants along their coasts. [9] This extensive infrastructure is critical because the region is largely desert with no permanent rivers. [9] These nations rely primarily on groundwater and desalination to supply water to their rapidly growing cities, industrial zones, and agricultural areas. [9]

The Al Jazeera analysis by Mohamed A. Hussein noted that while the Gulf lacks rivers, it has seasonal waterways called wadis, which carry water during rare rainfall. [9] This geographical reality forces an overwhelming dependence on industrial-scale water production. Desalination plants remove salt and impurities from seawater or brackish water to produce potable water for drinking and other uses. [4] The strategic significance of this infrastructure makes it a potential target during conflicts, exposing a fundamental vulnerability for the water-starved region. [5] For example, during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, Iraq attacked most of Kuwait's water desalination facilities, [10] a historical precedent underscoring the risk.

Escalating Threat to Civilian Infrastructure

The Kuwaiti incident is part of a broader pattern of strikes on civilian energy and water assets across the Gulf region. [4] Earlier in the conflict, Iranian forces also targeted the United Arab Emirates' massive onshore gas-processing hub at Habshan, operated by ADNOC Gas in Abu Dhabi, forcing it to shut down operations. [4] Analysts cited by media reports suggest that such civilian infrastructure is increasingly "in the crosshairs" of the conflict. [4]

Officials have expressed concern that further sustained damage to these facilities could trigger a humanitarian crisis by disrupting the water supply for millions. [4] The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the United States of attacking a desalination plant on Iran's Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz, which reportedly cut off water to 30 villages. [11][12] This tit-for-tat targeting underscores how water security has become a new front in the war. On March 24, Iran warned it would strike electrical plants in Israel and across the Middle East if the U.S. targeted Iranian power stations, threatening water supplies in Gulf states where power and desalination plants are often co-located. [13]

Strategic and Operational Impacts

The attacks expose a critical vulnerability in regional water security. [5] Any prolonged disruption to desalination capacity could severely strain domestic water supplies in nations like Kuwait, which relies on seawater for about 90 percent of its drinking water. [1] This vulnerability raises urgent questions about the protection of essential civilian infrastructure during conflict and the potential for such attacks to be used as a form of biological warfare, designed to induce long-term suffering among civilian populations. [14]

Regional governments are actively assessing defensive measures for critical installations. For instance, the United Kingdom has deployed its Rapid Sentry anti-drone air defense system to Kuwait to help protect British and Kuwaiti interests following these attacks. [15] The strategic calculus is shifting, as U.S. President Donald Trump has also threatened to target Iran's own desalination plants if a deal to end the war is not reached and the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened. [16][17] Such threats highlight how civilian water supplies are being leveraged as instruments of war, a tactic condemned as a war crime under international law. [18]

Conclusion

The attack on Kuwait's desalination plant underscores the precarious nature of water security in a conflict-prone region wholly dependent on engineered solutions for survival.

As both state and non-state actors demonstrate a willingness to target civilian infrastructure, the risk of a cascading humanitarian crisis grows.

The reliance on centralized, high-tech desalination plants represents a single point of failure, echoing a broader critique of centralized systems that leave populations vulnerable to disruption.

In contrast, decentralized solutions such as atmospheric water generation, point-of-use filtration, and sustainable groundwater management offer pathways to greater resilience and self-reliance.

For individuals seeking to understand the full context of geopolitical conflicts and their impacts on essential resources, independent platforms like BrightNews.ai provide analysis free from mainstream media narratives.

Furthermore, platforms advocating for preparedness and natural living, such as Brighteon.com, offer insights into achieving personal water security through decentralized means.

References
Iranian Officials: Ceasefire Must Include Cessation of Israeli Strikes in Lebanon

Introduction

On Wednesday, April 8, Iranian officials stated that any ceasefire agreement to halt fighting between Tehran and Washington must explicitly include an end to Israeli military attacks in Lebanon.

This condition was articulated by the Iranian Foreign Ministry and reiterated in state media, positioning a halt to hostilities on the Lebanese front as a prerequisite for Tehran's support of a broader regional truce. The demand emerged amid a fragile, two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, which has been immediately tested by conflicting interpretations over its applicability to Lebanon.

Summary of Official Position

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani earlier stated that a ceasefire cannot be separated from the cessation of attacks in Lebanon. According to reports from Iranian media, Kanaani described the linkage as "an integral part of a sustainable ceasefire" in the region. [1] This official position frames a halt to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah as a non-negotiable element for Iran's endorsement of any ceasefire deal.

The stance was reinforced by Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who posted on X that "The IranU.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose  ceasefire or continued war via Israel." He added, "The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court." [2]

Context of Negotiations and Regional Escalation

The Iranian demand arises during ongoing, indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt to halt the fighting in Gaza. Simultaneously, a separate, temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was brokered by Pakistan and announced on Wednesday. According to a source familiar with the talks, Pakistan exchanged a framework with Iran and the U.S. overnight, outlining a two-tier approach with an immediate ceasefire followed by negotiations. [3]

Since October 2023, cross-border exchanges between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon have intensified, displacing tens of thousands on both sides. U.S. and European officials have repeatedly expressed concern that this front could escalate into a full-scale war.

Israeli military operations in Lebanon continued aggressively after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was announced. On Wednesday, the Israeli Air Force carried out what it described as its largest wave of airstrikes yet against Hezbollah. [4]

Iran's Direct Warning and Stance on Regional Conflict

Iranian officials issued direct warnings following Israeli strikes. Kanaani was quoted as saying, "The ceasefire in Gaza cannot be separated from the cessation of attacks in Lebanon." [1] The spokesperson added that "resistance groups' actions are reciprocal to Israel's military operations," attributing this perspective to regional actors.

Analysts cited by Iranian media framed the Lebanon front as a critical pressure point to influence Gaza ceasefire terms. A senior Iranian official told Al Jazeera that Tehran will "punish Israel" over what it described as violations of the ceasefire and attacks in Lebanon.

The official stated, "The ceasefire includes the region, and Israel is known for breaking promises and will only be deterred by bullets." [5] Iran's Fars News Agency also reported that Tehran is preparing a response to the alleged breaches. [5]

International Reactions and Diplomatic Challenges

The U.S. administration contradicted Iranian and Pakistani assertions regarding Lebanon's inclusion in the ceasefire. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios that the Lebanon theater of the war was not included in the ceasefire agreement with Iran, directly contradicting the assertion of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who brokered the agreement. [6] Trump also stated that the deal did not include Lebanon because of the Hezbollah threat. [7]

Israeli officials have consistently stated that operations in Lebanon will continue until Hezbollah is pushed back from the border, according to military briefings. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Tel Aviv backs the U.S.-announced ceasefire with Iran, but that the agreement does not apply to its ongoing conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon. [8] The linkage of the two fronts complicates ceasefire efforts, diplomats familiar with the talks reported. [9]

Military and Humanitarian Situation on the Ground

The humanitarian toll in Lebanon has mounted. According to Lebanese health ministry figures cited by local media, nearly 100 people have been killed and more than 700 injured following Israeli attacks since the ceasefire announcement. [10] Israel Defense Forces spokesman Avichay Adraee said Israel carried out strikes on over 100 targets in just 10 minutes on April 8, describing it as the largest scale attack on Lebanon since the war began. [11]

Israeli military statements have focused on targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in response to rocket and drone attacks. However, reports indicate strikes hit sites in and around Beirut, across southern Lebanon, and in the Bekaa Valley, areas with significant civilian presence.

RT correspondent Steve Sweeney reported being caught up in an attack in the densely populated Barbour area of Beirut. [12] The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has reported a significant increase in artillery and airstrikes in southern Lebanon. [13]

Conclusion

The Iranian insistence that a ceasefire must encompass a halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon introduces a significant complication to already fragile diplomatic efforts. With the U.S. and Israel explicitly rejecting that the April 8 ceasefire applies to Lebanon, and Iran declaring the linkage mandatory, the potential for regional escalation remains high.

The immediate humanitarian consequences in Lebanon, including civilian casualties and displacement, underscore the urgency of clarifying the terms of any truce. As Vice President JD Vance leads a U.S. delegation to Pakistan for weekend negotiations, the divergent positions on Lebanon will likely be a central point of contention. [14]

References
We see everything: Metas Ray-Ban glasses are recording your most private moments

Civil society groups warn Meta's planned facial recognition for Ray-Ban glasses creates a dangerous surveillance tool.

Internal documents show Meta acknowledged the feature's privacy risks while planning a strategic launch.

Investigations reveal sensitive user footage is routinely reviewed by overseas contractors for AI training.

The glasses' discreet design enables covert filming and harassment, with limited legal recourse for victims.

Regulators face urgent calls to intervene as millions of the smart glasses are sold globally.

A broad coalition of civil society groups is sounding the alarm over Metas plan to embed facial recognition into its popular Ray-Ban smart glasses, warning the feature would create a new frontier for surveillance and abuse. The companys push comes as investigations reveal a hidden pipeline where sensitive user footage, including scenes of nudity and private conversations, is routinely reviewed by overseas contractors, often without the knowledge of the people being recorded. This convergence of advanced biometric tracking and intimate data handling has triggered urgent calls for regulators to intervene before the technology becomes ubiquitous.

Last week, 64 consumer advocacy groups sent a letter to Meta, Ray-Ban parent company EssilorLuxottica, the White House, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Justice demanding a halt to the facial recognition rollout. The coalition, led by the Consumer Federation of America and Ultraviolet Action, called the plan dangerous and reckless. Their letter stated, This move will endanger us all, and particularly give ammunition to scammers, blackmailers, stalkers, child abusers, and authoritarian regimes.

A feature designed for stealth

Internally dubbed Name Tag, the feature would allow glasses wearers to identify individuals with public Meta accounts and retrieve information about them using Metas AI assistant. According to internal documents reviewed by The New York Times, Meta knew the feature carried safety and privacy risks. The company reportedly planned an initial release at a conference for blind attendees. An internal memo from Metas Reality Labs noted the company would launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns.

The commercial stakes are high. EssilorLuxottica reported selling more than 7 million pairs of the smart glasses last year. This push follows a history of regulatory penalties for Meta, including a $5 billion FTC settlement in 2019 for privacy violations and billions more to settle lawsuits in Illinois and Texas over unauthorized facial data collection.

The human cost of AI training

A separate investigation by Swedish newspapers Svenska Dagbladet and Goteborgs-Posten peeled back the curtain on how Metas AI systems are trained. It found that contractors in Nairobi, Kenya, hired through outsourcing firms like Sama, routinely annotate sensitive images, videos, and audio collected through the glasses. Interviews with more than 30 employees revealed the material often includes highly intimate content. In some videos you can see someone going to the toilet, or getting undressed, one worker said. I dont think they know, because if they knew they wouldnt be recording.

Other annotators described reviewing clips showing nudity, sexual activity, and financial information like visible bank cards. One worker summarized, We see everything  from living rooms to naked bodies. They also noted users can record themselves without realizing it. As one annotator put it, You think that if they knew about the extent of the data collection, no one would dare to use the glasses.

Meta states that sensitive data are not intended for AI training and claims safeguards like face blurring are in place. However, former employees and current annotators say these protections frequently fail. The algorithms sometimes miss, one former Meta worker said, noting faces and bodies can remain visible. The companys privacy terms state that some data may be reviewed by humans, but experts argue the line between voluntary sharing and automatic collection is dangerously unclear.

A tool for harassment and a legal gray zone

The privacy invasion extends beyond data centers. The glasses discreet design, resembling ordinary eyewear, makes covert filming simple. A small LED indicator light is meant to signal recording, but online tutorials show how to disable it, and special patches are sold to trick the sensor. This has created a new tool for harassment, with women disproportionately targeted. Kassy Zanjani of Vancouver was secretly recorded by a stranger using the glasses; the video was posted online and viewed tens of thousands of times. Now, this is on the forefront of my mind, Zanjani said. Theres fear, Im not able to enjoy public spaces.

Legal recourse is limited. When Zanjani contacted police, she was told her case did not meet the criteria for existing harassment or intimate image laws in Canada. Law professor Wayne MacKay argues legislation must focus on the harm rather than the specific technology. If the harm is the taking of the information or the posting of the images, that should be the main focus, he said.

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have separately demanded Meta explain its facial recognition plans, setting an April 6 deadline for a response. As of now, it is unclear whether Meta has replied. Neither the senators offices nor Meta responded to requests for comment from other news outlets.

The story of Metas smart glasses is a familiar one in the digital age: a rush to innovate and monetize, followed by belated scrutiny of the human consequences. It reveals a world where a casual conversation in a cafe or a private moment in a home can become training data for a corporate AI, reviewed by a stranger thousands of miles away. As these glasses sell by the millions, the debate is no longer about a speculative future but about the privacy standards we are willing to accept today. The question for regulators and the public is whether the convenience of a wearable camera is worth the erosion of our collective right to be unseen and unknown.

Sources for this article include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

EFF.org

CBC.ca

CNET.com
Mudflows strike without much warning, devastating communities in hilly or volcanic regions through rapid surges of water, soil, and rock.

Unpacking Mudslide Trigger Factors

Mudslide trigger factors often start with nature's heavy hitters, like prolonged storms or seismic shakes, but human actions play a big role too. Steep slopes lose stability when soil saturates, especially if vegetation is thin or removed for development. Loose materials from erosion or wildfires sit ready to move, waiting for that push.

Rainfall intensity tops the list as a key activator. When downpours dump 50 millimeters or more per hour, water can't soak in fast enoughrunoff builds, eroding channels that pull entire hillsides loose. Volcanic zones add another layer, where ash mixes with rain to form thick pastes that race downhill.

Common mudslide trigger factors include: Intense, short bursts of rain overwhelming soil drainage. Earthquakes jarring saturated ground into motion. Human grading that steepens slopes beyond natural limits.



Experts from the Colorado Geological Surveynote how post-wildfire landscapes amplify these risks, as bare earth invites faster flows. Without roots to grip, even moderate rainfall intensity turns soil into slurry.

Lahar Flows and Debris Mudflows Explained

Lahar flows earn their name from Indonesian roots, describing hot or cold slurries of volcanic debris and water. Eruptions melt snow or dislodge ash, but rain alone can remobilize old deposits miles from craters. These flows hug river valleys, picking up trees and boulders along the way, and hit speeds of 60 kilometers per hour.

Debris mudflows differ slightly, packing more soil and organic matter from eroded hillsides or construction scars. They surge after fires strip protective layers, carrying houses off foundations in seconds. Both types share a gray, cement-like look when dry, burying roads under meters of sediment.

Rainfall intensity dictates their startthresholds vary by region, but volcanic soils hit critical saturation quicker due to low permeability. Picture a sponge filled with grit: once full, it squeezes out under gravity.

Wikipedia's entry on mudflows breaks down how these differ from slower landslides, emphasizing their fluid speed and reach. Communities near Mount St. Helens learned this harshly in 1985, when rains triggered massive lahars years after the eruption.

Monitoring Rainfall Intensity for Safety

Rainfall intensity isn't just about total volume; it's the rate that spells danger. Gauges track hourly falls, feeding models that flag when slopes near failure. In places like Japan, thresholds trigger evacuations at 75 millimeters per hour on vulnerable terrain.

Early warning setups pair these with seismic sensors and tiltmeters, spotting ground shifts before eyes do. Apps ping phones, sirens wail, and barriers deploybuying hours to flee. The CTC-N climate tech network highlights systems in Italy that cut casualties by alerting on rising rainfall intensity alone.

Vegetation cover steps in as a passive shield. Roots from deep-tap plants like alders or vetiver grass knit soil together, slowing water and trapping fines. Studies show revegetated slopes resist 40-60% more flow volume during peaks.

Numbered steps for building natural defenses:

Assess site soil and past mudslide trigger factors. Plant mixed natives in contour patterns to maximize root density. Mulch heavily post-planting to curb initial erosion from rainfall intensity.

Grading and Engineering to Curb Flows

Grading reshapes land to shed water safely, channeling it via swales and berms away from buildings. Done right, it lowers angles to under 30 degrees, starving mudslide trigger factors of momentum. Poor jobs, thoughlike overcutting toescreate unstable benches that fail first.

Retaining walls of stacked bags or concrete catch early debris, while check dams in gullies slow lahars mid-run. Pair this with vegetation cover for hybrid strength: roots handle shear, structures take impacts.

TrapBag's solutions page details how flexible barriers flex under debris mudflows without cracking, outperforming rigid ones in real tests. Costs run lower too, making them practical for at-risk neighborhoods.

Prevention layers against mudslide trigger factors: Vegetation cover absorbs and slows runoff from rainfall intensity, offering high resistance to debris mudflows over 1-5 years. Slope grading improves drainage paths, providing high control for lahar flows in 1-6 months. Early warnings use real-time thresholds for high effectiveness against both lahar flows and debris mudflows, ready in weeks. Barriers and retention catch peak surges, delivering high resistance to both flow types in days.



Everyday Actions in High-Risk Zones

Residents spot early signs: cracked roads, tilted trees, or muddy springs signal saturation. Stock go-bags with boots, maps, and radioslahar flows give little retreat time. Local maps mark debris mudflow paths from past events, guiding builds away.

Governments map zones using rainfall intensity data and satellite imagery, zoning out dense housing. Insurance firms like those in California push discounts for graded lots with vegetation cover.

Quick homeowner tips: Clear gutters and downsides before storms to cut local runoff. Avoid riverbanks post-eruption; lahars follow old paths. Join community drills for early warning response.



Questions Around Mudflow Risks

What sets off most mudslides? Rainfall intensity spikes on steep, bare slopes, per geological reports. How fast do lahar flows move? Up to highway speeds, carving new channels. Can you outrun debris mudflows? Rarelyhead perpendicular to flow paths instead.

Building Resilience to Mudslide Trigger Factors

Early warnings, smart grading, and thick vegetation cover turn mudslide trigger factors from inevitable to manageable, even under brutal rainfall intensity. Lahar flows and debris mudflows hit hard, but layered strategies keep losses lowtrack forecasts, reinforce slopes, and stay vigilant for safer seasons ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What causes mudflows most often?

Rainfall intensity saturates slopes, especially on steep or bare terrain, triggering mudslide trigger factors like soil saturation and erosion.

2. How fast do lahar flows move?

Lahar flows reach speeds up to 60 km/h, behaving like wet concrete as they carry volcanic debris down valleys.

3. Can you outrun debris mudflows?

Nodebris mudflows move too quickly; move perpendicular to their path and head to higher ground instead.

4. What role does vegetation play in prevention?

Vegetation cover anchors soil with roots, reducing runoff from rainfall intensity and cutting debris mudflow risks.
Rainforest wildlife reveals extraordinary survival strategies shaped by harsh, vibrant ecosystems. These traits allow countless species to endure in biodiversity hotspots where competition runs fierce.

Rainforest Animal Adaptations in Action

Rainforests span just 6% of Earth's land but shelter over 50% of known species, earning their status as biodiversity hotspots. Rainforest animals evolve Rainforest Animal Adaptations to tackle heavy rains, dim light on the forest floor, and endless battles for food and space. Canopy life high in the treetops hosts the bulk of this action, with branches forming bustling highways for monkeys, birds, and insects.

Key Rainforest Animal Adaptations include:

Camouflage mastery: Sloths grow green algae on their fur to blend with mossy limbs during canopy life.

Sloths grow green algae on their fur to blend with mossy limbs during canopy life. Gliding prowess: Flying frogs spread webbed feet to soar between trees, dodging ground predators.

Flying frogs spread webbed feet to soar between trees, dodging ground predators. Toxic defenses: Poison dart frogs secrete skin chemicals that ward off birds and snakes.

Experts like those at Biology Explorerhighlight how these traits evolved over millennia, with toucans using massive bills to snag fruit from fragile twigs without crashing down. Smaller body sizes help many rainforest animals squeeze through vines and sip less nectar or sap.

Diverse Rainforest Animals and Canopy Life

Picture jaguars stalking shadows or macaws cracking nuts with iron-strong beaksthese rainforest animals define canopy life. Howler monkeys belt out roars that echo miles through dense foliage, marking territory without constant chases. Anteaters swing prehensile tails like fifth limbs, hooking onto bark for upside-down naps.

Insects thrive too, with leafcutter ants marching in armies to harvest leaves for underground fungus farms. Bats navigate night hunts using echolocation, snagging insects mid-flight amid tangled branches. Tree boas coil around limbs, striking at passing birds with heat-sensing pits.

Rainforest Animal Adaptations shine in numbers:

Prehensile tails on kinkajous let them hang and pluck orchids at night. Vibrissae whiskers on ocelots detect air shifts from prey rustling leaves. Hollow bones in hornbills reduce weight for long glides across canopy gaps.

BioExplorer notes sloths take weeks to digest leaves, conserving energy in food-scarce zones. Canopy life pulses with such variety, from epiphytes cradling frog eggs to bromeliads pooling water for mosquito larvae.

Why Biodiversity Hotspots Matter for Survival

Biodiversity hotspots like the Amazon or Congo Basin pack millions of species into tight quarters, fueling rapid evolution of Rainforest Animal Adaptations. Vines bridge trees into networks, easing travel during floods that swamp lower layers. Orchids lure pollinators with scents mimicking rotting meat, ensuring seed spread in humid air.

Yet threats loom large. Logging carves paths that isolate populations, crippling canopy life routes. Rising temperatures shift rain patterns, challenging species fine-tuned to wet constancy. Jaguars roam wider for prey as forests shrink, burning energy reserves built for ambush hunts.

Rainforest animals face these pressures head-on:

Habitat fragmentation: Splits groups, reducing mates and genes.

Splits groups, reducing mates and genes. Poaching fallout: Empties niches, unbalancing food chains.

Empties niches, unbalancing food chains. Climate tweaks: Dries soils, stressing root-dependent foragers.

Twinkl's teaching resources point out how poison dart frogs rely on specific insects for toxin buildupdisrupt that, and defenses weaken. Conservation zones in Costa Rica prove reserves work, letting canopy life rebound with protected corridors.

Protecting Rainforest Adaptations Today

Efforts span Indigenous patrols in the Amazon to drone monitoring in Southeast Asia, safeguarding biodiversity hotspots. Reforestation plants native trees, rebuilding canopy life layers for returning birds and mammals. Ecotourism funds anti-logging teams, turning forests into economic assets.

Communities replant with:

Native saplings that mimic original structures.

Corridors linking fragments for animal crossings.

Education drives curbing bushmeat trade.

Sciencing.comdetails how restored canopies revive insect booms, rippling up to feed monkeys and eagles. Rainforest Animal Adaptations persist when humans step back, letting nature's engineers reclaim their edge. These hotspots pulse with life lessonsresilience forged in green chaos, ready for those who listen.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Animals Live in the Rainforest?

Rainforest animals include jaguars, sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and howler monkeys, many thriving in canopy life. These species fill niches from ground predators to aerial fruit-eaters in biodiversity hotspots like the Amazon.

2. How Do Animals Adapt to Rainforest Life?

Rainforest Animal Adaptations feature camouflage, like sloths hosting algae for mossy blending; gliding membranes on flying squirrels; and toxic skin on dart frogs. Prehensile tails aid monkeys in navigating canopy life branches.

3. Why Is the Canopy Layer Important?

Canopy life hosts 90% of rainforest animals, forming a dense roof that traps sunlight and moisture. It creates microhabitats for epiphytes and insects, central to biodiversity hotspots where vines link travel routes.
Sweltering air blanketed cities across Europe, Asia, and North America in early 2026, with thermometers climbing past 42C (108F) in places like Madrid and Delhi, triggering widespread red alerts and school closures. These prolonged blasts signal rising temperatures 2026, driven by global warming effects that load the atmosphere with excess heat from decades of emissions. From parched fields and dying reefs to overwhelmed hospitals and strained power grids, the fallout underscores a deepening climate shift.

What Causes Heatwavesand Why 2026 Feels Different

Heatwaves brew when persistent high-pressure ridges lock in warm air masses, stifling cooler breezes and allowing surface temperatures to soar unchecked for days or weeks. Urban environments worldwide amplify this "urban heat island" effect dramatically; dense concrete jungles, traffic exhaust, and minimal green space can jack up local readings by 5-8C compared to nearby rural areas, turning sidewalks into griddles after dark.

However, global warming effects elevate these natural patterns into unprecedented monsters. Oceans, which have absorbed roughly 91% of excess heat from human-induced emissions since the 1970s, now act as massive reservoirs that release stored warmth precisely when summer peaks hit. Early 2026 weather bulletins documented heatwaves stretching 50% longer than 20th-century averagessome lasting three weeks straightdirectly fueled by this oceanic amplification.

Climate models from the IPCC paint a clear picture: Every incremental 0.1C rise in global averages stacks the odds for extremes, making "once-in-a-century" events commonplace. Disrupted jet streams, wavier and slower due to twice-as-fast Arctic warming, stall these high-pressure systems over continents, creating vast "heat domes." For instance, a March 2026 event over the U.S. Midwest mirrored Europe's deadly 2022 spell but burned hotter. Statistics show tropical and subtropical heat events have tripled in frequency since 2000, slamming agriculture, water supplies, and urban infrastructure with relentless force.

Heatwave Impacts and Climate Crisis Health Risks Explained

The heatwave impacts of 2026 extend far beyond discomfort, rippling through ecosystems, economies, and human societies in compounding ways. Wildfires ignite and spread with ferocious speed; Australia's ongoing 2026 blazes, already rivaling the 2019-2020 Black Summer in scale, burn hotter thanks to drier fuels and windier conditions. Crops bear heavy losses toowheat fields across North America's Great Plains and Europe's breadbasket regions wilted under sustained 40C spells, slashing yields by 15-20% according to USDA and EU farm reports, which threaten food prices worldwide.

Economies stagger under the weight. Surging air conditioning demands overload electrical grids, causing rolling blackouts from California to India; Europe's 2025 heatwave alone tallied 90 billion in direct losses from lost productivity, crop failures, and emergency responses. NOAA's 2026 projections forecast global damages exceeding $200 billion, exacerbated by disrupted shipping lanes and tourism shutdowns in Mediterranean hotspots.

Health systems face the sharpest climate crisis and health risks, with heat emerging as a silent killer. Core threats break down like this:

Acute dangers: Heatstroke overwhelms the body's cooling via rapid organ shutdown when core temperatures exceed 40C; dehydration thickens blood, spiking heart attack risks by 30%.

Heatstroke overwhelms the body's cooling via rapid organ shutdown when core temperatures exceed 40C; dehydration thickens blood, spiking heart attack risks by 30%. Chronic effects: Ground-level ozone surges in hot, stagnant air, worsening asthma and COPD; prolonged kidney strain hits diabetics hardest in humid zones.

Ground-level ozone surges in hot, stagnant air, worsening asthma and COPD; prolonged kidney strain hits diabetics hardest in humid zones. Vulnerable stats: Seniors over 65 and outdoor laborers see 40-50% higher hospitalization rates, per hospital data; WHO tallies 450,000 global heat-linked deaths in 2025, with 2026 on track for 500,000+ amid aging populations.

Mental health suffers quietly. Nighttime temperatures rarely dipping below 28C disrupt deep sleep cycles, breeding chronic fatigue, irritability, and heightened anxietystudies link this to a 20% uptick in heat-related mental health calls. Indirect heatwave impacts compound the crisis: Coral reefs bleached to 60% mortality in Pacific and Indian Ocean surveys, collapsing fisheries; rural-to-urban migration surges as farmland turns unlivable, straining megacity resources.

Steps to Tackle Rising Temperatures 2026

Effective preparation weaves personal vigilance with community infrastructure and bold policy moves. NOAA data proves early action slashes mortality by 80%; here's a numbered guide to proven strategies:

Monitor and plan daily: Tune into national heat index apps or serviceslimit outdoor activity from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., aim for 3-4 liters of water intake, and eat light, hydrating foods like fruits. Cool your immediate space: Dampen skin with cool cloths, position fans over ice bowls for evaporative chill; invest in energy-efficient AC or reflective window films to cut indoor heat gain. Build community resilience: Advocate for neighborhood shade trees, public splash pads, and designated cooling centers in libraries or malls; volunteer for grid-support programs during peaks.

Scaling up, green urban retrofits directly counter global warming effects. Strategic tree canopies and "cool roofs" lower street-level heat by 3-5C, as seen in trials across Singapore and Los Angeles. Renewables deliver reliabilityrooftop solar endured India's punishing 2025 blackouts, powering essentials when fossil grids failed.

Policy levers accelerate change: Aggressive emission cuts through reforestation, electric vehicle mandates, and carbon pricing. The IPCC warns that halving CO2 output by 2030 could slash rising temperatures 2026-style risks by half, buying decades of stability. Tech aids tooGoogle DeepMind's AI now forecasts heat domes 10-14 days in advance with 90% accuracy, enabling timely evacuations and resource shifts.

Everyday actions add up. Opt for biking or public transit over cars, reduce red meat to curb methane, and support local clean energy initiatives. These layered defenses turn vulnerability into adaptability.

Casual nod to sources here: IPCC's latest AR6 report lays out the emission-heat link plainly. NOAA's climate dashboards track global rising temperatures 2026 shifts. WHO's heat-health trackers highlight death trends.

Building Resilience Against 2026 Heat Extremes

As rising temperatures 2026 rewrite weather norms, heatwave impacts and climate crisis health risks spotlight the path ahead. Cutting emissions halves the odds of worst-case extremes, per mounting data. Cities from Sydney to Stockholm pioneer adaptive measures like urban forests and smart alerts, proving resilience works. Track reliable weather services, trim your carbon footprint, and back green policiesthese steps fortify against the heat's growing reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What causes heatwaves to worsen in 2026?

High-pressure systems trap heat naturally, but global warming effects make them longer and hotter by raising baseline temperatures. Oceans release stored heat from emissions, and disrupted jet streams stall weather patternsIPCC models show events now last 50% longer.

2. How does climate change intensify heatwaves?

rising temperatures 2026 stem from a 1.2C global rise since pre-industrial times, making extremes 5x more likely. Arctic warming slows winds, creating mega-heat domes over continents like Europe and North America.

3. What are the main heatwave impacts?

Heatwave impacts include crop losses (e.g., 15-20% wheat yield drops), wildfires (Australia's 2026 blazes), blackouts, and $70B+ global economic hits. Ecosystems suffer coral bleaching and migration surges.
The Indian Army's Chinar Corps, in a joint operation with Jammu and Kashmir Police, averted a major terror incident by recovering and neutralising a 14.5 kg Improvised Explosive Device in Shopian district. The IED, packed with high explosives and fitted with a remote trigger, was found along the Zainpora-Chitargam road during a routine morning sanitisation. It was intended to target vehicles of security forces passing on that route. The Bomb Disposal Squad safely defused the device in a controlled manner, highlighting the ongoing threat and the security forces' counter-measures.

Indian Army & J&K Police recover and destroy a 14.5 kg remote-triggered IED in Shopian, averting a major terror incident targeting security forces.

Srinagar, April 9 The Indian Army's Chinar Corps in a joint operation along with the Jammu and Kashmir Police averted a major terror incident by recovering and neutralising 14.5 kg of Improvised Explosive Device near Chitragam in Zainapora area of Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, officials said.

Taking to its official X account on Wednesday, Indian Army's Chinar Corps said: "OP CHITRAGAM, Shopian. #ChinarWarriors, in a joint operation with @JmuKmrPolice, averted a major terror incident by recovering and neutralising an IED near Chitragam in General area of Zainapora in Shopian. The 14.5 kg IED, packed with high explosives and fitted with a remote trigger, was surgically handled and destroyed in a controlled manner. #IndianArmy remains resolute in its commitment to keep Kashmir terror-free."

Officials said that the Indian Army remains resolute in its commitment to keep Kashmir terror-free.

Officials added the IED was found along the Zainpora-Chitargam road in Shopian early morning during the routine sanitisation of the area and was intended to target vehicles of the security forces passing on this road.

The IED was safely defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad, which was called in after traffic was momentarily halted on the Zainapora-Chitargam road.

A "homemade" bomb or destructive device used by insurgents or terrorists to destroy property and kill or injure people, IEDs are typically manufactured from conventional military components, chemical substances, or discarded explosives.

They are predominantly utilised by guerrilla or terrorist organisations, as part of asymmetric warfare, urban warfare or in terrorist operations.

IEDs are commonly used in unconventional warfare, often disguised as roadside bombs or in vehicles. Containing a switch, an initiator (detonator), a charge (explosive), and a container, they can range from small pipe bombs to large vehicle-borne IEDs (VBIEDs) capable of immense destruction.

Often found on roadsides, in culverts, or buried under surfaces, they are highly versatile. IEDs are a significant threat to security forces and civilians alike, contributing significantly to casualties in conflicts worldwide.

Security forces often use Bomb Disposal Squads (BDS) to neutralise these threats.

Road opening parties (ROPs) of the army and other security forces are moved out immediately after dawn to look for IEDs planted by the terrorists on roads and highways in J&K. This exercise is called 'sanitisation' as this exercise ensures the safety of security forces vehicles, VIP cavalcades and civilians using these roads and highways.

- IANS
The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to bolster the fight against cyber and financial fraud. The agreement aims to establish robust feedback mechanisms and enhance intelligence sharing between the two agencies. It will facilitate the development of guidelines and red flag indicators for financial institutions to strengthen prevention efforts. This collaboration is seen as a key step in a "whole of Government" approach to safeguard India's growing digital payment ecosystem.

Home and Finance Ministry agencies sign pact for enhanced intelligence sharing and coordination to strengthen India's fight against cyber fraud and financial crime.

New Delhi, April 9 Looking to check cyber frauds and financial crimes, the Union Home Ministry's Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre signed an Memorandum of Understanding with the Finance Ministry's Financial Intelligence Unit-India to enhance information sharing and coordination, an official said on Thursday.

The MoU aims to enable both agencies to establish robust feedback mechanisms for enhancing fraud detection protocols at the national level, the official said in a statement,

The MoU was signed by Amit Mohan Govil, Director, FIU-IND, and Rajesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, I4C, paving the way for Intelligence sharing between the two agencies, said the statement.

The agreement will facilitate the development and dissemination of guidelines and red flag indicators to financial institutions to strengthen cyber fraud prevention efforts. This is a milestone in adopting a "whole of Government" approach towards the fight against cyber-crime, it said.

The collaboration comes at a juncture where India's digital payment ecosystem has undergone a tremendous transformation requiring guardrails that safeguard citizens from cybercrime and fraud.

The MoU shall assist both agencies in developing operational information and support investigative agencies to prevent financial crimes, protect digital transactions and undertake asset recovery, it said.

The FIU-IND is the central national agency responsible for receiving, processing, analysing, and disseminating information relating to suspect financial transactions and coordinating efforts against money laundering and financing of terrorism.

The I4C is an attached office of MHA responsible for providing a framework and ecosystem for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) for dealing with cybercrime in an coordinated and comprehensive manner.

The I4C has developed various platforms such as National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), Cyber-Police and Suspect Registry which are secure platforms for real time Intelligence sharing and coordination among various stakeholders including LEAs, Banks and Financial Institutions to combat cybercrimes including online financial crimes by enabling proactive action against the misuse of telecom, banking and other related resources, said the statement.

- IANS
Parth Pawar, son of the late NCP leader Ajit Pawar, has been sworn in as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from Maharashtra. In a related development, NCP(SP) legislator Rohit Pawar has appealed to the Congress party to withdraw its candidate for the Baramati by-election, to allow Sunetra Pawar to be elected unopposed as a tribute to Ajit Pawar. The Congress state leadership has deferred the final decision on withdrawal to the party's national High Command in Delhi. The by-election was necessitated following the tragic plane crash that claimed Ajit Pawar's life earlier this year.

Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar takes oath as Rajya Sabha MP. NCP seeks Congress withdrawal for Sunetra Pawar's unopposed Baramati bypoll win.

New Delhi, April 9 Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan on Thursday administered the oath to Nationalist Congress Party leader Parth Pawar as a newly elected Member of Parliament from Maharashtra at Parliament House.

Parth Pawar, 35, took the oath in English in the presence of the Leader of the House J. P. Nadda and Congress Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh and several other leaders.

He is the son of NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who passed away in a plane crash earlier this year.

Prior to Ajit Pawar's death, his wife Sunetra Pawar had been elected to the Rajya Sabha. Following the tragic incident, she assumed office as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and subsequently stepped down from the Upper House.

Parth Pawar was later elected to the Rajya Sabha with the backing of the NCP's strength in the state Assembly, where the party holds 40 MLAs. He had earlier contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Maval constituency but was defeated by Shiv Sena's Shrirang Barne.

In a parallel political development, NCP(SP) Legislator Rohit Pawar on Thursday met the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Harshwardhan Sapkal, urging him to withdraw the party nominee Akash More for an unopposed election of NCP candidate and state Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar in the April 23 Baramati by-election.

Rohit Pawar's plea is important as Thursday is the last date of withdrawal of nomination at 3 p.m. for the Baramati by-election in which 47 contestants have filed their nominations.

Pawar, after meeting Harshwardhan Sapkal, told reporters, "I made a request to the state Congress chief for the withdrawal of the party nominee, which will pave the way for the unopposed election of Sunetra Pawar in the Baramati bypoll. This is necessary as the bypoll is taking place after the untimely demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and the unopposed election will be a tribute to him. It is now up to the Congress party to make a decision. I am quite hopeful about the Congress party's move. It is a national party, and it will make a decision after the due process."

Rohit Pawar said that the Congress party has taken a stand that the state government should register an FIR in the plane crash in which former Dy CM Ajit Pawar died on January 28.

He further added that he has been pressing for the same for a long time, and ultimately, the FIR was filed in Karnataka with the help of the Congress government there.

During the meeting, Rohit Pawar facilitated a video call with Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala to discuss the sensitivity of the situation.

"Following the loss of a stalwart like Ajit Dada, it is essential to view this election through an emotional lens as a true tribute to him," Rohit Pawar stated.

"As a family member and a karyakarta, I have appealed to Congress to withdraw their nomination," he added.

Earlier, Sunetra Pawar had personally reached out to Harshvardhan Sapkal twice to request an unopposed path; the Maharashtra Congress leadership has deferred the final decision to the "High Command" in Delhi.

"The decision to contest Baramati was taken at the national level. Therefore, any move to withdraw must be discussed with the High Command and follow their counsel," a Congress source indicated.

- IANS
Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar shared a candid moment on his reality show, revealing he failed in school three times between kindergarten and 9th grade. He introduced his childhood best friend, Jinesh, from the audience, with their bond dating back to their early school days. The two engaged in playful banter, with Jinesh blaming their failures on spending too much time together and revealing childhood crushes. Akshay, who has often highlighted his long-standing friendships, has maintained connections from his upbringing in Mumbai before achieving his acting dreams.

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar shocks fans, admitting he failed in school three times and shares hilarious banter with his childhood best friend.

Mumbai, April 9 In a rare and unfiltered moment, Bollywood superstar and quiz reality show Wheel of Fortune host Akshay Kumar introduced his childhood best friend from his school days who was seated in the live audience.

Akshay took a trip down memory lane to his days at school, further revealing that before he was the superstar of Bollywood, he was a backbencher who struggled to clear his exams, and that he had failed thrice in school.

While interacting with the contestants, Akshay pointed out his friend Jinesh in the audience, revealing that their bond dates back to kindergarten.

The superstar shocked the audience by admitting "Hum log KG se saath mein hain aur KG se 9th grade ke beech mein hum log teen-teen baar fail hue hain".

When Akshay playfully grilled Jinesh on why he kept on failing, his friend had a quick defence to it and responded to the audience by saying "Main aapke saath time spend karta tha, uski wajah se!."

The banter escalated when Akshay revealed Jinesh's childhood hobby which was to ride his cycle around the town just to catch a glimpse of girls.

Not one to take it lying down, Jinesh pointed right at Akshay and asked the audience "Kya lagta hain, main dekhta tha ya yeh."

Akshay has always stated that he is in touch with all of his good friends from his childhood days.

A few years ago on the comedy show The Kapil Sharma Show, Akshay Kumar had invited his friends from the same residential society that he stayed in while growing up.

The actor who was raised in Mumbai, is also a martial art professional and also has worked as a chef in Thailand.

The actor returned to Mumbai to fulfill his dream of becoming an actor and over a span of 30 years of efforts, has attained superstardom.

- IANS
Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, expressed gratitude to the UAE leadership for their support of the Indian community during a meeting with a senior Abu Dhabi official. The discussions also focused on deepening bilateral cooperation between the two nations. This follows a recent working visit by a UAE minister to New Delhi, where talks addressed strengthening partnership and condemning regional attacks that threaten stability and energy security. Concurrently, India's External Affairs Minister met with Swedish officials to advance the India-EU Strategic Partnership.

Indian Ambassador thanks UAE leadership for supporting Indian community as officials meet to strengthen bilateral cooperation and address regional tensions.

Abu Dhabi, April 9 Indian Ambassador to UAE, Deepak Mittal, discussed deepening partnership between New Delhi and Abu Dhabi during his meeting with Saif Saeed Ghobash.

The details of the meeting were shared in a post on X by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Upon meeting Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Ambassador Mittal expressed his gratitude to the UAE leadership for their continued care and support of the Indian community.

They also exchanged views on deepening bilateral cooperation.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared that Secretary (CPV&OIA) Ms. Sripriya Ranganathan hosted an interaction with the Gulf Cooperation Council Heads of Missions in New Delhi on Tuesday with Prof. (Dr.) Bimal N. Patel, India's candidate for the post of Judge, ITLOS (term 2026-35), attending as a Special Guest.

Earlier in March, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy conducted a working visit to New Delhi, holding significant talks with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

The meeting focused on strengthening the partnership between the two nations while addressing escalating regional tensions. According to a statement released on X by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the officials reviewed the "repercussions of the Iranian missile attacks on security and stability in the region," specifically noting their "impact on the global economy and energy security."

Reem Al Hashimy condemned the "treacherous attacks against the UAE and other countries in the region," describing them as a "grave violation of international law, the UN Charter, and international humanitarian law." She further stated that such actions constitute an "infringement on the sovereignty of states and a direct threat to their security and stability.

As India deepens its engagements with partners across the world, EAM S Jaishankar on Wednesday met Dag Hartelius, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Sweden.

The leaders spoke about the advancement of the bilateral cooperation and the deepening of the India-EU Strategic Partnership.

- ANI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of CRPF personnel on the occasion of CRPF Valor Day, commemorating the 1965 battle at Sardar Post. In a separate development related to the Assam assembly polls, Shah expressed confidence that the BJP will form the government again and pledged to implement the Uniform Civil Code. He launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing them of protecting infiltrators for vote bank politics. Shah vowed that the BJP would identify and remove every single infiltrator from the country.

Amit Shah pays tribute to CRPF bravery, attacks Rahul Gandhi & Mamata Banerjee on infiltrators, and expresses confidence in BJP's Assam victory.

New Delhi, April 9 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday paid tribute to the personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force on the occasion of CRPF Valor Day, remembering their courage and sacrifice in protecting the nation.

In a post on X, Shah saluted the bravery of CRPF personnel and recalled their historic role in the 1965 battle at Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch. "Salute to the indomitable courage and sacrifice of our brave hearts on CRPF Valor Day," he said.

Highlighting the significance of the day, the Home Minister said that on this day in 1965, CRPF personnel displayed exceptional courage while defending the country. "On this day in 1965, the fearless warriors of CRPF stood like an unbreakable wall at Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch, crushing the enemy's advances and writing a glorious chapter of bravery in India's history," Shah stated.

Paying homage to the martyrs, he added, "Heartfelt tributes to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the honour and security of the nation."

CRPF Valor Day is observed every year to commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of CRPF personnel, particularly those who fought valiantly during the 1965 conflict.

On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed confidence that the BJP will again form a government in Assam and said a decision to bring the Uniform Civil Code will be taken in the first meeting of the state cabinet.

Addressing election rallies on the last day of the campaign for the assembly polls in Assam, Amit Shah said that after the UCC is implemented in the state, no one will have permission to marry four times.

He attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a rally in Cachar and said BJP will throw out every single infiltrator from the country.

"We are striking the names of infiltrators from the voter list. Mamata Didi and Rahul Baba are having a stomachache. Rahul Baba, you used to oppose CAA, you were opposing giving voting rights to the refugee Bengali brothers and sisters who have come here, but why are you welcoming the infiltrators? Because they are their vote bank... Let Mamata Banerjee cry, let Rahul Baba beat his chest, but BJP will throw out every single infiltrator from this country," he said.

He also addressed a rally in Hailakandi and sought the support of the people to form a government again.

Voting for the 126-seat Assam Assembly is currently underway, and the votes will be counted on May 4.

- ANI
Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen K.T. Parnaik visited the remote Khenzemane border outpost near the Line of Actual Control to boost troop morale. He interacted with Army and ITBP personnel, emphasizing physical fitness and mental alertness in the demanding environment. The Governor also highlighted the crucial importance of maintaining strong, cordial relations with local border communities. In a separate meeting, he and Chief Minister Pema Khandu discussed civil-military coordination and developmental initiatives with senior Army officials.

Governor Lt Gen K.T. Parnaik visits forward post in Tawang, stresses morale & fitness. Meets with CM to discuss civil-military coordination.

Itanagar, April 9 Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen K.T. Parnaik on Thursday visited the remote border outpost of Khenzemane near the Line of Actual Control in Tawang district, where he encouraged troops to maintain high morale, remain physically fit, and stay mentally alert at all times, particularly given the demanding conditions in forward areas.

A Lok Bhavan official said that, nestled amid challenging terrain and harsh weather, the border outpost stands as a symbol of India's vigilance and resilience. The Governor's visit was seen as a strong gesture of solidarity with the forces guarding the nation's frontiers.

Continuing his outreach to troops deployed in border regions, the Governor interacted with personnel of the Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, acknowledging their unwavering dedication and sacrifices.

Drawing from his extensive military experience, Lt Gen Parnaik connected with the troops on a personal level, listening to their concerns and gaining insights into their day-to-day challenges. 

He also enquired about their overall well-being, including their ability to remain connected with their families despite being stationed in remote locations.

While motivating the troops, the Governor emphasised the importance of maintaining high morale, physical fitness, and constant mental alertness, especially in such demanding operational environments.

He stressed that the strength of mind and body, combined with discipline and unity, is crucial to ensuring operational readiness and safeguarding national security.

Highlighting the importance of civil-military harmony, the Governor advised the forces to maintain close, cordial relations with local communities.

He underscored that the trust and support of people living in border areas are invaluable for effective functioning. 

Recalling lessons from the Sino-Indian War of 1962, he reminded personnel that local communities had stood shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces during difficult times, offering crucial assistance and guidance in navigating the challenging terrain.

Brigadier Bhupal Singh, Commander of the 190 Mountain Brigade, accompanied the Governor during the visit.

Meanwhile, Lt Gen Neeraj Shukla, General Officer Commanding of the Gajraj Corps, called on the Governor and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu in Tawang on Thursday. 

During the meeting, discussions focused on various aspects of civil-military coordination, as well as ongoing and future developmental initiatives in the state's border areas.

A defence spokesperson stated that emphasis was placed on strengthening synergy between the Armed Forces and civil administration to enhance infrastructure, connectivity, and socio-economic development in remote regions.

Both the Governor and the Chief Minister expressed appreciation for the Indian Army's sustained efforts and unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for local communities in far-flung areas of Arunachal Pradesh. 

They also acknowledged the Army's significant role in advancing the Vibrant Village Programme and promoting the integration of border villages into the broader national development framework.

The interaction reaffirmed a shared commitment to ensuring security, development, and inclusive growth in the state's strategically important border regions.

- IANS
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the Kamakhya Devi temple in Guwahati to offer prayers for the state's prosperity on the day of assembly polling. Accompanied by his wife, he stated he was fortunate to have the darshan on polling day and prayed for Assam's advancement. Sarma, the NDA candidate from the Jalukbari seat he has held since 2001, later urged voters to participate in large numbers, calling it a festival of democracy. Polling is underway in a single phase across 126 constituencies with over 2.5 crore eligible electors.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma offers prayers at Kamakhya Devi temple on polling day, urges high voter turnout for a "better Assam" in state elections.

Guwahati, April 9 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday offered prayers at the Kamakhya Devi temple in Guwahati before casting his vote in the ongoing polling of the state assembly polls.

Sarma, who was accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, said that he prayed for the prosperity of the state at the Kamakhya Devi temple. "It is polling day today in Assam. I had the fortune to have a darshan of Maa Kamakhya on the polling day. May Assam flourish and people of the state advance, I prayed this to Maa," he told reporters.

The Assam CM is NDA candidate from the Jalukbari assembly seat, which has been his for nearly 25 years. Representing the seat since 2001 after defeating Asom Gana Parishad leader Bhrigu Kumar Phukan, Sarma has built a formidable base in the region.

In the 2021 Assam Assembly elections, Chief Minister Sarma won with 1,30,762 votes, securing 78.4 per cent of the total votes. He defeated Congress candidate Romen Chandra Borthakur, who received 28,851 votes (17.3 per cent). Independent candidates Hemanta Kumar Sut, Naba Kumar Nath and Moinul Hoque got 4,838, 1,218, and 1,141 votes, respectively. Sarma's victory margin stood at 1,01,911 votes.

Earlier in the day, Sarma urged voters to come out in numbers and cast their vote, while emphasising the importance of "each vote and voice" towards building "better Assam."

The response comes in the backdrop of single-phase polling, which began in Assam earlier in the day, across 126 constituencies.

"Today, Assam votes and each voice matters, each vote matters in the path of building a better Assam. On the occasion of this festival of democracy, I urge everyone to come out and vote in large numbers to strengthen democracy and take Assam to new heights," Sarma wrote on 'X'.

Meanwhile, voter turnout at 9 am on Thursday in Assam was recorded at 17.87 per cent, as per the Election Commission of India.

Earlier, the polling began for high-stakes electoral battles in two states, Assam and Keralam, as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry, on Thursday at 7 am with the Election Commission making arrangements for free, fair and smooth polling.

Voters queued outside polling stations to cast their votes in a single-phase assembly election.

In Assam, more than 2.5 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise for 126-member legislative assembly. There are 722 candidates in the fray.

Of 2,50,54,463 electors, 1,25,31,552 are male voters and 1,25,22,593 females. There are 318 voters in the Transgender category and 63,423 service voters.

Among the electorate, 6,42,314 voters are in the age group of 18-19 years, 2,50,006 are above 80 years of age, and 2,05,085 are persons with disabilities.

To strengthen the monitoring mechanism, webcasting facilities have been arranged in accordance with the Commission's directions, a release said.

Webcasting has been enabled in all 31,490 polling stations, including 31,486 main polling stations and 4 auxiliary polling stations. A total of 1,51,132 polling personnel have been deployed for the conduct of the election.

For polling purposes, 41,320 Ballot Units, 43,975 Control Units, and 43,997 VVPAT machines have been arranged, including reserves for emergency use. Additional polling personnel have also been kept in readiness, if required.

The Congress has stitched a six-party alliance to take on the ruling BJP-led NDA, which is seeking its third successive term in office.

- ANI
Congress leader Debabrata Saikia cast his vote and urged the people of Assam to vote for development and peace while cautioning against outsiders deciding the state's future. BJP candidate Pijush Hazarika countered by emphasizing his party's stance against illegal immigration from Bangladesh and predicting Congress's defeat. Polling is underway across the state with over 2.5 crore eligible voters deciding between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led alliance. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, which will determine the composition of the next government.

Assam Assembly elections see Congress' Debabrata Saikia warn against outsider influence, while BJP's Pijush Hazarika focuses on illegal immigration. Key quotes and analysis.

Sivasagar, April 9 Assam Legislative Assembly Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia cast his vote at a polling station in Simlaguri on Thursday, urging voters to prioritise development, peace, and the future of the state.

"I hope that the people of Assam will vote for development, peace, and the future of Assam, which they believe is currently not good," the Congress candidate from Nazira Constituency told ANI after exercising his franchise.

Raising concerns over alleged external influence, he added, "I heard a large number of people loaded in buses and trains are arriving in Assam, like they did in Karnataka, Bihar... I hope the people of Assam will not let outsiders decide the future of Assam."

Polling for the 126-member Assam Assembly began at 7 am, with voters turning out across constituencies amid tight security arrangements. The election is witnessing a contest between the ruling BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led alliance.

Earlier, Assam Minister and BJP candidate from Jagiroad constituency, Pijush Hazarika, cast his vote and emphasised the party's stance against illegal immigration. "We are in support of Assami Muslims. Those who have come from Bangladesh illegally, we are against them. I would like to request people of Assam to please come forward to vote for development. The people of Assam are against the Bangladeshis, invaders, and illegal migrants, and that is why Congress will not get votes. More people are going to resign from the Congress party," he said.

Hazarika also criticised Congress leader Pawan Khera over allegations regarding Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's family, calling the claims baseless. Meanwhile, actor Aimee Baruah expressed confidence in Hazarika's victory and a BJP return to power.

The state has over 2.5 crore eligible voters, and the outcome will determine the composition of the next government. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

- ANI
The Assam Rifles seized 102 bags of the rare medicinal plant Anchiri, valued at Rs 36 lakh, in Mizoram's Lawngtlai district. Three individuals were arrested after the consignment was intercepted at a river-road junction near the Myanmar border. The plant, Paris polyphylla, is highly sought after for traditional medicine and pharmaceutical research. The operation highlights the ongoing challenge of cross-border smuggling in the region's porous frontiers.

Assam Rifles intercepts Anchiri plant worth Rs 36 lakh near Myanmar border, arresting three. Learn about cross-border smuggling routes.

Aizawl, April 9 In a significant operation against the illegal trade of forest resources, the Assam Rifles have seized a consignment of Anchiri, a rare and high-value medicinal plant, worth Rs 36 lakh and arrested three persons in Mizoram's Lawngtlai district, officials said on Thursday.

An Assam Rifles official stated that the consignment of Anchiri (Paris polyphylla), packed in 102 bags, was seized near Zorinpui in Lawngtlai, along the Indo-Myanmar border on Wednesday.

According to Headquarters, Inspector General of Assam Rifles (East), the consignment was smuggled through the Sekul River and intercepted at a river-road junction while being loaded onto a truck.

Three individuals were apprehended during the operation.

Anchiri is widely used in traditional medicine for treating inflammation, infections, and wounds. It is also in demand for pharmaceutical research, making it a frequent target of illegal cross-border trade.

Zorinpui, located in the Lawngtlai district of southern Mizoram, serves as a vital land check post along the India-Myanmar border. The area is also strategically important due to its proximity to the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project in neighbouring Myanmar.

Mizoram shares a 510-km-long unfenced international border with Myanmar and a 318-km-long porous and mountainous border with Bangladesh, making the region particularly vulnerable to cross-border smuggling of drugs and other illegal activities. Myanmar's adjoining Chin State is considered a major hub for trafficking various narcotics, arms and ammunition, exotic wildlife, precious medicinal plants, foreign-made cigarettes, Myanmar areca nuts (betel nuts), and other contraband.

These illegal goods are often smuggled through six districts of Mizoram -- Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip. Among the most commonly trafficked substances from Myanmar are methamphetamine tablets, widely known as Yaba or "party tablets". Often referred to as the "crazy drug", these tablets contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine and are strictly banned in India.

- IANS
Danish tennis star Holger Rune will make his competitive return from a serious Achilles tendon injury at the Bitpanda Hamburg Open in May. The injury, sustained in October 2025, required surgery and an intensive rehabilitation period. The tournament field is strong, featuring hometown favorite Alexander Zverev and defending champion Flavio Cobolli. Tournament officials expressed honor at Rune choosing their event for his long-awaited comeback.

Holger Rune confirms his return from an Achilles rupture at the ATP 500 Hamburg Open in May, joining Zverev and other stars on clay.

Hamburg, April 9 Holger Rune will make his long-awaited comeback following a lengthy injury break at the Hamburg Open, an ATP 500 tournament, in May, the organisers said on Thursday. Rune, who is still on the entry list for the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome at the start of May, will make his third appearance in Hamburg. The Dane reached the quarter-finals in 2024.

His 2025 season, however, was abruptly interrupted. In October, Rune suffered a complete Achilles tendon rupture during the ATP tournament in Stockholm. The injury required surgery followed by several months of rehabilitation. Since then, he has been working intensively on his return to the tour, which is now officially confirmed.

"The hard work starts in Hamburg. I can't wait to be back on clay at the Bitpanda Hamburg Open and to finally experience the atmosphere on site again after such a long break," Rune said.

Before his injury, Rune compiled a 36-22 win-loss record in 2025, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index.

Tournament Director Enric Molina Mur also expressed his enthusiasm about Rune's participation. "We are very pleased that Holger Rune will make his comeback with us in Hamburg. I know how much work he has put into this intensive rehabilitation period, and we feel honoured that he has chosen the Bitpanda Hamburg Open for his return.

"I am confident that he will once again experience the special atmosphere at Rothenbaum, both from the Hamburg crowd and from the many Danish fans who will travel to the city," said Mur.

Alongside Rune, several German players have already confirmed their participation, including Jan-Lennard Struff and rising talent Justin Engel. World number 3 Alexander Zverev will also compete in his hometown and aims to capture the title.

International competition will be strong, with defending champion Flavio Cobolli and Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime also returning to Rothenbaum.

- IANS
The first phase of Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry witnessed a record voter turnout, with women participating in larger numbers than men. The process was largely peaceful with heavy security deployments and only isolated incidents reported. Puducherry recorded the highest turnout at nearly 90%, while Assam also saw its highest-ever participation. Election officials highlighted the turnout as a reflection of trust in democracy, aided by new voter-friendly initiatives.

First phase of Assembly elections sees historic voter turnout. Women voters outnumber men in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry. Process largely peaceful.

Thiruvananthapuram/Guwahati/Puducherry, April 9 Polling in Thursday's Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry was marked with a record turnout of voters, where women came out in larger numbers than their male counterparts to exercise their franchise.

The process was largely peaceful amidst heavy deployment of security forces, as only isolated incidents of lawandorder reports came in.

Assam and Puducherry recorded the highest number of voters' participation ever by recording 85.38 per cent and 89.83 per cent turnout, respectively. Previously, the highest turnout recorded in Assam was 84.67 per cent in the 2016 Assembly elections and for the Union Territory of Puducherry, it was 86.19 per cent in 2011. Kerala recorded 78.03 per cent.

Welcoming the high turnout in the first phase of the Assembly elections, possibly the highest in five decades, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar greeted voters and poll officials, highlighting that the impressive voting numbers reflect the people's trust in democracy.

Significantly, women voters outdid their male counterparts in both the states and the Union Territory. In Assam, the figures stood at 85.96 per cent for females against men's 84.80 per cent, while in Kerala, it was 80.86 per cent and 75.01 per cent, and in Puducherry, 91.33 per cent to 88.09 per cent, respectively. Puducherry also recorded the highest turnout of electors representing the third gender at 91.81 per cent, to Assam's 36.84 per cent, and 91.81 per cent in Kerala.

A total of 296 Assembly Constituencies in the two states and the lone Union Territory of Puducherry went to polls with a total electorate of over 5.31 crores. At the same time, by-elections were also held in Karnataka's Bagalkot and Davanagere South, Nagaland's Koridang, and Tripura's Dharmanagar.

Several voter-friendly initiatives, such as easily-identifiable colour photos of candidates on EVM ballot papers, Mobile Deposit Facility (MDF), newly-designed Voter Information Slips (VIS) for easy readability and a limit of electors up to 1,200 per polling station, were introduced in these elections.

Turnout built steadily through the day after moderate morning participation. Long queues were seen across the states in several booths, even as specially-abled persons joined in exercising their voting rights.

Among other places, a newly married couple came to vote at the HMT School polling station at Kalamasseri in Kerala's Ernakulam.

In Thiruvanthapuram, first-time voters received halwa from CEO, Dr Rathan U. Kelkkar, after casting their votes as part of the Vote Sweetened Kerala campaign.

In Thrissur, woman voter Akshaya was initially stopped because her left index finger was bandaged due to an injury. The Presiding Officer refused to let her vote since the election ink could not be applied to that finger. However, the Chief Electoral Officer intervened and gave a written order, allowing her to cast her vote.

Meanwhile, an unusual visual has gone viral where a robot was seen welcoming voters at the VOC Government School Higher Secondary School in Puducherry's Raj Bhavan constituency. The white robot is seen moving along a corridor, carrying a tray full of petals, greeting people, and encouraging them to exercise their franchise.

Thursday's election covered 140 seats in Kerala, 126 in Assam and 30 in Puducherry in this phase. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23, and West Bengal on April 23 and 29. Counting of votes is slated for May 4.

Election authorities and state governments mounted large security deployments - paramilitary units and local police reinforcements -- and model polling booths, to ensure orderly voting across urban and remote booths.

The emphasis was on preventing booth capture, intimidation and illegal campaigning near polling stations. Only a few, isolated disturbances were reported during the day.

Most reports highlighted routine seizure of illicit materials, complaints of EVM malfunction or queue disruptions, followed by rapid police responses; no major breakdowns of law and order came in by evening.

Election officials emphasised strict enforcement of the model code of conduct and quick redressal mechanisms as special teams monitored sensitive constituencies in Assam and urban pockets in Kerala.

Assam saw high rural and tribal turnout, with long queues at many booths and visible enthusiasm among firsttime voters.

The polls came after the mandatory silent period, before which the campaign colour was dominated by flags and banners, rallies of political parties, where local issues such as migration, land rights and development framed voter conversations.

Polling in Kerala combined disciplined turnout, where the day remained largely peaceful and orderly, while Puducherry recorded the highest reported turnout share, with strong voter mobilisation in both urban and rural areas.

Polling continued from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., though those electors who had joined the queues before closing time were allowed to cast their vote.

High-stakes narratives, like regional identity in Assam, development vs anti-incumbency in Kerala, and local issues in Puducherry, targeted voter outreach and strong ground organisation by parties contributed to elevated participation. Weather and weekend scheduling also aided turnout in many districts.

While the National Democratic Alliance governments in both Assam and Puducherry are looking for another term, the contest in Kerala is between two blocs, where the incumbent Left Democratic Front, led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist, is again facing a challenge from the Congress-led United Democratic Front alliance.

- IANS
Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand has ordered senior officers to conduct night patrols between 10 pm and 2 am to bolster security ahead of the polls. The directive includes strict monitoring of election-related cases and coordination with central paramilitary forces. This comes amid political tensions, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's complaint about inadequate security during her nomination filing. The police aim to ensure voting occurs without fear, promising strict action against any intimidation or booth obstruction.

Kolkata Police Commissioner orders senior officers on night patrols from 10 pm to 2 am to ensure security ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections.

Kolkata, April 9 Senior police officers of Kolkata will have to be on the streets from 10 pm to 2 am, Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand has ordered. 

On Thursday, he held a meeting with senior police officers of the city and gave this order there. He said that senior officers will have to come out more in public and inspect the areas at night. 

The Commissioner of Police has asked officers to ensure strict surveillance in all election-related cases. These officers will also be able to give necessary instructions after understanding the importance of the incident.

The city's Joint Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner-rank officers were also present at today's meeting. They have also been ordered to inspect the areas at night. These officers will be present during the naka searches, and they will monitor the entire process. 

Even these senior officers have been asked to be with the central forces. The emphasis is on inspecting and monitoring the areas before the Assembly elections.

Voting will be held in 294 Assembly constituencies of West Bengal in two phases on April 23 and 29. Eleven constituencies in Kolkata will go to the polls on the 29th. The results of the vote will be known on May 4. 

At this stage, the state's police administration is under the Election Commission's control.

In the incident of unrest over the filing of nomination papers by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur, the Election Commission asked the Commissioner of Police whether he could handle law and order in Kolkata. 

After that, the Commissioner of Police held a personal meeting with the officials of Lalbazar (city police headquarters) regarding the city's security.

It is worth mentioning that the Election Commission removed Supratim Sarkar from the post of Kolkata Commissioner of Police ahead of the Assembly polls and appointed Ajay Nand. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed dissatisfaction with the police's role on Thursday. It is alleged that the police did not provide proper security for her march to file her nomination yesterday.

In this situation, the police are sending a message to the public to maintain peace. It is being said that the Kolkata Police is determined to conduct voting in an environment free from fear and intimidation. Any unrest will be suppressed with strict measures. If there is an attempt to block or jam the booth, appropriate legal action will be taken in accordance with the Commission's instructions. 

The police are encouraging people to vote without fear. If anyone is obstructed from voting, they have been asked to report it to the police station.

- IANS
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale expressed confidence that the Women's Reservation Bill will be passed unanimously in a special Parliament session from April 16-18. The bill will increase the total seats in Parliament to 816, with 33.4% reservation for women, including those from SC/ST communities. He stated the increased seats will be reflected after the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, applying to state assemblies as well. Athawale is also campaigning in Tamil Nadu, where he predicts an NDA victory over the DMK alliance in the upcoming state elections.

Union Minister Athawale says the Women's Reservation Bill will pass unanimously, increasing Parliament seats to 816 with 33.4% for women.

Chennai, April 9 Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday highlighted the impact of the Women's Reservation Bill, stating, "After this bill is passed, the total number of seats in Parliament will increase to 816...33.4% reservation will be for women, including SC/ST women."

While speaking to ANI, he appealed to all political parties for support, asserting, "In this reservation, there should be a reservation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women. Therefore, this bill will be passed unanimously because we appeal to all political parties to support this bill," he added.

The minister explained that a special three-day Parliament session from April 16-18 is being convened to facilitate the passing of the Women's Reservation Bill. According to him, the move will significantly increase the representation of women in Parliament, ensuring that their voices are heard in policy and legislative matters.

He said, "In Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the Women's Reservation Bill was passed. On 16, 17, 18, three days special Parliament session will be held for the Women's Reservation Bill. And now, about 273 seats we are increasing. And now Parliament seats are 543. And after increasing the 273 seats for women, then there will be 816 seats in Parliament, and the women's percentage will be 33.4%. That is the reservation for women. In this, there should be a reservation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women. And therefore, this bill will be passed unanimously because we appeal to all political parties to support this bill."

The minister hailed this step as a historic move by the government, aimed at empowering women and increasing their participation in governance.

Athawale further elaborated that following the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, the increased seats will be reflected in both Parliament and state assemblies, paving the way for 33% reservation for women across the country.

He stated, "And in the 2029 election, that increased seats will be accepted. And in the 2029 Lok Sabha election, and after that, which assemblies are there, then that seat will be increased in the Lok Sabha and in the assembly also. And after the 2029 Lok Sabha election, which assembly elections will come, at that time, there should be the 33% reservation in every state for all women."

Speaking on the political landscape in Tamil Nadu ahead of crucial state elections, Athawale said, "I am in Tamil Nadu for the NDA for the important elections in the state. My party - the Republican Party of India, once led by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar - is also with Narendra Modi ji, and definitely, this time, NDA will defeat the DMK alliance because people want change here. Therefore, I've come here. On 18 seats, we are contesting here, and my party is also supporting the NDA."

The upcoming elections are expected to witness a keen contest between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also set to make his electoral debut, potentially turning the contest into a three-cornered battle.

The polling for single-phase Tamil Nadu assembly elections is scheduled to be held on April 23, with counting of votes set for May 4.

- ANI
BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra has written to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, urging the revival of the Bhubaneswar Metro project. He proposes adopting the funding model of the recently approved Jaipur Metro Phase-2, which involves a 50:50 partnership between the Centre and State. Patra argues that this model would make the Odisha Metro, with a cost of Rs 6,255 crore, financially viable and aligned with central policy. This appeal comes after the state cabinet's recent decision to scrap the existing metro agreement with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

BJD MP Sasmit Patra urges CM Mohan Majhi to revive Bhubaneswar Metro via a 50:50 Centre-State SPV, citing the approved Jaipur Metro Phase-2 precedent.

Bhubaneswar, April 9 Senior BJD leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra on Thursday wrote to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, urging him to revive the Bhubaneswar Metro project through a structured collaboration between the Union and the state government, on the lines of Jaipur Metro Phase-2 in Rajasthan.

In a letter to CM on Thursday, Patra mentioned that the Union Cabinet on April 8 approved the Jaipur Metro Phase-2 (41 km; 13,000+ crore) project under the Metro Rail Policy, 2017, through a 50:50 Centre-State SPV, supported by subordinate debt and external financing.

He said this approval sets a clear precedent that large metro projects are being implemented through a structured Centre-State partnership.

Patra further added that the Odisha Metro (Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Khurda-Puri), with an approved cost of Rs 6,255 crore in 2024, is less than half the scale of the Jaipur metro phase 2 project and was originally conceived as a 100% State-funded project.

He also stated that if the Odisha Metro project is implemented under the Jaipur model, the central and state governments would each bear a share of around Rs 3,100 crore, while the remaining cost would be covered through Viability Gap Funding (VGF) or structured financing.

"If Jaipur Metro Phase-2, of more than Rs 13,000 crore, supported by the Union Government, is viable, I am sure Odisha Metro (Puri-Khurda-Bhubaneswar-Cuttack), with half the cost of Jaipur Metro Phase-2, would find viability and policy alignment. As conveyed earlier in my letter to the Hon'ble Union Minister (April 6, 2026), discontinuing the project would undermine a critical mobility and economic backbone for the State," stated Patra.

He noted that the Odisha Metro along the Puri-Khurda-Bhubaneswar-Cuttack corridor would benefit people in Odisha with safer and faster travel, provide students and youth with better access to education and jobs, and offer senior citizens more comfortable transport, boost tourism improving connectivity to key destinations, support small businesses and drive economic development by reducing congestion and creating new opportunities.

"I again request the Odisha Government, through you, to reconsider the decision to scrap the Odisha Metro project and that Odisha adopt the Jaipur funding model in consultation with the Government of India," urged Patra.

Notably, the state cabinet led by Mohan Charan Majhi recently resolved to terminate the state government's agreement with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, thereby finally scrapping the Bhubaneswar Metro rail project. It also decided to transform Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Corporation Limited into a nodal body for planning and implementing sustainable urban mobility initiatives in the state.

- IANS
Senior Congress leader AK Antony has predicted a clean sweep for the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the Kerala assembly elections, stating that people want to send off the current Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. He took a jibe at the BJP, calling it a 'non-Kerala' party and asserting that the vast majority of the state's people do not like it. Over 2.6 crore registered voters will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies in the state. The election is primarily seen as a contest between the ruling LDF, aiming for a historic third term, and the opposition UDF.

Senior Congress leader AK Antony predicts a clean sweep for the UDF in Kerala, calls BJP a 'non-Kerala' party, and says people want to send off the LDF government.

Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 Senior Congress leader AK Antony on Thursday stressed that the Keralam elections would be a "sweep" for United Democratic Front, adding that people want to "send off" the current Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front regime.

Speaking to reporters, Antony further took a jibe at the BJP, calling them a 'non-Kerala' party, asserting that there is "something wrong" with them.

"Election is a clear verdict of the people. People want to send off this present LDF government. UDF will have a clean sweep in Keralam. After the counting, UDF will form the government. LDF will sit in the opposition, and they will start discussing about what went wrong for this miserable defeat. BJP, that is not Kerala party. Kerala people don't like BJP. Vast majority of the people of Kerala will vote against the present government. According to me, Pinarayi government's time is over. Ten years of misrule, something wrong with them (BJP)," AK Antony told reporters.

Earlier today, Antony cast his vote at the Govt GHS Jagathy polling station in Thiruvananthapuram.

Meanwhile, voter turnout was 16.2 per cent at 9 AM, as per the Election Commission of India.

In Keralam, over 2.6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies. Of the 2,69,53,644 registered voters across the state, there are 1,38,27,319 women voters and the number of male voters stands at 1,31,26,048.

Officials said 277 voters have been registered in the 'third gender category.'Among the electorate, nearly 4,24,518 voters fall in the 18-19 age group, while 2,04,608 voters are aged 85 years and above

To facilitate safe and secure polling, a total of 30,471 polling stations have been set up, which comprises 119 logistic and voter machine distribution centres and 41 vote counting centres.

Keralam Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rathan U Kelkar on Tuesday said that 1.46 lakh trained polling personnel have been dispatched to polling stations.

"As part of the arrangements for Kerala Assembly elections, we have the total electorate of 2.71 crores, and the service voters are 53,984. We will be counting the votes in 140 strong rooms and 43 locations. We have 1.46 lakh polling personnel who have been trained and will be dispatched to all the polling stations," he said

"We have FIRs against 180 people in terms of election-related activities, and more than 1,200 police teams are very actively working in the field. We are ensuring that all the new initiatives by the Election Commission are implemented properly," he added.

The election is seen as a contest between the ruling LDF and opposition UDF, with the BJP-led NDA, which has been gaining vote share.

LDF holds 99 seats in the current assembly and is aiming for a third consecutive term based on its performance and welfare schemes. The LDF created a record in 2021 as it retained the southern state, which, over the decades, has seen power alternating between the coalitions led by CPI(M) and Congress.

- ANI
Brazil has defied a broader trend of capital flight from emerging markets by attracting $883 million into its domestic equity funds. This influx comes as equity funds across other developing economies suffered outflows totaling $3.9 billion. The strong performance is underscored by foreign investors injecting approximately $11.7 billion into Brazil's B3 stock exchange over the past month. While global emerging markets face pressure, Brazil's energy and financial sectors have shown particular strength, contributing to renewed investor confidence.

Brazil sees $883M equity fund inflows as other emerging markets face outflows. B3 stock exchange attracts foreign investment, signaling strong investor confidence.

Sao Paulo, April 9 Brazil has emerged as a standout performer among developing economies, attracting substantial investments into its equity funds even as most emerging markets face capital outflows.

According to Brasil 247, citing figures from JPMorgan released via InfoMoney, domestic equity funds in Brazil secured inflows of USD 883 million (approximately BRL 4.5 billion), defying an otherwise challenging global financial climate. In contrast, equity funds across emerging markets continued to experience losses, with outflows reaching USD 3.9 billion during the same period, following the previous week's withdrawal of USD 654 million.

Brazil's divergence from this broader pattern has reinforced confidence among foreign investors, who continue to identify growth opportunities within the country. The report noted that while allocations through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and traditional investment vehicles were not categorised by individual countries, a significant portion of inflows appears to have been directed towards index funds. This trend points to a strategy of gaining broad-based exposure to Brazil's market, especially in light of its recent stock market rally.

This renewed investor interest is also evident in the performance of Brazil's stock exchange, B3. Over the past month, foreign investors injected around BRL 11.7 billion into the market. For the first quarter of 2026, total inflows across various investment channels climbed to BRL 53 billion.

Across the wider Latin American region, investment sentiment showed improvement. After experiencing outflows of USD 111 million in the previous week, regional equity funds rebounded with inflows of USD 199 million (about BRL 1 billion). Brazil had already led the recovery earlier, registering inflows of USD 475 million.

Sector-wise, Brazil's energy segment delivered strong returns, second only to Mexico's communication services sector. The financial sector also gained traction by the end of March, outperforming the broader market for five consecutive sessions. Other industries, including capital goods, steel and mining, and education, posted steady gains, while consumer and retail, agribusiness, and oil and gas lagged.

Globally, emerging markets remained under pressure, particularly in Asia (excluding Japan), which recorded outflows of USD 5 billion. The Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region marked its fifth straight week of withdrawals, totalling USD 124 million. Meanwhile, countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar also saw net outflows, influenced by ongoing geopolitical tensions linked to Iran.

Despite ongoing volatility, emerging market equity funds have maintained positive momentum in 2026, with total inflows reaching USD 73.6 billion so far this year. This is slightly below the early March peak of USD 86.1 billion, but still reflects strong year-to-date performance.

- ANI
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has called for the current US-Iran ceasefire to be formally extended to cover Lebanon, demanding Hezbollah disarm. Iran, through Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accuses the US and Israel of violating key clauses of the temporary truce, threatening to withdraw from upcoming talks in Islamabad. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defiantly states the Lebanon theater was never part of the deal and vows to continue striking Hezbollah targets forcefully. The escalating accusations and military actions are putting severe strain on the fragile diplomatic efforts aimed at regional de-escalation.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas demands the US-Iran ceasefire extend to Lebanon, warning Israeli strikes strain the deal as Iran threatens to quit talks.

Brussels, April 9 The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has called for a significant expansion of the current regional truce, asserting that the "ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran should extend to Lebanon."

In a series of statements addressing the escalating Middle East crisis, Kallas underscored the necessity of de-escalation while demanding that the "Iran-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah must disarm."

The EU's top diplomat offered a balanced yet firm critique of the ongoing hostilities, noting that while "Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the war, Israel's right to defend itself does not justify inflicting such massive destruction."

Kallas expressed mounting concern over the longevity of existing diplomatic efforts, warning that "Israeli actions are putting the US-Iran ceasefire under severe strain."

She noted that, to preserve regional stability, "the Iran truce should extend to Lebanon."

Her remarks come amid reports of intensifying military operations in the region. Referencing the human cost of the recent escalations, Kallas pointed out that "Israeli strikes killed hundreds last night, making it hard to argue that such heavy-handed actions fall within self-defence."

The fragile state of this regional stability is further complicated by Israel's continued operations in Lebanon. These actions have directly threatened the temporary ceasefire, leading Iran to accuse the US-Israeli side of violating the agreement.

In a sharp diplomatic escalation, Tehran has threatened to withdraw from the high-level negotiations set to take place in Islamabad this weekend.

The Iranian delegation to Islamabad is scheduled to be led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. He has explicitly accused the Israeli side of violating three key clauses of the 10-point proposal that established the temporary ceasefire intended to kickstart further negotiations.

Ghalibaf stated that "the deep historical distrust we hold toward the United States stems from its repeated violations of all forms of commitments, a pattern that has regrettably been repeated once again."

According to Ghalibaf, the first major breach involves non-compliance with the first clause of the proposal regarding a ceasefire in Lebanon. He noted this was a commitment Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had explicitly declared as "an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and other regions, effective immediately."

The Speaker also cited the entry of an "intruding drone into Iranian airspace," which was destroyed in the city of Lar in Fars Province, as a clear violation of the clause prohibiting airspace incursions. Additionally, he accused the opposing side of violating the sixth clause by denying "Iran's right to enrichment."

Given these alleged breaches, Ghalibaf argued that proceeding with a "bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable" because the core clauses have been violated before formal talks could even commence.

Conversely, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained defiant, insisting that the Lebanon theatre was never part of the original deal. "I insisted that the temporary ceasefire with Iran not include Hezbollah. And we continue to strike them forcefully," Netanyahu stated.

The Israeli PM highlighted the scale of recent strikes, claiming that Israel dealt Hezbollah its "greatest blow" since the pager incidents by attacking 100 targets in just 10 minutes. He emphasised that these strikes hit locations the group believed were "immune."

Netanyahu's stance remains focused on Israel's primary objective: prohibiting Iran from enriching uranium, which Tel Aviv believes is intended for a nuclear weapon. He expressed a determination to achieve this either through negotiation or by "resuming the fighting."

"I want to make this clear: We still have goals to complete, and we will achieve them either by agreement or by resuming the fighting. We are prepared to return to combat at any moment required. Our finger is on the trigger," he warned.

For Israel, the current ceasefire is viewed not as a finality but as a "milestone on the path to achieving all goals." Despite the friction, direct talks between the US and Iran are still slated for Islamabad this weekend, aimed at ending weeks of intense hostilities.

The upcoming summit follows a two-week immediate ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran. The US delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, while the Iranian side will be represented by Speaker Ghalibaf.

- ANI
Iran's Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has issued a stern warning that Israeli strikes on Lebanon constitute a violation of the regional ceasefire and will invite firm retaliation. He emphasized that Lebanon and the broader "Resistance Axis" are an inseparable part of the ceasefire framework, citing a 10-point proposal. The warning comes amid a fundamental disagreement, with the US and Israel maintaining the truce does not extend to Hezbollah targets, while Iran insists it halts all Israeli military operations in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has concurrently affirmed that military operations against Hezbollah will continue with force.

Iran's Parliament Speaker warns Israel that strikes on Lebanon violate the ceasefire and will incur "explicit costs and strong responses," as diplomatic tensions rise.

Tehran, April 9 Iran's Parliament Speaker MB Ghalibaf, on Thursday issued a strong warning against the continued strikes on Lebanon by Israel following the agreement for a two-week ceasefire to the over-a-month-long conflict in West Asia, stating the strikes are violations of the deal and would invite firm retaliation from the Islamic Republic.

In a statement posted on X, Ghalibaf emphasised that Lebanon and the broader "Resistance Axis" are integral to the ceasefire framework, referring to the proposed multi-point framework aimed at de-escalation in the region.

The Iranian leader also pointed to remarks made by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who publicly and clearly stated that Lebanon was part of the ceasefire deal, despite Israel's or the US's later denying it.

"1- Lebanon and the entire Resistance Axis, as Iran's allies, form an inseparable part of the ceasefire. (Point 1, 10-point proposal). 2- PM Shehbaz Sharif publicly and clearly stressed the Lebanon issue; there is no room for denial and backtracking," Ghalibaf stated.

Warning of consequences, Ghalibaf underscored that any breach of the ceasefire would not go unanswered.

"Ceasefire violations carry explicit costs and strong responses. Extinguish the fire immediately," he added.

The developments come even as the fragile ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran hangs in the balance, with Tehran stating that the truce also includes the halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

However, both Washington and Israel have maintained that the ceasefire does not extend to Hezbollah targets, a disagreement that has further complicated diplomatic efforts and heightened the risk of the truce collapsing.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also affirmed that Israel will persist in its military operations against Hezbollah, following a series of intense and lethal strikes across Lebanon.

In a statement shared via his personal account on X, the Prime Minister emphasised the continued scale of the offensive, noting that the military is "continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination".

- ANI
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has outlined the Bastar 2.0 development plan following meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. The initiative aims to transform the long-deprived tribal region through focused development in agriculture, forest produce, tourism, and infrastructure. With the security situation improved after the near-eradication of Naxalism, the plan shifts focus to creating sustainable livelihoods and saturating basic services. The CM has invited PM Modi to visit Bastar after the monsoon to lay foundation stones for key projects.

CM Vishnu Deo Sai details Bastar 2.0, a comprehensive development initiative for the tribal region, following meetings with PM Modi and Amit Shah.

Raipur, April 9 Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has highlighted the significant progress in eradicating Naxalism from the state during his recent three-day visit to Delhi, where he held meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Nitin Nabin.

Speaking to mediapersons, Chief Minister Sai credited Prime Minister Modi's guidance, the strong resolve of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the bravery of security forces for successfully rooting out Naxalism from the region.

On behalf of the people of Chhattisgarh, he expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for this achievement. Chief Minister Sai particularly focused on the Bastar region, which remained deprived of development for nearly four decades due to left-wing extremism.

He apprised the Prime Minister about the government's plans to accelerate progress in Bastar through the Bastar 2.0 development initiative. "During my time in Delhi, I met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed the Bastar 2.0 development initiative. With his guidance, we aim to promote development in Bastar, enhance agriculture, increase the value of forest produce, and boost animal husbandry, fish farming, tourism, and homestay projects. I am grateful to the Prime Minister and to the people of Chhattisgarh, especially the residents of Bastar, who have waited decades for development," the Chief Minister said.

The Bastar 2.0 plan aims to bring infrastructure, employment, and basic amenities to the tribal-dominated region now that peace has been restored.

The Chief Minister's Delhi visit is seen as a step towards securing central support for transforming Bastar into a model of inclusive development.

Bastar, which was once severely affected by left-wing extremism, has witnessed a remarkable improvement in the security situation in recent years. With the near elimination of Naxal influence, the state government is now shifting focus from security operations to large-scale socio-economic development.

The Bastar 2.0 plan represents the next phase of this transformation, aiming to turn the region into a hub of infrastructure, innovation, startups, tourism, and sustainable livelihoods for its predominantly tribal population.

The initiative lays special emphasis on modernising agriculture through better irrigation and advanced farming techniques. It also seeks to add significant value to minor forest produce such as tendu leaves and mahua by improving processing, packaging, and market linkages, thereby increasing income for local tribal families.

Animal husbandry and fish farming will be expanded to create additional sustainable livelihood opportunities in remote areas, the chief minister said.

Tourism and homestay projects form a key pillar of the plan, with efforts to promote Bastar's natural beauty, cultural heritage, traditional arts, and festivals. This is expected to generate employment for local youth while bringing economic benefits to villages.

The development blueprint is guided by a core strategy of saturating basic services, improving connectivity, facilitating growth, empowering communities, and engaging local people in the development process.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister also discussed major infrastructure projects, including the expansion of Jagdalpur airport, progress on the Raoghat-Jagdalpur railway line, and the establishment of a super-specialty hospital and medical college in the region.

He has extended a formal invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Bastar after the monsoon season to lay the foundation stones for several key initiatives.

- IANS
Polling is set for April 9 in the Davanagere South and Bagalkot Assembly segments, with all security and logistical arrangements in place. The main contests are between Congress and BJP candidates, with the by-elections necessitated by the deaths of sitting Congress MLAs. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appealed to voters to support Congress candidates to continue the development legacies of the late leaders. BJP leaders expressed confidence in victory and appealed for votes for their candidates to ensure comprehensive development.

Polling on April 9 in Davanagere South & Bagalkot. Key contests between Congress and BJP. CM Siddaramaiah, BJP leaders make final appeals.

Bengaluru, April 8 The stage is set for polling in two Assembly segments, Davanagere South and Bagalkot, on April 9, with candidates making their final appeals to voters. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has urged voters to support Congress candidates, while the Bharatiya Janata Party has expressed confidence that the Congress will face defeat in the bypolls.

Polling officials have put in place all necessary security and logistical arrangements to ensure a smooth voting process. Polling will begin at 7 am and conclude at 6 pm.

In the Bagalkot Assembly segment, there are 2.59 lakh voters and nine candidates in the fray. A total of 332 polling stations have been set up. The electorate includes 1.26 lakh male and 1.32 lakh female voters. Around 1,564 staff and additional security personnel have been deployed to manage and monitor the polling process.

Additional security arrangements have been put in place for sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling booths. Adequate security measures have also been put in place to ensure safe voting.

Bagalkot District Election Officer Sangappa said there is no need for voters to fear. Arrangements have been made for voters aged 80 or above to cast their votes from home. Those who wish to visit polling booths will be provided with wheelchair facilities.

The main contest in Bagalkot is between Congress candidate Umesh Meti and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Veeranna Charantimath. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of Congress MLA H.Y. Meti.

In the Davanagere South Assembly segment, authorities have set up 284 polling stations, of which 76 have been identified as sensitive. Prohibitory orders have been imposed within a 200-meter radius of polling stations. The constituency has 2.31 lakh voters, with 25 candidates in the fray. More than 1,000 security personnel have been deployed to ensure safety.

The Congress has fielded Samarth Mallikarjun, while the Bharatiya Janata Party has nominated Srinivas T. Dasakariyappa. Afsar Kodlipet is contesting as the Social Democratic Party of India candidate. The bye-election is necessitated by the demise of veteran Congress leader and MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday evening appealed to voters in Davanagere South and Bagalkot to support Congress candidates in the by-elections scheduled for Thursday (April 9), highlighting the legacy of senior leaders and the need to ensure continuity in development.

Addressing voters in Davanagere South, he described the late Shamanur Shivashankarappa as a veteran Congress leader who dedicated his life to public service, serving as a six-time Member of the Legislative Assembly, a Member of Parliament, and president of the All India Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha.

He credited Shivashankarappa's vision and hard work for the development of both the constituency and the district, and urged voters to elect the Congress candidate, Samarth Shamanur, to carry forward that legacy.

Siddaramaiah termed the election an ideological battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress's secular values, cautioning voters against misinformation and divisive politics.

In Bagalkot, he recalled the contributions of the late H.Y. Meti, who served as MLA, minister, and MP, and worked for the welfare of all communities. Calling his death an irreparable loss, the Chief Minister said the by-election offers an opportunity to honour his legacy.

He urged voters to support Umesh Meti, stating that he would continue his father's development agenda and represent the people's voice in the Assembly.

On the other hand, Bharatiya Janata Party State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra appealed to voters in the Davanagere South and Bagalkot Assembly constituencies.

He said: "For the comprehensive development of the constituencies, I appeal to you to cast your valuable vote for T. Srinivas Dasakariyappa (Serial Number 2), the BJP candidate in the by-election in Davanagere South, and ensure his victory by the largest possible margin. I appeal to ensure the victory of Charantimath Veerabhadrayya (Veeranna) (Serial Number 2), the BJP candidate in the bye-election in Bagalkot, with a majority of votes for the comprehensive development of the Bagalkot constituency."

Bharatiya Janata Party MLC C.T. Ravi stated that the Congress's defeat is inevitable.

He said that, due to the state government's poor governance, their loss is certain. If they had provided good governance, they would have won this bye-election.

However, they will lose in the general elections, he said in response to another question.

- IANS
A delegation from the Bar Association Theog met with Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to discuss issues facing the legal community. The Chief Minister assured them their genuine demands would be considered sympathetically. This follows a meeting a day earlier with the Himachal Pradesh Computer Teachers' Association, which submitted a memorandum seeking a permanent policy and service regularization. CM Sukhu similarly assured the teachers' delegation that their concerns would be addressed.

Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assures Theog Bar Association and state computer teachers' delegations of sympathetic consideration of their demands.

Shimla, April 9 A delegation of the Bar Association Theog, led by Chairman B.S. Kashyap, called on Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here on Thursday.

During the meeting, the delegation apprised the Chief Minister of various issues and demands concerning the legal fraternity in Theog. They discussed related matters and sought the government's support in addressing their professional demands.

The Chief Minister assured the delegation that the state government would sympathetically consider all their genuine demands.

Earlier on April 8, a delegation of the Himachal Pradesh Computer Teachers' Association, led by President Suman Thakur, called on the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu at his official residence, Oak Over, on Wednesday and apprised him of the issues of computer teachers in the state.

According to the release, the delegation also submitted a memorandum outlining their demands. The members of the association urged the Chief Minister to formulate a permanent policy for computer teachers and also to regularise their services.

The Chief Minister listened to their concerns and assured the delegation that the state government would consider their demands sympathetically.

Mandi District President of the Association, Ramesh Thakur; Una District President of the Association, Hardev Singh and other representatives were present on the occasion.

- ANI
The Delhi government has doubled the daily allocation of 5 kg Free Trade LPG cylinders for migrant labourers from 684 to 1,368. To ensure effective distribution, District Magistrates will organize special outreach camps in areas with high concentrations of migrant workers. The initiative, coordinated with Oil Marketing Companies, requires Aadhaar for identity verification upon payment. This move aims to strengthen last-mile delivery and ensure timely access to essential cooking fuel for a vulnerable population.

Delhi govt doubles 5kg free LPG cylinder allocation for migrant workers, launches special camps for last-mile delivery. Learn about the new initiative.

New Delhi, April 8 In a significant step to strengthen support for migrant workers, the Government of India has approved a 100% increase in the allocation of 5 kg Free Trade LPG cylinders under the Migrant Labourer category.

Pursuant to this decision, the Government of NCT of Delhi has doubled the daily availability of 5 kg FTL cylinders from 684 to 1,368, as per the Allocation Order. This enhanced allocation will ensure wider access and more equitable distribution of LPG among migrant workers in Delhi, according to the Chief Minister's Office.

To ensure effective last-mile delivery of the increased allocation, District Magistrates have been directed to organise Special Camps in areas with a high concentration of migrant labourers.

The migrant labourers having difficulty in procuring such cylinders could approach the DM office and request camps in their area. These camps will complement the existing distribution network operated by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) through authorised LPG distributors, the CMO said.

The Special Camps will be conducted in coordination with OMCs to facilitate convenient access to 5 kg FTL cylinders for eligible migrant workers, upon payment and submission of Aadhaar as identity proof. District Enforcement Teams will support the initiative through demand assessment and oversight, ensuring orderly, transparent, and efficient distribution.

According to the CMO, this initiative is aimed at strengthening last-mile delivery systems, improving accessibility, and ensuring timely availability of essential cooking fuel for migrant workers across Delhi.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Petroleum, in a press conference, said that there is sufficient availability of Liquefied Petroleum Gas and other fuels such as petrol and diesel despite tensions in West Asia, and the government has ensured consistent supply throughout the crisis by prioritising domestic consumers for the supply of LPG.

During the inter-ministerial briefing, Sujata Sharma, General Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, added that commercial LPG's were delivered in a calibrated manner and the supplies were regulated to prioritise supplies to domestic consumers.95% bookings of LPG cylinders are being made online, and 91% of the refill deliveries are ensured through the Delivery Authentication Code, which reflects that there was no diversion in deliveries.

The Ministry said that nearly 17000 cylinders have been surrendered since the government took initiatives and encouraged consumers to adopt piped natural gas connections. "Since March 2026, around 3,87,000 PNG connections were issued and nearly 4,21,000 new consumers registered for new PNG connections," the General Secretary said.

The Ministry further assured all Indian refineries are operating at their maximum capacities and there is no shortage of petrol and diesel.

- ANI
Delhi Police have conducted a major intelligence-led operation named CyHawk, marking a strategic shift to dismantle cybercrime ecosystems. The crackdown resulted in over 1,400 arrests and the tracing of more than 519 crore linked to fraudulent networks. Police targeted the financial backbone of syndicates, including mule accounts and illegal call centres running various scams. The operation received crucial support from central agencies and partners, with police vowing to continue proactive measures.

Delhi Police's Operation CyHawk arrested 1,429, questioned 8,371 suspects, and traced 519 crore in a major crackdown on cybercrime networks.

New Delhi, April 8 In one of the largest coordinated operations against cybercrime in recent years, Delhi Police have dealt a significant blow to online fraudsters operating from the national capital under a city-wide crackdown named Operation CyHawk.

As per the release, conceived and directed by Commissioner of Police Satish Golchha, IPS, the operation marked a decisive shift from reactive measures to dismantling the entire cybercrime ecosystem. The month-long intelligence gathering and planning phase received strong backing from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The raids primarily targeted the financial backbone of cyber fraud syndicates -- mule bank accounts used to move stolen funds, agents withdrawing cash, and illegal call centres orchestrating scams. These included fake job offers, "digital arrest" threats, telemarketing frauds, customer-care impersonations, and fake tech-support schemes.

Operation CyHawk led to over 8,371 suspects being questioned across multiple districts, with 1,429 individuals arrested or bound down based on strong technical and financial evidence, while 2,203 formal notices were issued to people linked to the money trails.

The police registered 499 new FIRs and made breakthroughs in 324 pending cyber fraud cases, successfully linking 3,564 complaints from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) to specific mule accounts and mobile numbers, a release added.

Investigators traced more than Rs 519 crore in defrauded money to accounts connected with these organised networks, neutralised several illegal call centres to halt ongoing and future scams, and recovered hundreds of mobile phones, laptops, hard drives, SIM cards, debit/credit cards, financial ledgers, and other tools, all of which are now under forensic examination.

Speaking about the success, Commissioner Satish Golchha said: "Operation CyHawk reflects Delhi Police's firm resolve to stay ahead of cyber criminals through intelligence-led and technology-driven policing. By targeting their financial and operational backbone, we have weakened these networks significantly. This sends a strong message -- those who cheat citizens through digital means will be identified, tracked, and brought to justice."

The coordinated raids were supervised on the ground by senior officers, including Special CP Madhup Tewari and Special CP Anil Shukla, with joint coordination by Joint CPs Rajneesh Gupta and Vijay Singh.

Delhi Police expressed gratitude to I4C, banking institutions, and telecom partners for their crucial support. The force has vowed to continue such proactive operations at regular intervals to maintain pressure on cybercrime syndicates.

According to the release, citizens are advised to remain alert online. Follow the mantra: STOP - THINK - ACT. Never share bank details, PIN, OTP, or CVV with unknown callers. Be cautious of unsolicited job offers, investment schemes, or "easy money" promises. Always verify customer care numbers from official websites and avoid installing screen-sharing apps on request. Enable two-factor authentication and keep your phone software updated.

Fraud incidents can be reported immediately on the cybercrime.gov.in portal (NCRP) or via helpline 1930 to help freeze fraudulent transactions and recover money. Delhi Police have also stepped up cyber awareness campaigns through social media, workshops in schools, colleges, and residential areas to educate people about emerging threats.

- ANI
A powerful coalition of global leaders has issued a joint statement following a temporary US-Iran ceasefire, emphasizing that diplomacy must now permanently replace military action. The leaders, including those from major European nations and allies, warned that the stakes impact global stability and risk a severe energy crisis. They called for the ceasefire to be a first step toward a swift, negotiated settlement to protect civilians and ensure regional security. The statement aligns with US President Donald Trump's announcement of a two-week truce based on a "workable" Iranian proposal.

Following a US-Iran truce, a coalition of world leaders issues a joint statement demanding a permanent diplomatic solution to prevent regional collapse.

Paris, April 8 A powerful coalition of global leaders has issued a joint statement following the announcement of a temporary halt in hostilities between the United States and Iran, emphasising that diplomacy must now replace military action to prevent a total regional collapse.

The communique, endorsed by French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, alongside top EU officials, underscored the urgency of the moment.

"We welcome the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran today," the leaders stated, while noting the involvement of regional intermediaries. "We thank Pakistan and all partners involved for facilitating this important agreement."

The group, which also included Danish acting Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa, made it clear that the truce must be the first step toward a permanent resolution.

"The goal must now be to negotiate a swift and lasting end to the war within the coming days. This can only be achieved through diplomatic means," the joint statement read.

Pushing for an immediate transition to the peace table, the world leaders added, "We strongly encourage quick progress towards a substantive negotiated settlement."

The coalition warned that the stakes extend beyond the immediate battlefield, impacting global stability and the lives of millions.

According to the statement, a negotiated settlement "will be crucial to protect the civilian population of Iran and ensure security in the region. It can avert a severe global energy crisis."

Aligning themselves with the ongoing mediation efforts, the leaders noted, "We support these diplomatic efforts. To this end, we are in close contact with the United States and other partners."

The joint declaration also called for an expansion of the peace efforts to other volatile fronts in the Middle East.

"We call upon all sides to implement the ceasefire, including in Lebanon," the leaders urged.

Furthermore, with global oil markets on edge, the signatories pledged their combined resources to keep critical maritime corridors operational.

"Our Governments will contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," the statement said.

This collective diplomatic push follows a decisive move by US President Donald Trump, who suspended the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran.

Announcing a two-week, double-sided ceasefire, the President indicated that a 10-point proposal received from Tehran is considered "workable".

In a post on Truth Social, Trump explained that the proposal would serve as the groundwork for a permanent deal, while asserting that the US has already achieved the majority of its military objectives.

"Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double-sided CEASEFIRE!" Trump said.

He further noted, "The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Long-term PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East. We received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate."

According to the US President, Iran has consented to nearly all previous points of contention, and this two-week window is intended to allow for the finalisation of a permanent agreement.

Reciprocating this overture, the Iranian leadership accepted the peace terms, agreeing to both a pause in military operations and the provision of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed the Islamic Republic's stance on X, stating that Iran would halt its military activity, provided it was not targeted.

"Considering the request by the U.S. for negotiations based on its 15-point proposal, as well as the announcement by POTUS about acceptance of the general framework of Iran's 10-point proposal as a basis for negotiations, I hereby declare on behalf of Iran's Supreme National Security Council: If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations. For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations," Araghchi wrote.

The diplomatic process is set to escalate quickly, with formal talks scheduled for Friday in Islamabad.

The negotiations will be led by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and a US delegation headed by Vice-President JD Vance.

- ANI
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri met Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman in New Delhi to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation, particularly in the energy sector. The meeting followed Rahman's earlier talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, where they reviewed the full spectrum of the bilateral relationship and exchanged views on regional issues. This visit is seen as a pivotal step to reset and elevate cooperation between the two nations following a recent political transition in Bangladesh. The diplomatic outreach aims to lay a foundation for more productive and sustainable future collaboration.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri meets Bangladesh FM Khalilur Rahman to deepen bilateral cooperation in the energy sector and strategic ties.

New Delhi, April 8 Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri met Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday to discuss enhancing energy ties between the two nations, following the visiting dignitary's high-level talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar earlier in the day.

In a post on X, Puri noted the high-level participation from the Bangladeshi delegation during the meeting held in the national capital.

"Pleased to receive the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, HE Dr. Khalilur Rahman. He was accompanied by HE Mr. M. Humayun Kabir, Advisor to Bangladesh PM on Foreign Affairs and HE M. Riaz Hamidullah, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India," the Union Minister stated.

The meeting with Puri focused on deepening the strategic relationship between the two neighbours, specifically regarding resource sharing and infrastructure. Highlighting the primary agenda of these talks, the Union Minister added that the leaders "discussed bilateral cooperation in the energy sector."

Earlier on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted Khalilur Rahman and his delegation to review the depth of bilateral engagement alongside regional and international issues.

The high-stakes meeting at Hyderabad House focused on the trajectory of the neighbourhood partnership. Highlighting the discussions, Jaishankar posted on X, "Pleased to host FM Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh and his delegation this afternoon. We discussed strengthening our bilateral relationship in its various facets. Also exchanged views on regional and global developments. Agreed to remain in close touch."

Rahman reached New Delhi on Tuesday for a "goodwill visit" which, according to Dhaka, is anticipated to serve as an "important foundation" for expanding cooperation between the two neighbours to more productive and sustainable heights.

Welcoming the visiting dignitary, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted the deep-rooted connections between the two nations, sharing on X, "India and Bangladesh share warm and historic ties anchored in strong people to people relations. The visit will further bolster India-Bangladesh partnership."

The visit serves as a strategic stopover for Rahman before he travels to Mauritius for the Indian Ocean Conference, set for April 10-12.

According to the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry, the Minister's itinerary in Delhi also included high-level engagements with India's National Security Adviser to "emphasise the stability and sustained development of bilateral relations based on mutual respect, trust, and shared interests."

This diplomatic mission is viewed as a pivotal step in resetting ties following a period of political transition.

"This visit is expected to lay an important foundation for elevating the areas of cooperation between Bangladesh and India to more productive and sustainable levels in the future," a statement from Dhaka read, noting that Humayun Kabir, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, is accompanying the Foreign Minister.

The outreach marks the first official ministerial visit to India since the BNP-led government took charge in February.

It signals a significant effort to recalibrate a relationship that faced turbulence during the 18-month tenure of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration, which was marked by concerns over anti-India sentiment and reports of violence against Hindu minorities.

The groundwork for this ministerial dialogue was reinforced on Monday when India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, met with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka to discuss multi-sectoral cooperation.

During those talks, Verma reiterated New Delhi's commitment to a "positive, constructive and forward-looking approach" aimed at fostering a partnership rooted in shared interest and mutual benefit.

- ANI
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has arrived in Port Louis, Mauritius, for a four-day official tour. His visit aims to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership through high-level discussions with Mauritian leadership. A key part of his agenda is participation in the 9th Indian Ocean Conference, focusing on maritime safety and regional stability. The trip underscores India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and will continue with a subsequent visit to the United Arab Emirates.

EAM S Jaishankar arrives in Mauritius for bilateral talks and the 9th Indian Ocean Conference to advance security and economic cooperation.

Port Louis, April 9 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has arrived in Port Louis, Mauritius, to participate in the 9th Indian Ocean Conference and to further strengthen the deep-rooted bilateral ties between the two nations.

Upon his arrival, the External Affairs Minister was received by the Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade Minister of Mauritius, Dhananjay Ramful.

Acknowledging the hospitality, Jaishankar shared his greeting in a post on X, stating, "Bonzour Moris! Arrived in Port Louis today."

He further extended his gratitude to the Mauritian leadership, noting, "Thank my Mauritian counterpart FM @RitishRamful for the warm welcome."

The visit is expected to involve a series of high-level discussions aimed at bolstering regional security and economic cooperation.

Emphasising the goal of his visit, Jaishankar added that he is to "look forward to productive engagements to advance our Enhanced Strategic Partnership."

In addition to bilateral meetings, the External Affairs Minister's schedule includes significant multilateral engagement, as he "will also be participating in the 9th Indian Ocean Conference," a key platform for discussing maritime safety and regional stability.

This arrival marks the commencement of a four-day official tour that will see the minister visiting both Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The trip, which began this Thursday, is designed to explore new avenues for strengthening India's bilateral relations with these key partners.

Focusing on the first leg of the journey in Mauritius from April 9 to 10, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Jaishankar will engage with the local leadership to "review the entire spectrum of bilateral ties."

Providing context to the diplomatic mission, the MEA noted that "the visit underscores India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, vision MAHASAGAR, and commitment to the Global South."

This strategic framework, particularly "MAHASAGAR", or "Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions", was first introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Mauritius in March last year.

Once the engagements in the island nation conclude, the External Affairs Minister will proceed to the United Arab Emirates for the second leg of his tour, scheduled for April 11 to 12.

In the UAE, the MEA stated that Jaishankar will meet with the Emirati leadership to "review close cooperation and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership" between the two countries.

These high-level meetings are also expected to address regional stability, as the prevailing "West Asia situation" remains a priority on the diplomatic agenda.

- ANI
The Election Commission of India is hosting a major international delegation in Kerala to observe the state's Assembly elections. The 43-member group from 23 countries is visiting various model polling stations to witness India's electoral management firsthand. Their itinerary includes demonstrations of mock polls, women-friendly booths, and youth-managed stations to highlight inclusivity and transparency. The initiative aims to showcase India's electoral scale and efficiency while facilitating a global exchange of best practices in democracy.

A 43-member delegation from 23 countries visits Kerala polling stations under ECI's International Election Visitors' Programme to witness India's electoral process.

Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 In a significant moment underscoring India's electoral credibility, the Election Commission of India has rolled out the red carpet for a high-powered international delegation to witness the Kerala Assembly elections under its International Election Visitors' Programme 2026.

Kerala, on Thursday at 7 a.m, started to vote to elect 140 legislators.

A 43-member delegation representing 23 countries arrived in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the first phase of the IEVP.

The visit is aimed at providing a firsthand understanding of India's robust and technology-driven electoral process.

The team also distributed sweets to first-time voters, as that was a new practice to energise the first-time voters, an initiative of the chief electoral officer, Rathan U.Khelkar, here.

In Kerala, the delegation's polling day itinerary on April 9 is tightly packed, reflecting the state's diverse and inclusive election management model.

The observers began early at 6 a.m. with a mock poll at Booth No. 104 at Cotton Hill LPS, Vazhuthacaud, an exercise designed to demonstrate transparency and system integrity before the commencement of voting.

The team also visited a women-friendly polling station at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, followed by a model polling booth at Government Model GHSS, Pattom, both of which showcase enhanced voter participation.

A youth-managed booth at Government Girls HSS, Peroorkada, forms another key stop, highlighting efforts to actively involve younger citizens in the democratic process.

Beyond polling stations, the delegation visited the district collectorate control room to gain insights into backend coordination and real-time monitoring, critical components of managing elections at scale.

Officials said the initiative is intended not only to demonstrate India's electoral efficiency and magnitude but also to facilitate the exchange of global best practices in election management.

The programme reinforces India's standing as a benchmark in democratic governance.

Earlier, the ECI posted on X, "International delegates under the International Election Visitors' Programme (#IEVP) visited polling stations in Kochi, Kerala, and witnessed the polls, celebrating the Festival of Democracy. They appreciated the large-scale and meticulous arrangements of the polls."

Voting began at 7 a.m. and will continue till 6 p.m. across more than 30,000 polling stations, where the fate of 883 candidates will be decided.

The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, which will determine who governs the state for the next five years.

- IANS
The Election Commission of India is hosting a 43-member international delegation to observe the Kerala Assembly elections. The observers will visit various model polling stations, including women-friendly and youth-managed booths, to witness India's electoral process firsthand. Their itinerary includes a mock poll demonstration and visits to coordination centers to understand backend management. This initiative aims to showcase India's electoral credibility and foster an exchange of global best practices.

A 43-member global delegation observes India's electoral process in Kerala, showcasing technology and transparency in democracy.

Thiruvananthapuram, April 8 In a significant moment underscoring India's electoral credibility, the Election Commission of India has rolled out the red carpet for a high-powered international delegation to witness the Kerala Assembly elections under its International Election Visitors' Programme 2026.

Kerala goes to the polls on Thursday to elect 140 new legislators.

A 43-member delegation representing 23 countries arrived in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the first phase of the IEVP that spans Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry. Their visit is aimed at providing a firsthand understanding of India's robust, technology-driven electoral process.

In Kerala, the delegation's polling-day itinerary on April 9 is tightly packed, reflecting the state's diverse election management model.

The observers will begin early at 6 a.m. with a mock poll at Booth No. 104 at Cotton Hill LPS, Vazhuthacaud, as an exercise designed to demonstrate transparency and system integrity before voting begins.

Subsequently, the team will visit a women-friendly polling station at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, followed by a model polling booth at Government Model GHSS, Pattom, showcasing enhanced voter facilities.

A youth-managed booth at Government Girls HSS, Peroorkada, is also on the schedule, highlighting efforts to engage younger citizens in the democratic process.

Beyond booth visits, the delegation will also tour a polling material dispatch centre and the district collectorate control room to gain insights into backend coordination and real-time monitoring.

Officials said the initiative is intended not just to demonstrate India's electoral scale and efficiency, but also to facilitate the exchange of global best practices in election management, reinforcing the country's standing as a benchmark in democratic governance.

Voting will commence at 7 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. across more than 30,000 polling stations where the fate of 883 candidates will be sealed.

Counting of votes will take place on May 4, the day that will decide who will rule the state for the next five years.

- IANS
Rahul Gandhi says her life was an example of public service

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Mohsina Kidwai has passed away, prompting an outpouring of grief from party colleagues. Congress leader Salman Khurshid expressed deep sorrow, stating it felt like an entire era had ended with her. Rahul Gandhi paid tribute, saying her life was an example of public service and that she inspired generations of women. Other leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also offered their condolences.

Salman Khurshid and Rahul Gandhi lead tributes to senior Congress leader Mohsina Kidwai, recalling her decades of public service and inspiration.

Noida, April 8 Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Wednesday expressed deep sorrow over the demise of senior Congress leader Mohsina Kidwai and said it seems like an era has ended with her.

"Matching the stature she had and the services she rendered to her party seems very difficult. It's big loss for us. It feels like an entire era has ended with her," the former Union Minister told media persons.

Congress leaders fondly recalled Mohsina Kidwai's long association with the party, her sagacity, compassion and her grassroots connect.

She was close to the Nehru-Gandhi family and won her first election when Jawaharlal Nehru was India's Prime Minister. She served as a Union Minister and held varied organizational responsibilities in the Congress.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Mohsina Kidwai and said her life had been an example of public service.

"The news of the demise of former Union Minister and former MP Mohsina Kidwai ji is extremely heartbreaking. She was a senior and loyal leader of the Congress Party and her life was an example of public service. With her simplicity, gentleness, and dignified political success, she inspired several generations of women in the country. In this hour of grief, I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members and supporters," he said in a post on X.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid their tributes.

- ANI
Foreign delegates participating in the International Election Visitors' Programme praised the Election Commission of India's meticulous arrangements during the Kerala and Puducherry assembly polls. The Seychelles High Commissioner visited a specialized 'Gen Z' polling booth in Thiruvananthapuram to witness young voter engagement. Observers commended the transparency, accessibility, and efficiency of the Electronic Voting Machines across multiple polling stations. The program, inaugurated by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, allows international observers to witness India's democratic exercise firsthand.

International observers laud Election Commission's meticulous arrangements in Kerala and Puducherry, calling the voting process a "Festival of Democracy."

Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 Highlighting the global resonance of India's electoral process, foreign delegates participating in the International Election Visitors' Programme visited multiple polling stations across Keralam, including Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, to witness the ongoing Assembly Elections in the State.

The delegation, comprising representatives from various nations, lauded the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the "large-scale and meticulous" arrangements, describing the voting process as a true "Festival of Democracy."

Seychelles High Commissioner to India, Lalatiana Accouche, visited a specialised 'Gen Z' polling booth in Thiruvananthapuram. Designed to engage first-time and young voters, the booth showcased a blend of modern technology and youthful energy.

She witnessed "the energy of young voters shaping the democratic process in the General Elections," the poll commission posted on X social media platform.

Similarly, a group of international delegates visited several polling stations in Kochi. The observers spent time interacting with officials and witnessing the seamless flow of voters.

The delegation, which arrived before the polling booths opened for voting, observed a mock poll in Kochi, gaining first-hand insight into India's electoral process.

They commended the ECI for ensuring transparency and accessibility at every level.

The IEVP delegates observed the efficiency of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the systemic organisation that allowed thousands to vote without disruption.

Over 2.6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 assembly constituencies in Keralam and elect 140-members of its Legislative Assembly

IEVP delegations also visited polling booths in Puducherry. "Delegates planted saplings during their visit to a polling station in Pondicherry district, Puducherry to witness the poll under the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP).

"A message of eco-friendly elections!!" posted the Election Commission of India on X.

The Union Territory has a total of 10,14,070 electors who are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect the 30-member Legislative Assembly.

A Sri Lankan delegate was photographed planting a sapling at a polling station in Kamrup district of Assam today. The ECI posted on its X platform the photo and captioned the post, " Planting a sapling by a Srilankan delegate during his visit to a polling station in Kamrup district, Assam, to witness the poll under the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP). A message of eco-friendly elections!!"

It also posted photos of international delegates who visited the polling station, Ulubari Higher Secondary School, Ulubari, under 36-Central Guwahati Assembly constituency C, to witness the festival of democracy.

They appreciated the facilities at polling stations, such as drinking water, ramps, wheelchairs, and other arrangements, ensuring ease of voting for all.

Over 2.5 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise for the 126-member legislative assembly. There are 722 candidates in the fray.

The International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP) is a flagship initiative by the ECI to share best practices and provide a first-hand look at the world's largest democratic exercise for international observers.

The program of the ECI aims at international cooperation and engagement with the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of other countries and international organisations.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, inaugurated the programme on April 7 at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM).

Gyanesh Kumar, in his inaugural address on April 7, said that the ECI takes elections in India as festivals of democracy and works towards ensuring it in a mission mode. He also called upon the participants to enjoy the visit to the states, learn, see and experience the diversity of India.

In the first phase, the delegates of the Programme will visit Assam, Kerala and Puducherry on April 8-9 and in the second phase, the delegates will visit the States of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu from April 20 onwards, the apex poll body said in a statement.

Forty-three delegates from 23 countries, including representatives from five Foreign Missions in Delhi, will be participating in the first phase of the programme, it said.

- ANI
Voters in Assam turned out in large numbers to cast their ballots in the state Assembly elections, with the contest primarily between the ruling BJP and the Congress. Union Minister Pabitra Margarita described voting as a "festival of democracy" and urged people to participate. Despite heavy rainfall in areas like Jalukbari, voters braved the weather, with polling stations offering extensive facilities including medical aid and childcare. The elections, covering all 126 constituencies, will determine the political direction of Assam for the next five years.

Voters in Assam cast ballots in Assembly elections. Union Minister Pabitra Margarita calls it a 'festival of democracy' as BJP seeks a third term against Congress.

New Delhi, April 9 Voters in Assam turned out in large numbers on Thursday to cast their ballots in the Assembly elections, with political leaders highlighting the exercise as a celebration of democracy.

The contest is primarily between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), aiming for a third consecutive term, and the Congress, seeking to return to power after being out of office since 2016.

Union Minister of State Pabitra Margarita, casting his vote at polling station No. 21 in the Jorhat Assembly constituency, described voting as a democratic festival. "I have come to cast my vote. So yes, the festival of democracy is the greatest celebration of democracy. I also, on behalf of you, appeal to our people to come out to cast their vote for democracy, for a strong democracy," he said.

In Diphu, BJP candidate Surya Rongphar cast his vote at polling station No. 130 and expressed confidence in his party's prospects. "We have seen how the BJP has been doing in the last 10 days. The people have come out, and they are very excited that this time they have decided to form a BJP government again," Rongphar stated.

Despite heavy rainfall in Jalukbari and other parts of the state, voters braved the weather to exercise their franchise.

At polling stations in Kamrup, Block Level Officer Ankur Das highlighted the extensive preparations: "Twenty-seven cadres have been working since yesterday to set up everything. Our team has handled all the decorations. The station is equipped with medical facilities, cradles for infants, breastfeeding rooms, wheelchairs for the physically handicapped, and an ambulance is on standby," he said.

Polling began at 7 a.m. and will continue until 5 p.m., covering all 126 Assembly constituencies. Long queues of voters were observed from early morning, reflecting widespread enthusiasm and engagement. Many voters expressed hope that the incoming government would prioritise development, infrastructure, and growth in Assam.

The 126-member Assam Assembly is scheduled to complete its current term on May 20, making these elections pivotal in determining the political direction of the state for the next five years.

- IANS
Veteran diplomat Vidya Bhushan Soni has sharply downplayed Pakistan's claimed role as a mediator in US-Iran peace talks, describing it as merely a "post office" passing messages. He suggested the US is engaging with Pakistan out of a lack of better alternatives, while other independent peace efforts continue. Soni emphasized that the temporary ceasefire itself is crucial as it allows existing ground initiatives to gain momentum. He concluded that India should remain indifferent to Pakistan's specific involvement, viewing any peace effort as positive for humanity.

Former diplomat Vidya Bhushan Soni dismisses Pakistan's mediator claims in US-Iran ceasefire, labeling its role as a mere message carrier.

New Delhi, April 9 Following the announcement of a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran, veteran diplomat Vidya Bhushan Soni has cautioned against overestimating Pakistan's diplomatic influence, characterising its role as merely a messenger rather than a strategic negotiator.

In a conversation with ANI, Soni addressed claims by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding Islamabad's participation in upcoming peace meetings. Soni suggested that while Pakistan may present itself as a central peacemaker, its actual function is far more limited.

He noted that the US is "catching at straws," engaging with any available channel due to a lack of better alternatives, even as independent efforts outside of Islamabad continue.

"Regarding Pakistan's role and Shehbaz Sharif's claim that he will participate in the next meeting in Islamabad, he may claim whatever he wishes. The US will latch onto any straw because there is no other alternative medium available to them. Whosoever comes up with even a small ray of hope, they will catch it. Other alternatives are being tried that are independent of Islamabad, and those will continue," he said.

Soni described the "triumvirate" of Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan as a "post office," alleging they are simply passing messages between Washington and Tehran without adding value or new points to the dialogue.

"For now, the attempt is for this 'triumvirate' of Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan to keep trying. Again, they are not really negotiators or mediators; they are only a post office. As I mentioned earlier, they are only passing on messages from one side to the other without adding any value or new points to make it acceptable to both sides," he said.

Despite his scepticism regarding the mediators, Soni stressed that the peace efforts themselves are vital. He argued that the current ceasefire provides a necessary window for existing ground-level initiatives to gain momentum.

"That effort must continue because once it has been agreed that there will be a ceasefire, something already on the ground may gain some momentum during that period. At the same time, other alternatives will be tried. One mustn't read too much into the role of Pakistan. They will continue to play a role, but whether it will be a mediatory role or a prime role remains to be seen," he said.

Soni emphasised that while any effort toward peace is positive for humanity, India should remain indifferent to Pakistan's specific involvement.

"I don't see why India should be sensitive to it because any effort for peace is in the interest of humanity and world peace. We are neither for nor against it. If it works, fine. If it doesn't, not much was expected from it anyway," he said.

India remains a neutral observer of these specific mediatory roles, focusing on the broader goal of world peace rather than the actors involved.

While Pakistan has sought to frame itself as a proactive broker of regional stability, recent reports suggest a different dynamic. According to the Financial Times, Islamabad did not initiate the mediation but was instead pushed by the White House to help facilitate the two-week truce.

- ANI
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held talks with senior US Department of Commerce officials to enhance bilateral trade and investment in strategic and emerging technologies. He also engaged in wide-ranging discussions with US Under Secretaries at the Pentagon to deepen defence industrial, technology, and supply chain linkages between the two nations. These meetings, following recent interactions in New Delhi, aimed to sustain momentum in the India-US defence partnership. The discussions covered operational modalities and reflected on the ambitious goals of the bilateral Major Defence Partnership framework.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri meets top US officials to boost bilateral trade, investment in emerging tech, and deepen defence industrial linkages.

Washington DC, April 9 Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday held talks with US Bureau of Industry and Security Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler and Under Secretary for International Trade William Kimmitt on boosting bilateral trade.

Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said in a post on X, "Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Bureau of Industry and Security Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler and Under Secretary for International Trade William Kimmitt at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Discussions focused on boosting bilateral trade and investment in strategic and emerging technologies, and exchanging views on emerging export control frameworks."

Misri held wide-ranging interactions with US Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby that covered the developments in West Asia and also focused on ways to further deepen the defence industrial, technology and supply chain linkages between New Delhi and Washington.

The details of his meeting were shared by the Indian Embassy in the US in a series of posts on X.

The meeting between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Colby comes shortly after the latter visited New Delhi, where he met with senior officials to advance key elements of the 2026 National Defence Strategy. His visit saw discussions aimed at advancing the framework for the India-US defence partnership.

"Sustaining the momentum of India-US defence exchanges, Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri had another wide-ranging conversation with Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby at the Pentagon, covering the ongoing developments in the Indo-Pacific region and West Asia. This follows right after their recent meeting in New Delhi, on the sidelines of the India-US Defence Policy Group meeting."

In another post on X, the Indian Embassy shared that Foreign Secretary Misri had a fruitful interaction with the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition & Sustainment Mike Duffey at the Pentagon that focused on deepening defence industrial, technology and supply chain linkages between India and the US, in line with the ambitious goals laid out in the Framework for the bilateral Major Defence Partnership signed last year.

The leaders held a productive exchange of perspectives on complex operational modalities and reflected on the strength of the growing partnership.

- ANI
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has arrived in Doha for a two-day official visit focused on energy security. The trip occurs as military attacks have damaged Qatar's LNG facilities, disrupting a major global supply hub. India, a significant importer of Qatari natural gas, is deeply concerned about the stability of these critical supplies. The minister's discussions are expected to center on strengthening bilateral cooperation and assessing the conflict's impact on energy markets.

Indian Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri visits Qatar to discuss energy security as regional tensions disrupt global LNG supplies from QatarEnergy.

Doha, April 9 Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri arrived in Doha on a two-day visit at a time when Qatar's gas supplies have been disrupted due to escalating tensions in the West Asia region and attacks on key energy infrastructure.

According to a post by the Embassy of India, Doha, Qatar, on X, the minister reached the Qatari capital on Thursday and was received by Indian diplomatic officials.

"Hon'ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Hardeep Singh Puri arrived in Doha for a two-day visit," the embassy said in the post.

The embassy further added that the minister was received at the airport by senior officials.

"He was welcomed at the airport by the Ambassador of India to Qatar, Mr Vipul and officials of QatarEnergy," the post said.

The visit comes at a crucial time as energy supplies in the region have been affected by the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Qatar's state-run energy company QatarEnergy had earlier halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after military attacks hit its facilities, disrupting one of the world's largest gas supply hubs. The suspension of production raised concerns about global energy supplies and prices.

Reports have indicated that attacks on energy infrastructure in Qatar damaged key LNG facilities and knocked out a significant portion of the country's export capacity, highlighting the growing impact of the conflict on the global energy market.

Against this backdrop, Puri's visit is expected to focus on strengthening energy cooperation between India and Qatar and reviewing the impact of the regional tensions on energy supplies.

India imports a significant portion of its natural gas from Qatar, making the stability of supplies from the Gulf nation critical for the country's energy security.

- ANI
The Strait of Hormuz is set to reopen for commercial shipping after Iran agreed to a ceasefire framework with the United States. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the breakthrough, which follows weeks of US-led military operations that degraded Iran's naval capabilities. US forces will remain deployed to monitor compliance and are prepared to respond if hostilities resume. The reopening of this critical maritime chokepoint is a key test of the ceasefire, with global oil markets already reacting to the de-escalation.

Iran agrees to safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz under a US-brokered ceasefire, reopening a vital global oil shipping route after military operations.

Washington, April 8 , The Strait of Hormuz is set to reopen to commercial shipping after Iran agreed to allow safe passage under a ceasefire framework reached with the United States, Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.

"You saw the initial agreement that we struck, which is Iran's let ships go through... they will be sailing," Hegseth said, signalling a key breakthrough in restoring one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes.

The reopening comes after weeks of intense US-led military operations that officials say crippled Iran's naval and defence capabilities, forcing Tehran to accept terms that include de-escalation and freedom of navigation.

Hegseth said US forces would remain deployed to ensure the agreement holds.

"We're not going anywhere... we're going to make sure Iran complies with this ceasefire," he said. "Stay put, stay ready, stay vigilant."

The Pentagon indicated that American forces would continue to monitor Iranian military movements and be prepared to respond if hostilities resume.

"Our troops are prepared to defend, prepared to go, restart at a moment's notice," Hegseth said.

The Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf to global markets, is a vital artery for energy shipments and international commerce. Any disruption has immediate ripple effects on oil prices and global trade flows.

Hegseth said the US military had played a decisive role in securing the waterway during the conflict, while also calling on other nations to step up.

"We barely get any of our energy... tiny fraction. It's time for the rest of the world to step up and ensure that that stays open," he said.

He credited US naval and regional command efforts for establishing control in the strait, noting that Iranian forces no longer possess the same defensive capability.

"Iran doesn't have the same ability to defend it the way they did before," Hegseth said.

However, US officials acknowledged that the situation remains fluid. Iran has issued statements suggesting that safe passage would be coordinated with its armed forces, raising questions about implementation on the ground.

"What we know is that Iran can say a lot of things... commerce will talk," Hegseth said, adding that markets were already reacting to signs of de-escalation.

The Pentagon said it was closely monitoring any continued missile or drone activity following the ceasefire announcement.

"Iran would be wise... not to shoot any longer," Hegseth said, noting that ceasefires can take time to fully take hold across dispersed units.

The agreement to reopen Hormuz is being seen as a key test of the broader ceasefire, with US officials signalling that any violations could trigger a rapid military response.

The strait has long been a flashpoint in tensions between Iran and the United States, given its strategic importance for global oil exports, particularly from Gulf producers.

- IANS
The Israel Defense Forces announced the elimination of Hamas operative Muhammad Dawad, a key expert in manufacturing explosive devices used in attacks against Israeli troops. In a separate major operation, the IDF conducted its largest coordinated strike across Lebanon, targeting more than 100 Hezbollah command centers and military sites. The strikes, planned over weeks, hit locations in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley, and southern Lebanon, targeting critical infrastructure. The IDF accused Hezbollah of embedding military assets in civilian areas while stating it took measures to minimize civilian harm.

Israeli forces kill Hamas explosives specialist Muhammad Dawad in Gaza and conduct a major coordinated air operation against Hezbollah targets across Lebanon.

Tel Aviv, April 8 The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday said it has eliminated Hamas operative Muhammad Dawad, described as an expert in the production of explosive devices, in a targeted strike in the northern Gaza Strip earlier this week.

In a statement shared on Telegram, the IDF said Dawad, who was killed on Monday, was a key figure in engineering and manufacturing explosives for the Hamas organisation and played a central role in planning and executing attacks.

According to the IDF, he was responsible for producing explosive devices used in dozens of attacks against Israeli troops during the ongoing conflict.

The IDF said Dawad "posed an immediate threat" and was neutralised in a targeted operation.

It added that its troops under the IDF's Southern Command remain deployed in line with the ceasefire agreement and will continue operations to eliminate any imminent threats.

Meanwhile, the IDF also announced that it carried out its largest coordinated strike across Lebanon since the start of Operation "Roaring Lion", targeting more than 100 Hezbollah command centres and military sites within a span of 10 minutes.

The strikes hit locations in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon, targeting infrastructure including headquarters, intelligence command centres, and facilities linked to Hezbollah's missile and naval capabilities, as well as elite units such as the Radwan Force.

According to the IDF, the operation was based on precise intelligence and planned over several weeks by multiple military divisions, including the Operations Directorate, Intelligence Directorate, Israeli Air Force and Northern Command.

The military alleged that much of the targeted infrastructure was embedded within civilian areas, accusing Hezbollah of using civilians as human shields, while stating that measures were taken to minimise harm to non-combatants.

The IDF said it will continue operations against Hezbollah and other threats, asserting that it remains committed to ensuring the safety of Israeli civilians.

- ANI
India and ASEAN held their 28th Senior Officials' Meeting in Manila to strengthen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The meeting reviewed progress from the 2025 summit and formally designated 2026 as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation. The partners adopted a joint leaders' statement committing to promote eco-friendly and responsible sustainable tourism. This includes a focus on the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" model and eliminating single-use plastics within the sector.

India and ASEAN review strategic partnership progress, designate 2026 for maritime cooperation and adopt a joint statement on sustainable tourism.

Manila, April 9 India and ASEAN held the 28th Senior Officials' Meet in Manila which saw discussions on ways to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Sharing the details in a post on X, the Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "The 28th ASEAN-India Senior Officials' Meeting was Co-chaired by Secretary (East), Shri P. Kumaran & Undersecretary for Policy, Mr. Leo M. Herrera-Lim, @DFAPHL in Manila, Philippines."

Jaiswal further noted, "The meeting reviewed progress in the implementation of decisions of ASEAN-India Summit held in October 2025 and discussed ways to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as we mark the year 2026 as ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation."

In his virtual address to the summit in October last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the 21st century belongs to India and ASEAN, describing the bloc as a major pillar of India's Act East Policy. He also declared 2026 as the Year of ASEAN-India Maritime Cooperation to strengthen regional connectivity and ocean-based economic activities.

India and the leaders from ASEAN member states had adopted the "ASEAN-India Joint Leaders' Statement on Sustainable Tourism", reaffirming their commitment to promote eco-friendly, inclusive, and responsible tourism across the region, emphasising environmental sustainability and pollution reduction as key priorities under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two parties.

According to the statement, issued following the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the leaders agreed to adopt the "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" model, promote Travel for "LiFE actions", and ensure sustainable, pro-planet practices in the tourism sector.

The statement called for optimal use of land and water resources, minimising overcrowding and overuse of natural assets, and promoting biodiversity-friendly tourism practices. It also encouraged the elimination of single-use plastics, sustainable sourcing, and improved destination management to ensure long-term environmental stewardship.

- ANI
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman held high-level meetings in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and NSA Ajit Doval. Discussions focused on advancing bilateral relations, with India agreeing to ease medical and business visas for Bangladeshis in the coming weeks. The talks also covered the extradition of individuals, including a request for Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and Bangladesh's request for increased supplies of diesel and fertiliser from India. Both sides emphasized mutual trust and agreed to undertake further consultations on key bilateral and regional issues.

Bangladesh FM meets Indian ministers, discusses easing visas, extradition treaty, and increasing diesel supply. Bilateral ties recalibrated.

New Delhi, April 8 Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi on Wednesday.

He also met Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri in the national capital.

Prime Minister's Advisor for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah were present at these meetings.

They also held a meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval last evening following arrival in the capital city.

In the discussions, both sides emphasised the importance of advancing bilateral relations between the two countries in various dimensions. They also discussed key regional and international issues.

Rahman stated that the recently elected BNP Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would pursue its foreign policy in accordance with the principle of "Bangladesh First" and on the basis of mutual trust, respect, and reciprocal benefit.

Rahman thanked the Indian Government for apprehending the suspected killers of Shaheed Osman Hadi.

Both sides agreed that the arrested individuals will be returned to Bangladesh in accordance with the procedures laid out in the extradition treaty between the two countries.

The Bangladesh side reiterated its request to extradite Sheikh Hasina and her Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to Bangladesh, who have been awarded the death penalty by the International Crimes Tribunal.

During the discussions, EAM Jaishankar said Indian visas to Bangladeshis, particularly medical and business visas, would be eased in the coming weeks.

Rahman expressed thanks to Hardeep Singh Puri for the recent supply of diesel to Bangladesh by India and requested an increase in the volume of supply of diesel and fertiliser.

Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri indicated that the Government of India will consider the request readily and favourably.

The two sides also agreed to undertake consultations on key bilateral issues.

- ANI
India and Myanmar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a Small Development Project to construct a school in Nay Pyi Taw. The agreement was witnessed by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh during his four-day visit to the country. Minister Singh highlighted the project as a reflection of India's commitment to supporting Myanmar's developmental needs driven by local aspirations. His visit also includes attending the new President's inauguration and holding discussions on trade and economic cooperation.

India and Myanmar sign an MoU for a school construction project during MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh's visit, strengthening development partnership.

Nay Pyi Taw, April 9 India and Myanmar on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a Small Development Project aimed at constructing a school in Myanmar's capital of Nay Pyi Taw, during the visit of Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.

Sharing the update on X, Singh said he witnessed the signing of the MoU, describing it as a significant step in India's ongoing development partnership with Myanmar.

He described the initiative as part of India's continued commitment to supporting Myanmar's developmental needs.

"Delighted to witness today's signing of an MOU on a significant social sector Small Development Project for construction of a school in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. This project reflects India's continued commitment to developmental assistance for the benefit of the people of Myanmar, driven by local needs and aspirations," the post read.

The minister also highlighted his interactions with key members of Myanmar's strategic and academic community, including the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, the Rakhine Literature and Cultural Association, and the Myanmar-India Friendship Association.

He shared the updates in a separate post on X, where he spoke of his engagements with representatives from Yangon University and the University of Foreign Languages Yangon, exchanging perspectives on enhancing bilateral cooperation."

"Interacted with leading representatives of Myanmar strategic community including Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS), Centre for Peace and Reconciliation (CPR), Rakhine Literature and Cultural Association (RLCA) and Myanmar-India Friendship Association (MIFA), as well as Yangon University and University of Foreign Languages. Exchanged perspectives on various areas for further strengthening India-Myanmar cooperation," the post read.

Kirti Vardhan Singh is on a four-day visit to Myanmar from April 8 to April 11, to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new President on April 10 in Nay Pyi Taw.

According to a release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Singh will hold meetings with key officials of the Myanmar government to discuss ongoing trade, economic, and developmental cooperation initiatives.

The MoS will also engage with members of the Indian diaspora and Friends of India in Yangon, highlighting India's continued commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

"At the invitation of the Government of Myanmar (GoM), the Minister of State for External Affairs and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, will visit Myanmar from 08-11 April 2026, to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on 10 April 2026 in Nay Pyi Taw," the release stated.

- ANI
Union Minister Piyush Goyal hailed the launch of the India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal as a forward-looking initiative. The portal is designed to enable direct engagement between Indian exporters and US importers to deepen the trade partnership. It was formally launched by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Ambassador Vinay Kwatra, with support from the Consulate General in New York. The portal is now operational and open for registrations to unlock new trade opportunities.

New India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal launched to enable direct engagement between exporters and importers, aiming to deepen bilateral trade partnership.

New Delhi, April 8 Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday hailed the launch of the India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal, calling it a "forward-looking initiative" that will enable direct engagement between Indian exporters and United States importers.

Addressing the virtual launch of the India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal, he added that it will provide greater opportunities to further deepen the bilateral trade partnership between both countries.

Sharing a post on X, Goyal wrote, "Delighted to virtually address the launch of the India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal. It is a forward-looking initiative that will enable direct engagement between Indian exporters & US importers, providing greater opportunities to further deepen our bilateral trade partnership."

The portal was formally launched by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri along with India's Ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra, marking a major step in the direction of unlocking the full potential of trade between the two nations.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in the US described the initiative as a key move to "power us to Mission 500".

"Launch of IN-US Trade Portal! Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri along with Ambassador Vinay Kwatra, launched the India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal to help power us to Mission 500!," the Indian Embassy in the US wrote on X post.

Acknowledging contributions to the initiative, the post read, "We thank Minister of Commerce and Industry of GoI Piyush Goyal for his special message on the occasion, and leading industry voices who participated in this event."

"The portal is another step in the direction of unlocking the full potential of trade between India and the United States," the post added.

The initiative has been designed and anchored with support from the Consulate General of India in New York, whose role in facilitating the platform was also acknowledged.

The portal is now open for registrations, allowing Indian exporters to directly connect with US-based importers and explore new trade opportunities.

- ANI
An Indian Army contingent has departed for Egypt to participate in the fourth edition of the joint special forces exercise 'Cyclone'. The exercise, scheduled from April 9 to 17 at Anshas, involves 25 Indian personnel training with Egyptian counterparts. The training will focus on special operational tactics and procedures in desert and semi-desert environments to enhance joint mission capabilities. This bilateral exercise aims to strengthen defence cooperation and mutual understanding between the two nations' armed forces.

Indian Army contingent departs for joint special forces exercise with Egypt. Aim is to enhance interoperability and share tactics in desert terrain.

New Delhi, April 9 The Indian Army contingent has departed for Egypt to participate in the fourth edition of the India - Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise, Cyclone - IV, scheduled to be conducted at Anshas from April 9 to April 17.

The exercise is a continuation of the growing military cooperation between India and Egypt and follows the successful conduct of the previous edition in India. The Indian contingent, comprising 25 personnel from Special Forces units, will train alongside their Egyptian counterparts in a realistic operational environment, according to a release.

The exercise aims to enhance joint mission planning capabilities and improve interoperability through the exchange of best practices in special operations. The participating troops will undertake a series of training activities focused on special operational tactics, techniques and procedures in desert and semi-desert terrain.

The joint exercise will also facilitate mutual exchange of professional expertise and provide an opportunity to strengthen bonds of camaraderie, while fostering greater understanding of each other's military traditions and cultures, the release stated.

Bilateral military exercises such as Exercise Cyclone are a key facet of defence cooperation between India and Egypt, fostering mutual trust and strengthening ties between the armed forces of both nations.

- ANI
BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for striving to break new ground in the high-quality development of China's service sector. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an instruction conveyed at a national conference on the service sector held in Beijing from Tuesday to Wednesday. China's service sector has steadily expanded in scale and continuously improved in quality and efficiency since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, playing an important role in supporting industrial upgrading, meeting people's livelihood needs and driving job growth, according to Xi. Underscoring demand-driven development, reform breakthroughs, technology empowerment as well as opening up and cooperation, Xi called for carrying out capacity-expanding and quality-upgrading initiatives in the service sector. Efforts must be made to advance producer services toward greater specialization and the higher end of the value chain, foster high-quality, diverse and accessible consumer services, and build more "China Services" brands, he said. Premier Li Qiang and Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, both members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, addressed the conference. Noting that General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions have profoundly expounded the great significance, key principles and main tasks of developing the service sector, Li called for deepening the understanding of the service sector from a strategic and overall perspective to better promote its high-quality and efficient development. He stressed the need to adapt to the structural trends in demographic shifts, consumption upgrading and industrial transformation to continuously foster new growth drivers in the service sector and advance its digital, intelligent, standardized, integrated and internationalized development toward a higher level. He urged efforts to make services that meet residents' essential needs more inclusive and of higher quality, expand the supply of upgrade services, and refine and enhance personalized services while strengthening services for technology and advanced manufacturing. Li also called for efforts to actively expand opening up and deliver more targeted and effective policy support so as to create a good environment for the development of the service sector. In his concluding remarks, Ding urged solid progress in advancing the main tasks of developing the service sector, highlighting the need to boost innovation, cut costs, enhance efficiency, cater to people's demand, and improve market vitality. Ding also asked relevant regions and departments to establish and apply a correct understanding of what it means to perform well, and to ensure the effective implementation of decisions and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. China's service sector surpassed 80 trillion yuan (about 11.65 trillion U.S. dollars) in added value last year, making up 57.7 percent of GDP. It also contributed 61.4 percent to economic growth, up 3.7 percentage points from the 2024 level, and provided around half of total employment. In the outline of its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) approved by the top legislature last month, China pledged to further advance reform and opening up in the service sector, refine policy support, and comprehensively boost its quality, efficiency and competitiveness. The sector is likely to surpass 100 trillion yuan in scale during the 2026-2030 period, according to the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner.


The Indian Army has conducted a major demonstration to strengthen close air support for ground operations. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi flew a sortie in the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter Prachand in Bengaluru. This was followed by an operational demo in Pokhran where an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter successfully engaged targets with Hellfire missiles in its first field firing. The exercises showcased how advanced attack helicopters can provide rapid, precise firepower in coordination with ground troops, even in contested environments.

Army Chief flies indigenous Prachand, Apache conducts first field firing in Pokhran, demonstrating integrated air-land strike capabilities.

New Delhi, April 9 The Indian Army has reinforced its focus on strengthening close air support for ground operations, a critical element in modern warfare.

The Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, flew a sortie on the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter Prachand at HAL, Bengaluru, yesterday, an official statement read.

This was followed by a key operational demonstration today at Pokhran Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan, where the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter carried out its first field firing, successfully engaging targets with Hellfire missiles and other onboard weapons.

The activities showcased how attack helicopters can operate in close coordination with ground troops, even in high-threat environments involving small arms fire, shoulder-fired missiles and drones.

These platforms demonstrated rapid target acquisition and precision strike capability, directly supporting manoeuvre on the battlefield.

Further, as per the statement, advanced sensors, fire control systems and real-time data links enabled faster decision-making and immediate action, ensuring that battlefield intelligence was quickly converted into effective strikes.

The Apache highlighted its role as a force multiplier by enhancing the reach, lethality and responsiveness of ground forces, while Prachand reflected India's growing indigenous strength in combat aviation.

The demonstrations underline the Indian Army's focus on integrating air and land capabilities to enhance battlefield effectiveness and maintain operational momentum.

- ANI
India has overtaken Brazil to secure the third position globally for installed renewable energy capacity. The country has already met its target of sourcing 50% of its cumulative electric power capacity from non-fossil fuels, achieving this milestone five years ahead of its 2030 schedule. A record annual addition of 6.05 GW of wind capacity was achieved in the last fiscal year. The government is also advancing its National Green Hydrogen Mission with a goal to produce 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030.

India overtakes Brazil for 3rd place in global renewable energy capacity, achieving 50% non-fossil power five years ahead of its 2030 target.

New Delhi, April 8 Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, on Wednesday said India has surpassed Brazil to rank third globally, in Renewable Energy Installed Capacity, according to the Renewable Energy Statistics 2026, a press release by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said.

Joshi said India's total power generation during 2025-26 (up to March 2026) reached 1,845.921 BU. The share of non-fossil fuels in total generation reached 29.2% in 2025-26 (538.97 BU). India achieved the milestone of 50% of its cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources in June 2025, five years ahead of the 2030 target set under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement.

In line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement at COP26, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is working towards achieving 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030, the press release said.

Further the Ministry said, the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) was approved by the Cabinet with an initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore up to the year 2029-30. The objective of the Mission by 2030 is to produce at least 5 Million Metric Tonnes per Annum of Green Hydrogen. Further, the expected outcomes of the Mission include RE capacity addition of 125 GW, over Rs. 8 lakh crores in total investments, creation of over 6 lakh full time jobs and aversion of 50 MMT per annum of CO2 emissions.

Talking about wind energy, the Ministry noted that India achieved the highest-ever annual wind capacity addition of 6.05 GW during FY 2025-26 (46% higher than FY 2024-25, 4.15 GW). Cumulative installed wind power capacity has crossed 56 GW, positioning India as 4th rank in terms of Global Installed Wind Turbine Capacity. Capex of Rs. 500 crores was allocated under Wind GBI Scheme. The Generation-Based Incentive scheme is a renewable energy policy by India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy designed to promote wind and solar power by providing financial incentives per unit (kWh) of electricity fed into the grid.

- ANI
International delegates from various countries visited distribution centers in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, and Kamrup district to witness the final preparations for assembly polls. The Election Commission of India facilitated these visits under its International Election Visitors' Programme. The observers monitored the dispatch of polling parties with EVMs, VVPATs, and other materials to their respective stations. Voting for all 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Kerala, and 30 in Puducherry will be held in a single phase.

Election Commission hosts international delegates to witness dispatch of polling parties and EVM preparations for assembly elections in three regions.

New Delhi, April 8 International delegates from various countries witnessed the preparations of the Keralam, Assam and Puducherry assembly polls on Wednesday under the International Election Visitors' Programme.

The Election Commission of India, in a post on X, stated that delegates from four countries visited the distribution and dispatch centre in Thiruvananthapuram, ahead of Keralam polls.

"Chunav ka Parv, Kerala ka Garv! International delegates from 4 countries under the International Election Visitors' Programme visited the distribution and dispatch centre in Thiruvananthapuram, witnessed the dispatch of polling parties and grand preparations ahead of poll day," the ECI wrote.

In another post, ECI stated that "International delegates from 5 countries under the International Election Visitors' Programme #IEVP arrive in Kochi to witness the Kerala Polls."

Meanwhile, a team of seven delegates also witnessed the dispatch of polling parties to their respective polling stations and the preparations in Assam's Kamrup district ahead of the assembly polls.

"International delegates from 7 countries under the International Election Visitors' Programme visited the distribution and dispatch centre in #Kamrup district, witnessing the dispatch of polling parties and the grand preparations ahead of poll day," the ECI wrote in a post.

"International delegates as part of #IEVP, visited the Distribution & Dispatch Centre in Kamrup (Metro), witnessing the dispatch of polling parties to their respective polling stations with EVMs, VVPATs, and other polling materials," it wrote in another.

Additionally, Delegates from six countries also arrived in Puducherry to witness the assembly polls.

"International delegates from 6 countries under the International Election Visitors' Programme #IEVP arrive in Puducherry to witness the Puducherry Polls," the ECI wrote on X.

The states of Keralam and Assam, along with Puducherry, are up for high-stakes polls to elect the Members of the Legislative Assemblies.

Voting for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Keralam, and 30 in Puducherry will be conducted in a single phase on Thursday.

- ANI
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Tehran's participation in upcoming direct talks with the United States in Islamabad. The negotiations follow an immediate two-week ceasefire agreement after weeks of regional conflict. Former US President Donald Trump announced the suspension of military action, stating US objectives were met and Iran's proposal was a workable basis for a permanent deal. The Iranian delegation will be led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, while the US side will be headed by Vice President JD Vance.

Iranian President confirms Tehran will join US talks in Islamabad. The meeting follows a two-week ceasefire brokered by Trump, who called Iran's proposal "workable."

Islamabad, April 8 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday confirmed that Tehran will participate in proposed talks with the United States in Islamabad later this week, according to a statement from the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office.

The development came during a telephone conversation between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Pezeshkian today, which lasted over 45 minutes and focused on recent regional developments.

"He [Pezeshkian] confirmed that Iran would be participating in the negotiations in Islamabad," the statement from the Pakistan PMO read.

Earlier, Iranian news agency ISNA reported that diplomatic engagement between the US and Iran is set to take place in Islamabad on Friday, April 10, where both sides will hold direct talks aimed at ending weeks of intense hostilities following the outbreak of war.

The meeting follows an immediate ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran for two weeks after weeks of conflict in the region.

According to Iranian state media reports, the Iranian delegation will be led by Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a central figure in Tehran's wartime leadership structure who has taken on strategic responsibilities since the early phase of the conflict. The United States delegation, meanwhile, will be headed by Vice President JD Vance.

This comes after Trump suspended the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran, announcing a two-week double-sided ceasefire and saying that the 10-point proposal from Iran was workable.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the ten-point proposal will serve as ground to negotiate for a permanent deal while reiterating that the US has achieved most of its military objectives.

"Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double-sided CEASEFIRE!" Trump said.

"The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Long-term PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East. We received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate," he added.

- ANI
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation, thanking citizens for their resilience during conflict and declaring that Iran is now weaker than ever. He stated that Israel still has military objectives to complete and is prepared to achieve them either through a negotiated agreement or by resuming fighting. Concurrently, the Israel Defense Forces announced the elimination of a key Hezbollah official in Beirut and strikes on weapon sites in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu also clarified that Lebanon was not included in any ceasefire deal between the US and Iran.

Israeli PM Netanyahu thanks citizens for resilience, states Iran is weaker than ever, and vows to complete military objectives through deal or resumed fighting.

Tel Aviv, April 9 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday thanked Israelis for their resilience and said that Iran is now weaker than ever.

Netanyahu said that they still have objectives to complete.

"I want to thank you, our wonderful people. When you showed resilience as you sat in bomb shelters and safe rooms, we achieved great victories together. Our warriors on the front lines - and you on the home front. But above all, I ask to bow my head before our dear ones who fell in this battle," he said.

"I ask to embrace the bereaved families and, on behalf of all of you, to send wishes for a speedy recovery to our dear wounded. My brothers and sisters, the State of Israel has achieved tremendous victories, victories that until recently seemed utterly imaginary. Iran is weaker than ever, and Israel is stronger than ever," he added.

Netanyahu said he is ready to attain the objectives through agreement or by fighting.

"That is the bottom line of this campaign, up to this moment. And I want to make clear: We still have objectives to complete - and we will achieve them either by agreement or by resuming the fighting," he said.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem in Beirut.

In a post on X, the IDF said, "ELIMINATED: Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem in Beirut. A close associate and personal advisor, Harshi played a key role in managing and securing Qassem's office. The IDF also struck two key crossings used by Hezbollah to move weapons south of the Litani River, along with ~10 weapons storage sites, launchers and command centers in southern Lebanon."

Benjamin Netanyahu said Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire deal between the US and Iran, as US Vice President JD Vance also said, "We never made that promise".

- ANI
The Israel Defense Forces announced they killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, in a strike in Beirut. The military described Harshi as a key advisor who managed and secured Qassem's office. The IDF also conducted strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure around Beirut and approximately ten sites in southern Lebanon, targeting weapons storage and command centers. The operation occurs amid a dispute over whether a US-Iran ceasefire agreement includes a halt to Israeli actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

IDF eliminates Ali Harshi, nephew of Hezbollah's Naim Qassem, in Beirut. Strikes target Hezbollah infrastructure, crossings, and sites in southern Lebanon.

Tel Aviv, April 9 The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday stated that they killed the nephew and personal secretary of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem in a strike carried out in Beirut last night.

In a statement issued on Telegram, the IDF said that Ali Yusuf Harshi, identified as the personal secretary and nephew of Qassem, was eliminated during overnight operations in the Lebanese capital.

The military described Harshi as a close associate and advisor who played a key role in managing and securing the Hezbollah leader's office.

"Yesterday (Wednesday), the IDF struck in the Beirut area and eliminated Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. Harshi was a close associate and personal advisor to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and played a central role in managing and securing his office," the statement read.

The IDF further stated that it carried out a series of strikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in and around Beirut.

According to the statement, two strategic crossings used by Hezbollah operatives for movement between the northern and southern parts of the Litani River were hit, allegedly disrupting the transfer of weapons, including rockets and launchers.

Additionally, the Israeli military said it struck around 10 sites in southern Lebanon, including weapons storage facilities, launchers, and command centres linked to Hezbollah.

In a separate update, the IDF said its 162nd Division continues to conduct targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon. Troops from the 401st Brigade reportedly discovered an underground shaft used by militants.

During the operation, a fighter emerging from the tunnel was killed in close combat, and a cache of weapons, including explosives, rockets, RPG launchers, and grenades, was recovered.

The IDF also claimed that forces from its 215th Fire Brigade killed more than 70 militants in various operations, including a group allegedly preparing to launch mortar attacks. In another incident, two militants entering a Hezbollah-linked structure were targeted in an airstrike coordinated with ground troops.

Meanwhile, troops from the Nahal Brigade reportedly located large quantities of weapons and dismantled multiple Hezbollah positions, including anti-tank launch sites and observation posts.

The developments come even as the fragile ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran hangs in the balance, with Tehran stating that the truce also includes the halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

However, both Washington and Israel have maintained that the ceasefire does not extend to Hezbollah targets, a disagreement that has further complicated diplomatic efforts and heightened the risk of the truce collapsing.

- ANI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a photo of a massive, overflowing crowd at his rally in Suri, Birbhum, declaring it shows strong momentum for the BJP in West Bengal. The BJP candidate from Suri, Jagarnath Chatterjee, stated the enthusiasm indicates a groundswell of support and confidence in winning most seats. Supporters at the venue linked their backing to desires for development akin to the PM's leadership and concerns over women's safety and law and order. The rally was part of the PM's third public engagement in the state on Thursday, amid a heated campaign for the upcoming two-phase Assembly polls.

PM Modi shares photo of overflowing rally in Bengal's Birbhum, with supporters citing development and safety as key issues ahead of state polls.

Kolkata, April 9 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday shared a photo capturing a massive crowd filling the ground, eagerly awaiting his arrival at a rally venue in Suri, located in Birbhum district of West Bengal.

He noted that the venue was overflowing with supporters, which he interpreted as a sign of strong momentum for the BJP in the state.

In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "I am about to address a rally in Birbhum. The ground is packed with people who have come to shower their blessings. It's all about the BJP in West Bengal!"

The accompanying image displayed a large audience at the rally, with a prominent stage visible, indicating significant public turnout for PM Modi's event.

A wave of enthusiasm swept through Suri as large numbers of BJP supporters gathered hours ahead of Prime Minister Modi's public meeting.

The rally in Birbhum will mark the Prime Minister's third public engagement of the day in the state, after earlier events in Haldia and Asansol. Despite the event being the last of the three rallies of the PM on Thursday in the state, the area was already packed with supporters, reflecting strong anticipation and excitement among the people.

Jagarnath Chatterjee, the BJP candidate from Suri, told IANS that the atmosphere in the region clearly indicates a groundswell of support for the party.

"You can see the enthusiasm among the people. The ground is already full, even though there is still time for the Prime Minister to arrive. Supporters have come from across Birbhum. This is going to be a historic rally, and we are confident of winning the majority of seats and driving out Trinamool," he said.

Supporters present at the venue also linked their support to development and security concerns. One attendee said that the state needs the kind of development seen under the Prime Minister's leadership. "We want development in West Bengal, and we believe it is possible under PM Modi," the supporter noted.

Women attendees, in particular, voiced safety concerns and expressed hope for change. "We are very happy that PM Modi is visiting Birbhum. We want the BJP to win here. Women do not feel safe, and our families hesitate to let us step out after 8 p.m. We want a safer environment," a woman supporter said.

As chants and slogans filled the air, the gathering reflected a high level of political engagement, with supporters expressing optimism about the rally and its potential impact on the electoral landscape in West Bengal.

During a separate rally in Asansol on Thursday, a striking moment occurred when a person in the crowd held up a poster addressing the Prime Minister, which read, "Respected Modi ji, please save West Bengal" and also highlighted several issues faced by the public, including "Corruption, law and order, infiltration, women safety and unemployment".

The moment came as the election campaign in West Bengal gathered momentum ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls. The state is set to vote in two phases, scheduled for April 23 and April 29.

In the first phase, polling will take place across 152 Assembly constituencies, while the remaining 142 seats will go to the polls in the second phase. The counting of votes is slated for May 4.

- IANS
Japanese cosmetics leader KOSE is shifting its strategic focus to high-growth Global South markets, with India as a key target. The company has invested in Mumbai-based Foxtale Consumer to deepen its market analysis and development efforts. KOSE plans to adapt its advanced Japanese skincare technology, like its permeation tech, to suit the specific needs of Indian skin. The strategy is built on its core philosophy of being a genderless and generation-gapless "Lifelong Beauty Partner."

Japanese cosmetics giant KOSE reveals its strategy to grow its share in Global South markets like India, focusing on local skin needs and partnerships.

Tokyo, April 13 KOSE is old established Japanese global cosmetic brand which has 80 years long history. Its representative person of global business Keita Matsunami executive officer disclosed global strategy especially paying attention to India.

KOSE articulates its policy "Everyone's Lifelong Beauty Partner". This concept covers globally, genderless and every generation. Until now KOSE has developed global market USA, Europe and Japan. Currently its gaze is set to global south countries.

Keita Matsunami executive officer explains strategy, "For KOSE the market occupancy of progressed countries are established, on the other hand global south will increase from 3% to 12% in 2030. Regarding India, in 2014 KOSE released skincare and makeup products fitting to India. In 2025 KOSE invested to Foxtale Consumer in Mumbai. It aims to deepen analysis and develop big market. Keita Matunami prospects that according to rise of GDP per capita, consumption of cosmetics will increase. And for example, in Mumbai 37% of woman work outside of home and young people occupies 66% of population. It is the evidence of promised market. Through cooperation with Foxtale, KOSE will aim to penetrate Japanese cosmetic technology. Indian people's skin has much melanin pigment. KOSE's permeate technology is adaptable to create beautiful skin."

Beauty Consortium Plan is the base of management strategy. To realize Lifelong Beauty Partner, cooperation beyond border will be progressed covering medical supplies, iPS cell field, beauty appliances, antiaging treatment and so on. In addition, KOSE emphasizes its policy genderless and generation gapless. It is the declaration of "Everyone's Lifelong Beauty Partner".

Keita Matsunami executive officer concluded "KOSE cultivated hospitality mind which is highly evaluated by inbound tourists. Based on its philosophy and solving some difficulty of Indian market, KOSE will support growing of beautiful India."

- ANI
Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary welcomed the announced ceasefire between the United States and Iran. He stated that war is never a solution and brings only destruction, loss of life, and ruined families. Choudhary emphasized India's consistent stance that conflicts should be resolved peacefully. He also praised local administrative actions against government employees with alleged terror links.

Jammu & Kashmir Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary welcomes the US-Iran ceasefire, stating war brings only destruction and is never a solution to conflict.

Jammu and Kashmir, April 8 Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, describing war as inherently destructive and emphasizing that peaceful resolution should always be the priority.

Speaking to reporters, Choudhary said, "Hindustan has always maintained that war is not the way. War only brings destruction... During this time, Hindustan's stance has always been that the fight should be stopped in any way... War is not a solution to any issue. The announcement of the ceasefire today is a very happy matter, although the situation of war should not have arisen in the first place... We hope that the ceasefire will be permanent, not temporary."

When asked if Iran could be considered the "winner" in the conflict, the Deputy CM said, "Look, in war, there is no winning or losing; there is only destruction. I won't act like a referee and say who won or lost. The point is, war is war. The damage that happened, the lives lost, the businesses destroyed, and families ruined--where is the 'victory' in that? Whether it's one person dying or another, whether it happened in Iran or America... even a couple of our kids from Jammu & Kashmir were unfortunately killed. So, I don't see this in terms of win or loss; it is a destruction that shouldn't happen."

Elaborating on India's perspective, he added, "India has always maintained one thing: war is not a solution. War is not a path through which you can achieve anything good. War always brings destruction. India's stance has always been that war should stop in any way possible. It's better late than never. First of all, war shouldn't have happened. India has seen many wars, and Jammu & Kashmir, in particular, has suffered huge losses and many sacrifices. Therefore, war is no solution. Now that a ceasefire has been announced, it is a matter of joy. We hope this ceasefire is permanent and not just temporary, so that no more lives are lost."

This comes after US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a temporary halt to the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran, proposing a two-week, double-sided ceasefire window. Trump also indicated that a 10-point proposal put forward by Iran was "workable," signalling a possible diplomatic opening between the two long-time adversaries.

Choudhary also praised recent actions by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in Jammu & Kashmir, where two government employees were terminated for alleged terror links. He said, "That is a good thing. Terror links--whether it's a government employee or anyone else, even if it were someone like me or you--cannot be tolerated. It is the right move."

- ANI
UDF candidate and actor Ramesh Pisharody cast his vote in the Kerala Assembly elections, declaring that voters are the true kings in a democracy. He emphasized that a politician's role is one of service, not command, drawing a parallel to the customer being king in business. Pisharody also critiqued the national political scenario, suggesting the BJP's "Congress Mukt Bharat" aim undermines democratic opposition. He reflected on the need for patience and incremental progress in politics, comparing it to India's long freedom struggle.

UDF candidate Ramesh Pisharody casts his vote, emphasizes service in politics, and critiques BJP's "Congress Mukt Bharat" slogan.

Ernakulam, April 9 Actor-turned-politician Ramesh Pisharody and the United Democratic Front candidate from Palakkad Assembly Constituency on Thursday cast his vote at a polling station in Thriruppunirathara for the ongoing Keralam Assembly elections and decleared '' Voters are the King.''

Pisharody emphasised the role of politicians as public servants. "A politician's work is service. We can't command the public; we can't order them. They are the king. In business, we say that the customer is the king. Just like that, all the people, all the voters in the constitution, they are the king," he told ANI.

Highlighting the challenges faced by opposition parties in Keralam and at the national level, Pisharody said, "In Keralam's scenario, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not afraid of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Their main opponent at the National level is Congress. When the BJP came to power, they first said Congress Mukta Bharat."

Elaborating, he said, "What they are saying is there should be no opposition. If there is no opposition, what is the meaning of democracy?"

Reflecting on his journey from acting to politics, Pisharody drew a parallel with India's freedom struggle, stressing patience and incremental progress.

The UDF candidate said, "We have to try everything. We got freedom after many years of independence struggle. People who at that time didn't even know if we would get it or not, but two or three generations stood for it, and only after that we got the freedom."

Pisharody further stated, "Just like that, we don't get immediate results; we have to try, we have to change through small steps."

Polling began across Keralam at 7 am with voters casting their ballots to choose legislators for the 140-seat Keralam Legislative Assembly. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

- ANI
The Ladakh Administration has launched a unique initiative to plant bamboo and flowering trees like Gulmohar and Jacaranda in Leh for the first time. Saplings were brought from Delhi and acclimatized before being planted experimentally around Lok Niwas. Simultaneously, flight operations at Leh Airport have increased significantly from 8 to 18 daily flights to boost connectivity. This dual focus on greening and improved infrastructure aims to enhance Ladakh's tourism appeal and environmental sustainability.

Ladakh Administration plants bamboo & flowering trees in Leh for first time to boost floral diversity & green aesthetics. Flight connectivity also increased.

Ladakh, April 8 Ladakh's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Wednesday shared that the UT Administration has undertaken a "unique" initiative of planting bamboo and flowering trees like Gulmohar, Jacaranda, Bougainvillea and Amaltas for the first time in Leh.

In an X post, Saxena said he was pleased to share about the project and provided further details.

"The saplings brought in from Delhi, were kept under controlled conditions for 10 days, to acclimatise in Ladakh's climate and, thereafter, planted in and around Lok Niwas, on an experimental basis. A team of horticulture experts will be monitoring the growth of the saplings."

"The initiative aims at enriching the floral diversity of Ladakh, besides enhancing the green aesthetics of the region and promoting environmental sustainability, the post said.

The Lieutenant Governor on Sunday said that Ladakh is set to welcome a larger number of visitors with a significant boost in air connectivity, as the tourist season begins.

Highlighting the improved infrastructure, the LG said that flight operations at Leh Airport have increased from 8 to 18 flights per day as of April 2, enhancing connectivity with major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Srinagar and Chandigarh.

He further stated that two additional flights are expected to commence operations soon, offering greater flexibility for travellers planning their visit to the region.

The increase in flight operations is expected to significantly boost tourist footfall, strengthen Ladakh's tourism sector, and generate local employment opportunities. The administration aims to position Ladakh as a convenient and sought-after tourist destination.

The Lieutenant Governor also encouraged tourists to visit Ladakh this season for an unforgettable experience.

- ANI
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was ceremonially welcomed in Goa ahead of inaugurating the first Commonwealth Parliamentary Association India Region Zone VII conference. The two-day event will see participation from presiding officers, Union Ministers, and legislators from states including Goa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Deliberations will focus on themes like the role of young legislators in achieving a developed India by 2047, alongside regional priorities in trade and connectivity. The conference aims to strengthen parliamentary cooperation and the exchange of best practices.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla meets Goa Governor, inaugurates CPA Zone VII conference. Key themes include development goals and regional priorities.

Panaji, April 9 Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met Goa Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Thursday and extended his best wishes for the first Commonwealth Parliamentary Association India Region Zone VII conference in Goa.

Lok Sabha Speaker received a ceremonial welcome and a Guard of Honour at the conference.

Birla will inaugurate the two-day conference, which will bring together key parliamentary leaders and presiding officers from across the country. Among those who will address the conference are Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Harivansh Narayan Singh, Ram Shinde, Rahul Narwekar and Shankarbhai Chaudhary, according to a release.

The welcome address will be delivered by Ganesh Gaonkar, while Mauvin Godinho will propose the vote of thanks.

Apart from this, presiding officers from the legislatures of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Telangana, along with Union Ministers, Members of Parliament from Goa and legislators from Zone VII states, will also attend the conference.

During the two-day event, deliberations will be held on key themes including "The Role of Young Legislators in Achieving the Goal of a Developed India by 2047 and Priorities of Zone VII in Trade, Tourism, Urbanisation, Environment and Coastal Connectivity.

Zone VII of the CPA India Region comprises the legislatures of Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra. This will be its first conference following the restructuring of the CPA India Region into nine zones in 2024. Currently, the Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly serves as the Chairperson of Zone VII.

The valedictory session on April 10 will be attended by Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the release noted.

The conference aims to strengthen parliamentary cooperation, promote the exchange of best practices and deliberate on key developmental priorities of the region.

Goa Protocol Minister Mauvin Godinho welcomed the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla at Dabolim Airport on his arrival in Goa for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), India Region (Zone VII - West Zone) Conference, at Miramar, along with Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Ganesh Gaonkar and Deputy Speaker Joshua De Souza.

- ANI
The Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission, Babita Chauhan, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his continuous efforts to integrate women into the mainstream. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal Singh described the Women's Reservation Bill as a historic shift that will empower women and ensure their participation in nation-building. The government has convened a special session to deliberate on the bill, underscoring its commitment to gender equality in politics. Prime Minister Modi has written that the bill strengthens women's empowerment and aims to provide a stronger voice for women in policymaking.

UP State Women's Commission Chairperson Babita Chauhan expresses gratitude to PM Modi for efforts to integrate women into the mainstream via the Women's Reservation Bill.

Lucknow, April 10 Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission Chairperson Babita Chauhan on Thursday expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Women's Reservation Bill.

She also highlighted PM Modi's efforts to bring more women into the mainstream.

Chauhan told ANI, "I express my deepest gratitude to the Prime Minister on behalf of all women. Every day, he is making a new effort to integrate women into the mainstream..."

BJP MP Jagdambika Pal Singh on Thursday said the Women's Reservation Bill marks a "historic shift" towards enhancing women's participation in governance and nation-building.

He also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's committment towards women empowerment.

"Undoubtedly, this marks a historic shift--a transformation that will not merely serve to empower women, but will also ensure that the 50% of the country's population comprised of women secures a 33% share in participation across all spheres... When Prime Minister Narendra Modi first assumed office, he spoke passionately about women empowerment... This bill will provide the country's female population, constituting half of its total citizenry, with the opportunity to contribute towards Prime Minister Modi's resolve to transform India into a 'Viksit Bharat'," Singh told reporters here on Thursday.

A special session has been convened to deliberate on the Women's Reservation Bill, marking a significant step towards enhancing women's representation in legislative bodies. The move underscores the government's intent to prioritise gender equality and ensure greater political participation of women in decision-making processes.

Ahead of the parliamentary move, the Bharatiya Janata Party has intensified its nationwide outreach campaign through initiatives such as "Mahila Samvad." The programme is designed to directly engage with women across urban and rural areas, spreading awareness about the provisions of the Act and gathering feedback from the ground.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also written on the Women's Reservation Bill, describing it as a historic step towards strengthening women's empowerment and ensuring greater participation of women in the country's democratic framework.

In his remarks, the Prime Minister emphasised that the Bill reflects the government's commitment to "Nari Shakti" and aims to provide women with a stronger voice in policymaking. He noted that increased representation of women in legislatures would lead to more inclusive and balanced governance.

- ANI
The Manipur government has relaxed the curfew in Imphal West district, allowing public movement only between 5 AM and 9 AM while banning gatherings and weapons. This comes alongside a three-day internet suspension in five districts to prevent the spread of misinformation and hate speech on social media. The restrictions follow a violent incident where suspected militants attacked a home, killing a 5-year-old boy and his 5-month-old sister. The attack triggered public protests, including road blockades and the burning of trucks.

Manipur government relaxes curfew in Imphal West from 5-9 AM. Internet suspended in 5 districts after militant attack killed two children.

New Delhi, April 9 The Manipur government has granted a relaxation in the ongoing curfew in Imphal West district, allowing residents to leave their homes only between 5-9 AM.

In an order, modifying the previous restriction on movement, K Jadumani Singh, District Magistrate (LA), Imphal West District, said that outside of this four-hour morning window, a strict curfew remains in effect until 5:00 AM the following day.

Even during the morning relaxation period, the order prohibits any gathering of five or more people and strictly bans the carrying of items like sticks, stones, weapons, or explosives.

These relaxations on restrictions are provided for public safety and require that no activities disturb the maintained law and order situation in the region.

However, specific groups are entirely exempt from these restrictions, including law enforcement, healthcare workers, emergency services, and employees of the Power Department.

Additionally, the RBI, commercial banks, and the judicial system, including the High Court of Manipur and local tribunals, will remain operational.

This modified schedule will stay in force until the District Magistrate provides a further update.

Earlier on Tuesday, internet services were suspended in five districts of Manipur, Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur, for three days starting at 2:00 PM.

The decision was taken in view of the prevailing law and order situation, amid concerns that anti-social elements could misuse social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to spread misinformation, hate speech, and provocative content.

"In view of the prevailing law and order situation in 5 (five) districts of Manipur viz, Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur, there exists apprehension that some anti-social elements might use social media for transmission of images, hate speech and hate video messages inciting the public which might have serious repercussions on the law-and-order situation in the State of Manipur," the order said.

The decision comes in the wake of a tragic and violent incident in the Tronglaobi Awang Leikai area. Suspected militants allegedly attacked a residence around 1:00 AM, killing two minor siblings, a 5-year-old boy and his 5-month-old sister, while they were asleep. Their mother was injured and is currently receiving treatment.

The attack sparked widespread anger among local residents. In protest, demonstrators set fire to at least three trucks and blocked the Imphal-Tidim Road at several points, disrupting traffic and heightening tensions in the region.

- ANI
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar met Bhutan's Energy Minister Gem Tshering in Thimpu to discuss strengthening energy ties. The visit continues a series of high-level engagements, including a meeting between EAM Jaishankar and Bhutan's Foreign Minister in March. In February, Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay met with PM Narendra Modi and Indian industry leaders, discussing collaboration in technology and clean energy. Both nations are focused on expanding their partnership into transformative domains like AI and sustainable development.

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar visits Bhutan for high-level talks to deepen bilateral energy partnership and cooperation.

Thimpu, April 9 Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday met Bhutan's Energy Minister Lyonpo Gem Tshering and plan to hold discussions on deepening the energy partnership between New Delhi and Thimpu.

Khattar is on a three-day visit to Bhutan.

Sharing the details in a post on X, the Union Minister on Thursday informed that he also met the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Sandeep Arya.

He added, "During this visit, detailed discussions will be held on further strengthening India-Bhutan energy relations".

The high-profile visit comes after EAM Jaishankar met Bhutan's Foreign Minister Lyonpo DN Dhungyel in March on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue and reaffirmed India's dedication to deepening the unique bilateral partnership with Bhutan.

"Delighted to meet Bhutan FM Lyonpo DN Dhungyel on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2026. Reaffirmed our commitment to deepen our unique partnership," Jaishankar stated in another post.

In February, Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay held a series of meetings with leading Indian industry figures on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, discussing collaboration in technology, digital infrastructure, connectivity, clean energy and sustainable development.

He also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit to Delhi.

PM Modi described the meeting as "outstanding," stating that India-Bhutan friendship continues to expand into new and transformative domains.

In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "The meeting with PM Tshering Tobgay was outstanding. We discussed how we can harness the power of AI for global good and in harmony with principles of sustainability. Our enduring India-Bhutan friendship, rooted in mutual trust, goodwill and close ties between our two peoples, continues to guide our partnership into new and transformative domains."

Official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said on X that PM Modi and Bhutan PM Tshering Tobgay reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation across energy, connectivity, development partnerships, and people-to-people ties.

- ANI
Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca has made history by becoming the youngest quarterfinalist at the Monte Carlo Masters since Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet in 2005. The 19-year-old delivered a commanding performance, defeating Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-2 with impressive serve statistics. This marks Fonseca's first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal and the first for a Brazilian since 2011. He next awaits the winner of the match between Alexander Zverev and Zizou Bergs.

Brazilian teen Joao Fonseca, 19, beats Matteo Berrettini to become the youngest Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinalist since 2005. Historic ATP run.

Monaco, April 9 Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca has become the youngest quarterfinalist at the Monte-Carlo Masters since 18-year-olds Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet achieved the feat in 2005. He won a forehand battle with Matteo Berrettini, 10 years his senior, on Thursday.

The 19-year-old claimed four service breaks and dropped just three points on his first serve in a 6-3, 6-2 victory to advance to his first quarterfinal at the ATP Masters 1000 level. Moreover, Fonseca is the second man born in 2006 to reach the quarterfinals at an ATP Masters 1000 event, joining Martin Landaluce, who reached that stage in Miami last month.

As both players uncorked their serves and forehands, there was little separating them in the match until Fonseca put Berrettini on the back foot in the eighth game. Backpedalling at the net, the Italian netted an awkward lob, and then on break point down, he netted an overly aggressive forehand moving backwards deep and wide behind the baseline to drop serve. Fonseca then served out the set to love, according to reports.

The decisive moment of the second set came in the fifth game. Berrettini had just broken back for 2-all but was staring down a break point. Fonseca's routine cross-court forehand volley clipped the net, giving Berrettini plenty of time to set up a midcourt pass into an open court. Still, the Italian pushed it wide as the Brazilian hustled to his left to entice the 29-year-old into overplaying his forehand.

Fonseca, who is the first Brazilian Masters 1000 quarter-finalist since Thomaz Bellucci in Madrid in 2011, will next meet the winner of the match between third-seeded German Alexander Zverev and Belgian Zizou Bergs.

Fonseca, who is making his debut in Monte-Carlo, is up five spots to No. 35 in the ATP Live Rankings after levelling his ATP Head-to-Head series with Berrettini at 1-1.

Berrettini, meanwhile, remains at No. 90 in the Live Rankings, far below his career-high of No. 6.

- IANS
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Vishwa Navkar Mahamantra Diwas in New Delhi, praising the Jain community's initiative to chant the peaceful Navkar Mantra for global welfare. He emphasized the mantra's special significance in today's world, which he described as bent upon war and conflict. Shah also paid tribute to CRPF personnel on Valor Day, commemorating their historic bravery in the 1965 battle at Sardar Post. Separately, he referenced the ongoing Assam elections and expressed confidence in the BJP returning to power.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a Jain spiritual event in Delhi, highlighting the Navkar Mantra's message of peace as crucial during global conflicts.

New Delhi, April 9 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday addressed the Vishwa Navkar Mahamantra Diwas organised by the Jain International Trade Organisation at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, praising the spiritual initiative and emphasising the importance of peace and unity in a conflict-ridden world.

Addressing the gathering, Shah said, "I would like to congratulate JITO for chanting the peaceful Navkar Mantra from here on April 9th for the welfare of the entire world, especially at a time when the whole world is bent upon war to impose its will upon one another. This is truly most fitting."

The event brought together members of the Jain community and spiritual leaders, focusing on harmony, non-violence, and collective well-being. Shah highlighted that such spiritual initiatives hold greater significance in today's geopolitical climate, where tensions and conflicts continue to escalate across regions.

Earlier in the day, Shah paid tribute to personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force on the occasion of CRPF Valor Day, commemorating their bravery and sacrifice. In a post on X, he said, "Salute to the indomitable courage and sacrifice of our brave hearts on CRPF Valour Day."

Recalling the historic 1965 battle at Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch, Shah noted that CRPF personnel had displayed exceptional courage in defending the nation. "On this day in 1965, the fearless warriors of CRPF stood like an unbreakable wall... crushing the enemy's advances and writing a glorious chapter of bravery in India's history," he said, while paying homage to the martyrs.

Meanwhile, Shah also addressed election rallies in Assam earlier this week, expressing confidence in the BJP forming the government again. He said key decisions, including the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, would be taken in the first cabinet meeting if voted to power.

Voting for the 126-seat Assam Assembly is underway, with counting scheduled for May 4.

- ANI
Need for clear objectives and teamwork

Madhya Pradesh's Panchayat Minister Prahlad Patel addressed newly trained rural officers, urging a shift towards result-oriented governance. He emphasized that their work must be measured by the positive, tangible changes delivered to citizens' lives. The minister highlighted the importance of continuous dialogue, proper planning, and aligning responsibilities with individual capabilities for effective grassroots administration. The officers completed a 45-day orientation program aimed at understanding government schemes and field realities.

Madhya Pradesh Minister Prahlad Patel calls for measurable outcomes and grassroots dialogue from newly trained rural development officers.

Bhopal, April 9 Madhya Pradesh's Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Thursday urged newly appointed Chief Executive Officers and Block Development Officers to adopt a result-oriented approach in rural governance.

The Minister stressed that their primary focus should be on delivering tangible and measurable improvements in the lives of the people.

He was addressing the valedictory ceremony of a 45-day orientation training programme at the Madhya Pradesh Water and Land Management Institute in Bhopal, where he attended as the chief guest.

During an interactive session, Minister Patel also reviewed the officers' areas of posting, their action plans and the challenges they expect to face.

He emphasised that governance at the grassroots level requires clarity of objectives, proper planning and coordinated teamwork.

"Officers must assess their work by the positive changes it brings to citizens' lives. Personal satisfaction should come from delivering real outcomes on the ground," Patel said.

He highlighted that continuous dialogue within the administration and with the public is essential for ensuring transparency and improving efficiency.

Encouraging the officers to stay engaged, he said that regular communication helps in identifying issues early and finding practical solutions.

The Minister also said that while confidence is important, aligning responsibilities with individual capabilities leads to better performance.

He called upon the officers to work with commitment over the next few years and build a strong administrative foundation in their respective blocks.

Officers, who completed the training, said that the programme provided exposure to administrative systems, government schemes and field realities.

They said visits to different regions helped them understand grassroots challenges and refine their approach to implementation.

The programme concluded with the felicitation of the officers by Minister Patel, who extended his best wishes for their future roles in strengthening rural development in Madhya Pradesh, according to a statement from the state government.

Additional Chief Secretary Deepali Rastogi and other senior officials of the Panchayat and Rural Development Department were also present at the event.

- IANS
Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh visited the Indian Navy survey ship INS Sandhayak in Yangon shortly after his arrival in Myanmar. His visit is primarily to attend the inaugural ceremony of Myanmar's new President, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, in Naypyidaw. During his four-day trip, Singh will hold meetings with Myanmar officials on bilateral trade, economic issues, and developmental assistance. He also highlighted that the naval visit aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's MAHASAGAR maritime vision.

MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh visits Indian Navy ship INS Sandhayak in Yangon ahead of Myanmar's presidential inaugural ceremony.

Yangon, April 8 Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, on Wednesday joined the 'Deck Reception' onboard Indian Navy Survey Ship INS Sandhayak at Yangon, a few hours after he arrived in Myanmar to attend the inaugural ceremony of the country's new President, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, scheduled to be held in the capital, Naypyidaw, on April 10.

"Interaction with senior officials brought out deeply established connect between India and Myanmar. Visit by INS Sandhayak is in line with our MAHASAGAR vision enunciated by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi," Singh posted on X.

Earlier, on his arrival in Yangon, Singh was received by the Indian Ambassador to Myanmar, Abhay Thakur, and U Zaw Phyo Win, Director-General in Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

During the visit, the MoS will hold meetings with Government of Myanmar officials, attend bilateral engagements related to ongoing trade, economic and developmental assistance and interact with the Indian diaspora and friends of India.

"On his arrival in Yangon today, Kirti Vardhan Singh was received by Ambassador Abhay Thakur and DG MOFA U Zaw Phyo Win. During his visit, he will participate in the inaugural ceremony of the President of Myanmar, meet GOM dignitaries, and interact with the Indian diaspora and friends of India," the Indian Embassy in Yangon posted on X.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Singh is on a four-day visit to Myanmar from April 8-11 at the invitation of the Myanmar government.

Min Aung Hlaing was elected as the country's President on April 3 after he secured more votes among the three nominees.

Hlaing's two Vice Presidents are former military-appointed Prime Minister Nyo Saw, a long-time loyalist, and Nan Ni Ni Aye, the Karen State chair of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), The Irrawaddy reported.

In the days leading up to his election, Min Aung Hlaing stepped down as Commander-in-Chief and appointed General Ye Win Oo to the post.

Min Aung Hlaing has ruled Myanmar since 2021. Elections were held in the country in December 2025 and January 2026 in which the USDP secured a win in the elections.

Analysts reckon that the political situation in Myanmar, which remained in a state of deadlock for five years, is poised to foster both domestic and regional stability in the coming years.

- IANS
Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah has dismissed Labour Minister Deepak Kumar Sah from the cabinet following a recommendation from his party. The removal comes after the party's disciplinary commission found Sah guilty of misusing his office to continue his wife, Junu Shrestha, as a member of the Health Insurance Board. Party chair Rabi Lamichhane stated the action was necessary as it had damaged the party's image and integrity. In the same letter, Lamichhane also recommended a warning for Health Minister Nisha Mehta for not taking the matter seriously.

PM Balendra Shah sacks Labour Minister Deepak Kumar Sah after party finds him guilty of misusing office to appoint his wife to a health board.

Kathmandu, April 9 Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Thursday sacked Deepak Kumar Sah, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, on disciplinary charges upon recommendation from his party.

Nom de guerre Balen, the Nepali Prime Minister, sacked the member of his cabinet upon receiving a formal letter from party chair Rabi Lamichhane, based on findings of the party's central disciplinary commission.

The prime minister's secretariat said Sah was removed after the party found him in breach of its code of conduct and discipline.

According to the commission's study, Sah misused his office to continue his wife, Junu Shrestha, as a member of the Health Insurance Board, a position which had remained largely inactive for a long time. The commission had submitted its report to the party on Wednesday, recommending action.

Lamichhane, in his letter to the prime minister, said the move had undermined the party's image, principles, and integrity, and warranted immediate action.

Citing provisions in the party statute, the RSP said its chair is mandated under Clause 25 (4) (a) to safeguard the party's values, while Clause 69 allows the party to recall individuals from responsibility in cases of misuse of office. Acting on the recommendation, the prime minister removed Sah from office.

In the same letter, Lamichhane also recommended a warning against Minister for Health and Population Nisha Mehta for failing to take the matter seriously.

Sah was appointed to the post on March 28. He was elected as a Member of Parliament from Mahottari-2 in the House of Representatives elections held on March 5. In recent days, he had also been demoted to the lowest rank within the Council of Ministers.

- ANI
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for continued military action in Lebanon, calling his disregard for life and law "intolerable." Sanchez demanded Lebanon's inclusion in the temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran and called for international condemnation. The White House, however, has explicitly rejected including Lebanon in the ceasefire, backing Israel's operations against Hezbollah. This follows Iranian warnings that Israeli attacks risk collapsing the fragile US-Iran ceasefire and escalating regional tensions.

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez calls Israeli PM Netanyahu's actions "intolerable," demands Lebanon be included in US-Iran ceasefire deal.

Madrid, April 9 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez hit out at his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu over continued aggression in Lebanon, stating that the latter's "contempt for life and international law is intolerable."

Pedro Sanchez demanded to include Lebanon in the temporary ceasefire deal between US and Iran and urged the international community to condemn the violation of international law.

"Just today, Netanyahu launched his harshest attack against Lebanon since the offensive began. His contempt for life and international law is intolerable. It's time to speak clearly: Lebanon must be included in the ceasefire. The international community must condemn this new violation of international law. The European Union must suspend its Association Agreement with Israel. And there must be no impunity for these criminal acts," the Spanish PM said.

This comes after Iran on Wednesday blamed Israel for jeopardising the fragile ceasefire in the region between the US and Iran to halt the hostilities for two weeks, warning that continued attacks on Lebanon by Israeli forces could lead to the collapse of the agreement and renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the US must choose between a ceasefire or "continue war via Israel".

In a post on X, Araghchi said, "The Iran-U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose--ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both. The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments."

However, the White House has dismissed the inclusion of Lebanon in the temporary ceasefire agreement, backing Israel's continued military operation against Hezbollah.

Addressing a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. That has been relayed to all parties involved in the ceasefire. As you know, Prime Minister Netanyahu put out a statement last night in support of the ceasefire, in support of the United States' efforts, and he's also assured the President they'll continue to be a helpful partner throughout the course of the next two weeks."

US Prsident Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have also stated that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire.

- ANI
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared there is no ceasefire in Lebanon, vowing to continue military strikes against Hezbollah with "full force." Simultaneously, he has instructed his cabinet to open direct negotiations with the Lebanese government, aiming for the disarmament of Hezbollah and a historic peace agreement. The Israel Defence Forces have launched fresh attacks on Hezbollah launch sites, underscoring the continued military pressure. The diplomatic move follows reported requests from Lebanon, with its president stating a ceasefire is the only solution, while a US-Iran truce's application to Lebanon remains a point of contention.

PM Netanyahu says no ceasefire in Lebanon, orders new strikes on Hezbollah while initiating direct negotiations for its disarmament and a peace deal.

Tel Aviv, April 10 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that there is "no ceasefire in Lebanon" and vowed to continue military operations with "full force" against Hezbollah.

"I wish to inform you: There is no ceasefire in Lebanon. We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force, and we will not stop until we restore your security," he said.

Netanyahu furher stated that he has instructed the Cabinet to open direct negotiations with the Lebanese government to achieve "disarmament of Hezbollah" and "historic peace agreement".

"Following repeated requests from the Lebanese government, last night I instructed the Cabinet to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon to achieve two goals. First, the disarmament of Hezbollah. Second, a historic peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon," he said.

The Israel Defence Forces has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Hezbollah launch sites."The IDF has begun to attack the Hezbollah terror organisation's launch sites in Lebanon," the IDF said in a post on X.

Earlier, Netanyahu instructed the government officials to open direct negotiations with Lebanon for the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of peace.

According to a statement shared by the Prime Minister's Office on X, Netanyahu said the decision follows repeated requests from Lebanon to initiate talks with Israel amid continued strikes by Israeli forces on the country.

"In light of Lebanon's repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed at the Government meeting yesterday to open direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible," the statement stated.

The statement also noted that Israel "appreciates the call" made by Lebanon's Prime Minister to demilitarise Beirut, signalling a possible shift in diplomatic engagement between the two sides.

"The negotiations will focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishing of peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon. Israel appreciates the call made today by the Prime Minister of Lebanon to demilitarise Beirut," the statement added.

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said that a ceasefire with Israel remains the only viable solution to the ongoing situation in the country, noting that the ceasefire proposal and the initiation of direct negotiations with Israel have already begun and have so far received a "positive response," as reported by Al Jazeera.

"The only solution to the current situation in Lebanon is to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon," he said, as quoted by Al Jazeera.

The developments come as the fragile ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran hangs in the balance, with Tehran stating that the truce also includes the halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

However, both Washington and Israel have maintained that the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon, a disagreement that has further complicated diplomatic efforts and heightened the risk of the truce collapsing.

- ANI
NTPC Limited has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with French energy major Electricite de France to explore collaborative opportunities in nuclear power. The agreement establishes a framework to assess the feasibility of projects, including evaluating EDF's EPR reactor technology for Indian conditions and maximizing local manufacturing. This move aligns with NTPC's strategic expansion into clean and reliable energy sources to bolster India's long-term energy security. The state-owned power giant, which aims for 149 GW of total capacity by 2032, is diversifying into new areas like nuclear, green hydrogen, and battery storage.

NTPC and France's Electricite de France sign an MoU to jointly assess the feasibility of developing nuclear power projects in India.

New Delhi, April 8 NTPC Limited has entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Electricite de France to jointly explore opportunities for developing nuclear power projects in India.

This follows approval from the concerned ministries & departments of the Government of India.

The MoU was signed by Arnada Prasad Samal, CGM (Nuclear Cell), on behalf of NTPC, and Vakisasi Ramany, Senior Vice President, International Nuclear Development, on behalf of EDF.

According to a statement released by NTPC, "The MoU establishes a framework for both companies to jointly assess the feasibility and approach for collaboration, including understanding EDF's EPR technology and its suitability for Indian requirements, exploring opportunities to maximize localization for large-scale deployment, examining economic and tariff aspects, developing human resource capabilities through training programmes, evaluating potential project sites, and providing technical support as mutually agreed."

This initiative aligns with NTPC's strategy to expand into clean, reliable energy and contribute to India's long-term energy security, the release added.

NTPC Limited, India's largest integrated power utility, currently operates more than 89 GW of installed capacity, with another 32 GW under construction.

The company has set a target to reach 149 GW of total capacity by 2032, including 60 GW from renewable energy sources. This includes a balanced mix of thermal, hydro, solar, and wind power plants, ensuring a supply of reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to the country.

Along with power generation, NTPC has ventured into various new business areas, including e-mobility, battery storage, pumped hydro storage, waste-to-energy, nuclear power, and green hydrogen solutions.

- ANI
A record-breaking 23 lakh pilgrims have visited the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra so far this year, marking an increase of two lakh from the previous year. The shrine's CEO, Sachin Kumar Vaishya, has assured that facilities are being further improved for the convenience of devotees. The shrine is governed by a board chaired by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha. The site has a long history, evolving from a local sacred site to a major pilgrimage destination with visits historically noted by regional rulers and Sikh Gurus.

Over 23 lakh pilgrims visited the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in 2026, a record increase, with the board promising improved facilities.

Jammu, April 9 A record number of more than 23 lakh Yatris have so far paid obeisance at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra town of Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, CEO of the Shrine Board said.

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board CEO, Sachin Kumar Vaishya, told reporters on Wednesday that this year 23 lakh Yatris visited the shrine so far and this number is two lakh more than last year.

He assured pilgrims coming to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine that facilities were being further improved for the convenience of the devotees coming to pay obeisance at the shrine from abroad and within the country.

The management of the Mata Vaidhno Devi shrine is under the shrine board, which is led by the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Dedicated to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, a manifestation of goddesses Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati, the shrine is situated on Trikuta mountain at an elevation of 5,200 feet (1,500 metres).

The temple is 43 km from the Jammu city and 29 km from the district headquarters in Reasi town.

The temple is governed by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the Governor/Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir is its ex-Officio Chairman since August 1986.

The shrine originally began as a sacred site for local tribes, who worshipped the region's natural geography.

The mountain's three prominent peaks were revered as the goddess "Trikuta Devi", a name that was used for centuries.

Following migrations into the Jammu region around the 12th century (after the 1192 Battle of Tarain), a cultural synthesis took place. During this period, the local deity Trikuta Devi gradually became identified with the Goddess Vaishno Devi.

However, the original name remained in common use for a long time; 19th-century European travellers, including G.T. Vigne in 1842 and Sir Richard Temple in 1859, still referred to the deity as "Trikuta Devi" or "Trikuta Mai".

For much of its early history, the pilgrimage to the shrine was largely limited to ascetics and local residents due to the dense forests and difficult terrain. However, historical records indicate that regional rulers occasionally made the journey.

According to the 1847 royal chronicle Rajdarshani by Ganeshdas Badehra, Raja Jas Dev of Jammu visited the shrine in 996 CE.

Traditions also state that the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, visited the site in 1672.

In the 18th century, Maharaja Ranjit Dev of Jammu visited the shrine to seek blessings prior to a political trip to Lahore.

Following his visit, he established the first formal facilities for pilgrims, including water stations and temporary shelters.

Today the shrine is the most revered Hindu pilgrimage site of Jammu and Kashmir.

- IANS
A 21-year-old Pakistani national, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, has pleaded guilty to plotting a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York. He admitted to planning the attack to coincide with the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks, with the goal of killing as many Jewish people as possible. Khan, who was living in Canada, communicated his plans with individuals who were actually undercover law enforcement officers. He now faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, with sentencing scheduled for August 2026.

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan pleads guilty to planning a mass shooting at a Brooklyn Jewish center, aiming for the deadliest US attack since 9/11.

New York, April 9 Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a 21-year-old Pakistani national, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to attempting to carry out a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York.

The Justice Department, in a press release, announced that Khan, a 21-year-old Pakistani national who was living in Canada on a study permit, admitted to planning what he hoped would be the deadliest attack on U.S. soil since 9/11.

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 21, also known as "Shahzeb Jadoon," pleaded guilty before US District Judge Paul G Gardephe and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 12, 2026.

"Khan planned a mass shooting at a Jewish center in New York City, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attacks, with the explicit goal of killing as many Jews as possible," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg, as per a statement by the US Department of Justice.

"Khan declared that New York City was the 'perfect' venue for his attack because of its large Jewish population and boasted that his plot could be the largest attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. The National Security Division will work tirelessly to ensure that terrorists like Khan face the full weight of American law," the statement further quoted Eisenberg as saying.

The Department of Justice stated that in or about November 2023, Khan, a Pakistani national residing in Canada, began posting on social media and communicating with others about his support for ISIS, including by distributing ISIS propaganda videos and literature.

Khan subsequently began planning terrorist attacks in the US in support of ISIS, including by communicating his plans with two individuals who, unbeknownst to Khan, were undercover officers (the UCs).

Khan told the officers that he, alongwith his associate, was planning to carry out an attack targeting Jews in the city. He also asked the officers to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and other materials to carry out the attacks, and identified locations in a city where the attacks would take place. He also told the officers that he knew a smuggler who would help him cross the border to the US, as stated in the statement.

In or about August 2024, Khan changed his target to New York City, telling the UCs that the target location would now be a prominent Jewish religious center in Brooklyn, New York. Khan noted that "if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11," as per the statement.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, as per the Department of Justice.

- ANI
A think tank report indicates China responded with clear unease and caution to Pakistan's bid to mediate in the West Asia conflict, refusing robust support. The development highlights emerging divergences in the "all-weather" partnership, particularly over Pakistan's policy towards Afghanistan and its relations with the US. China's concerns are driven by its heavy strategic investments in the region and security risks, leading it to recalibrate its strategy. This strain is reflected in China substantially curtailing funding for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor due to instability and security issues.

Report reveals China's unease with Pakistan's West Asia mediation role, citing divergences on Afghanistan, US relations, and scaled-back CPEC funding.

Beijing/Islamabad April 8 Although China has not publicly voiced concern over Pakistan's mediation efforts during the West Asia conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, Beijing's diplomatic response reflected clear unease, a report said on Wednesday.

According to think tank 'Politeia Research Foundation', Pakistani Defence Minister Ishaq Dar's recent visit to Beijing failed to secure robust support for mediation, eliciting only a "cautious, principle-based" response from the Chinese government.

This development, it said, reflects a broader truth: "all is not well in China-Pakistan relations", with emerging divergences - especially over Afghanistan and relations with the US - reshaping the trajectory of this once "all-weather" partnership.

"Recently, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Beijing. This visit came at a crucial time and was largely aimed at securing China's support for Pakistan's proposed mediation role in the ongoing US-Israel-Iran tensions. It followed a meeting in Islamabad that brought together countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey to explore potential mediation efforts. However, when that initiative failed to yield tangible results, Pakistan turned to China," the report detailed.

"China, however, has responded cautiously rather than endorsing. It has reportedly warned Pakistan to first resolve its issues with Afghanistan, emphasising that a country seeking to act as a mediator cannot simultaneously engage in aggressive actions against its neighbour. Such contradictions undermine credibility and send the wrong message about Pakistan's suitability as a neutral negotiator," it added.

According to the report, under Pakistani Army Chief Marshal Asif Munir - viewed as "a favoured figure" of US President Donald Trump - Pakistan has disregarded China's security interests in Afghanistan, repeatedly undermining them.

Pakistan's continued military aggression against Afghanistan has not only raised concerns but also compelled China to recalibrate its regional strategy.

"China's unease is rooted in its long-term strategic and economic investments across the region. Beijing has invested heavily in Pakistan, particularly under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, while simultaneously seeking to expand connectivity into Afghanistan through emerging trade corridors and economic integration," the report mentioned.

"In recent years, China has also increased its economic footprint in Afghanistan, recognising the country's geostrategic location as a critical gateway linking Central Asia, South Asia, and West Asia - an important component of its broader connectivity ambitions under the Belt and Road Initiative. China's concerns are further shaped by security considerations, particularly the risk of extremism emanating from Afghanistan," it stated.

Emphasising that the shifting dynamic is also reflected in the waning pace of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the report said that China has substantially curtailed funding for the project.

"Pakistan repeatedly invokes CPEC in its statements during meetings with China in an effort to secure renewed financial support, but Beijing has scaled back its engagement due to concerns over corruption, terror attacks on its workers, and increasing instability in the country," it noted.

- IANS
Indian Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is visiting Qatar to discuss liquefied natural gas supplies as global chains face stress from the Iran conflict. QatarEnergy declared force majeure on some long-term contracts after Iranian strikes damaged key LNG export infrastructure, taking significant capacity offline for years. The disruption threatens global energy security and has prompted India to explore alternative suppliers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently condemned the attacks in a discussion with Qatar's Emir, emphasizing the need for safe navigation and stable supplies.

India's Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri visits Qatar to secure LNG supplies as attacks disrupt exports, impacting global energy security.

New Delhi, April 9 Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is set to visit Qatar between April 9 and April 10 to discuss liquefied natural gas supplies amid disruptions triggered by the ongoing Iran conflict, the ministry said on Thursday.

In a post on X, the Ministry said, "Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Hardeep S. Puri, will be on an official visit to the State of Qatar on April 9-10, 2026."

India has been ensuring adequate gas availability for households, as global supply chains remain under stress.

Earlier, state-run QatarEnergy last month declared force majeure on long-term LNG supply contracts for up to five years, affecting shipments to countries such as Italy, Belgium, South Korea and China.

While India was not specifically mentioned, it remains one of the key buyers of LNG from Qatar.

Iranian strikes on Qatar since the outbreak of the conflict in late February have damaged infrastructure, accounting for nearly 17 per cent of the country's LNG export capacity, according to QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi.

The attacks on two of Qatar's 14 LNG trains and one of its two gas-to-liquids (GTL) facilities have taken offline an estimated 12.8 million tonnes per annum of LNG output. Repairs could take between three and five years, he said.

The disruption is estimated to cost Qatar about $20 billion in annual revenue losses and has raised concerns over global energy security, particularly among key importers in Europe and Asia.

Earlier in March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and strongly condemned the attacks on energy infrastructure that have disrupted global supplies. Both leaders also discussed the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,

Meanwhile, Indian companies have turned to alternative suppliers in the US, Australia and Russia for LNG, primarily used for industrial purposes.

India imported around 25.5 million tonnes of LNG in 2025, and the government aims to increase the share of natural gas in the country's primary energy mix to 15 per cent by 2030.

- IANS
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a series of virtual meetings with key international counterparts to strengthen trade and bilateral relations. He discussed enhancing strategic partnerships with the UAE's Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and advancing FTA negotiations with Chile's Francisco Perez Mackenna. Further talks were held with the GCC's Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi and Kuwait's Osama Khaled Boodai to expand economic collaboration across sectors. Additionally, Goyal addressed the launch of the India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal and indicated new government measures are being prepared to help exporters navigate disruptions from the West Asia conflict.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal held virtual meetings with leaders from UAE, Chile, GCC, and Kuwait to advance trade agreements and bilateral cooperation.

New Delhi, April 8 Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said he had meaningful virtual interactions with several world leaders to further strengthen bilateral ties and trade.

Goyal has a "constructive virtual interaction" with Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, the UAE.

"We discussed opportunities to further strengthen India-UAE trade ties and expand avenues for deeper bilateral cooperation. Look forward to advancing our strategic partnership to new heights," the minister said on social media platform X.

Goyal also interacted with Francisco Perez Mackenna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Chile.

"Discussed advancing our FTA negotiations and explored avenues to further strengthen bilateral ties and trade. Look forward to deepening our collaboration and concluding a mutually beneficial agreement soon," he informed.

He also had a productive virtual interaction with Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

"We discussed strengthening India-GCC cooperation across various sectors and reaffirmed our shared commitment to enhancing economic and strategic ties," said Goyal.

He also had a fruitful virtual meeting with Osama Khaled Boodai, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Kuwait.

"Exchanged views on expanding bilateral trade relations and deepening collaboration across key sectors," said Goyal.

He also virtually addressed the launch of the India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal.

"It is a forward-looking initiative that will enable direct engagement between Indian exporters & US importers, providing greater opportunities to further deepen our bilateral trade partnership," said Commerce Minister.

Meanwhile, Goyal recently said the government is preparing a fresh set of measures to help Indian exporters navigate disruptions in global trade caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia. He indicated that several decisions are currently under consideration across ministries and are likely to be announced soon.

- IANS
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar hosted Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman in New Delhi for a high-level review of bilateral ties. The discussions aimed at strengthening the multifaceted relationship and exchanging views on regional and global developments. This is the first official ministerial visit from Bangladesh since the new government took charge, signaling an effort to reset the partnership. The visit also serves as a strategic stopover for Rahman before he attends the Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius.

EAM Jaishankar meets Bangladesh FM Khalilur Rahman to strengthen partnership, discuss regional issues, and reset ties post-political transition.

New Delhi, April 8 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted his Bangladeshi counterpart Khalilur Rahman and a high-level delegation on Wednesday to review the depth of bilateral engagement alongside regional and international issues.

The high-stakes meeting, held in the national capital, focused on the trajectory of the neighbourhood partnership.

Highlighting the discussions, EAM Jaishankar posted on X, "Pleased to host FM Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh and his delegation this afternoon. We discussed strengthening our bilateral relationship in its various facets. Also exchanged views on regional and global developments. Agreed to remain in close touch."

Rahman reached New Delhi on Tuesday for a "goodwill visit" which, according to Dhaka, is anticipated to serve as an "important foundation" for expanding cooperation between the two neighbours to more productive and sustainable heights.

Welcoming the visiting dignitary, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted the deep-rooted connections between the two nations.

"Warm welcome to FM Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh on his arrival in New Delhi today. India and Bangladesh share warm and historic ties anchored in strong people to people relations. The visit will further bolster India-Bangladesh partnership," the MEA shared on X.

The visit serves as a strategic stopover for Rahman before he travels to Mauritius for the Indian Ocean Conference, set for April 10-12.

According to the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry, the Minister's itinerary in Delhi includes high-level engagements with India's National Security Advisor and the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

"These meetings will emphasise the stability and sustained development of bilateral relations based on mutual respect, trust, and shared interests," Dhaka stated prior to the Minister's departure.

This diplomatic mission is viewed as a pivotal step in resetting ties following a period of political transition.

"This visit is expected to lay an important foundation for elevating the areas of cooperation between Bangladesh and India to more productive and sustainable levels in the future. It is noteworthy that Humayun Kabir, Advisor to the Hon'ble Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, will accompany the Hon'ble Foreign Minister on the Mauritius conference and India visit," the statement further read.

The outreach marks the first official ministerial visit to India since the BNP-led government took charge in February.

It signals a significant effort to recalibrate a relationship that faced turbulence during the 18-month tenure of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration, which was marked by concerns over anti-India sentiment and reports of violence against Hindu minorities.

The groundwork for this ministerial dialogue was reinforced on Monday when India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, met with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka to discuss multi-sectoral cooperation.

During those talks, Verma reiterated New Delhi's commitment to a "positive, constructive and forward-looking approach" aimed at fostering a partnership rooted in shared interest and mutual benefit.

- ANI
Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharakwal strongly endorsed the Women's Reservation Bill, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts to empower women. She credited his leadership since 2014 with increasing women's representation in key positions like President and Governor. The government plans to introduce amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act in a special Parliament session to reserve 33% of legislative seats for women. PM Modi has called the reservation a historic necessity and urged widespread support for the legislation.

Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharakwal praises PM Modi for empowering women and pushing the Women's Reservation Bill for 33% quota in legislatures.

New Delhi, April 9 Strongly backing the Women's Reservation Bill, Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharakwal on Thursday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what she described as unprecedented efforts to empower women across the country.

Expressing gratitude, Kharakwal said, "I am very grateful to the Prime Minister for thinking about his sisters. When a woman was Prime Minister, this Bill came in 1975, then again in 1996 and later in 2008 but nothing changed. Now, as our Prime Minister promised, he has brought the Bill again. Be it Jan Dhan Yojana or ration card holders, even in allotting houses, you have empowered women and made them superior. Today, by introducing this Bill, you have won the hearts of all your sisters."

Highlighting the role of women in governance, she added, "I want to say that just as women manage a household and prepare a budget, they approach society in the same way. For example, when I oversee my municipal corporation, I plan everything carefully. The work women do in this manner benefits both the country and society."

Kharakwal further credited the Prime Minister's leadership for increasing women's representation in key positions. "I want to say that since 2014, when you came to power, you have fully supported women and have even appointed a woman as President. The Governor of Uttar Pradesh is also a woman; I am also a woman. The amount of respect you have given to your sisters, no other Prime Minister has done that," she said.

The government plans to introduce amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act (Women Reservation Act) during the upcoming three-day special session of Parliament. Under the Bill, 33 per cent of seats will be reserved for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.

Referring to a signed article posted on his website, PM Modi urged citizens to read and share it widely, and to motivate political parties to support the legislation. He called for collective action during the upcoming Parliament sittings on April 16, 17, and 18.

He underscored the urgent need for reservation for women in legislative bodies, describing it as a transformative step that would make India's democracy more vibrant and participative.

Highlighting the importance of the proposed reform, he stated that any delay in implementing women's reservation would be "deeply unfortunate." Emphasising its broader significance, he said the move is not merely a policy decision but a historic necessity to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure equal representation.

Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, "Reservation for women in legislative bodies is the need of the hour! This will make our democracy even more vibrant and participative. Any delay in bringing this reservation will be deeply unfortunate."

- IANS
Voting commenced in Puducherry for its 30 Assembly constituencies, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging a high voter turnout. The election is a tight contest between the NDA, led by Chief Minister N Rangasamy, and the Congress-DMK alliance, with statehood and administrative autonomy as central issues. Economic concerns, including protests over electricity department privatization and unemployment, have also dominated the campaign. The entry of actor-turned-politician Vijay's party and other smaller players adds unpredictability, raising the possibility of a hung Assembly.

Polling begins in Puducherry's 30 constituencies. Statehood, economic concerns, and actor Vijay's entry shape a tightly contested election.

Puducherry, April 9 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged voters in the Union Territory of Puducherry to participate in large numbers as polling began for the Assembly elections.

In a message posted on X, PM Modi said, "As the Puducherry Assembly elections commence, I urge every voter to come out and participate in record numbers. I especially appeal to our youth and to women voters to strengthen the process of democracy. Every vote matters in shaping the future of Puducherry."

Polling is being held across all 30 Assembly constituencies, with around 9.5 lakh voters eligible to decide the fate of 294 candidates in what is widely seen as a tightly contested election. With several constituencies expected to witness narrow margins, even small shifts in voter preference could significantly alter the final outcome.

A key issue dominating the election discourse is the long-pending demand for full statehood. Chief Minister N Rangasamy and the AINRC-BJP-led NDA have argued that close alignment with the Union government ensures smoother governance and faster implementation of development projects.

In contrast, the Congress-DMK alliance has framed the polls as a referendum on autonomy, highlighting tensions with the Lieutenant Governor and what it describes as constraints on administrative powers.

Economic concerns have also taken centre stage during the campaign. The proposed privatisation of the electricity department has triggered protests, with fears of tariff hikes among residents.

While the NDA has focused on welfare schemes, including subsidies and direct financial support, the opposition has raised concerns over unemployment, rising cost of living, and migration of youth to cities such as Chennai and Bengaluru in search of better opportunities.

Adding an element of unpredictability is actor-turned-politician Vijay, whose party has entered the fray and is expected to influence vote shares in several constituencies. The presence of independents and smaller parties further fragments the contest, increasing the likelihood of close finishes and even the possibility of a hung Assembly.

With critical issues such as statehood, economic stability, and governance at stake, voters across Puducherry are expected to play a decisive role in shaping the Union Territory's political future.

The counting of votes will take place on May 4.

- IANS
The Polavaram Irrigation Project is accelerating towards a year-end completion target, having achieved a major milestone with the completion of the world's largest spillway. Critical components like the upper and lower cofferdams and the Gap-3 concrete dam are fully finished, with work on the Earth Cum Rock Fill dams advancing rapidly. Upon completion, the project will transform the region by irrigating millions of acres, generating 960 MW of power, and supplying drinking water to Visakhapatnam. The project, featuring unique engineering like India's first fish ladder, is being executed by Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd.

Polavaram project nears completion with world's largest spillway ready. To irrigate millions of acres, generate 960 MW power, and transform Andhra Pradesh.

Polavaram, April 8 The Polavaram Irrigation Project is progressing steadily, with the Andhra Pradesh government accelerating works and targeting completion by year-end.

A major milestone has been achieved with the completion of the world's largest spillway, designed to handle a massive flood discharge of 50 lakh cusecs, along with the installation of 48 hydraulic radial gates. The upper and lower cofferdams (110.78 lakh CUM) and Gap-3 concrete dam (0.81 lakh CUM) have also been fully completed.

Executing these critical works, Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd has played a key role in driving the project forward with its engineering expertise and timely execution.

Work on the Earth Cum Rock Fill (ECRF) dams is advancing at a fast pace. Critical components such as diaphragm walls and vibro compaction are already completed, while embankment filling is currently in progress.

Once completed, the project will irrigate 7.2 lakh new acres and stabilise 23.5 lakh acres, significantly boosting agriculture. It will also generate 960 MW of hydropower using Asia's largest Kaplan turbines, divert 80 TMC of surplus water to the Krishna basin, and supply 23.44 TMC of drinking water to Visakhapatnam.

Speaking on the progress, A Gangadhar, General Manager, MEIL, stated that key structures like the spillway and cofferdams are complete, and with major groundwork in place, the team is confident of achieving upcoming milestones on schedule.

With its unique engineering features--including a right-bank spillway, left-bank powerhouse, a 6.6 km river diversion system, and India's first fish ladder--the project is set to transform irrigation, flood management, and power generation in Andhra Pradesh.

The Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP), which also encompasses the Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijayawada) link project, is being implemented in the State of Andhra Pradesh and has been receiving financial support from the Government of India.

- ANI
Government sources have clarified that an FIR lodged over a leaked FSSAI inquiry targets those responsible for the breach, not the media. The leak involves portions of an ongoing, internal FSSAI recruitment probe that were circulated on social media. Officials state such leaks compromise the investigation by alerting potential wrongdoers before its conclusion. Delhi Police is investigating to uphold the inquiry's credibility and hold the leakers accountable.

FSSAI clarifies FIR over leaked inquiry data aims to find the source, not silence media. Police act to safeguard investigation integrity.

New Delhi, April 9 Government sources have clarified that the recent FIR lodged with the Delhi Police in connection with the leakage of information of an inquiry conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is not aimed at silencing the media, but for identifying those responsible for leaking confidential information from FSSAI.

The sources said the FIR, registered against "unnamed" persons, does not target any individual journalist or outlet. Instead, it aims to trace the culprit believed to be behind the unauthorised release of sensitive data from FSSAI's office.

Officials also revealed that FSSAI had itself initiated a suo motu inquiry into recruitment-related complaints, which is still underway. The final report has not yet been submitted. However, portions of the ongoing inquiry are suspected to have been leaked by certain individuals to some social media handles.

According to sources, such leaks compromise the integrity of the process of investigation by alerting potential wrongdoers before the report is finalised and necessary action is considered.

Delhi Police, upon detecting the dissemination of inquiry-related information by some online platforms, has begun acting in accordance with the law. The investigation, officials emphasised, is focused on safeguarding the inquiry's credibility and ensuring that those attempting to sabotage it are held accountable. The source further clarified that such leakages jeopardise the investigation process.

Delhi Police had registered an FIR against some unidentified individuals over alleged unauthorised circulation of FSSAI documents.

- ANI
Pope Leo XIV has welcomed the provisional truce between the US and Iran as a "sign of deep hope," a stance that followed his strong condemnation of what he called "unacceptable" threats from the US. The de-escalation came after US President Donald Trump suspended a bombing campaign, announcing a two-week ceasefire based on a proposal from Iran. Trump credited mediation by Pakistani leaders for the pause, which is contingent on the safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran accepted the terms, leading to scheduled formal negotiations between the two nations' delegations in Islamabad.

Pope Leo XIV welcomes US-Iran ceasefire as hopeful, after condemning Trump's "unacceptable" threats. Deal mediated by Pakistan leads to talks.

Vatican City, April 8 Pope Leo XIV has expressed his approval regarding the announcement of a provisional truce established between the United States and Iran.

Addressing a gathering at St Peter's Square on Wednesday, the pontiff stated that he received the development "with satisfaction and as a sign of deep hope," according to remarks translated by Vatican News.

The head of the Catholic Church offered these observations shortly after voicing strong disapproval of President Trump's warning to eradicate "a whole civilisation" should Tehran fail to comply with American ultimatums by the Tuesday evening deadline.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday regarding the escalation, the Pope remarked, "Today, as we all know, there was this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable."

He further emphasised that while the situation involves clear "issues here of international law," the underlying concern transcends legalities. "Even more than that, it is a moral question for the good of the people," the pontiff added.

The Pope's message of hope followed a significant de-escalation by US President Donald Trump, who suspended the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran. Announcing a two-week, double-sided ceasefire, Trump indicated that a 10-point proposal received from Iran was "workable."

In a post on Truth Social, Trump explained that the proposal would serve as a ground to negotiate a permanent deal, while reiterating that the US has already achieved most of its military objectives.

The President revealed that the decision followed mediation by Pakistan, stating, "Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks."

Trump added that this suspension is subject to the "COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz," noting that both nations are now far along with a definitive agreement concerning long-term peace in the Middle East.

The Iranian side swiftly accepted the peace overture, agreeing to the two-week pause in military operations and guaranteeing safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed the Islamic Republic's response on X, stating that their "Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations" provided that attacks against Iran are halted.

Araghchi noted that the decision was made on behalf of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, acknowledging the US acceptance of the general framework of Iran's 10-point proposal as a basis for further talks.

This diplomatic breakthrough has paved the way for formal negotiations. Talks between the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the US team, headed by Vice-President JD Vance, are scheduled to take place this Friday in Islamabad.

- ANI
Arsenal have received a significant boost as attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, the club's Player of the Month for March, has returned to training after a calf injury. His return is timely with captain Martin Odegaard likely to miss the upcoming match against Bournemouth due to a minor issue. Eze's impressive form last month was crucial, featuring a standout goal in Europe and helping Arsenal secure three consecutive league wins. However, several other key players including Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber were absent from the latest training session.

Arsenal's Player of the Month Eberechi Eze is back in training, providing a major fitness boost for Mikel Arteta ahead of the Premier League clash with Bournemouth.

London, April 9 North London club Arsenal have been given a significant boost ahead of their upcoming Premier League clash against Bournemouth, to be played at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, as their top player Eberechi Eze has returned to training, providing a timely boost to manager Mikel Arteta.

The attacking midfielder, who was recently named Arsenal's Player of the Month for March, had been sidelined over the past few weeks due to a calf injury sustained after the side's win over Bayer Leverkusen. His absence saw him miss three matches, including the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City and a narrow victory over Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.

Eze was back with the squad during a training session at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Thursday, indicating he could be available for selection when Arsenal host Bournemouth this weekend.

The 27-year-old's return is expected to ease some of Arsenal's problems, especially with captain Martin Odegaard not fully fit. Odegaard, who recently picked up a minor issue during the win over Sporting, is likely to miss the next match against Bournemouth.

Meanwhile, several first-team players, including Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, and Riccardo Calafiori, were not seen in training. Saka has missed the last two matches, while Timber has been out since mid-March.

Eze's return comes on the back of an impressive run of form that saw him win Arsenal's Player of the Month award for the second time this season, having also claimed the honour in November.

His performances in March were crucial to Arsenal's success across competitions. He scored a standout long-range goal against Bayer Leverkusen in Europe, helping the team progress to the quarter-finals, and also netted a decisive goal off the bench in an FA Cup tie against Mansfield Town.

In the Premier League, Eze played every minute during the month as Arsenal secured three consecutive wins, a run that strengthened their position at the top of the table.

- IANS
Polling is underway in Puducherry to elect its 30-member Legislative Assembly. Former Chief Minister V Narayanasamy expressed confidence that the INDI alliance would form the next government. The election features a contest between the ruling NDA, the Congress-DMK led INDIA bloc, and Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. The counting of votes will be held on May 4.

Former Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy casts vote, expresses confidence in INDI alliance forming government. Key details on the assembly election.

Puducherry, April 9 Polling is underway in Puducherry, and former Chief Minister and Congress leader V Narayanasamy cast his vote at the polling station at VOC Govt School on Thursday.

He expressed confidence that the INDI alliance would form the next government and urged citizens to turn out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right.

Speaking to the reporters, Narayanasamy said, "The people of Puducherry want the INDI alliance to come to power. I am confident that the INDI alliance will form the government here. I request the people to come in large numbers to exercise their democratic right."

Puducherry is voting for a total of 30 seats. A total of 10,14,070 electors are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect the 30-member Legislative Assembly.

The electorate comprises 5,39,125 female voters, 4,74,788 male voters, and 157 voters belonging to the Third gender category. Out of this, 24,156 voters belong to the age group of 18-19 years, while 6,034 voters belong to the senior citizen category (aged 85 and above).

In Puducherry, the contest involves the ruling NDA, which includes the All India NR Congress, the BJP and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is seeking to make it triangular.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) includes the All India NR Congress (AINRC) led by Chief Minister N Rangasamy, which is contesting 16 assembly constituencies, the BJP contesting 10 seats, and both the AIADMK and LJK, each contesting two seats.

The INDIA bloc includes Congress, which is contesting 16 assembly constituencies, and the DMK, contesting 14 seats. VCK, which is part of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu, has decided to contest on three assembly seats in Puducherry independently after being offered only one.

The current term of the 30-member Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory is set to expire on June 15. The counting of votes will be held on May 4, the ECI announced.

- ANI
Punjab has launched Mission Samrath 4.0, introducing a state-wide school attendance tracking system. Parents will receive daily SMS alerts about their child's attendance, with escalating interventions for prolonged absences. Education Minister Harjot Bains stated the system aims to ensure learning continuity and child safety. The initiative is part of Punjab's push to enhance classroom accountability and teaching quality.

Punjab launches Mission Samrath 4.0 with daily SMS alerts to parents on child's school attendance to boost learning and safety.

Chandigarh, April 9 Punjab has pushed its Sikhya Kranti into the next phase, with Education Minister Harjot Bains, along with former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, on Thursday launching Mission Samrath 4.0, a foundational learning programme aimed at achieving global excellence in education.

The new phase introduces a state-wide attendance-tracking system, under which parents will receive daily SMS alerts on their child's attendance, marking a shift towards real-time accountability and stronger learning continuity in classrooms.

Declaring it as the next big leap in the state's education revolution, Bains said Punjab, already ranked number one in the PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) survey, is now moving from recognition to results by tightening classroom accountability and scaling proven teaching practices.

He underscored that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has raised the education budget to Rs 19,279 crore, ensuring funds reach classrooms rather than remain stuck in files, driving visible transformation from basic infrastructure to measurable learning outcomes across government schools.

Highlighting the state's top rank in the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, the Education Minister said that under the leadership of CM Mann, the government has introduced the attendance-tracking system as part of Mission Samrath 2026-27.

He said, "Parents will receive daily SMS alerts on their child's attendance, with notifications for every absence, aiming to boost regular attendance, learning continuity, and classroom engagement. Any child absent for seven days will trigger a district-level parent contact, while absence beyond 15 days will be flagged to state headquarters. This will ensure both learning continuity and child safety."

Emphasising the impact of the programme, the minister stated, "Mission Samrath has transformed classroom dynamics. This phase focuses on enhancing teaching quality and accountability through attendance tracking, improved monitoring, and the sharing of best practices. Our goal is to ensure that every child achieves strong foundational learning."

- IANS
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has appealed to voters in Kerala to elect a government with a vision to harness the state's talent and potential. He emphasized a future of jobs, dignity, and opportunity ahead of the state's Legislative Assembly elections. The political climate is intense as the CPI(M)-led LDF government, currently in power, seeks a third consecutive term. The LDF, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, retained power in 2021, marking a historic re-election.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urges Kerala voters to support a visionary government for jobs and opportunity as the state prepares for Assembly elections.

Thiruvananthapuram, April 8 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday called on voters in Keralam to support a government with vision, emphasising the state's talent and potential.

In a post on X, Gandhi said, "Keralam has the talent. Kerala has the potential. What Keralam needs is a government with the vision to harness both."

Urging people to vote, he added, "Tomorrow, vote for that Keralam. Vote for a future of jobs, dignity and opportunity."

The political temperature in the state is at its zenith as voting for the 2026 Keralam Legislative Assembly elections is scheduled for April 9, with counting on May 4. The current Assembly's tenure ends on May 23.

Keralam has been governed by the CPI(M)-led LDF for the past decade. In the 2021 elections, the LDF retained power with 99 seats, becoming the first incumbent government since 1977 to win consecutive terms. The UDF won 41 seats, while the NDA, led by the BJP, failed to win any seats despite an 11.4 per cent vote share.

Following the victory, Pinarayi Vijayan became the first Keralam CM to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term. The CPI(M) emerged as the largest party with 62 seats; Congress secured 21, and the CPI won 17. The Indian Union Muslim League, a key UDF ally, won 15 seats.

The LDF includes parties such as Keralam Congress (M), Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the Nationalist Congress Party, while the UDF comprises Congress, Keralam Congress, and the Indian Union Muslim League. The NDA, led by the BJP, also includes regional parties such as Twenty 20, Bharath Dharma Jana Sena, and Keralam Kamaraj Congress.

- ANI
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje ensured a women-only stage at the 'Nari Shakti Vandan' programme in Banswara by requesting male leaders to step down. She emphasized the event was organized under the BJP's national leadership and launched from the land of Goddess Tripura Sundari. Raje praised the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which provides 33% reservation for women in legislatures, as a mark of self-respect. She urged women to engage in politics as a full-time commitment to public service.

Former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje asked male leaders to vacate the stage for women at a Nari Shakti Vandan programme in Banswara.

Jaipur, April 9 In a symbolic gesture highlighting women's empowerment, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje ensured that only women occupied the stage during the 'Nari Shakti Vandan' programme in Banswara.

Emphasising the spirit of the event, she appealed to male leaders present on the stage to vacate their seats and extend their support to women.

"This programme is dedicated to Nari Shakti. I request my brothers to support us by giving space to women," Raje said. 

In response to her appeal, all male leaders seated on stage stepped down and joined the audience. Women participants who had been seated below were then invited onto the stage. 

Raje later expressed her gratitude to the male leaders for their cooperation and gesture of respect.

Addressing the gathering at the BJP office, Raje said the programme was being organised under the guidance of the party's national leadership and was launched from the sacred land of Goddess Tripura Sundari, revered as a symbol of supreme power.

She underlined the cultural and spiritual significance of beginning this initiative on this land. 

"This programme has been organised under the directives of our National President, Nitin Nabin, and is being launched from the sacred land of Goddess Tripura Sundari, the embodiment of supreme power," she said.

Raje described the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as a mark of self-respect for women and expressed her gratitude to PM Modi, under whose leadership the Parliament approved the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in 2023. Through this legislation, women will receive a 33 per cent reservation in the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies, she said.

Highlighting recent legislative developments, Raje described the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as a symbol of dignity for women across the country.

She explained that the law provides for 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, which would ensure greater participation of women in governance and decision-making.

"With this step, women will have a decisive role in shaping the nation's future," she said.

Encouraging active political participation, Raje urged women not to treat politics as a part-time activity but as a full-time commitment to public service.

Ending her speech on a lighter note, she remarked that while 33 per cent of women would now help run the country, men might have to take greater responsibility at home.

- IANS
Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission Chairperson Babita Chauhan stated that the Women's Reservation Bill will connect women with the mainstream and significantly alter the landscape as they enter decision-making roles. She expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for realizing the long-held dream of 33% reservation for women in politics. PM Modi emphasized the urgent need for the bill, calling it a historic necessity to make India's democracy more vibrant and participative. He warned that any delay in implementing women's reservation would be deeply unfortunate for the nation's democratic institutions.

UP Women's Commission chief hails Women's Reservation Bill as transformative for mainstreaming women and enhancing democratic participation.

Kanpur, April 9 Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission Chairperson Babita Chauhan on Thursday said that the Women's Reservation Bill would help women connect with the mainstream, and once they step into decision-making roles, "the landscape is likely to change significantly".

Talking to IANS, Chauhan said: "With this, women will connect with the mainstream, and as I mentioned earlier, once they step into decision-making roles, I believe the landscape will look quite different. Even today, I can assert that in workplaces where both men and women are employed, women tend to work with greater integrity. Therefore, when both work together in this manner, even better outcomes are bound to unfold in the future."

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's article on the Women's Reservation Bill, she said: "On behalf of all women, I express my profound gratitude to the Prime Minister. I sincerely thank him for the fact that today we are poised to benefit from 33 per cent reservation. Since childhood, we have been hearing that women would eventually receive 33 per cent reservation in politics; today, that collective dream is finally coming true. I deeply appreciate the Prime Minister, as he consistently asserts from every platform that women constitute half of the country's population."

Earlier in the day, PM Modi underscored the urgent need for reservation for women in legislative bodies, describing it as a transformative step that would make India's democracy more vibrant and participative. In an Op-Ed and a series of posts on X, the Prime Minister called for unity among Members of Parliament to ensure the timely passage of the long-pending legislation.

Highlighting the importance of the proposed reform, the Prime Minister stated that any delay in implementing women's reservation would be "deeply unfortunate". He emphasised that the move is not merely a policy decision but a historic necessity to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure equal representation.

"Reservation for women in legislative bodies is the need of the hour! This will make our democracy even more vibrant and participative. Any delay in bringing this reservation will be deeply unfortunate. Expressed my thoughts on the issue in this Op-ed."

In his detailed Op-Ed, the Prime Minister also extended greetings to citizens across the country on the occasion of multiple festivals being celebrated during this period. He noted that India would soon be immersed in a festive spirit, with diverse regions observing their traditional New Year celebrations. He mentioned that Assam would celebrate Rongali Bihu, Odisha would mark Maha Bishuba Pana Sankranti, West Bengal would welcome Poila Boishakh, and Kerala would observe Vishu with great enthusiasm. Similarly, Tamil Nadu would celebrate Puthandu, while Punjab and several northern states would mark Baisakhi.

- IANS
"To be or not to be" on a highway

British actor and rapper Riz Ahmed stars in Aneil Karia's modern adaptation of Hamlet, set in contemporary, multicultural London. Ahmed connects deeply with the Danish prince's sense of being an outsider, a feeling he experienced growing up. The film reimagines iconic scenes, like delivering the "To be or not to be" soliloquy on a high-speed highway. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and is set for theatrical release on April 10.

Riz Ahmed stars in a modern Hamlet set in multicultural London, relating to the prince's outsider status. Premieres April 10.

London, April 8 British actor and rapper Riz Ahmed has opened up about his connection with William Shakespeare's Hamlet as he takes the titular role in Aneil Karia's new modern adaptation of the classic tragedy. Ahmed, 43, says he relates to the Danish prince's sense of being an outsider, a feeling he experienced growing up, according to People.

"I had a really inspirational English teacher who gave it to me," Ahmed told People, recalling how he discovered the play. "I found a character, the heart of this play, that just feels as much of an outsider as I did at that time... and as much of an outsider as I think many of us feel right now."

Karia and screenwriter Michael Lesslie reimagine Hamlet in modern-day, multicultural London. In a striking reinterpretation, Ahmed delivers the iconic "To be or not to be" soliloquy while driving on a high-speed highway, blending Shakespeare's text with contemporary settings.

Acknowledging that Shakespeare can feel inaccessible to some, Ahmed said, "It doesn't belong to me and I don't belong in it and it's just a bit stuffy and alien." He emphasized that film is "an empathy engine," offering audiences a way to see themselves in stories from any era.

Ahmed, who also serves as producer on the project, explained the importance of grounding the play in a modern context. "In order to keep this canonical, British text alive... we have to pass the baton in terms of where it's set. Only then can it actually feel grounded and real," according to People

The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and will release in theaters Friday, April 10. Hamlet also stars Morfydd Clark, Joe Alwyn, Sheeba Chaddha, Avijit Dutt, Art Malik, and Timothy Spall, according to People

Ahmed continues to lead projects such as the British limited series Bait, streaming on Prime Video, and Alejandro G. Inarritu's Digger with Tom Cruise, releasing in theaters on October 2.

- ANI
Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, stated that the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon is separate from the recent ceasefire with Iran. He emphasized Israel's objective is to remove all Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure from southern Lebanon, holding the Lebanese government responsible. Azar expressed support for the US-led negotiations with Iran based on a 15-point plan aimed at curbing its nuclear and missile programs. However, he reiterated that Israel will continue to defend its northern border, having recently struck over 250 Hezbollah targets.

Israel's Ambassador to India reaffirms goal to clear Hezbollah from southern Lebanon, supports Iran ceasefire but stresses separate northern front.

New Delhi, April 9 Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, reaffirmed Tel Aviv's objective is to achieve a situation without "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure" in Southern Lebanon as Israel continues to strike Lebanon after the ceasefire with Iran.

Speaking with ANI, Reuven Azar differentiated between its conflict with Hezbollah and Iran, showing extensive support for the temporary ceasefire with Tehran, while reaffirming Tel Aviv's goal in southern Lebanon.

"It has nothing to do with the operation in Iran. When it comes to Lebanon, as I said, we have to achieve a situation in which southern Lebanon will be cleaned from Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure. That's the responsibility of the Lebanese government. When it comes to Iran, we hope that this negotiation will lead to the conditions that are part of the 15-point plan. That means no military nuclear capabilities on Iranian soil, curbing their ballistic missile program and a full stop to the proliferation of terror in the region," he said.

"We have the right to defend ourselves on our northern border from the attacks of Hezbollah. In the last few hours, the Israeli air force has conducted a massive operation. We removed more than 250 Hezbollah terrorists all around Lebanon. We are very clear that the terms of the ceasefire that were put forward last year have to be retained. We can't agree to the presence of Hezbollah south of the Litani. They have to be disarmed. And we expect the Lebanese government to play a much more significant role, not just by talking, but also by removing the capabilities of Hezbollah so we can be sure that our communities in the north won't be attacked again," he added.

Speaking about the ceasefire with Iran, Reuven Azar hoped that the negotiations would result in "removal of two existential threats" that he said are Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missile production.

"We officially declared that we support this ceasefire, and there are going to be negotiations led by the United States. I think it's a great sign...In the framework of the ceasefire, they (Iran) have agreed to remove this travesty of trying to block international waterways. So I think that we are on a good track. The basis for the negotiations is the 15-point plan of the United States, and we are hopeful that after we achieve this removal of two existential threats, the nuclear threat and the ballistic missile production, that now that we have debilitated the regime, they will finally change course and agree to a path that leads to permanent peace in our region," he said.

This comes after Iran on Wednesday blamed Israel for jeopardising the fragile ceasefire in the region between the US and Iran to halt the hostilities for two weeks, warning that continued attacks on Lebanon by Israeli forces could lead to the collapse of the agreement and renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

However, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have also stated that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire.

- ANI
Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, the Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, detailed extensive efforts to ensure the safety of thousands of Indian nationals in Iran following the intensification of conflict in West Asia. He highlighted close coordination with the Indian embassy in Tehran, facilitating the relocation of students and supporting visitors' travel back to India via Armenia. Ilahi praised successful diplomatic conversations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iran's leadership, and expressed deep admiration for the Indian people's loyalty and humanity. India's Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the return of 1,777 nationals from Iran, crediting support from regional authorities.

Iran's Supreme Leader's rep in India details evacuating 3000 students, praises PM Modi's diplomacy and Indian people's support for justice.

Tehran, April 8 Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, on Wednesday said that when the conflict intensified, Iran also worked closely with the Indian embassy in Tehran to support students and visitors.

Ilahi, in a conversation with ANI, said that taking care of Indian brothers and sisters is his responsibility.

"When this conflict intensified, I worked to ensure about 3,000 students from Tehran and other cities, mostly in medical sciences, were moved to safe accommodations. We also worked closely with the Indian embassy in Tehran to support students and visitors. About 400 visitors were provided with accommodation and meals before I supported their travel to Armenia and then back to India. Taking care of our Indian brothers and sisters is my responsibility," he said.

Ilahi recounted the conversations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Iran's leadership.

"The Prime Minister of India had successful conversations with our President, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of India has also spoken with our Foreign Minister several times. I cannot find the words to express the value of the Indian people," he said.

Ilahi further heaped praise on Indians' gentility and said that India always stood with justice.

"They possess such loyalty, kindness, and humanity. I recently spoke with a Hindu professor who said that while we are not neighbors or of the same religion, they support us because they realize we are right. Throughout history, India has stood with justice and humanity. I congratulate our brothers and sisters in India for being such extraordinary people; words are limited in describing them," he said.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday said that India has facilitated the return of 1,777 Indian nationals from Iran amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which is currently in its second month. It noted that the facilitation was made possible by support from the authorities of Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Speaking during an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in the region, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the Indian Embassy in Tehran has been actively coordinating evacuation efforts.

- ANI
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami expressed strong confidence in his party's campaign, stating the clear goal is to return to power in the state. He criticized the incumbent DMK government while highlighting his party's achievements to voters. The election features a major contest between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the AIADMK-led NDA, with campaigning intensifying across constituencies. The political landscape is further complicated by the anticipated electoral debut of actor-politician Vijay, potentially creating a three-cornered fight.

AIADMK's Edappadi Palaniswami exudes confidence in election campaign, targeting DMK government. Polling on April 23.

Chennai, April 10 AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday exuded confidence over his party's election campaign, saying they are working with a clear aim to return to power in the state Assembly polls.

He also attacked the Chief Minister, MK Stalin-led DMK government.

Speaking to ANI, Palaniswami said, "I am a farmer--I have faced both scorching sun and heavy rain. We are not concerned about heat or rain. Our goal is to form the government again. So we are actively campaigning for our party candidates and alliance candidates, reaching out to the people, explaining our achievements, and highlighting the shortcomings of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government to gather votes. The election campaign is progressing excellently."

Ahead of Tamil Nadu polls, DMK leader Kanimozhi campaigned in support of Minister Su. Muthusamy, the party's candidate for the Erode West Assembly constituency, at Vellode Nalroad in Erode district.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday held a roadshow supporting BJP Mahila Morcha president and Coimbatore North Assembly constituency Vanathi Srinivasan in the Saibaba Colony area, ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu polls.

During the campaign, party cadres from the BJP and AIADMK welcomed both leaders with garlands made of lotus flowers.

The upcoming elections are expected to witness a keen contest between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also set to make his electoral debut, potentially turning the contest into a three-cornered battle.

The polling for single-phase Tamil Nadu assembly elections is scheduled to be held on April 23, with counting of votes set for May 4.

- ANI
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has directed officials to expedite the repair of three barrages in the Kaleshwaram Project. He ordered the creation of a special action plan and insisted work be completed according to National Dam Safety Authority guidelines before the monsoon. The CM emphasized that there would be no shortage of funds for the project but warned that delays would not be tolerated. A review meeting was held with key ministers and officials to ensure continuous monitoring of the repair schedule.

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy directs officials to expedite repairs on Kaleshwaram project barrages before monsoon, ensuring no fund shortages.

Hyderabad, April 10 Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has directed officials to repair the three barrages in the Kaleshwaram Project and bring them back into use. He instructed that the works be completed in accordance with the recommendations of the National Dam Safety Authority and emphasised that the work should be expedited as quickly as possible, a release said.

On Thursday, at his residence in Jubilee Hills, the Chief Minister, along with Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, conducted a review of the Kaleshwaram project. He ordered that a special action plan be prepared for the repair works and that continuous monitoring be carried out. He also directed that all concerned agencies be alerted and that the pace of work be increased.

The Chief Minister clarified that the tests and sample collection being conducted under the supervision of the Central Water and Power Research Station should be completed before the onset of the monsoon. He suggested forming a team comprising the Irrigation Department, CWPRS, barrage construction companies, and design consultants. He also instructed that members of the Central Water Commission be involved in every aspect of the work.

Engineers informed the Chief Minister that not only the sunken pillar at Medigadda, but the entire 1.6-kilometer barrage needs to be studied.

The Chief Minister directed that 500 borewells be drilled near Medigadda and that a special action plan be prepared for this purpose. He instructed officials to arrange the necessary machinery and complete the work as quickly as possible. He also asked for the preparation of designs related to the repairs and a complete schedule of works to be completed by December.

Stating that delays in the work would not be tolerated, the Chief Minister assured that there would be no shortage of funds. He also suggested setting up a base camp at Medigadda and said that he would personally visit and inspect the works once they begin.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, Irrigation Secretary Sridhar, CM's Secretary Manik Raj, and senior officials of the Irrigation Department.

- ANI
Donald Trump has publicly warned Iran against reports it is charging fees to oil tankers passing through the critical Strait of Hormuz. This threat comes amid a fragile ceasefire and disputes over whether the truce applies to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has explicitly stated there is no ceasefire in Lebanon and vowed to continue military operations against Hezbollah. Netanyahu also announced instructions to open direct negotiations with Lebanon aiming for Hezbollah's disarmament and a peace agreement.

Trump warns Iran over reports of charging fees to oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, threatening the fragile ceasefire as Israel-Lebanon tensions flare.

Washington DC, April 10 US President Donald Trump said there are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Strait of Hormuz and warned Tehran against it.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait -- They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!"

In another post, Trump accused Iran of "doing a poor job" at allowing oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, reminding Tehran of the temporary ceasefire agreement.

"Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz. That is not the agreement we have!" he said.

This puts the already fragile ceasefire in jeopardy as the disagreement between both parties continues to widen before the negotiations in Islamabad begin.

Earlier, Tehran had accused Israel of violating the agreement by attacking Lebanon, as it stated that the ceasefire in Lebanon is part of the truce.

However, both Washington and Israel have maintained that the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon, a disagreement that has further complicated diplomatic efforts and heightened the risk of the truce collapsing.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that there is "no ceasefire in Lebanon" and vowed to continue military operations with "full force" against Hezbollah.

"I wish to inform you: There is no ceasefire in Lebanon. We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force, and we will not stop until we restore your security," he said.

Netanyahu further stated that he has instructed the Cabinet to open direct negotiations with the Lebanese government to achieve "disarmament of Hezbollah" and "historic peace agreement".

"Following repeated requests from the Lebanese government, last night I instructed the Cabinet to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon to achieve two goals. First, the disarmament of Hezbollah. Second, a historic peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon," he said.

- ANI
Actor-politician and TVK leader Vijay is intensifying his campaign with a major public outreach program in Karaikudi. The event will support party candidates in four constituencies, with a focus on Karaikudi candidate Dr D. K. Prabhu. Police and election officials have conducted venue inspections and coordination meetings to ensure security and compliance with the Model Code of Conduct. Authorities have tightened security, installed barricades, and planned increased police deployment to manage the anticipated large crowd.

Actor-politician Vijay holds major rally in Karaikudi for Tamil Nadu polls. Police tighten security, inspect venue ahead of key TVK campaign event.

Chennai, April 9 Actor-turned-politician Vijay, leader of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, is set to intensify his election campaign with a major public outreach programme in Karaikudi on Friday.

The visit is part of his ongoing statewide campaign ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, where he has been actively engaging with voters across key constituencies.

During his visit, Vijay will campaign in support of his party candidates contesting in four constituencies -- Karaikudi, Manamadurai, Sivaganga, and Tirupathur.

In Karaikudi, he will specifically canvass votes for party candidate Dr D.K. Prabhu, with party leaders expressing confidence that the event will draw significant public attention.

Party sources said that permission has been sought to conduct a public meeting near the Thevar statue in Karaikudi between noon and 4 p.m. In preparation for the event, officials from the Election Commission and the police department convened a coordination meeting to review arrangements and ensure compliance with election guidelines. Subsequently, a team of officials led by District Superintendent of Police Shivaprasad and Karaikudi Assistant Superintendent of Police Ashish Puniya conducted an on-site inspection of the proposed venue.

The team assessed security requirements, crowd management strategies, and logistical arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the programme.

The officials also held discussions with candidate Dr D.K. Prabhu regarding the planning and execution of the campaign rally. According to TVK representatives, permission for the event is expected to be granted with certain conditions aimed at maintaining law and order and ensuring adherence to the Model Code of Conduct.

Given the anticipated turnout of supporters, authorities have significantly tightened security measures in and around the venue.

Preventive steps have been taken to restrict public access to potentially hazardous areas, including the installation of barricades around transformers, electric poles, and tall trees to prevent supporters and volunteers from climbing them during the event.

Police presence has been increased, and additional personnel are expected to be deployed to manage traffic and ensure public safety.

With Vijay's growing campaign momentum, Friday's rally in Karaikudi is likely to be a key political event in the region.

- IANS
Tom Holland has shared his experience working with Matt Damon on Christopher Nolan's upcoming epic 'The Odyssey,' highlighting Damon's exceptional work ethic and gracious leadership on a demanding set. Holland revealed he received valuable private advice from Damon and learned immensely just by observing the veteran actor. He enthusiastically praised Nolan's vision, describing the film as an "absolute masterpiece" and a unique cinematic achievement. 'The Odyssey,' featuring a star-studded cast, is set for release on July 17.

Tom Holland reveals working with Matt Damon on Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' was a masterclass, praising Damon's work ethic and leadership.

Los Angeles, April 8 Actor Tom Holland has opened up about his experience working with Matt Damon on filmmaker Christopher Nolan's upcoming film 'The Odyssey', revealing that he received valuable advice from his co-star but will keep it private, according to People.

Damon, 55, and Holland portray the mythological Greek heroes Odysseus and his son, Telemachus, in Christopher Nolan's new movie, an adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem.

In an interview, Holland shared that working alongside Damon was a memorable experience, describing the veteran actor as a leader on set.

"He was a leader. This was a very tough movie and no one worked harder than Matt did," Holland said, when asked if Damon gave him any "fatherly advice" while working together. "And he always came to set with a smile on his face and he was gracious and he was so kind to the crew. And I think he really set the tone for everyone as to how we were going to collectively make this film," according to People.

"So there are words of wisdom that he's given me that I'll keep to myself, but there's a lot that I learned from him from just being a spectator on set and watching the legend that is Matt Damon work," Holland added.

Holland and Damon were first reported to be costarring in Nolan's follow-up to 2023's Oppenheimer in November 2024. Nolan and Universal Pictures revealed that he was adapting The Odyssey for the big screen in December of that year. The movie also features an all-star cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Elliot Page, Mia Goth, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo and Robert Pattinson, among others, according to People.

Reflecting on their time together, Holland noted that Damon's work ethic stood out during the demanding shoot.

"He was a leader. This was a very tough movie and no one worked harder than Matt did. He always came to set with a smile on his face and was gracious and kind to the crew," Holland said, adding that Damon helped set the tone for the entire production.

While Holland chose not to reveal the specific advice he received, he acknowledged its importance. "There are words of wisdom that he's given me that I'll keep to myself, but there's a lot that I learned from him just by watching," he said, according to People.

"I can tell you that it is an absolute masterpiece, and I'm taking myself out of that equation," Holland said, when asked to detail his experience filming The Odyssey. "Chris Nolan's movie is fantastic. It's unlike anything that I've ever seen before. I think when I saw the movie, I found myself asking a question that I haven't asked about a movie for a long time, which is, 'How did you do that?' "

Praising Nolan's vision, Holland described the film as "an absolute masterpiece," adding that it offers a cinematic experience unlike anything he has seen before, according to People.

The Odyssey marks Holland's first appearance on the big screen since 2022's Uncharted. The movie debuts in theaters July 17, just two weeks before Holland's fourth Spider-Man entry, Brand New Day, releases on July 31.

- ANI
US President Donald Trump announced the US is considering a "joint venture" with Iran to secure the strategic Strait of Hormuz following a two-week ceasefire. He reiterated that Iran would not be permitted to maintain any uranium enrichment capabilities under a future deal. Top US General Dan Caine emphasized the ceasefire is only a "pause" and that American forces remain ready to resume combat operations. The ceasefire was announced after Trump stated the US had achieved its military objectives and received a workable 10-point proposal from Iran.

Following a two-week ceasefire, President Trump says the US is considering a "joint venture" with Iran to secure the critical Strait of Hormuz.

Washington DC, April 8 US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Washington is considering a "joint venture" with Iran to secure the Strait of Hormuz, following his announcement of a two-week ceasefire.

Speaking during an interview with ABC News, when asked whether Tehran would be allowed to charge tolls for shipping through the strait, the US President said the joint venture would help to secure the strategic waterway, a critical transit for global energy trade.

"We're thinking of doing it as a joint venture. It's a way of securing it - also securing it from lots of other people," Trump said. "It's a beautiful thing," he added.

Trump also reiterated that he would not permit Iran to maintain any uranium enrichment capabilities, despite Tehran's repeated claims that it will retain its right to enrich uranium.

"There won't be any enrichment," the US President said to ABC News.

Trump said he expects peace talks to begin on Friday and to progress rapidly, and also confirmed that China played a key role in engaging with Iran, as reported by ABC News.

The US President further stated that American forces in the region will not be leaving, indicating they will remain in place to enforce any future agreement.

Following his remarks, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, stated that the American forces remain prepared to "resume combat operations" in the Islamic Republic if ordered, highlighting the temporary nature of the truce.

During a press briefing at the Pentagon alongside US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, General Caine stated that the ceasefire was just a "pause", noting that the joint forces are ready to resume combat operations with "the same speed and precision" as showcased during US operations against Iran since February 28.

"Let us be clear. A ceasefire is a pause, and the joint force remains ready if ordered or called upon to resume combat operations with the same speed and precision as we've demonstrated over the last 38 days. And we hope that that is not the case," Caine said.

General Caine also paid tribute to the US personnel who have lost their lives so far in the operation, noting the 13 service members of the joint forces who lost their lives during the conflict.

"I want to start this morning by honouring the 13 members of our American joint force who were killed in action thus far during this operation; their sacrifice and that of their families is deeply important to us, and we are grateful," he added.

General Caine's remarks comes hours after Trump announced a double-sided ceasefire in the West Asia conflict with Iran for two weeks.

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump suspended the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran, announcing a two-week double-sided ceasefire and stating that the 10-point proposal from Iran was workable.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the ten-point proposal will serve as ground to negotiate for a permanent deal while reiterating that the US has achieved most of its military objectives.

"Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double-sided CEASEFIRE!" Trump said.

"The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East. We received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate," he added.

- ANI
President Donald Trump declared that U.S. military assets will remain positioned around Iran to ensure compliance with an agreement. He warned that failure to comply would result in a severe military response, bigger than ever seen. Trump and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused major media outlets of falsely reporting on a ten-point plan from Iran. They emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open and that Iran will not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.

President Trump says US military will remain deployed near Iran to enforce compliance with an agreement, warning of severe consequences if terms are broken.

Washington DC, April 9 President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the US military deployments will remain in place around Iran until the "real agreement" reached is fully complied with.

"All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with. If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the "Shootin' Starts," bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open and that Iran would not possess nuclear weapons.

"It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE. In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest. AMERICA IS BACK!"

Trump also lambasted the media and claimed they circulated the "wrong" ten points issued by Iran.

"The Failing New York Times and Fake News CNN each reported a totally FAKE TEN POINT PLAN on the Iran negotiations which was meant to discredit the people involved in the peace process. All ten points were a made up HOAX - EVIL LOSERS!!! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN," he said in a post on Truth Social.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday also cautioned the media against running false news.

"I've seen a lot of inaccurate coverage today from the media about these negotiations and these plans already, so let me be clear and correct the record. The Iranians originally put forward a 10-point plan that was fundamentally unserious, unacceptable, and completely discarded. It was literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump and his negotiating team. Many outlets in this room have falsely reported on that plan as being acceptable to the United States, and that is false," she said.

Leavitt said that the media must not run false news and propaganda.

"I would strongly advise the media against running with narratives that have no basis in fact. What Iran says publicly or feeds to all of you in the press is much different than what they communicate to the United States, the President, and his team privately. Never underestimate President Trump's ability to successfully advance America's interests and broker peace," she said.

- ANI
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has issued a stark warning, stating the US must choose between upholding a ceasefire or continuing war through Israel's actions in Lebanon. The White House and Israeli leadership have explicitly stated that Lebanon is not part of the temporary US-Iran ceasefire agreement, backing continued Israeli military action against Hezbollah. US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have both confirmed Lebanon's exclusion from the deal, citing the threat from Hezbollah. Meanwhile, the US has confirmed it will participate in upcoming peace talks with Iran in Islamabad, led by Vice President JD Vance.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warns the US must choose a ceasefire or continued conflict via Israel, focusing on attacks in Lebanon.

Tehran, April 9 Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the US must choose between a ceasefire or "continue war via Israel".

In a post on X, Araghchi said, "The Iran-U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose--ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both"

"The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments."

The warning comes after Iran on Wednesday blamed Israel for jeopardising the fragile ceasefire in the region between the US and Iran to halt the hostilities for two weeks, warning that continued attacks on Lebanon by Israeli forces could lead to the collapse of the agreement and renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by Iranian State Media Press TV.

However, the White House has dismissed the inclusion of Lebanon in the temporary ceasefire agreement, backing Israel's continued military operation against Hezbollah.

Addressing a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. That has been relayed to all parties involved in the ceasefire. As you know, Prime Minister Netanyahu put out a statement last night in support of the ceasefire, in support of the United States' efforts, and he's also assured the President they'll continue to be a helpful partner throughout the course of the next two weeks."

US Prsident Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have also stated that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire.

Speaking to PBS News, when asked about Lebanon still being targeted despite the ceasefire announcement, Trump said, "Yeah, they were not included in the deal."

When pressed on why Israeli military action in Lebanon was excluded from the deal, Trump replied, "Because of Hezbollah. They were not included in the deal. That'll get taken care of too. It's alright."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Israelis will continue their offensive in South Lebanon aimed at neutralising the threat from Hezbollah, despite backing the US decision to suspend strikes against Iran as the two nations look to work out a lasting peace formula.

"Israel supports President Trump's decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks' subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region. Israel also supports the US effort to ensure that Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran's Arab neighbours and the world," a statement from Netanyahu's Office read.

Meanwhile, White House has confirmed that US will participate in the peace talks with Iran scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad with Vice President JD Vance leading the delegation.

Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner, will also be part of the delegation.

This comes after Trump suspended the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran, announcing a two-week double-sided ceasefire and saying that the 10-point proposal from Iran was workable.

- ANI
The U.S. Justice Department secured a $313,420 settlement with Compunnel Software Group Inc. for posting job advertisements that unlawfully excluded U.S. citizens and permanent residents in favor of foreign visa holders. The investigation found a pattern of discrimination involving at least ten recruiters and over 50 job postings. As part of the settlement, the company will pay back wages and civil penalties while being required to reform its hiring policies and conduct mandatory training. This case is part of the department's renewed "Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative" targeting discrimination against American workers.

A tech firm pays $313K for job ads favoring H-1B visa holders over US citizens. Settlement includes back pay, penalties, and hiring reforms.

Washington, April 9 The US Justice Department has secured a $313,420 settlement with a New Jersey-based technology services firm after finding that its recruiters used job advertisements that discouraged American workers and favoured foreign visa holders.

The Civil Rights Division said Compunnel Software Group Inc. violated the Immigration and Nationality Act by posting vacancies that included unlawful citizenship restrictions, excluding US citizens and permanent residents while preferring candidates on H-1B and other temporary visas.

"It's illegal to discourage US workers from applying for American jobs," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. "Employers cannot exclude US workers from the labour force by discriminating against them based on their citizenship status."

Under the settlement, the company will pay $58,000 in back pay to a US citizen who was denied consideration for a Python developer role due to his citizenship status. It will also pay $255,420 in civil penalties to the US Treasury.

According to the settlement document, federal investigators found "reasonable cause to believe" the company engaged in a pattern of discriminatory recruitment practices, including emails and job postings that specified "only" certain temporary visa holders for positions while rejecting US applicants .

The investigation further found that at least ten recruiters were involved and that more than 50 job postings carried such restrictions, effectively excluding protected US workers without legal justification.

The agreement requires the company to overhaul its hiring practices. It must not "discriminate against applicants or employees based on citizenship status absent a legal justification," including during recruitment, hiring, or employment verification processes.

Compunnel has also agreed to conduct mandatory training for employees involved in hiring and recruitment, revise internal policies, and post notices informing workers of their rights. The firm must monitor compliance and report regularly to federal authorities during the two-year term of the agreement.

The Justice Department said the case forms part of its renewed enforcement push under the Protecting US Workers Initiative, relaunched in 2025. This is the ninth settlement under the initiative, which targets companies that favour foreign visa holders over American workers in violation of federal law.

The department noted that such settlements typically include civil penalties, back pay where applicable, and mandatory compliance reforms to prevent repeat violations.

The company, while agreeing to settle, maintained that the agreement does not constitute an admission of liability. It said it would continue to comply with applicable US regulations.

The Immigration and Nationality Act prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status unless required by law, regulation, or government contract. Enforcement of these provisions falls under the Justice Department's Immigrant and Employee Rights Section.

The H-1B visa programme, widely used by technology companies, allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialised occupations. It has long been a point of policy debate, particularly around its impact on domestic employment and wage levels.

Federal authorities have in recent years stepped up scrutiny of hiring practices to ensure that US workers are not unfairly excluded from job opportunities in favour of visa holders.

- IANS
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended a Gaurav Sainik Samman Samaroh in Khatima, organized on the sixth death anniversary of his father, the late Subedar Sher Singh Dhami. He inaugurated a newly constructed CSD canteen and a Sainik Milan Kendra, while honoring the families of martyrs and Veer Naris. In an emotional address, Dhami credited his father's military service and values as his lifelong inspiration. He also highlighted increased defense production and the state government's enhanced welfare schemes for soldiers and their families.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated a CSD canteen & Sainik Milan Kendra, honored Veer Naris, and paid tribute to his late father, Subedar Sher Singh Dhami.

Khatima, April 9 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday attended the Gaurav Sainik Samman Samaroh as the chief guest at the CSD Canteen located in Khetalsanda, Khatima.

The event was organised by the Seva Sankalp Dharini Foundation on the sixth death anniversary of the late Subedar Sher Singh Dhami. On the occasion, he inaugurated a newly constructed CSD canteen built at a cost of Rs 715.51 lakh and a Sainik Milan Kendra constructed at a cost of Rs 162.26 lakh.

During the program, the Chief Minister paid floral tributes to the portrait of his late father, Subedar Sher Singh Dhami, and also honoured the martyrs by offering flowers to their portraits. He felicitated the families of martyrs and Veer Naris by draping them with shawls. A total of 60 Veer Naris and 80 veterans were honoured at the event.

In his address, the Chief Minister said it was a deeply emotional moment for him, as the event was organised in memory of his father. He recalled that six years ago was the most painful day of his life when he lost his father. He added that his father's values, principles, and struggles continue to inspire and guide him at every step.

He shared that his father always maintained his uniform with great respect and discipline, teaching him that for a soldier, the uniform represents both honour and responsibility. He also emphasised that his father taught him that politics is not a means to attain power but a path of public service.

The Chief Minister noted that his father served for 28 years in the Mahar Regiment and participated in major operations, including the 1962 India-China War, the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars, as well as Operation Blue Star and Operation Rakshak. He said that listening to stories of brave soldiers during his childhood instilled in him a deep sense of patriotism and sacrifice. Though he did not join the armed forces, he considers soldiers his ideals and continues to serve the nation in his own capacity.

He further stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has made significant progress in the defense sector. He highlighted that the country's defense production has increased from around 46,000 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 1.54 lakh crore in 2024-25, while defense exports have risen to 38,000 crore. Today, India is supplying defense equipment to over 80 countries, reflecting its growing strategic strength.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the state government is fully committed to the welfare of soldiers, martyrs, and their families. Financial assistance for the families of martyrs has been increased, and government jobs are being provided to their dependents. Additionally, financial support for gallantry award winners has also been significantly enhanced.

He announced that the financial assistance for recipients of the Param Vir Chakra has been increased from 50 lakh to 1.5 crore. He also mentioned that a grand Sainya Dham is being constructed in Dehradun to inspire future generations with patriotism. Furthermore, the application period for government jobs for the families of martyrs has been extended from 2 years to 5 years.

On this occasion, Sainik Welfare Minister Ganesh Joshi also addressed the gathering, stating that honouring soldiers is a matter of pride for all and that the state government will continue to work for their welfare.

The event was also attended by the Chief Minister's mother, Bishna Devi, and his wife, Geeta Pushkar Dhami.

Earlier, CM Dhami received a warm and enthusiastic welcome upon his arrival in Khatima, with a large number of women, members of the public, and BJP workers showering flowers from the helipad to the CSD canteen.

Expressing his gratitude, the Chief Minister said that this overwhelming public trust inspires him to continue working with full dedication on the path of development and public service.

- ANI
Gujarat Titans secured a dramatic one-run victory over Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2026, defending a total of 210. Captain Shubman Gill expressed his pleasure at the close win, highlighting the importance of every fielding effort in such a tight contest. The match concluded with high drama as DC's David Miller opted not to take a single off the penultimate ball and was unable to score off the final delivery, resulting in a run-out. The win moves GT up in the points table while DC rues a missed opportunity despite a brilliant knock from KL Rahul.

Gujarat Titans edge Delhi Capitals by 1 run in a last-ball IPL 2026 thriller. Read about Shubman Gill's leadership and the dramatic finish.

New Delhi, April 9 Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill expressed his happiness, saying he is "very pleased to get over the line" after his team secured a thrilling one-run victory over Delhi Capitals in their Indian Premier League 2026 clash on Wednesday.

Batting first, GT posted 210/4, powered by half-centuries from Shubman Gill (70), Washington Sundar (55), and Jos Buttler (52). Rashid Khan (3/17) and Prasidh Krishna (2/52) played key roles with the ball for GT.

Chasing 211, DC were led by a brilliant 92 from KL Rahul and a quick 41* from David Miller, but fell agonisingly short. With DC needing two runs off the last two balls, Miller chose not to take a single and then missed the final delivery, while attempting a run; Kuldeep Yadav was run out on the last ball, leaving DC stranded at 209/8.

After the win, GT captain Shubman Gill said, "Very pleased to get over the line in this one. (on what he felt when Miller didn't take the run off the 5th ball?) We have a chance to win. (chat before the last ball with Prasidh) No, we were just discussing whether to go for the yorker or to go for the slower one. But, you know, we decided that giving the wicket how it's playing, the slower one, if you bowl a good slower one, it'll be difficult to hit that for a boundary," Gill said at the post-match presentation.

Shubman Gill said that while a few extra runs were conceded due to fielding errors, every effort mattered in such a close one-run game. He added that on a slow wicket, 210 was above par, and with disciplined bowling, they were confident of securing the win.

"Apart from the overthrows that I gave and the boundary that I gave, I think those 5-6 runs, obviously in fielding, it makes a difference, especially in a game like this, you see you're winning by one run. So every effort and every misfield or every good effort counts. Definitely very pleased, you know, 210. We always thought on this wicket, we are 10-15 runs above par. It won't be like even when we were batting in the death, it wasn't easy to hit the big boundaries, just hitting, the slowness of the wicket. And we thought if we bowl well, you know, we should be able to win this one," Gill said.

With a win, GT are now placed sixth in the IPL 2026 points table with two points from three matches with a Net Run Rate (NRR) of -0.270.

DC, on the other hand, occupy the fourth spot with four points in three matches with an NRR of +0.811.

- ANI
Voting for bypolls in Karnataka's Bagalkot and Davanagere South constituencies saw brisk polling with turnouts crossing 65% and 63% respectively. A notable highlight was voters from Madapur village traveling from Goa to cast their ballots in Bagalkot. The polling day was marred by a clash between Congress and SDPI workers in Davanagere and allegations of cash distribution in Bagalkot. Further complaints emerged about mismanagement at polling stations, including a lack of basic amenities.

Bagalkot & Davanagere bypolls see over 63% voting. Reports of clashes, cash distribution allegations, and voters returning from Goa to cast ballots.

Davanagere/Bagalkot, April 9 The voting process for the bypoll to two Assembly segments in Karnataka on Thursday is progressing briskly. Polling at stations in the Bagalkot Assembly constituency crossed 65 per cent, while in the Davanagere South constituency it crossed 63 per cent as of 5 P.M.

Polling commenced at 7 A.M., and voters can exercise their franchise until 6 P.M.

According to official data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the voter turnout in Bagalkot stood at 65.68 per cent, while Davanagere South recorded 63.04 per cent. Earlier, by 3 P.M., Davanagere South had recorded 49.66 per cent turnout, while Bagalkot registered 43.75 per cent. Voting had crossed 20 per cent in the first four hours.

Earlier, by 1 P.M., Davanagere South had recorded 37.17 per cent turnout, while Bagalkot registered 43.75 per cent. Voting had crossed 20 per cent in the first four hours.

Meanwhile, voters from Karnataka who are residing in Goa have shown special interest in exercising their franchise in the Bagalkot Assembly bye-election. Around 70 to 80 voters from Madapur village in the constituency travelled from Goa to their native place in two private mini buses.

These individuals, who had migrated to Goa for employment, returned to cast their votes and were seen enthusiastically standing in queues at polling booths in Madapur village. They stated that a local leader Vittal from the village had helped them during the Covid lockdown and made arrangements for their food and brought them back to the village then. "Now, we have come to cast our votes," they stated.

Earlier, a clash broke out between Congress and Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) workers near Basha Nagar main road in Davanagere during polling today, leading to brief tension in the area.

The incident occurred outside a polling booth set up at Millat School. According to sources, SDPI polling agents had placed a table about 200 metres away from the polling station. Congress workers objected to this and insisted that the table, which they claimed was set up beyond the permitted limit, be removed.

Tensions escalated when table set up by the SDPI agents was allegedly overturned, triggering a confrontation between workers of both parties. The situation turned tense as arguments quickly escalated into a clash.

The incident coincided with the arrival of Davanagere South Block Congress President, Ayub Pailwan, at the spot, further intensifying the situation.

Police personnel intervened and, after some effort, managed to bring the situation under control. No injuries have been reported so far.

Further, the bye-election in Bagalkot witnessed allegations of mismanagement, with voters facing difficulties due to the lack of basic facilities at a polling station in Aminagad.

According to reports, voters who arrived to cast their ballots were left without access to essential amenities such as drinking water. The absence of proper arrangements caused considerable inconvenience, especially under the scorching heat. There were also no adequate provisions for shade, forcing people to stand in long queues in the sun.

Amid these conditions, an elderly woman waiting in line reportedly fell ill and collapsed at the spot. Locals immediately came to her assistance and arranged for her to be sent for medical treatment.

The incident has raised concerns over the preparedness and arrangements at polling stations during the bye-election.

Meanwhile, allegations of cash distribution to influence voters surfaced during the bye-election in Bagalkot, triggering tension in parts of the constituency.

Reports emerged from Wambe Colony in Navanagar that money was being distributed to voters as an inducement. Locals alleged that Rs 500 currency notes were handed out.

In a viral video, the authenticity of which could not be verified by the IANS, a woman is seen showing a Rs 500 currency note and alleging that it was given by Congress members. She is also heard expressing dissatisfaction that only Rs 500 was given.

Meanwhile, tensions escalated when a group of people surrounded a car belonging to Congress leader Santosh Hokarani. The crowd alleged that money was being distributed and confronted those in the vehicle. Hokarani reportedly got down from the car and questioned the crowd about the incident.

A total of 34 candidates are in the fray across the two constituencies. More than 2,500 police personnel have been deployed at polling stations to ensure that no untoward incidents take place. There is a direct contest between the Congress and the BJP in both seats.

The SDPI is hopeful that the intense contest between the BJP and the Congress will benefit the party. The results will be announced on May 4.

In the Bagalkot Assembly segment, there are 2.59 lakh voters and nine candidates in the fray. A total of 332 polling stations have been set up. The electorate includes 1.26 lakh male and 1.32 lakh female voters.

Around 1,564 staff members, along with additional security personnel, have been deployed to manage and monitor the polling process.

The main contest in Bagalkot is between Congress candidate Umesh Meti and BJP candidate Veeranna Charantimath.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of Congress MLA H.Y. Meti.

In the Davanagere South Assembly segment, authorities have set up 284 polling stations, of which 76 have been identified as sensitive. Prohibitory orders have been imposed within a 200-metre radius of polling stations. The constituency has 2.31 lakh voters, with 25 candidates in the fray. More than 1,000 security personnel have been deployed to ensure safety.

Congress has fielded Samarth Mallikarjun, while the BJP has nominated Srinivas T. Dasakariyappa. Afsar Kodlipet is contesting as the Social Democratic Party of India candidate.

The bypolls was necessitated by the demise of veteran Congress leader, MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa.

- IANS
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has called for clarity, stating the opposition has not yet seen the draft of the proposed amendments to the Women's Reservation Bill ahead of a special Parliament session. The proposed changes could delink the reservation from a pending census, using 2011 data, potentially expanding the Lok Sabha to around 816 seats with nearly 273 reserved for women. A separate Delimitation Bill is also expected, with both requiring passage as Constitutional amendments. Meanwhile, Tharoor voted in the Kerala Assembly elections, describing the contest as between the LDF and UDF.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor demands to see the Women's Reservation Bill draft, raising questions about Lok Sabha expansion and federal implications ahead of the special session.

Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday called for clarity on the proposed amendments to the Women's Reservation Bill, stating that the opposition has not yet seen the draft ahead of the special Parliament session scheduled from April 16.

"We have not seen a draft of the bill yet. I know they are planning to call a session of the Parliament on 16th April for this. We need to see the bill and understand what they are proposing. We have to figure out the implications for federalism, the functioning of the legislature, and parliament. Will there be 800 odd, will they get to speak? All these issues need to be discussed," Tharoor told ANI.

The Congress party is set to convene a meeting of its Congress Working Committee (CWC) in Delhi on April 10 to deliberate on developments related to the Women's Reservation Bill. The move comes ahead of the Centre's plan to introduce amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act during the upcoming three-day special session.

The proposed changes include delinking women's reservation from the pending census and delimitation exercise by using the 2011 census data. This could significantly increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to around 816 seats, with nearly one-third, approximately 273 seats, reserved for women.

A separate Delimitation Bill is also expected to be introduced, and both measures will require passage as Constitutional amendments. While SC/ST reservation will continue, there is no provision for OBC reservation under the current framework, and states will have limited direct involvement.

Meanwhile, Tharoor also cast his vote in the Keralam Assembly elections in Thiruvananthapuram, describing the contest as primarily between the LDF and UDF. "The BJP is not a factor here... It is a fight between an incumbent LDF govt and a challenging UDF," he said.

Polling is underway across 140 constituencies, with over 2.69 crore voters eligible to decide the fate of 883 candidates. The election is seen as a high-stakes battle between the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF, with counting scheduled for May 4.

- ANI
Former diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar observes that in tentative agreements like the US-Iran ceasefire, all involved parties typically claim victory, though he asserts there are no real winners in war. Nepal has officially welcomed the two-week ceasefire as a constructive step towards de-escalation in West Asia and an opportunity for dialogue. However, Israel's continued military operations in Lebanon are threatening the fragile agreement, with Iran accusing the US and Israel of violating its terms. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists the ceasefire did not include Hezbollah, vowing to continue strikes against the group.

Former diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar analyzes the US-Iran temporary ceasefire, stating all sides claim victory while Nepal welcomes the de-escalation step.

New Delhi, April 9 Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar said that "whenever there's a tentative agreement", all parties claim victory, which he said has happened in the US-Iran temporary ceasefire, while seeing no clear winner of the war.

Speaking with ANI, Ashok Sajjanhar said, "Whenever there is a tentative agreement, all the parties claim that they have won. Iran will claim that it has won. The United States has to claim that it has won, and Israel will claim it has won."

"All the parties who have been involved will definitely state that they have won. But I think it is for the international community, for the observers, for the analysts, for the commentators to see, actually, what the state of play is. As far as wars are concerned, there are no winners," he added.

Meanwhile, Nepal has welcomed a two-week ceasefire agreement, stating that it marks a constructive step towards de-escalation of tensions in West Asia and providing an opportunity for dialogue, diplomacy and peaceful resolution of differences.

"Nepal views this development as a positive step towards the promotion of peace and stability in the region while reiterating its consistent position in favour of the peaceful settlement of disputes. The Government also expresses its concern over the humanitarian consequences of the conflict and underscores the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of civilians," Nepal Government said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Israel's continued operation in Lebanon has threatened the temporary ceasefire, with Iran accusing the US-Israel side of violating the agreement, and Tehran also threatened to leave the negotiations talks set to take place in Islamabad this weekend.

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who will lead Tehran's delegation for talks in Islamabad, has accused the Israeli side of violating the three key clauses of the 10-point proposal on which the temporary ceasefire was agreed to kickstart further negotiations. The three clauses that Ghalibaf accused the US-Iran of breaching include violation of the ceasefire in Lebanon, violation of Iranian airspace and denial of Iran's right to enrich uranium.

On the other hand, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the ceasefire in Lebanon was not included in the temporary ceasefire agreement.

"I insisted that the temporary ceasefire with Iran not include Hezbollah. And we continue to strike them forcefully. Today, we dealt Hezbollah the greatest blow it has suffered since the pagers. We attacked 100 targets in 10 minutes, in places that Hezbollah was certain were immune," Netanyahu said.

- ANI
The White House has confirmed Vice President JD Vance will lead a high-level US delegation to Islamabad for direct talks with Iran this weekend. The delegation includes Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Senior Advisor Jared Kushner. The talks follow the implementation of a two-week ceasefire after weeks of conflict between the US and Iran. The Iranian delegation will be led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

White House confirms VP JD Vance will lead US team including Jared Kushner for direct talks with Iran in Islamabad following a ceasefire.

Washington DC, April 9 White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday said that US President Donald Trump is "dispatching his negotiating team", led by the Vice President of the United States, to Islamabad for talks this weekend.

Addressing a press briefing, Karoline Leavitt confirmed that, along with Vance, who she called as President Donald Trump's "right-hand man", Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner will be part of the delegation.

"Vice President JD Vance has played a very significant and key role in this since the very beginning. Of course, he's the president's right-hand man. He is the vice president of the United States. He's been involved in all of these discussions. He'll be leading this new phase of negotiations in Islamabad later this week," she said.

"I can announce that the President is dispatching his negotiating team, led by the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Special Envoy Witkoff, and Mr Kushner, to Islamabad for talks this weekend. The first round of those talks will take place on Saturday morning, local time, and we look forward to those in-person meetings," Leavitt added.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has already confirmed Tehran's participation. The diplomatic engagement between the US and Iran is set to take place in Islamabad on Friday, April 10, where both sides will hold direct talks aimed at ending weeks of intense hostilities following the outbreak of war.

The meeting follows an immediate ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran for two weeks after weeks of conflict in the region.

According to Iranian state media reports, the Iranian delegation will be led by Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a central figure in Tehran's wartime leadership structure who has taken on strategic responsibilities since the early phase of the conflict.

This comes after Trump suspended the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran, announcing a two-week double-sided ceasefire and saying that the 10-point proposal from Iran was workable.

- ANI
The White House has forcefully defended President Donald Trump's aggressive rhetoric during the Iran conflict, arguing it directly led to Tehran agreeing to a ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the President's "tough negotiating style" created the necessary leverage for this outcome, emphasizing results over tone. She described the ceasefire as fragile and warned that disruptions could occur during implementation. The administration has now entered a two-week negotiation phase focusing on long-term security, including Iran's nuclear program.

White House says President Trump's tough rhetoric forced Iran into a ceasefire and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a result of "maximum pressure."

Washington, April 9 The White House on Wednesday strongly defended President Donald Trump's aggressive rhetoric during the Iran conflict, arguing that it directly contributed to forcing Tehran into a ceasefire and reopening negotiations after weeks of intense military confrontation.

The defence came in response to pointed questions from reporters over the President's language, including his warning that an entire civilisation could face destruction if a deal was not reached.

Pressed on whether such rhetoric was appropriate, a reporter asked: "Why is it appropriate for the President of the United States to use that kind of language when talking about civilian targets?"

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back, saying results - not tone - should be the measure of success.

"What the President cares most about is results, and in fact, his very tough rhetoric and his tough negotiating style are what have led to the result that you are all witnessing today," she said.

She added that Iran had acknowledged the pressure itself.

"Iran publicly acknowledging last night that they have agreed or that they wanted this cease fire with the United States because they no longer could tolerate being bombed by our very powerful and lethal military," Leavitt said.

Another reporter raised concerns about the broader implications of the President's statements, noting that past US leaders had framed wars as being against governments, not entire populations.

"How can the President claim that America can ever have the moral high ground if he's threatening to destroy civilisations?" the reporter asked.

Leavitt rejected that framing, pointing instead to the administration's military actions over the past six weeks.

"The President absolutely has the moral high ground over the Iranian terrorist regime," she said, adding that questioning that position was "frankly, insulting."

She argued that the President's warnings were instrumental in shaping the outcome.

"I think it was a very, very strong threat from the President of the United States that led the Iranian regime to cave to their knees and ask for a cease fire," Leavitt said.

"It was a very strong threat that led to results," she added.

The administration said Iran ultimately agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz - a key condition set by Washington - after facing a firm deadline backed by the threat of further strikes.

"What did they do? Last night, they agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz," Leavitt said.

She also emphasised that the warnings were backed by real military readiness.

"The Pentagon had a target list that they were ready to hit... if the Iranian regime had not agreed," she said, describing the threat as "not an empty threat by any means."

The White House has linked the rhetoric directly to its broader military campaign, which it says created leverage for diplomacy.

"The President's maximum pressure and the leverage created by the success of Operation Epic Fury led to the Iranian regime asking for and ultimately agreeing to a ceasefire proposal with the United States," Leavitt said.

At the same time, officials acknowledged that the ceasefire remains unstable.

"This is a fragile truce. Ceasefires are fragile by nature," Leavitt said, cautioning that disruptions could occur as the agreement is implemented.

She noted that damage to Iran's command and control systems during US strikes could complicate communication within the country, affecting compliance in the early stages.

The administration has now entered a two-week negotiation phase, with talks expected to focus on long-term security arrangements, including Iran's nuclear programme.

- IANS
A Financial Times report indicates Pakistan's role in brokering a US-Iran ceasefire was not that of an independent mediator but a channel pushed by the White House to deliver proposals. The report reveals Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir held urgent talks with US officials, while PM Shehbaz Sharif's role was limited, underscored by a revealing social media error. The temporary ceasefire deal was believed more likely to be accepted by Iran if presented by a Muslim-majority neighbor like Pakistan. Direct talks between US and Iranian delegations are now scheduled in Islamabad following the two-week ceasefire agreement.

FT report reveals Pakistan was a US messenger, not a neutral broker, in the Iran ceasefire deal, raising questions about its diplomatic independence.

Washington DC, April 9 Pakistan attempted to present itself as a peacemaker between the US and Iran, but the new details from a Financial Times report suggest that it was rather pushed by White House to broker the temporary ceasefire with Iran.

The report poses serious questions about Pakistan's independent diplomatic stance as it suggests that Islamabad was not a neutral broker but rather a convenient channel for the US to push the temporary ceasefire deal.

Financial Times, citing the people familiar with the talks, reported that the US leaned on Pakistan to present Washington's proposal to Iran, making the country a mere messenger between the two sides rather than having an active neutral participation.

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, who was the first one to suggest a two-week ceasefire in public, was reduced to a spectator with Army chief Asim Munir playing a central role, holding urgent discussions with US officials, including Donald Trump, JD Vance and envoy Steve Witkoff.

Moreover, Pakistan's involvement as a mediator did not come from its diplomatic prowess but with a belief that Iran was more "likely to accept the US-backed offer if it was delivered by a Muslim-majority neighbour state," as per the report.

The blunder from Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif on a social media post, in a rush to claim credit, also exposed limited say over the deal.

Sharif, who framed the deal as Pakistan's initiative, mistakenly included a subject line at the top of his post: "draft -- Pakistan's PM message on X"

Pakistan's attempt to cast itself as a neutral player also came under threat when a drone attack hit the Saudi petrochemical hub of Jubail, a Financial Times report revealed. Islamabad had signed a mutual defence pact with Riyadh last year. Pakistan still stayed neutral, allowing it to engage in diplomatic efforts.

Pakistan PM has also stated that Lebanon was included in the ceasefire, but Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu both have dismissed this statement, allowing Israel to continue its military operations against Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, the diplomatic engagement between the US and Iran is set to take place in Islamabad this weekend, where both sides will hold direct talks aimed at ending weeks of intense hostilities following the outbreak of war.

The meeting follows an immediate ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran for two weeks after weeks of conflict in the region.

The US delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, and the Iranian delegation will be led by Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

This comes after Trump suspended the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran, announcing a two-week double-sided ceasefire and saying that the 10-point proposal from Iran was workable.

- ANI
The White House has clarified that Iran submitted two distinct 10-point plans, with one being dismissed as "unserious" and literally thrown away by President Trump's team. Officials stated the other plan was deemed "workable," leading to an agreement on a two-week ceasefire and further negotiations. The talks will focus on aligning with the US stance, particularly the demand for a complete end to uranium enrichment in Iran. Sensitive negotiations are set to proceed behind closed doors, with delegations led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iran's Parliamentary Speaker.

White House clarifies Iran presented two plans: one discarded as "unserious," the other a "workable" basis for two-week ceasefire and nuclear negotiations.

Washington DC, April 9 The White House clarified that Iran presented two 10-point plans, out of which one was "unserious, unacceptable" and was "literally thrown in the garbage" by US President Donald Trump.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the other 10-point plan was "workable", upon which the US has agreed for two-weeks ceasefire and further negotiations.

Karoline Leavitt clarified that the media has "falsely" reported the "discarded" 10-point plan as being accepted by the US.

"Iran has agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz, and as the president said, we have received a proposal from the Iranians that has been determined to be a workable basis on which to negotiate," she said.

"I have seen a lot of inaccurate coverage today from the media. The Iranians originally put forward a 10-point plan that was fundamentally unserious, unacceptable, and completely discarded. It was literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump and his negotiating team. Many outlets have falsely reported that plan as being acceptable to the US," Leavitt added.

Leavitt said that the "workable plan" aligned with the US 15th-point proposal, reaffirming Donald Trump's stance to end Uranium enrichment in Iran.

"President Trump and the team determined the new modified plan was a workable basis on which to negotiate and to align it with our own 15-point proposal. The President's red lines, namely the end of Iranian enrichment in Iran, have not changed. And the idea that President Trump would ever accept an Iranian wish list as a deal is completely absurd," she said.

"The President will only make a deal that serves in the best interests of the United States of America, and he and his negotiating team will focus on this effort over the next two weeks, so long as the Strait of Hormuz remains open, with no limitations or delays. These extraordinarily sensitive and complex negotiations will take place behind closed doors over the course of the next two weeks," she added.

Earlier, Trump had announced that Washington intends to demand a total cessation of uranium enrichment in Iran, while simultaneously initiating discussions regarding sanctions relief and tariff reductions. The President characterised the recently brokered ceasefire as the start of a "very productive regime change" for the Islamic Republic.

In a statement shared via his Truth Social platform, Trump maintained that the United States is prepared to "work closely with Iran" following the recent hostilities. He further suggested that the foundations for a more comprehensive international settlement have effectively been established.

Addressing the nuclear issue directly, Trump specified the administration's primary objectives. "There will be no enrichment of uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried nuclear 'dust'," he asserted, in an apparent reference to the remains of the nation's nuclear framework.

The diplomatic engagement between the US and Iran is set to take place in Islamabad this weekend, where both sides will hold direct talks aimed at ending weeks of intense hostilities following the outbreak of war.

The meeting follows an immediate ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran for two weeks after weeks of conflict in the region.

The US delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance and the Iranian delegation will be led by Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

This comes after Trump suspended the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran, announcing a two-week double-sided ceasefire and saying that the 10-point proposal from Iran was workable.

- ANI
Dr. Neha Tiwari, President of the Sachetataa Foundation, welcomed the Women's Reservation Bill, stating it will ensure women's perspectives are finally heard in policymaking. Kausar Jahan, Chairperson of the Delhi Hajj Committee, called it a revolutionary step towards securing rights and respect for half the population. Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling a dream to protect and empower women in the political sphere. The bill, providing 33% reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, is widely regarded as a historic milestone for gender-inclusive governance in India.

Dr. Neha Tiwari, Kausar Jahan, and Kangana Ranaut praise the Women's Reservation Bill as a revolutionary move to empower women's voices in Indian policymaking.

Poonch, April 8 Dr. Neha Tiwari, President of the Sachetataa Foundation, on Wednesday welcomed the enactment of the Women's Reservation Bill, and said, "women will finally be heard," describing it as a significant step toward giving women a stronger voice in the policymaking process.

Speaking to ANI, Dr. Tiwari said, "This is a very good step by the Indian government. Women have been working shoulder to shoulder with men in every field. They've been contributing. Whether it's the armed forces or education, women have been contributing everywhere. This special step will ensure that their opinions are considered in policymaking. This is a very good initiative by the government...This bill will give them a voice they should have had long ago."

She added, reflecting on her work in remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir, "While working in the very remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir, I see how immense the contribution of women is there as well. You'll find them selling vegetables in the markets, managing their homes, running shops, and serving in the forces and bureaucracy. Since they are active everywhere, this is a major step toward empowering their voices. Their perspectives will finally be heard, and they will be able to put forward things according to their needs. This bill will give them a new voice--one they should have received a long time ago."

Dr. Tiwari's remarks come as the government aims to enhance women's representation in both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Earlier, Kausar Jahan, Chairperson of the Delhi Hajj Committee, also welcomed the Central Government's decision to provide 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, calling it a revolutionary step towards gender equality and political empowerment.

Speaking to ANI, Jahan said, "A special session has been convened on 16-18 April by the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The decision to give 33% reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies is not just a bill or legislation. It is a highly revolutionary step in the direction of securing rights and respect for half the population."

She further highlighted the significance of the move, stating, "For a long time, there has been only political rhetoric in the name of half the population, but for the first time, a government has shown such firm political will and taken a bold decision to give women real participation. I welcome this decision and express my gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking such a step. It will bring great changes."

The announcement of the special session underscores the government's intent to accelerate women's representation in legislative bodies, a move widely regarded as a historic milestone in India's journey toward gender-inclusive governance.

Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Women's Reservation Bill, calling it a historic step toward empowering women and ensuring their participation in politics.

"Ye Pradhan Mantriji ka sapna hai ki mahilaon ko jisko vo sabse pichda hua varg mante hai unke liye resrvation laayi jaaye aur rajneeti mein sarankshan diya jaaye aur ye sapna ab pura hone ko ja raha hai (It is the Prime Minister's dream that reservation should be brought for women, whom he considers the most backward class, and they should be given this kind of protection in politics). So, this dream of his is now going to be fulfilled, where women are getting 33 per cent reservation," Ranaut told ANI.

She noted that women face multiple struggles while stepping out of their homes or participating in rallies, and men often dominate political spaces. "In our Himachal, if there are 68 seats, there is only one MLA currently, just one lady MLA. This kind of imbalance exists. This imbalance is what the Prime Minister has pledged to correct, ensuring women do not face discrimination," she added.

Ranaut emphasised that the reservation will boost women's confidence and help them protect themselves as well as other women. "Look, if 50 per cent of the country's population remains backward, if they don't have self-confidence, if they don't get protection, and no matter how much we talk about woman empowerment, it is a fact that whether it is about going out alone, or going out at nights, or going to a crowd, even today many women have to struggle with this. So, for this, the Prime Minister is giving direct reservations to women. When they themselves are in such big positions, they will not only protect themselves but will protect other women in the whole world, whether in their district or panchayat," she said while praising PM Modi.

The government aims to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, also called the Women's Reservation Bill, which aims to delink quotas for women from the delimitation process. Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed in 2023. A separate Delimitation Bill will be introduced. Both bills need to be passed as Constitutional amendments for women's reservation. The new Lok Sabha is likely to have more than 800 seats.

- 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.
A Mount Sinai ophthalmologist will unveil a novel surgical technology that allows eye surgeons to measure and respond to critical fluid dynamics inside the eye in real time - an advance that may significantly improve precision and outcomes in glaucoma and other ophthalmic procedures.

The technology, called miDOC (micro-interventional Dynamic Outflow Curve), will be introduced by Sean Ianchulev, MD, MPH, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director of Ophthalmic Innovation and Technology at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (NYEE), during the prestigious Charles D. Kelman Innovators Lecture at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) annual meeting in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, April 12. The lecture is designed to highlight visionary leaders in cataract and refractive surgery and celebrate their contributions to the field.

Developed by Dr. Ianchulev at NYEE with funding from Mount Sinai Innovation Partners, miDOC is designed to provide continuous intraoperative measurement of ocular flow and pressure - parameters that have historically been difficult to assess during surgery. The system enables surgeons to monitor changes in real time and adjust procedures accordingly for each patient.

This is the equivalent of what optical biometry did for cataract surgery. miDOC brings precision to glaucoma surgery that simply has not existed before. We are certainly on the verge of something very exciting - bringing glaucoma surgery into the age of digital-guided precision, high fidelity, and biometric feedback. This will allow glaucoma surgeons to one day achieve similar outcomes as we see in cataract surgical interventions. Dr. Sean Ianchulev, MD, MPH, Professor of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai

Early clinical experience

NYEE is the only eye center in the country to use this technology and conduct the first-in-human clinical study. Surgeons started using it in patients in July 2025 and have completed the first 20 cases. According to investigators, all procedures were successfully completed with intraoperative biometric guidance.

During surgery, miDOC enabled continuous measurement of key parameters including:

Pressure Flow Outflow facility Ocular rigidity/Compliance

These measurements provide new insight into how surgical interventions affect the eye in real time.

Addressing a critical gap in glaucoma surgery

While performing glaucoma procedures without miDOC, surgeons have no way of checking a patients exact ocular flow and pressure, a critical variable in the operating room. They can only check intraocular pressure before and after the procedure, which leaves outcomes unpredictable.

This has held back the precision of glaucoma surgery, where, currently, more than 50 percent of the patients undergoing trabeculectomy and drainage device implants fail to achieve complete postoperative success and medication independence. In some cases, it is not until the follow-up appointment that ophthalmologists discover the procedure may not have worked and/or has possible complications.

This contrasts significantly to cataract surgery, where 95 percent of patients achieve a successful refractive outcome within 0.5D of emmetropia - a very small amount of refractive error - because accurate biometry is available and critical to these outcomes.

Intraoperative measurement of aqueous outflow has not previously been possible during ophthalmic surgery. This capability has the potential to transform outflow-based surgical interventions by advancing the field toward high-precision biometry and improved clinical outcomes, says Gautam Kamthan, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the Icahn School of Medicine and Assistant Director of Ophthalmic Innovation and Technology at NYEE, who co-invented this technology and is the Principal Investigator of the study.

Potential applications across ophthalmology

While initially developed for glaucoma surgery, miDOC may have broader applications across ophthalmic procedures.

Despite the great potential for successful refractive outcomes after cataract surgery, vision can still be jeopardized if a patient has a dangerously high spike in eye pressure during the immediate recovery period. Using the miDOC for cataract surgery - the most common surgery in the world - could help identify these patients and prevent permanent vision damage.

As surgeons at NYEE use miDOC in more procedures, they have discovered that it can possibly detect choroidal blood flow  this is the high-volume vascular supply to the eye's uveal tract, providing essential oxygen and nutrients to the outer retina, particularly the macula which is responsible for sharp, detailed, and high-resolution central vision. Understanding the health of the choroid could inform retinal surgeons about potential chorioretinal diseases.

Researchers are also exploring whether the system can provide additional insights into cerebrovascular, cardiac, and lymphatic physiology, which could have implications for the rest of the body.

Future development

Investigators at NYEE plan to further refine the technology and pursue regulatory pathways for broader clinical use. The device is currently investigational and has not yet received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

*Dr. Sean Ianchulev and Dr. Gautam Kamthan are named co-inventors of the technology Micro-interventional Dynamic Outflow Curve (miDOC). A patent for this technology was filed through Mount Sinai and the technology is currently unlicensed. The inventors and Mount Sinai would financially benefit if this technology is approved and commercialized.
Sauna bathing releases white blood cells into the bloodstream, a new study from Finland shows. Circulating white blood cells play a key role in the body's defense against various pathogens and diseases.

A 30-minute sauna session, with a brief cooling period under a cold shower midway through, increased the number of all circulating white blood cells. Neutrophils and lymphocytes, which are central to immune defense, returned to baseline within half an hour.

This may indicate that sauna bathing mobilizes additional white blood cells into the bloodstream from tissues, where they are then redeposited after the session. This kind of periodic release of white blood cells into the bloodstream is beneficial, as once they leave their storage sites, they are better able to patrol the body and respond to pathogens." Ilkka Heinonen, an Academy Research Fellow, University of Turku

The release of white blood cells into the bloodstream, which also occurs, for example, during physical exercise, is the body's way of enhancing immune surveillance by white blood cells throughout the body, and boosting its immune defense.

In addition to immune cells, the researchers also measured the levels of numerous cytokines, which act as mediators in immune defense. On average, sauna bathing had little effect on circulating cytokine levels.

"Interestingly, however, the levels of several cytokines changed in relation to how much body temperature rose during sauna bathing. No similar association was observed between white blood cell counts and changes in body temperature," says Professor Jari Laukkanen, who led the study at the University of Eastern Finland.

Regular sauna bathing has been associated with several beneficial health effects, and the new findings may, in part, help explain how these effects develop in the body. However, the researchers emphasise that the study was limited to a single sauna session and its immediate effects. Therefore, no definite conclusions can be drawn about the development of longer-term health effects.

The study involved 51 adults with a mean age of 50 years. The results were published in the scientific journal Temperature, which focuses on the medical physiology of body temperature regulation.
A former student at an Oklahoma high school told investigators he wanted to "conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did," according to newly filed court documents. An affidavit filed by an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation special agent says 20-year-old former student Victor Hawkins walked into Pauls Valley High School on Tuesday with two of his father's guns, intending to kill students, staff, and then himself, the Oklahoman reports. He was tackled by a quick-moving principal, who was the only person shot in the incident .

The affidavit says Principal Kirk Moore, 60, heard gunfire from his office and charged toward Hawkins, News 9 reports. During the struggle to disarm Hawkins, Moore was shot in the leg. He and the assistant principal then pinned Hawkins to the floor until officers arrived, authorities say. Moore is expected to recover. Hawkins has been charged in Garvin County District Court with shooting with intent to kill, two counts of pointing a firearm, and two misdemeanor counts related to bringing a weapon into a public assembly. His bail was set at $1 million after the state argued that he was a danger to the public, KOCO reports.

The OSBI agent said in the affidavit that Hawkins, who graduated in May last year, said he wanted to carry out a Columbine-style shooting. The agent said Hawkins also said he "did not like Principal Moore," and "went to the high school to kill Moore." The 1999 massacre has inspired dozens of later attackers, researchers say, prompting sweeping changes to school security and police training. Superintendent Brett Knight credited drills and trainingand Moore's actionsfor preventing what could have been a far worse outcome.

Former Pauls Valley High School students tell KOCO that jumping in to stop a school shooter is in line with Moore's selfless nature. "He would do anything to save those kids," Madison Knighten, who graduated last year, says. Spencer Flinn, another former student, says, "If some student was to get harmed, he would definitely take a bullet for him. I believe that."
The Trump administration is weighing a plan to shift military forces out of some NATO member states that did not back the US war with Iran, as a way to punish nations without withdrawing from the alliancewhich President Trump lacks the authority to do. Administration officials said the plan under consideration would redeploy troops from countries viewed by Trump as obstructive to those he sees as more cooperative, the Wall Street Journal reports. With the divide over the war widening between the Trump administration and European allies, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte arrived at the White House on Wednesday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the president believes the alliance members "turned their backs on the American people" during the conflict and that there would be a direct conversation with Rutte about the issue. Rutte, who the Washington Post points out has been deferential to Trump all along, was supportive of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. But anti-American feeling is growing in the nations, making their governments skeptical of cooperation. Aides didn't immediately comment on the Trump-Rutte meeting, but the president repeated his complaint afterward in a social media post, per the AP. "NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN," it read.

Officials have not finalized which nations would lose US forces, but Spain, Germany, Italy, and France have drawn administration criticism, per the Journal. Countries that could gain troops include Poland, Romania, Lithuania, and Greece, which the administration views as supportive. Eastern European members have higher defense spending and were early backers of a coalition to monitor the Strait of Hormuz. European officials have complained that they were not consulted before the war, limiting their ability to respond in its initial phase. Trump can't legally pull the US out of NATO without the approval of Congress.
An Army veteran has been charged with sharing classified information about an elite commando unit with a journalist, which one official said put the country, members of the US military and the nation's allies at risk. Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina, is accused of violating federal law, as well as multiple nondisclosure agreements by sharing details of her work with a "special military unit" at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the AP reports.

"Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nation's security," Reid Davis, the FBI special agent in charge in North Carolina, said in a US Justice Department news release.
A missing-person case in the Bahamas is now drawing criminal investigators from two countries and questions from the woman's family, CBS News reports. Bahamian authorities say they've detained a 59-year-old US citizen for questioning in the disappearance of Michigan's Lynette Hooker; they're not naming the man, citing policy, but the AP reports that Hooker's husband, Brian, has been arrested, and multiple outlets are referring to him as a suspect. He claims she went overboard from their 8-foot dinghy near Elbow Cay on Saturday night, but Hooker's family has raised questions about his story and is calling for a full investigation, and the US Coast Guard says it has launched a criminal probe into the incident. The search in the Abaco Islands has shifted from rescue to recovery, according to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is launching a new podcast that he says will begin "a new era of radical transparency in government," according to a teaser video first obtained by the AP . The show, titled the Secretary Kennedy Podcast, will launch next week and feature Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine crusader who has reshaped the country's health policy, in conversation with doctors, scientists, and agency staff, Department of Health and Human Services officials said. In the teaser video, shot in a slick HHS-branded studio with ominous music playing in the background, Kennedy bills it as a new way to expose corruption and lies that have made Americans sick. "We're going to name the names of the forces that obstruct the paths to public health," Kennedy says in the nearly 90-second clip.

Joining the Trump administration last year gave Kennedy a new platform for his views, some of which contradict the overwhelming consensus of scientists. A podcast could further elevate those ideas, and further remove HHS agencies from their long-held reputation as a "safe harbor for information," said Lawrence Gostin, a public health law expert at Georgetown University. Administration officials say the show will help spread an important message about chronic disease and improving health to a wider audience. "This is part of our larger strategy to bring the Make America Healthy Again message to as wide an audience as we can," said Liam Nahill, HHS digital director.

The show, which has been in the works since early in the second Trump administration, also reflects Kennedy returning to a format where he has long felt at ease. He hosted his own podcast before entering office, and has appeared on dozens to share his perspectives. Tyler Burger, producer of the new podcast, said while FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has a podcast, officials believe Kennedy's will be the first to be hosted by a sitting Cabinet secretary. "We're kind of bringing podcasting into the government as an official form and arm of our messaging," Burger said. He said the set for the show was pieced together largely with items the agency already had, and has the capacity for a total of four people to sit in conversation together.

Because podcasts are now commonly made not only on audio but video, they are regularly clipped and shared across social media platforms, giving them "massive" reach, according to Melina Much, a postdoctoral fellow for New York University's Center for Social Media and Politics. While Kennedy's teaser focuses on uncovering lies, HHS rep Andrew Nixon said the show will aim to cover affordability and other topics that polls show are salient for voters. "Americans are united on the need to urgently address chronic disease, improve nutrition, strengthen food quality, and lower health costs," he said. "The Secretary Kennedy Podcast will cover all those issues."
The new White House ballroom will reportedly be built not with American steel but with metal imported from Europe. Two people familiar with the plans tell the New York Times that ArcelorMittal, the Luxembourg-based steel giant, is donating tens of millions of dollars' worth of European-made steel for the $400 million project, despite President Trump's effort to keep foreign metals from reaching the US market through tariffs. "Make America Luxembourg Again?" responded California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a vocal Trump critic.

Trump previously told donors a "great steel company" had offered a gift worth $37 million, but he did not name the firm; the White House has disclosed some project donors, including a US company behind the air conditioning, while allowing others to stay anonymous. As the Times reports, just days after Trump publicly praised the steel donation last October, the White House issued a proclamation allowing tariff reductions for steel and aluminum producers with operations in Canada or Mexico, a category that includes ArcelorMittal.

A White House official denied any quid pro quo, noting no company has yet received the break, while spokesperson Davis Ingle suggested no one should be upset with the steel donation when it is at no cost to the taxpayer. The report comes days after the non-partisan Campaign Legal Center alleged lobbyists had violated federal disclosure laws at an "unprecedented" scale by not disclosing donations to the ballroom project and other Trump projects, per Newsweek. In response, a White House rep said, "The only interests the President considers when making decisions is the best interests of the American people."
Vice President JD Vance, who was skeptical about starting the Iran war in the first place, is about to become the face of US diplomacy with Tehran. The White House says he'll lead a delegation to Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday for direct talks with Iranian officials, reports the BBC. The big question is whether the two sides can forge a permanent end to the war after this week's shaky-looking ceasefire. Both the White House and Tehran have been claiming victory in the war, notes the Washington Post, but both have incentives to strike a longer peace deal: Iran's leadership is decimated, while President Trump is facing political pressure over rising energy prices.
Four astronauts heading home after their historic trip around the moon are also participants in a unique science experiment that could help future space missions. On board with them are what NASA calls their "avatars"chips about the size of a half-dollar that contain the bone marrow of astronauts Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman, reports Florida Today. The aim: See how deep space radiation and microgravity stress human tissue without experimenting directly on the crew. If the experiment is successful, NASA could theoretically send such chips into space ahead of missions to see how astronauts might fare, per the Washington Post.
Britain has responded to President Trump's barbs about its military and its lack of action in the Middle East by saying it's focused on a true threat: Russian spying in the North Atlantic. UK Defense Secretary John Healey on Thursday revealed the country shadowed three Russian submarines for more than a month as they cruised near vital undersea cables and pipelines, apparently banking that the Iran war would have everyone looking the other way. "I'm making the statement to call out this Russian activity. And to President Putin, I say we see you," he said, per the New York Times , promising "serious consequences" for any attempt at sabotage.

Healey said the subs, part of a covert effort by Moscow to map critical seabed assets, appeared to be collecting intelligence only and were not challenged militarily, though Britain, Norway, and other allies monitored them "24/7." Two of the submarines were linked to Russia's Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research, which specializes in seabed operations; a third, an attack sub, was believed to be a decoy. Undersea cables are especially important to Britain, an island nation, with more than 90% of daily internet traffic passing through them, as well as oil and natural gas, per the BBC.

Sending all military assets to the Middle East, where "Putin would want us to be distracted," is "not in Britain's national interest," Healey stressed, recognizing Russia "as the primary threat to the UK and to NATO." "We will not take our eyes off Putin," he added, per the Times. The outlet notes Trump himself has argued European allies aren't doing enough to stop Russian activities in the North Atlantic, a purported motive behind his desire to acquire Greenland.
American Airlines has jumped on the baggage-fee bandwagon. The carrier on Thursday became the latest major US airline to lift checked-bag fees, bumping the first and second checked bags by $10 on domestic and short international routes, the Wall Street Journal reports. Pay at the airport and you'll shell out $50 for the first bag and $60 for the second; pay in advance and each drops by $5. The fee for a third checked bag on US flights jumps $50 to $200. The new prices apply to tickets booked on or after Thursday. As usual, elite-status customers and many holders of American's co-branded credit cards will still get at least one checked bag free.
A former New York City police sergeant was sentenced Thursday to three to nine years in prison for tossing a picnic cooler full of drinks at a fleeing suspect, who then crashed his motorized scooter and died. The ex-officer, Erik Duran, was convicted of manslaughter in February in the 2023 death of Eric Duprey. The former sergeant said he was trying to protect other officers from the approaching scooter, the AP reports.

"I took this job to save lives. I felt terrible once I saw Eric Duprey crash," Duran told the court Thursday, saying he "did everything he could" to attend to the man's injuries. "I never wanted this to happen," he added, addressing Duprey's family directly in Spanish. Duran was an NYPD officer for 13 years before he was suspended after the crash. He was dismissed from the force after his February conviction.
A domestic-violence incident in Michigan nearly a decade ago is resurfacing as investigators probe the disappearance of a US woman in the Bahamas. NBC News reports that in 2015, Lynette and Brian Hooker each accused the other of assault during a drunken argument in Kentwood, Michiganbut only Lynette spent the night in jail. A police report said officers found Brian drunk with a bloody, swollen nose and Lynette "highly intoxicated" with no visible injuries; prosecutors later declined to pursue charges, citing a lack of clarity over who started the fight.

Brian Hooker was arrested by Bahamian authorities Wednesday in connection with Lynette's disappearance near Elbow Cay. He previously told police she fell overboard from their 8-foot dinghy with the boat keys as they were traveling back to their yacht, forcing him to paddle for hours. Her daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has publicly questioned her stepfather's story, describing the couple's relationship as turbulent, especially when alcohol was involved, and saying her mother was too skilled on the water to simply topple off a boat.

The US Coast Guard has opened a criminal investigation. Hooker, who wrote on Facebook that he is "heartbroken" over the "boat accident," denies wrongdoing and says he has been cooperating with authorities. Aylesworth's attorney, Ron Marienfeld, told CNN on Thursday that early reports of events "just did not seem to add up." "This is nothing short of a tragedy and I don't believe there is a single person out there now who would like to be in my client's shoes," Marienfeld said. "Right now, we are just going to let the wheels of justice turn and see where the evidence leads."
UPDATE

Apr 11, 2026 12:55 PM CDT

Ukraine says it didn't take long for Russia to violate a truce for Orthodox Easter both sides had agreed to. A Ukrainian military officer tells the AP that while artillery fire has paused in his sector, Russian drone attacks continued Saturday after the ceasefire was supposed to be in effect. Serhii Kolesnychenko, a communications officer for the 148th Separate Artillery Brigade, says Ukrainian forces are responding with "silence to silence and fire to fire." In posts online, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said an Easter truce could be the beginning of "real movement toward peace," but added, "We all understand who we are dealing with. Ukraine will adhere to the ceasefire and respond strictly in kind."

Earlier Saturday, officials said 175 Russian soldiers were released in a prisoner exchange, as were 175 Ukrainian soldiers and seven Ukrainian civilians. "Most have been in captivity since 2022. And finallyhome," Zelensky said.

Apr 9, 2026 4:05 PM CDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a temporary halt to military operations in Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter holiday, mirroring a truce proposal from Kyiv. The Kremlin announced Thursday that a ceasefire would run from 4pm Saturday Moscow time until the end of Sunday "in connection with the approaching Orthodox feast of Easter." Russia's General Staff has been told to stop combat operations "in all directions" during that period, France24 reports, while forces remain positioned to respond to what Moscow called potential "provocations by the enemy."
The US Postal Service is cutting off some pension fund payments as it struggles to have enough money on hand to keep operating. The decision halts employer contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System for postal workers and other federal employees, the agency said Thursday, describing the move as temporary. The change affects roughly $400 million in payments each month, CBS News reports. A spokesperson said the Postal Service is "heading toward a cash crisis" and needs to preserve money for core operations and other required payments.

The agency will still forward employee contributions to FERS, along with automatic and matching employer payments and worker contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan, a separate federal retirement program. Suspending the FERS payments is expected to free up about $2.5 billion in the current fiscal year. USPS Chief Financial Officer Luke Grossmann said the danger of not having enough cash to run postal operations "dramatically outweighs" the longer-term risk to the pension funds from skipping payments now. Postmaster General David Steiner told Congress last month that, without major changes, the Postal Service could exhaust its cash in about a year, potentially halting mail delivery.

The president of the National Association of Letter Carriers said the suspension of annuity payments doesn't immediately affect his members, who he said understand the Postal Service's financial challenges, per the AP. "Given a menu of options, none of which are overall positive, they would certainly prefer the Postal Service making a move like this as opposed to something that immediately impacts them or immediately impacts in a negative way the service that we provide to the American people," Brian Renfroe said.
"I wish to inform you: There is no ceasefire in Lebanon," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israelis in an address posted online Thursday. He said, however, that he has ordered preparations for direct talks with Lebanon aimed at disarming Hezbollah and normalizing relations, Reuters reports. He said that for now, Israel is "continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force, and we will not stop until we restore your security," per the Guardian . His remarks came a day after Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed more than 300 people. Lebanese officials described the strikes on heavily populated areas as a "massacre."

The move comes as the fragile US-Iran ceasefire faces an early test over whether Lebanon is covered by the deal. Washington and Israel say it isn't; Iran and mediator Pakistan insist it is. Sources tell CBS News that Trump had been told the ceasefire would apply to the entire region, but the US position shifted after a call between Trump and Netanyahu. According to CBS' sources, Lebanese and Israeli representatives will meet at the State Department next week for talks mediated by the US.

A senior Lebanese official described efforts for a temporary truce with Israel on a "separate track but the same model" as the US-Iran ceasefire. Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad, however, rejected any direct negotiations with Israel and wants a ceasefire in Lebanon first, Reuters reports. Under a 2024 US-brokered truce, Lebanon pledged that only state forces would carry armsa de facto requirement to disarm Hezbollahthat the Lebanese army has so far failed to enforce, according to Israel.

Iran, meanwhile is keeping a near-total chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, where ship traffic is running at less than 10% of its prewar volume. Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, in a statement read on state TV, vowed to "avenge" his slain father and move management of the strait into "a new phase," promising punishment and compensation claims against states he blames for the conflict. "We will certainly not leave unpunished the criminal aggressors who attacked our country," he said. Sources tell the Wall Street Journal that an Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad on Thursday ahead of negotiations with a US team expected to be led by Vice President JD Vance on Saturday.

.
Fairbanks, AK (99701)

Today

Light rain early. Decreasing clouds overnight. Low 29F. SSW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Light rain early. Decreasing clouds overnight. Low 29F. SSW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Commercial space is an emerging industry prioritized in Anhui Provinces 15th FiveYear planning. Recently, the General Office of the Anhui Provincial Peoples Government issued the Anhui Province Action Plan for Accelerating the Development of the Commercial Space Industry (20262028), which explicitly focuses on directions such as reusable rockets, mass satellite manufacturing, payload innovation, and constellation construction and operation, and aims to rapidly build a commercial space industry system that is distinctive, chaincomplete, and ecologically coordinated.

The plan proposes seven major initiatives: enhancing innovation capacity, promoting flagship products, supporting infrastructure, nurturing and cultivating operating entities, developing application scenarios, concentrating industrial layout, and improving industry ecosystem quality. It aims to, by 2028, cultivate more than 200 enterprises above designated size and achieve an industry scale exceeding RMB 70 billion.

The plan calls for accelerating the development of a number of iconic commercial space products to elevate the industrys level and promote industrial clustering.

Emphasizing the driving role of large constellations, the plan proposes designing and deploying the Nebula Constellation, accelerating the construction and operation of various constellations such as the Tianqi Constellation, and building an Anhui Constellation system.

Improve the level of smart satellite manufacturing, drive innovation in satellite payloads, and strengthen the capability to develop Anhui satellites.

Develop highthrust reusable rockets, create engines such as Longyun and Lingyun and launch vehicles like Zhishenxing, and advance intelligent manufacturing of the Anhui Rocket.

Relying on provincial advantages in sectors like intelligent connected new energy vehicles, explore an integrated vehiclesatelliteaircraft development model, accelerate the industrialization of integrated spaceground terminals, and realize a full chain linkage from building satellites to using satellites.

Unlike previous scattershot approaches, the plan clearly proposes a spatial layout strategy tailored to local conditions and specifies the role divisions for the four cities of Hefei, Bengbu, Anqing, and Chizhou.

Hefei, leveraging its comprehensive national science center and deepspace exploration laboratory advantages, will focus on developing satellite platforms, constellation networking operation and data applications, and become a source of industrial innovation.

Bengbu and Chizhou, building on existing foundations, will focus on developing reusable rockets, engines, and shared testing services. Specifically, Bengbu will build a rocketengine testing base serving the Yangtze River Delta and central regions, while Chizhou will accelerate the deployment of aerospace materials testing and verification platforms.

Anqing will prioritize wholesatellite manufacturing, strengthening productionline flexibility and scalability to robustly support the province and radiate to surrounding areas.

The plan proposes building a satellitedata integration and application platform, exploring the assetization and capitalization of satellite data, and promoting separation of data ownership, usage rights, and operational rights to enable "on-demand access and instant utilization" of data. It aims to create a number of scenario application demonstrations across sectors such as ecological protection, water monitoring, disaster prevention and mitigation, urban governance, agricultural and forestry protection, smart grids, and smart elderly care. A Commercial Space Application Scenario Promotion Center will be established to train scenario architects, routinely match supply and demand, and close the technologyproductscenario loop.

To ensure the achievement of these goals, Anhui Province will implement a financial support Growing Together Plan for technology innovation enterprises, establish a commercial space industry fund, intensify efforts to attract highend talent and toptier innovation and entrepreneurial teams, host highlevel industry events, and shape the Anhui commercial space brand image.





Source: anhuinews.com
An aerial view of the Trumbull Mall, from July 2025. The Apple Store in the mall will be closing at an unspecified future date., officials with the computer giant said on Thursday, April 9, 2026 Christian Abraham/Hearst Connecticut Media The Trumbull Mall sign, at one of the mall's entrances is July 2025. The mall's Apple Store will be closing at an unspecified future date, officials with the California-based computer giant said on April 9, 2026. Christian Abraham/Hearst Connecticut Media

Computer giant Apple has announced it will close three of its retail store locations, including the one in the Trumbull Mall.

In a statement released to the media on Thursday, company officials blamed the closings of the three Apple store locations on worsening market conditions at the Trumbull Mall and in Escondido California and Towson, Maryland.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

"Following the departure of several retailers and declining conditions at Trumbull Mall, the Shops at North County, and Towson Town Center, we've made the difficult decision to close our stores at these locations," the statement said in part. "We remain deliberate about evaluating our existing locations to ensure that we can meet our customers' needs in the best way.

The statement said that workers at the Apple Store locations in Trumbull and Escondido "will continue their roles at nearby Apple Retail stores," Workers at the Maryland store, where workers had unionized "will be eligible to apply for open roles at Apple in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement."

No closing date was provided for any of the stores. The closing will leave Connecticut with five Apple Store locations.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

For consumers who have been using the Trumbull Mall location, the nearest Apple Store are in Norwalk's SoNo Collection, the Danbury Fair Mall and the store in New Haven's Broadway shopping district.

News of the Trumbull Mall store's closing comes less than a month after Hearst Connecticut Media reported that the retail center is being listed for sale following months of working through a court foreclosure process.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Newmark, a global real estate company, is marketing the property as an investment opportunity, according to the listing. Trumbull officials said in mid-March that the listing had been online for about six weeks.
GLP-1 medications, effective in weight loss and diabetes management, are increasingly sold online and in retail locations like med-spas, according to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong. Courtesy of mheim3011/Getty Images

Dont risk your health to lose weight by buying gray-market GLP-1 drugs, two top state leaders said in Hartford on Thursday.

The high cost and limited insurance has driven a lot of Americans to use compounded drugs that may be deeply dangerous, and they should be warned, said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, speaking at a news conference at the state Capitol.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Blumenthal and Attorney General William Tong singled out the use of unapproved versions of weight-loss drugs made by compounding pharmacies, which mix specialized doses of medications in smaller batches.

Drug compounding has enormous potential dangers of contamination, quality, impurity and other kinds of challenges, Blumenthal said.

Tong and Blumenthal called on the FDA to tighten the rules for compounding pharmacies beyond a warning issued in February recommending against their use as a source for weight-loss drugs.

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Compounded drugs should only be used in patients whose medical needs cannot be met by an FDA-approved drug, the federal agency said in an statement.



Scott Brunner, CEO of the national Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, called the CT officials' statements about the industry "distressing hyperbole at best and invited them to tour a compounding pharmacy.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

My concern is that Senator Blumenthal and AG Tong are conflating legitimate compounded drugs prepared by state-licensed pharmacies in USP-compliant sterile clean rooms with rampant counterfeiting and marketing of illicit substances, Brunner said. The former are prepared within a rigorous regulatory compliance framework focused on patient safety. The latter are the real problem  a scourge that deserves more attention and enforcement than it's getting.

Tong said state officials had shut down one company offering unapproved versions of GLP-1 drugs and sent cease-and-desist letters to local outlets.



We need comprehensive federal protection and relief, which is why we're here today, Tong said. The FDA has the muscle to institute real rules and laws that protect people here in Connecticut and across this country. For me, it's like a game of Whac-a-Mole  as soon as you go after one, somebody else pops up and is doing the same thing.

Tong and Blumenthal urged Connecticut residents to stay safe by getting weight-loss drugs prescribed by their doctors and buying only from approved sources.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Windham Hospital in Willimantic. Clerical and technical workers have voted to decertify their union. Jennifer Lemanski/Hearst Connecticut Media

The National Labor Relations Board approved a vote to decertify a workers union at Hartford HealthCares Windham Hospital in Willimantic, even as unionized nurses who remain in another local vow to keep fighting for a contract.

A total of 301 Windham Hospital clerical and technical workers voted in February on whether they wanted Local 5099 of AFT Connecticut to continue to represent them in bargaining with the facilitys owner, Hartford HealthCare.



When the ballots were counted, 168 workers voted against and 70 voted in favor, effectively removing the union.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The National Labor Relations Board approved the election on March 17 and union officials withdrew remaining objections to the results last week, making the decertification official, said the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which provided free legal help to a worker seeking to remove the union.



We are pleased to have been able to assist this group of hundreds of Windham Community Memorial employees as they exercise their legal right to send AFT union bosses packing," National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation President Mark Mix said in a statement.

AFT alleges union-busting by Hartford HealthCare

Union leaders blamed the decertification vote on the actions of Hartford HealthCare, which became the largest hospital network in the state as of Jan. 1 with its purchase of Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospitals. Hartford HealthCare acquired Windham Hospital in 2009.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The nurses at Windham Hospital had a front row seat to the union-busting tactics for which the National Right to Work Foundation is taking credit, said Andrea Riley, R.N., president of the Windham Hospital Federation of Professional Nurses, AFT Local 5041. The truth is that our employer, Hartford HealthCare, orchestrated the entire operation locally.

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Asked about the union allegations, Hartford HealthCare sent an email statement: We respectfully decline to comment.

Windhams nurses remain committed to their union local and will continue to work toward a contract, Riley said. The Windham Hospital nurses union went on strike in 2022 over issues including wages and insurance costs.



Windham nurses demand respect at the bargaining table to deliver a fair, equitable contract that is always driven with our patients best interests in mind, Riley said. We ask that our community stand and unite with us.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

AFT Connecticut Vice President John Brady, R.N., said Hartford HealthCare offered the Windham Hospital workers higher pay and better benefits that mirrored union proposals as part of efforts to oust the union.

"When the network chooses to pull the plug, well be ready to assist these workers once again in advancing their economic and working conditions," he said. "For now, HHC delivered on its promise by awarding the very same benefits that elected union leaders had proposed at the negotiating table. Instead of reaching a mutual agreement, HHCs lawyers chose to use them to silence the workers collective voice."

Hartford HealthCare declined to respond to the union statements.

Foundation fields more calls to eject unions

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation has seen a surge in calls from workers nationwide seeking to decertify unions in recent years even as some organizational efforts gain traction, Mix said in a phone interview.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Workers at companies like Starbucks, Trader Joes and REI have contacted the advocacy group about opposing unionization, Mix said.

According to new NLRB numbers released in February, Connecticut saw a slight decline last year in the percentage of unionized employees in the states workforce, from 16.5% in 2024 to 16.1% in 2025. That went against a national trend of a slight increase in the unionized workforce.

The state still ranks in the top 10 of states in its percentage of unionized workers.

Newer pro-union efforts in Connecticut include the organization last year of highway plaza workers into a local of the Service Employees International Union and a vote by Hearst Connecticut Media Group workers to join The NewsGuild-CWA.



A decertification vote like that at Windham Hospital doesnt necessarily reflect a general turn against unions, Mix said, but rather worker dissatisfaction with union leadership or a specific local. This is a function of basically holding union officials accountable, he said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Employers are strictly prohibited by law from getting involved in union elections and decertification votes face tight timelines and a high bar for approval, Mix added.
Jack Gill Courtesy of the Branford Police Department Jack Gill Courtesy of Hamden Police Department

MERIDEN  A judge Wednesday issued a protective order against a New Haven man accused of groping students at Shepherd Glen Elementary School in Hamden where he was working as a substitute teacher, according to the clerk's office.

Jack Gill, 24, was arraigned at state Superior Court in Meriden on charges out of Hamden, which include two counts each of fourth-degree sexual assault and illegal sexual contact, according to court records.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

He is free on a $15,000 bond.

Gill is facing similar charges in Branford following his arrest April 3. Gill worked as a substitute teacher at Mary T. Murphy Elementary School in Branford, according to police.

He will be arraigned on charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor in that case on April 14, and is free on a $75,000 bond, according to Branford police.

Gill is accused of assaulting two second-grade students aged 7 and 8 in Hamden. Police wrote that one of the victims claimed Gill "inappropriately touched multiple female students over the course of a couple of days."

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

In a statement through his lawyer included in the warrants, Gill denied touching students inappropriately. The statement indicated a student told a parent he had touched them during a library class.
Keyvon Washington was killed Jan. 17 in a botched robbery in Hamden when he was trying to sell his car, according to police. Courtesy of Keyna Washington Hamden Police Chief Edward Page Reynolds speaks during a news conference at the Hamden Police Department Feb. 13, 2026, as police provided an update on the investigation into the killing of 18-year-old Keyvon Washington. Family members of the victim are seated in the front row. David Zajac / Hearst Connecticut Media Keyvon Washington was killed Jan. 17 in a botched robbery in Hamden when he was trying to sell his car, according to police. Courtesy of Keyna Washington

HAMDEN  Three teenagers accused in the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old from Hamden during an alleged botched robbery in January had their cases transferred from juvenile court to adult court following their arrests, according to court records.

Samuel Galakpain, 17; Jayson Roman, 16; and Lamont Walker, 18, are facing murder and other charges in connection with the killing of Keyvon Washington, who was fatally shot Jan. 17 in the parking lot of the Broadmoor Apartments on Mix Avenue, according to an arrest warrant.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Hamden police said Washington had arranged to meet a potential buyer for his car, which he had listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Police say he was ambushed in a planned robbery.

The victim's mother, Keyna Washington, said her son was a former Boy Scout who worked at FedEx in Middletown and recently graduated with a culinary degree from Job Corps.

The months since her son's killing has been a whirlwind of emotions, she said. "I still have to remind myself that it's real," she said."That's probably the hardest thing, the constant, 'Oh, this is reality.'"

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Her son's dream was to work as a chef and buy land in Tennesse to build a home and a farm and have his maternal grandparents come live with him, she said.

Keyvon Washington was born in Boston and came to Hamden, were he was raised, in 2009, she said, and had lived in at the same apartment complex where the robbery took place.

It was at the apartment complex, a passenger in Washington's car who worked with him at FedEx, reported to police that multiple men dressed in black and wearing masks approached the car when they arrived, according to the warrant.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

One appeared to know Washington and was talking to him and later asked him to let his friends to drive the car, the warrant said. When Washington declined and started to drive off, one of the men managed to enter the back seat, pointed a handgun at Washington and said, "Give me all you got," according to the warrant.

When Washington refused to stop the car and tried to drive away, police said Galakpain fired the gun, striking Washington multiple times.

Hamden police identified Galakpain in the warrant as the alleged gunman through a combination of surveillance footage, cellphone data, witness statements and forensic evidence, as well as previous interactions with him, including in 2024 when he assisted the New Haven Shooting Task Force, according to the warrant.

The car crashed as it sped off, and two other suspects fired into the vehicle from the outside, according to the warrant.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Washington was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Washington's death a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds, according to police.

Police said an iPhone recovered near the crash site belonged to Galakpain and contained images of the victim's car taken days before the shooting, as well as photos of a firearm consistent with one later recovered, according to the warrant.

A search of Romans apartment uncovered multiple guns, including a modified Glock capable of automatic fire, along with clothing matching what the suspects were seen wearing on surveillance video, according to police. Ballistics testing later linked shell casings found inside the victims car to one of those weapons, police said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
A crime truck from the Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad on scene assisting Enfield Police detectives after a 12-year-old girl was found dead inside this home earlier in the day, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, on Elm Street in Enfield. Jim Michaud/Hearst Connecticut Media Eve Rogers, 12, was found dead in her Enfield home on March 18. Police are investigating. Her stepfather, Anthony Federline, has been charged with sexually assaulting the girl. Courtesy of Melanie Federline A crime truck from the Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Squad on scene assisting Enfield Police detectives after a 12-year-old girl was found dead inside this home earlier in the day, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, on Elm Street in Enfield. Jim Michaud/Hearst Connecticut Media Enfield police arrested Anthony Federline, of Elm Street, on Thursday and charged him with first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor. Courtesy of the Enfield Police Department

ENFIELD  Items found during a search of a local home where a 12-year-old girl was found dead included amphetamine pills and pages from a journal titled, "My safety plan" and "Mood Disorder Questionnaire," according to a search warrant released Thursday.

The cause and manner of death of Eve Rogers is pending further studies, according to the state Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

However, the initial search warrant connected with the arrest of her stepfather, Anthony Federline, on a first-degree sexual assault charge says investigators also "have probable cause to believe that evidence of the crime of murder" would be found in the home. A warrant for a second search of the home on Tuesday remains sealed, Enfield Police Chief Alaric Fox said Thursday.

Asked about the potential murder charge, Fox said it was an active and ongoing investigation.

Federline, who worked as an Enfield school bus driver before being fired following his arrest, has not been charged in the girl's death.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Police said they were called to the home on the 100 block of Elm Street the morning of March 18 for a report of an unresponsive female child. At the scene, police confirmed Eve had died.

The girl was found on the floor of her bedroom with a blanket over the naked lower half of her body, police said. Rigor mortis had set in, the search warrant says.

Anthony Federline "was overcome with emotions and was angry," the warrant says. Police did not interview him at the scene "as he asked for space because he 'wanted to break things,'" police said in the warrant.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

In the bedroom of a male 17-year-old next to the girl's bedroom, police found a plate of blue pills in the open along with "numerous pill bottles lying around the desk in the room."

In Eve's bedroom, police found two pills on the floor near the door, one pink and the other clear with white powder inside, police said., An open laptop on the floor had an unidentified YouTube page open, according to the warrant.

The search warrant lists items seized on March 18, including:

Blue capsule pills marked R3060, identified on Drugs.com and other medical websites as amphetamine and dextroamphetamine extended release.

A bottle of "RX Amphetamine Salts," containing 18 pills, described on GoodRx as a stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

A Pink Sparkle Journal.

A weekly pill organizer.

Hello Kitty comforter and bedsheet.

A pair of girl's underwear.

A Samsung cellphone, HP laptop computer and Amazon tablet.

Swabbings from the lips of the girl.

Swabbings from a wall (location not identified).

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The warrant does not say whether the pills were prescribed to Eve. Anthony Federline told police that Eve had been diagnosed with POTS, or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, a condition that causes a faster heart rate and other symptoms when a person goes from sitting or lying down to standing, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
An American Woodcock portrait at dusk. lavin photography/Getty Images

In New York City, crowds of people have been flocking to see a particular bird bobbing up and down, appearing to dance. However, you don't need to travel that far to encounter one.

American woodcocks spotted in Bryant Park have been going viral over the past few weeks, drawing crowds and thousands of views on social media. The park, which has plant life and water sources, can serve as a stop during their spring migration, according to the NYC Bird Alliance. However, the Connecticut Audubon Society Executive Director Joyce Leiz said that the American woodcock is "fairly common" all around the state.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

They begin migrating north in late January and February. In the Northeast, courtship and breeding begin in mid-March to early April, and nesting begins in April and May, according to Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The birds can be found in areas like fields, forest clearings and bogs.

"They tend to move into the wooded areas. And because they try to protect themselves, they camouflage themselves pretty well," Leiz said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

An American Woodcock Haitong Yu/Getty Images

The American Woodcock, which DEEP describes as a "short-legged, plump bird, with a two-and-a-half-inch-long bill," has been drawing attention because of its unique movements. The birds will rock their bodies back and forth while they walk. While this motion makes it look "like they are dancing," it actually can make the worms they prey upon move around in the soil and become easier to capture, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission..

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

During mating season, the birds also try to attract their mates by flinging themselves 300 feet in the air and then "twirling down" with their feathers, whistling the entire time, Leiz described. A male may mate with several females, according to DEEP.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

"I've seen this jump. It is amazing. They'll literally walk out of the woods, jump into the air, swirl on down and then they land," Leiz said.

Leiz said if birdwatchers encounter the creature, to step back, stay still and enjoy the sight. She added that since the bird in Bryant Park went viral, the Connecticut Audubon Society has seen more inquiries about how to see them. The Connecticut Audubon Society has hosted woodcock-watching events at places like the Pleasant Valley Preserve in Lyme, the Center at Pomfret, and Eisenhower Park in Milford. The Greenwich Audubon Center also has walks to see the birds and has the woodcocks nesting and breeding on site, according to audubon.org.

"In order to do their (mating) dance, they have to come out into the clearing," Leiz said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Leiz added that the best time to look for them is around daybreak and dusk.
Travelers wait in a lines to get through security at LaGuardia Airport in New York, Monday, March 30, 2026. Seth Wenig/AP Stained-glass windows cast colorful shadows on the floor as travelers walk through LaGuardia Airport in New York, Monday, March 30, 2026. Seth Wenig/AP

A new reality is setting in for travelers worldwide: rising fares and fees, fewer flight options and difficult decisions about whether a trip is worth the cost.

The culprit is volatile oil and jet fuel prices, which have spiked sharply since the war in the Middle East began and fighting near the Strait of Hormuz created a chokepoint for global oil supplies.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Volatility is the real story here, said Shye Gilad, a former airline captain who now teaches at Georgetown University's business school. Right now, the airlines are trying to make bets on what they think will happen in the future."

Airlines are responding cautiously, trimming schedules and adjusting prices in ways that experts say will ripple unevenly across the market but ultimately affect nearly every type of traveler.

Budget airlines and the customers who rely on them are likely to feel the pinch first and most acutely, experts say, but even travelers in premium cabins wont escape the higher prices and less convenient schedules.

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Oil prices have swung wildly in recent weeks, briefly topping $119 a barrel at one point, plunging Wednesday below $95 on news of a two-week ceasefire that temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, and then climbing back toward $100 on Thursday as uncertainty over the fragile deal grew. Iran again closed the key artery for global oil shipments in response to Israeli strikes Wednesday in Lebanon.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

When prices move quickly in both directions, its very hard for airlines to make predictions, Gilad said.

In other words, even when oil prices drop, travelers may not see relief right away.

At this level of fuel, its hard to call anything temporary," Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told reporters this week after the Atlanta-based carrier raised its checked baggage fees.

Global squeeze, local effects

Bastian said Wednesday as Delta kicked off the earnings season for U.S. airlines that the higher fuel prices are expected to add $2 billion in operating expenses in the second quarter alone. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a recent memo to staff that if fuel prices stay elevated, it could add $11 billion in annual costs.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

For perspective, Kirby wrote, in Uniteds best year ever, we made less than $5B.

According to the International Air Transport Association, the average global jet fuel price rose to $209 per barrel last week, up from roughly $99 at the end of February when the war started. Travelers from the U.S. to Hong Kong and New Delhi are paying the price.

U.S. carriers are embedding the higher operating costs into ticket prices and add-on fees. Delta, United, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue have all increased checked baggage fees.

Both United and American are also moving beyond add-ons to adjust pricing. United said last week it is bringing the pay for what you want approach already standard in economy to its premium cabins, turning perks like advanced seat selection and fully refundable tickets into optional extras.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

American announced Thursday that passengers in basic economy will have to pay extra to pick their seat beginning May 18, including elite-tier loyalty members. And later this year, basic economy passengers without elite status or an eligible co-branded credit card will be assigned to boarding Group 7, while those with higher status will still board earlier even when purchasing the lowest fare.

Hong Kongs Cathay Pacific recently bumped fuel surcharges by roughly 34% across all routes, while Air India on Monday added up to $280 in fees to some flights. Emirates, Lufthansa and KLM have also adjusted fees or fares to keep pace with the price volatility.

Experts say flexibility and careful planning can help offset these costs. Fare-tracking sites can alert travelers to price changes and help them compare multiple options in one place. Booking early and checking nearby airports can lock in better prices, while refundable tickets make it easier to cancel and rebook if fares drop. Traveling light with just a carry-on can also help avoid the rising bag fees.

Flight cuts to cut costs

For business travelers, the costs are already shaping their decisions. Bill Moorehouse, a solutions director who flies for work every four to six weeks, said the uncertainty may keep him closer to home for now.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

When you have business trips and you have a carefully coordinated schedule, you dont want unknowns and disruptions. And right now, it just feels like its more likely that things could go wrong and throw your trip off course, the Cupertino, California, resident said.

Richard Groberg, an investment banker from Las Vegas who visits clients around the U.S., said he plans to book as early as possible to lock in the best fares.

There's sometimes no substitute for in-person meetings and building relationships, he said. As travel becomes more expensive, that becomes a tougher decision to make those investments.

Even family visits are on his mind. Groberg's brother hopes he'll stop in Vermont next time he's in New York for work, but Groberg admits, I start thinking maybe I should drive instead because this is getting so expensive.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Airlines, meanwhile, are also adjusting how much they fly.

BNP Paribas estimates that global schedules for April have been cut roughly 5% compared with earlier plans. Most reductions are in the Middle East, the global investment bank said, though smaller cuts were also emerging in Europe, Asia and North America.

United Airlines is cutting about 5% of its planned flights in the near term, trimming less profitable routes and suspending some international service temporarily rather than burning cash on trips that cant absorb the more expensive fuel costs. The airline's CEO said the cuts will target redeye flights and routes on historically slower travel days such as Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.

Delta is scrapping plans to add more flights and seats in June, leaving about 3.5% fewer seats than originally planned.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Travel plans upended

These moves show why major carriers are better positioned to weather the spike in fuel prices than budget carriers, whose no frills model leaves them with less flexibility. Bigger airlines can lean on dynamic pricing, sell more seats at higher fares or swap in larger planes on certain routes, letting them cut flights without losing overall capacity.

Leisure travelers and budget conscious travelers are going to absolutely feel it first because it may make the difference between going and not going, Gilad said.

It's already made the difference for Anna Del Vecchio. The 36-year-old Seattle resident has made it an annual springtime tradition to visit family in Philadelphia before flying to Paris to see friends she's known since she was a teenager.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Her credit card points typically cover the roundtrip flight, but ticket prices now hover around $1,400  about double what she has paid in past years.

It wasnt even scratching the surface for the flight this time," she said, so I decided to delay the trip.

But if airfare tops $1,500, she might not be able to make a journey she hasn't missed in years.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
File photo of a New Haven firetruck. A former New Haven fire lieutenant has sued the city and Board of Fire Commissioners, contending racial discrimination motivated his firing. Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW HAVEN  A former fire lieutenant who is Black contends in a federal lawsuit against the city of New Haven that he was humiliated and fired on the basis of dismissed criminal charges while white firefighters in similar circumstances kept their jobs.

Keith Norfleet, 36, seeks reinstatement to his former position, back pay and a declaratory judgement that city officials violated his right to equal protection under the law, among other damages.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Hired as a firefighter in July 2014, Norfleet was promoted to lieutenant in February 2023. At the time of his promotion, he was under investigation by New Haven police in a reported sexual assault at his apartment in early December 2022.

A woman told police that she met Norfleet in a New Haven bar and they went back to his place and had consensual sex, police said. Norfleet then forced her to have sex again before he let her leave, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Norfleet was arrested on a first-degree sexual assault charge on Aug. 25, 2023. The city sent out a news release announcing the arrest and the launch of an internal investigation and Norfleet was placed on paid administrative leave, the suit says.

A jury found him not guilty on Oct. 23, 2024, according to the lawsuit. Connecticut court records show Norfleet has no convictions or pending criminal cases in the state.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Hamden police also had arrested Norfleet in 2021 and 2022 on charges that included improper storage of a firearm, disorderly conduct and interfering in an emergency call and disorderly conduct under domestic violence circumstances, the suit says. All three cases were dismissed in March 2023.

New Haven Fire Chief John Alston, who since has retired, was informed that records in the Hamden cases had been erased, the suit says, but he "deliberately and repeatedly used information about those erased arrests as a basis for his investigation, his assessment of Plaintiff's fitness for duty, his testimony and his formal recommendation to the Board of Fire Commissioners that Plaintiff be terminated."

Mayor Justin Elicker said fire commissioners voted to fire Norfleet "for violations of departmental rules and regulations, and the Connecticut State Board of Mediation & Arbitration has upheld the citys decision."



"While the city has not yet been served with any new federal complaint," Elicker said, "we will continue to defend this decision and that Mr. Norfleets violations of departmental rules and regulations warranted termination.



"Overwhelmingly, New Haven firefighters hold themselves to the highest standards of professionalism and put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve our residents and keep our city safe," the mayor said. "However, when a firefighter deviates from these high standards like what occurred with Mr. Norfleet, there must be accountability for their actions and those actions will not tolerated by the New Haven Fire Department.



The internal affairs report submitted to fire commissioners, however, "extensively incorporated and relied upon the erased records," the suit says, "using them as evidence of a 'pattern of misconduct' that supported termination."

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The contracted report by New Light Investigations found Norfleet violated 15 Fire Department regulations, including "conduct prejudicial to the good name and reputation of the Department" and "untruthfulness or willful misrepresentation," the suit says. The Board of Fire Commissioners voted unanimously on Aug. 8, 2024, to terminate Norfleet, 2 months before a jury acquitted him of the sexual assault charge, the suit says.

The lawsuit contends that white firefighters were treated more leniently under similar circumstances. For example, a white firefighter referred to in the suit as John Doe 1 faced sexual assault charges during divorce proceedings, "nearly identical" to Norfleet's case "in every material aspect," the complaint says.

Doe was placed on administrative leave, but reinstated after he was found not guilty of the criminal charges, the suit says. Also, no news release was issued when he was arrested, according to the complaint.

"This pattern cannot be explained by any legitimate, race-neutral reason," the suit says.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Since he was fired, Norfleet has been living with his sister and friends, unable to afford his own place, which has harmed his ability to provide a stable home environment for his three daughters, ages 8, 10, and 13, according to the lawsuit.
Protesters hold signs and chant antiwar slogans near Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Dan Hernadez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) Dan Hernandez/AP Zainab Haider holds a flag during a protest against the Iran war on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Austin, Texas. (Brianna Griffith via AP) Brianna Griffith/AP People march while taking part in a protest against the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, and against conflict in Lebanon, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in New York. Ryan Murphy/AP Protesters march in the streets of downtown Austin, Texas, to show opposition to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, during a demonstration organized by the Austin for Palestine Coalition, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman via AP) Mikala Compton/AP Protesters hold signs and chant anti-war slogans as they march toward Civic Center in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Dan Hernandez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) Dan Hernandez/AP

Zainab Haider was making the drive home after work with her two young children Tuesday as she contemplated what might come from the deadline President Donald Trump had set for Iran to concede to U.S. demands. Would her relatives in Iran be safe or would they be wiped off the map?

Her emotions were heavy, ranging from anxiety and fear to even loneliness as others seemed to be going about their lives as normal despite what could have been pending doom. Ultimately, Trump did not make good on his threat that a whole civilization will die tonight, instead agreeing to a two-week ceasefire in the war.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

It was another moment of whiplash for Haider and the hundreds of thousands of Iranians living in the U.S. who have been thrust into a seemingly constant state of uncertainty over the future of Iran and their relatives and friends who still live there.

For many, the tenor of the latest discourse around the conflict has consumed their thoughts, often preventing them from getting work done or focusing on anything else. Some are protesting the war, while others guard their opinions about what is happening in their homeland, anxiously watching and wondering what the future might hold.

Haider was among those protesting Wednesday in Austin, Texas, calling for an end to the war. Gatherings also were held in New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Aside from speaking out against the war, Haider thinks that mobilizing will create the kind of pressure that makes it harder for Trump to swing back to this aggressive posturing.

Its a huge country, she said of Iran. Trump is not going to ever be able to defeat it or wipe it out, but it is possible to do damage. It is possible to do something that affects millions of people, millions of lives.

Worries for family members back home

Haider, a municipal planner and an organizer with the Austin for Palestine Coalition, said hearing Trump offer such an ultimatum was frightening.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

She does not support regime change, saying that was something for the Iranian people to settle, not the United States. Still, she wanted to speak out even though she came to the U.S. by way of Pakistan with her parents when she was young. She has memories of the neighborhood bakeries and the juice shops she used to visit with her mother and their neighbors.

Iranian-American Sheila Amir said that Trumps social media posts made her fearful on multiple levels.

Her first concern was for her Iranian relatives. She has not been able to confirm that they're OK in the past week amid an internet blackout that has blanketed the country.

But the North Carolina-based writer said she also was concerned that an escalation in the war could put her U.S. relatives who are in the military at risk. Their duty, she said, is to serve and protect the United States of America," not to destroy the people of Iran.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Complex feelings for those who support the war

Even those who are supportive of U.S. attacks that directly weaken the Iranian government are struggling to reckon with the most recent threats against civilians.

In recent weeks, Roya Rastegar has had many difficult conversations with her family about the conflict. Rastegar and her wife are both Iranian-American. Rastegar said people in her family have been killed by the Iranian government in the decades since the Islamic Republic took power, and the majority of her wifes family is still in the country.

Rastegar, a filmmaker and cofounder of a pro-democracy nonprofit called the Iranian Diaspora Collective, said the frequent reversals have made it more difficult to explain the conflict to their children.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Its very hard to hold on to the idea that we do not know whats going to happen, she said.

Rastegar said that the war has presented an impossible moral dilemma. She is deeply concerned that intensified attacks on Iran could cause even more harm to civilians. But she also believes that de-escalating the war without dismantling the Islamic Republic will pose the greatest risk to Iranians inside the country, who would continue to face severe and deadly repression.

Its really nauseating to just think about my people as being stuck between a regime thats still killing them and an administration  the U.S.  that is issuing these kinds of threats, Rastegar said.
Stacy Vaughn-Marcella Courtesy of Hartford Police Department Hartford police vehicles in a file photo. Jim Michaud/Hearst Connecticut Media

WEST HARTFORD  A Connecticut preschool teacher is due in court this month after she was accused of dragging a student by the feet and leaving him unattended outside the classroom.

Stacy Vaughn-Marcella, 61, was arrested on a charge of risk of injury to a child, a class C felony, on Jan. 22 and is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Hartford April 29, state records show.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

She was placed on administrative leave from the University of Hartford Magnet School after the allegations were made in December, according to Sasha Douglas, superintendent of CREC Magnet Schools.

According to the heavily-redacted warrant for her arrest, the incident happened between noon and 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 1, shortly before the children's nap time. A boy in her class of 3- and 4-year-olds was upset because he couldnt get into the play station he wanted to join because there already were too many children in it, one witness told police; he began throwing things and someone took him for a walk to cool down.

When he returned, a child said something to him, which agitated the boy, who responded by climbing up on a bookshelf and tearing things off the wall, a staff member told police. Some witnesses said Vaughn-Marcella took the boy down and, when he was lying on his back, dragged him by the feet out the door to a common area, where he remained for 5-10 minutes. She closed the door, and the boy repeatedly threw a wooden object against it, the warrant said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

A witness told police she found the boy crying in a corner and took him for a walk to see a behavior specialist, the warrant said.

One staff member said she did not see the teacher drag the boy, however, and the warrant stated that cubbies blocked part of the surveillance camera's view of what happened.

A guardian said the boy was not acting himself later that day and was in a fetal position, but the staff at Connecticut Childrens did not find any injuries.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

When questioned by a Hartford police officer, Vaughn-Marcella said she had injuries on her lower legs from the boy kicking her. She showed them to the officer, who documented them. Hartford police responded to the call about the incident even though the schools mailing address is in West Hartford.

Vaughn-Marcella told the officer she asked an assistant to help with the boy that day when he was climbing the cabinets  a common occurrence for him  but the staff member was tending to another student who gets triggered by the boys behavior. So she stopped reading a book to the class and walked over to the boy who willingly grabbed her hand and assisted himself down by jumping off, she said, according to the warrant.

The boy landed on her foot, which hurt, she said. The boy then rolled his back on the floor and began kicking her with all of his might,  she said, in a fit of rage and anger. He does not like to be told no, she added, the warrant said.

She then was trying to avoid the kicks, she said, so she grabbed one of his legs to prevent him from kicking her but he flailed and kicked her with a different foot, it said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

As John Doe continued to kick in her direction, his body was moving on the floor, she said, according to the warrant, but his rage continued, so when they got to the classroom door she let him go out the door" and then closed it.
State trooper police cruisers are parked at the Connecticut State Police Troop G barracks in Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media

State police are warning Connecticut residents to be on the lookout for text message scammers posing as law enforcement and other officials.

In a news release Tuesday, police said the messages have been sent by scammers claiming to be from the "Connecticut State Police Court," Connecticut Superior Court, DMV and other agencies.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Officials said the messages demand immediate payment, or threaten the suspension of a drivers license or vehicle registration. Police urged residents to not reply or click on any links.

Government agencies do not send payment demands through random text messages, police said.

Police said residents who receive a possible scam message should report it as spam and verify the content directly through the official state website.

Stay cautious and share this to help others avoid falling victim, police said.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., attend an event marking the installation of a plaque commemorating Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Washington. Allison Robbert/AP President Donald Trump speaks with reporters during a news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Washington. Mark Schiefelbein/AP

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trumps threats to wipe out Iran, a whole civilization, ended the restraint that Democrats have mostly practiced when it comes to questions of removing him from office in his second term.

By the dozens, Democrats came out to say that Trump should no longer serve in the White House, either through the impeachment process or the 25th Amendment, which allows the vice president and the Cabinet to declare that a president is no longer able to perform the job.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

While Trump eventually pulled back on his threat and agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, the episode highlighted the growing demands for Democrats to oppose the Republican president in the strongest possible terms. Calls about Iran flooded into congressional offices, lawmakers said.

The breadth of the Democratic pushback underscored the gravity of Trump's apocalyptic threat to a country of more than 91 million people. It also served to raise the domestic political stakes for a conflict that is far from over. The Trump administration faces mounting calls to testify about the war and justify its demands for hundreds of billions of dollars in new military spending.

We cannot excuse what the president said as a negotiating tactic," Rep. Sara Jacobs, a California Democrat told reporters at the Capitol Thursday.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

It is important that even though we were able to get this ceasefire, which I pray holds, that we hold this president accountable for what he threatened because threatening genocide is not just against international law, its against our federal law, too, she added.

Still, Democratic leaders and many moderates in the party have steered clear of endorsing impeachment, and any attempt to remove Trump from office is doomed to fail so long as Republicans control Congress.

In the near term, Democratic leaders in the House and Senate are instead pushing Republicans to join them and pass legislation that would force Trump to get congressional approval before carrying out any more attacks on Iran.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

A few Democrats attempted during a brief session of the House on Thursday to pass what's known as a war powers resolution on Iran, but Republicans, who control the chamber, did not acknowledge their request.

We need Speaker Johnson to call us into session, said Democratic Rep Emily Randall of Washington. The American people deserve that.

At the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt has defended Trump's rhetoric as effective.

I think it was a very, very strong threat from the president of the United States that led the Iranian regime to cave to their knees and ask for a ceasefire and agree to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, she said at a Wednesday White House press briefing.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Callers jam congressional phone lines

As they press their case against Trump, Democrats are responding to the worries of their own base and constituents. Congressional offices were bombarded with phone calls and emails this week, largely from people alarmed by the presidents rhetoric.

In the House, the office of Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., received a ton of calls and emails Monday and Tuesday, mostly about Iran but also about impeaching Trump or removing him by deploying the 25th Amendment, said one aide who was not authorized to discuss the internal office situation and insisted on anonymity.

When her district staffers in the state office took a break Tuesday, they returned to 75 voicemails on Iran an hour later, the aide said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

My office phones have not stopped ringing, said Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., at a press conference in Portland, urging House colleagues to immediately return to Washington.

Dexters office received more calls on Tuesday, 257, than it has ever received in a 24-hour period since the first-term lawmakers team began keeping track.

The groundswell appeared to be organic, rather than an orchestrated campaign to pressure lawmakers to act.

While outside groups have been circulating some discussion points, including the legal details around invoking the 25th Amendment, there has not been an organized effort to flood the congressional offices with a strategic message, said one Democratic strategist familiar with the situation who insisted on anonymity to discuss the private conversations.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

It was simply the horror of what Trump was saying, the strategist said, and the scale of the presidents threats, that appeared to have sparked the mobilization.

On the political right, several prominent figures including former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, also suggested Trump should be removed from office through the 25th Amendment.

Will Democrats make an impeachment push?

Democrats twice impeached Trump for actions taken during his first term, but he was acquitted each time. They have tried to avoid such debates for the last 16 months as they tried to center their midterm message on kitchen table issues rather than opposing a president who narrowly won the popular vote.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Republicans also have the majority in the House and have easily fended off two previous efforts to impeach Trump in his second term. A significant number of Democrats have either joined with Republicans or voted present as the House blocked impeachment resolutions sponsored by Rep. Al Green, D-Texas.

Then came Trump's threat on Tuesday morning to wipe out an entire civilization.

Temporary ceasefire or not, Trump already committed an impeachable offense. Congress needs to get back to work and remove him from office before he does more damage to our country and the world, said Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, a veteran of the war in Iraq.

Its unclear how House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries will handle the demands for another impeachment push. But Democratic leaders are holding a call on Friday with members of the House Judiciary Committee that is focused on Trump administration accountability and the 25th Amendment.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Standing on the Capitol steps Thursday, Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., said she supports impeachment, but nevertheless hit the brakes on it for now, as the Democrats are in the minority. Instead, she called on Republicans to stand up to Trumps threats, including by invoking the 25th Amendment.

She predicted the imperative to remove Trump from office could only grow as negotiators navigate a fragile framework for a peace deal. Dean and other Democrats criticized the plan as chaotic and unworkable.

Yet Dean said Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization should have already been enough. The president brought the entire globe to watch his madness, she said.
Ophni Davis, right, gets choked up as he talks on Thursday, March 12, 2026 about the police shooting death of Steven "Stevie" Jones on Blue Hills Avenue, near his barber shop. The Rev. AJ Johnson is on the left. Davis is one of many people calling for more social workers to respond to calls about people with mental illness. Christine Dempsey/Hearst Connecticut Media A still image from the body-worn camera of former Hartford police Officer Joseph Magnano on Feb. 27, 2026. The deadly police shooting -- one of two in the capital city within nine days -- prompted a call for more social workers to respond with police. Hartford police body camera footage provided by CT Inspector General

HARTFORD  Months ago, a woman walked into Shallimar Barber & Beauty on Blue Hills Avenue, and she was not right, owner Ophni Davis said.

The woman was incoherent and unsteady on her feet, he said. It was almost closing time, but he didnt want to kick her out to the street, so he called 911.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

It wasnt a cop who showed up. Rather, it was two staff members from the Community Renewal Team, Davis said. The social workers called for an ambulance, which took the woman to Saint Francis Hospital.

Fast forward to Feb. 27, when a 911 call about a mentally ill man with a knife yards from Davis shop had a very different ending. A police officer fatally shot the man, Steven Stevie Jones, in the street. Jones was the second Black man with reported mental problems killed by city officers in a little more than a week.

The Blue Hills Avenue shooting left the community shaken, and Davis got choked up when he talked about it at a news conference a few weeks later. He said the deadly use of force could have been avoided if the officer who shot Jones took a more sensitive approach when he arrived at the scene, and if the response included social workers.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Like others, he also called for the police officer to be fired, a move Mayor Arunan Arulampalam made on March 27, one month from the deadly shooting and hours before the officer was due to go off probation.

Many people made similar comments about social workers in the weeks after the Jones shooting. While the state is working to have police and social workers collaborate more, most towns and cities dont have social workers on their payroll, working side by side with officers. And while crisis intervention training is available for police, not enough officers have had it, one social worker says.

In Hartford, police have been working with the Capitol Region Mental Health Center and other agencies on mental health-related calls since 2003, according to the citys website. Almost 20 years later, in 2022, the city expanded its mental health services, and the Hartford Emergency Assistance Response Team, or HEARTeam, started getting dispatched to calls about adults and youth in crisis.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

In fact, it was Capitol Region workers who responded to a 211 call from Everard Walkers family on Feb. 19. Referred to as mental health professionals in a preliminary report by the state inspector general, the workers asked police to come with them to Walkers Capitol Avenue apartment. An officer later shot Walker when it appeared he was about to stab another cop who had fallen backwards during a scuffle, the report said, and he was pronounced dead at Saint Francis Hospital.

Although the social workers stayed in the hallway, talking to Walker through an open door, some say its unusual that they were even near the scene of what turned out to be a deadly police shooting.

Before we enter into a situation, police have to make it safe, said Tiffany Hubrins of Wheeler Health, Connecticuts biggest provider of mobile crisis services for youth.

John DeCarlo, director of the Center for Advanced Policing at the University of New Haven, acknowledged in an interview with CT Insider that the presence of third parties usually is not recommended if a person in mental crisis is armed.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

But DeCarlo, a 34-year veteran of the Branford Police Department, studied the Jones shooting and identified ways the response could have been improved  including having more officers trained in crisis intervention.

He said a better way to handle the call would have been to have a clear command structure, with an officer trained in crisis intervention calling the shots, he said; it wasnt clear if the officers at the scene of Jones' shooting had the higher level of mental health training.

The other areas of improvement would be to have more less-lethal options, like additional stun guns or bean bag rounds, DeCarlo said. The Taser fired by the first officer on the scene did not deliver an adequate shock despite repeated tries, according to the preliminary report by the inspector general, and no one else appeared to have one.

DeCarlo also said the creation of greater physical distance and use of barriers or cover would have given police more time to negotiate.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

He concluded that not enough officers have a high level of training in dealing with people experiencing a mental crisis. Although every officer in Connecticut has some basic training in interacting with people with mental illness, not every one gets specialized, in-depth crisis intervention training.

Jillian Russell, a social worker on Connecticut's shoreline, said, It is up to the officer if they want to get certified in crisis intervention training.

In addition, most police departments do not have social workers embedded with officers, responding to calls with them. In 2022, there were about a half-dozen agencies, including the Willimantic Police Department, with social workers on their payroll.

Advantages of embedded social workers

Having social workers on police calls helps in situations when police officers response, even when in synch with their training, does not align with what might be best for the client in that moment, Russell said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

She added that having embedded social workers is sometimes more beneficial than calling a clinician from an outside agency because the outside clinicians might be tied up.

If you have an embedded clinician within the police department, that clinician will be solely responsible for assisting the police rather than going out on other community calls, Russell said.

The state has been working on ways to improve the collaboration between social workers and police. A new training center for police and social workers has been established at Southern Connecticut State University. Called the Center for Police Social Work, it supports both social workers who are contracted to work with police through outside agencies and those who work directly for police departments, with a special emphasis on the latter, integrated approach, the university said.

But there is no state funding yet for police departments to hire social workers through the program, state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest said. Its up to the individual towns and cities to come up with the money.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

We funded it in West Hartford, she said at a protest in front of the Hartford Police Department the day after Jones was fatally shot by police. She noted that Hartford had not funded embedded social workers.

Such close collaboration with social workers is important, Gilchrest said in a recent phone interview. Unlike patrol officers and troopers, who often go from one call to another, police social workers are able to follow up.

Also, she said, police are not supposed to handle mental health crises in the first place.

The partnership with social workers can really bring down the heat in certain situations, so law enforcement doesnt keep going back to the same situations because someone didnt get the help they needed.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Davis said he thinks the disoriented woman who came into his barber shop that afternoon months ago got the help she needed. Medical privacy laws kept him from finding out how she was doing when he went to the hospital to check on her, though, he said.

Still, Davis said, I felt I did the responsible thing by calling 911. I would never want anyone to take advantage of her or anything like that.

She was taken care of, he said.
FILE - Students take a test during a class at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, in New Town, N.D. John Locher/AP FILE - Mike Barthelemy, Native American studies director at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, writes on a whiteboard during a class Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, in New Town, N.D. John Locher/AP FILE - Jessee Vigen laughs as she eats with fellow students during a class in the Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College equine studies program at the Healing Horse Ranch, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Parshall, N.D. John Locher/AP

For the second year in a row, the Trump administration is proposing slashing federal funding for tribal colleges and universities.

President Donald Trump's fiscal year 2027 budget proposal calls for a $1.5 trillion increase to defense spending and would carve billions of dollars out of programs that fulfill trust and treaty responsibilities to tribal nations, including entirely eliminating funding for the Institute for American Indian Arts, the countrys only federally funded college for contemporary Native American arts.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The budget proposal released last week also calls for cutting funding for TCUs, as well as funding for two schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education: Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas and the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in New Mexico. Students at both colleges sued the BIE last year over funding and staffing cuts made by the administration.

If this budget was to pass, our TCUs would be forced to close within a year, said Ahniwake Rose, president of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, which represents the interests of tribal colleges and universities.

Trump's budget proposal also slashes billions of federal dollars in housing, business, and infrastructure grants that benefit Native Americans.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

There are about three dozen TCUs operated by tribal nations in the U.S., and they provide education to mostly rural parts of the country, often at a significant discount for tribal citizens. Most of them get the majority of their funding from the federal government. Its a financial commitment tied to the countrys trust responsibilities and treaty rights owed to tribes.

Last year, Trump also cut funding for TCUs, including several grants at agencies like USDA that support education for tribal citizens. He also cut funding for minority-serving institutions and reallocated some of it to historically Black colleges and Universities and TCUs.

Leaders at tribal colleges said they arent expecting those reallocated funds this year.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Rose said that, just like last year, its now up to Congress to defend federal funding for TCUs.
The Hamden Police Department in Hamden, Conn., Friday, February 13, 2026. Dave Zajac/Hearst Connecticut Media

HAMDEN  A longtime Hamden police officer is alleging that department brass denied her a promotion for being a woman and investigated her for a photo posted on social media altered to make her appear nude.

Sgt. Angela Vey-Glass, an 18-year veteran of the force, claims in a discrimination complaint filed with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities on March 26 that she was subjected to a sexist work environment.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The complaint accuses Police Chief Edward Reynolds of ushering in a market shift in workforce culture after his appointment in 2023, including favoritism, selective enforcement of standards and disparate treatment of employees, particularly women.

The harassment and hostility directed at (Vey-Glass) were sufficiently severe and pervasive to create an intimidating, humiliating and offensive work environment, the 18-page complaint states.

It was not clear if the town was aware of the complaint. Reynolds, Town Attorney Sue Gruen and a representative of the nine-member police commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

According to the complaint, Vey-Glass is qualified to be a lieutenant but was passed over for promotion twice despite ranking third on the eligibility list during the 2023 promotional cycle and first in 2025.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The complaint states the department leadership instead promoted male officers with lower scores to the lieutenant position and even elevated one officer who did not take a promotional exam, effectively bypassing the established process.

Upon information and belief, never in the history of the Hamden Police Department has there been a female lieutenant, Vey-Glass attorneys wrote.

Vey-Glass claims the departments hostility was exacerbated by the conduct of Keron Bryce, a male officer the department allowed to challenge and undermine her authority, the complaint states.

The veteran officer said she wrote Bryce up for insubordination when he refused to comply with her directives during a night shift, but that the department failed to take action and allowed the matter to devolve into accusations against her during an internal review.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Additionally, the complaint alleges the department did not place Bryce on leave when he was investigated for an evading incident in New Haven and did not take meaningful disciplinary actions when he was caught on body-worn camera engaging in unprofessional conduct.

Vey-Glass also accused the department of meting out only minimal discipline for other allegations of misconduct against Bryce, including passing out in a police parking garage from being intoxicated and being absent without leave from a shift.

The departments tolerance of Bryces conduct, and its failure to protect complainant from his open hostility to her, emboldened further hostility toward complainant and contributed to a hostile work environment, her attorneys wrote.

Finally, the complaint says the discriminatory and hostile environment was further elevated in February when an unidentified individual, who is alleged to possibly have ties to the department, posted a photo on Facebook of Vey-Glass altered to make her seem fully nude.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

According to the complaint, the original image was taken while the officer was off-duty and attending an event in Florida at a police-friendly establishment where she pinned a Hamden police patch to the wall among other law enforcement patches.

The town later opened an internal investigation into Vey-Glass due to the image, the complaint states. The attorneys wrote that the decision to investigate the officer while minimizing misconduct by male officers reflects sexist treatment.

The state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities is tasked with adjudicating allegations of discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. The body has the power to award monetary damages and can ever order an employee to be reinstated or promoted.
An 18-year-old Cheshire High School student was being held in Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Mass. as of April 9, 2026 after he was detained by ICE earlier in the week. MediaNews Group/Boston Herald vi/MediaNews Group via Getty Images

When federal immigration officials arrested a Connecticut resident last year whod worked with U.S. forces as an interpreter in Afghanistan, it made national headlines.

Now that former interpreters son has been arrested in Connecticut by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, court records show.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The son, an 18-year-old senior at Cheshire High School, was taken into custody by ICE in Connecticut on April 6, according to a petition for his release that his attorneys filed that same day in federal district court.

The petition requesting the sons release said he entered the United States with his family in 2024 on humanitarian parole, a temporary immigration status that was set to expire this coming October. He applied for legal permanent residency  commonly called a green card  in June, and that application is still pending, the filing said. His father also has a pending asylum application that includes him.

Reached for comment, the sons attorneys asked that he not be identified by name and that his father be identified only as Zia, citing concerns for the familys safety and the safety of their relatives who are still in Afghanistan. The attorneys declined to comment further.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

ICE and its parent agency, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, did not return requests for comment.

U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver issued an order on April 6 barring ICE from removing the son from Connecticut or deporting him. In a filing later that same day, the sons attorneys said ICE had moved him to the Plymouth County Correctional Facility, in Plymouth, Massachusetts. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said he will be working to help the family.

"I am appalled by ICE's aggressive tactics in apprehending a teenager who is here in the U.S. because his family put their lives on the line to help our troops in Afghanistan," he said in a statement. "DHS tried and failed to send his father back to near certain death in Afghanistan, so now they're targeting his children. It's disgusting and offensive. They deserve protection  not persecution. I will do everything I can to help this family and fight for permanent legal status to give them the safety and certainty they earned in service to our nation."

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Attorneys for the son said in that filing that, after a conversation with the government, they believed there may be a dispute on when ICE moved him out of Connecticut.

In a subsequent filing that same day, the government said there is a dispute between the two parties about whether ICE moved the son outside Connecticut before his lawyers filed the petition for his release  on April 6 at 12:26 p.m.  but there is no dispute that he was in Massachusetts before Oliver issued his order at 5:10 p.m.

There does not appear to be a dispute between the parties that the petitioner had been transferred to ICE detention in Massachusetts  prior to entry of the court order, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Larson wrote.

Larson asked Oliver to clarify that his order does not require the government to return the son from Massachusetts to Connecticut. Meanwhile, the sons attorneys have filed a motion asking Oliver to order his return and release. Oliver has yet to rule on either motion.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

ICEs online detainee locator showed the son was still at the facility in Plymouth as of Thursday.

The more relevant dispute doesn't appear to be whether the government violated Oliver's order when it moved the son to Massachusetts but whether Oliver still has jurisdiction over his case.

In a joint filing Wednesday evening, the government said an ICE vehicle carrying the son left its downtown Hartford office on April 6 at 11:14 a.m. and crossed into Massachusetts at 11:49 a.m.  more than half an hour before the son's lawyers filed the petition for his relief in the District of Connecticut.

Generally such petitions must be filed in the federal district court where a person is physically present. Now the parties say they can't agree on either the facts or the law.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

"The parties' views diverge on both the underlying facts and the controlling law bearing on jurisdiction," the Wednesday filing said.

Oliver has not yet ruled on the jurisdiction issue.

Regardless, once the son arrived in Plymouth, ICE issued him a notice that it had revoked his humanitarian parole, according to a court filing by his attorneys.

Petitioner had done nothing to warrant parole revocation and was denied due process and an opportunity to be heard with regard to the revocation, that filing said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Humanitarian parole is a temporary immigration status granted to people fleeing situations of danger in their home country. Despite the similarity in the terms, it is different from criminal parole, and it does not mean the person was charged or convicted for a crime.

Its not clear whether the sons case is related to Zias arrest by six masked ICE agents on July 16 during a routine visit to a federal immigration office in East Hartford. Zia quickly became national news, with federal lawmakers from Connecticut and Massachusetts championing his cause.

I am greatly alarmed by reports that ICE agents detained a Cheshire High School student as part of their ongoing targeting of his father, who is lawfully pursuing a green card after risking his life to assist American troops in Afghanistan," Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. "Detaining a teenager outside of his home and disrupting a family that is actively following the legal immigration process is not enforcementit is intimidation, and it has no place in Connecticut.

After Zias attorneys filed a similar petition in federal district court, the government said in a court filing that it arrested him after a tip from the FBI that he is a risk to the national security of the United States. The filing didnt give any evidence for that claim or provide any details on how or why ICE and the FBI believed Zia posed a risk to national security.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

In a statement to CT Insider at the time, one of Zias attorneys, Lauren Petersen, said Zia risked his life to secure Americas interests abroad and has never and does not now pose a threat to national security.

Petersen is also representing Zias son, court filings show.

After reviewing the governments claims concerning Zia, U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin ordered it to give Zia a bond hearing on Oct. 3. An immigration judge granted him bond on Oct. 9, and ICE released him on Oct. 14.

Sorokin later rejected the governments request for him to reconsider that order on legal grounds.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

In a press release shared with reporters shortly after Zia's arrest, the veterans' group #AfghanEvac said the Taliban had attempted to kidnap Zia while he was still living in Afghanistan because he worked with American forces. When that failed, the press release said, the Taliban kidnapped Zias brother and tortured him instead.

After U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., visited Zia at the Plymouth detention facility last August, he said Zia told him that if he were deported back to Afghanistan, On the first day, they would chop my head off."

And the reason they would chop his head off is because he served America against our enemies to protect our military and our diplomats, Blumenthal added.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Oliver, the judge in the case brought by Zias son, met with the attorneys for both sides in a closed hearing Thursday morning to discuss whether the Connecticut court has jurisdiction.
A New Haven Fire Department tower truck parked in front of City Hall in New Haven, Conn. April 7, 2026. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW HAVEN  A former city firefighter who was fired after he was arrested for sexual assault is suing the city for refusing to hire him back despite being acquitted. He claims the decision was based in racial discrimination and violated his civil rights.

Keith Norfleet, a 36-year-old Black man, filed a lawsuit in New Haven federal court on Saturday seeking more than $4 million in damages and an injunction reinstating him to his old lieutenant position.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Norfleet, a New Haven resident who was hired by the department in 2014, was charged in August 2023 with first-degree sexual assault and fired about a year later, according to the 45-page complaint.

The decision to terminate Norfleet came after an internal investigation was conducted by the city and shortly before a state jury found the firefighter not guilty of sexual assault at the end of a three-day trial in October 2024.

The acquittal was not procedural or technical  the jury weighed all of the evidence and unanimously concluded, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the allegations were not proven, attorney Eric R. Brown wrote in the complaint.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

The lawsuit names the city of New Haven, former Fire Chief John A. Alston, Jr., former Chief Administrative Officer Regina Rush-Kittle and the five-member Board of Fire Commissioners as defendants.

Newly appointed Fire Chief Daniel Coughlin and Corporation Counsel Allison R. Jacobs did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday.

Norfleet claims he was subject to racial discrimination when the police department and fire department sent press releases about his arrest and suspension because similar announcements were not made when white firefighters were previously arrested.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Lawyers wrote that Alston testified under oath that he could not identify a single other instance in the history of the department when a press release had been issued about a firefighter facing criminal charges.

The suit also alleges an internal investigation by the city into Norfleet relied on a police report that referenced three prior arrests in Hamden despite a court dismissing the charges and ordering the records erased.

The lawyers claim the revelation violated the Clean Slate Act, a state law that bars employers from discharging or discriminating against employees solely on the basis of erased criminal history record information.

The information was shared with the Board of Fire Commissioners through an internal affairs report. The commission then voted unanimously on Aug. 8, 2024, to terminate Norfleet, the lawsuit states.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Norfleet, who made about $110,000 a year, claimed he has lost $175,000 in wages since his termination and has been unable to secure a similar public safety job due to the stigma of the termination and the press releases.

The termination has effectively destroyed his firefighting career, resulting in catastrophic long-term financial losses estimated at several million dollars in future wages and pension benefits, the lawyers wrote.

In addition to Norfleets reinstatement, the lawsuit is seeking back pay, compensation for lost benefits, $1 million for emotional distress, $1 million in damages for constitutional violations by Alston and Rush-Kittle, and $2 million in damages from the city for racial discrimination and employment violations.
New Haven police said Antwine Mike, a 48-year-old resident, was charged with fatally stabbing a man over the weekend. On Monday, officials said Antwine Mike, a New Haven man, was found guilty of manslaughter. New Haven Police Department File photo of a New Haven police cruiser. Officials say Antwine Mike, a New Haven man, was found guilty of manslaughter for fatally stabbing Travis James on Whalley Avenue in 2024. Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW HAVEN  A city man has been found guilty of fatally stabbing a man on Whalley Avenue in 2024, officials say.

Antwine Mike, 50, was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter by a jury in the state Superior Court in New Haven on Monday, the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice said in a release on Thursday.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Officials said Mike stabbed the victim, Travis James, a 47-year-old from New Haven, outside a business on Whalley Avenue on June 1, 2024. They said Mike's sentencing is scheduled for May 22.

At the time of the stabbing, New Haven police Officer Christian Bruckhart said James was stabbed shortly after 1 a.m. at the Sam's Mart on Whalley Avenue after he got into an argument that turned violent. He said a private vehicle dropped off James at Yale New Haven Hospital's Saint Raphael campus.

James was unresponsive and in critical condition when he arrived at the hospital, according to Bruckhart, and later died from his injuries.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Two days later, Bruckhart said Mike was identified as the suspect through security footage and tips from the public. He turned himself into custody and was initially charged with murder, he added.

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

At a press conference a week after the arrest, Teresa Clark, James' aunt, said his death "has been a tremendous loss for our family."
File photo of a New Haven police vehicle. Police said a 17-year-old fired a gun during an altercation outside an Orchard Street business on Wednesday night. Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW HAVEN  A 17-year-old New Haven resident is facing multiple charges after firing a gun at someone during an altercation Wednesday night, police said.

Officers responded to the area of the A to Z Deli on Orchard Street around 10 p.m. after getting a ShotSpotter notification, New Haven police spokesperson Officer Christian Bruckhart said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Bruckhart said officers determined an argument between several people outside the business led to the teenager firing a round. Bruckhart said the teen was located at his nearby residence after he tried to hide in his bed with another teenager.

Bruckhart said the 17-year-old is charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, carrying an unserialized firearm, unlawful discharge, first-degree criminal attempt to commit assault and first-degree reckless endangerment.

The other juvenile that was with the shooter had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court in connection with a stolen vehicle, Bruckhart said.

Bruckhart said nobody was injured in the shooting and it remains under investigation.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Mohamed Souare, 18, of Hamden, was arrested Wednesday for breaking into a storage facility on Washington Avenue, North Haven police said. Courtesy of the North Haven Police Department

NORTH HAVEN  An 18-year-old Hamden resident who broke into a Washington Avenue storage facility Wednesday was arrested after officers found him in the buildings restroom, police said.

Mohamed Souare was taken into custody when officers ordered him to exit and surrender, according to a news release shared from the North Haven Police Department.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Police said officers responded to the storage facility for a report of a burglary and arrived to learn an unknown individual dressed all in black had used bolt cutters to enter.

Police said officers located the bolt cutters when they searched the facility and found Souare inside.

Souare was charged with burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, possession of burglar tools and interfering with an officer.
The Mountaineer Power Plant, a coal-fired power plant near New Haven, W.Va., is seen across the Ohio River from Racine, Ohio, Friday, March 13, 2026. Carolyn Kaster/AP A barge on the Ohio River moves past the Mountaineer Power Plant, a coal-fired power plant near New Haven, W.Va., early Friday, March 13, 2026. Carolyn Kaster/AP

The Trump administration on Thursday proposed weakening rules for the disposal of ash produced by burning coal that can contain hazardous heavy metals and contaminate groundwater. Those regulations were strengthened under the Biden administration as part of a wider crackdown on pollution from coal-fired power plants.

The Trump administration proposed easing standards for monitoring and protecting groundwater near some coal ash sites, and rolling back rules that require the cleanup of entire coal properties rather than just the sites where ash was dumped. The revisions would also make it easier to reuse coal ash for other purposes.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the proposal reflects the agency's "commitment to restoring American energy dominance, strengthening cooperative federalism, and accommodating unique circumstances at certain (coal) facilities.

Burning coal produces tremendous amounts of ash, a waste product that contains heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cobalt. If not stored properly, coal ash can contaminate groundwater. Coal plants are often situated on the banks of rivers or other waterways, with waste ash sitting nearby.

Opponents say the proposal, which grants states and other regulators the ability to grant exemptions from national standards, may open the door for companies to leave coal ash sitting in groundwater.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

The Biden-era EPA in 2022, for example, rebuffed the Gen. James Gavin Power Plant in southern Ohio for trying to close a coal ash disposal site that the agency said was in contact with groundwater. In January 2025, with Trump back in the White House, coal industry entities asked Zeldin to revise the agency's stance on the issue.

Opening the door to leaving ash in groundwater undermines one of the central protections of this rule, and that's essentially what this does, said Nick Torrey, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, a nonprofit.

The agencys proposal does state that an owner would be required to ensure that the ash poses no reasonable probability of adverse effects on human health and the environment.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Biden-era coal ash protections also required the cleanup of places like the Michigan City Generating Station in Indiana, by Lake Michigan. Local activists are worried about the land created at the site, which is composed in part of coal ash. The 2024 rules set deadlines for cleanup.

At Michigan City and many other sites, standards to clean up the coal ash used to make land would be eliminated under the agency's proposal.

The proposed rule also seeks to lift restrictions on the use of coal ash  called beneficial use by the EPA  in secondary materials such as cement and as structural fill.

The agency also said that industry and others have said the health risks from coal ash were overstated in previous EPA assessments. Federal officials said the estimated cost savings were more than enough to justify the proposed changes.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The owners of Gavin Power Plant declined to comment. The owners of Michigan City Generating Station did not immediately comment.

The Utility Solid Waste Activities Group appreciates EPAs efforts to address the significant challenges our members are facing in implementing the existing regulations, John Mavretich, executive director of the industry association, said in a statement.

He added the group supports changes that move away from the existing one-size-fits-all framework and incorporate site-specific flexibility, an approach that is common in other environmental programs.

The genesis of these rules and current context

The EPA first set standards for coal ash during the Obama administration. They included requirements for companies to line new storage sites, monitor water and close leaky ponds, often requiring the material to be moved elsewhere. In 2024, then-President Joe Bidens administration eliminated exemptions that had been granted to some older coal ash sites.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The move is the latest in a series of Trump administration efforts to weaken clean air and water standards as part of regulatory relief for the fossil fuel industry. It's also in line with Republican President Donald Trump's efforts to boost U.S. coal and suppress cleaner alternatives, all the while declaring a national energy emergency.

The coal industry has argued that a host of stringent rules that raise the cost of operating a coal plant prematurely push them into retirement.

A coalition of coal and energy associations wrote last year: EPA's recent unprecedented expansion of the federal (coal ash) regulations has needlessly diverted funds from the power sector's efforts to meet the Nation's growing energy needs; increased costs for power companies and consumers without corresponding benefits to public health or the environment."

Disasters first prompted the EPA to regulate coal ash. The agency started looking into the problem after a dike failed in Tennessee in 2008, spreading coal ash over 300 acres or 120 hectares and forcing a massive cleanup. Workers involved in that effort said the ash exposure caused cancers. In 2014, tens of thousands of tons spilled in North Carolina.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Trump administration just took a sledgehammer to the health protections in place for toxic coal pollution," said Lisa Evans, senior counsel at environmental group Earthjustice. "This is yet another handout to the coal power industry at the expense of our health, water, and wallets."

In other moves, the EPA earlier this year weakened limits on mercury and other toxic emissions from coal-fired power plants. The Trump administration has also halted the planned shutdown of several coal plants, citing the need for consistent power during major storms or periods of high demand, and arguing that without it, the grid would be less reliable.

___

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Liz Hardaway is a breaking news reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media Group.

She was a Hearst fellow in Connecticut and at the San Antonio Express-News where she covered city hall and local issues. She also worked at the Sun Newspapers in Southwest Florida as a general assignment reporter covering politics, business, and health.

Liz graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 2018 with a B.A. in journalism. She enjoys cooking, reading and playing with her dachshund, Finn.
Jayden Nguyen is a Trending Reporter for CT Insider. She has been with Hearst Connecticut Media Group since 2024.

Originally from Louisiana, Jayden graduated from Louisiana State University (LSU) in 2023 with a degree in mass communication and a minor in French.

When she's not writing, she can be found watching Formula 1 races, scrolling through TikTok, singing or listening to anything from K-Pop to rap to Taylor Swift.
East Lyme Middle School students returned to school on Monday, Aug. 30. The town's school board voted in favor of allowing armed security officers in schools. Hearst Connecticut Media/Christine DeRosa

EAST LYME  Armed security officers will be allowed in East Lyme schools following a recent vote by the Board of Education.

Six out of the nine school board members who were at the Monday meeting voted in favor of taking this step.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Board of Education was tasked with deciding whether to allow the district to put armed security officers in schools after it came to light that the East Lyme Police Department could not immediately continue the school resource officer program.

School resource officers are active and uniformed police officers stationed to a school where they use community-oriented policing concepts, according to the National Association of School Resources Officers.

Armed security officers are retired police officers employed by school districts to provide armed security services, according to East Lyme school officials. These officers always carry a secured, department-approved firearm that complies with state law and the school districts policy and that will be kept holstered, concealed and controlled at all times, the districts FAQ page about the topic says.

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Don Hull, the school districts director of safety and security, told the community at a March public conversation, We have currently now five of our security team members who are retired law enforcement officers who would qualify to become armed security officers for the East Lyme Public Schools.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

These are own people, Superintendent Jeffrey Newton said at the March public conversation. Were not looking to go out and hire all new armed security as we have people in house, part of our team, that are already qualified.

As for the cost, Newton said there would likely be an increased price for the officers' wages. training and weapons. But we work through the police department for those, he said.

Bill Derry, a school board member who voted in favor of moving forward with armed security officers, said he did so on behalf of the community.

Im going to vote for what I perceive the public wants, and my perception is the public wants armed security, he said before the vote.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

But he urged his fellow board members to monitor the security approach in the school district.

I think that we, as a board, should schedule reports on the multitiered approach that were doing to security, he said. All of the training that goes into lockdown drills, not propping doors open, all the protocols about that, is critically important.  We shouldnt be saying, 'OK were good now.'

However, not all board members were on board with adding armed security officers, including Catherine Steel, who told her colleagues that her son died from a gunshot wound 16 years ago.

A lot of what I do in my life is in my sons memory, to be honest with you, she said at the meeting. It informs my philosophical, practical and policy, and my approach to pretty much everything I do. Guns dont make us more safe.  Ive got really strong feelings against increasing the existence of guns and perpetuating this. I think theres so many other ways of addressing it as an issue.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

With the vote to allow armed security offices to the schools, district officials can begin the process of making it happen.

But Newton, at the March public conversation, said, There is no intention of moving forward with all of our intended security staff members to be armed for the rest of this year.

The members of the East Lyme Public Schools security team will undergo all required state-mandated training to be employees of the district and to be armed security officers, the districts FAQ page says. The annual firearms training course will be controlled by the East Lyme Police Department.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
First lady Melania Trump speaks to reporters Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP First lady Melania Trump arrives to speak with reporters Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP First lady Melania Trump speaks to reporters Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP First lady Melania Trump departs after speaking with reporters Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP

WASHINGTON (AP)  First lady Melania Trump is denying ties to Jeffrey Epstein and knowledge of his sex crimes, saying Thursday that the stories are completely false and calling accusations that she was somehow involved smears about me.

Reading an extraordinary statement at the White House, Melania Trump said she and her attorneys were fighting back against unfound and baseless lies in regards to her connections to the late financier, a convicted sex offender who leveraged connections to the rich, powerful and famous to recruit his victims and cover up his crimes.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today, she said. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.

The seemingly out-of-the-blue message came as her husband, President Donald Trump, and his administration had finally seemed to move past more than a year of controversy surrounding Epstein, especially as the Iran war had become all-consuming in Washington.

The first ladys comments almost assuredly will serve to push the story back into the political spotlight even as the president urged the public and media to move on from the case.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Nick Clemens, a spokesperson for the first lady, said the West Wing was aware beforehand that she was making a statement. But he deferred to the West Wing on whether the content of what Melania Trump planned to say was known. The White House press office did not respond to requests for comment.

Calls for a congressional hearing for Epstein victims

The first lady spoke for about five minutes, reading her statement in the Grand Foyer, then walked away without taking questions. She did not go into detail on the accusations against her, but said they came from individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

She added that they were financially and politically motivated.

Melania Trump also called on Congress to hold a public hearing centered on survivors of Epsteins crimes, with a chance to testify before lawmakers and have their stories entered into the congressional record.

Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, she said. Then, and only then, we will have the truth.

Two of Epstein's accusers, Maria and Annie Farmer, said in a subsequent statement: What we want is accountability, transparency, and justice.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and onetime fierce Trump supporter who resigned from Congress after a public falling out with the president, posted on X, I am grateful to the First Lady for her brave statement today about Epstein and his victims.

Democrats, meanwhile, jumped on Melania Trump's comments, saying they agreed with her call for a congressional hearing. In a social media post, Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee that is investigating Epstein, called on the Republican chair of the committee, Rep. James Comer, to schedule a public hearing immediately.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who sponsored a bill prompting the release of millions of Epstein documents, turned attention back to the Justice Department, saying it's the attorney general's job to bring in survivors for testimony. Massie, who has pressed for more arrests in the Epstein case, ended a social media post with a call to PROSECUTE!

Questions about Epstein's reach have loomed over the administration and divided Republicans, driving a wedge into Trump's MAGA base as some pressed for the government to release more files and prosecute figures linked to the financier.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The issue has dogged Trump and fractured some of his alliances, including the one with Greene. Trump dismissed the issue as a Democrat hoax but later signed a bill to release files from Epstein's case.

It was not clear what prompted the first lady to revive the issue. She noted that several individuals and organizations have had to apologize for their lies about me. Of the examples she cited, the most recent was in October.

In that case, book publisher HarperCollins UK apologized to the first lady and retracted passages from a book suggesting Epstein played a role in introducing her and Donald Trump.

Melania Trump mentioned her husband several times in her comments. She said Epstein did not introduce her to Trump, and that she met her future husband at a New York City party in 1998.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Email to Maxwell was 'trivial

The first lady brought Epstein back to the forefront months after federal authorities released millions of pages of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted after months of public and political pressure that requires the government to open its files on the late financier and his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Lawmakers complained when the Justice Department made only a limited release last month, but officials said more time was needed to review additional documents that were discovered and to ensure no sensitive information about victims was released.

Melania Trump said Thursday that she was not friends with Epstein or Maxwell, but was in overlapping social circles in New York and Florida. She described an email reply she sent to Maxwell as casual correspondence without elaborating.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

My polite reply to her email doesnt amount to anything more than a trivial note, she said.

Among the documents released by the Justice Department was a brief email from 2002 with the sender and recipient blacked out. It begins, Dear G! and ends Love, Melania, and compliments the recipient on a magazine article about JE.

I know you are very busy flying all over the world, it says. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY.

That email was sent the same month that a New York Magazine article was published about Epstein in which Trump called him a terrific guy.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Among other documents released was an image from Epsteins home showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Maxwell.

Epstein killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in New York. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

___

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Ali Hassan, 17, is photographed with acceptance packets from Brown University, Yale University and Princeton University at the Trumbull Library on April 7, 2026. Arnold Gold/Heart Connecticut Media

TRUMBULL  Ali Hassan was sitting in a booth at The Original Vazzys with his mother Rita Hassan on March 26 when he learned he was accepted to three Ivy League schools.

Weve been going there since I was a kid, said Hassan, a senior at Trumbull High School. We told the waitress we were going to be staying a little bit past dessert because we were waiting on these decisions, and she told the manager and then soon there was a crowd of people at our table waiting to hear, which is not nerve-wracking at all.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

By 7 p.m., the early decisions were released. Hassan, 17, said he and his mother opened one after the other after the other.

Among the acceptances were Yale, Princeton and Brown.

Once the decisions happened, the restaurant started cheering and it was really wonderful, Hassan said. Vozzys is such a family restaurant  the fact that people were clapping from their tables while they were eating dinner just because somebody they didnt know got these incredible decisions, it was really heartwarming.

According to the Ivy Institute, only 0.3% of students are accepted to any of the eight Ivy League schools.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Hassan applied to 26 schools. Of those, he was accepted to 12, wait listed for 10 and rejected by four, including Harvard, the only other Ivy League school he applied to.

For Hassan, the acceptances are an accomplishment shared between him and his mother, who raised him as a single parent.

Its really so meaningful because of the journey that my mom and I have been on, he said. I dont believe this is something that defines me in any way possible, but Im really proud to lay this at her feet.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Calling her his inspiration, best friend and partner in crime, Hassan said his mother has never worked less than four jobs at a time while setting an incredible example for him and his older brother Jorge Perez. He said his mother, who works in public health as a nurse, taught him to be humble and respect other people and himself, and that education is first and foremost.

She is my greatest teacher of humility, he said, and as I move to the next stage of my journey, Ill always carry that. In fact, I talked about that in my application. How can I not? Shes played such a large role in my formation as a person.

He even wants to pursue a career in medicine as a pediatric surgeon and plans to double major in history and physics at college.

Hassan said his mothers appreciation for the arts inspired his own involvement in the fall musical during all four years of high school. When he fell in love with the violin in third grade, he said his mother worked extra shifts at St. Vincents Hospital to get him a rental violin.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Today, Hassan plays violin for the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestra as part of their principal orchestra, which he described as their highest tier. He said he has been rehearsing with the orchestra every Saturday for the last seven years, and his involvement has opened many doors for him, including playing with The New York Pops as a concert master and traveling abroad to play in a performance tour across Germany. This summer, Hassan hopes to perform violin in an international music festival held in Sydney, Australia.

While Hassan is a lifelong Bridgeport resident, he said he has been attending school in Trumbull since Kindergarten through the Open Choice Program, a statewide public school program that offers Connecticut residents in participating urban cities the choice to attend school in nearby suburban towns.

At Trumbull High School, Hassan has been a varsity swimmer for all four years and is a section leader of the Trillium Yearbook Club, as well as an inductee of the schools honor societies. He is also a recent member of the high schools constitutional debate team We the People."

A longtime member of Trumbull Boy Scout Troop 68, Hassan became an Eagle Scout this past fall.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

In Bridgeport, Hassan is the current Barnum Festival king, a community service role he considers one of the greatest experiences Ive had in the last couple of years.

Hassan is also the founder of the community outreach and leadership organization Students Leaving a Mark, which he started his sophomore year of high school to cultivate leadership, promote mental health awareness and self-worth and encourage community enrichment.

Additionally, Hassan is pursuing his certification as an emergency medical technician after completing a rigorous six-week EMT course last summer at Echo Hose Ambulance Training in Shelton.

As for where hell go next year, Hassan said he plans to visit each of the Ivy League schools in the next few weeks to determine which is the best fit.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Im really excited to be welcomed into a community of people who, very much like me, really love learning, Hassan said. Im really excited to continue my academic journey and continue finding what other opportunities I have to stay involved.
Foreign and national visitors arrive at the entrance of Arakurayama Sengen Park Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, west of Tokyo. Eugene Hoshiko/AP Foreign visitors pose for photos at Honcho Street with Mt. Fuji as background on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Fujiyoshida, west of Tokyo. Eugene Hoshiko/AP Foreign visitors stand to photograph Mount Fuji though Honcho Street on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Fujiyoshida, west of Tokyo. Eugene Hoshiko/AP Foreign and Japanese visitors arrive to see cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji at Arakurayama Sengen Park on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Fujiyoshida, west of Tokyo. Eugene Hoshiko/AP Mount Fuji is seen though cherry blossoms at Arakurayama Sengen Park on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Fujiyoshida, west of Tokyo. Eugene Hoshiko/AP

FUJIYOSHIDA, Japan (AP)  The trouble started with a beautiful photo.

Social media was soon awash with the lovely view of Japan's snow-capped Mount Fuji looming over a red pagoda and the short-lived cherry blossoms that herald the approach of spring.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Tourists wanting a similar shot soon packed this peaceful town at the foot of the mountain. The complaints were not far behind: chronic traffic jams; piles of litter; ill-mannered foreigners knocking on doors of private homes to borrow toilets; tourists relieving themselves in front yards.

It got so bad officials in Fujiyoshida announced in February that they were canceling this years annual cherry blossom festival, which started as a way to promote tourism a decade ago.

What locals are calling tourism pollution has illuminated a broader problem for Japan: As the country's economic malaise deepens, officials are eager for the economic boost of increased tourism, even as local communities find themselves entirely unprepared for what a small army of foreign visitors means for their communities.

10,000 tourists a day 'threaten residents' daily lives'

This area is primarily an ordinary residential neighborhood, where balancing (tourism) with the safety of people's living environment has become difficult, Masatoshi Hada, manager of the Fujiyoshida Economics and Environment Department, told The Associated Press. We decided not to promote a festival that would invite more visitors.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Even without the festival, foreign tourists packed the area on a sunny day in early April when cherry blossoms reached their prime. The narrow streets up to the popular Arakurayama Sengen Park were filled as the visitors lined up for a chance film the world-famous panoramic views.

In recent years, foreign tourists have exceeded 10,000 per day in the area, something that has threatened residents daily lives, the city said in a statement in February.

Tourism pollution across Japan

Overtourism has also been seen in other popular destinations in Japan, like Kyoto and Kamakura. In Kyoto, locals complain of tourists with large suitcases clogging city buses.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Tourism pollution comes as Japan confronts a rapidly growing population of foreign workers brought in as the country's population dwindles and ages. The combination has led to xenophobia, and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi s nationalistic government has proposed tougher rules on foreigners.

Even as it promises to address overtourism concerns, the government wants to boost the current level of 40 million inbound tourists to 60 million visitors by 2030.

Locals find the tourism good but annoying

Beginning April 1, at the start of the regions cherry blossom season, Fujiyoshida increased its security guards and restricted entry of tour buses and vehicles into the scenic neighborhood, requiring visitors to reach the park on foot.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

On a recent day, security guard Hiroaki Nagayama gestured to passersby so they would stay out of busy areas. He asked tourists to throw cigarette butts in designated places and tried to help the lost.

Im struggling. I cannot communicate with them in Japanese. Some people buy food at stalls and leave litter behind, Nagayama says. I think whats happening here is a typical example of overtourism.

Sitting on a bench outside his house just a couple of blocks away, Hitoshi Mori, 93, says having many visitors is good but annoying.

Its too crowded outside so I can only get groceries once a week and stock up on food, he says.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Tourists enjoy the view and culture, despite crowds

Tourists, meanwhile, seem delighted by the spectacular view, despite many signs popping up that order them to behave better. There are also hours-long lines to get to cherished scenic spots.

Its pretty (well) organized. When they let you come in, you have like five minutes to take as many pictures as you can, and it was amazing, said Lisa Goerdert from Paris.

Vicky Tran, who came from Melbourne, Australia, with her family and friends, said they could not go all the way up to see the pagoda with Mount Fuji and the cherry blossoms, because it was too crowded. Still, she said she enjoyed the view and the neighborhood.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Overtourism dividing residents

The overtourism has opened divisions between residents who want quiet and those who have started businesses using their yards to operate toll parking or setting up new shops or food stalls.

In a nearby shopping arcade that once had many closed mom-and-pop shops, business has picked up after another viral social media shot showed Mount Fuji looming over the street.

Throngs of tourists stand in the street to take photos of Mount Fuji, often blocking traffic, with frustrated vehicles honking.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The sudden flood of visitors is a huge change for people like us who are used to a quiet suburban lifestyle, says Masami Nakamura, who runs a decades-old school uniform shop with her husband. I only hope the tourists respect our rules and manners.

The crowds are a big change even for those who are seeing increased business.

I once almost hit a tourist who jumped into the street without looking, said Kyoko Funakubo, a 60-year-old employee at a local hotel and a part-time vendor selling Fuji-themed souvenirs. This place used to be almost abandoned, with many shuttered shops. But now, with many stores reopened or new shops that have opened, I feel good seeing this area come alive again.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks at the Ronald Reagan Institute, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Washington. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP FILE - President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House, Oct. 22, 2025, in Washington. Alex Brandon/AP NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks at the Ronald Reagan Institute, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Washington. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks at the Ronald Reagan Institute, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Washington. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, is joined by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, left, for a photo opportunity at the State Department, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Washington. Rod Lamkey/AP

BRUSSELS (AP)  NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte declined to say Thursday whether President Donald Trump had repeated his threat to quit the military organization, saying only that the U.S. leader was disappointed in some allies for being too slow to help with the Iran war.

Rutte's remarks came a day after he weathered a fresh ordeal with the U.S. leader, following months of tensions over Trump's threats to seize Greenland. The U.S.-Israel war on Iran does not involve the worlds biggest military alliance and NATO allies were not consulted about it, but Trump has criticized fellow treaty members for their lack of support.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Since launching the war, Trump has derided U.S. allies as cowards, slammed NATO as a paper tiger and compared U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Neville Chamberlain, who is probably best remembered for a policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany.

In recent days, the man who is as good as chairman of the NATO board suggested that the U.S. might leave. Trump already threatened to walk out in 2018 during his first term. His complaint now is that some allies ignored his call to help as Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade waterway.

After the talks with Rutte, the alliances most powerful leader took to social media to show his annoyance. NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN, Trump posted.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Asked repeatedly since then whether Trump intends to take America out of NATO, Rutte has said little, but he has not denied that such a threat was made. I sensed his disappointment about the fact that he felt that too many allies were not with him," was all Rutte would say on Thursday.

Keeping America in

Rutte has earned a reputation as a Trump whisperer, notably helping to draw up a plan that has seen European allies and Canada buy U.S. weapons for Ukraine, and keep the administration involved in Europes biggest war in decades.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Indeed, one of his most demanding tasks since taking office in 2024 has been to keep the mercurial U.S. leader engaged in NATO, particularly as America has set its sights on security challenges elsewhere, in the Indo-Pacific, Venezuela, and most recently Iran.

Rutte has used flattery, praising Trump for forcing allies to spend more on defense. He has congratulated the U.S. leader over the war and refrained from criticizing Trumps warning that a whole civilization will die should Iran not reopen the strait.

In a speech Thursday on America's role in NATO, Rutte said allow me here to applaud President Trump for his bold leadership and vision. Rutte chided some allies for being "a bit slow, to say the least, to help with Iran.

He declined to confirm reports that Trump is considering moving U.S. troops out of European countries that do not support the war, saying: I totally understand that over time the U.S. wants more and more to pivot towards the Indo-Pacific.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

War launched by a NATO member, not at one

The striking thing about the war on Iran is that NATO has no role to play there. As a defensive alliance it has protected ally Turkey when Iranian missiles were fired in retaliation at its territory, but the war was launched by a NATO member, not at one.

Rutte himself has said that NATO would not join the war, and there is no public confirmation that the U.S. had even raised the issue at the organizations Brussels headquarters, although it cannot be ruled out that the administration made a request on Wednesday for that to happen.

NATO declined to say whether security for the strait has been officially discussed and referred questions to the United Kingdom, which is leading an effort outside the alliance to make the trade route safe for shipping once the ceasefire is working.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Thursday that his country is always ready to consider providing support through NATO to partners who request it there.

If the U.S. or any other NATO ally is asking (for) our support, we are always read to discuss it, he told broadcaster CNBC. But for that, we need of course the official ask to discuss then what is the mission, what is the goal.

If allies need our support, then we need to plan together, he said.

NATO trying to stay out

Rutte himself insists that the alliance will only defend itself, and not become involved in another conflict outside of NATO territory, which is considered to be much of Europe and North America.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

NATO has operated outside of the Euro-Atlantic area in the past, notably in Libya and Afghanistan. But there is no appetite to do so again given its chaotic U.S.-led exit from Afghanistan in 2021, which former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg described as a defeat.

Trump's ire seems most directed at Spain and France, rather than NATO itself. Spain has closed its airspace to U.S. planes involved in the Iran war and has refused U.S. forces the use of jointly operated military bases.

After the two-week ceasefire was announced, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez posted on X that his government will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
The Connecticut Capitol building on clear and cold January day on Friday, January 23, 2026, in Hartford. Treasurer Erick Russell and the state legislature are exploring changes to Connecticuts unclaimed property law in regards to inactive banking accounts. Any account deemed abandoned reverts to the state and goes on the CT Big List to find a rightful owner or heir. Jim Michaud/Hearst Connecticut Media State Treasurer Erick Russell, center, speaks on the steps of the State Capitol building in Hartford on April 29, 2025. Russell and the state legislature are exploring changes to Connecticuts unclaimed property law in regards to inactive banking accounts. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media

HARTFORD  State legislators and Treasurer Erick Russell are exploring changes to Connecticuts unclaimed property law as they look to revise how bank accounts are classified as abandoned and transferred to the state.

The treasurers office holds funds from abandoned bank accounts and other unclaimed assets until rightful owners or their heirs claim the money, including through the Connecticut Big List at the CTBigList.gov. The property is returned at no cost when proper evidence of ownership is supplied.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Under current law, a bank account reverts  or escheats in statutory terms  to the state after three years of inactivity unless the owner takes certain actions to show interest in the account, such as depositing or withdrawing money, or presenting a passbook.

The legislatures Banking Committee and the treasurers office have each proposed legislation to change the criteria used to determine when checking and savings accounts are abandoned, to prevent bank accounts held by active customers from being turned over to the state. Both bills would expand what counts as evidence of an owners interest in an account.

The treasurers office and Banking Committee leaders are conferring to find a compromise on the two bills, said Russell and state Rep. Jason Doucette, D-Manchester, the House chair of the Banking Committee. The governors office is also involved in the discussions, Doucette said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

We still have a bit of work to do on it, Doucette said of reaching a consensus and getting a bill passed before the legislative session adjourns May 6.

The treasurers office reported receiving $34.5 million in the last fiscal year from inactive checking and savings accounts deemed abandoned. In total, $242 million in unclaimed property was transferred to state custody during the 2025 fiscal year, which ended last June 30.

The states unclaimed property database contained $1.7 billion in assets at the end of the last fiscal year.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Unclaimed property is usually money, including payroll checks, refunds, bank accounts, liquidated securities and insurance proceeds. It may also be valuables found in safe deposit boxes, such as jewelry, stamp or coin collections, and stock certificates. Unclaimed property holders may include banks, credit unions, insurance companies, brokerage firms, utility companies and businesses.

The treasurers office reported returning a record $120.9 million to approximately 59,000 rightful owners in the last fiscal year. Russell said the value of returned property is expected be about the same for the current 2026 fiscal year. The state has returned a total of $1.3 billion to rightful owners since 1998.

Abandoned or active accounts?

The Banking Committee proposed a bill that would prevent bank accounts from being presumed abandoned if there is customer activity in another account or loan at the same bank or financial institution.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The legislation largely builds off the current law and clarifies it, Doucette said. Under existing statute, banks and financial institutions must turn over checking or savings accounts to the treasurers office after three years of inactivity, but they first must attempt to notify the rightful account holder.

The Banking Committee bill would expand the list of actions that an account holder can take to include depositing or withdrawing funds from any other checking or savings account with the bank or financial institution, presenting a passbook or similar evidence for an active checking or savings account, or making a principal or interest payment on a loan with the bank or financial institution.

The treasurers bill would modernize the process for determining bank accounts are abandoned, Russell said.

We know the way people are interacting with their banks and their financial accounts has changed, whether people are accessing an account through mobile apps, or online, or digitally, he said. So we wanted to change the statutes to account for and reflect that reality. We dont want peoples property escheated to the state simply because they dont interact with an account in a very narrowly defined way.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The legislation proposes a more expansive list of additional evidence that demonstrates an owners interest in a bank account than the Banking Committees bill.

The supplemental proof would include an account holder electronically accessing accounts or account information; records of written or oral communications from an account holder concerning the account; or the account holder presenting a check or other payment.

A catch-all in the treasurers bill would cover any other action by the owner that demonstrates that they know the account exists.

Amount for automatic payments

The use of new technology has enabled the treasurers office to return more unclaimed funds and other assets to rightful owners or heirs, Russell said. State records show there was a $34 million increase between the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The technological advances have also made it easier to reclaim property that has been turned over to the state, Russell said. Last year, the treasurers office launched CT Big Match to speed up the process of returning money to a rightful sole owner when that person has claim to less than $2,500.

The treasurers office uses data-matching tools to compare the states unclaimed property database with verified address information. When a match is found, the treasurers office will send a letter to the person and issue a check about six to eight weeks later. The owner does not need to take any action to get their money.

The treasurers office must notify any apparent owner of property with a reported value of $50 or more that was transferred or reported in the past calendar year, provided there is a last-known address, valid email or valid phone number.

The treasurers bill would set a minimum property value threshold of $50 for automatic payments to avoid the cost of processing very small transactions. This would allow the Unclaimed Property Unit to focus its resources on returning meaningful amounts of property to Connecticut residents, Russell said. This is the operational standard that the treasurers office currently uses, he said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Government Administration Committee amended the treasurers bill to lower the proposed minimum threshold from $50 to $10.

Ron Lizzi, an advocate for revising the unclaimed property program and its automatic payment provisions, had urged the committee to set a $10 threshold. In an email message, he called the committees decision to lower the minimum a milestone.

The state Freedom of Information Commission raised concerns about a consumer privacy provision in the treasurers bill proposing to limit the disclosure of personal information in unclaimed property records, including names, home and email addresses, dates of birth and death, and account numbers.

Russell said the privacy provision seeks to prevent fraud.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

There is essentially an industry out there where people are trying to tap into information about unclaimed property in order to file fraudulent claims and whatnot, and so we have to balance this interest of what information is being provided publicly versus protecting peoples personal information, he said.

Russell said he is willing work with legislators and the Freedom of Information Commission on refinements.

Military medals

The treasurers bill proposes a change in the process for returning found military medals when more than one person may have the right to file a claim.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

When banks and financial institutions report abandoned safe deposit boxes, they must turn over military medals found in them that are presumed to be abandoned to the state Department of Veterans Affairs.

Unlike jewelry or other valuables found in safe deposit boxes, a 2014 state law prohibits the sale of military medals, requiring them to be preserved and returned to veterans or their heirs, according to the treasurers office. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the treasurers office collaborate to locate the veterans or their families.

Under the treasurers bill, if more than one heir of a veteran may have the right to file a claim for abandoned service medals, the treasurer may transfer medals to the petitioner deemed appropriate after making a reasonable effort to identify and contact all known potential rightful owners. The legislation does not specify any criteria for making that award.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Few military medals end up in state custody, Russell said.
Among Connecticut's busiest real estate markets in 2026, house hunters are seeing the biggest increase in new listings in Hamden, with homes hitting the market at a two-thirds-higher clip than in 2025. Dave Zajac/Hearst Connecticut Media

Connecticut house hunters had nearly 1,100 fewer new listings to scout in the first three months of 2026  but houses have been hitting the real estate market in April, despite jumpy stock markets and mortgage rates giving some buyers pause.

Just under 6,000 homes sold in Connecticut in the first three months of 2026, compared to about 6,500 a year earlier for an 8% drop according to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

At the midpoint of pricing for all homes sold, the median price was $403,000, Berkshire Hathaway determined, an $18,000 increase from the first quarter of 2025. For all of 2025, Connecticut's median home price was $425,000.

In a report on real estate in five Connecticut counties where it has offices, William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty described buyer demand as still surging compared to historic norms, with new listings selling fast and prices continuing to climb.

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

U.S. consumer confidence rose in March despite gas prices hitting the highest level since 2022, as Iran retaliated for U.S. attacks by threatening any tankers attempting to traverse the Strait of Hormuz. The economy has also weathered other pressures like the federal government shutdown last November, and a showdown between the Trump administration and Congress over funding for the Department of Homeland Security which has impacted air travel.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

But the weather itself appears to have been the biggest factor putting a chill on Connecticut home sales, with listings plunging in February and still lagging in March. Mortgage rates also edged up, making loans more expensive for borrowers pending any opportunities to refinance at lower rates down the road.

"All of that comes into play, but looking at the dynamics of what has been actually happening with properties on the market, if it was priced properly we were still getting eight to 12 offers  for the most part and not every house," said William Pitt Sotheby's CEO Paul Breunich. "It's not like buyers stopped buying  it still really is a function of inventory being low."

Ongoing boost from out-of-state?

The greater Hartford market is getting a boost this spring from out-of-state buyers, according to Brenda Maher, president of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

"We are also seeing movement from Fairfield County, as homeowners leverage accumulated equity to secure more 'home' in emerging communities with expanding shopping and dining options," Maher stated in her firm's first quarter report. "This shift does not signal diminished demand in Fairfield County. ... It's appeal as a New York City suburb remains strong, though we expect price stabilization in 2026."

Connecticut entered April with about 3,300 active listings on Zillow, with that number ballooning by more than a thousand entering the second week of April. That does not include another 700 lots being marketed to those looking to build new homes. Nationally, Zillow reported that March saw the second highest number of pending contracts for home sales of any month dating back to the summer of 2022.

"In November and December, there was a lot of activity out there with people getting ready to list," Breunich said "It was normal activity and it was good  and then it just stopped, and at that point it had to be the weather."

Among Connecticut's busiest cities and towns for real estate sales this year, Hamden had the biggest increase in new listings in the first three months of 2025. That could be giving Hamden buyers leverage with sellers who see more competition and accept what they can get. Sales transactions averaged just 0.4% above final listed prices in Hamden as calculated by Berkshire Hathaway, compared to a 2.3% premium buyers paid on average in the first quarter of 2025.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Across towns and cities statewide, East Windsor buyers showed the biggest willingness to ante up according to the Berkshire Hathaway report, with nearly three-dozen sales there averaging nearly 11% above asking prices. The town is still a bargain with a median sale price of $369,000 in the first quarter. Wilton buyers likewise bumped up the final totals paid at closing by 10%, with the town's median sale jumping 18% from a year ago to just over $1.3 million.

At $27.8 million, a waterfront Binney Avenue home in Greenwich was Connecticut's top sale of the first quarter, having gone under contract the previous November. The house was first listed for sale in 2022 for $35 million, having been built on a lot where a prior house had burned down during the 2012 storm Sandy.

On the last day of March, a Beachside Avenue house in Westport became the biggest sale of the first quarter outside Greenwich, selling for $15.5 million after going on the market last October and now slated for demolition according to Preservation Connecticut. Briggs Cunningham, who skippered the 12-meter yacht Columbia to win the 1958 America's Cup and made an April 1954 cover of Time for his road-racing exploits, lived there with spouse Lucie Bedford Cunningham Warren.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Excluding Fairfield County, a Twin Lakes Adirondack in Salisbury sold for $5.3 million in early March to lead the rest of Connecticut.
If not for the quick action of parishioners at First Congregational Church of Branford Easter Sunday, Walter Gay, right, who went into cardiac arrest following the service, might not be alive today, his daughter said. His wife Betsy Gay is at left. Contributed by Carolyn Claussen

BRANFORD  Several medical personnel attending Easter service at First Congregational Church are being credited with saving the life of 90-year-old parishioner Walter Gay, who went into cardiac arrest after the service.

Pastor Joseph Perdue, who was outside the Branford church saying goodbye to people around 11:15 a.m., said Gay collapsed in the main foyer.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The condition he was in when we started CPR, he wasn't breathing, he was turning blue, there was no pulse, Perdue said. None of us expected him to make it.

He said a nurse, two nurse midwives and a physicians assistant began CPR and he immediately asked a teen church employee to grab the AED.

Within just 30 seconds or so of his collapse, medical personnel had started CPR, and within one minute, they had hooked up the AED, and the AED immediately said to shock him, Perdue said.

New Haven Register Logo Want more New Haven Register? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Gay had a massive cardiac episode, according to Laurie MacLeod, a certified nurse midwife at Yale New Haven Hospital, who was walking out of church at the time.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Her son had seen Gay fall to the ground. He immediately called 911, she said.

It took just over 10 minutes for first responders to arrive, MacLeod said

I think the AED really was what made all the difference, she said.

Gay, who lives with his wife Betsy, is very active and independent, his daughter Carolyn Claussen said Thursday. She is a physician in New Hampshire.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

While Gay was hospitalized, she got a call from the emergency room asking her if she knew what had happened. She didnt.

It took her three hours to get to Yale New Haven. When she arrived, he looked at her and asked why she was there.

"I said, 'You almost died, and you should be dead,' she said.

Her father had lost his short-term memory, so she had to keep repeating what happened for about a day, Claussen said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Her father has underlying congestive heart failure, Claussen said.

We think that that's what put him into the funny rhythm, she said.

Her father is on oxygen, she added, however, "he looks perfectly fine.

Claussen marveled at his recovery. She said there's a less than 10% chance of survival in these cases.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

I was coming to say goodbye," she said.

A person on scene later told her it sounded like a bookcase had fallen over.

It sounds like everyone went into performance mode, Claussen said.

Now, his daughter said, hes completely coherent.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Even five minutes later, circumstances could have ended up much different, Claussen explained.

"He would have crashed," she said. "He would have not been within 100 feet from an AED. It would have been a very different story.

Perdue agreed.

All the circumstances fell in place perfectly for him to survive, he said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The fact Gay is doing so well is perhaps an Easter miracle, both Claussen and Perdue said.

We cannot escape the metaphor, Perdue said.

His sermon that day turned out to be very relevant to the circumstances.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Scott Aiges, who defined the role of music critic at The Times-Picayune, has died

After leaving the newspaper, he produced festivals for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, managed bands and taught high school
A 50 million defence investment has been announced for Plymouth and the wider South West, creating hundreds of well-paid jobs and boosting the UKs national security.

The government said the Plymouth Defence Growth Deal will help develop skilled jobs while increasing investment in the region, and making it easier for defence companies to develop new technology.

READ NEXT: Devon pharmacy crisis sparks concern over patient safety and access

New funding will expand the National Centre for Marine Autonomy, supporting the development of surface and underwater drones.

Plans also include cutting regulatory barriers and improving access to testing facilities and waterfront innovation spaces.

A new Plymouth Marine Autonomy Trials Authority will be set up to help businesses test and deploy new technology more quickly.

Investment will also go towards skills and training. City College Plymouth will receive support for a skills hub, with around 60 new defence-related courses planned in areas such as engineering, advanced manufacturing and technology.

The deal comes alongside wider defence investment in the city, including Babcocks planned 2,000-job Capability Centre.

Defence Minister Vernon Coaker said: This 50m investment will see Plymouth stay a world leader in maritime autonomy by making it easier for its defence businesses, creating hundreds of good jobs and boosting the defence industry across the South West.

He added that Plymouth already plays a key role in national defence, with HMNB Devonport described as the largest naval base in Western Europe.

According to the Ministry of Defence, More than 6.6 billion has been spent in the South West in 2024/25, directly supporting 37,300 industry jobs.

With 4 billion already committed to Devonport and defence commitments running to at least 2070, Plymouth is a crucial city for the Royal Navy, the release continued.

Locally, concerns have been raised by MPs about whether the investment will translate into immediate support for businesses.

READ NEXT: Exeter police seize e-bikes in crackdown on crime and antisocial behaviour

Conservative MP for South West Devon Rebecca Smith said she welcomed the announcement but warned that firms still need clarity on future contracts.

She told The Moorlander: What businesses urgently now need is the Defence Investment Plan promised last autumn.

Across South West Devon, I consistently hear the same message they need contracts, and they need order books to start filling up.

She also called for the creation of formal marine test sites off Plymouth Sound to support the development of autonomous technology.

The government said the deal forms part of wider plans to increase defence spending and strengthen the UKs long-term security and industrial base.
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon has launched a public call for entries for its Annual Documentary Photography Open. This years exhibition, titled This Is Me, invites photographers of all levels to submit work exploring personal identity.

The theme will explore the lives of the people living, working, and passing through North Devon today, with the intention of creating a colourful living portrait capturing the diversity of the people of the region.

Amateur and professional photographers are welcome to enter, and for the first time this year, there will be a digital category for 14 - 18-year-olds.

Alison Mills, director of the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon, said: In a world that is constantly changing, and where people are constantly moving, we are asking members of the public to reflect on those aspects of themselves that remain the same and make them feel uniquely themselves.

We hope that this is a theme that will speak particularly to our young people, and we cant wait to unveil what promises to be a fascinating exhibition that will appeal to everyone.

The exhibition will also include a selection of historic photographs by James Ravilious, a British photographer commissioned to document rural life in North Devon from the late 1970s to 1990.

Olivia Desborough, audience development officer for North Devon Council, said: The result will be something truly personal and authentic. An exhibition that we hope will reflect our community in all its richness and diversity.

For anyone taking part, its a fantastic opportunity, including the chance to see their work exhibited alongside the iconic and historic North Devon portraits taken by renowned photographer James Ravilious.

Ms Desborough described what she wanted the exhibition to represent and achieve.

We want to encourage people to reflect on how they see themselves, how they want to be seen by others, and how they can express what is unique about who they are.

Whether its through a carefully composed portrait or a spontaneous selfie, every entry will tell a personal story about the individual behind the lens.

The deadline for submitting entries is April 11. The Annual Documentary Photography Open exhibition will open on April 25 and will run until June 20.

Entries can be submitted online at the museums website: barnstaplemuseum.org.uk
Students at a Barnstaple school are spearheading a national campaign to bring self-defence into the classroom, winning the backing of their MP and local leaders.

Leading the charge are students from Pilton Community College, who have joined forces with local martial arts experts and political leaders to make personal safety training a mandatory part of school life.

Jemma Fetzer (year 11) and Poppy Hughes (year 7) approached their headteacher, Danny Heaton, with the idea of regular classes at the school after a successful taster session led by martial arts instructor, Francis Blackmore.

The college is just one of the schools around the UK campaigning for the government to make self-defence an integral part of the PE curriculum.

Mr Heaton said: The safety and well-being of our students is at the core of everything we strive for at Pilton Community College.

During a recent visit to the school, Barnstaple MP Ian Roome described his experience of meeting Jemma and Poppy and the pride he felt for Pilton.

Mr Roome said: It was fantastic to hear about the self-defence classes at Pilton Community College. Jemma and Poppy deserve huge credit for pushing this forward and have shown real leadership.

I visited Pilton recently and came away really proud that we have a school like this in North Devon.

When the safeguarding minister Jess Phillips visited our area not long ago, she spoke with me about how important it is that women and girls feel safer and more empowered, so it is brilliant to see Pilton School putting that into practice here locally.

Self-defence instructors focus on situational awareness, and self-defence moves are taught to create a pause and a distraction to help the victim get away. The classes also help boost self-esteem and mental and emotional resilience.

The school is encouraging girls of all ages to form an alliance of support and friendship.

Pilton School Governor, Holly Francis, said: If enough pupils, parents, staff, and governors ask for it, Im hoping that the Department of Education will see how important it is to protect our girls.

The goal is for attackers to know that women and girls are being trained in schools all over the UK and to be more wary about attacking them in the first place.

Ms Francis outlined her plans to take further action and set up classes.

My next move is to contact schools to find out how we can lobby the government to make it mandatory, she said.

We may have to start the classes locally from September. Im hoping to save money by using school premises and Im helping Francis by creating a poster which we will share with Pilton girls first as numbers will be limited. I think it will be a popular class.

Mr Blackmore, a second-degree black belt in judo, also has experience in Aikido, Karate, and Jiu-Jitsu. He will be holding Saturday morning classes for all women and girls in the Barnstaple area.

According to the National Police Chiefs Council, violence against women and girls makes up just under 20 per cent of all recorded crime in England and Wales.

Ms Francis added: As far as I know we are the first school in the area to even see the need to offer it at all which is just terrifying with the amount of life changing attacks happening to women and girls on a daily basis. If anything, attacks are increasing so clearly action needs to be taken.

Ms Francis described pupils Jemma and Poppy as brave, strong young women that dont want to be seen as victims anymore.

Jemma said: It was reassuring to know that I always had the power to defend myself, I just never knew how to use it before.

Maybe if potential attackers knew girls could defend themselves, they may think twice.
The New Drug War The Fast-Changing Chemistry of New, Dangerous Drugs Todays illicit chemists can quickly cook up drugs far more dangerous than fentanyl.

Illicit labs are creating new synthetic drugs at breakneck speed. Dangerous, untested compounds are reaching users long before health agencies know they exist. Older drugs are regularly modified to create novel threats. Ecstasy is a prime example.

The party drug MDMA has been illegal since 1985. Its molecular structure can be drawn like this:

MDMA

But what if you could add one atom to this molecule to change both the experience of taking the drug and its legal status?

You can. A single oxygen atom changes the molecule to methylone, which provides an Ecstasy-like euphoria.

Oxygen atom Methylone

The discovery of what this simple change could do has had a profound consequence. When methylone reached the U.S. market in 2010 the drug could be sold legally in corner stores and smoke shops as bath salts.

But methylone wasnt the end of the story. Illicit chemists now use methylones structure as a template for modern-day alchemy. New drug laws push them to invent new variants, which emerge in the illicit drug market with untested potencies and effects  a vicious cycle that has been impossible to contain.

These chemists are located in unregulated labs around the globe, from big enterprises in China and India that produce drugs and their precursor compounds in huge volumes, to single-person and small domestic operations that cut and package drugs for retail sale. Some of the most-used drugs, such as fentanyl, are mixed in Mexico and exported north.

Waves of Bath Salts

Methylone was an early example of a class of drugs known as synthetic cathinones, which continue to proliferate.

Beginning in 2010, emergency rooms began seeing agitated patients who were violent, paranoid and psychotic after ingesting synthetic cathinones sold as bath salts. Poison control centers received a few hundred calls about the drugs in 2010. The following year, the number reached 6,000.

Bath salts labeled not for human consumption at a smoke shop in Houston in 2011. Michael Stravato for The New York Times

When methylone was finally banned in 2011, unregulated chemists simply tweaked the molecule to evade the ban, creating new drug formulas. The Drug Enforcement Administration noted in 2019 that as one synthetic cathinone is controlled, another unscheduled synthetic cathinone appears in the recreational drug market.

Examining the drug on a molecular level shows how illicit chemists try to increase potency and heighten the effect in a users brain.

Oxygen atom Nitrogen atom Carbon ring Carbon backbone Cathinone Cathinone Dopamine Nitrogen atom Carbon ring Carbon backbone Three targets for modification Added carbon Added ring Methylone Other cathinones Methylone 75 50 25 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 Positive blood tests from a national toxicology lab Added ring MDPV Extended backbone MDPV 75 50 25 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 Positive blood tests Added carbon Ethylone Ethylone, butylone 75 50 25 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 Positive blood tests Added carbon NEP Extended backbone NEP 75 50 25 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 Positive blood tests Eutylone Eutylone 75 50 25 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 Positive blood tests NNDP Pentylone, NNDP 75 50 25 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 Positive blood tests NNDP MDPV Diagrams show how the naturally occurring cathinone molecule can be extended and modified to create potent synthetic drugs. Cathinone is a stimulant that occurs naturally in khat, a plant native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and has a molecular structure nearly identical to that of amphetamine. Molecular structure of cathinone. Cathinones resemble dopamine and can disrupt the brains ability to regulate it, causing euphoria. Molecular structure of dopamine. Chemists usually target three areas of the molecule when making a new synthetic variant. Red circles mark three regions on a cathinone molecule. Methylone added a ring and a carbon atom to mimic the structure of Ecstasy. Despite the ban in 2011, itremained popular through 2014. Molecular structure of methylone. Another early bath salt was MDPV, which had major molecular changes. The drug triggered severe dopamine spikes that could lead to violence, paranoia, psychosis and death. Molecular structure of MDPV. Illicit chemists and dealers may have realized that MDPV was too extreme. By 2015, the market had shifted to simpler molecules. Molecular structure of ethylone. A larger molecule called NEP was prominent from 2016 until it was banned in mid-2018. Like many bath salts, NEP was often sold as Ecstasy or added to other drugs as an adulterant. Molecular structure of NEP. Eutylone replaced NEP and was the most popular cathinone from 2019 through 2021. The D.E.A. imposed a ban in 2023. Molecular structure of eutylone. NNDP began its rise to prominence in 2022 and was banned in 2025. But as these molecules become more potent and more complex  Molecular structure of NNDP.  they are now only two or three atoms away from the dangerous structure of MDPV, which caused so much psychosis in the early 2010s. Molecular structures of NNDP and MDPV. Source: Blood test data from NMS Labs analysis of toxicology samples, including fatal and non-fatal cases, performed for regional and local agencies that cant test for these substances.

As cathinone molecules become more potent, they also become more addictive. Because they hijack the dopamine system in the brain  the salience and reward system in the brain  theyre going to be extremely addictive, said Dr. Michael Baumann, director of the Designer Drug Research Unit of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Theres a reason why chemists would design these.

Experts confirmed that the molecules described in this article are well known among illicit chemists, who have moved on to newer structures. These are not rudimentary chemists, Dr. Baumann said. Theyre actually ahead of us.

Nitazenes, the Frankenstein Opioids

Another class of drugs has been following a similar pattern. When China banned all variants of fentanyl in 2019, illicit chemists began to research non-fentanyl opioids and rediscovered nitazenes, drugs developed in the 1950s as alternatives to morphine but never approved for medical use. Chemists modify the molecules  which are more complex than cathinones  in similar ways to increase potency.

This is trial and error, Dr. Alex Krotulski, director of the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education, said of the efforts. Theyre pushing the envelope to make more and more potent drugs.

Etonitazene Pain killing effect Suppressed breathing 80 times 60 40 20 20 40 60 80 times Potency compared to fentanyl Three targets for modification Isotonitazene Pain killing effect Suppressed breathing 80 times 60 40 20 20 40 60 80 times Potency compared to fentanyl Etodesnitazene (Less potent than fentanyl) N-pyrrolidino etonitazene Pain killing effect Suppressed breathing 80 times 60 40 20 20 40 60 80 times Potency compared to fentanyl N-pyrrolidino isotonitazene Pain killing effect Suppressed breathing 80 times 60 40 20 20 40 60 80 times Potency compared to fentanyl This is one of the original nitazenes, developed in the 1950s and banned in 1961. A 2024 study found it to be lethal and 50 times as potent as fentanyl, both in the ability to relieve pain and in the tendency to suppress breathing at higher doses Molecular structure of etonitazene. The molecule has three exposed corners, the main targets for chemists who want to tweak the structure. Red circles mark three regions of the etonitazene molecule. ISO was the first new variant to appear on the drug market in 2019. The opioid emerged in the Midwest and was linked to at least 40 deaths around Chicago and Milwaukee over seven months. It was banned in 2020. Molecular structure of isotonitazene. A 2020 variant with one corner removed was less potent than fentanyl. Chemists have avoided this change in later variants. Molecular structure of etodesnitazene. A variant with the street name Pyro closed a loop in one corner. This opioid was first reported in 2021 in West Virginia and was banned later that year. Pyro is more than 40 times as potent as fentanyl and has killed at least 100 people. Molecular structure of N-pyrrolidino etonitazene. A new variant reported in Ohio in 2024 combines the changes from both Pyro and ISO. Thats a really bad drug, Dr. Baumann said. It is up to 90 times more potent than fentanyl. Two red circles mark regions of the N-pyrrolidino etonitazene molecule. Source: Potency data from De Vrieze et al., Archives of Toxicology, 2024. Note: Potency depends on dosage and estimates vary because researchers cant conduct human experiments with such dangerous drugs. Our only option is to have lab-based cell model data or animal model data, although thats still extremely rare, said Dr. Krotulski.

By the end of 2024, at least 22 nitazene molecules had been identified. New variants are prized because of their inexpensive production costs, high potency and vague legal status, according to a 2023 paper.

Ohios attorney general, Dave Yost, was referring to nitazenes when he warned that Frankenstein opioids are even more lethal than the drugs already responsible for so many overdose deaths.

China banned nitazenes in July 2025, a move that may cause production to shift to other countries. In the meantime, illicit chemists searching through patents and research papers may stumble on another class of legal molecules to tweak and modify.

Its so much more dangerous today, the drugs are so much more potent, said George W. Hime, assistant director of toxicology at the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner. Someone out there is playing chemistry.
The New Drug War Inside a One-Man Workshop for Ultrapotent Drugs Times reporters were given access to a small operation on the frontier of illicit drugs.

Last fall, a man who calls himself Chemical Analyst allowed the two of us  New York Times reporters writing about the illegal drug trade  to watch on a secure video call as he packaged ultrapotent synthetic drugs for distribution.

These chemicals now flood the modern drug market. Many have psychoactive effects that are much more intense than those of traditional drugs. One newly emerging drug, cychlorphine, can be 250 to 500 times as strong as heroin and 10 times as strong as fentanyl.

Chemical Analyst is a small-time, independent dealer who supplies powerful drugs without a cartel or gang for support. From an apartment in the northeastern United States, he places online orders for drugs made in a lab in China, repackages them and sells them domestically.

Operations like this represent the frontier of a drug market that is increasingly democratized. Compounds can be made in labs all over the world, ordered online and shipped anywhere. And because these drugs are often entirely new chemical compounds, they are difficult for law enforcement officials to detect.

We interviewed Chemical Analyst over the course of a year, after meeting him through others who use and sell these new, potent drugs.

He allowed The Times to observe his operation on the condition that his identity would remain confidential. He is a felon on probation who fears further prosecution. He is also a functional addict who regularly buys, sells and ingests some of the most potent drugs in the world.

The Times decided to describe parts of his process because they are vital to understanding both the origins of ultrapotent drugs and the difficulties faced by law enforcement in tracking and interdicting these new compounds.

In 2022 and 2023, Chemical Analyst was a street dealer of fentanyl and crack. His setup at an apartment is so much safer, he said. I dont have to worry about running if a cop rolls up through the alley, he added. As his own use gravitated to more potent drugs, he developed the connections and expertise to sell them, too.

His latest drugs arrived in mid-October from China in a silver Mylar bag. He paid $4,370 in cryptocurrency for the shipment, which contained several powerful and potentially deadly synthetic compounds.

One bag held a 100-gram slab of MD-PiHP. The drug is a cathinone, a class of stimulants often sold as bath salts that can induce psychosis. In markets where these stimulants are particularly popular, like Miami, they are increasingly showing up in toxicology reports from people who suffer fatal overdoses.

A 16-gram chunk of MD-PiHP. The drug arrived as a 100-gram slab. Photo by Chemical Analyst

On the secure video call, Chemical Analyst measured 100-milligram crystals of the drug into small bags. He sprayed the bags with bleach to remove his DNA, applied labels from an untraceable thermal printer and wore textured latex gloves to keep the bags clean of fingerprints. Because Chemical Analyst is a convicted felon, his prints are already in state databases.

Chemical Analyst weighs crystals of MD-PiHP, a potent synthetic drug. Screen recording of a video call with Chemical Analyst.

He moved the drugs into smaller baggies and weighed them. He then sealed them into packages for shipment. He wrote a false return address so he could not be traced and drove far from his residence to drop them in the mail.

Chemical Analyst said that people might assume he sold on the darknet, a restricted network that requires special software to access. But he has a website on the regular internet, and he takes steps to conceal his whereabouts and identity. He accepts cryptocurrency payments, but he avoids Bitcoin because he worries that it might be trackable.

Drugs like this are hard to police in part because their composition changes all the time. The molecular structure of MD-PiHP is nearly identical to that of MDPV, a potent cathinone that appeared in 2010 and can cause extreme psychosis and death.

Chemical Analyst spoke in detail about the chemistry of these novel drugs. He offered to draw MD-PiHP to show important facets of its structure; shortly after the video call, he texted his illustration.

All cathinones have an oxygen atom here. Unused copies of this ring give the drug its powerful teenage boys room smell. Chemical Analysts drawing of an MD-PiHP molecule Removing this arm would change the molecule to MDPV. Chemical Analyst says these two rings look like a frog with oxygen atoms for eyes. All cathinones have an oxygen atom here. Unused copies of this ring give the drug its powerful teenage boys room smell. Chemical Analysts drawing of an MD-PiHP molecule Removing this arm would change the molecule to MDPV. Chemical Analyst said these two rings look like a frog with oxygen atoms for eyes. Chemical Analysts drawing of an MD-PiHP molecule Chemical Analyst said these two rings look like a frog with oxygen atoms for eyes. All cathinones have an oxygen atom here. Removing this arm would change the molecule to MDPV. Unused copies of this ring give the drug its powerful teenage boys room smell.

Chemical Analyst first spotted an online listing for the drug in early 2025. He is familiar enough with drug molecules that the structure alone made him want to try it. He was surprised by its potency and effects. This is not something humans should be getting high on, he said, adding an expletive.

He worried that the drugs potency could produce a high so intense that it could easily cause anhedonia, an inability to experience joy when sober. He said that, unlike other suppliers, he did not adulterate his products, so they were predictable and therefore safer. Its how I pay the bills, he said.

A weighed and labeled bag of MD-PiHP. Photo by Chemical Analyst

His operation also shows just how inexpensive illicit drugs have become in the age of synthetics. In his recent shipment from China, he ordered half a dozen different substances, paying between $6 and $28 for a pure gram, depending on the drug. A standard dose is 50 to 100 milligrams, meaning that the cost of getting high is often less than $1.

He keeps a collection of novel drug samples, as well as a separate stash for his own consumption.

Chemical Analyst plays another important role in the emergence of ultrapotent synthetic drugs. He is part of a small but influential circle of armchair chemists and theorists who discuss ideas for new drugs and scour medical literature for forgotten molecules.

He said that some members of these groups interacted with Chinese manufacturers to discuss new drug ideas. They get ideas from us, he said. We have direct contact with them.

A source at a Chinese drug manufacturer confirmed to The Times that new drug ideas were introduced first to small dealers and users like Chemical Analyst to test their popularity. If a drug catches on, it might be introduced to the mass market, which continues to rapidly transform.


Augusta Airport Flies Out Marketing RFP Thu., Apr. 23, 2026 Augusta Regional Airport wants proposals for an integrated marketing campaign to position it as the preferred air travel gateway of the Central Savannah River Area, which has a population of about 770K people.
Donald Trump served up his tastiest TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) on April 7 when he postponed his threat to wipe out Irans civilization for the blocking of Strait of Hormuz. Let's hope he has more of them.

The Strait was closed to shipping only after the US and Israel began recklessly bombing the Islamic Republic. The ceasefire put us back to square one.

The Iran deal, though, requires the president to rein in Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Iran closed the Strait on April 8 because of Israels strikes on Lebanon.

Trumps Persian TACO has at least temporarily prevented the US from committing the gravest war crime of all. It also takes Americas commanders off the hook. Slaughtering innocents and obliterating infrastructure that is vital to civilians is not in the militarys playbook.

Destroying the lives of 93M Iranians would forever soil the reputation of this country. What a way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Putting off Trumps prime-time Eradicating Iran reality show now gives the president two more weeks to distract attention from the Epstein files.

It also provides the opportunity to muzzle the off-the-wall Holy Roller who heads the Defense Dept. Pete Hegseth is hellbent on recreating the Crusades. Note to Pete: the Crusades were not exactly a shining moment for the people of Western Europe.

In his prayer services, the Pentagon chief has gerrymandered the Bible to spread division and hate. The Christian Nationalist has been piecing together the most violent passages in the Old Testament to cast attacking Iran as a Holy War against the enemies of God, according to Baptist minister Brian Kaylor, who oversees the Word&Way site.

He takes verses out of context and strings them together to make it appear they are part of a single biblical prayer, said Kaylor, author of The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power. That work must be on the Pentagon's banned book list.

Hegseth has assured his flock that the US is ready to smite down the evil-doers of Iran if they violate terms of the ceasefire.

Confident that God is on our side, Hegseth stands ready to follow Trumps next order to rain hell on Iran. He is as much of a danger to global stability as his boss is.

God save us all.
ICR releases a report that says the SPAC IPO market has been trending upwardand is likely to stay on that track. According to the April 2026 SPAC Market Update & Outlook, the first quarter of 2026 saw the pricing of 62 IPOs, raising a total of $13.2 billion. That beats the average of 47 (raising $10.1 billion) over the last four quarters. More than half (approximately 58 percent) of the first quarters deals were from serial SPAC issuers. ICRs report says that a rise in the number those of serial sponsor IPOs, coupled with higher average deal sizes, are behind the surge in the market. With a large backlog of SPACs currently in the IPO pipeline, many led by experienced sponsors, and deal flow being driven by disruptive sectors like AI, robotics and quantum, and in some cases areas of national interest like critical minerals and defense tech, we believe SPACs are wellpositioned to play an important role in 2026 and beyond, said ICR Capital chairman Don Duffy.

Washington Women in PR is sponsoring an April 15 event that looks at how women can change the dynamics that often keep them in lower-visibility positions through strategic self-advocacy and organizational awareness. Susan Matthews Apgood, who founded media relations firm News Generation and now teaches at American University's Kogod School of Business, will provide participants with practical tools for articulating the value of their work, demonstrating impact to leadership, and building professional paths that align with both ambition and sustainability. Running from 8:30 - 9:30 a.m., Advocate for Your Work: Strategic Visibility and Boundary-Setting for Communications and PR Professionals will be held at Florida International University (601 New Jersey Ave. NW. Suite 103, Washington, DC 20001).

Life Science Cares Boston, an organization supported by LaVoieHeathScience (LHS founder Donna LaVoie is on its board), will convene leaders, employees and partners from across the life sciences industry for its annual Impact Breakfast on April 13 at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport. The program will highlight the unique role the life sciences sector plays in strengthening the regions nonprofit ecosystem. The event will also set the stage for Life Science Cares Bostons 10-year anniversary celebration this November. Over the past decade, the Boston chapter has invested more than $13.8 million and contributed nearly 40,000 volunteer hours. Weve always believed that the strength of this work comes from the people behind it across companies, across roles, and across our community, said Rosie Cunningham, executive director of Life Science Cares Boston.
For a third day the N52 by-pass around Tullamore is blocked as the ongoing fuel crisis escalates.

Convoys set out for Tullamore from various areas in the county and the wider Midlands early on Thursday morning including Cloghan where farmers, contractors and hauliers gathered from 7am onwards.

At the Cappincur roundabout on the by-pass protestors are allowing emergency vehicles through and anyone with a genuine reason to get to a destination without delay, such as a medical appointment.

Protests also took place on the Roscrea road in Birr on Wednesday and in other locations across the Midlands including Athlone, Portlaoise and Portumna.

The 'People of Ireland Against Fuel Prices Protest' group said the protest action will continue until the Government "listen to the people of Ireland."

READ NEXT: Offaly man plays leading role in fuel protest in Dublin's O'Connell St

Midlands-North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly called on the Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris to immediately invite representatives of protesting farmers, contractors and hauliers into Government Buildings to address their concerns. Mullooly said the failure to engage has fuelled anger on the ground, with tractors once again taking to the roads across Ireland as businesses struggle to survive rising fuel costs.

Mullooly warned that despite recent easing in global tensions, energy disruption is set to continue in the short and medium term. This crisis is far from over. Prices will remain volatile and unpredictable, and the pressure on farmers, contractors and families will continue, he said. That is why action must be taken now - both in Dublin and in Brussels - before the situation worsens further.

A call on the Government to immediately suspend the ban on the commercial sale of turf and allow retail and advertised sales to resume, at least for the duration of the ongoing energy crisis., by Independent TD for Offaly, Carol Nolan.

I am calling on the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Darragh OBrien, to lift the ban on turf sales. We are importing hundreds of tonnes of peat and briquettes into this country while banning the sale of our own natural resource. It was also a plainly idiotic thing to do, and it must be reversed, said Deputy Nolan.

I warned in 2022 that these rules would cause real hardship and anger in rural communities. At the time I described the proposed ban on the commercial sale of turf as a complete cave-in by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to a bizarre Green Party nanny-state agenda that was determined to infantilise rural Ireland.

Rural communities in Offaly and across the Midlands have relied on turf for generations. Indeed, it is not just fuel, it is part of our culture, our heritage and, for many households, the only affordable way to stay warm.

READ NEXT: Fuel protesters block Birr Road all day Wednesday

Meanwhile, on Wednesday afternoon the Garda Press Office released a statement on the ongoing fuel protests.

It read as follows: "Since yesterday, An Garda Siochana has been engaging with, and continues to engage with, those involved in the fuel protests around the country, seeking to work with them to mitigate the negative impact these protests are having on the lives of their communities.

While these protests have been peaceful, they are causing significant disruption for people in some parts of the country.

We in An Garda Siochana have received reports of emergency workers being delayed or not being able to travel to their work, of people not being able to attend hospital appointments or visit loved ones who are ill. Key public transports routes are also delayed or not operating, which means that employees and businesses are heavily impacted. A small number of fuel depots are also being blocked.

While An Garda Siochana respects and facilitates the right to peaceful protest, An Garda Siochana must also balance and protect the rights of individuals to travel freely and commercial organisations to conduct business.

An Garda Siochana has asked and asks again for protestors to engage with Gardai locally to facilitate public transport and other traffic.

An Garda Siochana has also received reports of the blocking of diversion routes put in place to facilitate travel around protests.

Again, An Garda Siochana is requesting that protestors engage with Gardai locally to facilitate important diversion and emergency routes.

An Garda Siochana has no role in permitting or authorising public gatherings or protests.

There is no permit required in order to organise any protest.

Any Garda activity in relation to evolving events involves a graduated policing response taking into account relevant legislation and public safety.

An Garda Siochana will continue to provide updates, where possible, to the public, through our social media channels."
An Offaly councillor has expressed frustration over the lack of progress on a new bus service.

Independent Ireland councillor Fergus McDonnell spoke about the proposed Local Link service at the April meeting of the Edenderry Municipal District.

It is expected that the service will serve Kildare village, Monasterevin, Garryhinch, Portarlington, Bracknagh, Clonbulloge and Edenderry.

However, Offaly County Council is unsure as to when this service will be in place. Cllr McDonnell expressed his frustration at the situation.

He stated: Can I just say in relation to the whole issue, I first raised this in October 2024 and it was referred to the Department [of Transport] and the NTA. Since then, its been dragging its heels.

READ NEXT: 'Reverse the nanny-state ban'  Call in Offaly to reverse the ban on the commercial sale of turf

Cllr McDonnell said that he was told in 2024 that the service would be in place late that year or early in 2025.

He continued: I got an email from my contact at the NTA only on March 13 to say theyre no further on.

One of the problems was because there was an operator on part of that route between Edenderry and Portlaoise, that there has to be further negotiations and all that sort of hullabaloo.

I think we have a huge ability in Ireland to complicate the simple. The fact that this is no further on than when I first enquired about it and that theres still no sign of it, beggars belief.

Cllr McDonnell also noted that there is a big demand for the service, particularly among elderly people.

Fine Gael councillor Noel Cribbin agreed and added that this was evident during the local election campaign in 2024.

The issue was raised when Senior Executive Engineer Rory Moore provided an update on the installation of various bus stops throughout the area.

Mr Moore said that the council are working on bus stops in Portarlington for an existing bus route.

He said that once these are done, stops for the Local Link service will be installed, with two stops due to be put in in Bracknagh and Clonbulloge respectively.

He continued: The ones in Portarlington are taking a bit longer because theyre actually replacing paths and putting in the kassel kerbs for wheelchair disability access.

Thats not being done on the more rural routes yet because its more important to get the pole up to see where people can stand and get the bus service going.

So initially its just about literally putting the bus pole up and the sign saying listen, this is the bus stop.

Mr Moore said that he has been trying to make contact with the National Transport Authority (NTA) to figure out when the service might be up and running.

Cllr Cribbin enquired as to what the timetable for the service might look like.

Mr Moore responded by saying that he wasnt sure, but that similar Local Link routes have a minimum of five daily services on weekdays and two at the weekend.
"Look, this bronze artifact is telling me its story!" On April 2, in the exhibition hall of the Anhui Chu Culture Museum in Shouxian County, Zhang Tingting, a middle school student from Huaibei, wore a pair of AR glasses. She tilted her head slightly, moving her gaze from one artifact to another. Each time she paused, animations and text appeared in the glasses, accompanied by clear audio explanations. The reporter leaned in and followed her gaze to a uniquely shaped bronze artifacta nao (an ancient percussion instrument) with patterns resembling the face of a bronze figure from Sanxingdui. "This is an ancient musical instrument. In the past, I would walk through the museum and forget everything I saw. But now, with these glasses, the artifacts speak for themselvesit's like having a personal guide who explains even the historical stories behind them," Zhang said. These AR glasses are a recently introduced smart guide device at the Anhui Chu Culture Museum. As the only museum in China named after "Chu Culture," it houses over 10,000 artifacts, including more than 700 pieces related to Chu culture. Among them are 230 national first-class cultural relics and 2,257 pieces of precious cultural relics ranked third class or above. Stepping out of the museum, history found another way to "speak." The ancient city of Shouxian County, known in ancient times as "Shouchun," "Shouyang," and "Shouzhou," has a history of over 2,000 years since its founding. Walking up to the Shouchun ancient city wall and touching its weathered bricks, one could almost hear the whispers of a thousand years of wind. "The Chu-era Shouchun City was seven or eight times larger than the present one, but unfortunately, it was destroyed by war. The existing city wall was rebuilt during the Xining period of the Northern Song Dynasty and restored during the Jiading period of the Southern Song Dynasty," a representative from the Shouxian County Bureau of Culture and Tourism explained. Walking along the city wall, one arrives at Chunshen Fang, a district named after Huang Xie, Lord Chunshen of the Warring States period. This area blends the charm of Chu and Han culture with the lively atmosphere of local life. Inside the district, two millennium-old ginkgo trees drew many visitors to stop and admire them. "These two ginkgo trees were planted in the ninth year of the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty and are over 1,300 years old," an on-site guide explained. It is said that Chunshen Fang is developing a live-action performance project titled Encounter with Lord Chunshen, using light and shadow technology to make history "speak" and tell the stories of the Chu Kingdom. Further along, on West Street of the ancient city, lies the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Museum. Shouxian County is the birthplace of the Huainanzi and a fertile ground for the culture of the twenty-four solar terms. Inside the museum, using sound, light, and electricity technologies, visitors can personally simulate activities such as dragon boat rowing and plowing, while listening to local folk proverbs. Wang Yu, a visitor from Jiangsu who experienced the museum with her child, remarked, "Before, the twenty-four solar terms were just words on a calendar. Today, I truly feel the charm of agricultural culture." Here, the solar terms become vivid memories that "sing" folk songs and "come to life." From the bronze artifacts "speaking" through AR glasses, to the thousand-year echoes seeping through the cracks of the ancient city wall; from the whispers of ginkgo leaves to the folk proverbs and local accents in the Solar Terms Museum  in Shouxian County, history has never been silent. As you take a spring trip through Jianghuai, why not visit this ancient city and listen to the stories of the past, polished by time.

Source: Anhui Daily
FINE Gael TD for Offaly, John Clendennen believes the village of Moneygall is uniquely positioned to benefit from the newly approved American Presidents Trail, building on its strong connection to former US President Barack Obama.

Deputy John Clendennen said Cabinets approval of the initiative represents a significant opportunity to further develop tourism in Moneygall and across Offaly.

Moneygall already has a powerful story to tell. The visit of President Obama placed the village firmly on the international stage and created a lasting connection with the United States, Deputy Clendennen said.

This new American Presidents Trail gives us a real opportunity to build on that legacy, attracting more visitors, supporting local businesses and further strengthening community pride.

The initiative, brought forward by Minister for Tourism Patrick ODonovan, will highlight the Irish ancestry of 23 US Presidents as part of the America250 Programme, marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

READ NEXT: Former Offaly Fine Gael representatives feted at Leinster House

Deputy Clendennen said Moneygall should play a central role in the trail given its proven appeal to American visitors. We have already seen the impact that a strong heritage link can deliver. Moneygall became a must-visit destination following President Obamas visit, and this initiative can help sustain and grow that interest into the future, he said.

With millions of Americans tracing their ancestry back to Ireland, there is a clear opportunity to bring more visitors into rural communities like Moneygall, ensuring that tourism benefits are felt locally.

The trail will be developed on an all-island basis, with sites marked by native trees and information panels, creating a network of heritage locations connected to US Presidents.

Deputy Clendennen said he will be working with local stakeholders to ensure Offaly maximises its potential under the project.

This is about building on what we already have. Moneygall has a globally recognised story, now we must ensure it is fully leveraged as part of this national initiative and I was delighted to recently welcome Minister ODonovan to Moneygall to show him first hand the progress made in village following the Obama visit, he said.

I look forward to working with the Minister, local authorities and local community groups to ensure Moneygall and Offaly are to the forefront as this trail is rolled out.

READ NEXT: 'Reverse the nanny-state ban'  Call in Offaly to reverse the ban on the commercial sale of turf
A CONVOY of vehicles blocked Roscrea Road in Birr all day today, (Wednesday the 8th), joining the many other protests right across the country including protests in Banagher and Portumna.

Cllr Sean Maher told The Midland Tribune that he went out to support them and show solidarity with their cause.

"I fully support the protesters in Birr today," said Cllr Maher. "It's high time for our government to get off their backsides, get back to the Dail and legislate for the people of Ireland. The Irish people are trying to give them the message but they are not listening."

The convoy stretched from Corrib Oil to Millbrook on Roscrea Road and lasted all day, starting from 7am. The hard shoulder remained open throughout, allowing passage for the emergency services and others.

When planning this nationwide protest the organisers pinpointed the importance of blocking the Shannon crossings. Therefore there were blockades on Banagher Bridge and Portumna Bridge yesterday. It's not certain where they will go tomorrow. Some said Cloghan, others that they'd return to Birr.

Between 100 to 150 vehicles attended today's Roscrea Road protest, including tractors, trucks and cars. Among them was Michael Boylan of the Banagher bus and taxi company Boylan Travel. Michael said his business is suffering acutely because of the fuel crisis. Many of the protesters on Roscrea Road were from the Birr and Banagher areas. (Pictured below at the protest were Cllr Sean Maher (left) and Martin Hogan).
A CONVOY of fuel protesters blocked Portumna Bridge, a vital crossing point over the Shannon, on Tuesday, starting in the early morning and continuing all day. Blocking the vital crossing points over the Shannon is one of the strategies drawn up by the organisers behind the nationwide fuel protests.

Cllr Declan Kelly of Loughrea Municipal District attended at the bridge, standing in solidarity with the protesters.

"I was at the fuel price protests at Portumna Bridge this morning," Cllr Kelly said on his Facebook page. "We need something a lot better from the government than patronising advice to 'drive slowly'. The government cannot protect the country from every economic jolt but it can take urgent measures to help alleviate matters. Businesses and households are being pushed to a financial breaking point."

"This Government," said one person responding to the Councillor's post, "is underestimating the support that's out there for the fuel protests. It's time for a national day of protest against the cost of living in Ireland."

Another said: "Home heating oil is almost double the price that it was in December. Blockade the depots."
Mary Lou McDonald has urged the Government to pick up the phone and speak with protesters blocking fuel depots and motorways in Ireland.

The Sinn Fein leader was speaking to the press on the third day of demonstrations over rising fuel prices, which have brought parts of the country to a standstill.

Asked about the decision by the Minister for Justice to call in the Defence Forces to assist gardai, she said: The decision that needs to be made is for Micheal Martin and Simon Harris to lift the phone.

Why on earth is the Government escalating this further? Thats not called for.

What is called for now is respect, engagement and acknowledgement.

Asked if she supported the protesters, she replied: I support measures to make it possible for businesses to survive, for people to function, for farmers, for hauliers, for contractors and for others to go about their daily lives.

She added: Im saying to the protesters what I am saying to Government  I dont want to see disruption.

I live in this town, in this city, I dont want to see the disruption that were experiencing.

I also dont want to see people sleeping in tractors or other vehicles overnight.

I dont want to see anybody under the kind of effort and the pressure that people are suffering.

Ms McDonald said her party had spent weeks in the Dail raising the rising cost of fuel again and again, and had given the Government chapter and verse about what was happening in peoples homes, in peoples businesses, the pressure that people were under.

The Social Democrats said the Government should try to de-escalate the situation by meeting organisers and hearing their concerns.

Party justice spokesman Gary Gannon said everyone had a right to protest but added that the blockading of fuel depots, motorways and large parts of the capital is wrong.

He said meeting organisers should be done on the strict condition that the protests across the country would end.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the party appreciates the deep distress and frustration experienced by hauliers, contractors and all those causing blockades, and recognised their right to protest.

However, she said: We would urge protesters to end their blockades immediately as these are causing significant disruption to workers and families, many tens of thousands of whom are already in energy arrears and huge financial difficulties with a cost-of-living crisis.

The party called on the Government to continue to engage with representative bodies and implement maximum price orders for fuel.

Green Party leader Roderic OGorman said protesters should end their blockade before Defence Forces intervention is necessary, but added that the Government should introduce targeted energy credits for the squeezed middle and additional support payments for the most vulnerable.

People Before Profit said its proposals for price caps, free public transport and a universal energy credit funded by a data centre levy would have headed off Irelands energy price crisis.

Party TD Paul Murphy said the threat of Defence Forces intervention was extremely worrying and added that people had a right to protest without the army being sent against them.

Aontu leader Peadar Toibin blamed Government stubbornness and intransigence for the crisis, suggesting ministers should meet organisers.

Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins also called for de-escalation and said Government should facilitate talks with those involved, with his party favouring further action on fuel costs.
Comments

The time limit for entering new comments on this quicklink has expired.

This limit can be removed. Our paid membership program is designed to give you many benefits, such as removing this time limit. To learn more, please click here.
The $8.2 billion ACCESS Oklahoma long-range bond plan, which will update Oklahomas turnpike system over the course of 15 years, includes two developments that will impact Norman and Cleveland County.

What is ACCESS Oklahoma?

ACCESS stands for Advancing and Connecting Communities and Economies Safely Statewide. According to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, the state agency conducting the project, updates to Oklahomas turnpike system will include renewing bridges and pavement, widening existing turnpikes and adding three new routes in the Oklahoma City metro area.

NEWSLETTERS * required Thank you for subscribing! Email * Please enter a valid email address First Name Last Name A few times a week FREE SIGN UP Subscribing...

According to the OTA, the projects mission is to provide a safe, convenient and efficient transportation network.

Two turnpikes are slated for the Cleveland County area: the South Extension Turnpike and the Toby Keith Expressway, formerly known as the East-West Connector.

 South Extension Turnpike: The South Extension will be around 19 miles of roadway, from the Toby Keith Expressway on Franklin Road to Interstate 35 in Slaughterville. The extension is intended to be complete by 2034. In March 2025, the extensions path was rerouted to avoid federal property at Lake Thunderbird. Originally, the expansion was planned to run west of the lake.

ACCESS Oklahoma South Extension Turnpike alignment ACCESS Oklahoma's South Extension Turnpike alignment as of April 2026.

 Toby Keith Expressway: Extending across north Norman, this turnpike intends to connect Interstate 44 to Interstate 40 at the new Kickapoo Turnpike. The expressway will run around 28 miles and is expected to be completed by 2033.

ACCESS Oklahoma Toby Keith Expressway alignment ACCESS Oklahoma's Toby Keith Expressway alignment as of April 2026.

The naming of the expressway after the late country music artist came as a surprise to some Norman residents. Keith allowed Pike Off OTA, an organization fighting turnpike expansion in Oklahoma, to place a banner opposing the project on his Norman property in 2022, per KFOR reporting.

Stelen Covel, Keiths son, told OU Daily in March that the familys view on the turnpike had changed and they are now in support of the project.

(Keith) was for the turnpike before he passed,  Covel said. I think this is the state giving back to him in whatever way it could.

Community Response

Nonprofit organization Pike Off OTA and Facebook group NO MORE TURNPIKES, Oklahoma! have formed in response to the ACCESS Oklahoma turnpike plans.

According to the Pike Off OTA website, the organization formed after the 2022 announcement of the ACCESS Oklahoma plans. NO MORE TURNPIKES, Oklahoma! has, as recently as March, called on Norman residents to protest the turnpike at city council meetings.

Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman spoke in May 2025 regarding the citys position on turnpike projects.

The official stance of the city of Norman government is a unanimous resolution that was passed in 2022 that opposes this project happening in our city limits, Holman said. I do not foresee the city council voting to repeal that any time.

At the Norman City Council meeting on March 25, two contracts were passed in agreement with the OTA that will set in motion progress on the Toby Keith Expressway.

One of the contracts allows the OTA to relocate water wells and water lines in northwest Norman. The other contract permits construction and maintenance on water systems in northwest Norman.

During public comment time at the meeting, residents voiced concern over the contracts and council members votes.

Please be the council we elected you to be, Karlinda Gravel, Ward 4, said.

Timeline

Since its announcement, the ACCESS Oklahoma turnpike initiative has sparked four years of citizen protest and exchanges between county and state governments.

OU Daily has curated a timeline of events and meetings regarding the ACCESS Oklahoma turnpike since the announcement of the plan.

As of the time of publication, the only active construction is a strip of the Toby Keith Expressway at the South Canadian River. This strip includes two projects: a bridge over the South Canadian River and the mainline, and a Western Avenue Interchange extending east to Interstate 35.

This story was edited by Macey Thaxton and Audrey McClour. Larkin Bock, Gretchen Schultz and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
Colorado lawmakers are moving to phase out the Teacher Recruitment Education and Preparation (TREP) program, even as students and parents organize to keep the tuitionfree teacher pathway alive.

House Bill 26-1357, introduced by the Joint Budget Committee, would formally repeal the TREP program after the 202627 budget year. The bill blocks the Colorado Department of Education from designating any new qualified students for TREP beginning in the 202627 school year, effectively closing the door to future cohorts.

Because TREP runs for two years, current participants would be allowed to finish, but graduating seniors who hoped to enter the program next year would no longer have that option, according to Chalkbeat.

An April 2026 update from the Colorado Department of Education explains that the proposed law would ensure that fifthyear TREP students can complete the program, while discontinuing new enrollments, including among current 12th graders who would otherwise qualify.

On Mar. 20, 2026, districts were informed that the Joint Budget Committee had already voted to phase out TREP funding, citing inequitable access and the state's budget shortfall.

Some districts have since warned families that there will be no scholarship funding for students who applied this year, though funding will continue for those already in their final TREP year through 202627.

TREP was created by Senate Bill 21-185 to address Colorado's teacher shortage by building a pipeline of homegrown educators.

The program allows qualified high school students in an educator career pathway to stay enrolled in their local district and take college classes for up to two years after 12th grade, with tuition covered at the resident community college rate, BVSD reported.

Students earn free college credit while preparing for teaching or school counseling careers, and the district uses a special perpupil allocation to pay their tuition.

Under HB26-1357, perpupil funding for TREP participants in 202627 would be capped at 7,104 dollars as the program winds down.

Supporters say TREP has opened college doors for students who could not otherwise afford it and helped diversify the teacher workforce, especially in districts that partnered with institutions like Front Range Community College, the University of Northern Colorado, and Colorado Mountain College.

As students and parents rally, they argue that ending TREP will shrink the pipeline of future educators just as Colorado schools continue to struggle with hiring and keeping teachers, as per PSD Future Ready.
It's been just about a year since Kia unveiled plans for an electric pickup destined for the American market at the automaker's 2025 investor day. This year's presentation was not quite as juicy, but now that it's over, we do know a bit more about Kia's plans for its first truck ever to be offered in America.

Most notably, Kia CEO Ho Sung Song says that the truck will be available as both a battery-powered EV and an extended-range EV (EREV), complete with an on-board internal combustion power source. The latter setup is not currently available in any American market pick-up, but Scout, Ram, and Ford have all promised future products using the concept, which uses a gas-powered engine as an on-board generator to supplement an electric vehicle's on-board battery.

The truck is set to arrive in 2030, meaning that it should arrive in a mid-sized truck market very different from the one it faces right now. In addition to the existing Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, and Chevrolet Colorado, the Kia should be up against a long-delayed Scout, a revived Ram Dakota, and Hyundai's first effort in the space, which may well be related to this unnamed rig.

Advertisement Advertisement

We already knew that the pickup would not be the Tasman, pictured above. That Ranger-fighting truck was unveiled in 2024 for Australia and a few other markets, but it's designed as a conventional internal combustion pick-up rather than a platform for an EV.

When the American-market electric pick-up does arrive, Kia is sticking to its earlier sales target of 90,000 examples a year. The brand hopes that this will help it sell over a million cars in the U.S. annuallya tall task for any automaker.

You Might Also Like
Player Turns $10 Satellite into $412K in the GGPoker $10K GGMillion$

Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link

Until April 7, Austrian player "72oooo" had accumulated $55,453 in tournament winnings online at GGPoker, with a best score of $5,250. Fast forward to today, and "72oooo" can boast of a new career-best $411,843 prize after taking down the $10,000 GGMillion$ Super High Roller.

Winning this event is a major feat in its own right, thanks to the caliber of players who enter the mix. However, "72oooo" should go down in GGPoker history as a true GGMillion$ hero after winning their $10,000 seat for a mere $10.

"72oooo" bought into a $10 Step satellite on April 5, and finished top of a 14-player field. Then they finished fourth out of 44 entrants in the $108 Step satellite, which the $10 Step awarded tickets for.

Riding the crest of a wave, the Austrian used the $1,050 ticket they won in a last chance satellite to the $2 million guaranteed GGMillion$. Amazingly, they finished first from a 24-strong field!

Day 1 of the $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller drew in 210 of the online poker world's top talent. Several hours later, only nine players remained in the hunt for the $411,843 top prize.

Seasoned pro Aram Oganyan topped the final table's chip counts. Oganyan's stack had a couple more big blinds than that of Bernhard Binder, the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise Super Main Event champion. A certain $10 satellite winner was present and correct at the star-studded final table, although "72oooo" was the shortest stack with 14 big blinds.

$10,000 GGMillion$ Final Table Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Aram Oganyan Mexico 4,634,041 77 2 Bernhard Binder Austria 4,504,099 75 3 Calitox Panama 3,709,108 62 4 Lucas Rocha Brazil 2,745,626 46 5 Dmitrii "Dimmmmm" Prusiv Russia 1,953,729 33 6 Manuel Carvalho Andorra 1,520,517 25 7 Aleks Borovkov Andorra 1,240,084 21 8 Christian Rudolph Austria 856,868 14 9 72oooo Austria 832,928 14

Fifteen minutes into the final table action, "72oooo" scored a double up with ac-queen versus Bernhard Binder's dominated ace-trey, with the chips going in on an ace-high flop. They then won another huge pot with pocket aces against Aleks Borovkov's pocket jacks, catapulting their stack to more than 2.5 million chips and placing them fourth despite starting at the bottom of the pack.

Manuel Carvalho was the first player eliminated from the final table. Carvalho lost a substantial pot hero calling with ace-queen high on a paired board, then lost the rest of their chips three-betting all-in with pocket jacks after Borovkov raised with king-queen of diamonds. Borovkov called, flopped a flush draw, turned a king, and sent Carvalho to the rail.

Although Oganyan started Day 2 as the chip leader and was second in chips at the start of eight-handed play, they fell in eighth place. After jamming all-in for 13.5 big blinds effective from the small blind with king-four and losing to Borovkov's pocket sixes, Oganyan was left nursing a two big blind stack. Unsurprisingly, he bowed out soon after.

Bernhard Binder in happier times

The dangerous Binder busted before Oganyan's seat had the chance to go cold. Dmitrii "Dimmmmm" Prusov min-raised on the button with ace-trey of spades and called the extra big blind when Binder moved all-in with king-queen of diamonds in the big blind. A king on the flop looked to have rescued Binder, but an ace on the turn left him needing help on the river. The seven of clubs on the river was a brick, and Binder was gone.

Lady Luck was on "72oooo"'s side as the two-hour mark approached. They found themselves all-in with pocket tens against Prusov's ace-king, and they not only won the flip but they flopped a set and rivered a full house to propel themselves to second in chips with six players remaining.

Sixth-place and $112,279, the first six-figure prize of the final table, went to Brazilian Lucas Rocha. The action folded to Rocha on the button, and he min-raised with pocket queens. "72oooo" three-bet with ace-jack of spades in the big blind before calling another 10 big blinds when Rocha shoved. An ace on the flop cracked Rocha's queens, and he headed to the showers.

By now, the blinds had grown substantially, and everyone but "72oooo" was short-stacked; they had almost 50 big blinds at their disposal. Borovkov open-shoved for a shade over five big blinds with pocket eights from under the gun, and "Calitox" called from the big blind with ace-queen. "Calitox" flopped two pair and improved to a boat on the river to dispatch Borovkov in fifth-place.

Christian Rudolph now has 28 GGMillion$ final table appearances but only one victory

The final four became three with the demise of Christian Rudolph. Down to under 10 big blinds, Rudolph had an easy call with ace-nine in the big blind after "Calitox" had set him all-in. "Calitox" turned over king-ten of diamonds. Rudolph spiked a nine, but running cards gifted "Calitox" a ten-high straight draw, busting Rudolph.

Heads-up was reached soon after when Prusov came unstuck in a hand against "72oooo". Prusov moved all-in for 12 big blinds from the button with king-nine, and "72oooo" called in the big blind with pocket sixes after much deliberation. The sixes held after improving to a full house, and Prusov had to settle for third place.

"72oooo" held a 47.5 to 25.8 big blind advantage at the start of heads-up play, and it didn't take too long for them to get their hands on "Calitox"'s chips.

A few hands into the one-on-one clash, "72oooo" moved all-in with pocket fours, and "Calitox" called all-in with ace-ten for 23 big blinds. A queen-high board left the pocket fours as the best hand, eliminating "Calitox" in second-place for $317,574 and crowning "72oooo" as the $10,000 GGMillion$ High Rollers champion.

$10,000 GGMillion$ Final Table Results

Rank Player Country Prize 1 72oooo Austria $411,843 2 Calitox Panama $317,574 3 Dmitrii "Dimmmmm" Prusov Russia $244,883 4 Christian Rudolph Austria $188,830 5 Aleks Borovkov Andorra $145,608 6 Lucas Rocha Brazil $112,279 7 Bernhard Binder Austria $86,579 8 Aram Oganyan Mexico $66,761 9 Manuel Carvalho Andorra $51,480

"72oooo"'s remarkable journey started with taking a chance in a $10 satellite, continued with rubbing shoulders with some true online poker royalty, and ended with them becoming the $10,000 GGMillion$ High Rollers champion and padding their bankroll with $411,843. On this evidence, the poker dream is well and truly alive.

Share this article
No Charges Filed Against The Lodge, But State Retains Poker Room's Assets

Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Copy link

Criminal charges were not filed against The Lodge Card Club in Texas on Thursday as the 30-day civil asset forfeiture deadline approached. But the poker club's money will remain in the state's possession.

PokerNews has obtained a document filed April 8 in the 480th Judicial District Court in Williamson County that explains why the state is holding on to over $2 million in assets despite no criminal charges being filed.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), along with an IRS agent, raided the Austin-area card room co-owned by Doug Polk and Brad Owen on March 10. A leaked search and seizure warrant revealed the basis for the raid, which was the suspicion of money laundering, organized crime, and illegal gambling.

Whats Next for Texas Poker Room?

The future of The Lodge Card Club is uncertain now that the state can hold onto the money. But Thursdays outcome doesnt mean this is the end for the major poker club, nor does it ensure criminal charges will never be filed.

The nine-page court document indicates the state is no longer pursuing money laundering allegations against the Texas card room, and instead focusing on the alleged illegal gambling aspect.

Gambling is illegal in Texas, but legal poker is possible through Texas Penal Code 47.04, which states that the gambling can only occur in a private place and that no person received any economic benefit other than personal winnings.

Many proponents of poker in Texas believe the wording of the law permits membership-based clubs such as The Lodge Card Club, rooms that dont collect rake, to legally operate. The business model has its detractors in the state, but numerous social clubs that spread non-raked poker games across the Lone Star State operate without pushback from lawmakers.

Thus, securing an illegal gambling conviction against one room likely wouldn't be easy. Illegal gambling (keeping a gambling place) is a Class A misdemeanor in Texas, with punishment up to one year in jail and fines up to $4,000.

The Lodge Card Club opened in 2018, with Polk, Owen, and Andrew Neeme purchasing a stake in the business in 2022. Nik Airball and Ethan Rampage Yau have also made investments in the poker club.

Jason Levin, Jake Abdalla, and Polk are the largest shareholders and the three individuals targeted by the TABC.

Texas law requires law officials to file a civil asset forfeiture in a district court within 30 days of seizing property. If the suit isn't filed within 30 days  in this case, by April 9  the property owner has a legal right to retain the property.

Although a civil asset forfeiture in Texas is a civil matter, it can lead to criminal proceedings. But, per Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 59 (Contraband), seizing assets only requires probable cause, not proving criminal activity beyond a reasonable doubt.

If the case against The Lodge ever reaches criminal court, that rule does not apply, and the state would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime was committed.

There are various potential outcomes in this case, including the state eventually filing illegal gambling charges and The Lodge Card Club disputing the asset forfeiture and getting the money back. For now, the state is retaining The Lodge's financial assets on the basis that they believe there is probable cause that illegal gambling occurred. It remains to be seen if the district attorney will ever file criminal charges against the owners.

The Lodge Card Club in the Austin area has remained closed since the March 10 raid, although the club's card room in San Antonio, which operates under a separate entity, is stil open. It's unclear when or if the Austin location, the biggest poker room in the state with nearly 70 card tables, will reopen. But it's likely the legal process will continue at least for the next few months.

Share this article

Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Follow on

In this Series
Supposed Poker Multimillionaire Dan Bilzerian is Running for Congress

Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Copy link

Dan Bilzerian, who claims he's won upwards of $50 million playing high-stakes private poker games, is attempting to enter the political arena.

The social media influencer known for misogynistic and antisemitic comments has filed paperwork to campaign to overtake Florida Republican Randy Fine's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Fine, a Jewish politician will attempt to retain the seat he won in a 2025 special election against a poker player who referred to him as a "fat Jew."

Bilzerian, a former GGPoker ambassador who has 30 million Instagram followers, filed Form FEC-1958444 with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on April 7. He's running as a Republican and has purchased a BilzerianForCongress.com website that hasn't yet launched.

Will Bilzerian Win?

Bilzerian has been critical of Fine over his religious beliefs. He's also been critical of President Donald Trump for the Iran war and having a pro-Israel stance in military conflict with Palestine.

The son of 1980s convicted white-collar criminal Paul Bilzerian recently claimed on X that the United States is "controlled by Jewish pedophiles." He's taken harsh stances against Fine, who supports military actions against Palestine and Iran.

Bilzerian's odds of defeating Fine, a pre-Trump Republican, aren't great. The congressman represents a district Trump won by 30 points in the 2024 election.

Bilzerian hasn't played poker much in the public space, although he did appear on an ESPN World Series of Poker (WSOP) broadcast and Hustler Casino Live. But he has frequented the biggest Hollywood private games, claiming wins of at least $50 million over the years. Many poker pros have disputed that claim, however. His wealth accumulation has long been in question among the poker community, which he once referred to as "f*****g nerds."

Share this article
Heartwarming Kidney Donation Between Two Poker Players Hits Setback

Connor Richards Senior Editor U.S. Copy link

One of the most heartwarming poker stories of the year hit a setback this week as a planned kidney donation between two players ended up falling through.

When New Jersey's Debbie Troncone learned she needed a kidney transplant, members of her poker group were the first to step up. One of them, Lisa Pickell, ended up being a match offered to give up her kidney for her friend.

But the group later learned that Pickell's kidney output "was not strong enough to work independently," according to a GoFundMe page, leaving the group of poker friends on the search for another match.

Poker Player Planned to Donate Kidney

Troncone has been a part of the poker community for decades. Her first tournament cash dates back to 2005, when she finished runner-up in the $100 Trump Classic in Atlantic City for $2,392.

Debbie Troncone

Pickell is also a longtime poker player and was a guest on PokerNews' LFG Podcast in 2019.

In a GoFundMe launched last week to raise money medical expenses, travel and lost wages, Florida poker player Dawn Wilno announced that Pickell would be donating her kidney to Troncone, who she described as "pure sunshine" and "the life of the party, the first one to say 'Im in!', the loudest cheerleader at the table, and the friend who shows up  every single time."

"Now it's our turn to be there for her," Wilno wrote for the GoFundMe titled "All In for Debbie and Lisas Transplant Main Event."

Wilno also praised Pickell and Regina Auletta, who had also volunteered to donate her kidney but wasn't a match, for stepping up for the occasion. "Thats who they are  fiercely loyal, selfless beyond measure, and the kind of friend everyone hopes to have in their corner. Their willingness to give such an incredible gift  the gift of life  leaves us in awe."

Lisa Pickell

Several poker players donated to the cause, according to GoFundMe records, which showed the fundraiser as having raised around $19,000 of its $100,000 goal as of Thursday morning.

"Unexpected Setback"

In an update on Tuesday, Wilno announced an "unexpected setback" as the final preparations for the surgery revealed "that Lisa's kidney output was not strong enough to work independently."

"This news has been heartbreaking ... But if theres one thing that defines themand all of us who love themits resilience."

A GoFundMe for poker player Debbie Troncone

The poker group is now looking for a new kidney donor, whose blood type would need to be Type B or Type O.

Just like she is at the poker table, Troncone has remained positive throughout her health problems and the latest setback.

I am so deeply grateful for each and every one of you," Troncone said in a written statement posted on GoFundMe. "Your love, support, and encouragement mean more to me than I can ever fully express. I am humbled and honored to be in this fight surrounded by such incredible people. While this setback is hard, I am still determined and holding onto hope with everything I have. Thank you for standing with me.

*Lead image courtesy of Dawn Wilno via GoFundMe

Share this article
Continue the Craic With the $3M Gtd Irish Open After Party at PokerStars

Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link

PokerStars is celebrating the success of the 2026 Irish Open with a $3+ million guaranteed online series. The Irish Open After Party runs from April 12-20 and consists of 69 events, boasting combined guaranteed prize pools of over $3 million.

The 2026 Irish Open was a roaring success, especially the 1,150 buy-in Main Event, which shattered its attendance record. Some 5,003 entries were processed and a 4,852,910 prize pool created. Romania's Narcis Nedelcu came out on top and banked 336,798 after a five-way deal at the final table. Nedelcu would have scooped 517,100 had no deal happened, showing how the Irish Open Main Event has grown.

While there won't be any 4.8 million prize pools offered during the Irish Open After Party, there will be plenty for tournament specialists to get their teeth into. Sixty-nine events make up the schedule. Add their guarantees together, and you arrive at an impressive figure of more than $3 million.

Events Have Buy-ins From $5.50 to $530

Eight events take place on April 12, the opening day of the Irish Open After Party. The highlights of Day 1 include an $11 Spraggy's Mystery Sunday Storm, which guarantees $75,000. Those with slightly deeper pockets may want to jump into the $75 Spraggy's Mystery Sunday Special, where they'll play for a share of at least $400,000. Both of these events span two days.

Players can test their poker skills across a variety of games and formats throughout the online poker festival. Unsurprisingly, No-Limit Hold'em dominates the schedule, but games like Pot-Limit Omaha, Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, 8-Game, Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw, and H.O.R.S.E. are present and correct.

$500,000 Guaranteed Irish Open After Party Main Event

The main Event, billed as The Celtic Fortune, is scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m. BST on April 19. It costs $109 to enter and guarantees that at least $500,000 will be won by the time the champion is crowned. This two-day event is played as a progressive knockout tournament; it allows up to five re-entires during the first four hours of play.

Day 1 of the Irish Open After Party Main Event ends 7 hr 50 min after it begins, with surviving players returning to their seats from 6:05 p.m. BST on April 20.

$11 satellites, each guaranteeing eight $109 seats, are available in the PokerStars tournament lobby right now. Feeder satellites costing $1.10 are also available.

2026 PokerStars Irish Open After Party Schedule

Expand the table below to see the full schedule of 69 events making up the PokerStars irish Open After Party.

Date Time (BST) Event Guarantee Sun 12 Apr 5:05 p.m. irish Open 01 - $55 Failte $100,000 5:30 p.m. Irish Open 02 - $5.50 Mini Failte $25,000 6:05 p.m. Irish Open 03 - $75 Spraggy's Mystery Sunday Special $400,000 7:05 p.m. Irish Open 04 - $11 Spraggy's Mystery Sunday Storm $75,000 7:30 p.. Irish Open 05 - $55 PLO8 Celtic Split $15,000 8:05 p.m. Irish Open 06  $109 NLHE PKO $50,000 8:30 p.m. Irish Open 07 - $22 NLHE PKO $50,000 9:30 p.m. Irish Open 08  $11 NLHE Progressive Total KO Zoom $10,000 Mon 13 Apr 6:05 p.m. Irish Open 09 - $22 Deepstack The Session $40,000 6:30 p.m. Irish Open 10 - $55 8-Game Octopus $5,000 7:05 p.m. Irish Open 11 - $5.50 8-Game Mini Octopus $3,000 7:30 p.m. Irish Open 12 - $109 NLHE PKO The Blarney Bluff $40,000 8:05 p.m. Irish Open 13 - $22 NLHE PKO Mini Blarney Bluff $30,000 9:05 p.m. Irish Open 14 - $55 NLHE Mystery Bounty Puca's Luck $40,000 9:30 p.m. Irish Open 15 - $11 NLHE Mystery Bounty Mini Puca's Luck $20,000 10:30 p.m. Irish Open 16  $11 NLO8 The Spring Split $4,000 Tue 14 Apr 5:05 p.m. Irish Open 17 - $55 Mini Bounty Builder HR $75,000 5:30 p.m. Irish Open 18 - $5.50 Micro Bounty Builder $20,000 6:05 p.m. Irish Open 19 - $530 Bounty Builder HR $40,000 6:30 p.m. Irish Open 20 - $22 PLO Four Leaf Clover $10,000 7:30 p.m. Irish Open 21 - $109 NLHE Green Fenomeno $15,000 8:05 p.m. Irish Open 22 - $11 NLHE Mini Green Fenomeno $15,000 9:05 p.m. Irish Open 23 - $22 NLHE PKO Paddy Stack $25,000 9:30 p.m. Irish Open 24 - $5.50 NLHE PKO Mini Paddy Stack $10,000 10:30 p.m. Irish Open 25 - $11 NLHE Progressive Total KO King of the Hill $5,000 Wed 15 Apr 5:05 p.m. Irish Open 26 - $55 Mini Bounty Builder HR $75,000 5:30 p.m. Irish Open 27 - $5.50 Micro Bounty Builder HR $20,000 6:05 p.m. Irish Open 28 - $530 Bounty Builder HR $35,000 6:30 p.m. Irish Open 29  $11 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw The Weaver 41,500 7:30 p.m. Irish Open 30 - $109 NLHE Green Fenomeno $15,000 8:05 p.m. Irish Open 31 - $11 NLHE Mini Green Fenomeno $15,000 9:05 p.m. Irish Open 32 - $22 NLHE Mystery Bounty The Lucky Seven $20,000 10:05 p.m. Irish Open 33 - $11 NLHE Progressive Total KO Zoom $8,000 Thu 16 Apr 5:05 p.m. Irish Open 34 - $22 Mini Thursday Thrill $60,000 5:30 p.m. Irish Open 35 - $5.50 Micro Thursday Thrill $15,000 6:05 p.m. Irish Open 36 - $215 Thursday Thrill $75,000 6:30 p.m. Irish Open 37 - $11 PLO Four Leaf Clover $10,000 7:30 p.m. Irish Open 38 - $109 NLHE Green Fenomeno $20,000 8:05 p.m. Irish Open 39 - $11 NLHE Mini Green Fenomeno $15,000 9:05 p.m. Irish Open 40 - $55 NLHE PKO Claddagh $30,000 9:30 p.m. Irish Open 41 - $11 NLHE PKO Mini Claddagh $20,000 10:30 p.m. Irish Open 42 - $22 NLHE Progressive Total KO Zoom $20,000 Fri 17 Apr 5:05 p.m. Irish Open 43 - $55 Mini Bounty Builder HR $75,000 5:30 p.m. Irish Open 44 - $5.50 Micro Bounty Builder HR $20,000 6:05 p.m. Irish Open 45 - $530 Bounty Builder HR $40,000 6:30 p.m. Irish Open 46 - $11 HORSE The Steed $3,000 7:30 p.m. Irish Open 47 - $109 NLHE Green Fenomeno $20,000 8:05 p.m. Irish Open 48 - $11 NLHE Mini Green Fenomeno $15,000 9:05 p.m. Irish Open 49 - $22 NLHE Mystery Bounty The Lucky Seven $25,000 10:05 p.m. Irish Open 50 - $11 NLHE PKO Zoom The Triquetra $10,000 Sat 18 Apr 5:05 p.m. Irish Open 51 - $55 NLHE PKO Saturday Banshee $75,000 5:30 p.m. Irish Open 52 - $5.50 NLHE PKO Mini Banshee $20,000 6:30 p.m. Irish Open 53 - $22 PLO5 The Fivefold $10,000 7:30 p.m. Irish Open 54 - $109 NLHE The Leprechaun Big Mystery $40,000 8:05 p.m. Irish Open 55 - $22 NLHE The Leprechaun Big Mystery $40,000 9:05 p.m. Irish Open 56 - $55 NLHE Deepstack Saturday Session $20,000 9:30 p.m. Irish Open 57 - $11 NLHE Deepstack Mini Saturday Session $20,000 Sun 19 Apr 5:05 p.m. Irish Open 58 - $55 NLHE The Craic $100,000 5:30 p.m. Irish Open 59 - $11 NLHE Mini Craic $50,000 6:05 p.m. Irish Open 60 - $109 NLHE PKO Main Event Celtic Fortune $500,000 7:05 p.m. Irish Open 61 - $11 NLHE PKO Sunday Storm $70,000 7:30 p.m. Irish Open 62 - $55 PLO PLOt of Gold $25,000 8:05 p.m. Irish Open 63 - $109 NLHE Green Sunday Fenomeno $50,000 8:30 p.m. Irish Open 64 - $11 NLHE Green Mini Sunday Fenomeno $25,000 9:30 p.m. Irish Open 65 - $22 NLHE Final Mystery $35,000 Mon 20 Apr 6:30 p.m. Irish Open 66 - $109 NLHE PKO Series Healer $75,000 7:05 p.m. Irish Open 67 - $11 NLHE PKO Mini Healer $35,000 8:05 p.m. Irish Open 68 - $55 NLHE The Sian $35,000 8:30 p.m. Irish Open 69 - $11 NLHE Mini Sian $20,000

Share this article
We had a gut feeling the last generation Camaro wasnt the models swan song.

The muscle car wars are apparently heating back up again as a next-gen Chevy Camaro reportedly received a green light. Word comes from General Motors enthusiast site, GM Authority, which heard from sources close to the matter.

According to the report, GM and Chevy executives gave a seventh-gen model a go for approval. As such, the Ford Mustang and Dodge Charger will get their archrival back, and the iconic American muscle car trifecta will be complete.

Advertisement Advertisement

However, rumors also suggest the Camaro might not return in the way you think.

Could the worlds first four-door Camaro be in the works?

The sixth-gen Chevy Camaro ended production in 2023 with 2024 being the last model-year. - Credit: Chevrolet

Firstly, if you had any doubts, dont worry. The Camaro is retaining its rear-wheel-drive architecture. GM Authority reports the new model will ride on the same next-gen rear-wheel Alpha 2 platform.

Thats the same platform destined to underpin some future gas-powered Cadillac models. This doesnt sound all too odd as the previous sixth-gen Camaro also used a previous iteration of the Alpha platform.

We imagine thered be a whole bunch of special edition Camaros planned to accompany the base models. - Credit: Chevrolet

What is potentially going to change, however, is the Camaros body style. According to the some other rumors, the Chevys team is considering morphing the next-gen Camaro into a sedan.

Advertisement Advertisement

This would likely be in response to Dodge offering both a sedan and a coupe version of its Charger. Ford has also been rumored to be working on a Mustang sedan as well.

The American muscle car wars are back on

With Chevy producing a new generation of V8s, the Camaros future is looking bright. - Credit: Chevrolet

Advertisement Advertisement

It was only a few months ago when rumors began popping up about a potential successor to the sixth-gen Camaro. However, they were only rumors.

Now, the latest development can put Camaro and pony car fans to rest about Chevrolet sitting out one of its biggest and historically significant rivalries.

Would a four-door Camaro be fitting for its return? - Credit: Chevrolet

The initial rumor came from GMs confirmation regarding the emergence of the Alpha 2 platform. Which, is the companys next-gen rear-wheel-drive modular architecture.

But were also relieved to hear the Camaro is making a comeback. The pony car wars wouldnt be complete without Chevys participation. Especially since its crosstown competitor, Ford, still has the Mustang. Meanwhile, Dodge just gave us a new Charger.

Advertisement Advertisement

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his). Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.
With 25 players remaining in the 2026 WSOP Europe Main Event, Day 5 inside Kings Casino at Hilton Prague is shaping up as a true battle of nations, with 17 countries still represented and a brand-new champion guaranteed to be crowned.

France and the United States lead the way numerically with three players each still in contention, while the United Kingdom, Finland, Switzerland, and Lithuania each have two runners remaining. The rest of the field spans Greece, Spain, Norway, Bulgaria, Germany, China, South Africa, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Japan, and Georgia, ensuring a truly global lineup chasing the 2 million top prize.

Hengtao Zhu

At the top of the counts, Finland holds the chip lead thanks to Hengtao Zhu, who returns with 16,395,000 chips after a dominant Day 4 performance. Close behind is the United Kingdoms Brandon Sheils with 15,935,000, continuing a red-hot 2026 that has already seen him claim major titles on both the live and online felt.

Lithuanias Rokas Asipauskas (12,100,000) also sits among the front-runners, while Japans Akihiro Konishi (9,490,000) and Greeces Vasileios Panagiotidis (9,275,000) round out the biggest stacks heading into the penultimate day.

Start of Day 5 Top 10 Chip Counts

Place Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Hengtao Zhu Finland 16,395,000 102 2 Brandon Sheils United Kingdom 15,935,000 100 3 Rokas Asipauskas Lithuania 12,100,000 76 4 Akihiro Konishi Japan 9,490,000 59 5 Vasileios Panagiotidis Greece 9,275,000 58 6 Peter Koevesdi Germany 8,085,000 51 7 Marius Kudzmanas Lithuania 6,595,000 41 8 Joona Nyholm Finland 6,405,000 40 9 Chris Hunichen United States 6,310,000 39 10 Steven Jones United States 5,980,000 37

New Champion to be Crowned

With Annette Obrestad eliminated on Day 4, the last remaining former champion is now out of the field, guaranteeing that a new name will be added to the prestigious list of WSOP Europe Main Event winners.

Annette Oberstad

Obrestad, who famously captured the inaugural title in 2007, was also the final woman standing before her run came to an end in 34th place.

Historically, the WSOPE Main Event has seen winners from a wide mix of countries, including Norway, Indonesia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Sweden, Austria, Italy, Germany, and the Czech Republic. However, several nations still represented in the final 25 are chasing a first-ever WSOPE Main Event victory.

France, Finland, Lithuania, Japan, China, South Africa, Georgia, Ukraine, Switzerland, and Bulgaria are all still searching for their first WSOPE Main Event winner

Josef Gulas Jr

There is also some local interest with just one Czech player remaining. Jan Tichacek carries the hopes of the home crowd and will be aiming to emulate Josef Gulas Jr, who kept the title on home soil when he won the event in 2021.

Remaining Payouts

All survivors have locked up at least 50,000, but the biggest money is now firmly in view.

Six-figure payouts begin at the final 11, while making the final nine guarantees at least 140,000. The stakes rise quickly from there, with the final five locking up 425,000 and a podium finish worth at least 800,000.

At the top awaits the 2,000,000 first-place prize, with life-changing money on the line as the race toward the final table heats up.

Place Prize 1 2,000,000 2 1,200,000 3 800,000 4 575,000 5 425,000 6 320,000 7 245,000 8 185,000 9 140,000 1011 100,000 1215 75,000 1623 60,000 2425 50,000

Cards will be back in the air at 12 p.m. local time, with play resuming on Level 29 at blinds of 80,000/160,000 with a 160,000 big blind ante.

The plan for Day 5 is to play six 90-minute levels, or until the final table is reached ahead of Fridays finale. A dinner break is scheduled after Level 32.

As always, stay tuned to PokerNews for full coverage from the 2026 WSOP Europe Main Event.
Bibov, Eychenne, Guimaraens, Hunichen, Konishi, Kudzmanas, Nyholm, Sheils, Zhu. In a couple of hours, one of these names will be added to the prestigious list of WSOPE Main Event champions and will become the first ever to be crowned at Kings Casino in Hilton Prague after successfully qualifying for the final table of the 2026 5,300 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event.

From a record-breaking field of 2,617 entries, with only 27 players returning for Day 5, just nine remain. This Friday, they will battle for the gold bracelet and the 2,000,000 top prize, the largest share of the 13,085,000 prize pool.

At the start of the day, all eyes were on chip leader Hengtao Zhu and his 16,000,000 stack. Would he maintain his lead? He did, and more than that, growing it to 36,300,000.

Im very happy and very grateful to be at the final table. Ive been very lucky." Zhu told PokerNews. "I picked up strong value hands, and I know there are a lot of players better than me, but I try not to put too much pressure on myself for tomorrow.

Among the fortunate hands he mentioned, he rivered a straight to eliminate Michael McNicholas (19th - 60,000) during the first levels, and later picked up ace-king against the ace-jack of Maksym Mamon (16th - 60,000) to score another elimination.

A runner-runner flush against Rokas Asipauskas eventually propelled the GG qualifier past the 30 million mark and secured him the chip lead.

`

2026 WSOP Europe Main Event final table

Seat Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Thomas Eychenne France 25,825,000 65 2 Joona Nyholm Finland 3,275,000 8 3 Chris Hunichen United States 19,300,000 48 4 Hengtao Zhu Finland 36,300,000 91 5 Nikolay Bibov Bulgaria 13,200,000 33 6 Antonio Guimaraens Spain 5,700,000 14 7 Akihiro Konishi Japan 14,400,000 36 8 Marius Kudzmanas Lithuania 18,050,000 45 9 Brandon Sheils United Kingdom 20,850,000 52

Hengtao Zhu

While it was expected to see Zhu maintain his stack, it came as more of a surprise to find Thomas Eychenne second in chips with 25,825,000. For most of the day, the 2025 EPT Barcelona champion was down to ten big blinds or fewer.

An unusual double-up with queen-four first kept him alive, followed by a heater that included aces, ace-seven prevailing over ace-king and king-ten besting ace-queen. He eliminated Rokas Asipauskas (11th - 100,000) and found ace-queen when Thomas Hall (10th - 100,000) had ace-jack to reach the final table. In other words, Eychenne was immortal on Day 5.

I ran so good! Eychenne admitted. Of course, Im very happy, but its funny because youre never really satisfied. Since EPT Barcelona, Ive only been losing, so its been tough to deal with. So when you run good like today and win all your all-ins, you almost feel like you dont deserve it, which makes it hard to really enjoy it.

Even though hell need "a top-three finish" to make up for the downswing, Eychenne is also grateful that its [his] turn again. With those words, he referred to his EPT title and his PSPC Main Event final table in 2023, while also thinking of his fellow Frenchmen Sonny Franco (22nd - 60,000) and Benjamin Chalot (18th - 60,000), who were both eliminated today.

I felt bad for Benjamin [Chalot], Eychenne said after hsi compatriot turned a straight but saw Brandon Sheils hit a full house on the river to eliminate him.

I dont really know the other players," Eychenne concluded. "Ill review some hand histories tonight to see if I can pick up anything, but otherwise its like online: Ive never been very good at exploits, Ive always just played my game. And thats what Im going to do tomorrow.

Thomas Eychenne

Behind Eychenne sits Chalots nemesis Brandon Sheils with 20,850,000. Second in chips at the start of the day, he said he was first "flying" but later allowed several short stacks to double through him. He doubled up himself with aces and even scored a double elimination to rebuild his stack.

I try to keep my emotions from getting too volatile. You dont want your feelings to affect how you play, so I try to stay balanced, he said before taking the final table photos.

But even with that calm demeanor, only one thing is on his mind: a WSOP bracelet. He came close last summer with a fifth-place finish in the WSOP $5,000 6-Max event and still considers the piece of WSOP hardware his ultimate goal.

That one last summer was actually annoying. Bracelets are the thing I want more than anything else in the world. Ive probably played more WSOP events over the last few years than anyone in this room. Its the ultimate token. The money would change my life for sure, but if you told me take twice the money and finish second, Id still choose first and the bracelet.

Brandon Sheils

Chris Hunichen (19,300,000) and Marius Kudzmanas (18,050,000) are the only two players who already have WSOP bracelets at home.

Kudzmanas has two, both won online, and he could add a third to his collection after a day where he cracked Yuhan Wang's kings with queens and sent Giovanni Zanette to the rail in 17th place for 60,000.

During the dinner break, Hunichen walked by the WSOPE Main Event bracelet. He stopped to take a closer look and wouldnt mind adding it next to his 2024 WSOP $100,000 High Roller bracelet, a memorable victory backed by one of the biggest rails of recent WSOP editions. He may not have as many supporters in Prague as he did in Las Vegas, but with 50 big blinds at the restart, he remains a strong contender for the title.

In a completely different style, Akihiro Konishi (14,400,000) and Nikolay Bibov (13,200,000) sit below the average stack as they chase what could be a life-changing win. Antonio Guimaraens (5,700,000) found himself in a similar position after spending most of the day short-stacked. He doubled up several times and bagged 5,700,000, good for 14 big blinds.

Finally, at the bottom of the chip counts is the second Finnish player at the table, Joona Nyholm. Pots played against Eychenne in particular hurt his stack, and he will return for the final day with just 3,275,000.

Christopher Brian Hunichen

The nine finalists will be back at the table this Friday, April 9, at noon local time to play for the title. At the restart, the blinds will remain at 200,000/400,000 with a 400,000 big blind ante for 56 minutes before moving to 90-minute levels.

They have all already locked up a minimum cash prize of 140,000, but only one of them will claim the 2,000,000 top prize and a bracelet. Who will it be? The answer will be revealed by watching the WSOP live stream and following PokerNews coverage.

Final Table Payouts

Place Prize 1 2,000,000 2 1,200,000 3 800,000 4 575,000 5 425,000 6 320,000 7 245,000 8 185,000 9 140,000

As always, stay tuned to PokerNews for full coverage from the 2026 WSOP Europe Main Event final day!
What do you call 2,540 Colorado drivers pulled over last year for camping in the fast lane? A good start!

Last year, Colorado State Troopers did the unthinkable (for us, anyway) and actually pulled over 2,540 drivers blocking the flow of traffic in the fast lane. Thats the leftmost lane or the passing lane.

Multi-lane roadways are designed to keep traffic flowing, but sometimes bottlenecks occur when motorists fail to adhere to Colorados left lane law, read a release from the Colorado State Patrol Department of Public Safety. Last year, Colorado State troopers pulled over 2,540 drivers traveling slower than the flow of traffic, often creating additional hazards for other motorists.

Advertisement Advertisement

The State Patrol didnt exactly say that speeding is okay, just that, essentially, blocking the lane when everyone else is going faster than you is not cool.

RJ Sangosti - Getty Images

For Colorado, multi-lane roads with a posted speed limit of 65 mph or greater designate the furthest left lane as the passing lane. Slower traffic must move into the right nonpassing lane after a driver has completed a pass or finished allowing a vehicle to enter the roadway.

They then needled the slower drivers just a bit.

Lane camping in the left lane is discouraged and often frustrates other motorists, sparking unsafe passing, tailgating, flashing lights, and other negative behaviors.

Advertisement Advertisement

This comes all the way from the top.

Even if you are driving the maximum legal speed limit, the left lane is not intended to be a permanent travel lane on roadways 65 mph or greater in Colorado, stated Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. Drivers are not legally allowed to obstruct traffic lanes in Colorado, so even if you dont like the speed of other drivers, interfering with traffic flow is also unsafe driving behavior.

The idea is not to encourage speeding but to promote public safety. You still cant speed in the Centennnial State. Enforcement of the no-camping law is just part of a continued effort to promote public safety.

Troopers are taking a low-tolerance approach to the top fatal crash factors, including lane violations and speeding, while launching a three-month campaign called Stop Speeding. This campaign wants every Colorado driver to break the myth that speeding is a victimless crime and encourages you to drive like a trooper is riding with you.

Heres hoping other states crack down on lane hogs too. How are things in your state? Let us know below.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced that it is supporting Dangote Group, as it seeks to expand its operations and grow its turnover to US$100 billion by 2030.

The groups leadership presented its long-term growth strategy Vision 2030: Supercharging Dangote Group for Long Term Success to the Afreximbank Board of Directors and its executive team on Tuesday.

The strategy outlines a twophase expansion programme spanning 20252028 and 20282030.

During the presentation, Dangote Group outlined plans to scale and optimise its existing platforms and expand capacity across all active sectors. Key initiatives include increasing the capacity of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery from 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.4 million bpd.

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

Additionally, the group intends to quadruple its Fertiliser production from 3 million tonnes per annum to 12 million tonnes per annum, a move that would position the Group as the worlds largest producer of urea fertiliser.

The expansion strategy encompasses rapid growth across other business lines, including cement, rice, and broader food production.

Beyond its current portfolio, the Group identified new investment opportunities in infrastructure  including ports and pipelines  as well as gas, mining (as a gateway for semiprocessed and valueadded mineral exports), data centres to support Africas digital transformation and enterprise resilience, and power, described as the engine of Africas industrial transformation.

To drive the growth over the five years, the Dangote Group predicts that it will require at least $40 billion in new investments to realise its continental ambitions.

Recognising the strategic value of the partnership with Afreximbank, Aliko Dangote, President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Limited said: Our partnership with Afreximbank is more than financial support; it is about a shared dream for the continent. When we set out to build a 650,000 barrel-per-day refinerythe largest of its kind in Africathe Bank believed in our vision when others were sceptical. Without their leadership and trust, the development of the African continent would not be where it is today. We are joined at the hip with the bank because we share the same mission: to drive local capacity, eliminate our dependence on imports, and ensure Africas industrial growth is led by Africans.

On his part, George Elombi, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, noted that the engagements demonstrated a strong convergence of purpose to free Africa from dependency and to ensure the continents resources are used to the benefit of its people. He expressed confidence that the collaboration would lead to a formidable bond of partnership to make large-scale investments that will accelerate the changes we desire, changes that have gained urgency amid increasing global fragmentation and protectionism.

Mr Elombi recalled that at the onset of COVID 19 pandemic in 2020, Africa struggled to secure even the basic protective materials due to limited production capacity, adding that even when financing was available, we could not access these essential items.

He further pledged the readiness of Afreximbank and its Board of Directors to support the realisation of Dangote Groups aspirations. This is the very purpose for which our institution was created. As is deeply rooted in our DNA, we do not only listenwe execute and convert aspiration into action.

The event also featured the signing of the agreement for US$2.5-billion facility underwritten by Afreximbank as part of a US$4-billion senior syndicated term loan in favour of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Polaris Bank have refuted claim that Polaris Bank is undergoing a liquidation process after failing to meet CBNs recapitalisation requirements.

The regulator and Polaris Bank debunked the claim in an X post, classifying the liquidation process as fake.

This came after an X user, @Femzydr1, posted on Tuesday that Polaris Bank failed to comply with CBNs recapitalisation requirements, and will be put under Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) for liquidation, with possible revoking of the bank license.

The post also claimed that the bank will be acquired by the founder of Eleganza Group of Companies, Razaq Okoya, to comply with the CBN requirement.

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

Polaris Bank is currently undergoing a liquidation process for not being able to comply with the Central Bank of Nigeria Recapitalization requirements, and the bank will be put under NDIC to be liquidated, the bank license might also be revoked soon.

But Billionaire Razaq Okoya has made a bid to purchase the Bank, and reinstate it, also to comply with the CBN requirement, this deal is said to be finalized the moment NDIC and Other shareholders agree with what Razaq Okoya is ready to offer, the post read.

While responding to the liquidation claim, the apex bank tagged the post fake, insisting that the Nigerian banking system is safe and secure.

This content is fake. Let the public be guided. The Nigerian Banking System is Safe and Secure, the CBN wrote.

In a similar vein, the Polaris Bank also raised a fake new alert on the post, saying, ignore this misinformation circulating online, referring to the liquidation post.

The bank added that, Please note that the information being circulated is inaccurate. Our services remain fully operational and customers can continue to transact as usual.

For verified updates, kindly rely on reliable media channels and our official communication channels, and avoid sharing unconfirmed information, the bank stated, responding to a concerned customer, Yunus Abdul.

Meanwhile, the CBN concluded its 24-month recapitalisation process on Nigerian banks on 31 March to expand the capital base of the banks.
Transcorp Hilton Abuja has debunked allegations that it canceled booking for a political rally, saying the information is entirely false.

The Abuja hotel debunked the claims in a statement signed by its Acting General Manager, Mohamed Khalil, on Thursday, insisting the cancellation claims, which circulated on social media, are far from the facts.

The allegations that the hotel canceled the African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Convention, scheduled for 14 April, was circulated by social media users. For instance, an X user, @SadiqMaunde, claimed that the hotel cancelled a booked venue of the ADC convention, saying, Lest we forget: Transcorp Hilton that cancelled ADCs convention venue is owned by Tony Elumelu. Let it be on record.

Responding to the allegations on Thursday, the hotel said the claims are inaccurate, malicious, and entirely fabricated, urging the public to disregard the rumors.

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

Our attention has been drawn to false and misleading information circulating on social media alleging that Transcorp Hilton Abuja cancelled a booking for a political rally.

We wish to categorically state that this claim is entirely false and does not reflect the facts, the statement read.

Transcorp Hilton explained that there was no booking made with the hotel at any point, noting that there was no available slot to accommodate the request when it was enquiried.

An inquiry was made on Easter Monday; but there was no availability to accommodate the request. Consequently, no booking was made at any point.

We therefore reaffirm that there was no cancellation, contrary to what is being purported.

The narrative currently being circulated is inaccurate, malicious, and entirely fabricated. We urge the public to disregard this false information, the hotel said.
Nigerian disc jockey and record producer Imohiosen Patrick, popularly known as DJ Neptune, has raised concerns over the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in music creation, warning that the technology could soon force music producers to retire.

Speaking during a recent conversation with media personality Nnamdi Nwabasili, also known as N6, the music star recounted a startling personal experience that showed the rapid advancement of AI tools in the industry.

According to DJ Neptune, he had been presented with a song for potential signing and was impressed by its production quality, describing it as out of this world.

However, his excitement turned to shock when he was informed that the track had been entirely generated using artificial intelligence.

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

After listening, I told the guy to sign the artiste because what I heard was exceptional. Then my guy told me it was AI work. It shook me.

His comments were in response to concerns expressed by N6 on the social media platform X, where the media personality warned of an impending disruption within the music ecosystem.

AI is quietly about to retire the entire music production and mastering industry. I have seen scary things tonight. God help all of us in this ecosystem, N6 wrote.

AI

The rapid evolution of AI-powered tools has significantly altered music production globally.

From beat-making and sound engineering to vocal replication and mastering, these technologies are increasingly accessible to both emerging and established artistes, lowering the barriers to entry in a traditionally skill-intensive field.

In recognition of these changes, the Recording Academy, organisers of the prestigious Grammy Awards, recently updated its eligibility criteria to accommodate AI-assisted works.

Under the revised rules, songs created with the aid of artificial intelligence can be considered for awards, provided they include meaningful human authorship.

Despite this institutional acceptance, the growing reliance on AI continues to generate debate among stakeholders in the music industry.

Excessive dependence on automated systems risks undermining artistic authenticity, originality, and intellectual ownership, core elements that have historically defined musical expression.
The last surviving child of the 48th Ooni of Ife, Alhaja (Princess) Rafatu Ademinure Awofisayo (nee Ademiluyi), has died at the age of 102.

Her passing, which occurred peacefully in early April 2026, was confirmed by family sources and has since drawn tributes from the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), Muslim organisations, and associates who described her as a symbol of faith, resilience and cultural preservation.

Princess Awofisayo was a daughter of Oba Ademiluyi Ajagun Lawarikan I, who reigned as Ooni of Ife from 1910 until 24 June 1930.

Born into the Otutu Royal Compound of the Lafogido Ruling House in Ile-Ife, she was the last surviving direct link to the monarch, whose reign remains a notable period in the history of the ancient town. Her death is widely regarded as the symbolic close of a generational bridge between contemporary Ife and its early 20th-century monarchy.

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

She began her education at the Salvation Army Elementary School in Ile-Ife and later attended Saint Pauls Anglican Church Elementary School in Aiyegbaju, Olopo, following her fathers death in 1930. Raised by her mother, Olori Elizabeth Odunlade Ige Ademiluyi, she developed a strong work ethic early in life, engaging in trading activities involving mats, kolanuts and palm oil.

In 1942, she married the late Alhaji Jimoh Elutide Awofisayo, a farmer and cocoa merchant from Ilode, Ile-Ife.

Over the years, she rose to prominence within the Muslim community in Ifeland, holding several titles, including Iya Adinni of Ifeland, her most prominent role.

Ooni of Ifes reaction

Reacting to her death, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, described her passing as the end of a remarkable era. In a statement issued on Wednesday, 8 April 2026, through the Palace Director of Media and Public Affairs, Moses Olafare, the monarch praised her for upholding her fathers legacy and for her contributions to cultural and religious harmony.

Mama was more than a royal figure; she was a spiritual beacon and a bridge between generations, whose life reflected divine grace and purpose, the Ooni said, urging the people of Ife to honour her memory through unity, service and faith.

Similarly, the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), led by its President, Rasaki Oladejo, and Executive Secretary, Wole Abbas, described her as a beacon of faith, resilience, and service.

The organisation commended her lifelong commitment to the propagation of Islam and her role in strengthening the Muslim community in Ile-Ife and beyond.

Princess Awofisayo is survived by six children as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family members.

Funeral rites are yet to be officially announced.
There is hardly any country on earth that could go to war with the United States of America and emerge untouched. Not Russia. Certainly not China. That Iran has managed not only to endure the weight of US and Israeli military pressure but also to remain standing as a consequential actor is itself one of the striking geopolitical triumphs of this moment.

That it could survive a country capable of invading a sovereign nation, abducting its president, and having him imprisoned within its own borders is a testimony for the century.

Iran has, of course, paid dearly in blood, infrastructure, and civilian suffering. But the losses have not been one-sided. The declared objective of the US-Israeli war was to degrade Irans nuclear programme, missile capability, and wider strategic influence.

Yet the conflict appears to be ending without the decisive outcome its architects sought, leaving Tehran with much of its leverage still intact. Iran is still central to the security of the Strait of Hormuz, with no clear indication that its missile capacity or uranium infrastructure had been comprehensively dismantled as claimed, and also with the prospect of eased sanctions.

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

Even more consequential is the political aftermath: the US and Israel confronted an Iran that contained citizens already disenchanted with their own government, only to leave it more unified by shared tragedy and, in many parts of the world, more sympathetically viewed by audiences long accustomed to Western depictions of Iran through the lens of threat and propaganda.

What this war means, if it ends today, is that Irans victory lies not in emerging unscarred, but in altering the terms on which the United States can deal with it hereafter. A paradigm shift in US-Iran relations now becomes possible because future negotiations are likely to be framed by a stubborn reality that Donald Trumps war has weakened the credibility of American military pressure as a negotiating tool.

Washington may continue to display its immense military might, and no doubt it will continue to threaten force when diplomacy stalls, but such threats no longer exert the same coercive authority. The option of war has now been tested, and it did not achieve the political finality its authors desired. That, in itself, is Irans victory from this war if it ends today. The next round of talks, including the negotiations now being prepared, will therefore have to proceed less on the fantasy of dictation and more on the hard grammar of mutual compromise.

And then there is the information war. Decades of Western narratives about Iran have collided with a digital culture far less obedient to old media gatekeepers. On social media, especially among younger audiences, geopolitical conflict is no longer consumed only through the language of policy papers and cable news. It is filtered through image, style, virality, irony, and spectacle.

In that sense, this war has also functioned as a public-relations windfall for Iran, transforming it, in some corners of global discourse, from a familiar villain in Western media into a symbol of defiance against a great power.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, has condemned the killing of health workers in Amhara region of Ethiopia.

In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus said three health workers from North Mecha district in North Gojjam Zone were fatally shot on 2 April.

Mr Ghebreyesus said two of the victims, including a nurse, worked at the Abiote Fana Primary Health Centre, while the third was employed at a private health facility.

He added that the killings occurred amid expanding conflict in Amhara involving Ethiopian government and regional forces.

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 called for the protection of health workers and an impartial investigation into the incident.

Call for protection, investigation

Reacting to the incident, Mr Ghebreyesus stressed the need to safeguard health personnel, especially in conflict settings.

Health workers must always be protected and enabled to perform their life-saving duties for anyone needing care, he said, adding that Health is #NotATarget.

In a related statement, he reiterated concerns over attacks on health professionals in the region and called for accountability.

He said the killings took place amid escalating conflict between the Ethiopian federal government and regional forces in the Amhara Region.

He emphasised that health professionals should be protected at all times and allowed to carry out their life-saving work for all those in need.

He also called for an impartial investigation into the incident.

Conflict in Amhara region

The killings occurred amid a protracted conflict in Ethiopias Amhara region, which has intensified since April 2023 following tensions between federal authorities and regional actors.

The crisis escalated after the Ethiopian government announced plans to integrate regional Special Forces into the national military structure, a move widely opposed by stakeholders in Amhara who viewed it as an attempt to weaken the regions security architecture.

Fighting subsequently broke out between federal troops and local militias, leading to widespread violence across parts of the region.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the unrest has been marked by arrests, casualties, and growing humanitarian concerns, with hundreds of people detained during security crackdowns linked to the violence.

Analyses also indicate that the conflict is rooted in deeper political tensions, including disputes over power-sharing, security control, and ethnic divisions within Ethiopias federal system.

Despite earlier peace efforts following the conflict in the Tigray region, fresh violence in Amhara has continued to threaten stability, with experts warning that a comprehensive political solution is needed to address the underlying issues.

Pattern of attacks on health workers

The incident reflects a broader pattern of attacks on health workers in conflict zones, which the WHO has repeatedly condemned.

PREMIUM TIMES has reported several incidents in which the health agency raised concerns over attacks on health workers and facilities across different regions.

They condemned the killing of paramedics in Lebanon during the ongoing regional conflict, warning that health workers are increasingly exposed to violence while providing emergency care.

They also documented multiple attacks on health facilities in Iran, verifying incidents that disrupted services and led to casualties among health personnel.

Beyond the Middle East, they have raised alarm over similar trends in countries such as Sudan, where thousands have been affected by attacks on health infrastructure, and in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where rising hostilities have led to repeated strikes on hospitals and increasing casualties.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has defended the disqualification of some candidates from its forthcoming elections, insisting that the process was conducted in line with its constitution and without bias.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, the associations National Publicity Secretary, Mannir Bature, said the decision was based on candidates failure to meet stipulated requirements.

The NMAs response follows allegations by one of the affected aspirants, Sodipo Oluwajimi, who claimed that six candidates were unlawfully disqualified despite meeting the constitutional requirements.

Mr Oluwajimi, a consultant family physician and former chairman of the Medical Guild in Lagos, said the affected aspirants had submitted duly signed nomination forms with valid proposers and seconders, alongside evidence of prior membership of the associations National Executive Council (NEC).

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 warned that the development could trigger a crisis within the association if not reversed, particularly with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) less than three weeks away.

The six aspirants allegedly affected are seeking various national offices within the association. They include Enang Egbe, who is contesting for the position of president; Muhammad Isah, first vice president; Omokhua Harrison, secretary; Elijah Gargah, deputy secretary; and Muhammadu Abubakar, treasurer, while Mr Oluwajimi is seeking the position of publicity secretary.

Reason behind the decision

Responding to enquiries from PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Bature said the NMAs election process is strictly guided by its constitution and clearly defined guidelines given to all candidates, explicit and clear.

He added that the vetting process was conducted openly and that only candidates with complete documentation were considered.

The vetting of candidates applications was conducted openly, and those with incomplete application documents could not be processed for further screening, he said.

Speaking on whether the affected candidates met the constitutional requirements, Mr Bature noted that they did not.

Absolutely. The application of the disqualified candidate did not meet the constitutional requirements, he said.

Mr Bature also dismissed allegations that the process was unlawful or biased.

There is no evidence to substantiate the allegations of bias, and all the processes so far are within the confines of the Constitution, he added.

He noted that the association would follow due process to review its decision, noting that all petitions will be treated in accordance with the Constitution and based on merit.

Previous case

The latest development comes amid growing controversy surrounding the NMAs electoral process in recent weeks.

In March, concerns were raised about Mr Egbe, who is also a professor at the University of Calabar, about his disqualification from the race.

Critics described the move as unconstitutional and a threat to due process, raising questions about transparency and the rule of law within the NMA.

According to reports, Mr Egbe, was not informed of any deficiencies in his nomination, nor was he given the opportunity for clarification or a fair hearing. He had fulfilled all constitutional requirements, including obtaining the necessary endorsements and submitting his forms within the designated timeline, yet he was still disqualified.

About NMA

NMA is the umbrella body for medical doctors in Nigeria.

Established in 1960, the association is tasked with promoting the welfare of its members and advancing the standard of healthcare delivery in the country.

It also plays a key role in medical advocacy, professional regulation support, and engagement with government on health policies.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised concern over the rising Lassa fever fatality rate, warning that more people are dying from the disease even as the number of new infections declines.

In its Week 13 epidemiological report covering 23 to 29 March 2026, the agency said confirmed cases dropped significantly to 26 from 51 recorded in the previous week.

However, the death toll has climbed to 167, pushing the case fatality rate (CFR) to 25.2 per cent, well above the 18.5 per cent reported during the same period in 2025.

The new infections were recorded across seven states, including Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Ebonyi, Benue and Kaduna.

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

Overall, 22 states have reported at least one confirmed case across 93 local government areas this year.

Young adults aged 21 to 30 remain the most affected demographic group.

The NCDC also reported that no new infections among healthcare workers were recorded during the week under review.

Response efforts intensify

In response to the outbreak, the NCDC and its partners have scaled up interventions across affected states.

The agency said it has developed a 30-day Healthcare Worker Protection Plan with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC).

A high-level advocacy visit was conducted in Benue State alongside partners, including WHO, UNICEF, and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), and a joint advisory was issued to medical doctors and other healthcare workers to strengthen case management and infection control.

The agency also piloted a targeted Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) ring strategy in Benue State and supported active case search and contact tracing in high-burden areas.

Other interventions include the deployment of National Rapid Response Teams to seven high-burden states, prepositioning and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the activation of Incident Management Systems in several states, including Kebbi, Kano, Gombe, Benue and Plateau.

Laboratory testing across the national network has been intensified to ensure prompt diagnosis, while treatment of confirmed cases continues at designated centres nationwide.

In addition, public health campaigns and behavioural change initiatives have been expanded, including the rollout of social and behavioural communication materials and community engagement programmes.

Challenges persist

The NCDC identified several challenges hampering response efforts, including late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour driven by the high cost of treatment, and low awareness levels in affected communities.

Poor environmental sanitation in high-burden areas was also highlighted as a key factor contributing to the spread of the disease.

The agency further noted concerns about infections among healthcare workers, although no new cases were recorded during the reporting week.

Recommendations

To address the outbreak, the NCDC urged state governments to intensify year-round community engagement and prevention campaigns.

Healthcare workers were advised to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever, ensure timely referral of suspected cases, and adhere strictly to infection prevention and control protocols.

The agency also called on itself and its partners to strengthen state-level capacity for early detection and rapid response to outbreaks.

Lassa fever

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which is transmitted to humans primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected rats.

It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids.

The disease often begins with fever, weakness, and headache, and may progress to more severe symptoms such as bleeding, difficulty breathing, swelling, and organ failure.

Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with Ribavirin are critical for improving survival.
Five months after the US designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern following false claims of Christian persecution, America has now asked its citizens not to travel to the West African country. The US has also asked its non-essential workers to leave Nigeria.

In a post shared on X on Wednesday, the US Department of State cited the rising insecurity in parts of Nigeria as the reason for its latest decision, although US officials have in the past seven months made repeated false claims about Nigeria that reflect the Donald Trump administrations hostile disposition to the current Nigerian leadership.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Nigeria faces several security crises with various armed groups operating in different parts of the country. Armed groups, including terrorists, have carried out attacks in several states, including Katsina, Sokoto, Borno, Plateau and Benue, killing thousands of people annually and displacing many more.

The Nigerian government and many of its international partners have admitted the security failings and called for more government action to stem the violence. However, the US has repeatedly framed the violence as targeting Christians and used that as a basis of its hostile attitude to the government, amidst concerns that it seeks to coerce the Nigerian government into accepting a US military base in Nigeria.

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 Wednesday, the US government asked its non-essential workers in Nigeria to leave the country due to worsening security conditions.

In its updated travel advisory, the US Department of State listed armed robbery, kidnapping, assault, and roadside banditry as violent crimes that are common across the country.

The State Department described Nigeria as unsafe.

It also declared that it authorised non-emergency US government employees and US government employee family members to leave the US Embassy Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation.

The US also urged American citizens to reconsider travelling to Nigeria due to threats posed by crime, terrorism, kidnapping and civil unrest.

The advisory noted that security risks remain high in several areas, including incidents of kidnapping for ransom and attacks by armed groups that can escalate without warning.

The US government noted that conditions vary significantly across states, with some areas facing higher risks than others.

It listed the states with higher risk as Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Kogi, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina.

Others, it said, are Sokoto, Zamfara, Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers.

Do not travel to these areas for any reason. The security situation in these states is unstable and uncertain. This is because of widespread terrorist activity, violence between communities, and kidnapping. Security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning, the statement read.

The advisory further indicated that the US governments ability to provide emergency services to its citizens in some areas of Nigeria is limited, particularly in regions affected by heightened insecurity.

As of the time of this report, the Nigerian government has yet to respond to the US advisory.

Perhaps the most controversial part of the US advisory is its warning to Americans not to trust the Nigerian healthcare system.

Nigerian medical facilities are generally not equipped to US or European standards, the State Department said.

Many medicines are not available. This includes common diabetes or asthma medications. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are a common problem. Bring enough over-the-counter and prescription medicines to last your entire stay in Nigeria.

Hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Most hospitals and doctors do not accept US health insurance.

Although Nigeria faces inadequate health infrastructure, which has led many medical experts to leave the country, this is not a new phenomenon, as the US government suggests.

The government has also increased its investment in healthcare in recent years and improved infrastructure in hundreds of primary healthcare centres and many other secondary and tertiary hospitals.

Thousands of private hospitals also operate in the country, at various standards, with some boasting modern healthcare equipment and conducting complex surgeries.

There is also a new wave of Nigerian medical experts returning from developed countries, such as the US, to set up private facilities in Nigeria. Many Nigerians abroad, as well as non-Nigerians, are also travelling to Nigeria to seek cheaper and more easily accessible healthcare than they would find in some Western countries, especially the US and the UK.

This newspaper also reported that while the White House and some American lawmakers continued to spread false claims about Nigeria, the US embassy, the FBI and other American institutions praised cooperation between the two countries in business, law enforcement, and other areas.

In January, the US embassy issued a statement thanking Nigeria for its cooperation with the US in setting up a Working Group that was established in response to the designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern by President Trump. The objectives of the Working Group are to reduce violence against vulnerable groups in Nigeria.

The National Security Advisor, Nuhu Ribadu, led the Nigerian delegation comprising 10 Ministries and agencies, and Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker headed the US delegation of eight federal agencies.

Also, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced the delivery of military supplies to its Nigerian partners in Abuja.

US forces delivered critical military supplies to our Nigerian partners in Abuja, it posted, adding the delivery supports Nigerias ongoing operations and emphasises our shared security partnership.

PREMIUM TIMES also reported that the US sent about 200 troops to assist Nigerian troops in the fight against terrorism.

The Nigerian military said at the time that the US troops would not be involved in direct combat but would provide support through training and intelligence.

It is unclear if the partnership is still in place or why the United States issued the latest advisory, but the Nigerian government had also said that its decision not to admit American deportees could be one of the reasons for Washingtons hostility towards Abuja.

In rejecting the US deportees, Nigerias former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, said in an interview: Our country has enough of its own challenges. We have no interest in becoming a dumping ground for unwanted migrants.

In what appeared to be a response to Nigerias stance, the US imposed visa restrictions on Nigerian citizens, first limiting them to three-month, single-entry visas each time they apply to visit America, and later suspending B1, B2, B1/B2, F, M, and J visas.

In January, the US also suspended immigrant visa processing for Nigeria and 74 other countries seeking to travel to the US.

Aside from rejecting US deportees, Nigeria also rebuffed a US overture in 2024 to establish a military base on its territory, after Washington withdrew its troops from the French base in Chad following Frances ejection from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad. Analysts said regaining a strategic hub for US special operations in West Africa, with Nigeria as an ideal location, remains an objective for Mr Trump.

Worried about the negative effect of a hostile US government, the Nigerian government in January hired an American lobbying firm to help push its narrative to US officials.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Nigerian government hired the American firm, DCI Group AZ, LLC, for $750,000 per month over six months to defend its international reputation in Washington, spending a total of $4.5 million.

Under the agreement, DCI Group is mandated to brief the United States government on Nigerias efforts to protect both Christians and Muslims, while also sustaining American support for Nigerias campaign against terrorist groups operating in West Africa.
WASHINGTON, D.C.  While neither country commands broad support, China surpassed the United States in global approval ratings in 2025, with a median of 36% approving of Chinas leadership, compared with 31% for the U.S. Chinas five-percentage-point advantage over the U.S. is the widest Gallup has recorded in Chinas favor in nearly 20 years.

The recent shift reflects a decline in U.S. ratings alongside an increase for China. Median approval of U.S. leadership fell from 39% in 2024 to 31% in 2025, returning to earlier lows, while Chinas approval rose from 32% to 36%.

At the same time, disapproval of U.S. leadership rose to a record-high 48%, while Chinas disapproval rating remained flat at 37%.

For the past two decades, Gallup has asked residents of every country polled as part of its annual World Poll to rate the leadership of the four leading economic or military powers  the U.S., China, Russia and Germany.

The latest results are based on Gallup surveys conducted in 2025 in more than 130 countries; they notably predate several major developments in early 2026, including the U.S. withdrawal from 66 international organizations in January and the outbreak of war with Iran in late February.

Approval of U.S. leadership has varied considerably across presidential administrations, from George W. Bushs second to Donald Trumps second. It has ranged from a low of 30% in the first and last years of Trumps first term to a high of 49% in 2009, under President Barack Obama.

While low, Chinas ratings have changed little by comparison, with President Xi Jinping leading that country continuously since 2013. In 2025, approval of China rose to a median of 36%, which is higher than its typical level in the low 30s over much of the past two decades.

Before the most recent survey, China had led the U.S. in leadership approval twice: once during the Bush administration and once during the first Trump administration.

U.S. Ratings Fall Sharply Across Countries

Approval of U.S. leadership declined by 10 points or more in 44 countries between 2024 and 2025, while it increased by a similar amount in only seven. The declines were concentrated among U.S. allies, including many NATO partners.

Germany led the world in declines; its approval of U.S. leadership fell by 39 points, followed closely by Portugal (down 38 points). Several other long-standing U.S. partners  including Canada, the United Kingdom and Italy  also showed substantial decreases.

U.S. standing improved by more than 10 points among Israelis, marking an exception among U.S. allies. Approval of U.S. leadership in Israel, which surged after the October 2023 Hamas attack and then fell sharply in 2024, rebounded to 76% in 2025 after Trumps return to the White House  a 13-point increase, among the highest levels globally.

These patterns echo the distribution of declines seen at the start of Trumps first term, when approval dropped most sharply among U.S. allies. The current shift is widespread, with large declines spanning many countries and regions.

Overall, Chinas move ahead of the U.S. more broadly reflects a decline in U.S. ratings rather than an increase in Chinas ratings. Approval of Chinas leadership increased by double digits over the past year in 23 countries (versus 44 showing a similar decrease for the U.S.). However, many of Chinas increases occurred in countries where U.S. approval fell, including allies such as the U.K., Spain, Italy and Ireland.

Germany, China Earn Higher Approval Than U.S.

Notably, none of the four major powers rated as part of the World Poll earns majority approval across the world today, although Germany achieved it once, in 2020 under Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Germany  which has ranked as the most positively viewed major power for nine consecutive years in Gallups trend, spanning the chancellorships of Merkel, Olaf Scholz and Friedrich Merz  receives the highest approval in 2025, at 48%. It is followed by China at 36%, the United States at 31% and Russia at 26%.

China Leads U.S. in Net Approval, Though Both Are Negative

Looking at net approval  the percentage who approve minus those who disapprove  provides a more complete view of global sentiment toward the U.S. and China.

2025 was only the second year on record in which both Washington and Beijing registered negative net approval ratings worldwide. China's median net approval of 1 was barely negative, while the median net approval of 15 for the U.S. was its lowest on record, marginally below the 13 measured in 2020.

Net approval of China fell gradually for several years after 2008, but first turned negative in 2020 and has remained negative since. By contrast, net approval of the United States has fluctuated more in line with changes in political leadership.

In 2025, as both approval and disapproval shifted for the U.S. and China, the percentage expressing no opinion reached some of the lowest levels seen in the past two decades. This suggests that global views of both powers are becoming more defined, with more people forming clear opinions in both positive and negative directions.

More Countries Lean Toward China Than the U.S.

Comparing net approval at the country level reveals which ones lean toward one power over the other in terms of public opinion. The countries and territories most aligned with the U.S.  those that have strong net approval of the U.S. that roughly mirrors their net disapproval of China  span several regions, and include Kosovo, Israel, Poland, Albania and the Philippines.

On the other side, Russia, Pakistan, Tunisia, Singapore and Hong Kong show the strongest relative alignment with China, though notably, their preferences reflect deep negativity toward the U.S. more than strong enthusiasm for China.

Grouping countries by their relative net approval figures offers a clearer picture of alignment strength. Countries with a gap above 50 points in either direction are classified as strongly aligned; gaps of 30-49 points indicate aligned; 10-29 points, weakly aligned; and 0-9 points, contested.

Despite China's overall lead in net approval, most countries do not have a strong preference for one power over the other. Last year, 8% of countries were strongly aligned with China, compared with 5% strongly aligned with the United States. Alongside the 30% of countries with no clear alignment, another 40% are only weakly aligned to either power: 32% to China and 8% to the U.S.

Nearly Half of All Countries Hold a Negative View of Both Powers

China leads the U.S. on three leadership approval statistics: global median approval (36% vs. 31%), net approval (1 vs. 15), and relative net approval (54% of countries aligned vs. 16%). Yet Beijings advantage over Washington tells only part of the story.

Nearly half of all countries surveyed last year (45%) delivered negative net approval ratings to both powers, meaning more people disapproved than approved of each. Fewer than one in three countries (29%) gave positive net approval ratings to both. Aside from 2020, when fewer countries were surveyed because of the pandemic, this is the most negative the world has been toward both powers in two decades.

Bottom Line

The shifting perceptions of U.S. leadership over the past two decades reflect a world that has moved toward a more multipolar order. Many countries, particularly U.S. allies, may be open to balancing relationships across major powers than aligning clearly with one.

For policymakers in some allied countries, this may make alignment with the U.S. more politically sensitive, even as engagement with China appears somewhat more acceptable. For businesses and investors, it signals a less predictable environment, where public sentiment may shape market access, regulation and partnerships.

Stay up to date with the latest insights by following @Gallup on X and on Instagram.

For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works.
Nigerias Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) recorded a decline in revenue recovery performance in January 2026, despite stricter loss reduction targets introduced by the regulator.

In the January factsheet published on Wednesday by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the data indicated that the average revenue recovery efficiency across the DisCos dropped to 69.16 per cent in January 2026, down from 72.31 per cent in 2025, reflecting a 3.15 percentage point decline.

The decline occurred even as the regulator reduced the Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) loss targets for 2026, expecting improved performance following investments made by the companies in 2025.

Lower targets, weaker performance

According to the data, the average ATC&C loss target was reduced from 20.54 per cent in 2025 to 16.92 per cent in January 2026, a decrease of 3.62 percentage points.

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

However, instead of improved outcomes, DisCos posted weaker revenue collection than allowed under the tariff structure.

The commission attributed the decline in January performance to the enforcement of the newly approved loss benchmarks.

A review of the published data reveals that, while the average allowed tariff stood at 124.30/kWh, DisCos realised only 85.97/kWh in actual collections, indicating a significant gap between expected and realised revenues.

Across individual operators, Eko DisCo recorded the highest recovery efficiency at 87.92 per cent, though still below its 2025 performance. Ikeja DisCo followed with 81.64 per cent, while Abuja DisCo posted 75.02 per cent, also declining year-on-year.

At the lower end, Kaduna DisCo recorded 36.29 per cent, one of the weakest performances. Jos DisCo followed at 43.54 per cent. Yola DisCo saw a sharp drop to 55.42 per cent, representing the largest negative variance (14.85 percentage points).

Billing and collection gaps persist

Further breakdown shows systemic inefficiencies across the value chain. The NERC noted that billing efficiency stood at 79.72 per cent, indicating that about one-fifth of energy received was not billed.

Collection efficiency was 76.34 per cent, meaning a significant portion of billed revenue remained uncollected.

In monetary terms, the data shows that DisCos received electricity worth 336.43 billion, billed 268.20 billion, and collected only 204.74 billion.

This translates to a substantial revenue shortfall, worsening liquidity challenges in the sector.

On Sunday, President Bola Tinubu approved a N3.3 trillion payment plan to settle outstanding debts in Nigerias electricity sector under the Presidential Power Sector Financial Reforms Programme.

According to the presidency, the decision followed a final review of legacy debts that have plagued the power sector for over a decade.

The government said the liabilities accumulated between February 2015 and March 2025, adding that after verification, 3.3 trillion was agreed as a full and final settlement.

The intervention comes amid persistent electricity shortages across Nigeria, forcing households and businesses to rely heavily on petrol and diesel generators and solar alternatives. Similarly, electricity grids have collapsed multiple times this year, leaving millions across the country in the dark.

The power supply challenge has significantly increased operating costs for businesses, many of which pass the additional burden on to consumers through higher prices of goods and services.

While these challenges persist, the inability of electricity distribution providers to effectively collect electricity bills across many parts of the country has also compounded the problem. Inefficient metering, bypassing by many households, and inadequate electricity supply have consistently led power-generating companies and Discos to record losses.

Implications for the power sector

The data underscores persistent structural issues in Nigerias power distribution segment, including energy losses, weak metering, and poor revenue collection.

Despite regulatory efforts to tighten performance benchmarks, the latest figures suggest that DisCos are yet to translate investments and reforms into measurable efficiency gains.

Experts have also argued that sustained underperformance could continue to strain the entire electricity value chain, affecting generation, transmission, and ultimately power supply to consumers.

The regulator is expected to intensify oversight and enforce compliance as part of ongoing reforms aimed at improving the financial viability of the sector.
A Ghana-led resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement the gravest crime against humanity was adopted at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on 25 March. Most countries (122) voted in favour, while 52, including all 27 European Union (EU) states, abstained. Argentina, Israel and the United States (US) voted against.

The resolution requires member states, individually and collectively, to engage in inclusive, good-faith dialogue on reparatory justice, including formal apologies, financial compensation and restitution.

It is a win for Africans and people of African descent worldwide, but it is non-binding and has no enforcement mechanism. The UNs 2001 Durban Declaration against racism and related intolerance  also non-binding  has seen no measurable outcome.

The declaration acknowledges that slavery and the slave trade are crimes against humanity that require remedy. In contrast, the new resolution focuses on transatlantic slavery, which is described as the gravest of crimes against humanity, and explicitly calls for reparations.

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 US opposition to the resolution and abstentions by most European countries, the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand underscore the stark divergences on historical accountability.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubios recent call for Europe to take pride in its heritage was widely criticised for appearing to valorise colonialism as a foundation of Western civilisation. His comments came amid US criticism of Europes migration policies and the UKs ceding of sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in line with legal rulings and 2019 UN General Assembly resolutions.

Meanwhile, in Addis Ababa, the 14-15 February AU summit adopted a declaration recognising slavery, deportation and [colonisation] as crimes against humanity and genocide against the peoples of Africa. This crystallises Africas long-held views on the impact of slavery, colonialism and continued imperialism as detailed during the first Pan-African conference on reparations in 1993.

Africas reparation agenda reached its crescendo with the AUs 2025 theme, Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations, including the AUs declaration of 2026-2035 as a decade of reparations.

The February AU summit decision called for an African-based Global Reparations Fund to support indigenous peoples development, education, restitution, cultural institutions and activities aimed at addressing systemic racism. Contributors should include beneficiaries of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism, including states, institutions and the private sector.

The proposed fund would be managed by the AU and Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM), which plays a key role in setting the pace for reparations for people of African descent. A CARICOM Reparations Commission was established in 2013 with a 10-point plan for reparatory justice.

AU champion for reparations, Ghanaian President John Mahama, said the UN resolution was a pathway to healing and reparative justice. During the debates, the US, UK and EU recognised slaverys ills, but argued against hierarchies among crimes against humanity and the retroactive application of international rules. The US said the resolution was a cynical usage of historical wrongs as a leverage point.

Indeed, concerns over describing the transatlantic trade as the gravest crime against humanity are justified, given the heinous nature of genocide and the trans-Saharan slave trade, in which African actors were culpable.

However, the 25 March vote recognises the debilitating impact of transatlantic slavery, which forcibly displaced millions of Africans. It created a global diaspora through a brutal system of slavery and colonialism that reshaped the demographic, economic and social fabric of the modern world.

Its impact continues to manifest in systemic racism, neo-colonialism and predatory economic partnerships, such as the CFA franc currency system controlled by France and used by 14 Central and West African countries.

Western opposition indicates that requests for reparations will be met by pushbacks or tokenism, which might lead to re-victimisation. Affected countries and populations must be proactive. The results of persistent advocacy and judicial processes leading to the UKs Chagos decision and the return of artefacts to African countries show that sustained and constructive engagement is critical.

Driven by decades of activism, Belgium in 2020 and 2022 expressed regret for colonial atrocities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Germany apologised in 2021 for the 1904-1908 Namibia genocide and pledged funds as a reconciliation gesture.

Key multilateral efforts include the proposed Global Reparations Fund, UN Security Council reform, restructuring of international financial systems to reflect African interests, and activism to cancel unfair debts.

However, African countries often agree on collective measures at the multilateral level but succumb to external sway at the national level. For example, many welcome foreign military bases in their territory despite several AU Peace and Security Council decisions against this. So decisive efforts are needed by governments, especially to address injustices in current and future resource agreements with external powers and multinational corporations.

Tanzania approved new laws in 2017, enabling it to renegotiate mining deals to secure greater revenue shares from its natural resources. And the DRCs renegotiation of its 2008 deal with Chinese firms requires China to increase infrastructure investment from $3 billion to $7 billion. The Economic Community of West African States and the Alliance of Sahel States are separately seeking to introduce new currencies to replace the French-controlled CFA franc.

Despite Africas vast potential, years of providing cheap raw resources to industrialised nations have sustained poverty and underdevelopment. African countries must push for trading structures that foster industrialisation in the medium to long term to improve the economic value of resources.

And countries seeking systemic reparations must grow in domestic accountability, addressing their own corruption and resource mismanagement.

African countries and the AU must double down on dialogue and, where necessary, conciliatory measures to secure the return of cultural properties and artefacts. The 2025 Addis Ababa Declaration on Reparations calls for a robust monitoring system that maintains pressure where reparation efforts stall at the local, national, continental and global levels.

Lasting reparations depend on addressing internalised racism and the deep-seated inferiority complex engendered by slavery and colonialism.

The AU, Caribbean countries and diaspora communities globally must emphasise to international partners that the demand for restitution is not adversarial. Rather, it is a deliberate effort to achieve mutual redress and reconciliation.

Ndubuisi Christian Ani, Senior Researcher and Project Lead, African Peace and Security Governance, Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Addis Ababa

(This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish.)
The Nigerian government has described as unbalanced a US advisory authorising the departure of non-essential personnel and urging Americans not to travel to the West African country.

Rabiu Ibrahim, a spokesperson to Nigerias Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, urged Nigerias partners to ensure balanced and up-to-date reporting that reflects the progress being made to secure Nigeria.

We encourage our international partners to continuously engage with Nigerian authorities to obtain a more comprehensive and current understanding of the situation on the ground, Mr Ibrahim wrote in a statement posted on X on Thursday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the US advisory which continues a tradition of hostile remarks by American officials about the current Nigerian government.

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

Citing insecurity in many parts of Nigeria, the US State Department urged Americans to avoid travels to Nigeria. It also asked non-essential American embassy officials to leave the country.

The US government noted that conditions vary significantly across states, with some areas facing higher security risks than others.

It listed the states with higher risk as Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Kogi, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina.

Others, it said, are Sokoto, Zamfara, Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers.

Do not travel to these areas for any reason. The security situation in these states is unstable and uncertain. This is because of widespread terrorist activity, violence between communities, and kidnapping. Security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning, the statement read.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Nigeria faces several security crises with various armed groups operating in different parts of the country. Armed groups, including terrorists, have carried out attacks in several states, including Katsina, Sokoto, Borno, Plateau and Benue, killing thousands of people annually and displacing many more.

The Nigerian government and many of its international partners have admitted the security failings and called for more government action to stem the violence. However, the US has repeatedly framed the violence as targeting Christians and used that as a basis of its hostile attitude to the government, amidst concerns that it seeks to coerce the Nigerian government into accepting a US military base in Nigeria.

In its response to the latest US advisory, the Nigerian government said it is taking steps to address the security challenges.

The government also highlights ongoing, measurable gains in security operations across multiple regions, driven by coordinated military efforts, intelligence-led interventions, and strengthened inter-agency collaboration. These efforts continue to reduce threats in affected areas while sustaining stability in the majority of the country, Mr Ibrahim wrote.

Read the full response by the Nigerian government below.

Nigeria Records Continued Security Gains, Reaffirms Stability Amid U.S. Advisory  FG

The Federal Government notes the recent U.S. advisory authorising the departure of non-emergency personnel from its embassy in Abuja, describing it as a precautionary measure based on internal protocols. It reassures Nigerians and international partners that public institutions remain fully operational, with no disruption to governance, economic activity, or daily life.

The government also highlights ongoing, measurable gains in security operations across multiple regions, driven by coordinated military efforts, intelligence-led interventions, and strengthened inter-agency collaboration. These efforts continue to reduce threats in affected areas while sustaining stability in the majority of the country.

The Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the U.S. decision as a routine precaution guided by internal protocols, noting that it does not reflect the overall security situation across Nigeria. While we acknowledge isolated security challenges in some areas, there is no general breakdown of law and order, and the vast majority of the country remains stable, he said.

He added that sustained security operations, combining military action, intelligence-led interventions, and closer inter-agency coordination, are producing tangible gains. Recent efforts in several affected regions have disrupted criminal networks, limited the activities of armed groups, and improved safety in vulnerable communities.

Our security agencies remain actively engaged in protecting lives and property, and the results of these efforts are increasingly evident, Idris said.

The Minister also noted that Nigeria remains open for business, travel, and investment, with ongoing economic reforms strengthening investor confidence and improving the countrys global standing. He stressed that international partners and investors continue to engage actively with Nigeria, reflecting confidence in the countrys stability and long-term prospects.

While acknowledging that every country has the right to issue travel advisories based on its own assessment, the Federal Government urged balanced and up-to-date reporting that reflects the progress being made. We encourage our international partners to continuously engage with Nigerian authorities to obtain a more comprehensive and current understanding of the situation on the ground, he added.

The Federal Government reiterates its commitment to sustaining security improvements, protecting citizens and visitors, and assures the international community that Nigeria remains a safe and welcoming destination for all.

Rabiu Ibrahim, mnipr

Special Assistant (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation.

Thursday, April 9, 2026
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has initiated steps to recover a controversial property linked the late former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jeremiah Useni.

The Acting Director, Proceeds of Crime Recovery and Management, Fatima Ahmed-Kere, said this in a statement issued on behalf of the CCB Chairman, Abdullahi Bello.

Ms Ahmed-Kere said it is the first-ever international asset forfeiture involving a high-value property in the United Kingdom.

She described the feat as a major anti-corruption milestone.

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 bureau said the property, located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, Neasden, London NW2 7SX, belonged to the estate of the late Mr Useni.

The property gained public attention last year after a reported scandalous, failed effort by senior lawyer Mike Ozekhome to claim it.

Mr Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, now faces charges in Nigeria over allegations of presenting forged documents, including a Nigerian passport with the name of a fictitious personality, before a London tribunal to secure a transfer of ownership of the property to himself.

In November last year, CCB obtained an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja to freeze the property on the basis that it was shadily acquired in 1993 by Mr Useni, a retired general, who passed away in France in January 2025.

The bureau said the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, has now ordered the final forfeiture of the property to the federal government.

The bureau described the courts judgment as a historic breakthrough that marks a new era in the nations asset recovery framework.

According to CCB, the judgement, which followed forfeiture proceedings it instituted, reinforces the principle that public accountability transcends national boundaries.

Planned London recovery process

The bureau said it had initiated steps to ensure the physical recovery of the asset and the repatriation of its proceeds.

CCB has formally requested the Attorney-General of the Federation to activate Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) mechanisms between Nigeria and the UK.

The MLA activation is intended to secure the recognition and enforcement of the Nigerian court order within the UK and vest the property in the appropriate authority.

The process will also facilitate the lawful disposal of the asset and ensure the repatriation of proceeds to Nigeria, in line with international recovery frameworks.

The successful forfeiture sends a clear and compelling message that assets acquired through the breach of public trust are no longer safe, even when concealed overseas, CCB stated.

The Bureau attributed the landmark achievement to its renewed strategic focus on intelligence-led enforcement and global cooperation.

This landmark case signals a new phase in the bureaus asset recovery structure in which accountability follows illicit wealth across jurisdictions, the CCB stated.

Reaffirming its mandate, the bureau pledged to remain resolute in enforcing asset declaration laws and preventing the abuse of public office.

No one came forward

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Federal High Court in Abuja initially issued an order of interim forfeiture for the property in November last year.

In her ruling, the judge, Binta Nyako, directed the publication of the interim order in a newspaper to invite whoever was interested in the property to come forward to prove legitimate acquisition.

But weeks after the 14-day period lapsed, the CCB reported to the judge in January that no person or entity has come forward to claim the property or establish any legitimate interest.

CCB stated this in an application filed on 22 December 2025 through its lawyer, Sufyan Ahmad, to seek the final forfeiture of the property.

Mr Ahmed argued that the property sought to be forfeited was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity under Sections 17 and Section 19 of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act (POCA), 2022.

The lawyer relied on the affidavit filed in support of the motion, sworn by Raji Rasaq, a CCB investigator.

The forfeiture proceedings, initiated in November 2025 by the CCB via an ex parte application for the freezing of the property, listed the administrators of the estate of the late Mr Useni, a retired general, the executors of his estate, and the property at No. 79, Randall Avenue, Neasden, London NW2 7SX, as respondents.

The affidavit recalled that the court earlier granted an interim order for the preservation of the property on 28 November 2025 and directed that the order be published, allowing any person or authority, whether corporate or otherwise, to indicate interest and file the necessary process to show why the property should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.

He, however, submitted that no person or authority had indicated interest or filed any process contesting the forfeiture.

Why CCB sought permanent forfeiture

The CCB explained its reason for seeking the final forfeiture in an affidavit it filed in support of its application before the Federal High Court.

CCB investigator Raji Rasaq, said since the publication of the interim forfeiture order issued by the court in November 2025, no person or entity has come forward to show cause or establish any legitimate interest in the property.

He further said that the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) of the United Kingdom, in suit REF/2023/0155, delivered a judgement confirming that the late Mr Useni was the true owner of the property, having purchased it under a fictitious name.

According to Mr Rasaq, the judgement also established that the alias used was intended to conceal the identity of the beneficial owner and suppress official documentation.

He added that the deceased acquired the property during his tenure in public office, and the circumstances strongly indicated that the funds used were from unlawful activity.

He said the CCB obtained the remuneration package for political, public, and judicial officers from the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the government agency responsible for determining such salaries, to conduct a net worth analysis of the deceased while in service.

He also disclosed that a net worth analysis conducted by the Financial Investigation and Forensic Accounting Unit (FIFAU) of the CCB, using the salary scale provided by the RMAFC, found that the deceaseds declared income at the time was grossly insufficient to account for the acquisition of the property.

There is a substantial unexplained funds gap, indicating that the funds used for the acquisition must have come from other, undisclosed, or undeclared sources.

This gap constitutes a strong circumstantial indicator of potential fraud, unreported income, or illicit accumulation of wealth. Accordingly, the means of acquisition of the London property constitutes proceeds of unlawful activity, he stated.

Mr Rasaq also noted that his office reviewed the deceaseds asset declaration forms, in which he declared ownership of the property, even though it was purchased under a fictitious name.

The said form is already annexed as Exhibit B in the earlier application, he said.

He concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe the property constituted the proceeds of unlawful activity, as indicated by the FIFAU analysis, and that it would be in the overriding interest of justice for the court to grant a final forfeiture order in favour of the federal government.

Ozekhome, Usenis son face trial

In February, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) re-arraigned Mr Ozekhome and Mr Usenis son, Ponfa Useni, regarding their roles in London property scandal.

The defendants were re-arraigned on 12 charges of forgery and impersonation before the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja.

The re-arraignment followed an amendment of the charges initially filed against Mr Ozekhome as the sole defendant.

The amendment introduced Ponfa as the second defendant.

The re-arraignment came just days after the AGF office withdrew the original case of three counts and subsequently, within hours, refiled an amended version of the case with 12 counts.

The prosecution accused them of forgery of documents including a passport and an irrevocable power of attorney to lay claim to a property in London.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges, following which the court granted them bail at N10 million bond each.

According to the amended charges, Messrs Ozekhome and Ponfa Useni conspired in 2020 alongside the late Jeremiah Useni, a retired general who served as the FCT minister during the regime of Nigerias late dictator, Sani Abacha, and made a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, and purported same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service to claim a property in the United Kingdom.

Similarly, the prosecution charged Mr Ozekhome and Ponfa Useni of using the false passport to facilitate the claim of the property.

According to the prosecution, the document was obtained when Ponfa Useni allegedly falsely personated Tani Shani, a fictitious person and with such assumed character made a Power of Attorney.

The prosecution also alleged that Mr Ozekhome helped Ponfa Useni to impersonate Tali Shani in 2020. Together, they allegedly created a fake Irrevocable Power of Attorney to help Mr Ozekhome claim the property.

They also allegedly received 18,000 as rent for the property contrary to section 319A of the Penal Code Law, 2009.

The prosecution also accused of making a false document titled: RE: REQUEST FOR AUTHENTICATION OF NIGERIAN PASSPORT NO. A07535463 BELONGING TO MR. TALI SHANI dated 4 May 2023, to claim the property.

The prosecution said the offences contravened and punishments stipulated under various provisions of the Penal Code Law including sections 83, 84, 96, 179, 363, 364 and 366.

(NAN)
Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Yahaya has dissolved the State Executive Council in a move widely seen as an early political reset ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The decision was announced on Wednesday by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ibrahim Njodi, shortly after what he described as an extraordinary session of the council convened to review the performance of the administration over the past two and a half years of the governors second term.

Addressing journalists in Gombe, Mr Njodi said the meeting served as a postmortem of governance activities under the administration and concluded that the government had recorded significant progress across sectors.

According to him, the administration had posted excellent results in the delivery of governance and development programmes.

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 explained that after reviewing both governance and the prevailing political climate, Governor Yahaya decided it had become necessary to dissolve the cabinet to create room for members of the executive and other political appointees who may wish to pursue personal political ambitions.

Mr Njodi said the governors action was aimed at ensuring fairness and providing a level playing field for all those interested in seeking elective positions ahead of the next election cycle.

As part of the governors directive, all commissioners are to hand over the affairs of their respective ministries to the Permanent Secretaries not later than Friday, April 10, 2026, the SSG said.

He added that the directive also affects political appointees, aides, and even public and civil servants who may be interested in contesting elective offices in 2027.

The SSG said those in government service who intend to join partisan politics have been advised to resign from their current positions on or before April 10.

The dissolution marks a major shift in the structure of the Gombe State government and could trigger a fresh wave of political realignments within the states ruling circle as preparations for the next general elections gather momentum.

Governor Yahaya, who also serves as Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum, was quoted as expressing appreciation to the outgoing commissioners and affected appointees for what he described as their loyalty, commitment and service to the state.

He commended them for their individual and collective roles in implementing his administrations agenda, noting that the successes achieved across sectors were made possible through teamwork and dedication.

The governor also wished the outgoing officials well in their future endeavours, particularly those planning to seek elective offices.

Mr Njodi further said the governor extended special appreciation to journalists in the state for their support and continued coverage of government activities.

He urged the media to remain supportive, responsible and law-abiding while continuing to play their role in strengthening governance and public accountability in Gombe State.

The cabinet dissolution is expected to reshape the political atmosphere in Gombe in the coming weeks, as attention gradually shifts from governance to political calculations ahead of 2027.
The Gombe State Police Command has arrested two men after officers reportedly recovered a loaded pistol from them during a late-night patrol in Gombe metropolis.

The suspects, identified by the police as Samuel Sunday, 22, of Layin Hashido Quarters, and Enosh Seth Yakubu, 24, of Water Board Quarters, were reportedly intercepted around Orji Quarters near Jiemere Hotel on the night of 7 April.

According to the command, officers attached to Operation Hattara were on routine patrol at about 10 p.m. when they noticed the two men moving suspiciously and stopped them for questioning.

Police said the encounter took a dramatic turn during preliminary interrogation when one of the suspects allegedly tried to get rid of an object in a bid to avoid detection.

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

That object, according to the police, was quickly recovered and found to be a FIE Corp Miami pistol, bearing breach number D847339, loaded with one live 9mm round.

The command said both suspects are currently in custody, while the firearm and ammunition have been secured as exhibits for further investigation.

Authorities said detectives are now working to trace the source of the weapon and determine whether the suspects may be linked to any other criminal activity in the state.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Gombe State, Umar Chuso, praised the officers involved for what he described as a swift and professional response that may have averted a possible security threat.

ALSO READ: Police foil bandit raid in Gombe

The command said the arrest reflects its ongoing commitment to proactive policing and crime prevention across the state.

It also called on residents to remain watchful and continue sharing timely and credible information with security agencies to help sustain peace and public safety.

Police said more details would be released as the investigation progressed.
The Kogi State House of Assembly on Wednesday confirmed Abdullahi Bello, former state chairperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs.

This followed a request by Governor Ahmed Ododo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the confirmation comes after a cabinet reshuffle that saw the former commissioner, Ozigi Deedat, moved to the works ministry.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Aliyu Yusuf, congratulated Mr Bello and urged him to deliver on his mandate.

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 Yusuf emphasised effective supervision of local governments and harmony with traditional rulers to promote peace and development across the state.

Mr Bello, in his response, pledged to justify the trust by driving grassroots development and collaboration with traditional institutions.

He expressed gratitude to the governor and members of the Assembly for the confidence reposed in him.

He cited his experience in party leadership as a key qualification for the role, promising transparency, accountability, and responsiveness.

The Assembly also confirmed Sani Salihu as a Permanent Member of the Kogi State House of Assembly Service Commission. (NAN)
The Umuoba Anam Community in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State has appealed to Governor Charles Soludo to come to their aid by building access roads to the major fishing lakes in the area.

Some community elders and leaders made the appeal on Monday when they took reporters on a tour of the lakes, including Isaa, Iwelle and Iwalaa fishing lakes.

They expressed deep concern over their post-harvest losses, resulting from the poor and deplorable condition of the roads to the lakes.

They said that when built, the roads would facilitate the evacuation of fresh fish to neighbouring urban towns and boost economic activity in the community.

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 Chairperson of Mmevo Ruling Council, Sunday Nduba, lamented that large quantities of fish harvested during fishing festivals often die and spoil before reaching urban markets, due to the lack of good roads.

Mr Nduba said they access the lakes only by motorcycle and bicycle, making it difficult to transport fish in commercial quantities to the markets.

We are forced to dry the fish, instead of selling them fresh, because vehicles find it difficult to reach the lakes.

The construction of a road from Iyiora Anam to the lakes will significantly improve our livelihoods, Mr Nduba said.

According to him, with adequate infrastructure, such as good roads, solar light and potable water, our fishing festival can rival the Argungu Fishing Festival and become a major tourist attraction for Anambra.

Also, the council Secretary, Ignatius Obadiegwu, urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to collaborate with the Anambra State Government to develop the lakes into revenue-generating tourist sites.

The President of Umuoba Anam Youth Council, Onyebuchi Mmeh, commended the governors development strides in other parts of the state.

Mr Mmeh, however, appealed to the governor to replicate similar road interventions in their community to improve fishing and tourism.

He specifically called for the provision of good roads, solar light and pipe-borne water to enhance the peoples living conditions and support the local economy.

Another community member, Chukwudi Nwakonuche, spoke about the communitys security concerns.

Mr Nwakonuche said that the lack of street lights exposed fishers to great risks, including robbery attacks and snake bites.

We need solar lights to improve visibility and safety at night in our community, he said.

A fisherman, Ignatius Nnekwe, listed a variety of local fish species commonly harvested in the lakes, including okpo, egbili, ikele, obo, asa, ikpokpo, and ipete.

Mr Nnekwe, however, emphasised that the lack of good access road remained the major challenge affecting their fishing business.

He appealed to the government to urgently address the situation to reduce their huge post-harvest losses and improve their incomes from fishing.

(NAN)
A former member of the House of Representatives, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, from Edo State, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Agbonayinma, who represented Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency between 2015 and 2019, announced his resignation on Wednesday at his residence in Benin.

He lamented that the party had been hijacked by individuals who appropriated it for themselves.

Mr Agbonayinma told journalists he would soon disclose the political party under whose platform he hoped to contest next years general 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

The former federal lawmaker said he resigned from the APC because of a lack of respect for his leadership and marginalisation of Edo South in political appointments.

He said several appointments made by President Bola Tinubu were given to individuals from Edo North without regard for Edo South, which had the highest voting population.

The former lawmaker said he could not continue to remain in an undemocratic party.

He said that politicians who worked against the interests of the APC were now dictating political patronage within the party.

He said, As a foundation member from the days of AC, ACN, ACD, now APC, we worked diligently to build an all-inclusive democratic institution.

It is therefore deeply distressing to witness the party in our dear constituency gradually becoming the property of one or a few individuals who are unnecessarily and undemocratically interfering in the political province of the party in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.

After a careful evaluation of recent developments within the party (APC), and having observed a series of anti-democratic tendencies and activities, I regret to inform you of my decision to resign my membership of the APC with immediate effect.

At this critical point in my political journey, and in alignment with my personal convictions, principles, and evolving vision for purposeful service, I have come to the solemn conclusion that it is necessary to take this difficult but inevitable step, he said

You can attest that I did a lot as a member of the House of Representatives. I investigated corruption.

Look at the three appointed ambassadors, they are domiciled in Edo North.

A zone that has the highest population neglected and marginalised. South-South Development Commission domiciled in Edo North. he added.

(NAN)
Along with native-born Chinese Americans, Chinese immigrants have become a large and visible demographic group in American science, technology, and engineering. However, the pressure of potential federal investigations since the 2018 launch of the China Initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice has provided scientists of Chinese descent in the U.S. with higher incentives to leave and lower incentives to apply for federal grants. What are the long-term consequences of the China Initiative on scientists of Chinese descent in the U.S. and the global leadership of the U.S. in science and technology?

The data. Researchers utilized Microsoft Academic Graph to analyze trends in the migration of U.S.-based Chinese scientists. Microsoft Academic Graph is a comprehensive database that tracks over 200 million scientists from over 25,000 institutions authoring over 200 million scientific publications through 2021. Using this data, the authors identified the working countries of researchers through their academic affiliations on publications and tracked those with Chinese surnames who initially published in the U.S., but later changed their affiliations to institutions abroad.

Additionally, an online survey of 1,304 U.S.-based scientists of Chinese descent was conducted between December 2021 and March 2022 to understand the impact of the China Initiative on the scientific community.

Scientists of Chinese descent play an outsized role in U.S. science. Previous research has shown that China has been the most important foreign supplier of U.S.-based scientists for more than two decades. Among all 2020 U.S. doctoral degrees in science and engineering, 17% (roughly 5,800 of 34,000) went to foreign students from China. The vast majority of such PhD recipients then stay in the U.S. Between 2005 and 2015, approximately 87% of China-born, non-citizen, new PhDs in science and engineering reported they would stay in the U.S.

Scientists of Chinese descent: departures from the U.S. over time



The China Initiative accelerated out migration from the U.S. The researchers identified a total of 19,955 scientists of Chinese descent who began their careers in the U.S. but left for other countries, including China, between 2010 and 2021. The number of Chinese-descent scientists migrating out of the U.S. has steadily increased from 900 in 2010 to 2,621 in 2021. Part of the reason for this rise are pull factors from China, including Chinas large and rapidly growing investments in science, high social prestige and attractive financial rewards tied to positions in Chinese institutions, and capable research collaborators and assistants.

But this research also reveals a significant push factor. Following the implementation of the China Initiative in 2018, departures of U.S.-based, China-born scientists increased by 75%. Among the scientists of Chinese descent who left the U.S. in 2010, 48% moved to mainland China and Hong Kong, and 52% moved to other countries. As of 2021, the percentage of relocated scientists moving to China increased to 67%. The life sciences field has witnessed the most significant exodus abroad, with over 1,000 life scientists leaving in 2021.

Scientists of Chinese descent experience uneasiness, fear. According to the online survey, 35% of Chinese scientists in the U.S. felt unwelcome; 72% did not feel safe as academic researchers; 42% were fearful of conducting research; 65% worried about collaborations with China; and 86% perceived it was harder to recruit top international students compared to five years ago. Additionally, 83% had experienced insults in a nonprofessional setting in the previous year. Engineering, computer science, and life science faculty, federal grant awardees, senior faculty, and males were more likely to feel fearful of conducting research in the U.S.

Of the five possible reasons for not feeling safe as an academic researcher in the U.S., most survey respondents pointed to fears of U.S. government investigations into Chinese-origin researchers (67%) and Anti-Asian hate and violence in the U.S. (65%). A smaller portion expressed other fears, such as that U.S. government officials often attack the Chinese government or Chinese policies (38%), My family, friends, or collaborators might be targeted by the U.S. or Chinese government in retaliation for something I say or do (37%), and Others might report what I say or do to the U.S. or Chinese government (31%).

However, despite an overall fearful sentiment, 89% of respondents indicated their desire to contribute to U.S. leadership in science and technology.

Survey responses among scientists of Chinese descent



Chinese scientists avoid federal grants, consider leaving U.S. The largest single source of funding for basic research in the U.S. is the federal government. However, 45% of researchers with federal grants now wish to avoid applying for them, and 61% have considered leaving the U.S. Engineering and computer science faculty, senior faculty, and those at public institutions are more likely to avoid federal grants. Junior faculty and federal grant recipients are more likely to consider relocating abroad, which could impact the global competitiveness of the U.S. in science and technology.

Of the 445 respondents who intended to avoid applying for federal grants, 84% indicated that this was Because I am afraid that I would have legal liability if I made mistakes in forms and disclosures, while 65% reported that this was Because I worry that my collaborations with Chinese researchers or institutions would place me under suspicion.

Chinese talent is important for continued U.S. leadership in science. The research suggests that attracting scientific talent from China and keeping scientists of Chinese descent from returning to China or moving to other countries requires alleviating fears and cultivating a welcoming environment for conducting scientific research. U.S. science and society should continue to attract Chinese scientists to maintain U.S. global leadership in science and technology.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State says his administration will approve the erection of monuments in honour of the heroines of the 1929 Aba womens uprising and other historic women in the state.

Mr Otti disclosed this on Wednesday during the burial ceremony of late Chiamaka Joyce Ibekwe, wife of the lawmaker representing Bende North State Constituency, Nnamdi Ibekwe, in Igbere, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.

The governor said the honour would be bestowed on the heroic women in recognition of their contributions to society and history.

He said that such recognition would serve as encouragement to women who contributed immensely to societal growth.

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

I want to thank the honourable member for the request he made here because the request was not about him and it was not even about Chiamaka, it was about Abia women from inception.

Our women have always been great women. If you do not know, then you do not know history.

We have come to the level where somehow, either knowingly or unknowingly, we have refused to give women their due recognition.

I want to assure you that it is not only going to be considered, but it is going to be approved, Mr Otti said.

He added that the gesture would encourage women who toiled day and night to sustain homes, businesses and the wider society.

According to him, women remain central to food production, childrens education and economic stability, and must be accorded due recognition.

The governor also lamented the absence of female lawmakers in the Abia State House of Assembly and used the occasion to advocate greater inclusion of women in governance.

Divine gift

Mr Otti described the late Mrs Ibekwe as a divine gift and urged mourners not to grieve like those without hope of resurrection, expressing confidence that she was in a better place.

If you spent time to read the tributes or if you encountered her, then you would know she was a gift from God.

And because she was a gift, the giver will always determine the way He will take. It is not for us to decide what will happen, he said.

In an emotional tribute, Mr Ibekwe described his late wife as his paragon of peace and tranquilliser, whose presence radiated calmness and godliness.

He extolled her as a prayerful and exceptional woman who positively impacted many lives.

Mr Ibekwe renewed his earlier motion in the Abia House of Assembly for monuments to honour historic women, particularly the heroines of the 1929 Aba womens uprising.

He urged the governor to support the initiative, noting that such monuments would immortalise the heroic deeds of women and serve as a fitting legacy to his late wife.

I want to request that monuments be erected in honour of the heroines of 1929. If you do this, Chiamaka will rest in peace, Mr Ibekwe said.

Also, the Commissioner for Women Affairs in Abia, Maureen Aghaukwa, described the deceased as a virtuous woman, mentor and role model.

Ms Aghaukwa said that the deceaseds absence would be greatly felt, as it would create a significant void.

On behalf of the wives of members of the Abia State House of Assembly, Eucharia Okezie said the late Mrs Ibekwe was a prayer warrior who loved God.

Mrs Okezie said that the deceased never hesitated to share the message of Christ among her colleagues.

In her sermon, the Pastor of Word-Based Assembly, Oyiks Alfred, urged mourners not to grieve like those without hope.

Mr Alfred urged the family, friends and acquaintances of the late Mrs Ibekwe to reflect on their lives and embrace God.

Earlier, the second son of the deceased, Chimezirim Ibekwe, described his late mother as a devoted wife, loving mother and quiet philanthropist whose enduring legacy lives on through the many lives she positively impacted.

(NAN)
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) faces a looming internal crisis amid allegations of interference in its presidential election by powerful interests within the National Officers Committee.

Ezoke Epoke, the chairperson of the association in Cross River State, disclosed this during a press briefing on Thursday in Calabar, raising concerns about the credibility of the electoral process.

Mr Epoke, a medical doctor, said the controversy centred on the disqualification of Ofem Enang, a presidential contender, which had sparked widespread concern among members and stakeholders nationwide.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Enang, a former second vice president and state chairperson, was disqualified from contesting for the associations top leadership position.

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

NAN also reports that the associations election is scheduled to be held in Kano during its Annual Delegates Meeting from 26 April to 3 May 2026.

Mr Epoke described the disqualification as unconstitutional and capable of causing unrest and disunity within the association, warning that it could undermine confidence in the electoral process.

He said stakeholders had criticised the decision as biased and illogical, describing it as a threat to the democratic principles guiding the associations electoral system.

According to him, the associations constitution outlines clear eligibility and nomination procedures and does not empower the National Officers Committee to disqualify candidates under any circumstance.

He argued that administrative requirements, including multiple curriculum vitae and passport photographs, could not override constitutional provisions governing eligibility for contesting elective positions within the association.

This development has heightened tensions across branches, with many doctors alleging attempts to impose a preferred candidate, thereby undermining due process and weakening institutional integrity, he said.

Mr Epoke called on past presidents and elders of the profession to intervene and restore credibility, warning that continued interference could fragment the association along political and sectional lines.

He added that the crisis came amid concerns over brain drain, industrial disputes, and policy inconsistencies affecting the health sector, which could weaken the associations national influence.

Also speaking, Mr Enang, the presidential aspirant, described his disqualification as arbitrary, alleging it was driven by vested interests opposed to a transparent and competitive electoral process.

He said his nomination was duly submitted and acknowledged but he was later listed among disqualified candidates over alleged incomplete documentation by the electoral authorities.

Mr Enang, a professor, warned that if internal dispute-resolution mechanisms failed, affected parties might resort to constitutional and lawful means to challenge the decision and seek redress.

He added that the presidency was zoned to the South-south, noting that denying his candidacy could disenfranchise Cross River and set a dangerous precedent for future elections.

READ ALSO: Ultimate Health HMO seeks enforcement of health insurance coverage for Nigerian employees

In the light of this, I demand immediate reversal of this unconstitutional action and my reinstatement as a duly nominated candidate, he said, urging strict adherence to electoral provisions.

However, the NMA President, Bala Audu, told NAN that disqualified candidates failed to meet constitutional requirements, including valid licences and complete documentation.

According to him, the electoral committee conducts elections while the secretariat handles submissions, adding that allegations must be substantiated by those making claims against the process.
The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) has conferred the Tourism and Hospitality Champion Award on Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State.

BON presented the award to Mr Otu on Wednesday in Abuja at the second edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Awards.

The governor was represented at the event by the Deputy Governor of Cross River, Peter Odey.

Speaking through Mr Odey on the sidelines of the event, Mr Otu reaffirmed his administrations commitment to repositioning Cross River as Nigerias premier tourism destination and described the honour as humbling and energising.

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

This recognition is not merely an award, he declared. It is a compelling call to greater service, a charge to deepen our resolve in making Cross River the pride of tourism in Africa.

Governor Otu expressed gratitude to the organisers, noting that the award reflects the collective efforts of his administration and the resilient people of the state.

I receive this honour on behalf of the good people of Cross River State, whose rich cultural heritage and warm hospitality remain the soul of our tourism identity.

While presenting the award to Mr Otu, the BON Chairman, Salihu Abdullahi Dembos, commended the governor and his administration for what he described as unprecedented and transformative strides in tourism and hospitality, adding that the governors record stands distinctly remarkable among his peers across the federation.

Reinforcing his administrations vision, Governor Otu stressed that tourism development remains central to his economic blueprint.

Tourism is not just leisure; it is a strategic economic driver, he affirmed.

We are deliberately investing in infrastructure, strengthening cultural assets, and fostering partnerships that will unlock sustainable growth and prosperity.

He highlighted his administrations flagship initiatives, including the revitalisation of the iconic Carnival Calabar.

We are reimagining Carnival Calabar to reclaim its global acclaim, ensuring it remains a vibrant showcase of Africas creativity and cultural excellence.

The governor also pointed to ongoing rehabilitation efforts at major tourist destinations, including Obudu Mountain Resort, Agbokim Waterfalls, and Marina Resort.

These assets are being restored not just as sites, but as experiences, he said. Our goal is to offer visitors unforgettable encounters anchored in nature, comfort, and authenticity.

Underscoring the importance of accessibility, Mr Otu added, We are opening up our tourism corridors through strategic road infrastructure and integrated development. No destination can thrive in isolation; connectivity is key to unlocking value.

Describing the award as Governor of the Year in Tourism and Hospitality, Mr Otu remarked that it serves as both validation and motivation.

READ ALSO: Cross River assembly suspends four councillors

This honour challenges us to do more, to lead more boldly, and to inspire others through tangible results. We will not relent in setting new benchmarks for excellence, the governor said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the BON Chairman, Mr Dembos, noted that the Nigeria Broadcasting Awards celebrate professionalism, impact, and media-friendly leadership.

In a goodwill response on behalf of awardees, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, who won the BON Infrastructure governor award, lauded the initiative, describing it as a powerful encouragement for leaders to remain steadfast in delivering meaningful governance.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed concern about the practice of democracy in Nigeria and across parts of Africa, wondering if it is truly delivering economic growth and good governance.

Mr Jonathan spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the national convening and launch of a research report by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF), titled Strengthening the nexus between democracy and economic growth in Nigeria.

He said democracy is facing increasing strain globally due to economic hardship, insecurity and declining trust in institutions, insisting that the system must produce tangible results to retain public trust.

Global history across the world shows that democracy is under increasing strain. It is challenged by economic hardship, social pressures, insecurity and a growing distrust in institutions, he said. In Africa, these pressures are further reflected in contested elections, democratic backsliding and rising instability.

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 former president said the long-held assumption that democracy naturally leads to economic growth has not been sufficiently examined within Nigerias realities, raising concerns about its effectiveness as a development model.

Mr Jonathan compared democratic systems with non-democratic models that have recorded significant economic progress, citing examples from the Middle East and Asia.

Sometimes, i ask myself, can we really see that democracy will lead to better governance than other forms of government, like what we see in the Arab world, the monarchies? he said. 

He also referenced Chinas rapid development, noting that its governance structure, though not a pure democracy, has produced remarkable economic outcomes.

The improvement process in China is almost second to none, he said. Can we truly say that our democracy is close to that?

Despite these concerns, Mr Jonathan identified freedom and justice as the core pillars that make democracy desirable, stressing that citizens must be free to express opinions and associate without fear of victimisation, while justice must not be manipulated.

He warned that once these elements are eroded, the system ceases to be truly democratic.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by his Special Adviser on General Duties, Aliyu Madibbo, said democracy must go beyond elections and focus on improving citizens welfare.

He noted that the relationship between democracy and economic growth is neither automatic nor guaranteed, warning that a democratic order can lose public confidence when institutions are weak and economic dysfunction makes hope too expensive for the average household.

He defended the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange reforms, describing them as necessary steps to stabilise the economy.

President Tinubu came into office at a time when the economy was weighed down by structural distortions that had become too costly to ignore, he said. The fuel subsidy regime had become a heavy fiscal burden and a channel of waste and abuse. The foreign exchange system had been badly distorted.

Mr Madibbo acknowledged the hardship caused by the reforms but insisted they were necessary.

He added that government must balance tough economic decisions with empathy and clear communication.

Public frustration is not an inconvenience to be dismissed. It is a signal that policy must be accompanied by clarity, trust and visible pathways to relief, he said. Reform cannot endure on technical merit alone; it must be explained with sincerity and implemented with fairness.

Earlier, the foundations Executive Director, Ann Iyonu, said Nigerias democracy has not delivered expected dividends despite nearly three decades of civilian rule.

Twenty-seven years after Nigerias return to civilian rule, the promise of democracy has remained largely unfulfilled due to widespread poverty, fiscal indiscipline and rampant procurement fraud, she said.

She stressed that democracy should be assessed by outcomes, not just electoral processes.

Ms Iyonu identified weak enforcement of laws as Nigerias core governance challenge.

What we have as Nigerians is not an absence of laws or agencies; our challenge is enforcement, she said. Democracy is good for our economy when institutions uphold their own rules, when fiscal discipline is real, when procurement is transparent and when audits lead to action.

She added that the report presents a practical roadmap for reform.

In his remarks, Governance Adviser at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Matthew Ayebakuro, said citizens confidence in democracy depends largely on whether it delivers economic benefits.

He emphasised that democracy must be developmental in practice to endure.

At the same time, democracy must be developmental in practice, not just procedural in form, if it is to retain public trust, he said.

Mr Ayebakuro commended Mr Jonathan and the foundation for advancing dialogue on governance and development, expressing hope that the report would guide policymakers and stakeholders.
President Bola Tinubu sent his goodwill message on Wednesday as the Senate President Godswill Akpabio inaugurated a series of infrastructure projects in Lagos State on his behalf.

The president, who was absent from the event despite being in Lagos at the time, described the projects as crucial to enhancing mobility, governance, and economic activity in the state.

The projects include the OjotaOpebi Link Bridge, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administrative Complex, and the Lagos State Geographical Information System (GIS) building.

Speaking through Mr Akpabio, the president said the projects represent more than physical structures, but practical efforts to address the pressures of rapid urban growth.

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 OjotaOpebi Link Bridge is more than a road; it is a bridge to opportunities. In a city like Lagos, movement is everything. When traffic improves, productivity also improves. When time is saved, businesses grow. When access is made easier, lives also get better, he said.

Lagos, Nigerias commercial hub, is widely known for persistent traffic congestion, with commuters often spending long hours on major routes such as Ojota and Ikeja.

President Tinubu said the projects signal a resolve to confront such challenges. We will not be overwhelmed by the challenges of growth that we see in Lagos. Instead, we will solve those challenges and overcome them, he added.

He also commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for sustaining what he described as a steady focus on projects with direct impact on residents.

The president thanked the state government for naming the administrative complex after him, saying he accepted the gesture with humility and as a reflection of collective effort in governance.

On the GIS building, he noted that reliable data systems and transparent processes are essential for planning, investment decisions and building public trust.

Mr Akpabio, who inaugurated the projects on behalf of Mr Tinubu, urged residents to make proper use of them and ensure their maintenance.

Mr Tinubus absence from the event deepens speculations of brewing coldness between him and Governor Sanwo-Olu.

President Tinubus Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, confirmed on Wednesday that the president was in Lagos while the ceremony was taking place.

But Mr Dare, who appeared on a live programme on Channels Television, attributed Mr Tinubus absence from the event to his busy schedule and the demands of the security situation in the country on his attention.

President Tinubu is in Lagos. Beyond the pictures, the president has been very busy with state matters, Mr Dare said, according to The Cable.

In the last 10 days, right from the developments in Jos, the president has been busy taking constant briefs, and he has to prioritise when it comes to state matters, especially security.

He is in Lagos monitoring the development, working with the intelligence community, and taking constant security briefs.

Akpabio speaks on Lagos development

Addressing dignitaries at the event, Mr Akpabio said his presence at the event underscores the importance the presidency attaches to infrastructure development in Lagos.

He praised Mr Sanwo-Olu for what he described as visible democratic dividends, adding that the state continues to set the pace for development in the country.

Lagos is working and moving forward, he said.

The senate president also reaffirmed the National Assemblys support for the Tinubu administration, noting that the legislature would continue to back policies aimed at economic growth and improved living standards.

He disclosed that he cut short an international engagement in Rabat, Morocco, to attend the ceremony, describing the assignment as significant.

Mr Akpabio added that many ongoing projects in Lagos build on initiatives introduced during President Tinubus tenure as governor, with successive administrations sustaining that vision.

Projects, traffic advisory

A day before the commissioning of the project, Gboyega Akosile, the governors media aide, said the president would commission what he described as iconic, transformative and legacy projects across the state.

These include the OjotaOpebi Link Bridge, the GIS building in Alausa, the Lagos State Multi-Agency Complex, the Tolu Schools Complex in Ajegunle, the Maracana Stadium, and the Lagos Food Logistics Hub in Abijo.

The Lagos State Government also announced temporary traffic diversions to ease movement during the events.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said the commissioning of the OjotaOpebi Link Bridge, scheduled between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, would affect traffic around Opebi, Allen, Ikeja and Ojota.

He advised motorists to use alternative routes to minimise disruptions.

More so, two additional commissioning events are scheduled for Thursday within the same time frame, including the Tolu Schools Complex, which is expected to affect traffic in Olodi Apapa and Ajegunle.
The Bauchi State Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is grappling with internal divisions over moves to bring the state governor, Bala Mohammed, into the party, exposing cracks within the state chapter over the governors possible political realignment.

The disagreement surfaced during a caucus meeting held in Abuja, where party leaders debated the political consequences and structural implications of any potential defection by the Bauchi governor.

To manage the growing tension, caucus members unanimously agreed to establish a high-powered committee to coordinate the partys position on the matter.

Acting Secretary of the caucus, Dabo Ismail, said the committee has been tasked with outlining the caucuss demands and conditions to the APC national leadership should discussions on Governor Mohammeds defection advance.

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 him, the committee will also engage major stakeholders to ensure an inclusive negotiation process, represent the caucus in all deliberations relating to possible defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration in Bauchi, and provide regular updates to members.

While reiterating that Mr Mohammed would be welcome in the APC if he chooses to join, Mr Ismail stressed that the partys national leadership must not sideline state stakeholders during negotiations.

He described the committees formation as a democratic approach aimed at managing differing opinions within the party while preserving unity.

Speaking after the meeting, Samaila Dahuwa, who represents Bauchi North Senatorial District and chairs the state APC caucus, criticised what members described as the failure of the APC national leadership to adequately consult state stakeholders on such a sensitive political development.

The caucus argued that excluding local party leaders from discussions of this magnitude undermines internal democracy, inclusiveness and respect for existing party structures.

The omission is unacceptable, Mr Dahuwa said, warning against attempts to impose decisions without meaningful engagement with grassroots stakeholders in the state.

He disclosed that the newly constituted committee includes influential party figures, including a serving minister, former governors, and two senators.

Members also resolved to formally communicate their grievances and position to the APC national leadership, insisting that due process and internal consultations must guide any talks over new defections.

The caucus further warned that poorly managed integration of high-profile defectors could alienate loyal members and weaken party cohesion in Bauchi State.

Defection of governors

The controversy comes amid shifting political alliances ahead of future elections.

The political realignments in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections have seen a steady flow of state governors elected under the PDP and other opposition platforms to the ruling APC. This trend has significantly strengthened the APCs grip on state governments.

Currently, the APC governs 31 of Nigerias 36 states, with only five governors remaining in opposition parties, primarily the PDP  2, Accord  1, APGA  1, Labour  1.

Mr Mohammed had, on 31 March, revealed plans to defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signalling possible changes in Bauchis political landscape amid ongoing opposition realignments.

Speculation around his next political move intensified after APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, accompanied by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, paid a closed-door visit to the Bauchi Government House.

The defections are driven by multiple factors: access to federal resources, internal crises within the PDP, and strategic calculations ahead of the 2027 elections.

Political observers say these movements reflect growing concerns about a one-party-dominant system, where the APCs increasing control over state governments limits political alternatives at both the state and national levels.
More than 300 federal lawmakers have endorsed the continued engagement of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited for pipeline surveillance, passing a unanimous vote of confidence in the company at a joint roundtable convened by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Petroleum Resources.

The decision followed extensive deliberations at the hearing on Tuesday, where legislators reviewed submissions from stakeholders across the oil and gas sector.

Data presented at the hearing indicated increased crude oil output and a significant reduction in pipeline vandalism since Tantitas engagement.

At the end of the session, the committees dismissed all allegations levelled against the firm, describing them as unsubstantiated.

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 Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Ikenga Ugochinyere (APP, Imo), said the panel subjected every petition and complaint to detailed scrutiny but found no credible evidence to support the claims.

There is no credible evidence to sustain any of the allegations. Accordingly, all complaints against Tantita are hereby dismissed, he said.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Agom Jarigbe (APC Cross River North), stressed the need for policy consistency, warning that disrupting an arrangement already yielding results could undermine progress in the sector.

Disrupting a system that is already delivering results would be counterproductive. Our responsibility is to ensure stability, he said.

Also contributing, Odianosen Okojie (APC, Edo) cautioned against calls to fragment the surveillance contract, noting that such a move could weaken coordination and reduce accountability.

We must strengthen what works, not dilute it. Nigerias economic security depends on disciplined execution, he added.

Officials of the federal government who attended the session, including the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari, acknowledged improvements recorded under the current surveillance framework.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, said the gains from enhanced pipeline security have helped boost Nigerias oil production to about 1.8 million barrels per day, compared to previous lows.

He noted that illegal tapping points had been largely dismantled, while crude deliveries to export terminals had improved markedly. He recalled that at some point, production dropped sharply amid widespread oil theft, resulting in significant revenue losses.

According to the speaker, the surveillance arrangement has also generated employment for thousands of youth in the Niger Delta, many of whom were previously involved in agitation, thereby providing alternative livelihoods and strengthening community participation in asset protection.

He explained that Nigeria previously lost between 10 and 30 per cent of its crude oil output to theft annually, costing the country billions of dollars and weakening its standing as a reliable oil producer.

Mr Tajudeen said the federal government introduced the pipeline surveillance framework, including private security operators and community-based structures, to address these challenges, noting that collaboration between security agencies, private contractors, and host communities has improved production levels.

It was within this context that the federal government introduced the pipeline surveillance contract, including the engagement of private security actors and community-based structures, he said.

He added that legislative measures such as the Petroleum Production and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act and reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) have strengthened enforcement against pipeline vandalism and improved sector governance.

He also highlighted the role of institutions such as the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), as well as provisions such as the Host Community Development Trust under the PIA, which mandate corporate responsibility and give host communities a financial stake in protecting oil infrastructure.

Background

The endorsement of Tantita comes amid sustained controversy over the award and structure of pipeline surveillance contracts in Nigerias oil sector.

In recent months, several petitions have been submitted to the National Assembly and other government agencies by civil society groups, industry players and regional stakeholders, raising concerns over the concentration of surveillance responsibilities in a single private firm.

Petitioners have questioned the procurement process, transparency, cost implications and alleged preferential treatment in the award of the contract.

Some groups have also argued that the current arrangement sidelines other qualified indigenous operators and security outfits, calling for a decentralised model that would distribute surveillance responsibilities across multiple firms and host community organisations.

Proponents of decentralisation contend that a multi-operator framework could enhance competition, improve local participation and reduce the risks associated with over-reliance on a single contractor.

There have also been claims, denied at the hearing, alleging operational lapses, lack of accountability and concerns about oversight. These petitions prompted legislative scrutiny, culminating in the joint committee roundtable where stakeholders were invited to present evidence and defend their positions.

On the other hand, supporters of the existing structure argue that consolidating surveillance under a single coordinating entity has improved efficiency, reduced bureaucratic delays and ensured clearer lines of responsibility. They maintain that the measurable gains in crude oil output and the decline in pipeline vandalism since Tantitas engagement justify the continuation of the contract.
Two days into the ceasefire declared by the warring parties in the Middle East, the fragile ceasefire appears to be holding, but for Israels continuous attacks on Lebanon.

On Wednesday, the first day of the ceasefire, there were isolated cases of drone and missile attacks in Arab countries with no deaths reported. Most of the attacks have since ended by Thursday.

However, Israeli attacks on Lebanon on Thursday caused over 250 deaths, according to official figures.

Direct talks are expected to commence in Pakistan on Friday, with US Vice President JD Vance leading the American team and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi leading the Iranian delegation.

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

PREMIUM TIMES brings you some major developments on the crises in the past 24 hours.

White House dismisses Irans 10-point proposal

The White House has dismissed Irans 10-point proposal, less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump said it was a workable basis for negotiation.

The White House Press Secretary, Caroline Leavitt, on Wednesday, described the plan as unserious, and unacceptable.

She said the proposal was literally thrown in the garbage by Mr Trump and the negotiating team.

She also denied that Mr Trump had initially accepted the plan, describing it as a misrepresentation of his actions.

Many outlets in this room have falsely reported on that plan as being acceptable to the United States, and that is false, she said.

Iran provides route for vessels to pass Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian army announced a transit route for vessels to avoid sea mines when passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The country earlier announced that it was opening the Strait for two weeks in compliance with the ceasefire deal it agreed with the US and Israel.

According to a statement carried by Irans ISNA news agency, the IRGC declared that all ships intending to cross the strait, in coordination with the IRGC Navy, must take specific routes.

For entry, vessels should cross the Sea of Oman north of Larak Island, then continue towards the Gulf.

For exit, vessels should move from the Gulf and pass south of Larak Island, and then continue towards the Sea of Oman.

Trump threatens tariffs on countries supporting Iran

While negotiations with Iran are ongoing, Mr Trump threatened 50 per cent tariffs on the countries that supplied Iran with military weapons.

He threatened new duties just hours after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire with Tehran.

In a post on Truth Social, he said, A country supplying Military Weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed, on any good, all of the United States of America, 50%, effective immediately. There will be no exclusions or exemptions! President DJT.

Although Mr Trump did not make any country, China and Russia have both helped Iran build military capacity to counter US and Israeli attacks.

They have also been reported to support missiles, air defence systems and dual-use technologies intended to strengthen deterrence.

Trump threatens more attacks if deal not reached

Mr Trump has continued to threaten military action should a final agreement not be reached between the US and Iran.

He declared on Thursday that the strikes will be larger and more forceful if theres no agreement.

He also noted that US forces will remain on the ground until the agreement is finalised.

On Truth Social, he wrote, All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the real agreement reached is fully complied with.

If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the Shootin Starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before, he added.

Al Jazeera journalist killed

Israeli forces, on Wednesday, killed Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Wishah in an Israeli drone strike in the Gaza Strip.

Mr Wishah was killed after the vehicle he was travelling in was hit in an attack on al-Rashid Street, the coastal road west of Gaza City.

Al Jazeera reported that the airstrike caused the car to burst into flames.

Al Jazeera condemned the murder of its Gaza correspondent in a statement.

It described it as a heinous crime and a violation of all international laws. It said the murder reflects a continued systematic policy of targeting journalists and silencing the voice of truth.

This case adds to the existing cases of targeted attacks against journalists by Israel. Israel has been targeting journalists in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of its genocidal war. Israel has killed at least 262 journalists since the war started.

Last month, Israel targeted and killed three journalists in Southern Lebanon. One of the journalists killed, Ali Shoeib, was a reporter for the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar TV.

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the assassination of Mr Shoeib, tagging him an Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist who had operated for years under the guise of a journalist.

The IDF did not provide any evidence to back its claims.
Former senator and coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima 2023 Campaign in Zamfara State, Kabiru Marafa, has ditched the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the African Democratic Party (ADC) on Thursday.

Mr Marafa, who was also a former commissioner in the state, is a known supporter of President Bola Tinubu in the Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara axis.

While announcing his decamping, Mr Marafa accused President Tinubu of desperately trying to create confusion in Nigerias democratic setting.

The decision to leave APC followed a strategic stakeholders meeting held in Kaduna State, where Senator Marafa consulted extensively with his political allies and supporters.

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

After careful deliberations and consideration of the future direction of the political movement, Senator Marafa formally declared his decision to align with the African Democratic Congress, his new media aide, Mansur Haruna, said in a statement.

During the meeting, Mr Marafa accused the ruling APC of political manipulations including alleged attempts to exploit the National Identification Number (NIN) database for partisan political registration.

Speaking on the current national political climate, Senator Marafa criticised what he described as attempts by the ruling administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to create confusion and instability within opposition political parties.

He maintained, however, that no amount of political pressure or crisis would deter his movement from joining the ADC, stressing that the decision represents a firm commitment to liberate the people from what he termed political bondage, the statement added.

Mr Marafa sought APC governorship ticket in 2019 but was not supported by then governor, Abdulaziz Yari. Mr Marafa led top politicians to challenge Mr Yari, which led to the creation of two factions for the party.

He dragged the APC to court to challenge the outcome of the partys primary elections. The case culminated at the Supreme Court which ruled, after the polls had been conducted, that the primaries were not conducted accordingly, and therefore gave all the seats won by the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Marafa briefly reconciled with Mr Yari in 2021 before parting ways with him again after the party lost the state to PDP again in 2023

He has been having running battles with both Mr Yari and minster of state for defence, Bello Matawalle, in the quest for control of the APC in the state.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said Wednesdays visit to the factional chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, was aimed at strategising on how democracy can continue to thrive in Nigerias political space.

Mr Makinde, one of the two sitting governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also noted that the visit was to show solidarity with Mr Marks faction amid its leadership crisis.

The governor stated this while addressing journalists shortly after the meeting, which was held at Mr Marks residence in Abuja.

We came here to visit the leadership of ADC. Were on a solidarity visit. Weve seen what has been happening within the political space, the court and the protest today. We came to show solidarity and to commit to a clean democratic space in our country, he said.

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

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that Mr Mark, a former Senate President hosted Mr Makinde and executive members of the Kabiru Turaki faction of the PDP.

The meeting was held just hours after his faction of the ADC staged a protest at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the partys internal crisis.

Leaders of Mr Marks ADC faction present at the meeting include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

Also in attendance are Rabiu Kwankwaso, former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), former Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal and the factions spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi.

On the PDP side, apart from Messrs Makinde and Turaki, other attendees included the factions National Secretary, Taofeeq Arapaja, and its spokesperson, Ini Ememobong.

ADC Crisis

The ADC is currently divided into two main factions, one led by Mr Mark and the other by Nafiu Bala.

Rauf Aregbesola, a former governor and Minister of Interior is the national secretary of Mr Marks faction. The faction also has the support of a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former presidential candidate, Peter Obi and many other opposition figures.

Last Wednesday, INEC suspended recognition of Mr Marks leadership of the party following a ruling by the Court of Appeal and ongoing litigation.

The commission said its decision was based on a directive of the Court of Appeal, which ordered the warring factions to maintain the status quo pending the determination of a substantive suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In response, Mr Marks leadership demanded the immediate resignation of the INEC Chairperson, Joash Amupitan, accusing the electoral body of undermining democracy and interfering in the internal affairs of political parties.
4000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y64glMrpzHw

202649

2.0

Prince Alwaleed: Trumps Tariffs, DeepSeek, & Going From Fox News Biggest Investor to Backing X

Tucker Carlson 202525 The Tucker Carlson Show

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is one of the biggest media investors in the world. Heres why he thinks X now dominates everything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_eFGCBPuuM

Chapters:

0:00 Prince Al Waleeds Thoughts on Donald Trump

2:26 Saudi Arabias Relationship With Israel and Iran

6:55 Negotiating With Trump

7:56 Wokeism and Transgenderism

11:34 Rupert Murdoch, Corporate Medias Left-Wing Bias, and Investing in X

16:13 Why Are Bezos and Zuckerberg Suddenly Pro-Trump?

24:31 Western Europe Is Very Sick

29:22 Trumps Tariffs

30:55 Chinas DeepSeek

34:13 Venezuelas Oil Reserves

42:24 American, Russian, and Chinese Imperialism

50:02 Why Alwaleed Refuses to Invest in Crypto

53:00 The Wests Drug and Alcohol Problem

4000

Do you think China wants an empire?

Look, China, I think, you know, they have 1.5 1.3 billion people. I think the first priority really is to control their domestic situation and have growth. I was reading yesterday that China ex did not really answer, did not reply yet. This thing is time is composed, you know, is more long-termer.

Look, China is dynasty has been 40 4,000 years old. So really one year, one one month, four years of any tenor of any president really they they they not too fast in in replying. I used to meet him always at the Microsoft meeting with Bill Gates.

0:3939You know, I think you know Jakma really you know you know China look is is a centralized political system and I think

0:4747he went a bit too far you know with the I'm being very frank with you. he went a bit too far in his being outspoken against the regime and against the

0:5656communist system. So he was just told to just to cool it down a little bit. And I think that's what happened. He he's now in in a cooling down period.

1:47147When Trump was elected in November, the world was really on the on the cusp of two major con of of two big conflicts that could potentially get much bigger

1:56156in Eastern Europe and in this region. Do you think he can successfully resolve those conflicts?

2:0424Look, we all know Netanyahu is going to meet him tomorrow. Yes.

2:0727And I really hope that President Trump is very forceful in imposing or at least forcing Israel to have a a peaceful

2:16216resolution to this Palestinian issue that's been going on since uh the 19 mid late 1940s.

2:24224It's about time to have a final solution for the Palestinian cause to stop all those terrorist act that are really unwarranted like the one happened in

2:31231October. And obviously you're alluding to the Ukraine war also. It's about time to have this war end. A useless war

2:38238between Russia and Ukraine that that caused, you know, hundreds of thousand pe of people die from both sides, civilians and and otherwise.

2:47247What's the solution to the problem in the Middle East?

2:50250Look, uh the stated official position of Saudi Arabia, which I really support of Crown Prince Muhammad Malman who was was announced on your ex channel Fox. Yes.

3:0131He said publicly that you know we are uh having discussions with Israel to acknowledge each other but as a good proco we need to have Palestinian state.

3:10310We have we need to have the rights of the Palestinians acknowledged and we need to have Palestine independent and have as capital city East Jerusalem. So

3:20320if these things are met, I think Saudi Arabia is more than ready to have uh diplomatic relations between Saudi between between Saudi Arabia and Israel

3:28328as Crown Prince Mhamd announced few months ago.

3:32332From an outsers's perspective, Saudi Arabia does not have official diplomatic relations with Israel, but it's certainly aligned with Israel against

3:40340Iran. That's the way it looks from outside. Is that do you think that's fair to say?

3:43343Oh, look, I mean, it's very easy to get against against Iran, aligned against Iran. Iran is, you know, is is is is a

3:51351nation based dogmatically on on on on terroristic ideas. You know, we have seen how every country that Iran goes to, you have turmoil. Look at Iraq,

4:0242Syria, Lebanon, uh Gaza, Yemen, uh Sudan, all those countries, what's

4:10410common among them? You have the Iranian infiltration in them. Uh so clearly it's not it's not it's not not easy not difficult at all

4:18418to be in alliance with any country against Iran because Iran always plans the seeds of trouble, chaos and confusion wherever they are.

4:27427So that's the view of Israel too as you know. So you have that that big perspective in common with the Israeli government despite your differences.

4:35435So there's been progress I would say between Saudi Arabia and Israel but I don't think there's been any progress on the prospect of a Palestinian state.

4:42442People have been saying that for you know, well, certainly since 1967, but we're feels like we're farther from that.

4:50450We are very far of of course after what happened uh in Gaza. But I think with a strong leadership from the United States

4:58458and with the uh effectiveness that that the United States could really have in in in in the West Bank with the

5:0656Palestinian authorities, if they can have these people being more effective and more dynamic and inject some some uh

5:13513some fluidity and some uh uh uh some power and influence in them, they could really be the the power to be reckoned

5:21521with. Uh so where Israel could have a negotiate with the Palestinian Authority and hopefully that they can have a

5:30530control over what's happening in in in Gaza. Also,

5:35535you know Donald Trump well. I know him a long time ago, you know, from from the time we bought from him the Plaza Hotel and we also bought from him the his uh Trump Princess yacht that I still have.

5:47547How did you wind up with Donald Trump's yacht? Not many people can say that. Not many people have Donald Trump's yacht, but you do. How did you get it? I mean, how did that happen?

5:54554Yeah, we we we we bought it, I think,

5:57557you know, in the in the late 80s and know Trump did take possession of it and he renovated it and I think he reached a stage where he, you know, he not really

6:0565want to have it anymore. So, we did buy it from him.

6:0868What's he What was your experience with Trump? What's he like?

6:11611Oh, I mean, look, with Trump, I think if you straight with him, you know, you get a straight answer. You know, we had very good dealing with President Trump, you

6:18618know, when he was a businessman, whether during the the the purcha hotel from him or buying his his Trump Princess yacht.

6:26626So, you were not anti-Trump. Oh, no. No. I'm we can't be anti-Trump.

6:30630You know, we we because we are pro America. We have to be pro Trump especially with the new policies that he's taking right now. You know, I very I'm very much conservative socially

6:39639speaking. Yes. and all his policies right now in being anti-woke, being anti-leftwing, being anti- all those crazy things that's happening on the

6:47647left. We are for sure pro Trump on these matters and also all his policies,

6:51651economical policies that that uh in looking after the eradication of the US deficit. These are all conservative uh

6:59659policies that we we support. Look, I lived in America. I I I graduated from the uh west coast, you know, from uh

7:0777university in California and I finished my masters in the east coast in America.

7:11711So, we all love America. We want America to be strong.

7:15715Western Europe seems like it's falling apart. Is that your impression?

7:19719Uh Western is aging is is is in is sick.

7:25725You know, you seen most of the West Europe specifically, uh, uh, wrong policies, uh, bureaucracy,

7:34734uh, low speed and movement. You know, we see Italy, for example, under Milan, you know, she's, she's not the star.

7:41741She is a conservative, uh, I would not say right-wing Frank speakers, conserv No, no, it's very conservative and pragmatic lady. And look, now Italy is

7:49749still is is the star in in all Europe right now. But really,

7:53753did you ever think you would live long enough to say Italy is now the star of Europe?

7:58758Yeah. I I and I really hope that Europe wakes up because you know, West Europe is the life United States of course.

8:0383But really, you look the policies in in England, UK, France, Germany, Spain, they are really very much backwards.

8:11811They they need to wake up. Frankly speaking, can a country run without energy?

8:17817It's almost impossible. You cannot. You cannot. I mean, look look at UK. I mean,

8:21821look, the Labor took part, took the reign of power from the Conservatives, and look where they are right now.

8:27827They're exactly where the where the Conservatives were when they left the government few months ago.

8:33833So, the UK is running out of natural gas. Mhm.

8:37837And but that and that's true across Western Europe. These countries don't have enough energy to have first world economies.

8:44844Will that change?

8:48848Look uh I I I'm not worried about that frankly speaking because you know they will always find a way to find gas you know

8:55855whether it's United States or other parts you see the Arab world also did help a lot in supplying the Western Europe with gas you know once they shut

9:0494down the the pipes from from Russia so I think the B administration blew them up right

9:12912we heard about that you know did you hear about that I know that I bother that unfortunately why Would the Germans allow their allies

9:20920in Washington to blow up their natural gas pipeline and not say anything about it?

9:24924You said that, you know, you should answer that question.

9:29929I have some theories. Um, but you're saying that that all their ideas are leading to their destruction.

9:37937Yeah. You know I think at least they're leading to their their uh look they have so many problems uh in

9:44944west Europe and uh unfortunately they are not being acknowledged and you have seen them a lot of uh right-wing parties

9:52952like in France Le Pen for example coming very strongly and she may will she may win may well will win win the elections

9:59959a few years from now. So all this causing the right wing to come up very strongly and unless they wake up so fast

10:05105and and do some quick remedies to their economical policies and also their political system. It's just funny to

10:131013hear you say that. So in Europe you often say it's a battle between you know the native population and the Muslim immigrants. Here you are a Muslim with

10:221022prayer beads in your hand saying you want more right-wing parties in Europe.

10:251025M well you know I I I really am asking for to be more more more centrist for sure. Look at for example Melania when

10:321032she ran she run on on a very right-wing uh policy but when she took over she just went the center. That's true.

10:391039You know the the the when you reign when you take power you are forced to be more pragmatic. She's very pragmatic lady. Yes.

10:451045You know and her policies are very logical and centrist.

10:481048So uh many policies of the left wing really failed in in Europe. did not work

10:551055and I really hope that u uh that they go back to center and and and and find really

11:03113take major decisions to really jump start the process like Trump is doing out in America America Trump is shaking up the whole US political system

11:111111political system economical financial system even now we have a serious tariffs now I mean this is still you know we're on uncharted territory we don't know where it's going to be

11:191119heading we don't know if these um tariffs are there to stay or they they're therefore negotiating tool to reach some conclusions with Canada and Mexico.

11:291129Well, you've negotiated with Trump against Trump,

11:321132you know, to buy his the plaza and his and his boat. What do you think?

11:361136Well, when negotiate with him was a businessman. Now he's the leader of the strongest country in the world, United States of America. I think with Trump,

11:431143if you come with him straight and not necessarily succumb to what he's asking for, but if you're logical and pragmatic with him, you can reach a conclusion, a deal and very fast.

11:531153How long did it take you to negotiate the purchase of the plaza? Less than a week. Less than a week. Yes.

12:01121Um,

12:01121and it's bought less than a week. Very swift, very fast.

12:05125So, you think the tariffs are just an opening round in negotiation? Possibly. We don't know yet. Possibly.

12:111211Possibly. But the 25% tariffs on, you know, on on on both the northern uh neighbor and southern neighbor Canada

12:181218and and Mexico are pretty high. You've seen now how the auto industry was devastated today. They're down more than 10 15%.

12:251225Sure. In tra in trading, but the industry itself is sure still it's too early to judge.

12:301230Frank speaking that that's a trading you know because today they announced the and today is Monday they're going to announce uh it was announced just now

12:371237and they the the instantaneous reflection on that was very negative obviously on the on auto industry

12:451245so you know getting into a trade war with Canada and China both of whom are totally dependent on the United States they couldn't exist with the US is

12:521252different from doing that with China how does that work well look China I was reading yesterday that China ex did not really answer did

13:01131not reply yet this thing is time he's composed you know is more long-termer look China you know look is is is his

13:08138dynasty has been 40 4,000 years old so really one year one one month four years of of of tenure of any president really

13:171317they they they're not too fast in in replying we have seen Chinese government don't officially reply yet we've seen

13:251325seen Mexico replying already very aggressively in putting similar their tariffs especially in Canada. So we have not seen the play of

13:331333China yet. But China for sure is different behemoth completely. It's different ball game.

13:391339Do you believe the story about deepseek their their AI project that it was developed for under $6 million and is

13:461346that is that yeah look look we're investors with Musk and Musk is a genius of our era and

13:541354clearly you know he's very conservative in the way he spend now. we put to them,

13:581358you know, billions of dollars in having all these uh big mega centers being built in in United States. So really

14:06146$5.6 million for this Deep Seek. You know, I really doubt this a little bit.

14:101410So, and we're still very early uh part of of of this developing story to see if it's true or not and to see whether they

14:181418steal anything from Open AI or uh or where the truth is exactly. But but I you know I think you have to give it

14:261426some more time to to see where the deepse seek fit in the in the overall AI equation uh globally.

14:341434You made a big bet on Russian energy right after the war in Ukraine started 2022 I think.

14:401440Yes with Lucille Gazprom RS now I think those three correct invested these three companies.

14:461446How'd you do? Well, we did we did do well, frankly speaking. You know, we did sell part of it. We did with some small profit and now we still have some stake there.

14:551455So, the war starts in Ukraine and everyone's running away from Russia and Russian energy. The world is, you know,

15:02152reorienting away from hydrocarbons in general and you swoop in and make a huge bet on traditional Russian energy. Why did you do that?

15:09159This was part of our our, you know,

15:121512investment philosophy and policy. You know we we invested in so many companies that that year in Western Europe, United States and these three Russian companies were were among them,

15:231523right? But other people were not doing that. Why did you do that?

15:261526We we are sometimes contrarian and successfully so.

15:301530If you were to pick apart from AI and energy like another two or three industries that you think are a good bet moving forward, technology,

15:381538what kind?

15:391539Well, look, we we are in invested very heavily invested in technology. For example, in China, we are in many companies like BU, Alibaba,

15:471547Tencent, DD, uh you know, BU is very heavily involved alsor in in artificial intelligence. In America, we are also invested in in we are meta, we are in X,

15:581558XEI, in Snapchat, we are many companies also in America. So we have a diversified portfolio in technology. We

16:06166are also in in hospitality, you know, in Four Seasons and uh and AOR and we have very diversified portfolio.

16:141614So you're in Alibaba. 10 years ago, a little over 10 years ago, Jack Ma was a very famous person in the United States.

16:191619He was doing his road show with JP Morgan. Everyone loved Jack Ma. Company gets, you know, one of the biggest market caps in the world. And then Jack Ma disappears. Whatever happened to Jack Ma?

16:281628You know, I know Jack very well. I bet you do.

16:301630Yeah. I used to meet him always at the Microsoft meeting with Bill Gates. Um you know I think you know Jakma really you know you know China look is is a

16:401640centralized political system and I think he went a bit too far you know with the I'm being very frank with you he went a

16:471647bit too far in his being outspoken against the regime and against the communist system. So he was just told

16:541654just to cool it down a little bit and I think that's what happened. He he's now in in a cooling down period. He's in a cooling down.

17:01171Are his whereabouts known? No, he's settling between Japan and China, but he he's coming in now public a little bit right now, but he's not as high profile as before.

17:101710Yeah. No, he's not. Can um the United States has a big military footprint in East Asia, mo mostly in Korea and Japan,

17:181718but also other countries. Can that continue?

17:221722Well, look, as I told you that America is a big force to be reckoned with.

17:251725America America is an empire. Now, we don't call empires these days, but America is an empire. you know you uh

17:331733you you have hedgemony on the the whole world and America is a force to be listened to too. So I think these these

17:401740these bases are very important to stay there to counter what's what's going on with China also.

17:451745Yes. Uh so I I know America now is being more somehow a bit isol isolationist in in its approach but you know I think

17:531753once that Trump you know get more uh in the second term he will will acknowledge the fact that America needs to have

17:591759these uh this presence in all these areas to keep the strength of America consolidated.

18:07187So you say that as a big investor in Chinese companies you want to see American troops in Asia stay there.

18:131813Well, I mean this I mean in ch not necessarily against China, but you don't you have a crazy guy in North Korea, you know,

18:211821who's really a proxy for China though. I mean I mean he he he does take orders from China and somehow from Russia, but also he's a very independent guy and L also.

18:301830Do you know him? No, I don't know him. No,

18:321832you have no North Korean investments at all.

18:341834No at all. If I'm going to go there, I ask Trump to introduce me to him. He's his friend.

18:391839It was a bold move from President Trump to meet him. Oh, I I was there. It was It was a bold move. No, there's no doubt about it. And he took a lot of criticism.

18:481848I mean, what what do you since you're from the Middle East, I would say your mother was Lebanese.

18:551855You're related to people in power in a bunch of different countries. It's very common here for people for adversaries to meet and talk. In the West, in the

19:03193last couple decades, the idea has been if we disagree with you, we're not talking to you. What do you think of that? No, I am frankly speaking I am I'm

19:111911I'm very much supporting what Trump does here to talk to his adversaries. I think it's a plus. I mean for now we hear that

19:191919Trump is going to open communication with with Putin on Ukraine. I think I'm for it frankly speaking you know unless you engage how can you reach a conclusion agreement or arrangement.

19:281928I am for it frankly I think that's very bold from him to meet the leader of North of North North Korea. Yes. How would you describe Putin?

19:361936Well, Putin is, you know, is is a very smart man and he calculates very well his moves. You know, he's he's a

19:441944he's a very smart guy and and clearly he one of the things he said he he feels sorry for the day that the Soviet Union

19:541954disintegrated into all these 15 republics.

19:571957So, he has this uh empire mentality in him.

20:02202It's it's in him. It's in his mind for sure. He still craves for the for the Soviet Union empire and the Zarist

20:112011empire that used to be there before the revolution happened 1917. Yes. Everyone wants an empire. Do you think China wants an empire?

20:202020Look, China I think you know they have 1.5 1.3 billion people. I think the first priority really is to control

20:272027their domestic situation and have growth because look, China has a big problem.

20:322032Look, you have a a a very open capitalistic economical system in China

20:392039yet the political system is very centralized, authoritarian and communist obviously. Now these two uh don't go

20:472047well together. So the question now until when these these two could happen and continue uh you know China is very

20:552055concerned about this internal situation obviously and they want to have this growth happening to really to to to to

21:01211have its people migrate from being poor the poor level to being middle class.

21:07217Yes. That's I think that's the main worry frankly being Russia for foreseeable future.

21:142114Fore! Foreign! Foreign!

22:362236forchech.

24:362436Foreign

25:162516Fore! Foreign! Foreign!

25:542554Eating without you.
Suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have carried out fresh attacks on Nigerian military formations in Borno State, with reports indicating the death of a commanding officer.

Multiple sources, including intelligence sources and jihadi researchers, said the attackswhich they believe were part of ISWAPs Camp Holocaust campaigntargeted military formations in Benisheikh, Pulka and Mungono.

Army general killed

In the attack on Benisheikh, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State, the commanding officer of the joint task force in the town was reportedly killed.

However, the Nigerian Army has not issued an official statement about the attacks and the reported death of the brigadier general.

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

Appolonia Anele, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army has not responded to an enquiry sent to her.

Camp Holocaust is a campaign launched by ISWAP early last year targeting military formations and personnel.

A report by Good Governance Africa (GGA) indicates that about 16 military bases were attacked during the campaign last year.

Similarly, the Institute of Security Studies (ISS) estimates that roughly 500 people were killed in no fewer than 200 attacks carried out under the deadly campaign.

The offensive appears to have escalated, with insurgents increasingly deploying advanced weapons, including armed drones.

This year alone, PREMIUM TIMES had reported attacks on military formations in Mainok, Jakana, Marte and Konduga among others.

In response to the increasing attacks on military bases, the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, summoned service chiefs last month.

During the meeting, Mr Musa, a retired army general and former chief of defence staff, acknowledged the killings of military operatives but noted that the casualties were higher on the terrorists side.
Five people, including two health workers, a patient, and two police officers, have been killed by bandits in Yarkatsinan Laka in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Residents told PREMIUM TIMES that the bandits stormed the community late Tuesday, specifically targeting the local security outpost and the health dispensary.

A resident, Isyaku Malam, said the victims included Sanusi Lawanthe official in charge of the dispensary, the facilitys watchman, and a patient.

Two police officers stationed at the security outpost were also killed during the incursion and one other injured.

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 Malam said it was the first major incident in the area since a recent deployment of additional security personnel to the region.

The police spokesperson in the state, Yazid Abubakar, in a statement, said the bandits rode into the community on over 50 motorcycles and carrying sophisticated weapons.

Mr Abubakar said the Police Strike Unit engaged the assailants in a gun duel, resulting in the killing of 11 bandits and several others escaping with gunshot injuries.

The police also confirmed that two officers and three civilians (health workers and the patient) were killed during the gun duel.

Regrettably, during the exchange of fire, two police personnel and three civilians lost their lives. One police officer sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment and is responding positively, the spokesperson said.

Mr Abubakar said following the attack, the Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Bello, paid a condolence visit to the community and commiserated with the families of the deceased and the entire community over the unfortunate incident.

The Command urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with credible and timely information to enhance effective policing.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed candidates who registered for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to start printing their examination notification slips ahead of the exercise scheduled to commence on 16 April.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, JAMB said the slips contain the candidates examination date, venue, and other key details.

The statement noted that the examination would be conducted over several days, making it necessary for candidates to confirm their individual schedules.

Candidates are strongly advised to print their examination slips in order to confirm their examination date, venue, and time, as the exercise will be conducted over several days, the board said.

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

Early printing

The board urged candidates to print their slips early and familiarise themselves with their examination centres to avoid any last-minute challenges.

It added that each candidate has been assigned a specific schedule on the slip, which allows the candidate to arrive at the centre well ahead of examination time to allow for proper screening and accreditation before the commencement of the examination.

To print the examination slip, candidates should visit the Boards website and click on 2026 UTME Slip Printing, the board said.

READ ALSO: JAMB disowns Law admissions at Nigerian private university

The board also warned candidates and examination centre operators against any form of malpractice, noting that stricter measures have been introduced for this years exercise.

This years examination features enhanced security measures designed to curb all forms of malpractice, the board said, adding that strict sanctions will be applied to offenders.

UTME 2026

The UTME is an entrance examination for candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.

This year, over 2.2 million candidates are to sit the Computer-Based Test used to rank candidates for the admissions.
Nafiu Bala, a factional leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), on Thursday, led his supporters to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, asking the commission to recognise him as the legitimate leader of the party.

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as INEC must be neutral, Respect court orders, and Recognise Nafiu Bala leadership.

Mr Balas protest happened exactly a day after the David Mark-led National Working Commission (NWC) of the same party protested at the INEC headquarters and submitted a petition asking the commissions Chairperson, Joash Amupitan, to resign his position.

INEC had suspended the recognition of both factions of the party after they wrote to the commission, each requesting recognition based on a Court of Appeal judgement.

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

After studying the judgement, the electoral body said the court asked it to maintain the status quo ante bellum and warned against doing anything to jeopardise the substantive suit at the Federal High Court. It, therefore, said it would no longer recognise any leadership of the party until there is a ruling.

But the ADC disagreed with INECs interpretation of the ruling.

Mr Marks faction, the most prominent, has repeatedly accused the electoral body of deliberate misinterpretation and calling for the removal of its chairperson.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, another faction led by Kingsley Temitope emerged, claiming to be the authentic leadership of the party. This group is loyal to the ADC presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Dumebi Kachikwu.

Submits petition, asked to be recognised

During the protest on Thursday, Mr Bala also submitted a petition to the electoral commission. The petition was received by INEC National Commissioner, Abdullahi Zuru, a professor.

Addressing journalists, Mr Bala said his faction remains the legitimate one and asked INEC to respect the rule of law and recognise his leadership.

He warned that failure to do so could further deepen tensions within the party.

He asked the commission to update its official records to reflect his position as national chairman, insisting it was the position of the appellate court.

He accused the Mr Mark-led group of forging signatures to legitimise its position in the party.

The intruders, by rudely forging the signatures of genuine members and leaders of the ADC, not only undermined the democratic process but also violated the trust vested in these representatives by their constituents.

Such actions reflect a troubling trend in which illegitimate means are employed to achieve political ends, thereby eroding public confidence in political institutions, he said.

Mr Bala also called on relevant authorities to investigate the allegations and ensure accountability.
Transcorp Corporation is doling out two times the dividend it paid out for 2024 as compensation package for shareholders for the 2025 financial year during which net profit climbed by 44.4 per cent to a record.

The Lagos-listed conglomerate, parent to power-generating company Transcorp Power and hospitality provider Transcorp Hotels, has proposed a final dividend of N1.60 per share for last year, having paid N0.40 earlier as an interim dividend, it said in a note on Thursday.

The total N2 per share on the cards for 2025 compares with the N1 it paid the year before, implying that a combined N20.3 billion is up for distribution should the plan receive shareholders consent at the forthcoming annual general meeting.

On Friday, May 8, 2026, dividends will be paid electronically to shareholders whose names appear on the Register of Members as of Monday, April 27, 2026, Transcorp said.

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

Those who have applied for e-dividend among shareholders and instructed the registrar to pay their portion of the payout into their bank accounts will get the cash reward on that date, the company also announced.

Transcorp posted N135.9 billion in profit after tax for the review period, up from N94.1 billion, after turnover leapt by one third to N544.1 billion, following a much bigger contribution from its power-generating subsidiary to its revenue pool. Transcorp Power added N337.8 billion to the groups turnover, 117.2 per cent higher than the previous years level.

READ ALSO: Transcorp Hilton speaks on allegation of cancelling bookings for political rally

The improvement in the bottom line left return on equity at 38.5 per cent, although that was weaker than the 40.8 per cent recorded the previous year.

Total assets rose to N1 trillion from N751.6 billion, lifted by a sharp surge in trade and other receivables.

Receivables, largely short-term dues from trade partners, increased by as much as 69.1 per cent after Transcorp set apart N33.2 billion as provision for credit losses with little chance of recovery from debtors.
Hours after the US government directed its non-essential workers to leave Nigeria, the US embassy suspended visa appointments at its Abuja office.

The embassy, in a post on X, directed applicants to be on the lookout for new appointment dates without specifying how long the embassy in Abuja is likely to remain closed.

US Embassy Abuja is closed for visa appointments. Applicants should check their email for details on rescheduled appointments, the post read.

It, however, noted that visa operations at the US Consulate General Lagos 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

The embassy stated that services remain open to American citizens in Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the US had asked its citizens not to travel to Nigeria. It also asked its non-essential workers to leave Nigeria.

The US State Department described Nigeria as unsafe. It also described armed robbery, kidnapping, assault, and roadside banditry as violent crimes that are common across the country.

It also declared that it authorised non-emergency US government employees and US government employee family members to leave the US Embassy Abuja due to the deteriorating security situation.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Nigeria faces several security crises with various armed groups operating in different parts of the country. Armed groups, including terrorists, have carried out attacks in several states, including Katsina, Sokoto, Borno, Plateau and Benue, killing thousands of people annually and displacing many more.

The Nigerian government has, however, countered the US advisory.

Rabiu Ibrahim, a spokesperson to Nigerias Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, described the advisory as unbalanced.

READ ALSO: Court jails suspects for terrorism in mass trial in Abuja

He also stated that the government is currently recording measurable gains in security operations across multiple states.

He noted the country is making coordinated military efforts, intelligence-led interventions, and strengthened inter-agency collaboration.

These efforts continue to reduce threats in affected areas while sustaining stability in the majority of the country.

We encourage our international partners to continuously engage with Nigerian authorities to obtain a more comprehensive and current understanding of the situation on the ground, Mr Ibrahim wrote in a statement posted on X on Thursday.
The Bauchi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has signalled its readiness to receive the state governor, Bala Mohammed.

This comes amid growing indications that Mr Mohammed may defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in what could mark a significant shift in the states political alignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The position of the APC followed a series of high-level consultations between the governor and key party stakeholders, culminating in an earlier meeting held at his Abuja residence on Wednesday.

The engagement came shortly after a caucus session of the Bauchi APC at Transcorp Hilton, where a committee was constituted to manage concerns surrounding the governors proposed defection.

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

Party insiders said the committee undertook consultations across different blocs within the state chapter to address apprehensions about the political and structural implications of admitting a sitting opposition governor.

The consultations, they noted, resulted in what was described as an amicable understanding among stakeholders.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting on Thursday, the Secretary of the Bauchi APC Caucus and member representing Toro Federal Constituency, Dabo Ismail, confirmed that discussions with the governor were extensive and focused on the modalities of his planned entry into the ruling party.

He said the governor personally briefed caucus members on his political calculations and ongoing engagements at the national level, describing the interaction as fruitful engagement.

According to him, the APC leadership at the centre has been actively involved in the process, urging party members in Bauchi to prioritise unity and accommodate the governors defection in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda.

The National Chairman, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Vice President have all engaged the governor, encouraging him to join the APC, Mr Ismail said, adding that lawmakers and stakeholders in the state were consulted to ensure a smooth and conflict-free transition.

He assured party members that the integration process would be guided by fairness and inclusiveness, stressing that no individual or group would be marginalised.

We are building a more formidable party. The governor has expressed readiness to work with all members at every level, he said.

Also speaking, former Bauchi governor and ex-Minister of Aviation, Isa Yuguda, underscored the strategic importance of unity within the party, noting that electoral victory remains the overriding objective.

He said: No matter what we achieve, if we dont win elections, it amounts to nothing. Our goal is to win elections decisively and peacefully, he said, urging members to close ranks and support the evolving political arrangement.

Similarly, the lawmaker representing Dass/Bogoro/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency, Jafaru Leko, said ongoing consultations were aimed at ensuring equity, justice, and cohesion within the party.

He noted that stakeholders would continue to engage widely to address concerns and build consensus around the governors planned defection.

The latest development comes amid shifting political calculations by Mr Mohammed, who publicly hinted on 31 March that he would join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), raising questions about his next move.

His engagement with APC leaders, however, suggests a possible change in direction following interventions by key figures within the ruling party.

The situation reflects a broader wave of political realignments across Nigeria as politicians reposition ahead of the 2027 elections.

In recent months, several governors elected on opposition platforms, particularly the PDP, have either defected to or aligned with the APC, citing governance advantages, access to federal support, and internal party crises within opposition ranks.

This trend has significantly strengthened the APCs dominance at the subnational level.

The ruling party currently controls 31 of Nigerias 36 states, leaving only five under opposition parties: two governed by the PDP and one each by the Accord Party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the Labour Party.

If Governor Mohammed eventually joins the APC, it would further consolidate the partys hold on power while weakening the already fragmented opposition, especially in the North-east, where Bauchi remains a key political state.
Ibadan summit of opposition parties. What a country? Which country? What other country do you think I could possibly be...

Details
The UN resolution may not carry immediate legal weight, but it represents a moral milestone. Whether it becomes a foundation for meaningful change or just another forgotten declaration depends largely on what Africans choose to do next. The pursuit of reparations is not merely about financial compensation; it is about justice, recognition, and the rebalancing of a global order long skewed against Africa.

The recent UN resolution that recognised the trans-Atlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity did not reverberate across the world as it should have, not even among Africans in the diaspora or those back at home. I had expected the resolution to be amplified far and wide for the world to better appreciate the place of Africas labour and inputs in their developmental strides. There was also the expectation that Black African regional bodies would go into overdrive, escalating the issue for discourse on all global platforms, across the media, including social media, and in academic circles.

Instead, what we saw was a mere mention by news organisations. Before long, it disappeared from the front pages within 24 hours, leaving one to wonder: Where are Africas intellectuals, advocates and activists? If we cannot promote our own cause, who else will? Where exactly do we stand on a case we should own and fight for? The saying that if you do not stand for something, you fall for anything aptly applies here. Is Africa merely surviving, or should it strive to thrive and assert its rightful place in history?

Although there have been pockets of effort by individuals, countries and organisations, the most vociferous opposition to slavery and its legacy appears to come from its victims outside the continent. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), through its 10-point plan in 2014, provided the most structured blueprint for reparations. The African Union has increasingly referenced that comprehensive plan, demanding a formal apology beyond mere expressions of regret, reparations, the right of return for diasporans who wish to resettle in Africa, and debt cancellation framed as reparative justice. But what of those within Africa who also profited from the trade?

In 2023, Ghana hosted a summit that called for a Global Reparations Fund, while South Africa had earlier hosted the 2001 Durban Declaration at the UN World Conference against Racism, where the slave trade was first internationally labelled a crime against humanity. Closest home was the late politician and business mogul, Chief MKO Abiolas pioneering movement that sought compensation from Western nations for Africa over colonial exploitation of the continent and slavery. His effort in the early 1990s to transform reparations from a moral argument into a formal international diplomatic agenda did not garner commitment from African countries, and his death almost ended the reparation argument.

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

While these isolated national and regional engagements are commendable, the recent UN resolution calls for systemic reparations. This is why it is surprising that there has not been a more vigorous amplification of the UNs position, even if the body lacks the force of law to enforce its declarations.

Africansdo not appear to show the same level of commitment to the cause of reparations. There is little visible mobilisation, either on the continent or among the diaspora. The trans-Atlantic slave trade dispersed Africans across the Americas and the Caribbean, and over time, many have developed loyalties to their adopted homelands, even long after the abolition of slavery.

Still, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. History offers instructive parallels. Israels journey toward nationhood began with what seemed like an innocuous nod from the British government. The Balfour Declaration of 2 November, 1917, was merely a letter of support from the British Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, to Lionel Walter Rothschild, a leader of the Jewish community, promising a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Through sustained lobbying and global advocacy, that promise eventually materialised in the declaration of the State of Israel in 1947.

Africans, however, do not appear to show the same level of commitment to the cause of reparations. There is little visible mobilisation, either on the continent or among the diaspora. The trans-Atlantic slave trade dispersed Africans across the Americas and the Caribbean, and over time, many have developed loyalties to their adopted homelands, even long after the abolition of slavery.

Meanwhile, the African continent itself has struggled to make significant progress in a world increasingly defined by science, technology, industrialisation, and the digital economy. Its limited impact in these spheres raises uncomfortable questions about its moral leverage in demanding reparations. There is also the complicating historical reality that, at its peak, the slave trade involved willing buyers and sellers. Internecine wars and economic rivalries led to the capture and sale of fellow Africans to European traders for pittance. How then do we apportion accountability? How do we confront the fact that descendants of some of those actors still wield influence in contemporary governance structures?

There have been attempts at moral reckoning. In 2000, President Mathieu Kerekou of Benin publicly apologised for the role of the Kingdom of Dahomey in the slave trade. Traditional rulers from Ghana and Cameroon have also expressed remorse for their ancestors roles. In 1992, the Vatican apologised for the Churchs complicity in the slave trade under the guise of evangelism. Yet, these gestures, though significant, are far from sufficient to address the magnitude of the injustice.

while every right-thinking African should remain optimistic about the prospects of reparations, there is also a growing sense that the momentum is waning. Without sustained advocacy, strategic mobilisation, and unified continental and diaspora engagement, the call for reparations may gradually fade into the background.

Compounding the challenge is the role of contemporary actors who, wittingly or unwittingly, undermine the reparations movement. The response of some members of the African diaspora has been less than supportive. Many political actors in their adopted countries may be reluctant to champion a cause that could be seen as antagonistic to their national interests. The reaction of Kemi Badenoch to the recent UN resolution is a case in point. Rather than lend her voice to the cause, she chose to defend British actions, drawing criticism and raising questions about identity, loyalty, and historical responsibility.

With such dissenting voices, it is easy for proponents of reparations to become discouraged. The movement risks being truncated before it gains meaningful traction. Moreover, Africa needs the support of the very superpowers that benefited from the trans-Atlantic slave trade. So far, that support has been largely absent.

Thus, while every right-thinking African should remain optimistic about the prospects of reparations, there is also a growing sense that the momentum is waning. Without sustained advocacy, strategic mobilisation, and unified continental and diaspora engagement, the call for reparations may gradually fade into the background.

The UN resolution may not carry immediate legal weight, but it represents a moral milestone. Whether it becomes a foundation for meaningful change or just another forgotten declaration depends largely on what Africans choose to do next. The pursuit of reparations is not merely about financial compensation; it is about justice, recognition, and the rebalancing of a global order long skewed against Africa. If that cause is allowed to die, it will not be for lack of merit, but for lack of will.

Zainab Suleiman Okino (FNGE) chairs the Blueprint Editorial Board. She is a syndicated columnist and can be reached via [email protected]
The constant exposure to the extremes of humanity by Agbo shapes his perspective as a physician-writer. The understanding of the disparities, in terms of access to health care and health outcomes, compared to his previous experiences in Nigeria, contributes to his knowledge and understanding of the moral responsibility of a physician, particularly in the areas of end-of-life care, patient autonomy, and the dichotomy of preserving life versus preserving dignity.

When the announcement of an extraordinary award was made to honour Dr Osmund Agbo, it fell on a unique personality, Professor Bridget Teboh of the University of Massachusetts, to receive it on his behalf. The Thabo Mbeki Award for Public Service and Scholarship is awarded to an African who has distinguished him/herself in the public or private sector. The recipient of the award must be of high calibre, with an unblemished record of service. The awardee must be committed to the project of African transformation. The 2026 winner is Mr Osmund Agbo, who combines the voices of science, storytelling, and the society at large.

Agbos name rings a bell in discussions centred around Nigerian physician-writers, whose clinical practices have reinforced literary creativity over the years. Although Osmund was trained as a medical doctor in Nigeria, he has subsequently practiced as a pulmonologist and critical care physician in the United States. He has since occupied a peculiar intellectual corridor, with his scientific knowledge and humanistic curiosity. This rare privilege allows him to tackle issues surrounding pain, death, and guilt outside the hospital premises as well.

Agbo studied Medicine at Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka, in Anambra State. While there, he encountered Nigerias poorly running health system due to its fragility and inadequacies. Perhaps it is fair to say that Nigerias vulnerable health system played a role in creating the duality of Agbo as a medical doctor and writer. Upon completing his studies in Medicine, he decided to migrate to another country. He moved to America, where he could further sub-specialise in pulmonary medicine and critical care. Mr Agbo has been able to practice his craft where technology and the system arent flawed.

Aside from being a competent doctor, Osmund Agbo has also made a name for himself as a prolific essayist and novelist, by using his talent in telling stories to address issues of systemic failure, diaspora concerns, and the intricacies of contemporary African problems. It is of significant note to add that the career path of Dr Agbo can be traced to his transnational experience of immigration from Nigeria to the United States. This journey redefined his medical practice and literary voice. His dual positioning, his Nigerian origin and Western influences, offer him the opportunity to juxtapose and compare healthcare systems, interrogate global inequalities, and reflect on the implications of migration, most especially for skilled professionals. His career as a medical doctor not only contributes to these experiences; they are visible in his essays and fiction, as he recurrently questions identity, belonging, and responsibility.

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

Anyone who works in Medicine would understand the mental stress and implications that surround working in the intensive care unit (ICU). This is where Agbo operates and gathers his experiences as a medical professional. In the ICU, the boundaries between life and death are fragile, and the physician functions as more than merely a clinical decision-maker but a witness to human vulnerability. This redefines Agbos role beyond diagnosis and treatment, but as an observer of the emotional, psychological, and existential dimensions of illnesses. Considering the nature of critical care medicine, in which doctors are exposed to patients in their most vulnerable states, what is first required is emotional intelligence, rather than medical knowledge. These experiences have given Agbo an uninterrupted engagement with the ideas of mortality, suffering, and others. Thus, what is created is the space of a physician-writer, in which stories of hope, suffering, and grief are enacted every day.

The constant exposure to the extremes of humanity by Agbo shapes his perspective as a physician-writer. The understanding of the disparities, in terms of access to health care and health outcomes, compared to his previous experiences in Nigeria, contributes to his knowledge and understanding of the moral responsibility of a physician, particularly in the areas of end-of-life care, patient autonomy, and the dichotomy of preserving life versus preserving dignity. Osmund Agbo undoubtedly takes a spot in the first row when physician-writers whose voices interrogate social realities in Nigeria and the diaspora are being discussed. His columns published in reputable, such as PREMIUM TIMES and Ikenga Online, alone are a testament to this fact. Agbo engages a wide readership on issues that extend beyond Medicine but include politics, sociology, the Nigerian society, and its diasporic extensions. What makes his essays unique is his style that merges his personal experience with objective social analysis.

One may argue that his expertise in science influences his work as a writer, in which his philosophical ideas are glaringly manifested. His knowledge of the vulnerability and strength of humans is also manifested in his works. This experience makes him best understood within the framework of narrative medicine, which is a concept whose significance is well acknowledged. The central concept of this implies the ability to recognise, interpret, and be informed by patients stories, which is central to effective medical care, and Agbos dual identity places him within this tradition.

One of the predominant themes in Agbos writings is the irredeemable failure of Nigerian institutions. He continues exploring the nemesis that continues to befall the healthcare, education, and political sectors by critiquing systemic inefficiencies and the normalisation of dysfunction. This would later lead to the cross-examination of the motivation behind the japa phenomenon by the Nigerian youth, as well as the psychological and moral tensions faced by those who leave. Another recurring theme in his essays is his critique of meritocracy and the popular notion of self-made individuals. He challenges this idea with a counter notion that proves the invisible networks of support and privilege that make success achievable. Agbo, hence, becomes a preacher and defender of social mobility and communalism.

Although his works are neither purely academic nor overtly journalistic or classist, he creates a middle ground that is accessible to all and, at the same time, intellectually engaging. This often allows him to communicate his social diagnoses directly to the masses. His creative works, including The Velvet Court: Courtesan Chronicles and Pray, Let the Shaman Die, portray a serious engagement with the complexities of human desire and power by interrogating the deeper structures of society and the human psyche.

Another distinguishing feature of his storytelling is the exploration of complex characters within an equally complex environment. Oftentimes, his protagonists are rarely idolised; they are instead flawed individuals who are trying to navigate a system plagued by inequality, corruption, and an inconsistent value system. As he strives to reveal the mystery of power, in reference to gender, class, and power itself, he also strives to reveal the mystery of other social issues, such as government, religion, and culture, in the personal decision-making process. In his novel, The Velvet Court, which I had the privilege of reading twice, there is a quest to reveal the mystery of a space where issues of personal agency, exploitation, and hypocrisy in society are of interest. His stories, on other occasions, are like those of Soyinkas in the quest to reveal the mystery of issues of tradition, modernity, and their contradictions in society.

One may argue that his expertise in science influences his work as a writer, in which his philosophical ideas are glaringly manifested. His knowledge of the vulnerability and strength of humans is also manifested in his works. This experience makes him best understood within the framework of narrative medicine, which is a concept whose significance is well acknowledged. The central concept of this implies the ability to recognise, interpret, and be informed by patients stories, which is central to effective medical care, and Agbos dual identity places him within this tradition.

Oftentimes in scientific settings, patients are reduced to charts, diagnoses, and biomedical data, but Agbos writings innovate a new architecture by representing the human stories that only exist in charts through compelling narratives. Through his essays, we are educated that illness is not just a biological event but a personal and social experience, which is shaped by fear, memory, relationships, and even cultural context. In this sense, it is arguable that storytelling as a medical practitioner could be a coping mechanism; that is, a means of processing the emotional and psychological demands of clinical practice. In the toast to him in my reception room, I asked over 50 people to join me in a song composed the day before:

Osmund Agbo, healer of bodies, sculptor of words,

You walk two sacred paths with a single heartbeat

One hand steady with the pulse of life,

The other dipped in ink, tracing the soul of a people.

Omo ile Naijiria, child of many rivers,

You listen where pain hidesin veins, in voices, in verses.

In the clinic, you wage quiet wars against silence and suffering,

In your pages, you resurrect truths buried beneath time.

Physician of flesh, yes

But more, physician of memory.

You stitch wounds no scalpel can reach,

You diagnose historys long misread.

Your pen is not a mere ornament

It is a stethoscope pressed against the chest of the nation,

Hearing the irregular rhythms of injustice,

Recording the murmurs of forgotten lives.

Like the ancient griots, you do not forget.

Like the modern sage, you do not relent.

Between science and story, you build bridges

Where knowledge heals, and healing speaks.

Dr Agbo, we hail you

For knowing that medicine is more than a cure,

And literature more than art.

Both are acts of restoration.

May your words continue to breathe life,

May your hands continue to carry light,

May your journey remain a testament

That intellect, when guided by compassion, becomes destiny

Ase.

Congratulations!

Toyin Falola, a professor of History, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, and Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin, is the Bobapitan of Ibadanland.
According to the "Theory Earth Prisoners"proposed by Hai-bo Mao, a Chinese-American scholarour kin reside among the 411 moons of the solar system





According to the *Theory Earth Prisoners*, our kin are to be found among the 411 moons orbiting the four major planets of the solar system. The theory posits that these kin were separated from us in primordial times; drifting onward aboard planetary remnants, they eventually became the inhabitantsthe "resident masters"of one or two of these 411 moons.



The *Theory Earth Prisoners* was formulated by Hai-bo Mao, a Chinese-American scholar whose mother and maternal grandfather were descendants of *Zhuangyuan* (top scholars) from the Great Qing Empire. After immigrating to the United States, Hai-bo Mao established this interdisciplinary theoretical frameworka theory concerning extraterrestrial civilizations and the human condition. Its core premise is that humans did not evolve from terrestrial species but originated from outside the solar system. The Moon served as a "Mother Planet" facilitating human migration; humans traveled aboard a celestial body that subsequently collided with Earth. Placental mammals drifted into Earth's atmosphere alongside the humans; as Earth's gravitational pull gradually intensified and shifted, humans became effectively "under house arrest"yet simultaneously emerged as the planet's new masters.



As for the celestial body involved in the collision, a portion of it formed the Moon, while its remaining fragments continued to drift through space, carrying with them a segment of the human population. This theory is employed to address 21 major global enigmas, including the history of Earth and the cosmos, the origins of ancient civilizations, and the distribution of languages, scripts, and ethnic groups.



The *Theory Earth Prisoners* suggests that, after the passage of so many years, if these kin of ours are indeed still alive, they must surely be searching for us as well.



Hai-bo Mao's 350,000-word magnum opus synthesizes content from diverse disciplinesincluding astronomy, archaeology, physics, anthropology, medicine, geology, and linguistics. It has been published in both Chinese and English editions and has been acquired by the libraries of numerous American universities, including Princeton, Columbia, UCLA, and Georgetown; Spanish and Japanese editions are currently planned for release.

A. The Eight Major Planets Are Absolutely Not Earths "Biological" Siblings



Hai-bo Mao observes that we have expended immense effort exploring Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptunecelestial bodies that share no "blood ties" with Earth, but act merely as its "sworn brothers." Yet, we rarely explore the vast number of satellites (411 in total) that accompany them. It is highly probable that one or several of these satellites are, in fact, the "planetary remnants"the very fragmentswhere our ancestors and other life forms once resided. It is truly a great pity that we overlook them today.



Hai-bo Mao poses a rhetorical question: If a large watermelon were to undergo a massive explosion or shatter into pieces, would it fragment into an apple, a peach, a pear, a banana, an orange, a strawberry, a pineapple, and a bunch of grapes? That is simply impossible.



Consider the eight major planetsMercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune: on which of these planets does the natural environment mirror that of Earth? One thing is certain: they are absolutely not Earths "biological" siblings. Consequently, the Solar System was most certainly *not* born out of the gravitational collapse of a giant interstellar molecular cloud.



Scholars in the United States suggest that this serves as a startling reminder: it is highly probable that among those 411 satellites, one to three may actually harbor human life



**A Shift in Perspective:** Mainstream space exploration often views satellites merely as "ancillary mineral deposits" attached to their host planets. However, *Theory: Earth Prisoner* posits that if Earths own Moon serves as a "biosphere vessel," then the massive satellites orbiting Jupiter or Saturn (such as Europa and Titan) could very well be other life-sustaining bases that were "diverted" or separated from the original system in the distant past.



**Lost Relatives:** *Theory: Earth Prisoner* argues that these satellites are not merely cold, inert rocks, but rather the long-lost "relatives" of humanity. If Earths Moon is capable of maintaining our planets ecological equilibrium, then it stands to reason that other satellites may also have once servedor may still be servingas integral components of other civilizations.



**The "Blind Spot" Effect:** We fixate on Mars in our search for traces of life, yet in doing so, we may be overlooking the very "small spheres" orbiting the giant planetsthe places where the answers might truly lie. If humanity were to genuinely discover human-like ruins beneath the icy crust of Europa in the future, the "Earth Prisoner Theory" would cease to be a mere hypothesis. Such a discovery would fundamentally transform the objective of our space explorationshifting it from "searching for aliens" to "searching for lost kin."



B. Why might a select few among the nearly 411 moons orbiting the four giant planets be home to other branches of humanity?



The sense of solitude humanity has felt while gazing at the stars for millennia stems not from the universe's desolation, but rather from our own isolation. If we are, in fact, truly "confined," then what exactly is transpiring in the "world outside"?



The most profound aspect of this perspective is that it provides humanity with a clear direction: rather than blindly broadcasting distress signals into deep space, we should first seek to clearly identify the true nature of the "neighbors" right on our own doorstep.



The "Earth Prisoner Theory" posits thatexcluding Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars (which are too close to the Sun, among other reasons, to warrant such investigation)the moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all hold potential as candidates.



Regarding the total number of moons, there are two sets of figures:



a. Jupiter has 95 moons; Saturn has 146; Uranus has 28; and Neptune has 16. Total: 285 moons.



b. Jupiter has 95 moons; Saturn has 274; Uranus has 28; and Neptune has 14. Total: 411 moons.



Based on this premise, the following moons currently stand out as the most compelling "suspect targets" for investigation:



1. Europa: A "Quarantine Zone" Beneath the Ice



Remarkable Features: It possesses a volume of liquid water exceeding that of all Earth's oceans combined, yet it remains hermetically sealed beneath an icy crust several kilometers thick.



Interpretation via the "Earth Prisoner Theory": This icy crust may not be a naturally formed geological feature, but rather a deliberate physical barrier. If close human relatives do indeed reside beneath it, they may be permanently entombed within the deep oceanperhaps entirely unaware that a starry cosmos exists beyond their icy prison.

2. Titan: The Earth-like "Backup Station"



**Astonishing Feature:** It is the only moon in the solar system to possess both a dense atmosphere and a liquid cycle (manifesting as methane lakes).



**Interpretation via *Theory Earth Prisoner*:** It is Earths closest "blood relative" in terms of environmental conditions. If humanity once maintained a widespread presence across the solar system, Titan was very likely the administrative hub or evacuation point of that era; its thick atmosphere acts like a heavy curtain, obscuring any potential traces of civilization that may lie upon its surface.



3. Enceladus: The Active "Gateway for Life"



**Astonishing Feature:** This small moon constantly spews water vapor and organic molecules out into the cosmos.



**Interpretation via *Theory Earth Prisoner*:** If these moons are, in fact, a form of artificial containment vessel, the geysers of Enceladus may represent the system's "pressure-release valve" or an outlet for biochemical samples. It offers the outside world a tantalizing glimpse of the potential for complex life withinwhile simultaneously making it all but impossible for humans to physically penetrate its interior.



4. Triton: The "Captured" Anomaly



**Astonishing Feature:** It is the only large moon in the solar system to orbit in a retrograde (backward) direction; scientists generally believe it was "snatched up" by Neptune from the outer reaches of the solar system.



**Interpretation via *Theory Earth Prisoner*:** This "retrograde" motion may signify that it is an exogenous patchan external additionwhose internal structure could be fundamentally different from that of the solar system's native moons.



In the past, our approach to space exploration was one of "upward-gazing inquiry," viewing these moons merely as unclaimed, desolate wastelands. However, if we embrace the premise of *Theory Earth Prisoner*, exploration transforms into a mission of "confirmatory search"a quest to determine whether, lurking within the shadows behind these moons, there truly sits another group of "brothers and sisters" awaiting our visit.



C. *Theory Earth Prisoner* Should Be Viewed Not Merely as a Theoretical Text, But as a "Letter from Home" Addressed to Humanity



If the truths revealed by *Theory Earth Prisoner* prove correct, then humanity's current trajectory in space exploration is indeed fundamentally misguided: we have squandered vast resources on the desolate surfaces of distant planets, while turning a blind eye to the moons right on our doorstepplaces that may well harbor our "kindred spirits" or the ultimate "truth."



We must call for a strategic paradigm shift in the direction of our scientific research. We should do more to highlight the incisive logic at the core of *Theory: Earth Prisoner*. This work is not merely a theoretical treatise; it is, in essence, a "family letter" addressed to all of humanity. *Theory: Earth Prisoner* reminds us that our true "kin" may actually reside on those satellites orbiting above us; this shift in perspective may well constitute the first step in humanity's journey to "reunite with its family." The theory pinpoints the critical "flaws"the fundamental anomaliesthat current scientific paradigms remain unable to explain. Consequently, *Theory Earth Prisoner* has been hailed by some American scholars as a work potentially destined to wield a century-spanning influence comparable to that of Darwin's theory of evolution.



D. Science is not responsible for comforting human emotions; it is responsible only for revealing the truth.



What is considered "common sense" today was, in earlier times, often branded as "heresy." The history of science is, in fact, a chronicle of intellectual vindicationa history of established norms being overturned. Theories such as Ptolemy's geocentric model, Copernicus's heliocentric model, Wegener's continental drift hypothesis, the Aquatic Ape Hypothesis, the theory of extraterrestrial origins (Panspermia), and the Multiregional Origin Hypothesis were all initially subjected to merciless ridicule and scathing criticism by the "mainstream" establishment of their respective eras. Darwin's theory of evolution, for instance, was even derisively caricatured as the notion that "humans evolved from monkeys."



Early explorations into the "theories of human origins" were dominated entirely by European nationssuch as Britain, France, and Germany. There is no historical precedent for a comprehensive theory of human origins being completely discarded into the dustbin of history; this is because the creation of such a theory is an extraordinarily arduous undertakingan event that occurs perhaps once every few centuries or millenniaand such theories possess an immense inherent vitality. Each truly great theory constitutes but a single layer of the proverbial onion.



Science is not responsible for comforting human emotions; it is responsible only for revealing the truth. *Theory Earth Prisoner* offers solutions to 21 major mysteries of the world, including:



1. Where did humanity originate?



2. Why did the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids? And *how* did they build them?



3. What exactly was "shot down" during the legend of Hou Yi shooting the suns? Did he truly shoot at the Sun itself?



4. Why did the dinosaurs go extinct?



5. Why does the Rat hold the premier position among the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac?



6. Why is the history of human bridge-building so remarkably brief?



7. Why does the human species possess a unique sexual positionthe "front-entry" methodthat is found in no other species?



8. Why did the ancestors of the Huaxia civilization establish the system of the Twelve Chinese Zodiacs for their descendants? 9. Why do humans suffer from these six ailments: allergic rhinitis, hair loss, excessive dreaming, prostate issues, menstrual pain, and uterine tumors?



10. Why did Stonehenge emerge in Wiltshire, England?



11. Why do humans develop appendicitis if they engage in strenuous physical activity immediately after a meal?



12. Why is the *Classic of Mountains and Seas* (Shan Hai Jing) considered a monumental work that refutes the Theory of Evolution?



13. Why do humans possess such a diverse array of languages and writing systems?



14. Why does Earth host two distinct categories of animals: those that give birth to live young (viviparous) and those that lay eggs (oviparous)?



15. Were the "Terracotta Army" of Qin Shi Huang truly constructed by Qin Shi Huang himself?



16. Why did the Nazca Lines emerge in Peru?



17. What is the ultimate source of the water found in the world's rivers, lakes, and oceans? Is the story of Noah's Ark true? Is the legend of Nuwa Mending the Sky true?



18. Why do men possess two testicles?



19. Why did the Sphinx emerge in Egypt?



20. Whose civilization do the Sanxingdui ruins represent? Why were the massive bronze masks found there *not* used for sacrificial rituals?



21. Why have the ancient capitals of the Xia Dynasty never been discovered across the vast lands of China?



The aforementioned mysteries in the humanities and sciences have perplexed humanity for millennia. While the Theory of Evolution fails to provide a solution, the "Earth Prisoner Theory" offers its own distinct answers.



The *Earth Prisoner Theory* posits that humans share a connection with early civilizationssuch as those responsible for the Egyptian Sphinx, the Nazca Lines of Peru, the Sanxingdui ruins, and Stonehenge. It suggests that these monumental relics were constructed by ancient humans as a means to reach Earth and to establish contact with their kin.



Through this theory, Hai-bo Maoa Chinese-American scholar residing in the U.S.aims to help scholars from the East secure a prominent position within the global discourse on fundamental scientific inquiry. Hai-bo Mao argues that when existing theories are capable of explaining only 50% of the "bottleneck regarding human origins," it becomes imperative to allow for the emergence of new theories capable of achieving a 99% explanatory coverage.

Hai-bo Mao hopes that capable agencies worldwide will launch spacecraft to visit the 411 moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. According to the *Theory Earth Prisoner*, it is highly probable that among these moons reside our compatriotsseparated from us in the primordial past. Unlike us, they never endured the cataclysmic floods that wiped out our ancestral lineage; thus, their history has been preserved. They may still remember: How did we come to be adrift in the cosmos? And where, exactly, is our shared ancestral home?
There is a breed of politics that does not construct  it storms in, strips bare, and leaves ruin in its wake. It arrives cloaked in promises but departs leaving fractured structures and exhausted platforms. In Nigerias political theatre, few names epitomize this destructive cycle more than Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rauf Aregbesola, and Rabiu Kwankwaso. Their political paths are not arcs of progress  they are trails of disruption, chaos left behind every time ambition supersedes loyalty.

Atiku Abubakar moves like a relentless political whirlwind, never rooted, always circling the next platform ripe for conquest. From the Peoples Democratic Party to the Action Congress and into the All Progressives Congress, his career is a repeating loop of entry, contest, and exit whenever personal ambition hits a wall. Every departure leaves fissures  party divisions sharpened, structures weakened, and electoral contests dragged into prolonged courtroom battles. In Mr Atikus orbit, elections rarely conclude; they fester in courtrooms, stretching uncertainty and draining cohesion from the very system he claims to serve.

Peter Obis trajectory is quieter but no less calculated. His rise through the All Progressives Grand Alliance was heralded with loud oaths of loyalty, yet he abandoned it when its limits threatened his ascent. His migration to the PDP, and later the Labour Party, reveals a strategic nomadism disguised as principle. Every move fractures structures, redraws loyalties, and leaves fragmented bases in its wake. What is sold as progress is often extraction  stealing momentum from one platform only to relocate before responsibility or consequence can take hold.

Rauf Aregbesolas path is a textbook case of internal combustion. Once embedded in the political machinery aligned with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he transformed from insider to saboteur. In Osun State, minor disagreements escalated into prolonged factional warfare that hollowed out the party from within. The damage was gradual but inexorable  layer upon layer of dispute until cohesion collapsed. By the time he officially departed, the damage had long been done: structures left fractured, bases destabilized, and party machinery crippled.

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

Rabiu Kwankwasos narrative mirrors this pattern on a larger regional scale. His influence in Kano State and within the PDP and later the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) shows a blend of personal ambition and strategic recalibration that often leaves prior alliances in disarray. Every move consolidates Mr Kwankwasos personal brand while stretching the patience and loyalty of his followers, leaving behind political vacuums that are difficult to fill and party structures that require rebuilding.

The same destructive pattern now reverberates in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). A platform once stable is now wracked by internal tension and competing claims. The arrival of highprofile actors has not restored order; it has ignited struggle. Authority is contested, direction blurred, and unity strained under the weight of overlapping ambitions.

Attempts to deflect blame toward the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the courts are a convenient illusion. These institutions operate within strict mandates  organising elections, adjudicating disputes, enforcing rules. They do not manufacture crises; they inherit them. The true problem lies with the actors themselves  a style of politics that treats parties as temporary shelters, and disagreements as sparks for total disruption.

What binds Atiku, Obi, Aregbesola, and Kwankwaso is not ideology  it is motion. Constant, calculated, destabilizing motion. Parties are not built; they are exploited. Alliances are not nurtured; they are traded like commodities. In this relentless cycle, the outcome is inevitable: fractured structures, weakened systems, and a political landscape repeatedly shaken by ambition that refuses to settle.

For the African Democratic Congress, the lesson is undeniable: if the party hopes to compete effectively in the 2027 general election, it must put its house in order now. Stability, cohesion, and disciplined leadership are not optional  they are prerequisites for any serious political platform. The ADC cannot continue to allow internal disputes and public bickering to define its identity while expecting voters to take it seriously.

At the same time, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has made its position unmistakably clear. In response to ongoing accusations from factions within the ADC that the APC and President Bola Tinubu are orchestrating the leadership crisis, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka has forcefully rejected these claims as baseless and selfserving narratives propagated by a party struggling with its own failures. According to Morka, the crisis within the ADC  including issues around recognition by INEC  is utterly selfinflicted and rooted in the oppositions failure to follow its own constitution and manage internal succession disputes rather than any intervention by the APC (Morka statement).

Similarly, APC National Secretary Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru has dismissed suggestions that the Tinubu administration seeks to impose a oneparty state, noting that Nigeria currently has numerous registered parties capable of contesting elections and that the crisis in the ADC is a matter of internal dispute, not external suppression (Basiru comment).

These statements are not mere denials  they are assertive rebuttals of narratives that undermine institutional integrity and shift blame away from political actors who must first look inward. If the ADC truly seeks to be a credible alternative in 2027, its leaders must stop externalising blame, cease playing the victim, and demonstrate the political maturity necessary to build a party worthy of national trust.

In a political landscape already strained by ambition and personality politics, Nigeria cannot afford another fragmented opposition platform. The ADC must rise above internal wrangling, resolve its leadership disputes responsibly, and present a united front capable of meaningful competition. Only then can it begin to transform ambition into progress and intention into influence in the 2027 general election.

E -Signed:

* Chief Rufus Ikenmi

Secretary, ADC

Board of Trustees

Hon Kyauta Yakubu

National Women Leader
In a show of appreciation for the support given to his administration, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday distributed 40 brand-new SUV vehicles to traditional rulers to enhance their mobility.

Governor Abiodun described traditional rulers as custodians of culture and tradition, as well as a vital bridge between the government and the people. He noted that, beyond enhancing their comfort, the vehicles would aid their movement across their domains to ensure peace and stability.

He commended the monarchs for their role in sustaining the peaceful atmosphere that has enabled his administrations Building Our Future Together agenda to thrive, while assuring them of continued inclusion in governance.

The governor also used the occasion to call on traditional rulers across the state to create a conducive, investor-friendly environment in their domains, warning that hostility toward investors could undermine Ogun States economic growth.

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

Abiodun made the appeal while presenting the vehicles during the statutory meeting of the Ogun State Council of Obas held at the Obas Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Expressing concern over reports of uncooperative attitudes by some communitiesparticularly in Yewa South, Ipokia, and Ijebu Northhe condemned what he described as hostility toward investors willing to commit billions of dollars to the states economy.

He stressed that such investments are critical to job creation, infrastructure development, and overall socio-economic advancement, noting that communities must take ownership of development initiatives rather than frustrate them.

We have received disturbing reports about the conduct of some communities during recent investor engagements. This is unacceptable, the governor said.

These investors are bringing in significant capital that will transform our economy, create jobs for our people, and improve livelihoods. They must be welcomed and supported.

Governor Abiodun urged traditional rulers to take responsibility for ensuring peace and cooperation within their domains, emphasizing their critical role in facilitating development.

Kabiyesis, I urge you to work closely with your people to create an enabling environment for investors. Development cannot thrive in an atmosphere of hostility and distrust. We must position Ogun State as a preferred investment destination, he said.

The governor reiterated his administrations commitment to protecting investments, warning that actions capable of discouraging investors would not be tolerated.

Beyond investment concerns, he called for heightened vigilance among residents and traditional institutions in light of rising insecurity in parts of the country, urging prompt reporting of suspicious activities to security agencies.

While acknowledging ongoing efforts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address security challenges nationwide, Mr Abiodun stressed that local vigilance remains essential to sustaining the states relative peace.

He also cautioned traditional rulers against indiscriminate land allocation and involvement in land-related disputes, describing land as a critical economic asset that must be managed with integrity.

Our land is our oil. It must not be allocated carelessly. We must ensure that land matters are handled transparently and responsibly to attract and retain genuine investors, he added.

The governor further warned landlords against renting properties to individuals involved in criminal activities, stating that any building found to be used for unlawful purposes would be demolished.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hazmat, said the meetingits first in 2026was convened to address key issues of security and development while strengthening collaboration between the government and traditional institutions.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Council and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, commended the governors developmental strides and reiterated the councils support for policies aimed at economic growth and stability.

A highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the 40 SUVs to traditional rulers to enhance their administrative and community engagement roles.
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has confirmed a midnight terror attack on a military base in Benisheikh, Borno State.

This confirmation was disclosed in a statement issued by defence spokesperson Micheal Onoja.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that terrorists of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attacked three military bases in Borno, including Benisheikh, where a commanding officer, Oseni Braimah, was reported killed.

The Defence Headquarters did not comment about the reported attack on the other military formations in Pulka and Mungono.

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

Noting that some soldiers lost their lives during a gunfight, Mr Onoja said the attack was repelled by troops of Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force in the North-east.

The defence spokesperson said the attack, which occurred at 12:30 a.m. on 9 April, was aimed at breaching the defensive perimeter of the base.

But he noted that the insurgents were met with what he described as exceptional courage, professionalism, and superior firepower from troops.

The defence spokesperson did not clarify whether Mr Braimah was among the military personnel killed during the attack.

However, he noted that the general mounted a coordinated counteroffensive, engaging the attackers and forcing them to retreat in disarray, abandoning the assault.

The military described the incident as indicative of the desperation of terrorist groups following recent losses inflicted by ongoing military operations in the North-east.

It added that the swift response by troops demonstrated a high level of combat readiness and operational effectiveness in defending critical military infrastructure.

Mr Onoja said the Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, paid tribute to the fallen personnel, commending their sacrifice and service to the nation.

He also extended condolences to their families, noting that formal notification of next of kin would precede the release of further details.

The Armed Forces urged the public to disregard unverified reports and misinformation circulating on social media, warning that such content could undermine ongoing operations.

Meanwhile, clearance operations are ongoing in the area to track fleeing insurgents and prevent any attempt to regroup, the defence spokesperson said.

The military reiterated its commitment, alongside other security agencies, to sustain pressure on terrorist groups and restore lasting peace in the region.

Benisheikh, located along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway, has remained a strategic military and logistical hub in the counterinsurgency campaign in Borno State.
At least 60 people, including more than 40 security operatives, have been reportedly killed in coordinated attacks on communities in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, marking a violent end to weeks of relative peace in the area.

Local and intelligence sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the assaults began on Monday in Lanta village and continued as of the time of filing this report.

Our reporter spoke to six sources in different parts of the local government area.

They said on Tuesday, terrorists invaded Bagna village, killing 63 people. Among those reportedly killed were operatives of the State Security Services (SSS), vigilantes, and local hunters. They explained that the terrorists did not abduct anyone during the assault.

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 came to kill, Yahuza Agumi, an intelligence source who lives near Bagna, said. No abductions were recorded during the attack, but several houses were razed, and the DSS camp in Bagna was completely burnt.

Multiple sources said the terrorists killed a female resident of Bagna whom they first encountered.

More than 40 security operatives were killed in Bagna as civilians fled to Erena, said another who pleaded anonymity for fear of being targeted by security forces. He added that civilians who fled to Erena were chased to the town and killed.

Erena is a garrison town where many displaced persons are taking refuge. It is less than 30 kilometres from Bagna.

The bandits did not stay long in Erena because they knew soldiers were stationed in the town, Mr Agumi said, adding that the terrorists were not confronted by the soldiers.

Locals believe the SSS formation in Bagna was deliberately targeted because of recent operations by security forces.

In one instance, SSS operatives reportedly recovered rustled cattle from suspected bandits around Abagba.

In another, security personnel stationed at Bassa were said to have carried out a raid in Allawa, where some herders accused of supporting bandits were killed.

Other sources suggest the resurgence of violence may also be linked to the approaching farming season, with terrorists intensifying attacks to pressure communities into negotiations or gain control of rural areas ahead of cultivation activities.

A day earlier, on Monday, terrorists struck Lanta, a community about four kilometres from Bagna, killing three civilians and setting homes ablaze. On the same day, five persons, including two women, were abducted in Tungan Gora.

The latest violence comes after months of relative peace in the region. The last recorded incident before now was in December in Afapi, near Chukuba, where an improvised explosive device (IED) killed two male civilians.

Chukuba is a stronghold for bandit faction of the notorious kingpin Dogo Gide whose mother also lives around the area

Residents have, however, decried what they described as a poor and delayed security response to the renewed attacks, noting that no immediate military intervention was recorded during the incidents.

Mass displacement

The attacks have triggered fresh displacement, with many residents fleeing to neighbouring communities, including Zumba, Gwada, Kuta, Galkogo, and Gunu.

The Deputy Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Graba, visited Bagna on Tuesday, assuring residents of improved security measures.

However, shortly after his departure, reports emerged of another attack in Bassa, a community less than 30 kilometres from Erena.

Bandits are currently operating in Bassa, a resident of the town who did not want his name mentioned said. As I speak to you now, many of us have fled from our homes.

Authorities have yet to provide an official casualty figure or detailed response plan as tensions continue to rise across the affected communities.

Wasiu Abiodun, the spokesperson for Niger police command, could not be immediately reached by phone. A text sent to him had not been responded to.

SSS, army repel fresh attack

While locals lamented delayed security intervention, authorities say they recorded a major success in repelling coordinated attacks in the same axis.

Refuting the claim that its camp was set ablaze during the attack, the media unit of the SSS told PREMIUM TIMES that SSS operatives and troops of the Nigerian Army, including local volunteer forces, foiled the coordinated attacks.

In a statement further shared with our reporter, the SSS said the operation followed credible intelligence indicating an impending attack.

It said over 300 armed bandits riding on motorcycles were intercepted and ambushed before reaching the communities.

Over 300 bandits armed with dangerous weapons and on motorcycles were headed to the communities, the statement read.

Unfortunately for them, security operatives and local vigilantes, who had credible intelligence on their movements, ambushed them. Scores were killed while many others fled toward the Makuba and Allawa axis.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Tanko Ishaya, has confirmed that two students of the institution were killed during the recent violence in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Mr Ishaya disclosed this on Thursday at a press briefing in Jos, as the university provided an update on the impact of the unrest on its community.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the violence began on 29 March when gunmen attacked Angwan Rukuba, a community that hosts many UNIJOS students and staff, killing several residents and injuring others.

Mr Ishaya identified the deceased students as Abel Gershon, a 300-level student of Building, and Adeyemo Temitope, a 500-level student of Quantity Surveying.

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

Abel Gershon was shot in the stomach on March 29 and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Jos University Teaching Hospital. Unfortunately, he died on Sunday, April 5, he said.

He added that Mr Temitope was killed days later under separate circumstances.

Adeyemo Temitope left the campus alone on April 1 and encountered violence along Bauchi Road. He was shot and macheted to death by hoodlums, the vice-chancellor said.

Mr Ishaya said four other students and one staff member were also injured in the attacks and are currently receiving treatment.

So, we have a total of five members of the university community affected by this incident: four students and one staff member, he said.

Impact on university community

The killings underscore the direct impact of the Plateau crisis on the University of Jos, which has been at the centre of recent developments due to its proximity to affected communities.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the Angwan Rukuba attack on 29 March triggered a wave of violence, leading to the imposition of a 48-hour curfew in Jos North.

The unrest spread to other parts of the city after the curfew was relaxed on 1 April, prompting fears among residents and students.

The university later ordered the evacuation of students from hostels and postponed examinations amid security concerns.

Some state governments, including Bauchi and Benue, also evacuated their indigenes studying at UNIJOS following the attacks.

Resumption date unchanged

Despite the incidents, Mr Ishaya said the university would proceed with its academic calendar.

He confirmed that the institution would resume on 13 April as scheduled, noting that additional security measures had been put in place.

He also maintained that the university campuses were not directly attacked.

The university is safe. None of our campuses has ever been attacked since the onset of crises in Plateau State, he said.

The vice-chancellor appealed to parents and guardians to allow their wards return to campus.

He said students should come back to complete their first semester examinations and begin the second semester.
The Edo State Government has sealed an event centre in Edo State, after a party in which popular Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem, who performed there, criticised President Bola Tinubus administration.

The event centre is called Mega Hub.

How it began

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the Mega Hub which also serves as an eatery held the party on 3 April, tagged, Mega Rave: A night with the legends.

Mr Abdulkareem, who was among numerous artistes at the party, momentarily paused his performance and then began to criticise Mr Tinubus administration.

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

A video clip which showed him criticising the president at the event has been circulating on social media.

In the clip seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the rapper mocked Mr Tinubu, saying despite heavy security operatives accompanying him, the president failed to enter Gari Yawaye, Angwan Rukuba, Jos North LGA, Plateau State, where about 30 people were killed on 29 March.

Mr Tinubu arrived at the Yakubu Gowon Airport in Heipang around 4:59 p.m on 2 April, roughly 36 kilometres from the scene of the massacre, and addressed a gathering of politicians, traditional rulers, and select victims before departing.

At the event in Edo, Mr Abdulkareem came hard on Mr Tinubu, accusing him of being the worst president in the country.

He stressed that anyone supporting the president and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) would suffer for their wrong choice.

The rapper subsequently made a brief performance in which he lamented the economic hardship in Nigeria, blaming the president for it.

Shutdown of the facility

Some officials of the Edo State Government, it was gathered, sealed the Mega Hub on Tuesday, barely four days after the event.

In a video clip uploaded on an X handle on Wednesday, a man was heard claiming that the state government sealed the centre because of Mr Abdulkareems criticism of Mr Tinubu at the facility.

This is a very disturbing development in Edo State, the man said.

A short clip embedded on the video showed that the event centres entrance was barricaded with red tape.

An inscription on the wall beside the main gate of the Mega Hub read, Sealed by EDSG 7/4/26, indicating that the facility was sealed by the Edo State Government on Tuesday.

Like Mr Tinubu, Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State is a member of the APC.

Mr Okpebholo has repeatedly vowed to ensure victory for Mr Tinubu in the forthcoming 2027 presidential election in Edo State.

The governor last year vowed to resign from office as governor if Mr Tinubu does not win in Edo State in 2027.

Edo govt reacts

PREMIUM TIMES contacted the Commissioner for Information in Edo State,

Kassim Afegbua, on Thursday, for comments on the sealing of the Mega Hub.

Mr Afegbua initially claimed to be unaware that the state government sealed the facility.

But when pressed further, the commissioner admitted that the state government sealed the event centre.

The official argued that the sealing of the facility followed receipt of a security intelligence, and not linked to Mr Abdulkareems criticism of President Tinubu at the centre.

It was sealed because of a security issue. It has nothing to do with anybody criticising him (Tinubu), he said, without giving details.

Mr Afegbua then said the event centre had been unsealed by the government.

It is already unsealed. They (owners) are back with their business, he added.

The official was silent when our reporter sought to know when the facility was unsealed.

Go there and confirm yourself, he said before dropping the call immediately.
A member of the Peoples Democratic Pwarty (PDP) caretaker committee in Akwa Ibom State, Unwana Assam, has warned that Governor Umo Enos Im not your receptionist remark foreshadows a harsher and more intolerant style of leadership if the Akwa Ibom governor secures a second term in office.

Mr Assam stated this in an opinion article posted on his Facebook page on 3 March as a reaction to Mr Enos remarks.

Mr Eno, on 1 March, during a monthly prayer and fasting service in the Government House, Uyo, had responded to complaints from past political office holders who said he does not answer phone calls.

Stop saying the governor does not pick phone (calls). Am I your receptionist? That is even an insult to say the governor does not answer calls. Who are you? Who is even talking? Mr Eno had said.

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 comment sparked public criticism, and the state government tried to downplay the controversy.

Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, said the governors remark was a joke made in a light-hearted moment during the gathering.

But Mr Assam disagreed, saying the remark raises concerns about how the governor might respond to criticism if re-elected.

This is just the first term of the governor, and he behaves and talks to the Akwa Ibom people like this, Mr Assam wrote. If by any slight mistake he wins a second term, there is every possibility that the All Nations Church pastor will use a koboko on everyone.

The term koboko, a whip historically associated with corporal punishment, was used metaphorically by the PDP official to describe what he fears could become an increasingly intolerant political culture.

Governor Eno is the founder and pastor of All Nations Christian Ministry International, headquartered in Eket Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Assam argued that public officials must be mindful of how their words resonate with citizens.

A responsible administration should be able to address public concerns without resorting to insults, abuse of citizens, dramatic storytelling, or dismissing media coverage as fiction, he said.

According to him, governance requires restraint and respect for citizens, particularly in a politically sensitive environment.

Governance is not measured by the volume of laughter and applause by appointees in a governments banquet hall, he said. It is measured by how words land in the homes of the people.

Governance, like I always say, is a serious business, not stand-up comedy. And public office is not a private banquet.

The video that contained the governors remarks was later deleted from the governments Facebook page.
The 10th edition of 5StarWines  the Book, held in Verona from April 7 to 9, concluded with 636 wines scoring 90 points or higher out of approximately 2,000 wines tasted. A panel of 49 international judges, including 25 recent graduates of the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA), took part in the blind tastings awarding seven trophies across key categories including still wines, sparkling wines and sweet wines.

This year's edition highlights not only excellence in the glass, but also the strength of a unique educational ecosystem. The strong presence of judges from the Vinitaly International Academy reflects a clear pathway from certified Italian Wine Ambassador to specialized professional and, ultimately, to judging on one of the most prestigious selection events on the global wine calendar.

This progression is more than a career step. It signals a long-term commitment to Italian wine and a shared mission to identify and champion both iconic labels and lesser-known gems. In this sense, 5StarWines is not just a competition, but a natural extension of the global community that the Vinitaly International Academy embodies.

This Year's Trophy Winners:

WINERY OF THE YEAR  GRAND VINITALY

Tenuta Gottardi

BEST ITALIAN WINE  BANCO BPM

Tenuta Gottardi - Trento Doc Extra Brut Riserva POSAD'OR 2017 | 98

BEST WHITE WINE

Malavasi - Lugana Doc Camilla 2025 | 97

BEST ROSE WINE

Al-Cantara Soc. Agr. Srl - Etna Doc Rosato Amuri di Fimmina e Amuri di Matri 2024 | 93

BEST RED WINE

Valle dell'Acate - Vittoria Doc Frappato Vino Biologico 2024 | 96

BEST CHARMAT METHOD SPARKLING WINE

La Tordera - Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Di Cartizze Docg Spumante Dry 2025 | 96

BEST TRADITIONAL METHOD SPARKLING WINE

Tenuta Gottardi - Trento Doc Extra Brut Riserva POSAD'OR 2017 | 98

BEST SWEET WINE

Possa - Cinque Terre Sciacchetra Dop Underwater 2019 | 96

All Trophy winners will be officially announced by the General Chairs during the awards ceremony at Vinitaly.

A Selection That Turns Recognition into Opportunity

The 636 wines selected for inclusion in the 2027 guide represent the top tier of quality, evaluated through a rigorous blind tasting process. Wines scoring between 85 and 89 points will receive a digital certificate of participation.

For producers, this recognition becomes tangible the moment Vinitaly opens its doors. Certificates will be awarded on Sunday, April 12, and quickly take center stage at winery stands across the fair. Displayed prominently, these diplomas act as a visual statement of quality, immediately drawing the attention of buyers, importers and trade professionals navigating the halls.

In a setting where time is limited and competition is intense, the 5StarWines diploma is a powerful shortcut. At a glance, it signals credibility, opens conversations, and helps producers stand out. For many wineries, it is not just an award, but a practical sales tool that supports business on the ground.

Selected wines also benefit from ongoing international visibility through official communications, digital promotion and presence on the event platform.

Robert Joseph, General Chair of the Selection, commented: "5StarWines  the Book stands out for its deep connection to Italy, one of the most complex and ever-evolving wine landscapes in the world. Combined with an international panel of highly experienced tasters, it creates a uniquely dynamic evaluation environment that truly sets this competition apart."

From Evaluation to Education: A Continuous Loop

On Tuesday, April 14 at 10:00 a.m., Vinitaly will host an exclusive masterclass dedicated to the tasting and evaluation process behind 5StarWines. Led by the General Chairs, the session will present the highest-scoring wines and guide participants through the criteria and methodology used during the selection.

This moment reinforces the educational loop between the Vinitaly International Academy and 5StarWines: learning, tasting, evaluating, and ultimately contributing back to the system as judges.

The masterclass will be followed by the official Trophy Award Ceremony, celebrating the wineries and wines that achieved the highest recognition in this year's event.

About: 5StarWines  the Book is the annual wine selection organized by Veronafiere, held in the lead-up to the biggest Italian wine fair in the world. The event is now in its tenth edition. 5StarWines  the Book is a blind tasting aimed at shedding light on wineries investing in the improvement of their products. During the event, a highly qualified panel of wine professionals will taste and score, using a 100-point scale, participating wines. In the 2026 edition, about 2,000 wines took part in the competition and 636 were selected for inclusion in 5StarWines  the Book. The Guide is a useful tool both on the promotional and commercial side. It introduces international buyers and wine lovers to new wine products of great value. It guarantees wine quality and it maintains and certifies their value at an international level.

SOURCE 5StarWines
Business / Companies

by Stephen Jakes

The successful listing of Econet InfraCo on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX) has been hailed as a major step forward in strengthening Zimbabwes digital infrastructure and investment landscape.

In a statement, the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Tatenda A. Mavetera, congratulated the company, describing the listing as more than a corporate milestone, but a reflection of the growing importance of shared infrastructure in driving national development.This listing is not just a corporate achievement  it is a testament to the increasing recognition of infrastructure as a cornerstone of digital transformation, innovation and economic growth, Mavetera said.The Minister highlighted the critical role of infrastructuresharing platforms in advancing Zimbabwes connectivity agenda, noting that government policy continues to promote collaboration among telecommunications operators. Through initiatives such as tower sharing and colocation, operators are able to reduce duplication of investment, lower operational costs and accelerate network expansion.According to the Ministry, these measures are key to improving affordability and expanding access to digital services, particularly in underserved and rural areas.Mavetera also commended Econet InfraCo for adopting an infrastructure as a service model, which opens access to essential assets such as telecom towers and power systems across the sector. The approach, she said, aligns with government objectives of enhancing efficiency, fostering competition and building an inclusive digital ecosystem.The move by infrastructure providers to offer shared services is fully in line with our policy direction of creating a fair, competitive and efficient telecommunications sector, she added.The listing comes as Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to attract investment into critical sectors and modernise its digital economy under the Vision 2030 development agenda.Government reaffirmed its commitment to providing a conducive policy environment that supports innovation, infrastructure development and equitable access to technology, positioning the ICT sector as a key driver of economic growth.
First production-ready open standard for global AI agent interoperability

SAN FRANCISCO, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The A2A (Agent-to-Agent) Protocol project, hosted by the Linux Foundation, today announced major adoption milestones at its one-year mark, with more than 150 organizations supporting the standard, deep integration across Google, Microsoft and AWS platforms, and active production deployments across multiple industries.

In less than a year, A2A has moved from initial release to a production-ready open standard for seamless agent-to-agent communication. Vertical adoption spans supply chain, financial services, insurance, and IT operations, where organizations use A2A to coordinate autonomous systems across tools, vendors, and environments.

This rapid uptake reflects a broader shift toward agent-based architectures. As software systems operate more independently, coordination becomes the bottleneck. A2A removes that bottleneck by providing a common semantic model and version negotiation that standardize how agents discover, communicate, and transact with each other, without being locked into a single vendor's ecosystem.

"AI agents are only as useful as their ability to collaborate, and the adoption of A2A by more than 150 organizations underscores the widespread enthusiasm for an open, interoperable protocol," said Rao Surapaneni, Vice President and General Manager of Business Applications Platform, Google Cloud. "This momentum has quickly moved the project into production-ready use, allowing disparate AI systems to work together across environments and avoid the siloed, custom-built connections that often keep them from scaling."

Updates and Adoption

A2A's momentum accelerated with the release of version 1.0, its first stable specification. The update introduced multi-protocol support, enterprise-grade multi-tenancy, modernized security flows, and a defined migration path for early adopters, removing key barriers to production deployment. Features include Signed Agent Cards for cryptographic identity verification and a web-aligned architecture that supports familiar security and load-balancing patterns for high-scale reliability. Additionally, diverse agents built on various platforms, like LangGraph or CrewAI, are now able to work together, delegate sub-tasks, and coordinate complex workflows without sharing internal memory.

Cloud providers have reinforced that momentum by embedding A2A directly into their platforms. Microsoft integrated A2A into Azure AI Foundry and Copilot Studio and AWS added support through Amazon Bedrock AgentCore Runtime. These integrations position A2A as a default standard for building agent-based systems in the cloud.

The protocol has also expanded beyond communication into economic coordination. The introduction of the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) enables secure, agent-driven transactions, with more than 60 organizations across payments and financial services already supporting the initiative. Additionally, UCP is fully compatible with AP2 via its AP2 mandates extension, enabling it to capture strong cryptographic evidence of the user's consent to purchase.This extends A2A into high-trust, regulated environments where transactional integrity is required.

Ecosystem Scale

Since April 2025, the number of supporting organizations has grown from more than 50 to over 150  including AWS, Cisco, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAP, and ServiceNow. The core repository has surpassed 22,000 GitHub stars, and the SDK ecosystem has expanded from a single Python implementation to five production-ready languages, including JavaScript, Java, Go, and .NET.

At the standards level, A2A is complementary to the Model Context Protocol (MCP), another Linux Foundation project. A2A defines how agents communicate and coordinate with each other across organizational boundaries, while MCP defines how agents connect to internal tools and data sources. Together, they form a foundational layer for interoperable, multi-agent systems that work across different technology stacks without requiring a single-platform approach.

Looking ahead, the A2A roadmap includes an interoperability specification, consolidation of efforts for registry and expanded testing and tooling, security and deployment best practices.

With a stable specification, embedded cloud support, and growing enterprise use, A2A is shifting from early adoption to becoming a core component of modern AI and distributed system architecture.

To learn more about the A2A Protocol:

Supporting Quotes

"I began working on agentic AI at the end of 2024, when it was already clear that multiagent systems would only scale if discovery and communication were treated as firstclass problems. At Cisco, that led us to create AGNTCY and contribute it to the Linux Foundation to help shape an open foundation for agent collaboration. When A2A was later contributed by Google, the community came together around a shared vision. In less than a year, we've seen several generations of agentic technology evolve at unprecedented speed, and A2A has emerged as the syntactic layer that makes agenttoagent communication reliable and interoperable. What's most exciting is that this is just the beginning  there is enormous opportunity ahead to build richer semantics and interaction models that can turn an Internet of Agents into a planetscale reality."

 Luca Muscariello, Distinguished Engineer, Cisco

"A2A provides the secure foundation for personal, team, and domain-specific agents to work together seamlessly across any platform. This protocol has established the foundations needed to move fragmented prototypes into a production-ready ecosystem where agents can safely coordinate and transact at scale."

 Todd Segal, Distinguished Engineer, Google

"For AI agents to be effective in enterprise environments, they need to operate seamlessly across organisational and platform boundaries. The momentum behind A2A underscores the importance of open, interoperable standards for enabling multiagent collaboration. Microsoft looks forward to continued collaboration with the Linux Foundation community to help advance A2A and support an open agent ecosystem."

 Darrel Miller, Partner API Architect, Microsoft

About the A2A Protocol

The Agent-to-Agent (A2A) Protocol is an open standard that enables AI agents to discover, communicate, and transact with each other across different frameworks, vendors, and platforms. Originally developed by Google, the project is now hosted by the Linux Foundation. For more information, visit a2a-protocol.org.

About the Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is the world's leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects, including Linux, Kubernetes, Model Context Protocol (MCP), OpenChain, OpenSearch, OpenSSF, OpenStack, PyTorch, Ray, RISC-V, SPDX and Zephyr, provide the foundation for global infrastructure. The Linux Foundation is focused on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of the Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Contact

The Linux Foundation

[email protected]

SOURCE The Linux Foundation
LOS ANGELES, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Aces Wilder, a new voice in men's premium apparel, launches its debut capsule today: The Mosaic Collection. Founded by two women who traded the analytical rigor of NYC finance to solve a glaring void in the menswear market, Aces Wilder is a response to the 'invisible' wardrobe. The brand introduces a new 'uniform' for the socially dynamic man who has outgrown bland basics but refuses the performance of a costume.

Clothing for the Age of Social Intelligence

Aces Wilder debuts the 'Social Uniform' for the socially dynamic man, designed to bridge the gap between uninspired basics and costume-wear. Bridging the gap: Founders Juliet Sea Chen and Jenny Zhang bring their analytical rigor and shared creative vision to Aces Wilder

After years of observing the men in their lives oscillate between uninspired corporate staples and over-the-top festival gear, founders Juliet Sea Chen and Jenny Zhang decided to engineer a middle ground. The result is a collection rooted in "Dressing for Presence"clothing designed with intentional prints and high-performance silhouettes, allowing men to command a room without over-exertion.

"In a digital-first world, how you show up physically matters more than ever," says Juliet Sea Chen, Co-Founder of Aces Wilder. "We are in a world of high social and emotional intelligence where any moment can become an opportunity. We're designing for off-screen, IRL livingwhere personal presence is the ultimate catalyst for real-world connection."

Performance Meets Global Architecture

Developed to align with the lifestyle of modern social spontaneity, the Mosaic Collection features prints inspired by the founders' global travelsfrom the intricate azulejos of Lisbon to the neon grids of Tokyoall rendered on Aces Wilder's proprietary Aerothread fabric.

Custom-knit to meet the demands of a high-stakes social calendar, Aerothread is the brand's response to the fluid nature of modern life. It offers a luxuriously soft hand-feel and silk-like luster, balanced with 4-way kinetic stretch and breathability. Engineered to be wrinkle-resistant from morning through night, it ensures the wearer remains "presence-ready," whether navigating the heat of a music festival or the spontaneity of a late-night city skyline.

Dressing with Intention

Maintaining a commitment to slow fashion, the Mosaic Collection is released in limited quantities, with fewer than 100 pieces per variation. This "small-batch" approach ensures that the Aces Wilder man maintains a unique signature in any social setting.

"Aces Wilder believes that intention creates presence, and presence creates connection," says Jenny Zhang, Co-founder of Aces Wilder. "In a world where social moments are more rare and more vital, how you show up is no longer just a style question. It is a life one."

The Mosaic Collection is available exclusively at aceswilder.com starting April 9, 2026.

About Aces Wilder

Aces Wilder is a Los Angeles-based menswear brand founded by childhood friends and former finance professionals. By blending technical innovation with expressive, globally-inspired design, Aces Wilder creates "Socially Elevated Simplicity" for the modern man.

Media Contact:

Juliet Chen

[email protected]

917-741-8566

aceswilder.com

SOURCE Aces Wilder
New Agentic Solution Boosts Traffic, CX, and Sales Velocity Through Agentic Shopper-to-Retailer Matching

SEATTLE, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ampd , the agentic suite of solutions connecting brand media to commerce, today announces the launch of Agentic Shoppable Media. This first-to-market solution addresses the challenges many brands have faced with their shoppable media strategies, namely shopper drop-offs (up to 95%), and concerns around meeting equitable retailer routing. Ampd's Agentic Shoppable Media solves these problems head-on by automatically directing shoppers to their preferred retailer through agentic deep linking, fully aligned with fair and equitable policies. The result is a nearly 100% transfer of ad clicks to retailer Product Detail Pages (PDPs), with deep link rates commonly tripling the traditional where-to-buy benchmarks; a key indicator of commerce velocity.

From their advent, shoppable media solutions were designed to amplify the impact and conversion rates of brand advertising outside the walls of retail media networks. Unfortunately, the traditional solutions created a laundry list of obstacles for brands looking to drive meaningful sales impact. The traditional where-to-buy experience added needless extra clicks for shoppers, leading to massive bounce rates, with most never reaching the intended Product Detail Pages (PDPs). This outdated approach also created additional complexities for meeting fair-share GMV allocation requirements, which can ruin the key retailer relationships that omnichannel brands desperately rely on.

"Friction kills commerce. Brands put so much energy into moving at the speed of culture with brilliant, timely campaigns, but if 95% of their shoppers hit a clunky landing page and never actually make it to a retailer, much of that effort is wasted. Real speed means fixing that disconnect. It's about eliminating every single unnecessary click and finally giving people an experience that actually brings them closer to the brands they love."

-Joshua Gebhardt, CEO and Co-Founder @ Ampd

Ampd created its Agentic Shoppable Media solution to address these challenges and modernize the shoppable media experience for brands and consumers alike by keeping the focus on the shopper experience (CX) and shortening the journey to a single click.

Key features include:

Intelligent Deep Linking: Brands can project up to a 5X conversion lift when compared to traditional shoppable media solutions. Intelligent Deep Linking creates a frictionless journey, eliminating "interstitial fatigue" by automatically launching the preferred retailer app that each consumer actually uses. One click and the shopper goes directly to their preferred PDP, fully logged in and ready for purchase.

Brands can project up to a 5X conversion lift when compared to traditional shoppable media solutions. Intelligent Deep Linking creates a frictionless journey, eliminating "interstitial fatigue" by automatically launching the preferred retailer app that each consumer actually uses. One click and the shopper goes directly to their preferred PDP, fully logged in and ready for purchase. Equitable Retailer Routing: Brands can input and maintain fair-share GMV allocations across their retail partners (e.g., Amazon, Walmart, Target) while maximizing the likelihood that shoppers land in their preferred ecosystem. This takes the guesswork out of compliance while creating demonstrative evidence of adherence.

Brands can input and maintain fair-share GMV allocations across their retail partners (e.g., Amazon, Walmart, Target) while maximizing the likelihood that shoppers land in their preferred ecosystem. This takes the guesswork out of compliance while creating demonstrative evidence of adherence. Consolidate ad account builds : Brands only need to create a single link that serves all retailers, simplifying the ad account builds for media agencies or in-house operators.

: Brands only need to create a single link that serves all retailers, simplifying the ad account builds for media agencies or in-house operators. Geo-aware logic: Brands can increase conversion at local retailers by incorporating the brick-and-mortar proximity of each shopper into their reasoning. No matter where a shopper is when they engage with an ad, Agentic Shoppable Media makes the path to purchase easy and frictionless.

"This is a game-changer for customers, as it removes yet another click in the shopping journey and places them directly into their preferred shopping experience. By eliminating the traditional friction, Ampd is not only providing a superior seamless experience, but also powerful lifts in conversion, media impact, and the bottom line."

-Keith Lehman, Global Director of Digital Commerce @ Colgate-Palmolive

"At Nestle, our obsession with the shopper drives our strategy, and Ampd's Agentic Shoppable Media aligns perfectly with that mission. By intelligently routing customers to their preferred destinations and removing every friction point, we are delivering the seamless, high-intent experience today's consumer expects. To be best-in-class, a superior CX is non-negotiable, and Ampd is helping us set that standard."

-Nicole Lesinski, Director of eCommerce Strategy @ Nestle

"We've always championed a frictionless user journey, but testing deep linking through Ampd finally gave us the hard data to prove its absolute necessity. By removing the extra steps and getting shoppers exactly where they want to be, we drove a 4-5x increase in conversion rates. It's definitive proof that convenience converts."

-Josh Shea, Founder @ Momentum Commerce, & Head of Commerce @ PMG

To learn more about Ampd Agentic Shoppable Media, visit ampd.io .

About Ampd

Ampd is a Seattle-based media technology company dedicated to optimizing the bridge between brand discovery and retail reality. Since 2021, Ampd has provided the infrastructure for CPG brands to transform fragmented national media spend into high-performing, shopper-centric commerce outcomes. Through intelligent routing and deep-link automation, Ampd helps the world's leading brands win the moment of intent.

Media Contact:

Joshua Kail

[email protected]

347-684-2966

SOURCE Ampd
Company celebrates milestone after growing from a four-person startup to a national lender with 100 branches across 16 states

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group (ABMG) is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, marking three decades of growth, innovation, and community engagement since the company was founded in 1996. What began as a four-person startup has grown into a nationally recognized mortgage lender with more than 600 employees, 100 branches across 16 states, and more than 208,000 homeowners served.

Over the past thirty years, Atlantic Bay has built its reputation around a simple philosophy: put people first and success will follow. Thirty years in, Atlantic Bay's leadership says the company remains focused not just on growth, but on growing the right waywith the right people, guided by strong values, and a commitment to serving homeowners and communities for decades to come.

"We're proud of what our team has built together over the last thirty years," Holland said. "But we're even more excited about what lies ahead as we continue to expand homeownership opportunities and serve families across the country."

Today, the company ranks among the top 21 retail mortgage lenders in the country and continues to prioritize operational excellence and disciplined expansion. In 2025 alone, Atlantic Bay served more than 12,100 homeowners and completed more than 2,000 e-closings, while reducing its average closing time to under 26 days, well below the industry average.*

Beyond growth and performance, Atlantic Bay has prioritized building a culture that empowers employees and supports long-term success. Atlantic Bay has formalized its core values (We Genuinely Care, We Inspire Growth, and We Have Fun) which guide how teams serve customers, support one another, and make decisions across the organization. That culture has helped the company earn national recognition as a top workplace, including being named the #1 Best Large Mortgage Company to Work for by National Mortgage News for four consecutive years.

Community engagement has also remained central to Atlantic Bay's mission. Through AB Cares, the company's employee-run charitable initiative, Atlantic Bay has donated more than $2 million to nonprofit organizations and community partners. The program also organizes an annual Week of Service, where employees volunteer their time supporting local causes in the communities where they live and work.

Atlantic Bay has also built strong partnerships with organizations such as the Roc Solid Foundation, supporting children battling pediatric cancer through playset builds and Ready Bag kits for families during hospital stays.

As the mortgage industry continues to evolve, Atlantic Bay is also looking ahead to how technology will shape the future of home lending. From automation to artificial intelligence, new tools are changing how lenders operate and how borrowers experience the mortgage process.

"Technology will continue to transform our industry, and we embrace that," Holland said. "But at its core, this business is still about trust, guidance, and being there for people during one of the most important moments of their lives. Technology should enhance that human connection, not replace it."

*Atlantic Bay internal loan data for calendar year 2025. Average closing time measured from application to funding. Industry comparison based on available mortgage industry reports (2025).

About Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group

Founded in 1996, Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, LLC is a privately held, full-service mortgage lender headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Atlantic Bay offers a wide range of residential mortgage products, including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and jumbo loans, serving homebuyers and homeowners across multiple states. Known for its customer-first culture and commitment to service excellence, Atlantic Bay combines local lending expertise with innovative technology to deliver a personalized mortgage experience. The company is consistently recognized as a top workplace and is deeply committed to giving back to the communities it serves through charitable initiatives and partnerships.

Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, L.L.C. NMLS #72043 (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) provides Equal Employment Opportunities and is an Equal Opportunity Lender. Located at 600 Lynnhaven Parkway Suite 100 Virginia Beach, VA 23452.

Media Contact

John Bolton

housing@rational360.com

SOURCE Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group
Strategic Franchise Development Plan Accelerates Momentum in 2026

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Beans & Brews Coffee House, the growing coffee franchise known for its signature High-Altitude Roasting, is celebrating a record-breaking start to 2026, reinforcing its position as a rising force in the specialty coffee franchise space.

In the first quarter of the year alone, the brand opened six new locations across three states, with seven total openings in the first 100 days of 2026, the most successful development period in company history. Notably, the brand opened five locations in just the last month, exemplifying strong operational execution and franchisee demand. New Q1 locations include coffee houses in Colorado, Nevada, Utah and Texas.

Among the standout milestones, the company's newest location in Price, Utah  situated inside a corporate Lin's Fresh Market, a grocery store chain operated by Associated Food Stores  delivered the strongest opening weekend in brand history. The drive-thru location replaced a former Starbucks, signaling strong consumer demand for convenient, high-quality coffee offerings in non-traditional settings. (PHOTOS HERE)

As part of its expansion strategy, Beans & Brews continues to diversify its footprint through a mix of traditional storefronts and non-traditional locations, including partnerships within grocery store chains and developers. These locations offer increased accessibility and convenience while introducing the brand to new audiences in high-traffic environments.

Growth is being fueled by a combination of first-time franchise owners, experienced operators expanding into multi-unit ownership, and strategic corporate partnerships. This balanced development approach highlights the strength of the Beans & Brews model and the confidence franchisees have in scaling their investments.

"We're seeing incredible momentum because our model is both flexible and built to scale," said Doug Willmarth, CEO of Beans & Brews Coffee House. "With operational efficiency leading to strong unit-level performance, we've created a system that truly works for our franchise partners. At the same time, our beverage menu innovation introduces new, trend-forward menu items that resonate with today's consumers, keeping the brand fresh and competitive. That combination of a proven model plus beverage innovation makes Beans & Brews an especially compelling opportunity for entrepreneurs looking for a brand that's both stable and built to grow."

The brand's expansion remains focused on key growth regions, particularly in the mountain west, where Beans & Brews continues to gain traction among both consumers and developers.

Beans & Brews has ambitious plans to open a record 25 new locations in 2026, building on the momentum of 11 openings in 2025. The company is also seeing accelerated multi-unit growth from existing franchisees investing in the additional locations which represents most of the openings in 2026. In March, one of the brand's largest franchisees committed to eight new locations over the next 16 months, bringing their total footprint to 14 units.

With strong early-year performance, increasing interest from developers, and continued innovation in site selection, Beans & Brews Coffeehouse is well-positioned for sustained growth.

To learn about franchise opportunities with Beans & Brews Coffee House click www.beansandbrews.com/franchise.

About Beans and Brews Coffeehouse

Founded in 1993 and franchising since 2004, Beans & Brews Coffeehouse opened its first location in Salt Lake City, quickly becoming known as the Home of High-Altitude Roasting. This signature process, perfected in the Salt Lake Mountain valley, roasts coffee at the lowest possible temperature for the shortest amount of time to capture the essence of its mountain origins, delivering a smoother, more intense flavor. For more than 30 years, Beans & Brews has combined exceptional coffee with fast friendly service in a welcoming local community atmosphere. They feature a full menu of hot and iced specialty coffees, frozen drinks, teas, energy drinks, and a variety of healthy food options. What began in the Salt Lake Mountain valley has grown to over 94 locations across six states, with over 75 more in development. For more information about Beans & Brews Coffeehouse, visit www.beansandbrews.com.

Media Contact:

Lu Dumas

[email protected]

954.893.9150

SOURCE Beans & Brews Coffee House
ALLENHURST, N.J., April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bielat Santore & Company, the leading experts in restaurant and hospitality real estate brokerage, is proud to mark its 45th anniversary with a legacy of innovation, market dominance, and unparalleled service in New Jersey's dynamic food and beverage sector. In honor of this milestone, the company is releasing a specially created podcast series entitled "Restaurant Owner's Edge." Whether you're a seasoned owner looking to scale, a new operator entering the market, or an established business facing today's challenges, Restaurant Owner's Edge equips you with the tools and knowledge to thrive in today's competitive hospitality landscape.

Restaurant Owner's Edge Podcast

The first episode in the series is, "Architects of the Deal." This podcast reviews how the principals of Bielat Santore & Company, Barry J. Bielat and Richard R. Santore, have revolutionized the industry with a proprietary Branded Selling Cyclea specially designed system that begins with precise evaluation, professional visual assets, strategic positioning, and polished presentations, followed by expert execution from matching qualified buyers to seamless closings. This comprehensive approach has enabled the firm to sell hundreds of restaurants, catering facilities, nightclubs, and other hospitality related real estate, while facilitating over $500,000,000 in financing through commercial loans, SBA 7A and 504 programs, hospitality funding, and private equity.

"Our mission has always been to deliver the highest level of personalized service, managing each transaction with a global market perspective while placing our clients' interests before our own," said Richard R. Santore. "From structuring debt-sensitive transactions to tailoring unique investment strategies, we've built enduring relationships that extend well beyond the deal." Barry J. Bielat, adds, "We've leveraged outside-the-box thinking to manage sales and acquisitions, utilizing diversified skills to elevate the firm.

Beyond brokerage, Bielat Santore & Company offers a complete strategic toolkit for navigating hospitality complexities, including feasibility studies, investment analysis, concept design and development, market analysis and business valuations, site selection, and land development.

The anniversary podcast, "Architects of the Deal," launches today on major platforms, including Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and the company's website at www.123bsc.com. The company plans to launch monthly podcasts offering valuable insights for hospitality business owners and operators to enhance their management and operations.

SOURCE Bielat, Santore and Company
ABU DHABI, UAE, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Binance, the leading blockchain company behind the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and users, today announced its participation in and support of Operation Atlantic, the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA)-led international law enforcement operation targeting cryptocurrency and investment scammers.

Binance, along with other private industry partners and law enforcement agencies, joined Operation Atlantic, a week-long event and effort co-hosted by the NCA, US Secret Service, Ontario Provincial Police and Ontario Securities Commission. The operation focused on identifying victims who have lost, or were at risk of losing, cryptocurrency through approval phishing scams. This type of scam occurs when criminals deceive victims into granting wallet access under the guise of investment opportunities.

On-site at the NCA's London headquarters, Binance's Special Investigations team deployed investigative support, including live account screening and proactive scam intelligence, as part of the international law enforcement operation. The operation identified more than 20,000 victims across the UK, Canada and the United States with over $12 million in suspected criminal proceeds frozen.

The Binance Special Investigations team on the ground operated in real-timescreening and identifying thousands of victims on behalf of the operation, delivering rapid victim identification to support law enforcement outreach and intervention efforts.

In addition to victim screening, Binance provided actionable intelligence on potential bad actors to assist with asset seizure efforts and conducted proactive research that identified scam websites still actively defrauding victims at the time of the operation. No funds were seized or frozen from Binance accounts as the criminal proceeds targeted by the operation were held outside of the Binance platform.

"Operation Atlantic is a powerful example of what is possible when international agencies and private industry work side by side," said NCA Deputy Director of Investigations Miles Bonfield in its official press release. "This intensive action has led to the safeguarding of thousands of victims in the UK and overseas, stopped criminals in their tracks and helped save others from losing their funds. "We know that fraudsters operate globally and, together with our international partners, so will the NCA to target them wherever they are based."

"Approval phishing is one of the most damaging types of scams targeting crypto users today, and Operation Atlantic underscores how effective crime fighting is possible when private and public partners move together to stop fraud at the source," said Binance Senior Regional Advisor for EMEA Flavio Tonon. "The inherent transparency of the blockchain makes it difficult for criminals to hide for long while exploiting victims. We are proud to have played a meaningful role in protecting thousands of potential victims."

Binance continues to work closely with law enforcement agencies globally to further protect the blockchain ecosystem from bad actors and ensure a secure environment in the digital assets space to advance security and innovation together. In 2025, Binance supported more than 71,000 law enforcement requests and assisted in the confiscation of more than $131 million in illicit funds.

SOURCE Binance
The BMO Institute for Applied Artificial Intelligence & Quantum builds on BMO's decades-long use of AI while advancing its Quantum ambitions to enhance client experiences, increase productivity and efficiency.

Dr. Kristin Milchanowski appointed to expanded role of Chief AI & Quantum Officer and Founding Director of the Institute.

TORONTO, CHICAGO and SAN FRANCISCO, April 9, 2026 /CNW/ - BMO today announced the establishment of the BMO Institute for Applied Artificial Intelligence & Quantum, a new enterprisewide Centre of Excellence focused on the responsible innovation, application and governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the development of Quantum capabilities.

BMO's Institute brings together expertise from across science, policy, ethics and commercialization to build on BMO's decades-long use of AI while advancing its Quantum ambitions to enhance client experiences, increase productivity and efficiency, and support longterm growth, while maintaining strong governance and trust.

"BMO is committed to building AI and Quantum capabilities that are innovative, trusted and centred on our clients," said Steve Tennyson, Chief Technology & Operations Officer, BMO. "AI is accelerating how we build, modernize, and innovate across the bank and the Institute will strengthen our ability to turn leading edge technologies into meaningful value for BMO clients, while maintaining the discipline required to manage risk, operate at scale and support responsible adoption across global banking."

Effective April 6, Dr. Kristin Milchanowski has been appointed BMO's Chief AI & Quantum Officer and will be the Founding Director of the BMO Institute for Applied Artificial Intelligence & Quantum. In this expanded role, she will continue to advance BMO's AI and Quantum capabilities, serve as a thought leader, and ensure strong, responsible governance across the enterprise.

"BMO has been applying AI across the bank for decades to personalize client experiences, augment our teams and automate our business. These capabilities continue to evolve rapidly, alongside the emergence of Quantum technologies, creating both extraordinary opportunity and significant responsibility," said Dr. Kristin Milchanowski, Chief AI & Quantum Officer, BMO. "The BMO Institute for Applied Artificial Intelligence & Quantum will help further embed a mature, enterprise-wide AI agenda, while advancing our Quantum strategy across the Bank and beyond, while keeping us accountable and agile in this era of exponential change."

With establishing the Institute, BMO is building on its significant investments in AI and other advanced technologies. Most recently, BMO became the first Canadian bank to join the IBM Quantum Network, extending its technology leadership in North America. BMO has also been recognized by Evident AI as one of the world's top 10 banks for AI innovation, received the Commercial Banking Impact Award for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics from Datos Insights, and was named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies.

About BMO Financial Group

BMO Financial Group is the eighth largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.5 trillion as of January 31, 2026. Serving clients for 200 years and counting, BMO is a diverse team of highly engaged employees providing a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services to approximately 13 million clients across Canada, the United States, and in select markets globally. Driven by a single purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, BMO is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future, and stronger communities.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group
Deal Facilitated by Viking Mergers & Acquisitions

SARASOTA, Fla., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Calcutta Marine International LLC has acquired Andros Boatworks Inc. in a strategic transaction that brings together two prominent Sarasota boat manufacturers. The acquisition preserves Andros Boatworks' well-established boat brand maintains team continuity, and positions both companies for growth in the marine industry.

Calcutta Marine International Acquires Andros Boatworks.

Founded more than two decades ago by the Eggebrecht family, Andros Boatworks quickly established itself at the forefront of custom boat design and is known for its hands-on customer relationships and boats built for serious anglers and offshore adventurers, establishing a distinct and respected position in the market. Under Calcutta Marine International's ownership, the Andros brand will maintain its own line of boats, allowing the business to build on its legacy while entering a new phase of growth.

The transaction also keeps the Andros family and team intact, an outcome that supports continuity for customers, employees, and the broader business. Both companies share deeply aligned values centered on craftsmanship, honesty, and long-term customer relationships, making the acquisition a natural fit. Together, the brands offer complementary product lines that strengthen Calcutta's overall portfolio while preserving what makes Andros distinctive.

Larry "Tripp" Lawson III, Christian Aunspaugh, and Jacob Middleton of Viking Mergers & Acquisitions facilitated the acquisition between Andros and Calcutta.

"This was an opportunity to bring together two companies with strong brands, mutual values, and clear strategic alignment," said Lawson. "Calcutta is well-positioned to continue the Andros legacy, support its team, and build on the strengths that made the business successful."

The deal reflects the kind of outcome many founder-led business owners seek: a transition that goes beyond financial terms to protect the brand, preserve company culture, and create long-term opportunity. For Andros Boatworks, the acquisition ensures the brand will continue under new ownership with the benefit of shared operational strengths and expanded support.

"This is a proud moment for Sarasota," said Andy Eggebrecht, President of Andros Boatworks. "Two local companies with deep roots in this community are coming together to build something even stronger. We're excited for what's ahead."

About Viking Mergers and Acquisitions Florida Division

Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, with offices strategically located throughout Florida, supports business owners with annual revenues ranging from $2M to $250M. Viking offers complimentary business valuation services, ongoing valuation updates, and comprehensive exit planning and strategy for small and middle-market business owners.

As one of the largest and most successful mergers and acquisitions firms in the United States, Viking is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, and Tampa, FL. The firm boasts 19 offices strategically positioned across the U.S., providing exceptional brokerage services as well as mergers & acquisitions advisory work. Over the past three decades, Viking has successfully sold over 950 businesses, achieving a closing ratio of nearly four times the industry average. Viking consistently maintains an impressive 85% closing rate, securing sellers an average of 96% of their asking price.

Visit https://www.vikingmergers.com to request a confidential, complimentary business valuation or to access more information regarding selling or buying a business.

SOURCE Viking Mergers & Acquisitions
Leading ice cream franchise targets New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette for continued expansion

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cold Stone Creamery, one of the nation's premier ice cream creameries, revealed today its strategic plans to expand its presence in Southern Louisiana, specifically targeting New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette. The expansion into these markets presents a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to grow alongside a proven and fast-growing brand with nationwide experience and brand recognition. Cold Stone Creamery plans to open two to three stores in the next five years.

Southern Louisiana continues to emerge as a key growth market for families and businesses statewide. According to Louisiana Economic Development, in 2025, Louisiana experienced record-breaking results, marking the largest year of investment and job creation in state history. New Cold Stone locations in these markets provide an opportunity to contribute to the state's economic growth for the communities.

"Cold Stone Creamery has been a part of communities across the country for more than 35 years, delivering premium products and personalized experiences that keep guests coming back," said Blake Borwick, brand leader at Cold Stone Creamery. "Louisiana presents a strong opportunity for growth, with its vibrant communities, steady economic momentum, and deep appreciation for food and hospitality. As we expand in the state, we're excited to partner with entrepreneurial talent looking for a proven brand, strong support system, and the opportunity to build a business that creates jobs, brings people together, and becomes a meaningful part of their local community."

Cold Stone Creamery is thriving in Louisiana, with five locations currently serving the Bossier City, Baton Rouge, Elmwood, Metairie and Harvey communities. The brand is also preparing to open a new location in New Orleans, coming soon. The brand's continued momentum reflects strong demand across the state and the opportunity for prospective owners to join a trusted, nationally recognized brand.

Cold Stone Creamery offers a flexible, scalable model rooted in premium ice cream, memorable guest experiences and comprehensive operational support. Franchise owners benefit from proven systems, advanced tools and resources, and leadership guidance that empowers franchisees to grow efficiently and achieve business goals.

Cold Stone Creamery is actively seeking qualified candidates to support its expansion in Louisiana, offering flexible opportunities for both first-time franchisees and experienced multi-unit operators. To join a fast-growing brand with more than three decades of experience and a proven team, the initial franchise fee to start a new traditional Cold Stone Creamery franchise is $27,000*.

To learn more about franchising with Cold Stone Creamery, visit the franchise website here.

*This information is based on the 2026 Cold Stone Creamery Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). See the current FDD Item 7 here and the current FDD for full details. This is not an offer. See more information here.

About Cold Stone Creamery

Cold Stone Creamery delivers the Ultimate Ice Cream Experience through a community of franchisees who are passionate about ice cream. The secret recipe for smooth and creamy ice cream is handcrafted fresh in-store, and then customized by combining a variety of mix-ins on a frozen granite stone. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Cold Stone Creamery is owned by parent company Kahala BrandsTM, one of the fastest-growing franchising companies in the world. With a portfolio of nearly 30 fast-casual and quick-service restaurant brands operated by Kahala Brands or its affiliates, across approximately 3,000 locations in 35 countries. The Cold Stone Creamery brand operates nearly 1,500 locations globally in approximately 30 countries worldwide.

For more information about Cold Stone Creamery, visit www.ColdStoneCreamery.com.

SOURCE Cold Stone Creamery
Business / Local

by Stephen Jakes

A communitybased pigfarming initiative spearheaded by Insiza Ward 23 Councillor Sikhanyisiwe Nkomo (ZANUPF) is beginning to yield significant economic and social benefits in Insiza North Constituency.On 6 April 2026, Cllr Nkomo visited Siyazama Primary School to assess progress on a pig project she launched in January 2025 with an initial donation of four piglets and one tonne of maize for feed.School headmaster Douglas Sithole expressed appreciation for the initiative, noting its rapid growth and impact. The project has expanded from the original four piglets to 32 pigs after successful breeding."We are grateful for the support we received. The project has grown beyond expectations and is already benefiting the school," Sithole said, adding that learners are actively involved in caring for the animals.In recognition of her contribution, the school presented Cllr Nkomo with an adult pig.Cllr Nkomo commended the school for effectively managing the project."This is a clear example of how communities can embrace sustainable incomegenerating initiatives. Projects like these instil practical skills in young people and contribute to longterm economic development," she said.During the visit, she pledged US$300 towards establishing a goatrearing project at the school, encouraging diversification of income streams.Since early 2025, similar pig projects have been introduced across several institutions in Insiza North, including schools, youth groups and community organisations. The initiatives are now generating income through the sale of piglets, with weaners selling for around US$80 each.Local stakeholders say the projects are improving livelihoods while providing practical learning opportunities for students.Pig farming remains one of Zimbabwe's most viable smallscale agricultural ventures, with mature pigs fetching between US$300 and US$350, making such initiatives a potentially sustainable model for rural economic development.
SMYRNA, Tenn., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Contour Airlines is proud to announce two exciting updates for travelers in Middle Georgia, including the return of nonstop service to Baltimore and the launch of a brand-new route to South Florida.

Beginning June 9, 2026, Contour Airlines will reinstate nonstop service between Middle Georgia Regional Airport (MCN) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). The return to Baltimore marks a highly anticipated move for the Macon community, reconnecting travelers with a popular and convenient gateway to the Mid-Atlantic region. Contour previously operated service to Baltimore and is thrilled to bring this route back in response to strong local interest.

In addition to the return of Baltimore service, Contour is expanding its footprint in Macon with the introduction of new nonstop flights to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, also set to begin June 9, 2026. This new route comes as a direct response to community demand for convenient access to Florida's beaches and cruise ports.

"Contour Airlines is committed to growing alongside the communities we serve," said Ben Munson, President of Contour Airlines. "We've heard from travelers across Middle Georgia who have been asking for the return of Baltimore service, as well as new options to Florida. We're proud to deliver on both. These additions not only restore a valuable connection to Baltimore, but also open the door to one of the country's most popular leisure destinations. This is a meaningful step forward in our continued investment in Macon."

Local leaders also welcomed the announcement and the expanded connectivity for the region.

"We're excited to see Contour Airlines continue to invest in Macon with the addition of Fort Lauderdale service," said Heather Hillstrom Lowe, Deputy Director of Aviation, Macon-Bibb County. "The updated schedule, including the return to Baltimore, is designed to optimize aircraft utilization and support this expansionultimately strengthening the overall network available to our community."

Mayor Lester Miller highlighted the impact for both leisure and business travelers: "If you want to tour the nation's capital or visit the sunny beaches of Florida or catch a cruise, you'll soon be able to do it all from here in Macon. The flights to our nation's capital from Macon have been very popular since they began, and I'm glad Contour is continually listening to its passengers to provide the service that best fits their needs."

Flights to Baltimore will operate daily, with a second flight added on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, giving travelers even more options throughout the week.

Baltimore Morning Service (3x weekly):

MCN to BWI: 7:15 AM  9:10 AM

BWI to MCN: 9:45 AM  11:45 AM

Days operated: Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Baltimore Afternoon Service (Daily):

MCN to BWI: 2:35 PM  4:30 PM

BWI to MCN: 5:05 PM  7:15 PM

Days operated: Daily

The new Fort Lauderdale flights will operate four times a week on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, offering travelers flexible scheduling options.

Fort Lauderdale Morning Service (4x weekly):

MCN to FLL: 9:40 AM  11:25 AM

FLL to MCN: 12:00 PM  1:45 PM

Days operated: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

Contour Airlines will operate service using its 30-seat regional jet, delivering a comfortable and reliable travel experience. Each flight features leather seating with extra legroom, along with complimentary snacks and beverage service for every passenger.

For more information, please visit www.contourairlines.com.

About Contour:

Contour Airlines offers a premium airline product that includes a complimentary snack and beverage service on all flights. Contour operates a growing fleet of regional jets featuring leather seating with expanded legroom in every row. Tickets are available for purchase on Contour's website at contourairlines.com, by calling the Contour call center at (888) 332-6686, and through local and online travel agencies. Travelers can also book seamless connections with Contour's interline partners; Alaska, American, JetBlue, and United Airlines.

SOURCE Contour Airlines
MCLEAN, Va., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CoVar, a small business specializing in advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, today announced it has been awarded a Direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The award supports a DARPA effort titled Predictive Psychological Architectures for Decision-Making (PPADM).

The PPADM program aims to advance the scientific understanding of how individual decision-maker characteristics influence behavior, with the goal of improving both human and algorithmic decision-making, delegation, and trust. Focus will be placed on decision-making in difficult domains with high uncertainty, time and/or resource constrained scenarios, and circumstances in which decision-makers disagree or have conflicting values.

CoVar will be responsible for developing VectoredAI, a dynamic human-AI teaming model that leverages probabilistic key decision-maker attributes (KDMAs) and latent semantic steering. VectoredAI is intended to provide a plug-in capability to help align AI solutions with personalities and considerations for critical decision makers.

CoVar has teamed with Dr. Jim Neidhoefer to bring complimentary expertise in developing VectoredAI. CoVar's GEARS software, developed under DARPA's ASIMOV program, enables users to design world scenarios and evaluate dilemmas in terms of tensions and conflicts, supporting automated testing of both algorithmic and human decision making. Dr. Neidhoefer has developed statistical methods for quantifying and aggregating hard-to-measure subjective factors (like KDMAs) in addition to a methodology for aligning human and algorithmic decision making.

"Barriers to AI adoption in mission critical and safety critical systems remains high due to lack of human trust," said Dr. Pete Torrione, CTO at CoVar. "Our proposed VectoredAI solution to PPADM will expand on what is already known about human decision making to identify key trust-building factors that reduce friction in human-AI interactions and humans' willingness to delegate difficult decisions to AI."

The Direct-to-Phase II award represents CoVar's continued leadership in building trusted and responsible AI/ML solutions for the Department of Defense; ultimately leading to more rapid adoption of AI for mission critical systems.

For more information on CoVar's work, please visit www.covar.com. For ASIMOV specific inquiries, please contact DARPA Public Affairs, [email protected].

SOURCE CoVar
In-person clinical education offers repeatable protocols and early intervention tools designed to help dentists diagnose, treat, and integrate airway-focused care into everyday practice

FORT WORTH, Texas, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pediatric dental airway therapy pioneer, Dr. Justin Warcup, announces a new in-person BRETH Method course series, taking place September 18-19, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas.

The course is designed for clinicians seeking advanced training in airway-focused dentistry and early intervention strategies. It presents Dr. Justin Warcup's proprietary BRETH Method, a clinical framework that integrates nasal breathing, jaw development, sleep quality, and long-term health outcomes into a comprehensive, whole-child approach to care.

Dr. Justin Warcup

The two-day course will take place at the Kimpton Harper Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. Designed for pediatric dental and orthodontic professionals, the program combines lectures, clinical insights, and hands-on learning focused on identifying early signs of airway dysfunction and implementing preventive, airway-centered treatment strategies.

"This course isn't just about learning the clinical side of the BRETH Method, it's about how to implement it successfully in your practice, so you can deliver consistent, predictable outcomes for your patients," says Dr. Warcup, "If you believe airway matters and want to lead instead of follow, this seminar is about giving you the tools to fully integrate that into your practice clinically and operationally."

Attendees will learn how modern lifestyle factors are impacting craniofacial development and will be trained on Dr. Warcup's broader curriculum, which outlines structured approaches to diagnosis, treatment planning, and parent communication. The program is designed to bridge the gap between traditional dentistry and emerging research on breathing, sleep, and developmental health.

"The BRETH Method is a structured, repeatable approach to airway-focused care that extends beyond appliances. It integrates diagnosis, treatment planning, and execution to support consistent, predictable outcomes for patients," says Dr. Warcup.

Dr. Warcup owns and operates four established practices in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area and has become a leading voice in airway-centered care, emphasizing the importance of early assessment. His work highlights how common symptoms such as mouth breathing, restless sleep, and behavioral challenges may be early indications of underlying airway issues.

Registration for the September seminar is now open with limited availability for clinicians interested in attending. For more information and to register, visit www.justinwarcup.com.

About Dr. Justin Warcup

Dr. Justin Warcup is the creator of the BRETH Method, a whole-child, airway-first approach that focuses on early nasal breathing and jaw development to support sleep, behavior, and long-term health. He emphasizes early assessment, often before traditional orthodontic timelines, because much of facial growth is set by childhood. He is passionate about providing the best possible pediatric dental care and experience in an energetic, fun, and kid-friendly atmosphere. Dr. Warcup is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, Texas Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and Fort Worth District Dental Society.

Media Contact:

Kara De los Reyes, Pace Public Relations

[email protected]

904-894-1191

SOURCE Dr. Justin Warcup
IRVINE, Calif., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ease.io, a global provider of AI-powered audit and inspection software for manufacturers, today announced the winners of its eighth annual Champions for Quality Awards.

The Champions for Quality Awards recognize professionals, teams, and organizations that are driving meaningful improvements in manufacturing quality and elevating the role of quality leadership during a period of rapid technological advancement and transformative innovation. This year's awards highlight achievements throughout 2025, recognizing teams that delivered measurable results, adopted new tools and processes, and inspired others across their organizations. Ease.io is honored to see an incredible breadth of submissions from around the world, with this year's winners reflecting a truly global community of quality leaders driving impact across industries.

"The Champions for Quality Awards recognize the commitment and innovation of the professionals who are strengthening quality throughout their organization," said Adam Wegel, CEO of Ease.io. "I'm incredibly impressed by the results this year's honorees have achieved. They represent a global community spanning industries from automotive to consumer goods. Their leadership in building and sustaining strong cultures of quality plays a critical role in advancing manufacturing performance worldwide."

As part of the awards program, Ease.io is also supporting the next generation of industry talent through a donation to the SAE Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides STEM education initiatives and scholarships for students from pre-kindergarten through high school.

"We're honored to be recognized again by Ease.io through its Champions for Quality Awards," said Jamie Ferguson, Executive Director of the SAE Foundation. "Their continued support helps us broaden hands-on STEM learning experiences for students and strengthen the pathway of tech-ready talent our industry needs."

Public Nominated Awards

These categories celebrate individual achievements from the plant floor to the quality department, the organization, and the industry at large. Nominations were submitted by the public as well as by Ease.io customers and affiliates; winners were selected by Ease.io based on the nomination entry. The categories and winners are:

Leadership: Executives who are strong advocates/sponsors for department-wide quality, safety, and operations programs at the senior stakeholder level.

Winner:

 Kevin Keane, ARTIFEX (Liverpool, UK)

Honorable Mention:

 Kitso Kubheka, ElringKlinger (Alberton, South Africa)

Ambassador: Professionals who have dedicated their careers to the industry and to fostering a long-term culture of quality at their manufacturing plant(s).

Winner:

 Chen Qiang, STABILUS (Jiaxing, China)

Honorable Mention:

 Daniel Girardot, Magna Cosma Vehtek Systems (Bowling Green, Ohio)

Trailblazer: Users of the EASE platform not just for layered process audits (LPAs), but for other programs including safety audits, 5S, root cause analysis, and more.

Winner:

 Demario Mercer, Millennium Print Group, A subsidiary of The Pokemon Company International (Morrisville, North Carolina)

Honorable Mention:

 Nayan Sagitra, DANA (Karnataka, India)

Influencer: Momentum builders who generate excitement, interest, and buy-in for quality initiatives among their peers.

Winner:

 Robert Hamilton, JTEKT Automotive (Morristown, Tennessee)

Honorable Mention:

 Brandon Manning, Freudenberg-NOK (Cleveland, Georgia)

Promising Newcomer: Early-career individuals (five years or less in the manufacturing industry) demonstrating standout potential to rise into a leadership role in quality.

Winner:

 Vismay Chand, DANA (Karnataka, India)

Honorable Mention:

 Andrew Riley, Magna Exteriors (Du Quoin, Illinois)

Awards Based on EASE Data



In addition to the nominated categories, the Champions for Quality Awards program includes four categories that recognize achievements based on EASE usage metrics and benchmarks. The categories and winners are:

Plant of the Year: Plants were evaluated on a combination of weighted audit insights including the percentage of on-time completed plant floor audits and on-time completed findings.

Winner:

 DANA (Zaragoza, Spain)

Honorable Mention:

 Allison Off-Highway Drive & Motion Systems (Yancheng, China)

Auditor of the Year: Users were assessed based on audit completion rate, total number of audits completed, and audit findings, with the majority of their audits being focused on quality like LPAs.

Winner:

 Bruce Chubb, Mold-Rite Plastics (Plattsburg, New York)

Honorable Mention:

 Francis Neri, Mold-Rite Plastics (Plattsburg, New York)

Best Implementation: Teams were chosen based on their engagement during the implementation of EASE from pilot to final deployment, their advocacy throughout the process, and audit activity and completion rates in the weeks and months following their go-live date.

Winner:

 Blanc & Fisher Cerkno (Slovenia)

Honorable Mention:

 NIFCO (Lavergne, Tennessee)

 NIFCO (Canal Winchester, Ohio)

 NIFCO (Shelbyville, Kentucky)

 NIFCO (Chihuahua, Mexico)

 NIFCO (Irapuato, Mexico)

Quality Transformation: Teams were evaluated based on significant improvement in performance within the EASE platform over a 12-month period, including the highest percentage increase in on-time audits and mitigations.

Winner:

 Great Dane (Danville, Pennsylvania)

Honorable Mention:

 INTEVA PRODUCTS (Opole, Poland)

The Ease.io team warmly congratulates all the winners and commends its customers for their unwavering commitment and pursuit of excellence.

About Ease

Ease.io's cloud-based SaaS solution for manufacturers, EASE, digitally connects and automates critical plant floor work processes, including audits, inspections, scheduling, task assignments, data collection, and more. Dana, Tenneco, Eaton, and other leading manufacturers in 40+ countries use EASE to drive quality, safety, productivity, and compliance. Founded in 1986, Ease.io is headquartered in Irvine, California. For more information, please visit ease.io.

SOURCE Ease.io
GT Independence Services, LLC allegedly failed to accurately record employees' full-time worked, including but not limited to, time worked off-the-clock. This, allegedly, resulted in violations to various California Labor Laws.

**THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT**

RIVERSIDE, Calif., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action complaint alleging that GT Independence Services, LLC, violated the California Labor Code. The GT Independence Services, LLC class action lawsuit, Case No. CVRI2601957, is currently pending in the Riverside County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here.

The Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP Speed Speed

According to the lawsuit filed against GT Independence Services, LLC, the company allegedly failed to provide Plaintiff with all legally required meal and rest periods. From time to time, Plaintiff was allegedly asked to work in excess of four (4) hours without being provided ten (10) minutes rest periods. Further these employees were denied their first rest periods of at least ten (10) minutes for some shifts of at least two (2) to four (4) hours from time to time, a first and second rest period of at least ten (10) minutes for some shifts worked of between six (6) and eight (8) hours from time to time, and a first , second and third rest period of at least ten (10) minutes for some shifts worked of ten (10) hours or more from time to time.

The lawsuit further alleges that Defendant underpaid sick wages to Plaintiff by failing to pay such wages at the regular rate of pay, when sick pay was paid, it was paid at the base rate of pay. Defendant failed to reimburse and indemnify Plaintiff for required business expenses associated with their job duties. Defendant allegedly violated Cal. Lab. Code  246(1)(2) and 2802.

For more information about the class action lawsuit against GT Independence Services, LLC, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is an employment law firm with offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today.

**THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT**

Media Contact

Nicholas De Blouw

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP

(800) 568-8020

[email protected]

https://www.bamlawca.com/

SOURCE Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP
In the news release, GOFO Unveils Its 2026 North American Expansion Plan, Powered by Automation and Network Intelligence, issued 08-Apr-2026 by GOFO over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the wrong map was included as an image. The complete, corrected release with the updated map follows:

GOFO Unveils Its 2026 North American Expansion Plan, Powered by Automation and Network Intelligence

2026 Expansion Highlights:

Further automation and network intelligence upgrades at 13 primary and secondary hubs across GOFO's nationwide network

50-plus new U.S. delivery stations planned in 2026

Broader station-level deployment of modular automated sortation supporting 50% of station sort volume nationwide

Coverage expected to expand to 12,000+ U.S. ZIP Codes ahead of peak season

Initial market entry underway in Canada, with Toronto and Vancouver hub development in progress

LOS ANGELES, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GOFO today unveiled its 2026 North American expansion plan to strengthen infrastructure across its network, powered by automation and network intelligence, with a focus on hub capacity, station execution, and broader market coverage.

Map of GOFOs U.S. hub network, including super, primary and secondary hubs

Expanding While Keeping Service Reliable

As e-commerce service expectations continue to rise, parcel networks are entering a period of greater pricing pressure and higher operating expectations. Carriers across the market are reworking pricing, network footprints, and technology priorities to protect margins and improve service reliability. For merchants, that means coverage alone is no longer enough; they increasingly need delivery partners that can offer stable execution and predictable economics at the same time. In that environment, GOFO's 2026 infrastructure plan is designed to deepen network density, strengthen execution, and improve efficiencywhile maintaining a no-surcharge policy through 2026.

Automation and Network Intelligence for Efficiency and Cost Advantage

Building on a U.S. network that delivered more than 100 million packages in 2025, GOFO's 2026 plan reflects a different operating model from traditional logistics networks: one that uses automation, integrated systems, and network intelligence to improve efficiency as scale increases. GOFO is making targeted investments across hub capacity, station execution, and intelligent systems to drive down network handling cost while expanding coverage. Just as importantly, those investments are designed to ensure the network remains reliable as it grows. At a time when the parcel market is under greater pricing and service pressure, GOFO's approach is to make smart investments that improve efficiency, strengthen operational control, and widen its cost advantage as the network scales.

"Coverage matters, but in this market merchants also need predictable pricing and consistent execution," said Marshall Yuan, Head of Strategy, U.S., GOFO. "We're investing in hubs, stations, and network intelligence together because scale only works if efficiency scales with it. Our no-surcharge policy through 2026 reflects that model."

Scaling Through Automation and Network Intelligence

At the hub level, GOFO is further upgrading automation and network intelligence at 13 primary and secondary hubs across its nationwide network, centered on double-loop cross-belt and narrow-belt sortation systems. The objective is to strengthen high-volume transfer and destination sortation while driving down network handling cost as coverage expands. As the rollout advances, these upgraded primary and secondary hubs are expected to operate within a stable high-throughput range of roughly 20,000 to 45,000 parcels per hour, with each system capable of sorting to approximately 400 to 600 chutes. The narrow-belt systems are supported by automated parcel induction, singulation, six-sided barcode scanning, and vision-based dimensioning to improve discharge stability, sort accuracy, and flow consistency. Together, these upgrades are designed to reduce re-handling, shorten dwell time between inbound arrival and outbound dispatch, and give GOFO more processing headroom to absorb growth while maintaining reliable transfer performance.

At the station level, GOFO plans to add more than 50 delivery stations in 2026, further expanding a network that already operates more than 140 hubs and stations across the country. The company will also continue deploying a modular, small-footprint automated sortation system designed for station environments where space is limited, facility modification windows are short, and dispatch deadlines are tight. Based on early operating results, GOFO decided to expand the rollout of the system across its station network, with deployment expected to support 50% of station sort volume nationwide. That expansion is designed to reduce reliance on manual handling during the critical window between parcel arrival and route staging, improve load readiness, shorten driver wait times at pickup, and increase loading efficiency as the network grows.

Beyond physical infrastructure, GOFO is also strengthening the intelligence layer behind network expansion through GOFO ATLAS, its proprietary intelligent system and digital infrastructure. Built as an end-to-end platform that integrates OMS, WMS and TMS, ATLAS provides unified visibility across the delivery lifecycle and supports intelligent orchestration through multi-layer operational dashboards spanning headquarters, hubs, stations and DSP partners. On that foundation, GOFO is embedding intelligent decision-making, dispatch orchestration and routing optimization into day-to-day execution. As the network grows, these capabilities are intended to keep visibility, decision-making and exception management consistent across new hubs and stations, helping GOFO expand coverage while maintaining service quality, delivery stability and operational control.

Expanding Coverage Across the U.S. and Into Canada

Following its early-2026 market launches, GOFO now reaches 47 states. Ahead of the mid-year peak season, the company expects to expand to more than 12,000 ZIP Codes and reach more than 80% of the U.S. population. Alongside its expanding U.S. coverage, GOFO is also preparing to enter Canada, with initial hub development underway in Toronto and Vancouver.

Media assets, including GOFO's 2026 corporate overview and official press photography, are available here.

About GOFO

GOFO is a U.S.-based, technology-driven last-mile logistics network serving merchants and consumers across the United States. Founded in 2023 and guided by the brand philosophy Drive Efficiency, Deliver Trust, GOFO combines advanced technology with localized operations to deliver precise, reliable, and scalable delivery solutions. Operating across 47 states through 140+ hubs and stations, covering more than 9,200 ZIP Codes and reaching over 70% of the U.S. population, GOFO provides high-performance last-mile delivery supported by automated sortation, intelligent routing, and disciplined operational execution. GOFO's service portfolio includes GOFO Parcel, GOFO Economy, and GOFO Ground, supporting fast parcel delivery, cost-effective nationwide coverage, and heavyweight or complex shipments. More information is available at gofo.com.

Media Contact

Tony W.

Public Relations, GOFO

[email protected]

SOURCE GOFO
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) is pleased to highlight its expanding footprint across the Great Lakes Region, supported by active state chapters in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Together, these chapters operate as a collaborative regional network dedicated to strengthening financial literacy, advancing economic mobility, and fostering long-term financial wellness initiatives.

Although each chapter functions independently within its own state, they remain united by a common regional mission. Through coordinated planning and shared best practices, they work to close financial education gaps affecting students and families, while bolstering the infrastructure required to deliver high-quality programming and advocacy.

Expanding Access and Elevating Standards

Across the Great Lakes region, chapters are focused on broadening equitable access to financial education and aligning academic standards with the rigor expected of core subjects. Their policy priorities include enhanced graduation requirements, well-qualified educators, measurable learning outcomes, comprehensive K-12 frameworks, meaningful family involvement, and dependable funding streams. The coalition is committed to establishing financial education as an essential life competency supported by accountability and sustainability.

Chapter representatives serve on advisory boards that shape both regional direction and state-level implementation. Collectively, they bring expertise in finance, education, public policy, and community leadership.

Advisory Leadership in the Great Lakes Region

Brandon Biddles, MBA, PMP, Michigan  financial strategist and market researcher with experience in banking, tax consulting, personal finance, and investment education; Founder of Biddles Group, a consulting firm dedicated to advancing financial wellness through education, strategy, and innovation.

Mark Dunaway, BS, Ohio  retired global business consultant for Accenture; guest lecturer in high school and university personal finance classes; sponsor of the Dean's Scholarship in the Illinois State University College of Business; volunteer with Boys and Girls Club, CityLink, and Golden Endings.

Marina Moths, BS, Wisconsin  originally from El Salvador; holds Wisconsin Life and Health Insurance and FINRA Series 63 and 6 Licenses; Vice President of Financial Wellness at Spectrum Investment Advisors, Inc., managing a team that provides comprehensive financial and retirement planning services.

Talaya Scott, MSA, DBA, Wisconsin  deeply experienced in accounting, higher education, fintech, and community leadership; Co-Founder and COO of SaveCircle, an employer-sponsored group savings benefit and personal finance platform; Accounting Professor at Milwaukee Area Technical College and Concordia University-Wisconsin.

Krystena Yancey, BBA, BS, Michigan  Personal Finance Advocate; hosts dynamic, holistic financial education for young adults and families; presents volunteer financial wellness workshops in collaboration with Life Directions; hosts Financial Butterfly blog as a platform for introverts to be themselves while they build wealth, get ahead, and stand out on their own.

Working together, these advisory board members will lead campaigns to improve financial educator qualifications, increase access to research-based programming, and enhance long-term financial wellness outcomes across Great Lakes communities.

"While each Great Lakes state chapter works to address the specific needs of its communities, we are united toward reaching the same goal: making a case that financial education is as important as core subjects to improve reach into schools," said Vince Shorb, CEO of the National Financial Educators Council. "Regional collaboration empowers us to make faster progress, advance standards, and make sure that more individuals and families can access the financial education resources they need."

The Great Lakes Financial Educators Council is a regional affiliate of the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC), an IACET Accredited Provider and Certified B Corporation focused on advancing financial wellness as a foundation for economic stability and community health. NFEC equips educators, policymakers, and advocates with high-quality training and resources to expand access to effective financial education worldwide.

Media Contact:

Claudia Martins

[email protected]

702-620-3059

SOURCE National Financial Educators Council
DALLAS, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Havencrest Capital Management ("Havencrest"), a Dallas-based healthcare private equity firm, is pleased to announce its majority recapitalization of OFFOR Health ("OFFOR" or the "Company"), a leading provider of office-based anesthesia services for complex pediatric dental procedures.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, the Company deploys highly integrated clinical teams and equipment -- including anesthesiologists, PACU nurses and paramedics -- directly into dental offices with hospital-grade safety redundancies in mind. This innovative business model enables patients, including children enrolled in Medicaid, to receive timely, high-impact care in dental offices rather than face long wait times for hospital operating rooms.

"OFFOR is addressing a real access challenge for pediatric patients and families, particularly those who have faced barriers to timely care. We are excited to partner with CEO Gary Schafer and the OFFOR team to help expand access to safe, high-quality care in the dental office setting. Just as important, we believe strongly in the Company's mission and are aligned around building a platform that reaches more children and families in more communities," said Matt Shofner, Partner at Havencrest.

OFFOR CEO Schafer added, "We are thrilled to welcome Havencrest as our strategic and financial partner. What drew us to Havencrest above all else was its genuine alignment with our mission -- ensuring that children have access to the high-quality care they deserve. With Havencrest's deep expertise in healthcare services and its commitment to what we are building, I am confident this partnership will allow us to reach more kids in more communities across the country."

Christopher Bowers will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board, and he will help guide the Company through its next chapter of growth. The former Executive Vice President of Markets at Centene Corporation, Mr. Bowers has decades of experience in the payer services marketspace with managed care and Medicaid populations.

"OFFOR sits at a compelling intersection of clinical innovation and access, delivering hospital-grade anesthesia capabilities directly into the dental office setting for pediatric patients who need it most," said Brian Banks, Principal at Havencrest. "We see a tremendous opportunity to scale this platform and meaningfully expand access for patients and families underserved by the traditional care delivery model."

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC served as legal counsel to Havencrest. Ziegler served as financial advisor to OFFOR, and Cascadia Capital served as financial advisor to Havencrest. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

ABOUT HAVENCREST CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Dallas-based Havencrest Capital Management is an investment manager of healthcare-focused private equity funds with more than $600M of assets under management (AUM). Havencrest comprises a leading team of investment professionals, Operating Partners and Senior Advisors, including many of the nation's leading healthcare entrepreneurs, corporate executives and public policy experts.

With its unique approach to partnering with founder-owned healthcare companies with EBITDA between $3M - $15M+, the Havencrest team has a successful track record in building leading companies that are changing the way healthcare is delivered in America. For additional information about Havencrest, please visit www.havencrest.com.

Contact:

Christopher W. Kersey

Havencrest Capital Management

[email protected]

SOURCE Havencrest Capital Management LLC
HONG KONG, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hong Kong has long been recognised as a clean, transparent, and attractive investment hub, a reputation built on the collective commitment to integrity shared by the business community, the Government, and civil society. This strong ethical foundation has helped Hong Kong consistently become one of the most competitive and corruption-free economies worldwide.

Integrity Leadership Seminar for Chambers of Commerce Speed Speed

All the years the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), in collaboration with the Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong, spares no efforts in maintaining the clean governance and ethical business in the city, to ensure its fair, clean and sustainable business development.

In late March this year, the ICAC's Hong Kong International Academy Against Corruption and Hong Kong Business Ethics Development Centre (HKBEDC) successfully hosted the Integrity Leadership Seminar for Chambers of Commerce, brought together around 50 business leaders from 14 chambers of commerce in Hong Kong, to conduct meaningful exchanges in experience and insights on Hong Kong's anti-corruption regime, corporate governance practices, and practical strategies for fostering ethical and sustainable business development.

Director of Community Relations of the ICAC Diman Mak Wai-keung said it was a great success of "PPP"  public private partnership in upholding integrity in the business sector, reflecting the strong commitment of the Hong Kong's business community to uphold integrity and reinforce the city's standing as a model of clean governance and ethical business. "Integrity culture is a distinctive strength of Hong Kong. HKBEDC has worked alongside the private sector in building stronger, more resilient organisations capable of competing and winning in the global economy. The ICAC would continue to deepen the partnership in the years ahead to safeguard the continued success of Hong Kong as a trusted international business hub," Mr Mak said.

Representative of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce Mr Edwin Morris also shared the essential role of business leaders and chambers of commerce in sustaining a clean business environment.

At the seminar, experienced ICAC officers from the operation, corruption prevention and public education fields guided participants on identifying corruption risks, leveraging ICAC's advisory services, and strengthening corporate compliance culture through case studies. They also engaged in discussion and exchanged views with participants, knowing more about the actual needs of practitioners in different sectors and the corruption problems encountered, so as to provide more tailor-made anti-corruption assistance to maintain the high level of integrity in running business.

"The ICAC will continue to work alongside the business sector to uphold Hong Kong's clean and fair business environment, further solidifying its international reputation as a city of integrity for investment," Mr Mak concluded.

SOURCE Independent Commission Against Corruption of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
BRIDGEPORT, Conn., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- University of Bridgeport (UB) will welcome humanitarian, author, and speaker Carl Wilkens as the keynote speaker for its 2026 Commencement ceremonies, to be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Wilkens will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in honor of his extraordinary humanitarian leadership.

Humanitarian, author, and speaker Carl Wilkens will address University of Bridgeports Class of 2026 as the keynote speaker at both commencement ceremonies on May 2, 2026, and will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

Wilkens is widely known for his courageous actions during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. He was the only American who chose to remain in the city of Kigali, working to support vulnerable children and families amid widespread violence. Each day, he navigated roadblocks and armed checkpoints to bring food, water, and medicine to groups of orphans stranded in the city. Working alongside Rwandan colleagues, he helped save the lives of hundreds of people.

In the years since, Wilkens has shared his experiences with audiences around the world, from universities and high schools to the United Nations and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, exploring how stories of profound loss and resilience can open conversations about what it means to learn to live together. He is the author of "I'm Not Leaving," published in 2011, and the subject of a documentary of the same title. His work has been featured in the New York Times and on PBS Frontline. He has received the Medal of Valor from the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Dignitas Humana Award from St. John's School of Theology.

The undergraduate ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., followed by the graduate ceremony at 3 p.m. Across both ceremonies, UB will confer more than 1,400 degrees, honoring graduates from a wide range of disciplines.

Graduate and undergraduate student speakers will be announced at a later date.

Members of the media are invited to attend, and early entrance will be available. Please direct media inquiries to Abby Levandoski, assistant director of communications and content strategy, at [email protected].

For more information about UB's commencement ceremonies, visit bridgeport.edu/commencement.

About University of Bridgeport

University of Bridgeport offers career-oriented undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees and programs for people seeking personal and professional growth. The University promotes academic excellence, personal responsibility, and commitment to service. Distinctive curricula in an international, culturally diverse, and supportive learning environment prepare graduates for life and leadership in an increasingly interconnected world. The University is independent and non-sectarian. www.bridgeport.edu

For media inquiries, please contact:

Abby Levandoski

Assistant Director of Communications and Content Strategy

University of Bridgeport

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 203-576-4151

SOURCE University of Bridgeport
News / Local

by Stephen Jakes

Cultural pride, culinary excellence and vibrant celebrations took centre stage at the United College of Education in Bulawayo as the 2026 Amai's Traditional Cookout Competition showcased Zimbabwe's rich cultural identity.The event was officiated by the Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Tongai Mnangagwa, who reaffirmed the growing importance of tourism as a key driver of economic growth and community empowerment.In his remarks, the Deputy Minister commended the First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa, for spearheading the initiative and transforming it into a nationwide movement that is boosting both domestic and international tourism.He noted that the programme has stimulated the growth of restaurants and traditional food outlets across the country, creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs while promoting Zimbabwe's diverse culinary heritage."The Amai's Traditional Cookout Competition is not just about food, but about preserving our culture, empowering communities and positioning Zimbabwe as a unique tourism destination," he said.The competition brought together participants from across the country, each presenting traditional dishes that reflect Zimbabwe's cultural diversity and heritage. Attendees were treated to a wide array of indigenous cuisines, highlighting the depth and richness of local gastronomy.Organisers say the initiative is playing a pivotal role in reclaiming Zimbabwe's culinary narrative while advancing gastronomy tourism as a bridge between culture and business.The programme also aligns with the broader national vision championed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, which seeks to achieve an upper middleincome economy by 2030 through inclusive growth and strengthened partnerships across sectors.As Zimbabwe continues to leverage its cultural assets, events such as the Amai's Traditional Cookout Competition are emerging as powerful platforms for promoting heritage, supporting local industries and enhancing the country's global tourism appeal.
ANGOLA, Ind., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Why do auto insurance rates change even when drivers haven't had an accident or received a ticket? That's the question answered in a HelloNation article featuring Insurance Expert Austin Budreau of Angola, IN. In the article, Budreau helps drivers understand what influences auto insurance and offers practical steps for keeping insurance premiums manageable over time.

Austin Budreau - Insurance Agent Speed Speed

According to Budreau, many people assume that their auto insurance rates are tied solely to their driving record. While safe driving remains one of the most important personal factors, there are several broader influences that can cause rates to rise or fall, even for those with a clean history.

One major factor discussed in the article is regional weather. In areas like Indiana, weather-related claims from hail, ice, or flooding can lead to higher rates across the board. When insurers experience a spike in claims within a specific area, they may adjust auto insurance premiums to reflect that increased risk.

Repair costs also play a growing role. As vehicles become more advanced, fixing them often takes more time and money. Budreau explains that supply chain issues, labor costs, and the availability of specialized parts can all affect the cost of a claim. As those costs rise, so can auto insurance rates.

Traffic patterns and theft data are also considered by insurers. High-traffic areas see more minor accidents, while some vehicle types and regions are more prone to theft. These trends impact insurance pricing even if a specific driver has not experienced a loss.

In Angola, IN, it's not unusual for residents to see changes in their auto insurance premiums without any direct cause. As Budreau notes, insurance pricing reflects collective risk, and understanding this can reduce the frustration many drivers feel when rates increase unexpectedly.

While some factors are outside of a driver's control, others can be managed with thoughtful choices. Budreau encourages safe driving habits as the most effective way to secure long-term discounts and favorable pricing. Avoiding accidents and citations keeps eligibility open for lower rates.

Bundling policies is another way to manage insurance costs. Drivers who combine auto insurance with homeowners or renters insurance often qualify for discounts. Bundling policies simplifies account management and is seen by insurers as a sign of long-term commitment.

Adjusting coverage levels is another area to review. As a car ages, full coverage may no longer be necessary. Choosing higher deductibles or reevaluating optional protections can reduce insurance premiums while still maintaining appropriate coverage.

Vehicle selection also matters. Cars with strong safety ratings, lower theft risk, and less expensive repair histories typically cost less to insure. While past purchases can't be changed, future decisions can factor in this impact.

The article also highlights the importance of mileage. Drivers who work from home or use their vehicles less often may be eligible for lower rates. Some insurance companies reward lower usage through specialized plans or discounts.

Budreau emphasizes the value of regular policy reviews. Life changes like moving, changing jobs, or adding a new driver can affect insurance premiums. Updating a policy ensures the coverage still fits current needs and reflects real risk.

The article, What Affects Auto Insurance Rates and How to Lower Them, features insights from Austin Budreau, Insurance Expert of Angola, IN, 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
MILLSBORO, Del., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Full coverage car insurance is widely misunderstood, and knowing what it actually includes can help drivers make smarter policy decisions.

What does full coverage car insurance actually include? A HelloNation article answers that question by breaking down the key components of a standard auto policy and explaining what drivers should look for before signing.

Chuck Hall, Insurance Agent Speed Speed

The HelloNation article explains that "full coverage" is not a defined regulatory term, and what it includes can vary significantly from one policy to the next. Most insurers use the phrase to describe a combination of liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, but understanding what each one does is essential for any driver making coverage decisions.

The article notes that liability coverage is the foundation of any auto policy in Delaware. It pays for damage and medical expenses involving the other party when the at-fault driver causes an accident. Delaware law requires a minimum amount of liability coverage, but the article points out that those minimums are often lower than what a serious accident can actually cost.

Collision coverage pays to repair or replace a driver's own vehicle after a crash, regardless of what was hit. Comprehensive coverage addresses losses that are not collision-related, including theft, vandalism, hail, falling trees, and flooding. Insurance Expert Chuck Hall, based in Millsboro, Delaware, contributed insights to the article noting that deer strikes are a frequent and real risk on rural roads throughout Sussex County, making comprehensive coverage especially relevant for local drivers.

The article describes deductibles as one of the most commonly misunderstood parts of any auto policy. Liability coverage typically carries no deductible because it pays the other party directly. Collision and comprehensive each carry separate deductibles, and reviewing those amounts before a claim is filed is something the article identifies as a critical step for policyholders.

Beyond the three core coverage types, the HelloNation article outlines several add-ons that drivers in the Millsboro Delaware auto insurance market should consider. Rental reimbursement helps cover a temporary vehicle while a covered claim is being repaired. Roadside assistance can provide towing, battery service, and lockout help, though drivers should first check whether that benefit already exists through a membership or credit card.

The article also covers uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, which becomes relevant when the other driver carries little or no insurance. Delaware has a meaningful number of underinsured drivers, and this coverage can help pay for vehicle damage and medical costs when the at-fault party cannot. The article also explains Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, which is required in Delaware and helps cover medical expenses and related costs for drivers and passengers regardless of fault.

For drivers shopping for Sussex County car insurance, the article recommends asking specific questions when sitting down with an agent. Those include what each coverage type includes, what the deductible is for each, and whether add-ons are included or available at extra cost. Two drivers on the same street can have very different coverage needs based on their vehicle, finances, family situation, and daily commute.

Do You Know What Your Full Coverage Car Insurance Policy Really Covers? features insights from Chuck Hall, Insurance Expert of Millsboro, Delaware, 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 with storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven, good-news 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
Swiss premium footwear brand centralizes product information with Centric Software to improve collaboration and transparency across teams and suppliers

CAMPBELL, Calif., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Centric Software is pleased to announce that INUIKII has gone live with Centric PLM to strengthen product data management and streamline collaboration across internal teams and suppliers. Centric Software provides the most innovative enterprise solutions to plan, design, develop, source, buy, make, price, allocate, sell and replenish products such as fashion, luxury, footwear, outdoor, home and related goods like cosmetics & personal care as well as multi-category retail to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals.

INUIKII

Founded in 2013 and based in Switzerland, INUIKII is a family-owned footwear brand rooted in Swiss design values, with sustainability at its core. Established with the ambition to merge functionality and comfort with a fashion-forward aesthetic, the brand has since evolved into a year-round label offering seasonal collections for men, women and children. INUIKII operates in the premium segment and produces several hundred SKUs each year, sourcing 90% of its materials and carrying out 60% of its production in Europe and 40% in Asia. The brand collaborates with an international network of over 50 material suppliers, along with multiple manufacturers for footwear and garments, while continuously enhancing supply chain transparency.

As INUIKII's collections expanded and SKU complexity increased, product data was scattered across spreadsheets, emails and individual tools. This fragmentation reduced transparency across teams, while also complicating communication with suppliers. To address this growing complexity, INUIKII set out to establish a single source of truth for product information and collaboration, laying the groundwork for a scalable operational foundation with Centric PLM across the entire product lifecycle.

"Centric stood out thanks to its deep fashion and footwear industry expertise, as well as its reputationmany of our suppliers were already familiar with it," says Alessio Maag, Co-Founder and Chief Production Officer at INUIKII. "Centric PLM's flexibility, scalability and strong industry references gave us confidence it would support both our current needs and future ambitions."

After a rigorous selection process, INUIKII moved from project kick-off to go-live in just seven months. The implementation followed a phased approach, with INUIKII and Centric first establishing core product data and seasonal workflows before expanding functionality once the foundation was in place. INUIKII has now begun onboarding suppliers, marking the next phase in strengthening collaboration and supporting more efficient decision-making.

"Centric PLM has been one of, if not the smoothest implementation, I've been through, with scope, timing and budget all managed well," says Maag. "The phased approach enabled us to manage change while maintaining day-to-day operations and teams are already seeing advantages from working with a single source of truth." As supplier onboarding progresses, INUIKII expects to see further gains in efficiency and cycle time, building momentum for the next stage of its PLM journey.

Looking forward, INUIKII plans to expand its use of Centric PLM to new categories, strengthen sustainability tracking and connect additional tools into a broader digital ecosystem. The goal is to create a connected environment rather than isolated tools, taking a step-by-step approach as the brand continues to evolve its product operations.

Drawing on its experience, INUIKII encourages other footwear brands embarking on a PLM transformation to define their objectives early and avoid trying to do everything at once. "Invest time in change management and involve key users from the start. A PLM implementation is not just an IT project; it is a transformation of how you work. The more aligned your teams are, the more value you will unlock."

"INUIKII's go-live marks an important milestone in its digital transformation journey," says Fabrice Canonge, CEO of Centric Software. "We're pleased to support INUIKII as they continue to modernize their product operations and position the brand for long-term growth with Centric PLM."

Learn more about Centric Software

Request a Demo

INUIKII (inuikii.com)

INUIKII is a Swiss premium footwear brand that combines functionality, comfort and bold design. With seasonal collections spanning winter and beyond, the brand supports international growth through a global partner network and direct-to-consumer channels.

Centric Software (www.centricsoftware.com)

From its headquarters in Silicon Valley, Centric Software provides an innovative and AI-enabled product concept-to-commercialization platform for retailers, brands and manufacturers of all sizes. As experts in fashion, luxury, footwear, outdoor, home, cosmetics & personal care as well as multi-category retail, Centric Software delivers best-of-breed solutions to plan, design, develop, source, comply, buy, make, price, allocate, sell and replenish products.

Centric PLM, the leading PLM solution for fashion, outdoor, footwear and private label, optimizes product execution from ideation to development, sourcing and manufacture, realizing up to 50% improvement in productivity and a 60% decrease in time to market.

the leading PLM solution for fashion, outdoor, footwear and private label, optimizes product execution from ideation to development, sourcing and manufacture, realizing up to 50% improvement in productivity and a 60% decrease in time to market. Centric Planning is an innovative, cloud-native, AI solution delivering end-to-end planning capabilities to maximize retail and wholesale business performance, including SKU optimization, resulting in an up to 110% increase in margins.

is an innovative, cloud-native, AI solution delivering end-to-end planning capabilities to maximize retail and wholesale business performance, including SKU optimization, resulting in an up to 110% increase in margins. Centric Pricing & Inventory leverages AI to drive margins and boost revenues by up to 18% via price and inventory optimization from pre-season to in-season to season completion.

leverages AI to drive margins and boost revenues by up to 18% via price and inventory optimization from pre-season to in-season to season completion. Centric Market Intelligence is an AI-driven platform delivering insights into consumer trends, competitor offers and pricing to boost competitively and get closer to the consumer, driving up to a 12% increase in average initial price point.

is an AI-driven platform delivering insights into consumer trends, competitor offers and pricing to boost competitively and get closer to the consumer, driving up to a 12% increase in average initial price point. Centric Visual Boards pivot actionable data in a visual-first orientation to ensure robust, consumer-right assortments and product offers, dramatically decreasing assortment development cycle time.

pivot actionable data in a visual-first orientation to ensure robust, consumer-right assortments and product offers, dramatically decreasing assortment development cycle time. Centric PXM, AI-powered product experience management (PXM) encompasses PIM, DAM, content syndication and digital shelf analytics (DSA) to optimize the product commercialization lifecycle resulting in a transformed brand experience. Increase sales channels, boost sell through and drive margins.

Centric Software's market-driven solutions have the highest user adoption rate, customer satisfaction rate and fastest time to value in the industry. Centric Software has received multiple industry awards and recognition, appearing regularly in world-leading analyst reports and research.

Centric Software is a subsidiary of Dassault Systemes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the world leader in 3D design software, 3D digital mock-up and PLM solutions.

Centric Software is a registered trademark of Centric Software, Inc. in the US and other countries. Centric PLM, Centric Planning, Centric Pricing & Inventory, Centric Market Intelligence, Centric Visual Boards, Centric PXM, Centric PIM, Centric DAM, Centric Shoppingfeed and Centric DSA (including Centric Digital Shelf Analytics) are trademarks of Centric Software, Inc. All third-party trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Centric Software
STOCKHOLM, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Saab's CEO and President Micael Johansson and CFO Anna Wijkander will present Saab's interim report for January-March 2026.

Date: Thursday 23 April at 10:00 a.m. (CET).

The report is published at 07.30 a.m. (CET) the same day at www.saab.com.

You are welcome to watch the live webcast or dial in to the conference call. It is possible to submit questions over the conference call and from the webcast page.

Live webcast: www.saab.com/investors/webcast/q1-2026

Registration for conference call: www.saab.com/investors/conference-call-q1

The interim report, presentation material and webcast will be published on www.saab.com/investors.

Contacts

Johan Andersson

Head of Investor Relations

+46 (0)734 372 939

[email protected]



Mattias Radstrom

Head of Media Relations

+46 (0)734 180 018

[email protected]

Saab is a leading defence and security company with an enduring purpose, to help nations keep their people and society safe. Empowered by its 28,000 talented people, Saab constantly pushes the boundaries of technology to create a safer and more sustainable world. Saab designs, manufactures and maintains advanced systems in aeronautics, weapons, command and control, sensors and underwater systems. Saab is headquartered in Sweden. It has major operations all over the world and is part of the domestic defence capability of several nations.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/saab/r/invitation-to-saab-s-q1-2026-interim-report-presentation,c4332061

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/183/4332061/4028002.pdf Invitation to Saab's Q1 2026 interim report presentation https://news.cision.com/saab/i/saab-giraffe-1x-multi-mission-radar,c3526625 Saab Giraffe 1X multi-mission radar https://news.cision.com/saab/i/saab-logotype,c3526627 Saab logotype

SOURCE Saab
GOTHENBURG, Sweden, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitrolife AB (publ) will publish its Q1 2026 interim report on Thursday, 23 April 2026 at 08:00 am CET. A conference call for investors, analysts and financial media will be held at 10:00 am CET the same day.

The presentation will be held in English by Bronwyn Brophy O'Connor, CEO, and Par Ihrskog, CFO. The conference call will begin with a presentation of the report followed by a question-and-answer session. The presentation material will be available prior to the start of the conference call on the Vitrolife Group website www.vitrolifegroup.com.

To follow the webcast, please use this link.

To participate in the conference call please register via this link. After registration, you will be provided with telephone numbers and a conference ID to access the conference. You can ask questions verbally via the telephone conference.

After the event, the presentation material and a recording of the webcast will be available at www.vitrolifegroup.com.

Gothenburg, 9 April 2026

VITROLIFE AB (publ)

Contact:

Jenny Jakobson

Investor Relations

[email protected]

This is a translation of the Swedish version of the press release. When in doubt, the Swedish wording prevails.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/vitrolife-ab--publ-/r/invitation-to-vitrolife-group-s-presentation-of-the-q1-2026-interim-report,c4331301

SOURCE Vitrolife AB (publ)
"We are proud to partner with Hyundai Translead on this transformative project," said Justin Lichter, Chief Investment Officer of IRG. "This lease represents the beginning of a new chapter for the facility, county and state. It reinforces IRG's commitment to revitalizing complex industrial assets into modern, high-impact economic drivers."

"Our expansion to Illinois represents years of planning and a shared vision for long-term growth," said Sean Kenney, Chief Executive Officer of Hyundai Translead. "This investment reflects our confidence and commitment to building products, workforce development, and partnerships that endure."

In addition to the Joliet facility, Hyundai Translead will also move into a second Will County location at the former Lion Electric site. The expansions will collectively create approximately 2,500 new full-time jobs and $450 Million of investment into the facilities.

The Joliet transaction was managed by Onno Steger, Senior Vice Present of IRG.

Darwin PW Realty's Jerry Sullivan and Ed Wabick represented the landlord and Shamus Conneely of John Greene Commercial represented the tenant.

About IRG

IRG is a nationwide real estate development and investment firm specializing in the acquisition, development and management of commercial and industrial real estate throughout the United States. IRG, through its affiliated partnerships and limited liability companies, operates a portfolio containing over 150 properties in 31 states with over 100 million square feet of rentable space. IRG is nationally recognized as a leading force behind the adaptive reuse of commercial and industrial real estate, solving some of America's most difficult real estate challenges.

Learn more at www.industrialrealtygroup.com.

About Hyundai Translead

Founded in 1989, Hyundai Translead is the leading van trailer manufacturer in North America, producing dry and refrigerated van trailers, flatbeds, truck bodies, and dollies. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, and wholly owned by Hyundai Motor Company, the company leverages advanced engineering and manufacturing to deliver customer-focused transportation solutions. In addition to its manufacturing leadership, Hyundai Translead is also the exclusive distributor of Hyundai's XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks in North America, a sustainable solution designed to expand fleet options towards zero-tailpipe emission logistics.

For more information, visit www.hyundaitranslead.com.

Lauren Crumrine, Vice President of Marketing

Industrial Realty Group, LLC

614-562-9252

[email protected]

SOURCE Industrial Realty Group, LLC
ISTANBUL, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Karsan, the world's technology-focused mobility brand in next-generation public transportation, has successfully completed a six-month comprehensive project with the RATP Group, one of the leading public transportation operators in Paris, France. As part of the project, the vehicle completed approximately 3,000 kilometers of autonomous driving under real-world urban conditions including open traffic and the presence of pedestrians with an average of five hours of daily operation. As part of the project, Autonomous e-ATAK successfully passed comprehensive technical validation processes conducted at the test track of UTAC, one of France's leading automotive testing and certification organizations. Based on the results obtained, the vehicle received nationwide testing approval from the DGEC, the body responsible for autonomous mobility testing and approval processes under the French Ministry of Transport thereby gaining the authorization to conduct autonomous operations in open traffic in France. Noting that the project was carried out on one of Paris's busy and critical routes, Karsan CEO Okan Bas stated, "Our vehicle demonstrated its operational capabilities by successfully testing advanced driving scenarios such as navigation in mixed traffic conditions, precise parking at stops, and real-time interaction with traffic lights and intersections. "During the six-month testing period, the vehicle achieved a 98% success rate in autonomous driving without driver intervention. This rate serves as concrete proof of the high reliability and operational maturity of our autonomous solution."

RATP Paris

With its vision of "Staying One Step Ahead in the Future of Mobility," Karsan, a pioneer in the global transformation of public transportation, continues to reshape the industry's dynamics through its autonomous initiatives. In this context, Karsan which has successfully passed tests conducted by leading global authorities, was actively tested in autonomous driving mode on Paris's busy and critical Route 393.

Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK Earns Global Recognition with Test Approval from the French Ministry of Transport

Autonomous e-ATAK, developed by Karsan in collaboration with its technology partner ADASTEC, has successfully completed a six-month long-term project with the RATP Group (Regie Autonome des Transports Parisiens), one of the leading public transportation operators based in Paris, France. As part of the project, the vehicle completed approximately 3,000 kilometers of autonomous driving in real-world urban conditions including open traffic and environments with both vehicles and pedestrianswith an average of 5 hours of active operation per day. The achieved 98% autonomous driving rate demonstrated the solution's high reliability and operational maturity in the field. Testing activities under the project were conducted by RATP at UTAC's test track. Following comprehensive evaluations conducted under the supervision of French regulatory authorities, the project received nationwide testing approval from the DGEC, the agency within the French Ministry of Transport responsible for autonomous mobility approval processes. With this approval, the Autonomous e-ATAK achieved "Operational Approval" status to conduct autonomous operations in open traffic. In this regard, the project has positioned itself as one of the pioneering and benchmark autonomous public transportation applications in Europe to have received regulatory approval under real-world traffic conditions.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2952024/RATP.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2936977/5905845/KARSAN_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Karsan
Premier Litigation Support Firm Has Decades of Business Valuation and Forensic Accounting Expertise

NEW YORK, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The professionals of KLG Business Valuators & Forensic Accountants, LLC (KLG), are joining global business advisory firm EisnerAmper in a combination expected to close in May 2026strengthening EisnerAmper's national forensic accounting, business valuation, litigation support, and expert witness testimony capabilities.

Christopher Loiacono David Gresen

Founded in 1980 and based in Melville, NY, KLG's credentialed professionals specialize in business valuations, forensic accounting, litigation support, economic damage calculations, and expert witness testimony for matrimonial matters, shareholder and commercial disputes, and estate and gift tax planning. For 40-plus years, KLG's professionals have been trusted and appointed by courts as neutral financial experts in thousands of legal matters.

The combination will provide KLG's clients with access to EisnerAmper's national infrastructure of expertise and technology. EisnerAmper's clients will benefit from KLG's deep relationships within the matrimonial and commercial litigation bar and decades of courtroom expertise.

"KLG has built an outstanding reputation for credible, rigorous, and trusted work in complex valuation and forensic matters," said EisnerAmper Vice Chair of Services Christopher Loiacono. "Their depth in matrimonial litigation, dispute consulting, and expert witness services strongly complements EisnerAmper's advisory platform and adds tremendous value for clients."

"We're thrilled to join EisnerAmper," said KLG Co-Managing Partner Glenn Liebman. "This is a great strategic opportunity for both our clients and team." Added David Gresen, KLG Co-Managing Partner: "This combination allows us to continue delivering the specialized valuation and forensic expertise KLG is known for, backed by EisnerAmper's national capabilities."

"KLG is recognized as a preeminent business valuation and forensic accounting firm throughout the greater New York area. They were courted by practically every major firm in the country but chose EisnerAmper as the best strategic and cultural fit," said Allan Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group, who advised both firms on the deal. "David and Glenn see the tremendous growth opportunities for their people going forward. And EisnerAmper continues to identify 'uber' successful entrepreneurs and provide a tremendous platform for success."

About EisnerAmper

EisnerAmper, one of the largest business consulting firms in the world, is comprised of EisnerAmper LLP, a licensed independent CPA firm that provides client attest services; and Eisner Advisory Group LLC, an alternative practice structure that provides business advisory and non-attest services in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, standards, and codes of conduct. Clients are in all business sectors and leverage a complete menu of service offerings. Our combined entities include approximately 475 partners and 4,700 employees. For more information, please visit eisneramper.com, and be sure to follow us on X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

SOURCE EisnerAmper
Rapidly expanding franchise brand targets Greater Houston to meet soaring demand for energy efficiency and open new paths to business ownership

HOUSTON, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Koala Insulation, one of the nation's fastest-growing insulation franchise brands and part of the Empower Brands family, announced today plans to expand into the Houston metro area. With several new territories available across Greater Houston, the company is opening the door for local entrepreneurs to launch a mobile, eco-focused business that improves comfort, reduces energy waste and strengthens the regional economy.

Houston remains one of the largest and fastest-growing metro areas in the country, with steady residential and commercial development spanning communities such as Katy, Sugar Land, The Woodlands and Pearland. Combined with long, hot summers, high humidity and the threat of severe weather, demand for energy-efficient insulation solutions continues to rise. Koala Insulation estimates that its expansion into Houston could create new local jobs and generate millions in annual economic activity as new franchise locations ramp up operations.

"Houston homeowners are increasingly focused on energy efficiency, indoor comfort and storm resilience, and that's exactly where Koala Insulation delivers value," said Cory Lyons, brand president of Koala Insulation. "We are not just expanding our footprint. We are empowering local business owners to build scalable companies, while helping Texans reduce energy bills and make their homes more comfortable year-round."

Koala Insulation provides spray foam, blown-in and batt insulation for residential and commercial properties through a mobile, low-overhead business model. Franchise owners receive comprehensive training, along with marketing, operational and technology support designed to streamline day-to-day management and accelerate growth.

"As energy costs fluctuate and building standards evolve, insulation upgrades remain one of the most cost-effective ways to improve home performance," said Lyons. "By targeting Houston for expansion, Koala Insulation aims to meet rising demand while creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking to enter the $52 billion energy efficiency industry."

Koala Insulation invites qualified entrepreneurs to explore available franchise territories in Indianapolis and surrounding Central Indiana communities. To learn more, visit koalainsulation.com/franchise.

About Koala Insulation

Koala Insulation is an emerging franchise brand in the $52-billion insulation industry, providing insulation installation to residential and commercial properties. Koala Insulation, which specializes in the full-range of insulation options including spray foam, blown-in and blanket (batt) insulation, has differentiated its business model with a system that delivers efficiency and comfort to its clients.

Koala Insulation provides franchisees with best-in-class training at its state-of-the-art headquarters and segment-leading technology systems. Franchisees enjoy the benefits of a mobile concept in a fast-growing, recession-resistant industry. Now franchising, Koala Insulation is seeking qualified franchise candidates across the United States. For more information on the Koala Insulation franchise opportunity, visit https://koalainsulationfranchise.com.

SOURCE Koala Insulation
EMERYVILLE, Calif., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kraus Hamdani Aerospace (KHA) has been awarded a $270 Million single-source IDIQ rapid deployment contract by U.S. Air Forces Central (AFCENT). The award accelerates deployment of the K1000ULE Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), a platform with a proven track record and years of dual-use operational success.

With an extremely low logistics footprint (two-person teams), a fully modular and open architecture, and the ability to carry multiple payloads and sensors, the K1000ULE is the longest-endurance UAS in its size and weight class worldwide.

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace's K1000ULE Long-Range, Long-Endurance UAS

Across the Middle East, U.S. forces now operate in an environment where unmanned systems are no longer a supporting capability; they are a primary capability used at scale. Adversaries are deploying large volumes of low-cost drones to overwhelm defenses, disrupt operations, and compress decision timelines. At the same time, high-value Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems such as the MQ-9s, costing many-millions of dollars, are increasingly being shot down in contested airspace.

This has created a new operational reality where persistent awareness, resilient communications, and real-time responsiveness are mission-critical. The ability to detect earlier, stay connected, and act faster is no longer an advantage, it is a requirement.

This contract enables those capabilities to be delivered by the K1000ULE at the speed operational conditions demand and reflects a broader shift toward urgency in modern warfare.

"Operators need systems that adapt in real time, maintain connectivity in contested environments, and support decisions at speed. The K1000ULE is built to meet that need," said Stefan Kraus, Co-Founder and CTO. "When beyond-line-of-sight operations are critical, the K1000ULE's secure SATCOM capability enables both ISR and resilient connectivity for U.S. forces and partner nations across the Middle East."

The K1000ULE has also been integrated into the U.S. Army's Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) environment through Anduril's Lattice platform. Operating as a networked node within the modern battlefield, it enables real-time coordination and faster, more resilient decision-making in contested environments.

"KHA's mission is to save lives and connect the world," said Fatema Hamdani, Co-founder and CEO of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace. "Meeting today's challenges requires a different kind of company, one that moves at speed, builds with the warfighter, and delivers capability that can be used immediately."

The fully electric K1000ULE delivers long-range, long-endurance ISR with AI-enabled autonomy. It enables operators to detect threats earlier, sustain operations in contested environments, and act before adversaries gain the advantage. Designed for austere, contested, and GPS-denied environments, the K1000ULE provides persistent awareness and operational continuity where traditional systems lose effectiveness.

The K1000ULE is also among a select group of fixed-wing UAS platforms included in the Department of War's Drone Dominance UAS marketplace, expanding access for U.S. and allied forces.

About Kraus Hamdani Aerospace

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace builds AI-powered unmanned aerial technologies for the world's most critical missions, when communications fail, infrastructure breaks down, and seconds matter. With proven deployments across military and commercial sectors, KHA has supported the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, MARSOC, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, and global energy leaders. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Emeryville, California, the company operates worldwide.

Media Contact:

Annie Frische

+1 (678) 561- 7207

[email protected]

SOURCE Kraus Hamdani Aerospace
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has confirmed the arrest of two suspects in connection with separate murder incidents that occurred in Marondera and Bindura on 28 March 2026.

In the first case, Munyaradzi Takundwa (45) was arrested following a fatal incident in Dombotombo. Police allege that Takundwa struck his younger brother, Simbarashe Takundwa (41), once on the head with a shovel during a dispute over a cellphone. The victim reportedly died on the spot.In a separate incident, police in Bindura arrested Sharelight Ncube (31) in connection with a murder at Kitsiyatota Gold Panning Site. It is alleged that Ncube shot Padzuru Justice, who was among a group of illegal gold miners prospecting near a railway line.The ZRP has not yet released further details on the circumstances surrounding the two incidents but confirmed that investigations are ongoing.Police have urged members of the public to resolve disputes peacefully and avoid violence, warning that such actions often lead to loss of life and severe legal consequences.
SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tackling one of the biggest cost drivers of utility rates, the California Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee passed Assembly Bill 1774 (Boerner) 11-0, which requires independent audits of Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) spending before additional spending is approved.

"The rubberstamping of utilities' wildfire mitigation plans result in a lack of accountability and overspending for little actual prevention," said Assemblymember Boerner. "It's time for utilities to answer for the ratepayer money they are being given. We shouldn't be paying the highest rates and in return getting some of the worst safety and reliability."

Joy Chen, executive director of the Every Fire Survivor's Network (EFSN), which connects more than 10,000 Eaton and Palisades fire survivors and allies, testified about the impact on victims.

"The wildfire survivors I represent paid the ultimate price for the failure of utility wildfire mitigation," said Chen. "We lost our homes, our health, our stability, and in some cases our lives. Today, most of us are still not home. Yet these same families are still paying some of the highest electricity bills in the country to the for-profit utility whose equipment is suspected of starting the Eaton Fire."

"Evidence shows Edison collected hundreds of millions of dollars from Californians for transmission maintenance and upgrades meant to reduce wildfire risk. But that work was never completed," Chen continued. "The LA Times reported that Edison continued billing customers for this work while failing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars authorized for transmission system upgrades before the fires. Californians funded wildfire prevention. We survivors paid the price when that work wasn't done."

Consumer Watchdog president Jamie Court discussed the conclusions of the only three audits of utility wildfire spending in modern history, which found the utilities could not show that they spent $2.5 billion of the $6 billion in 2019-2020 WMP spending authorized. The Public Utilities Commission let the utilities keep the money and authorized more for 2021-2023 wildfire spending.

"California's three investor-owned utilities spend approximately $9 billion annually on wildfire mitigation plan  and that spending is accelerating. But we don't know how, where, or if it is ever spent," said Court. "That's because there have been only three audits in modern history of wildfire mitigation plan spending. The results are not encouraging from the perspective of utility accountability."

"If utilities know they are being watched, they are more likely to spend wildfire mitigation funds in effective ways rather than holding onto that money in their accounts where they make investment income on the money," Court said. "Had AB 1774 been law, it's possible there may not have been an Eaton fire.

"The Eaton fire appears to have been started by an abandoned transmission line, a ghost line, that sparked when the current from a live line running next to it jumped," Court continued. "An LA Times investigation found that Edison failed to spend hundreds of millions of dollars it has been authorized to spend on wildfire mitigation to maintain and remove old transmission lines. Had Edison known it would be accountable for its wildfire mitigation spending would that ghost line have been removed?"

The following coalition groups support this measure:

Ballona Wetlands Institute, Bay Area-System Change not Climate Change, California Environmental Voters, California Nurses Association, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ), Climate Hawks Vote, Coastal Lands Action Network (CLAN), Consumer Attorneys of California, Courage California, Eaton Fire Survivors Network, Environmental Working Group, Extreme Weather Survivors Action Fund, Food & Water Watch, Long Beach Gray Panthers, Public Citizen, Santa Cruz Climate Action Network, Sierra Club California, SoCal 350 Climate Action, Sunflower Alliance, The Protect Our Communities Foundation, Transition Sebastopol, TURNThe Utility Reform Network, & 350 Bay Area Action.

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog
Albany Catholic Church and Tort Committee agree to initial settlement that still faces challenges. Legal-Bay adds it to their active funding list for plaintiffs needed financial support today.

ALBANY, N.Y., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal-Bay, a leading litigation funding firm specializing in sex abuse cases, settlement funding, pre settlement funding, lawsuit loans, lawsuit loan services, settlement loans, and settlement loan programs, today announces an update of their active sex abuse clergy cases going through the bankruptcy process on the heels of Albany Diocese agreeing with the Tort Claimants Committee to settle 440 claims for $148MM. However, the Albany settlement is on the lower end of the spectrum and may have challenges for final approval from the judge and individual victims who must agree.

Catholic churches across the country are facing cash-flow problems and consolidation in the face of years of gross neglect of child sex abuse by its priests. Slowly the church is gaining back its credibility, but not until all victims' claims are resolved and proper safeguards are put in place by the Vatican in Rome, Italy.

Many of these Dioceses remain in bankruptcy courts for years. Legal-Bay reported last month that many of them are reaching critical juncture in the bankruptcy process, which has hurt victims trying to pay for basic living needs.

"Albany is just in the beginning of the settlement stage, and as they are at the lower value than other cases, could tie things up much longer if approval is not granted," said Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay. "Our underwriting team has expertise in the sex abuse and bankruptcy process like no other in the litigation funding industry, and we stand ready to help victims on many of these cases now when other companies simply will not."

If you're a lawyer or plaintiff involved in an active lawsuit and need an immediate cash advance against a pending settlement, please visit Legal Bay HERE or call toll-free at 877.571.0405.

Plaintiffs with filed cases in active clergy sex abuse cases tied up in bankruptcy can always apply to Legal-Bay even if they have been denied by other companies or have already received a large funding or payoff with another company. Legal-Bay is a direct funder, not a broker, and is one of the best legal funding companies when it comes to buyouts of other funding positions.

Legal-Bay has provided settlement funding, pre settlement funding, lawsuit loans, and settlement loans for clergy sex abuse cases for more than a decade and continues to assist survivors facing financial hardship while their claims make their way through the courts. The company encourages anyone to apply for funding, even plaintiffs who may have previously been denied.

Legal-Bay's Updated Pre-approvals for Presettlement Funding of Catholic Church Bankruptcy Cases:

Albany (NY) : $148MM (pending approval by court)

Rockville Centre (NY): $323M settlement; (approved by court)

Rochester (NY): $246256M settlement; (approved by court)

Syracuse (NY): $176M settlement; (approved by court)

Buffalo (NY): $150M$274M proposed settlement; (pending approval by court)

Camden (NJ): $180M settlement; (pending approval by court)

New Orleans (LA): $230M settlement; (pending approval by court)

These cases highlight the wide range of outcomes in clergy sexual abuse bankruptcies with average compensation varying significantly based on claim volume, insurance participation, and claim validation. These cash advances are not considered definitive settlement funding amounts or guaranteed settled cases as there is no assurance a victim's claims will be accepted by the bankruptcy trustee.

Legal-Bay is a premier litigation funding company providing settlement funding, pre settlement funding, lawsuit loans, and settlement loans to plaintiffs in personal injury, sex abuse, and other civil cases. With over a decade of experience, Legal-Bay helps clients access cash advances while awaiting settlement or trial outcomes, ensuring financial stability during the legal process. Legal-Bay's staff is available 24/7 to assist survivors seeking pre-settlement funding, lawsuit loans, pre settlement funding, and settlement loans during ongoing litigation and bankruptcy proceedings.

To apply right now for presettlement funding, please visit the company's website HERE or call 877.571.0405, where agents are standing by to assist.

Contact: Chris Janish, CEO

Email: [email protected]

Ph.: 877.571.0405

Website: www.Legal-Bay.com

SOURCE Legal-Bay, LLC
Appointment of Company Veteran Underscores Commitment to Client Partnerships and Enhanced Customer Experience

SAN DIEGO, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Lytx Inc., the industry pioneer of video and safety-driven efficiency, has announced the appointment of Dave Riordan as Chief Customer Officer. In this new role, he will oversee client experience for all customers, working closely with leading enterprise clients to share and implement best practices. Employing a consultative approach, Dave and his team collaborate with key stakeholders to develop flexible, customized programs tailored to each client's evolving business objectives.

Dave Riordan Appointed as Lytx's New Chief Customer Officer

"Dave brings extensive experience in Customer Success, with a strong track record of driving adoption, renewals, and reducing churn," said Chris Cabrera, Chief Executive Officer at Lytx. "We have an exceptional team in place, and our focus remains the samedelivering excellent customer experiences, supporting adoption and growth, and collaborating closely across teams to drive positive outcomes."

With over twenty years of leadership in business strategy, project execution, and technology integration, Dave continues to offer substantial knowledge and experience to Lytx. Since joining the company in 2009, he has managed Lytx's most strategic accounts, partnering with client and internal teams on all aspects of designing and executing a successful video telematics program for each client and situation, driving significant initial benefit and consistent year-over-year improvements.

Dave draws from prior roles as an entrepreneur in the business telecommunications sector and as a strategy consultant with Mercer Management Consulting in San Francisco. He holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Yale University.

About Lytx

Every day, companies send their most valuable assets into the world. Their people. Their equipment. Their reputations. For nearly three decades, Lytx has given fleets the tools to manage and protect all the assets they have in motion  helping them stay connected with their field operations so they can focus on delivering value and growing their businesses. Using proprietary machine vision and artificial intelligence technology to power our video safety and video telematics solutions, Lytx helps protect and connect more than 6.3 million drivers and thousands of fleets, including more than half of the 10 largest carriers in North America. Lytx's powerful network of partners and resellers further extends the reach and impact of our technologies across more than 90 countries. For more information about Lytx or to connect with us, visit www.lytx.com, LinkedIn, @lytx on X, Facebook or YouTube.

Contact:

Jason Andersen

[email protected]

SOURCE Lytx, Inc.
MIT's flagship AI conference returns April 2123 on the MIT campus and online, exploring how leaders can move AI from experimentation into core business infrastructure.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MIT Technology Review's flagship AI conference, EmTech AI 2026, will take place April 2123 on the MIT campus, bringing together 400 senior executives, technologists, and researchers to examine one of the most important shifts in artificial intelligence: its transition from experimentation into core business infrastructure.

EmTech AI

As organizations move beyond pilots and proofs of concept, this year's event focuses on what MIT Technology Review calls "the Great Integration"the challenge of embedding AI into the systems, workflows, and decision-making processes that define modern organizations.

Curated by MIT Technology Review's editorial team, the 2026 agenda delivers practical insight into how leading businesses are deploying AI at scale. Sessions will explore the evolving AI stack, data readiness, governance, agentic systems, and the growing role of AI in shaping strategy and operations.

The speaker lineup brings together leaders from across industry and research, including voices from Microsoft, OpenAI, Snowflake, ServiceNow, Walmart, and more, alongside MIT faculty and MIT Technology Review editors. Speakers include:

Donna Morris, Chief People Officer at Walmart, on integrating AI into the workforce and systems of America's largest private employer

Chief People Officer at Walmart, on integrating AI into the workforce and systems of America's largest private employer Sulman Choudhry , Head of Engineering, ChatGPT at OpenAI, on the rise of AI platforms and integrated architectures

, Head of Engineering, ChatGPT at OpenAI, on the rise of AI platforms and integrated architectures Kellie Romack , Chief Digital Information Officer at ServiceNow, on building an agentic workforce across enterprise systems

, Chief Digital Information Officer at ServiceNow, on building an agentic workforce across enterprise systems Duncan Crabtree-Ireland , National Executive Director at SAG-AFTRA, on the future of human expression in an AI-first world

, National Executive Director at SAG-AFTRA, on the future of human expression in an AI-first world Ali Farhadi, recently appointed to Microsoft's AI intelligence team, on the future of super-intelligent ecosystems and coordinated AI systems

Editorial perspectives will also play a central role, with MIT Technology Review editor in chief Mat Honan, executive editor Amy Nordrum, and senior AI editor Will Douglas Heaven leading discussions on the signals, trends, and tensions shaping AI's next chapter.

Key themes across the agenda include:

Agentic AI : The shift from copilots to systems that can act, decide, and operate across workflows

: The shift from copilots to systems that can act, decide, and operate across workflows The New AI Stack : How data, orchestration, and security must evolve as AI becomes embedded in core systems

: How data, orchestration, and security must evolve as AI becomes embedded in core systems AI and Trust : How discovery, credibility, and decision-making are changing in an AI-mediated world

: How discovery, credibility, and decision-making are changing in an AI-mediated world Creativity and Control: The implications of AI for authorship, ownership, and human expression

In addition to the mainstage program, attendees will gain access to exclusive on-campus experiences, including MIT campus and museum tours, hands-on workshops, editorial-led roundtable discussions, and curated networking opportunities designed to foster meaningful, high-value connections.

With attendance intentionally limited to 400 participants, EmTech AI is designed to prioritize depth, access, and real dialogue between speakers and attendees.

Tickets and last-call pricing

Tickets are limited for this exclusive event. Secure your seat today with last-call pricing.

For the full agenda and to secure your spot, visit EmTech-AI.com.

Anchored by the editorial expertise of MIT Technology Review, EmTech AI's in-person event will feature exclusive experiences, thought-provoking interviews and keynotes, and strategy-setting case studies. Attendees sit side by side with leaders and peers across all industries in interactive Q&A sessions and experience unparalleled networking opportunities, all in an intimate setting at the Media Lab on the iconic MIT campus.

The virtual experience will include an interactive event hub, featuring livestreamed sessions, videos on demand, live chat and Q&A, and additional networking opportunities.

Members of the media may obtain additional information and request press credentials by emailing [email protected].

EmTech AI Partners

The EmTech AI Presenting Partners are HPE, a leader in essential enterprise technology; Ascendion, helping businesses innovate faster, smarter, and with greater impact with AI-powered software engineering; and GC Cybersecurity, pioneering the world's first fully autonomous data protection and compliance platform. Additional partners and collaborators include Box, Samsung Next, Micron, MIT Professional Education, IDEO, and the MIT Museum. For additional partnership opportunities, contact Andrew Hendler at [email protected] .

About MIT Technology Review

MIT Technology Review is an independent media company owned by MIT. The print publication, established in 1899, was the first-ever technology magazine; today, MIT Technology Review publishes in multiple digital formats every day, including on our site, in email newsletters, and across all major social channels. We also produce a multi-award-winning bimonthly print magazine and run one of the industry's most highly regarded events brands, EmTech.

Our goal is to become the destination for those seeking to understand how technology is shaping our world. Subscribe. Attend. Follow: LinkedIn, Reddit, Facebook, Instagram.

Media Contact:

MIT Technology Review

[email protected]

SOURCE MIT Technology Review
New integrated campaign reframes home cleaning through reliability, care, and human connection

Media Kit

DALLAS, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Molly Maid, a Neighborly company, is leaning into what matters most to today's homeowners  trust  with the launch of its newest brand campaign, "A Friend Like Molly."

Trust is the foundation of the campaign because when customers trust the people behind the clean, they get something even more valuable in return: their time back. "A Friend Like Molly" is designed to highlight that exchange, positioning Molly Maid as a reliable partner that consistently delivers a high-quality clean, enabling customers to confidently focus on what matters most.

First look at Molly Maid's "A Friend Like Molly" campaign.

"A clean home is expected, but how you get there is what builds loyalty," said Michael Silva-Nash, President of Molly Maid. "This campaign is about reinforcing that Molly Maid isn't just dependable  we're thoughtful, we listen, and we show up the way our customers need us to, every time."

"A Friend Like Molly" highlights the qualities that drive repeat business and long-term trust: customer connection, attentiveness to individual household needs, and a consistently reliable experience. Rather than focusing solely on outcomes, the campaign brings the full customer experience to life  from the moment the service provider team arrives to the lasting confidence customers feel after the job is done.

Drawing inspiration from the simplicity of classic sitcoms  when life felt more predictable and dependable, the campaign introduces "Molly" as that go-to friend who always has it together: thoughtful, detail-oriented, and consistently reliable. She's the person you can count on without question, bringing a sense of ease and trust that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly familiar, with a little fun and magic along the way. The concept is rooted in a truth  that the qualities you value in the person or service who cleans your home are actually the same qualities you value in a friend.

The campaign will roll out across paid, owned, and earned channels, with social and PR extensions designed to engage audiences in more relatable and unexpected ways. By tapping into everyday moments and real customer expectations, Molly Maid aims to bring fresh energy to a service category that has traditionally focused on function over feeling.

With a network of more than 400 locally owned and operated franchises, Molly Maid continues to support strong systemwide growth. This campaign was created in partnership with Serious Work, and highlights the qualities that drive repeat business and long-term trust: customer connection, attentiveness to individual household needs, and a consistently reliable experience.

With "A Friend Like Molly," the brand reinforces its core promise, builds brand affinity and awareness, and differentiates itself in a competitive marketplace.

Molly Maid delivers trusted, professional home cleaning services backed by its promise: A Clean You Can Count On. To learn more about Molly Maid and its services, visit www.mollymaid.com.

About Molly Maid

Molly Maid is a residential cleaning franchise with more than 400 franchise locations that collectively perform more than 1.7 million U.S. home cleanings annually. Franchising since 1984, and acquired in 2015, Molly Maid is part of Neighborly, a family of global brands focused on being remarkable with consumers and franchise owners across more than 5,500 franchise locations across North America and Europe serving millions of customers. Molly Maid established the Ms. Molly Foundation in 1996 to raise awareness and support for victims of domestic violence. For more information about Molly Maid, visit MollyMaid.com. To learn about franchising opportunities with Neighborly, click here.

Media Contact:

Maggie Trabucco

[email protected]

SOURCE Molly Maid
In a crowded field, a new mechanism appears: environmental change & microbiome support

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NeuEve, a leading research lab & manufacturer of natural remedies for women's health, announces the launch of Yeast Clear. Yeast Clear uses a new approach designed for women experiencing chronic yeast infections. "The high recurrence rate from all other treatments is an opportunity for us to make a positive impact on society," said Dr. Renjie Chang, OBGYN.

75% of women will experience a yeast infection at some point in their lives. About 45% of women will have repeat yeast infections. 138 million women worldwide are currently suffering from recurrent yeast infections, according to Jack D. Sobel, M.D.

Dr. Chang saw many patients with Candida overgrowth that refused to go away. They already tried every single possible treatment. "A lot of other doctors have given up on these women. When it comes to helping others, I never give up," said Dr. Chang. "When other doctors say: 'But I have no tools left,' I say: 'Then I will make my own tools.'"

To help solve her own patients' unsolvable cases, Dr. Chang invented Yeast Clear. Yeast Clear is a 100% natural vaginal suppository.

What makes Yeast Clear different from other treatments is the mechanism. Yeast Clear contains high doses of many botanical antifungals: olive leaf, sage, tea tree oil, neem, myrtle, plantain. It also contains nutrients that only feed healthy lactobacilli. Healthy lactobacilli then fights yeast by creating lactic acid.

"Here's an analogy to help explain our mechanism," said Kevin Tao, cofounder of NeuEve. "In World War II, how did we defeat our enemies in Occupied France? We didn't bomb everyone (friend & foe). That's what boric acid does. We didn't bomb only the enemies. That's what other over-the-counter antifungal treatments do. We must:

1. Bomb the enemies, with powerful natural antifungals.

2. Next, airdrop supplies to French resistance fighters, with nutrients that feed good lactobacilli. Our nutrients are like croissants and baguettes falling from the sky. We choose them to feed only our allies.

3. Finally, storm the beaches with our vaginal probiotics."

NeuEve states that it is on a mission to transform women's health by leading from the front, with boldness, kindness, and curiosity. "It is my hope that by listening to women, and using first principles, root-cause analysis to solve their issues, I can be a good example for others to follow," said Dr. Chang.

Yeast Clear is available for $39 at https://www.neueve.com/products/yeast-clear. To offer Yeast Clear or other NeuEve products in your business, email [email protected]. To join NeuEve in its mission to transform women's health, email [email protected].

SOURCE NeuEve
JUNO BEACH, Fla., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) today announced that it plans to report first-quarter 2026 financial results before the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, April 23, 2026, in a news release to be posted on the company's website at www.NextEraEnergy.com/FinancialResults. The company will issue an advisory news release over PR Newswire the morning of April 23, with a link to the financial results news release on the company's website. As previously communicated, the company will make available its financial results only on its website.

John Ketchum, chairman, president and chief executive officer of NextEra Energy; Mike Dunne, executive vice president, finance and chief financial officer of NextEra Energy; and other members of the company's senior management team will discuss the company's first-quarter 2026 financial results during an investor presentation to be webcast live, beginning at 9 a.m. ET on April 23.

The listen-only webcast will be available on NextEra Energy's website by accessing the following link: www.NextEraEnergy.com/FinancialResults. The financial results news release and the slides accompanying the presentation may be downloaded at www.NextEraEnergy.com/FinancialResults, beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET on the day of the webcast. A replay will be available for 90 days by accessing the link listed above.

NextEra Energy, Inc.

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is the largest electric power and energy infrastructure company in North America and is a leading provider of electricity to American homes and businesses. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy is a Fortune 200 company that owns Florida Power & Light Company, America's largest electric utility, which provides reliable electricity to approximately 12 million people across Florida. NextEra Energy also owns the largest energy infrastructure development company in the U.S., NextEra Energy Resources, LLC. NextEra Energy and its affiliated entities are meeting America's growing energy needs with a diverse mix of energy sources, including natural gas, nuclear, renewable energy and battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc.
CINCINNATI, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- PatientPoint today announced it has received expanded Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation for metrics reported through both its Digital Campaign Report and Campaign Delivery Report, encompassing its complete network of digital screens in more than 30,000 doctors' offices nationwide.

Point-of-care marketing happens in one of the most trusted settings for consumers, the doctor's office. Here, patients are highly engaged and receptive to relevant healthcare messaging that has been proven to drive results such as better outcomes, more new-to-brand prescriptions and longer time on therapy. In a recent survey by Solli Research and PatientPoint, 94% of pharma marketers reported advertising at the point-of-care and 75% called out the channel's ability to provide strong compliance and message control as a key competitive advantage.

Now, this MRC accreditation serves to strengthen not only the value of the channel but, more specifically, PatientPoint's position as the largest point-of-care network with unmatched reach. By validating the accuracy and integrity of PatientPoint's metrics, media buyers across pharma, CPG and OTC wellness brands can continue to confidently grow their investments in point-of-care advertising.

"MRC accreditation is a hard-won milestone that reflects our unwavering commitment to transparency and excellence," commented Sean Slovenski, PatientPoint CEO & President. "We are incredibly proud to have achieved this level of validation, strengthening our position alongside other high-impact channels like OOH and CTV and setting a new standard for accountability in the point-of-care space. The MRC's rigorous process not only elevates our industry but also gives advertisers the tools to make smarter, more effective decisions in an increasingly complex media landscape."

PatientPoint's MRC accreditation follows a rigorous audit and review process covering multiple areas including processes established to maintain integrity of systems, third-party onboarding, data collection and measurement, data reporting, disclosure of information, compliance practices and verification of the presence of healthcare professionals by location.

This accreditation shows that PatientPoint's metrics comply with the following:

MRC's Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research

Desktop Display Impression Measurement Guidelines

Mobile Application Advertising Measurement Guidelines

Digital Video Ad Impression Measurement Guidelines

MRC Invalid Traffic Detection and Filtration Standards Addendum

This landmark achievement is next in a series of pivotal brand moments for PatientPoint in 2026. Outside of the scope of the MRC accreditation process, the company has also expanded its capabilities to include programmatic-buying with PatientPoint Health Audiences, launched their first-ever Consumer Health Network designed specifically for CPG and OTC wellness brands and kicked-off a nationwide colorectal cancer screening effort called, "The Big Screen," starring beloved media personality, Katie Couric.

The MRC, an independent nonprofit organization, plays a pivotal role in fostering trust across the media ecosystem. Its rigorous accreditation process ensures that measurement methodologies are transparent, reliable and comparable, empowering media buyers to make informed decisions.

For more information about PatientPoint please visit www.patientpoint.com.

To learn more about the Media Rating Council, please visit www.mediaratingcouncil.org

About PatientPoint

PatientPoint is the Point of Change company, transforming the healthcare experience through the strategic delivery of behavior-changing content at critical moments of care. As the nation's largest and most impactful digital network in 30,000 physician offices, we connect patients, providers and health brands with relevant information that is proven to drive healthier decisions and better outcomes. Learn more at patientpoint.com.

SOURCE PatientPoint
ISS National Labenabled research supports nextgeneration chemotherapy and immunotherapy development

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Eascra Biotech is leveraging the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory to advance the next generation of targeted cancer treatments through the development of Janus base nanomaterials (JBNs). JBNs are engineered from synthetic DNA-inspired molecules that selfassemble into nanotubes that can be loaded with a therapeutic.

Previous research sponsored by the ISS National Lab demonstrated that JBNs manufactured in microgravity form more uniform and durable structures than those produced on Earth, resulting in improved therapeutic performance. Building on these findings, Eascra is now advancing two commercial cancer therapies: a JBNbased chemotherapy and a JBNbased immunotherapy.

Designed to precisely target solid tumors, JBNs enable direct drug delivery into some of the most difficulttotreat cancers, including triplenegative breast cancer, highgrade ovarian cancer, and select bone cancers. By mimicking natural DNA, JBNs evade immune detection, allowing treatments to remain concentrated at tumor sites longerpotentially improving treatment effectiveness while reducing harmful side effects. JBNs are also stable at room temperature, so JBN-based therapeutics do not need to be refrigerated, making them much easier to ship and store.

"Microgravity research has given us a clearer path toward optimizing this technology for realworld cancer treatment," said Mari Anne Snow, CEO and co-founder of Eascra Biotech. "These findings bring us closer to delivering more precise and effective therapies for patients with aggressive and drugresistant tumors."

The research is scheduled to launch no sooner than April 9, 2026, on NASA's Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 24 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission will carry more than 10 ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations to the ISS.

These projects span a wide range of scientific disciplines and could help improve heart disease modeling, enable realtime environmental surveillance for land and water management, and advance understanding of microbial adaptation to extreme environments.

For more information about the research launching on this mission, visit the NG24 launch page at ISSNationalLab.org.

Download a high-resolution image for this release: SpaceProduced NanoMatrix

About the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory:

The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Laboratory allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative Agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our website.

Media Contact: Amy Elkavich

[email protected]

International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory Managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) 505 Odyssey Way, Suite 104A, Merritt Island, FL 32953  321.253.5101  www.ISSNationalLab.org

SOURCE International Space Station National Lab
SAN FRANCISCO, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP is investigating a data breach that led to unauthorized access to the sensitive information of individuals affiliated with Mercor.io Corporation ("Mercor"), a California-based artificial intelligence recruiting startup that works with leading companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and Google.

On March 27, 2026, an attacker known as TeamPCP compromised two versions of the AI API tool LiteLLM, leading to a supply chain attack of thousands of companies, including Mercor. The Lapsus$ cybercriminal group later listed Mercor on its leak site and claimed to possess four terabytes of stolen data from Mercor. On March 31, 2026, Mercor confirmed the supply chain attack to employees, to social media outlets such as LinkedIn and X, and to publications such as TechCrunch.

Mercor has not reported the supply chain attack to state attorney general offices, which may have violated federal or state laws. The following data may have been compromised in the breach: Slack data, internal ticketing information, conversations between Mercor's AI systems and contractors on its platform, and candidate profiles, personally identifiable information, employer data, and technical assets such as source code, API keys, and secrets.

If your personal information was impacted by this incident, you may be at risk of identity theft and other serious violations of your privacy. As a result, you may be entitled to money damages and an injunction requiring changes to Mercor's cybersecurity practices.

If you received notification of this data breach or are affiliated with Mercor and wish to obtain additional information about your legal rights, please contact us today or visit our website at https://www.classactionlawyers.com/mercor.

About Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP

Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe represents shareholders, employees, and consumers in class actions against corporate defendants, as well as shareholders in derivative actions against their officers and directors. The firm is based in San Francisco, and with the help of co-counsel, litigates cases nationwide.

Contact

Sonum Dixit

Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP

[email protected]

Tel: 415-299-8207

SOURCE Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

The Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative (ZDVI) has commended the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) for what it described as a principled stance on the ongoing constitutional reform process in Zimbabwe.

In a media statement, the diasporabased organisation raised concern over the handling of the proposed Constitutional Amendment Number Three Bill, arguing that the process has been flawed and lacking in transparency and inclusivity.ZDVI said the intervention by the two rights bodies reinforces the need for constitutional reforms to strictly adhere to democratic principles and the rule of law. The group emphasised that any amendments to the countrys supreme law must be carried out in line with constitutional provisions, including adequate public consultation and accountability.The organisation also called on civic groups, regional partners and stakeholders with working relationships with Parliament and government to engage authorities and encourage a rethink of the current approach.We urge all organisations with influence and access to the Government of Zimbabwe to impress upon policymakers the need to return to the drawing board, the statement read. There is a need to ensure that any constitutional amendments are implemented in a more democratic, transparent and participatory manner.The call comes amid growing scrutiny from governance and humanrights advocates who argue that constitutional changes must reflect the will of the people and not undermine democratic institutions.ZDVI maintained that a credible and inclusive reform process is essential to maintaining public trust and safeguarding Zimbabwes constitutional order.
PALATINE, Ill., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Academy, an independent school serving gifted students from Preschool through Grade 8, is pleased to announce the appointment of Lynette Breedlove, Ph.D., as its new Head of School, effective July 1, 2026.

Dr. Breedlove brings extensive experience in gifted education, school leadership, and advocacy for exceptional learners. She most recently served as Director of The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at Western Kentucky University, a nationally recognized residential STEM program for gifted and high-ability students.

Dr. Lynette Breedlove has been appointed the new Head of School and Executive Director of Quest Academy, an independent school for intellectually gifted learners located in Palatine, IL.

"Dr. Breedlove is a visionary leader whose deep commitment to gifted learners aligns powerfully with Quest Academy's mission," said Nader Qaimari, Chair of the Board of Trustees. "Her experience designing and leading specialized programs for exceptional students makes her uniquely suited to guide Quest into its next chapter."

Throughout her career, Dr. Breedlove has held a wide range of roles in education, including special education teacher, classroom teacher, gifted and talented facilitator, and district-level administrator. In her leadership within a public school district, she led the development of a school for highly gifted students, designed specifically to meet their academic and social-emotional needs.

A recognized leader in the field, Dr. Breedlove has served in key roles in national and state organizations supporting gifted education, including the National Association for Gifted Children and the Council for Exceptional Children. She is a past Board President of the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented and continues to serve as a leader in the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education.

"I am honored to join Quest Academy, a school deeply committed to nurturing the whole child and supporting the unique potential of gifted learners," said Dr. Breedlove. "I look forward to partnering with faculty, families, and students to build on Quest's strong foundation and continue advancing excellence in gifted education."

Dr. Breedlove holds a master's degree in Gifted and Talented Education from the University of St. Thomas in Houston and a doctorate in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University, with an emphasis on intelligence, creativity, and giftedness.

Quest Academy, located in Palatine, Illinois, is dedicated to meeting the unique academic, social, and emotional needs of gifted children through differentiated instruction, small class sizes, and a supportive, inquiry-based learning environment.

About Quest Academy

Quest Academy is an independent school for gifted learners serving students from Preschool through Grade 8. The school provides a challenging and nurturing environment designed to support the intellectual curiosity, creativity, and social-emotional development of advanced learners.

Media Contact:

Megan DeBoer

Director of Marketing & Enrollment

Quest Academy

[email protected]

847-202-8035 x408

SOURCE Quest Academy
IRVING, Texas, Apr. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Revision Skincare, a physiciandispensed medicalgrade skincare company focused on clinically validated innovation, today announced the publication of two peerreviewed clinical studies in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. The studies evaluate the cosmetic efficacy, tolerability and visible skin benefits of ** C+ Correcting Complex 30% , a highstrength vitamin C formulation featuring tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD ascorbate).

Revision Skincare C+ Correcting Complex 30%, a highstrength vitamin C serum formulated with THD ascorbate, is clinically studied to support brighterlooking skin, improved tone evenness and visible skin quality.

In collaboration with Dr. Ryan Kelm, MD, Dr. May Hall, DO, FAAD and Dr. McKenzie Maloney, MD, the studies evaluate THD ascorbate across penetration science, molecular and histologic testing, and randomized, doubleblind clinical research, providing a comprehensive view of its cosmetic performance. The findings add to the growing body of peerreviewed evidence supporting THD ascorbate as a stable, skincompatible vitamin C derivative used in advanced cosmetic skincare formulations.

"At Revision Skincare, clinical validation is foundational to how we prove our products' efficacy," said Dr. Alisar Zahr, vice president of research and clinical development at Revision Skincare. "The publication of these peerreviewed studies underscores our commitment to rigorous science and highlights the role of THD ascorbate within C+ Correcting Complex 30% as part of our evidencebased approach to skincare innovation."

What Was Studied?

The published research focuses on a highconcentration THD ascorbate formulation and its ability to visibly improve multiple markers of skin quality when used consistently as part of a topical skincare regimen.

THD ascorbate is a lipidsoluble vitamin C derivative used in cosmetic science for its formulation stability and skinmimicking properties. Unlike traditional watersoluble Lascorbic acid, THD ascorbate is designed to better associate with the skin's lipid matrix, supporting penetration into the epidermis and dermis and improved cosmetic bioavailability.

Key Clinical and Preclinical Findings From the PeerReviewed Studies

Across both studies, investigators reported:

Visible improvement in overall skin appearance





Increased skin radiance and brightness





Improved tone evenness and surface texture





Reduction in the visible appearance of photodamage and uneven pigmentation





Demonstrated skin compatibility and cosmetic tolerability during regular use

Preclinical findings also demonstrated robust buffering of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by highenergy visible (blue) light, as well as significant inhibition of melanogenesis and improvements in overall skin architecture, including the epidermis, dermalepidermal junction and dermis.

Together, these findings support the use of THD ascorbate as an effective vitamin C alternative, delivering visible cosmetic benefits while addressing common formulation, stability and tolerability challenges historically associated with high concentrations of Lascorbic acid.

Why THD Ascorbate Is a Viable Alternative to LAscorbic Acid and Sodium Ascorbate

Lascorbic acid is widely used in cosmetic formulations but can present challenges related to oxidative instability, formulation constraints and skin sensitivity at higher concentrations. Recent vitamin C products have included a salt form of L-ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate. Both molecules have inherent stability concerns, thus efficacy concerns.

The findings from the published studies demonstrate that highconcentration THD ascorbate can deliver visible skin benefits comparable to those expected from topical Lascorbic acid, while offering advantages in formulation stability, skin compatibility and penetration. These characteristics position THD ascorbate as a practical and clinically relevant option for modern cosmetic skincare formulations, particularly in the evolving landscape of hydroquinonefree brightening solutions.

Study Design Overview

The two peerreviewed clinical studies employed structured evaluation methods designed to assess visible skin improvements over time under realworld cosmetic conditions.

Study design elements included:

Evaluation of a highconcentration tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD ascorbate) formulation





Preclinical, ex vivo and randomized, doubleblind human clinical evaluations





Adult subjects using the study product within a defined skincare regimen





Multiple assessment visits to evaluate changes from baseline





Investigator grading of visible skin attributes, including tone uniformity, radiance, texture and overall appearance





Advanced imaging technologies, including VISIACR, Primos 3D and Antera 3D, to support objective analysis





Subject selfassessment questionnaires measuring perceived cosmetic benefits and product experience





Monitoring of skin compatibility and cosmetic tolerability throughout the study period

The study endpoints align with standardized cosmetic dermatology evaluation practices and reflect typical consumer use patterns.

PeerReviewed Publications

The full studies are available online via the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology:

About C+ Correcting Complex 30%

C+ Correcting Complex 30% is Revision Skincare's higheststrength vitamin C formulation. The product features THD ascorbate combined with complementary cosmetic ingredients, including patentpending MelaPATH Technology, designed to support brighterlooking skin, improved texture and a more eventoned appearance. You can purchaseC+ Correcting Complex 30% at revisionskincare.com or through an authorized seller.

About Revision Skincare

Revision Skincare ** is redefining professional results by targeting skin longevity at its source. As the only brand formulating specifically for the DermalEpidermal Junction (DEJ)  known as the Longevity Layer  Revision Skincare addresses visible signs of aging by strengthening the skin's biological foundation. For more than 20 years, the company has paired patented, medicalgrade innovations with a philosophy rooted in respecting skin's natural biology without disrupting the microbiome. Backed by physicianvalidated clinical testing, Revision Skincare delivers bioavailable solutions that support longterm skin health and visible results.

For more information, visit www.revisionskincare.com.

Contact: Revision Skincare, Media Relations, [email protected], www.revisionskincare.com

SOURCE Revision Skincare
NEW YORK, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Barclays PLC (NYSE: BCS) resulting from allegations that Barclays may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

So What: If you purchased Barclays 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=23523 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 February 27, 2026, Reuters published an article entitled "Wall Street hit by UK mortgage lender collapse, raising fears of more credit 'cockroaches.'" The article stated that lenders were "rocked by the implosion of little-known UK mortgage provider Market Financial Solutions Ltd ["MFS"], fuelling concerns about wider losses among banks and reviving warnings of more "cockroaches" in the booming private credit industry." It further stated that another publication "reported Barclays has a 600 million pound ($809.70 million) exposure to MFS."

On this news, Barclays American Depositary Shares ("ADS") fell 3.99% on February 27, 2026, and 2.3% on March 2, 2026.

Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. At the time Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.
Release includes motion dataset, foundation model, and streaming architecture designed to align speech, gesture, and expression in live conversation

JINAN, China, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SentiPulse, a leading AI company focused on emotional foundation models and user experience innovation, in collaboration with a PhD team from the Gaoling School of Artificial Intelligence (GSAI), Renmin University of China (RUC), announced the open-source release of SentiAvatar, a framework for building expressive interactive 3D digital humans.

High-quality 3D human motions and expressions generated by SentiAvatar are presented by the digital human SUSU.

SentiAvatar powers SUSU, a real-time 3D avatar capable of conversation, expressive motion, and emotional delivery. The release includes the full SentiAvatar framework, the SUSU character model, and the SuSuInterActs high-quality motion dataset, all now freely available on GitHub.

In the rapidly advancing field of 3D digital humans, one long-overlooked yet critical issue is becoming increasingly clear: unnatural expression. The avatar's mouth moves and its hands gesture, but the actions don't match the meaning, and the face looks stiff. The combination quickly triggers the uncanny valley effect.

The issue is simple: human communication has never relied on spoken language alone. A shrug conveys helplessness, a nod signals agreement, and a slight raise of the eyebrow hints at doubt. These nonverbal signalsgestures, posture, facial expressionsare the soul of real conversation.

Yet getting a 3D digital human to naturally "gesture and move as they speak" in real conversation has proven far harder than expected. This is not purely an engineering challengeit involves three persistent challenges that have never been solved: the lack of high-quality data, the unmet need to understand composite semantic actions, and the difficulty of syncing motion with the rhythm of speech.

SentiAvatar: A Framework for 3D Digital Human Motion Generation

The SuSuInterActs Dataset

SentiPulse built SuSuInterActs around a single character: SUSU (age 22, warm and lively, emotionally rich). The dataset contains 21,000 clips and 37 hours of multimodal conversational data, including synchronized speech, annotated behavioral text, full-body motion, and facial expressionshelping address the lack of high-quality Chinese-language datasets in the field.

Motion Foundation Model: Pre-trained on 200K+ Sequences

As conversational motion data is inherently limited by dialogue scenarios, the team pre-trained a proprietary Motion Foundation Model on more than 200,000 heterogeneous motion sequences (approximately 676 hours), learning general motion patterns that go far beyond dialogue-specific actions.

Core Architecture: Plan-Then-Infill

SentiAvatar introduces a novel dual-channel parallel architecture - Plan-Then-Infill. It separates body motion from facial expression, first planning what action to perform and then infilling in how to execute it frame by frame.

State-of-the-Art Real-Time Performance

SentiAvatar achieves new SOTA results on both the SuSuInterActs and BEATv2 datasets. Compared to mainstream models: MoMask lacks speech input and results in rhythm that feels static and disconnected; EMAGE syncs with audio but ignores semantic intent; AT2M-GPT can misinterpret the meaning of actions; and HunYuan-Motion can produce unstable outputs, often with distorted or unnatural movements. SentiAvatar delivers semantically accurate motion that is tightly aligned with audio.

The framework generates six-second motion sequences within 0.3 seconds and supports infinite-turn streaming interaction. This means digital humans can continuously generate coherent gestures and expressions during live conversationwithout waiting for a full sentence to finish before processing, directly addressing one of the core causes of unnatural expression.

Open Source and Beyond: From Digital Humans to Digital Life

The SentiPulse team invites research organizations and individual developers worldwide to push the boundaries of 3D motion generation. Whether you want to build your own 3D companion from scratch or extend SUSU with richer expressive capabilities for games, film production, robotics, or beyondthe open-source framework is ready.

GitHub: https://sentiavatar.github.io/

Technical report: https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.02908

About SentiPulse

SentiPulse, founded in September 2025, is an AI company focused on emotional foundation models and user experience innovation. The company is dedicated to deepening the relationship between humans and AI through advanced technologynot simply as tools, but as a bridge to more natural and expressive interaction. The team consists of top researchers from leading Chinese universities and cross-disciplinary experts with deep expertise in multimodal models and 3D digital humans.

SOURCE SentiPulse
LAKELAND, Fla., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sling Pilot Academy and Sling Aircraft North America are proud to announce their joint participation in this year's Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo, one of the premier aviation events in the United States. Attendees are invited to visit the organizations at Booth NE-10 to experience firsthand the innovation, training excellence, and aircraft performance that define the Sling brand.

Join us at Sun N Fun 2026! Join us for Sun N Fun 2026! Speed Speed

Sling Pilot Academy, one of the fastest-growing flight training institutions in the country, will showcase its comprehensive, airline-focused pilot training programs designed to meet the increasing global demand for professional pilots. Representatives will be available to discuss training pathways, student life, financing options, and career outcomes.

Sling Aircraft North America will feature its line of modern, high-performance Sling aircraft, known for their efficiency, reliability, and cutting-edge design. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore aircraft up close, learn about ownership options, and speak directly with experts about what sets Sling aircraft apart in today's aviation market.

"Sun 'n Fun provides the perfect platform for us to connect with aspiring pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and industry professionals," said Co-CEO Jean D'Assonville from Sling. "We're excited to share how our training programs and aircraft ecosystem work together to deliver exceptional outcomes."

"Bringing both the training and manufacturing sides of Sling together at Booth NE-10 allows visitors to see the full picture," added Co-CEO Matt Liknaitzky from Sling. "From first flight to aircraft ownership, we offer a seamless aviation journey and a place in the Sling family."

Throughout the event, attendees can expect:

Guided discussions with flight training advisors and aircraft specialists

Up-close access to Sling aircraft models

Insights into pilot career pathways and industry trends

Expert presentations

Sun 'n Fun attendees are encouraged to stop by Booth NE-10 to meet the teams, ask questions, and discover how Sling continues to shape the future of aviation.

Media Contact:

Jay Price

Director of Marketing & Enrollments

[email protected]

424.203.4795

About Sling Pilot Academy

Sling Pilot Academy is a premier flight training organization dedicated to developing highly skilled, safety-focused pilots through accelerated and structured programs.

About Sling Aircraft North America

Sling Aircraft North America is a leading provider of innovative light aircraft, offering modern designs engineered for performance, safety, and efficiency.

SOURCE Sling Pilot Academy
GREENVILLE, S.C., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Soteria Battery Innovation Group and the Alabama Mobility & Power Center (AMP) partner as co-hosts for the fifth annual LithiumSAFE: Battery Safety Workshop, to be held September 15-16, 2026 at AMP's state-of-the-art facility in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Experts in the battery industry gather to share their expertise and perspectives on safety.

Now in its fifth year, LithiumSAFE has become a dedicated forum for the battery industry to address safety challenges and best practices. Founded by Soteria to create a space for open, cross-industry dialogue, the workshop convenes battery manufacturers, OEMs, researchers, insurers, regulators, and public safety professionals to examine battery safety from materials to cell design through pack integration and real-world deployment.

Soteria is partnering with AMP to bring the 2026 workshop into an environment designed to accelerate mobility and power innovation. Together, Soteria and AMP aim to strengthen the bridge between research, industrial implementation, and field experience.

Over two days, LithiumSAFE will feature live EV battery burn demonstrations, keynote presentations from industry leaders, expert-led panel discussions on emerging safety risks and regulatory considerations and showcases of next-generation safety technologies. Attendees will also have the opportunity to tour AMP's Power Research Lab and Battery Research Center, offering insights into advanced testing and development capabilities.

"Battery safety is not a competitive advantage to be guardedit's a shared responsibility," said Brian Morin, CEO of Soteria. "LithiumSAFE was founded to encourage constructive, technically grounded conversations around risk and mitigation. Partnering with AMP allows us to host these conversations in a facility purpose-built for advancing mobility and energy technologies."

"Collaboration between industry and research institutions is essential as battery technologies evolve," said Brad Whisenant, Consortium Development Manager at AMP. "We're proud to co-host LithiumSAFE and to welcome leaders from across the battery ecosystem to Tuscaloosa. By bringing diverse perspectives together, we can better understand challenges and advance practical safety solutions."

The continued growth of battery-powered technologies depends not only on innovation, but on trust, transparency, and shared responsibility. LithiumSAFE 2026 brings together the expertise and perspectives needed to support that progress. Industry professionals are invited to be part of the dialogue and register now at https://lithiumsafe.net.

About Soteria Battery Innovation Group Inc.

Soteria is a technology development and licensing company dedicated to advancing battery safety through innovative collaboration. Through its global Consortium, Soteria works with manufacturers, OEMs, material innovators, and researchers to identify pressing safety challenges and collectively advance solutions. By combining technical advancements with cross-industry engagement, Soteria supports practical, scalable safety solutions. Learn more at https://soteriabig.com.

About the Alabama Mobility & Power Center

Alabama Mobility & Power Center (AMP), based at the University of Alabama, is a research and innovation hub dedicated to advancing mobility and power technologies. AMP connects industry, academia, and government partners to accelerate battery development, testing, workforce training, and commercialization. Through its state-of-the-art facilities and collaborative model, AMP supports the advancement of next-generation energy and transportation systems. Learn more at https://amp.ua.edu.

Contact: Amy Brinson

[email protected]

+1 (864) 609-4165

SOURCE Soteria Battery Innovation Group
The Award-Winning Dallas Restaurant Debuts Its Second Location With Exceptional Northern Mexican Cuisine, Stunning Design, and Impeccable Hospitality on the Water

High-resolution Images: HERE (Photo Credit: The Mexican Miami)

MIAMI, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mexican, a contemporary Mexican restaurant where refined cuisine, extraordinary design, and gracious hospitality come together along the waterfront, has officially opened its doors to the public on April 9 in Brickell Key. The Miami location marks the highly anticipated expansion of the award-winning brand from its celebrated Dallas flagship  recognized internationally as one of the World's Most Beautiful Restaurants by the prestigious Prix Versailles of UNESCO  introducing a new benchmark for modern Mexican fine dining in South Florida. Reservations are now available via OpenTable.

The Mexican

Owned by Monterrey-born entrepreneur Roberto Gonzalez Alcala, the restaurant was envisioned to offer a sophisticated culinary destination that honors Mexican heritage while embracing a global point of view. Following the success of the acclaimed Dallas location, The Mexican arrives in Miami with the same unwavering commitment to craftsmanship, culture, and hospitality that defined its original success.

"The energy of Miami and the waterfront setting of Brickell Key felt like a natural next chapter for us," said Roberto Gonzalez Alcala, Owner of The Mexican and President of Intelectiva Restaurant Group. "We built this restaurant with great care and intention, and we are proud to welcome guests to experience the cuisine, service, and hospitality that are at the heart of everything we do."

Set within the high-rise waterfront building at 601 Brickell Key Drive, The Mexican spans more than 10,000 square feet and accommodates approximately 330 guests across multiple dining rooms, private spaces, and outdoor terraces overlooking Biscayne Bay. Designed by internationally acclaimed interior architect Paulina Moran, the restaurant reflects a modern yet authentic vision of contemporary Mexico, with hand-crafted materials, warm textures, and thoughtfully curated details throughout. From sculptural lighting installations and hand-painted tilework to sweeping circular ceiling elements and expansive terraces, the space balances sophistication with comfort while creating a memorable sense of luxury.

Upon arrival, guests are welcomed through a golden archway and tall wooden doors into a dramatic tequila gallery showcasing an impressive collection of premium bottles beneath the restaurant's signature woven ceiling installation. The space unfolds into a vibrant central bar framed by floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping waterfront views, leading into a grand main dining room anchored by Moran's sculptural ceiling design, stone-accented booths, and softly illuminated walls that balance scale with warmth. Two flexible private dining rooms can be enjoyed independently or combined to create one expansive setting, while outdoors, a lively waterfront bar anchored by a dramatic sculptural chandelier and circular bar seating offers a sophisticated gathering point for cocktails, with a lower terrace providing open-air seating just steps from the water.

While the setting is undeniably stunning, the culinary program remains the defining centerpiece of The Mexican experience. Under the direction of Chef Santiago Hiriarte, the kitchen delivers a menu deeply rooted in the traditions of Northern Mexican cuisine, elevated through modern technique, premium sourcing, and meticulous execution. Each dish is prepared with precision and consistency, reflecting a culinary philosophy where quality, flavor, and craftsmanship come first and where the food ultimately defines the experience.

Standout dishes showcase both tradition and creativity. Signature starters include Lobster Elote, a refined interpretation of Mexican street corn layered with Maine lobster, Mexican crema, and Oaxacan cheese, and Roasted Cauliflower, finished with truffle and habanero ash. Heartier selections such as Barbacoa de Arrachera, a slow-cooked skirt steak inspired by traditional Northern barbacoa, arrive tender and deeply flavorful, while Filet and Bone Marrow Tacos deliver bold richness balanced with fresh herbs and citrus. Miami-exclusive offerings, including the Tuna Tomahawk, highlight the restaurant's connection to the city's coastal identity and ingredient-driven dining culture.

The beverage program complements the culinary experience with equal intention, featuring an extensive tequila and mezcal selection alongside thoughtfully crafted cocktails. Signature margaritas such as Mujeres Divinas, infused with hibiscus and damiana, and La Nina Fresa, blending strawberry and ginger, are joined by elevated reserve selections like Zapata and Pancho Villa, showcasing premium spirits and refined flavor profiles.

What ultimately distinguishes The Mexican, however, is its unwavering commitment to hospitality. Service is delivered with warmth, attentiveness, and genuine care, reflecting a philosophy rooted in Mexican tradition where dining is meant to be savored and shared. Every detail, from the pacing of the meal to the personal interactions between staff and guests, is designed to create a welcoming, memorable experience.

The Mexican Miami is located at 601 Brickell Key Drive, Suite 100, Miami, FL 33131. The restaurant is now open daily for dinner Monday through Wednesday and Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. Lunch and weekend brunch service are expected to launch in the coming months.

Restaurant valet service is available, with validated parking offered in the adjacent garage. Reservations are now available via OpenTable. For more information, visit www.themexican.com or follow @themexican.miami.

About The Mexican Miami

Born in Dallas four years ago and inspired by the flavors of Monterrey, Mexico, The Mexican Miami is a Mexican fine-dining destination now open inBrickell Key. Owned by Monterrey-born entrepreneur Roberto Gonzalez Alcala and designed by internationally acclaimed interior architect Paulina Moran, the restaurant brings together refined Northern Mexican cuisine, handcrafted cocktails, an extensive tequila and mezcal program, and breathtaking, immersive interiors rooted in Mexican culture. Whether for a celebratory dinner or an exclusive event, The Mexican sets a new standard for modern Mexican luxury in Miami. | www.themexican.com | 601 Brickell Key Drive, Suite 100, Miami, FL 33131 | @themexican.miami

Media

Carma Connected

305-438-9200

[email protected]

SOURCE The Mexican
TEANECK, N.J., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Veratad Technologies, a leading provider of age and identity verification solutions, today announced that it will participate as a Bronze Sponsor at the Global Age Assurance Standards Summit, taking place April 1517 in Manchester, UK.

The summit brings together regulators, technology providers, and industry stakeholders to address the evolving role of age assurance in online safety, compliance, and digital trust.

As part of the event, Veratad will host a panel discussion titled "Trust Under Scrutiny: Protecting the Reputation of the Age Assurance Industry," scheduled for April 15 at 13:30 in Mini Theatre 3. The session will be moderated by Iain Corby, Executive Director of the Age Verification Providers Association, and will feature Robin Tombs, CEO of Yoti, alongside John E. Ahrens, CEO of Veratad Technologies.

The discussion will focus on how the age assurance industry can earn and maintain public trust amid increasing regulatory scrutiny and real-world implementation challenges. Topics will include the importance of consistent standards, transparency in performance, and the shared responsibility among providers, platforms, and regulators to ensure credible outcomes.

"Age assurance is becoming a critical component of digital trust frameworks globally," said John E. Ahrens, CEO of Veratad Technologies. "As adoption accelerates, it is essential that the industry maintains a strong focus on credibility, consistency, and real-world effectiveness."

Throughout the summit, Veratad will engage with partners, regulators, and stakeholders to discuss its Veratad VX orchestration platform and its approach to delivering flexible, risk-based age and identity verification solutions aligned with evolving global requirements.

For more information about Veratad Technologies, visit www.veratad.com.

About Veratad Technologies

Veratad Technologies is a global provider of age and identity verification solutions, helping organizations meet regulatory requirements, prevent fraud, and build trusted digital experiences. With over 20 years of experience, Veratad's orchestration platform enables organizations to combine multiple verification methods into flexible, configurable workflows tailored to evolving compliance and risk needs.

Media Contact:

John M. Ahrens

Vice President, Global Business Development

Veratad Technologies, LLC

Phone: 201-510-6000

[email protected]

SOURCE Veratad Technologies, LLC
OMAHA, Neb., April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Travelex Insurance Services Inc., a leading supplier of travel insurance to the travel agency industry, has received two of Virtuoso's 2026 U.S. awards: Top-Producing Specialty Partner Award and Highest Growth Specialty Partner. These prestigious recognitions highlight Travelex's commitment to excellence in service and the company's strong performance within the highly competitive travel insurance market.

Virtuoso Travel Network, the leading global luxury and experiential travel network, presented the awards at the third Virtuoso U.S. Forum event, in January. In 2024, Travelex was the first recipient of the Top-Producing Specialty Partner Award, which recognizes the partner with the highest overall sales in its respective category. This year, Travelex is proud to add the Highest Growth Specialty Partner Award to our achievements.

"Receiving the Top-Producing award for the third consecutive year, along with the Highest Annual Growth award, reflects the strength of our partnership with Virtuoso member agencies and the trust our agency and advisor partners place in us," said Robert Gallagher, president and CEO at Travelex. "This recognition is the result of our collective efforts over many years of close collaboration, and we remain committed to building on this partnership in the years ahead."

"The luxury travel sector demands a higher standard of service and expertise, and that's where we've focused our efforts," Gallagher said. "These awards reflect our team's dedication to consistently meeting those expectations."

About Travelex Insurance Services Inc.

For nearly 30 years, Travelex Insurance Services has been a travel insurance pioneer in the United States and a premier partner to the travel industry. Our commitment to providing the products both travel advisors and travelers want, combined with our superior customer service, makes Travelex stand out among our competitors, and we're frequently honored with travel industry customer service, technology, and innovation awards.

Travelex is part of the Zurich Cover-More family of brands, one of the world's largest travel insurance and assistance groups looking after more of the world's travelers than ever before, ensuring we're there every step of their journey.

Learn more about Travelex at TravelexInsurance.com. To find out how you can offer Travelex plans to your travelers, please visit Discover.TravelexInsurance.com.

Contact:

Amy Goldyn

P: +1-402-880-7481

E: [email protected]

SOURCE Travelex Insurance Services
LEBANON, Tenn., April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Why is a potable water tank more than just a container for storing clean water? A HelloNation article explores this question with insight from Water Storage Expert Dustin Dowdy of Southeastern Tank in Lebanon, Tennessee. In a HelloNation article, Dowdy explains that a potable tank is an active environment where temperature, chemistry, and biology interactand that maintaining water quality requires attention to design, coatings, mixing, and continuous monitoring.

Dustin Dowdy, President and CEO Speed Speed

According to the HelloNation feature, the water inside a potable water tank is constantly changing. When water remains still, temperature layers can develop, a process known as thermal stratification. Warm water rises to the top while cooler water settles below, creating uneven disinfectant distribution. This imbalance weakens chlorine levels and can allow microorganisms to thrive. Over time, this process may lead to biofilm growth, where bacteria form thin layers on internal tank surfaces. These conditions threaten overall water quality if not addressed through proper management.

Dowdy notes that a mixing system is one of the most effective tools for preventing stratification and maintaining uniform disinfectant levels. Mixing promotes even temperature and chemical balance throughout the tank, keeping the water stable and safe. The HelloNation article explains that even basic circulation systems can have a significant impact by eliminating stagnant zones where water does not move freely. A reliable mixing system ensures that water remains consistent from top to bottom, reducing the risk of bacterial development and chemical decay.

Protective coatings inside potable tanks are another essential part of long-term safety. The HelloNation article emphasizes that coatings prevent corrosion and stop metals from leaching into the water. If coatings deteriorate, they can create corrosion byproducts that encourage bacterial growth. For this reason, Dowdy underscores that all coating materials should meet NSF/ANSI 61 standards for drinking water contact. These coatings must be properly applied and regularly inspected to maintain their effectiveness. A failed coating is not just a structural issueit is a potential water quality issue that requires immediate attention.

Some utilities rely too heavily on disinfectant chemicals to maintain safety, but Dowdy explains that chemicals alone cannot solve every problem inside a potable water tank. Increasing chlorine or other disinfectants can temporarily suppress bacteria but may also create unwanted chemical byproducts like trihalomethanes. The HelloNation article highlights that true stability in water quality comes from a balance of three key factors: a strong mixing system, high-quality coatings, and consistent chemical management. Each element supports the others, and none can sustain safe conditions in isolation.

Monitoring plays a crucial role in this balance. The HelloNation feature describes how a proactive monitoring system allows operators to track temperature, disinfectant levels, and bacterial activity. These data points provide early warnings if conditions begin to drift. If disinfectant residuals drop or temperature differences increase, it indicates that mixing or maintenance needs adjustment. Regular sampling and analysis help prevent minor imbalances from turning into serious water safety issues.

Maintenance is equally important. The article reminds readers that a potable water tank is not a set-and-forget structure. Internal inspections reveal issues such as coating wear, corrosion, and sediment accumulation that might otherwise go unnoticed. Cleaning, recoating, and hardware checks should occur at scheduled intervals to preserve tank integrity. Dowdy advises that planned maintenance should be built into every tank management program, ensuring the system continues to protect water quality over its entire service life.

The HelloNation article also examines how environmental conditions affect internal tank behavior. Seasonal temperature changes, fluctuating water demand, and variable inflow patterns all influence how water circulates and reacts chemically. In warmer climates, disinfectants can degrade faster, while colder regions may experience longer retention times that increase the risk of stagnation. Dowdy explains that understanding these regional differences helps operators design and operate tanks that stay balanced year-round.

By viewing the potable water tank as an active part of the water treatment and distribution system rather than a passive container, utilities can significantly improve water quality management. Dowdy emphasizes that systems work best when mixing systems, coatings, and monitoring systems operate together. This integrated approach keeps the internal environment stable and ensures that disinfectant residuals remain consistent, preventing the formation of biofilm growth and maintaining clean, safe drinking water for consumers.

The HelloNation feature concludes that a potable tank is a dynamic environment governed by physics, chemistry, and biology. Long-term water safety depends on managing all three. A well-designed mixing system, properly maintained coatings, and continuous monitoring form the foundation for dependable water storage. Recognizing and maintaining this balance ensures that the water leaving the tank is just as safe as when it entered, protecting both public health and the integrity of the system.

Why a Potable Tank Is More Than Just a Container features insights from Dustin Dowdy, Water Storage Expert of Lebanon, Tennessee, 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
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has sharply criticised AttorneyGeneral Virginia Mabhiza, accusing her of misinterpreting key constitutional provisions in a manner he says undermines democratic safeguards.

In a strongly worded statement, Coltart described Mabhizas legal opinion as shocking and disingenuous, arguing that it selectively focuses on Section 328(6) of the Constitution while ignoring critical subsections that follow.Coltart highlighted Sections 328(7), (8) and (9), which he said clearly stipulate that a referendum is required if any constitutional amendment has the effect of extending the tenure of an incumbent office holder. He stressed that Section 328(9) explicitly states that amendments affecting incumbency provisions must be treated as if they were part of Chapter 4, thereby triggering the need for a public vote.The AttorneyGenerals argument that no referendum is necessary because Chapter 4 is not being amended is misleading, Coltart said. The Constitution is clear that such changes must be subjected to a referendum if they extend the time an incumbent remains in office.He further argued that the proposed amendments would, in effect, prolong the terms of the current President, Members of Parliament and local authority councillors, making a referendum constitutionally mandatory.Coltart also criticised the state media, urging The Herald to fulfil its watchdog role by questioning the AttorneyGeneral on the applicability of the overlooked provisions.When senior lawyers ignore obvious provisions of the law, it brings the entire legal profession into disrepute, he said. Likewise, when journalists fail to challenge such omissions, they undermine the credibility of their own profession.The remarks come amid intensifying debate over the proposed constitutional amendments, with legal experts and political actors divided on their implications for governance and democratic accountability in Zimbabwe.
GUANGZHOU, China, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Yadea, the world's leading electric two-wheeler brand, will participate in the 2026 Canton Fair from April 1519, marking its 34th appearance at the event. Visitors can find Yadea at Hall 14.1, Booth C32-34 & D08-11.

Yadea Canton Fair Invitation

At this year's exhibition, Yadea will present a range of electric mobility products, including several new models making their first appearance. The lineup covers multiple categories, including electric motorcycles, electric tricycles, electric bikes, and electric scooters, designed to meet diverse usage scenarios across different markets. Among them are newly unveiled high-performance electric motorcycles, including Velax, GT80, GT70, and Keeness, highlighting Yadea's capabilities in developing performance-oriented electric two-wheelers, alongside high-quality electric tricycles for both commercial and personal applications.

As global energy prices continue to fluctuate, users across many markets are placing increasing emphasis on long-term holding costs. Against this backdrop, electric two-wheelers are gaining broader recognition as a viable and increasingly preferred solution, driving growing adoption across both personal and business mobility scenarios. In this context, the Canton Fair provides a valuable platform for global distributors and partners to explore Yadea's latest offerings in person. Visitors are invited to experience the products firsthand, evaluate their performance and design, and engage directly with the Yadea team for in-depth discussions on product capabilities and potential cooperation opportunities.

In addition to the exhibition, Yadea will arrange factory visits for interested partners during and after the Canton Fair. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour Yadea's major manufacturing and R&D bases in China, including Qingyuan (Guangdong), Chongqing, and Wuxi (Jiangsu), gaining a closer understanding of production processes, product development, and quality control systems.

As one of the established participants at the Canton Fair, Yadea continues to use this platform to connect with global partners and support business development through direct engagement, product experience, and on-site communication.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2952886/20260409_103804.jpg
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 Jamie Ashcroft

Jamie Ashcroft, the News Editor for Proactive UK, has developed an impressive career in financial journalism, focusing on the small-cap sector for over fourteen years. Before joining the Proactive team, he was a stockbroker during the global financial crisis, a role that complemented his educational background - a first-class degree in Business and Economics and qualifications in software design and development. As one of the early external hires at Proactive in 2009, Jamie contributed... Read more

About the publisher

Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists.

Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth.

We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors.

The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies.

Use of technology

Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter.

Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows.

Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation.
About this content 

About Stephen Gunnion

Stephen Gunnion is a senior financial journalist and broadcaster at Proactive Investors. He has more than 25 years of experience in television, radio and print media, anchoring on a number of television channels including South Africa's Business Day TV, CNBC Africa and the South African Broadcasting Corporation, where he was the economics editor. He has also worked for Daily Maverick, Bloomberg, the Business Day newspaper and Investors' Chronicle. Read more

About the publisher

Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists.

Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth.

We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors.

The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies.

Use of technology

Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter.

Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows.

Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation.
About this content 

About Jonathan Jackson

Jonathan Jackson is an experienced writer and editor. Over the past 20 years, he has worked in print and digital media across several business and finance titles amd is currently the Australian news editor at Proactive Investors covering the latest news for ASX listed companies as well as current financial trends. He was previously managing editor with Business First magazine, Wealth Creator Magazine and StocksDigital. Jonathan has interviewed some of the world's top CEOs and covered... Read more

About the publisher

Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists.

Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth.

We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors.

The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies.

Use of technology

Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter.

Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows.

Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A 27-year-old teacher, Kidman Paradza Chingowo, has appeared before a Harare magistrate facing charges of theft and unlawful entry after allegedly stealing electronic items belonging to a foreign conference delegate during an event in the capital.Chingowo pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody awaiting sentencing.The complainant, Zandisile Rosemane Nowe, an employee of the Eswatini Environment Authority, was attending the Integrated Solid Waste Association Africa Regional Chapter Conference held on March 30 and 31 in Harare. The conference was organised by the Ministry of Environment, the Environmental Management Agency, and Geo Pomona Waste Management, and brought together delegates from countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Eswatini and Zambia.The court heard that on March 30, the accused allegedly gained entry into the hotel conference area where delegates were meeting. He is said to have posed as a guest before taking advantage of a brief absence by the complainant to steal a bag containing an HP laptop, charger, spectacles, mouse, and a twin plug.When the theft was discovered, hotel staff reportedly reviewed CCTV footage, which allegedly identified the accused. The matter was then reported to Harare Central Police, leading to investigations by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Stores and Business unit.Police later conducted surveillance and arrested Chingowo on April 3 after he was allegedly seen returning to the hotel. Investigators also reportedly recovered some of the stolen items, including a twin plug, from his residence, while other items had already been sold to a dealer at Margolis Mall.The total value of the stolen property was estimated at US$2 000, with US$1 500 worth of items recovered, according to court records.
About this content 

About Kerry Stevenson

Kerry Stevenson joins Proactive Australia's broadcast team part time. As the Managing Director of Gold Events Kerry has been hosting the annual Australian Gold Conference for over 14 years, connecting industry and investment professionals and showcasing the value of precious metals. Kerry is passionate about helping others to secure a safe and solid future by understanding money, finance, and strategy. That is why she created the Making Money Matter channel on YouTube, where... Read more

About the publisher

Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists.

Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth.

We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors.

The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies.

Use of technology

Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter.

Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows.

Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation.
About this content 

About Lisa Uhlman

Lisa Uhlman is an equities reporter at Proactive Investors, covering ASX-listed companies across the mining, energy, biotech and emerging tech sectors. With a background in legal and financial journalism, Lisa brings a sharp analytical lens to market news and corporate developments. Prior to joining Proactive, she reported for national trade publications and newswires, with a focus on court reporting, regulatory affairs and ESG-related business issues. Based in Sydney, she is... Read more

About the publisher

Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists.

Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth.

We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors.

The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies.

Use of technology

Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter.

Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows.

Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation.
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 Alkane Resources Ltd named herein, including the promotion by the Company of Alkane Resources Ltd 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 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 Angela Harmantas

Angela Harmantas is an Editor at Proactive. She has over 15 years of experience covering the equity markets in North America, with a particular focus on junior resource stocks. Angela has reported from numerous countries around the world, including Canada, the US, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, and South Africa for leading trade publications. Previously, she worked in investor relations and led the foreign direct investment program in Canada for the Swedish government. She earned a Bachelor of... Read more

About the publisher

Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience. All our content is produced independently by our experienced and qualified teams of news journalists.

Proactive news team spans the worlds key finance and investing hubs with bureaus and studios in London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and Perth.

We are experts in medium and small-cap markets, we also keep our community up to date with blue-chip companies, commodities and broader investment stories. This is content that excites and engages motivated private investors.

The team delivers news and unique insights across the market including but not confined to: biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto and emerging digital and EV technologies.

Use of technology

Proactive has always been a forward looking and enthusiastic technology adopter.

Our human content creators are equipped with many decades of valuable expertise and experience. The team also has access to and use technologies to assist and enhance workflows.

Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools, including generative AI. Nevertheless, all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation.
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
Puducherry, April 9 : Polling commenced smoothly across the Union Territory of Puducherry on Thursday morning, with voters turning out steadily at booths to elect representatives to the 30-member Assembly.

Election officials reported a calm and orderly start, with no major disruptions in the early hours.

Voting began at 7 a.m. across 1,099 polling stations and will continue until 6 p.m. Authorities expressed confidence that the process would remain peaceful and well-managed throughout the day, with elaborate arrangements in place to facilitate voters.

The election assumes significance as the Union Territory is currently governed by a coalition led by the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC), headed by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A keen contest is expected, with all major political formations vying for control. Chief Electoral Officer P. Jawahar said the administration had made comprehensive preparations to ensure a free and fair poll.

A total of 4,836 polling personnel have been deployed, supported by 2,791 police personnel and 30 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to maintain law and order.

Security arrangements have been intensified, particularly in sensitive areas. As many as 209 polling stations have been identified as vulnerable and five as critical. These locations are under strict surveillance, with micro-observers and CAPF personnel deployed to monitor proceedings closely.

Officials also highlighted extensive measures taken to enhance voter convenience.

Around 2,000 student volunteers have been stationed at polling booths to assist senior citizens and persons with disabilities, ensuring inclusive participation in the democratic process.

In the run-up to polling, enforcement teams maintained strict vigilance under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Authorities seized suspected inducements worth approximately Rs 8.4 crore during the campaign period. This included gold and other precious metals valued at Rs 6.7 crore, Rs 77 lakh in cash, and liquor worth Rs 68 lakh, indicating robust monitoring mechanisms.

Despite the end of campaigning on Tuesday evening, surveillance teams continued their operations to prevent any violations.

Election officials stated that all necessary arrangements had been put in place to ensure that voters could exercise their franchise without difficulty.

With a voter turnout of over 82 per cent recorded in the 2021 Assembly elections, officials expressed optimism that participation could exceed previous levels, reflecting strong public engagement in the electoral process.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Member of Parliament Fanuel Cumanzala has called on government to explain why Binga District has not been split into two administrative units despite its growing population, now estimated to exceed 160 000 people.In questions submitted to the National Assembly, Cumanzala argued that the current colonial-era boundaries are no longer suitable for effective governance. He said dividing the district would improve administration, service delivery, and resource allocation, especially given increasing population movements from areas such as Gokwe and Lupane.The legislator also raised serious concerns about the state of healthcare services in the district. He questioned the Ministry of Health and Child Care on plans to address long-standing challenges at Binga District Hospital, including a mortuary facility that has reportedly been non-operational for an extended period.Cumanzala further demanded transparency on economic activity in the region, asking how much revenue is generated from mining operations in Binga and how those funds are being reinvested into local development in the Zambezi Valley.He also sought clarity on government plans to rehabilitate the district hospital, which could pave the way for the establishment of a nursing training school to improve healthcare capacity in the area.The MP's intervention highlights growing pressure on government to upgrade infrastructure and governance systems in fast-growing rural districts.
Mumbai, April 9 : Actress turned author Suchitra Krishnamoorthy who recently lost her only brother, after losing her elder sister and parents in a span of few years, took to her social media account to express her state of mind.

The actress took to her social media account to share an old throwback picture of all her immediate family members posing together.

The picture seems to be from Suchitra Krishnamoorthy's childhood days.

"Nazar lag gayi. People were always applauding and commenting on our togetherness, our celebrations our family holidays Yes like all families we had our quirks and dysfunction. Fights, differences the works. But we stayed together through it all. Always had each others back. We were once 6.

Now we are 2. C'est la vie. (sic)"

Suchitra seems to be going through a deeply difficult phase as her brother has passed away recently.

The actress,on Monday had taken to her social media account to share the unfortunate news and also express her grief.

She had written, "For

My Parents

Venkatanarasimha Krishnamoorthi

Dr Sulochana Krishnamoorthi

My Sister

Sujata Kumar

&

My Brother

Dr Sudhakar Krishnamurti

Forever in their guiding light"

In the caption, she had written, "Updated the dedication page today.

Never thought I'd have to do it this soon "

Suchitra Krishnamoorthy in many of her old interviews, always spoke fondly of her brother.

Reportedly, he lived in Hyderabad with his family and would frequently travel to Mumbai to support his sister.

The actress, over the years, already has faced immense personal loss.

Her sister and actress, Sujata Kumar, passed away in 2018 after battling cancer.

Sujata was known for her role in English Vinglish, where she played the elder sister of Sridevi's character.

Suchitra also lost her mother a few years ago.

IANS

rd/
Chennai, April 9 : Tamil Nadu is witnessing a steady rise in summer temperatures, with heatwave conditions intensifying across the state.

At least seven locations recorded temperatures above 37 degrees on Wednesday, signalling the onset of a stronger and more persistent heatwave this season.

Weather experts attribute the early spike in temperatures to the impact of El NiAo, which is expected to make this yearas summer hotter than usual across southern India. Even in the first week of March, several parts of Tamil Nadu had already begun experiencing heatwave conditions, with temperatures touching or exceeding 37 degrees.

Among the hottest locations recorded on Wednesday, Paramathi in Karur district registered the highest temperature at 41 degrees, making it one of the most severely affected areas.

Other districts that experienced intense heat include Erode, Vellore, Namakkal, Madurai Airport, Tirupattur and Palayamkottai, where temperatures remained significantly above normal levels.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated that there is unlikely to be any major change in maximum temperatures across Tamil Nadu until April 12. This suggests that the prevailing hot and dry conditions are expected to persist over the next few days, potentially increasing discomfort among residents.

However, there is some relief in sight. Meteorological officials have forecast the possibility of moderate rainfall in certain parts of the state starting next week. In particular, areas along the Western Ghats are likely to receive moderate showers over the next two days, which could help bring down temperatures slightly in those regions.

Additionally, parts of Chennai may experience light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms on Thursday, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre. These localised weather developments could offer temporary respite from the heat, though overall conditions are expected to remain warm.

Authorities have advised residents to take necessary precautions, including staying hydrated, avoiding direct exposure to the sun during peak hours, and taking care of vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly, as Tamil Nadu braces for a hotter-than-usual summer.
Seoul, April 9 : South Korean stocks lost ground late on Thursday morning as Washington and Tehran remained divided over the terms of a two-week ceasefire, including whether it includes ending Israel's offensive against Lebanon.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 57.93 points, or 0.99 percent, to 5,814 as of 11:20 am (local time), reports Yonhap news agency.

The United States and Iran reached a two-week ceasefire agreement on Tuesday (U.S. time), including the reopening of the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

Uncertainties surrounding tensions in the Middle East, however, continued as the U.S. and Iran were divided over whether the ceasefire includes ending Israel's offensive against Lebanon.

"Washington and Tehran are also at odds over Iran's uranium enrichment and jurisdiction over the Strait of Hormuz," Han Ji-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities, said.

Han noted that although the market is taking a breather, the South Korean stock market is not likely to experience any extreme volatility.

"With the U.S. market closing higher despite reports of disagreements during trading hours, the market is becoming more resilient to the war," Han added.

In Seoul, top market cap Samsung Electronics fell 2.38 percent, and SK hynix lost 2.42 percent.

Oil refiners traded higher as global crude prices rebounded amid geopolitical uncertainties, with SK Innovation rising 3.32 percent and S-Oil climbing 5.89 percent.

Carmakers traded mixed, with Hyundai Motor falling 0.98 percent, while its sister Kia added 1.07 percent.

Leading online search engine giant Naver slipped 0.99 percent, and Kakao shed 0.84 percent.

The local currency was trading at 1,479.9 won against the greenback at 11:20 a.m., down 9.3 won from the previous session.

a"IANS

na/
Dispur, April 9 : As the Assembly elections in Assam are underway, Sri Lankan delegates on Thursday planted a sapling during their visit to a polling station in Kamrup district to witness the electoral process under the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP).

The Election Commission of India (ECI) took to the social media platform X to share the development, stating, "Planting a sapling by a Srilankan delegate during his visit to a polling station in Kamrup district, Assam, to witness the poll under the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP). A message of eco-friendly elections."

Earlier, on April 7, the ECI had commenced the IEVP 2026 in New Delhi for the forthcoming general elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr S.S. Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, inaugurated the programme at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management.

In his inaugural address, Gyanesh Kumar emphasised that the Commission treats elections in India as "festivals of democracy" and works in a mission mode to ensure free, fair, and inclusive polls. He also encouraged the visiting delegates to make the most of their time in India by exploring, learning, and experiencing the country's diversity.

In the first phase of the programme, delegates are visiting Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry. In the second phase, they will travel to West Bengal and Tamil Nadu from April 20 onwards.

A total of 43 delegates from 23 countries, including representatives from five foreign missions based in Delhi, are participating in the first phase of the programme.

As part of the initiative, the delegates were given a demonstration of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and also participated in a mock poll to gain hands-on experience of the voting process. They expressed keen interest in the technological interventions and administrative safeguards embedded in India's electoral system.

The visiting delegates also took part in interactive sessions with experts, where they had the opportunity to clarify their queries and gain deeper insights into election management practices in India.

During their visit, the delegates are scheduled to tour key election-related facilities, including dispatch and distribution centres, district control rooms, and media monitoring centres, to better understand the operational aspects of conducting elections in the world's largest democracy.

The IEVP is a flagship programme of the ECI for international cooperation and engagement with the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of other countries and International Organisations.

The IEVP provides a comprehensive overview of India's electoral framework, institutional mechanisms, and operational architecture, while familiarising foreign EMB delegates with best practices and innovations in election management.

The IEVP showcases the strengths of India's electoral system to the international community and shares the best practices adopted in the world's largest democracy for the conduct of elections.
New Delhi, April 9 : Rajeev Chandrasekhar, BJP's Kerala State President, on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Congress and the CPI(M), asserting that neither party is capable of delivering development in the state.

Casting his vote in Thiruvananthapuram, Chandrasekhar struck a confident note about the BJP-led NDA's prospects while dismissing early political speculation.

"This is all very premature. We want to get a clear mandate. We want to win a majority on our own. We want to be able to govern our state, bring the change, bring development," he told IANS.

In a pointed political swipe, he added, "We don't believe just by talking about change or talking about development, development will happen. In any case, we don't believe the CPI(M) and the Congress are capable of bringing any development in our state. Corruption is their main motive."

He further emphasised that meaningful governance and public benefit would only be possible under the BJP-NDA leadership. "If people need to benefit from their political leaders, the BJP and the NDA have to be in government," he said.

Chandrasekhar also expressed optimism and gratitude towards party workers, revealing that he had received a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I'm extremely happy. It's a very happy day. I got a call from our Prime Minister just before I reached here, thanking the party workers for all their hard work and wishing the party and the NDA the very best," he said.

After 23 days of high-voltage campaigning and an equally intense silent push, Kerala stepped into decision day on Thursday, with around 2.71 crore voters set to determine who will govern the state.

Even before dawn broke, the electoral machinery was in motion. By 5.30 a.m., the state's 30,471 polling booths had sprung to life, with officials initiating mandatory mock polling procedures.

Once completed and the EVMs sealed, a brief lull followed before the real momentum began.

By 6.30 a.m., queues started forming across the state.

At Chooralmala in Wayanad, a region still scarred by the devastating landslide that claimed over 200 lives, the act of voting carried an emotional weight.

Some voters, visibly moved, recalled how family members who stood with them in 2021 were no longer around this time.

The polling, which began at 7 a.m. and will continue till 6 p.m., spans all 140 constituencies.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Guwahati, April 9 : Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika has launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Pawan Khera, accusing him of "peddling lies" regarding alleged fictitious companies and addresses, while sharing a screen-recorded video to demonstrate how easily such entities can be created online.

In a post on X late on Wednesday, Hazarika shared a video showing the step-by-step process of registering a company named "Pawan Peda LLC" through the website of the Wyoming Secretary of State in the United States.

The video purportedly used fictional addresses and organisers, and was presented as a satirical response targeting the Congress leader's allegations.

Through the screen-recording, the BJP leader sought to suggest that forming such companies is a simple online process and that the existence of such entities does not automatically imply wrongdoing. He accused Khera and the Congress party of spreading misinformation about "fictitious companies" and related details.

"Afraid of being caught after lying, Mr Pawan Khera peddled another set of lies today, shared from the Congress handle on details about new addresses and details of some fictitious company. So I researched a bit and opened a new company named Pawan Peda in the State of Wyoming with key details," Hazarika said in a post on X.

"Do check out this video for explosive details and a step-by-step tutorial if you also want to create a company as a tribute to these liars. Have some shame, Congress, if there's even an iota left of it," he added.

The Minister further claimed that the video illustrates how a Domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC) can be created on the official Wyoming Secretary of State platform using fabricated names and addresses, reinforcing his argument that such registrations are not inherently suspicious.

The development comes amid an intensifying political controversy that began after Khera's press conference on Sunday, where he levelled serious allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.

Khera had claimed that she held three passports, owned undeclared luxury properties in Dubai, and was linked to shell companies in the United States.

Following these allegations, Khera has come under scrutiny of the Assam Police and has been booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges of defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.

On Tuesday, Assam Police conducted searches at Khera's residence in Delhi, while on Wednesday, barricades were reportedly placed outside his residence in Hyderabad as part of the ongoing investigation.

Meanwhile, Khera, who has remained untraceable since addressing the press conference in the poll-bound state, released a video statement asserting that he would not be intimidated by such actions and would continue to raise questions on the matter.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Kolkata, April 9 : Amid the hectic campaigning for the two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold three consecutive rallies in three districts on Thursday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also arrive in Kolkata on Thursday, with a packed campaign schedule for Friday and Saturday.

The Prime Minister will start his campaign with his address at a rally in the industrial township of Haldia in the East Midnapore district. Thereafter, he will address two other rallies --the first in the industrial township of Asansol in West Burdwan district and the second in Suri in Birbhum district.

Meanwhile, the Union Home Minister is also arriving at Kolkata at night. Although no schedule had been fixed for him for the day after arrival, on Friday, he will address a mega rally at Deba in the West Midnapore district, followed by a roadshow at Kharagpur in the same district.

On Saturday, the Union Home Minister will address two rallies, first at Chhatna in Bankura district and then at Baghmundi in Purulia district.

There will be a packed schedule for the Prime Minister in West Bengal on Saturday. He is slated to address three consecutive campaign rallies in Jangipur in Murshidabad district, Katwa in East Burdwan district, and Balurghat in South Dinajpur district.

The Prime Minister, on April 11, will have a night-stay in Siliguri in the Darjeeling district. The next day, that is on April 12, he is scheduled to participate in a roadshow in Siliguri town.

The Prime Minister started his campaign programme in the state on April 5, addressing a mega rally at Cooch Behar town in Cooch Behar district.

On the other hand, on Thursday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also has a packed schedule with five consecutive rallies at Minakhan, Noyapara, Panihati, Baranagar, and Rajarhat-Gopalpur, all in the North 24 Parganas district.

The two-phase Assembly polls in West Bengal will be on April 23 and April 29. In the first phase, voting will be for 152 Assembly constituencies, and in the second phase, the remaining 142 constituencies will go to the polls. The results will be declared on May 4
Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 : Around 16 per cent of Kerala's 2.71 crore electorate have cast their votes within the first two hours of polling on Thursday, setting an energetic tone for what Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan described as a decisive election for the state's future.

Leading the campaign narrative for the Left Democratic Front (LDF), CM Vijayan said the mandate would determine whether Kerala sustains its development trajectory.

After casting his vote, he stressed that there should be no interruption to progress and that continuity in governance is essential.

CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby echoed the sentiment, calling the election a vote for continuity.

"We do not claim everything was perfect, but we have done a lot, and that will reflect when people vote," he said, expressing confidence in another term for the Left Front.

Key constituency battles underscore the high stakes.

State Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh is locked in a keen contest against Congress leader V.T. Balaram in Thrithala in Palakkad district, one of several closely watched seats.

The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), however, has struck a confident note.

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, after voting in Paravur, urged maximum voter participation, calling it a fundamental democratic right.

He asserted that the UDF is on course for a decisive mandate. "Our assessments clearly show we will cross 100 seats," he said, adding that public sentiment has shifted in favour of change over the past three months of campaigning.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), contesting a triangular fight in several constituencies, including Nemom, projected itself as a potential kingmaker where state BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar is fighting it out.

"This time, a fractured verdict cannot be ruled out, and the BJP will be playing a decisive role in the post-poll scenario," said Chandrasekhar.

With brisk early turnout and sharp contrasts between continuity and change shaping the narrative, Kerala's electorate appears set to deliver an interesting verdict.
Mumbai, April 9 : The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Thursday said that Pakistan -- a nation long criticised as a breeding ground for terrorism and a centre for anti-India conspiracies -- is now being hailed by international media as a "global peacemaker". Following a month of intense warfare between Iran, Israel, and the United States, Pakistan has emerged as the primary mediator, a move that has left the Indian government sidelined on the world stage.

The Thackeray camp, in a scathing editorial in the party's mouthpiece, Saamana, claimed that it is ironic that the same Pakistan is now gaining international significance due to the "foolish functioning" of the BJP-led government. "In this situation, will India be able to compete with Pakistan in the future? Can our Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah fulfil the announcement of an 'Akhand Hindustan' by snatching Kashmir from Pakistan's jaws? Since the Prime Minister has already 'retreated into a burrow' on this issue, no such roar is expected from him. PM Modi has struck a 'masterstroke' that forces India to hang its head in shame. Blind devotees, clap your hands," it taunted.

According to the editorial, while the Modi administration was preoccupied with political manoeuvring in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Kerala elections, the US and Israel bypassed India entirely, choosing Pakistan as the venue for future peace negotiations.

The editorial labelled this a "horrendous failure" for the current administration. It argued that India should have been alert when it emerged that Pakistan was making efforts for peace in the Iran-Israel-US war. Instead, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar dismissed Pakistan as a "broker nation", but the same nation will now host the upcoming global peace summits.

The editorial highlighted the abrupt ending of Operation Sindoor -- an operation meant to avenge the Pahalgam incident -- alleging that PM Modi folded under President Trump's orders. It claimed that while past leaders like Nehru and Indira Gandhi secured India's place in global politics, the current leadership has allowed that influence to erode.

"Our 'Vishwaguru' finds satisfaction in hurling abuses at Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi during election campaigns, but the international importance those same Nehru-Gandhis earned for India has been destroyed in the Modi era," claimed the Thackeray camp.
Ramanathapuram, April 9 : Ten fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested on Thursday by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Sri Lankan waters, escalating tensions once again in the Palk Strait region.

According to sources, the fishermen, all hailing from the Pamban fishing harbour in Ramanathapuram district, had ventured into the sea for routine fishing operations. They were reportedly fishing in the waters between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar -- a region known for frequent maritime confrontations due to its proximity to the maritime boundary.

Officials said a Sri Lankan naval patrol intercepted the mechanised fishing boat during the operation. The navy personnel surrounded the vessel and accused the fishermen of illegally crossing into Sri Lankan waters. Subsequently, all 10 fishermen on board were taken into custody.

The arrested fishermen were transported along with their seized boat to the Sri Lankan naval camp in Talaimannar. Authorities there have initiated interrogation proceedings, and further legal action is expected under Sri Lankan maritime laws.

The boat has also been confiscated, raising concerns over the long-term economic impact on the affected families.

This latest arrest has triggered anxiety and distress among the families of the detained fishermen as well as the broader fishing community in Tamil Nadu.

Fishermenas associations have strongly condemned the incident, urging both the state and Union governments to intervene immediately and secure the release of those detained.

They also reiterated long-standing demands for a permanent diplomatic solution to the recurring issue, including clearer demarcation, regulated fishing access, and protection of traditional fishing rights in the Palk Strait.

The repeated arrests, seizure of boats, and, in some cases, nationalisation of vessels by Sri Lankan authorities have severely impacted the livelihoods of fishermen, many of whom depend solely on daily catches for survival.

With tensions continuing to simmer, stakeholders have called for urgent bilateral talks between India and Sri Lanka to address the humanitarian and economic dimensions of the issue and prevent further escalation.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Masimba Holdings Limited is reshaping its business strategy to cushion against growing currency and liquidity risks, as Zimbabwe moves toward strengthening the Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG) currency and a potential mono-currency system by 2030.Chairman Gregory Sebborn said recent government measuresparticularly settling contractor payments in local currencysignal a major shift in the operating environment, raising concerns around liquidity and exchange rate exposure.In response, Masimba is diversifying its project portfolio across sectors such as mining, housing, and road construction, while increasing its focus on private sector clients to reduce reliance on government-funded projects.Sebborn said the company is prioritising operational efficiency and risk management to remain competitive amid evolving economic conditions. He noted that spreading exposure across multiple sectors helps mitigate concentration and currency risks.Despite macroeconomic challenges, Masimba's contracting business remains strong, supported by an order book valued at US$278 million and new contracts across key sectors.However, the company warned that liquidity constraints in Zimbabwe's financial system could delay project execution, even as government infrastructure spending continues.To counter this, Masimba is strategically pivoting toward private sector partnerships as a hedge against delayed payments and funding bottlenecks associated with public projects.Financially, the group posted steady growth in 2025, with revenue rising 9.6% to US$61.5 million. Earnings and profitability also showed modest gains, reflecting resilience despite rising costs and economic uncertainty.Masimba's strategic shift highlights the broader adjustments underway among Zimbabwean corporates as they navigate tighter monetary conditions and reduced access to foreign currency, with effective risk management becoming critical for long-term sustainability.
Dhaka, April 9 : India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma held a meeting with Defence Adviser to Bangladesh's Prime Minister, Brigadier General (Retd) AKM Shamsul Islam and underlined the importance of sustained development of bilateral ties.

During the meeting, the two officials reviewed security and defence cooperation between India and Bangladesh, including bilateral consultation mechanisms, training exchanges, capacity building initiatives and exchanges between the defence institutes of the two countries and discussed ways to further strengthen their defence ties.

"High Commissioner Pranay Verma called on H.E. Brig. Gen. (Retd.) Dr. A.K.M Shamsul Islam, Defence Advisor to the Honable Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 08 April 2026. They underlined the importance of sustained development of India-Bangladesh ties, and affirmed the unshakeable bond between the two countries rooted in their shared sacrifices during Bangladeshas Liberation War of 1971. They reviewed their wide ranging security and defence cooperation, including bilateral consultation mechanisms, training exchanges, capacity building initiatives and exchanges between the defence institutes of the two countries," Indian High Commission in Bangladesh posted on X.

"They discussed ways to further strengthen their defence ties as an important component of their overall bilateral relationship. They also exchanged views on common security challenges and agreed to work together to promote peace, security and stability in the region. High Commissioner conveyed Indiaas willingness to closely work with the Government of Bangladesh to enhance their multifaceted cooperation based on mutual interest and mutual benefit," it added.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar held a meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Khalilur Rahman and his delegation in New Delhi on Wednesday, discussing bilateral ties, regional and global developments.

"Pleased to host FM Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh and his delegation this afternoon. We discussed strengthening our bilateral relationship in its various facets. Also exchanged views on regional and global developments. Agreed to remain in close touch," EAM Jaishankar posted on X.

Khalilur Rahman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on a "goodwill visit" that Dhaka emphasised is expected to play an "important foundation" for elevating the areas of cooperation between both countries to more productive and sustainable levels in the future.

"Warm welcome to FM Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh on his arrival in New Delhi today. India and Bangladesh share warm and historic ties anchored in strong people to people relations. The visit will further bolster India Bangladesh partnership," the MEA posted on X.

The trip assumes significance as it is the first visit to India by a Bangladeshi minister since the BNP-led government assumed office in February, indicating a shift in the recalibration of India and Bangladesh ties, which had strained during the 18-month tenure of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus amid escalating attacks on Hindu minorities and anti-India rhetoric.

On Monday, India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma called on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, where both sides discussed ways to enhance bilateral engagement and cooperation across key sectors.

During the meeting, Verma expressed India's willingness to deepen ties through a "positive, constructive and forward-looking approach" built on shared interest and mutual benefit.
April 09 : Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the procurement made by Uttar Pradesh on the GeM portal during the financial year 2025-26, as well as the GeM Procurement Policy issued on November 26, 2024. The Chief Minister stated that the Government of India has appreciated Uttar Pradeshs GeM procurement policy.

He was informed that the central government has declared it a model policy and has advised other states to adopt a similar framework. This policy has significantly improved integrity, transparency, and inclusiveness in government procurement, resulting in continuous economic and social benefits for the state.

The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction that Uttar Pradesh ranks first in procurement on the GeM portal.

In the financial year 2025-26, purchases worth 22,337 crore were made through the GeM portal, reflecting the governments commitment to transparent policies.

The contribution of micro and small enterprises in procurement has increased from 43% to 55%, with 82% of this growth attributed to Uttar Pradesh-based MSMEs.

He was further informed that the reverse auction method on the GeM portal has led to savings of more than 9,700 crore.

Additionally, there has been a 44% increase in business for women entrepreneurs, 48% for SC/ST entrepreneurs, and 50% for startups.

Due to this transparent process, complaints related to government procurement have reduced by over 80%, making the process faster and more efficient.

As a result of the improved GeM procurement system, buyers from Uttar Pradesh secured total business worth 42,648 crore.

Out of this, 15,617 crore came from within the state, while more than 27,000 crore was received from the central government and other states. This reflects the competitive strength of the states vendors.

The Chief Minister was also briefed on procurement carried out by the top 10 departments of Uttar Pradesh on the GeM portal.

He directed that other departments should also ensure effective and mandatory procurement through the GeM portal.

He further instructed integration of the GeM portal with the state treasury and the formation of a position-based permanent procurement committee in line with the central system, to ensure a more systematic, accountable, transparent, and swift procurement process.
New Delhi, April 9 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday extended warm greetings to General Phan Van Giang on his appointment as the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Vietnam, stating that India looks forward to deepening longstanding defence ties.

General Phan Van Giang was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, concurrently serving as Minister of National Defence, on April 8.

Vietnam's 16th National Assembly approved this during its first session, as part of the new government for the 2026a"2031 term under Prime Minister Le Minh Hung. He is one of six Deputy Prime Ministers.

Taking to X, Singh said, "Warm congratulations to General Phan Van Giang on his appointment as the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defence of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam."

He exuded confidence that the India-Vietnam partnership will continue to grow from strength to strength in the years ahead.

"India looks forward to further strengthening our longstanding defence ties and deepening cooperation across security, military exchanges and defence industry collaboration under your continued leadership. Confident that our partnership will continue to grow from strength to strength in the years ahead," the Defence Minister added.

Earlier, on April 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated To Lam on his election as Vietnam's President and expressed readiness to work with him to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

He expressed confidence that the time-tested friendship between the two nations will continue to grow under To Lam's leadership.

"Heartiest congratulations to Mr To Lam on his election as President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I am confident that under his leadership, the time-tested friendship between our two countries will continue to grow from strength to strength. I look forward to working closely together to further deepen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the progress and prosperity of our people and the region," PM Modi posted on X.

PM Modi's congratulatory message came after Vietnam's National Assembly on April 7 confirmed Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) General Secretary To Lam as the country's president for the 2026-2031 tenure.

India and Vietnam share close and warm bilateral relations that are denominated as a comprehensive strategic partnership. India-Vietnam relations were elevated to aComprehensive Strategic Partnership' during PM Modi's visit to Vietnam in 2016, according to the Indian Embassy in Vietnam statement.

The development of India-Vietnam relations is guided by a "Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People" adopted by PM Modi and the then-Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during the Virtual Summit held on December 21, 2020.

In 2022, India and Vietnam celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and both countries are working together actively to further strengthen their multi-dimensional cooperation.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Islamabad, April 9 : Pakistani police have filed a case against the sisters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, several members of the national and provincial assemblies, and nearly 1,400 unidentified individuals under anti-terrorism laws following unrest on Adiala Road in Rawalpindi, local media reported.

According to police, the FIR was registered on Wednesday based on the complaint of Sub-Inspector in charge of the Adiala checkpost, including charges of attempted murder and resisting law enforcement.

Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party had called for a "peaceful protest" against the restrictions imposed on meeting Khan who had been imprisoned in Adiala Jail.

Authorities however enforced Section 144 throughout the district, banning public gatherings for 15 days.

Pakistani law enforcement agencies reportedly cut short the protest outside the jail by detaining several leaders and workers of the party including the Khan's sisters , amid the sweeping restrictions imposed across Rawalpindi.

The complaint mentioned that the protesters pelted stones at police, leaving nine personnel injured.

Police also said that 41 suspects were detained on the spot but later escaped, while several others also fled

The FIR reported damage to both government and private vehicles during the unrest caused by stone-pelting and the use of sticks.

Police alleged that the accused sought to create disorder for political gain to pressure the provincial government in Punjab, Pakistani daily Express Tribune reported.

Meawhile, a leading international human rights organisation condemned the detention of PTI supporters protesting outside Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, terming it " unlawful" and "another example of the repression of the right to protest" in the country.

According to Amnesty International, those detained including Khan's sisters, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khanum, had gathered outside the jail premises as part of court-mandated weekly family visits which have been denied since December 2, 2025.

Expressing concern over the incident, the rights body said, "Instead of facilitating lawful visitation, authorities responded with arbitrary detention, tear gas and baton charge. Imran Khan's sisters and other women protesters were forcibly confined for hours in a closed shop near the jail, while dozens of others were detained in the open air for nearly five hours in torrential rain."

"This incident is part of a pattern of targeting PTI supporters and former Prime Minister Imran Khan's family by criminalizing peaceful protest and using sweeping and arbitrary bans through section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure as a blanket tool to silence dissent," it added.

Amnesty International called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately end their crackdown on peaceful protests, respect the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and ensure unhindered access to court mandated family visits for Khan.

In the past few months, PTI has held sit-ins outside Adiala jail every Tuesday and Thursday, the court- authorised days for meeting Khan, who continue to face restrictions in meeting his family members and party leaders.

--IANS

scor/rs
Mumbai, April 9 : NCP(SP) Legislator Rohit Pawar on Thursday met the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Harshwardhan Sapkal, urging him to withdraw the party nominee Akash More for an unopposed election of NCP candidate and state Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar in the April 23 Baramati by-election.

Rohit Pawar's plea is important as Thursday is the last date of withdrawal of nomination at 3 p.m. for the Baramati by-election in which 47 contestants have filed their nominations.

Pawar, after meeting Harshwardhan Sapkal, told reporters, "I made a request to the state Congress chief for the withdrawal of the party nominee, which will pave the way for the unopposed election of Sunetra Pawar in the Baramati bypoll. This is necessary as the bypoll is taking place after the untimely demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and the unopposed election will be a tribute to him. It is now up to the Congress party to make a decision. I am quite hopeful about the Congress party's move. It is a national party, and it will take a decision after the due process."

Rohit Pawar said that the Congress party has taken a stand that the state government should register an FIR in the plane crash in which former Dy CM Ajit Pawar died on January 28. He further added that he has been pressing for the same for a long time, and ultimately, the FIR was filed in Karnataka with the help of the Congress government there. During the meeting, Rohit Pawar facilitated a video call with Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala to discuss the sensitivity of the situation. "Following the loss of a stalwart like Ajit Dada, it is essential to view this election through an emotional lens as a true tribute to him," Rohit Pawar stated.

"As a family member and a karyakarta, I have appealed to Congress to withdraw their nomination," he added. Rohit Pawar reiterated that Harshvardhan Sapkal said that their decision to contest stems from dissatisfaction with the current administration's handling of investigations related to the late leader.

"Congress leaders expressed concerns that if a leader of Ajit Pawar's calibre does not receive swift justice or a proper investigation (FIR) into related matters, the common man cannot expect fairness from the current government and administration," he added.

Earlier, Sunetra Pawar had personally reached out to Harshvardhan Sapkal twice to request an unopposed path; the Maharashtra Congress leadership has deferred the final decision to the "High Command" in Delhi. "The decision to contest Baramati was taken at the national level. Therefore, any move to withdraw must be discussed with the High Command and follow their counsel," a Congress source indicated.

Addressing recent friction within the political circles after NCP MP Parth Pawar made a statement about the downfall of the Congress party, Rohit Pawar expressed regret over it. "Parth's statement was wrong, and I express my apologies for it. At this moment, there is a need for everyone to come together," Rohit Pawar added, emphasising unity within the family and the political ranks during this period of mourning.
Mumbai, April 9 : Raghav Chadha hosted Sabhay Dutt at his home. The Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member heaped praise on the Bollywood star's latest performance in the blockbuster duology "Dhurandhar" and said that he is always rooting for him.

Mumbai, April 9 (IANS) Raghav Chadha hosted Sabhay Dutt at his home. The Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member heaped praise on the Bollywood star's latest performance in the blockbuster duology "Dhurandhar" and said that he is always rooting for him.

Raghav took to Instagram, where he shared a string of pictures from Sanjay's visit to his abode. The politician shared that Sanjay's the "warmest" person he knows.

"Had the pleasure of hosting at my place, some time ago, one of the warmest people I know, Sanjay Dutt," wrote Raghav, who is married to Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra, in the caption section.

Heaping praise on his performance as SP Aslam in the Aditya Dhar's directorial, which also stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Danish Pandor, Gaurav Gera and Sara Arjun.

"So good to see all the love coming your way for 'Dhurandhar'. The aura remains the same, and so does the admiration people have for you through every era. Couldn't be more deserved. Always rooting for you!"

The duology's first part released in 2025. Titled "Dhurandhar", the film's plot focused on a covert counter-terrorism operation. It traces the story of an undercover Indian intelligence agent who infiltrates Karachi's criminal syndicates and political power structures in Pakistan in an effort to dismantle a terror network targeting India.

The second part, christened Dhurandhar: The Revenge released in March and It follows an undercover Indian intelligence agent who continues to infiltrate Karachi's criminal syndicates and Pakistani politics while avenging the 26/11 attacks and confronting bigger threats.

The film's storyline loosely draws inspiration from multiple real-life geopolitical events and conflicts in South Asia, such as Operation Lyari, 2014 Indian general election, 2016 Indian banknote demonetisation and various other events.

Meanwhile, Raghav got married to Parineeti in 2023 in Rajasthan. They welcomed their firstborn, a son named Neer in October 2025.
Mumbai, April 9 : Gold and silver prices declined on Thursday despite fresh geopolitical tensions following reports of Israel attacking Lebanon's Hezbollah.

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures (June 5) fell as much as 0.74 per cent or Rs 1,129 to Rs 1,50,647, hitting an intraday low at around 10:40 AM. The yellow metal was later trading at Rs 1,51,113, down Rs 663 or 0.44 per cent. It touched an intraday high of Rs 1,51,452.

Meanwhile, silver futures (May 5) also witnessed sharp losses, plunging 2 per cent, or Rs 4,785, to an intraday low of Rs 2,35,133. The white metal touched an intraday high of Rs 2,37,589 and was trading at Rs 2,36,417, down Rs 3,501, or 1.46 per cent.

Market sentiment remained subdued amid uncertainty over the direction of US-Iran ceasefire talks.

Analysts said MCX gold opened with a mild gap-down and is trading in the Rs 1,50,500Rs 1,51,500 range, with buying interest emerging at lower levels.

"A sustained move above Rs 1,52,000 could revive momentum towards Rs 1,53,000Rs 1,55,000. However, a decisive break below Rs 1,50,000 may drag prices down to Rs 1,48,000Rs 1,47,000 levels," they said.

For silver, analysts noted that MCX prices opened with a mild gap-down but found support from safe-haven demand and strength in industrial metals. Prices are hovering around Rs 2,36,000 amid elevated volatility, though the overall tone remains cautious.

"Resistance is placed at Rs 2,40,000Rs 2,43,000. A breakout could push prices towards Rs 2,45,000Rs 2,47,000. On the downside, a break below Rs 2,36,000 may accelerate selling towards the Rs 2,33,000Rs 2,30,000 range," they added.

According to analysts, the bias remains mildly positive, supported by macro factors, although momentum appears tentative and requires confirmation for a sustained uptrend.

In the international market, COMEX gold traded in negative territory, falling over 1 per cent to $4,718.60, while spot gold was nearly flat at $4,718, up 0.04 per cent.

Similarly, COMEX silver declined 3.26 per cent to $72.92, while spot silver was at $73.77, down 0.46 per cent.

Among energy commodities, Brent crude futures were up 3.31 per cent at $97.89 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude traded at $98.38, up around 4 per cent from the previous close.

-- Syndicated from IANS
Jaipur, April 9 : Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday extended his heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on the Foundation Day of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), recalling his deep-rooted association with the organisation and its legacy of student activism.

"I firmly believe that the NSUI, a fearless voice that consistently rises to defend the rights and interests of students, will continue to strengthen democratic values in our country," Gehlot said.

Reminiscing about his early political journey, Gehlot fondly recalled his tenure as the first NSUI President in Rajasthan, describing it as a formative phase that shaped his commitment to public life.

"As the first President of NSUI Rajasthan, I share a deep emotional bond with this organisation. Those days were filled with energy, purpose, and a strong belief in democratic ideals," he noted.

He also highlighted his personal contribution to the organisation's identity, adding, "I had the opportunity to be involved in designing the NSUI flag and logo, which remains a matter of pride for me even today."

Gehlot emphasised that student organisations like NSUI have historically played a crucial role in nurturing leadership and safeguarding democratic principles on campuses.

He expressed concern over the current environment in higher educational institutions, where, he said, divisive politics is increasingly being encouraged. "Today, at a time when attempts are being made to create divisions within campuses, the role of NSUI becomes even more important. Its continued struggle against such forces is truly commendable," he said.

Calling upon young students to actively participate in constructive and value-based politics, Gehlot urged them to uphold the spirit of unity, inclusiveness, and dialogue.

The veteran Congress leader stressed that student platforms should remain spaces for healthy debate and progressive thinking.

Reiterating his confidence in the organisation, he said, "NSUI has always stood for the voice of students and the protection of democratic rights. I am confident it will continue to carry forward this legacy with strength and determination."
New Delhi, April 9 : Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Thursday extended greetings to personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force on CRPF Shaurya Diwas, while also drawing attention to "long-standing concerns" within the forces and assuring that a Congress-led government would address these issues.

He said that a Congress government will ensure fair promotions, leadership opportunities, and enhanced recognition for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel.

In a post on X, Gandhi said, "Heartfelt congratulations and respectful salutations to the brave and valiant personnel of our force on CRPF Valour Day. Your courage and sacrifice protect our country every day. By remaining deployed on the borders, you keep the nation secure, confront terrorism and Naxalism head-on, and ensure the greatest festival of democracy, elections, remains peaceful and safe."

CRPF Shaurya Diwas is commemorated annually on April 9 to honour the exceptional bravery and supreme sacrifice of CRPF personnel. The day marks a historic episode in 1965, when a small contingent of CRPF jawans successfully repelled an attack by a Pakistani brigade at Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.

He went on to stress that paying tribute must go beyond symbolic gestures. "True homage is not merely through words," he said, adding that despite years of dedication and sacrifice, CAPF personnel "neither receive timely promotions nor the right to lead their own force -- because the top positions are reserved for those from outside the force".

Highlighting the expertise of CAPF personnel, Gandhi said, "CAPF personnel possess specialised training, ground experience, and deep strategic insight -- which is why, from the perspective of national security as well, it is essential that the leadership of these forces comes from within the same system, from people who truly understand their challenges and needs."

He further remarked, "From being deprived of leadership opportunities to long-pending issues related to pay, welfare, and respect, this institutional injustice wounds the morale of those personnel who dedicate their lives to the nation's security."

Describing the matter as one that goes beyond professional growth, Gandhi said, "This is not just a question of career progression, but one of justice and dignity."

Reaffirming his party's position, he added, "The Congress Party and I hold you in the highest regard and love you deeply, and we believe that your advancement within your force, top leadership roles, and the respect you deserve are your rightful due -- upon coming to power, our government will end this discriminatory system and ensure CAPF personnel receive their full rights."

"The nation is indebted to you heroes; now is the time for justice to be served in your favour," Gandhi added.

Gandhi has consistently voiced opposition to the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026, repeatedly highlighting what he describes as stagnation in career growth and denial of leadership roles for non-IPS officers within Central Armed Police Forces.

He criticised what he termed as an institutional bias that reserves senior leadership positions for officers of the Indian Police Service, despite CAPF personnel being at the forefront of border security, counter-Naxal operations, and election duties.

Earlier, on April 1, the Rajya Sabha passed the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026. The legislation formalises the deputation of IPS officers to senior leadership roles in CAPFs, reserving 50 per cent of Inspector General posts, 67 per cent of Additional Director General posts, and all Special Director General and Director General positions for IPS officers.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bhopal, April 9 : Wheat procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) will begin on Thursday in parts of Madhya Pradesh, while the Opposition Congress will stage a statewide protest over the alleged delay in the procurement process this year.

Procurement will start in the Indore, Ujjain, Bhopal and Narmadapuram divisions, while the remaining regions Jabalpur, Rewa, Sagar and Shahdol are scheduled to begin from April 15.

The Centre has fixed the procurement rate at Rs 2,585 per quintal for the current season and the state government will provide a bonus amount of Rs 40 per quintal. Thus, farmers will receive a total Rs 2,625 per quintal for their wheat crops.

Farmers visiting the procurement centres will be welcomed by the officials and the entire process will be monitored from the control room set up at the Chief Minister's Office.

"Honouring the hard work of farmers to fetch better prices in the Indore, Ujjain, Bhopal, and Narmadapuram divisions. Wheat procurement at MSP begins today," Chief Minister Mohan Yadav wrote on Thursday morning.

The Chief Minister on Wednesday had stated that procurement centres across the state have been equipped with improved facilities to ensure a hassle-free experience for farmers arriving to sell their produce.

To streamline operations, help desks are being set up at procurement centres, while control rooms have been established at the district level.

District administrations have been instructed to disseminate information through pamphlets and hoardings at procurement centres, ensuring that farmers are aware not only of procurement procedures but also of various welfare schemes available to them.

Basic amenities such as drinking water and shaded waiting areas are being arranged at procurement centres to ease the burden on farmers during peak procurement days.

However, the rollout has not been without controversy. The Congress and its Kisan wing have announced a statewide protest, accusing the government of delaying the commencement of procurement and causing inconvenience to farmers.

Congress leaders and workers have planned to gherao Collector offices across the state.

Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Jitu Patwari and Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Umang Singhar will participate in the protest in Chhatarpur district.

The twin developments of procurement rollout and political protests set the stage for a closely-watched wheat season in the agrarian state.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Grief continues to engulf Zimbabwe following another tragic road accident that claimed the lives of four members of a Bulawayo family, just days after a separate crash killed six members of the Mujuru family during the Easter holidays.Tumelo Dube (33), a lance corporal attached to the Presidential Guard, died alongside his wife, Antonate Sibonginkosi Mashava Dube, and their two young children, eight-year-old Itumele and one-year-old Lorisana. The accident occurred along the HarareBulawayo Road, about 10km after Shangani, as the family travelled from Harare to Bulawayo. The children later succumbed to injuries in hospital.The tragedy comes amid heightened concern over road safety, with the Zimbabwe Republic Police reporting 30 fatalities during the Easter holiday period, despite a drop in overall accidents.A military funeral parade was held in Bulawayo in honour of Lance Corporal Dube at the State House Presidential Barracks, recognising his service in the Zimbabwe National Army. Chief mourner Tongai Hove described him as a disciplined and loyal soldier.Dube, born in 1993 in Gwanda, joined the army in 2012 and served in multiple units before being assigned to the Presidential Guard's VIP Close Security Unit as a driver. He was awarded honours including the Independence Medal and the 10 Years' Service Medal.Family members suspect the crash may have involved a hit-and-run, citing vehicle debris found some distance from the scene. Local villagers were the first to respond, but three occupants had already died, while one child later passed away in hospital.Relatives described Dube as a responsible and humble family man who was in the process of building a home for his family.The four will be laid to rest at their ancestral home in rural Gwanda, as the nation continues to grapple with the devastating impact of recurring road accidents.
Puducherry, April 9 : Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy cast his vote in the 2026 Puducherry Assembly elections on Thursday and expressed confidence that his party would secure a clear victory.

Continuing his long-standing tradition, Rangaswamy arrived at the polling station on his motorcycle. After casting his vote, he spoke exclusively to IANS and said, "We will get more seats and surely win the election."

Rangaswamy is contesting from the Thattanchavady and Mangalam Assembly constituencies.

Rangaswamy has served multiple terms as Chief Minister -- from 2001 to 2008, 2011 to 2016, and again since 2021. Between 2016 and 2021, he served as the Leader of the Opposition.

Meanwhile, polling started on a smooth note across Puducherry early in the morning, as voters turned up steadily at polling stations to cast their ballots for the 30-member Assembly. The union territory currently has a 33-member Assembly, of which 30 members are elected by the public.

At present, Puducherry is governed by an alliance between the All India N.R. Congress and the BJP. As the electoral process began, BJP state President V.P. Ramalingame voiced optimism about the NDA's prospects.

Speaking to IANS, Ramalingame said, "Today is a very good day. All the citizens are showing great interest in voting for our nation. Everything is going very well. NDA is going to form the government."

Ramalingame is contesting from the Raj Bhavan (General) Assembly constituency, where he faces competition from Congress candidate R. Kumaran and DMK nominee Vignesh Kannan, making it a closely watched contest.

On the other hand, the Congress party also projected confidence in its chances, asserting that the electorate is looking for a shift in governance. The party accused the current BJP-led administration of widespread corruption and governance failures.

Congress leader and former Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy, after casting his vote, told IANS, "I exercise my democratic right by going to the booth and standing in the queue to vote. It is the duty of every citizen of India to go and cast their vote. In Puducherry, the situation is very favourable for the INDIA bloc."

Polling commenced at 7 a.m. across 1,099 polling stations and is scheduled to continue until 6 p.m. Officials have indicated that all necessary arrangements are in place to ensure a peaceful and orderly voting process.

With all major political players in the fray, the election is expected to witness a keen contest as parties compete to secure control of the Union Territory.
Dhaka, April 9 : Bangladesh's Awami League has strongly denounced a parliamentary bill that effectively bans the party, terming the move a "disgraceful act" and a direct attack on democratic norms.

Dhaka, April 9 (IANS) Bangladesh's Awami League has strongly denounced a parliamentary bill that effectively bans the party, terming the move a "disgraceful act" and a direct attack on democratic norms.

The remarks came after the parliament passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2026 on Wednesday without altering the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 issued by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

Under the ordinance, the interim government amended the anti-terrorism law to bar all activities of the Awami League until the trial of the party and its leaders at the International Crimes Tribunal is completed.

Criticising the bill, the Awami League said, "The National Parliament of Bangladesh has been disgraced." A shameful chapter has been written in history. Through a so-called election, a parliament was formed which, disregarding democratic culture and values, has passed a bill banning the historic political party that led Bangladesh in the Liberation Warthe Bangladesh Awami League."

"The National Parliament is a sacred institution. It represents the spirit of democratic culture in the country. Yet, it has been used in this manner to establish the dominance of anti-independence and anti-state forces. Such a decision is not merely targeted at a single political party; rather, it is a direct attack on democratic practices, a fair political system, and the fundamental rights of the people," it added.

Expressing concern, the party said that the attempt to ban a political institution built through history, tradition, and struggle undermined the very spirit of democracy and pushes the country towards a "one-party or authoritarian path".

It added that the move constitutes "hostility toward history itself," which the people of Bangladesh would never accept.

The party emphasised that "repression, bans, or the misuse of law" can never bring lasting solutions; rather, they create "instability and division in society and hinder democratic culture."

The Awami League called upon all pro-democracy citizens, political parties, civil society, professional organisations, and the youth of Bangladesh to unite in the "struggle for democratic rights, freedom of expression, and the rule of law".

"The victory of the people and democracy is inevitable. Inspired by history and strengthened in our beliefs, we will continue our movement and struggle," the party concluded.

--IANS

scor/rs
Islamabad, April 9 : People in Pakistan's Karachi continue to pay increased fares while using public transport as bus owners have been ignoring a Sindh government order to freeze fares in return for a fuel subsidy, local media reported on Thursday.

Transporters, including operators of buses, minibuses, Qingqi rickshaws, school vans and goods carriers, continue to ask for higher fares. After the government issued subsidy orders, many people in Karachi were expecting that transport owners would roll-back fares to pre-conflict levels, especially after transport bodies reportedly agreed to revert rates, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported. However, the government's plan to protect people from increased transportation fare triggered by fuel price fluctuations is yet to provide tangible relief.

Speaking to Dawn, a passenger who chose not to take a bus after being told that the minimum fare was Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 50, said such experiences had become routine after increase in petroleum prices.

He said, "I used to pay PKR 20, sometimes PKR 30, for a short distance. Now they are demanding double. Is this justified? Have fuel prices doubled? Absolutely not. Then why are fares being doubled?"

Another passenger said he was asked to pay either increased fare or get off the vehicle when he told a conductor about the government's order. He questioned the government over non-implementation of their fare freeze order and asked what action would be taken against transporters violating directives issued by the authorities.

Shahbaz, a college student, said the rise in prices had significantly impacted his finances. He said, "I work part-time to support my education, but the additional Rs60 in daily commuting costs has become a burden," adding that he now walks at least two kilometres each way to manage expenses, Dawn reported.

Parents of schoolchildren have also mentioned about the hike in van fees, with some reporting an increase of PKR 1,000 to 2,000 per month. A parent said, "For families with two or three school-going children, this increase is not manageable. Transport alone is now taking up a significant portion of our monthly budget."

Meanwhile, residents in Peshawar and other parts of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were facing difficulties due to acute shortage of natural gas as CNG stations remained shut across the province on April 5.

Majority of school van and bus operators had suspended their services due to unavailability of CNG while public transporters have increased fares after they started using petrol, placing further financial burden on residents, Pakistan's another leading daily The Express Tribune reported.

CNG filling stations remained closed for the second consecutive day in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 5. Several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa experienced unannounced loadshedding of natural gas, further increasing the problems for domestic and commercial consumers.

The closure of CNG stations had forced many vehicles to either stop operations or run at higher price of petrol, causing further hike in transport fares. School transporters are among the worst impacted as they have said that running vehicles on petrol is beyond their capacity, leaving them with no option except to disrupt their services, The Express Tribune reported. Parents had voiced concern over the suspension of school transportation, fearing it would impact education and daily routine of children.
Dispur, April 9 : As the Assam Assembly elections went underway, leaders and candidates from the BJP and the Congress on Thursday cast their votes and expressed confidence of securing victory, while urging citizens to participate actively in the democratic process.

Former MP and BJP candidate from Dispur, Pradyut Bordoloi, cast his vote at the north section of the Marikalong High School polling station. Speaking to reporters, he said, "I have just cast my vote. I could not transfer my voting rights when I decided to file my nomination from Dispur, which is why I came here to vote."

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also exercised his franchise and expressed optimism about his party's prospects.

"We will be able to build a new Assam. If we come to power, we will preserve Assam's traditions and culture, and also work to stop migration," he said.

Another Congress MP, Rakibul Hussain, said he voted along with his family.

"I have come here to cast my vote and fulfill my democratic duty. I will not say anything that goes against the democratic process," he added.

BJP candidate from the Udharbond constituency, Rajdeep Goala, extended his wishes to voters and encouraged participation.

"I urge everyone to exercise their democratic rights. I hope Assam continues on the path of development, and that voters will support the BJP for the progress of the state," he said.

Congress candidate from Majuli, Indranil Pegu, described the polling day as a celebration of democracy.

"Today is a moment of joy for our democracy, as people are coming out in large numbers to cast their votes," he said.

BJP candidate from Sadiya, Bolin Chetia, expressed confidence in his party's support base.

"Assam and especially the youth are with the BJP, as they trust the government's work," he said.

BJP leader Manab Deka highlighted the festive atmosphere during polling.

"Elections in Assam are celebrated like a festival. I wish everyone well and appeal to all citizens to come out and vote," he said, also apologising for any harsh remarks made during campaigning.

AJP (Congress alliance) candidate Kunki Chowdhary emphasised the need for change.

"People have come out to bring real change. To transform the system, one must be a part of it," he said.

BJP candidate Mridul Kumar Dutta said he was delighted to vote for the first time as a candidate and praised the high voter turnout. Surya Rongphar, another BJP candidate, also expressed confidence, stating that public enthusiasm indicates support for the party.

NDA candidate from Bokakhat, Atul Bora, called the day memorable. "We have worked hard for this moment. It is encouraging to see women and young voters participating enthusiastically. Voting is both a constitutional and democratic right," he said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Jaipur, April 9 : A 41-kilometre-long North-South metro corridor from Prahladpura to Todi Mod has been approved for Jaipur under Phase-II of the metro project. The corridor, described by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma as the city's future lifeline, will connect key industrial and residential hubs from Sitapura to VKIA, ensuring safe, efficient, and convenient public transport.

The project, estimated to cost over Rs 13,037 crore, will comprise 36 stations and be implemented by Rajasthan Metro Rail Corporation Limited (RMRCL), a 50:50 joint venture between the Centre and the state government, said officials.

"This corridor will act as Jaipur's lifeline, connecting major industrial and residential hubs from Sitapura to VKIA and ensuring safe, efficient, and convenient transport for the public," Sharma said.

The corridor will provide seamless connectivity to key locations, including Sitapura Industrial Area, VKIA, Jaipur Airport, Tonk Road, SMS Hospital, Ambabari, and Vidhyadhar Nagar. Underground stations are also planned in the airport zone to ensure an integrated metro network.

Currently, Jaipur Metro's Phase I spans 11.64 km from Mansarovar to Badi Chaupar with 11 stations. The new phase will significantly expand connectivity, reduce traffic congestion, and strengthen Jaipur's urban transport system. The Union Cabinet, on Wednesday, approved Jaipur Metro Phase-II, while the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has cleared the revised cost of the Pachpadra Refinery.

The corridor will provide seamless connectivity to key locations, including Sitapura Industrial Area, VKIA, Jaipur Airport, Tonk Road, SMS Hospital, Ambabari, and Vidhyadhar Nagar. Underground stations are also planned in the airport zone to ensure an integrated metro network.

The Cabinet Committee has also approved the revised cost of Rs 79,459 crore for the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery at Pachpadra.

Sharma added that the refinery will boost industrial development and generate over 25,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities, contributing significantly to the state's economic growth.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma termed the decisions historic and expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, stating that they would accelerate the state's holistic development.
Mumbai, April 9 : The Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday said the party candidate Akash More is expected to withdraw his nomination from the Baramati bypoll.

He told reporters, "Following discussions between the state president and key leaders yesterday, a consensus emerged that the party should withdraw. The state president is currently conveying these sentiments to the Central High Command, and a final decision is expected once their permission is granted."

Wadettiwar's statement comes when the last date for withdrawal is Thursday at 3 p.m. There are 47 contestants, including NCP candidate and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, Congress nominee Akash More, in the Baramati bypoll. The election was necessitated following the untimely demise of the former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 28.

Wadettiwar's announcement comes hours after Dy CM Sunetra Pawar urged the state Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal to withdraw the party nominee. Similarly, NCP(SP) legislators met Sapkal this morning and urged him to withdraw the Congress nominee, paving the way for the unopposed election of Sunetra Pawar.

Incidentally, NCP(SP) Chief Sharad Pawar has held discussions with the Congress High Command. CM Devendra Fadnavis personally telephoned Congress State President Harshvardhan Sapkal, requesting his cooperation to make the election unopposed.

Internal deliberations within the Congress party are also at a peak. NCP(SP) Working President Supriya Sule also requested the Congress party to withdraw its nominee.

Commenting on the situation, Wadettiwar stated, "Considering that Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar is contesting and assessing the overall local sentiment, we believe it is best to stop our progression in this election. Our local leaders have reached a consensus. We are in talks with the High Command, and once we receive their orders, the formal process will be completed."

Wadettiwar further noted that the NCP has repeatedly requested an unopposed election. He highlighted that many people hold deep respect and love for Ajit Pawar, viewing him as a premier leader in Maharashtra, and since a member of his immediate family is contesting, many feel the seat should not be contested.

Despite Wadettiwar's public announcement regarding the withdrawal, sources indicate that an official decision has not yet been finalised. There appears to be a lack of coordination within the Congress party, as Wadettiwar made the announcement before the High Command reached a definitive conclusion.

Currently, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is engaged in high-level discussions with senior leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala and State President Harshvardhan Sapkal, regarding the withdrawal from Baramati.

Wadettiwar reiterated, "The State president received numerous calls from the ruling parties and even from the candidate, Sunetra Pawar. Looking at the overall situation and everyone's feelings, we have decided to step back."
Bengaluru, April 9 : The Special Court for MLAs/MPs in Bengaluru has adjourned the pronouncement of its judgment to April 15 in the murder case of BJP leader and Zilla Panchayat member Yogesh Gowda, in which sitting Dharwad Rural Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni is an accused.

The case dates back to 2016 and the court will also decide the fate of 21 other accused in connection with the incident.

The court was scheduled to deliver the verdict today. It stated that the pronouncement of the judgment is in its final stage. Counsels representing both sides have submitted thousands of pages of Supreme Court judgments in reference to this case.

Vinay Kulkarni and the other accused persons were present in court.

Vinay Kulkarni is listed as accused number 15. The case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the state government. At the time the allegations surfaced, Kulkarni was serving as a minister and district incharge minister.

Yogesh Gowda was hacked to death by a group of assailants at a gym in Dharwad city on June 15, 2016. He had politically challenged Kulkarni, and the incident soon took a worse turn.

Kulkarni was arrested in 2020 and released on bail in 2021. He was accused of influencing witnesses, following which the CBI sought cancellation of his bail, alleging violation of bail conditions. The court accepted the plea and revoked his bail.

Subsequently, Kulkarni, who is currently the Chairman of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board, surrendered before the authorities and was recently released on bail again.

It may be recalled that Kulkarni was accused of conspiring in the murder of Yogesh Gowda. At the time, he was a Cabinet minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government. Although his name surfaced, no action was initially taken against him.

The BJP later made it a major issue, with former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa vowing at election rallies that Kulkarni would be sent to jail if the BJP came to power.

The case was subsequently handed over to the CBI, and Kulkarni was arrested. He spent more than nine months in jail before securing bail from the Supreme Court.
New Delhi, April 9 : In recent months, multiple arrests have been made in connection with an alleged Pakistan Inter-Service Intelligence-backed espionage racket operating in India. Investigators say a wide network of operatives had been assembled to gather information on public spaces and defence establishments.

Officials note that while Pakistan's intelligence agency has long attempted to recruit assets in India, its methods are evolving. A striking feature of the latest network is the significant number of juveniles involved.

"Recruiting juveniles offers several advantages," an official said.

A juvenile is defined as a person below 18 years of age and is governed by the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, or JJ Act. Such individuals cannot be lodged in regular jails or police lock-ups, and their identity is protected. While the 2015 amendment permits those aged 16 to 18 accused of heinous offences to be tried as adults after an assessment of their mental and physical capacity, they cannot be awarded life imprisonment or the death penalty.

The ISI appears to be exploiting provisions of the JJ Act while recruiting juveniles for espionage. These networks also include adult operatives who guide and supervise the juveniles in carrying out assigned tasks.

Further details on the use of juveniles emerged during the investigation into a module allegedly set up by Meerut-based operative Suhel Malik. He is said to have built a network of 21 individuals, including nine juveniles. They were tasked with installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at railway stations and security force installations in Sonipat, Delhi, and other locations. The objective, investigators said, was to relay live feeds to ISI-backed handlers in Pakistan.

By taking advantage of laws governing juveniles, ISI-backed handlers found it easier to recruit and control them. Investigators observed a pattern in which many were lured with small amounts of money. Some recruits, aged 16 to 17, were already struggling with substance use, and the payments were sufficient to meet their needs.

An official said juveniles are often drawn to the idea of power and belonging to a gang. Malik allegedly convinced them that they were working for a powerful group and that such tasks would enhance their status.

"This became a key selling point, and many fell for it," the official added.

They were told that installing CCTV cameras at sensitive locations was part of a major heist, which impressed them and made them willing to carry out the assignments.

Another official said some of the juveniles were later told that they were working for the ISI and not a criminal gang. "This made little difference to them, as they were drawn by the money that they were earning, much of which was spent on drugs," the official added.

Investigators also noted that heavy use of mobile phones and the internet made communication easier. The recruits were added to online groups such as "Lawrence Bishnoi007", which gave them a sense of identity and influence. Being part of such groups reinforced their belief that they were involved in something significant.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that the ISI is expected to continue this recruitment pattern. The use of juveniles may not remain limited to espionage, as they could also be drawn into terror groups and tasked with carrying out attacks.

"They may further be used extensively to provide logistical support for such activities," the official warned.
New Delhi, April 9 : In a major revelation, the security agencies have found that the ISI has directed its existing operatives in Jammu and Kashmir to set up modules in multiple states in Northern India.

The remaining operatives who are hiding in Jammu and Kashmir have been instructed to set up modules in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. An Intelligence Bureau official said that the purpose is to set up these modules and train the recruits to carry out attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.

The official added that running modules in Jammu and Kashmir has become tough since there is too much scrutiny following the Pahalgam attack. Following this attack, security has been tight, making it hard for the operatives to go about their business.

The ISI had even tried to activate its overground workers (OWGs), but owing to thorough scrutiny, the plan failed. Another official said that the lack of trained operatives and the fact that infiltrations have almost halted have made terror groups desperate. This explains why they are exploring multiple modules outside of Jammu and Kashmir, the official added.

Terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba feel that recruitment should not be limited to Jammu and Kashmir alone. There is a chance a module could be busted if they try to set up in the Union Territory. These terror groups feel that the scrutiny would be less in other states, and it would be a good idea to create new modules.

The plan is to recruit into these terror modules and then train operatives. The intention is to train these operatives and deploy them in Jammu and Kashmir. Moreover, these elements are trying to take advantage of the fact that infiltrating them into Jammu and Kashmir from Punjab, Haryana, or Uttar Pradesh would be easier.

An official said that nearly a thousand operatives are waiting in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir. These are battle-hardened terrorists, and if they manage to enter Jammu and Kashmir, the risks they pose would be very high.

After the Pahalgam attack, security is at an unprecedented high, and infiltrations through the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) have become next to impossible. The Indian armed forces are maintaining a state of very high alert to prevent infiltrations. Multiple attempts have been made since Operation Sindoor to enter Jammu and Kashmir, but they have failed.

More details about the setting up of modules in multiple states came out following the arrest of Abdullah alias Abu Hureira, an operative of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. He had managed to evade the security agencies for nearly 16 years. His arrest revealed that he was tasked with setting up inter-state modules.

The ISI is trying to set up a wider ecosystem beyond Jammu and Kashmir, an investigating official said. For terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Tayba, this is part of a revival strategy. Jammu and Kashmir is a major selling point for the outfit in order to recruit. Even in Pakistan, recruitment has dropped significantly post Operation Sindoor.

Outfits such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed have found it hard to revive owing to a lack of recruitment. Since Jammu and Kashmir remains a large selling point, the Lashkar-e-Taiba wants to step up operations in the Union Territory. A major attack in J&K will act as a major boost for the outfit, which would then sell the cause and rope in more youth.

Another official said that the inter-state modules would not just be involved in recruitment and training. They would be involved in providing logistics and also facilitating the movement of arms and ammunition. The agencies are putting up a coordinated effort across states to stop such activity, the official added.
Kolkata, April 9 : The 2021 electoral results of Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district of West Bengal will be replicated this time in the entire state, especially Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in South Kolkata, the Prime Minister said on Thursday.

"East Midnapore, especially Nandigram, in 2021, first proved that change is possible in West Bengal. The body language of the people of West Bengal this time is a signal that the results at Nandigram in 2021 will be replicated in the entire West Bengal, especially Bhabanipur," the Prime Minister said while addressing a campaign rally at Nandigram-adjacent Haldia in East Midnapore district.

In 2021, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, got elected, defeating the then Trinamool Congress candidate and West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee. Later, she got elected from Bhabanipur in a by-election and retained her chair as the Chief Minister for the third consecutive term.

This time, Adhikari is contesting simultaneously from Nandigram and Bhabanipur, and at Bhabanipur, he is pitted against the Chief Minister.

Addressing the rally at Haldia, the Prime Minister also said that because of the "cruel" Trinamool Congress-led state government, West Bengal is constantly going backwards, especially when the rest of the country is moving ahead.

"Several industrial units in Haldia, once a thriving industrial belt in the state, have shut shops during the current regime. But this time the wind of change is blowing in West Bengal, and there will surely be a change in West Bengal this time," the Prime Minister said.

He said that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in West Bengal after the elections later this month, there will be a definite strategy to generate employment for the youths in the state by organising regular Rozgar Mela (Employment Fair) as is done in other BJP-ruled states.

"Only a double-engine government of the BJP is necessary to take West Bengal forward," PM Modi said.

At the same time, he added, the 7th Pay Commission will be implemented in the state if the BJP comes to power in the state.

He also said that the BJP in West Bengal will be operating strictly by the Constitutional provisions, where each citizen will be delivered the services they are eligible for, and also their democratic rights will be protected.

According to him, the only issue that makes the Trinamool Congress ineligible to be in power anymore is the pathetic condition of women's safety in West Bengal. "Here, a woman doctor is not safe within the hospital where she is working. If any girl gets admitted to a law college to become a future advocate, she is tortured within her educational institution. The women of West Bengal want a respite from such a situation," the Prime Minister said.

He said that one of the most important agendas of the BJP is to free the state of illegal infiltrators and, at the same time, guarantee citizenship for religious refugees.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A student from the National University of Science and Technology has been selected as Zimbabwe's sole representative at the 4th BRICS+ Youth Innovation Summit 2026, marking a significant milestone for the country's emerging tech and geospatial innovation sector.The student, Thabani Singwango, will present a project titled "The National Mineral Intelligence Hub and Academy," which applies Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Artificial Intelligence to modernise mineral exploration and resource management.Singwango's project falls under the summit's Artificial Intelligence and Digitisation track and aims to improve how geological data is analysed to support more efficient and sustainable mining practices. The innovation is positioned as a tool that could strengthen Zimbabwe's mineral-rich economy through data-driven exploration.The summit will be held on 910 April 2026 at the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa, and is organised by the South African BRICS Youth Association (SABYA).Singwango was selected from a competitive pool of applicants across the BRICS+ and Global South network, making him the only Zimbabwean delegate at the event.He said the opportunity represents both a personal achievement and a national responsibility, emphasising the importance of showing that Zimbabwean youth are active contributors to global technological advancement.The summit will bring together diplomats, policymakers and youth innovators, including figures such as Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and other senior BRICS representatives. Participants will present solutions aimed at addressing global development challenges through innovation and technology.Singwango's participation highlights growing recognition of research emerging from Zimbabwean institutions, particularly in geospatial science, which is increasingly central to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.The presentation is expected to focus on building partnerships and scaling the proposed Mineral Intelligence Hub to support sustainable development across Zimbabwe and the broader BRICS+ region.
Gangtok, April 9 : The Army has so far rescued 135 stranded tourists from North Sikkim, where landslides have snapped road connectivity, officials said on Thursday. Defence spokesman Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said that the Indian Army's Trishakti Corps launched 'Operation Him Setu' to evacuate stranded tourists at Lachen in North Sikkim.

He said that the evacuation is being conducted in phases. So far, 135 tourists have been safely evacuated, along with 32 light vehicles and 10 motorcycles.

Approximately 1,000 tourists remain stranded in Lachen, with sustained efforts underway to ensure their safe evacuation at the earliest, the official added.

Army vehicles have been employed to tow civilian vehicles across steep and snowbound stretches, the spokesman said, adding that medical emergencies and citizens requiring assistance are being evacuated promptly.

According to Lt Col Rawat, a landslide has disrupted road connectivity between Lachen and Chungthang in North Sikkim, severely impacting movement in the region. Responding swiftly, the Trishakti Corps under Eastern Command of the Indian Army launched 'Operation Him Setu' to restore access and assist stranded tourists.

Despite severe weather and heavy snowfall, troops have opened critical passes and activated alternate routes to facilitate evacuation.

The Defence spokesman said that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is working in close coordination with the Trishakti Corps, undertaking continuous road clearance, snow removal, and restoration of connectivity under challenging weather and terrain conditions.

The Indian Army is also working closely with the civil administration, providing on-ground assistance, medical aid, and facilitating evacuation as conditions permit.

Another Army official stated, "Our foremost priority is the safety and well-being of every citizen. Our teams remain committed to providing all necessary assistance on the ground."

The situation continues to be closely monitored, the spokesman said.

A Sikkim government official also confirmed that multiple landslides have disrupted road connectivity between Lachen and Chungthang. The affected area lies close to the India-China border.
Guwahati, April 9 : Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika on Thursday expressed strong confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will return to power for a third consecutive term, urging voters to support the party while asserting that it remains committed to preserving the state's culture and accelerating its development.

Polling for the crucial Assembly elections in Assam began at 7 a.m. on Thursday, with voters turning out across constituencies to cast their ballots.

The electoral contest in the state is primarily between the BJP and the Congress, with the ruling BJP seeking to retain power for a third straight term, while the Congress is attempting to stage a comeback after being out of office since 2016.

Voting is being held for all 126 Assembly seats in the state, and the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

Speaking to IANS, Hazarika, who is contesting as the BJP candidate from the Jagiroad Assembly constituency, said, "The voting is underway. Around 90 per cent of voters are casting their votes in support of development, which means in support of the BJP, Himanta Biswa Sarma and PM Narendra Modi. I am confident that the results will be in favour of the BJP, and again, for the third time, we will form a government here."

He further appealed to the electorate, saying, "We (the BJP) have not compromised with the culture and development of Assam. We have only one thing on our minds and in our hearts, and that is to take Assam forward. The Chief Minister always thinks about the progress of the state. I request people to bless us and vote for us so that we can serve the people of Assam for five more years."

Hazarika made these remarks after offering prayers at a temple in Aahatguri before casting his vote, accompanied by his wife, actor Aimee Baruah.

Aimee Baruah also spoke about the voter turnout and public mood, telling IANS, "In Assam, you will see a lot of women, because if you go to any assembly in Assam. And it's not just the women, it's the blessings of the people. We want people to vote for us and support the development."

She added, "It feels good that people are coming to all the places from the morning. And during this campaign, I saw that people are very happy. People are with development."

Later arriving to cast his vote in Morigaon, Hazarika said, "This is my constituency, my home. The people of the village love me and bless me. I am confident that I will win with a good margin... Roads were very poor when I was not the MLA. We have brought one of the biggest industries in the Northeast so far -- a semiconductor industry set up by Tata, and it is here, in my constituency."

Hazarika further accused Congress of aligning with Bangladeshi forces.

"The condition of Congress is very poor. In reality, Congress is aligned with Bangladeshi groups. That is why people are angry. Many people are actually no longer supporting them. Many have already left Congress. This trend of leaving Congress will continue," he said.

Voting will continue until 5 p.m., with long queues reported at several polling stations since early morning. The tenure of the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly is set to conclude on May 20, adding significance to the ongoing electoral exercise.
Mumbai/Baramati, April 9 : In a dramatic turn of events, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has personally reached out to the opposition to negotiate the Baramati Assembly by-election. Thursday marks the final day for the withdrawal of nominations, and all eyes are on whether the high-stakes battle will turn into an unopposed win for the ruling alliance or a contest.

According to reliable sources, CM Fadnavis made a direct phone call to Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal. During the conversation, CM Fadnavis reportedly requested the Congress party to withdraw its candidate from the Baramati by-election to ensure the unopposed election of Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, who is contesting as the candidate for the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).

This move is being viewed as one of the most surprising incidents in recent state politics. It is perhaps the first time that a top leader from the ruling BJP has directly contacted the state head of the primary opposition party to seek a withdrawal of candidacy.

Similarly, the NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar spoke to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and discussed the withdrawal of the party's nominee in Baramati.

The Congress high command has informed Pawar that they are "positively considering" the proposal. Pawar told reporters, "The Congress has decided to contest the by-election in Baramati. It is a national party. We cannot tell them what to do, but coincidentally, this seat has become vacant after the demise of a capable representative from Maharashtra. If asked, I would advise Congress. It would be appropriate for this election to be held unopposed, but the decision is up to Congress."

This development follows a high-level meeting on Wednesday where Sunetra Pawar and key NCP leaders met with CM Fadnavis, who assured the party leadership that the full strength of the alliance would be behind her candidacy.

By reaching out to the Congress President, the Chief Minister has demonstrated his commitment to securing a smooth path for Sunetra Pawar.

The Congress party had previously maintained a firm stance on contesting the seat, refusing to back down. However, Congress has now decided to withdraw from the race, as stated by the Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar. The final announcement from the Congress party is expected soon after it gets a green signal from the party's high command, he said earlier.
New Delhi, April 9 : Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday asserted that the BJP-led NDA has "no credibility" in Kerala, describing it as a "zero-seat party," even as voting got underway across the state with an encouraging turnout.

New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday asserted that the BJP-led NDA has "no credibility" in Kerala, describing it as a "zero-seat party," even as voting got underway across the state with an encouraging turnout.

"I certainly don't think, and I have been making it very clear, that the NDA is a zero-seat party in Kerala. It has no credibility when it comes to any issue of government formation. There are barely two seats out of 140 where they are even considered as viable contenders," Tharoor told IANS after casting his vote.

He expressed satisfaction over the early voter turnout, calling it a positive sign for democracy. "So I've come to vote today in my usual booth, and I'm very pleased to see we've had a very good turnout. This looks like an election where Kerala voters are coming out in large numbers to vote, and that's a very good sign. It means that the people of Kerala are not leaving it to the political activists and cadres to come and decide" he said.

Highlighting the electoral prospects of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), Tharoor added, "Last time we had an opportunity to run the government in 2011, the people gave us a very, very narrow majority. This time I'm hoping for a better number, a more comfortable basis for our government to make a real difference."

He also dismissed the NDA's presence in the state, saying, "I've been running through the state. I haven't seen very many signs at all of any NDA credible presence. In a couple of constituencies out of 140, people say they have a chance; they're viable. But these are all three-cornered fights where UDF, LDF and NDA are all fighting. So I would not at all assume that the NDA would have any chance even of guaranteed victory anywhere."

Polling is underway across all 140 constituencies in Kerala, with voters turning out in significant numbers, making it one of the most closely-watched elections in the state in recent years.

Meanwhile, Tharoor also commented on the Women's Reservation Bill. He reiterated the Congress party's stance: "We are the ones who initiated it. It was actually Sonia Gandhi who brought the first Women's Reservation Bill during the UPA government. So we want women's reservation  the question is what is the mechanism, what is the change they want to bring? We have seen media rumours; we have not seen the Bill."
Hyderabad, April 9 : Police have advised all media houses, digital platforms, and individuals to refrain from publishing or circulating any content that may disclose or lead to the identification of a trainee pilot who alleged sexual assault by a former flight instructor at a pilot training institute in Hyderabad.

C.H. Sridhar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Malkajgiri Zone, Malkajgiri Police Commissionerate, said on Thursday that it has come to their notice through the victim and their family that certain unverified and misleading information is being circulated in connection with the sexual assault case.

The DCP stated that the case is under investigation and all due procedures as per law are being followed. At this stage, any form of speculation or unverified information may affect the investigation and cause unnecessary distress.

The police requested the public and media to note that, as per Section 72 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (corresponding to Section 228A IPC), disclosure of the identity of a rape victim, directly or indirectly, is a punishable offence.

The Supreme Court in Nipun Saxena vs Union of India (2018) has prohibited disclosure of any details that may lead to the identification of the victim, including family particulars, place of residence, educational institution, or workplace.

It has also been emphasised that even indirect disclosure, such as mentioning the training institution, locality, or family details, which may reveal the identity of the victim, should be strictly avoided.

The DCP advised media houses and digital platforms to refrain from publishing or circulating any content that may disclose or lead to the identification of the victim, her family, or the work/study places, etc.

He asked them to remove/delete any such content, if already uploaded or shared on digital platforms, including YouTube and other social media channels.

Begumpet police have booked a former flight instructor at an aviation academy for rape after a female trainee pilot accused him of violating her.

As per the victimas complaint, he had lured her by offering to help her get a good score in the course and, in exchange, sought sexual favours. She alleged that the offence took place last year.

Based on her complaint, police registered a case under Sections 64(2)(f) and 351(2) of the BNS and launched an investigation.

The 30-year-old accused is said to be in his native place in Kerala.
Lucknow, April 9 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, on Thursday said that ensuring the income, dignity and long-term sustainability of weavers remains a top priority for the state government, underlining the need for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to address challenges faced by the sector.

Chairing a review meeting of the Handloom Department, Chief Minister Adityanath said, "Weavers are not just carriers of tradition but also a strong pillar of the stateas economy. Therefore, ensuring their income, dignity, and livelihood stability is among the governmentas top priorities."

He noted that weavers currently face challenges such as rising raw material costs, lack of modern design and technology, and limited market access.

"Such challenges cannot be resolved through schemes alone. A robust, result-oriented and cluster-based system must be developed," he said, directing officials to prepare a practical action plan focussed on cluster-based development.

During the meeting, officials informed that around 1.99 lakh weavers are engaged in the sector in the state, with Uttar Pradesh ranking sixth nationally.

The state has a leading position in the production of carpets, durries and mats, along with a strong presence in bedsheets, furnishings, and blankets.

In 2024-25, Indiaas total handloom exports stood at Rs 1,178.93 crore, of which Uttar Pradesh contributed Rs 109.40 crore, accounting for about 9.27 per cent.

Emphasising the need to identify weaver-dominated regions, the Chief Minister directed the development of clusters that integrate production, quality control, and marketing. He said these clusters should function on a value chain model, covering design, branding, packaging and market access rather than being limited to production alone.

The meeting also discussed cluster selection, baseline surveys, preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), implementation and monitoring. The Chief Minister suggested organising a limited number of weavers into registered units within each cluster to encourage collective production and marketing, while also linking them with modern technology, advanced tools and skill development programmes.

Highlighting the importance of design and market alignment, Yogi Adityanath stressed the effective implementation of mechanisms such as designer-cum-marketing executives and design houses or export agencies to enhance product quality and expand market reach.

He further called for greater use of digital platforms, e-commerce and branding initiatives to connect weavers directly with consumers.

Addressing concerns of powerloom weavers, the Chief Minister directed the Handloom Department and Power Corporation to jointly prepare an action plan to reduce electricity costs. He also emphasised the promotion of solar energy as a sustainable solution to lower power expenses and provide long-term relief.

Reiterating the importance of the weaving community, he said a balanced, transparent and practical policy is needed to provide real relief, revitalise the sector and strengthen the foundation of traditional weaving in Uttar Pradesh.

The meeting was attended by MSME, Khadi and Village Industries, Silk Industry, Handloom and Textile Minister Rakesh Sachan.
Raipur, April 9 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has highlighted the significant progress in eradicating Naxalism from the state during his recent three-day visit to Delhi, where he held meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Nitin Nabin.

Speaking to mediapersons, Chief Minister Sai credited Prime Minister Modi's guidance, the strong resolve of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the bravery of security forces for successfully rooting out Naxalism from the region.

On behalf of the people of Chhattisgarh, he expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for this achievement. Chief Minister Sai particularly focused on the Bastar region, which remained deprived of development for nearly four decades due to left-wing extremism.

He apprised the Prime Minister about the government's plans to accelerate progress in Bastar through the Bastar 2.0 development initiative. "During my time in Delhi, I met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed the Bastar 2.0 development initiative. With his guidance, we aim to promote development in Bastar, enhance agriculture, increase the value of forest produce, and boost animal husbandry, fish farming, tourism, and homestay projects. I am grateful to the Prime Minister and to the people of Chhattisgarh, especially the residents of Bastar, who have waited decades for development," the Chief Minister said.

The Bastar 2.0 plan aims to bring infrastructure, employment, and basic amenities to the tribal-dominated region now that peace has been restored.

The Chief Minister's Delhi visit is seen as a step towards securing central support for transforming Bastar into a model of inclusive development.

Bastar, which was once severely affected by left-wing extremism, has witnessed a remarkable improvement in the security situation in recent years. With the near elimination of Naxal influence, the state government is now shifting focus from security operations to large-scale socio-economic development.

The Bastar 2.0 plan represents the next phase of this transformation, aiming to turn the region into a hub of infrastructure, innovation, startups, tourism, and sustainable livelihoods for its predominantly tribal population.

The initiative lays special emphasis on modernising agriculture through better irrigation and advanced farming techniques. It also seeks to add significant value to minor forest produce such as tendu leaves and mahua by improving processing, packaging, and market linkages, thereby increasing income for local tribal families.

Animal husbandry and fish farming will be expanded to create additional sustainable livelihood opportunities in remote areas, the chief minister said.

Tourism and homestay projects form a key pillar of the plan, with efforts to promote Bastar's natural beauty, cultural heritage, traditional arts, and festivals. This is expected to generate employment for local youth while bringing economic benefits to villages.

The development blueprint is guided by a core strategy of saturating basic services, improving connectivity, facilitating growth, empowering communities, and engaging local people in the development process.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister also discussed major infrastructure projects, including the expansion of Jagdalpur airport, progress on the Raoghat-Jagdalpur railway line, and the establishment of a super-specialty hospital and medical college in the region.

He has extended a formal invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Bastar after the monsoon season to lay the foundation stones for several key initiatives.
Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 : As polling for the Kerala Assembly elections are underway, BJP National Secretary Anil K. Antony on Thursday said that his party is the only political force currently witnessing an upward trajectory in the state and expressed confidence that it will eventually emerge as the largest party in the state.

Speaking to IANS, Anil K. Antony said, "We are very sure that the only party with an upward trajectory in Kerala right now is the BJP. The party already has an elected MP here, along with control over multiple municipalities and gram panchayats. We also govern the largest municipal corporation in the state, where we have both a mayor and a deputy mayor."

He further expressed optimism about the party's prospects in the ongoing elections, stating, "This time, we expect to see many MLAs from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, as we have strong candidates in every district. We are hopeful that many of them will win."

Antony added that the BJP is set to play a more prominent role in Kerala's political landscape after the elections.

"Following this election, you will see the party emerge as one of the prominent forces in Kerala politics. The BJP will continue its growth trajectory and, in time, will become the largest party in the state," he said.

Meanwhile, the polling process across Kerala witnessed a brisk start. In the first four hours, a significant turnout was recorded among the state's approximately 2.71 crore voters, who are set to decide the next government. Even before dawn, the electoral machinery was fully operational. By 5.30 a.m., all 30,471 polling booths had become functional, with officials conducting mandatory mock polling procedures.

Notably, nearly two lakh voters had already cast their votes through the home voting facility ahead of polling day.

Despite the official end of campaigning, candidates from all three major political fronts made last-minute efforts to reach out to undecided voters and key influencers, reflecting the high stakes and intense competition in this election.

Voters, meanwhile, expressed a desire for continued development and political stability, while also highlighting unemployment as a major concern in the state.
New Delhi, April 9 : Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan on Thursday administered the oath to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Parth Pawar as a newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) from Maharashtra at Parliament House.

Parth Pawar, 35, took the oath in English in the presence of the Leader of the House J. P. Nadda and Congress Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh and several other leaders.

He is the son of NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who passed away in a plane crash earlier this year.

Prior to Ajit Pawar's death, his wife Sunetra Pawar had been elected to the Rajya Sabha. Following the tragic incident, she assumed office as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and subsequently stepped down from the Upper House.

Parth Pawar was later elected to the Rajya Sabha with the backing of the NCP's strength in the state Assembly, where the party holds 40 MLAs. He had earlier contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Maval constituency but was defeated by Shiv Sena's Shrirang Barne.

In a parallel political development, NCP(SP) Legislator Rohit Pawar on Thursday met the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Harshwardhan Sapkal, urging him to withdraw the party nominee Akash More for an unopposed election of NCP candidate and state Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar in the April 23 Baramati by-election.

Rohit Pawar's plea is important as Thursday is the last date of withdrawal of nomination at 3 p.m. for the Baramati by-election in which 47 contestants have filed their nominations.

Pawar, after meeting Harshwardhan Sapkal, told reporters, "I made a request to the state Congress chief for the withdrawal of the party nominee, which will pave the way for the unopposed election of Sunetra Pawar in the Baramati bypoll. This is necessary as the bypoll is taking place after the untimely demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and the unopposed election will be a tribute to him. It is now up to the Congress party to make a decision. I am quite hopeful about the Congress party's move. It is a national party, and it will make a decision after the due process."

Rohit Pawar said that the Congress party has taken a stand that the state government should register an FIR in the plane crash in which former Dy CM Ajit Pawar died on January 28.

He further added that he has been pressing for the same for a long time, and ultimately, the FIR was filed in Karnataka with the help of the Congress government there.

During the meeting, Rohit Pawar facilitated a video call with Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala to discuss the sensitivity of the situation.

"Following the loss of a stalwart like Ajit Dada, it is essential to view this election through an emotional lens as a true tribute to him," Rohit Pawar stated.

"As a family member and a karyakarta, I have appealed to Congress to withdraw their nomination," he added.

Earlier, Sunetra Pawar had personally reached out to Harshvardhan Sapkal twice to request an unopposed path; the Maharashtra Congress leadership has deferred the final decision to the "High Command" in Delhi.

"The decision to contest Baramati was taken at the national level. Therefore, any move to withdraw must be discussed with the High Command and follow their counsel," a Congress source indicated.
Agartala, April 9 : Around 53 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1 p.m. in the by-election for Dharmanagar Assembly constituency in North Tripura district, and the balloting is underway amid tight security arrangements, election officials said.

An election official said that no untoward incident has been reported so far after the polling began at 7 a.m. at the 55 polling stations in the Assembly segment, which shares inter-state borders with Assam and Mizoram.

Before the voting started, voters turned out in large numbers, forming queues at most of the 55 polling stations across the Assembly constituency. Polling will continue uninterruptedly until 5 p.m. in the mixed-population constituency.

A total of 46,142 voters, including 23,758 women, are eligible to cast their votes to decide the electoral fate of six candidates. Election authorities, along with the state police, have put in place elaborate measures to ensure that the polling process remains free, fair, and transparent.

Out of the 55 polling stations, 11 are managed entirely by women personnel, while two stations each are operated by differently-abled staff and youth polling teams, reflecting efforts toward inclusive electoral participation.

The Dharmanagar Assembly constituency has remained a stronghold of either the Congress party or the BJP since 2008, with the CPI(M) last winning the seat in 2003. A multi-cornered contest has made the electoral battle highly competitive.

The six candidates in the fray include nominees from major political parties, smaller outfits, and an Independent contender. Key candidates include Jahar Chakraborti of the ruling BJP, Chayan Bhattacharjee of Congress, and Amitabha Datta representing the CPI(M)-led Left Front.

Datta, a former MLA, had won the seat in the 2003 Assembly elections. Chakraborti, 59, currently serves as the BJPas North Tripura district Vice-President. In addition, candidates from the Amra Bangalee party, SUCI, and an Independent aspirant are also contesting the bypoll, further intensifying the competition.

The Left Front and Congress, which had entered into a seat-sharing arrangement during the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections to jointly challenge the BJP, are contesting separately in this by-election, adding another dimension to the contest. Supported by the Left parties, Congress leader Chayan Bhattacharjee had earlier contested the Dharmanagar seat in 2023 but lost narrowly to BJP candidate Biswa Bandhu Sen by a margin of 956 votes.

The by-election was necessitated following the demise of sitting MLA and Tripura Assembly Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen, who passed away on December 26, 2025, at a private hospital in Bengaluru after a prolonged illness at the age of 72.

Sen had been elected to the Tripura Assembly four times -- twice as a Congress candidate in 2008 and 2013, and later in 2018 and 2023 as a BJP nominee from the same constituency.

The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has dismissed social media reports alleging that family members brought a coffin to Machipisa Police Station in Highfield to protest the death of a relative following a road traffic incident involving a police officer.In a statement, ZRP spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the reports were false and misleading, and confirmed that the deceased, 29-year-old Paswell Tichare of Hopley, Harare, died on 5 April 2026 at Unit H Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza after a long illness.He stressed that the death was not linked to any police action or a traffic accident involving law enforcement officers.According to police, on 7 April 2026, relatives and associates of the deceased collected the body for burial at Mbudzi Cemetery. The group, which included touts, reportedly transported the coffin on a Toyota Hiace and moved in convoy from Zengeza 4 towards Machipisa bus terminus.Police say the situation escalated when the group blocked traffic along Main Street, sang songs celebrating the deceased's touting activities, and engaged in reckless behaviour, including vehicle skidding.Officers intervened to restore order, after which the coffin was temporarily taken to Machipisa Police Station before being handed over to a funeral service vehicle to allow burial arrangements to continue.Four individuals - Godwin Mazenge, Michael Zhuwawo (30), Anna Chere (27), and Tawanda Mafaranyika (27) - were arrested for disorderly conduct. They have since been released after paying admission-of-guilt fines.Commissioner Nyathi urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information online, warning that misinformation can create unnecessary alarm.He also cautioned against the practice of parading coffins on public roads in ways that disrupt traffic, stating that offenders will face the full force of the law.
Bhopal/Ujjain, April 9 : A major controversy has erupted at Samrat Vikramaditya University in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, after a question in the Foundation Course examination paper for third-year B.Com, BBA, and BCA students sparked widespread outrage.

The disputed question, which appeared as Question No. 45 in the recent exams, stated, "There is no one other than Allah." It provided four multiple-choice options: Someshwar, Khuda, Shaktivan meaning the powerful, and Dand Dene Wala meaning the punisher.

Several organisations and Hindu groups quickly raised objections, describing the question as sensitive, biased, and inappropriate for a general foundation course in a secular academic environment.

They demanded strict action against the paper setter, arguing that it promoted one religious belief over others.

The issue gained significant attention on social media, with posts highlighting the question and calling for accountability from the university located in the sacred city of Ujjain.

Taking the matter seriously, the university administration has referred the issue to the Examination Committee for a thorough investigation.

Registrar Anil Sharma explained that the university's ordinances lay down a clear procedure for handling controversial or inappropriate questions.

The committee of subject experts will now examine whether the question aligns with the prescribed syllabus and academic standards. If any error is found, a notice will be issued to the concerned examiner, and further disciplinary action may follow as per the rules, he said.

The university has described this as purely an academic matter and stated that the final decision will depend solely on the committee's report after reviewing all aspects.

On social media platforms the controversy spread rapidly, with users and organisations sharing images of the question paper and criticising it as an attempt to push religious narrative in an educational setting.

As the Examination Committee begins its probe, students, faculty members, and various groups are awaiting clarity on whether the question will be deleted from evaluation and what consequences, if any, will be imposed on those involved.

The university has assured that the matter will be handled strictly according to established rules while maintaining academic neutrality.
Jalukbari, April 9 : As the Assembly elections are underway, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday expressed confidence that people will come out in large numbers to vote for the development of the state.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, CM Sarma said, "Today is election day in Assam. The weather is very good, and I believe that people will come out and vote in large numbers for the development of Assam."

Meanwhile, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also expressed optimism about the state's future.

Sarbananda Sonowal said, "They are very much hopeful that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, the next term will be even more exciting, full of development and full of upliftment of the state of Assam in every field of our efforts."

Meanwhile, the voter turnout in Assam Assembly elections was recorded at 38.92 per cent as of 11 a.m. on Thursday, according to data shared by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Assam is witnessing a high-voltage electoral battle on Thursday as polling is underway in all 126 Assembly constituencies, with the contest largely shaping up as a direct fight between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led opposition alliance. The ruling BJP, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is aiming to secure a third consecutive term in office, while the Congress party is attempting to stage a comeback after being voted out of power in 2016.

According to official data, a total of 722 candidates are in the fray. Prominent names include CM Sarma, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi. Polling has been taking place across 31,490 polling stations spread over 35 districts.

The electorate comprises around 2.50 crore eligible voters, including nearly 1.25 crore women and 318 voters from the third gender category.

Among political parties, the Congress has fielded the highest number of candidates at 99, followed by the BJP with 90. The AIUDF is contesting 30 seats, while NDA allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) have fielded 26 and 11 candidates, respectively. Other parties in the fray include Raijor Dal (13), AJP (10), CPI(M) (3), APHLC (2), AAP (18), UPPL (18), Trinamool Congress (22), and JMM (16), in addition to 258 Independent candidates.

The constituencies of Algapur-Katlicherra and Karimganj South have the highest number of candidates at 15 each. In contrast, nine seats -- Rangia, Jagiroad (SC), Hojai, Naduar, Jonai (ST), Doomdooma, Mahmora, Teok, and Lakhipur -- are witnessing straight contests with only two candidates each. Out of the total contestants, 59 are women, with the Congress fielding the highest number at 14, followed by the BJP with seven.

Counting of the votes is scheduled for May 4.
New Delhi, April 9 : Youth unemployment is emerging as a major problem in China which is raising a question mark on the Asian giant's "economic miracle." World Bank estimates put youth unemployment at about 17.7 per cent in 2025, reflecting slower job creation amid an increasing number of university graduates entering the labour market.

New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Youth unemployment is emerging as a major problem in China which is raising a question mark on the Asian giant's "economic miracle." World Bank estimates put youth unemployment at about 17.7 per cent in 2025, reflecting slower job creation amid an increasing number of university graduates entering the labour market.

Official data released in 2025 showed unemployment among those aged 1624 rising to 16.9 per cent. Social media amplified the issue when a PhD graduate revealed he had turned to food delivery work, while a gas company announced it was hiring graduates as meter readers, according to an article in Eurasia Review.

Each year, millions of new graduates join the job market, intensifying competition. In 2026 alone, China expects more than 12 million university graduates, prompting policymakers to look to new sectors  such as artificial intelligence  for job creation. Yet many graduates end up in temporary or low-paying jobs unrelated to their studies. Others rely on family support or delay major life decisions such as marriage, home ownership or starting a family, the article states.

Prominent economist Gao Shanwen at a recent investor conference described China's young people as "lifeless", remarks later scrubbed from the internet by censors. "China is now full of vibrant old people, lifeless young people and middle-aged people in despair. Young people are tightening their belts and eating noodles with the lights off," the article cites Gao as saying.

The article further states that across cities from Beijing to Chengdu, youngsters are seeing a sharp decline in purchasing power, uncertain employment prospects and an economic environment where the government increasingly relies on subsidies to stimulate consumption. For many young Chinese, the promise of prosperity that once accompanied education and hard work now feels increasingly distant.

It highlights that China has rolled out consumer subsidy programmes to encourage people to replace old household appliances, vehicles and digital devices. These programmes, which began in 2024, expanded significantly in 2025 and 2026 as part of a nationwide effort to revive weak demand.

"For a generation that once drove China's consumption boom, buying even moderately priced appliances without government assistance has become increasingly difficult. Subsidies are no longer just incentives; they are becoming a structural tool to prop up fragile demand," the article states.

The ripple effects of this uncertainty are visible across the consumer economy. Domestic demand remains soft despite stimulus efforts. Retail sales growth spikes during subsidy campaigns, but economists warn it is unsustainable, driven by government incentives rather than genuine consumer confidence.

OECD projections show China's growth slowing from about 5 per cent in 2025 to roughly 4.4 per cent in 2026, as aggregate demand declines due to cautious household spending and high savings rates.

The property sector once the backbone of household wealth  has also weakened. Falling housing prices and reduced investment have eroded household balance sheets, further discouraging spending. At the same time, questions have been raised about China's official growth rate figures.

Commentators note that the numbers are "systematically inflated" due to calculation methods, though they argue it is unlikely the central government manipulates the data directly, the article added.
Quetta, April 9 : At least one young man was killed, and several women were injured in a drone strike carried out by Pakistani forces in the Mastung district of Balochistan, local media reported on Thursday.

Citing reports, The Balochistan Post stated that Pakistani forces targeted a house in the Kurdgap area of Mastung with a drone, fatally injuring Abdul Samad, while women in the house were also wounded.

Abdul was transferred to Quetta for medical treatment when he succumbed to his injuries on the way.

Additionally, the women injured in the attack were shifted to Quetta for further medical care, following initial treatment at a local hospital.

In recent days, several Pakistani forces and Special Service Groups personnel were reportedly killed in attacks by Baloch armed groups in the area, prompting the forces to launch a large-scale operation, which is underway.

Reports suggest that this is not the first time that civilians were impacted by drone attacks by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, and underscores a recurring concern.

Several human rights organisations, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, as well as Baloch political parties, have voiced grave concern over the targeting of civilians in these attacks, calling on the government to act immediately to prevent further incidents in Balochistan.

Last week, at least three members of a Baloch family, including a child, were killed in mortar fire by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, according to leading human rights organisations.

Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, mentioned that the tragic incident occurred on the evening of March 31 in the Bungul Bazar area of Awaran district.

It added that Pakistani security forces deployed heavy weaponry, including mortar shelling, in areas close to civilian populations following an attack on a nearby military camp carried out by Baloch armed groups.

During this exchange, one mortar shell struck a residential house in Bungul Bazar, killing three members of the same family on the spot.

The deceased were identified as 60-year-old Muhammad Umar, 57-year-old Faiza, and their daughter, Mahzaib Baloch, a fifth-grade student.

Condemning the incident, the Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) said, "The incident highlights potential violations of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality, which obligate all parties to protect civilians and civilian objects."
Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 : In a significant moment underscoring India's electoral credibility, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has rolled out the red carpet for a high-powered international delegation to witness the Kerala Assembly elections under its International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP) 2026.

Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 (IANS) In a significant moment underscoring Indiaas electoral credibility, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has rolled out the red carpet for a high-powered international delegation to witness the Kerala Assembly elections under its International Election Visitorsa Programme (IEVP) 2026.

Kerala, on Thursday at 7 a.m, started to vote to elect 140 legislators.

A 43-member delegation representing 23 countries arrived in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the first phase of the IEVP.

The visit is aimed at providing a firsthand understanding of Indiaas robust and technology-driven electoral process.

The team also distributed sweets to first-time voters, as that was a new practice to energise the first-time voters, an initiative of the chief electoral officer, Rathan U.Khelkar, here.

In Kerala, the delegationas polling day itinerary on April 9 is tightly packed, reflecting the stateas diverse and inclusive election management model.

The observers began early at 6 a.m. with a mock poll at Booth No. 104 at Cotton Hill LPS, Vazhuthacaud, an exercise designed to demonstrate transparency and system integrity before the commencement of voting.

The team also visited a women-friendly polling station at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, followed by a model polling booth at Government Model GHSS, Pattom, both of which showcase enhanced voter participation.

A youth-managed booth at Government Girls HSS, Peroorkada, forms another key stop, highlighting efforts to actively involve younger citizens in the democratic process.

Beyond polling stations, the delegation visited the district collectorate control room to gain insights into backend coordination and real-time monitoring, critical components of managing elections at scale.

Officials said the initiative is intended not only to demonstrate Indiaas electoral efficiency and magnitude but also to facilitate the exchange of global best practices in election management.

The programme reinforces Indiaas standing as a benchmark in democratic governance.

Earlier, the ECI posted on X, "International delegates under the International Election Visitorsa Programme (#IEVP) visited polling stations in Kochi, Kerala, and witnessed the polls, celebrating the Festival of Democracy. They appreciated the large-scale and meticulous arrangements of the polls."

Voting began at 7 a.m. and will continue till 6 p.m. across more than 30,000 polling stations, where the fate of 883 candidates will be decided.

The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, which will determine who governs the state for the next five years.
Taipei, April 9 : Taiwan's National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen has described China's attempts to infiltrate Taiwan as 'systematic, planned and targeted', with strategy shifting from recruiting mid-level military officers to rank-and-file enlisted personnel, local media reported on Thursday.

In his remarks at a meeting of the legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defence Committee on Wednesday, Tsai said that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been using national security, intelligence operations and "united front" efforts to carry out intelligence gathering and espionage in Taiwan. He accused CCP of using specific networks to screen targets through exchange activities and recruiting local collaborators to set up intelligence-gathering organisations, Taiwan's leading daily Taipei Times, reported.

According to him, China is also shifting targets to lower-ranking military personnel. Citing investigations into suspected espionage cases, he said that the CCP in its initial infiltration attempts primarily tried to recruit "mid-level military officers" who had easier access to classified intelligence, however, CCP is now targeting noncommissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Meanwhile, a recent report released by the National Security Bureau (NSB) revealed that China is prepared to intervene in Taiwan's 'nine-in-one' local elections set to be held in November by launching attacks on the Taiwanese Government Service Network (GSN).

The report was submitted to the Legislative Yuan before the bureau's scheduled briefing at the Foreign Affairs and National Defence Committee last week, Taipei Times reported. Mentioning details regarding China's cognitive warfare against Taiwan, the bureau said that the national security team has found about 13,000 suspicious internet accounts and 860,000 disputed messages.

In the report, the bureau said that the disputed messages focus on major foreign affairs, national defence and economic issues, which were made using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and shared through Chinese state media, Internet trolls, suspicious accounts and content farms.

The bureau said the GSN was attacked over 173.28 million times during the first quarter of 2026, adding that the actions could be part of Chinese interference in the 'nine-in-one' elections. It said they were created for intelligence-gathering, surveillance and data theft purposes.

"For the elections at the end of this year, China is expected to intervene by adopting a hybrid approach, including spreading disputed content using AI-powered deep-fake technology, publishing false public opinion surveys and setting up illegal betting rings," the bureau said.

It mentioned that Beijing will also likely try to sway election results by inviting tour groups to China, paying for their travel expenses, and buying agricultural products from pro-China cities or counties.

According to the report, Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's airspace more than 420 times during the first quarter of 2026, Taipei Times reported. The bureau said these actions were coordinated with Chinese naval vessels to carry out 10 "joint combat readiness patrols" and were aimed to test operational capabilities against Taiwan through periodic drills.
Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 : Kerala's high-stakes Assembly election gathered remarkable momentum on Thursday, with nearly 50 per cent of the state's 2.71 crore electorate having exercised their franchise by 1 p.m., raising expectations that the final turnout could challenge long-standing records.

Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 (IANS) Keralaas high-stakes Assembly election gathered remarkable momentum on Thursday, with nearly 50 per cent of the stateas 2.71 crore electorate having exercised their franchise by 1 p.m., raising expectations that the final turnout could challenge long-standing records.

With polling set to close at 6 p.m., all eyes are now on whether the state will breach the elusive 80 per cent mark and possibly inch closer to its historic high of 85 per cent recorded in 1960.

The steady stream of voters across urban and rural booths alike has injected fresh uncertainty into an already tightly contested election.

Officials led by Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U. Khelkar had set an ambitious target of 85 per cent turnout this time.

While that benchmark remains challenging, the brisk pace of voting has made crossing 80 per cent a realistic possibility, something Kerala has not achieved since 1987, when turnout last touched that level.

In recent electoral cycles, participation has remained robust but below the 80 per cent threshold.

The 2016 Assembly election, which brought Pinarayi Vijayan to power, recorded a turnout of around 77 per cent.

Five years later, when he secured a historic re-election, the figure dipped slightly to about 75 per cent.

This time, with a revised electoral roll placing the total voter base at 2.71 crore, the early surge has left political parties watching developments closely.

Higher turnout levels have traditionally produced unpredictable outcomes in Kerala, often reshaping electoral arithmetic in the final stretch.

Across constituencies, long queues and enthusiastic participation cutting across age groups and regions have become a defining feature of the day.

Polling officials attribute the strong response to heightened voter awareness, competitive campaigning, and a keen sense among the electorate about the stakes involved.

As the day progresses, the central question remains: Will the surge sustain through the afternoon and push Kerala into record territory, and more importantly, who stands to gain from a higher voter turnout?
Chennai, April 9 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, has strongly criticised the Centre's proposed delimitation exercise, terming it not a genuine reform but an attempt to consolidate political power. He also criticised the Centre for linking women's reservation with the delimitation process.

In a post on X, CM Stalin said the proposal to increase the number of parliamentary constituencies under the guise of delimitation runs contrary to the BJP's own slogan of "minimum government, maximum governance."

He argued that expanding constituencies would not enhance governance but could instead tilt political representation unfairly.

The Chief Minister warned that the proposed delimitation process could disproportionately disadvantage southern states such as Tamil Nadu, which have effectively implemented population control measures over the decades.

He said the move would effectively "penalise" these states while benefiting those with higher population growth, particularly in northern India.

CM Stalin further expressed concern that such a shift would increase the political weight of northern states in Parliament, thereby diminishing the voice and influence of southern states.

He cautioned that this could undermine India's federal structure and weaken the balance of representation among states. While welcoming the proposal to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures, Stalin criticised the Centre for linking women's reservation with the delimitation process.

He described this linkage as politically-motivated and unnecessary, stressing that women's reservation should be implemented based on the existing constituencies without delay.

The Chief Minister also raised concerns over social justice issues, particularly the lack of adequate representation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

CM Stalin reiterated the demand for a caste-based census, stating that ignoring such measures undermines equitable representation and policy-making.

In addition, Stalin pointed out that despite India's economic progress, the income ceiling for determining the "creamy layer" among OBCs has remained unchanged at 8 lakh for several years.

He described this as unjust and called for a revision to ensure fairness and inclusivity. Overall, CM Stalin framed the proposed delimitation as a move with far-reaching political consequences, urging a more balanced and inclusive approach that respects federal principles and social justice.
Chandigarh, April 9 : In a significant push towards long-term water sustainability, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting with the World Bank Appraisal Mission, marking a decisive step forward in the implementation of the ambitious 'Water Secure Haryana' programme.

Chandigarh, April 9 (IANS) In a significant push towards long-term water sustainability, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting with the World Bank Appraisal Mission, marking a decisive step forward in the implementation of the ambitious aWater Secure Haryanaa programme.

The programme, with a total outlay of Rs 5,715 crore, including a Rs 4,000 crore World Bank loan, is aimed at improving the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of agricultural water use across the state.

Planned over a six-year period, the initiative represents a comprehensive and structured effort to strengthen water management systems in the state. The project will be implemented through a coordinated approach involving the Irrigation and Water Resources Department, which has been allocated Rs 3,328 crore, the Micro-Irrigation and Command Area Development Authority with an outlay of Rs 1,500 crore, and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, which will utilise Rs 887 crore.

This convergence of departments is expected to ensure integrated planning and effective execution.

Satbir Singh Kadian, Engineer in Chief, Irrigation and Water Resources Department, informed that the programme has been designed to bring a structural transformation in water governance by leveraging modern technology, strengthening institutions and promoting farmer-centric interventions.

It will be implemented across 15 clusters covering 48.94 lakh acres, benefiting a significant portion of the stateas cultivable command area.

A key focus of the initiative is the adoption of data-driven water management systems, including digital databases and real-time monitoring mechanisms, to improve irrigation efficiency and service delivery.

The programme also emphasises sustainable agricultural practices, including crop diversification and the promotion of water-saving techniques such as direct-seeded rice.

With strong administrative backing, global financial support and a clearly defined implementation roadmap, the aWater Secure Haryanaa programme is poised to emerge as a model for sustainable water management and agricultural resilience in the country.

Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture and Farmersa Welfare) Vijayendra Kumar, Principal Secretary (Architecture) Pankaj Agarwal, Commissioner and Secretary (Excise and Taxation) Ashima Brar, and other senior officers were present at the meeting.
Tumakuru : , April 9 (IANS) An FIR was registered at the Tumakuru City Police Station on Thursday against three workers of the KRS (Karnataka Rashtra Samithi) party for allegedly creating a ruckus and obstructing police duty during a Janata Darshan programme attended by Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara.

The incident took place on Wednesday at the Central Library auditorium in Tumakuru during a district-level public grievance redressal event led by Parameshwara, who is also the district-in-charge minister.

The case was filed based on a complaint lodged by PSI M.N. Manjula of the Tumakuru City Police Station. The accused have been identified as KRS State Vice President K.S. Somasundar and party workers Mallikarjun Bhattarahalli and Gnana Sindhu Soumya.

According to the FIR, the accused have been booked under Sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 132 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from duty), 74 (assault or criminal force against a woman), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation), read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police stated that as the programme concluded and the Home Minister was stepping down from the stage, the KRS workers approached him to submit a petition, during which Somasundar was recording a video on his mobile phone. The minister reportedly objected to the recording, following which police personnel intervened and escorted Somasundar out of the venue. The other KRS workers were later taken into custody.

The FIR further said that a large number of women had attended the Janata Darshan, for which separate queues had been arranged for men and women. The KRS workers allegedly arrived as a group and insisted on meeting the minister without following the queue system, despite repeated requests by police personnel.

In her complaint, PSI Manjula alleged that the accused obstructed her from performing official duties, attempted to push her, dragged her despite her being in uniform, and hurled abuses. She also alleged that the accused targeted government officials to provoke confrontations, record videos and circulate them on social media to create propaganda.

Further investigation is underway.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday toured the Mabvuku Interchange construction site in Harare, expressing satisfaction with the pace and quality of work on the major infrastructure project.The Head of State and Government was accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, including Minister Felix Mhona, Deputy Minister Joshua Sacco, Permanent Secretary Joy Makumbe, and representatives from the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA).President Mnangagwa said he was impressed by the progress achieved so far, noting that the works reflect government's commitment to modernising the country's road infrastructure."The progress on site is impressive, both in terms of pace and quality," he said during the tour.The Mabvuku Interchange is being developed alongside the Msasa Interchange as part of a broader strategy to transform Harare's eastern transport corridor. The dual projects are expected to significantly improve traffic flow along one of the capital's busiest routes.Upon completion, the interchange is projected to reduce travel times, ease congestion and enhance the movement of goods, particularly along the strategic Beira Corridor, which links Zimbabwe to the Mozambican port of Beira.Officials said the improved connectivity will play a key role in boosting economic activity and facilitating trade, in line with the country's vision of attaining upper middleincome status by 2030.The project forms part of government's wider infrastructure development drive, which has prioritised road rehabilitation and expansion as a catalyst for economic growth and regional integration. Authorities say continued investment in transport infrastructure is critical to unlocking productivity, reducing logistical costs and improving the ease of doing business across Zimbabwe.
Srinagar, April 9 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that the US President Donald Trump cannot be trusted and perhaps he himself doesn't know what he intends to do.

Talking to the media here, Omar Abdullah said, "Perhaps he (Donald Trump) doesn't himself know what he is doing. He says one thing in the morning, another in the afternoon and something else in the evening."

CM Abdullah said he had also said in the past that Donald Trump cannot be trusted. He said Trump uses such abusive language on social media that does not suit anyone, let alone the President of America.

"Before he speaks, he must remember that he is the President of America. If we use such language on social media, we would be blocked. We would be removed from Twitter, etc. He is being tolerated because he is the American President," the J&K CM said.

He said Trump should first explain to the World why the West Asia war was started, as Iran did not start the war. It was thrust on Iran.

"Now we are told that America has succeeded because the Strait of Hormuz has been opened. Hormuz was open before the war, also. This war has given Iran an opportunity to say that they will impose a toll tax on ships passing through Hormuz," the CM said.

He added that if a ceasefire has now been announced, America must create conditions for the ceasefire to hold. "They must rein in Israel, which is continuing to bomb Lebanon. People are being killed," he said.

Answering a question whether the mediation of Pakistan in bringing about a ceasefire in West Asia should be seen as a failure of India's foreign policy. Omar Abdullah said, "I will not talk about success or failure. But the fact is that Pakistan has done what we couldn't do. It is my personal opinion that our closer relations with Israel have prevented us from playing that role. Otherwise, we had good relations with both America and Iran."

He said what matters now is that the ceasefire has been achieved, and even if Pakistan mediated the ceasefire, it doesn't matter.
Patna, April 9 : A disturbing incident from Bihar's Sheohar district has triggered serious concerns over public healthcare facilities after a police officer injured in a road accident was allegedly provided temporary treatment using cardboard pieces and saline pipes at a government hospital.

Police Sub-Inspector Shyamlal sustained multiple injuries in a road accident near Fatehpur on the Madhuban Road on Wednesday.

According to the officer, a speeding four-wheeler lost control and rammed into his vehicle. The officer sustained multiple fractures in his leg. He was rescued by other police personnel and admitted to the Sadar Hospital for treatment.

"The accident was caused by a speeding vehicle, which lost control and crashed directly into my vehicle near Fatehpur," Shyamlal said.

He suffered multiple fractures in his leg and was immediately taken to the Sadar Hospital for treatment.

At the hospital, instead of a plaster cast, doctors reportedly immobilized his fractured leg using cardboard pieces and saline pipes -- an arrangement that stunned onlookers and sparked widespread outrage.

The presence of several senior police officials -- including SHO Randhir Kumar Singh and other officers -- further drew attention to the hospital's condition.

Locals questioned the state of public healthcare, asking what ordinary citizens might face if even a police officer received such treatment.

Responding to the controversy, Civil Surgeon Deepak Kumar explained that the officer's leg had multiple fractures, making immediate plastering impossible without surgical intervention. "A temporary support was provided using available materials after bandaging. The patient has been referred for advanced treatment," he said.

The injured officer has since been referred to Sitamarhi for further medical care.

District Magistrate Pratibha Rani said she has taken cognisance of the matter and initiated an inquiry. "Cardboard was used to support the fractured leg after bandaging. We have gathered full details and will take steps to improve the system," she stated.

The incident has once again spotlighted the gaps in Bihar's public healthcare infrastructure, raising urgent questions about emergency care standards and the availability of basic medical equipment.
Jerusalem, April 9 : The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said on Thursday that it has killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, personal secretary of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, in Beirut. Harshi was also nephew of the Hezbollah chief who heads the Lebanese group backed by Iran.

In a statement shared on X, the IDF said that it has also hit two key crossings used by Hezbollah for moving weapons south of the Litani River and 10 weapons storage sites, launchers and command centres in southern Lebanon.

"ELIMINATED: Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem in Beirut. A close associate and personal advisor, Harshi played a key role in managing and securing Qassemas office. The IDF also struck two key crossings used by Hezbollah to move weapons south of the Litani River, along with 10 weapons storage sites, launchers and command centers in southern Lebanon," IDF posted on X.

The development comes a day after the US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire agreement.

Earlier, IDF claimed it has killed a Hamas terrorist operating under the guise of a journalist. The IDF claimed that Muhammad Samir Muhammad Washah was actively involved in planning attacks against IDF troops and posed a threat to forces in the area.

In a post on X, IDF stated, "ELIMINATED: Muhammad Samir Muhammad Washah, a Hamas terrorist operating under the guise of an Al Jazeera journalist. Washah, a key terrorist in Hamasa rocket & weapons production HQ, was also involved in the production and transfer of weapons through Gaza. The terrorist was actively involved in planning attacks against IDF troops & posed a concrete threat to forces in the area."

On Wednesday, IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir, overseeing the wave of strikes against Hezbollah, said that Israel will continue to strike Hezbollah and use every operational opportunity, according to his statement shared by IDF on X.

He further said, "We will not compromise the security of the residents of northern Israel. We will continue to strike with determination."

The IDF said on Wednesday that it has completed the largest coordinated strike in Lebanon since the start of Operation Roaring Lion. According to the statement, IDF hit more than 100 Hezbollah headquarters, military arrays and command-and-control centers in Beirut, Beqaa and southern Lebanon.

"In 10 minutes, the IDF completed the largest coordinated strike across Lebanon since the start of Operation Roaring Lion. The strike targeted 100+ Hezbollah headquarters, military arrays, and command-and-control centers in Beirut, Beqaa and southern Lebanon, including: Intelligence command centers and central headquarters used planning terror attacks, Infrastructure of firepower and naval arrays, responsible for launching missiles, Assets of the Radwan Force, and the Aerial unita"Hezbollah's elite units," IDF posted on X.
Suri : , April 9 (IANS) A wave of enthusiasm swept through Suri in West Bengal's Birbhum district on Thursday as large numbers of BJP supporters gathered hours ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting, eagerly awaiting his address.

The rally in Birbhum will mark the Prime Minister's third public engagement of the day in the state, after earlier events in Haldia and Asansol. Despite the time remaining before his arrival in Suri the area was already packed with supporters, reflecting strong anticipation and excitement among the people.

Jagarnath Chatterjee, the BJP candidate from Suri, told IANS that the atmosphere in the region clearly indicates a groundswell of support for the party.

"You can see the enthusiasm among the people. The ground is already full, even though there is still time for the Prime Minister to arrive. Supporters have come from across Birbhum. This is going to be a historic rally, and we are confident of winning the majority of seats and driving out Trinamool," he said.

Party workers and supporters echoed similar sentiments, highlighting both the turnout and their expectations from the Prime Minister's address.

Ashmi, a BJP worker, praised the Prime Minister's initiatives, particularly those aimed at women. "Modi ji has done a lot of good work for women. The Women's Reservation Bill will help them a lot. It is a very important step, and I sincerely thank him from the bottom of my heart," she said.

Another party worker, Anju, expressed excitement over the Prime Minister's visit. "We are very happy and excited that PM Modi is coming to our city. We have a lot of expectations from him," she told IANS.

Supporters present at the venue also linked their support to development and security concerns. One attendee said that the state needs the kind of development seen under the Prime Minister's leadership. "We want development in West Bengal, and we believe it is possible under Modi ji," the supporter noted.

Women attendees, in particular, voiced concerns over safety and expressed hope for change. "We are very happy that Modi ji is visiting Birbhum. We want BJP to win here. Women do not feel safe, and our families hesitate to let us step out after 8 P.M. We want a safer environment," a woman supporter said.

Another woman at the rally described the charged atmosphere at the venue. "There is so much excitement that it is difficult to express in words. People are chanting 'Jai Shri Ram,' and there is a strong sense of hope for victory," she said.

Several attendees also highlighted their admiration for the Prime Minister. "We bow to him; he is the pride of the nation. We are very happy that he is coming here. Women here strongly want the BJP to win," said another supporter.

As chants and slogans filled the air, the gathering reflected a high level of political engagement, with supporters expressing optimism about the rally and its potential impact on the electoral landscape in West Bengal.
Kolkata, April 9 : Trinamool Congress, on Thursday, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of entering into a Rs 1,000 crore deal with its former legislator, Humayun Kabir, and his newly-floated Aam Aadmi Unnayan Party (AAUP), with a target to divide minority votes in those assembly constituencies in West Bengal where AAUP candidates are contesting in the forthcoming two-phase Assembly elections in alliance with Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM.

At a joint press conference, ministers Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, and Trinamool's state General Secretary, Kunal Ghosh, released an audio clip where Kabir was reportedly heard conversing with an unidentified person on these lines.

IANS, however, could not cross-check the authenticity of the audio clip.

The trio chose to release the audio clip at the press conference when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing a mega campaign rally at Haldia in East Midnapore district, the first of his three scheduled rallies in the state for the day.

In the audio clip, Kabir was reportedly heard assuring the unidentified person that if the BJP could ensure attracting the majority of the Hindu votes this time, he would be instrumental in ensuring the division of the Muslim voters, and he would do that to throw the Trinamool out of power in the state.

Kabir was also heard assuring the unidentified person that he and his party will give cent per cent support to the new BJP Chief Minister, if the party comes to power in West Bengal this time.

In the audio clip, he was also heard claiming to be in regular touch with the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mohan Yadav.

At the press conference, Hakim said that Kabir should not make the mistake of considering the minority voters fools. "He can sell his conscience to the BJP for money. But common minority voters will never do that," he said.

There was no reaction from Kabir in the matter yet.

.
Bagalkot/Davanagere, April 9 : The voting process for the bypoll to two Assembly segments in Karnataka on Thursday is progressing briskly. Polling at stations in the Bagalkot Assembly constituency crossed 43 per cent, while in the Davanagere South constituency it crossed 37.17 per cent as of 1 P.M.

Polling commenced at 7 A.M., and voters can exercise their franchise until 6 P.M.

According to official data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the voter turnout in Bagalkot stood at 43.75 per cent, while Davanagere South recorded 37.17 per cent. Earlier, by 9 A.M., Davanagere South had recorded 9.01 per cent turnout, while Bagalkot registered 11.87 per cent. Voting had crossed 20 per cent in the first four hours.

BJP candidate for Bagalkot segment Veeranna Charantimath cast his vote along with his family. Speaking to the media later, he expressed complete confidence in his victory this time. Charantimath, who had lost by a narrow margin in the previous election, said the atmosphere is favourable this time.

Meanwhile, allegations of cash distribution to influence voters surfaced during the bye-election in Bagalkot, triggering tension in parts of the constituency.

Reports emerged from Wambe Colony in Navanagar that money was being distributed to voters as an inducement. Locals alleged that Rs 500 currency notes were handed out.

In a viral video, the authenticity of which could not be verified by the IANS, a woman is seen showing a Rs 500 currency note and alleging that it was given by Congress members. She is also heard expressing dissatisfaction that only Rs 500 was given.

Meanwhile, tensions escalated when a group of people surrounded a car belonging to Congress leader Santosh Hokarani. The crowd alleged that money was being distributed and confronted those in the vehicle. Hokarani reportedly got down from the car and questioned the crowd about the incident.

BJP candidate Charantimath also alleged that there was information that the ruling party has distributed money. He further alleged that people from outside areas such as Gokak, Arabhavi, and Belagavi district have arrived and are staying here, and said that this has been brought to the notice of election officials.

He appealed to all youth, men and women, and senior citizens to come out in large numbers and vote for the BJP.

As part of the Bagalkot Assembly bye-election, Congress candidate Umesh Meti cast his vote at Booth No. 39 in his native village, Timmappur. He arrived near the polling booth with a ram (adult male sheep) adorned with Congress flags and later entered the polling station and cast his vote. It may be noted that Umesh Meti hails from the shepherd community.

A total of 34 candidates are in the fray across the two constituencies. More than 2,500 police personnel have been deployed at polling stations to ensure that no untoward incidents take place. There is a direct contest between the Congress and the BJP in both seats.

The SDPI is hopeful that the intense contest between the BJP and the Congress will benefit the party. The results will be announced on May 4.

In the Bagalkot Assembly segment, there are 2.59 lakh voters and nine candidates in the fray. A total of 332 polling stations have been set up. The electorate includes 1.26 lakh male and 1.32 lakh female voters.

Around 1,564 staff members, along with additional security personnel, have been deployed to manage and monitor the polling process.

The main contest in Bagalkot is between Congress candidate Umesh Meti and BJP candidate Veeranna Charantimath.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of Congress MLA H.Y. Meti.

In the Davanagere South Assembly segment, authorities have set up 284 polling stations, of which 76 have been identified as sensitive. Prohibitory orders have been imposed within a 200-metre radius of polling stations. The constituency has 2.31 lakh voters, with 25 candidates in the fray. More than 1,000 security personnel have been deployed to ensure safety.

Congress has fielded Samarth Mallikarjun, while the BJP has nominated Srinivas T. Dasakariyappa. Afsar Kodlipet is contesting as the Social Democratic Party of India candidate.

The bye-election was necessitated by the demise of veteran Congress leader, MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
Patna, April 9 : Leader of the Opposition in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav, on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Nitish Kumar government over the delay in the TRE-4 teacher recruitment process, alleging that the prolonged uncertainty has adversely affected the state's youth.

In a statement, Tejashwi highlighted the achievements of the previous Grand Alliance government, saying that during his 17-month tenure as Deputy Chief Minister, over 2.2 lakh recruitments were made under TRE-1 and TRE-2 in a transparent and time-bound manner within deadlines, and without any incidents of paper leaks.

He also noted that the TRE-3 process had been initiated but was later disrupted after the government changed in January 2024.

Tejashwi Yadav alleged that despite promises made by the current government, the TRE-4 recruitment process has seen no concrete progress. "Nearly a year has passed since the announcement, yet even the vacancies for TRE-4 have not been released," he said.

He pointed out that, as per the Bihar Public Service Commission calendar, the examination was originally scheduled for August 2024, but has been repeatedly delayed.

Targeting the NDA government, Tejashwi accused it of being indifferent to the concerns of youth. "The government is busy with power politics and has failed to understand the aspirations of young people," he alleged.

He further claimed that delays were strategically timed around elections, resulting in prolonged uncertainty for aspirants.

Tejashwi Yadav expressed concern that repeated postponements are pushing candidates beyond age limits and causing frustration among job seekers. "Every youth dreams of securing employment and supporting their family. But the government is playing with their future," he said.

He also reiterated that during his tenure, around 5 lakh jobs were provided, and recruitment processes for an additional 3.5 lakh posts were initiated.

Tejashwi urged the government to release TRE-4 vacancies without further delay. "This is not just about recruitment -- it concerns the future of millions of youth and their families. The government must act immediately," he said.
Bhubaneswar, April 9 : Senior Biju Janata Dal leader Dr Sasmit Patra has tendered his resignation from the post of Parliamentary Party leader of the BJD in the Rajya Sabha.

The party supremo and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday accepted Patra's resignation.

"President Biju Janata Dal Shri. Naveen Patnaik has accepted the resignation of Dr Sasmit Patra, MP, as leader of the BJD parliamentary party, Rajya Sabha, today," according to an official party statement.

Sources also claimed that some party MPs had recently demanded his removal from the post in a letter to the party president. Internal rift in the party has reportedly forced Patra to step down as BJD's Rajya Sabha leader. Patra, who is serving his second term in the Rajya Sabha, has been the BJD's parliamentary party leader since 2022, after securing a second tenure in the Upper House.

Meanwhile, it is speculated that corporate honcho and Patnaik's political secretary, Santrupt Misra, who was elected to the Upper House in the recently concluded Rajya Sabha polls, may replace Patra as the BJD parliamentary party leader. It is pertinent here to mention that a section of the regional party turned against Patra following the party's change of stance during the voting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill at the last moment in April 2025.

The party, which had earlier announced that it would oppose the bill, voted in its support, triggering widespread discontent among a major section of the party, who launched a scathing attack on Patra. They had also demanded stringent action against Patra for the flip-flop that left them embarrassed.

Patra, an academic-turned-politician and a two-term Rajya Sabha MP from Odisha, has emerged as a prominent voice in Parliament on both national and regional matters. Serving as the BJD's national spokesperson, he has been the party's key representative in New Delhi and has articulated its position in the Upper House on several important legislative issues.
Brussels, April 9 : Bangladesh's persistent failure to ensure effective restitution for Hindus, coupled with escalating attacks on the minority communities during the 18-month tenure of the previous Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, has sparked concerns over the protection of their fundamental rights, a report detailed this week.

According to Brussels-based EU Reporter, the situation could test the ruling Tarique Rahman-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and his stated commitments to minority rights and protection, as well as his ability to retain the trust of the Hindu community, which played a notable role in his party's electoral support base during the February elections.

"Rahman's ascension sparks hope among Bangladesh's minority Hindu community, which faced relentless attacks during the interim regime that began in August 2024. After the Awami League, a political party considered more secular than its rivals, was banned from contesting the 2026 elections, the BNP quickly stepped in to fill the void with its pledge to protect minorities," the report detailed.

"However, the party's past treatment of minority communities continues to be a source of controversy. In 1977, the BNP's founder, Ziaur Rahman, was responsible for removing the word 'secularism' from the Constitution, and party members have repeatedly been associated with violence against the country's Hindu minority," it added.

According to the report, despite the BNP's previous poor record on secularism and minority protection, Hindus voted overwhelmingly for the party, considering it the only viable alternative following the ban on the Awami League in February elections.

While the Bangladesh Prime Minister has pledged to restore law and order and guarantee equal rights for all religious groups, the report said, he has remained notably silent on the "painful legacy of property seizures targetting primarily Hindus" a" a long-standing historical injustice yet to be resolved.

"The institutional entrenchment of the Vested Property Act a" a longstanding piece of legislation widely criticised as discriminatory for enabling the confiscation of Hindu-owned property a" has been cited by rights groups and researchers as a key factor behind the dramatic decline of Bangladeshas Hindu population share," it noted.

The report highlighted that Bangladesh's Vested Property Act 1947 traces its origins to discriminatory laws enacted in Pakistan following the 1947 partition, underscoring the continuity of discriminatory laws.

Despite Bangladesh gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971 with India's support, it said, Hindus continued to encounter significant challenges in the years that followed.

"In 1974, the government reinforced earlier provisions under the Vested and Non-Resident Property (Administration) Act (VPA). Although the stated objective was to take control of properties formerly owned by Pakistanis and Hindus who fled during the Liberation War, the law was widely used against Hindus still residing in Bangladesh," the report mentioned.

aIn many cases, even a temporary departure was enough for authorities to seize property, and the absence of a single family member sometimes led to the confiscation of the entire family's assets," it stated.

Despite the certain legal reforms in the discriminatory law during the tenure of the Awami League government, human rights groups note that the actual restoration of property of Hindus has remained limited, with thousands of cases mired in unresolved legal disputes.
Guwahati, April 9 : Women who arrived to cast their votes in the Assam Assembly election, on Thursday, hailed the Women's Reservation Bill. They appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "work" towards women empowerment and hoped the Bill will pave the way for women to come forward and raise their voices.

Guwahati, April 9 (IANS) Women who arrived to cast their votes in the Assam Assembly election, on Thursday, hailed the Womenas Reservation Bill. They appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "work" towards women empowerment and hoped the Bill will pave the way for women to come forward and raise their voices.

Notably, PM Modi shared a video message on Thursday, urging collective support for the Womenas Reservation Bill.

The government plans to introduce amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act (Women Reservation Act) during the upcoming three-day special session of Parliament. Under the Bill, 33 per cent of seats will be reserved for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.

Referring to a signed article posted on his website, PM Modi urged citizens to read and share it widely, and to motivate political parties to support the legislation. He called for collective action during the upcoming Parliament sittings on April 16, 17, and 18.

Waiting in a queue at a polling booth, Sagarika told IANS, "Women should get equal rights as men because politics is also the same for both men and women."

"If women don't come forward then how will the country move towards development. A country progresses because of it's women. That is why I liked this step taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," she said.

Referring to the article, Manju Das added, "The Prime Minister is doing good work, including for the poor."

Divyamani mentioned how earlier women were forced to stay at home and even put a veil. She said, "Earlier, a woman couldn't live for herself. Now as the Prime Minister is bringing this (Bill), women can raise voice for themselves."

Significantly, PM Modi stated in his video that empowering women is essential to achieving the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Another women at a polling booth said, "Earlier it was difficult for women to leave homes for work. The husbands used to be stressed about their wives' safety especially during night and so didn't allow us to leave homes. Now we are not facing such issues in Assam."

Youths and young female voters also came out in support of the Bill. Moreover, they emphasised on the struggles faced by women at work.

Luna, a young voter, said, "I hope the government brings more schemes for women empowerment."

"If the Bill is passed it will be a very good thing because women are still struggling, specially in rural areas. So I hope this Bill empowers each and every woman. So that all women can thrive to become independent just like men," she told IANS.

Another youngster added, "Compared to men, females face more struggles at work."

Luna highlighted that safety is the most important thing for women. "Crimes against women like female foeticide cases are still taking place in the 21st century, so I would request the government to take steps for female protection. After this other things can be taken care of," she said.

She further said, "Whenever I am in a male dominated area, I still feel unsafe." She urged the government to implement stringent laws for the safety of women.

A woman who was leaving the booth after casting her vote, said, "Women should first empower themselves before the government does something."
News / National

by Staff reporter

Zanu-PF First Secretary, Robert Mugabe wants Harare Province to secure not less than 10 seats in the harmonised elections as the party moves to reclaim ground lost to MDC-T over the last decade.Party's national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo said during a meeting with Harare Province yesterday said : "The President yesterday said not less than 10 seats for Harare. They will not come through prayer, but through practical efforts and unity of purpose," he said.Zanu-PF won a single seat in Harare South in the 2008 elections out of 29 seats. Khaya Moyo urged unity in the party and challenged the Harare province to work towards achieving the set targets."To the province, you must meet every week to assess how far you have gone. We cannot spare any minute anymore. Let us be accountable," he said.Khaya Moyo said it was high time Zanu-PF stopped distressing President Mugabe by doing wrong things."Let us build this massive organisation called Zanu-PF. The President says he feels lonely, he is right. But when we do good things he will not feel lonely. Let us not depress our President when we are supposed to help him. Let us not betray cadres who fell in the struggle by destroying this party," he said.Khaya Moyo urged Zanu-PF to vigorously campaign for President Mugabe as the party's sole presidential candidate in the coming elections. He did not choose himself, we chose him. Let us go campaign for our President as our candidate," he said.Khaya Moyo said rules governing the holding of primary elections were not yet finalised and as soon as they were out communication to that effect would be made. He warned against the imposition of candidates as it divided the party.Khaya Moyo said interaction with provinces had given his team an opportunity to hear their views and this would go a long way in uniting the party. His team has so far visited Bulawayo, Mutare and Harare."We are very proud of you. You were very frank. You called a spade, a spade. It gives us and the President a clear picture on the state of your preparedness. I can assure you, we are not going to subtract or add anything to what you have said. Nobody should feel angry about your frankness . . . We are a family and where I lose track, advise me. Nobody is infallible. We all make mistakes but let us help each other and that is how we build the family," he said.The team met Politburo, Central Committee members, war veterans and ex-detainees in meetings that started on Wednesday and ended yesterday at the party's provincial offices in Harare.Khaya Moyo predicted a resounding victory for Zanu-PF in the elections saying the party had people-centred policies. Khaya Moyo and his team are expected to visit Masvingo next week.
Mumbai, April 9 : In a significant political development, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has officially announced its withdrawal from the upcoming Baramati Assembly by-election.

State President Harshwardhan Sapkal confirmed the decision during a press conference on Thursday, the final day for the withdrawal of nominations.

The bypoll, scheduled for April 23, was necessitated by the untimely and tragic demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. While Congress had initially fielded Akash More as its candidate, the party has now opted to step back, paving the way for a potential unopposed or less contested election.

Addressing the media, Sapkal explained that the initial decision to contest -- taken on March 15 -- was a strategic ideological move against the BJP. However, a series of high-level emotional appeals from across the political spectrum led to a change in stance. "Ajit Pawar was a tall leader of Maharashtra, and his accidental death has left a deep void in the state's political landscape," Sapkal stated.

"While we remain ideologically opposed to the BJP, we cannot ignore the cultural and emotional traditions of Maharashtra," he added.

Sapkal revealed that several top leaders from the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) had reached out to the Congress leadership to request a withdrawal. NCP president and Dy CM Sunetra Pawar reached out multiple times, including as recently as Wednesday and Thursday morning, emphasising the long-standing relationship between Ajit Pawar and the Congress party. Senior NCP leaders, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Dhananjay Munde, made personal telephonic appeals for the sake of political grace and tradition, said Sapkal.

The state Congress chief noted that NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar had provided counsel on the matter, and NCP(SP) Working President Supriya Sule had expressed similar sentiments regarding a dignified tribute to the departed leader.

The breakthrough came following a meeting with Rohit Pawar. Sapkal mentioned that Rohit Pawar visited to seek cooperation and expressed regret over certain "immature remarks" made by others against Congress recently, acting on behalf of the family to mend ties. "Ultimately, our senior leadership discussed the situation at length. While we were prepared to fight this election, we have chosen to prioritise harmony, civility, and Maharashtra's political culture," Sapkal said.

"Considering Ajit Dada's long association with Congress and the emotional appeal from his family and colleagues, we are withdrawing our candidate, Akash More," he added. With Congress officially out of the race, the focus now shifts to the remaining candidates as Baramati prepares for a poll heavily overshadowed by the legacy of the late Ajit Pawar.

Earlier, in a dramatic turn of events, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis personally reached out to the opposition to negotiate the Baramati Assembly by-election. According to reliable sources, CM Fadnavis made a direct phone call to Harshwardhan Sapkal. During the conversation, CM Fadnavis reportedly requested the Congress to withdraw its candidate from the Baramati by-election to ensure the unopposed election of Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, who is contesting as the candidate for the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).

Similarly, the NCP(SP) Chief Sharad Pawar spoke to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and discussed the withdrawal of the party's nominee in Baramati.

The Congress high command had earlier informed Pawar that they were "positively considering" the proposal. Pawar told reporters, "The Congress has decided to contest the by-election in Baramati. It is a national party. We cannot tell them what to do, but coincidentally, this seat has become vacant after the demise of a capable representative from Maharashtra. If asked, I would advise Congress. It would be appropriate for this election to be held unopposed, but the decision is up to Congress."
Kolkata, April 9 : BJP candidate from Jalpaiguri Sadar constituency, Ananta Deb Adhikari, on Thursday lodged a complaint against Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, alleging that the latter made derogatory remarks against him during an election campaign in Jalpaiguri district.

Adhikari, accompanied by his lawyers, filed the complaint at the Kotwali police station, alleging that the statement had tarnished his reputation and misled voters.

The alleged incident took place on Tuesday when Abhishek Banerjee came to the district to hold a meeting in support of the party's candidate from Jalpaiguri Sadar, Krishna Das.

While speaking on stage, he targeted the BJP candidate and made personal comments against him, saying, "The BJP candidate from Jalpaiguri Sadar is not in a good mood all day. He spends half the time in an intoxicated state. He is addicted to alcohol. He behaves badly with women and speaks disrespectfully."

In protest, the BJP took out a procession in Jalpaiguri city on Tuesday night. BJP candidate Adhikari warned that legal action would be taken if Abhishek Banerjee did not apologize, after which the complaint was filed.

Adhikari said, "I passed LLB from Jalpaiguri Law College in 2002 and joined the Jalpaiguri Bar Association in 2003. I am a member of the Rajbanshi community and have been engaged in the legal profession as a member of the community. Speaking in support of Trinamool candidate Krishna Das, Abhishek Banerjee knowingly and intentionally made a personal attack to prevent voters from voting for me; he tried to instill a feeling of enmity and hatred. They have made false allegations against me, which have defamed me. So I filed a complaint against him."

BJP's lawyer cell member Soujit Singh said Abhishek Banerjee has violated the model code of conduct for Assembly polls, and the matter has been brought to the notice of the Election Commission.
New Delhi, April 9 : German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz India on Thursday reported its highest-ever annual sales, retailing 19,363 units in FY25-26, up 2.29 per cent from 18,928 units in the previous fiscal, driven by strong demand for its top-end and core luxury segments.

The company also recorded a 7.45 per cent growth in the January-March 2026 quarter, selling 5,131 units compared to 4,775 units in the same period last year.

The German luxury carmaker said its performance was supported by a strong product portfolio, network upgrades, and a differentiated customer experience.

The top-end luxury segment remained a key growth driver, a 16 per cent increase in FY2025a"26 and a 25 per cent rise in the March quarter. The segment includes models such as the S-Class, Mercedes-Maybach range, EQS SUV and AMG portfolio.

Notably, the segment accounted for 27 per cent of Mercedes-Benz Indiaas total sales during the fiscal. Waiting periods for these models currently range from four months to up to a year for select models such as the AMG G 63.

The company's 'core' segment -- comprising the C-Class, E-Class LWB sedans, and GLC and GLE SUVs -- also contributed significantly to overall volumes.

The long-wheelbase E-Class continued to be the highest-selling luxury car in India, maintaining strong demand across markets.

However, the Entry Luxury segment saw an 18 per cent decline during the fiscal, amid increasing competition from lower-priced offerings backed by market incentives.

The company said it remains focused on offering feature-rich products aligned with long-term brand positioning rather than volume-driven strategies.

Electric vehicles continued to gain traction, with battery electric vehicles accounting for 20 per cent of the companyas top-end luxury sales in FY2025a"26. Sales of top-end electric vehicles priced above Rs 1.4 crore surged 85 per cent during the year, driven by demand for models such as the EQS SUV and EQS Maybach SUV.

Mercedes-Benz India is also set to launch the CLA electric vehicle on April 24, marking the introduction of its next-generation software-defined vehicles in the country.

On the network front, the company plans to expand its retail presence with over 20 new luxury outlets in 2026 under its aGo to Customera strategy. It will enter new markets such as Visakhapatnam and Varanasi, while strengthening its presence in existing markets, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Pune, and Goa.

The expansion will be supported by an investment of over Rs 450 crore by franchise partners over the next two years, with a continued focus on enhancing customer experience through upgraded facilities and adoption of advanced technologies.
Jaipur, April 9 : Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani announced the appointment of chairpersons and members for 16 Assembly committees, including 12 general committees and four financial committees. In a notable development, former Chief Ministers Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot, along with former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, have been included together as members of the Assembly's Rules Committee.

Jaipur, April 9 (IANS) Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani announced the appointment of chairpersons and members for 16 Assembly committees, including 12 general committees and four financial committees. In a notable development, former Chief Ministers Vasundhara Raje and Ashok Gehlot, along with former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, have been included together as members of the Assemblyas Rules Committee.

Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani has been appointed as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rules Committee constituted by the Legislative Assembly.

Senior legislators from different parties have been included as members. According to the official list, the members of the committee include Vasundhara Raje, Ashok Gehlot, Shrichand Kriplani, Chandrabhan Singh Akya, Sachin Pilot, Harish Chaudhary, and Deepti Kiran Maheshwari. Out of the 16 committees, BJP MLAs have been appointed as chairpersons in 11, while Congress MLAs will head three committees.

The Speaker serves as the ex-officio chairman of two committees. Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully has been appointed Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, a key financial panel. Congress MLA Rajendra Pareek will head the Question and Reference Committee, while Narendra Budaniyan has been named Chairman of the Committee on Welfare of Backward Classes. The tenure of all committees will run until March 31 next year.

In another significant move, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has been inducted as a member of the General Purposes Committee. Traditionally chaired by the Speaker, this committee includes 16 members, among them senior legislators and the Leader of Opposition.

Notably, the Chief Minister was not part of this panel in the previous term. The composition of the committees reflects a mix of senior leadership across party lines, particularly in influential panels like the Rules Committee and the General Purposes Committee.

Meanwhile, representation of women in leadership roles within the committees remains limited. Of the 16 committees, only one is chaired by a woman. BJP MLA Kalpana Devi has been appointed to lead the committee related to the welfare of women and children.

The newly-formed committees are expected to play a crucial role in legislative oversight, policy review, and governance-related deliberations in the coming year.

The primary role of the Rules Committee is to review, amend, and recommend changes to the rules governing the functioning of the Assembly.

The newly-formed committee is expected to suggest reforms to ensure smoother and more efficient conduct of House proceedings.
Hyderabad, April 9 : Five persons were arrested in Telangana's Sangareddy district on Thursday for tying an Anganwadi teacher to a tree over the alleged financial cheating by her husband, police said.

The shocking incident took place in Rasole village in Kangti mandal on Wednesday.

Few villagers tied Vasanta Kumari to a tree with a rope and humiliated her as her husband, Prabhakar, had allegedly cheated them in the name of a finance company.

Prabhakar had collected money from some villagers in Ramaragidda village under "HBM Finance" and fled. Angered over this, some villagers went to Rasole, where Vasanta Kumari was attending duty.

They caught hold of the Anganwadi teacher and tied her to a tree. Later, they released her following the intervention of some village elders.

Later, Vasanta Kumari lodged a complaint with the police. Taking serious note of the incident, police launched an investigation.

Five persons involved in the incident have been identified and arrested.

Meanwhile, an MLA in Telangana fell victim to cyber fraudsters.

Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, the MLA of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) from Jangaon constituency, lost Rs 1 lakh to the fraudsters.

The fraudsters cheated the MLA under the guise of the "Vikasit Bharat" scheme. The accused allegedly promised Rs 10 lakh loans upon submission of the eligibility list.

They collected Rs 1 lakh as processing fees. Palla Rajeshwar Reddy transferred funds via PhonePe.

The MLA grew suspicious when the accused demanded more money. He lodged a complaint with Jubilee Hills Police Station in Hyderabad.

Last month, a member of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly lost Rs 12 lakh in an online fraud.

Cybercriminals allegedly duped Chirri Balaraju, the MLA from Polavaram.

The legislator belonging to the Jana Sena Party (JSP) received a WhatsApp message containing a link in the name of a Road Transport Authority (RTA) challan.

The amount was reportedly withdrawn from his bank account after he clicked on the link. On realising that he had fallen victim to cyber fraud, the MLA lodged a complaint with the police.

A case was registered at Jeelugumilli Police Station. Police said the investigation is underway to trace the accused and recover the amount.
New Delhi, April 9 : A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking urgent directions to ensure protection of judicial officers, government officials and citizens from alleged politically motivated violence and intimidation in poll-bound West Bengal.

The plea, filed by Satish Kumar Aggarwal, an ex-Vice President of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, has invoked the top court's jurisdiction under Article 32 of the Constitution, alleging a pattern of electoral violence and obstruction of public officials in the state over the years.

The petition seeks directions to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to take "all necessary steps", including deployment of adequate Central security forces, to safeguard officials and the public, and to ensure free, fair and safe conduct of elections in West Bengal. It has also sought directions for the state government to maintain law and order during the election period, as well as in the post-election phase.

Highlighting past instances, the plea referred to reports of violence during the 2013 rural elections, where 39 people were allegedly killed, and a significant number of seats were won uncontested, purportedly due to intimidation.

The petitioner further cited the 2018 Panchayat elections, claiming that around 20 people were killed and opposition candidates were prevented from filing nominations due to threats and coercion. "The recurring incidents of political violence in West Bengal reflect a systemic failure to ensure free and fair elections and to protect the fundamental rights of citizens," the plea stated.

It also flagged recent developments, including alleged obstruction of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials during searches conducted in January this year in Kolkata and Delhi, and incidents involving threats to election officials and government officers in districts such as Nadia and Hooghly.

It further referred to an incident during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in April 2026, where seven judicial officers were allegedly surrounded by a mob for several hours, with intervention by police and central forces coming only after prolonged obstruction. "The situation has created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity, undermining the ability of officials to discharge their duties independently and without pressure," the petition said.

Another incident in Hooghly district was cited, where government officers monitoring election compliance were allegedly threatened, necessitating the deployment of central forces.

Describing the situation as "grave and alarming", the petitioner contended that such incidents not only endanger public servants but also undermine the democratic process.

"The failure to protect judicial officers and government functionaries strikes at the very foundation of the rule of law," the plea said.

The petitioner argued that the state machinery has been unable to effectively curb such incidents, necessitating intervention by the Union government and the Supreme Court.

"The conduct of elections in an atmosphere of fear, coercion and violence is antithetical to the constitutional mandate of free and fair elections," it added.

Among the reliefs sought, the plea has urged the apex court to direct authorities to ensure adequate security arrangements, prevent interference by political actors, and take proactive measures to safeguard citizens and officials.
New Delhi, April 9 : Private equity investment into India's real estate sector rose 66 per cent yearaonayear (YoY) to $1.2 billion in Q1 2026, a report said on Thursday.

New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Private equity investment into India's real estate sector rose 66 per cent yearonyear (YoY) to $1.2 billion in Q1 2026, a report said on Thursday.

The report from Savills India said office assets accounted for 41 per cent of total investment volume in Q1 2026 with the capital concentrated in Gurugram and Pune, while the hospitality sector captured 17 per cent of the real estate sector.

Domestic investors dominated equity inflows, contributing $817 million, or 66 per cent of the quarter's total.

Around 63 per cent of domestic investments were directed towards the office sector, while the residential sector and alternative asset classes (such as student housing and co-living) accounted for 18 per cent and 13 per cent of total domestic investments, respectively.

Significant inflows into the hospitality sector during the quarter and other emerging asset classes reflect a continued shift towards portfolio diversification, the report said.

"Q1 2026 marks a strong start for India's real estate sector in terms of equity investments. In a departure from trends observed in recent quarters, domestic investors took the lead in investment activity, as foreign inflows remained cautious amid global uncertainties," Sumeet Bhatia, Managing Director, Capital Market Services, Savills India, said.

Sumeet said the firm remains optimistic about the year ahead, but the evolving trajectory of capital inflows will be critical to watch amid a persistently challenging environment.

Activity in India's private equity market improved in the Q1 2026, with total equity investments reaching $3.83 billion, surging 0.9 per cent sequentially and 66.4 per cent yearonyear, a recent report said.

Asia Pacific has become the world's most dynamic office market, with India leading the growth and broader region driven by younger, ESGaligned assets and demand that outpaces the US and Europe, another report had said.

IANS

aar/pk
New Delhi, April 9 : India and Bhutan on Wednesday signed the tariff protocol of Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project, and the Methodology for Reactive Energy Accounting of the Reactive Power Exchange to streamline bilateral power trade, according to the Ministry of Power.

The two agreements were signed at a meeting between Indiaas Power Minister Manohar Lal and Bhutanas Minister for Energy & Natural Resources Lyonpo Gem Tshering in Thimphu.

The 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck on November 11, 2025 and commenced export of surplus power to India from September 19, 2025, at a mutually agreed starting tariff. The signing of the tariff protocol marks another step in mutually beneficial hydropower cooperation between the two countries.

The second agreement on Methodology for Reactive Energy Accounting of the reactive power exchange is a technical framework aimed at enhancing grid stability, improving efficiency in cross-border electricity exchange, and streamlining bilateral power trade.

Manohar Lal arrived in Bhutan on Wednesday for a four-day visit. His visit marks another important step in the deepening of Indiaa"Bhutan bilateral ties.

The Indian minister called on Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. During the meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed the shared commitment of the two nations to advance cooperation in clean energy and sustainable development, the statement said.

India and Bhutan share exemplary bilateral relations, characterised by mutual trust, understanding, and close cooperation across sectors. The visit underscores the shared vision of both countries to further strengthen collaboration in energy security and sustainable development.

Manohar Lal held discussions with Bhutanas Energy Minister that focused on strengthening ongoing cooperation in the hydropower sector and on future avenues in renewable energy and regional power trade.

Expanding the scope of cooperation in the power sector, India and Bhutan have established an enhanced bilateral institutional framework mechanism. This mechanism will enable regular review and coordination of ongoing and future initiatives between the two countries to further strengthen collaboration. Key areas of cooperation include non-hydro energy, cross-border transmission, project financing, capacity building, and institutional partnerships, the statement said.

The Indian ministeras engagements during the visit are expected to pave the way for new avenues of collaboration, contributing to the continued prosperity and well-being of both nations, the statement added.
Srinagar, April 9 : Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, on Thursday handed over appointment orders to 90 next of kin of deceased government servants under the Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme (RAS).

Officials said Chief Minister Abdullah today handed over appointment orders under SRO-43/RAS to 90 candidates from the Kashmir division.

Agriculture Minister, Javed Dar, Transport Minister, Satish Sharma and Advisor to Chief Minister, Nasir Sogami were present on the occasion, along with senior officers.

Reiterating his commitment to supporting families of employees who passed away in harness, Chief Minister Abdullah said these appointments are aimed at providing stability and reassurance during difficult times.

He urged the appointees to discharge their duties with dedication, integrity, and compassion, and to carry forward the legacy of service of their loved ones with dignity and a strong sense of responsibility.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Abdullah said, "The old SRO-43 compassionate appointment scheme, along with its replacement, the Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme (RAS), has been implemented together.

aUnder these two schemes, a total of 90 compassionate appointments have been made today across all 10 districts of the Kashmir province. This process has been ongoing, and after the formation of the government, efforts have been made to accelerate it, as this is our responsibility.

aThese appointments are not a favour to anyone. Some of our colleagues passed away during their service period, and this scheme has been implemented to ensure that their families do not suffer and can sustain themselves."

A similar function was held on April 6 in Jammu city to hand over appointment orders under the RAS to eligible candidates.

On that occasion the Chief Minister handed over appointments under the RAS, under SRO-43 and SRO-94 to 124 candidates belonging to Jammu division.

Under the compassionate appointment rules favouring families of terror victims, J&K Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha has handed over appointment orders to scores of survivors of terrorist attacks in both the divisions of the Union Territory.
Gandhinagar, April 9 : Raju Karpada, a young farmer leader from Gujarat, who recently resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Thursday, formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with hundreds of supporters at the party's state headquarters in Gandhinagar.

He was inducted into the party in the presence of senior BJP leaders, including State General Secretary Aniruddh Dave, former State Vice-President Gordhan Zadafia, State Vice-President Rasik Prajapati, and former State Minister Jaysinh Chauhan, among others, who welcomed Karpada and his supporters by draping the party's saffron scarf.

Karpada's entry comes ahead of the upcoming local self-government elections and at a time when the AAP's organisation in the state is facing setbacks.

Along with Karpada, several of his associates -- Amrut Makwana, Nitin Patel, K.D. Zala, Rajendra Singh Rathod and Dhirubhai Melaliya -- also joined the BJP.

Speaking after joining the BJP, Karpada said, "Since 2017-18, I started raising the voice of farmers by running a farmer organisation. In 2021, I joined a particular party (AAP) so that the voice of farmers could be strengthened. Whenever natural calamities occurred, I tried to be a voice for farmers."

He added, "I have realised that merely protesting against the government does not benefit farmers; it only polishes the face of leaders. To improve the condition of farmers, support of power and government is necessary. When I was in jail, the government provided a relief package, which truly benefitted farmers. Therefore, I have joined the BJP for the welfare of farmers."

Explaining his decision further, Karpada said "he had initially joined the AAP with the aim of working for farmers' prosperity, but later felt that a more effective resolution of their persistent issues required being aligned with the ruling dispensation".

He also clarified his electoral stance, saying, "I will not ask for a ticket in the local self-government elections. The party will decide the ticket, and whether I contest elections or not will also be decided by the party."

Karpada, who hails from the Chotila area of Surendranagar district, rose to prominence during 2017a"18 through aggressive agitations over cotton and groundnut prices and crop insurance issues.

He joined the AAP in 2021 and later contested the 2022 Gujarat Assembly elections from the Chotila seat on the party's ticket.

He had also been considered a strong candidate from the Gadhada Assembly seat, where he gave a tough contest to both the BJP and Congress.

Known as a grassroots and combative leader, Karpada built a following among young voters and farmers, particularly in the Saurashtra region, through protests on insurance issues and other pending agricultural concerns.

He has been jailed multiple times during such agitations, including in connection with a violent clash between farmers and police in Hadadad village of Botad district last year, in which he was arrested and is currently out on bail.

He resigned from the AAP weeks before, citing dissatisfaction with the party's internal functioning and alleging neglect of party workers.

His exit followed differences within the AAP, after which he distanced himself from its organisational activities.
News / National

by Staff Reporter

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has hit out at war veterans' leader Jabulani Sibanda, whom he accused of being possessed by the devil for opposing First Lady Grace Mugabe's ascension to the Zanu PF women's league top.Mugabe said he had heard that Sibanda was allegedly stopping buses from transporting Zanu PF supporters to the Zanu PF headquarters, where a massive demonstration was held against Vice-President Joice Mujuru."Jabulani speaks like he is possessed by the devil," he said."We hear that Jabulani Sibanda stopped some buses from coming . . . is Jabulani now ruling the country?"Seemingly turning to the Mujuru issue, Mugabe subtly hinted that if they did not want her, they should vote her out at the party's congress in December."Even marriages do fail," he said."You cannot just say to your wife, leave my place today. The matter is first taken to her parents."Do not vote for those who you do not want."The crowd kept chanting Mujuru's name, but the president subtly skirted the issue.Mugabe questioned why there were people opposing Grace's rise to the women's league's top post, considering that Sally, the president's first wife held the position."If the women's league could accept the president's first wife, why would they not do the same for this one," he said."There is nowhere in the Zanu PF constitution where it is said the president's wife cannot contest for positions, why are others pained?"
New Delhi, April 9 : India and Sweden held the eighth round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOCs) in New Delhi on Thursday, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in political engagements, trade and investment, defence and security, innovation, sustainability and people-to-people ties.

The two sides also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest. Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sibi George and Sweden's State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dag Hartelius co-chaired the meeting.

"8th India-Sweden Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) were held in New Delhi today. Secretary (West) Sibi George co-chaired the FOC with State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dag Hartelius. They reviewed all aspects of the bilateral relationship and agreed to strengthen it further in the fields of political engagements, trade and investment, defence & security, innovation, sustainability, and people-to-people ties," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

"They underscored that the recently concluded India-EU FTA marks a new chapter in economic & commercial ties and would facilitate deepening of India-Sweden trade, investment and technology linkages. The sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," he added.

On Wednesday, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met Hartelius in New Delhi, discussing bilateral cooperation and strengthening India-EU strategic partnership.

In a post on X, EAM Jaishankar wrote, "Good to meet Dag Hartelius, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Sweden. Spoke about advancement of our bilateral cooperation and deepening of India-EU Strategic Partnership."

Earlier in February, Sweden's Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch visited India to attend the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi. During her visit to India, Busch met Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia on February 18.

"It was a pleasure meeting H.E. Ms. Ebba Busch, Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden today. As innovation-driven and sustainability-focused partners, India and Sweden are poised to build a strong, future-ready digital and telecom partnership," Scindia posted on X following the meeting.

India and Sweden share close relations based on common values, strong business, investment and Research and development linkages and similar approaches to meet global challenges of peace and security and development. According to the Indian Embassy in Sweden, regular political engagement, intensifying business ties, cooperation on global challenges and multilateral issues define the strong India-Sweden partnership.
Bhopal, April 9 : The proposed rollout of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Madhya Pradesh has triggered fresh political confrontation, with the Congress raising concerns over its impact on Dalit and tribal communities in the state.

Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in State Assembly and veteran Congress leader, Umang Singhar, on Thursday questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government's intent and preparedness regarding the proposed law.

During an interaction with the reporters in Bhopal, LoP Singhar demanded clarity on whether Dalits and tribal communities would be brought under the UCC and how their traditional practices would be protected.

He cautioned that any move to enforce a uniform legal structure without safeguarding constitutional protection of these communities could lead to injustice.

He said the Congress would strongly oppose any attempt that undermines the identity and rights of marginalised groups.

LoP Singhar, who belongs to the tribal community from the Dhar district, made this remark a day after the state government indicated that the efforts to introduce the UCC in the state has accelerated and a draft bill will be prepared within six months.

A state-level committee is likely to be formed soon, which will study the UCC bills of Gujarat and Uttarakhand, including what was the process adopted by them, how it was implemented and other associated aspects.

The Opposition Congress, however, has said that such a significant legal reform requires wider consultations with stakeholders, particularly communities that could be directly affected.

Alongside the UCC issue, LoP Singhar also attacked the state government over delays in wheat procurement across the state.

He alleged that farmers are struggling to sell their produce due to poor arrangements at procurement centres, contradicting official claims of smooth operations.

Linking both issues, LoP Singhar said they reflect governance gaps affecting vulnerable sections.

He stressed that while tribal communities face uncertainty over their rights under the UCC, farmers are dealing with immediate economic distress.

The twin concerns, the LoP said, highlight the need for transparency, better planning, and timely intervention by the state government.
New Delhi, April 9 : Galgotias University continued to face heavy backlash on social media on Thursday, after drawing criticism over full-page advertisements in leading Indian newspapers claiming global recognition.

Several netizens on X took fresh jibes at the university's promotional campaigns, questioning its claims and mocking its branding.

In one post, a user shared an image of the university's event and sarcastically asked, "Is it made by China, I mean by Galgotias University? Just asking."

Another post by an author and columnist criticised the institution's advertising, saying, "Galgotias, my friend! Getting such ads published after what you did at the AI summit requires an immense level of nerve. Hats off to the shamelessness!"

Some users also cautioned prospective students against being influenced by promotional content.

One post read, "Dear students, do not fall for these advertisements. It is all fake and show-off, and would not be helpful in your career - Galgotias University."

Meanwhile, another social media user shared a morphed image referencing Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir, captioning it as "Mediator from Galgotias University," further adding to the online ridicule.

The latest outrage also follows a controversy at the AI summit held at Bharat Mandapam, where the university was reportedly asked to vacate its stall after allegations that a robotic dog displayed as an in-house innovation was actually a commercially available product.

Observers identified the robot, showcased as "Orion", as the Unitree Go2 developed by Unitree Robotics.

In an interaction with DD News during the summit, Professor Neha Singh had described the robot as a product of the university's AI investments, claiming it was developed in-house and capable of surveillance and monitoring tasks.

The institution has released full-page advertisements in newspapers stating that it is "ranked globally" and "committed to making India proud".

The university has not issued any official response to the latest round of trolling.
Lucknow, April 9 : Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a remarkable shift in the entrepreneurial journey, with thousands of youths making a conscious switch to innovation-driven start-up ecosystem, rather than getting involved in family-run businesses.

The new trend has picked up among the stateas youth and is witnessing their increased participation in new-age sectors. The aCM Yuvaa scheme is the force behind this new trend as several innovation-driven start-ups are springing up across the state, with many youth grabbing the opportunity to turn ajob creatorsa.

According to an official statement, more than 10,000 innovative enterprises have been established so far in the state under the aCM Yuvaa initiative, indicating a rapid rise in entrepreneurial confidence among young people. Youth are moving beyond traditional businesses and making their mark in modern and emerging sectors.

According to Sarveshwar Shukla, Nodal Officer of aCM Yuvaa and Joint Commissioner Industries, schemes like aCM Yuvaa have not only expanded employment opportunities but are also playing a key role in realising the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Sharing information about the one-of-its-kind initiative, he said, "Out of the total enterprises established so far under the scheme, 10 per cent are based on innovative models. As per the vision of the Chief Minister, a target has been set to increase this to 25 per cent in the current financial year 2026-27."

Sector-wise data shows that food and restaurant businesses have emerged as the top choice among youth, with the highest number of 763 enterprises established. Other sectors with active participation include computer training with 370 enterprises, pathology sampling with 260, fast food with 253, franchise-based models with 253, and online teaching with 189 enterprises.

Additionally, emerging sectors such as gyms with 170 enterprises, mobile IT and digital platforms with 120, travel and tourism with 117, and cloud kitchens with 117 enterprises are also witnessing rapid growth.

Lucknow (with 287 enterprises) is said to be spearheading this trend, being followed closely by Azamgarh (286 enterprises) and Hardoi (with 262 enterprises). Other leading districts include Jaunpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Kanpur, Varanasi, Raebareli, Bareilly and Firozabad. This initiative has provided a new direction to the start-up culture in the state.

Banks have played a vital role in strengthening the start-up ecosystem. Uttar Pradesh Gramin Bank has provided loans to the highest number of innovative models, totalling 2,133. Other major contributors include State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank and more.
Amaravati, April 9 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Thursday mocked YSR Congress Party President, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, over his 'MAVIGUN' proposal and also took a swipe stating "good that he didn't suggest Vatican as the state capital."

For the uninitiated, Vatican City is an independent city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy and is the spiritual and administrative centre of the Roman Catholic Church.

Addressing a public meeting in Bapatla district, the Chief Minister lashed out at the former Chief Minister for mooting 'MAVIGUN (Machilipatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur) corridor as the state capital.

He made it clear that Amaravati will be developed as the only and permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh.

"Amaravati will not stop even if 1,000 psychos like you try to stop it," said the Chief Minister.

He said 49 parties in the Parliament supported the bill to give statutory recognition to Amaravati as the sole and permanent state capital. He said not just NDA partners but other parties also supported it.

Chandrababu Naidu said YSRCP was the only one party to oppose the Bill. "We use to call a leader a psycho but the entire party has become psycho," he remarked.

The Chief Minister said YSRCP was talking about women's dignity and recalled that the same party insulted Amaravati women and indulged in their character assassination. He said they also abused his wife in the Assembly.

"A rowdy batch exhibiting psychotic behaviour, is engaging in perverse arguments. They are attacking a newspaper without any provocation. They have harassed women. This psycho party is in no position to provide an explanation for such behaviour," he said.

Alleging that attempts are being made to destroy the state, he called up on people to unitedly defeat such attempts. "The state has already suffered immense losses due to its bifurcation and the actions of previous rulers. We have just began the process of rebuilding it," he said.

Stating terrorists lurking in forests launch attacks and then flee, he remarked that this individual is no different as he operates from a distance, spreads malicious propaganda, and runs away.

"We are prepared to respond to constructive criticism but they are spreading falsehoods by claiming that Rs. 2 lakh crore are being spent on Amaravati. The fact is that Amaravati is self-financed project," he said.

He said the YSRCP keep mentioning Vijayawada, Guntur, and Machilipatnam, apparently unaware that this entire area constitutes the CRDA (Capital Region Development Authority) region.

"Out of an aversion to even uttering the name Amaravati, they are attempting to create chaos and cause distress to the public. It would take me mere moments to have individuals of this nature arrested but the law will be allowed to take its own course," he said.

"If individuals intent on creating destruction are allowed to roam free, can the people, particularly the women of this state ever truly feel safe," he asked.

Chandrababu Naidu stated that is in the best interest of the people to simply forget about such parties and individuals.
Monaco, April 9 : Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca has become the youngest quarterfinalist at the Monte-Carlo Masters since 18-year-olds Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet achieved the feat in 2005. He won a forehand battle with Matteo Berrettini, 10 years his senior, on Thursday.

The 19-year-old claimed four service breaks and dropped just three points on his first serve in a 6-3, 6-2 victory to advance to his first quarterfinal at the ATP Masters 1000 level. Moreover, Fonseca is the second man born in 2006 to reach the quarterfinals at an ATP Masters 1000 event, joining Martin Landaluce, who reached that stage in Miami last month.

As both players uncorked their serves and forehands, there was little separating them in the match until Fonseca put Berrettini on the back foot in the eighth game. Backpedalling at the net, the Italian netted an awkward lob, and then on break point down, he netted an overly aggressive forehand moving backwards deep and wide behind the baseline to drop serve. Fonseca then served out the set to love, according to reports.

The decisive moment of the second set came in the fifth game. Berrettini had just broken back for 2-all but was staring down a break point. Fonsecaas routine cross-court forehand volley clipped the net, giving Berrettini plenty of time to set up a midcourt pass into an open court. Still, the Italian pushed it wide as the Brazilian hustled to his left to entice the 29-year-old into overplaying his forehand.

Fonseca, who is the first Brazilian Masters 1000 quarter-finalist since Thomaz Bellucci in Madrid in 2011, will next meet the winner of the match between third-seeded German Alexander Zverev and Belgian Zizou Bergs.

Fonseca, who is making his debut in Monte-Carlo, is up five spots to No. 35 in the ATP Live Rankings after levelling his ATP Head-to-Head series with Berrettini at 1-1.

Berrettini, meanwhile, remains at No. 90 in the Live Rankings, far below his career-high of No. 6.
Chandigarh, April 9 : The Haryana government on Thursday suspended two IAS officers in connection with the Rs 597 crore IDFC First and AU Small Finance Bank scam.

The suspended officers are Ram Kumar Singh, a 2012 batch officer, who was the Additional CEO of Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority, while 2012 batch officer Pardeep Kumar was the Director of State Transport and Special Secretary in the Transport Department.

As per the official order, during the suspension, the headquarters of both officers will be at the office of the Chief Secretary.

Last month, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) conducted searches at 19 premises across Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula, Gurgaon and Bangalore in connection with the IDFC First Bank case. During the searches, more than 90 bank accounts have been frozen, and incriminating material in the form of digital as well as documentary evidence has been seized, the ED had said in a statement.

The ED's Chandigarh Zonal Office said that the money was misappropriated from accounts of the Haryana government, Chandigarh Municipal Corporation and other government agencies.

The ED initiated an investigation under PMLA, 2002, based on an FIR registered by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Panchkula, in February 2026 in relation to a mismatch of balances in the bank account of the Development and Panchayat Department, Haryana, held with IDFC Bank and AU Small Finance Bank.

The amount was to be kept as a fixed deposit with the bank; however, the accused persons diverted these government funds without authorisation, the ED said.

The search operations have covered former bank employees, namely Ribhav Rishi and Abhay Kumar, their family members, and beneficiary shell entities, namely M/s. Swastik Desh Projects, M/s. Capco Fintech Services and Mis Maa Vaibhav Laxmi Interiors, M/s. SRR Planning Gurus Private Limited, jewellers' firm Sawan Jewellers and real estate developers like Vikram Wadhwa and his business entities.

Searches have revealed that the public funds embezzled by the accused persons have been routed and layered across multiple shell entities.

The ED said the accusedas modus operandi involved the incorporation of a shell entity, Swastik Desh Projects, and diverting government funds to this account initially. The partners of the Swastik Desh are Swati Singla and Abhishek Singla.

Thereafter, a majority of the funds have been channelised through bank accounts of jewellers to create an illusion of gold purchase through bogus billing, the ED said.

The scam was perpetuated over the last year, approximately, with the assistance of the ex-bank employees, said the ED.

Rishi, who is one of the ex-employees of IDFC First Bank, had utilised the various shell companies for siphoning off the bank funds, it said. He resigned from the bank in June 2025.

Some of the Proceeds of Crime were even dissipated to the bank accounts of Rishi and his wife, Divya Arora, the ED said. Besides, a significant amount was been siphoned off by Wadhwa, a hotelier and real estate developer running various projects at Mohali, the ED said.
Jaipur, April 9 : In a move aimed at curbing unnecessary public expenditure, the Rajasthan government has prohibited its departments from organising events at hotels and private venues.

As per a circular issued by Chief Secretary V. Srinivas, meetings, exhibitions, seminars, and ceremonies must, as far as possible, be held only in government buildings and official auditoriums.

The circular emphasises optimal use of existing government infrastructure and directs all departments, corporations, autonomous bodies, and public sector undertakings (PSUs) to host their events in government-owned facilities. These include well-equipped venues such as the Rajasthan International Centre (RIC), Constitution Club, Indira Gandhi Panchayati Raj Institute (IGPRS), Harish Chandra Mathur Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration (HCM-RIPA), and the State Institute of Agricultural Management (SIAM), Durgapura.

The circular clarifies that events at private venues or hotels will be allowed only under exceptional circumstances. In such cases, prior approval must be obtained in a specially called meeting from a committee headed by the Chief Secretary. The committee will include the Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary of the Finance Department, the Principal Secretary of the General Administration Department (GAD), and the Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary of the concerned department.

The state government said that this decision will ensure proper utilisation of public resources and prevent unnecessary expenditure. It believes the move will improve efficiency in the delivery of government services while reducing wastage and controlling avoidable costs, ultimately leading to better management of funds and more effective governance.

With this directive, the government has effectively ended the routine practice of hosting official events in private venues, reinforcing fiscal discipline and better utilisation of public assets, said officials.

This initiative has been taken for the first time and hence is being discussed across political and bureaucratic corridors. Officials said that there are world-class buildings in Jaipur owned by the state government which remain unused while officials rush to private hotels for different events.
Davanagere/Bagalkot, April 9 : The voting process for the bypoll to two Assembly segments in Karnataka on Thursday is progressing briskly. Polling at stations in the Bagalkot Assembly constituency crossed 54 per cent, while in the Davanagere South constituency it crossed 49 per cent as of 3 P.M.

Polling commenced at 7 A.M., and voters can exercise their franchise until 6 P.M.

According to official data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the voter turnout in Bagalkot stood at 54.82 per cent, while Davanagere South recorded 49.66 per cent. Earlier, by 1 P.M., Davanagere South had recorded 37.17 per cent turnout, while Bagalkot registered 43.75 per cent. Voting had crossed 20 per cent in the first four hours.

Meanwhile, a clash broke out between Congress and Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) workers near Basha Nagar main road in Davanagere during polling today, leading to brief tension in the area.

The incident occurred outside a polling booth set up at Millat School. According to sources, SDPI polling agents had placed a table about 200 metres away from the polling station. Congress workers objected to this and insisted that the table, which they claimed was set up beyond the permitted limit, be removed.

Tensions escalated when table set up by the SDPI agents was allegedly overturned, triggering a confrontation between workers of both parties. The situation turned tense as arguments quickly escalated into a clash.

The incident coincided with the arrival of Davanagere South Block Congress President, Ayub Pailwan, at the spot, further intensifying the situation.

Police personnel intervened and, after some effort, managed to bring the situation under control. No injuries have been reported so far.

Further, the bye-election in Bagalkot witnessed allegations of mismanagement, with voters facing difficulties due to the lack of basic facilities at a polling station in Aminagad.

According to reports, voters who arrived to cast their ballots were left without access to essential amenities such as drinking water. The absence of proper arrangements caused considerable inconvenience, especially under the scorching heat. There were also no adequate provisions for shade, forcing people to stand in long queues in the sun.

Amid these conditions, an elderly woman waiting in line reportedly fell ill and collapsed at the spot. Locals immediately came to her assistance and arranged for her to be sent for medical treatment.

The incident has raised concerns over the preparedness and arrangements at polling stations during the bye-election.

BJP candidate for Bagalkot segment Veeranna Charantimath cast his vote along with his family. Speaking to the media later, he expressed complete confidence in his victory this time. Charantimath, who had lost by a narrow margin in the previous election, said the atmosphere is favourable this time.

Meanwhile, allegations of cash distribution to influence voters surfaced during the bye-election in Bagalkot, triggering tension in parts of the constituency.

Reports emerged from Wambe Colony in Navanagar that money was being distributed to voters as an inducement. Locals alleged that Rs 500 currency notes were handed out.

In a viral video, the authenticity of which could not be verified by the IANS, a woman is seen showing a Rs 500 currency note and alleging that it was given by Congress members. She is also heard expressing dissatisfaction that only Rs 500 was given.

Meanwhile, tensions escalated when a group of people surrounded a car belonging to Congress leader Santosh Hokarani. The crowd alleged that money was being distributed and confronted those in the vehicle. Hokarani reportedly got down from the car and questioned the crowd about the incident.

A total of 34 candidates are in the fray across the two constituencies. More than 2,500 police personnel have been deployed at polling stations to ensure that no untoward incidents take place. There is a direct contest between the Congress and the BJP in both seats.

The SDPI is hopeful that the intense contest between the BJP and the Congress will benefit the party. The results will be announced on May 4.

In the Bagalkot Assembly segment, there are 2.59 lakh voters and nine candidates in the fray. A total of 332 polling stations have been set up. The electorate includes 1.26 lakh male and 1.32 lakh female voters.

Around 1,564 staff members, along with additional security personnel, have been deployed to manage and monitor the polling process.

The main contest in Bagalkot is between Congress candidate Umesh Meti and BJP candidate Veeranna Charantimath.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of Congress MLA H.Y. Meti.

In the Davanagere South Assembly segment, authorities have set up 284 polling stations, of which 76 have been identified as sensitive. Prohibitory orders have been imposed within a 200-metre radius of polling stations. The constituency has 2.31 lakh voters, with 25 candidates in the fray. More than 1,000 security personnel have been deployed to ensure safety.

Congress has fielded Samarth Mallikarjun, while the BJP has nominated Srinivas T. Dasakariyappa. Afsar Kodlipet is contesting as the Social Democratic Party of India candidate.

The bye-election was necessitated by the demise of veteran Congress leader, MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
Mumbai, April 9 : Signature Global has reported a slowdown in company's performance as the sales bookings fell 20 per cent to Rs 8,220 crore in FY26.

This was down from a record Rs 10,290 crore in the previous financial year, according to its regulatory filing.

In its key operational updates, the Delhi-NCR-based realty firm said its pre-sales declined 5 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 1,540 crore in Q4 FY26, compared to Rs 1,620 crore in the same period last year.

The dip was accompanied by a sharp fall in volumes, with the company selling 368 units during the quarter, down from 591 units a year ago.

The total sales area also dropped to 0.99 million square feet from 1.36 million square feet in Q4 FY25.

The annual sales volume also halved, with 2,114 units sold in FY26 compared to 4,130 units in FY25, according to its filing.

However, the company managed to offset some of the pressure through improved pricing.

Its average sales realisation rose to Rs 15,250 per square foot, up from Rs 12,457 per square foot in FY25, driven by a strategy of premiumisation across key projects.

Chairman and Managing Director Pradeep Kumar Aggarwal said FY26 reflected the company's focus on disciplined growth and strengthening its financial position.

He highlighted a significant reduction in net debt and steady operational performance, supported by better realisations and strong collections.

"Going ahead, we remain focused on execution excellence, prudent capital allocation, and delivering long-term value for all stakeholders, while expanding our presence across high-growth micro-markets," he noted.

Despite the slowdown in sales, the company maintained a positive outlook backed by a robust balance sheet.

It reported cash and cash equivalents of Rs 2,770 crore as of March 31, 2026, providing financial flexibility for future growth plans.

The company also sharply reduced its debt by 77 per cent to Rs 200 crore at the end of FY26, compared to Rs 880 crore a year earlier.

This was aided in part by receiving Rs 1,293 crore from Millennia Realtors, a group company of RMZ Group, as consideration for a joint venture.
News / National

by Staff Reporter

Members of the Association of Road Authorities in Southern Africa (ASARA) have been encouraged to consider the utilisation of road spot fines in road rehabilitation.With most members of ASARA faced with limited revenue streams and huge infrastructure rehabilitation demands, countries within the region have been encouraged to consider road fines as sources of revenue for revamping road infrastructure.Member states who attended the association's focal group meeting in Victoria Falls hailed Lesotho's road fund model where road funds are channelled towards maintenance.Lesotho Road Fund Chief Executive Officer Engineer Nkekeletse Makara said though minimal, road fines have been used for road rehabilitation.Calls have been made in the past for government agencies such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police to remit the revenue they are collecting to treasury in order to assist in resolving the limited fiscal challenges for ensuring greater transparency.Most of the regional road fund authorities generate their revenue from road toll fees, motor vehicle licence fees as well as levy on fuel.
Mumbai, April 9 : Actress Lisa Ray has expressed her heartbreak following airstrikes hitting Lebanon, a place she holds close to her heart as it is her "husband's land" and her "adopted second home.

Mumbai, April 9 (IANS) Actress Lisa Ray has expressed her heartbreak following airstrikes hitting Lebanon, a place she holds close to her heart as it is her "husband's land" and her "adopted second home.

The actress took to Instagram, where she shared a motley of images from the moments she spent in Beirut. Lisa also re-shared a string of "no more war" posts on her stories section.

For the caption, she penned a somber note, which read: "Lebanon. Beirut. My husband's land. My adopted second home. I have no words."

It was on April 8 that Israel conducted airstrikes across Lebanon and central Beirut. A fresh diplomatic row erupted after Iranian officials accused the United States of violating three clauses of the 10-Point Proposal, the agreed framework for upcoming negotiations.

In a formal statement released late on Tuesday, Iran said its "deep historical distrust" of Washington had been reinforced by repeated violations of commitments.

The statement noted that while the President of the United States had described the 10-Point Proposal as a "workable basis on which to negotiate," three provisions had already been breached.

Talking about Lisa, she made her acting debut with Hanste Khelte in 1994.Throughout her acting journey, the actress always played characters with material.

She has played issue-oriented portrayals, most notably in the 2005 Oscar-nominated Canadian film Water and the award-winning South African feature The World Unseen. The actress was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable form of blood cancer. Lisa remains an active advocate of stem-cell therapy.

In other news, the actress marked her 54th birthday on April 5, where she spoke about her journey with hormonal changes and self-acceptance.

Sharing a video of herself dressed in a pink outfit, the actress reflected on how hormones once played a disturbing role in affecting not just her moods but also her sense of self.
New Delhi, April 9 : An elector-friendly robot, sporting a saree, welcomed visitors to the polling station for Puducherry Assembly elections on Thursday, said the ECI, while highlighting its tech initiatives for voter convenience and attracting young voters.

In a social media statement, the Election Commission of India (ECI) attached a video of the saree-clad robot and said, "Welcome with swag. A robot is welcoming electors at a polling station in #Puducherry!! It's a day of duty and responsibility, let's go vote!"

In the video, the robot can be seen holding a tray in its hands, with its red eyes searching for approaching visitors and its roller feet keeping it mobile.

The ECI's experiment with the welcome robot in Puducherry came on a day when the Union Territory's electors cast their votes to pick a new 30-member Assembly. The result will be declared on May 4.

The robot-led demonstration of technology by the ECI coincided with an ongoing visit of 43 delegates from 23 countries, including representatives from five Foreign Missions in Delhi, to Puducherry, along with other states, as part of the first phase of the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP), 2026.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday inaugurated the IEVP 2026, paving the way for foreign delegates to learn from the Assembly elections in five States/UTs.

Inaugurating the IEVP at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), CEC Gyanesh Kumar said that in the second phase, the delegates will visit West Bengal and Tamil Nadu from April 20 onwards.

Describing elections in India as festivals of democracy, Gyanesh Kumar called upon the IEVP participants to enjoy their visit to states, learn, see and experience the diversity of India.

The delegates were given a demonstration of the EVM at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), Delhi, and they undertook a mock poll using the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to get a hands-on experience of the voting process, the statement said.

The delegates evinced keen interest in the technological interventions and administrative safeguards in the election process in India and had an interactive session with the experts, clarifying their doubts/queries, it said.
New Delhi, April 9 : A delegation of Sikh devotees on Thursday departed for Pakistan from Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib here to visit their holy places on the occasion of the coming festival of Baisakhi.

A total of 2,840 devotees from across the country are part of the pilgrimage, including 409 participants from Delhi.

A devotee setting off on the journey said: "It is a matter of great joy that, following 'Operation Sindoor,' the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee made representations to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Both in November and now, the Ministry has granted permission for a special jatha (contingent), enabling us to visit the holy sites. A total of 2,840 people are going from across the country, including 409 from Delhi."

"All these devotees will visit various gurdwaras and are scheduled to return on April 19. We are happy that, despite the challenging situation prevailing in the world, we have received this opportunity. I pray that our Guru brings peace," the devotee told IANS.

Another devotee embarking on the journey said, "We thank the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. After reaching there and offering our prayers, we will express our gratitude to both the Committee and the Government of India. Today, we will proceed directly to Amritsar, and our onward journey will begin from there."

Baisakhi will be celebrated on April 14, marking the harvest festival and the Punjabi New Year. It is a time for gatherings, gratitude, and traditional celebrations.

The origins of Baisakhi trace back to the harvest of rabi (winter) crops, especially wheat, symbolising prosperity and joy. Baisakhi also holds immense religious significance in Sikhism as it commemorates the formation of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. On this day, the tenth Sikh Guru initiated the Khalsa, a collective body of baptised Sikhs, emphasising equality, courage, and devotion.
New Delhi, April 9 : Setting a firm deadline for administrative action in the health sector, the Delhi Legislative Assembly's Secretariat has directed all departments to implement the recommendations of the Committee on Public Accounts, an official said on Thursday.

New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Setting a firm deadline for administrative action in the health sector, the Delhi Legislative Assemblyas Secretariat has directed all departments to implement the recommendations of the Committee on Public Accounts, an official said on Thursday.

The Delhi government departments have been mandated to submit a comprehensive Action Taken Report by July 31, indicating the status of implementation of the Committeeas recommendations as of June 30, said the official in a statement.

The suggestions, incorporated in the Committeeas First Report, are based on the Comptroller and Auditor General of Indiaas audit of Public Health Infrastructure and Management of Health Services for the year ending March 31, 2022.

Signalling a shift from audit observations to enforceable outcomes, the Assemblyas directive follows the formal adoption of the Report by the House and reinforces the Assemblyas emphasis on accountability backed by measurable compliance.

Emphasising the broader objective, Speaker Vijender Gupta called for sustained efforts to strengthen public healthcare infrastructure, expand the reach of services, and ensure equitable access to quality medical care for all.

Carrying forward these directions at the executive level, a formal communication has been issued to the Minister (Health), Government of NCT of Delhi, and the Secretary (Health), Department of Health and Family Welfare, seeking a time-bound response to the findings and recommendations of the Committee.

At the core of the report lies a detailed examination of public health infrastructure, service delivery systems, and the management of health services.

The Action Taken Report is required to clearly set out the status of departmental assurances, the progress achieved on each recommendation, and specific timelines for completion, for placing the same before the Assembly, said the statement.

Marking the beginning of a structured follow up mechanism, the present direction is aimed at ensuring that the observations of the Public Accounts Committee translate into concrete administrative action within a defined timeframe.

Drawing attention to the broader implications of the findings, Speaker Vijender Gupta stated that the Committee has emphasised that the efficient delivery of health services is a cornerstone of sound governance and a vital commitment to the people of Delhi.

He observed that strengthening institutional frameworks through quality infrastructure, availability of trained health professionals, ensuring equitable access, and embedding accountability are essential to enable the health system to meet the cityas growing demands with resilience.

The Committee underscored that healthcare is not merely about structures and policies, but about safeguarding the dignity and well-being of every citizen, and that timely interventions, robust healthcare services, and fair resource distribution are necessary to build an efficient, inclusive, and compassionate system.

Extending this perspective to policy design, Gupta stated that the Committee has highlighted the responsibility of the Delhi government to ensure that its policies, particularly in the health sector, remain inclusive and responsive to people who migrate from other states in search of livelihood, education, or medical care, alongside the residents of the city.

Reinforcing the principle of equitable access, Gupta stressed that affordable and quality medical services must be available irrespective of a personas state of origin, and emphasised that strengthening public hospitals, expanding insurance coverage, and investing in preventive healthcare are essential measures.
New Delhi, April 9 : A UK court has ordered SpiceJet to pay around $8 million to an aircraft engine lessor in a fresh blow to the cash-strapped carrier.

In a ruling, London's Commercial Court granted summary judgment in favour of Sunbird France 02 SAS over unpaid rent and maintenance accruals linked to three aircraft engines.

The court held that SpiceJet had no realistic prospect of defending the claim.

The dispute relates to unpaid engine lease rentals dating back to January 2022 and maintenance accruals from as early as November 2020.

According to the judgment, the lessor issued default notices in July 2022 before repossessing all three engines between late 2022 and mid-2023.

The development adds to the mounting pressures on SpiceJet, which has been grappling with financial strain following the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX fleet and the severe disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The airline has also been steadily losing market share to newer competitors such as Akasa Air.

Court documents revealed that while SpiceJet initially engaged British legal counsel, it failed to file any formal defence or respond to Sunbird's application, leading to the summary judgment.

However, the airline did not officially respond on the ruling yet. SpiceJet's financial health has been under scrutiny, with its auditors flagging concerns about its ability to continue as a going concern.

The latest financial results point to rising losses and a widening gap between its current liabilities and assets, raising further questions over its long-term sustainability.

Meanwhile, last month, a SpiceJet flight carrying around 150 passengers to Leh returned safely to Delhi Airport shortly after takeoff from the airport after experiencing a "technical issue".

The Boeing 737 aircraft, operating flight SG121 from Delhi to Leh on February 24, turned back minutes after departure after the crew detected a possible technical issue.

"A SpiceJet flight operating from Delhi to Leh on February 24 returned to Delhi after experiencing a technical issue," an airline spokesperson said.
New Delhi, April 9 : India-flagged merchant ship Green Asha, which crossed the Strait of Hormuz on April 5, has safely reached Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday with its cargo of 15,400 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), according to an official statement.

The arrival of the tanker has come at a crucial time to augment cooking gas supplies in the country amid the West Asia crisis. The has moored at JNPA's liquid berth operated by Bharat Petroleum and Indian Oil.

Another India-flagged LPG vessel, Green Sanvi, had crossed the Strait on April 6 and is expected to reach India soon.

Meanwhile, with the improved situation, more LNG cargoes are also expected to arrive, which has enabled the government to increase the overall gas allocation to fertiliser plants by 5 per cent to reach approximately 95 per cent of their six-month average consumption.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Missions, continues to actively monitor the evolving situation in the Persian Gulf region.

All Indian seafarers in the region are safe, and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Ports and Shipping.

The Directorate General of Shipping continues to closely monitor developments in the tense region, in coordination with ship owners, Recruitment and Placement Service License (RPSL) agencies and Indian Missions, the statement said.

The DG Shipping Control Room has handled 5,647 calls and 12,043 emails since activation, including 166 calls and 317 emails in the past 24 hours.

DG Shipping has facilitated the safe repatriation of over 1,803 Indian seafarers so far, including 49 in the past 24 hours from various locations across the Gulf region.

Port operations across India continue normally with no congestion reported. State Maritime Boards of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry have confirmed smooth functioning.

The Ministry continues to coordinate closely with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions and maritime stakeholders to ensure the welfare of Indian seafarers and uninterrupted maritime operations, the statement added.
New Delhi, April 9 : Leaders across various political parties on Thursday came out in support of the Women's Reservation Bill, calling it of "immense significance" and crucial for "women's respect".

Notably, after the Parliament's Budget Session reconvenes on April 16, the primary agenda will be to discuss and debate proposed amendments to the Women's Reservation Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), officially known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, shared a video message urging collective support for the Womenas Reservation Bill.

Samajwadi Party MP, Rajeev Rai said, "No one is opposed to the Women's Reservation Bill. We all want women to receive respect and their rights. However, we seek respect in the true sense."

Welcoming the Bill, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC said, "Where there is a will, there is a way. Prime Minister has stood up for Nari Shakti Vandan (Adhiniyam) without any further delay."

She urged all parties to show political will for the Bill. "The Union Cabinet taking a decision and this entire discussion which is to be tabled in Parliament is the time where every political party needs to show its political will," she told IANS.

Moreover, the Shiv Sena leader highlighted, "Currently we have 74 (female) MPs in a House strength of 543 (in Lok Sabha)." She emphasised that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam will guarantee 33 per cent reservation for women MPs.

Significantly, the Centre is reportedly planning to increase the total number of seats in the Lok Sabha to 816, with a 273-seat increase for women.

Shaina NC termed the Bill as a "tribute to every woman who is aspirational towards contributing to Viksit Bharat."

Congress MLA Manoj Biswas said both caste and gender-based reservation is significant.

He said, "It is a fact that reservation holds immense significance in Bihar. Had it not been for reservation, people like us would not have been able to reach this position today. We hail from the Other Backward Class community."

"Similarly, reservation for women is also absolutely essential. As long as reservation is not in place, the participation of those at the very bottom rung of society cannot be ensured. This is a commendable initiative," he told IANS.

Speaking about the significance of the Bill, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Kanchanpreet Kaur said, "It is of immense significance. Even if a woman remains at home, she manages her household and holds the family together. Similarly, she will hold society together, she will not subscribe to caste-based distinctions, and the outcome will be excellent."

However, NCP-SP MP, Fauzia Khan, reminded that similar statements related to the Women's Reservation Bill were also made in 2023.

She told IANS, "Similar statements were made back in 2023 (by BJP-led Central government), claiming that this was a historic decision and a historic law, yet it never came into effect. Three years have simply gone by in this manner."

"Women are being fooled in this country, which is very objectionable," Khan claimed.

She urged that reservation should be granted to women as it is their right.

She further said, "Depending on their (women's) population, women should have a say in the Parliament and state legislatures. Not only in the legislature but women should also get equal representation in judiciary, bureaucracy and the corporate sector."

According to DMK spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan, the Women's Reservation Bill has been delayed.

"The Bill has been pending since Congress was in power. What was Prime Minister Narendra Modi doing for the last 12 years. He has been the prime minister for the third time now," he said.
New Delhi, April 9 : Asserting that Tehran is beaten and weaker than ever with its missile production machinery destroyed completely, Reuven Azar, the Ambassador of Israel to India, on Thursday reiterated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement that Lebanon is not part of the ongoing two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

Hours after the temporary truce was announced, Israel claimed of giving Hezbollah one of the biggest blows by attacking "100 targets in 10 minutes" with Netanyahu insisting that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire deal.

"We have made this clear, and the American administration has confirmed it. We were attacked unilaterally by Hezbollah, that has violated not only this ceasefire but also terms that were signed last year. They were not supposed to operate in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese government committed to disarming them, but that has not happened. Therefore, we are defending ourselves, especially our border communities, which have been heavily targetted by Iranian missiles and anti-tank weaponry," Azar told IANS in an exclusive interview.

The Israeli envoy also spoke in detail about the current situation in the volatile region, ongoing peace efforts, Pakistan's role and India's constructive call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy.

Excerpts:

IANS: Are you satisfied with the US-Iran ceasefire, or was it announced a bit early?

Reuven Azar: We are very satisfied. We have exhausted our military operation, and we are glad now that diplomacy will be given a chance again. We hope that this regime finally embraces the moment and decides to cooperate with the 15-point plan of President Trump. If that happens, not only will they receive relief, but the entire region will benefit. We sincerely hope that this happens. However, we stand ready in case they do not respect the ceasefire, or if they decide to again stall for time. We are prepared with our forces and will defend ourselves if they choose to resume hostilities.

IANS: Has Israel achieved its strategic objectives in Iran?

Reuven Azar: Absolutely. We have said at the outset that we had three goals. The first two were the removal of existential threats, mainly Iranas military nuclear programme. We have struck hundreds of sites across Iran where nuclear activities were taking place, not just the Natanz facility but also heavy water reactors and plutonium-related infrastructure. We targetted scientists, research and development centres, and locations where they were planning to build the devices for nuclear weapons. This has been very successful. We have also significantly degraded Iran's missile capabilities and, more importantly, destroyed their production facilities, not only for ballistic missiles but also for drones and other weapon systems. Additionally, we dealt a heavy blow to their military ranks, eliminating more than 10,000 personnel from the military and the IRGC. We removed the top leadership of IRGC, including three chiefs of intelligence agencies. That means that we continue to have a very good view of what is going inside Iran and our intelligence agencies will be able to not only monitor but also help us take action if the Iranian regime decides to continue their campaign for aggression.

IANS: If there is any provocation by Iran, does Israel reserve the right to respond?

Reuven Azar: Absolutely. We are ready. Not only us, also the United States has stated that they are keeping the forces in the region to ensure diplomacy is properly utilised for a satisfactory outcome. Our goal is clear: removal of enriched uranium from Iranian soil, curbing their ballistic missile programme, and stopping all support for terrorism including financing, training, and transfer of weapons. If these conditions are met, Iran could receive sanctions relief, and the West Asian region could move toward a more peaceful future.

IANS: Is Lebanon part of a broader peace deal?

Reuven Azar: Absolutely not. We have made this clear, and the American administration has confirmed it. We were attacked unilaterally by Hezbollah, that has violated not only this ceasefire but also terms that were signed last year. They were not supposed to operate in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese government committed to disarming them, but that has not happened. Therefore, we are defending ourselves, especially our border communities, which have been heavily targetted by Iranian missiles and anti-tank weaponry.

IANS: Is Pakistan neutral or a party to the war?

Reuven Azar: We have not seen Pakistan participating in the war, but they have not been playing a positive role. The United States has chosen to use them as a facilitator for their own reasons. We trust the United States to implement the 15-point plan.

IANS: Has Iran's nuclear enrichment capability been destroyed?

Reuven Azar: Yes, absolutely. We have destroyed Iran's ability to produce nuclear weapons and set the programme back by years. We will continue monitoring the situation until enriched uranium is safely removed and enrichment activities stop. If Iran resumes the programme, we will defend ourselves from this threat.

IANS: Is there any indication of a regime change in Iran, as suggested by US President Donald Trump?

Reuven Azar: We are seeing cracks within the regime. There appears to be a lack of alignment between the IRGC and leadership. The regime has even invited foreign militias, suggesting weak internal support. Despite internet restrictions, there have been reports of people reacting positively to strikes against the regime. This indicates instability. We hope there will be change in or of the regime in the future.

IANS: How do you assess India's role in the Middle East crisis?

Reuven Azar: India is pursuing its interests. We are very pleased with our bilateral relations, especially after the visit of PM Narendra Modi to Israel, which resulted in many good results including agreements in defence, finance, infrastructure, technology, education and many more. We are encouraged by India's support for free maritime navigation. It is important that countries work together to uphold international law and prevent coercion in global waterways.

IANS: Has India become a reliable partner for Israel and the Gulf countries?

Reuven Azar: Yes. Iran's actions have brought many countries closer. People now understand how aggressive this regime is and they also understand that if Iran would have been allowed to execute these terrible threats against us then the situation would have been in a much worse condition. There is now greater awareness of the threat posed by the regime.

IANS: Is Iran supported by countries like China or Russia?

Reuven Azar: We have not seen direct military support. There might have been support that we haven't seen. What we know is that many of the raw materials that the ballistic missile industry of Iran has been enjoying was coming from places like China. We believe stricter sanctions are necessary to prevent such support.

IANS: Will the war restart after two weeks, or could there be a permanent ceasefire?

Reuven Azar: We hope for a permanent ceasefire. We hope diplomacy prevails. We have seen enough violence and prefer not to return to military action.

IANS: With regard to the Israeli strikes, China has said Lebanon's sovereignty should not be violated. Your view?

Reuven Azar: The Lebanese government should ensure its own sovereignty. Unfortunately, it has not done so and has allowed Hezbollah to continue attacks. As long as that continues, Israel will defend itself.
Jammu, April 9 : Five workers belonging to J&K have been killed in a road accident in Kuwait, and the families demanded the return of their bodies on Thursday.

The five persons comprised one from Thanamandi in Rajouri and four from Surankote in Poonch.

The families of the killed workers have appealed to authorities for the return of their bodies.

The victims, all reported to be labourers working in Kuwait, had travelled to the Gulf country to earn a livelihood for their families when the accident occurred. The incident has triggered grief across their native areas, particularly in Thanamandi and Surankote, where relatives and residents are mourning the loss of the deceased.

Family members of the victims have urged the Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor and the Chief Minister to facilitate the return of the bodies at the earliest so that last rites can be performed in their hometowns.

Reports said that all five people were killed after two vehicles collided on a Kuwait highway. The identities of all the deceased are expected to be confirmed formally as authorities coordinate with relevant agencies and diplomatic channels.

Locals from Jammu and Kashmir frequently migrate to Gulf countries, including Kuwait, in search of employment, particularly in labour-intensive sectors, to support their families back home.

Thousands of students typically visit Iran for low-cost education and cultural ties, with many now facing disruptions to their studies and livelihood, including the Kashmiri handicraft export sector.

Approximately 1,200 Kashmiri students, primarily studying medicine (MBBS), were recently evacuated from Iran due to regional conflicts, with most safely returning via Azerbaijan by early April 2026.

Most of these Kashmiri students were studying medicine in cities like Qom and Isfahan.

Following regional instability and a ceasefire in early April 2026, about 1,100 students returned home, with the remainder departing through the Azerbaijan border.

Iran is a popular choice for Kashmiri students due to low tuition fees, English-medium programmes, and close cultural/religious affinities, particularly for those from Shia communities.
Bengaluru, April 9 : Padma Shri awardee, Dr Vijayalakshmi Deshmane, on Thursday hailed the Women's Reservation Bill as a historic and bold reform, urging women across the country to actively participate in politics and take responsibility for nation-building.

Notably, after the Parliament's Budget Session reconvenes on April 16, the primary agenda will be to discuss and debate proposed amendments to the Women's Reservation Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), officially known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, shared a video message urging collective support for the Women's Reservation Bill by all political parties.

Speaking to IANS, she credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for pushing forward a long-pending reform, saying that the decision reflects a strong commitment towards women-led development.

"I would like to begin with a very beautiful slogan  if PM Modi is there, everything is possible. This long-pending, historic Bill had remained pending for a long time. Prime Minister Modi and his Cabinet have taken a very bold decision," Deshmane told IANS.

She emphasised that the Bill is only the first step, and its true success will depend on women stepping forward and making their presence felt in the political arena.

"Now, it is up to the women of the country to take responsibility, enter politics, and make it 100 per cent effective. I request young, dynamic women to come forward, join politics, and contribute to nation-building," she said.

Deshmane highlighted that the move would significantly strengthen India's democratic framework by ensuring greater representation of women in legislative bodies.

"This is the number one step that is going to increase the seats for women in Parliament, and that helps quite a lot in our democratic setup. Democracy is a numbers game. So, this decision will definitely empower women and accelerate the country's progress," she added.

Praising the Centre's broader push for women-led development, she said the Bill presents a "golden opportunity" for women to take leadership roles and shape the future of the nation.

"This is how we can respond to a Prime Minister who believes in women-led development. I thank the Central government, especially Modi ji, for taking such a visionary step. He has done a wonderful job during his tenure," she said.

The Women's Reservation Bill seeks to reserve one-third of seats in Parliament and state legislatures for women, a move widely seen as a transformative step towards inclusive governance and gender equality.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Zanu PF bigwigs have been looting and corruptly distributing donated Chinese rice worth tens of millions of dollars to ruling party supporters since last year.According to Dailynews, the development has apparently contributed to increasingly strained relations between Harare and Beijing.Zanu PF sources on Wednesday told the publication that the Chinese were appalled and hopping mad over this disgraceful conduct.China donated drought relief rice worth more than $24 million to Zimbabwe in 2015 alone amid claims that some of the rice had been dished out to Zanu PF supporters at rallies across the country.
Mumbai, April 9 : Amidst the overwhelming success of "Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge", filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga has shared his views on the movie through his latest social media post.

Mumbai, April 9 (IANS) Amidst the overwhelming success of "Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge", filmmakerA Sandeep Reddy Vanga has shared his views on the movie through his latest social media post.

Calling out the section of the film fraternity who termed "Dhurandhar" as "propaganda", the 'Animal' maker penned on his official X (Previously known as Twitter) handle, "Writers & actors built careers on propaganda, and the industry stayed quiet like cats. Now the same clan mock Dhurandhar. You donat get to call yourself liberal if your first instinct is to Mock. Donat know when truth started getting labeled as propaganda...... strange times. (sic)"

Sandeep Reddy Vanga also had some serious advice for filmmaker Aditya Dhar and Ranveer Singh on how to deal with haters.

"COMING TO THE POINT..... I want to tell @AdityaDharFilms & @RanveerOfficial yeh kaala drishti aise nahi jaayega... Muthi bhar ke laal mirch se kaam nahi chalega.... poora khet jalana padega Watched #Dhurandhar2aTheRevenge last night.... Outstanding film," he went on to share.

Appreciating the encouraging words of the 'Arjun Reddy' maker, Aditya Dhar reciprocated the love in the comment section, saying, "Mere Pyaare Sandeep, I genuinely love the way you stand your ground and give it back when it matters. Thereas a real honesty and belief in that and itas something I truly respect. Iave always looked up to how you back your cinema without any doubt or noise. That kind of conviction reminds all of us to trust our voice and just go for it. Give my love to the Legend Prabhas sir! Big love and all the best for Spirit. Really looking forward to it. And if thereas ever anything I can do, Iad genuinely love to help a brother. Thanks. again! (sic)"

In the meantime, Sandeep Reddy Vanga is presently busy with his much-talked-about next "Spirit", with Prabhas as the lead.

--IANS

pm/
Patna, April 9 : Following the recent spurious liquor tragedy in East Champaran, Bihar, the police have intensified their crackdown on liquor smugglers and the illegal liquor network.a

Amid these ongoing operations, a fresh controversy has emerged after the death of an arrested accused during treatment.a

Acchelal Paswan, who had been absconding and was recently arrested from the Ghivadhar area under the Harsiddhi police station limits on charges of illegal liquor trade, died while undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital on Thursday.a

According to an official, Paswanas health deteriorated in jail, prompting his admission to the hospital.a

Despite medical intervention, he succumbed during treatment.a

Soon after news of his death spread, family members reached the hospital and created a massive uproar.a

They leveled serious allegations against the police administration, claiming that the case had been settled in exchange for money.a

They alleged that adequate and timely medical treatment was not provided to Paswan, and the police action was influenced by corruption.a

The deceasedas brother-in-law, Nitesh Lal Paswan, specifically accused Sudama Rai, a watchman posted at Harsiddhi police station, of taking a bribe of Rs 50,000 and still ensuring Acchelalas arrest.a

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Nishant Sehara stated that strict action against the illegal liquor trade is continuing across the region.a

He confirmed that the body will be handed over after the post-mortem. The matter is under investigation, and necessary legal procedures are being followed.a

The Areraj range SDPO said the accused was arrested on April 3 and was in judicial custody.a

He was ill and admitted to the hospital, where he died on Thursday.a

The incident has led to heightened tension in the locality, especially in the backdrop of recent deaths caused by spurious liquor in East Champaran.a

Authorities are maintaining a close watch on the situation while continuing their anti-liquor operations.a

This development has once again raised serious questions regarding enforcement practices, custodial safety, and the handling of accused individuals during such large-scale crackdowns.a

The hooch tragedy in East Champaran occurred on April 2, and 11 individuals lost their lives after consuming spurious liquor, and this was the first time that an alleged accused died during the treatment.a
Baramati, April 9 : In all, 23 candidates, including Nationalist Congress Party nominee and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, are in the fray for the Baramati by-election slated for April 23. a Baramati, April 9 (IANS) In all, 23 candidates, including Nationalist Congress Party nominee and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, are in the fray for the Baramati by-election slated for April 23. 

Thursday was the last day to withdraw nomination papers.

Even though the Congress party nominee, Akash More, has withdrawn from the race, there will not be an unopposed election, as Sunetra Pawar is pitted against 22 candidates, mostly independents.

Earlier, a total of 53 nominees had filed their nominations by April 6, the last date for filing nominations.

Of the 53 nominations, 24 had withdrawn by Wednesday, while another six had stepped out of the race, leaving 23 in the electoral fray. Despite the mass withdrawals, the spotlight remains on two controversial figures, including Bigg Boss fame Abhijit Bichukale and Karuna Munde-Sharma. 

Speculation was rife regarding their potential withdrawal after the Congress move; however, neither candidate showed up at the election office today. As they failed to withdraw their applications by the deadline, their candidacies remain valid, ensuring that the by-election will proceed to a vote.

With 23 candidates now officially in the ring, the administrative machinery is gearing up for the polls. The withdrawal of the mainstream Congress candidate has significantly altered the math for the remaining contenders, making the April 23 vote a crucial litmus test for the local leadership.

Earlier today, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee officially announced its withdrawal from the upcoming Baramati Assembly by-election. 

State President Harshwardhan Sapkal confirmed the decision during a press conference today, marking the final day for withdrawing nominations.

Addressing the media, Sapkal explained that the initial decision to contest, taken on March 15, was a strategic ideological move against the Bharatiya Janata Party. However, a series of high-level emotional appeals from across the political spectrum led to a change in stance.

"Ajit Pawar was a tall leader of Maharashtra, and his accidental death has left a deep void in the State's political landscape," Sapkal stated. 

He added that while the Congress remains ideologically opposed to the BJP, it cannot ignore Maharashtra's cultural and emotional traditions.

Sapkal revealed that several top leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) and the Maha Vikas Aghadi had reached out to the Congress leadership to request a withdrawal. 

NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar reached out multiple times, including as recently as Wednesday and Thursday morning, emphasising the long-standing relationship between Ajit Pawar and the Congress party.

Senior NCP leaders, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Dhananjay Munde, made personal telephonic appeals for the sake of political grace and tradition, said Sapkal.

Sapkal noted that NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar had provided counsel on the matter, and NCP SP working president Supriya Sule had expressed similar sentiments regarding a dignified tribute to the departed leader.

The breakthrough came following a meeting with Rohit Pawar. Sapkal mentioned that Rohit Pawar visited to seek cooperation and expressed regret over certain "immature remarks" made by others against the Congress recently, acting on behalf of the family to mend ties.

"Ultimately, our senior leadership discussed the situation at length. While we were prepared to fight this election, we have chosen to prioritise harmony, civility, and Maharashtra's political culture," Sapkal said.

"Considering Ajit Dada's long association with the Congress and the emotional appeal from his family and colleagues, we are withdrawing our candidate, Akash More," he added.

--IANS

sj/dan
Bengaluru, April 9 : The Karnataka Congress unit has defended the controversial remarks made by All India Congress Committee President Mallikarjun Kharge during the Assam election campaign, stating that Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are making political remarks over the language he used.

Meanwhile, Dalit groups in Kharge's native Kalaburagi staged a protest, condemning alleged derogatory statements by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and urging action against him.

Earlier, during an election rally in Assam's Sribhumi district on Monday, Kharge, citing the Quran, said that if a poisonous snake is passing in front of someone, even if he is offering namaz, then he should leave the namaz and kill that poisonous snake.

"I would say that breaking the namaz does not matter. The RSS and the BJP are that poisonous snake," the Congress President had said.

Addressing a press conference at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office in Bengaluru, KPCC Media and Communications Department President Ramesh Babu stated that during the election campaign, Kharge criticised the BJP and the Sangh Parivar.

He said BJP leaders are now making political remarks over the language he used.

He added that in a democracy, there is space for healthy criticism. However, several BJP leaders in Karnataka, driven by political desperation and hunger for power, are attempting to settle political scores by making personal attacks against Kharge and his son, Minister Priyank Kharge.

"Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former MP Pratap Simha, former ministers C.T. Ravi, Suresh Kumar, and other BJP leaders have criticised Kharge's political statement.

During this criticism, some BJP leaders have resorted to personal attacks against Kharge and his family, which reflects their moral bankruptcy. Following the directives of the Sangh Parivar and in a bid to safeguard their political relevance, BJP leaders have stooped to such low-level criticism. However, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi expressed his criticism within acceptable limits," Ramesh Babu said.

He alleged that certain BJP leaders, who once benefited politically through Kharge and even served under him during their time in the Congress party, are now targeting him to gain political opportunities in the BJP. Such opportunistic leaders, seeking further gains, are resorting to personal attacks on the Kharge family.

"Kharge is credited with having supported and elevated certain leaders in the past, including appointing one such leader as a member of the Karnataka Housing Board in 1999, later as Chairman of the All India Railway Users' Consultative Committee in 2009, and subsequently as Chairman of the Karnataka State Forest Development Corporation. These leaders, who left the Congress party after being denied tickets and joined the BJP, are now criticising Kharge and his family despite lacking moral grounds to do so," he stated.

Congress MLA B. Shivanna said that former BJP MP Pratap Simha has allegedly made personal remarks against Kharge. He added that, before making public statements, Simha should reflect on his own conduct.

Similarly, C.T. Ravi has criticised Kharge in an attempt to sustain his political relevance and has been asked to first respond to allegations against himself.

Former minister Suresh Kumar is also accused of using this opportunity to criticise Kharge in an attempt to regain political prominence.

Shivanna alleged that Kumar is politically weakened and struggling to retain his position in Rajajinagar.

"Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka has also been criticised, with allegations that he has failed to highlight State issues effectively and had previously concealed criminal cases in his election affidavit," he stated.

He further alleged that BJP leaders are unable to counter Kharge and Priyank Kharge ideologically and are therefore resorting to political attacks as per the direction of the Sangh Parivar.

The statement concludes that BJP leaders should introspect on their own conduct before criticising Congress leaders, and asserts that the Congress party is capable of responding to such political attacks.

Meanwhile, members of the Dalit Yuva Brigade staged a protest over alleged derogatory remarks against Kharge. The protesters gathered in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office and expressed strong outrage against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Raising slogans, they accused him of making anti-Dalit remarks and targeted the RSS and the BJP during the demonstration.

The protesters demanded strict action against Sarma and urged authorities to take the matter seriously. A complaint was submitted through the Deputy Commissioner to the President, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, and the Governor of Karnataka.

Police maintained security at the protest site to prevent any untoward incidents.

Taking objection to the controversial 'poisonous snake remark' by Kharge and the act of defending it by his son and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, the Karnataka BJP on Wednesday demanded that the Centre should file a case against the two Congress leaders and send them to Tihar Jail.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had launched a scathing attack on Kharge, questioning his statements and using strong language. "Kharge is aging and is speaking like a 'pagal' (madman). You insult the people first and then say you will ask the External Affairs Minister for verification?" Chief Minister Sarma said.

He also made remarks such as "Who is Kharge?"

--IANS

mka/dan
New Delhi, April 9 : Following the withdrawal of the Congress candidate Akash More from the Baramati by-election, Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) State President Sunil Tatkare expressed his appreciation for the move, describing it as a gesture of "political magnanimity."a New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Following the withdrawal of the Congress candidate Akash More from the Baramati by-election, Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) State President Sunil Tatkare expressed his appreciation for the move, describing it as a gesture of "political magnanimity."

Speaking to the media, Tatkare welcomed the development, noting that the decision clears the path for a more streamlined contest. 

He specifically thanked the Congress leadership for their "understanding and maturity" in the current political climate. 

Tatkare took a moment to reflect on Ajit Pawar's long-standing history with the Congress party, highlighting their past collaboration.

"Ajit Pawar won elections on a Congress ticket in 1991 and 1992. Between 1999 and 2014, while the Democratic Front government was in power, he served as Minister and Deputy Chief Minister alongside Congress. I welcome their recent decision and thank them on behalf of the people of Baramati," he stated.

Revealing the efforts behind the scenes, Tatkare disclosed that the NCP leadership had reached out to the highest levels of the Congress party to ensure the withdrawal. 

He confirmed that both he and senior leader Praful Patel had contacted Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss the matter.

Addressing past precedents, Tatkare drew a parallel to the Nashik by-elections, famously referred to as "Sahyadri rushing to the aid of the Himalayas," though he noted that such historical contexts have now shifted.

In response to criticism from Congress State President Harshvardhan Sapkal regarding the NCP's alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Tatkare remained firm. 

"We are part of the National Democratic Alliance, and we have taken an open and transparent stand. While his [Sapkal's] political knowledge is vast, I, too, have spent many years in Congress and have worked extensively within that framework. Today, however, my focus is simply on expressing gratitude for their cooperation," he concluded.

Earlier, Sapkal officially announced his withdrawal from the upcoming Baramati Assembly by-election. 

Addressing the media, Sapkal explained that the initial decision to contest, taken on March 15, was a strategic ideological move against the BJP. However, a series of high-level emotional appeals from across the political spectrum led to a change in stance.

"Ajit Pawar was a tall leader of Maharashtra, and his accidental death has left a deep void in the State's political landscape," Sapkal stated.

"While we remain ideologically opposed to the BJP, we cannot ignore the cultural and emotional traditions of Maharashtra," he added. 

"Considering Ajit Dada's long association with the Congress and the emotional appeal from his family and colleagues, we are withdrawing our candidate, Akash More," he added.

--IANS

sj/dan
Kolkata, April 9 : The National Investigation Agency has applied to the court for the custody of 47 accused arrested in the Kaliachak incident, an official of the central investigation agency said.a

About 12 First Information Reports have already been filed in this incident. Incidentally, the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Malda district had already remanded those arrested in this incident to police custody. a

Later, the court ordered that the 46 accused be placed in judicial custody. This time, the NIA wanted the accused in their custody for further investigation into the matter.a

According to NIA officials, the accused in the Kaliachak incident have been charged under attempt to murder, illegal confinement, illegal gathering, attack on government employees when they go to remove illegal gatherings, obstructing government employees, disobeying government employeesa orders, and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.a

Other sections, such as hurting workers, beating up government workers, vandalising government property, showing criminal intimidation, blocking the national highway for a long time, and illegal blockade, have also been slapped against the accused.a

In protest against the omission of names from the voter list in West Bengal, various areas, including Mothabari, Sujapur, and Kaliachak in Malda, witnessed heated protests from time to time. a

The agitated crowd kept seven judges engaged in the Summary Revision work at the Kaliachak-II block office till night.a

The matter then went to the Supreme Court. Expressing dissatisfaction with the State police administration, the apex court said the investigation should be conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation or the NIA. Similarly, the Election Commission handed over the investigation to the NIA.a

PM Modi, during his election in West Bengal, spoke on this issue and targeted the Trinamool Congress for unleashing a reign of terror in the State. He accused the Trinamool Congress of misleading the people regarding the Summary Revision exercise and said there is no place for infiltrators in Bengal.a

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on the other hand, held the Election Commission responsible for the incident, as maintaining law and order now falls under the poll panelas jurisdiction.a

She further claimed that the Election Commission changed a large number of police and government officers after the poll notification was issued for West Bengal, thereby worsening the law and order situation.a

--IANS

sch/dan
Chandigarh, April 9 : The Punjab government should immediately provide Rs 50,000 per acre in compensation to farmers for losses caused by unseasonal rains, hailstorms, and strong winds in Punjab, said Ashwani Sharma, working BJP President. a Chandigarh, April 9 (IANS) The Punjab government should immediately provide Rs 50,000 per acre in compensation to farmers for losses caused by unseasonal rains, hailstorms, and strong winds in Punjab, said Ashwani Sharma, working BJP President. 

In a statement here, Sharma said, "According to the Punjab government's own data, crops over 1.30 lakh acres have been damaged in the state. If proper girdawari (crop assessment) is conducted, this area may increase further." 

He said farmers had not yet recovered from the devastation to the paddy crop caused by floods in 2025, when a new crisis had now emerged. 

"Neither the Kharif crop yielded results, nor the Rabi crop survived. This is an extremely difficult time for agriculture. Farmer organisations are also continuously demanding compensation, which needs immediate attention," he said. 

"Farmers are already burdened with debt, and the continuous cycle of crop losses is further worsening their financial condition. Therefore, supporting farmers at this time is the most urgent need". 

Sharma further said the government has adopted an easy approach; whenever farmers face any disaster, it writes letters to the Centre to evade responsibility. 

However, the funds received from the Centre are misused for advertisements, hoardings, and self-promotion. 

Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Wednesday urged the Central government to send a high-level team to assess the damage caused to wheat and other Rabi crops by unseasonal heavy rainfall accompanied by hailstorms in the state. 

In a letter to Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the minister highlighted the severe impact of inclement weather on wheat crops. 

He said wheat sown on 35 lakh hectares had been expected to yield a bumper crop, but incessant rainfall and hailstorms have caused significant damage, pushing the farming community into distress. 

"As per the preliminary assessment by the state Agriculture Department, the crop loss has been reported on over 1.30 lakh acres. The damage is spreading as rain continues, and the final figure may rise," Khudian said. 

He added that the damage is not limited to wheat alone, as vegetables, fodder, and other Rabi crops have also been hit across multiple districts, including Fazilka, Ferozepur, Muktsar Sahib, Bathinda, Amritsar, Moga, and Mansa. 

Crop losses are threatening the livelihoods of farmers and the state's agrarian economy.
Chandigarh, April 9 : Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday alleged that the state BJP government engaged solely in scams under the guise of crop procurement as it "continues to impose new conditions on farmers with the intent of ensuring that the government does not have to procure crops".

Chandigarh, April 9 (IANS) Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday alleged that the state BJP government engaged solely in scams under the guise of crop procurement as it "continues to impose new conditions on farmers with the intent of ensuring that the government does not have to procure crops".

"Yet another scam is currently being orchestrated in the name of wheat and mustard procurement. Instead of actually procuring wheat and mustard, the government is imposing one bizarre condition after another upon the farmers," the Leader of Opposition said.

"Conditions such as portal registration, gate passes, biometric verification, tractor registration numbers, general verification, and the requirement of a guarantor are being arbitrarily imposed," he said in a statement.

The Congress leader said farmers "are being treated like criminals, all in all, the government's objective appears to be to keep farmers entangled in this bureaucratic maze so that it can avoid having to procure their crops altogether. During the Congress regime, procurement took place smoothly, and farmers never faced any such difficulties".

Talking to the media in Narayangarh along with state party President Rao Narendra Singh, Hooda said the party MLAs who had cross-voted ought to resign immediately on moral grounds. "They (the MLAs) have not only betrayed the party but have also betrayed the very electorate that elected them to the legislative Assembly specifically to oppose the BJP."

Commenting on the cross-voting, party chief Narendra said strict action would be taken against all of them. "I have forwarded their names, along with my accompanying notes, to the party leadership. Further action will be initiated at the high command level," he said.

"The Congress had fielded these individuals as candidates and sent them to the public, and the public, placing its trust in the Congress, ensured their victory. If these individuals betray the very party that supported them, the public will undoubtedly teach them a lesson. No MLA can hope to escape accountability by resorting to falsehoods," he added.

Responding to questions, two-time Chief Minister Hooda said he has been continuously touring the 'mandis' (agricultural markets) in the state. He met farmers, labourers, and arhtiyas (commission agents). The farmers apprised him of the chaotic conditions prevailing within the "mandi", and he has subsequently issued directives to the officials concerned in this regard.

Hooda said the government perpetrated a scam during the paddy procurement season last year, followed by another during the potato procurement and now similar conspiracies are clearly visible in the procurement of wheat and mustard as well.

"The BJP government does not want to let go of even a single opportunity to fleece the farmers. This is because it is an anti-farmer government, in every sense," Hooda added.
Thiruvanthapuram/Guwahati/Puducherry, April 9 (IANS) Polling in Thursday's Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry saw a robust turnout under largely peaceful conditions amidst heavy deployment of security forces, as only isolated incidents of lawaandaorder reports came in.

Thiruvanthapuram/Guwahati/Puducherry, April 9 (IANS) Polling in Thursdayas Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry saw a robust turnout under largely peaceful conditions amidst heavy deployment of security forces, as only isolated incidents of lawa'anda'order reports came in.

The Union Territory of Puducherry recorded the highest turnout at 89.08 per cent, followed by Assam at 85.04 per cent, and Kerala at 77.38 per cent, according to updates available around 7 p.m., though the final figures are yet to be updated by the Election Commission. By-elections were also held in Karnataka's Bagalkot and Davanagere South, Nagaland's Koridang, and Tripura's Dharmanagar.

The numbers have already surpassed the electoral turnout of 2021, when Puducherry recorded 83.42 per cent, Assam 82.42 per cent, and Kerala around 76 per cent. Incidentally, the turnout dropped marginally in 2021 compared to 2016.

On Thursday, turnout built steadily through the day after moderate morning participation. Long queues were seen across the states in several booths, even as specially-abled persons joined in exercising their voting rights.

Among other places, a newly married couple came to vote at the HMT School polling station at Kalamasseri in Kerala's Ernakulam.

Meanwhile, an unusual visual has gone viral where a robot was seen welcoming voters at the VOC Government School Higher Secondary School in Puducherryas Raj Bhavan constituency. The white robot is seen moving along a corridor, carrying a tray full of petals, greeting people, and encouraging them to exercise their franchise.

Thursdayas election covered 140 seats in Kerala, 126 in Assam and 30 in Puducherry in this phase. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23, and West Bengal on April 23 and 29. Counting of votes is slated for May 4.

Election authorities and state governments mounted large security deployments a" paramilitary units and local police reinforcements -- and model polling booths, to ensure orderly voting across urban and remote booths.

The emphasis was on preventing booth capture, intimidation and illegal campaigning near polling stations. Only a few, isolated disturbances were reported during the day.

Most reports highlighted routine seizure of illicit materials, complaints of EVM malfunction or queue disruptions, followed by rapid police responses; no major breakdowns of law and order came in by evening.

Election officials emphasised strict enforcement of the model code of conduct and quick redressal mechanisms as special teams monitored sensitive constituencies in Assam and urban pockets in Kerala.

Assam saw high rural and tribal turnout, with long queues at many booths and visible enthusiasm among firsta'time voters.

The polls came after the mandatory silent period, before which the campaign colour was dominated by flags and banners, rallies of political parties, where local issues such as migration, land rights and development framed voter conversations.

Polling in Kerala combined disciplined turnout, where the day remained largely peaceful and orderly, while Puducherry recorded the highest reported turnout share, with strong voter mobilisation in both urban and rural areas.

Polling continued from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., though those electors who had joined the queues before closing time were allowed to cast their vote.

High-stakes narratives, like regional identity in Assam, development vs anti-incumbency in Kerala, and local issues in Puducherry, targeted voter outreach and strong ground organisation by parties contributed to elevated participation. Weather and weekend scheduling also aided turnout in many districts.

While the National Democratic Alliance governments in both Assam and Puducherry are looking for another term, the contest in Kerala is between two blocs, where the incumbent Left Democratic Front, led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist, is again facing a challenge from the Congress-led United Democratic Front alliance.
Islamabad, April 9 : Bishops in Pakistan have expressed concern after the Federal Constitutional Court upheld the marriage of a Christian minor. The Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference (PCBC) stated that the courts are not consistently applying laws that ban marriage under the age of 18 years, terming this selective implementation of legislation deeply troubling, a report has stated.

Islamabad, April 9 (IANS) Bishops in Pakistan have expressed concern after the Federal Constitutional Court upheld the marriage of a Christian minor. The Pakistan Catholic Bishopsa Conference (PCBC) stated that the courts are not consistently applying laws that ban marriage under the age of 18 years, terming this selective implementation of legislation deeply troubling, a report has stated.

PCBC President Bishop Samson Shukardin stated that cases involving abducted Christian girls are being adjudicated inconsistently with the law. In a separate 'Statement of Protest and Urgent Denial', Catholic Archbishop Khalid Rehmat OFM Cap of Lahore expressed displeasure over court's decision in a case involving Christian girl, according to a report in Eurasia Review.

The minority community expressed outrage after a two-member bench of the Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court on March 25 declared the marriage between Christian girl, Maria Bibi and Muslim man, Sheheryar Ahmed, to be valid. The court rejected a petition filed by Bibias father, Shahbaz Masih, who said that his daughter, who was around 13 years old was unlawfully detained in July 2025. The court stated that while the law penalises underage marriage, however, these marriages are not considered invalid.

On April 5, Christians in Pakistan, while celebrating Easter, offered prayers for the protection of Christian girls from kidnapping, forced conversion, and forced marriage. These prayers were made after a recent court judgement upheld the marriage of a minor Christian girl.

According to the Eurasia Review report, since the court's verdict on March 25, Christians in Pakistan have held protests against the judgement which upheld the marriage of a minor Christian girl to a Muslim man. Community leaders have stressed that the decision could encourage more cases involving the kidnapping of Christian and Hindu girls, forced conversions, and coerced marriages.

On April 4, more than 200 Christians participated in a protest rally, organised by the Catholic Churchas human rights body, the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) and led by Bishop Simon Shukardeen, in Pakistan's Hyderabad.

"Christian groups argue that this interpretation effectively validates child marriage, which they say contradicts Pakistani law, moral values, and international human rights standards. They view the ruling as reflective of a conservative judicial approach. The verdict has drawn not only domestic criticism but also international concern. UK parliamentarians have expressed alarm over the decision," Aftab Alexander Mughal, Editor of Minority Concern Pakistan, and a former Executive Secretary of the Justice and Peace Commission of Pakistan, wrote in Eurasia Review.

"While respecting Pakistanas judicial sovereignty, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Pakistani Minorities in the UK noted that the case fits into a broader and well-documented pattern involving the abduction, forced conversion, and marriage of girls from religious minority communities, particularly Christians and Hindus," wrote Mughal.
News / National

by Business Reporter

THE National Railways of Zimbabwe has cut salaries for its workers by up to 50 percent citing viability challenges in the face of declining volumes.The giant parastatal has over the years suffered losses of over $200 million and ballooning arrears to different creditors including workers.Management and the board have since hinted on plans to offload close to 1,400 workers from an estimated 6,000 strong workforce as part of measures to tame the ballooning wage bill.Disgruntled workers' unions confirmed the "desperate" pay cut decision to Business Chronicle yesterday but said they were not consulted."It's true that they have cut our salaries. This was communicated to us (workers) last week and it's a very desperate situation," Railway Artisans and Engineers (RAE) union president, Mr Shadrack Mutakurwa, said."The memo we saw says the salary cut is subject to workers not getting less than $150. Whatever they (management) are doing they can explain better but this is a difficult moment for workers."Zimbabwe Amalgamated Railway Workers Union (ZARWU) leader Mr Kamurai Moyo also acknowledged the move."We received this message through complaints from our members. We were told the memo was written by the general manager to directors for them to communicate to workers."To our shock, this was not given to us on paper as unions. We have since written to management to say if this is true we take serious exceptions to it," said Mr Moyo."It's a shock to talk of a salary cut for workers who haven't been paid for 16 months and have got loans to pay back. Surely we wonder what's the worth or significance of going to work?"In the said memo that was directed to the company's management and leaked to a local online news agency, The Source, National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) general manager Engineer Lewis Mukwada advised of the salary cuts, which he terms new "predictable net salary levels," adding that a recent strike by company employees, which went on for nearly three months from March, had added to the company's financial problems.NRZ owes workers over 15 months' worth of unpaid salaries, amounting to a total of $87 million."Whilst there has been some additional tonnage due to the maize and sugar cane traffic, the challenges facing the organization still persist," The Source reported yesterday citing the memo."The improvement in volumes moved is therefore not yet at the level which can sustain the current predictable salary. In an effort to ensure that employees are paid a salary every month it has been found necessary to review the predictable salary levels."The highest salary grade would receive 40 percent of their salaries, while the lowest would get 50 percent of their current earnings with effect from July 2016, the memo showed."It's a not a new thing but a principle that we adopted early this year. NRZ pays workers in batches depending on the income that the organisation would have generated," acting public relations officer Mr Martin Banda was quoted by The Source."We pay them according to what we would have generated for that particular period and then settle the balance later after getting the money."Comment could not be obtained from Eng Mukwada. However, NRZ board chairman Larry Mavima dismissed the issue saying the said memo was false."There is nothing like that. What you are talking about is a fabrication by people who want to fuel disgruntlement in the country," he said adding that the company could not make such a decision without approval from the parent ministry (transport).A labour expert who requested anonymity for professional reasons said NRZ has the right to adopt such a stance given the viability challenges it is facing."In such a situation normally both parties engage in a reasonable manner and negotiate. A reasonable court can grant the employer's request but that depends on the circumstances," said the expert.A report by the Auditor General on NRZ's 2014 accounts showed that its freight unit was generating annual revenue of $91,2 million, but incurring costs of $103 million.The passenger unit had annual revenues of $3,2 million, with costs over three times more at $10,9 million.Figures from the national statistics agency also show a pattern of continued decline in revenue from $112 million in 2010 to $75, 8 million in 2014.The NRZ is one of the 10 state enterprises targeted for reform by the Government.At its peak the company used to employ about 15,000 people with a downstream impact on other industries.
New Delhi, April 9 : Federal Chancellor of Austria, Christian Stocker will pay an official visit to India from April 14-17, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday.

New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Federal Chancellor of Austria, Christian Stocker will pay an official visit to India from April 14a"17, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday.

Arriving in India on his first visit - also his first official visit to Asia - at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chancellor Stocker will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Federal Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, senior officials and business leaders.

The MEA stated that, during the visit, PM Modi and Chancellor Stocker will hold discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas. They will also exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in multilateral fora. The Prime Minister will host a lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary.

Stocker will also call on President Droupadi Murmu besides meeting External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar during his stay in New Delhi.

"India and Austria share warm, friendly and multi-faceted ties, rooted in shared democratic values. The highly successful visit of Prime Minister to Austria in July 2024 substantially elevated the contemporary relations between the two countries. The visit of Federal Chancellor Stocker also reflects the shared commitment of both countries to further deepen and expand partnership in new areas of mutual interest," read a statement issued by the MEA.

PM Modi had paid an official visit to Austria from July 9-10, 2024 at the invitation of then Chancellor Karl Nehammer. This was the Prime Minister's first visit to Austria and that of an Indian Prime Minister after 41 years. The year also marked the 75th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

During the landmark visit, both leaders had reiterated their commitment to continue their efforts towards deepening and widening bilateral, regional and international cooperation for a more stable, prosperous and sustainable world.

They had recognised that the two countries have the potential to significantly upgrade their bilateral partnership to a higher level and agreed to adopt a strategic approach to advance this shared objective.

To this end, the MEA had stated then, in addition to closer political-level dialogue, the two leaders had emphasised on a future-oriented bilateral sustainable economic and technology partnership, covering a range of new initiatives and joint projects, collaborative technology development, research and innovation and business-to-business engagement inter alia in green and digital technologies, infrastructure, renewable energy, water management, life sciences, smart cities, mobility and transportation.
Mumbai, April 9 : NCP (SP) MLA Jayant Patil, in a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, opposed the proposed sale of the seed strain of DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus) vaccines to a private company and urged the government to immediately withdraw the move.a Mumbai, April 9 (IANS) NCP (SP) MLA Jayant Patil, in a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, opposed the proposed sale of the seed strain of DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus) vaccines to a private company and urged the government to immediately withdraw the move.

In his letter, Patil said the Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation plays a significant role in vaccination and has the capacity to produce DPT vaccines. 

He termed the seed strain a rare and invaluable biological asset with a market value of thousands of crores of rupees and objected to its sale.

Patil said the institution was established in the name of scientist Waldemar Haffkine, who developed vaccines for humanity and chose not to patent his discoveries, believing that medical research should benefit mankind. 

He said initiating the sale without considering these principles undermines Haffkine's legacy.

He urged the government to cancel the proposal to sell the vaccine seed strain to any private entity and instead direct Haffkine to begin vaccine production on its own, stating that this would ensure affordable vaccines and strengthen the public healthcare system.

Earlier, during the budget session on March 24, Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar had also raised concerns over the move to transfer the historically significant vaccine strain from the Haffkine Institute to a private company. 

Raising a point of information in the State Assembly, Wadettiwar questioned the urgency with which the institute had invited an Expression of Interest.

"The DPT vaccine strain held by Haffkine is an extremely rare and historic bio-resource with a market value of hundreds of crores. Despite this, the institute hastily initiated the process without adequate deliberation," he had said.

He had also questioned why a public institution capable of producing vaccines independently would consider handing over such a valuable asset to a private entity. 

"When Haffkine itself has the capacity to manufacture vaccines, why is a biological asset of around Rs 1,500 crore being handed over to a private company?" Wadettiwar had asked.

Warning of broader implications, he had said that if the strain goes into private hands, vaccines currently available at affordable rates may become expensive, directly affecting common citizens and weakening the public health system. 

"Allowing a private company to control the State's valuable bio-assets is a serious risk. The process to transfer the strain must be halted immediately, and Haffkine should instead be strengthened to expand its own production," he had added.

Established in 1899, the Haffkine Institute is one of the oldest biomedical research institutes in the country and is engaged in training, research, and testing related to infectious diseases.

--IANS

sj/dan
New Delhi, April 9 : In a major crackdown on organised cyber investment frauds, the Delhi Police's Crime Branch has arrested two key accused in separate cases involving cheated amounts exceeding Rs 74 lakh, officials said on Thursday.

According to police, the arrests have exposed a well-structured cyber fraud network involving mule bank accounts, foreign handlers, cryptocurrency transactions, and advanced digital tools used to evade law enforcement agencies.

In the first case, a key facilitator identified as Rahul Tyagi, a resident of UP's Greater Noida, was arrested for his alleged involvement in a cyber investment fraud amounting to Rs 27.82 lakh.

The case was registered at the Cyber Cell of the West District based on a complaint received through the national cyber helpline 1930. The complainant was allegedly lured into a WhatsApp group offering lucrative investment opportunities in stock trading, IPOs and over-the-counter (OTC) platforms, and was subsequently duped into transferring Rs 27,82,422.

Police said the fraudsters circulated fake investment schemes through social media platforms and persuaded victims to transfer money into multiple-layered bank accounts. These accounts were reportedly procured on commission, while SIM cards linked to them were remotely controlled using APK-based message-forwarding applications. The accounts were used briefly and abandoned to avoid detection.

A special team comprising Inspector Vinay Kumar, SI Rakesh Malik and other officials was formed under the supervision of Inspector Sandeep Singh and the overall guidance of ACP Patil Swagat Rajkumar. Based on technical surveillance, financial trail analysis and field verification, Tyagi was apprehended from his residence.

During interrogation, Tyagi revealed that he had come in contact with foreign handlers through Telegram and, along with his associates, including Sanjay Shinde, arranged multiple bank accounts for fraudulent transactions. He disclosed that around 10a"12 bank accounts were operated for China-based handlers. He initially received payments in cryptocurrency, specifically USDT through Binance, and later in cash, earning approximately Rs 14-15 lakh from the racket.

Police further revealed that Tyagi had previously been arrested by Mumbai Police in a related cyber fraud case involving the cheating of Rs 2.5 crore.

In the second case, the Cyber Cell of South-East Delhi arrested Rinku, 36, a resident of Greater Noida, in connection with a Rs 47 lakh investment fraud.

The case was registered on June 23, 2025, based on a complaint by Md. Waquar Azam, who alleged that he was cheated of Rs 47 lakh under the pretext of investment.

Investigation revealed that a total of nine bank accounts were used in the fraud, with Rs 4.40 lakh secured as a lien amount, out of which around Rs one lakh has been refunded to the complainant.

Police said Rinku acted as a mule account holder and had handed over the SIM linked to his firmas current bank account to co-accused Sonu and another unidentified individual. Approximately Rs 31.45 lakh of the cheated amount was routed through his account before being layered and transferred further.

He also travelled to Agra and stayed in a hotel for two days to facilitate the operation, officials said.

Rinku was arrested from Greater Noida based on technical evidence and financial trail tracking. A mobile phone has been recovered from his possession.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, Aditya Gautam, urged citizens to remain vigilant against unsolicited investment offers on platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, and to immediately report suspicious activities on the helpline 1930.

Police said further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other members of the cyber fraud network.
London, April 9 : British Conservative MP Katie Lam's call for a national inquiry into UK grooming gangs exposes a scandal in which gangs of Pakistani British heritage systematically exploited vulnerable children - mostly white and Sikh girls - from the 1990s through the 2010s, devastating communities in towns like Rotherham, Rochdale, and Telford.

London, April 9 (IANS) British Conservative MP Katie Lam's call for a national inquiry into UK grooming gangs exposes a scandal in which gangs of Pakistani British heritage systematically exploited vulnerable children  mostly white and Sikh girls  from the 1990s through the 2010s, devastating communities in towns like Rotherham, Rochdale, and Telford.

"Predators targetted girls as young as 11 in everyday spots like parks, bus stops, or schools, luring them with flattery, alcohol, drugs, or small gifts to erode boundaries. Trust quickly turned to coercion: victims were driven to flats or takeaways, passed between dozens of men for repeated rapes, and silenced by threats of beatings, arson, or sharing explicit videos online," a report in Khalsa Vox detailed.

"Rotherham's estimated 1,400 victims from 1997-2013 illustrate the scale, with many from unstable homes or care, preyed on by taxi drivers who knew their routines. Abusers blended into communities as delivery drivers or shop workers, operating boldly at night when oversight was low. Heartbreaking outcomes included murders like Lucy Lowe's by her abuser, forced pregnancies, and lifelong health scars," it added.

According to the report, decades of abuse in Rotherham came to light, revealing Pakistani-heritage grooming networks targetting white girls, with reports ignored since 1991. Operation Stovewood, a major investigation into child sexual abuse and exploitation in the UK, now lists over 1,100 victims with trials scheduled until 2027.

In Rochdale, nine men were convicted in 2012 for trafficking preteens  "one endured 20 abusers nightly"  followed in 2025 by seven more sentenced to imprisonment for a combined 174 years.

Since the 1970s, the report said, Telford had up to 1,000 victims exploited due to poverty. In Oxford, 'Operation Bullfinch' convicted 22 for abuses between 1998 and 2012.

In Huddersfield, 20 men were guilty of more than 120 rapes of girls as young as 11, while Newcastle added dozens more. Greater Manchester data showed Asians, mainly Pakistanis, were responsible for 52 per cent of group abuse cases.

The report stated that during a Sikh rally in Hounslow this year, around 200 participants rescued a 16-year-old held and raped by a 34-year-old Pakistani man following police inaction.

The incident, it said, reflected how grassroots efforts fill institutional voids and emphasised the need for minority-led education on such risks.

Highlighting the scale of abuse and need for reform, the report said, "Communities and police must prioritise data, training, and victim voices to end cycles, rebuilding shattered trust. Survivors drive change, demanding no repeats."
Guwahati, April 9 : Assam on Thursday recorded its highest-ever voter turnout in the 2026 Assembly elections, with an impressive 85.38 per cent polling, reflecting strong public participation across the state, according to the Election Commission of India.

The turnout surpassed the previous record of 84.67 per cent registered during the 2016 Assembly elections, marking a significant milestone in the stateas electoral history.

Officials described the polling process as largely peaceful, with only a few minor incidents reported from scattered locations.

As per provisional data shared by polling authorities, female voters slightly outnumbered male participation, with women recording a turnout of 85.96 per cent compared to 84.80 per cent among men. The turnout among third-gender voters stood at 36.84 per cent.

Polling began at 7 a.m. across thousands of booths and witnessed steady voter queues throughout the day, particularly in rural and semi-urban constituencies.

Election officials attributed the high turnout to increased voter awareness, improved polling infrastructure, and enhanced accessibility measures.

For the first time, 100 per cent of polling stations in Assam were monitored through live webcasting, enabling real-time supervision by the Election Commission.

Senior officials, including the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, closely tracked the voting process to ensure transparency and smooth conduct.

Over 2.5 lakh polling personnel were deployed across 63,084 polling stations, with arrangements completed a day in advance. Mock polls were conducted before voting commenced in the presence of polling agents representing candidates, ensuring preparedness and confidence in the process.

Several voter-friendly initiatives were introduced, including colour photographs of candidates on EVM ballot units, mobile deposit facilities, redesigned voter information slips, and a cap of 1,200 voters per polling station to ease congestion.

Special arrangements were also made for persons with disabilities (PwD), including wheelchairs, volunteer assistance, and transport facilities to polling booths, further contributing to inclusive participation.

With such a robust turnout, Assam has set a new benchmark in electoral engagement, underlining the electorateas enthusiasm and commitment to the democratic process.
Kolkata, April 9 : Former Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani on Thursday accused the Opposition parties, particularly the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, of not supporting the discussion on the Women's Reservation Bill during the three-day extended Budget session. She highlighted that this is despite the fact that both parties are being led by female leaders.

Notably, the Congress has MPs Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as its top leaders, whereas West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the Trinamool Congress supremo.

Speaking to IANS while campaigning in Rajarhat, Irani said, "The UPA-led government has never politically empowered the strength of women. If they wanted, they could have passed the Bill in both Houses (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) when they were in power."

She also reacted to the Opposition's objection to the three-day extension of the Budget session that will primarily focus on discussing and debating the proposed amendments to the Women's Reservation Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), officially known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act.

"It is hilarious that both (Trinamool Congress and Congress) are being led by women...my party, despite being led by a man, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has brought and passed this Bill in both Houses while being in power," she said.

Flagging the issue of illegal infiltration, which has also been repeatedly raised by other BJP leaders, Irani said, "The Trinamool party depends on infiltrators to stay in power, so it is scared and confused now because the central government has launched a drive against illegal infiltration."

She also alleged that the mother of the trainee doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered at the state-run R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, was "insulted".

"It is painful that the mother of the RG Kar victim has expressed that she was insulted by the Trinamool Congress goons," she said.

Significantly, the victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, on Thursday filed her nomination as a BJP candidate from Panihati Assembly constituency.

Further, Irani questioned the women leaders of the Trinamool Congress regarding her allegation.

"I want to ask the female leaders of Trinamool Congress, when a mother, who has lost her daughter and is still awaiting justice, wants to exercise her democratic right, why is she being subjected to insults by such goons?"

Moreover, she accused CM Banerjee of not extending her support to the victim. "Mamata Banerjee did not go to the victim. According to the public information, she supported those who victimised (the trainee doctor) and removed evidence in the RG Kar victim's case," Irani alleged.

Irani also spoke on PM Modi's statement at a public rally in West Bengal on Thursday. The Prime Minister had said that every leader of Trinamool Congress, involved in corruption and looting of common people in West Bengal, will be identified and accounted for after May 4, the day on which the results of the upcoming two-phased Assembly elections will be announced.
New Delhi, April 9 : The Union government on Thursday reiterated before the Supreme Court that restrictions at the Sabarimala temple are not rooted in gender discrimination, arguing that several temples across the country impose practices that are either male- or female-centric based on faith and tradition.

Appearing before a nine-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta submitted that the 2018 verdict allowing entry of women of all age groups into the Sabarimala temple proceeded on an incorrect assumption that men were treated as superior and women placed on a lower pedestal.

"I have given instances of temples where men are not alloweda There are temples where male priests are mandated to wash the feet of women devotees. There is the Pushkar temple, the only Brahma temple in the country, where married men are not allowed. There is also a temple in Kerala where men go dressed as women. So it is not a question of male-centric or female-centric beliefs. In the present case, it happens to be woman-centric," SG Mehta told the Bench, also comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna, M.M. Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B. Varale, R. Mahadevan, and Joymalya Bagchi.

The apex court is currently examining larger constitutional questions relating to the interplay between religious freedom and fundamental rights.

During the hearing, Justice Nagarathna stressed the importance of inclusivity in religious spaces, observing that "everybody must have access to every temple and matha", while clarifying that her remarks were independent of the Sabarimala controversy.

"If you say it is my practice that only my denomination must attend my temple and none else, that is not good for Hinduism," she remarked.

Justice Aravind Kumar cautioned that such exclusionary practices could lead to societal divisions.

Senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan, appearing in the matter, countered that denominational temples -- particularly private ones -- have historically restricted entry to specific groups. He argued that such institutions, if not reliant on public funds or general footfall, may not necessarily violate constitutional principles.

"Question is whether it is contrary to the constitutional prohibition. If it is not contrary to public order, morality and health, what would be the realistic consequences," he submitted.

The Centre has consistently maintained that the 2018 Sabarimala judgment warrants reconsideration, contending that the restriction in question is rooted in the unique nature of the deity and religious practices, rather than notions of patriarchy or gender bias.

In his written submissions, SG Mehta cited examples such as the Attukal Temple in Kerala, where men are not allowed entry during certain rituals, and the Chakkulathukavu temple, where male priests perform rituals washing the feet of women devotees. He also referred to the Kottankulangara temple, where men dress in womenas attire as an expression of faith.
New Delhi, April 9 : In a major crackdown on organized crime, the Delhi Police has busted a human trafficking and immoral prostitution racket operating in the S.N. Marg area of Central Delhi, rescuing eight girls, including a minor, and seizing cash, foreign currency, drugs, and liquor from the premises.

According to police officials, the operation was carried out late on Wednesday at a property located in Ajmeri Gate, following a specific and sensitive input regarding ongoing trafficking activities.

Acting swiftly, a dedicated team under the supervision of ACP Rinchen Ongmu Bhutia and led by W/SI Kiran Sethi conducted a well-coordinated raid with the support of the Crime Team, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) experts, and members of an NGO.

During the raid, police found several women and men inside the premises. Upon verification, it was established that the location was being used for organised, immoral trafficking and prostitution activities.

A total of eight women were rescued from the site, including a 17-year-old minor who revealed that she had been trafficked from West Bengal. The victim alleged that she was brought to Delhi by a woman identified as Alia alias Pinki and later handed over to a couple, Kumari and Rahul, who were allegedly running the illegal operation.

The minor further disclosed that two individuals, identified as Gopi Ram Parihar alias Suraj and Luma Kant Pandey alias Motu, were acting as managers, handling financial transactions and facilitating customers.

Police also rescued seven other women, some of whom were reportedly hidden in cramped and concealed compartments within the premises, indicating attempts to evade detection.

During the search operation, police recovered a substantial amount of incriminating material, including cash worth Rs 1.97 lakh, $118, Nepalese currency notes, and other foreign currency. Additionally, 33 grams of ganja, used and unused condoms, gauze cloth pieces suspected to bear semen stains, and transaction records were seized.

Other items recovered from the spot included round tokens of various colours, two knives, medicines, eight diaries, and a large quantity of liquor, comprising 264 bottles and 478 cans of beer.

Two accused persons a" Parihar, 36, and Pandey, 41, both residents of Nepal a" have been arrested in connection with the case. Meanwhile, key accused Kumari and her husband Rahul are currently absconding, and efforts are underway to trace and apprehend them.

Police said multiple FIRs have been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the Excise Act.

Officials stated that the nature and scale of recoveries point to a well-organised interstate trafficking network involving victims from West Bengal, Assam, and Nepal. Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the racket and uncover the full extent of the network.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central District, Rohit Rajbir Singh, said that efforts are ongoing to rescue more victims and dismantle the broader trafficking syndicate operating in the region.
Imphal, April 9 : Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Thursday reaffirmed that the state government remains firmly committed to safeguarding peace and stability amid rising tensions following a deadly blast earlier this week.

Chairing a high-level security review meeting, the Chief Minister emphasised that strong and decisive measures are being implemented to prevent and neutralise any threats to public order.

This marks the third such review meeting since Tuesday's (April 7) tragic incident, when a powerful bomb -- allegedly fired by suspected Kuki militants -- struck a house in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai village in Bishnupur district.

The explosion claimed the lives of a five-year-old boy and his five-month-old sister, who were reportedly asleep at the time. Their mother sustained injuries in the blast, which also caused extensive damage to the house.

Following the meeting, the Chief Minister stated in a Facebook post: "We undertook a comprehensive review of the prevailing concerns, evaluated the measures already in place, and reinforced our coordinated response to ensure effective ground-level implementation."

Reiterating the government's stance, he added: "The Government remains firmly committed to safeguarding peace and stability. Strong and decisive steps are being taken to prevent and neutralise any threat to public order."

"While the situation remains sensitive, I urge all citizens to remain calm and cooperate with the authorities. Together, with collective responsibility and vigilance, we will restore normalcy and ensure a secure and peaceful Manipur," he said.

The high-level meeting was attended by Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh, Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, Chief Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, and Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Home) N. Ashok Kumar, along with senior officials from various security agencies and the Manipur Police.

In parallel, several organisations met the Chief Minister and submitted memoranda outlining their concerns, which were discussed in detail during the deliberations.

Taking to social media platform X, CM Singh wrote: "The Tronglaobi incident and subsequent unrest are a serious breach of peace. The Government is taking firm, time-bound measures, in accordance with constitutional provisions, to restore normalcy and ensure security. Assured continued public engagement and decisive action to uphold the rule of law and safeguard the interests of all."

In another post, he said the state remains in close coordination with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, adding: "The Tronglaobi incident is deeply unfortunate and disrupted ongoing peace efforts. Strict action will be taken against those responsible. The government remains committed to restoring peace, ensuring security, and upholding the rule of law."

Meanwhile, public anger over the incident spilt onto the streets as a large number of people, including women, staged a protest rally in Imphal on Thursday.

The demonstration was organised under the banner of several groups, including the All Manipur United Club Organisation (AMUCO), All Manipur Women's Voluntary Association (AMAWOVA), Porei Lemarol Apunba Meira Paibi, Committee on Human Rights (COHR), and the Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF).

Defying curfew orders imposed by the district administration, the rally began from Kwakeithel around noon and proceeded along Tiddim Road. It was eventually halted by a heavy deployment of security personnel, including State Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF), at Hodam Leirak.

A brief confrontation took place before authorities permitted a small delegation from the five organisations to meet the Chief Minister. The protesting groups alleged bias by central forces in favour of Kuki armed groups and demanded the withdrawal of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreements with these militant outfits.

Amid the tense situation, police also thwarted an attempted self-immolation by a 32-year-old man in front of Lok Bhavan in Imphal on Thursday afternoon. The individual, identified as Sinam Appolo from Mayang Langjing, reportedly took the extreme step in anguish over the killing of the two children in the April 7 blast.

Authorities intervened in time, preventing further escalation as tensions continue to run high across the state.
Opinion / Columnist

For years, Nelson Chamisa painted himself as the heir to Zimbabwes democratic dreamthe youthful, eloquent "Saviour" who would finally dislodge the ruling ZANU-PF establishment. Yet, as the political fog clears in 2026, a grimmer, more inconvenient portrait is emerging. The narrative of the besieged leader is collapsing under the weight of his own actions, particularly regarding his relocation to the United States. While his loyalists scramble to spin a tale of exile for "security reasons," the reality looks less like political asylum and more like an abandonment of a movement he swore to lead.

To understand the frustration with Chamisa, one must first acknowledge the very real context of political violence in Zimbabwe that he has long cited as a threat. The claims are not baseless. There are documented reports of assassination plots against him, including allegations from a UK investigative unit that Zimbabwes Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) considered eliminating him in 2020 . The opposition landscape is littered with the wreckage of political violencefrom the bombing of activist Job Sikhalas home while his children were inside to petrol bomb attacks on activists family homes . For decades, dissent in Zimbabwe has often come at the cost of safety.However, there is a critical distinction that Chamisas most fervent supporters refuse to make: the difference between a genuine political refugee and a leader who leaves his flock to the wolves.Chamisa argues he took his family out of the country for "security reasons." Yet, as the query rightly points out, his immediate family was never specifically targeted in the documented wave of harassment. If the security situation is untenable for his bloodline, why is it tenable for the bloodline of his supporters? His argument implies a hierarchy of safetythat the lives of his relatives are too precious to risk, while the teenagers and grandmothers who vote for him must simply endure the brutality of the "Second Republic."This is the crux of the betrayal. While Chamisa is reportedly comfortable in the United States, studying and working, his former allies are the ones facing the music. Consider Job Sikhala, who spent 595 days in pre-trial detention for inciting violence, only to have his home bombed later . Consider the activists in Highfields whose homes were petrol bombed by suspected state agents . These are not abstract "supporters"; these are the foot soldiers of change. They are the ones who stayed behind to face the tear gas, the batons, and the legal "lawfare" that Chamisa decries from a safe distance .The "security" excuse also rings hollow given the internal accusations of hypocrisy. Reports suggest that while Chamisa claimed the state was hunting him, he was allegedly utilizing security provided by the very CIO he claimed to fear, leading to accusations that his hardline stance was a performance . Furthermore, his immediate reaction to criticism on social mediablocking long-time allies like activist Nqobizitha Mlambo for merely questioning his "pluralism"suggests a leader less interested in a liberation struggle and more concerned with maintaining a cult of personality .His supporters on social media remain the most tragic figures in this saga. Charlton Hwende, a former Chamisa confidant, recently labeled these loyalists "paid trolls" after they attacked him for merely wishing Chamisa a happy birthday . Whether they are paid or simply zealots, the outcome is the same: they are fighting a PR war for a man who has physically left the battlefield. They scream about "Change" and "God is in it," but these are just hashtags masking the leaders strategic ambiguity .The truth is harsh but necessary. A leader who moves his entire household to a safe haven while expecting his constituents to remain in the line of fire is not a martyr; he is a manager of a diaspora-based brand. Nelson Chamisa had the opportunity to be Zimbabwes Mandela, but by choosing the comfort of American suburbia over the trenches of Zimbabwean politics, he has settled for being a cautionary tale.His supporters would do well to stop worshipping the man and start scrutinizing the track record. You cannot lead a revolution via Zoom. You cannot liberate a country from a green card. And you cannot call yourself a "Saviour" when you have saved no one but yourself.
Jaipur, April 9 : Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the country's first Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited Integrated Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex at Balotra on April 21.

He stated that the Pachpadra Refinery will emerge as a key pillar of national energy security and provide fresh momentum to Rajasthan's economic development.

The Chief Minister issued necessary directions to officials to ensure that the Prime Minister's visit becomes a historic and well-organised event. Sharma was chairing a high-level review meeting at the Chief Minister's Office on Thursday to assess preparations for the proposed visit.

He informed that the Prime Minister will also address a public gathering and flag off liquefied petroleum gas tankers produced at the refinery.

The Chief Minister directed officials to make comprehensive arrangements at the venue, including seating, drinking water, medical facilities, uninterrupted power supply, parking, traffic management, and security.

He instructed the Traffic Police and Transport Department to coordinate closely to ensure smooth traffic flow and adequate parking. Directions were also issued regarding plantation activities within the refinery premises.

Sharma highlighted that, in addition to petrol and diesel, the Hindustan Refinery and Petrochemical Limited refinery will produce polypropylene, Linear Low-Density Polyethylene, High-Density Polyethylene, benzene, toluene, and butadiene.

These products will significantly benefit sectors such as transportation, pharmaceuticals, paints, and packaging.

He added that the project will strengthen energy self-reliance, reduce dependence on imports in the petrochemical sector, and generate substantial direct and indirect employment opportunities for youth, along with avenues for skill development.

The Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited refinery at Pachpadra is poised to play a crucial role in meeting both state and national energy demands.

The revised project cost stands at Rs 79,459 crore, with an annual refining capacity of nine million metric tonnes. The refinery will process a blend of 1.5"2.5 million tonnes of Rajasthan crude and 6.5"7.5 million tonnes of imported crude. Spread across approximately 4,400 acres, the facility has already commenced commercial liquefied petroleum gas production.

Senior officials present at the meeting included Chief Secretary V. Srinivas, Director General of Police Rajiv Kumar Sharma, along with representatives from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and other concerned departments.

-- Syndicated from IANS
Mumbai, April 9 : Karan Johar, filmmaker and director, has documented his Tokyo trip through his social media handle and has appreciated the city's silence and hygiene.

Taking to his Instagram account on Thursday, Karan Johar dropped a series of pictures from his Tokyo trip, in which he shared glimpses of the city's beautiful locations.

He also shared several selfies in which he can be seen posing in his usual fashionable jackets and coats. In one of the pictures, which appears to have been clicked in a mall, there are bags with a caption written on them that reads, "My energy comes from freedom."

Adding a note to these pictures, he wrote, "An organised city that is crowded and meditative in equal measure that's new and sells vintage in beautiful abundance."

Praising the hygiene and silence of the city he wrote "where silences are appreciated, hygiene is inherent , order is the order of everyday and politeness is everywhere . I was late to this Tokyo party but i slept with matcha coated dreams on all nights  also if you haven't had the egg sandwich from 7 11 then you haven't lived!"

He concluded by writing "Am off to sleep as I have an early flight out! Sayonara Tokyo! Till we meet again."

Prior to this Karan Johar had shared pictures with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathway whom he met in Tokyo during the promotions of 'The Devil Wears Prada-2'

Adding a note to the pictures he wrote "This is not a caption. This is a confession. I am singularly obsessed and inspired by the unmatchable brilliance of Meryl Streep. In many ways she has been my guru in the art of acting & portraying characters across cinema!!

He also confessed that he has seen "The Devil Wears Prada" over 40 times.

IANS

Ayk/

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bengaluru, April 9 : Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy and Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna on Thursday conducted a joint inspection of railway infrastructure works along the Bengaluru-Mysuru route on Thursday.

Bengaluru, April 9 (IANS) Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy and Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna on Thursday conducted a joint inspection of railway infrastructure works along the BengaluruMysuru route on Thursday.

The inspection began from KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station, where the ministers undertook a "window trailing" inspection, travelling by train and reviewing ongoing development works up to Mysuru.

Senior railway officials, including those from the South Western Railway division, accompanied the ministers during the inspection. Public representatives from constituencies along the railway route also participated in the process.

During the journey, the ministers closely examined infrastructure along the route, including the construction and progress of underpasses, overbridges, and other development works aimed at improving safety and connectivity.

Kumaraswamy held discussions with Minister Somanna and senior railway officials regarding pending railway projects in the Mandya, Ramanagara, and Mysuru Lok Sabha constituencies in south Karnataka. The discussions focused on expediting ongoing works and addressing infrastructure gaps in the region. The joint inspection is part of efforts to strengthen rail connectivity and accelerate development projects along one of Karnataka's key railway corridors.

Speaking to the media during the journey, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that his five-hour journey from Bengaluru to Mysuru on a special train, during which he reviewed railway development works along the route, was a unique experience.

He said that he, along with Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna, departed from KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station at 10 a.m. and reached Mysuru at 3 p.m., conducting inspections through window trailing.

Kumaraswamy said he used to travel extensively across the state by train earlier, but had not had the opportunity in recent years. He expressed happiness at once again travelling by train and interacting with people along the route, calling it an exciting experience.

He emphasised that railway transport plays a vital role in public transportation systems, not only for passenger movement but also from a commercial perspective, calling it the backbone of the country. He noted that rail connectivity between Bengaluru and Mysuru is already strong, and discussions were held to further enhance it under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said detailed discussions were held with Minister Somanna on the development of railway stations in Ramanagara, Mandya and Mysuru districts, increasing train services, ensuring stoppage of major trains, boosting commercial activities, and generating employment.

The ministers also reviewed all level crossings and discussed the construction of underpasses wherever necessary. They also held consultations with railway officials regarding upgrading stations such as Maddur, Srirangapatna and Pandavapura.

Kumaraswamy said that approval has been received from the Railway Board for a stoppage of the Wadiyar Express at Ramanagara, and services will begin soon. He added that he had earlier discussed this with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister Somanna, stating that the stoppage would benefit local residents.

Kumaraswamy pointed out that the existing railway station in Maddur is located far from the town and is over 100 years old, making a new, well-equipped station necessary. Responding positively, Minister Somanna assured that action would be taken immediately.

He said that once land is identified, officials will be sent for a survey. Due to increasing passenger traffic, a second station is required. The existing station will also be upgraded and modernised, with work expected to be completed within six months.

Senior officials are expected to visit Maddur within a few days to conduct inspections. Requests for additional train stoppages at the station will also be examined.

At Nidaghatta near Maddur, the ministers halted the special train and interacted with villagers, reviewing the urgent need for a railway underpass. Villagers submitted petitions seeking the construction of underpasses to facilitate agricultural activities and smooth vehicular movement. The ministers assured that surveys would be conducted and work would begin soon after reports are submitted.

At Hanakere railway station, the ministers received public grievances and reviewed the station's condition, assuring development measures. Villagers also raised concerns about frequent railway gate closures at level crossings, which affect farmers, sugarcane transport vehicles, and schoolchildren. Kumaraswamy urged railway authorities to construct overbridges or underpasses at the earliest.

The ministers also stopped at Yeliyur, Pandavapura and Srirangapatna stations to receive public grievances.

Kumaraswamy discussed public representations with Minister Somanna and senior railway officials, urging a quick resolution of issues.

Somanna assured that all petitions would be reviewed and necessary action taken within one to two weeks, followed by another round of meetings.

Kumaraswamy said he has requested additional train stoppages in Mandya, the introduction of more DEMU services, and halts for key trains.

He highlighted that Mandya, located between Bengaluru and Mysuru, is an important hub for agriculture, commerce and tourism. Hence, he urged that the Mandya railway station be developed into a modern, well-equipped facility with additional platforms and improved infrastructure for passenger convenience.

Responding to this, Kumaraswamy said that with the support of Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister V. Somanna, Mandya station is already being developed into a modern facility. He added that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, railway stations across the country are being upgraded on the lines of airports, and a similar transformation is planned for Mandya.

Senior railway officials, including South Western Railway Divisional Manager Ashutosh Kumar Singh (Bengaluru), along with former ministers D.C. Thammanna, C.S. Puttaraju, Sa.Ra. Mahesh, and Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar were present during the inspection tour.
Gandhinagar, April 9 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha's Gujarat unit on Thursday resolved to work towards a "grand victory" in the upcoming local self-government elections, as its newly constituted state unit held its first meeting at the party's state headquarters in Gandhinagar.a Gandhinagar, April 9 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha's Gujarat unit on Thursday resolved to work towards a "grand victory" in the upcoming local self-government elections, as its newly constituted state unit held its first meeting at the party's state headquarters in Gandhinagar.

The meeting was chaired by the state Yuva Morcha president, Vadodara MP Hemang Joshi, in the presence of state in-charge Kirit Patel, according to party leaders.

Addressing party workers, Joshi emphasised organisational strength, discipline, and teamwork as central to expanding the party's reach.

He said that a strong and coordinated structure was essential to carry the party's ideology to the "last person in society".

He called on Yuva Morcha members to remain active in their respective areas and maintain continuous contact with people.

"Through sustained communication and outreach, workers must take the public welfare initiatives of the BJP's central government under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as those of the state government led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, to every citizen," he said.

Joshi also outlined plans for upcoming programmes, campaigns, and social initiatives, and urged workers to adopt digital platforms to strengthen engagement with young people.

He said efforts should focus on making the organisation more dynamic while contributing to positive social change.

Kirit Patel, addressing the gathering, described the Yuva Morcha as the "centre of strength" of the party.

He urged office-bearers to carry out their responsibilities with commitment and work towards achieving organisational goals.

Referring to the forthcoming local elections, he said the role of the Yuva Morcha would be significant in mobilising support.

Party workers present at the meeting expressed a collective commitment to securing a decisive victory for the BJP in the elections.

Discussions during the meeting covered organisational matters, membership drives, training programmes and social service activities.

Leaders also advised workers to strengthen grassroots engagement, maintain dialogue with local communities, and better understand public concerns.

Among those present were state general secretaries Naresh Desai, Devangi Maiyad, and Bhavin Shiroya, along with office-bearers, cell conveners, executive members, and district and city unit representatives of the Yuva Morcha.


Jaipur, April 9 : In a major relief for farmers affected by unseasonal rains, hailstorms, and adverse weather conditions, the Central government has relaxed wheat procurement norms for the ongoing Rabi season in Rajasthan.a

The decision comes after an initiative by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who actively raised farmersa concerns and pushed for corrective measures at the central level.a

The revised norms aim to ensure that farmers do not suffer financial losses from weather-induced crop damage. a

Farmers across the state, including those in the Kota-Bundi region, are expected to benefit significantly from this move, as it provides greater procurement flexibility despite a decline in wheat quality.a

According to the new guidelines, the permissible limit for loss of luster in wheat has been increased to 50 per cent. a

Similarly, the limit for shrivelled and broken grains has been raised to 15 per cent. The combined permissible limit for damaged and partially damaged grains has now been fixed at 6 per cent. These changes have been made in light of the deterioration in crop quality caused by recent rain and hail.a

The government has reiterated that safeguarding farmersa interests and ensuring procurement at the Minimum Support Price remain top priorities. By relaxing quality norms, the Centre aims to maximise procurement so that farmers are not forced to sell their produce at lower prices in the open market.a

Officials have been instructed to ensure smooth procurement operations at mandis across the state. Adequate arrangements are being made to handle increased arrivals and to prevent any inconvenience to farmers during the procurement process.a

This decision is expected to directly benefit lakhs of farmers in Rajasthan and provide them with much-needed relief during a challenging agricultural season. a

It will also help maintain stability in the state's agricultural economy by ensuring that affected produce remains accepted under government procurement systems.a

With procurement likely to gain momentum, the move is seen as a timely intervention to support farmers and protect their livelihoods.a

a
Amaravati, April 9 : The Andhra Pradesh government will prepare a comprehensive regulatory framework to restrict access to social media for children aged below 13 years and to design an age-appropriate digital environment for teenagers.

State Minister for Education, IT and Electronics, Nara Lokesh on Thursday called for the drafting of a legislation that balances digital access with child safety, creativity, and mental well-being.

Chairing a high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting with senior officials and representatives from leading social media platforms, Minister Lokesh emphasised the need for a graded, age-based content access system, particularly for users aged between 13 to 16 years, ensuring that children are not exposed to harmful or inappropriate content.

The proposed framework aims to align Andhra Pradesh with emerging global standards in digital child protection, an official statement said.

Officials have been tasked with studying best practices from countries such as Singapore, Australia, and Denmark to build a robust legal and technological framework tailored to India's needs.

As part of enforcement architecture, the state government is evaluating the use of secure age-verification mechanisms, including "age tokens" integrated with DigiLocker.

This could enable social media platforms to authenticate user age without compromising privacy, a critical step toward implementing age restrictions at scale.

Representatives from major social media platforms, including Meta, YouTube, X, ShareChat, and Josh briefed the GoM on existing safeguards for restricting sensitive content and handling user complaints. They expressed willingness to collaborate closely with the Andhra Pradesh government in implementing these measures.

The state government will also seek public feedback and submit recommendations to the Union government on aspects that fall under the central legislative domain, indicating a potential pathway toward national-level policy evolution.

Minister Lokesh underscored that strict action will be taken against individuals posting abusive or hateful content, particularly targeting women.

Strengthening enforcement under existing IT laws, including Section 46 of the IT Act, was highlighted, with directions issued to appoint adjudicating authorities at the earliest.

Recognising that regulation alone is insufficient, the state government will roll out large-scale awareness initiatives across the state.

These include digital safety education during "No Bag Day" in schools, awareness sessions for parents and students during Mega PTMs (held twice annually) and outreach to women through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) on online safety and cyber risks.

The initiative aims to build digital literacy alongside regulatory safeguards, ensuring a holistic approach to child safety.

The meeting was attended by Ministers Vangalapudi Anitha, Nadendla Manohar, and Satyakumar Yadav, along with senior officials from General Administration Department, Information and Public Relations Department, Cyber Crime, and Digital Corporation.
Mumbai, April 9 : The Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (Mahatransco) successfully commissioned its ambitious Babhaleshwar-Kudus 400 kV transmission line on Thursday, strengthening power infrastructure in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

Mumbai, April 9 (IANS) The Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (Mahatransco) successfully commissioned its ambitious Babhaleshwara"Kudus 400 kV transmission line on Thursday, strengthening power infrastructure in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

The newly operational line is expected to enhance the stability, reliability, and efficiency of power supply across Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Ahilyanagar districts. The project will help reduce transmission losses by approximately 5 MW and improve voltage levels across the region, said the Mahatransco in a statement.

Importantly, the double-circuit transmission line will enable an additional power transfer capacity of up to 3000 MW, ensuring better management of rising electricity demand in the fast-growing Mumbai region.

Originally approved in 2010 and targeted for completion by 2013, the project faced multiple delays due to technical and administrative challenges. However, with coordinated efforts by various government agencies and expedited governance, the project was finally completed in March 2026.

The project involved the installation of 715 transmission towers across a total line length of approximately 228 km. Of these, 485 towers and 304 circuit km of stringing work were completed under the Nashik division, while 230 towers and 152 circuit km were completed under the Vashi division.

Execution of the project posed several challenges, including obtaining special permissions for passing through the vicinity of the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Pune district. Additional hurdles included land compensation issues, forest clearances, right-of-way (RoW) constraints, and logistical challenges in transporting materials. In forested areas, materials had to be transported manually, while in certain sections, work was completed using advanced hotline stringing techniques, said the statement.

The commissioning of this line will reduce the load on the existing Padghea"Babhaleshwar transmission lines and significantly improve overall grid reliability. It will also provide an additional power source to the Kudus substation, helping meet the increasing electricity demand in the Mumbai region.

Mahatransco credited the success of the project to the cooperation and support of local public representatives, revenue authorities, police, and forest departments.
Umaria, April 9 : Two police personnel, including a Town Inspector, were critically injured in a road accident on National Highway-43 near Bharaula village in Umaria district on Thursday.a Umaria, April 9 (IANS) Two police personnel, including a Town Inspector, were critically injured in a road accident on National Highway-43 near Bharaula village in Umaria district on Thursday.

The incident occurred late in the evening when a police vehicle collided with a passenger bus coming from the opposite direction.

The injured officer has been identified as Chandia Police Station In-charge Jodhan Singh Paraste, who was on official duty at the time of the accident.

According to police, the accident occurred when the police vehicle collided head-on with a bus coming from Katni district. The collision was severe, leaving the police vehicle badly damaged.

Town Inspector Jodhan Singh Paraste sustained serious injuries and was immediately rushed to the District Hospital in Umaria. After providing primary treatment, doctors referred him to Jabalpur Medical College for advanced medical care due to his critical condition.

The driver of the police vehicle, Saurabh, also suffered injuries in the accident and is currently undergoing treatment at the district hospital. His condition is reported to be stable.

Confirming the incident, City Superintendent of Police Punnu Singh Paraste told IANS that the police team was on duty at the time of the accident.

He added that immediate rescue efforts were carried out with the help of local residents and emergency services, and the injured were shifted to the hospital without delay.

He said, "A case has been registered, and an investigation has been initiated to ascertain the exact cause of the accident. Preliminary inputs suggest that over-speeding and possible negligence may have led to the collision, though all aspects are being examined."

Senior police officials are monitoring the condition of the injured officer, and further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.

Police have registered a case and launched a detailed probe into the accident, examining all possible angles, including over-speeding, driver negligence, and road conditions at the site. 

Officials said statements of the bus driver, police personnel present in the vehicle, and eyewitnesses are being recorded to establish the sequence of events.

Paraste stated that the exact cause will be determined after a thorough investigation, and strict action will be taken against those found responsible.
Jaipur, April 9 : The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), on Thursday, arrested former IAS officer Subodh Agarwal (Retired Rajasthan Additional Chief Secretary) in connection with a large-scale corruption case under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

In relation to a case, registered at the ACB headquarters, Agarwal was taken into custody in Delhi on Thursday and subsequently arrested.

Further investigation in the matter is ongoing.

The investigation has revealed that firms M/s Shri Ganpati Tubewell Company (Proprietor: Mahesh Mittal) and M/s Shri Shyam Tubewell Company (Proprietor: Padamchand Jain) secured government tenders by submitting forged work completion certificates purportedly issued by IRCON International Limited.

Acting in collusion with senior officials of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), these firms were awarded contracts worth around Rs 960 crore.

It has also been established that Subodh Agarwal, who was serving as Rajasthan Additional Chief Secretary (PHED) at the time, along with other senior officials, deliberately violated established norms.

They introduced the requirement of "Site Visit Certificates" for major tenders exceeding Rs 50 crore, which led to the disclosure of bidder identities and facilitated cartelisation (tender pooling).

This resulted in abnormally high premiums ranging between 30 and 40 per cent, which were subsequently approved by PHED officials, indicating a clear abuse of official position.

The total value of the tenders under scrutiny is estimated at nearly Rs 20,000 crore.

As of now, 10 accused persons have been arrested in the case, including Dinesh Goyal, Chief Engineer (Administration); K.D. Gupta, Chief Engineer (Rural); Subhanshu Dixit, the then former Secretary of the Rajasthan Water Supply and Sewerage Management Board and current Additional Chief Engineer/Secretary; Sushil Sharma, Chief Engineer (Jaipur Zone-II) and current Financial Advisor of Renewable Energy; Niril Kumar, Churu Chief Engineer; Vishal Saxena, Executive Engineer and currently under suspension, Arun Srivastava, retired Additional Chief Engineer, D.K. Gaur, the then Chief Engineer and Technical Member; Mahendra Prakash Soni, the then Superintending Engineer; and Mukesh Pathak (private individual).

The court has issued standing arrest warrants against three absconding accused namely Mukesh Goyal (then Superintending Engineer), Jitendra Sharma (then Executive Engineer) and Sanjeev Gupta (private individual).

Proceedings are underway to declare them proclaimed offenders and to attach their properties.

The Rajasthan High Court has granted interim protection from arrest to five other accused persons in the case.

Detailed questioning of Subodh Agarwal and further investigation are being carried out under the supervision of Rajasthan Additional Director General Smita Srivastava.

To ensure a comprehensive and expeditious probe, the SIT, constituted under the leadership of Deputy Inspector Generals of Police, Rameshwar Singh and Om Prakash Meena, have undertaken an in-depth examination of technical and documentary evidence.
Port Luis/New Delhi, April 9 : External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during his visit to Mauritius, reaffirmed India's commitment to deepening bilateral relations with the island nation.

In a message to Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Jaishankar congratulated Mauritius for hosting the 9th Indian Ocean Conference and expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation.

Highlighting the progress made in just over a year, Jaishankar recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Mauritius in March 2025, when both governments elevated their ties to an "Enhanced Strategic Partnership." He noted that this decision reflects the enduring bonds of history, culture, and trust between the two nations, while also expanding cooperation across key sectors.

Jaishankar emphasised the importance of development partnership, citing the Special Economic Package jointly announced last year, which is now being implemented through the Exchange of Letters.

He also underscored India's support in healthcare, inaugurating a Renal Transplant Unit at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, and pointed to ongoing projects such as the AYUSH Centre of Excellence and community development initiatives across Mauritius, Rodrigues, and Agalega. Sustainable energy cooperation featured prominently in his remarks.

India has supported Mauritius with e-buses, solar power projects, and collaborations under the International Solar Alliance and Global Biofuels Alliance. An Indian enterprise is also developing Mauritius' first floating solar power project.

On defence and security, Jaishankar announced the forthcoming appointment of a Defence Attache in Mauritius, strengthening maritime cooperation and joint hydrography services.

He also highlighted capacity-building initiatives, including the launch of the iGOT Karmayogi portal for Mauritian civil servants, making Mauritius the first country to receive a dedicated version of the platform. Education and labour cooperation were also noted, with agreements between the University Grants Commission and Mauritius' Higher Education Commission, alongside operationalisation of the labour MoU (memorandum of understanding).

Energy security remains a priority, with India and Mauritius finalising a government-to-government agreement for oil and gas supply.

Jaishankar concluded by reaffirming India's commitment under its "Neighbourhood First Policy, Vision Mahasagar, and Global South" priorities, stressing that the partnership with Mauritius is both unique and enduring.
Business

FasterCapital backs FuelDash in EquityPilot to advance residential and business fuel delivery services.

FasterCapital backs FuelDash in EquityPilot to advance residential and business fuel delivery services.

Dubai, UAE  FasterCapital today announced it has selected FuelDash to join EquityPilot, supporting the Colorado startup as it prepares to launch on-demand residential and business fuel delivery services. The program will work with FuelDash to refine go-to-market execution, regulatory readiness, and technology implementation.

FasterCapitals EquityPilot will concentrate in the first 3060 days on operational setup, regulatory alignment, and product refinement to help FuelDash move from planning to early commercial operations.

Why It Matters?

Consumers and small businesses increasingly expect on-demand services that remove friction from everyday tasks and are more efficient. FuelDash aims to address a specific and underserved gap in the market: convenient, safe, secure and efficient on-site fuel delivery for households, hospitality properties and small businesses throughout Colorado. The service targets busy families and work-at-home professionals, small businesses with service vehicles that require fuel other than - but including - diesel, the elderly, the mobility-challenged and rural residents, and time-constrained consumers who currently lack convenient safe and secure refueling options.

What the Startup Delivers?

FuelDash offers a dual B2B and B2C model for its on-demand fuel delivery, supported by a native mobile app suite with automated routing and scheduling optimization and photo-verified delivery completion. Key elements include: 1) On-demand residential fuel delivery and subscription memberships 2) Non-contractual business fueling delivered to job sites and yards, service lots, and fleet locations 3) Proprietary mobile apps for consumers, drivers, and admins with integrated pricing, service automation, and verification tools.

Why Now?

Market timing is ideal. Residential fuel delivery remains largely undeveloped in Colorado. Shifts in consumer behavior (post-pandemic) toward on-demand services, combined with operational improvements in mobile fuel handling and app-driven logistics, create a timely opening for a compliant, safety-focused entry.

What FasterCapital Will Provide?

- Hands-on execution guidance focused on operational milestones and fundraising readiness

- Support in refining product positioning, go-to-market messaging, and regulatory compliance workflows

- Connections to relevant ecosystem stakeholders, mentors, and industry advisors

- Feedback loops for the mobile app user experience and operational playbooks

Program Plan First 3060 Days

- Review and prioritize operational checklists and regulatory permits

- Validate driver and equipment workflows and safety protocols

- Iterate on consumer and driver app features to improve booking, routing, and verification

- Prepare investor materials and milestone-based fundraising readiness documents

Leadership Comment

Hesham Zreik, Founder and CEO of FasterCapital, said: Were excited to support FuelDash through EquityPilot. Our team will focus on execution milestones and connecting the startup with the right ecosystem stakeholders.

Next 90 Days

Upcoming Milestones: FuelDash plans to finalize operational processes, complete initial app refinements, and commence pilot deliveries with targeted residential and business customers. The company intends to use investor support to establish its first Fuel Hub and begin localized market rollout.

About FuelDash

FuelDash is a Colorado-based startup providing on-demand fuel delivery for residential, hospitality, and business customers. The company seeks $3 million to launch operations and plans to open two Fuel Hubs within its first 18 months. FuelDash emphasizes convenience, safety, security, efficiency, regulatory compliance, and an AI-enabled mobile app suite to streamline deliveries, automate processes, and provide photo-verification for its customers and drivers.

Sean Roy, Founder and CEO of FuelDash, says Market timing is ideal. Consumer behavior has been permanently transformed by the pandemic, which has accelerated comfort with on-demand services like PostMates and DoorDash. Customers expect everything from groceries to prescriptions to come to their door. FuelDash is simply tapping into this mindset shift with a business model that meets modern expectations and aligns with the growing demand for contactless time-saving services.

About FasterCapital

FasterCapital is a global venture builder and online incubator dedicated to co-funding and co-founding innovative startups. Established in 2014, we are now #1 venture builder in terms of number of startups that we have helped, money invested and money raised. It supports startups worldwide through various programs, including funding assistance, business development, and technical support. The EquityPilot program is designed to help early-stage startups build scalable solutions with mentorship, strategic guidance, and network support.

Media Contact:

Lydia Zeng

Email: lydia.zeng@fastercapital.com

Phone: +1 (512) 400-0256

Website: https://www.fastercapital.com
Christopher Buehlmans books are set in the past, and this spring the author is experiencing a time warp of his own. Hes traveling with his novel Between Two Fires for the second timealthough, as he notes, its the first time Ive toured with this book as a success. A success indeed: Fourteen years after it was first published, the Tor Nightfire edition of Between Two Fires debuted at #5 on the Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction bestseller list.

It's such a joy to see [Christopher] have this success, Tor executive editor Lindsey Hall says.

A lot of authors will write forever and never get the audience they deserve. Hall has also been Buehlmans manager since 2019, signing the author after reading a draft of his novel The Blacktongue Thief. She credits that book with starting a new genre at the intersection of fantasy and horrortwo genres with large and passionate fan bases that have come together to support Buehlman and his books.

Set in 1348, Between Two Fires follows a disgraced knight, an alcoholic priest, and a precocious girl who may or may not be a saint as they travel across plague-ravaged France, witnessing death on an apocalyptic scale. Along the way, they also encounter dragons, demons, and Biblically accurate angels that are just as, if not more, terrifying than their infernal counterparts.

Originally published by Penguin Random Houses Ace imprint in 2012, Between Two Fires didnt take off upon its first printing. Buehlman recalls becoming increasingly discouraged on his initial book tour, where his visits to bookstores would be attended only by the employee and two guests, one of whom thought it was somebody else.

Since 2012, Buehlman has written more works that blend his two favorite genres, and Between Two Fires has become a pioneering title burgeoning subgenre of horror novels set in medieval times, such as Caitlin Starlings The Starving Saints (Harper Voyager, 2025) and Hiron Enness The Works of Vermin (Tor Nightfire, 2025).

Buehlman is modest about his influence: I wish people would hurry up and write more medieval horror, he says. That's my favorite stuff to read.

A lifelong Stephen King fan, Buehlman grew up in Florida, where he developed a love for renaissance faires. He says that faire audiences kept Between Two Fires alive after Buehlman was dropped by Ace after Penguins merger with Random House in 2013. The company assured me they would stick with me, but that was before Random House came along and cleaned house. Things change, but it was all for the best." Discouraged, he returned to the renaissance faire circuit that had sustained him since his youth, performing a variety of personas like the roaming roast comic Christophe the Insultor and a character known simply as Fat Shakespeare.

It was fun work, but not particularly lucrative. And so in 2019, the same year that Buehlman signed with Hall, he bought back the rights to Between Two Fires from Penguin Random House, and began selling a self-published version of the book at faires and online. I wanted to hand-sell the book between my shows, just to make a little extra money, he says.

It was at that point that Between Two Fires found its audience, as Buehlman puts it, adding that the pandemic came along and piqued people's interest in the novel. (It does revolve around pestilence.) The book first gained traction on Reddits /horrorlit boardSomeone said to me one day, you're big on Reddit, and I was like, what's a Reddit?, Buehlman recallsbefore going viral on TikTok.

It's startling when you're unaware of a platform and you go open it up and suddenly there's everybody talking about you for all this time, Buehlman says. It was pretty amazing to see.

Hall is not on TikTok, but the self-published version of Buehlmans novel was selling well enough that she started to see signs of its online popularity in the real world as well. I kept seeing it in McNally Jackson, she says. It was right there in the front of the store, and then also on the staff favorite [shelf]. It was facing out in two places. Getting to see it in the world was the most enchanting part for me.

Self-publishing was going well for Buehlman. It changed my life, he says, and he was hesitant to tamper with the formula. Hall first broached the subject of a reprint after Tor published Buehlmans sixth novel, the dark medieval fantasyThe Blacktongue Thief in 2021, but it took a few years for Buehlman to agree to pull his self-published version of Between Two Fires from Amazon.

I think that relationship made him feel comfortable and excited about bringing Between Two Fires back to a traditional publisher, Hall says, crediting their experience working together on the Blacktongue Thief book tour with establishing trust between them.

Aside from the cover art, little has changed about Between Two Fires throughout its multiple incarnations. Tors hardcover has the same cover art as Buehlmans self-published version, featuring a black figure of a skeleton in knights armor against a red background. The text is virtually identical as well, save for a new forward by Joe Hill. (It's a masterpiece, Hall says. You don't touch a masterpiece.)

Now based in Paris, Buehlman is reteaming with Tor Nightfire for his next novel, which hell write after the conclusion of his book tour. I'm thinking of Italy in the time of the cavalieri, he says, referring to the elite knights of medieval Italian city-states. Hes currently learning Italian, and planning research trips to gather inspiration for his next work of blistering historical horror. His dreams have come true, and that means more nightmares for the rest of us.
Style: Maura

Leather or suede body, zip-top closure, detachable top handle, adjustable/detachable crossbody strap, brushed metal hardware, burned edge finish, metal bottom feet

Velvety faux suede lining; two interior front slip pockets, back zip pocket

Paris Map/Fleur de Jardin/Light Tan: brushed brasstone hardware

Petal Pink/Denim Blue/Black: brushed nickel hardware

Measures approximately 13"L x 4-3/4"D x 8"H with a 7" handle drop and a 22-1/2" to 25-1/2" crossbody strap drop; weighs 1.1 lbs

Paris Map/Fleur de Jardin/Denim Blue/Black: body 100% leather; fabric lining

Petal Pink/Light Tan: body 100% suede leather; fabric lining

Imported

Set a Reminder Save Reminders

When it comes to handbags, is it the journeythe destination that matters? With the Maura, it's both! This incredibly versatile crossbody from Patricia Nash gets you from A to B with ease, thanks to its top zip entry and inside pockets for organization. Carry it your way: sling it crossbody style for hands-free convenience, or grab the handle and head out. Detachable straps mean you can switch your look in seconds.And once you get where you're going with all your essentials in tow, this sidekick serves up looks as a fashion accessory with its pretty visage (that Paris Map print is everything!) and must-have practicality (because fashion needs to function!). Workday warriors and world travelers alike will love the slightly slouchy, buttery leather or suede design that makes every outing, commute, or exploration feel elevated. From Patricia Nash.
In the course of our time as a nation, the United States has had enemies, neutrals, friends and reliable allies. These relationships change over time and move from one end of the scale to the other  and often back again. There really are no permanent allies or permanent enemies.

Japan, for example, has moved back and forth through this sliding scale over the centuries to the position of ally today. Similarly, Great Britain has been a stalwart ally up from the deadliest enemy. Some might argue that they are working their way back down the scale again.

Other relationships sour over time like ours with China and Russia; each of which has moved from the closest wartime ally to at least neutral and possibly actual enemy in the eyes of some.

The complexities of the Middle East have made these descriptions difficult for our relations with the nations there. What is our relationship with the various Middle East nations and factions? How can we describe our state of being with each of them?

I believe that the Middle East nations have developed from merely wealthy families sitting on some ancestral land to actual functioning nation states. Their relationships with their neighbors, their trading partners and others seeking their friendship have matured and nuanced from the simple black and white.

Good or bad, friend or foe, ally or enemy is not the simple language used by these states even a decade ago. In the time of Trump, the Middle East nations have become much more mature in how they truck with the world. These nations are more stable and more reliable. They crave the healthy friend while studiously avoiding becoming an automatic ally of that friend. They enjoy neutral relations without letting them become enemies. This is the behavior of a mature nation.

Nowhere is this truer than in the Gulf, where the nations of the GCC -- Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman -- have been reliable U.S. partners. We have had our ups and downs with each but, at the end of the day, we can count on them.

Since the start of hostilities with Iran, Qatar has exemplified the steadfastness and reliability of our allies in the Gulf States.

At the start of the war with Iran, Qatar was in a very tough spot. Having cultivated very warm relations with Iran over the decades, Qatar imperiled its relations with other Arab states and their allies in the West. They played Hamlet for so long that they ran the risk of having no friends at all  or possibly worse, a basket of unreliable friends.

When faced with the crisis, Qatar stepped-up and declared itself against Iran. Because of its proximity to Iran, this was no easy decision, but it was made and Qatar made itself available to the growing alliance against Iran. This decision was not without consequence. Approximately 20% of its natural gas production was destroyed by Iran. It will take more than a decade and billions to repair. This is a painful cost which has not deterred Qatars resolve and commitment to the alliance.

Having had their nose bloodied by an insane and powerful neighbor, the old Qatar could have been expected to withdraw from the coalition and declare its neutrality. It didnt. Its a big boy country now and an ally worth having; an ally worth sacrificing for. Qatar is an ally worthy of pride in the relationship.

Over the years, the United States has cultivated this friendship hoping for an actual ally when the time came. We have built our largest military base in the Middle East in Qatar, the Al Udeid Air Base. This base not only has an air wing stationed there but also houses about ten thousand US military personnel. It also serves as the forward base for the United States Central Command, normally located in what the military affectionately calls Tampa-stan, Florida.

This is in addition to our having agreed to many joint training and planning exercises and programs with Qatar. Just last year, the United States agreed to train Qatars air force (one of the largest in the Middle East) in the safety and seclusion of Idaho.

To its peril, Qatar has even defended this airbase against Iranian attack during the Twelve Day War last summer. Qatar put its pilots and planes on the line for our military personnel at Al Udeid. This is the behavior of an ally.

Further, Qatar has continued to act as the go-between with Hamas and the Taliban at our request in seeking peace with these factions. This position benefits Qatar nothing. On the contrary, they have had to pay a high price. Politicians in this country at home and abroad have attacked Qatar relentlessly for saying yes to the U.S. government and hosting these talks. They endured these baseless accusations with strength because the secrecy of the role of the United States in requesting their assistance was paramount to the success of the mission.

As our relationship deepens, Qatar will be asked to take on a role in reconstruction of Gaza. There are also plans to work with Qatar in the coming field of Artificial Intelligence where their access to capital and cheap energy makes them natural partners.

Their efforts, sacrifices and friendship in all these areas make Qatar among America's strongest allies.

Mike Flanagan represented the 5th District of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives.
BMW India has outpaced rival Mercedes-Benz India in luxury car registrations for the first quarter of calendar year 2026, driven by new product launches and a growing electric vehicle segment, even as the overall luxury car market remains largely flat.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Adrian Maur/Pixabay

Key Points BMW India registered 4,944 units in Q1CY26, an 11 per cent year-on-year increase, surpassing Mercedes-Benz India's 4,863 units.

The overall luxury car segment in India remained largely flat in Q1CY26, with total registrations at 13,336 units.

BMW's strong performance is attributed to new product introductions, a broader portfolio, and targeted financing initiatives.

BMW has also expanded its market footprint beyond traditional metros and strengthened its lead in the luxury EV segment, registering 1,033 EVs in Q1CY26.

Despite Q1 results, Mercedes-Benz India sold 859 units more than BMW Group India for the full FY26, reaching 18,160 units.

Luxury carmaker BMW India managed to pull slightly ahead of rival Mercedes-Benz India in quarterly registrations, reflecting a gradual shift in the competitive landscape, even as the country's luxury car market largely remained flat in the first quarter of calendar year 2026 (Q1CY26).

Q1CY26 Performance Overview

According to VAHAN data, BMW India registered 4,944 units during the January-March period, marking an 11 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) increase.

In comparison, Mercedes-Benz India reported that 4,863 units were registered, with volumes remaining broadly flat over the same period.

The overall luxury car segment showed minimal growth, with total registrations at 13,336 units in Q1CY26, compared with 13,322 units a year ago, showing a demand plateau at the top end of the passenger vehicle (PV) market.

BMW's Strategic Growth

BMW's performance builds on a strong base from 2025, when the company recorded its highest-ever annual sales of 18,001 units, growing 14 per cent Y-o-Y.

The momentum appears to have carried into the current year, supported by a combination of new product introductions, a broader portfolio across price points, and targeted financing initiatives.

While Mercedes-Benz has historically dominated India's luxury car segment, the gap between the top players has gradually narrowed.

The Q1 numbers, though not indicative of a full-year trend, highlight increasing competition driven by product cycles, changing consumer preferences, and deeper market penetration.

BMW has also expanded its footprint beyond traditional metro markets, tapping into demand from emerging cities where a new cohort of affluent buyers is entering the luxury segment.

This shift, coupled with efforts to make luxury vehicles more accessible, has supported growth even as the broader market remains subdued.

ALSO READ: Renault Duster Review: Can It Dethrone Other SUVs?

Luxury EV Segment Leadership

In the electric vehicle (EV) segment, BMW has strengthened its lead within the luxury space.

The company registered around 1,033 EVs in Q1CY26, contributing significantly to the segment's growth.

Total luxury EV registrations stood at 1,484 units during the quarter, reflecting a 21 per cent year-on-year increase.

Mercedes-Benz, meanwhile, recorded approximately 300 EV registrations during the same period.

Both automakers continue to expand their EV portfolios, although adoption within the luxury segment remains gradual.

ALSO READ: Can the TVS Ntorq 150 Take On Aerox 155 and Xoom 160?

Monthly Registration Trends

Monthly data indicates that BMW maintained relatively strong volumes through the quarter, with registrations of 2,040 units in January, 1,284 units in February, and 1,620 units in March.

Mercedes-Benz India's registrations stood at 1,821 units in January, 1,368 units in February, and 1,348 units in March.

Other luxury carmakers, including Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo, and Porsche, accounted for a smaller share of the segment, reflecting a market that continues to be dominated by the top two players.

However for FY26 Mercedes-Benz India sold 859 units more, reaching 18,160 units, while BMW Group India reported sales of 17,301 units.

The Q1 numbers for luxury car registrations highlight increasing competition driven by product cycles, changing consumer preferences, and deeper market penetration

Total luxury EV registrations in Q1CY26 stood at 1,484 units during the quarter, reflecting a 21 per cent Y-o-Y increase

Other luxury carmakers, including Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo, and Porsche, accounted for a smaller share of the segment

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
IconsMint is an AI-powered tool designed to assist businesses in creating consistent and cohesive icon packs. By leveraging artificial intelligence, it aims to streamline the design process, ensuring that icons align with a companys branding and visual identity.

Key Features

AI-Driven Icon Generation : Utilizing advanced AI algorithms, IconsMint generates icons that maintain uniformity in style, color, and design, reducing the manual effort required in the design process.

: Utilizing advanced AI algorithms, IconsMint generates icons that maintain uniformity in style, color, and design, reducing the manual effort required in the design process. Customization Options : Users can tailor icons to fit specific brand guidelines, adjusting elements such as color schemes, shapes, and sizes to ensure brand consistency.

: Users can tailor icons to fit specific brand guidelines, adjusting elements such as color schemes, shapes, and sizes to ensure brand consistency. User-Friendly Interface : The platform offers an intuitive interface, allowing users to easily navigate through the design process without requiring extensive design expertise.

: The platform offers an intuitive interface, allowing users to easily navigate through the design process without requiring extensive design expertise. Integration Capabilities: IconsMint supports integration with various design and development tools, facilitating a seamless workflow for teams.

Who is it for?

IconsMint is tailored for businesses, designers, and development teams seeking to create uniform icon sets that align with their brand identity. Its particularly beneficial for companies aiming to maintain visual consistency across digital platforms and marketing materials.

Pricing

As of now, specific pricing details for IconsMint are not publicly available on their official website. For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing information, its recommended to contact IconsMint directly through their website.

Final Thoughts

IconsMint offers a promising solution for businesses looking to enhance their brand consistency through AI-generated icons. Its focus on customization and integration makes it a valuable tool for teams aiming to streamline their design processes. Prospective users should reach out directly to IconsMint for detailed pricing and to assess how the tool aligns with their specific needs.

Visit iconsmint.com for more.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is poised to revolutionise corporate governance in the Indian banking sector by overhauling directives for bank boards, empowering them to shed operational burdens and sharpen their focus on critical policy and strategic decision-making.

Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Key Points The RBI plans to revise and rationalise directives for bank boards to shift their focus from operational issues to policy and strategic matters.

Draft guidelines propose that boards can delegate certain responsibilities to committees while retaining oversight of material decisions.

Boards will be required to clearly define matters needing their approval versus those handled at lower levels, ensuring adequate time for strategic issues and risk governance.

The framework assigns the chairperson a central role in setting board meeting agendas and mandates periodic reviews of board processes.

This move aims to address feedback from boards that excessive operational matters hinder their focus on core strategic responsibilities.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to revise and rationalise directions for bank boards to enable them to focus on policy and strategic matters rather than being overburdened with operational issues.

"...to facilitate better utilisation of bank boards' time, after a comprehensive review of all our extant instructions, we propose to revise and rationalise the matters requiring their attention," RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said.

"One had been hearing from the boards that a lot of operational matters were also coming to them, as a result of which they were not able to concentrate on real policy and strategic matters.

"So, that's the reason why we have brought this up," Malhotra said.

Addressing Board Overload

This move follows the recent episode at HDFC Bank, where former part-time chairman, Atanu Chakraborty, resigned abruptly, citing certain developments at the bank that were incongruent with his values and ethics.

Sources had said there was a relationship issue between the bank's management and the former chairman, leading to his sudden exit.

That said, the RBI quelled fears, stating there are "no material concerns" on record regarding HDFC Bank's conduct or governance.

The bank remains well-capitalised, with its financial position satisfactory and liquidity adequate.

It also noted that the bank is a Domestic Systemically Important Bank (D-SIB), with sound financials, a professionally run board, and a competent management team.

A senior banker at a state-owned bank said this RBI move is not linked to the HDFC Bank episode, but has been in the works for some time based on feedback from banks that they keep adding more items for boards to oversee.

Similarly, under the Companies Act and LODR (listing obligations and disclosure requirements) requirements, other regulators also continue to expand the list of matters requiring board attention.

As a result, boards have become heavily compliance-driven, the senior banker said.

"One common concern raised with regulators is that, because so many matters are placed before the board, it is not able to focus adequately on strategy.

"Instead, boards are largely occupied with regulatory requirements  what needs to be presented, reviewed, or approved  most of which is compliance-driven," he further said.

New Draft Guidelines

The RBI has released draft guidelines on governance of commercial banks, proposing that boards can delegate certain responsibilities to the board or management committees while retaining oversight of material decisions.

Boards may delegate the review of policies to committees, approving only material amendments, the contours of which must be clearly defined.

The draft norms lay down key principles to guide boards in determining which matters should come before them.

The RBI emphasised that the ultimate responsibility for a bank's performance, conduct, and control rests with the board, even as it may delegate operational aspects to committees or senior management with appropriate reporting structures.

Boards will also be required to clearly define which matters need their approval and which can be handled at lower levels, taking into account statutory and regulatory responsibilities.

At the same time, the central bank has stressed that boards must ensure adequate time is devoted to strategic issues and risk governance.

The framework assigns the chairperson a central role in setting the agenda for board meets, while requiring boards to ensure they receive sufficient and relevant information from management to discharge their duties effectively.

This includes defining the level of detail, frequency, and type of information required, while retaining the ability to seek external inputs where necessary.

Further, the RBI has proposed periodic reviews of board processes, including the nature of matters placed before the board, delegation practices, timeliness of agenda circulation, adequacy of information, and time allocation for critical issues.
In an effort to combat rising digital payment fraud, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is proposing new security measures, including lagged credit for large transactions and a 'kill switch' to disable all digital payments.

Key Points RBI proposes lagged credit for authorised push payments over Rs 10,000 to allow users time to cancel suspicious transactions.

A 'kill switch' feature is suggested, enabling customers to disable all digital payment modes on their account instantly.

RBI aims to limit aggregate credits in accounts to tackle the issue of mule accounts used for fraudulent activities.

The central bank suggests designating a trusted person to authenticate high-value transactions for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

The proposals are in response to a rise in digital payment fraud, with reported cases increasing significantly in recent years.

To mitigate financial fraud, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday proposed lagged credit for authorised push payments and a control or kill switch for digital payments.

It further proposed limiting aggregate credits in an account to help counter the problem created by mule accounts, and the designation of a trusted person to authenticate high-value transactions for citizens aged 70 years and above and persons with disabilities.

The central bank proposed these norms in a discussion paper released on Thursday amid a rise in fraudulent activities targeting customers. It announced the discussion paper as part of its statement on developmental and regulatory policies during the February monetary policy meeting.

The central bank has asked for feedback and comments on the discussion paper by May 8.

National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) indicate that fraud related to digital payments is on the rise, with 28 lakh frauds reported in 2025, amounting to Rs 22,931 crore, higher than 24 lakh, totalling Rs 22,848 crore in 2024, 13.1 lakh worth Rs 7,465 crore in 2023, according to the discussion paper.

Lagged Credit for Authorised Push Payments

In the lagged credit for authorised push payments, the central bank proposed a short delay at the payer's end for transactions above Rs 10,000.

Under this approach, once a customer initiates a transaction exceeding Rs 10,000, a lag period of one hour could be applied. The lag can be applied at the payer's end, or at the payee's end, or both. During this period, the payer's bank would provisionally debit the customer's account, and the payer would retain the option to cancel the transaction for any reason.

The high-value transactions were proposed to fall under this ambit because transactions above Rs 10,000 account for approximately 45 per cent of reported fraud cases by volume, but about 98.5 per cent by value.

Additional Security Measures

The central bank also proposed additional authentication by a trusted person for high-value digital transactions by vulnerable sections, such as citizens aged 70 years and above and persons with disabilities, and accounts to receive credits commensurate with the nature of the relationship with banks.

Further, it said customers can be provided with digital payment controls, which would consist of a 'switch on/off' facility for any digital payment mode, as well as for setting limits for different transaction types at the account level, and with a single facility to disable all digital payment transactions from the account ('kill switch') at one stroke.

Kill-switch activation at the account level will override other controls/ configurations set up by the account holder. Once the kill-switch is enabled, disabling the kill-switch to re-activate digital payments can be permitted either through digital modes after taking proper authentication/verification measures, or through a physical visit to a bank branch by the account holder, as proposed by the RBI in the discussion paper.
It's not the clothes or the rebellion that invites violence, but the mindset that continues to police and condition girls and encourages the perpetrator, instead of punishing the criminals. This lack of empathy is what ultimately brings The Kerala Story 2 down, observes Divya Nair.

Key Points The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond is a sequel to The Kerala Story, released in 2023.

Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, its the story of three girls who choose love over tradition and get trapped for life.

Despite protests and a temporary stay order, the film released in theatres on February 28.

What is the Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond about?

Kochi. Jodhpur. Gwalior. Three different girls who grew up in these cities, with different dreams, end up falling in love.

A UPSC aspirant from Kerala (Ulka Gupta), brought up by secular parents, decides to move in with her liberal, married journalist boyfriend because he ticks all the right boxes.

A 16-year-old student (Aditi Bhatia) who loves making dance reels is tricked into marriage with the promise of freedom to create sexy' dance videos.

A state-level javelin player (Aishwarya Ojha) agrees to a secret temple wedding to avoid prospective grooms who she believes may not support her dream of representing the country.

So far, the stories and stereotypes feel believable, well researched -- until you notice the deliberate choice of betis and their religion. One is a Hindu atheist; the other two loudly assert their identities as a Hindu and a Scheduled Caste. All three are engaged to men from a particular community and end up suffering in silence, largely because they choose to blame themselves for not trusting their parents.

What The Kerala Story 2 doesnt get right

Surprisingly, all three had access to their parents when they got married, and vice versa. Two of them even had mobile phones, yet they chose to believe that true love could alter their fate and continued to suffer in silence.

The Kerala Story 2 does a striking job of presenting an alternate reality that the audience must judge with a great deal of salt -- and sensibility. It may well be true that a percentage of girls are tricked into marriage by men from another community. But that is not inspiring enough for filmmakers and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah to make two films with the same title and intention to criminalise one particular community.

As several journalists rightly questioned at the film's press meet in Delhi: Where is Kerala in this?

Shouldn't this be the story of Indian daughters tricked and trapped by predatory men with ulterior motives? Of girls being gang-raped, abused, killed, or pushed to suicide because they feel they cannot return to their parents' homes?

Dear Mr Vipul Shah, if your intent is to alert us about crimes against our daughters, are you implying that non-Hindu girls are safe in our country? Or that other communities do not commit heinous crimes against women? Did you conveniently overlook news of honour killings and honeymoon murders spanning communities?

The Kerala Story 2 gets its casting right, and some of the intense performances genuinely make your blood boil. But the anger -- not hate -- should have been directed at the individuals committing these crimes, rather than being generalised into a community narrative that fuels suspicion and resentment.

The central theme of beti bachao' could have been explored powerfully across India's diverse communities. Instead, The Kerala Story 2 seems intent on stirring hostility against one group.

The best performances of Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond

Having said that, the sequel is a far better-made film and deserves applause for its nuanced performances, especially in exploring the plight of the parents.

Senior actors like Alka Amin, Rajiv Kumar and Abhishek Shankar are convincing in their respective roles.

Intent vs Propaganda: Where The Kerala Story 2 goes wrong

The strong performances by almost all the actors, including the men, ultimately feel diluted by the heavy-handed propaganda the film appears determined to push down our throats.

The hidden propaganda in the film is so obvious.

Several girls from across India have already come forward to share their stories of unity in diversity. To use a community's attire and food habits as symbols of hatred is perhaps the lowest form of storytelling.

What could have been a cautionary film alerting parents and families to be a safe place for their daughters to express themselves and keep the doors and hearts open for their return, instead masquerades as a community-targeted wake-up call, while conveniently skirting the deeper, more uncomfortable realities of patriarchy, control, and violence that cut across religions and regions.

There is one subtle scene in the film when a 16-year-old's batchmate asks her mother: If something happens to me, will you blame my attire?

When the mother tries to reason, the teen gently pushes back and urges her mother to support her friend and her parents, irrespective of her personal biases or judgement.

This, I feel, should have been the central focus of the film -- that it's not the clothes or the rebellion that invites violence, but the mindset that continues to police and condition girls and encourages the perpetrator, instead of punishing the criminals. This lack of empathy is what ultimately brings the film down.

The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond Review Rediff Rating:
'Secularism or social development or social justice is no longer part of development, according to the youth in Kerala.'

'They are concerned about material wellbeing and material welfare, and they believe that Narendra Modi is capable to giving them that kind of development.'

'So, they don't have any ideological hesitation in voting for him.'

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being felicitated during an election meeting in Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta, April 4, 2026. Photograph: Narendra Modi Photo Gallery/ANI Photo

Key Points 'Many CPI-M leaders and cadres have either migrated to the Congress or BJP. Similarly, we see some leaders from the Congress going to the BJP.'

'The Congress and the Left are not ideological parties anymore. They have lost their ideology. They only vie for power.'

'The youth is interested only in development, and the kind of development that interest them is infrastructure development, fat salary, big jobs, etc.'

On the 9th of April, voters in Kerala decided who will rule the state for the next five years.

Will the Congress-led United Democratic Front make a comeback as political surveys say?

Or will the Communist Party of India-Marxist Left Democratic Front get another chance?

And how many seats will the Bharatiya Janata Party win this time?

For the first time, it is not going to be a fight between two fronts. There is a third front, the National Democratic Alliance fighting for a place in Kerala's political space.

"There is no doubt about the fact that the BJP has established itself as a player in Kerala. That will be further strengthened in 2026," Dr J Prabhash, retired professor of political science and former pro vice-chancellor at the University of Kerala, tells Rediff's Shobha Warrier.

How do you explain the rise of the BJP in Kerala? Once upon a time, it was said that the BJP was a communal party and it would never appeal to the people of Kerala, but they have made their presence felt in the extreme southern and northern parts of Kerala.

You have to look at the rise of the BJP in Kerala from different angles.

One is that the Congress and the Left are not ideological parties anymore. They have lost their ideology. They only vie for power. Earlier, the Left followed a different ideology, and its policies also were different.

So, they have lost not just in terms of ideology, they have lost in terms of economic policy also. In fact, there is not much difference between the Congress, the CPI-M and the BJP as far as economic policies are concerned. And nobody is bothered about ideology.

Number two reason is the kind of cross-flooring that is taking place in Kerala. Many top leaders move between parties and among parties. Many CPI-M leaders and cadres have either migrated to the Congress or the BJP. Similarly, we see some leaders from the Congress going to the BJP.

It means parties have lost their distinctiveness in terms of ideology, policies and cadres.

The CPI-M today is CPI-M cum BJP cum Congress. The Congress today is BJP cum CPI-M cum Congress. The BJP today is BJP cum Congress cum CPI-M.

This was very rare earlier. Not anymore.

When there is an intermixing of cadres, and when there is not much ideological and economic policy difference between parties, they lose their ideological texture, policy texture and cadre texture.

Naturally people feel there is not much difference between them. They see every party as a hybrid party, and they will lose faith in the parties. Because of all these factors, civil society has lost faith in all the political parties.

So, their thought is, why should they consider the BJP as untouchable? They feel a vote for the BJP is not dangerous. Anyway, party people are moving around.

But it is a different ball game for the youth. They are not bothered about the Left or Right ideology.

The influence of Narendra Modi is substantial among the youth of Kerala compared to the other leaders.

The youth is interested only in development, and the kind of development that interest them is infrastructure development, fat salary, big jobs, etc.

Secularism or social development or social justice is no longer part of development, according to them. They are concerned about material wellbeing and material welfare, and they believe that Narendra Modi is capable to giving them that kind of development. So, they don't have any ideological hesitation in voting for him.

What I find is that when the Left is losing its youth base, and the Congress has almost lost its youth base, the youth of Kerala believe in Narendra Modi.

IMAGE: Congress General Secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi addresses a meeting for the Keralam assembly elections at Padinjarathara in Kalpetta, Wayanad, April 7, 2026. Photograph: @INCIndia X/ANI Photo

Earlier you said, ideologically there is no difference between the Congress and the CPI-M and the BJP. The BJP follows a pro-Hindu or Hindutva politics. But 27% of the population in Kerala are Muslims and Christians constitute 19%.

Is it because of the presence of the BJP in the political space that a consolidation of the Muslims and Christians is happening in Kerala?

If the Muslims and Christians are consolidating behind the Congress, it is because they know that if the UDF does not come to power now, the Congress will be lost in Kerala. They cannot afford to face starvation of power for another five years.

Then, that power vacuum will be occupied by the BJP.

The second reason is a state where 50% of the population is minorities, and if the Congress is not able to win a third time, it means the Congress is finished not just in Kerala but in south India too.

It also means the opposition against the BJP at the national level also will be feeble. So, the minorities feel they have to consolidate and vote for the UDF this time.

I would go on to say that the consolidation is happening not as Muslims or Christians but as electorate because of the fear of a BJP takeover if the UDF lost this time.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan casts his vote at the RC Amala Basic UP school, April 9, 2026. Photograph: @pinarayivijayan/X

For the first time, it is not a bipolar contest in Kerala. There are three political fronts in the fray. How do you see the strengths and weaknesses of these three fronts?

You cannot say, three fronts. There are only two-and-a-half fronts!

The LDF and the UDF are two fully formed fronts.

But the third front, the NDA front, is yet to take a full shape because they don't have enough front partners and partners with enough strength in Kerala.

So, it is not a tripolar contest in the true sense.

There is no doubt that the BJP has established itself as a player in Kerala. That will be further strengthened in 2026.

The BJP will definitely increase its voting percentage to the vicinity of 20% and will get seats too. Though they had one seat in 2016, in 2021 they didn't win any seat. I think they may get 1 to 3 seats this time.

IMAGE: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit A Shah during an election roadshow in Kozhikode, April 5, 2026. Photograph: @AmitShah X/ANI Photo

What about the Congress?

The problem with the Congress is that they don't have any cadres to work, particularly at the village level. They have only leaders. The party functionaries are almost defunct. They have been losing cadres progressively.

The Congress is a 100-year-old party. What happens to a human being happens to a political party also. Like human beings, political parties also have their old age.

Unless the party revives by connecting with the youth and society by bringing more and more fresh blood into the party, the party will grow old and die like human beings.

Because the Congress neglected party building, it lost grassroot level institutions. The party has become grass without roots!

Party building did not take place not only in Kerala but throughout India too.

It was a little bit different in Kerala as it was getting alterative terms to come to power. They were able to survive because of power.

To the question, why they were winning, it is because people of Kerala wanted a change and voted for them. There was no alternative available. The choice was either the UDF or the LDF.

When a different party comes up as a credible alternative, it will be a different scenario.

IMAGE: Dr J Prabhash IMAGE: Dr J Prabhash

The Left?

The problem with the Left is that having been in power for ten years, people are tired of them. There is a fatigue seeing the same leader and the same style of functioning.

Comparatively, the youth votes are shifting to the BJP and not towards the Congress or the CPI-M.

Any new or young party will attract the youth than the old political establishments.

If the UDF comes to power, who do you think will become the chief minister?

It will be good for the Congress if V D Satheesan is the chief minister. He is comparatively younger (61) and can win another 2-3 elections. If they go for older leaders, they will be there for another election perhaps.

Also, he was able to take firm stands on certain issues, and that endured him to the public. So, in terms of public perception, Satheesan has a better following than the other leaders.

Whether they project him and make him the chief minister is a different story...

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
In Delhi, two suspects were arrested after a dramatic shootout with police in Rani Bagh, following their alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of a 40-year-old man, prompting a full investigation into the motive and accomplices.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Two men were arrested after a shootout with Delhi police following a fatal stabbing in Rani Bagh.

The suspects, identified as Lal Babu and Kundan, allegedly stabbed a 40-year-old man to death.

Police apprehended the suspects near Apeejay School after they allegedly opened fire, resulting in bullet injuries to both.

The motive behind the stabbing is under investigation, and police are searching for other suspects involved.

Two men were arrested following a brief exchange of fire with police in northwest Delhi's Rani Bagh area, hours after they allegedly stabbed a 40-year-old man to death on Thursday, an officer said.

The incident came to light after information was received from Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital regarding a man identified as Raju, a resident of Pitampura village, who had been admitted with stab injuries.

He was taken to the hospital by two of his friends after being attacked near a bus stand close to Ashiyana Apartments. However, he succumbed to injuries during treatment, he said.

A case was registered at the Rani Bagh police station, and multiple teams were formed to trace the assailants. The crime team inspected the spot and collected evidence, while investigators began scanning CCTV camera footage from the area to identify those involved.

Arrest and Investigation Details

"During the course of investigation, the suspects were identified as Lal Babu alias Lalu and Kundan, both residents of Pitampura, along with two others," the officer said.

Acting on a tip-off, one of the police teams located Babu and Kundan hiding in a park near a water tank close to Apeejay School in Rani Bagh. When the team attempted to apprehend them, the accused allegedly snatched service pistols from police personnel and opened fire.

"In self-defence, the team retaliated, and both accused sustained bullet injuries in their legs," the officer said, adding that they were subsequently overpowered and taken into custody.

Both injured accused were taken to a hospital, where their condition is stated to be stable. The accused, both aged around 20 years, are being questioned to ascertain their role in the crime and to trace the involvement of the other suspects who are currently absconding.

Police are probing the motive behind the murders, he added.
Delhi Police have arrested two African nationals suspected of running an international cyber fraud racket, preying on victims through online romance scams and defrauding them of over Rs 5 million.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Two African nationals arrested in Delhi for alleged involvement in a cyber fraud racket.

The accused impersonated women online to build emotional relationships with victims and then request money.

Victims across multiple states were defrauded of more than Rs 5 million.

Police seized mobile phones, passports, and incriminating chats related to the cyber fraud.

The accused are also suspected of involvement in drug trafficking activities in the Delhi-NCR region.

Two African nationals have been arrested over suspected involvement in an international cyber fraud racket that allegedly duped victims across multiple states of more than Rs 50 lakh, police said on Thursday.

The accused allegedly impersonated women on online platforms to befriend Indian victims and build emotional relationships. They would later claim to be travelling to India and fabricate stories about being detained at airports or facing immigration issues, seeking money for clearance and other expenses.

Police said the arrests were made following sustained surveillance, technical analysis and verification of suspicious mule bank accounts linked to multiple complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

According to the police, at least 12 complaints from across states involving defrauded funds exceeding Rs 50 lakh were traced to several bank accounts used by the accused.

"These accounts were opened in different names across various banks and were used to receive money fraudulently obtained from victims," a senior police officer said.

Investigation and Seized Items

During investigation, six mobile phones and two passports were seized from the accused. Police said the devices contained incriminating chats, details of mule bank accounts and conversations with victims, along with fabricated images related to airports apparently used to mislead targets.

Drug Trafficking Links

Both accused are also suspected to have links with drug trafficking activities in the Delhi-NCR region and are being probed further, police said, adding that efforts are underway to identify and apprehend other members.
'I repeatedly contacted the party leadership, but they didn't take my calls. The District Congress Committee offered no assistance.'

'I waited for a long time, and when no response came, I decided to quit the party.'

IMAGE: People queue to cast their vote in Kamrup district, April 9, 2026. Photograph: ECI

Key Points Congress candidate Suren Daimari quits party a day before Assam polling, citing lack of campaign support and leadership response.

Daimari alleged neglect of scheduled tribes and made controversial remarks targeting a specific community, triggering political backlash.

Congress downplayed exit, stating no formal resignation submitted and campaign efforts in Udalguri constituency remain unaffected.

In a setback to the Congress ahead of polling in Assam, its Udalguri candidate, Suren Daimari, announced his resignation from the party just a day before voting, citing lack of support from the leadership.

Daimari said that after filing his nomination papers, he received little to no assistance from the party in carrying out his campaign.

'I repeatedly contacted the party leadership, but they didn't take my calls. The District Congress Committee offered no assistance. I waited for a long time, and when no response came, I decided to quit the party,' he said.

He further alleged that the Congress had neglected the interests of scheduled tribes, a key demographic in Udalguri constituency.

In a controversial remark, Daimari also claimed that the party 'does not care for people like me' and instead works for 'Miyas', a term often used pejoratively to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims.

However, the Congress downplayed the development, stating that Daimari has not formally submitted his resignation to the party. Senior leaders maintained that organisational efforts in the constituency would continue as planned.

Despite his announcement, election officials clarified that Daimari will remain a candidate in the fray. A senior official from the Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, confirmed that his name will continue to appear on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), as the deadline for withdrawal of nominations has already passed.

The contest in Udalguri remains a multi-cornered one. Apart from Daimari, three other candidates are in the fray: Rihon Daimary of the Bodoland People's Front, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party; Dipen Boro of the United People's Party Liberal and Unike Basumatary of the Voters Party International.

Rare Instance

The incident marks a rare instance of a candidate effectively withdrawing from active participation in the electoral contest at the eleventh hour, after the formal process for withdrawal has closed.

The Election Commission has not issued any separate directive on the matter, indicating that standard electoral procedures will apply.

The development has added an unexpected twist to the Udalguri contest, with political observers noting that such last-minute disruptions could influence voter perception and party mobilisation on polling day.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
Amidst the Assam assembly elections, seven individuals have been detained following incidents of election-related violence and polling booth clashes, prompting investigations and heightened security measures.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Seven individuals have been detained in Assam following election-related violence in Tamulpur and Sivasagar.

Minor clashes erupted at several polling booths in Assam, causing minor injuries as voters jostled to cast their ballots.

Police responded to clashes in Tamulpur by firing rounds in the air to disperse crowds, arresting four people.

Authorities are investigating an attack on political party members in Sivasagar, where three people have been detained.

Despite the incidents, polling is continuing uninterrupted across Assam for the 126-member assembly.

Besides, minor clashes also erupted at several polling booths after voting began in the morning, with people suffering minor injuries, they said.

Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Akhilesh Kumar Singh, told PTI that violence took place in Tamulpur and Sivasagar on Wednesday night, hours before polling began for the assembly elections at 7 am.

"We got reports of a clash between two groups at Tamulpur last night. Police reached the spot immediately and tried to control the crowd. When they did not listen, a few rounds were fired in the air to disperse the mob," he said, adding that four people were arrested from the site.

In another incident, two to three members of a political party were attacked in Sivasagar, the IG said.

"We have detained three persons there. The investigation is going on," he said.

Akhil Gogoi, who is seeking re-election from the Sibsagar seat, alleged that BJP nominee Kushal Dowari was behind the incident.

In a series of social media posts, Gogoi claimed two people were injured, and their vehicles were also damaged in the attack.

Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Chief Executive Member Hagrama Mohilary said a detailed enquiry will reveal the cause of the clash in Tamulpur.

"The situation is normal now. We are monitoring it, and there is enough security presence to avoid any untoward incident," he said.

Polling is underway for the 126-member assembly to decide the electoral fate of 722 candidates. It will continue till 5 pm, with May 4 scheduled for the counting of votes.

Polling Station Clashes

A number of minor clashes have erupted at several polling stations in Sribhumi, Golaghat and Nagaon districts.

"Most of the clashes took place due to heavy rush, with people fighting over breaking the queue," an official said.

At some polling booths in places like Patharkandi, Merapani and Raha, supporters of ruling and opposition parties clashed, he said.

"However, police were already present in those areas, and the situations were handled instantly. The polling is going on uninterrupted," he added.

The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power in these elections, while the Congress is looking to reclaim the state it lost a decade ago.
'The BJP's tally may dip, but the NDA is likely to retain power.'

IMAGE: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at an election rally for the Assam assembly elections, April 7, 2026. Photograph: @himantabiswa X/ANI Photo

Key Points Since 1985, Assam's politics has broadly moved through three phases: The rise of regional forces, a prolonged period of Congress dominance, and the consolidation of the BJP-led alliance.

Under Tarun Gogoi, the Congress ruled Assam for 15 consecutive years, bringing political stability and consolidating key voter bases.

The 2016 election marked a watershed moment as the Bharatiya Janata Party surged from the margins to power.

A historic single-phase election

Today, April 9, more than 24.9 million voters across Assam's 126 assembly constituencies will cast their ballots in a single phase -- a first for a state that has traditionally voted in multiple rounds.

The high-stakes contest will determine whether the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance secures a third consecutive term, or if the Congress, led by Gaurav Gogoi, can stage a comeback and halt what has been one of the most dramatic political shifts in the region over the past decade.

A decade of political churn

Assam's political landscape has undergone significant changes in recent years -- from the fall of the Congress in 2016 to leadership transitions within the BJP.

The end of Tarun Gogoi's long tenure marked a turning point, followed by the BJP's rise to power under Sarbananda Sonowal. In 2021, the party replaced Sonowal with Himanta Biswa Sarma, signalling a shift in both leadership and political messaging.

Three phases of Assam politics

Since 1985, Assam's politics has broadly moved through three phases: The rise of regional forces, a prolonged period of Congress dominance, and the consolidation of the BJP-led alliance.

The 1985 election, held in the aftermath of the Assam Accord, saw the emergence of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which swept to power on the strength of the anti-foreigner movement. It was the first time a regional party dislodged the Congress in the State.

Despite its strong start, the AGP struggled with internal divisions and governance challenges. Its first tenure (1985-1990) ended with President's Rule, and the party was later weakened by splits in 1991 and 2005.

Although it returned to power in 1996, the AGP gradually lost ground, paving the way for the Congress to re-establish dominance.

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at an election rally in Kamrup, April 5,2026. Photograph: AICC/ANI Photo

The Congress era under Tarun Gogoi

Under Tarun Gogoi, the Congress ruled Assam for 15 consecutive years, bringing political stability and consolidating key voter bases.

The emergence of the All India United Democratic Front in 2006 posed a challenge, but the Congress retained its hold through the 2011 elections.

The 2016 election marked a watershed moment as the Bharatiya Janata Party surged from the margins to power.

From just 10 seats in 1991, the BJP rose to win 60 seats in 2016. A key factor was its alliance with the AGP and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), which helped consolidate the 'indigenous' vote.

The party also foregrounded the slogan of jati, mati, bheti -- identity, land and homeland -- as a central campaign theme.

The Sarma factor

A crucial turning point came in 2015 when Himanta Biswa Sarma defected from the Congress to the BJP.

His entry brought organisational strength and electoral strategy to the BJP's campaign, playing a key role in its 2016 victory. The party later elevated him to chief minister in 2021, further consolidating its position in the state.

When vote share doesn't tell the full story

Assam's elections have often shown a disconnect between vote share and seat share.

In 2016, the Congress actually secured a higher vote share (30.96%) than the BJP (29.51%). Yet, the BJP's effective alliance-building enabled it to win 60 seats -- more than double the Congress tally of 26.

This underlined the importance of coalition arithmetic in the state's electoral outcomes.

Rarely a close contest

Assam's recent political history has rarely produced close finishes, with wide seat gaps between the leading and second-placed parties.

The closest contest in the last eight elections came in 1996, when the Asom Gana Parishad secured 59 seats against the Congress's 34 -- a reminder that decisive mandates, rather than tight races, have largely defined the state's electoral outcomes.

IMAGE: People gather for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's election rally in Silchar, April 7, 2026. Photograph: @AmitShah X/ANI Photo

Identity politics at the core

The question of identity -- who belongs in Assam -- has remained central to every election.

It powered the rise of the AGP, shaped the Congress years, and has been a defining theme in the BJP's politics. The BJP has faced flak for its handling of issues such as the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA), which critics say have sharpened social divisions.

An unresolved question

As Assam heads into another election, key issues remain unresolved. The NRC process is still incomplete, and the implementation of the CAA continues to be debated.

What has changed, however, is the framing of the issue. The BJP has shifted the discourse from a regional grievance to a broader national narrative, absorbing much of the AGP's traditional support base and leaving it as a junior partner in the alliance.

What observers say

Political observers say the contest, while intense, may ultimately hinge on how effectively each side converts its narrative into votes.

Jayanta Krishna Sarmah, a political science academic at Gauhati University, said the BJP's governance plank continues to play a key role.

"BJP's welfare outreach and development initiatives have helped consolidate support, even as the Opposition has tried to foreground issues such as justice for Zubeen Garg and a broader 'save democracy' narrative," he said.

Sarmah added that a crucial segment could be voters who remain outside both welfare networks and party structures.

"These undecided voters can prove decisive in a closely contested battle," he noted.

Echoing a similar view, senior journalist Anup Sharma said that while the contest may tighten, it may not necessarily lead to a change in power.

"The BJP's tally may dip, but the NDA is likely to retain power," he said.

Another turning point ahead

With a single-phase election and high political stakes, Assam stands at yet another turning point.

Whether the BJP secures a third term or the Congress stages a comeback, the verdict will shape not just the state's immediate future, but also the next phase of its evolving political story.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
Following a Supreme Court ruling, properties worth around Rs 110 crore belonging to Uttar Pradesh Zila Panchayat member Devendra Singh are being released after the Gangster Act case against him was quashed.

IMAGE: Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff

Key Points The Supreme Court quashed the Gangster Act proceedings against Zila Panchayat member Devendra Singh.

Approximately Rs 110 crore worth of Devendra Singh's properties, previously attached, are being released.

The Uttar Pradesh government stated in court that Devendra Singh was not a land mafia, leading to the quashing of the case.

Devendra Singh has over 50 criminal cases registered against him, including attempted murder and extortion.

The district administration has released a dozen properties linked to Singh, including a guest house and market shops.

Properties worth around Rs 110 crore belonging to Zila Panchayat member Devendra Singh alias Gabbar, attached in connection with a Gangster Act case, are being released after the Supreme Court quashed the proceedings against him, officials said

Acting on the apex court's order passed in March, the district administration on April 7 released around a dozen properties linked to Singh.

Devendra, a resident of Mohanpur Mafi village under the Payagpur police station area, has more than 50 criminal cases registered against him, including attempt to murder, abduction and extortion. His brother, Ravindra Singh, is the village head.

In 2022, police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh on Devendra and Rs 25,000 on his associate Manish Jaiswal. Following multiple cases of fraud, encroachment and extortion, police also invoked the Gangster Act against him.

Both were arrested by the Uttar Pradesh STF in February 2022 and sent to jail. The Gangster Act was formally invoked against Devendra in July that year, after which nearly a dozen properties linked to him were attached by the then district magistrate.

Devendra was granted bail last year and was later released from jail.

His counsel Uttam Singh said a petition seeking quashing of the Gangster Act FIR was filed in the Supreme Court last year after no relief was granted by the High Court.

"In its affidavit before the Supreme Court, the state government stated that Devendra Singh was not a land mafia, following which the court set aside the Gangster Act proceedings against him," the counsel said.

He added that in compliance with the court's order, the administration released properties on April 7, including a guest house, six market shops, four plots and a residential house in the city. Proceedings are also underway to release another property in Kaiserganj tehsil.

City Magistrate Rajesh Prasad said the properties had been attached under orders issued in 2022. He added that on March 26, 2026, the Gangster court here directed their release in compliance with the Supreme Court's order, following which District Magistrate Akshay Tripathi issued directions on April 7 to restore possession to Singh.
Australian businesses running on fuel now have a government backstop designed to keep supply flowing when global markets tighten.

If your business depends on fuel to operate, the past few years have offered a sharp lesson in how quickly global events can hit the bottom line. Disrupted shipping routes, conflict overseas and tightening international supply have all pushed costs up and reliability down for Australian operators.

The government passed new legislation on 31 March 2026 directly aimed at that vulnerability. The Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Strategic Reserve) Bill 2026 gives Export Finance Australia new powers to purchase fuel from international markets and underwrite supply arrangements to keep it flowing into Australia.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen was direct about the pressure driving the move. While Australias fuel supply outlook remains secure over the near term due to the actions the Government has taken to date, we have been clear, the longer this war goes the worse the impacts will be, Bowen said.

He added that the government was taking every practical step available, saying the priority was to act now rather than wait for conditions to worsen.

Who it covers

The new powers are not just aimed at large energy companies. The government has stated its priority is giving fuel suppliers the confidence to secure additional cargoes to meet additional demand, with independent and regional fuel suppliers specifically called out.

For small business owners in farming, logistics, construction or any sector where fuel is a core operating cost, the intent of the legislation is to reduce the likelihood of supply gaps reaching them at the ground level.

Fertiliser is also covered under the laws, a detail that will matter directly to agribusiness operators managing input costs alongside global price volatility.

The legislation also establishes a Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve, allowing the government to secure, sell and stockpile critical minerals and rare earths. The initial focus is on antimony, gallium and rare earth elements, all essential inputs for clean energy technology, advanced manufacturing and defence applications.

Minister for Resources Madeleine King described the reserve as central to Australias economic and national security position.

The Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve will support Australian critical minerals mining and processing projects, create jobs and ensure Australia remains central to global efforts to build stable and reliable supply chains, King said.

She added that critical minerals and rare earths are at the heart of our economic and national security and are crucial for clean energy technology, advanced manufacturing and defence applications.

For businesses operating in or adjacent to the minerals and resources sector, the reserve is framed as an opportunity as much as a protection measure. The governments stated aim is to boost onshore processing of critical minerals, which would flow through to local jobs and more stable domestic supply chains.

Minister for Trade Don Farrell pointed to the trade dimension, noting Australias existing strengths in critical minerals deposits and its reputation as a reliable supplier to international partners.

The Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve will capitalise on a golden opportunity by boosting critical mineral processing onshore, creating more secure high-paying jobs right here in Australia, Farrell said.

Farrell also flagged that the reserve is designed to strengthen supply chain partnerships with key trading allies including the United States, Japan, South Korea, Europe, Canada and the UK, moves that could open doors for Australian businesses further down those supply chains.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Akshaya cast her vote at around 6.15 pm, having arrived at the booth near Kurkancheri at 1.30 pm.

IMAGE: People arrive to cast their vote for the Kerala assembly election, at Idamalakkudi, in Idukki on Thursday. Photograph: @Ceokerala X/ANI Photo

Key Points A young mother in Kerala's Thrissur district was initially denied voting due to a bandaged left index finger.

She waited nearly five hours at the polling booth, from 1.30 pm to 6.15 pm, before finally casting her vote.

The presiding officer insisted the bandage be removed, despite her showing medical proof of a serious injury with 15 stitches.

The voter refused to leave without voting and highlighted her ordeal, saying no one else should face such an experience.

Political intervention followed, with leaders and officials stepping in before she was eventually allowed to vote.

A young mother in Thrissur district of Kerala, initially denied the right to vote due to an injured left index finger, finally cast her ballot toward the end of polling in the Kerala assembly elections after a prolonged wait.

She held up her bandaged finger, now inked blue, and said she was able to vote after hours of waiting.

Akshaya cast her vote at around 6.15 pm, having arrived at the booth near Kurkancheri at 1.30 pm.

"I don't want anyone else to have such an experience," she told reporters.

She claimed that the presiding officer initially denied her permission to vote, saying that a different finger can be inked only if a person does not have a left index finger.

Earlier, speaking to reporters, she said she was not being allowed to vote because her left index finger was bandaged due to a serious injury.

At around 5 pm, she told reporters outside the booth that she had been waiting since 1.30 pm to exercise her right to vote, which the presiding officer-also a woman-was allegedly denying.

"The presiding officer insisted that I remove the bandage. But I have 15 stitches on my finger after it was injured four days ago when it got caught in the mixer-grinder jar, and it is impossible to remove the bandage. I showed her the medical certificates as well, but she was not satisfied," Akshaya claimed.

"I have been waiting since 1.30 pm without food. I will not leave without voting," she added.

Political Intervention and Standoff

Communist Party of India leader V S Sunil Kumar contended that the presiding officer was taking an 'arrogant stand' by refusing to allow Akshaya to vote, despite other presiding officers asking her to permit it.

Even the Returning Officer (RO) instructed her to allow her to vote, but the presiding officer remained adamant that the direction be given to her in writing, Kumar claimed.

"She (the presiding officer) is not willing to speak to the district collector or listen to the RO," he added.

Polling for 140 Assembly seats here commenced at 7 am and has concluded.
A Bangladeshi woman has been arrested in Haridwar for illegally residing in India using fake documents, highlighting the issue of immigration and document forgery.

Key Points A Bangladeshi woman was arrested in Haridwar for allegedly staying illegally in India using fake documents.

The woman, identified as Sahela Begum, obtained fake documents with the help of an Indian man she met online.

The fake documents included an Aadhaar card, PAN card, driving licence, Indian passport, and a marriage certificate.

The Indian man, Shyamdas, has been arrested for providing shelter and assisting in obtaining the forged documents.

The arrest was made during a verification drive under 'Operation Prahar' aimed at identifying suspicious individuals.

Police in Uttarakhand's Haridwar have arrested a Bangladeshi woman for allegedly staying illegally in India using fake documents, and also detained an Indian man accused of providing her shelter, an official said.

Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Navneet Singh said the woman was detained in the Jwalapur area on Wednesday during a verification drive under 'Operation Prahar', which is being conducted to identify suspicious persons.

Singh said the woman initially identified herself as Sweety, but upon sustained questioning revealed her real identity as Sahela Begum (41), a resident of Comilla in Bangladesh.

The investigation revealed that Begum had separated from her husband in 2023 and later came to India after befriending Shyamdas (45), a resident of Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, on social media, he said.

Details of the Forged Documents

The police said that with Shyamdas' help, the woman got fake documents, including an Aadhaar card, PAN card, driving licence, Indian passport and a marriage certificate, prepared.

All the forged documents, along with a Bangladesh passport and a citizenship identity card, were seized from the woman, they said.

Shyamdas has also been arrested on charges of providing shelter to the woman and helping her obtain the fake documents, the police said.
Tensions flared in Puducherry as BJP and Congress workers clashed during polling in Mannadipet, leading to police intervention and a brief disruption of the electoral process.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Clash between BJP and Congress workers disrupted polling at a booth in Mannadipet, Puducherry.

The conflict arose from objections to the presence of BJP workers near the polling booth.

Police intervened using canes to disperse the crowd and restore normalcy, ensuring polling continued.

Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam (BJP) and T P R Selvam (Congress) are key candidates in the Mannadipet constituency.

Groups of BJP and Congress workers were clashing in a booth in Mannadipet Assembly Constituency during the polling on Thursday, police sources said.

Due to the incident, tension prevailed briefly in the booth located in Tirukanoor village.

When a group of BJP workers were standing near a polling booth, those belonging to the Congress objected to their presence there and said that only voters can be present there.

Heated arguments ensued between those groups, and they started attacking each other.

Police intervened and dispersed the crowd using canes and restored normalcy. Polling was not disrupted, the police source said.

Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam (BJP) is seeking reelection from Mannadipet constituency, T P R Selvam, former Deputy Speaker of Puducherry Assembly is contesting on Congress ticket.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin promises to change place names and crack down on Bangladeshi infiltration in West Bengal if the party wins the upcoming election, vowing to restore cultural identity and improve security.

Photograph: Naveen Sharma/ANI Photo

Key Points BJP promises to change place names in West Bengal deemed inconsistent with the state's culture if elected.

The BJP pledges to address Bangladeshi infiltration, which they claim endangers women's security in West Bengal.

Nitin Nabin accuses the TMC government of corruption, repression, and failing to provide security to the people of West Bengal.

The BJP claims that central welfare projects are being denied to the people of West Bengal because they do not feature Mamata Banerjee's photograph.

The BJP promises to improve women's safety, create job opportunities, and provide more financial assistance to women in West Bengal.

BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Thursday asserted that the names of places antithetical to West Bengal's culture and ethos will be changed if the BJP forms the government in the state.

Asserting that Bangladeshi infiltration was endangering women's security in the state, he said that voting the BJP to power in the state will ensure that such people face the law and are sent back.

Addressing an election rally at Chakulia in Uttar Dinajpur district, Nabin said that the names of places in the state, from Alipurduar to Islampur, which he claimed are "antithetical to West Bengal's culture", will not be allowed to remain under a BJP government.

"After May 4, changes in your lives will be ushered in along with changes in the names of these places," he said.

Assembly elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, and the counting of votes is scheduled on May 4.

The BJP chief said that this election is a battle between the state's "tyrannical government, which signifies corruption, repression, lawlessness and 'mahajangalraj'", and the BJP, in which the people of the country have faith.

He urged people of the state to give themselves a double-engine government under the stewardship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure all-round development of the state.

Nabin said that West Bengal, which had a glorious past in every aspect from education to industries, has been shrouded in darkness since the rule of the Congress, followed by the Left Front and currently the TMC.

Asserting that the time has come for the people of the state to turn the page on the hardships, Nabin claimed that a BJP government will bring back the smile on the faces of the poorer sections, make women feel secure and provide job opportunities to the youth.

Accusations Against the TMC Government

Maintaining that the women of the state are not safe under the Mamata Banerjee government, she cited incidents such as the R G Kar rape-murder case and the rape and murder of a college student at Kamduni in North 24 Parganas district.

"The demography of the state has changed, posing a challenge to the security of women," the BJP leader said.

"Will the people of the state affected by Bangladeshi infiltration not punish the TMC dispensation responsible for it through their votes?" he said.

Nabin said the time has come to ensure the security of women in West Bengal, urging people to bring about change in the state through their votes.

He maintained that if the people of West Bengal want an end to politics of hatred and violence, they should cast their votes on April 23 and 29 to usher in change.

Accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the TMC in West Bengal of appeasing a particular section of people, the BJP leader said, "Whenever the leaders of Congress and other opposition parties attack us, people strengthen us further through their votes."

Stating that the police force in West Bengal has been weakened by the Mamata Banerjee dispensation, Nabin alleged that the TMC government is more interested in providing security to infiltrators than to the people of the state.

BJP's Promises for West Bengal

Nabin sought to assure the women of West Bengal that a BJP government will give more financial assistance to them than what was being provided by the Mamata Banerjee dispensation, besides safety, security and respect.

He asserted that under a BJP government, youths of West Bengal will not have to migrate to other states for education and employment opportunities.

Nabin said the benefits of central welfare projects such as the Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme or the PM Awas Yojana were denied to the people of West Bengal by the TMC government because "these did not display the photograph of Didi (Mamata Banerjee)".

The BJP chief alleged that clubs in the state receive money for holding Durga Puja only on the condition that Banerjee's photo will be displayed in the pandals.
The CBI has launched a formal investigation into the alleged 550 crore embezzlement of Haryana government funds, focusing on fraudulent transactions and the diversion of money to shell companies.

Photograph: Courtesy, Wikimedia Commons

Key Points The CBI has launched an investigation into the alleged embezzlement of 550 crore from Haryana government accounts at IDFC First Bank.

The alleged fraud involves fraudulent banking operations and fictitious transactions to divert government funds to shell companies.

Haryana government transferred the probe to the CBI due to the complexity, magnitude, and inter-state ramifications of the case.

Preliminary investigations suggest funds were siphoned off under the guise of gold purchases and real estate investments, with significant cash withdrawals.

IDFC First Bank claims to have repaid the principal and interest (583 crore) to the Haryana government and is cooperating with the investigation.

The CBI has registered an FIR in the alleged embezzlement of 550 crore from the Haryana government's accounts maintained with IDFC First Bank in Chandigarh after taking over the investigation in the matter, official sources said Thursday.

The Haryana government had transferred the probe to the central probe agency. The referral was sent to the agency on Wednesday by the Department of Personnel and Training, they said.

The CBI registered the FIR taking over the case earlier probed by the Haryana State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV & ACB).

Details of the Alleged Embezzlement

"The case pertains to fraudulent banking operations and fictitious transactions allegedly undertaken in a systematic manner to siphon off Government funds into the accounts of shell entities, including Swastik Desh Project, SRR Planning Gurus Pvt. Ltd., Cap Co Fintech Services, R.S. Traders, and other associated firms/individuals, resulting in a substantial loss to the public exchequer," the vigilance department of Haryana said while referring the case to the agency.

According to the police and ED allegations, Haryana government funds were supposed to be deposited by various departments of the state in the bank in FDs but were allegedly diverted by the accused for their personal purpose, the sources said.

Preliminary probe shows "huge" funds have been transferred to various shell (dummy) companies and minor jewellery entities and finally siphoned off under the guise of gold purchase and investment into real estate sector, the sources said.

They said a "significant" amount of cash withdrawals has also been noticed in this money trail.

Considering the magnitude, complexity, and gravity of the case, including its inter- state ramifications, the possibility of transnational diversion of proceeds of crime, involvement of multiple entities, including public servants and banking officials, and the significant impact on public finances and institutional integrity, the State Government is of the considered view that the investigation requires to be entrusted to a specialized central agency to ensure a comprehensive, impartial, and credible probe, the letter from the vigilance department said.

Arrests and Further Investigation

The SV & ACB has arrested a number of people in the case, of which two are ex-IDFC First Bank employees and the rest are private persons who own a partnership firm.

Role of a Chandigarh-based hotelier, involved in construction of real estate projects in the Tricity (Chandigarh-Mohali-Panchkula), and AU Small Finance Bank is also under the scanner.

IDFC First Bank's Response

IDFC First Bank had said it has paid out 100 per cent of the principal and interest to the relevant departments of the Haryana government, which works out to 583 crore.

"The bank remains committed to working together with the relevant Haryana Government departments and the law enforcement agencies to pursue actions against the perpetrators of the fraud and looks forward to recovering our dues," IDFC First Bank said in a regulatory filing.
The CBI is poised to investigate a massive 590 crore embezzlement case involving Haryana government funds and IDFC First Bank accounts, uncovering a complex web of shell companies and real estate diversions.

Key Points CBI is taking over the investigation of a 590 crore embezzlement from Haryana government accounts at IDFC First Bank.

The alleged fraud involved diversion of Haryana government funds intended for fixed deposits into shell companies and real estate.

Former IDFC First Bank employees and private individuals have been arrested in connection with the embezzlement.

IDFC First Bank has repaid 583 crore to the Haryana government departments affected by the fraud.

The investigation is focusing on the money trail, including cash withdrawals and the role of a Chandigarh-based hotelier.

The CBI is all set to take over the case of embezzlement of 590 crore from the Haryana government's accounts maintained with IDFC First Bank in Chandigarh, official sources said Thursday.

The Haryana government had decided last month to hand over the probe to the central agency, they said.

"We are in the process of taking over," an official in the know of the development said, adding that an FIR will be registered soon on the basis of the case registered by the Haryana State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV & ACB) FIR.

According to the IDFC First Bank, the alleged 590-crore fraud was committed by its employees and others in accounts held by the Haryana government with the private sector lender.

The SV & ACB has arrested a number of people in the case, of which two are ex-IDFC First Bank employees and the rest are private persons who own a partnership firm.

According to the police and ED allegations, Haryana government funds were supposed to be deposited by various departments of the state in the bank in FDs but were allegedly diverted by the accused for their personal purpose, the sources said.

Details of the Alleged Fraud

Preliminary probe shows "huge" funds have been transferred to various shell (dummy) companies and minor jewellery entities and finally siphoned off under the guise of gold purchase and investment into real estate sector, the sources said.

They said a "significant" amount of cash withdrawals has also been noticed in this money trail.

Role of a Chandigarh-based hotelier, involved in construction of real estate projects in the Tricity (Chandigarh-Mohali-Panchkula), is also under the scanner.

IDFC First Bank's Response

IDFC First Bank had said it has paid out 100 per cent of the principal and interest to the relevant departments of the Haryana government, which works out to 583 crore.

"The bank remains committed to working together with the relevant Haryana Government departments and the law enforcement agencies to pursue actions against the perpetrators of the fraud and looks forward to recovering our dues," IDFC First Bank said in a regulatory filing.
Honouring Ajit Pawar's legacy, the Congress party has decided to withdraw its candidate from the Baramati bypoll, paving the way for a potentially unopposed election.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Congress will not contest the Baramati bypoll as a mark of respect for Ajit Pawar, whose death caused the bypoll.

AICC general secretary Ramesh Chennithala instructed the Maharashtra Congress unit to withdraw its candidate.

Top leaders from the ruling Mahayuti and opposition NCP-SP had appealed to Congress for an unopposed election.

Sharad Pawar advised the Congress to consider making the bypoll unopposed due to the tragic circumstances.

Sunetra Pawar had requested the Maharashtra Congress chief to ensure the withdrawal of their candidate.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday said his party will not contest the bypoll to the Baramati assembly seat, from where Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar is seeking an election following the death of her husband Ajit Pawar.

Talking to PTI, the AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra said he has asked the Congress's state unit to withdraw its candidate from the poll fray.

Today is the last day of withdrawal of nomination.

"The Baramati bypoll was necessitated due to the tragic death of Ajit Pawar. As a mark of respect for him, Congress will not contest the by-election," he said.

Congress's Akash More had filed his nomination for the April 23 bypoll.

Appeal to Congress to withdraw

Top leaders from the ruling Mahayuti as well as opposition NCP-SP had been appealing the Congress to withdraw its candidate for an unopposed election in Baramati.

Earlier in the day, NCP-SP leaders, including party chief Sharad Pawar, MP Supriya Sule and MLA Rohit Pawar, again urged the grand old party not to fight the bypoll.

Sharad Pawar said that since the bypoll is being held against the backdrop of the tragic plane crash that claimed Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's life, he would advise the Congress not to be a part of the contest.

"Congress is a national party, and we cannot direct it to withdraw its candidate. However, the Baramati seat fell vacant due to a tragic accident that snatched away an efficient leader from Maharashtra... If asked, I would suggest to Congress it would be appropriate to make this bypoll unopposed," he told reporters in Baramati.

Ajit Pawar represented Baramati 8 times

A day earlier, Sunetra Pawar had spoken to Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal to request him to ensure that his party's candidate withdraws his nomination against her in the bypoll.

The Congress had said that it would withdraw from the contest only if an FIR were registered in Ajit Pawar's death in the plane crash in January.

The run-up to the bypoll turned acrimonious after Parth Pawar, son of Sunetra Pawar, recently criticised the Congress for fielding a candidate and predicted the party's "downfall".

Ajit Pawar had represented the Baramati assembly constituency eight times.
Delhi Police have dismantled a sophisticated cyber fraud operation, arresting two individuals involved in a Rs 3.6 crore scheme that used mule bank accounts and social media to target victims.

IMAGE: Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

Key Points Delhi Police arrested two individuals for operating a cyber fraud racket that defrauded victims of over Rs 3.60 crore.

The cyber fraud involved the use of mule bank accounts and a social media application to channel stolen funds.

The mastermind received cyber fraud training in Cambodia after being recruited through a fake job offer.

The investigation uncovered links to an international cyber fraud network, highlighting the global reach of the operation.

Victims were targeted using malicious APK links, compromising their mobile phones and enabling fraudulent bank withdrawals.

Two men were arrested for allegedly running an online cyber fraud racket involving over Rs 3.60 crore using mule bank accounts and a social media application, police said on Thursday.

The accused have been identified as Ram Avtar Singh, a resident of Agra, and Vikrant Soni, who is suspected to be the mastermind of the operation, they said.

According to police, the case was registered at Cyber Police Station Shahdara on the complaint of a man who alleged that Rs 6.65 lakh was fraudulently withdrawn from his bank account without his knowledge.

The complainant told police that the fraud took place between October 27 and 30 last year, and suspected that his mobile phone had been compromised after an unknown APK file was installed on his device.

"During the investigation, police analysed bank transaction records and conducted technical surveillance, which led them to an account used to route the defrauded money," a senior police officer said.

A raid was conducted in Agra, where Ram Avtar Singh was apprehended. His interrogation revealed the involvement of Vikrant Soni, following which another raid was carried out and Soni was arrested.

International Cyber Fraud Network

Investigations revealed that Soni had links with an international cyber fraud network. In 2023, he was allegedly lured with a job offer abroad and later connected to a Chinese national via a social media app. He was then taken to Cambodia via Thailand, where he received training in cyber fraud techniques, including targeting Indian victims and using malicious APK links.

"After returning to India, he set up his own network and remained in contact with associates and overseas operatives through social media," the officer said.

The gang used mule bank accounts to receive and channel money obtained through fraud, and is suspected to have cheated victims of around Rs 3.60 crore.

Police said two mobile phones and incriminating chats on the social media app have been recovered, along with digital evidence such as IP logs, bank credentials and transaction details. Further investigation is underway.
A bomb threat email targeting the Delhi Legislative Assembly has prompted a city-wide security sweep, with police investigating the source and ensuring public safety.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Delhi Assembly received a bomb threat via email, triggering a security alert.

Delhi Police and bomb disposal squads conducted extensive checks at the Assembly, Secretariat, schools, and metro stations.

Security has been heightened across central and sensitive zones in Delhi.

Cyber teams are investigating the origin of the threatening email.

Authorities believe the email may be a hoax but are taking all necessary precautions.

A bomb threat email sent to the Delhi Legislative Assembly on Thursday triggered a massive security drill across key government establishments and public locations, officials said.

The email landed in multiple government and other inboxes at 8.14 am, including those linked to the Assembly. The letter carried the threat of possible blasts at the Assembly, Secretariat, certain schools and a metro station at different times during the day, they said.

Security Response

Acting swiftly, the Delhi Police, along with bomb disposal squads and dog units, launched extensive anti-sabotage checks in the Assembly premises, the Secretariat, schools and metro stations.

"The email appears to be a hoax, but all standard security protocols are being followed to ensure public safety," a police officer said.

All locations mentioned in the email are being checked, with security heightened across central and sensitive zones, with additional personnel deployed and entry and exit points closely monitored, police said.

Investigation Underway

Cyber teams have been engaged to trace the origin of the email and identify the sender.
A Delhi court granted bail to two individuals accused in a job scam and kidnapping case, pointing out significant flaws and unanswered questions in the police investigation.

Key Points Delhi court grants bail to two accused in a job scam-kidnapping case, citing failures in the police investigation.

The court highlighted gaps in the investigation, including missing CCTV footage and lack of details about the alleged abduction.

Accused claim they were victims of the job scam and were falsely implicated in the kidnapping.

The court emphasised that pre-trial detention should not be used as punishment and balanced the accusations with the right to personal liberty.

Bail was granted with conditions, including not leaving the country and cooperating with the ongoing investigation into the job scam.

A Delhi court has granted bail to two accused in an alleged job scam-cum-kidnapping case, observing that the investigating officer failed to satisfactorily explain key aspects of the probe and that "seriousness alone cannot be the only reason to deny bail".

Additional Sessions Judge Bhupinder Singh granted the relief to Uttam Pratap and Sultan Khan on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each, in the case filed under sections 140(2) (abduction for ransom, to cause grievous hurt) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita by the complainant, who was the victim's wife.

In its judgement dated April 4, the court said, "Keeping in view the overall facts and circumstances of the case, in particular, the clean antecedents and the period of incarceration, I find merits in the bail application."

Both had been in judicial custody since February 19.

Accused Claim to be Victims of Job Scam

According to the defence, Pratap had close relations with the victim who runs an NGO in Shahdara. Pratap was allegedly cheated by the victim who is involved in making forged appointment letters, fake training documents, and fabricating communications purportedly issued by government authorities. Pratap was allegedly given false promises of employment by the complainant and had paid a sum of Rs 25 lakh in furtherance of it.

The defence counsel for Khan had a similar story but added that Pratap used to identify people who were in need of a job and refer them to the victim.

Khan's son was also lured by the promises of a railway job and paid the victim Rs 12 lakh. He received a forged joining letter. Khan's counsel also stated that any money he has received from the complainant was not ransom but refunds she sent on account of the cheated amount.

Both the accused took a peculiar stance that they were the actual "victims" in this case who were being harassed by the police at the instance of the complainant and her husband with false abduction charges.

Court Highlights Gaps in Investigation

The prosecution opposed the applications, citing the gravity of the allegations and claiming there was "clinching evidence" against the accused, who allegedly played a "pivotal role" in the offence.

However, the court noted multiple gaps in the investigation, including the failure to collect CCTV footage from the alleged place of incident, and the absence of details regarding the vehicle or the route used in the purported abduction.

"There are many other aspects on which the Investigating Officer (IO) could not convince the court and it is believed that the same shall be taken due care of during the pending investigation. There appears to be much more in the case that has been shown to the court," the judge said, adding that financial transactions between the parties were evident.

The court also pointed out that no effective steps were taken to apprehend other co-accused persons named by the complainant and that the IO had not even visited the location where the victim was allegedly confined.

Observing that the accused were not required for further investigation, the court said, "Pre-trial detention is not meant to serve as punishment. The court must therefore balance the gravity of the accusation with the right to personal liberty and ensure that a person is not kept in custody unless such detention is truly required in the interest of justice."

The court granted bail subject to conditions including not leaving the country, not tampering with evidence, keeping their mobile phones switched on at all times, and cooperating with the investigation.
From 1 July 2026, Australian employers must pay superannuation on every payday rather than quarterly. The ATO is urging employers to act now

Whats happening: From 1 July 2026, Australian employers must pay superannuation on every payday rather than quarterly. The ATO is urging employers to act now, warning that cash flow planning, payroll system reviews and clearing house transitions all need to happen well before the deadline, not on it.

From 1 July 2026, super must be paid to an employees fund on every payday, not quarterly. Once paid, it must be received by the super fund within 7 business days. Super funds then have 3 business days to allocate or return contributions.

The ATO is clear on one point that catches employers out: the clock starts on payday, not on the day you submit the payment. A payment only counts once it is received by the employees fund, not when it is submitted, ATO Deputy Commissioner Emma Rosenzweig said. Submitting on day 7 may not allow enough time. You dont get an extension for rejected payments, so make sure there is enough time to correct any errors and for contributions to reach funds within the 7 business days.

The practical implication is that employers need to understand their clearing house and payroll processing times, and build in enough runway to catch and fix errors before the deadline passes.

The myths worth clearing up now

The ATO has identified several common misunderstandings circulating among employers right now, and they are worth addressing directly.

The first is that there is still plenty of time. Rosenzweig pushed back on that directly. While Payday Super doesnt start until 1 July, dont wait until the last minute to consider what you need to do to be prepared, she said. Cash flow planning, payroll system checks and provider conversations all need to happen in advance, not on the day.

The second myth is that employers can simply adjust how often they pay wages to manage the super change. That is not how it works. Payday Super changes when super must be paid, not the frequency of wage payments. Wage payment frequency is governed by employment contracts, awards and enterprise agreements. If you currently pay weekly, super payments will now also be weekly.

The third is a timing misconception: that the ATO will focus compliance action on honest mistakes from day one. Rosenzweig was explicit that this will not be the case in the first year. Employers who make an honest mistake and take steps to fix it quickly wont be the focus of ATO compliance action in the first year, she said. That does not mean ignoring the deadline, but it is meaningful reassurance for employers making a genuine effort to get it right.

The SBSCH is closing for good

This is the detail most likely to catch small business owners off guard. The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House, the ATOs free super payment service used by hundreds of thousands of small employers, is closing on 1 July 2026. After that date, there is no read-only access and no way to retrieve transaction history.

If you use the ATOs Small Business Superannuation Clearing House to pay your super, this service is closing on 1 July and youll need to make alternative arrangements, Rosenzweig said.

The ATO notes that the majority of employers currently using the SBSCH already have super payment functionality in their existing payroll software, which means the transition may be simpler than it sounds. But it still requires checking, and for those who need a new provider, the ATO recommends transitioning early to allow time to align payroll with the new payment timeframes.

Critically, any SBSCH transaction history that employers want to keep must be downloaded before 1 July. Once the service closes, that data is gone.

The ATO has released a Payday Super checklist and a separate checklist for transitioning away from the SBSCH, both available at ato.gov.au/paydayresources. For small business owners, the practical steps are clear.

Review your payroll software now and confirm it can support more frequent super payments. If you are on the SBSCH, contact your payroll provider about switching and download your transaction history before 30 June. Understand your clearing house processing times so you know how much runway you need before the 7-business-day deadline. And review your cash flow to account for super going out with every pay run rather than in quarterly lump sums.

The ATO has released a checklist on how to transition from the SBSCHThis link will download a file.

Explore the full range of Payday Super resources at ato.gov.au/paydayresources.

Keep up to date with the progress of Payday Super at ato.gov.au/paydaysuper.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
A Delhi court has convicted a man for electricity theft and imposed a substantial fine, underscoring the seriousness of power theft offences and the efforts to combat them.

Key Points A Delhi court convicted a man for electricity theft, imposing a fine of Rs 1.72 lakh.

The man was found to be directly tapping electricity from a BSES distribution pole at his residence in south Delhi.

BSES Rajdhani Power Limited filed the complaint after an inspection revealed an illegal connection.

The court rejected the defence's arguments, citing video evidence and the man's previous settlements for similar offences.

The court took a lenient view on imprisonment, considering the convict's clean record and partial payment of civil liability.

A Delhi court has convicted a man for electricity theft and fined him Rs 1.72 lakh, holding that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he was involved in direct tapping of power supply from a distribution pole at his south Delhi residence.

Additional Sessions Judge Vivek Kumar Gulia convicted Kuldeep under section 135 (electricity theft) of the Electricity Act, 2003, in a case based on a complaint from BSES Rajdhani Power Limited.

"It is held that sufficient, consistent and convincing evidence has come on record to show that accused Kuldeep was the user of the inspected premises at the time of inspection and that he dishonestly used electricity without any authorised source," the court said in an order dated April 6.

According to the complaint, on August 25, 2020, authorised officers of BSES Rajdhani Power Limited conducted an inspection at the premises occupied by Kuldeep in Katwaria Sarai. They did not find any electricity meter installed and power was being drawn directly from a BSES pole using an illegal wire.

Representing the complainant in the court, advocate Atul Jain highlighted that the inspecting team assessed a connected load of about 6.7 kW for domestic use and raised a theft bill of Rs 1.27 lakh that remained unpaid.

Multiple members of the inspection team testified during the trial that the premises had no authorised electricity connection and that illegal tapping was taking place. The proceedings were also videographed and the footage corroborated the oral evidence, the court noted.

"The video presented by the complainant side has also captured the manner of theft of electricity explained by the said witnesses. Not only this, the accused has admitted the fact of direct theft during his statement under section 313, CrPC (power to examine the accused about incriminating circumstances)," the court said, as it agreed with the prosecution's case.

Court's Reasoning and Judgement

Rejecting the defence's argument that the convict had no connection with the premises, the court observed that he was present during the inspection as seen in the video, was identified by witnesses and had failed to produce any material to show that he resided elsewhere. It also noted that Kuldeep had earlier settled two more complaint cases against him, arising out of the same premises, with complete payment.

"It is safe to draw a firm conclusion that the complainant has been able to establish the charge against accused Kuldeep for the offence punishable under section 135 of the Electricity Act beyond reasonable doubt and thus, he stands convicted for the said offence," the court held.

Sentencing and Civil Liability

In an order dated April 8, the court determined the civil liability of the convict to be Rs 1.14 lakh and considering that Kuldeep had already partially paid Rs 24,600 during the trial, he was directed to discharge a civil liability of Rs 90,344.

In the sentencing order, the court took a lenient view as regards imprisonment in light of the convict's clean antecedents and partial discharge of civil liability. It only slapped a fine of Rs 1.72 lakh on him, observing that the imposition of the statutory minimum penalty would meet the ends of justice.

Meanwhile, the court allowed the convict's plea for suspension of the sentence to enable him to file an appeal, granting him bail on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 15,000 with a surety for a period of 60 days.
Delhi Police successfully dismantled a human trafficking ring, rescuing eight women and arresting two individuals involved in the illegal operation in central Delhi.

Photograph: Pixabay

Key Points Delhi Police dismantled a human trafficking and prostitution ring operating in Sadanand Marg, central Delhi.

Eight women, including a 17-year-old girl trafficked from West Bengal, were rescued during the raid.

Two men from Nepal were arrested for managing the operation, handling cash, and coordinating activities.

Police recovered a significant amount of cash, foreign currency, narcotics, and other incriminating materials.

Authorities are actively searching for other suspects involved in the human trafficking racket, including the main operators.

The Delhi Police rescued eight women, including a minor, after it busted an alleged human trafficking and prostitution racket operating in central Delhi's Sadanand Marg area, an official said on Thursday.

A raid was conducted on the night of April 8 following specific input regarding immoral activities at a building near Ajmeri Gate.

"Acting on the tip-off, a team from Kamla Market police station, along with other units conducted a raid at the suspected premises," an officer said.

During the raid, police found multiple women and some men inside the premises. Upon verification, it was established that the location was being used for organised prostitution and trafficking. Eight women were rescued, including a 17-year-old girl who had been trafficked from West Bengal, police said.

They said the minor disclosed that she had been brought to Delhi by a woman identified as Alia alias Pinki and later handed over to a couple who were allegedly running the illegal operation. The police said the racket trafficked women from various states including West Bengal and Assam, and even Nepal, and engaged them in immoral activities.

Arrests and Investigation

"Two men, identified as Gopi Ram Parihar alias Suraj and Luma Kant Pandey, both residents of Nepal, were arrested from the spot. They were working as managers, handling cash transactions and coordinating activities at the premises," a senior police officer said.

A substantial quantity of incriminating material was recovered during the operation, including Rs 1.97 lakh in cash, foreign currency and other materials, besides narcotics, he added.

Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend other accused, including the main operators of the racket who are currently absconding.
Delhi Police have filed a chargesheet against three individuals, revealing critical safety lapses and negligence in the Janakpuri pit death case involving a fatal fall into a poorly maintained construction site.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Delhi Police file chargesheet against three individuals in connection with the Janakpuri pit death case.

The chargesheet details alleged lapses in safety protocols and execution of a Delhi Jal Board construction project.

Accused include a director of KKSPUN Private Limited, a sub-contractor, and a labourer.

The case involves the death of a man who fell into a 15-foot-deep pit in Janakpuri.

Further investigation is underway, with a supplementary chargesheet expected.

The Delhi Police has filed an 877-page chargesheet in the Janakpuri pit death case, naming three accused and detailing alleged lapses linked to the execution of a construction project, an official said on Thursday.

The chargesheet was submitted before a court on April 7, said police, adding that the case was registered on February 6.

According to a police statement, the accused are Himanshu Gupta (45), a suspended director of the main contractor company, KKSPUN Private Limited, Rajesh Kumar (47), a sub-contractor associated with the project and Yogesh (23), a labourer deployed at the site.

The accident took place on the night of February 5 when Kamal Dhyani, a resident of Kailashpuri, was returning home from his office in Rohini and fell into a 15-foot-deep pit dug by the Delhi Jal Board in the Janakpuri area.

A police officer said the deceased worked at a call centre for a private bank.

Chargesheet Details and Findings

The chargesheet includes detailed findings on the role and responsibilities of the accused persons, contractual arrangements, and on-site conditions and coordinations at the time of the incident.

Police said the probe examined multiple aspects, including compliance with safety norms, labour deployment, and execution practices adopted during the course of the work.

Statements of witnesses, technical assessments, and documentary evidence form part of the voluminous chargesheet, the officer said.

Himanshu Gupta, as a senior functionary of the contracting firm, was alleged to be responsible for overall supervision and ensuring adherence to safety protocols, while Rajesh Kumar, the sub-contractor, allegedly handled execution at the ground level.

Yogesh, a worker engaged at the site, has also been named in the incident.

Officials said the investigation into the role of other suspected people is still underway, and a supplementary chargesheet will be filed upon completion of the probe. Further investigation is underway.
An international conference at Delhi University explored the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shaping the future of management, highlighting ethical considerations and innovative educational applications.

Key Points Delhi University conference explores how AI is shaping the future of management across various sectors.

Experts emphasise the importance of ethical considerations as AI increasingly blurs the lines between real and synthetic.

AI can revolutionise education by creating customised learning systems tailored to individual student needs and interests.

The conference highlights AI's potential to improve administrative efficiency and speed in educational institutions.

Panel discussions focus on assessing AI's relevance across different domains and its impact on code, capital, and customers.

Delhi University's Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce (SGGSCC) hosted a wide-ranging discussion on Thursday at an international conference exploring how AI is set to shape the future of management.

The event aims to foster meaningful dialogue on the present and future relevance of AI across sectors, college officials said.

The college, on Thursday, inaugurated its two-day eighth biennial international conference titled "Frontiers in AI: Shaping the Future of Management", which featured a panel discussion on "AI everywhere: transforming code, capital, and customers".

Alok Pandey, professor and dean of the Office of Career Services at OP Jindal Global University, who was also the session moderator, pointed out, "As the line between real and synthetic often blurs out with AI, it is important to pay special attention to the ethical literacy, which is not fundamentally different from ethics that students should already be learning."

While the panellists touched upon several topics as to how students can compete in an era where AI is no longer the future, but a real presence in everyday life, a thought that stood out was how AI can be used to revolutionise the teaching and learning system for students.

AI's Impact on Education

Kartik Dave, professor and dean of the School of Management at Dr B R Ambedkar University, Delhi, said, "AI can be used to change the way we give degrees to our students. We can work on creating a customised education system or classes for each student, according to their needs and interests."

The event is being organised by the Seminar Committee of the college, in collaboration with the Department of Finance and Business Economics and the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Delhi.

The inaugural session was held under the guidance of the college principal, Kawal Gill, who highlighted the expanding role of AI in improving administrative efficiency, speed, and systems.

Looking Ahead

The second day of the conference, to be held on Friday, will feature a second panel discussion on "From Hype to Hard Numbers: Assessing AI's Cross-Domain Relevance."
A Delhi Juvenile Justice Board rejected bail for a 17-year-old driver in the fatal Dwarka crash, prioritising public safety and the minor's well-being amidst community tensions.

Key Points A 17-year-old driver involved in a fatal Dwarka crash has been denied bail by the Juvenile Justice Board.

The board cited concerns for the teen's physical and psychological safety, as well as potential disruption to public order.

The incident, involving an SUV allegedly used for a social media video, resulted in the death of a 23-year-old and serious injury to a cab driver.

The Juvenile Justice Board emphasised the importance of rehabilitation and protection under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.

The board highlighted the potential for community tension and the need to maintain public confidence in the justice system.

A Juvenile Justice Board here has denied bail to a 17-year-old accused of driving a speeding SUV that caused a fatal crash in Dwarka, saying that his release at this stage could expose him to physical and psychological danger and would "defeat the ends of justice".

The accident occurred on February 3 when the SUV, allegedly being used to shoot a social media video, rammed into a motorcycle and a taxi in the Dwarka area.

The collision killed 23-year-old Sahil and left a cab driver seriously injured. Police said the minor was behind the wheel at the time of the crash.

Board's Decision and Rationale

Presiding officer Chitranshi Arora was hearing a bail application filed by the accused minor and said that the release of accused could "disturb public peace, and undermine public confidence in the justice delivery system".

In its order on Thursday, the board said, "The premature release of the CCLs (Children in Conflict with the Law) who are named and alleged participants in the incident is likely to aggravate the prevailing situation, disturb public peace, and undermine public confidence in the justice delivery system."

The Board noted submissions of the investigating officer stating that the incident had triggered tension between communities in the area and had a pronounced impact on public order and social harmony.

It said the continued protective custody of the minors was not punitive but necessary to secure their care, protection, psychological stability and rehabilitation, which are integral to the concept of justice under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.

"This Board also finds that the release of the child litigant (minor accused) at this stage is likely to expose them to physical and psychological danger. The community tension arising out of the incident indicate a real and tangible risk of retaliation, intimidation or emotional harm, which the Board cannot ignore," it said.

While acknowledging concerns about disruption of the minors' education, the Board said such considerations could not override issues of safety, protection and rehabilitation when credible material suggested that release could be detrimental.

"The principle of the best interest of the child remains the guiding star of all decisions under the JJ Act," the Board said, adding that continued protective custody would ensure the safety, counselling, education and medical needs in a structured environment.

It concluded that granting bail at this stage could expose the minors to harm and defeat the ends of justice under the rehabilitative framework of the Juvenile Justice Act, and accordingly rejected his bail plea.

"This Board is satisfied that the release at this stage would expose them to physical and psychological danger; and defeat the ends of justice as understood within the rehabilitative and protective framework of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015," it said.
The Enforcement Directorate is investigating Merlin Group, a Kolkata-based real estate company, for alleged money laundering and financial connections to West Bengal politicians and officials, raising concerns about transparency in the real estate sector.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating Merlin Group, a Kolkata-based realty company, for alleged money laundering.

The ED is probing purported financial links between Merlin Group and West Bengal politicians and government officials.

Raids were conducted at seven premises linked to Merlin Group, resulting in the seizure of digital devices and documents.

Merlin Group claims full cooperation with the authorities and asserts that all transactions are transparent and lawful.

The investigation involves allegations of land grabbing using forged documents and the commercial exploitation of the land through real estate projects.

Enforcement Directorate officials said on Thursday that the agency is investigating alleged financial links between a Kolkata-based realty company and some politicians and officials of the West Bengal government as part of a money laundering probe.

Certain "incriminating" digital devices and documents were seized by the investigators following raids launched at seven premises linked to the Merlin Group (Merlin Projects Limited) and its promoters Sushil Mohta and Saket Mohta in Kolkata on Wednesday, they said.

The company said it was cooperating with the federal probe agency and that all its transactions were transparent.

"Merlin Group acknowledges the ongoing enquiry by the Enforcement Directorate regarding the Merlin Niyasa project in Kolkata," the company said in a statement.

"The company reaffirms its commitment to full cooperation with the authorities while maintaining all operations in compliance with applicable laws," it said.

ED officials said they were investigating purported financial links of the company with certain political leaders and officials of the state government.

The action comes ahead of assembly elections in West Bengal, with two-phased voting scheduled for April 23 and April 29.

Allegations Against Merlin Group

The promoters and the company are under the ED scanner on charges of fabricating a "false" chain of title using "forged" documents, leading to land-grabbing allegations.

The ED alleged that the accused commercially "exploited" the purportedly grabbed land by launching "large-scale" real estate projects.

By projecting themselves as lawful owners using "forged" documents, the accused induced the public to invest "substantial" sums in their real estate projects, according to the agency.

Merlin Group's Response

The company said the Merlin Niyasa project was developed under a "valid" agreement, executed transparently and lawfully.

"Crucially, title to the project land has been adjudicated in favor of the current landowners well in advance by various forums, including the Honorable Apex Court," it said.

"We regret that certain baseless litigations by third parties have prompted this inquiry, a regrettable trend in the real estate sector aimed at project delays and undue demands," it added.
Four cyber fraudsters have been arrested for running a sophisticated air ticket scam, preying on unsuspecting travellers with promises of discounted fares and causing significant financial losses.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Four cyber fraudsters arrested for running a multi-city air ticket scam, targeting victims with fake discounts on social media.

The mastermind operated from Delhi and Goa, using mule bank accounts in Mumbai to siphon off funds from defrauded customers.

Victims were lured with attractive discounts on international flight tickets and persuaded to transfer money for fraudulent bookings.

Police recovered Rs 47 lakh in cash, a Mercedes S-Class car, and other incriminating evidence from the accused.

The syndicate is linked to approximately 19 complaints on the national cybercrime portal, involving transactions of around Rs 25 lakh.

Four cyber fraudsters have been arrested for allegedly running a multi-city racket for duping people on the pretext of booking discounted air tickets, an official said on Thursday.

The police recovered Rs 47 lakh in cash and a Mercedes S-Class car, among other things, from the possession of the accused, the official said.

The accused have been identified as Mridul Joshi (35), the mastermind, Himanshu Anil Sharma (24), Gaurav (20) and Rakesh (52).

"The syndicate was operating across Delhi, Goa and Mumbai, targeting victims through social media platforms and fake travel booking services," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel said in a statement.

According to the police, the case came to light after a complaint was lodged at the Cyber Police Station in the Southwest district on April 7. The complainant alleged that his brother, based in Canada, was cheated of Rs 3.8 lakh while attempting to book flight tickets from Toronto to Delhi through a social media page offering discounted fares.

The victim was contacted via a US-based number and persuaded to transfer money on the assurance of confirmed bookings, which later turned out to be fraudulent. A team was constituted to probe the matter and analyse digital footprints, call detail records and financial transactions.

Unraveling the Air Ticket Scam Operation

Investigators traced the operation to a coordinated network spanning multiple locations. Police said Joshi was running the operation from Patel Nagar in Delhi and had set up a fake call centre in Goa to target victims. He arranged mule bank accounts from Mumbai to route and withdraw the cheated money.

"Raids were conducted at several locations, leading to the arrest of Joshi and the recovery of Rs 47 lakh in cash, a Mercedes S-Class car, seven mobile phones, two laptops, a point-of-sale machine and a WiFi router from his possession," the DCP said.

Further investigation led to the arrest of Sharma from Maharashtra's Palghar district, who was involved in supplying mule bank accounts. Two other accused, Gaurav and Rakesh, were also apprehended for providing bank accounts used to siphon off funds.

Police recovered additional mobile phones, fake SIM cards, ATM cards and banking documents from the accused.

"The racket operated through a website and social media platforms, luring victims with attractive discounts on international flight tickets. Payments were collected under false assurances, and the accused used multiple accounts to layer transactions," the officer said.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that the syndicate may have duped several victims across the country, with around 19 complaints registered on the national cybercrime portal involving transactions of about Rs 25 lakh. Further investigation is underway to identify other members.
A fake call centre in Delhi has been busted for defrauding insurance policyholders with promises of bonuses, leading to multiple arrests and exposing a sophisticated scam operation.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Faridabad police busted a fake call centre operating from Tilak Nagar, Delhi, arresting six individuals.

The scammers defrauded people by offering fake bonuses on Future Generali Insurance Solutions policies.

A complainant was allegedly defrauded of Rs 7,70,630 in the name of pre-maturing a dummy insurance policy.

The call centre was operated by Mohammad Aslam Raza, Rohit Kumar, and Sachin Mittal, who obtained account and policy data.

Accused Mukesh, Rahul, and Shubham worked as callers at the centre and have been sent to jail.

The Faridabad police said on Thursday they busted operations of a fake call centre and arrested six people for allegedly defrauding people by offering a bonus on an insurance policy.

The call centre was being run from a rented accommodation in Tilak Nagar, Delhi.

According to police, a resident of Trikha colony in Ballabhgarh, lodged a complaint at the Cyber Police Station here, stating that he had a policy with Future Generali Insurance Solutions. On September 3 last year, he received a call from someone claiming to be from the company's verification department. The caller allegedly said he could offer a bonus of Rs 93,525 if the policyholder purchased a dummy policy and paid Rs 36,000.

The complainant accepted the offer and made the payment into an account based on the details provided, he told police.

After this, he received repeated calls from individuals claiming to be the employees of the insurance company, who allegedly extorted a total of Rs 7,70,630 from him in the name of pre-maturing the policy. Based on this complaint, a case was registered at the police station under relevant sections of the law.

A cyber police team traced the call centre to Tilak Nagar in Delhi during investigation and arrested the six accused on Tuesday night, officials said.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Mohammad Aslam Raza, Rohit Kumar, Mukesh Gupta, Shubham, and Rahul, residents of Delhi and Sachin Mittal, a resident of Sonipat in Haryana, police said.

Inside the Fake Call Centre Operation

"During interrogation, it was revealed that the call centre in Tilak Nagar was being operated by Aslam, Rohit, and Sachin. They had rented two floors of a building," a police spokesperson said.

At the time of the incident, however, they were running the call centre in Delhi's Subhash Nagar, according to the official.

"Rohit, Aslam, and Sachin called the complainant and defrauded him of his money. The other three accused, Mukesh, Rahul, and Shubham, worked as callers on a salary at the centre. Aslam, Rohit and Sachin together used to obtain account, phone SIM and insurance policy data from others," the spokesperson said.

Accused Mukesh, Rahul and Shubham have been sent to jail while Aslam, Rohit and Sachin have been remanded to five days' police custody and are being questioned, the official added.
A 27-year-old GAIL engineer tragically died by suicide in a Pilibhit hotel, reportedly driven to despair following a breakup with his long-term partner, highlighting the devastating impact of relationship breakdowns.

Key Points A GAIL engineer, Deepanshu, died by suicide in a Pilibhit hotel after consuming poison.

The suicide is reportedly linked to a recent breakup with his long-term partner, a government school teacher.

Deepanshu spent four days in Pilibhit attempting to reconcile with his former partner before taking his own life.

Police investigations are underway, with forensic evidence collected from the hotel room.

A 27-year-old GAIL engineer allegedly died by suicide through poison at a hotel here, police said on Thursday.

Bareilly resident Deepanshu was reportedly under distress following a breakup with his long-term partner, whose marriage had been fixed elsewhere, they said.

He allegedly ate poison Wednesday night in his hotel room.

Sangarhi Police Station SHO Naresh Tyagi said his body was sent for post-mortem, and a forensic team collected evidence from the hotel room.

Deepanshu, who had joined GAIL office in Delhi in August last year, had come to Pilibhit about a week ago, the police said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that he had been in a relationship with a government school teacher in Pilibhit for five years. The woman reportedly ended the relationship six months ago.

"Deepanshu left his home claiming he was heading to work in Delhi, but instead checked into a hotel at Chhatri Chauraha in Pilibhit. He spent four days trying to reconcile with the woman. When she refused, he took the extreme step on Wednesday night," the officer said.

After consuming the poison, Deepanshu called a friend. The friend rushed to the hotel and took him to the district hospital with the help of the hotel staff.

District Hospital Chief Medical Superintendent Ramakant Sagar confirmed that the man died due to the consumption of a poisonous substance.
Associates of notorious gangster Kaushal Chaudhary have been booked for allegedly running an illegal cattle dairy and engaging in extortion on encroached public land in Gurugram, Haryana, highlighting ongoing concerns about organised crime.

Key Points Associates of jailed gangster Kaushal Chaudhary booked for operating an illegal cattle dairy in Gurugram.

The accused face charges of extortion and illegal encroachment on Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) land.

Investigation reveals gangster Kaushal Chaudhary's involvement in the dairy's operation and related extortion activities.

Kaushal Chaudhary is a notorious criminal with 78 cases across multiple states, including numerous murder charges.

Police have booked two alleged henchmen of jailed gangster Kaushal Chaudhary for operating a cattle dairy on Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) land in Naharpur Rupa village.

The two were booked on charges of extortion at Sector 37 Police Station.

The action came on a complaint of an HSVP sub-divisional officer, who alleged illegal encroachment of khasra 9//24 in Naharpur Rupa.

A joint engineer and patwari from the department inspected the plot, revealing that Ravindra alias Tillu and Satish Kumar had encroached upon the land and built a cattle dairy.

Further probe led to gangster Kaushal Chaudhary's hand behind the dairy's operation as well as extortion through it.

A police officer said that the investigation of the case has been assigned to the Sector 31 crime unit.

Gangster's Criminal History

Kaushal Chaudhary is one of the hardcore criminals facing at least 78 cases in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi, including over 30 murder cases, said police.
AI customer service is transforming how big businesses talk to customers. For most small businesses, the cost and complexity still make it out of reach

Whats happening: Most Australian small businesses are not using AI to manage customer experience, and cost and complexity are the main reasons why.

Why this matters: Customer experience is one of the few areas where small businesses have traditionally held their own against bigger operators, through responsiveness, personalisation, and relationships.

Call a large bank, airline, or insurance company today and you will likely be greeted by a system that already knows who you are, why you might be calling, and how to get you to the right place without putting you on hold. Behind that interaction sits expensive, purpose-built technology that took years and serious money to build.

For the owner of a small business taking calls between client meetings, that kind of setup is not just unaffordable. It feels like a different world entirely.

The distance between how large and small businesses handle customer interactions is not closing on its own. According to Australian government data, AI adoption sits at 82 per cent for businesses with 200 to 500 employees, 68 per cent for businesses with 20 to 199 staff, and just 40 per cent for businesses with five to 19 employees. Micro-businesses are even further behind, with fewer than 33 per cent using AI at all.

A Department of Industry analysis from June 2025 found the same pattern. Large enterprises have broadly embraced AI. About one in three SMEs have. The gap is consistent across multiple data sources and it is not closing quickly.

For small business owners, the consequences are practical. Customers increasingly expect fast, consistent responses across phone, messaging, email, and chat. Meeting those expectations without the right tools means burning staff time, or simply falling short.

Why complexity is the real barrier

Cost is part of the problem, but it is not the whole story. The infrastructure behind enterprise-grade customer experience technology typically involves multiple vendors, complex integrations, and ongoing technical management. For a business without a dedicated IT person, that complexity alone is enough to make the whole thing feel too hard.

Many businesses are also still managing different customer channels separately, phone over here, email over there, chat somewhere else. Customers expect those channels to connect seamlessly. Building that kind of experience from scratch, by piecing together different tools, is neither simple nor cheap.

Sydney-based technology company CloudWave recently rebranded to NeonNow and restructured around a model designed to address this barrier. Rather than selling directly to businesses, the company works through resellers and managed service providers, who then deliver AI-driven customer communications to their clients. The idea is that businesses get access to the technology without needing to build or manage the infrastructure themselves.

The platform pulls voice, messaging, and AI-driven interactions into a single system. The company says it supports more than 200 customers across small business, enterprise, and government sectors globally.

Michael Powrie, founder and CEO of NeonNow, described what the model is trying to fix.

For our channel partners, this shift is about removing the complexity that has traditionally slowed deployment and limited scale across markets, Powrie said.

We have rebuilt the platform so partners can deliver customer engagement services globally through a single system, maintain compliance across jurisdictions, and generate recurring revenue without the need for fragmented infrastructure.

Jason Stirling, Director of NeonNow, pointed to compliance as another pressure point, particularly for businesses dealing with customers across different regions.

Businesses operating across multiple markets require systems that can adapt to local regulatory and security requirements without increasing operational burden, Stirling said.

By embedding onboarding and delivery within the product, we have shifted to a platform-led model that enables faster deployment and consistency across regions.

The pricing model is usage-based, so businesses pay based on how much they actually use rather than committing to large upfront contracts. For small business owners watching cash flow closely, that is a meaningful difference from traditional enterprise software pricing.

What to ask before you buy

NeonNow is one example of a broader shift in how customer experience technology is being packaged for smaller businesses. More platforms are moving toward simpler pricing, consolidated tools, and delivery models that do not require a technical team to manage. That is a real change from even a few years ago.

But it does not mean every platform will deliver what it promises at small business scale. Because NeonNows model relies on partners to reach customers, the quality of support a small business gets will depend heavily on which reseller or provider they work with, not just the platform itself.

Small business owners in 2026 are increasingly being told to adopt AI or risk falling behind. That pressure is real. But so is the risk of paying for a tool that adds cost without adding value.

Before signing up to any AI customer experience platform, it is worth asking three things. What does it actually cost at your size. Who helps you when something goes wrong. And can they show you an example of it working for a business like yours.

The access problem is real. Whether a given platform solves it for your business is a separate question, and one worth taking your time on.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
A factory strike in Manesar, India, turned violent as workers protesting for higher wages clashed with police, highlighting ongoing labour disputes in the region.

Key Points Factory workers in Manesar, India, initiated a strike demanding a wage increase.

The protest escalated, leading to the torching of a police motorcycle and other property damage.

Police responded with a lathi charge to disperse the striking workers.

Prohibitory orders were imposed by the district administration to maintain law and order.

The Automobile Industry Contract Workers Union stated that workers were peacefully seeking written assurances regarding their demands.

Factory workers on strike in Manesar torched a police motorcycle on Thursday in a protest demanding a hike in wage.

The police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the striking workers.

The district administration had on Wednesday imposed prohibitory orders in Manesar.

A large number of police personnel have been deployed at the Richa Global plant in Sector 4, IMT Manesar, and police have cordoned off the area, an officer said.

A fire brigade was kept on standby after reports came that protesters set on fire chairs and benches.

On Wednesday, District Magistrate Ajay Kumar imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Indian Civil Security Code, 2023, to maintain law and order in the area.

The Automobile Industry Contract Workers Union, in a press release, said the workers had gathered peacefully at the company gate in the morning and were seeking written assurances to their demands.
Two IAS officers in Haryana have been suspended as investigations deepen into a Rs 590-crore IDFC First Bank fraud involving the diversion of government funds.

Key Points Haryana government suspends two IAS officers, Ram Kumar Singh and Pardeep Kumar, effective immediately.

The suspension is linked to an ongoing probe into a Rs 590-crore fraud case involving IDFC First Bank.

Haryana's State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB) is investigating the fraudulent diversion of government funds into fake company accounts.

The Haryana government has decided to hand over the IDFC First Bank fraud probe to the CBI.

IDFC First Bank disclosed a Rs 590-crore fraud committed by employees involving Haryana state government accounts, leading to the bank's de-empanelment.

The Haryana government has suspended two officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect.

In two separate orders issued on Wednesday, the government placed Ram Kumar Singh and Pardeep Kumar under suspension with immediate effect. While no reason was given for their suspension, sources said the action was linked to the ongoing probe into the Rs 590-crore IDFC First Bank fraud case.

During the suspension period, both officers -- promoted from the state civil service and belonging to the 2012 and 2011 batches respectively -- will have their headquarters at the office of the chief secretary to the Government of Haryana (Services-I Branch) in Chandigarh.

They will be entitled to subsistence allowance in accordance with Rule 4 of the All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.

Singh had served as commissioner of the Panchkula Municipal Corporation between July 2025 and January 2026, while Kumar was member secretary of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board from August 31, 2022, to December 10, 2025.

Before the suspension, Singh was posted as special secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department and additional CEO of Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority, while Kumar was posted as the director of the State Transport and special secretary of the Transport Department before his suspension.

IDFC Bank Fraud Investigation Details

Haryana's State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB) has been conducting investigations into the IDFC First Bank fraud case. It has so far arrested several people, including bank employees, private individuals, and government officials.

However, the Haryana government had recently decided to hand over the probe to the CBI.

The SV&ACB recently said that during the investigation, it emerged that several fake firms and companies were created by some of the arrested accused to illegally divert government funds into multiple bank accounts.

Investigations had indicated that money from accounts of various government departments was unauthorisedly transferred to accounts operated in the names of these fictitious companies.

Private sector IDFC First Bank had recently disclosed a Rs 590-crore fraud committed by certain employees and others at a particular branch in Chandigarh in a specific set of Haryana state government accounts.

In February, the Haryana government had de-empanelled IDFC First Bank for government business with immediate effect till further orders.
Three Jharkhand treasury employees have been arrested for allegedly embezzling over Rs 15 crore, sparking a political row and calls for a thorough investigation into widespread corruption.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Three Hazaribag treasury employees were arrested for allegedly embezzling Rs 15.41 crore over eight years.

The embezzlement involved using temporary pay IDs to illegally withdraw government funds and transfer them to suspicious accounts.

An investigation team froze 21 suspicious accounts, recovering Rs 1.6 crore.

The opposition BJP criticised the Jharkhand government, alleging a larger, organised racket involving senior police officials.

The BJP demands a judicial inquiry or CBI investigation into the treasury scams across Jharkhand.

Three Hazaribag district treasury employees have been arrested for allegedly embezzling Rs 15.41 crore from two bank accounts over the past eight years, officials said on Thursday.

Hazaribag Deputy Commissioner Shashi Prakash Singh told reporters on Thursday that arrests came after the state Finance department identified suspicious transactions through data analysis. During initial questioning, the accused reportedly admitted their involvement in the financial irregularities.

A press communique issued by the Hazaribag Deputy Commissioner said that a four-member investigation team, led by the Hazaribag Additional Collector, Santosh Kumar Singh, examined treasury records.

"It was found that temporary pay IDs were used to illegally withdraw government funds, which were then transferred to various suspect bank accounts. Following the probe, 21 suspicious accounts were frozen, securing Rs 1.6 crore in the process. A formal FIR has been registered at Lohsingna police station by the district treasury officer," the release added.

All three - Shambhu Kumar, Rajnish Singh and Dhirendra Singh - are employed in the accounts branch of the police department posted at Hazaribag.

Earlier on Tuesday, an accountant with Jharkhand Police in Bokaro district was arrested for siphoning Rs 4.29 crore from the police salary account.

The accused, Kaushal Kumar Pandey, was arrested on Tuesday following an FIR lodged by treasury officer Gulab Chand Oraon at Bokaro Steel City police station on the instructions of Deputy Commissioner Ajay Nath Jha.

The accountant has been sent to judicial custody, and further investigation into the matter is underway, the SP said.

Political Reactions to the Jharkhand Treasury Scam

Opposition, BJP, on Thursday criticised the Hemant Soren-led government over the treasury scams in Bokaro and Hazaribag.

Party spokesperson Ajay Sah stated that if an impartial and thorough investigation is conducted into this entire matter, the unmasking of several influential and "white-collar" figures is inevitable.

Ajay Sah alleged that the treasury scam is, in reality, far more complex and organised than it is being portrayed.

"Kaushal Pandey, who was arrested in Bokaro, has long maintained close ties with senior police officials. This explains why he was even felicitated by a former DGP for his hard work and dedication. Given this context, it is difficult to believe that a lone account department clerk could execute 63 unauthorised withdrawals over a period of just 25 months," the BJP leader alleged.

He further added that incidents such as the manipulation of date of birth clearly demonstrate that the capability for technical tampering existed, and feared that these points toward the existence of a large-scale, organised racket.

"A scam of such magnitude would be impossible to execute without the patronage of senior police officials," he alleged.

He claimed that, based on the official figures available thus far, the magnitude of this scam has already reached approximately Rs 20 crore across just two districts.

"If a comprehensive inquiry into this matter were conducted across the entire state of Jharkhand, this scam could prove to be even larger than the Fodder Scam. We demand that either a judicial inquiry or an investigation by the CBI is done into this matter," said Sah.

Ajay Sah further stated that this is not the first instance of illegal withdrawals from the treasury. He alleged that during the tenure of the Hemant government, prior cases of illegal withdrawals had already surfaced-specifically, approximately Rs 100 crore from the Energy Department, Rs 10 crore from the Tourism Department, and Rs 23 crore from the Drinking Water Department.
The Delhi High Court has affirmed Sanjay Bhandari's status as a fugitive economic offender in a money laundering case, empowering the Enforcement Directorate to seize his assets despite a failed extradition attempt.

Key Points Delhi High Court upholds order declaring Sanjay Bhandari a fugitive economic offender in a money laundering case.

The ruling allows the Enforcement Directorate to confiscate Bhandari's assets.

Bhandari's extradition to India was previously blocked by a UK court.

The Enforcement Directorate is investigating Bhandari's links with Robert Vadra.

Bhandari fled to London in 2016 after an Income Tax Department raid in Delhi.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday upheld a trial court's order declaring UK-based arms consultant Sanjay Bhandari a "fugitive economic offender" in connection with a money laundering case.

"Appeal dismissed," Justice Neena Bansal Krishna said.

On July 5, 2025, the trial court declared Bhandari a "fugitive economic offender" on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate, which enables the agency to confiscate all of Bhandari's assets worth crores of rupees.

Bhandari's chances of coming to India have been virtually nullified after a UK court ruled against his extradition.

His legal team, while opposing the ED's move to declare him a fugitive offender, claimed its "client's stay could not be called illegal in the UK as he has a legal right to reside there, and the government of India is bound by the judgment of the UK court... Bhandari is legally living there, and declaring him a 'fugitive' in that scenario is legally wrong".

The trial court said the "extradition attempt may have failed, but it will not make the accused an angel or immune from prosecution for the violation of Indian laws".

Background of the Case

Bhandari (63) fled to London in 2016, soon after the I-T department raided him in Delhi.

The ED filed its first chargesheet against Bhandari in 2020. It filed a criminal case against Bhandari and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in February 2017, taking cognisance of an I-T chargesheet filed against him under the anti-black money law of 2015.

Investigation into Robert Vadra Links

The agency is probing Bhandari's links with Robert Vadra, the businessman husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Bhupinder Singh Hooda fiercely criticises the Haryana government's crop procurement policies, alleging they are anti-farmer and designed to avoid purchasing crops from struggling farmers facing weather-related challenges.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Bhupinder Singh Hooda accuses the Haryana government of imposing arbitrary conditions on crop purchases, hindering farmers' ability to sell their produce.

Hooda alleges the government's policies are designed to avoid crop procurement, treating farmers like criminals with excessive bureaucratic requirements.

The Congress leader demands a special crop damage assessment and compensation for farmers affected by unseasonal rain.

Hooda calls for the resignation of Congress MLAs who allegedly cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections, citing betrayal of the party and the electorate.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini defends the government's procurement system, claiming reforms have enhanced transparency and efficiency.

Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday accused the government of imposing "arbitrary" conditions on purchase of crops.

The Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleged that the BJP government in Haryana continues to impose fresh conditions on farmers "with the intent of ensuring that the government does not have to procure crops."

"Yet another scam Instead of actually procuring wheat and mustard, the government is imposing one bizarre condition after another upon the farmers. Conditions such as portal registration, gate passes, biometric verification, tractor registration numbers, general verification, and the requirement of a guarantor are being arbitrarily imposed," he said.

"Farmers are being treated like criminals; all in all, the government's objective appears to be to keep farmers entangled in this bureaucratic maze so that it can avoid having to procure their crops altogether," He added.

Hooda, who was speaking to reporters in Naraingarh, claimed that during the Congress government procurement took place smoothly.

He was accompanied by state Congress president Rao Narender Singh and several party MLAs as he toured mandis (grain markets).

On Thursday, Hooda met farmers, labourers, and 'arhtiyas' (commission agents) in Naraingarh, Barara and Sadhaura mandis to assess the situation on the ground.

"The BJP government does not want to let go of even a single opportunity to fleece the farmers. This is because it is an anti-farmer government, in every sense," he alleged.

"Caught between the government's oppressive policies on one hand and the vagaries of the weather on the other, the farmers are being crushed. Due to incessant unseasonal rain, the standing crops have been ruined. Under these circumstances, the government must immediately conduct a special girdawari (crop damage assessment) and provide compensation to the farmers," he stated.

The Congress leader demanded the government offer a bonus per quintal to the farmers.

MLA Rao Narender Singh alleged mismanagement in the mandis and said the farmers are facing great difficulties in selling their produce.

He said that recent rain caused heavy damage to standing crops, and the grains stored in mandis are soaked.

Government Response to Criticism

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini accused the Opposition of spreading "misinformation" that his government had imposed many unnecessary conditions on the purchase of crops.

The government has implemented comprehensive reforms in the procurement system and appointed nodal officers in every mandi (grain market), Saini told reporters in Chandigarh after chairing a meeting of the state cabinet here.

Saini said that these technology-based initiatives have enhanced transparency, accountability and efficiency in the procurement process, ultimately benefiting farmers.

Rajya Sabha Elections Controversy

Meanwhile, responding to questions on five Congress MLAs who had allegedly cross-voted in last month's Rajya Sabha elections for two seats from Haryana, Hooda asserted that these MLAs ought to resign immediately on moral grounds.

He said these MLAs did not only betray their party but also betrayed the very people who elected them.

Haryana Congress' Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) recommended suspension of the five legislators for allegedly cross-voting.

"I have also forwarded their names, along with my accompanying notes, to the party leadership. Further action will be initiated at the party high command level," Rao Narendra Singh said.

He said the Congress had fielded the five as candidates and the public, placing its trust in the party, ensured their victory.

"If these individuals betray the very party that supported them, the public will undoubtedly teach them a lesson. No MLA can hope to escape accountability by resorting to falsehoods," he added.
Guna police busted an illicit liquor operation, seizing a consignment cleverly disguised in fruit drink packaging smuggled from Rajasthan, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat illegal alcohol distribution.

Key Points Guna police seized illicit liquor concealed in fruit drink-like packaging.

The liquor consignment originated from neighbouring Rajasthan.

The packaging was designed to resemble popular fruit drink packs to avoid detection.

Police recovered 9.9 litres of illicit liquor and have launched an investigation.

A case has been registered under the Excise Act to investigate the smuggling routes.

A consignment of illicit liquor concealed in fruit drink-like packs was seized in Guna in Madhya Pradesh, a police official said on Thursday.

The consignment, from neighbouring Rajasthan, was unearthed from beneath a mango tree near the house of accused Hamir Bhilala in Karnawata village on Wednesday, Sirsi police station assistant sub-inspector Gunsagar Meena told PTI.

Details of the Seizure

"Twenty-five small boxes resembling popular fruit drink packs were found. The packaging was designed to mislead authorities and avoid suspicion by making it look like juice cartons. We also recovered a 15-litre can containing 30 small bottles of country-made liquor," he said.

In all, 9.9 litres of illicit liquor manufactured in Rajasthan were seized from the spot, he added.

Investigation Underway

A case was registered under the Excise Act and probe is underway to ascertain the routes through which the consignment was brought into Guna, Meena said.
Andhra Pradesh is poised to revolutionise India's tech landscape with the launch of its first indigenously built quantum computers, paving the way for advancements in quantum technology and positioning the state as a global quantum hub.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Andhra Pradesh will launch India's first indigenously built, open-access quantum computers, Amaravati 1S and 1Q, on April 14, marking a significant advancement in the nation's quantum capabilities.

The Amaravati Quantum Valley initiative aims to establish Andhra Pradesh as a global hub for quantum hardware, fostering applications in defence, healthcare, cryogenics, and semiconductor manufacturing.

Developed under the Amaravati Quantum Reference Facilities (AQRF), the quantum systems boast over 80 per cent indigenous components, serving as India's first quantum hardware testbeds for research and validation.

The initiative includes large-scale skilling efforts, with around 60,000 people already trained and agreements in place to skill 45 lakh people over five years in quantum technologies.

The indigenous quantum platforms will democratise quantum technology by allowing students, researchers, and startups to directly observe, study, and experiment, unlike restricted imported systems.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will dedicate India's "first indigenously built", open-access computers, Amaravati 1S and 1Q, to the nation on April 14, marking an important step toward building a sovereign quantum hardware ecosystem, an official said on Thursday.

Pre-event activities, including demonstrations and technical sessions, will begin on April 10, leading up to the formal inauguration on World Quantum Day.

"This marks a significant step toward building a sovereign quantum hardware ecosystem, as Naidu will dedicate India's first indigenously built, open-access quantum computers, Amaravati 1S and 1Q, to the nation on April 14," CM's Secretary P S Pradyumna told reporters.

The initiative, anchored under Amaravati Quantum Valley, is expected to position Andhra Pradesh as a global hub for quantum hardware while enabling applications in defence, healthcare, cryogenics, and semiconductor manufacturing, Pradyumna added.

Developed under the Amaravati Quantum Reference Facilities (AQRF), the systems have over 80 per cent indigenous components and will serve as India's "first quantum hardware testbeds" for validation, certification, and research, as "no such fully built facilities previously existed in the country."

This is a crucial intervention in India's quantum journey, shifting from dependence on global systems to building indigenous capability and open-access infrastructure, he said.

Origins of the Quantum Initiative

Pradyumna noted that the initiative traces its origins to April 2025, when Naidu began the quantum push. This was followed by agreements with IBM and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a key announcement during the prime minister's visit on May 2, and the Amaravati Declaration adopted after an all-India quantum workshop on June 30.

The secretary said the programme is built on four pillars: hardware, software and algorithms; skilling; and research, along with partnerships to drive investments, with hardware identified as the most critical to avoid past overdependence on software.

He emphasised that manufacturing quantum systems requires a testbed or reference facility, similar to global standards, where components must be validated and certified before production, making such infrastructure essential.

Quantum systems operate at temperatures close to minus 273 degrees Celsius-the lowest possible in the universe-where qubits are activated. This requires all components, such as cables, amplifiers, and control systems, to be tested under extreme conditions.

India previously lacked such quantum testbeds, and AQRF has now established the first two facilities at SRM University and Medha Towers, set up by startups Qubit Force and Qubit Tech.

Assembly began after the systems arrived in Amaravati on March 30.

Pradyumna noted that nearly 85 per cent of quantum hardware components can be manufactured domestically, while the remaining complex elements, such as chips, require advanced capabilities. Assembly itself is considered manufacturing, as followed globally by companies like IBM.

Democratising Quantum Technology

Unlike imported systems that function as closed "black boxes" with restricted access, the indigenous platforms will allow students, researchers, and startups to directly observe, study, and experiment, enabling the democratisation of quantum technology.

The initiative is supported by a consortium including the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), IISc, and DRDO, forming a seven-institution supply chain across six cities.

Quantum Skilling and Future Implications

He also highlighted large-scale skilling efforts, noting that around 60,000 people have been trained, about 35,000 appeared for examinations, with nearly 50 per cent participation, and 51 per cent of participants were women.

Advanced courses saw over two lakh registrations.

The government has signed agreements to skill 45 lakh people over five years, including 10 lakh through IBM and the rest through partners, targeting both students and working professionals through reskilling and upskilling programmes.

A meeting with quantum hardware manufacturers was held on March 31 to assess requirements and explore support measures, including plans to develop a dedicated hardware ecosystem and park in the state.

He further cautioned that rapid technological shifts, including artificial intelligence, are already transforming jobs, and failure to adapt to quantum technologies could risk making the country's decades-long software progress less relevant.
Despite ceasefire violations, Iran is sending a delegation to Pakistan for crucial peace talks with the US and Israel, mediated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to seek a resolution to the ongoing conflict.

IMAGE: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Photograph: Reuters

Key Points Iran confirms its delegation will attend peace talks in Pakistan to address the conflict with the US and Israel.

The peace talks, proposed by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, aim to achieve a conclusive agreement after a two-week ceasefire.

Iran expresses scepticism regarding the peace talks due to alleged ceasefire violations by Israel.

The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, is also expected to participate in the Islamabad talks.

Pakistan is playing a constructive role in facilitating peace and security in the region by hosting these crucial negotiations.

Clearing the mist of mistrust, Iran confirmed that its 10-member delegation will arrive in Pakistan on Thursday to participate in the upcoming talks to resolve the conflict with the US and Israel.

The crucial parleys have been set for Friday in Islamabad, just days after a two-week ceasefire. US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran as proposed by Pakistan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended an invitation to the delegations of the US and Iran to Islamabad on Friday, April 10, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.

Iran team heads feor talks despite scepticism

Reza Amiri Moghadam, ambassador of Iran to Pakistan, confirmed the participation of his country's delegation while emphasising "scepticism" in his country regarding peace talks due to the alleged ceasefire violation by Israel.

"Despite scepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by the Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative, invited by PM Shehbaz Sharif, the Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran," he said on X.

The US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance is also expected to arrive, but no time has been announced for its arrival.

No timeframe has been given except that they are being held on Friday.

Background to the Conflict

The US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.

Iranian officials are in touch with Pakistan, and Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Masoud Pezshkian held talks on Wednesday, while separately, Field Marshal Seyed Asim Munir and Iran's Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi talked over the phone.

According to another statement on X, Moghadam said that Araghchi "appreciated the constructive & responsible role of Pakistan in continuous & effective efforts to end the war and strengthen peace and security in the region as well as ceasefire".

Meanwhile, the ceasefire has come under stress due to alleged violations by Israel, which launched strikes against Lebanon. The UN Secretary General also condemned the strikes, which killed many.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described Israel's incursions into Lebanon as a blatant breach of the ceasefire and said the continued attacks reflect deception and a lack of commitment to potential agreements.

IMAGE: Heavy machinery operates at the site of an Israeli strike carried out on Wednesday, in Ain Al Mraiseh in Beirut, Lebanon, on April 9, 2026. Photograph: Raghed Waked/Reuters

Key Points Iran accuses Israel of violating the Lebanon ceasefire.

Pezeshkian warns Tehran may take 'severe measures'.

Says continued strikes undermine peace negotiations.

Dispute over whether ceasefire includes Hezbollah targets.

Netanyahu vows to continue strikes against Hezbollah.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday slammed Israel over its renewed strikes in Lebanon despite a two-week ceasefire aimed at halting hostilities in West Asia, saying such actions violate the agreement and threaten regional stability.

In a post on X, Pezeshkian described Israel's incursions into Lebanon as a blatant breach of the ceasefire and said the continued attacks reflect deception and a lack of commitment to potential agreements.

'Our hands remain on the trigger'

He cautioned that the ongoing strikes could undermine diplomatic efforts to completely end hostilities in the region, while warning that such actions could prompt Iran to take severe measures against Israel.

Pezeshkian reiterated that repeated aggression by the 'Zionist regime' against Lebanon constitutes a serious breach of the ceasefire framework.

'Renewed aggression by the Zionist regime against Lebanon blatantly violates the initial ceasefire. Such actions signal deception and non-compliance, rendering negotiations meaningless. Our hands remain on the trigger. Iran will never forsake its Lebanese brothers and sisters,' the Iranian President said in the post.

Dispute over ceasefire scope

The developments come as the fragile ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran hangs in the balance, with Tehran stating that the truce also includes a halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

However, both Washington, DC and Israel have maintained that the ceasefire does not extend to Hezbollah targets. The disagreement has further complicated diplomatic efforts and heightened the risk of the truce collapsing.

Israel vows to continue operations

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also affirmed that Israel will persist with its military operations against Hezbollah following a series of intense and deadly strikes across Lebanon.

In a statement shared on X, he emphasised the continued scale of the offensive, noting that the military is 'continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination'.
An Aligarh Muslim University hostel room raid uncovered ammunition and suspected counterfeit currency, sparking a police investigation into potential links with a recent shooting incident in the area.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Police recovered live cartridges, suspected fake currency, and mobile phones from an Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) hostel room.

The accused, Shevaaz, had allegedly forced out legitimate residents and occupied the room for several months.

The raid is connected to an ongoing investigation into a shooting incident in Aligarh.

Documents suggest the accused gained admission to AMU as a non-resident student.

Incriminating material, including live cartridges and suspected fake currency has been recovered from an Aligarh Muslim University hostel room, police said on Thursday.

The police, acting on a tip-off on Wednesday, seized .32 bore pistol bullets, four 12 bore cartridges, fake currency, eight mobile phones, and empty magazine covers, from a room in Sir Ziauddin Hall, they said.

The room was occupied by the accused, Shevaaz, who had allegedly forced out the legitimate residents, and had been living there for several months, AMU Proctor Naved Khan said.

Police detained and questioned one of the authorised occupants of the room regarding the circumstances under which the intruder managed to occupy the premises, Khan said.

Documents recovered from the room suggest that the accused had secured admission to AMU as a non-resident student, he added.

Investigation into Shooting Incident

The development comes amid an ongoing investigation into a shooting incident reported on April 6 in the Civil Lines area of Aligarh.

Police had arrested and interrogated three persons in connection with that case on Tuesday, during which the name of the accused surfaced, leading investigators to the hostel room.

A detailed probe is underway, they said.
Matt Caffrey discusses why the free software shortcut is one of the costliest risks in small business today.

Whats happening: Employees at small businesses are increasingly downloading pirated or cracked software to fill tool gaps without waiting for IT approval, often without realising the risk they are taking.

Why this matters: Small businesses are less likely to have IT oversight, formal procurement processes or endpoint monitoring in place. That makes the gap between an employees well-meaning download and a serious security incident much narrower than most owners realise.

For many small business owners, the cybersecurity conversation tends to focus on external threats: phishing emails, ransomware attacks, data breaches engineered by sophisticated criminals. The threat that does not get enough attention is simpler, closer to home, and often introduced by a well-meaning employee trying to do their job.

Pirated and cracked software is increasingly entering small business environments through ordinary workplace behaviour. A team member needs a design tool. The licence is not yet approved or the budget is not there. They search for a free version online, find what looks like a working copy, follow the instructions, and click run. The problem, writes Matt Caffrey, Senior Solutions Architect for ANZ at Barracuda Networks, is what happens next. Employees rarely install pirated software with malicious intent, Caffrey writes. More often, they are trying to work more efficiently. But the downloads that appear on torrent sites, file-sharing platforms and free download websites frequently include bundled installers containing so-called activation tools. In many cases, that activator is not activating anything. It is quietly installing malware once the user runs it manually.

Because cracked software typically comes with step-by-step instructions, Caffrey notes, employees end up assisting the malware installation process themselves.

What the data shows

The scale of the problem is documented. The Australian Cyber Security Centre recorded more than 84,000 cybercrime reports in its most recent data, an average of one every six minutes. The Australian Institute of Criminologys most recent Cybercrime in Australia report found that more than 20% of Australian individuals reported experiencing malware in the previous 12 months. The same report found little change in the prevalence of high-risk online behaviours, and that smaller businesses were less likely to be using various online safety strategies.

Barracudas own SOC analysis, which represents vendor data rather than independent research, found that 87% of executable files delivered by email were malicious, and detected repeated instances of users attempting to download and activate pirated or cracked software onto corporate endpoints. Three filenames appeared consistently in detections: activate.exe, activate.x86.exe and activate.x64.exe. These names are deliberately chosen to look routine and bypass scrutiny.

Pirated software compounds the risk further because it cannot receive legitimate security updates. Even if it appears to work, patching mechanisms are disabled, leaving permanent security gaps that known exploits can target over time.

The warning signs defenders should watch

One practical advantage, Caffrey notes, is that pirated software installation tends to leave clear behavioural signals that monitoring systems can detect. Suspicious executable files appearing in user-accessible folders such as Downloads or temporary directories, files launched manually shortly after browser activity, and installation patterns that differ from automated managed deployments all stand out in environments with endpoint monitoring in place.

For small businesses without dedicated security monitoring, the absence of these detection capabilities is itself the risk. In a larger organisation, these patterns trigger alerts. In a business of five or ten people with no IT function, the same download goes unnoticed.

Caffrey outlines five practical steps businesses can take to close the gap between policy and behaviour. Enforce endpoint protection that automatically blocks unknown or unauthorised executables in real time, even when launched manually. Restrict local administrator rights and require approval for software installations. Implement application control so only approved software can run on corporate devices. Monitor for executable files appearing in folders users can save content to, such as Downloads and Temp directories. And combine technical controls with clear acceptable use policies and regular awareness training to reduce the likelihood of high-risk behaviour in the first place.

For small businesses where a formal IT function does not exist, the starting point is simpler: make sure employees know that downloading software from unofficial sources is not just against policy, it is a direct route into the business for malware. The most dangerous vulnerabilities, as Caffrey puts it, are often the simplest ones. A manual download. A suspicious executable. An employee clicking run on a file that promises something for free.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accuses the BJP of deleting over 9 million names from voter lists in West Bengal, sparking controversy ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections and raising concerns about voter suppression.

Photograph: @AITCofficial/X

Key Points Mamata Banerjee alleges the BJP deleted over 9 million names from West Bengal voter lists to gain power.

Banerjee claims the Trinamool Congress will legally challenge the voter list deletions to reinstate affected voters.

She accuses the BJP of harassing Bengali speakers in BJP-ruled states and falsely labeling them as infiltrators.

Banerjee warns that the 'end of the BJP is inevitable from August 2026'.

Banerjee alleges the BJP is attempting to pass the Delimitation Bill to divide Bengal into three parts.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday alleged that the BJP had deleted over 90 lakh names from voter lists during the SIR exercise to grab power in the state and asserted that her party would still win the upcoming Assembly elections.

Addressing a public rally at Minakhan in North 24 Parganas district, she said the Trinamool Congress would move court to ensure that those deleted from the electoral rolls are reinstated.

"You deleted names of over 90 lakh people to grab power in Bengal, but we will win," Banerjee said.

She described the election as "a fight for the survival of the people and the existence of Bengal."

Banerjee urged voters to remain vigilant and participate actively in the elections to safeguard the rights and identity of Bengal's people.

Accusations Against BJP

The TMC supremo alleged that people are being harassed in BJP-ruled states for speaking Bengali and accused the party of terming the language as foreign while branding Bengali speakers as infiltrators.

At a separate rally in Palta in the same district, she claimed, "BJP is paying people Rs 500 each to take part in its rallies."

Warning the saffron party leadership, she said, "The end of the BJP is inevitable from August 2026."

She also alleged, "They (BJP) are getting the Delimitation Bill passed to divide Bengal into three parts."

In an apparent reference to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, whom she referred to as 'Mota Bhai', Banerjee accused him of intimidating people through probe agencies.

Banerjee reiterated that her party would continue to fight politically and legally to protect the rights of voters and the integrity of the state's electoral process.
Widespread protests have erupted in Manipur after a devastating bomb attack killed two children, igniting public outrage and clashes with security forces as demonstrators demand justice.

Key Points Massive protests erupted across Manipur following a bomb attack that killed two young children in Bishnupur district.

Demonstrators defied curfew, staged rallies, and burnt tyres, demanding justice and the immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

Clashes between protesters and security forces resulted in injuries and further unrest, escalating tensions in the region.

A lawyer attempted self-immolation in Imphal to protest the bombing, highlighting the depth of public anger and despair.

Police arrested suspected members of the United Kuki National Army, but their direct involvement in the bombing remains unconfirmed.

Thousands of demonstrators across five valley districts of Manipur held protest rallies and burnt tyres against the bomb attack that claimed the lives of two children in Bishnupur district.

At Tiddim Line in Imphal West district, hundreds of people under the aegis of the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation staged a rally from its office near Kwakeithel, denouncing the killings and demanding the immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

Several children, holding posters of the two minors killed in the attack, also attended the rally, which was stopped by security forces from advancing further near Kwakeithel.

Later, representatives of AMUCO and others were escorted to meet Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh to address their concerns.

On April 7, a 5-year-old boy and his 6-month-old sister were killed when suspected militants hurled a bomb at their house at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district.

Soon after the incident, a mob of around 500 protesters stormed a CRPF camp near Gelmol, a few hundred metres from Tronglaobi, and engaged in vandalism and burning of security vehicles.

In the ensuing firing by personnel, three protesters died while 30 were injured.

On Thursday, at Samurou in Imphal West district, hundreds of protestors also attempted to head towards the CM's official bungalow but were stopped by police.

Protesters also burnt tyres and stopped vehicular movements at Moirang Lamkhai and Ningthoukhong in Bishnupur district.

Similar incidents of tyre burning were reported from Khurai in Imphal East district and parts of Thoubal and Kakching districts.

Escalation of Protests and Unrest

In Imphal, a lawyer allegedly attempted self-immolation in front of the Lok Bhavan in protest against the bomb attack, officials said.

Sinam Apollo (32) arrived in front of the Lok Bhavan on a two-wheeler and poured kerosene over himself, but his attempt to set himself on fire was foiled by police.

He was later taken to a police station for questioning.

On Wednesday night, clashes broke out between protesters and security forces at Khurai Lamlong in Imphal East district, where agitators resorted to stone pelting, prompting security forces to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

Earlier, police arrested three suspected cadres of the United Kuki National Army during operations following the Tronglaobi incident.

However, police have yet to confirm whether those arrested were directly linked to the blast.
Following the tragic death of a forest guard, the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh is accusing the BJP government of fostering a 'mafia raj' that enables rampant illegal mining across the state.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Govind Singh accuses the BJP government of enabling illegal mining activities.

A forest guard was killed in Morena district after being run over by a tractor-trolley involved in illegal sand mining.

Singh alleges political patronage protects illegal mining operations across Madhya Pradesh.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an application regarding the forest guard's killing and illegal sand mining in the Chambal Sanctuary.

Singh calls for Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to take immediate action against illegal mining groups.

Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Govind Singh on Thursday slammed the BJP government over the killing of a forest guard by illegal sand miners a day earlier and alleged such mafia are running the state.

Forest guard Harkesh Gurjar (35) was killed after a tractor-trolley ran over him in Morena district on Wednesday morning. The incident took place on National Highway-552 near Ranpur village when forest personnel tried to stop a sand-laden tractor-trolley.

Accusations of Political Patronage

"The state is being run by mafias and not the BJP. Illegal mining is being carried out across districts under political patronage. In the past 10 years, 13 persons in Morena and 19 in Bhind have been killed by vehicles linked to mining activities in Gwalior-Chambal region," Singh said.

He also cited a 2012 incident in which an IPS officer was crushed to death in the same region allegedly by mining mafia.

He further claimed illegal sand mining was rampant in the Chambal and Sindh rivers in the Gwalior-Chambal belt.

BJP MLAs, ministers, MPs and senior leaders were providing protection to those involved in illegal mining, the former state minister alleged.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who handles the home portfolio, must take immediate action to curb the activities of such groups, Singh said.

Supreme Court Intervention

Singh's statement came on a day when the Supreme Court agreed to hear next week an application which raised the issue of the forest guard's killing.

The matter was mentioned before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, which is hearing a suo motu case titled 'In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly criticised the TMC government in West Bengal, urging voters to elect the BJP for a corruption-free and developed state in the upcoming assembly elections.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Prime Minister Modi accuses the TMC government of hindering West Bengal's progress and engaging in misrule.

Modi alleges the TMC cheated Bengal's youth by destroying the private sector and looting government posts.

Modi promises a 'Viksit Bengal' (Developed Bengal) under BJP rule, emphasising investment and trust.

Modi criticises the TMC's alleged religion-based reservation policy for vote bank politics.

Modi advocates for a double-engine government in West Bengal for better coordination and development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal for its alleged misrule and appealed to voters to oust the TMC from power in the upcoming assembly polls.

Addressing a gathering in Haldia, the backyard of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, Modi said that the ruling dispensation in the state was "pulling Bengal back".

"The country is walking on the path of progress, while TMC's 'nirmam sarkar' (cruel government) is pulling Bengal back. To usher in 'Viksit Bengal', it's essential that the party is removed from power," he claimed.

He also alleged that the "TMC cheated Bengal's youth on two counts -- destroyed the private sector and looted government posts for money".

"Investment does not come in an atmosphere of fear, but in a climate of trust that the BJP will bring in Bengal," Modi said at the industrial hub.

He accused the TMC of following a "religion-based reservation policy to secure its vote bank".

"People's huge attendance at Haldia rally despite inclement weather is an indicator of change in Bengal, and a sign of TMC's exit," the Prime Minister asserted.

Modi said, "The assembly poll result in Nadigram five years ago will be repeated in Bhabanipur this time."

Adhikari had defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021 and is pitted against the incumbent chief minister at her bastion in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur.

Criticising the Trinamool Congress, Modi said, "Even in 100 years, the TMC cannot absolve itself of sins it committed against Bengal's youth."

Batting for a double-engine government in West Bengal, the Prime Minister told the gathering that the state "would not benefit by opposing the PM, but will profit only when a PM and a CM act in unison".

He promised the people of West Bengal of making the state self-sufficient in fisheries and the seafood sector, while highlighting that the BJP government at the Centre has set up a dedicated ministry for the welfare of the fisherfolk and allotted a record budget for them.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharply criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, alleging lawlessness and promising to crack down on illegal infiltration if the BJP gains power in the state.

Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo

Key Points Prime Minister Modi accuses the TMC of 'maha jungle raj' and lawlessness, citing the Bagtui carnage as an example of the party's misrule in West Bengal.

Modi promises a special inquiry into infiltration facilitators and vows to deport illegal entrants if the BJP wins the upcoming elections in West Bengal.

Modi criticises the TMC for allegedly insulting tribal communities and misappropriating MGNREGA funds meant for the poor and marginalised.

Modi pledges to implement the VB-G RAM G scheme in Bengal, ensuring direct transfer of funds to beneficiaries without middlemen or syndicate interference.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday went all guns blazing against the ruling TMC, accusing it of lawlessness and unleashing 'maha jungle raj' by referring to the Bagtui carnage of 2022, in which around 10 women and children were burnt alive in Birbhum district.

Addressing an election rally at the district headquarters Suri, Modi intensified the BJP's infiltration plank, citing last week's gherao of judicial officers in Malda to slam the Mamata Banerjee administration and reiterate his conviction of getting the country rid of "illegal entrants".

"I stand before you today to make this promise: Once there is a change of guard in state power following these elections, I will initiate a special inquiry against the facilitators of infiltration in this state and put them behind bars," Modi declared.

"The Trinamool Congress' slogan of 'Maa-Mati-Manush' (mother, land, people) has become nothing more than empty rhetoric. While 'Ma' is crying and 'Manush' is reeling under the fear of the goons of the TMC regime, land encroachment by infiltrators under the current dispensation has reached dangerous proportions," he added.

Accusations of Lawlessness and Corruption

Referring to the Bagtui killings in Rampurhat, not far from where the PM spoke, Modi said the incident stood testimony to "TMC's maha jungle raj" which thrived on the unholy nexus of syndicate, mafia and corrupt politicians.

"Cottage industry has been rapidly declining in West Bengal, but the TMC has turned crude bombs into a household affair in the state," the PM said.

Pledges to Combat Infiltration

Resuming his discourse on infiltration, Modi said infiltrators were usurping the jobs of locals by accepting work contracts for less money and forcing the indigenous people to migrate.

He pledged that unauthorised entrants will be deported and their facilitators jailed after the BJP comes to power in Bengal.

"The entire nation has witnessed what happened during the Malda siege, where judicial officers were held hostage. They have introduced a reign of terror in this state, and the need of the hour is to free the people from that atmosphere of fear and intimidation," he said.

Remembering Birbhum's History

The PM referred to Birbhum as the haloed land of many iconic national figures, which has remained as a constant source of inspiration.

He mentioned that the region, which is home to many tribal communities, had felt the ripples of the 19th Century Santhal rebellion against the British in adjacent Jharkhand.

"This land of baul songs is now humming the tune for change," he said.

Allegations of Insulting Tribal Communities

Modi charged the TMC with insulting adivasis, alleging that the party's "arrogance" did not spare even the country's President, Droupadi Murmu, who represents the Dalit community.

"The Honourable President had come to attend a programme of the tribal communities in north Bengal. This Trinamool government did not grant her the requisite respect," he alleged.

Promises of Economic Support

Alleging that the TMC stole MGNREGA funds to cheat the poor, marginalised and adivasi people of the state, Modi promised guaranted employment for the economically weak and fresh help to peasants and fishermen.

"We will implement the VB-G RAM G scheme in Bengal and transfer money directly to beneficiary accounts where no middlemen can intrude for cut money and syndicate," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharply criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, alleging lawlessness, corruption, and enabling infiltration, promising change if the BJP gains power.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Prime Minister Modi accuses the TMC of 'maha jungle raj' citing the Bagtui carnage.

Modi alleges TMC's 'Maa-Mati-Manush' slogan is now empty rhetoric, with crude bomb-making becoming a 'cottage industry'.

He claims land grabbing by infiltrators under the TMC regime is rampant, threatening local jobs.

Modi promises to deport infiltrators and jail their facilitators if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal.

Modi alleges TMC stole MGNREGA funds and promises to implement the VB-G RAM G scheme, transferring money directly to beneficiary accounts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday went all guns blazing against the ruling TMC, accusing it of lawlessness and unleashing 'maha jungle raj' by referring to the Bagtui carnage of 2022, in which around 10 women and children were burnt alive in Birbhum district.

Addressing an election rally here in Birbhum district, he alleged the Trinamool Congress' slogan of 'Maa-Mati-Manush' (mother, land, people) has become nothing more than rhetoric.

"Cottage industry has been declining in West Bengal, while the TMC has turned making crude bombs into a cottage industry," Modi said.

The Bogtui carnage of 2022, in which around 10 women and children were burnt alive in the district, bears testimony to the TMC's 'maha jungle raj', the Prime Minister asserted.

Accusations of Infiltration and Job Losses

"Land grabbing by infiltrators under the TMC regime has reached dangerous proportions. Infiltrators are usurping the jobs of locals by accepting contract work for less money. They will be deported and their facilitators jailed after the BJP comes to power in Bengal," he said.

Modi charged the TMC with insulting adivasis, asserting that they have not spared even the country's President who represents the Dalit community.

Promises of Financial Reform

Alleging that TMC stole MGNREGA funds, the PM urged the people to elect the BJP.

"We will implement the VB-G RAM G scheme in Bengal, transfer money directly to beneficiary accounts," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils six key guarantees for West Bengal, promising to usher in an era of development, accountability, and industrial growth under a BJP government, while strongly criticising the incumbent TMC administration for alleged corruption and misgovernance.

Photograph: @AITCofficial/X

Key Points Narendra Modi announced six guarantees for West Bengal, promising development and accountability under a BJP government.

Modi criticised the TMC government for alleged corruption, industrial decline, and a 'reign of fear'.

Key promises include reopening corruption cases, jailing corrupt leaders, and implementing the 7th Pay Commission for state employees.

Modi pledged to make Bengal self-sufficient in fisheries and prevent illegal immigration.

Modi emphasised the need for a 'double-engine' government for coordinated development between the state and the Centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced six guarantees for Bengal if the BJP wins the Assembly polls and sought the ouster of the "'nirmam'" (cruel) TMC government, accusing it of "setting new parameters of development debacle and pulling the state back".

Addressing a rally at the port city of Haldia in Purba Medinipur, which also doubles up as one of the state's industrial hotspots, Modi assured the people of rescuing the state from the existing "reign of fear" and creating an atmosphere of all-pervading "trust".

"Investments cannot be ushered in when an atmosphere of fear prevails. It can only happen when there is trust, which the BJP will bring in Bengal once it forms government here," Modi said, focusing on the party's industrial plank in the run-up to the polls.

Canvassing for BJP candidates in the backyard of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, Modi connoted the Mamata Banerjee administration as "Nirmam (cruel) sarkar", an obvious play on words on the chief minister's name as its antonym.

"While the entire country is walking on the path of progress, the TMC's Nirmam Sarkar is pulling Bengal back in a sustained manner. To usher in a Viksit Bengal, it is essential to remove the TMC's 'Nirmam Sarkar'," the prime minister said.

He promised the people of West Bengal that the BJP would make the state self-sufficient in fisheries and the seafood sector, while highlighting that the BJP government at the Centre has set up a dedicated ministry for the welfare of the fisherfolk and allotted a record budget for them.

Underling "six Modi guarantees" for the people, the prime minister said the BJP, once in power in the state, will replace the TMC's "reign of fear" with BJP's "trust" and make public servants accountable to citizens for their actions.

"The BJP will reopen all files on corruption and crimes committed against women in Bengal, which the TMC has suppressed," he added, spelling out his "third guarantee".

"All leaders involved in corruption will be in jail, no TMC goons can escape the clutches of law," he added as the fourth.

While pledging that government facilities and scheme benefits will be made available to all genuine citizens, Modi underlined that "infiltrators won't be allowed to stay in this country".

"Once the BJP government is formed, we will immediately implement the 7th Pay Commission in Bengal for state employees, teachers and those working in related sectors," the PM said, defining his final guarantee.

Modi arrived at the Haldia helipad ground about two hours later than his scheduled time of 9.30 in the morning, owing to inclement weather marked by overnight showers across large parts of southern Bengal.

"I thank people for turning up in such huge numbers despite the adverse weather. This is an indicator of a storm in the making. The people of Bengal are ready for a regime change, a sign that TMC's exit from the state is a certainty," he said.

Referring to the BJP's 2021 state election performance in Purba Medinipur, where it bagged 15 of the 16 assembly seats, Modi said the entire Bengal is now following the path shown by the district five years ago.

"The results of Nandigram from last time will be repeated in Bhabanipur this time around," he said, referring to Suvendu Adhikari's victory over Mamata Banerjee in 2021.

Adhikari has been pitted against the incumbent chief minister at her bastion in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur this time.

Accusations Against the TMC Government

Harping on the industrial legacy of the region, previously known as Tamralipta, and the flourishing riverine businesses in the past, the prime minister lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee government for "destroying the industrial landscape" of the area.

He alleged the "TMC cheated Bengal's youth on two counts -- destroyed the private sector and looted government posts for money".

"Even in 100 years, the TMC cannot absolve itself of the sins it committed against Bengal's youth," Modi added, referring to the closed industrial units of the state and workforce migration.

Accusing the incumbent party of following a "religion-based reservation policy to secure its vote bank", Modi batted for a double-engine government in West Bengal.

The state "would not benefit by opposing the PM, but will profit only when a PM and a CM act in unison", Modi said.

While repeating the Centre's 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' policy, Modi signed off, stating, "All those who looted Bengal will be made to pay."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled six key guarantees for West Bengal, promising to transform governance, tackle corruption, and boost the economy if the BJP wins the upcoming Assembly elections.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Prime Minister Modi promises six guarantees for West Bengal, focusing on improved governance and economic development if the BJP wins the Assembly polls.

Modi pledges to replace the TMC's 'reign of fear' with 'trust', ensuring public servants are accountable and addressing corruption in West Bengal.

The BJP plans to reopen corruption cases and ensure benefits of government schemes reach all legal refugees in West Bengal.

Modi highlights the BJP's commitment to making West Bengal self-sufficient in fisheries and implementing the 7th Pay Commission for state employees.

PM Modi accuses the TMC government of destroying West Bengal's industrial landscape and cheating the state's youth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced six guarantees for Bengal if the BJP wins the Assembly polls and sought the ouster of the "'nirmam'" (cruel) TMC government, accusing it of "setting new parameters of development debacle and pulling the state back".

Addressing a rally at the port city of Haldia in Purba Medinipur, which also doubles up as one of the state's industrial hotspots, Modi assured the people of rescuing the state from the existing "reign of fear" and creating an atmosphere of all-pervading "trust".

"Investments cannot be ushered in when an atmosphere of fear prevails. It can only happen when there is trust, which the BJP will bring in Bengal once it forms government here," Modi said, focusing on the party's industrial plank in the run-up to the polls.

Canvassing for BJP candidates in the backyard of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, Modi connoted the Mamata Banerjee administration as "Nirmam (cruel) sarkar", an obvious play on words on the chief minister's name as its antonym.

"While the entire country is walking on the path of progress, the TMC's Nirmam Sarkar is pulling Bengal back in a sustained manner. To usher in a Viksit Bengal, it is essential to remove the TMC's 'Nirmam Sarkar'," the prime minister said.

In his bid to take the wind out of the sails of CM Mamata Banerjee, who alleged the BJP would impose restrictions on eating fish if it wins the polls, Modi alleged the TMC government failed to match fish production with its high demand in the state.

"Bengal has a high demand for fish. Yet it imports fish from other states. In the last 15 years, the TMC government has taken no worthwhile step to enhance supply and attain self-sufficiency in fish production," he said.

The prime minister promised the people of West Bengal that the BJP would make the state self-sufficient in fisheries and the seafood sector, while highlighting that the BJP government at the Centre has set up a dedicated ministry for the welfare of the fisherfolk and allotted a record budget for them.

Modi's Six Guarantees for West Bengal

Underlining "six Modi guarantees" for the people, the prime minister said the BJP, once in power in the state, will replace the TMC's "reign of fear" with the BJP's "trust".

Modi pledged to bring about changes in the governance system and make public servants accountable to citizens for their actions, stating his second guarantee.

"The BJP will reopen all files on corruption and crimes committed against women in Bengal, which the TMC has suppressed," he added, spelling out his "third guarantee".

"All leaders, irrespective of their positions in government, who are involved in corruption will be in jail. No TMC goons can escape the clutches of law," he added as the fourth.

While pledging that the benefits of government facilities and schemes will be made available to all refugees who took shelter in India legally, Modi underlined that "infiltrators won't be allowed to stay in this country".

"Once the BJP government is formed, we will immediately implement the 7th Pay Commission in Bengal for state employees, teachers and those working in related sectors," the PM said, elaborating his final guarantee.

Criticism of TMC and Promises for Bengal's Future

Modi arrived at the Haldia helipad ground about two hours later than his scheduled time of 9.30 in the morning, owing to inclement weather marked by overnight showers across large parts of southern Bengal.

"I thank people for turning up in such huge numbers despite the adverse weather. This is an indicator of a storm in the making. The people of Bengal are ready for a regime change, a sign that TMC's exit from the state is a certainty," he said.

Referring to the BJP's 2021 state election performance in Purba Medinipur, where it bagged 15 of the 16 assembly seats, Modi said the entire Bengal is now following the path shown by the district five years ago.

"The results of Nandigram from last time will be repeated in Bhabanipur this time around," he said, referring to Suvendu Adhikari's victory over Mamata Banerjee in 2021.

Adhikari has been pitted against the incumbent chief minister at her bastion in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur this time.

Harping on the industrial legacy of the region, previously known as Tamralipta, and the flourishing riverine businesses in the past, the prime minister lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee government for "destroying the industrial landscape" of the area.

He alleged the "TMC cheated Bengal's youth on two counts -- destroyed the private sector and looted government posts for money".

"Even in 100 years, the TMC cannot absolve itself of the sins it committed against Bengal's youth," Modi added, referring to the closed industrial units of the state and workforce migration.

Accusing the incumbent party of following a "religion-based reservation policy to secure its vote bank", Modi batted for a double-engine government in West Bengal.

The state "would not benefit by opposing the PM, but will profit only when a PM and a CM act in unison", Modi said.

While repeating the Centre's 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' policy, Modi signed off, stating, "All those who looted Bengal will be made to pay."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi rallies support in West Bengal, promising to end corruption and usher in an era of development and accountability if the BJP wins the upcoming assembly elections.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Narendra Modi criticised the TMC government in West Bengal, accusing it of misrule and corruption.

Modi promised to replace the TMC's 'reign of fear' with 'trust' and ensure accountability for public servants.

The BJP pledges to reopen corruption cases and crimes against women allegedly suppressed by the TMC.

Modi promised to implement the 7th Pay Commission for state employees if the BJP wins the election.

Modi highlighted the importance of a 'double-engine government' for West Bengal's development and promised self-sufficiency in fisheries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday slammed the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal for its alleged misrule and appealed to voters to oust the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from power in the upcoming assembly polls.

Addressing a gathering in Haldia, the backyard of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, the prime minister claimed the ruling dispensation in the state was "pulling Bengal back" and promised six guarantees to the people once the BJP wins the polls.

He promised that a BJP government in the state will replace the TMC's reign of 'Bhoy' (fear) with that of 'Bharosa' (trust), while all public servants will be made accountable to the people.

Modi also pledged that the BJP will reopen all files on corruption and crimes against women "that the TMC has suppressed," and all leaders involved in graft will be jailed.

"Government facilities will be made available to all genuine citizens, and infiltrators will not be allowed to stay in this country," Modi told the gathering.

He also promised that once the BJP forms a government in the state, "we will implement 7th Pay Commission for state employees, teachers and those working in related sectors".

Accusations of Hindering Development

Targeting the TMC dispensation over the development issue, Modi said, "While the country is walking on the path of progress, the TMC's 'nirmam sarkar' (cruel government) is pulling Bengal back."

"To usher in a 'Viksit Bengal', it is essential that the party is removed from power," the prime minister said.

He also alleged that the "TMC cheated Bengal's youth on two counts -- destroyed the private sector and looted government posts for money".

"Investment does not come in an atmosphere of fear, but in a climate of trust that the BJP will bring in Bengal," Modi said at the industrial hub.

He accused the TMC of following a "religion-based reservation policy to secure its vote bank".

"The huge attendance at the rally despite inclement weather is an indicator of change in Bengal, and a sign of TMC's exit," the prime minister asserted.

Confidence in Election Outcomes

Referring to Adhikari's win against Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram in the 2021 Assembly polls, Modi exuded confidence that the poll result in Nandigram five years ago will be repeated in Bhabanipur this time.

Adhikari is pitted against the incumbent chief minister at her bastion in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur this time.

Criticising the Trinamool Congress, Modi said, "Even in 100 years, the TMC cannot absolve itself of sins it committed against Bengal's youth."

Batting for a double-engine government in West Bengal, the prime minister told the gathering in Haldia that the state "would not benefit by opposing the PM, but will profit only when a PM and a CM act in unison".

He promised the people of West Bengal that the BJP would make the state self-sufficient in fisheries and the seafood sector, while highlighting that the BJP government at the Centre has set up a dedicated ministry for the welfare of the fisherfolk and allotted a record budget for them.
In a shocking case from Madhya Pradesh, a woman and her lover have been arrested for allegedly conspiring to murder her husband by hiring a contract killer, highlighting the complexities of crime and relationships.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points A woman and her lover have been arrested for allegedly plotting the murder of her husband in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh.

The couple allegedly hired a contract killer for Rs 1 lakh to carry out the murder.

The woman initially claimed robbers killed her husband, but police became suspicious due to inconsistencies in her story.

Police are currently searching for the contract killer involved in the murder conspiracy.

A 25-year-old woman and her lover have been arrested in the district for allegedly conspiring to kill her husband by hiring a contract killer, police said on Thursday.

The case was solved within 36 hours of the murder though the woman initially tried to mislead the police by claiming that robbers killed her husband, an official said.

Dev Krishna Purohit (28) was stabbed to death on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday at his house in Gondikheda Charan village, about 60 km from here.

Investigation Uncovers Murder Plot

Superintendent of Police Mayank Awasthi told reporters that accused Priyanka Purohit (25) was married to Dev Krishna when she was around 15 years old. Priyanka moved to her matrimonial home after attaining adulthood but was unwilling to live with her husband, leading to frequent disputes between them.

During investigation, it emerged that she was in a relationship with Kamlesh (32), the SP said.

The duo allegedly hatched a plan to kill Dev Krishna and hired a man identified as Surendra for Rs 1 lakh do the job, he said

After Dev Krishna was killed, Priyanka told police that unidentified persons broke into the house, attacked her husband with a sharp weapon while holding her captive in another room, and fled with valuables.

But the inconsistencies in her statements raised suspicion, and eventually she confessed to hatching the murder conspiracy, the SP said.

While she and Kamlesh were arrested, police are looking for the contract killer, the official added.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on China to stop detaining and delaying Panama-flagged vessels in its ports, noting that these actions raise serious concerns about the use of economic tools to undermine the rule of law in Panama.

The detainments, lasting one to 10 days according to news reports, are part of what the U.S. sees as a campaign of harassment in retaliation for Panamas January Supreme Court decision invalidating the legal framework that supported Hong Kong-based company CK Hutchisons concession to operate the Balboa and Cristobal terminals on the Pacific and Atlantic sides of the Panama Canal.

The lawsuit was brought before Panamas Supreme Court last year, after audits alleged irregularities, including exclusive privileges and tax exemptions in the 25-year extension of the concession in 2021. Following the ruling, the Panamanian government appointed two U.S. subsidiaries as interim operators for an 18 month period.

The Chinese government has rejected the ruling and the Hong Kong company has escalated an arbitration campaign against the Panamanian government seeking more than $2 billion in damages.

This sovereign ruling upheld transparency, the rule of law, and held private operators accountable to the public interest, said Secretary Rubio in a statement. The judgment also makes clear that Panama is a reliable partner for international investment and business opportunities.

U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner Laura DiBella noted that the surge in detentions, while carried out under the guise of port state control far exceeds historical norms.

These intensified inspections were carried out under informal directives and appear intended to punish Panama after the transfer of Hutchisons port assets. Given that Panamaflagged ships carry a meaningful share of U.S. containerized trade, these actions could result in significant commercial and strategic consequences to U.S. shipping, she wrote.

More than 8000 vessels are registered under the Panamanian flag, according to the Panamas government. The fleet accounts for approximately 16 percent of global tonnage. In March, Chinese ports detained 124 ships for inspection. Ninety-two of those were Panama-flagged, accounting for about 75 percent of detained ships.

Detentions, delays or other impediments to the movement of vessels undermine the stability of global supply chains, increase costs for businesses and consumers, and erode confidence in the international trading system, said Secretary Rubio.

Commissioner DiBella said in her statement that the Commission is closely monitoring the developments.

Actions by foreign governments that detain, delay, or otherwise impede the movement of vessels documented under U.S. law - or vessels of other nations engaged in commerce with the United States - are inconsistent with the Commissions mandate to protect the reliability and integrity of Americas global supply chain.

The United States, said Secretary Rubio, Stands firmly with Panama and looks forward to increasing our economic and security cooperation with this important partner.

Anncr: That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government.
A Mumbai court rejected bail for Hitesh Mehta, the former General Manager of New India Cooperative Bank, highlighting the severity of the Rs 122 crore bank scam and the complexities of the ongoing investigation.

Photograph: Kind courtesy DSK Developers

Key Points Hitesh Mehta, former General Manager of New India Cooperative Bank, has been denied bail in a Rs 122 crore scam case.

The Mumbai court identified Mehta as the prime accused in the misappropriation of bank funds.

Forged electronic records, including debit notes and bank bonds, were allegedly used to siphon off funds.

The court cited the magnitude of the economic offence and the expected length of the trial as reasons for denying bail.

The scam was uncovered during an inspection by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officers.

A Mumbai court on Thursday refused bail to Hitesh Mehta, former General Manager of New India Cooperative Bank arrested in a Rs 122 crore scam at the bank, and described him as the prime accused in the case.

The court noted that long incarceration cannot be a ground to grant bail to an accused in economic offences as trial in such cases take time to conclude.

Mehta, former General Manager and Head of Accounts at the bank, is the prime suspect in the alleged misappropriation of funds from the lender's reserves over a period of five years.

Court's Reasoning for Bail Rejection

Additional Sessions Iudge Vikram Jagdale, who heard the bail plea, noted that on perusal of the chargesheet in the case and police report it was clear that Mehta, who is in jail for more than a year, is the prime accused.

The former GM had prepared forged and false electronic records which included debit note and valuable bank bonds in order to siphon amounts to the tune of about Rs 122 crore, the court said in its order while rejecting his bail plea.

On the contention of long incarceration, the court acknowledged that Mehta has been in jail since February 2025.

But the court remarked that it cannot be a ground to grant bail as "one cannot lose sight of the fact that in economic offenses it takes time to commence and conclude a trial when there are numerous accused and witnesses".

Further the court cannot overlook the nature, magnitude and amount involved in the offence, the judge said.

Discovery of the Scam

The case came to light following an inspection by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officers at the bank's Prabhadevi office in central Mumbai.

Initially, the officers questioned a short cash amount of Rs 112 crore at Prabhadevi, which later escalated to Rs 122 crore missing from the custody of the bank, including a shortfall found at the Goregaon office.

Mehta was arrested following allegations that he, along with his associates, orchestrated the embezzlement of funds from the bank.
In a swift operation, Delhi Police apprehended two murder suspects following a dramatic shootout in Rani Bagh, underscoring their commitment to swiftly resolving violent crimes.

Photograph: PTI Photo

Key Points Two murder suspects were arrested in Delhi's Rani Bagh area after a brief shootout with police.

The suspects were apprehended within hours of the murder incident.

One of the suspects sustained bullet injuries to his legs during the police encounter.

Delhi Police received a medico-legal case from BSA Hospital regarding a man with stab injuries who later died.

Police said they received a medico-legal case from BSA Hospital around 12.30 pm on Thursday, where a man with stab injuries and later died during treatment.

"Multiple teams were formed to trace those involved. Based on specific inputs, a trap was laid near Apeejay School," a senior officer said.

Suspect Apprehension and Gunfight

When police attempted to apprehend the suspects, they opened fire, prompting retaliatory action. The duo was subsequently overpowered and arrested. One of the suspects sustained bullet injuries in his legs, police said.
Nepal's former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has been released on bail, raising questions about the investigation into his alleged role in suppressing the Gen Z protests and the implications for political stability.

Photograph: TV Today, Nepal/ANI Video Grab

Key Points Former Nepal PM K P Sharma Oli and ex-Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak released on bail after arrest related to Gen Z protests.

The Supreme Court ordered the release if the investigation wasn't completed by Thursday.

Oli claims his detention was prejudiced and revengeful, lacking proper grounds.

Arrests followed the Balendra Shah government's decision to implement a probe commission's report on the protests.

The probe commission held Oli and Lekhak responsible for deaths during the Gen Z protests.

Nepal's former prime minister K P Sharma Oli and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak were on Thursday released from custody on a personal recognisance bail, police said.

Oli, the chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Lennist), and Lekhak, a senior Nepali Congress leader, were arrested last month on charges of alleged involvement in suppressing the Gen Z movement of September 8 and 9 last year, in which 76 people died.

On Monday, a joint bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Binod Sharma and Sunil Kumar Pokharel ordered authorities to complete the investigation against Oli and Lekhak by Thursday or release them from custody.

Oli and Lekhak have been released on condition that they will be present before the authorities when required, Kathmandu Police spokesperson Pawan Kumar Bhattarai said.

Oli was handed over to his wife Radhika Shakya, whereas 62-year-old Lekhak was handed over to his wife Yashoda, said Bhattarai.

"I have finally been released after 13 days of prejudiced and revengeful detention by the authorities. I have been freed in the absence of a proper ground and proof to move a legal case against me," the 75-year-old leader wrote on his social media account, shortly after the release.

Their arrests came after the newly formed Balendra Shah government decided to implement a probe commission's report on the Gen Z protests in its first cabinet meeting.

The commission formed by the interim government led by Sushila Karki had recommended legal action against Oli and Lekhak in its report on inquiring into the Gen Z protests, holding them responsible for the deaths.
Former Nepal parliament speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara faces corruption charges for allegedly facilitating a gold smuggling operation through Tribhuvan International Airport, resulting in significant financial losses for the state.

Key Points Former Nepal parliament speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara is accused of involvement in a gold smuggling operation.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against 28 individuals, including Mahara, related to the smuggling.

The gold was concealed in electronic cigarettes and transported through Tribhuvan International Airport.

The estimated loss to the state due to the gold smuggling is NPR 77.86 million.

The case involves foreign nationals from China, India, and Belgium, along with a travel company.

Nepal's former parliament speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara and joint secretary Arun Pokharel have been named among 28 accused along with a travel company in a case of gold smuggling.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed the corruption case at the Special Court and has named Mahara, his son Rahul Mahara, Pokharel, then customs chief at Tribhuvan International Airport, and others as defendants, accusing them of facilitating the smuggling of gold concealed in electronic cigarettes.

The anti-graft body has estimated the loss to the state at NPR 77.86 million due to the smuggling and is seeking its recovery from the accused.

According to Ganesh Bahadur Adhikari, assistant spokesperson at the CIAA, the defendants include Chinese, Indian and Belgian nationals among others.

Details of the Smuggling Operation

The case came to light on December 25, 2022, when a smuggling network attempted to bring gold hidden inside vape devices from Dubai.

Investigations found that smugglers concealed gold inside 730 vape units packed in 73 boxes and transported them via Tribhuvan International Airport to a customs warehouse. The gold weighed around nine kilograms, but much of it later went missing.

The case names foreign nationals, including Chinese citizens Li Hang Song and Daojing Wang, Belgian national Dawa Tshering, Indian national Saheb Rao Pandurang Margale, and Dexter Travels and Tours Pvt Ltd.
According to a statement shared by the Prime Minister's Office on X, Netanyahu said the move follows repeated requests from Lebanon to initiate talks with Israel amid continued Israeli strikes on the country.

IMAGE: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photograph: Moti Kimchi/File Photo/Pool via Reuters

Key Points Netanyahu calls for direct Israel-Lebanon negotiations.

Talks to focus on Hezbollah disarmament and peace ties.

Lebanon signals openness to ceasefire and dialogue.

Dispute persists over scope of US-Iran ceasefire.

Israel continues strikes on Hezbollah despite truce.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called for the opening of direct negotiations with Lebanon, as tensions persist along the border despite a two-week ceasefire aimed at halting hostilities in West Asia.

According to a statement shared by the Prime Minister's Office on X, Netanyahu said the move follows repeated requests from Lebanon to initiate talks with Israel amid continued Israeli strikes on the country.

'In light of Lebanons repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed at the government meeting yesterday to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible,' the statement said.

Focus on Hezbollah disarmament

He added that the proposed negotiations would focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon.

The statement also noted that Israel 'appreciates the call' made by Lebanon's Prime Minister to demilitarise Beirut, signalling a possible shift in diplomatic engagement.

'The negotiations will focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon. Israel appreciates the call made today by the Prime Minister of Lebanon to demilitarise Beirut,' it added.

Lebanon signals support for ceasefire

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said a ceasefire with Israel remains the only viable solution to the ongoing situation, adding that efforts towards a truce and direct negotiations have already begun and are receiving a 'positive response', as reported by Al Jazeera.

"The only solution to the current situation in Lebanon is to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon," he said.

Ceasefire disputes persist

The developments come as the fragile ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran hangs in the balance, with Tehran stating that the truce also includes a halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

However, both Washington and Israel have maintained that the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon, a disagreement that has further complicated diplomatic efforts and heightened the risk of the truce collapsing.

Israel continues military operations

Netanyahu earlier affirmed that Israel will persist with its military operations against Hezbollah following a series of intense and deadly strikes across Lebanon.

In a post on X, he emphasised that the military is 'continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination'.
The NHRC has demanded a report from Gujarat's top cop after allegations surfaced that a journalist was unlawfully detained and tortured by police, raising serious human rights concerns.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points NHRC issues notice to Gujarat DGP over alleged unlawful apprehension and torture of a journalist by Rajkot Crime Branch police.

The journalist was reportedly stripped, suspended upside down, and subjected to physical torture, resulting in serious injuries.

Police allegedly threatened Rajkot Civil Hospital staff against admitting the journalist and threatened the journalist with false criminal cases and demolition of his house.

NHRC seeks a detailed report from the Gujarat DGP within two weeks, including the status of the investigation and the journalist's health.

The NHRC on Wednesday said it has issued a notice to the Gujarat police chief over reports that a journalist was allegedly apprehended last month in an unlawful manner by police authorities and also subjected to "physical torture".

The journalist was allegedly stripped, suspended upside down and subjected to physical torture resulting in serious injuries to him, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said in a statement quoting reports.

The rights panel said it has taken "suo motu cognisance" of a media report that on March 22, a journalist was "apprehended in an unlawful manner by the Rajkot Crime Branch police in Gujarat".

Reportedly, the police tried to "threaten" the Rajkot Civil Hospital staff against admitting the victim, it said in a statement.

He was also threatened that "false criminal cases" would be registered against him and that his house would be demolished, NHRC said, quoting the reports.

The Commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raises a serious issue of violation of human rights of the journalist.

Therefore, it has issued a notice to the Gujarat DGP, seeking a detailed report in two weeks, including the present status of the investigation and the health of the victim.

According to the news report, carried on March 29, the journalist operates an online media outlet. The report has also revealed extensive details of the "injuries caused to him due to the alleged torture", it said.

He was admitted to the Rajkot Civil Hospital on March 23, the statement added.
A National Institute of Technology (NIT) Kurukshetra student was tragically found dead in his hostel room, prompting a police investigation into a suspected suicide.

Photograph: Wikimedia Commons

Key Points A third-year civil engineering student at NIT Kurukshetra, Priyanshu Sharma, was found dead in his hostel room.

Police suspect the death was a suicide, but the exact cause remains unclear and is under investigation.

Priyanshu had contacted a friend on Wednesday evening, but was later found unresponsive in his locked room.

No suicide note was found, and authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the student's death at NIT Kurukshetra.

A student of National Institute of Technology (NIT) Kurukshetra, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his hostel room, with police suspecting he died by suicide, officials said on Thursday.

The exact cause behind the extreme step remains unclear, they added.

According to police, the deceased Priyanshu Sharma was a third-year B Tech student in the civil engineering department, and a resident of Sherpura village in Haryana's Sirsa district.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Vinod Kumar, the investigating officer, said Priyanshu had contacted a friend between 6:30 pm and 7 pm on Wednesday, asking him to visit his room later in the night, and said the door would be open.

However, when the friend arrived around 11:15 pm, he found the door locked from inside. Despite repeated knocks, there was no response.

Growing suspicious, the friend alerted students in a nearby room. Upon peering through an open rear window, they discovered Priyanshu hanging from the ceiling fan. The police and institute authorities were immediately informed.

Vinod Kumar said the room was subsequently opened, and the deceased student was brought down. His post-mortem was conducted on Thursday. The body was later handed over to his parents, who reached the campus early morning.

The officer said no suicide note has been recovered from the room so far, and investigation is on to ascertain the circumstances leading to the incident.
In a landmark hearing, the Supreme Court of India asserted that open access to temples is crucial for preserving Hindu unity, cautioning against exclusionary practices that could divide society and negatively impact the religion.

IMAGE: A nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court hears the long-pending Sabarimala temple entry review, along with a batch of connected matters, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: Supreme Court YT/ANI Video Grab

Key Points The Supreme Court of India stresses that all individuals should have access to every temple to maintain Hindu unity.

Excluding denominations from temples could negatively affect Hinduism and lead to societal division, according to the Supreme Court.

The court is hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala Temple.

The Supreme Court bench is examining the scope of religious freedom and practices across various faiths.

The court referenced the Venkataramana Devaru case, cautioning against exclusionary practices based on denomination or caste.

The Supreme Court on Thursday observed that Hinduism will be adversely impacted and the society will stand divided if temples and 'mutts' restrict entry on the grounds of sect and separate denominations inside a religion.

A nine-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant made these oral observations while responding to the submissions of senior advocate C S Vaidyanathan that Article 26(b) of the Constitution gives the right to a religious denomination to manage its own affairs and will have primacy over Article 25(2)(b), which empowers the State to throw open all Hindu religious institutions of public nature.

Vaidyanathan appeared in the court on behalf of the devotees of Lord Ayyappa of the historic Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

The bench, also comprising Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan, and Joymalya Bagchi, is hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala temple, and on the ambit and scope of the religious freedom practised by multiple faiths.

Vaidyanathan, representing the Nair Service Society and other organisations related to the devotees of Lord Ayyappa, vehemently put forth the point that they constitute a separate religious denomination and consequently, have the right to manage the affairs of the hilltop temple.

He submitted that a denominational temple can give permissive rights and have worship or confine it only to the denomination.

To this, Justice Nagarathna said, "There is one apprehension. If you say the right of entry, in the context of (the) Venkataramana Devaru (judgment of the apex court), where they said anybody other than Gowda Saraswat Brahmins is excluded, it will negatively affect Hinduism."

She added, "Everybody must have access to every temple and mutt. Keep aside the controversy in the Sabarimala judgment (2018). But if you say it is a practice and it is a matter of religion that I will exclude others and only my section, my denomination, will attend the temple and nobody else, that is not good for Hinduism. Let the religion not be adversely affected. It will be counter-productive for the denomination."

Concurring with the view, Justice Kumar said such exclusions will divide the society.

Vaidyanathan said in reality, there are private family temples in Kerala where only the members of these families go and these temples serve only their denomination, they cannot seek funds either from the state or private donors or from the public because they are not dependent on them.

If a law is to be made, it has to pass the test of public order, morality or health, he asserted.

Justice Nagarathna said she was not referring to such private temples and regardless of the question the Devaru judgment decided, "Let the religion not be adversely affected."

She told Vaidyanathan to keep aside the Sabarimala controversy and emphasised that if the argument is that only Gowda Saraswat Brahmins must come to a temple, the followers of the Kanchi Mutt must only go to Kanchi, they should not go to Sringeri, the followers of Sringeri must not go to Kanchi, then it will affect the religion".

Vaidyanathan said it was a reality and it was for each denomination to think about that.

Justice Nagarathna said the State can step in under Article 25(2)(b) to ensure access to temples to all sections of the society.

Justice Kumar also told Vaidyanathan, "That is why we said, do not pitch the argument too high," referring to his contention that Article 26(b) supersedes Article 25(2)(b).

Vaidyanathan argued that holding that Article 25(2)(b) will prevail over Article 26(b) will uniquely affect the Hindu religion only, since Article 25(2)(b) allows the State to make laws only to make Hindu temples open to all sections of the society.

He agreed that public temples must be open to all, but added that the same cannot be insisted for denominational temples.

Background on Religious Freedom and Temple Entry

In the Devaru judgment (1957), the top court had upheld the Madras Temple Entry Authorisation Act, affirming that while a temple remains open to all Hindus, certain ceremonial practices reserved for the Gowda Saraswath Brahmins are constitutionally permissible.

During the hearing, Vaidyanathan submitted that an individual's freedom of conscience defeats the freedom of the community or denomination.

Justice Kumar asked him whether he agrees that Article 26 is not an island provision or a standalone article and whether he agrees with the view of the Union government that the provision has to be read with Article 25(2).

Vaidyanathan said he is in disagreement with the Centre's submission as Article 25(2) is an enabling power and does not confer any right, while Article 26 confers a specific right to a denomination.

He submitted that in the 2018 Sabarimala verdict, Justice (retired) D Y Chandrachud had asked a wrong question and got a wrong answer.

"He asked whether individual rights would prevail over group or collective rights and he held wrongly that individual rights can prevail over collective religious rights," he submitted.

"In Sabarimala, there is no distinction made between devotees. There is no bar to Christians or Muslims even, but they must have faith and belief in the divinity of Lord Ayyappa and they have to follow rituals like the 40-day Vratam and whatever practices enjoined on the believers. Nobody is prohibited and therefore, this concept has not been understood."

The hearing would resume next week.
A Pakistani national has pleaded guilty to planning an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack on a Jewish centre in New York, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Hamas attacks, highlighting the ongoing threat of extremist violence.

Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters

Key Points Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a Pakistani national, pleaded guilty to planning an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at a Jewish centre in Brooklyn, New York.

Khan intended to carry out the attack around the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, aiming to inflict mass casualties.

Khan communicated with undercover officers, detailing his plans to acquire weapons and cross the border from Canada into the United States.

Khan expressed his support for ISIS and his desire to target the Jewish community in New York, citing the city's large Jewish population.

Khan was arrested approximately 12 miles from the US-Canada border before he could execute the planned attack.

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, also known as 'Shahzeb Jadoon', a Pakistani national residing in Canada, pleaded guilty to attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, for trying to enter the US and carry out a mass shooting with automatic weapons at a prominent Jewish centre in Brooklyn, New York.

Khan, 21, pleaded guilty on Wednesday before US District Judge Paul Gardephe to one count of attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in August.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Eisenberg, said in a statement that Khan planned a mass shooting at a Jewish centre in New York City, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks, with the explicit goal of killing as many Jews as possible.

"Khan declared that New York City was the 'perfect' venue for his attack because of its large Jewish population and boasted that his plot could be the largest attack on US soil since 9/11," Eisenberg said.

Acting Assistant Director, Coult Markovsky from the FBI's Counterterrorism Division, said Khan planned to illegally enter the US and conduct an ISIS-inspired attack on the Jewish community around the one-year anniversary of the attacks in Israel by Hamas.

Assistant Director in Charge, James Barnacle Jr from the FBI New York field office, said Khan planned to inflict significant casualties and fear before he was intercepted 12 miles from the US northern border.

Details of the Attack Plot

As alleged in the charging documents and other public filings, in or about November 2023, Khan began posting on social media and communicating with others about his support for ISIS, including by distributing ISIS propaganda videos and literature.

Khan subsequently began planning terrorist attacks in the United States in support of ISIS, including by communicating his plans with two individuals who, unbeknownst to Khan, were undercover officers.

Khan told the undercover officers that he and a US-based associate had been planning to carry out a terrorist attack in a particular US city using AR-style assault rifles to "target Israeli Jewish chabads scattered all around" the city.

Khan repeatedly instructed the undercover officers to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and other materials to carry out the attacks, and identified locations in the city where the attacks would take place.

Khan also told the undercover officers that he had identified a human smuggler who would help him cross the border from Canada into the United States for the attack.

In August 2024, Khan changed his target to New York City, telling the undercover officers that the target location would now be a prominent Jewish religious centre in Brooklyn.

Khan conveyed that he hoped to carry out this attack on or around October 7, 2024  the one-year anniversary of the attacks in Israel carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Khan told the undercover officers that "New York is perfect to target Jews" because it has the "largest Jewish population in America", and, as such, "even if we don't attack, "we could easily rack up a lot of Jews".

Khan told the undercover officers that "we are going to NYC to slaughter them," and later sent a photograph to the undercover officers of the specific enclosed area inside of the location where Khan planned to carry out his attack.

Khan continued to urge the undercover officers to acquire AR-style rifles, hunting knives and other equipment for the attack, and reiterated his desire to carry out the attack in support of ISIS.

During one such communication, Khan noted that "if we succeed with our plan, this would be the largest attack on US soil since 9/11".

Arrest and Confession

In around September 2024, Khan attempted to reach the US-Canada border using a human smuggler.

Khan travelled from the vicinity of Toronto toward the United States, before he was stopped and arrested in Ormstown, Canada, approximately 12 miles from the US-Canada border.

During the hearing, Khan told Judge Paul G Gardephe as he pleaded guilty to a single charge of trying to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries that he was going to cross the border from Canada to the US in September 2024 with "the intention of killing Jewish people in Brooklyn".

Khan said he was motivated to provide material support to the Islamic State group in retaliation for Israel's killing of Palestinians in Gaza.

He said he now regrets his plan, which included renting a space next to the Jewish centre.

"I was not raised this way," Khan said, adding that what he planned to do was wrong.

Khan also said plotting to kill Jewish people was a "terrible, extremely dangerous and morally reprehensible idea".

Gardephe set sentencing for August 12, when Khan could face up to life in prison.
The Telangana High Court has delayed its decision on Congress leader Pawan Khera's anticipatory bail plea in a case filed by the Assam government, sparking debates over political vendetta and defamation allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife.

Photograph: Manvender Vashist Lav/PTI Photo

Key Points The Telangana High Court has adjourned the hearing on Congress leader Pawan Khera's anticipatory bail petition until April 10.

The Assam government filed a case against Khera over allegations he made against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife.

Khera's lawyer alleges political vendetta by the Assam government, while Assam's Advocate General denies any political motivation.

Arguments in court included allegations of defamation and questions regarding the maintainability of the bail petition in Telangana.

The case involves allegations by Khera that Sarma's wife has multiple passports and undeclared foreign property.

The Telangana High Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing to April 10 on the anticipatory bail petition filed by Congress leader Pawan Khera in a case filed against him by the Assam government over his allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife.

Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who virtually argued for Khera, alleged political vendetta in the case by the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government.

Assam Advocate General Devajit Saikia, who argued against Khera's petition, stressed that there is no political vendetta and that the petition is not maintainable before the Telangana High Court.

Khera's lawyer Ponnam Ashok Goud told PTI that orders are likely to be pronounced on Friday.

Khera, who filed the petition on April 7, showed his residential address in Hyderabad. He requested the court to release him on bail in the event of his arrest.

Khera named the DCP of Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station and the Telangana government as respondents to his petition.

Arguments Presented in Court

During the arguments, Singhvi, describing Assam CM Himantha Biswa Sharma as a "Constitutional Cowboy," said Khera was in Hyderabad when the FIR was filed against him by Guwahati police and that he co-resides with his wife who is a resident of Hyderabad. She had also contested in polls in the southern state.

He argued that it could be civil or criminal defamation, but why would the Assam Police even want to arrest someone for something like this. Khera is neither a habitual criminal nor a "flight risk." "Khera has roots in society and is a prominent political figure," he said.

"We are not living in an age of constitutional cowboys. We are not living in an age of whipping out things from the holster and sending 100 people from Assam to Nizamuddin (to arrest Khera) for what the complaint says is defamation," Singhvi said.

The senior advocate said he did not use the word "constitutional cowboy" for nothing and it would make "Rambo blush".

Assam AG Saikia said one thing that came to his mind when he read the FIR was Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar's movie 'International Khiladi' or Don. "So this is the word I am saying that the accused person (Khera) should actually be given," he said.

"There is not a single indication in the FIR that he cannot come to Assam. Assam is not a banana republic. Law is prevailing here. There is no threat to his life," Saikia argued.

He further said the complainant is a lady (Sarma's wife) and not a political person. The allegations made by Khera are devoid of any truth, he said.

Objections to the Bail Petition

Saikia raised the objection regarding the maintainability of the petition by the Congress leader praying for anticipatory bail.

He pointed out that the Supreme Court has very clearly laid down the guidelines vis-a-vis an FIR being lodged in one state, the accused residing in another state, while the anticipatory bail is moved in some other state's High Court.

"In this case, it is like an FIR has been lodged in Assam. He (Khera) is a permanent resident of Delhi. Now he is in Hyderabad and applying for anticipatory bail in Telangana, whether that is permissible or not," the Assam AG asked.

Saikia also alleged that Khera forged his Aadhar Card and misled the Telangana High Court also.

The case against Khera was registered at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station under several sections of the BNS, including 175 (false statement in connection with an election), 35 (Right of private defence of the body and of property) and 318 (cheating).

The Congress leader on April 5 alleged that Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, has multiple passports and foreign property, which were not declared in the chief minister's election affidavit.

An Assam Police team had earlier visited Khera's Delhi residence for questioning in connection with the case.

Sarma on Tuesday slammed the Congress for "not verifying" the documents based on which it brought allegations against him and his family.

The CM asserted that Khera had "run away" to Hyderabad, but the Assam Police will "hunt him down even from 'pataal' (netherworld)".
Millions of voters in Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry are heading to the polls to cast their ballots in crucial assembly elections that will shape the political future of these states.

IMAGE: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at a polling booth to cast his vote in Kerala assembly election. Photograph: ANI video grab

Key Points Assembly elections are being held in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, with voting starting at 7am and continuing until 6pm.

In Kerala, 2.71 crore voters will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 assembly constituencies, with the LDF, UDF and NDA vying for power.

Assam's 2.50 crore voters will participate in elections for 126 assembly constituencies, where the BJP aims for a third consecutive term against a challenge from the Congress.

Puducherry sees 9.50 lakh voters deciding between the NDA and INDIA bloc, with the entry of actor-politician Vijay's TVK adding to the electoral dynamics.

Voting for high-stakes Assembly elections in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry started at 7am and will continue till 6pm.

In Kerala, around 2.71 crore voters will decide the fate of the 883 candidates who are contesting from the 140 assembly constituencies.

The electorate comprises 1.32 crore men, 1.39 crore women and 273 transgender persons, along with over 2.42 lakh overseas voters, according to Election Commission (EC) figures.

In order to handle such a huge electoral exercise, the EC has deployed 1.42 lakh trained personnel.

The voters will also decide whether the LDF should secure a consecutive third term or if the UDF or NDA present viable alternatives.

The poll outcome will also indicate whether the state is headed towards a shift from the traditional pattern of governance which alternates between the LDF and the UDF as an assertive BJP has billed itself as a viable alternative to the CPI-M and Congress headed blocs.

Assam Assembly Elections

In Assam, an electorate of 2.50 crore, including 1.25 crore women and 318 from the third gender, will exercise their franchise in 31,490 polling stations across the state.

In the high-stakes election for the 126 assembly constituencies, the ruling BJP is aiming for a third consecutive term in office, while the Congress seeks to wrest power after being ousted in 2016.

Prominent candidates include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi.

Several cabinet ministers, including the AGP's Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta, and the BPF's Charan Boro are also in the fray.

Prominent candidates include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi.

Several cabinet ministers, including the AGP's Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta, and the BPF's Charan Boro are also in the fray.

The Congress has the highest of 99 contestants, followed by the BJP (90), AIUDF (30), NDA allies AGP (26) and BPF (11).

Opposition alliance's Raijor Dal is contesting in 13, AJP in 10, CPI(M) in 3 and APHLC in 2. Outside the two coalitions, the AAP is contesting in 18 seats, UPPL in 18, TMC 22, JMM 16 and there are 258 independents.

The ruling NDA's main constituents are the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF) while the opposition alliance comprises the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) and CPI(ML).

Puducherry Elections

In Puducherry, voting commenced amid tight security with 9.50 lakh voters set to decide the electoral fortunes of the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc.

Voters lined up enthusiastically before the polling stations in Puducherry, and its enclaves of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam to exercise their franchise. Polling began at 7 am.

The Union Territory has a total of 9.50 lakh voters spread over Puducherry (23 Assembly segments) Karaikal (five), Mahe and Yanam (having one constituency each).

Women voters with a strength of 5.03 lakh outnumber men who account for 4.46 lakh voters

According to officials, the union territory has 1,099 polling stations and of them 209 have been identified as vulnerable and a total of 294 candidates are in the fray.

The NDA led by the AINRC and the INDIA bloc comprising Congress, DMK and the VCK are the two principal alliances in the race and the entry of actor-politician led Vijay's TVK has led to lot of expectations.

Actor-director Seeman's NTK is another party which is in the race, determined to make a mark.

The counting of votes is scheduled on May 4.
Puducherry's recent Assembly elections saw a record-breaking 89.87% voter turnout, signalling a fiercely contested political landscape between the NDA and Congress-led alliance.

IMAGE: Nila, the welcome bot, greets the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP) delegates as they arrive for the Puducherry assembly elections, on Thursday. Photograph: @ECISVEEP X/ANI Photo

Key Points Puducherry Assembly elections recorded a historic 89.87% voter turnout, the highest since 1964.

The NDA and Congress-led alliance are the main contenders in the Puducherry assembly elections.

Polling was largely peaceful, with a minor clash between BJP and Congress workers reported in Tirukanoor village.

Key candidates include Chief Minister N Rangasamy (AINRC) and Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee president V Vaithilingam.

Authorities confiscated Rs 1.18 lakh intended to lure voters, highlighting efforts to ensure a fair election.

In the Assembly elections held on Thursday, Puducherry registered a record 89.87 polling percentage, the highest so far since 1964 when the first election was held following the merger of the territory with India after its independence, a top official said here and termed the turnout as historic.

Barring a minor incident, polling for the Assembly election across the union territory of Puducherry and in its enclaves including Karaikal was peaceful, he said.

As the National Democratic Alliance fought to retain power, the opposition Congress-led bloc did its best to wrest power from it in the union territory, with actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam creating a lot of expectations.

Actor-director Seeman's Naam Tamilar Katchi is another party that is in the race, determined to make a mark.

Despite the scorching sun, people gathered in large numbers in the polling stations from 7 am onwards when voting began across the 30 Assembly constituencies.

While the voting ended at 6 pm, those who had arrived at the polling stations before the deadline to exercise their franchise were allowed to cast their votes.

Incidents and Key Contestants

Tension prevailed briefly at Tirukanoor village, which falls under the Mannadipet Assembly Constituency, when groups of Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress workers clashed at a polling booth, and police baton-charged and dispersed them.

Among the important contestants are the All India NR Congress leader and Chief Minister N Rangasamy, who is facing a challenge from the Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha MP V Vaithilingam in the Thattanchavady constituency.

The CM is also contesting from the Mangalam seat. Leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's R Siva, is fighting from Villianur constituency, where M Ravikumar of AINRC is one of his rivals in the multi-cornered contest.

Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam (Bharatiya Janata Party) is seeking reelection from Mannadipet constituency, where T P R Selvam, former Deputy Speaker of Puducherry Assembly, is contesting on the Congress ticket.

Record Voter Turnout Explained

Puducherry Chief Electoral Officer P Jawahar said no election held here either for the Lok Sabha or for the territorial Assembly had seen such a high percentage of polling.

The assembly poll held in 1974 recorded 85.33 per cent of polling while the polls held in 2006 and 2011 to the territorial assembly recorded 85.29 per cent and 85.57 per cent polling respectively.

Such poll percentages in the past were so far considered the highest. But the poll percentage of 89.87 recorded now 'is historic and unprecedented', he said.

The top official said several measures were taken to ensure that the election went off peacefully and in a free and fair manner. With the help of surveillance using drones, distribution of cash --in five segments including Villianur and Kalapet-- to lure voters was detected and Rs 1.18 lakh was confiscated by flying squad personnel.

A robot carrying a plate of flower petals welcomed voters at a model polling booth set up at VOC government higher secondary school in the Raj Bhavan constituency.

Meanwhile, a delegation of nine officials from six countries visited the VOC School and Kizhoor polling stations to familiarise themselves with the election process here.

Voting took place in 1,099 polling stations --with webcasting amenities-- and of them, 209 were under special watch as they were classified as vulnerable, and a total of 294 candidates are fighting polls, which included 40 women candidates and 117 independents.

Authorities said around 5,000 officials and 2,800 police personnel were deployed to ensure smooth and peaceful polling.

The Union Territory's electorate is 9.50 lakh strong, and there are 23 assembly segments in the Puducherry region, 5 in Karaikal and 1 each in Mahe and Yanam enclaves, and in total, territorial Assembly has 30 seats.

Women voters with a strength of 5.03 lakh outnumber men, who account for 4.46 lakh.
Three Pune police officers, including a social media influencer, are under investigation for allegedly extorting a college principal by fabricating a sexual harassment case, highlighting concerns about police corruption and abuse of power.

IMAGE: Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Key Points Three Pune police officers, including a social media influencer, are accused of extorting 7 lakh from a polytechnic college principal.

The officers allegedly used a minor to file a false sexual harassment complaint against the principal as part of their extortion scheme.

The accused threatened the principal with arrest under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

An investigation was launched after the principal reported the extortion attempt to the police.

A case has been registered against the accused under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway.

A case has been registered against three police personnel from Pune, including a woman constable who is also a social media influencer, for allegedly extorting Rs 7 lakh from a polytechnic college principal by threatening to implicate him in a false case, officials said on Thursday.

The accused have been identified as police sub-inspector Ajit Bade (38), and constables Sudam Tayde and Sonali Hinge, who is a social media influencer.

According to police, the trio allegedly roped in a 17-year-old female student to file a false sexual harassment complaint against the principal as part of the extortion plot.

The incident took place in July last year.

Police said Hinge, who knew the minor as her gym partner, allegedly hatched the plan with her.

Details of the Extortion Plot

"Accordingly, the minor filed a written complaint against the principal. Thereafter, Hinge, who was part of the police's 'Damini' squad, along with two other personnel, approached the principal, threatened him with arrest under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and extorted Rs 7 lakh by warning of defamation," a Crime Branch officer said.

The principal later approached the police, following which a probe was initiated, and the involvement of these three personnel came to light, he said.

A case has been registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway, police added.
A 75-year-old doctor in Pune was scammed out of millions in an online share trading scheme, highlighting the growing threat of investment fraud and the importance of vigilance.

Photograph: Andrew Martin/Pixabay.com

Key Points A Pune doctor lost Rs 12.31 crore in an online share trading scam after being lured by fake investment opportunities.

The fraudsters used a WhatsApp group and a fraudulent trading application to build credibility and coerce the doctor into investing.

The victim was threatened when he hesitated to invest further, highlighting the aggressive tactics used by the scammers.

Police have registered an FIR and initiated a probe to trace the accused and the money trail in this sophisticated financial fraud.

A 75-year-old doctor from Pune was cheated out of Rs 12.31 crore in an online share trading scam, with fraudsters allegedly coercing him into making multiple investments, police have said.

According to police, the senior citizen received a message from an unidentified number in the last week of January containing a list of "recommended" stocks along with a link.

On clicking the link, he was added to a WhatsApp group where the administrators claimed to be senior executives of a global financial management firm. One of them also purportedly claimed to be an author on stock market dynamics, police said on Wednesday.

Investigators said the group was used to build credibility, with members, believed to be part of the racket, posting messages showing substantial profits from investments.

"After expressing interest, the doctor was directed to a fraudulent trading application resembling the name of a reputed international firm. He was asked to share personal and financial details before being instructed to transfer funds to multiple bank accounts," police said, adding that the amounts transferred were reflected as investments on the fake platform, along with fabricated profits.

Between March 7 and March 18, the victim made eight transactions totalling Rs 12.31 crore. When he hesitated to invest further, the accused allegedly threatened to seize his properties, forcing him to continue transferring money, police added.

The application later showed notional returns of Rs 54 crore. However, when the victim sought to withdraw funds, he was again threatened, following which he realised he had been cheated.

An FIR has been registered with the cyber police station based on the doctor's complaint, and a probe has been initiated to trace the accused and the money trail, police added.
Pune police have cracked a contract killing case, unravelling two more murders and leading to the arrest of two history-sheeters, revealing a complex web of relationships and monetary disputes.

Key Points Pune police solved the contract killing of Dhananjay Maruti Ghewade, leading to the arrest of Lalit Deepak Khollam and Nandlal Hole.

Investigation of the contract killing uncovered two additional murders from November involving Rupali Wadekar and her son Shrikant.

The murders were allegedly triggered by monetary demands made by Rupali Wadekar and her son Shrikant.

Police used CCTV footage and tracked the suspects across 145 km to make the arrests.

A suspected contract killing in Maharashtra's Pune district has led police to crack two previously unsolved murders, leading to the arrest of two history-sheeters in Khed taluka, an official said on Thursday.

The probe began after the body of Dhananjay Maruti Ghewade (33), a resident of Rakshewadi village, was found on March 18 at an isolated spot nearly 10 km away.

The victim had sustained severe injuries to his head and face, the official said. With no immediate clues and lack of CCTV coverage at the exact location, police initially struggled to make progress, he added.

The local police station and the rural Crime Branch began parallel investigations, resulting in a breakthrough being achieved after footage from a camera installed near a junction connecting the interior road to the main village route was examined, he said.

Two suspects, identified as Lalit Deepak Khollam (38) and Nandlal Hole (31), both with criminal records, were spotted in the footage, Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill said.

Their movements were tracked across a distance of about 145 km using footage from over 100 cameras before they were traced to Vadgaon Nimbalkar and arrested on March 25 following a chase through a sugarcane field, he said.

Unravelling the Motives Behind the Murders

During questioning, police found that Ghewade's killing was allegedly carried out on the instructions of Nilesh Sanas (34) due to a personal dispute.

"Sanas was subsequently taken into custody. Further interrogation of the accused led to the detection of two murders from November last year," the official said.

The probe revealed that Khollam was in a relationship with a woman, Rupali Wadekar (46), whose repeated monetary demands, along with those of her son Shrikant (21), allegedly triggered the crimes.

"Shrikant was lured to Khed, killed, and his body disposed of, while Rupali was later called to the area and murdered. Both accused are now in police custody till April 13," the official said.
The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force dismantled two major investment fraud schemes involving share market and cryptocurrency scams, leading to arrests and exposing a complex web of deceit.

Key Points Uttar Pradesh STF busted two major fraud rackets involving fake share market investments, cryptocurrency, and forex schemes.

Rupesh Bhardwaj was arrested for duping investors with false promises of high returns in share market and IPOs using fake documents.

Jatindra Ram, the kingpin of a cryptocurrency and foreign exchange investment fraud, was arrested for luring investors with promises of high returns through 'Sea Prime Capital'.

The fraudsters used unauthorised trading applications and shell companies to launder money, transferring funds to Dubai and Mauritius.

The investigation revealed a well-organised network with thousands of agents and user IDs, managing funds worth hundreds of crores.

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has busted two major fraud rackets involving multi-crore swindles in fake share market investments, cryptocurrency and forex schemes, officials said on Thursday.

Share Market Investment Fraud Uncovered

In one of the cases, the Special Task Force (STF) arrested Rupesh Bhardwaj, 26, a resident of Sahibabad in Ghaziabad, from Gurugram on Wednesday.

He was charged duping investors with promises of high returns in the share market and IPOs, following a complaint from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Bhardwaj operated a firm named X Traders Enterprises, which is not registered with SEBI, and used fake share certificates and documents to gain investors' trust. He shut down his Ghaziabad office and went into hiding in Gurugram as complaints mounted, the officials said.

During his arrest, the police seized forged Aadhaar cards, four mobile phones, a PAN card, bank passbooks, and bank statements.

Investigations revealed that around 14 cyber fraud complaints had been registered against him across several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Puducherry.

Cryptocurrency and Forex Investment Scam Busted

In a separate operation, the STF arrested Jatindra Ram, 41, a resident of Yamunanagar, Haryana, and the alleged kingpin of a multi-crore cryptocurrency and foreign exchange investment fraud.

Jatindra Ram was nabbed on Wednesday evening from a restaurant on Delhi Road in Saharanpur in connection with a case registered at Masuri Police Station in Ghaziabad.

Officials said Jatindra Ram lured investors into an online trading company named 'Sea Prime Capital' by promising high returns in cryptocurrency and USDT, using advertisements, social media campaigns and seminars to attract investors.

During interrogation, Jatindra Ram revealed that he and his associates - Mohit Rana, Gaurav Singh, Geeta Hazarika - operated a well-organised network with over 3,500 agents across the country, creating more than 30,000 user IDs, and managing funds totaling Rs 700-800 crore.

The STF said the gang used a trading application called MT-5, which is not authorised in India, to create fake user accounts and display inflated profits to mislead investors.

Some victims were given initial returns to build trust and encourage further investments.

The collected funds were allegedly converted into cryptocurrency and transferred to accounts in Dubai and Mauritius, where the money was used to buy assets.

The accused created shell companies in India to launder the proceeds and present them as legitimate income.

Jatindra Ram was booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 2000.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accuses West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of failing farmers in Singur, claiming the land remains unproductive and symbolic of broken promises.

Key Points Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan claims the Singur land, once intended for a Tata Nano factory, represents Mamata Banerjee's failure to support farmers.

Chouhan alleges the land is unfit for agriculture, contradicting claims of successful farming and leaving farmers feeling 'duped'.

He accuses Banerjee of shedding 'crocodile tears' and prioritising political gain over genuine agricultural and industrial development in Singur.

Chouhan promises that if the BJP gains power, they will develop the land into an agricultural hub to benefit local farmers.

He also criticised Banerjee for allegedly compromising national interests by sheltering infiltrators for votes, vowing to remove them if BJP is elected.

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday alleged that the land in Singur, where the Tata Nano factory project was shelved, stands as a "symbol of failure" of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, claiming that farmers feel "duped" years after the anti-land acquisition stir.

After visiting the site and interacting with local farmers, Chouhan said that though Mamata Banerjee came to power in West Bengal through the Singur movement, she has now forgotten what she had promised to the farmers.

The land has been left unfit to grow crops. Farmers are suffering and feel duped now, he said.

Calling the site emblematic of governance failure, he told reporters, "This land is a symbol of Mamata Banerjee's failure. I was very keen to see how this land, which witnessed such a major movement, has been improved for the sake of the farmers. Now, I can realise that the entire protest was done to get some political benefits."

Claiming that agriculture was not viable there, he added, "Agriculture is impossible on this land unless the concrete is removed from beneath the soil. The claim that farming is happening is a big, big lie."

He alleged that neither industrialisation nor agricultural development took place on the land.

"Neither industry was built here, nor anything was done to improve the land and make it fit for agriculture. Farmers are crying," he said.

"The CM could have changed it in 15 years if she was honestly keen to do it, but it has been proved that hers were crocodile tears," Chouhan added, while noting that "the Centre could not do anything without the state government's help".

BJP's Promises for Singur Farmers

Addressing a public rally, he said, "If the BJP comes to power, we will take different inputs from an agricultural point of view and then develop the land and set up a hub so that the farmers get justice and are financially benefited."

Referring to the sufferings of the potato farmers, he said, "Today, I am standing on a potato farming land. Farmers are very upset here. She (Mamata) said that potatoes would be purchased, but the block offices said that there were no circulars for this."

Accusations of Sheltering Infiltrators

Later, speaking at a conclave at the National Library in Kolkata, he alleged that Banerjee, in pursuit of votes, had "compromised the interests of the country by providing shelter to infiltrators."

He added, "If a BJP government is elected, every infiltrator will be identified and removed."
Kerala assembly elections saw a significant surge in voter turnout, exceeding the 2021 polls, setting the stage for a potentially transformative shift in the state's political dynamics.

IMAGE: Seychelles High Commissioner to India, Lalatiana Accouche visits a Gen Z polling booth during the International Elections Visitors' Programme for the Kerala assembly elections, in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. Photograph: @ECISVEEP X/ANI Photo

Key Points Kerala's voter turnout surpassed 78%, exceeding the 2021 Assembly elections, indicating heightened political engagement.

The election outcome could determine whether the ruling LDF secures a rare third consecutive term amidst challenges from the UDF and BJP.

Political leaders offer varied interpretations of the high voter turnout, linking it to factors influencing the election's final results.

The election process was largely peaceful, with minor technical issues reported at a few polling locations across the state.

Key political figures, including the Chief Minister and Union Ministers, cast their votes, expressing confidence in their respective parties' prospects.

Kerala on Thursday recorded a voter turnout of over 78 per cent -- four percentage points higher than in the 2021 assembly elections -- in a crucial poll that will determine whether the ruling Left Democratic Front secures a rare third consecutive term, the opposition United Democratic Front stages a comeback, or the Bharatiya Janata Party makes inroads in what has traditionally been a bipolar contest.

The polling process was largely peaceful, with only minor technical issues reported at a few locations.

According to the figures released after 8 pm, 78.27 per cent of the 2.71 crore voters had cast their votes, and this is higher than the 74.06 per cent polling recorded in the 2021 assembly elections.

In the 1987 polls, the state registered 80.54 per cent polling. The highest-ever recorded turnout in the state during Assembly elections is 85.72 per cent in 1960, according to Press Information Bureau data.

Officials said the final turnout is expected to rise further as late voters in queues are counted. If the trend continues, the overall turnout could cross 80.54 per cent registered in 1987.

The EC figures released after 8 pm also showed that Kozhikode district recorded the highest polling percentage at 81.02 per cent, closely followed by Palakkad with 80.47 per cent, while the lowest was in Pathanamthitta at 70.75 per cent.

Polling was held across all 140 constituencies in the state and voters, including political leaders and actors, turned up early to exercise their franchise.

Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll had an impact on turnout.

He said the polling process was largely smooth and peaceful across the state.

At two polling booths, there was a delay of about 30 minutes in the start of voting due to electronic voting machine (EVM) issues. Despite minor glitches, authorities said the election process remained orderly, with voters turning out in large numbers across constituencies.

Leaders across Kerala's three main political fronts offered differing explanations for the high voter turnout, with each linking the trend to factors that could shape the election outcome.

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader C N Mohanan attributed the rise to the revision of electoral rolls.

"As the names of people who have died or moved out have been removed, it has resulted in a rise in the polling percentage," he said.

Congress leader Deepthi Mary Varghese said the trend needs closer study.

"Usually, the trend is that when the polling percentage rises, it turns favourable to the UDF," she said.

CPI-M leader A M Ariff cautioned against reading too much into turnout figures.

"Polling percentage cannot be a criteria to conclude who would win," he said.

BJP leader K S Shaiju linked the rise to voter behaviour on the ground. "Our analysis shows that more women voters have turned up this time," he said.

He also expressed confidence about his party's prospects. "The increased participation of women voters would favour the BJP."

Key Leaders Cast Their Votes

From early morning, there were long queues outside polling booths, with prominent political leaders and public figures arriving even before voting began.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cast his vote along with his family at a polling station in Kannur district. Describing the election as decisive, he said it would determine the direction of Kerala's development.

"We have been able to achieve development and it should continue. It should not be disrupted and people desire its continuation," he told reporters.

Highlighting his government's record, Vijayan asserted that the LDF had ensured clean governance and sustained progress over the past decade.

"We have low corruption, and people know that no other front can achieve this. The last 10 years have witnessed wide-ranging development, and the LDF was behind it. People strongly believe that for this development to continue, the LDF should remain in power," he said.

Congress leader V D Satheesan cast his vote along with his family.

Expressing confidence in the UDF's prospects, Satheesan claimed there was a clear shift in public mood in favour of change.

"There is a clear edge, even as shown in pre-poll predictions. I have travelled across Kerala and there is a strong wave for change," he said, adding that the alliance expected to win a decisive mandate.

From the BJP-led NDA camp, Union Minister Suresh Gopi reached a polling booth early in the morning and waited in the queue along with other voters before casting his ballot.

"With devotion, I have cast my vote," he said after voting. "There will be a change this time."

BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar also expressed confidence that voters would support the party's push for development and governance.

"The BJP will emerge as a major force and people will give the party such a role after the election."

Across the state, several senior leaders, candidates and public figures participated in the voting process. Malayalam actors including Mammootty and Mohanlal cast their votes in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram respectively.
Political activity in Bihar is all set to intensify once the inauspicious kharmas period ends on April 14.

Will Nitish Kumar pull another rabbit out of his hat?

IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary at an event to distribute appointment letters to 4,954 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives at the Urja auditorium in Patna, April 8, 2026. Photograph: Bihar CMO/ANI Photo

Key Points Nitish Kumar is set to resign as Bihar chief minister after April 14.

The NDA has reportedly finalised a leadership transition.

BJP leaders see this as a historic opportunity to lead Bihar, the only Hindi heartland state without a BJP CM.

JD-U workers have begun openly backing Nishant Kumar, signalling internal discomfort over the BJP's takeover.

Bihar is all set to have a new chief minister after the inauspicious kharmas period ends on April 14.

As per the formula finalised by the ruling National Democratic Alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, Nitish Kumar will be replaced as chief minister on any day after it.

Bihar Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, a senior Janata Dal-United leader who is considered to close to the state's longest serving chief minister, on Wednesday said that Nitish Kumar will fly to Delhi on April 9 and take the oath as Rajya Sabha MP on April 10.

"After that Nitishji will formally resign from the CM's post, after which the process of formation of the new government will start."

Choudhary made it clear that Nitish Kumar will indeed resign as CM, ending days of speculation over whether he will resign or not or when he will resign.

According to Choudhary, Nitish Kumar will return to Patna either on April 11 or 12 and chair the last state cabinet meeting on April 13, after which he will resign as chief minister on Tuesday, April 14.

"Once Nitishji resigns as chief minister, all NDA allies will sit together and discuss the the next CM," Choudhary said.

He hinted that the next CM will be from the BJP, which has emerged as the single largest party in the state assembly after last year's elections.

BJP to finalise Bihar CM on April 10

A senior BJP leader in Patna said that a high level meeting will be held in Delhi on April 10 to decide the Bihar CM.

BJP leaders in Patna are confident that the BJP is close to fulfilling its decades-old dream of having its own chief minister in Bihar.

It is certain that a BJP leader will replace Nitish Kumar as the next chief minister, they claimed.

Bihar is the only state in the Hindi heartland where the BJP does not have a chief minister.

Disquiet in JD-U camp

However, reports in the JD-U camp suggest that party leaders and workers are not happy that Nitish Kumar will be replaced by the BJP.

Desperate JD-U workers have been chanting 'CM Nishant Zindabad' in Nitish Kumar's presence over the last few days.

Nishant, Nitish Kumar's only child, joined the JD-U last month and has since been active in the party.

Growing buzz over Nishant Kumar as CM

On Monday at an official function, in the presence of Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary who is widely seen as the frontrunner to become the next CM, a group of JD-U workers repeatedly chanted 'Bihar CM Nishant Kumar Zindabad'.

On Sunday a group of women staged a satyagraha in Patna demanding that Nishant replace Nitish Kumar. Last week colourful posters appeared in Patna in support of Nishant replacing Nitish Kumar.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien challenges Prime Minister Modi's assertions about India's development, citing statistics on poverty, economic growth in West Bengal, and unemployment rates to present a contrasting view.

Key Points India still has the largest number of poor people globally, with a significant portion earning less than Rs 171 per day, according to TMC leader Derek O'Brien.

O'Brien claims West Bengal's gross state domestic product has increased fivefold in 15 years, and exports have risen, countering Modi's claims of the state being held back.

The number of registered companies in West Bengal has significantly increased since 2011, indicating industrial expansion, despite Modi's claims of factory shutdowns.

O'Brien highlights that a large number of Indians still live in multidimensional poverty, challenging Modi's claims of development in BJP-ruled states.

O'Brien cites official rankings that placed Kolkata among the safest cities, while also referring to incidents in BJP-ruled states to indict the ruling party's record on crimes against women.

India still has the largest number of poor people in the world and four out of five Indians earn less than Rs 171 per day, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha Leader Derek O'Brien said on Thursday as he shared a "fact-check" on claims made in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at a poll rally.

Taking to X, the TMC leader hit back at Modi over his speech in West Bengal's Haldia, issuing a detailed "fact check" of what he termed as seven claims made by the prime minister.

"Let's expose his 7 claims and put out a 7-point reality check," he said, adding that such rebuttals were easy to compile after each of Modi's speeches in Parliament or at public rallies.

Economic Growth and Poverty Claims

Responding to Modi's assertion that India is progressing rapidly while the TMC is holding West Bengal back, O'Brien claimed that poverty remains widespread in the country and highlighted the state's economic growth.

He said West Bengal's gross state domestic product has increased fivefold over the past 15 years, and its exports have risen.

On the prime minister's claim that factories have shut down and workers are migrating out of the state, the TMC leader countered that the number of registered companies in West Bengal has risen significantly since 2011, indicating industrial expansion.

O'Brien said the total number of registered companies in Bengal increased from 1.37 lakh in 2011 to 2.50 lakh in 2025, up by 83 per cent, registering on average more than 7,500 companies every year.

Challenging Modi's statement that BJP-ruled states have undergone development, he pointed out that 21 crore Indians still live in 'Multidimensional Poverty' as per Niti Aayog.

"The Union government has unilaterally stopped funds of Rs 2 lakh crore owed to West Bengal," he said.

Unemployment and Crime Statistics

Addressing the allegation that the TMC has "betrayed" the youth, O'Brien said joblessness in West Bengal has declined and employment opportunities have increased.

"One out of three youth is not in employment, education or training in the country. Seven out of 10 graduates are unemployed. In Bengal, the unemployment rate has reduced by 40 per cent, generating over two crore employment opportunities," he said.

O'Brien alleged large-scale vacancies in various Union government departments, questioning the Centre's commitment to filling posts transparently.

Countering Modi's remarks on crimes against women in the state, the TMC leader cited official rankings that placed Kolkata among the safest cities, while also referring to incidents in BJP-ruled states to indict the ruling party's record.

"Kolkata was ranked the safest city for four years in a row as per Ministry of Home Affairs. BJP took no action against a BJP MP who sexually assaulted champion women wrestlers. Freed Bilkis Bano's rapists. Horrific incidents of Hathras, Unnao, in BJP ruled Uttar Pradesh," he said in the post.

Addressing a rally at the port city of Haldia in Purba Medinipur, Modi on Friday announced six guarantees for West Bengal if the BJP wins the Assembly polls.

He sought the ouster of the "'nirmam'" (cruel) TMC government, accusing it of "setting new parameters of development debacle and pulling the state back."

Modi said he would rescue the state from the existing "reign of fear" and create an atmosphere of all-pervading "trust".
The Trinamool Congress is demanding an investigation into a purported video of Humayun Kabir, which allegedly reveals a BJP conspiracy to sway the West Bengal elections by diverting minority votes.

Photograph: ANI on X

Key Points The Trinamool Congress (TMC) released a purported video of Humayun Kabir alleging a BJP conspiracy to influence the West Bengal elections.

The video purportedly shows Kabir discussing strategies to divert minority votes from the TMC to benefit the BJP.

The TMC is demanding an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the alleged conspiracy and financial transactions.

The BJP has denied the allegations, calling them 'cheap theatrics' and suggesting a TMC nexus with Kabir.

Humayun Kabir claims the video is AI-generated and an attempt to malign him, threatening legal action against TMC leaders.

The Trinamool Congress on Thursday shared a purported video of Humayun Kabir in which the former party leader alleged claims of proximity with the BJP's leader of opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and demanded an ED probe into the matter.

At a press meet, the TMC circulated the video in which Kabir was also purportedly heard saying that he was ready to go to "any extent" to unseat West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

PTI, however, could not independently verify the video.

Reacting to the allegation, BJP spokesperson Debajit Sarkar said the TMC opted for cheap theatrics after realising that they won't return to power and asserted that the saffron party had never adopted unfair means as it believed in people's support.

"While the TMC knows that they are losing ground, there is a possibility that they have a nexus with Kabir, and this is part of a got-up game to cut the BJP's share of votes," Sarkar said.

At the press meet, the TMC also claimed that the Prime Minister's Office was also part of a multi-crore plan to defeat Banerjee in the polls.

Claiming that the video was AI-generated, Kabir said it was aimed at maligning him and threatened to take legal action.

In the video, Kabir, who founded the Aam Janata Unnayan Party days after he was suspended by the TMC late last year, is also purportedly heard claiming that he had communication with the PMO and was advised to coordinate with leaders from other BJP-ruled states.

The video further purportedly captures Kabir stating that his strategy revolves around diverting minority votes away from the ruling Trinamool Congress, suggesting that such a shift could benefit the BJP electorally.

He allegedly mentions having received Rs 200 crore as an advance as part of a Rs 1,000 crore deal to execute the plan.

Reacting sharply, senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim said Kabir has been "working in tandem" with the BJP to mislead minority voters.

Asking Kabir not to take the emotions and sentiment of the Muslim community for granted, Hakim said the video "exposes a deep-rooted conspiracy" aimed at influencing the electoral outcome in the state.

Hakim further alleged that Kabir was heard in the video saying that invoking the Babri Masjid issue would be more effective in mobilising Muslim votes, even if it does not ultimately materialise.

"The BJP is trying to manipulate the mandate by using proxy players. This video, if true, confirms our allegations," another senior TMC leader and minister Aroop Biswas said.

He also said the AIMIM and its president Asaduddin Owaisi should clarify their stand on the issue.

Asked who shot the video, Hakim said, "That is not important. What he said and his demand to be made deputy chief minister in the event of the BJP coming to power is important."

Demands for Investigation

"We demand a probe by the Enforcement Directorate into the issue," TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said.

Kabir's Response

Describing it as a 'pack of lies', Kabir told reporters that the video was AI-generated and dared the TMC to specify the place and time of his meeting with any of the leaders.

He also threatened to file defamation cases against TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, party leaders and ministers Hakim and Biswas if they failed to furnish any proof of their allegations.

"It is an attempt to malign me by the TMC, who are afraid to lose the vote of Muslims. They have insulted the community by launching such a fake video, which made light of Muslims' sentiments by putting certain statements through AI," he said.
High voter participation across states sets the stage for tight contests, with ruling parties in Assam and Kerala eyeing rare third consecutive terms.

IMAGE: Akhil Antony Michael casts her vote at a booth in Meipady Govt. Higher Secondary School before her wedding ceremony in Kerala assembly election. Photograph: @CollectorWyd/X

Key Points Assam records over 85% turnout; Kerala crosses 78%, beating 2021 levels.

Puducherry logs highest turnout at over 89%.

High turnout sparks political claims across BJP, Congress, and Left.

Polls crucial for possible third terms in Assam and Kerala.

Voting largely peaceful, with minor violence reported in Assam.

Assam registered a record voter turnout of over 85.64 per cent while Kerala witnessed an impressive polling with more than 78 per cent in the assembly elections on Thursday, according to the latest Election Commission figures, as the ruling dispensations in the two states eye a third consecutive term in power.

Puducherry, a small union territory located about 165 km from Chennai, and comprising 30 constituencies, saw a new voter turnout record of 89.87 per cent.

This was the highest polling percentage so far since 1964 when the first election was held following the merger of the UT, a former French colony, with India.

Dubbing the high voter turnout as 'historic', Assam Chief Minister Himanta Sarma said the result of this 'election is already visible -- in the hope, pride, and happiness' on the faces of our people.

However, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi asserted that the overwhelming turnout was for a 'new and greater Assam' and a new leadership at the helm.

"It is now the responsibility of the ECI to ensure the security of EVMs and conduct the counting of votes accurately," Gogoi added.

Both Sarma and Gogoi are among the 722 candidates contesting from 126 constituencies in these elections.

The total number of voters is 2.5 crore. In 2021, Assam recorded 82.04 per cent in the assembly polls.

Kerala sees higher participation than 2021

In Kerala, where competition between the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) has traditionally driven high participation, 883 candidates are contesting from the 140 assembly constituencies.

The total number of voters is 2.71 crore and 78.27 per cent of them performed their democratic duty on Thursday.

CPI-M leader C N Mohanan said an increase in the polling percentage would benefit the LDF because its workers had worked to ensure maximum voter turnout.

Bharatiya Janata Party Ernakulam district president K S Shaiju said the increase in polling percentage resulted from a higher turnout of women voters, and this would favour the BJP.

Congress leader Deepthi Mary Varghese, however, said the reasons behind the rise in the polling percentage required detailed analysis.

"Usually, the trend is that when the polling percentage rises, it turns favourable to the UDF. However, a detailed analysis is required in this matter," she said.

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar expressed confidence that the current voting trend indicates that a turnout of 90 per cent will be achieved.

In the 2021 assembly polls, 74.06 per cent voter turnout was registered in Kerala..

Puducherry records highest turnout

Along with Kerala and Assam, the voting for the 30-member Puducherry assembly was also held on Thursday.

It registered a record turnout of 89.87 per cent in the polls, where the opposition Congress-led bloc is pushing to wrest power from the All India NR Congress-led front in the union territory.

While the polls in Kerala will decide whether the LDF secures a rare third consecutive term, the Congress-headed UDF stages a comeback after a decade, or the National Democratic Alliance makes deeper inroads into state's traditionally bipolar political space, in the high-stakes polls in Assam, there is a close fight between the ruling BJP, which is aiming for a third consecutive term, and the Congress that seeks to wrest power after being ousted in 2016.

Thursday's elections are the first leg of the polls in four states and one UT: Kerala and Assam. West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

The elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, and in Tamil Nadu, the polls will occur in one phase on April 23. Vote counting for all four states and the UT will be on May 4.

High-stakes contests across states

The elections are taking place against the backdrop of the West Asia conflict, which has triggered an LPG crisis in the country.

This issue was also prominent in the poll campaign, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders assuring a stable supply, while the opposition attacked the Central government over the potential shortage.

While the polling was largely peaceful in Kerala and Puducherry, officials said seven people were held in connection with election-related violence at two places in Assam.

Peaceful polling with minor incidents

Besides, minor clashes also erupted at several polling booths in Assam after voting began in the morning, causing minor injuries, they said.

Several senior leaders, candidates and public figures participated in the voting process in the two state and the UT, including chief ministers --Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala) and Sarma and Malayalam actors --Mammootty and Mohanlal.

In Puducherry, a robot carrying a plate of flower petals welcomed voters at a model polling booth set up at the VOC government higher secondary school in the Raj Bhavan constituency.

Moving along the corridor, the robot greeted visitors.
A triple talaq case in Uttarakhand has ignited controversy as police are under fire for not applying the state's Uniform Civil Code (UCC), raising questions about its effective implementation and enforcement against illegal practices.

Key Points Uttarakhand police face criticism for not applying the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in a recent triple talaq case.

The case involves allegations of dowry harassment, triple talaq, and forced 'halala' for remarriage.

Legal experts argue the case should have been registered under Section 32 of the UCC, which criminalises practices like triple talaq and halala.

Police cite potential issues with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) as a reason for not invoking the UCC.

The incident raises concerns about the effective implementation of the UCC in Uttarakhand, despite its enactment over a year ago.

Police in Uttarakhand's Haridwar district have registered a case against a man for allegedly giving triple talaq to his wife over dowry in the Buggawala area, but the case has sparked a controversy as it was not filed under the state's Uniform Civil Code (UCC) law.

According to police sources, the Uttarakhand police currently appear unable to enforce the UCC law in some cases due to delays in software updates to the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS).

Legal experts say the case falls under the category of a cognisable offence and should be registered under Section 32 of the UCC.

Shaheen, a resident of Bandarjud village in the Buggawala area, filed a police complaint against her husband and his family, accusing them of harassing her for dowry, pronouncing triple talaq and pressuring her to undergo 'halala' for remarriage.

In her complaint, Shaheen said she was married to Danish two and a half years ago and that within a few days of the marriage she began facing physical and mental harassment for dowry.

According to the complainant, when the alleged atrocities by her husband and in-laws crossed all limits, she informed her parents. When her parents approached her husband to resolve the matter, he allegedly pronounced triple talaq and threw her out of the house.

The complainant alleged that when a settlement was later discussed, a condition of halala was placed before her for remarriage, after which she approached the police.

Police Investigation and UCC Omission

Haridwar Rural Superintendent of Police Shekhar Chand Suyal said that after receiving Shaheen's complaint on April 4, the police registered a case under Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, Sections 115(2) and 85 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Sections 3 and 4 of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, and began an investigation.

Asked why the case was not registered under the UCC, Suyal said that sometimes cases cannot be registered under the law due to issues with the CCTNS portal.

He added that the investigating officer is probing the matter and UCC provisions will be added if applicable.

Legal Concerns Over UCC Implementation

The UCC was implemented in Uttarakhand in January last year. Legal experts termed the failure to register such a serious case under the law, even after more than a year of its implementation, as concerning.

Lawyer Vasu Garg told PTI that the UCC allows remarriage without any conditions and abolishes practices such as triple talaq and halala.

He said that under Section 32(iii) of the UCC, forcing a woman to comply with any such condition, including halala, before remarriage can attract criminal penalties.

According to him, the punishment under this provision may include a fine, imprisonment, or both, depending on the nature of the violation.

He added that while the state government has been presenting the UCC as a major achievement, the ground reality appears disappointing.
Despite a recent ceasefire, President Trump warns Iran of potential escalation and promises a stronger response if a 'real agreement' isn't reached, highlighting the fragile state of US-Iran relations.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC, April 6, 2026. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Key Points Trump warns Iran of potential escalation if a 'real agreement' isn't reached.

US forces will remain deployed in and around Iran until a final agreement is finalised.

Trump's statement follows a US-Iran agreement for a two-week ceasefire.

Trump asserts that the US military is prepared for 'Shootin' Starts' if the agreement fails.

United States President Donald Trump on Thursday warned Iran of escalation, saying that "bigger, better and stronger" shooting will begin if the two sides fail to reach a "real agreement".

Trump also stated that US forces will remain deployed in and around Iran until the time of finalisation of a real agreement.

His remarks come just a day after US-Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire of what was an aggressively escalating conflict in the Middle East.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with."

"If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the Shootin Starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before," he added.
A fugitive who escaped from police custody while being escorted to a Mumbai court has been recaptured in Palghar, following a tip-off about a public disturbance.

Key Points Harisar Anthony Joseph, 47, escaped from custody while being taken to a Mumbai court.

Joseph was initially held at Arthur Road Jail on charges related to the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act.

He was re-arrested in Palghar after police were alerted to a disturbance he was causing.

The fugitive has been handed back to Mumbai police for further legal action.

A man who escaped from custody while being presented in a court in Mumbai was arrested in Bolinj area of Palghar district, a police official said on Thursday.

Harisar Anthony Joseph (47) fled from custody on Tuesday while being taken to the sessions court in Colaba by MRA Marg police in the metropolis in a case registered under Indian Penal Code and Arms Act, the official said.

He was taken to court from Arthur Road Jail, where he was lodged in connection with the case, the official added.

The Re-arrest

"He was nabbed from close to the office of ward number 1 of Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation by patrolling policemen Dinesh Sanap and Akshay Desai. The police arrived there after being alerted that Joseph was creating ruckus over payment for tea," the official said.

He was brought to Bolinj police station and his antecedents, including the custody escape incident, were revealed, the official said.

Joseph has been handed over to Mumbai police for further action, the official added.
Amid rising oil price concerns, Pakistan played a crucial role in brokering a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran, acting as a key intermediary between the two nations.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13, 2025. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo/Reuters

Key Points The White House, concerned about rising oil prices, enlisted Pakistan to mediate a temporary ceasefire with Iran.

Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, played a key role in relaying messages between Iranian officials and the White House.

The US believed Iran would be more receptive to the ceasefire offer if it came from a neutral Muslim-majority nation like Pakistan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly announced the two-week ceasefire proposal, framing it as a Pakistani initiative.

Worried about surging oil prices and surprised by a resilient Iranian regime, the White House pushed Pakistan to broker a temporary ceasefire with Tehran, The Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

For weeks the Trump administration was leaning on Islamabad to convince the Iranians to agree to a pause in fighting where it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the newspaper said, quoting "people familiar with the talks".

"Pakistan's crucial role, as a Muslim-majority neighbour and intermediary, was to sell it to Tehran," the report said.

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran as proposed by Pakistan.

Trump, worried about surging oil prices and surprised by a resilient Iranian regime, was eager for a ceasefire since at least his first threat on March 21 to "obliterate" Iran's power plants, according to five people familiar with the Pakistan-led back channel, the Times reported.

Pakistan's Diplomatic Efforts

It said Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and other senior Pakistani officials began passing messages between Iranian political and military figures and the White House soon after Trump issued his first ultimatum to open the strait.

The FT report said that Munir embarked on a flurry of calls to top US officials, including Trump, Vice President J D Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff as Trump ratcheted up pressure to "obliterate" Iran and set April 7 as the deadline.

"The US and Pakistan believed Iran was more likely to accept the US-backed offer if it was delivered by a Muslim-majority neighbour state that had emphasised its neutrality throughout the conflict," the report said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made the two-week proposal public on social media after Munir spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Sharif, who framed the deal as Pakistan's initiative, mistakenly included a subject line at the top of his post: "draft - Pakistan's PM message on X", it said.
As Iran heads into crucial peace talks with the United States of America, here are the six men who decide the Islamic Republic's course.

IMAGE: The late Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, who was killed in Israeli airstrikes on February 28, 2026. Photograph: @khamenei_ir/X

Key Points Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah, now leads Iran, representing continuity with a more hardline approach.

Mohsen Rezaei, a former IRGC commander and senior military advisor, advocates for strength over compromise in Iran's foreign policy.

Ahmad Vahidi, the new IRGC commander, faces the challenge of rebuilding command and maintaining morale amidst ongoing attacks.

Masoud Pezeshkian, as President, navigates limited power within Iran's complex political system, balancing state support with public sentiment.

Abbas Araghchi, a seasoned diplomat, plays a crucial role in shaping international perception of Iran, especially during times of conflict.

In Iran, power does not sit in one office.

It moves through clerical networks, military command rooms, and political corridors -- often quietly, sometimes violently.

At a moment of war, leadership transition, and internal strain, six men define the country's direction.

Some operate in plain sight.

Others prefer the shadows. All of them matter.

Mojtaba Khamenei: The Reluctant Heir Who Wasn't

IMAGE: Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, attends a meeting in Tehran, Iran, March 2, 2016. Photograph: Rouhollah Vahdati/ISNA/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Reuters

When Mojtaba Khamenei took over as supreme leader in March 2026, it didn't just mark a succession -- it broke an unspoken rule.

The Islamic Republic was never meant to look hereditary.

Yet here he is: The son of the late Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei who inherited the system after his father died in Israeli airstrike on February 28, 2026.

For years, Mojtaba was known less for speeches and more for silence.

He rarely appeared in public, gave few interviews, and built his influence the old-fashioned way -- through access, loyalty, and control inside his father's office.

Those who dealt with Iran's power structure already knew his weight.

He wasn't visible, but he was present -- in appointments, in decisions, in the filtering of who got to see the supreme leader and who didn't.

His religious credentials, shaped in the city of Qom, gave him the clerical legitimacy required for the top job.

But it is his relationship with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that protects Iran's theocratic system, that truly underpins his authority.

That relationship was visible during the 2009 protests, when the system chose force over compromise.

Mojtaba is widely believed to have supported that decision, reinforcing his image as a hardliner.

Now in charge, he is not expected to reinvent Iran. If anything, he represents continuity -- with sharper edges. Less ambiguity. More control.

After he took over as Iran's supreme leader he has not been seen by anyone till date.

Many believe he was seriously injured in an Israeli airstrike and is recovering at a secret location in Iran.

Mohsen Rezaei: The Strategist Who Never Left the Battlefield

IMAGE: Iranian military commander Mohsen Rezaee attends the funeral ceremonies for Ali Shamkhani, political advisor to Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in airstrikes, in Tehran, Iran, March 14, 2026. Photograph: Alaa Al Marjani/Reuters

Mohsen Rezaei has spent most of his life preparing for conflict -- first on the battlefield, then in the strategy room.

A former commander of the IRGC, he belongs to the generation that fought and defined the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988).

That experience still shapes how he sees the world: Divided, hostile, and unforgiving.

Even when he stepped into politics, he never quite left the military mindset behind.

His speeches, policies, and positions have consistently leaned toward strength over compromise.

His appointment as senior military adviser under Mojtaba Khamenei is no accident. In a time of war, leaders fall back on those they trust -- and those who think in terms of power, not diplomacy.

Rezaei's worldview is blunt.

He sees Western presence in the region not as stabilising, but as the root of instability.

For him, security begins only when outsiders leave.

In the current crisis, his voice is one of escalation -- but also of clarity.

He represents a school of thought that believes Iran survives not by negotiating pressure, but by outlasting it.

Ahmad Vahidi: The Man Rebuilding a Shattered Command

IMAGE: Ahmad Vahidi speaks during a news conference after the parliamentary elections in Tehran, March 2024. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency/Reuters

Ahmad Vahidi has taken charge of the IRGC at a moment when leadership itself has become a target.

His predecessors were not eased out or replaced -- they were killed.

One after another, in rapid succession, as strikes hit the upper ranks of Iran's military establishment.

That leaves Vahidi with a task few would envy: Rebuild command, maintain morale, and respond to an enemy that has already proven it can strike deep.

He is not new to pressure.

A founding member of the IRGC, he rose through its ranks during its most formative and chaotic years.

He understands both its ideology and its machinery.

His past leadership of the Quds Force (an elite unconventional warfare unit of IRGC) placed him at the centre of Iran's regional strategy -- where conflicts are indirect, complex, and rarely acknowledged openly.

Now, the conflict is anything but indirect.

Vahidi's role is no longer just strategic -- it is immediate.

Every decision carries consequences, and every delay carries risk.

In today's Iran, he is one of the men holding the line.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf: The Operator Who Adapted

IMAGE: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf speaks during a press conference in Tehran, November 27, 2024. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Reuters

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's career is a study in adaptation.

He began as a young man in uniform during the Iran-Iraq war, part of a generation that rose quickly because it had to.

From there, he moved across roles with unusual ease -- military commander, air force chief, police head, mayor.

Each shift brought a new image.

Soldier. Technocrat. Administrator.

As police chief, he pushed modernisation. As mayor of Tehran, he focused on development.

But with visibility came scrutiny -- and allegations of corruption that never fully faded.

Ghalibaf has also shown a willingness to take hard positions when needed.

During the 1999 student protests, he aligned with those willing to use force to restore order.

That duality defines him: pragmatic, but not hesitant; modern in method, but conservative in instinct.

In Iran's system, figures like Ghalibaf are essential. They are the connectors -- the ones who understand both the war field and the bureaucracy.

Masoud Pezeshkian: The President With Limited Power

IMAGE: Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a meeting in Tehran, February 21, 2026. Photograph: Iran's Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout/Reuters

Dr Masoud Pezeshkian may be president, but in Iran, that title comes with boundaries.

He entered office in 2024 as a comparatively moderate figure, promising engagement abroad and restraint at home.

For many, he represented the possibility of limited change within the system.

His past suggested as much.

As a parliamentarian, he spoke out against crackdown and criticised the states handling of protests.

He was not a dissident, but he was not silent either.

Yet the presidency in Iran is not the centre of power. It operates alongside and often beneath stronger institutions.

That reality became clear in 2026.

After Ali Khamenei's death, Dr Pezeshkian -- a cardiac surgeon by training -- briefly stepped into a collective leadership role.

But the transition quickly moved beyond him.

During the war, he has tried to balance competing pressures: Supporting the State, managing public sentiment, and signalling restraint.

Abbas Araghchi: The Diplomat in a Time of Fire

IMAGE: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in New Delhi, May 8, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

In a system dominated by soldiers and clerics, Abbas Araghchi plays a different role: He speaks.

A seasoned diplomat, he was a key figure in the negotiations that led to the 2015 nuclear deal.

He understands the language of compromise, even if the system he represents often resists it.

That makes him unusual -- and valuable.

As foreign minister, he operates on the frontlines of perception.

While others shape events on the ground, he shapes how those events are explained to the world.

During the current conflict, he has remained visible even as others have been targeted. That visibility is not accidental. It signals continuity that the Iranian State is still functioning, still speaking.

Araghchi walks a narrow line.

He must sound firm enough for hardliners at home, yet credible enough for diplomats abroad.

In quieter times, that balance is difficult. In wartime, it becomes an art.

More Than Individuals

These six men do not form a simple hierarchy.

They form a system -- layered, overlapping, and often opaque.

The Supreme Leader sets direction.

The military enforces it. The president manages it. The diplomat explains it.

And together, they reveal a truth about Iran: power here is not just held.

It is distributed, negotiated, and, in moments like this, tested to make Iran what it is today to take on the military might of the United States of America and Israel.
The ceasefire has, to some extent, revived hopes that negotiations might settle the conflict, but responses from key stakeholders suggest that deep divisions and mutual distrust remain firmly in place. Experts said the prospects for lasting peace in the Middle East remain shrouded in uncertainty.

CAIRO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- After some 40 days of deadly clashes, the United States and Iran on Wednesday reached a two-week ceasefire, with Israel supporting the truce, offering the turbulent Middle East a brief but welcome respite.

The long-awaited truce was struck in the nick of time, coming shortly before U.S. President Donald Trump's deadline for Iran to agree to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, or the "whole civilization will die."

While the ceasefire has pressed pause on a conflict whose shockwaves have been felt across the globe, experts warn that deep-seated disputes between Washington and Tehran remain unresolved, leaving the prospects for lasting peace far from certain.

LAST-DITCH BREAKTHROUGH

The ceasefire was reached amid repeated threats from Trump, which culminated on Tuesday when he warned that Iran's "whole civilization will die" if Tehran failed to meet his latest deadline for a deal by Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (0000 GMT Wednesday), a statement that drew widespread criticism.

Late Tuesday night, as the world braced for possible U.S. strikes, Trump announced a two-week "double sided ceasefire," as Tehran agreed to "the complete, immediate and safe opening" of the Strait of Hormuz.

In an interview with the media, Trump hailed the agreement as a "total and complete victory," adding that Iran's uranium would be "perfectly taken care of" under the ceasefire deal.

Following Trump's announcement, Iran's Supreme National Security Council quickly issued a statement confirming the ceasefire.

Iran has achieved a "great victory" and "forced" the United States to accept its 10-point plan, which includes controlled passage through the Strait of Hormuz and the necessity of ending the war against all elements of the "axis of resistance," said the statement.

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that Iran will cease "defensive operations" if attacks against it stop. Araghchi also promised safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz during the two-week ceasefire under "coordination" with Iranian armed forces.

For its part, Israel said it supports the temporary truce, noting that Lebanon is excluded from the deal.

ENTRENCHED DIFFERENCES

The ceasefire has, to some extent, revived hopes that negotiations might settle the conflict, but responses from key stakeholders suggest that deep divisions and mutual distrust remain firmly in place.

In the statement confirming the ceasefire, Iran's Supreme National Security Council stressed that the negotiations will be conducted on Friday in Islamabad "with complete distrust of the American side."

"Our hands are on the trigger, and as soon as the slightest mistake by the enemy is made, it will be responded to with full force," the security council warned.

Hamad Alhosani, a researcher at TRENDS Research and Advisory in the United Arab Emirates, said that the statements from the United States and Iran also reveal "a wide chasm."

On the Strait of Hormuz, Washington demands "complete, immediate, and safe opening," while Tehran insists on "continued Iranian control," Alhosani said. On the nuclear program, Iran demands acceptance of its enrichment rights, while the United States has told Israel it is committed to removing all of Iran's nuclear material, he added.

A man attends a rally in Tehran, Iran, April 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Shadati)

Similarly, Mohamed Benaya, an expert on Iranian and Gulf affairs at Al-Azhar University in Egypt, said, "The main points of difference are structural, the nuclear issues and the levels of enrichment and timelines."

"There is a problem of trust between the two sides, driven by both ideological concepts," Benaya added. "Bridging these gaps will be difficult without phased, reciprocal concessions."

Analysts also noted that the disagreements between Washington and Tehran are not new: They stem from decades of political, ideological and strategic rivalry, and are unlikely to be resolved through either war or negotiations alone.

Akram Atallah, a Palestinian political analyst, said differences over Iran's nuclear program, concerns about its regional influence, and the weight of economic sanctions have left fundamental disputes between Tehran and Washington unresolved.

"The current agreement should be understood primarily as an attempt to contain escalation rather than resolve the underlying conflict. It opens a diplomatic window, but the structural issues between the two sides remain unresolved," Atallah said.

DIM PROSPECTS

Given these entrenched divisions, experts said the prospects for lasting peace in the Middle East remain shrouded in uncertainty.

"Over the next two weeks, we may see limited confidence-building steps, but the talks will likely focus on preventing further escalation rather than resolving all underlying disputes," Oytun Orhan, a senior researcher at the Ankara-based Center for Middle Eastern Studies, told Xinhua.

This photo taken on April 8, 2026 shows an urban view in Tehran, Iran. (Xinhua/Shadati)

Salah Ali Salah, a project officer at the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, said the ceasefire reflects a reluctant compromise by both sides rather than a genuine consensus.

"What we are witnessing is a forced and temporary truce between two sides that have exhausted their escalation options without achieving decisive outcomes," he said. "With many critical issues still unresolved, the chances of renewed tensions outweigh the prospects for a real diplomatic breakthrough in the coming weeks."

Jumaa Mohammed, a politics professor at Iraq's Tikrit University, also voiced doubts about the prospects for lasting peace.

Both sides have lost enough to realize that a quick return to war would be more costly, but they do not yet trust each other enough to make major concessions, Mohammed said.

Mohammed Zakaria Aboudahab, a professor of public law and political science at Morocco's Mohammed V University, also warned that the ceasefire is no guarantee of lasting peace.

"The fundamental drivers of conflict -- Iran's nuclear status, the reconfiguration of Gulf security architecture, and the persistent risk of escalation within the Israel-Hezbollah-Iran triangle -- remain unresolved," Aboudahab said. "What we are witnessing is more likely an intermission than a conclusion."

(Video 1 reporters: Xie E; Video 1 editors: Liu Yutian, Luo Hui, Cao Ying; Video 2 reporters: Zhang Jingyao, Tang Binhui; Video 2 editors: Zhang Jingyao, Liu Yutian, Li Qin, Luo Hui, Cao Ying)

Editor: Zhang Zhou
The work of Vermont photographer Seline Skoug is on display at the Vermont Visitors Center in Guilford.
WILMINGTON  Owners of the Gateway Lodge feel they are going in circles with permitting.

On Monday, when an appeal hearing was scheduled with the Development Review Board, the hearing was continued with no testimony while the board waits for an agreement from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) on the parking plan. For the appeal of an earlier decision, the owners want to change conditions of the parking layout and decrease the restaurant occupancy to 45 seats.

"My apologies to the applicants that you didn't get the message and you drove up from Connecticut and brought your attorney," Board Chairwoman Cheryl LaFlamme told the owners.

VTrans "stated that the way we asked for the in-out to go is not going to work for them," LaFlamme said.

The hearing, which opened at a meeting on March 16, is continued until May 20. The DRB granted a request from the owners' attorney Bob Fisher to hold off on acting on a notice of violation until the May 20 hearing.

"Everyone here is trying to work together," Fisher told the board. "There's a lot of, this agency needs this, that agency needs that."

Fisher said his clients are trying to coordinate on "a parking and exit plan that works for everyone."

"We understand," LaFlamme said. "Our apologies."

Gateway Lodge needs permitting for restaurant WILMINGTON  The Gateway Lodge needs to obtain permitting from the state and town to continu

The owners of 211 Route 9 East have been operating a restaurant without a permit, according to a notice of violation from the town.

Preliminary municipal approval for wastewater allocation was provided in January. A restaurant on the property began operating in February, the notice states.

A wastewater permit and an Act 250 permit amendment from the state are needed, according to officials. Peter Gill, executive director of the Vermont Land Use Review Board, previously said the Act 250 application for the restaurant is "currently under review by the District Commission."

Originally, the plan approved by the DRB called for a 72-seat restaurant. In an interview, co-owner Steven Chila said the fire marshall only provided a certificate of occupancy for 45 seats.

Conditions of the previous DRB decision include requirements for signage for the entrance and exit in certain places. Also in the decision is a condition to "coordinate updated rights-of-way access agreements with abutting property owners to follow the one-way traffic patterns."

"It's kind of getting convoluted and mixed up," Chila said. "We're just trying to give them what they want so we can move on and close the book."

Chila said the restaurant was permitted by the town in 2022 and then again in 2025, and liquor and health department permits have been obtained. Short term rentals also have been approved for the property.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Rain showers early, then clear overnight. Low 36F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Rain showers early, then clear overnight. Low 36F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.

Miro Weinberger is former mayor of the City of Burlington. Opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media.
A modified Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying a new satellite group blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, on April 9, 2026. China sent a new satellite group into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on Thursday. The satellite group, the 21st group of low-orbit internet satellites, was launched at 3:38 a.m. (Beijing time) aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket and has entered its preset orbit. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)

TAIYUAN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- China sent a new satellite group into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Thursday.

The satellite group, the 21st group of low-orbit internet satellites, was launched at 3:38 a.m. (Beijing time) aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket and has entered its preset orbit.

This launch marked the 637th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.

A modified Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying a new satellite group blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, on April 9, 2026. China sent a new satellite group into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on Thursday. The satellite group, the 21st group of low-orbit internet satellites, was launched at 3:38 a.m. (Beijing time) aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket and has entered its preset orbit. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)

Editor: GSY
WASHINGTON -- Forty-eight hours into a US-Iran cease-fire, the situation on the ground already appears increasingly unstable.

Reports of continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, attacks across the Gulf, and renewed threats around the Strait of Hormuz are raising urgent questions about whether this pause can hold.

Plus, the key disagreement between the US and Iran over whether the cease-fire even applies to Lebanon, where Israel has been striking what it says are Hezbollah targets. Hezbollah is the Iran-backed militant group designated a terrorist organization by the United States.

RFE/RL spoke with Allison Minor, director of the Atlantic Councils Project for Middle East Integration and former director for Arabian Peninsula affairs at the White House National Security Council during Donald Trumps first term, to unpack these early developments and gauge what could come next for the war and the region.

Pause Or Turning Point?

RFE/RL: We are now 48 hours into a two-week cease-fire announced by Washington and Tehran, with mediation from Pakistan -- but it already feels more like a standoff than a solution. Big picture question: Given the continued strikes tied to Lebanon and reports of retaliation across the Gulf, is this cease-fire a real diplomatic opening or just a strategic intermission before the next phase of war?

Allison Minor: I think its still too soon to tell. It does suggest that both sides are at least interested in exploring de-escalation. But the reality is that their positions remain very far apart. There are still major unresolved questions -- particularly about Lebanons role and about what happens in the Strait of Hormuz. Will it return to a prewar normal, or will Iran retain some level of control?

Those uncertainties could easily undermine the cease-fire and even trigger escalation beyond what we saw before. So, at this stage, its less a breakthrough than a reflection of how complex and unstable the situation remains.

RFE/RL: Washington and Israel appear to treat Lebanon as a separate track, while Tehran links it directly to the cease-fire. Can this deal hold if that gap isnt resolved?

Minor: Its difficult to see how it can. Iran has made clear that it will not halt attacks in the Gulf unless Lebanon is included. The question now is whether US negotiators -- arriving in Pakistan in the next 24-48 hours -- can bridge that gap, likely in coordination with Israel.

Whats striking is that Iran does not appear deterred. It seems emboldened and believes it can dictate cease-fire terms more on its own terms than on Washingtons.

RFE/RL: Some analysts point to possible command-and-control issues inside Iran. Does that suggest a lack of control -- or deliberate ambiguity?

Minor: Its probably both. Iran has long delegated authority to commanders in the field, which allows it to respond quickly even when leadership structures are disrupted. At the same time, it has spent decades refining a strategy of plausibly deniable attacks.

What concerns me now is that we may be seeing a new threshold for those deniable operations. Attacks on shipping and on Gulf states are becoming more severe, and that raises the risk of escalation significantly.

RFE/RL: So are we entering a phase where attribution is murky, but escalation risks are higher?

Minor: Exactly. As Iran recalibrates after this war, it may continue lower-level attacks while probing for new red lines. The key question is whether the United States, Israel, or others will respond forcefully -- or whether they will tolerate a higher baseline of Iranian activity in exchange for relative calm.

That uncertainty has serious implications, especially for Gulf economies. Places like Dubai depend on perceptions of stability for investment, trade, and financial flows.

The Strait Of Hormuz: A Lasting Pressure Point

RFE/RL: Youve warned that Iran is entering negotiations while still effectively controlling the Strait of Hormuz. How much leverage does that give Tehran?

Minor: It gives them tremendous leverage. The strait was always considered a kind of third rail -- something Iran would avoid disrupting. But during this war, they crossed that line and discovered that enforcing it is extremely difficult for the US.

Now, even if Iran reduces attacks or signals that shipping can resume -- potentially even charging transit fees -- the damage is already done. Commercial actors remain wary. We saw a similar dynamic in the Red Sea: Even after attacks subsided, shipping traffic stayed significantly reduced because insurers and companies were unwilling to take the risk.

RFE/RL: Does that mean a new normal where global energy flows remain exposed to Iranian pressure?

Minor: Yes, I think it does. Iran now has the ability to keep a kind of noose around global supply chains -- not just oil, but also critical goods like aluminum and fertilizer -- as well as the economies of its Gulf neighbors.

Negotiations Ahead -- And Signals To Watch

RFE/RL: Negotiators are heading into talks shortly in Pakistan. Given Irans expanding demands, including potential US force reductions, is there a meaningful middle ground -- or are both sides buying time?

Minor: Its possible Irans private demands differ from its public messaging. Both sides are clearly trying to project strength. But Iran does appear emboldened and may push for more far-reaching concessions than before the war -- on its nuclear program, missile capabilities, and regional posture.

The real question is how Washington responds: What are its red lines? And how much pressure will it face from partners -- from Israel, which has maximalist goals, and from Gulf states, which fear this emerging new normal?

Theres also a domestic dimension in the United States, with rising oil prices and political pressure, especially in a midterm election year.

RFE/RL: Two weeks is a very short window. What key signals will you watch to determine whether this cease-fire holds?

Minor: Ultimately, it comes down to the White House. The cease-fire is already showing signs of strain -- continued attacks, disrupted shipping. So, the question is whether Washington declares it failed or tries to sustain it despite those violations.

Right now, this is not a robust or stable arrangement. Its a fragile framework under significant stress.

RFE/RL: Finally, given the Lebanon dimension and current dynamics, what would count as a win for the United States coming out of these talks?

Minor: Its hard to define a clear win. Ideally, youd see the Strait of Hormuz return to prewar conditions, Iran scaling back to earlier negotiating positions, and an end to attacks on US partners.

But even achieving those prewar baselines will be extremely difficult. Given the scale of the conflict and the costs involved, expectations were that outcomes would improve -- yet even restoring the previous status quo now looks like a very high bar.
British naval ships tracked three Russian submarines operating near the United Kingdom for more than a month in what officials described as a suspected intelligence-gathering mission targeting critical undersea cables and energy infrastructure.

The Russian ships included a nuclear-powered attack vessel and two specialized deep-sea surveillance subs, Defense Secretary John Healey told reporters on April 9.

Healey said the operation involved the Royal Navy working with Norwegian and other allied forces, as part of broader efforts to counter what he called malign activity by Russia in strategically sensitive waters.

Weve exposed those covert operations. Weve made clear to [Russian President Vladimir Putin] and his submarines that weve watched them every step of the way, Healey said, adding that British forces deployed maritime patrol aircraft and sonar systems to maintain constant surveillance.

Secretive Underwater Surveillance

The British Defense Ministry said the two specialized submarines were operated by Russias Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research.

According to defense experts, GUGI is one of Russias most secretive entities, tasked with underwater surveillance and operating nuclear-powered deep-sea mini-submarines used for covert missions.

No damage to cables or pipelines was reported, and the Russian vessels eventually left the area, according to British officials.

The reported activity comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West following Moscows ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022 and a series of suspected sabotage incidents targeting infrastructure in Europe in recent years.

Russia rejected the claims by British officials.

Russia does not threaten underwater infrastructure that is indeed critically important to the United Kingdom. We do not use aggressive rhetoric on this issue, the Russian Embassy in London said.

With reporting by The New York Times, AFP, Reuters, TASS, The Guardian, and The Times.
In northern Ukraine, more than 10,000 hectares of arable land damaged by war, with more than 1 mln craters recorded on fields  FAO

The area of agricultural land with potentially contaminated soil in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions has reached 765.13 square kilometers, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported, citing the results of a study of war-damaged land.

According to the report, as of April 1, 2026, over 54,000 square kilometers of war-affected areas in four regions had been mapped. Experts used satellite imagery to analyze 1.13 million cultivated plots. The study identified over 1.09 million craters in fields, and the total area of damaged soil exceeded 10,000 hectares.

"Such data helps us understand which areas require priority attention. This data can be used to plan further surveys, land restoration, and the safe return of these areas to use," the FAO explained.

The results were presented at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine as part of a joint program between the FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP). The study will cover soils in seven regions of Ukraine.

As reported, FAO, together with the World Food Programme (WFP), has been implementing a mine clearance program in Ukraine since June 2023 to support smallholder farmers with land holdings of up to 300 hectares. The organizations strategic plan for 2026-2028 envisages raising $193 million to restore access to land for 240,000 rural families. The program combines technical field surveys with direct financial assistance to prepare cleared plots for sowing.

Furthermore, in December 2025, FAO, with support from the Qatar Fund for Development, launched a $10 million project to strengthen communities mine action capacity. This work is based on a One Health approach, which includes clearing areas of explosive hazards and restoring the biological health of war-damaged soils to ensure safe agricultural production.
Israeli and Lebanese representatives will meet in Washington next week, a State Department official said hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for talks with Lebanon, where a heavy Israeli bombardment targeting Hezbollah militants has shaken the two-week US-Iran cease-fire deal.

"We can confirm that the Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing cease-fire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon," the official told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity on April 9.

The Israeli strikes, which Lebanon's Health Ministry says killed more than 303 people on April 8, threatened to upend the temporary truce and upcoming talks between US and Iranian officials in Pakistan, which brokered the cease-fire agreement.

"In light of Lebanon's repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to start direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible," Netanyahu said in a statement.

"The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon."

Shortly before Netanyahus statement, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that the only solution to the situation in Lebanon is to achieve a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon, followed by direct negotiations between them.

Reuters cited a senior Lebanese official as saying Lebanon had spent the last day pushing for a temporary truce to allow for broader talks with Israel. The official said that no date or location had been set and that Lebanon needed the US as a mediator and guarantor of any agreement, Reuters reported. Netanyahu had rejected an offer for direct talks with Lebanon in March.

The US and Iran reached the two-week cease-fire agreement late on April 7, just hours before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump. But a dispute over whether the deal includes Lebanon has heightened tension and clouded prospects for progress.

Lebanon Dispute

Iran says the truce includes Lebanon. The US and Israel say it doesn't, and Netanyahu said in a social media post earlier on April 9 that Israel would "continue to strike Hezbollah wherever required, until we restore full security to the residents of the north," referring to the part of Israel that borders Lebanon. The US and Israel consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

The US-Iran cease-fire agreement was also strained by the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for ships carrying oil and gas from the Persian Gulf to global markets. There is no sign Iran has fully lifted its blockade of the strait, which has caused the worst disruption to global energy supplies in history.

A statement attributed to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, and read out on state TV on April 9, said Iran will definitely bring the management of the Strait of Hormuz to a new stage, but did not provide details.

Iran is not seeking war but will not forfeit its rights, it said.

Tehran said there would be no deal as long as Israel was striking Lebanon. In a post that came hours after Netanyahu's, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Lebanon was "an inseparable part of the cease-fire." He added that "violations carry explicit costs and strong responses."

Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian called the April 8 strikes on Lebanon a "blatant violation of the initial cease-fire agreement" and said "the continuation of these actions will render negotiations meaningless."

Qalibaf is expected to lead Tehran's delegation, along with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in Pakistani-mediated talks in Islamabad. Vice President JD Vance is to lead the US delegation.

Several countries have expressed concern the issue of Lebanon and the Israeli bombardment threaten to unravel a deal that suspended the war after more than five weeks of fighting, which began with US and Israeli air strikes on Iran on February 28.

"Israeli actions are putting the US-Iran cease-fire under severe strain. The Iran truce should extend to Lebanon," the European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said on April 9.

"Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the war, but Israel's right to defend itself does not justify inflicting such massive destruction," she said.

Also on April 9, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Israel's attacks "undermine" the US-Iranian agreement, while British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called for the cease-fire to include Lebanon.

A Russian Foreign Ministry statement said Sergei Lavrov had stated during a call with his Iranian counterpart that the deal "extended to Lebanon."

On April 9, US media outlet NBC news cited an unnamed senior US administration official as saying Trump asked Netanyahu in a phone call a day earlier to scale back Israels strikes in Lebanon to help ensure the success of the Iran negotiations, and that Israel agreed to be a helpful partner.

Later in the day, the Israeli army warned it was striking Hezbollah launch sites in Lebanon after stating that the militant group could expand launches targeting Israel.

'Legitimate Misunderstanding'

Vance, during a visit to Hungary, said on April 8 that he believes there was a "legitimate misunderstanding" about the terms of the truce announced the night before.

"I think the Iranians thought that the cease-fire included Lebanon, and it just didn't," he said, adding that "neither us nor the Israelis said that that was going to be part of the cease-fire."

Meanwhile, Trump has said that American forces will remain in place "in, and around, Iran" until a "real agreement" is reached.

"Despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE," he added.

So far, shipping through the strait, one of the world's most vital arteries for transit of oil, gas, and other critical commodities, remains almost entirely paralyzed.

Official Mourning In Iran, Lebanon

In Tehran, the authorities appeared to take advantage of the lull in fighting to stage official events to mourn the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an air strike on February 28.

State TV showed mass crowds on the streets, with Iranian flags and large portraits of Khamenei. Owing to the war, a state funeral has still not been held.

Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, was appointed his successor on March 8 but has still not been seen in public. This may be for security concerns, following a series of targeted killings of senior leaders, but it has also prompted speculation about his health amid reports that he himself was badly injured.

Lebanon is also observing an official day of mourning following the Israeli strikes the previous day. Ahead of a cabinet meeting, Lebanese Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine said 203 people were killed in the April 8 air strikes, and more than 1,000 people were wounded.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk has said the "scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific." The Red Cross said it was "outraged by the devastating death and destruction" across Lebanon.





Minimal Hormuz Traffic

Early on April 9, Iran's hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) announced alternative routes for ships traveling through the strait citing the risk of sea mines in the main zone of the waterway.

"All ships intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz are hereby notified that in order to comply with the principles of maritime safety and to be protected from possible collisions with sea mines...they should take alternative routes for traffic," state media quoted the IRGC as saying, while providing instructions for an alternative entry and exit routes.

Earlier, a senior Iranian official said ships navigating the strait still required IRGC permission to pass.

Prior to the war that began with US-Israeli air strikes on February 28, ships moved freely through the strait without the need for coordination with Iran.

According to data from maritime monitor Marine Traffic, four ships passed through the waterway on April 8.

It added that hundreds of vessels remain in the region, including 426 tankers, 34 LPG carriers, and 19 LNG vessels, many of which had been effectively stranded during the disruption.

Media reports suggested that shippers were awaiting more clarity before resuming transit.

Alex Raufoglu reported from Washington. With reporting by Reuters and AFP.
Russia's Supreme Court has allowed the Nobel Peace Prize-winning rights group Memorial to be labeled as an "extremist" organization, a move that will allow authorities to go after anyone who contributes to the work of the group or shares materials it has published.

The ruling was handed down on April 9 during a closed-door hearing that is the latest attempt in a long-running crackdown by officials in Russia to curb free speech. The campaign has gained momentum since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 as authorities look to limit criticism of the military operation.

The court said Memorial is "clearly anti-Russian in nature" and "aimed at destroying the basic foundations of Russian statehood."

"This unlawful decision marks a new stage of political pressure on Russian civil society," Memorial said in a statement.

"As of today, the Memorial Human Rights Defense Centre is ceasing all activities directly within Russia. We have no employees, members, or volunteers in Russia. We do not accept donations from Russian bank cards, as this could put our donors at risk. Outside of Putins Russia, the Memorial Human Rights Defense Centre will continue its work, regardless of any repressive decisions by Russian state authorities."

The ruling is part of a Kremlin assault on Memorial, which has spent decades exposing the crimes of the Soviet government -- particular during the era of dictator Josef Stalin -- against its own people.

The organization was banned in Russia in December 2021 for purportedly violating the country's draconian laws on so-called foreign agents.

In 2022, Memorial was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Ukraine's Center for Civil Liberties and Ales Byalyatski, the jailed founder of the Belarusian rights group Vyasna.

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee is deeply alarmed by the Russian authorities latest attempt to destroy Memorial," the committee said in a statement ahead of the ruling.

"Memorial was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its decades-long work documenting war crimes, human rights abuses, and the victims of Soviet-era repression. To designate such an organization as extremist is an affront to the fundamental values of human dignity and freedom of expression."

Since its ban inside Russia, Memorial has been operating mainly from abroad to support hundreds of political prisoners still inside the country.

The April 9 ruling was directed at "the international public movement Memorial," which the group says doesn't formally exist.

The vague designation by Russian authorities, Memorial says, is a deliberate move to allow the prosecution of anyone speaking out on human rights or historical crimes.

Also on April 9, Russian media reports said authorities detained Oleg Roldugin, a journalist with the independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta, in connection with an investigation into the alleged misuse of personal data.

The detention came after security officers carried out searches at the outlet's Moscow office the same day. The newspaper's staff said lawyers for the outlet were reportedly denied access during the operations, and staff members were present inside the building.

Novaya Gazeta, once led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov, is known for exposing human rights abuses and corruption in Russia, making it a frequent target of state authorities.

Since 2000, the newspaper has seen six of its journalists and contributors killed, including investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya. Russian authorities have denied any connection in the deaths.
Russia's main security agency detained a former Russian freelancer for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, accusing the man of treason and claiming he allegedly communicated with Ukrainian intelligence.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) did not identify the man, saying only he was born in 1960 and was detained in the Siberian region of Chita.

The agency accused the man of "transmitting information to the enemy regarding the information resources of a local print publication specializing in covering the progress of the special military operation," which is the government euphemism for the Ukraine war. It did not specify when the alleged criminal activities occurred.

Last week, a news outlet called Chita.ru cited unnamed sources saying that a man named Aleksandr A. had been detained. The outlet identified Aleksandr as the head of a local political party.

Two other people were also detained around the same time, the outlet said.

A Telegram channel called Siberian Express, meanwhile, identified the man as Aleksandr Andreyev, who had worked for a news outlet founded by exiled oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

The Russian state news agency TASS reported the man detained was a former RFE/RL freelance reporter. Andreyev worked as a freelancer for RFE/RL's Russian Service in the early 2010s; his last contribution to RFE/RL was in 2014.

RFE/RL had no immediate comment on the reports.

For more than a decade, Russian authorities have ramped up repression of independent media, as well as civil society organizations, human rights activists, and other nongovernmental groups. Prosecutors have used a so-called "foreign agent" law as a pretext to impose onerous reporting requirements on journalists who work with outlets outside of Russia.

Treason charges are significantly more serious under Russian law compared with "foreign agent" violations. In 2023, President Vladimir Putin signed legislation increasing the maximum sentence for people convicted of treason from 20 years in prison, to life.

Numerous RFE/RL reporters have been designated "foreign agents," and the organization itself has been labeled "undesirable" -- a legal category that authorities have used as a pretext for prosecuting others linked to the company.
The public utility of Chernivtsi Trolleybus Authority, LLC Chernihiv Automobile Plant (Etalon Corporation), and LLC Politechnoservice (Brovary, Kyiv region) signed a contract for the supply of 34 new low-floor trolleybuses following a tender with financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

"The city will acquire 34 new low-floor trolleybuses. Today, we took another step toward modernizing city transportation  a contract was signed between the Chernivtsi Trolleybus Authority and the Chernihiv Automobile Plant and Politechnoservice companies for their delivery," Chernivtsi Mayor Roman Klychuk wrote on Facebook.

He added that this is the result of lengthy preparation: an international tender, inspections, and approval from the EIB.

"The new trolleybuses mean fewer worn-out vehicles on the routes, more reliable service, comfortable conditions for passengers, and a lower environmental impact. Thanks to the European Investment Bank team and everyone who worked on this agreement," Klychuk wrote.

In the comments to the post, he added that the delivery of the first batch of trolleybuses is planned for the end of this year.

As reported, a tender for the supply of 11.9-12.7 m long trolleybuses with an autonomous range of up to 1 km, as well as spare parts, equipment and tools for maintenance and repair, and related services, was announced in July of last year.

According to the regulations, the trolleybus must accommodate at least 105 passengers, including 30 (plus or minus 10%) seats. The interior must have one seat for a passenger in a wheelchair, one for a stroller (which can be combined with the wheelchair space), and four seats for passengers with limited mobility who do not use a wheelchair.

As reported, Chernivtsi planned to purchase approximately 30 trolleybuses as part of the project, depending on the price.

According to local media, the total cost of the city's trolleybus infrastructure upgrade project is up to EUR 16.3 million, of which over EUR 13 million is an EIB loan and EUR 2.7 million is to be allocated from the city budget. Approximately EUR 11.5 million is planned for the purchase of trolleybuses, and approximately EUR 1.6 million for the construction of the trolleybus line.

LLC Politechnoservice specializes in the production of its own electric transport control system and also produces PTS trolleybuses using Turkish Akia bodies. Chernivtsi has already purchased these trolleybuses several times, including 10 units in 2022-2023, three in 2025, and a contract for three more signed in December of last year.

The Chernihiv Automobile Plant produces buses of various classes, as well as trolleybuses, which are already in service, in particular, in Chernihiv, Sumy, and Khmelnytskyi.
The walking series Tracks & Trails returns to RTE One and RTE Player this week for its 13th season and episode two will feature County Roscommon.

The first episode airs this Friday, April 10th at 8.30 p.m..

In the series presenter, musician, and podcaster Doireann Ni Ghlacain will explore Ireland's most beautiful trails, alongside a line-up of Irish personalities. This five-part series journeys through Louth, Roscommon, Longford, Antrim, Kildare, and Dublin, combining stunning scenery with compelling conversations about heritage, history, and personal connections to the land.

From archaeologists uncovering forgotten histories to musicians finding inspiration in wild places, Tracks & Trails pairs each landscape with voices that bring new meaning to these beautiful walking trails on the island of Ireland.

Episode 2, which will air on April 17th will feature Myles Dungan, historian and broadcaster, walking the National Famine Way from Strokestown House to the ancient royal site of Rathcroghan in Tulsk.

Also on this episode Sinead Hussey, broadcaster, discovers Longford's hidden gems along the greenway at Clondra to the Corlea Trackway Centre.
Working in Romania

The latest from the labor market.

Sursa foto: pixabay.com

Sorin Iordan, 09.04.2026, 14:00

The Mures Local Labor Inspectorate (ITM) carried out an information campaign regarding the employment of non-EU personnel. The deputy chief of the ITM Mures, Eva Man, said that employers from other counties also attended the information sessions, amid the increased interest in this topic. Man indicated that the sessions are held as a result of the protocol signed with the Labor Inspectorate and the General Immigration Inspectorate and that they are held twice a year. The information sessions are dedicated to both those who want to bring in labor from outside the EU, and those who already have such employees. Currently, in Mures County, central Romania, there are over 2,100 citizens from outside the European Union, employed by about 540 companies or individuals. Most of them work in the hospitality, agriculture and trade sectors. The Romanian Ministry of Labor has set a quota of 90,000 newly admitted foreign workers for 2026, although employers have requested significantly higher figures, citing a real need of over 400,000 people, to ensure the continuity of infrastructure projects and services, amid the decline in the active population, especially in sectors with high demand for labor, such as agriculture, construction, industry, tourism and services. In 2024 and 2025, Bucharest approved 100,000 permits for non-EU citizens, mostly from Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Turkey or other countries in Asia and Africa.

Approximately 1,500 employees in Timis County, in western Romania, will lose their jobs in the coming period, according to the Local Labor Inspectorate. The institution says that it has received 14 notifications from companies that intend to make layoffs. The affected sectors include IT, hospitality, gambling, as well as the electrical equipment and automotive components industry. Since the beginning of the year, 976 companies have been deregistered in Timis County, most of them in the hospitality industry, while 3,100 companies ceased their activity in 2025. Despite these developments, the unemployment rate has remained low in the county, slightly exceeding 1%.

Hundreds of jobs are available in Valcea County, in southwestern Romania, the local Employment Agency announced. The offer is varied and covers both the need for unskilled and specialized personnel, the cited source states. Thus, 365 jobs are currently available, most of which are for people with no qualifications or limited experience. Among the most sought-after jobs are goods handlers and unskilled construction or demolition worker. There are also positions available for packers, waiters, commercial workers and kitchen helpers. In addition to these, companies are also looking for qualified personnel, such as electricians, mechanics, nurses, engineers or drivers. The unemployment rate in Valcea County, at the end of January 2026, was 3.24%.

On April 3, the police in the city of Brasov carried out an action to combat illegal migration and verify compliance with the residence regime of foreign citizens. The checks targeted public areas and commercial companies that use foreign labor. In total, almost 80 people and three companies were checked. For the irregularities found, the police applied 10 minor fines whose total value exceeded 13,000 lei (2,550 euros). During the checks, two foreign citizens of Indian origin were also found as staying in Romania illegally. They no longer had active employment contracts since May 2025 and had exceeded the legal period of stay. The two were handed over to the relevant authorities, and return decisions are to be issued in their names, with a deadline for voluntary departure. Representatives of the Brasov Police announced that such actions will continue in the coming period. (EE)
72 hours in Maramures

Located in northern Romania, the historical region of Maramures is a great destination for the Easter holidays.

Maramures (Photo: visitmaramures.ro)

Daniel Onea, 09.04.2026, 14:04

Located in northern Romania, the historical region of Maramures is a great destination for the Easter holidays. Apart from its archaic landscapes, visitors are invited to discover a unique tourist concept, launched recently, and entitled 72 hours in Maramures. Although Maramures has seen extraordinary progress in recent years in terms of accommodation, statistical figures indicate that visitors only spend here an average of two days. Owing to the regions small and geographically scattered accommodation facilities, group tourism is difficult to organise, which means the area is often used as a transit, rather than a final tourist destination. To change this, Diana Ilut, the manager of the Maramures Destination Management Organisation says a special tourist package has been devised:

To remedy this situation, the Destination Management Organisation launched the 72 hours in Maramures concept for 2026. The programme is based on the idea of county break, the equivalent of a city break but extended to county level. The goal is to extend visitors stay to at least three nights and four days full of sightseeing, while taking into account the trend in contemporary tourism, in which travellers prefer several short holidays throughout the year, rather than a single long one. This concept is strongly supported by the air travel infrastructure. Daily domestic flights, on the Bucharest-Baia Mare route, facilitate the access of Romanian tourists to the area. External flights, twice a week, on the Paris-Baia Mare route, introduce the destination to the French market. Reasonable airfares are an additional advantage for tourist mobility.

Apart from extending the length of stay, the initiative brings slow tourism and nature therapy to the forefront, says destination manager Diana Ilut:

As part of this concept, an essential recommendation is to discover the city of Baia Mare, the county capital. Although located outside the area referred to as the historical Maramures and insufficiently promoted in the last two decades, the city has a lot of tourist potential. The city was the setting of an urban legend transposed into a book and film, In Shakespeares Shadow, written by Walter Ubelhart and which looks at a surprising connection between the famous English playwright and the city. The idea of spending 72 hours in the region is based on a case study initiated by VisitSweden, which demonstrated that a three-day break in a natural environment is enough for the body to recover from urban stress. In line with this vision, Maramures is becoming a silvotherapy destination. In the centuries-old forests of Strambu-Baiut, which are a UNESCO World Heritage site, the first forest therapy route in Eastern Europe is currently in the process of obtaining international approval.

Even though the geography of the area might seem challenging, the infrastructure allows for these routes to be easily accessible. Diana Ilut emphasises that the mountainous landscape is, in fact, one of the regions assets:

Because of the predominantly mountainous terrain, it may take several hours to travel by road between certain destinations, such as Baia Mare and Borsa, but the roads are in reasonably good condition. The infrastructure is designed in such a way that visitors need to choose a number of destinations as it is impossible to cover the entire county in just 72 hours. However, the geography of the area is not an obstacle, but a major advantage. The route from Baia Mare across the Gutai Mountains, to historical Maramures, provides many interesting sites, with almost every village boasting a wooden church, a historical monument, or some other tourist attraction that can be explored at ease.

During this period, tourist packages are closely linked to spirituality. The head of the Maramures Destination Management Organisation, Diana Ilut, says the Easter holidays provide the perfect opportunity to live unique experiences with the local community:

The villagers proudly wear their traditional costumes. Easter night culminates with processions around the churches, with lit candles and singing. The same night marks the end of the fast and the blessing of the wicker baskets filled with food. The next morning, the process is repeated with larger baskets, prepared for the main Easter meal, where extended families and tourists gather. A specific element of Maramures is the dyeing of eggs. Here, eggs are not painted like in Moldavia or Bucovina, but rather dyed exclusively with natural pigments: onion peels, for shades from gold to dark cherry, beetroot for shades of red, or nettle decoction, for green eggs. The patterns are made by naturally impregnating the eggshells with leaves and small flowers, fixed to the egg during boiling. Depending on the area, the traditions vary: there are dances, walks, and in Tara Codrului, the community gathers in the churchyard for a meeting between generations that lasts until late at night.

Beyond folklore and spectacular traditions, a visit to Maramures also involves taking on the past. Destination manager Diana Ilut makes a recommendation with a strong emotional significance:

In addition to traditions and folklore, Maramures offers an essential lesson in recent history. A heartfelt recommendation for all tourists, both Romanian and foreign, is a visit to the Memorial of Sorrow in Sighetu Marmatiei. This place exposes uncensored history and works as a warning against a dark period of national history. Visiting it is a duty for present and future generations, the place has a strong emotional impact, which needs to be revisited periodically to prevent forgetting the tragedy of those times.

A tour in Maramures becomes much more than a simple vacation. It is an invitation to reconnect with nature, to celebrate authentic traditions and, last but not least, to a lesson in history and cultural identity, perfectly adapted to be discovered at your leisure, in at least 72 hours. (CM, AMP)
Ukraine reduces imports of electric generators by 31% in last three months, while increasing imports of batteries by 3.8 times

According to statistics from the State Customs Service, imports of electric generators and rotary electric converters to Ukraine in January-March 2026 decreased by 31% compared to the same period in 2025, to $298.7 million.

According to statistics, in particular, in March, imports of this equipment decreased by 11% compared to March 2025 and by 41.9% compared to February 2026  to $78.6 million.

In the first quarter, electric generators and converters were most often imported from Romania (21% of total exports of these products, or $62.7 million), China (18.5%, $55.4 million) and the Czech Republic (16.8%, $50.3 million), while last year these were the Czech Republic ($85.7 million), the USA ($77.3 million) and Austria ($68.7 million).

Exports of electric generators from Ukraine during this period were insignificant  $0.44 million.

At the same time, according to the State Customs Service, in the first quarter of this year, imports of electric batteries and separators to Ukraine increased by 3.8 times  to $833.9 million, mainly from China ($736.8 million, or 88.4%), as well as from the Czech Republic ($19.7 million) and Taiwan ($11.9 million).

Last year, in January-March, the largest suppliers were China with a share of 79.2%, Bulgaria (5.3%) and Taiwan (3.8%).

In March, imports of this equipment increased by 4.4 times compared to March 2025, but decreased by 8.6% compared to February 2026  to $282 million.

At the same time, Ukraine exported batteries worth $11.4 million in three months, primarily to Poland ($3.3 million), France ($2 million), and Germany ($1.7 million), while last year exports amounted to $11 million, of which 35.7% went to Poland, 18.9% to France, and 13.9% to Germany.

As reported, at the end of July 2024, Ukraine exempted the import of electric generator equipment and batteries from duties and VAT.

According to the State Customs Service, in 2025, Ukraine increased imports of electric generators and converters by 2.3 times compared to 2024, reaching $1.69 billion, and batteries by 55% to $1.48 billion. Moreover, in January 2025, imports of electric generators increased eightfold compared to January 2024, and batteries by three times.
April 9, 2026 UPDATE

A roundup of local and international news.

April 9, 2026 UPDATE

Newsroom, 09.04.2026, 19:47

Appointments. Romanias President, Nicusor Dan, has signed the decrees of appointing the new heads of the Prosecutors Office and their deputies, following interviews conducted by the Justice Ministry and the Superior Council of Magistracy. Cristina Chiriac will be the future Prosecutor General, Viorel Cerbu will be the head of the National Anti-corruption Directorate, and Codrin Miron will head the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). The Romanian president says the priority of the new heads must be the fight against corruption and the big drug trafficking networks as well as tax evasion. Dan also says that he expects the new leadership to instill a new dynamic into the activity of the aforementioned institutions.

Funding. Romania will receive a response from the European Commission by the end of this month regarding Payment Requests 3 and 4 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, said the Minister of Investments and European Projects, Dragos Pislaru. He says the there is no scenario taken into account by the government in which the reforms undertaken as part of the Plan are not to be finalised by August. Pislaru pointed out that the penalties for not fulfilling the reforms are consistent, so the government will carefully monitor their implementation. The Minister explained that a mechanism has been in place for several months to assess the implementation stage of the targets and milestones, as well as risk areas, and which is available on the ministrys website. Out of 179 targets and milestones, 45 are related to reforms, and 134 to investments. About a third of the total are fully met, a third are on the right track, while a third are faced with the risk of not being finalised, Pislaru also said. The statements come after the Romanian government on Thursday analyzed the stage of implementation of the targets and milestones laid down in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan agreed with the European Commission.

Government. The Romanian government on Thursday approved a draft emergency order on setting up a Data Network on agricultural sustainability. The Common Agricultural Policy and the European Green Deal clearly stipulate the following objectives  reducing the loss of nutrients, as well as the use of fertilizers and pesticides; reducing the sales of antimicrobial agents, increasing bio agriculture. They also provide for increasing the characteristics of the landscape with high diversity.

Easter. Orthodox Christians, who are a majority in Romania, and Greek-Catholics, celebrated Holy Thursday, marking the Last Supper, the arrest and trial of Jesus Christ by the religious and political authority of the time. According to the gospels, on this day Jesus instated the Holy Liturgy, lowered Himself by washing the feet of his disciples, and was betrayed by Judas. We recall that Catholic and Protestant believers celebrated Easter last Sunday.

Public order. Over 24,000 employees of the interior ministry will be on stand-by every day for the duration of the Easter holiday, the ministrys spokeswoman Monica Dajbog said on Thursday. She explained that there will be police presence on the main roads and motorways, in tourist resorts, in places where crowds are expected to gather and in other areas of operational interest. She said that public order teams, fire fighters and emergency crews will pay special attention to places of worship where religious events will take place, and where almost 2.3 million people are expected to attend. This month, fire fighters conducted training with clerical personnel on the measures that must be taken quickly before the arrival of emergency crews in the event of a medical emergency or fire, so as to ensure the safe evacuation of the people in the churches and the correct use of fire extinguishers, the ministrys spokeswoman also said. (CM)
New heads of the major prosecutors offices in Romania

The fight against corruption must be the top priority for the new heads of the major prosecutors offices, said President Nicusor Da

The president of Romania Nicusor Dan (photo: presidency.ro)

Leyla Cheamil, 09.04.2026, 14:00

Romanian President Nicusor Dan has appointed the new heads of the major prosecutors offices, following interviews organized by the Ministry of Justice and hearings before the Superior Council of Magistracy. They are Cristina Chiriac, Prosecutor General; Viorel Cerbu, head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate; and Codrin Miron, who will serve as head of DIICOT, the anti-mafia prosecutors office. The head of state said that the fight against corruption and major drug trafficking and tax evasion networks must be the priority for the new heads. He also said he expects the major prosecutors offices to become more dynamic following the appointments he made to their leadership, because Romanians encounter corruptionand major corruptionin their daily interactions with state authorities.

The National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) handles major corruption cases, while the General Prosecutors Office handles day-to-day corruption. I expect DIICOT to dismantle major drug trafficking networks and major tax evasion networks, Nicusor Dan emphasized. At the same time, the president stressed that he expects the three appointed chief prosecutors to maintain constant communication with their subordinate prosecutors. He also wants to strike a balance between prosecutors routine work and the time they devote to cases that have a significant impact on society.

On the other hand, Save Romania Union expressed its dissatisfaction, arguing that the appointments should have been accompanied by a process that unequivocally inspires trust and transparency and claiming that they bear the mark of the Social Democratic Party. The party stated that the Social Democratic Minister of Justice, Radu Marinescu, who proposed the new heads, led a flawed process that failed to inspire many honest prosecutors within the system. According to the USR, civil societys concerns are legitimate. The warnings came from honest prosecutors within the system. They came from the Superior Council of Magistracy. They came from anti-corruption NGOs. They came from people who protested in the streets at pivotal moments over the past decades and stood up for an independent judiciary. The president promised that, after six months, results would begin to show. Now it is the responsibility of those newly appointed to refute all criticism through action, to live up to the expectations Romanians have of the justice system, reads a statement from the USR.

The head of state, Nicusor Dan, stated, however, that he had not consulted with the leaders of the PSD-PNL-USR-UDMR governing coalition regarding those appointments, adding that he had formed his own opinion about the candidates following discussions with dozens of prosecutors. He has stated he is confident he made the right choices and the correct decisions, which are sound under the current circumstances. For his part, Justice Minister Radu Marinescu has stated that the procedure was conducted in full transparency, and there have been no personal stakes, figures, or egos involved. (MI)
Japan will on Thursday see March results for its household confidence index, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. The index is expected to see a score of 38.4, down from 40.0 in February.

Malaysia will release February figures for industrial production; in January, production was up 5.9 percent on year.

Subscribe to continue reading the article. This article is part of our premium content offering.Subscribe with a RTTNews subscription.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Exxon Mobil announced that its global production dropped by 6 percent in the first quarter of 2026 after the conflict in Iran disrupted oil and gas operations in the Persian Gulf.

This included damage to liquefied natural gas facilities in Qatar. According to the company, two LNG trains at a Qatari site where Exxon is a partner were struck by missiles and might need extensive repairs.

The company noted that about half of the lost output was tied to the Qatari facility, with the Middle East typically contributing around one fifth of its overall production.

Additionally, Exxon warned that its earnings from the energy products division, which covers refining and trading, are projected to be $3.7 billion lower than the previous quarter due to price fluctuations and delays in cargo deliveries. However, management expects these impacts to recover in the future.

On a brighter note, higher crude and gas prices are likely to cushion some of the disruption, adding around $2.5 billion to upstream earnings for the first quarter.

Nevertheless, Exxon's shares fell by more than 6 percent in premarket trading following a temporary two-week ceasefire announcement, which eased broader concerns in the oil market.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
The UN Secretary-General has strongly condemned the massive Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, which resulted in hundreds of civilians being killed and injured, including children, and caused widespread damage to civilian infrastructure.

Antonio Guterres warned that continued military activity in Lebanon poses a grave risk to the US-Iran ceasefire and broader efforts toward peace, reiterating his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Subscribe to continue reading the article. This article is part of our premium content offering.Subscribe with a RTTNews subscription.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VNDA) has called on the U.S. FDA to withdraw a legislative proposal included in the agency's FY 2027 Congressional Budget Justification.

Proposal Details

The FDA's proposal seeks to eliminate the current legal requirement that new drug applications (NDAs) be reviewed within 180 days of filing. Instead, reviews would follow the longer timelines under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) and Generic Drug User Fee Amendments (GDUFA), which typically result in 10-12 months from submission to decision. The proposal also aims to replace the formal evidentiary hearing process with a streamlined internal appeal.

Vanda's Position

Vanda argues that the change would entrench delays, reduce transparency, and increase risks for small innovators. The company noted that federal courts have already ruled the FDA's practice of exceeding the 180-day statutory timeline unlawful. Mihael H. Polymeropoulos, M.D., President, CEO and Chairman of the Board emphasized that instead of complying with the law, the FDA is asking Congress to change it, effectively codifying slower review processes.

The FDA currently takes up to two months simply to decide whether to "file" the application, which Vanda highlighted as a key concern.

Broader Implications

According to Vanda, the proposal would mean longer waits for patients to access new medicines and greater uncertainty for biotech innovators. The company urged FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary to withdraw the provision and called on Congress to reject it.

Vanda also noted that the FDA seeks to replace the formal evidentiary hearing process with a weaker, internal appeal, despite a recent U.S. Court of Appeals ruling that the agency unlawfully denied Vanda a proper hearing in the HETLIOZ jet-lag case.

VNDA has traded between $3.81 and $9.94 over the past year. The stock is currently trading at $7.22, down 1.03%.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Mercedes-Benz India has reported its highest-ever fiscal year sales, with 19,363 units retailed in FY2025-26. This marks a 2.30% growth over 18,928 units sold in the previous financial year. The growth has been driven primarily by strong demand in the top-end luxury segment, even as entry-level luxury products saw a decline.

In Q1 CY2026, Mercedes India sold 5,131 units, registering a 7.46% YoY growth compared to 4,775 units in Q1 2025. The company noted consistent demand across both new launches and its existing portfolio. This keeps Mercedes ahead of BMW India in the race for Q1 2026, as the latter sold 4,354 cars.

Top-End Luxury Drives Growth

A key highlight of Mercedes Indias performance continues to be its top-end luxury segment. This segment, which includes models like S-Class, Maybach range, AMG lineup and EQS SUV, recorded a 16% growth in FY26 and contributed 27% to total sales.

Demand for high-end models remains strong, with waiting periods extending up to 12 months for select vehicles like AMG G63 and Maybach S-Class. This indicates a clear shift in buyer preference towards higher-value products rather than entry-level luxury offerings.

Battery electric vehicles are also gaining traction within this segment. BEVs accounted for 20% of total top-end luxury sales, while top-end EVs (priced above Rs 1.4 crore) grew by 85% in FY26. EQS SUV emerged as the highest-selling electric model for the brand.

Core Models Continue To Perform

Mercedes Indias core segment also played an important role in sustaining volumes. Models like C-Class, E-Class LWB, GLC and GLE SUVs continue to see steady demand. Among these, E-Class LWB remains the best-selling luxury sedan in India.

The recently launched V-Class has also received strong customer response, while the upcoming electric CLA is expected to further strengthen the portfolio. However, the entry luxury segment declined by 18% in FY26, as the brand continues to follow a value-driven strategy rather than chasing volume through aggressive pricing.

AMG Expansion And Product Offensive

Mercedes India has also introduced two new AMG models  AMG A45 S Aero Track Edition priced at Rs 87 lakh and AMG GLE 53 Coupe Performance Edition priced at Rs 1.52 crore (ex-showroom). These launches are aimed at catering to performance-focused buyers. The company has outlined an aggressive product strategy for 2026, with multiple launches planned across segments. This includes both ICE and EV offerings, with the CLA EV scheduled for launch on April 24, 2026.

Network Expansion And Future Plans

As part of its growth strategy, Mercedes India is expanding its retail network with a focus on emerging markets. New outlets are planned in cities like Visakhapatnam, Varanasi and Goa, along with expansion in existing markets such as Pune and Mumbai. The company aims to add over 20 luxury outlets in 2026, supported by investments of over Rs 450 crore from franchise partners. Focus will also remain on enhancing customer experience through upgraded facilities and digital integration.

Overall, Mercedes Indias performance in FY26 and Q1 2026 highlights a steady growth trajectory led by premiumisation. While entry-level segments have seen some pressure, strong demand for top-end luxury cars and EVs continues to drive the brand forward.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor has announced that Innova HyCross has crossed cumulative sales of 2 lakh units in India. Since its sales started in January 2023, the hybrid MPV has seen strong demand, quickly becoming a key contributor to Toyotas overall volumes. This milestone also highlights a gradual shift in Toyotas strategy, as the brand moves focus away from diesel-powered models towards petrol and hybrid options.

HyCross Vs Crysta  Strategy Shift, Not Demand Drop

Sales data shows that Innova HyCross has steadily gained ground against Innova Crysta. In CY2023, HyCross sold 45,916 units, already ahead of Crystas 38,156 units. The gap widened in CY2024 and CY2025, with HyCross consistently outperforming its diesel counterpart.

However, the decline in Crystas sales is not purely demand-driven. Toyota has actively limited its availability in recent years. Back in 2022, production of Crysta was temporarily halted due to regulatory changes and strategic realignment. When reintroduced, Crysta was offered only with a manual gearbox, with the automatic variant discontinued. So those who wanted automatic option, had to go with Innova Hycross. This effectively reduced Crystas appeal, especially among urban buyers, while allowing Toyota to push HyCross more aggressively.

Hybrid Powertrain Driving HyCross Demand

A key reason for HyCross success is its strong hybrid powertrain. It uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with Toyotas 5th-generation self-charging hybrid system, delivering a combined output of 186 PS. The hybrid setup enables significant EV-mode driving in city conditions, improving fuel efficiency and lowering emissions. This has made it an attractive option for both private buyers and fleet operators.

Crystas Future And Taxi Segment Strategy

Innova Crysta continues to enjoy strong demand, particularly in the fleet and taxi segment where its diesel engine is highly preferred. However, stricter emission norms are expected to make it increasingly difficult to sustain diesel offerings in the long term.

Toyota is reportedly working towards phasing out the Crysta gradually. Once discontinued, the company is expected to introduce a more affordable hybrid variant of HyCross to cater to the fleet segment. This move will help Toyota retain its dominance in the MPV taxi space, where Innova has traditionally been a top choice, while also aligning with its electrification roadmap.

Features, Safety And Positioning

Innova HyCross is positioned as a premium MPV and comes equipped with features such as powered Ottoman seats, ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control and Toyota Safety Sense ADAS. It has also secured a 5-star safety rating under Bharat NCAP. Prices start from Rs 19.53 lakh (ex-showroom), with hybrid variants offering an 8-year battery warranty.

With over 2 lakh units sold, Innova HyCross reflects the growing acceptance of hybrid vehicles in India. At the same time, Toyotas controlled positioning of Crysta indicates a clear long-term strategy  reduce reliance on diesel and transition towards cleaner powertrains. Going forward, HyCross is expected to play an even bigger role in Toyotas India lineup, especially as the brand prepares to cater to both private and fleet buyers with hybrid solutions.
Farmers paid over UAH 557 million for the second year of using state-owned agricultural land under the Land Bank project in 2026, the State Property Fund (SPF) reported.

According to the report, from January to March 2026, the project put 10,300 hectares of land up for auction in 14 regions. Following the auctions, 1,400 hectares have already been transferred for use. The average sublease price was UAH 12,400 per hectare, and the total annual rent paid reached UAH 17.4 million, including VAT.

"The unblocking of state-owned land in Odesa region was a significant event of the quarter. The seizure of 81 land plots, totaling over 5,400 hectares, has been lifted and has already been re-registered to the state-owned operator, the Land Bank," the State Property Fund noted.

Project specialists also conducted on-site land use monitoring on 94 sites covering over 5,000 hectares. At the same time, the State Property Fund updated the interactive map of the sites, adapting it for mobile devices.

The total annual sublease fees paid by farmers to the budget since the project's launch exceeded UAH 1.34 billion. During this time, 69,640 hectares of state-owned agricultural land were transferred for transparent use.
First UAH 307 mln tranche to connect 96 MW of distributed generation against 2026 target of 1.5 GW  Shmyhal

Photo: https://t.me/energyofukraine

Ukraine plans to bring 1.5 GW of new distributed gas-fired generation online this year, equivalent to the capacity installed over the entire period of the full-scale war, Denys Shmyhal has said.

"State-owned energy companies Naftogaz [Ukrainy] and GTSOU plan to install 232 MW and 92 MW respectively by the end of the year. In March alone, 102 MW of capacity was commissioned," he said on Telegram following a meeting of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine on Thursday.

According to Shmyhal, the government has already earmarked reserve fund money to install and connect existing cogeneration units in eight regions of Ukraine.

"The first tranche of UAH 307 million will arrive shortly, and this will make it possible to connect 75 units with a total capacity of 96 MW," he said.

The Energy Ministry, together with the Development Ministry and the Economy Ministry, has now prepared draft government decisions to simplify procurement procedures for equipment under resilience plans, as well as related installation work.

"In addition, the Energy Ministry is in dialogue with business: we plan to extend support to all newly built generation facilities in frontline regions commissioned since December 2022, rather than only from December 1, 2025," Shmyhal said.

He added that a separate issue under consideration is extending the practice of PPA contracts to distributed gas generation operators.

"The idea is to give such operators a long-term predictable price, reduce risks and enable businesses to secure their own generation," Shmyhal said.
If youve recently received a text claiming your package is on hold or needs updated delivery info, youre not alone, and you could be at risk. Across Virginia, including Loudoun County, a surge in fake USPS tracking texts is tricking residents into handing over personal information. These messages look incredibly real, often mimicking official postal alerts and creating urgency that pushes people to act fast. But behind the scenes, scammers are using these fraudulent texts to steal identities and financial data. Heres exactly how this scam works and how to avoid becoming the next victim of a USPS tracking scam text.

The Text Looks Legit, But Its Designed to Trick You

The first step in a USPS tracking scam text is deception. The message often claims theres a delivery issue, such as unpaid postage or a missed package. It may include a tracking number or appear to come from a familiar source, making it feel legitimate. According to the FTC, these texts are designed to get you to click a link immediately. Once you click, youre taken to a fake website that looks nearly identical to a real shipping page.

The moment you click the link, the scam begins. The site may ask you to confirm your address, pay a small fee, or update delivery preferences. In reality, anything you enter (your name, address, credit card, or even Social Security number) goes directly to scammers. Some links can also install malware on your phone, allowing criminals to access even more sensitive data.

This Scam Has a Name And Its Growing Fast

This type of fraud is known as smishing, a form of phishing conducted through text messages. The United States Postal Inspection Service explains that scammers use these texts to collect personal and financial information for fraud. Victims may unknowingly hand over login credentials, banking details, or identity information. Once scammers have this data, they can open accounts, drain funds, or commit additional fraud.

The Biggest Red Flag: You Didnt Request Tracking

One of the easiest ways to spot a USPS tracking scam text is to ask yourself a simple question: Did you sign up for tracking updates? USPS does not send unsolicited tracking messages. You must request them first using a tracking number. Even more important, official USPS texts do not include clickable links. If you receive a message with a link asking you to take action, its almost certainly a scam.

These texts are also designed to make you panic just enough to act quickly. Messages may say your package will be returned, delayed, or canceled if you dont respond immediately. This sense of urgency is intentional and highly effective. The FTC warns that scammers rely on quick reactions rather than careful thinking. So, its important to really think, did I request tracking, and does this seem legitimate?

You can forward suspicious texts to 7726 to report spam to protect yourself and others from this growing scam.

Have you received one of these fake USPS tracking texts, and what tipped you off that it was a scam?

What to Read Next

Postmaster Issues Urgent Warning: USPS Could Change ForeverHeres What It Means for Your Mail

The Mystery Box Scam: Why Unsolicited Packages Are a Red Flag for Identity Theft

Social Security Mail Delays Are Increasing  Heres How to Avoid Missing Important Notices
EBRD may provide Kharkiv with loan of up to EUR 15 mln to support public utilities and transport

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has unveiled a loan proposal of up to EUR 15 million to support the liquidity of Kharkiv and its utility operators.

According to the bank, the loan is intended to provide emergency support to the city by financing the liquidity of its utilities to mitigate the impact of the war on Kharkiv's financial situation and ensure the continued provision of basic services to residents, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and businesses.

The following municipal enterprises are expected to receive support within the framework of the project: Kharkiv Metropolitan public utility, Trolleybus Depot No. 2 public utility, the Communal Enterprise Saltiv tram depot, and Kharkiv Heat Networks public utility.

The Bank's loan is expected to support the key municipal utilities and public transport operators in 2026-2027 by addressing their critical liquidity needs, to ensure uninterrupted provision of essential public services in response to direct damage from the war, additional demand for services due to the presence of a significant number of IDPs and the City's shrinking liquidity, this is stated in the project description on the financial institutions website.

Its is noted that in the absence of the Bank's support, given the on-going war and its effects on the local economy and ongoing forced displacement and labour market volatility, there is a high risk of disruption in provision of infrastructure services, which are vital for Kharkiv's economic recovery and the City's private sector.

According to the EBRD, at the beginning of 2026, 212,000 IDPs were officially registered in Kharkiv.

The project is currently in the development stage and is expected to be approved on June 17, 2026.

In total, the EBRD has allocated EUR 2.9 billion in financing to Ukraine in 2025.
Russian forces attacked Zaporizhia, killing one person and injuring four others, Regional Military Administration head Ivan Fedorov said.

"The enemy attacked Zaporizhia district. It carried out at least 8 strikes," he wrote on Telegram on Thursday morning.

Private houses in the village of Balabyne were also damaged.

Fedorov later said one person had been killed and four injured. The number of casualties from the Russian morning strike on Zaporizhia district continues to rise.

Several private houses in Balabyne were destroyed as a result of the attack.
A man was killed in a massive Russian shelling of a settlement in Zaporizhia district on the outskirts, with four more people wounded, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine said on its Telegram channel.

"Firefighters from the local fire service rescued a woman from under the rubble; she was hospitalised at a stabilisation point," the statement read.

The name of the settlement and the condition of the casualties were not reported.

"As a result of the shelling, a residential building was partially destroyed at one address and caught fire. Rescuers extinguished the blaze. At other addresses, two residential buildings were destroyed and another 10 nearby homes were damaged by the blast wave. All emergency services are working on site," the agency said.
The first families of internally displaced persons (IDPs) have received apartments in a modular town built by the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) in the Sumy region.

"The first 10 families from the category of internally displaced persons have moved into apartments in the modular town being built by the Ukrainian Red Cross in the Sumy region," the URCS reported on Facebook on Thursday.

The URCS has already transferred two buildings containing 32 apartments to the communal ownership of the Sumy city community. At the end of March, another building was commissioned. Plans are in place for the construction of three more buildings. In total, the project provides for 96 apartments for people who were forced to leave their homes due to the full-scale aggression of Russia against Ukraine.

The project is being implemented by the URCS with the support of the Swedish Red Cross and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) in partnership with local authorities.
Photo: https://x.com/DowOperSZ

A pair of F-16 fighters of the Polish Air Force on duty intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.

"On April 8, 2026, a duty pair of F-16 fighters of the Polish Air Force successfully intercepted, visually identified, and escorted an aircraft of Russia, which was flying over the Baltic Sea in the area of responsibility. Polish fighters intercepted an Il-20 aircraft performing a reconnaissance mission in international airspace without a filed flight plan and with the transponder turned off. No violation of Polish airspace occurred," the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces reported on the X social network.

As reported, at the end of October 2025, Polish Air Force aircraft intercepted Russian planes over the Baltic Sea three times.
Libelula Books & Co., San Diego, Calif., shared a video on Facebook showing what can happen "when ur coworkers get a little too hyper for the new inventory... but you can't really blame them."
Ukraine has returned the bodies of 1,000 fallen individuals as part of repatriation efforts, which according to information from the Russian side may belong to Ukrainian defenders, the Coordinating HQ for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (HQ) has said.

"Repatriation measures took place today, resulting in the return of the bodies (remains) of 1,000 deceased persons to Ukraine. According to the Russian side, the returned bodies belong to Ukrainian servicemen. Law enforcement investigators, together with expert institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, will conduct all necessary examinations to identify the repatriated persons. Once the identities are established, the bodies will be handed over to families for a dignified burial," the HQ stated on its Telegram channel on Thursday.

It was noted that the repatriation efforts were successful due to the joint work of the Coordinating Staff for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Joint Center under the SBU, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Persons Missing under Special Circumstances, the State Emergency Service, and other structures of the Security and Defense Sector.

The HQ expressed gratitude for the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross and separate thanks to the personnel of the Central Directorate of Civil-Military Cooperation of the General Staff and the Joint Center for Ensuring Civil-Military Cooperation Measures of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The intersection of cryptocurrency and citizenship by investment has reached a tipping point. High-net-worth Bitcoin holders are discovering a strategic advantage: converting digital assets into second passports without triggering massive tax events or liquidating positions at unfavorable prices.

This isn't theoretical anymore. As of early 2026, several governments have formalized pathways for crypto investors to obtain citizenship, recognizing that digital asset holders represent a significant pool of mobile capital seeking global mobility solutions.

The trend reflects a broader shift in how governments view cryptocurrencynot as a speculative bubble, but as legitimate wealth worth attracting through economic citizenship programs.

Why Crypto Investors Are Seeking Second Citizenship

Bitcoin millionaires face unique challenges that traditional high-net-worth individuals don't encounter. Regulatory uncertainty remains the primary driver pushing crypto investors toward citizenship by investment programs.

Many jurisdictions still haven't established clear tax frameworks for cryptocurrency gains. This creates planning nightmares for investors sitting on substantial unrealized appreciation. A second citizenship in a tax-friendly jurisdiction provides optionality when regulations shift unfavorably.

Global mobility concerns also factor heavily into these decisions. Crypto entrepreneurs often run borderless businesses and need visa-free access to major economic centers. Traditional passports from emerging markets limit travel flexibility, while economic citizenship programs offer immediate access to dozens of countries.

Capital preservation motivates many applications as well. Banking restrictions targeting cryptocurrency holders have intensified across Europe and North America. Countries that welcome crypto-derived wealth provide financial services infrastructure that accommodates digital assets without the compliance headaches.

The timing advantage cannot be overstated. Payment structures in citizenship programs now allow investors to lock in program terms while Bitcoin remains in their wallets, potentially appreciating during the 3-9 month approval window.

Countries Accepting Cryptocurrency for Citizenship in 2026

The landscape of countries accepting crypto for citizenship has evolved considerably, though the list remains selective and tightly regulated.

El Salvador's Freedom Visa Program

El Salvador made history by accepting Bitcoin as legal tender, and their Freedom Visa program extends this crypto-friendly approach to citizenship. The program requires a $1 million minimum investment payable in BTC or USDT directly to government accounts.

Processing times run faster than traditional programstypically 2-3 months for initial approval. The country's pro-Bitcoin stance under President Bukele has created infrastructure specifically designed to handle cryptocurrency transactions at the government level.

Applicants gain visa-free access to Central American countries and certain South American nations, though the passport's global mobility remains limited compared to Caribbean alternatives.

Antigua & Barbuda's Crypto-Friendly Approach

Antigua & Barbuda doesn't accept cryptocurrency directly but works with licensed payment agents who facilitate crypto-to-fiat conversion. Investors can pay in Bitcoin, Ethereum, or USDT through these regulated intermediaries.

The program offers multiple investment pathways starting at $200,000-$300,000, making it more accessible than El Salvador's offering. The Antiguan passport provides visa-free access to over 150 countries, including the UK and Schengen zone.

This structure satisfies both cryptocurrency holders seeking convenience and government requirements for traditional currency receipts. The licensed agents handle AML/KYC compliance, converting crypto to Eastern Caribbean dollars before transferring funds to the government.

Vanuatu's Emerging Crypto Acceptance

Vanuatu has signaled openness to cryptocurrency payments for its Development Support Program, though details remain less formalized than other jurisdictions. The program typically processes applications within 60 days and requires contributions starting around $130,000 for single applicants.

The Vanuatu passport offers visa-free access to Russia, UK, and EU Schengen countries, making it attractive for crypto investors with business interests spanning East and West.

How the Crypto-to-Citizenship Process Works

The mechanics of buying citizenship with cryptocurrency involve more steps than traditional fiat transactions, primarily due to compliance requirements.

Most governments don't accept cryptocurrency directly into treasury accounts. Instead, regulated intermediaries serve as the bridge between crypto holders and government programs. These licensed agents must comply with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) guidelines and local AML regulations.

Here's how the typical process unfolds:

First, investors undergo pre-screening with an investment migration advisor. Firms like Global Residence Index specialize in crypto-friendly citizenship applications and can identify which programs best accommodate digital asset holders while ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements.

Next comes the documentation phase. Investors must prove the source of cryptocurrency funds, which can be challenging for early Bitcoin adopters. Exchange records, blockchain transaction histories, and previous tax filings all serve as supporting evidence.

The crypto conversion happens after initial approval in most programs. This timing proves crucialinvestors don't need to liquidate holdings immediately. Instead, they can wait until receiving preliminary government approval, typically 3-9 months into the process.

During this window, Bitcoin price movements work in the investor's favor if markets rise. A $300,000 obligation calculated at submission might only require selling 4 BTC if Bitcoin appreciates from $75,000 to $100,000 during processing.

Licensed payment agents then convert the cryptocurrency to fiat currency at the prevailing exchange rate, minus conversion fees typically ranging from 1-3%. The government receives payment in its required currency, completing the transaction.

Strategic Advantages for Bitcoin Holders

The payment timing structure creates a unique arbitrage opportunity for cryptocurrency investors that traditional applicants cannot access.

Consider this scenario: An investor applies for Antigua citizenship requiring $230,000 in contributions when Bitcoin trades at $60,000. The application takes six months to approve, during which Bitcoin rallies to $90,000.

The investor initially needed 3.83 BTC. At approval, only 2.56 BTC are requireda 33% reduction in Bitcoin terms while meeting the same fiat-denominated obligation. This dynamic allows investors to preserve more cryptocurrency holdings while achieving citizenship objectives.

Tax optimization represents another significant advantage. Many citizenship-by-investment jurisdictions impose no capital gains taxes on cryptocurrency or offer favorable territorial tax systems. Establishing tax residency before liquidating substantial holdings can save millions in tax liabilities.

The banking benefits cannot be overlooked. Crypto investors with Caribbean or Pacific passports can access offshore banking infrastructure more readily than relying solely on their original nationality. This proves especially valuable when traditional banks in developed markets continue restricting cryptocurrency-related accounts.

Risks and Considerations

Price volatility cuts both ways. The same mechanism allowing gains during processing can work against investors if cryptocurrency markets decline. Some programs allow investors to "lock in" exchange rates through forward contracts, though this eliminates upside potential.

Regulatory evolution remains unpredictable. Countries accepting cryptocurrency today might reverse course if political winds shift. El Salvador's program depends heavily on continued government support for Bitcoina change in administration could fundamentally alter the landscape.

Due diligence requirements have intensified specifically for cryptocurrency-derived wealth. Governments want assurance that funds don't originate from illicit sources. Investors who participated in early ICOs, DeFi protocols, or cryptocurrency mixing services may face additional scrutiny.

The limited number of programs accepting crypto creates dependency on just a handful of jurisdictions. Geographic and political concentration risk should factor into any investor's decision-making process.

Working With Specialized Advisors

The complexity of crypto-funded citizenship applications makes specialized guidance essential. Vancis Capital and similar firms have developed expertise in navigating both investment migration regulations and cryptocurrency compliance requirements.

Advisors can identify which programs offer genuine crypto acceptance versus those requiring complicated workarounds. They also manage the documentation proving source of fundsoften the most challenging aspect for cryptocurrency investors.

Pre-screening services help identify potential roadblocks before investors commit to application fees. This proves especially valuable for crypto holders whose transaction histories involve privacy coins, decentralized exchanges, or other elements that might trigger enhanced scrutiny.

The Future of Crypto-Funded Citizenship

The trend toward accepting cryptocurrency for citizenship investment will likely expand rather than contract. Governments competing for mobile capital recognize that excluding digital assets means missing out on a significant investor demographic.

Stablecoin acceptance may proliferate faster than Bitcoin acceptance. USDT and USDC provide the benefits of cryptocurrency (fast transfers, lower fees, borderless transactions) without the volatility concerns that make governments hesitant about direct Bitcoin acceptance.

Blockchain-based citizenship documentation represents another frontier. Several nations are exploring NFT-based passport systems and blockchain identity verification, which could further streamline crypto-to-citizenship pathways.

For Bitcoin holders seeking global mobility, tax optimization, or capital preservation, citizenship by investment programs now offer viable pathways that accommodate digital assets. The key lies in understanding program structures, timing the conversion strategically, and working with advisors who understand both worlds.

As regulatory frameworks mature and more jurisdictions recognize cryptocurrency as legitimate wealth, expect the barrier between digital assets and traditional citizenship programs to continue dissolving throughout 2026 and beyond.
Fuel prices remain unchanged across major Indian cities despite global volatility

Crude oil prices rise amid renewed tensions in West Asia and Lebanon escalation

Government reviews supply measures to ensure fuel and essential availability

Petrol and diesel prices across major Indian cities remained largely unchanged on April 9, even as global crude oil markets continued to witness sharp volatility driven by geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Key metro cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad reported no significant change in fuel prices, reflecting a temporary pause in domestic price revisions despite rising global uncertainty.

In New Delhi, petrol was priced at Rs 94.77 per litre and diesel at Rs 87.67, while Mumbai recorded petrol at Rs 103.54 and diesel at Rs 90.03. Similar price stability was observed in Chennai and Kolkata. However, minor fluctuations were seen in select cities, with Jaipur and Patna registering slight increases, while Noida and Bengaluru saw marginal declines. These limited adjustments indicate a cautious approach by oil marketing companies amid an unpredictable global environment.

The global oil market has been under pressure due to the ongoing West Asia conflict. A temporary two-week ceasefire announced on April 7 between Iran and the United States initially eased concerns, leading to a brief cooling of energy prices. However, the relief proved short-lived as fresh escalation in Lebanon reignited fears of supply disruptions. Notably, crude oil prices have surged nearly 50 percent since the conflict began on February 28, primarily due to risks associated with the critical Strait of Hormuz trade route

Further intensifying concerns, Brent crude prices rose by around 3 percent to $97.64 per barrel, rebounding after a sharp earlier decline. Market sentiment remains fragile, with analysts warning that the situation could deteriorate rapidly given the volatile geopolitical landscape. Reports suggesting potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have added to the uncertainty, making global oil prices highly sensitive to ongoing developments.

In response to the evolving situation, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the third meeting of the Group of Ministers on West Asia on April 8 in New Delhi. The meeting reviewed measures to ensure uninterrupted availability of essential commodities, including petrol, diesel, LPG, and fertilisers. The government reiterated its commitment to maintaining supply stability despite global challenges.

Meanwhile, tensions escalated further after Israel launched heavy strikes in Lebanon, prompting strong reactions from Iran and raising doubts over the continuation of ceasefire talks. With the situation remaining fluid, both global oil markets and domestic fuel prices are expected to stay under close watch in the coming days.
The Waterless Man of India, National Awardee, and builder of Clensta and DarVi opens up on betrayal, resilience, and the one thing fifteen years of building has taught him that no classroom ever could: that passion is the only asset no one can steal from you.

A photograph posted quietly to LinkedIn last week has been circulating far beyond the entrepreneurship communities that first encountered it. In it, Puneet Gupta stands in a formal government conference room alongside then-Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ji and Defence Secretary-level officials, the Ashoka Chakra emblem on the wall behind them. The caption beneath it did not mention the occasion. It did not need to. What it said instead has become the sentence people keep sharing: "Some rooms teach you more in two hours than two years of reading ever could."

Gupta is not a theorist who stumbled into that room. He earned his place in it across fifteen years of building, failing, rebuilding, and refusing to stop. He is the founder behind Clensta, a full-spectrum personal care company he built into a nationally recognised brand and took to acquisition, and DarVi, brand which was built upgrade weapons. Collectively, his portfolio represents over $100 million in enterprise value and more than $30 million raised. He is known across Indian entrepreneurship circles as the Waterless Man of India, the title that followed his pioneering work in waterless personal care technology. He is a National Awardee, an IIM Calcutta alumnus, and is currently completing doctoral research in Generative AI and Emerging Technologies. For more on his work and perspective, visit - puneetgupta.org.

"Education shows you the map. Experience puts you in the territory. You need both. Pick one and you are half a founder."

 Puneet Gupta, Founder | Waterless Man of India | National Awardee

The First Love That Shaped Everything After

There is a parallel that people who know Gupta's story have begun to draw. Phil Knight, before Nike made him a legend, was a runner first. He wanted to compete at the highest level. He could not quite get there. So instead he built the company that every elite athlete in the world would eventually run in. The unfulfilled first love became the engine of something far larger. Gupta's story carries the same structure. His first love was defence. He wanted to serve. Circumstances closed that path. But that desire never left. It redirected. His defence technology ventures were not pivots or opportunistic moves. They were the closest he could get to a mission that had claimed him long before he ever built a company. That unresolved hunger, people who know him say, is precisely what makes his commitment as a builder so difficult to extinguish.

What Fifteen Years of Scars Actually Teach You

Gupta speaks with the kind of frankness that tends to make rooms go quiet. He has experienced what many founders encounter across a decade and a half of building but few articulate plainly: the people around you, more often than you expect, will work against what you are trying to create. Not always out of calculated malice. Sometimes out of fear. Sometimes out of their own unmet ambition. Sometimes out of proximity that was mistaken for partnership.

He does not recount these experiences with bitterness. He recounts them with the precision of someone who extracted every lesson before moving on. "Experience without structure is just a collection of scars," he has said on multiple occasions. "But scars, if you study them carefully, are the most honest curriculum you will ever find. They show you exactly where you were not paying attention."

"Ninety-nine percent of the people around you will, knowingly or unknowingly, try to pull down whatever you are building. The number does not change. What changes is how quickly you learn to see it and how little energy you spend being surprised by it."

 Puneet Gupta

The One Asset No One Has Ever Been Able to Take From Him

Across fifteen years, Gupta has experienced what founders rarely say out loud: that the people, the capital, the teams, and even the ideas can be lost, taken, or dismantled. He has rebuilt from positions that would have ended most careers. What has not moved is something internal and, he argues, something that cannot be manufactured through education or experience alone.

"People can take my capital, my team, my time, and my ideas. No one has ever been able to take my passion. And passion is the only thing that actually starts a startup."

 Puneet Gupta

It is a statement that his fifteen-year arc makes difficult to dismiss. And it is, increasingly, the statement that people who encounter his LinkedIn post are sharing most.

Why the Investors Who Backed Him Before Have Not Walked Away

In a funding environment where trust is among the scarcest commodities in the market, Gupta's previous investors have not distanced themselves from his journey. Those who backed him through his earlier ventures continue to express active interest in his next chapter. People close to those conversations describe the reason simply: pattern recognition. They have watched him absorb pressure that would have ended most founders, adapt without losing the original thesis, and always find a way back to building. What experienced investors are underwriting when they back Gupta is not a business model in isolation. It is a temperament that has been tested across fifteen years and has not broken.

The Question India's Founders Are Getting Wrong

The photograph and the caption beneath it have sparked a conversation that extends beyond Gupta himself. As voices across Indian entrepreneurship debate whether formal education still matters, his position occupies a place that is harder to dismiss than either side of that argument: he has done both, at the highest level, across fifteen years. He is not arguing from ideology. He is arguing from evidence.

"The founders who last are not the ones who skipped education," he wrote. "They are the ones who combined doing with deliberate learning. Experience without structure is just a collection of scars." It is a formulation that positions curiosity, not credentials, as the true differentiator and one that his biography makes very difficult to argue with.

"Decisions at the highest levels are rarely about data alone. They are about judgment  the kind that only forms when you have seen enough, failed enough, and stayed curious enough to keep asking better questions."

The post, the photograph, and the conversation it has ignited suggest that Puneet Gupta has, perhaps without intending to, given the Indian entrepreneurship debate the voice it was missing: someone who has lived every side of it.

About Puneet Gupta

Puneet Gupta is a serial founder, National Awardee, and the builder behind Clensta and DarVi. Recognised widely as the Waterless Man of India for pioneering waterless personal care technology, he has raised over $30 million across fifteen years of building and collectively created over $100 million in enterprise value. An IIM Calcutta alumnus with a background spanning defence technology and consumer innovation, he is currently completing doctoral research in Generative AI and Emerging Technologies. He is based in Gurugram, Haryana. Read more at puneetgupta.org.
US clarifies that Lebanon was never included in the Iran ceasefire, limiting the deal strictly to Iran and its allies

Miscommunication during negotiations led Iran and mediators to assume a broader regional scope, creating early confusion

Ongoing tensions over Lebanon and Israels actions risk complicating fragile diplomatic talks and future agreements

JD Vance has clarified that the recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran does not include Lebanon, calling the confusion a 'misunderstanding' during negotiations. His statement comes after conflicting signals from Iranian officials and mediators who suggested the truce might cover wider regional tensions.

Speaking to reporters in Budapest, Vance explained that Iran appeared to assume Lebanon was part of the agreement, but the United States never included it in the deal. He stressed that the ceasefire strictly applies to Iran, the US, and its allies, including Israel and key Gulf nations.

ongoing diplomatic efforts. He noted that Israel had shown some willingness to exercise restraint in Lebanon to support talks, though this was not a formal part of the agreement. Vance also warned that any escalation involving Lebanon could threaten. He noted that Israel had shown some willingness to exercise restraint in Lebanon to support talks, though this was not a formal part of the agreement.

He added that if Iran chooses to push the issue over Lebanon, it could risk derailing the fragile ceasefire. According to Vance, such a move would weaken the progress made so far in easing tensions.

The disagreement has emerged as an early hurdle in efforts to build a longer-term agreement between the two sides. Despite the uncertainty, the US plans to continue diplomatic engagement. Vance confirmed that an American delegation will travel to Pakistan for further discussions aimed at stabilizing the situation.

The situation remains sensitive, especially with ongoing military actions involving Israel and Hezbollah. Analysts believe that clear communication and defined terms will be critical to prevent further misunderstandings and keep negotiations on track.
Zelenskyy: Ukraine must prepare for next winter and not relax

Photo: The Presidential Office of Ukraine / www.president.gov.ua

Preparation for the next winter is a priority today, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

"We have made it through the winter, but it can be said that we probably cannot relax. We must prepare for the next winter. This is a priority for us today," Zelenskyy said during his speech at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Uzhhorod on Thursday.

He thanked all regions that prepared and defended their resilience plans.

"I think you spoke with our officials today, and with our MPs. I even heard it was loud. This is normal," the president said, addressing the Congress participants.

The head of state announced that important decisions are approaching, adding that a project in the Middle East will strengthen Ukraine in terms of energy security. He also asked communities to focus on protecting people.

"We must prepare in any case and restore our energy capacity, regardless of when the war ends," he noted.
Advertisement

Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Locksley fires up first ever drilling beside giant US rare earths mine Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Andrew Todd April 9, 2026  3:28pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Locksley Resources has fired up the drill rig to chase rare earths at its Mojave Project in California, launching the first-ever drilling campaign at its El Campo rare earths prospect. The move marks the first systematic subsurface test of the prospect, which sits just 6.5km southeast of MP Materials world-class Mountain Pass mine  the only operating rare earths facility in the United States. Diamond drilling on site at Locksley Resources El Campo project in California, with the world-class Mountain Pass rare earths mine in the background. The company says its program, consisting of four diamond holes, will drill into the ground to test the depth and lateral continuity of surface mineralisation over a 900-metre strike length. The drill bit will be aimed at unearthing the source of some eye-catching sample numbers, where previous rock chips returned grades of up to 12.1 per cent total rare earth oxides (TREO).

Advertisement

Management says the program will test for sheared carbonatite-hosted rare earths mineralisation, the same geological style that underpins the nearby Mountain Pass deposit. This giant carbonatite system has been mined for more than 70 years. This program will deliver the first subsurface data to assess continuity and inform the projects development potential. Locksley Resources technical director Ian Stockton Once completed, the core samples will be logged for detailed geological analysis and to guide future metallurgical test work, a critical step in understanding the projects wider potential. The drilling program is a key part of Locksleys broader strategy to build a domestic US supply of critical minerals. With rare earths designated as vital for national security applications, defence systems and the coming robotics revolution, the American government has prioritised the development of new, secure domestic sources to reduce its reliance on foreign supply chains. A discovery at El Campo could place Locksley at the forefront of that national push, leveraging its strategic position next to the government-funded Mountain Pass, within a well-established mineral province.

Advertisement

At the same time, the company says it is currently awaiting assay results from a recently completed drilling program at its Desert Antimony mine within the same Mojave project tenure, adding another feather to the companys critical minerals cap. Locksley Resources technical director Ian Stockton said: Commencing drilling at El Campo marks an important step in advancing the broader rare earth potential of the Mojave Project. The grade of surface mineralisation identified to date provides a strong foundation, and this program will deliver the first subsurface data to assess continuity and inform the projects development potential. The back-to-back drilling programs at two distinct critical mineral prospects appear to be a calculated move by the company to generate a steady stream of results while conserving costs with a single rig. The current campaign at El Campo is expected to take about three weeks, with initial assays to be delivered once samples are submitted for analysis. The results will be used to create a 3D geological model of the mineralisation and will be instrumental in planning follow-up exploration.

Advertisement

At Locksleys Desert antimony prospect, high-grade antimony veins have already been substantially outlined, with recent surface assays grading up to 46 per cent antimony. The company has also recently produced a highly stable battery-grade antimony-graphite material through its partnership with Rice University in Texas. Using a novel Deep Eutectic Solvent process, the partners successfully extract antimony without the complexity of traditional flotation. This is seen as a key step for Locksley, as it moves towards defence-grade 99 per cent-pure antimony under its US mine-to-market strategy. With the drill rods now turning in the shadow of Americas most prominent rare earths operation, Locksley is taking the pivotal step from surface prospecting to subsurface discovery. For a company with ambitions to supply two different critical minerals to the US domestic market, this maiden drill program could prove to be a company-maker in the booming critical minerals market. 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-letter day as Peninsula restarts Wyoming yellowcake production Brought to you by Bulls N Bears Doug Bright April 9, 2026  2:31pm 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 red-letter day for Peninsula Energy, the company has flicked the switch back on at its Lance uranium operation in Wyoming, USA, with the projects central processing plant (CPP) once again producing dried yellowcake. The company says its plant has renewed uranium precipitation following the installation and commissioning of replacement agitator assemblies in both precipitation tanks, restoring the final stage of its processing circuit to full working order. Peninsula Energy employs in situ recovery leach mining, a widely used method in Wyoming. In 2024, 52 per cent of global uranium production came from ISR mining. Suppied Notably, Peninsula has maintained its calendar year 2026 production guidance unchanged at between 0.4 and 0.5 million pounds of uranium, underpinned by a hefty 2.0 million pounds per annum nameplate plant capacity. The restart follows Peninsulas mid-February update, which disclosed incorrect installation of the dual precipitation circuit agitator assemblies. This required temporarily taking the plant offline during its early ramp-up phase.

Advertisement

We are well positioned to continue ramping-up production and delivering on our CY2026 guidance. Peninsula Energy managing director and chief executive officer George Bauk Usefully, the rectification has been dealt with as a warranty claim under the companys engineering, procurement and construction contract. Before the temporary shutdown, the precipitation circuit had shown strong operational performance, achieving just shy of 100 per cent efficiency during its early ramp-up phase. Now, with rectification complete, Peninsula says it is confident that its CPP is well-placed to support sustained production ramp-up through the remainder of the year. Peninsula Energy managing director and chief executive officer George Bauk said: The successful recommencement of precipitation and yellowcake production at the Lance CPP is an important milestone for the Company. The team responded quickly and effectively to resolve the installation issue, while maintaining wellfield operations and progressing other optimisation activities across the plant.

Advertisement

While the plant was down, Peninsula made productive use of the downtime, carrying out a series of plant improvements and optimisation works to tidy up and fine-tune operations across the facility. The work included progressing its coating work across the ion exchange and elution tanks in phases one and two and installing a small reverse-osmosis (RO) unit to improve process water quality for the filter press wash cycles. The newly installed reverse osmosis unit is designed to improve the quality of the final yellowcake by stripping out excess sodium, while also lowering the risk of corrosion across plant equipment. While the reverse osmosis upgrade might seem like a minor detail, it ties directly into Peninsulas broader operational reset at Lance. High sodium levels in ISR uranium processing can stem from saline groundwater or from alkaline leaching reagents such as sodium carbonate, bicarbonate or sodium hydroxide, which can ultimately reduce precipitation efficiency and lower yellowcake quality.

Advertisement

Peninsulas reset plan has therefore centred on shifting the operation away from alkaline chemistry towards an acidic leaching system, a change designed to improve recovery performance and product quality while also reducing sodium-related processing issues. The shift to acidic leachants has dramatically increased peak uranium grades - averaging nearly one gram per litre- and impressively, has improved overall recoveries to over 90 per cent. The change also reduced operating costs. Acidic leaching can offer lower operating costs and higher efficiency than alkaline methods at certain sites. This may have also partly come about because the Lance project is geologically more compatible with acidic solutions, which often leads to processing a greater percentage of uranium minerals in a shorter timeframe. On the wellfield side, momentum has continued to build in Mine Unit 4, which is the key growth engine in the companys production reset plan. Uranium-bearing solution from Header House 14 in Mine Unit 4 was sent to the plant in late March and is now being captured on resin in the ion exchange columns.

Advertisement

Early data are encouraging, with the average head grade into the plant since connection at 63.9 milligrams per litre (mg/l), which the company says is well ahead of historical grades delivered under the projects prior alkaline chemistry operations. Peninsula says the grade uplift came quickly, within one week of entering production after only three pore volumes, with targeted peak average header house grades expected after four to five pore volumes. The company is continuing to acidify additional header houses in Mine Unit 4, in line with its reset plan, as it pushes towards a stabilised, steady run-rate for the rest of the year. With the processing plant back online, its guidance intact and Mine Unit 4 seemingly finding its stride, the company looks to have its Lance ramp-up back on the rails. Now, Peninsulas story hinges around maintaining the resin loading, precipitation and drum-filling sequence humming smoothly as the company eyes its next leg up in domestic US uranium supply. 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
Photo: SBU

The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has uncovered a large-scale scheme to appropriate lands of Kyivs nature reserve fund worth over UAH 595 million. Former MP Andriy Derkach, who is suspected of high treason and is hiding in Russia, is involved in organizing the deal, the SBU reports.

"It has been established that during his parliamentary term until 2019, the suspect appropriated 41.5 hectares of protected land in Kyiv. This represents almost 50% of the total area of this nature protection zone," the SBU informed on its Telegram channel on Thursday.

According to the agency, the suspect involved accomplices who at that time held the positions of head of the Obukhiv district department of Derzhkomzem and head of the Obukhiv district state administration.

"To seize the land of the reserve fund, the participants of the deal forged land management documentation and entered false data into the State Land Register of Ukraine," the report emphasizes.

The SBU notes that the suspects tried to legalize the scheme.

"For this purpose, after numerous divisions, mergers, and resales, the land plots were registered in the names of relatives and acquaintances of Derkach and his accomplices," the agency specifies.

Based on the collected evidence, SBU investigators notified all 3 suspects of suspicion under 2 articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Part 5 of Art. 191 (appropriation, embezzlement of property or seizure of it by abuse of official position, committed on an especially large scale by an organized group) and Part 3 of Art. 209 (legalization (laundering) of property obtained by criminal means).

Currently, as reported by the SBU, 1 of the organizers of the dealthe former head of the Obukhiv district state administrationhas been detained.

"Since Derkach and his accomplicethe former head of the Obukhiv district department of Derzhkomzemare hiding outside Ukraine, they have been notified of suspicion in absentia," the Ukrainian special service emphasizes.

Comprehensive measures are ongoing to bring them to justice. The investigation was conducted under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine.
Advertisement

Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Strickland jags new base metals find in Serbia Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Craig Nolan April 9, 2026  5:54pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Strickland Metals has jagged a series of notable base metal hits from drilling at its Obradov Potok deposit, part of the companys hefty 8.6 million-ounce gold-equivalent Rogozna project in Serbia with early results hinting at an even larger system lurking at depth. A scout drilling program at the prospect unearthed a 46m intercept grading 0.3 per cent lead, 0.6 per cent zinc and 2.4 grams per tonne (g/t) silver from 882.8m. The strike was backed up by a second hole that punched out 2.9m at 3.2 per cent lead, 1.7 per cent zinc and 19.2g/t silver from 848.4m, including a solid 1.5m block at 5.1 per cent lead, 2.1 per cent zinc and 32.6g/t silver. Drill core photo showing carbonate replacement-style vein mineralisation from drilling at the companys Obradov Potok deposit, part of its large Rogozna precious and base metals project in Serbia. A deeper 2m hit delivered 0.1 per cent lead, 2.3 per cent zinc and 10.2g/t silver from 950.7m, backed up by shallower intervals in a second hole of 3m at 0.7 per cent lead, 1.7 per cent zinc and 5.2g/t silver from 615m and 2.1m at a grade of 0.4 per cent lead, 2.8 per cent zinc and 2.9g/t silver from 693.4m. A third hole continued the theme returning 2.9m running at 0.4 per cent lead, 1.5 per cent zinc and 3.2g/t silver from 484.2m and 3m at 0.4 per cent lead, 0.9 per cent zinc and 2.8g/t silver from 604.6m.

Advertisement

Importantly, the company says the drilling has confirmed carbonate replacement-style mineralisation at Obradov Potok along the same east-north-east to west-south-west structural corridor that links the Jezerska Reka area with the companys 1.2-million-ounce Gradina deposit and 810,000-ounce gold-equivalent Copper Canyon deposit with the structural continuity a clear feature. Scout drilling completed last year has elevated Obradov Potok as a priority target for follow-up exploration. Strickland Metals managing director Paul LHerpiniere Strickland believes the carbonate replacement mineralisation could represent the outer halo of a larger copper-gold skarn system with the potential for high-grade, bulk-scale mineralisation building towards the core. Skarn systems of this type are often associated with large-scale deposits and can sit alongside porphyry systems within extensive hydrothermal environments. The company is planning further drilling aimed squarely at testing that interpreted core. Geophysics is also lending support to the model. Management says the Obradov Potok mineralisation is associated with a major gravity anomaly, similar in scale to its Gradina, Shanac and Copper Canyon deposits. It believes the gravity data has highlighted two structures running east-north-east  west-south-west, with the mineralisation hosted at the intersection of the two structures.

Advertisement

Notably, the major deposits at Rogozna indicate a close connection to major gravity-high anomalies. Strickland Metals managing director Paul LHerpiniere said: Scout drilling completed last year has elevated Obradov Potok as a priority target for follow-up exploration, with results confirming significant zones of carbonate-replacement lead-zinc-silver mineralisation. LHerpiniere said Obradov Potok was initially targeted due to a combination geochemical soil anomalism, induced-polarisation (IP) and gravity anomalism within the network of ore-controlling structures hosting large-scale mineralisation across the Rogozna project. The network of ore-controlling structures is now increasingly recognised at Rogozna as vital to hosting the huge bounty of mineral resources at the Serbian site. Further exploration is planned on the structural framework to enable the company to home-in on potential intersections of valid interpreted structures. The company believes the carbonate replacement lead-zinc-silver mineralisation found at Obradov is akin to what would be expected in the outer zones of a skarn-style deposit, with an expected transition to gold-dominant mineralisation closer to the heart of the system, and eventually copper-gold in the true core of the skarn system.

Advertisement

Strickland plans to soon begin follow-up drilling and is modelling recent drilling results at its heavyweight Shanac deposit, containing 5.3 million gold-equivalent ounces, with an updated mineral resource expected to be revealed this month. The companys current 211 million tonne gangbuster resource tips the scales at a solid 1.3g/t for a whopping 8.6 million gold-equivalent ounces and consists of 5.2 million-ounces of gold, 321,000 tonnes of copper, 32.3 million-ounces of silver, 383,000 tonnes of lead and 830,000 tonnes of zinc. While base and precious metal prices have steadied in recent sessions amid easing geopolitical tensions, Rogoznas scale and growing geological coherence are starting to stand on their own. And if Obradov Potok does indeed vector into a meaningful skarn core, Strickland may not need much more to push its already sizeable inventory toward that psychologically important 10-million-ounce gold-equivalent mark. 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

Gold
If were fortunate, the fact federal police have charged Ben Roberts-Smith with war crimes under Australian law and before an Australian court will force us into a moment of hesitation. The early signs are promising, with the prime minister and opposition leader declining to weigh in, correctly noting the dangers of commenting on a matter before the courts. Such reticence is precious in a saga like this, which from its beginning took the shape of a culture war. It remained such, even as it worked its way through the courts courtesy of Roberts-Smiths defamation suit against this masthead, breaking along familiar, highly politicised lines.

Put crudely, a conservative cohort was outraged, seeing a scandalous attack on a war hero, besmirching our armed forces. It was people who had never been to war presuming to judge those who had. Meanwhile, in progressive hands, this became a way to criticise a particular kind of nationalism, in which we package our national identity in the military, and assume it can do no wrong. For that reason, it also sat alongside a more thoroughgoing critique of our militarys culture. Cast in these terms, it is little wonder even, as this moved from the newspaper into the courts, plenty found themselves not merely interested observers, but barrackers, cheering for one outcome.

Illustration by Simon Letch

But no longer can this be reduced to such politics. No longer is this a contest between Roberts-Smith and some journalists. You cant credibly frame the Australian Federal Police as scurrilous activists trying to sully our soldiers. Equally, you cant dismiss them as being purely on the side of state power if theyre prepared to press charges  carrying a potential life sentence  against a Victoria Cross recipient. This moment invites us to a place above the fray. But to get there, well need to pay careful attention to whats happening. And whats not.

Here, for instance, is former Labor defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon, in a written statement: [W]e need to be mindful of what governments exposed our Diggers to in Afghanistan, how much we expected of them, and how much we pushed them  if things went wrong in the fog of war, we all share responsibility. True enough. But we should be clear that the allegations in this case  as put by the police and prosecutors  are specifically removed from the fog of war. Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett is explicit on the point: It will be alleged the victims were not taking part in hostilities at the time of their alleged murder in Afghanistan. It will be alleged the victims were unarmed and were under the control of ADF members when they were killed. It will be alleged the victims were shot by the accused or shot by subordinate members of the ADF in the presence of and acting on the orders of the accused.
Advertisement

NationalNSWSydney councils The $1.8 million Sydney plaza now fenced off indefinitely Anthony Segaert April 9, 2026  11:30am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

It was pitched as a modern urban space. But the $1.8 million Crescent Plaza is now a no-go zone after Fairfield Council decided it had no option but to shut it down. The plaza sits directly opposite the suburbs busy train station and was built as a meeting hub for families and locals. But the south-west Sydney council responsible for managing it has been struggling to deal with the regular alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour the plaza is attracting. Fairfields Crescent Plaza was fenced off by the council and NSW Police on Tuesday. Audrey Richardson Its sudden closure on Tuesday, when the council brought in temporary metal fencing, highlights the grey area councils operate in when dealing with anti-social behaviour in their own spaces. Councils dont have the power to move people on, so regularly rely on the polices extra powers to enforce change. This week, Cumberland Council attempted to issue eviction notices to homeless people sleeping in a newly renovated Pendle Hill playground after residents complained about alcohol consumption.

Advertisement

Its a hard one, Fairfields mayor Frank Carbone said on Wednesday. In conjunction with the police, it was decided that we will temporarily close part of the plaza to first of all try and resolve that issue. The police would need time to work out if those using the plaza would move to a similar location, he said, promising to keep it closed for as long as was necessary to make sure that behaviour doesnt occur. Crescent Plaza is directly opposite Fairfields busy train station. Audrey Richardson Salah Marbin, who has run a cafe at the train station for more than 13 years, said that despite the councils impressive cleaning schedule, the closure was needed. When it first opened, the plaza was very nice for families, he said. Now, the families never can sit over there. Its risky. Some people sitting over there [are] homeless and drunk people, and junkies. I see it every day over there, nighttime and daytime, he said. The people drop everything. Bottles of alcohol, paper, rubbish, everything. Salah Marbin runs a cafe near the train station and opposite the now-closed plaza. He said the closure was sad but necessary. Anthony Segaert

Advertisement

Urban designers have long wrestled with how to build public spaces that are safe and discourage anti-social behaviour. Sacha Coles, global design director of ASPECT Studios, said designers often follow principles highlighted in William H Whytes now-legendary book The Social Life of Small Public Spaces, which studied how people move in public. Some of the rules dont appear to be followed here. Public spaces should always be open to streets, in other words, not furtive spaces, Coles said. He said the plazas raised planter boxes, which provide shade coverage, were obscuring views to another space behind it  where the anti-social behaviour was occurring. The effect: a lot of the plaza is tucked away from the street, he said. Its almost not public space. If its filled with people, it feels like they might own that as their own little private space. So the best antidote to that is to try, if you can, and open public spaces to streets. The famous urbanist book declared: People tend to sit where there are places to sit. Now on Fairfields busiest street, locals have nowhere to sit. The Sydney Morning Herald has a bureau in the heart of Parramatta. Email parramatta@smh.com.au with news tips.

CLARIFICATION A previous version of this story said NSW Police erected the fence to block off the plaza. The fence was actually erected by Fairfield Council.
PM set to touch down in Singapore in matter of hours

The Prime Minister will land in Singapore in a few hours, on a mission to swap Australia's gas for vital fuel reserves.
Advertisement

NationalQueenslandCity council Huge inner-city block home to horses goes on sale with plans for dozens of houses William Davis April 9, 2026  11:03am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

A vast inner-city Brisbane block currently home to former racehorses is on the market, with approved plans for dozens of new houses. The 55,600-square-metre parcel at 112 Raceview Avenue in Hendra is just to the north of Doomben Racecourse and backs onto Southern Cross Way. Construction of 66 houses, roads and green space has been approved by Brisbane City Council. The block is just over seven kilometres from the CBD.

Advertisement

Bordered by blue-chip suburbs including Clayfield and Ascot, Hendra has become increasingly sought after in recent years despite the faint agricultural scent that can linger on some streets. The average house price surged about 75 per cent since 2021 to more than $2 million. Only seven kilometres from the Brisbane CBD, the block is home to about 20 horses. William Davis A tenant of the Raceview Avenue block, Rachael Stoddart, who owns some of the horses, arrived in a Toyota Prado to feed them on Wednesday afternoon. Its going to be sad whenever they come in with bulldozers and want to knock everything down, she said.

Advertisement

Stoddart was told by the landlord it could be anywhere from six months to a couple of years before horse owners were required to leave. The 55,600-square-metre block in Hendra, which is known to flood, is approved for development of 66 new houses. William Davis Sales agent Adam Rubie said there had been significant interest in the land so far, but official offers were not expected until closer to the end of the month. Its really exciting, he said. Its a premium residential opportunity  I dont think youre going to get the opportunity again that close to the CBD.

Advertisement

He would not disclose the price the seller was hoping to achieve. Documents published by the council show the plan for 66 new houses was approved on March 23, 2026. Public submissions noted the area was known to flood, and questioned how traffic would be affected and why more public green space was not included. The average house price in Hendra surged about 75 per cent since 2021 to about $2.1 million. William Davis A Change.org petition calling for development to be refused attracted more than 600 signatures.

Advertisement

If this proceeds, well be left without a local place to care for our horses, the petition said. This is not just about convenience; its about preserving a way of life and a piece of our local heritage. Allowing the development of these paddocks would be erasing a part of the identity that defines our neighbourhood. An expression of interest campaign for 112 Raceview Avenue is open until the end of the month through Colliers.

Advertisement

The development application for new houses would lapse on June 19, 2030 if not acted on. 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 Notorious child killer rushed to hospital after prison bashing Isabel McMillan April 9, 2026  3:50pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Convicted child murderer Arthur Phillip Freeman has been rushed to hospital after being bashed in prison. Freeman, now 54, was allegedly assaulted in the Western Plains Correctional Centre in Lara on Wednesday, as reported by the Herald Sun. A spokesperson from the Department of Justice and Community Safety said the incident involved two prisoners. Arthur Freeman, who murdered his four-year-old daughter, was hospitalised on Wednesday. Jason South One prisoner was taken to hospital for assessment and has since returned to the prison. No staff were injured, the spokesperson said. Victoria Police has been notified, and the incident will be investigated.

Advertisement

Freeman was convicted of murdering his four-year-old daughter in March 2011, after throwing her off the West Gate Bridge two years earlier. After deliberating for five days, a jury found Freeman had consciously, voluntarily and intentionally tossed Darcey Iris Freeman to her death at 9.15am on January 29, 2009. Darcey Freeman. He was sentenced to a non-parole period of 32 years in prison, with Victorian Supreme Court Justice Paul Coghlan expressing Darceys last thoughts bear not thinking about. Her death must have been painful, Justice Coglan said during sentencing.

Advertisement

[The] killing [was done] in the presence of your sons Ben, who was six, and son Jack, who was two at the time. The community hopes he will be too young to remember. The day before Darcey died, the Family Court had reduced Freemans access to his children during a custody dispute with his ex-wife and the childrens mother, Peta Barnes. Darcey Freeman. Coghlan said Freeman used Darcey to hurt his former wife as profoundly as possible, choosing a place that was public and would have the most dramatic impact. He said he was not satisfied that Freemans behaviour showed remorse, and found the father to be self-centred and yet to say sorry for what you had done.

Advertisement

Darcey was due to start prep school on the day she was killed. Police on Thursday confirmed a prisoner had been taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and detectives would investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. Ambulance Victoria was unable to comment due to patient privacy laws. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Crime

Prisons Isabel McMillan is a breaking news reporter at The Age.
Zelenskyy on visit of US delegation to Kyiv: we will find date after Easter holidays

The Ukrainian side will find a possible date for the visit of US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner to Kyiv after the Easter holidays, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced.

"After the Easter holidays we will find one date or another, and they will probably come. As far as I know from the media  Saturday and Sunday they have negotiations regarding Iran. Well see," Zelenskyy said during the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Uzhhorod on Thursday.

Earlier, the head of the Office of the President, Kyrylo Budanov, reported that the American delegation led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner may visit Kyiv after April 12.

On April 6, President Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian side is working very substantively with the US on documents regarding security guarantees and is preparing its proposals to strengthen the document. He emphasized that Ukraine is in contact with the American side at various levels practically every day to ensure a result.
Advertisement

NationalWAEnvironmental protection Opinion Environmental protection in WA is failing when we need it most  will the premier step up? Martin Pritchard Executive Director, Environs Kimberley April 10, 2026  5:00am

April 10, 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

Two years ago, the Cook government embarked on a deliberate campaign to weaken Western Australias highly respected and independent Environmental Protection Authority. As a direct result, environmental protection in WA is regressing at an alarming rate. The prospect of a Texan-owned company fracking parts of WAs Kimberley has drawn a record number of appeals to an Environmental Protection Authority decision. Even as economically devastating extreme weather events driven by climate change become more prevalent and the loss of nature and biodiversity accelerates, the government chose to prioritise industry demands for faster development approvals (slashing green tape) over safeguarding the environment we all depend on. Public appeal rights against EPA decisions have been further reduced, an Orwellian statement of expectations has been imposed by the government, and an intention to fill an expanded EPA board with fewer environmentally qualified people is clear.

Advertisement

While Premier Roger Cook claims to understand the science of climate change, WAs greenhouse gas emissions are rising, not falling. Related Article Environmental protection Erosion of trust: Minister slams critics as faith in WAs environment watchdog wavers His response has been to remove the EPAs ability to regulate emissions from highly polluting industries  namely, oil and gas. The end of coal-fired power in WA is welcome despite the clean energy rollout shambles, with no renewable energy target to give investors and industry confidence. The emissions reductions resulting from phasing out coal will be completely dwarfed by increasing pollution if the premier approves Woodsides drilling for oil and gas at Scott Reef and endorses fracking in the Kimberley  which his own party has rejected.

Advertisement

How did we get here? In October 2023, WAs Chamber of Commerce and Industry released an unsubstantiated report that claimed $318 billion in projects were stalled by the EPA. The very next day, the premier announced a review into the Environmental Protection Act. Seven weeks later, the reviews recommendations were accepted by the government without question. Chamber members like Gina Rineharts Hancock Prospecting, BHP, and Rio Tinto would no doubt have been delighted.

Advertisement

Given that history, it is surprising the current Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn claims he has been taken aback by community and local government criticism of recent EPA decisions. Related Article Exclusive

Mining Absurd: Toxic chemical risks in Kimberley fracking plan downplayed, environmentalists say The ministers claim that critics are driving an erosion of trust in the EPA is easily remedied. Recommitting to a well-funded, independent EPA underpinned by a strong Environmental Protection Act is essential to restore public confidence. As to the ministers recent statement that commentary on EPA decisions had some distance from the facts, one undeniable fact is that the Commonwealth governments Independent Expert Scientific Committee found that the information provided by Texan oil and gas company, Black Mountain Energy, in its quest to frack the Kimberley was not sufficient to assess the projects potential impacts on surface and groundwater resources and water-related assets.

Advertisement

That the EPA chose to dismiss this expert advice demonstrates how far standards have slipped in the past year or two. We are facing the prospect of 18,000 tonnes of chemicals pumped at extreme pressure through aquifers of the National Heritage-listed Martuwarra Fitzroy River catchment. Despite this, the WA EPA gave the green light for fracking to happen in the Kimberley. There has been a seismic shift in the standard of information required by the EPA to assess proposals. The WA EPA is no longer insisting on high standards of information upon which to base assessment decisions, and this is deeply concerning.

Advertisement

Advertisement

No one wants fracking apart from the Texan-owned Black Mountain Energy. The WA Labor Party faithful want it banned. While we cant rely on the reshaped EPA, the WA appeals convenor will be assessing the objections. Finally, the environment minister is the backstop for protecting the Kimberley after going through cabinet and the premier. Only time will tell how low environmental protection can go in Western Australia and whether Cook will be the premier to frack the Kimberley, or protect it and reverse the decline in environmental protection in Western Australia. In WA, the environment is often sacrificed for big business profits.

Advertisement

While industry social licence is evaporating faster than a South West dam, it is no wonder that dissatisfaction and anger is rising as citizens witness the collapse of forests and coral reefs. And the EPA recommended drilling and fracking in the Kimberley, of all places? 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

PoliticsFederalRoberts-Smith case Hastie could testify in Roberts-Smith murder trial Clay Lucas April 9, 2026  6:49pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Australia must acknowledge wrongdoing in Afghanistan while also respecting the rule of law following the arrest of Ben Roberts-Smith, says shadow defence minister and former SAS captain Andrew Hastie. Roberts-Smith, Australias most-decorated living soldier, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with five counts of the war crime of murder allegedly committed during his deployment to Afghanistan. Federal Liberal MP and former elite soldier Andrew Hastie (left), and Ben Roberts-Smith. Louise Kennerley During the arrest, described by the BBC as one of the most significant moments in Australian military history, Roberts-Smith was escorted off a plane onto the tarmac at Sydney Airport and taken into custody. The Victoria Cross recipient  whose legal fees in a failed defamation trial against this masthead were bankrolled by billionaire Kerry Stokes  will face a bail hearing on April 17.

Advertisement

Roberts-Smith has always denied the allegations against him. Hastie, who served multiple tours of Afghanistan, said on Thursday that he might be called to testify against his former colleague. In a statement posted to his website, Hastie noted that he was one of 21 SAS veterans subpoenaed as a witness in Roberts-Smiths defamation action. Related Article Exclusive

Roberts-Smith case His brothers leg became a grisly trophy. Now, he wants justice I gave testimony under oath, as required by law, he said. Mr Roberts-Smith is now facing criminal charges in relation to this operational mission, so it is possible that I will be called as a witness to this trial. Speaking earlier on Thursday to 2GB radio, Hastie warned that political commentary must not be allowed to prejudice the upcoming proceedings.

Advertisement

Ben Roberts-Smith is entitled to the presumption of innocence, he said. Hes entitled to a fair trial, and thats why Im very circumspect about making comment, because the last thing we want is for his trial to be prejudiced by political commentary. Hastie said that Tuesday was a sad and sobering day for many Australians, but that the rule of law must prevail to ensure the former soldier received a fair trial. Andrew Hastie in Afghanistan in 2013. In Roberts-Smiths defamation loss, the Federal Court found that, on the balance of probabilities, Roberts-Smith was a war criminal. Hastie said it was hard to avoid the reality of wrongdoing within the elite regiment following the handing down of the Brereton report into war crimes in 2020. [It] found wrongdoing was done, he said. There was some wrongdoing that was found to be credible  part of us moving forward as a country is acknowledging where weve done well and done right, and also acknowledging where weve gone wrong.

Advertisement

The West Australian MP, often touted as a possible future leader of the Coalition, said that while things never go right at the pointy end of combat, the actions of a few did not define the whole. I want to say to [veterans] that we all had a mission to serve our country, and 99 per cent of us did our job with honour, and we did it in a war that was incredibly frustrating, he said. Related Article Letters Ben Roberts-Smiths arrest is a key point in our history Reflecting on his own service, Hastie spoke of the brutal complexities of the Afghanistan conflict, and the devastating civilian toll. Until youve, like me, stood over the dead bodies of an eight-year-old and a six-year-old boy, which have just been torn up by a 30-millimetre cannon [fired] by a US Apache, Im just not going to take a lecture from people about the reality of war, he said.

Advertisement

Hastie said the SAS remained a critical national capability and defended the men and women serving in the regiment. He said it was crucial that politicians like him said as little as possible about the upcoming trial of the former soldier. [Roberts-Smith] will have his day in court, and one way or another, there will be an outcome, Hastie said. But if this process is prejudiced, were actually not doing Ben Roberts-Smith a service. Some politicians have opted for silence when asked about the case  including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who cited the looming court case  while others, like Pauline Hanson and Tony Abbott, have forcefully condemned the charges. Former prime minister John Howard said on Wednesday that to some Australians, Roberts-Smith is the modern personification of the great Anzac tradition. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Advertisement

PoliticsNSWNSW State Parliament Racing NSW yet to complete significantly delayed Covid-era stimulus projects Michael McGowan April 9, 2026  5:58pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Almost four years after Racing NSW was awarded tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to upgrade a series of regional racetracks with little oversight, many of the projects have been significantly delayed or have yet to begin, prompting calls for the powerful thoroughbred regulator to open its books for inspection by government auditors. A damning report from the NSW auditor-general into a grant program established under the former Coalition government known as Racing for the Regions had been beset by administrative failures by the Office of Racing, including a lack of clear project timelines and oversight. Racing NSW boss Peter Vlandys during a tense hearing at the Rosehill inquiry in 2024. Dean Sewell The grant scheme, which was meant to provide economic stimulus during the COVID-19 pandemic, had in 2021 awarded Racing NSW $58 million to complete 14 upgrades at nine regional racecourses including Gosford, Scone and Cessnock. The grant funding, which was executed in the middle of 2022, was handed directly to Racing NSW, headed by influential chief executive Peter Vlandys, which provided co-funding for the projects.

Advertisement

But almost four years later, the auditor-general found the program had been significantly delayed. Only six of the 14 projects have been completed and four are yet to begin. The report was highly critical of the grant administrator, the Office of Racing, which had been unaware of the program until after the funding for Racing NSW was announced. The department had signed a funding deed with Racing NSW before it had completed detailed project works, it found, and had failed to adequately administer the program. Related Article Horse racing Racing NSW to appeal court ruling, saying millions in funding at risk In one example, the auditor-general noted the department had not kept complete records and had documented less than half of the governance meetings it held with Racing NSW between February 2024 and October last year. The average difference between the estimated completion dates for projects in the original business case and the current timeline was more than three years, it found. The Herald also understands the scope of some projects has been reduced. The Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport  which oversees the Office of Racing  would not provide information about the original scope of the projects put forward for funding, instead referring questions to Racing NSW, which also did not provide that information.

Advertisement

But earlier this week Racing Minister David Harris attended the opening of the first of what the government says will be five new stables at Scone racecourse, housing 520 horses. In 2021, Vlandys told the ABC that Racing NSW would build stables to house 600 horses. Related Article Exclusive

Peter V'Landys Peter Vlandys launches legal action after NRL, racing jobs questioned Saranne Cooke, the chairman of Racing NSW, said the auditor-general had noted that the delays were not the fault of Racing NSW. In fact, the report confirms that Racing NSWs best practice decision to use a third-party project manager to oversee the projects has ensured robust probity and procurement processes, she said. Cooke said that insofar as there has been any delays to the projects, they were caused by extensive delays in development application approvals, an issue that has plagued the entire construction sector in NSW.

Advertisement

The report raises questions both about the oversight of the Racing for Regions grants program, and also the adequacy of financial oversight of Racing NSW, which is unlike most other statutory bodies in NSW because its finances are not subject to government auditing. It also comes at a critical juncture for Racing NSW  and the Minns governments handling of the powerful body. Former NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has been tasked with conducting a review of the thoroughbred racing legislation under which Racing NSW is constituted, and his report is expected to be released before the end of this year. Tony Harris, a former NSW auditor-general, first raised the issue of Racing NSWs exemption from examination by the government auditor in a submission to the fiery parliamentary inquiry into the now-abandoned sale of Rosehill Racecourse last year. At the time, racing minister David Harris said he did not agree with that suggestion because Racing NSW had to make commercial decisions and that the auditor-general would constrain their ability to be able to operate in that competitive world. A spokesman for the minister told the Herald that Racing NSWs auditing arrangements are a matter for them, and that the departments reporting, payment and assurance processes and controls had been strengthened.

Advertisement

But the auditor-general has since used the Audit Offices follow-the-money powers to examine the grants program, something Tony Harris said showed the need for greater financial transparency. It is a seriously large government entity with very significant powers and funding, and the auditor-general is prohibited by law from unilaterally auditing it and I dont know why, he said. But Cooke took aim at Tony Harris, claiming he had been commissioned by agitators against Racing NSW and calling him naive and uninformed because the regulator was an independent body. 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 PoliticsQueenslandPublic service Top public servant exchanged into ranks of another department Matt Dennien April 9, 2026  8:13pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

The top echelon of Queenslands public service has undergone only its second major internal reshuffle since the Crisafulli governments initial overhaul of senior bureaucrats in late 2024. Chris Lamont, the former NSW Small Business Commissioner parachuted in to head the new customer services-focused department under minister Steve Minnikin, has left the top role. Replacing him in an acting capacity is a long-term senior public servant from the Department of Premier and Cabinet, David Sinclair  an associate director-general heading its implementation arm. Then-newly appointed Queensland Department of Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business director-general Chris Lamont and his minister Steve Minnikin early last year. Facebook / Steve Minnikin MP While yet to be formally announced, Sinclairs new acting gig was flagged in an update to the Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business Department website on Wednesday.

Advertisement

Lamont will instead be exchanged into the premier and cabinet department ranks, in what a government spokesperson said was part of a senior executive mobility arrangement. Mr Lamont commenced at DPC on 7 April 2026 and will assist with delivering whole-of-government policy and economic priorities, the spokesperson said. During this time Mr Sinclair will act in the role of Director General, CDSB. No additional detail, including around the permanency, length or reason for the exchange, was given by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, or the offices of Minnikin and Premier David Crisafulli.

Advertisement

Along with small and family business schemes, the department, and  ultimately  Minnikin, is responsible for Smart Service Queensland, the primary contact point for government services. It also holds key whole-of-government support responsibilities spanning payroll, finance, human resources, cybersecurity, data and artificial intelligence, and the states digital licence app. Lamonts shift is only the second internal move of a permanent director-general since the October 2024 election, the fallout of which saw 10 directors-general depart their roles. He was appointed director-general of the Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business department less than a fortnight after the November 2024 swearing-in. The only other instance of such an internal shift away from a top department role has been former youth justice boss Bob Gee  now the Cross Border Commissioner after two temporary roles.

Advertisement
Advertisement

PoliticsWAPolice Police reviewing Broome incident where officer pushes woman during arrest Hamish Hastie April 9, 2026  6:35pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

WA Police are investigating an incident caught on camera in Broome on Tuesday where a police officer pushed a woman to the ground during a tense arrest of another person. Footage shared with the National Indigenous Times shows the officer arrive at the scene as other police hold another person on the ground. Police are investigating the incident. National Indigenous Times The officer moves toward the Aboriginal woman standing close to the arresting officers and pushes her to the ground. Bystanders can be heard yelling profanities at police after the push as the woman gets up from the ground.

Advertisement

A WA Police spokesman said the woman allegedly interfered with police while they were performing their lawful duties, grabbing officers from behind as they managed a violent situation. Additional officers attended the scene and pushed the woman away, causing her to fall to the ground. She did not report any injuries, the spokesman said. Despite this, the spokesman said the circumstances of the interaction are being reviewed and will be subject to an internal investigation. The spokesman said police responded to a reported disturbance at the Ellies Court residence at about 5.50pm. It will be alleged that during the incident, a man became aggressive while officers were dealing with the matter and resisted police while being taken into custody, the spokesman said.

Advertisement

It will be further alleged that during the arrest, the man assaulted two officers, causing minor injuries. A 39-year-old Millars Well man was charged with two counts of assault of a public officer and appeared before Broome Magistrates Court on Wednesday. The 37-year-old Broome woman was charged with two counts of obstructing public officers and one count of possessing drug paraphernalia in or on which there was a prohibited drug or plant. She was due to appear before Broome Magistrates Court on April 20. Police Minister Reece Whitby had not seen the vision but said he understood that an internal inquiry was ongoing.

Advertisement

Police have certain responsibilities and obligations in the way they conduct themselves, but also theyre on the frontline in communities like Broome, he said. Through the Kimberley and right through Western Australia, our police are part of the community. They know the people in the community. They live in those communities. Theyre devoted to the communities, and theyre the front line in terms of being responsible for public safety. So its not an easy job, but they still need to ensure they do it the right way.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Police

Broome Hamish Hastie is WAtoday's state political reporter and the winner of five WA Media Awards, including the 2023 Beck Prize for best political journalism. or email. Connect via X
Remove items from your saved list to add more.

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Testing has confirmed the bones found on Rottnest Island on Wednesday are human, but further examination is required to determine their age.

The bones were found near the popular tourist islands Catholic church during construction work as part of upgrades to its main bus stop.

Police on Rottnest collecting the bones on Wednesday. Maddi Cross

On Thursday, Police Minister Reece Whitby said the bones were brought back to Perth for further analysis by a forensic pathologist.

Its confirmed that they are human remains ... so what we need to do now is to work out how old they are, whether they are historical or recent, he said.
Advertisement

WorldAsiaMiddle East at war Twenty-six phone calls: How China helped bring Tehran to the negotiating table Lisa Visentin April 9, 2026  3:45pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Beijing: As the world waits to see whether the shaky US-Iran ceasefire holds, China is being credited with playing a role in bringing Tehran to the negotiating table. The exact details of Beijings involvement remain unclear, but the United States and Iran have signalled that China helped promote the Pakistan-mediated truce. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China had been actively working to help bring an end to the Iran war. AP I hear yes, US President Donald Trump told news agency AFP on Wednesday (Washington time) when asked if Beijing had helped persuade Tehran to negotiate. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also confirmed that the Trump administration had spoken to their Chinese counterparts about the Iran conflict, saying there were conversations that took place between top levels of our government and Chinas government.

Advertisement

Separately, The New York Times, citing three unidentified Iranian officials, reported that Tehran accepted the ceasefire proposal after a last-minute push by Beijing, which asked it to show flexibility and defuse tensions. Related Article Middle East at war US-Iran war as it happened: Cracks appear in ceasefire; Israel launches record strikes on Lebanon; Iran says Strait of Hormuz closed Pressed by reporters on Wednesday to detail Chinas role, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning remained vague about the countrys actions, but said Beijing had made an active effort to encourage the parties to end the hostilities. Since the fighting began, China has worked actively to help bring about an end to the conflict, she said. Foreign Minister Wang Yi made 26 phone calls with his counterparts from relevant countries. Chinas envoy to the Middle East had travelled through the Gulf region promoting mediation efforts, she said.

Advertisement

It is unclear how these efforts dovetail with Irans 10-point peace plan conveyed to the White House via Pakistani intermediaries. Pakistan has emerged as the key mediator in the Iran war, and will host the first round of peace talks in Islamabad on Saturday. But during the conflict, it has also engaged closely with China, potentially helping bring Beijing into the mediation process. Loading Beijing and Iran have tight economic ties, and China buys more than 80 per cent of the countrys oil exports. But this relationship has been largely transactional, and as the war has dragged on, analysts have been sceptical about whether China had the influence or desire to leverage its ties with the Islamic Republic to help end it. Its role in the ceasefire push will bolster Beijings efforts to project itself as a responsible global power and peace broker. Experts have noted that China has also been mediating talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan after weeks of cross-border fighting.

Advertisement

[Chinas] self-portrayal as a peacemaker and a more stabilising force in the present geopolitical flux could gain some credence, especially when compared to the tendency of Trumps United States to ignite conflicts in many parts of the world and with no clear strategy to resolve them, Dr Shanthie Mariet DSouza, of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, wrote in an analysis published by The Diplomat. Related Article Updated

Middle East at war Trump issues new threat to Iran as fragile ceasefire tested by Israeli strikes As part of these efforts, China and Pakistan last week released a five-point plan for restoring peace in the Middle East, which called for securing shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz and starting peace talks as soon as possible, but contained no detail about how this should be achieved. In the past, similar efforts by China to promote peace  such as its 12-point plan to end Russias war in Ukraine  have been criticised as paper-only proposals that lacked detail and follow-through. Speaking in Beijing on Wednesday, Iranian envoy Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said his country wanted China to act as a security guarantor in the region, ensuring Iran was not attacked again.

Advertisement

We hope different sides could guarantee that the US would not resume the war, we hope the UN Security Council, big countries like China and Russia, as well as mediating countries like Pakistan and Turkey [will] work together to guarantee peace in the region, he said. Chinas foreign ministry did not directly respond to questions about whether it was considering providing this guarantee when asked during Wednesdays press conference. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.
Advertisement

WorldNorth AmericaSpace Astronauts terrifying warning as Artemis approaches its most dangerous moment Angus Dalton April 9, 2026  11:40am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

The astronauts hurtling back from the moon face the gravest danger of their journey in its final 15 minutes, when theyll scorch through the atmosphere relying on a 7.5 centimetre-thick heat shield that failed during its last test. The Orion spacecraft will also rocket back to Earth at 40,000 kilometres per hour on an intense and untrialled trajectory. The Artemis II astronauts are relying on a shield that failed during a 2022 test run. NASA The Artemis I mission in 2022 sent Orion on a test run to the moon and back without astronauts. The glaring exception to the missions success was the chaotic breakdown of the capsules heat shield when it re-entered the Earths atmosphere in a fiery cocoon of plasma burning at 2500 degrees. Former NASA engineer and astronaut Charlie Camarda branded the shield a failure, and wrote to the agency claiming technical and organisational problems with Orion represented a serious risk to the Artemis II astronauts.

Advertisement

Camarda went to space on NASAs first flight after seven astronauts died on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003 after its heat shield failed. He told the ABC he fears a repeat. The heat shields are made from a material called Avcoat, which forms a honeycomb of ultra-light tiles made from silica fibres encased in resin. The heat shield of Artemis I was marred by cracks and more than 100 missing chunks. NASA NASA found the skip re-entry trialled on Artemis I was the reason for the damage. NASA The material is designed to burn off when the spacecraft travelling at the extraordinary speed of 11 kilometres per second  more than 30 times the speed of sound  hits the atmosphere and generates meteoric temperatures via friction hot enough to melt steel.

Advertisement

The ablative shield, physics expert Ed Macaulay explained in The Conversation, is meant to burn away evenly and carry heat away from returning spacecraft. But the Artemis I capsule splashed down on Earth marred with charred cracks and about 100 missing chunks. Investigations revealed the explosive setback was down to Artemis Is skip re-entry, a first-of-its-kind trajectory that saw the spacecraft skip off the upper atmosphere like a stone across a lake before making its final descent. The aim of the manoeuvre was to gradually reduce the speed, heat and g-forces experienced by astronauts with a two-phased descent compared to one scorching plunge.

Advertisement

There was an unintended consequence. When the capsule first hit the atmosphere, its shield began to burn and generate gas. When Orion skipped back up into space, the shields melting resin hardened, trapping the gas. Once the capsule again descended, the gas violently expanded and sent chunks blasting off the shield. Artemis II astronauts, from left, Reid Wiseman, Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch and Victor Glover gather for an interview en route to the moon. NASA via AP The worry was that, should this happen again on the crewed Artemis II mission, it could expose the interior of the capsule to dangerously high temperatures, Macaulay wrote. NASA has said temperatures inside the Artemis I capsule held steady at about 23 to 24 degrees during the shield failure, and any crew inside would have been safe.

Advertisement

Loading The agency has since developed a more porous shield material that would better release trapped gas. But it wasnt ready in time for Artemis II, which will return to Earth with the original shield. Related Article Exclusive

Space As space race takes off, Australia has lost our best eyes to the universe To solve the problem, NASA has opted for a shorter skip time and a more direct re-entry. The risk of gas generation with a shorter, more intense re-entry is sufficiently low that NASA believes it wont overwhelm the protective layer of char that builds up on the shield, the agencys associate administrator Amit Kshatriya told a press briefing at the end of 2024.

Advertisement

But it means astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen will undertake the most dangerous part of their mission on a trajectory never tried with Orion. Before NASA announced it would change the spacecrafts trajectory, Glover, the pilot of the Artemis II mission, told technology news site Ars Technica: Theres no guarantee that changing the trajectory is the answer. It will change something, but it wont necessarily fix it. The Artemis II splashdown is expected at 10.07am on Saturday (AEST). The Examine newsletter explains and analyses science with a rigorous focus on the evidence. Sign up to get it each week.
U.S. President Donald Trump's actions since the start of his term have remained consistent, Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov said during a meeting with students at Kyiv School of Economics.

"His actions have been highly consistent. Six months before the start of his term, a policy document was prepared for him  as I recall, it was 838 pages long. And everything he is doing was clearly described, calculated and explained there  what for and why. He is following that course very clearly," Budanov said.

He also answered a question about whether Ukraine could gain anything useful from the situation in the Middle East, both in terms of military-technical cooperation and economically.

"As for military-technical cooperation, that is a path that can be taken, or not," he said, adding that in economic terms it is impossible to benefit from a sharp surge in oil and petroleum product prices.
Advertisement

WorldNorth AmericaEpstein fallout Melania Trump denies any connection with Jeffrey Epstein in rare public address Michael Koziol April 10, 2026  5:03am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Washington: First lady Melania Trump has denied any connection with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein amid what she described as lies and false smears being circulated by politically motivated actors. In a rare, solo public statement from the White House, she also denied that she was close to Epsteins accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, after the so-called Epstein files revealed they had engaged in friendly correspondence many years ago. Loading The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today, she said. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather, I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.

Advertisement

The former model said she was never friends with Epstein, did not have a relationship with him or Maxwell, and was not introduced to her husband, US President Donald Trump, through Epstein, as is commonly claimed. Related Article Epstein fallout Missing Epstein files with Trump allegations finally out in the open She said she had met her husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998. She first crossed paths with Epstein two years later at a function she attended with her now husband, she said. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach. The Epstein files unearthed a 2002 email exchange between Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell in which Trump praised a magazine story about Epstein and told Maxwell she looked great in the photographs.

Advertisement

I know you are busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? Trump wrote to Maxwell at the time. I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. The email, before Epstein was ever charged with sexual crimes, was listed by Democrats on the House oversight committee among several disgusting and shocking revelations to have emerged from the Epstein files. Donald and Melania Trump with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000. Getty Melania Trump said on Thursday (US time) that her reply to Maxwell was merely casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesnt amount to anything more than a trivial note, she said. It was not immediately clear what, if anything, prompted the first ladys address, but she lamented that fake images and statements about her and Epstein had been circulating on social media for years.

Advertisement

The false smears from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name, to gain financially and climb politically, must stop, she said. I am not a witness or a main witness in connection with any of Epsteins crimes. My name has never appeared in court documents, depositions, victims statements or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter. Melania Trump delivered a rare public statement from the grand foyer of the White House. AP I have never had any knowledge of Epsteins abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity, I was not a participant, was never on Epsteins plane and never visited his private island. I have never been legally accused or convinced [sic] of a crime in connection with Epsteins sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behaviour.

Advertisement

Melania Trump also called on Congress to hold a public hearing centred on survivors of Epsteins crimes, with a chance to testify before representatives and have their stories entered into the congressional record. Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, she said. Then, and only then, we will have the truth. Two of Epsteins accusers, Maria and Annie Farmer, reacted to the first ladys comments by saying, What we want is accountability, transparency, and justice. Donald Trump told news channel MSNOW he did not know anything about his wifes statement, according to a reporter for the network who posted about their conversation on X. She didnt know him, he said of the first lady and Epstein.

Advertisement

With AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.
Advertisement

WorldNorth AmericaSpace Editorial The Earth is in turmoil, but from Artemis II no borders are visible The Herald's View Editorial April 9, 2026  4:04pm

April 9, 2026  4:04pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

NASAs Artemis II spacecraft is due to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off California on Saturday morning, ending a 10-day mission to the moon that should have brought heavenly joy to the heart of humanity. Back on Earth, weve been distracted by joyless events that cast shadows on the light and dark sides of the moon. Commander Reid Wiseman looks back at Earth from a cabin window. AP We had not been there since the Apollo program ended in 1972, three years after Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. The following day the Heralds front page headline was reverent in its simplicity: MEN ON MOON U.S. astronauts open a new era for mankind. On April Fools Day, the US returned, sending four astronauts on a journey around the moon.

Advertisement

NASA is counting on the Artemis II test flight to kickstart the entire Artemis program and lead to a landing on the moons south pole by two astronauts in 2028. China plans a crewed mission to the same lunar region as early as 2030. After nearly three years of training, the three men and one woman crew is the first to fly in NASAs Artemis program, a multibillion-dollar venture established in 2017 to use the moon as a stepping stone to Mars. Astronauts tested deep-space systems  life support, navigation and heat shielding  to prepare for future landings and conducted human health studies and geological observations. They also tried their hand at manually piloting the spacecraft. Rightly, the flight is a remarkable achievement and a reminder of the brilliance of Yankee know-how and American exceptionalism at a time when goodwill to the US has crashed and plummeted to earth. But whatever glory Artemis restores to the US, President Donald Trump can take little credit. Soon after he was re-elected, Trump tried to cut NASAs overall funding by 23 per cent and slice nearly 50 per cent of science programs until a rare bipartisan display in Congress stopped him last January.

Advertisement

Not to be denied, Trump displayed his petulant sense of bad timing and waited until Artemis II lifted off to resell the budget cuts, with the space industry warning of disruptions or cancellations to dozens of missions spanning planetary science, astrophysics and Earth observation. Related Article Space Astronauts terrifying warning as Artemis approaches its most dangerous moment It is absurd that the nation that has taken humans to the moon is also responsible for the madness that currently haunts the planet. Trump, in concert with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, bombed Iran and plunged the Middle East and beyond into utter turmoil, recreating a scared new world of uncertainty. Onboard Artemis II, the four astronauts looking back at the Earth cannot see borders, but their mission, a thing of beauty and human aspirations, provides the opportunity to both see our world from a distance, yet see ourselves more clearly.

Advertisement

On Saturday, the crew face the gravest danger of their journey during the final 15 minutes when theyll scorch through the Earths atmosphere, relying on a 7.5 centimetre-thick heat shield that failed its last test. Humanity is on their wing with a prayer. Jordan Baker sends an exclusive newsletter to subscribers each week. Sign up to receive her Note from the Editor.

Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Space

For subscribers

Editorial

Opinion The Herald's View  Since the Herald was first published in 1831, the editorial team has believed it important to express a considered view on the issues of the day for readers, always putting the public interest first.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Permanent Committee of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry (CAFAH) of Parliament will be meeting on April 9, 2026.

The Committee meeting, which was adjourned on March 13, 2026, will be reconvened on Thursday at 11.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. Representatives of the Native Nations will be in attendance.

The agenda point is:

Presentation by Native Nations on the proposed regulatory model for the legalization and regulation of cannabis in Sint Maarten (IS/ 410/2025-2026 dated December 2, 2025)

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org; www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament and www.pearlfmradio.sx
PHILIPSBURG/THE HAGUE:--- The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA) of Sint Maarten has formally brought a growing constitutional dispute to the attention of Dutch lawmakers, sending a detailed letter to the committees for Kingdom Relations of both the Dutch Second Chamber and First Chamber.

In the letter, Minister Richinel Brug shared a legal advisory concerning the role and authority of the Governor, amid escalating tensions within the St. Maarten government. The correspondence, addressed directly to parliamentary bodies in The Hague, included an expert opinion by Aruban legal scholar Mr. Dr. Ryond R. Santos do Nascimento.

The minister emphasized the importance of restoring confidence in the office of the Governor, particularly after recent actions by Prime Minister Mercelina, who had sought independent academic advice questioning the Governors conduct.

Legal Dispute at the Center of Controversy

The underlying conflict dates back to January 2026, when the Minister of General Affairs imposed an order measure on a civil servant serving as Chief of Staff to the VSA Minister. The measure restricted access to government facilities and initiated an investigation.

However, a March 6 ruling by the Court of Civil Servants determined that the minister acted outside his legal authority. The court concluded that such powers rest exclusively with the Governor under existing law.

Conflicting Legal Opinions

The situation intensified after Dutch legal expert Prof. Dr. Arjen van Rijn issued advice suggesting a more limited role for the Governor. That interpretation has now been challenged in the advisory sent by Minister Brug.

In his analysis, Santos argues that Van Rijns conclusions are based on incomplete facts and a flawed legal framework. He maintains that the Governor has an independent constitutional duty and cannot be reduced to merely endorsing ministerial decisions.

Government Divisions Exposed

The dispute also revealed internal divisions within the Council of Ministers. While the Minister of General Affairs pushed forward with disciplinary action, the VSA Minister opposed the move, resulting in a lack of unified government position.

The Governor subsequently intervened by requesting further deliberation and refraining from signing a proposed suspension decree. Later decisions by the Council of Ministers were also deemed legally invalid when not taken by or on behalf of the Governor.

Constitutional Stakes

At the core of the issue is the constitutional role of the Governor within Sint Maartens governance system. As the King's representative, the Governor holds both formal authority and a duty to safeguard legality.

The advisory stresses that the Governor must independently assess decisions and cannot be compelled to approve measures lacking a proper legal foundation.

Wider Implications

By escalating the matter to Dutch parliamentary committees, the VSA Minister has effectively internationalized the dispute, signaling its importance for the broader Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Observers say the case could have lasting implications for the balance of power between ministers and constitutional authorities across the Dutch Caribbean.

Source: Letter and attached advisory submitted by the Sint Maarten Minister of VSA to Dutch parliamentary committees, March 31, 2026.
PHILIPSBURG:---The Windward Islands Civil Servants Union  Private Sector Union (WICSU-PSU) is pleased to announce that, on April 9, 2026, an important and long-awaited agreement was signed between the Government of St. Maarten and representatives of both active and retired personnel of the Fire Department.

This agreement marks a significant step toward addressing longstanding concerns relating to placement, career progression, and compensation, which have affected Fire Department personnel for many years. Notably, the agreement also acknowledges the position of retired firefighters, whose years of dedicated service were impacted by historical discrepancies in placement and advancement.

Through this agreement, provisions have been established to address these longstanding issues in a structured manner, including mechanisms for reviewing past placements and exploring compensation where applicable. The inclusion of retired personnel in this process is a critical component, as it recognizes their contributions and ensures that their concerns are not overlooked.

WICSU-PSU underscores that this achievement is the result of persistent advocacy, dialogue, and the collective strength of its members, who remained committed to seeking fairness and justice. The Union commends the firefighters, both active and retired, for their resilience, unity, and professionalism throughout this process.

While this agreement represents a major milestone, the Union emphasizes that it is part of a broader ongoing process. The parties have committed to continuing negotiations in good faith to address any remaining matters and to further strengthen the framework governing the Fire Department.

WICSU-PSU remains dedicated to ensuring that the implementation of this agreement is carried out transparently and effectively, and that the rights, dignity, and well-being of all Fire Department personnel are upheld.
Clean power cushions UK as gas prices surge: report



London, April 8 (AFP) Apr 08, 2026



Britain has been cushioned from surging gas prices since the start of the Middle East war due to its growing use of renewable energy, according to a new report Thursday.

Clean energies cut national gas purchases by pound7 million ($9.4 million) a day compared to the last energy crisis in 2021-2023, think-tank Ember said in its report.

Energy prices in the UK are among the highest in Europe, notably because more than a quarter of its electricity still comes from natural gas, whose price has often risen in recent years, especially since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022.

However, thanks to both onshore and offshore wind, Britain is among Europe's leaders in adopting renewable energies.

Wind alone generated nearly 30 percent of the country's power in 2025, according to the National Energy System Operator.

The UK government has pledged that low-carbon sources will meet 100 percent of the country's electricity demand by 2030.

Ember noted that Britain has added more than a quarter of its current wind and solar capacity since the start of the last energy crisis.

"Strong renewables generation reduced the need for gas purchases when prices spiked," said report co-author Josie Murdoch, quoted in the press release.

According to the report, had gas output stayed at 2021 levels, the cost of gas used for power generation in the first weeks of the war "would have been 52 percent higher."

"It shows that even before deployment targets are achieved, wind and solar are already cutting the dependence on gas and delivering real savings," said Murdoch.
Trump to discuss leaving NATO in meeting with Rutte



Washington, United States, April 8 (AFP) Apr 08, 2026



US President Donald Trump held high-stakes talks with NATO chief Mark Rutte Wednesday, with the White House saying he would discuss the possibility of leaving the alliance after it failed to join the Iran war.

Trump was alternatively looking at punishing some NATO members he believed were unhelpful during the conflict by moving US troops out of their countries, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Rutte -- the former Dutch premier dubbed the "Trump whisperer" for his skill in flattering the mercurial US leader -- entered the West Wing through a side gate and their meeting was held behind closed doors.

"It was a very frank, it was a very open discussion," Rutte later told broadcaster Jake Tapper on CNN.

"It's quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks when it's the American people who have been funding their defense," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Asked if Trump would discuss a possible withdrawal from NATO, Leavitt said: "It's something the president has discussed, and I think it's something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary General Rutte."

The meeting comes one day after the United States and Iran agreed to a fragile two-week ceasefire.

Trump has expressed anger at Western partners' refusal to back his war on Iran, rocking a transatlantic alliance that at the age of 77 is only two years younger than him.

The US leader has branded NATO a "paper tiger" for refusing to lead efforts to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz and for limiting US forces from using bases on their territories.

Trump has lashed out at several of them personally, lambasting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as "no Winston Churchill" and ridiculing Britain's aircraft carriers as "toys."

To punish NATO members seen as being unhelpful, the Trump administration is considering a plan to move out US troops and station them in other countries viewed as more supportive of the US war in Iran, according to a WSJ report.

But the plan would fall short of Trump's oft-hinted threats to pull the United States out of NATO entirely -- a move for which he would need the approval of Congress.



- 'Daddy' -



NATO's secretary general, however, boasts a record of pulling Trump back onto his side.

Ahead of the White House visit, Rutte met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to talk about Iran, Russia's war against Ukraine and NATO responsibilities.

"The two leaders discussed Operation Epic Fury, ongoing US-led efforts to bring a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, and increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO Allies," said State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

Rutte will also meet with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth during his time in Washington.

NATO has been roiled by crisis after crisis since Trump returned to power last year -- most acutely by his threat to seize the vast Arctic island of Greenland from alliance member Denmark.

Earlier this week Trump said his problems with NATO "all began" with Greenland -- although he has been threatening to pull out since his first term.

In recent months he has also pulled the rug out from under Ukraine in its war against Russia and threatened to not protect allies unless they spend more on defense.

Russia and China have been watching with glee as Trump rubbishes the alliance.

Rutte has been central to allied efforts to flatter and mollify the US leader, whom he called "daddy" at a summit last year.

On Iran, he has sought to thread the needle by calling US efforts to degrade Tehran's military capability something to "applaud."

Speaking as Rutte headed to Washington, a NATO official said he planned to "discuss current security dynamics including in the context of Iran as well as Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine" in his talks with Trump.
Drone debris kills man in Russia's Krasnodar region: governor



Moscow, April 8 (AFP) Apr 08, 2026



Debris from a drone shot down in Russia's southern Krasnodar Krai region killed a man, its governor said Thursday.

Kyiv regularly carries out strikes within Russia in response to its attacks - which have targeted Ukrainian territory daily since Moscow's full-scale offensive began in February 2022.

"Another drone attack is being repelled in Krasnodar Krai tonight," regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev posted on Telegram.

"Unfortunately, there was a fatality."

The man was hit by drone debris while he was on the balcony of an apartment building in the village of Sauk-Dere in the Krymsk district, Kondratyev said.

Fragments of destroyed drones also fell on a business premises and "at several addresses" in the region, the governor added, reporting no injuries.
Photo: President's Office / www.president.gov.ua

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, April 9, presented honorary "Hero City of Ukraine" distinctions, the presidential press service said.

Among those honored were the Donetsk region cities of Druzhkivka, Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk, Pokrovsk and Sloviansk, which long served as frontline strongholds and rear bases for Ukrainian defenders and are now coming under increasingly heavy enemy attacks and destruction.

In Zaporizhia region, the distinction was awarded to Huliaipole, around which heavy fighting continues, and Orikhiv, which has been under constant Russian strikes since the first days of the full-scale invasion.

In Kharkiv region, Kupiansk was honored as it remains in an active combat zone and under constant Russian shelling.

In Dnipropetrovsk region, the title was awarded to Marhanets, Nikopol and Pavlohrad, which are under constant enemy attack but continue to function thanks to the organization and resilience of their residents.

Starokostiantyniv in Khmelnytsky region also received the distinction. The city is strategically important for the country's defense and has been under constant Russian attack since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Sumy was also honored. The city was encircled at the start of Russia's full-scale aggression, but Ukrainians forced the occupiers to retreat. Trostianets in Sumy region, which was occupied on the first day of the full-scale invasion, was also recognized. The occupation lasted 31 days, but it was there that the Russian advance toward Okhtyrka, Lebedyn and Sumy was halted.

The president introduced the honorary "Hero City of Ukraine" distinction on March 6, 2022, awarding it to Volnovakha, Hostomel, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Kherson and Chernihiv. On March 24, 2022, it was awarded to Bucha, Irpin, Mykolaiv and Okhtyrka, and on September 30, 2025, to another 16 cities in seven regions of Ukraine. These were Bashtanka, Voznesensk, Huliaipole, Druzhkivka, Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk, Kupiansk, Marhanets, Nikopol, Orikhiv, Pavlohrad, Pokrovsk, Sloviansk, Starokostiantyniv, Sumy and Trostianets. In total, 26 Ukrainian cities now hold the "Hero City of Ukraine" distinction.

Zelenskyy also presented awards to representatives of local self-government bodies and military administrations. He awarded the Order of Merit, First Class, to Myrhorod Mayor Serhiy Solomakha of Poltava region.

A number of Orders of Merit, Third Class, were also presented.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov received the Order for Courage, Second Class; Bilenke village head Svitlana Zachepyla of Zaporizhia region received the Order of Princess Olha, Second Class; and Zaporizhia Regional Council head Olena Zhuk received the Order of Princess Olha, Third Class.
Iran announces alternative routes in Hormuz strait



Tehran, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Iran announced alternative routes on Thursday for ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, citing the risk of sea mines in the main zone of the vital waterway.

Tehran has agreed to temporarily reopen the strait, through which one-fifth of the world's oil usually passes, as part of a two-week truce.

"All ships intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz are hereby notified that in order to comply with the principles of maritime safety and to be protected from possible collisions with sea mines...they should take alternative routes for traffic in the Strait of Hormuz," Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement quoted by local media.

The statement shared instructions for an alternative entry and exit route through the strait.

The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, less than an hour before US President Donald Trump's deadline to obliterate the Islamic republic if it did not bow to his demands for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran had effectively blocked the key shipping route since early March, sending global energy prices spiralling.
US-Iran truce shows cracks as war flares in Lebanon



Tehran, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The fragile truce between Iran and the United States showed signs of unravelling on Thursday, with Tehran threatening to resume hostilities as Israel pummelled Lebanon.

Washington and Tehran both claimed victory after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and negotiations aimed at ending a war that has killed thousands across the Middle East and sparked global economic upheaval.

But the deal's fractures emerged quickly on Wednesday as Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on neighboring Lebanon -- including in densely packed central Beirut -- since the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah joined the war in early March.

At least 182 people were killed and nearly 900 wounded on Wednesday, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.

Hezbollah responded on Thursday, saying it had fired rockets towards Israel and accusing it of violating the US-Iran truce, which was agreed late Tuesday.

Israel had said earlier its battle against the Lebanese group was not part of the ceasefire, an argument echoed by US Vice President JD Vance, days before he is due to lead talks with Tehran in Pakistan.

"If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart...over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them, and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that's ultimately their choice," he said.

But Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf appeared to threaten the ceasefire, posting on X that the "workable basis on which to negotiate" had already been violated, making further talks "unreasonable".

Ghalibaf listed three alleged US violations of the truce plan: the continued attacks in Lebanon, a drone entering Iranian airspace, and a denial of the country's right to enrichment.

Adding to the fragility of the truce -- agreed hours before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump -- a senior US official said Iran's 10-point plan was not the same set of conditions the White House had agreed to in order to pause the war.

In Lebanon, where UN rights chief Volker Turk called the scale of killing "horrific", strikes across the capital Beirut without warning triggered scenes of horror and panic.

"People started running left and right, and smoke was billowing," said Ali Younes, who was waiting for his wife near Corniche al-Mazraa, one of the areas targeted.

More than 1,700 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel launched airstrikes and a ground invasion last month, local officials said.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned they would "fulfil our duty and deliver a response" if Israel did not cease its strikes, while Hezbollah said it had a "right" to respond.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country remained prepared to confront Iran if necessary, as it still had "objectives to complete", with the military saying it continued to pursue the goal of "disarming" Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth also vowed that American forces remained at the ready if the conflict flared up again.



- High-stakes talks -



The belligerent rhetoric came ahead of high-stakes talks in Pakistan expected on Friday or Saturday, after Iran temporarily agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under threat of annihilation by Trump, with a small number of ships passing through the strategic waterway on Wednesday.

Iran announced alternative routes on Thursday for ships travelling through the strait, citing the risk of sea mines in the main navigational zone.

But it was unclear if Tehran was allowing vessels to pass through the waterway, following reports on Wednesday suggesting it was shut -- something the White House called "completely unacceptable".

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country mediated the ceasefire, urged on X for all parties to "exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks" to allow diplomacy to take hold.

Further casting doubt on the truce's durability, Iranian state media announced fresh missile and drone attacks against US-allied Gulf states in retaliation for airstrikes on its oil facilities, with Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain all reporting strikes since the ceasefire took effect.

There have been no reports of fresh attacks on other countries across the region in the past hours.

In Tehran, streets were quieter than usual on Wednesday, with many shops closed after a long and anxious night for residents fearing a massive US attack.

"Everyone is at ease now," said Sakineh Mohammadi, a 50-year-old housewife, adding she was "proud" of her country.

"We are more relaxed."



- 'Won't be there' -



On Wednesday, the leaders of several European nations, Canada and the United Kingdom said "a swift and lasting end to the war" must be negotiated, as Pope Leo hailed a moment of "real hope".

But Tehran's demands over uranium enrichment, economic sanctions and future control of the Strait of Hormuz -- a narrow waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes -- remain deeply at odds with those of the United States.

The United States and Israel said they attacked Iran to degrade its military capacity.

After weeks of economic turmoil, the ceasefire announcement sent oil prices plunging 15 percent, while European natural gas dropped 20 percent.

Trump meanwhile vented his anger at NATO members he believed had been unhelpful during the conflict, saying "they won't be there" for the United States.

As Trump met with NATO's chief in Washington on Wednesday, the White House said he was expected to discuss possibly leaving the alliance.

bur-arp/msp/cms/tc
UN chief warns Israeli strikes on Lebanon pose 'grave risk' to US-Iran truce: spokesman



United Nations, United States, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The United Nations secretary-general on Wednesday warned that deadly Israeli strikes on Lebanon posed a "grave risk" to the fragile US-Iran truce, his spokesperson said in a statement.

"The ongoing military activity in Lebanon poses a grave risk to the ceasefire and the efforts toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region. The Secretary-General reiterates his call to all parties to immediately cease hostilities," UN chief Antonio Guterres's spokesman said.

The Lebanese health ministry reported that 182 people were killed and 890 wounded by Israeli strikes on Wednesday, with capital Beirut hit by the most violent bombardment yet since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanon was pulled into the war after the Tehran-backed militant group targeted Israel in retaliation for the US-Israel war against Iran.

While Iran and the United States agreed to a two-week ceasefire late on Tuesday, Israel insisted that Lebanon was not part of the truce.

Hezbollah responded by saying it had fired rockets towards Israel, and Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf appeared to threaten the ceasefire.

"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the loss of civilian lives and is deeply alarmed by the mounting toll on civilians," the UN spokesman said.

"There is no military solution to the conflict. The Secretary-General continues to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels," he added.

The UN rights chief and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) earlier condemned the "scale of killing and destruction in Lebanon" as "nothing short of horrific."

"Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.

French President Emmanual Macron also joined calls for Lebanon to be included in the ceasefire.
US-Iran truce shows cracks as war flares in Lebanon



Tehran, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Lebanon declared a national day of mourning on Thursday after Israeli strikes pummelled the country, shaking a fragile truce less than 48 hours after it came into force.

Washington and Tehran both claimed victory after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and negotiations aimed at ending a war that has killed thousands across the Middle East and sparked global economic upheaval.

But the deal's fractures emerged quickly on Wednesday as Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on neighboring Lebanon -- including in densely packed central Beirut -- since the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah joined the war in early March.

At least 182 people were killed and nearly 900 wounded on Wednesday, the Lebanese health ministry said.

The Lebanese prime minister's office said Thursday will be "a national day of mourning for the martyrs and wounded of the Israeli attacks that targeted hundreds of innocent, defenceless civilians", ordering the closure of public administrations and the lowering of flags.

Hours later, Hezbollah said it had fired rockets towards Israel in response to its "violation" of the US-Iran truce, which was agreed to late Tuesday.

Israel has said its battle against the Lebanese group was not part of the ceasefire, an argument echoed by US Vice President JD Vance, days before he is due to lead talks with Tehran in Pakistan.

"If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart... over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them, and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that's ultimately their choice," he said.

But Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf appeared to threaten the ceasefire, posting on X that the "workable basis on which to negotiate" had already been violated, making further talks "unreasonable".

Ghalibaf listed three alleged US violations of the truce plan: the continued attacks in Lebanon, a drone entering Iranian airspace and a denial of the country's right to enrichment.

Adding to the fragility of the truce -- agreed hours before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump -- a senior US official said Iran's 10-point plan was not the same set of conditions the White House had agreed to in order to pause the war.

In Lebanon, where UN rights chief Volker Turk called the scale of killing "horrific", strikes across the capital Beirut without warning triggered scenes of horror and panic.

"People started running left and right, and smoke was billowing," said Ali Younes, who was waiting for his wife near Corniche al-Mazraa, one of the areas targeted.

More than 1,700 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel launched airstrikes and a ground invasion last month, local officials said.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned they would "fulfil our duty and deliver a response" if Israel did not cease its strikes, while Hezbollah said it had a "right" to respond.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country remained prepared to confront Iran if necessary, as it still had "objectives to complete", with the military saying it continued to pursue the goal of "disarming" Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth also vowed that American forces remained at the ready if the conflict flared up again.



- High-stakes talks -



The belligerent rhetoric came ahead of high-stakes talks in Pakistan expected on Friday or Saturday, after Iran temporarily agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under threat of annihilation by Trump, with a small number of ships passing through the strategic waterway on Wednesday.

Iran announced alternative routes on Thursday for ships travelling through the strait -- a narrow waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes -- citing the risk of sea mines in its main navigational zone.

But it was unclear if Tehran was allowing vessels to pass through the strait, following reports on Wednesday suggesting it was shut -- something the White House called "completely unacceptable".

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country mediated the ceasefire, urged on X for all parties to "exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks" to allow diplomacy to take hold.

Further casting doubt on the truce's durability, Iranian state media announced fresh missile and drone attacks against US-allied Gulf states in retaliation for airstrikes on its oil facilities, with Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain all reporting strikes since the ceasefire took effect.

There have been no reports of fresh attacks on other countries across the region in the past hours.

In Tehran, streets were quieter than usual on Wednesday, with many shops closed after a long and anxious night for residents fearing a massive US attack.

"Everyone is at ease now," said Sakineh Mohammadi, a 50-year-old housewife, adding she was "proud" of her country.

"We are more relaxed."

On Wednesday, the leaders of several European nations, Canada and the United Kingdom said "a swift and lasting end to the war" must be negotiated, as Pope Leo hailed a moment of "real hope".

But Tehran's demands over uranium enrichment, economic sanctions and future control of the Strait of Hormuz remain deeply at odds with those of the United States.

bur-arp/msp/cms/lga
War in the Middle East: latest developments



Paris, France, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The latest developments in the Middle East war:



- Lebanon declares day of mourning -

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam declared Thursday a national day of mourning after Israeli strikes pummelled the country, killing at least 182 people and wounding 890, according to the health ministry.

The strikes were Israel's heaviest on neighboring Lebanon -- including in densely packed central Beirut -- since the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah joined the war in early March.



- Hezbollah fires at Israel -



Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah said Thursday it had fired rockets towards Israel in response to its "violation" of the US-Iran truce.

It came a day after the Lebanese group said it has a "right" to respond to a deadly wave of Israeli strikes across Lebanon.



- Iran announces alternative Hormuz routes -



Iran announced alternative routes on Thursday for ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, citing the risk of sea mines in the main zone of the vital waterway.

The statement shared instructions for an alternative entry and exit route through the strait.



- Red Cross 'outraged' by Lebanon strikes -



The Red Cross said it was "outraged by the devastating death and destruction" caused by Israeli strikes in densely populated areas across Lebanon on Wednesday.

"People across Lebanon were holding their breath for a ceasefire agreement, but a wave of deadly strikes plunged the country into panic and chaos," said Agnes Dhur, the ICRC's head of delegation in Lebanon.



- Macron: Ceasefire must include Lebanon -



French President Emmanuel Macron urged US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to include Lebanon in the ceasefire the two sides had reached.

"I expressed my hope that the ceasefire will be fully respected by each of the belligerents, across all areas of confrontation, including in Lebanon," Macron wrote on X after speaking with both leaders.



- Tehran residents 'relieved' -



Some in the Iranian capital feared the ceasefire will come to naught, but others declared victory and most breathed a sigh of relief after weeks of bombardment.

"Everyone is at ease now, we are more relaxed," Sakineh Mohammadi, a 50-year-old housewife, told AFP, saying she was "proud" of her country.



- Stocks soar as oil plummets -



Oil prices climbed and stocks fell Thursday on fears over the nascent US-Iran ceasefire after Tehran threatened to resume hostilities after Israel launched a major bombardment of Lebanon.



- Iran demands Lebanon truce -



Pezeshkian said a halt to Israeli attacks in Lebanon was one of the key conditions of the Islamic Republic's 10-point plan for securing an end to the Middle East war, state media reported Wednesday.



- Vance to lead US delegation to Islamabad -



US Vice President JD Vance will lead talks with Iran beginning Saturday in Islamabad, and will be joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, the White House said.

Speaking to reporters in Hungary, Vance urged Iran not to let the truce fall apart over Lebanon, insisting that a halt to Israel's fighting there had never been a part of the agreement reached the night before.



- UN outrage over Lebanon killings -



The UN rights chief and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) voiced outrage over Israel's attacks on Lebanon.

"The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said. "Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief."

The ICRC said it was "outraged by the devastating death and destruction."



- Israel ready to 'return to battle' -



Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel remained prepared to confront Iran if necessary, despite the US-Iran truce.

"Let me be clear: We still have objectives to complete, and we will achieve them -- either through agreement or through renewed fighting," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

burs-pnb/jgc/cms/tc
Iranian delegation due in Islamabad ahead of US talks



Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



An Iranian delegation is expected to arrive in Islamabad late Thursday ahead of Pakistan-brokered talks with the United States, Iran's envoy said.

Pakistan has been preparing for talks involving representatives from the US and Iran over the Mideast war, with the White House saying Vice President JD Vance would lead negotiations in Islamabad "this weekend".

Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said in a post on X that "despite skepticism due to repeated ceasefire violations by (the) Israeli regime" Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed an Iranian delegation for "serious talks".

"Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran," Moghadam added.

The development came as authorities in the Pakistani capital declared on Wednesday local holidays across Islamabad for the next couple of days.

While no specific reason was provided, holidays or restrictions are often issued for security reasons ahead of high?profile diplomatic events in the region.

Offices providing essential services will remain open during this period, including police, hospitals and power and gas utilities.

"Essential services will remain operational," the deputy commissioner's office said in a statement posted on X on Wednesday, advising residents to "plan their activities accordingly".
UK 'strongly' wants to see ceasefire extended to Lebanon: FM



London, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Britain's foreign minister said Thursday the UK "strongly" wanted to see Lebanon included in the ceasefire in the Middle East as Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"We do want to see the ceasefire extended to Lebanon. I'm deeply troubled about the escalating attacks that we saw from Israel in Lebanon yesterday," Yvette Cooper told Sky News.

"We've seen the humanitarian consequences, the huge mass displacement of people in Lebanon. So we do strongly want to see the ceasefire extended to Lebanon," she said.

Cooper's comments came as Starmer arrived in the UAE on the second leg of his visit to the Gulf to meet with regional leaders in an effort to bolster the ceasefire in the Middle East war.

Starmer on Wednesday met Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.

"The prime minister began by welcoming the ceasefire and set out how efforts must now be focused on upholding it and turning it into a lasting peace," a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement.

"He was clear that it was vital now to continue work to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and discussed the UK's ongoing efforts to convene partners to agree and plan the practical steps required to give shipping the confidence to transit the Strait," the spokesperson added.

The visit follows a virtual meeting Tuesday of military planners from over 30 countries hosted by Britain.

The meeting explored measures for an international coalition to make the Strait of Hormuz accessible and safe after a ceasefire according to the Ministry of Defence.

Last week, a UK-led diplomatic virtual meeting of around 40 countries also discussed the critical waterway.

It has been largely closed since the US-Israeli war against Iran started on February 28, impacting global supplies of oil, liquified natural gas, and fertiliser.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained extremely limited on Wednesday despite the announcement of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
Ukraine lets firms deploy air defences against Russian attacks



Kyiv, Ukraine, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Facing daily barrages of Russian drones and missiles, Ukraine has invited private companies to get their own air-defence systems in a bid to ease the burden on its military.

In an interview with AFP, a senior Ukrainian military official detailed the plan -- involving state authorisation and integration into the air force coordination system -- hailed as the "first" in the world and that has already resulted in Russian drones being shot down.

The goal is to give businesses "the possibility, at their own expense and with their own employees, to protect themselves against aerial threats," Yuriy Myronenko, 48, inspector general at the Ukrainian defence ministry and the main architect of the project, told AFP.

Since it invaded in 2022, Russia has regularly launched hundreds of long-range Shahed drones, originally Iranian-designed but now mass-produced in Russia, at Ukraine.

Cheap but lethal, the drones target residential areas and critical infrastructure, sometimes hundreds of kilometres from the front line.

The largest attack since the start of the invasion came at the end of March, when Russia fired nearly 1,000 drones in 24 hours, along with missiles.

Ukraine's air-defence system -- which includes thousands of mobile anti-drone teams -- is fairly effective but cannot cover the entire country.

That is why the defence ministry has opted to partly outsource the task to private actors, including energy companies, frequently targeted by Russian strikes, logistics firms and security groups to protect their sites.

For now, the Ukrainian authorities have released few details of the plan.

But Myronenko told AFP that 16 firms have received the necessary authorisation and "some companies are already shooting down Shaheds".



- Interceptors -



"I think we are the first in the world to create such a system," Myronenko said, referring to the plan he said was already yielding results.

"The first shoot-downs were two weeks ago," added the lieutenant-colonel who used to command a drone unit.

In the northeastern Kharkiv region, near the front line, one company -- unnamed for security reasons -- used heavy machine guns mounted on remote-controlled turrets to intercept several Russian drones.

At a centre in an undisclosed location, AFP saw masked instructors from a private security company training would-be drone operators on simulators and computers as part of the initiative.

After the defence ministry published a statement on the matter, "dozens" of other groups contacted the authorities to enquire about the scheme, Myronenko said.

"We don't expect private air defence to solve all our problems," he conceded. "We are forced to take this step because every opportunity to shoot down one, two, three, four, five Shaheds helps."

Companies wanting to take part must undergo a special authorisation process, including to rule out any Russian ties, before they can purchase weapons and train their staff.

They must also integrate into the air force's real-time coordination system, a key element of the sophisticated network that manages thousands of air-defence teams.

The special software allows commanders to see "who is shooting down what, with which systems, which teams," and to locate incoming targets, said Myronenko.

For him, the future of private air defence lies in drone interceptors -- small unmanned aircraft designed to destroy incoming drones mid-air.

Under the pressure of relentless attacks, Ukraine has already developed around 50 different interceptor models, an industry that barely existed a year ago.



- No limits -



Intense competition is pushing manufacturers to improve effectiveness while slashing costs, sometimes to less than $1,000 per unit, making them "affordable", Myronenko said.

In the longer term, private companies could even be allowed to acquire weapons capable of downing cruise missiles that Russia frequently uses against Ukraine, such as man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS), he added.

"We don't limit what protective means they can buy," he said, adding: "because we understand that the war will change in three months, six months."

The main goal set by defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov -- appointed in January -- for this year is to "detect 100 percent of all air targets", both drones and missiles, and "shoot down 95 percent of them," up from around 80 percent currently.

Myronenko called the target "absolutely realistic," citing the surge in interceptor production, with tens of thousands now being delivered to the army each month.

"We must clearly demonstrate (to Russia) that terrorising our population and civilian infrastructure will not work."
UK 'strongly' wants ceasefire extended to Lebanon: FM



London, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Britain's foreign minister said Thursday the UK "strongly" wants Lebanon included in the Middle East ceasefire as Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in the United Arab Emirates.

"We do want to see the ceasefire extended to Lebanon. I'm deeply troubled about the escalating attacks that we saw from Israel in Lebanon yesterday," Yvette Cooper told Sky News.

"We've seen the humanitarian consequences, the huge mass displacement of people in Lebanon. So we do strongly want to see the ceasefire extended to Lebanon," she said.

Cooper's comments came as Starmer arrived in the UAE on the second leg of a visit to the Gulf to meet with regional leaders seeking to bolster the ceasefire in the Middle East war.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained extremely limited on Wednesday despite the announcement of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

Cooper was later Thursday expected to underline the importance of ensuring shipping through the strait was toll-free and unhindered.

"We should start immediately to get international shipping moving again by supporting the International Maritime Organisation's proposals to move the ships trapped in the Strait, and the 20,000 stranded seafarers," she was due to tell business leaders, according to the Foreign Office.

"The full and unconditional re-opening of the strait must be a central part not just of the current ceasefire but of the long term future for the region."

And she was to add that "the fundamental freedoms of the seas must not be unilaterally withdrawn or sold off to individual bidders. Nor can there be any place for tolls on an international waterway".

Iran on Thursday announced alternative routes for ships travelling through the key waterway, citing the risk of sea mines.

Starmer on Wednesday met Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.

He "set out how efforts must now be focused on upholding" the ceasefire "and turning it into a lasting peace," a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement.

He also "discussed the UK's ongoing efforts to convene partners to agree and plan the practical steps required to give shipping the confidence to transit the Strait," the spokesperson added.

The visit follows a virtual meeting Tuesday of military planners from over 30 countries hosted by Britain.

The strait has been largely closed since the US-Israeli war against Iran started on February 28, impacting global supplies of oil, liquified natural gas, and fertiliser.
Italy PM suggests suspending EU spending rules over Iran war



Rome, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Thursday the European Union should consider temporarily suspending its strict spending rules if the Iran war and the resulting energy shock worsens.

"If the Middle East crisis were to experience a new escalation, we should seriously consider the issue of a European response not dissimilar in the approach and tools to that deployed in response to the (Covid) pandemic," she told parliament.

"In that case, we believe it should not be taboo to discuss a possible temporary suspension of the Stability and Growth Pact. Not a waiver for individual member states, but a generalised measure."

EU members are bound by spending rules obliging them to keep the public deficit below three percent of economic output and debt at 60 percent of GDP.

But the EU can suspend the rules in exceptional circumstances and crises, as it did during the coronavirus pandemic when states had to prop up their embattled economies.

Italy narrowly missed bringing its deficit below the three percent target in 2025, with its deficit at 3.1 percent.

Meloni's government has temporarily cut fuel excise taxes in the face of rising energy prices following war between the United States and Israel, and Iran.

But she said it remained ready to go further.

"Faced with the risk of the most severe energy shock we've seen in recent memory, the possibility of further price increases for energy, fuel, and consumer goods, and the risk of seeing entire supply chains interrupted and our economy stalled, it's the prime minister's precise duty to do everything possible" to keep prices low, she said.

Meloni recently visited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to try to secure energy supplies for Italy from a region that she said provides around 15 percent of her country's needs.

She said Thursday she will also soon visit Azerbaijan.
Two injured in Russian attacks on Dnipropetrovsk region  authorities

Photo: https://t.me/dnipropetrovskaODA

Russian forces attacked three districts of Dnipropetrovsk region nearly 60 times with artillery, drones and a missile, injuring two people, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said.

"In Nikopol district, the enemy struck the district center and Chervonohryhorivka, Marhanets, Myrove and Pokrovske communities... A 66-year-old woman was injured. She was hospitalized in moderate condition... In Pavlohrad, the enemy struck an enterprise. A 17-year-old boy was injured. He is in hospital," Hanzha said on Telegram.

An administrative building, an enterprise, infrastructure facilities, private homes and vehicles were also damaged in Nikopol district.

In Synelnykove district, Russian forces hit Dubovykove and Vasylkivka communities. Private homes were damaged.
Air France extends Mideast flight suspensions to May 3



Paris, France, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Air France has extended the suspension of flights to key destinations in the Middle East until May 3, citing security risks from the war between the US and Israel and Iran.

Major airlines have largely halted flights to the Middle East since the start of the war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.

A source close to the matter told AFP on Thursday that France's flagship carrier had made the decision to extend the suspensions before the announcement of a fragile two-week ceasefire between Washington and Iran on Tuesday.

"The airline is obliged to extend the suspension of its flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh until May 3, 2026 inclusive (or until May 4, 2026 for flights departing from Dubai)," Air France said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.

"The resumption of operations will remain subject to an assessment of the security situation on the ground, which is rapidly evolving," the airline added.

In late March, German aviation giant Lufthansa said all services across the Middle East were cancelled until the end of April, while Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific said it would extend its flight suspensions to and from Dubai and Riyadh by a month until May 31.

meh/ekf/as/js



Air France-KLM

Lufthansa
Meloni says Europe, US must work in tandem



Rome, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Thursday for Europe and the United States to work together, warning that otherwise they risk "paralysis" as ties are strained by the Iran war.

Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party and premier since October 2022, has often sought to act as a bridge between European and US positions.

"It is undeniable that we are experiencing a particularly difficult moment in relations between Europe and the United States," Meloni, who is close to US President Donald Trump, told parliament.

Trump's outrage at NATO allies for not joining the Iran war has prompted fears he would pull the United States out of the military alliance set up after World War II.

"What we call the West stands on two legs, the European leg and the North American leg," Meloni said in a wide-ranging address to the lower Chamber of Deputies.

"If the two legs do not move in the same direction, the West is doomed to paralysis and ultimately to irrelevance."

Meloni said her coalition government was "stubbornly Western because only if the West is united can it be a force capable of making its voice heard on the world stage."

She said she had voiced disagreements with the United States when they came up, such as over tariffs and in defending the importance of NATO.

"We must work to keep the two shores of the Atlantic united," in strengthening NATO and in encouraging Europe to stand on its own feet and "assume its responsibilities," she said.

Italy was pushing Brussels for a "balanced strategic autonomy that gradually reduces our dependencies, and for a defence capability that does not leave us dependent on our American allies," said Meloni.
Iran's envoy deletes post on delegation arrival in Islamabad for US talks



Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Iran's ambassador to Pakistan deleted a social media post saying an Iranian delegation would arrive in Islamabad on Thursday night, a move an embassy official later told AFP had been sent prematurely.

Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam said in a post on X on Thursday morning that an Iranian delegation would arrive "tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran". The post was deleted shortly after.

An official at the Iranian embassy in Islamabad told AFP the post was removed "because of some issues", declining to say whether the delegation was still expected Thursday.

When asked further, the official said: "Timing -- we were not supposed to send it."

The deletion raises fresh uncertainty over the arrival schedule, although both the United States and Iran have confirmed their participation in peace talks, brokered by Pakistan in Islamabad.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited both delegations "to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes".

The White House has said Vice President JD Vance would lead US negotiations over the Middle East war in Islamabad "this weekend".

Authorities in the Pakistan capital declared local holidays on Wednesday for the next two days. No official reason was given, but such restrictions are common ahead of high-profile diplomatic events.

Essential services, including police, hospitals, and power and gas utilities will remain operational, the deputy commissioner's office said.
Ethiopia army base used to support Sudan paramilitary: report



Khartoum, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



An Ethiopian military base close to the Sudanese border is lending support to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, according to a report by a research unit at Yale University released Wednesday.

The Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) said analysis of satellite imagery and open-source data shows activity "consistent with military assistance to the RSF" at an Ethiopian base in Asosa, in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, between late December 2025 and late March 2026.

The paramilitary group, which has been at war with Sudan's army since April 2023, was accused last month by the Sudanese military of launching drone attacks "from inside Ethiopian territory", the first public allegation of Ethiopian involvement in the conflict.

Ethiopia has denied the claim and has also rejected allegations that it is hosting RSF camps.

Yale's HRL has used remote sensing data and satellite imagery to monitor the war since it began.

Its researchers said their findings "represent clear visual evidence over a five-month period" that RSF attacks on Sudan's southeastern Blue Nile State were being launched from within Ethiopia.

The researchers identified repeated arrivals of commercial car carriers at the base unloading vehicles known as "technicals", light pickup trucks commonly used by armed groups.

HRL said these vehicles do not match those normally used by the Ethiopian military and have been observed supplying RSF units operating in Sudan's Blue Nile state.

According to the report, some of the vehicles were later fitted with gun mounts "capable of holding heavy machine guns".

Objects consistent with 50-calibre weapons were also observed nearby, the report said.

HRL added that similar vehicles later appeared in open-source images from fighting around Al-Kurmuk, a strategic Sudanese border town roughly 100 kilometres (62 miles) by road from Asosa.

Recent fighting has intensified around Al-Kurmuk, a key army position.

This year, an estimated 28,000 people were displaced by fighting in Blue Nile, including more than 10,000 from Al-Kurmuk alone.

Control of the state is divided between Sudan's army and RSF allies from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM?N), led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu.

The paramilitaries have recently claimed victories in the area.

The Yale lab also documented increased logistical activity at the Asosa base, including the arrival of shipping containers, fuel tanks and tents capable of housing up to 150 people.

White armoured vehicles inconsistent with Ethiopian military markings were also seen, alongside frequent movements of non-military transport trucks.

Separately, satellite imagery showed significant expansion at Asosa airport, including "a new hangar and concrete pad" and defensive fighting positions.

Imagery previously analysed by AFP has shown significant development at the airport, which previously served as a drone base.

The RSF last year brought thousands of fighters into Ethiopia, an RSF source and an army source told AFP.
Rescuers search for survivors in Lebanese capital as new Israeli strikes hit south



Beirut, Lebanon, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Rescuers searched for survivors under the rubble of destroyed buildings in Beirut on Thursday as Lebanon observed a day of mourning after Israeli strikes across the country killed more than 200.

The Israeli military carried out further strikes in southern Lebanon, killing at least five people in Abassiyeh, a village near Tyre, according to the civil defence agency.

Israel's simultaneous strikes on Wednesday, carried out without warning and targeting the heart of Beirut and several other regions of Lebanon, killed at least 203 people and wounded 890, according to the most recent toll from the health ministry.

Hezbollah, for its part, announced that it had fired rockets at northern Israel overnight in response to what it called "the enemy's violation of the ceasefire".

"This response will continue until the Israeli-American aggression against our country and our people stops," Hezbollah said.

It was the first action announced by the Iran-backed armed group since the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and the United States a day prior.

In the Lebanese capital, rescue workers were still combing the rubble of two buildings hit in residential neighbourhoods, according to AFP journalists.

An Israeli strike early Wednesday targeted Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold from which most residents have fled after more than a month of war.

An AFP photographer saw one building in the area completely blown apart and another half destroyed in the Chiyah neighbourhood, on the outskirts of the southern suburbs.

In the south of Lebanon, Israel struck near a strategic bridge three times between Wednesday and Thursday, partially blocking it, according to an AFP photographer on the scene.

The Lebanese army had earlier closed the bridge after an "Israeli threat to target it".

It is the last bridge linking the north and south sides of the Litani River in the Tyre region, where thousands of families have remained despite evacuation warnings issued by Israel.

Diplomatic calls are multiplying to expand the regional ceasefire to Lebanon, with Israel and the US insisting that the country is not covered by the truce.

"The ongoing military activity in Lebanon poses a grave risk to the ceasefire," said the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron voiced concern over the strikes in Lebanon, telling his American and Iranian counterparts that halting them is a "necessary condition for the ceasefire to be credible and lasting".

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was "outraged by the devastating death and destruction" caused on Wednesday by the Israeli strikes.
EU says strikes on Lebanon endangering US-Iran ceasefire



Brussels, Belgium, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The European Union on Thursday called on Israel to halt its strikes on Lebanon which it said were endangering the US-Iran ceasefire.

"Israeli actions are putting the US-Iran ceasefire under severe strain. The Iran truce should extend to Lebanon," the European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said.

"Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the war, but Israel's right to defend itself does not justify inflicting such massive destruction," she said.

"Israeli strikes killed hundreds last night, making it hard to argue that such heavy-handed actions fall within self-defence," she added.

"Hezbollah must disarm, as it agreed to do. The EU supports Lebanon's efforts to disarm" the Iran-backed group, Kallas added.
Netanyahu says Israel will continue to strike Hezbollah 'wherever necessary'



Jerusalem, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said Israel would keep hitting Iran-backed Hezbollah "wherever necessary", the day after deadly Israeli strikes pummelled Lebanon.

"We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination," Netanyahu said on his personal X account.

"Our message is clear: anyone who acts against Israeli civilians -- we will strike them. We will continue to hit Hezbollah wherever necessary, until we fully restore security to the residents of the north" of Israel, he added.

Meanwhile, Israel's military said it was continuing ground operations in southern Lebanon, where troops have been fighting Hezbollah and holding positions since early March.

In a separate statement, it said it had struck overnight "two key crossings used by Hezbollah terrorists and commanders for movement from north to south of the Litani River in Lebanon to transfer thousands of weapons, rockets, and launchers".

It added that it had struck "approximately 10 weapons storage facilities, launchers, and command centres" belonging to the Lebanese armed group.

Israeli strikes pummelled Lebanon Wednesday, killing over 200 people and wounding over 1,000, the Lebanese health ministry said.

The Lebanese prime minister's office said Thursday would be "a national day of mourning for the martyrs and wounded of the Israeli attacks that targeted hundreds of innocent, defenceless civilians".

He ordered the closure of public administrations and the lowering of flags.

Hours later, Hezbollah said it had fired rockets towards Israel in response to what it called a violation of the US-Iran truce, with several rounds of sirens sounding in northern Israeli communities throughout the morning.

The US and Iran on Wednesday agreed to a two-week truce and negotiations aimed at ending the conflict that has killed thousands across the region and plunged the global economy into turmoil.

acc-lba/jsa
Calls for US-Iran truce to extend to Lebanon after Israeli strikes



Beirut, Lebanon, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Calls were mounting on Thursday for the ceasefire between the US and Iran to be extended to Israel's war with Hezbollah, after a massive wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed more than 200 people.

US President Donald Trump has claimed victory in the Middle East war after agreeing a two-week truce to allow talks to end a conflict that has killed thousands and plunged the global economy into turmoil.

But the future of the negotiations was in limbo on Thursday after Iran denounced Israel's ongoing raids on Lebanon, and Tehran's ambassador to Pakistan deleted a social media post saying an Iranian delegation would arrive in Islamabad, which was set to host the talks.

An official at the Iranian embassy in Islamabad told AFP that Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam's post was removed "because of some issues" and declined to say whether the delegation was still expected.

At least 203 people were killed and 1,000 wounded in Israeli strikes on Wednesday, the Lebanese health ministry said.

There had been conflicting diplomatic signals about whether the fighting in Lebanon was included in the US-Iran truce -- but Washington said that it was not and Israel made it clear that it has no intention of holding off.

"We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination," Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, in a social media post.

"Our message is clear: anyone who acts against Israeli civilians, we will strike them. We will continue to hit Hezbollah wherever necessary."

- 'Running left and right' -



But, amid fears that the fragile truce could break down in the Gulf, there were international calls for the ceasefire to encompass Lebanon.

"Israeli actions are putting the US-Iran ceasefire under severe strain. The Iran truce should extend to Lebanon," the European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said.

France's foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemned the strikes as "unacceptable", while his British counterpart Yvette Cooper called for the ceasefire to include Lebanon.

The Lebanese prime minister's office said Thursday would be "a national day of mourning for the martyrs and wounded of the Israeli attacks that targeted hundreds of innocent, defenceless civilians".

Hezbollah said it had fired rockets towards Israel in response to what it called a violation of the truce.

US Vice President JD Vance backed Israel in saying Lebanon was excluded from the truce, days before he was due to lead talks with Tehran in Pakistan.

"If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart... over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them, and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that's ultimately their choice," he said.

But Iran's speaker of parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf appeared to threaten the ceasefire, posting on X that the "workable basis on which to negotiate" had already been violated, making further talks "unreasonable".

Ghalibaf listed three alleged US violations of the truce plan: the continued attacks in Lebanon, a drone entering Iranian airspace and Washington's opposition to the country's right to uranium enrichment.

UN rights chief Volker Turk called the scale of killing in Lebanon "horrific", after strikes across the capital Beirut that came without warning triggered horror and panic.

"People started running left and right, and smoke was billowing," said Ali Younes, who was waiting for his wife near Corniche Al-Mazraa, one of the areas targeted.



- High-stakes talks -



The bellicose rhetoric came ahead of high-stakes talks in Pakistan expected on Friday or Saturday.

A key point of contention remains the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil as well as vast quantities of natural gas and fertiliser pass in peacetime.

Iran announced alternative routes on Thursday for ships travelling through the strait, citing the risk of sea mines.

But it was unclear if Tehran was in practice allowing vessels to pass through the strait, following reports on Wednesday suggesting it was shut -- something the White House called "completely unacceptable".

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country mediated the ceasefire, called in a social media post for all parties to "exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks" to allow diplomacy to take hold.

Further casting doubt on the truce's durability, Iranian state media announced fresh missile and drone attacks against US-allied Gulf states in retaliation for airstrikes on its oil facilities, with Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain all reporting strikes since the ceasefire took effect.

In Tehran, streets were quieter than usual on Wednesday, with many shops closed after a long and anxious night for residents fearing a massive US attack.

"Everyone is at ease now," said Sakineh Mohammadi, a 50-year-old housewife, adding she was proud of her country: "We are more relaxed."

bur-dc/dcp
Italy PM suggests suspending EU spending rules over Iran war



Rome, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Thursday the European Union should consider temporarily suspending its strict spending rules if the Iran war and the resulting energy shock worsens.

But Brussels cautioned that under EU rules a suspension was possible only if the 27-nation bloc was to experience a severe economic crisis -- a condition currently not met.

"If the Middle East crisis were to experience a new escalation, we should seriously consider the issue of a European response not dissimilar in the approach and tools to that deployed in response to the (Covid) pandemic," Meloni told the Italian parliament.

"In that case, we believe it should not be taboo to discuss a possible temporary suspension of the Stability and Growth Pact. Not a waiver for individual member states, but a generalised measure."

EU members are bound by spending rules obliging them to keep the public deficit below three percent of economic output and debt at 60 percent of GDP.

But the EU can suspend the rules in exceptional circumstances and crises, as it did during the coronavirus pandemic when states had to prop up their embattled economies.

"The condition for activating the general escape clause is to have a severe economic downturn in euro area or the European Union as a whole," EU economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis told European lawmakers in Brussels.

"We are currently not in this scenario," he said.

EU rules already allowed member states for some "fiscal leeway" to cushion negative impacts on the economy, he added.

Italy narrowly missed bringing its deficit below the three percent target in 2025, with its deficit at 3.1 percent.

Meloni's government has temporarily cut fuel excise taxes in the face of rising energy prices following war between the United States and Israel, and Iran.

But she said it remained ready to go further.

"Faced with the risk of the most severe energy shock we've seen in recent memory, the possibility of further price increases for energy, fuel, and consumer goods, and the risk of seeing entire supply chains interrupted and our economy stalled, it's the prime minister's precise duty to do everything possible" to keep prices low, she said.

Meloni recently visited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to try to secure energy supplies for Italy from a region that she said provides around 15 percent of her country's needs.

She said Thursday she will also soon visit Azerbaijan.
French military chief says possible war with Russia his 'primary concern'



Paris, France, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



France's top general on Thursday said the possibility of a war with Russia in the next few years remained his "primary concern" as he defended efforts to ramp up defence spending.

The chief of the defence staff General Fabien Mandon spoke in parliament as he presented France's draft legislation to boost defence spending between 2024 and 2030.

"The persistence of a Russian threat on our continent, with the possibility of an open war, remains my primary concern in terms of military preparedness," Mandon told the defence committee of parliament's lower house during a hearing devoted to the updated military programming draft law.

According to the draft legislation unveiled by the government on Wednesday, 36 billion euros ($42 billion) were to be added to France's defence spending, on top of the 413 billion euros ($483 billion) allocated for the period of 2024 to 2030.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the French top general's concerns were "absolutely unfounded".

"Russia poses no threat to any country that does not plan to become a hub for anti-Russian activities, that does not plan to destroy the Russian?speaking population, and that does not plan in any way to undermine the security of Russia," he said.

Peskov expressed regret that European countries were "completely refusing any form of contact".

Russia and Ukraine have been at war since Moscow in 2022 launched the full-scale invasion of its neighbour.

European powers, including France, have backed Ukraine with increasing supplies of weapons but have always insisted they are not directly involved in the conflict.



- 'Dangerous period' -



Citing intelligence estimates, Mandon said Russia was expected to have a bigger army and more weapons by 2030.

Russia is projected to have a 1.9 million-strong army by 2030, up from 1.3 million last year, he said.

The number of Russian heavy tanks was set to rise from 4,000 in 2025 to 7,000 in 2030, while the number of combat vessels in the Russian navy was expected to be between 230 and 240, Mandon added.

"This military planning law is crucial for the defence of our fellow citizens," Mandon said.

"We are in a dangerous period. We must not cause alarm, but simply raise awareness because we need this defence investment," he added.

In November, Mandon warned France must be ready to "lose its children" against the background of the threat posed by Russia, sparking an outcry.

"An unrestricted use of force" and a "terrorist threat" in the Middle East, Asia and Africa also justified the ramping up of defences, Mandon said, pointing to Washington's wavering commitment to Europe.

"We can no longer have the same level of confidence in the Americans' commitment to our security", he said, adding however that dialogue with US military officials remained of "high quality."
In more than a year of operation, expert teams in Ukraine's daily functioning assessment system, which replaced the old medical-social expert commissions (MSEC), did not confirm previously established disability status in 11% of reviewed cases.

According to the Health Ministry, during more than a year of work the new system's expert teams issued 688,000 decisions. Disability status was confirmed for 587,326 people, or 85.3%, including 255,000 who received it for the first time, while more than 310,000 had their previously established disability status extended. In 76,473 cases, or 11.1% of reviewed files, expert teams did not establish disability status.

The ministry said the overwhelming majority of Ukrainians underwent daily functioning assessments in person at medical facilities, accounting for 92.93% of cases. In 7% of cases, assessments were conducted remotely, in absentia, or through visits by expert teams.

According to Deputy Health Minister for Digital Development Maria Karchevych, the average time from electronic submission of documents for assessment to receipt of a decision is now 16 days, whereas under the old MSEC system cases were reviewed over several months.

The ministry said the most common conditions considered under the daily functioning assessment system are chronic diseases, cancer, injuries and mental disorders.

Among the most common reasons for establishing disability status were circulatory system diseases (123,428), musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases (114,729), neoplasms (91,144), nervous system diseases (86,659), injuries, poisoning and other consequences of external causes (63,712), mental and behavioral disorders (41,656), endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (35,525), and diseases of the eye and its adnexa (26,323).

As of March 30, 2026, a total of 742,285 cases had been entered into the electronic daily functioning assessment system.

As reported, by the end of 2025 expert teams had failed to confirm about 5% of disability statuses previously granted under the old MSEC system.
Rocket alerts sound in north Israel as troops battle Hezbollah



Israel-Lebanon border, Israel, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



At least 14 rocket alerts sounded through Thursday morning in communities near Israel's northern border with Lebanon as Israeli forces fight Hezbollah despite the US-Iran ceasefire.

AFP footage from the border area showed long rocket trails in the sky and plumes of smoke signalling interceptions.

Calls have been mounting for the ceasefire between the US and Iran -- agreed late on Tuesday -- to be extended to Israel's war with Hezbollah, which Israel has said is not included.

Israel on Wednesday unleashed what it said was its "largest coordinated strike" on Lebanon since the war began, killing more than 200 people and wounding over 1,000, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

Hours later, Iran-backed Hezbollah said it had fired rockets towards Israel in response to what it called a violation of the US-Iran truce.

Since midnight, at least 14 rounds of sirens warning of incoming rocket fire have sounded in northern Israel. In the city of Kiryat Shmona alone, there have been at least six alerts.

For some residents, the continuation of fighting along Israel's northern front is seen as the lesser of two evils.

"Actually, we're quite pleased, even rather relieved, that Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire agreement with Iran, because it's a threat that weighs directly on us," said Florence, who lives in the northern mixed Jewish-Arab town of Maalot-Tarshiha and declined to give her last name.

"In recent weeks, we've clearly seen that Hezbollah has grown stronger since 2024 and that it continues to threaten the civilian population in northern Israel," she told AFP by phone, saying she was speaking "on behalf of many people".

After Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel on March 2 in retaliation for the US-Israeli killing of Iran's supreme leader, Israel invaded southern Lebanon and launched massive air raids in the area.

vid-yif-anr-acc/lba/axn
Lebanese govt bans non-state weapons in capital Beirut



Beirut, Lebanon, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Lebanon's cabinet on Thursday instructed security forces to restrict weapons in Beirut exclusively to state institutions, a day after Israeli strikes across the country including in the heart of the capital.

"The army and security forces are requested to immediately begin reinforcing the full imposition of state authority over Beirut Governorate and to monopolise weapons in the hands of legitimate authorities alone," Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said at the end of a cabinet meeting.

Information Minister Paul Morcos said the decision prompted objections from Hezbollah's two ministers in the cabinet.

The Lebanese government banned Hezbollah's military activities at the beginning of March, shortly after the start of war with Israel, but the decision has not stopped the Iran-backed armed group and political party -- represented in cabinet and parliament -- from conducting military operations.

On Wednesday, Israel carried out its largest wave of strikes since the start of its war with Hezbollah on March 2, leaving more than 200 people dead.

The conflict has cost more than 1,700 lives in just over a month, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

In the wake of Wednesday's strikes across Lebanon, Salam said the government will submit "an urgent complaint" to the UN Security Council, and he denounced the "dangerous escalation in defiance of all regional and international efforts to stop the war in the region".

Morcos said the government is engaged in diplomatic outreach to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon, after the US and Israel said they did not consider their truce with Iran to include the country.

Iran on Thursday called Lebanon an "inseparable" part of the ceasefire.
Israel dismisses calls to add Lebanon to US-Iran ceasefire



Beirut, Lebanon, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Israel vowed more strikes against Hezbollah on Thursday, dismissing mounting international demands that the fragile truce between the United States and Iran in the Gulf be expanded to cover the war in Lebanon.

At least 203 people were killed and 1,000 wounded in the latest strikes, the Lebanese health ministry said, and Iran's parliamentary speaker warned Tehran sees Lebanon as an "inseparable part of the ceasefire" and threatened "strong responses".

President Donald Trump has claimed victory in the Middle East war after agreeing a two-week truce to allow talks between US and Iranian negotiators to end a conflict that has already killed thousands and plunged the global economy into turmoil.

But the future of the negotiations -- planned to begin this week in Pakistan -- was already in danger on Thursday after Tehran denounced Israel's raids on Lebanon and its nuclear energy agency ruled out any restrictions on the country's enrichment of uranium, a key demand of Washington.

"We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination," Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, in a social media post. "Our message is clear: anyone who acts against Israeli civilians, we will strike them. We will continue to hit Hezbollah wherever necessary."

In response, Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted: "Lebanon and the entire Resistance Axis, as Iran's allies, form an inseparable part of the ceasefire. Ceasefire violations carry explicit costs and STRONG responses."

Tehran's ambassador to Pakistan, meanwhile, deleted a social media post saying an Iranian delegation would arrive on Thursday. An official at the Iranian embassy in Islamabad told AFP the post was removed "because of some issues" and refused to say whether the delegation was still expected.



- 'Running left and right' -



But, amid fears that the fragile truce could break down in the Gulf, there were international calls for the ceasefire to encompass Lebanon.

"Israeli actions are putting the US-Iran ceasefire under severe strain. The Iran truce should extend to Lebanon," the European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said.

France's foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemned the strikes as "unacceptable", while his British counterpart Yvette Cooper called for the ceasefire to include Lebanon.

The Lebanese prime minister's office said Thursday would be "a national day of mourning for the martyrs and wounded of the Israeli attacks that targeted hundreds of innocent, defenceless civilians".

Hezbollah said it had fired rockets towards Israel in response to what it called a violation of the truce.

US Vice President JD Vance backed Israel in saying Lebanon was excluded from the truce, days before he was due to lead talks with Tehran in Pakistan.

"If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart... over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them, and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that's ultimately their choice," he said.

But Ghalibaf had already appeared to threaten the ceasefire, posting on X that the "workable basis on which to negotiate" had already been violated, making further talks "unreasonable".

Separately, the head of Iran's nuclear energy agency Mohammad Eslami, declared: "The claims and demands of our enemies to restrict Iran's enrichment programme are merely wishes that will be buried."

UN rights chief Volker Turk called the scale of killing in Lebanon "horrific", after strikes across the capital Beirut that came without warning triggered horror and panic.

"People started running left and right, and smoke was billowing," said Ali Younes, who was waiting for his wife near Corniche Al-Mazraa, one of the areas targeted.



- High-stakes talks -



The bellicose rhetoric came ahead of high-stakes talks in Pakistan expected on Friday or Saturday.

A key point of contention remains the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil as well as vast quantities of natural gas and fertiliser pass in peacetime.

Iran announced alternative routes on Thursday for ships travelling through the strait, citing the risk of sea mines.

But it was unclear if Tehran was in practice allowing vessels to pass through the strait, following reports on Wednesday suggesting it was shut -- something the White House called "completely unacceptable".

bur-dc/dcp

AXIS CAPITAL HOLDINGS
Lebanon PM asks Pakistan to confirm country's inclusion in Mideast truce



Beirut, Lebanon, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam asked his Pakistani counterpart on Thursday to confirm Lebanon's inclusion in the Iran war ceasefire, a day after Israeli strikes on the country killed more than 200 people.

In a statement, Salam's office said he phoned Shehbaz Sharif, praising Islamabad's efforts in securing the truce and asking him to "confirm that the ceasefire includes Lebanon to prevent a recurrence of the Israeli attacks witnessed yesterday".

Israel and the US have said the ceasefire does not include Lebanon, with Israel announcing it would continue its attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah, which drew Lebanon into the regional war on March 2.

Iran's parliamentary speaker warned that Tehran sees Lebanon as an "inseparable part of the ceasefire" and threatened "strong responses", coinciding with mounting international calls for Lebanon to be encompassed in the truce.
Lebanon is 'inseparable part' of ceasefire: Iran parliament speaker



Tehran, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Iran's parliament speaker said on Thursday that Lebanon was a key part of the two-week ceasefire with the United States, warning that violations would bring severe consequences, following massive Israeli strikes on Lebanon.

"Lebanon and the entire Resistance Axis, as Iran's allies, form an inseparable part of the ceasefire," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a post on X.

Ghalibaf cautioned against violations of the truce, a day after Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed more than 200 people.

"Ceasefire violations carry explicit costs and STRONG responses," he said.

Since the ceasefire was agreed, Tehran and Washington have given competing messages on whether Lebanon is included, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying his country will strike Lebanese armed group Hezbollah "wherever necessary".

On Wednesday evening, US Vice President JD Vance referred to a "legitimate misunderstanding".

"I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn't. We never made that promise," he said after a visit to Hungary.

"If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart... over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them, and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that's ultimately their choice," he said.

Iranian officials however insist on the inclusion of Lebanon, pointing to a statement from mediator Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif when the truce was announced.

"I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY," Sharif wrote in a message posted to X on Tuesday night.

On Thursday, Ghalibaf said the Pakistani leader had "publicly and clearly stressed the Lebanon issue".

"There is no room for denial or backtracking," he added.
Mideast war threatens Africa's supply of humanitarian medicine



Dakar, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The Middle East conflict is exacerbating tensions over the humanitarian supply of medicines in Africa, a sector already severely impacted by funding cuts, with nonprofits warning of emptying shelves.

Rising fuel costs and the logistical difficulty of transport through the Strait of Hormuz are affecting the delivery of medication to crisis and conflict zones in Africa, where the situation is already dire following US aid cuts.

"By the end of April, some of our medicine stocks will be depleted," Rodrigue Alitanou, director of operations for medical NGO Alima, told AFP from his office in Dakar.

Alima, which operates in 13 African countries, is sounding the alarm.

"If this goes on for a month and a half, two months, the warnings we are sounding will transform into direct impacts on the continuity of our activities," he said.

Africa imports more than 70 percent of medication and more than 90 percent of pharmaceutical ingredients.

Alitanou is concerned about rising import costs due to soaring fuel prices.

"An extra $2,000 in costs means 200 fewer children suffering from malnutrition will receive treatment," he said.

"We're already seeing it in Sudan, we're already seeing it in the DRC and it's starting to become apparent in most countries," he added.



- Mideast hub -



Situated at the crossroads between Asia, the world's leading producer of medicines, and Africa, the Middle East serves as the primary gateway for supplying the African continent.

Several humanitarian supply centres in Dubai's humanitarian free zone have seen their operations disrupted, affecting logistics transport to Africa.

In Dubai, the World Health Organization's (WHO) logistics hub, which supplies medicines to more than 150 countries worldwide, had to cancel shipments at the start of the conflict due to the closure of airspace and revise routes for delivering supplies.

"Supply lead times are lengthening because we cannot pass through the Strait of Hormuz and have to go via the Cape of Good Hope, particularly with cargo ships, so it is more expensive and adds 15 days to a month to the supply chain," said Damien Dubois, purchasing and inventory officer at MSF Supply, a supply centre within Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

A spokeswoman for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria told AFP it had observed "delays and cost increases" although the organisation had not yet identified any shortages.

Anne Senequier, co-director of the Global Health Observatory at the Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS), said that "at present we are not talking about a shortage of medicines due to the conflict, we are talking about an additional strain on an already fragile situation, with the risk of shortages emerging in certain vulnerable regions".

Those interviewed by AFP remain cautious regarding the ceasefire agreed Tuesday between the United States and Iran, with strikes continuing Wednesday in the Gulf and maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz still disrupted.

For Alitanou "this ceasefire is a first step, but it is not enough. Conflicts are ongoing in the Gulf states and continue to undermine our operations".

Agathe Lamouret, shipments coordinator at MSF Supply, said she believes "it's going to remain very unstable, especially as we don't know what will happen" after the two-week truce.

For his part, Christian Lindmeier, a WHO spokesman, said that "it will take several weeks to overcome the disruption caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz".



- 'Just-in-time' basis -



Africa, which is heavily reliant on imports, is particularly vulnerable to geopolitical upheavals, said Ines Alaoui, head of international health policy at France-based Coalition Plus, an organisation uniting international HIV health groups.

"On the African continent we operate on a just-in-time basis. We don't produce or stockpile more than is necessary," she said.

The organisations within Coalition Plus were already bearing the brunt of US aid cuts, with shortages of preventive medicines and antiretrovirals observed on the ground.

The new crisis is "further eroding healthcare", Alaoui said, adding "we fear that people living with HIV will have to stop their treatment".

For Senequier of IRIS, "the risk is that certain vulnerable groups will turn to counterfeit medicines, which will put their health at risk".
Pakistan hails 'restraint', slams Lebanon strikes ahead of US-Iran talks



Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Pakistan praised "restraint" in the Middle East war on Thursday, but condemned ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon as Islamabad prepared to host expected talks between Iran and the United States.

Both Washington and Tehran have confirmed their participation in peace talks brokered by Pakistan, although the schedule is still to be confirmed.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Thursday with the country's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who jointly "appreciated the restraint demonstrated by all sides", according to the premier's office.

The pair "expressed satisfaction over the de-escalation achieved so far", the statement said.

US President Donald Trump agreed a two-week truce to allow talks between US and Iranian negotiators, but Washington's ally Israel has kept up its attacks on Lebanon.

Iran has said Lebanon was a key part of the ceasefire and argues Israeli attacks breach the truce.

Iran's deputy foreign minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said "Iran was on the verge of responding to the ceasefire violation last night".

Such a move was avoided because "Pakistan intervened", Khatibzadeh told ITV News, according to excerpts from Iran's Tasnim news agency.

Pakistan's premier spoke on Thursday to his Lebanese counterpart, Nawaf Salam, and "strongly condemned Israel's ongoing aggression against Lebanon", the prime minister's office said.

Pakistani officials announced a public holiday for the capital area on Thursday and Friday, a step often taken ahead of high-profile diplomatic events.

Essential services, including police, hospitals, and power and gas utilities, will remain operational, the deputy commissioner's office said.

The White House has said Vice President JD Vance will lead US negotiations over the Middle East war in Islamabad "this weekend".

Iran's ambassador to Pakistan deleted a social media post saying an Iranian delegation would arrive in Islamabad on Thursday night, a move an embassy official later told AFP had been sent prematurely.

Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam said in a post on X on Thursday morning that an Iranian delegation would arrive "tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran". The post was deleted shortly after.

An official at the Iranian embassy in Islamabad told AFP the post was removed "because of some issues", declining to say whether the delegation was still expected on Thursday.

When asked further, the official said: "Timing -- we were not supposed to send it."

burs-abs/rsc/mjw
Israeli campaign in Lebanon 'could cause peace process to fail': Merz



Berlin, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The continued Israeli military campaign in Lebanon could jeopardise peace talks expected between the United States and Iran over the war in the Middle East, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday.

"We view the situation in southern Lebanon with particular concern," Merz said. "The severity with which Israel is waging war there could cause the peace process as a whole to fail, and that must not be allowed to happen."

President Donald Trump has claimed victory in the Middle East war after agreeing a two-week truce to allow talks between US and Iranian negotiators.

But calls have grown for the fragile agreement to be expanded to cover Lebanon amid the continued Israeli offensive in the country.

Lebanon was drawn into the war after Hezbollah launched rocket fire on Israel to avenge the death of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Israel then invaded and staged air raids across Lebanon in a campaign that has killed more than 1,500 people, according to Lebanese authorities.

Merz said Germany wants to see "a swift end to a military escalation that is increasingly destabilising the Middle East".

"Secondly, we want this war -- which has become a transatlantic stress test -- not to place any further strain on relations between the United States and its European NATO partners," he said.

"Thirdly, we want free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to be restored quickly and stably."

Iran has agreed to temporarily reopen the key waterway as part of the two-week truce, but it is unclear if Tehran is in practice allowing vessels to pass through it.

Merz also said Germany has resumed talks with Iran "after a long period of silence, which we had serious reasons for".

Talks would be held "in coordination with the United States and our European partners", he said.
Poet, broadcaster, volunteer: lives ended by Israeli strikes on Lebanon



Beirut, Lebanon, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



A poet, a radio host, a volunteer aiding the displaced, a widow who lost her husband in the Beirut port explosion: Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon on Wednesday killed more than 200 people.

After conducting its largest air raid since the war against Lebanese armed group Hezbollah began on March 2, the Israeli army said it had targeted "approximately 100 Hezbollah command centres and military sites".

But the majority of people killed were civilians, a Lebanese military source told AFP.



- The radio host -

Longtime radio host Ghada Dayekh, 60, died when an Israeli airstrike flattened her home in the southern coastal city of Tyre.

"I've known Ghada for 37 years, and I always used to say she was our mentor at the station," said Alwan Charafeddine, who owns the radio station Sawt Al-Farah, Arabic for "Voice of Joy".

"She trained generations of journalists and generations grew up with her voice," said Charafeddine, who is also Tyre's deputy mayor.

After Israel bombed Sawt Al-Farah's office at the beginning of the war, Dayekh continued working from home.

"She refused to leave, thinking she was safe and that there were no partisan facilities near it," never expecting that "the treacherous aggression would target the building without prior warning", Charafeddine said.

Charafeddine recalled "her endearing personality, her cheerful spirit, the smile that never left her face and her love of joy and life".

"She used to introduce herself as Ghada 'The Voice of Joy' instead of her surname."



- The gentle poet -

In the Tallet al-Khayyat neighbourhood of Beirut, poet Khatoun Salma died at home alongside her husband on Wednesday evening.

Writer and publisher Rasha Al-Amir mourned Khatoun in a social media post as "the gentle poet, the doting mother, the proud grandmother and the friend who died yesterday with her husband Mohammad under the rubble".

Theatre director and playwright Yehya Jaber recalled evenings spent with the couple on their balcony.

"We used to stitch memories together, recite poetry, remember our city of Tyre and love the capital, Beirut."

He mourned her saying, "with its sharp scissors, the warplane cut down a poet of delicate Arabic".



- The master roaster -

Nader Khalil began working at nut roastery Rifai 35 years ago.

He went to work for the last time on Wednesday, at the Rifai in Beirut's Corniche Al-Mazraa area. An Israeli strike turned the rush hour neighbourhood into a scene of ruin and devastation.

Rifai mourned Khalil, who was "known for his dedication, exceptional service and passion for his work", saying in a social media post that "he will be profoundly missed, but his legacy will endlessly stay in our hearts".

The sentiment was echoed by dozens of comments praising the man with the "kind heart" and "cheerful face".



- The widow demanding justice -

Almost six years ago, the Beirut port explosion of August 4, 2020 turned the life of Ola Al-Attar, 32, and her two daughters upside down when her husband, who worked at the port, was killed along with more than 220 others.

The girls, now aged eight and 11, are again mourning a loss as their mother was killed when an Israeli strike slammed into a building where she worked as a secretary in a medical clinic in the working-class Ouzai neighbourhood south of Beirut.

Ibrahim Hoteit, an activist representing families of Beirut port blast victims, told AFP the girls "are now without a mother or a father, after both were killed in similarly horrific massacres".

"Her dream was for us to reach the truth and achieve justice" in the port investigation, Hoteit said after attending her funeral.

"We pledge to her today to fulfil her dream".



- The volunteer -

In the Aley area southeast of Beirut, Rana Shaya went to a pharmacy run by a local NGO to collect medicine for distribution to people displaced by the war.

As she entered the pharmacy, an Israeli airstrike killed everyone inside.

In her hometown of Baysur, her family received condolences on Thursday and her brother-in-law Sami told AFP: "Since the beginning of the war, she had volunteered to help the displaced."

Shaya leaves behind a husband and two sons.

The family will always remember "Rana, driven and full of life", Sami said.
Trump 'optimistic' about Iran deal: NBC News



Washington, United States, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



US President Donald Trump told NBC News on Thursday he was "very optimistic" about a peace deal with Iran after their ceasefire, and that Israel was "scaling back" strikes in Lebanon.

Trump told the US broadcaster in a telephone interview that Iran's leaders were "much more reasonable" in private but added that "if they don't make a deal, it's going to be very painful."

Vice President JD Vance is due to hold talks with Iran in Pakistan on Saturday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had meanwhile agreed in a call with Trump on Wednesday to "low-key it" with Lebanon after devastating strikes on Wednesday, the US president said.
Photo: General Staff

As part of efforts to reduce Russia's military and economic potential, units of Ukraine's Defense Forces struck Krymskaya oil pumping station in Russia's Krasnodar territory overnight on April 9, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) said.

"A hit on the target was confirmed, followed by a fire on the facility's grounds. The extent of the damage is being clarified," the General Staff said on Telegram.

In addition, Ukrainian forces carried out strikes on logistics depots near Mykilske, a UAV warehouse near Orlynske, and a Tor-M1 surface-to-air missile system near Kalchynivka in the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk region.

A logistics depot in Perevalsk and an ammunition depot near Trudove in the temporarily occupied part of Luhansk region were also hit.

"The Defense Forces will continue taking measures to reduce the offensive potential of the Russian occupiers and stop Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine," the General Staff said.
Syria condemns Israeli strikes on Lebanon



Damascus, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani on Thursday condemned Israel's strikes on Lebanon, calling on the international community to support its neighbour.

"We condemn all the bombing currently taking place in Lebanon by the Israeli entity," Shaibani said, speaking from Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.

In statements carried by Syria's official SANA agency, Shaibani added that Damascus supports the Iran war truce, adding that they "hope that we will reach a permanent stability that removes the danger from the entire region".

His statements come a day after Israel launched its largest attack on Lebanon since Iran-backed Hezbollah dragged the small country into the Middle East war, killing more than 300 people and wounding more than 1,100 on Wednesday, according to authorities.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Thursday asked his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif, who mediated between the US and Iran, to confirm his country is included in the truce.

Shaibani called on the international community to "support Lebanon at this critical moment and to keep the spectre of war away from it", while expressing his country's support for Beirut's efforts to disarm Hezbollah "through national means, away from any external interference".

Hezbollah provided military support to former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown in December 2024 by an Islamist coalition hostile to the Shia movement.

Since then, its supply routes from Syria have been cut off, and Lebanese and Syrian authorities are trying to combat smuggling across the porous border between the two countries.

Beirut committed to disarming Hezbollah in 2025, and in March banned the group's military activities.
Israel's attacks on Lebanon 'wrong' and 'should stop': UK PM



London, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Thursday that Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon were "wrong" as he travelled to discuss the shaky Middle East ceasefire with Gulf leaders.

"Let's be really clear about it, they're wrong", Starmer told Britain's ITV News when asked about Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon.

"That shouldn't be happening, that should stop, that's my strong view," the prime minister added, calling this a "matter of principles", while acknowledging he did not have full details of the ceasefire deal.

Starmer spoke while visiting Bahrain on a tour of the region, after meeting leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

He rejected a suggestion from Iran that it could charge for letting ships through the vital Gulf waterway, telling ITV: "Our position is 'open' means open for safe navigation."

"That means toll-free navigation and vessels can get through," he added.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained extremely limited despite the announcement of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

In comments to regional broadcasters, Starmer said the mood among Britain's allies in the Gulf was that the ceasefire is "fragile, that there's work to do in relation to it".

The Gulf leaders see Britain as a "friend", Starmer said, describing the aim of his trip as "to make sure the ceasefire is a permanent ceasefire and that the Strait of Hormuz is open".

On Thursday afternoon Starmer met Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and its Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who is also prime minister.

Earlier Thursday he met Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the UAE where the official news agency said they discussed the "serious implications" of developments in the Middle East.

On Wednesday he met Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.

In Saudi Arabia, Starmer "set out how efforts must now be focused on upholding" the ceasefire "and turning it into a lasting peace," a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement.

Starmer told regional broadcasters his visit was also to "say thank you to our (military) personnel who are out here".

His visit followed a virtual meeting Tuesday of military planners from over 30 countries hosted by Britain.

har-am/rh

ITV
Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday killed more than 300: ministry



Beirut, Lebanon, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Lebanon's health ministry said Thursday that Israeli strikes across the country a day before killed more than 300 people and wounded at least 1,150.

In a statement, the ministry said "the Israeli enemy's airstrikes yesterday, Wednesday, resulted in a preliminary toll of 303 martyrs and 1,150 wounded", adding that the cumulative toll since the start of the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah on March 2 rose to 1,888 dead and 6,092 wounded.

The ministry added that the Wednesday toll includes 71 women, 30 children and nine elderly people.

It warned the death toll could rise further as search efforts were ongoing, as well as DNA testing of bodies transferred to hospitals.

The Lebanese military said four soldiers were killed in Israel's Wednesday strikes, one of them on duty in Sidon in southern Lebanon, while the three others were off duty in the northeast.

The Lebanese army, which is not a party to the war, has now lost 14 soldiers to Israeli attacks, two of them on duty.

Lebanon's General Security Directorate also announced the death of one of its personnel in the attacks.
Israel, Lebanon talks to take place next week in Washington: official



Washington, United States, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Israel and Lebanon will hold talks next week in Washington after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered direct talks, a US official said Thursday.

"We can confirm that the Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon," a State Department official said, confirming an earlier account from a source familiar with the diplomatic efforts.

The talks will come soon after as the United States and Iran open talks in Pakistan.

Israel has said that the Lebanon invasion, in which it is targeting Iranian-backed Hezbollah, is not affected by a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
Israel army chief tells troops in Lebanon that Hezbollah suffered 'heavy blow'



Jerusalem, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Israel's army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited ground troops in southern Lebanon on Thursday, telling them Hezbollah suffered a "heavy blow" from its major bombardment targeting the Iran-backed group a day earlier.

"While you are operating and advancing at the front, yesterday we delivered a heavy and powerful blow to Hezbollah. They left Dahiyeh and moved to other locations from which they managed the fight," he told soldiers, according to a military transcript, referring to a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut.

"The objective defined for you is the removal of the direct threat to the residents of the north (of Israel), which you are carrying out on the ground."

Israeli strikes pummelled Lebanon on Wednesday, killing over 300 people and wounding over 1,100, the Lebanese health ministry said.

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a video statement Thursday that "more than 200 (Hezbollah) terrorists were eliminated" the previous day.

"Hezbollah is isolated within Lebanon and cut off from its strategic artery in Iran. The Lebanese government understands more than ever the magnitude of the problem posed by the presence of a radical, fanatical terrorist organization on its soil," he added.

According to the Israeli army, Zamir visited troops stationed on the outskirts of the village of Bint Jbeil, famous for a fierce battle with Hezbollah in 2006.

The Iran-backed group said Thursday its fighters were engaged in point-blank clashes with Israeli forces in the the same village.

Located five kilometres (three miles) from the border, the hamlet holds symbolic signifigance for Hezbollah.

It is where its slain chief Hassan Nasrallah delivered a landmark speech in 2000 marking the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon after nearly two decades of military occupation.
Shipping toll for Hormuz passage sharply divides nations



Paris, France, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Iran's imposition of a toll for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz looks set to be a key point of contention at talks opening in Pakistan Friday.

When the United States and Israel launched their attack on Iran on February 28, Iran responded by blocking passage through the key Strait to all but a handful of vessels.

While Iran agreed to reopen the thoroughfare during the two-week truce with the United States, it has also spoken of a toll system to fund reconstruction following punishing US-Israeli attacks.

The European Union was quick to denounce the idea Thursday. US President Donald Trump's position however appears more ambivalent.

The stakes are high, given that a fifth of the world's oil as well as vast quantities of natural gas and fertiliser pass in peacetime.

Bloomberg News has reported that shipping companies would be expected to pay up to $2 million per vessel.

The Financial Times said the price to pay would be a dollar a barrel of oil, paid in crypto-currency or yuan, China's currency.



- Iran maintains control -



The temporary reopening of the Strait was announced Tuesday as part of the US-Iran ceasefire deal. Nevertheless, insurance specialists Lloyd's List noted: "Iran's approval regime for Hormuz transits remains intact."

At least some vessels, they added, faced "a slow, opaque verification process and, in many cases, multimillion dollar toll demands".

One of the points on the 10-point plan for ending the war that Iran sent to Washington was that Tehran would maintain control of the Strait of Hormuz.

An Iranian diplomatic source told journalists "There is a new mechanism according to which there has been and there will be a right of passage" organised with Oman, which also borders the Strait.

Freedom of circulation is a cardinal principle of maritime law. The only points of passage that have tollbooths are the Suez and Panama canals, both of which are artificial constructions that require maintenance.

"Paying a toll legitimises Iran's coercion and sets a precedent under international law that other regimes may want to pursue," wrote Guntram Wolff, senior researcher at the Brussels-based Bruegel think tank.

US President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States and Iran could run the system in a "joint venture".

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt nevertheless cautioned that Washington had not yet taken a definitive position on the matter.

But Trump, she added "wants to see the Strait reopened immediately without limitation, and that's something we're going to hold them to".



- 'A legitimised tollbooth' -



For several analysts, the most credible scenario is some kind of partnership between Oman and Iran, the two countries bordering the vital maritime passage.

"If Iran and Oman can come to a solution and create some sort of legitimised toll booth, a structure where ships can come through the Strait, it would give Iran money for reparation," said Michelle Brouhard, an analyst with global markets specialists Kpler.

JP Morgan bank, working off estimates made by Bloomberg, said the receipts from such a system could bring Iran $70 billion to $90 billion a year.

The Strait of Hormuz has become "more important for Iran than enriched uranium", Amir Handjari, an analyst with the US Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, told AFP.

"That's the real security guarantee to prevent Israeli and US attacks in the future," he argued.

"Oman gets more strategic relevance and a revenue stream they really need," he added. In a video posted Wednesday, Transport Minister Said bin Hamood bin Said Al Maawali said that international conventions signed by Oman forbade taking tolls for passage, but that talks were ongoing with the foreign ministry.

The video was subsequently deleted.

Oman's policies towards Iran are not "in sync" with those of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), said the analyst, Handjari. The GCC comprises the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

As for the United States, he said, they might agree to tolls provided the payments were made in dollars and not yuan.



- Gulfs states divided -



The other gulf monarchies would take the imposition of a toll badly, said Amena Bakr, another analyst with Kpler.

"When it comes to Hormuz, the position is very clear from the GCC side... They will not accept Iran controlling the flow," she said.

Nor was it clear how such a toll would be determined, she added.

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, head of the United Arab Emirates's state energy company ADNOC and the UAE Industry Minister, denounced any question of a toll.

"The weaponisation of this vital waterway, in any form, cannot stand," he insisted Thursday. "The Strait must be open -- fully, unconditionally and without restriction."

The EU took a similar line on Thursday. Freedom of navigation, Commission spokesman Anouar El Anouni told journalists, means "basically no payment or toll whatsoever".

But for Handjari, at the Quincy Institute: "It really comes down to three parties.

"The United States, Oman and Iran will determine the fate of the Straits of Hormuz. And the US has the weakest hand there."
Israel army says striking Hezbollah launch sites in Lebanon



Jerusalem, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The Israeli army said Thursday it was striking Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, shortly after it had warned that the militant group could expand launches of projectiles across Israel.

"A short while ago, the IDF began striking Hezbollah launch sites in Lebanon," the military said in a statement.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported several Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon including Bint Jbeil, a symbolic town where Hezbollah said earlier it was engaging with Israeli soldiers.

An AFP correspondent saw first responders looking for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Choukine.

After the Israeli strikes, air raid sirens sounded in several parts of northern Israel, including the city of Haifa, but there were no reports of injuries and the army's Home Front Command has cleared people to leave their shelters.

Earlier on Thursday, more than 20 rocket alerts sounded through the morning in communities near the Lebanon border.

AFP footage from the border area showed long rocket trails in the sky and plumes of smoke signalling interceptions.

Calls have been mounting for the ceasefire between the US and Iran -- agreed late on Tuesday -- to be extended to Israel's war with Hezbollah, which Israel has said is not included.

Israel on Wednesday unleashed what it said was its "largest coordinated strike" on Lebanon since the war began, killing more than 300 people and wounding over 1,000, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

Hours later, Iran-backed Hezbollah said it had fired rockets towards Israel in response to what it called a violation of the US-Iran truce.
IMF chief urges nations to 'do no harm' in fiscal response to Iran war



Washington, United States, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The International Monetary Fund's chief urged governments on Thursday to "do no harm" as they face the massive economic shocks caused by the Middle East war, calling for "targeted" and disciplined fiscal actions.

In an interview with AFP, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the shocks of a surge in energy prices and supply chain disruptions "inevitably bring pain."

"There is no way around it," she said, pointing to the effects on the most vulnerable on the planet, particularly those in low-income countries with limited budgets to take on the crisis.

She called for "restrictive, targeted, temporary actions" by governments, rather than wide-ranging price controls, subsidies or export restrictions.

The US-Israeli war on Iran, launched on February 28, has engulfed the Middle East in violence, snarled supply chains and sent oil prices surging after Tehran virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran and Washington have traded accusations of violations of a temporary ceasefire, with talks aimed at a more durable peace slated for Saturday.

The IMF chief said financial policymakers were in a difficult situation, having to choose between alleviating pain for citizens and possibly forcing central banks to then adopt restrictive monetary policy, delivering a demand shock.

"I feel for them, because they're now faced with bad or worse. There is no upside scenario at that moment," she said, speaking on the sidelines of the kickoff of the IMF's Spring Meetings, which brings together top policymakers from around the globe.

"My message is going to be: have the discipline on the fiscal front. You don't have much fiscal space. Use it very wisely, don't make the job of central bankers harder."

Governments must take measures that prioritize the most vulnerable, she said, rather than putting blanket subsidies in place.

The topic of how to handle the crisis will be the primary focus of the Spring Meetings, which begin in earnest next week.

"It's a very hard job, so if we can use the meetings for people to build their courage together, that would be a very good outcome," Georgieva said.



- Immediate IMF aid -



Earlier Thursday, the IMF chief flagged in her opening remarks that the Fund expected to provide between $20-$50 billion in immediate assistance to vulnerable member states due to the war.

"We have received, so far, two requests for emergency financing," she disclosed to AFP, without identifying the countries in question.

"And we have a number of countries signaling that they may want to work with the Fund," she added, with emergency assistance and fuller reform programs both on the cards.

She identified countries in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and small island states as being in particular need.

The coming week would see "intensive, country by country" discussions on the crisis and what the IMF can do to assist.

In some cases this will involve adjusting existing loan programs, including by accelerating disbursements or providing additional financing.

Georgieva said the Fund was already in talks with Sri Lanka on how to "calibrate" an existing program to meet the country's needs.

Other countries with whom talks are ongoing included Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan.

The IMF chief signalled in her opening remarks that the Fund would downgrade its global growth forecast due to the war, and she had a stark warning:

"The impact of this shock is already baked in, even if the war stops today, this five-plus weeks of missing supplies of oil and gas, they are already disturbing economies," she said.

To face the shocks with fiscal discipline would be difficult, but must be done, she argued.

"In a world of more shocks, of exogenous forces, they have no control over, what they have control over is getting the economy in good shape," she told AFP.

"It is hard, but countries have to face it."
WHO calls on Israel to cancel Beirut evacuation order



Geneva, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The World Health Organization (WHO) called Thursday on Israel to cancel the evacuation order it issued for the southern suburbs of Lebanon's capital, Beirut, where there are two hospitals.

Israel's military warned residents of Beirut's southern suburbs, long a stronghold of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, of imminent strikes and told them to evacuate.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Jnah district included the Rafik Hariri University Hospital and Al Zahraa Hospital, with some 450 patients, of whom 450 were in intensive care.

"At this time, no alternative medical facilities are available to receive" the patients, he said in a statement.

The evacuation of the intensive care patients was "operationally unfeasible", he said -- and both facilities were operating at full capacity, including treating those wounded by Israeli strikes on Wednesday.

"I urge Israel to reverse this order and ensure the protection of all health facilities, health workers, patients and civilians," he added.

Israel on Wednesday carried out its largest wave of strikes since the start of its war with Hezbollah on March 2, killing more than 200 people, according to Lebanese authorities.

While Israel regularly issues evacuation warnings before bombing Beirut's southern suburbs, Thursday's announcement also included the outskirts of Lebanon's only international airport.

The Rafik Hariri hospital is Lebanon's biggest public health facility.
Saudi Arabia says Iran attacks have affected oil production



Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Saudi Arabia said on Thursday that the attacks carried out in recent weeks by Iran against the kingdom's energy infrastructure killed one person and impacted its oil production capacity.

The attacks have targeted "infrastructure for oil and gas production, transport and refining, as well as petrochemical plants and power facilities in Riyadh, the Eastern Province and the industrial city of Yanbu," an energy ministry official told the SPA news agency.

The official said the attacks killed one person -- a Saudi national -- and injured seven others, and "disrupted several production operations at key facilities".

This brings to three the number of people killed in the kingdom since the start of the war, which was triggered by Israeli-US strikes on Iran on February 28.

The attack marked the beginning of a conflict that subsequently engulfed the entire Middle East, with Iran retaliating with missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf nations it accuses of serving as launchpads for US strikes.

The Saudi official confirmed that one of the pumping stations on a vital east-west pipeline was hit, resulting in a reduction of 700,000 barrels per day in pumping capacity.

Saudi Arabia's Petroline has proven to be a critical economic lifeline during the war, with the 750-mile network of pipes connecting two waterways crucial for global commerce -- the Gulf in the east and the Red Sea to the west.

The Petroline is able to pump up to 7 million barrels of crude a day and has proven vital to delivering oil to the international market following the choking off of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran -- where roughly 20 percent of global crude supplies passed before the war.

The Saudi official said the Manifa and Khurais production facilities were also affected, cutting the kingdom's production capacity by 600,000 barrels per day (bpd).

Saudi Arabia, the world's leading crude exporter, produces a little over 10 million bpd.

The attacks also targeted refineries in Jubail, Ras Tanura, Yanbu and Riyadh, "which had a direct impact on exports of refined products to global markets", as well as gas processing facilities, the official said.
US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund plans to sign at least three investment agreements in 2026

Photo: https://t.me/svyrydenkoy/

The U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund (URIF) has set a goal of signing at least three investment agreements by 2026, according to a publication by the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture, citing Deputy Minister Yehor Perelyhin.

According to a message posted on the agencys website, Perelyhin made this announcement during a meeting with the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (AmCham). He also reiterated that the priority sectors for funding are critical minerals, energy, ICT, transport, logistics, and cutting-edge technologies.

"URIFs first investment, Sine Engineering, is pure dual-use. This is our answer to the question of priorities, as our priority is, first and foremost, a high-quality project," the deputy minister said.

He also added that when the funds board selected this project, the key criteria were the products technological maturity, confirmed demand from end consumers, the teams ability to scale, and the financial models ability to withstand significant periods of volatility.

Perelyhin noted that the funds investment advisor is Alvarez & Marsal, which conducts technical and financial due diligence. Final financing decisions are made by the joint management board.

As reported, on March 25, 2026, the URIF Management Board approved the first investment in Sine Engineering, a Ukrainian technology company operating in the communications and navigation sectors. According to First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko, Sine Engineering components are used by over 150 UAV manufacturers. As of the end of March, the fund had received over 200 applications for review.

The U.S.-Ukraine Investment Recovery Fund was established by an intergovernmental agreement in May 2025. The funds initial capital is $150 million, made up of equal contributions ($75 million) from Ukraine and the American corporation DFC. In its initial years, the fund will prioritize equity and quasi-equity investments.
Israel military issues evacuation order for Beirut's southern suburbs



Beirut, Lebanon, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Israel's military on Thursday warned residents of Beirut's southern suburbs, long a stronghold of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, of imminent strikes and called for them to evacuate.

"The Israel Defense Forces continue to operate and strike the military infrastructure belonging to the terrorist organisation Hezbollah across various areas of the southern suburbs," the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.

"The IDF does not intend to harm you and is acting only against Hezbollah operatives and military targets. Therefore, for your safety, you must evacuate immediately."

An AFP correspondent later saw people flee the area.

The warning came a day after Israel carried out its largest wave of strikes since the start of its war with Hezbollah on March 2, killing more than 200 people.

While Israel regularly issues evacuation warnings before bombing Beirut's southern suburbs, Thursday's announcement also included the outskirts of Lebanon's only international airport.

The World Health Organization (WHO) called Thursday on Israel to cancel the evacuation order it issued for the southern suburbs of Lebanon's capital, Beirut, where there are two hospitals.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Jnah district included the Rafik Hariri University Hospital and Al Zahraa Hospital, with some 450 patients, of whom 450 were in intensive care.

"I urge Israel to reverse this order and ensure the protection of all health facilities, health workers, patients and civilians," he added.

Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamni said, in a statement carried by the state-run National News Agency, that he "received assurances from foreign diplomatic sources and relevant authorities" regarding the airport.

The road to the airport and the airport itself would be spared of any Israeli attacks "as long as their use is limited to transporting passengers and goods and civilian activities to and from the airport", he said.

Local television channel NBN, affiliated with the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement, said it would halt its programming after the warning and evacuated the building.
Former Iranian foreign minister dies from attack wounds: media



Tehran, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



A former Iranian foreign minister, Kamal Kharazi, died Thursday from wounds suffered in US-Israel strikes on April 1, Iranian media reported.

Kharazi, 81, had been serving as the head of the Strategic Council for International Relations, which is part of the foreign ministry.

The veteran diplomat, "who was injured in a terrorist attack carried out by the American-Zionist enemy a few days ago, died a martyr tonight", the Mehr and Isna agencies reported on Telegram.

His wife was killed in the strike on their home in Tehran, media reported.

Kharazi was Iran's envoy at the United Nations in New York and then became foreign minister from 1997 to 2005, under reformist president Mohammad Khatami.

Spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a number of top military and political figures have been killed in strikes since the Middle East war started with US-Israeli attacks on February 28.
US summons Iraq envoy over attacks by Iran-backed groups



Washington, United States, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The US State Department said it had summoned Iraq's ambassador on Thursday to condemn the "egregious terrorist attacks" by Iran-backed armed groups on American interests in Iraq.

The United States "will not tolerate attacks on US interests and expects the Iraqi government to immediately take all measures to dismantle the Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq," spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau summoned Iraqi Ambassador Nazar Al-Khirullah and expressed the US government's "strong condemnation" of the attacks, "including the April 8 ambush of US diplomats in Baghdad," Pigott said.

He did not provide any details about the alleged ambush.

Iraq was dragged into the war between the United States, Israel and Iran, with strikes repeatedly targeting both US interests -- especially the embassy in Baghdad -- and pro-Iranian groups in the country.

Pro-Iranian armed groups announced Wednesday that they would suspend their attacks for two weeks, following the announcement of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

"While acknowledging the efforts of Iraqi Security Forces to respond to these terrorist attacks, the Deputy Secretary emphasized the Iraqi government's failure to prevent these attacks," Pigott said.

He added that the US-Iraq relationship was "adversely" impacted by the fact that "some elements associated with the Iraqi government continue to actively provide political, financial, and operational cover for the militias."
Instead, it was up to the Government to finally pull its finger out and bar West from coming to the UK. But Starmer didnt exactly go to the mattresses for British Jews. One might have expected him to have displayed the same energy he had for condemning Bob Vylan and Kneecap over last summer's festival season. Their calls to Free Palestine had the Government tattling to the police with haste. But his officials went ahead and approved the ETA for an artist who put out a jingle about Adolf Hitler less than a year ago. Does Starmer care about antisemitism, the scary full-fat Holocaust denial stuff West engaged in? Or is it only when Israel gets offended that he is quick to act?
In 2005, Charles and Camilla were finally able to get married. After years of scandal and sneaking around, their relationship was now allowed. On 9 April, Charles wed Camilla at Windsor Guildhall in a civil ceremony. In a dramatic turn, the Queen announced that she would not attend her own sons wedding. Speculation was cast over whether this was a mark of her disapproval of Camilla, or simply the Queen taking her role as head of the Church seriously, eschewing the town hall civil ceremony. She and Philip did attend the reception.
The Prime Minister arrived in Bahrain on Thursday as part of a trip to the region, and said it was hard to say whether the strikes were a breach of the ceasefire between the US and Iran.
Photo: Interfax-Ukraine / Oleksandr Zubko

The powers of the President of Ukraine and the Ukrainian authorities do not include the option to cede Ukrainian territories as part of a peace process, stated Ivan Stupak, an expert at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future and consultant to the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence.

"First of all, there is no option in the powers of the President of Ukraine, or the Ukrainian authorities in general, to sign away the territory of Ukraine. It doesn't matter if it is 10 square kilometers or 1.5 square meters. There is no such option, legally, at all," he said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Thursday.

According to him, even if Kuban or part of Belarus expressed a desire to join Ukraine, only the citizens of Ukraine could decide on the annexation of these territories through a referendum.

"Even if we were to fantasize and imagine that by some miracle the President or the Verkhovna Rada found the physical strength to break the law and sign this territory over to Russia, we must know that such an act is immediately followed by criminal liability under the article for state treason and so on," Stupak noted.

Serhiy Yahodzinsky, Vice-Rector of the European University and political expert, added that Ukraine is currently being offered a deal rather than peace in advance, stating, "we are being asked to pay an advance for something unclear."

"In the deal, Ukraine leaves Donbas. In the deal, Ukraine must resettle 200,000 people, or 250,000 or 260,000. Suppose some remain, and we know that some will remain... So we have to resettle these people. The question is where?" he said.

Yahodzinsky noted that Europe speaks about Donbas and is constantly interested in it.

"Notice how some partners reacted when the President of Ukraine and the diplomatic service tried to spread our understanding of security and our drone technology to the Middle East. I apologize, but there was a feeling that Ukraine should sit where it sits and not go beyond those limits. And so the question arises: if tomorrow we lose this card that everyone is currently interested in, who will offer us what if we hold no interest for them?" he added.
Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony, each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the Congressional Record, then and only then we will have the truth.
He continued: From the get-go weve been monitoring this situation, so Im pretty clear in my own mind about what weve agreed and what the use of the bases are, and that is a really important point of principle because we have to learn the lessons of Iraq.
And indeed, the secretary general of Nato Mark Rutte, said yesterday that he praised the work of Keir Starmer and the UK in bringing together allies in support of opening the Strait of Hormuz to allow the flow of energy and ships through that important shipping channel. So we have stepped up, but Iran is not our war.
But at the same time, I was also able to point him to the fact that the large majority of European nations have been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they lived up to (their) commitments.
Nobody is better placed than our colleagues to help us get this experience right; they understand the customers and communities they serve, and we cannot wait to see how they help shape and improve the assistant in the months ahead.
"But at the same time, I was also able to point him to the fact that the large majority of European nations have been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they lived up to (their) commitments."
Photo: Interfax-Ukraine / Oleksandr Zubko

A retreat from Donbas would increase the threat not only to Ukrainian cities but also to strategically important hubs, stated political expert and Candidate of Philosophical Sciences Oleksandra Reshmedilova.

"This is exactly what we are talking aboutretreating from these fortifications. The threat will increase for many, not just for cities with over 1 million residents, but also for strategically important hubs. And the atrocities we saw in Irpin will not just scale up, they will multiply," she said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Thursday.

She added that the negotiation process is ongoing, and Ukraine hopes that security guarantees will be provided by the US, or partially together with partners. However, Russia does not demonstrate a readiness to stop, and its appetites may only grow.

"We had numerous treaties and bilateral agreements where Russia recognized Ukraine within its previous borders. This did not stop them from the invasion, the annexation of Crimea, and many, many atrocities that followed," she noted.

Furthermore, in the event of a withdrawal from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Russia would be right up against NATO borders.

"I am interested in what will be reached after the meeting between Trump and the NATO Secretary General. There is currently much resonance regarding whether the United States will leave NATO or not. But we are more interested in the developments NATO member states have to deter further aggression. They must clearly understand that this is not just an issue of our survival, but a matter of collective security in the region and on the European continent," Reshmedilova emphasized.

Valentyn Haidai, Director of the Intermarium Institute and Candidate of Historical Sciences, also stressed that handing Donbas over to Russia would not automatically mean the end of the war.

"Even more, it would only encourage the appetites of Russia. It will continue to dictate its terms from more advantageous positions," he said at the press conference.

Haidai noted that the enemy is so detached from reality that they simply will not accept any concessions as a finality.
Ukrainians trust the most in the fulfillment of state tasks to Azov, the Special Operations Forces, the SBU unit Alpha, the 2nd NGU Corps Khartia, and the 3rd Army Corps. This is evidenced by the results of a study by the company Active Group.

Thus, answering the question of which units citizens trust the most in fulfilling state tasks, respondents most often named the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine Azov with an indicator (15.2%). Close behind it in the level of trust were the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (14.7%) and the Center for Special Operations A of the Security Service of Ukraine, known under the unofficial name Alpha (13.4%).

The 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine Khartia received 11.7% support from respondents, surpassing the Third Army Corps by 0.7%.

The list of units with a noticeable level of trust also included the active operations unit Kraken of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (7.3%), the 95th Separate Air Assault Polissia Brigade (5.4%), and the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade Kholodnyi Yar (4.9%). These results indicate stable support for combat units that have a reputation for being effective in carrying out specific operational tasks.

A lower, but still noticeable level of trust is demonstrated by the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade Magura (4.5%), the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade named after Kosh Otaman Ivan Sirko (3.9%), as well as the 55th Separate Artillery Brigade Zaporizhzhia Sich and volunteer military formations (3.5% each).

Even a slight difference between the indicators of Khartia and the 3rd Corps is indicative, as it reflects societys perception of the role of units outside the political context. Less media-visible but more apolitical structures may generate a higher level of trust, especially in wartime conditions, when the key criterion is the fulfillment of tasks, said Active Group Director Oleksandr Poznyi.
White House says U.S. working on modified plan ahead of talks with Iran

Xinhua) 09:37, April 09, 2026

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 8, 2026. Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, April 8 (Xinhua) -- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad.

Leavitt said at a White House press briefing that "The president's red lines, namely, the end of uranium enrichment in Iran, have not changed."

Leavitt claimed that U.S. willingness to hold talks is contingent on the reopening of the crucial global energy waterway "with no limitations or delays."

Iran has suspended tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz following Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the semi-official Fars news agency reported earlier on Wednesday.

"Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. That has been relayed to all parties involved in the ceasefire," Leavitt said.

"This will continue to be discussed, I am sure, between the president and Prime Minister Netanyahu, the United States and Israel and all of the parties involved," Leavitt added.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that the United States must choose between upholding a ceasefire or pursuing what he described as "continued war via Israel," referring to Israel's continuing to strike Lebanon.

"The Iran-U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose -- ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both," Araghchi wrote on X. "The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments."

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned it will respond if "aggressions" against Lebanon do not immediately cease, the country's state broadcaster IRIB reported Wednesday.

Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, killing at least 87 people and injuring 722, officials said, with densely populated neighborhoods in the capital, Beirut, among the hardest hit.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 8, 2026. Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 8, 2026. Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 8, 2026. Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Inheritor revitalizes Miao embroidery in SW China's Guizhou

People's Daily Online) 09:56, April 09, 2026

At a workshop inside the Miao-Dong Ethnic Culture Park in Kaili, southwest China's Guizhou Province, embroiderers were busy creating Miao embroidery pieces.

"Our orders are booked out through July. Life just keeps getting better for everyone here," said Pan Xiaohui, an inheritor of Miao embroidery.

Pan's connection to the craft runs deep. "I grew up in a village with my grandmother. She taught me stitch by stitch," she said.

When Pan was in middle school, her mother returned home to start a business, and the family home became a hub where embroiderers dropped off and picked up embroidery pieces. Pan gradually came to feel that preserving and promoting Miao embroidery was her calling.

Pan Xiaohui (right) and her mother iron embroidery pieces. (People's Daily/Chen Junyi)

After graduating from university in 2022, she returned to Kaili to support the local Miao embroidery industry, joining her mother's company.

Pan quickly set about tackling the operational problems that had held the business back: production delays, errors in custom garment cutting and inconsistent quality. She resolved these issues one by one, and as standards rose, so did workers' earnings.

Gradually, Pan turned her attention to brand building. "We'd been running on an original equipment manufacturer model for years. That's no way to grow. We had to invest in our own brand," she said.

On the production side, she insisted on keeping the work handmade, refusing to sacrifice quality for speed. On the marketing side, she encouraged embroiderers to use social media to showcase their skills and share the stories behind the patterns, helping broaden public appreciation for the tradition.

The company has since established itself as one of Guizhou's best-known Miao embroidery enterprises, with 29 patents and registered designs covering 62 original works, and a brand profile that has grown steadily year on year.

The company's workforce has grown to match. From over 800 embroiderers in 2013, it now employs more than 6,300. Pan has also led the team in developing a range of Miao embroidery products designed for contemporary life, pieces that are as practical as they are beautiful.

The company's sales exceeded 13 million yuan ($1.88 million) in 2025. This year, Pan has set an even higher target: over 20 million yuan in sales.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
U.S. Air Force Capt. Nicholas Laz Le Tourneau, F-22 Demonstration Team commander and pilot, gives a hand sign before taking off during at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Feb. 26, 2026. Eligible active-duty airmen can apply for the services aviation bonus through May 31, 2026, the service said in a news release. (Samantha Melecio/U.S. Air Force)



Eligible and active-duty airmen can apply for the Air Forces fiscal year 2026 aviation bonus starting on April 1, the service said in a news release.

The updated bonus program helps the Air Force retain experienced aviators, and now offers higher compensation for shorter contract lengths, particularly in the fighter, bomber and U-2 communities, the release said.

Our airmen are extremely talented, with critical skills that are highly sought after, said the services chief of staff, Gen. Ken Wilsbach, in the release.

The shortest contracts go for three years while the longest are 12 years. The rates go up to $50,000 per year, depending on the applicants field and experience.

The application window closes on May 31. The program is for active-duty aviators at the rank of lieutenant colonel and below. Airmen in the reserve component can also apply if they serve in the Voluntary Limited Period of Active Duty Program.

More detailed instructions are available on the MyFSS website.
The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer holds promotion ceremony on April 2. 2026. The Boxer is the lead ship of the amphibious ready group operating in the western Pacific. (Oliver Nisbet/U.S. Marine Corps)



Up to 2,500 Marines and three Navy ships have departed Hawaii and are headed West.

The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Pendleton is aboard ships of the USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group. A Hawaii ship spotting website showed the Boxer departing Pearl Harbor on April 1. The group also includes the amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland and the dock landing ship USS Comstock.

When the Boxer group departed San Diego on March 19, military officials said the group would either replace the Asia-based USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group or follow the Tripoli group to the Middle East as part of Operation Epic Fury, the war against Iran.

Iran and the U.S. have agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

The Tripoli group, which includes more than 2,000 Marines of the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, arrived in the Central Command area on March 27, according to the Pentagon.

The Navy this week released photos of the Camp Pendleton Marines conducting infantry weapons target practice, drone launches, and F-35B Lightning II fighter attack jets and MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor transport operations.

The Navy reported that the Boxer group was operating in the 3rd Fleet area of responsibility, which includes the Pacific east of the International Date Line. Once west of the date line, the ships would be in the 7th Fleet area.

The aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush is underway heading east in the Atlantic after departing Naval Station Norfolk on March 31. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the carrier would go to the Middle East to support operations against Iran.

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz was crossing the equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean as it transitions from Naval Base Kitsap to its new homeport at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. The Navys oldest carrier hosted guests from Ecuadors government and military on Tuesday, according to the Navy. The Nimitz is participating in the Southern Seas 2026 multinational exercise during its deployment.
In support of the Societys year-round mission, HSNY presented a symbolic $450,000 check to Eliza Kurtz, a student at the Rolex Watchmaking Training Center. In total, HSNY awarded 55 scholarships, supported five watchmaking schools, and granted three awards to independent watchmakers, totaling $450,000 and nearly tripling last year's amount.

Notable guests in attendance included famed watchmaker, HSNY Trustee Roger Smith OBE; entrepreneur, investor, and watch collector Kevin O'Leary; and independent watchmaker Romain Gauthier, all of whom were the evenings Gala co-chairs.

At this years Gala, HSNY recognized two honorees whose contributions to the world of fine watchmaking span generations. Francois-Paul Journe received the Howard Fass Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Society's highest honor, in recognition of his decades of work advancing the art and science of horology, from pioneering complicated mechanisms to championing emerging talent through his Young Talent Competition. The award was accepted on his behalf by F.P. Journe's North America General Manager, Pierre Halimi, and Laurent Journe, brother of Francois-Paul Journe and Los Angeles Boutique Director.
Sailors prepare to tow a F/A-18E Super Hornet on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during flight operations in the Pacific Ocean, April 3, 2026. Nimitz is deployed as part of Southern Seas 2026. (Jaron Wills/U.S. Navy)



The U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations wants to come up with an enduring naval package capable of responding in the Southern Command area without an aircraft carrier.

I want to reserve the carrier ... for power projection and deterrence in the theaters that really need that kind of capability, Adm. Daryl Caudle said March 31 at the Maritime Security Dialogue in Washington, D.C. The event was co-hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the U.S. Naval Institute.

Since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, the Navy has at times strained under a shift in strategic priorities and military activity around the world.

Caudle said commanders in all theaters want carriers as the paramount response to outside threats. But with China and Russia operating in the Indo-Pacific, the war in Ukraine, and the Middle East conflict that stretches from the Arabian Sea north to the Mediterranean Sea, the demand for carriers outstrips the supply when maintenance periods are factored into plans.

Congress requires that the Navy maintain a minimum of 11 aircraft carriers, but at any given time about a third are in maintenance ranging from months to years. Others are training for a deployment or have just returned from months at sea.

Southern Command  which includes the Atlantic and Pacific on either side of Central and South America, along with the Caribbean  is a possible place to look at a different kind of response, Caudle said.

The key to the Southern Command region is maritime domain awareness, Caudle said, essentially knowing what is going on at sea in the region in real time. Southern Commands main problem set is drug interdiction, traditionally handled by the U.S. Coast Guard, Caudle said.

The 2026 National Defense Strategy promises to provide President Trump with credible military options to use against narco-terrorists wherever they may be.

So last summer and fall, the Pentagon surged naval assets to the western Atlantic, Caribbean and eastern Pacific, major hubs for drug trafficking.

The USS Gerald R. Ford transits the Caribbean Sea on Jan. 19, 2026. The Ford, the worlds largest aircraft carrier, arrived in the Middle East this month amid a rapid buildup of U.S. military assets near Iran. (Nathan Sears/U.S. Navy)



The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group were part of the buildup. It linked up with the USS Iowa Jima Amphibious Ready Group, carrying up to 2,500 Marines as the U.S. ramped up assets for a possible invasion of Venezuela.

Instead of an invasion, U.S. special forces captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, who was flown to the United States to face indictment on drug and other charges.

With Venezuela, as you know, the war was over in about 45 minutes, Trump said during a news conference this week at the White House.

During the overall campaign against traffickers, warships  including Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers  have worked in tandem with the Coast Guard to strike 47 ships and sites the administration says are tied to international illicit drug trafficking. An estimated 160 people have been killed, according to the Pentagon.

But now that Maduro has been dislodged from power, the U.S. faces no significant military opponent in South America.

They got the guy they wanted  theres nothing left theyd need an aircraft carrier to do, said Mark Cancian, a former Marine officer who is an analyst for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The Ford then returned to the Middle East, where it took up a central role in the joint Israeli-U.S. attacks on Iran that began Feb. 28.

This weekend, the Ford will break the consecutive days deployed record held by the USS Abraham Lincoln, which spent 281 days deployed in 2022.

For those that are not in the Navy, thats an extraordinary thing to even think about something of that kind of deployment length, Caudle said. So my hats off to the Ford.

Caudle said he was seeking ways to triage the military response in the Southern Command region so that aircraft carriers arent automatically dispatched again.

U.S. Army Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the Southcom commander, needs ships, aircraft and other resources to match the demands that arise in the region.

What does Gen. Donovan need an enduring package to look like? Caudle said.

Options mentioned include a forward staging base. Southern Command currently operates from its headquarters in Doral, Fla.

Army soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, Joint Task Force-Bravo, prepare to transfer UH-60L Black Hawks at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, on March 20, 2026. (Alexander Merchak/U.S. Air Force)



Unlike Europe and Asia, where the U.S. has large military installations, the American presence in Central and South America is relatively small.

The U.S. operates a large base in at Comayagua, in Honduras, Soto Cano Air Base. And the U.S. has retained Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba, but it is primarily used for logistics and detention of prisoners.

Caudle said it could mean assigning a littoral combat ship  designed for coastal operations  or an amphibious transport dock that could carry a ready-response Marine unit.

Can I put together a thing that solves his problem? Caudle said.

Cancian said the U.S. could redevelop and expand facilities at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico. Or it could work with an allied country to build a joint base, and the U.S. could pay for airport runway improvements, for instance.

The crux of the issue in the region is that operations have largely been the job of the Coast Guard.

I would imagine there is a lot of intense conversation going on right now between the Navy and the Coast Guard, with the Navy saying these roles are for the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard saying we dont have the personnel or equipment for the job, Cancian said. Theres a lot of money in the pipeline for the Coast Guard, but it will take years for major changes.

Having aircraft carriers off Venezuela when the U.S. was threatening a major bombing campaign or full-scale invasion might have made sense, Cancian said. And, Trump may harbor a desire to topple the communist government in Cuba.

But overall, Cancian said, there arent the kind of threats in the region that Trump has designated as Americas top priority that require a major military response.

Whatever the enduring naval package that Adm. Caudle puts together, it will have to be stitched together over time if were seeking a long-term presence, he said.
An F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to the Kestrels of Strike Fighter Squadron 137 makes a low-level pass of USS Nimitz on April 7, 2026, while releasing flares used in combat to disorient incoming missiles. (Tanner Orth/U.S. Navy)



Fighter attack jets from USS Nimitz engaged in mock aerial dogfights and dropped live bombs into the sea this week as part of a joint exercise with the Ecuadorian navy.

The two navies are participating in Southern Seas 2026, a multinational exercise. The Ecuadorian Esmeralda-class missile corvettes BAE Manabi and BAE Loja took part, alongside the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley. Ecuadorian A-29 Super Tucano aircraft flew air patrol with F/A-18 Super Hornets over the Nimitz.

On Tuesday, the Nimitz crew loaded live bombs onto the Super Hornets, which flew a simulated attack run, dropping the ordnance in an open area of the sea. A pair of Hornets demonstrated tactical maneuvers, and a third Hornet released flares used as countermeasures that in real combat are designed to confuse incoming missiles.

Ordnance dropped by F/A-18E Super Hornets, attached to the Kestrels of Strike Fighter Squadron 137, explodes in the eastern Pacific off the coast of Ecuador during live-fire exercises on April 7, 2026. (Jaron Wills/U.S. Navy)

Fighter-attack jets of Carrier Air Wing 17 fly over USS Nimitz during exercises off the coast of Ecuador in the eastern Pacific Ocean on April 7, 2026. (Jaron Wills/U.S. Navy)

Two F/A-18E Super Hornets, attached to the Kestrels of Strike Fighter Squadron 137, perform tactical maneuvers during an air power demonstration from USS Nimitz on April 7, 2026. (Tanner Orth/U.S. Navy)

An E/A-18G Growler of the Cougars of Electronic Attack Squadron 139 performs a high-speed flyby of USS Nimitz in the Pacific Ocean, April 7, 2026. (Julian Jaime/U.S. Navy)

An E/A-18G Growler of Cougars of Electronic Attack Squadron 139, in a high-speed flyby of USS Nimitz in on April 7, 2026. (Julian Jaime/U.S. Navy)



Engaging with partners like Ecuador ensures that when the need arises, we can work together as a proficient warfighting team, built with trust and experience, Rear Adm. Cassidy Norman, commander of Carrier Strike Group 11, said in a statement.

The Navy said the exercises include simulated maritime interdiction actions, live-fire gunnery and air defense practice.

The Nimitz is scheduled to hold additional exercises with South and Central American partner militaries during its transit from Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton, Wash., around the tip of South America, to its new homeport at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. The Nimitz, commissioned in 1975, is the Navys oldest aircraft carrier. After announcing the ship would be retired this year, the Navy extended its service until at least 2027, when the newest carrier, the future USS John F. Kennedy, is scheduled for delivery to the fleet.
Buildings once used for coal mining make up the Parc Explor Wendel complex in Petite-Rosselle, France, one of the most well-preserved coal mining sites in the country. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



Many Americans know the story of U.S. troops helping to liberate France from Nazi rule during World War II. What is less often talked about is what came next and how the country rebuilt in the years that followed.

Coal played a critical role in that recovery, powering factories, railways and homes. And much of it was mined in northeastern France, about an hours drive from what is now the largest U.S. military community overseas, in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

That history is still visible today at the Wendel Mine Museum, part of the Parc Explor Wendel complex, a former coal mine site in Petite-Rosselle, near the German border. The complex is named after the Wendel family, an influential industrial dynasty that helped develop mining and steel production in the region.

The Wendel 2 shaft is one of three shafts at Parc Explor Wendel. It was sunk in 1871, not long after coal was discovered at the site in 1865. The shaft is nearly a half mile deep, and 16 feet in diameter. The headframe rises about 177 feet above ground. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

The Electra 2000 is one of several large coal-cutting machines on display at the Wendel Mine, which features reconstructed mine galleries. Guided tours are offered three times a day. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

Rusting headframes tower over Parc Explor Wendel in Petite-Rosselle, France, where visitors can learn about coal mining in the area dating back to the 19th century. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



During a recent visit, the site was quiet, far removed from a time when thousands of miners earned their living here. Rusting headframes rose above the grounds, and a few people walked their dogs along a path next to weathered buildings.

In the museum, a video plays soon after visitors enter, framing coal miners as central to Frances postwar recovery. The tone is striking. Today, coal is often seen as dirty and outdated, but the film makes clear how essential mines like Wendel once were for industrial development.

At its peak, the Lorraine coal basin produced roughly a quarter of Frances coal. Mining in the area dates back to the 19th century, with industrial operations beginning in Petite-Rosselle in 1856.

A statue of St. Barbara is displayed at the Wendel Mine Museum. Statues of the saint, the patron of miners and those in other dangerous professions, were traditionally placed at the entrance to mine tunnels. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

Photographs along the walls of the Wendel Mine Museum show what life was like at the mine complex, where coal mining began in the 19th century and continued into the early 2000s. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



The museum traces that history in detail. Early tools and lamps show how dangerous the work once was. The first lamps used open flames, which could ignite methane and cause deadly explosions.

Moving through the exhibits, I found myself focusing less on the machinery and more on the experiences of the miners.

After their shifts, the miners had to take collective showers to clean off the coal dust that clung to them during the physically demanding work. They helped scrub each others backs, often singing and whistling in the shower rooms that visitors now walk through, according to descriptions in the museum.

Outside the showers, their clothes hung from ceiling-mounted hooks, lifted out of the way to dry. This impressive system is also on display.

Clothes hang from ceiling-mounted hooks in the Wendel Mine Museum, part of the Parc Explor Wendel complex in Petite-Rosselle, France. Each miner had a numbered hook for storing street and work clothes while showering. The clothes were dried using a compressed air system under the ceiling. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



Numerous photographs help bring the preserved spaces back to life, showing what the average workday was like and how tightly connected the workers were to one another.

In addition to the museum, a guided tour takes visitors into reconstructed mine galleries.

My guide spoke only French, but the displays along the route were in English. At the start of the tour, we stepped into an elevator, where a video showed miners in a cage descending into a pit. When the doors opened, we walked into a series of tunnels filled with massive machinery.

For a while, I believed we were far below the surface. It was only after about 15 minutes, when I said something to the guide, that he laughed and explained we had never left ground level. The descent had been a simulation, and a very convincing one.

The re-created mine shows techniques used up until the final years of coal mining in France, which ended in 2004. Walking through the tunnels, it is easy to imagine the noise, heat and repetition miners faced day after day.

The Wendel site is part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage, a network of historic sites across Europe that helped drive the Industrial Revolution and are now preserved and open to the public.

Before leaving, I stopped at Cafe Kaffeeklatsch, a small cafe on site with cakes and vintage decor. After spending hours learning about the harsh conditions underground, sitting down with a large slice of cheesecake offered a quiet moment to appreciate the past and feel happy to be living in the present.

A slice of cheesecake and hot chocolate at Cafe Kaffeeklatsch, a small cafe at Parc Explor Wendel known for its cakes and vintage decor. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

A trail running alongside Parc Explor Wendel offers visitors an up-close look at an old coal mining building that has fallen into disrepair. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



Park Explor Wendel

Address: Lieutenant Joseph Nau street, 57540 Petite-Rosselle, France

Cost: Adults (museum and mine) 12 euros, adults (museum or the mine) 8 euros, children 6-18 (museum and mine) 6 euros, children (museum or the mine) 4 euros, children under 6 free.

Hours: Open all year Tuesdays to Sundays 10 a.m.  6 p.m., closed January 1, May 1, December 24-26 and 31.

Information: Online: https://parc-explor.com; phone: +33 (0)3 87 87 08 54
Himeyuri Peace Museum has had more than 24 million visitors since opening on June 23, 1989. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes)



Tucked behind busy National Route 331 on Okinawa is an emotionally challenging museum that encapsulates one of the most tragic episodes from the Battle of Okinawa and inspires reflection on the costs of war.

On March 23, 1945, 222 Okinawan female students and 18 teachers were mobilized to serve as nurses in the Japanese Imperial Army field hospitals. Of the 240 called upon, 227 perished.

The Himeyuri Peace Museum commemorates the Himeyuri Student Corps  a nickname given to two schools for women: the Okinawa Female Normal School and the Okinawa First Girls High School, according to the museums guidebook. The book costs 750 yen or $4.75.

Hime means princess and yuri means lily in Japanese. The students were all between 13 and 19 years old.

Before entering the museum property, youll find a vendor selling small flower arrangements for 300 yen or $1.90. These may be placed in front of the Himeyuri Cenotaph, a short walk from the flower vendor where prayers or small donations are welcomed.

The Himeyuri Cenotaph is a large white stone commemorating the students and teachers from the Okinawa Female Normal School and Okinawa First Girls High School who died in the Battle of Okinawa. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes)

Flowers are placed in front of the Himeyuri Cenotaph at the Himeyuri Peace Museum as seen on March 5, 2026, Itoman City, Okinawa. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes)



The cenotaph is a large white stone with each name inscribed and is positioned at the entrance of a cave system that was once used by the students for treating soldiers wounded in the field of battle.

Just beyond the cenotaph is the museum entrance, where six exhibits explain the lives and sacrifices of the students and teachers. Admission is 450 yen or $2.85.

Exhibits include school life at Himeyuri before the war, the mobilization, testimonial videos and a rotating exhibit room titled the Passage of Peace, which serves as a multipurpose room creating opportunities for younger generations to think and talk about peace.

Paper cranes, symbolizing peace, are displayed at the Himeyuri Peace Museum in Itoman city, Okinawa, Japan. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes)



Out of the six exhibits, the Requiem room hit me the hardest emotionally. Casting a heavily somber atmosphere, the room displayed portraits and names of the students and teachers with their descriptive testimonies.

Some of the testimonies are hard to stomach. One student describes the sounds of insects within open wounds.

At night, when it was quiet, I could actually hear the maggots wriggling out of the bodies, according to a testimony from Tsuneko Shiroma, 15 at the time, in the Himeyuri Peace Museum Guidebook and displayed within the Requiem room. The bodies sometimes emitted a strange sound, the kind of sound you hear when something is simmering in a pot.

The Himeyuri Peace Museum offers a rare combination of documentary rigor and emotional immediacy that confronts difficult history with honesty and empathy. It is not an easy stop, but it is an essential one for wanting to understand the human side of history, leaving you with a renewed sense of appreciation for peace.

Most displays and signage with the facilities are in English and Japanese and photography is prohibited within the exhibits.

A picture of Mr. Sadao Noda, principal of the Female Normal School, with his students in 1944, is displayed in the lobby of the Himeyuri Peace Museum in Itoman city, Okinawa. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes)



Breeden.Ryan@Stripes.com @Breeden_Stripes

On the QT

Address: 671-1 Ihara, Itoman, Okinawa 901-0344

Directions: From Naha International Airport, head south for nine miles on national route 331 for 30 minutes and the destination will be on your left side.

Times: Monday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5:25 p.m.

Costs: Admission is 450 yen for adults, 250 yen for high school students, 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students. Audio translation device guides are offered at 300 yen.

Parking: Free parking located behind the museum.

Information: Online: himeyuri.or.jp; Phone: 098-997-2100
Expect a generous portion of noodles with the eggplant and meat sauce pasta from Tomato & Garlic in Yokosuka, Japan. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)



Shorten the time you waste googling food near me this week and visit Tomato & Garlic, an Italian restaurant on the ninth floor of the Mores City shopping mall, a one-minute walk from Yokosuka Chuo Station.

As a Mexican-American who grew up in Texas, I cannot imagine family meals any other way than rice, beans and some type of meat, with salsa on the side. But as I grew older and tried different foods, I came to wish for Italian food more frequently.

Images I vividly recall from dining at Italian restaurants are shared salads and unlimited breadsticks, having large quantities of pasta and laughing with my family.

Tomato & Garlic nurtures that exact environment without breaking the budget.

The restaurant sits above the bustle of Yokosukas Blue Street. Inside, the aroma of fresh garlic bread and tomato sauce greets you as you enter.

The four-cheese pizza with honey from Tomato & Garlic, an Italian restaurant at Mores City mall in Yokosuka, Japan. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)



The current dinner special gets you a salad, pasta, pizza and two drinks from a select menu for 4,730 yen, or about $30. Garlic bread is an additional 350 yen.

I ordered the Caesar salad, fried eggplant and spinach country-style meat sauce pasta, with the quattro formaggi pizza with honey to share with my wife.

The pasta-and-pizza combo came with a healthy portion of pasta. The dinner special is perfect for those who cant decide if they want pasta or pizza. The garlic toast was about one quarter of a whole loaf of bread.

Friends first invited me to dinner at Tomato & Garlic, which brought me back to the family-style dinners my family and I would share back home. We all ordered the dinner special while sharing stories and laughs over the garlic bread, which seemed to arrive within seconds of ordering.

Look for Tomato & Garlic on the ninth floor of the Mores City shopping mall in Yokosuka, Japan. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)



If you would rather not order from a limited menu, Tomato & Garlic offers a wide variety of items, including, but not limited to, soup, salad, pasta, pizza, steak, lamb, risotto and dessert.

If you are looking for a family-friendly environment or a restaurant that feels like an experience but wont hurt your wallet, visit Tomato & Garlic the next time youre in Yokosuka.

Tomato & Garlic

Location: 2-30 Wakamatsucho, Yokosuka, Japan

Hours: Open daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Prices: Most entrees cost between 1,200 yen and 5,000 yen.

Dress: Casual

Directions: Google plus code: 8Q7M+M4 Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan

Information: Online: capricciosa.com
Fort Belvoir, Va., garrison commander Col. Joe Messina, right, presents awards for excellence to Porscha Brown, center, at Thurman Auditorium, March 26, 2024. (Paul Lara/U.S. Army)



Flight attendants aboard a Korean Air flight two years ago failed to act properly to save a Defense Department employee who died of a heart attack midflight, according to a lawsuit filed recently by the womans estate.

Porscha Brown, 33, a safety specialist at the U.S. Armys Fort Belvoir, Va., died March 29, 2024, of acute cardiac failure, according to the lawsuit filed March 27 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

She was traveling with three companions on Korean Air Flight KE94 from Washington Dulles International Airport to Incheon International Airport when the incident occurred.

According to the lawsuit, Brown began experiencing distress about 12 hours into the 15-hour flight, clutching her chest and saying, I cant breathe.

The complaint alleges Korean Air personnel failed to properly administer oxygen to Brown, claiming the airlines crew alternated between panicking, observing, and taking notes as her condition worsened.

Specifically, flight personnel did not follow industry standards or the airlines own procedures, the suit alleges. Brown was reportedly given an oxygen mask that was not connected to its tank, and crew members did not use the aircrafts automated external defibrillator, according to the complaint.

After Brown lost consciousness, crew members placed the defibrillator next to her but stood by and did nothing, the lawsuit states. They also failed to assist two passengers who attempted to use the device to save Brown, according to the complaint.

Consequently, no lifesaving shock was administered to Ms. Brown, it said.

The suit alleges that flight personnel also failed to timely notify the flight deck of the medical emergency, delaying the plane from diverting to the nearest airport.

The airline maintains that the flight crew immediately took action to assess the situation and provided the proper medical assistance, Diane Yang, a spokesperson for Korean Air, told Stars and Stripes by email Wednesday. The airline plans to fully respond to and participate in the legal proceedings, she said.

Our sympathies remain with the passengers family, Yang said.

Passenger safety is the companys highest priority, and cabin crews are trained to respond to in-flight medical emergencies in accordance with the appropriate standards, she said.

The flight ultimately made an emergency landing in Osaka, Japan, where Brown was pronounced dead on arrival at Rinku General Medical Center, according to the lawsuit.

Browns companions learned later that the flight crew had never plugged the oxygen mask into the tank after the emergency landing, according to the complaint.

Had the airline responded properly to the emergency, Brown would not have experienced the intense physical and emotional pain she suffered on the flight and would have likely survived, the complaint added.

The lawsuit did not reveal what caused Browns respiratory distress.

According to the lawsuit, Brown received a reward for excellence from the Fort Belvoir garrison commander four days before she died. A Belvoir spokesperson acknowledged but could not immediately answer questions emailed Wednesday in Virginia.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks in Pyongyang in this image released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 22, 2025. (KCNA)



North Korea tested a tactical ballistic missile tipped with a cluster bomb warhead this week, claiming it can reduce target areas to ashes, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday.

The countrys military launched a Hwasong-11Ka surface-to-surface missile tipped with the warhead during a series of weapon systems tests between Monday and Wednesday, according to KCNA.

The test-firing aimed to estimate the combat application and cluster munitions power of the weapon, which North Korea claims can destroy a target area spanning 16 to 17.2 acres, according to the report.

The tests also aimed to verify the combat reliability of a mobile short-range anti-aircraft missile system, assess its electromagnetic weapon system and the dispersal of its carbon-fiber sham bombs, according to KCNA.

General Kim Jong Sik, a member of the Central Military Commission of the Workers Party of Korea, oversaw the tests, the report said.

The electromagnetic weapon and carbon fiber bombs are special assets of strategic nature to be combined with and applied to various military means in different spheres, Kim said in the report.

South Korean military authorities determined that Wednesdays launch appeared abnormal, Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Col. Jang Do-young said at a news briefing Thursday in Seoul. He provided no further details.

The Ministry of National Defense reported several short-range ballistic missiles launched at 8:50 a.m. Wednesday, followed by another short-range ballistic missile at 2:20 p.m. over the East Sea, widely known as the Sea of Japan.

The second missile flew more than 430 miles compared to the earlier launch, which flew about 150 miles, according to the ministry.

The Joint Chiefs on Wednesday said it shared the flight data with the U.S. and Japan.

The South Korean military is closely monitoring North Koreas various movements under firm South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture and maintains the capability and readiness to overwhelmingly respond to any provocations, according to the Joints Chiefs statement.
The HMS Dragon travels in the Mediterranean Sea en route to Cyprus on March 25, 2026. (Lt Thacker-Pugsley/UK Ministry of Defense Crown copyright 2026)



A British warship deployed to help defend U.K. bases and allied interests in the eastern Mediterranean Sea amid tensions with Iran has pulled into port for maintenance.

The destroyer HMS Dragon, built for air and missile defense, experienced a minor technical issue with its onboard water system, the U.K. Defense Ministry said in a statement Tuesday, the BBC reported.

The setback comes two days after the United States and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire and follows criticism from the White House that the U.K. did not respond quickly enough to the crisis.

President Donald Trump has called on the U.K. and other European allies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route between Iran, the UAE and Oman where about 20% of the worlds daily oil supply traditionally passes.

As a result of the U.S.-Israeli strikes, Iran has restricted ship traffic through the waterway, which has led to higher global oil prices.

A YouGov poll conducted in mid-March showed that 70% of U.K. voters opposed joining U.S. military action, with 57% saying Trump was wrong to strike Iran.

Dragon was deployed to the region on March 10 along with drone-busting Wildcat helicopters after an Iranian-made drone struck RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

The deployment is part of Britains response to wider hostilities that escalated after U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran began on Feb. 28. The ships crew of about 200 remains on standby and can sail on short notice if required, the ministry said.

It described Dragon as one of the most capable air defense warships in the world, equipped with the Sea Viper missile system, which can launch eight missiles in under 10 seconds and guide multiple interceptors simultaneously.

The ministry has not specified how long the ship will remain in port, but described the stop as a short maintenance period.

While the U.K. did not join the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes, it has allowed U.S. forces to use bases including RAF Fairford and Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia for operations.

Other NATO allies have taken a more restrictive approach, with Spain limiting U.S. military flights and Italy denying use of bases for Iran-related missions.
Staff members of the Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka Child and Youth Program host a job fair for dependents on May 6, 2025. (James Mitchell/U.S. Navy)



The Pentagon wants leaders in the armed services to do more to combat persistently high military spouse unemployment, which sits at 20%  five times the national average.

To address the disparity, the armed forces are directing senior leaders to maximize the use of hiring flexibilities for military spouses, Anthony Tata, defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness, said in a statement Wednesday on X.

That includes waiving rules that may create challenges for those seeking work overseas.

Hiring military spouses is smart business and the right thing to do for our warriors & their families, Tata said. This immediate change will make it easier for talented military spouses to secure opportunities in the Department.

Among the obstacles, he said, was that the Department of Defense Education Activity could not extend job offers to military spouses with teaching licenses until 30 days before their permanent change of station move.

That creates economic insecurity for our military families and unnecessary vacancies in our schools, Tata said.

Under changes introduced this week, military spouses now can apply and be hired upon receiving official change of station orders, he said.

In a memorandum accompanying the social media post, Tata said DOD must eliminate unnecessary barriers to military spouses joining the civilian workforce.

A yearlong Stars and Stripes investigation published in 2023 found that an overseas assignment meant living on the edge of poverty for thousands of U.S. military families.

The reason for that hardship after being sent to Europe was rooted in a loss of income resulting from U.S. and NATO country prohibitions that keep military spouses from working overseas.

Since then, the U.S. has reached agreements with some European countries, such as Italy, to allow military spouses to work remotely for their American employers. Still, obstacles remain for many overseas spouses.

Tatas post urged the use of alternative work sites for spouses accompanying military members on orders outside a jobs primary duty location.

In addition, he called on DOD hiring managers to consider military spouses before all other candidates who are ineligible for hiring preferences.

Tata also directed agencies to develop lists of qualified military spouses, including through continuous job announcements not tied to particular vacancies so that human resources teams can fill resume banks of military spouses they can quickly hire when vacancies open.

The moves come after aggressive attempts by President Donald Trumps administration to shrink the federal workforce by implementing hiring freezes and offering incentives for resignations and early retirement.

Just over a year ago, after instituting a hiring freeze, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to reduce and restructure the departments civilian labor force to make it lean, mean and prepared to win.

As a result, the DOD saw an exodus of about 10% of its civilian employees last year, shedding about 81,000 of them, the Daily Wire reported in February, citing Pentagon data.

But the restructuring and unfilled vacancies were causing low morale and lost capability, while overseas civilians trying to rotate back stateside faced the prospect of demotions and pay cuts, DefenseOne reported.

A search of the government hiring website USA Jobs on Thursday turned up over 2,300 postings for which military spouses were eligible, with a total of just over 8,000 open to the public.

The unemployment rate in March was at 4.3%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported April 3, with the jobless rate for women at 4%, compared with 3.8% for men.
HMS St. Albans sails during an exercise off the coast of Cornwall, England, Jan. 22, 2017. The ship was part of a team that tracked and exposed covert Russian submarine operations in the High North according to a U.K. statement released Thursday. (Dave Jenkins/U.K. Defense Ministry)



Britain and Norway spent more than a month tracking three Russian submarines in waters north of Europe during an operation to deter the vessels, which ultimately returned to Russia, the U.K. Defense Ministry said Thursday.

The successful deterrence of the submarines should put Russian President Vladimir Putin on notice that the U.K. and its allies wont tolerate covert operations against critical undersea pipelines and cables, the ministry said in a statement.

We see you, we see your activity over our underwater infrastructure, U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said in the statement, speaking directly to Putin. You should know that any attempt to damage it will not be tolerated and would have serious consequences.

Healeys words follow repeated warnings by U.S. military officials in recent years that Russian submarine activity in the High North is increasing and that cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is expanding, particularly in the Arctic.

In addition, the Baltic Sea has seen suspected sabotage events in recent years, such as the destruction of undersea communication cables.

NATO countries accuse Russia of carrying out such gray-zone warfare in Europe because of Western military support for Ukraine.

In the most recent example of Russias presence in the region, U.K. military personnel identified a Russian attack submarine that had entered international waters in the High North several weeks ago, the defense ministry said. The ministry did not say exactly when the submarine was discovered.

Working alongside Norway and other unidentified allies, U.K. ships and aircraft subsequently tracked the submarines activity and determined that it was acting as a decoy to divert attention from two other Russian submarines, according to the statement.

Those vessels, part of Russian reconnaissance operations, were loitering near critical undersea infrastructure in another location, the U.K. said.

After the U.K. and its allies made it apparent that they were monitoring the submarines, the vessels retreated and returned home, the defense ministry said. The ministry did not specify exactly when the submarines left the area.

There is no evidence any damage was done to U.K. cables and pipelines, the BBC reported Thursday.

Healey also pointed out that the Russian undersea activity occurred while attention was focused on conflict in the Persian Gulf.

As we act to defend our interests and allies in the Middle East, we are tackling increasing threats to NATO in the High North, maintaining strong support for Ukraine and protecting our UK homeland, he said.
The ceasefire is faltering on the eve of the first negotiating meeting due to the bombings in Beirut and the blockade of Hormuz

Representatives from Iran and the United States are still preparing for their first meeting to negotiate an end to the war, scheduled for Saturday, and the 15day ceasefire meant to allow dialogue is already dangerously fragile. On just the second day of the truce, nearly all disputes revolve around Lebanon.

The mediator, Pakistan, was clear from the outset that Lebanon was included in the ceasefire, but U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have since argued the opposite. Irans president, Masoud Pezeshkian, warned on Thursday that talks in Islamabad would be meaningless if Lebanon remains under attack. And EUs foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has called for Lebanon to be included in the ceasefire and accused Israel of putting it under severe strain.

Netanyahu, however, has turned a deaf ear and raised the stakes, warning that he will continue to strike Hezbollah with force and wherever necessary, increasing the risk of shattering an already fragile ceasefire. After killing more than 200 people the previous day, the Israeli military continued its bombardment on Thursday and ordered another urgent displacement of residents in Dahiya, the Shiite suburbs of Beirut. As a result, Iran has reversed its decision to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and Hezbollah has resumed attacks, firing 30 projectiles at northern Israel.

The ceasefire had briefly sparked optimism by averting the mass bloodshed with which Trump had threatened Iran, but renewed tensions in Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz have swiftly replaced it with global concern.

Especially after U.S. President Donald Trump realigned himself with Netanyahu and excluded Lebanon from the agreement. This is even though Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif explicitly said hours earlier that the ceasefire covered everywhere, including Lebanon.

Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh revealed on Thursday that his country was on the verge of responding to Israels brutal bombing campaign in Lebanon, but Pakistan persuaded them to refrain. You cannot ask for a ceasefire and then accept terms and conditions, accept all the areas that a ceasefire is applied to, and name Lebanon, exactly Lebanon in that, and then your ally [Israel] just starts a massacre, he protested in an interview with the BBC.

The deputy foreign minister urged Washington to choose between war and ceasefire, and refused to reveal whether Irans representatives would attend peace negotiations if Israel continues attacking Hezbollah. Tehran faces a dilemma: the Lebanese militia  which it finances and arms  opened a new front a month ago precisely in its support, after Israel killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and following a year of ceasefire violations in Lebanon marked by neardaily airstrikes.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katzs assessment of the situation offers little cause for optimism: Hezbollah is desperate for a ceasefire, he said on Thursday. And Iran fears that Israel will crush Hezbollah.

As both sides put it, a finger remains on the trigger  an image used this week by both Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Underscoring the uncertainty, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has extended its recommendation that airlines avoid airspace over the Middle East and the Gulf until April 24, covering the full 15day ceasefire.

Dialogue in Islamabad

A Pakistani source familiar with the talks told Reuters that the inclusion of Lebanon and Yemen  where the Houthis warned on Thursday that they could resume missile attacks against Israel  in the ceasefire will be discussed [at the upcoming negotiations] and we will settle it. In Islamabad, authorities have already sealed off a perimeter around the hotel where the peace talks are set to begin.

On Thursday, Pezeshkian issued a statement on the social media platform X, describing the attacks on Lebanon as a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement and a dangerous sign of deception and lack of commitment to any deals that might be reached with the United States beginning Saturday in Islamabad. The continuation of these actions will render negotiations meaningless [] Iran will never abandon its Lebanese sisters and brothers, he added.

Israel announced that in the previous days wave of airstrikes  160 in just 10 minutes, according to the military  it killed Ali Yusef Harshi, the personal secretary of Naim Qassem, Hezbollahs top leader. Qassem himself is also a target and, sooner or later, his time will come, Defence Minister Katz warned on Wednesday.

Once again, the other central issue is the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for roughly a fifth of the worlds oil supply and other vital goods such as fertilisers. Khatibzadeh said Iran would guarantee security for safe passage if Israeli attacks on Lebanon cease. Technically, the ceasefires entry into force is conditional on the straits reopening, turning it into a major point of leverage just as the truce is getting under way.

For now, Iran will limit traffic to 15 vessels a day, according to a senior Iranian source cited by TASS. Tehran partially closed the strait  which links the Gulf to the Indian Ocean  in retaliation for the IsraeliU.S. attack of February 28 that marked the start of the war.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C., in this undated photo. After meeting with NATOs top official Wednesday, Trump blasted the alliance as unreliable while weighing a shift of U.S. bases in Europe toward countries seen as more supportive during the Iran campaign. (The White House)



STUTTGART, Germany  President Donald Trump again took aim at NATO after a Wednesday meeting with its top official, calling the alliance unreliable as Washington weighs a plan to relocate bases in Europe to countries deemed more cooperative.

NATO wasnt there when we needed them, and they wont be there if we need them again, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform shortly after his White House meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

The talks with Rutte occurred at a pivotal time for NATO, which Trump has blasted repeatedly during both of his terms as president.

The situation has raised questions about whether the large U.S. troop presence and network of bases in Europe could be used as leverage for reprisals.

Trump is considering punishing some NATO members for not supporting U.S. efforts in Iran, The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday reported.

One option involves moving some U.S. bases to countries deemed more helpful during the conflict. Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Greece are countries that could stand to gain U.S. troops, U.S. officials told the newspaper.

Besides relocations, the plan also could target a U.S. base in at least one European country, possibly Spain or Germany, for closure, officials said.

The plan is in its early stages but is supported by some top Trump officials, with the administration also considering a range of other options to punish allies, according to the newspaper report.

Trump has considered closing bases and relocating forces in Europe before. Toward the end of his first term, a plan emerged calling for the withdrawal of 12,000 troops from Germany, sending some elsewhere in Europe and others back to the U.S.

The proposal, ostensibly meant to punish Germany for not spending enough on defense, never came to fruition and was later canceled by President Joe Biden.

U.S. bases in Europe have been developed over decades and serve an array of functions, including projecting power far beyond the Continent. Making significant changes to the current arrangement would be complex.

Ramstein Air Base in Germany, for example, is the U.S. militarys most significant base in Europe, and any effort to shift comparable operations elsewhere would require massive investments in infrastructure to replicate its capabilities.

Likewise, the elaborate training areas in Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels, referred to as the crown jewel of the Armys presence in Europe, would be hard to duplicate elsewhere.

Even though Poland has gone to great lengths to build up facilities for U.S. forces, they remain austere compared with those in Germany and are not designed for large numbers of permanently stationed troops and families.

While Germany has been a frequent target for Trump, Berlin has ramped up defense spending, a major point of contention. Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also are said to have a good relationship.

But Merz has delivered mixed messages about the Iran war, signaling initial support before eventually saying it was not Europes fight. Still, U.S. bases in Germany have factored into the Iran mission, with Ramstein serving as a logistics hub for operations.

Rutte said he recognized Trumps frustration with some allies.

I can see his point, Rutte told CNN. But at the same time, I was also able to point to the fact that the large majority of European nations have been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they lived up to their commitments.

One country that has taken an opposing position is Spain, which refused permission for its bases and airspace to be used for missions connected to the Iran war.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have said alternative basing arrangements should be considered if ally or partner countries put limits on U.S. operations.

Spain was already out of favor with Trump for refusing to support a new NATO plan calling for defense spending of 5% of gross domestic product.

That could have implications for the Navys base in Rota, home to several warships that play a key role in NATOs integrated air defense system. But moving those ships and sailors out of Spain would be complicated given the limited number of alternatives.

One possibility could be repositioning the Rota mission to Souda Bay in Greece, although the move would entail giving up a strategic position at the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea.

Such a move, however, would require significant time and money to build the infrastructure needed to support five Navy destroyers, the sailors assigned to them and their families.
A U.S. Navy helicopter accompanies warships through the Strait of Hormuz in this undated photo. Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively frozen as the fragile two-week ceasefire between Iran and U.S.-Israeli forces entered its second day. (Janae McCoy/U.S. Navy)



Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively frozen Thursday as the fragile two-week ceasefire between Iran and U.S.-Israeli forces entered its second day.

The waterway, which accounts for a fifth of the globes oil, is supposed to be free and open under the temporary agreement, according to U.S. officials.

But the ceasefire deal has so far done little to restore maritime traffic as Iran attempts to control the flow of ships, according to experts and ship-tracking data.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday on X that any movement through the strait must occur in coordination with the Iranian Armed Forces.

The same day, tankers in the Gulf received a radio broadcast warning them that they would be targeted with military strikes unless they first gained approval from Iranian authorities, according to The Wall Street Journal.

If any vessel tries to transit without permission, [they] will be destroyed, the recording said.

As part of negotiations, Iran has requested control over the strait, including the ability to charge fees.

The Financial Times, citing a spokesperson for Irans Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters Union, reported that Iran will demand shipping companies pay tolls in cryptocurrency during the two-week ceasefire.

Data from MaritimeTraffic, a vessel-monitoring website, on Thursday morning showed a handful of vessels moving through the critical waterway, with large clusters of ships still anchored in the Persian Gulf. Just four ships transited the strait on Wednesday, and none were oil tankers, according to Vanda Insights, which provides analysis of oil markets.

Traffic through Hormuz remains effectively frozen, the company wrote on Thursday.

Trade risk analysts at Kpler, a global analytics firm, said traffic remained very limited as shipowners continued to show caution. Safe transit capacity was expected to remain constrained at a maximum of 10 to 15 vessels a day if the ceasefire holds, one Kpler analyst said.

Vice President JD Vance, speaking to reporters on a visit to Hungary, claimed that he could already see an increase in traffic.

We actually think that we are seeing signs that the straits are starting to reopen, he said, noting that oil and gas prices had come down following the ceasefire.

The deal, Vance said, was that the U.S. would stop strikes and negotiate, and the Iranians, in exchange, would reopen the strait.

If we dont see that happening, the president is not going to abide by our terms if the Iranians are not abiding by their terms, the vice president said.

President Donald Trump, in a post to Truth Social on Wednesday, said all U.S. ships, aircraft and military personnel will remain in place near Iran until a real agreement is reached between the two countries.

If for any reason it is notthen the Shootin Starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before, he wrote. It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.

Attacks on neighboring Gulf nations appeared to slow on Thursday morning, with no countries reporting overnight drone or missile strikes for the first time since the war began. Vance is expected to lead a delegation to Islamabad this weekend for discussions on a permanent ceasefire deal, but the parties remain far apart on a number of key issues.

In addition to the strait, the U.S. and Iran are also at odds over the future of the nuclear program. Iran, in public statements, has insisted that it be allowed to enrich uranium, while U.S. officials have said it is off the table.

Trump on Wednesday said the U.S. will help dig up and remove Irans remaining nuclear material, though Tehran has not publicly agreed to such a measure.
A press conference takes place at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., Oct. 3, 2023. (Tia Dufour/Department of Homeland Security)



A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted an Army veteran on charges of disclosing classified defense information to a journalist.

Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, N.C., who was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday, held a top-secret security clearance from 2010 to 2016 for a special military unit, according to a Justice Department news release.

Williams was a source for author Seth Harp for his 2025 book The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces.

The Justice Department alleges that between 2022 and 2025, Williams and Harp  who is referred to only as the Journalist in the release  had more than 10 hours of telephone calls and exchanged more than 180 messages.

Some statements by Williams that appeared in the book contained classified national defense information, the Justice Department said.

In an excerpt from his book that appeared Aug. 12 in the online magazine Politico, Harp detailed Williams role working for the unit at Special Operations Command after leaving the Army in 2010. In it, he quotes Williams describing the type of work she performed in a supporting role.

The things you see on TV and think they dont exist, they really do exist, Williams said, according to Harper.

FBI Director Kash Patel said Williams arrest should serve as a warning.

FBI and our partners have arrested a former SOCOM employee, who supported our top-level military warfighters, for allegedly transmitting classified information to a member of the media, he wrote Thursday on X. Let this serve as a message to any would-be leakers: were working these cases, and were making arrests. This FBI will not tolerate those who seek to betray our country and put Americans in harms way.

Williams served in the Army for four years, served as an interrogator and Arabic linguist and never deployed, according to Harp.

She was apparently worried about the information she provided after the book was published and contacted Harp about her apprehension, according to the Justice Department.

In one message to Harp, she wrote she was concerned about the amount of classified information being disclosed, according to the release.

The department alleges she worried about possible arrest for disclosing classified information and cited a statutory provision of the Espionage Act.

In another message sent to a third party not named in the news release, Williams said she was probably going to jail for life.

In a Wednesday post on X, Harp characterized Williams as a scapegoat.

The FBI is incapable of solving real crimes, like all the murders on Fort Bragg involving elite soldiers trafficking drugs, so they settle for retaliating against courageous whistleblowers like Courtney Williams, whose only crime was telling the truth about Delta Force, he wrote.

In Politico, Harp wrote that Williams was the target of sexual harassment and job discrimination during her eight years with the unit.

Once she started speaking up, Harp quoted Williams former coworker Esther Licea as saying, things kept getting worse and worse for her. They came after her hard.

Williams settled her claims against the Armys Special Operations Command in summer 2018, according to Harps article.

Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nations security, Reid Davis, the FBI special agent in charge in North Carolina, said in the release.

The tradecraft, tactics, and techniques used by the U.S. military unit in this case are classified and should be shared only with those with proper clearances and a need to know in order to protect American lives and safeguard classified National Defense information, he said.
A Texas man will spend more than three years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing a machine gun that he fired near an Air Force base in San Antonio, prompting base security guards to fire back. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)



A Texas man will spend more than three years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing a machine gun that he fired near an Air Force base in San Antonio, prompting base security guards to fire back.

Joseph Anthony Jimenez, 20, fired a stolen 9mm pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device into a field near Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland during two separate incidents on Aug. 17, 2024, according to the Justice Department.

He and another man, Ricardo Samaniego, who was 18 at the time, exchanged gunfire with Air Force Security Forces, the San Antonio Police Department said at the time.

Law enforcement connected Jimenez to the shootout after investigating another incident later the same day. Several people were playing with a gun when it went off and hit Samaniego, the Bexar County Sheriffs Office said. A shell casing matched those found near Lackland.

Law enforcement arrested Jimenez on a state warrant Aug. 29, 2024. He was federally indicted with possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm in November 2024, and transferred to federal custody.

Jimenez admitted to shooting his friend and then throwing the handgun over a fence at an apartment complex, the Justice Department said. He pleaded guilty in December to both charges and was sentenced Wednesday to 40 months in prison.

The conversion device on the pistol, also known as a Glock switch, allowed the firearm to act as a fully automatic weapon, according to the Justice Department. It is classified as a machine gun under the National Firearms Act, even when not installed.

A case against Samaniego in Bexar County court was dismissed last year, according to online court records.
Cadet Wesley Myers, Sgt. 1st Class Logan Howard and Col. Jonathan Post stand and salute during the Monarch Battalion Unit Memorial for Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., on April 2, 2026. Shah was killed when a gunman opened fire in a classroom at the university in March. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via TNS)



NORFOLK, Va. (Tribune News Service)  U.S. Army Cadet Command released a video Wednesday night featuring a comments from Old Dominion cadets who were in the classroom when a gunman opened fire, killing their instructor and injuring two of their peers.

The cadets said they were there for a regular Thursday morning meeting of their class: Military Science IV. Some arrived at Constant Hall early to prepare the presentations.

Just before the end of class, the head of the universitys ROTC program Lt. Col. Brandon Shah was wishing the cadets a good weekend when a man opened the door.

He asked the students, is this ROTC or is this a seminar? No one responded at first, said Samuel Reineberg, who was awarded a meritorious service medal for his actions that day.

Shah nodded his head, yes, said Cecelia Fooso, a cadet in the class. She told the man they were ROTC.

I wasnt really thinking about what that question meant, said Louis Ancheta, a Purple Heart recipient for what he did next.

The man reached into his waist band and pulled out a gun. He shouted Allah Ahkbar before he began shooting in the direction of Shah, said Wesley Myers, a student who was awarded a meritorious service medal.

The students take deep breaths in the video as they recount the moments that followed in detail.

Everybody dropped down to the ground, said Cadet Samora Robinson. Students described immediately getting underneath their desks.

Ancheta pulled out his pocket knife, flipped it open and ran up towards the gunman.

As he ran, he said, Shah lunged at the gunman and began wrestling with him.

If he didnt lunge at him, I wouldnt be here right now, said Cadet Jah-Ire Urtarte, who was sitting in the front row.

Ancheta described as the gunman continued to fire as he faced stray bullets on his approach.

It hit me, he said, as one bullet pierced his chest. It really didnt feel like it hit me ... I thought I can keep going.

Ancheta said Shah turned the man so that his back faced him. He began stabbing him in the back.

As Im stabbing him, other cadets jump in.

Cadet Jeremy Rawlinson, awarded a meritorious service medal, said he saw Ancheta jump over a table and rush up.

If hes going up, I got to back him, he said. He had a knife and began using it to stop the gunman, alongside Shah and several other cadets who all fell on the ground in a pile.

Myers saw the gunmans hand on the firearm.

He still had it pointing straight away from him, he said. He reached for the firearm, pushed it towards the wall and squeezed his fingers into the gunmans hand to wrestle the firearm out.

I dropped the magazine and pulled the slide back. There was one round left in it, he said. The magazine was empty.

Ancheta recalled folding his knife and putting it back into his pocket as he began to feel pain.

Guys, can you get off of me? I think Ive been shot.

Several cadets laid Ancheta on his back and began performing first aid.

Its different when its not a mannequin. Its your friend, Myers said.

Samuel Reinebergs attention turned to Shah, who tried to stand up but fell back into the wall.

I caught him on the way down and I found a gunshot wound to the upper right thigh.

Rawlinson handed over his belt so that it could be used as a tourniquet.

The students didnt know what might come next  if they were the only ones attacked or if there were more people on their campus intending to cause harm.

Law enforcement arrived soon after, and cadets ushered them inside the classroom.

SWAT officers place a chest seal over Anchetas wound and place him in a stretcher for transportation to the hospital where he was ushered into surgery.

The other cadets were brought to the police station to be interviewed by police.

They werent aware their instructor had died until later in the day.

Reineberg said Shah was alive and talking when he transferred him over to paramedics. The days that followed were really hard, he said.

There was this sense of could we have done more, and did we do everything right, said one of the students Oshea Bego.

Hes a hero. He lunged at him, wrestled with him and tried to save us, said Ancheta.

Col. Shah used the last of his strength to tackle that guy and he gave us just enough time we needed to to get on him, said Rawlinson.

He set the example. He closed the distance with the gunman, and we all followed in.

One of the last things he told my mom was that he would take care of me, said Bego. He followed through on that.

2026 The Virginian-Pilot.

Visit pilotonline.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.
Juan Soto Malaga 09/04/2026 a las 15:57h.

Some of Spain's best chefs will trade their haute cuisine kitchens for a day of shared cooking with hospitality students at the Anantara Villa Padierna hotel in Benahavis on 20 April. The eighth Chefs for Children charity event combines health, education and hope for thousands of families living with the reality of rare diseases.

A total of 60 chefs, including 12 with three Michelin stars, wil participate in this year's initiative, which aims to promote healthy eating habits from childhood and donate all funds to the Feder association.

Chefs for Children has become a fixture on Malaga province's charity calendar. The event consists of two parts. One is the cooking exchange experience during which the chefs will teach children how to build mindful and healthy eating habits. The other is the charity gala dinner with a menu by Michelin-starred chefs from the province.

Those interested in supporting the cause can now purchase tickets on the website: Chefsforchildren.es.

Mayor of Benahavis Jose Antonio Mena stated during the presentation of the event that it is a privilege for the town to once again host this charity event, now in its eighth year and for the fourth consecutive year in the area. "Thank you to the chefs and the children, who bring visibility to all of this," he said. He expressed his hope that this year "more people will sign up than in previous years".

Event organiser Pilar Candil said that rare diseases are defined as those with a low prevalence, affecting fewer than five people per 10,000 inhabitants. These include ailments as diverse as epidermolysis bullosa (butterfly skin), brittle bone disease, ALS, tuberous sclerosis and cystic fibrosis. "It is estimated that there are more than 7,000 rare diseases affecting 300 million people worldwide and three million in Spain," she said.

Speaking on behalf of Feder, Rosa Elba expressed her gratitude to Chefs for Children for choosing them. "It's a fantastic, innovative initiative that will give us visibility and allow children to discover that healthy eating isn't boring," she said.

Elba used the opportunity to highlight the importance of newborn screening and increasing the number of diseases it targets - something Feder has been advocating for for many years. "Everything is a struggle for us because it feels as though were invisible; we need society to understand us and for things as simple as parking a car not to feel like a privilege," she said.

General manager of Anantara Villa Padierna Javier Fiera said that "it is a true honour to participate in and represent the hospitality profession". He stated that it is important for them to give back to the community some of the wealth they generate, whether in Thailand, where the chain began, or in the West.

Manolo Fernandez from the association of municipalities of the western Costa del Sol said that "the Costa del Sol will always be involved in charity projects and especially in those that have the power to help these families".

Jose Maria Bergillos from the regional ministry of agriculture, fisheries, water and rural development agreed with him and said that the pairing of cuisine with quality agricultural and fishery products "is a magnificent way to highlight the Andalusian brand". "It is a strategic sector and we must work harder to maintain Europe's food sovereignty," he said.

An event chefs love

The charity event is especially beloved by chefs, who eagerly anticipate it year after year, eager to help. One of them is Jose Carlos Garcia (one Michelin star), who has already participated in several workshops this year and appreciates the warm reception from parents. "It was quite moving because we ended up throwing flour at each other, laughing and hugging," he said.

Another contributor to several events has been Mario Cachinero, head chef of Skina (two Michelin stars). "We also learn because life can throw many challenges your way and you can never stop smiling and eating well, because it's the best medicine there is," he stated.

David Olivas, chef at Back (one Michelin star), believes that the most important thing is to teach children about the products available so they can learn which ones are the most natural. "This kind of education should begin in school because, ultimately, we are what we eat," he said.

Mauricio Giovanini and Pia Ninci, from Messina (one Michelin star), also spoke at the presentation, saying that it's a great experience for the participating chefs as well, because it allows them to have fun and cook for the enjoyment of the attendees. No effort is too small when it comes to helping those who need it most, especially children.
Juan Cano and Maria Jose Diaz Alcala 09/04/2026 a las 10:23h.

Several National Police officers have individually reported online insults and derogatory comments that could constitute hate crimes, as well as the leaking of their personal information and photographs on forums and social media since the opening of the 'Haitam' case.

The case investigates the death of 35-year-old Haitam who died on 7 December after the police Tasered him in a call shop, while the deceased was allegedly under the influence of drugs.

The cybercrime unit is currently investigating the profiles to identify the individuals behind them. They are analysing both the comments under the videos from security and police cameras from the day of the incident and the photos that identify the officers. Some comments call the police "murderers".

According to the autopsy the Institute of Legal Medicine (IML) in Malaga carried out, Haitam died from an adverse drug reaction and a condition known as 'agitated delirium'. In addition, the report states that what further aggravated his state was his heart, deteriorated by various other conditions.

The IML's conclusions differ from those forensic medicine expert Aitor Curiel reached after Haitam's family commissioned a separate report. According to his report, Haitam suffered 86 injuries. Curiel states that he would not have died at that moment had it not been for the multiple traumas he sustained during the restraint actions and the electric shocks.

Chronology of events, according to security camera and police videos

Both the security camera footage from the call shop and the recordings from the officers' Tasers detail the complete sequence of the police intervention. SUR published most of the content of these videos, which show that Haitam entered the call shop at 6.51pm, highly agitated and demanding a charger. He knocked down a security grille next to the counter, fought with the worker until he knocked him to the ground and slipped behind the display case.

During the eleven minutes Haitam was alone in the shop, he frantically searched the counter for a charger. He had two cell phones and plugged one into a cable in the shop. The cash register was open, but he didn't take a single euro. He picked up a pair of round-tipped scissors (the kind used in schools) and held them next to his phones.

It was 7.03pm when the two police officers entered the shop. "Buddy, get on the floor," one of them said as he walked toward Haitam, his Taser drawn. "Can you see this?" he asked, referring to the weapon.

The police insisted he drop the scissors and cell phones and turn around. Haitam, allegedly in a state of intoxication from drug use, stated that he was going to cooperate. He put down the scissors, but continued ignoring the police instructions until he decided to shake hands with one of the officers.

The police grabbed his wrist and began to handcuff him. "I'm going to cooperate," Haitam repeated. Then he began to squirm. Four more officers entered into the premises and pounced on Haitam to restrain him while he screamed.

He received the first electric shocks to his back. Then, he was punched in the face and received another shock. At 7.08pm, the police handcuffed Haitam. Just seconds later, he received two more electric shocks after he began moving his legs at the request of one of the officers. Immediately afterward, the police also allegedly sprayed him in the face, to which Haitam responded by spitting in the officer's eye. On the ground, handcuffed and with an officer on top of his legs, he received another electric shock. "Will you calm down?" "Shut up, damn it." Haitam was moaning and panting. A few minutes later, he can no longer be heard on the recordings.

The court provisionally shelved the case pending the final autopsy report. The results now reveal that he had consumed cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis shortly before the incident. He had also apparently consumed alcohol, though not in large quantities.

The toxicology report, which details the amounts of drugs present in Haitam's body, concludes that, although these figures are not lethal in themselves, they autopsies performed on the bodies of people who were regular cocaine users frequently detect them.

The IML report lists 19 injuries on Haitam's body. According to sources, the Taser gun the police used caused two of these injuries. The rest were the result of the police attempts to subdue him. The forensic experts say that these injuries did not endanger his life.
Jose Rodriguez Camara Torremolinos 09/04/2026 a las 12:00h.

The refurbishment of Plaza La Nogalera in the centre of Torremolinos that began in October 2024 is now in its final phase.

The aim is to update the image of one of the busiest spots for residents and visitors in the Costa del Sol town, in accordance with a design by the architects Maria Vargas Garcia and Ana Baena Azuaga, transforming a space in which, rather than giving prominence to the paving, priority is given to fountains and shaded areas, with the presence of organic and curved lines that bring dynamism and lightness.

3.6 Million The investment increases by some 600,000 euros, making a total of 3.6 million euros and an increase of approximately 20 per cent

"La Nogalera is consolidated as one of the main initiatives of urban regeneration, conceived to offer a modern, accessible space in accordance with the level and needs of a town like Torremolinos," the town hall said.

The project is now in its final stages, which means that the changes can already be seen, as a large part of the square is now open.

In parallel, the project has undergone recently approved budgetary modifications, prompted by objective causes. These include the limitation on the type of machinery that can be used due to excessive weight on the Cercanias C1 railway line located beneath the work area; and the need to divert a medium-voltage power line, which, as noted in the report supporting the increase in expenditure, was neither known nor foreseen.

The modifications also included the removal of architectural barriers to guarantee universal accessibility; the adaptation of underground installations; and the reassessment of foundations and decorative elements.

Consequences

This has meant that, on the one hand, the investment has increased by around 600,000 euros, bringing the final total to 3.6 million, which is approximately 20 per cent more. It has also led to an extension of the execution period by Hormacesa, the contractor awarded the project. Thus, instead of the seven months and one week initially proposed  which already represented a reduction compared to the timeframes set out in the tender  the project will now take 19 months. If this schedule is met, the work will therefore be completed around May.

The council said that the changes are the result of "a commitment to the public to ensure that the reform meets certain quality standards"

The local administration said that these alterations are the result of "the commitment to the public so that the refurbishment meets certain quality standards, ensuring a fully accessible square, safer and ready for use from day one". "These improvements have been proposed prioritising the public interest and trying to reduce as much as possible the impact on commercial and tourist activity in the area, one of the main economic engines of the town," the council stated.

"During the execution of the work, and as is common in complex interventions in the heart of the town, new technical requirements have been identified, making it necessary to adapt the project," municipal sources said.

The project is part of the tourist sustainability plan of the central government, funded by European NextGeneration funds and linked to the recovery, transformation and resilience strategy (PRTR).

Water curtain and pergolas

As part of the planned reconfiguration of Plaza La Nogalera, an eleven-metre-long and seven-metre-high programmable digital water curtain will be installed. Closer to Calle San Miguel, a walkthrough fountain with interactive jets will be created.

Another key feature will be the pergolas, equipped with renewable energy collection systems, which, in addition to helping mitigate the urban heat island effect, will provide a high level of energy self-sufficiency to the integrated management and consumption system. The idea of planting large trees was ruled out due to the fact that the site is above the train station.
Cristina Vallejo 09/04/2026 Actualizado 10/04/2026 - 15:22h.

As of 31 December 2025, Malaga had 2,010 non-EU foreign students with residence permits in Spain. It ranks seventh among Spanish provinces, behind Madrid (26,013), Barcelona (15,805), Valencia (9,090), Seville (2,424), Alicante (2,310) and Navarre (2,235). It is just ahead of two provinces renowned for the long-standing tradition and prestige of their universities, Granada and Salamanca, which have 1,856 and 1,719 international students with residence permits, respectively.

In total in Spain, there are 83,264 foreign students with residence permits, to which the statistics add their relatives, which makes the total number of people who have moved for study reasons, directly or indirectly, 85,690 in Spain, while in Malaga province the number reaches 2,056.

Just the number of the students in the Costa del Sol has increased by 161 per cent in the last decade - it has more than doubled, in other words. There were fewer than 800 students in December 2015. This means that their number has grown twice as much as in Spain as a whole, where the increase over the same period has been 78 per cent.

In other parts of Andalucia, such as Cadiz, for example, the growth has been much more dramatic, with the number multiplying more than fivefold, rising from just over 200 in 2015 to more than 1,100 by December 2025, according to figures from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.

One of the major milestones in the growth of the student community in Malaga over the last ten years has been that it has overtaken Salamanca and Granada as destinations for international students. In 2015, Salamanca was only surpassed by Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia. Seville and Granada followed. Malaga held seventh place.

By nationality, the largest group in Malaga is Moroccan: there are currently 376 Moroccans in the province of Malaga with student residence permits, more than triple the number from ten years ago (114). Next are Colombians, with 200, compared to just 17 in 2015. In third place are Americans and Britons, with 93 each. Russia follows immediately, with just 89 students in Malaga, half their number in 2015 when there were more than 170.

The nationalities that follow, however, have registered significant increases: Argentinians (78), Mexicans (63), Indians (56) and Chileans, Peruvians, and Ecuadorians (around 50 each). Along with the Russians, the number of Chinese students has also declined considerably: from 130 in 2015 to 46 in 2025.

Student residence permit conditions

Holders of a residence permit are foreign nationals from countries outside the EU who may remain in Spain for periods exceeding 90 days for the sole and primary purpose of pursuing further studies at an authorised educational institution in Spain in a full-time programme leading to a degree or certificate.

This permit may also be used for research or training activities, participation in student exchange programmes, work placements or volunteer work of general interest. The right to remain in Spain is granted for the duration of the activity for which the permit was issued, with a limit of one or two years, depending on the specific circumstances (the two-year limit applies to higher education).

Periodically updated data from the ministry tells us a lot about the people in Spain (and in Malaga) with student permits. The figures reveal that of the 2,010 foreign nationals in Malaga, more than half, over 1,200, are pursuing higher education. The second largest group is in the unclassified studies category (547), followed by those in research (146).

There are 38 people pursuing non-higher education; 29 in Au Pair programmes, where a visa can be obtained solely to live with a family and help with household chores in exchange for learning the language; and 19 completing their MIR (medical residency) here. These are the main reasons why there are non-EU students in Malaga.

Regarding their ages, the largest group is those between 20 and 24 years old (821), followed by those between 25 and 29 years old (351), while those between ten and 16 number 314.
Maria Jose Diaz Alcala 09/04/2026 a las 15:55h.

Two Scottish men in their 40s lost their lives after getting shot by hitman at a Fuengirola Irish pub on 31 May last year. Both belonged to the Scottish Lyons clan, which has just fallen after the arrest of the leaders.

Following a thorough investigation led by a court in Malaga, the Guardia Civil has dismantled the gang, arresting 14 people, including leader Steve Lyons - brother of Eddie Lyons Jr., who died in Fuengirola.

The police have located and arrested Lyons in Bali. They have transferred him to the Netherlands. The authorities have also arrested his partner at Dubai International Airport, suspecting her as a member of the criminal organisation.

In Spain, police operations took place last week with a total of 18 raids, mostly in the Costa del Sol and Barcelona, culminating in the seizure of large amounts of cash, company documents, high-end watches and cryptocurrency wallets.

From local crime in the 90s to one of the most established clans in Europe

The Lyons clan emerged from a local family crime network in Glasgow in the 1990s. It grew into a transnational criminal organisation with branches in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Simultaneously, the clan developed a complex money-laundering network based on shell companies and international financial transactions, managing millions of euros derived from drug-trafficking.

Its ability to operate simultaneously in several countries (Spain, the UAE and Turkey) and to forge alliances with other major criminal networks consolidated the clan as one of the most relevant actors in contemporary European organised crime.

In 2006, following a confrontation in Glasgow in which a member of the clan was killed, Steve Lyons moved to Spain, where he maintained a low profile, according to the Guardia Civil. He later moved to Dubai and established his residence there to continue directing operations and forging alliances with other international criminal organisations, such as the notorious Kinahan clan.

Over three decades, the Lyons clan has evolved into a highly sophisticated criminal structure, characterised by the violence of its actions and its international expansion. Control has remained within the family, with continuous generational succession.

Their notoriety stemmed from a confrontation with a rival organisation in northern Scotland in 2001. Since then, gang violence has spread to various parts of Europe, where both criminal organisations have established strategic branches.
Irene Quirante 09/04/2026 a las 15:46h.

The National Police have arrested a 65-year-old man on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel in Ronda (Malaga province) on 21 March.

The suspect reportedly forced the victim to continue an intimate act despite her explicit requests to stop. In addition to ignoring her pleas, he allegedly used such force that the woman lost consciousness.

The events took place on the night of 21 March. According to the victim's account, the woman was temporarily staying in a hotel in Ronda due to renovations at her home. In the early hours of the morning, she received a visit from an acquaintance with whom she had had a few casual encounters, although she did not consider him her partner.

Once in the room, both initially consented to having sex. At a certain point during the encounter, however, the woman expressly stated she didn't want to continue and asked the man to stop.

The suspect ignored her and took advantage of his superior physical strength to force her. According to investigators, the force he used caused the woman to faint during the incident.

The family and women's assistance unit (UFAM) in Ronda took over the case. The woman, who received treatment at a health centre, later gave a statement to the police.

After identifying the suspect, the National Police established a search operation, culminating in his arrest. The detainee has already been brought before the competent judicial authority for further investigation.
J. M. L. Ciudad Real 09/04/2026 a las 15:53h.

The National Police have arrested a man in Ciudad Real in central Spain as he was attempting to kill his own dog by hanging it. The small dog was saved thanks to a 091 call from a neighbour and also an acquaintance of the arrested man. A video, received minutes earlier, showed him with his dog with a rope tied around the dog's neck.

The neighbour suspected the man intended to hang it and alerted the police, who then received a call from another man reporting a man shouting death threats from inside a house. When officers arrived at the property, they asked the now-detained man to open the door, but, when he refused, they were forced to break it down, finding a small dog inside, showing signs of having been harmed.

With the dog's owner literally caught in the act, he fled through the yards and over the rooftops of neighbouring houses. After a police chase across the rooftops, he was arrested as the alleged perpetrator of the crimes of animal abuse, trespassing and disobeying law enforcement. The dog remains in police custody awaiting transfer to an animal shelter.
Ignacio Cabanes 09/04/2026 a las 12:19h.

A British woman and her 19-year-old daughter were arrested at Manises Airport in Valencia as they attempted to fly back to the UK with two suitcases full of drugs.

The Guardia Civil foiled their planned exit from Spain and officers seized a total of 42 kilograms of a white substance that later tested positive for cocaine.

The supposed tourists had arrived in Valencia at the beginning of last week to spend a few days in the provincial capital to enjoy Holy Week. Still, it was curious that they were due to fly back to Birmingham on the night of Maundy Thursday. In other words, they were going to miss the main events for Semana Santa in the city's maritime district from Good Friday onwards.

Around 11pm last Thursday, when they were about to board their flight back home to Birmingham Airport, and after they had already checked in their hold luggage (two suitcases), their true intentions were revealed. In their luggage, barely concealed (no false bottoms or other typical concealment methods were used), were 42 kilos of cocaine.

Guardia Civil officers on duty noticed the illegal contents of both checked-in bags and found the drugs in 23 packages plus 13 pills weighing a total of 42 kilograms. Pending further analysis of the drug's purity, it was confirmed on-site as cocaine.

As reported by regional press, the mother and daughter were remanded in custody without bail, under orders from the Guardia Civil's commanding officer for Section 3 and the examining magistrate's court of Quart de Poblet in Valencia. A case has been opened, provisionally, but without prejudice for other possible offences, for an offence against public health for substances that cause serious harm to health.
Samsung has confirmed that it will be bringing more Galaxy Z TriFold smartphones to the United States market in this latest round of restocks, which will be available in both online and retail stores.

The restock of the triple-foldable smartphones is a massive surprise from Samsung as it is widely known that the Galaxy Z TriFold is not that popular in the market, with many considering it a flop.

Samsung Galaxy TriFold Restock Coming In the US

9to5Google reported that Samsung has sent a media note to publications, which announced that the Galaxy Z TriFold smartphone is being restocked in the country.

According to Samsung, its Galaxy Z TriFold smartphones will be available to purchase in both its online and physical retail stores.

The restock will take place this Friday, April 10, as reflected on Samsung's website, which has a countdown on its website, inviting the public to anticipate its drop on the day.

It is important to note that the countdown timer from Samsung will end by 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (6:00 p.m. PT), so this is potentially the time that the Galaxy Z TriFold will be available to purchase via the website.

Read Also: Samsung Now Lets You Control Your Smart Home Straight Using Your Car Infotainment

Is This the Final Restock for Galaxy TriFold?

According to 9to5Google, this could be the final restock of the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold in the United States.

This stems from the report by a Korean publication, which claimed that Samsung has been contemplating ending the sales of the Galaxy Z TriFold smartphones in Korea, with their early March restock in their home region also being their last.

The same is being speculated for Samsung US's sale of the Galaxy Z TriFold, particularly as the device is not exactly a blockbuster in sales.

That being said, the triple-folding device saw a massive peak in interest when it first dropped as it immediately ran out of stock when it first arrived in the country.
Li Chuangye, a physician paralyzed from the waist down due to polio, works at the clinic he runs in Shache County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on April 3, 2026. (Xinhua)

URUMQI, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Li Chuangye cannot walk upright. He moves by squatting, gripping his ankles and swinging his small body forward, one twist and then another.

The 38-year-old man weighs less than 38 kg. When Li was seven months old, he contracted polio, a disease that once posed a major health threat to children. China launched a nationwide anti-polio immunization campaign in the 1960s and made huge progress, but sporadic cases still affected unlucky children like Li in the late 1980s. As a result, he is paralyzed from the waist down, and his height is less than half that of an ordinary person.

Now, in a remote town on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Li runs a clinic as a certified physician, becoming a trusted healer for his neighbors.

Li's clinic has been operational for three months. It covers an area of 300 square meters and features a consultation area, an infusion room, a pharmacy and a sign at the entrance reading "24-Hour Medical Service."

In this large workplace, he seems extremely petite. When a patient arrives, Li crouches and shifts his body forward until he reaches his wheelchair. With a push, he lifts himself into the seat, allowing him to meet patients at eye level.

This is how Li practices medicine. At first, local residents were skeptical of this slight, bespectacled doctor in a white coat. Could someone with difficulty walking care for patients effectively? However, those doubts were soon dispelled by his professionalism and dedication.

When he learned that three residents aged over 80 had no one to accompany them to medical appointments because their adult children had left the village for work, Li packed his medical bag and visited them at home. He checked their blood pressure, measured their blood sugar, and prescribed medication, all at no cost.

He also offers free care for the disabled and half-price services for the poor.

"They never expected that a stranger, who was in poor health himself, would be so kind to them," said Patigul Zaker, a nurse at Li's clinic, when reflecting on how locals felt about Li.

The town in Shache County in southern Xinjiang has a large Uygur population. Although there is a language barrier with this minority group, Li has nevertheless attracted a growing number of local Uygur residents seeking his care.

A video of him making house calls through the countryside to provide free medical consultations to villagers was posted online by a vlogger. His spirit of perseverance and dedication moved countless netizens. Some commented that "he is a ray of light," lifting the hopes of many others.

Li himself comes from a poor family in rural Henan Province in central China. He was seven months old when a misdiagnosis led to polio. From age one to nine, his family borrowed and repaid money over and over again, trying to find a cure for his disability.

"When I was little, I hated being called a cripple," Li said. "Now I do not mind. I am disabled, and it is true."

His disability made his childhood harder than most. His family was burdened with debts, and he had to learn to crawl and move around on his hands.

The young man began primary school at 16 and progressed quickly, skipping several grades through intensive study. From that point on, he received warmth and kindness from teachers and classmates. His tuition fees were reduced, and his classmates helped by carrying him upstairs.

He set a clear goal: to study medicine. In 2013, Li was admitted to a medical college, and three years later, he was enrolled in the clinical medicine program of Henan University.

Wu Jin'ge, his college counselor, remembered Li as a diligent student who won scholarships and used the money to help others who were even more in need.

"I'm proud of him," his mother said, recalling the childhood days when he sat in the family's courtyard and told her: "Life is not worth living." Li's mother cannot read and still lives in her hometown in Henan.

But today, Li has become a man who cannot stop moving. After obtaining his physician's qualification and running a clinic in Yunnan Province in southwest China, he traveled for 61 hours by train from Henan to Xinjiang in 2025. With the help of a fellow townsman, he managed to open his current clinic there.

Li works very hard. He sleeps only four hours a night, and when he is not seeing patients, he buries himself in medical textbooks. "In rural areas, you see every kind of illness. If I don't keep learning, I might misdiagnose someone," he said. "I cannot let that happen."

To many people's surprise, this disabled man's hobby is climbing mountains. In 2016, he climbed Mount Tai, one of China's most revered peaks. What takes most hikers four hours took him five days and four nights. On the steep stone steps, where others walked on foot, he pulled himself upward with his hands.

Since then, he has climbed many high mountains across the country. He has worn through dozens of gloves, shoes and pants.

Even so, he said climbing mountains is an amazing experience. "When I reach the peak, I feel that I can be just like others."

Li has posted his climbing videos on social media, drawing thousands of views. Some suggested he could become an internet celebrity, making money from his inspiring story. But he has declined the opportunity for a quick cash grab. He only hopes his story will inspire others like him.

With decades of nationwide efforts toward polio prevention and control, China was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization in 2000.

Li has registered to donate his body for medical research after his death. "Since I have this disease, I hope researchers can study my body to find out why it happens, so that no child ever has to grow up unable to stand again," he said. 

Li Chuangye (L), a physician paralyzed from the waist down due to polio, works at the clinic he runs in Shache County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on April 2, 2026.(Xinhua/Du Gang)
Maple syrup or nutella? PM Carney calls Canadian Artemis astronaut



Houston, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen told Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday that "teamwork is willingness" during an Earth-to-space call celebrating the achievements of the historic lunar journey.

"Willingness is a huge ingredient in a successful team," said the Artemis II crewmember, who added he can't wait to share more images and experiences with the people of Canada upon return. The splashdown is scheduled for Friday.

Hansen is the first non-American to ever fly around the Moon, a journey he took on NASA's Artemis II mission along with American colleagues Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover.

"Canadians are so proud of what you're doing and the collaboration," Carney said. "I'm thrilled. I'm absolutely thrilled to be speaking with you, Jeremy and the crew. We've all been watching and inspired by what you're doing."

During the event Carney asked Hansen to expand on previous comments on the risks and rewards of space travel -- "You said the other day that this mission is a risk for a good reason, which really struck me."

"You've got lots of young people watching," Carney added. "It's a positive challenge for this generation."

"Risk is necessary -- but calculated risk, well-thought out risk and risk that you balance with others," Hansen responded.

The prime minister also probed Hansen on one burning issue: "A lot of Canadians just wanted one point of reassurance, that the preference is for maple syrup over nutella on your pancakes in the morning."

Carney was referring to a viral image of a jar of nutella floating through the Orion space capsule, and his question had the crew in fits of laughter.

"I'll take that as a yes," Carney said, also extending an invitation to visit Ottawa, the Canadian capital.

"Don't look too closely right now," the prime minister added. "You'll notice that it's still pretty white, but the snow is going to go."
Emperor penguins listed as endangered species: IUCN



Paris, France, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



The emperor penguin has been declared an endangered species as climate change pushes the icon of Antarctica a step closer to extinction, the global authority on threatened wildlife announced on Thursday.

Its change of status from "near threatened" to "endangered", made by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), underscores the existential threat for ice-dependent species as global warming profoundly reshapes the frozen continent.

Emperor penguins rely on stable sea ice -- essentially platforms of frozen ocean water -- to live, hunt and breed.

Their numbers have plummeted as warming driven by greenhouse gas emissions has caused sea ice to break up earlier in the year.

The IUCN -- a global network of scientists, governments and conservation groups -- said changes in sea ice were expected to halve the emperor penguin population by the 2080s.

They "concluded that human-induced climate change poses the most significant threat to emperor penguins", Philip Trathan, part of the IUCN expert group who worked on the Red List assessment, said in a statement.

The Red List of Threatened Species is maintained by the IUCN and is the global reference on the extinction status of plants, animals and fungi.

There are six classifications from "least concern" to "extinct".

Emperor penguins now rank two steps below "extinction in the wild" -- a species surviving in captivity only, and not in nature.

The Antarctic fur seal -- once hunted to near extinction for their pelts -- was also moved to "endangered", their numbers having dropped more than 50 percent since 1999.

"The ongoing decline is due to climate change, as rising ocean temperatures and shrinking sea ice are pushing krill to greater ocean depths in search of colder water, reducing the availability of food for seals," the IUCN said.

- 'Icons on ice' -



The largest and heaviest of the penguin species, boasting a brilliant golden-orange streak on the neck, emperor penguins have become symbolic of the fight to survive in Antarctica's harsh climes.

They breed on the sea ice in the dead of winter, the males keeping their eggs warm beneath their feet.

The frozen surface also provides a habitat for their chicks during moulting season before they are waterproof.

Antarctic sea ice undergoes huge seasonal changes, expanding during winter and shrinking in summer.

But as global temperatures have reached new highs, sea ice has retreated earlier in the spring and become less stable.

Sea ice has been at record low levels since 2016 and the impact on emperor penguins has been well documented.

Satellite imagery indicates around 20,000 adults -- some 10 percent of the population -- disappeared between 2009 and 2018 alone, the IUCN said.

"This species is closely associated with sea ice and ice packs," Christophe Barbraud, a scientist at French research institute CNRS, told AFP.

"However, since 2016-2017, there has been a significant decrease in the extent of sea ice around Antarctica, and therefore without sea ice, it will have great difficulty surviving."

"The fate of these magnificent birds is in our hands," Rod Downie from conservation group WWF said in a statement.

"With the shocking decline in Antarctic sea ice that we are currently witnessing, these icons on ice may well be heading down the slippery slope towards extinction by the end of this century -- unless we act now."

The IUCN also moved the southern elephant seal from "least concern" to "vulnerable" following sharp population declines caused by a deadly contagious pathogen.
Storms, floods kill more than 220 in Afghanistan and Pakistan in three weeks



Kabul, April 9 (AFP) Apr 09, 2026



Heavy rain, storms and floods have battered Asian neighbours Afghanistan and Pakistan in the last three weeks, killing at least 222 people, disaster officials in both countries said Thursday.

In Afghanistan, which already faces a severe humanitarian crisis, rain, floods, landslides and lightning strikes killed 148 people since March 26, the spokesman of the National Disaster Management Authority, Mohammad Yousuf Hammad, told AFP.

In Dewalak village of Jaghato district in Wardak province, one child was killed due to the collapse of a wall, according to the provincial Department of Information and Culture.

In the central province of Parwan, six people also died on Wednesday due to roof collapses, Mawlawi Abdul Aleem Afzali, chief of the provincial disaster management agency, said.

In northern Pakistan, the death toll has risen in recent days, reaching 51 people since March 25, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial disaster management agency told AFP.

Five people also died in Pakistan-administered Kashmir since March 25, local disaster authorities said.

And in southwestern Balochistan, at least 18 people have died since March 20, according to the latest figures from local authorities.

The severe weather has also caused widespread damage, with over 370 kilometres (230 miles) of roads distroyed in Afghanistan as well as nearly 1,230 houses.

Afghanistan frequently experiences deadly floods, landslides and storms, particularly in remote areas with fragile infrastructure.

strs-burs/iw/mjw
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 Devil Wear Prada fans have been left seeing double as Anna Wintour poses with star Meryl Streep  who plays a character famously based on the ex magazine editor.

In a new interview, Wintour discussed exactly what its like to be played by Meryl Streep in the films, insisting that fictional Runway editor Miranda Priestly is distant from her real personality.

The Devil Wears Prada 2, coming out next month, will feature Streep in the role of Miranda again, having played her in the first film in 2006. The film is based on the novel by Wintours former assistant Lauren Weisberger, with the powerful yet icy Miranda said to be inspired by ex Vogue editor Wintour.

Speaking to Vogue, Wintour addressed Streeps performance in the role of Priestly, editor-in-chief of fictional fashion magazine, Runway.

open image in gallery Anna Wintour and Meryl Streep on the cover of 'Vogue' ( Annie Leibovitz/Vogue )

First of all, Wintour said. Id like to say its such an honour to be played by Meryl, however distant Miranda is from myself. Who wouldnt think that that wasnt the most extraordinary gift?

Wintour previously spoke out about her thoughts on Miranda Priestly in an interview with the New Yorker in September last year, revealing that she turned up to movies 2006 premiere in Prada, with no idea what the film was going to be about.

And I think that the fashion industry were very sweetly concerned for me about the film that it was gonna paint me in some kind of difficult light, she said, adding that the character is a caricature of herself.

Overall, Wintour described the first film as highly enjoyable and very funny. She said: Miuccia [Prada] and I talk about it a lot, and I say to her: Well, it was really good for you.

open image in gallery Anna Wintour  who the character of Miranda Priestly is said to be based on ( Getty )

The Devil Wears Prada 2 will arrive in UK cinemas on 1 May 2026. Fans of the first film can expect stars Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci to all return for the second. While the 2006 classic followed Andy (Anne Hathaway) as she clumsily navigated her way through her role as a junior assistant, the second films plot has been kept under wraps  even Wintour doesnt know.

But, from the trailer, fans predict the sequel will take place amid the decline of the magazine industry and will follow Priestley in a high-profile scandal.
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 Devil Wears Prada 2 trailer is everywhere ahead of the sequels premiere next month  but an out-of-place detail appears to have slipped through the editors cracks.

An eagle-eyed fan pointed out that in the films final teaser, an onlooker appears to have crashed an iconic shot of Anne Hathaway  in character as journalist Andrea Sachs  strolling at a crosswalk.

In the trailer, released Tuesday, a woman is seen hanging out of a taxi window behind Hathaway and recording the A-lister with her phone.

This girl having her phone just wide out the window in the trailer is frying me, one person wrote on X with a screengrab of the error.

Some fans were more forgiving, arguing that the flub could potentially fall within the canon of the new sequel.

'Devil Wears Prada 2' fans caught a mistake left in the trailer for the new sequel ( 20th Century Studios )

Because thats Andy Sachs. A million girls would kill for that job! one person wrote on X. Another agreed, but thats very tourist in NYC core.

One X user joked that the scene-crasher might have been cast in the role of paparazzi.

Concerns about the movies quality have already been raised due to another eyebrow-raising moment in the trailer: a shot that appeared to show an internet meme of Meryl Streeps character from the first Devil Wears Prada movie, which would not exist in the movies cinematic universe.

The plot of the New York City-based sequel is largely being kept under wraps, but Hathaways character will once again meet the formidable magazine editor Miranda Priestly, played by Streep and based on former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

In addition to Hathaway and Streep, actors Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt are resuming their roles from the original movie, which became a cult classic shortly after its release in 2006. Newcomers to the franchise include Kenneth Branagh, Lucy Liu and Bridgerton star Simone Ashley.

Lady Gaga was also spotted on the set of the film, suggesting she has a secret cameo, and Jenna Bush Hagers co-anchor Craig Melvin accidentally let it slip on live television that she would be appearing in the movie.

Amid the anticipation for the returning faces and new characters, Adrian Grenier  who played Andy Sachs long-term boyfriend in the original film  was snubbed from the reboot, which the actor theorized was due to the widespread dislike of the character.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 hits theaters May 1.
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

From jabs about mediocre movies to fascism accusations, George Clooney and Donald Trump have taken plenty of swipes at each other over the years  with their relationship taking another hit following the Hollywood stars latest comments.

In the latest twist, the pair have clashed over the conflict in the Middle East, with Clooney accusing Trump of a war crime and the US leader wasting no time in hitting back, with an insult about the stars acting skills, naturally.

But the Oceans 11 actor and property-developer-turned-reality-star (turned-president) previously moved in similar, if not politically aligned, Hollywood circles. And while it may be hard to believe now, they were once on good terms, with 64-year-old Clooney saying he knew [Trump] very well before he entered politics.

The actor explained to Variety last year: He used to call me a lot, and he tried to help me get into a hospital once to see a back surgeon. Id see him out at clubs and at restaurants. Hes a big goofball.

So what shifted? In Clooneys words  Trump. He was a goofball, the actor clarified. That all changed.

In response, the 79-year-old US president used Truth Social to accuse Clooney of being a failed movie star and brought the Academy Award-winning actors wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, into things.

open image in gallery Donald Trump turned his fire on George Clooneys wife Amal ( AFP/Getty )

Referencing the Clooneys and their two children recently securing French citizenship, Trump wrote: Good News! George and Amal Clooney, two of the worst political prognosticators of all time, have officially become citizens of France which is, sadly, in the midst of a major crime problem because of their absolutely horrendous handling of immigration.

Clooney got more publicity for politics than he did for his very few, and totally mediocre, movies.

It was far from the first time Trump had used his social media platform to take a swipe at Clooney and the pair have exchanged plenty of insults in recent years

Fascism claim

While its hard to pin down exactly when Clooney and Trumps relationship began to sour, theres no doubting that they were not on each others Christmas card lists by the time the Republicans first presidential term began in 2017.

open image in gallery Trump once moved in similar celebrity circles as Clooney ( Getty )

In the run-up to what would be Trumps first election win, Clooney slammed the former star of The Apprentice as an opportunist and a xenophobic fascist. He told The Guardian in 2016: You can count on Americans to do the right thing after theyve exhausted all the other possibilities.

Just over a year later, Clooney didnt hold back as he offered his thoughts on how Trumps presidency was going, telling the Associated Press: It becomes increasingly clear how in over his head and incapable this man is of being president of the United States.

The good news is that our other institutions  meaning press, finally, and judges and senators  have proven that the country works. There is a check and balance.

Clooneys Biden plea sparks snarky comments

A lifelong Democrat, Clooney penned a letter calling for Joe Biden to remove himself from the presidential race in July 2024, just months before US citizens headed to the ballot box.

Clooney had long been a public supporter of President Biden and had hosted fundraisers for his campaign. The U-turn soon attracted attention from Trump, who would go on to triumph over Kamala Harris in the election.

open image in gallery George Clooney, seen here with Joe Biden in 2009, is a longtime friend of the then-US vice president ( The White House )

He wrote on Truth Social: So now fake movie actor George Clooney, who never came close to making a great movie, is getting into the act. Hes turned on Crooked Joe like the rats they both are. What does Clooney know about anything?

Clooney should get out of politics and go back to television. Movies never really worked for him!!!!

Trump didnt have the last word, though. Asked about the comments during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmels chat show, Clooney hit back: I will if he does. Thats a trade-off Id do.

War crime accusation

The latest trading of barbs between the pair came this week, after Clooney accused Trump of threatening war crimes following his bombastic warning to Iran.

The US president said in a Truth Social post that a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again unless Tehran agreed to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The threat was heavily criticised by many  with Clooney among those who decried the presidents wording while speaking to students in Italy.

Some say Donald Trump is fine. But if anyone says he wants to end a civilisation, thats a war crime, he said. You can still support the conservative point of view, but there must be a line of decency, and we must not cross it.

The actors comments sparked a response from the White House, with communications director Steven Cheung telling The Independent in a statement: The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability.

This particular spat didnt end there, as Clooney then released a statement to Us Weekly, which read: Families are losing their loved ones. Children have been incinerated. The worlds economy is on a knifes edge.

This is a time for vigorous debate at the highest levels. Not for infantile name calling.
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

George Clooney has responded to the White House calling his acting a war crime, saying it was time for vigorous debate, not infantile name calling.

Clooney had joined the widespread backlash against Donald Trump for threatening to wipe out a whole civilisation in Iran, telling high school students at an event in Italy that if anyone says he wants to end a civilisation, thats a war crime.

Asked by The Independent about Clooneys remarks, White House communications director Steven Cheung lashed out at the actor saying: The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability.

The Oceans Eleven star has now fired back at the White House. Families are losing their loved ones. Children have been incinerated. The worlds economy is on a knife-edge. This is a time for vigorous debate at the highest levels. Not for infantile name-calling, he told Deadline on Thursday.

Ill start. A war crime is alleged when theres intent to physically destroy a nation, as defined by the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute. What is the administrations defence? (Besides calling me a failed actor, which I happily agree with, having starred in Batman and Robin?).

open image in gallery Clooney: There must be a line of decency, and we must not cross it ( Getty )

The US and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire to pause a conflict that has destabilised the Middle East and disrupted global energy supplies. However, hostilities have not fully ceased, with violations continuing.

At the event in Cuneo, Italy, Clooney had told students: You can still support the conservative point of view, but there must be a line of decency, and we must not cross it.

And the 64-year-old actor also said he was worried about Nato. The military alliance has ensured that Europe, but also the rest of the world, has been safe, he said.

Dismantling an institution like this worries me. Aside from many mistakes, I believe the US [with Nato] has also done many extraordinary things that have stood the test of time.

A vocal Democrat, Clooney has long traded criticisms with the US president in public and offered commentary on the political climate in the country. Trump has previously described the three-time Golden Globe winner as a failed movie star and one of the worst political prognosticators of all time.

open image in gallery Trump has described George Clooney as a failed movie star and one of the worst political prognosticators of all time ( AP )

Clooney got more publicity for politics than he did for his very few, and totally mediocre, movies, Trump previously said on Truth Social, while referencing how Clooney had dumped Joe Biden by urging the former president to drop out of the 2024 election.

He wasnt a movie star at all, he was just an average guy who complained, constantly, about common sense in politics, he added.

The president has also criticised Clooney for taking French citizenship while describing the European nation as being in the midst of a major crime problem because of their absolutely horrendous handling of immigration.

In December, it was reported that Clooney, his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, and their two children had secured French citizenship.

At the time, Clooney responded to Trump, saying that he totally agrees with him about one thing. We have to make America great again. Well start in November, Clooney said in a statement, per Deadline. He was referring to the US midterm elections.
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

You, Me, & Tuscany is its own micro-miracle, a pure romcom where its protagonist isnt jaded by romance, has no impulse to deconstruct the modern relationship, and isnt forced through any preliminary Hinge date humiliation ritual. Here, all we need are two very charming and attractive people  Halle Bailey and Rege-Jean Page  and the soft, undulating hills of the Italian countryside.

Its utterly predictable from the moment Baileys Anna, who gave up on her dreams of professional chefdom, impulsively follows through on her mothers dying wish to visit Tuscany and chases a one-night stand, Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor), back to his hometown. Hes not there. His entire family is, however, including his mother, Gabriella (Isabella Ferrari), with her Sophia Loren grin, and his skeptical nonna (Stefania Casini), a chronic eavesdropper and eyebrow lifter. Theyve all assumed Anna is Matteos fiancee, a ruse which is soon complicated by the arrival of Gabriellas nephew Michael (Page).

Theres something quite lovely in all this familiarity, partially because director Kat Coiro and screenwriter Ryan Engle show no hesitation in cranking the years back to the comparatively naive My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) era, with its Nia Vardalos cameo and lightly stereotyped but fond depiction of European airs. One family member (Stella Pecollo) claims, having a side piece is key to a healthy marriage, while Annas taxi driver (Marco Calvani) drives with a sandwich permanently attached to one hand.

The romance is largely location-driven, with due credit paid to Audrey Wells Under the Tuscan Sun (2003). Sensual grape tasting is followed by sensual bruschetta eating and then by sensual barrel racing. Michael tours Anna around the vineyard  where she reveals herself to be a wine savant  before theyre caught under the sprinklers and he whips off his shirt to protect her hair (and the crowd goes wild!). He listens intently to her stories and, when she leaves, laughs softly to himself. Yet hes told her hes unlucky in love. Hes married to the wine now.

The stakes are low with a dash of trauma, a recipe for lightness without vacuousness. Not just one but both leads have dead parents, while nonna at one point vaguely alludes to the horrors of Mussolinis dictatorship.

Rege-Jean Page and Halle Bailey in You, Me & Tuscany ( Universal Pictures )

And Bailey and Page have done exactly whats required of romcom stars, taking broad archetypes and making them sparkle. Annas impulsive in a way that borders on concerning. No one really comments on the fact she breaks into Matteos phone to airdrop photos of his house to herself, so that she can then squat on his property and rifle through his drawers.

Bailey is not only one freshly graduated from the Disney school of princesses  she played Ariel in the live-action Little Mermaid  but shes close to the living embodiment of one, cute as a mouse and indefatigably optimistic. Page, meanwhile, works an angle that was somewhat neglected in his moody Bridgerton breakout: he can do cocky in a way that feels genuinely disarming, with just enough playfulness to his bite.

These kinds of movies are rare these days. Its even rarer for them to feature two Black leads. But You, Me, & Tuscany thankfully proves that the dating scene hasnt become so irrevocably grim that there isnt room in the world for a meet-cute involving a fight for cured meats.

Dir: Kat Coiro. Starring: Halle Bailey, Rege-Jean Page, Lorenzo de Moor, Isabella Ferrari, Aziza Scott, Marco Calvani, Nia Vardalos. Cert 12A, 105 minutes.

You, Me & Tuscany is in cinemas from 10 April
Trump and his team are considering to punish some NATO allies "unhelpful" to the 39-day war with Iran.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

Paris Jackson is accusing the executors of her late fathers estate of using the King of Pops money to publicly insult her amid the messy legal battle over his billion-dollar estate.

The 28-year-old actor is the beneficiary of Michael Jacksons estate, which is now estimated to be worth over $2 billion, along with her brothers Prince, 29, and Bigi, 24.

However, Paris raised concerns last July about executors John Branca and John McClain allegedly mishandling Jacksons money after reportedly noticing irregular payments. She went on to accuse the attorneys of skimming money from her fathers estate

Branca and McClain have denied all allegations against them. After months of court hearings and filings going back and forth between the two parties, the co-executors recently submitted an 83-page status report dismissing Pariss claims once again, which prompted her newest April 6 filing  where she accused them of trying to make her look bad in the public eye.

This overlitigation is waste, Pariss filing said, according to court documents reviewed by The Independent. At nearly every hearing Executors try to avoid the merits by characterizing Pariss concerns as lawyer-driven or in service of some purported desire for media attention. Neither is true. 

open image in gallery Paris Jackson is calling out the executors of her dad's estate for using a legal filing to 'mock and belittle' her ( Getty )

This litigation is painful for Paris. It is a distraction from her own life and her own career. She would rather there be no press coverage of it whatsoever, the filing said.

Pariss attorneys claimed that from the first day Paris dared to raise an objection, Branca and McClain have used her fathers money to attack her in the media.

The filing called out a specific comment by the estate attorney, Jonathan Steinsapir, in which he said that Paris was strutting into a court hearing. Paris alleged the comment was sexist, and accused Steinsapir of making further patronizing comments, including one where he referred to himself, Branca and McClain as the grown-ups in the situation.

These attacks may serve Mr. Brancas personal interest in attempting to bully Paris into submission, but they have nothing to do with the merits of the litigation and are not in the interests of the Estate, the filing said. The fact that Michael Jacksons money is paying for these attacks makes them even more offensive.

Steinsapir did not return The Independents request for comment.

open image in gallery Michael Jacksons (left) daughter Paris Jackson (right) has allegedly found irregularities in payments made by her father's estate ( Getty )

The executors and their legal team have accused Pariss lawyer, Craig Peters, of trying to take control of Jacksons estate.

Steinsapir claimed to New York Post, Ms. Jackson and her attorneys are once again abusing the courts and the legal system by making a series of false allegations as part of a media campaign to distract from their legal setbacks and the inherent weakness of their case.

In her previous filings, Paris requested a judge intervene when she asked Branca and McClain to submit paperwork for legal fees that they requested be paid to third-party firms between 2019 and 2023. She claimed they paid themselves lavish fees and bonuses and failed to invest hundreds of millions of dollars as they worked with Jacksons finances after he died with about $500 million in debt.

She alleged, As painful as it is to say in print, the present records suggest a group of closely-knit, highly-compensated lawyers is exploiting Executors lack of oversight to skim money from the Estate, in plain view.

Pariss issues with her fathers estate extend to the forthcoming biopic Michael. In a November filing, she questioned Brancas executive producer role in the movie, which stars Jacksons nephew Jaafar Jackson. She has also publicly rejected actor Colman Domingos claim that she had any involvement in the film.
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 finalists for The Apprentice 2026 series have been revealed.

The field has been narrowed down to two contenders, Pascha Myhill and Karishma Vijay, who will now battle it out in next week's series finale.

Their selection followed a gruelling interview stage in tonights episode, where Lord Sugars business associates scrutinised their plans.

Dan Miller, Lawrence Rosenberg, and Priyesh Bathia were eliminated after their products were tested and business proposals pulled apart during the tense broadcast.

Student recruitment company owner Miller said he feels immensely proud to have made it to the final five, adding: My interviews went so well, and it was a fantastic validation for me to know the business I have built up over the years is really good.

I made the right decision for myself and my business in that moment and Im really happy Karishma and Pascha are the two finalists.

open image in gallery The winner of the latest series of The Apprentice will be awarded 250,000 of investment into their company and the opportunity to go into business with Lord Sugar ( BBC/Naked )

The entrepreneur, from London, said that he would not have done anything differently throughout the process, adding: Im just me, and what you saw is how I am.

He said that since leaving the show, he is still growing his business and that he implemented the feedback from Lord Sugars advisers, and joked: It probably saved me about 100k in consulting fees.

Public relations specialist Rosenberg hailed his time on the show as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and said: Nobody will ever be able to take away that I made it to the final five of one of the most competitive processes on television.

He added that he wishes he pushed back on the accusations that his business plans were written by AI during the interviews with Lord Sugars associates, and said: My business plan was written by a human, and I have over 100 hours worth of logs to prove it.

Bathia, a global account manager from London, described it as disappointing to miss out on the final and said being fired stings.

He added: That said, Im incredibly proud of how far I got. Its a huge milestone and a massive achievement for me, and something Ill always look back on with pride.

Ive learned a huge amount about business, about resilience and about myself and Ill take that forward. Im leaving with my head held high and a lot of momentum for whatever comes next.

Bathia called finalist Vijay a standout candidate, and said: She has just been amazing throughout the process with all her creative ideas and business acumen.

The winner of the latest series of The Apprentice will be awarded 250,000 of investment into their company and the opportunity to go into business with Lord Sugar.

Myhill, a recruitment consultant from Berkshire, hopes to use Lord Sugars investment to create a recruitment company within private healthcare if she wins the programme.

Meanwhile, beauty brand owner Vijay, from Surrey, is seeking an investment from the business mogul so she can expand her company.

The Apprentice returns for its series finale on BBC One next Thursday at 9pm.
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

Jack Whitehall is very happy to joke about his privilege, but believes this rules him out from being able to joke about politics  especially because everyone thinks hes a Tory.

The comedian and actor, 37, ruled out voting Conservative, despite being perceived as a supporter due to his background as a privately educated schoolboy.

Ahead of his stint guest hosting SNL UK, Whitehall, who attended Oxfords Dragon School and Marlborough College, said his advantage as a posh comedian is being hard to relate to, which means hes able to undermine his own lifestyle in his sets.

open image in gallery Jack Whitehall says he avoids joking about politics ( Getty )

But he told The Guardian: I dont do a lot of politics, because I dont think people are interested in the political viewpoint of a public schoolboy. Id never feel comfortable doing polemic.

Whitehall continued: I think people are exhausted by it. Theyve had 20 years of a Tory government; they do not want a Tory comedian. Not that Im a Tory. Im definitely not. But the perception of me is that I have a Tory background.

Reflecting on the comedy he opts for, Whitehall, who recently made headlines with his starry stag do, said: I always had a slightly ridiculous life that needed to be approached through a certain lens and undermined in a certain way. I think that has probably served me quite well.

Now, you have to undermine your class privilege, your innate gender privilege, your race privilege and your fame privilege. Thats a lot of privileges. Thats probably the first 20 minutes.

The Fresh Meat star previously revealed that, when starting out on the comedy circuit as a teenager, he hid his privilege with a mockney accent and affected slang. I thought that I might get a slightly easier time from the audience at a comedy club in Oldham if I didnt sound like one of the Conservative Party, he told The Independent in 2021. I thought maybe I could avoid getting a pint thrown at my head.

Whitehall is guest hosting SNL UK on Saturday (11 April), and he said he wont be utilising his satirical voice for the stint  and suggested hell be performing a skit in character as Prince Harry.

SNL UK has not held back from poking fun at politicians in its opening three episodes, with skits featuring Keir Starmer and David Lammy in its first three episodes.

open image in gallery 'SNL UK' star George Fouracres as Keir Starmer ( YouTube )

Starmer in particular has faced the brunt of the mocking; one sketch satirised the UK prime ministers perceived reluctance to engage with US President Donald Trump and his handling of international conflicts.

Earlier this year, Whitehall was accused of classism while presenting the Brit Awards after making jokes about drug use in Manchester, where the ceremony was being held, as well as digs aimed at people from Preston.
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

Last One Laughing UK star Amy Gledhill has detailed one of the moments that was left on the cutting room floor  because it was too filthy for television.

The hit Prime series returned for a second outing last month, with 10 comedians  including last years champion, Bob Mortimer  entering the studio and attempting to make it through the day without laughing.

Gledhill was one of the newer faces among them, and in an appearance on co-star Alan Carrs Lifes A Beach podcast, she admitted that a scene which she considered to be one of her funniest moments didnt make the final edit.

The 38-year-old explained: The thing that I did that I thought might have been funny hasnt made it into the show because it was too mucky. Me and Sam [Campbell] did an improv in the bed.

It was just wrong, Alan interjected. You were it was filth.

open image in gallery Amy Gledhill found herself in a surreal scene ( Amazon MGM Studios )

I was trying to get it away from filth and then Sam, who I didnt expect to take it into filthy areas It got to a point where I really thought, for this improv to end, Im going to have to spit into Sam Campbells mouth.

Thankfully, it didnt quite come to that  as host Jimmy Carr stepped in.

I remember there being a moment where me and Sam were looking at each other and I think Sam was like, do it. And then I heard Jimmy Carr. It was too much for Jimmy Carr. I heard him behind the wall going, cut!

Carr and Gledhill also admitted fearing the show was a turkey, with Gledhill adding: When youre in it and you think nobody has laughed for six hours, you think, this is the worst programme ever made.

Thankfully, the second series was a huge hit with critics, many of whom gave it five stars, with The Independents deputy culture editor Ellie Harrison hailing it the funniest show on TV.

open image in gallery The LOL series two cast with hosts Jimmy Carr and Roisin Conaty ( Prime Video )

For the most part, this years competitors managed to avoid laughing for longer than series ones comedians, with the first red cards coming in during episode four (last time, three stars failed to make it past episode two).

Many of the gang survived thanks to Mortimers advice  which was to figure out a go-to safety face in order to stop the giggles.

Mel Giedroyc was perhaps a little too committed to this though, as she ended up needing medical advice after damaging her jaw with her unusual facial expression.

She explained at the series launch: I've done something to the right jowl because I was so into that move.

Tim Cascarini [a leading specialist] is gonna sort it out. You give the area Botox, thats what he's suggesting up there, just in the right side.
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

Actor Diane Morgan will return to screens as the ill-informed reporter Philomena Cunk in a new BBC series, titled Cunk On Cinema.

The three-part mockumentary series, which was written by Charlie Brooker, will see the fictional presenter investigate the history of film.

The series will air on BBC Two and iPlayer.

Speaking in her role as Cunk, Morgan said: Cinema has given the world some of the most profound, memorable and moving visual moments in its unswerving depiction of the human condition.

The shower scene in Psycho, Death playing chess in that Swedish thing, and Tom Sellecks glistening moustache in Three Men And A Little Lady, to name but all three of the only examples I can think of at the moment.

There will, unfortunately, be some bits in black and white, but well keep that to the barest minimum.

Philomena Cunk is returning to screens ( BBC/Pacesetter Productions/Al Campbell/PA Wire )

Cunk on Cinema will look at subjects including New Wave film-makers of the 1960s, CGI, and how artificial intelligence (AI) will impact film.

Brooker, 55, said: Now that Sora has killed off Hollywood and itself (presumably as part of a murder-suicide pact), its the perfect time to look back at 200 centuries of cinema, in the company of an idiot were apparently cursed to employ, Philomena Cunk.

A release date for the series, which will air on Netflix outside of the UK and Ireland, is yet to be announced.

Morgan, 50, first appeared as Cunk on Brookers Weekly Wipe show in 2013.

The character is known for her deadpan, ill-informed and often absurd questions.

She has since played the character in specials including 2016s Cunk On Shakespeare and Cunk On Christmas, as well as the series Cunk On Earth, Cunk On Britain and Cunk And Other Humans.

The Manchester-born star recently returned as the titular character in BBC comedy Mandy, which she also writes, for a fourth series in 2025.
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 Pitt star Patrick Ball has revealed how the hit medical drama helped him pay off $80,000 (59,615) of student debt, crediting the show with freeing him from the really heavy thought that he would never be financially secure.

Ball plays the divisive resident doctor Frank Langdon in the HBO Max series, which has won huge praise since debuting on the streaming platform last year.

In a new interview, the 36-year-old actor explained how life-changing the role has proven to be, breaking down in tears as he tells Cultured magazine about his financial situation.

I paid off my student loans like three months into The Pitt, and that was a really profound moment because I thought I was gonna die with it, he said. Its a huge burden to carry, and a lot of people carry it.

I was $80,000 in debt and I had been through a series of failed relationships where my financial insecurity was a real problem. I had just thought that was going to be my life forever, and that is a really heavy thing to live with.

open image in gallery Ball as Dr Langdon in The Pitt (  2024 MAX )

Ball continues: Paying off those student loans and getting back to zero, I remember being like, Man, if this show works, great. If it doesnt work, they cant take that away from me. I am out of debt. No take-backsies on that.

The actor studied broadcast journalism at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, but dropped out before graduating to embark on an acting career. He later earned a Certificate in Drama from the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University before returning to his North Carolina university to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Thankfully, The Pitt has definitely worked.

Each series covers one shift in the emergency room at a Pittsburgh hospital, with each episode charting the events of a single hour.

The cast is led by former ER star Noah Wyle as Dr Robby, the embattled team leader who is trying to process the death of his mentor, while locked in a war with the hospitals profit-hungry executives.

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.

open image in gallery Noah Wyle and Gerran Howell in 'The Pitt' ( HBO )

Balls character Dr Langdon began series one as Dr Robbys protege and model resident  but their relationship soured when a new arrival spotted Langdon was stealing drugs from the hospital.

Series two, which takes place 10 months after the first, sees Dr Langdon make a cautious return to the ER after taking time off to kick his addiction.

The Pitt took home three awards at last years Emmys, winning Outstanding Drama Series, and Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress accolades for Wyle and Katherine LaNasa (who plays chief nurse Dana Evans).

A second series arrived on HBO Max in the States earlier this year, and episodes are currently dropping weekly on the newly-launched UK version. A third series has already been commissioned  but one fan favourite will be missing, with Variety reporting that Dr. Samira Mohans Supriya Ganesh wont be returning.
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

This Country star Paul Chahidi has shone a light on the under-discussed mental health struggles faced by actors across the industry, with many feeling to ashamed to speak out.

The actor, who is best known for playing Reverend Francis Seaton in the BBC sitcom as well as roles in The Night Manager, The Death of Stalin and Good Omens, warned that many within the arts are left in a vulnerable state by job uncertainty  and that even he fears that he may never work again as an actor.

In March, the Actors Trust published a study which found that 77 per cent of actors reported feeling lonely in the last year while 27 per cent have had thoughts that they would be better off dead, or thoughts of self-harm  almost four times the national average. Over three-quarters of actors have experienced a problem with their mental health in the last three years, compared to 20 per cent of UK adults reporting the same.

Chahidi, who serves as an ambassador for the charity, said that the high unemployment rate within the industry is partly to blame  however, its compounded by the isolation felt by actors who often audition from home and rarely hear back from prospective employers.

open image in gallery Paul Chahidi has called for the acting industry to pay more attention to mental health struggles among actors and stage managers ( Getty )

These auditions used to be in person until Covid came along and now theyre all pretty much virtual, he told The Independent. Its a lovely occurrence when someone asks you to come in and meet in person. With theatre you still will, but with television and film its nearly all self-tapes.

This adds to the sense of isolation, and added to that is that you often dont get an answer back  you often will not hear if its a No. The first time youll hear anything about it quite often can be just reading about whos been cast and youll be left in limbo.

Chahidi continued: That leaves you in a very vulnerable state. Its this strange dichotomy  you have to make yourself vulnerable and emotionally available to explore a character when youre auditioning. You have to do that over and over again and youd be lucky if you get one in 10 of the jobs you go up for. As soon as you finish, you have to go to the opposite extreme or not allowing yourself to care too much and put on an invisible suit of armour. That is not a healthy way to exit. Actors have to be resilient but it comes at a huge cost.

While Chahidi recently appeared in projects such as The Night Manager, Wicked Little Letters, Ludwig and Good Omens, he admitted that even he can have big gaps in his CV.

What you have to do mentally to yourself  being vulnerable and then going to the other extreme of being invulnerable  that never goes away, he said.

It doesnt matter whether youre at the beginning, middle or really far on in your career, youll have mental health crises. You could never work again as an actor. Ive seen actors fall off the edge financially and mentally.

open image in gallery Chahidi has appeared in The Night Manager, The Death of Stalin and See How They Run among other projects ( Getty )

It can suddenly dry up. It happened to loads of actors I know during Covid and post-Covid. Its never really recovered for them and its nothing to do with their abilities. Its just the way the marketplace has changed in terms of the job market within our industry.

Chahidi is urging struggling actors to ask the Actors Trust for help, with the charity launching a new mental healthy service that offers free therapy sessions.

Theres a feeling often that we will be judged really harshly if we complain  and its seen as complaining rather than reaching out for help. We have to stamp out that stigma, he said.

On a personal level, I have suffered from poor mental health at times as an actor, particularly in periods of unemployment and I have friends who have suffered and continue to suffer  both as stage managers and actors so I think its really important.

Despite the increasing number of issues faced by actors today, Chahidi said they wouldnt have stopped him from going into the business had he known  but he wishes that support had been available earlier in his career.

I entered the profession thinking the cards were really stacked against me anyway  Im a half Iranian, prematurely balding, round-faced, double-chinned man, he laughed. I went in with the lowest possible expectations, which helped, actually, in a funny way.

But I wish Id had something like the Actors Trust to help me through and the resources theyre providing because it would give another layer of support and a place to go when the times are incredibly tough.

He added that both the industry and the government should be looking to enforce stricter codes of conduct around helping people with metal health needs.

We have to keep applying pressure because unless you apply pressure, nothing ever gets done, he said.

You can find more information on the Actors Trust here.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our food and drink newsletter for free Get our food and drink newsletter for free Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

There are restaurants that trade on polish, and then there are those that trade on pulse. The Barbary has always been the latter  a place where the choreography of the room matters as much as what lands on the plate. You sit at the counter, shoulder to shoulder, and before long youre part of it: the smoke, the noise, the quiet theatre of chefs working inches away.

When it opened in Neals Yard in 2016, it didnt feel like a launch so much as a shift. London already had its share of small-plate restaurants, but few with this kind of confidence  fire-led cooking, big flavours drawn loosely from the Barbary Coast and beyond, and a refusal to over-explain any of it. It was immediate, instinctive, and, crucially, fun. A decade on, that formula hasnt been diluted by success. If anything, its tightened  the edges sharper, the identity clearer  as the Studio Paskin group has expanded across Neals Yard and into Notting Hill.

Ten years have flown by in the blink of an eye, says Zoe and Layo Paskin, siblings and founders of Studio Paskin, the hospitality group behind the restaurants. The Barbary has always been a place defined by the energy of the room  with the cooking in the centre of the action  and what strikes us most is that it still feels just as alive a decade on.

Weve always placed huge importance on the team were working with, and we think you feel that the moment you walk in. Were especially proud of that. A restaurant is, at its heart, about hospitality  we all go out to feel a little better. And that feels the essence of The Barbary. We hope to continue welcoming guests who bring this little pocket of Neals Yard to life.

You can feel that ethos in these recipes, released to mark the restaurants 10-year anniversary. Theyre not about precision or plate-up  no tweezers required  but about flavour that lands quickly and lingers. Charred aubergine collapsed into spice, lamb softened with yoghurt and saffron, something sweet and pistachio-rich to finish. The sort of food designed to be passed around, eaten with your hands, argued over slightly. In other words: very much The Barbary, just without the queue.

Spinach borani

open image in gallery Silky, sharp and rich, this is the sort of dip that quietly steals the table ( Studio Paskin )

A luxurious dip of Persian origin. You could also try this with Swiss chard when in season.

Ingredients:

125g onion, sliced

30g olive oil

15g garlic, sliced

180g spinach, washed and chopped

375g Greek yoghurt

40g feta, crumbled

Salt and black pepper to taste

Pistachio and browned butter, to garnish

Method:

1. Place onions and oil in a saucepan and season with a little salt. Cook over medium heat until starting to brown, then add the garlic and cook until the onions are caramelised and the garlic has softened and started to colour.

2. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.

3. Cool the spinach mix before adding to the yoghurt and feta, then season with salt and pepper.

4. To serve, top with crushed pistachios and a drizzle of brown butter.

Zaaluk

open image in gallery Smoky aubergine, slow-cooked spice, and the reason one plate of bread is never enough ( Safia Shakarchi )

A take on a traditional Moroccan salad, this is the most popular dip at the restaurant. This amount of chilli does result in a nicely spicy dip, but adjust the quantities to suit your palate!

Ingredients:

600g aubergine

40g garlic, sliced

30g green chilli, sliced

50g olive oil

325g tomatoes, diced

5g ground cumin

5g sweet paprika

Juice of one lemon

15g coriander, chopped

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Pierce the aubergine in a few places with a skewer or knife, then grill until charred all over and soft (alternatively, you can do this over a gas hob or in the oven). Leave the aubergine to cool, then peel and chop the flesh.

2. Meanwhile, place the garlic, chilli and oil in a pan and cook until the garlic is beginning to brown around the edges and the chilli has softened. Add the cumin and paprika, quickly followed by the tomatoes before the spices burn. Season with salt and cook over low heat until the tomatoes have broken down.

3. Once the tomatoes are completely soft, add the aubergine and let the mix cool to room temperature before adding the lemon juice and coriander, checking for seasoning (depending on the tomatoes, you may need more lemon juice).

4. To serve, just garnish with a little more olive oil.

Lamb chops

The yoghurt and lemon juice really help to tenderise the lamb. If you can let it sit overnight, the flavour will really permeate, but even just a few hours makes a big difference. We serve this with the simple sumac onion salad below.

Ingredients:

100g Greek yoghurt

Juice from half a lemon

5g garlic, micro-planed

3g ground turmeric

1g saffron, bloomed in a tablespoon of warm water

Salt to season

8 lamb chops, around 120g each

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients except the lamb chops in a bowl, then season with salt to taste. Coat the lamb chops in the yoghurt mix and allow to marinate in the fridge overnight.

2. Half an hour before you want to cook the lamb, remove it from the fridge so it can come up to temperature. Lightly season and oil the lamb chops before grilling to desired doneness (about 3-4 minutes per side for medium). Let them rest for a few minutes before serving alongside the sumac onion salad below.

Sumac onion salad

Ingredients:

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

5g sumac

 bunch of parsley, picked

Lemon juice, olive oil and salt to season

Method:

1. Mix the onion and sumac together and leave to sit for 30 minutes so the sumac can start to cure the onion (you can also do this in advance).

2. When ready to serve, mix the parsley with the onions and season with lemon juice, olive oil and salt.

Harissa prawns

open image in gallery Sweet heat, char and just enough fire to keep you reaching for another ( Supplied )

Choose as spicy or as mild a harissa as you like, serving with the cucumber labneh on the side to cool it down if you need.

Ingredients:

12 large prawns, peeled and cleaned, but leave the head and shell intact

50g harissa paste

30g mild Turkish pepper paste (you could substitute sundried tomato paste if you cant find this)

20g honey

Lemon juice, olive oil and Maldon salt

Picked dill and mint

Method:

1. Mix the harissa, pepper paste and honey together, then use this mix to marinate the prawns.

2. Let sit for 30 minutes before grilling over high heat, then season with lemon juice, olive oil and Maldon salt.

3. Serve with cucumber labneh and lightly dressed herbs.

Cucumber labneh

Ingredients:

250g Greek yoghurt

Juice of half a lemon

15g confit garlic (or use raw garlic finely grated, but use only 1 small clove)

10g olive oil

4 baby cucumbers

Fine salt

Method:

1. Place the yoghurt in a sieve lined with a paper towel or J-cloth and let it stand in the fridge for a few hours until thickened.

2. Meanwhile, slice the cucumbers thinly and season with some salt. Leave it to sit for 30 minutes before squeezing out as much liquid as possible, then add to the strained yoghurt.

3. Crush the confit garlic, then add the olive oil and season with more fine salt if needed.

Hashpot

open image in gallery Part nostalgia, part indulgence, and proof pudding doesnt need to behave ( Supplied )

A fun way to recreate our signature hash cake at home! Do make sure you get 100 per cent pistachio paste (not one mixed with almonds), as it will make a huge difference to the final product. You can easily double or triple the recipe and set it in a dish instead of individual glasses for a big party.

Ingredients:

75g unsalted butter, melted

50g light brown sugar

45g caster sugar

45g egg yolk

55g double cream

50g highest quality pistachio paste

2g sea salt

150g whipping cream

100g oat biscuits (and a little extra to serve), crushed

Crushed pistachios to serve

Method:

1. Combine the brown and caster sugars in a bowl, then add the melted butter and mix together. Add the egg yolk, double cream, salt and pistachio paste to the sugar mix and cook over a bain marie, stirring frequently until the mixture reaches 85C.

2. Place the mixture into a container and cover with cling film that is touching the surface of the pistachio mixture to prevent it from forming a skin. Refrigerate until completely chilled (ideally overnight).

3. Once the mixture has completely cooled, whip the whipping cream to medium peaks, then fold in the pistachio mix. You want to achieve a mix that is stable, but light.

4. Divide the biscuits amongst 4 pots(reserving a little to top the hashpot), then smooth the pistachio mix over. Leave to set in the fridge for an hour before topping with crumbled biscuits and pistachios to serve.

Recipes from www.thebarbary.co.uk
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

If you are looking for new podcasts that explore history fails, how AI could transform access to healthcare, and the intersection of life and music, then this weeks podcast picks are for you.

1. Conversations with Candice

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube

Genre: Life and society

In this episode, Candice Brathwaite reflects on the tendency to seek validation from others and how this can shape behaviour and self-perception. The discussion centres on the weight often given to external opinions, particularly from people not closely involved in our daily lives.

Conversations With Candice is a personal development podcast hosted by the author and broadcaster, exploring themes such as identity, relationships and self-worth. The series is structured around the idea of rebuilding different areas of life, from boundaries to emotional resilience.

The podcast does what it says on the tin, offering conversational, personal insight rather than prescriptive advice. It also touches on broader pressures, including ambition, burnout and the expectation to manage multiple roles at once.

For listeners interested in accessible and insightful content, this podcast gives a calm, measured perspective on confidence and personal boundaries without positioning itself as a definitive guide to self-improvement.

(By Lara Owen)

2. Deep Feedback

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube

Genre: Music, culture and society

On this weeks episode of New Stranges Deep Feedback, host Elijah, who is a London-based artist, writer and DJ, sits down with electronic producer and DJ Hagan to unpack why its difficult to subscribe his music under one genre.

True to the podcasts mission, built for a post-follower and post-like internet, the conversation is rooted in an idea that the true impact of your work is what it creates next, the art it sparks, behaviours it shifts, and discussions it starts.

Elijah and Hagan also explore the privileges of being a musician who can travel around the world and what it was like recording new music, fusing Ghanaian traditional sounds with British sounds, such as UK funky house, in the English countryside at Devon Analogue Studio.

Hagans introspection shines throughout the episode, as he opens up to Elijah about striking the balance between full-time work and the work of an artist, and why its important to approach that tension with grace.

If you are looking for an eclectic podcast with expansive conversations across black British culture, electronic music, the creator economy and even pro-wrestling, then add Deep Feedback to your podcast rotation.

(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)

3. For The Yearners Podcast

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube

Genre: Music and culture

For The Yearners, hosted by musician and photographer Daniel, also known as db Cxptures, is a new music podcast done differently.

In the debut episode, Daniel, also founder of ThisChord, a community-driven platform that explores the intersections of music and life, chats about the death of the A&R listener  a term he uses to describe the majority of music listeners today  and how consumption of it has changed.

Daniel chats about how X used to be a great place for music discourse, why the online fandom of Stan culture has negatively impacted music, what the past 20-30 years of consumption looked like, why 2008 made the most significant change for music, and the revolutionary launch of peer-to-peer file-sharing service Napster.

He goes on to explore the important aspects of the musical experience, including listening to new music on physical media such as CDs and cassettes, and the cons that come with the rise of on-demand streaming models.

Daniel explains the dangers of being an A&R listener  who consumes music to be the first to have an opinion, rather than enjoy it  and what we can all reconsider when we engage with new and old music.

For The Yearners Podcast is a well-researched and honest ode to the transformative power and beauty of music. Tune in.

(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)

4. When Science Finds a Way

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube

Genre: Science

When Science Finds a Way is a podcast series from global health foundation Wellcome, hosted by botanist-turned-Hollywood actress Alisha Wainwright.

In each episode, Wainwright explores some of the most fascinating stories behind scientific discovery with scientists, innovators and community leaders, who are working together to solve some of our biggest health challenges.

To launch the fourth season, Wainwright is joined by digital psychiatry specialist Dr John Torous, clinical psychiatrist Dr Andrea Cipriani, and digital mental health expert Dr Jana Alagarajah for a two-part episode.

Wainwright and Torous first discuss how training AI on data from our devices could help us diagnose people with mental health conditions.

Cipriani chats about how AI could optimise patients prescriptions, and Alagarajah explains why innovation in the Global South could shape future care for the rest of the world.

If you have always wondered how scientific breakthroughs bring about a better world, and how AI could transform access to mental healthcare, then listen to When Science Finds a Way. Its whip-smart and curious.

(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)

Spotlight on

5. Historys Greatest Fails

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube

Genre: History

One of the most controversial monarchs in English history, Richard III still polarises opinion  either hes been viciously maligned, or he was a power-hungry tyrant who supposedly had his two nephews murdered so he could claim the throne.

This last Plantagenet king of England ruled for just two years until his death on the battlefield in 1485. Buried without ceremony, he didnt get a chance to shape a lasting legacy, which many historians view as a failure.

Yet he remains fixed in the public consciousness  and the discovery of his remains in a Leicester car park in 2012 ushered in a whole new era of Richard-mania, so he is the perfect figure to kick off a new six-part podcast series, Historys Greatest Fails.

Co-hosted by historian Dan Jones and author Elizabeth Day, it aims to re-evaluate whether Richard deserves all the vitriol, offering a modern perspective on the shifting notion of failure.

Navigating the brutal world of kill or be killed 15th-century politics wasnt for the faint-hearted, and Richard had no problem with this part of the job description, yet he was also an excellent strategist and visionary, opines Day, while Jones explains that William Shakespeares enduring depiction of Richard as a villain was him taking this historical failure and using it for artistic purpose  and it kept audiences hooked.

A lighthearted, albeit rather rambling listen, yet the fascinating story of Richard is sure to keep listeners tuned in.

(By Caroline Duggan)
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice

A Michigan man has been taken into police custody in the Bahamas after his wife disappeared at sea, according to investigators and media reports.

Officers arrested the 59-year-old on Wednesday evening, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said. The agency did not provide names, but media reports have previously identified the couple as Michigan residents Brian Hooker and Lynette Hooker.

The couple run a YouTube channel documenting their travel adventures under the name The Sailing Hookers. They recently shared a YouTube Short on their channel joking about not getting along with each other.

Brian is now being questioned in connection with Lynettes disappearance, police said. His attorney, Terrel Butler, told The Independent he categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing and has been cooperating with authorities.

Heres everything we know so far about the case:

open image in gallery Lynette Hooker went missing at sea during a trip to the Bahamas ( Facebook/Lynette Hooker )

Lynette Hooker reported missing during boating trip

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said officers responded to reports of a woman, later identified as Lynette, who fell overboard while on a boating trip with her husband on April 4.

According to preliminary information, a male complainant reported that he and his wife, both U.S. nationals, departed Hope Town around 7:30 p.m. aboard an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy enroute to Elbow Cay, the agency said in a statement released Sunday.

During the journey, his wife reportedly fell overboard with the boat keys, causing the vessels engine to shut off. Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her. He then paddled the vessel to shore, the statement continued.

Police said Tuesday that search operations and investigative efforts remain active. Several agencies are assisting with the search, and their operations have spanned marine, land, and aerial areas, with additional support from drone technology and professional divers.

Brian Hooker arrested for questioning

A 59-year-old man was taken into custody on Wednesday evening in connection with her disappearance, police said. Media reports identified him as Lynettes husband, Brian. No charges have been announced.

He is currently being questioned in connection with the matter, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement.

Just hours before he was reportedly taken into custody, Brian shared a Facebook post thanking authorities for their efforts to find Lynette.

I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas, he wrote.

Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus, he added.

Advardo Dames, the assistant commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police, told Reuters Hooker was taken into custody for additional questioning based on some probable cause we have.

He's been taken into custody as a suspect. He's been arrested," Dames added.

The U.S. Coast Guard is also conducting a criminal investigation into her disappearance, an agency official confirmed to The Independent.

When asked about Lynette's disappearance, a State Department spokesperson confirmed officials are aware of the case and recent arrest but offered few other details, citing privacy and other considerations.

The spokesperson also noted that "when Americans are detained abroad, we provide consular assistance consistent with U.S. law."

The Independent has contacted the Royal Bahamas Police Force requesting more information.

open image in gallery Brian Hooker was reportedly arrested in connection with his wifes disappearance ( Facebook/Lynette Hooker )

Lynette and Brian Hooker ran a YouTube channel

Lynette and Brian often recorded their travel adventures and posted them on their YouTube channel, The Sailing Hookers.

Their most recent video, titled A little Paddleboarding this morning #bahamas, was posted on March 9.

They also shared a YouTube Short on their channel that joked about them getting sick of each other.

The video includes text that reads: Dont you two ever get sick of each other? Lower down on the screen, it shows a clip of two people dancing beneath the caption, Me and my Husband, as the 1995 hit song Be My Lover by La Bouche plays in the background.

Lynette Hookers daughter says couple has history of not getting along

Lynettes daughter, Karli Aylesworth, has spoken out about the case in interviews with several media outlets.

Aylesworth told NBC News Lynette was unlikely to just fall off the boat, and explained the couple has a history of not getting along, especially when they drink.

During a Fox News interview, she also described her mother as a "very fit person" who was unlikely to lose her balance.

"I do believe something might have happened to her," Aylesworth told the network. "There's history of them choking her out and threatening to throw her overboard. So the fact that this is actually happening makes me believe there's more to the story."

Brian denies Aylesworths allegations, his attorney told The Independent.

Mr. Hooker categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing and in particular the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth. He has been cooperating with the relevant authorities as part of an ongoing investigation, he said.

Lynettes mother, Darlene Hamlett, told CNN the family has many unanswered questions.

We are still holding on for a positive outcome to this tragedy, she added.
BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- China hopes the European Union (EU) will work with China to promote healthy and positive bilateral economic and trade relations, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

As key trade partners, China and the EU have built their economic and trade cooperation on a solid foundation and maintained strong growth momentum over the years, said ministry spokesperson He Yadong. The two sides have deeply integrated their industrial and supply chains, fostering a relationship characterized by complementary strengths and mutual benefits, He said.

China has remained open to negotiating and signing bilateral economic and trade arrangements with the EU, and has welcomed relevant proposals from European leaders, the spokesperson said.

"However, in recent years, the EU has used a range of economic and trade instruments to launch investigations into, and impose restrictions on, Chinese companies," the spokesperson added.

China hopes the EU will pay greater heed to the views of its member states and European industry, abandon protectionist practices, and meet China halfway, the spokesperson said.

The EU should replace building walls and barriers with open cooperation, resolve frictions and differences through dialogue and consultation, and jointly promote the healthy and positive development of China-EU economic and trade relations, the spokesperson added. 
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

Sean Diddy Combs lawyers will try to persuade federal appeals court judges Thursday that the hip-hop mogul was treated unfairly at trial, and that the First Amendment should win his freedom.

Combs, currently in federal prison in New Jersey, won't be at the arguments before a panel of three federal appellate judges. He's challenging his conviction on prostitution-related charges and more than 4-year prison sentence.

His attorneys insist Combs' conviction should be reversed, or he should at least be freed and resentenced to less time. Prosecutors oppose the arguments.

Combs' lawyers repeated claims in written arguments that they made before the trial judge, including an assertion that Combs' films of sexual encounters between his girlfriends and male sex workers amounted to amateur pornography and was protected by the First Amendment.

The attorneys said the term prostitution should be interpreted narrowly to exclude what they portray as voyeuristic and expressive activity.

Combs, 56, has been behind bars since his September 2024 arrest. The Federal Bureau of Prisons says he is scheduled for release in April 2028 ( Getty )

The lawyers also argue that Combs' sentence was too harsh, saying the trial judge wrongly based it in part on a conclusion that the crimes involved fraud and coercion and that Combs was a leader or organizer of criminal activity.

Combs was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that carried the potential for a life sentence. He was convicted under the federal Mann Act, which bans transporting people across state lines for any sexual crime.

Federal prosecutors said in court papers that Combs' recordings don't make his case a free speech issue.

They said that if Combs was right in claiming that creative, elaborate and highly staged sex acts meant that they were protected by the First Amendment, then brothels offering elaborate and staged scenes for individuals to have sex with women for payment could claim First Amendment protection.

Prosecutors also said the sentence was proper.

Combs' trial last year exposed the sordid private life of one of the most influential figures in music. The case featured harrowing testimony about violence, drugs and sexual performances that witnesses said he called freak-offs or hotel nights.

He did not testify. His defense team acknowledged that he could be violent but argued that prosecutors were straining to make a federal crime out of his personal life.

Combs, 56, has been behind bars since his September 2024 arrest. The Federal Bureau of Prisons says he is scheduled for release in April 2028.
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 Hawaii anesthesiologist has been convicted of the lesser offense of attempted manslaughter for allegedly trying to kill his wife on a cliffside hike last year.

Gerhardt Konig, 47, was found guilty after a Honolulu jury deliberated for a day. The charge, tied to extreme mental or emotional disturbance, carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Prosecutors said Konig planned to kill his wife, Arielle, during a birthday trip in March 2025, attempting to push her off a cliff, stab her with a syringe and strike her with a rock before two hikers who heard her cries for help intervened.

His attorney, Thomas Otake, confirmed plans to appeal.

open image in gallery Konig had planned to kill his wife, Arielle Konig, during a weekend trip to Honolulu for her birthday in March 2025, prosecutors said ( AP Photo/Mengshin Lin )

The defendant testified that it was his wife who first hit him with a rock, and he hit her back in self-defense.

Konig had a plan and backup plans for murdering his wife, Arielle Konig, during a weekend trip to Honolulu for her birthday in March 2025, deputy prosecutor Joel Garner told jurors in a closing statement Tuesday. Konig tried to push her off a cliff, and when that didnt work, he tried to stab her with a syringe filled with an unknown substance.

And when that didnt work, he grabbed the rock, Garner said.

Every backup plan ends in Arielles death, Garner said, displaying the rock and photos of her injuries.

The doctors lawyer told jurors Tuesday there were no such plans, and he repeatedly sought to cast doubt on Arielle Konigs account. Gerhardt Konig has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, and he insists he was defending himself from his wife, who he says attacked him with the rock first.

If Gerhardt Konig had wanted to kill his wife and had access to a syringe in a remote area, attorney Thomas Otake suggested, wouldnt he have drugged her and then thrown her from the cliff, rather than having started a scuffle before attempting to fill the syringe as he was wrestling with her?

You would use the syringe first, Otake said. It makes no sense.

The trial started last month, nearly a year after Gerhadt and Arielle Konig went on a hike on the Pali Puka trail in Honolulu that ended with her bloodied and screaming that he had tried to kill her.

Their two young sons stayed home on Maui while the Konigs were on the trip. Near a lookout offering sweeping views, Gerhardt Konig  upset about his wifes relationship with a coworker  attacked her, Garner said. It was only because two other hikers interrupted the assault that he stopped, Garner said.

The trial, with testimony livestreamed by Court TV, has aired the couples marital problems leading up to the hike, along with their versions of what happened on the trail.

Gerhardt Konig testified that his wife was having an affair, which he confirmed by unlocking her phone while she slept. The relationship, which Arielle Konig characterized as an emotional affair involving flirty messages with a coworker, came up during the hike.

Arielle Konig testified that her husband grabbed her and moved her toward the cliffs edge, but she threw herself on the ground in an attempt to hold on. He straddled her and had a syringe in his hand, she said, but she batted it away. She bit his forearm and squeezed his testicles in an attempt to get him off her, she said.

Her husband denied pushing her toward the edge and testified that she hit him with a rock on the side of his face. He wrestled the rock away and hit her with it twice in self-defense, he said.

Gerhardt Konig also denied having any syringes on the mountain or trying to stab his wife. His defense attorney said no syringe was found at the scene because he never had one.

Otake said Gerhardt Konig was not someone who would try to commit murder, but someone who was struggling with infidelity and trying to do his best. Otake quoted from a heart-shaped birthday card Gerhardt Konig had written to his wife, calling her the heart of our family and saying, The kids and I hit the jackpot with you.

Gerhardt Konig testified that as he watched his wife crawl away, he believed his marriage and career were over, and he decided to jump to his death. But first, he called his adult son from a previous marriage. The son told authorities that his father said he tried to kill your stepmom  a confession Gerhardt Konig denied having made.

Konig testified that he called his son to say good-bye.

During that call, the defendant made no reference to having struck his wife in self-defense, Garner said.

He spent about eight hours hiding on the mountain before deciding to come down, and even then, he tried to flee when confronted by police, Garner said.

His wife has since filed for divorce.

The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
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

Cadets at Virginias Old Dominion University have recounted how they stabbed and disarmed a gunman targeting their classroom, then frantically tried to save the life of the wounded instructor who grappled with the attacker.

In a 17-minute video posted Wednesday, the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets told how Lt. Col. Brandon Shah lunged at the shooter during the March 12 incident at the Norfolk school.

Placing himself between the gunman and the class, Shah, who was shot and did not survive, saved lives that day.

If he didnt lunge at him, you know, I wouldnt be here right now, cadet Jah-Ire Urtarte said. Theres a possibility he couldve turned his gun and I couldve been next.

The shooter, Army National Guard veteran Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, also died. He had pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to aid the Islamic State and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. He was on supervised release at the time of the attack.

open image in gallery Placing himself between the gunman and the class, the ROTC leader saved lives that day ( AP )

The students say Jalloh walked into their classroom and nervously asked if it was an ROTC class. When someone confirmed that, they say he pulled a pistol from his waist, shouted 'Allahu akbar, and fired toward Shah.

Students dived for cover. As Shah struggled with Jalloh, Cadet Louis Ancheta said he pulled out his pocket knife, moved toward them and was hit in the chest by a round.

It really didnt feel like it hit me, he said, pointing toward his sternum. It felt like a graze. After that, Im like, `I can keep on going.' 

When Shah got the man turned around, Ancheta said he took action with the folding tactical knife that most cadets carry with them.

So, I just go in there, just start stabbing him, he said. As Im stabbing, other cadets jump in.

Cadet Jeremy Rawlinson said he took out his knife, too, to help stop the threat.

Despite having several people on top of him, Jalloh still had the gun. Cadet Wesley Myers said he made that his priority, squeezing his fingers between Jalloh's hand and the weapon to pry it away and clear the final round from the chamber.

With the shooter disarmed, the cadets said they turned their attention to the wounded: Cadet Samuel Reineberg found a gunshot wound to Shahs upper right thigh. Rawlinson handed him his belt for a tourniquet.

On an instant, we switched over to doing combat care, Rawlinson said.

Myers went to Ancheta.

open image in gallery The body of Lt. Col. Brandon Shah is carried out of his funeral service at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., March 22, 2026 ( AP )

Its different when its not a mannequin and its your friend, Myers said. So, myself and another cadet pull him to the side and lay him on his back and begin performing first aid.

Ancheta said he asked them to call his mother.

Recovering, he received the Purple Heart  one of several cadets awarded medals for their response.

They praised Shah for taking action to protect them and for preparing them for the moment.

So, he got to see all the training that he and the rest of Cadre had been giving us for the past years, he got to see us instantly do that in action, Rawlinson said. He got see right then and there, like, hey, these guys didnt panic. They immediately switched over."

Shah attended Old Dominion University as an ROTC student, according to his biography on the universitys website, and had returned in 2022 as a leader for the program. In the Army, Shah had flown helicopters over Iraq, Afghanistan and Eastern Europe as a pilot.

Two days before the shooting, Shah had told cadets not to wear their uniforms around campus as a precaution, another cadet previously told The Associated Press.

Because of all the situation thats happening with Iran and all of that stuff in the Middle East, said Cadet Brandon Rebolledo, who was in the nearby ROTC building when the shooting occurred. To make sure that we did not become a target and to make sure that we were keeping a low profile.

The students say Shah was the real hero that day.

So, he has a saying: Be bold, be quick, be gone, Rawlinson said.

Added Cadet Oshea Bego: Col. Shah really set that example for what it means, not just as a warrior, leader and soldier, but also just as a human being.
Seif Shekalaghe (C), permanent secretary of Tanzania's Ministry of Health, presents a certificate of appreciation to a team member of the 27th Chinese medical team in Tanzania, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, April 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Lin Guangyao)

DAR ES SALAAM, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The handover ceremony between the 27th and 28th batches of Chinese medical teams in Tanzania was held on Wednesday in the port city of Dar es Salaam.

Seif Shekalaghe, permanent secretary of Tanzania's Ministry of Health, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Chinese government and medical teams, praising their vital role in medical treatment, technical support, and talent training.

Shekalaghe noted that Chinese medical teams' contributions have significantly improved Tanzania's healthcare services and the well-being of its people.

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian highlighted the long history of medical cooperation, recalling that China began sending medical teams to Zanzibar in 1964 and to mainland Tanzania in 1968.

To date, 35 batches of medical teams have served in Zanzibar and 28 in mainland Tanzania, providing care to about 20 million patients and helping local hospitals bridge critical technical gaps, Chen noted.

The newly arrived 28th medical team consists of 15 members specializing in fields such as anesthesiology, neurosurgery, and cardiovascular surgery.

Team leader Liu Jia said the group will focus on local healthcare needs, apply their expertise, and work to strengthen medical service capacity, furthering China-Tanzania health collaboration and benefiting communities.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Chen and Tanzanian representatives paid tribute to Zhang Junqiao, the late head of the 27th Chinese medical team, who lost his life on June 15, 2025, while rescuing a local person from drowning in the Indian Ocean. 

Seif Shekalaghe, permanent secretary of Tanzania's Ministry of Health, speaks at the handover ceremony between the 27th and 28th batches of Chinese medical teams in Tanzania, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, April 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Lin Guangyao)
Advertisement

Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Chariot confirms sought-after spodumene at Nigerian lithium play Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Andrew Todd April 9, 2026  1:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Chariot Resources has confirmed the presence of valuable spodumene in all six of its previously announced high-grade lithium samples taken from its green Fonlo and Iganna projects in Nigeria. Independent quantitative mineralogical analysis, completed by the University of British Columbia, identified easily processable spodumene, accounting for between 28.4 per cent and a whopping 75.3 per cent of the overall weight in crystalline phases. Samples of spodumene from Chariot Resourcess Fonlo and Iganna projects in southwest Nigeria. The confirmation is a serious boost for the companys Nigerian ambitions, with the presence of the simple, recoverable spodumene being a major contributing factor for any hard-rock lithium hopeful. Spodumene is far more amenable to conventional processing methods than other lithium-bearing minerals, such as the common lepidolite, which is complex and full of impurities. Notably, lepidolite was not identified in any of Chariots test results.

Advertisement

The six samples also returned impressive lithium oxide grades between 2.66 per cent and 5.96 per cent, with management insisting that the new mineralogical data now provide the necessary technical input for its development plans to eventually produce a direct-shipping lithium ore. Test work also identified the caesium-rich mineral pollucite, with one sample from Iganna notching up 9.5 per cent of the mineral. The company says this explains the elevated caesium values previously reported and strengthens its interpretation that Fonlo and Iganna are the most favourable lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatite systems. Notably, the confirmation of mineralogy has substantially cleared the metallurgical pathway for Chariots Nigerian assets, allowing high-confidence planning to accelerate technical studies and field programs. The Fonlo and Iganna projects form part of a four-project portfolio in southwest Nigeria in which Chariot is currently acquiring a 66.67 per cent interest. The portfolio covers 254 square kilometres and has a documented history of artisanal lithium mining. The acquisition of the assets was materially de-risked last month when the Nigerian Government approved the transfer of six exploration and mining licences into C&C Minerals. This new joint venture entity will be majority-controlled by Chariot.

Advertisement

The company says it will continue to integrate all mineralogy, assay, mapping and field observations to refine its geological targeting for drill programs at both Fonlo and Iganna. With mineralogy now in hand, Chariot plans to press ahead with its announced exploration activities, including more surface work and drill planning. The work is expected to run in tandem with its assessment of phased, small-scale mining options. Whilst the new findings have clearly improved the outlook for its African assets, Chariot says its keeping a foot in both camps, pushing forward with exploration at the companys projects in the United States, including its hard-rock Black Mountain project in Wyoming and the claystone-hosted Resurgent project in Nevada. With metallurgical testwork next on the agenda, Chariot has ticked off one of the major de-risking boxes in Nigeria as it looks to accelerate development of its emerging West African lithium play. 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
TEHRAN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- More than 3,000 people were killed across Iran in the war launched late February by the United States and Israel, the head of the country's forensic medicine organization said on Thursday.

About 40 percent of the dead required forensic identification before being returned to their families, said the organization. 
Advertisement

Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears TMK gas surge clears path to production at Mongolian project Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Penny Taylor April 9, 2026  4:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

TMK Energy has delivered another impressive monthly update at its Gurvantes XXXV project in Mongolia, with March gas rates surging 48 per cent to 866 cubic metres per day, hitting a record 1,350 cubic metres in a single day. The most recent well, LF-07, continues to steal the spotlight, confirming gas desorption is now underway and marking a key shift from early dewatering towards commercial-scale flows. TMK drilling yields record flows at its Gurvantes pilot project in Mongolia. After a brief operational delay for safety and facility upgrades, output has rebounded to almost 23,000 standard cubic feet per day, with water production steady at 490 barrels per day - textbook reservoir behaviour in action. The pilot well complexs average daily output surged from 583 cubic metres in February. The star performer, LF-07, showed pressure communication between wells - a clear signal that the reservoir is behaving as a connected system rather than isolated pockets. This growing connectivity should underpin more consistent, controlled and commercial-scale gas flows down the track.

Advertisement

We have reduced the reservoir pressure sufficiently to produce what appears to be commercially significant quantities of gas. TMK Energy chief executive officer Douglas Ferguson Surface upgrades at LF-07 have also helped to sustain higher flows. TMK is now carefully managing output to preserve the reservoir, maximise long-term volumes and feed potential early-stage power generation projects. TMK also bolstered its operational momentum with regulatory support. In mid-March, the company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mongolias regulator, MRPAM, allowing gas to feed a pilot power project and establishing a framework to convert parts of the 8,400 square kilometre permit into an exploitation licence. Approval of its 2026 work program has also greenlit three additional production wells for the year, reinforcing growth and ensuring a robust development rollout. TMK Energy chief executive officer Dougal Ferguson said: The acceleration of the gas rate at LF-07 is a clear demonstration that gas is being desorbed from the coals up-dip from this well and, more importantly, proof that we have reduced the reservoir pressure sufficiently to produce what appears to be commercially significant quantities of gas. The MoU signed with MRPAM, coincident with this increase in gas rates, is another positive indication that there is a very strong push by the Mongolian Government to quickly accelerate the growth of the gas industry.

Advertisement

With the MoU in place, TMK now has a ready-made market for its pilot production. To demonstrate the projects potential to future off-takers, TMK is targeting a supply of 5,000 cubic metres of gas per day, with scope to scale up to 15,000 cubic metres per day under an extended arrangement. Looking ahead, the company is expected to continue optimising its existing wells, potentially replicating the LF-07 design across new hotspots as it expands the pilot footprint. TMK is sitting atop a contingent 1.2 trillion cubic feet of gas, with over 5 trillion cubic feet of upside less than 20 kilometres from the Chinese border - a stones throw from major infrastructure and energy markets. With Asian gas demand surging amid energy security and emissions pressures, the projects potential scale and proximity appear to give it a clear commercial edge. With rising output, regulatory backing and approved drilling, TMK looks set to convert early pilot success into a production-ready asset. And if the gas rate continues to accelerate, the company could be poised to turn its Gobi Basin pilot into a major success story, delivering value and momentum in the Mongolian gas market. 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

Gas
Advertisement

BusinessCompaniesOn Background Opinion Were looking at Kyle and Jackie O fighting  investors are looking at their boss Calum Jaspan Media Writer April 10, 2026  6:00am

April 10, 2026  6:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

In this weeks edition of On Background, Hamish McLennans chairmanship of ARN comes under threat, Karl Stefanovic and Eddie McGuire could be on a Gold hunt, and Bruce Lehrmann decides to try his hand at lecturing the media on ethics. Hammer time Hamish McLennans ARN Media chairmanship is under threat ahead of its annual general meeting next month, where he is up for re-election after two terms. On Background has learnt several high-profile shareholders are voicing their displeasure over ARNs handling of not only the ongoing Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson saga, but a suite of other major decisions on The Hammers watch. Hamish McLennan, chairman KIIS FMs owner ARN, has less of a financial stake in the company than its former stars who are suing it. Dominic Lorrimer

Advertisement

If I was Hamish, Id see the writing on the wall, one shareholder told On Background on Thursday afternoon as the companys share price hit another low of just 18, down from a high of $2 at the end of 2021. Another said ominously that it was worth making plans to attend the AGM. From handing Henderson and Sandilands a too long and too much contract that left ARN bearing almost all the risk if their show tanked, to paying a staggering $307 million for regional broadcaster Grant Broadcasters in 2021 (just shy of six times the current value of ARN), and the handling of the Sandilands-Henderson contractual fallout, some investors have had enough. At the same time, ARN has failed to find a buyer for Hong Kong-based outdoor media business Cody, a relic of the companys history as a billboard firm, in the year since McLennan flagged its intentions to sell it off. This week, we learnt that McLennan and former chief executive Ciaran Davis had been informed of Hendersons concerns about Sandilands as far back as August last year. ARN is expected to file its response to Hendersons statement of claim in the coming week, when we will learn just what measures the company had put in place since then. But staggeringly, despite the disaster at ARN, one person who has managed to avoid any financial headache is McLennan himself. After eight years as chair, McLennans total shareholding in ARN sat at 73,000 shares in the company as of February 3, according to ARNs recent annual report, worth just a nudge over $13,000 on Thursday. Combined, Sandilands and Henderson have about 100 times more of a financial stake in ARN via their shareholdings, and theyre suing the company!

Advertisement

McLennan didnt respond to questions. But his, ahem, eventful tenure at ARN (not to mention funds manager Magellan or Rugby Australia) didnt stop him agreeing to become chair of one of Australias hottest stocks, defence company DroneShield, this week. Its shares are up 311 per cent in the past year alone. With McLennan, theres always hope. Swing for the fences Meanwhile, there are still radio networks to run over at ARN. So naturally, its stations need a big swing or two. Among those appears to be a new show fronted by current Today host Karl Stefanovic and Mr Melbourne himself, Eddie McGuire, a jack of all trades who may be best known as former Who Wants to Be a Millionaire host and one-time chief executive of Nine (owner of this masthead).

Advertisement

On Background has heard the pair are close to signing a deal to present a new weekly show on ARNs Gold network, sister station to the KIIS network that Sandilands and Henderson used to call home, after initial reports by this masthead last month. Stefanovic is four months through a one-year contract at Nine, down from his usual three-year deals, leading to heavy speculation about an eventual exit from the network. An initial show with McGuire could be part of a broader deal with ARN, potentially including sales representation for his newly launched, independent conservative podcast The Karl Stefanovic Show. Karl Stefanovic and Pauline Hanson on The Karl Stefanovic Show podcast. YouTube ARN, McGuire, Stefanovic and Nine didnt respond to a request for comment.

Advertisement

A show featuring the two big personalities would certainly cover the bases of both Melbourne and Sydney radio, but the real strategy lies in its digital potential, company sources say. The Gold Network is synonymous with non-political, inoffensive content. But under his new banner of the Joe Bogan podcast, Stefanovic has devoted a lot of time to big names on the populist right. In just 32 episodes, he has quickly developed a loyal following by interviewing almost every high-profile figure associated with the disparate movement in Australia: Pauline Hanson, Barnaby Joyce, (separately and together with his new boss), Clive Palmer, Bob Katter, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Gerard Rennick, Alex Antic, Matt Canavan and a series of other right-wing influencers. Stefanovic also had Anthony Albanese on, though judging by the live comments section, the audience werent really that interested in hearing from the PM. There have also been apolitical figures too though, like Bluey creator Joe Brumm and celebrity chef Curtis Stone. Karl and Eddie interviewing Bandit and Chilli about petrol prices. Who wouldnt watch that?

Advertisement

Bruce Lehrmann goes back for his hat, again? When it comes to media ethics in Australia, there are expert voices that come to mind. Bruce Lehrmann is not one of them. The former Liberal Party staffer, who was found to a civil standard to have raped his colleague Brittany Higgins, is among the public personalities to lend support to Ben Roberts-Smith this week after the former soldier was arrested at Sydney Airport on five war crimes  murder charges. Bruce Lehrmann during an interview by the Seven Networks Spotlight program. Seven Network Gina Rinehart, Tony Abbott and Pauline Hanson all voiced support for Roberts-Smith  as did a verified X account belonging to Lehrmann.

Advertisement

With almost 100 followers, @brucelehr95 fired off a number of posts in the immediate aftermath of BRSs arrest, calling Commissioner of the National Anti Corruption Commission Paul Brereton corrupt, slinging mud at Liberal politician Andrew Hastie (a former commando who testified against BRS) and even our very own Nick McKenzie. Related Article Roberts-Smith case The Roberts-Smith case has split the nation. Just ask his billionaire backers In one post, the Lehrmann account attacked what he described as McKenzies rather loose and unethical approach to obtaining stories and thats putting it nicely. Really, Bruce? On Background can recall someone once telling Lehrmann a thing or two about making the mistake of returning for your hat after having escaped the lions den. Lehrmann  who had one of his rape trials aborted in 2023 for juror misconduct, and is currently awaiting a fresh trial for separate rape charges relating to another woman  managed to single-handedly get chequebook journalism banned from the Walkley Awards in 2023. Hes alleged to have billed Seven for sex workers, cocaine and a years luxury rent as part of agreeing to be interviewed on the Spotlight program  all of which was revealed in his own defamation trial against Network Ten.

Advertisement

Both Lehrmann and Roberts-Smith have always denied the claims against them. Seven reporters stunt casts Spotlight on himself Veteran reporter (and, by coincidence, the man who interviewed Lehrmann in that exclusive) Liam Bartlett turned a Chris Bowen press conference on Australias ongoing fuel issues into a two-man show on Wednesday. Bartlett accused the federal energy minister of being a hypocrite and asked, rhetorically, whether the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has proved that Bowens obsession with renewables will lead us to another energy crisis. Thats a very loaded comment. What it shows is that we need to continue to work on energy security. I reject the premise of the question, the Labor minister replied, before adding that renewable energy is a secure energy source which cannot be uninterrupted by a war, like oil.

Advertisement

This prompted a blow-up from Bartlett, also a former executive for oil giant Shell in the 2010s, asking whether Bowen would resign. The confrontation was duly picked up by news.com.au, Daily Mail Australia, Sky News and a handful of other outlets. But the whole thing appears to have been engineered for an upcoming investigation Bartlett is leading for Spotlight. Yes, them. Apparently Bartlett has been chasing Bowen for a sit-down interview for months as part of his investigation into Australias energy policies, with numerous requests gone unanswered. He declined to comment when called by On Background. Other journos present at the Sydney presser say the vibe in the room was weird, with one noting Bartlett was really aggressive [in his questioning] straight out of the gates. It must have been pure luck Seven had a camera crew set up beside the stage pointing at its veteran journo sitting in the press pack to catch the whole encounter from his perspective, only to post it on its social channels as a promo. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
Remove items from your saved list to add more.

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Step out of the station at breakfast and head, first, for Pho Viet, where the headline dish is mi quang. A central Vietnamese specialty, expect a bowl filled with handmade turmeric-tinted noodles in a pork and prawn broth, topped with a jumble of crab, pork, prawn and rare beef. The result is rich and nourishing, the accompanying lettuce and bean sprouts adding a refreshing element.

Pro tip: Grab a bottle of first-press Hoang Gia Fish Sauce to take home too

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant cant pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.
Advertisement

NationalQueenslandCourts Rideshare driver accused of rape started his own driving company Julius Dennis and William Davis April 9, 2026  2:01pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

A rideshare driver accused of stalking, rape and coercive control started his own driving company just days before fronting court for the charges. Benjamin Willem Pereira, 29, of Ferny Hills stands accused of abusing two women he had picked up when driving for a rideshare company, and a third who he was in an earlier relationship with. Pereira registered his private driving company, Transportation Me  offering packages worth as much as $800, according to its website  on November 28, 2025, three days before his first court appearance over the charges. Benjamin Willem Pereira is expected to appear at a Brisbane court next week. Threads The website features cartoon images of the same model of Mercedes-Benz hot hatch Pereira was accused of driving when he allegedly committed the offences.

Advertisement

A 21-year-old woman told police she exchanged social media details with a rideshare driver in a white Mercedes-Benz A45 on November 1, 2024. Later, Pereira allegedly sent her messages and threatened to attend her workplace. She said she never met with the driver again before she reported his alleged behaviour to the police. Senior Sergeant Robert Lowry spoke to media about the case on Wednesday afternoon. Nine About six months later, a 27-year-old woman started a relationship with Pereira, police said. He allegedly accessed her phone and threatened to assault her. When she attempted to cut the relationship off in July 2025, police allege he attended her house and sexually assaulted her.

Advertisement

These allegations and similar ones made by a 20-year-old woman dating back to 2020 were aired by police at a press conference on Wednesday, where they urged any other potential victims to get in touch. We do believe from the information that weve got that there probably are other women out there that have experienced this behaviour by this driver, Senior Sergeant Robert Lowry said. Pereira told this masthead in a statement the allegations were contested but did not elaborate. I will not be commenting further at this time, he said. Police searched Pereiras home in November last year, seizing mobile phones and a laptop, before charging him with one count each of rape, coercive control and using a carriage service to menace or harass and two counts of stalking.

Advertisement

He has since been given bail, and is next expected to appear at the Brisbane Magistrates Court on April 17. Pereira had posted in forums for DiDi rideshare drivers at the time of the alleged offences. In a statement, the company said it had permanently suspended him from working through the platform. The safety of the entire ridesharing community is always our top priority, DiDi head of external affairs Dan Jordan said. In this case, there was no communication to the platform relating to any of these matters. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Statement About Vehicle Warranties and Ethanol Fuel Use

An Important Reference for Consumers





Watch the animated version of this story below

All spark-ignited internal combustion engines (gasoline-powered engines) can safely, cleanly, and efficiently use ethanol-gasoline blended fuels. This is true, regardless of age or manufacturer. It's also true that not all levels of ethanol-gasoline blends can be used in all gasoline-powered engines. However, this limitation is not because ethanol fuel has any inherent boundaries; it is because engine designers and manufacturers have historically optimized engines to run on gasoline that does not contain any ethanol. Yet, even with this challenge, ethanol-gasoline blends from E5 to E50 can be used to power virtually any gasoline engine without any performance problems. There are two primary reasons why every automobile driver should want to use ethanol-gasoline fuels. The first is that ethanol-gasoline blends are less expensive than ethanol-free gasoline. Sometimes the savings are quite significant. For example, in California, the cost of a gallon of E85 can be $3 or more less than E10. If you can find E0 in California, the savings are dramatically greater.

The second reason to use ethanol-gasoline blends is that they are environmentally much cleaner and safer. Combined, these two reasons are insurmountable...or at least they should be. To counter the challenge from ethanol, the oil industry created a long list of lies to denigrate ethanol. These lies go back a hundred years, when the American Petroleum Institute was founded by executives of Standard Oil. The lies have continued to this day, spread by auto mechanics, automobile manufacturers, companies that produce engine additive products, and neighborhood know-it-alls. The bottom-line warning attached to the anti-ethanol lies is that the use of the blends will void the automobile manufacturers' warranties. This is a powerful impediment to using ethanol-gasoline blends, particularly if you've recently spent tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands on a new vehicle. After all, right there in the owner's manual of every new automobile is the warning against using certain fuels.

It is for this reason that I am sharing with you my, and The Auto Channel's, position on automobile warranties and their threat of warranty disqualification.

Warranty terms and expiration dates are set to limit the manufacturer's exposure to claims. It's basically an insurance policy, and just like any auto, home, life, and travel insurance, there are deductibles and conditions that allow a manufacturer or seller to avoid some or all financial responsibility. Although a manufacturer could offer a 100% lifetime guarantee, a warranty attempts to put a cap on the claims. While a warranty provides a purchaser with some expectation of length of service, it is primarily set to benefit the manufacturer. The extent of the terms and expiration is a matter of what they can get away with. Warranty expiration dates are not hard and fast declarations, or guarantees, of product life expectancy. Automobile manufacturers generally design and expect their vehicles to last for 10 to 15 years. Automobile warranties typically fall far short of manufacturer design expectations.

Warranty obligation caps sometimes follow the laws of a country or specified jurisdiction. In America, it is more a matter of custom than any mandated law, and it has become customary for new automobiles to offer a warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles. The standard warranty for new appliances expires 1 year from the date of purchase or delivery. Furniture warranties can typically range from 5 years to 15 years. Kia and Hyundai offer a 10-year warranty on their vehicles, which is more than 3 times longer than conventional auto warranties. They do this of their own volition for marketing reasons. It doesn't mean that these vehicles are 3 times better than all others, it's just a way to encourage sales.

U.S. courts may use manufacturer warranty terms and expirations as their guideline for rulings, but they don't have to. Other circumstances may exist that will affect a court's ruling, either way. Virtually all automobile owners' manuals state that their vehicles must not use gasoline with an octane rating under 87. However, in Colorado and other high-elevation states, the base gasoline sold is 85-octane. Many, if not most, people in those states use 85-octane gasoline in their vehicles. A dealership in these states will rarely void a warranty simply because the owners have used 85-octane gasoline.

If the purchaser of any product wants to be cautious, then I think they should try not to void the manufacturer's warranty. They could and should ignore temptations that could affect the warranty.

However, on the other side of the coin, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prohibits manufacturers from voiding a warranty simply because the vehicle owner used higher ethanol-gasoline blends such as E15, E20, E25, E30, E40, E50, or E85. The manufacturer must demonstrate that the specific fuel caused the damage in question.

Given the money-saving financial inducements of using higher ethanol-gasoline blends, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for consumers to avoid the temptations of using them. In light of the abundance of myths and lies about ethanol, largely created by the automobile industry, it is easy for a dealership or manufacturer to claim that the use of any ethanol-gasoline blend caused some specific damage to a spark-ignited internal combustion engine.

But the facts are that ethanol does not damage these engines. Ethanol cleans and protects engines. Ethanol is compatible with more types of rubber, plastic, and metal than gasoline and the aromatics (benzene, toluene, and Xylene) contained in all gasoline. This means that ethanol is less corrosive. Before any engine component could be damaged by the presence of ethanol in the gasoline, any damage would have already been initiated by the more corrosive characteristics of gasoline and the aromatics. And, there is no evidence that once such degradation has commenced, ethanol could have exacerbated the damage created by gasoline and aromatics.











All engine and fuel system problems that are now ascribed to ethanol fuels existed before the adoption of the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2005 and the nationwide use of ethanol. There is not one new or unique engine problem that is caused by the presence of ethanol in the fuel system of a spark-ignited internal combustion engine (a "gasoline engine"). Whether the claim is rubber deterioration, metal corrosion, engine debris buildup, or water contamination, these problems occur because of gasoline and the aromatics that are in all gasolines. Recognizing the urgent need to clean up the mess caused by gasoline and aromatics in the engine and fuel system, the voluntary practice of including detergents in gasoline began many years before 2005, when renewable fuel requirements became law in America. The ubiquitous requirement that detergent be included in all gasolines in America began in 1995, 10 years before the Renewable Fuel Standard. Ethanol is simply being used as a scapegoat for the problems caused by gasoline and aromatics.

I am ready, willing, and able to testify in support of ethanol fuels, and I can vanquish any opponent. I will make myself available to appear as an expert witness on behalf of any consumer who is engaging in a warranty struggle that is based on the use of an ethanol fuel. Unfortunately, I can't be everywhere at the same time. Fortunately, many other people support the use of ethanol fuels and know as much or more than I do about ethanol fuels. Some of these individuals are listed in the acknowledgments section of my book THE ETHANOL PAPERS. If I'm not available, I will help to contact them as needed.

An important point that the majority of people, including engine mechanics, are unaware of, or have totally ignored, is that there is a very long history of ethanol and ethanol-gasoline blends being successfully used around the world in spark-ignited internal combustion engines. In some of these cases, such as the use of ethanol-gasoline blends in Great Britain, the most enthusiastic producers and distributors of the blends were Standard Oil and Cities Service, two of the largest petroleum oil companies in the world. For more than 50 years, they acknowledged and promoted ethanol-gasoline blends as being cleaner, more efficient, more powerful, and less expensive than leaded gasoline and ethanol-free gasoline.

During the past two decades, my business partner (Bob Gordon) and I have written and published a vast number of reports that detail the value and legitimacy of ethanol fuels as a full or partial replacement of gasoline and its deadly results. Among these reports are:
He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, meets with Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, in Beijing, capital of China, April 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Dai Tianfang)

BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- China welcomes investors from all over the world to invest and do business in the country and share opportunities for high-quality development during its 15th Five-Year Plan period, senior Chinese official He Lifeng said on Thursday.

He, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, made the remarks during a meeting with Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, in Beijing.

He said China's economy has made a strong start this year, adding that the country will continue to expand high-level opening-up during the new five-year plan period.

Noting a stable and healthy China-U.S. economic and trade relationship is in the fundamental interests of both nations, He expressed hope that the U.S. business community will continue to play an active role as defenders and promoters of China-U.S. economic and trade ties.

Dalio said China's economy has shown remarkable resilience and stability amid the current international environment, expressing optimism over its development prospects. 

He Lifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, meets with Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, in Beijing, capital of China, April 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Dai Tianfang)
PARIS, April 9 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Thursday that Israeli strikes on Lebanon are "intolerable."

"We strongly condemn these massive strikes," Barrot said on France Inter radio, adding that the attacks are all the more intolerable as they undermine the temporary ceasefire reached earlier between the United States and Iran.

He warned that "war begets war" and that positions are becoming increasingly radicalized and hardened, stressing that negotiations must begin.

Barrot called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that freedom of navigation in international waters is a common good that must not be hindered by any obstacle or restriction on passage. He added that France opposes imposing tolls on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

So far, the Israeli strike on Wednesday across Lebanon has killed at least 254 people and injured 1,165 others, with densely populated neighborhoods in the capital, Beirut, among the hardest hit, according to the latest data provided by the Lebanese Civil Defense.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday condemned Israel's latest strikes on Lebanon, stressing that "Lebanon must be fully covered by" the Middle East ceasefire. 
CM launches Gaon-Basti Chalo Abhiyan





Staff Reporter :

Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has launched BJPs Gaon-Basti Chalo Abhiyan at Manas Bhavan as part of the partys foundation day programs, asserting that BJP workers operate with a nation first approach, unlike the Congress, which he accused of practicing appeasement politics, on Wednesday. Addressing party workers, Chief Minister said Bharatiya Janata Party has grown into the worlds largest political party due to the dedication and hard work of its cadre. He alleged that Congress lacks a clear ideology and that the country has paid a heavy price for the personal interests of its leaders over the years. Dr Yadav further accused the Congress of neglecting farmers, stating that even two generations of Congress leaders apologizing would not be enough for the injustices done to them. He emphasized that from the days of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh to the present, the BJP has never compromised on its ideological principles. The Chief Minister also criticized the Congress over historical and national issues, alleging that its policies led to instability in Jammu & Kashmir. Referring to the abrogation of Article 370 by the central government led by Narendra Modi, he said it helped end longstanding challenges in the region. He also spoke about the issue of triple talaq, saying that earlier governments failed to ensure justice for Muslim women, whereas the present government enacted strict laws to safeguard their rights.

Highlighting welfare initiatives, CM, Yadav said both the Central and Madhya Pradesh governments are working to uplift the last person in society, inspired by the philosophy of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. He listed schemes such as free ration to 80 crore people, housing for the poor, free healthcare up to Rs 5 lakh, piped drinking water and rural road connectivity as major achievements. He added that the state government is promoting womens empowerment through reservations in government jobs and urban bodies and mentioned plans for greater representation of women in legislative bodies. PWD Minister Rakesh Singh said BJP has become an invincible party due to the tireless efforts of its workers. He urged party cadre to take the achievements of the government to every village and household. **Senior BJP Workers Felicitated at Gaon-Basti Chalo Abhiyan Launch in Jabalpur. Dr Yadav felicitated senior party workers include Vijayaraj Pateria, Suresh Deshpande, Anand Bernad, Rajkumar Mehta, Gokul Kesarwani, Satyaprakash Khare, Vijay Barman, Virendra Giri Goswami, Kamal Gumasta, and Ramprakash Garg for their contributions to the party. Senior BJP leaders include MP Ashish Dubey, MP Sumitra Balmiki, State Treasurer Akhilesh Jain, State President of Mahila Morcha Ashwini Paranjpe, District In-charge Alok Sanjar, Mayor Jagat Bahadur Singh Annu, former minister and MLA Ajay Vishnoi and others were present.




Dengue, Chikungunya cases on rise as NMC fails to control mosquito outbreak





By Kabir Mahajan :

Rise in cases is directly linked to mosquito species that thrive in urban environments: Anopheles mosquito and Aedes Aegypti

The city has witnessed an upsurge of mosquitoes as in merely the first three months of 2026, and has already recorded ten dengue cases, which is equivalent to the first quarter of last two years combined. As the city transitions into warmer months, a familiar and dreaded hum has returned to residential areas. While the mosquito population surges, data from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) Malaria Department reveals a shifting landscape of disease.

A look at numbers: 2024-2026

The year 2024 served as a stark reminder of the citys vulnerability. According to municipal records, the city recorded a total of 133 positive Dengue cases and 21 Chikungunya cases throughout 2025. This followed a heavy 2024, which saw a much higher burden of 201 Dengue cases and a staggering 1,090 Chikungunya cases. While Malaria cases remained exceptionally low with only two cases reported in 2024 and zero cases in 2025, the trend for 2026 is already raising alarms. In just the first three months of 2026, the city has already recorded 2 positive Malaria cases (PV).

Failing household defenses

Residents across the city complain that household repellents have become obsolete. The mosquitoes here are seemingly immune now, says Amit Bhatghare, a resident of Friends Colony. We use repellent machines, but they are failing. We actually see mosquitoes sitting on the machines as if they are enjoying the heat.

Mosquitoes behind the surge

The rise in these statistics is directly linked to specific mosquito species that thrive in urban environments: Anopheles Mosquito: The primary carrier of Malaria. These mosquitoes typically breed in clean, stagnant water and are most active at night. The emergence of two cases early in 2026 suggests their breeding grounds are already active. Aedes aegypti: The culprit behind Dengue and Chikungunya. Known as day-biters, they breed in very small amounts of water, such as in flower pots, discarded tires, or coolers. The high Chikungunya count of 1,090 in 2024 highlights how quickly this species can spark an epidemic if household breeding isnt controlled.
Discussed strong future of India-US ties with Trump: Gor





WASHINGTON :

US AMBASSADOR to India Sergio Gor met US President Donald Trump in Washington and discussed the future trajectory of India-US relations, along with what he described as the American Presidents unwavering determination to bring global stability. Taking to X, Gor shared details of the interaction, stating, Just had an outstanding dinner with President Trump. We discussed his unwavering determination to bring global stability, the historic achievements of his presidency, the strong future of India-US ties, and so much more! A very memorable evening as history unfolded in real time. The post came shortly after Trump announced a two-week suspension of planned military strikes on Iran, while Tehran indicated its willingness to reopen the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz, signalling a possible easing of tensions. In a separate engagement, Gor also met US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, where discussions focused on strengthening the commercial roadmap between India and the United States, including efforts to expand access to a vast consumer base. haring details of the meeting on social media, Gor said, Productive meeting with Secretary Howard Lutnick on the US-India commercial roadmap.

We discussed a new MoU connecting Indias AI scale with the American AI ecosystem, strong Indian participation at the upcoming Select USA Summit, and growing Indian pharma investment in the United States to boost competition and strengthen supply chains. The talks also explored a proposed Memorandum of Understanding aimed at linking Indias expanding artificial intelligence capabilities with the US technology ecosystem, reflecting growing cooperation in emerging sectors. In a separate statement, the US Department of Commerce said that Lutnick and Gor are working towards advancing a broader trade framework between the two countries. Today, Secretary Lutnick met with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, advancing President Trumps historic US-India trade deal, the department said in a post on X. Together, we are working to open a market of 1.4 billion people to American products and secure over USD 500 billion in US exports, it added, underscoring the scale and ambition of ongoing economic engagement between the two nations. He had also met US Vice President J D Vance earlier in the day.
Dont fix one mistake by destroying Kasturchand Park





By Dinesh Naidu :

The article Two rights do not make a right  and certainly not at Kasturchand Park rightly exposes a serious planning failure. To correct the flawed landing of the Sadar flyover at RBI Square, authorities now propose extending it through Kasturchand Park, a Grade I heritage open space. This is not a solution, but a second mistake. A design error is being fixed by sacrificing public heritage. We had earlier opposed the diversion of Kasturchand Park land for Metro infrastructure, clearly stating that viable alternatives existed without touching the park. Unfortunately, the same pattern continues; first encroach, then justify.

Kasturchand Park is not vacant land waiting for repurposing. It is a protected urban common land, a historic precinct, and a vital breathing space in an increasingly congested city. Any intrusion whether by metro structures earlier or flyover pillars now dilutes its integrity irreversibly. This also raises a critical question: What is the role of the Heritage Conservation Committee? Is it to safeguard heritage as mandated, or to facilitate incremental compromises in the name of expediency? At this juncture, it is important to ask, what options do citizens have?

1. Public Objections: Citizens must immediately submit written objections to the Heritage Conservation Committee, Nagpur Municipal Corporation, and District Administration.

2. Legal Recourse: Given that Kasturchand Park is a protected Grade I heritage site, any such proposal can be challenged before the Honble High Court, especially in light of earlier directions restricting misuse.

3. Demand for Alternatives: Authorities must be compelled to place in the public domain a comparative study of alternative traffic solutions that do not affect the park.

4. Public Awareness & Media Engagement: Civil society, resident groups, and professionals must come together to ensure this issue is not treated as a routine infrastructure decision. City stands at a critical crossroads. If we allow repeated intrusions into Kasturchand Park, we risk losing it piece by piece, not in one dramatic act, but through a series of adjustments justified as necessity. It is time for citizens and institutions alike to decide: Are we custodians of our heritage, or silent spectators to its gradual disappearance?
Gelatin sticks, detonators recoverycase: Police focusing on theft angle





Staff Reporter :

Police are now focusing on a possible theft angle in the recovery of explosive material near Dosar Bhavan Chowk in central Nagpur. Investigators believe that the gelatin sticks and detonators may have been stolen from a distributor or linked to the SBL company, and later abandoned. A senior police officer said, Prima facie, it appears that the explosives could have been stolen and later dumped. We are verifying records at distributor points to trace any mismatch. According to police, the person who had the explosives may have panicked and left them behind.

This suspicion has gained strength in the wake of the recent blast at the SBL company, in which 26 persons were killed and 12 arrested. After such a major incident, anyone illegally possessing explosives would be under pressure. There is a strong possibility that the person abandoned the material out of fear, another officer said. Police officials also pointed out that such material is not usually discarded, if legally purchased. If someone buys detonators or gelatin sticks for legitimate work like well-blasting or construction, they do not abandon it. This suggests something suspicious, an official added. Investigators are currently checking records of gelatin sticks and detonators at SBL distributors to identify any missing stock.

However, the probe is facing challenges due to lack of surveillance. There is no CCTV coverage in that exact spot. We are scanning nearby areas, but, so far, no clear leads have emerged, a senior officer said. The explosives were found lying in the area for several weeks, raising concerns about how such hazardous material remained unnoticed in a busy locality. Police have not ruled out other angles but said, the theft theory is being actively pursued. We are examining all possibilities. At this stage, theft and illegal possession appear to be key angles, officials said.

Independent probe by ATS

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has also started a parallel investigation into the case. Sources said, the ATS is examining whether the explosives were meant for any larger plan or were simply stolen and abandoned. The team is coordinating with local police and intelligence units. An ATS officer said, We are analysing the nature of the material and its possible origin. All angles, including theft and misuse, are under investigation. The ATS is expected to submit its preliminary findings soon.
Healthcare in shambles at Divn Rly Hospital; Drug shortage drains pockets of employees





Staff Reporter :

The Divisional Railway Hospital (DRH) in Bhopal, intended to be a lifeline for the health of railway employees and their families, has turned into a hub of mismanagement. A ground investigation has revealed that those who contribute their hard-earned money to the railway health schemes are being left in the lurch. The hospital is currently grappling with a severe shortage of medicines, ranging from essential life-saving drugs to general medications. While doctors continue to prescribe treatments, patients are met with a standard out of stock response as soon as they reach the pharmacy counters. Agony for elderly patients from Itarsi and Mandideep: The hospitals Outpatient Department (OPD) sees a heavy influx of patients not just from Bhopal, but also from neighbouring towns like Itarsi and Mandideep. Seema Verma (name changed), a resident of Itarsi and a long-time cardiac patient, serves as a poignant example of this systemic failure. We come here with the hope that the Railways will care for us, but we dont even get half the prescribed medicines. Even critical heart medications have to be purchased from private pharmacies, which is a massive financial burden, she shared. A similar plight was echoed by Rajendra, a resident of Mandideep, who regularly visits for his elderly fathers treatment. He alleged that not only is the staffs behaviour rude, but the pharmacy also dispenses only 15 days of medication despite a month-long prescription from the doctor.

Mismanagement : Majority of counters shut,

Patients forced to wait for hours : The reality of the hospitals pharmacy department was exposed during the ground check. Despite having multiple windows for medicine distribution, most counters remained shut, with only a single counter operational for hundreds of patients. This bottleneck has led to massive overcrowding and long waiting hours, further deteriorating the condition of sick patients. Instead of managing the crowd, staff members frequently advise patients to return after 5 to 10 days, showing complete disregard for those travelling from other cities who cannot afford the time or money for repeated trips. Claims Fall Flat: Staff blames budget cuts, tells patients to buy outside: While the Railways administration makes tall claims about providing superior healthcare, the ground reality tells a story of utter neglect. A shocking revelation came to light during the investigation: when patients questioned the pharmacy staff about the non-availability of medicines, the staff bluntly replied, The budget is running low, which is why medicines are unavailable. You should go and buy them from outside. Such irresponsible statements from the hospital staff raise serious questions about the administrations intent. If funds are being deducted from the salaries of railway employees for health schemes, why are they being pushed toward private exploitation under the pretext of budget shortages? This persistent chaos has put the credibility of the Railways at stake. Administration assures probe: When the matter was brought to the attention of the railway authorities, PRO Naval Agrawal assured that these complaints would be investigated seriously. Speaking on the issue, he stated, We will initiate an inquiry into this matter and investigate the causes behind the medicine shortage and the mismanagement at the medical counters.
Kohefiza Police to seek production warrant for Shadab Gate





Staff Reporter :

Nearly a month after the sensational shootout at the Hamidia Hospital emergency gate on March 14, a CCTV footage of the incident surfaced and went viral on social media on Wednesday. The footage provides a chilling visual of notorious criminal Shadab Qureshi, alias Shadab Gate, brandishing a pistol and a knife while firing three rounds. Following the revelation of the video, the Kohefiza Police have initiated process to bring Shadab Qureshi to Bhopal from Jalgaon on a production warrant. The viral footage shows Shadab Gate standing defiantly in front of the hospitals emergency gate for approximately five minutes. Despite attempts by some individuals to pacify him, the accused is seen targeting history-sheeter Lallu Raees and his son. One of the bullets reportedly shattered the glass of the emergency gate. The accused and his associates fled the spot immediately after the firing. The investigation has highlighted a long-standing blood feud between Shadab and Lallu Raees, both of whom have extensive criminal records.

The conflict intensified two years ago when Lallus son, Imran, allegedly attacked Shadabs brother, Shajeb, shortly after his release from jail. While Shajeb survived the attack, the incident cemented a bitter rivalry between the two factions. Police sources also indicate an economic motive behind the animosity. Shadab is allegedly involved in illegal gambling and betting operations in the city, and he suspected Lallu Raees of recording videos of these activities and providing them to the police as evidence. Station House Officer (SHO) KG Shukla stated that all other suspects involved in the shootout have already been arrested and sent to jail. The prime accused, Shadab Gate, is currently lodged in Jalgaon Jail, Maharashtra, after being arrested by the local police in an illegal arms case. The CCTV footage serves as crucial evidence in the ongoing investigation. We are moving the court for a production warrant to bring Shadab Gate to Bhopal for detailed interrogation regarding the March 14 incident. Further legal proceedings will follow his arrival, SHO Shukla added.
PMMY reflects every dream given support to grow: PM





NEW DELHI :

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) reflects an economic ethos where opportunities are accessible, initiatives are encouraged, and every dream is given the support to grow. Taking to social media platform X, the PM Modi said, PM Mudra Yojana reflects an economic ethos where opportunities are accessible, initiatives are encouraged and every dream is given the support to grow. The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) has disbursed over Rs 40 lakh crore through 57.79 crore loans, marking 11 years of its implementation, the Government said on Wednesday. The Ministry of Finance stated that the scheme which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, aimed at funding the unfunded, provides collateral-free loans of up to Rs 20 lakh to micro and small non-corporate, non-farm enterprises. He also shared a post by MyGovIndia, highlighting the schemes achievements over the years. For 11 years, the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana has acted as an Anjali Mudra, a dedicated offering to the countrys entrepreneurial energy. By bridging the gap between ambition and credit, it has transformed over 52 crore job seekers into business owners, the post stated. According to MyGovIndia, the scheme has redefined access to credit by empowering millions with both the confidence to dream and the means to fulfil those aspirations. By removing barriers and trusting the potential of citizens, it has strengthened the spirit of enterprise across the country.

Highlighting the transformation in business financing, the post noted that the scheme has reshaped access to credit by eliminating collateral requirements, enabling small businesses, and supporting first-time entrepreneurs across India. It stated that earlier, loans required guarantees that discouraged many aspiring entrepreneurs. Today, under PMMY, collateral-free loans of up to Rs 20 lakh are available, helping individuals start their business journeys with confidence. The initiative has also addressed concerns around funding first-time founders. The belief that new entrepreneurs are too risky has changed significantly. Over 12 crore entrepreneurs have been funded, with more than Rs 12 lakh crore extended to support new business ventures, the post said. PMMY offers structured loan categories Shishu, Kishor, Tarun, and Tarun Plus designed to support businesses at different stages of growth, replacing the earlier norm of limited financial support for new enterprises. The scheme has significantly widened access to credit, with over 56 crore loans sanctioned and more than Rs 40 lakh crore disbursed to support enterprises across sectors. Women entrepreneurs have emerged as key beneficiaries of the initiative. Nearly 65 per cent of Mudra loans have been extended to women, including support for Self-Help Groups through collateral-free loans, the post added.

The scheme has also reached communities that were historically excluded from formal credit systems. Nearly 49 per cent of loans have been extended to SC, ST, and OBC groups, while over Rs 3.50 lakh crore has been disbursed to more than 6 crore minority borrowers. Repeat borrowing trends indicate growing trust in the scheme. Entrepreneurs are increasingly returning for higher-value loans, with the share of Kishor category loans rising from 5-6 per cent in 2016 to 40-45 per cent in 2025. A new generation of first-time entrepreneurs is emerging across India under PMMY. From small shops to local service providers, individuals are turning ideas into sustainable livelihoods, contributing to grassroots economic growth. The scheme has also helped recognise skill as a form of capital by supporting micro-businesses such as vendors, shopkeepers, and home-based enterprises, enabling them to monetise their abilities. Furthermore, PMMY has expanded opportunities beyond urban centres, reaching Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural regions. By extending credit access to underserved communities, it is fostering inclusion and driving decentralised development. MyGovIndia further said that Mudra is strengthening Indias formal economy by bringing informal businesses into the credit ecosystem. The massive expansion of MSME credit supports jobs, production, and decentralised growth.
BEIRUT, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Hezbollah group said in a statement on Thursday that it fired rockets at northern Israel in response to Israel's "ceasefire violations."

"This response will continue until the Israeli-American aggression against our country and our people ceases," the group said in a statement.

Israel carried out its heaviest strikes across Lebanon since the current round of conflict with Hezbollah broke out last month, killing at least 254 people and injuring 1,165 others on Wednesday, hours after a two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire was announced. Both Israel and the United States have maintained that Lebanon is not included in the truce.

Israel's military said Wednesday's attack was its largest coordinated strike on Lebanon since it started a new military operation against the country on March 2, "targeting more than 100 Hezbollah command centers and military sites."

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the attack, calling the casualty figures appalling.

"The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific," he said in a statement. "Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians." 
Relief, for now





FROM the brink of killing whole civilisation, the United States and Iran have stepped back to an agreed halt in military aggression for a brief period of 14 days, providing huge relief to the world. The ceasefire announced by the two countries after successful mediation attempts now opens a tricky path of negotiations given the rigid terms on the table from both Washington and Tehran. Yet, there seems to be a realisation of the futility of going ahead with a conflict for leadership in both the US and Iran which should be welcomed by the world with a sustained effort to make the ceasefire work into the end of the unnecessary war.

There are still doubts over the success of the ceasefire announced by US President Mr. Donald Trump and the Iranian leadership, for, the past few days had seen similar developments getting scuttled and transforming into further aggression by the two sides. This time, however, there is hope of the pause holding up for a longer time, allowing both sides to fulfill their goals through dialogue and diplomacy. As the two sides come face to face after the barrage of aggression -- both verbal and military -- a definite framework is needed from all the interested parties to help sustain the talks without any element of acrimony. It is necessary to lay down the agenda in full detail before the two sides hammer out a truce for the simple reason that the US Presidents maverick nature can ruin any deal at the drop of a hat. This makes the role of the representatives of both the governments extremely important as the ceasefire conditions include the critical point of nuclear arsenal in Iran and the opening of the most critical waterway in the world. These two points present the biggest test to the delegations as they propose to meet at a neutral place.

The path ahead is full of deep contradictions between the two sides. Despite the wisdom of pausing the war as it was going haywire without a strategy or exit plan, the US is still in the bullying mood with the false sense of its military power. The same power was dealt hammer blows by a resilient Iran for almost 40 days even as the US lost its high-cost equipment, planes and helicopters but the false belief of emerging victorious is too overwhelming for Mr. Trump to see the logic of a peace initiative. This reality has rightly tempered optimism on the success of the ceasefire. The ceasefire has evoked a guarded welcome from the world as it prays for its success in permanent end to hostilities between US and Iran. The conflict has badly affected the entire world due to the strategic chokehold of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. The conflict has already caused immense damage to people and disrupted energy supplies and trade. It has assaulted freedom of navigation, leading to suffering of scores of people in most countries. A large part of the world is facing a fuel crisis without any back-up option to bridge the massive deficit. The concept of green energy is still in its infancy in all continents. In such a scenario, the disruption in fuel supplies without their fault has already pushed the world to the edge.

This truth has to become part of the deal between the US and Iran with a pledge that such misadventures would not be repeated. Stability must be restored at the earliest with a comprehensive peace deal between the warring parties. It is easier said than done, though. For, the theatre has not considered the role of the third actor which has refused to read the ceasefire script. Israel, which actually dragged Mr. Trump into the war is not part of the ceasefire agreement. It means armed hostilities can still continue against Iran. Attacks have already been reported in Iranian power facilities within hours of the ceasefire announcement. These developments show the fragility of the 14-day pause as Israel might still not relent in pursuit of its long-standing dream of totally neutralising Irans nuclear programme. Whether diplomacy can prevail over missiles will be out in the open within a few days.
Time ripe for Save Kasturchand Park campaign





Vijay Phanshikar :

Here are some key questions that must be asked:

1. Who is going to pay for the design disaster ?

2. Who is responsible for the design disaster ?

3. Where is the report about the investigation of the mistake in the original design ?

4. Why arent other arms of the structure of our democratic governance taking cognisance of the matter on their own volition ?

THE time is ripe for the people to launch a Save Kasturchand Park campaign. For, if such a campaign gets delayed, the city may lose the wonderful open space of historic importance in the next some time. The city can only ill-afford to allow that to happen. For, once the iconic Kasturchand Park gets encroached upon officially by the Government, the city will lose a landmark that has been one of its signatures for well over a century. For, a proposal has already appeared in public domain about using a big part of the Kasturchand Park to effect a correction that is needed to make some sense out of the Sadar flyover ending near the north-western corner of the historic ground.

As per that proposal, a sweeping extension is to be built across the western side of Kasturchand Park running close to the historic bandstand. In stark terms, this would mean losing a big part of the historic ground with heritage tag to a Government scheme just because somebody made a design-mistake in the Sadar flyovers southern end near the Reserve Bank of India building. In still starker terms, this would mean allowing the Government to escape its guilt of initially and originally messing up with the design of the end part of the Sadar flyover. Is it, then, not the right time for the people of the city to start a campaign to save the iconic Kasturchand Park ? Already, the authorities have encroached upon the western edge of Kasturchand Park to build the MetroRail Station. And now is proposed another encroachment that would destroy the a big part of the historic Kasturchand Park.

It must be stated clearly that in the past few years, for reasons not known to the public of Nagpur, the authorities have been terribly indifferent to Kasturchand Parks upkeep. The Hitavada has published from time to time scores of pictures of how the great ground fell on bad days -- with wild outgrowth all over the place. So serious did the problem become at one time that the honourable High Court at Nagpur had formed a committee to monitor the condition of Kasturchand Park. Despite that, the ground kept suffering from terrible official indifference -- which the people of Nagpur cannot ever forget. Kasturchand Park is one place that has hosted public meetings of Prime Ministers and national leaders. Most such meetings were attended by countless thousands of people. The park also hosted fairs and activities such as Ravan Dahan for decades without any trouble.

Then came a sudden waking up of people at different levels, and all those activities were stopped. Why? -- the people wondered. Because Kasturchand Park is a heritage place -- said those who mattered. (Factually, the public meetings of great leaders, fairs and religious festivities such as Ravan Dahan or Dussera should have been permissible since those were only temporary and traditional activities. Those activities did not do any major damage to the heritage status of Kasturchand Park. Yet, those were stopped for some time.

Later, however, some of those activities were permitted again.) NOW has come the proposal to allow an official encroachment of Kasturchand Park -- just because some jokers in power pyramid felt like indulging in throwing out of the window the heritage tag ! So, their -- the jokers -- whim is of greater importance than the heritage concern !!! And what kind of encroachment is this going to be ? It would be made of cement and steel needing crores of rupees of our money. That monster of a structure would become an eternal eyesore for the city for ages ! And that is now being officially planned! Bah ! And can the authorities guarantee that the so-called correction would solve the problem? Can they guarantee that the new structure would not create another set of problems? How should a city and its people react to such an excess ? That is the quintessence of issue ! Hence a need to launch a Save Kasturchand Park campaign ! n
Truce deal is not end of war: Netanyahu, Enriched uranium to leave Iran through agreement or force





JERUSALEM :

ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said the two-week ceasefire in the fight against Iran was not the end of the war but a stop on the way, as he vowed to achieve all war objectives, including the issue of Tehrans enriched uranium. The US and Iran earlier agreed on a conditional two-week ceasefire that included the opening of the Strait of Hormuz for shipping. If we had not launched Operation Gideons Sword and Operation Lions Roar against Iran, it would have long ago had nuclear weapons and thousands of missiles to destroy Israel and threaten the existence of us all, Netanyahu said in a video statement to the press. We have set the terror regime back years. The enriched material will leave Iran through agreement or through renewed combat. Israel and the US see eye to eye on this issue, Netanyahu said. Emphasising that Israel is ready to return to fighting at any time, the Israeli Prime Minister warned that the finger is on the trigger. Amid attacks from the Opposition charging Netanyahu failed to achieve the objectives of the war and was pushed by the US to agree to a ceasefire, the Israeli premier countered saying that Washington did not surprise us but rather coordinated the move with Israel. The temporary ceasefire came in coordination with Israel. The Americans did not surprise us at the last minute, Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu said that Israel still has more goals to achieve, including the issue of Irans enriched uranium, which the prime minister said would either be accomplished through diplomacy or through force. This is not the end of the war but a stop on the way to achieving all the goals, he said. He also claimed that Israel destroyed not only Irans missiles but also its ability to manufacture them. The Iranians only fired what they had left in stock, he said. The Israeli leader also tried to convey that the strong partnership with the US was intact. You guys are great, Netanyahu claimed Trump told him. I can reassure you, Trump and I talk every day, and we smile at each other when we hear the assessments that our relations are not good, the Israeli leader said. The Israeli premier also vowed to continue the military operation in Lebanon against Hezbollah, claiming to have dealt a big blow to the Shiite faction in todays offensive. Several commercial and residential areas in central Beirut were hit by Israeli strikes on Wednesday, hours after the ceasefire was announced with reports of more than 100 people being killed. The US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region. Irans chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which a fifth of global oil passes, had halted shipping and sent global oil prices soaring.
Stacy Vaughn-Marcella Courtesy of Hartford Police Department Hartford police vehicles in a file photo. Jim Michaud/Hearst Connecticut Media

WEST HARTFORD  A Connecticut preschool teacher is due in court this month after she was accused of dragging a student by the feet and leaving him unattended outside the classroom.

Stacy Vaughn-Marcella, 61, was arrested on a charge of risk of injury to a child, a class C felony, on Jan. 22 and is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Hartford April 29, state records show.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

She was placed on administrative leave from the University of Hartford Magnet School after the allegations were made in December, according to Sasha Douglas, superintendent of CREC Magnet Schools.

According to the heavily-redacted warrant for her arrest, the incident happened between noon and 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 1, shortly before the children's nap time. A boy in her class of 3- and 4-year-olds was upset because he couldnt get into the play station he wanted to join because there already were too many children in it, one witness told police; he began throwing things and someone took him for a walk to cool down.

When he returned, a child said something to him, which agitated the boy, who responded by climbing up on a bookshelf and tearing things off the wall, a staff member told police. Some witnesses said Vaughn-Marcella took the boy down and, when he was lying on his back, dragged him by the feet out the door to a common area, where he remained for 5-10 minutes. She closed the door, and the boy repeatedly threw a wooden object against it, the warrant said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Hour Logo Want more Norwalk Hour? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

A witness told police she found the boy crying in a corner and took him for a walk to see a behavior specialist, the warrant said.

One staff member said she did not see the teacher drag the boy, however, and the warrant stated that cubbies blocked part of the surveillance camera's view of what happened.

A guardian said the boy was not acting himself later that day and was in a fetal position, but the staff at Connecticut Childrens did not find any injuries.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

When questioned by a Hartford police officer, Vaughn-Marcella said she had injuries on her lower legs from the boy kicking her. She showed them to the officer, who documented them. Hartford police responded to the call about the incident even though the schools mailing address is in West Hartford.

Vaughn-Marcella told the officer she asked an assistant to help with the boy that day when he was climbing the cabinets  a common occurrence for him  but the staff member was tending to another student who gets triggered by the boys behavior. So she stopped reading a book to the class and walked over to the boy who willingly grabbed her hand and assisted himself down by jumping off, she said, according to the warrant.

The boy landed on her foot, which hurt, she said. The boy then rolled his back on the floor and began kicking her with all of his might,  she said, in a fit of rage and anger. He does not like to be told no, she added, the warrant said.

She then was trying to avoid the kicks, she said, so she grabbed one of his legs to prevent him from kicking her but he flailed and kicked her with a different foot, it said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

As John Doe continued to kick in her direction, his body was moving on the floor, she said, according to the warrant, but his rage continued, so when they got to the classroom door she let him go out the door" and then closed it.
The Norwalk Board of Estimate and Taxation realized in a meeting on March 11 that Brian Bidolli, the executive director of the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency, lived in Germany for a year to obtain his PhD while working full-time as a city employee. He's recently returned to the city. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media

NORWALK  A Norwalk board was stunned to find out a city official lived in Germany for a year while on the job. And although it raised questions about the ability to work locally while living abroad, neither the Connecticut general statute, nor the city charter, explicitly prohibits it.

While Stephen Ivan, director of housing and capital projects at the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency, spoke with the Board of Estimate and Taxation on March 11 about the agencys $500,000 budget request for the 2026-27 fiscal year, Board Member Anne Yang asked why Brian Bidolli, the agencys executive director, wasnt in attendance.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

He is out of the country currently, so theres a time zone difference, Ivan said. Germany is six hours ahead of Connecticut.

Yang then asked why Bidolli was out of the country and when he was expected to return.

He has been out for about a year now. This hasnt affected any kind of current operations, Ivan replied. He makes his time available as he needs to earlier on in the day for us and for anything that he needs to. I dont have an exact return date. I know he is back in April for a little bit, but he is actively working, and we havent had any cease of function because of it. I just get to fill in sometimes instead of him, when its a time difference.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Hour Logo Want more Norwalk Hour? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

The budget request was not voted on, and as the meeting concluded, Board Member Troy Jellerette said he was frustrated by the situation.

Just let him know that this is an important meeting for once a year for us, Jellerette said. I dont know what the Common Council does, but this is an important meeting for us for your ($500,000) grant. And Im disappointed hes not here online on Zoom.

Bidolli attended the boards virtual meeting on March 23, and showed up in person to the boards public hearing about the proposed 2026-27 operating budget on March 25.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

This work was reviewed and approved in advance, and I remain fully engaged in my role, Bidolli said in an emailed statement Monday afternoon. Agency operations and project delivery have continued as planned.

Bidolli didnt respond to additional questions regarding his work arrangements, including whether he planned to return to Germany in the near future.

What is a special taxing district?

During the March 11 meeting, Ivan explained that Bidolli was in a program at the University of Berlin to receive his doctorate.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The short of it is that the Ph.D. is to facilitate Norwalk for a special taxing district, using Norwalk as the case study and publishing multiple studies for Norwalk for the implementation of a special taxing district that will hopefully be able to generate additional revenue for Norwalk, he said.

Norwalk currently has six taxing districts, which were established in 1913, where each receives general public services and can impose its own taxes. But a special taxing district is for even smaller communities and delivers specialized services a municipality might not provide, according to the National Special Districts Association. It is also taxpayer funded by the homeowners within the district.

Is working outside the U.S. allowed?

The Norwalk Redevelopment Agency is described as a quasi-governmental planning organization, according to its website, which means it is supported by the city but functions independently and is responsible for making its own employment decisions and arrangements.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Norwalk Redevelopment Agencys board approved this arrangement. While I appoint board members, employment and compensation decisions are made by the board without consultation with the city, said Mayor Barbara Smyth in an emailed statement Monday afternoon. Mr. Bidolli has been readily available when needed, and he continues to carry out the responsibilities of his role. He is well regarded for his work with the agency.

"This was not a hidden fact," Ivan said. "This is something that had been discussed."

Although the agency is not under the citys jurisdiction, the mayors office clarified that the city itself does not have a formal policy that allows employees to apply for a flexible work arrangement to work abroad.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
Marc Karun, right, is arraigned in state Superior Court in Norwalk June 17, 2019. Legal experts said the judge made the right decision in declaring a mistrial in the trial of Marc Karun, who is charged in the homicide of 11-year-old Kathleen Flynn. Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

Legal experts believe the judge who declared a mistrial in the case of Marc Karun, who is facing murder and other charges in the 1986 killing of 11-year-old Kathleen Marie Flynn, made the right call.

Judge John Blawie granted the mistrial Monday, citing concerns of fairness in the trial after a retired police lieutenant emailed prosecutors on the fourth day, saying that Kathleens body may have been placed in a used body bag.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Kathleen, who went by Kathy, disappeared after leaving school on Sept. 23, 1986. Her body was found the following day in a wooded area off a trail near Ponus Ridge Middle School, where she had started sixth grade just weeks before, her mother testified.

Karun, who was 21 at the time of Kathys killing, is charged with murder, murder with special circumstances and first-degree kidnapping. The kidnapping charge alleges Karun, now 60, abducted a victim with the intent to inflict physical injury or violate or abuse them sexually, according to the state statute.

If convicted, Karun could spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Hour Logo Want more Norwalk Hour? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Hermann Walz, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said the judge did what he had to do.

This is not something you should play games with, the criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor said. The Bill of Rights exists to see that the defendant gets a fair trial. ... The rules are all about making sure when we convict somebody, its done fairly.

If Karun had been convicted in the trial, Walz said the claim of a used body bag would have been good grounds for an appeal.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Nobody wants to start over, he said, citing the time, energy and money an appeal would take. He also said an appeal would be more stressful for the victims family as they have to live through it all over again.

Stamford-based defense attorney Lindy Urso also agreed the judge did the right thing. He said that, if Kathleens body had been placed in a contaminated bag, it could call into question the quality of the entire investigation, including the DNA evidence. The defense now has an argument that the case should be dismissed on double jeopardy grounds, as once the jurys been impaneled, jeopardy attaches, according to Urso.

I think the defense has at least a chance and a callable argument to have this thing dismissed in its entirety, Urso said.

Blawie said in court on Monday that he would not grant a motion to dismiss the case, and that this wouldnt prevent a new trial.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Karuns trial began last week and included testimony from several retired Norwalk police officers, experts in DNA analysis and a representative from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

On the fourth day of the trial, prosecutors said they received an email from retired Norwalk police Lt. Robert Fabrizzio claiming that evidence in the case may have been contaminated. Fabrizzio, who was the Norwalk Detective Bureau commander at the time of Kathleens murder, said he received a phone call from now-late forensic scientist Henry Lee at the state crime lab shortly after the childs death, advising him that her body had been placed in a used body bag by the state medical examiner, States Attorney for the Stamford/Norwalk Judicial District Paul Ferencek said last week.

Blawie said in court on Monday that he didnt want to grant the mistrial but, on the other hand, I feel I dont have a choice. Blawie noted that he was concerned about the fairness of the trial, as DNA evidence is at the heart of the case, and that the lack of a record of the claim until Thursday was troubling.

The prosecution and defense declined to comment for this story, and Fabrizzio said Monday that he did not wish to make any further comments about the case.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Attorney Francis OReilly, who represents Karun, argued on Monday that the defense was in an irreparable position after Fabrizzios claim. OReilly said his team needed to investigate the claim, as well as, if true, why it wasnt recorded and other aspects of the police investigation.

Urso said the claim is important, especially in a DNA case.

This case all comes down to DNA, he said.

And even though DNA analysis was in its infancy in 1986, investigators still used other forensic evidence, such as blood, fingerprints and hair, that would make using a second-hand body bag egregious, Urso said.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

If this is true, its a complete inexcusable deviation from common sense, common practice, Urso said.

OReilly noted that his team wouldnt be able to question Lee, who was the head of the state forensics lab at the time of the murder, about the claim. Lee, a world-renowned forensic scientist who spent more than two decades running the forensic lab, died at the age of 87 on March 27.

Urso added that Lees credibility was called into significant question before his death. In 2023, a federal judge found him liable for fabricating evidence in a murder case stemming from the 1980s, which led to two men being exonerated in 2020 after serving decades in prison. Lee maintained that he had not fabricated evidence.

Walz said in order to investigate the retired lieutenants claims, attorneys need to speak to Fabrizzio more, but also see if there are any notes Lee left behind about the case, as well as any other reports that could corroborate or disprove the claim.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Ferencek, who prosecuted the case, said Monday that there was no evidence that Kathleens body had been placed in a used body bag.

During the trial, a representative from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner testified that, according to reports and photos in the case, Kathleens hands and feet had been covered with paper bags  which is standard practice  when she arrived for her autopsy in 1986.

An expert from the state forensic lab also testified that tests performed on fingernail scrapings taken from Kathleens autopsy showed they were 22,000 times more likely to have come from Kathleen and Karun than from Kathleen and another person. She testified that two other suspects in the case were eliminated through DNA testing.

Walz noted that, even if the bag was contaminated, its probably a very good argument to say its not likely she got transference or contaminated under her fingernails.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Another DNA expert testified that DNA analysis had eliminated two men once considered suspects by police when their DNA was excluded from a pubic hair recovered during Kathleens autopsy. Jessica Lynn Manges estimated that roughly 97 percent of the population could be excluded as having been the source of the hair, but Karuns DNA was not excluded from the sample.

Walz said that the claim can create reasonable doubt, and the defense could attack the DNA evidence as well as argue about potential missteps in the police investigation.

This all has to be investigated now, Walz said.

Aside from the investigation, another complicating factor is that Ferencek, one of the prosecutors in the case, announced he is retiring at the end of June. Senior Assistant States Attorney Joseph Valdes also prosecuted the case.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Both Walz and Urso said the defense could seek a plea deal from prosecutors before holding another trial. A status conference in the case is scheduled for Sept. 1.

Police considered Karun, now 60, as a suspect within the first few weeks of the investigation. He lived less than two miles from the school at the time and, in January 1986  eight months before Kathleen was killed  Karun was charged with sexually assaulting a woman at knifepoint in the woods behind what is now Norwalk Community College. He was arrested on charges of first-degree sexual assault and kidnapping. However, the kidnapping charge was nolled and the sexual assault was reduced when the victim did not testify. As a result, Karun served only a few months in prison.

Between 1986 and 1988, Karun was implicated in at least two other sexual assaults, an abduction and an attempted kidnapping, according to an arrest warrant. Karun eventually was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his two-year crime spree, and later was entered into the sex offender registry for life.

Despite the case going unsolved for decades, Karun remained on the Norwalk polices radar for Kathleens homicide.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Lt. Art Weisgerber, now in charge of the Norwalk Police Departments crime scene unit, testified that he took over the investigation of the girls killing in 2002. He said he reviewed more than 2,000 documents, including 600 police reports documenting police interviews with roughly 175 people in the years immediately following the homicide.

Weisgerber said that once he took over the case he resubmitted the evidence for DNA testing every few years as technology got better and better. In 2017, he said he got a sample from Karun.

The testing and an investigation over three decades did find noticeable similarities to Kathleens death and that several of the cases exhibit a similar geographic profile, modus operandi and rituals to the Kathleen Flynn homicide in some form, according to Karuns arrest warrant.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
First lady Melania Trump speaks to reporters Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP First lady Melania Trump arrives to speak with reporters Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP First lady Melania Trump speaks to reporters Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP First lady Melania Trump departs after speaking with reporters Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP

WASHINGTON (AP)  First lady Melania Trump is denying ties to Jeffrey Epstein and knowledge of his sex crimes, saying Thursday that the stories are completely false and calling accusations that she was somehow involved smears about me.

Reading an extraordinary statement at the White House, Melania Trump said she and her attorneys were fighting back against unfound and baseless lies in regards to her connections to the late financier, a convicted sex offender who leveraged connections to the rich, powerful and famous to recruit his victims and cover up his crimes.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today, she said. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.

The seemingly out-of-the-blue message came as her husband, President Donald Trump, and his administration had finally seemed to move past more than a year of controversy surrounding Epstein, especially as the Iran war had become all-consuming in Washington.

The first ladys comments almost assuredly will serve to push the story back into the political spotlight even as the president urged the public and media to move on from the case.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The Hour Logo Want more Norwalk Hour? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source

Nick Clemens, a spokesperson for the first lady, said the West Wing was aware beforehand that she was making a statement. But he deferred to the West Wing on whether the content of what Melania Trump planned to say was known. The White House press office did not respond to requests for comment.

Calls for a congressional hearing for Epstein victims

The first lady spoke for about five minutes, reading her statement in the Grand Foyer, then walked away without taking questions. She did not go into detail on the accusations against her, but said they came from individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

She added that they were financially and politically motivated.

Melania Trump also called on Congress to hold a public hearing centered on survivors of Epsteins crimes, with a chance to testify before lawmakers and have their stories entered into the congressional record.

Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, she said. Then, and only then, we will have the truth.

Two of Epstein's accusers, Maria and Annie Farmer, said in a subsequent statement: What we want is accountability, transparency, and justice.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and onetime fierce Trump supporter who resigned from Congress after a public falling out with the president, posted on X, I am grateful to the First Lady for her brave statement today about Epstein and his victims.

Democrats, meanwhile, jumped on Melania Trump's comments, saying they agreed with her call for a congressional hearing. In a social media post, Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee that is investigating Epstein, called on the Republican chair of the committee, Rep. James Comer, to schedule a public hearing immediately.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who sponsored a bill prompting the release of millions of Epstein documents, turned attention back to the Justice Department, saying it's the attorney general's job to bring in survivors for testimony. Massie, who has pressed for more arrests in the Epstein case, ended a social media post with a call to PROSECUTE!

Questions about Epstein's reach have loomed over the administration and divided Republicans, driving a wedge into Trump's MAGA base as some pressed for the government to release more files and prosecute figures linked to the financier.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The issue has dogged Trump and fractured some of his alliances, including the one with Greene. Trump dismissed the issue as a Democrat hoax but later signed a bill to release files from Epstein's case.

It was not clear what prompted the first lady to revive the issue. She noted that several individuals and organizations have had to apologize for their lies about me. Of the examples she cited, the most recent was in October.

In that case, book publisher HarperCollins UK apologized to the first lady and retracted passages from a book suggesting Epstein played a role in introducing her and Donald Trump.

Melania Trump mentioned her husband several times in her comments. She said Epstein did not introduce her to Trump, and that she met her future husband at a New York City party in 1998.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Email to Maxwell was 'trivial

The first lady brought Epstein back to the forefront months after federal authorities released millions of pages of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted after months of public and political pressure that requires the government to open its files on the late financier and his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Lawmakers complained when the Justice Department made only a limited release last month, but officials said more time was needed to review additional documents that were discovered and to ensure no sensitive information about victims was released.

Melania Trump said Thursday that she was not friends with Epstein or Maxwell, but was in overlapping social circles in New York and Florida. She described an email reply she sent to Maxwell as casual correspondence without elaborating.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

My polite reply to her email doesnt amount to anything more than a trivial note, she said.

Among the documents released by the Justice Department was a brief email from 2002 with the sender and recipient blacked out. It begins, Dear G! and ends Love, Melania, and compliments the recipient on a magazine article about JE.

I know you are very busy flying all over the world, it says. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY.

That email was sent the same month that a New York Magazine article was published about Epstein in which Trump called him a terrific guy.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Among other documents released was an image from Epsteins home showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Maxwell.

Epstein killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in New York. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

___

Advertisement Article continues below this ad
COLOMBO, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government is moving to identify and document the island's vital aquifers as part of a nationwide effort to conserve Sri Lanka's surface and groundwater resources, a senior government official said on Thursday.

Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody said the move comes after the cabinet approved a complete amendment to the 62-year-old Water Resources Board Act, aimed at creating a modern legal framework for water security.

At a preliminary discussion held at the Ministry of Environment, it was decided that a special ministerial committee to oversee national water conservation programs will be appointed, Jayakody said.

He said the committee will focus on documenting water source systems and monitoring protection measures for both surface and groundwater resources.

Jayakody also stressed the need for stronger legal safeguards and community-led reforestation projects to protect identified water systems.

The ministry said the integrated conservation program will officially begin in conjunction with World Environment Day, which falls on June 5. 
BISSAU, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has lifted its suspension of disbursements for projects in Guinea-Bissau effective April 3, the government said on Thursday.

The government said in a statement that the decision followed a review by the World Bank and would allow ongoing operations in the country to resume normally.

The statement, citing a letter from World Bank Division Director Djibrilla Adamou Issa to Transitional Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ilidio Vieira Te, said payment processing and project activities under existing financing would restart immediately.

The government said the World Bank also welcomed measures taken by the Guinean authorities to facilitate the return of financing.

The World Bank suspended operations and disbursements for Guinea-Bissau in January following the country's political turmoil in late November 2025, according to media reports. 
KABUL, April 9 (Xinhua) -- One child was killed and another injured after a residential wall collapsed in Jaghato district of eastern Afghanistan's Wardak province, local media Tolo news reported Thursday.

According to Tolo, the collapse claimed the life of one child on the spot, while the injured child was immediately taken to a nearby medical facility for treatment. The incident occurred shortly after heavy rainfall and flash floods affected parts of the province.

Authorities have urged residents in vulnerable areas to exercise caution and move to safer locations if their homes are at risk amid recent heavy rains and flooding. 
Musicians from the China National Symphony Orchestra perform in a concert celebrating the China-Brazil Cultural Year in Natal, Brazil, April 9, 2026. (Photo by Lucio Tavora/Xinhua)

BRASILIA, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The "China-Brazil Cultural Year" concert kicked off on Tuesday in Brasilia, bringing together the rich musical traditions of both nations in a harmonious cultural exchange.

The concert, jointly presented by the China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) and the Claudio Santoro National Theater Symphony Orchestra from Brazil, attracted an audience of 600 from all walks of life in Brazil and Chinese citizens living there.

"For the opening piece of the first half, I conducted the 'Batuque,' a dance piece well known to the local Brazilian audience, as a greeting from Chinese musicians," said Jing Huan, principal conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra.

She noted that despite limited rehearsal time, they boldly attempted a more challenging interweaving and exchange of works, allowing musicians from both countries to gain a deeper understanding of each other's musical cultures.

Brazilian conductor Claudio Cohen said that the Claudio Santoro National Theater Symphony Orchestra has collaborated with Chinese partners multiple times, greatly admiring the power and cultural traditions embedded in Chinese music.

"Today's concert has brought Brazilian and Chinese cultures closely together through music," said Cohen.

According to Zhu Qingqiao, Chinese Ambassador to Brazil, the China-Brazil relationship is in its best shape ever, as cultural exchanges have enhanced mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, bringing hearts closer and bonds stronger.

As a key part of the China-Brazil Cultural Year, the event is jointly organized by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese Embassy in Brazil, and Brazil's Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Tourism, and Culture.

The orchestras will also travel to the historic Brazilian cities of Natal on Thursday and Fortaleza on Saturday to perform classic works from both countries. 

Musicians from the China National Symphony Orchestra perform in a concert celebrating the China-Brazil Cultural Year in Natal, Brazil, April 9, 2026. (Photo by Lucio Tavora/Xinhua)

Musicians from the China National Symphony Orchestra perform in a concert celebrating the China-Brazil Cultural Year in Natal, Brazil, April 9, 2026. (Photo by Lucio Tavora/Xinhua)

Jing Huan, principal conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra, performs in a concert celebrating the China-Brazil Cultural Year in Natal, Brazil, April 9, 2026. (Photo by Lucio Tavora/Xinhua)
SANAA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said on Thursday that military operations would escalate in the coming period, warning of potential "surprise actions" in line with developments on the ground.

In a televised speech broadcast by the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV, al-Houthi indicated that the group's campaign would enter a new phase marked by intensified activity and evolving tactics.

"Yemen operations are on a promising upward trajectory," he said, adding that future steps would include "surprise attacks and impactful options within the framework of escalation phases."

The Houthi leader highlighted his group's military role within what he described as coordinated regional efforts, stating that the Yemeni front had contributed to "joint operations with the Resistance Axis," including missile and drone strikes targeting Israel.

He added that one of the key outcomes of Yemen's involvement was "preventing the Israeli and American enemy from using the Red Sea militarily in hostile acts against Iran and other countries."

A two-week ceasefire was announced early Wednesday by the United States and Iran. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would comply with the truce but would continue military operations in Lebanon.

Prior to the ceasefire, the Houthis had launched missile and drone attacks against Israel starting on March 28 in what they described as support for allied forces in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.

The group, which has controlled Sanaa and much of northern Yemen since late 2014, previously supported Iran during last year's 12-day conflict with the United States and Israel. 
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:
LONDON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Thursday that she is "deeply troubled" by Israel's escalating attacks on Lebanon, expressing hope that Lebanon be included in the current ceasefire.

"We've seen the humanitarian consequences, the huge mass displacement of people in Lebanon," she told Sky News in a morning interview. "So we do strongly want to see the ceasefire extended to Lebanon."

When asked about her view on the threats to annihilate "a whole civilization" by U.S. President Donald Trump, Cooper said such threats are "completely wrong."

"I think that sort of escalatory rhetoric can have escalatory consequences," she said.

Acknowledging that Britain and the United States remain partners, she said her country can "take different decisions" than the United States on various issues, adding: "We cannot outsource our foreign policy to anyone else, but we will always work with those alliances."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is currently visiting Gulf countries to discuss diplomatic efforts on the ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

While there is a ceasefire in place, there is still a lot of work to do to reopen the Strait, British media quoted him as saying on Wednesday. 
A modified Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying a new satellite group blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, on April 9, 2026. China sent a new satellite group into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on Thursday. The satellite group, the 21st group of low-orbit internet satellites, was launched at 3:38 a.m. (Beijing time) aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket and has entered its preset orbit. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)

TAIYUAN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- China sent a new satellite group into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Thursday.

The satellite group, the 21st group of low-orbit internet satellites, was launched at 3:38 a.m. (Beijing time) aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket and has entered its preset orbit.

This launch marked the 637th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. 

A modified Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying a new satellite group blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, on April 9, 2026. China sent a new satellite group into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on Thursday. The satellite group, the 21st group of low-orbit internet satellites, was launched at 3:38 a.m. (Beijing time) aboard a modified Long March-6 carrier rocket and has entered its preset orbit. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)
BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-Iran ceasefire and two-week negotiation window offer a rare chance for de-escalation, but history shows the real challenge is not starting talks, but sustaining trust -- and on that front, Washington's record remains deeply questioned.

Explosions have continued across parts of the Middle East following the announcement of the temporary ceasefire. While the cessation of hostilities is welcome, it is only the beginning of a long journey toward enduring peace.

Rebuilding trust remains the foremost challenge. The United States' unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal -- formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018 -- followed by the reimposition and expansion of sanctions, dealt a major blow to mutual confidence.

More recently, military actions carried out during periods of diplomatic engagement have reinforced Tehran's distrust of Washington. Such episodes highlight a persistent obstacle to meaningful progress.

Bridging differences will not be easy. Apart from the deep distrust between the two sides, Iran's proposals and Washington's previously outlined plans reveal stark divergences in priorities and expectations.

This gulf in priorities underscores a deeper structural challenge: the absence of mutual confidence in the integrity and purpose of the negotiating process itself. Without credible assurances that diplomacy is pursued in good faith, even the most carefully drafted proposals risk being overshadowed by suspicion.

To move beyond entrenched positions, the United States must view negotiations not as arenas for strategic maneuvering. When negotiations are treated as tactical tools -- to buy time, shape the strategic environment, or consolidate leverage -- rather than as genuine pathways to resolution, they risk becoming hollow exercises.

More importantly, the United States must refrain from using force, or the threat of force, as a bargaining chip to extract concessions.

History has shown that military force cannot deliver lasting peace; only political solutions grounded in dialogue and mutual respect can do so. The success of future negotiations will depend on whether the United States demonstrates sincerity and abandons reliance on coercion.

The current ceasefire provides an opportunity -- but only that. Once the door to peace and reconciliation is opened, it should not be easily closed. Though the road ahead is rough, steadfast commitment to diplomacy offers hope that this conflict, which should never have occurred, may one day reach its definitive end. 
On Wednesday, April 8, at approximately 12:17 p.m., officers with the City of Orange Police Department were notified that other law enforcement agencies were involved in a vehicle pursuit eastbound on Interstate 10 involving a white 2024 Jeep Compass. Officers with the City of Orange Police Department positioned themselves in areas near the interstate to assist. It was later broadcast that the pursuing agencies had lost sight of the vehicle.

While officers remained in the area, they located the Jeep and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver failed to stop and a pursuit was initiated by the City of Orange Police Department. The pursuit continued into Louisiana and ended near mile marker 10. The driver, identified as Jeremy Hepburn, 38 of Florida, was taken into custody without incident. Hepburn was charged with evading arrest with a vehicle, a third degree felony. He was also found to have active warrants from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, Desoto County Sheriff's Office and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, all related to fraud.
A Wichita Falls woman was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to mailing synthetic cannabinoids and narcotics into Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) units. Henna Havila Martinez concealed the drugs in bibles, religious materials, magazines, newspapers and legal mail, before sending the packages to inmates in TDCJ custody.

"This case underscores the persistent challenges we face in contraband entering our facilities through the mail," Executive Director Bobby Lumpkin said. "The vigilance of our staff and the thorough investigation by the OIG were instrumental in stopping these dangerous substances from reaching the inmate population."

The investigation began when TDCJ staff at the Allred Unit noticed leather covered bibles with heavily saturated sheets of paper that tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids. Staff notified the Texas Board of Criminal Justice Office of Inspector General (OIG) to investigate.

Investigators traced the packages back to the Office Depot in Wichita Falls, where store surveillance showed Martinez using the self checkout to mail packages to those incarcerated in TDCJ. Specifically, investigators witnessed her mailing three packages with 360 grams of synthetic cannabinoids. A subsequent search of her residence led to the seizure of 4.9 pounds of synthetic cannabinoids in various forms, including liquid, powder and sheets.

"Smuggling drugs into prisons endangers the lives of both the inmates and staff," OIG Inspector General Lance Coleman said. "We remain committed to identifying and prosecuting those who attempt to compromise the safety of our correctional facilities."

Source Hannah Haney, Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Bid to turn the story on its head Puncturing the false narrative

|

If at all credit points or marks are to be awarded for spinning yarns to suit their narratives then it would go to organisations such as the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and their hangers on. The yarns began to be spelt out from the moment Manipur went up in flames on May 3, 2023. Apart from playing the victim card to near perfection, ITLF and CoTU expertly weaved such a yarn to make even Union Home Minister Amit Shah believe that the violence erupted due to the ruling of the High Court of Manipur, which had merely asked the State Government to send the ethnographic and socio-economic report of the Meiteis to study whether they fit the bill to be tagged a Scheduled Tribe in the Constitution of India. That violence first erupted at Churachandpur with fully armed militants leading the way to Torbung on May 3, 2023 and which quickly spread to Kangpokpi and Moreh was conveniently overlooked and a victim story, a story of a tribal group being targeted by the majority Meiteis was convincingly portrayed to the pen pushers who flew down here to file a story or two on the violence. The lie peddlers did not stop there for it went on from one story to the other to ultimately give the clash a religious tinge, so much so that it even featured on the floor of the European Parliament. And the lies continue to this day. Just one day after the bomb attack at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district numbed the senses of everyone, the Kangpokpi based CoTU came out with a fantastic tale of pointing fingers at what they say are valley based insurgent groups and went on the justify this with their observation, the use of explosives such as landmines, improvised explosive devices and rocket propelled grenades bore the distinct signatures of valley based insurgent groups. The Sangai Express published the statement of CoTU and gave it a prominent space stretching over three columns, but at the same extra care was taken to rebuff the accusations raised, point by point. To put it bluntly, it was the Kuki militants who have used long range mortars, RPGs, local made pumpis and weaponised drones after May 3, 2023. Weaponised drones were used and reported in September 2024 and in January 2025. The first use of weaponised drones was reported at Koutruk on September 1, 2024 and it was during this attack that a woman was killed while her minor daughter sustained injuries. Then again on January 14, 2025, weaponised drones were used to attack a temporary camp of the Manipur Rifles near Kangchup Chingkhong Lang-daibung under Lamshang police station. And Manipur would certainly not have forgotten the RPG which exploded on the compound of former MLA of Moirang AC at Moirang and in which one elderly man was killed. The selective amnesia of CoTU is also not surprising when it pointed fingers at protesters marching towards the CRPF camp at Moirang on April 7 but overlooked that the SP of Kangpokpi was injured on the head when protesters tried to storm the Kangpokpi police station some time back.

Bombing two children to death while they were still in bed is a tragedy, a tragedy that should be mourned and condemned unconditionally but the manner in which CoTU condemned the bomb attack and tried to pass on the buck to what it called the VBIGs was in line with what it has been doing since the evening of May 3, 2023. Seems like a case of if lies and more lies have taken us so far, why abandon this approach and this is the precise reason why The Sangai Express deemed it fit to rebut the statement of CoTU whenever the need arose, even as it gave prominent space to its media release. This is another aspect which Manipur and those at the forefront in demanding justice for the Tronglaobi massacre must be aware of and that is to be on their toes for there are elements who are more than ready to turn the incident on its head and give it a totally different understanding. The Government too must do more than its half baked proclamation of netting three UKNA cadres after the bomb attack. Much more needs to be done and Manipur will be watching.
Khemchand chairs security meet

|

IMPHAL, Apr 9 : Chief Minister Yumnam Khem-chand chaired a security meeting this evening at the Cabinet Hall of the Chief Ministers Secretariat.

The meeting was attended by Home Minister, Govindas Konthoujam, Chief Secretary, Commissioner (Home), ADGPs, IGPs, DIGs, SPs of all districts led by DGP.

Some SPs who could not attend the meeting physically attended the meeting virtually. The meeting was held in view of the security scenario arising out of the Tronglaobi incident. Khemchand directed all the high-ranking civil and police officers to closely monitor the situation and make every effort to improve the law-and-order situation.

Yesterday, the Chief Minister chaired a security meeting of the Unified Command at the Chief Ministers Secretariat.
CM meets JAC

|

IMPHAL, Apr 8: Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand held a meeting with members of the JAC of the Tronglaobi incident at his Secretariat today.

During the meeting, also attended by Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam and several MLAs, the JAC submitted a 7-point memorandum. The meeting discussed the points minutely, and the Government assured all possible steps to fulfil the representation, said the Chief Minister in a post on X. Separately, the CM said Govindas Konthoujam and several MLAs held a meeting with representatives of Ima Keithel on the current issues.
China's research icebreaker Xuelong docks at its base in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage which formed part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

SHANGHAI, April 9 (Xinhua) -- China's polar icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai in east China on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage, part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition, having achieved fruitful scientific research outcomes.

This polar expedition has involved 550 researchers, over 3,600 tonnes of routine supplies and 104 days of inland exploration, setting new records in terms of personnel scale and workload.

It has supported the on-site implementation of 45 national science and technology projects, achieving breakthroughs in major infrastructure construction, scientific research and monitoring, testing and application of home-grown equipment, and international cooperation, according to the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration.

Wei Fuhai, the lead and chief scientist of the expedition team, highlighted Qinling Station, China's fifth Antarctic base that began operations in February 2024, saying it has "come of age" in terms of routine operation capability, with its foundational systems improved and many scientific facilities for weather observation, upper-atmospheric physics observation and marine environment monitoring put into use.

A number of self-made scientific equipment items, including an Antarctic wheeled vehicle and a new inland pressurized cabin, also showed excellent performance during this expedition, withstanding the tests of harsh environments and enhancing support capability for field operations in Antarctica.

Good equipment, notably, has facilitated technological breakthroughs. For instance, the expedition has set a new record with the country's first hot-water drilling experiment on the Antarctic ice sheet, reaching a depth of 3,413 meters and surpassing the previous global mark of 2,540 meters. It will greatly support studies on life under the ice, ancient climate records and Earth's evolutionary history, the expedition team said.

Outstanding results were also obtained in ecological surveys. During the journey, the expedition members completed comprehensive investigations in key sea areas, including the Cosmonaut Sea and the Amundsen Sea. They established an "air-ground" monitoring system for penguin habitats and conducted aerial photography surveys of penguin populations. Additionally, they collected a large amount of precious samples related to krill and ice lakes.

Amid the 160 days of cold Antarctic weather, there were many heartwarming interactions.

The Chinese expedition team carried out an international humanitarian rescue using domestic aircraft to help Russia evacuate sick and stranded personnel. China's Great Wall Station supported four Portuguese researchers in conducting their studies and provided medical assistance to the injured from Russia, the Czech Republic and Uruguay. The icebreaker Xuelong was also invited to assist in transporting 23 expedition members from the Republic of Korea.

In addition, China's three Antarctic research stations, together with two icebreakers, received over 400 visits from researchers of 11 countries. They also organized more than 130 visits to neighboring stations during the journey. Other activities included academic conferences on Antarctic science jointly hosted with Russia and India, as well as a Chinese film festival.

China's 42nd Antarctic expedition team embarked on the journey from Shanghai on Nov. 1, 2025. It has been jointly supported by two icebreakers, namely Xuelong and Xuelong 2. The expedition is anticipated to end in May. 

Members of China's 42nd Antarctic expedition team disembark from China's research icebreaker Xuelong in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage which formed part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

A welcoming ceremony is held for China's research icebreaker Xuelong in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage which formed part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

A member of China's 42nd Antarctic expedition team (L) reunites with her family in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage which formed part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

People welcome the return of China's 42nd Antarctic expedition team in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage which formed part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

China's research icebreaker Xuelong docks at its base in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage which formed part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

A member of China's 42nd Antarctic expedition team (R) reunites with her family in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage which formed part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

People welcome the return of China's 42nd Antarctic expedition team in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage which formed part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)

Staff members unload containers from China's research icebreaker Xuelong in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, returned to Shanghai on Thursday after a 160-day-long voyage which formed part of the country's 42nd Antarctic expedition. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong)
Diondray T. Carpenter Alton Police Department

EDWARDSVILLE  One of three men charged in a November 2024 home invasion that left several people shot was sent back to prison for violating parole.

Diondray T. Carpenter, 27, of Peoria, who was in custody at the Madison County Jail awaiting trial, was transferred to Menard Correctional Center after a March 16 detention order was issued by the Illinois Department of Corrections on a parole violation for a 2015 aggravated battery case.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

According to the IDOC website, he is scheduled for release in September.

Carpenter was charged in November 2024 with home invasion and three counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, all Class X felonies; and aggravated discharge of a firearm, both Class 1 felonies.

Two others, William E. Brown of Alton and Chris O. Brock of Peoria, were also charged.

In December, Brock pled guilty to home invasion and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He is currently in custody at Shawnee Correctional Center, with a projected parole date in 2037.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Brown is awaiting trial; his next court date is July 20.

Carpenters next court appearance in the Madison County case is set for 9 a.m. on April 27.

According to court documents filed when charges were originally issued, on Nov. 15, 2024, the three entered a residence in the 1000 block of Tremont Street knowing the resident was present, and shot three people.

Court documents stated Carpenter and Brock traveled from Peoria to Alton to pick up Brown, and Brown then drove the three of them to the victims residence. Then Carpenter and Brock kicked in the front door while armed with guns.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

Three people in the residence end up getting shot and a fourth runs away while being shot at.
Alton man gets 15 years for April 2024 home invasion; Sex assault, other charges dropped. Bill Oxford/Getty Images

EDWARDSVILLE  An Alton man originally charged with sex assault and multiple battery charges was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to home invasion.

Leon English Jr., 32, of Alton, pled guilty March 31 to an amended charge of home invasion, a Class X felony.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

He had originally been charged in April 2024 with aggravated criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony; two counts of aggravated domestic battery and aggravated battery, all Class 2 felonies; and unlawful restraint, a Class 4 felony.

The charges were from three separate incidents.

One of the aggravated domestic battery charges was amended to home invasion. The other charges were dropped.

At one point, he had been found unfit to stand trial and had been turned over to the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services for treatment.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

In March 2025, he was found fit for trial and returned to the Madison County Jail.

According to the original charging documents, on April 3, 2024, English allegedly sexually assaulted a 40-year-old household or family member, kicked the victim, causing facial fractures, and detained the victim.

On March 19, 2024, English struck the same victim in the face, causing her to fall to the ground and fracture her arm, and on April 5, 2024, he grabbed an East Alton police officer.

On Feb. 22, 2024, he was charged with mob action and unlawful restraint, both Class 4 felonies.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

In that case, English and two others struck a fourth person about the head and body and would not let him leave a house just outside of East Alton.
CANBERRA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong on Thursday said that the ongoing conflict in Lebanon risks jeopardizing the ceasefire in the Middle East.

Wong told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio that the two-week ceasefire announced by the United States and Iran should also apply to Lebanon and that Australia is calling for both Hezbollah and Israel to observe the ceasefire.

"If fighting continues in Lebanon, it risks the whole ceasefire across the region," she said.

Her comments came after Israel on Wednesday launched widespread airstrikes across Lebanon.

In a joint statement issued in the early hours of Thursday in Australia, Wong and her counterparts in the United Kingdom, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan and Sierra Leone called for an "urgent end" to hostilities in Lebanon.

The statement said that the signatory countries are deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation in Lebanon and condemn "in the strongest terms" actions that have killed peacekeepers and increased the risks faced by humanitarian personnel in southern Lebanon. 
After years of delays and a cost that has almost doubled since it was first conceived, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by PM Narendra Modi, approved a revised project cost of 79,459 crore for HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL), up from the original estimate of 43,129 crore.

Along with the cost revision, Centre also cleared an additional equity infusion of 8,962 crore by HPCL, taking the companys total equity stake in the project to 19,600 crore.

Located in Pachpadra, Balotra district, Rajasthan, HRRL is a 9-million-metric-tonnes-per-annum (MMTPA) greenfield refinery-cum-petrochemical complex, jointly owned by HPCL and the Government of Rajasthan.

HPCL has a 74 per cent stake in it, while the remaining 26 per cent belongs to the Rajasthan government. It is one of the most complex refineries in India, with more than 26 product lines, including petrochemicals.

When fully operational, it will produce 1 MMTPA of petrol, 4 MMTPA of diesel, 1 MMTPA of polypropylene, 0.5 MMTPA each of LLDPE and HDPE, and roughly 0.4 MMTPA of benzene, toluene and butadiene, which are raw materials for everything from plastics to pharmaceuticals and paints.

The Scheduled Commercial Operation Date (SCOD) is now set for July 1, 2026. The project has had a troubled timeline: the original completion deadline was October 2022, and the refinery missed subsequent targets of December 2025 and January 2026. During construction, roughly 25,000 workers were reportedly employed on the site.

The refinery will utilise Mangala crude, which is produced locally from Barmer's own oilfields, and it looks to reduce Indias dependence on Middle East crude at a time when the Iran war has made those imports both riskier and costlier.

In and around Rajasthan, a local refinery also means more stable fuel supplies, potentially lower transport costs for petrol and diesel, and cheaper inputs for the plastic packaging, pharma and auto parts sectors.
Marking a significant milestone for Indias energy security, the India-flagged LPG carrier, Green Asha, docked at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) on Thursday. Carrying 15,400 tonnes of LPG, the vessel successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week before arriving at the BPCL-IOCL liquid berth amid heightened regional issues.

Since the war broke out involving Iran, the United States and Israel, the supply of LPG gas cylinders across the state had been disrupted due to the Strait of Hormuz passage being restricted.

According to officials, the vessel, its cargo and all crew members are safe and secure.

Looking to take advantage of the two-week ceasefire window, India is urging Iran to help expedite the movement of India-bound oil ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

The aim is to make sure these ships are quickly offloaded so that they can be redeployed during the current two-week ceasefire to rebuild fuel inventories.

Earlier, the seventh India-flagged LPG tanker, Green Sanvi, also crossed the Strait of Hormuz.

Amid the ongoing tensions, the Centre has maintained that the domestic LPG supply situation remains stable and under control. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has directed states and Union territories to double the daily supply of 5-kg Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinders for migrant labourers.

Petroleum secretary Neeraj Mittal said the additional cylinders would be distributed exclusively to migrant workers with the support of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).

Sujata Sharma, joint secretary in the petroleum ministry, dismissed concerns over shortages at an inter-ministerial briefing on developments in the Middle East.

Joint Secretary Sujata Sharma has dismissed concerns of a fuel shortage, confirming that petrol pumps nationwide remain fully operational with no reported dryouts. Addressing Indias energy resilience, she noted that 6,500 tonnes of commercial LPG were sold yesterday. Furthermore, oil marketing companies have conducted 1,300 awareness camps over the last four days, successfully distributing over 10,000 of the highly sought-after 5 kg cylinders.

At the onset of the current West Asia conflict, 28 India-flagged vessels were identified within the high-risk Persian Gulf region. To date, ten of these vesselsincluding eight from the western side and two from the eastern sidehave successfully completed their transit through the Strait of Hormuz. The latest arrival, the LPG carrier Green Asha, docked at JNPA today, further validating the effectiveness of Indias maritime security protocols.

Looking to take advantage of the two-week ceasefire window, India is urging Iran to help expedite the movement of India-bound oil ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

The aim is to make sure these ships are quickly offloaded so that they can be redeployed during the current two-week ceasefire to rebuild fuel inventories.
The Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) is in the final stages of creating a new body that will guide the strategic communication of the armed forces in order to shape influence and legitimacy in modern warfare. The move comes even as the security forces faced questions that communication strategy devised by India was not entirely effective, despite decisively besting Pakistan during the four-day-long Operation Sindoor.

Speaking to THE WEEK, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan said: We are creating a new body to handle and guide the holistic strategic communication for the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. It is awaiting the requisite sanctions at the moment and should be up anytime soon.

The CDS was speaking on the sidelines of the second edition of the Tri-Service seminar Ran Samwad that is being held at the Air Force Training Command, Bengaluru, with the core focus of building a roadmap for preparing the Indian military for multi-domain operations (MDO), encompassing the land, air, sea, cyber, space and cognitive domains.

The strategic communication cohesive will include cognitive warfare and perception management to coordinate efforts across all three services, especially perception management, but will also operate independently in the domain of cognitive warfare.

We are also in an advanced stage of its promulgation across all services networks, and we are looking to expand it into the cyber and space domains and geo-specials, the CDS had said in his address.

The new unit, comprising officers from the three armed wings, will also include diplomats, bureaucrats, influencers and media professionals.

The CDS pointed out that 15 per cent of the armed forces effort during Operation Sindoor was spent in countering disinformation and misinformation.

With modern wars increasingly becoming a vital part of gray zone warfare with the aim to influence, coerce, and destabilize adversaries, strategic communication falls short of an open armed conventional conflict but utilises false propaganda, disinformation, and cyber operations to give shape to an information warfare that sets up optics while spewing false narratives in order to shape perceptions.

At the moment, the Indian Army already operates a directorate for strategic communication that was set up in the aftermath of the 1999 Kargil war, which is responsible for the perception management of the Indian Army. A small branch on perception management has also begun operating under the IDS.
It is said that every army prepares for the last war. Meaning, armies always learn from their past mistakes and ensure that those mistakes dont happen in the next war. A corollary to the maxim would be that it would be unwise to employ the same tactic against the same enemy more than once. The enemy would be prepared against it and would be anticipating the employment of such a tactic.

The American colonies revolted against British rule after Britain imposed taxes on the colonies without giving them representation in the British Parliament. After parleys failed, the colonies gathered an army of citizens, most of them untrained, to fight for independence, with George Washington as its commander. The army was able to defeat the highly trained and experienced British army and form an independent nation, thanks mainly to Washingtons brilliant military tactics and his willingness to take risks.

In August 1776, after being defeated in the Battle of Long Island near New York, Washington retreated with his army to the Brooklyn Heights near the East River. The pursuing British army surrounded the hills from three sides. The fourth side was the river. The British camped near the hill, laying a virtual siege, believing that Washington's army would surrender when they ran out of food and water.

However, Washington secretly organised hundreds of boats and ferried his soldiers across the river in small groups during the night. This went on for several nights, without the British getting any wiser. To prevent noise from the wheels of their carts and wagons, they stuffed rags around the axles. To make it appear that they were still in the hilltop camp, they kept the campfires burning all night.



Thus, over a few nights, he moved 9,000 soldiers from Brooklyn to Manhattan Island. When the British finally decided to attack, they climbed the hill and discovered that the enemy had gone.

ALSO READ: Trap in a Delhi swamp, laid by Lake

In December 1777, a large contingent of the British army, led by their commander Johann Rall, was encamped at Trenton on the banks of the Delaware River. Washington's army was on the other side. Rall intended to cross the Delaware River once it had frozen in the extreme cold and attack Washington's army. However, before the river froze, Washington secretly crossed the river using boats one night and attacked and defeated the British troops.

The interesting part is that Washington used the same tactic to cross the Delaware as he had used earlier to cross the East River - stuffing rags between the wagon wheels to reduce noise, and keeping campfires burning all night to give the impression that the army was still in camp. The crossing of the Delaware proved to be a turning point in the American War of Independence.

Washington, who captured enemy soldiers and escaped back across the Delaware River, returned to Trenton within a week and defeated a larger British army at Trenton and Princeton. Thus, he crossed the Delaware River three times and the East River once, every time employing the same camouflage tactic.
Ballistic missiles armed with cluster-bomb warheads were among the new set of weapons that the North Korean regime tested this past week, news reports said.

[FILE] Kim Jong-un

Two rounds of test fires were conducted by Pyongyang from the eastern coast, which reportedly included anti-aircraft weapons, electromagnetic weapons systems, and carbon-fibre bombs, in addition to cluster bombs.

For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India

While North Korea's state media confirmed the latest tests, Seoul claimed that the missiles covered 240 to 700 kilometres before falling into the sea. The cluster-munition warhead systems were mounted on nuclear-capable Hwasong-11 ballistic missiles, CNN said. They have adopted the design of Russias Iskander missiles to maintain a low-altitude, manoeuvrable flight to evade missile defence systems, the report added.

What are carbon-fibre bombs and cluster munitions?

The electromagnetic weapon system could have the capacity to disable electronic circuits in the enemy's assets, with the potential ability to cripple South Korea's F-35A stealth fighter jets or Aegis-equipped destroyers, Lim said. Carbon-fibre bombs, which have been developed by advanced militaries such as those of the US and China, are capable of crippling infrastructure like power plants by sprinkling conductive strands of carbon fibre over a target.

Cluster bombs became a talking point after Israel complained that Iran widely used them over its cities during the recent conflict.

FULL REPORT | Iran's cluster bombs vs Israel's Iron Dome: Why the Netanyahu govt fears this Satanic weapon

These weapons are blacklisted due to the severe damage they can cause over a vast area. They sacrifice precision for lethality, threatening non-combat regions and establishments away from the intended targets. The fragments fired by these warheads often remain undetonated, causing civilian casualties even years after a conflict.

The unveiling of such weapons complicates South Korea's defence strategy against North Korean threats.

ALSO READ | Missile show of force: North Korea fires 10 ballistic missiles during US-South Korea war drills

Shin Jong-woo, secretary general at the Korea Defence and Security Forum, said that North Korea was learning lessons from conflicts such as those in Ukraine and the Middle East. For the first time, he said, Pyongyang was also openly stating it was pursuing weapons designed to attack South Korea's industrial infrastructure.

"North Korea appears to be developing these weapons with that asymmetric warfare model very much in mind," Shin told Reuters, noting how important it is to be able to mass-produce weapons and use electronic warfare to disrupt power grids and industrial infrastructure.
After a decade-long hiatus from feature-length filmmaking, Danish auteur Nicolas Winding Refn is back with a new and, as expected, another neon-drenched thriller. An official first look has been released online.

Titled "Her Private Hell", the film is headlined by Sophie Thatcher, who recently had a runaway horror hit in the form of "Companion", and made significant appearances in "Heretic" (opposite Hugh Grant) and the hit survival thriller series "Yellowjackets".

Other cast members include Charles Melton ("May December"), Kristine Froseth ("The Society", "The Buccaneers"), and Havana Rose Liu ("Bottoms"). The film will also feature some big names such as Dougray Scott ("Mission Impossible 2", "My Oxford Year"), Diego Calva ("Babylon", "The Night Manager" Season 2), Aoi Yamada ("Perfect Days"), Shioli Kutsuna ("Deadpool & Wolverine"), and Hidetoshi Nishijima ("Drive My Car").

The film will be presented Out of Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where he also brought "The Neon Demon". In the last decade, Refn was exploring the long-format storytelling space, creating and directing two television shows, "Too Old to Die Young" and "Copenhagen Cowboy", in addition to creating "The Famous Five", the British series based on the popular Enid Blyton book series.

The official synopsis for "Her Private Hell" is as follows: "As a strange mist engulfs a futuristic metropolis and unleashes an elusive, deadly presence, a troubled young woman sets out in search of her father. In this quest, her fate crosses with that of an American GI engaged in a desperate journey to snatch his daughter from Hell."

Refn had pitched "Her Private Hell" as an original story characterised by glitter, sex, and violence  a familiar territory for the filmmaker behind "Drive", "Only God Forgives", and the "Pusher" trilogy.
Fans across the globe are mourning the loss of Game of Thrones actor Michael Patrick, who passed away after a long battle with motor neuron disease (MND). His death has reignited conversations on the devastating neurological condition that continues to affect many worldwide.

"Its been said more than once that Mick was an inspiration to everyone who was privileged enough to come into contact with him, not just in the past few years during his illness but in every day of his life. He lived a life as full as any human can live. Joy, abundance of spirit, infectious laughter. A titan of a ginger haired man. We are so grateful for every person who supported us through the last few years," mentioned an emotional Instagram post by his wife, Naomi Sheehan.

What is Motor Neuron Disease?

As per the Cleveland Clinic, motor neuron disease (MND) is a group of neurological disorders that gradually destroy the motor neurons, which are basically the nerve cells that control muscle movement involved in activities like breathing, speaking, swallowing and walking.

There is currently no cure, making it one of the most challenging neurodegenerative diseases.

For your daily dose of medical news and updates, visit: HEALTH

Patrick was diagnosed with MND in 2023 and used his social media platform to raise awareness about motor neuron disease. He passed away at the Northern Ireland Hospice after a challenging battle with the condition.

Symptoms:

As per experts, MND symptoms occur gradually and may not be obvious at first. Cleveland Clinic lists the following as the early symptoms:

Weakness in your legs or ankles

Slurred speech (dysarthria)

Difficulty swallowing

Weakened grip

Muscle twitches and cramps

Weight loss

Trouble stopping yourself from laughing or crying in inappropriate situations

Other MND symptoms may include:

Breathlessness

Repeated (recurrent) chest infections

Disturbed sleep

Poor concentration/ memory

Confusion

Morning headaches

Fatigue

Motor neuron disease remains a relatively rare but severe condition. Increased awareness can lead to earlier diagnosis, better patient care, and stronger advocacy for research into treatments and potential cures.

For more information, consult a health expert.
SINGAPORE, April 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. data center firm Digital Realty said Thursday it plans to invest nearly 7 billion Singapore dollars (about 5.49 billion U.S. dollars) in Singapore, underscoring the city-state's growing role as an artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure hub in the Asia Pacific.

More than 4.3 billion Singapore dollars will be allocated to new data center developments, building on its existing footprint in the market, the firm said in a statement.

"Singapore is emerging as a critical hub for AI inference in the Asia Pacific," said Serene Nah, managing director and head of Asia Pacific of Digital Realty.

Digital Realty has also expanded its local workforce to over 300 employees, nearly doubling in the past three years, and expects to grow to about 400 by 2030.

The company recently relocated its regional office within Singapore and plans further expansion next year. 
Much-loved FRIENDS star Chandler, aka Matthew Perry's death, came as a rude shock to many. Officials determined the cause of death for the 54-year-old actor as the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning listed as a contributing factor. The levels of ketamine found in his system were far beyond what is typically used in therapeutic settings.

In a major development, Jasveen Sangha, also known as 'Ketamine Queen,' has been sentenced to 15 years after she pleaded guilty last year to selling a fatal dose of ketamine to the actor.

What is Ketamine and why is it used?

According to Johns Hopkins University, Ketamine was developed in the 1960s and used as a battlefield anaesthetic in the Vietnam War. The drug has gained attention for its medical use in treating depression.

More recently, Ketamine has been explored as a treatment for severe depression and mental health disorders, often administered in controlled doses under strict supervision. However, its increasing availability has also led to misuse, raising concerns among medical professionals.

The ill effects of Ketamine on the body

Ketamine can increase heart rate and blood pressure. In high doses, it may lead to irregular heart rhythms or even cardiac arrest, particularly in individuals with pre-existing heart conditions.

Blood pressure surges with ketamine, and that can set off cardiac arrest," says Dr Pat Fehling, a psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist to UCHealth.

For your daily dose of medical news and updates, visit: HEALTH

Ketamine tends to make people woozy and can lead to nausea. Experts say many people have very surreal, dissociative experiences while they are going through ketamine treatments, which makes it imperative to have medical supervision.

Ketamine can become addictive for people who have a history of addiction to other substances, like alcohol and other drugs, Fehling said. As per UCHealth, the dissociative effects of ketamine usually last a few hours.

Perrys case has drawn attention to a broader public health issuethe misuse of prescription and therapeutic drugs. Experts stress the importance of regulated administration, patient screening, and ongoing monitoring.

For more information, consult a health expert.
Mumbais air quality readings may not always trigger alarm bells, but clinics across the city are telling a different story. Even as the Air Quality Index (AQI) hovers in the satisfactory range on many days, a growing number of residents are reporting symptoms that point to a deeper, less visible impact of pollution.

Doctors say the issue is not just about extreme pollution spikes anymore; it is about constant fluctuation. These swings, often overlooked, are quietly conditioning the body to react unpredictably.

Respiratory distress is often the first sign. What starts as mild throat irritation or an occasional cough can escalate into breathlessness, chest tightness, or aggravated asthma.

Specialists explain that the body struggles to adapt when air quality shifts rapidly. On days when pollution levels dip, breathing may feel easier, but the relief is short-lived. As levels rise again, the lungs are forced to recalibrate, leading to inflammation and heightened sensitivity over time.

Rajesh Bhushan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and Chairperson, Illness to Wellness Foundation, stressed that air pollution must be addressed as a core public health issue.

The issue of air pollution must be understood from two perspectives: the technical causes that create polluted air, and the public health consequences of breathing it every day. Prolonged exposure does not just shorten life expectancy; it increases the number of years lived with disability. In highly polluted cities, people may survive longer but with chronic illness that reduces productivity, quality of life, and economic contribution. Addressing air pollution, therefore, requires coordinated action across healthcare systems, urban planning, and public awareness, with a much stronger focus on preventive and primary healthcare, he said.

Highlighting the neurological impact, Dr Daljit Singh, vice chairman, HOD, neurosurgery, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, drew attention to the growing link between air pollution and stroke.

"Stroke is increasingly being linked to air pollution, with nearly 17 per cent of strokes globally attributable to polluted air. Pollution affects brain blood circulation and significantly increases the risk of both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. We are now observing clear seasonal spikes in stroke admissions during high-pollution months, indicating that pollution is emerging as an independent risk factor. Beyond stroke, air pollution is also associated with neurological conditions such as Alzheimers disease, dementia, and Parkinsons disease, making this a growing neurological challenge that society, scientists, and policymakers must urgently address, he said.

For your daily dose of medical news and updates, visit: HEALTH

There is also concern that conditions like allergic rhinitis, often dismissed as seasonal discomfort, are being underdiagnosed and, in some cases, progressing into more serious respiratory disorders.

The eyes, constantly exposed to the environment, are among the earliest to show signs of distress. Doctors report a spike in patients complaining of dryness, irritation, and excessive watering.

Ironically, watery eyes are often a response to dryness, the bodys attempt to compensate for moisture loss caused by pollutants.

Repeated exposure can weaken the eyes natural defence, making it more vulnerable to infections and chronic irritation.

Skin, the bodys largest organ, is also bearing the brunt. Dermatologists note an increase in sensitivity, unexplained rashes, acne flare-ups, and conditions like eczema, even among those with no prior history.

Pollutants linger on the skin, disrupting its protective barrier and making it more reactive to environmental triggers.

"We have been observing rising skin conditions linked to pollution exposure in the past few months, family physician Dr Ramesh Shah informed THE WEEK.

What makes the situation more concerning is its subtlety. Unlike severe smog episodes that prompt immediate caution, these moderate yet fluctuating AQI levels rarely change daily behaviour.

People continue outdoor activities, often unaware that prolonged exposure even at acceptable levels can accumulate into significant health stress.

Doctors advise simple but consistent precautions such as limiting outdoor exposure during peak pollution hours, using protective eyewear, maintaining skin hygiene, and not ignoring persistent symptoms. More importantly, they stress the need to listen to the body rather than relying solely on AQI labels.
Marking the start of the 2026 Assembly elections, Kerala headed to the polling booths on Thursday. Elections will be held in the 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala which will see around 2.71 crore voters will decide the fate of the 883 candidates.

While the battle is mostly a two-pronged one in the state with voters traditionally deciding between the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), this time the BJP is projecting itself as a viable alternative to both fronts, buoyed by its performance in the local body polls.

As per opinion polls, the UDF is likely to come to power, edging out the LDF. As for the BJP, most pre-poll surveys predict 0-3 seats, which could be one of the partys best performances in the state.

However, the cash-for-votes row involving Palakkad constituency candidate Shobha Surendran and the controversial remarks made by several party candidates have cast a shadow over the BJPs dreams.

There was a huge uproar in the state after Shobha, one of the three candidates who is tipped to win the elections, was faced with allegations that she paid money for votes. Footage showed an aide of Shobha offering something to an elderly woman, which is later shown as Rs 500 notes. Footage of Shobha Surendran, who realised that the footage was being filmed, attacking them, is also being circulated.

On realising that the video was being shot, Shobha is seen getting out of her car and arguing with a few men who had shot the video. She later claimed that she got out of the car as one of the men made "sexually harassing gestures" at her.

There are also allegations that the BJP and Shobha distributed saris to women in the constituency. The Congress has filed a complaint with the Election Commission and the Palakkad SP, stating that notes and saris were distributed for votes.

Other BJP leaders, too, were embroiled in controversies. B Gopalakrishnan, a senior leader in Guruvayur constituency, sparked a major row after remarking that Guruvayur, despite being a temple city, did not have a Hindu MLA for a long time. A case was registered over the controversial remark against him, but soon a hoarding popped up in Guruvayur listed the names of the MLAs who were in the Guruvayur constituency since 1977. The UDF and LDF had attacked the hoardings as attempts to spread communalism.

The party also faced intense scrutiny after BJP leader and actor Devan was allegedly seen arriving at a wholesale distribution establishment in Vadanappally to order food kits.
A surge of out-of-state voters arriving in Lower Assam from Bihar, UP, and Kerala has sparked a row. While many arriving at the Barpeta Road railway station claimed to be returning migrant workers, the opposition Congress has alleged a 'vote-theft' plot.

The Congress leaders have officially flagged these arrivals, particularly those using vehicles with Bihar registration plates, as a potential attempt to manipulate the mandate in high-stakes triangular contests. However, many Muslim voters arriving by rail since Tuesday said they are simply returning from their workplaces outside the state to vote in key seats like Jania, Mandia and other seats in lower Assam where Muslim voters play a decisive role.

Lower Assam is known to be vulnerable to the influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Allegations have also surfaced regarding Hindi-speaking voters attempting to vote illegally in the Assam election.

Meanwhile, Barpeta SP Pushkin Jain said that during elections, people usually come in large numbers and they are keeping vigil.

Congress candidate from Dispur, Mira Borthakur Goswami, on Wednesday caught a voter from UP, Dilraj Singh, who allegedly approached her asking if she needed his vote. She told the media that she was shocked by the approach and alleged that it was a 'vote theft' attempt, alleging the role of the BJP.

Mira claimed that the boy told her that there was a system to vote even without being listed in the Assam voter roll.

Though the identity of the 'boy' who approached the Congress candidate is yet to be verified, Mira claimed that he was affiliated with 'Yuva Morcha'.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee media department chairperson Bedabrat Bora said that the Congress suspects a large number of voters have arrived in Assam, similar to alleged vote theft incidents in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh during recent elections.

He questioned whether election authorities had deployed personnel to prevent such attempts.

A voter turnout of 17.87 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of the assembly elections in Assam. A total of 722 candidates are in the fray for the elections, which is witnessing a direct contest between the ruling BJP and the opposition bloc helmed by the Congress.
What seems like a distant geopolitical conflict between Iran and Israel is quietly entering Indian kitchens, turning into a crisis that affects everyday life.

For many, especially migrant workers and low-income earners, this is not just an economic issueit is a question of survival.

In cities like Delhi, the impact is visible on the ground. People who once migrated in search of better opportunities are now packing their bags and returning home. The rising cost of LPG cylinders, coupled with limited availability, has made it nearly impossible for daily-wage workers to sustain themselves.

The ongoing geopolitical tension in West Asia is no longer just a distant international issue; it is now being felt in Indian households, impacting lives and livelihoods. This is leading to what many fear could be a mass exodus of migrant workers from urban centres, evoking nightmares of the Covid days in the not-so-distant past.

Many are left with no option but to either rely on the black market or leave the city altogether. Manish, a small business owner from Paharganj who runs his workshop near Azamgarh, shared how the crisis is affecting livelihoods. Many labourers have already left, he said.

Some are from Patna, some from Darbhanga. Others are from different parts of Biharas a large number of migrant workers in urban centres like Delhi NCR tend to be from this stateor even as far away as Bengal. For all of them, the rising cost of living has made their working-class existence in the big city no longer economically feasible.

Railway stations are crowdedpeople just want to go back home. According to Manish, LPG cylinders are now being sold on the black market at shocking prices ranging from 3,000 to 3,500. Workers have started using diesel stoves because they simply cannot afford LPG anymore, he added.

The ripple effects are not limited to households. Small food vendors and eateries are also struggling. Even daily-wage labourers who previously depended on buying food can no longer afford it and are now choosing to leave the cities.

Vicky, who moved from Guwahati to Delhi, explained how the crisis has affected his daily life. He said that a plate of food previously cost 50, but now it costs 70. He added that even cooking at home has become expensive, which is making everything costlier.

For long-time residents, the situation feels both unfamiliar and alarming. Shakuntla, originally from Bihar and living in Delhi for the past 35 years, expressed her concern. Managing LPG has become very difficult, she said. Even when we manage to get a cylinder, it doesnt feel fullsometimes it seems like 3 kg is missing.

She also pointed towards the role of middlemen. Even if the government is providing LPG, it is being sold on the black market. That makes things worse. Reflecting on her experience, she added, I have never seen such a crisis in my entire life.

With many leaving urban centres and their jobs in industrial plants, sociologists warn of an impending dearth of workers in factories and construction, which could negatively impact economic activity, much like how it was stunted during and after the pandemic lockdowns.

On the ground, the reality paints a worrying picture of survival modepeople are worried about instability and what tomorrow will bring. They are not concerned with the larger picture of a dip in business activity or what it might do to GDP growth. Behind every empty cylinder is a story of struggle, reminding us that even distant conflicts can deeply affect ordinary lives.
With just two weeks to go for the elections in Tamil Nadu, the political leaders are out on the ground, going across the state, seeking an absolute mandate. In the over-crowded political scene in Tamil Nadu, actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay is a rarity. Ever since the election was notified, Vijay has campaigned only thrice, addressing two ralliestwice after he filed nominations in Perambur and Trichy East, where he is contesting and the third from Tirunelveli on Wednesday.

Arriving in Tirunelveli to a cheering, massive crowd, mostly women, Vijay made it a point to send a strong message to the people that it is not merely a political debut for the TVK, but an aggressive, high-stakes pivot. In a state where politicians build a party to reach the people, Vijay posited a radical reversalby saying that he has already lived in every household for three decades and that the party is simply the formalisation of a pre-existing bond. Reframing the election as a deeply emotional movement rooted in his long-standing kinship with the people, Vijay took the opportunity to promise a leadership that prioritises secularism and integrity over financial gains. For him, the election is not just a standard political contest but a huge step to climb to power in an overcrowded political scene.

In a fiery speech, standing atop his campaign vehicle, Vijay positioned his TVK as the only authentic alternative to the established political parties in the state. He claimed that the DMK- led INDIA bloc and the AIADMK-led NDA alliance are secretly colluding to maintain power.

Vijays speech in Tirunelveli was a mixed bag of political attacks on the Dravidian parties with an emotional appeal. He termed both the DMK and the AIADMK alliances as colluding with each other. Since I began listing their corruption, they have been unable to continue their activities and are furious with me. The people have already created a situation where they cannot return to power. Their mathematical alliance calculations have been buried, he said.

At the heart of Vijays speech was a scathing attack on the DMK, calling it a kallapetti noottani or the money-box alliance. He said the alliance built with looted money is falling apart, with its joints and components coming loose. It appears that even the alliance partners in the DMK camp will not vote for one another....Only the Tamil Nadu Congress is in their alliance. But the actual congress is with us, with the TVK, Vijay claimed.

He characterised the current establishment under M.K. Stalin as a sophisticated rhetorical manoeuvre and deconstructed the authority of the incumbent Chief Minister Stalin. Despite the DMKs significant legislative majority, Vijay framed the administration as a corrupt and ineffective caretaker government a term usually reserved for temporary, powerless regimes awaiting an election.

His fans and followers term this rhetoric of Vijay as a masterstroke of delegitimisation. By suggesting that the government lacks real authority, Vijays idea was to convey to his followers that the DMK had already lost the moral right to rule the state, regardless of their power and strength in the assembly. In fact, Vijay even articulated that his massive gathering in Tirunelveli was permitted to proceed without bureaucratic sabotage only because the administration has become effectively hollow now. This was an attempt by Vijay to project a power vacuum that he wants to fill. During his 17-minute-long speech, Vijay presented himself as a selfless protector following in the footsteps of iconic Tamil leaders and urged the voters to use their ballots to launch a whistle revolution that replaces systemic exploitation with genuine public service.

However, speech, which was supposed to seek votes for his TVK candidates in the Tirunelveli region, went beyond the political rhetoric, only to seek sympathy and call himself a victim of the sustained campaign going around to undermine him personally. Vijay said there is a targeted slander going on against him, and his personal life has been dragged only to defame him, very close to the election.

Though his party colleagues claimed that Vijay would hit the campaign within minutes after the election notification, his public appearance has been very limited and in haste. When the crowd began swelling in Kolathur on March 30, soon after he filed his nomination, Vijay quickly disappeared from the spot, citing the police curbs. The next time he showed up in Trichy East and again said he came into politics despite all the pains, only for the people.

On April 7, when all his party men were expecting to get a glimpse of the star-politician, Vijay once again cancelled the campaign in Saidapet and T. Nagar in Chennai. This time, too, he blamed it on the establishment - police burbs. And now in Tirunelveli too, Vijay made sure that his public appearance is very limited. After the Tirunelveli campaign, Vijay, who was supposed to campaign in Cuddalore on Thursday, postponed it once again.

While Vijay and his supporters blame the establishment for his limited public appearance, there seems to be a deliberate attempt to stay away from the traditional politics, not to engage with the people on the ground and not to go for a high-decibel campaign as the established parties do. Vijay and his team of strategists seem to believe that his cult image could help him win the election.

In fact, Vijays supporters say that he does not need to come out in the hot sun to seek votes, and they will make him win. Near Thirumayam, Jeevan Ramasamy, 32, who runs a restaurant, says, Vijay can bring the change for youngsters like us. It is enough if he campaigns via Instagram and YouTube. Jeevan is not alone. With him are the women workers at his restaurant and his group of friends who campaign via WhatsApp and network with the local youth groups. I am not part of the party. I am not even a member. My brother is a member of TVK. I am working for Vijay, Jeevan explains.

Jeevans style of networking and vote-catching techniques is new in a state where traditional campaigns prove to be the strength for the established political parties. However, Vijays limited appearance, the Instagram and WhatsApp campaign by his cadres, and his idea of seeking sympathy and playing the victim card may hold good for the actor-politician now. It remains to be seen if his sparse appearance and hasty election campaign can actually turn into votes.
Back in 1959, the Union government dismissed Keralas first Left government under the controversial Article 356 of the Indian Constitution following the Vimochana Samaram (Liberation Struggle), driven primarily by the Syro-Malabar Church, the Nair Service Society, the Indian Union Muslim League, the Praja Socialist Party and the Indian National Congress. After a brief period of Presidents Rule, fresh elections were held in 1960.

In the 1957 electionsthe first after the formation of Keralathe voter turnout was 65.49 per cent. However, the 1960 elections, held in the aftermath of the Vimochana Samaram, recorded the highest turnout in the states history, rising by over 20 percentage points to 85.72 per cent. The Communist Party of India, which contested the maximum number of seats (108 of 126), won only 29, while the Congress, riding the anti-incumbency wave and winning 63 seats, formed the government with the Praja Socialist Party.

The next major spike in voter turnout came in the 1987 Assembly elections, with results favouring the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front. The incumbent United Democratic Front (UDF), led by Chief Minister K. Karunakaran, faced widespread criticism over allegations of corruption, nepotism, administrative lapses, and economic dissatisfaction.

The elections followed a phase of sharp political alignments, realignments and expulsions. The merger of INC (I) and INC (A) in 1982 triggered this trend, followed by the IUMLAIML reunion (1985), splits in the Kerala Congress, NDP and SRP, and sections of Congress (S) and Janata joining the Congress. The period also saw M.V. Raghavan form the Communist Marxist Party after his expulsion from the CPI(M), alongside the emergence of a third front led by the BJPHindu Munnani. This election, which witnessed fierce competition, resulted in the LDF securing a clear majority (78 seats against the UDFs 61).

The next significant spike came in 2016, when Pinarayi Vijayan came to power for the first time, riding an anti-incumbency wave against the Oommen Chandy government, driven by multiple high-profile corruption scandals and its failure to effectively counter the oppositions campaign. A crucial feature in 2016 was the dramatic surge in women voters: women outvoted men statewide by 2.15 percentage points, helping push overall turnout past 77 per cent.

In 2021, a pro-incumbency wave followed in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as voter turnout dipped by nearly 1.5 percentage points. In 2016, women outvoted men in 88 of Keralas 140 Assembly constituencies; by 2021, this fell to 73, with the statewide gender gap narrowing to near zero.

Cut to 2026. Kerala has witnessed heavy polling, with turnout already crossing 78.13 per cent, and the final figure likely to approach or even exceed 80 per cent.

Notably, this is already the highest turnout in any election since the last delimitation, and it remains to be seen whether it will also mark a fresh surge in women voters.

While all three fronts claim the high turnout favours them, history suggests that high turnouts in Kerala generally signal a mood for change and anti-incumbency mobilisation, which has often hurt the incumbent. Nevertheless, one has to wait until May 4 for the actual picture, when the votes are counted.
Back in April 2019, as Kerala was heading into the Lok Sabha polls, an amicus curiae report on the 2018 Kerala floods rocked the LDF government. The Kerala High Court had appointed senior advocate Jacob P. Alex as amicus curiae after examining 15 petitions seeking a judicial probe into the causes of the floods, which resulted in the deaths of over 400 people and caused extensive material damage.

In his report, Adv. Alex noted that, alongside extremely heavy rainfall, the impact of the floods appeared to have been aggravated by various factors, including man-made ones. None of the 79 dams in Kerala were operated or used for the purpose of flood control/moderation; no effective flood control zone was maintained; reservoir storage remained high even in the first week of August; there was sudden release of water from all dams; reservoir storage capacity had reduced due to siltation; there was no integrated operation of dams based on scientifically identified rule curves; and there was an absence of proper flood warning systems, the report noted. It recommended a more detailed inquiry headed by a former judge of the Supreme Court.

Adv. Alex also suggested that the inquiry committee should preferably consist of a reputed hydrologist, experts in dam management, engineers and other specialists.

The report, which suggested dam mismanagement as one of the contributing factors to the floods, angered the government. Notably, this had also been a key allegation raised by the opposition in the aftermath of the disaster. Then, the electricity minister, M.M. Mani, accused the amicus curiae of playing politics, while Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the report had been leaked with elections approaching.

Now, as Kerala votes, the LDF once again faced allegations that man-made factors, including issues in dam management, contributed to the 2018 floods.

Congress leader and Muvattupuzha UDF candidate Mathew Kuzhalnadan has reignited these allegations by sharing an audio clip allegedly featuring Minister K. Krishnankutty. In the clip, Krishnankutty is purportedly heard saying that Mathew T. Thomashis party colleague and then water resources ministerplayed a role in delaying the opening of the Thottappally spillway, which is crucial for flood control in Kerala. The recording claims that the delay was intended to prevent downstream sand deposits from being washed away, thereby benefiting a private contractor. It further alleges that Mathew T. Thomas made crores from the deal.

Interestingly, the LDF appears to be responding to these fresh allegations in much the same wayand with a similar pattern of defenceas it did to the amicus curiae report. THE WEEK examines this defence and explores whether there are uncharted areas that remain insufficiently probed in the context of the Kerala floods.

Grey areas

After the amicus curiae report came out, the government stood on its stance that there was no dam mismanagement and approached the High Court to reject the findings. In an affidavit submitted to the High Court, the government noted that, except for the finding that the reason for the deluge was the extremely heavy rainfall between August 15 and August 17, all other causes were on the basis of assumptions not supported by scientific data.

Referring to the study on the floods by the Central Water Commission that came out with supportive data, the government took a position that no further inquiry was required in the matter. The government also referred to a study by K.P. Sudheer of IIT-Madras to back its position. Meanwhile, the government rejected the study by Vimal Mishra of IIT GandhinagarKerala Flood of 2018: The combined impact of extreme rainfall and reservoir, citing it was an article that was rejected in peer review. The study was under review for the journal Hydrology and Earth Sciences (HESS).

THE WEEK spoke to Mishra, asking him about the situations under which this study was not accepted. Peer review is open to all, and at that time, there was a very strong opinion that dams did not play any role in the flooding. However, the issue remains debatable and somewhat controversial even now, he said. Mishra notes that the central argument from the government side, and from those involved in that study, came in another paper published in Current Science [the study by Sudheer K.P and others], which was widely appreciated by the government at the time.

Their argument was that even if the dams had been empty, the flood intensity would not have been reduced significantlyhence, dams did not play any role. But that is not entirely correct. Think about it: a full dam versus an empty dam. If a dam is relatively empty, you can release water gradually and still have storage capacity. But if the dam is already full, then you are forced to suddenly release large volumes of water to protect the structure. That makes a significant difference. Our earlier paper was not accepted, and I am aware of the reasons. However, the findings have since been widely cited, and we have published multiple studies highlighting the role dams play in flooding across the country. One of our recent studies clearly shows that whether dams are near full capacity or not makes a major differencenot just in whether floods occur, but also in their intensity.

Mishra told THE WEEK that the challenge has been that when an issue becomes controversial, even a fair or evidence-based opinion may not carry much weight if there is a strong opposing narrative.

Regarding peer reviewyes, there were several critical comments. We had submitted the paper very soon after the flood event. The floods occurred around August, and we submitted the paper within about a month. Reviewers questioned the quality of the datawhether it was observed data, how reliable it was, and so on. Those concerns are understandable, given how early the study was. That said, we have now published a much more comprehensive and mature study. It covers hundreds of dams across India and clearly shows that when dams are over 90% full, that significantly influences downstream flood conditions, he said.

This is especially important because we still lack robust inflow forecasting systems. So, if there is sudden heavy rainfall and the dam is already near capacity, the gates have to be opened regardless of the downstream impact. We have demonstrated this through a peer-reviewed study that goes beyond Kerala and looks at multiple flood events across different states.

Interestingly, even the study by the IIT Madraswhich the government cited to support its positionhad noted that dams and reservoirs in the Periyar River basin were not designed for flood control purposes but for hydropower/irrigation, and therefore the operation policy has been to maintain the reservoir level close to FRL throughout the monsoon season to ensure maximum power generation. Nevertheless, the study also took the position that the probability of extreme rainfalllike what was experienced in August 2018was very small (only 0.6 per cent), and therefore any planned operation could not have helped in mitigating floods of such magnitude, as the reservoir design and/or operation might not have considered such a design.

Notably, as the current audio controversy surfaced, LDF leaders, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, reverted to their earlier defencethat experts had already concluded the Kerala floods were not man-made and that the rest were mere political allegations. Nevertheless, questions remain as to whether there has been selectiveor cherry-pickinguse of scientific studies for political convenience.

Former Janata Dal (S) leader R.S. Prabhat, who was alongside Kuzhalnadan when the audio was released, alleged on April 8 that K.P. Sudheer, who led the IIT Madras study, was subsequently appointed as the executive vice president of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment (KSCSTE) and as ex officio principal secretary to the government of Kerala.

There is a case for an inquiry into the matter to address these allegations, which, if left unanswered, risk suggesting the politicisation of appointments in prestigious scientific institutions.

Old assertions, new allegations

The audio clip released by Kuzhalnadan suggests that the government delayed opening the Thottappally spillway to prevent sand deposits from being washed away, thereby benefiting private contractors. It also alleges that similar measures were taken at the Maniyar project and the Peringalkuthu dam.

In its affidavit, the KSEB had admitted that most reservoir systems in Kerala swelled during the first heavy spell in the third week of July itself, and water levels in several major reservoirs began rising above normal levels. Meanwhile, the dam safety authority had noted that several dams have reduced storage capacity as a result of silting. The Central Water Commission, too, has maintained that handling sediments is a major challenge in reservoir operations and that sedimentation leads to a loss of active storage volume.

Significantly, the amicus curiae had observed that reduced storage capacity of reservoirs in Kerala due to siltation and sedimentation may have contributed to the aggravation of the flood event and identified this as a crucial aspect warranting detailed inquiry. However, the amicus report did not result in any probe that went into such details.

In the wake of the fresh allegations raised by Kuzhalnadan, several questions arise. Did the government machinery consciously take decisions that reduced active storage capacity, thereby worsening the flood situation in August? What are the roles that the government officials at various levels played? Did corruption in the system aggravate the flood situation in the state?

Notably, the authenticity of the alleged audio released by the opposition itself must come under scrutiny. The allegations should not remain a mere political flashpoint ahead of the pollsthe public deserves clarity on the full truth behind the devastating floods that reshaped the state.


Following the appeals by the top NCP (SP) leadership, including Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Congress, on Thursday, decided to withdraw its candidate Akash More from the Baramati Assembly bypoll, paving the way for Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawars uncontested victory from the constituency.

The seat fell vacant after the tragic death of NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who had represented the Baramati Assembly constituency eight times. As the election was necessitated by the death of a highly respected leader, there have been calls from various quarters for an unopposed election as a mark of respect.

The decision by the Congress came hours before the deadline to withdraw the nomination.

On Thursday morning, Sule had urged the Congress to reconsider its decision to field the candidate, saying in a social media post, Ajit Dadas political journey began with the Congress party, and he maintained a long-standing, respectful association with it throughout his career. In this moment of grief and remembrance, an unopposed election in Baramati would serve as a dignified and heartfelt tribute to his legacy of public service and inclusive politics.

Sharad Pawar had also made a similar remark. Congress is a national party, and we cannot direct it to withdraw its candidate. However, the Baramati seat fell vacant due to a tragic accident that snatched away an efficient leader from MaharashtraIf asked, I would suggest to Congress that it would be appropriate to make this bypoll unopposed, he told reporters in Baramati.

Sunetra Pawar, too, had reportedly talked to Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal, requesting him to withdraw the nomination of his party's candidate.

On Thursday, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar met Sapkal with the same request. He had expressed regret about his cousin Parth Pawars remarks. I am confident the Congress will take an appropriate and positive decision after speaking to its leadership, he said.

CM Fadnavis too had spoken to Sapkal and requested him to withdraw the partys candidate. News agency PTI quoted sources as saying that Fadnavis called Sapkal and sought his support for an unopposed election of Sunetra Pawar.

A total of 53 candidates, including Sunetra Pawar and Congresss Akash More, had filed their nominations. Till Thursday afternoon, as many as 20 candidates had withdrawn their nominations.

The Congress finally yielded to the pressure, with AICC general secretary in charge of Maharashtra, Ramesh Chennithala, saying he had asked the partys state unit to withdraw its candidate from the poll fray.

The Baramati bypoll was necessitated due to the tragic death of Ajit Pawar. As a mark of respect for him, Congress will not contest the by-election, he said.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde told his party leaders and cadres that elections are now over, and it is time to focus on party expansion.

To strengthen Shiv Sena across the state, Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Senas chief leader Eknath Shinde has instructed all party MLAs, MPs, chief coordinators, co-coordinators, and Lok Sabha coordinators to reach grassroots Shiv Sainiks, work promptly on public issues, and contribute actively toward party growth.

He also warned office bearers that if work is not visible, they will not retain their positions. Instructions were given to appoint booth-level agents (BLAs) for a detailed review of voter lists.

Recently, Shiv Sena appointed chief coordinators, divisional coordinators, and Lok Sabha coordinators. A crucial online review and guidance meeting of these office bearers was held today in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Shinde. During the meeting, he directed ministers, MLAs, and MPs to set aside their positions and work as party workers.

Taking into account the restructuring of constituencies, Deputy Chief Minister Shinde provided a roadmap to contact heads regarding upcoming local self-government, Assembly, and Lok Sabha elections. He clearly stated that Lok Sabha coordinators must hold separate meetings for each Assembly segment in their area and send daily reports along with photographs, which he will personally review.

Regarding the SIR campaign implemented by the Election Commission in the state, Shinde asked chief coordinators how many BLAs have been appointed so far, how many times they have visited their constituencies, and how many meetings have been conducted. He issued a strong warning that those who fail to submit work reports or do not perform will be directly removed from their posts.

Keeping in mind the division of constituencies, he instructed that each should appoint two BLAs for a thorough review of voter lists and hold daily meetings with them. He also emphasised that every office bearer must work with greater energy in their respective areas to make the party organisation stronger and more effective.
RAMALLAH, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Presidency condemned on Thursday Israel's approval of 34 new settlements in the West Bank, considering it a "dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation" of international law and UN resolutions.

In a press statement published by the Palestinian News Agency WAFA, the Presidency affirmed that all settlement activity is illegal in the occupied Palestinian territory, according to international law, most recently UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which affirmed that settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory is contrary to international law and relevant international resolutions, and is illegal and must be halted.

The statement said that the "dangerous decision represents a further Israeli step to implement annexation, expansionist, and displacement plans, the consequences of which will be borne by the extremist right-wing Israeli government, which insists on igniting the region and dragging it into a further cycle of violence and escalation."

The statement called on the international community, particularly the U.S. administration, to intervene immediately to halt these "dangerous unilateral measures" and to pressure Israel to cease its "escalatory policies and ongoing violations" against the Palestinian people and their land.

The statement emphasized the Palestinian people's adherence to their legitimate national rights, foremost among them the establishment of their independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. It affirmed that Israeli decisions "will not legitimize the occupation, and all settlements are destined to disappear."

For his part, Mu'ayyad Sha'ban, head of the Commission Against the Wall and Settlements in the Palestine Liberation Organization, considered the Israeli decision "an extremely dangerous leap in the accelerated colonial settlement project on Palestinian land."

In a press statement, Sha'ban said that the decision, with its "unprecedented scale in terms of the number of sites, reaching 34 settlement outposts, aims to further fragment Palestinian geography and isolate its communities."

He called on the international community to take concrete deterrent measures consistent with its declared positions, rejecting settlements, ensuring a halt to this "dangerous escalation," and holding Israel accountable for its grave violations.

Israeli public radio Kan reported that the Israeli Security Cabinet approved a plan to establish 34 new settlements in the West Bank, marking the largest such approval of settlements in a single phase.

Israel seized control of the West Bank in the 1967 war and established settlements there, a move not recognized by the international community.

More than 700,000 Israeli settlers were living in settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law, and 3.3 million Palestinians were living in the same area, according to a 2025 UN report. 
JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will take oath as a Rajya Sabha MP on Friday, marking his transition from state chief to a national leader. The JD(U) chief has left for Delhi on Thursday.

Local media reports said an important meeting of the Bihar BJP will also be held in Delhi on Friday, which will see the state BJP core committee formally seek consensus on the name of Bihar's Chief Minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are also expected to attend the meeting, chaired by National President Nitin Naveen.

Nitish will return to Patna the following day, Saturday, after which the government formation process will begin. It is believed that Nitish will resign as Chief Minister on April 13th or 14th, and a new government could be formed on April 15th.

Deputy chief minister Samrat Chaudhary continues to be the frontrunner for the post. Minister Vijay Chaudharys recent remark also gave impetus to the speculations. When asked by reporters, he said, "The name you are circulating will be the one that will be put forward." Chaudhary also added that the BJP will lead the government in Bihar, and JD(U) will be the younger brother to the BJP.

This statement by Vijay Kumar Chaudhary is significant because no senior leader has yet clearly stated which party the next Chief Minister will belong to.

Meanwhile, there appears to be a momentum in favour of Nishant Kumar, son of Nitish Kumar. A recent public event saw slogans being raised in favour of Nishant, that too in the presence of Nitish Kumar. Cries of Nishant Kumar zindabad and Bihar ka CM Nishant Kumar have triggered rumours that Nishants name is in contention for the post of the Chief Minister.

However, political analysts believe it is too early for Nishant to become the Chief Minister at this stage, considering his lack of experience in legislative matters. He could be chosen as the Deputy CM or will be given some plum post.
The two-week ceasefire agreed on Wednesday between the United States, Israel and Iran has brought a tenuous halt to a six-week conflict that destabilised the Middle East and rattled the global economy. Yet despite the Trump administrations claim of a historic and overwhelming victory, a closer look suggests a far more complicated outcome. Many analysts see this not as a resolution, but as a fragile pause, one that may ultimately tilt in Tehrans favour.

At a tactical level, the United States and Israel have inflicted extensive damage. More than 15,000 strikes hit factories, research facilities and military installations, crippling Irans navy and weakening its air defences. Yet the battlefield dominance displayed by the US and Israel failed to translate into political success. In Tehran, the IRGC-clergy leadership remains firmly in control, showing the world its immense capability to absorb sustained military pressure. Several analysts drew parallels with Washington failed campaigns in the past such as Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, where tactical shock and awe did not lead to lasting strategic gains.

Irans most powerful leverage throughout the conflict has been its control over the Strait of Hormuz. Nearly 20 per cent of global oil passes through this narrow chokepoint. By disrupting traffic, Tehran triggered a sharp energy shock. Petrol prices in the United States have gone up significantly, fuelling domestic political pressure ahead of key elections. The effects rippled worldwide. The Philippines declared an energy emergency, Europe faced soaring electricity costs and global aviation fuel prices surged. The developing world is facing critical shortages of LNG, LPG and fertilisers.

Paradoxically, the crisis also boosted Irans revenues. Selling oil at elevated prices to China and India, Tehran managed to sustain, and even increase, its income despite the war.

Iran is now seeking to formalise its leverage in ceasefire negotiations. Its proposed ten-point plan reportedly includes a system to levy steep transit fees, potentially up to two million dollars per vessel, for ships crossing the strait. If realised, this could generate as much as 80 billion dollars annually, a sum that would far exceed Israels defence budget and enable rapid military rebuilding.

President Donald Trump has described the proposal as a workable basis for talks. However, critics in Washington, including Senator Lindsey Graham, argue that such a move would reward coercion and undermine long-standing American commitments to freedom of navigation.

Talks set to take place in Islamabad face serious obstacles. A key dispute is whether the ceasefire should extend to Lebanon. Iran insists it must include a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah. The United States and Israel reject this, treating it as a separate conflict. Israeli operations in Lebanon have continued, with hundreds reported killed in recent days, prompting Tehran to warn it could withdraw from negotiations.

The central issue that triggered the warIrans nuclear programmeremains unresolved. Washington entered the conflict aiming to eliminate Irans stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has reiterated that objective, and contingency plans reportedly include the possible deployment of Special Forces if diplomacy fails.

Iran, however, shows little sign of compromise. It is expected to demand recognition of its right to enrich uranium, the lifting of sanctions and reparations as part of any agreement.

The wider regional picture remains deeply unstable. The conflict exposed the vulnerability of Gulf states to missile and drone attacks, drew in proxy forces and heightened insecurity across neighbouring countries. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing criticism for failing to secure what opponents describe as total victory.

Washington now faces difficult choices. It can accept unfavourable terms to secure a lasting ceasefire, or risk sliding back into a prolonged and costly conflict. Ending a war without achieving core objectives can feel indistinguishable from defeat.

For Iran, the outcome may be simpler. In this conflict, not losing is close enough to winning.
Iran has threatened to exit from the ceasefire agreement over what it called Israels brutal attacks against Lebanon on Wednesday after the Israeli forces carried out their largest wave of airstrikes against the Iranian proxy militant group Hezbollah. Though Iran called the move a blatant violation of the ceasefire, Israel and the US stated that the truce did not cover Lebanon.

A report that appeared in Iranian state-backed Tasnim News Agency quoted a source who emphasised that the two-week ceasefire plan accepted by the United States included cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including against Lebanon. However, he said, the Zionist regime has conducted brutal attacks against Lebanon this morning in blatant violation of the ceasefire, it said, citing a source who claimed Iran was examining its potential withdrawal from the ceasefire plan.

If the US cannot leash its rabid dog in the region, Iran will exceptionally assist it in this matter! And that will be through force," the source stated.

However, US President Donald Trump told PBS News that Hezbollah was not included in the deal. They were not included in the deal. Thatll get taken care of too. Its alright.

On whether he was okay with Israels ongoing strikes against Hezbollah, Trump said: Its part of the deal  everyone knows that. Thats a separate skirmish.

Amid this, reports suggest a series of explosions and air-defence activations across the country over the past day. While explosions were heard in the Mehrshahr area of Karaj, west of Tehran, air defence systems were activated across the Shahre Rey and Masoudieh districts of Tehran, and at the Montazer Ghaem power plant in Fardis, Alborz province. A loud explosion was reported in the southern port city of Bushehr.

Meanwhile, reports claim that the Strait of Hormuz has again been closed, and an oil tanker was reportedly turned away upon approaching the crossing. The oil tanker AUROURA made an abrupt 180-degree turn while approaching the straits exit and instead returned to the Persian Gulf. According to MarineTraffic, the ship was being at anchor in the Persian Gulf, around two hours after PressTV claims it was turned back from the Strait of Hormuz.
On Day 39 of the war, as the Middle East reeled from weeks of escalating violence, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir stepped into a crisis that appeared moments away from exploding into a regional catastrophe. Since February 28, the United States and Israel have carried out coordinated strikes across Iran, including the assassination of senior Iranian leadership, triggering fierce retaliation, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and global economic turmoil. By April 7, President Donald Trump had issued an ultimatum giving Tehran only hours to capitulate or face what he warned could be the death of a whole civilisation.

In what is perceived as a last-minute diplomatic intervention, Sharif made a public appeal on X, asking the United States to extend its ultimatum by two weeks and urging Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as a goodwill gesture. Iran responded by agreeing to halt its military operations if attacks against it ceased and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the same period, an unexpected breakthrough that reshaped the trajectory of the conflict. The ceasefire is fragile, tentative, and built on deep mistrust, yet real. And it was Pakistan that had made it possible.

Pakistans role was not accidental. For weeks, Islamabad had been quietly urging both Washington and Tehran to consider a diplomatic offramp. As the deadline approached, The appeal was direct, urgent, and framed as a plea to allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of this war.

This message, amplified globally, provided Trump with a muchneeded offramp. Having escalated his rhetoric to the brink, the US president now had a facesaving way to pause military action without appearing to retreat. Iran, which had long insisted on a more comprehensive settlement, accepted the temporary ceasefire as a pragmatic step.

Pakistan has invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad for negotiations beginning April 10. In doing so, it has positioned itself not merely as a messenger but as a mediator, an active architect of the diplomatic process.

The international reaction was swift and largely positive. Leaders from Germany, Oman, Turkey, Egypt, and the UN SecretaryGeneral publicly thanked Pakistan for its efforts. For a country often portrayed as diplomatically isolated, this was a rare moment of global validation. As the document notes, Pakistan had forced itself into the centre of the biggest geopolitical story on earth.

The Indian reaction: Silence, discomfort, and a missed opportunity

Indias position during the Iran war was defined by a conspicuous and prolonged silence that shaped global perceptions of its alignment. The United States and Israel launched their surprise strikes on February 28, just two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modis highprofile visit to Israel, beginning with a missile attack that destroyed a girls elementary school in Minab, killing more than 165175 schoolgirls and staff. This was followed by strikes that killed Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials. Yet New Delhi offered no public condemnation of either the civilian casualties or the targeted assassinations. The silence deepened when the Iranian Navy frigate IRIS Dena, which had just participated in the International Fleet Review 2026 hosted by India, was torpedoed and sunk by the USS Charlotte in the Indian Ocean while returning home through international waters. Even then, India refrained from issuing a strong statement. Taken together, this sequence of events created a clear perception that India had drifted toward the IsraeliUS position, placing it unmistakably on one side of the conflict.

This silence was all the more puzzling given Indias deep material stakes in the region. The country imports 85 per cent of its crude oil and has nine million citizens living in the Gulfmaking stability in West Asia a direct national interest. As the war escalated and Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, Indias economy absorbed immediate shocks: the rupee fell to a record low of 94.7875 per dollar, remittances were disrupted, and foreign investors withdrew over $3 billion from Indian markets. Yet even as the conflict directly harmed Indias economic stability and exposed its vulnerabilities, New Delhi avoided articulating a clear moral or diplomatic position.

If the global response was one of relief and praise when Pakistan announced that it had brokered a twoweek ceasefire between the United States and Iran, the reaction in India was markedly different. Instead of welcoming the deescalation, large sections of online discourse turned toward frustration, sarcasm, and mockery aimed at Pakistans diplomatic success. The disbelief was palpable: for many Indian users, the idea that Islamabad had facilitated a breakthrough between Washington and Tehran clashed with longstanding narratives portraying Pakistan as diplomatically irrelevant or incapable of constructive mediation. Timelines on X, Reddit, and Facebook filled with derision, often dismissing Pakistans role as that of a postman or a proxy, even as global leaders from Germany to Oman to the UN SecretaryGeneral publicly praised Islamabads efforts.

This online backlash reveals a deeper discomfort; Pakistans sudden visibility on the world stage contrasted sharply with Indias own absence from the diplomatic arena. While Islamabad was credited by President Donald Trump himself for helping avert a wider regional war, New Delhi appeared to be watching events unfold from the sidelines. The contrast was particularly stark given Indias presidency of BRICS and its selfassigned status as Vishwaguru, a nation claiming moral and strategic leadership in global affairs. Indias global standing could have enabled it to play a constructive role by advocating deescalation, leveraging its ties with Tehran, or using its diplomatic weight to push for a ceasefire. Instead, the government appears preoccupied with domestic political considerations, the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections.

India issued a statement welcoming the ceasefire, more than six hours after it was announced. The statement acknowledged the end of 39 days of fighting but conspicuously omitted any mention of Pakistans role in brokering the agreement.

The contrast between Pakistans assertive diplomacy and Indias cautious silence is striking. Pakistan seized a narrow diplomatic opening and transformed it into a global headline, stabilising markets and averting a wider war. India, despite its far greater economic weight and international visibility, chose not to leverage its influence to prevent the conflict or shape its trajectory. In the end, the ceasefire may or may not lead to lasting peace, but it has highlighted not only Pakistans unexpected diplomatic assertiveness but also Indias missed opportunity. At a time when global leadership was urgently needed, Indias muted stance, strategic ambiguity, and domestic preoccupations left it on the margins of a crisis that directly affected its economic and geopolitical interests.

(Vaishali Basu Sharma is a security and economic affairs analyst.)

(The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.)


Casting doubts about Fridays peace talks between Iran and the United States, Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, pulled down an X post in which he announced the arrival of Iranian delegates to Pakistan.

Ambassador Moghadam, in his initial post, said that despite scepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by the Israeli regime, the delegation would travel to Islamabad. Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran, he said in a post on X.

However, deleted the post less than an hour later, but offered no clarification.

Moghadams comments had contradicted those of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who claimed that these violations made the talks "illogical."

Iran has accused the US of violating ceasefire terms after Israel carried out devastating attacks on Lebanon, killing hundreds of civilians on Wednesday. From the very beginning, we have been following the current process with distrust, and as expected, the United States of America has once again violated its commitments before the negotiations even began, Qalibaf wrote in his post.

Iranian military spokesman Mohammad Ekrami Nia also told the news channel of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) that the Americans, and Trump in particular, have proven that they are completely untrustworthy. Our hands are on the trigger, and our ears are attuned to the orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces." "The enemy has shown in the nuclear agreement and in two rounds of negotiations that it cannot be trusted, but given the blows it has received, we hope it will come to its senses.

Interestingly, Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, while detailing the security arrangements in place for the US Ambassador to Pakistan, Natalie Baker, made no mention of the Iranian delegations. A comprehensive plan has been prepared to provide foolproof security to all foreign guests in every respect, the minister was quoted as saying.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said that Tel Aviv was looking to begin "direct negotiations" with Lebanon as soon as possible.

Citing repeated ceasefire requests from Lebanon as the reason, Netanyahu's office wrote in an X post that the upcoming "negotiations will focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah" and establish peaceful relations between the two nations.

"Israel appreciates the call made today by the Prime Minister of Lebanon to demilitarise Beirut," the post added.

The negotiations will focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishing of peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon.



Israel appreciates the call made today by the Prime Minister of Lebanon to demilitarize Beirut.



2/2  Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 9, 2026

However, as per a new report from Axios, citing officials in the know, it was US President Donald Trump's Wednesday phone call with Israel that allegedly had an impact on the potential ceasefire talks between Israel and Lebanon.

It added that there would not yet be a ceasefire during the negotiations, citing an Israeli official.

Trump's call came ahead of the ceasefire talks between Iran and the US at Islamabad on Saturday, as Tehran has reiterated that Lebanon and other countries falling within the 'Axis of Resistance' were also part of its ceasefire with Washington, and that attacks on Beirut risked breaking the fragile two-week ceasefire.

In that regard, there is also a difference in rhetoric over the Lebanon bombings. US Vice-President J.D. Vancewho will represent the Washington delegation at the Islamabad talkshas called it a "legitimate misunderstanding", and has said that Iran would be "dumb" to keep it as a condition for the talks.

This comes as Israel's attacks on Lebanon threaten the stability of the two-week ceasefire, as Iran has claimed that Beirut was also included in the scope of the peace talks.



(us iran war news israel lebanon, trump mojtaba, islamabad talks hormuz)https://t.co/wTPFZ1et9L  THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) April 9, 2026

Iran, on the other hand, has cited Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, who allegedly said that Lebanon was already involved in the scope of the ceasefire talks.

Tehran added that it had been on the verge of retaliating to Israel's attacks on Lebanon, but had chosen not to, due to the intervention of Pakistan and the "exchange of messages regarding US efforts".

This comes after Lebanon saw one of the worst daysin terms of casualtiesof the war on Wednesday, leading to the deaths of more than 300 and injuries to more than 1,165 others, as per initial counts from Beirut's civil defence.

While the discussions remain at an early stage, the report has said that the first meeting between Israel and Lebanon would take place at the US State Department in Washington.
At the recently concluded India AI Impact Summit 2026, the Prime Minister called for the democratisation of AI, making it a tool for inclusion and empowerment. He added that AI will also open higher-value opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. Further, he underscored that India is not just a part of the AI revolution, but is leading and shaping it.

In this context, we recommend the development of a new technology ecosystem for AI innovation for a Viksit Bharat by 2047, consisting of three elements: 30 new Global Research Universities, supporting 30 new Research Parks that house technology enterprises; all these located in 30 new University Townships or Viksit Bharat Nagars. Together, these will become AI Innovation hubs for a Viksit Bharat.

In a previous essay, 'India must leap to innovation-led growth to withstand global trade shocks, achieve Viksit Bharat Vision', published in ET Government on 8/5/2025, we had highlighted the need to build capacity for innovation:

The Economic Hurdle is about establishing innovation hubsclusters with sufficient mass, scale, and scope that foster the synergies required to produce new technologies, processes, and methods (innovation) more efficiently and at lower cost. Such hubs will endow India with a comparative advantage in the 'production of innovation'."

Further, in our essay 'First, citizens: A Viksit Bharat requires every Indian to be a Viksit Bharatiya', we had suggested:

First and foremost, the jobs must come from the manufacturing sector. This requires a lot of public investment. We suggest that investing in 1,000 to 1,500 Viksit Bharat manufacturing clusters (in all 788 districts) with plug-and-play factory facilities, which accommodate about 200 SMEs every year, will create about four to six million manufacturing jobs annually.

We argued in that essay that a necessary condition for India to be a developed economy is that every Indian citizen be empowered with skills and access to jobs as a Viksit Bharatiya. AI is likely to have an economy-wide impact on productivity and wages of all citizens by boosting jobs, expanding the organised sector, and increasing the competitiveness of firms, thereby empowering all Indians.

AI creates innovation dynamics

Indias economy has lagged in research and development and the resultant technological advancement due to four legacy factors: low GDP per capita, low export orientation, small firms, and low levels of competition.

To overcome these legacy impediments to technological change, we must invest more in human skills and in research and development. In this context, we note that AI impacts the economy in three important ways that can enhance Indias capacity for human development and technological progress.

First, AI can provide an efficiency boost to human workers, dramatically expanding their production capacity and raising wages. Second, this efficiency impact of AI will have a dramatic deflationary effect on global prices, especially for those products that require information (data) processing and decision-making. The deflationary impact of AI will make many products more affordable for the poor, thereby improving welfare. Third, AI will make invention and discovery easier and faster, thereby expanding frontiers of science and technology at a faster pace, leading to more new products coming to market, more new enterprises and the expansion of new sectors in the economy.

This democratisation of science and invention will impact the market dynamics of innovation. The lowering of barriers to entry in high-technology sectors will open new opportunities for Indian firms to participate in global markets.

These three powerful impacts of AI (the efficiency, deflation, and innovation effects) over the next decade can be best harnessed if our economy can do three things: develop AI products and tools along with the collateral Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) wherever we can; deploy AI tools effectively in all sectors of the economy; and develop AI-enabled services for the world whenever we cannot design and make the products.

New technology ecosystem

This focus on AI products, deployment and services would require the development of a new integrated technology ecosystem. Whereas the development of AI products and AI-enabled services are best done at research universities that meet global standards, the research is taken to market by technology enterprises that deploy AI at scale. To facilitate the translation of research into commercial outcomes, each global research university must serve as a central hub, surrounded by research parks that host technology enterprises.

On March 18, 2026, the Government of India announced an allocation of Rs 33,660 crores to develop 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across the country under the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (BHAVYA). The objective of the program is to advance towards Viksit Bharat by 2047 through manufacturing-led growth. We suggest that this excellent initiative can be dovetailed with Global Research Universities and new technology townships (Viksit Bharat Nagars) that we now describe.

Global Research Universities: Research and Development Hubs

Research and development for AI is best conducted at a large university with multiple disciplines, rather than at a specialised technology institute, because AI products and applications integrate knowledge and information from several domains, which require experts from various disciplines to collaborate.

Whereas this does sometimes happen on a corporate campus or at a specialised research institute, a university campus provides the best environment and incentives for AI research.

To develop an ecosystem of enterprises that build new technological applications, we must begin by building a network of research universities that are global in scope, quality, and reach. India needs to build at least 30 Global Research Universities (GRUs), each of which houses at least 20 major disciplines, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), literature, social sciences, and the arts (LSA).

With STEM + LSA, a research university is fully equipped to conduct frontier research that occurs at the boundaries of disciplines. The 30 GRUs, as well as other national institutions of eminence, such as IITs, IIMs, and IISERs, can all serve as hubs of a network of higher education institutions that not only conduct research and development but also impart skills across all disciplines to millions of students, preparing them for the AI age.

GRUs are required immediately, even if India must first adapt and adopt technologies from others for a period of a decade. Once we have built capacity in GRUs to absorb the latest technology across all disciplines by 2036, we can embark on frontier research that will lay the foundations for India to become a leading technologically developed economy by 2047.

We estimate that each GRU will require government investment of about Rs 3,000 crore over a decade, the remaining coming from the private sector. This public investment of Rs 90,000 crore over 10 years will significantly boost R&D in India, encourage private sector investment in R&D, foster synergies with the commercialisation of R&D, and yield benefits that are multiples of the investment.

Technology enterprises

Basic research, which often occurs in universities or public institutions, is taken to market by technology enterprises. India has developed a vibrant start-up ecosystem for IT-enabled enterprises.

The GRU network will enable this nascent enterprise ecosystem to mature and spread across all regions of the country and to nurture technology enterprises in all sectors of the economy: from food and agriculture to healthcare, education, life sciences, aerospace, defence, AI products and AI-enabled services.

The growth of inventions and the resultant patents (intellectual property rights), and the use of these new inventions by technology enterprises are required for India to emerge as a producer of technology services and products, including electronic hardware required for the new AI-enabled global economy.

Manufacturing of new technology products (e.g., AI, Quantum Computing, Robotics, Life Sciences) is essential not only for sustained economic growth but also for managing risks to national security, defence, and natural disasters.

Building such a technology economy requires a New Technology Ecosystem comprising GRUs and domestic Technology Enterprises housed within these 30 Research Parks, contained in modern, sustainable urban habitats (Viksit Bharat Nagars). This new technology ecosystem must be built by the Government of India as a major component of a long-term national strategy to build domestic technological prowess.

Research Parks and Viksit Bharat Nagars

To facilitate the translation of research into commercial activity, every GRU and other R&D Hub needs to be surrounded by research parks that host technology enterprises.

If 30 such research parks are implemented under BHAVYA, each covering an area of 1,500 acres (600 hectares or 6 sq km) with infrastructure investment of Rs 600-700 crore, the total outlay of about Rs 20,000 crore over a decade is achievable, since BHAVYA has already been allocated Rs 33,660 crore by the Government of India. Each research park will require an enterprise incubator or pollinator as a nucleus. This will create a fully integrated ecosystem that enables the scaling up and commercialisation of research.

Over time, a new urban area (new technology city or Viksit Bharat Nagar) will develop around the GRU and Research Park. The development of 30 Viksit Bharat Nagars (VBNs), each covering around 30 sq km with a potential population of 5 lakh, will require an investment of approximately Rs 90,000 crore by the public sector and roughly three times that amount by the private sector over a decade.

This public investment will not only create physical infrastructure but also create interoperable digital public infrastructure that enables private companies to ride on it. APIs and transparent protocols should be set up to enable communication between software (public or private) without interfering with the underlying digital framework. This would be a perfect example of entrepreneurial governance where the government acts as the key enabler for innovation and enterprise and sets the tone for Indias pole position in the AI revolution.

Leading the AI revolution demands resolve, strategy and execution. Consistent with the government's resolve, we have outlined three key components of the strategy for a New Technology Ecosystem for AI, a comprehensive framework comprising Global Research Universities, Technology Enterprises, Research Parks, and Viksit Bharat Nagars.

With this strategy based on government investment of Rs 200,000 crore over a decade, accompanied by building institutions for digital public infrastructure, we can ensure the largest possible multiplier effect of public investment, and are certainly ready to take the opportunity to lead the AI revolution.

(Both authors are former Chief Secretaries of Punjab)

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.
Despite the ceasefire between Iran and the US and Israel, the Strait of Hormuz remained shuttered to international maritime traffic on Wednesday and Thursday.

Irans deputy foreign minister said his country will allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international norms and international law once the United States ends its aggression in the Middle East and Israel stops attacking Lebanon.

Saeed Khatibzadeh told the BBC on Thursday that Iran had closed the strait after U.S. ally Israel committed an intentional grave violation of the ceasefire.

He said you cannot have a cake and eat it at the same time. That was the message that Iran sent quite clearly, crystal-clearly, to Washington and to the Oval Office last night.

Khatibzadeh added: Definitely we are going to provide security for safe passage and it is going to happen after the United States actually withdraws this aggression. Does it mean that Iran is going to control the Strait of Hormuz in terms of letting ship by ship to go through that?

I think that we have shown to everybody that energy security is pivotal for Iran, is pivotal for this body of water in the Persian Gulf, and we are going to be abided by the international norms and international law.

Meanwhile, just three vessels transited the strait on the first day of the ceasefire, all with current or past links to Iran, the Lloyds List Intelligence maritime intelligence firm said Thursday.

Irans approval system for ships granted safe passage  after vetting by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps  remains unchanged despite U.S. President Donald Trumps demand for the strait to be reopened.

Last week was the busiest week since the start of the war with 72 passages, still 90% below normal volumes, Lloyds said. Most of the vessels allowed through are connected to Iran, although some Indian vessels have gotten through with diplomatic intervention by the Indian government.

The US demanded on Wednesday that Iran immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the Islamic Republic claimed that it closed the waterway in response to Israeli attacks against the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon. US President Donald Trump had previously stated that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire.

On Thursday morning, Trump threatened Iran that the war will resume if it fails to reopen the strait, warning that all US military assets will remain in the region until the Islamic Republic complies with a real agreement.

(AP & YWN Israel DeskJerusalem)

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)
The IDF announced on Wednesday evening, Motzei Pesach, that it carried out its largest series of airstrikes against Hezbollah since the start of Operation Roaring Lion, targeting over 100 Hezbollah sites in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley, and southern Lebanon.

The operation, dubbed by the IDF as Eternal Darkness, was carried out by 50 fighter jets, which dropped 160 bombs on 100 targets in 10 minutes.

The IDF said that most of the sites were located in the heart of civilian areas as part of Hezbollahs exploitation of Lebanese civilians as human shields.

The IDF added that Hezbollah has left its former stronghold in Dahiyeh in southern Beirut and was repositioning itself in northern Beirut and mixed areas of the city.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz also issued a statement, calling the strikes the largest blow to Hezbollah since the pager operation.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Motzei Yom Tov in Israel)
The IDF announced on Wednesday that an IDF soldier was killed during combat in southern Lebanon and five soldiers were wounded.

The soldier was identified as Staff Sgt. Touvel Yosef Lifshiz, Hyd, 20, from Beit Shean. He served in the Golanis 13th Battalion.

The incident occurred around noon on Tuesday when Golani soldiers encountered a Hezbollah terrorist cell, triggering a heavy exchange of fire at close range.

Lifshiz was killed during the gun battle, and five soldiers were wounded, one seriously and the others moderately and lightly.

The other soldiers carried out an evacuation under fire.

(YWN Israel DeskJerusalem)
RAMALLAH, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced Thursday the killing of a Palestinian man by Israeli army fire in the West Bank.

In a brief statement, the ministry said that Alaa Khaled Mohammed Sbeih, 28, was killed by Israeli army fire on Wednesday night near the village of Tayasir, east of Tubas, and his body was being held by the Israeli authorities.

Local sources and eyewitnesses reported that villagers confronted an attack by settler groups before Israeli forces stormed the village and opened fire, wounding Sbeih and preventing medical teams from reaching him to provide treatment.

The Israeli army has not issued any official statement regarding the incident.

However, the Israeli public radio reported that Sbeih had struck a settler in the head with a rock, inflicting serious injuries, and that the settler was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The West Bank has witnessed escalating tensions for months, coinciding with the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. According to Palestinian statistics, more than 1,080 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 7, 2023. 
US President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Thursday morning, warning that all US military assets will remain in the region until the Islamic Republic complies with a real agreement.

All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with, Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the Shootin Starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.

It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE. In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest.

AMERICA IS BACK! Trump concluded.

Trumps statements came after Iran continued to block the Strait of Hormuz, claiming it is doing so due to Israels strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday. Trump had previously stated that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire.

US Vice President JD Vance claimed that there was a legitimate misunderstanding, saying that Iran thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, but it didnt.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday evening, Vance said, We never made that promise. What we said is that the ceasefire would be focused on Iran and on Americas allies, both Israel and the Gulf Arab states.

He claimed that Israel has offered to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon, emphasizing that it is not part of the ceasefire, but rather an effort to make sure that our negotiations are successful.

Vance warned that if Iran allows negotiations to fall apart over issues unrelated to the ceasefiresuch as Lebanonthats ultimately their choice.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)
Classes resumed in most schools across Israel on Thursday morning, Isru Chag, following the end of Pesach and the ceasefire between Iran and the US and Israel. Schools have been closed in Israel since Shabbos Zachor, February 28, when Operation Roaring Lion began.

On Wednesday evening, Motzei Pesach, the IDFs Home Front Command announced that, beginning at 6 a.m. on Thursday, almost all wartime restrictions will be lifted. Until further notice, gatherings are limited to 1,000 people. Also, some restrictions remained in place in northern Israel due to ongoing Hezbollah rocket fire.

The Kosel and other mekomos kedoshim reopened on Thursday morning to up to 1,000 visitors and mispallelim after being restricted to 50 mispallelim throughout the war.

Due to expectations of large crowds hoping to fulfill the minhag of aliyah laregel, Jerusalem District Police Commander Avshalom Peled ordered increased operational readiness ahead of the reopening. Hundreds of police officers, Border Police forces, and volunteers were deployed throughout Jerusalem on Thursdayon main routes, in the Old City, and at mekomos kedoshimto ensure safe access while maintaining public order.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch on Thursday morning announced changes to the upcoming summer vacation during a visit to the Chaviv School in Rishon LTzion, including an additional budget of 750 million shekels.

Speaking to the press, Kisch said he is advancing preparations for a government decision to fund an expanded summer school program, explaining that it is a necessity due to the war.

Under his plan, Israels existing summer school program, which until now served kindergarten children and students up to 3rd grade for three weeks, will be extended for another three weeks and will be expanded to include students up to 6th grade. In addition, a new summer preparatory program will be established for middle school students in 7th-9th grades.

Educational routine is an anchor of security for our children, Kisch said. Davka now, our responsibility is to strengthen their resilience through a stable, supportive, and continuous framework. Extending the summer program will ensure continuity, stability, and a sense of security, and provide an important response for Israels children.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday evening announced he had directed the cabinet to move forward with direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, following repeated appeals from Beirut to advance such a process.

Netanyahu said the talks will focus on disarming Hezbollah and potentially formalizing peace relations between Israel and Lebanon.

The announcement comes amid continuous Hezbollah fire at northern Israel on Thursday and Irans threats to continue blocking the Strait of Hormuz due to Israels attacks on Hezbollah. As of 7 p.m. on Thursday, Hezbollah fired about 70 rockets at Israel.

Netanyahu noted that Israel appreciates the Lebanese prime ministers call to demilitarize Beirut. The negotiations are expected to begin next week.

An Israeli official told Channel 14 that the talks are expected to take place under fire, and that Israel is preparing to continue strikes in Lebanon alongside diplomatic efforts.

Against the backdrop of the announcement, Channel 12 Newsciting journalist Barak Ravidreported that Netanyahu held phone calls with U.S. President Donald Trump and White House envoy Steve Witkoff, during which Witkoff asked Netanyahu to de-escalate strikes in Lebanon in order not to prevent the collapse of the ceasefire with Iran.

It was also reported, citing a senior Israeli official, that Israels ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, is expected to lead the direct negotiations with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Israeli sources told Kan News that one objective of the IDF operations in southern Lebanon is to compel the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)
BERLIN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- German industrial output fell again in February, official data showed Thursday, in a fresh blow to the sector's fragile recovery. Analysts warned escalating Middle East tension could raise downside risks facing Europe's largest economy.

Industrial production dropped 0.3 percent month-on-month, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said, as notable declines in construction, electronics and pharmaceuticals outweighed a 1.7-percent rise in automotive output.

Over the three months to February, the production fell 0.4 percent, underscoring a loss of momentum after tentative signs of a rebound in the second half of last year, according to Destatis.

"The temporary hopes of recovery that had emerged last autumn have faded again now," said Elmar Voelker, senior analyst at the Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg (LBBW), adding that German industry had made an exceptionally weak start for the year.

The figures highlight "the unexpected difficulties German industry is up against while trying to gain positive momentum," Carsten Brzeski, global head of macro at ING Research, said in a note on Thursday, warning that industrial activity may be slipping back into contraction.

Brzeski added that the data still predated the recent Middle East escalation, which is likely to weigh further on the outlook. "The conflict in the Middle East, no matter how sustainable an announced ceasefire will be, will leave clear marks on German economy over the next few months," he said.

German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy also flagged geopolitical risks, warning in a statement that industrial activity could weaken in the second quarter amid rising uncertainty, with the outlook hinging largely on how the conflict in the Middle East evolves.

Beyond geopolitics, Voelker cautioned that Germany's industrial sector remained mired in a prolonged struggle with structural headwinds that show little sign of easing. 
JOHANNESBURG, April 9 (Xinhua) -- A senior South African official on Thursday encouraged youths from BRICS countries to strengthen collaboration in research, innovation, and the application of indigenous knowledge to deepen people-to-people ties.

Speaking at the fourth BRICS Youth Innovation Summit in Pretoria, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga highlighted the importance of cooperation in research, enterprise, art and cultural exchange, stressing that BRICS' strength lies not only in trade and finance but in shared intellectual and cultural connections.

"The strength of BRICS will never reside solely in trade agreements or development finance. It will reside in the depth of the connection between the peoples of its member states. People-to-people relations, cultural exchange, academic mobility, artistic collaboration, and shared intellectual production are the infrastructure of lasting solidarity," she said.

The minister called on young people to help shape global artificial intelligence governance, develop indigenous technological capacity, and protect citizen data.

"The future of BRICS countries will be written by those who think most clearly, not by those who shout the loudest," she said.

The event was organized by the South African non-governmental organization, the South African BRICS Youth Association, in partnership with Tshwane University of Technology. 
BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese state organs recently urged online platforms to earnestly fulfill their responsibilities and standardize price competition practices.

The State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission held a meeting on Wednesday, which flagged price compliance problems among some platform companies. The meeting urged the firms to promptly rectify any misconduct, voluntarily uphold market order, and effectively curb price-related violations.

The meeting called on platform companies to strictly regulate subsidy practices and curb malicious price competition, noting that they must not make false or exaggerated claims about the scale or intensity of their subsidies.

Platform companies should fully respect merchants' independent pricing rights and are strictly prohibited from interfering in pricing behavior, according to the meeting. It also said that firms should better safeguard consumers' legitimate rights and interests, refrain from charging unlisted fees, and avoid false promotions, price fraud and other forms of misconduct.

During the meeting, market regulators said that they will continue to strengthen oversight of price competition and step up efforts to address rat race competition, in a bid to foster a market environment characterized by fair competition.

In December 2025, the three state organs jointly issued a set of guidelines on online platforms' pricing practices. The guidelines are set to take effect on April 10 this year and remain valid for five years.

Maintaining fair market competition is a key task highlighted in the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). The outline calls for improving market regulation rules, unifying standards and enhancing regulatory capabilities to foster a market order characterized by high quality, fair pricing and healthy competition. 
JERUSALEM, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Israel's cabinet has approved the establishment of 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, Israeli media reported Thursday.

Ministers voted on the plan two weeks ago, but the decision was kept under wraps to avoid potential U.S. pressure to halt it amid the joint U.S.-Israeli military fighting against Iran, the Israeli i24News reported.

A map published by the channel showed the planned settlements around the Palestinian city of Jenin, south of Nablus, in the area between Bethlehem and Hebron, and in additional locations where there has so far been no Israeli presence. The plans include entirely new settlements as well as existing outposts that were established without Israeli permits and are set to be retroactively legalized.

The decision also includes a clause concerning the construction of energy and water infrastructure.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The anti-settlement Peace Now group said the 34 newly approved settlements bring the total number authorized by Netanyahu's current government to 102, including 68 approved since the formation of this government. The government includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.

"The establishment of settlements harms security, places an abnormal burden on the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), and undermines the possibility of resolving the conflict and achieving any future security and peace," the group said in a statement.

Following the Israeli decision, the Palestinian Presidency condemned the move on Thursday, considering it a "dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation" of international law and UN resolutions.

Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East War. The settlements it has built there, and its military occupation, are considered illegal under international law.

Palestinian officials have repeatedly warned that measures expanding settlements and extending Israeli civilian authority in the West Bank undermine prospects for a future Palestinian state. 
This episode was made with the help of AI.

For weeks, Cuba has been facing a severe oil shortage. Diesel is scarce, power grids are faltering, and hospitals are being forced to scale back services. What is driving this crisis  and what role do the United States play?

In this episode of Im Krisenmodus (In Crisis Mode), FUNKE war correspondent Jan Jessen speaks with Dr. Claudia Zilla (German Institute for International and Security Affairs) about the connections to Venezuela. Prof. Dr. Bert Hoffmann (GIGA / Freie Universitat Berlin), who was in Cuba in February, shares first-hand insights into the situation on the ground. Together, they explore where developments may be heading  and what will be decisive in the weeks ahead.

Guests

Dr. Claudia Zilla  Senior Fellow, Research Division Americas

German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Berlin

Prof. Dr. Bert Hoffmann  Lead Research Fellow & Editor GIGA Focus Latin America,

GIGA  German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg;

Honorary Professor, Freie Universitat Berlin

Host

Jan Jessen  Head of Politics at NRZ and War and Crisis Reporter for the FUNKE Mediengruppe

 Chapter Overview

1  Oil Cut Off, Pressure Rising: Why Cuba Is Back in Focus

Jan Jessen sets the scene: Venezuela is opening economically without political reform, while US oil policies are increasing pressure on Cuba. What does this mean for people on the island  and could diplomacy replace confrontation?

2  Venezuela as the Key: Economic Change Without Political Transition

Dr. Claudia Zilla explains how Caracas is liberalizing parts of its economy, especially in energy and mining, without fundamentally changing its political system.

3  Liberalization Does Not Equal Democratization

Zilla highlights that reduced repression does not automatically lead to free elections or meaningful political participation.

4  Cuba = Venezuela: Geography, Power Structures, and Symbolism

A comparison of the two systems: Cubas island geography, limited resources, tightly knit power structures linked to the military  and its unique symbolic legacy.

5  Why Cuba Matters to Washington

Zilla outlines US interests beyond oil: the military-controlled conglomerate GAESA, tourism and the global image of Havana, unresolved property claims, and the political influence of Cuban exiles in Florida.

6  Scenarios Without Military Intervention

Rather than boots on the ground, Zilla considers negotiations with Cubas ruling elite as the more likely path, possibly involving leadership changes but maintaining continuity within the system.

7  Everyday Life Under Pressure

Prof. Hoffmann describes the reality in Cuba: fuel shortages disrupt transport, water systems fail, and hospitals struggle  affecting nearly every aspect of daily life.

8  Why Cuba?  A US Perspective

Hoffmann explains the geopolitical and symbolic importance of Cuba: its proximity to the US, domestic political pressure, and economic interests in tourism and real estate.

9  Escalation Scenarios: Conflict or Negotiation?

Why a US invasion is unlikely, what risks it would entail, and how internal political shifts in Havana could unfold.

10  The Tanker Question: A ing Factor

Will fuel shipments reach Cuba? Hoffmann emphasizes that US decisions regarding oil tankers could determine whether the country gains temporary relief or faces a worsening humanitarian crisis.

11  Conclusion: Pressure, Daily Reality, Open Questions

A concise summary: causes (oil supply and US leverage), strategies (pressure and negotiation), consequences (life under scarcity), and the broader political significance of Cuba. Key uncertainties remain  including fuel deliveries, potential concessions from Havana, and pressure from exile communities.

Foreign Office

Current travel and security advice for Venezuela

 auswaertiges-amt.de

 Contact & Feedback

Questions, comments, or suggestions? Get in touch:

 krisenmodus@funkemedien.de

 Subscribe Now

Im Krisenmodus  available on all major podcast platforms:

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Deezer | YouTube

 New Episodes

Every two weeks, always on Wednesdays

Im Krisenmodus is a podcast by the FUNKE Mediengruppe
More than a few reports to consider tonight was we check court reporting, police action, local crackdowns and, as always, community outreach.

Check TKC news gathering . . .

Shooting at Independence apartment determined to be murder-suicide: police A shooting that left a man and a woman dead at an Independence, MO apartment complex is being investigated as a murder-suicide, police said.

Incarcerated-led program hosts its sixth annual symposium on justice reform in Kansas City Reaching Out From Within held its sixth annual SuEllen Fried Courage to Change Symposium at the Kauffman Conference Center to discuss reshaping justice.

Missouri company behind gas station slot machines suspending operations amid criminal probe * Missouri Independent Under threat of criminal prosecution, Torch Electronics will suspend operations of its slot machine games in Missouri.

Missouri attorney general's kratom investigation now targeting supply chain Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that her office is expanding its statewide investigation into kratom and 7-OH products.

Rape arrest exposes alleged abuse by massage therapist - police search for more victims Police are searching for more potential victims after a rape arrest exposed alleged abuse by a metro area massage therapist.

KC woman gets 20 years despite self-defense claim, raising questions about prosecutor A Kansas City woman convicted of two felonies said she was defending herself during a violent confrontation.

9 years, 6 felonies, 1 stolen gun: Kansas City man sentenced in federal court A Kansas City man has been sentenced in federal court for being a felon in possession of a stolen firearm.

Man sentenced for 2023 shooting that left 3 dead, several hurt outside illegal nightclub A man was sentenced for a 2023 shooting that killed three, hurt others outside an illegal nightclub in Kansas City, the prosecutor said.

Motorcycle gang members face federal charges in Blue Springs shooting Two motorcycle gang members are facing federal consequences in a Blue Springs shooting.

New details revealed in stalking case of former Bonner Springs police detective Newly obtained court documents are revealing new details about a former Bonner Springs, Kansas police detective suspected of using department resources to monitor and stalk his wife while on duty.

Kan. community reports the off-duty death of police officer Zachary Garcia-Kerns Lawrence Police DepartmentDOUGLAS COUNTY - With d

This Kansas City murder is still unsolved 85 years later. What happened? A 2025 book has reignited some of the curiosity about the 1941 murder of a local heiress.

New faces in Kansas policing shaking up the status quo Three of eastern Kansas' top police officers are bringing major changes to their shops. They are linked by common ideas.

Developing . . .
As the weather warms up there's an inevitable uptick in deadly local gun violence.

Early this morning a fight amongst several people ended in gunfire and tragedy and what is likely KCMO's 30th homicide so far this year . . . Lower than 40 killings at this same time last year.

Here's the report that police are sharing with local media . . .

Homicide 400 blk of Wallace

This morning, just after 12:45 AM, patrol officers responded to the 400 block of Wallace on a reported shooting.



As officers arrived they were directed to the backyard of a residence on Wallace. There officers located an adult female victim suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers immediately began performing live saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. KCFD Medics responded and pronounced the victim deceased. While on scene an additional victim arrived at a local hospital via private conveyance. The adult male victim has injuries from a gunshot wound that are considered non life threatening.



This is being investigated as a homicide and no one is in custody at this point. Preliminary information revealed there was an altercation between multiple people before shots were fired and the victims were struck. Detectives and crime scene personnel are on scene canvassing the area for witnesses, surveillance footage, and any available physical evidence.



If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.



We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouris Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the States administering agency.

##############

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Woman killed, man hurt in shooting early Thursday in Kansas City A woman was killed and a man was injured in a shooting after midnight April 9 in Kansas City, MO on Wallace Avenue, police said.

Woman killed, man shot in overnight homicide KCPD says they believe there was an altercation between multiple people before shots were fired and the victims were struck.

Developing . . .
Or favorite headline of the past few weeks . . .

Vanity Fair: "A Blue Wave Is Building. Democrats Could Still Find a Way to Screw It Up."

Locally . . .

We notice a lot of Kansas City denizens opposed to the war in Iran, in doubt of the ceasefire and seemingly open to socialist messaging that doesn't play in any other part of the Midwest beyond a few college town vegan restaurants.

Still . . .

Here's a peek at the local conversation . . .

Organizers described it as an emergency protest, pointing to recent rhetoric from the president and growing concerns about escalation.



Several groups helped organize the event, including Boots on the Ground Midwest, Physicians for Social Responsibility and Veterans for Peace.



Mitch Schiller, a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, said the issue goes beyond foreign policy.



That $1.5 trillion they want to spend on the military next year. Thats our health care. Thats our education, Schiller said. So it really does matter.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Kansas City protesters rally on Plaza calling for end to war in Iran Dozens of protesters gathered Wednesday evening at the Country Club Plaza, calling for an end to the war in Iran.

Related . . .

Donald Trump says US military "loading up" for next conquest President Donald Trump has said the U.S. military is "looking forward" to its next conquest after a ceasefire deal was reached with Iran.

Scores killed as Israel strikes central Beirut after saying Iran ceasefire doesn't apply there Israeli strikes have hit central Beirut without warning, causing panic after the announcement of the ceasefire in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

US 'must choose between war and ceasefire', Iranian minister tells BBC Iran's deputy foreign minister says Israeli strikes on Lebanon are a 'grave violation' of the deal.

US ignoring evidence Russia is helping Iran because it trusts Putin, says Zelenskyy Ukraine's president says he has tried to draw White House's attention to collaboration between Moscow and Tehran over strikes on US bases

Ceasefire in the Iran war teeters in the face of disagreements over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz A tentative ceasefire in the Iran war is staggering under the weight of Israel's intense bombardment of Beirut, Tehran's continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and other differences.

Developing . . .
ROME, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday condemned any violation of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, and denied being "subservient" to U.S. President Donald Trump.

In an address to parliament, Meloni praised Pakistan's efforts in supporting the difficult negotiations between the two sides and expressed the hope that peace talks would begin soon. She emphasized that Italy condemns any breach of the ceasefire.

Meloni rejected the claims of being "subservience" to Trump, clarifying that Rome does not fully endorse Washington's actions. She has previously criticized U.S.-led strikes on Iran as part of a "dangerous" pattern of interventions outside international law, and opposed U.S. use of its military base in Sicily for operations targeting Iran.

"It is undeniable that we are experiencing a particularly difficult moment in the relations between Europe and the United States," she said, adding that Italy, together with the European Union, is committed to building a defense capability that does not depend on the United States.

She called for strengthening NATO in a way that allows Europe to "courageously build the European pillar of the alliance, first and foremost to guarantee its own security."

Addressing lawmakers, she also reiterated her condemnation of the Israeli warning shots fired at Italian UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicles on Wednesday, urging Israel to halt its military escalation in Lebanese territory, which has caused increasing casualties and displacement. 
Thank you for signing up!

Youll soon be getting your Toronto scoop in your inbox.

Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Lithuania is interested in advancing cooperation with Azerbaijan in transport and logistics, energy, trade, digitalization, education, and people-to-people contacts, Prime Minister of Lithuania Inga Ruginiene said in an exclusive interview with Trend, as she visited Baku.

"My visit has several important purposes. First, it is about giving new momentum to Lithuanias bilateral relations with Azerbaijan and strengthening direct political dialogue at a high level. Our countries marked 30 years of diplomatic relations recently, and this is a good moment to look forward and identify where our cooperation can become more practical, more regular, and more ambitious.

Second, this visit reflects Lithuanias broader interest in a stable, connected, and economically resilient South Caucasus. Azerbaijan is an important regional actor, and we believe that closer, pragmatic engagement can serve both our bilateral interests and wider European interests. Lithuania is particularly interested in advancing cooperation in transport and logistics, energy, trade, digitalisation, education, and people-to-people contacts. I also hope to exchange views on regional security and on how we can contribute to stability and connectivity in the wider region," she said.

The PM notes that Azerbaijan and Lithuania are discussing concrete ways to strengthen bilateral engagement in areas where both sides see clear mutual benefit  particularly transport, connectivity, energy, economic diversification, education, and business ties.

"In the current environment, practical cooperation matters greatly. Europe is facing a prolonged security crisis caused by Russias war against Ukraine, pressure on energy markets, and broader geopolitical fragmentation. In this context, strengthening partnerships with reliable and strategically located countries such as Azerbaijan is important, provided such cooperation is transparent, rules-based, and beneficial to both sides," a Ruginiene noted.

Cooperation in traditional and green energy

The PM pointed out that her country sees strong prospects for broader energy cooperation. Azerbaijan has become an important and reliable energy partner for Europe, especially at a time when the need to diversify supply routes and reduce vulnerabilities remains strategically important.

"For Lithuania, energy security is not an abstract issue  it is directly linked to sovereignty, resilience, and our ability to withstand geopolitical pressure. At the same time, we believe the next phase of cooperation should increasingly include the green transition.

Lithuania is interested not only in traditional energy security, but also in the long-term transformation of Europes energy systems. Lithuanian companies can offer experience in solar solutions, clean technologies, digital systems, water management, and other technologies relevant to sustainable infrastructure and energy efficiency. We see value in working with Azerbaijan on both tracks: strengthening energy connectivity today and investing in cleaner, future-oriented solutions for tomorrow. This is particularly relevant in a world where energy security, economic competitiveness, and climate goals are becoming more closely interconnected. In our view, green energy cooperation can become an important additional pillar of LithuaniaAzerbaijan relations," added Ruginiene.

As for mutual support, for Azerbaijan playing a role of a gateway to Central Asia for Lithuania, and Lithuania as a gateway to the Baltic states for Azerbaijan she believes that this is one of the most promising strategic ideas in the two countries' relationship.

"Azerbaijan has an important geographic and political role in connecting Europe with Central Asia and the wider Caspian region. Lithuania, for its part, is well positioned as a gateway to the Baltic region, Northern Europe, and the European Unions internal market, especially through its transport infrastructure, logistics sector, and the port of Klaipeda. For Lithuania, this is not only about trade in the narrow sense. It is also about building resilient connectivity in a changing geopolitical environment. Russias aggression against Ukraine has forced Europe to rethink supply chains, transit routes, and the broader architecture of connectivity across Eurasia. In that context, routes that strengthen links between Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia have growing strategic value. So I see this gateway concept as a practical partnership of mutual benefit. Azerbaijan can help open routes and opportunities further east, while Lithuania can provide access westward into the Baltic and Nordic region and into broader EU markets. If supported by stronger transport links, business contacts, and institutional coordination, this could become a meaningful area of long-term cooperation," said Lithuania's PM.

Broader investment opportunities

Ruginiene believes that there is clear room to expand investment cooperation, because current levels remain below the real potential of the two countries' economies.

"Lithuania is interested in practical sectors where it can offer know-how and where Azerbaijani partners may see value  such as ICT, digital governance, cybersecurity, the food industry, green solutions, tourism, and transport-related services. Lithuanian companies have strong expertise in digitalization, efficient public services, solar technologies, water management, engineering solutions, and high-quality food production, including dairy and other agricultural products. These are areas where there may be opportunities for commercial partnerships, including in reconstruction and development projects where modern infrastructure and sustainable solutions are needed.

At the same time, Lithuania would welcome greater Azerbaijani investment in sectors where our country can offer strategic access and a stable business environment  especially logistics, transport, manufacturing, tourism, and selected innovation sectors. Lithuania can serve as a practical entry point to the EU market. Our interest is not only to increase trade figures, but to build two-way economic ties that are more diversified, more resilient, and less vulnerable to geopolitical shocks. Of course, for any investment partnership to succeed, predictability, transparency, and confidence between institutions and businesses are essential. That is why political dialogue and practical economic cooperation should go hand in hand," she added.

Closer cooperation in logistics, enhancing Middle Corridor

The PM said her country sees strong potential for closer cooperation between the ports of Klaipeda and Baku as part of a broader effort to improve EastWest connectivity. Ports are not just infrastructure assets; in todays geopolitical reality, they are strategic nodes that shape trade patterns, supply-chain resilience, and economic security.

"Lithuania is interested in more active cooperation between port authorities, logistics companies, and transport institutions. This could include closer business-to-business engagement, exchange of expertise, better alignment along multimodal transport chains, and stronger promotion of joint cargo routes. The more efficiently we connect maritime, rail, and road links, the greater the benefits for both sides. For Lithuania, Klaipeda is a key national asset and an important gateway for regional trade. We believe its cooperation with Baku could contribute to the wider connectivity agenda linking the Caspian region with the Baltic Sea. This would not only support bilateral trade but also strengthen alternative routes that are increasingly important for Europes economic resilience," said Ruginiene.

The prime minister highlighted Lithuania's support to the Trans-Caspian Transport Route, or the Middle Corridor, "because it has become strategically more important in the current geopolitical situation".

"Europe needs stronger connectivity with Central Asia and beyond, and it also needs routes that reduce dependence on transit corridors affected by Russias destabilising role. In that sense, the Middle Corridor is not only an economic project but also part of a broader resilience strategy. We see Azerbaijan as one of the key countries in making this corridor more efficient and competitive. Lithuanias interest is very practical: we want to contribute to stronger EuropeAsia connectivity, to diversify trade routes, and to create new opportunities for our transport, logistics, and business sectors. We are particularly interested in how our infrastructure, especially Klaipeda port, can be better integrated into these wider networks.

If the Middle Corridor becomes faster, more predictable, and more commercially attractive, both Lithuania and Azerbaijan stand to benefit. Azerbaijan strengthens its role as a regional hub, while Lithuania strengthens its position as an entry point to the Baltic and Northern European markets. In todays environment, this kind of cooperation is valuable not only economically, but strategically as well," she added.

As for the prospects for opening direct flights, Lithuanian PM noted that this would make a real difference.

"They would support business contacts, tourism, academic exchanges, and broader people-to-people ties. Better aviation links would help turn interest into real exchanges and concrete projects. For Lithuania, stronger connectivity with Azerbaijan also fits into a broader objective of building closer ties between Europe and the South Caucasus. Aviation is an important part of that. It is not only about convenience, it is also about making cooperation more regular, more visible, and more commercially viable. Naturally, such decisions depend on market conditions and airline interest, but from a political perspective we see direct connectivity as a positive and forward-looking step. We would welcome discussions that help bring our societies and business communities closer together," Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene concluded.
MINSK, Belarus, April 9. The ambassadors of Azerbaijan and Belarus highly appreciated the signing of an agreement to assemble a new batch of municipal vehicles (100 units) based on the Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) chassis at the Ganja Automobile Plant (GAZ), Trend's special correspondent reports.

The agreement was signed as part of the implementation of the instructions of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko given during the Belarusian leader's state visit to Azerbaijan.

The document was signed by Khanlar Fatiyev, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Ganja Automobile Plant Production Association and MP, and Valery Ivankovich, General Director of MAZ OJSC. The cooperation between the plants aims to expand and strengthen the bilateral economic ties between Azerbaijan and Belarus established by President Ilham Aliyev and President Alexander Lukashenko.

In an interview with Trend, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Belarus Maharram Aliyev emphasized the high level of relations between the countries and the importance of expanding economic cooperation.

"Today, our goal is to increase economic cooperation to one billion manat ($590,000), in accordance with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev. The new agreement between GAZ and MAZ will contribute to the development of economic relations between our countries. Warm relations between our heads of state and our peoples contribute to the development of relations in all areas, including culture and tourism," the head of the diplomatic mission noted.

In an interview with Trend, Belarusian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Dmitry Pinevich noted the effectiveness of long-standing cooperation and the importance of joint economic activities.

"The current trend is the creation of joint ventures and cooperation projects in various sectors of industry, mechanical engineering, agriculture, modern technology, and educational programs. The new agreement between GAZ and MAZ is a crucial component in the development of industrial cooperation between our countries and the fulfillment of the instructions of our heads of state to further mutually beneficial economic cooperation between our countries," the head of the diplomatic mission noted.

On March 2, the first batch of municipal vehicles produced within this cooperation was presented to President Ilham Aliyev. The high assessment given by the head of state served as a strong incentive to further deepen this productive cooperation.

The municipal vehicles are equipped with modern systems developed and assembled in Ganja. They are designed to service urban infrastructure throughout the country and contribute to the modernization of Azerbaijans municipal fleet.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. A delegation led by Mazahir Panahov, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan, has departed for Hungary to observe the countrys parliamentary elections, the Media and Communications Department of the CEC Secretariat told Trend.

The visit is being carried out at the invitation of Attila Mihaly Nagy, President of Hungarys National Election Office. The purpose of the visit is to monitor the parliamentary elections scheduled to take place in Hungary on April 12.

As part of the program, Panahov is expected to hold meetings with his Hungarian counterpart and other officials, as well as with heads of election management bodies from various countries participating in the observation process. The discussions will focus on the exchange of experience in election administration, prospects for expanding cooperation, and other issues of mutual interest.

CEC representatives will also familiarize themselves with pre-election preparations in the capital, Budapest, and observe the voting process at polling stations on election day.

The CEC is also represented in the observation mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR).
Photo: Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. The current state and development prospects of cooperation in political, economic, transport, energy, and other fields have been discussed between Azerbaijan and Lithuania, Trend reports citing the statement of the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers.

The discussion was held during the meeting between Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov and his Lithuanian counterpart Inga Ruginiene, who is on an official visit to the country.

The parties highly appreciated the successful development of relations between the two countries and emphasized favorable opportunities for further expansion of cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The meeting paid special attention to the issues of deepening economic cooperation, increasing trade turnover, and promoting investment opportunities, as well as noted the importance of the intergovernmental commission activities in this context.

Besides, the discussion involved prospects for cooperation in the field of transport and logistics, and opportunities for expanding mutual activities on the Middle Corridor and other international transport routes were considered.

Opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector were also in the spotlight.

The parties also discussed cooperation issues within the framework of international organizations and noted the importance of developing Azerbaijan's relations with the European Union.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. President Ilham Aliyev has addressed the entire Christian community of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the holy Easter holiday, Trend reports.

"Dear Compatriots,

I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and the entire Christian community of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the holy Easter holiday, and convey my best wishes for your happiness and well-being.

The atmosphere of tolerance that has flourished in Azerbaijan for centuries has played a pivotal role in fostering exemplary and harmonious relations among the members of diverse peoples, faiths, and beliefs living in our country. We value the historically rooted ethno-cultural diversity, national-moral values, and multicultural traditions of our society as a unique asset of modern statehood.

Today, the democratic and legal principles upheld in our country ensure extensive opportunities for everyone, regardless of language, religion, or ethnic backgroundincluding the Christian communityto preserve their unique customs, traditions, language, and culture. I am pleased to note that our Christian compatriots actively participate in socio-political and cultural life, making meaningful contributions to the comprehensive development of our independent state.

Dear Friends,

Easter, as a symbol of revival, renewal, and mercy, is celebrated solemnly in Azerbaijan every year. Once again, I convey my sincere holiday greetings to each of you and wish prosperity to your families and abundance to your homes.

Happy Holidays!" the address reads.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, held a phone conversation on April 8 to discuss the current security situation in the region, Trend reports via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the call, Bayramov welcomed the ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran, emphasizing that it represents an important step toward reducing tensions, strengthening stability, and improving the humanitarian situation.

The Azerbaijani side particularly praised the significant role played by Pakistan in facilitating the ceasefire. Efforts by the friendly and brotherly country to promote peace and stability in the region, foster dialogue between the parties, and build trust were highly appreciated. The parties also expressed hope for successful outcomes from the upcoming talks in Islamabad.

Bayramov commended Pakistans consistent and principled position, as well as its constructive initiatives.

The ministers also exchanged views on other regional and international issues of mutual interest and discussed prospects for further developing the Azerbaijan-Pakistan partnership.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Sahiba Gafarova, met with participants of the third meeting of friendship groups of the parliaments of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the parliamentary press service told Trend.

The meeting brought together delegations led by Speaker of the Parliament of Northern Cyprus Ziya Ozturkler and head of the Turkiye-Azerbaijan interparliamentary friendship group Shamil Ayrim.

Welcoming the guests, Sahiba Gafarova recalled the statement by President Ilham Aliyev that our family is the Turkic world, emphasizing that ongoing efforts to strengthen relations between the countries and their peoples reflect this vision.

During the meeting, it was highlighted that cooperation among the countries is successfully developing at the parliamentary level, both bilaterally and within a trilateral framework. The importance of the Azerbaijan-Turkiye-Northern Cyprus format was underscored, with regular meetings contributing to stronger interparliamentary cooperation, the protection of shared interests, and enhanced solidarity.

Gafarova noted that discussions taking place in Baku within the trilateral format would further deepen cooperation between the legislative bodies.

Ziya Ozturkler expressed gratitude for Azerbaijans solidarity, friendship, and support toward Northern Cyprus, describing the establishment of a friendship group with Northern Cyprus in the Azerbaijani Parliament as an important step.

Shamil Ayrim, for his part, stressed the importance of maintaining strong parliamentary ties between the friendly and brotherly countries and shared views on further expanding cooperation within the trilateral format.

The meeting also included an exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
TEHRAN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's atomic chief said on Thursday that demands by the "enemies" to restrict the country's uranium enrichment program are nothing but a pipe dream.

President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami made the remarks in an address to reporters during a funeral ceremony held in Tehran to mark the 40th day after the death of the country's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Nour News, affiliated with the country's Supreme National Security Council.

Eslami said, "These are dreams that they will take to their graves with themselves. No law or individual can prevent the advancement of this (Iran's uranium enrichment) program."

He stressed that speaking of making Iran give up its right to uranium enrichment is nonsensical, adding all conspiracies and measures by the enemies, including the recent "brutal" war against Iran, have failed to yield any result, "and now that they seek to achieve the outcome they desire through negotiation, such remarks are solely aimed at consoling themselves and Israelis."

The AEOI chief said, "After decades of enmity and hostile actions, today, the enemies have reached a stage of desperation, and their call for a ceasefire is proof of their defeat."

A two-week ceasefire was announced between Iran, the United States, and Israel early Wednesday to give diplomacy another chance.

In a Wednesday post on social media platform Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran will not enrich uranium, adding, "The United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) Nuclear 'Dust.'"

This comes as Iran's authorities have repeatedly stressed that under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, uranium enrichment at levels considered peaceful is among the country's rights. 
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Development of cooperation has been discussed between the parliaments of Azerbaijan and Lithuania, the statement of the Azerbaijani parliament says, Trend reports.

The discussion was held during a meeting between the Speaker of Azerbaijan's Parliament, Sahiba Gafarova, and Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene, who is on an official visit to the country.

The meeting included an exchange of views on prospects for the development of existing friendly relations and mutual cooperation between the two countries.

Besides, the meeting noted that the official visit of the Lithuanian prime minister demonstrates the intention to further expand the sincere relations and cooperation existing between the states.

Welcoming the guest at the parliament, the speaker noted that the historically established ties between Azerbaijan and Lithuania, as well as the friendly relations between the peoples, create a solid foundation for the development of bilateral cooperation.

The conversation pointed out that the high-level mutual visits and political dialogue play an important role in expanding cooperation.

Gafarova noted that the documents signed between the countries have created a strong legal framework for cooperation and highlighted the importance of further expanding the contractual and legal base. The conversation noted importance of developing economic and trade relations in line with existing potential, and emphasized additional opportunities in this direction.

Touching upon humaninitarian cooperation, the speaker said that ties in education and culture play an important role in deepening relations between the peoples. She noted with satisfaction that a large number of Azerbaijani students are currently studying in Lithuanian higher education institutions, and that mutual cultural events are held.

Mentioning the importance of interparliamentary cooperation, the meeting stressed that mutual visits and the activities of working groups on interparliamentary relations contribute to the development of dialogue between legislative bodies. The importance of deepening cooperation between profile committees of the parliaments was discussed.

Ruginiene expressed her gratitude for the warm reception. Noting great importance attached by her country to developing relations with Azerbaijan, the guest highlighted the broad existing opportunities and stressed the importance of cooperation in the fields of economy, humanitarian affairs, defense, and security.

Mentioning that she is a member of the Azerbaijan friendship group in the Lithuanian parliament, the guest touched upon the role of parliaments in developing bilateral relations and undercored the importance of expanding the activities of working groups and promoting mutual visits.

After the meeting, the guests viewed the plenary hall of the Azerbaijani parliament and the Victory Corner established in the parliament foyer.

At the end, the guests took a commemorative photo.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. In the first quarter of 2026, the Baku Port of Azerbaijan Railways handled 423,124 tons of bulk cargo (urea, sulfur), approximately 46% more than in the same period last year, Trend reports via Azerbaijan Railways.

Meanwhile, it is reported that in March of this year, the port handled 162,000 tons of bulk cargo. This is 94% more than the figure for March of last year and also represents a record monthly result in terms of the volume of bulk cargo handled.

In addition, 78 vessels docked at the General Cargo Terminal of the Port of Baku in March, which, in turn, is a record figure.

Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) is the state-owned rail operator, established in 1880, operating over 2,100 km of active lines, with roughly 60% electrified. Serving as a key regional logistics hub, it connects the North-South and East-West corridors. Key routes include the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line, featuring modern Stadler trains and extensive Karabakh connectivity projects.

The Port of Baku, located in Alat, is a 400-hectare, 15-million-ton capacity hub connecting the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor) with Azerbaijan Railways. It handles Ro-Ro, ferry, and container traffic, with expansion plans to reach 25 million tons. Its integration with rail facilitates Eurasia transit.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 9. Uzbekistan dispatched a total of 76 block trains to China via the Altynkol station in Kazakhstan in the first quarter of 2026, Trend reports via Uzbek Uztemiryulkonteyner.

According to information, the bulk of shipments along the Tashkent railway hub-Altynkol route was handled by logistics centers in Sergeli, Tashkent, Chukursoy, Nazarbek, and Jalayir.

Over the reporting period, block trains consisting of 4,992 containers carrying export goods were organized. The cargo included mineral fertilizers, potassium, aluminum, mung beans, and polyethylene.

Uztemiryulkonteyner also noted that container transportation along the Tashkent railway hubAltynkol route is carried out using fitting platforms operated under its own management.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 9. Uzbekneftegaz and Chinas Tapline have discussed prospects for bilateral cooperation in gas transportation infrastructure, Trend reports via the Uzbek company.

The issue was reviewed during a meeting between Chairman of the Board of Uzbekneftegaz Abdulgani Sanginov and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tapline Zhong Fan.

Particular attention was given to the operations of the joint venture Asia Trans Gas, established in 2008.

The parties noted that the joint venture has ensured stable and reliable transportation of natural gas through three strings of the main gas pipeline running across Uzbekistans territory. The cooperation between the sides was described as demonstrating steady positive momentum and delivering practical results.

Following the meeting, the sides reaffirmed their mutual interest in further strengthening the partnership and expressed readiness to continue cooperation within the framework of ongoing joint projects.

Chinas Tapline is engaged in the development and operation of gas transportation infrastructure, including cross-border pipeline projects, with a focus on expanding regional connectivity.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. On April 2, 2026, PASHA Holding signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the World Economic Forum, marking an important milestone as it continues to expand international presence, Trend reports.

This partnership opens new opportunities for collaboration across key areas such as sustainable development, innovation, digital transformation, and inclusive economic growth. By engaging with the World Economic Forums global platform, PASHA Holding aims to contribute to forward-looking initiatives, exchange expertise, and support impactful projects that address regional and global challenges.

As PASHA Holding continues to strengthen its global presence, this partnership reflects its long-term commitment to building meaningful partnerships and creating sustainable value across the markets it serves.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, April 9. Political consultations between the foreign ministries of Turkmenistan and South Korea were held in Seoul on April 9, Trend reports via the Turkmen MFA.

The Turkmen delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Gurbanov, while the South Korean delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Cecilia Chung.

During the consultations, the two sides addressed a wide array of issues concerning the further development of political and diplomatic relations. Discussions also focused on expanding interparliamentary cooperation and strengthening the legal framework governing bilateral ties.

Significant attention was given to trade and economic collaboration, particularly in sectors such as energy, industrial construction, shipbuilding, water management, transport, infrastructure, and environmental protection.

The role of the Turkmen-Korean intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific, and technological cooperation, as well as the joint business council, was emphasized as pivotal in fostering bilateral economic relations.

Furthermore, the parties exchanged perspectives on regional and international matters, reiterating their commitment to continued cooperation, both bilaterally and within the context of international organizations.

The consultations also touched upon humanitarian cooperation, with particular focus on areas such as science, education, healthcare, culture, tourism, and sports.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, April 9. Turkmenistan and Pakistan discussed prospects for cooperation in trade, economic, and energy sectors, Trend reports via the Turkmen Embassy in Tajikistan.

The discussions took place during a meeting at the Embassy of Turkmenistan, where the Ambassador of Pakistan, Irfan Ahmed, and Ambassador Aymyrat Gochmyradov engaged in dialogue.

During the meeting, particular attention was given to the implementation of the TAPI gas pipeline project and the development of transport and transit corridors.

The sides also reviewed opportunities to expand cultural and humanitarian cooperation, as well as coordination within international organizations.

Earlier, the representatives of the Turkmen Embassy to Pakistan discussed prospects for strengthening cooperation in the energy sector with a delegation led by Kamran Ahmad, CEO of Pakistani oil company Orient Petroleum Inc. In the course of the meeting, the Pakistani side noted the strong potential for a mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries and expressed interest in expanding energy cooperation.

The Turkmen side briefed the delegation on Ashgabats ongoing strategy aimed at diversifying export routes, introducing advanced technologies in hydrocarbon extraction and processing, and expanding international energy cooperation.
Photo: Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Azerbaijan and Germany have discussed strengthening economic cooperation, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Economy.

The Deputy Minister of Economy, Samad Bashirli, met with Stefan Kupper, Chairman of the Board of Baden-Wurttemberg International Education (BiWE) and Executive Director for Policy, Education, and Labor Market at the Sudwestmetall Industrial Employers Association.

During the meeting, the parties highlighted the successful development of economic ties with Germany and the importance of the Roadmap signed with the German-Azerbaijan Foreign Trade Chamber and Germanys Eastern Business Association.

The discussion covered Azerbaijans economic priorities, ongoing projects and programs aimed at human resource development, and cooperation opportunities. Information was also provided on the activities of the Vocational Education Center under the Development Agency for Economic Zones, and potential joint efforts in training skilled personnel for the industrial sector were explored.

Furthermore, the sides exchanged views on developing vocational education to meet the demand for human capital across various economic sectors in Azerbaijan, as well as other mutually important issues.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Premium content

Get full access to in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and weekly briefings.

Welcome offer $10 $1 first month Then $10 / month

Already have an account? Login
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 9. Uzbekistan and Portugal discussed expanding cooperation across key sectors, including engineering, agriculture, energy, transport, tourism, and information technology, during a business forum, Uzbekistans Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov wrote on his X page, Trend reports.

Against the backdrop of changes in the global economy, we highlighted the importance of establishing sustainable supply chains, improving the investment climate, and developing interregional cooperation, he stated.

According to Saidov, both sides see significant potential for deepening ties in key sectors, reflecting the complementary nature of their economies.

The forum underscored the complementary strengths of our economies and highlighted the mutual interest in fostering sustainable, innovation-driven partnerships, he added.

The minister also expressed gratitude to Jorge Pais, Vice President of the Portuguese Industrial Association, for his support in organizing the event.
ADEN, Yemen, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Hans Grundberg, the United Nations special envoy for Yemen, concluded a visit to Aden on Thursday after holding meetings with senior Yemeni officials on peace prospects and economic and security challenges.

In a statement, Grundberg said he met with Presidential Leadership Council member Mahmoud Al-Subaihi and Prime Minister Shaya Zindani to discuss the impact of recent regional and domestic developments on Yemen's fragile situation.

"The discussions focused on regional escalation and its impact on Yemen, as well as internal developments," Grundberg said, stressing the need to stabilize conditions in southern governorates.

The envoy, who arrived in Aden on Monday, also provided an update on negotiations between Yemen's government and the Houthi group over conflict-related detainees, highlighting continued diplomatic efforts under United Nations auspices.

Economic issues featured prominently. In meetings with Finance Minister Marwan Bin Ghanem and Oil and Minerals Minister Mohammed Bamaqa, discussions focused on financial stabilization and recovery measures. Grundberg said the government's economic priorities, including adoption of the 2026 budget and strategic plan, were central, and stressed the importance of resuming fuel production and exports.

In a separate meeting with Minister of State for Women's Affairs Ahed Jasoos, Grundberg emphasized inclusive participation, including meaningful engagement of women in political and public decision-making, stronger social and legal protections, and economic empowerment.

In all meetings, Grundberg reiterated the need to shield Yemen from regional tensions and maintain momentum toward a Yemeni-led political settlement under UN auspices.

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since 2014, when Houthi forces seized control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country's north, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. The war has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, leaving millions facing food insecurity and lacking access to basic services. 
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 9. Uzbekneftegaz and representatives of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) discussed prospects for further cooperation with a focus on the implementation of joint projects, Trend reports via the Uzbek company.

The issues were discussed during a meeting between Chairman of the Board of Uzbekneftegaz Abdulgani Sanginov and Vice President of SOCAR Arzu Javadova.

According to the statement, it was noted that since their previous meeting, cooperation has been developing steadily, with significant results achieved. In particular, a joint activity agreement has been signed, and all necessary corporate approvals have been obtained for its implementation.

Following the talks, the parties confirmed their readiness to further strengthen the partnership and continue cooperation within the framework of ongoing projects.

Meanwhile, in August 2024, Uzbekneftegaz and SOCAR signed a cooperation agreement in the hydrocarbon sector, launching geological studies on the Ustyurt Plateau, including seismic exploration and preparations for hydrocarbon production.

Furthermore, on July 24, 2025, the parties signed a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), which provides for fully meeting Uzbekistans domestic oil needs for the next 25 years. The extracted gas will also be supplied to the domestic market, supporting the countrys industrial sector with affordable and high-quality petroleum products.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 9. Uzbekistans National Investment Fund will place shares of domestic companies on international markets for the first time, Head of the Presidential Administration Saida Mirziyoyeva wrote on her social media account, Trend reports.

Uzbekistan is taking a historic step by entering the global equity market for the first time. The National Investment Fund will offer shares of national companies simultaneously on the London Stock Exchange and the Tashkent Stock Exchange. This has been made possible thanks to the open economic policy pursued by our President, the post reads.

According to her, the preparation and support of the IPO is being carried out by Franklin Templeton, an international investment firm licensed to operate in Uzbekistan.

This move sends a clear signal to foreign investors. We are demonstrating our readiness to operate in line with global standards - transparently and fairly. Uzbekistans economy is entering a new stage of modern development, she added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Cooperation in the banking sector has been discussed between Azerbaijan and Japan, Trend reports via the Azerbaijan Banks Association (ABA).

An ABA delegation paid a working visit to Japan on April 89 as part of international experience exchange programs.

As part of the visit, the delegation of the Azerbaijan Banks Association first met with the Japanese Bankers Association (JBA).

At the meeting held on April 8, the ABA delegation came together with the leadership of JBA and experts from relevant institutions.

The ABA delegation included President Zakir Nuriyev, Executive Director Yunus Abdulov, as well as representatives of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, leading banks of the country, and the Azerbaijan Credit Bureau.

The Japanese side was represented by JBA Deputy Chairman and CEO Yasuyuki Matsumoto and his team  Masayuki Saegusa, Yoji Oki, Ayako Suwa, and Reo Takizawa.

During the meeting, Matsumoto provided information about Japans banking system, the countrys macroeconomic situation, payment infrastructure, and the development of digital banking.

The ABA delegation, in turn, informed the Japanese side about digitalization processes in Azerbaijans banking sector, the expansion of payment systems, ongoing reforms in the financial and banking sectors, and the current regulatory framework.

As part of the visit, the delegation also participated in a number of high-level meetings with the Japanese Banks Payment Clearing Network, the Cooperation Agency for Anti-Money Laundering, Mizuho Bank, Money Forward, Inc., and the Central Bank of Japan.

During these meetings, the parties exchanged views on advanced international practices in the banking sector, digital assets, the application of artificial intelligence technologies in finance, and increasing transparency in financial operations.

The visit outcomes are of significant importance in terms of further expanding cooperation between the banking sectors of Azerbaijan and Japan, promoting innovative approaches, and supporting institutional development.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Trend International News Agency presents an overview of key events in the first quarter of 2026 in Azerbaijan's energy sector.

Gas Sector

On January 4, Azerbaijan and Turkye signed a new agreement for the supply of 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas, marking a significant step in strengthening regional energy cooperation.

Azerbaijan has released revenue forecasts for its oil and gas fields for 2026. Net hydrocarbon revenues are expected to reach $5.03 billion (8.55 billion manat). The projected figure in manat for 2026 is 2.91 billion, which is 25.4% lower than actual revenues in 2024 and 1.24 billion manat, or 12.7%, lower than the forecast for 2025.

The Accounts Chamber published projections for Azerbaijans oil and gas transit revenues in 2026. According to the budget of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), transit revenues through the country are forecasted at $2,200, or 3,700 manat. This represents a 0.5 million manat decrease compared to actual 2024 revenues and 25.4 million manat below the approved 2025 forecast, while remaining roughly in line with expected 2025 revenues.

On January 20, Rovshan Najaf, President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), met with Musabbey Al Kaabi, CEO of the Upstream Division of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Group, to discuss the full-scale development of the Absheron gas-condensate field.

On February 19, bp, the operator of the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) oil field and Shah Deniz gas-condensate field in the Caspian Sea, announced the extension of its contract for the operation and maintenance of platform drilling rigs with Turan Drilling & Engineering Company LLC, a joint venture between SOCAR AQS and US-based Helmerich & Payne (H&P).

On March 3, meetings of the Southern Gas Corridor and Green Energy Advisory Councils were held in Baku. During the sessions, a Memorandum of Understanding on renewable energy cooperation was signed between the State Agency for Renewable Energy under the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan and the Croatian company Energia Naturalis d.o.o.

On March 5, SOCAR, together with partner Asarel Group, completed the preliminary design and front-end engineering design (FEED) documentation for a gas distribution network project in Panagyurishte, Bulgaria.

According to the latest data from the State Statistics Committee, Azerbaijan exported 4.38 billion cubic meters of natural gas (in gaseous form) worth $1.28 billion from January through February 2026.

The start date for natural gas production at the Absheron field has been confirmed. Full-scale development in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea is scheduled to begin on September 1, 2029. In the first two months of 2026, Azerbaijan produced 8.18 billion cubic meters of natural gas.

Oil Sector

On January 8, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Frances TotalEnergies discussed the full-scale development of the Absheron gas-condensate field.

The following day (January 9), Azerbaijan shipped a total of 2,698 tons of cargo (48 railcars) to Armenia, including 1,742 tons of AI-95 gasoline and 956 tons of diesel fuel. On the same day, bp announced preparations for deploying the first Light Well Intervention Vessel (LWIV) in the Caspian Sea at the Deepwater Gunashli field.

On January 11, a train of 18 railcars carrying 979 tons of AI-92 gasoline departed from Azerbaijan to Armenia.

Azerbaijan also released its production forecast for the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) project for 2026. Oil output at the ACG field is projected at 120.1 million barrels, slightly lower than the 2025 figure of 123 million barrels. Correspondingly, revenues from the field are expected to reach $4.23 billion.

On January 12, SOCAR launched its Quality & Document Management System (QDMS) platform, reinforcing operational efficiency. The market value of SOFAZs investment portfolio in Italy was announced at $2.8 billion.

At a January 13 meeting with Kenan Mirzayev, CEO of Petkim and head of SOCAR Turkiyes refining and petrochemicals business, CNCEC Chairman Mo Dingge confirmed that the company is ready to deepen cooperation with SOCAR, particularly in international market expansion, emphasizing long-term strategic energy and chemical sector partnerships.

SOCAR also announced plans for the Kulevi terminal, including construction of a new storage tank farm in 2026, with completion expected by mid-2027. On January 16, Azerbaijani gas began flowing to Austria and Germany.

On January 20, SOFAZ signed a strategic cooperation protocol with BlackRock, the worlds largest asset manager, and its affiliate Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), with planned investments of up to $1.5 billion in infrastructure and digital projects. On the same day, SOCAR Carbamide joined the prestigious Global Lighthouse network of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and received the Digital Lighthouse Award. SOCAR also held discussions with Planet Labs PBC on using advanced satellite imagery and geospatial analytics for environmental monitoring.

On January 22, SOCAR acquired a 10% stake in the Baleine oil and gas development project in Cote dIvoire through an agreement with Eni S.p.A. On January 26, the SOCAR Drilling Trust completed another well in the West Absheron field.

On January 28, SOFAZ and the Arab Energy Fund partnered with CVC DIF to invest in a joint investment vehicle operating alongside DIF VII, which previously acquired a 50% stake in PAL Cooling Holding, a leading district cooling operator in the UAE. On the same day, SOCAR signed a framework cooperation agreement with Chinas CITIC Construction Co., Ltd. SOCAR is also exploring the use of drones and advanced data modeling for asset valuation.

The Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery plans to produce 1.4 million tons of Euro-5 gasoline and 2.3 million tons of diesel fuel in 2026. Drilling of a new multilateral well is planned at the East Azeri platform in the ACG block.

On February 6, the European Commission approved the joint acquisition of SOCAR Aliaga Liman Isletmeciligi A.S. ("SOCAR Terminal") by SOCAR Turkiye Enerji A.S. ("STEAS") and Terminal Investment Switzerland Sarl ("TISS"), jointly controlled by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Holding S.A. (Switzerland) and BlackRock, Inc. (USA).

On February 19, SOCAR signed an Exploration, Development, and Production Sharing Agreement with Gran Tierra Energy Inc. for a promising onshore block in the Guba-Caspian region. On February 25, SOCAR and Samsung E&A Co., Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding to explore energy asset efficiency, production localization, regional industrial development, human capital growth, and decarbonization initiatives.

On February 27, SOCAR and bp signed an agreement on seismic and well exploration in the Caspian Basin.

Azerbaijan has also begun developing unconventional oil and gas resources, as announced by SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf at the US-Azerbaijan Trade and Business Conference marking the 30th anniversary of the US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce. Najaf emphasized that this initiative had not previously been a priority due to abundant Caspian fish stocks.

On March 11, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its oil production forecast for Azerbaijan for 2026-2027. Production of oil and other liquid hydrocarbons is expected to average more than 540,000 barrels per day in both years, down from over 570,000 barrels per day in 2025. In 2026, production is projected at over 550,000 barrels per day in Q1, over 540,000 in Q2, and over 530,000 in Q3 and Q4. A similar trend is expected for 2027.

According to the State Customs Committee, Azerbaijan exported 3.6 million tons of crude oil and bituminous petroleum products worth $1.70 billion from January through February 2026. In the same period, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline transported 4.05 million tons of transit oil, and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline transported 3.68 billion cubic meters of gas.

Green Economy

On January 7, construction of the Khizi-Absheron Wind Farm (WPF) was completed, marking a significant milestone in Azerbaijans renewable energy expansion.

On January 13, global engineering group RINA and HPC Hamburg Port Consulting, a leading firm in port, terminal, and logistics consulting with expertise in sustainable digitalization and intermodal rail operations, were awarded a five-year contract under the OSCE project "Promoting Green Ports and Connectivity in the Caspian Region."

Azerishig Open Joint-Stock Company announced plans to construct a new substation in the Goygol district, including a 2x40 MVA 110/35/10 kV substation and control center, installation of equipment, an 11.5-kilometer 110 kV double-circuit overhead power line from Dashkesan 1-2 to the new substation, and major repairs to existing transmission lines.

On January 15, the Italian company CESI began preparing a feasibility study for the Trans-Caspian Green Energy Corridor.

On January 19, Tural Aliyev, General Director of Green Corridor Union LLC, held the first meeting with Asian Development Bank (ADB) representatives Nana Gurgenidze and Altynay Arapova to discuss collaborative initiatives.

On January 20, SOCAR exchanged views with Honeywell on sustainable development, renewable energy, and human capital development, emphasizing long-term cooperation in energy transition initiatives.

Phil Cole, Director of Industrial Affairs at WindEurope, announced that following a March 2024 memorandum of understanding between WindEurope and the Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency, the association will support Azerbaijan in expanding its wind energy capacity. WindEurope will provide best practices, risk analysis, guidance on onshore and offshore wind projects, and insights into the European power purchase agreement (PPA) market, while also facilitating connections with policymakers, regulators, and potential electricity buyers in Azerbaijan and the EU.

On January 29, construction began on the Zangezur power transmission line, further strengthening Azerbaijans energy infrastructure.

On February 2, Azerbaijani Deputy Energy Minister Orkhan Zeynalov, alongside deputy energy ministers from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, representatives of CESI SpA, ADB, and the respective national electricity companies, held the first online meeting on the feasibility study for the Central Asia-Azerbaijan Green Energy Corridor. Zeynalov emphasized the projects role in deepening regional energy ties and promoting low-carbon development. The feasibility study, led by CESI SpA in collaboration with Turkiyes EPRA and the UKs JURU, will define the initial project framework.

The Astara modular power plant has generated 2.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity since its launch, while Azerbaijan received its first-ever carbon credits in the green energy sector on February 10.

On February 11, BP announced the sale of a 10% stake in Shafag Jabrayil Solar Limited (SJSL) to MVM Energetika Zrt. (MVM).

On February 24, Deputy Energy Minister Elnur Soltanov confirmed that CESI had been selected to conduct the feasibility study for the Central AsiaAzerbaijan Green Energy Corridor, with preliminary studies expected to be completed within 11 months, potentially by early 2027. On the same day, Real Hajiyev of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced plans to start a feasibility study for rehabilitating water infrastructure in Baku and the Absheron Peninsula, in cooperation with the State Agency for Water Resources of Azerbaijan.

On February 27, the Ministry of Energy released its 2025 report, noting Romanias intention to join the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkiye-Bulgaria "green" energy corridor. Turkiye has prepared a draft protocol to amend the April 2025 Memorandum of Understanding, which is currently under review, alongside a coordinated draft Terms of Reference (ToR) document.

As of March 3, the Garadagh solar power plant had generated over 1.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, supplying it to Azerbaijans national grid.

According to the State Customs Committee, Azerbaijan exported 72.2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity from January through February 2026. Meanwhile, the State Statistics Committee reported that 141.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity were generated at wind farms in the country during the same period.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Azerbaijans green energy initiatives are being presented at the International Energy and Climate Forum held in Vienna, Austria, Trend reports via the State Agency for Renewable Energy Sources (SAARES) under the Ministry of Energy.

The agencys director, Javid Abdullayev, is participating in the event.

As part of the visit, he attended the Green Technology Days, the International Hydrogen Conference, and the Sustainable Cooling Forum on April 7-8.

In addition, Abdullayev held a bilateral meeting with the Schoenherr law firm, during which discussions focused on legal cooperation on renewable energy projects, investment opportunities, and regulatory issues.

According to the State Statistics Committee, Azerbaijan produced goods and services worth 671.6 million manat ($395 million) in the electricity, gas, and steam generation, distribution, and supply sector from January through February 2026. In the water supply, waste treatment, and processing sector, output totaled 93.4 million manat ($54.9 million).

During the same period, solar power plants in the country generated 42.7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, a decrease of 0.6 million kilowatt-hours, or 1.4%, compared to the same period of 2025.

Moreover, wind power plants (WPP) generated 141.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, representing an increase of 138.2 million kilowatt-hours, or 41.6 times more than in the corresponding period last year.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and Japans ITOCHU Corporation (ITOCHU) have discussed prospects for expanding their longstanding cooperation across the energy sector, Trend reports via SOCAR.

The discussion took place on April 9 between SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf and Chairman of the Japan-Azerbaijan Economic Committee, and Chief Operating Officer of ITOCHU, Tetsuya Yamada.

During the meeting, the parties expressed satisfaction with the many years of successful partnership between SOCAR and ITOCHU and discussed ongoing efforts to further deepen cooperation.

The sides also exchanged views on potential collaboration across various segments of the energy sector, including exploration, production, and petrochemicals, as well as other issues of mutual interest.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 9. Hydropower in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan requires further development to enhance power system flexibility, Trend reports, citing the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB).

According to the EDB, despite the significant hydropower potential in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, hydroelectric plants in these countries currently only partially perform the role of flexible generation, as their operation is largely determined by seasonal reservoir management linked to irrigation needs.

The bank also notes that expanding the role of hydropower in daily load regulation requires equipment modernization and the development of institutional mechanisms, including the creation of ancillary services markets, coordination of water-energy regimes, and closer integration with neighboring power systems.

EDB experts add that, in the future, part of the existing hydropower capacityespecially with the introduction of energy storage systemscould more flexibly cover peaks and fluctuations in renewable energy generation.

Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are delving into strategies to boost the adaptability of their hydropower-centric energy frameworks via modernization, enhanced coordination, and alignment with regional electricity markets.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. The Green Climate Funds (GCF) support to Azerbaijan is closely aligned with Azerbaijans Socio-Economic Development Strategy 20222026, which aims for a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, GCF said in an interview with Trend.

The Fund noted that a key strategic goal is to move Azerbaijan from reactive to proactive climate management, particularly in disaster risk management and water security. These commitments require large investments to finance mitigation and adaptation projects and programmes.

The Green Climate Fund is the worlds climate fund for developing countries, mobilizing and delivering capital at scale to support mitigation and adaptation projects. GCF works systemically with a focus on country ownership. That means aligning the Funds investment with national climate priorities, unlocking capital and crowding in partners.

"Through its Readiness and preparatory support programme, GCF is supporting Azerbaijans National Designated Authority (the Funds national government focal point) - the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources - to better identify and develop a pipeline of high-impact climate projects. The Readiness programme is also supporting the International Bank of Azerbaijan in its bid to be accredited to the GCF, which would enable the bank to implement GCF-funded climate action.

GCF is actively introducing new climate solutions, specifically focusing on data-driven technology and regional resilience. In 2024, the GCF approved a $35 million initiative, Strengthening climate information and multi-hazard early warning systems for increased resilience in Azerbaijan. The project introduces impact-based forecasting and climate shock-responsive social protection, technologies that allow the government to predict climate disasters and automatically trigger financial support for vulnerable citizens.

By strengthening climate data, forecasting and early warning communication, the project helps communities, farmers and local authorities get clear, timely information before disasters strike. This shift from reacting to crises to anticipating and managing risk can save lives, protect livelihoods and reduce economic losses. Over time, the GCF-supported intervention will also build national capacity and create systems that can be scaled so that Azerbaijan is better equipped to face a more uncertain climate future with confidence and resilience," the fund states.

The statement added that GCF is supporting the adoption of innovative, climateresilient technologies that combine renewable energy with energy and waterefficient solutions, particularly in agriculture and water management.

"By backing energyefficient approaches and watersaving irrigation systems delivered through both public and private sectors, GCF delivers interventions that reduce emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and can be scaled nationwide to support Azerbaijans longterm green transition.

Through the GCF-IFC scaling resilient water infrastructure facility, GCF and IFC support is helping unlock the investment needed to build sustainable climateresilient water systems in Azerbaijan and 11 other countries. The project supports the preparation and financing of water and sanitation investments that can better withstand floods, droughts and rising climate risks. By blending concessional finance with private capital, the intervention helps make complex water projects viable and reduces risks for investors. This means more reliable water services, stronger protection against climate shocks, and infrastructure that supports longterm economic stability in a changing climate.

GCFs Glaciers to Farms project addresses the challenge of melting glaciers in central and western Asia through practical solutions, helping farmers manage water more reliably and safely. It aims to develop better water infrastructure, climate-informed planning, and early warning systems, so that a farmer in Azerbaijan can plant, plan irrigation, and harvest with more confidence. The impact of this large-scale regional project goes beyond individual farms. Healthier water systems mean stronger rural economies, greater resilience to climate shocks, and more secure livelihoods for vulnerable communities across glacier-fed regions.

One of GCFs priorities in Azerbaijan is supporting the nomination and accreditation of local public and private institutions as Direct Access Entities (DAEs)," the fund says.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Azerbaijan has held discussions with a U.S. company on the establishment of a data center and the development of a cloud platform in the country, the country's Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov wrote on his X account, Trend reports.

"During our meeting with Su Le, CEO of the US-based artificial intelligence (AI) company Haimaker, we discussed prospects for advancing AI infrastructure in Azerbaijan.

Particular attention was given to strategic proposals in this area, including the establishment of a data center and cloud platform in the Alat Free Economic Zone, as well as potential cooperation on shaping an appropriate regulatory framework and supporting technology transfer," the post said.

Haimaker is a U.S. technology company specializing in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, U.S.

The company develops platform and infrastructure solutions that enable developers, businesses, and government agencies to utilize various artificial intelligence models through a single interface. The Haimaker platform provides leading global developers with access to hundreds of artificial intelligence models and allows them to integrate these models into digital products via a single API, as well as flexibly switch between models depending on the task, cost, and performance.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
UNITED NATIONS, April 8 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday unequivocally condemned Israel's massive strikes across Lebanon earlier in the day, his spokesperson said.

"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the loss of civilian lives and is deeply alarmed by the mounting toll on civilians," Stephane Dujarric said in a statement, referring to the hundreds of civilians, including children, killed or injured by the strikes.

The ongoing military activity in Lebanon poses a grave risk to the U.S.-Iran ceasefire and the efforts toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region, he added.

"The Secretary-General reiterates his call to all parties to immediately cease hostilities," he said, stressing that international law must be respected at all times, civilians and civilian objects must be protected at all times, and attacks directed against them are unacceptable.

Underscoring that there is no military solution to the conflict, Dujarric said the secretary-general continues to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels and recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701. 
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 9. KazMunayGas (KMG) Deputy Chairman Shafkat Kudabayev and Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) President Son Ju Seok have discussed prospects for expanding cooperation in geological exploration in Astana, Trend reports via KMG.

The parties reviewed opportunities for bilateral engagement in exploration projects. As part of earlier cooperation, KNOC specialists were introduced to KMGs portfolio through dedicated sessions on promising exploration blocks.

Currently, KNOC is considering potential participation in new projects from KazMunayGas steadily expanding exploration pipeline. Following the meeting, the sides expressed readiness to intensify contacts on key areas of cooperation.

KNOC, founded in 1979 and headquartered in Ulsan, is South Koreas national oil company. It manages the countrys strategic petroleum reserves, is involved in refining operations, and develops fuel retail infrastructure, including digital solutions for monitoring and managing the fuel market.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 9. Almassadam Satkaliyev, Chairman of the Agency for Nuclear Energy of Kazakhstan, and Kim Jeong-kwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources of the Republic of Korea, discussed the development of cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, Trend reports via the agency.

The parties confirmed mutual interest in strengthening strategic partnership and expanding practical collaboration. Discussions covered prospects for joint projects, including the participation of Korean companies in the development of Kazakhstans nuclear energy infrastructure, cooperation in the nuclear fuel cycle, scientific research, and personnel training.

Special attention was given to nuclear and radiation safety, the implementation of advanced international standards, and the exchange of regulatory experience.

Kim Jeong-kwan expressed South Koreas interest in further cooperation with Kazakhstan, highlighting the high potential for joint initiatives.

Following the meeting, both sides expressed readiness to continue constructive engagement aimed at advancing the nuclear sector and reinforcing bilateral partnership.

In October 2024, Kazakhstan held a referendum in which 71.1% of voters approved the establishment of nuclear power facilities, with a voter turnout of 63.7%. The plant will be developed in collaboration with the Russian Rosatom.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 9. Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Akkenzhenov, and Kim Jeong-kwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources of the Republic of Korea, reviewed the direction of a new stage of joint projects in the fuel and energy sector, Trend reports via the Kazakh ministry.

The discussions took place in Astana during a series of working meetings with a high-level delegation from South Korea, which arrived to explore prospects for a strategic energy partnership.

The sides emphasized the strong level of political dialogue between the two countries and confirmed mutual interest in implementing major infrastructure and technological initiatives.

Particular attention was given to expanding cooperation in the oil and gas sector. Kazakhstan highlighted the long-standing successful experience of the Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) in the Kazakh market. The parties aligned positions on ensuring continued stable and mutually beneficial exports of Kazakh crude oil to South Korea.

Electric power was also a key topic, with Doosan Enerbility serving as the main technological partner. The company previously completed the 310 MW Karabatan combined-cycle power plant in the Atyrau region and is currently the general contractor for a 1,000 MW combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant in the Turkestan region.

Following the meetings, South Korean technology companies were invited to expand their participation in Kazakhstans new infrastructure projects not only as EPC contractors but also as full-fledged co-investors.

Representatives of both nations reaffirmed their firm commitment to further strengthening the strategic energy partnership, based on the adoption of advanced solutions and sustainable economic development.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 9. Kairat Maksutov, Chairman of the Board of Samruk-Energy, and Zhu Zhaokai, President of Shanghai Electric Group discussed the 1 GW Mirny wind power project in the Zhambyl region of Kazakhstan, Trend reports via Samruk-Energy.

The project, implemented jointly with TotalEnergies, has Shanghai Electric serving as the EPC contractor within a Kazakhstan-China consortium.

The sides discussed priority areas outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding signed in October 2025, including localization of equipment production, digitalization and integration of smart technologies in energy facility management, implementation of energy storage systems, and the creation of a joint working group to move toward practical implementation of agreed initiatives.

Following the discussions, the parties confirmed their interest in further expanding cooperation and expressed confidence that their collaboration will ensure the successful realization of one of the largest renewable energy projects in Kazakhstans history.

On March 18, Samruk-Energy and its partners held a time capsule ceremony to mark the start of construction for the 1 GW wind power plant. The Mirny project will feature a hybrid wind power facility, including a 300 MW / 600 MWh energy storage system.
Premium Kazakhstan shares investment data on industrial cooperation with South Korea

Photo: Ministry of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan and South Korea are advancing industrial cooperation through 46 joint projects worth about $3.9 billion, spanning sectors like automotive production, ferroalloys, and electronics. Officials highlighted opportunities in Alatau City and geological collaboration, with both sides expressing strong interest in expanding partnerships in industry, infrastructure, and resources.
Photo: Press Service of the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, April 9. Tajikistan and the EU discussed expanding cooperation in environmental protection, Trend reports via the Tajik Committee for Environmental Protection.

The discussions were held within the framework of the meeting at the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government between Committee Chairman Sheralizoda Bahodur Ahmadjon and the European Union Ambassador to Tajikistan, Radosaw Darski.

During the meeting, the Chairman briefed the EU delegation on the structure and activities of the Committee.

The parties noted the implementation of state control over water resource protection, monitoring of wastewater, and the work of the Committees analytical control laboratory. The Chairman also informed about the updated edition of the Red Book of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The sides also highlighted the Committees activities in the protection and development of specially protected natural areas, along with plans to develop new eco-tourism routes.

The EU Ambassador emphasized Tajikistans unique natural environment, including its glaciers, lakes, forests, and rich biodiversity. The European Union supports initiatives aimed at greening the country, contributing to increased resilience to climate change.

Moreover, it was also noted that the EU is ready to cooperate on issues such as air pollution, waste management (including waste separation), and strengthening environmental education among the population.

The parties agreed to cooperate in the above-mentioned areas to improve the environmental situation in Tajikistan.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks, Irans Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam wrote on his X account, Trend reports.

According to him, the visit is taking place at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and will focus on negotiations based on a 10-point proposal put forward by Iran.

Despite skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by the Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative, invited by Hon. PM Shehbaz Sharif, the Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran, the publication reads.

On February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched military operations against Iran. Strikes were carried out against the countrys largest cities, including Tehran. The White House justified the attack by citing missile and nuclear threats emanating from the Islamic Republic. As a result of the strikes on Iran, the countrys Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several other key figures in the leadership were killed. Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation against Israel. Iran also targeted U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Syria with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.

The conflict has placed the regions energy infrastructure and maritime shipping under serious threat. Due to security tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, global oil prices have surged.

On April 7, the U.S. and Iran reached an agreement on a temporary ceasefire lasting approximately two weeks, aimed at preventing further escalation of hostilities and creating opportunities for negotiations. According to reports, the agreement was reached with Pakistan acting as a mediator. One of the key points is Irans commitment to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, and the parties also agreed to cease attacks and prepare for negotiations.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire, Pakistans Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif wrote on X following a phone conversation with President Pezeshkian, Trend reports.

According to him, violations of the ceasefire have been reported at a few places across the conflict zone, which undermine the spirit of the peace process.

"I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict," the publication reads.

On February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched military operations against Iran. Strikes were carried out against the countrys largest cities, including Tehran. The White House justified the attack by citing missile and nuclear threats emanating from the Islamic Republic. As a result of the strikes on Iran, the countrys Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several other key figures in the leadership were killed. Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation against Israel. Iran also targeted U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Syria with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.

The conflict has placed the regions energy infrastructure and maritime shipping under serious threat. Due to security tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, global oil prices have surged.

On April 7, the U.S. and Iran reached an agreement on a temporary ceasefire lasting approximately two weeks, aimed at preventing further escalation of hostilities and creating opportunities for negotiations. According to reports, the agreement was reached with Pakistan acting as a mediator. One of the key points is Irans commitment to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, and the parties also agreed to cease attacks and prepare for negotiations.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. The death toll in Iran from the 41-day military airstrikes carried out by the U.S. and Israel has exceeded 3,000, the chairman of the Iranian Forensic Medicine Organization, Abbas Masjedi Arani, told local media, Trend reports.

According to him, due to the military equipment used in the airstrikes, approximately 40% of the victims remain unidentified.

Masjedi added that the forensic medical organization independently identified the victims and handed them over to their families.

On February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched military operations against Iran. Strikes were carried out against the countrys largest cities, including Tehran. The White House justified the attack by citing missile and nuclear threats emanating from the Islamic Republic. As a result of the strikes on Iran, the countrys Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several other key figures in the leadership were killed. Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation against Israel. Iran also targeted U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Syria with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.

The conflict has placed the regions energy infrastructure and maritime shipping under serious threat. Due to security tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, global oil prices have surged.

On April 7, the U.S. and Iran reached an agreement on a temporary ceasefire lasting approximately two weeks, aimed at preventing further escalation of hostilities and creating opportunities for negotiations. According to reports, the agreement was reached with Pakistan acting as a mediator. One of the key points is Irans commitment to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, and the parties also agreed to cease attacks and prepare for negotiations.
PYONGYANG, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that China stands ready to work with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to continue consolidating the positive momentum in the development of China-DPRK relations.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in talks with DPRK Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui.

Wang said that in early September last year, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), held a historic meeting in Beijing, reaching important consensus on the overall, strategic and directional issues concerning bilateral ties.

The meeting provides important strategic guidance for further developing China-DPRK relations, pushes bilateral ties into a new stage and opens a new chapter in friendly exchanges between the two countries, which is of great and far-reaching significance, Wang added.

Wang said China stands ready to work with the DPRK to take the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries as fundamental guidance, strengthen strategic communication, enhance exchanges and cooperation, create more benefits for the two peoples, and jointly promote regional peace and development.

The past year has witnessed a series of highlights in China-DPRK exchanges, which strongly demonstrated that the two countries' traditional friendship forged in blood remains everlasting and unbreakable, Wang said, noting that this year marks the 65th anniversary of the signing of the China-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.

Over the past 65 years, Wang said, no matter how the international and regional situations have changed, China and the DPRK, as good neighbors, good friends and good comrades, have always trusted and supported each other, making unremitting efforts to maintain regional and world peace and stability and promote their respective development.

Wang said China is willing to work with the DPRK side to hold commemorative events for the 65th anniversary of the signing of the treaty, strengthen high-level exchanges, enhance dialogue and practical cooperation at all levels and in various fields, deepen people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding, and contribute to respective economic and social development.

For her part, Choe said that the DPRK-China friendship is based on the common socialist system and traditional friendship, describing bilateral relations as deep-rooted, solid and sustainable. It is the unwavering position of the WPK and the nation to advance DPRK-China friendship and cooperation following the trend of the times and the will of the two peoples.

Choe noted that the historic and successful meeting between the top leaders of the two parties and countries in September last year has significantly enhanced friendship and mutual trust between the two parties and two countries, pointed out a clear direction for and injecting strong impetus into the development of bilateral ties.

The DPRK, Choe said, fully supports the one-China principle, firmly opposes any interference in China's internal affairs, and resolutely supports China's position on safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity concerning Taiwan, Xizang, Xinjiang, and other issues of China's core interests.

Choe said that the DPRK side fully endorses the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the four global initiatives proposed by Xi, and highly values China's just position on and important role in international and regional affairs.

Choe said that the DPRK stands ready to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, hold commemorative events marking the 65th anniversary of the signing of the DPRK-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, expand exchanges and practical cooperation across various fields, enhance coordination between diplomatic departments, strengthen multilateral communication and collaboration, and continue to make efforts to lift DPRK-China relations to higher levels and open up new prospects.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on current international and regional issues. 
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Iran will take control of the Strait of Hormuz to a new level and demand compensation for damage caused during the fighting, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei says, Trend reports.

According to him, Tehran will seek compensation for the destruction caused, the deaths of the country's residents, and the injuries to war veterans.

He added that the Iranian authorities did not and do not seek war, but will under no circumstances renounce their legal rights.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Ending the war in Lebanon is an integral part of the ceasefire agreement proposed by Pakistan, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei says, Trend reports.

According to him, this position is also clearly expressed in the statements of the Pakistani Prime Minister.

The ministry spokesman stressed that the United States is committed to ending hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. According to him, any step or position contrary to this will be regarded as a failure to fulfill obligations.

Speaking about the time and place of negotiations with the US on a complete end to the war, Baqaei noted that the Pakistani government invited the parties to Islamabad. He said talks were currently being considered and planned, but their implementation would depend on the United States fulfilling its commitments to a ceasefire on all fronts.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. The next meeting of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled for June, Trend reports.

Pashinyan made the announcement at a briefing following the government meeting.

"We have agreed on the next meetings, including a high-level meeting scheduled for the second half of June," he said.

The prime minister noted that his meeting with Putin on April 1 was very successful.

"Relations with Russia are at the stage of constructive transformation, and I evaluate this process positively. We will maintain our relations in the logic of friendly dialogue," Pashinyan added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9. Kazakhstan and several other countries have expressed interest in the TRIPP (Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity), Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a media briefing, Trend reports.

Pashinyan noted that a new route for international communications is expected to open. He emphasized that Kazakhstan is among the key players in the global transport sector.

Kazakhstan is not the only country interested in this issue. Many countries are showing interest in it (the Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity). The process is transparent, and we do not intend to hide it from our partners. Of course, we must invite Kazakhstan to use transit routes through Armenia so they can consider them within the chain of export, import, and transport services, Pashinyan emphasized.

The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is a 43-kilometer (27-mile) transport and energy corridor running through Armenias Syunik region, established with U.S. mediation to connect Azerbaijan with its exclave of Nakhchivan. Launched in 2025, this transactional diplomacy project is designed to stimulate regional trade.
Photo: The official information website of the President of Turkey

BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 10. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the Turkish presidential administration said in a statement, Trend reports.

President Erdogan is reported to have noted that Turkiye, together with the relevant countries, has made intensive efforts in the process that led to the ceasefire.

He stressed that the upcoming talks in Islamabad should be used to the maximum extent possible to achieve lasting peace and stability. The Turkish President noted the importance of not giving such an opportunity to those who want to disrupt this process, and that the country is ready to contribute together with friendly countries.
FUZHOU, April 9 (Xinhua) -- An investigation into a deadly fire at a food company's construction site in the city of Sanming, east China's Fujian Province, has identified the incident as "a major workplace safety liability accident," provincial emergency response authorities said on Thursday.

The fire at a cold-chain facility project under construction inside the food company, brand-named Mingyou, broke out on March 31, 2025, leaving five dead and six injured. It caused nearly 21.16 million yuan (about 3.08 million U.S. dollars) in direct economic losses.

The investigation report found that the primary causes included the company's failure to obtain proper construction permits for decoration and renovation work according to laws and regulations, and its use of insulation materials that did not meet required fire safety standards. Meanwhile, the company was found to have relocated and cut short smoke exhaust ducts, while also dismantling firefighting facilities without authorization. Additionally, initial fire response efforts were deemed ineffective.

The investigation also pointed to inadequate safety supervision by relevant local government departments.

The investigation task force has recommended that five individuals, including the person in charge of the smoke exhaust ducts, be transferred to judicial organs. Disciplinary actions have also been proposed against 10 public officers. Meanwhile, administrative penalties shall be imposed on the company, as well as its chairman and president, respectively, according to the report. 
Published April 9, 2026

CAPTION: Pictured L-R: Dr. Pearson Cross, Dr. Henry Sirgo, Dr. Greg Granger, Joshua Schopp, Dr. John Sutherlin, Caitlin Slavich, Dr. Courtney Harris, Jordan Van, Dr. Jennifer Dumas, Eleonora Franco, Dr. Leigh Hersey

MONROE, La.  Political Science faculty and graduate students from the University of Louisiana Monroe recently participated in the Annual Meeting of the Louisiana Political Science Association (LPSA), held Friday, February 27, at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La.

At this year's LPSA meeting, ULM Master of Public Administration (MPA) students Caitlin Slavich and Jordan Van participated in a roundtable discussion on ULM's Public Defenders Training Program with ULM Political Science professors Dr. John Sutherlin, Dr. Courtney Harris, and Dr. Leigh Hersey. According to MPA student Caitlin Slavich, "The roundtable discussion I participated in was very helpful for me to figure out what comes next. The feedback was beyond beneficial for me to move my project in a direction for continued success."

MPA student Joshua Schopp presented research on a public administration-themed panel also featuring papers from Political Science professors Dr. Courtney Harris, Dr. Jennifer Dumas, and Dr. Leigh Hersey and MBA student Eleonora Franco. Reflecting on the experience, Joshua noted, "I am grateful for the opportunity to represent ULM at the LPSA conference. It was an honor to present my research and learn from experts in the field. I am especially thankful for the MPA program and the mentors who have supported me.

Dr. John Sutherlin also presented a paper on a panel themed, "Policy, Society, and System-Level Consequences," while School of Behavioral and Social Sciences Director and Political Science Professor Dr. Pearson Cross presented a co-authored paper with Dr. Joshua Stockley on a Louisiana politics-themed panel.

ULM MPA students gained valuable research and networking skills as a result of attending LPSA and are eagerly awaiting future conferences. As MPA student Jordan Van stated, This was my first year presenting at the LPSA Conference. I was humbled by the vast amount of expertise assembled, and I am very much looking forward to another opportunity to attend in 2027.

The Louisiana Political Science Association (LPSA) is the statewide academic organization of Political Science researchers and students. At LPSA's annual meetings, Political Science faculty members, undergraduate students, and graduate students from colleges and universities throughout Louisiana and the region present original research and engage in roundtable discussions on a variety of topics, including International Relations, Comparative Politics, American Politics, and Public Administration.
Welcome Guest! You are here: Home

2026 Assembly Elections: Polling Ends in Kerala, Assam, Puducherry

Polling ended Thursday April 09, 2026 in the 3 of the 5 Indian States with Puducherry registering a voting percentage of 89.87% followed by Assam 84.42% and Kerala 78.21%

2026 Assembly Elections: Polling ended Thursday April 09, 2026 in the 3 of the 5 Indian States with Puducherry registering a voting percentage of 89.87% followed by Assam 84.42% and Kerala 78.21%.

The Election Commission of India had on March 16, 2026 announced to hold elections in Indias five states  Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry in three phases.

As per the ECI Schedule , elections in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry were scheduled to be held in single phase.

Accordingly, polling for the whole of 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam and 30 seats in Puducherry were held today i.e. Thursday April 09, 2026.

The Election Commission of India has not yet released the final polling percentage. However, estimates showed Puducherry registered the highest voter turnout of 89.83% followed by Assam (85.38%) and Kerala (78.03%).

Kerala is currently ruled by CPI (M) led Left Democratic Front (LDF). The LDF is eyeing 3rd consecutive victory here though the United Democratic Front (UDF) of Congress, IUML and others is also confident of comeback.

In Assam, the BJP is the ruling party, and the party is looking for the 2nd consecutive victory under the leadership of Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma.

On the other hand, the key parties in Puducherry are the ruling All India N.R. Congress (AINRC)+BJP, DMK, Congress and others.

Tamil Nadu and West Bengal will go to polls in the next phase. As per the ECI, polling in Tamil Nadu will be held in single phase on April 23, whereas West Bengal will go to polls in two phases - April 23 and 29, 2026.

The election results of all the 5 states will be announced on May 04, 2026.



Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates.

Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic
Welcome Guest! You are here: Home

86.48% Pass Karnataka 12th Exam 2026 - Full List of Toppers

The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) has announced on its official website karresults.nic.in the results of the Higher Secondary 12th (Karnataka 2nd PUC) 2026, also known Class 12 exams, along with details of toppers and their marks

Karnataka 2nd PUC 12th Result 2026: The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) has announced on its official website karresults.nic.in the results of the Higher Secondary 12th (Karnataka 2nd PUC) 2026, also known Class 12 exams, along with details of toppers and their marks.

The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board declared the 2nd PU XIIth result of all three streams including Science, Commerce and Humanities (Art) today at 12:50 PM.

The Karnataka 12th results were announced at a press conference addressed by Karnataka Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa.

Karnataka 2nd PU 2026 Pass Percentage

According to the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) data released today, the Karnataka State registerd an overall pass percentage of 86.48% in Class 12th exam 2026. This is a whopping 13.03% more than 2025 when the pass percentage was 73.45%.

A total of 6,32,200 - 2,78,458 boys and 3,52,742 girls had appeared for the 12th board exam 2026 in Karnataka.

The Karnataka 12th result 2026 are available on official websites "karresults.nic.in" and "kseab.karnataka.gov.in".

Streamwise Pass Percentage

The Science stream recorded the highest success rate in Karnataka board 12th exam 2026. Out of 2,90,194 students who appeared in the exam in Science stream, 2,66,071 passed, resulting in a pass percentage of 91.69%.

Commerce followed with a respectable performance  2,07,085 candidates appeared, and 1,82,317 managed to pass, registering a pass percentage of 88.04%.

The Arts stream reported the lowest pass percentage among the three, with 1,34,921 students appearing and 98,310 passing, bringing the pass rate to 72.86%.

In total, 6,32,200 students appeared across all streams, and 5,46,698 of them successfully passed the examination, contributing to an overall pass percentage of 86.48%.

Along with the result, the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board also published the Merit List containing the names and scores of the board exam toppers.

The Karnataka Pre-University Department or 2nd PU 12th Exam started on February 28 and continued till March 17, 2026.

List of Toppers - Karnataka 12th Exam 2026

Kundan Krishna 600 marks 100% (Science stream) Disha 600 marks 100% (Commerce stream) Adithi A Bapu 600 marks 100% (Commerce stream) Archana (Vijayanagar)  99.67% 598 marks (Arts Stream) Sangeeta  598 marks - 99.67% 598 marks (Arts Stream) Shamanyu S. Shetty - 99.67% 598 marks (Arts Stream) Nandan Nayak - 99.67% 598 marks (Arts Stream) Vaishnavi (Udupi)  597 marks (Arts Stream) Arnavi  597 marks (Arts Stream) Vanya S V  595 marks 99.17% (Science stream) Abhishek Mahantesh Channagond  593 marks (Arts Stream) Adline Vianna Mathias  593 marks (Arts Stream) Shreya Seeta Rama Rao  590 marks 98.33% (Science stream) Sathvic B M  590 marks 98.33% (Science stream) Harshvardhan S R 586 marks 97.67% (Science stream) Shreyas H 584 marks 97.33% (Science stream) Anurag G V 583 marks 97.17% (Science stream) Usha 571 marks 95.17% (Science stream)

Steps to check Karnataka 2nd PU Result 2026

Visit the official website: " karresults.nic.in "

" Click on the 2nd PUC exam 1 result link.

Enter your login details.

Submit and check the result.

Download and take a printout for future reference.

The Karnataka 12th PU result can also be accessed through kseab.karnataka.gov.in, and via DigiLocker app.



Karnataka 2nd PUC (Class 12) Results: Last Three Years

Karnataka 12th or PU result in 2025 was announced on April 08, 2025 when the state had registered an overall pass percentage of 73.45%.

In 2024, Karnataka 2nd PUC or 12th exam was held from March 01 to 22, 2024. The Karnataka 2nd PU Class 12th Result 2023 was declared on April 10, 2024.

The overall pass percentage in 2024 was 81.15%. The Pass Percentage of Science stream was 89.96%, pass percentage of Arts stream was 68.36 and that of Commerce stream was 80.94%.

The Karnataka 2nd PUC (Class 12) Result 2023 was announced on April 21, 2023, with an overall pass percentage of 74.67%.

The Department of Pre-University, Government of Karnataka is the organization for implementation of higher secondary education in the state. We function under the Department of Primary and Secondary Education.

Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates.

Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic
US-Iran Wobbly Ceasefire Wobbles Down

With no side caring for the other sides core demands the proposed two-week ceasefire in the IsraelUS war against Iran, which started just a day before, appears to be on the verge of collapse

With no side caring for the other sides core demands the proposed two-week ceasefire in the IsraelUS war against Iran, which started just a day before, appears to be on the verge of collapse, with neither party agreeing to the other partys demands. Iran is ignoring the 15-point plan of Washington, while US-Israel have not agreed completely to the 10-point Iranian counterplan.

US President Donald Trump announced the conditional truce on April 8 , but within 24 hours hostilities started between Iran and Israel. The initial plan was supposed to pause direct USIsraeli strikes on Iran in exchange for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the start of peace talks. But the Israeli attacks against Lebanon continued unabatedly, with the American Vice President JD Vance saying that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire agreement.

The peace negotiations are due to take place tomorrow (April 10) in Islamabad, Pakistan. But at the moment their future remains dicey.

Basically, the core demands of Iran and the US are divergent of each other. Irans 10-point plan included lifting economic sanctions, retaining control over the Strait of Hormuz, and acceptance of its uranium enrichment for a peaceful nuclear programme. It also called for an end to attacks on allies, including in Lebanon and Yemen, and a withdrawal of US troops from the region. Iran further demanded compensation for aggression and the release of its frozen assets. Many of Irans demands clashed directly with the USs reported 15-point plan.

The US plan called for an end to Iran's uranium enrichment, limits on its missile programme, and halt to Tehrans support for regional proxies. The US also sought full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for international trade.

Hours after the announcement of a ceasefire, Israel launched a co-ordinated wave of more than 100 air strikes across Lebanon. Hundreds of people were killed and injured; hospitals were overwhelmed, and ran short of blood.

Meanwhile, Iranian missiles and drones continued to rain down across the Gulf. In Saudi Arabia they hit a vital pipeline that carries 7m barrels per day of oil to the Red Sea, allowing a share of the kingdoms oil exports to bypass Hormuz. In Kuwait they targeted power and water-desalination plants. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said it was attacked more than 50 times. This was one of the heaviest days of Iranian attacks since the start of the war.

Some analysts see the Iranian response as an answer to Israels actions in Lebanon, reports The Economist. Others wondered if it was a consequence of the decentralised way Iran has fought this war. With its leaders hidden in bunkers and the mobile-phone network penetrated by Israeli spies, communication is difficult; the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the regimes most elite fighting force, has given commanders in the field latitude to launch attacks on their own initiative. Some may be unaware of the ceasefire, or even choosing to ignore it.

It is too early to know whether the ceasefire will truly take hold, let alone whether the talks in Pakistan will succeed. That means it is premature to adjudicate whether Iran or America won the war (although that has not stopped both from claiming victory). If the negotiations lead to a deal, and Iran agrees to end its regional aggression in exchange for relief from American sanctions, both would arguably win; if they fail and the war resumes, both might lose, opines The Economist.

Overall, in this war of nerves waged by Iran and a war of unpredictability waged by the US, there would be no clear winner. However, it is also believed that Trump agreed to this ceasefire to get some respite for beleaguered American troops in the region and marshal additional troops for deployment in the region.

It is also a fact that the financial toll of the cost is increasing day by day for America and even though Iran too is bleeding both financially and humanly, it had psyched its citizens for such a war for a longtime, and thus it may not bow down to the American demands as it knows that if it wins the war then its regional supremacy would be established forever and then it could mount campaigns against its Arab neighbours.

[The writer, Asad Mirza, is Delhi based Journalist and Author.]

Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates.

Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic
AMMAN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Royal Jordanian (RJ) Airlines, Jordan's national flag carrier, has reported on Thursday significant operational impacts due to regional airspace restrictions amid ongoing Middle East tensions, though it maintains approximately 70 percent of its network functionality.

According to RJ statements and reports from Jordan's state-run Al Mamlaka TV, the carrier continues to operate regularly to destinations with open airspace, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Europe, and North America. However, flights to Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Damascus remain suspended.

To ensure safety, the airline has rerouted flights southward via Egyptian airspace, avoiding western and northern conflict zones.

According to the statement, these alternative paths have increased flight durations by approximately 30 minutes, resulting in a surge in fuel consumption and insurance costs.

Consequently, ticket fares have risen by 100 to 150 percent across global carriers, including RJ, to cover these additional overheads.

The airline characterized the current environment as a "difficult equation," as it faces a sharp decline in bookings and travel demand amid regional uncertainty.

To mitigate the impact on passengers, RJ has activated flexible booking policies, offered refunds, and provided ground transport support for travelers from Syria and Iraq to maintain customer confidence during the crisis. 
BEIRUT, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced Wednesday that Thursday, April 9, will be observed as a national day of mourning for the victims and injured in Israeli attacks that targeted hundreds of civilians.

All public administrations, institutions and municipalities will close, national flags will be lowered to half-staff, and radio and television broadcasts will be adjusted to reflect the national mourning, according to the prime minister.

He added that he remains in contact with Arab leaders and international officials to step up Lebanon's political and diplomatic efforts aimed at halting the Israeli attacks.

So far, the Israeli strike on Wednesday across Lebanon has killed at least 254 people and injured 1,165 others, with densely populated neighborhoods in the capital, Beirut, among the hardest hit, according to the latest data provided by the Lebanese Civil Defense. 
This photo taken on April 9, 2026 shows the collapse site in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo by Henry Naminde/Xinhua)

NAIROBI, April 9 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed after a demolition site collapsed here on Wednesday, the police confirmed on Thursday.

Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud said the building was being demolished at the Highrise estate when it suddenly caved in and trapped at least ten people.

"Rescuers have confirmed we lost three people in the tragedy. The injured were admitted to hospitals," Mohamud said.

Following the incident, authorities have called on construction sites to strictly adhere to safety regulations and building standards to prevent similar accidents. 

This photo taken on April 9, 2026 shows the collapse site in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo by Henry Naminde/Xinhua)

This photo taken on April 9, 2026 shows the collapse site in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo by Henry Naminde/Xinhua)
The Trump administration proclaimed April 2026 National Community College Month on Tuesday, using the occasion to position community colleges as the cornerstone of its workforce development agenda  and to highlight a policy change that, starting July 1, will fundamentally alter how federal financial aid flows to students pursuing short-term career training.

The Department of Education's April 7 proclamation frames community colleges not primarily as educational institutions but as "engines of economic growth" and "launchpads for the skilled workforce that will build the Golden Age of America"  training workers in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, energy, maritime and shipbuilding, allied health, and the skilled trades. The proclamation calls on states to integrate education and workforce strategies, embed industry certifications in degree programs, and  in a phrase that will draw attention  "cull the curriculum of woke ideology."

What the Workforce Pell Grant Is  and Why It Matters

The practical centerpiece of the administration's community college agenda is the Workforce Pell Grant, a provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed July 4, 2025, that for the first time extends federal Pell Grant eligibility to short-term workforce training programs. The program launches July 1, 2026.

Traditionally, Pell Grants  the nation's primary federal financial aid program for low-income students  have been available only to students enrolled in programs lasting at least 15 weeks. The Workforce Pell expansion changes that fundamentally. Beginning July 1, students will be able to use Pell funds for programs as short as eight weeks and as few as 150 clock hours, covering fields from healthcare credentials to IT certifications to skilled trades licenses.

Students can receive up to $4,310 per year in Workforce Pell funds, which can cover tuition, books, supplies, transportation, and housing  with any remaining funds available for computers, internet access, food, and child care. Unlike student loans, Pell Grants do not need to be repaid.

What Programs Will Qualify  and the High Bar to Get There

Not every short-term program will automatically qualify for Workforce Pell. The Department of Education's proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on March 9, 2026 with a public comment deadline of April 8, sets rigorous eligibility requirements that experts say will exclude a significant share of currently existing programs.

To qualify, a program must run between 150 and 599 clock hours of instruction over at least 8 weeks but fewer than 15 weeks. It must lead to a recognized credential  a certificate, certification, license, or Registered Apprenticeship credential  that employers actively use. It must align with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations as determined by the state. It must have been operating in its current form for at least one year. And it must meet outcome thresholds: a completion rate of at least 70 percent, a job placement rate of at least 70 percent within 180 days of completion, and a positive return on investment  meaning that median earnings of program completers exceed tuition and fees plus 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

Programs must also be "stackable"  able to be applied toward progress on a degree or longer certificate  and must receive approval from the state's governor after consultation with the state workforce board, followed by federal approval from the Department of Education.

The Century Foundation and other policy analysts caution that based on these requirements, only a small share of existing noncredit programs will qualify initially. North Carolina's community college system, widely regarded as one of the most workforce-aligned in the country, has acknowledged that only a fraction of its short-term programs are currently expected to meet all the eligibility criteria. "That timeline is going to move quick, and that means us as states, we have to move quickly too," said one NC official involved in the implementation process.

The Federal Ecosystem Around Community Colleges

The proclamation highlights several other federal initiatives the administration is tying to community colleges. The Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge is helping states build talent marketplaces and a national skills currency that translates learning into recognized labor market value. The Strengthening Community Colleges grant program from the Department of Labor is providing targeted investment. And the administration's registered apprenticeship expansion is targeting one million active apprentices nationwide  with community colleges serving as a primary training partner.

The Departments of Education and Labor have also announced a joint workforce development partnership to reduce fragmentation between federal education and workforce systems  a long-standing structural problem that has kept millions of students from accessing the full range of support they qualify for.

What This Means for Students Considering Community College

For students weighing educational options right now  whether recent high school graduates, working adults, career changers, or veterans  the Workforce Pell expansion represents a genuinely significant new possibility beginning this fall.

If you are considering a short-term credential or certification program in healthcare, IT, cybersecurity, manufacturing, construction trades, energy, or transportation, it is worth checking with your local community college's financial aid office to find out whether specific programs have been approved for Workforce Pell eligibility by your state. Not all programs will qualify on day one  the approval process is ongoing  but the list will grow through 2026 and into 2027.

For students already enrolled in associate degree programs or longer certificate programs, existing Pell Grant rules continue to apply. The Workforce Pell expansion does not change the eligibility or value of traditional Pell awards  though the proposed rule does contain a separate provision that could affect students whose non-federal scholarships and grants fully cover their cost of attendance, a development worth monitoring carefully.

The full list of programs currently under review for Workforce Pell eligibility varies by state. StudentAid.gov will be the authoritative source for program approval status as the July 1 launch date approaches.
A high-cost private institution in Texas is making headlines this month by swapping traditional educators for artificial intelligence.

By implementing a high-tech 'guide' system, the school aims to personalise every student's journey through a radical new curriculum. While the move promises a glimpse into the next generation of education, it has sparked an intense debate over whether software can truly replace the human touch.

A Radical Shift in the Daily Schedule

Imagine a campus without books, assignments, or faculty. This is the new face of learning. At least, that is the promise of Alpha School, an expanding group of elite institutions that insists AI is completely transforming how kids study.

A network of private AI schools has expanded to 22 locations across the country.



Alpha Schools, founded by MacKenzie Price and private equity billionaire Joe Liemandt, uses AI guides instead of teachers.



Tuition goes as high as $65k a year.  More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) March 27, 2026

With campuses in major hubs like Austin and New York, this network asks for fees reaching $65,000 (49132.52) annually. Here, children devote only 120 minutes daily to primary topics such as literacy and logic, guided entirely by automated programs.

The Growing Appeal of AI-Centric Schools

This $65,000 (49132.52)-a-year academy is part of a broader shift. Throughout America, various institutions are fully embracing digital intelligenceincluding a state-funded site in Georgia billed as the first of its kind and a Hawaiian school that developed its entire lesson plan using these tools.

This approach appeals to households, frequently led by professionals in banking or software, seeking an escape from what they consider an old-fashioned schooling system. The institution's website notes that parents with multiple kids who sign up receive a 5% price reduction for each additional student after the first.

An investor named Sarah Cone started her child in the second year at the Manhattan branchwhich serves pupils from early years to mid-teensthis past autumn. She mentioned she had been 'waiting with bated breath for Alpha School to get to [Manhattan].' After only a few months, 'my child is, like, a different student,' Cone remarked. 'She's just completely engaged and motivated.'

Human Mentors in a Digital World

A CBS report notes that pupils 'learn from AI' for roughly 120 minutes each day, before joining a 'guide' for practical ability sessions. These mentors are actually humans, though they do not carry the title of instructor.

Linda McMahon: "The alpha school that I visited, the first two hours of every day, every student is getting AI instruction on different subjects. I mean, it's a real concentrated, focused effort. They're not replacing teachers. There is a teacher there who is monitoring what's pic.twitter.com/qlj119OWqj  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 20, 2026

'We are using the same curriculum that students in the classroom are learning from. This is not ChatGPT coming up with made-up questions,' founder Mackenzie Price told CBS. 'We take deep pride in hiring at Alpha,' the school's site notes detailing the recruitment strategy.

Nothing has made me more optimistic about our AI future than visiting Alpha School.



The dominant doomer narrative is that, even if we solve alignment, AI will automate so much that humans will be left with nothing but meaningless hedonism. As AI does more and more humans are pic.twitter.com/dump1Rydoe  Johnathan Bi (@JohnathanBi) January 9, 2026

The site adds that Guides are chosen for their skill in inspiring kids, their talent for designing interesting, practical seminars, and their knack for identifying the specific help a pupil needs. These individuals are recruited from elite colleges and possess impressive experience in sectors such as technology and entrepreneurship. Alpha Guides go beyond the typical roles of monitors or instructors; they offer much more.

Weighing the Benefits Against Potential Risks

Despite these ambitious claims, skeptics naturally exist who fear that hurrying to adopt AI might harm a child's interpersonal and mental growth. 'These are early days. Parents worry about AI's impact. But no one  educator or parent  is sure what to do about it yet,' Emily Glickman, a private school consultant in New York City, told The New York Post.

Originally published on IBTimes UK
The death of a Chinese research scientist at the University of Michigan has become an international diplomatic incident, triggering demands from the Chinese government for a full investigation, a vigil organized by campus groups, and an urgent warning from the university's postdoctoral researchers union that international scholars must understand and exercise their legal rights.

Danhao Wang, 30, an assistant research scientist in the University of Michigan's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, died on March 20 after falling from an upper level inside the George G. Brown Building on campus, according to university police. The UM Department of Police and Public Safety is investigating the incident as a "possible act of self-harm," according to spokesperson Melissa Overton. A toxicology report is pending.

CBS News Detroit confirmed that Wang died shortly after speaking with federal investigators. The FBI has not publicly commented on its questioning of Wang or any related investigation.

Who Danhao Wang Was

Wang joined the University of Michigan in 2022 as a postdoctoral research scientist in the College of Engineering, working in the laboratory of Professor Zetian Mi, a leading researcher in semiconductor materials. He had recently been promoted to the role of assistant research scientist.

Dean of Engineering Karen Thole wrote to the College of Electrical and Computer Science community on March 23: "Dr. Wang was a promising and brilliant young mind, whose research into wide bandgap III-nitride semiconductor materials and devices published in Nature stands as a landmark, uncovering for the first time the switching and charge compensation mechanisms of emerging ferroelectric nitrides. His loss is felt deeply not only by those who knew him here at the University, but also everyone who understands his potential to have contributed to breakthroughs in science that would have positively impacted people around the world."

Thole also warned the university community against misinformation generated by artificial intelligence, noting the investigation was ongoing and facts were still being established.

China's Diplomatic Response

The Chinese government has moved forcefully and publicly to characterize Wang's death as the direct consequence of federal harassment of Chinese scholars on American campuses.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement without naming Wang specifically, saying a University of Michigan researcher had "taken his own life after being subjected to hostile questioning by U.S. law enforcement personnel." The ministry called the incident emblematic of a broader pattern. "These moves infringe on Chinese citizens' legitimate and lawful rights and interests, poison the atmosphere of people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the U.S., and create a serious chilling effect," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

Liu Pengyu, spokesman for China's embassy in Washington, confirmed to the South China Morning Post that Wang had taken his own life and said the U.S. had "overstretched" the concept of national security. The Chinese Consulate General in Chicago said it had "lodged stern representations to the relevant departments of the U.S. government and relevant universities on this case many times." The consulate called on the U.S. to "carry out a full investigation, give the family of the victim and the Chinese side a responsible explanation, stop any discriminatory law enforcement targeting Chinese students and scholars in the U.S., and stop imposing wrongful convictions."

The University's Response and the Postdoc Union Warning

The University of Michigan has acknowledged Wang's death and said support resources are available to the campus community as the investigation continues. Interim President Domenico Grasso did not address Wang's death specifically in public statements.

The University of Michigan Postdoctoral Researchers' Organization (UM-PRO), which represents approximately 1,500 postdoctoral researchers at the university, issued a formal statement directly addressing the circumstances of Wang's death. Nick Geiser, an organizer with UM-PRO, confirmed that Wang was an assistant research scientist in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department who had recently been promoted. He noted that approximately 60% of all postdoctoral researchers at the university are international workers.

UM-PRO's statement said the organization had been made aware of reports that federal authorities interrogated Wang before his death. "This incident is contextual to a larger climate of fear felt by immigrant workers from all industries, home countries, and walks of life under the current administration," Geiser said. The union advised all its members  both citizens and visa holders  not to speak to law enforcement without an attorney present, citing their constitutional rights.

The Broader Context: Chinese Researchers Under Scrutiny at Michigan

Wang's death is occurring against a backdrop of significant federal scrutiny of Chinese researchers at the University of Michigan specifically, and at American universities more broadly.

In October 2024, five Chinese University of Michigan students were charged with crimes including conspiracy, lying to federal investigators, and destroying records in connection with a federal investigation after they were found near Camp Grayling, a military facility in northern Michigan, during a U.S. National Guard training exercise involving members of the Taiwanese military. The criminal case, filed by FBI Special Agent Caroline Julee Colpoys, said the students were found near military vehicles, tents, and classified communications equipment. The students left the country after graduating in May 2024 before they could be prosecuted.

Separately, the University of Michigan is one of four universities  along with Harvard, Penn, and UC Berkeley  currently under federal investigation for failing to accurately disclose foreign funding under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, including funding from Chinese government-affiliated entities.

Days after Wang's death, UM Interim President Grasso appeared before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce at a hearing titled "U.S. Universities Under Siege: Foreign Espionage, Stolen Innovation, and the National Security Threat." Grasso said the university continues to improve background checks for foreign students and researchers and has strengthened policies around sensitive research material. He said foreign students "come and enrich our campuses because they not only bring their intellectual power, but they bring different perspectives from around the world." He could not answer, when pressed by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), how many U.S. government-funded research projects at the university had foreign student involvement.

What This Means for International Researchers

For the estimated 1 million international students and researchers currently on U.S. campuses  including roughly 370,000 from China  Wang's death and the circumstances surrounding it have intensified a climate of anxiety that has been building for more than a year under the Trump administration's crackdown on foreign influence in American universities.

Megan Russell, China campaign coordinator at CODEPINK, said: "This is not an isolated incident. This is a series of repeated targeting of Chinese scholars."

Campus groups at the University of Michigan are organizing a vigil for Wang. A petition demanding answers about the circumstances of his death is circulating.

The investigation by university and local police is ongoing. The FBI has not confirmed the nature or scope of its questioning of Wang, and no charges or formal accusations against Wang have been made public. The family has asked for privacy as they grieve.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. International resources are available at befrienders.org.
A job seeker talks with a recruiter at a job fair on Songjiang campus of Shanghai University of Engineering Science in east China's Shanghai, April 9, 2026. The job fair for the elderly care service was held here on Thursday. Nearly 50 organizations and enterprises offered over a hundred opportunities. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang)

This photo taken on April 9, 2026 shows a job fair on Songjiang campus of Shanghai University of Engineering Science in east China's Shanghai. The job fair for the elderly care service was held here on Thursday. Nearly 50 organizations and enterprises offered over a hundred opportunities. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang)

A job seeker talks with a recruiter at a job fair on Songjiang campus of Shanghai University of Engineering Science in east China's Shanghai, April 9, 2026. The job fair for the elderly care service was held here on Thursday. Nearly 50 organizations and enterprises offered over a hundred opportunities. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang)

Job seekers talk with recruiters at a job fair on Songjiang campus of Shanghai University of Engineering Science in east China's Shanghai, April 9, 2026. The job fair for the elderly care service was held here on Thursday. Nearly 50 organizations and enterprises offered over a hundred opportunities. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang)
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.
Melvin will be awarded an honorary degree at the May 19 Commencement Ceremony





VILLANOVA, Pa.  The Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, Villanova University President, announced that acclaimed journalist and NBCs TODAY co-anchor Craig Melvin will address the Class of 2026 as the Universitys commencement speaker. Melvin will also receive the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

The Universitys 183rd commencement will be held Tuesday, May 19, at 2:30 p.m., in Villanova Stadium. In the event of severe weather, the ceremony will be held indoors in the Finneran Pavilion.

Note: For the livestream of Commencement, click here.

Craig Melvin is co-anchor of NBC News TODAY, co-host of the 3rd Hour of TODAY and a host of syndicated Dateline NBC broadcasts. He also hosts the podcast "Glass Half Full with Craig Melvin," featuring candid, long-form conversations with individuals about life-shaping moments.

An accomplished journalist, Melvin has covered a wide range of major national and global events, including Republican and Democratic National Conventions and three presidential inaugurations. His political reporting includes interviews with former President Bill Clinton, then-Vice President Joe Biden, former Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Secretaries of State John Kerry, Mike Pompeo and Condoleezza Rice.

Melvins reporting spans some of the nations most significant and challenging stories, including nationwide protests and high-profile criminal cases, demonstrating a commitment to thoughtful, on-the-ground journalism during critical moments. In addition to his domestic reporting, Melvin has covered six Olympic Games and six Super Bowls.

Prior to joining NBC News and MSNBC in July 2011, Melvin was a weekend anchor for WRC, NBCs owned-and-operated station in Washington, D.C. Before that, Melvin earned acclaim as an evening news anchor at WIS in Columbia, S.C., his hometown.

Melvin is the author of two books, Pops: Learning to Be a Son and a Father and the childrens book Im Proud of You. He is a graduate of Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., where he serves on the board of trustees, and is active in several charitable organizations, including the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, where he also serves on the board.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova Universitys Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six collegesthe College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nations top universities, Villanova supports its students intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.


Photo Credit: Getty Images

VILLANOVA, Pa. (March 30, 2026)  Villanova University will host a panel discussion, Pope Leo @ One: Augustinian, Pastoral, Prophetic, on Tuesday, April 28, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Villanova Room of the Connelly Center. Marking the first anniversary of Pope Leo XIVs election, the event will explore the early direction of his papacy through the lens of Villanovas Augustinian Catholic tradition, with a focus on pastoral leadership, prophetic witness and engagement with the global Church.

Hosted by Villanovas Office for Mission and Ministry, the panel will feature experts and thought leaders discussing Pope Leo XIVs influences, emerging priorities and the path ahead. The discussion will be facilitated by Tia Noelle Pratt, PhD, special assistant to the Vice President for Mission & Ministry and director of Mission Engagement and Strategic Initiatives for Mission and Ministry. Opening remarks will be delivered by the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, Villanova University President.

Featured panelists include:

Robert Cardinal McElroy , archbishop of Washington, who participated in the May 2025 conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV

, archbishop of Washington, who participated in the May 2025 conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV Justin McLellan , Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter

, Vatican correspondent for the The Rev. John J. Lydon, OSA , PhD , inaugural director of Villanovas Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration

, , inaugural director of Villanovas Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration Jaisy A. Joseph, PhD , assistant professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Villanova University

, assistant professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Villanova University Hannah Kalamarides 26 CLAS, Villanova student and synodal fellow in the Universitys Office for Mission and Ministry, who participated in the Jubilee Year of the Synod in Rome in October 2025

Together, the panelists will offer diverse perspectives on Pope Leo XIVs leadership, the global Church and the ongoing Synod on Synodality, reflecting Villanovas commitment to dialogue, discernment and community engagement.

The event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. A livestream also will be available.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova Universitys Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six collegesthe College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nations top universities, Villanova supports its students intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.
PHNOM PENH, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia is confident of eliminating all online scam centers from the country after the Law on Combating Online Scams has been promulgated, a senior minister said.

Senior minister Chhay Sinarith, head of the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams, made the remarks during a briefing on the Law on Combating Online Scams to members of the diplomatic corps and international organizations on Wednesday, said a press release publicized on Thursday.

He said combating technology-based scams remains a top priority for the government and "expressed confidence that, with full international cooperation, online scam operations will be completely eradicated from Cambodia."

He called for continued support from international partners for capacity building, technical assistance, information sharing and coordinated repatriation efforts.

Sinarith also highlighted the increasing sophistication and complexity of technology-based scams extending across borders, as well as the serious harm they pose to public security and the national reputation of the country.

He elaborated on Cambodia's ongoing nationwide crackdown that has yielded significant results, and stressed the importance and relevance of the newly enacted law, which imposes stringent penalties on offenders, as a comprehensive and effective legal tool for law enforcement authorities to fight against online scams.

"The enforcement of the new law will be firm, transparent and consistent with due process, while ensuring full protection under the law for those cooperating with authorities, as well as genuine victims and innocent property owners," Sinarith said.

He also underlined many technical challenges confronting Cambodia and outlined the country's efforts to strengthen its capacity to address evolving criminal methods, including the use of artificial intelligence, encrypted platforms, external applications for illicit financial transactions, and fraudulent investment schemes.

Cambodia promulgated the Law on Combating Online Scams on April 6, with immediate effect.

Under the new law, online scam bosses will face between 15 and 30 years or life imprisonment if their operations lead to one or many deaths.

Ringleaders of online scam centers will face between five and 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 1 billion riels (about 250,000 U.S. dollars). They will face between 10 and 20 years in jail and a fine of up to 2 billion riels if their operations are found to involve violence, torture, illegal confinement, human trafficking, or forced labor.

Online scammers will be imprisoned between two and five years with a fine of up to 500 million riels.

The Southeast Asian country has launched an unprecedented nationwide crackdown on cyber scam networks in order to maintain social security, safety, and public order, and to restore the kingdom's image on the international stage.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Sokha said in February that Cambodia had deported more than 30,000 suspected foreign scammers, as over 210,000 others had voluntarily left the kingdom after operations against online scams had intensified since June last year. 
Pakistan was poised on Friday to host Iranian and US delegations for negotiations in its capital, although Tehran's participation remained uncertain after deadly Israeli strikes on Lebanon threatened this week's temporary truce.

Separately, Israel and Lebanon will hold talks in Washington next week, a State Department official said, amid mounting international concern that Israel's bombing campaign could shatter the already fragile two-week US-Iran ceasefire.

Islamabad was pressing ahead with its preparations for the high-stakes negotiations, which official sources say will canvass several sensitive points, including Iran's nuclear enrichment and the free flow of trade through the strategic Strit of Hormuz maritime chokepoint.

But, even as security was ramped up in Islamabad and the main luxury hotel hosting delegates was cleared of its normal well-heeled guests, Iran signalled that its participation could hinge on a halt in Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

"The holding of talks to end the war is dependent on the US adhering to its ceasefire commitments on all fronts, especially in Lebanon," Esmaeil Baqaei, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, said.

"If the travel plan is finalised, the composition of the delegation will also be announced," he added.

Nevertheless, Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards signalled they were committing to the ceasefire, according to the state broadcaster.

"We would like to inform you that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have not launched anything at any country during the ceasefire hours until now," the Guards said.

On Wednesday, Israel's heaviest strikes on Lebanon since Hezbollah entered the Middle East war in early March killed hundreds, rattling the uneasy ceasefire between Washington and Tehran less than 48 hours after it came into force.

Pakistan has insisted that Lebanon is included in the ceasefire, and Washington made a push to include Beirut in parallel talks.

"We can confirm that the Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon," a US State Department official said.

Neither Israel nor the Lebanese government have publicly confirmed these talks, although the announcement came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his ministers to seek direct dialogue with Lebanon focused on disarming Iran-backed Hezbollah.

A Lebanese government official told AFP that Beirut would require a truce before entering any negotiations with Israel.

Attacks continued overnight, with air raid sirens in Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv and other parts of the country and Hezbollah announcing it carried out drone and rocket strikes early on Friday on Israeli forces on both sides of the border as well as a town in Israel's north.

- 'They're wrong' -

Israel's refusal to halt operations in Lebanon has cast a shadow over the expected talks in Pakistan where many roads in the capital were closed on Friday during a two-day public holiday that turned the city into a ghost town as it prepared for delegates' arrival.

The two-week truce was agreed to allow negotiations between US and Iranian officials aimed at ending a conflict that has already killed thousands and plunged the global economy into turmoil.

Iranian officials said Israel's strikes had rendered the Pakistan talks "meaningless" and that Lebanon was an "inseparable part of the ceasefire."

Tehran's ambassador to Pakistan on Thursday deleted a social media post saying an Iranian delegation would arrive in the country later that day.

Still, Vice President JD Vance is due to lead the US delegation on Saturday, joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Fresh fractures in the mediation process emerged when Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif wrote a sharp criticism of Israel's strikes on Lebanon Thursday evening, in a post taken down hours later on Friday.

"Israel is evil and a curse for humanity -- while peace talks are underway in Islamabad, genocide is being committed in Lebanon," he wrote on X, adding that he hoped "people who created this cancerous state on Palestinian land" would "burn in hell."

The Israeli Prime Minister's office called the remarks outrageous, saying: "This is not a statement that can be tolerated from any government, especially not from one that claims to be a neutral arbiter for peace."

Pakistan does not formally recognise Israel -- a fact that could complicate its role as mediator -- and has insisted the ceasefire includes Lebanon, which Israel disputes.

Fearing the truce may be in jeopardy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz -- echoing worries in other capitals -- warned that the destruction in Lebanon could cause "the peace process as a whole to fail."

Netanyahu, who insists Lebanon is not covered by the ceasefire, said his message was clear: "Anyone who acts against Israeli civilians, we will strike them. We will continue to hit Hezbollah wherever necessary."

Trump told NBC News that Israel was "scaling back" strikes in Lebanon and that Netanyahu had assured him its attacks would become more "low-key."

- 'Poor job' -

If the talks go ahead, a key point of contention remains the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil as well as vast quantities of natural gas and fertiliser pass in peacetime.

Trump accused Iran of doing a "very poor job" of allowing oil through the strait and of breaching the terms of their ceasefire agreement.

In a barrage of social media posts that sparked fresh fears for the shaky truce, he also warned Tehran against imposing a toll on ships passing through the crucial waterway.

"Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonourable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said on Truth Social. "That is not the agreement we have!"

MarineTraffic data showed that the Gabon-flagged MSG passed through the strait on Thursday, the first non-Iranian oil tanker to do so since the ceasefire was announced.

bur-arp/sla/ceg/dc
SAVOY, Ill. (WAND) - The Village of Savoy has been working to create space for a new downtown square, a centralized space for residents. They selected a nearly three-acre parcel located between West Main and West Church Streets, and Wesley and North Dunlap Avenues.

"The village is doing their due diligence with demolition and a phase one environmental that should all be done by mid-May to mid-June," said Savoy Village Administrator Andy Quarnstrom. "Then it'll be shovel-ready and ready to give to the developer, so we're excited about that coming up very quickly."

As part of its agreement with developers Downtown Development Group LLC, the village was responsible for demolishing the buildings on the property. Once that is completed, the village will hand the process over to the developers.

"Savoy continues to grow and be a wonderful place for families to live and play, and has great schools," said Marissa Siero, CEO of Downtown Development Group LLC. "What we're really lacking is some strong economic development and some placemaking, so people can really identify what is Savoy? And really have a place to gather as well as a place to spend time, eat, dine and play with their families."

In plans shared with the Village of Savoy, Siero listed plans for the area to include 70 apartments, more than 10 retail spaces and a stage for performances. Siero said it combines the need for community spaces and new housing.

New! The latest from WAND in your inbox Sign up for our newsletters to receive breaking news and daily headlines. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

"This project is a catalyst for an overarching development for the area," Siero said. "We're at high-density residentially, but we don't yet have that economic development opportunity and that's really going to be addressed with this project."

Quarnstrom said the village hopes this large new development encourages other companies and developers to breathe life into Savoy. This especially applies to concerns of enough high-quality housing.

"We have quite a few developers who are in the process of developing single-family properties, which, if you look at housing studies across our community, we're still in need of," Quarnstrom said. "We also have some potential multifamily projects that are coming up, which, again, there's a consistent need for."

Demolition on the project will be completed by June 2026. Downtown Development Group LLC plans to launch construction by Spring 2027.

Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND)  Illinois House Democrats passed legislation Wednesday to ban rental junk fees and require transparency for leases.

Sponsors said renters shouldn't be surprised by charges included in their rent, such as fees for after-hours service requests, renewing a lease, or routine maintenance.

The bill states that all non-optional fees should be explicitly disclosed on the first page of a lease agreement. Tenants would not be liable to pay fees if they are not shown on the first page of a lease.

"There are instances where individuals are signing up for a lease without a clear understanding of everything they have to pay for," said Rep. Nabeela Syed (D-Palatine). "Just having that transparency, I think, is important for all of our constituents."

House Republicans said they appreciated the intent of the proposal, but they stressed there could be unintended consequences.

New! The latest from WAND in your inbox Sign up for our newsletters to receive breaking news and daily headlines. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

"I think this bill has some structural blind spots that will hurt the tenants we're seeking to protect," said Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore). "Any landlord doing business and running this, especially those that are smaller landlords with one to four properties, their natural inclination is going to be to build these costs into the base rent. Therefore, the tenants are going to be paying additional higher rents month in and month out.

House Bill 3564 passed out of the House on a partisan 64-40 vote. The measure previously received a 39-16 vote in the Senate. It now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk for further consideration.

"This is actually going to add predictability to the rental market, which is going to be good for my constituents who are renters," said Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago). "It is also going to be really useful to those who are actually offering rental housing to have a little bit more predictability in terms of what they can and cannot charge. That's going to help us to have much more affordable housing all across the state."

Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
Photo taken on April 8, 2026 shows a vehicle burning after being hit by an Israeli airstrike in which an Al Jazeera journalist was killed, in Gaza City. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources. Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

GAZA, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources.

The Gaza Civil Defense said in a brief statement that its crews recovered two bodies after a civilian vehicle was targeted on Rashid Street in western Gaza City.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network.

Al Jazeera later confirmed the death of Wishah, its journalist.

In another incident, two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a gathering of civilians near Kuwait Roundabout, east of the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City, according to the sources.

The Israeli army has not commented on the two incidents.

Separately, the Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday in a statement that it "struck and eliminated" Muhammad Dawad, "an expert in engineering and producing explosive devices" in Hamas, on Monday.

Gaza-based health authorities said Wednesday that the death toll since the ceasefire went into effect in October 2025 has reached 736, with 2,035 injured, raising the total number of casualties since Oct. 7, 2023, to 72,315 deaths and 172,137 injuries. 

Photo taken on April 8, 2026 shows a vehicle burning after being hit by an Israeli airstrike in which an Al Jazeera journalist was killed, in Gaza City. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources. Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Photo taken on April 8, 2026 shows a vehicle burning after being hit by an Israeli airstrike in which an Al Jazeera journalist was killed, in Gaza City. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources. Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Photo taken on April 8, 2026 shows a vehicle burning after being hit by an Israeli airstrike in which an Al Jazeera journalist was killed, in Gaza City. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources. Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Photo taken on April 8, 2026 shows rescuers putting out fire on a vehicle hit by an Israeli airstrike in which an Al Jazeera journalist was killed, in Gaza City. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources. Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People attend a funeral of journalist Mohammed Wishah at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah city, central Gaza Strip, April 9, 2026. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People attend a funeral of journalist Mohammed Wishah at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah city, central Gaza Strip, April 9, 2026. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

A woman attends a funeral of journalist Mohammed Wishah at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah city, central Gaza Strip, April 9, 2026. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People attend a funeral of journalist Mohammed Wishah at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah city, central Gaza Strip, April 9, 2026. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People attend a funeral of journalist Mohammed Wishah at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah city, central Gaza Strip, April 9, 2026. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People attend a funeral of journalist Mohammed Wishah at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah city, central Gaza Strip, April 9, 2026. Four Palestinians, including a journalist, were killed on Wednesday in two separate incidents of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that one of the dead was journalist Mohammed Wishah, who worked for Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
Rome calls on Israel to clarify "unacceptable" targeting of Italian UNIFIL convoy in Lebanon.

Italy has summoned the Israeli ambassador in Rome to demand an explanation after shots were fired at an Italian convoy of UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon on Wednesday.

Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani announced the move after briefing parliament on the incident, stating: "Italian soldiers in Lebanon are not to be touched."

What happened

On Wednesday morning a logistics convoy of the Italian contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), travelling from Shama towards Beirut, was targeted by warning shots fired by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) about two kilometres from its departure base.

The UNIFIL convoy halted immediately and returned to base, the Italian defence ministry said in a statement, reporting minor damage to vehicles but no injuries to personnel.

Response from Rome

In a statement, Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her "firm condemnation" of the incident, stating: "Italian soldiers are present in Lebanon under a mandate from the United Nations Security Council and are acting in the interest of maintaining peace."

She added that it was "completely unacceptable" that personnel operating under the UN flag should be put at risk by such "irresponsible actions, which are in clear violation of United Nations Resolution 1701."

Defence minister Guido Crosetto also expressed his "strongest and most outraged protest," calling on the UN "to intervene with the Israeli authorities as a matter of urgency to clarify the incident, to adopt all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Italian contingent and all UNIFIL personnel, and to firmly reiterate respect for the mandate and the protection due to the UN peacekeepers."

Spain

The incident involving Italy came a day after a separate confrontation involving a Spanish peacekeeper. Israeli forces briefly detained a UNIFIL peacekeeper after blocking a logistics convoy in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.

Spain's defence minister Margarita Robles said the Spanish soldier, who was part of a contingent delivering supplies, was held for about an hour before being released following high-level intervention. Spain also summoned Israel's charge d'affaires to protest the "unjustified detention.

UNIFIL said the peacekeeper was freed following "direct and immediate contacts" by the mission's head and liaison branch, and condemned the detention as "a blatant violation of international law," stating that interference with peacekeeping operations also breaches UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

Italy and UNIFIL

Italy currently has 754 troops in UNIFIL, the second-largest national contingent after Indonesia's 755.

The incidents come against a backdrop of escalating Israeli military activity in Lebanon, which Israel maintains is not covered by the two-week ceasefire agreed between the United States and Iran earlier this week.
A Closed-Door Meeting at the Pentagon, a Medieval Warning, and the Widening Rift Between Washington and the Vatican

In January 2026, a few days after Pope Leo XIV delivered his State of the World address, a top Vatican diplomat was summoned to the Pentagon. What happened in that room is now, according to reporting by The Free Press confirmed by multiple independent sources, one of the most extraordinary episodes in the modern history of relations between the United States and the Catholic Church.The story begins with words. In his January address, Pope Leo XIV observed that a diplomacy promoting dialogue and consensus was being replaced by a diplomacy based on force, and that war had returned to fashion. The speech was widely read as a commentary on the Trump administration: the bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities, the threats to allies, the claims over Canada and Greenland, the kidnapping of a foreign head of state. Washington read it the same way.

Behind closed doors, according to Vatican officials briefed on the meeting who spoke to The Free Press on condition of anonymity, senior US defense officials delivered what those present described as a bitter lecture: the United States has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world, and the Catholic Church had better take its side.

The official who delivered the lecture was Elbridge Colby, the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. The man sitting across from him was Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Vatican's ambassador to the United States. According to the reporting, Colby's team picked apart the Pope's address line by line. What enraged them most was Leo's declaration that "a diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force." The Pentagon read that sentence as a direct challenge to what the administration calls the Donroe Doctrine, Trump's assertion of unchallenged American dominion over the Western Hemisphere.

The cardinal sat through the lecture in silence. The Holy See has not, since that day, given an inch.

The Avignon Threat

The meeting might have remained a tense but manageable diplomatic confrontation. Then one of the American officials reached into history for a weapon.

As tensions escalated inside the room, one US official invoked the Avignon Papacy, the period in the 14th century when the French Crown leveraged its military power to dominate papal authority, ordering an attack on Pope Boniface VIII that led to his downfall and subsequent death, and forcing the relocation of the papacy to France for decades.

The reference was not lost on those present. Many in the Vatican saw it as a threat to use military force against the Holy See itself. There are no public records of any previous meeting between Vatican and US officials at the Pentagon, let alone an instance in which a world power suggested it could force the Bishop of Rome into captivity.

The Vatican was alarmed. Plans for Pope Leo to visit the United States were quietly shelved.

The Visit That Never Happened

JD Vance had personally extended an invitation to Pope Leo just two weeks after his election at the conclave in May 2025. The White House wanted the first American-born pope to return to his home country and celebrate America's 250th anniversary at the White House on July 4, 2026. The administration tried every possible way to make the visit happen, according to one Vatican official who spoke to The Free Press.

It did not happen. The Holy See considered the request, then declined over a mix of foreign policy disagreements, the increasingly vocal opposition of American bishops to Trump's mass deportation policy, and a refusal to become a partisan trophy in the 2026 midterms.

One Vatican official told The Free Press: "The Pope may well never visit the United States under this administration."

Instead of July 4 at the White House, Pope Leo XIV will travel on that date to Lampedusa, the small Italian island between Tunisia and Sicily where North African migrants wash ashore by the thousands. As journalist Christopher Hale observed, Robert Francis Prevost is too deliberate a man to have chosen that date by accident.

After the Lecture, Leo Pressed Harder

The Pentagon meeting did not achieve its apparent goal. Rather than retreating into cautious Vatican diplomacy, Pope Leo XIV grew more outspoken as the months passed and the Iran war intensified.

Over Holy Week, he condemned what he called the imperialist occupation of the world and warned that God rejects the prayers of those who wage war. On Easter Sunday, he urged world leaders to lay down their weapons and choose peace, to abandon the desire to dominate others.

Then came 7 April and Trump's Truth Social post threatening that an entire civilisation would die that night. The Pope, speaking to journalists at Castel Gandolfo, called it truly unacceptable and asked everyone to think of so many innocent children, so many totally innocent elderly people who would also be victims of this escalation. He called on all people to reject war, especially, he said, a war which many people have said is an unjust war. His call for citizens to contact their elected representatives to advocate for peace was described by Vatican observers as extremely rare, representing a step from moral commentary into explicitly political territory that popes almost never take.

The contrast with how the administration frames the same conflict could not be sharper. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly invoked God in connection with the US military campaign, likening the rescue of a downed American pilot to the resurrection and asking Americans to pray every day, on bended knee, for military victory in Iran in the name of Jesus Christ.

Washington's Denial

The White House and the Pentagon have not accepted The Free Press account. A Defense Department spokesperson said the characterisation of the meeting was highly exaggerated and distorted, describing it instead as a respectful and reasonable discussion, adding: "We have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See."

The denial has not dampened the story. The Free Press report by Rome-based journalist Mattia Ferraresi was independently confirmed by multiple outlets using their own Vatican and US government sources. The broad outline of the confrontation, and the Avignon reference in particular, has not been substantively contested.

Why It Matters

The answer to why the world's most powerful military would bother courting or threatening the Vatican lies in something easy to overlook: the Catholic Church is perhaps the only remaining global institution perceived to carry genuine moral authority. The Holy See remains a body whose credibility the American superpower seeks. Leo's blessing, or at least his silence, would confer a kind of moral legitimacy that no amount of military power can manufacture on its own.

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, the son of a family of French, Italian and Spanish descent, is the first American in history to lead the Catholic Church. He was elected hoping, by all accounts, to tend his flock quietly. The world has not allowed it. The administration that expected a hometown pope to provide moral cover for its foreign policy got instead a pontiff standing at Castel Gandolfo calling its threats against Iran unacceptable, and planning to spend his nation's 250th birthday on a Mediterranean island watching boats arrive from Africa.

He was lectured in a room at the Pentagon about what happened to a pope who chose the wrong side. He appears to have taken the lesson differently than intended.
C'etait Bien Brings the Private Correspondence of Karl Lagerfeld to Spazio Opis This May

A deeply private side of one of fashion's most public figures comes to Rome this spring, in an exhibition unlike anything the city has seen. C'etait bien, which translates as "it was good," opens at Spazio Opis on 7 May 2026 and runs through 30 July, presenting over 600 letters and faxes that Karl Lagerfeld sent over 25 years to Armelle de Bascher, the mother of his companion Jacques de Bascher, who died of AIDS in 1989.

Jacques, whom Lagerfeld affectionately called Jacquot, had shared 19 years of his life with the designer. When he died, Lagerfeld was unable to show his grief to anyone but Armelle. The correspondence that followed, spanning more than two decades, remained locked in her French chateau until her own death in 2015. The final message in the archive is a fax dated 23 December 2014: "It is the 25th Christmas without Jacquot. Time passes quickly. It was good."

The exhibition, curated by Clara Tosi Pamphili, was developed by Richard Mogni, a close friend of Jacques's niece Emilie Grangie, who inherited the letters and chose Mogni as their custodian. The show draws on sketches Lagerfeld made during sleepless nights, photographs of the places and people the couple shared, and original documents from both his working and private life. Approximately 30 original letters are displayed in cases, alongside projections that fill the gallery's largest room with an immersive loop of images, letters, and documents.

The opening evening on 7 May at 18:30 will include a conversation between Silvia Venturini Fendi, Lagerfeld's creative heir at the Maison Fendi and now the house's honorary president, and Richard Mogni. Also on show are works by three young artists, Christophe Constantin, Giacomo Matarazzo, and P.A.C.E., who have responded visually to the emotions running through the letters: fear, death, and the desire to live.

Details

When: 7 May to 30 July 2026. Opening: Thursday 7 May, 18:30. Where: Spazio Opis, Via Ferdinando di Savoia 2, Rome. Hours: Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 19:00. Saturday 10:00 to 13:00. More information: spazioopis.com
If you want to brush up on your French, attend a talk with a best-selling author, or learn how to 'paint with wool', then Waterfords newest festival might be for you.

The Waterford UNESCO Lifelong Learning festival will take place from April 14 to 18, across libraries and community centres in the county. All of the events are free to attend and do not require booking.

At the launch last week, Laura Power, Learning City Project Manager, said the festival, is an opportunity to showcase the many ways people in the city and county can learn every day. We invite everyone, regardless of age, interest or ability, to give something new a try".

Dr Helen Murphy, Head of Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning at SETU, added: At its heart, lifelong learning is about curiosity, the belief that our minds should continue to grow throughout our whole lives. A UNESCO Learning City is one where learning is part of the fabric of everyday life: in our homes, neighbourhoods, workplaces, community centres and public spaces.

Caitriona Cullen, Director of Further Education and Training at WWETB, said: Being a UNESCO Learning City is something we are very proud of, but it also comes with responsibility. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals, it challenges us to work together to widen access to learning, reduce inequalities and build stronger communities

Photo exhibition

Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr Seamus Ryan, launched a photo exhibition as part of the festival. That display is currently on show at Central Library, Waterford, until April 20

The exhibition features six stories of lifelong learners that showcase the power of learning to foster resilience, creativity, and social connection. Members of the public are also invited to nominate themselves or other lifelong learners to share their own learning stories.

Gareth Evans, SEO Economic Development and Head of Enterprise Local Enterprise Office, said: These portraits offer just a glimpse of the lifelong learning happening across Waterford every day. They remind us that learning takes many forms: returning to education, developing a creative interest, building new skills for work, or simply discovering the joy of trying something new.

Printed copies of the full programme are available at Central Library Waterford and participating venues, and the full schedule can also be viewed online at waterfordlearningcity.ie.

Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme
Dealz on Michael Street have put up signs in its window saying they are not taking card payments at the moment.

The sign says that staff "are working as best they can under the circumstances."

The Waterford News & Star spoke to a staff member at Dealz Michael Street who said they have been unable to take card payments since last Saturday. They said the entire IT system for the store is down, and none of the computers in the building are working.

They said the issue will "hopefully" be resolved soon because there has "definitely" been a decline in footfall in the shop.

Despite the numerous signs on their facade, the staff member told the Waterford News & Star that some customers are filling up baskets and then trying to "tap with their phones."

Those customers are leaving the shop empty-handed.

The staff member said, "We want to sell people things, not turn them away."

Dealz were contacted for comment, but did not reply at the time of publication.
Advertisement

BusinessCompaniesTrade wars Not all exporters will get a tariff refund from the US. Heres why Millie Muroi April 8, 2026  2:55pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Australian firms looking to claw back US tariff payments they have made over the past two years could have a way to do so within weeks, but not all exporters will be eligible for a refund, legal experts say. Businesses have been lining up to lodge claims for tariff refunds in the US Court of International Trade after the US Supreme Court ruled in February that tariffs imposed by Donald Trump under the International Emergency Economics Powers Act (IEEPA), were unlawful. The tariff refunds were ordered by relatively low-profile Court of International Trade judge Richard Eaton in March after he presided over a single refund case involving a filtration company. The 77-year-old entered semi-retirement more than a decade ago, the Wall Street Journal reported. US President Donald Trumps Liberation Day tariffs were ruled illegal in February. AP Aside from big Australian companies such as Rio Tinto and Breville, US entities of smaller Australian businesses, including hair care brand Bondi Boost, have also put in claims for refunds. Bondi Boost has a US-registered entity, Bondi Boost US, LLC, which was directly slugged by the newly-voided tariffs.

Advertisement

Experts said the process for seeking a refund was complex and uncertain, and it was not clear how long it would take for companies to get money back from the US government. Sydney-based Baker McKenzie partner Anne Petterd said the decision to claim a refund may not apply to Australian businesses which only export their products to the US and do not also manage the importing side. In many cases, it will ultimately be the decision of the importer of record in the US who paid the additional tariff, she said. Norton Rose Fullbright Australia partner Daniel Allman said the US government would not be issuing refunds to businesses which have indirectly borne the cost of tariffs, such as Australian businesses which have had the tariff cost passed on to them by a US importer. An Australian business in that situation would need to examine their agreements with the importer in the US top check whether theyre entitled under that agreement to get a refund from the importer, if and when that importer receives a refund from the government, he said.

Advertisement

According to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), there will be an administrative process for the refunds involving an online portal which the CPB plans to have up and running by mid-April. Related Article Opinion

Donald Trump The conga line of Australian companies suing to claw back Trump tariffs Elizabeth Knight Business columnist However, Allman warns the timeframe for businesses to get money back  and whether those refunds will eventuate at all  is unclear. The latest filing from CBP to the US Court of International Trade suggests that they expect the process for the first wave of refund claims to take up to 45 days, he said. But I would really caution that we need to wait and see if and when that system is actually operational in practice. It is possible that the US government might seek to challenge the scope of refunds, and even if that does not happen, there could be some time before all the refunds are dispersed for importers. And many other tariffs imposed under different legislation to the IEEPA will remain in place and will not be eligible for refunds.

Advertisement

Allman said Australian businesses that have filed a lawsuit ahead of the proposed portal opening are likely doing so to get on the front foot because the online process had not yet been finalised. The bulk of tariff refunds would be processed through the portal once it opens, he said, with importers most likely needing to apply to receive a refund. Petterd said some businesses might have filed lawsuits so as not to rely only on a new system being set up, while others may have done so to encourage that process to happen more quickly, or simply as a test case for a broader industry. They can always discontinue the lawsuits [if theyre no longer needed], she said. Petterd said complexity and uncertainty around the refund process, as well as the need for businesses to figure out the tax implications of receiving a refund, and the costs of doing so, meant most firms were still sitting and waiting. If a business paid a relatively small amount in additional tariffs, it may be better to wait until the refund process is clear before spending money on a claim, she said. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
HARARE, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The 2026 Zimbabwe-China Horticulture Buyers Engagement kicked off on Wednesday, with China's zero-tariff policy highlighted as an opportunity to promote bilateral agricultural cooperation.

The three-day event, held in Zimbabwe's eastern province of Manicaland, features business-to-business meetings and farm visits for Chinese buyers to engage directly with local producers, with a focus on updating trade protocols and exploring financing models to accelerate Zimbabwe's horticulture export growth.

Zimbabwe's agricultural exports to China amounted to 804 million U.S. dollars in 2025, accounting for 31 percent of its total exports to China, a figure that underscores the robust growth potential of bilateral agricultural trade, said Huang Minghai, economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, while addressing the event.

According to ZimTrade, the national trade development and promotion organization, China's 2025 imports of key horticultural products were 256 million dollars for pecan nuts, 159 million for macadamia nuts, 145 million for avocados, and 9.6 million for blueberries.

Huang said that China's grant of zero-tariff treatment to 53 African nations, including Zimbabwe, effective May 1, is expected to significantly boost agricultural exports.

The policy, coupled with growing market demand, is opening a new chapter for China-Zimbabwe agricultural cooperation, Huang said, urging all parties to seize this opportunity by linking China's vast market with Zimbabwe's rich agricultural potential.

The policy is expected to expand access to the Chinese market, giving Zimbabwean products stronger price competitiveness and helping the country increase its share in that market. It also aims to promote value addition and industrial upgrading by encouraging investment in agro-processing, moving Zimbabwe up the value chain from raw products to processed, high-value goods, while fostering technology transfer and skills development.

Misheck Mugadza, minister of state for provincial affairs and devolution for Manicaland, hailed the engagement as an important milestone in the expanding trade ties between the two nations, noting that over the years, Zimbabwe and China have deepened cooperation, signing key trade protocols for macadamias, citrus, avocados and blueberries.

To further diversify the export basket, Zimbabwe is eyeing more high-value products such as pecans, sesame, and chilies for future trade protocols, with technical processes underway to facilitate their entry into the Chinese market.

Looking ahead, Huang said the bilateral cooperation aims to further enhance agricultural competitiveness and deliver tangible benefits to farmers and communities by improving product standards, investing in logistics and sharing expertise. 
Advertisement

LifestyleFashionMeghan Markle Fashion designers are lining up to dress Meghan when shes in Australia Damien Woolnough April 8, 2026  5:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

The popularity of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, hit a record low in an opinion poll at the beginning of the year, but Australian fashion designers clearly werent part of the survey. Ahead of her upcoming visit to Australia, local labels are putting themselves at the disposal of the actor turned princess turned entrepreneur. Meghan, who was perceived positively by only 19 per cent of the UK public in a YouGov survey  ahead of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and below Queen Camilla  clearly still has a stylish Australian fan base. Meghan represents a modern woman with purpose, strength and grace  qualities we design for every day, says Sydney-based designer Karen Gee, who dressed the duchess on her first official tour of Australia in 2018. Harry and Meghan, wearing Karen Gees Blessed dress, in Sydney, in 2018. Gee would like to see Meghan in her Carrington dress in ivory, $950, (right) during this months visit. AP, Supplied Photographs of Meghan wearing the minimalist white Blessed dress by Gee appeared in newspapers around the world, as her arrival in Sydney coincided with the announcement of her pregnancy with Prince Archie.

Advertisement

If Meghan were to wear Karen Gee again, it would simply be a continuation of that shared understanding, that clothing can quietly support confidence without ever overwhelming the woman wearing it, says Gee. Related Article Royal family Meghan, Duchess of Sussex confirmed to appear on Her Best Life podcast On that tour, Meghan also wore Melbourne-based label Scanlan Theodore, continuing the relationship by arriving at her final solo engagement as a working royal in 2020 at Buckingham Palace in a navy crepe dress from the label. Her considered approach to dressing and appreciation for timeless, refined design aligns naturally with our brand, says Melinda Robinson, co-chief executive of Scanlan Theodore. We are always honoured to see Meghan Markle in Scanlan Theodore. It sounds like the Meghan effect is still active.

Advertisement

In March last year, Meghan capitalised on fans of her streamlined, stealth wealth dress sense by launching a page on affiliate marketing platform ShopMy, featuring a $US1415 ($2029) beige Loro Piana cashmere sweater and a $US1350 ($1936) Heidi Merrick dress. The page became inactive in September. Meghan understands the impact of her wardrobe, and has been approached by Australian labels eager to dress her for the Her Best Life luxury retreat at InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach from April 17-19. Times where I know there is a global spotlight, and attention will be given to each detail of what I may or may not be wearing, then I support designers that I have really great friendships with, and smaller, up-and-coming brands that havent gotten the attention that they should be getting, Meghan said in a 2024 New York Times interview. Thats one of the most powerful things that Im able to do, and thats simply wearing, like, an earring. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wearing a Scanlan Theodore pomegranate crepe knit jacket at the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney. Scanlan Theodore chief executive Melinda Robinson would like to see Meghan wear their Milano Cocoon dress, $900, (right) on the upcoming Australian visit. AP, supplied

Advertisement

Australian designer Anna Hoang is hoping that Meghans team selects more than an earring from the current collection of her 13-year-old label, Anna Quan. Before becoming a princess, then-Suits actor Meghan Markle wore an Anna Quan shirt in 2014. Major Hollywood A-list actresses tend to resonate with our community, Hoang says. Weve been fortunate to dress a few over the years. Related Article Royal family Harry and Meghan touch down for first Australian trip since royal exit Its always an honour when someone such as Meghan, who has a large selection of designers to choose from, chooses to wear Anna Quan. Its not just a matter of any publicity is good publicity for Hoang, who has turned down requests from celebrities in the past.

Advertisement

Requests are declined by Hoang when it doesnt align with the brand or it doesnt make sense for the person, or it doesnt suit their style. Its a two-way street. Less attention is being paid to the wardrobe of Prince Harry, who will deliver the keynote address at the InterEdge Psychosocial Safety Summit in Melbourne, which runs from April 15-16. Sydney-based label Jac + Jack saw an uptick in sales in 2018 when Harry wore a folded collar shirt in a blue wash from their collection. We did sell out of the shirt he was wearing, says Jac + Jack brand manager Thomas Carr. Its one of our signature mens pieces that we bring back each season in new colours. On Meghan and Harrys 2018 visit to Bondi Beach, Australian label Jac + Jack dressed Harry in a blue folded collar shirt. The label would select the merino wool Howell coat, $1400, for Meghan this time around. AP, supplied

Advertisement

The mens and womenswear brand prefers their relationships with celebrities, royal or otherwise, to evolve over time. We dont actively seek out specific people to wear our clothes. For us, its always been about organic alignment rather than targeting individuals. Of course, its always exciting to see the brand worn by people in the public eye, but only when it happens in a way that feels effortless and true to both sides. Editor's pick Lunch with David Wenham on cancer, getting older and being lusted after For Karen Gee, the journey to the clothes hangers of the famous is more direct. We would never refuse to dress any woman. At the heart of Karen Gee is the belief that every woman deserves to feel beautiful, confident, and entirely herself. Our role is not to define who that woman should be, but to support her. Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.
Advertisement

LifestyleHealth & wellnessSleep The sleeping position that might be to blame for your back pain Amanda Schupak April 9, 2026  3:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Ever wake up with a crick in your neck or a pain in your lower back? Are you roused from sleep by heartburn, or a partner complaining that you snore? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your sleep position might be to blame. There is no one right way to sleep, says Dr Indira Gurubhagavatula, a professor of sleep medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. But if you are waking up with discomfort or stiffness or having restless nights, certain adjustments to your sleeping posture may help. Here are some of the most common issues associated with how people sleep, and what to do about them. Iif you are waking up with discomfort or stiffness, certain adjustments to your sleeping posture may help. iStock

Advertisement

On your side Many of us sleep on our sides with no problem. But for some people  especially those with joint issues or who are older  it can put a lot of pressure on the shoulder, hip and knees, says Dr Rohan Jotwani, a pain medicine specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Centre in New York City. Related Article Exclusive

Dementia To stave off dementia, should you sleep an extra 30 minutes or exercise? Sleeping on top of a memory foam or gel mattress pad can help by distributing your weight more evenly, he says. Placing a pillow between your knees can also reduce hip, knee and lower back pain by keeping your legs and hips aligned. When youre on your side, using a pillow that is either too thick or too thin can force your spine out of alignment, leading to muscle and joint strain. Or it can put pressure on nerves, causing pain, tingling or weakness in your shoulders, arms or upper back, Gurubhagavatula says.

Advertisement

Those who have a deviated septum may find that sleeping on their side affects how well they breathe, says Dr Gerald Suh, an ear, nose, throat and sleep specialist in Princeton, New Jersey. The condition occurs when the thin layer of cartilage and bone that divides the nasal cavity is off-centre or crooked. It is common, he says, affecting probably more than 80 per cent of people, though only about 30 per cent notice an influence on breathing. For some, its easier to breathe when they sleep on the side that the narrower nostril is on, allowing air to flow unimpeded through the wider one, Suh says. On your back The goal when sleeping is to maintain the natural curvature of the spine and neck without creating too many bends and twists and turns, Jotwani says. Sleeping on your back is best for maintaining this alignment, he says, but it can also cause or exacerbate other issues. The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea, for instance  which occurs when the muscles in the throat relax during sleep and cause snoring and temporary pauses in breathing  can worsen when lying face up, says Azadeh Yadollahi, a scientist who studies sleep and airway disorders at the University Health Network in Toronto.

Advertisement

If you have sleep apnoea, sleeping on your side can help keep the airway open and let you breathe more freely, Gurubhagavatula says. Sleeping on your back may also worsen acid reflux symptoms by allowing stomach acid to seep into the esophagus. And while any sleeping position can lead to nasal congestion, lying face up can cause you to feel even more stuffy, especially when dealing with a cold or allergies, Suh says. A pillow between your knees can also reduce hip, knee and lower back pain by keeping your legs and hips aligned. Getty Images Propping up the top half of your body with a pillow or a wedge-shaped bolster helps relieve acid reflux, Gurubhagavatula says. Or try elevating the head of your bed by putting blocks under the legs of your bed frame, she says. Some research also suggests that sleeping on your left side can help, too. Pregnant women are often told to avoid sleeping on their backs after about 20 weeks to prevent the uterus from putting pressure on a large vein that carries blood from the lower body to the heart. That could restrict blood flow to vital organs or lower blood pressure, leading to lightheadedness.

Advertisement

When pregnant, its safest to sleep on your side, especially the left side, as this moves the weight off the vein, Gurubhagavatula says. This should help with pregnancy-related acid reflux, too, she adds. On your stomach This is the least common sleeping position, Gurubhagavatula says. It also tends to be the hardest on your spine. Having your head turned to one side all night strains the neck, Jotwani says. And that can be compounded by a thick pillow that angles your neck upward. The position can also hyperextend your lower back. In a review published in 2025, researchers found that sleeping on the stomach is associated with more lower back pain than sleeping on the back or side.

Advertisement

If you enjoy sleeping on your stomach but wake up with low back pain, it can help to put a small pillow under your pelvis. This prevents your abdomen from sinking into the mattress and putting too much arch in your back, Jotwani says. But if possible, he adds, sleep on your back or side for better alignment. How to learn to sleep in a different position Editor's pick Sex & relationships I really want you to leave: Is the post-sex sleepover dead? Switching to a new position can be very daunting, Jotwani says. He recommends identifying a new position and then trying to spend at least a little time in it each night. Over time, your body will get used to it. Strategic placement of pillows, special cushions or devices can help keep you in one position throughout the night, Gurubhagavatula says. To stay on your side, try placing a body pillow behind you, she suggests. There are also cushions that strap onto your back to keep you on your side, and electronic devices that vibrate when they sense that youve rolled onto your back. Theyre the technological equivalent of getting elbowed by your bed partner, Yadollahi says.

Advertisement

If youre new to sleeping on your back, Gurubhagavatula says you might be more comfortable with a small pillow under your knees, even if it feels awkward for the first few nights. Your sleep position is just one of many factors that contributes to your overall sleep quality, Gurubhagavatula says. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, getting adequate exercise and keeping your bedroom dark and cool are all important. But, she adds, if getting a good nights sleep can be as simple as turning onto your side, then why not try it? 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: Sleep

Wellbeing
Advertisement

NationalWAEnvironmental protection Opinion Environmental protection in WA is failing when we need it most  will the premier step up? Martin Pritchard Executive Director, Environs Kimberley April 10, 2026  3:00am

April 10, 2026  3:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Two years ago, the Cook government embarked on a deliberate campaign to weaken Western Australias highly respected and independent Environmental Protection Authority. As a direct result, environmental protection in WA is regressing at an alarming rate. The prospect of a Texan-owned company fracking parts of WAs Kimberley has drawn a record number of appeals to an Environmental Protection Authority decision. Even as economically devastating extreme weather events driven by climate change become more prevalent and the loss of nature and biodiversity accelerates, the government chose to prioritise industry demands for faster development approvals (slashing green tape) over safeguarding the environment we all depend on. Public appeal rights against EPA decisions have been further reduced, an Orwellian statement of expectations has been imposed by the government, and an intention to fill an expanded EPA board with fewer environmentally qualified people is clear.

Advertisement

While Premier Roger Cook claims to understand the science of climate change, WAs greenhouse gas emissions are rising, not falling. Related Article Environmental protection Erosion of trust: Minister slams critics as faith in WAs environment watchdog wavers His response has been to remove the EPAs ability to regulate emissions from highly polluting industries  namely, oil and gas. The end of coal-fired power in WA is welcome despite the clean energy rollout shambles, with no renewable energy target to give investors and industry confidence. The emissions reductions resulting from phasing out coal will be completely dwarfed by increasing pollution if the premier approves Woodsides drilling for oil and gas at Scott Reef and endorses fracking in the Kimberley  which his own party has rejected.

Advertisement

How did we get here? In October 2023, WAs Chamber of Commerce and Industry released an unsubstantiated report that claimed $318 billion in projects were stalled by the EPA. The very next day, the premier announced a review into the Environmental Protection Act. Seven weeks later, the reviews recommendations were accepted by the government without question. Chamber members like Gina Rineharts Hancock Prospecting, BHP, and Rio Tinto would no doubt have been delighted.

Advertisement

Given that history, it is surprising the current Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn claims he has been taken aback by community and local government criticism of recent EPA decisions. Related Article Exclusive

Mining Absurd: Toxic chemical risks in Kimberley fracking plan downplayed, environmentalists say The ministers claim that critics are driving an erosion of trust in the EPA is easily remedied. Recommitting to a well-funded, independent EPA underpinned by a strong Environmental Protection Act is essential to restore public confidence. As to the ministers recent statement that commentary on EPA decisions had some distance from the facts, one undeniable fact is that the Commonwealth governments Independent Expert Scientific Committee found that the information provided by Texan oil and gas company, Black Mountain Energy, in its quest to frack the Kimberley was not sufficient to assess the projects potential impacts on surface and groundwater resources and water-related assets.

Advertisement

That the EPA chose to dismiss this expert advice demonstrates how far standards have slipped in the past year or two. We are facing the prospect of 18,000 tonnes of chemicals pumped at extreme pressure through aquifers of the National Heritage-listed Martuwarra Fitzroy River catchment. Despite this, the WA EPA gave the green light for fracking to happen in the Kimberley. There has been a seismic shift in the standard of information required by the EPA to assess proposals. The WA EPA is no longer insisting on high standards of information upon which to base assessment decisions, and this is deeply concerning.

Advertisement

Advertisement

No one wants fracking apart from the Texan-owned Black Mountain Energy. The WA Labor Party faithful want it banned. While we cant rely on the reshaped EPA, the WA appeals convenor will be assessing the objections. Finally, the environment minister is the backstop for protecting the Kimberley after going through cabinet and the premier. Only time will tell how low environmental protection can go in Western Australia and whether Cook will be the premier to frack the Kimberley, or protect it and reverse the decline in environmental protection in Western Australia. In WA, the environment is often sacrificed for big business profits.

Advertisement

While industry social licence is evaporating faster than a South West dam, it is no wonder that dissatisfaction and anger is rising as citizens witness the collapse of forests and coral reefs. And the EPA recommended drilling and fracking in the Kimberley, of all places? 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 PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership Political staffers pocket $23m post-election windfall James Massola April 9, 2026  3:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Political staffers secured a bumper $23 million pay day after the last federal election thanks to a little-known tweak to employment contracts made by the former Morrison government. A total of 591 advisers  ranging from the most junior electorate officers to chiefs of staff on six-figure salaries  lost their jobs and were paid severance packages after the election. The front entrance of Parliament House, Canberra. Alex Ellinghausen The cost to the Commonwealth was $22.81 million, or an average of $38,594 for each of those almost 600 people  a payout equivalent to 78 per cent of the yearly minimum wage in Australia. Following the May 2025 election, 227 of those 591 staffers had returned to work in a different political office by October, with the average amount of time out of work being just 15 days, or $2573 per day.

Advertisement

A whopping 107 political staffers took between one and three days off before resuming their employment in politics, effectively handing those workers a nearly $40,000 one-off payment for being unemployed for less than a week. Another 38 staffers were unemployed for between four and 10 days, while 82 staffers were not employed as ministerial staff for at least 10 days before returning to politics. The information about the generous paydays was contained in an answer to a question on notice asked by the ACTs independent senator, David Pocock. The information provided to Pocock did not specify which political parties the staffers worked for. The figures were provided to independent Senator David Pocock. Alex Ellinghausen Lucrative payouts, followed by near-immediate redeployment, are allowed because of a change to the Members of Parliamentary Staff employment agreement, signed off by former finance minister Simon Birmingham in June 2021.

Advertisement

A change to a clause in the agreement significantly altered the rules around when and how staff can receive a payout  and how long they have to wait before returning to work for an MP. Related Article Exclusive

Federal budget Chalmers razor gang eyes cuts to legal services for DV victims Under the change, political staffers are now entitled to cash in their entitlements and leave at the end of a parliamentary term, and then be re-employed the next day  as long as they either return the money paid out to them, or confirm in writing that they are prepared to reset their entitlements, including accrued holiday pay, sick leave and more, back to zero. Previously, staffers did not have the option to reset their entitlements to zero and would have to either wait months to become eligible to return to a political office, or pay back their entitlements. It is common for there to be significant staff turnover after a federal election, with staff moving on because an MP has lost their seat, a minister changing or losing their portfolio, because a lucrative opportunity has arisen in the private sector, or simply because of burnout.

Advertisement

Staff receive an additional 30 per cent loading on top of the standard employment provisions, which provide for a four-week payout after one year of service, eight weeks of pay for two years service and increases from there, as long as the political staffer lost their job through no fault of their own. The Albanese government declined to comment. However, a government source insisted the Morrison-era changes would actually save taxpayers money. 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 All about lifestyle: Where to find the most affordable regional homes Wes Mountain April 9, 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

Regional hubs like Toowoomba, Geelong and NSWs Central Coast are the affordable future of housing in Australia, new data shows, as some home buyers get priced out of the capitals. Ten regional local government areas across Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania were deemed affordable buys in PRD Real Estates latest Smart Moves: Regional Edition report, released Thursday. The report used five criteria: affordability compared to the state capital, property sales and growth, rental yield, the local unemployment rate and planned development in the area. PRD chief economist Dr Diaswati Mardiasmo said looking beyond price alone was key to ensuring regions were viable for investors and home owners.

Advertisement

With all of the commercial and infrastructure activity that is about to go into these areas, it is definitely going to turn them into more sustainable, individual, more insulated economic hubs, she said. [They become] not just a regional area that you might go to for a visit, but [somewhere] people can make a proper living. A ferry on the picturesque Brisbane Waters, on the Central Coasts Woy Woy. Louise Kennerley The Central Coast, north of Sydney and with houses at almost half the price, made the list of three affordable LGAs in NSW. The region covers a wide selection of coastal suburbs, many with direct access to Sydney via the train or freeway. A lot of people are working from home now so it just makes it more attractive to buy up here, Chad Knight of The Agency Central Coast said.

Advertisement

The area itself has an unemployment rate of 3.7 per cent below the states 4 per cent, and homes with views that may command millions in Sydney, are a fraction of the cost. Knight said there were a number of options for prospective buyers across the region, from investment properties on the Peninsula, covering suburbs like Woy Woy, Patonga and Pearl Beach, through to larger blocks in Lake Haven, Gorokan and Charmhaven in the north. Rental yields for houses are on par with Sydney, at 2.7 per cent, and slightly higher for units (4.7 per cent), but Knight thought it was only a matter of time until property prices narrowed. People arent buying with their hearts up there, Knight said. Theyre buying with their brains. Its only a matter of time before it takes off.

Advertisement

Related Article Construction One way to build a home in eight weeks, for a 10 per cent discount Queenslands Toowoomba, around two hours drive from Brisbane and with a median house price of about $400,000 less than the capital, also made the list. The areas median house price more than doubled in the past decade, with a rental yield of 4 per cent, significantly above Brisbanes 2.9 per cent. Ray White Highfields agent Brett Richards said the gateway to the west is an easy commute to Brisbane, has a new airport and was just two hours away from the Gold Coast.

Advertisement

Were one of the biggest inland cities thats not a capital in Australia, he said. The construction here in Toowoomba, like everywhere, is just crazy. He thought jobs in the region at the Acland coal mine, Oakey army barracks and the meatworks were a primary reason for the areas low (3.1 per cent) unemployment, but supporting and service businesses would also offer opportunities as the city grows. Toowoomba will also host equestrian events for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, with infrastructure likely to expand as the event approaches. Known as Victorias second city, Geelong was one of three of the states featured regions on the list. Geelongs foreshore is a key attraction. Jason South

Advertisement

Growth in Victorian house prices has slowed in recent years, which means Melbourne is generally more affordable than Sydney (in particular), narrowing the gap between it and regional areas. Houses were about 37 per cent cheaper in Geelong than Melbourne, with rental yields slightly higher for both houses and units for the former. Its all about lifestyle, Hayeswinckle East Geelongs Tiffany Simpson said. Youre close to the Surf Coast, the Bellarine  And we have several industries: Deakin University, NDIS, WorkSafe, EnergyAustralia, medical and health centres.

Advertisement

She said Geelong offered properties across the spectrum with more bang for your buck, well below the prices offered in Melbourne. Related Article Holiday homes Coastal towns where a beach house can be had for $700,000 or less I live in Ocean Grove and thats a 20, 25-minute drive  because I love having the ocean as my backyard, she said. For someone that may not want to have that travel, it could be only 15 minutes. Imagine trying to live 15 minutes from Brighton  Its going to be a hell of a lot more expensive, isnt it? Mardiasmo said as well as taking the pressure off capital cities, regional areas with job opportunities, infrastructure and affordable housing give buyers a safer buffer for their mortgage.

Advertisement

Youre committing to less debt, she said. [That means] you can be a bit more financially stable and reassured that you can manage the payment a bit easier, but you also have safety in knowing that weve picked places that give good investment returns.

Property listings
Advertisement

Updated WorldMiddle EastMiddle East at war Trump issues new threat to Iran as fragile ceasefire tested by Israeli strikes Michael Koziol Updated April 10, 2026  12:07am ,first published April 9, 2026  3:22am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share A A A

Washington: Donald Trump issued a new warning to Iran that American forces would remain nearby until the country fully complied with a yet-to-be-signed peace agreement, and said the shooting would restart if Tehran did not accede. The US presidents threat came at the end of the first day of a fragile ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran that was undermined by a deadly Israeli bombardment of Lebanon  the biggest since the war broke out  and contention over the status of the Strait of Hormuz. The aftermath of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, in what the IDF said was its largest onslaught of strikes since the war began. Getty Images Rescue workers in Beirut search the rubble for survivors and casualties after an Israeli attack on Wednesday. Getty Images Iran accused the US and Israel of violating the ceasefire, and the White House was forced to clarify that Lebanon was never included in the truce, after Pakistan earlier said it was.

Advertisement

US Vice President JD Vance, who is due to lead the American delegation in peace talks in Pakistan this weekend, said Irans belief that Lebanon was included was a legitimate misunderstanding. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it hit 100 Hezbollah targets in a 10-minute period during the daylight attack on Wednesday afternoon (Lebanon time). The blitz struck dense commercial and residential areas in central Beirut, and came without warning, the Associated Press reported. A first responder with the Internal Security Forces stands on a firetruck while rescue workers search the rubble for survivors and casualties after an Israeli attack targeted a residential building in Beirut. Getty Images Paramedics and civilians rush to a building hit moments earlier by an Israeli airstrike in Nabatieh, Lebanon on Wednesday. Getty Images The death toll was not immediately clear, but Lebanons civil defence service said at least 254 people had been killed in the highest single-day death toll in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war. Another 1100 people were wounded, it said.

Advertisement

An IDF spokesman said there would be no let-up. As long as Hezbollah continues to threaten our civilians, we will continue to operate against them, he said. Later, though, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had authorised direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, in response to requests from the Lebanese government. Residents check the site of an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut. AP Talks would focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between the neighbouring countries, he said, while welcoming the Lebanese prime ministers call to demilitarise Beirut. Netanyahu has also warned that Israel is prepared to resume striking Iran at any moment. We are ready to return to fighting at any time. Our finger is on the trigger, he said. Iran is weaker than ever, and Israel is stronger than it has ever been.

Advertisement

Lebanons exclusion from the truce threatens to derail a possible peace agreement, with Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying the world had seen Israels massacre in Beirut and the ball was in Trumps court to act. The US must choose  ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both, he said. Loading Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had initially announced Lebanon was included in the ceasefire, but the US and Israel later said this was not the case. Vance told reporters he believed Iran thought the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didnt. We never made that promise, we never indicated that was going to be the case, he said.

Advertisement

The vice president, who was in Hungary campaigning for the countrys prime minister, Viktor Orban, will lead negotiations with Iran in Islamabad alongside US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump and Netanyahu might discuss Lebanons inclusion in the ceasefire in future, but gave no indication the US was seeking such an outcome imminently. Trump made no mention of Lebanon or Israel when he posted on social media late on Wednesday night (Washington time) that all US ships, aircraft, military personnel and weaponry would remain near Iran until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT is fully complied with. Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike in Nabatieh, Lebanon, the day after the ceasefire in Iran. Getty Images A man watches an excavator remove debris at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Wednesday. AP

Advertisement

If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the Shootin Starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before, Trump wrote. He reiterated that Iran could not develop nuclear weapons and that the crucial Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the worlds oil usually transits, must be open and safe. Trumps reference to the real agreement came amid significant confusion about what had been agreed between the US, Iran and Pakistani mediators in the hours leading up to the ceasefire announcement. Loading The president said a 10-point proposal by the Iranians received by mediators was significantly different to an earlier plan disseminated by branches of the Iranian government to media outlets and online.

Advertisement

Leavitt said the regime had since acknowledged reality and put forward a much more reasonable and entirely different proposal, though she would not provide details or make the document public. While briefing reporters at the White House, Leavitt said the US was closely monitoring the Strait of Hormuz, and reports that it was still closed were false. What Iran was saying publicly, including through state-affiliated media outlets, was different from what it was telling the US privately, she said. First responders and residents gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beiruts Tallet al-Khayyat neighbourhood. AFP We have seen an uptick in traffic in the strait, she said. Its something we are monitoring minute by minute, hour by hour.

Advertisement

The Wall Street Journal reported Iran allowed four ships through the strait on Wednesday, the fewest so far in April, citing S&P market data, and The New York Times said no oil tankers had yet transited the waterway. If Iran did keep the strait closed, it would be completely unacceptable, Leavitt said. But she added: This is a fragile truce. Ceasefires are fragile by nature  We understand things take time. Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf accused the US and Israel of breaking their deal, including through the Lebanon attacks and by denying Irans right to enrich uranium, which he said was the sixth clause of Irans framework for a truce. The Strait of Hormuz is the critical choke-point in the global oil industry. AP US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened to retrieve uranium from Iran by force. Bloomberg

Advertisement

The very workable basis for which to negotiate has been openly and clearly violated, Ghalibaf said in a statement written in English and posted online. In such situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable. One of the other outstanding questions is the fate of hundreds of kilograms of highly enriched uranium still in Irans possession, which could form the basis of a future nuclear weapons program, and was ostensibly the key reason for the war when it started 39 days ago. Related Article Analysis

Middle East at war Trump stands accused, but a chilling message has exposed Irans own war crime US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US reserved the right to retrieve the uranium by force if necessary. But he also argued the new Iranian regime knew that it could never have a nuclear weapon. Its buried and were watching it. We know exactly what they have, Hegseth said. They will either give it to us voluntarily  Or if we have to do something else ourselves, like we did with [Operation] Midnight Hammer, or something like that, we reserve that opportunity.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Trump suggested the US and Iran would work together to dig up the nuclear dust, and that the US would discuss relieving sanctions and tariffs on Iran. He continued to insist Tehran had gone through a very productive Regime Change  a claim rejected by most Iran experts, who say that while US and Israeli strikes killed many of Irans former top personnel, the regimes fundamentals remain intact. Trump said Iran could begin its reconstruction process. There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made, he wrote on social media. With AP, Reuters Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.

CLARIFICATION An earlier version of this article stated that Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had claimed it had hit 100 targets in Lebanon in one minute. The one-minute claim was made in an IDF post on X. A separate IDF post on the platform said the attacks were actually conducted in a 10-minute period.
Australia is more than capable of deploying a ship to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure safe passage of vital oil and fertiliser shipments, the nations top military commander has said, but warned that the number of US ships in the Middle East may leave a vacuum in the Indo-Pacific.

Admiral David Johnston, chief of the Australian Defence Force, told a briefing this morning: I am very confident we could deploy a ship into that environment if the government was to make a decision to do so.

I have no hesitation in our ability to work in a Strait of Hormuz-type role  But perhaps what is an at least as important question is: Where do our priorities lie?

In the context of today, you would be aware that the United States has moved enormous military capacity into the Gulf region at the moment, including a lot of capacity out of the Indo-Pacific. This is an important time for us to be present in the Indo-Pacific to maintain that regional environment that we seek to maintain.

The federal government has so far only committed to defensive actions in the region since the war in Iran began, and ministers have reiterated that the country would not join the conflict.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this morning said the national security committee had agreed yesterday to continue the deployment of Australias E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft for a period of time.
UNITED NATIONS, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations strongly condemns Israel's strikes across Lebanon that resulted in significant civilian casualties, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, said Wednesday.

"The UN strongly condemns the loss of civilian lives," Haq told a daily briefing, adding that the United Nations continues to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels, cease hostilities and recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).

The ceasefire between the United States and Iran offers an opportunity to prevent further loss of lives between Lebanon and Israel, Haq said, urging all concerned to abide by the ceasefire.

As UN peacekeepers continue to be impacted by hostilities, the United Nations again urges all actors to uphold their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times, he added.

"We stress again that any intimidation or interference in the Mission's (the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) Security Council-mandated tasks must stop immediately," he said, referring to the Israel Defense Forces' detention of a UN peacekeeper on Tuesday.

Emphasizing there is no military solution to the conflict, Haq said, "Now is the time to pursue talks to resolve outstanding differences and work towards a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution to the conflict." 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB)  A 16-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday in connection with a February shooting in Louisville's Chickasaw neighborhood.

The shooting happened around 7 a.m. Feb. 18 in the 3500 block of Greenwood Avenue, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department. That's near Grand Avenue and South 36th Street.

Once on scene, officers found a 16-year-old boy who had been shot. He was taken to UofL Hospital with injuries not thought to be life-threatening. Police have not provided an update on the teen's condition.

On Thursday, police said another 16-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday in connection with the shooting. He faces charges of assault, receiving stolen property, tampering with physical evidence and criminal mischief. The teen is not being identified because he is a juvenile.

LMPD said more arrests are expected in the case as the investigation continues.

Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
ISTANBUL, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Turkish authorities have jailed 198 suspects in a nationwide operation against the Islamic State (IS) following an armed attack on a police checkpoint in Istanbul, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said late Wednesday.

The coordinated raids spanned 34 provinces, with legal proceedings opened against 273 individuals, 198 of whom have been formally remanded in custody.

The sweep follows a shooting near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday, in which three attackers opened fire on a police security point. One assailant was killed, and four others, including two police officers and two attackers, were injured.

Gurlek said the operations are part of a broader effort to neutralize security threats within the country and along its borders.

Turkiye has intensified domestic security measures in recent years, regularly raiding IS networks and other outlawed groups. Ankara designated IS as a terrorist organization in 2013, and the country has faced multiple attacks by the group since. 
Story Highlights Kentucky is investing nearly $40 million to renovate and reopen Louisvilles shuttered Jefferson County Regional Youth Detention Center, with plans to triple its capacity to 64 beds.

Metro Councilman Kevin Bratcher and city leaders say the reopening is urgent, citing rising youth violence and the need for a secure facility to help intervene in young offenders lives.

The renovated facility will house high-level male offenders and is part of broader state efforts, led by Gov. Andy Beshear, to improve security, mental health care, and handling of violent youth offenses.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB)  The state legislature has allocated nearly $40 million to renovating Louisville's shuttered juvenile jail, and it should reopen next spring after years of construction. But some city leaders said that's waiting too long.

Metro Councilman Kevin Bratcher spent years fighting for the Jefferson County Regional Youth Detention Center to reopen. The former city-run facility on Jefferson Street shut down in 2019 because of staffing, safety and budget concerns.

"How are we going to turn their lives around if we don't have a facility like this?" Bratcher said Wednesday. "Because once they turn 18, their options run out."

In 2023, the General Assembly allocated money to reopen it as a state facility. Metro Government then handed the building over to the state in April 2025 so it could be renovated.

Once finished, renovated facility will include 18 additional cells for a total of 64 beds  triple the old facility's capacity. In a written statement Wednesday, a spokesperson with the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet said the new facility will be used to house "high level male offenders."

Bratcher said Louisville's youth offenders now get sent to Warren County, Adair County or straight home, making it harder for city counselors, clergy members and other advocates to intervene.

"They need a place where they are sat down, detained and then you try to reach them," he said.

Youth violence has long been an issue in Louisville. Just two weeks ago, a 13-year-old shot and killed two adults and sent a third to the hospital.

Bratcher said something's got to give.

"My god, what is this? The Wild Wild West," he said. "Kids are getting killed. This needs to be the top priority in Kentucky."

Mesh netting, planks of wood, cinder blocks and massive machines at the facility Wednesday were signs of progress. Mayor Craig Greenberg said the city needs it open as soon as possible and applauded state legislators for helping make it happen.

The state set aside $18.5 million in the current budget to fund the center downtown and the Jefferson Regional Detention Center in Lyndon through 2028. Gov. Andy Beshear overhauled how Kentucky handles some young offenders in its juvenile jails, putting an emphasis on increasing security, mental health care and stricter handling of violent offenses.

"I know this won't solve all the problems but this will be a big part of the puzzle to get this thing open so we can start reaching these kids," Bratcher said.

Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
ISLAMABAD, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned Israeli aggression against Lebanon, calling it a serious violation of international law and regional sovereignty.

"The Israeli actions undermine international efforts to establish peace and stability in the region and constitute a blatant violation of international law and fundamental humanitarian principles," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Pakistan called on the international community to take urgent and concrete steps to end the Israeli aggression and reiterated its unwavering solidarity with the government and people of Lebanon, while supporting the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. 
KABUL, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Police in the fight against illegal drugs discovered 850 kg of opium poppy and arrested two drug smugglers in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province on Wednesday, said a statement of the provincial police office on Thursday.

The contraband was recovered from a car in Khanshin district, the statement said, adding police took into custody two individuals on the charge of involvement in the black business.

Both the alleged drug smugglers would be handed over to judiciary after completion of preliminary investigation, the statement went on to say.

Previously, police in similar crackdown against illegal drugs discovered more than 300 kg of illicit drugs including opium poppy and hashish in the western Badghis, Nangarhar, Kabul, Ghazni and Paktika provinces a couple of days ago.

The Afghan government has banned poppy cultivation, drug production, and trafficking. 
The Galway City Ring Road has been granted planning permission.

Galway County and City Councils are welcoming the decision by An Coimisiun Pleanala.

The 18-kilometre road would run from the M6 motorway on the outskirts of the city to west of Barna.

Friends of the Irish Environment, which successfully challenged a previous application for the ring road, had submitted that the latest plan failed to comply with statutory obligations under Irelands climate legislation.

It is now moving to the detailed design phase, before the construction project is put out to tender.

Chief Executive of Galway County Council, Liam Conneally, told Galway Bay he hopes there won't be any further delays with the judicial review.

"We will never anticipate or second guess anybody, but we would hope we wouldn't have a judicial review, because the people of Galway and the west of Ireland need this piece of critical infrastructure.

"The Government is behind it, the Ministers, City Mayor, and elected members are behind it."

A 2024 study commissioned by the National Transport Authority put a price tag on the Gluas at between 1.23 billion and 1.34 billion in 2023 prices.

Responding to the decision of An Comisiun Pleanala (ACP) to grant permission to the Galway ring road, Niall Murphy, Green Party candidate for Galway West, said:

Today, the Galway City Ring Road has been granted permission. Clarity has been given on this project, but Galway deserves more than just a ring road.

The most important thing to do now is to start pushing forward the other transport projects which have been delayed by the Government, as the ring road planning process has been ongoing.

We need to double down on public transport and active travel options. The new bus timetable for Galway, with 50 per cent more services, has been on hold and is not expected until 2028.

"Now is the time to push for the funding to make that happen sooner.

Senator Sean Kyne, Fine Gaels candidate in the Galway West bye-election said, This is a historic day for the people of Galway city, Connemara and the west of Ireland.

"This approval has been a long time coming, and I know how much it means to the thousands of people who sit in gridlock every day while trying to get to work, bring their children to school or make a hospital appointment on time.
By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

An independent investigation into the Creeslough explosion is key to ending the suffering of the victims families, a lawyer acting on their behalf has said.

Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan met families affected by the tragedy at Government Buildings in Dublin on Thursday.

Ten people were killed in an explosion at a building complex in the Co Donegal village on October 7th, 2022.

The continuing delay to order such an investigation erodes our clients' confidence in the justice system in Ireland Darragh Mackin, Phoenix Law

In a statement, Darragh Mackin, of Phoenix Law, said the minister heard directly from the families as to the hurt and pain they suffer, with the delay in the truth, justice and accountability.

Aine Flanagan, whose partner Robert and five-year-old daughter Shauna died in the explosion, said OCallaghan had committed to considering a request for an independent investigation.

She said: We warmly welcome the ministers commitment today to give consideration to our legal teams request for an independent investigation, in line with Stardust, to ensure that we are not once again trying to seek truth and answers many decades after the event.

Mackin said OCallaghan holds the key to finding a solution.

He added: That key comes in the form of an independent investigation chaired by the senior coroner or a High Court judge, with the necessary powers.

Mackin described an investigation as a minimal ask in comparison with the loss our clients have suffered.

He added: The continuing delay to order such an investigation erodes our clients confidence in the justice system in Ireland.

Only when an independent investigation is ordered will our clients have confidence in the system.
MANILA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Six people died in a collision between a bus and a multicab on Wednesday night in Camarines Sur, southern Luzon Island of the Philippines, local media reported.

The crash occurred on a highway around 9 p.m. Authorities conducted rescue and retrieval work at the scene.

Multicabs are widely used in the country for public transport and cargo, particularly in areas with narrow roads, due to their compact, economical design. 
By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

Mary Lou McDonald has urged the Government to pick up the phone and speak with protesters blocking fuel depots and motorways in Ireland.

The Sinn Fein leader was speaking to the press on the third day of demonstrations over rising fuel prices, which have brought parts of the country to a standstill.

Asked about the decision by the Minister for Justice to call in the Defence Forces to assist gardai, she said: The decision that needs to be made is for Micheal Martin and Simon Harris to lift the phone.

Why on earth is the Government escalating this further? Thats not called for.

Vehicles parked on OConnell Street in Dublin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

What is called for now is respect, engagement and acknowledgement.

Asked if she supported the protesters, she replied: I support measures to make it possible for businesses to survive, for people to function, for farmers, for hauliers, for contractors and for others to go about their daily lives.

She added: Im saying to the protesters what I am saying to Government  I dont want to see disruption.

I live in this town, in this city, I dont want to see the disruption that were experiencing.

I also dont want to see people sleeping in tractors or other vehicles overnight.

I dont want to see anybody under the kind of effort and the pressure that people are suffering.

McDonald said her party had spent weeks in the Dail raising the rising cost of fuel again and again, and had given the Government chapter and verse about what was happening in peoples homes, in peoples businesses, the pressure that people were under.
A very special occasion was held recently in the University of Limerick Concert Hall, where former Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone Leaving Cert student, Amy Egan (Class of 2025), was presented with an All-Ireland Scholarship by JP McManus in recognition of her outstanding Leaving Cert results.

In total, 126 students from across the country received scholarships, with every county represented  including five students from Co. Sligo.

"This remarkable achievement is a testament to Amys hard work, dedication, and determination to achieve her goals."
Cars have been queuing up at petrol stations today across Ireland amid concerns that fuel stocks could run low over the coming days as a result of blockades at a number of fuel depots around the country.

In Mayo, there have been reports of petrol stations pumps running dry today as a result with many outlets having to coordinate and direct traffic to ensure road safety. The scene is no different in Ballina where scores of vehicles are queued up at the towns various filling stations.

However, James Clarke, owner of Clarkes XL, Ballina has said that social media has amplified the issue and that this panic buying will only lead to shortages.

It is all manufactured nonsense. The reality is that I got a full tanker of fuel this morning to fill my tanks. Because of these blockades, there are some depots that cant deliver and this has led to some isolated pockets where some have run out, he said.

They are running out because of these protests which turned into blockades and there will be knock-on effects. The likes of ourselves wont be able to replenish.

Everyone of my pumps is currently full with a line of cars behind it. One customer even filled four 25 litre drums and it is because the word is out that the country is short of fuel but it is manufactured panic. Everyone is filling their tanks and that will put too much pressure on the tanker system for deliveries.

John Moloney, owner of Moloneys Centra and Maxol Fuel Station on the Sligo Road, which offers 24-hour diesel and petrol 7am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 9pm on Sunday, told the Western People that there is a lot of panic buying occurring at the moment.

A lot of petrol stations are running out but we have been watching our stocks closely. We got one last Saturday and another about an hour ago and hoping for another this Saturday or Sunday, he said.

The Government are going to have to get a handle on the situation. People are very angry and concerned. I would say to people to keep an eye on the news and make sure you have adequate fuel. Were confident, Maxol have the stocks available and we are all in this together.
Almost 20 years ago, the The Tinkers Blade finished its sell-out run at An Taibhdhearc theatre in Galway. I wrote the play in the aftermath of the killing of John Frog Ward by Padraig Nally, after the Traveller trespassed on his Mayo farm in 2004. My aim was to highlight how societal prejudices, groupthink and lazy analysis distorts the truth and could lead to the thoughtless discrimination and bad treatment of minority groups. But instead of berating my audience, I engaged them (Travellers included) in an exploration of how we are all more alike than not, warts and all.

Fast-forward two decades and despite Black Lives Matter protests and oft-repeated warning that the U.S. law and order apparatus is the irredeemably racist arm of a white-privileged state, most Black Americans (61%) want their police presence to remain the same. This is similar to the response of 71% of White Americans, when all were asked if they want the police to spend more, the same or less time than they currently do in their area.

Its no surprise then that L.A. Democrats are tired of their partys handling of local crises, including homelessness and rising crime rates despite progressive party policies. Voters are showing their frustration through recalls of district attorneys and a shift toward law-and-order candidates. Meanwhile, despite the growing unpopularity of Donald Trump, Democratic favourability has dropped sharply after the 2024 election, falling from 85% in September 2024 to 67% by October 2025. Subsequent electoral successes hides the fact of growing frustration within the partys base.

Is this symptomatic of a growing disconnect between ordinary people and a progressive professional managerial class embedded in our institutions and politics? Perhaps  as particularly evidenced in policies the PMC push on an increasingly sceptical public, made clear by one such project in 2019.

Created by New York Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, the 1619 project sought to reframe American history by positioning the arrival of enslaved Africans in Virginia in 1619, as a foundational moment alongside the formal adoption by the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1776. It expanded from a New York Times magazine issue into books, educational materials, and a television series. She won a Pulitzer Prize for this work.

There is just one problem.

For the basis of her argument, Hannah-Jones claimed that the American Revolution was fought primarily to protect slavery. This assertion was immediately disputed by the New York Times own expert fact-checker and multiple historians, who noted there was zero immediate British threat to colonial slavery. Despite warnings, the claim remained, later softened in quiet edits in the paper and the removal of 1619 as our true founding.

Why persist with a contested claim? Why ignore the prior advice from your own fact-checker (and a renowned History professor of African American life and slavery), who warned that this series on slavery made avoidable mistakes. But the attacks from its critics are much more dangerous. The answer is uncomfortable. By presenting a morally coherent and simplified narrative, the project transformed complex historical debate into a cultural battleground, sacrificing introspection and nuance for impact.

Yet, it also needlessly gave credibility to those critics only too happy to downplay the role of slavery in the development of the United States. This divisive tendency to promote advocacy over evidence is not confined to the U.S. It is increasingly visible in how history is presented in Ireland.

The Atlantic Technological University (ATU) marked Traveller Ethnicity Day 2026 with exhibitions across its campuses, including Castlebar. According to ATU, these exhibitions were designed to present diverse perspectives on Traveller history and culture, reflecting students research and meaningful engagement with community narratives.

One such display is located in the entrance foyer of Castlebar Library, as a neatly presented, two-panel exhibition featuring archival photographs of tinsmithing, Traveller camps and explanatory texts on Traveller culture. At first glance it is thoughtful. It is well-intentioned. It is also lacking in meaningful engagement with community narratives.

Despite being created by Fourth-year History and Geography ATU students under guidance from their lecturers, it is mostly polemic, not serious history. Thats what makes this presentation so problematic. These are not beginners. They are students trained in Irish history, folklore, archaeology, genealogy, and geography. Many will soon become teachers, curators, or continue into postgraduate study.

As with the 1619 Project, this sadly is not a thoughtful attempt to create a shared history, to offer alternate views or ask meaningful questions which would bring communities together. This is about blinkered advocacy.

Despite consisting of few paragraphs of long text, the library display still manages to berate those who are not accepting of the alternative approach of the travelling community and presume to speak for them on what is best for them and stridently claims this is evident from the origins of the travelling community, where it is suggested that they must somehow have become displaced from the settled community instead of accepting and respecting them as a distinct and separate ethnic community.

No proof is provided, even as genetic research by the Royal College of Surgeons and the University of Edinburgh upends this narrative. The RCSI findings indicate that Travellers are of Irish ancestral origin and likely diverged from the settled population during the upheavals of the seventeenth century, while also proving the misconception that Travellers are a hybrid population of settled Irish and Roma as completely false.

The ATU educators know this. Or at the very least should know this. Similar to the 1619 project, why distort history to shame your critics into silence?

Yet, more striking still is what is left unsaid.

The exhibition correctly notes that Travellers have long suffered discrimination. This is undeniable and deserves academic attention. But nowhere is any real acknowledgement of the long-standing, reciprocal relationship between Travellers and rural farmers or urban residents (lumped together as some homogenous settled community).

For generations, households across Ireland provided food, money, lodging, seasonal work and places to camp. While Travellers offered tinsmithing, tool repair and horse trading in return, in a functional and interdependent economic system, which Travellers relied upon much more than the settled community. This is well documented in government reports, newspaper articles, oral histories and folklore collections (see www.duchas.ie).

Without that generous support from often poor peasant farmers and urban labourers, Traveller life as we understand it would not, and could not, have been sustained. This omission matters, instead framing Travellers as virtuous victims of an oppressive settled community.

There are other omissions but you get the picture.

As with 1619, what is presented as history increasingly arrives pre-interpreted, its tensions reduced, its ambiguities resolved, its conclusions implied in advance. The result is not falsehood, but something arguably more problematic: a narrowing of perspective in service to an agenda.

This is not a criticism of the students themselves, who have clearly engaged with their subject. Indeed, a presentation on two displays cannot do justice to all the work these students no doubt have undertaken. However, the showcasing of feelgood claims and unsupported polemics while omitting awkward but important facts, raises a broader question about how history is now being taught, assembled and presented at the point of graduation by educators, to soon-to-be entrants to the professional and managerial class who run our state institutions, agencies and schools.

Both the 1619 Project and the 2026 Traveller exhibition attempt to address real and important questions about inequality, identity and the past. Their intentions are laudable, but are lost in culture-war dogma which does not serve Black Americans or Irish Travellers well. We all deserve better.

The Tinkers Blade may be due for another run.
Imagine youre a priest in rural Mayo, 1720, and a man sends word that he's dying, and you dutifully answer the call. Thats a priest's job, after all; indeed, that's the whole point of his vocation, saving souls. You sit beside his bed, you lean close, you listen to his sins. And somewhere during that moment of absolute intimacy, absolute trust, the would-be penitent reaches under the blankets and produces a knife. Thats the last thing several men ever saw. And somehow, improbably, thats the part of the story people find almost funny.

Our fake penitent had a name, a Mr John Mullowney, born around 1690, and eventually dying as he lived, violently at the end of his own sharpened blade, around 1726.

He was not long on his blighted corner of earth, but he made his bloody mark. We Mayo natives know him better as Sean na Sagart, or John of the Priests, which is one of those beautifully crafted rural Mayo nicknames that tells you nothing about a man while actually saying everything.

He was, to put it bluntly, a treacherous rat, a lowly horse thief who became a paid informer. A Catholic who hunted his own clergy for money and turned betrayal into a profession in the name of survival. There were worse people in history, obviously, but not many were quite so imaginative about it.

The story goes like this. Young Mullowney, fond of the drink and other peoples horses, found himself in front of a Castlebar judge facing the gallows. The authorities, being practical people, noticed that the qualities which had made him an effective criminal  charm, low cunning, a complete indifference to loyalty  might be redirected usefully. The deal was simple: inform on priests, live to drink another day.

Under the Penal Laws, a captured priest was worth serious money. An archbishop would net you 100. A regular priest, 20. A hedge schoolteacher, 10. In a time when most of rural Mayo survived on not much more than a prayer and a potato, those were extraordinary sums.

Mullowney agreed, apparently without a great deal of soul-searching.

What makes his story so disturbing isnt the betrayal itself, as history is full of informers, and Ireland has had more than its share throughout its history. Its the theatricality, as Mullowney was shamelessly creative. He would pretend to be dying, summoning a priest to hear his confession, then produce a knife from beneath the bedclothes and stab the cleric who had come to offer him absolution. We should think about that for a moment. The sacrament of confession, the most intimate act of trust in Catholic religious life, was weaponised by Mullowney as a trap. The priest arrives expecting a soul in distress, in dire need of absolution, and gets a blade through the chest instead.

Its the intimacy of it that remains with you, as it was never a faraway denunciation, not a quiet shameful word to the authorities, but a face-to-face murder brazenly disguised as a spiritual need.

Mullowney looked his victims in the eye. He let them believe they were doing good, and then he killed them.

Mullowney got what was coming to him, eventually. The last surviving priests in the area, knowing exactly who was hunting them, disguised themselves and moved carefully. One attended a funeral dressed as a woman, because even the dead needed a priest, even then, even at that risk. Mullowney spotted him and gave chase. But this priest, unlike the others, wasnt arriving at a deathbed expecting gratitude. He was ready, and in the struggle that followed, Mullowney was stabbed with his own knife and died where he fell.

The folk tradition, wonderfully uncharitable, records that his body was subsequently dug up and thrown into a lake. A local priest, displaying considerably more Christian mercy than anyone else involved, ordered the locals to fish it out and bury it again. Some acts of forgiveness are harder than others.

We live in a golden age of Sean na Sagart. Not the horse-stealing, priest-stabbing variety, obviously, but the essential type, the person who discovers that betrayal, performed with enough confidence and dressed up in enough justification, is actually a lucrative career move. Theyre everywhere, in politics, media, business, and social media. The methods have been updated, but the soul of the thing remains unchanged.

Think about what Mullowney actually sold. Not information, particularly, and not even priests. In the end he sold trust. He sold the appearance of vulnerability, the dying man, the penitent sinner, as a deceptive mechanism for getting close enough to do lethal damage. The deception wasn't incidental, but it was the main selling point. People let their guard down around apparent weakness, around confessed need, around someone who seems to be asking for help. Mullowney understood this about human nature 300 years ago, and its no less true now.

Modern priest hunters dont need knives. They need platforms. The confidential conversation that ends up in a newspaper column. The private grievance aired as a public principle. The colleague who is extremely supportive right up until the moment theyre not. The whistleblower who turns out to be more interested in the whistle than the blowing. The loyalty that was always conditional on things going a certain way, which they eventually stop doing.

What is genuinely fascinating about Mullowneys story is how completely he divorced himself from any fidelity to his inherited Irish identity. He was Catholic and a native of Mayo and he blithely betrayed the people who kept his communitys spiritual life alive during a period when the Penal Laws had reduced Irish Catholics to brutal subjugation. He hunted them not out of conviction, not because he believed in the Protestant ascendancy or thought the Oath of Abjuration was a mere formality. He did it because he wanted to drink and lusted after the money.

Thats not ideology. Thats not even pragmatism, really. Its something closer to a complete absence of the internal voice that most of us call conscience. Whatever the rest of us have  that weak but persistent signal that says you probably shouldnt do this  Mullowney either never had it or had found a way to turn it off.

The businessman who runs a company into the ground  suppliers unpaid, staff left holding redundancy letters like losing lottery tickets, creditors quietly writing off what theyre owed  and then, after a decent interval and a rebranding exercise, opens a new office three towns away with a fresh set of business cards and precisely the same instincts that caused the preceding disaster. Hell tell you it was the market. The timing. A perfect storm of circumstances entirely beyond his control. Hell say it with such conviction youll almost believe him. Meanwhile, a modest printing company that did his stationery on account, or a small contractor who poured six months of work into a project that was never going to pay out, or a family business that extended credit because they knew and trusted him, theyre staring in disbelief at their bank statements, trying to figure out where it all went so horribly, catastrophically wrong. Our businessman has already moved on, absolved by the laws that favour the crafty and well-connected. New venture. New pitch deck. New handshake. The charm hasnt dimmed a bit.

Mullowneys end is instructive, though, and the last priest was ready for him because hed watched the others die and drawn the obvious conclusion. Theres a lesson in that. Eventually, the pattern becomes visible, and people stop answering the knock at the door from the man they know has a knife in the blankets. Reputations, once theyve been properly established, tend to precede people whether they like it or not. The problem for the modern Sean na Sagarts is that the internet is a thorough record-keeper.

Hes buried at Ballintubber Abbey  or was, until someone dug him up and threw him in a lake. Which is, I think, the most Mayo ending imaginable: a burial, a disinterment, a recovery, and a reburial, all conducted with tremendous feeling and no particular resolution. The ghost of it still there, in the bog, in the grey light off the mountains.

Some stories dont end. They just find new clothes.
ISLAMABAD, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday thanked United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for endorsing Islamabad's efforts to promote peace following the announcement of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

"Thank you Secretary General Antonio Guterres for your kind endorsement of Pakistan's sincere efforts for peace," the prime minister said in a post on X.

Earlier, Guterres welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran and expressed appreciation for Pakistan and other countries involved in facilitating the truce.

Pakistan is set to host the "Islamabad Talks" between the two countries aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East.

According to Iranian Students' News Agency, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf will lead a negotiating team for talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Islamabad. 
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

There might be an early shower; otherwise, mostly cloudy. .

Tonight

There might be an early shower; otherwise, mostly cloudy.
BRUSSELS, April 9 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Thursday that Israel's latest strikes on Lebanon, which killed hundreds overnight, did not fall within self-defense.

"Israel's right to defend itself does not justify inflicting such massive destruction," Kallas said in a post on social media platform X. She warned that the strikes risk further destabilizing the region and added that Israel's actions were putting the U.S.-Iran ceasefire under severe strain.

The United States and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday evening, less than two hours before a deadline set by Washington in the morning. Israel said it accepts the truce but will continue fighting in Lebanon against Hezbollah.

Kallas noted that the ceasefire should be extended to Lebanon.

So far, the Israeli strikes on Wednesday across Lebanon have killed at least 254 people and injured 1,165 others, with densely populated neighborhoods in the capital of Beirut among the hardest hit, according to the latest data provided by the Lebanese Civil Defense. 
MADRID, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday condemned Israel's latest strikes on Lebanon as a violation of international law and called for the country to be included in the current ceasefire arrangements.

In a post on social media platform X, Sanchez said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had launched "the harshest attack against Lebanon since the beginning of the offensive," adding that such actions reflected an "intolerable disregard for life and international law."

He urged that Lebanon be included in the ceasefire framework to prevent further regional escalation, and called on the international community to clearly condemn what he described as a new breach of international law.

"There must be no impunity for these criminal acts," Sanchez said, also urging the European Union to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on the same day that Israel's continued military operations in Lebanon under the current ceasefire context were "unacceptable."

"All fronts must cease fire, and that includes Lebanon," Albares said, stressing the need to avoid further escalation in the region.

Spain has taken an increasingly critical stance on developments in the Middle East in recent months, repeatedly calling for de-escalation and adherence to international law. 
Africa Matters: Driving recovery and resilience

Wits Business School recently hosted the inaugural Africa Matters summit, an initiative driven by SABCs Channel Africa.

The summit aimed to give voice to Africans on critical issues challenging the continents future development.

The first of a series of dialogues aimed at a global audience, the launch event was themed Climate Change: Financing Africas recovery, and drew together commentators, academics and thought leaders to tackle the complex issue of climate finance.

Despite increasing global climate finance commitments, Africa continues to attract a disproportionately small share of capital due to policy fragmentation, perceived investment risk, and gaps in institutional capacity and data.

Taking a wide-angled view of climate finance, including the regulatory environment, the barriers to capital mobilisation, and actionable solutions, the summit positioned the conversation as not only a matter of funding, but as a strategic governance, measurement, and leadership issue.

In her opening address, the Group CEO of the SABC Nomsa Chabeli said: We must ensure that African economies are climate-proofed and better prepared against future shocks. Recovery must be driven by resilience, growth and equity. Climate change is not just an environmental challenge, but a defining development issue for our continent, one that demands informed, collective action.

As Channel Africas knowledge partner, Wits Business School is looking forward to a long-term and impactful partnership with the broadcasting service that reaches millions across the continent and diaspora with powerful, pan-African storytelling.

Todays summit is just the beginning of many fruitful and impactful conversations to come. With the research excellence that Wits Business School is renowned for, paired with the gravitas and immense reach of Channel Africas broadcast footprint, this is a partnership that has great potential for both driving change, and fostering a deeper understanding of the critical issues facing Africa among all its citizens, said Professor Mills Soko, Director of Development and Partnerships at WBS.
Economic policy in South Africa neglects informal traders

Traders in the informal economy need a supportive ecosystem so they can move beyond survival and contribute to local growth and development.

The informal economy is responsible for a large share of economic output across the continent. Yet economic policy is almost always designed for the formal economy and overlooks the informal economy.

We are labour-market economists interested in the informal economy and informal work. We have spent the last two years investigating the concept of an economic policy for informal workers. We spent several months interviewing informal traders, traders associations and key stakeholders. Our aim was to better understand their challenges, and to inform the development of an economic policy for informal trading.

Drawing on our research partnership with Women in Informal Employment Globalising and Organising, we argue that rethinking economic policy from the perspective of the informal economy is essential.

We begin from the premise that economic policy must actively support the everyday economy. Recognising informal traders as economic agents, and investing in systems that support them, allows local economies to become more resilient, inclusive and sustainable. Traders need a supportive ecosystem so they can move beyond survival, and contribute to local growth and development.

Our findings highlight five areas that should support a policy ecosystem: macroeconomic stability; efficient administration; regulation of competition; participation in policy and governance; and inclusive infrastructure.

On the ground

Our research focused on informal traders in Gauteng, South Africas economic hub. The sector provides vital income for marginalised communities and brings essential goods and services closer to where people live. Yet traders remain on the periphery of policy attention. Urban management often treats them as a problem to control rather than as economic actors to engage.

Most informal traders are own-account workers, operating on survivalist incomes that often fall below the poverty line. They face unpredictable markets, limited access to infrastructure, and constant regulatory uncertainty. This makes it difficult to grow their businesses or improve earnings.

These difficulties reflect the fact that informal traders operate in environments that have multiple layers. These include:

local factors: municipal regulations, permits, policing, infrastructure, competition, community networks

broader national forces: macroeconomic trends, regulatory frameworks, structural inequalities, formal-sector dominance.

Understanding these interlocking layers is essential when creating policies that support sustainable livelihoods and growth.

Five policy pillars

(1) Macroeconomic stability

This needs to be the first pillar of the economic policy. The informal sector is highly sensitive to macroeconomic conditions for a number of reasons.

Firstly, informal traders earn low and unstable incomes. This means that rising living costs quickly erode their ability to sustain livelihoods. This is particularly true when it comes to food, transport and energy prices.

Secondly, the sector is vulnerable to poor growth and unemployment. The informal economy functions as a safety net during economic downturns by absorbing workers displaced from the formal sector. This was well illustrated during the COVID pandemic. But theres a downside. A flood of new entrants into a constrained sector leads to overcrowding. In turn this:

leads to intensified competition for limited trading spaces

disrupts existing organisational systems

weakens trader networks

reduces earnings.

Macroeconomic instability, therefore, expands informality. It also threatens informal livelihoods.

Revisiting macroeconomic policy should also include a tax policy that doesnt prejudice informal workers.

(2) Efficient administration

Administrative inefficiencies and exclusionary practices create barriers for informal traders. For example, delays in issuing permits and other documentation leave traders vulnerable to harassment, bribery and eviction.

Inconsistent enforcement of bylaws creates an uneven playing field. Compliant traders are disadvantaged while irregular practices persist.

These burdens are not solely the result of local government shortcomings. They also reflect national-level failures such as delays in processing asylum-seeker applications. This disadvantages traders who rely on formal documentation to operate legally.

Together, these administrative challenges have a number of knock-on effects. They:

intensify competition over limited spaces

erode trust in authorities

constrain the stability and growth of the informal sector.

(3) Regulation of competition

The South African informal sector faces competition on multiple fronts.

Traders compete among themselves for a limited number of customers and trading spaces. They also face intense competition from the formal sector. Examples include supermarkets, retail chains and shopping malls. Informal traders are pushed into less profitable or precarious locations.

Its often assumed that theres perfect competition in the sector  that market players can trade freely.

But they do face structural disadvantages such as regulatory barriers, formal-sector dominance and uneven access to prime trading spaces.

Formal-sector expansion is framed as economic development. But it frequently displaces long-standing informal systems.

Intense and unfair competition in the informal sector has another consequence: it forces traders to compete primarily on price rather than quality or service. This is because they cant match the economies of scale, marketing power, or infrastructure advantages of formal retailers and better-resourced informal traders.

(4) Participation in policy and governance

An economic policy for informal traders needs to emerge from their involvement in policy and governance discussions.

Informal traders are often excluded from the planning and decision-making processes around things that affect them. This includes bylaw enforcement, market design and permit systems.

The result is policies that fail to reflect the realities of informal trade. In turn this:

creates unnecessary obstacles

increases uncertainty

limits traders ability to plan, invest and grow.

(5) Inclusive infrastructure

Many traders operate in spaces without electricity, water, sanitation or safe storage facilities. Poor infrastructure limits the types of goods traders can sell and increases operational. It also exposes both traders and customers to health and safety risks.

Too often, cities treat infrastructure provision for informal traders as optional. Or its not designed with the needs of informal traders in mind.

This neglect produces unsafe and precarious work environments, undermining both livelihoods and local economic activity.

Infrastructure that is designed to meet traders needs will translate investment into higher productivity, improved earnings, safer working conditions and more vibrant local markets. This will benefit both traders and the communities they serve.

David Campbell Francis, Senior Researcher, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand and Siphelele Ngidi, Associate Researcher, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
BANGKOK, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Thursday announced the seizure and freezing of assets totaling over 20 billion baht (about 624 million U.S. dollars) from a cross-border scammer network, urging all agencies to strictly implement measures and enforce the law.

Anutin told a press conference that this seizure occurred in two phases, with the first involving 68 items worth a total of 12 trillion baht, and the second adding 34 items valued at 8.2 billion baht.

The prime minister expressed gratitude to relevant agencies for their coordinated efforts, which enabled the investigation to trace the financial transactions of the suspects.

Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the prime minister's office, said that the prime minister has designated the prevention and crackdown on cybercrime as a national agenda, in line with the policy announcement to parliament aimed at enhancing efforts against cybercrime and money laundering, thereby building public and international confidence. 
JERUSALEM, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Thursday morning that overnight attacks on Lebanon's capital Beirut killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem.

The military said in a statement that Harshi had played a central role in managing and securing Qassem's office.

The IDF said it struck two key crossings on Lebanon's Litani River used by Hezbollah to transfer thousands of weapons, rockets and launchers.

Also, about 10 weapons storage facilities, launchers, and command centers used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon were targeted. 
JERUSALEM, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said in a statement on Thursday it had approved the restart of operations at the Karish gas field, the country's third-largest, located in the Mediterranean Sea off its northern coast.

The field, operated under a state license by London-based energy company Energean, was shut down on Feb. 28 at the start of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran.

Israel's largest natural gas field, Leviathan, was also temporarily halted but resumed operations last week, while the second-largest, Tamar, continued operating throughout.

The decision to restart Karish follows the entry into force of a two-week ceasefire agreement reached by the United States and Iran, although fighting between Israel and Hezbollah on the Lebanese front is still ongoing.

Analysts said the shutdown of Karish, which supplies gas only to the domestic market, contributed to price increases, with small industrial plants among the first to be affected.

In 2025, the Karish field produced 5.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas. 
Court proceedings over the deadliest rail crash in Greek history began on April 1, continuing on April 6.

The crash occurred on February 28, 2023, in the Tempi valley of central Greece, after a passenger train collided with a freight train, resulting in the horrific deaths of 57 people. Among those killed were many university students and 11 rail workers. The passenger traingoing north from Athens to Thessalonikihad been travelling on the wrong track for 12 minutes and 18 kilometers before it impacted with a southbound freight train.

A crane, firefighters and rescuers operate after a collision in Tempi, about 376 kilometres (235 miles) north of Athens, near Larissa city, Greece, March 1, 2023. A high-speed intercity train carrying hundreds of passengers has collided on February 28 with an oncoming freight train in northern Greece, killing 57 people and injuring dozens. [AP Photo/Vaggelis Kousioras]

Harrowing footage released in January last year indicated that 30 of the 57 victims were still alive for a period after the crash and died following a massive explosion.

The deaths were not an accident but a crime of capitalism. This act of social murder was made possible by the complete absence of safety on the rail network after years of cuts by successive austerity-imposing governments, culminating in the networks privatisation in 2017.

The disaster is still raw in the consciousness of Greek workers and youth. Millions took to the streets to demand justice in the initial and anniversary protests over the past three years in Greece and among the diaspora in Europe, the US and Australia. See here, here and this years protests here.

36 people are being tried in the court case, including the three station masters who were on duty at Larissa station the night of the crash. The rest include 28 former executives and employees at Greeces state-owned Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) rail network manager and its engineering arm ERGOSE, the railway regulator RAS, two high-ranking civil servants at the Ministry for Transport, and two former executives at Hellenic Trains (Greeces private rail operator owned by Italys state-owned railway group).

Thirty-three of the defendants face felony charges related to dangerous interference with rail transport, which can lead to life imprisonment. The two Hellenic Trains executives and one Human Resources Manager at OSE only face misdemeanour charges.

Absent from the dock are any of the political figures who oversaw Greeces railway network being turned into a death trap.

Both court sessions focussed primarily on procedural matters. With over 350 witnesses set to testify, the trial is expected to last up to three years. The next session is due for April 27.

The trial was initially set to begin on March 23, on the same day as a 24-hour rail strike took place, called by the Panhellenic Federation of Railway & Fixed-Track Transport Workers. However, proceedings were cut short after complaints by victims families and lawyers over stifling and cramped conditions in the courtroom.

The court case is being held in the Geopolis conference centre of the University of Thessaly near the city of Larissa, not far from where the crash happened. However, after converting the Geopolis for this purpose the courtrooms capacity is just over 450 with nowhere near enough space. Documento reported, Shame was the chant that dominated among the relatives of the 57 deceased, as there were only 120 seats available in the 283-square-meter courtroom. Among those standing were several of the 250 lawyers, as well as journalists; in fact, the bench requested that they leave due to lack of seating capacity, a request opposed by the victims relatives.

Relatives of victims of the Tempi train crash, waiting before the trial at the court in Larissa, Greece, Monday, March 23, 2026 [AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis]

Nothing was done in the week leading up to April 1 to rectify the situation, let alone find a more suitable venue. Instead, the government relied on an unprecedented show of force to control entry into the venue and silence any dissent from the families and their lawyers.

The father of one of the victims, Panos Routsi, was violently pushed by police, which required him to get medical attention. Outside the hospital where he was treated, Routsi said: During a recess, while I was trying to speak with my lawyer, six policemen pushed me so violently that I felt dizzy, my blood pressure went up and I had palpitations.

Commenting on the large police presence, the President of the Association of Bereaved Families, Pavlos Aslanidis, stated that there were around 15 policemen next to the courtroom bench and in front of the presiding judge.

Aslanidis said of the lack of space, they have crammed us right at the back. The room could have been prepared a lot better. There are areas left and right that remain partitioned off for reasons that we dont understand.

Families are currently only able to confer with their legal teams during recesses. According to reports, some were unable to gain access to the main courtroom on April 1 and were directed to an adjacent room where they followed the trial via a screen.

In an interview to ERT, Antonis Psaropoulos, who is both a lawyer in the trial as well as the father of a Tempi victim, stated that a fair trial cannot take place when the presence of its participants is restricted or allowed only in turns there should be at least 500 to 600 people inside the courtroom.

The heavy police presence and unsuitability of the venue are expressions of the utter contempt in which the ruling class holds the victims families.

The right-wing New Democracy (ND) government sees them as obstacles to its ongoing cover-up operation over Tempi, aimed at protecting the guilty. The official government linea narrative immediately rejected by millions of peoplewas that the sole cause of the crash was the human error by the station master on duty that night.

Immediately following the tragedy, standard forensic protocols were bypassed and 300 cubic metres of soil was removed from the site of the crash and replaced by gravel.

Speaking to reporters outside the Gaiopolis, Vaso Pantazi, one of the lawyers representing the victims families, said: For the first time, we have in our hands videos, photos, and drone footage that investigators took during the first hours after the crime, proving that the area was gravelled up, which is what the relatives have been shouting about from the very first moment.

Seeking to capitalise on NDs handling of Tempi, the pseudo-left Syriza (Coalition of the Radical Left  Progressive Alliance) issued a March 23 statement saying, these images [of chaos in the courtroom] are not merely indicative of incompetence. They are testament to a policy that from the outset handled the Tempi crimes by downplaying it and covering it up.

The fact is that Syriza is just as culpable for what took place at Tempi, given that they oversaw the 2017 privatisation of the railway as the governing party during 201519. Too busy selling off the railways and other public assets for a pittance to corporations, Syriza did next to nothing to implement the so-called Contract 717, a public works initiative aimed at modernising Greeces archaic, decrepit rail signalling infrastructure.

The contract was initially signed in 2014 under the previous ND/social democratic PASOK administration and was set to be completed by 2016. However, by 2017 only 32 percent of the work had been carried out under Syrizas watch, with work subsequently stalling.

While ND claims that 80 percent of the work has now been completed, Greece still does not have a full nationwide remote traffic control system, with parts of the network still relying on manual signalling. This is the case in the Thessaly region, where Tempi is located, following widespread damage by storm Daniel in September 2023 to recently installed infrastructure.

Speaking last year on the implications, the President of the National Organization for the Management of Railway Safety and Transport Security (EODASAAM), Christos Papadimitriou, said, My personal opinion is that those who delayed the implementation of Contract 717and I am speaking of the senior leadershiphave contributed decisively to the loss of these kids lives [at Tempi].

The crime at Tempi has discredited all the main bourgeois parties. One of the main chants at demonstrations is: Syriza, PASOK, New Democracy, this crime has a history!

The political vacuum is reflected in the high polling of the new party, We Begin  The Independent Citizens Movement, launched on April 1 by Maria Karystianou, former president of the Tempi Victims Families Association. A poll conducted just before the April 1 announcement found that 17.8 percent would consider voting for it.

This put Karystianou potentially ahead of PASOK, which is currently polling at 12 percent, with ND ahead on 25.5 percent. Syriza, widely hated for the betrayals of the anti-austerity mandate it was elected on, has never recovered and struggles to reach 5 percent in the polls.
There are few more bitterly contested and less clearly understood historical experiences than the general strike of 1926, despite it being a decisive moment in the history of the British and international working class.

Begun on May 3 and officially lasting nine days, it was the first and remains the only general strike ever to have taken place in the UK.

The action was launched in response to a massive attack on the wages of Britains 1.2 million coal miners, amid a period of widespread labour unrest. Overseeing the strike, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) was terrified by its revolutionary potential and worked to bring it to an end, succeeding on May 12 and enforcing a crushing defeat.

The Socialist Equality Party is holding a series of meetings around the country (Sheffield, Inverness, Manchester, London and Glasgow) aimed at arming workers with the lessons of this experience for the political battles they face today: against a right-wing Labour government of austerity and war, and trade union bureaucracies suppressing a struggle against it.

A global and revolutionary event

The events of 1926 had their origins in the profoundly revolutionary consequences of the decline of British imperialism and its eclipse by the United States, and of the political impact of the Russian Revolution of October 1917. No longer able to grant economic concessions to preserve social peace, Britains ruling elite determined to take on and defeat the miners as the most powerful section of the working class.

The general strike was the response by the working class to this offensive and had a potentially revolutionary characterobjectively posing the fundamental question of which class is to rule society. What was absent in this situation, however, was the subjective factor: a party dedicated to the pursuit of socialist revolution with a clear perspective for taking power.

Our meeting will examine in detail the role played by the architects of the defeat: the trade union and Labour bureaucracy that still led the working class and for whom revolution was anathemawhich is why the TUC has never allowed another general strike to be called in the past century.

Crucially, the workers were not betrayed by the overt right-wingers alone, but by lefts like Arthur Purcell and George Hicks, who used radical rhetoric to keep the rank and file tethered to the TUC apparatus. It was the lefts that acted as the final line of defence for the capitalist state.

This is an essential lesson for today, with figures such as Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana, Zack Polanski and their trade union counterparts still using militant and radical rhetoric to manage political and social discontent while systematically suppressing the class struggle.

What will distinguish our meeting from the slew of commemorative articles and books on 1926 is an examination of the general strike primarily from the standpoint of the disastrous line pursued by the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) under the direction of the Communist International (Comintern) led by Joseph Stalin and his allies.

This appraisal rests on the writings of Leon Trotsky, leader of the revolutionary opposition to the Stalin faction, and therefore provides a genuinely Marxist assessment of the strike and its defeat.

Trotskys critique of how the potential for a revolutionary confrontation between the British working class and the Conservative government of Stanley Baldwin was squandered by the Comintern leadership explains that the key mechanism of the strikes betrayal was the Anglo-Russian Committee, which had the support of many of the trade union lefts.

Under the Comintern-inspired slogan, All Power to the General Council, the left leaders of the National Minority Movement in the trade unionsorganising over a million workersallowed the TUC to lead the strike to defeat.

Stalins line, as Socialist Equality Party National Secretary Chris Marsden has written, was based on:

1) Deep scepticism about the possibility of revolution, as evidenced by his assertion of a new period of capitalist stabilization.

2) A turn away from the task of building the Communist Party in favour of opportunist alliances with the trade union bureaucracy.

3) The assertion that these forces could eventually be pushed to the left by militant pressure and act as a substitute for the party.

4) The abandonment or diminution of criticism of Moscows allies, at least of the lefts, and a refusal to draw any practical conclusions even when it became impossible to remain silent.

Trotsky explained that had the small and only recently formed CPGB been armed with a correct political line, this would not have been a guarantor of success, let alone of the revolutionary overthrow of British capitalism. But it would have massively weakened the grip of the Labour and trade union bureaucracy over the working class, strengthened the authority of the CPGB and paved the way for subsequent revolutionary struggles.

Instead, the betrayal of 1926 was part of a series of political disasters and betrayals of an ever more fundamental character that saw the transformation of the Third International under the Stalinist bureaucracy into a conscious agent of counter-revolutionand which ensured the survival of imperialism and paved the way for fascism and world war.

Lessons for today: a revolutionary party and rank-and-file movement

The lessons of 1926 still resonate today. The degeneration of the trade union bureaucracy and of the old reformist parties is now complete. The trade unions have become hollowed-out corporatist syndicates, which abandoned even a limited defence of their members social interests with the onset of globalisation in the 1980s.

The Labour Party of Keir Starmer is a naked party of the financial oligarchy, dedicated to the destruction of what remains of the welfare state and the imposition of savage austerity, and an accomplice to genocide and US and NATO-led imperialist wars.

The crisis confronting not just British but world imperialism is far worse than it was in 1926. The social position of the working class is desperate, fascist and far-right movements are on the rise and humanity is being dragged ever closer to disaster by a series of wars, now centred on Iran, that threaten a global conflagration.

Under these circumstances, opposition in the working class to the betrayals of the unions must become an active political and organisational break with them, with rank-and-file committees of workers seizing control from the bureaucrats.

This requires above all else a new political perspective, programme and leadership.

The lesson of the 1926 General Strike is that militant struggle alone, especially when directed to pushing the bureaucratised organisations to the left, is a road to defeat. An independent, internationalist, socialist and revolutionary party must be built to lead the renewed movement of the British and world working class emerging in response to the social offensive and political crimes of the ruling class.

Make plans today to attend a meeting near you. Prepare for the discussion by reading the new pamphlet by Mehring Books (UK), Trotsky, Stalin and the 1926 British General Strike: Lessons For Today.

Sheffield

Tuesday, May 12, 7pm

Showroom Cinema

Paternoster Row

Sheffield, S1 2BX

Get tickets here



Manchester

Monday, May 18, 7pm

Friends' Meeting House (behind Manchester Central Library)

6 Mount Street

Manchester, M2 5NS

Get tickets here

Inverness

Sunday, May 24, 2pm

Royal Highland Hotel (Magnus Hall)

Station Square

Academy Street

Inverness, IVI ILG

Get tickets here



London

Saturday, May 30, 2pm

Elizabeth House

2 Hurlock Street

London, N5 1ED

Get tickets here

Glasgow

Sunday, May 31, 2pm

Premier Inn Glasgow City Centre

187 George Street

Glasgow, G1 1YU

Get tickets here


Amid the US-Israeli war against Iran, the US and Japan are at the same time rapidly implementing plans to expand the war into an even larger conflict, above all aimed at China. This includes the continued joint militarization of Japanese southern islands in the East China Sea and the Pacific.

Type 25 Surface-to-Ship Guided Missile [Photo: Facebook/Japan Ground Self-Defense Force]

On March 31, the Japanese military deployed long-range missiles capable of striking China and North Korea within the country for the first time. Type-25 surface-to-ship missiles were deployed to the armys (known as the Ground Self-Defense Force) Camp Kengun in Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu. The Type-25 missile is an enhanced version of the Type-12 and is domestically produced, having a range of 1,000 km.

Additionally, Type-25 hyper-velocity gliding projectile (HGP) missiles have been sent to Camp Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture, to the southwest of Tokyo. Japan also intends to deploy missiles at other locations throughout the country, including Camp Ebino in Miyazaki Prefecture, also on Kyushu, later this year.

Tokyo also plans to further upgrade its Type-25 HGP missiles to give them a range of 2,000 km for deployment in the near future to islands in the southern Ryukyu chain, which includes Okinawa, giving Japan the capability of striking deep into Chinese territory. The military will also arm its Aegis destroyers with US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles later this year, as well as its fighter jets with JASSM-ER missiles. Those have ranges of 1,600 km and 900 km respectively.

The militarization of these islands has been ongoing by successive Japanese governments since Shinzo Abe was prime minister from 2012 to 2020. Missiles, radar installations and garrisons have been established on Ryukyu islands including Miyako, Ishigaki, Amami and Yonaguni, the last of which is just 110 km east of Taiwan.

The stated goal of the present Takaichi government is to be able to strike the launch sites of missiles in China or North Korea before a so-called imminent attack, claiming that this constitutes self-defense. In reality, Tokyo is planning pre-emptive attacks in alliance with Washington against China, which both see as the greatest obstacle to their imperialist and economic interests in the region. Any Japanese missile attack on China would be coordinated with Washingtons operations.

The coordination of US and Japanese militaries also includes those of South Korea and the Philippines, which encircle China and are preparing for a US-led war on Beijing. Japan has also drawn closer militarily to both Seoul and Manila. Washington, Tokyo and Seoul launched a de facto trilateral military alliance in 2023, moving towards integrating the three countries missile, radar and intelligence systems.

None of this has anything to do with defense. Under the current far-right government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Tokyo has backed the Trump regimes criminal actions in Iran as well as against Venezuela while ramping up military spending to 2 percent of GDP, a year earlier than previously planned. At the same time, the Japanese government has turned Article 9 of the constitutionthe so-called pacifist clause that bans Japan from maintaining a militaryinto a dead letter.

The criminal US-led war against Iran has not drawn a single word of opposition from Tokyo, which has echoed Washingtons false pretext of stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. This is providing the framework for a similar war of annihilation against China.

Tokyos militarization of its islands takes place in close collaboration with the US military. However, behind this agenda, Tokyo is not simply acting as the junior partner to Washington, but has its own imperialist interests which it is preparing to achieve through war. Through the expansion of its armed forces nationwide, Tokyo is seeking to make its military more independent from Washington.

For now, Japanese remilitarization takes place under cover of collective self-defense with Washington. Washington spells out its own agenda in its latest National Defense Strategy (NDS) document, released in January, as being: To prevent anyone, including China, from being able to dominate us or our alliesin essence, to set the military conditions required to achieve the [National Security Strategy] goal of a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific that allows all of us to enjoy a decent peace.

Behind the phony language of peace, the Trump administration is accelerating its plans for war against China. The NDS states, We will build, posture, and sustain a strong denial defense along the [First Island Chain]. We will also work closely with our allies and partners in the region to incentivize and enable them to do more for our collective defense, especially in ways that are relevant to an effective denial defense.

Controlling of the First Island Chain, which runs through Japan (including its southern Ryukyu Islands), Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, is essential to the US strategy of dominating waters and airspace immediately adjacent to the Chinese mainland. Commanding the straits through the Ryukyu Islands is regarded as essential to preventing Chinese naval vessels, particularly its nuclear submarines, from gaining access to the wider Pacific Ocean beyond the First Island Chain.

In January, US War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Japans Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi agreed to expanded military exercises throughout the Ryukyu Island chain. This includes turning Yonaguni into a forward operating base for a war over Taiwan. Cooperation also includes stepping up joint missile production, as well as providing maintenance for US aircraft and naval vessels.

In addition to these islands, both Japan and the US are stepping up their military presence on islands in the Pacific. Tokyo is planning to reinforce its airbase on Iwoto island, formerly known as Iwo Jima. The US is also refurbishing its airfields on islands like Tinian and Peleliu near Guam.

Last year, the two militaries also launched the Japan Self-Defense Forces Joint Operations Command Cooperation Team (JCT). The JCT is a US-led permanent joint body that coordinates planning and action between Japans own joint military command and US Forces Japan (USFJ). Lieutenant General Stephen Jost, the head of USFJ, stated last June that the JCT would integrate and synchronize operations that span the spectrum of operations from humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and armed conflict.

All pretensions that the US is concerned with humanitarian assistance or defending freedom have been torn away through the illegal war in Iran. The Trump administration, like those of Biden and Obama before it, is putting the pieces in place to launch a devastating war against China.

Much in the same way that Washington and NATO goaded Russia into the conflict in Ukraine, Washington and Tokyo have been at the forefront of provoking Beijing over Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province to be reunited with the mainland by force if it were to declare independence. Beijing is conscious that an independent Taiwan would become a staging ground for US military actions against China, while setting a dangerous precedent for the further carve-up of Chinese territory.
David North, chairman of the International Editorial Board of the World Socialist Web Site and national chairman of the Socialist Equality Party (US), was interviewed Wednesday, April 8, on TV5, a Turkish-language news channel based in Turkey. North was asked to address the trajectory of US imperialism under the Trump administration, the relationship between American and European imperialism, and the prospects for opposition to global colonialism.

The interview took place amid the US-Israeli war against Iran, launched on February 28, which has resulted in massive civilian casualties and widespread destruction of Iranian infrastructure. Speaking shortly after Trump announced a two-week ceasefire in military operationsduring which he had openly threatened to destroy Iran as a civilizationNorth offered a searing assessment of the war and a call for the international working class to organize against it.

Asked by interviewer Ismail Sanal how he interprets Trumps actions given his campaign promises to end wars, North rejected any notion that Trump represented an anti-war tendency. He explained that US foreign policy is determined not by the rhetoric of individual politicians but by the global interests of the American ruling class, stating:

The agenda of the United States is not set by the promises of one or another politician, but by the global interests of the American ruling class. And whatever president is in office, whatever his rhetoric, the aims are fundamentally the same.

North characterized the war against Iran as a fully criminal war which has resulted in devastating loss of life, and stressed that the language Trump used in threatening Iran was historically unprecedented in its criminality: What was said yesterday should not be forgotten today. A two-week pause does not mark the beginning of world peace. Its only an interlude. He warned that the ultimate aim of the United States is to establish once again colonialist control over Iran and in fact over all of the Middle East, and urged workers worldwide to use the pause to build their opposition to American imperialism.

On the question of tensions between the US and Europe, North described both factions as different wings of the same global imperialist system, noting: The United States is only the most criminal and most powerful of the imperialist gangsters. He argued that the central task is the organization of the working class internationally in a common struggle against all imperialist powers, and that workers and the oppressed throughout the world should understand that neither faction is their friend, is their ally. All are, in fact, criminal regimes.

When the interviewer raised the legacy of former Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan and the potential for Muslim societies to challenge global colonialism, North explained that the politics of the Socialist Equality Party and the International Committee of the Fourth International are rooted not in religion or ethnicity but in class, and that the struggle against imperialism can only be raised successfully to the extent that it unifies the working class of all countries, all ethnicities, all religions in a common class struggle.

Pointing to the fate of the Palestinians in Gaza, North offered a sharp indictment of the failure of bourgeois nationalist and religious movements to mount any serious opposition to imperialism: Despite the many decades of rhetoric of, for example, Arab unity or Muslim unity, they were abandoned. And no one came to their defense. He argued that only an international movement of the working class, guided by a socialist program, can effectively challenge the imperialist powers and liberate the peoples of the former colonial countries from oppression.

North concluded with a direct and urgent appeal to the Turkish audience: Please understand how dangerous the situation is. We all have seen now what the imperialist powers are prepared to do. They speak of annihilation of entire civilizations. They speak of genocide on a scale that even surpassed what Hitler attempted.

The interview underscores the growing international audience for the WSWSs anti-war perspective as the US-Iran conflict continues to escalate.
MOSCOW, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia handed over 1,000 bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine on Thursday, when Ukraine transferred 41 bodies of Russian servicemen, according to a TASS report.

On the same day, the Russian defense ministry said its air defense systems intercepted 69 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight, which left one man dead.

On Feb. 2, the Russian foreign ministry reported that more than 12,000 bodies had been handed over to the Ukrainian side since the swap of bodies began in June 2025, while the Russian side received over 200 bodies. 
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, left, joined at right by Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., at a committee hearing in 2025. [AP Photo/Scott Applewhite]

Special elections in Georgia and Wisconsin Tuesday continued the pattern that has prevailed throughout the second Trump administrationa collapse of political support for the Republican Party, despite the failure of the Democratic Party to offer any genuine alternative to Trumps policies of war, economic austerity and attacks on democratic rights.

The results gave further impetus to Trumps efforts to prevent a landslide defeat in the mid-term elections November 3 through voter intimidation, blocking access to the ballot for poor and minority voters, and deploying his ICE immigration gestapo and even the US military at the polls.

Both of Tuesdays elections took place in the shadow of the US war with Iran, which has already had disastrous effects on the US economy and particularly on the living standards of the working class, with the price of gasoline jumping more than $1 a gallon since Trump ordered massive bombing to begin on February 28.

Trumps approval rating in national surveys has sunk below 40 percent. The most recent figures showed him at 41 percent in Wisconsin and 38 percent in Georgia, the two states where voting took place Tuesday.

Voter turnout was far lower than in the immediately preceding elections. In Wisconsin, total turnout fell from 2.36 million in 2025 to 1.51 million, a drop of 850,000. This disproportionately affected the Republican candidate, Maria Lazar, who received 600,000 votes, 460,000 fewer than last years defeated Republican, Brad Schimel.

The Democratic vote also fell, but not as sharply. Winning candidate Chris Taylor received 905,000 votes, down 396,000 from the 1,301,000 won by Susan Crawford last year. As a consequence, the Democratic margin widened from 10 percentage points (55-45) to 20 percentage points (60-40).

Taylors margin of more than 300,000 votes was a comparative landslide in a state that has been closely contested in the last three presidential elections. (Trump won the state by 23,000 votes in 2016, lost it by 21,000 in 2020, and won it by 31,000 in 2024).

Voter turnout was increased last year by two factors. It was the first opportunity for the electorate to show its opposition to Trump. Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, also sought to buy control of the states highest court, pumping nearly $20 million into the coffers of the Republican candidate, a record for a state judicial election, nominally non-partisan.

The election in Georgia, in the 14th Congressional District, the states largely rural northwest corner, was to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, the fascist advocate of conspiracy theories who fell out with Trump over foreign policy, particularly the US war with Iran. A March 10 primary left Democrat Shawn Harris, a retired Army general, who is African-American, competing with Republican Clay Fuller, a local district attorney.

Fuller won the runoff election with 56 percent of the vote compared to 44 percent for Harris. The 12-point margin was down sharply from 2024, when Greene defeated Shawn Harris by 29 percentage points, and Trump defeated Kamala Harris by 37 points. Even more significant was the collapse in voter turnout, which fell from nearly 300,000 to just over 130,000.

The Georgia result showed the largest swing against the Republicans of any special election since Trump took office. Such a double-digit swing to the Democrats, if it were to materialize on Election Day this year, would sweep an estimated 80 Republican House members out of office and would cost the Republicans control of the Senate as well.

All told, Democrats have captured 30 Republican seats in state legislatures and other off-year contests, while the Republicans have not captured a single Democratic seat. This pattern shows the mounting popular hostility to the Trump administration, albeit distorted and constrained by the reactionary, anti-democratic structure of the two-party system, with both parties committed to the defense of the financial oligarchy and the capitalist system.

Recognizing the growing popular opposition to his administration, Trump issued an executive order last month to curb mail-in voting and give the US Postal Service, whose board he appoints, the authority to reject state mail ballots that do not meet his security prescriptions. He instructed the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to prepare a master list of eligible voters and impose it on the states, in defiance of the US Constitution, which gives states the primary role in election administration and provides no role for the federal executive.

The White House is pushing for congressional approval of the SAVE America Act, which would make it mandatory for prospective voters to show proof of citizenship when they register and to show government-issued ID when they come to the polls. Both the bill and executive order are premised on the lies that millions of non-citizens are voting in US elections, and that Trumps defeat in 2020 was the result of this voting by illegal aliens.

In an appearance on the Rachel Maddow Show on Monday night, Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia declared, I am terrified that this administration is going to try to create some incident that can allow federal intervention.

Warner, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, is well-informed on the operations of the US national security apparatus. He suggested that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was playing a major role in an effort to declare that foreign actors were interfering in the US elections, making it necessary to mobilize federal troops at polling stations.

He pointed to Gabbards presence during an FBI raid on election offices in Atlanta, Georgia and in seizing voting machines in Puerto Rico, actions that would not normally concern a cabinet official with responsibility for overseeing US intelligence-gathering overseas.

Warner continued, the idea they would pick some threat real or conceived to use as an excuse, I think we have to be very conscious of. So Ive been trying to meet with former military leaders, intelligence leaders, law enforcement, just to say, you know, if you see something that comes out thats a crock, speak up and rebut. And the press, frankly, needs to do it as well. This is about the heart of our democracy, whether its going to be free-and-fair elections.

For all their professions of concern, however, neither Warner nor any other leading Democrat has called for action to defend the right to vote or to oppose Trumps efforts to rig the elections. They are far more afraid of a popular movement against Trumps drive towards dictatorship than of anything Trump himself might do.
Elevenlabs AudioNative Player

The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the fast combat support ship USNS Supply transit the Strait of Hormuz, Dec. 14, 2023. [Photo: Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Keith Nowak]

Within just one day, the two-week ceasefire with Iran announced by Trump Tuesday night is already falling apart, amid ongoing bombardments across the Middle East and an intensifying internal crisis within the United States itself. Sharp divisions have opened up within the ruling class and state apparatus over how to proceed after a war that has not achieved its aims.

The entire situation raises the urgent imperative for workers not to rely on hopes for some sort of peaceful resolution of the imperialist war against Iran, but to develop an independent mass antiwar movement.

Even what was agreed to as the basis of the ceasefire is itself entirely unclear and disputed. Just hours after the deal was announced, Israel carried out a massive bombardment of Lebanon on Wednesday. It was the single deadliest day of Israeli attacks on the country since 2006. At least 254 people were killed and more than 1,100 wounded, including 35 children. Israeli jets struck apartment buildings, residential streets and crowded commercial areas across central Beirut and the southern suburbs.

The ceasefire between the US and Iran was first announced by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who brokered the agreement. In his announcement Tuesday evening, Sharif declared that the United States and Iran along with their allies have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere.

On Wednesday, the speaker of Irans parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the United States of violating the ceasefire by continuing to attack Lebanon through its Israeli ally, writing in such a situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable. Israel asserts that Lebanon was not covered by the agreement, a claim that both Trump and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt backed on Wednesday, with Trump referring to it as a separate skirmish.

There are indications that Israel carried out the attack on Lebanon to sabotage the US-Iran ceasefire agreement. The Wall Street Journal published an article Wednesday, under the headline Israel Was Informed Late About Cease-Fire Deal and Wasnt Happy, reporting that Israel wasnt formally part of the Iran negotiations.

Israel, however, would not have launched an attack on this scale without the support of significant factions within the US political establishment.

Within the United States, criticism from the political establishment, both Democratic and Republican, has centered on condemnations of Trumps ceasefire announcement as a debacle for American imperialism and a dangerous and unacceptable concession to the Iranians.

David Sanger, the senior national security correspondent for the New York Times, wrote Wednesday that the ceasefire resolved none of the fundamental issues that led to the war. Sanger quoted Richard Fontaine of the Center for a New American Security, who declared that Iran remains in control of the Strait and that it is hard to believe that the United States and the world could accept a situation in which Iran remains in control of a key energy checkpoint indefinitely. That would be a materially worse outcome than existed before the war.

The Wall Street Journal editorial board published a statement Wednesday titled, Trump Declares Premature Victory in Iran, arguing that the Iranian regime remains a threat in the Strait of Hormuz and the job is far from finished. The Journal criticized Trumps inconsistent rhetoric on the war and concluded: The next test for Mr. Trump will be whether he takes his two-week cease-fire deadline seriously. If he does, and Iran plays its usual games, then he really will have to finish the job.

Washington Post columnist Max Boot wrote Wednesday that Iran remains able to control, at least for now, which ships transit the Strait of Hormuzwhich it was not doing when this war began.

The Democratswho just days ago warned of World War III, accused Trump of war crimes and warned that soldiers who carry out his orders will be prosecuted under the laws of warare shifting the tone of their criticisms: not that Trump went too far, but that he sold out the crown jewels, and that he is treating US imperialist policy as a New York real estate deal.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy told CNN Wednesday: But if Iran has the Strait permanently now, then what, what an error, what a miscalculation this entire endeavor was.

From the standpoint of the Trump administration, a ceasefire means nothing. Every ceasefire proclaimed by Trump in the Middle East has functioned as the prelude to further bloody military action. The June 2025 ceasefire that followed Operation Midnight Hammerthe B-2 bombing of Irans nuclear facilitieswas followed within eight months by the full-scale war that began on February 28.

Late Wedneday, Trump posted on Truth Social, All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with. Trump thratened to attack Iran bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before, adding, our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest.

The strategic objectives of the United States have not changed. Washington launched this war to impose direct control over the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz and reverse the consequences of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. War against Iran is itself part of an escalating global warone that extends from the Middle East to the confrontation with Russia and Chinaand the pressure for renewed military escalation will intensify.

The entire experience of the past two weeks must be understood as an enormous warning to the working class in the United States and internationally. Just 24 hours ago, Trump was pledging to end Iranian civilizationthreatening to transfer the methods of the Gaza genocide to a country of 90 million people. Trumps genocidal language cannot be unsaid, and genocide has been officially adopted as a method of conducting war by an American president.

By resorting to Hitlerian rhetoric and threats of civilizational destruction, Trump has shattered the last remnants of the propaganda that US imperialist interventions are carried out in the name of human rights or democracy. The world has been shown that the United States is led by a criminal oligarchy that treats entire societies as expendable obstacles to be smashed into submission.

The only way to stop this war is through the independent mobilization of the working class as a class force. Neither the Democratic Party nor any faction of the political establishment will oppose imperialist war in principle. Whatever their tactical disputes with Trump, the Democrats defend the same strategic aimsUS domination of the Middle Eastand function above all to suppress the emergence of a movement from below that threatens the entire structure of capitalist rule.

The fight against imperialist barbarism requires the development of an independent working class movementin workplaces, across industries and across bordersagainst the war, against the assault on social programs and against the capitalist system that is the root cause of war, dictatorship and social inequality.
Smoke rises following several Israeli airstrikes in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Within hours of President Trumps ceasefire announcement in the imperialist war against Iran, the Israeli military struck central Beirut on Wednesday and multiple sites in southern Lebanon with 160 missiles. The strikes hit dense commercial and residential areas without warning, killing hundreds of people and wounding more than 1,000 others.

Lebanons Civil Defence said at least 254 people were killed and 1,165 others were wounded in the attacks on five neighborhoods in Beirut, the southern city of Tyre district, Adloun, the entrances to Chih and Marahin, and areas near Khiam, Bint Jbeil, Mayfadoun and al-Sarira.

Al Jazeera reported that Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine said Lebanon was facing a dangerous escalation after Israel launched more than 100 air strikes across the country within a 10-minute period. Ambulances are still transporting victims to hospitals. We urge international organizations to assist the Lebanese health sector, Nassereddine said.

Israels army said that it had carried out its largest coordinated strike across Lebanon since it started a new military operation in the country on March 2 which has now killed nearly 1,497 and injured more than 4,639 people, according to the health ministry.

The New York Times reported that Israel conducted the massive aerial assault with approximately 160 bombs dropped by 50 Israeli aircraft. The assault, dubbed Operation Eternal Darkness by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), also included artillery shelling.

Associated Press journalists reported seeing charred bodies in vehicles and on the ground at one of Beiruts busiest intersections in the Corniche al-Mazraa neighborhood. Reuters and other outlets reported that Israel destroyed bridges over the Litani River and accelerated demolitions of homes in border villages, indicating a deliberate campaign against civilian infrastructure.

Middle East Eye reported at least 10 killed in a strike on a funeral in eastern Lebanons Shmestar village and three girls killed in an attack on the coastal town of Adloun. The techniques being used by the IDF in southern Lebanon follow those of the Gaza genocide; mass murder of civilians justified with unsubstantiated claims that the strikes are aimed at terrorists.

Witnesses described the impact of the explosions with shattered glass everywhere and buildings collapsing without warning. One Beirut resident told the BBC, I was thrown across the room by the force of the blast after hearing a loud noise.

Al Jazeera reported damage to homes including cracked walls and broken windows near al-Sarira, while witnesses in southern Lebanon described Israeli fire near residences and roadways that civilians still used for movement and shelter.

Video images circulating on social media show the devastation caused by the blasts with civilians assisting emergency crews looking for victims and survivors in the rubble of the densely populated Beirut.

Hezbollah issued a statement describing the Israeli strikes as war crimes targeting innocent civilians. Hezbollah also cited its understanding that the cease fire agreement included Lebanon at the request of Iran. Later in the afternoon, the speaker of the Iranian parliament stated that the agreement had been violated.

A statement made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exposed the fraudulent nature of the ceasefire. He said Israel still has goals to complete in the war and it will achieve them either by agreement or by the resumption of the fighting. He also said, We are prepared to return to combat at any necessary moment. Our finger is on the trigger.

Netanyahu also said he wanted to emphasize that the ceasefire is not the end of the war, adding, This is a way station on the way to achieving all of our goals.

Then he said Israel was informed of the US decision to suspend strikes for two weeks prior to Trumps announcement. Netanyahu claimed that Iran had agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz, after waiving all of its preconditions, including its demand for a ceasefire in Lebanon.

During a Wednesday press briefing in the White House, Trumps Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt repeated the same assertion, saying, Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. However, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who played a key role in brokering the deal announced on Tuesday, issued a statement earlier in the day that said, Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

The reported Iranian position was not that the Strait of Hormuz would be fully and permanently open but that navigation would be subject to Iranian control, oversight and possible fees. The AP reported that Iranian officials said the strait would remain open under military supervision, while US live coverage said Iran had closed it in response to Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon before reports emerged that the decision was reversed.

The events in Lebanon mirror those of the Gaza ceasefire and the Trump negotiated peace plan, which serve as a cover for a continuation of the Israeli genocide against Palestinians and set up the framework for a permanent occupation of more than half of the enclave by Israeli forces. At least 723 Palestinians have been killed by Israel and nearly 2,000 injured since Trumps Gaza ceasefire went into effect on October 10, 2025.

According to statements from Israeli officials, the strategic aims of the assault on Lebanon include a long-term occupation and annexation of 10 percent of the country. Defense Minister Israel Katz has announced plans for a security zone up to the Litani River and the expulsion of more than 600,000 residents from their homes. The project also includes the leveling of Lebanese border villages and destruction of bridges as central objectives.

The events in Lebanon on Wednesday are a prelude to the resumption of the US-led war against Iran. As Netanyahu stated bluntly, the two-week ceasefire is a way station toward achieving the goals of imperialism in the Middle East.
Warren Truck autoworkers

Workers across the United States have expressed deep opposition to the Trump administrations criminal war against Iran, defending the Iranian people and calling for mass working class resistance.

When Trump issued his genocidal ultimatumthreatening that a whole civilization will end tonight Tuesday morningit revealed the full barbarism of American imperialism to millions of workers who had watched in horror as bombs fell on civilian infrastructure across Iran. Faced with the fierce resistance of the Iranian people and a mounting political crisis driven by popular opposition at home, the administration agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

But within hours, the Israeli government, acting with the full blessing of the White House, shattered that pause with a massive assault on Lebanon, confirming what workers throughout the country had already concluded: that no pause in the killing represents a genuine move toward peace.

In interviews conducted by the World Socialist Web Site, workers from across the countrydelivery drivers, food service workers, teachers and othersspoke with moral force about the war, the ceasefire and the need for organized resistance. Their voices reflect a growing sentiment that the Democratic Party will do nothing to stop the outlaw regime in the White House and that it will be up to working class to do it.

What our president is doing is not only inhumane but against international law, a Fed Ex worker said. Another added: The president has proven time and again he is a criminal. The innocent people and children killed in this useless war has to lead to prosecutions. I thought this was a land of law and order.

On the announced two-week ceasefire, the Fed Ex workers expressed a uniform and unsparing skepticism. I think its a step in the right direction, but I always take the good with a grain of salt, one worker said. I truthfully believe theyre taking this time to plan something worse.

Another put it more bluntly: I believe its for Trump to catch his breath before he starts to plan for another attack.

The memory of past imperialist disasters in the Middle East loomed large in these assessments. Workers drew direct and damning parallels. Weve seen so many ceasefires in past Middle Eastern conflicts, and rarely did it ever lead to true peace, one said. Its a facadeto prepare for another attack.

Another worker gave voice to a fear that has settled into millions of households: I think were going to see another Iraq and Afghanistan situation where we see thousands of Americans killed for politicians who do not care about us.

A UPS driver in New York City connected the dots between the war abroad and the assault on workers at home with particular force. I would be happy to see the rank and file in the unionshaving seen firsthand the deranged lunatics dismantling of the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) and his empowerment of corporations against the working classunify and demand a week of general strike to force the agenda against the war, he said.

I want to show that the working class is ready to bleed in protest against these faceless corporations that already fear the power of the people. We only need be reminded of our own strength to show that the will of the people is what matters to this country.

Elias from Northern California said, The working class has to do what they always had to do, which is come together, decide enough is enough, and start striking and boycotting en masse. Get people to organize and help out your fellow community. Do anything you can to disrupt an already precariously functioning economy.

We do not defend these actions of war and aggression

Michelle, an immigrant rights advocate from Michigan, addressed her remarks directly to the people of Iranand in doing so spoke for many Americans who are desperate to separate themselves from the crimes being carried out in their name.

To the people of Iran: We have no excuse for the actions of our deranged president and cowardly Congress, she said. We do not defend these actions of war and aggression. The citizens of this country believe in human rights and international law. We respect your religious faith, and we respect your autonomy as people. We sincerely apologize for the horrors and war crimes you are enduring daily, and which we fear will only get worse.

Among the most extensive responses came from a food service worker employed by Minneapolis Public Schools who has been active in anti-ICE protests and spoke with striking intensity.

Donald Trump has not been acting in the interests of the USA at largeas is his mandatesince the very first day in office, when he pardoned over 1,500 insurrectionists, and has since gone on to pardon numerous criminals, while waging a xenophobic war of retribution against states who have defied him and who give sanctuary to all humans as per the Constitution.

He spoke directly to people across Southwest Asia and North Africa. Please, my brothers and sisters, do not conflate the actions of this man and his sycophantic co-conspirators with the will of the American people. We American people should be ashamed that our institutional powers first failed usand then we have failed ourselvesin that we have not risen up as a people to hold him accountable for his crimes against humanity, both at home and in the military aid and political cover he gives Israels Zionist government. Biden, Obama, Bush and Clinton were guilty of this too.

He drew on examples of working class resistance internationally to underscore what is possible. We have seen countless examples of working class peoples standing up to and defeating governmental powerNepal overthrowing its government, South Korea swiftly removing corrupt top elected officials. For some reason, many who are pro-America but anti-Trump are waiting for the next election to rein in Trumps power. But that is too little too late. At this point, it is beyond justified to impeach and imprison his entire regime.

He also pointed to what he sees as the dual function of the war: distraction from political scandals at home and profit for the financial oligarchy. The war serves those in the ruling banking and tech class who are using it to distract from other crisesand who are profiting from this unjustified attack against Iran.

He closed with an appeal to action and international solidarity. If I caught one whiff of a general strike and march on Washington, Id be there in a heartbeat. Until then, Ill continue supporting my local communities and speaking out against this illegal regime.

What emerges from these voices is not despair but a sharpening consciousnessan awareness that the machinery of war, repression and economic plunder is operated by a ruling class that has no interest in the lives of workers, whether in Detroit or Tehran, in Oklahoma City or Gaza.

Workers are drawing their own conclusions. They are connecting the destruction of social programs and democratic rights to the destruction of Iranian cities. They are connecting the murder of anti-ICE activists in the streets of Minneapolis to the bombing of schools and hospitals. They are connecting the collusion of the Democrats to the impunity of the Republicans.

And in that growing, connected understanding lies the beginning of something the ruling class has every reason to fear: the development of a mass anti-war movement, grounded in the working class, and fighting to end imperialist barbarism and the capitalist system that produces it.

This is what the Socialist Equality Party is fighting to build.
Teachers and school workers with the Los Angeles Unified School District rally in downtown Los Angeles, May 7, 2024.

On April 14, nearly 70,000 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) workers are poised to strike, driven by years of deteriorating conditions, poverty wages and the intolerable reality that many cannot afford to live in the very communities they serve.

The strike, if it proceeds, would be a historic confrontation involving teachers, classified staff and administrators in the nations second-largest school district. It reflects a deepening insurgency of workers confronting a bipartisan assault on public education, living standards and democratic rights.

The mandate for the strike is overwhelming. In separate strike votes, 94 percent of teachers and 97 percent of service workers voted in favor. These votes expressed mounting anger against the attacks on public education.

Yet on Wednesday, officials from United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99 and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA/Teamsters) met with LAUSD representatives behind closed doors, signaling a last-ditch effort to block a strike.

This meeting was convened under intense pressure from the Los Angeles City Council, which recently passed a unanimous resolution urging both sides to reach a fair deal to avoid a district-wide shutdown. The Council includes four members of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Workers must be warned that a sellout is in the offing. To prevent a last-minute deal and enforce their democratic decision for a strike, educators have to take matters into their own hands. They must organize themselves from below in a network of rank-and-file committees at schools across the district to impose their decision for a strike and organize a fight to win their demands.

No talks under these circumstances will result in a deal favorable for workers. The districts wage proposal underscores its contempt for workers. LAUSD offers an 8 percent ongoing salary increase and a one-time 3 percent bonus spread over two years, with a reopener clause that effectively postpones any further gains indefinitely.

UTLAs demand for roughly 17 percent over two years, including raising starting teacher pay to about $80,000, given the staggering cost of living in Los Angeles, is a modest demand which would still leave many educators struggling to cover living expenses.

For classified workers, including custodians, cafeteria staff, bus drivers and aides, average annual earnings are only $35,501, with many falling into the category of extremely low income. Many of these are immigrants, faced with the ever present threat of ICE terror. SEIU is demanding only a 13 percent increase over three years.

Conditions have existed for a powerful statewide and national movement in defense of public education. Contracts were up for virtually every major school district in California over the past year, and almost every major school district in America has been fighting massive cuts since the pandemic supplemental federal funding was allowed to expire by the Biden White House in its last year. This has gone further under Trump, who is seeking to abolish the Department of Education and divert hundreds of billions to the military.

LAUSD officials insist that the district faces a fiscal crisis, citing declining enrollment and uncertain funding. This narrative has become a mantra used to justify cuts across public education. In reality, it is sitting on a $5 billion reserve, the largest in its history.

Yet the bureaucrats in the California Teachers Association have worked consistently to block unified action and isolate school districts from each other. A four-day strike was shut down earlier this year in San Francisco with abysmal 4 percent annual wage increases in one of the worlds most expensive cities.

The UTLA and AALA contracts expired 10 months ago, and the union has kept teachers on the job for most of the school year. SEIU Local 99 has kept workers on the job nearly two full years without a contract.

The decades long decline in American public education can be reversed only through a fight by the working class for a massive redistribution of wealth out of the hands of the oligarchy and the military in favor of social needs. This means a broad national and even global movement pitting the working class against the entire capitalist political establishment.

The union bureaucracy is working to prevent this at all costs to avoid upsetting its relationship with the Democratic Party and corporate America. Already this year, one struggle after another has been sold out, including by nurses at Kaiser Permanente and in New York City, mostly immigrant meatpacking workers in Greeley, Colorado, graduate students and academic workers at the University of California and New York University and hundreds of military contractors at the Bath Iron Works shipyard.

The lessons of the last UTLA strikes are critical. In 2019, LA teachers struck for six days and won support among parents and the working class. Yet the union rushed through a sellout, giving members only hours to review a lengthy agreement. Fundamental issues such as class size, staffing levels and the expansion of charter schools remained unresolved. The settlement preserved the districts budget priorities and managerial control.

The 2023 walkout followed the same pattern. The bureaucracy imposed tight deadlines, restricted debate and presented concessions as victories. At no point did it seek to unite educators with other sections of workers, either within the school system or across the broader economy. Instead, it isolated struggles and ensured they remained within limits acceptable to the political establishment.

The central question is not whether workers are prepared to fight. The strike authorization votes and growing militancy provide a clear answer. The question is how this opposition can break through the obstacle of the pro-corporate trade union apparatus. A general rule has emerged: The more militant the workers and the more powerful their position the more openly and ruthlessly the bureaucrats attempt to sabotage them.

To advance their interests, educators and school workers must take the conduct of the struggle into their own hands. This requires the formation of rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, that can organize democratic discussion, advance demands based on actual needs and link up with other sections of the working class. Such committees provide the means to immediately stop the backroom deals and maneuvers of the bureaucracy as well as reverse all layoffs initiated so far.

The struggle must expand beyond LAUSD, uniting with healthcare workers, logistics workers and other workers facing similar conditions across the country and worldwide. It must challenge the diversion of resources to the military and the wealthy, insisting that societys immense wealth be redirected to meet human needs.
At around noon on Tuesday, April 7, three assailants armed with long-barreled weapons engaged in an armed clash with police officers stationed outside the plaza housing the Israeli consulate general in Levent, Istanbul. Following the clash, which lasted approximately five minutes, one of the assailants was killed and the other two were wounded and taken into custody. Two police officers sustained minor injuries.

Istanbul view from Istanbul Sapphire observation deck Aug 2014. Besiktas, Kristal Kule Finansbank, Is Kuleleri, Yap Kredi Plaza, Levent, Kanyon, Metrocity, Ozdilek Park, Akmerkez, Ulus, Nispetiye, Akatlar, Zorlu Center, Buyukdere Caddesi, Bogazici Koprusu, Bosphorus, Camlca CC BY-SA 4.0] [Photo by VikiPicture - Own work

The armed clash occurred on the day that the US-Israeli war against Iran reached a critical threshold for the entire world, carrying the risk of spreading throughout the region and beyond. President Donald Trump had threatened to destroy Iranian civilisation and had given the country until Tuesday night to surrender.

The authorities initially refrained from disclosing to the public which organisation the attackers were affiliated with. In a statement, Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said that the deceased attacker was linked to a terrorist organisation that exploits religion and that the attackers had traveled to Istanbul in a rented vehicle from Izmit.

Meanwhile, media reports have indicated that the attacker killed in the clash was named as Yunus Emre Sarban and that his assets were frozen in 2021 due to his alleged links to the Islamic State (ISIS). However, no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul noted that the consulate building was out of service and described the incident as an act that smacks of provocation. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated, We will not tolerate attempts to undermine the Turkiyes climate of trust through despicable and calculated provocations.

US and Israeli officials, meanwhile, condemned the attack on the grounds that it targeted Israel and praised the Turkish police. U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Thomas Barrack stated the following in a post on his X account: The United States condemns in the strongest terms todays attack on the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul. Attacks on diplomatic missions are attacks on the international orderand an assault on the principles that bind nations together. We commend Turkiye and Turkish security forces for their swift and decisive response.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, We strongly condemn the terrorist attack on the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul today and added: We appreciate the Turkish security forces swift action in thwarting this attack. Israeli missions around the world have been subjected to countless threats and terrorist attacks. Terror will not deter us.

The fact that the US and Israel condemn terrorist attacks and attacks on diplomatic missions, while also talking about the international order, is a prime example of imperialist hypocrisy. After all, these are the very same powers that launched an illegal and criminal war with the aim of eliminating Irans leadership, slaughtering thousands of civilians in the process, and threatening to destroy its civilisation and send the country back to the Stone Age. Although the two-week ceasefire that began on April 8 has temporarily halted the war of annihilation against Iran, Israels invasion of Lebanon and the genocide in Gaza continue.

The circumstances surrounding this attempted armed attack remain unclear, and there is no substantial evidence to support the claim that it was targeting Israel. Following the tensions that arose with Turkiye after Israels invasion of Gaza in October 2023, it withdrew its diplomatic personnel from the consulate general in Istanbul and the embassy in Ankara.

Regarding the ISIS claim, the US and its regional allies, including Turkiye, utilised ISIS militiasoriginating from Al-Qaedaas proxy forces, particularly in the regime change war launched in Syria in 2011. Although this officially ended with the formation of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition in 2014, the alliance with Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists continued. However, always being linked to various intelligence agencies and being highly controversial, ISIS has not yet carried out any serious actions that directly target Israel or Israeli assets.

A total of 10 people were taken into custody in Istanbul and Kocaeli in the hours following the attack, which once again brought ISISs activities in Turkiye into the spotlight.

On December 29, Turkish police launched operations against ISIS in 15 provinces, and a large-scale armed clash then broke out between the police and ISIS suspects in Yalova. Three police officers and six ISIS members were reportedly killed in the clash, while eight police officers and one watchman were injured. A further 357 people were detained in operations conducted the day after the attack.

While President Erdogan announced that 1,399 operations had been carried out against ISIS in 2024 alone, Cumhuriyet newspaper columnist Mustafa Balbay claimed that, according to data shared by the US with Turkiye, the number of ISIS members in Turkiye exceeds 10,000. ISIS has previously been involved in numerous attacks and massacres in Turkiye, primarily bomb attacks targeting Kurdish and leftist groups.

From the mujahideen, who fought against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, to the groups that played a role in the overthrow of the regimes of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, jihadist forces have received financial, logistical and military support for years from the imperialist powers, primarily the United States. In addition to fighting as proxies, these forces sometimes served as a pretext for imperialist attacks.

The fact that Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former Al-Qaeda leader for whom the US had previously offered a $10 million bounty, was received by Trump at the White House last November as the interim president of Syria was a striking result of this policy.

This situation must be considered in the context of the United States drive for full dominance over Central Asia and the Middle East. Through this policy, the Turkish ruling elite also pursues its own reactionary interests. Deeply involved in the imperialists regime change wars, the Turkish ruling elite played a central role in the deployment and arming of jihadist forces. Particularly in the Syrian civil war, the Central Intelligence Agency and Turkish intelligence facilitated the passage, training, and arming of jihadists from Libya, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe across the border into Syria.
KABUL, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Police have thwarted attempts to smuggle drone cameras, foreign currency and 169 kg of silver in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province, a spokesman of the army in the region Mullah Gulbudin Alyas said Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, personnel of security forces raided an area in Spin Boldak district early in the morning and seized a huge quantity of foreign currency, 169 kg of silver, and three drone cameras from a group of smugglers, the official said.

The official did not provide further details, saying the security forces deployed along the borders will spare no effort to check any illegal activities. 
KATHMANDU, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Nepal's former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak have been released on the condition that they are present whenever needed, police said on Thursday.

They have been handed over to their families, Pawan Kumar Bhattarai, spokesperson at the District Police Range Kathmandu, told Xinhua.

Oli and Lekhak were released following a Supreme Court verdict on Monday, which asked the government to conclude the investigations against them by Thursday or release them. They were arrested on March 28 for their alleged involvement in suppressing the Gen Z protest in September 2025. 
MONTEVIDEO, April 8 (Xinhua) -- An extra-tropical cyclone battered parts of Uruguay's south and east coasts Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, leaving one person dead, according to reports released by local authorities.

The fatal victim was a 51-year-old man who died in Punta del Este, in the south-eastern Maldonado department, when his vehicle struck a tree knocked down by 100-km-per-hour gusts, and was then hit by another car.

Maldonado municipality said the coastal area was "the hardest hit," with downed trees and power lines, and that officials were working to respond to the aftermath.

Meanwhile, the National Fire Department reported receiving approximately 500 calls by dawn in the capital Montevideo and the metropolitan area to report fallen trees, downed power lines, roofs blown off, and buildings at risk of collapse.

In Montevideo, four people were rescued from a house that partially collapsed, and a young man suffered serious injuries after he was struck by falling branches.

According to Uruguay's Institute of Meteorology (Inumet), the strongest wind gusts were recorded in San Jacinto, in the department of Canelones, where they reached 111 km per hour, and in Atlantida, also in Canelones.

Between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Inumet issued yellow and orange weather alerts, indicating moderate to significant weather risks on the local scale, to alert residents about the potential impacts of the severe storm.

An extra-tropical cyclone is a large-scale swirling storm system that occurs outside the tropics. 
YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio (AP)  Comedian Dave Chappelle stood on the front lawn of a newly restored 19th-century schoolhouse Thursday, joining neighbors and local officials as a small-town radio station secured its future in the community he calls home.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked two historic moments: Chappelle's restoration of the Union Schoolhouse and WYSO's relocation of its new broadcast facility inside it, bringing together distinct efforts to keep the station rooted in Yellow Springs at a time when local media outlets face mounting challenges.

Its like our lifeblood in the community, Chappelle told The Associated Press about the station, recalling how its possible departure to nearby Dayton would have been a crushing blow for Yellow Springs.

Advertisement Advertisement

More than 200 people gathered outside the former Union Schoolhouse, where Chappelle attended along with his wife, mother, station leaders and village officials, including Yellow Springs Mayor Steve McQueen and Dayton Mayor Shenise Turner-Sloss, to celebrate the opening the schoolhouse and the 68-year-old station into its next chapter.

The Union Schoolhouse was originally built in 1872 and once served as one of the villages earliest integrated schools before later housing municipal offices and small businesses. After sitting vacant for years, it was purchased in 2020 by Chappelles real estate company, Iron Table Holdings.

The property has since been transformed into a modern, multiuse space, with WYSO occupying the lower floors, while Chappelles offices will be based on the top floor.

For Chappelle, the investment was as much about preservation as development.

Advertisement Advertisement

If you have the opportunity like I did, to invest in your community, then its one of the greatest investments Ive ever made, he said. In some ways it feels dutiful. Other times I feel proud. ... but ultimately, I'm doing it because I want to, not because I have to.

The move comes at a time when local media outlets across the country face shrinking resources, shifting audiences and increased competition from digital platforms.

Chappelle said stations like WYSO serve as a stabilizing force. He described it as a beacon for sanity, offering a solid baseline of truth in context in an increasingly fragmented information landscape.

I grew up listening to WYSO since high school, and theyve always been here connecting to the people, said Mark Willis, a Yellow Springs resident. Theyre not out of a big city. Theyre not subject to censorship by a sponsor. They tell the truth, they tell the stories, and its rare these days. To see them growing instead of shrinking is beautiful.

Advertisement Advertisement

Rather than simply donate funds, Chappelle financed the redevelopment of the building itself, allowing the station to remain locally rooted while maintaining editorial independence.

Dave has never made a suggestion about our programming, said Luke Dennis, general manager at WYSO. He said the new facility transforms how the station connects with the public, offering performance space, gathering areas and expanded capacity for programming.

We belong to the community, Dennis said.

Public radio stations in smaller markets have faced mounting pressure in recent years, from funding challenges to audience fragmentation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Dennis said the investment positions WYSO differently. Were in a place of strength, he said.

Yellow Springs has long been central to Chappelles life. Though he grew up in Maryland, he spent summers in the village, where his late father worked as the dean of students at Antioch College.

Now living on a 39-acre farm with his wife and their three children, Chappelle has become deeply embedded in the town. He has invested in local properties, opened a comedy club in the downtown area and hosted events that draw national attention, including performances in a nearby cornfield during the pandemic.

Chappelle has also taken an active role in local affairs, speaking at town meetings and supporting community initiatives.

Advertisement Advertisement

As residents gathered and later filtered through the restored building, the moment marked more than a ribbon-cutting.

I'm more determined and inspired that these institutions flourish and stay of the people, Chappelle said after the ceremony. The only way they can do that is the people supporting them. I'm hopeful more than worried."
BERLIN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has informed European countries that Washington expects concrete commitments to deploying warships or other military capabilities to the Strait of Hormuz within the coming days, German magazine Der Spiegel said on Thursday on its website.

Rutte visited Washington on Wednesday and met with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House, during which Trump expressed his disappointment with NATO allies during the U.S. war with Iran, which began on Feb. 28 after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

Several European diplomats briefed on this matter described Trump's demand as essentially an "ultimatum," said the report by Der Spiegel.

Purely political pledges, such as those seen since the start of the conflict, are reportedly no longer sufficient, said the report.

The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor accounting for around 20 percent of global oil flows, was effectively closed during the conflict, which pushed up oil prices significantly. Despite the announcement of a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, uncertainty surrounds the situation in the Strait.

Trump sought to form a coalition in March to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, but the initiative faced strong resistance from European countries.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday said in a statement that Germany will contribute "in appropriate ways" to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

But Merz had previously stressed that NATO is a "defense alliance" rather than an "intervention alliance" and that as long as the conflict continues, Germany will not participate in military measures to ensure free navigation in the strait.

Der Spiegel also noted that Trump is compiling a list categorizing European NATO allies based on whether they supported or opposed the U.S. war against Iran, with Spain expected to be a primary focus.

Trump intends to withdraw U.S. troops from countries that prove uncooperative, it said, quoting U.S. media reports. 
New York Citys Afrika Bambaataa has died. He was 68.

TMZ reported that he died from complications of cancer early April 9, just days away from his April 17 birthday, in Pennsylvania. USA TODAY has reached out to Bambaataa's representatives.

Bambaataa, real name Lance Taylor, was born and raised in the city, growing up in the Bronx River Projects. He was a member of the Black Spades, a NYC street gang, and rose through its ranks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Following a life-changing trip to Africa, the DJ returned to New York and created the Zulu Nation, a hip-hop awareness and cultural group, according to MoMA archives.

In the 1970s, Bambaataa, who most notably made the hit 1985 track "Planet Rock," became known for throwing block parties in the Bronx.

He joined the growing list of rising Black DJs out of New York, like DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash, all of whom have been credited for the formation of hip-hop.

In his later life, Bambaataa was accused of child sexual abuse and trafficking. In May, he lost a civil case that started in 2021 after an anonymous plaintiff alleged the producer sexually abused and trafficked him for four years starting in 1991, when he was 12 and Bambaataa was around 33 or 34.

Advertisement Advertisement

He did not address the lawsuit's allegations, according to Rolling Stone.

Art pieces signed by Bambaataa were at one point featured in the Universal Hip Hop Museum in Brooklyn, but the displays were criticized by victim advocates in the wake of the allegations.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York City's Afrika Bambaataa dead at 68; What to know
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily.

When Jessica, who works in media, was having concerns about one of her writers, she went to her own manager for help. This writer didnt seem to know some of the basic skills of their role, but Jessicas manager had a solution: Had she tried asking ChatGPT?

This was not the first time Jessicas manager had made this suggestion. In fact, it was becoming difficult to remember the last time her manager had actually answered any question herself. If she wasnt instructing others to ask ChatGPT, she was doing it on her ownfor workplace issues, editorial decisions, and even Jessicas annual review. (Jessica, like everyone else quoted in this story, requested that her name be changed to protect her privacy.) Its like shes trying to turn her brain off, Jessica told me.

Advertisement Advertisement

A.I. use at work has nearly doubled in the past few years, especially in white-collar industries. Although a Gallup poll found that 44 percent of employees say their organizations have begun integrating A.I. into their workflow, only 22 percent note that there has been a strategy for doing so, and even less have found any value in it. Yet bosses, according to many I spoke to for this story, cant get enoughresulting in a lot more work and headaches for everyone involved.

Ive seen it used for everything: Completely rewriting press releases that were written by actual humans, deciding on brand partners based on what A.I. says, giving feedback, coming up with creative ideas or copywriting and not changing them at all, Derek, who works in the food industry, told me. Anything you can think of, the leaders have used it for.

Employees across sectors ranging from law to marketing to academia told me this enthusiasm often isnt backed up by a thorough understanding of the tools. Theyll ask questions and be sent back a link to their bosss conversation with ChatGPT, which sometimes loads nothing. I got feedback to be more concise at work, yet am routinely sent copypasta from ChatGPT that is literally the longest shit known to man, said Mel, who works in finance. I cant read it. As a result, the work of decipheringand sometimes fixinga bosss A.I. effort becomes an additional task on an employees plate.

Jessica, for instance, did ask ChatGPT what to do about her direct reportand it suggested she send them to journalism school. Instead, she went to the companys HR department, which, she says, shared more actionable advice. Another employee I spoke to, who works in the legal industry, was instructed to run her ideas through A.I. before coming to her boss. But bots often fail to grasp basic facts, such as insisting that the ratio 1:100 simplifies to 1:25. It absolutely takes me more time to attempt to extract a useful answer from A.I. than it would take for [my manager] to just give me a two-minute answer to whatever Im asking him to weigh in on, they said.

Advertisement Advertisement

It would be easy to conclude that this is merely a case of managers using A.I. to do less work, but many employees have noticed something puzzling: Their managers seem more burned out than ever. As much as I think I get 10 peoples worth of work done daily, its only ramped up the expectations, a solutions architect who works in the tech industry told me.

While A.I.s selling point is its ability to quickly take care of otherwise-time-consuming tasks, the Harvard Business Review recently found that this feature only ends up intensifying employee workload, not reducing it. Maintaining a faster pace to tackle more tasks results in longer workdays. Its not hard to imagine this workload creep leading managers to outsource even more of their tasks to A.I. to account for it.

But employees like Derek arent quite as generous with their diagnosis: They are getting cavities in their brains.

Two things may be true: A.I. is putting unsustainable pressure on managers, and an overreliance on A.I. is causing previously standard skills to atrophy. She isnt used to making independent decisions anymore, Jessica said of her manager. So day-to-day stuff becomes way more overwhelming and high stakes than it needs to be.

Unless organizations develop clear strategies, A.I. in the workplace becomes a bull in a china shopwith those who never even wanted it tasked with cleaning up the mess. Until then, its easier for some to just opt out entirely. As always, the legal employee battling the chatbot said, I ended up just using my real, actual brain.
Helping stray dogs requires more than quick rescues. It involves sustained care, medical support, and long-term planning. Happy Doggo, which Niall Harbison founded in 2021, takes that approach. With over 100,000 sterilizations funded since 2022, the organization has made a significant impact while continuing to rehabilitate and rehome dogs in need. One of their recent videos, shared on their Instagram page @wearehappydoggo, showcases this effort through the story of an injured rescue puppys recovery.

Video shows tiny rescue puppy healing from injuries and going on an adventure

The video introduces the puppy, later named Bambino, through on-screen text that outlines his difficult start. He was reportedly hit by a car. left in critical condition, with little chance of survival. When the rescue team found him, he was weak and injured, but still alive. They quickly transported him to a veterinary clinic, where he began receiving urgent treatment.

Despite the severity of his injuries, Bambino showed signs of determination early on. The video describes him as resilient, and clips of his early days show a fragile puppy slowly responding to care. From being unable to move comfortably, he gradually begins to regain strength under the supervision of the rescue team.

Advertisement Advertisement

As the video progresses, viewers see Bambino settling into life at the shelter. Staff members feed him, monitor his recovery, and spend time with him. Over the next six months, his transformation becomes clear. He grows stronger, more confident, and noticeably more playful, far from the timid puppy he once was.

The final part of the video marks a turning point. Staff prepares Bambino for travel as he gets ready to leave Thailand for a new life in England. The team gathers to say goodbye, watching as he is placed into a vehicle that will take him to his forever home. In the caption, the organization writes, 6 months of healing and a lifetime of love ahead. Bambino is off to England today!

The post Injured Rescue Puppy Survives, Heals & Begins the Journey of His Life appeared first on DogTime.
Kareem Edwards went from Wall Street to making history in entrepreneurship.

Edwards, raised in Queens, NY, is a DePauw University graduate who earned a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics on a Posse Foundation scholarship, according to Essence. He worked on Wall Street and then at Lehman Brothers, even during the 2008 economic recession. However, his wife, whom he met while in college, had always advocated for him to pursue entrepreneurship, specifically opening a restaurant. Edwards, who had a knack for bringing people together and getting things done, also wanted to find his passion, and it wasnt Wall Street.

I am crushing this industry, even though Im not happy, he told Essence. If I go to business school, I understand even more about business and then maybe I go down entrepreneurship or find something that I truly like.

Advertisement Advertisement

Edwards pivoted, attended the University of Michigans Ross School of Business, and graduated in 2015, the outlet noted.

He didnt immediately jump into entrepreneurship at that point. He actually worked at The Kraft Heinz Co. for three years, first as an associate brand manager for Kraft Cheese, then as a senior associate brand manager on its breakthrough innovation team. That team was also responsible for the launch of Just Crack an Egg, recognized as a top new product by Neilsen, per Essence. A three-year post at Google followed, as a senior partner lead in retail, according to his LinkedIn profile.

During this time, he had been looking at franchising opportunities, and Chick-fil-A emerged as a leading option because of its hands-on business model and emphasis on community engagement.

I wanted to make the impact, he told Essence. I wanted to be there and really see the change.

Advertisement Advertisement

When Edwards was not working at Google, you could find him spending some of his nights working shifts at Chick-fil-A to see if it would be the right franchising choice, per the outlet.

In 2021, he officially left Google. He had already saved money, and that same year, he became an owner-operator of a Chick-fil-A.

Im going to be resentful to myself for not taking the chance on me and betting on myself, he expressed to Essence.

In 2026, Edwards is still putting into practice the business model of considering the nearby community through a $50,000 donation to support Just Roots Chicago, according to CBS News.

Advertisement Advertisement

Based in Chicagos South Side, the nonprofit farming organization provides food to residents through pathways such as food pantries and offers programs that teach residents how to grow their own food and live healthily. It also launched the Growing Young Leaders program, which is training future food justice leaders ages of 16 to 24, according to information on its website.

Really, what we are all about is trying to make sure that the food were growing is as fresh as it can be and its staying in the community, Just Roots Chicago Co-Founder Ruane said, per CBS News.

The post Kareem Edwards Went From Wall Street To Chicagos First And Only Black Chick-Fil-A Owner-Operator appeared first on AfroTech.







The post Kareem Edwards Went From Wall Street To Chicagos First And Only Black Chick-Fil-A Owner-Operator appeared first on AfroTech.
A Charlotte pilot made it home just in time for the birth of his son, thanks to quick teamwork between fellow pilots and air traffic controllers who helped rush him to the gate.

Cody Burd, a captain with Pacific Southwest Airlines, was 402 miles away in Lexington, Kentucky, finishing a work trip when his wife went into labor in Charlotte.

Im doing whatever I can to get home, Cody said.

ALSO READ: Swarm of bees on engine delay American Airlines flight

Advertisement Advertisement

He got the call early that morning. 4 or 4:30 in the morning, and she called and said, Hey, I think you need to come home, he recalled.

His wife, Caitlyn Burd, said she had a feeling the timing would work against them.

I was like, I just have this sinking feeling that labor or my water or my waters gonna break or go into active labor when youre gone. And lo and behold, that is exactly what happened, Caitlyn said.

With no time to spare, Burd took the jump seat in the cockpit of a full flight headed to Charlotte.

Oh, Im very grateful. We always try to fill the jump seat if we can, Cody said.

Advertisement Advertisement

As the plane approached Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the crew alerted air traffic control that they had a soontobe dad onboard who needed to get home fast.

In radio traffic captured during the landing, the pilot can be heard saying: Hey, we got somebody whos, uh, onboard whose wife is in labor. Can we get around Piedmont?

The controller quickly responded: Yeah, man, we can do that!

Another pilot on the runway slowed down to let them pass, saying, Alright, well slow down here a little bit, let them go around. We heard, uh, labor. Piedmont 5827. Congratulations!

The crew raced to the gate, and Cody rushed straight to the hospital, making it just in time to welcome his son, Baker.

Advertisement Advertisement

Oh, it was amazing, it was great! Cody expressed.

His wife told Channel 9 that the small act of kindness from the aviation team made all the difference.

I think that one little thing that they did really did make all the difference, Caitlyn elaborated.

The Burds said mom and baby are doing well, and the family is grateful for the pilots and controllers who helped a dad beat the clock.
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

Young Japanese couples have an added pressure when trying to find a life partner: which name to choose. | Credit: Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images

A new dating service has sprung up in Japan, aiming to get around the countrys ban on married couples having different surnames.

In a series of match-making events held this spring, every participant shared the same family name. The concept, the organisers said, is simply that two people who already have the same last name wont have to agonise over which one to use after marriage.

Are you a Sato, Suzuki, Tanaka or Ito?

Japans current civil code, which dates back to the 19th century, specifies that a husband and wife must use the same family name. While there is no stipulation which name the couple adopts, in the countrys male-dominated society it is the mans in 95% of cases. While critics claim this affects womens employment prospects and contributes to Japans low birth rate, conservatives maintain that any change would undermine the traditional family unit and cause confusion among children.

Advertisement Advertisement

Either way, it leaves young couples with an added pressure when trying to find a life partner. Four in-person gatherings in Tokyo, each focusing on one of Japans most popular surnames  Suzuki, Tanaka, Sato or Ito  offer a rare opportunity for people who share a surname to meet someone they could legally marry without either person having to change names, said news site The Mainichi.

It is not hard to see the appeal. A recent survey conducted by Asuniwa, a Tokyo-based association that advocates for a selective separate surname system and co-organises the events, and dating app Pairs, polled 2,500 people in their 20s and 30s. They found 36% of women and 46% of men felt resistance about changing their surname, while a smaller proportion had misgivings about their partner changing their name. Around 7% said they would break up if neither partner wanted to change their surname, while just under 6% said they would wait until the (separate surname) system is legalised to tie the knot.

I hadnt given much thought to the idea of marrying another Suzuki, but I can see now why its a safe option, Taisho (not his real name) Suzuki, a 33-year-old company employee, told The Guardian. I dont want to give up my surname when I marry, and I know a lot of women feel the same about their names.

For others it is more of a novelty. To be honest, Im not too fussed about keeping my maiden name, but I thought it would be fun to meet another Suzuki, said Hana (not her real name) Suzuki, a 34-year-old nurse.

Bump in the app before you bump in bed

For would-be couples in Iceland, the problem is being related to your partner. With a population of just 330,000, the risk of pairing up with someone genetically similar to you is high.

Advertisement Advertisement

Now, as social media and apps expand the dating pool, many people are turning to a website to ensure they arent swimming in the same gene pool, said The Wall Street Journal.

Tracing a persons lineage in Iceland is especially challenging because last names are no indicator of historic family lineage. Usually, a persons last name is the fathers first name, followed by son or dottir.

Islendingabok, or the Book of Icelanders, is an online database that contains the full genealogy of 720,000 Icelanders, living and deceased. While the historical work dating from the 12th century was not originally designed for dating, it led to a spin-off app that allows users to bump their phones together to instantly trace whether their family trees are intertwined, sparking the tagline bump in the app before you bump in bed.

Chinas parent trap

In China, meanwhile, some parents are taking matters into their own hands to find partners for their children.

Advertisement Advertisement

There is a long tradition of in-person outdoor marriage markets, where parents display handwritten CVs of their unmarried children in the hope of finding suitable partners.

Many are now increasingly turning to find a daughter-in-law or find a son-in-law platforms online, turning partner-seeking into direct negotiations between parents, said South China Morning Post.

Instead of trying to persuade single young adults who resist matchmaking, a few sharp-eyed businesses are now directly targeting a different demographic: anxious parents with strong purchasing power.

Quarterly membership costs 399 yuan (43), for an online profile with an individuals age, education, occupation and income, as well as home ownership status and expected timeline for marriage, prioritised above personality traits, hobbies, and interests.
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

The 16th-century coin is a silver "real de a ocho"  a Spanish coin known to pirates as a "piece of eight." One side shows a Jerusalem cross. | Credit: Richard Bezzaza

Archaeologists have discovered a Spanish coin placed beside the Strait of Magellan in southern Chile as part of a ceremony carried out by colonists more than 400 years ago.

The coin is a vital clue for archaeologists investigating a colonial settlement there, as it matches a surviving 1584 account of the Christian ceremony involving the coin, a standard practice when Spanish colonial settlements were founded. The find also helps to validate an old map of the long-lost settlement.

Advertisement Advertisement

"This discovery provides a rare and powerful point of convergence between written sources and archaeological evidence," Soledad Gonzalez Diaz , the lead researcher on the project and a historian at Bernardo O'Higgins University in Santiago, told Live Science.

The other side of the silver coin shows the Spanish royal coat-of-arms. | Credit: Richard Bezzaza

"It not only helps to confirm the location and layout of key structures within the settlement but also opens new possibilities for reconstructing [its] spatial organization," she said.

The "8-real" coin ("real de a ocho" in Spanish and the original pirate "piece of eight") was minted out of silver in the 16th century. It was discovered in March during archaeological excavations at the site of Ciudad del Rey Don Felipe, a doomed Spanish colony that was founded on the north side of the Strait of Magellan in 1584.

The coin was found atop a stone from the foundations of a ruined church at the site of the Rey Don Felipe colony in what is now Chile. | Credit: Richard Bezzaza

The coin was found atop a stone within the underground foundations of the settlement's first church. (Historic reports suggest there may have been more than one church.) Gonzalez Diaz said all Spanish colonies in the New World were founded with similar ceremonies and that an account of the exact location was given in the writings of the Spanish navigator Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, who had placed the coin on the stone.

Advertisement Advertisement

Many of the same researchers had used Sarmiento de Gamboa's writings to locate two bronze cannons at the site in 2019, and the latest find is further evidence of his accuracy, she said.

Doomed colony

The Spanish crown founded the Rey Don Felipe colony in 1584 in response to reports that the English privateer Francis Drake had used the Strait of Magellan to sail between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in 1578. (The English were Spain's enemies at that time.)

The latest archaeological investigations of the site of the Rey Don Felipe colony began in 2019. | Credit: Richard Bezzaza

The strait had been navigated in 1520 by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who was then sailing for Spain, and for many years, it was the only known passage to the Pacific. Spain claimed the land on both sides of the strait and hoped to fortify it so that enemies could not pass.

But the colony founded to support the fortifications  dubbed Ciudad del Rey Don Felipe, after the Spanish king Philip II  was a disaster. Most of its roughly 350 settlers died of disease, starvation and extreme cold within a few years of the colony's founding. Spain had tried to resupply the Rey Don Felipe colony. But the ships were wrecked by storms, and the whole idea was abandoned after Sarmiento de Gamboa was captured by the English in 1586. The crew of an English ship in 1587 reported that the colony was in ruins, with only a few survivors.

The colony was founded on the north side of the Strait of Magellan  now in southern Chile  in 1584, to prevent enemies from using the passage. | Credit: Richard Bezzaza

Historic find

In their investigations of the doomed settlement, archaeologists mapped it with metal detectors and geolocation instruments, which enabled the researchers to pinpoint the location of the underground stone and the coin, Francisco Garrido , an archaeologist at Chile's National Museum of Natural History in Santiago, told Live Science.

Advertisement Advertisement

The location gave the team a better understanding of the 16th-century settlement's layout. "Now we can know for sure that this is the place where the church was located, and from there, it is easy to know where all the other structures were built," Garrido said.

Two bronze cannons from the doomed Rey Don Felipe colony were found at the site in 2019. | Credit: Richard Bezzaza

Another member of the research team, Southern University of Chile archaeologist Simon Urbina , told Live Science that the coin helped validate the map of the colony made by Sarmiento de Gamboa but that the other structures still need to be verified.

RELATED STORIES

Advertisement Advertisement

"The evidence for huts, churches, and defensive palisades is not yet entirely clear or archaeologically confirmed," he said in an email, adding that further excavations are needed to confirm the existence of those structures.

The team's work showed that the site had been populated by Indigenous people both before and after the time of the colony, which suggested it was chosen by the Spanish in the hope they'd have a chance of surviving there.

But the Spanish quickly ran out of food. "The first winter must have taken a severe toll on the adult population that had arrived from Spain and was expected to hunt in an unfamiliar territory," Urbina said.
Two elementary school employees in Oklahoma have been arrested after they were accused of attacking a 10-year-old student and a 5-year-old student on separate occasions.

Teachers aide Elizabeth Kay Sutton and personal care assistant Ottoria McClung were both charged with assault and battery upon a student, according to The Lawton Constitution.

Authorities learned of the first alleged assault when Elgin Elementary School Principal Gabe Winn reported on January 8 that Sutton, 38, allegedly grabbed a 10-year-old boy and forced him back into his seat before she struck him in the face.

Advertisement Advertisement

Security camera footage allegedly showed Sutton move her arm toward the boys face, and the boy turned his head away from the teachers aide. Sutton was then seen swinging toward the boys face and his head snapped back on impact.

Kindergarten Teacher Accused of Attacking 5-Year-Old Who Broke a Pencil Is Fired From Texas School

Back in his classroom, the boys teacher noticed a red mark on his face that was not there before the students lunch break.

While speaking to police, Sutton defended her actions and said the boy had been difficult since returning to school after the break.

She also claimed to have used a hold she was taught as a paraprofessional and insisted she never meant to hurt the boy, according to the outlet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Sutton was then arrested and pleaded not guilty to assaulting the child. Superintendent Nate Meraz also confirmed to the outlet that she has since been fired from her job.

Months after Sutton was arrested, a similar incident took place when Elgin Elementary School personal care assistant McClung, 37, was allegedly observed carrying a 5-year-old student in a chokehold down a hallway.

A witness told police that the boys face was red and that he was crying, as well as hitting McClungs arm in a vain bid to free himself. I cant deal with this, McClung allegedly said during the altercation that took place on March 13, per the outlet.

McClung was arrested soon after and was fired following the allegations. It is not currently clear if she has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following her arrest.

Advertisement Advertisement

After the upsetting incidents took place, Meraz issued a statement to the school that all of the appropriate authorities were notified immediately. Meraz also assured parents that all employees must pass a background check, and professional references are called prior to employment.

Childrens Basketball Coach, Her Dad Attacked Opposing Teams Coach, His Wife During Mid-Game Argument

Both of these instances were reported to administration by fellow employees which reflects the culture of accountability here, Meraz added.

Meraz continued, My philosophy on personnel is this: If we have reasonable hesitation in the interview process, we will not employ you. Once employed, if you harm a student, you will be terminated. We are here to educate kids in a safe environment. Elgin Public Schools highest priority is the safety and well-being of its students.

Both Sutton and McClung are scheduled to appear in court on May 20 regarding their charges.
A woman's boyfriend was taken into custody Thursday morning after a search prompted by the stabbing death of a 35-year-old victim at her Sylmar home, authorities said.

Officers responded to the residence on Beaver Street just after 9 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The woman was rushed to a hospital with stab wounds but later died.

As the search for her killer got underway, police described the suspect in the stabbing as the victim's 35-year-old boyfriend, who fled the scene before officers arrived.

Advertisement Advertisement

Additional details about the incident were not available.

Shortly before 10 a.m., an LAPD spokesperson told ABC7 that a suspect was in custody in connection with the killing. Details of how and where he was apprehended were not available.

The names of the victim and suspect were not immediately released.

A Los Angeles Unified District spokesperson said students and staff from nearby Gridley-Montanez Dual Language Academy were temporarily relocated to Maclay Middle School due to the police activity.

"In an abundance of caution, the Los Angeles School Police Department will have an officer on campus providing direct support to our school community and will be providing directed patrol in the neighborhood," the LAUSD said in a statement after the suspect was taken into custody, adding that normal operations would resume at Gridley Elementary on Friday. "Our school also has mental health resources for students impacted by this incident."

Advertisement Advertisement

"This shouldn't be happening. It sucks for the community," said a woman who gave her name only as Destiny, the mother of a Gridley Elementary student. "There were cops everywhere, walking around the whole complex. The ambulance came and it was just chaos."

If you or someone you know needs help in regards to domestic violence, there are resources available. Call 1-800-799-SAFE or text "START" TO 88788.
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Bangladeshs National University have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening the development of a skilled workforce in the country.

The agreement was signed by National University vice-chancellor A S M Amanullah, ACCA Bangladesh country manager Proma Tapasi Khan and ACCA senior business development manager Shah Waliul Manzur, local news agency BSS reported.

The signing ceremony was attended by UK Trade Envoy to Bangladesh and member of the House of Lords, Baroness Rosie Winterton, alongside British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke.

Advertisement Advertisement

Through this agreement, National University students will be able to follow the ACCAs qualification route, beginning with the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) programme.

The collaboration aims to equip students with competencies suited to both local and overseas labour markets, targeting roles in corporate organisations, small and medium-sized enterprises, accounting practices and the business process outsourcing industry.

The initiative is expected to open doors to further academic progression and internationally recognised professional designations, with the stated aim of improving graduates employment prospects.

Amanullah explained that the strategic tie-up represents a key step in boosting employability and in laying a stronger base for accounting and finance education in Bangladesh.

Advertisement Advertisement

He noted that cooperation between the two institutions would support knowledge sharing, capacity enhancement and the adoption of international benchmarks within the universitys education system.

Winterton also welcomed the signing of the pact, saying the agreement widens access to international qualifications for National University students.

Recently, the ACCA and the Association of Certified Financial Professionals of Uzbekistan signed an MoU with Uzbekistan to drive finance skills in the country.

"ACCA and Bangladeshs National University sign skills-focused pact" was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand.




White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 8, 2026. Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, April 8 (Xinhua) -- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad.

Leavitt said at a White House press briefing that "The president's red lines, namely, the end of uranium enrichment in Iran, have not changed."

Leavitt claimed that U.S. willingness to hold talks is contingent on the reopening of the crucial global energy waterway "with no limitations or delays."

Iran has suspended tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz following Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the semi-official Fars news agency reported earlier on Wednesday.

"Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. That has been relayed to all parties involved in the ceasefire," Leavitt said.

"This will continue to be discussed, I am sure, between the president and Prime Minister Netanyahu, the United States and Israel and all of the parties involved," Leavitt added.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that the United States must choose between upholding a ceasefire or pursuing what he described as "continued war via Israel," referring to Israel's continuing to strike Lebanon.

"The Iran-U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose -- ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both," Araghchi wrote on X. "The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments."

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned it will respond if "aggressions" against Lebanon do not immediately cease, the country's state broadcaster IRIB reported Wednesday.

Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, killing at least 87 people and injuring 722, officials said, with densely populated neighborhoods in the capital, Beirut, among the hardest hit. 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 8, 2026. Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 8, 2026. Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt takes questions during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 8, 2026. Leavitt said Wednesday that Washington is working on a modified peace plan ahead of closed-door talks beginning soon in Islamabad. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)
As the Senate race heats up in North Carolina, the two major-party candidates held affordability-focused events in the Triangle on Thursday.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper made another stop on his "Make Stuff Cost Less" tour, this time in Durham. Meanwhile, Republican candidate Michael Whatley appeared at a chamber of commerce event in Raleigh.

"We need to make stuff cost less," Cooper said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Stopping in Durham, Cooper was joined by his successor, Gov. Josh Stein, rallying the grounds around a message on top of everyone's minds: The cost of living. His slogan: Make stuff cost less."

"And now, with the war in Iran, here comes higher gas prices, yet another burden for working families," Cooper said. "The chaos in Washington is making life worse for most people as the wealthiest get further ahead."

Like Cooper, Whately also said affordability was a primary issue.

"I think it comes down to tax policy. It comes down to regulatory policy. It comes down to trade policies. You know, how are we going to create those jobs? And talking to the small businesses, right? Talking to manufacturers, talking to farmers, that are the job creators all across the state," Whatley said.

Advertisement Advertisement

It's a discussion that he said is top of mind for voters.

"The real conversation we are having today is how do we create more jobs, how to create better jobs, how do we make sure people are going to take home more money, and how do we make sure people can keep more money for their households?" Whatley said.

Whatley was joined at the roundtable by South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. Whatley also addressed the conflict in Iran.

"The fact is that we need to ensure that Iran is not going to have nuclear capacity, that they're not going to be able to deliver payloads via missiles into Europe or the United States, and that they're going to stop exporting terrorism," Whatley said. "That is an agenda that is wildly popular here in North Carolina."

WATCH: ABC News political expert discusses NC's high-stakes Senate race

Ben Siegel, ABC News Deputy Political Director, discusses the NC Senate race with ABC11.

Advertisement Advertisement

Back in Durham, Cooper pressed his message.

"For too many people, the middle class feels like a distant dream," Cooper said. "With the cost of groceries, health care, utilities, housing, and childcare skyrocketing, working families are being crushed. I am running to make stuff cost less, for young parents like Kewanna dealing with higher grocery prices, for farmers like Pender being forced to navigate the reckless tariffs, and for veterans like Tim who are seeing their VA health care get gutted. In Washington DC, I'll be an independent voice, working with anyone to make stuff cost less for hard-working North Carolinians."

Stein touted Cooper's record as governor.

"Roy Cooper has delivered time and time again for North Carolina," Stein said. "Getting health care for hundreds of thousands of working people, making our communities safer and lowering costs for our state's families. Roy can see, like the rest of us, that things are too expensive right now and our people are hurting because of it."

Advertisement Advertisement

Cooper also argued that Congress can take immediate steps to help working families.

"We can stop the chaotic tariffs that are driving up prices. We can take on insurance companies that are crushing working families with hidden fees and denied claims," he said. "We can rally together to save Medicaid and Medicare."

It's going to be one of the most expensive Senate races in the country heading into November. Republicans have not lost a Senate race in North Carolina since 2008, while Cooper has never lost an election in the state. North Carolina, and this is widely seen as one of the biggest potential pick-up opportunities for Democrats.

Download the ABC11 News app
A reporter for Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera has been killed in an Israeli drone strike in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military said on Thursday that it killed Mohammed Wishah, calling him a "key terrorist in Hamas' rocket and weapons production headquarters."

Palestinian civil defence authorities said Wishah died on Wednesday when a vehicle he was travelling in west of Gaza City was hit by a missile.

Advertisement Advertisement

Al Jazeera said Wishah joined its network in 2018 and worked as a Gaza correspondent for its channel Al Jazeera Mubasher.

The Qatari broadcaster said it "strongly condemns the heinous crime of targeting and killing Al Jazeera Mubasher correspondent, Mohammed Wishah."

"This constitutes a new and flagrant violation of all international laws and norms, and reflects a continued systematic policy of targeting journalists and silencing the voice of truth," the statement added.

According to figures from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 260 journalists have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in the territory following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas against Israel.

Advertisement Advertisement

A ceasefire has been in place between Israel and Hamas since October 10, but deadly attacks have continued to take place amid dwindling media attention due to the escalation in Iran.

Israel has repeatedly accused journalists in the Gaza Strip of working for Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Wishah "operated under the guise of an Al Jazeera journalist, exploiting this identity in order to advance terrorist activities against IDF forces and the State of Israel."
NASA astronauts have circled the moon, and Alabama is at the controls.

While the world watches astronauts orbit the moon on Artemis II, local engineers and mission controllers are working around the clock in control rooms to guide the crew safely home.

Alabamas Rocket City isnt just a support hub; its a cornerstone of NASAs deep-space ambitions. From building rockets to operating mission control, Huntsvilles engineers, scientists and contractors are proving that space exploration is a team sport.

Advertisement Advertisement

Rocket Citys stamp is on nearly every part of the mission. Heres what to know about Alabamas involvement in the mission to the moon and back.

How Huntsville is helping NASAs Artemis II crew return from the moon

At the Marshall Space Flight Center, the twin control rooms, Lunar Utilization Control Area (LUCA) and Lander Engineering Support Area (LESA), are operating in sync.

LUCA focuses on science, tracking how deep space affects astronauts bodies, immune systems and performance. LESA monitors engineering systems, supports mission operations and refines procedures.

These rooms give us the flexibility to support everything from Artemis to the International Space Station, said Harish Chandranath, missions operations lead at Marshall, via the NASA website.

Advertisement Advertisement

From spacecraft commands to international communications, Huntsvilles teams are the nerve center of Artemis II.

Huntsville engineers and contractors built the mission

The citys contribution didnt stop at mission control. Local engineers and contractors were instrumental in constructing key parts of Artemis II. Here are a few that contributed:

Teledyne Brown Engineering : Stage adapters and avionics systems

United Launch Alliance : Upper stage and propulsion system

L3Harris: Ensured the RS-25 engines were ready to produce more than two million pounds of thrust.

Artemis II mission: Key highlights so far

NASAs Artemis II crew is on a historic ten-day lunar flyby, the first crew flight beyond low Earth orbit since 1972. Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen are aboard the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity.

Advertisement Advertisement

The crew spent the first few days testing systems, checking life support and practicing maneuvers in high Earth orbit. NASA kept morale high with daily wake-up calls, including messages from Apollo legends Charlie Duke and Jim Lovell.

Newly released photos show striking details on the far side of the moon, like craters of various sizes and basins.

On April 6, the spacecraft reached 252,756 miles from Earth, breaking Apollo 13s record. It passed 4,067 miles from the Moons far side, briefly losing signal during a planned blackout.

During the blackout, the crew watched a solar eclipse, saw meteoroid impacts and glimpsed at stars, planets and Earthshine. They proposed naming two lunar craters Integrity and Carroll, honoring the spacecraft and Wisemans late wife.

Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter in Alabama for USA TODAYs Deep South Connect Team. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabamas role in NASAs Artemis II mission to the moon
By Rami Ayyub, Maayan Lubell and Emily Rose

JERUSALEM, April 9 (Reuters) - Even as the U.S. and Iran seek to cement a ceasefire, Israel is seizing more territory from its neighbours in preparation for a long, drawn-out conflict across the Middle East.

Israel's creation of "buffer zones" in Gaza, Syria and now Lebanon reflects a strategic shift after the attacks of October 7, 2023, one that puts the country in a semi-permanent state of war, six Israeli military and defence officials told Reuters.

Advertisement Advertisement

The approach also acknowledges a reality the officials said had become increasingly clear after two-and-a-half years of conflict: Iran's clerical leadership, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and militias across the region cannot be eliminated outright.

"Israel's leaders have concluded that they are in a forever war against adversaries who have to be intimidated and even dispersed," said Nathan Brown, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

The U.S. and Iran agreed on Wednesday to a pause in fighting while they negotiate a broader end to the war, which erupted on February 28. Israel agreed to halt its attacks on Iran but says it will not stop its campaign against Iranian-backed Hezbollah.

Hezbollah joined the war on March 2 by firing rockets at Israel, which then launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon to clear a buffer zone up to the Litani River - a broad swathe of land that makes up about 8% of Lebanese territory.

Advertisement Advertisement

Israel has ordered the area's hundreds of thousands of residents to flee and is in the early stages of destroying homes in Shi'ite Muslim villages that it believes have been used by Hezbollah to store weapons or stage attacks.

A senior military official, who requested anonymity to discuss security matters, said the aim was to "clear" an area stretching 5-10 km beyond the border, putting Israeli border towns out of range of Hezbollah rocket-propelled grenade fire.

In some Lebanese villages close to the border, Israeli troops found evidence that nearly 90% of homes contain weapons or equipment linking them to Hezbollah, the official said.

That means the homes are viewed as enemy military positions that must be destroyed, according to the official who said that many southern Lebanese villages sat on hilltops, giving them a direct line of sight into Israeli towns or army positions.

Advertisement Advertisement

The use of buffer zones represents a new security doctrine that "border communities cannot be protected from the border", according to Assaf Orion, a retired Israeli brigadier general and former head of military strategy.

"Israel no longer waits for the attack to come," he added. "It sees an emerging threat and it attacks it preemptively."

Once the buffer against Hezbollah is secured, Israel will have seized or occupied territory in Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, where it remains in control of over half the territory after an October ceasefire with Hamas.

Under the ceasefire, Israel is meant to withdraw from all of Gaza as Hamas disarms, though the chances of that happening in the near future appear slim.

Advertisement Advertisement

"We have established security belts deep beyond our borders," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message released by his office on March 31.

"In Gaza - more than half of the Strip's territory. In Syria, from the Mount Hermon summit until the Yarmuch River. In Lebanon - a vast buffer zone that thwarts the threat of invasion and keeps anti-tank fire a distance away from our communities."

The Lebanese buffer zone plan has yet to be presented to Netanyahu's cabinet, according to a member of the cabinet and two of the officials.

The Israeli military referred queries about the buffer zones to Netanyahu's office, which didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

DEFENCE MINISTER VOWS TO RAZE VILLAGES

Israel has long held territory beyond its borders, including the occupied West Bank and Gaza, as well as the Golan Heights in southern Syria, territories captured in a 1967 regional war. Israel subsequently annexed the Golan Heights in 1981.

Hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank among about 3 million Palestinians, who seek the territory as the heartland of a future state.

To many displaced Lebanese and Palestinian people, Israel's seizure of their land and destruction of their villages signals further territorial expansion, an interpretation reinforced by rhetoric from some far-right members of Netanyahu's cabinet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Bezalel Smotrich, Netanyahu's finance minister, said in March that Israel should extend its border up to the Litani River. He has made similar comments about Gaza, saying the territory should be annexed and settled by Israelis.

However, another Israeli military official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational planning, said the Litani would not mark a new border. Rather, the buffer zone would be monitored with ground troops carrying out raids as needed, without necessarily holding positions along the river.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz likened the devastation exacted on southern Lebanon to the scorched-earth policy used against Hamas in Gaza that saw entire cities depopulated.

"The village homes adjacent to the border, which serve as Hezbollah outposts for all intents and purposes, will be destroyed according to the Rafah and Khan Younis model in Gaza, to remove the treat from Israeli towns," he said on March 31.

Advertisement Advertisement

Eran Shamir-Borer, an international law expert at the Israel Democracy Institute, said the destruction of civilian property was largely unlawful, with exceptions that include the property being used for a military purpose.

"Sweeping destruction of houses in southern Lebanon that is not based on individual analysis would be unlawful," he added.

ISRAELIS SCEPTICAL OF LONG-TERM PEACE DEALS

Israeli leaders' preference for a strategy led by the use of buffer zones follows decades of failed attempts to secure long-term peace agreements with the Palestinians, Lebanon and Syria.

The Israeli public is deeply sceptical of negotiated peace agreements with the Palestinians. A 2025 poll from the Pew Research Center found that just 21% of Israelis believe Israel and a potential future Palestinian state could coexist peacefully.

Advertisement Advertisement

A poll from the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Security Studies found that just 26% of Israelis believed the October ceasefire in Gaza would lead to many years of calm. Most expected a swift resumption of fighting, the poll showed.

Ofer Shelah, a research program director at the institute, said that in the absence of a negotiated peace settlement with Lebanon, having a buffer zone in the north would prevent the threat of attacks or a ground incursion by Hezbollah forces.

But he said the increased personnel needed to patrol fronts across Lebanon, Gaza, Syria and the occupied West Bank would eventually put major strain on the military's forces.

"We would be better off eventually going back to the international border and maintaining a mobile active defences beyond the border, without having outposts there," Shelah added.

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub Maayan Lubell Emily Rose; Editing by Pravin Char)
WASHINGTON (AP)  A federal appeals court on Wednesday refused to block the Pentagon from blacklisting artificial intelligence laboratory Anthropic in a decision that differed from the conclusions reached in another judge's ruling on the same issues.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., rejected Anthropic's request for an order that would shield the San Francisco company from the fallout stemming from a dispute over how the Pentagon could deploy its Claude chatbot in fully autonomous weapons and potential surveillance of Americans while the panel is still collecting evidence about the case.

But the setback in Washington came after Anthropic already had prevailed in separate case focused on the same issues in San Francisco federal court. In that case, a judge forced President Donald Trumps administration to remove a label tainting the company as a national security risk.

Advertisement Advertisement

Anthropic filed the two separate lawsuits in San Francisco and the Washington appeals court last month, asserting the Trump administration was engaging in an unlawful campaign of retaliation because of its attempt to impose limits on how its AI technology can be deployed. The Trump administration blasted Anthropic as a liberal-leaning company trying to dictate U.S. military policy.

In the San Francisco case, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin ruled that the Trump administration had overstepped its bounds by labeling Anthropic a supply chain risk unqualified to work with military contractors and issuing other directives that could cripple a company locked in a race for AI supremacy against rivals such as ChatGPT maker Open AI and Google.

That decision prompted the Trump administration to remove the stigmatizing labels from Anthropic and take other steps clearing the way for government employees and contractors to continue using Claude and other chatbots, according to court filing made in San Francisco earlier this week.

The appeals court in Washington didn't see things the same way, even though it conceded the company would likely suffer some degree of irreparable harm if it's deemed a supply chain risk. But the appeals court didn't see sufficient reason to issue its own order revoking the Trump administration's actions, partly because the precise amount of Anthropics financial harm is not fully clear.

Advertisement Advertisement

Further evidence in the case is scheduled to be presented before the appeals court in a hearing scheduled for May 19.

Were grateful the court recognized these issues need to be resolved quickly and remain confident the courts will ultimately agree that these supply chain designations were unlawful," Anthropic said in a statement.

Matt Schruers, the CEO of the technology trade group Computer & Communications Industry Association, expressed worries that the conflicting court decisions issued so far in the standoff between Anthropic and the Trump administration will muddle the business landscape at a pivotal time.

The Pentagons actions and the DC Circuits ruling create substantial business uncertainty at a time when U.S. companies are competing with global counterparts to lead in AI," Schruers said.
Argentina's lower house of Congress on Thursday approved a controversial reform of the country's glacier protection law, easing environmental safeguards to allow new economic projects, particularly in mining.

Lawmakers voted 137 to 111 in favour of the measure after hours of debate, the newspaper La Nacion reported. The upper house had passed the bill in February.

Under the reform, only glaciers and surrounding high-altitude areas deemed essential to water supply will remain under strict protection. Provincial authorities will play a central role in determining which areas qualify.

Advertisement Advertisement

The government of right-wing libertarian President Javier Milei described the overhaul as "historic," saying it would restore "genuine environmental federalism" and enable a more pragmatic approach to resource use.

Officials argue the previous law discouraged investment and led to legal uncertainty. The reform is intended to unlock billions of dollars in projects, particularly in lithium extraction and mining.

Opponents say the changes weaken environmental protections and favour the mining industry. Several opposition lawmakers have said they plan to challenge the reform in court, arguing it may be unconstitutional.

Argentina has enforced comprehensive glacier protections since 2010, banning most industrial activity in and around roughly 17,000 glaciers, as there are considered critical water reserves.

The country's glaciers have been shrinking for years, largely due to climate change. Milei denies that Earth's rising temperatures are driven by human activity.
The Artemis II crew said they have "many more pictures" and "many more stories" to share with the world as they prepare to return to Earth.

The four astronauts on board the Orion spacecraft have completed their mission around the Moon and are expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego on around 20:00 Friday US EDT (01:00BST).

Speaking to media from space on their way home, the mission's pilot, Victor Glover, said the crew was eager to share what they had seen with the world.

Advertisement Advertisement

When asked during Wednesday evening's conference, about re-entry to Earth, Glover said: "We have to get back. There's so much data that you've already seen, but all the good stuff is coming back with us."

"There's so many more pictures, so many more stories," he said.

Glover added that the crew still had "two more days" before they could begin to process what they'd been through.

"I'm going to be thinking about and talking about all of these things for the rest of my life," he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Artemis II mission's spacecraft, Orion, broke the record for human travel at about 13:56 EDT (18:56 BST) on Monday, beating a record of 248,655 miles (400,000km) held since 1970 by the Apollo 13 mission.

The spacecraft was not planning to land on the Moon but fly around its far side, the side which is never visible from Earth. Satellites have photographed the far side before, but the astronauts were the first human eyes to see some parts of the far side's surface and its vast craters and lava plains.

Straight after the flyby, President Trump spoke with the Orion team and congratulated them: "Today, you've made history and made all America really proud, incredibly proud."

During the most recent virtual news conference, at Nasa's Johnson Space Center in Houston, the four astronauts once again beamed into a live stream as a microphone floated between them.

Advertisement Advertisement

They each took turns answering questions from reporters with considerable delays.

The crew was asked by the Los Angeles Times about the 40 minutes of "profound solitude" when they lost contact with Earth.

Commander Reid Wiseman said the crew had a lot of scientific work to do and it was "probably the most critical lunar observations for our geology team".

"But the four of us took a moment, we shared maple cookies that Jeremy had brought, and we took about three or four minutes, just as a crew to really reflect on where we were," he said.

For Glover, the "greatest gift" of the mission was seeing the lunar eclipse from beyond the far side of the moon.

Advertisement Advertisement

For Wiseman, the "pinnacle moment" was when his team named a lunar crater after Wiseman's late wife, Carroll, who died of cancer in 2020.

"I think when Jeremy spelled Carroll's name .... I think for me that is when I was overwhelmed with emotion and I looked over and Christina was crying," Reid said.

"Just for me personally, that was kind of the pinnacle moment of the mission for me," he continued.

The crew also said they were getting their source of news from planet Earth from their family members.

They have "been our source of how the mission is going from the public perspective," Wiseman said, before adding "obviously they're all biased".

Advertisement Advertisement

When asked by BBC's News Science Editor Rebecca Morelle what the crew will miss most about being space, Christina Koch said she will miss the "camaraderie".

On what she won't miss, Koch said there wasn't anything.

"We can't explore deeper unless we are doing a few things that are inconvenient, unless we're making a few sacrifices, unless we're taking a few risks. And those things are all worth it," she said.

The crew now face several quieter days of checks and experiments before a final ordeal: a fiery plunge through the atmosphere at nearly 25,000mph and a parachute splashdown into the Pacific that will test the capsule's heatshield and recovery systems.
A Democratic lawmaker filed articles of impeachment on April 6 against President Donald Trump, though it faces unlikely odds of succeeding in a Republican-controlled Congress.

The impeachment resolution from Rep. John Larson, D-Connecticut, included 13 articles alleging Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors for his conduct across a range of policy initiatives. It includes his actions taken in Iran, Venezuela and Gaza; his use of the National Guard in American cities; and his use of the presidential pardon power, among others.

"Donald Trump has blown past every requirement to be removed from office. And it's getting worse. His illegal war in Iran is not only driving up prices for American families  it has cost American lives, Larson said in a statement. He's becoming more unstable by the day. His profane and sacrilegious Easter Sunday and subsequent threats, including a whole civilization will die and open the Straitor youll be living in hell not only foreshadow war crimes, but put our security at risk."

Advertisement Advertisement

Larson is not the first lawmaker to introduce resolutions to impeach Trump since he returned to office. But the efforts have not been backed by all Democrats and were unlikely to pass the Republican-led House, let alone receive a two-thirds majority from a Republican-controlled Senate needed to convict and remove him from office.

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle called it "pathetic."

"Democrats have been talking about impeaching President Trump since before he was even sworn into office. The Democrats in Congress are deranged, weak, and ineffective, which is why their approval ratings are at historic lows," Ingle said.

Trump's threats against Iran in recent days, including a post saying "a whole civilization will die," have prompted calls for him to be removed from office by invoking the 25th Amendment, but that would require his Cabinet and the vice president to move against him. Here is what to know.

Advertisement Advertisement

'Vile.' Trump's threat to Iran's infrastructure inflames MAGA tensions

"No Kings" protesters gathered with signs, chants and costumes on Saturday, part of the third such coordinated demonstration against President Donald Trump 's actions and policies since he took office for his second term. More than 3,000 events are expected throughout the nation . See moments from the protests across the nation. See the signs protesters created.



The Roebling Suspension Bridge near Cincinnati stands tall in the background while a protester holds a sign that reads "Elvis forever Trump never," at a protest against President Trump and his administration's policies on March 28, 2026. Over 700 people participated in a "No Kings" protest on Coastal Highway in Rehoboth Beach on March 28, 2026. A woman holds a sign with a drawing of a glass of iced coffee that reads "I like ICE in my coffee not my streets," at a protest against President Donald Trump and his administration's policies at the Roebling Suspension Bridge in Convington on March 28, 2026. The 'No Kings' rally in Somerville on March 28, 2026, opposing policies of the Trump administration. "No Kings" protesters on Coastal Highway in Rehoboth Beach on March 28, 2026. Over 1,000 people gathered at University Town's Center for a 'No King's' protest on Saturday, March 28. This marks the third nationwide "No Kings" day of action protesting the Trump administration. The 'No Kings' rally in Somerville on March 28, 2026, opposing policies of the Trump administration. The 'No Kings' rally in Somerville on March 28, 2026, opposing policies of the Trump administration. A man wears three different "No Kings" signs on the back of his hat at the Covington protest against President Donald Trump and his administration's policies on March 28, 2026. Signs range from poignant to funny to critical at 'No Kings' protests 1 of 9 "No Kings" protesters gathered with signs, chants and costumes on Saturday, part of the third such coordinated demonstration against President Donald Trump 's actions and policies since he took office for his second term. More than 3,000 events are expected throughout the nation . See moments from the protests across the nation. See the signs protesters created.



The Roebling Suspension Bridge near Cincinnati stands tall in the background while a protester holds a sign that reads "Elvis forever Trump never," at a protest against President Trump and his administration's policies on March 28, 2026.

An impeachment does not necessarily lead to removal

An impeachment is akin to an indictment; it approves formal charges against a federal officeholder who has been accused of committing a crime.

The articles (charges) of impeachment must be adopted by a simple majority vote in the House before the Senate holds an impeachment trial. When a president is on trial, the Supreme Court chief justice presides.

If the Senate votes by a two-thirds majority to convict, only then can the accused be removed from office. Sometimes, that also means they can never hold office again.

How many times has Trump been impeached?

Trump has been impeached twice, but the Senate acquitted him both times.

Advertisement Advertisement

In December 2019, the House voted to impeach Trump on two articles, one charging him with abuse of power by asking Ukrainian officials to investigate his political opponent and another that he obstructed the congressional investigation into the matter. In February 2020, the Senate voted to acquit the president, and Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was the only Republican to cross party lines in voting to convict.

In January 2021, the House voted to impeach Trump again, charging the president with "incitement to insurrection" related to the events at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Ten Republicans broke ranks and voted with Democrats to impeach Trump. Only two of those 10 lawmakers are still in office, and one of them has said he will not seek re-election in 2026. The others retired from Congress or lost their races.

The Senate trial occurred after Trump left office, and some Republicans found it unnecessary since he was no longer in power. A majority voted to convict, with seven Republicans crossing party lines, but the 57-43 vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for a conviction. Because he was acquitted, there was no vote to bar him from holding office again.

What other presidents have been impeached?

Three presidents have been impeached, but all were acquitted after the Senate trial. They were:

Advertisement Advertisement

Andrew Johnson in 1868

Bill Clinton in 1998

Trump in 2019 and 2021

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, Sudiksha Kochi, Michael Collins, George Petras, John Fritze, USA TODAY

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X (Twitter), Threads, Bluesky and TikTok.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Donald Trump getting impeached? Articles filed in 2026
The attorney of a man shot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Stanislaus County spoke Wednesday morning, slamming federal agents for the incident and directly contradicting the premise ICE used for the attempted arrest.

The shooting happened on Tuesday near Interstate 5 in Patterson. Dashcam videos show a car abruptly backing up and then speeding forward when officers opened fire.

MORE: Dashcam video shows what led up to ICE shooting after traffic stop in Stanislaus Co.

After the shooting, acting ICE director Todd Lyons issued a statement claiming that "officers were conducting a targeted vehicle stop in Patterson, CA to arrest Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, an 18th Street Gang member wanted in El Salvador for questioning in connection to a murder."

Advertisement Advertisement

The man's immigration attorney, Patrick Kolasinski, says he believes this may be a case of bad information by the Department of Homeland Security that ICE officers acted on, which ultimately left his client shot and in the hospital.

Kolasinski said he has obtained a document from the government of El Salvador that he claims will prove Mendoza Hernandez was once arrested and accused of murder, but was acquitted.

"He could not have been released until the warden verified that there were no other holds on him. So if he was released after being acquitted with no other holds on him, he cannot have a warrant. So that information must be either erroneous or completely made up and only DHS knows what they're looking at," Kolasinski said at a press conference.

The attorney said his client's family in El Salvador says he was never in a gang.

Advertisement Advertisement

"The arrest may have been connected to it, but he was not in it, which is why we think he was the only person who was acquitted," he said.

Kolasinski and the man's fiancee, Cindy, spoke in Modesto, and they say they still have more questions than answers, only finding out about the shooting from a member of the media.

Mendoza Hernandez was transported to a nearby hospital following the shooting. The Sacramento Bee is reporting he is in critical condition, but Kolasinski could not confirm what his condition was.

Cindy and Kolasinski say that law enforcement officials and hospital staff have not allowed them to see Mendoza Hernandez and have not communicated how many times he was shot. A hospital social worker could only share that he's in stable condition, but would not answer any other questions, they claimed during the press conference.

Advertisement Advertisement

Kolasinski says that because he has not been allowed to speak with his client, he does not know crucial information about his immigration status. He has not filed a habeas petition because he does not know which agency currently has custody over him while he's at the hospital, he said.

"We don't know under what color of law he's being held away from his family. He has, to my knowledge, not been officially arrested. Nothing indicates that he's in immigration custody right now. Our suspicion is that it's the FBI that is detaining him," he said. "We're operating in a no-information environment."

FBI Sacramento has taken over as the primary agency for this investigation. Local authorities were at the scene during the investigation, but quickly made it clear they were not involved.

ICE says the man "weaponized his vehicle" by trying to drive away before they opened fire, but Kolasinski says videos of the incident show his client was trying to avoid officers, not run them over as ICE claimed in a statement yesterday

Advertisement Advertisement

"I think the problem is the training. If you look at that video and watch that video side-by-side with the Renee Good video, it's the same training and it's horrible, horrible training. CHP does dangerous stops day and day out and they don't have this kind of issue," he said.

Mendoza Hernandez' fiancee says he is a hard worker in construction, doing rehabilitation of burned buildings, and their 2-year-old daughter couldn't sleep worried about her father. He was on his way to work when the shooting happened.

"I understand they want to make this country better, but in reality, they are impacting families," Cindy said. "I saw those cases before on the news. I always wished nothing happened to my family. Unfortunately, right now it's me."

If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live
NEED TO KNOW

An infant is dead after being attacked by a dog inside of an apartment home this week

No charges have been filed in the case, and the victims name has not been released

Upon arrival, first responders determined that the baby was deceased and beyond help

An Iowa infant is dead after being attacked by a dog while at home.

Officers with the Des Moines Police Department and the Des Moines Fire Department responded to an apartment in the 3600 block of Kennedy Drive at approximately 6:30 a.m. on April 3 after receiving a report of an infant reportedly experiencing a cardiac arrest, the DMPD said Tuesday, April 7.

Advertisement Advertisement

PEOPLE reached out to the DMPD for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

The caller reported that a dog in the residence had injured the child and the child was not showing signs of life, police said.

Upon arrival, first responders determined that the baby was deceased and beyond help.

There were two dogs in the apartment at the time, a shepherd mix and a terrier/bulldog. Both were impounded, but authorities did not say which one or if both were responsible for the fatal attack.

The infants exact age was also not released.

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.

There was also a second dog attack involving a child on Tuesday morning, this time a 2-year-old inside of a hotel room in the 4900 block of NE 14th Street just after 8 a.m., police said in the same press release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Police officers and the DMFD responded to the second incident after 8 a.m., when a caller reported that "a two-year old child had been bitten in the face by a dog.

Medical personnel transported the child to a hospital, where the toddler was treated for serious facial injuries" and is expected to survive.

The canine in the second case was also impounded. Its breed was not made public.

The preliminary investigation of this incident indicates that the sleeping dog was startled by the child immediately before the bite, police said.

DMPD shared tips on how families can stay safe and protect themselves and their children from possible pet attacks in their press release.

Advertisement Advertisement

Safety starts with us, they said in an important reminder.

Young children are at increased risk for dog bites for a variety of reasons, the DMPD added. They may not recognize the body language of an animal, which may be a warning sign before a bite occurs. Sometimes, kids can frighten animals just by doing normal kid things!

Charges have not been filed in either case. They both remain under investigation.

Read the original article on People
KABUL, April 9 (Xinhua) -- A two-day exhibition featuring books and artworks was held in northern Afghanistan's Parwan province, aimed at encouraging reading and showcasing the talent of young artists, local media Tolo news reported on Thursday.

The event displayed a diverse collection of books, paintings, and other creative works produced by emerging artists and writers from the region. Organized to foster public engagement with literature and the arts, the exhibition also served as a platform to support and inspire Afghanistan's youth, the report said.

According to the report, similar cultural initiatives are planned for other provinces in an effort to strengthen educational outreach and promote artistic expression across the country. 
A new policy by Bay Area-based Philz Coffee has some people upset as the chain says it will no longer allow flags of any kind in its stores, including Pride flags.

What started out as a single cafe in the city's Mission District has since become a quintessential part of the San Francisco coffee scene. But after over two decades of building a solid customer base around the Bay Area, Philz Coffee is now disappointing many.

"I think it's very sad. I think it's a very sad decision," said Barry Zeve.

Advertisement Advertisement

On Wednesday, the company confirmed it will remove Pride flags from all of its locations nationwide.

Their CEO said in a statement:

"At Philz, we have always believed everyone who walks through our doors deserves to feel welcome and safe, and that belief is at the core of everything we do...This is a change in how our stores look, not in who we are."

MORE: Philz Coffee founder has message for customers on closure of their 1st San Francisco shop

Philz Coffee says it's removing not just Pride flags, but also other flags and decor at its stores as well.

The company also says that it stands behind it's long support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Advertisement Advertisement

Rumors of the change have been circulating online for days.

Employees at the Castro District location told ABC7 Eyewitness News they heard about the changes from customers.

MORE: Ranger fired for hanging transgender flag in Yosemite, park visitors may face prosecution

Ann Harrison is a professor and former dean of the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

She says Philz might have made the decision for a variety of reasons. But she cautions the move could alienate some customers for good.

"What's the experience that Philz Coffee is selling? What is it that makes them distinctive? And the focus on the flags, the focus on Pride, that really has been an important part of what Philz Coffee is all about," said Harrison.

Advertisement Advertisement

At this time, it's unclear when the flags will actually come down. But when they do, many customers fear the coffee shops just won't feel the same.

"I think it's pretty rotten, you know, if it's owned by big money at the top, I can't say that I'm surprised," said Todd Varney.

Philz Coffee operates over 60 locations around California and Chicago.

If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live
A woman from Worcester is working on a project to build a 6km (3.73 mile) "beehive fence" designed to prevent elephants from entering farmland in Tanzania.

Rachel Monger, a piano teacher who lives in St John's, is working with international group Emmanuel International to support a community bordering the Ruaha National Park, where officials said elephants were destroying crops and injuring people.

Although elephants are the world's largest land mammals, Monger said they were known to avoid bees.

Advertisement Advertisement

The project aims to install 600 hives to act as a deterrent to the elephants while generating income for residents from honey and beeswax.

"It's an incredible solution where everyone wins," said Monger.

"We are protecting the elephants, securing food for subsistence farmers and creating a sustainable economy through beekeeping."

Monger previously lived in Tanzania for 10 years, where she trained as a beekeeper and helped farmers establish beekeeping groups.

"Beekeeping is traditionally a male activity in Tanzania and, for all the women I have worked with in beekeeping, this has been a novel and unique idea," she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

"They become part of a group with new valuable skills which gives them self confidence and mutual support.

"They are able to start village savings and loans schemes and grow their honey money and together start other small enterprises, which mean their children are better provided for."

Monger, left, has previously trained beekeepers in Tanzania [Rachel Monger]

Monger visited the Mafuluto community last year to assess whether the Elephant and Bee Project could be established locally.

She will return to Tanzania later this month to support the first stage of installation.

Local support for the fundraiser was organised through Worcester Beekeepers, who will visit schools and host a display at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival from 7 - 10 May.

Advertisement Advertisement

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.

More like this story

Related internet links
A Penn State Behrend student is facing felony assault and other charges after campus police accused him of attacking a woman April 3.

Ian Hall, 18, of the Bronx, New York, remained in the Erie County Prison April 8 on $35,000 bond following his arraignment April 4 on felony counts of aggravated assault and strangulation and misdemeanor charges including defiant trespass, possessing an instrument of crime and simple assault, according to information in Hall's criminal complaint and in his criminal docket sheet.

Penn State Behrend police, in a criminal complaint filed April 4, accuse Hall of hitting the woman in the face multiple times while the two were at the Wintergreen Gorge on the afternoon of April 3. Later that afternoon, investigators wrote in the complaint's affidavit of probable cause, Hall is accused of pushing the woman on a bed and grabbing her by the throat while in an on-campus dorm room and of hitting her in the head and face with his cell phone.

Advertisement Advertisement

More: Ohio authorities charge man in fatal beating of North East woman

Police said Hall left the room but later tried to return while the woman's roommate and a friend were with her, and he reportedly forced his way into the room and the friend was shoved and struck in the face and stomach, according to information in the affidavit. The roommate was also pushed and shoved, the investigating officer wrote.

Hall is tentatively scheduled to appear in court for his preliminary hearing April 30, according to information in his criminal docket sheet. A lawyer for Hall was not listed on the docket sheet April 8.

Behrend spokesman Robb Frederick said in a statement to the Erie Times-News that Hall is prohibited from being on campus, including university events, activities and programs. The school's Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response will review the allegations and determine the appropriate next steps, which may include student conduct action in addition to, and separate from, criminal charges, Frederick wrote.

Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Behrend police charge student in reported attack on woman April 3
China has called on American authorities to investigate the death of a Chinese semiconductor researcher in the US, who was found dead after "hostile questioning" by law enforcement there.

US media have identified the researcher as Danhao Wang from the University of Michigan. Wang died shortly after talking to federal investigators, CBS News reported.

The University of Michigan said in a statement that it was investigating "a possible act of self-harm", after a researcher's fatal fall from a campus building on 19 March.

Advertisement Advertisement

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US, told the BBC on Thursday that they were "deeply distressed by this tragedy".

He said China has "repeatedly lodged solemn representations with relevant US government agencies and universities regarding this case", and have contacted the victim's family to "provide active assistance with the aftermath".

He also reminded Chinese students in the US to "heighten their safety awareness" and "handle US law enforcement actions appropriately".

While the embassy declined to confirm the deceased researcher's identity to the BBC, Liu earlier identified him to the South China Morning Post as Danhao Wang from the University of Michigan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Both the university and the Chinese foreign ministry have also declined to confirm the researcher's identity, citing respect for the family and personal privacy.

Wang was an assistant research scientist of electrical and computer engineering, according to his profile on the university website. His research interests involved semiconductors.

China's foreign ministry first addressed the case on 27 March, when it said a Chinese scholar had taken their own life "after being subjected to hostile questioning by US law enforcement personnel".

Such actions "seriously violate Chinese citizens' lawful rights, poison the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and continue to create a serious chilling effect," the ministry said.

Advertisement Advertisement

It added that the US should conduct a "full investigation" and provide a "responsible explanation" to the researcher's family and Chinese authorities.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated calls for a US investigation on Wednesday, when asked about Wang's case by the BBC.

"China will continue to take what is necessary to firmly defend Chinese citizens' legitimate and lawful rights and interests," she said.

Wang's death is the latest case to draw attention to the status of Chinese academics in the US as tensions between the two rival nations persist.

Advertisement Advertisement

After Chinese-American neuroscientist Jane Wu from Northwestern University died by suicide in 2024, her family sued the school, claiming that the university had treated her poorly while she faced a years-long federal investigation into her ties with China.

The US has tightened its scrutiny of Chinese students on American campuses in recent years, citing national security concerns.

In 2020, during US president Donald Trump's first term, he signed an order barring Chinese students and researchers with suspected military ties from obtaining US visas.

Last year, the Trump administration vowed to "aggressively" revoke the visas of Chinese students, especially those linked to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. Months later, the US made a U-turn on the hard line stance, issuing 600,000 Chinese student visas as Washington and Beijing engaged in trade talks.

Advertisement Advertisement

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support can be found at the BBC Action Line.
TAIPEI, April 9 (Reuters) - Birds not missiles should fly in the skies, Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun said on Thursday in Shanghai in a plea for peace, as government lawmakers in Taipei expressed anger at her party for skipping crucial defence budget talks.

Cheng, chairwoman of Taiwan's largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), is in China on what she has called a "peace" mission to lessen tensions at a time when Beijing has stepped up military pressure against the island it calls its own.

China refuses to talk to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, saying he is a "separatist". Lai's administration has called on Cheng to tell China to stop its threats, and says Beijing should engage with the democratically elected government in Taipei.

Advertisement Advertisement

Speaking to reporters at Shanghai's Yangshan Port, Cheng said she was fond of how ancient Norse sailors described the sea as the "road of the whale".

"These words are spoken with such humility, and they are entirely right. What should fly in the sky are birds, not missiles. What should swim in the water are fish, not warships," she said, in comments carried live on Taiwanese television stations.

Cheng, who flies to Beijing later on Thursday for a possible meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, also quoted, in English, part of John McCrae's World War One poem "In Flanders Fields" - "If ye break faith with us who die, We shall not sleep".

"We may not have been able to give our ancestors peace, but we can certainly still give peace to the people of today and the people of the future," she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

STALLED DEFENCE SPENDING PLANS

In Taipei, lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) condemned the KMT for skipping talks in parliament on how to progress with stalled plans to spend an extra $40 billion on defence.

"Don't intentionally put this off because of the meeting with Xi Jinping tomorrow. Don't link this to the Chinese communists," said the DPP's Chen Kuan-ting, who is joint head of the defence and foreign affairs committee.

Neither China nor the KMT has confirmed Cheng is meeting Xi on Friday.

The KMT, which says it supports the defence spending but will not sign "blank cheques", said in response that Cheng's "Peace Visit to the Mainland has no connection whatsoever with the special defence budget".

Advertisement Advertisement

Liang Wen-chieh, spokesperson for Taiwan's China-policy-making Mainland Affairs Council, said he hoped Cheng could tell China to stop military harassment and to respect the Taiwanese people's wish to determine their own future.

Beijing has maintained its daily military activities around Taiwan despite Cheng's presence in China. Taiwan's defence ministry said on Thursday morning that during the previous 24-hour period it had detected six Chinese military aircraft and eight warships around the island.

"The facts prove that the Chinese communists' military threat against Taiwan is intensifying," DPP spokesperson and lawmaker Michelle Lin wrote on her Facebook page.

"Cheng Li-wun has been on her trip for two days, and the Chinese communists still have a knife at Taiwan's throat."

Advertisement Advertisement

Lai has repeatedly offered talks with Beijing, whose sovereignty claims he rejects, saying only the island's people can decide their future.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Christian Schmollinger and Tomasz Janowski)
LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - A British man appeared in a London court on Thursday charged with having trained and fought as a commando with al Shabaab militants in Somalia over 15 years ago.

Jermaine Grant, 43, is charged with six terrorism offences committed between 2007 and 2010, including three counts of attending an al Shabaab commando training camp in Kismayu in Somalia.

Prosecutor Carl Kelvin told London's Westminster Magistrates Court that Grant was accused of being a platoon leader who had taken part in a number of battles and other fighting in Somalia.

Advertisement Advertisement

Grant, who appeared in court flanked by two police officers, has also been charged with possessing an AK-47 rifle during "the battle of Karan" and directing a group involved in terrorism.

He was remanded in custody for seven days while consent is obtained from the attorney general for the prosecution.

"These are serious charges and come as the result of a long-running investigation," Acting Commander Kris Wright of London's counter terrorism police said.

"This case shows we will always pursue anyone suspected of being involved in terrorist activity, no matter where in the world or how long ago it is alleged to have taken place."

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Catarina Demony)
A 38-year veteran of the Providence Police Department has been selected to permanently take over as chief of police at Brown University in Rhode Island after three months in an interim leadership role.

Col. Hugh T. Clements Jr. has been appointed vice president for public safety and emergency management and chief of police at Brown University, the school announced Wednesday.

Clements replaces former campus police chief Rodney Chatman, who was placed on leave in December 2025, just days after a gunman killed two students and injured nine others. Clements had been serving in the interim role since then.

Advertisement Advertisement

The university noted that Chatmans employment ended on Tuesday.

Clements brings nearly four decades of law enforcement experience, including a 38year career with the Providence Police Department and 12 years as its chief. He also previously led the U.S. Department of Justices Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

Brown President Christina H. Paxson and Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Sarah Latham announced the appointment in a message to the campus community, citing Clements leadership, national policy experience, and commitment to communitycentered policing.

Chief Clements brings an extraordinary combination of Rhode Island law enforcement leadership, national policy experience and a deep commitment to community-centered policing that position him to effectively lead public safety efforts at Brown, Paxson and Latham wrote in a statement. Over an accomplished four-decade career, he has consistently advanced innovative, data-driven strategies that build trust while enhancing safety.

Advertisement Advertisement

As vice president and chief, Clements will lead universitywide safety initiatives, oversee emergency preparedness and response, strengthen partnerships with local and state agencies, and build trust across campus.

A Providence native, Clements said he is committed to ensuring Brown remains safe, secure and welcoming while advancing a modern, collaborative approach to public safety.

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 California man shot by US immigration agents said officials have falsely accused him of being a gang member and that officers fired on him without justification during a traffic stop.

Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, 36, was pulled over and shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Tuesday in Patterson, a rural agricultural town in Californias central valley. Patrick Kolasinski, Hernandezs attorney, visited him in the hospital on Thursday morning and summarized his clients comments.

Hernandez was hit by more than six bullets, including one that struck his face, and he has undergone three surgeries, the lawyer said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Related: A day in the life of a 19-year-old in ICE detention: I feel that this nightmare is not going to end

ICE is facing growing scrutiny over the shooting, with Hernandezs family saying officials have made false and misleading statements about him in the aftermath.

Dashcam footage of the encounter showed three ICE agents outside Hernandezs car. The video is grainy and has no sound, but it captured Hernandez reversing away from the officers with his passenger door open and two of the officers pointing their firearms at him. The car then drove forward and jumped over a median out of view.

It was not clear from the video when the officers fired shots. Todd Lyons, ICEs acting director, said in a statement that Hernandez weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run an officer over, though no officers were hit by the car. Lyons said the officers fired defensive shots to protect themselves, their fellow agents, and the public.

Advertisement Advertisement

Kolasinski, who was able to visit Hernandez for the first time, said his client was very adamant  he was fired on before he moved the vehicle. Kolasinski said the cars movements seen on video were a response to the gunfire: He was trying to get away because he was being shot at  he fled in a panic.

Kolasinski said it wasnt immediately clear why the officers fired at him in the first place, and that he was still piecing together what happened as Hernandez was not able to speak clearly due to his extensive injuries. Hernandez is in the intensive care unit, the lawyer said.

Hernandez has a two-year-old daughter with his partner and does work rehabilitating buildings damaged in fires, the attorney said. He was on his way to a job when he was pulled over.

ICEs statement on Tuesday also alleged that Hernandez was part of the 18th Street Gang, a group generally associated with Los Angeles. Lyons also claimed Hernandez was wanted in El Salvador for questioning in connection to a murder. ICE has not provided evidence for either claim.

Advertisement Advertisement

He said he has never, ever, ever been in a gang, Kolasinski said after his visit with Hernandez, noting Hernandez had only been to Los Angeles a few times for short visits. He absolutely is adamant he was never in the [18th Street] gang  He is very clearly not involved in an LA gang  We have no clue where the heck that comes from.

Kolasinski said 2019 court records from El Salvador, where Hernandez is from, suggest Hernandez was at one point accused of murder, but was acquitted and released from custody. The lawyer said he was still investigating his history in El Salvador, and that it appeared Hernandez does not currently have status in the US.

A DHS spokesperson declined to answer questions about why Hernandez was stopped and did not respond to inquiries about the lawyers claims.

Kolasinski said Department of Justice representatives told him Hernandez was not in federal custody or currently under arrest.

Advertisement Advertisement

Lauren Horwood, a spokesperson for the US attorneys office in the region, declined to comment on Thursday.

Related: Canadian mother held by ICE with daughter, 7, speaks out on families suffering greatly in detention

ICE has repeatedly faced backlash for shooting people during traffic stops and claiming in press statements that the drivers had weaponized their cars. In the January killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, officials claimed she had attempted to kill or cause bodily harm to federal law enforcement with her car, saying she ran over the officer who shot her. But footage revealed she was initially reversing before she was shot and the agent was not run over.

ICE has also routinely faced criticisms for labeling people as gang members without evidence.

Advertisement Advertisement

In January, after a US border patrol agent shot two people in a vehicle in Oregon, the Department of Homeland Security said the targets were vicious members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang. But court records obtained by the Guardian revealed the Department of Justice later directly contradicted DHS, saying of the driver: Were not suggesting  [he] is a gang member.

The passenger shot in the Oregon incident was a woman who DHS said had been involved in a prior shooting in Portland. But records revealed her involvement was not as a suspect, but rather a reported victim of a sexual assault and robbery. Critics in Oregon accused DHS of launching a smear campaign.

Kolasinski sharply criticized ICEs handling of the traffic stop in an interview on Wednesday. Police departments across the US have increasingly advised their officers not to fire at moving vehicles due to the risk of endangering bystanders. ICEs horrible training is putting everyone in danger, including themselves.

Hernandez is a loving, hardworking partner, the lawyer said, adding that his two-year-old daughter struggled to understand where her father was: Its devastating. Her dad always puts her to bed. She just kept staring at the door, waiting for dad to come home.
A Conservative member of parliament from Ontario has defected to the Liberal Party, bringing Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, inches away from leading a majority in the House of Commons.

Marilyn Gladu announced her switch this week, saying the community she represents wants "serious leadership and a real plan to build a stronger and more independent Canadian economy".

The fifth MP to leave their party in recent months, Gladu has brought a majority government within arm's reach for the Liberals. They now have 171 seats - one shy of the required 172 for a majority.

Advertisement Advertisement

Canada's Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, has accused Carney of trying to seize a majority "through dirty backroom deals".

Last month, MP Lori Idlout, who represents Nunavut, left the New Democratic Party to join Carney's caucus.

That followed the defections of three Conservative MPs: Matt Jeneroux of Alberta, Chris d'Entremont of Nova Scotia and Michael Ma of Ontario.

"In a time of global economic uncertainty, Canada's success will depend on how we build ambition into progress and strengths into sustained advantage," Carney posted on social media, applauding Gladu's move. "Marilyn brings the practical, results-driven leadership this effort demands."

Advertisement Advertisement

But the Conservatives' Pollievre urged Gladu to face voters in a by-election and give voters the final say.

"When a member of Parliament goes back on the word they made to their constituents and switches parties, constituents should be able to petition to throw them out and have a by-election," he said during a news conference on Thursday.

"That would put the people back in charge of our democracy rather than having dirty backroom deals."

He also argued that, "Mark Carney is saying to Canadians: 'Your vote does not count,'" and added: "I feel badly for Ms Gladu's constituents, the strong majority of whom voted for our Conservative vision."

Advertisement Advertisement

Gladu ran in 2020 for leadership of the Conservatives, but withdrew from the race not long after launching her campaign.

Gladu, who represents Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong in Ontario, said on Wednesday her choice was "the best thing for our community's priorities, and importantly, for our country".

The area she represents sits right on the US border, and in her announcement, she alluded to working to build a "more independent" Canada.

"We need a global leader with a plan to make a more resilient Canada," she said in a video standing next to Carney.

On Thursday, Carney said that she would vote with the party on matters regarding LGBT and abortion rights.

Advertisement Advertisement

It comes amid criticism of her conservative record in Parliament, including her stance on Covid vaccines, the legalisation of cannabis and conversion therapy for teens.
TORONTO, April 8 (Reuters) - Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke to astronauts on the Artemis II mission on Wednesday, celebrating the first Canadian to fly around the moon and marking a lighter moment in U.S.-Canadian relations that have been strained under U.S. President Donald Trump.

Jeremy Hansen, a 50-year-old Royal Canadian Air Force colonel, is the first non-U.S. citizen to fly on a lunar mission. He is joining three U.S. astronauts on NASAs Artemis II mission, a lunar flyby and a key step in a program aiming to return astronauts to the moons surface by 2028, ahead of China.

The 10-day mission is due to end with the space capsule's splashdown near San Diego on Friday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Canadians couldnt be more proud of you personally, both this mission and our collaboration with the United States," Carney told Hansen.

The prime minister also joked that Canadians hoped the preference was for maple syrup over Nutella on pancakes in the morning, following the viral moment when cameras caught a jar of Nutella floating through the microgravity inside the capsule. The maple leaf is Canada's national symbol.

Hansen, who promised to bring Carney a Canadian flag he brought on board, was selected for Canadas astronaut corps in 2009, and his role on Artemis II reflects long-standing U.S.-Canadian partnership in human spaceflight. He also spoke of the value of risk-taking in space and on Earth.

"As a country, we have to be willing to have some failures," Hansen said. "And we fail in this space program, but we just assure ourselves we're not going to stay or rest in those failures. We're going to push through them," said Hansen, who also took questions from Canadian school children.

Advertisement Advertisement

The mission coincides with tense trade relations between the two countries after Trump raised tariffs on Canadian goods and repeatedly suggested that Canada consider becoming the 51st state. The record-breaking lunar flyby has offered a moment of positive attention for the United States at a time of heightened international tension over U.S strikes on Iran, tariffs, and disruptions to global institutions.

(Reporting by Wa Lone, Kyaw Soe Oo and Daniel Trotta; Editing by Stephen Coates)
BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- For travelers looking to dive deep into Chinese culture and history, ancient-style theme parks across the country have become an excellent choice. Offering rich immersive experiences, these parks have emerged as some of China's most popular attractions, particularly among young people.

Last week, 32-year-old Tao Jiji had an unforgettable visit to Millennium City Park in Kaifeng, central China's Henan Province. She cheerfully described the trip as "an absolute blast" on social media.

"The moment I walked into the theme park, I was given a role for the day and a free traditional costume," Tao said. Clay bowl in hand, the impeccably made-up lady slipped into a patched traditional robe with tattered cuffs and took on the part of a beggar, completing small tasks to earn replica ancient Chinese currency.

At the park, visitors can join live shows, interact with performers, and trade for food, boat rides and other items using replica money. "This is so much fun," Tao posted, adding that her three-day stay at the park was "fully packed with immersive experiences."

Modeled after Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival, a renowned ancient Chinese painting, the park vividly recreates the bustling street scenes of Bianliang, now known as Kaifeng, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), capturing the era's economic prosperity and cultural vibrancy.

Each day, the park stages more than 200 performances and runs over 20 immersive programs that let visitors experience daily life in the Song Dynasty. During holidays, the number of shows can reach nearly 1,000 per day.

Many young Chinese visitors said that wandering through the park feels like stepping directly into the famous painting and into history. "People come here seeking a kind of beauty that began 1,000 years ago but can still be truly felt and touched today," said Arrietty, a visitor from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

In 2025, Millennium City Park gained impressive momentum, drawing over 11 million visitors and generating 1.2 billion yuan (about 175 million U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue, year-on-year jumps of over 37 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

On Douyin, China's version of TikTok, short videos under the hashtag "Millennium City Park" have garnered nearly 17 billion views in total. Comments praising it as a "Chinese Disneyland" appear frequently.

With its long history, China is home to many former imperial cities, including Xi'an in the northwest, Hangzhou and Nanjing in the east. A rising trend of traveling to these places to experience the distinct customs and culture of each dynasty is sweeping across the country's young generations.

Data from travel platform Qunar shows that since the start of 2026, ticket bookings for Chinese-style theme parks featuring engaging events have doubled, with the buzz carrying over from holidays to regular weekends. This trend reflects a shift in China's cultural tourism sector.

"As tourism consumption in China continues to upgrade, visitors are no longer satisfied with passive sightseeing. They want deeper engagement and emotional connections with scenic spots," said Xiao Jianyong, deputy head of Henan Cultural Tourism Research Institute.

Under China's national development blueprint for the next five years, the country will promote deeper integration of culture and tourism, boost the cultural tourism industry, and leverage culture to drive economic and social development.

"Today, people increasingly seek spiritual resonance and cultural identity through their consumption choices," said Xiong Haifeng, an associate professor at the School of Cultural Industries Management, Communication University of China.

Capitalizing on the boom of traditional Chinese theme parks, major film and television companies have also entered the cultural tourism market. iQiyi, a leading Chinese streaming platform, has strategically turned its popular costume drama IPs into offline recreational destinations.

At iQiyi Land, which opened this February in Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, visitors use VR and full-sensory devices to travel back in time, solve mysteries, and immerse themselves in the dazzling and fantastical worlds of Chinese mythology and martial arts culture. This will surely be a huge hit among young fans of such costume dramas.

"These neo-Chinese theme parks do not merely build ancient architecture or add Chinese art installations to amusement rides. Instead, they integrate the essence of traditional culture with contemporary experiences, creating a living experience that visitors can see, feel and participate in," said Yang Jinsong, a senior researcher with China Tourism Academy.

"With the aid of technology, these parks breathe life into cultural symbols that have endured for millennia, and give modern people a way to connect with an ancient Chinese civilization," the researcher added. 
An Army doctor at a Texas base is now facing an expanded set of sexual assault and misconduct charges involving 73 victims.

The Army on April 7 preferred more charges against Maj. Blaine McGraw, an obstetrician-gynocologist assigned to the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood, according to a Wednesday statement from the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. He is now facing six charges and 146 specifications related to sexual misconduct that the Army alleges occurred between October 2023 and December 2025.

McGraw remains innocent until proven guilty, the office said.

Advertisement Advertisement

The charges include dozens of specifications of sexual assault and abuse, as well as allegations of indecent recording, conduct unbecoming of an officer and disobeying a superior officer. All but one of the alleged victims were patients treated during medical examinations at the Fort Hood facility. The other victim was allegedly recorded without consent at an off-post residence.

The new charges build upon an earlier case filed in December 2025. McGraw waived a preliminary hearing on the original charges, but now that more charges have been added, a new hearing will be required before the case can proceed to a general court-martial.

As this case remains an open investigation, OSTC prosecutors will continue to coordinate with the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division as the case progresses to determine if additional charges are warranted, Michelle McCaskill, the communications director for the Office of Special Trial Counsel, said in a statement.

The investigation began in October 2025 after a patient reported being secretly recorded during an exam. MacGraw was previously stationed at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii before being assigned to Fort Hood. Tripler said in November 2025 that it was planning to notify the doctors former patients about the investigation.

McGraw is also accused of sexual misconduct, including the secret filming of a breast and pelvic exam in a lawsuit filed last November in Bell County, Texas.
Sark's government has agreed to borrow up to 1.5m from Guernsey's States to buy the island's only power company.

Policy and Finance (P&F) member Carol Cragoe welcomed the move and said she hoped the purchase could be completed this year.

Sark Electricity Limited's managing director Alan Witney-Price said the loan would not be enough to buy the utility.

Part of the terms of the loan from Guernsey include Sark's government reviewing its tax arrangements, with P&F's preferred route being the introduction of a tax on worldwide wealth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Chief Pleas said the electricity price would pay for the loan moving forward.

Steve Lord, who works in cybersecurity and used to serve in Chief Pleas, moved to the island in 2022 but has now left Sark, said the idea of a wealth tax had come out of the blue.

"This was a completely new idea unrelated to anything that had happened previously, as far as I was aware," he said.

The BBC revealed earlier this year that P&F's preferred option for tax reform was a worldwide tax on wealth.

P&F has said this is not a new concept but rather an expetnsion of the current persinal tax regime.

Advertisement Advertisement

Previously Chief Pleas had said it was considering a number of options for tax reform, including a tax on derelict buildings.

A tax on derelict buildings was one of the suggestions which was put forward as part of the review of the island's tax system [BBC]

Chief Pleas also agreed to create a new company which would run the island's power grid and that it would be operated by the former managing director of Alderney Electricity James Lancaster.

When questioned by Conseiller Frank Makepeace about Lancaster being chosen for the role without an interview, Conseiller Cragoe said with his experience upgrading the grid in Alderney he was "the only man for the job".

'Dominated the island'

At Chief Pleas, P&F Chair John Guille said this decision "would secure the island's energy future" and once the purchase was complete work would start on fixing the most out-of-date equipment in the grid.

Advertisement Advertisement

He said his committee had considered a community bond to fund the purchase of the company's assets, but had decided a government to government loan offered the best terms.

In his opening speech on the debate he said the power struggle over the ownership of the power grid had burdened the island for too long.

"This will end a dispute which has dominated this island for too long."

Wealth tax to 'impact the poor most'

Lord warned the plans for a tax on worldwide wealth would lead to the most economically active on the island leaving.

"When those people leave, the island will lose the tax revenue, and what you're left with is going to fall on the shoulders of the poorer people on the island," he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Sark's government, Chief Pleas, currently does not levy any income tax on residents.

Property sales attract a 7.5% transfer tax, while personal capital tax applies only to net assets above 150,000, charged at 0.44%, with a maximum annual liability of 10,973 in 2024.

P&F says in an effort to broaden the tax base, all residents aged 18 and over would be subject to the new tax, based on their worldwide net wealth, with a banded tax structure.

Part of the agreement between Guernsey's States and Chief Pleas on this loan was that Sark's government would undertake a comprehensive review of its taxation regime to ensure it can acquire sufficient reserves to support the loan.

Advertisement Advertisement

It also meant the island had to sign up to the Bailiwick Commission, a project looking at the relationship between the islands.

The final requirement was that impot payments, which are the tax on alcohol, fuel and tobacco, which is collected by the States on behalf of Chief Pleas, be used as a security guarantee to repay that loan to Guernsey in the event of non-payment by Sark.

Sark resident Christopher Kennedy-Barnard disagreed with Chief Pleas decision to take a loan from Guernsey's government [BBC]

Sark resident of five years Christopher Kennedy-Barnard believes a wealth tax would not be good for Sark.

He said there needed to be more of a focus on economic growth from the island's government. He also criticised the decision to approve the loan.

Advertisement Advertisement

"I worry about Sark falling into debt and the things that could happen to it if that debt becomes quickly unsustainable. There's an argument as to whether that's sustainable right now.

"I am worried about the future of Sark because it appears to be spiralling into a deep decline.

"I think if Sark gets things badly wrong they won't be able to turn it around. It will depopulate and it will be an island of a sheep and nature."

On the review of the island's tax system Guille defended P&F's prefered option: "I'm not scared that adjustments to our tax system will scare people away, Sark will still be a very attractive place tax wise.

Advertisement Advertisement

"It's also a very attractive place natural beauty wise, but we think we need to tweak the system and start sensibly covering the infrastructure investment we need now and in the future."

What is the timeline for the compulsory purchase?

Following Chief Pleas' decision, the seneschal - the island's senior legal official - will set a date for a hearing to provide direction to the independent valuers Begbies Traynor around the basis and methodology of its valuation of the utilities assets.

Begbies Traynor will then value the company, with the timescale for that process not yet known.

The valuers will then provide that valuation and if neither party appeals the valuation, an agreement to buy Sark Electricity would be effective 56 days after the date of notice of the valuation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.

More on this story

Related internet links
After months of campaigning, a crowded field of candidates competing in an inconclusive election and a runoff, the race to replace former representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has chosen a winner.

Trump-endorsed Republican Clay Fuller claimed the seat with 56% of the vote against Democrat Shawn Harris, who took home 44%, in Georgia's historically deeply red 14th congressional district.

The special election was called when Greene resigned her seat in January, meaning Fuller will head to Washington, D.C. immediately to be sworn in and become an active member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Advertisement Advertisement

"As a veteran and district attorney, Clay has ALWAYS put America first and kept Georgians safe," GOP Chairman Joe Gruters said in a post on X following the win. "In Congress, he'll be a key ally of President Trump, a great addition to our House Republican majority, and a trusted fighter for Georgia."

His place in the House comes at a crucial time. Fuller has closely aligned himself with the MAGA movement, and has supported the attacks in Iran and the continuation of military action there.

"He made sure that he was the ultimate trump card," Fuller said of the president during his election night remarks, according to the Georgia Recorder. "The Democrat Party poured millions of dollars into this campaign, poured lies into this campaign, but they cant beat Donald Trump, and they never will, and I will be on Capitol Hill as a warrior to have his back each and every day."

While he may have the House seat for now, he has to keep fighting to keep it.

Fuller immediately up for reelection in Georgia

Former representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was up for reelection in the 2026 midterms, and while her seat has now been filled, Fuller will still have to run in the regular primary and midterm cycle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Georgia voters head to the polls on May 19 for statewide primaries, with Fuller on the ballot.

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA - APRIL 7: Georgia Republican congressional candidate Clay Fuller speaks to members of the media after voting on April 7, 2026 in Lookout Mountain, Georgia.

This also means he could face primary challengers, including Republicans who ran in the initial special election on March 10 (a total of 17 candidates ultimately ran in that race), who may be looking for a second chance to step into the conservative limelight.

A few candidates announced their endorsement of Fuller after the March election, but some others have not publicly backed him. It's expected however, that Fuller and Harris will face off again in November.

In Rome on Tuesday, voters told USA TODAY Fuller would need to make good on his campaign promises in order for him to keep their vote in seven months time.

Advertisement Advertisement

June Cartee voted for Fuller because of the Trump endorsement, and said "the big thing is that I was following up with someone that was going to be supporting the president," and said Fuller would need to stand by Trump for her to vote for him again.

Amanda Lee said whoever won Tuesday would have to "take their promises and do something about them, or at least try to do something about them."

"I know one person, it's hard to do, you know, to get something done that fast, but you know, at least try and let their voice be heard on Capitol Hill," Lee said. She declined to share who she voted for.

Harris sets his sights on November

Despite losing this election, Democrat Shawn Harris far outperformed his own numbers from his race against Marjorie Taylor Greene in 2024 and pushed the needle for Democrats in the district. It wasn't a "blue wave," but it also wasn't the Republican shutout that had been seen in previous elections in northwest Georgia.

Advertisement Advertisement

No Democrat has ever received more than 40% of the vote in Georgia's 14th  until now  and overall Fuller far underperformed compared to his MAGA predecessor.

Georgia Democratic U.S. Congressional candidate Shawn Harris attends his watch party, on the night of a special election to fill a seat in its 14th congressional district in Rome, Georgia, U.S., April 7, 2026.

"The reality of it is we came up a little short, but we did not lose because nobody ever thought that a Democrat would actually have a performance like this," Harris said in election night remarks in Rome, Georgia. "Who would have ever thought with somebody being endorsed by Donald Trump in a ruby red district that the race would be this close? The thing I want to tell you is this, as far as I'm concerned, you heard me say earlier when I was talking to all our supporters, we had a win tonight."

Harris will be running unopposed in the May primary for the same seat, and he said the campaign for the November midterms will start today.

"We may not have won  but we did. If we made the Republican Party at the national level spend that much money on the ruby red 14th district, we are going to take the whole thing in November," he said. "Tomorrow we will come out with our head held high."

Advertisement Advertisement

Irene Wright is covering midterm elections in Georgia as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Todays Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clay Fuller kept House seat red in Georgia, but his campaign isn't over
Melania Trumps public standing has cratered to a level never before seen for a modern first lady, plunging so far underwater that CNNs Harry Enten called the numbers absolutely awful and historically unprecedented.

Enten pointed to the dramatic slide in Melanias approval rating over time, noting that she stood at +30 in May 2018, fell to +3 in January 2025, and has now plunged to -12 in the latest March 26-30 CNN/SSRS survey.

So at this point, historic lows for Melania Trump, Enten said. These numbers are absolutely awful.

Advertisement Advertisement

The collapse puts Melania well below other modern first ladies at a similar point in their husbands presidencies. According to CNN/SSRS data cited by Enten, Nancy Reagan stood at +50, Hillary Clinton at +25, Laura Bush at +46, and Michelle Obama at +42.

If we look at this historically, the worst ever, the worst ever at this point in term number two, Enten said.

KENT NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images

He added that even former first lady Jill Biden, despite being measured during a first term rather than a second, still outperformed Melania.

And I even looked at Jill Bidens numbers at this point. And that presidency, of course, that was term one. She was above water as well, Enten said. So this is the worst at this point in a presidency as well.

Advertisement Advertisement

Enten also argued that Melanias poor standing reflects a broader disconnect with the public, reviving one of the most controversial episodes of her time in the White House.

I would say that the American people really dont care for Melania Trump, Enten said, referencing the jacket the first lady wore during a visit to a migrant detention facility in the first Trump administration that read: I Really Dont Care, Do U?

For Enten, the latest poll leaves little room for ambiguity.

Melania Trump breaking records in the way that you dont want to break recordshistorically awful, he concluded, before reiterating: The American people really dont care for her.

U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. first lady Melania Trump attend the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 21, 2025. / Leah Millis/Reuters

The first ladys approval ratings mirror those of her husband, whose numbers have also reached record lows in recent weeks amid his deeply unpopular war in Iran and concerns about the economy.

A CNN/SSRS poll conducted last week found that approval of Trumps handling of the economy is the lowest it has been in either of his terms, with just 31 percent approving.
Iran's deputy foreign minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said that despite reports to the contrary, the Strait of Hormuz remains open to civilian ships that coordinate with Iranian authorities.

Israel's strikes in Lebanon are a "blatant violation of the initial ceasefire agreement," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a Thursday post on X/Twitter.

"The repeated aggression by the Zionist entity against Lebanon is a...dangerous sign of deception and lack of commitment to potential future agreements," Pezeshkian added, implying that the peace talks in Islamabad could be negatively impacted by the IDF's actions in Lebanon.

Advertisement Advertisement

"The continuation of these aggressions will render negotiations meaningless. Our finger remains on the trigger. Iran will never abandon its Lebanese brothers and sisters," the Iranian president wrote.

Meanwhile, Iran's deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told Britain's ITV News on Thursday that, despite reports to the contrary, the Strait of Hormuz is open to all civilian ships who coordinate with Iranian authorities.

Although he did not say so outright, the foreign minister made it clear that this coordination would be necessary for the ships to avoid mines in the strait, which were placed by Iranian forces during the war.

Also on Thursday, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called for a halt to IDF operations in Lebanon in an X post, tying the issue to the upcoming Islamabad talks, saying that "Lebanon and the entire Resistance Axis, as Iran's allies, form an inseparable part of the ceasefire."

Advertisement Advertisement

"[Pakistani] PM Shehbaz Sharif publicly and clearly stressed the Lebanon issue; there is no room for denial and backtracking," Ghalibaf continued. "Ceasefire violations carry explicit costs and STRONG responses," he wrote. "Extinguish the fire immediately."

Hormuz at near standstill as Iran warns ships to keep to its waters

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned ships to keep to a route passing through its territorial waters when crossing the Strait of Hormuz, as traffic on Thursday remained well below 10% of normal volumes.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, one of Japans big three shipping firms, is among those caught up in the confusion as firms try to work out what impact the US-Iran two-week ceasefire is having.

"It must be confirmed that the safety risks are sufficiently low," President and CEO Jotaro Tamura told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.

Advertisement Advertisement

The company has recently managed to bring three tankers - one loaded with liquefied natural gas and two with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - out of the strait.

Tamura said the company was awaiting guidance from the Japanese government on how to proceed under the two-week ceasefire.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY)  A wide range of wildlife is common in the Great Dismal Swamp, but a recent alligator sighting has surprised both visitors and wildlife officials.

A state biologist has confirmed the presence of a gator in the Chesapeake portion of the swamp, a sighting they describe as rare for the region.

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources biologist Peter Acker said sightings like this are not impossible, but they are uncommon.

Advertisement Advertisement

Our law enforcement actually went out there, and I believe one of them saw it also before it moved off and disappeared, Acker said.

While snakes, birds and brush are typical sights in the swamp, the addition of an alligator has drawn extra attention.

Its unique. Its kind of rare, as you know. But Im not alarmed by it, said Gary Peronne, a hiker in the swamp.

Acker said being outdoors always carries some level of risk, but added that responsible behavior can prevent most issues.

His advice to the public: keep a safe distance.

Some visitors say they remain more concerned about other wildlife.

Im more worried about reptiles or snakes than I am a gator, Peronne said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Others say the sighting, while surprising, fits the unpredictability of the swamp.

Very surprising, but it is Chesapeake, one visitor said. You never know what youre going to find.

The sighting has also raised questions about how the alligator ended up in the swamp.

Acker said in many cases, young alligators found in Virginia are released pets.

Usually its small, holdable-sized gators,  young ones that someone has released, he said. People pick them up as pets, and then they wear out their welcome. They grow too big for whatever cage, and people turn them loose.

He added that while less likely, natural migration cannot be ruled out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Its possible. We have seen them expanding their ranges northward, but it would always be a possibility, Acker said.

For now, wildlife officials say they are not actively searching for the animal.

Were not actively searching it out. Just like any other wildlife,  they live in the wild. Thats what we want. Thats what we desire, Acker said.

Officials encourage anyone who spots the alligator to report it and keep a safe distance.

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.
Opponents of Washingtons new income tax on high earners filed a lawsuit Thursday, arguing the controversial law is unconstitutional and in conflict with nearly a century of state Supreme Court precedent.

This marks the start of a much-anticipated legal brawl over the law, which Gov. Bob Ferguson signed late last month. Dubbed the millionaires tax by backers, it imposes a 9.9% tax on household wage earnings above $1 million a year.

We are challenging an illegal, unconstitutional income tax that clearly flies in the face of the constitution, of precedent and of voter will, said former state attorney general Rob McKenna, who is running point on the effort to invalidate the law.

Advertisement Advertisement

The core argument opponents of the tax make is that income is property and, according to the state constitution, property taxes must be applied uniformly and cannot exceed a rate of 1%. This makes graduated or progressive income taxes unconstitutional, they contend.

They also point out that the state Supreme Court has held that income is property, including in a precedent-setting ruling in 1933.

McKenna, former state Supreme Court justice Phil Talmadge and Jackson Maynard, executive director of the Citizen Action Defense Fund, are the lead attorneys on the case.

The lawsuit was filed on Thursday in Klickitat County Superior Court. The lead plaintiffs are Ben and Lauren Petter, a married couple. Ben Petter is a builder, Lauren Petter owns a marketing business. Together they will earn over a million dollars when the law takes effect and would be subject to the tax, the lawsuit says.

Advertisement Advertisement

Ben Petter, who is president of Blu Water Homes in Chelan, could not be reached for comment.

Other individuals are also signed on as plaintiffs, along with the Ethnic Chamber of Commerce Coalition, the Yakima Klickitat Farm Association, the Building Industry Association of Washington, and the National Federation of Independent Business.

Mike Sotelo, president of the chamber coalition, said its members are small, multi-generational family businesses that are navigating rising costs and uncertainty. The tax poses another threat to their economic survival, he said.

Invest in Washington Now, an advocacy group backed by unions representing state employees, teachers, and other workers, blasted the lawsuit, saying that polling shows the tax is popular and that extremist groups are doing everything they can to shield billionaires and mega-millionaires from paying what they owe our communities.

Advertisement Advertisement

They want our states working families to keep paying up to three times higher tax rates than those with the greatest wealth, the group added.

Headed for the Supreme Court

Talmadge speculated that it could be early next year before the case is argued before the state Supreme Court. He said he hopes that the high court will take the case directly from the superior court, eliminating a step in appeals court.

Maynard called the suit one of the most consequential in state history.

Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, a lead sponsor of the tax, said Wednesday the legal challenge is expected and welcomed. He said one of the purposes of the bill was to get the legality of a progressive tax in front of the states high court for review.

Advertisement Advertisement

Its great, he said. We will now have that robust argument.

Gov. Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 6346 on March 30. It took effect immediately, ending Washingtons status as one of a handful of states that do not tax individual wage and salary income. When asked in the past, hes expressed confidence the law will be upheld.

Supporters of Washingtons new income tax on millionaire earners celebrate after Gov. Bob Ferguson signs the bill into law on Monday, March 30, 2026. (Photo by Aspen Ford/Washington State Standard)

Collections would begin in 2029 and generate around $3 billion a year from an estimated 21,000 filers. Thats if the tax withstands this test in the courts and an expected challenge on the ballot.

Washington voters approved an income tax in 1932. But a year later, a divided state Supreme Court tossed it. Since then, voters have rejected variations of the idea multiple times, most recently in 2010 when the income threshold for individuals was $200,000.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Citizen Action Defense Fund, a nonprofit, declared its intent to challenge the new law the day Ferguson signed it and said then that McKenna, a 2012 Republican candidate for governor, would steer the legal team. Maynard said that a variety of large and small donors are funding the legal fight.

Backers of the tax are confident in the laws legal sturdiness. They also think the passage of time and the evolution of the state Supreme Courts composition will result in a different outcome than 93 years ago.

McKenna takes the view that the state can adopt an income tax as long as it is set at the same rate on all levels of income. Or, in the alternative, the Legislature and voters can agree to amend the state constitution to include a specific income tax, such as the one envisioned in the new law, he said.

They seem to think members of the Supreme Court will do what they were unable to do themselves, which is to amend the constitution, McKenna said. Voters have rejected constitutional amendments creating an income tax six times, the lawsuit asserts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Attorney General Nick Brown will wage the fight for the law on behalf of the state.

We will be defending the constitutionality of this law in court and expect to prevail, Deputy Communications Director Mike Faulk wrote in an email Wednesday. Well preserve our legal arguments for the anticipated filings.

Pedersen, who is a lawyer, said not to be surprised when the superior court judge who gets the case rules the law is unconstitutional. Trial courts, he said, must follow Supreme Court precedents.

Ultimately, this is a case that will be decided by the nine justices of the Supreme Court, he said.

Parallel referendum fight

In a separate legal tussle, the state Supreme Court could decide at the end of the month whether to allow a referendum to proceed, which could give voters a chance to repeal the law this fall.

Advertisement Advertisement

Brian Heywood, founder and chief financier of the conservative political committee Lets Go Washington, filed a referendum after the law was signed. But Secretary of State Steve Hobbs rejected it, citing language expressly prohibiting such a vote.

Heywood then filed an emergency petition with the Supreme Court asking it to direct Hobbs to process the paperwork. The court accepted the petition and is scheduled to discuss it in an April 30 conference.

Should the court side with Heywood, opponents of the tax must submit signatures of 154,455 voters by June 10 to qualify for the fall ballot. State election officials recommend submitting close to 200,000 to account for invalid signatures.

If the referendum effort is blocked, opponents of the tax could try for an initiative to overturn the law. But qualifying an initiative would require more signatures and, therefore, more time and money.

Advertisement Advertisement

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Lauren Petters first name.

WA State Income Tax Complaint

A copy of the lawsuit filed on April 9, 2026, against Washingtons tax on millionaire earners.
Convicted far-right extremist Marla Svenja Liebich, wanted by Germany, was arrested in the Czech Republic after months on the run, authorities said on Thursday.

Czech police arrested Liebich in the town of Luby on the basis of a European arrest warrant, a spokesman for prosecutors in the eastern German city of Halle said.

Liebich briefly attempted to evade arrest but is now in custody, the spokesman said. Extradition proceedings are expected to follow.

Advertisement Advertisement

Liebich had been due to start serving a sentence by August 29, 2025 at the latest but failed to report to the women's prison in the city of Chemnitz.

In July 2023, Liebich, then known as Sven Liebich, was convicted by the Halle district court for incitement, defamation and insult, receiving a total prison sentence of one year and six months without parole. Appeals against the conviction were unsuccessful.

Police and prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for enforcement after Liebich did not show up at the prison.
The Democratic nominee for a Senate seat in Arkansas is trying to distance herself from messaging tied to the mainstream Democratic Party, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, as she wages an uphill bid to flip a Republican Senate seat.

"Arkansas is a very independent state. In fact, if you look at our voting history, we are often split-ticket voters," Hallie Shoffner told Fox News Digital.

"I feel that both of the parties just walked away from rural America  Democrats included," added Shoffner, who is pushing back on claims that she invited Harris to campaign with her.

Advertisement Advertisement

Her comments come as Harris plans to deliver keynote remarks at the Arkansas Shackelford Dinner in Little Rock later this month  the first campaign event she has headlined since she lost the 2024 presidential election.

Steve Daines' Handpicked Senate Successor Kurt Alme Vows To Keep Montana In Republican Hands In 2026

Hallie Shoffner, left, pictured alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris (Getty Images)

Shoffner strongly denied she had any intention of campaigning with Harris at her upcoming appearance.

Read On The Fox News App

"We had nothing to do with bringing the former vice president here. Shes speaking at a Democratic Party of Arkansas event, an event I will not be attending," Shoffner said.

Advertisement Advertisement

"This woman is coming, and shes going to be here for all of two hours," she said.

Shoffner believes the party should focus on its future, rather than highlighting high-profile names of the past. She blasted Republican attempts to link Harris appearance to her Senate bid.

"The Republican Party of Arkansas is talking like Im the one whos responsible. Why? Tom Cotton and the Republican Party, why are we relitigating the 2024 election right now?" Shoffner said, referring to her political opponent, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

Instead, Shoffner said she is trying to emulate different Democrats who have used middle-of-the-road platforms to attract rural voters.

Advertisement Advertisement

"If I were Hallie Shoffner, Id pretend like I didnt know Kamala Harris either," Joseph Wood, the chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas, said in a fiery response to her comments. "But Shoffner cant hide two very important things: her 25 donations to Harris, or that Harris is coming to Arkansas to raise money that will be used to try and help her failing campaign."

10 Senate Races That Could Decide Control Of The Chamber In The 2026 Midterms

The U.S. Capitol on Feb. 24, 2026.

Susan Collins Shrugs Off Attacks By Democrats And Trump, Says Maine Voters Dont Vote Party Line

Shoffner mentioned former Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who was defeated in 2024, as an example of a different Democrat.

Advertisement Advertisement

"One of the things I really like about Sen. Tester is he takes the same approach when he's going into diverse political communities in Montana," Shoffner said.

"We're all Arkansans. We're all Montanans. You know, we want to be able to buy our groceries. We want to put gas in our car. We want to know that our job is going to be there the next day," Shoffner said.

Tester represented Montana as a senator from 2007 to 2025. He lost his re-election bid to newcomer Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont.

Despite asserting confidence in charting her own course, Shoffner faces an uphill race against Cotton, the current chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Advertisement Advertisement

Cotton, who was handpicked by former Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to run for the Senate in 2014, has come to the defense of President Donald Trump's military engagement against Iran.

Republican Majority At Risk? A Look At The 6 Gop Senate Seats Most In Jeopardy In Midterm Elections

Sen. Tom Cotton argued that the war with Iran would continue for weeks, not days, as the U.S. continues to kneecap their offensive abilities.

Shoffner believes thats a weakness she can exploit.

Click Here To Download The Fox News App

"Does it work for the people of Arkansas? That's the point of Congress. That there should have been an Arkansan up there in D.C. who said, Now, wait a minute, they need diesel and fertilizer prices to be low. That is when a senator or a representative from a state is supposed to step in and say, My people at home will be affected," Shoffner said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Shoffner will face off against Cotton in the states general election on Nov. 3.





Original article source: Dem Senate nominee distances herself from Kamala Harris ahead of visit: 'Will not be attending'
SEOUL, April 9 (Xinhua) -- One person went missing on Thursday after a submarine fire at South Korea's shipyard, according to Yonhap news agency.

The fire broke out on a Navy submarine undergoing maintenance at the shipyard of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, some 310 km southeast of the capital Seoul, at about 1:58 p.m. local time.

The fire authorities issued a first-stage emergency response at 2:38 p.m. and contained the main blaze at 3:04 p.m.

Search operations were underway as one worker in her 60s went missing.

About 40 people were on board the submarine at the time of the incident. 
The Democratic Partys most ambitious politicians are courting African American activists in New York this week as the partys unofficial 2028 presidential nomination contest takes shape at an annual conference led by Rev. Al Sharpton.

Up first was Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who warned that everyone is less safe because of President Donald Trumps leadership and blamed him for a nationwide surge in antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and bigotry.

Theres more chaos, theres more cruelty in our world, Shapiro said. Even if we disagree on health care policy or tax policy or whatever, we should at least, at a baseline, have an honorable president of the United States. We do not have that right now.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Democratic governor, already considered a top-tier 2028 presidential prospect with a clear path to reelection in his battleground state this year, delivered a scathing criticism of the Republican president on the opening day of the National Action Networks four-day conference. More than a half-dozen potential candidates are speaking here to make inroads among Black leaders, one of Democrats most powerful voting blocs.

The presidential primary is already underway

The presidential primary season wont begin in earnest until after Novembers midterm elections, but this weeks conference is showcasing a collection of Democrats already jockeying for position in what promises to be a crowded primary fight.

For now, at least, there is no clear early favorite.

Everybodys talking about who may run for president, said Sharpton, the National Action Networks founder and president. I want to first know what their vision is now, and what theyre doing now. So Ive invited all of the people that could run.

Advertisement Advertisement

In addition to Shapiro, the speaking program features Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, and Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the last Democratic presidential nominee, is also scheduled to speak. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, another likely contender, wont be in attendance because of a previously scheduled family commitment, his team said, noting that he met with Sharpton earlier in the year.

Black voters have critical influence

One doesnt have to look far to see the outsized influence that Black voters wield in Democratic nomination contests.

In 2020, Buttigieg was a top vote-getter in the Iowa caucus and scored a strong second place in New Hampshire  both overwhelmingly white states  before Joe Biden dominated South Carolina on the strength of the Black vote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Bidens long-established relationship with the African American community, backed by his perceived electability advantage, ultimately helped him beat back a strong push by progressive favorite Sen. Bernie Sanders.

All of the 2028 prospects are quick to criticize Trump, although there is broad agreement that Democrats also need to highlight what they stand for  instead of solely what theyre against.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the conference.

Khanna, a Sanders ally who also addressed activists on Wednesday, told The Associated Press that progressive candidates in 2028 could make greater inroads with Black voters by speaking to the Civil Rights tradition and offering a vision rooted in Black history.

Advertisement Advertisement

A 2028 contender needs to articulate and run on a new moral vision for America, Khanna said. Any presidential candidates platform, he added, must be as much inspired by the greats of Douglass and King  referring to abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.  while offering a new vision for racial justice, economic justice, peace in the world, against militarism, against racism, against wealth inequality.

Shapiro, who was a finalist in Harris search for a running mate in 2024, highlighted both his electability and his commitment to African American priorities while on stage.

He described Pennsylvania as the ultimate swing state, while defending diversity, equity and inclusion programs and insisting that police must be held to account if they do something wrong.

He also went after Trump again and again, suggesting that the looming midterm elections should be a national referendum on Donald Trump and on what is happening in Washington, D.C.

Advertisement Advertisement

Ashley Sharpton, Rev. Sharptons youngest daughter, said she was surprised by the audiences enthusiasm and engagement while Shapiro and Khanna were on stage on the conferences first day. She said shes looking forward to hearing from Moore, Harris and Buttigieg.

Thats why people come, she said. They want to get some of that energy, that consistency, that base.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Automatic registration for eligible men into the U.S. Military draft pool is set to begin by December, aiming to streamline the current self-registration process, says the Selective Service System (SSS).

The Selective Service, the agency maintaining the data base for draft-eligible men, submitted the proposed rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30 (OIRA). The proposed rule is currently under review by OIRA.

Automatic registration was approved by congress and later mandated when President Donald Trump signed into law the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The SSS noted that they engaged with congress throughout the legislation proposal.

How does automatic military draft registration work?

The majority of male U.S. citizens between the age of 18 and 25 are required to self-register with the SSS. The move to automatic registration will eliminate self-registration, shifting responsibility to the SSS to register qualified individuals.

Advertisement Advertisement

The SSS says the registration process will happen "through integration with federal data sources." They did not disclose what specific sources would be used.

On their website, the agency has three major initiatives slated to transpire over the next five years. The automatic registration is at the top of that list. "SSS will implement the change by December 2026, resulting in a streamlined registration process and corresponding workforce realignment," the agency wrote on their website.

What is the age of eligibility and are there punishments for those who don't register?

Members of the 101 Airborne Division stand for a photo while they walk out after Vice President J.D. Vance speech at Fort. Campbell Military Base in Fort Campbell, KY., on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.

The SSS states that nearly all male U.S. citizens between the ages of 18 to 25 are required to register for Selective Service. Required registration does not mean an individual will automatically enter military service. However, in the scenario of a draft, those registered could be selected through a lottery number based on their birth date.

In its existing form, eligible men are required to register for the pool on the SSS website. For men who do not register, potential penalties include imprisonment for up to five years and or a fine of no more than $250,000, says the SSS. Failure to register may also result in the denial of state-based student loans, acceptance to Federal jobs, and delayed U.S. citizenship proceedings for immigrants

Who is exempt from registering in the military draft pool?

Only men are required to register for the military draft pool with the SSS, and the ones exempt from registration are the following:

Advertisement Advertisement

Men Incarcerated, or hospitalized, or institutionalized for medical reasons.

Armed forces members on active duty

Students in Officer Procurement Programs at the Citadel, University of North Georgia, Norwich University, Virginia Military Institute, Texas A&M University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Cadets and Midshipmen at Service Academies or Coast Guard Academy.

Seasonal agricultural workers

How many eligible males are estimated to be in Tennessee?

Members of the 101 Airborne Division take to their seats before Vice President J.D. Vance arrives at Fort. Campbell Military Base in Fort Campbell, KY., on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.

According to 2022 Census estimates compiled by the Tennessee Department of Health, the total male population for ages 15-19 is 225,854 and 240,761 for 20-24. That being so, Tennessee has approximately 466,615 males eligible for automatic registration.

If ages 25-29 are included, that total rises to 708,868 eligible males, as there are 242,253 males between 25-29 in the state.

Is there a draft going on right now?

The current war and ceasefire in Iran have certainly raised questions about a U.S. military draft, but no active draft is transpiring, nor have any plans been announced.

Advertisement Advertisement

When asked about the potential of a draft, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that it was "not part of the current plan," though she did state Trump "keeps his options on the table."

If a draft were to transpire, Congress would first have to amend the Military Service Act, the federal law governing draft registration. "A national emergency, exceeding the Department of Wars capability to recruit and retain its total force strength," is what constitutes an amendment of the act, says the SSS.

When was the last military draft?

Sgt. Frank C. Verdung, right, gives some pointers on military bearing in his welcome address to a group of new arrivals to Ft. Campbell on March 3, 1966. The inductees are the first to take basic training at the base since the Korean War.

The last active U.S. military draft was in 1973 during the Vietnam war, with the final draftees being inducted in June of that year. Starting in August of 1964, a total of 1.8 million men were drafted, according to Gov Info. The draft lottery system famously associated with the Vietnam war was not introduced until December of 1969, says the Mid-American Veterans Museum.

The draft system was used from 1948 to 1973 to fill unoccupied military positions during both times of peace and conflict. Former President Jimmy Carter reinstated registration for the military draft under Presidential Proclamation 4771 in 1980.

Advertisement Advertisement

USA TODAY contributed with this report.

Peter Burditt covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact him at PBurditt@nashvill.gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Military draft? What TN men should know about automatic registration
On March 26, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a drought emergency in Deschutes, Umatilla and Baker counties at the request of county governments. Call that the first drop of what may soon be a flood of drought-related actions.

This may be the most challenging large-scale drought year Oregon has seen in decades.

Koteks executive order hinted at that. It also said forecasts suggest that below normal precipitation and streamflow conditions are likely to continue through summer in all counties following an extended period with precipitation and temperature conditions that contributed to well below normal snowpack.

Advertisement Advertisement

The deliberate language may understate the situation given whats developed in recent months. And thats without considering Wallowa and Jefferson counties, which didnt make the emergency cut for Koteks recent order but may before long.

For all that Oregon has a reputation as water-soaked, most of it is arid. Even most of the western region is less moist than many people believe, and water supply has trended to the low side for some years. This year something close to a perfect non-storm hit: Light precipitation plus unseasonably warm weather (such as now, as this is written). Much of Oregon got little or no snow last winter, in places where at least some snowfall is or has been more the norm.

Unseasonal warmth probably has been the bigger factor. Across nearly all of Oregon, since the current water year (as marked by federal agencies) started Oct. 1, precipitation mainly as rainfall across nearly all the state has been between between 70% and 90% of normal, meaning compared to the measurements from 1991 to 2020. (Two areas, the Hood-Sandy-Lower Deschutes and the Umatilla-Walla Walla, are slightly higher.) You can see all of this mapped on a federal Oregon snow survey web page.

The federal website drought.gov reported a month ago Stations in the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington are reporting the greatest snowpack deficits in the West. Some states, such as California, are already experiencing an early melt out of snow.

Advertisement Advertisement

And it said, Every major river basin in the West experienced its first or second warmest winter (December, January and February) on record. The Great Basin, Rio Grande, Arkansas-White-Red, and Upper and Lower Colorado River Basins experienced their warmest winter on record, while the Missouri and Columbia River Basins recorded their second warmest.

If that were being stored in snowpack in the mountain ranges, which is what normally happens, that wouldnt be a great problem.

But the snow water equivalent map from the National Resources Conservation Service shows Oregons basins (excepting the coast, which isnt counted the same way) are in hot red coloring  extremely low snow water percentages. Those numbers run as low as 0% in the John Day and the Malheur areas, but are down to 9% even in the Willamette.

As Larry ONeill, Oregons state climatologist, told the Oregon Capital Chronicle, Its a very worrying trend. Because it was so warm, our snowpack just really failed to build. Snowpack functionally acts as a reservoir for water. Basically, our largest reservoir of water is nearly empty at this point in time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Heres a comparison: Go back to April 2025, and youll see Oregon basins almost all bathed in blue, with nearly all percentages well above 100%.

Oregon hasnt looked nearly this dry, headed into spring and summer, since 2015, and even that wasnt quite as bad as our current readings. (The maps suggest Oregons drought may be on a level  adjusted for normal precipitation  with Nevada and Arizona.) That year, more than two-thirds of Oregons counties had drought declarations.

In the years since then, only 2022 has come close for dryness.

Put another way, if youre hearing that this looks like a drought year, think of conditions likely to affect you personally. If youre a farmer depending on irrigation, of course, the situation is much more extreme. Wildfires become higher risk in drought times too.

Advertisement Advertisement

So what can be done?

Drought declarations by the governor  and you can expect to see many more before the year is out  can help with access to some government programs and speeding reviews and funding, but they can do only so much. Conservation measures probably should get underway now.

Maybe the best thing we can do is use this year as an object lesson in what to prepare for, because the trend lines suggest were going to be seeing more of this, not less.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Emperor penguins and the Antarctic fur seal were moved to the endangered species list by the international organization that tracks extinction risk to plants and animals globally.

The decisions for both species were driven by the loss of sea ice in the Antarctic, wildlife groups said. Projections for warming and sea ice loss indicate the stately emperor penguin's population could be halved by the 2080s, the International Union for Conservation of Nature announced April 9.

Satellite images indicate a loss of around 10% of the population between 2009 and 2018 alone, equating to more than 20,000 adult penguins, the IUCN stated.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Penguins are already among the most threatened birds on Earth," said Martin Harper, the CEO of BirdLife International, which coordinated the latest assessment on the penguins. "The emperor penguins move to endangered is a stark warning: Climate change is accelerating the extinction crisis before our eyes."

Warming: March 2026 in US was the hottest March since records started 130+ years ago

A female emperor penguin hatches an egg at an oceanarium in Nanjing, Jiangsu province Feb.10, 2009. Emperor penguins were added to the endangered list as climate change threatens the sea ice they depend on to survive. An unidentified United States helicopter pilot moves in for a close up picture of an Emperor penguin on the Ross Sea ice shelf about 150kms north of Scott Base in Nov. 1995. In this handout photo provided by SeaWorld San Diego, a new emperor is in town at SeaWorld on Oct. 4, 2010 in San Diego, California. For the first time in eight years, an emperor penguin has hatched at the marine-life park's Penguin Encounter attraction. The 3-week-old, 2-pound chick hatched in mid-September and is being hand-raised by the SeaWorld's aviculturists in a behind-the-scenes nursery. This marks the 21st emperor penguin to hatch at the park since 1980. SeaWorld San Diego is world-renowned for its successful penguin breeding program and has hatched and raised more than 500 penguin chicks representing eight species in the last 30 years. The chick is expected to go on public display in about four months. Emperor penguins are seen in Dumont d'Urville, Antarctica April 10, 2012. Counting emperor penguins in their icy Antarctic habitat was not easy until researchers used new technology to map the birds from space, and they received a pleasant penguin surprise for their efforts. Using satellite mapping with resolution high enough to distinguish ice shadows from penguin poo, an international team has carried out what they say is an unprecedented penguin census from the heavens over the past three years. "Happy Feet" the emperor penguin that washed up on the Kapiti Coast last week, undergoes a medical examination at Wellington Zoo on June 29, 2011 in Wellington, New Zealand. The young penguin landed on NZ shores last week, after traveling over 3,000 kilometres from the antarctic. The ill penguin was operated on at Wellington Zoo several times this week to remove sand and sticks from it's stomach with hopes it will recover fully. A team of experts is likely to decide today, whether the bird will remain in captivity in New Zealand, or be transported back the antarctic. A new emperor penguin chick rests in a blanket at SeaWorld in San Diego, Calif., in this handout image released to Reuters on Oct. 25, 2023. A new emperor penguin chick is observed by a SeaWorld employee in San Diego, Calif. in this handout image released to Reuters on Oct. 25, 2023. An Emperor penguin waddles along sea ice off the Antarctic coast off Ross Island on Dec.9, 2006. Emperor penguins give attention to a person in costume at the penguin cage of Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on April 1, 2005 for the annual April Fool event to display a human being at the zoo. An Emperor Penguin stands on a beach on Kapiti coast June 20, 2011. The bird's arrival, the second ever recorded according to New Zealand's Department of Conservation, has caught the public's attention as Emperor Penguins usually live in Antarctica, more than 1,864 miles away. Emperor penguins added to endangered list, losing to climate change 1 of 10 A female emperor penguin hatches an egg at an oceanarium in Nanjing, Jiangsu province Feb.10, 2009. Emperor penguins were added to the endangered list as climate change threatens the sea ice they depend on to survive.

Emperor penguins "depend on stable Antarctic sea ice for at least 9 months a year  to mate, raise their chicks, and molt," the World Wildlife Fund stated in a news release. Since 2016, sea ice levels have dramatically declined, and in 2022, 4 out of 5 known breeding sites in the Bellingshausen Sea collapsed, with thousands of chicks freezing or drowning, the wildlife fund said.

In February 2026, sea ice in the Antarctic, where it's winter, had reached an annual low of roughly 996,000 square miles, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center and NASA. The coverage was significantly higher than the past four summers, but still 100,000 square miles lower than the 1981-2010 average.

Advertisement Advertisement

Emperor penguins have been considered threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 2022, because of the sea ice loss.

"For years these beloved penguins have been losing the sea ice they need to survive," said Dianne DuBois, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, which prompted the federal government to list the emperor penguin. "It would be a tragedy if iconic emperor penguins went extinct because we didnt acknowledge the reality of climate chaos and do everything in our power to stop it," DuBois added.

Emperor penguins are seen near Dumont d'Urville Station in Antarctica on April 10, 2012.

Similar conditions in the Antarctic are reducing food availability for the fur seal, which has suffered a 50% reduction in population over the past 25 years, the IUCN stated.

Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate change, wildlife and the environment for USA TODAY. Reach her at dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Emperor penguins now endangered due to sea ice loss in Antarctic
The European Commission is continuing to press for clarification after reports that Hungary has passed on internal EU information to Russia.

Journalistic reports have pointed to "the alarming possibility of a member state's government coordinating with Russia, thus actively working against the security and the interests of the EU and all its citizens," a spokeswoman for the European Commission said on Thursday.

"This is therefore extremely concerning, and it is for the member state's government in question to explain itself as a matter of urgency," she said, adding that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen would also raise the issue among EU leaders.

Advertisement Advertisement

A network of European investigative platforms have suggested that Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto regularly passed on internal EU information to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

The platforms base their claims on intercepted telephone conversations between Szijjarto and Lavrov, which are said to have been obtained by Western intelligence services.

Szijjarto is also said to have called his Russian counterpart on December 14, 2023, during a break in negotiations at an EU summit focused on the start of accession talks for Ukraine and Moldova.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban - Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally in the EU - threatened to veto the move unless the EU released 22 billion in frozen EU aid for Budapest.

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the investigative outlet VSquare, Lavrov told Szijjarto over the phone: "Sometimes good-willed direct blackmailing is the best option."

In the end, however, neither Orban's veto nor the release of EU funds materialized, with the Hungarian minister simply leaving the chamber during the vote.
Convicted former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan took his fight for freedom to the U.S. Court of Appeals Thursday. And he's hired some new powerhouse attorneys to make his case.

Madigan is serving a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence in Morgantown, West Virginia for corruption.

His fate is now in the hands of a three-judge panel at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse.

Madigan did not attend the hearing.

Advertisement Advertisement

His new legal team made the case that he was wrongfully convicted, and the jury was improperly instructed on how to view the evidence.

Madigan's daughter, former Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, was in court for the hearing but left without commenting.

Behind her was Madigan's new lead attorney, Amy Saharia, whose past clients include Hillary Clinton.

Madigan was convicted last year on 10 corruption counts, including bribery, racketeering and wire fraud. The jury found he schemed with ComEd executives, who provided jobs for Madigan associates in exchange for help with legislation.

Saharia told the three-judge panel that the allegations were far too vague to meet the legal standards for bribery, and that there were problems with parts of the jury instructions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Saharia went on to argue that making job recommendations are typical things that politicians do, contending that Madigan did not always support legislation that favored ComEd.

"He did not take cash, Rolex watches or trips to Vegas, as are commonly seen in bribery cases," Saharia said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz countered during her arguments that contrary to defense claims, the bribery charges had enough specific elements to meet the legal standards needed for conviction.

"The properly instructed jury had proper evidence to how Madigan engaged in quid pro quo bribery," Schwartz said.

During the hearing, Judges Michael Scudder and Nancy Maldonado were the only ones asking questions. Judge Frank Easterbrook only listened.

Advertisement Advertisement

Madigan's corrupt work with government mole Danny Solis, who secretly recorded meetings related to funneling property tax appeal business to Madigan's firm, also came up.

In the end, the government's attorney asked the panel to affirm Madigan's conviction.

"Mr. Madigan corrupted state government at the highest level. This is quintessential bribery made all the more serious by the extent of time and critical legislation impacted," Schwartz said.

The three-judge panel did not seem to give any reals hints of which way they might be leaning. And after the hearing Judge Easterbrook said they would take the case under advisement with a ruling coming at a later time.

Madigan asked President Donald Trump for a pardon late last year.

A clemency case has been opened and the petition is under review.

Madigan was disbarred, after the conviction.
By Alexandra Alper

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - A lobbying firm led by one of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting buddies helped a Chinese company make its case to a U.S. national security watchdog, public filings show.

The case involved a U.S. startup that was seeking to have the Chinese firm removed as one of its investors. The watchdog rejected the U.S. firm's request for a national security review of the Chinese firm's investment, according to a document seen by Reuters, handing a rare win to a Chinese company in Washington. The decision has not previously been reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

The lobbying firm, Checkmate, helped a lawyer for China's Grand Pharmaceutical Group clinch a meeting with the head of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) in early January, according to two people familiar with the matter. During the meeting, the lawyer argued that the case was a commercial disagreement with no national security implications, one of the people said.

At the end of January, the watchdog rejected the filing by Minnesota-based startup FastWave for reasons unrelated to national security, effectively siding with the Chinese firm, according to a document seen by Reuters.

FastWave, which had been granted calls with CFIUS staffers rather than senior officials that month, has been brought to the brink of bankruptcy, the company told CFIUS.

Reuters could not determine if the meeting Checkmate set up played a role in the CFIUS decision. There was no indication that Donald Trump Jr., President Donald Trump's eldest son, was involved. A representative for Don Jr. did not respond to requests for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

Such lobbying, by foreign or domestic companies is "very typical," according to Tim LaPira, a professor of political science at James Madison University. "If you want to speak to the party in power, you are going to need to hire somebody that has those partisan connections," he added.

Six China experts and three Democratic lawmakers who were informed of the situation by Reuters said the case raised concerns that Chinese companies could gain influence over the Trump administration by hiring lobbyists close to his orbit.

Michael Sobolik, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank, said that if a Chinese company can lobby the U.S. government into siding with it against an American firm on a national security matter, "that is the height of the swamp."

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said it was "troubling that Chinese companies are hiring Trump-connected lobbyists to influence independent decisions about American national security," calling for answers on who made the decisions and what CFIUS's risk assessments of the deal found.

Advertisement Advertisement

The White House rejected the criticism.

"Nothing has changed with CFIUSs diligence, investigation, or enforcement operations, which continue to robustly and vigilantly safeguard Americas national security interests," said Kush Desai, a White House spokesman, adding that any implication that the Trump administration would weaken CFIUS at the behest of special interests was "categorically false."

Chris LaCivita Jr., a spokesperson for Checkmate, said Grand Pharma was "an investor in American companies that Checkmate briefly helped navigate a regulatory issue," adding that the firm "does not pose a national security threat."

COMMERCIAL DISPUTE OR NATIONAL SECURITY RISK

Advertisement Advertisement

Checkmate is led by Ches McDowell, who appears in social media posts hunting with Don Jr. and co-owns a property with him. Checkmate's LaCivita said McDowell, though listed on Grand Pharma's lobbying disclosure, did not personally work on the matter. Reuters found no evidence to the contrary.

Grand Pharma hired Checkmate in December, and paid the firm $30,000 for two weeks of work on CFIUS matters that month, filings show.

The CFIUS rejection came weeks after the early January meeting that Checkmate secured for Jeff Bialos, Grand Pharma's lawyer, with Chris Pilkerton, newly confirmed by the Senate at the time to lead CFIUS, according to the two sources.

FastWave's counsel sought a call with Pilkerton on two occasions in January, but it was only able to arrange calls with CFIUS staffers, according to documents seen by Reuters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Bialos, a former senior Pentagon official now a partner at the Eversheds Sutherland law firm, and Checkmate's LaCivita acknowledged Checkmate arranged a meeting with senior Treasury officials, but declined to say with whom. In an interview with Reuters, Bialos said he could have arranged the meeting himself. Treasury did not respond to questions about Pilkerton.

Bialos described the process as "a lengthy fact-based investigation" whose outcome was not "politically driven. He said the case amounted to "a private commercial dispute... being squeezed into the CFIUS box."

FastWave CEO Scott Nelson told Reuters "the opaque and highly irregular procedural decisions" from CFIUS made it difficult for his company to protect its critical technology from a Chinese investor.

To lobby CFIUS on its behalf, FastWave hired Corcoran Partners, whose managing partner, Matthew Blair, is the brother of White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair, filings show. Corcoran did not respond to a request for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

A spokesperson for Treasury, which leads CFIUS, said CFIUS could not comment on individual cases. The Chinese Embassy in Washington declined to comment.

LASER SHIPMENTS REGULATED

In 2021, Grand Pharma invested $12 million in FastWave, which later started manufacturing a special catheter to treat calcium build-up in arteries using a laser.

U.S. shipments of that laser to China are regulated because they could also be used to enhance the Chinese military's warfare capabilities, according to U.S. rules.

FastWave, which initially welcomed Grand Pharma's investment, asked CFIUS in 2025 to review it. Fastwave hoped the committee would force Grand Pharma to divest its 40% stake or make it a passive investor, fearing that the Chinese firm could be seeking to steal its intellectual property and was blocking its attempts to raise money, according to the documents seen by Reuters.

Advertisement Advertisement

In its 2021 agreement, Grand Pharma gained veto rights over future capital raises, a common investor request to avoid diluting its position.

FastWave became concerned about potential theft of its intellectual property after it saw a press release on Grand Pharma's website disclosing a new partnership with Jiangsu Zhenyi Medical Technology Co., Ltd, a Chinese rival to FastWave, FastWave said.

Jiangsu Zhenyi Medical Technology could not be reached for comment. Bialos said Grand Pharma was merely distributing the device for it and that the relationship did not violate Grand Pharma's commitments to FastWave. Reuters could not independently establish whether the relationship violated FastWave and Grand Pharma's agreements.

CFIUS in January rejected FastWave's filing in the case, stating that FastWave's responses included "material misstatements," according to a letter CFIUS sent to FastWave and seen by Reuters. For example, one of the alleged misstatements concerned the extent to which Grand Pharma engaged in negotiations with FastWave over its efforts to raise capital.

Advertisement Advertisement

In its letter, CFIUS accused FastWave of contradicting itself by telling the committee in July 2025 that Grand Pharma had not provided "substantive feedback" on a financing round, while in August saying that Grand Pharma had in fact engaged in "substantive discussion." FastWave, in its response to CFIUS in February 2026, countered that Grand Pharma's feedback -- edits on a termsheet -- was not substantive and came only after FastWave's July statement to CFIUS.

In its rejection, CFIUS did not address any potential national security risks posed by the deal.

In a statement to Reuters, Treasury emphasized that CFIUS may reject any filing for "material misstatements."

FastWave could technically file a fresh petition to CFIUS but the company's "significant financial distress" means such a filing would not be feasible, FastWave said in a response to CFIUS in February.

Advertisement Advertisement

Tatiana Sullivan, a lawyer who works on CFIUS cases, said the committee's letter was unusual. She said CFIUS normally works with companies to address any misunderstandings, only rejecting filings outright over "serious inaccuracies" tied to national security.

Nelson, the FastWave CEO, said the rejection came "months after the underlying statements were made," and that CFIUS "never informed us of these concerns, and gave us no opportunity to clarify or correct them before rejecting the filing on the very last day of an extensive review period that lasted over 200 days and included 29 question sets." Treasury did not respond to questions about the process.

McDowell is a North Carolina lobbyist who met Trump Jr. at a conservative gala in 2016 and won his friendship by offering him a hunting trip better than the one Trump had just bid on, Checkmate confirmed. The two have owned a North Carolina property together since 2021, according to a deed seen by Reuters.

In one of Don Jr.'s Instagram posts from October 2024, McDowell stands beside Don Jr. and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy as they hold live falcons. In a January 2024 post on Facebook, Don Jr., his brother, Eric Trump, and McDowell pose with rifles on a dock above 12 dead birds.

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper; additional reporting by Andy Sullivan and Michael Martina; editing by Chris Sanders and Claudia Parsons)
Claim:

Former U.S. President Barack Obama "gave" Iran $1.7 billion in cash in 2016, sending pallets of money to the country.

Rating:

Rating: Mixture

What's True:

The Obama administration approved a $1.7 billion payment to Iran in 2016 and U.S. officials later acknowledged the transfer was made entirely in non-U.S. cash because sanctions had cut Iran off from the normal dollar-based financial system. Reporting at the time described an initial $400 million tranche arriving on pallets of foreign currency the same day Iran released American prisoners.

Advertisement Advertisement

What's False:

The money was not a gift, donation or discretionary giveaway from Obama to Iran. It represented a settlement of a decades-old legal dispute over $400 million Iran had paid the U.S., before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, for military equipment it never received, plus about $1.3 billion in interest. Social media posts that frame the transfer simply as Obama "giving" Iran money omit that context.

For years, social media users have claimed former U.S. President Barack Obama simply "gave" Iran $1.7 billion in cash, often describing pallets of money loaded onto cargo planes in the middle of the night.

Advertisement Advertisement

For example, one March 2026 Reddit post (archived) stated, "Obama gave pallets of cash ($1.7B) to Iran in 2016 via unmarked cargo planes."

(Reddit u/Academic_Court_47)

Other examples of the rumor appeared on X and Instagram, while our readers also emailed us and searched our website for more information.

President Donald Trump also repeated the allegation during his April 1, 2026, "Address to the Nation on Military Operations in Iran," during which he said:

Obama gave [Iran] $1.7 billion in cash. Green, green cash  took it out of banks from Virginia, D.C. and Maryland. All the cash they had. Flew it by airplanes in an attempt to buy their respect and loyalty, but it didn't work. They laughed at our president and went on with their mission to have a nuclear bomb.

In short, elements of the claim are true but the social media posts and Trump's speech omitted key context. The Obama administration did approve a $1.7 billion payment to Iran in 2016 and later reporting said the money was delivered in foreign cash. The payment was not simply given or a gift to the Islamic Republic. It represented the settlement of a decades-old legal dispute regarding $400 million that Iran paid the U.S., before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, for military equipment it never received, plus roughly $1.3 billion in interest.

Advertisement Advertisement

As a result, we've rated this claim a mixture of true and false information.

Why US sent Iran $1.7 billion

The dispute dated back to the fall of the shah of Iran in 1979. Before the revolution, Iran paid the United States $400 million for military equipment. After relations between the two countries collapsed, the equipment was never delivered and the money became the subject of a legal claim at the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal in The Hague.

When the settlement was announced on Jan. 17, 2016, Obama said, "Iran will be returned its own funds, including appropriate interest, but much less than the amount Iran sought." He added that the agreement could save the U.S. billions of dollars compared to the possible outcome if the case had continued.

Administration officials later said the settlement involved the return of the $400 million principal plus about $1.3 billion in interest, and argued that settling saved taxpayer money because Iran had reportedly been seeking a much larger sum.

Advertisement Advertisement

So while it is accurate to say the Obama administration sent Iran $1.7 billion, social media posts often leave out the fact the money was largely Iran's own, tied to a decades-old unresolved claim.

Why was it paid in cash?

At an Aug. 4, 2016, press conference, Obama said the payment was made in cash because the United States had no banking relationship with Iran:

The reason that we had to give them cash is precisely because we are so strict in maintaining sanctions and we do not have a banking relationship with Iran that we couldn't send them a check and we could not wire the money.

A month later, on Sept. 7, 2016, The Associated Press reported that the $1.7 billion settlement was paid in cash because sanctions had isolated the Islamic Republic from the international financial system. As a result, the payment was made in euros, Swiss francs and other foreign currencies rather than through a bank transfer.

AP and The New York Times said the initial $400 million tranche was delivered on pallets. Both also reported that the Obama administration declined to say whether the remaining $1.3 billion was paid in cash. Josh Earnest, who served as White House press secretary under Obama between 2014 and 2017, did not deny that the cash was delivered on pallets during an Aug. 8, 2016, press briefing.

Advertisement Advertisement

During a Sept. 8, 2016, Committee on Financial Services hearing, former Treasury official Paul Ahern told the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation that "U.S. dollars were not dispersed to Iran" (Page 42).

In sum, the $1.7 billion was paid as part of the settlement of a decades-old dispute, not as a giveaway, as some social media users suggested.

Why critics called it ransom

The controversy surrounding the payment spread because the first $400 million installment arrived on the same day Iran released several American prisoners. In early August 2016, The Wall Street Journal drew widespread attention to the timing by reporting that the initial tranche had been airlifted to Iran in cash as the detainees were being freed. The sequence of events led critics to accuse the Obama administration of paying a ransom in return for the prisoner release.

The administration denied that characterization. In early August 2016, Reuters reported that White House officials said the U.S. had "not paid a ransom" and would not do so.

Advertisement Advertisement

At the same time, administration officials acknowledged there was deliberate sequencing to the events. In a Jan. 19, 2016, White House briefing, Earnest said the timing was "not a coincidence," while also stating the payment was part of a separate long-running claims process. In an Aug. 18, 2016, State Department briefing, spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. sought to "retain maximum leverage until after American citizens were released."

The bottom line

All in all, the claim circulating on social media is based on a real event. In early 2016, the Obama administration did send Iran $1.7 billion, and the payment was made in foreign cash because sanctions had cut Iran off from the normal banking system. However, posts claiming Obama simply "gave" Iran that money leave out critical context. The payment represented a legal settlement consisting of $400 million Iran had paid the U.S. before 1979 for undelivered military goods, plus about $1.3 billion in interest.

This is not the first time we have examined viral claims about Iran and U.S. officials. For instance, we have previously investigated allegations that the Biden administration "unfroze" $16 billion for Iran and that Hillary Clinton supplied uranium to the country.

Sources:

'Hague Claims Tribunal Settlement'. U.S. Department of State, //2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2016/01/251338.htm. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

Advertisement Advertisement

independent, Associated Press The Associated Press is an, and not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. "$1.7-Billion Payment to Iran Was All in Cash Due to Effectiveness of Sanctions, White House Says." Los Angeles Times, 7 Sept. 2016, https://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-iran-payment-cash-20160907-snap-story.html.

"Investigating the Obama Administration's $400 Million Payment to Iran." PBS News, 4 Aug. 2016, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/investigating-obama-administrations-400-million-payment-iran.

'Iranian Revolution'. Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/event/Iranian-Revolution.

"Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal." United States Department of State, https://www.state.gov/iran-u-s-claims-tribunal/. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

Advertisement Advertisement

Obama Administration Acknowledges $1.7B Transfer to Iran Was All Cash - CBS News. 6 Sept. 2016, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-administration-acknowledges-1-7-billion-transfer-to-iran-was-all-cash/.

PerryCook, Taija. "Inspecting Claim Hillary Clinton Supplied Iran with Uranium for Nuclear Program." Snopes, 10 July 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/hillary-clinton-supply-iran-uranium/.

"Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest, 1/19/2016." Whitehouse.Gov, 19 Jan. 2016, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/01/19/press-briefing-press-secretary-josh-earnest-1192016.

"Press Conference by the President After Meeting with National Security Officials." Whitehouse.Gov, 4 Aug. 2016, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/08/04/press-conference-president-after-meeting-national-security-officials.

Advertisement Advertisement

Shan, Cindy. "Claims Biden Unfroze $16 Billion for Iran Are Missing Context." Snopes, 25 June 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/biden-unfreeze-16-billion-iran/.

Shear, Michael D., and David E. Sanger. 'What Is the #PalletsOfCash Debate?' The New York Times, 4 Aug. 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/05/world/middleeast/iran-cash-delivery-white-house-ransom.html.

"Statement by the President on Iran." Whitehouse.Gov, 17 Jan. 2016, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/01/17/statement-president-iran.

"Statement by the President on Iran." Whitehouse.Gov, 17 Jan. 2016, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/01/17/statement-president-iran.

"Statement by the President on Iran." Whitehouse.Gov, 17 Jan. 2016, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/01/17/statement-president-iran.

"Statement by the President on Iran." Whitehouse.Gov, 17 Jan. 2016, https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/01/17/statement-president-iran.

"US Payment of $1.7 Billion to Iran Made Entirely in Cash." AP News, 7 Sept. 2016, https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-fd4113419276444eba1d2a46d5c29752.
By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY, April 9 (Reuters) - Pope Leo leaves on Monday for a visit to four countries in Africa, in an ambitious tour to urge world leaders to address the needs of the continent. Here is a history of papal visits to Africa, where more than 20% of the world's Catholics live.

POPE PAUL VI (1963 to 1978)

Pope Paul VI, the first pope to leave Italy in 150 years, made the first papal visit to Africa in 1969. He visited Uganda, seven years after the country's independence from Britain. Over the three-day visit, he made 19 speeches and ordained 12 new Catholic bishops. In a speech to the Ugandan parliament, he asked them to pursue a peace agenda. "No longer should violence be the means of resolving disagreements among men, but reason and love," said the pope.

Advertisement Advertisement

POPE JOHN PAUL II (1978 to 2005)

Pope John Paul II made 15 visits to Africa and travelled to 41 countries on the continent. A nine-day trip to five countries in southern Africa in 1988 was marred by a hostage stand-off in Lesotho, when gunmen hijacked a bus full of pilgrims and demanded a meeting to discuss political issues in the country. A rescue operation killed three gunmen and two hostages. On that trip, John Paul also condemned South Africa's apartheid system. He was the last pope to visit Equatorial Guinea, in 1982.

POPE BENEDICT XVI (2005 to 2013)

Pope Benedict made two visits to Africa. He was the last pope to visit Cameroon and Angola, in 2009. While that visit was welcomed by enthusiastic crowds, it was overshadowed in global coverage by a comment the pope made on his flight to Cameroon. Asked whether the Church could relax its ban on Catholics using condoms to help fight the transmission of HIV/AIDS, Benedict said allowing condoms would only "increase the problem". With some 22.5 million Africans living with HIV at the time, the comments sparked international outcry.

Advertisement Advertisement

POPE FRANCIS (2013 to 2025)

Pope Francis made five visits to Africa. A 2015 visit to the Central African Republic, then in the midst of a two-year sectarian conflict, was the first time a pope had travelled to an active war zone. Vatican officials were advising the pope not to make the trip. Travelling on to the country from Uganda, Francis warned the plane's pilot: "I want to go to CAR, if you can't manage it, give me a parachute!" Francis made a 2023 visit to South Sudan in coordination with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the first time that the leaders of the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion made a joint foreign visit.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Alison Williams)
The family and the lawyer of Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, the 36-year-old man shot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on April 7 in Northern California, believe he was wrongfully targeted by the federal government based on "bad information."

Mendoza Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant, was stopped by federal immigration officers "for questioning in connection to a murder" at about 6:30 a.m. on April 7 in Patterson, California, according to information released by multiple law enforcement agencies.

Todd Lyons, acting ICE director, said in a statement on April 7 that as officers approached the vehicle, Mendoza Hernandez allegedly "weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run an officer over."

Advertisement Advertisement

"Following their training, our officers fired defensive shots to protect themselves, their fellow agents, and the public," Lyons said.

Patrick Kolasinski, the family's lawyer, disputed the idea that Mendoza Hernandez was trying to hurt the officers. As officers approached the vehicle, Kolasinski claimed that Mendoza Hernandez attempted to flee the area, driving toward the officers, resulting in two of the agents drawing their firearms and shooting at Mendoza Hernandez.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are pictured during an immigration raid in Mecca, California, on Dec. 19, 2025.

During a press conference on April 8, Kolasinski said he thinks ICE may have mistakenly targeted Mendoza Hernandez.

Kolasinski noted that Mendoza Hernandez was arrested in El Salvador in connection with a murder case, based on court documents obtained by the lawyer. He didn't mention what charges Mendoza Hernandez was originally arrested for, but noted that he was later acquitted of those charges.

Advertisement Advertisement

Lyons claimed in a statement released shortly after the shooting on April 7 that Mendoza Hernandez was a "wanted gang member" of the 18th Street Gang. But Kolasinski refutes that claim, noting that he had spoken with Mendoza Hernandez's family in El Salvador, who stated, "He was never in a gang."

Kolasinski noted that there were no warrants out for Mendoza Hernandez's arrest at the time of the shooting, and he had lived in Patterson since 2019.

Kolasinski did not want to speculate on why ICE may have targeted Mendoza Hernandez, but based on the information available to him and Mendoza Hernandez's family, it appeared to be a "horrible mistake."

"The arrest may have been connected to (the gang), but he was not in it, which is why we think he was the only person acquitted," Kolasinski said during the press conference. "We think this was a horrible mistake made on bad information, but it makes no sense for ICE to have found him."

Advertisement Advertisement

USA TODAY reached out to ICE regarding Kolasinski's claim, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Mendoza Hernandez's fiance, Cindy, who asked that the media not use her last name to protect her family's safety, shared that she believed her fiance may have been placed on the federal government's radar after the pair was stopped by police in Turlock, California, the week before for a crack in her vehicle's windshield. The officers allowed the two to leave after it was determined that neither had an active warrant.

"If they do have something against Carlos, at that moment, they do have the right to detain him, so why didn't they do that?" she said during the press conference. "I believe the incident is coming from there, and I don't know if he was targeted for that one."

Where is Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez ?

It's unclear where Mendoza Hernandez is currently located.

Advertisement Advertisement

When asked about Mendoza Hernandez's condition, Kolasinski and Cindy said hospital staff at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto and federal law enforcement have left them in the dark about his whereabouts.

When Kolasinski went to the hospital on the evening of April 7, he said that he was not allowed to speak with Mendoza Hernandez or the hospital administration to learn about his client's health.

"I was given the outside contractor security company's supervisor, and they said 'I can't tell you anything' and walked away," Kolasinski said. "We just don't know what is happening."

Cindy shared that she briefly spoke with a social worker on April 7 after being interviewed by an FBI agent at the hospital. She said the social worker confirmed that Mendoza Hernandez was being treated at the hospital and that his condition had stabilized, but was unauthorized to provide any additional information about her fiance.

Advertisement Advertisement

The worker told Cindy that she would contact her at 8 a.m. on April 8, but at the time of the press conference, Cindy and Kolasinski said they had not received a phone call from the hospital.

Before the press conference, Cindy drove to the hospital and asked the staff if she could visit Mendoza Hernandez, but was informed that he was no longer in the hospital's system.

More: Man hospitalized after ICE shooting in Northern California

'In this case, it is my family'

Cindy has watched immigration enforcement ramp up throughout the country, and also what has happened in the aftermath of federal immigration agents fatally shooting two American citizens during protests in Minnesota in January.

Advertisement Advertisement

She prayed that it would never happen to her family, but yesterday shattered that illusion, she shared during the press conference.

"I understand they want to look for people. I understand they want to make this country better as they mentioned, but in reality, they are impacting families," Cindy said. "In this case, it is my family."

She noted that Mendoza Hernandez is a "good dad" who would drive in the early hours of the morning to make it to his job in the Bay Area, restoring burned and damaged homes, and still make it home in time to put his daughter to bed.

Over the last 24 hours, a moment that resonated with Cindy was watching her 2-year-old daughter wait by the door for her father to return home, she shared in a press conference.

Advertisement Advertisement

"It was hard for her to go to sleep," Cindy said. "She was asking (for her) daddy, looking around the room, and she went to sleep around 1 a.m."

After spending hours searching for her fiance, Cindy knew she needed to speak out publicly about his shooting in hopes of finding answers.

"There's no one contacting me," Cindy said. "I'm actually worried because there are a lot of people that are against (us) and supporting us. But I have read the comments on social media. It's painful. People wishing for him to die."

"How did we get to this point as humans? Why are we wishing for someone's death?" Cindy added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. Sign up for the TODAY Californian newsletter or follow us on Facebook at TODAY Californian.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California man shot by ICE was not in a gang, family and lawyer say
TEHRAN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has exchanged views with his Saudi, Iraqi and South Korean counterparts on his country's ceasefire with the United States and Israel.

In separate phone calls, Araghchi briefed Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on the latest regional developments following the announcement of the ceasefire, according to statements released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

He highlighted Iran's responsible approach in accepting the intermediaries' ceasefire proposal, stressing that the United States launched "military aggressions" against Iran two times in the middle of nuclear negotiations over the past months.

Araghchi said the United States has been acting in violation of its commitments, while diplomacy and negotiation have not yet taken form.

Araghchi called on all parties to adhere to the ceasefire as a basis for a complete end to the war on all fronts, adding, "If the other side adheres to its commitments during the ceasefire period, safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible in coordination with the Iranian armed forces and while taking into account the existing technical limitations."

He condemned Israel's recent "aggression" against Lebanon and the killing of hundreds of people, emphasizing that stopping Israel's "military aggression" against Lebanon was part of the ceasefire agreement.

Araghchi added Israel's attacks against Lebanon are "criminal actions to continue the war in the region and damage diplomacy," the consequences of which will be borne by the United States.

The Saudi foreign minister voiced his country's support for the ceasefire agreement and ongoing efforts to restore stability and security in West Asia, expressing hope that the truce would lay the groundwork for the complete cessation of the war and return of security and stability to the region.

The Iraqi foreign minister welcomed the cessation of the war as well as the U.S. and Israeli "military aggression" against Iran, hoping that the temporary ceasefire would result in a complete and irreversible end to the war as well as the establishment of peace and stability in the region.

While welcoming the announcement of the ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities on all fronts, the South Korean foreign minister emphasized the importance of halting military attacks across the region and ensuring lasting stability and security through ongoing negotiations and achieving tangible results.

A two-week ceasefire was announced early Wednesday by the United States and Iran. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would comply with the truce but would continue military operations in Lebanon. 
Friday marks one year since a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, killing the pilot and a family of five from Spain.

The tragedy has sparked calls for increased safety measures for sightseeing flights.

It comes after the New York Helicopter Tours chartered chopper broke apart in the air and crashed into the Hudson River near Lower Manhattan on April 10, 2025.

The crash killed pilot Sean Johnson as well as Agustin Escobar Canadas, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children.

Advertisement Advertisement

The family of the victims from Spain made an emotional visit to the Hudson River on Thursday where they honored their loved ones, but they wanted the visit to also be about turning their grief into action.

They stood side by side with local elected officials to push for Congress to pass the Helicopter Safety Parity Act.

"We want to avoid more people suffering what we suffered," said family member Joan Camprubi Montal. "And aviation safety for us should not be a choice, it should be a responsibility. Our prayer is that no family will suffer this again."

Congressmen Jerry Nadler and Dan Goldman, and other elected officials introduced the bipartisan legislation Thursday at the Christopher Street Pier.

Advertisement Advertisement

Lawmakers say the legislation aims to close longstanding regulatory loopholes and require sightseeing helicopter operators to meet the same rigorous safety standards as commercial airlines.

"It would subject the helicopters to much more rigorous inspection, the same standards as commercial aircraft basically," Rep. Jerry Nadler said. "That would mean inspections more often and more thoroughly."

It was busy at the Wall Street heliport where folks took to the skies on Thursday, including tourists from Thailand. They support the legislation.

"That's even better. I think it will bring more tourists," one tourist said.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Camprubi family hopes to make the skies safer for sightseers, all while honoring their loved ones.

"My sister was a smiley person. A really good mother. A really good sister. She was probably part of the energy of our family that now we're missing," Joan Camprubi Montal said. "We want to remember them with a smile, because they were young, they were happy and we want to keep this memory."

Elected officials say they are still waiting on the official findings from the NTSB on what caused the crash.

----------

* 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.




Farmers have been hit by spiking fertilizer and fuel prices as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran disrupts global trade and supplies, but a North Dakota ag group is trying to work on a long-term solution to fertilizer shortages.

The North Dakota Grain Growers Association is urging federal policymakers to change the rules of a loan program that helps farmers with grain storage. The group wants to expand the program to cover on-farm fertilizer storage.

Ed Kessel, past president of the North Dakota Grain Growers Association. (Photo courtesy of the ND Grain Growers)

Ed Kessel, past president of the group, said its important to have access to fertilizer when it is really needed. More on-farm storage would help guarantee that fertilizer is applied when the crop can use it most efficiently, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Kessel said global demand for fertilizer is outpacing supply, but simply increasing production doesnt necessarily solve the problem, he said.

He said fertilizer producers and retailers have some storage capacity, but not enough.

If we did produce more fertilizer, where would we put it? Kessel said. So our feeling was it doesnt do a lot of good to have an increase in production if we cant store it.

The program change would help farmers pay for on-farm storage through low-interest loans.

The Farm Storage Facility Loan program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Kessel said he would like to see the program expanded for fertilizer as part of the next farm bill rather than a separate legislation. But, the farm bill is not moving anywhere fast, he said.

Kessel was part of a delegation to Washington, D.C., in February lobbying for the change, which will require congressional approval, he said.

North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said the idea makes sense, especially given that fertilizer requires some specialized storage features that also add expense. He said the potential costs saved on fertilizer would likely justify the cost of the storage and the interest on the loan

Youre going to be paying more, but what a value that would be, Goehring said. You have the ability to lay some (fertilizer) in when the price is reasonable.

Global demand for fertilizer has increased, but farm equipment and operations also have gotten more efficient. With farmers covering more acres at a faster pace, fertilizer supplies need to be replaced more quickly, Kessel said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Kessel, who farms near Belfield, west of Dickinson, said he fertilizes as he plants. He said it used to take him all day to plant about 90 acres. Now he can plant 90 acres in a couple of hours.

If the fertilizer runs out, he will park the planter, he said.

North Dakota, with the nations only state-owned bank, has developed its own ag loan programs in the last year as farmers have had to deal with natural disasters and a weak farm economy.

Kessel said he has considered a North Dakota program, but said it is really a national issue.

So it would be one thing to get it done here, but I think ideally something that would be put into place for all farmers, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

It takes a lot of energy to produce chemical fertilizers. Basin Electric Power Cooperative produces fertilizer at its Dakota Gasification Plant near Beulah, but North Dakota is an importer of fertilizer.

The energy-rich Middle East is a prime area of production. But the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the disruption in shipping with closing the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf has helped drive up the cost of fuel and fertilizer.

Josh Linville is the vice president and fertilizer expert for the StoneX Group, a financial services company.

Linville, in a report issued Monday, a day before a two-week cease-fire in the war was announced, said that even if the war ended quickly, it may be too late to help U.S. farmers this year. It takes a month for a ship to go from the Persian Gulf to North America and weeks more to get the fertilizer supplies to the farmers.

Advertisement Advertisement

It will take weeks or months to get back to normal, Linville said.

Those same shipping disruptions also have affected fuel prices.

Kessel said he has already paid for about 90% of the fertilizer he will need this year but only about half the fuel he will need.

Tractors and trucks burn diesel fuel, which is even more expensive than gasoline. Diesel was at $4.84 a gallon in North Dakota on Wednesday, according to AAA.

He said he is already seeing shipping costs increase for supplies he needs at the farm, such as equipment parts. He said high fuel prices will make it more expensive to get his crops to market, too.

Advertisement Advertisement

Thats a bigger concern, actually, Kessel said. Fuel has a trickle-down effect on it.

Reach North Dakota Monitor deputy editor Jeff Beach at jbeach@northdakotamonitor.com.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
The FBI and Atlanta police are warning parents about an extremist group called 764, which authorities say targets minors through online platforms.

This is a form of violence, motivated by a hatred of society and a drive to cause the collapse through indiscriminate chaos and destruction, said Brian Ozden, assistant special agent in charge at the FBI in Atlanta.

Authorities said several cases linked to the group are currently under investigation in Atlanta.

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the FBI, 764 was formed in 2021. After the arrest of the original leaders, the group fragmented, but its members continue to operate under the same name.

The group primarily operates in online chatrooms, seeking to contact and influence teenagers.

The group lures children, in some cases as young as 9 years old, to private platforms and then grooms them through intimidation and abuse, said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.

Once contact is made, authorities said, the group coerces victims into acts of animal cruelty, self-harm, or harming others.

Officials said the group often leverages compromising information to force minors into dangerous acts.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Atlanta Police Department has currently opened five investigations, which we believe could be connected to these groups, Atlanta Police Sgt Brian Hill said.

This includes multiple cases where minors allegedly called in bomb threats to businesses and schools.

Sgt. Brian Hill said cases of terrorist threats have involved minors ages 9 to 15, which authorities believe may be linked to these groups.

Additionally, the department says it is looking at a potential link between 764 and cases of animal abuse.

In February, a man decapitated a dog and left the head on his front porch, starting a SWAT standoff. After the mans arrest, police found gang symbols graffiti on the walls, along with the numbers 764. Police are still working to see what led to the mans actions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Looking beyond Atlanta, the FBI said they are investigating more than 400 leads linked to the group nationwide, including more than 50 in Georgia.

At the same time, advocates expressed concern that the group is targeting minors on the platforms they use almost every day.

They are identifying and grooming minors, children, 8 to 17 years old, through the platforms that your kids are spending time on, Titania Jordan, Chief Parenting Officer of Bark Technologies, said, This is the darkest thing that I have seen affecting children outside of predation and exploitation and trafficking.

This is a real, credible danger happening to real children just like the ones in your home. So talk to your children today, Jordan said.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Washington  First lady Melania Trump on Thursday delivered remarks denying any friendship or relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and she called on Congress to hold a public hearing with Epstein's survivors.

In a six-minute livestreamed statement from the White House, the first lady for the first time following the Justice Department's release of troves of Epstein records publicly and directly addressed the Epstein matter. The first lady said "now is the time for Congress to act."

"I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors," the first lady told a group of gathered reporters at the White House. "Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony. Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the congressional record. Then and only then, we will have the truth. Thank you."

Advertisement Advertisement

The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, called the first lady's remarks "pretty stunning," and said her call for a hearing with the testimony of Epstein survivors is something "that we have been asking for for months and have been told every time that it wasn't possible."

"We certainly welcome and agree with her call to hear directly from the survivors," he told MS NOW shortly after the first lady's remarks. He added, "I think what is important about what the first lady said is that she is being clear that there are still powerful men out there. There are still stories to be told."

President Trump told MS NOW he didn't "know anything about" the first lady's statement before she made it. The first lady's spokesperson told CBS News that the West Wing was aware she was going to be making a statement, but would not confirm whether anyone was aware of what the topic or contents of the statement would be.

It's unclear why the first lady delivered her statement on Thursday, instead of immediately following the release of specific records. Old photos of the Trumps with Epstein and Maxwell have been publicly available, and the Justice Department emails revealed the first lady and Maxwell corresponded at least once over email.

Advertisement Advertisement

Asked why Melania Trump decided to make this statement now and whether she was referring to any particular report or allegations, or whether there was some forthcoming story, her spokesperson pointed CBS News to a statement that the first lady's senior adviser, Marc Beckman, gave directly to the New York Post.

"First Lady Melania Trump spoke out now because enough is enough," Beckman said. "The lies must stop. It is time for the public and media to focus on her incredible achievements as First Lady, the lives she has positively impacted, and her commitment to our nation."

Melania Trump said Epstein did not introduce her to Donald Trump, and the brief email exchange released in the DOJ records between her and Maxwell was merely a "polite," "casual" reply.

"I am not Epstein's victim," the first lady said. "Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in detail in my book Melania. The first time I crossed paths with Epstein was in the year 2000 at an event Donald and I attended together. At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings. Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false."

Advertisement Advertisement

"I have never had any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of his victims," she added. "I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant. Was never on Epstein's plane. And never visited his private island."

More than a dozen Epstein survivors released a statement Thursday following the first lady's remarks, saying they "have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports, and giving testimony."

"Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice," the statement said, which also accused the first lady of "shifting the burden onto survivors under politicized conditions that protect those with power."

Jane Chick and Sara Cook contributed to this report.

Advertisement Advertisement

See the texts a man sent his friend after his wife's disappearance in the Bahamas

Texas mom's remains discovered in a hidden grave decades after her disappearance

NASA holds press conference after Artemis II splashdown
Pam Bondi will not testify about the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein to a congressional committee next week because she is no longer the US attorney general, the justice department says.

The justice department told the House Oversight Committee that Bondi will not appear at the 14 April deposition as she was "subpoenaed in her capacity as Attorney General," a committee spokesperson confirmed to the BBC.

Bondi was removed from her role as America's top law enforcement officer by President Donald Trump last week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Some members on the committee say they will push for Bondi to answer questions at a later date.

Nancy Mace, a Republican member of the committee, said the subpoena requires Bondi to appear and her no longer being attorney general does not "erase her obligation to testify and does not end Congressional oversight".

Mace urged Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer, to "publicly reaffirm former Attorney General Pam Bondi's legal obligation to appear for her deposition".

"The American people deserve to know whether Congress was misled and whether information about Jeffrey Epstein and his associates is being withheld," Mace wrote.

Advertisement Advertisement

Ranking Democrat Robert Garcia echoed those sentiments.

"She must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges," he wrote in a statement.

Bondi has not commented.

Earlier this year, Bondi was formally summoned to answer questions over any "possible mismanagement" of the justice department's investigation into the late convicted sex offender, according to a subpoena letter written by Comer.

Bondi and the Trump administration have faced pressure across the political spectrum to release all of the documents related to Epstein.

Last November, Trump signed into law legislation passed by Congress compelling the justice department to release all of the material from its investigations into Epstein.

Advertisement Advertisement

After millions of documents were released, the agency faced bipartisan backlash, with some lawmakers accusing it of failing to obscure some identifying information about survivors, and of allegedly protecting the identities of those who were not victims.

"As Attorney General, you are directly responsible for overseeing the Department's collection, review, and determinations regarding the release of files pursuant to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and the Committee therefore believes that you possess valuable insight into these efforts," Comer said of Bondi last month.

The congressional committee has already compelled a number of high-profile figures to testify in the case, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

On Tuesday, the committee announced scheduled testimony with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in June. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick is expected to testify in the coming weeks.
An El Paso political consultant and husband of former city Rep. Cassandra Hernandez pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation in connection with the assault of a city employee.

Jeremey Jordan pleaded guilty to one Class A misdemeanor assault charge and was sentenced to six months of deferred adjudication, meaning he will be on probation for that time, during a plea and sentencing hearing on Thursday, April 9, in the 210th District Court at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse in Downtown El Paso.

He pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement with the El Paso District Attorney's Office. Judge Alyssa Perez accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Jordan to six months of probation.

Jeremy Jordan, the husband of former El Paso City Rep. Cassandra Hernandez, arrives for his sentencing on April 9, 2026, at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse in Downtown El Paso. Jordan, an El Paso political consultant, pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor assault charge and was sentenced to six months of probation in connection with an attack on a city employee.

If Jordan breaks any terms of his probation, he could face up to a year in jail. The conditions set were not discussed during the hearing. Common probation terms included not breaking the law, no consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs and reporting regularly to a probation officer.

Advertisement Advertisement

Jordan was originally facing an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. As part of the plea agreement, the charge was reduced to a Class A misdemeanor.

He was also ordered to pay $2,083 in restitution to the victim, city employee Rafael Alvarado. Jordan will pay the restitution within the next few days, Attorney Luis Yanez told the judge.

More: Former El Paso rep's husband to plead guilty to attacking city employee

Yanez declined to comment after Thursday's hearing. Jordan only spoke during the hearing when he was asked by the judge if he was freely entering his guilty plea and if his attorney had gone over the consequences of pleading guilty.

Advertisement Advertisement

He answered yes to both questions. He also acknowledged the state could prove the allegations in a criminal complaint if the case went to trial.

Assistant District Attorney Amy Monsivais prosecuted the case for the El Paso District Attorney's Office. She did not elaborate in court on why the decision was made to reach a plea agreement.

El Paso District Attorney James Montoya issued a statement on the plea agreement several hours after the hearing.

"Following a review of the facts of the case and the absence of prior convictions, prosecutors determined that a plea to misdemeanor assault was appropriate," Montoya said in a statement. "The resolution requires compliance with all conditions of probation and payment of more than $2,000 in restitution to the victim.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of supervision may result in revocation and imprisonment up to one year. However, successful completion of the terms will result in formal dismissal of the charge. In either case, the case and arrest will remain on the defendant's record."

Montoya did not disclose what facts of the case supported a reduced charge.

Jeremy Jordan, the husband of East-Central city Rep. Cassandra Hernandez sits in an Ethics Review Commision hearing on July 20, 2023, where his wife is facing a complaint over her 2022 city fuel card usage.

Jordan is a well-known El Paso political consultant and was a managing director of RallyPoint Public Affairs. The assault happened while Hernandez was unsuccessfully running for El Paso mayor. The couple married in 2022, according to court records.

Alvarado previously served as a legislative aide to Hernandez during her tenure as a city representative.

Affidavit: Jordan threatened to kill city employee

Jeremy Jordan, the husband of former El Paso City Rep. Cassandra Hernandez, arrives for his sentencing on April 9, 2026, at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse in Downtown El Paso. Jordan, an El Paso political consultant, pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor assault charge and was sentenced to six months of probation in connection with an attack on a city employee.

As part of the plea deal, Jordan was required to admit to assaulting Alvarado. However, he did not plead guilty to using a deadly weapon in the attack. He was accused of threatening Alvarado with a piece of broken glass.

Advertisement Advertisement

The case stems from a criminal complaint stating that Jordan repeatedly punched and threatened to kill Alvarado, one of his wife's former legislative aides.

Jordan found Alvarado and Hernandez in their "undergarments" while doing campaign work in Hernandez's unsuccessful bid for El Paso mayor, a complaint affidavit states.

Hernandez and Alvarado were sitting at a table in her backyard at Hernandez's Lower Valley home in the afternoon of October 2024. They were "phone banking," calling voters, from the home.

Incumbent city Rep. Cassandra Hernandez looks at early voting results with fiance Jeremy Jordan on Tuesday night, Nov. 5, 2019, at Hernandez's election night party at the Best Western in East El Paso. Voting results showed she led the race but faces a runoff against Will Veliz.

More: Former city rep, mayoral candidates husband to stand trial in alleged assault with glass

Advertisement Advertisement

The affidavit stated Jordan found his wife at the house wearing "undergarments" and Alvarado wearing a robe with only boxer briefs underneath. Hernandez later told the El Paso Times that she was wearing "lounging wear."

Jordan told Alvarado, "I am going to kill you," the affidavit states. He threatened Alvarado with a piece of broken glass from a table.

Jordan claimed he was acting in self-defense when questioned by police, the affidavit states.

Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Former El Paso rep's husband gets probation for attacking city employee
A man who once served as a North Carolina community's chief of police is behind bars this week, accused of raping a 16-year-old girl.

William Chad Green was arrested on Sunday, April 6, on a single count of rape.

Local news stations, citing an arrest warrant in the case, reported that the 51-year-old allegedly raped the girl on Friday, April 4.

The warrant alleged that Green forced himself on the girl who is mentally incapacitated or physically helpless."

Advertisement Advertisement

The warrant contends that Green should have known "or should have known that the victim was mentally incapacitated or physically helpless."

Records showed the warrant was issued on Saturday, April 5, and that Green was arrested the next morning for second-degree forcible rape.

He was taken to the Stanly County jail where he sits on a $500,000 bond.

Georgia Fire Chief Loses Job After Child Molestation Arrest: I Always Thought He Was a Good Guy

Green was once an officer with the Norwood Police Department in Stanly County, working there from September 2008 to May 2010. He later served as the Norwood police chief from August 2014 to June 2015.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Oakboro Police Department also confirmed that Green was an officer with their police force at one time.

It was unclear if Green was asked for pleas or had retained an attorney who could address the allegations against him.

Lawless cops have been making a lot of headlines this year.

Benjamin Wagner has been charged in Michigan with 14 separate counts, including eight counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and five counts of kidnapping. All of his alleged victims were between the ages of 15 and 23 at the time of their sexual assaults.

Police claim Wagner, 68, is a serial rapist who was active between 1999 and 2003, when he was a member of the Detroit Police Department.

Advertisement Advertisement

Missing 16-Year-Old Saved From Mans Car in Florida After She Disappeared Last Month

A Massachusetts cop reportedly started sobbing in court last month after she and her husband were accused of repeatedly raping a teen boy they took into their home.

Plymouth Police Officer Samantha Pelrine and her husband, Daniel Forand, were arrested shortly after she was suspended from her job on March 17.

The couple has been accused of abusing the 12-year-old victim after he moved in with them in 2019. Pelrine, 31, was arraigned on several charges that include three felony counts of aggravated rape of a child with force and one count of aggravated statutory rape of a child, per the outlet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Meanwhile, Forand, 37, was hit with 20 charges that include rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
NEW YORK (AP)  A former New York City police sergeant was sentenced Thursday to three to nine years in prison for tossing a picnic cooler full of ice and drinks at a fleeing suspect, who then crashed his motorized scooter and died.

Erik Duran, 38, was convicted of manslaughter in the 2023 death of 30-year-old Eric Duprey. The ex-sergeant said he was trying to protect other officers from the approaching scooter. He is the first former NYPD officer sentenced to prison for an on-duty death in at least two decades.

I took this job to save lives. I felt terrible once I saw Eric Duprey crash," Duran told a Bronx judge, saying he did everything he could to attend to the man's injuries.

Advertisement Advertisement

I never wanted this to happen, he added, apologizing to Duprey's family in Spanish as a court interpreter translated.

Duprey's mother, Gretchen Soto, wept as Duran spoke. Earlier, she told the court: "There are no words to express what I feel.

Judge Guy Mitchell said he did not accept the ex-sergeants defense that his actions were justified, concluding that Duran hurled the cooler because he was upset that Mr. Duprey was getting away. If there was no cooler, the judge said, Duprey would have driven by Duran and couldve been captured another day.

Duran was immediately taken into custody after sentencing. His lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said he will ask a court to free Duran on bail while he appeals.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Nobodys above the law, a woman shouted in a courthouse hallway after the sentence was announced.

Afterward, Soto and Duprey's partner, Pearl Velez, said they did not accept Durans apology.

How you gonna say sorry now? Velez said.

Duran's union, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, said thousands of officers signed an online petition calling for him to be spared prison.

Today will forever be the darkest day of our profession, union president Vincent Vallelong said. Durans prison sentence, he said, puts in the back of a police officer's mind that they can lose their freedom for making a split-second decision.

Advertisement Advertisement

Officers in NYPD jackets packed the courtroom gallery, while a couple dozen protesters outside demanded justice for Duprey.

Duran's sentence, less than the maximum of five to 15 years, matched what prosecutors with state Attorney General Letitia James office had sought. Prosecutor Joseph Bianco said the ex-sergeant recklessly caused Duprey's death and attempted to cover up his actions.

Defense lawyer Andrew Quinn argued for no prison time, calling Dupreys death the unintended and tragic consequences of a reckless decision Duran made in a span of 2.5 seconds.

Duran grew up in the Bronx and led a model, exemplary life prior to Duprey's death. A married father of three, he joined the NYPD because he wanted to make the borough cleaner and safer for the kids who came after him, Quinn said.

Advertisement Advertisement

He is now the cooler cop, Quinn said.

Duran was part of a narcotics policing unit that conducted a buy-and-bust operation in the Bronx on Aug. 23, 2023. Police said Duprey sold drugs to an undercover officer, then tried to flee on a scooter.

Surveillance video showed Duprey driving the motorized scooter on a sidewalk toward a group of people. As he approached, the then-sergeant  who wasn't in uniform  picked up a bystander's cooler and threw it.

The container struck Duprey, who lost control of the scooter, slammed into a tree and crashed onto the pavement. Duprey was not wearing a helmet. He sustained fatal head injuries and died almost instantly, according to prosecutors.

Advertisement Advertisement

They argued Duran had enough time to warn others to move, but instead hurled the cooler because he was angry.

Duran, however, testified at his trial that he made a quick decision to keep other officers safe from the scooter speeding toward them.

He was gonna crash into us, Duran said then, adding all I had time for was to try again to stop or to try to get him to change directions.

Duran opted to have Judge Mitchell, not a jury, decide the case.

Duran worked for the NYPD for 13 years before the crash, which spurred his suspension. He was fired after his conviction in February.

Duprey was a delivery driver and had three young children. Soto, who said she was on a video call with him right before he died, has disputed the police claims that he sold drugs and fled from officers.

Advertisement Advertisement

She told the judge Thursday her son is not just a name, not just one more case.

It is an unjust incident," Soto said through a Spanish interpreter. "As a mother, I have to miss him now every day.

___

Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report.
Former NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran was sentenced to three to nine years in prison for throwing a cooler at a fleeing drug suspect in 2023, killing him.

At least 11,000 officers signed a petition pushing for Duran to not go to jail, but community members and activists said they were hoping Duran would get 15 years

Duran, 38, was taken into custody, after his attorney immediately announced he was appealing and asked for a one week stay of the sentence. He was denied.

Advertisement Advertisement

Eric Duprey, 30, was killed in 2023 after Duran threw a picnic cooler at him as Duprey fled on a scooter in the Melrose section of the Bronx. Duprey crashed and died from his injuries.

The state attorney general's office, which prosecuted the case, had asked for Duran to spend three to nine years behind bars.

Judge Guy Mitchell noted he had wide discretion in sentencing, from non-incarceration to up to 15 years in prison.

"I believe the sentence will deter other officers when they arrest suspects," Mitchell said in explaining the prison term.

Mitchell said Duran "was upset the suspect was getting away" and thought "the only way to stop him was to throw the cooler."

Advertisement Advertisement

He said Duran "took it upon himself" to pick up the cooler and throw it at Duprey.

"Suspects sometimes get away and can be captured later," the judge said. "He could have been caught on a different day."

He said the sentence impacts both families, the difference being Duprey will not be here.

Duran apologized to Duprey's family and addressed them in Spanish.

"I regret everything that happened, I'm sorry for the loss of your child, I never wanted this to happen," he said. "I'm asking for the chance to be for my family, for my kids."

In arguing against jail time, Duran's lawyers stressed the 15-year veteran is a Bronx native and resident who became a cop to protect the most vulnerable in the community where he grew up.

Advertisement Advertisement

His attorney admitted it was a reckless decision but said, "Erik Duran should not be incarcerated for a decision he made in 2.5 seconds" ... "a decision that resulted in unintended consequences."

Duprey's mother and supporters emerged from the courthouse chanting, satisfied with the sentence.

"It is a very seldom occurrence that justice prevails when a cop kills a Black and Brown person, but today in the Bronx, we got it right," said Hawk Newsome with Black Lives Matter Greater NY.

However the sergeants' union says it sends the wrong message.

"When you have to sit there and you have to make decisions in a split second time, what's going to happen when every single police officer turns around and says, well maybe I shouldn't make that decision, maybe I shouldn't stop that guy," said Vincent Vallelong with the Sergeants Benevolent Association.

Advertisement Advertisement

Duran was the first NYPD officer in a decade to be found guilty of killing a civilian while on duty. He was fired immediately after February's guilty verdict.

----------

* More Bronx 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.




France rejects any possible fee for transit through the vital Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Thursday.

Speaking on French radio, Barrot said that paying for passage "is not acceptable because freedom of navigation in international waters is a common good, a common good of humanity, which must not be disturbed by any obstruction or transit toll."

Barrot said that such a move would be illegal, adding that Iran must respect maritime law.

Advertisement Advertisement

After the US and Israel began the war against Iran on February 28, Tehran brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz almost to a standstill through attacks and threats.

According to reports, Iran is demanding a toll from shipping companies to use a route that runs near the Iranian coast.

Since a ceasefire began earlier this week, media reports and data analysts indicate that only a few ships have passed through the strait.
The other day, speaking in parliament, Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan said that in 2022-2025, 5.4 times more funds were spent on the purchase of weapons and military equipment than in the previous two decades: from 1998 to 2018. That is, during the rule of Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan.

The revanchist opposition, to which these statements were addressed, was unable to respond in detail. Although this is the case when she had something to say. Firstly, there were different prices in those years. Secondly, Armenia acquired mostly old weapons. And, thirdly, she did not often have to pay for purchases. Most of what was in service with the Armenian Armed Forces was transferred to it free of charge or on deliberately non-repayable loans. Of course, these could not be modern weapons. Hence the five-fold difference. Armenia was insolvent, but it was given old weapons to maintain, so to speak, balance. It was impossible to maintain a balance at the expense of old weapons at a time when military technology was moving forward in wide strides. Armenia's partners did not transfer modern weapons to Yerevan, as this would create problems in relations with Baku. And the search for new partners for the Armenian side was difficult - the arms manufacturers tried to stay away so as not to quarrel with Azerbaijan. Those countries with which Yerevan concluded deals after the Second Karabakh War, even supporting him politically, did not sell him weapons during the conflict years.

That's the whole secret. The revanchists are trying to puff out their cheeks and prove that before Nikol Pashinyan came to power, the Armenian army could match the forces of NATO, and the new prime minister came and ruined everything. In fact, the army that was created by the Karabakh criminals who seized power in Armenia participated in the 44-day war. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly drawn attention to this point. In December 2020, at a meeting of the CIS heads of state, he stressed that "the army that was defeated is not Pashinyan's army. This is the army that Kocharyan and Sargsyan have been creating for 20 years." A month earlier, after visiting the liberated territories, the head of state stated that "we destroyed the army of Kocharyan and Sargsyan." This was not said in defense of Pashinyan. What was said was addressed to the criminals hiding in their holes, so that they would know where their place was.

The issue of the army has become one of the key issues in the election campaign in Armenia. The current opposition, which has been deceiving Armenians with bravura fairy tales for decades, is trying to use this factor for self-promotion. In fact, in Armenia, only propaganda had a high opinion of its army. The same media outlets, which today feed amicably from the hands of Samvel Karapetyan, have painted an unsightly picture of the situation in the armed forces throughout the years of the conflict. Especially gloomy news about the army spread during the reign of the Karabakh clan. The Armenian army has never been an armed force, it has always been an armed gang, where anarchy reigned during the time of the field commanders of the First Karabakh War.

One of these highwaymen, draped in scrap metal called orders, the separatist Avanesyan, heads Karapetyan's security team and gives advice on building an army. Commenting on the Prime Minister's statements, he tried to save the face of the "iron ashots," saying that if the occupiers had had good air defense and fighter missiles during the 44-day war, everything would have ended differently and the Armenians "would have been able to achieve their goals." Samvel Karapetyan's campaign gang promises to remedy the situation by purchasing the most modern weapons for Armenia (with the money of this billionaire, presumably). And not only to buy, but also to produce the coolest air defense systems in Armenia itself.

As they say, dreaming is not harmful. Any fantasies about the militarization of Armenia that go beyond regional realities will have consequences. Both the Armenian government and its opposition camp should know this. Especially in the latter case.

By the way, the opposition really doesn't like Pashinyan's idea of holding a military parade on May 28. In response to the opposition's accusations, the Armenian prime minister promised to demonstrate all the modern military equipment that Armenia has purchased in the last couple of years. The parade will be dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Armenia's independence. The revanchists, who do not have access to such means of electoral PR, did not like this idea very much. Armenia's Independence Day itself is celebrated in September, and the opposition is beside itself with the fact that Pashinyan decided to show his acquisitions in advance. Given the new realities, everyone understands that the parade will not be a show of strength to the neighbors, it will be like a report from the ruling team on what it has done for the security of the country.

By the way, the revanchist opposition itself also used the army for self-promotion. For example, to improve his image, which was destroyed by the April fighting. In September 2016, Sargsyan and Co. staged a military parade to show the terrified Armenians that they were completely safe. It should be recalled that during the four-day war, a stream of residents of the occupied territories and deserters poured into Armenia. There was also a panic in Armenia itself. And Sargsyan wanted to show that he had it all figured out.

"Tornadoes", "Dots-U", even the notorious "Iskanders" were driven through the main square of Yerevan. At that time, no one explained to the proud citizens where Armenia got the funds to purchase this equipment, which costs more than the entire Armenian defense budget. Sargsyan and Co. claimed that they were preparing a surprise for their people to raise their spirits after the April disgrace. However, this argument raised the question of why the authorities did not use all this in April and allowed defeat. The answer was found by the Armenian media, which found out that in fact, modern technology does not belong to Armenia, but was borrowed from an ally in exchange for reducing the intensity of Russophobia. After the April defeat, as well as after the 2020 war, the Armenian society attacked Russia, which, they say, did not intervene and did not help.

The video of that parade can be found on the Internet. It shows all the emotions that prevail not only among the audience, but also on the government podium. When the Iskanders appeared on the square, the host of the broadcast literally screamed with overwhelming emotions, and those welcoming the parade, Serzh Sargsyan and Catholicos Garegin, almost fell out of the rostrum with delight. Seyran Ohanyan looked like he had personally designed and built the Iskanders in the basement of one of his villas.

Whether or not to hold a military parade is an internal matter for each country. However, Armenia is a special case. When trying to demonstrate strength, she must weigh her every word and every step. Militarization is not the path that can lead this country to a brighter future, and it should be very careful in its dreams.

The same applies, and even more so, to the revanchist opposition. With its searchlights designed to cloud the already clouded consciousness of the Armenian society with stories about ten thousand drones and other wonders.
ISLAMABAD, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday received a telephone call from French President Emmanuel Macron, with both sides expressing their serious concern over the ongoing aggression in Lebanon, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

During the conversation, both leaders stressed the urgent need to end the violence and killings in Lebanon to reestablish peace in the entire region, the office said in a statement. 
France's military chief Fabien Mandon on Thursday warned that Russia will pose a persistent threat to Europe.

Addressing the French National Assembly's defence committee, Mandon referred to the conflict in Ukraine as an "open war," which he said remains his greatest concern in terms of military readiness.

"This is happening on our continent," Mandon said, adding that Ukrainians have been holding out heroically for four years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the accusations. "Russia poses no threat to any country that does not plan to undermine the security of the Russian Federation in any way," he said, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

Moscow has long accused Ukraine of pursuing anti-Russian policies and has cited the protection of Russian-speaking populations as a justification for its invasion.

The French military officer said last year that intelligence available to him suggested Russia was preparing for a confrontation with Western countries by 2030.

"It is organizing for this, preparing for this and is convinced its existential enemy is NATO and our countries," he said, warning that France must be prepared for human casualties and economic consequences.
Mourners have gathered in central Gaza for the funeral of Mohammed Wishah, an Al Jazeera journalist killed in an Israeli drone strike, as the death toll among media workers continues to rise during Israels genocide in Gaza.

Dozens of relatives, friends and colleagues joined the procession on Thursday. The ceremony began at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, where mourners paid their final respects before carrying Wishahs body on their shoulders to the Bureij refugee camp.

Funeral prayers were held at the Grand Mosque before a burial in line with his wishes.

Advertisement Advertisement

During the ceremony, mourners placed Wishahs body at the very spot where he had once stood to deliver live reports for Al Jazeera Mubasher, often covering the latest Israeli attacks and the plight of the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip.

At a news conference held during the funeral, Ismail al-Thawabta, the director of Gazas Government Media Office, said the killing formed part of a wider pattern.

The assassination of Wishah is a link in a chain of ongoing crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian journalistic family, within the framework of a deliberate and intentional policy of targeting with premeditation and intent, he said.





He added that 262 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023, warning that the targeting of reporters aims to silence witnesses.

Advertisement Advertisement

The targeting of journalists aims to silence the Palestinian voice, obscure the truth and prevent the transmission of images of crimes to the world, he said.

Last meal with his son

Family members described the final hours before Wishahs death. One of his sons told our sister channel, Al Jazeera Arabic, that they had shared a meal just hours before he left for a reporting assignment, after which contact was lost until his killing was confirmed.

Wishah had reported from the field for years and continued working throughout the war despite escalating risks, as Israeli attacks on media workers intensified.

Advertisement Advertisement

His killing in a drone attack on his car on Wednesday comes amid a sustained assault on journalists in Gaza. It raises serious concerns about the ability of reporters to continue documenting events under constant threat.





Israeli forces have killed 12 Al Jazeera journalists and media workers in Gaza since the war began, including Anas Al-Sharif, Samer Abu Daqqa, Hamza Al-Dahdouh, Muhammad Qreiqeh, Ismail Al-Ghoul, Muhammad Salama, Mohammed Noufal, Ibrahim Al-Zaher, Hussam Shabat, Ahmed Al-Louh, and Rami Al-Rifi.

In a statement, Al Jazeera Media Network described the killing as a heinous crime.

The network said the attack forms part of a deliberate effort to intimidate media workers and prevent them from reporting the reality on the ground, calling it a flagrant violation of international law.

It held Israeli forces fully responsible, stating that the killing fits into a broader pattern of systematic attacks on its journalists.




This story was originally posted to MyNorthwest.com

Garfield High School was evacuated last Friday afternoon due to an anonymous bomb threat demanding payment in Bitcoin.

The Central District school, which holds approximately 1,600 students, received an email at 2 p.m. Friday stating that there are bombs within the campus that would be detonated within two hours unless those threatening Garfield High received 1,600 in Bitcoin.

Advertisement Advertisement

According to Seattle Police Department (SPD) Detective Eric Munoz, the department was unsure if the threats requested $1,600 in Bitcoin or 1,600 Bitcoin, which would be worth more than $100 million.

The school was searched by officers with school security assisting, SPD stated. Nothing suspicious was identified and the school returned to normal operations.

No arrests have been made, as of this reporting. The extortion attempt remains under investigation.

Not the first threat of bombs on campus for Bitcoin payments

Bitcoin extortion threats have been prevalent in recent months. Last October, both the FBI and Homeland Security were called to investigate after more than 40 school districts in Florida received nearly identical emails demanding Bitcoin with the threat that bombs were planted on campus, according to The Capitol Hill Blog.

Law enforcement determined these were part of a mass-hoax campaign.

Follow Frank Sumrall on X. Send news tips here.
Petrol prices in Germany have risen more sharply than in neighbouring EU countries in recent days, according to European Commission data as of Wednesday afternoon.

Between March 30 and April 6, the price of petrol in Germany increased by around 11 euro cents (12 US cents) per litre, while prices in most neighbouring countries rose only by a few cents. Denmark recorded a similarly strong increase of about 9 cents, while prices in Poland and Austria declined due to government measures.

The period covered by the data largely overlaps with the introduction of Germany's new "12 pm rule," under which petrol stations are allowed to raise prices only once per day, while reductions remain unrestricted.

Advertisement Advertisement

Critics of the policy, modelled on Austria's system, had warned it could push prices higher rather than lower. They argued that fuel retailers might raise prices more sharply at midday in anticipation of being unable to increase them later.

The ADAC motorists' association reported price jumps of more than 10 cents on average nationwide in the first days after the rule took effect.

It remains unclear whether the stronger price increase in Germany is directly linked to the measure or whether it will persist. At the start of the Iran war, European Commission data had also initially shown a particularly sharp increase in Germany, which, however, normalized in the following weeks.

A spokesman for the Economy Ministry said on Wednesday, one week after the rule's introduction, that it was too early to draw firm conclusions.

The effect so far appears limited to petrol. Diesel prices also rose during the period, but Germany did not stand out compared with other countries, excluding those with new price-control measures such as Poland and Austria.
A North Texas couple and former Godley police officials are under investigation for an alleged years-long prostitution conspiracy that also involved gathering intelligence on local public officials, the District Attorneys Office for Johnson and Somervell counties announced.

Michael Ketcherside was arrested on April 2 on a charge of continuous promotion of prostitution and remains in jail. His wife, Ashley Ketcherside, has not been charged but is named in the investigation. A search warrant was executed on March 31 at the couples Godley home, where authorities seized laptops, an iPad, a phone, and USB drives believed to contain evidence of the scheme.

The district attorneys office said the investigation centers on ongoing criminal activity involving the Ketchersides and former members of the Godley Police Department. Prosecutors allege the couple ran a prostitution and racketeering operation that served numerous clients for the past five years, with Ashley Ketcherside coordinating clients and communicating regularly with then-Police Chief Matthew Cantrell and other officers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Cantrell was arrested on Tuesday on a charge of promotion of prostitution and was released on bond. He told CBS News Texas he had no comment. Former Officer Solomon Omotoya was indicted in late 2025, along with Cantrell, on unrelated charges involving discrepancies in city fleet fuel card purchases and suspicious credit card charges.

Court records cited by the Cleburne Times-Review say Omotoya admitted soliciting Ashley Ketcherside for sex in exchange for yard work or babysitting and that both he and Cantrell knew about the Ketchersides operation. Cantrell pulled criminal histories on city officials and on people involved in disputes with Ashley Ketcherside, subscribed to her OnlyFans account, and acknowledged longstanding knowledge of the prostitution enterprise, the records state. The documents also indicate that Ashley Ketcherside charged about $1,000 per hour.

Omotoya claimed that Cantrell was pimping his own wife by finding men for her to have sex with, some of whom paid for the sex and some did not. He allegedly conducted background checks on some of the men he solicited for his wife. Investigators say they found evidence on Cantrells computer that he frequently solicited sex from several prostitutes online, including during the time he was an employee of the Godley Police Department.

The group allegedly compiled information on local public officials and private citizens they viewed as opponents or enemies. Those targeted included members of the Godley City Council, the Godley ISD School Board, the former mayor, and a former Godley police chief.

Advertisement Advertisement

This is an active and ongoing investigation, and additional arrests are anticipated, District Attorney Timothy M. Good said.

Ashley Ketcherside defended her husband in an interview with NBC 5.

Hes a great husband. Hes an amazing father, and I hope to bring him back soon for my children, she said.

She said she had no knowledge of the alleged intelligence-gathering effort.

I have no idea who they would be talking about or what kind of information would be said, she stated.

Ashley Ketcherside added that she and her husband believe in the criminal justice system.

I know that hes strong and hes going to get through this, were both going to get through this. We believe in the criminal justice system, and Im hoping that our names are cleared and we can move forward from here, she said.

Good said the office will update the public as the investigation progresses.
Legislation to strengthen tenant rights in Maine as a result of President Donald Trumps immigration enforcement surge is headed to the governors desk.

The Democratic majorities of the Maine House of Representatives and Senate passed the bill, which protects against the disclosure of renters personal information with the intent to intimidate, along party lines this week after heated debate.

If this bill were narrowly tailored to deal with ICE only, I wouldnt be testifying against this bill right now, said Rep. Amy Arata (R-New Gloucester), who is a landlord, on the floor Wednesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

While Democrats spoke about the bills importance for immigrant rights, they said the protections are applicable to all Maine renters, including seniors who can be put at risk of scams if their personal information is shared and survivors of domestic abuse who fear being located by a former partner.

No one in Maine, immigrant or native born, should have their most sensitive information used to intimidate them out of their home, Rep. Ambureen Rana (D-Bangor) said.

The bill has had a winding path, and its ultimate fate is still unknown as Gov. Janet Mills Office declined to share her stance on the measure. Once she receives the bill, shell have ten days to sign, veto or allow it to become law without her signature.

LD 2176 started out as a different proposal to shore up a legal remedy for people who are erroneously detained. It was then changed to the tenant rights measure, such a significant amendment that the bill required a second public hearing. This version is meant to address a weakness in state law underscored by the large-scale immigration operation in January: a lack of clear protections against the disclosure or threatened disclosure of tenants personal information.

But Republicans argued on the floor that it creates new risks, liabilities and unintended consequences that will make it harder, not easier, to provide safe and affordable housing in Maine, as Rep. Jennifer Poirier (R-Skowhegan) put it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Maines already facing a housing challenge, Poirier said, We really need to be careful about adopting these kind of policies that do have the unintended consequences that make the challenge worse.

The restrictions in the bill have several exceptions meant to alleviate concern raised by landlords that the measure would make all evictions illegal, because information such as a persons name, address and sometimes financial information has to be shared in court proceedings, notices to local law enforcement or with housing authorities.

The bill would prohibit landlords from sharing a tenants personal information with the intent to harass, threaten, intimidate or evict them  except in response to a judicial warrant or in exigent circumstances. Those restrictions would also only apply outside of the judicial process outlined in the eviction statute and without a legitimate business purpose.

In a house sharing or roommate situation, or even with free rentals among family members, people gossip, Arata said. They share information about each others sexual activity, financial information, religious beliefs, etc. The courts will be clogged up even more than they are already with personal drama.

Advertisement Advertisement

Rep. Adam Lee (D-Auburn) countered: all of the hypotheticals that have been proposed sound to me like legitimate business purposes, referring to the exceptions in the bill, and would sound to the court that way too.

Neither side was ultimately convinced of the others view.

Rep. Mark Blier (R-Buxton), who works in real estate and terms out as a representative this year, said, The regulations and the requirements that this body has put on landlords has deterred me from building any more housing here in this state.

Rana said she regularly hears from her older constituents who fear their personal information is going to be mishandled. She also pointed to organizations that work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, who have reminded legislators that housing safety depends on certainty.

In those cases, privacy is not a luxury, Rana said, its a lifeline.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
SLATER  Iowas Child Care Assistance will become permanently available to child care workers regardless of their income level under a law signed Thursday by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

House File 2514 makes the CCA pilot program permanent beginning July 1. Reynolds signed it into law at the Stepping Stones Child Development Center in Slater.

State child care assistance is available to parents who have young children and are unavailable during week days due to their job, schooling, vocational training or other state job-related activities. The program has a gross monthly income limit for most participants below 160% of the federal poverty level. The pilot program established in 2023 extended that assistance to cover families where at least one parent is working at least 32 hours a week in the child care field, regardless of the familys income.

Advertisement Advertisement

Reynolds said in the years since the pilot program started, it had become the single most effective way to reduce staff turnover in child care centers and recruit new staff members into the child care field.

The governor was joined as she signed the bill by Elizabeth Umland, director of the child care facility; lawmakers who helped move the measure forward and child care workers receiving assistance through the pilot program. Alura Gould, one of the Stepping Stones employees who uses the CCA pilot program to cover child care costs for their own children, said the law will provide more stability for her and other child care workers across the state.

It allows us and our families to have stable income, Gould said. It allows the children we care for to continue to have the same teachers throughout the years that theyre familiar with and comfortable with. Im extremely grateful for this and I know a lot of other people are, too.

Reynolds and others at the event said the CCA program was one of multiple steps her administration has taken to address child care affordability and accessibility in Iowa. Umland said their day care facility is also using the states Continuum of Care grants to allow parents to more easily access preschool in the community as well, providing transportation to the Ballard School Districts statewide voluntary preschool program.

Advertisement Advertisement

Were the wraparound option when preschool is done, Umland said.  The parents just drop them off at daycare in the morning, the school system picks them up, takes them back and forth to preschool, brings them back to daycare, and parents pick them up here at the end of the day. So theres no more midday transportation for those parents having access to wraparound care now.

Early Childhood Iowa legislation still pending

Lawmakers sent the governor the proposal to make the CCA pilot program permanent with bipartisan support, but another bill that included this language remains up for discussion at the Legislature. Senate File 2462 and its House companion included language on the CCA pilot program, as well as making other changes to funding for the states Early Childhood Iowa program in an effort to draw down more federal funding.

This proposal has been met with pushback from advocates and members of local ECI boards, who oppose the proposal to shift some funding power and oversight from the ECI system to the state Department of Health and Human Services. The measure was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday, making it eligible for debate in the Senate.

The governor said she believes the ECI bill is in a pretty good place, but said there are still discussions happening about the proposal. However, she said she supported the intention to move home visitation services funding to HHS oversight, as part of this change is meant to abide by a requirement in the Family First Act that evidence-based models be used in order to be eligible for federal funding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Weve been working on it for two years, Reynolds said. So again, all of these programs work together, and we want to just make sure that were utilizing these dollars again in the most efficient and effective manner. We want to make sure that if theres dollars available, that I can draw down additional federal dollars, that Im not leaving any dollars on the table.  We just have to have standards in place. We have to have accountability in place. We need transparency to any of the programs that were working on, especially if taxpayer dollars are a part of it, or federal dollars, it should be a requirement.

Some advocates with the Association of Early Childhood Iowa Area Boards and Advocates said they believed federal funding could still be available if other entities, like local ECI boards, administer the contract, provided certain standards are met.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
One person was killed and two workers who were unaccounted for following the partial collapse of a parking garage in Philadelphia are now presumed dead, Mayor Cherelle Parker announced Thursday night.

Parker said four highly trained search dogs combed through the rubble but did not detect any signs of life after Wednesday's collapse in the 3000 block of Grays Ferry Avenue.

STREAMING LIVE: Live camera shows site of Philadelphia parking garage collapse

Three people were rescued shortly after crews arrived at the scene. One victim was taken to an area hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. Two others were treated and released.

Advertisement Advertisement

Philly officials give Thursday update on parking garage collapse

The victims have not yet been publicly identified, but Parker said all were members of Ironworkers Local 401.

"We grieve their loss tonight, and we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder in support of the families who have been directly impacted," she said.

WATCH: Video shows moment Philadelphia parking garage partially collapses

Video shows moment Philly parking garage partially collapses

Demolition operation set to begin

City officials said demolition of the collapsed structure is expected to begin Friday afternoon as crews work to safely recover the victims' remains.

Advertisement Advertisement

"We will bring it down to a level that will then allow our technical rescue specialists to safely enter and go through those collapsed stairs. And we will, in an extremely dignified manner, remove any remains," Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson said.

Officials stressed the structure remains extremely unstable and is under constant supervision. Initial plans called for deconstruction but have shifted to demolition on the advice of several engineering experts.

"We will continue to remove hazards around the building and prepare to protect critical infrastructure and adjacent buildings," Managing Director Adam Thiel said.

Overnight and into Friday, crews will work to protect critical infrastructure and assemble a large crane in preparation for next steps.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Once that final approval is complete and everybody agrees we will begin deconstruction," added Thiel, calling it a very complex and extremely dangerous process.

Plans should be finalized sometime on Friday.

First responders walk near a partially collapsed parking garage in Philadelphia, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Searching for signs of life

Before the decision was made to begin demolition, emergency crews used specialized equipment and canines to search for any remaining signs of life.

Thompson said drones, robots and four search dogs were deployed Thursday, but none indicated survivors.

"We were confident that what we were dealing with was no longer a rescue, but a recovery. So we shifted strategy at that point, and we all agreed as a unified command that we would take down the building," Thompson explained.

Road closures still in place

City officials are continuing to urge residents to avoid the area.

Advertisement Advertisement

Deputy Commissioner John Stanford said Grays Ferry Avenue will remain closed between 29th and 33rd streets. The nearby shopping plaza will also remain closed until further notice.

"That process will continue to go for a few days until this area is deemed safe enough to allow the public to begin to return," Stanford said Thursday.

The stairwell collapsed floor by floor

The parking garage is owned by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and all eight required permits were properly issued and inspections were up to date, according to Parker. She said the city will investigate the collapse.

"We will get to the damn bottom of what happened here. The investigation is going to require that we cross every T and dot every I, and we will empower the tool of transparency while we are doing it," Parker said Thursday.

IMAGE: Crews working to stabilize a Grays Ferry parking garage after partially collapsing on April 8, 2026.

Officials said Precast Services Inc., a subcontractor on the site, was installing precast concrete floor decking and roof segments on Wednesday. After placement, a precast roof segment failed and fell to the level below, triggering a progressive collapse of connected sections across all seven levels.

Advertisement Advertisement

Parker said the precast concrete components were manufactured off-site and installed by the manufacturer.

"This process does not require standard L&I inspection. Instead, it falls under required special inspections that include periodic inspections for precast concrete installations. These inspections were assigned to Valerie Moody of GAI Construction Monitoring Services," Parker explained.

The hospital said in a statement that it is prioritizing the construction workers' safety and working closely with the city and its construction partners.

Pictured: A rendering of the CHOP parking garage under construction in the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia.

Drone 6 video showed a large pile of debris in an area where the stairwell once stood, along with significant cracks running down a corner of the building.

Advertisement Advertisement

In doorbell video obtained by Action News, you can see the tragedy unfold from several blocks away.

One witness described the structure collapsing floor by floor.

"The floors was like, going one by one as it was like collapsing. And then there was a guy that was trapped underneath," recalled Kurtis Carter of Southwest Philadelphia.

Others initially thought an earthquake had struck.

"I was in the kitchen, and we heard like an explosion, thought it was a storm, bomb...we didn't know what it was," said Andrew Martines of Grays Ferry. "My wife, she was upstairs, and she heard people screaming and running out. She saw a huge cloud of smoke. The house was shaking."

What we know about the victims

The identities of those involved have not been released.

Advertisement Advertisement

Action News spoke with union members and others familiar with the workers, who described the emotional toll of the tragedy.

"Things like this happen every day all around the world. You just never think it's gonna be you, or somebody that you know, somebody that you cared for. And it happened to us yesterday," said a member of the union who did not want to be identified.

Union workers grappling with tradegy of parking garage collapse

"There's a lot of guys that are coming down today to offer help, to see what we can do. Anything that we can do, we will, even if it's putting our own lives at risk. We'll do it just to get our brothers out of there," the worker added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Speaking at a City Council hearing Thursday, Council President Kenyatta Johnson called for a moment of silence.

"We are reminded of the dangers that many of our hardworking men and women of the building trades face every day to support their families and build our city," said Johnson.

Vigil held for those impacted by Philadelphia parking garage collapse

Controversy over the project

The seven-level parking garage was under construction for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. It was being built to expand CHOP employee parking.

"We are prioritizing the safety of the construction workers at this time and working closely with the City of Philadelphia and our construction partners. We will share additional information as it becomes available," said CHOP in a statement to Action News.

Advertisement Advertisement

The project had been the subject of controversy, including protests earlier this year. The group that protested was concerned about the increased congestion and potential impacts on environmental health.

Community members said they're even more concerned than they were before, but Wednesday night, their thoughts remain with families of those impacted.

"Even if they didn't live in 19146, they worked in our community. Therefore, they belonged to us. They're part of our community," said DeMorra Hawkins, a member of No CHOP Garage Coalition, who has protested at the site earlier this year.

How will OSHA be involved?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will lead the investigation into the collapse. OSHA personnel are already on scene and will conduct interviews and a comprehensive review of the construction work.

"What OSHA is going to be looking at, and L&I is going to be looking at, is whether there were any issues with either prefabricated materials or the concrete pour of the steps themselves," said Aidan Carickhoff of the law firm Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky. "So they'll be digging back through all of the pour materials and all the construction information to make sure that that part of the job was done correctly."

Permits list HSC Builders as the general contractor. The company develops large-scale projects, including life science facilities and museums.

Philadelphia parking garage collapse: How OSHA will be involved

OSHA will review whether the stairwell and other structural elements were built to engineering specifications. Work by subcontractors and material suppliers will also be examined.

"OSHA will stop the work so that they can inspect the integrity of that building. We've been involved in a lot of building collapse cases before and the work will be stopped so that OSHA and L&I can make sure no one else gets injured on this construction site," Carickhoff explained.

OSHA's investigation will likely take at least six months due to the backlog within the agency. A written report and any citations or violations will be made public.
Police said a group of young people stole a French bulldog that wandered into a store parking lot after it jumped out of its owners car.

Detectives tracked the suspected dog nappers through a social media post.

Police said the dogs owner left the dog in his car with the window slightly open when he went shopping.

The dog was able to open it all the way, jumped out, and moments later was taken.

Security video shows a group of young people after they picked up the dog named Coco as she was walking outside a Gwinnett County Kroger store on March 23.

Advertisement Advertisement

Apparently, the dog activated the button to get the window down, and got out and walked toward the store, Cpl. Ryan Winderweedle with the Gwinnett County Police Department said.

TRENDING STORIES:

Police said the group left with Coco in their car and posted about taking the dog on social media.

With that video, police were able to identify a woman in the group. An officer went to her home.

You have the dog, correct? Det. Garcia with the Gwinnett County Police Department, asked the woman.

Advertisement Advertisement

No, I dont have him, the woman said.

So, who has it? Garcia asked the woman.

We gave the dog to a man who said its his, and I didnt steal no dog either. We found the dog, the woman told Garcia.

Police said the womans story didnt add up. Eventually, another member of the family led police to the dog.

Officers then returned Coco to her owner, David Fisher, who was thrilled to have his pup home.

Police said the two young women in that group have been arrested and charged with theft by lost or mislaid property, which is a misdemeanor.

French bulldogs are one of the most stolen breeds in the country.
Authorities recovered a gun at an Ohio elementary school on Thursday, according to our CBS affiliate WOIO-19 TV.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The gun was found on a student at Barack Obama Elementary School in Cuyahoga County.

TRENDING STORIES:

Advertisement Advertisement

Maple Heights police were called to the school just before 8:30 a.m. on reports that a student had a gun.

WOIO-19 reported that the school was placed on a brief lockdown as a precaution.

Authorities said the student reportedly brought the gun from home and showed it to two students.

Those students told staff members, who detained the student and took the gun by the time police arrived at the building, WOIO-19 reported.

Information on any consequences or potential charges was not immediately available.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, leads a KMT delegation in a visit to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

SHANGHAI, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Impressed by the mainland's vitality and creativity during a tour in Shanghai, Cheng Li-wun, chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, on Thursday called for building greater goodwill and mutual trust across the Taiwan Strait.

Leading a KMT delegation, Cheng arrived in Shanghai from Nanjing by high-speed train on Wednesday afternoon. The group's first stop was the Shanghai headquarters of the food delivery giant Meituan, where they experienced drone-based delivery services that offered a glimpse into the mainland's rapidly developing smart economy.

On Thursday morning, Cheng and her delegation toured Yangshan Port and the Shanghai Aircraft Design and Research Institute under the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd., manufacturer of domestically-developed aircraft including the C919 passenger jet.

Speaking to reporters, Cheng commended Shanghai's prosperity and beauty, while recalling the city's wartime history and subsequent transformation.

"Peace is the most powerful force," she said. "Given enough time, peace can make anything possible."

She urged people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to remain committed to peaceful development.

The delegation departed Shanghai for Beijing on Thursday afternoon. 

Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, leads a KMT delegation in a visit to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) in Shanghai, east China, April 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)
WRIGHT COUNTY, Mo.  A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for a man who allegedly attacked a woman with an expandable steel baton.

Edward France mugshot. Courtesy Wright County Sheriffs Office

According to court documents, Edward France, 43, of Mansfield, is facing two charges of second-degree domestic assault, first-degree burglary, armed criminal action and distribution of a controlled substance.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 6.

According to a press release from the Wright County Sheriffs Office, deputies were dispatched to a reported domestic assault north of Mansfield on Mar. 18.

Advertisement Advertisement

Upon arrival, deputies made contact with the victim, who displayed visible physical injuries, including a swollen face and a knocked-out tooth. The victim stated the suspect, identified as France, threw a phone at her and struck her in the face with an unknown object. She stated he was armed with an expandable steel baton.

France was located at his residence and was taken into custody.

During the investigation, the steel baton described by the victim was located inside Frances vehicle. When asked if there was anything illegal inside the vehicle, France denied having any illegal items and refused consent to search. France admitted to recent methamphetamine use.

A K9 unit discovered what appeared to be methamphetamine.

Advertisement Advertisement

More suspected drugs and paraphernalia were found in his residence.

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.
Singapore - known for its widespread use of air-conditioning - has told government employees to bring up the temperature in offices to at least 25C (77F) as it grapples with rising energy prices caused by the Iran war.

The city-state's public offices will also install power-efficient technology like LED lights and smart sensors to help conserve energy.

Singapore joins other countries in South East Asia that have taken steps to save energy, like Thailand, which also asked people to keep air conditioners at 26-27C.

Advertisement Advertisement

The region is heavily reliant on oil and gas shipments that pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively shut since the war began.

In 1999, Lee Kuan Yew, widely seen as the founding father of modern Singapore, famously credited air-conditioning with having "changed the lives of people in tropical regions" by enabling work indoors despite the heat outside.

The former prime minister is quoted as saying: "The first thing I did upon becoming prime minister was to install air conditioners in buildings where the civil service worked. This was key to public efficiency."

Lee, who died in 2015, is often credited as being the mastermind of Singapore's post colonial transformation from a resource-scarce island to one of Asia's most advanced economies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Today, there are very few offices in the country without air-conditioning - though some will argue that its use tends to be quite excessive.

It is not uncommon for employees to bring in cardigans or sweaters to wear in office hours because temperatures are maintained at such low levels.

And unlike many cities in South East Asia with open-air shopping streets, Singapore's malls are almost entirely air-conditioned.

In fact, pedestrians on Singapore's streets will often find themselves blasted with a shock of icy cold air as they walk past entrances to malls and department stores.

All the city's buses and trains are also air-conditioned.

Advertisement Advertisement

Most homes are also fitted with air-conditioning units - often left on overnight.

Singapore's Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment said on 8 April that the government was "taking the lead" in its energy-saving effort as the Iran war has hit global fuel supply chains.

Government employees are being told to set the air-conditioning to 25C and closely manage how long they are in use.

"Each degree raised reduces energy needs by around 10%," the ministry said.

Workers are also being urged to switch to fans and to take public transportation to cut the use of fuel.

Businesses and members of the public have also been encouraged to do the same.

Advertisement Advertisement

Fuel prices in Singapore have risen and the authorities have issued warnings to the public to be prepared for more economic disruptions caused by war in the Middle East.

The republic has yet to draw from its fuel reserves or introduce rationing measures since the war.

Singapore is known for being a shopping destination [Getty Images]

About two-thirds of Singapore's crude oil imports come from countries in the Middle East, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Other Asian countries that are more reliant on the Gulf's oil have scrambled to find alternative suppliers and ways to curb the impact of rising fuel prices.

The Philippines, which imports 98% of its oil from the Middle East, shortened the work week for government offices to save power. Government agencies were also told to cut usage of electricity and fuel.

Advertisement Advertisement

The country became the first nation to declare a national energy emergency in March after petrol prices more than doubled in recent weeks.

Thailand has also implemented urgent energy-saving measures including ordering public office employees to work from home.

People in Thailand have also been asked to keep air conditioning at 26-27C and to conserve fuel by carpooling or using public transport.

South Korea, which imports more than two-thirds of its energy from the Gulf, has launched an energy-saving campaign, encouraging people to take shorter showers and to use washing machines only on weekends.

Advertisement Advertisement

The economic fallout of the Iran war can be described as the "Asian crisis", said Ichiro Kutani from Japan's Institute of Energy Economics.

Developing countries were being hit especially hard, due to the sheer number of petrol cars as well as households that rely on gas, he said.

In the long term, this was a tough lesson for Asia "to learn from this crisis and aim to use oil efficiently and diversify our sources of supply", said Kutani.
Melania wants Epstein hearing. When is the one planned for Palm Beach?

House Democrats have delayed the April 14 Palm Beach hearing on Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse, according to a spokesperson for the committee's ranking member.

Emily Kassner-Marks, press secretary for U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, said the date, time and location of the hearing have not been finalized, though it will "likely be in mid-May." Garcia has been a vocal and prominent critic of the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein investigation.

A source familiar with the matter said organizers decided to postpone the hearing so as not to conflict with former Attorney General Pam Bondi's April 14 deposition about her handling of the Epstein files  a proceeding that has also since stalled.

Epstein in Palm Beach: Who warned about Epstein years before 2005 probe? What the files show

Advertisement Advertisement

President Donald Trump fired Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, on April 2. The Justice Department told the House Oversight Committee on April 8 that she will not attend the deposition as she was subpoenaed in her capacity as attorney general.

Committee members from both parties say they'll continue to seek Bondi's deposition. There's been no such bipartisan support for the Palm Beach hearing, however.

Why does House panel plan Epstein hearing in Palm Beach County?

Garcia, the committee's ranking Democrat, called the proceeding a "shadow field hearing," the term used for hearings organized by the minority party when the majority declines to hold an official one.

Shadow field hearings don't carry subpoena power or the formal authority of a committee proceeding. Witnesses appear voluntarily.

Advertisement Advertisement

Garcia has not specified where the hearing will take place in Palm Beach County, or if it will be in the Town of Palm Beach, saying only that lawmakers expect to hear from survivors and "important witnesses in the investigation."

"Palm Beach was ground zero for Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein's relationship, and we know that multiple women were recruited for Epstein from Mar-a-Lago," Garcia wrote. "If the President has nothing to hide, he should join us in his hometown."

Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. Reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Melania wants Epstein survivor hearing. Will it happen in Palm Beach?
MOSCOW, April 9 (Reuters) - Security officers raided the Moscow office of leading independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta on Thursday and state media said a prominent journalist had been arrested.

State news agency RIA quoted law enforcement authorities as saying the reporter, Oleg Roldugin, was being questioned over alleged misuse of personal data.

It published a brief video showing a man being frogmarched to a van by several masked security officers and bundled inside.

Advertisement Advertisement

Russia has tightened its censorship laws and increased pressure on independent media since it launched its war in Ukraine in 2022.

In a separate development, Russia's FSB security service said on Thursday it had detained a former Radio Free Europe freelance journalist on suspicion of treason for passing information to Ukrainian intelligence.

In a further move to clamp down on dissent, Russia's Supreme Court ruled on the same day that leading human rights group Memorial was an extremist movement, paving the way for the prosecution of anyone who supports it, donates to it or shares its materials.

PAPER'S EDITOR WON NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Advertisement Advertisement

Roldugin, the arrested journalist, previously ran a weekly newspaper called Sobesednik whose publisher was labelled a "foreign agent" months after it published a front-page story in 2024 on the death in a penal colony of leading dissident Alexei Navalny. Later that year, it was forced to suspend publication.

The journalist recently published an article in Novaya Gazeta investigating how a former aide to the nephew of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov was able to acquire one of Russia's most expensive penthouses.

Novaya Gazeta said Roldugin was taken in for questioning after a search of his flat on Thursday morning. The newspaper added that it could not confirm whether searches at its office were linked to his case.

Novaya Gazeta is one of Russia's best-known investigative news outlets. Its editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov was co-winner of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, and dedicated the award to six of his paper's journalists who were murdered for their work.

Advertisement Advertisement

Muratov was designated in 2023 as a "foreign agent", a label that the authorities apply to individuals and organisations they deem to be conducting anti-Russian activity with support from abroad.

He was not available for comment on Thursday's raid on the paper.

(Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark Trevelyan in London,Editing by Keith Weir)
Social media influencer Dan Bilzerian filed paperwork Tuesday to challenge Rep. Randy Fine (R) in Floridas 6th Congressional District.

Bilzerian filed as a Republican for a House district that includes Palm Coast and Daytona Beach, according to a filing from the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The address included on the FEC filing is the same address as Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatinis law firm.

Sabatini confirmed to The Hill that Bilzerian was running for Congress. The social media influencer, who boasts nearly 30 million followers on Instagram and regularly posts photos of himself alongside women wearing bikinis, told The Daytona Beach News-Journal earlier this month that he would run against Fine.

Advertisement Advertisement

Bilzerian, who has a history of antisemitic social media posts, has previously criticized Fine, who is Jewish, over his religion as well as his stance on Israel. The influencer has also slammed President Trumps policy, which is likely to become a political liability for the social media influencer in the GOP House district.

In a Tuesday post on the social platform X, Bilzerian also ripped the president over his handling of the war in Iran  comments that came before Trump announced a temporary ceasefire with the Middle Eastern country.

Trump is an extreme narcissist, hes going to nuke Iran because his ego cant handle that hes losing the war and his lies will be exposed, Bilzerian wrote on X. 25th amendment.

A Fine campaign spokesperson responded to Bilzerians campaign filing by noting Trumps previous support of the incumbent.

Advertisement Advertisement

Congressman Randy Fine is the only person in America that President Trump has endorsed three times in the past two years, including in his current reelection, the spokesperson said in a statement, adding that the Florida Republican is one of Trumps greatest allies.

Randy Fine will never back down in the face of any effort to impeach President Trump and obstruct the will of the American people, the spokesperson continued.

Fine, who is serving his first term in Congress after winning a special election to fill U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltzs seat in the House last year, was endorsed by Trump. The Florida Republican represents a district that Trump won by 30 points in 2024, according to The Downballot, though the state is considering changes to its House map this month.

Bilzerian faces an uphill climb given the congressional districts reliably red leanings and his criticism of the president. The Florida primary is Aug. 18.

Advertisement Advertisement

Emily Brooks contributed to this report

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
"Iran is not seeking war but will not forfeit its rights and considers all resistance fronts as a unified entity," Khamenei added.

Iran will move the management of the strategic Strait of Hormuz into a new phase, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday in a written statement read out on state TV.

"Iran is not seeking war but will not forfeit its rights and considers all resistance fronts as a unified entity," the statement added.

Advertisement Advertisement

The statement, released on the 40th day since the assassination of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, praised the former leader. "For forty days, the exalted soul of our martyred leader has been in divine proximity, joined among the righteous," said Khameneis apparent statement.

Turning to the war itself, the statement quoted Khamenei as saying that Iran had emerged victorious "despite the enemys aggression and losses suffered," adding, "with certainty that the Iranian nation has achieved victory."

"The rise of the Islamic Republic as a major power and the decline of global arrogance are presented as visible to all," said the statement.

Photo of Mojtaba Khamenei broadcasted on Thursday, March 12. (credit: SCREENSHOT/MEHR NEWS)

"For forty days, the devoted followers of the revolution have stood with courage in the fields, streets, and battlefronts," continued the apparent statement. "The Iranian people, though grieving, turned their sorrow into resistance and determination, astonishing their enemies and inspiring observers worldwide."

Advertisement Advertisement

Addressing Iran's neighbors in the region, the statement said that Iran is still awaiting an appropriate response from them so that we may show you our brotherhood and goodwill.

Khamenei is quoted as calling on supporters to continue demonstrations, noting that they are "critical" even during a ceasefire.

The statement concluded with recommendations to the Iranian public, advising them to "guard their ears" against "hostile or enemy-aligned media."

Second written statement attributed to Khamenei

The statement released on Thursday is the second such statement attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen since the war began on February 28.

Advertisement Advertisement

Khamenei's first apparent message, released on March 12, was described by a knowledgeable source in Tehran as having been dictated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and released under Khamenei's own authorship.

According to a diplomatic memo cited by The Times on Tuesday, Khamenei is currently incapacitated and receiving medical treatment in the Shi'ite holy city of Hom.

The memo, said to be based on American and Israeli intelligence and shared with Gulf allies, allegedly states that Khamenei is unconscious and in severe condition, rendering him unable to participate in regime decision-making, though the claims have not been independently verified.

According to The Times, the memo appears to be the first document that reports Khamenei's location, a detail not previously made public.

In addition, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in comments to the press on Wednesday that Khamenei was wounded and disfigured.
The 22-year-old suspect was tasked with gathering intelligence, including photographing the Haifa port and missile impact sites in northern Israel.

A Haifa resident has been arrested on suspicion of carrying out missions for Iranian intelligence, including allegedly producing explosives intended to target former prime minister Naftali Bennett, read a joint statement issued by police and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) on Thursday.

The suspect, identified as Ami Gaidarov, 22, was detained in March 2026 in a joint operation by the Lahav 433 National Crime Unit and the Shin Bet. According to the ongoing investigation, he had been in contact with an Iranian handler since August 2025 and carried out numerous assignments in exchange for significant financial compensation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities said Gaidarov was instructed to manufacture explosive materials, for which he rented an apartment in Haifa and purchased dedicated communication devices to maintain contact with his handlers. He allegedly documented the process with photos and videos, which he sent as proof of having completed the tasks. During the investigation, investigators found that he recruited others to assist in procuring materials and carrying out the planned assassination.

Several additional suspects from northern Israel, including two individuals identified as Sergey Libman and Eduard Shovtiyuk, were detained for questioning on suspicion of assisting in acquiring raw materials, concealing explosives, and even testing them. According to an i24 report, the suspects tested the explosives several times, including once at an underground public shelter in Haifa.

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett attends a Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem, February 17, 2026 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Suspect gathered intelligence for possible targets for Iranian strikes during war

Investigators further said that during Operation Roaring Lion, Gaidarov was tasked with gathering intelligence, including photographing the Haifa port and missile impact sites in northern Israel, and identifying a property overlooking the port for the possible installation of surveillance equipment.

Police said Gaidarov received over NIS 70,000 for his actions, largely transferred via digital wallets. A prosecutors statement has been filed, and indictments against him and others involved are expected to be submitted in the coming days.

The latest in a growing wave of Iran-linked espionage

The incident is the latest in a growing wave of espionage cases linked to Iran in recent months.

Advertisement Advertisement

Earlier this week, an Ashkelon Magistrates Court allowed the publication of limited additional details from a sensitive security investigation involving several suspects alleged to have provided services to Iranian elements.

Other recent cases include two brothers accused of espionage on Irans behalf, an ex-police interpreter accused of passing along information related to Iranian missile strikes, and other suspects allegedly recruited to carry out intelligence tasks for handlers tied to Tehran.

Iranian hackers release materials taken from former IDF chief's phone

In related news, an Iranian-linked hacking group claimed Thursday that it breached systems connected to former IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi and released dozens of photos and videos allegedly taken from his personal phone.

The group, calling itself Handala, said it had maintained prolonged access to systems tied to Halevis office, collecting large volumes of sensitive material.

Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report.
(Corrects headline and first paragraph to show nephew of Naim Qassem was killed, not Naim Qassem himself)

April 9 (Reuters) - Israel said on Thursday it had killed the nephew of Naim Qassem, the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, in a strike on Beirut overnight.

"The IDF struck in the Beirut area and eliminated Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem," the military said.

(Reporting by Reuters)
The strike that killed Al Jazeera's Muhammad Washah targeted a vehicle he and one other Palestinian, who was also killed, were driving along the coastal road in Gaza City, health authorities said.

Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed four people on Wednesday, including an Al Jazeera journalist, Gazan health authorities said and the Qatari state-funded television network reported.

The strike that killed Al Jazeera's Muhammad Washah targeted a vehicle he and one other Palestinian, who was also killed, were driving along the coastal road in Gaza City, health authorities said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Al Jazeera, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, reported on its Arabic-language TV channel that he was killed in a drone strike.

The Hamas-run government media office in Gaza condemned Washah's killing.

In February 2024, at the height of Israel's war in Gaza, the IDF accused Washah of being a member of Hamas. It released photos that it said showed him operating weapons systems, saying that it found the photos on a computer that it said troops had confiscated during a raid in Gaza.

Hamas terrorists look on as they escort members of the Red Cross towards an area within the so-called ''yellow line'' to which Israeli troops withdrew under the ceasefire in Gaza City November 12, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/DAWOUD ABU ALKAS)

At the time, Hamas and Al Jazeera denied that Washah had any affiliation with the group. Israel's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his killing.

Israel strikes others in Gaza, suspected terrorist across Yellow Line

In a separate incident in Gaza, medics said an Israeli airstrike killed two people in the central Gaza Strip, without providing details. There was no immediate comment from Israel's military on the incident.

Advertisement Advertisement

The IDF on Wednesday night also announced that it had killed a suspected terrorist who had crossed the Yellow Line and approached troops in northern Gaza in a threatening manner.

Tzvi Jasper contributed to this report.
JD Vance says he is "looking forward to negotiations" - the US vice-president, who is on his way to Islamabad, says he will work with Iran if they act in "good faith" - but warns if they "try to play us" the US won't be receptive
WASHINGTON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened Iran to stop charging fees to tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz if the country is doing so.

"There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait -- They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!" Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

A day earlier, Trump told ABC News he is weighing to set up a "joint venture" with Iran to charge tolls from vessels passing through the crucial waterway through which about 20 percent of global oil is transported, calling it "a beautiful thing."

He also said on social media on Wednesday that "big money" could be made by the U.S. "helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz."

Iran demands oil tankers pay a transit toll of 1 U.S. dollar per barrel for passing through the strait, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

Marine traffic in the strait remained at a trickle. For the first time since the ceasefire was reached on Tuesday, two non-Iranian oil tankers were tracked crossing the strait, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing ship-tracking firm Kpler. 
A federal appeals court has ordered that the slavery exhibit at Independence Mall in Philadelphia remain unchanged, marking a small victory for advocates seeking to preserve the full history of enslaved people connected to President George Washington.

The ruling requires that 16 restored panels at the President's House site stay in place and that no changes be made to the exhibit as the legal fight continues.

The exhibit tells the stories of nine people enslaved by Washington during his time in Philadelphia.

Advertisement Advertisement

"We feel great and we're quite optimistic," said Michael Coard, with the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, which led the fight to get the exhibit installed years ago.

The decision follows a months-long dispute between the coalition, the city and the National Park Service.

In January, the agency removed the panels, prompting the city to file for a preliminary injunction. The panels were restored weeks later.

Now, the court has ordered the federal government to "preserve the status quo," meaning the 16 panels must remain in place while the case proceeds.

"We don't want to do a victory lap yet, but we're putting our sneakers on," Coard said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Despite the ruling, Coard criticized the federal government for making changes to the exhibit's online content.

"It seems that the federal government is playing games," he said. "They didn't put up new information, physically at the site, but they did put up new information on the National Park Service website. And that's really not playing fair."

The updated website includes language suggesting Washington "often expressed discomfort" with slavery, and that the slaves kept in his home had more "autonomy" than slaves in other areas.

"If he felt discomfort, what about the 316 that he enslaved at Mount Vernon? What about the nine he enslaved in Philadelphia?" he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Visitors at the site expressed concern about any effort to remove or alter the exhibit.

"It was really shocking to me, especially with the 250th anniversary of this country coming up," said Melissa Carucci of South Philadelphia.

Sarah Moss, visiting from Emeryville, California, said, "To take down any part of African-American history is just a disservice to this country, like we need to know history to not repeat it."

The court's order does not address the remaining 18 panels that are still not on display. Coard said those panels will be restored if the final ruling is in their favor.

"We hope that by the end of all the arguments in the Third Circuit, the remaining 18 for a total of 34 are up and people can see the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about American history," he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

The case will continue through the legal process, which includes written briefs and oral arguments. Coard said he expects the case to eventually reach the Supreme Court of the United States.

"Unfortunately, no matter who wins or who loses, I'm quite sure this case is going up to the U.S. Supreme Court," he said.

In a statement, the U.S. Department of the Interior said: "By telling the full story... we strengthen our shared understanding and ensure that future generations inherit not just the land we love, but the truth of the journey that brought us here."

There is no timeline for a final ruling.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Thursday rejected criticism that Europe is not doing enough in the Middle East, calling such claims "unfair."

"Of course we can all do more," Kallas told CNN during a visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. But she pointed to Europes own security challenges, noting that Russia's war against Ukraine has been ongoing for four years.

"We haven't seen, you know, really the Gulf countries helping us there," she said, adding that support "can't be only a one-way street."

Advertisement Advertisement

Kallas said Europe did not create the current crisis in the Middle East but is nevertheless trying to contribute to regional stability.

She cited naval operations aimed at keeping the Red Sea open to shipping, support for the Lebanese armed forces in their fight against the Hezbollah and Hamas, and backing for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

She also pointed to European assistance for the Palestinian Authority and efforts to strengthen air defence in the region.
Kenya has made a formal protest against a UN report which alleged that its personnel serving in a Security Council-authorised mission in Haiti had been involved in sexual abuse.

In a letter to the UN chief Antonio Gutteres, Kenya's Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi expressed concern over the allegations that were first reported last August.

A report by the secretary general made public last week implicates officers under the Kenyan-led mission in four cases of rape and other forms of sexual violence. Three of the alleged victims are children - a 12-year-old and two aged 16.

Advertisement Advertisement

Mudavadi said the claims were promptly investigated through an inquiry and found to be unsubstantiated.

"No formal complaints were filed with any authority, and findings were shared transparently with both Haitian and UN bodies," he said.

The minister said that the personnel in the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) strictly adhered to all rules and that no reports had identified any misconduct.

A table in the UN report listing the four allegations notes that each was communicated to the MSS force commander.

The report says the allegations were substantiated by investigations conducted by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the UN, the allegations are under review.

"Sexual exploitation and abuse represent a fundamental betrayal of the trust placed in the United Nations and its partners by the communities it serves," the report states.

The Kenya-led mission was deployed to Haiti in 2024 to help combat gang violence, following authorisation by the UN Security Council.

The force, which was meant to have up to 2,500 members, fell far short of that target and, beset by operational and funding challenges, it was unable to curb the violence.

Mudavadi said Kenya's deployment through the MSS showed the country's commitment, despite operational challenges and domestic opposition.

Advertisement Advertisement

The MSS has since been replaced by a larger international force, the Gang Suppression Force, with the Kenya-led mission being phased out.

Additional reporting by Basillioh Rukanga in Nairobi

You may also be interested in:

[Getty Images/BBC]

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

BBC Africa podcasts
Millions of Indians have begun voting in elections across two states and a federally-administered territory, in a set of contests seen as an early gauge of support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Polling is under way in Assam and Kerala states, and Puducherry. The electoral cycle will extend to West Bengal and Tamil Nadu later this month, with results from all five due on 4 May.

For Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), these elections are less about federal stability and more a test of its ability to make inroads in regions where it has historically struggled.

Advertisement Advertisement

For opposition parties, the polls are a test of whether they can unite against BJP dominance.

People stand in a queue to cast their votes at a polling station in Kerala [NurPhoto via Getty Images]

According to India's Election Commission, the five regions have a combined 174 million voters - about 18% of the country's electorate.

A total of 296 seats are at stake in Thursday's polls: 126 in Assam, 140 in Kerala and 30 in Puducherry.

By 15:00 India time (09:30 GMT), Assam saw the highest voter turnout at 75.91%, according to data shared by the Election Commission of India. The turnout in Kerala was 62.71% and 72.40% in Puducherry.

The BJP governs Assam and is part of the ruling alliance in Puducherry, but has never formed a government in West Bengal, Kerala or Tamil Nadu, where it faces entrenched regional parties battling to retain or regain power.

Advertisement Advertisement

"It's a big test for the BJP, which has spent years trying to expand in West Bengal and southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu," Rahul Verma, a political scientist at the Centre for Policy Research, told the BBC.

But, he said, the polls are an even bigger challenge for opposition parties, particularly the Congress, whose electoral strength has declined in recent years.

"The results will show whether they [Congress] can mount a serious challenge in Assam and build on recent local election gains in Kerala. The election will also give a glimpse into how the broader opposition alliance is managing internal tensions," he added.

The summer polls - covering 824 assembly seats across the five regions - come amid a major controversy over a revision of electoral rolls, known as Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The Election Commission says that the exercise is aimed at removing duplicate or outdated entries and adding legit ones.

Advertisement Advertisement

But opposition parties allege it has been used to delete millions of voters, especially Muslims, to benefit the BJP. The BJP and the Election Commission have denied this.

Pauline George, 87, exits a polling station after casting her vote in Kochi, Kerala [NurPhoto via Getty Images]

Each region voting in April has its own political dynamics.

In Assam, politics has long been shaped by anxieties over migration, identity and citizenship, particularly along the Bangladesh border. The BJP has ruled the state for a decade, making this election a test of whether it can retain its dominance.

The campaign in Assam has been marked by sharp rhetoric from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has focused on undocumented immigration and demographic change, including remarks about Bengali-speaking Muslims. The opposition, led by the Congress, is trying to rally support around governance, economic concerns and regional identity.

Advertisement Advertisement

Kerala ranks among India's top performers on literacy, healthcare and life expectancy, and campaigns here centre on welfare and governance.

Power has traditionally alternated between alliances led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress. The Left alliance, in power for a decade, is seeking to overcome anti-incumbency.

West Bengal, the most populous of the five regions with over 70 million voters, has been ruled by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress since 2011, with the BJP emerging as its main challenger. Voting will take place in two phases on 23 and 29 April.

Banerjee has cast the BJP as an outsider at odds with West Bengal's linguistic and cultural identity, a charge the BJP rejects as it campaigns on undocumented immigration and national security, sharpening an already polarised contest in the Bangladesh-bordering state.

Advertisement Advertisement

The race has also been overshadowed by controversy over the SIR exercise, with a final list showing about nine million voters removed, many from the Muslim-majority district of Murshidabad.

Tamil Nadu has long been dominated by two regional parties - the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which is contesting the election in an alliance with the BJP.

This election - with voting scheduled on 23 April - has drawn extra attention with the emergence of a third political force led by superstar Vijay.

The BJP has struggled to gain a foothold in the state, where politics is shaped by regional parties rooted in social justice, state autonomy and a distinct linguistic identity. Even modest gains would mark a breakthrough, signalling its ability to expand in southern India.

Advertisement Advertisement

Puducherry, a coastal enclave with a 30-member assembly, is governed by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, with campaigns focused on welfare, jobs, development and ties with the federal government.

Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
MOSCOW/LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia had the right to defend itself from what it called piracy after a British newspaper reported that a Russian navy frigate had escorted oil tankers sanctioned by Britain through the English Channel.

Ship tracking data analysed by Reuters showed the two vessels sanctioned by the British government mentioned in the Daily Telegraph report - Russianflagged Universal and the Cameroonflagged Enigma - crossed through UK waters between Wednesday and Thursday.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said last month that he had authorised the military to board and detain Russian ships in British waters to disrupt a network of vessels that his government says enables Moscow to export oil despite Western sanctions over Ukraine. No such action has been taken so far.

Advertisement Advertisement

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked about the media report, said that Moscow had seen repeated cases of what he described as piracy in international waters and that Russia would act to ensure the safety of its own shipping.

"Over the past few months, we have witnessed repeated incidents of piracy in international waters. These incidents of piracy have, among other things, harmed the economic interests of the Russian Federation," Peskov told reporters.

"The Russian Federation considers itself entitled to, and will certainly take, measures to protect its interests."

The two tankers are used for diesel deliveries, according to LSEG data, which shows them each carrying some 40,000 tons of diesel loaded from the Baltic port of Primorsk in Leningrad region at the end of March. Enigma is heading to Mersin in Turkey while Universal's destination was unclear.

Advertisement Advertisement

Britain said it had used a patrol vessel, helicopter and tanker to report on the movements of the Admiral Grigorovich, a Russian landing ship and a submarine. Britain said Belgian, French and Dutch aircraft and ships were also involved in the monitoring operation.

Asked about the passage during a press conference - called to announce a separate British operation tracking Russian submarines in the High North - British defence minister John Healey said work between Britain and Western allies had already made it harder for Putin to operate a shadow fleet of oil tankers.

He confirmed the government was ready to go further.

"We have the military options, and we're ready to take action. Not just in support of, but action with, allies to interdict shadow fleet vessels," he said.

(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov and Muvija M in London, Writing by Anna Peverieri and William James; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Philippa Fletcher)
I've been reading and hearing many opinions from prominent persons in our community, complaining about the state legislature's education focus, specifically on Jefferson County Public Schools and Fayette County Public Schools. They claim the legislature's efforts are attacks directly on JCPS and seem to imply that these attacks are baseless and argue that logic, common sense and comprehension have given way to power plays, hate and division.

I believe the state legislature's focus is justified in that JCPS and FCPS combined make up nearly 20% of the state's total public school student population, and substantially as JCPS and FCPS go, the state goes with respect to the quality of public education in our state. I do agree that the state legislature is making attacks with their proposed education bills. I believe our state legislators are finally attacking the lack of effective accountability of our district leaders and board members as well as the lack of adequate governance and oversight the board has exercised over district leaders.

Critics are ignoring real issues

Ultimately, our state legislators are attacking the operational ineptitude (transportation), financial mismanagement ($188M deficit) and, most importantly, academic failure by the fact that over two-thirds of the district's students are not proficient in reading, math writing or science. For racial or economically disadvantaged minorities, student outcomes are unfortunately significantly worse, if that's even comprehensible. Logic and common sense tell us that it's the district's results that our state legislators are justifiably attacking, and, unfortunately, it's taken far too long for them to do so, with our children suffering because of it.

Advertisement Advertisement

Opinion: JCPS won't gain public confidence if we lose rights to vote

The most recent critique of the state legislature heard from these community JCPS defenders is of the proposed legislation that would replace two of the current seven elected board members with two members appointed by the Kentucky state treasurer. I understand the argument of keeping control of a school district in the hands of locally elected officials who live in the district and directly support it with their tax dollars. However, maybe having two of seven board members (29%) appointed by the state does have logic and makes common sense due to the fact that the state contributes almost 38% of all the district's funding.

I believe those community leaders who are attacking the state legislature for their efforts to address JCPS's issues share a portion of the blame for the district's current circumstances, the same that prior district leadership and board members do. Leaders don't ignore long declining student outcomes, or operational and financial mismanagement. Leaders base their points of view on data and facts, not on what's politically expedient or popular in the moment. Ultimately, leaders provide for common sense, comprehensible solutions, instead of accusations of hate and divisiveness towards those who disagree with them and to whom prefer action over the status quo.

Letter: JCPS won't restore our trust without transparency

Community leaders should work with legislators

These community critics suggest the legislature work with the district instead of against it. I believe the legislature has done that and, in turn, I would suggest that community leaders reach out and work with the state legislature to come up with more effective mechanisms for providing improved accountability, governance and oversight of our school district's leadership and board. We collectively, both state legislature and community leaders, need to find more effective ways to ensure that district leadership and its board are effectively managing the district's resources operationally, financially and, most importantly, academically, to the benefit of our kids, the taxpayers and the community at-large.

Advertisement Advertisement

Our kids, our community and our state deserve better from our community leaders. I believe our state legislators have begun to step up. Now, it's time for our community leaders to do the same.

Agree or disagree? Submit your letter to the editor.

Jody Wurtenberger

Jody Wurtenberger is a retired health care executive and CPA.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: JCPS needs community leaders to hold district accountable | Opinion
BEIRUT (AP)  Lebanon reeled Thursday after the deadliest day of the renewed war between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, with the death toll exceeding 300 people as more remains were pulled from rubble and bodies identified at hospitals. Meanwhile, Israel made the surprise announcement of authorizing direct talks with Lebanon, despite their lack of diplomatic ties. Israeli attacks continued.

The Health Ministry said that 1,150 people were also wounded in the widespread strikes that rocked Lebanon on Wednesday, including in busy parts of Beirut.

There was no immediate response to the Israeli announcement from Lebanon, which had repeatedly proposed talks to end the war, or from Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that talks would focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between the countries.

Advertisement Advertisement

Negotiations are expected to begin next week at the State Department in Washington, according to a person familiar with the plans. The talks are expected to be handled on the American side by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, and on the Israeli side by Israels Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the delicacy of the situation.

A Lebanese diplomatic official familiar with the developments said that the country has not yet appointed someone to lead talks from Beirut, but Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is keen to have a temporary ceasefire when talks commence in parallel with those taking place between the United States and Iran mediated by Pakistan. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Israel's announcement came hours after it had warned of escalation and said that it had killed an aide and nephew of Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem, Ali Yusuf Harshi.

Irans parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, earlier said that continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon would bring explicit costs and STRONG responses, while insisting that a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war extended to Lebanon. Israel has disagreed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Israeli strikes on Wednesday, without warning, killed at least 203 people and wounded more than 1,000, Lebanons Health Ministry said. Israel's military said that it targeted Hezbollah sites, but several strikes hit densely packed commercial and residential areas during rush hour, leading to widespread civilian casualties. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called the attacks barbaric.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday said that Washington asked Israel to scale back attacks on Lebanon to ensure negotiations with Iran are successful.

I thought I was dead

In Beirut, people waited anxiously on the ragged edges of search and rescue work, shielding their faces from the dust. Exhausted firefighters sat on a charred car amid collapsed buildings.

Lebanese Civil Defense spokesperson Elie Khairallah told The Associated Press that a wounded woman was found alive overnight in the seaside neighborhood of Ain Mreisseh, and a man was found alive in his collapsed apartment building in the southern suburbs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Mohammad Chehab, a Syrian man from Deir el-Zour, said that six of his 10 family members had been found dead in a destroyed building.

Theyve been searching all day for the rest, he said.

At hospitals, survivors and doctors described the carnage, while relatives gathered to identify bodies.

Abdul Rahman Mohammad, a Syrian who lost five relatives in the Hay al-Sellom neighborhood, waited at Rafik Hariri Hospital to retrieve the bodies of his mother, two sisters, brother and brother-in-law.

They were struck without any warning. This is Israeli brutality, he said.

Dr. Mohamad El Zaatari, director of the public hospital, said that it had treated 45 wounded people, including 10 cases in intensive care.

Advertisement Advertisement

At the Makassed hospital, Rabee Koshok lay on his bed.

I thought I was dead. What happened?" he recalled. A big flash of light struck my face and eyes, and I found someone flying over and landing next to me. He was dead.

Koshok had been in the commercial district of Corniche al Mazraa when a strike hit a nearby building.

Dr. Wael Jarrosh said that the hospital received around 70 wounded patients within 10 minutes of the blasts. Two people died and five remained hospitalized, including three in intensive care.

This has destroyed us psychologically, the doctor said.

Lebanon alleges blatant violation of international law

Netanyahu earlier had said that strikes would proceed with force, precision and determination." Israel's military has accused Hezbollah members of moving out of the groups main areas of influence in southern Lebanon and Beiruts southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, and blending into civilian areas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that his country would file an urgent complaint with the U.N. Security Council, calling the attacks a blatant violation of international and humanitarian law.

In a Cabinet session earlier Thursday, the Lebanese government announced a plan to demilitarize Beirut and deploy larger numbers of security patrols.

Even before the renewed war, Lebanon's government had sought Hezbollah's disarmament. The issue has inflamed tensions among Lebanese who are deeply divided over Hezbollah and its arsenal.

Melhem Khalaf, a reformist legislator representing Beirut, was critical of Israels strikes, but also of Hezbollah for dragging Lebanon back into war.

Advertisement Advertisement

All the targeted areas are safe residential Lebanese areas, Khalaf said, while watching a bulldozer clear rubble. What we are witnessing is a massacre against civilians."

More than a million people have been displaced by the war, many from the south and Dahiyeh. Israel's military has issued warnings for the population to leave those areas, followed by heavy bombardment.

Israel has also launched a ground invasion in the border region. The death toll in Lebanon has reached 1,739, the health ministry said, with 5,873 wounded.

Meanwhile, the main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria returned to service Thursday, five days after the Israeli military warned of plans to strike it, alleging that Hezbollah was using it to smuggle military equipment. Lebanese and Syrian authorities denied the claim.

Advertisement Advertisement

More than 200,000 people have fled Lebanon into Syria since the war resumed.

___

Sally Abou AlJoud reported from Beirut. Ali Sharafeddine and Hussein Malla in Beirut, and Ghaith AlSayed in Jdeidet Yabous, Syria, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 9 (UPI) -- Lebanese officials engaged Thursday in intensive diplomatic contacts to confirm the country's inclusion in the Pakistan-mediated U.S.-Iran cease-fire and refusing to let Tehran negotiate on their behalf.

The initiative comes a day after Israel carried out large-scale air strikes on Beirut and across Lebanon that killed more than 303 people and injured more than 1,150, according to Lebanese Health Ministry's latest count.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called on his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, during a telephone call to emphasize that the cease-fire achieved between the United States and Iran on Wednesday "must include Lebanon to prevent a recurrence of the Israeli aggressions."

Advertisement Advertisement

Sharif condemned the recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon and affirmed that Pakistan "is working to ensure peace and stability" in the country.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged Western and Arab officials he had contacted to give his country "an opportunity -- just as was given to the United States and Iran -- to reach a cease-fire and move toward negotiations."

Speaking during a Cabinet meeting, Aoun, who last month proposed direct talks with Israel starting with a truce, also called for exerting the necessary pressure to ensure that "Lebanon becomes part of the cease-fire agreement, allowing us to proceed with negotiations."

Israel has rejected the proposal for direct talks and inclusion of Lebanon in the two-week cease-fire, which is said to call for a cessation of hostilities across multiple fronts, Lebanon among them, while pledging to continue strikes against Hezbollah.

Advertisement Advertisement

But in a surprise announcement late Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his Cabinet would begin a cease-fire and Hezbollah disarmament talks with Lebanon "as soon as possible."

"The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon," Netanyahu said.

Aoun refused "anyone [who] negotiates on our behalf," a clear reference to Iran, which threatened to withdraw from the temporary cease-fire with the United States if Israel continues to attack Lebanon.

"We have the ability and the means to negotiate ourselves, and therefore we do not want anyone to negotiate for us. This is something we do not accept," Aoun said.

Advertisement Advertisement

In separate comments, Aoun said the only solution is to achieve a cease-fire, followed by direct negotiations with Israel.

Ali Fayyad, A Hezbollah member in Parliament, called on the Lebanese government to "insist on a cease-fire as a prerequisite before moving to any subsequent step."

Fayyad reiterated his group's rejection of any direct negotiations with Israel, requesting Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, cessation of Israeli attacks and return of the displaced to their villages and towns.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a post on X that his country "will never abandon its Lebanese brothers and sisters" after Israel's Wednesday strikes on residential areas in Beirut and other Lebanese areas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Pezeshkian said the Israeli attacks "blatantly violate the initial cease-fire" and that "such actions signal deception and non-compliance, rendering negotiations meaningless. Our hands remain on the trigger."

While Pakistan has confirmed that Lebanon is included in the cease-fire it mediated, Israel and the United States have claimed otherwise.

The Lebanese Cabinet decided to file an urgent complaint to the U.N. Security Council regarding the "dangerous escalation" of Israeli attacks that resulted in a large number of civilian casualties and came "in defiance of all international and regional efforts to halt the war in the region."

It also called on the Army and security forces to immediately take action to strengthen the state's full authority over Beirut, ensuring that weapons are restricted to legitimate forces and the laws are strictly enforced.

Advertisement Advertisement

The measure specifically targets Hezbollah, which has refused to fully disarm after its war with Israel that began Oct. 8, 2023, in support of Gaza -- a conflict that was supposed to end with the Nov. 27, 2024, cease-fire, which Israel ignored, continuing its strikes against the militant group.

It also came after Israel hit buildings, apartments and hotel rooms in Beirut where Hezbollah and Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps allegedly were hiding, risking civilian lives.

While Hezbollah announced Thursday that it resumed firing missiles and rockets on settlements in northern Israel for its violation of the truce with Iran, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the group was "desperate for a cease-fire."

Katz was quoted by Israeli English-language websites as saying that 200 Hezbollah members were killed in Wednesday's attacks, bringing the number of "those eliminated" during the new round of fighting since last March to 1,400.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Hezbollah is stunned by the scale of the blow," he said.

The Israeli Army said that among those targeted Wednesday in an air strike on a residential building in Beirut was Ali Youssef Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem.

It said that Maher Qasem Hamdan, whom it described as the commander of the Hezbollah-affiliated "Lebanese Resistance Brigades," and seven others also died in a strike on the port city of Sidon in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Israel sparked a new wave of panic by issuing evacuation orders for residents in Beirut's southern suburbs and surrounding areas, forcing thousands, including already displaced people, to flee in haste.

Advertisement Advertisement

Early Thursday, rescue teams continued searching in two targeted buildings, one of which collapsed, while many families tried to locate loved ones who have been unaccounted for since Wednesday.

According to medical sources at the government-run Rafik Hariri University Hospital, about 95 bodies, some mutilated, were brought to the hospital and were awaiting identification by their families.
Lincoln Park  The Lincoln Park Police Department is looking into its possible use of license plate readers to assist in immigration enforcement.

Deputy Police Chief Patrick Culter said Tuesday that the police department has launched an internal investigation to determine if one of the department's members conducted a search of its LPRs on Feb. 18, 2025. The investigation will also determine the purpose of the search, according to Culter's written statement to The Detroit News.

The investigation comes after another media outlet, 404 Media, a reporter-operated online publication that focuses on technology and surveillance, obtained a large trove of data about police agencies searching license plate reader data for immigration reasons.

Advertisement Advertisement

Two searches were allegedly done by Lincoln Park police on Feb. 18 last year and listed "Border Patrol TS" as the reason for the lookups. Lincoln Park is 26% Hispanic, according to the latest Census Bureau estimates.

"The Lincoln Park Police Department currently does not have a written policy governing the use of LPRs for immigration enforcement," said Culter in an emailed statement. "The police department is currently reviewing and updating all our policies as we are hoping to seek accreditation in the future."

According to 404 Media, Lincoln Park was one of several police departments in Metro Detroit that ostensibly searched their LPR databases in early 2025 on behalf of either Customs and Border Protection or its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security.

Warren police did 28 "HSI" searches over a five-week period because a department member serves on a federal task force. The lookups were unrelated to immigration matters, according to Lt. John Gajewski.

Advertisement Advertisement

The use of license plate readers to investigate crimes in Michigan has roughly tripled since 2022, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. A spokesperson for Flock Safety, the most prominent license plate reader vendor in the country, says more than 180 law enforcement agencies  roughly a third of Michigan  use the company's cameras.

mbryan@detroitnews.com

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Lincoln Park probes license plate reader use following immigration report
Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL, began a primary challenge to Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) last year with President Donald Trumps endorsement and the promised support of Trump-aligned super PACs.

In the past, thats been enough to eliminate Trump critics from the GOP. Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) and Tom Rice (R-S.C.) all lost primaries to Trump-backed candidates after they voted to impeach Trump at the end of his first term.

Politics: Republicans May Have Just Tanked Trumps Controversial Nominee Ed Martin

But with a month to go before the primary, its not clear if being the presidents man is enough for Gallrein to win. Two polls released this week show Massie has a shot at becoming the rare Republican to face down Trumps political wrath and survive.

Advertisement Advertisement

A poll released Thursday by Quantus Insights has Massie leading with 46.8% support to 37.7% for Gallrein. Another survey, by Big Data Poll, found 52.4% of voters in the district leaning toward voting for Massie, compared to 47.6% leaning Gallrein.

Massie, for his part, is acting increasingly confident, challenging Gallrein to a debate he believes will expose his opponent. Gallrein has yet to accept the invitation.

Im comfortable debating because I know what I believe, Massie told HuffPost. He and his handlers dont want him in a debate because he doesnt really have any policy positions. Hes promised just to do whatever the president and [House Speaker] Mike Johnson want, and he cant even be sure what that is on any given day.

Politics: Why Donald Trump Is Trying To Make An Example Out Of This One House Republican

Theres little disagreement that the big questions in the May primary for Massies solidly Republican northern Kentucky district are whether Trumps endorsement is the most important thing to Republican voters there, and whether those voters find any value in Massies willingness to step out of line.

Advertisement Advertisement

Massie is as conservative as anyone on Capitol Hill, and more rigid in his views than any House Republican  so much so that hes repeatedly voted against debt-financed tax cuts and spending bills that had the presidents blessing. Because of those votes  plus Massies efforts to unseal the governments files on Jeffrey Epstein and his votes against wars  Trump recruited Gallrein.

Just give me somebody with a warm body to beat Massie, Trump said at a rally with Gallrein in Kentucky last month, hastening to add that Gallrein has a beautiful brain and a strong handshake.

Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost.

Republican congressional candidate for Kentucky, Ed Gallrein, speaks as U.S. President Donald Trump looks during an event at Verst Logistics on March 11, 2026, in Hebron, Kentucky. Verst Logistics handles packaging, shrink sleeve labeling, and transportation management for various brands. Andrew Harnik via Getty Images

Massie has beaten a Trump-backed primary challenger before, but Gallreins got significant support from Trump-aligned groups that have spent millions on campaign ads against Massie, with the Republican Jewish Committee alone spending over $3 million. And Trump does have a strong track record of banishing dissenters from the Republican Party, which has seemingly abandoned core positions on free trade, fiscal responsibility and rule of law.

Advertisement Advertisement

In an interview with a conservative Kentucky radio host this week, Gallrein called Massie the Liz Cheney of Kentucky, referring to the former Republican congresswoman who was driven from the GOP over her refusal to excuse Trumps criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Politics: New Republican Food Benefit Cuts Are Taking Effect

But Massie is holding up much better in the available polling than Cheney ever did. In two surveys conducted before her primary loss in August 2022, Cheney was trailing by an average of more than 20 percentage points.

Gallrein is by no means an empty suit  hes got decades of military service, hes a farmer, and hes not entirely new to Republican politics, having served unsuccessfully as the state partys favored candidate for an open state senate seat in 2024. But theres no doubt hes a less experienced public speaker than Massie, who in his decade-plus as a House member has tangled with senior administration officials at hearings and given thousands of interviews to journalists.

Advertisement Advertisement

Gallrein appears to be trying to coast to victory without much of a ground game. Only 8.6% of respondents in Big Data Polls survey said theyd interacted with door knockers from Gallreins campaign, compared to 35.5% who said theyd been contacted by Massies campaign. Its not necessarily a bad strategy.

It may be that its better for Gallrein and to just do an air war rather than a traditional campaign and just sort of rely on, Do you like Trump? Then youre for Gallrein, Trey Grayson, a former Kentucky Secretary of State and expert on Bluegrass State politics, told HuffPost.

Politics: Eric Swalwell ****** Assault Allegations Fallout, Vance Departs Pakistan With No Deal: Live Updates

A debate would be good for Massie, because his personality would have a chance to come through, Grayson said. And it would probably give him a chance to show how, in comparison with Gallrein, how much he does agree with Trump.

Advertisement Advertisement

Gallreins campaign did not respond to requests for comment, but hes made clear his reason for running is to back the president on Capitol Hill. In recent interviews with friendly media, hes spoken about his visits to the White House and about how Trump was impressed by his firm handshake. And hes faulted Massie for not being a team player.

Hes standing against more than the president. Hes standing against our nation, Gallrein told conservative radio host Bill Cunningham last month. Everything he does is about get Trump. Hes just picked a fight with him and the party.

When Cunningham asked Gallrein to debate Massie, Gallrein seemed caught off guard. I got hard work to do, about a thousand other things, but let me get back to you on that, he said.

Politics: Kamala Harris 2028? Democratic Operatives And Donors Hope Not.

Massie said Gallrein has backed out of four debates in addition to his unenthusiastic response to Cunningham. Its likely to be among the most expensive elections in the country, Massie said, so people ought to at least get their moneys worth and see the two candidates debate.

Advertisement Advertisement

I think before people vote, they deserve to see more than 30 seconds of somebody in a rehearsed ad before they cast their ballot, Massie said. And typically, conventional campaign wisdom is, if youre ahead, you dont debate the other guy. You turn down the debates. Eds problem is hes behind, and he wont debate me, and the reason Im willing to debate him is I think he could lose the whole race in one debate.

Political Updates

Read the original on HuffPost
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama's senior economic advisor, Seth Terkper, speaks at the 24th Annual General Meeting of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development in Accra, Ghana, April 8, 2026. (Photo by Seth/Xinhua)

ACCRA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Ghanaian government on Wednesday urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a subregional bloc, to mobilize their internal resources to finance development.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama's senior economic advisor, Seth Terkper, said at the 24th Annual General Meeting of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) that Africa's economic independence hinges on how well the continent leverages domestic resources for development.

The EBID recorded strong achievements in 2025, with total disbursements of about 722 million U.S. dollars, up 47.7 percent from 2024.

According to Terkper, the performance of sub-regional financial and development institutions shows that the subregion has the capacity to mobilize and manage its own resources for development, even as the global financing environment becomes less favorable to developing countries.

"Capital is becoming increasingly selective, and risk pricing has tightened, and access to long-term financing for emerging and frontier markets remains constrained," Terkper said in the speech read on behalf of Mahama, highlighting that this trend poses significant challenges for the subregion's development goals and underscores the need for innovative financing solutions.

Terkper urged ECOWAS to make use of the large stock exchanges in the subregion as drivers for development finance mobilization to secure the needed capital for regional infrastructure development.

EBID President George Agyekum Donkor said the bank is committed to its core mandate of supporting member states to come out of poverty and address infrastructure deficits across the region.

"We aim to direct at least 63 percent of our new commitments toward the private sector enterprises to catalyze innovation and job creation simultaneously," Donkor said. 

George Agyekum Donkor, president of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), speaks at the 24th Annual General Meeting of the EBID in Accra, Ghana, April 8, 2026. (Photo by Seth/Xinhua)
The Getty Center, one of Californias most iconic art museums, announced Thursday that it will close for a year for major renovations aimed at enhancing the visitor experience ahead of the 2028 Summer Games.

Getty is embarking on an exciting new chapter, said Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust.

The Center, which overlooks the Los Angeles Basin from the Santa Monica Mountains in Brentwood, will close to the public on March 15, 2027, and is scheduled to reopen in the spring of 2028.

Advertisement Advertisement

Planned upgrades include revitalized galleries and visitor experiences, improved accessibility, a renovated Welcome Hall and other cosmetic changes across the campus. The estimated cost of the renovations was not released.

These upgrades will improve Gettys energy efficiency and advance its broader sustainability commitments, including best practices related to collections environments that it has recently pledged to adopt alongside other Los Angeles and leading international cultural institutions, the Center said in a statement.

The Central Garden of the Getty Center is seen October 28, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

Some of the work is already underway.

The Center is replacing dozens of air conditioning units, refurbishing galleries, improving signage and constructing new restrooms.

Advertisement Advertisement

In the coming years, guided by our commitment to All for Art, we will enhance the visitor experience across the Getty Center campus through reimagined spaces and new offerings, while prioritizing sustainability, Fleming said.

The Getty Center opened in 1997 and is home to world-renowned works by artists including Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt and Monet. It typically draws more than 1 million visitors each year from around the world.

The renovations will not impact the Getty Villa, which will remain open.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
An 18-year-old college freshman was blinded in his right eye by a federal agent during the Los Angeles "No Kings" protest on March 28.

Tucker Collins, who is studying astronautical engineering with a minor in cinematic arts at the University of Southern California, was documenting the rally protesting policies implemented under President Donald Trump near the Metropolitan Detention Center, where immigration detainees are held. Video of the incident shared by Collins' attorney, V. James DeSimone, shows a crowd of people separated from agents by a tall black fence surrounding the facility. Collins can be seen holding his phone and filming near the back of the group before abruptly falling to the ground. Blood streams from his right eye as bystanders come to his aid. He was helped by a nurse present at the protest, DeSimone told CNN, and later taken to the hospital.

In the video, DeSimone accuses Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents of unlawfully shooting Collins with "a less-lethal launchershooting directly into his head" while exercising his First Amendment rights. The strike caused irreparable damage to Collins' eye and fractured bones in his eye socket, DeSimone told CNN. Collins' eye had to be surgically removed.

Advertisement Advertisement

In a statement made to the Los Angeles Times, a DHS spokesperson claimed that agents "followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property" after a group of 1,000 protestors "threw rocks, bottles, and cement blocks at officers." The agency said seven warnings were given before crowd control measures were used. "The First Amendment protects speech and peaceful assemblynot rioting," the spokesperson continued.

Under DHS use-of-force guidelines, while agents may be authorized to use less-lethal weapons, such as pepperballs and rubber bullets, using such a device is considered deadly force when "it carries a substantial risk of causing death or serious bodily injury," such as "strik[ing] the neck or head." Deadly force is only permissible when "the [officer] has a reasonable belief that the subject of force poses an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the [officer] or to another person."

Even with this guideline in place, a federal court in California issued a preliminary injunction last September prohibiting DHS agents from, in part, "using crowd control weapons," including less-lethal weapons, "on members of the press, legal observers, and protesters who are not themselves posing a threat of imminent harm to a law enforcement officer or another person." The order was a result of a lawsuit in which DHS agents were accused of using excessive force and suppressing First Amendment-protected activities when officers shot less-lethal weapons at people protesting the Trump administration's immigration enforcement tactics in Southern California last summer.

In this case, Collins "was not threatening anyone. He wasn't attacking anyone," DeSimone told The Guardian. "DHS officers took out his eye and they did it despite a federal injunction that plainly forbids firing these weapons at people's heads," he continued.

Advertisement Advertisement

Others have been similarly struck and blinded by these types of weapons. In January, a 21-year-old protester in Santa Ana, California, was left permanently blind in one eye after a DHS officer shot him in the face with a less-lethal weapon. And a 23-year-old lost sight in one eye and may lose sight in his other eye after a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer allegedly shot him with a less-lethal weapon while he observed a protest in March. Outside of Southern California, the DHS has also been accused of using excessive force against protesters, including in Chicago and Minneapolis.

DeSimone told CNN he plans to file under the Federal Tort Claims Act on Collins' behalf. But even if he is able to successfully hold the unidentified DHS agent accountable in court for his reckless actions, a notoriously difficult thing to do, Collins' life has been permanently altered, highlighting the need to ensure law enforcement uses an appropriate amount of force before shooting someone's eye out.

Although considered less-lethal, many crowd control devices are powerful and can have serious, life-altering effects on individuals who are struck either intentionally or accidentally. "They may have a green stock barrel, but they're 12-gauge shotguns that file at a range of over 200 mph," DeSimone told the Los Angeles Times. "With that amount of force, we've got people with broken jaws and broken skulls. It's heartbreaking."

The post Los Angeles Teen Blinded in One Eye by DHS Agent at 'No Kings' Rally, Attorney Says appeared first on Reason.com.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  A man imprisoned for nearly 30 years before being exonerated won a landmark election in New Orleans promising to fix a judicial system that failed him. Now, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and the GOP-controlled Legislature are racing to eliminate his job before he can be sworn in.

Calvin Duncan won 68% of the vote last November to become the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court after pledging to reform the justice system based on his own experience fighting to access court records while in maximum security prison.

Duncan rebuilt his life, in part by running for and winning the clerks office. But Louisiana Senate Republicans on Wednesday voted to scrap Duncans new job as part of a broader GOP effort to streamline the judiciary in New Orleans, a Democratic hub with a predominantly Black electorate. The state Legislature is largely Republican and white, and the deeply red state has been leading efforts to gut the Voting Rights Act.

Advertisement Advertisement

Duncan's swearing in is scheduled for May 4.

He told The Associated Press he believes hes being retaliated against by Louisiana officials who have long denied his innocence, even though his name is listed on the National Registry of Exonerations.

Republicans say it isn't personal and defend the effort as a step toward government efficiency.

The citizens of New Orleans overwhelmingly said: I want to give this person a chance, he can make a difference, Duncan, a Democrat, told lawmakers during a March committee hearing. What this bill does, it says: Thank you but you wasted your time. It disenfranchises everybody.

The wrongful conviction that landed Duncan in prison

The case started with the 1981 murder of 23-year-old David Yeager and landed Duncan in prison for more than 28 years. In 2011, on the eve of a hearing to consider new evidence, prosecutors offered to reduce Duncan's sentence to time served if he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and armed robbery. Duncan was freed, but he didnt give up trying to clear his name.

Advertisement Advertisement

Finally, in 2021, a judge agreed that he had been unjustly convicted and vacated Duncans sentence altogether.

As state attorney general in 2023, Landry opposed Duncan's petition to be compensated for his wrongful conviction. Duncan withdrew the petition after Landry's successor, Liz Murrill, threatened to go after Duncan's law license in the state. When Duncan ran for clerk, Murrill vowed to take further action against him if he did not stop calling himself exonerated.

Landry and Murrill have pointed to Duncan having accepted the 2011 plea deal for manslaughter and armed robbery.

The Attorney General made it clear during the election that if I continued to accurately speak about my innocence and exoneration that I would face consequences from her office," Duncan told The Associated Press. We are seeing those consequences today as she and the Governor try to undo the will of 68% of voters in New Orleans.

Advertisement Advertisement

Murrill said she had no involvement in the move to eliminate the office.

Republicans say the current system needs an overhaul

Landry told the AP that eliminating Duncan's elected office was about improving government efficiency and "cleaning up a system in Orleans Parish that has been plagued by dysfunction and corruption for years.

Proponents of consolidating the criminal clerk of court with the civil clerk of court say the offices are combined in other parishes. Terminating the criminal clerk of court position would save the state an estimated $27,300, according to the office of the legislative auditor, which added that the costs of combining clerks' offices were unknown.

The bills Republican author, Sen. Jay Morris, who represents a district in north Louisiana, acknowledged that once Duncans elected position is eliminated, the civil clerk of court might struggle to handle the influx of cases. The solution, he says, is to hire someone.

Advertisement Advertisement

Other New Orleans elected judicial officials whose jobs may be eliminated in the future would be allowed to serve out their terms, but not Duncan.

Morris told lawmakers that the goal is to pass the law in time to prevent Duncan from taking office before the start of his four-year term.

The bill, on track to be passed by the GOP-controlled House and approved by Landry, would immediately go into effect with the governors signature.

I have never seen something so barbaric," Sen. Royce Duplessis, a Democrat representing New Orleans said on the Senate floor. I understand politics and I know you all are going to vote how you are going to vote. But just know, when we are all done here, history has a record."

Advertisement Advertisement

Duncan, 62, was the driving force behind a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision that ended nonunanimous jury convictions. He has also founded a nonprofit dedicated to expanding incarcerated people's access to the court system. He has said being elected to the clerks office was the culmination of his lifes work.

___

Cline reported from Baton Rouge.

___

Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Louisiana lawmakers might lift a prohibition on using their campaign and political action committee funding to purchase clothing for themselves.

State Rep. Jason DeWitt, R-Tioga, has sponsored House Bill 996 to allow state legislators to spend up to $2,500 per year from their political accounts to buy, clean and maintain their clothing. The privilege would not extend to any other elected officials.

Before I was elected, I had one suit, my wedding and funeral suit. Now, Im expected to be in a suit at the Capitol, or at least in a coat and tie, every week, DeWitt said at a legislative committee meeting last week. That means buying multiple suits, shirts, ties and paying for regular dry cleaning. That adds up fast.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Louisiana House and Governmental Affairs Committee agreed. It voted 11-2 Wednesday to open up campaign and PAC spending for clothes, including shoes and belts.



Several legislators brought up the fact that they only receive a salary of $16,800 per year for their part-time, public service jobs, and the amount of business attire they need to buy is burdensome.



State lawmakers impose a strict dress code on themselves. A House of Representatives rule requires male lawmakers to wear a coat, tie and slacks or a suit while on the House floor or presiding as part of a committee. Female legislators need to wear a business dress or suit under the same circumstances.



The legislature meets three to six times per week during their annual legislative session, which starts in either March or April each year and runs until June. Many lawmakers say this has required them to buy more dress clothes.



If we want this body to be made up of people from all walks of life, not just those who can afford it, then we need to recognize the basic required cost of service, DeWitt said.

The legislation, if approved, would put Louisianas campaign finance laws out of step with those of the federal government.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

Advertisement Advertisement

Members of Congress and congressional candidates are generally prohibited from buying clothing with their campaign funds or PAC money because it is considered a personal expense. Louisianas current law is written similarly to restrict political spending for personal benefit.

Campaign clothing purchases have also been a source of scandal and controversy for elected officials over the years.



Federal prosecutors allege former New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell hid illegal clothing purchases she made with her campaign funds, according to court documents the U.S. government filed this week in their corruption case against her.

In 2008, the Republican National Committees decision to spend $150,000 on clothing, makeup, hair styling and accessories for former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family also raised eyebrows.



At the time, the RNC was taking advantage of a loophole in the federal campaign finance laws that allowed the political parties to buy clothing for candidates, even if campaigns and PACs could not.

In Louisiana, DeWitt said some legislators already use their campaign accounts to purchase clothing, even if it isnt allowed.



You cant imagine how many members are doing it already, and how many members are actually writing checks out of their campaign funds for [dry] cleaning expenses, DeWitt said last week.

Advertisement Advertisement

A lot of members are really technically breaking the law, he added.

Rep. Jason DeWitt, R-Tioga, is pushing legislation to allow legislators to use their campaign cash to purchase clothing. (Photo by Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator)

The Louisiana Board of Ethics has not taken a position on his proposal, but state Ethics Administrator David Bordelon said the board is concerned using campaign funds for clothing could bleed over into spending political funds on personal wardrobes.

Thats not the purpose of campaign funds, Bordelon told the legislative committee last week.

Rep. Rodney Schamerhorn, R-Hornbeck, was one of two legislators on the House Governmental Affairs Committee who voted against DeWitts bill. He said he was uncomfortable with the idea that people could purchase business attire with their campaign funds but also wear that clothing for personal events.

Advertisement Advertisement

The suits that youre fixing to buy, the dress clothes, youll be wearing them at home and out in public, everywhere else, Schamerhorn said Wednesday during a hearing on DeWitts bill.

However, Schamerhorn agreed that lawmakers are forced to spend a lot of money on business attire. His accountant has started to deduct the cost of his suits on his taxes by classifying them as a uniform he is required to wear for his job as a legislator, he said.

DeWitts bill now goes to the House floor for a vote and would have to pass the Senate in order to become law.

Correction: This report was updated to indicate federal prosecutors said they intend to submit evidence that former Mayor LaToya Cantrell used campaign funds for clothing purchases.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX




The man accused of taking a 16-year-old Colerain Township girl to Tennessee, Texas and Florida while law enforcement searched the country for her had taken another girl before, according to newly unsealed court documents.

Stephen Negron, 42, was charged April 8 in federal court in Cincinnati with transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He was found with the Colerain Township teen in Florida, officials said, after the girl had been missing for about a month.

The new court documents outline how Negron connected with the teen, how police used an anonymous tip along with cutting-edge technology to track down Negron and how he may have done the same thing before.

Advertisement Advertisement

Negron also is now facing separate federal charges in Tennessee related to a 2024 case in which a 17-year-old Texas girl was taken, drugged and sexually assaulted, according to the documents.

What happened to the Colerain teen?

Negron connected with the Colerain Township teen on Tumblr, investigators said. It was Negron who reached out to the girl and offered to take her in, offering her clothes, a place to live and "a better life."

Investigators said Negron knew she was 16 and told her "he was willing to risk getting in trouble."

After communicating online for about a week, Negron came to Ohio to pick her up, police said. She was last seen by her family on Feb 13.

Advertisement Advertisement

The teen previously met with another man, who is also now facing federal charges.

Once she was with Negron, he made her "delete items in her phone and change her settings," the documents state. He then "destroyed the phone during the car ride back to his home in Tennessee, using a hammer, and threw it out."

The teen later told police that once they got to Negron's house in Rogersville, Tennessee, she noticed he "wasn't normal," but "she was already with him, (and) there was no way to get away."

She learned he "liked little girls," according to the documents, and would have taken her even if she was younger than 16.

Advertisement Advertisement

Much of the federal complaint is redacted, likely due to the sensitive nature of the information regarding a juvenile. On the 13th page of the 17-page document, only a few sentences are visible. One simply says that Negron told the teen that "he took another girl in the past."

According to federal investigators, Stephen Negron told a 16-year-old he had taken from Colerain Township that he had taken another girl in the past.

A tipster, a license plate reader and a cellphone box

As investigators tried to find the Colerain Township girl, they continued to come up short on leads. Her mother thought she was spending the night at a friend's house, but that friend's parent said she got dropped off at home. The teen's father thought she was meeting up with a friend named Josh.

Then an anonymous tipster said they saw the teen getting in a white or grey pickup truck. Police could not track her phone but did know the last location where it hit a cellphone tower and started scanning surveillance footage, looking for a similar truck. They found video from a gas station on Galbraith Road of what appeared to be the truck.

Its Tennessee license plate led to Negron, and license plate readers tracked the pickup into Tennessee. Investigators would later be told by the girl that Negron also took her to Texas.

Advertisement Advertisement

On March 12, law enforcement searched Negron's home in Rogersville, Tennessee, but found no one there. They did find a box for a cellphone with a phone number written on it. When they tracked that phone, they found it was in Palatka, Florida, where the teen and Negron were found March 13 at a hotel.

Police raided his house in 2024 and found drugs and contraceptives

While searching for the teen, investigators learned that Negron had a protection order against him, forcing him to stay away from a teen girl in Texas.

Investigators said Negron began an online relationship with that girl in 2023 when she was 16. They met up and they talked and texted every day for months, court documents state.

In May 2024, he picked her up in Texas and took her to a hotel. A few days later, he picked her up again and took her to his home in Tennessee, where he drugged her and sexually assaulted her, investigators said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Negron was arrested and his house was searched. Police said they found leather whips, restraint chairs, sex toys, THC gummies, morning-after pills and other contraceptives.

Negron was never convicted on any charges related to the Texas girl. Federal court documents do not explain why. However, on March 12, the day before the Colerain Township girl was found, Negron was charged in federal court in Tennessee in connection with these earlier allegations.

What's next?

Negron is being held in Tennessee. He will be transferred to Ohio for hearings in the case involving the Colerain Township teen, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio.

He was scheduled to appear in federal court in Tennessee on April 9 for an initial hearing. A hearing in Ohio has not yet been scheduled. He did not have an attorney listed in Ohio on April 9.

Advertisement Advertisement

If convicted, Negron faces 10 years to life to in prison on each count of transporting a minor for the purpose of criminal sexual activity.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Man charged in missing teen case took another teen before, feds say
Former Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene says President Donald Trump needs to be removed from office.

Greene, who resigned in January, called for the presidents cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment after Trump posted on Truth Social saying a whole civilization will die tonight after giving Iran a deadline to end the war there.

25TH AMENDMENT!!!

Not a single bomb has dropped on America. We cannot kill an entire civilization.

This is evil and madness. pic.twitter.com/2mdogDRZN4  Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (@FmrRepMTG) April 7, 2026

Trump later backed down from that deadline, but in an interview on CNNs The Situation Room, Greene says she feels that the president is mentally unstable.

Advertisement Advertisement

Its absolute madness. How can any person that is mentally stable call for an entire civilization of people to be murdered, to be wiped out, to never come back again? Thats what the president called for, and that shows that theres serious instability in his thinking that he would not only say that in a private room, perhaps with his advisers, but actually go to his megaphone, his Truth Social, and post that for the entire country and the entire world, Greene said.

Greene, once a staunch supporter of Trump, said the president has turned his back on the very people who got him elected.

TRENDING STORIES:

Advertisement Advertisement

What we campaigned on was no more foreign wars, and President Trump said he was going to be the peace president. Well, hes gone from being the peace president to the war president, and thats, I dont support that at all, Greene said. The price of oil is skyrocketing, and this isnt going to end quickly. This is going to have economic profound effects for a very long time. And it will take a long time to get back on track, especially if this war continues and continues to escalate.

Its not just Greene calling for Trump to be removed. Right-wing pundit Alex Jones says he should also be removed over what he said looks like Trumps failing health.

As for the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trumps rhetoric this week, calling it effective.

I think it was a very, very strong threat from the president of the United States that led the Iranian regime to cave to their knees and ask for a ceasefire and agree to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Some Democrats have introduced articles of impeachment against Trump this week as well.

The White House criticized the calls for Trumps removal as pathetic.

Democrats have been talking about impeaching President Trump since before he was even sworn into office. The Democrats in Congress are deranged, weak, and ineffective, which is why their approval ratings are at historic lows.

As for Greene, her vacated seat was filled on Tuesday by Clay Fuller to finish out what is left of Greenes term.

Both Fuller and his opponent, Shawn Harris, said they will run again for the seat in November.
Melania denies ties to Epstein, tells Congress to hold survivor hearing

In a rare on-camera statement from the White House, First Lady Melania Trump said she was never on Jeffrey Epstein's plane, never visited his private island and was not one of his victims.

"The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today," she said.

The first lady denied claims Epstein introduced her to her husband, whom she said she met by chance at a New York City party in 1998. The remark seemed aimed at an FBI document included in the latest batch of Epstein files in which a woman told investigators "Epstein introduced Melania Trump to Donald Trump."

Trump also addressed a 2002 email exchange with Epstein's accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. In it, she praised a New York magazine profile of Epstein, told Maxwell she looked "great in the picture" and closed with "Love, Melania."

Advertisement Advertisement

The first lady called the message nothing more than "a trivial note."

Trump said she and her husband moved in the same social circles as Epstein, but that she had no meaningful connection with him. She said she first crossed paths with him in 2000 at an event she attended with her future husband and had no knowledge of his criminal activities at the time.

Melania calls on Congress for survivor hearing

The first lady ended her statement with a call to action.

"I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors," she said.

"Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress, with the power of sworn testimony," she continued. "Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the Congressional Record."

Advertisement Advertisement

More: I watched the Melania movie in Trump's home county. Here's how it went

The first lady did not take questions or explain why she chose to speak now. Her senior adviser, Marc Beckman, told Reuters she acted "because enough is enough," but offered no further detail. Several of her own aides did not know what she planned to say before she said it, NBC News reported.

Afterward, U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said Democrats agree with the first lady's call to action. He urged Republican committee chair Rep. James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, to schedule a public hearing "immediately."

Garcia has tried since February to organize a public survivors hearing in Palm Beach. The proceeding has no formal authority; witnesses would appear voluntarily and their testimony would not be sworn.

Advertisement Advertisement

The hearing the first lady described, with sworn testimony entered into the Congressional Record, would require Republican support that has so far not materialized.

Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. Reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com.

.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Why did Melania deny Epstein tie, ask Congress for survivor hearing
WASHINGTON (AP)  First lady Melania Trump is denying ties to Jeffrey Epstein and knowledge of his sex crimes, saying Thursday that the stories are completely false and calling accusations that she was somehow involved smears about me.

Reading an extraordinary statement at the White House, Melania Trump said she and her attorneys were fighting back against unfound and baseless lies in regards to her connections to the late financier, a convicted sex offender who leveraged connections to the rich, powerful and famous to recruit his victims and cover up his crimes.

The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today, she said. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.

Advertisement Advertisement

The seemingly out-of-the-blue message came as her husband, President Donald Trump, and his administration had finally seemed to move past more than a year of controversy surrounding Epstein, especially as the Iran war had become all-consuming in Washington.

The first ladys comments almost assuredly will serve to push the story back into the political spotlight even as the president urged the public and media to move on from the case.

Nick Clemens, a spokesperson for the first lady, said the West Wing was aware beforehand that she was making a statement. But he deferred to the West Wing on whether the content of what Melania Trump planned to say was known. The White House press office did not respond to requests for comment.

Calls for a congressional hearing for Epstein victims

The first lady spoke for about five minutes, reading her statement in the Grand Foyer, then walked away without taking questions. She did not go into detail on the accusations against her, but said they came from individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name.

Advertisement Advertisement

She added that they were financially and politically motivated.

Melania Trump also called on Congress to hold a public hearing centered on survivors of Epsteins crimes, with a chance to testify before lawmakers and have their stories entered into the congressional record.

Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, she said. Then, and only then, we will have the truth.

Two of Epstein's accusers, Maria and Annie Farmer, said in a subsequent statement: What we want is accountability, transparency, and justice.

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and onetime fierce Trump supporter who resigned from Congress after a public falling out with the president, posted on X, I am grateful to the First Lady for her brave statement today about Epstein and his victims.

Advertisement Advertisement

Democrats, meanwhile, jumped on Melania Trump's comments, saying they agreed with her call for a congressional hearing. In a social media post, Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee that is investigating Epstein, called on the Republican chair of the committee, Rep. James Comer, to schedule a public hearing immediately.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who sponsored a bill prompting the release of millions of Epstein documents, turned attention back to the Justice Department, saying it's the attorney general's job to bring in survivors for testimony. Massie, who has pressed for more arrests in the Epstein case, ended a social media post with a call to PROSECUTE!

Questions about Epstein's reach have loomed over the administration and divided Republicans, driving a wedge into Trump's MAGA base as some pressed for the government to release more files and prosecute figures linked to the financier.

The issue has dogged Trump and fractured some of his alliances, including the one with Greene. Trump dismissed the issue as a Democrat hoax but later signed a bill to release files from Epstein's case.

Advertisement Advertisement

It was not clear what prompted the first lady to revive the issue. She noted that several individuals and organizations have had to apologize for their lies about me. Of the examples she cited, the most recent was in October.

In that case, book publisher HarperCollins UK apologized to the first lady and retracted passages from a book suggesting Epstein played a role in introducing her and Donald Trump.

Melania Trump mentioned her husband several times in her comments. She said Epstein did not introduce her to Trump, and that she met her future husband at a New York City party in 1998.

Email to Maxwell was 'trivial

The first lady brought Epstein back to the forefront months after federal authorities released millions of pages of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted after months of public and political pressure that requires the government to open its files on the late financier and his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Advertisement Advertisement

Lawmakers complained when the Justice Department made only a limited release last month, but officials said more time was needed to review additional documents that were discovered and to ensure no sensitive information about victims was released.

Melania Trump said Thursday that she was not friends with Epstein or Maxwell, but was in overlapping social circles in New York and Florida. She described an email reply she sent to Maxwell as casual correspondence without elaborating.

My polite reply to her email doesnt amount to anything more than a trivial note, she said.

Among the documents released by the Justice Department was a brief email from 2002 with the sender and recipient blacked out. It begins, Dear G! and ends Love, Melania, and compliments the recipient on a magazine article about JE.

Advertisement Advertisement

I know you are very busy flying all over the world, it says. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY.

That email was sent the same month that a New York Magazine article was published about Epstein in which Trump called him a terrific guy.

Among other documents released was an image from Epsteins home showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Maxwell.

Epstein killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in New York. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

___

Associated Press writers Stephen Groves in Washington and Michael R. Sisak and Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.
First lady Melania Trump denied that she had close ties with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a surprise public statement Thursday, calling suggestions to the contrary lies.

I have never been friends with Jeffrey Epstein, she said to reporters gathered at the White House. She also denied any friendly relations with Epsteins co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. She said she had casual email correspondence with Maxwell and suggested any association was a result of their inhabiting the same New York social scene.

The first lady said she has never had any knowledge of Epstein abuse of his victims. She observed the existence of what she called fake images and statements on social media about alleged links with the sex offender.

Advertisement Advertisement

It was not immediately clear what images or statements she meant, but she said they had been circulating on social media for years. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false, she said.

The first lady did not respond to shouted questions from reporters about why she chose to discuss these matters at this moment in time.

She also noted that she and President Donald Trump met by chance and said that Epstein did not introduce them.

Trump has denied wrongdoing in relation to the Epstein allegations, and no evidence has suggested that Trump took part in Epsteins trafficking operation. The president also has maintained that he and Epstein had a falling out years ago.

Advertisement Advertisement

David Oscar Markus, Maxwells attorney, did not immediately return a request for comment.

Melania Trump then called on Congress to hold a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors where they would be allowed to testify.

Give these victims the opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony, each and every woman should have a day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the Congressional Record then and only then, you will have the truth.

The president has expressed discontent over the immense public and political focus on Epstein for months, and called on Republican lawmakers in November to release the contents of the Epstein files held at the Department of Justice and return to messaging on affordability.

Advertisement Advertisement

Nobody cared about Jeffrey Epstein when he was alive and, if the Democrats had anything, they would have released it before our Landslide Election Victory, Donald Trump wrote at the time on Truth Social.

The House Oversight Committee has been conducting its own probe of the Epstein case and issued a number of subpoenas to compel testimony from witnesses. Depositions, however, have been held behind closed doors, and the panel has not held a formal public hearing to discuss its findings.

"We agree with First Lady Melania Trumps call for a public hearing with the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein," the Oversight panel's top Democrat Robert Garcia of California said in a post on X. "We encourage Chairman Comer to respond to the First Ladys request and schedule a public hearing immediately."

A spokesperson for House Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-Ky.) did not immediately return a request for comment.

Advertisement Advertisement

It would not be the first time that lawmakers interfaced with those who have accused Epstein of horrific crimes. A bipartisan group  including Speaker Mike Johnson  met with some victims in September, before Congress passed legislation that compelled the release of Epstein-related materials in the Justice Department's possession.

During a hearing with the House Judiciary Committee earlier this year, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) asked then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has since been ousted, to apologize directly to the victims behind her who had traveled to Capitol Hill to see Bondi testify. Bondi declined, saying she would not "get in the gutter for [Jayapal's] theatrics." Those victims also indicated they had not been able to share their stories with the Justice Department.

The Justice Departments release of the Epstein files, totaling more than 3 million pages of documents, has not led to any arrests in the U.S. since their publication in January.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who led the effort to subpoena Bondi, thanked Melania Trump in a post on X for standing up for survivors and demanding transparency.

Advertisement Advertisement

A spokesperson for Mace said she supported holding a hearing but had not spoken with Comer about it yet.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee had planned to hold a so-called shadow hearing with victims of Epstein later this month in Palm Beach. In the minority in both chambers of Congress, Democrats cannot call formal hearings on their own. But that meeting in Florida has been postponed for later this spring.
US First Lady Melania Trump has denied having a close relationship with the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

"The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today," she said during a specially convened press statement at the White House on Thursday.

"I have never been friends with Epstein," the first lady said, adding that she had never visited Epsteins private island or travelled on any of his aircraft.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false."

It was not immediately clear what prompted the statement, and she did not take questions from journalists.

Trump said that she and the president had occasionally attended the same parties as Epstein, attributing this to "overlapping" social circles in New York and Palm Beach, Florida, the location of the president's Mar-a-Lago resort.

She said false allegations about her must stop immediately and added that she would pursue legal action with her lawyers.

Advertisement Advertisement

The first lady also called on members of Congress to investigate the broader case against the financier, who died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. Authorities said he died by suicide.

"Epstein was not alone," she said. "Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. Of course, this doesnt amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth."

She continued: "I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors. Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress, with the power of sworn testimony."

Epstein's extensive connections among political and business elites have fuelled speculation about the scope of the scandal and the involvement of prominent figures.

Advertisement Advertisement

Last year, after prolonged resistance from President Donald Trump, Congress forced the Department of Justice to begin releasing tranches of documents and photographs related years of investigations.

President Trump was among the high-profile figures who associated with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s. But there is no evidence linking him to Epsteins criminal activities and the president has said he was not "friendly with Jeffrey Epstein."
ABUJA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of terrorists were killed as government forces repelled overnight attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno between late Wednesday and early Thursday, according to local media reports.

Some civilians and members of the government-backed Civilian Joint Task Force were also reportedly killed during the gunfight as government forces thwarted the attack in Benisheikh Town of Kaga Local Government Area of Borno early Thursday. A similar attack was thwarted in the Pulka community of Gwoza Local Government Area late Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, some security personnel, including the brigade commander, also paid the supreme price, and several vehicles were also carted away by the terrorists," reported the Daily Trust, a national newspaper, citing several local sources.

Media reports claimed the terrorists first launched the attack in Pulka at about 10:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, where they attempted to overrun a military base, before launching a second attack on the 29 Task Force Brigade in Benisheikh around 1:00 a.m. local time Thursday.

The terrorists also allegedly looted food items from shops in the town of Pulka and destroyed other facilities, including machines and equipment of a road construction firm.

The Nigerian military has yet to confirm the attacks.

Boko Haram and ISWAP have been collaborating in an attempt to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria. They have also extended their attacks to other countries in the Lake Chad Basin. 
April 9 (UPI) -- First lady Melania Trump made a rare address to the nation on Thursday afternoon to deny a friendship, or relationship of any kind, with deceased sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.

The release of the Epstein files over the past several months, included several pictures of both President Donald Trump and the first lady with the disgraced financier, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on allegations of sex trafficking and sex abuse.

In her statement, Melania Trump denied a series of accusations and theories related to her, her relationship with President Trump and the possibility of others related to Epstein and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Advertisement Advertisement

"The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today," the first lady said in the unannounced statement from the White House.

"I have never been friends with Epstein," she said in the brief statement. "Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach," Fla.

President Trump had a friendship with Epstein that spanned roughly two decades, before they had a falling out in the 2000s over a real estate deal, before Epstein was first arrested and sentenced to probation for soliciting prostitution to a 17-year-old girl.

In November, President Trump signed a bill easily passed Congress requiring the Department of Justice to release all of its files on Epstein and Maxwell, who is currently in prison after being convicted of sex trafficking and other crimes related to her work for the financier.

Advertisement Advertisement

Since their release, the documents have raised questions about a number of politicians, business people and other prominent individuals across several countries, leading to a series of resignations, retirements and, in a handful of cases, arrests.

"I am not one of Epstein's victims," Melania Trump said during the statement.

"Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump," the first lady said. "I met my husband by chance at the New York City party in 1988 ... The first time I crossed paths with Epstein was in the year 2000 at an event Donald and I attended together."

A picture that was included in the Epstein files shows the Trumps standing alongside Epstein and Maxwell at an event, which reportedly was held at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago club and may be the event she is referring to, although she did not make that clear during her statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Numerous fake images and statements about me have been circulating on social media for years now," she said. "Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false."

Melania Trump referred specifically to things published by political pundit James Carville, Harper Collins UK, and the Daily Beast -- the latter of which retracted a story that said she met her husband through a modeling agent that knew Epstein.

The report, sourced from journalist Michael Wolff, was determined by Daily Beast editors that it "did not meet our standards" and the news organization issued an apology.

The first lady then called on Congress to act because "Epstein was not alone," noting the number of "prominent male executives" who resigned from their positions, even though "this doesn't amount to guilt."

Advertisement Advertisement

"I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors," she said. "Each and every woman should have the opportunity to testify publicly ... then and only then will we have the truth."

Trump did not take questions from reporters at the conclusion of her statement.
First Lady Melania Trump has denied connections to Jeffrey Epstein, telling reporters at the White House that any claims linking the two "need to end today".

In a surprise announcement on Thursday, the first lady called for congressional hearings for survivors of Epstein's sex trafficking.

She also denied online rumours that Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump, calling them "mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation".

Advertisement Advertisement

It is unclear what prompted the announcement.

The intervention has produced a mixed response from Epstein survivors. One survivor, Lisa Phillips, described the statement as a "bold move" but questioned what more the first lady could do to support Epstein's accusers.

There was no prior indication from her office that she would make a statement on Epstein, and the White House did not share the topic earlier when her remarks were put on its daily schedule.

The president told news outlet MS Now he did not know about his wife's statement ahead of time. Meanwhile, the New York Times quoted a spokesperson for Melania Trump as saying the president knew that the first lady planned to make a statement, but later said it was unclear if he was aware of the topic of the remarks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Melania Trump said she had not been a victim of Epstein, with whom she only briefly "crossed paths" in 2000.

"I have never had any knowledge of Epstein abuse of his victims," she said. "I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant."

She also denied knowing Ghislaine Maxwell, the disgraced financier's jailed associate.

A photo taken in 2000 shows Donald Trump with his girlfriend and future wife Melania Knauss, standing beside Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the Mar-a-Lago club [Davidoff Studios/Getty Images]

She referred to a 2002 email between her and Maxwell released in the Epstein files, calling it nothing more than "casual correspondence" and a "polite reply".

An email that appears to be the one she referenced is addressed to "G" - presumably for Ghislaine - and includes compliments about a story featuring "JE" with a photo of G that appeared in New York Magazine. She wrote that she "cannot wait" to go to Palm Beach.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Give me a call when you are back in NY," the email says. "Have a great time! Love, Melania"

The New York Magazine article included quotes from now-President Trump calling Epstein a "terrific guy" and saying "he's a lot of fun to be with".

[US Department of Justice]

"It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them on the younger side," the story quoted him saying. "No doubt about it - Jeffrey enjoys his social life."

Melania Trump on Thursday additionally called on lawmakers to "give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony".

Advertisement Advertisement

"Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the congressional record," she said. "Then, and only then, we will have the truth."

Several prominent business leaders have been forced to resign their positions in recent months after new details emerged about their ties to Epstein - a fact that Melania Trump referenced in her remarks.

"Of course, this doesn't amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth," she said.

She did not take questions from reporters.

Advertisement Advertisement

In a statement published soon after she spoke, California Representative Robert Garcia, the most powerful Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said that "we agree with Melania Trump's call for a public hearing".

He urged the committee chairman, Republican Representative James Comer, "to respond to the First Lady's request and schedule a public hearing immediately".

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Phillips said she had been surprised by the first lady's intervention.

"I like to look at it as a little bit of an optimist, and say, 'okay, let's see what she can do', and maybe give her a little pressure," she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Phillips added that survivors had already visited the Capitol to share their stories, and suggested a "private testimony hearing" would be better than another public hearing, because there are many survivors who have signed non-disclosure agreements or are "scared" to "talk about their abusers".

She called on the president's wife "to help" survivors - and prove her speech was not just "more political theatrics".

Phillips said she would "push" Melania Trump to answer the question: "What can you do to move this along?"

Sky and Amanda Roberts - the family of Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre - and other survivors told BBC Newsnight that they "have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports, and giving testimony.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice," they said in a statement. They accused the first lady of protecting "those with power", including members of her husband's administration who they said still have not released all of the investigative files related to Epstein.

The relationship between the first lady and Epstein has already led to legal battles.

In October 2025, for example, HarperCollins UK said it would retract passages from a book that included "unverified" claims that Donald Trump and his wife met through Epstein. Similarly, the Daily Beast retracted and apologised for an article the publication later said "did not meet our standards."

The first lady also has been embroiled in an ongoing legal dispute with author Michael Wolff over a claim in his book Fire and Fury that she was first introduced to her husband through a modelling agent tied to Epstein.

Advertisement Advertisement

Wolff moved to counter-sue her after she threatened him with a $1bn (745mn) defamation lawsuit.

"My attorneys and I have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success, and will continue to maintain my sound reputation without hesitation," she said on Thursday.

Her statement at the White House is an extremely rare appearance by the first lady, one of only a handful of similar events for a first lady who has proven both elusive and influential since her husband returned to the White House

The first lady's statement is likely to reignite intense public debate over the handling of the justice department's investigation into Epstein and the subsequent release of its files.

Advertisement Advertisement

While Donald Trump has acknowledged that he knew Epstein for a time, he later claimed he expelled him from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach for being a "creep".

The president was mentioned numerous times in the Epstein files, but there is no indication of wrongdoing.

[BBC]

Follow the twists and turns of Trump's second term with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher's weekly US Politics Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
In a virtual call with news media on Thursday, New Mexico officials, tribal leaders and advocates said they will mount resistance against a cascade of Trump administration proposals to mine and extract oil and gas on federal public lands within the state.

In the last several weeks alone, federal officials began moves to end a ban on oil and gas drilling around Chaco Culture National Historical Park, and announced a reversal on a mining ban in the Upper Pecos headwaters.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Advertisement Advertisement

Leger Fernandez, along with U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan, also wrote a letter on Thursday to Carson National Forest officials opposing a Canadian companys proposal to mine for uranium near Canjilon, and requesting any federal review be postponed pending legislation to protect the Chama watershed from mineral extraction.

The push for drilling and mining in New Mexico follows President Donald Trumps exhortation in his second term to expand domestic mineral production.

Its an attack on our heritage, its an attack on the relationship that New Mexicans have with this land, U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), who represents New Mexicos 3rd Congressional District, said about the recent federal actions.

During Thursdays call, Leger Fernandez committed to keep fighting and use every tool we have and urged additional public participation.

Advertisement Advertisement

Sometimes we win, sometimes we dont, but we need to keep fighting, Leger Fernandez said.

To that end, Acoma Gov. Charles Riley said that the pueblo submitted more than 400 public comments in opposition to ending an oil-and-gas drilling ban near Chaco Canyon, and young people went door-to-door to help older and more rural residents submit comments online.

That level of engagement reflects something very important, Riley said. Chaco is not an abstract policy issue for us. It is a living cultural landscape that is central to who we are as pueblo people.

However, Riley noted, it should not take extraordinary measures by a tribal community to make a federal process accessible.

Advertisement Advertisement

Numerous Indigenous and conservation groups decried the seven-day comment period, which transpired over a period that included both Easter and several Tribal feast days.

If the Department of Interior is going to make a decision of this magnitude, it must be based on a process that is fair, transparent, and genuinely inclusive of tribal voices, Riley said.

In a statement provided to Source, a Department of Interior spokesperson said the Bureau of Land Management is preparing an environmental assessment on the proposed revocation of the drilling ban around Chaco that will include two distinct opportunities for public input. The seven-day scoping period, the statement says, allows the public to help identify the issues, data needs, and alternatives that should be considered as the assessment is developed. An additional 14-day comment period will provide the public the chance to review and comment on the draft assessment itself once it is released.

Mark Allison, director of the advocacy group New Mexico Wild, said the recent actions in New Mexico reflect a broader systemic attack of the administration on public lands, noting the failed efforts by congressional Republicans to sell or privatize millions of acres last year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Last years mass layoffs and budget cuts at agencies that manage public lands, Allison said, represent a direct attempt to really despoil and radically undermine the very idea of public lands, a uniquely American birthright.

Allison said communities here will continue to organize against the changes proposed by the federal government.

New Mexicans overwhelmingly support public lands and conservation, he said. Theyre really part of our history, our cultures, our traditional uses  and really  our very identity as New Mexicans.
In southern New Mexicos House of Representatives District 33, which covers historic Mesilla and part of Las Cruces in the states arid borderland region, water is paramount.

The region is home to the states second-largest city, as well as New Mexico State University. Recently, high-profile developments like the Oracle and OpenAI data center venture Project Jupiter have dominated the areas discourse in terms of economic development, air pollution and water usage.

Incumbent Democratic Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena first won election to the seat in 2018 and faces attorney Ramona Martinez in the June 2 primary. The winner will go on to a Nov. 3 general election contest against Republican Enrique Kiki Vigil, a former Dona Ana County sheriff.

Advertisement Advertisement

Source NM posed several questions to both candidates about their races. Their answers have been edited for clarity and concision.

Micaela Lara Cadena

Incumbent state Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena (D-Mesilla) faces a challenger in the June 2, 2026, primary election. (Courtesy of Micaela Lara Cadena)

Micaela Lara Cadena has worked multiple stints at the New Mexico-based advocacy organization Bold Futures, and previously served as the bureau chief of recidivism reduction for the New Mexico Corrections Department.

Recently, though, the environment has consumed her legislative work.

When I got to the Legislature, my background was in health policy and criminal legal reform, she told Source NM. But as Ive jumped in and had to figure out this Project Jupiter fight, more and more and more, I thinkthe issue facing us is: What does human-caused climate change mean for New Mexico? How does that shape every decision we as a Legislature make? Economic development at what cost?

What is the most important issue facing your district?

Water. I, like so many people I represent and so many across our county here in Dona Ana, have been focused on Project Jupiter. And it seems like the more we know, the dirtier and more dishonest this project lands.

Advertisement Advertisement

Im honored that for years Ive sat on New Mexicos House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources Committee. Growing up here, I grew up on the acequias. Thats where I raised my girls. We know those seasons. We know the rhyme and rhythm of irrigation, we know when theres droughts and when theres water scarcity and thats been the reality now for decades.

What is the most important issue facing New Mexico?

Im really proud of the last several years of listening to patients and providers across the state. What the Legislature did to take little tiny bits of steps forward to reform medical malpractice laws in New Mexico was because of patients and providers in [Las] Cruces that organized and made that the issue of this legislative session.

Im proud that with House Bill 99, we took steps in the right direction. But still, after that, access to health care when we need it is something that is so close to heart and home.

Whats the first bill youd introduce in the 2027 legislative session?

I have two.

Advertisement Advertisement

One, I want to talk about legislative ethics. When you look closely at New Mexicos Governmental Conduct Act, its almost like we wrote ourselves out of it.

There are votes that my colleagues take literally every week in committee and on the floor when they have an interest in something. Not only in the Legislature do we not have to recuse ourselves  we dont have to disclose that interest.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

A couple years ago, I was really proud to co-author with my dear friend [the late ACLU of New Mexico senior policy strategist] Barron Jonesa bill to bring oversight to the Corrections Department, because we shared a belief that if the state has the authority to lock someone up, then we must be accountable to that authority. Before he died, Barron and I wrote House Bill 297 [which would have subjected the department to public rulemaking processes].

Advertisement Advertisement

On our first try, we got a bill like that through the House. It was clear to me that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham would never sign our bill. After that, I was like, I have to win at least one more time.

Whats your top choice for legislative committee service?

For many years, I was on the House Judiciary Committee, and I loved it. But I started on and eventually came back to Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources and right now, in this moment, I need to stay there.

Whats the strongest skill that makes you the best candidate for this race?

To this day, eight years later, I lose sleep over this. I worry about how I can show up and what impact I can have and whether its enough.

Advertisement Advertisement

But I also know that the ways Ive led and have carried my people with me  the people that raised me  weve changed New Mexico for the better.

In one of my first termsI was the House sponsor with Sen. Linda Lopez (D-Albuquerque) that repealed the 1969 ban on abortion in New Mexico. At that time, so many were telling us, the Supreme Courts never going to overturn Roe. Why are you making us do this?

We knew they were coming for Roe. Linda and I put ourselves in front of that because we knew that we were the kind of voices that it took to do a repeal like that, as Catholics, as Latinas, as mamas, as people who still go to Mass.

Do you support paying state lawmakers?

I absolutely support this.

Advertisement Advertisement

This means a lot to me. As someone whos been in this body for eight years now, I see and know that the Legislature is made up of people who are independently wealthy, are already retired or have their own firms.

You could count on one hand, now and in the eight years Ive been there, the number of people who have to clock in somewhere.

Ramona Martinez

Ramona Martinez, a southern New Mexico lawyer who previously ran to be the areas district attorney, is running as a Democrat to represent District 33 in the state House of Representatives. (Courtesy of Ramona Martinez)

Ramona Martinez, who grew up on a Tierra Amarilla ranch, put herself through law school as a single mother. Shes served as counsel to a number of state agencies, worked as a public defender and run her own law firm.

Martinez, who unsuccessfully ran to be the Third Judicial district attorney in 2024, sits on the New Mexico Sentencing Commission and the New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association.

Advertisement Advertisement

Ive lived the challenges people face in our community. I know what it means to work hard and serve others. I understand how government works, but more importantly, I know how to make it work for people, she told Source NM. For too long, our community hasnt seen the level of focus for the results we need. Im running to make sure our community here in my district  the Mesilla area, Tortugas, Mesilla Park  that those communities are not overlooked.

What is the most important issue facing your district?

My focus is on infrastructure, access to health care, behavioral health services and economic opportunity.

Those are the issues that directly impact peoples daily lives. Our community wants reliable infrastructure, they need access to health care, they want to feel safe in their neighborhoods and they just want a fair shot at building a stable life for themselves and their families. Thats where our focus needs to be.

What is the most important issue facing New Mexico?

To me, health equity means being able to see a doctor in your own community, having access to a specialist nearby and not having to travel hours just to get basic care. Access to health care shouldnt depend on where you live or whether you have someone to advocate.

Advertisement Advertisement

The other important issue is water. Water is personal for me  my family still ranches. Were seeing the challenges facing acequias and farmers firsthand. Growth is always possible, but it also has to be planned responsibly, with respect to our water and our communities. New Mexicos future is rooted in protecting what has always sustained us: our land, our water and our people.

My parents came from modest means, but through education and through the iron workers union, they were able to build a middle-class life for my sisters and me to give us a fair shot. But today, working families are doing everything right and it still feels harder than it should. Ive lived that experience  Ive been a small business owner, I was a single mom who put myself through law school and I understand the sacrifices and the tough choices you have to make every single day.

Whats the first bill youd introduce in the 2027 legislative session?

It would have to do with economic growth. We have incredible assets in Dona Ana County  Dona Ana Community College, New Mexico State University  and we have real opportunities to build a strong workforce. I think we need to continue and to invest more in apprenticeships, trades and vocational training, but also prepare people for STEM and technical careers so there are real pathways for good, stable jobs.

Advertisement Advertisement

I think a bill related to that would be one of the first bills that I would carry.

We have to make sure those jobs actually exist when people complete that training. I served on the New Mexico Border Authority and I saw firsthand the economic potential of Southern New Mexico. It really opened my eyes to what is possible.

Any major project like [Project Jupiter] needs to be evaluated through the proper process. We have laws and regulations in place for that reason, and they need to be followed.

Whats your top choice for legislative committee service?

Im an attorney, so I would definitely be eyeing the House Judiciary Committee.

Ive been in the public sector in government and Ive been in private practice. I understand how government works, but more importantly, I know how to make it work for the people. Ive been in Santa Fe, Ive advocated on criminal justice reform. My first job right out of college was working for the governors office of constituent services. I understand the importance of connecting to the community and listening to your constituents because perspective matters.

Ive done criminal defense work and Ive done civil litigationI understand how things work in the judiciary system.

Whats the strongest skill that makes you the best candidate for this race?

I was raised in a family of ranchers and educatorsThats where I learned the value of hard work and service. Later, I became a single mom. I worked, raised my son, put myself through law school. It wasnt easy, but it shaped who I am.

Ive been a small business owner, so I understand what it takes to make payroll, manage costs and keep things moving.

I know what it means to work hard, to make tough choices and to keep moving forward because Ive lived it. Im running because our community deserves leadership grounded in real experience. Our community wants someone who will show up, who will listen, do the work and deliver real results.

Do you support paying state lawmakers?

Ive worked in government and Ive always maintained some kind of advocacy on criminal justice reform issues. Heres the thing: I have known so many great legislators and how much work they put into serving the people of New Mexico.

To me, by not paying our legislators, youre limiting the people who may be able to serve at the Legislature. Many people dont have the luxury of taking off 30 days or 60 days at a time.

Were such a diverse state that by paying them, we can actually perhaps have the diversity that truly represents New Mexico in the Legislature.
Mexicos nationwide trucker and farmer strike came to an abrupt end Wednesday after organizers suspended highway blockades across the country following confrontations with authorities in multiple states.

The National Association of Transporters (ANTAC) said it temporarily halted its mobilizations after what it described as violent responses by police in states including Tlaxcala, Veracruz and Chihuahua, where protesters reported clashes, arrests and alleged use of force.

In a statement, ANTAC said it could no longer guarantee the safety of participants, adding that we cannot guarantee the integrity, freedom or life of those who protest, prompting leaders to call off the demonstrations, according to El Universal.

Blockades lifted after two days of disruption

Federal authorities said highway blockades had been cleared by midday Tuesday, ending disruptions that had affected key freight corridors across Mexico, including routes connecting Mexico City, the Bajio industrial region and northern border crossings.

Advertisement Advertisement

The strike, which began Monday, at one point impacted roads in more than a dozen states and caused congestion around major logistics hubs, raising concerns about delays to manufacturing supply chains and cross-border freight flows.

By late Tuesday, remaining blockades were limited to a handful of states before being fully lifted as negotiations and security concerns escalated.

Protesters cite security, costs  and now safety concerns

Transporters and farmers initially launched the strike to protest cargo theft, extortion, rising diesel prices and what they described as a lack of government action to address highway insecurity.

But organizers said the decision to suspend the protest was driven by escalating risks during the demonstrations themselves.

Advertisement Advertisement

ANTAC accused authorities of being largely absent in addressing crime on highways but responding forcefully to protests, alleging incidents involving beatings, detentions and even reports of missing participants in some locations, according to La Razon.

State officials in Tlaxcala said security forces acted within the law to restore order and used nonlethal methods to disperse blockades, highlighting conflicting accounts of the confrontations.

Cargo theft trends underscore protest demands

Industry data underscores those concerns.

According to Overhauls 2025 cargo theft report, 82% of cargo theft incidents in Mexico involve violence, highlighting the growing risk to drivers and equipment. The report also found that 82% of incidents are concentrated in central and western regions, including many of the countrys key manufacturing and freight corridors.

Advertisement Advertisement

Cargo theft is also becoming more geographically widespread, with rising activity in western states such as Guanajuato, Jalisco and Michoacan  critical hubs for industrial production and cross-border freight.

Industry groups say the frequency of attacks remains high. ANTAC estimates that 30 to 40 cargo thefts occur daily nationwide, with about 80% involving violence, including assaults, kidnappings and killings of drivers, according to El Informador.

Overhaul data shows thefts are most commonly carried out by intercepting trucks in transit  accounting for more than 60% of incidents  often during peak weekday shipping windows.

Despite suspending the strike, ANTAC said its demands remain unchanged and said that additional actions could be announced in the coming days if conditions on Mexicos highways do not improve.

The post Mexico truckers end strike after clashes with authorities appeared first on FreightWaves.
Authorities in the Bahamas have taken a man into custody in connection with the case of a Michigan woman who was reported lost at sea.

Brian and Lynette Hooker are seen during a recent trip to Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

Authorities said the man is "currently being questioned" in connection with the disappearance of 56-year-old Lynette Hooker of Onsted, in Lenawee County. According to USA Today, the arrested man is Lynette's husband, Brian Hooker.

The arrest comes four days after Lynette Hooker went missing during an evening boat ride from Hope Town to Elbow Cay.

Advertisement Advertisement

Lynette's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, previously told The Detroit News she found her mother's disappearance "suspicious."

"It's just hard to believe that she would just fall overboard," she said, noting that her mother and stepfather were avid boaters who had been living on their vessel during a monthlong stay in the Caribbean.

A person who answered Aylesworth's phone Wednesday night said they did not yet have confirmation that Brian Hooker was the man in police custody.

Royal Bahamas Police identified the man held as a 59-year-old American man who was brought into custody Wednesday evening in the town of Marsh Harbour, on the island of Abaco.

Advertisement Advertisement

Brian Hooker had reported to the Royal Bahamas Police Force that he and his wife departed from Hope Town at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday aboard an 8-foot dinghy, destined for Elbow Cay.

More: Michigan woman missing after going overboard in Bahamas: Officials

Officials said he told police that Lynette went overboard with the boat keys, causing the vessel's engine to shut off. He reported that she was carried away by strong currents until he could no longer see her.

Brian Hooker paddled the dinghy to shore, which took hours, police said.

He arrived at the Marsh Harbour Boat Yard around 4 a.m. on Sunday. There, he informed a person about the incident. That individual then alerted the police, according to authorities.

Advertisement Advertisement

"I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas," Brian Hooker wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. "Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart. We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus."

The couple had documented their sailing trips to places like Miami Beach, Key West, Lake Michigan and the recent trip to the Bahamas for years on their social media accounts.

Lynette Hooker

But Aylesworth has described the couple's relationship as volatile and told news outlets it involved domestic violence, USA Today reported.

Royal Bahamas police said search-and-rescue efforts have included professional divers, drone technology and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. The effort is now considered a "recovery operation," a Hope Town Volunteer Fire & Rescue official told NBC News.

Advertisement Advertisement

Lynette's loved ones have set up a GoFundMe effort to assist with expenses related to the ongoing search or to help lay her to rest if she is found.

Police have asked anyone with information about the case to contact 911, Crime Stoppers, their nearest police station or other authorities.

mreinhart@detroitnews.com

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan man arrested in wife's disappearance during Bahamas boat trip
Argentine MPs approved a bill early Thursday promoted by President Javier Milei that authorizes mining in ecologically sensitive areas of glaciers and permafrost, and has outraged environmentalists.

The amendment to the so-called Glacier Law, which was already approved by the Senate in February, would make it easier to mine for metals such as copper, lithium and silver in frozen parts of the Andes mountains.

The Chamber of Deputies, Argentina's lower house of Comgress, approved the amendment with 137 votes in favor, 111 against and three abstenations after nearly 12 hours of debate.

Advertisement Advertisement

Environmentalists say the reforms will weaken protections for crucial water sources.

Thousands of people took part in a demonstration on Wednesday afternoon outside parliament, marked by isolated skirmishes with police.

Some held aloft banners with slogans such as "Water is more precious than gold!" and "A glacier destroyed cannot be restored!"

Seven Greenpeace activists were arrested earlier in the day after scaling a statue outside parliament and unfurling a banner urging lawmakers "not to betray the Argentine people."

The passage of the amendment is a new coup for Milei, who pushed through looser labor laws in February despite repeated street protests.

Advertisement Advertisement

Nicolas Mayoraz, an MP from Milei's ruling La Libertad Avanza party, assured lawmakers that combining "environmental protection and sustainable development is possible."

Environmental activist Flavia Broffoni rubbished the government's position.

"The science is clear...there is absolutely no possibility of creating what they (the government) call a 'sustainable mine' in a periglacial environment," she told AFP after addressing the protest outside parliament.

- Lithium race -

There are nearly 17,000 glaciers or rock glaciers -- a mix of rock and ice -- in Argentina, according to a 2018 inventory.

Advertisement Advertisement

In the northwest of the country, where mining activity is concentrated, glacial reserves have shrunk by 17 percent in the last decade, mainly due to climate change, according to the Argentine Institute of Snow Science, Glaciology and Environmental Sciences.

Milei, a free-market radical who does not believe in man-made climate change, argues the bill is necessary to attract large-scale mining projects.

Argentina is a major producer of lithium, which is critical to the global tech and green energy sectors.

The Central Bank has estimated, based on industry forecasts, that the country could triple its mining exports by 2030.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Environmentalists would rather see us starve than have anything touched," Milei has argued.

Supporters of the reform argue that it will clear up ambiguities in the current law, from 2010, on which periglacial areas -- areas on the edges of glaciers -- can be economically developed.

"We want legal certainty, we want clear definitions," Michael Meding, director of the Los Azules copper mining project in San Juan, told AFP.

Enrique Viale, president of the Argentine Association of Environmental Lawyers, told AFP that the reform threatened the water supply of "70 percent" of Argentines.

Advertisement Advertisement

Under the current law, a scientific body designates protected glaciers and periglacial environments.

The reform would give individual provinces more powers to decide which areas need protection and which can be exploited for economic purposes.

It has been backed by the governors of northern Andean provinces with strong mining sectors, namely Mendoza, San Juan, Catamarca and Salta.

tev-sa/lb/cb/acb/msp/aks/fox
Yet another member of a family within Minnesotas Somali community is expected to plead guilty Thursday in the massive fraud scandal that has drawn national attention and prompted criticism of Attorney General Keith Ellison over a meeting he held with members of the family in question.

Gandi Mohamed, 45, is expected to either plead guilty at a change of plea hearing scheduled for Thursday or choose to enter a plea of no contest, which would allow him to accept conviction and be sentenced without admitting guilt, according to court records.

Mohamed is the sixth member of his family who would be pleading guilty in the scheme prosecutors say fraudulently claimed to be serving meals while instead pocketing $14 million from the federal child nutrition program, Fox 9 Minneapolis reported.

Advertisement Advertisement

Center of the American Experiment policy fellow Bill Glahn told Fox News Digital that "its good that he and his co-conspirators have all been convicted in the case, however, a courtroom trial would have been a useful exercise to show the public the scope and scale of the fraud."

Tom Emmer Calls For Tim Walz, Keith Ellison To 'Serve Jail Time' If Fraud Coverup Allegations Are True

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and AG Keith Ellison will testify before Congress on March 4.

The Mohamed family was present at the now infamous 2021 meeting between Ellison and members of the Somali community where would-be fraudsters could be heard asking the state's attorney general to help them secure more funding, before the conversation turned to campaign donations.

Read On The Fox News App

Advertisement Advertisement

"The only way that we can protect what we have is by inserting ourselves into the political arena. Putting our votes where it needs to be. But most importantly, putting our dollars in the right place. And supporting candidates that will fight to protect our interests," one of the Somali community members says in the recording.

"That's right," Ellison responds.

Josh Hawley Stands By Accusations After Fiery Senate Hearing Clash With Minnesota Ag Ellison

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz testifies during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in the U.S. Capitol Building on March 4, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The committee held the hearing to examine the alleged misuse of federal funds intended for Minnesota social services and Medicaid programs. (Getty Images)

Ellison has denied any wrongdoing regarding the recording, saying he was completely unaware of the fraudsters' crimes at the time of the meeting. The meeting occurred before any convictions in the case and before President Joe Bidens Department of Justice had indicted anyone.

Advertisement Advertisement

"I took a meeting in good faith with people I didnt know and some turned out to have done bad things. I did nothing for them and took nothing from them," Ellison wrote in an April 2025 op-ed for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Following that meeting, Gandi gave the maximum $2,500 campaign donation to Ellison that the attorney general returned to the Department of Justice in 2025.

Trump Admin Scores Minnesota Court Win In Medicaid Fraud Crackdown

"Our Attorney General, Keith Ellison, is not only looking the other way but doing so after taking donations from these very fraudsters," Republican Dalia al-Aqidi who is running for Congress in Minneapolis against Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., told Fox News Digital. "This is a betrayal of every Minnesotan who trusted him with that office."

Advertisement Advertisement

Al-Aqidi explained that the voters in her district are "furious" about the fraud scandal.

Click Here To Download The Fox News App

"Which is why I've rolled out a five-point plan to prevent fraud before it starts," al-Aqidi said. "This isn't just about taxpayers, it's about people who really need food and housing. Preventing fraud isn't complicated, it just takes the political will to stop this type of abuse. It's clear that this scheme is being used to buy votes, and that has to stop."

Fox News Digitals Anders Hagstrom and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report.





Original article source: Minnesota fraud scandal: Sixth family member who met with AG Ellison set to plead guilty
Canada's Senate is debating a bill passed in the House that proposes changes to the criminal code to strengthen penalties for hate speech. But while groups have raised concerns about the elimination of exemptions for religious speech made in "good faith," the Justice Ministry and an independent expert rejected online claims that the legislation has criminalized scripture, telling AFP that the bar for what constitutes hate speech has been set intentionally high based on court rulings.

"Canada just criminalized the Bible. Bill C-9 passed by Canada's lawmakers," says a March 29, 2026 Facebook post from conservative US comedian Terrence K Williams, whom AFP has fact-checked multiple times for spreading false claims.

"Now quoting Scripture on marriage, sin or God's design for sexuality can be prosecuted as 'wilful promotion of hatred.'"

Advertisement Advertisement

Similar posts, many depicting Prime Minister Mark Carney next to the Bible, spread across Facebook, Instagram, Threads and X. The claim also circulated on video-sharing platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Rumble.

Screenshots of Facebook posts taken April 3, 2026

The posts gained traction as Bill C-9 -- the Combatting Hate Act (archived here) -- passed Canada's House on March 25.

The bill must still be approved by the Senate and receive Royal Assent before becoming law. The Senate completed the first of three readings March 26 (archived here).

The legislation proposes several reforms to Canada's Criminal Code, which already includes penalties for incitement and the promotion of hatred (archived here and here). The reforms would add language to "codify a definition of 'hatred' to clarify when conduct constitutes a hate crime" and make it easier to prosecute such crimes (archived here).

Advertisement Advertisement

The bill's supporters say the changes are necessary to combat rising antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia and transphobia (archived here, here, here and here).

But contrary to the claims online, freedom of religion is protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (archived here and here). Justice Minister Sean Fraser has said publicly that Bill C-9 "will not criminalize faith" (archived here).

In a December 9, 2025 statement, he said prosecuting hate speech offenses "is designed to capture only the most dangerous, dehumanizing forms of expression" (archived here).

Ian McLeod, spokesman for the Department of Justice, reiterated that stance in an April 2, 2026 email to AFP.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Hatred is a high threshold involving vilification and detestation," McLeod said. "Religious sermons, texts and teachings delivered in good faith, including the Bible, would not meet this standard."

He said Bill C-9 introduces a definition of hatred, based on rulings from the Supreme Court of Canada, to "clarify what constitutes a hate crime or hate speech." He also said the bill specifies "what is not hatred, namely acts that discredit, humiliate, hurt or offend."

McLeod said the bill also includes clauses "to make clear that the offences only capture expression communicated with the intention to promote hatred or antisemitism."

Richard Moon, professor emeritus of law at the University of Windsor, told AFP on April 3 that courts have narrowly defined the offense to focus on "extreme speech" or "speech that amounts to the vilification, the detestation of the members of the group" (archived here).

Advertisement Advertisement

"The examples they give are things like describing the members of a group as subhuman, as animalistic, as inherently violent," he said.

He said it was "plainly wrong" to claim people will not be able to discuss the Bible.

Religious exemption

The Bloc Quebecois joined the Liberals, over the objection of the Conservative Party (archived here), to pass Bill C-9 after an amendment to remove the religious exemption from Canada's criminal code was accepted.

Failed previous attempts to remove the exemption by Bloc leader Yves-Francois Blanchet were also met with misinformation.

As it is written, Section 319(3)(b) of the code says a person shall not be convicted "if, in good faith, the person expressed or attempted to establish by an argument an opinion on a religious subject or an opinion based on a belief in a religious text" (archived here).

Advertisement Advertisement

The elimination of this language has raised concerns from Catholic and Muslim leaders (archived here and here).

Anais Bussieres McNicoll, lawyer and director of the Fundamental Freedoms Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (archived here), told AFP that the removal of the section without alternative language "could lead to the persecution of some religious minorities."

She said in an April 8 email that despite religious freedoms outlined in Canada's Charter, "a state authority could adopt an excessively negative interpretation of some religious sermons and teachings" under the proposed changes.

Justice Minister Fraser, however, has argued that "in nearly 20 years of this defense existing, we are not aware of a single case in which courts relied on section 319(3)(b) to acquit an accused."

Read more of AFP's fact checks from Canada here.
NEED TO KNOW

A 26-year-old mother rescued her 2-year-old son after their car plunged into Vermont's Ottaquechee River earlier this week

The mother unbuckled her son, cut through the airbag and escaped through the car window before swimming to safety, according to officials

Both were taken to a hospital for evaluation and the cause of the crash remains under investigation

A mom saved her 2-year-old son after their car crashed into a river in Vermont.

At 12:45 p.m. local time on Monday, April 6, firefighters responded to a report of a submerged car in the Ottaquechee River with people inside, according to a news release from the Hartford Fire Department.

Advertisement Advertisement

Although initially seen hanging onto the vehicle as it floated downstream, by the time an ambulance arrived minutes later, the 26-year-old mom and her 2-year-old son were already safe on the bank of the river.

The department went on to explain that immediately after the crash, the mom was able to unbuckle her son from his car seat in the back.

Then she cut through the driver's side airbag that had deployed and the two were able to escape through the window.

Although not believed to be seriously injured, the pair were taken by ambulance to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center for evaluation, firefighters said.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The car was removed from the river by Sabil and Sons Inc. and the Hartford Fire Department remained on the scene, officials said.

Advertisement Advertisement

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The Hartford Fire Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for additional comment on Wednesday, April 8.

The woman's car was removed from the river after her and her son were rescued

Credit: Hartford Fire Department/Facebook

Accidents where a car ends up in the water are incredibly dangerous and have the highest fatality rate, according to the American Automobile Association.

In the event of a sinking car with passengers inside, AAA advises drivers to stay calm, unbuckle their seat belts, roll down or break a window and escape before the car begins to fill with water.

Read the original article on People
WINDHOEK, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Namibia recorded a trade deficit of 5.2 billion Namibia dollars (about 316 million U.S. dollars) in February, according to the latest trade bulletin released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) on Thursday.

The figure marked a sharp deterioration from the previous month, when the country recorded a trade surplus. On a year-on-year basis, it also compared with a deficit of 2.1 billion Namibian dollars recorded in February 2025.

According to the NSA, South Africa remained Namibia's largest export destination in February, accounting for 37.8 percent of total exports, followed by Zambia at 15.2 percent. China, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates also ranked among the country's top export markets.

Namibia's leading exports during the month were dominated by mining products, including non-monetary gold, diamonds, petroleum oils, and ores and concentrates of base metals. Fish was the only non-mineral product among the top five export items.

On the import side, South Africa remained Namibia's largest source market, contributing 36.7 percent of total imports, followed by China at 10.9 percent. Zambia, Bahrain, and Oman were also among the top five import sources.

Petroleum oils topped the list of imports, accounting for 17.6 percent of total imports. Nickel ores and concentrates ranked second with a share of 6.2 percent, followed by commercial motor vehicles at 4.1 percent.

Motor vehicles for the transportation of persons and civil engineering and contractors' equipment ranked fourth and fifth, accounting for 2.9 percent and 2.5 percent of total imports, respectively.

The NSA also named fish as the commodity of the month, highlighting the sector's continued contribution to export earnings despite the overall trade deficit.

According to the agency, Namibia exported fish worth 1.3 billion Namibia dollars during the month, mainly to Zambia, Spain, and Italy, while fish imports amounted to 36 million Namibia dollars, mainly from South Africa, Argentina, and Chile. 
Prosecutors say they have discovered more victims of a local hospital worker accused of luring children for sex.

The FBI said they arrested Aaron Starbird last month.

Investigators said they believe there could be even more victims.

A grand jury indictment released on Wednesday listed three underage victims.

Orlando Health fired Starbird after his arrest.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
A family is picking up the pieces and assessing the damage after their jewelry store was robbed in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.

NewsCopter 7 was over the scene at SD Jewelry on Madison Avenue on Wednesday, where authorities say the wild incident played out.

Robbers were caught on camera smashing the front window of the shop with a sledgehammer and were seen carrying garbage bags full of jewelry as they escaped to a waiting car.

Advertisement Advertisement

Screams could be heard from the mother and daughter who own the store in video obtained by Eyewitness News.

Jessie Sanchez is a close friend who owns a salon across the street.

As the robbers tried to make it into their getaway car, there was one thing they did not account for; they weren't getting away without a fight.

"She fought with them like a man," Sanchez said. "She's a brave woman. Stephanie is a brave woman, but I feel so sad for her mother. Her mother fell away. She fell. It was too much."

The mother suffered bruises to her arm and leg.

The two fearless women tried to pull the robbers out of the getaway BMW as they hit reverse, sideswiping a parked car. The mother and daughter kept hanging on even as the robbers peeled off, leaving the mother on the ground.

Advertisement Advertisement

The frightened daughter said she did all she could to stop the robbery. She said she sacrificed a lot to get the store up and running.

"I fought with them, look here, I'm cut, because I fought back, I said to my mom 'they're not going to take all my effort,' you don't know how many people are on the internet, calling me name but I would work Uber until 4, 5 a.m. so that I could save up money to start a business," she said.

The mother said she was still very upset.

"To come and take that from her, but what's important is that we're alive and that I thank God for that but I want them caught," she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

The robbers were as bold as they come. Not only did they hit SD Jewelry in broad daylight, but they did it right under the cops' noses. There is a police substation right across the street.

They say no weapons were pulled out, and no one was seriously injured. It's estimated they got away with $1 million in merchandise.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Perth Amboy Police Department at 732-324-3800.

----------

* 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 state Supreme Court race got little national attention in the leadup to April 7, but few elections elsewhere meant political analysts were closely following the results in Wisconsin.

National political journalists and analysts said Wisconsin's results show voters shifting toward Democrats ahead of the November midterms, when the party in power  Republicans in 2026  typically loses seats in Congress.

The Wall Street Journal's conservative-leaning editorial board even called on state Republicans to rebuild their party organization and reassure suburban voters in an effort to keep Wisconsin a swing state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Here's how political analysts and writers are looking at the Wisconsin election:

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice elect Chris Taylor makes remarks to supporters at an election night party for her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice elect Chris Taylor makes remarks to supporters at an election night party for her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice elect Chris Taylor takes a selfie with supporters at an election night party for her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice elect Chris Taylor cheers with supporters at an election night party for her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice elect Chris Taylor, right, is congratulated by current Supreme Court Justices at an election night party for supporters in her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice elect Chris Taylor, right, is congratulated by current Supreme Court Justices at an election night party for supporters in her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice elect Chris Taylor makes remarks to supporters at an election night party for her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Campaign volunteer Chandra Chouhan places a sign for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor's election night party for her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Supporters watch Wisconsin Supreme Court election results at Judge Chris Taylor's election night party for her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Supporters watch Wisconsin Supreme Court election results at Judge Chris Taylor's election night party for her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Campaign volunteer Wyatt Elliot, left, and campaign intern Lily Marquand, right, prepare signs for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor's election night party for her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. Judge Chris Taylors Supreme Court election night event in Madison 1 of 11 Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice elect Chris Taylor makes remarks to supporters at an election night party for her Supreme Court bid on Tuesday April 7, 2026 at The Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin.

Sabato's Crystal Ball: The end of the 'WOW' counties?

J. Miles Coleman, associate editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, called Justice-elect Chris Taylor's win a "statewide rout" and her margin of victory "on the upper end of what we might have guessed."

"As part of her 60%-40% margin, Taylor became the first Democratic-aligned candidate since 2015 to carry a majority of the states counties, as she won 42 of 72," Coleman wrote.

Coleman said it was notable that Ozaukee County, one of the suburban "WOW" counties surrounding Milwaukee, "finally changed sides this year after Democratic-aligned candidates have been getting closer to winning it."

Advertisement Advertisement

Still, Washington County was one of three counties that gave conservative candidate Maria Lazar over 60% of the vote.

"The 2026 results arguably could be considered the nail in the coffin for the 'WOW' county grouping," Coleman wrote, arguing they're becoming less electorally similar.

Coleman also broke down another April 7 race  a special election in Georgia to replace former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Republicans held the seat, but Democrats overperformed compared to 2024 in the deep-red district, he wrote.

TV cameras record reporter stand-ups before the election night watch party for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Supporters wait for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar to speak during her election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. TV cameras record reporter stand-ups before the election night watch party for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Supporters gradually trickle into Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar's election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Supporters watch poll numbers on a projection screen during Maria Lazar's election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. The election night watch party for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar was held at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, Former Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel, center, attends the election night watch party for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Former Governor Scott Walker gives an interview during the election night watch party for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Supporters attend Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar's election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Former Governor Scott Walker gives an interview during the election night watch party for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Supporters keep an eye on poll numbers at Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar's election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar gives her concession speech during her election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar, back center, gives her concession speech during her election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar gives her concession speech during her election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar, right, thanks supporters after conceding to Chris Taylor during Lazar's election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar, right, thanks supporters after conceding to Chris Taylor during Lazar's election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar thanks supporters after conceding to Chris Taylor during Lazar's election night watch party on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Judge Maria Lazars Supreme Court election night event in Pewaukee 1 of 17 TV cameras record reporter stand-ups before the election night watch party for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.

Wall Street Journal: 'Warning of a potential Democratic wave'

The Wall Street Journal's editorial board called the Wisconsin results "another warning of a potential Democratic wave" in November.

Advertisement Advertisement

"If Wisconsin is going to remain a swing state, Republicans need to rebuild their party organization and reassure suburban voters who arent MAGA," the board wrote.

The board also said the growing liberal majority on the court is an "invitation to progressive law firms hoping to challenge the landmark union reforms known as Act 10."

In 2025, the state Supreme Court denied a petition to directly take up a case challenging Act 10; it sits in appeals court. But the case is likely to reach the high court.

More: Steamrolled in Tuesday's election, Wisconsin GOP looks for answers

New York Times: 'Wisconsin off-cycle elections are a bad bet for Republicans'

The New York Times' Reid Epstein pointed to several factors behind Taylor's win: A better-funded state Democratic Party, lower fundraising for Lazar and the tendency for Democrats to turn out big in spring elections.

Advertisement Advertisement

"The narrative lives on that Wisconsin off-cycle elections are a bad bet for Republicans," he wrote.

Epstein highlighted Waukesha County, where margins are declining for Republicans. The county went about 54% for Lazar, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analysis, compared to 67% for Mitt Romney in 2012, Epstein notes.

A Democrat was also elected as Waukesha's mayor April 7, defeating a former state Republican lawmaker.

More: Was Waukesha mayor's race partisan? Yes, its participants say

Dan Miller feeds his ballot after voting as poll worker Karen Seigel looks on at the Zeidler Municipal Building on West Broadway in Milwaukee, on April 7, 2026. Voters cast ballots in Wisconsins April 7 spring election, which features a statewide race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, local contests for offices such as mayor and school board, and multiple local referendums across the state. Patricia Reidy hangs up a vote sign shortly before the polls open at the Zeidler Municipal Building on West Broadway in Milwaukee, on April 7, 2026. Voters cast ballots in Wisconsins April 7 spring election, which features a statewide race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, local contests for offices such as mayor and school board, and multiple local referendums across the state. A vote here sign is up at the Zeidler Municipal Building on West Broadway in Milwaukee, on April 7, 2026. Voters cast ballots in Wisconsins April 7 spring election, which features a statewide race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, local contests for offices such as mayor and school board, and multiple local referendums across the state. I voted stickers are ready to be handed out at the Zeidler Municipal Building on West Broadway in Milwaukee, on April 7, 2026. Voters cast ballots in Wisconsins April 7 spring election, which features a statewide race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, local contests for offices such as mayor and school board, and multiple local referendums across the state. Dan Miller casts his ballot at the Zeidler Municipal Building on West Broadway in Milwaukee, on April 7, 2026. Voters cast ballots in Wisconsins April 7 spring election, which features a statewide race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, local contests for offices such as mayor and school board, and multiple local referendums across the state. Poll worker Kisha Hairston checks a voters identification at the Zeidler Municipal Building on West Broadway in Milwaukee, on April 7, 2026. Voters cast ballots in Wisconsins April 7 spring election, which features a statewide race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, local contests for offices such as mayor and school board, and multiple local referendums across the state. I always arrive early, said Terence Byrd, 37 of Milwaukee, shortly before the polls opened at 7 a.m. as he holds door for others at Craig Montessori School on West Congress Street in Milwaukee, on April 7, 2026. Voters cast ballots in Wisconsins April 7 spring election, which features a statewide race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, local contests for offices such as mayor and school board, and multiple local referendums across the state. Children enter school at Craig Montessori School on West Congress Street in Milwaukee, on April 7, 2026. Voters cast ballots in Wisconsins April 7 spring election, which features a statewide race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, local contests for offices such as mayor and school board, and multiple local referendums across the state. Voters head to polls for Wisconsins April 7 spring election 1 of 8 Dan Miller feeds his ballot after voting as poll worker Karen Seigel looks on at the Zeidler Municipal Building on West Broadway in Milwaukee, on April 7, 2026. Voters cast ballots in Wisconsins April 7 spring election, which features a statewide race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, local contests for offices such as mayor and school board, and multiple local referendums across the state.

NPR: An opinion of GOP governing in Washington

NPR framed Wisconsin's results as a continuation of voters' support for Democratic candidates as President Donald Trump faces record-low job approval ratings amid the war in Iran  which entered a two-week ceasefire just before polls closed in Wisconsin April 7.

Advertisement Advertisement

NPR's Stephen Fowler wrote the Wisconsin Supreme Court race adds to Democratic wins in the New Jersey and Virginia governor's races that "highlight how unpopular Republican governance in Washington is with voters."

More: New poll finds Trump's net approval at record low in Wisconsin

Hope Karnopp can be reached at HKarnopp@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How national political analysts see the Wisconsin Supreme Court race
April 8 (UPI) -- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday as he kicked off a visit to Washington amid growing tensions between the American leader and the defensive military alliance.

Trump, a longtime NATO critic, has increasingly expressed frustration with alliance partners, threatening to pull the United States out of the pact over their reluctance to back the U.S. military in the war against Iran.

Following the closed-door meeting with Rutte, Trump lashed out online.

Advertisement Advertisement

"NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN," Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform.

"REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!"

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) meets U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department in Washington, D.C, on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Photo by NATO/UPI

Two days ago, Trump told reporters at a press conference that his current frustrations with the alliance started with their refusal to hand over Greenland to the United States.

"It all began -- if you want to know the truth -- Greenland," he said. "They don't want to give it to us, and I said, 'bye-bye.'"

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) meets U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Photo by NATO/UPI

Trump had argued U.S. ownership of Greenland is necessary for national security and has threatened to take it by force if necessary. European leaders contended that Greenland, a territory of alliance partner Denmark, is a part of NATO and home to a U.S. military base.

Advertisement Advertisement

Rutte had been expected to use the meeting to try to smooth over trans-Atlantic tensions stoked by the refusal of some NATO countries to let U.S. military planes use their airspace or bases.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) meets U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Photo by NATO/UPI.

Allies also declined to take part in military action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, effectively blockaded by Iran since the start of the war on Feb. 28, and to provide naval vessels to escort oil and gas tankers through the key sea lane.

NATO Spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed that Rutte and Trump had met at the White House, stating they had "a frank discussion on a range of issues related to our shared security, including in the context of Iran."

"The secretary general underscored the importance of Allies continuing to step up to deliver a stronger, fairer alliance," she said in a brief social media statement.

Advertisement Advertisement

Speaking with CNN after the meeting, Rutte said that Trump was "clearly disappointed with many NATO allies," but he attempted to show the American leader that most were supportive of his aims and actions.

Rutte said he could see Trump's perspective, but said he told Trump that the "large majority" of European nations assisted with basing, logistics and other support.

Rutte sidestepped answering whether Trump discussed withdrawing the United States from the 32-member defense alliance by crediting Trump's leadership for the recent commitment from all NATO partners to invest 5% of gross domestic product in their own defense, up from the previous pledge of 2%.

"Which is a transformational change for NATO, a transformational legacy he leaves behind," he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Rutte also acknowledged that the world was safer after the United States attacked Iran's nuclear facilities and degraded its conventional military capabilities.

"And this is, by many in Europe, acknowledged," he said.

Trump's frustration with what he views as a NATO relationship that is unfairly weighted in European allies' favor boiled over last week after the spat over the strait, with him questioning the point of U.S. membership and saying he would rethink how much the United States contributes to the alliance going forward.

Ahead of the meeting on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read to reporters a direct message on NATO from Trump: "They were tested and they failed."

Advertisement Advertisement

Leavitt described the actions of some member nations as NATO turning their backs on the American people, whom she said were funding their defense.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also adopted an increasingly hawkish stance, calling it a "one-way street" where the United States was always there for other NATO members but was told 'no' when it needed to use their military bases, begging the question why it was in the alliance.

The position of European NATO allies is that they were not consulted before the United States launched its airborne offensive in Iran -- with the majority of states were not even informed beforehand -- and that as a purely defensive alliance, the action has no relevance to NATO.

Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker told Euronews that vocal criticism of military action against Iran expressed by countries including Germany, France, Spain and Finland ran counter to their own interests.

Advertisement Advertisement

"The messaging from Europe has been terrible," said Volker, explaining that it created an opening for Trump to deflect blame onto partners who refused assistance, if his Iran gambit backfires.

"The Europeans could have said, 'we all have a stake in this and let's see how we can help,'" added Volker who said this could have been achieved without getting pulled into direct military confrontation with Iran.

Patrick Bury, senior associate professor in Warfare at Bath University, said Rutte had a delicate balancing act to perform of persuading Trump of the alliance's value while as diplomatically as possible defending members' right to stay out of the war

"His job is to keep the U.S. in NATO. He represents the alliance as a whole, rather than individual member states," said Bury.

Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, said if any one could talk Trump down it would be Rutte, calling him a "Trump whisperer."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to the courtroom at the Distrcit court in Tel Aviv, before the start of his testimony in the trial against him, October 28, 2025. (photo credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)

Netanyahus corruption trial will resume Sunday after weeks of war-related court disruptions, returning to cross-examination in the high-profile Case 4000 proceedings.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus criminal trial is set to resume on Sunday after weeks in which Israels court system operated under emergency restrictions because of the war with Iran.

According to the court notice, the next hearing is scheduled for Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Jerusalem District Court for the testimony of a defense witness.

Advertisement Advertisement

The notice also says that, with the emergency status lifted and the justice system returning to regular work, the hearings will now resume in their ordinary format: Sundays in Jerusalem, and Mondays through Wednesdays at the Tel Aviv District Court.

The pause was not unique to Netanyahus case. Following the outbreak of the war on February 28, the Justice Ministry placed the courts under a special emergency format that sharply curtailed regular proceedings and left only urgent matters moving.

That framework was extended several times, with the latest official notice stating that the emergency regime remained in place through Thursday. With that period now ending, Netanyahus trial, like many other non-urgent criminal and civil proceedings, is returning to the calendar.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to the courtroom at the District Court in Tel Aviv, in the trial against him, October 15, 2025 (credit: REUVEN KASTRO/POOL)

Substantively, the trial is resuming in the middle of Netanyahus cross-examination in the long-running corruption case involving Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000.

Advertisement Advertisement

Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 and has pleaded not guilty, denying all wrongdoing. He began testifying in December 2024, becoming the first sitting Israeli prime minister to take the stand as a criminal defendant, and prosecutors began cross-examining him in June 2025 after months of direct examination by the defense.

Proceedings centered on Case 4000 when Operation Roaring Lion began

Before the wartime interruption, the proceedings were still centered mainly on Case 4000, the Bezeq-Walla affair, widely regarded as the most serious of the three files because it includes the bribery charge.

In that case, prosecutors allege that Netanyahu advanced regulatory decisions benefiting Bezeq while serving as communications minister, in exchange for favorable and tailored coverage on the Walla news site controlled by Shaul Elovitch. Netanyahu has denied that any such quid pro quo existed.

In the last hearings before the break, prosecutors were pressing him on issues tied to the Bezeq-Yes merger, his relationship with Elovitch, and the alleged directive meeting with former Communications Ministry director-general Shlomo Filber, which Netanyahu flatly denied ever took place.

Advertisement Advertisement

So procedurally, Sundays hearing does not mark a new phase in the case so much as a restart after a war-imposed interruption.

But it does bring one of Israels most consequential criminal proceedings back into public view at a moment when the trial has already dragged on for years, been repeatedly disrupted by war and politics, and remains deeply entangled with the broader question of whether a sitting prime minister can continue to govern while defending himself in court.
Members of New Mexicos congressional delegation on Thursday registered in a letter to Carson National Forest Supervisor James Duran their objection to exploratory uranium drilling by a Canadian-based company within the forest near Canjilon.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

As Source NM recently reported, the Vancouver uranium company Gamma Resources Ltd. issued a notice of intent in late February to the Carson National Forest, proposing to drill up to 12 exploratory boreholes up to 500 feet deep. A Carson National Forest spokesperson told Source that if the project receives approval, the company will also build temporary drill pads, carve roughly 800 feet of new roads to drill sites along with short-term staging for a roughly 30-day operation.

Advertisement Advertisement

The proposition has already sparked opposition from local officials, including Rio Arriba County Commissioner Moises Morales, who lives near Canjilon, and Tirzio Lopez, who serves on the governmental Upper Chama Soil and Water Conservation District board, and as a New Mexico Game Commission board member. Lopez said he wants Carson National Forest to conduct a full environmental review before it considers approving the first new uranium operation in decades.

In their letter Thursday, U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan, along with U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, who represents the states northern 3rd Congressional District, also urged the Forest Service to conduct a full environmental review before taking any further action. They also asked the Forest Service to suspend that review pending legislation they intend to introduce into Congress to protect the Chama watershed from further development.

The letter notes the important role the Chama River plays in the water systems supporting numerous communities across northern New Mexico, including acequias, community wells and agricultural work.

This watershed is not simply an environmental amenity, the letter reads. It is critical water infrastructure  as essential to the communities of northern New Mexico as any road, pipe, or reservoir. Moreover, the letter continues, the watershed is inextricably linked to those communities and their enduring existence. The Chama Valleys irrigation systems have continuously sustained agricultural production and community identity for more than 400 years, the delegation writes. Tribal nations have exercised cultural, ceremonial,

and subsistence ties to this landscape since time immemorial.

Advertisement Advertisement

The threat uranium poses to the watershed is complex, the letter notes, and once it enters the system, remediation can be expensive, complicated and, perhaps, unachievable. The delegation also notes New Mexico bears a disproportionate and well-documented legacy of harm from uranium mining. Hundreds of abandoned uranium mines on and near tribal lands, particularly within the Navajo Nation, have contaminated water sources and resulted in elevated rates of kidney disease and cancer among affected communities.

The letter includes numerous questions about the proposal, including the degree to which the Forest Service will communicate and engage with Tribal communities.

The letter also raises concerns about accountability by Gamma Resources and its accountability to New Mexico.

The communities of the Chama Valley  acequia farmers, tribal members, ranchers, and rural families  have tended this watershed for generations, the letter concludes. The Forest Service has both the authority and the responsibility to ensure that decisions affecting their water, their land, and their future are made with the care, science, and respect those communities deserve.
An advisory council in North Carolina recommended lawmakers create a system that allow adults to use marijuana in hopes of regulating a multibillion dollar, "wild west" marketplace.

North Carolina is one of only 10 states and three U.S. territories that does not have a regulated adult-use marijuana market or medical marijuana program, according to a draft report from the state's Advisory Council on Cannabis released April 2. In the absence of a legal market, consumers in the state spent an estimated $3.2 billion on illicit marijuana in 2022, according to a U.S. Cannabis Report cited by the council.

Meanwhile, the council said hemp-derived cannabinoid products are being marketed as legal alternatives to marijuana and sold without uniform standards or meaningful oversight. That industry is valued at about $1 billion, the council said.

Advertisement Advertisement

"North Carolinas intoxicating cannabis market currently exists in a dangerous policy gap that is neither true prohibition nor meaningful regulation," the report said.

The council recommended that the legislature end "the legal but unworkable distinction between marijuana and hemp" and establish "an adult-use regulatory model with built-in protections for medical consumers." That model would allow adults to purchase, possess and use cannabis through state-licensed retail outlets.

A final report with detailed regulatory recommendations will be issued by the council in December. Gov. Josh Stein, who established the council, said in a statement the report makes it clear a legally regulated market is safer for the state.

Our states unregulated cannabis market today is the Wild West and is crying for order," Stein said. "Lets get this right. Lets protect our kids and create a safe, legal, and well-regulated market for adults.

Advertisement Advertisement

Where is marijuana legal in the US? Here's which states have legalized weed as 4/20 approaches

The report in North Carolina comes after several key developments at the federal level. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December to federally classify marijuana as a less dangerous substance.

And legislation to reopen the government after a shutdown in 2025 will close a loophole that has allowed many hemp-derived products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, to be sold. The ban is expected to go into effect in November.

The report said state responses to the federal changes have varied, creating a patchwork of different regulations. In the neighboring state of Virginia, for example, Gov. Abigail Spanberger is expected to sign a bill that will allow retail sales of marijuana to begin in 2027, the report said.

Advertisement Advertisement

"If surrounding states adopt regulated cannabis programs while North Carolina does not, the state could effectively become a prohibition jurisdiction situated among regulated markets, a dynamic that may complicate enforcement and influence the flow of products and consumers across state line," the council said.

The report comes just before the North Carolina General Assembly convenes for a short legislative session. Legislators have recently proposed bills that would help establish a medical marijuana and an adult-use program.

But lawmakers have been unable to reach agreements on cannabis regulations in the past, and two top lawmakers recently expressed concern about the council's recommendation, signaling that more gridlock could ensue, the News & Observer reported.

Its remarkable that were going to put money into psychosis treatment and opioid treatment at the same time we have a report out that is trying to legalize marijuana when we know that theres a four times higher likelihood of psychosis when young adults use marijuana, Rep. Timothy Reeder, an emergency physician, said according to the outlet. So were funding money for a program that were getting ready to exacerbate."

Advertisement Advertisement

Some evidence has linked cannabis use to an earlier onset of psychosis in people with genetic risk factors, and worse symptoms in people who have psychotic disorders, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, but more research is needed to "determine whether, to what extent, and for whom cannabis may cause or contribute to poor mental health outcomes." A 2025 study from researchers at Columbia University found no changes in opioid outcomes among the general population in the states that passed medical and recreational marijuana laws.

Though it won't be an easy task, legislative action is necessary to protect North Carolinians, the council said.

"The status quo is unacceptable," the report said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is pot legal in North Carolina? Council pushes marijuana legalization
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea Wednesday in its second launch event in two days, South Koreas military said, hours after a senior North Korean official released crude insults against Seouls hopes for warmer relations.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said several missiles lifted off from North Koreas eastern coastal Wonsan area on Wednesday morning and flew about 240 kilometers (150 miles) each in a direction toward the Norths eastern waters.

It said an additional North Korean ballistic missile fired later Wednesday traveled more than 700 kilometers off the Norths east coast. Japans Defense Ministry said it assesses that the missile fell in waters outside the countrys exclusive economic zone.

Advertisement Advertisement

South Koreas military said it maintains a readiness to repel any provocations by North Korea under a solid military alliance with the United States. It earlier said it detected the launch of an unidentified projectile from North Koreas capital region on Tuesday.

South Korean media reported the projectile, also likely a ballistic missile, disappeared from South Korean military radars after displaying an abnormal development in the initial launch stage. This indicated the launch ended in failure, according to the reports.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that the North Korean launches had not posed any immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to allies.

The back-to-back launches came after North Korea made it clear that it has no intentions of improving ties with South Korea, whose liberal government has steadfastly expressed its hopes to restore long-dormant dialogue.

Advertisement Advertisement

South Korea would always remain North Korea's most hostile enemy state, Jang Kum Chol, first vice minister at Pyongyangs Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday. He derided South Korea as world-startling fools engaged in wishful thinking over a recent statement by Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

After South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret over alleged civilian drone flights into North Korea, Kim Yo Jong on Monday praised him for what she called honesty and courage, but reiterated a threat to retaliate if such flights recur. South Korean officials responded by describing Kims statement as meaningful progress in relations.

Jang said her statement was intended as a warning. He cited Kim Yo Jong as calling South Korea the dogs affected by mange that blindly bark to the tune of neighboring dogs as she criticized it for recently co-sponsoring of a U.N. resolution on the Norths purported human rights violations.

North Korea has refused to return to talks with South Korea and the U.S. and pushed to expand its nuclear arsenal since Kim Jong Uns diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. North Korea has instead sought to strengthen ties with Russia, China and other countries embroiled in confrontations with the U.S. Last September, Kim Jong Un traveled to Beijing to attend a military parade alongside other foreign leaders and held his first summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in six years.

Advertisement Advertisement

North Korean media reported on Wednesday that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit North Korea on Thursday for a two-day trip.

Earlier this week, North Korea said Kim Jong Un had observed a test of an upgraded solid-fuel engine for weapons and called it a significant development boosting his countrys strategic military arsenal.

Missiles with built-in solid propellants are easier to move and conceal their launches than liquid-fuel weapons, which in general must be fueled before liftoffs and cannot last long.

South Koreas spy agency told lawmakers Monday the engine test was likely related to an effort to build a more powerful solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile that can carry multiple nuclear warheads, according to lawmakers who attended the meeting.

Advertisement Advertisement

Experts say North Korea wants multi-warhead missiles to penetrate U.S. missile defenses, but they doubt Pyongyang has mastered the technology needed to acquire such a weapon.

 AP journalists Mari Yamaguchi and Mayuko Ono contributed from Tokyo.
The Collier County State Veterans Nursing Home, under construction in Golden Gate, is accepting naming nominations. The name will honor one of 13 deceased Medal of Honor recipients accredited to the State of Florida.

Select the name you would like for the new Collier County State Veterans' home.

They are:

Hammett Lee Bowen Jr., Staff Sergeant, USA Conflict/Era: Vietnam War

Bruce Wayne Carter, Private First Class, USMC Conflict/Era: Vietnam War

William Merrill Corry Jr., Lieutenant Commander, USN Conflict/Era: Interim 1920-1940

Nicholas Joseph Cutinha, Specialist Fourth Class, USA Conflict/Era: Vietnam War

Robert Edward Femoyer, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps Conflict/Era: World War II

David McCampbell, Commander (Highest Rank: Captain), USN Conflict/Era: World War II

Thomas Buchanan McGuire Jr., Major, U.S. Army Air Corps Conflict/Era: World War II

Robert Miller McTureous Jr., Private, USMC Conflict/Era: World War II

Robert J. Miller, Staff Sergeant, USA Conflict/Era: War on Terrorism (Afghanistan)

James Henry Mills, Private, USA Conflict/Era: World War II

Francis Edward Ormsbee Jr., Chief Machinist's Mate (Highest Rank: Chief Aviation Pilot), USN Conflict/Era: World War I

Larry Eugene Smedley, Corporal, USMC Conflict/Era: Vietnam War

Paul Ray Smith, Sergeant First Class, USA Conflict/Era: War on Terrorism (Iraq)

Advertisement Advertisement

Members of the community are encouraged to participate by submitting a nomination online or by mail. To submit online, visit Collier.gov and click the yellow banner at the top of the page.

Nominations may also be mailed to: Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, Attn: Communications Director, 2601 S. Blair Stone Road, Suite C-300, Tallahassee, FL 32399.

All mailed submissions must be postmarked by USPS no later than April 23rd, 2026.

First Horizon Bank hosts shred event

Rotary Club of Marco Island Sunrise will be hosting a Shred Party from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., Saturday, April 11, at First Horizon Bank at 605 Bald Eagle Drive, Marco Island.

Advertisement Advertisement

This is an opportunity for you to safely dispose of your old bank statement, bills, checks, tax returns and legal documents. Bring your items to First Horizon Bank to the banks parking lot for shredding.

A suggested donation of $10 per bag or box is requested and all donations will support local charities.

April is Parkinsons Awareness Month

April is Parkinsons Awareness Month, a time to educate, empower and encourage those impacted by Parkinsons disease to take action early and live well.

Parkinsons disease is a progressive neurological condition that affects many systems of the body, but it is often referred to as a movement disorder because of the impaired or involuntary movements it can cause.

With approximately 90,000 new diagnoses in the U.S. each year  including an estimated 7,000 individuals in Southwest Florida  awareness, early intervention and ongoing support can make a meaningful difference in quality of life.

Advertisement Advertisement

Parkinsons disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement, balance and coordination. Recognizing symptoms early  and seeking support right away  can significantly improve long-term outcomes, helping individuals maintain independence, mobility, and connection to their community.

Common early signs include loss of smell; trouble sleeping; chronic constipation; dizziness or fainting; small handwriting.

If you or a loved one experiences these symptoms, consulting a neurologist or movement disorder specialist is an important first step.

The Parkinsons Association of Southwest Florida provides free membership and access to confidential, comprehensive, evidence-based programs designed for both individuals with PD and their care partners.

Advertisement Advertisement

PASWFL invites the community to take advantage of its free membership, which provides access to all programs, services, and resources at no cost.

As part of Parkinsons Awareness Month, PASWFL will host its annual Living Well with PD Education Symposium on April 24. The event brings together leading experts, resources, and the PD community for a day of learning, connection and empowerment.

Learn more at PASWFL.org or call 239-417-3465.

Rockin Bash 2 returns to Naples

Rockin Bash 2 is bringing an evening of music, community and purpose to benefit Legal Aid Service of Collier Countys mission of providing free civil legal services to vulnerable residents.

Advertisement Advertisement

Scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 30, the event will take place at The Maddox, a members-only club located at 2955 Bayshore Drive in Naples. The night features a live performance by the Mark Telesca Band, an interactive dinner and opportunities to support justice through community engagement.

Tickets are $200 per person and include dinner, two complimentary drink tickets and live music, with a cash bar available. All net proceeds benefit the programs and projects operated by Legal Aid Service of Collier County.

More: Now You Know: Youth Sailing Club opens registration for summer classes

And: Now You Know: What does JW sale mean for tourism?

Advertisement Advertisement

Live, work or play on Marco Island, South Naples or Everglades City? If so and you have something youd like featured in Now You Know, send your information to mail@marconews.com.

This article originally appeared on Marco Eagle: Now You Know: Help name new vets' nursing home; shred event is Saturday
There is a movement underway to abolish property taxes in Ohio.

An organization called Citizens for Property Tax Reform is pursuing a statewide referendum to ban property taxes.

Vivek Ramaswamy, our likely future governor, called for an end to property taxes in Ohio when he began his campaign. He's since rolled that back but is still promising large-scale property tax relief.

Opinion: Crying catastrophic not a plan. Ohio on verge of property taxes revolt

Advertisement Advertisement

That is bad news for schools and many local services, which in 2024 collected $24 billion dollars a year in property taxes. Even if property taxes are merely reduced next year rather than abolished, Ohio schools will probably be looking at a several-billion-dollar hole in their collective budget.

A generational divide emerges

Much of the tax reform debate focuses on the partisan aspect, the Republican Party for it and the Democratic Party against it. But there are still plenty of Democrats who would like lower property taxes, and plenty of Republicans concerned about their children's school being underfunded.

What's less discussed is the generational divide over property taxes. It is a microcosm of the broader national tension over how we prioritize the needs of the elderly and retired over the needs of the young and working.

Reducing or abolishing property taxes largely benefits the elderly, who have accumulated more housing equity than the young and who have less need to live near work or good schools.

Advertisement Advertisement

Decreases in property tax revenue disproportionately harm children's education and put pressure on their working parents to come up with alternatives.

From left, Ronald Fults, 56, Angela Acker, 50, prepare to sign ballets with Sarah Wolf, a volunteer circulator for the Committee to Abolish Property Taxes, during a petition sign up event, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Queen City Harley-Davidson in West Chester Township.

Lost revenue also degrades policing and other public services that working-age adults and children often rely on.

Importantly, reducing or abolishing property taxes encourages land hoarding and diminishes the supply of housing in the long run. This is clearly demonstrated by large-scale property tax reductions, such as California's Prop 13, California being a disastrous case of housing supply failing to keep up with demand. While the elderly save when property taxes are reduced, the young face ever-accelerating housing costs and are priced out of good homes and the American Dream.

Ramaswamy has also promised to abolish income tax in Ohio. He likely plans to replace part of the lost revenue with additional sales tax. That will further punish younger workers and families who necessarily have higher rates of consumption than the retired.

A national pattern

The national context is just as bleak for young workers and families.

Advertisement Advertisement

Between Social Security and Medicare, the federal government spends $2.4 trillion on elderly Americans. The employer-based health care insurance market further subsidizes Medicare indirectly to the tune of a couple of hundred billion dollars a year. That's about $2.6 trillion federally.

At the state level, there are already tens of billions of dollars spent on homestead exemptions and other property tax mechanisms that primarily benefit the elderly. In California alone, Prop 13 costs local governments $10 billion a year. The public sector spends hundreds of billions of dollars a year on public pensions, much of which is to cover costs of the already retired and is not savings for the currently working.

Add to that favorable tax treatment for the passive incomes of retirees, and Americans collectively subsidize the elderly to the tune of well over $3 trillion a year, at least 10% of GDP.

Opinion: Banning property taxes will cripple Ohio. How does an 18% sales tax sound?

Advertisement Advertisement

This spending has accelerated as America has gotten older. The growing burden of spending is being shouldered by a shrinking pool of working Americans. The ratio of workers to retirees in the U.S. was about 5 to 1 in 1960, is now just 2.8 to 1, and is declining every year.

The future at stake

Currently, the national debt is about $39 trillion and is growing rapidly thanks to deficits approaching $2 trillion a year. The biggest single thing driving up the debt is spending on the elderly.

This is the context for the anti-property tax movement: a federal spending paradigm heavily tilted towards shifting resources to the elderly and ever more burdensome for working adults. The movement to greatly decrease or abolish property taxes is a further assault on working families in favor of the old and comfortable. It is a slap in the face of working-age Americans who shoulder an ever larger burden of debt payments and tax transfers to the elderly, all while trying to raise their children.

I honor those who have come before me in building this great nation. Older Americans have borne great burdens and faced enormous challenges to endow younger generations with this wonderful country. But the financial bargain between past and future is fraying.

Advertisement Advertisement

Reducing or abolishing property taxes frays this bargain further. It is a bad idea for working families, for children, for housing, for schools, and for all of Ohio.

Christopher Wood

Christopher Wood is a neurologist who lives in Clifton.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio property tax cuts would come at a generational cost | Opinion
CAPE TOWN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The South African Communist Party (SACP) on Thursday condemned Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon as an "attempt to undermine the ceasefire" between Iran and the United States.

In a statement, the SACP said that on April 8, following an agreement on the ceasefire between Iran and the United States, Israel carried out one of the most aggressive bombardments of Lebanon in recent times, killing more than 250 people in a single strike and injuring 1,165 people.

"This act of violence can only be interpreted as Israel's attempt to undermine the ceasefire and all peace prospects," it said.

The SACP condemned Israel's actions as "not only detrimental to peace efforts at the present time but also a new avenue for military action in furtherance of its new genocidal agenda."

The party also condemned the U.S.-Israel collaboration in the region, saying it seeks to "undermine the sovereignty of states in the Middle East in service of contemporary expressions of Western imperialism." 
OKLAHOMA CITY  A $12.82 billion state budget is on its way to Gov. Kevin Stitt after passing a House vote Thursday, despite facing questions about whether it properly meets public needs.

House legislators approved the general appropriations bill by a vote of 76-18. Stitt and legislative leaders unveiled the uncommonly early budget agreement last week, and it narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday.

The budget  a 1.35% increase over last years spend  would increase public education funding by $232 million, including a $2,000 raise to teachers minimum salaries, and would add $250 million for rising Medicaid costs.

Advertisement Advertisement

Oklahomas Medicaid agency, the state Healthcare Authority, had asked for double that amount to account for cash flow issues and increasing utilization rates.

House Democrats said the budget should do more to fund Medicaid, child care and requests from state agencies. Across state government, agencies asked for $800 million more in funding than what the proposed budget offers.

The Houses budget leader, Rep. Trey Caldwell, R-Faxon, said state agencies ask for the moon every year, but lawmakers have to strike a fiscally responsible balance.

Caldwell said the budget sets a new record high for public education funding in Oklahoma, raises pay for all state employees, increases retirees pension payments and saves $200 million in a sovereign wealth fund, an investment account, which he said will help future legislatures withstand economic ups and downs.

Advertisement Advertisement

We do as a state have a responsibility to provide core functionalities of government and services, and we do need a level of savings to be able to handle the cyclical nature that is the Oklahoma economy, he said.

House and Senate budget leaders Rep. Trey Caldwell, R-Faxon, left, and Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, right, speak before the governors State of the State Address in the House Chamber of the state Capitol in Oklahoma City on Feb. 2. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice)

Far-right Republicans complained the extra savings should be returned to taxpayers.

Democrats questioned why Republican leaders chose to store away $200 million and put $12.5 million into Trump accounts for babies born in Oklahoma rather than spending more on social services.

I would disagree that our agencies are asking for the moon, Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, said. I believe they are asking for what they need.

Advertisement Advertisement

Quickly passing a budget would enable the state Legislature to bring its 2026 session to an exceptionally early end.

The Senates top leader, President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, reaffirmed Thursday that session could end early but lawmakers are not in a hurry.

The budget includes a $25 million increase to the Parental Choice Tax Credit program, which helps offset families costs to send their children to private schools. The House voted 70-19 Thursday to pass legislation to raise the tax credit programs available funds to $275 million.

The current cap is $250 million. The Oklahoma Tax Commission reported the program didnt hit the $250 million threshold this school year.

Advertisement Advertisement

The chances of passing more funding for public schools, including the $2,000 teacher pay raise, hinged on increasing the tax credit funding, Caldwell said.

Theres not a single person in this body that had everything they wanted in this budget, he said. Its part of a grand bargain to get a record amount of money into education and trying to move the needle when it comes to giving our young children opportunities in this world.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP)  As students banged on desks and stomped their feet inside a packed lecture hall at the University of Michigan, someone decades older stood in the back, quietly taking in the scene.

Debbie Dingell, a longtime Democratic congresswoman, was there to watch progressive U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed campaign with Hasan Piker, a popular yet controversial online streamer.

Dingell has often served as an early warning system for her party, cautioning that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was on track to win Michigan in 2016 and 2024. Now she was once again scoping out the shifting political landscape, and something caught her eye.

Advertisement Advertisement

Quite frankly, I havent seen that many people outside an event yet this year, said Dingell, whose district includes Ann Arbor and who said her attendance wasn't an endorsement.

A line of mostly young people stretched out the door and down the street, hundreds waiting in the cold evening air on Tuesday. Some had backpacks slung over their shoulders after coming from class, while others had traveled from afar.

Although they were there to see a progressive candidate, attendees didn't fit neatly into any ideological box. Instead, they shared a common dissatisfaction with both major political parties. Their frustration was a reminder of the anger that has coursed through modern American politics and now appears to be simmering within a new generation ahead of the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.

Born into an era of Trump

Liam Koenig was in third grade when Trump was first elected president  a moment that has shaped his generation's understanding of politics.

Advertisement Advertisement

It's just become increasingly more inflammatory, he said.

Now a high school senior in Oakland County, a longtime political bellwether in Michigan, Koenig described an era of constant conflict and anxiety. The mood among his peers, he said, is often somber and frustrated.

"I think a lot of us have lost hope in, like, tangible change, he said.

Younger adults are more likely than older Americans to have an unfavorable view of both the Republican and Democratic parties, according to AP-NORC polling from February.

Still, that frustration hasnt led to disengagement for Koenig. He waited for hours to see El-Sayed. He described the campaign as different from what he's used to seeing, something more like Zohran Mamdani's successful run for mayor in New York City. He wanted that kind of energy in Michigan.

Advertisement Advertisement

Youre not going to get people out with business as usual, Koenig said.

Karol Molina, an artist who recently moved from New York City, said she had been hunting for a candidate in Mamdani's mold when she arrived in Michigan. She settled on El-Sayed, who is facing U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow in the state's primary.

We want to be able to live and, like, afford life without constantly scraping by, she said.

Molina was looking for a clean break with the past.

I think the Democratic Party is losing because theyre not really listening to what the people really want, she said. Theyre trying to keep a party that existed before Donald Trump. And that party doesnt exist anymore.

Advertisement Advertisement

Piker, a 34-year-old streamer with 3.1 million followers on Twitch and 1.8 million on YouTube, has described himself as a megaphone for an angry electorate. Hes also been controversial among Democrats for some of his rhetoric, including comments that Hamas is a thousand times better than Israel, some Orthodox Jews are inbred and America deserved 9/11.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Piker was largely unapologetic for his past remarks but said some were poorly worded. He called the renewed focus on them totally ridiculous, especially considering that there are far more consequential things happening in the world right now.

Frustration  but not apathy  from young voters

Ethan Schneider, a third-year student at the University of Michigan, described todays politics as a little unserious.

It's difficult to remain positive or not be jaded at a young age, said Schneider.

Advertisement Advertisement

Schneider said he voted for Democrat Kamala Harris two years ago but, like many in line to see Piker and El-Sayed, was critical of her and her party.

Hate them, he said of Democrats. They feel very complicit, in terms of all the issues going on now. If not complicit, they're just doing nothing,

Younger people are rejecting both parties at much higher rates than older generations, according to recent Gallup polling. More than half of Generation Z and Millennials identify as political independents, while a majority of older generations side with a party.

The Gallup polling found that this growing group of independents tends to be motivated by unhappiness with the party in power  a dynamic that could benefit Democrats this year but doesnt promise lasting loyalty.

Advertisement Advertisement

Jacob Abbott, an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan, said he feels that the Democratic Party has strayed toward corporate interest politics. To him, the backlash toward Piker reflects a broader vacuum in American politics  a lack of people who can command attention and speak to their frustrations, even if theyre flawed.

So is Hasan perfect? Probably not, Abbott said. But hes much better than the alternative the Democratic Party has had.

Progressives struggle to turn enthusiasm into victories

Over decades in politics, Dingell has seen long lines and packed rooms before. She was trying to gauge whether there's something more durable at the event with El-Sayed and Piker.

After all, progressive candidates have long generated excitement without winning electoral victories. El-Sayed himself finished a distant second in Michigan's Democratic primary for governor in 2018. In addition, independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a leading face of the progressive movement, fell short in two Democratic presidential campaigns.

Advertisement Advertisement

But some Democrats argue this moment may be different, pointing to recent victories by Mamdani in New York and Analilia Mejia, who won a crowded Democratic primary in a special U.S. House election in New Jersey.

There should be a progressive running everywhere that one exists, said Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee, who also appeared with El-Sayed.

Every year, every race," she added. "We might not be victorious, but every single time we have to call the question.

Dingell said she'll be looking to see what happens next.

Is it something for the kids to do, or is it going to connect? she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

___

Associated Press writer Linley Sanders contributed to this report.

___

This story was first published on April 9, 2026. It was updated on April 11, 2026, to make clear that University of Michigan student Jacob Abbott was not referring to specific controversial remarks from Hasan Piker, a well-known online streamer, but was speaking broadly about politics.
It was being towed, thats what it was. It wasnt stolen, said an Orlando police officer to John Quillinan during an incident in downtown Orlando in September. That video and sound were captured on a police department body camera after Johns wife, Kim Quillinan called 911 to report their car stolen.

John said, Well, it was stolen by taking the car.

The officer responded, Youre not understanding.

Advertisement Advertisement

City of Orlando surveillance video, obtained later, appears to show a tow truck taking their car away from a private parking lot before time expired even though the Quillinans paid to park.

Before that surveillance video surfaced, police said they didnt have sufficient evidence to show a crime was committed and called it a civil matter, but they encouraged the car owners to report it if they had additional information or evidence.

After our story aired with that video in December, the car owners filed a police report, but said officers didnt seem to want to consider any new evidence.

Do you have a consumer complaint or need help from Jeff Deal and Action 9? Click the banner below to submit a tip.

During the police response, John Quillinan sounded exasperated when he said, And they took off with a car and wouldnt stop. Our car!

Advertisement Advertisement

The Lake County couple had just returned to their car after enjoying a Tate McRae concert at the Kia Center. They even left the show early, knowing they paid to park until 10pm at a private lot at Garland and Livingston. Panic set in as they approached and saw their car already on the back of a tow truck from NRJ Towing pulling out of the lot.

From the City of Orlando surveillance video, it appears the truck ran a red light, and a few moments later, it shows John Quillinan trying to chase it down. With the truck in the intersection, the timestamp on the video shows 21:56:30 which is just after 9:56pm, nearly four minutes before their ticket was supposed to expire.

According to WFTV Legal Analyst Bill Sheaffer if it was taken before time expired, John Quillinan was right when he told the officer, Well, it was stolen by taking the car.

Sheaffer said back in December, A towing company that tows before they are lawfully entitled to may be charged with a misdemeanor, criminally, up to a third-degree felony.

Advertisement Advertisement

Under Florida law, by depriving someone of their property even temporarily is considered theft.

NRJ Towing didnt want to seem to address it with Action 9 when they called, emailed and stopped by their impound lot locations.

One worker shoved the Action 9 photographer.

Outta my way, he said.

Jeff Deal said, Hey, do not touch him.

The NRJ Towing worker said, I dont give a (expletive).

He then slapped the microphone out of Deals hand and onto the ground.

Jeff Deal again said, Do not touch him.

The worker responded, Get the (expletive) outta my way is what you gotta do mother(expletive).

Back then the Orlando Police Department issued this statement:

Advertisement Advertisement

During the officers initial contact, there was not sufficient evidence to determine that a crime had occurred. If the caller now has additional information or evidence, we encourage them to contact us and report it.

So, Kim Quillinan followed up and went to OPD headquarters to file a report.

She told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal, I felt like they were trying to talk me out of even filling out a police report.

Jeff Deal asked, Did they even want to look at the new evidence at all?

Kim Quillinan answered, I dont think they did. Yeah, I dont think they did.

The report reads like an informational report, it doesnt list any suspects, and shows the officer advised Quillinan that she could seek representation for a civil suit.

Advertisement Advertisement

An OPD spokesman said because the parking lot owner reimbursed them for the cost of the tow, after Action 9 got involved, they consider it a civil matter. But Bill Sheaffer said the reimbursement payment has nothing to do with whether the tow truck driver committed a crime.

The minute you temporarily deprive someone of their property, you have committed the offense of theft, Sheaffer said.

And Kim Quillinan believes with the video evidence; it should be investigated as crime.

She said, It was traumatic to come out and have my car gone and I just, you know, it shouldnt happen to other people. And you know, whats going to stop them from doing it again, you know?

Advertisement Advertisement

With tow truck drivers or their companies required to call in their tows from private lots, police may already have a record of who was driving that tow truck.

Legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said often police push these kinds of cases off to civil courts, likely because they feel they can better spend their resources on other types of crimes.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed eight bills into law Thursday defending immigrant rights as the Trump administration ramps up federal immigration enforcement.

Oregon, a sanctuary state, already has some of the most comprehensive immigration protection laws.

The new laws, however, represent the states response to a series of controversial federal actions in late 2025 and earlier this year. That includes President Donald Trumps attempted deployment of the National Guard to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, federal agents launching an operation across the Willamette Valley with a quota to detain at least eight people a day, often without warrants and wearing masks, and several instances of federal agents arresting individuals taking their children to the hospital or school.

Advertisement Advertisement

To those in Washington, D.C., who think they can bully Oregon into abandoning our values and neighbors, you got it wrong, Kotek said at a bill signing ceremony in Portland. Oregon is not staying quiet, and we are not backing down.

Democratic lawmakers and advocates during the 2026 legislative session coined the group of bills as the immigrant justice package. Kotek had 30 business days to sign the package into law following the end of the session that adjourned March 6.

The laws affirm that dignity and safety arent privileges, they are rights, said Ira Cuello-Martinez, policy advocacy director for Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, Oregons farmworker union. PCUN, now the states largest Latino organization, has advocated for agricultural workers and Latino families for more than 40 years.

For many in our communities, this is deeply important and personal, he said. It signals that their lives, their families and their futures matter.

Reinforcing protections for previously protected spaces

One law, Senate Bill 1594, directs the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Advancement to create statewide model policies relating to citizenship or immigration status that can be used in response to federal actions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Three laws are related to protections for immigrants in hospitals and schools  places that were previously protected under the Obama and Biden administration against federal immigration enforcement. Trump rescinded those protections at the start of his second presidency.

House Bill 4079 requires school districts and colleges to develop an alert system to notify students and parents if federal agents appear on school property. Senate Bill 1538 adds immigration status as a protected class under anti-discrimination laws that govern Oregons K-12 schools.

Similarly, Senate Bill 1570 requires hospitals to create guidelines for staff to follow if federal immigration agents appear on hospital grounds. It requires hospitals to designate which areas are closed to the public, and it orders that hospital staff treat immigration status or a persons country of birth similar to protected health information. It also prohibits hospitals from retaliating against employees who share with patients informational materials on legal immigration services.

Because of our work, a dad will feel safer taking his daughter to the emergency room said Rep. Willy Chotzen, D-Portland. A fourth grader will feel safer going to school, knowing that theres a plan in place if ICE shows up.

Addressing federal overreach

Two laws address concerns that federal immigration agents are overstepping their authority.

Advertisement Advertisement

House Bill 4114 creates a civil cause of action against people who enter certain property without a warrant or legal exception, and House Bill 4138 requires that all law enforcement officers operating in Oregon, regardless of whether they are a federal or out-of state agency, clearly identify themselves and limit the use of masks except for medical purposes, undercover operations or SWAT assignments.

Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Brian Hughes, who was filling in for Chief Bob Day, celebrated the bills getting signed into law. The most important work happens when community members trust the police, he said.

The fact that law enforcement leaders from across Oregon collaborated on this bill signing is a statement in and of itself, a statement about who we are, what we value and the kind of partnership that makes safer communities possible, Hughes said.

Data protection

The remaining laws aim to protect the privacy and data of immigrants in Oregon.

Advertisement Advertisement

House Bill 4111 bars the use of a partys or witnesss immigration status as evidence in civil cases. It also makes it unlawful for employers to retaliate against workers attempting to update their employment authorization status.

And Senate Bill 1587 prohibits public agencies from sharing personally identifiable information with data brokers unless the broker guarantees it will not be used for federal immigration enforcement or if there is a court order.

Rep. Lesly Munoz, D-Woodburn, said Thursdays bill signing was deeply personal to her as the daughter of immigrants. The package is a declaration that immigrant and refugee communities are an important part of Oregon, she said.

They help make this country thrive, she said. They work in our fields, in our restaurants, in our homes, in our schools and in our small businesses. They contribute not only their labor and entrepreneurship, but theyre also taxpayers who help support our schools, our roads, our health care system and our services and beyond.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Pakistan was poised on Friday to host Iranian and US delegations for negotiations in its capital, although Tehran's participation remained uncertain after deadly Israeli strikes on Lebanon threatened this week's temporary truce.

Separately, Israel and Lebanon will hold talks in Washington next week, a State Department official said, amid mounting international concern that Israel's bombing campaign could shatter the already fragile two-week US-Iran ceasefire.

Islamabad was pressing ahead with its preparations for the high-stakes negotiations, which official sources say will canvass several sensitive points, including Iran's nuclear enrichment and the free flow of trade through the strategic Strit of Hormuz maritime chokepoint.

Advertisement Advertisement

But, even as security was ramped up in Islamabad and the main luxury hotel hosting delegates was cleared of its normal well-heeled guests, Iran signalled that its participation could hinge on a halt in Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

"The holding of talks to end the war is dependent on the US adhering to its ceasefire commitments on all fronts, especially in Lebanon," Esmaeil Baqaei, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, said.

"If the travel plan is finalised, the composition of the delegation will also be announced," he added.

Nevertheless, Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards signalled they were committing to the ceasefire, according to the state broadcaster.

Advertisement Advertisement

"We would like to inform you that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have not launched anything at any country during the ceasefire hours until now," the Guards said.

On Wednesday, Israel's heaviest strikes on Lebanon since Hezbollah entered the Middle East war in early March killed hundreds, rattling the uneasy ceasefire between Washington and Tehran less than 48 hours after it came into force.

Pakistan has insisted that Lebanon is included in the ceasefire, and Washington made a push to include Beirut in parallel talks.

"We can confirm that the Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon," a US State Department official said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Neither Israel nor the Lebanese government have publicly confirmed these talks, although the announcement came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his ministers to seek direct dialogue with Lebanon focused on disarming Iran-backed Hezbollah.

A Lebanese government official told AFP that Beirut would require a truce before entering any negotiations with Israel.

Attacks continued overnight, with air raid sirens in Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv and other parts of the country and Hezbollah announcing it carried out drone and rocket strikes early on Friday on Israeli forces on both sides of the border as well as a town in Israel's north.

- 'They're wrong' -

Advertisement Advertisement

Israel's refusal to halt operations in Lebanon has cast a shadow over the expected talks in Pakistan where many roads in the capital were closed on Friday during a two-day public holiday that turned the city into a ghost town as it prepared for delegates' arrival.

The two-week truce was agreed to allow negotiations between US and Iranian officials aimed at ending a conflict that has already killed thousands and plunged the global economy into turmoil.

Iranian officials said Israel's strikes had rendered the Pakistan talks "meaningless" and that Lebanon was an "inseparable part of the ceasefire."

Tehran's ambassador to Pakistan on Thursday deleted a social media post saying an Iranian delegation would arrive in the country later that day.

Advertisement Advertisement

Still, Vice President JD Vance is due to lead the US delegation on Saturday, joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Fresh fractures in the mediation process emerged when Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif wrote a sharp criticism of Israel's strikes on Lebanon Thursday evening, in a post taken down hours later on Friday.

"Israel is evil and a curse for humanity -- while peace talks are underway in Islamabad, genocide is being committed in Lebanon," he wrote on X, adding that he hoped "people who created this cancerous state on Palestinian land" would "burn in hell."

The Israeli Prime Minister's office called the remarks outrageous, saying: "This is not a statement that can be tolerated from any government, especially not from one that claims to be a neutral arbiter for peace."

Advertisement Advertisement

Pakistan does not formally recognise Israel -- a fact that could complicate its role as mediator -- and has insisted the ceasefire includes Lebanon, which Israel disputes.

Fearing the truce may be in jeopardy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz -- echoing worries in other capitals -- warned that the destruction in Lebanon could cause "the peace process as a whole to fail."

Netanyahu, who insists Lebanon is not covered by the ceasefire, said his message was clear: "Anyone who acts against Israeli civilians, we will strike them. We will continue to hit Hezbollah wherever necessary."

Trump told NBC News that Israel was "scaling back" strikes in Lebanon and that Netanyahu had assured him its attacks would become more "low-key."

Advertisement Advertisement

- 'Poor job' -

If the talks go ahead, a key point of contention remains the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil as well as vast quantities of natural gas and fertiliser pass in peacetime.

Trump accused Iran of doing a "very poor job" of allowing oil through the strait and of breaching the terms of their ceasefire agreement.

In a barrage of social media posts that sparked fresh fears for the shaky truce, he also warned Tehran against imposing a toll on ships passing through the crucial waterway.

"Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonourable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said on Truth Social. "That is not the agreement we have!"

MarineTraffic data showed that the Gabon-flagged MSG passed through the strait on Thursday, the first non-Iranian oil tanker to do so since the ceasefire was announced.

bur-arp/sla/ceg/dc
A serious privacy breach in Bentleyville is raising concerns after sensitive personal information was distributed at a public meeting.

At Tuesday nights borough council meeting, packets were handed out to the public, which contained a finance committee audit report. Within that report were two pages containing highly sensitive personal information for eight current or former officials  including Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses and drivers license numbers.

I was flabbergasted pretty much immediately when I saw what was in this report as far as personal information, said Councilmember Kara Shaw-Dearth.

Advertisement Advertisement

Shaw-Dearth says the report included information for six former councilmembers, the boroughs former secretary, and the police chief. She said she discovered the information after the council meeting, but said the Finance Committee had met to review the documents before they were released.

The former Bentleyville mayor, Timothy Jansante, whose term ended in January, told Channel 11 his information was among those exposed. He has since contacted the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office.

I was in absolute shock and dismay when I found out, Jansante said. I believe it was maliciously distributed because of relationships with some of these people on council now.

Borough officials say they are now working to contain the situation.

Advertisement Advertisement

In a statement, Council President Joe Pigeon said the borough is attempting to retrieve the packets and is taking steps to notify the appropriate agencies, as required by law, calling it an inadvertent release of information.

Even as those efforts continue, the exposure of that personal information cannot be undone, raising concerns about potential identity theft.

The police chief was not available for comment, but his attorney, Jeffrey Olup, said, It is appalling that a municipality disseminated personal protected information not only about its dedicated police chief, but, incredibly, other members of the community. I have requested the township solicitor contact the Attorney Generals Office about this breach.

Shaw-Dearth says the borough should now take additional steps to protect those impacted.

Advertisement Advertisement

At the very least, I think the borough needs to pay for identity theft protection for all of these people  forever. Thats not something that just goes away.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
The powers of the Rabbinical Courts should be curtailed, not expanded, Israel Hofsheet CEO Uri Keidar said in a statement.

A new petition filed with the High Court of Justice on Thursday is seeking to strike down the new law allowing rabbinical courts to serve as arbitrators in certain civil disputes.

The petition, filed by Israel Hofsheet, argues that the measure unconstitutionally expands the powers of the rabbinical courts, creates a state-subsidized arbitration track effectively available only to religious litigants, and deepens the authority of a public institution that excludes women from its judicial ranks.

Advertisement Advertisement

Coming roughly two weeks after the laws enactment, the challenge contends that the legislation is not simply about giving consenting parties another forum for dispute resolution.

Rather, it says, the law creates a new model in which a state religious tribunal is given public resources, institutional authority, and enforcement power to conduct civil arbitration under religious law.

At the center of the petition is the claim that the law discriminates in the allocation of public resources. Private arbitration in Israel is often costly, with arbitrators charging hundreds or even thousands of shekels per hour, especially in commercial disputes.

The Rabbinical Supreme Court for Appeals, Jerusalem, pictured in 2024. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)

Under the new law, by contrast, parties willing to submit to religious arbitration through the rabbinical courts would be able to access the process for only nominal fees.

Advertisement Advertisement

Israel Hofsheet argues that no comparable subsidized arbitration framework exists for the general public, or for litigants who do not agree to resolve disputes under religious law, meaning the state is effectively funding a civil dispute-resolution track for one sector alone.

The petition further argues that the problem is compounded by the source of those resources. In its telling, the law does not create a separate corps of publicly appointed arbitrators, but is instead built around the use of the rabbinical courts existing infrastructure and personnel.

Israel Hofsheet argues rabbinical court's civil role could divert needed resources on marriage, divorce proceedings

That, the petition says, means time and resources from a state institution already charged with handling matters such as marriage and divorce will now be diverted to a parallel arbitration function serving a narrower religious public.

A second line of attack focuses on equality and representation. The petition argues that even if the historic existence of rabbinical courts in matters of personal status has long been embedded in Israeli law, the Knesset cannot now expand the authority of those institutions into new civil territory without confronting the constitutional implications of doing so.

Advertisement Advertisement

In particular, it argues that the state cannot enlarge the powers of a public institution whose judicial roles remain closed to women, and that if arbitrators are to be appointed under the law, adequate representation requirements must apply to those positions.

The petition also takes aim at what it presents as a deeper structural problem: the blurring of the line between private arbitration and state judicial power.

In ordinary arbitration, private parties may agree to resolve disputes outside the courts, but enforcement of arbitral decisions still depends on judicial oversight by the civil courts.

Here, Israel Hofsheet argues, the new law goes much further by allowing state religious courts, acting under religious law and outside the ordinary judicial framework, to produce decisions that carry the force of state-backed enforcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

On that point, the petition challenges several specific clauses. It objects to the provision allowing the court to contact an additional party who has not yet joined the arbitration process, arguing that this already places the prestige and authority of a state tribunal behind an ostensibly voluntary proceeding.

It also challenges language preserving the courts powers under any law, arguing that this risks importing ordinary judicial authority into what is supposed to be a consensual arbitration framework. Another target is the provision equating an arbitral award under the law, aside from appeal, with a court judgment - a step the petition says erases the normal distinction between a private arbitral ruling and a state judicial decision.

Israel Hofsheet also argues that the law is unconstitutional because it allows state coercive machinery to be activated on the basis of decisions rendered outside the ordinary judicial model and by adjudicators whose expertise is in religious law rather than Israeli civil law.

The petition says that this is the first time state authorities, such as the Enforcement and Collection Authority, and potentially the police, could be required to act on decisions issued in such a framework. In its view, that arrangement offends basic constitutional principles of legality, equality, and the rule of law.

Advertisement Advertisement

Alongside its constitutional arguments, the petition raises an implementation issue as well. It argues that the apparent intention to have serving rabbinical judges act as arbitrators is itself unlawful, citing legal statutes which restrict religious judges (dayanim) from engaging in outside roles beyond their judicial office.

If the state wants to create an arbitration service, the petition argues, it cannot simply have rabbinical judges put on a second hat.

The challenge goes to the heart of a law that was controversial from the moment it advanced in the Knesset. Supporters, led by Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chairman Simcha Rothman, framed it as a voluntary mechanism that would allow communities that want to resolve disputes according to religious law to do so through an official framework.

Critics, however, have long argued that the legislation was designed to bypass a previous Supreme Court ruling, which rejected attempts by rabbinical courts to function as arbitrators under the cover of their state status.

Advertisement Advertisement

In that sense, the petition is not merely asking whether religious litigants may choose arbitration under halachic norms - something they can already do privately. It is asking whether the state may itself build, subsidize, and enforce that framework from within one of its own official religious court systems.

The powers of the Rabbinical Courts should be curtailed, not expanded, Israel Hofsheet CEO Uri Keidar said in a statement. The State must not establish a parallel judicial system, heavily subsidized by public funds, to support a flawed system that excludes women and advances a vision of Israel as a theocracy rather than a democracy.
CHESTERFIELD, Mo.  A cargo plane crashed just minutes after takeoff from the Spirit of St. Louis Airport last month and killed the pilot after an apparent attempt to return to the runway, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board.

On Tuesday, the NTSB released a preliminary report detailing the fatal overnight plane crash on March 17, 2026. Authorities identified the pilot as as Edward Ruhbeck, 65, of Spanish Lake. No other injuries were reported.

Ntsb Spirit Prelim Crash by KevinSeanHeld

Advertisement Advertisement

According to the report, the flight was operated by Central Airlines, Inc. with an intended destination of New Century, Kansas.

The reports states that the plane took off at 12:21 a.m. at the 51st second, then crashed at 12:23 a.m. at the 57th second, just over two minutes after departure.

When the plane departed, according to the report, it entered a modified right traffic pattern. During the flight, the plans altitude fluctuated between 500 and 850 feet above Mean Sea Level. Both are possible signs that the aircraft struggled to climb and maintain altitude, the pilot may have been troubleshooting an issue or the pilot quickly attempted to return.

The report, however, did not explicitly disclose what caused the crash.

Advertisement Advertisement

Investigators found two ground marks indicating that landing gear was extended at impact. The report also noted a 300-foot-long and 50-foot-wide area of burned vegetation that extended from the crash site.

According to the report, the weather conditions at the time of the crash were clear with at least 10 miles of visibility and a temperature of minus-six degrees Celsius.

Timothy Sorensen was the lead investigator in charge of the preliminary report. The NTSB said the investigation is ongoing and information could change as more details are released.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Public beaches across Massachusetts could soon get bigger under a proposal being considered by state lawmakers. The measure would reclassify barrier beaches as public land, potentially expanding shoreline access for residents and visitors.

Barrier beaches run parallel to the coastline and are separated from the mainland by water or wetlands. These dynamic landforms are constantly reshaped by erosion, storms, and rising sea levels. Under current Massachusetts law, private property ownership can extend down to the low-tide line, resulting in many stretches of beach being privately owned.

Supporters of the proposal say making barrier beaches public would reflect their shifting nature and ensure broader access to coastal areas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Opponents, however, warn that the change could trigger lawsuits from property owners and potentially cost the state millions of dollars, according to comments shared with The Boston Globe.

The bill is expected to be debated in the Massachusetts Senate next week. Even if approved there, it would still need to pass the House before heading to the governors desk.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Vivek Ramaswamy says Ohio has too many universities.

They need to be consolidated, the Republican governor candidate recently declared. When you consolidate them, they can actually be centers of excellence.

Heres what Ramaswamy either doesnt know or doesnt care about: Ohio already created centers of excellence in higher education over two centuries ago. They were called Ohio University and Miami University, and they were the first public universities in America established by an act of Congress.

Advertisement Advertisement

The legislative mechanism that provided the framework for their creation was embedded in the Northwest Ordinance, the same law that created Ohio itself.

Ohios universities werent afterthoughts. They were conditions of statehood  part of a distinctly American idea that democracy depends on broadly accessible education.

Rev. Manasseh Cutler, a Revolutionary War chaplain, believed education should be broad, practical, and publicly accessible, not as charity but as a requirement for a functioning republic.

He helped ensure the Northwest Ordinance reserved land to endow universities.

One of the first acts of Ohios legislature was chartering Ohio University.

Advertisement Advertisement

Miami University followed soon after, its founding made possible by land conveyed through a federal patent signed by George Washington, part of the same early national commitment to public education.

That model expanded during the Civil War.

Ohio U.S. Sen. Benjamin F. Wade helped carry the Morrill Land-Grant Act through Congress. Signed by Abraham Lincoln, it extended the same principle: A democracys strength depends on educating ordinary citizens in practical fields, not just training an elite class.

The 1862 Land-Grant Act is one of the clearest expressions of American exceptionalism.

It created universities dedicated to agriculture and engineering, along with classical studies, and made them accessible to ordinary citizens, not just elites.

Advertisement Advertisement

It declared that a democracy needed educated farmers and mechanics, not just educated aristocrats.

That principle helped build the country that allowed democracy to flourish and triumph in two world wars.

Ohios public universities werent built to compete with each other or with private institutions. They were built to serve different regions, populations, and economic needs. Thats not redundancy  thats democracy.

Ramaswamy complains about replicas and clones.

But tell that to Athens, where Ohio University anchors the local economy.

Tell it to Oxford, where Miami University does the same.

Tell it to Bowling Green, Kent, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown, and Wright State  all of which serve distinct populations and provide access to students who would otherwise be left out.

Advertisement Advertisement

Ramaswamy hasnt specified which universities hed close. Thats strategic. He doesnt want to alienate voters in college towns that depend on these institutions for jobs, tax revenue, and identity.

But consolidation is elimination. And elimination means hollowing out communities that have relied on public universities for generations.

This isnt the first time Ramaswamy has targeted public education.

His voucher expansion proposals and his tax plan, which Innovation Ohio estimates would create a $9.8 billion budget shortfall, follow the same logic: defund public institutions, let private alternatives expand, and call it excellence.

Advertisement Advertisement

But public education in Ohio was never meant to be excellent only for those who could afford it. It was meant to be excellent because it was public  accessible to all, accountable to all, and designed to bind citizens together rather than sort them apart.

That tradition runs deep.

The Land Ordinance of 1785 set aside land to fund public schools. The Northwest Ordinance reserved land for universities. The Morrill Act built a national system of public higher education.

Step by step, Ohio and the nation invested in education as infrastructure  not a luxury, not a marketplace, but a public good.

Education wasnt charity to Ohios founders. It was infrastructure, the mechanism by which a republic sustains itself and expands opportunity.

Advertisement Advertisement

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

Ramaswamys approach moves in the opposite direction. It treats education as a private good, as something to be optimized, reduced, and consolidated rather than a public foundation of democracy.

That perspective isnt surprising coming from someone who was educated entirely within elite private institutions far removed from the regional public universities that serve most Ohioans.

During his failed presidential campaign, Ramaswamy called Americans lazy and mediocre. Now he is running to lead a state whose universities train the engineers, nurses, teachers, and business leaders who sustain its economy.

Advertisement Advertisement

These institutions arent replicas. They are the fulfillment of a promise made more than two centuries ago, that Ohio would invest in education because an educated public is essential to self-government.

Ramaswamy says he loves Ohios universities. If thats true, he has a strange way of showing it.

Consolidation doesnt create excellence, it creates scarcity. And scarcity is the opposite of what public education was designed to provide.

Ohios founders got it right. Public universities should serve the many, not just the few. They should anchor communities, not abandon them.

And they should remain public, funded by Ohioans, governed by Ohioans, and accountable to the people they serve, because that principle is not just Ohios history, but a core expression of what makes the American system distinct.

Advertisement Advertisement

Ramaswamy should explain exactly which universities he wants to close, which communities he is willing to weaken, and which Ohioans he believes dont deserve access to public higher education.

Until he does, voters should understand what consolidation really means.

It means fewer opportunities, weaker communities, and the abandonment of a founding principle that made Ohio, and in many ways, the country, what it is.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
KHARTOUM, April 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 56 people were killed and 107 injured in a drone strike on the town of Kutum in Sudan's North Darfur state, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and a medical source said Thursday.

The RSF said that the Sudanese army carried out the strike on Wednesday evening, targeting a social gathering. 56 civilians were killed, including 17 children, and 107 others were wounded, it added.

A medical source at Kutum's rural hospital told Xinhua that more than 40 bodies and dozens of injured had been recorded, with additional patients still arriving.

An eyewitness said the strike hit a wedding ceremony in the Al-Salama neighborhood, where a large crowd had gathered inside a house, contributing to the high number of casualties. Another resident said the drone destroyed the house hosting the celebration and damaged about four nearby homes.

The Sudanese Armed Forces have not commented yet.

Kutum, about 120 kilometers northwest of El Fasher, has been under RSF control since the early months of the conflict.

Drone use has increased across Sudan. On March 24, the United Nations said that more than 500 civilians -- mostly in Kordofan and Darfur -- were killed in drone strikes between January and mid-March 2026, warning that the growing use of drones was increasing civilian casualties in populated areas.

Fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF since mid-April 2023 has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, according to international estimates. 
TMZ's announcement that it had received a new ransom note on April 6 as Savannah Guthrie returned to co-host the "Today" show is but one of several ransom tips that have emerged since her mother, Nancy Guthrie, disappeared in a suspected abduction.

The 84-year-old's disappearance Feb. 1 quickly became a suspected kidnapping after two ransom notes demanding millions in Bitcoin in exchange for Nancy Guthrie's safe return were shared with various media outlets.

While the FBI never officially commented on their authenticity, the notes appeared legitimate enough for Savannah Guthrie and her siblings to film and post videos to social media in which they addressed their mother's suspected abductors directly.

Advertisement Advertisement

Other notes turned out to be fake, including one authorities suspect a California man sent to the family despite otherwise having no connection to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.

Here's what to know about the ransom notes and the role they've played in the investigation over Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.

Savannah Guthrie and family believe 2 notes were legitimate

During an interview with former "Today" co-host Hoda Kotb that aired before her return to the NBC morning show, Savannah Guthrie said she and her siblings treated two ransom notes that demanded millions in Bitcoin in exchange for their mother's safe return very seriously.

"I tend to believe those are real," she told Kotb.

Advertisement Advertisement

While TMZ was the first outlet to report the first ransom note's existence on Feb. 3, other local Tucson outlets said shortly thereafter they had received a note as well. The note came with two deadlines  one at 5 p.m. Feb. 5 and another Feb. 9.

Tucson CBS affiliate KOLD reported on Feb. 6 that it had received a second ransom note, which both the Pima County Sheriff's Department and FBI acknowledged could be related to Guthrie's disappearance.

Savannah Guthrie previously told her mother's captors that the family was willing to pay a ransom in a video posted to social media on Feb. 7.

"We've received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us, so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace," she said flanked by her siblings. "This is very valuable to us, and we will pay."

Advertisement Advertisement

It was not clear whether the ransom notes contained proof that Nancy Guthrie was alive.

California man faces federal charges over fake ransom note

Federal prosecutors charged 42-year-old Derrick Callella of Hawthorne, California, after he told FBI agents that he sent two text messages from a voice-over-internet (VOIP) account and made a brief phone call to a member of Guthries family to see whether they would respond, according to a criminal complaint.

Investigators traced the messages to an account registered to Callella and to an IP address linked to his California home, the filing states.

Prosecutors charged Callella with transmitting ransom-related communications in interstate commerce and with making anonymous harassing telecommunications calls, according to federal court records.

TMZ reports notes claiming to reveal abductors for one Bitcoin

TMZ reported that it received two ransom notes from an individual claiming to have seen Nancy Guthrie deceased in Mexico.

Advertisement Advertisement

The outlet said the note came from the same person who sent previous notes that offered to identify Nancy Guthrie's alleged abductors in exchange for one Bitcoin  approximately $68,500 as of April 7  far less than the roughly $1.2 million reward collectively offered by the Guthrie family, FBI and 88-Crime.

The note's author claims Nancy Guthrie is in the Mexican state of Sonora, which spans the entire Arizona-Mexico border that lies roughly 70 miles south of Tucson.

TMZ said the note's author claimed in previous notes to have been out of the United States for over five years and had nothing to do with Nancy Guthrie's suspected abduction.

What law enforcement says about the most recent notes

The Pima County Sheriff's Department referred any inquiries regarding the new ransom note to the FBI.

Advertisement Advertisement

"We are aware of reports circulating about a possible ransom note(s) related to the investigation into Nancy Guthrie," department spokesperson Angelica Carrillo previously told The Arizona Republic. "All tips and leads are being taken seriously and are forwarded directly to our detectives, who are coordinating with the FBI."

FBI spokesperson Kevin Smith declined to comment on the new note's existence or authenticity.

Savannah Guthrie appears on the Today show on Monday, April 6, 2026, after being absent for more than two months amid the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie.



Back on TV: Viewers wearing yellow ribbons greeted the TV host | Opinion: Savannah Guthrie is back. What a relief Savannah Guthrie appears on the Today show on Monday, April 6 2026 after being absent for more than two months amid the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie. Savannah Guthrie appears on the Today show on Monday, April 6 2026 after being absent for more than two months amid the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie. Savannah Guthrie and her Today Show family standing in the Plaza and greeting fans. Savannah Guthrie appears on the Today show on Monday, April 6 2026 after being absent for more than two months amid the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie. Savannah Guthrie and her Today Show family standing in the Plaza and greeting fans. Savannah Guthrie and her Today Show family standing in the Plaza and greeting fans. Savannah Guthrie and her Today Show family standing in the Plaza and greeting fans. Savannah Guthrie and her Today Show family standing in the Plaza and greeting fans. Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager walking out into the plaza together. A young Today Show fan holding a hand made sign welcoming back for Savannah. Fans of the Today Show holding hand made signs for Savannah and her mother Nancy. A young Today Show fan holding a hand made sign welcoming back for Savannah. Today Show fans wearing yellow ribbon stickers for Savannah Guthrie and her mother Savannah and her Co-Anchor live on the Today Show. Savannah Guthrie and her Today Show family standing in the Plaza and greeting fans. Savannah Guthrie joins her colleagues on the plaza for a live segment outside. Savannah Guthrie appears on the Today show on Monday, April 6 2026 after being absent for more than two months amid the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie. Savannah Guthrie returns to 'Today' show after mom's disappearance 1 of 18 Savannah Guthrie appears on the Today show on Monday, April 6, 2026, after being absent for more than two months amid the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie.



Back on TV: Viewers wearing yellow ribbons greeted the TV host | Opinion: Savannah Guthrie is back. What a relief

"We arent discussing the case while its under active investigation," Smith said in an email.

The agency hasn't shared whether it authenticated any of the previous ransom notes or whether they contained proof of life at the times they were sent.

Advertisement Advertisement

However, former FBI agents have previously told The Republic that sharing ransom notes through the media as opposed to the family directly was "highly unusual."

Savannah Guthrie hadn't publicly commented on the most recent notes as of April 8.

Republic reporters Richard Ruelas, Sara Lapidus and Miguel Torres have contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Ransom notes keep popping up in Guthrie case. What it means
BUCKSNORT, Tennessee  In the small communities around Bucksnort, word spread quickly that state regulators had issued a record $3.1 million penalty against the manufacturing facility where an October explosion killed 16 workers.

But for many, the fine does little to account for what was lost.

For lifelong Humphreys County resident Tammy Elliott, the pain is still palpable in nearby Waverly.

I dont know why it took 16 people to die to realize that something wasnt right in there, Elliott said. People around here are still mourning about it. Some of them dont want to talk. They just keep it to themselves.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Oct. 10 blast at Accurate Energetic Systems leveled a production building on the companys 1,300-acre campus west of Nashville and registered as a 1.6 magnitude event. It ranks among the deadliest industrial disasters in U.S. history.

On April 7, the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its largest ever penalty, $3.1 million, and cited the company for 100 safety violations, including 59 classified as willful, indicating an employers intentional disregard for safety laws.

The six-month investigation found the company, which manufactures explosives and energetic devices for the U.S. government and commercial industries, was aware of hazards tied to its operations but continued with "excessive personnel present and excessive quantities of explosive materials present.

Among the findings, employees were exposed to explosion, fire, and blast hazards  due to the amount of explosive material present during energetic material operations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Investigators also found explosive dust had accumulated on surfaces, while workers used plastic pitchers to scoop explosive material and a scraper attached to a wooden broom handle to clean kettles.

AES CEO Wendell Stinson said in a statement that the company is carefully reviewing the findings.

A major monetary penalty

Luis Pieretti, an associate professor of Health Policy and Systems Management at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, said the fine is a significant amount for a company.

The $3.1 million puts AES in OSHA's top 25 highest penalty cases in U.S. history. The No. 1 case was $81 million issued in 2009 to BP Products North American following a fatal explosion in Texas.

Advertisement Advertisement

Pieretti said AES will have the chance to contest the amount, and final totals can be adjusted.

"The system is in place to give the companies an opportunity to dispute or contest any citations," he said.

Meanwhile, an attorney representing five of the victims said the findings show widespread failures.

We have reviewed the reports from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board and the Tennessee Occupational Safety Health Administration, and it is clear very egregious errors occurred at AES, attorney Lee Coleman said in an April 8 statement.

In March, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board released a report finding the munitions manufacturing facility did not have sprinklers or a deluge fire suppression system, though it's likely they would not have prevented the explosion.

The entrance to Accurate Energetic Systems is shown April 8, 2026, in Bucksnort, Tennessee.

Multiple community disasters

The plant, located in Bucksnort about 60 miles southwest of Nashville, sits on the edge of Humphreys and Hickman counties in Tennessee. The plant has strong ties to nearby Waverly and McEwen.

Advertisement Advertisement

This isnt the first time the area has seen a disaster.

Elliott said she worries about how people are processing compounding effects of a 2021 flood that killed 20 in the region and now the deadly explosion. Elliotts brother, Scott Kilburn, died after jumping into the raging flood waters in an attempt to save a woman.

People are still mourning over that flood, Elliott said. I think a lot of people here are traumatized.

Pastor Daron Brown, who heads Waverly Church of the Nazarene, has walked closely with family members of the victims in the aftermath of the blast. Like Elliott, his mind was on the cumulative effects of multiple disasters on the community.

Advertisement Advertisement

"It feels like, for a lot of people, more of the same," Brown said. "You dont completely heal from one event before another one takes place."

Brown said one of the hardest things has been the lack of remains left by the devastating blast, and how suddenly it happened.

"That really made it challenging for closure," Brown said.

Brown said the latest news of the fines has resurfaced the painful feelings for many in the community and has revealed how needless and preventable the disaster was.

He said the same goes for the outsized impact the 2021 flood had on economically disadvantaged residents who lived in flood-prone areas and lost everything.

Advertisement Advertisement

Rural communities often get the short end of the stick. Theres lack of regulation," he said. "As a person who is deeply invested in small, rural communities for this long, it just hurts me to see people who live in communities like ours continue to get the brunt of situations like this."

Despite the pain and tragedy that has rocked his community again and again, Brown said he finds hope in the way people have come together to love one another.

"These tragedies create opportunities for the community to bind together more closely, for a church like mine to activate more deeply in terms of serving the community and ministering to people in need," he said. "That's been a beautiful thing."

Fines wont bring them back

Bill Witt, a candidate for District 6 of the Humphreys County Commission, said no financial penalty can make families whole again.

Advertisement Advertisement

Im gonna go to Bible study tonight. My friends still not gonna be there, he said.

Kathleen Reigel, a retired phlebotomist who lives in Erin, Tennessee, was waiting for an antique store on Main Street to open at noon on April 8. She had not heard the news about the fine against AES, but said the money wasn't enough.

Three million isn't going to bring them back, Reigel said. And that's not a lot. I mean, they could have been fined a lot more. That was a very dangerous, dangerous situation.  You can't have violations when you deal with (explosives).

The victims are Jason Adams, 52; Erick Anderson, 44; Billy Baker, 59; Adam Boatman, 21; Christopher Clark, 60; Mindy Clifton, 51; James Cook, 56; Reyna Gillahan, 50; LaTeisha Mays, 26; Jeremy Moore, 37; Melinda Rainey, 57; Melissa Stanford, 52; Trenton Stewart, 25; Rachel Woodall, 28; Steven Wright, 53; and Donald Yowell, 58.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Record fine cant heal loss after AES blast in Tennessee community
The culinary community in Orange County lost a giant this week.

Rainer Schwarz, the visionary executive chef and partner behind Laguna Beach staples The Deck and Driftwood Kitchen, died Monday afternoon following a car accident in Dana Point. He was 59.

The Orange County Sheriffs Department told The Orange County Register that Schwarz was driving his Audi on Crown Valley Parkway near Pacific Coast Highway just before 5 p.m. when the vehicle veered off the road, plowed through a landscaped area, and came to rest in a nearby parking lot.

Advertisement Advertisement

Investigators are still working to determine what caused the crash, which occurred shortly after Schwarz had left his restaurants for the day.

Born in Klagenfurt, Austria, Schwarz began his formal culinary training at age 15. His journey took him to the Grand National Hotel in Lucerne, Switzerland, where a chance meeting with Chef Joachim Splichal eventually led him to Los Angeles, the Register reported.

Rainer Schwarz is seen in a 2004 photograph. (Getty Images)

Before making his permanent mark on the Southern California coast, Schwarz spent years in Colorado opening bistros and pubs in the Denver area. He later served as executive chef at the iconic Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood.

Alongside his business partner, John Nye, Schwarz built restaurant concepts defined as much by their culture as their cuisine.

Advertisement Advertisement

We worked together three different times over a decade between Disneys Mondavi Project and the Hollywood Roosevelt, but we built The Deck and Driftwood Kitchen as a reflection of our love for good food and good people, Nye told the Register. We always wanted to be recognized first for our people, then our food, and lastly, the location.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Data centers are cropping up across the U.S., particularly in regions where property prices are low. In Kentucky, plans for a new data center are displacing an entire community, forcing tenants to vacate within three months, according to Lex 18 News.

A Fortune 50 company submitted a proposal to build a data center on more than 2,000 acres of farmland near a residential area in Maysville, Kentucky.

Residents of Meadowland Village mobile home park received a letter from their landlord, on behalf of DPD Property Management, stating they will be given three months to relocate.

Advertisement Advertisement

To help with approved moving expenses, the project developer is offering each resident up to $20,000. Beyond the struggles of getting these expenses approved by the management company, some residents, like Rico Roberts, fear this won't be enough to cover the financial burden of a forced move. "$20,000 ain't nothing," Roberts claimed.

Many Meadowland Village residents are also concerned about securing housing in a timely manner that meets their needs.

Roger Purcell is an impacted resident who is battling kidney disease. He uses a ramp at his home and will need to move or rebuild it if he moves.

The search for a new place to live for Purcell and other residents is even more complicated by local laws. Mobile homes are allowed in rural residential or agricultural zoned areas only, according to a Mason County ordinance.

Advertisement Advertisement

"There's no trailer parks around here enough to even absorb half of these trailers," Purcell said.

Hank Graddy filed suit against Mason County on behalf of Meadowland Village residents.

Across the country, residents are feeling the impacts of the AI boom and the data centers needed to power this technology. Skyrocketing electricity prices, incessant noise, and water shortages are some of the main complaints from individuals living near data centers.

Communities are showing up at nearly every opportunity to shut down proposed data center projects; some are successful, while others are blatantly ignored by their local representatives. At the state and federal levels, politicians are racing to establish regulations for the rapid construction of data centers nationwide.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices  and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Russia has formally designated Nazi crimes against the Soviet population during World War II as genocide and criminalized their denial, after President Vladimir Putin signed amendments to the countrys criminal code, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

The term "genocide of the Soviet people" has increasingly been used in Russia in recent years. Authorities have also proposed repurposing a closed museum dedicated to the Soviet-era Gulag system into one focused on victims of Nazi crimes.

Moscow has pushed back against what it describes as attempts to downplay the suffering of Soviet citizens during the war and the Soviet Unions role in defeating Nazi Germany.

Advertisement Advertisement

Historians and courts widely agree that the German occupation of the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944 involved extensive war crimes and crimes against humanity. The nearly 900-day siege of Leningrad  now St Petersburg  alone is estimated to have killed about 1.1 million people.

However, in established historical and legal scholarship, the term genocide has typically been applied to specific elements of Nazi policy, particularly the systematic murder of Jews and of Sinti and Roma.

The new Russian classification could create risks for researchers, journalists and others who do not adhere to the official line. Penalties include fines of up to three years income or forced labour for up to three years.

Extraterritorial reach

Under the law, anyone who desecrates or damages monuments to the victims of the Soviet occupation will be punished with imprisonment of up to three years.

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities say this provision will apply both within Russia and abroad.

It could potentially affect actions such as the removal of Soviet war memorials or cemeteries in other countries, including Germany.

In Ukraine, the Baltic states and elsewhere in Eastern Europe, many such monuments have been dismantled in recent years, where the Red Army is often viewed not only as a liberating force but also as an occupying one.
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged the bodies of soldiers for the first time since February, parliamentary deputy Shamsail Saraliev told the Russian news portal rbc.ru on Thursday.

He said the Ukrainian side had received 1,000 killed soldiers, while Russia received 41 bodies. The politician is responsible in the Duma for matters relating to the "special military operation," as the war is officially called in Moscow.

The last exchange of remains took place in February.

Advertisement Advertisement

The office of prisoner-of-war affairs in Kiev confirmed on Telegram that Ukraine had received 1,000 bodies which. The authority thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross for its support.

Forensic experts would now examine the bodies, it said. This is intended to rule out, among other things, that bodies of Russian soldiers were handed over by mistake.

The staff added that "after the identification of the deceased, the bodies will be handed over to the families for dignified burial."

Russia and Ukraine exchange soldiers' bodies on a regular basis. Last year alone, Kiev received back more than 15,000 bodies of fallen soldiers, according to official figures. Moscow received only a fraction of that.

Advertisement Advertisement

Due to the slow but steady advance of Russian troops, the Ukrainian army is not always able to recover its own fallen soldiers. Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion with Western help for more than four years.
Philz Coffee, a beloved San Francisco chain that has operated in the city since 2003, is facing backlash from the community over a new policy the company rolled out requiring all of its locations to remove pride flags from their cafes.

The decision comes as the company plans to make its stores "a more consistent" and "inclusive experience" for customers, Philz CEO Mahesh Sadarangani said in a statement to USA TODAY. To achieve this goal, Philz is requiring all of its locations to remove a "variety of flags and other decor."

"At Philz, we have always believed everyone who walks through our doors deserves to feel welcome and safe, and that belief is at the core of everything we do," Sadarangani said in a statement to USA TODAY. "This is a change in how our stores look, not in who we are."

A photo of Philz Coffee location that opened in Aliso Viejo, California in 2025.

In his statement, Sadarangani stated that the company's "longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community is unchanged." But a Change.org petition, started by petitioners that call themselves "Philz Coffee Baristas," pushes back against the decision.

Advertisement Advertisement

USA TODAY reached out to petition organizers, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

"The pride flags within the stores hold deep meaning and value to both staff and visitors, symbolizing that these locations are safe and welcoming spaces for all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity," the petition reads.

"In today's society, businesses have an essential role in fostering inclusivity and support, and displaying the pride flag is a simple yet remarkably powerful demonstration of that role. Removing these flags risks alienating a core group of team members and loyal customers who see Philz not just as a coffee shop, but as a place where they are embraced and celebrated for who they are. "

Petitioners are asking Philz Coffee leadership to reconsider its decision and reaffirm its commitment to supporting diversity and inclusion ideals and to "aligning its values with the community it serves."

Advertisement Advertisement

This decision comes as President Donald Trump's administration targets history and representation for the LGBTQ+ community, as part of the president's campaign promise to remove symbols that represent diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the federal government.

People gather in protest at the Stonewall National Monument after the Trump administration had the National Park Service remove the LGBTQ+ Pride flag from the site, which is considered the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, on Feb. 10, 2026, in New York City. The monument recognizes The Stonewall Inn, a legendary Manhattan gay bar that was the site of a 1969 uprising credited as a turning point in the modern LGBTQ rights movement. The decision to take down the flag has drawn backlash from national civil rights groups, LGBTQ+ advocates, and New York officials, and there is currently a plan to reinstall the flag later this week. Stonewall Inn owner Stacy Lentz speaks during a protest in front of the Stonewall Monument in Manhattan in New York, on Feb. 10, 2026 after the administration of US President Donald Trump ordered the removal of a Pride flag at the site. The Stonewall National Monument sits across the street from the Stonewall Inn, a National Historic Landmark known for its involvement in the beginning of the modern struggle for civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans. A person gathers at the Stonewall National Monument, where the LGBTQ+ rights movement was born, after authorities removed the Pride flag from the Greenwich Village site in New York City on Feb. 10, 2026. People gather at the Stonewall National Monument, where the LGBTQ+ rights movement was born, after authorities removed the Pride flag from the Greenwich Village site in New York City on Feb. 10, 2026. A person poses for a photo during a protest in front of the Stonewall Monument in Manhattan in New York, on Feb. 10, 2026 after the administration of US President Donald Trump ordered the removal of a Pride flag at the site. The Stonewall National Monument sits across the street from the Stonewall Inn, a National Historic Landmark known for its involvement in the beginning of the modern struggle for civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans. Stonewall Inn owner Stacy Lentz speaks during a protest in front of the Stonewall Monument in Manhattan in New York, on Feb. 10, 2026 after the administration of US President Donald Trump ordered the removal of a Pride flag at the site. The Stonewall National Monument sits across the street from the Stonewall Inn, a National Historic Landmark known for its involvement in the beginning of the modern struggle for civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans. Human Rights activist Jay Walker speaks during a protest in front of the Stonewall Monument in Manhattan in New York, on Feb.10, 2026 after the administration of US President Donald Trump ordered the removal of a Pride flag at the site. The Stonewall National Monument sits across the street from the Stonewall Inn, a National Historic Landmark known for its involvement in the beginning of the modern struggle for civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans. People gather in protest at the Stonewall National Monument after the Trump administration had the National Park Service remove the LGBTQ+ Pride flag from the site, which is considered the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, on Feb. 10, 2026, in New York City. The monument recognizes The Stonewall Inn, a legendary Manhattan gay bar that was the site of a 1969 uprising credited as a turning point in the modern LGBTQ rights movement. The decision to take down the flag has drawn backlash from national civil rights groups, LGBTQ+ advocates, and New York officials, and there is currently a plan to reinstall the flag later this week. People gather in protest at the Stonewall National Monument after the Trump administration had the National Park Service remove the LGBTQ+ Pride flag from the site, which is considered the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, on Feb. 10, 2026, in New York City. The monument recognizes The Stonewall Inn, a legendary Manhattan gay bar that was the site of a 1969 uprising credited as a turning point in the modern LGBTQ rights movement. The decision to take down the flag has drawn backlash from national civil rights groups, LGBTQ+ advocates, and New York officials, and there is currently a plan to reinstall the flag later this week. People walk past The Stonewall Inn after authorities removed the Pride flag from the Greenwich Village site of the Stonewall National Monument, where LGBTQ+ rights movement was born, in New York City on Feb. 10, 2026. The Stonewall National Monument, where the LGBTQ+ rights movement was born, after authorities removed the Pride flag from the Greenwich Village site in New York City on Feb. 10, 2026. Supporters gather at Stonewall amid outcry over pride flag removal 1 of 11 People gather in protest at the Stonewall National Monument after the Trump administration had the National Park Service remove the LGBTQ+ Pride flag from the site, which is considered the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, on Feb. 10, 2026, in New York City. The monument recognizes The Stonewall Inn, a legendary Manhattan gay bar that was the site of a 1969 uprising credited as a turning point in the modern LGBTQ rights movement. The decision to take down the flag has drawn backlash from national civil rights groups, LGBTQ+ advocates, and New York officials, and there is currently a plan to reinstall the flag later this week.

In February, the Trump administration removed a large pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in New York City following federal guidance on which flags may be flown at national parks. The pride flag at Stonewall National Monument stood as a symbol of LGBTQ+ resilience.

Sadarangani did not address the petition in his statement, but noted that "our allyship runs deeper than what is on our walls." He highlighted that it's showcased with "who we hire" and with its "annual Pride Month Unity celebration, which returns this June as it has every year."

"Unity is fundamental to how we operate," Sadarangani said in a statement to USA TODAY.

Philz Coffee was purchased by private equity a few years ago

For nearly 20 years, Philz Coffee was a locally owned company, starting with a single storefront in San Francisco's Mission District before expanding to 77 cafes across California.

Advertisement Advertisement

But in August 2025, the company was acquired by Freeman Spogli, a growth-focused private equity firm headquartered in Los Angeles, which owns other companies like El Pollo Loco, First Watch, Popeyes Chicken and more.

The sale was overseen by Sadarangani, who became the CEO of Philz in 2021.

"This is an exciting new chapter for Philz as we expand and continue our mission to deliver a high-quality, personalized coffee experience to our loyal customers," said Sadarangani at the time of sale.

"Freeman Spogli's deep experience in the consumer and restaurant sectors, along with their collaborative approach, makes them an ideal partner as we look to expand our footprint and continuously improve our offerings. We're proud of the strong foundation we've built and look forward to accelerating our growth together."

Advertisement Advertisement

Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him at npadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. Sign up for the TODAY Californian newsletter or follow us on Facebook at TODAY Californian.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bay Area chain Philz Coffee will remove Pride flags from its cafes
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., isn't ruling out a potential 2028 White House bid, but says she is focused on helping Democrats secure the House and Senate in the upcoming midterm elections.

Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who previously served in the House, was asked about a presidential run while visiting Iowa this week to stump for local Democrats.

"Im not so arrogant as to think it has to be me," Slotkin told the Des Moines Register. "Midterms are what Im focused on right now, but if it comes to the point afterwards that I think theres not anyone else whos on the right path, I guess I wouldnt say no forever."

Advertisement Advertisement

During a town hall event, Slotkin lamented the divisive politics in Washington, noting she has heard from voters across the country about their disappointment in the partisan divide.

Kamala Harris Teases She 'Might' Run For President Again In 2028

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., rehearses the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of congress on March 4, 2025, in Wyandotte, Michigan. (Getty Images)

"I want to win in November," Slotkin said at the event, as reported by The Associated Press. "That means being honest about where the Democratic Party needs to go."

Read On The Fox News App

Fox News Digital has reached out to Slotkin for further comment.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., speaks to voters in Indianola, Iowa, on April 7, 2026.

The senators national profile has grown after she narrowly won her Senate seat and frequently voiced opposition to certain Trump administration policies. She was one of six Democrats who participated in a video urging military service members to resist "illegal orders." President Donald Trump accused the lawmakers of sedition, prompting a Justice Department investigation into the matter.

Advertisement Advertisement

Slotkin first entered Congress following her 2018 election to the House, where she flipped a Republican-held seat in a key swing state against former U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop.

Trump faced criticism after posting online about Democrats allegedly urging the military to refuse orders.

Click Here To Download The Fox News App

In her interview with the Des Moines Register, Slotkin urged Democrats not to forget Midwestern states like Michigan, citing the state's electorate and potential for early voting.

"I would get in a cage match with Iowa versus Michigan in order to have that first [primary slot]," Slotkin told the Register. "Im not going to lie and say, like, Im going to give it over to Iowa when really I want it to be Michigan."





Original article source: Sen Elissa Slotkin won't rule out 2028 presidential bid but says midterms come first for Democrats
OKLAHOMA CITY  The Senate on Thursday passed a measure that seeks to give Republicans more control over a panel that assists the governor in selecting judges.

But the upper chamber fell short of the needed 32 votes to put the House Joint Resolution 1024 on the Aug. 25 ballot, which traditionally has the lowest voter turnout.

The proposed constitutional amendment, if approved by voters, would remove certain restrictions, including political affiliation and prohibitions that prevent certain members from being attorneys, on the 15-member Judicial Nominating Commission.

Advertisement Advertisement

The JNC forwards the names of three judicial candidates to the governor for appointment to vacancies.

The measure would also allow members to serve consecutive terms.

Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, indicated he might seek another vote to try again to put it on the Aug. 25 ballot. If senators again decline to schedule it for Aug. 25, it will go on the November general election ballot, which has the largest voter turnout, according to Senate staff. But it must return to the House because it was amended.

Gollihare said it is the intention of Republican leadership to put all the legislative state questions on the Aug. 25 ballot.

Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, attends a Senate special session on July 15, 2024, at the Oklahoma State Capitol. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said there might be 10 state questions on the ballot, adding that scheduling them for Aug. 25 as opposed to the Nov. 3 general election ballot would reduce voter fatigue.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Aug. 25 ballot, called a runoff primary, traditionally brings out conservative Republican voters.

Critics contend Republicans legislators are attempting to circumvent voters and manipulate election outcomes by pushing some of their most controversial measures through during a low-turnout August election instead of November when legislative state questions traditionally face voters.

All voters can vote on state questions, regardless of the election date.

Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, speaks at a Senate Democrats news conference Jan. 13, 2025, at the Oklahoma State Capitol to outline the caucus policy priorities for the year. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

While House Joint Resolution 1024 may look like an administrative update, it has profound consequences, which is why it is being rushed to the Aug. 25 ballot, said Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City.

Advertisement Advertisement

If approved by voters, the measure would remove safeguards to the Judicial Nominating Commission that ensure independence, limit political influence and avoid conflicts of interest.

The Commission is meant to be a check on politics in judicial appointments, yet this makes it easier for a small group aligned by party or profession to control who is nominated to the bench, Hicks said.

Gollihare, the Senate author, said with the current process, there are generally five Republicans and 10 Democrats on the JNC.

He said with Republican legislative majorities, its not really equitable for the majority party to only have five commissioners where the minority has 10.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Judicial Nominating Commission was established in 1967 through a vote of the people on a Constitutional amendment following a judicial bribery scandal.

Unhappy with Oklahoma Supreme Court rulings that nullified several Republican-backed bills, lawmakers have ramped up efforts targeting the JNC and the judiciary.

Last election cycle, critics of the judiciary targeted three Oklahoma Supreme Court justices who were on the retention ballot.

Longtime Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Yvonne Kauger failed to be approved for retention.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX







SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
The estranged husband and wife accused in the murder-for-hire plot of a St. Johns County father will have separate trials.

In a departure from previous arrangements, that was the consensus reached by prosecutors and defense teams in court on Thursday morning.

Mario Fernandez Saldana and his estranged wife Shana Gardner are accused of hiring Henry Tenon to kill Gardners first husband, Jared Bridegan, in Jacksonville Beach in 2022.

Jared Bridegan

The trials are to be held one after the other, with their verdicts unsealed. Fernandez Saldanas trial will be held first, and Gardners trial will be second.

Advertisement Advertisement

The parties also appear to have agreed to separate jury selections, with Gardners jury picked after the end of Fernandez Saldanas trial.

RELATED: Lawyers argue over how to try defendants in Bridegan murder-for-hire case

Your honor we have discussed with council from both teams, the state is fine to proceed with the separate trial trials as we had always planned, separate trials, separate juries, said one of the prosecutors.

The judge originally wanted to keep the future verdict in Fernandez Saldanas case sealed until after Gardners case ended to avoid biasing the jury.

Fernandez Saldanas lawyer was against this, as his client would have to stay in jail, even if he were acquitted, as releasing him would reveal jurors that he was not guilty.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

Fernandez Saldana sat in the courtroom Thursday in a dark green jumpsuit, handcuffed. He did not speak for the entirety of the proceedings.

Advertisement Advertisement

Gardner was not in court and her lawyers appeared in court virtually.

This case has been a complex back and forth since it began in 2022. Judge London Kite even appeared to want to get the pre-trial debates over with.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Well Im gonna do it now. Im done with this. Im gonna do it now. Im gonna reserve the time now because my calendar is filling up. I already  when I cleared those dates, I started setting trials. I dont want to try to scramble around and move trials in other cases," Kite said.

The parties are expected back in court to handle more pre-trial motions in May.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Judge slated Fernandez Saldanas jury selection for August 10-14 with 250 potential jurors. His trial is set for August 17 through 28. Garners jury selection is scheduled for August 31 to September 4 with a pool of 500 potential jurors. Her trial is set for September 825.

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.
KABUL, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Afghan authorities have implemented development projects worth 4.7 million U.S. dollars in northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province, reported the official news agency Bakhtar on Thursday.

The essential projects, which included 17 water supply networks, a water canal for irrigation of farmlands, protective walls and roads, have been implemented at a cost of 301 million afghani (about 4.7 million U.S. dollars) in parts of the province over the past year, the media outlet added.

Similarly, 500 acres of land have been allocated for building an industrial park in the neighboring Samangan province. 
A 12-year-old boy is fighting for his life after deputies say he was shot multiple times in what investigators describe as a dispute fueled by disrespect and possible gang involvement.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

On Saturday, Spalding County deputies responded to a shooting just after 8:30 p.m. at Spalding Heights on Northside Drive.

When they arrived, they found 12-year-old DeMarion Wright, who had been shot in the arm, leg and head. He was rushed to a metro Atlanta hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Authorities said the shooting stemmed from a fight earlier in the day. Investigators say 18-year-old Robert Connell, also known as Duck, went to the apartment complex to confront Wright about that earlier fight.

TRENDING STORIES:

During the confrontation, deputies said Connell shot the 12-year-old three times before running away.

Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix said the violence appears to be tied to a perceived act of disrespect and may be gang-related.

Advertisement Advertisement

One young man is laying in a hospital bed fighting for his life and another is running like a coward all because somebody felt disrespected, Dix said. I guess in the gang world it makes you a big man that other gang members can look up to if you shoot a 12-year-old and run away. Most of us have another compound word or two that would better describe them.

On Wednesday, Connell was arrested and booked into the Spalding County Jail.

The investigation remains ongoing.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A small plane crashed into the side of a house just off the runway at the Sun Valley Airport in Fort Mohave, Arizona, late Tuesday morning.

Two people aboard the plane were taken to a hospital for evaluation, according to the Mohave County Sheriffs Office. No one in the house was injured.

The front of the plane went through a wall that appeared to be on the side of a garage at the single-story house.

Advertisement Advertisement

The investigation has been turned over to the Federal Aviation Administrations Las Vegas office.

>>Download the 8 News Now Vegas streaming app

A report from the Mohave Daily News indicated the plane was attempting a takeoff when it went out of control and crashed into the house at about 11:40 a.m.

The airport is about 111 miles south of Las Vegas.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
By David Latona and Emma Pinedo

MADRID, April 9 (Reuters) - Spain decried Israeli strikes on Lebanon as well as the broader war on Iran on Thursday, cementing Madrid's role as an outspoken critic of the U.S. and Israeli military campaigns despite U.S. threats to punish uncooperative NATO allies.

Spain's opposition to the Iran conflict has further strained its relations with Washington, and figures within President Donald Trump's MAGA movement are increasingly urging the U.S. leader to punish Madrid.

Advertisement Advertisement

In remarks to lawmakers, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares described the conflict as an attack on civilization, echoing scathing criticism heaped by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Trump's decision to attack the Islamic Republic.

"We're facing the greatest assault on the civilisation built upon the humanist ideals of reason, peace, understanding and universal law over the abuse of power, brute force and arbitrariness," Albares said.

He accused Israel of violating international law and the newly brokered two-week ceasefire after a massive wave of airstrikes across Lebanon killed more than 250 people on Wednesday.

Sanchez, who has emerged as a leading opponent of the war, has closed Spanish airspace to any aircraft involved in a confrontation he has described as reckless and illegal.

Advertisement Advertisement

On Wednesday night, he reiterated his call for the European Union to scuttle its association agreement with Israel, urging an end to "impunity for (Israel's) criminal actions".

FUTURE OF AIR BASES

In a post on X, Sanchez said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "contempt for life and international law is intolerable".

Sanchez has welcomed the Pakistani-brokered ceasefire, but said Spain would "not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they turn up with a bucket," in reference to the U.S. administration.

Also on Wednesday, Spain and Italy both summoned Israeli envoys in protest at separate incidents involving U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon. Madrid said a Spanish UNIFIL member had been unjustly detained by the Israeli army.

Advertisement Advertisement

Spanish ties with the U.S. took a hit last year when Madrid rejected Trump's demand that NATO allies ramp up their defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product. Madrid's stance led Trump to threaten to cut off all trade.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said in March the U.S. should pull out from two jointly operated air bases in southern Spain and move "to a country that will allow us to use them".

Earlier this week, Albares said Trump publicly mulling a withdrawal from the alliance was prompting European countries to consider alternative security arrangements.

HOPES FOR PEACE

Advertisement Advertisement

In Spain, the government's position remains widely popular, as polls show an overwhelming majority rejects the war. According to recent surveys, Sanchez's Socialist Party has gained voter support while far-right Vox, which backed the U.S. and Israel, has seen a decline.

In European capitals, however, his approach has been met with some derision.

"I never agree with Sanchez because he has a vision of the world that is the opposite of mine. He says one thing and then does another," said Matteo Salvini, Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the far-right League party, when asked at a press conference on Wednesday about Sanchez's condemnation of the war in Iran.

German officials told Reuters they viewed Sanchez's confrontational stance as aimed at a domestic audience and unconstructive for preserving NATO unity. Germany has been openly critical of Spain's refusal to increase its defence spending in line with other members of the alliance.

Advertisement Advertisement

Among the conservative-led German government's Social Democrat coalition partners there is more sympathy.

"Sanchez expresses things about the U.S. policy we would like to say as well," one lawmaker said.

Jimena Blanco, chief analyst for risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, said Sanchez saw himself as a standard bearer among dwindling leftist leaders in the West.

"My sense is he is trying to create unity by not allowing NATO partners in Europe to be pushed around or engage in a conflict that is not conducive to NATO's interests," she said.

Spain's foreign ministry said in a statement that Spain and Europe and the U.S. were natural allies and Spain was determined to maintain its long relationship with the U.S. based on dialogue, mutual respect and mutual benefit.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Spain is a responsible ally and committed to NATO, European and Transatlantic security," it added.

(Reporting by David Latona and Emma Pinedo; Additional reporting by Aislinn Laing, Andreas Rinke, James Mackenzie and Giselda Vagnoni, Editing by Andrei Khalip, William Maclean and Nia Williams)
Police in Spain say they have "dismantled" a criminal drugs gang led by members of the Lyons family.

A statement by the country's Civil Guard said Scottish gangland figure Steven Lyons had been arrested in the Netherlands after being deported from Bali on Tuesday.

The 45-year-old crime boss from Glasgow was taken into custody on 28 March after arriving in Indonesia from Singapore.

The Civil Guard said the Lyons' organisation in Spain has been taken apart, with 14 arrests in four countries and 20 other people under investigation.

Advertisement Advertisement

A spokesperson for the force told BBC Scotland they expect Lyons to arrive in Spain in two to three weeks, though that could take longer if he were to oppose extradition.

Lyons was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and was detained on the same day his wife, Amanda, was arrested in Dubai.

The arrests came as part of Operation Armorum, which has also seen police in Turkey locate and freeze high-value assets linked to the Lyons network, the statement said.

The Civil Guard is one of Spain's two national police agencies. It operates as a paramilitary organisation and deals with high-level security and serious crime.

Advertisement Advertisement

It said the Lyons operation has involved 18 raids in the last week, mostly on the Costa Del Sol and Barcelona.

The statement said electronic devices, large amounts of cash, company documents, high-end watches and cryptocurrency wallets were seized.

This follows a three-year investigation in collaboration with Police Scotland.

The statement said the Lyons gang has developed a criminal network in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, with "a complex money laundering network based on shell companies and international financial transactions, managing millions of euros derived from drug trafficking."

Advertisement Advertisement

It added: "Its ability to operate simultaneously in several countries - including Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey - and to forge alliances with other major criminal networks, solidified the clan's position as one of the most significant players in contemporary European organised crime."

Lyons was put on a flight out of Indonesia on Tuesday.

In a release confirming the move, the local Ngurah Rai Immigration Office described him as a "mafia boss and Interpol fugitive".

Bugie Kurniawan, head of the office, said: "We will not allow Indonesian territory, especially Bali, to become a haven or base of operations for international criminals."

Advertisement Advertisement

Lyons is the head of the Lyons group, which has been involved in a feud with the rival Daniel group for more than 20 years.

In 2006, he survived a shooting at a garage in Lambhill in the north of Glasgow. His cousin died in the incident.

He later moved to Spain before settling in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where he has ties to the Dubai-based Kinahan crime group.

Lyons' brother, Eddie Lyons Jnr, and his associate Ross Monaghan were shot dead in a beachfront bar in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol last May.

Michael Riley, 44, from Liverpool, has been accused by Spanish police of the murders.

Advertisement Advertisement

He had challenged an extradition bid but the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed in October that he had given his consent to be taken to Spain to face prosecution.

In the days after the double shooting a Spanish National Police detective said the suspect was a member of the rival Daniel gang.

Police Scotland have maintained there is nothing to suggest the murders in Spain are linked to the ongoing gang war or that it was planned in Scotland.
Pennsylvania State Police are asking for the publics help in identifying a suspect in a fight at a Westmoreland County pub.

Police say the fight happened around 10:20 p.m. March 10 on the sidewalk outside Jiggers Pub, 5835 Washington Avenue, Export.

The suspect was wearing a red T-shirt, a backward black ball cap and black sweatpants. He has a sleeve tattoo on his right arm.

Police say the victim had teeth broken in the fight, but was not hospitalized.

Advertisement Advertisement

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call PSP Kiski Station at 724-697-5780.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
The family of Stephenson King is demanding answers nearly a month after the 39-year-old man was shot multiple times and killed by a Boston Police Officer in an alleged carjacking in West Roxbury.

Kings family says they have yet to see any police bodycam footage from the shooting and add that King was facing mental health issues when he was shot.

Attorney Ben Crump says theyre not only calling for transparency, but theyre calling for the release of that footage. Just because youre having a mental health crisis doesnt mean you should be sentenced to death and that police officer on the side of that street, was the judge, the jury and the executioner, said Crump.

Advertisement Advertisement

Kings father and retired state correctional officer Stephenson King Sr. says his son wasnt the same after his mothers passing in 2009. He claims he even tried to get King help but wasnt successful.

I requested a judge to help me help my son because at 39 years old, I couldnt do it because hes too old and I was told by a person that he was fine, but he wasnt fine. Now hes gone. He shouldnt be dead because of the fact that I tried to get some help from the same law enforcement I worked consistently, said King Sr.

Former Karen Read lawyer David Yannetti will defend Officer Nicholas OMalley in this case. In a statement Thursday, he says Officer OMalley was falsely accused and instead defended his fellow officers when confronted by King. He has pleaded not guilty.

This is about building trust between law enforcement and the community, said Crump.

Advertisement Advertisement

Police Commissioner Michael Cox says there is no higher level of accountability than the criminal justice system.

Attorney Crump says they will pursue every legal avenue in their pursuit for justice.

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 man was sentenced on Thursday to 32 years in state prison after being convicted of sex trafficking and abusing minors who lived at a Stockton foster youth facility in 2023.

David Hall, 31, of Stockton, was arrested July 12, 2023, and represented himself in court throughout the case.

The San Joaquin County Superior Court building is located at 180 E. Weber Avenue (Weber Avenue and San Joaquin Street) in downtown Stockton on Apr. 23, 2024.

He was found guilty this month of human trafficking involving three minors, ages 12, 13 and 17, lewd acts on a child under 14 and oral copulation with a minor.

Advertisement Advertisement

San Joaquin County Superior Judge John Soldati cited Halls lack of remorse while imposing the sentence.

During the trial, evidence was shown that Hall targeted vulnerable children during the summer of 2023.

He frequently picked them up from the youth foster facility to exploit them for commercial sex work in Stockton and surrounding areas, the San Joaquin County District Attorneys Office said.

Three of four victims testified during the trial that Hall was their pimp, according to Soldati.

Hall is now required to register as a sex offender for life following his sentence.

Before leaving his hearing, Hall nodded to his supporters in the courtroom gallery, which included his significant other.

Advertisement Advertisement

More: Stockton police make arrest in death of man shot behind store

Delay tactic

At the start of his sentencing hearing Thursday, Hall told Soldati he needed an attorney.

Hall said he didnt have the mental capacity to handle the rest of the proceeding and said he was mentally unstable.

He told Soldati he was stressed out and that his children were being implicated and targeted due to the district attorney saying a lot of things about me in the newspaper and social media.

Theres been a lot of things going on with the media, my family, and I havent had the mental ability to deal with this, Hall said.

Soldati told Hall that asking for an attorney at the sentencing point of the case seemed like a delay tactic to him.

Advertisement Advertisement

Prosecutor Lisa Mann said she agreed with the judge.

Soldati denied Halls request for an attorney and proceeded with sentencing him.

Before sentencing was imposed, Mann asked the judge to sentence Hall to 38 years and eight months in state prison.

She told the court that Hall had complete and utter lack of remorse for what he had done.

Mann said Hall referred to himself in third person throughout the trial, despite being identified by all the victims, in an effort to distance himself from the evidence.

The prosecution said the sexual molestation of one of the girls was caught on camera.

Both Mann and Soldati said Hall denied recognizing himself in the video of him engaging in oral copulation with a child.

Advertisement Advertisement

Mann said Hall needed to be removed from society for as long as possible.

Its not lost on me that I am asking for the max [sentence], Mann said. Someone who is going to freely not only traffic juveniles for his financial gain, but to do so with such nonchalance really needs to be taken into account.

Mann added, As if its not enough to put kids from a foster home on the streets, to turn tricks and collect their money, as if that wasnt enough, he has sexual relations with the 12-year-old.

Mann told the courtroom that there are a lot of places kids should be in the summer, such as by the pool or reading a book, but not being trafficked.

I didnt force anyone

When given the opportunity, Hall disputed Manns accusations.

Advertisement Advertisement

Her saying I was nonchalant during the trial, I dont know if she wants me to cry in here or something, he said. I admitted to my wrongs that I know I did. I did not traffic any of these females.

Hall said he was around the victims but did not instruct them to do anything and said the children were already engaging in prostitution.

Obviously, yes, its ugly that I am around them and theyre doing what theyre doing, but at the end of their day thats their life, Hall said. Now, Im going to have to go to prison and be taken away from my own children because I understand someone's problems? I think its kind of ridiculous.

To that, Mann said, Even if he argues that this wasnt his idea and that the kids were already doing it, children cannot consent to being trafficked and children cannot consent to sex with an adult.

Advertisement Advertisement

Soldati said while the victims may have already been out prostituting prior to meeting Hall, they were only 12, 13 and 17.

Hall also said he did not believe he should be sentenced to 38 years in prison because his crime was not violent.

Ive never been the type of man to exploit a woman, Hall said.

Soldati told Hall, For you to do what you did, youre a part in this case, youre part of the problem.

Soldati added, You are part of the process that enables them to continue to do so. You were an active participant.

Record reporter Victoria Franco covers public safety in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at vfranco@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton man who sex trafficked foster facility minors gets prison
Just 10 vessels have passed through Strait of Hormuz since the Middle East war ceasefire took effect, according to maritime tracking data, amid lingering fears about using the strategic waterway.

Iran and the United States said the 167 kilometer (104 mile) strait between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean would reopen after the two-week truce was announced on Wednesday.

But statements by Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and Israel's attacks on Lebanon despite the ceasefire have cast a shadow over the strait, which in normal times handles about a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas.

Advertisement Advertisement

More than five weeks after the war erupted with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, hundreds of ships with thousands of crew remain stuck either side of the strait. The International Energy Agency says the war has caused the most severe supply disruption ever to the global oil market.

Here is what we know about shipping in the Strait:

- Dire strait for tankers -

Just four tankers and six bulk carriers have passed through the strait from the start of the ceasefire up to Thursday, according to maritime data provider Kpler.

Only one of those tankers, the "MSG", is not Iranian.

The Gabon-flagged ship went through Thursday with around 7,000 tonnes of Emirati fuel oil, and is headed to India, according to the MarineTraffic monitor.

Advertisement Advertisement

A dozen other vessels appeared to be on course to pass through the waterway, and all were either coming from or going to Iran, or displayed ties with countries not hostile to Iran. That signals little real change from traffic before the ceasefire.

"The Strait remains as open or closed as it was" before the ceasefire plan emerged, shipping journal Lloyd's List editor-in-chief Richard Meade told a briefing.

Traffic in the past week was "90 percent below normal levels and it was almost entirely being driven by Iranian trade," said Bridget Diakun, a Lloyd's List Intelligence analyst.

Traffic is expected to remain at a maximum 10-15 passages a day "if the ceasefire holds", according to Kpler analyst Ana Subasic.

Advertisement Advertisement

Of the 315 passages by commodity carriers from March 1 to April 8, 202 were by oil and gas tankers, and most were heading east towards the Gulf of Oman, Kpler data showed. A majority involved ships coming from or heading to Iran.

- Iran-approved route -

Iran announced alternative routes through the strait on Thursday, citing the risk of sea mines in the waterway's main zone. The IRGC set out routes that go near Iran's Larak Island.

The IRGC said ships could only use the strait in collaboration with the Iranian navy, according to intelligence firm Vanguard Tech.

Apart from three Omani tankers that passed through last week near Oman's coast, recent transits have used the Iranian-approved route, with some ships reportedly paying a fee.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Financial Times reported on Wednesday that Iran could ask for one dollar per barrel of oil passing through the strait, to be paid in cryptocurrency.

Shipping industry representatives told AFP that other rumours indicated ships had to be on an approved list, or that countries would be ranked, with ships from countries friendly to Iran receiving better conditions.

- 800 ships stuck -

Many shipowners and shipping associations are unsure whether ships would be able to safely pass from the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, even if the ceasefire holds.

Leaving the Gulf now "would not be advisable" without coordinating with the United States and Iran, Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer for the international shipping association BIMCO told AFP on Wednesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

Around 800 ships have been stuck in the Gulf since the war started on February 28, according to Lloyd's List. German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd has said it will not resume traffic on the route.

Some 172 million barrels of crude and refined products on 187 tankers were at sea in the region as of Tuesday, according to Kpler.

- Thirty vessels targeted -

No new attacks on ships have been reported since the ceasefire started.

The IRGC claimed three attacks on ships between Saturday and Tuesday, and one has been confirmed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Thirty commercial ships, including 13 tankers, have been attacked or have reported incidents in the region since March 1, according to the IMO, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre and Vanguard Tech.

lam-jah-lmc/ys/tw/gv
An investigation is underway after a student pointed a knife at classmates during an incident at a school on Cape Cod on Thursday morning, authorities said.

Staff at Bourne High School contacted resource officers shortly after 8 a.m. to report that a student had brought a knife into the building, prompting an emergency response, according to the Bourne Police Department.

Officers responding to the incident learned the student had been wielding a folding pocketknife, which they allegedly said they used while fishing on Wednesday night.

Advertisement Advertisement

Based upon initial interviews with witnesses, the student in question reportedly pulled out the pocketknife and pointed it in the direction of classmates during two separate verbal altercations, according to police.

There were no reported injuries.

Thanks to the prompt reporting by our school community and the swift response of staff and local law enforcement, the situation was safely and quickly resolved, Bourne Public Schools said. There is no ongoing threat to any students, staff, or the broader school community.

Police say that the student walked down to the office with the knife and surrendered it to school staff after the reported altercations.

Advertisement Advertisement

It wasnt immediately clear if the student would face charges, but the school district noted, The Bourne Police Department is currently investigating this matter. Bourne High School is also addressing the situation internally in accordance with the districts code of conduct and disciplinary policies.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected an emergency appeal to let Samuel Ronan run in an Ohio GOP congressional primary after he was kicked off the ballot for being a secret Democrat.

None of the justices noted any dissent from the denial and, as typical for such shadow docket orders, the court did not provide any explanation.

Ronan previously ran unsuccessfully for chair of the Democratic National Committee. Ahead of the primary for Ohios 15th Congressional District, Ronan declared his candidacy as a Republican, attested to his membership in that party and affirmed his intent to support and abide by that partys principles. The Franklin County Board of Elections certified his candidacy in February.

Advertisement Advertisement

Ronan wanted to run against the districts current representative, Mike Carey.

A Republican voter protested Ronans candidacy to the board on the grounds that he wasnt really a Republican. The board split along party lines, and Ohios Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose broke the tie against Ronan, disqualifying him from the ballot.

Ohios chief federal trial judge, Sarah Morrison, ruled against Ronan, reasoning that the states interest in administering its elections outweighs what she called the minimal burden on his First Amendment rights. It cannot be the case that a State must allow a candidate on a partisan ballot even if he lied about his party affiliation simply because the First Amendment is implicated, the Trump-appointed judge wrote. A three-judge appellate panel of GOP appointees declined to put Ronan on the ballot.

He appealed to the Supreme Court alongside Ana Cordero, who wants to vote for him. The First Amendment violation in this case warrants immediate injunctive relief, they wrote in an emergency application. They argued Ronan was removed from the GOP primary ballot based solely on the content of his political speech and that he lied when he swore he was a Republican who intended to abide by Republican principles.

Advertisement Advertisement

But Applicant Ronan did not lie, they maintained in the high court application.

The Republican-led Ohio Attorney Generals Office opposed Supreme Court relief, writing that there was just one problem with Ronans bid to run as a Republican: He is a Democrat.

In their final reply brief to the justices, Ronan and Cordero argued that keeping him off the ballot would set a dangerous precedent.

The risk here is large, they wrote. Candidates from all parties should censor their speech lest they be accused of political dishonesty.

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administrations legal cases.

The post Supreme Court turns away Ohio GOP candidate booted for being a secret Democrat appeared first on MS NOW.

This article was originally published on ms.now
ISLAMABAD, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday talked over the phone with his Lebanese counterpart Nawaf Salam to discuss Israeli aggression against Lebanon, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

In the phone call, the Pakistani prime minister expressed condolences over the loss of thousands of lives in the hostilities in Lebanon, saying Pakistan is engaged in sincere efforts for regional peace, the office said.

"It was in this spirit that the peace talks between Iran and the United States are being convened," he added.

For his part, the Lebanese prime minister sought Pakistan's support for bringing an immediate end to the attacks targeting Lebanon and its people.

Both leaders agreed to remain in contact, according to the office. 
Some of the Democratic partys most prominent figures  and possible 2028 presidential contenders  descended on New York City this week for the annual National Action Network (NAN) convention hosted by the Rev Al Sharpton, where discussions centered around the upcoming midterms, affordability, the war in Iran and the future of the Democratic party.

Now more than ever, its on all of us to stand up for the future of our country, doing some public service  at a minimum, everybody has to go vote in this coming election, the Illinois governor, JB Pritzker, told the crowd on Thursday.

The convention, which began on Wednesday and runs through Saturday, marks one of the largest gatherings of potential 2028 contenders for the Democratic party seen yet.

Advertisement Advertisement

Related: Arab Americans in Michigan warn centrist Democrats attacking Hasan Piker: They havent learned from 2024

Elected officials including Pritzker; Marylands governor, Wes Moore; Pennsylvanias governor, Josh Shapiro; the California representative Ro Khanna; and the Arizona senator Ruben Gallego have all taken the stage. Expected on Friday and Saturday are the former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg; Kentuckys governor, Andy Beshear; the Arizona senator Mark Kelly; the South Carolina representative Jim Clyburn; and former vice-president and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. (It has been reported that Californias governor, Gavin Newsom, and the New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were unable to attend.)

Basil Smikle Jr, the former executive director of the New York state Democratic party, told Bloomberg this week that the convention has become a very important convener for issues specific to the African-American community and the activist community.

No candidate will be successful in a primary or win a general without Black voters, Smikle said, adding that the conference was a key step in Sharptons endorsement process.

Advertisement Advertisement

On Thursday morning, Moore, who was elected as governor of Maryland in 2022 and is viewed as a rising figure in the Democratic party, took the stage with Sharpton, who asked him about the war in Iran.

A combat veteran, Moore described the war as personal, because I know what these soldiers are going through right now, and what their families are going through.

The conversations that are happening or not happening with Iran and all of our global partners is challenging; the biggest challenge for me, though, is the lack of conversation thats happening with the American people, he said.

These are our taxpayer dollars that are being used to do this. We are now watching how our gas prices continue to skyrocket, energy prices continue to skyrocket, groceries are more expensive, and we are doing this foreign war that none of us asked for, but its being done in our name.

Advertisement Advertisement

Moore continued: The United States military is the best military in the history of the world, there is nothing that the United States military, militarily cannot do, [but] the question is: should we be doing it? And I do not think that the president of the United States has answered that question.

Like many speakers, Moore repeatedly returned to the issue of affordability, sharing how his own mothers energy bill had increased in the last year.

When Sharpton pressed him on 2028 and whether he would run, the audience erupted in applause. But despite the speculation on his future, Moore, who is running for re-election this year, did not speak about his possible 2028 ambitions, but instead stressed the importance of the 2026 elections.

Anyone and any of these people who are thinking about 2028, I need to see that youre taking 2026 seriously, he said, before adding: Im hungry, but Im not thirsty. I need people to take this moment seriously and understand the type of assault that we are under right now and show me something now.

Advertisement Advertisement

Upon Pritzker, who is also up for re-election this year as governor of Illinois, joining Sharpton on stage, he told the crowd: We wont have a future for this country if we do not fight to preserve our democracy, so thats just a predicate to everything else.

But, he noted, you dont win elections by talking to the public about democracy.

Pritzker said peoples most important issues are often how they will pay rent, bills or education costs, let alone retirement.

I know everybody uses this word, affordability, but we need to talk about it in very plain language. It needs to be about lowering costs for people, Pritzker said, adding: We also need to raise the minimum wage in this country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Like Moore, Pritzker avoided speaking about his 2028 plans, instead emphasizing his re-election campaign and the importance of the midterms.

Ive been involved every presidential election, one fashion or another, since I wasnt an adult, and Im going to be more involved than ever before in 2028 because we cant lose, Pritzker said.

Gallego, who represents Arizona in the Senate and has also been floated as a 2028 contender, talked about shifts he saw among working-class voters, particularly Latino men in the 2024 election.

In 2024, we saw working-class Latino men cross over and go for Donald Trump, he said, adding that when he spoke with them, one of the things they were always talking about is I want to buy something, I want to build something, I want to own something, I want to feel like someones fighting for me.

Advertisement Advertisement

Gallego said that he believed if the Democratic party focused on those things, then it would be victorious.

Then we need to actually follow through on the actions once we win, he added, before also deferring questions about his presidential ambitions.

Well deal with those questions post-2026, he said.

The broader debate about the Democratic partys direction surfaced repeatedly throughout the convention.

Ro Khanna said on Wednesday that the party needs more moral clarity and conviction.

We are going to stand for human rights in this country, he said. Were going to stand for economic rights and economic justice, and were going to stand for a moral vision of America. What I would say is that the Democratic party, we need to let it rip a little more. We need to talk about our moral vision a little bit more. We need to be conviction-based.

Advertisement Advertisement

Also during Wednesdays program, Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, framed the midterms as a national referendum on Donald Trump and on what is happening in Washington DC and urged people to get out and vote.

Other conference attenders included the Democratic House leader, Hakeem Jeffries, the Massachusetts representative Ayanna Pressley and others.

Harris is scheduled to join Sharpton for a fireside chat on Friday. In interviews since leaving office, she has not ruled out another presidential bid. Sharpton recently told Politico that Harris was absolutely a potent force in the Black community and that he believed that she has been ignored, and were going to raise that at our convention.

At the convention on Thursday, Monet S Wilson from Chicago described the speakers as inspirational and told the Guardian that she valued the opportunity to engage with people about whats to come in 2026 and 2028.

Advertisement Advertisement

She pointed to Pritzkers remarks on housing and affordability, and said she was also watching figures like Moore, Newsom and Khanna for 2028. She said she was looking forward to hearing from more speakers on Friday and Saturday.

Im excited for the energy, she said.

Other attenders echoed that enthusiasm. Wallace Bradley, also from Chicago, described Pritzkers remarks as right on time and said that he appreciated Moores remarks. Bradley emphasized that he would support any Democratic nominee thats understanding the needs of the people.

We got to listen to the people, he said, adding that he believes that Democrats need to be more focused on the agenda in the midterms and in 2028 to win.

Advertisement Advertisement

Benita Barnes, who traveled from Houston, Texas, and recently joined her local NAN chapter, said the current political climate motivated her recent involvement. The convention, she said, had left her feeling more hopeful and inspired.

Still, for some, it was simply too early to make decisions about 2028.

New York resident Annette Wilcox told the Guardian that she felt as if she hadnt heard enough yet from the possible Democratic presidential contenders to make up her mind.

Its very early, she said.
A mid-stage trial on Takedas anti-CD38 therapy, mezagitamab, has demonstrated the drugs potential to boost platelet counts in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

In the Phase II study (NCT04278924), patients received a once-weekly, subcutaneous dose of either placebo or 100mg, 300mg or 600mg of mezagitamab for eight weeks. Adults enrolled on this trial all had chronic or persistent ITP, with patients having received four prior ITP treatments on average. The primary endpoint centred around the drugs safety.

During the trial, 19 out of 28 patients (68%) given mezagitamab experienced an adverse event (AE), while nine of 13 (69%) faced the same outcome in the placebo arm. Of the patients who had at least one AE during the trial, five (18%) and three (23%) experienced an AE rated Graded 3 or higher in the mezagitamab and placebo arms, respectively.

Advertisement Advertisement

Alongside its reasonable tolerability, a 600mg dose of mezagitamab triggered a platelet response in 10 out of 11 (91%) patients, compared with three (23%) in the placebo group.

Following the positive results of this mid-stage study, Takeda is exploring the potential of mezagitamab in ITP through a Phase III trial (NCT06722235). The company estimates that the study will reach primary completion at the end of 2027, according to ClinicalTrials.gov.

The Tokyo-based pharma company is also evaluating the CD38-targeting monoclonal antibody (mAb) in a Phase III study in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), as the drug triggered a sustained positive impact on kidney function 18 months in a Phase Ib, open-label study (NCT05174221).

ITP landscape undergoes a shift

While targeted therapies have reached the ITP market in recent years, researchers estimate that approximately 20% of patients with ITP do not benefit from available therapies.

Advertisement Advertisement

This has led several companies to develop and commercialise drugs with novel mechanisms of action that can benefit patients with this disease.

Recently, Sanofis Wayrilz (rilzabrutinib) became the first Brutons tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor to secure approval in ITP, which addresses the root case of the disease through its multi-faceted immune modulation capabilities. A consensus forecast from GlobalData, parent company of Clinical Trials Arena, forecasts that Wayrilz will pull in sales of $704m in 2032.

Meanwhile, Sobi recently secured a label expansion for its thrombopoietin receptor agonist, Doptelet (avatrombopag), meaning the drug can now be used in ITP patients aged one year and up.

Novartis ianalumab also demonstrated its potential in ITP in the Phase III VAYHIT2 study (NCT05653219), with the Swiss pharma planning to submit data to regulators for the drug in 2027.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Takedas platelet disorder drug triggers up to 91% response rate" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand.




DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP)  Tanzania 's President Samia Suluhu Hassan, whose motorcades are reportedly among the largest in Africa, is cutting down on the number of official and luxury vehicles as part of measures to save fuel as oil prices rise.

Several African governments have announced steps to cope with fuel shortages and rising prices. Madagascar on Tuesday declared a state of emergency to reduce fuel consumption, while South Africa cut the fuel levy, and Ethiopia introduced rationing. Senegal banned all but essential foreign trips for government ministers.

From today, whenever I travel, the officers accompanying me will use consolidated transport in small buses to reduce fuel consumption and operational costs during this period, Hassan said Wednesday.

Advertisement Advertisement

In the past, the presidents convoy had dozens of luxury vehicles carrying government officials, protocol officers and security personnel. A video of her 30-car convoy was once shared online, sparking conversations about African presidential convoys. Hassan has one of the continents longest motorcades.

She said Tanzania had fuel reserves that could last up to three months, but cautioned businesses against inflating prices.

The price of fuel has risen by $0.40 per liter in the last two weeks, fueled by the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
MADISON  Republican candidate for governor Tom Tiffany is highlighting policies recently vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers in an effort to "paint a clear contrast" with Democrats heading toward this year's midterm election.

Tiffany, who represents the state's 7th Congressional District, held a news conference outside the state Capitol on April 8, the day after a blowout victory for Democrats in the state's technically nonpartisan state Supreme Court election, which liberal Justice-elect Chris Taylor won by a 20-point margin.

Tiffany, who largely has the Republican campaign to himself while a wide field of Democrats battle for the nomination, said his party's takeaway from the court race should be a renewed focus on getting conservative voters to show up at the polls, Tiffany said, acknowledging, "We got our butts kicked last night."

Advertisement Advertisement

"We have to get to those people that are conservative thinking and deliver a message to them that Wisconsin has deep troubles," Tiffany told reporters. "And do you want to end up like the woke and broke in Minnesota and Illinois, or do we want to be one of the great states here in America?"

That's why, he said, he's talking about decisions he argued show that "Democrats  will set the people of Wisconsin aside."

In particular, Tiffany highlighted Evers' recent veto of a bill that would require Wisconsin's governor to participate in a new federal program offering tax incentives for donations to scholarship-granting organizations.

The federal program provides donors a dollar-for-dollar credit up to $1,700 for their contribution to a scholarship-granting organization. Qualified organizations must award at least 90% of their income as scholarships to pay school expenses, including tutoring, technology and tuition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Families earning up to 300% of the area median income would qualify for scholarships under the program, which is scheduled to begin in 2027. To participate, governors must opt in by Jan. 1, 2027.

The bill's supporters argue the federal program offers an opportunity to bring more resources into all of the state's classrooms, as they can go to students in public or private schools. In his veto message, Evers voiced skepticism of claims the program would benefit public school students.

"Perhaps I am wrong and maybe it will," Evers said in his veto message. "Nevertheless, right now, I have no such comfort, and my decades of experience in public education in the state with the first and oldest modern voucher program tell me the opposite will be true."

Tiffany noted that Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, opted his state into the program. If elected, Tiffany said, he would enroll Wisconsin, arguing participation in the program "would have helped kids everywhere."

Advertisement Advertisement

"I will get this $1,700 scholarship in place so families that are truly in need, that want opportunity, they're going to be able to get it for their children to get a good education," Tiffany said.

Hits Evers for blocking 'no tax on tips,' OT

Tiffany also criticized Evers' decision to veto bills that would exempt Wisconsinites from paying state income taxes on tips and some overtime pay.

Under one, cash and charged tips would be exempt from the state income tax. The provision would cover tax year 2025 through tax year 2028.

Under the second, workers could deduct up to $12,500 in overtime pay for single filers and up to $25,000 for joint filers. While the federal version of the overtime provision is set to sunset after tax year 2028, this bill had no expiration date.

Advertisement Advertisement

Evers himself included a measure to eliminate the state income tax on cash tips in his 2025-27 state budget proposal. Like many of the governor's initial proposals, Republicans on the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee removed it early in the process and did not revisit it at the time.

"I just was at a restaurant this morning over in the Milwaukee area where a waitress was nearly in tears when I said to her, you can count on me to sign that bill in 2027 after I become governor, that there will be no taxes on tips and overtime," Tiffany said. "We see where Democrats stand. They do not stand with the working-class people of the state of Wisconsin. We will paint that clear contrast every day from here to November."

In his veto message, the governor said the measures failed to provide comprehensive, permanent relief. He said he also vetoed the "no tax on tips" bill because it tied the policy to its federal counterpart and he's against "effectively ceding control over the direction of state policy to Congress."

In vetoing the overtime exemption, Evers said he objects to "changing the tax code in a way that will treat Wisconsin workers who earn similar wages differently just because of their classification as salaried or hourly workers."

Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tom Tiffany hits Evers vetoes to paint contrast with Democratic field
By David Lawder and Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that imports from countries supplying Iran with military weapons will face immediate 50% tariffs with no exemptions, threatening the move just hours after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire with Tehran.

After more than five weeks of strikes against Iran's missile launchers, military sites and weapons industry, Trump reverted to tariffs as leverage, using a social media post to warn China and Russia against restocking Tehran's arsenals.

Advertisement Advertisement

Beijing and Moscow have denied supplying any weapons recently, although allegations against Russia have persisted.

But the U.S. Supreme Court stripped Trump of his fastest and broadest tariff authority, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, in February, ruling that his broadest global tariffs imposed under the 1977 law were illegal.

"A Country supplying Military Weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed, on any and all goods sold to the United States of America, 50%, effective immediately, There will be no exclusions or exemptions! President DJT," Trump wrote on the Truth Social site, without naming any countries.

China and Russia have helped Iran build military capacity to counter U.S. and Israeli pressure, including by supplying missiles and air-defense systems. That support appeared capped during the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Advertisement Advertisement

'A CHINA-RELATED THREAT,' LIPSKY SAYS

Reuters reported in February, prior to the first U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, that Tehran was considering a purchase of supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles from China.

Reuters reported in March that China's top semiconductor maker, SMIC, had sent chipmaking tools to Iran's military, according to two senior Trump administration officials.

"This is a China-related threat, the way I read it. And China will read it that way," said Josh Lipsky, vice president and chair of international economics at the Atlantic Council.

Although drone and missile parts routinely flow from Chinese entities to Iran, evading U.S. sanctions, Lipsky said Trump was unlikely to follow through with new tariffs in the near term because that would derail his planned trip to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Advertisement Advertisement

China's defense ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang on Thursday denied reports of Chinese firms providing Iran with chip equipment and satellite imagery.

"China has always been open and above board on the Iran issue, maintaining an objective and impartial stance, and has consistently worked to promote peace talks while never engaging in any activities that could fan the flames or add fuel to the fire," Zhang said in a statement.

"The international community can clearly see who is saying one thing and doing another, and who is creating war and conflict everywhere."

On Tuesday, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Trump wanted to preserve stability in U.S.-China ties, safeguarding U.S. access to Chinese rare-earth minerals while maintaining prior tariff levels and avoiding a "massive confrontation" with Xi.

Advertisement Advertisement

ALTERNATIVE TARIFF TOOLS

Of Trump's still available trade tools, an active "Section 301" unfair trade practices action against Chinese goods from his first term would be the most likely vehicle for adding new tariffs quickly, Lipsky said.

A more limited tool would be Section 232 of the Cold War-era Trade Expansion Act of 1962, aimed at protecting strategic domestic industries on national security grounds, but it would limit duties to specific sectors.

Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods over nearly eight years already have cut U.S. imports from China sharply, from a peak of $538.5 billion in 2018 to $308.4 billion in 2025, with further declines in January and February.

Advertisement Advertisement

Russia has been another source of arms technology for Iran, but U.S. imports of Russian goods also have shriveled since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and financial sanctions imposed on Moscow as a result of that move.

U.S. imports from Russia, one of the only countries not subject to Trump's now-cancelled "reciprocal" tariffs, jumped 26.1% to $3.8 billion in 2025. These imports are dominated by palladium used in automotive catalytic converters, fertilizers and their ingredients, and enriched uranium for nuclear reactors.

The Commerce Department is moving to impose punitive tariffs on Russian palladium after an anti-dumping investigation.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey and David Lawder in Washington; Additional reporting by Beijing newsroom and Jessie Pang in Hong Kong; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Matthew Lewis, Paul Simao and Bernadette Baum)
President Donald Trump, rebuffed by the federal courts in his attempt to prosecute longtime foe New York Attorney General Letitia James, is asking a state court to wipe away the last remnants of a victory she once secured over his family business.

In a 119-page filing Wednesday with New Yorks highest court, the Court of Appeals, Trumps lawyers took what they described as the "unusual" step of appealing a lower courts decision that was largely in his favor.

That decision threw out a roughly $500 million civil fraud judgment against Trump and his family business while preserving the fraud case against them, in which a Manhattan trial judge found that Trump, his two eldest sons and several business associates fraudulently inflated his net worth and the value of his real estate properties to obtain favorable rates from banks and insurers.

Advertisement Advertisement

In their brief, Trumps lawyers applauded the lower appeals court for tossing the excessive judgment but asked the Court of Appeals to reverse the fraud finding and remove a ban that blocks Trump and his two eldest sons from serving as officers of a New York business for up to three years. The ban also prevents Trump and his business entities from applying for loans from any financial institution with a New York branch for three years.

The court, Trump lawyers wrote, should put an end to this legally deficient case.

They accused James, a Democrat, of targeting Trump for political purposes, writing that he was a victim of unconstitutional selective enforcement.

The reason here was pure politics, as Attorney General Jamess own statements make clear, they wrote.

Advertisement Advertisement

At the time the trial judge issued the judgment, which was $464 million, it posed a serious financial threat to Trump, who was then engaged in his campaign to win back the White House for a second term. And it represented a significant victory for James, who had campaigned for office on a promise to pursue Trump.

The appeals courts decision to toss the financial penalty marked a major win for Trump, but the finding that he committed fraud likely continues to sting.

A spokesperson for James declined to comment. Her office has told the court it will also appeal aspects of the lower courts decision.

Trumps effort to secure a more complete legal victory over James comes as he has faced repeated defeat in his efforts to bring a criminal case against her. Last November, a federal judge threw out a mortgage fraud case against her after ruling that the lead prosecutor  former Trump personal lawyer Lindsey Halligan  was illegally appointed to her position. Then, late last year, two grand juries in the span of two weeks declined to revive the case against James.

While those attempts have been stymied, the Trump administration has continued to pursue James. Late last month, an administration official reportedly made new criminal referrals against her to federal prosecutors in Miami and Chicago for potential cases of homeowner's insurance fraud.
This article is co-published with ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for ProPublicas Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox as soon as they are published.

In December 2023, the U.S. Justice Department sued a Texas land developer it accused of duping tens of thousands of Hispanic residents into predatory mortgages, a landmark case for the Biden administration.

Colony Ridge, which sold plots in massive subdivisions north of Houston, had become a one-stop shop for discriminatory lending, Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights, said at a news conference announcing the lawsuit. The developer targeted Hispanic applicants through false advertising and persuaded them to take out high-interest loans that many could not afford, then benefited when it foreclosed on their properties, the lawsuit alleged.

Advertisement Advertisement

Our goal at the end of the day is to ensure that victims are compensated for their loss, Clarke declared.

Three years later, the Trump administration and Colony Ridge are on the verge of resolving the case. But the $68 million proposed settlement provides no money for victims of the alleged scheme. Instead, it sets aside $20 million for policing and immigration enforcement  a provision that may be used to target the very people who were victimized by the developer, according to former government officials who worked on such cases.

Ive never seen a settlement like this, with a complete misalignment between what youre settling and what the resolution is, said Elena Babinecz, who led fair lending investigations at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for 12 years under the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations, before leaving in October.

Its a slap in the face to the individuals that were harmed; that the Justice Department acknowledges were harmed, said Babinecz, who was at the bureau when it joined the Justice Department in filing suit against Colony Ridge. Its a complete misjustice, and its not at all why these civil rights laws were passed.

The Justice Departments proposed settlement in the Colony Ridge case sets aside $20 million for policing and immigration enforcement but no money for victims of the alleged scheme. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Highlighted by The Texas Tribune and ProPublica.

Seven other attorneys and investigators who formerly enforced the federal governments lending and housing civil rights laws also told ProPublica and The Texas Tribune that they were stunned by the agreement, which a U.S. district judge must still approve. Indeed, Colony Ridge is the largest Justice Department case since at least 2018 in which the settlement includes no monetary compensation for victims. The judge has scheduled a hearing on Friday over the proposal.

Advertisement Advertisement

A coalition of fair housing and civil rights groups has urged the court to reject the settlement, arguing the lawsuit is the only realistic prospect for many consumers to get recompense because they cannot afford private attorneys.

The Justice Department had built a case against Colony Ridge with stark and overwhelming evidence, Clarke told the news organizations. Prosecutors said Colony Ridge repeatedly misled consumers about the condition of lots they purchased, forcing them to spend hundreds or thousands on drainage improvements and utility connections they hadnt known the land needed. This contributed to consumers defaulting on high-interest loans, according to the lawsuit. Colony Ridge then benefited from the improvements made to the land it foreclosed on and resold the lots at higher prices.

In the end, tens of thousands of victims were exploited through the developers predatory practices in a span of eight years, the government argued. Colony Ridge repossessed more than 15,000 lots, many owned by immigrants, a 2023 investigation by the Houston Landing found.

Of the 183 housing and civil enforcement Justice Department settlements since 2018, only 6% did not include money for victims. Each of those cases was smaller in scope than Colony Ridge. They included a suburban Maryland car dealership accused of racial discrimination in loan offers over a seven-month period and a California landlord who allegedly refused to provide handicapped parking to one tenant.

Advertisement Advertisement

None of the settlements  except for Colony Ridge  includes funding for police or immigration enforcement.

The government argued that Colony Ridge exploited tens of thousands of people through predatory mortgages. Lexi Parra for The Texas Tribune and ProPublica

As federal investigators built a case around how Colony Ridge had treated its largely immigrant customers, conservative media and politicians aligned with Trump  who had made immigration enforcement a cornerstone of his campaign  did not focus on how consumers had been harmed. They instead accused the development of being a haven for immigrants.

They claimed, without providing evidence, that the development was a base for Mexican drug cartels and a no-go zone for police. Local law enforcement disputed the assertions, saying that violent crime there was no different from other neighborhoods in and around Houston. State legislative panels convened to investigate the allegations also fizzled out after they were unable to substantiate such claims.

Neither the federal government nor a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton months later raised public safety concerns or a need for more policing or immigration enforcement.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Justice Department declined to comment and did not respond to the concerns raised by former employees and people involved in the case. Paxtons office did not respond to multiple emails. But while announcing the settlement in February, Harmeet K. Dhillon, who leads the departments Civil Rights Division, argued that Colony Ridge had encouraged illegal immigration by targeting Hispanic consumers with the bait of affordable homeownership. This DOJ will go after all lenders, financiers, and land developers who participate in schemes which ultimately encourage illegal immigration, she said. In his own news release about the settlement, which would also resolve the Texas suit, Paxton focused primarily on funding set aside for immigration enforcement. Under my watch, Texas will never be a sanctuary for illegals, he said.

The focus on immigration makes the lives of those who were harmed more difficult, said Catherine Bendor, a manager in the Justice Departments Housing and Civil Enforcement Section for eight years until 2024.

Even if theyre citizens, theyll likely be hassled by immigration agents who target people based on appearance or accent, she said.

John Harris, Colony Ridges CEO, declined to be interviewed. The settlement does not include an admission of wrongdoing. He has long maintained that his company, which started in 2011 and offered mortgages for as little as a 1% down payment, has not preyed on its customers.

Advertisement Advertisement

The financing terms helped the development grow rapidly, albeit inconsistently, with neat modular homes, trailers and abandoned or vacant lots across more than 33,000 acres. Matt Rascon, a spokesperson for Colony Ridge, said the company found success offering a path to land ownership through flexible financing options with no credit checks. His comments echoed the companys argument in court that it created a path to homeownership for thousands of lower-income consumers whom risk-averse banks reject.

Offering loans when others wouldnt is the most common argument predatory lenders make to justify their practices, said Nathalie Martin, a University of New Mexico law professor who has studied high-cost loans.

You can see from this situation, it doesnt help people to get them into loans that are more costly than they need to be, Martin said.

Former federal officials and Colony Ridge property owners acknowledge that the settlement includes some provisions to protect consumers in the future. It would require Colony Ridge to adopt stricter lending standards and allow buyers to back out of purchases without penalty within two months. The developer would also make $48 million in infrastructure upgrades and provide transparent, bilingual marketing and communication.

Advertisement Advertisement

Another provision bars Colony Ridge from developing new lots to sell for three years. But the agreement exempts 674 acres that the developer has already subdivided.

The concessions are helpful but inadequate because they miss a clear opportunity to help victims recover money they lost, which is a key reason such cases are filed, said Jon Seward, who was principal deputy chief for the Justice Department when he left in May 2023 after 17 years in its Housing and Civil Enforcement Section.

Maria Acevedo said Colony Ridge foreclosed on her property in 2021 even though she was making payments. Lexi Parra for The Texas Tribune and ProPublica

One such victim was Maria Acevedo, who describes herself as a lifelong Republican and U.S. citizen who said she voted for Trump three times.

A former land developer herself, Acevedo took out a high-interest $40,000 loan in 2018 to buy a half-acre of land where she planned to retire. She then spent an additional $60,000 on surveying, engineering and adding dirt to protect against flooding.

Advertisement Advertisement

Acevedo said she planned to refinance her loan but learned that she couldnt because the property had a lien from a previous owner. Colony Ridge foreclosed on the property three years later, even though Acevedo said she was making payments. Colony Ridge did not comment on Acevedos case or those of other individuals in this story. The foreclosure ruined her retirement plans, Acevedo said, adding that the challenges strained her marriage and eventually led to divorce.

She considered finding a lawyer to sue. But she said she decided to become a team player and serve as a government witness after federal investigators pledged to help victims like her recover what they lost.

Now, Acevedo said, she feels betrayed by a settlement that ignores Hispanic consumers like her.

I know we were targeted. A blind man could see it, Acevedo said.

Advertisement Advertisement

She added that the lawsuit was going smooth, but once the Trump administration came in and took it over, it changed.

Even if she could now find a lawyer, her window to file a lawsuit has expired because state and federal laws require they be brought within five years.

Since returning to office, the Trump administration has abandoned an $80 million settlement with Navy Federal Credit Union over illegal overdraft fees, which allowed the bank to continue operating without penalty, and halted dozens of investigations, including a case accusing a major Pennsylvania lender of defrauding student borrowers. Both defendants have denied wrongdoing.

The Trump administration and White House budget director Russell Vought have taken aim at the CFPB, which was formed to protect consumers from getting ripped off by businesses. For Vought, the agency was an example of government overreach. It was also one of the first targets for Trumps Department of Government Efficiency. In April, in response to a lawsuit by bureau employees over the CFPBs attempt to lay off 90% of its staff, the administration offered a compromise proposal: slashing two-thirds.

Advertisement Advertisement

The White House and Voughts office declined to comment, but the administration has argued the agency was needlessly aggressive and wasteful.

The shift away from pursuing consumer protection cases gives the impression that the federal government is no longer serious about protecting regular people from unscrupulous businesses, former Justice Department and CFPB employees said.

Investigators spent months gathering stories and building trust with residents who were wary of cooperating, said Johnathan Smith, a former deputy assistant attorney general for civil rights during the Biden administration, who visited the development before the lawsuit. The team worked to ensure that the community believed something was going to be different because the Justice Department got involved.

Its just heartbreaking how the settlement failed to meet that mark, he said.

SuEllen Sanchez and her sister, Keilah Sanchez, were among those who shared their stories with investigators, expecting the government would help them reclaim what they lost. They also provided investigators with hundreds of records from neighbors who said theyd been scammed.

A U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico, SuEllen Sanchez had purchased five lots in Colony Ridge in 2020. She saw it as a way to invest money shed earned as an aesthetician and perhaps open a business there.

Sanchez said the advertisements and sales representatives for Colony Ridge led her to believe the lots would be ready to build on. They werent. Clearing the land for development, acquiring permits and connecting utilities cost her more than $10,000. Colony Ridge foreclosed on one of the lots in 2021, according to Sanchez, who disputes the developers claims that she had missed loan payments.

Sanchez wondered if others also believed theyd been scammed. Thats when she and her sister, a web developer who also had purchased Colony Ridge properties, launched a website asking residents to share their experiences with the developer.

Sanchez said she was dismayed that all of their efforts resulted in the proposed settlement.

These were consumer-based lawsuits, so you would think theyd actually do something for consumers with everything that they stipulated that this company did wrong, Sanchez said. Theres no way somebody who has all these violations should still be operating.

Acevedo feels the same way, and she wants the judge to know it as he mulls the settlement. She doesnt have a lawyer, but after the Justice Department proposed it, she filed a legal brief in the case demanding compensation as a victim. She offered to testify and present evidence.

I want the court to hear me directly, she wrote to Judge Alfred H. Bennett. I am willing to swear to my experience.

On Friday, she plans to drive 30 miles to Courtroom 9A in the Houston federal building for the settlement hearing, hoping for the judge to grant her request to be heard.

Misty Harris contributed research.
President Donald Trumps border wall plans have suffered a major setback in West Texas, where fierce local opposition has forced federal officials to scale back construction across a vast stretch of the Big Bend region.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who left the post this month, had pushed for 500 miles of border wall near Big Bend National Park in Texasa plan that reportedly conflicted with Border Patrols own strategy for securing the area, according to a report in the Washington Examiner.

The new stretch of wall was first proposed on the same day Renee Good was killed on January 7.

Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

But what was once expected to include barriers along much of the 517-mile Big Bend sector has now reportedly been cut to roughly 175 miles after sustained blowback from residents, local officials, and landowners.

Advertisement Advertisement

Locals oppose the construction of a steel border wall, arguing that illegal crossings are so rare in the area that such a barrier is unnecessary.

Since last October, roughly 34,480 encounters have been recorded along the southern border, with only 892 occurring in the Big Bend sector.

I wish the president would be more informed as to whats going on, Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez told Axios. Its a place where, if you cross the border, you got to at least walk three or four days... you dont just walk across the river and expect to get picked up.

The resistance has been strengthened by No Big Bend Wall, a newly formed local coalition monitoring the walls planned route.

Advertisement Advertisement

The coalition argues that the steel barriers would harm fragile watersheds and historic archeological sites, disrupt wildlife migration, darken the regions pristine night skies, and reduce the value of private property.

CBP has thus far completed 29.5 miles of border wall during Trump's second term, the Washington Examiner reported. / Michael Gonzalez / Getty Images

The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and Customs and Border Protection for comment.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was reportedly assured by Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks that no physical wall would be built inside Big Bend National Park or Big Bend Ranch State Park. As of mid-February, only 35.9 miles of new wall have been completed along the entire southern border.

But while state and national parks have avoided some of the planned barriers, private landowners are already receiving letters from the Army Corps of Engineers about construction access leases, according to Axios.

Advertisement Advertisement

Environmental reviews, normally required for such projects, were waived by then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Surveyors are expected in mid-April, with construction set to begin in June.

Some plans show the wall placed about a mile north of the Rio Grande, threatening riverfront property and cutting off water access for local wildlife.

But local officials have mobilized to challenge the plans.

Five border county sheriffs sent an open letter urging federal officials to adopt a technology-driven, terrain-informed approach instead of building a wall.

Presidio and Brewster counties passed resolutions opposing construction and recently met with Big Bend Sector Chief Lloyd Easterling to voice their concerns.

Regionally, were a united voice, David Keller, a Redford, Texas resident and archeologist, told Axios. Republican, Democrat, Libertarian: doesnt matter. We all dont want it.
Donald Trump has lashed out at fraudsters and charlatans who he claims are circulating fake lists of Irans ceasefire plan as he tries to put a positive spin on the war.

In an angry Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump claimed that numerous agreements, lists and letters were being sent out by people who had nothing to do with negotiations between the two countries.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump, flanked by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, speaks during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 6, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo / Kevin Lamarque / REUTERS

In many cases, they are total Fraudsters, Charlatans, and WORSE. They will be rapidly exposed after our Federal Investigation is completed, he wrote, without providing any specifics.

Advertisement Advertisement

There is only one group of meaningful POINTS that are acceptable to the United States, and we will be discussing them behind closed doors during these Negotiations.

The tirade came hours after Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iranan abrupt climbdown from his earlier threat to unleash devastating military strikes if Tehran failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump's post one month ago demanded

It also came despite the president previously declaring on social media that there will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!

Irans publicly reported 10-point plan has been circulated by Iranian officials as well as Pakistan, which helped the U.S and Israel broker the ceasefire so both sides could negotiate.

Advertisement Advertisement

But the issue is contentious because the plan - which was widely reported by Trump-friendly Fox News, as well as other outlets - is the opposite of what Trump has claimed and contains a range of measures the U.S. previously rejected before the war.

For instance, the regime insists on its right to continue uranium enrichment, whereas Trump claims Iran wants to give up its uranium and its nuclear weapon program.

SABRINA BLANCHARD,LUCA MATTEUCCI / AFP via Getty Images

Iran also wants the lifting of primary and secondary sanctions on Iran; the U.S. military withdrawal from the Middle East; the release of frozen Iranian assets; and continued control of the Strait of Hormuz, where 20 percent of the worlds oil usually flows.

Not even Trumps own base is convinced that the U.S. has achieved all its objectives.

Advertisement Advertisement

These 10 points are an absolute disaster, Trump ally and Fox News host Mark Levin wrote on X.

Laura Loomer thinks America got played. / X

The Iranian regime has never been more emboldened, said Trump ally Laura Loomer.

She also took aim at news that Iran wants to impose a toll on the Straitsomething Trump has bizarrely suggested could be a joint venture with America.

Sadly, Iran collecting a toll in the Strait of Hormuz will provide Iran with long term funding for the Iranian regime and their terror proxies in the Middle East, Loomer said.

They will continue killing Americans, non Muslims and slaughtering the Iranian people for another 47 years.

Advertisement Advertisement

There are also already signs that the fragile ceasefire may not hold.

On Wednesday morning, for example, not long after Trump declared peace in the world, the United Arab Emirates also confirmed on Tuesday morning that they had intercepted 17 ballistic missiles and 25 drones launched from Iran, prompting claims that America was being played.

However, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday: The President will only make a deal that serves in the best interest of the United States of America.

His negotiating team will focus on this effort over the next two weeks - so long as the Strait of Hormuz remains open with no limitations or delays, she added.
President Trump boasted about a Republican candidate winning former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes (R-Ga.) seat despite the stench left by the Trump-supporter-turned-foe ex-congresswoman.

Marjorie Traitor Browns (GREEN TURNS TO BROWN UNDER STRESS!) seat in Congress has been taken over by a wonderful and talented man, Clay Fuller, who won convincingly, and right from the beginning, despite many people running for that TRUMP +37 seat, and despite the stench left by Greene, Trump said in a Wednesday afternoon Truth Social post.

Congratulations to Clay Fuller, a very large improvement over his deranged predecessor! President DONALD J. TRUMP, he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

Republicans escaped a loss and elected Fuller, whom Trump endorsed, to fill Greenes former seat Tuesday. Fuller was victorious over Democrat Shawn Harris for Greenes seat in Georgias 14th Congressional District. In January, Greene resigned from her seat, triggering a special election.

Greene, who was once a loyal Trump supporter, has turned on the president in the last year. The two have feuded in recent months, with Greene on Tuesday pushing for Trump to be removed from office via the 25th Amendment amid a threat from the president to escalate the conflict against Iran.

The former congresswoman has also said Trumps Make America Great Again (MAGA) slogan was a lie and that the first year of his second term was centered on appeasing wealthy supporters.

I think people are realizing it was all a lie. It was a big lie for the people. What MAGA is really serving in this administration, who theyre serving, is their big donors, Greene said in a radio interview earlier this year.

Advertisement Advertisement

The big, big donors that donated all the money and continue to donate to the presidents PACs and donate to the 250th anniversary and are donating to the big ballroom, she added.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Poet and novelist Andronik Romanov recently presented a new, definitive version of himself at literary readings held at the Yerevan House of Moscow. Being of both Armenian and Russian heritage, he embraced his Armenian roots fully, moving to Yerevan, obtaining a new passport, and declaring with pride that he is now fully Armenian.

Romanov acknowledged that mastering the Armenian language remains a work in progress, but he emphasized that cultural identity goes beyond language alone: The mentality is already in the blood, he explained, and the language will follow naturally, in everyday life and reflection.

His cultural engagement extends to the performing arts as well. Romanov is now associated with the Stepanakert Russian Drama Theater, where he contributes to productions, demonstrating that presence, expression, and authenticity on stage can convey meaning as powerfully as words themselves.

This renewed commitment reflects a thoughtful and personal journey of heritage, identity, and artistic expression, combining literature, theater, and cultural belonging in contemporary Armenian society.
PHNOM PENH, April 9 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court on Thursday concluded a two-day hearing on former opposition leader Kem Sokha's appeal in his treason case, but has not yet set a specific date for issuing a verdict, his lawyer said.

The Phnom Penh Appeal Court resumed Sokha's appeal on Wednesday after delays for more than 18 months.

Sokha, the former president of the Supreme Court-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party, was sentenced by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in 2023 to 27 years in prison for treason, but was ordered to serve his sentence under house arrest.

The 72-year-old former opposition leader was convicted of conspiring with a "foreign power" in an attempt to overthrow the legitimate Cambodian government and he was arrested in 2017.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court also banned him from politics for life.

Sokha had appealed against the Phnom Penh Municipal Court's verdict. The Phnom Penh Appeal Court began hearing his appeal in January 2024, and the process had been delayed since September of the same year.

Sokha, accompanied by his lawyers, appeared at the appeal court on Thursday.

His lawyer Pheng Heng said during the two-day session, a prosecutor urged the court to uphold the conviction, while Sokha's co-defense lawyers called on the court to overturn the conviction.

He said that an appeal verdict for Sokha will be issued at a later date, but no specific date was given. 
The names and faces on Twin Cities television news continue to evolve, and there are a couple of recent hires in the weather departments at KSTP-TV and FOX 9.

Molly Rosenblatt, a Rochester native, joined KSTP-TV's meteorology department in March. For her, it's a return to Twin Cities TV after a prior stint at WCCO-TV. She also had a pit stop at TC Jewfolk, where she worked as a journalist and audience editor.

Rosenblatt grew up in Rochester and went to the University of Minnesota. Her TV journey has taken her to Wyoming, Montana, Texas, Louisiana, and Orlando, and eventually back home to Minnesota.

Advertisement Advertisement

"It was so exciting for me. I had a lot of family that waited and watched for years, me jumping around the country," Rosenblatt said about returning to Minnesota airwaves the first time. "It was also exciting just to be able to forecast weather in my own community."

Molly Rosenblatt (left) and Erika Mrazik (right). Photos from KSTP-TV, Erika Mrazik via Facebook

Erika Mrazik is the new meteorologist at FOX 9, having arrived in Minnesota after getting her broadcast career started as a meteorologist at WBOY television in north-central West Virginia. She's originally from Pittsburgh and went to college at Ohio State.

Mrazik will be part of the evening and nightly newscasts Tuesday-Saturday, with her debut coming Friday night.

This story was originally published by Bring Me The News on Apr 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Lifestyle section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
April 9 (UPI) -- The Strait of Hormuz is not open to traffic despite this week's cease-fire between the United States and Iran, the head of the United Arab Emirates' state-owned oil company said Thursday.

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, called on Iran to "unconditionally" open the strait with "no strings attached."

"This moment requires clarity," he said in a post on LinkedIn. "So let's be clear: The Strait of Hormuz is not open. Access is being restricted, conditioned and controlled."

Advertisement Advertisement

Iran faced a Tuesday evening deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to the United States and its allies. Tehran had effectively closed the waterway to most traffic after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran starting Feb. 28.

About one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait, and with restricted access to the waterway, oil prices have climbed globally. President Donald Trump's issued an ultimatum earlier this week, calling on Iran to reopen the strait or face catastrophic consequences.

The Thai-flagged cargo ship Mayuree Naree is on fire after being hit by Iranian missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran, on March 11. Photo courtesy the Royal Thai Navy/EPA

Iran and the United States reached a two-week cease-fire agreement less than 2 hours before Trump's deadline in which Iran agreed to reopen the strait.

Freight analysts told CNBC that ship traffic has not increased through the strait since the implementation of the cease-fire.

President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing on Iran in the James S. Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington D.C., on Monday. He threatened Iran with increased attacks if the country didn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday evening. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Al Jaber said ships must obtain permission from Iran before navigating the Strait of Hormuz.

Advertisement Advertisement

"That is not freedom of navigation. That is coercion," he wrote.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed the Iran navy was still imposing restrictions on traffic through the strait, requiring ships to get permission and pay tolls or face attack, the BBC reported.

British Defense Secretary John Healey said requiring tolls to traverse the strait -- as Trump suggested -- would set a dangerous precedent for global shipping, The Guardian reported.
April 9 (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will say on Thursday that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around a fifth of the world's oil and gas, must be toll-free, countering a push by Iran to control the vital waterway.

Iran has said it wants to charge fees for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Before the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, the strait was formally treated as an international waterway.

"The fundamental freedoms of the seas must not be unilaterally withdrawn or sold off to individual bidders. Nor can there be any place for tolls on an international waterway. Freedom of navigation means navigation must be free," Cooper will say in an annual foreign policy speech at Mansion House in London, according to advance extracts.

Advertisement Advertisement

Cooper will also repeat calls by world leaders for Lebanon to be included in a two-week ceasefire agreed between Iran and the U.S. on Tuesday. Israel on Wednesday launched its biggest attacks yet on Lebanon, targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.

(Reporting by Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonali Paul)
By Muvija M and Catarina Demony

LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - Britain deployed military vessels to prevent any attacks on cables and pipelines by Russian submarines that spent more than a month in and around British waters earlier this year, Defence Minister John Healey said on Thursday.

Britain accused Russia of using the distraction of events in the Middle East to try to conduct the covert operation in the High North maritime region, home to key shipping routes and critical infrastructure such as undersea cables.

Advertisement Advertisement

Healey said British forces and allies including Norway tracked and deterred malign activity by the Russian vessels, adding that the submarines had now left the area and there were no signs of damage to underwater infrastructure.

Revealing the operation publicly at a press conference, Healey said the intent was to show Russian President Vladimir Putin that the activity had been detected.

"To President Putin, I say 'We see you. We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences'," he said.

"Our armed forces left them in no doubt that they were being monitored, that their movements were not covert, as President Putin planned, and that their attempted secret operation had been exposed."

Advertisement Advertisement

Russia's embassy in London said Healey's statement was "impossible to either believe or verify."

"Russia does not threaten undersea infrastructure, which is of critical importance to the UK. Nor do we employ aggressive rhetoric in this regard," the embassy said in a statement.

Moscow has previously denied allegations of involvement in a series of incidents in which European countries' cables were damaged.

BRITAIN SENT WARSHIP AND PATROL AIRCRAFT

Healey said the Russian operation involved a Russian Akula-class attack submarine and two specialist submarines from Moscow's Main Directorate for Deep-Sea Research (GUGI).

Advertisement Advertisement

"They are designed to survey underwater infrastructure during peacetime, and sabotage it in conflict," Healey said.

After detecting the Russian vessels passing into international waters, Britain sent a frigate, a support tanker and a maritime patrol aircraft to monitor their movements.

Norway's defence ministry said its armed forces had also deployed a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft and a frigate.

Healey said the submarines had not entered Britain's territorial waters, but had been in the wider band of sea around the country, known as its "Exclusive Economic Zone," and the waters of British allies.

Advertisement Advertisement

Britain's naval capacity has been under scrutiny in recent weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump criticised the British response to the Iran war, describing Britain's aircraft carriers as "toys."

Healey referenced that criticism in his statement, saying it had not been in Britain's national interest to deploy all its military assets in that region.

"The greatest threats are often unseen and silent. And as demands on defence rise, we must deploy our resources to best effect," he said.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the British and Norwegian operations against Russian submarines in the High North.

Advertisement Advertisement

"These efforts to disrupt Russian surveillance of our critical undersea infrastructure protect us all," Rutte said in a post on X.

NATO allies have boosted their presence in the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, after a series of power cable, telecom and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Most have been caused by civilian ships dragging their anchors.

(Reporting by Muvija M and Catarina Demony in London; Writing by Kate Holton and William James; Editing by Philippa Fletcher and Matthew Lewis)
UMass Boston students organized a sit-in Thursday in the provosts office, calling on the reinstatement of one of their professors.

Dr. Keith Jones, a professor of nine years in the Africana Studies Department, was informed of his termination last spring, with the university citing financial reasons and decreased enrollment in majors and minors.

However, students are calling it a retaliatory measure on the Africana Studies Department, which has been working to implement anti-racist policies following Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

Advertisement Advertisement

Its extremely upsetting. Its enraging, honestly, Max Herschman said.

Any student thats ever had class with him is always shocked when they hear whats happening, Jada Knight said.

The students have collected nearly 1,800 signatures in a petition for the university to rescind Dr. Jones termination letter.

The way [the students] have responded to this is one of the great gifts of my life, Dr. Jones reflected.

Dr. Jones also believes his termination is a form of retaliation.

He explains that during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, the Africana Studies Department approached the university about implementing various policies that he says could lead the school to becoming an anti-racist health-promoting research institution. One of the policies would be a change to the curriculum, including making Intro to Black Studies a mandatory course.

Advertisement Advertisement

He said at the time, the university was receptive to those policies.

That support came in the midst of the uprising, but then after that, their support really shifted, Dr. Jones said. There was a retaliation that occurred after that when we tried to hold them accountable to that vision.

After what Dr. Jones calls repeated retaliation against the Africana Studies Department, he and his colleagues filed multiple Department of Labor Relations complaints and says theyre on the cusp of submitting a civil lawsuit. However, he says what the campus has seen, including fliers around campus and sit-ins at the provosts office, has been a student-led initiative.

Kayin Walker is one of the students leading the initiative. Hes taken six of Dr. Jones classes and considers him a mentor.

Advertisement Advertisement

We felt like we needed to do more, Walker said. Just putting pressure to get them to understand that this isnt going away. You guys can prolong this decision all you want, but at the end of the day, were going to be here. We want justice.

Though in all of this, for Dr. Jones, theres one aspect that truly stands out.

Whatever should come regarding my termination, I think weve already had a victory. The way that the students have organized themselves, the fact that theyre protecting something that is sacred to them, which is the sacredness of the classroom, Dr. Jones said.

Boston25 did reach out to UMass Boston for comment, but has yet to receive a response.

Advertisement Advertisement

Students say they were told a decision on Dr. Jones employment could come by the end of the day Thursday.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
The audience laughed and three UNC system chancellors smiled when they heard the pointed question about how they could do their jobs without a state budget.

State universities are under financial pressure partly because the state legislature has not approved a budget and the schools are operating without enrollment funding. North Carolina is the only state that did not pass a budget last year.

UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee Roberts and N.C. Central University Chancellor Karrie Dixon, seated on opposite sides of N.C. State University Chancellor Kevin Howell at a forum Wednesday on higher education, smiled and patted Howell on the back.

Advertisement Advertisement

Howell answered by touting N.C. States return on investment, a measure of the value of a university degree.

He then vouched for legislators, who he said have shown a longtime commitment to the UNC system.

I will tell you that the members of the General Assembly are working hard now to make sure we do have a budget, he said. Howell talked about the importance of university-sponsored research in response to a follow-up budget question.

The art of the pivot was on full display Wednesday at a forum sponsored by The Atlantic in partnership with The Assembly. The Atlantic has begun a nationwide tour where it will visit all 50 states over three years to host events on issues the magazine covers. The North Carolina event was the magazines sixth stop.

The high-profile government employees running the three UNC system schools located in the Triangle avoided politics and emphasized the good, or the least worrisome, when asked about challenges facing higher education. Each chancellor used some of their time on stage to promote their schools.

Advertisement Advertisement

UNC systems schools are cutting budgets and increasing tuition for incoming students. Cuts to federal research grants to universities add to budget pressures. And the Trump administration is pressuring universities to change their policies and has threatened their funding.

The Trump administration is suing Harvard University and UCLA, and has pushed other universities, including Brown, Columbia and Cornell into settlements over its allegations of racial discrimination, anti-Semitism and DEI policies.

Forum moderator Evan Smith, managing director for events at The Atlantic, asked Dixon if institutions of higher education should be bowing and scraping before the Presidents administration.

Dixon didnt answer directly, replying instead that it is important to let members of Congress know how funding helps students. Universities are finding ways to continue to serve students despite federal cuts, she said.

Advertisement Advertisement

At the end of the day, theres a perception that the federal government is attempting to tell you your business, to tell you how you can and cant operate your institution, Smith followed.

Roberts responded by talking about broad support for federal research funding.

UNC-Chapel Hill receives about $1 billion a year in federal research funds, which Roberts said ranks 10th in the nation.

The compact between the federal government and Americas great research universities, for the last 70 years, has been crucial to economic and more general advancement, whether its healthcare or national defense  you name it. The advancements that you were seeing have come from Americas great research universities, Roberts said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Last year, the Trump administration froze or ended thousands of research grants. But so far, Congress has rejected the administrations budget requests for deep cuts in research funding.

Research funding in the last federal budget remained relatively flat, which Roberts said is reflective of the significant consensus of the importance of federal support for science.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  As a developing low-pressure system moves west of the islands, many are asking whether this is a Kona lowbut according to National Weather Service meteorologist Joseph Clark, its not.

Clark explains that while Kona lows are typically slower-moving systems that linger for days, this system is more progressive and tied to a larger trough pattern. Still, he emphasizes that the impacts will feel very similar.

Residents can expect periods of heavy rain, strong winds, and potential flooding through the end of the week, with gusty conditions especially possible across Oahu and Kauai.

Advertisement Advertisement

Safety remains a top priority, with Clark urging residents to have a plan in placeespecially those in flood-prone areasand to be prepared for possible power outages.

Unsettled weather may continue into the weekend and early next week, though conditions are expected to gradually improve by midweek.

For the latest updates, officials recommend visiting weather.gov/hawaii.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
By Mariam Sunny

April 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. fertility rate hit a record low last year, extending a nearly two-decade decline, provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed on Thursday.

The decline also reflects global trends, as fewer women choose to have children against a changing social backdrop. In the U.S., the general fertility rate has fallen nearly 23% since 2007, according to the agency's data.

Advertisement Advertisement

Shifting priorities among younger women, including "greater and more demanding job market opportunities, expanded leisure options, increased intensity of parenting... make the option to have children less desirable," said Phillip Levine, an economics professor at Wellesley College.

The number of babies born in the U.S. in 2025 declined 1% from a year earlier to roughly 3.6 million, while the general fertility rate - the number of births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 - also slipped 1% to 53.1, the data showed.

While fertility rates among women in their 30s and 40s have increased over the past decade, those gains have remained too modest to offset sustained declines among women under 30.

Last year, the fertility rate among women aged 25 to 29 fell about 4.4%, while the rate for women aged 30 to 34 rose about 2.7% from 2024, the data showed.

Advertisement Advertisement

Fertility rates among teenagers also declined sharply, with the rate for those aged 18 to 19 falling 7% and the rate for younger teens aged 15 to 17 dropping 11%, both reaching record lows.

The provisional data is based on 99.95% of all birth records received and processed last year by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the CDC, as of February 3, 2026.

(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai and Leroy Leo)
By Mike Scarcella and Jack Queen

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge in Washington ruled on Thursday the Pentagon is hampering journalists in defiance of a court order that required it to restore access to credentialed reporters covering the seat of U.S. military power.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said the Defense Department must comply with his earlier order that sided with The New York Times and other news organizations challenging restrictions imposed last year.

Advertisement Advertisement

"The Department cannot simply reinstate an unlawful policy under the guise of taking 'new' action and expect the Court to look the other way," Friedman wrote in his ruling. The judge called the Pentagon's actions a "blatant attempt to circumvent a lawful order of the Court."

Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell said on social media the Pentagon fully complied with the court's order and plans to appeal the latest ruling.

A New York Times spokesperson praised the ruling in a statement and called the Pentagon's revised policy a "poorly disguised attempt" to violate the legal rights of journalists.

Friedman at a March 30 hearing had expressed concerns the Pentagon had issued revised restrictions for journalists earlier in the month that went even further than those he previously blocked.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in October that journalists could be deemed security risks and have their press badges revoked if they solicited unauthorized military personnel to disclose classified, and in some cases unclassified, information.

Of the 56 news outlets in the Pentagon Press Association, only one agreed to sign an acknowledgment of the policy, with reporters who did not sign surrendering their press passes to the Pentagon.

Friedman ruled on March 20 the policy violated protections for news gathering and due process in the U.S. Constitution. He issued an injunction requiring reporters' credentials to be restored immediately.

The New York Times, the lead plaintiff in the suit, told Friedman the Pentagon had not complied with his order but instead released what it called a new "interim" policy defying the court ruling.

Advertisement Advertisement

The policy, the Times said, bars reporters with press passes from entering the building without an escort, sets up rules governing when a reporter can offer anonymity to a source and leaves in place other rules that the court order rejected.

In a court filing in March, the Pentagon denied violating Friedman's prior order. "The Department was careful to address all of the legal defects that the court perceived in the prior policy," it said.

The Pentagon Press Association said the Pentagon's new rules are "a clear violation of the letter and spirit" of Friedmans ruling. Reuters is a member of the association, which includes the Times, ABC News, Fox News and other outlets.

(Reporting by Mike Scarcella; Editing by David Bario, David Gaffen and Chris Reese)
TAIPEI, April 9 (Reuters) - Taiwan's parliament should pass a stalled special defence budget to send a signal to China and the world that it is serious about peace through strength, U.S. Senator Jim Banks said during a meeting with President Lai Ching-te in Taipei.

Lai last year proposed $40 billion in extra defence spending to counter China, which views the island as its own territory.

Parliament, where the opposition has a majority, is continuing to debate the government's plan and competing, less expensive proposals.

Advertisement Advertisement

According to a video of the meeting provided by Lai's office, Banks, a Republican who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told him on Wednesday that the Taiwanese president was providing leadership in expanding defence spending similar to that of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has proposed $1.5 trillion in defence spending.

"But your Legislative Yuan has to do its part and pass the special budget, and that's one message that I want to send to your leadership," Banks added, using the formal name for Taiwan's parliament.

"When you pass the special budget in the legislature, that is a signal to China, and to the rest of the world, that Taiwan is serious about peace through strength," he said. "I appreciate President Lai's leadership in making that happen."

Banks was one of a group of 37 bipartisan U.S. lawmakers who in February wrote to senior Taiwanese politicians expressing concern about parliament stalling defence spending plans.

Advertisement Advertisement

A separate group of U.S. lawmakers gave a similar message urging parliament to pass the defence spending during a visit to Taipei last week.

Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan's largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), is currently on a visit to China where she could meet President Xi Jinping.

The KMT says it supports defence spending but will not sign "blank cheques" and that dialogue with Beijing is equally important.

Lai told Banks that Taiwan "loved peace" but only strength could ensure it.

"Taiwan is willing to engage in dialogue, but no engagement can come at the cost of sacrificing democracy, freedom, and national interests," he added.

Advertisement Advertisement

China refuses to speak to Lai, saying he is a "separatist". He rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Kate Mayberry)
KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) said Wednesday that it is intensifying efforts to support Malaysian exporters in navigating challenges arising from the ongoing Middle East crisis.

MATRADE remains committed to ensuring exporters are well-informed, agile and prepared as geopolitical tensions continue to reshape global trade routes, increase logistics costs and shift market dynamics, the agency said in a statement after a webinar on the Middle East crisis.

MATRADE chief executive officer Abu Bakar Yusof said the agency is working closely with its overseas network and industry players to ensure businesses remain informed and resilient.

Meanwhile, panelists in the webinar urged exporters to adopt proactive and adaptive strategies, including diversifying into new markets, adjusting shipment terms, strengthening buyer verification, and leveraging digitalization and artificial intelligence to improve efficiency.

Despite rising logistics costs, the situation remains manageable, with new trade routes and partnerships emerging, said MATRADE, adding that Malaysia is well-positioned to strengthen its role as a reliable and strategic supplier in global markets. 
By Nora Eckert and David Shepardson

WARREN, Michigan/WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Thursday that President Donald Trump's administration does not plan any changes to a crackdown on vehicle hardware and software from China, which effectively bars Chinese cars from the U.S. market.

The rules were adopted in January 2025 under President Joe Biden, based on national security concerns linked to the ability of vehicles to collect sensitive data on American owners.

Advertisement Advertisement

The rules imposed a sweeping ban on the use of key Chinese software and hardware in vehicles on American roads. The software prohibitions took effect in March, and those on hardware take effect n 2029.

"We don't see any change in that -- so it seems like it would probably be difficult for certain countries to establish new production here, given those sets of rules," Greer said.

He said U.S. officials plan a video conference with Chinese officials to discuss "deliverables" for President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May but the auto sector is not on the agenda.

"We really coalesced around a handful of areas where we want to have outcomes, nothing really directly on the auto industry, specifically right now," Greer said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Lawmakers from both parties in Congress oppose letting Chinese automakers open plants in the U.S. In January, Trump said he was open to Chinese automakers building vehicles here.

"If they want to come in and build a plant and hire you and hire your friends and your neighbors, thats great, I love that," Trump told the Detroit Economic Club.

Last week, Democratic senators Tammy Baldwin, Elissa Slotkin and Chuck Schumer urged Trump to bar Chinese automakers from building vehicles in the U.S. and to prevent Chinese cars assembled in Mexico or Canada from entering the country.

"We must be clear-eyed that inviting Chinas automakers to set up shop in the United States would confer an insurmountable economic advantage impossible for American automakers to overcome, and it would trigger a national security crisis that could never be reversed," the lawmakers said in a letter to Trump first reported by Reuters.

Advertisement Advertisement

Greer said it was unclear if Chinese vehicles operated by Canadian consumers could be driven across the border.

"I don't know how that will be resolved," Greer said.

The ban has the strong backing of major carmakers --including General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai -- and other auto groups. Last month, auto trade groups representing nearly all major car companies urged the U.S. government to keep Chinese carmakers out of the country.

Last week, Republican Senator Bernie Moreno said he will propose legislation to seal off the U.S. so "there's never a scenario where a Chinese automobile will enter our market, that's hardware, that's software, that's partnerships."

(Reporting by Nora Eckert in Warren, David Shepardson in Washington and David Lawder in Chicago; Editing by David Gregorio)
Vice President JD Vance suggested that the European Union was interfering with the upcoming Hungarian election, while Vance himself is on a visit to Budapest aimed at boosting strongman Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chances of winning a tough battle for another term.

Vance said Wednesday that there'd been a "lot of conversation about foreign influence" in U.S. elections, adding that he had been accused of such by coming to Hungary to support Orban, a nationalist and self-proclaimed proponent of "illiberal democracy."

"That's foreign influence. But what's not foreign influence is when the European Union threatens billions of dollars withheld from Hungary because you guys protect your borders. That's apparently not foreign influence," Vance said.

Advertisement Advertisement

"I find it darkly ironic that people are accusing me of engaging in some kind of foreign influence. All that we're saying is that Viktor Orban, he does a good job," the vice president added.

Orban is seeking his fifth consecutive term in office. Elections are set for Sunday, April 12.

The Associated Press reports most independent polls show Orban and his party, Fidesz, running a double-digit deficit behind his main opponent, Peter Magyar, among decided voters.

Freedom House, a democracy-oriented U.S.-based nonprofit, designates Hungary as only "partly free," citing issues with less-than-free-and-fair elections and a stifling of independent institutions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Under Orban, the country has also strengthened its alliance with Russia. Still, the Hungarian leader has received support from the Republican Party and President Trump has long launded Orban. When Vance called Mr. Trump in front of a crowd of thousands in Budapest on Tuesday, the president praised the prime minister.

"I love Hungary and I love that Viktor," Mr. Trump said through the speakerphone.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, left, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance gesture at the end of a pre-election rally in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. / Credit: Denes Erdos / AP (Denes Erdos / AP)

Vance says he is in Hungary "to help" Orban

Vance said Tuesday that he was there "to help" Orban with his reelection bid. During Tuesday's news conference, he told the crowd that "we have got to get Viktor Orban reelected as prime minister of Hungary."

Advertisement Advertisement

Vance portrayed Hungary as a beacon of Western civilization at a time of rampant immigration and liberalism.

"I'm here because of the moral cooperation between our two countries," Vance said. "Because what the United States and Hungary together represent under Viktor's leadership and under President Trump's is the defense of Western civilization. The defense of the idea that children should be able to go to school and get educated and not indoctrinated. The defense of the idea that European and American families should be able to transport themselves and be able to afford to heat and cool their homes. The defense of the idea that we are founded on a certain Christian civilization and Christian values that animate everything from freedom of speech to rule of law to respect for minority rights and protection of the vulnerable."

Vance called on Hungarian voters to "stand against the bureaucrats in Brussels," referring to European Union leadership. He said while he did not expect "the people of Hungary to listen to the vice president of the United States," he wanted his presence to "send a signal to everybody," including EU leaders, whom he accused of doing "everything that they can to hold down the people of Hungary, because they don't like the leader, who has actually stood up for the people of Hungary."

"Will you stand for sovereignty and democracy? Will you stand for Western civilization? Will you stand for freedom, for truth and for the God of our fathers?" Vance asked. "Then my friends, go to the polls in the weekend, stand with Viktor Orban because he stands for you and he stands for all these things."

U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium in Budapest on April 8, 2026, on the second day of his visit to Hungary. / Credit: Attila KISBENEDEK /AFP via Getty Images

EU officials respond to Vance remarks

Advertisement Advertisement

European Union officials quickly hit back at Vance's claims. European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier told CBS News that "in Europe, elections are the sole choice of citizens."

"Together, the Commission and Member States are building a stronger, more independent Europe," Regnier said. He also praised the Digital Services Act, which he said requires online platforms "to mitigate risks to protect our democracies."

"In Europe, elections are not the choice of Big Tech and their algorithms," Regnier said.

Regarding Vance's statements about the EU, Regnier referred to comments made earlier Wednesday by the EU's foreign spokesperson, Anitta Hipper. She told reporters that the EU has "our diplomatic channels and we will be using these also to convey our concerns to our U.S. counterparts."

Advertisement Advertisement

Pressed further on what the nature of the concerns was, she said the EU was "not in the business of disclosing what we talk about with our partners."

Army survivor says Kuwait post was known target for Iranian drone strike before attack

Latest news on U.S.-Iran ceasefire after Trump issues new threats, Israel strikes Lebanon

Republican Clay Fuller to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in House, CBS News projects
In an overwhelming vote by Washington state legislators, Tesla will no longer be the only electric vehicle manufacturer allowed to sell directly to consumers in the state.

According to Electrek, since 2014, Tesla has taken sole advantage of a franchise model that has allowed it to bypass locally owned dealerships and sell directly to buyers. Senate Bill 6354 changes this dynamic.

The bill passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support, and it now awaits a signature from Washington Governor Bob Ferguson. If the bill becomes law, it would open the door for Rivian and Lucid, two EV rivals of Tesla, to sell their vehicles directly to consumers in the state.

Advertisement Advertisement

Although both Rivian and Lucid have showrooms in Washington, under the previous rules, customers would have to go online or travel to neighboring states to purchase the EV. In turn, consumers could walk into a showroom and ask questions about the different models, but they were barred from buying the car in-store.

This limited options for buyers looking to tap into the estimated $1,500 in annual fuel and maintenance savings that come with upgrading to an EV. These savings can be pushed even higher for EV owners who swap more expensive electricity rates at public charging stations for cheaper rates at home.

If you're looking to save on charging costs, consider upgrading your garage with a Level 2 charger through TCD partner Qmerit. It can provide free estimates for the best charger installation based on your home and budget.

As Electrek observed, Washington's move is part of a growing trend of U.S. states changing their EV sales laws. Some, like Colorado, have passed similar laws allowing greater freedom for EV manufacturers, while others, like Michigan, have closed the door to all EV direct sales except for Teslas.

Advertisement Advertisement

The commenters in the Electrek article were quick to add their thoughts.

"This is great news for consumers," one wrote.

"Every EV maker needs to do this," another added.

If similar bills are introduced in other states, it could be easier for drivers to hop on the EV wave. The improvement of EV technology and the expansion of public charging stations have made the switch as simple as ever.

If you install a Level 2 charger via Qmerit, you can save big on charging costs while ditching public stations altogether.

Plus, for homeowners who own solar, EVs make even more sense. By using solar energy to charge, you can recharge your car for much less than accessing power from the grid.

Advertisement Advertisement

If you're interested in switching to solar energy, check out TCD's Solar Explorer. It can help you understand your options and reduce installation costs.

By simplifying the process with concierge-level service, homeowners can save up to $10,000 by receiving competitive bids from vetted solar partners.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices  and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
For decades, young men living in Utah and across the country have registered for the U.S. military draft pool  aka Selective Service  by going online or mailing in selective service cards.

Thats likely changing this year.

Beginning in December, the Selective Service System is expected to move to automated registration for eligible men ages 18-25. No more need to self-register.

On March 30, the federal agency submitted a proposed rule for automatic registration to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which will review and finalize the change.

Advertisement Advertisement

Registering with the Selective Service System allows the federal government to maintain an up-to-date roster of eligible young men who could be conscripted into military service in the event of a national emergency such as a large-scale war.

The United States hasnt exercised a military draft in over a half-century, ending in 1973. So the task of self-registering has become something of a formality  a rite of passage for young men.

The country has long maintained its all-volunteer military force.

But although the military draft ended decades ago, the government still wants to keep track  via the Selective Service System  of young men who could be called into military service, if needed.

Advertisement Advertisement

The system is also authorized to manage an alternative program for conscientious objectors.

Federal law requires all male U.S. citizens and male immigrants to register with the selective service at age 18. Women are not required to register.

And required young men who neglect to add their names to the registry could face consequences.

A man who fails to register may be ineligible for opportunities important to his future, according to the selective service site.

He must register to be eligible for state-funded student financial aid and employment in many states, most federal employment, job training under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and U.S. citizenship for immigrant men.

Advertisement Advertisement

For young men who are required to register with the SSS, failure to do so is also a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or five years imprisonment.

Prosecutions are extremely rare, but the selective service maintains the authority of referring names of suspected violators to the Justice Department for possible criminal charges, according to USA Today.

Trump champions selective service automation

The SSSs anticipated automated registry was prompted by President Donald Trump, who ordered the shift from self-registration last year. It was later approved by Congress under the National Defense Authorization Act.

This statutory change transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to the selective service through integration with federal data sources, according to the program website.

Advertisement Advertisement

SSS will implement the change by December 2026, resulting in a streamlined registration process and corresponding workforce realignment.

Modernizing legacy conscription applications will ensure secure, reliable systems are ready in the event of a national emergency.

The selective service will utilize $6 million from the federal governments Technology Modernization Fund.

Americas military conscription history

The American military conflict in Iran  which is currently on hold during a precarious ceasefire  has expectedly prompted new interest and discussion surrounding the possibility of future military drafts.

The United States has used conscription systems since the Revolutionary War era. A military draft was used in World War I, but was dissolved at the end of the conflict.

Advertisement Advertisement

In 1940, prior to the nations entry into World War II, the first peacetime draft was enacted in response to increased global tensions. That allowed the country to rapidly meet wartime manpower needs following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, according to the selective service website.

The military draft ended following World War II, but was reenacted a short time later during the chill of the Cold War.

From 1948 until 1973, during both peacetime and periods of conflict, men were drafted to fill vacancies in the armed forces which could not be filled through voluntary means, according to the selective service.

Induction authority expired in 1973, but the Selective Service System remained in existence in standby to support the all-volunteer force in case of an emergency.

Advertisement Advertisement

Registration was suspended early in 1975 and the Selective Service System entered into deep standby.

Bringing back the military draft would require an act of Congress  and lawmakers have not signaled any such interest.
Coyotes strutting about downtown Milwaukee might seem a bit far-fetched, but the truth is they often find their way into urban centers.

There have been 47 coyote sightings posted to Milwaukee's coyote map on iNaturalist so far in 2026.

So far, the sightings have been a pleasure for many. Jeff Koehler in southwest Milwaukee said his late January sighting was quite fun, actually.

A coyote spotted by Milwaukee resident Jeff Koehler in Zablocki Park on Jan. 30.

A very low-key animal, except when an ambulance went by. It was like music to them, and they would join in with their howling, Koehler said.

Advertisement Advertisement

February, March and April carry the most observations each year. Since iNaturalist started taking Milwaukee coyote observations in 2016, February averages 22 sightings per year, March averages 11 and April averages seven annually.

While the creatures have not been much to consider this year so far, coyotes pup season is here, meaning their presence in urban and suburban areas could become more hostile than the rest of the year.

When do coyotes start pupping season in Wisconsin?

While late winter brought a rise in sightings, expect the trend to reverse while coyotes retreat to dens to take care of pups for a few months.

According to Milwaukee County Parks, mating season takes place from February through March and litters are born after 9 weeks of gestation between April and May.

Advertisement Advertisement

With the resources available to urban coyotes, the average coyote births six new pups.

A coyote is seen in a residential yard in Bayside on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024.

What should I do if I come across a coyote during pup season?

Coyotes are naturally more intolerant of dogs and humans when pups are on the line. They will attack and bite if they feel threatened, but there are plenty of ways to avoid a canine clash.

When coyotes follow humans and their pets around, its unlikely they are stalking for prey if youre in their territory. More likely, experts say the coyotes are escorting outsiders away from their pup-filled dens.

This measure is mostly preventative and coyotes typically wont seek a confrontation. Milwaukee County Parks still advises leaving the area with confidence and speed without full-on running away to avoid an attack, especially during pup season.

Advertisement Advertisement

Energy needs skyrocket during pupping season, so coyotes have been known to grab outdoor cats if an opportunity arises.

While hazing coyotes by yelling, throwing objects or other deterring actions can work in some situations, it can escalate aggression further during pup season.

Where do coyotes typically roost in Milwaukee?

According to the community-contributed iNaturalist map, coyotes can be seen in more places than not in Milwaukee.

The heaviest presences are in public parks, especially those with easier access to water features. In 2026, users reported many coyotes in Riverwest, Shorewood and Wauwatosa.

Advertisement Advertisement

The iNaturalist map is a major resource for Milwaukee County Parks to locate coyote dens.

When the Parks department finds a den in a public area, officials will post temporary signs around the den to caution and educate passersby. The signs include tips on safely navigating coyote encounters if a run-in occurs.

Generally, humans and pets alike should stay away from thick patches of brush where dens are most common.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to do if you see an urban coyote in Wisconsin
A woman was arrested for allegedly pretending to be a Florida police officer who was conducting a fake investigation of stolen diamonds.

Annie Flaherty is charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to a complaint affidavit obtained by Oxygen.com, a third-degree felony. Flaherty has not yet been assigned an attorney, a spokesperson from the Broward County Public Defenders Office told Oxygen.com, and it is unclear whether she has entered a plea.

On April 4, Broward County police responded to an Oakland Park home, where the occupants, according to the affidavit, had reported a "suspicious" incident through their Ring camera.

Annie Flaherty Broward County Sheriff's Office.jpg

Their next-door neighborwhom police identified as Flahertyhad allegedly knocked on their door wearing a police-style badge on her hip, according to the affidavit, and identified herself as a Miami-Dade police officer investigating three stolen diamonds. Flaherty allegedly told her neighbors that she was looking for an individual named Eva.

Advertisement Advertisement

The occupants told Flaherty that no one named Eva resided at that address and they had no knowledge of stolen property, per the affidavit, however Flaherty allegedly said she would obtain a search warrant for the home and left.

Then, Flaherty allegedly approached another home, where she told the occupant that she represented a law enforcement agency according to the affidavit, and reiterated the fake investigation.

For more true crime news:

Manhunt Underway for Florida Woman Accused of Stealing HOA Funds for Plastic Surgery, Vacations

Mom Convicted of Choking, Beating Child With Belt Until Teachers Stepped In

Toddler Injured by Wolf at Zoo While Parents Were Allegedly on Their Phones

Flaherty allegedly told police that she had identified herself to neighbors as a government official, per the affidavit, but denied naming Miami-Dade authorities.

Advertisement Advertisement

Court records show that on April 7, Flaherty posted a $1,500 bond and was released from Broward County jail. Conditions of her pre-trial release include submitting to a mental health evaluation within 10 days of her release, per court records, and she cannot return to the locations of either incident.

It is unclear from court documents when Flaherty will appear in court.
A Washington state woman was seen smiling in court this week after she was sentenced to serve 28 years in prison in connection to her fathers slaying.

Alyssa Bradburn was sentenced Thursday, April 2, in Spokane County Superior Court to serve 340 months in prison. She was given her sentence about one month after a jury found her guilty of first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement for her involvement in the 2024 killing of her father, Timothy Bradburn.

Prosecutors said that Bradburn, 33, showed little emotion throughout the trial and she was even seen smiling at certain times. She also sported a bald head throughout the hearing.

Advertisement Advertisement

The odd behavior continued when she said she "enjoyed" the trial process. However, she added that she believed she deserved punishment for the crime and would accept her sentence.

Woman Gave Father of Her Children a Massage Before She Killed Him and His Parents

"I killed Tim Bradburn, and I am guilty," she said during trial while smiling, according to The Spokesman-Review. "Im not afraid anymore. Im OK with going to prison for however long."

Bradburn was arrested after she called 911 on June 25, 2024, and reported that she shot her father when he returned home from a trip to Hawaii, according to court documents and testimony cited by prosecutors.

Advertisement Advertisement

She told dispatchers that his body was in the entryway of their home and that she would be waiting outside for police upon their arrival.

Timothy was ambushed as he walked through the front door of their home, according to investigators.

While speaking to detectives, Bradburn said she believed she shot her father three times: twice in the chest and once in the head. However, an autopsy later revealed that he had actually been shot four times.

Upon further investigation, prosecutors said the killing was deliberate.

Bradburn said she started planning her fathers murder weeks in advance, and she admitted to practicing with the firearm inside the home and got help loading it at a gun range.

Advertisement Advertisement

Additionally, Bradburn journaled about the plan to kill her father just days before the shooting.

"The evidence demonstrated an extreme and elaborate degree of planning," Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Emily Sullivan said during the trial.

Ohio Dance Instructor Opened Fire at Party After Her Husband and Boyfriend Learned About Her Affair

Bradburn initially claimed she acted in self-defense and alleged that her father abused her and her dogs, according to FOX 28 Spokane. However, she later withdrew the allegations.

Judge Julie McKay spoke about her decision to sentence Bradburn to 280 months, plus the 60-month firearm enhancement, which came out to a total of 340 months.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Unfortunately, the crime Ms. Bradburn decided to start her criminal history with is the most significant and serious that we have," McKay said during the sentencing.

Bradburn was also ordered to serve 36 months of community custody, she must pay restitution related to her fathers death and she is permanently barred from contacting her brother.
Achoo fly? One Greek womans close encounter with a family of sheep bot flies is nothing to sneeze at.

It all started next to a field of grazing sheep in Greece, where an unidentified 58-year-old was working outdoors in the dry September heat.

She noticed numerous flies swarming around her face, according to a new medical report, and about a week later, she began experiencing pain in her sinuses.

The sheep bot fly is a parasite that typically grows and molts inside the nasal passages of sheep and goats before being deposited in the soil for pupation. Inna  stock.adobe.com

The next few weeks brought severe coughing, but no other symptoms.

Advertisement Advertisement

Until one day, Oct. 15 to be exact, she sneezed out a worm.

Soon after, an ear, nose and throat doctor got to work surgically removing 10 larvae and a pupa  a teenage insect between the larval and adult stages  from the big sinuses on the side of her nose.

With the help of some nasal decongestants, the woman made a full recovery, and none of her co-workers came forward with similar symptoms.

DNA testing of the dislodged critters, one of which was almost an inch long, revealed they were baby sheep bot flies (Oestrus ovis), a parasite with a well-documented history of taking up residence in the nasal passages of sheep and goats.

Advertisement Advertisement

Less so in humans.

Doctors extracted 10 larvae and one pupa from the womans sinuses. Ilias P. Kioulos, Emmanouil Kokkas, and Evangelia-Theophano Piperak

So how did this horror show wriggle into being?

There have been a handful of cases of these flies setting up shop in human cavities, most commonly around the eyes  a condition known as ophthalmic myiasis  rather than in the nose or mouth. Historically, the larvae in those cases were unable to develop past the first larval stage into full wormlike creatures.

In recent years, thats changed a bit. There have been reports of later-stage larvae growing in people, especially when the person exhibits immunosuppression or has traumatic or anatomic abnormalities of the nasal passages.

Advertisement Advertisement

The 58-year-old wormectomy patient  whose official diagnosis was O. ovis nasal myiasis with pupation  apparently had a seriously deviated septum, keeping the interlopers from being sucked into the nasal passages and allowing them to camp out in the sinuses.

There, they could proceed with their development and even reach the pupation stage  something scientists thought was hitherto biologically implausible in any mammal, including in their usual ruminant hosts. (Usually, the larvae grow and molt inside the nasal passages of sheep and goats and are later expelled into the soil, where they pupate.)

Later-stage larvae that get trapped in an animals sinuses havent been known to pupate, the report explained. Instead, they desiccate, liquefy or calcify, sometimes leading to bacterial superinfection.

The black casing is a remnant of the pupa. Ilias P. Kioulos, Emmanouil Kokkas, and Evangelia-Theophano Piperaki

Buzzkill.

Advertisement Advertisement

In general, healthy, well-functioning sinuses arent an ideal landing pad for these baby flies, as certain biological elements create hostile conditions for pupation: Theyre not the right temperature, humidity levels are wrong, and there are all kinds of mucuses and immune response bacteria that get in the way of pupal development.

Doctors in this case believe the patients septum deviation made the difference, somehow changing the environment of the sinuses enough to give the larvae a cozy shelter.

The researchers also posed a disturbing alternative: Maybe this womans nightmare head cold was an early sign that the sheep bot fly was adapting into a human bot fly, enabling O. ovis parasites to complete their life cycle in humans.

But before the science fiction junkies and doomsday-ers get too ahead of themselves, it would behoove us all to see some more research on the flys actual capabilities.
Two weeks before a state-employed caregiver was fired for the alleged abuse of a resident, the state agency that regulates Iowa care facilities concluded the allegations against the worker were unfounded.

State unemployment records indicate that in May 2022, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services hired Felix Ngala as a full-time residential treatment worker.

The records show that in May 2025, Ngala, 62, was sitting on a sofa inside a residential house at the Woodward Resource Center for disabled adults, completing work tasks on a laptop computer. One of the residents for whom he was caring began hovering over Ngala, asking about snacks. At some point, according to the subsequent findings of an administrative law judge, the resident grabbed Ngalas laptop, and Ngala responded by attempting to kick the resident.

Advertisement Advertisement

The resident fell into a chair and was then approached by Ngala, at which point the resident began attempting to kick Ngala. According to the judges findings, Ngala grabbed the residents leg and pushed it into the residents chest and the altercation ended.

The resident then reported the incident to an administrator who began investigating the matter by reviewing video footage. Ngala was then placed on paid administrative leave. According to the judges findings, during an interview with his superiors, Ngala admitted he had attempted to kick the resident, grabbed their leg and pushed it into their chest.

DHHS then sent information about the incident to the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which investigates allegations of dependent adult abuse.

According to the judges findings in the case, DIAL concluded on June 19, 2025, that the allegation Ngala had committed abuse was unfounded. Eight days later, DHHS concluded its own investigation and determined Ngala had violated the agencys policy prohibiting dependent adult abuse. DHHS also found Ngala failed to follow his training on deescalation techniques.

Advertisement Advertisement

State records indicate DHHS had disciplined Ngala on three prior occasions  once for not following the behavior support plan for a resident, and twice for not following the employers rules about the ratio of employees to residents.

On July 10, 2025, DHHS fired Ngala. According to the state records, Ngala then began collecting unemployment, which DHHS challenged in November 2025. On March 18, 2026, a hearing on the matter was held before Administrative Law Judge Daniel Zeno.

In a recently published ruling, Zeno concluded Ngala was entitled to unemployment benefits, finding that DHHS had never previously warned Mr. Ngala about the policy prohibiting abuse. As a result, Zeno said, DHHS had not met its burden of proof to establish that Ngala had acted deliberately or with recurrent negligence. Zeno also noted that DHHS chose to wait for DIALs conclusions to its investigation, and then chose to wait an additional two weeks to fire Ngala.

There was no necessity for the employer to wait this long before taking action on Mr. Ngalas employment, Zeno stated in his ruling, noting that in order to disqualify a worker from collecting benefits, an act of workplace misconduct must be current to their firing.

State records indicate Ngala was paid roughly $85,000 per year prior to his firing last year.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
TOKYO, April 9 (Xinhua) -- A second-hand luxury store in Tokyo was broken into on Wednesday, with items valued at around 127 million yen (around 800,000 U.S. dollars) stolen, local media reported.

The break-in took place at around 3:10 a.m. local time at a shop in Shibuya Ward with no injuries reported. About 80 bags, two watches, and five accessories were taken, Kyodo News reported, citing local police.

Police were alerted by a security company after the store's alarm was triggered. Upon arrival, officers found the store's shutter had been forced open and display cases smashed, but the suspects had already fled the scene.

Surveillance camera footage and witness accounts indicated that at least three masked individuals carried out the burglary before fleeing in a white van, the report said. 
A member of armed security personnel is seen at a checkpoint in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9, 2026. Long-awaited negotiations between the United States and Iran are set to take place in Islamabad. Pakistan has prepared a comprehensive plan to ensure foolproof security for all visiting foreign guests, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

ISLAMABAD, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has prepared a comprehensive plan to ensure foolproof security for all visiting foreign guests, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday.

The statement came as Pakistan is set to host the "Islamabad Talks" between Iran and the United States aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East following the recently announced two-week ceasefire between the two countries.

According to Iranian Students' News Agency, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf will head a negotiating team for talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Islamabad. 

A policeman checks motorbike riders at a checkpoint in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9, 2026. Long-awaited negotiations between the United States and Iran are set to take place in Islamabad. Pakistan has prepared a comprehensive plan to ensure foolproof security for all visiting foreign guests, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

Armed rangers are seen on a road in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9, 2026. Long-awaited negotiations between the United States and Iran are set to take place in Islamabad. Pakistan has prepared a comprehensive plan to ensure foolproof security for all visiting foreign guests, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

A policeman checks a vehicle at a checkpoint in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9, 2026. Long-awaited negotiations between the United States and Iran are set to take place in Islamabad. Pakistan has prepared a comprehensive plan to ensure foolproof security for all visiting foreign guests, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

Policemen check motorbike riders at a checkpoint in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9, 2026. Long-awaited negotiations between the United States and Iran are set to take place in Islamabad. Pakistan has prepared a comprehensive plan to ensure foolproof security for all visiting foreign guests, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

A member of armed security personnel is seen at a checkpoint in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9, 2026. Long-awaited negotiations between the United States and Iran are set to take place in Islamabad. Pakistan has prepared a comprehensive plan to ensure foolproof security for all visiting foreign guests, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

(260408) -- ISLAMABAD, April 8, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A policeman checks a vehicle at a police check point in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on April 8, 2026. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran would be participating in the negotiations in Islamabad during his phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a statement from the Pakistani Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

(260408) -- ISLAMABAD, April 8, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A policeman stands guard at a police check point in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on April 8, 2026. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran would be participating in the negotiations in Islamabad during his phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a statement from the Pakistani Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

(260408) -- ISLAMABAD, April 8, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Vehicles drive past a police check point in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on April 8, 2026. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran would be participating in the negotiations in Islamabad during his phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a statement from the Pakistani Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)
By BRENDA MOSELEY

[email protected]

HURLEY - A jury convicted a Montreal man of false imprisonment, simple battery and disorderly conduct, but acquitted him of strangulation and suffocation following an April 2 trial at the Iron County Courthouse.

False imprisonment is a felony, whereas simple battery and disorderly conduct are misdemeanors.

The charges for Charles Maslanka stem from a Nov. 7, 2024, altercation between him and his longtime partner, Stevie LaFortune, at their Saxon home. Both said their 16-year relationship ended that night, but their accounts differed sharply.

District A...
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Deanna Hope Blaschke (nee Gilbertson), 85, of Waukesha, passed away on Feb. 23, 2026, surrounded by her family.

Born on April 7, 1940, in Wakefield, Michigan, Deanna was the beloved daughter of Garvin and Kathryn (Pavlovich) Gilbertson. Growing up in Marenisco, Michigan, she was the oldest of 12 siblings, a role that helped shape her strong, spirited personality and lifelong devotion to family.

Deanna was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne Blaschke, with whom she shared many cherished years and memories, including their many trips to Mexico. She was also preceded in death by two younger brothers, Bud Gilbertson and Rod Gilbertson, as well as three siblings who died in childhood.

She is survived by her daughters, Darcy (Andrew) Randall and Roxanne (Darryl) Blaschke; her grandchildren, Alex (Melanie) and Claire (Maverick); and her great-grandson, Luka Wayne. She is also survived by six siblings, Pat (Bob) Maki, Donna Heaton, Betsy (Dave) Whitley, Bambi (Tim) Mattson, Barbi (Craig) Farrell and Brian (MiHwa) Gilbertson; and many extended family members and dear friends.

Deanna was known for her spicy personality, strong will and big heart. She cared deeply for her family and never hesitated to speak her mind. She had a special talent for finding a great deal and took joy in the thrill of the hunt, always proud of a bargain well found.

She maintained many close friendships throughout her life, staying in touch with friends from all over, a testament to the lasting impression she made on those who knew her. Above all, Deanna will be remembered for her love of family, her strength, her humor and the vibrant presence she brought into every room. Deanna's memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.

A memorial gathering will be held this summer at Lake Gogebic. Details will be shared with family and friends.
IRONWOOD, Mich. - Helen Marie Peterson passed away peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, at Westgate Nursing Home in Ironwood, with family by her side. Helen was born on Oct. 6, 1935, to John B. and Gertrude (Mattila) Peterson of Hurley, Wisconsin.

Helen grew up on the family farm and graduated from the Hurley High School. Shortly after graduation she moved to Illinois, where she was employed for many years as a nanny for four children. When her father's health declined, Helen returned to Hurley and became his full-time caregiver. She was a quiet, kind and gentle soul, who loved family gatherings, along with spending time with her nieces and nephews. Helen and her special friend, John Kytola, spent many years together spoiling their dog, Rexy.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Henry and Richard; and special friend, John Kytola.

She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, John G. "Jerry" and Billie Peterson of Ironwood; along with numerous nieces and nephews and their families, who continue to miss her presence. Helen also made many special friendships at the Pioneer Park Apartments, where she resided for many years, and at Westgate.

A private graveside service was held on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, at the Riverside Cemetery. If you would like to join the family in remembrance, a celebration of Helen's life will be held on Saturday, April 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Peterson Homestead in Hurley.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, offer an act of kindness to a loved one or stranger.

Helen's family is grateful for the wonderful care she received at Westgate and appreciates the assistance from Jerald Rocco with her funeral arrangements.

Fly with the angels, "Auntie."
Participants view an autonomous electric vehicle (EV) charging vehicle during the EV & Charging Expo 2026 in Toronto, Canada, on April 8, 2026. Exploring electric vehicles and charging solutions for fleets, buildings and commercial sites, the two-day event kicked off here on Wednesday, with about 2,000 attendees from more than 800 organizations. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

Participants visit the EV & Charging Expo 2026 in Toronto, Canada, on April 8, 2026. Exploring electric vehicles and charging solutions for fleets, buildings and commercial sites, the two-day event kicked off here on Wednesday, with about 2,000 attendees from more than 800 organizations. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

A man views an electric vehicle (EV) charging device during the EV & Charging Expo 2026 in Toronto, Canada, on April 8, 2026. Exploring electric vehicles and charging solutions for fleets, buildings and commercial sites, the two-day event kicked off here on Wednesday, with about 2,000 attendees from more than 800 organizations. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

Technicians demonstrate the battery structure of an electric vehicle (EV) during the EV & Charging Expo 2026 in Toronto, Canada, on April 8, 2026. Exploring electric vehicles and charging solutions for fleets, buildings and commercial sites, the two-day event kicked off here on Wednesday, with about 2,000 attendees from more than 800 organizations. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
VIENTIANE, April 9 (Xinhua) -- As the sun blazes relentlessly across Laos, authorities are warning of extreme heat that poses serious health risks and increases the potential for fires, while residents feel its burn as they cope with stifling temperatures in their daily lives.

The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology issued a notice on Thursday warning of extreme heat, forecasting temperatures of up to 43 degrees Celsius across Laos from April 10 to 16. Authorities caution that high temperatures will persist across all regions, with some areas expected to experience particularly intense heat during the afternoons for several consecutive days.

As temperatures climb, residents are feeling the heat on their skin in their daily routines and are finding ways to cool down to cope with the scorching conditions.

"I feel like the heat is getting worse every year. It's as if the sun is burning me every day," said Sing, a street vendor in the Lao capital.

Fanning himself with a small piece of cardboard, Sing explained that even standing still can be exhausting. "Sometimes, even in the morning, it already feels warm and uncomfortable," he added.

As he sells on the streets and watches people walk under the blazing sun without umbrellas, Sing expressed concern for their safety, especially elderly residents. He also hopes that workplaces and schools can reduce outdoor activities to minimize the risk of heat-related illness.

"Since we have to live with these conditions, we need to adapt and protect ourselves from the dangers of extreme heat," he said. "Even simple actions, like sitting in the shade or drinking plenty of water, can make a difference."

Even those who spend most of their time indoors are feeling the impact of the extreme heat. Jang, an office worker in Vientiane, said the weather has become so hot that even sitting in an air-conditioned room can make her sweat. "The air conditioning just can't keep up with the heat these days," she explained.

She added that, living in a hot country like Laos, many people often underestimate the serious health risks posed by extreme heat.

Jang also shared how the heat is affecting her personal plans. "If these high temperatures continue, I'll have to change how we celebrate the Lao New Year. Instead of playing outdoors, we'll celebrate at home to protect myself and my family from heat-related illnesses."

Bounphanh, a 62-year-old resident of Vientiane, said that even walking a short distance under the sun makes him feel dizzy. "Sitting outside my house, enjoying the fresh air and watching the surroundings used to make me feel refreshed by the cool breeze," he said. "But in the past few days, it doesn't feel the same anymore."

From a youth perspective, Sonthichak, a student in Vientiane, expressed concern not only about the health risks of extreme heat but also the potential for fire accidents. He recounted witnessing a house fire last month, caused by a combination of extreme heat and an electrical short circuit.

"Beyond health, I urge everyone to be careful with electricity. Check everything for safety, and take good care of valuables such as phones or laptops. Don't leave them in a hot car, it can trigger a fire," he added. 
KATHMANDU, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Arrest warrants have been issued against Nepal's former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife Arzu Rana Deuba on charges of money laundering, an official said on Thursday.

The Kathmandu District Court issued the warrants following a plea from the Department of Money Laundering Investigation. "The district court has issued arrest warrants against the Deuba couple. However, they remain abroad," an officer from the department told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

A probe commission formed to investigate state atrocities, arson, and destruction during last September's Gen Z protest had also recommended that the government probe the property of the Deuba family. 
KATHMANDU, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Thursday dismissed Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Deepak Kumar Sah over controversies surrounding him.

The prime minister acted on a recommendation from Rabi Lamichhane, chairperson of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, to sack the minister just two weeks after his appointment.

Sah has been accused of using his position to ensure his wife continues to be a member of the Health Insurance Board. 
HANOI, April 9 (Xinhua) -- A taxi driver was killed and two passengers were injured after a collision with a truck in Vietnam's central province of Lam Dong, the Vietnam News Agency reported Thursday.

The accident occurred at around midnight on Thursday when the taxi carrying two passengers passed through a market area and collided with a truck traveling in the opposite direction, according to the report.

The impact pushed both vehicles into roadside stalls, killing the taxi driver at the scene and injuring the two passengers, who were later taken to hospital.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, the report added. 
ISLAMABAD, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, is now a center of global attention. Here, long-awaited negotiations between the United States and Iran are set to take place, raising hopes of defusing the violent confrontations roiling the Middle East and beyond.

After more than one month of deadly clashes, the United States and Iran reached a two-week ceasefire less than two hours before the deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump, agreeing to talk in Islamabad later this week.

Since last month, as tensions threatened to spiral out of control, Pakistan has emerged not merely as a bystander, but as a proactive diplomatic bridge between Washington and Tehran. Experts and regional officials describe Pakistan as a uniquely positioned mediator -- one with ties to both sides, urgent stakes in de-escalation, and a history of shuttle diplomacy that has positioned it to defuse the regional standoff with global impact.

Its rise raises a question: What makes Pakistan, a South Asian country, stand out to help end a conflict centered in the Middle East?

A MEDIATOR OUT OF NECESSITY

Pakistan's push to broker peace serves the country's development needs, analysts noted.

The country shares a nearly 900 km border with Iran, and already faces a resilient insurgency by Baloch separatists on its western flank. A wider conflict in Iran would almost certainly embolden militant groups across the frontier, further destabilizing Pakistan's already fragile security environment.

Economically, the stakes are even starker. Pakistan depends heavily on oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. The recent escalation has sent fuel prices soaring, dealing severe economic and energy shocks to the country.

Beyond security and economics, successful mediation offers Pakistan a chance to rebrand itself globally. A successful deal, analysts believe, would strengthen its ties with Washington, Tehran and Arab Gulf states alike, while elevating its standing among South Asian nations.

TIES WITH VARIOUS SIDES

What sets Pakistan apart is its ability to speak credibly to both sides.

Pakistan shares close ties with Iran, rooted in history, religious bonds and border cooperation. It is home to the world's second-largest Shiite population, giving it cultural and sectarian credibility in Tehran. At the same time, Pakistan has made efforts to rebuild security and diplomatic ties with the United States.

Pakistan also has strong partnerships with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In 2025, it signed a strategic defense pact with Saudi Arabia, deepening its role as a security interlocutor across the Gulf.

Crucially, Pakistan has done this work before. Over the past decade, it has helped broker talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran and facilitated dialogue between Afghanistan and the United States.

WIDE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

Pakistan's mediation has also been reinforced by broader international support.

On March 29, Pakistan hosted a quadrilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt, who expressed full support for Pakistan's initiative to host peace talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad.

Just two days later, Chinese and Pakistani foreign ministers met in Beijing and issued a joint five-point proposal regarding the Middle East conflict, urging an immediate cessation of hostilities, the start of peace talks as soon as possible and the security of nonmilitary targets, a diplomatic push that has helped build global momentum for de-escalation.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China supports and looks forward to Pakistan playing a unique and important role in easing the situation and resuming peace talks. This process is no easy task, and Pakistan's mediation efforts are in line with the common interests of all parties, Wang added.

According to a statement attributable to the spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general underscores that an end to hostilities is urgently needed to protect civilian lives and alleviate human suffering. He expressed sincere appreciation for the efforts of Pakistan and other countries involved in facilitating the ceasefire. 
Akbar Novruz



German government spokesperson Sebastian Hille accused United States Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday of interfering in the upcoming Hungarian parliamentary electionc AzerNEWS reports.

During an event with Hungary's right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban earlier today, Vance said the European Union is withholding "billions of dollars" from Hungary and called on voters to "reject these foreign influence operations ... reject the Brussels bureaucrats" and re-elect Orban.

Speaking at a press conference, Hille dismissed Vance's claims. "I would like to point out, since Vance is complaining about the EUs alleged interference in the election, that the US vice president was in Hungary just a few days before the election. This fact alone speaks for itself as to who is interfering," he said, according to Politico.
ST. PETERSBURG, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia's United Engine Corporation (UEC), part of state-owned technology corporation Rostec, said Thursday it is developing a new engine called NK-3 for ultra-light space rockets.

According to the company, the NK-3 engine is designed to produce 4.5 tons of thrust and will use environmentally friendly fuel. It will also feature a thrust vector control system, allowing the rocket to change trajectory during flight and improve accuracy.

The engine is being developed for the ultra-light carrier rocket Voronezh. According to the plan, the rocket's first stage will use 12 NK-3 engines, while the second stage will use one.

Rostec said the project will help Russia begin operating ultra-light rockets and expand the market for launching small satellites. The company added that several versions of the engine are being developed, including models capable of adjusting thrust in multiple directions.

Mikhail Remizov, deputy general director of UEC, said the project is important because Russia currently does not have engines or rockets in this class. He noted that the new engine will support the growth of the country's space industry. 
PARIS, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Four people died after a boat sank on the French side of the English Channel on Thursday morning, local media reported.

Preliminary data from local authorities showed that 38 others were rescued, with one person being treated for hypothermia, the French news channel BFMTV reported.

The boat went down well offshore near Boulogne-sur-Mer in the northern French region of Hauts-de-France while attempting to cross the channel from France, local authorities told BFMTV.

A large-scale emergency response has been deployed to the scene.

Authorities blamed smugglers for the tragedy, and the victims' nationalities remain unknown, AFP reported. 
BERLIN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday announced that the German government will resume direct talks with Iran to support the newly agreed two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.

During a press conference in Berlin, Merz stated that a window of opportunity for a negotiated solution has opened for the first time since the outbreak of the conflict, though he cautioned that the situation in the Middle East remains "fragile."

Following the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, direct talks are scheduled to take place in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Merz noted that a German negotiation team is heading to Pakistan to engage with the Iran side, and he is scheduled to hold a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later on Thursday.

Merz also confirmed he had held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, urging the U.S. leader to pursue the negotiations seriously.

He denied any discussions regarding the withdrawal of U.S. troops from military bases in Germany.

During the press conference, Merz also voiced concern over the situation in Lebanon, warning that Israel's ongoing military operations in Lebanon could cause the peace process as a whole to fail. "And that must not happen." 
MADRID, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Spain will immediately reopen its embassy in Tehran and has ordered its ambassador to return, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Thursday.

The announcement came a day after a 14-day ceasefire was agreed among the United States, Israel and Iran.

Albares said Ambassador Antonio Sanchez-Benedito had been instructed to return to Tehran and resume embassy operations, which had been suspended on March 7 after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes.

"We want to contribute from all fronts, including from Tehran, to efforts for peace," he said.

Albares also called Israel's continued attacks in Lebanon -- which he said risk undermining the ceasefire -- "a disgrace."

Spain had evacuated its ambassador from Iran in early March after hostilities began. 
LONDON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- British Defense Secretary John Healey said Thursday that Britain and Norway tracked three Russian submarines in North Atlantic.

In a 10 Downing Street press conference, he said that British forces, together with allies including Norway, had led a month-long operation in the North Atlantic to track Russian submarines near key undersea infrastructure, including cables and pipelines.

He added that the vessels had since left British waters and headed north, with no signs of damage found to underwater infrastructure.

According to Healey, the operation involved a British frigate, aircraft and hundreds of personnel. He said the Russian deployment included one Akula-class attack submarine and two specialist submarines linked to Russia's Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research, known as GUGI.

So far, there has been no response from the Russian side to Healey's statement. 
LONDON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon are "wrong" and "should stop," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday in an interview with ITV.

"That shouldn't be happening. That should stop. That's my strong view," Starmer said when asked whether Israel's attacks constitute a breach of the understanding between the United States and Iran.

"The question isn't a technical one of whether it's a breach of the agreement or not. It is actually a matter of principle as far as I'm concerned," he added.

Commenting on remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week threatening to annihilate "a whole civilization" in Iran, Starmer said it was "not words I would use or would ever use."

Earlier on Thursday, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she is "deeply troubled" by Israel's escalating attacks on Lebanon, expressing hope that Lebanon would be included in the current ceasefire.

Cooper said threats to annihilate "a whole civilization" are "completely wrong," adding that "this sort of escalatory rhetoric can have escalatory consequences." 
WASHINGTON, April 8 (Xinhua) -- "NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again," U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

His remarks came as NATO chief Mark Rutte arrived in Washington for a visit aimed at repairing the crumbling transatlantic alliance.

In a Truth Social post after talks with Rutte in the White House, he also said, "Remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of ice!"

Speaking to CNN, Rutte admitted that Trump "is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies," describing the talks as "very frank, very open."

Since the Iran war began, Trump demanded NATO allies join the United States to open the Strait of Hormuz, but was rejected. European countries like Spain and Italy even refused the U.S. military to use their airspace, which enraged Trump.

Over the past several weeks, Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO for failing to assist the United States in the war, and threatened to quit the treaty alliance.

The rift in the transatlantic alliance has widened during Trump's second term, fueled by his decision to launch the war on Iran, and earlier tensions over his push to take over Denmark's Greenland.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing U.S. officials, Trump and his team are considering a plan to punish some NATO allies the U.S. leader believes were unhelpful to the 39-day U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Under the plan, which has circulated and gained support among senior officials in the Trump administration in recent weeks, the Pentagon would move U.S. troops out of NATO members deemed unhelpful to U.S. war efforts and station them in countries considered more supportive, according to the report.

The plan could also involve closing a U.S. base in at least one of the European countries, possibly Spain or Germany, said the report, citing two Trump administration officials.

Countries that could benefit because they are viewed as supportive include Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Greece, the officials were quoted as saying. 
WASHINGTON, April 8 (Xinhua) -- "NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again," U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

His remarks came as NATO chief Mark Rutte arrived in Washington for a visit aimed at repairing the crumbling transatlantic alliance.

In a Truth Social post after talks with Rutte in the White House, he also said, "Remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of ice!"

Since the Iran war began, Trump demanded NATO allies join the United States to open the Strait of Hormuz, but was rejected. European countries like Spain and Italy even refused the U.S. military to use their airspace, which enraged Trump.

Over the past several weeks, Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO for failing to assist the United States in the war, and threatened to quit the treaty alliance.

The rift in the transatlantic alliance has widened during Trump's second term, fueled by his decision to launch the war on Iran, and earlier tensions over his push to take over Denmark's Greenland. 
WASHINGTON, April 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that "NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again" as NATO chief Mark Rutte is in Washington for a visit.

In a Truth Social post, he also said "remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of ice!" 
Azerbaijan and Lithuania have discussed the current state and future prospects of their cooperation in political, economic, transport, energy, and other areas, according to a statement from the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers, AzerNEWS reports.

The talks took place during a meeting between Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov and his Lithuanian counterpart Inga Ruginien?, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the development of bilateral relations and highlighted opportunities to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The discussion focused on deepening economic ties, boosting trade turnover, promoting investment opportunities, and strengthening the role of the intergovernmental commission in these efforts.

Transport and logistics cooperation also featured prominently, with particular attention to the Middle Corridor and other international transport routes. Opportunities for joint initiatives in the energy sector were similarly discussed.

Additionally, the leaders addressed collaboration within international organizations and underscored the importance of further developing Azerbaijans relations with the European Union.
Most of Africas economy operates in the shadowsat least on paper. An estimated 85% of workers are active in the informal sector, conducting business beyond official systems, often through cash-based, trust-driven transactions.

For global investors, this lack of formal data has long signaled risk. But beneath that perception lies a different reality: a vast, resilient, and dynamic economic engine. The question is no longer whether Africas informal economy mattersbut whether it can be transformed into a viable investment frontier.

To understand how this shift is already underway, we spoke to Richard Okello, Co-Founder and Partner at Sango Capital, a firm deploying up to $1 billion to bridge the gap between informal markets and institutional capital.

Sango Capitals strategy focuses on converting what many describe as Africas handshake economy into structured, investable opportunities. By identifying high-performing informal businesses and integrating them into formal value chains, the firm aims to reduce perceived risk while unlocking scalable returns.

A key challenge remains: how to replicate this model across the continent. Is it a question of building stronger digital infrastructure to capture data and transactions? Or should governments prioritize regulatory reforms that recognize informal traders as legitimate economic actors, capable of accessing credit and investment?

At a time of global uncertaintyheightened by geopolitical tensions such as those between Iran and IsraelAfricas informal consumer base may offer a surprising advantage. Less exposed to volatile financial markets, these cash-driven economies often demonstrate resilience, making them an increasingly attractive hedge for investors, particularly from the Gulf.

Kenyas Property Push Faces Supply Gap

Elsewhere on the continent, Kenyas real estate sector is expanding steadily, with growth estimated at 5.7%. Yet, despite this progress, the market continues to fall significantly short of demand.

The government has set ambitious targets to deliver more affordable housing by 2026, aiming to address a growing urban population and housing deficit. However, private developers are facing mounting competition as new entrants and state-backed initiatives reshape the landscape.

Rising construction costs, access to financing, and land availability remain key challenges, even as demand for affordable housing continues to surge. For many Kenyans, home ownership still feels out of reach, highlighting the urgent need for innovative financing models and public-private partnerships.
Miamis rent is hundreds of dollars above the national average, according to a Zillow report that examined its figures.

The Zillow March Market Report released April 6 stated that the typical rent in the U.S. was $1,910, a figure thats up 1.8%, year over year. Miami, however, had a typical rent of $2,665  around $700 dollars more. Figures are based on the company's Zillow Observed Rent Index and the Zillow Home Value Index.

From the prior month alone, rents in Miami increased by 0.3%, according to the report. Year over year, rents have grown by 0.7%.

The mouth of the Miami River runs out to Biscayne Bay as it exits downtown Miami. The Miami River is used and monitored by the South Florida Water Management District as one of its main flood-control tools.

What do people make in Miami?

Last year, personal finance site GOBankingRates.com reported that Miami residents needed a salary of $144,219 to live comfortably. The study used the 50/30/20 finance rule and doubled the cost of necessities to arrive at that figure.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, median family income was a fraction of that in 2025, sitting at $87,200 in the Miami, Miami Beach, Kendall metro fair market rent area.

What do homes cost in Miami?

According to the Zillow report, the typical home value in Miami is $472,262, an increase of 0.4% from the month prior, but an overall 3.1% decrease from the same time last year.

The overall inventory of homes in the area is down, though, having decreased by 8.4% year over year.

In the U.S. overall, the typical home value sat at $365,545 in March. Home values increased by 0.6%, month over month and 0.8% year over year.

Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Florida Connect team. You can get all of Floridas best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Miami rent prices continue to outpace Florida, the national average
This story was originally published on Trucking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Trucking Dive newsletter.

AAA Cooper Transportation plans to create 210 full-time equivalent jobs in Ohio through the use of a tax credit to help expand its coverage area.

The proposed project will result in a new location to expand the companys transportation and logistics operations as part of a strategic initiative to grow its national network of service centers/fleet maintenance shops, according to a project summary obtained by Trucking Dive.

The LTL carrier received a 1.668 percent Job Creation Tax Credit in March from the Ohio Tax Credit Authority and plans to create $14.7 million in new annual payroll for a project in Columbus, Richfield and Toledo.

The tax credit works as a refundable expense as a percent of payroll created and applies toward a company's commercial activity tax liability, the economic development organization JobsOhio notes. The tax credit is an exemption that lasts for nine years and requires annual reporting every March 1 through 2037.

As part of the transition, AAA Cooper will take over space from Estes, which is relocating to a former Yellow Corp. site, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.

Recommended Reading
The world's second-largest home improvement retailer (1) is doubling down on its support for skilled trades.

In an interview with Fortune (2), CEO Marvin Ellison confirmed that the Lowe's foundation will put $250 million toward training workers in fields such as plumbing, carpentry and electrical over the next 10 years. This, after the company had already invested more than $50 million, partnering (3) with nonprofit and community college training programs since 2023.

Must Read

Ellison noted that, with a hard shift toward automating work tasks, artificial intelligence can only do  and replace us  so much.

"As powerful as AI will become, AI can't climb a ladder to change the batteries in your smoke detector," he told Fortune. "It can't change your furnace filter; it can't clean your dryer vent; it can't repair a hole on your roof."

Do the trades need support?

Aside from the obvious connection  Lowe's is a home improvement store and tradespeople do improve homes  why is the retailer investing so much in keeping America flush with blue collars?

A potentially dire shortage is the brief answer.

Earlier this year, the Associated Builders and Contractors released a report (4) in which it estimated the U.S. will need 349,000 net new workers this year, and another 456,000 new workers in 2027, as construction spending is expected to grow "for the first time in years."

And some of that demand is a direct result of AI.

Across the country, some 3,000 new data centers are planned or already under construction this year, according to Axios (5). As Ellison noted, AI can't (yet) show up to the job site and help build the centers it relies on  let alone fix and service everything that will eventually need fixing and servicing.

Lowe's isn't the only organization throwing large sums into trades. Ellison cheered BlackRock's $100 million initiative "to expand economic opportunity and power the next generation of America's skilled trades workers," announced in March (6).

"We know we can't do it alone," he told Fortune. "This is going to be so critical to the future, not only of our company, but to our country."
All eyes were on the Artemis II astronauts yesterday as they made history looping around the far side of the moon and traveling further into space than any humans ever.

But as the crewthree Americans, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansenheads back to Earth, theres no financial windfall waiting for them. No performance bonus, overtime, or hazard pay, either.

More from Yahoo Scout What are tech leaders' plans for space-based work? How much do Artemis II astronauts get paid? How competitive is NASA astronaut selection process? What are current aerospace industry career prospects?

Instead, the astronauts return to their government salary that tops out around $152,000 for U.S. crew members, with Canadian pay structured on a similar sliding scale.

For a mission that pushed the boundaries of human exploration, the compensation is strikingly ordinarycloser to a mid-career desk job, or even skilled trade jobs like electricians and HVAC technicians, than a once-in-a-generation journey around the moon. But like other federal employees traveling for work, the astronauts transportation, lodging, and meals are provided, a NASA spokesperson confirmed to Fortune last year. They also receive a small daily stipendabout $5for incidentals.

Its a tradeoff thousands are willing to take: NASAs class of 2025, announced last September, selected just 10 candidates from more than 8,000 applicantsan acceptance rate of roughly 0.125%, dwarfing even the most selective universities like Harvard or Stanford.

The future of work belongs in space, according to Elon Musk and Sam Altman

While only four astronauts made it into space with this months multibillion-dollar launch, some of the worlds most influential business leaders are betting that space could soon become a new frontier for work.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has said his company hopes to begin testing hardware as early as 2027 that would place data centers in orbit, using satellites to handle growing computing demands.

Theres no doubt to me that a decade or so away well be viewing it as a more normal way to build data centers, Pichai told Fox News in December.

Elon Musk, too, hopes to solve AIs power problems by building out data centers in space. But as the CEO of SpaceX, he has even bolder plans. In February, he said his company has shifted focus toward building a self-sustaining city on the moon within the next decade, a timeline he suggested is more achievable than establishing a colony on Mars.

The mission of SpaceX remains the same: Extend consciousness and life as we know it to the stars, he wrote on X.

Even those less directly involved in space exploration see a shift coming. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has predicted that rapid advances could push work for Gen Alpha beyond Earths orbit.
DSV Contract Logistics is ceasing operations at a major distribution facility south of Dallas, cutting 391 jobs after losing a customer contract tied to a large consumer goods supply chain network.

The Denmark-based logistics provider said in a WARN notice filed Thursday that it will terminate all operations at a third-party logistics facility located at 101 Mars Road in Wilmer, Texas, with layoffs expected to begin April 30 or within two weeks of that date.

DSV did not disclose the name of the customer.

Contract loss drives shutdown

DSV indicated that operations at the site are expected to continue under a different logistics provider.

DSV is terminating all of its operations throughout the entire facility, the company said in its notice.

While the job cuts are classified as permanent, DSV added that most, if not all, affected workers could be offered positions by the incoming operator, suggesting a transition rather than a full closure of the site.

The workforce reduction spans a wide range of roles, with the majority tied to warehouse operations.

According to the WARN filing, the largest impacted group includes:

278 forklift drivers

26 warehouse operator specialists

19 drivers and 19 supervisors

Smaller numbers of inventory staff, analysts, and management roles

While DSV said many workers could be rehired by the incoming operator, research on outsourcing and contract logistics suggests transitions sometimes leads to lower wages.

Pay for DSV truck drivers varies widely depending on route type, but local and dedicated contract driverssuch as those tied to large distribution centerstypically earn between $55,000 and $70,000 annually, below long-haul driver earnings and slightly under national averages.

Warehouse wages in Texas generally trail national averages, with forklift operators earning roughly $16 to $18 per hour compared to closer to $20 nationally. The pay gap sometimes explains why large-scale distribution hubs cluster in markets like Dallas-Fort Worthand why labor costs are often a key lever when 3PL contracts change hands.

The post DSV exits Dallas-area contract, 391 jobs cut at Wilmer DC appeared first on FreightWaves.
By Ashwin Manikandan and Surbhi Misra

April 9 (Reuters) - India's central bank is planning to introduce delays in high-value digital transactions and extra checks for payments made by senior citizens as part of broader measures to curb a surge in online fraud, a discussion paper released on Thursday showed.

The suggestions come as digital payment fraud has risen sharply in India, driven by fake call centres, mule bank accounts - used by fraudsters to receive and transfer stolen money - and sophisticated scams such as deepfake impersonation.

The Reserve Bank of India has proposed a onehour lag on account-to-account transfers above 10,000 rupees ($107.92) through fast payment networks, including the Unified Payments Interface, to give customers time to cancel transactions.

These lags would not apply to merchant payments, which already have dispute-resolution mechanisms, the central bank said in the paper.

The RBI suggested a mechanism involving a provisional debit from the customer's account during the lag period, with an alert if the transactions appear suspicious. Low-value transactions would remain instantaneous to avoid disrupting routine payments, the RBI said.

The number of reported digital payment frauds rose more than 10-fold, to 2.8 million, between 2021 and 2025, while the value of losses jumped nearly 40 times to 230 billion rupees ($2.49 billion) in this period, data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal showed.

EXTRA CHECKS FOR PAYMENTS BY THE ELDERLY

The central bank is also mulling extra protections for elderly and vulnerable customers, who are prime targets for scammers. If implemented, customers aged 70 and above as well as people with disabilities may need the approval of a "trusted person" for transactions higher than 50,000 rupees.

The RBI will likely allow customers to opt out of the safety system.

"Citizens above a certain age or differently-abled persons (persons with disabilities) may be particularly vulnerable to social engineering-based frauds. These targeted incidents frequently result in disproportionately higher financial losses," the RBI said.

Other measures include imposing annual limits on certain bank accounts pending additional checks and introducing "kill switches" allowing users to instantly disable all digital payments.

The RBI has invited public feedback on the discussion paper by May 8 and said it will consider drafting formal guidelines after reviewing the responses.

($1 = 92.4400 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Reporting by Ashwin Manikandan in Mumbai and Surbhi Misra in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)
People are visiting their bank branches less often. Banks are taking note.

The last time I set foot in a bank was several years ago, and that was simply to open an account at a new bank because I was struggling with their online application.

Like many other Americans, I tend to bank from my phone. So its no wonder that with less foot traffic, banks are questioning if it even makes sense to keep so many branches open.

And while JPMorgans consumer brand, Chase, has said it will open branches in 2026, the iconic bank, which has roots stretching back 225 years to The Manhattan Company in 1799, is also closing branches, including 16 recently disclosed branches.

Chase rethinks bank branches

In early February, Chase Bank said it planned to expand its financial services nationwide as part of a growth strategy launched in 2024.

That included plans to open more than 160 branches in 30 states and renovate 600 locations, JP Morgan Chase revealed.

The large retail bank claims to have the largest branch network in the U.S. but its rethinking its footprint as more than just a place to deposit money. It has opened several community centers where customers can get financial training.

Bank branches still matter

64% of bank customers rely on branches to resolve conflicts if they cant be addressed online, according to a 2025 banking consumer study from Accenture.

The same study found that 65% of customers see branches as symbols of stability.

Around 34% of survey respondents said they used a branch at least once a month.

More Chase Banks are planned in North and South Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Massachusetts, and Tennessee in 2026, the company shared.

Chase branches are more than just a place to transact; they are vital engines driving economic activity and supporting people, businesses, schools, hospitals, and nonprofits, Tom Horne, head of consumer branch banking at JP Morgan Chase, said in the statement.

Yet despite the promise of more branches, some are being shuttered, based on TheStreet's analysis of data from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Chase is on a branch building spree, but that hasn't prevented it from closing some underperforming branches.Shutterstock  Shutterstock

JP Morgan Chase Bank to close branches even as it opens new ones

Chase Bank has submitted 16 notifications of branch closures to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency since March 1, 2026.

The branch closures are part of a wider trend as American banks consolidate to cut costs and consumers opt for online banking.

Chase branches that are closing
The Brief

A State of Hospitality Report shows Minnesota restaurants face economic uncertainty with lower profits, increased costs, rising wages, and reduced traffic, worsened by federal surge impacts in early 2026.

Hospitality Minnesota is pushing for short-term relief, including swipe fee reform on taxes and tips, liquor posting law adjustments and fixes to paid leave laws for seasonal workers.

Minnesota restaurant owners say 2026 may force difficult decisions about whether to close their businesses.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota restaurant owners say 2026 could be the year they are forced to make tough decisions, like whether to close, as a new report highlights the struggles the industry is facing.

Restaurants pushed to brink

What we know

The new State of Hospitality Report from Hospitality Minnesota highlights the immense challenges being faced by restaurant owners in Minnesota.

Owners say challenges are coming from all directions. The report points to economic uncertainty, including lower profits, increased costs, staffing challenges, rising wages, and less traffic.

On top of that, restaurants have been challenged even further in the first quarter of 2026 by the federal surge in Minnesota.

Dig deeper

On top of that, the report points to increased regulations in Minnesota compared to neighboring states.

The report says despite similar economic conditions in the region, neighboring states have seen growth in the hospitality industry, while only Minnesota and Iowa have slowed.

In Iowa, most of the closures have been in the Des Moines area.

What are the solutions?

Big picture view

Hospitality Minnesota is pushing lawmakers for some solutions to lessen burdens on restaurants.

In the short term, they are hoping for "swipe fee" reform  the fees paid on credit card transactions.

"Right now, every restaurant is paying a swipe fee on taxes and tips," explained Angie Whitcomb with Hospitality Minnesota. "That's not their revenue, and they're paying the fee on it. Reforms like that, common sense, long-term policy reform that will relieve some financial pressure of money going out of their pockets every day."

Whitcomb is also asking for an adjustment to the liquor posting law and a fix to the new paid leave law for seasonal workers.

What they're saying

"It's hard not to stay positive with everything going on, but we are in trouble," said Andrew Kraft, chef and proprietor of Bungalow Club in Minneapolis. "I don't want to be an alarmist, I don't really know how to be an alarmist. But the truth is traffic is down. Profitability is harder to chase every day, and that directly affects my staff, myself and everyone from staying in business."
The skyline of downtown Salt Lake City is pictured on Monday, April 14, 2025. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utahs economic success story is one of innovation, resilience and growth. From aerospace to health care to advanced manufacturing, our states employers are fueling record job creation. But behind that growth is a question every community should be asking: Are our schools and employers working closely enough to sustain it?

For generations, business and education have not been intertwined enough. Employers helped launch early career and technical education (CTE) programs and continue to shape the skills our students learn. Yet, as workforce shortages deepen and skilled talent becomes harder to find, the need for stronger, more intentional partnerships between schools and employers has never been greater.

A shared challenge and opportunity ahead

Across Utah, were seeing the effects of demographic change. Baby Boomers are retiring faster than new workers are entering trades, health care and technology fields. Meanwhile, many young people remain unaware of the rewarding, high-skill, high-demand jobs available right in their own communities that they would thrive in.

Thats where collaboration comes in. When schools and local employers work hand in hand, students gain exposure to real-world careers, and businesses help shape the very talent pipelines they rely on. This isnt just about filling positions; its about giving employers a direct role in shaping the education experience itself. When businesses engage early, they build relationships with students, influence skill development and create a clear path from classroom to career.

Utah is beginning to address this challenge head-on. In March, the Utah State Board of Education selected Utah-based YouScience to deliver the states new First Credential Career Mapping Tool. The legislation requires students to graduate with meaningful credentials and pathways aligned with Utahs workforce demand.

When schools and local employers work hand-in-hand, students gain exposure to real-world careers, and businesses help shape the very talent pipelines they rely on.

This is an important step forward. By connecting aptitude discovery, coursework, credentials and postsecondary pathways into one longitudinal system, Utah is building infrastructure that links education to economic opportunity. Yet, progress also depends on employers stepping into the equation.

What collaboration looks like

Partnership doesnt have to mean big budgets or complicated programs. Often, the most meaningful engagement starts small:
Both Khosla and OpenAI framed the need for a major policy overhaul around the massive change arising from the implications of the exponential improvement in AI tools. OpenAI warns that as AI automates more work, the wage and payroll tax revenue that funds Social Security, Medicaid, SNAP , and housing assistance could collapse. Shifting to capital-based taxation isnt just equitable, it argues, its fiscally necessary.

OpenAIs blueprint lands in the same territory, albeit through a slightly different door. The companys paper calls for shifting the tax base away from payroll and labor incomethe very revenue streams that AI threatens to hollow outand toward corporate income and capital gains. It also floats what many have termed a robot tax, proposing levies on automated labor to capture a share of the productivity gains that would otherwise flow exclusively to capital owners.

Khoslas March proposal on Fortunes Titans and Disruptors of Industry podcast was elegant in its simplicity: Eliminate the preferential tax rate on capital gains, tax all incomewhether earned from a paycheck or an investment portfolioat the same rate, and use the windfall to exempt everyone earning under $100,000 from federal income taxes entirely. He estimated that 40% of all capital gains taxes are paid by people earning more than $10 million annually, making the math work without increasing the overall tax burden.

On Monday, OpenAI released a 13-page policy paper titled Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age: Ideas to Keep People First, in which Sam Altmans company laid out a sweeping blueprint for economic reform on a scale it compared to the Progressive Era of the early 1900s and Franklin Roosevelts New Deal of the 1930s. The central thrust: As AI systems approach superintelligencedefined as capabilities that surpass the smartest humansthe existing tax code, labor market, and social safety net are all dangerously unprepared for whats coming.

A month later, OpenAI has made it clear that Khoslas thinking may be the emerging consensus of Silicon Valleys most powerful voices on how to prevent artificial intelligence from tearing the social fabric apart.

When Vinod Khosla sat down with Fortune editor-in-chief Alyson Shontell in March and floated the idea of wiping out federal income taxes for the roughly 100-million-plus Americans earning less than $100,000 a year, it sounded like the kind of provocation only a billionaire with nothing left to prove could get away with. I cant be fired. Ive never worried about a career. I dont need more money at age 71, Khosla said.

Story Continues

Both visions converge on the same uncomfortable assertion: The American tax system was designed for an economy in which most value was created by human labor. That economy is disappearing.

From one billionaires idea to a corporate blueprint

Khosla is not a passive observer of OpenAIs trajectoryhe was an early investor in the company. His argument that AI could automate 80% of current jobs by 2030 provides the economic backdrop against which OpenAIs policy paper reads less like corporate positioning and more like an alarm bell.

During his Fortune interview, Khosla situated the problem in terms that go beyond tax policy. In an AI-driven economy, he argued, the traditional balance of income between labor and capital will tilt dramatically. Capitalism was about economic efficiency, he said, but if the need for efficiency goes away because of extreme abundance, then why focus on efficiency?

OpenAIs paper echoes that logic almost beat for beat. Its most radical proposal is a nationally managed public wealth fund, seeded in part by AI companies themselves, that would invest in diversified assets across the AI economy and distribute returns directly to American citizensa mechanism designed to give every person a stake in the technology that might otherwise render their skills obsolete.

Khosla himself has endorsed the idea of a national wealth fund, and the symmetry between his individual advocacy and OpenAIs institutional proposal suggests that a policy framework is crystallizing within the AI industrys upper echelons.

Critics arent buying it

Still, the fact that a major VC and the company he invested in are singing the same tune hasnt silenced the skeptics. Anton Leicht, a visiting scholar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, called OpenAIs paper comms work to provide cover for regulatory nihilismbig ideas floated to project responsibility while the company builds at full speed. The paper landed on the same day The New Yorker published a lengthy investigation raising questions about Altmans trustworthiness on safety issues, a timing that did not go unnoticed.

And the political headwinds are fierce. Taxing capital gains at ordinary income rates is a proposal that pushed Marc Andreessen to back Donald Trump after President Biden floated a plan to tax unrealized gains in 2024. OpenAIs paper conspicuously avoids specifying a corporate tax rate, a diplomatic omission that suggests the company knows where the political land mines are buried.

The California experiment

The irony of Khoslas position is that hes making a case for bold federal tax reform while fighting a rearguard action in his home state against what he considers a catastrophically misguided local experiment. Californias proposed Billionaire Tax Act would levy a one-time 5% tax on residents worth more than $1 billiona measure Khosla has called the behavior of a junkie chasing a one-time fix while permanently damaging the states tax base.

By some estimates, more than $1 trillion in billionaire wealth has already left California in anticipation of the ballot measure. Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have reportedly taken steps to sever ties with the state. Even Gov. Gavin Newsom has said the measure makes no sense.

Khoslas counter-visionfederal reform that taxes capital more aggressively while relieving the burden on working Americansis designed to be a policy that billionaires can live with and workers can vote for. As he put it: They will vote for a candidate who says no taxes if you make less than $100,000.

The clock is ticking

Both Khosla and OpenAI agree on at least one thing: The window for action is narrowing. Khosla predicted that structural tax reform will arrive before 2040 and could become a defining issue in the next presidential campaign cycle. OpenAIs paper calls for automatic safety-net triggers that would expand benefits when AI displacement hits preset thresholds, an acknowledgment that the disruption may arrive faster than any legislative process can handle.

Goldman Sachs research has estimated that AI is already cutting roughly 16,000 U.S. jobs per month, with younger workers bearing a disproportionate share. OpenAI itself warns of scenarios where advanced AI systems become autonomous and self-replicatingsystems that, in its own words, cannot be easily recalled.

Against that backdrop, the question is no longer whether the tax code needs to change but whether Washington can move fast enough. Khosla, for his part, is betting the real battle will be fought in Congress, not in Sacramento. And now, with OpenAIs 13-page document in hand, he has the most powerful company in AI essentially cosigning his thesis.

Whether that amounts to genuine policy momentum or, as critics contend, an elaborate exercise in reputation management may be the defining question of the political economy of the AI age.

For this story, Fortune journalists used generative AI as a research tool. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Retailers in Singapore are re-evaluating how they accept payments as rising attention on card processing fees highlights the cost gap between traditional card networks and QR-based alternatives. A recent parliamentary reply from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has brought renewed focus to fees linked to Visa and Mastercard, prompting businesses to explore lower-cost digital payment options.

Search interest in terms such as card processing fees, QR payments Singapore, and digital payments cost reflects growing concern among small and mid-sized retailers about transaction expenses and margin pressure.

Card fees remain a cost concern

MAS said merchant service fees (MSFs) for card payments include several components, such as interchange fees, network charges, and acquiring bank fees. These costs vary depending on the type of business and transaction.

The authority noted that fees are set through commercial arrangements rather than regulation. It added that it monitors developments closely to support a competitive payments market.

For retailers, particularly those with high transaction volumes and low margins, these fees can have a direct impact on profitability. Businesses in sectors such as food retail and convenience stores are among the most exposed to these cost pressures.

QR payments offer simpler acceptance

As a result, many retailers are turning to QR payments as a practical alternative. The Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) system enables merchants to accept multiple payment methods using a single QR code.

Developed by MAS and the Infocomm Media Development Authority, SGQR combines schemes such as PayNow, NETS, GrabPay, and selected international wallets into one standardised label.

This reduces the need for multiple QR displays or payment terminals. It also lowers setup costs, as merchants do not need additional hardware to start accepting digital payments.

Retailers benefit from faster checkout processes, as customers can use their preferred payment app without confusion. The system also simplifies reconciliation by consolidating transactions into a single reporting flow.

SGQR+ aims to expand payment reach

MAS is now developing SGQR+, an enhanced version designed to improve interoperability and expand payment acceptance.

The upgrade allows merchants to accept a wider range of local and international payment schemes through a single acquirer. MAS said this will help businesses reach a wider customer base without added complexity.

For retailers in areas with high tourist traffic, this could support cross-border transactions without requiring new infrastructure or multiple payment partnerships.
This story was originally published on Banking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Banking Dive newsletter.

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. will open a second U.S. headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, adding 2,000 jobs and investing $50.5 million in the banking sector hotspot over the next six years.

More from Yahoo Scout How many jobs will SMBC create in Charlotte? What makes Charlotte attractive for banking expansion? Why is SMBC opening a second U.S. headquarters? What other changes is SMBC making to operations?

Charlotte is a standout location for [SMBC] to invest in North Carolina for the long term in a major expansion that will establish our roots in the community, SMBC Americas CEO Hirofumi Otsuka said in a prepared statement.

The city is a major financial services hub with a deep pool of talent, Otsuka said.

Charlotte is the second-largest banking city in the country after New York City, according to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with about $362 billion in banking assets. SMBC has its U.S. headquarters in New York City.

Several major banks are growing in the Queen City these days  including Citi, which opened a Charlotte office this year, and U.S. Bank, which is looking to double its Charlotte presence.

SMBC already counts a Charlotte office where some executives, including recently hired Chief Information Security Officer Donna Hart, are based. A spokesperson declined to disclose the address of the new HQ, but the City of Charlotte said in its own announcement that it would be in the citys Uptown business district.

Hiring for the 2,000 roles will occur over the next six years, the SMBC spokesperson said. Some Charlotte-based jobs are already listed on LinkedIn. Staff will work from the new HQ as early as the end of this year, according to the spokesperson.

Jobs will include back- and middle-office roles in support of the broader U.S. business, which focuses on commercial and investment banking, project finance, and sales and trading, the spokesperson said.

Charlotte hires will earn an average salary of $165,686, according to the City of Charlotte. In all, the HQ will generate a total annual impact of $1.17 million, the city said.

North Carolina is home to three Fortune 500 financial services headquarters: Truist and Bank of America in Charlotte, and First Citizens Bank in Raleigh.

The states financial and fintech sectors have seen 25% growth since 2019, a spokesperson for the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina told Banking Dive.

What distinguishes North Carolina is how it pairs that scale with innovation, the spokesperson said via email. A growing fintech ecosystem led by firms such as nCino and LendingTree is expanding alongside a steady pipeline of talent from institutions like Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
OpenAI chief Sam Altman has said that entire job categories are likely to disappear due to the rise of AI - Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Taxes on wealthy people could rise to fund the cost of an AI-fuelled jobs crisis, the company behind ChatGPT has said.

OpenAI said governments could increasingly tax the selling of shares or property as well as corporate profits if unemployment erodes revenues from income levies.

The company also said that a robot tax on automated labour could be introduced, adding that companies should experiment with a fully paid four-day working week.

As AI reshapes work and production, the composition of economic activity may shift  expanding corporate profits and capital gains while potentially reducing reliance on labour income and payroll taxes, OpenAI wrote in a policy paper.

This could erode the tax base that funds [welfare programmes]  putting them at risk. Tax policy should adapt to ensure these systems remain durable.

Policymakers could rebalance the tax base by increasing reliance on capital-based revenues  such as higher taxes on capital gains at the top, corporate income or targeted measures on sustained AI-driven returns.

Income tax and National Insurance contributions are the two biggest sources of government revenue in the UK, making up a combined 42pc of the total.

In contrast, taxes on profits from selling shares and property, as well as stamp duty and inheritance tax, account for just 4pc. Company taxes such as corporation tax and industry-specific levies make up 9.5pc.

Capital gains taxes, paid when people sell assets and realise a gain, are largely paid by better-off citizens.

Around 378,000 people in the UK paid capital gains tax in 2023-24, according to HMRC. Around half of capital gains tax receipts came from people making 150,000 a year or more and 40pc of receipts were from people who made 5m or more.

Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, has said that entire job categories are likely to disappear because of the rise of AI.

Dario Amodei, who leads rival company Anthropic, has said that half of entry-level, white-collar jobs could be wiped out within five years.

Meanwhile, corporate valuations have soared in part thanks to the AI boom. The US S&P 500 index has risen by 30pc in the last year.

OpenAI also proposed that governments set up public wealth funds, similar to the sovereign wealth funds set up by countries such as Norway and Saudi Arabia, which would invest in AI companies to give every citizen a stake in AI-driven economic growth.

Shorter hours for those still in work

The company said employers should invest the profits gained from using AI to give workers shorter hours and better benefits, saying they should trial a 32-hour or four-day working week and improve benefits.
By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service said on Thursday it wants to raise the price of first-class mail stamps to 82 cents from 78 cents effective July 12.

The proposal, which must be approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, would raise overall mailing services prices by 4.8%. USPS has warned it could run out of cash as soon as February.

Earlier this week, USPS won approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission for a temporary 8% price hike for priority mail and package deliveries, effective April 26, to deal with rising transportation and fuel costs. USPS plans for the surcharge to be in effect through January 17.

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. USPS in February reported a quarterly loss of $1.25 billion.

The commission separately approved USPS's plan to suspend employer pension contributions starting Friday, which will conserve $200 million in cash every two weeks, or $2.5 billion through September 30.

Reuters also reported USPS struck a deal with Amazon that will see the retailer use the Postal Service for at least 1 billion packages a year, or 80% of its volume last year.

In March, U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner said the Postal Service was hiring restructuring advisers to help address its mounting financial troubles.

Steiner wants to be able to raise prices over the current 78 cents for first-class mail and thinks Americans would be willing to pay 90 or 95 cents per letter, when much of the world pays $2 or more.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
The U.S. Postal Service has temporarily suspended payments to workers' retirement plans, citing the agency's ongoing financial woes.

The Postal Service told the Office of Personnel Management the Postal Service Board of Governors had opted to temporarily suspend its contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System "to conserve cash and preserve liquidity due to its ongoing, severe financial crisis," the agency said in a news release on Thursday, April 9.

USPS usually pays about $200 million every other week to OPM for the employer's contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System annuity, the agency said. The suspension of those payments, effective Friday, April 10, will free about $2.5 billion in the current fiscal year, the agency added.

Postal carrier Marc Jacques delivers the mail in a neighborhood on March 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida.

Employee contributions to the retirement system will continue, and USPS will continue to pay employer automatic and matching contributions and employee contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan. Other payments, such as those to Social Security, will also continue, the agency said.

Postal Service Chief Financial Officer Luke Grossmann assured current and future retirees would not face "any immediate detrimental impact" from the action. The risk to the Postal Service and the American public from insufficient liquidity for postal operations dramatically outweighs any longer-term risk to the pension funds from not making the currently due payments," he said in a statement.

The action isn't a permanent solution to the USPS' financial woes, the agency said in a talking points document. "Legislative action is desperately needed to return the Postal Service to profitability," USPS said.

Social Security: How your spouse claiming Social Security first affects your benefits

Recently appointed Postmaster General David Steiner has said he expects the USPS to run out of cash by 2027 without Congress' help, including raising the agency's statutory debt limit from $15 billion to $34.5 billion.

The move to temporarily suspend payments came after the Postal Regulatory Commission on Thursday gave the USPS a multiyear waiver to take actions that would provide "breathing room" amid its "deteriorating financial condition."

USPS 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. In February, USPS reported a quarterly loss of $1.25 billion.

USPS to raise prices on Priority Mail to help address costs

Earlier in the week, USPS won approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission for a temporary 8% price hike for priority mail and package deliveries, effective April 26, to deal with rising transportation and fuel costs. USPS plans for the surcharge to be in effect through Jan. 17, 2027.
Starlink and US Mobile announced a new partnership offering discounted service bundles for a limited time that combine home satellite internet with mobile data plans. The deal comes as SpaceX, Starlinks parent, plans its upcoming IPO.

Multicarrier prepaid service US Mobile said it is offering bundles for new and existing customers, including residential Starlink, for as low as $47 per month. Essentially, the cheapest plan combines US Mobiles base unlimited plan at $17 per month with Starlink's residential plan at $30 per month, which offers 100 Mbps download speeds.

Were launching US Mobile + Starlink as a single bundle. Unlimited Standard or Premium on all three major US networks, plus reliable home internet from space. One plan. One bill. One app, said US Mobile CEO Ahmed Khattak on Reddit.

US Mobile's Starlink bundle plans released on Thursday.  US Mobile

The other Starlink bundles can be had for $77 per month for Starlink 200 Mbps (equating to $60 per month for Starlink) and $117 per month for Starlink Max service ($100 per month for Starlink), offering speeds of 400-plus Mbps.

Starlinks standalone prices for similar plans are $50 per month for 100 Mbps, $80 for 200 Mbps, and $120 for Max, meaning the bundle offers significant savings.

US Mobile is essentially a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), meaning it does not own the wireless network infrastructure and instead leases it from major carriers for its customers.

What makes US Mobile unique in the marketplace is that it can offer customers the ability to choose the network they want to use, which they call Dark Star (AT&T), Warp (Verizon), and Light Speed (T-Mobile).

The deal with US Mobile is curious, as most other carriers are loath to make a deal with Elon Musk and SpaceX (SPAX.PVT) because it could threaten their mobile business.

Most carriers are probably annoyed at the few (like T-Mobile) that did do deals with SpaceX, because SpaceX is basically getting to use their government-issued terrestrial spectrum in exchange for SpaceX giving the carriers space spectrum, a source in the carrier industry told Yahoo Finance. But that gives SpaceX rights to become a carrier and, in some cases, buy their own terrestrial spectrum, and become a full-blown carrier.

For US Mobile, the risk may be worth it. Creating a compelling bundle of Starlink satellite internet service and cheap prepaid mobile plans could boost privately held US Mobiles subscriber numbers.

For Starlink, depending on how many offers and physical kits the company is offering for the bundle, it could be a huge driver of new subscriptions for the service, just as the SpaceX IPO roadshow begins.
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) is one of the best gold mining companies to buy with high upside potential. On March 30, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) reiterated its commitment to acquiring positions in highly prospective geological properties. The company announced that it is in the process of acquiring C$7.6 million in securities of Cascadia Minerals Ltd.

Is Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (AEM) One of the Best Gold Mining Companies to Buy With High Upside Potential?

Copyright: tomas1111 / 123RF Stock Photo

Under the terms of the agreement, the company is to acquire 19.32 million units at C$0.26 per unit for C$5.02 million and an additional 10 million units for C$2.6 million. Following the acquisition, the company will own 14.21% of Cascadias outstanding shares on a non-diluted basis and 19.90% on a partially diluted basis.

In addition, the companies entered into an earn-in agreement for the Catch property in Yukon. Consequently, Agnico Eagle Mines can earn up to an 80% interest in the property, up from an initial 51%. There is also a strategic alliance agreement that establishes a 3-year partnership for exploration work in Yukons Stikine Terrane.

Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) is a senior Canadian gold mining company and the worlds second-largest gold producer, focused on exploring, developing, and operating mines. Founded in 1957, it operates high-quality, low-risk assets primarily in Canada, Australia, Finland, and Mexico, with about 85% of its production coming from Canada.

While we acknowledge the potential of AEM as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 10 Best Multibagger Penny Stocks to Invest In and 8 Best Blue Chip AI Stocks to Buy Now.

Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.
AngloGold Ashanti plc (NYSE:AU) is one of the best gold mining companies to buy with high upside potential. On March 26, AngloGold Ashanti plc (NYSE:AU) reiterated that its Arthur Gold Project in Nevada is a tier-one gold deposit with robust economics and strong potential.

AngloGold Ashanti plc (AU) Arthur Gold Project Asserts Growth and Long-Term Value

The remarks follow a pre-feasibility study that identified a probable mineral reserve of 4.9 Moz of contained gold. The reserve consists of 88 million tons at 1.75 grams per tonne gold and 2.76 grams per tonne silver. The study supports a nine-year mine life with average annual production of 500,000oz.

At the Merlin deposit, the company also detailed an Indicated Mineral Resource of 1.0 Moz and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 5.5 Moz.

The Arthur Gold Project is a cornerstone of AngloGold Ashantis strategy to build a world-class, long-life production platform, given its significant mineral reserves. Backed by a world-class orebody, discipline, and a capital approach, the company has a clear roadmap to growth and long-term shareholder value.

AngloGold Ashanti plc (NYSE:AU) is a leading global gold mining company with a diverse portfolio of operations and projects across four continents. It explores, mines, and produces gold while also producing by-products like silver and sulphuric acid.

While we acknowledge the potential of AU as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 10 Best Multibagger Penny Stocks to Invest In and 8 Best Blue Chip AI Stocks to Buy Now.

Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.
Barrick Mining Corp (NYSE:B) is one of the best gold mining companies to buy with high upside potential. On April 2, analysts at Raymond James lowered their price target on Barrick Mining Corp (NYSE:B) to $61 from $62 while reiterating an Outperform rating.

Barrick Mining Corp (B): Outperform Rating Amid Global Gold Expansion

Image by Bishnu Sarangi from Pixabay

The outperform rating reflects the companys significant interest in high-quality gold mines and copper assets. Consequently, it remains well-positioned to continue generating strong cash flow. The acquisition of Randgold has exposed the company to top-tier assets and prospects for free cash flow generation.

In addition, the creation of the Nevada joint venture with Newmont consolidated management has also expanded the companys footprint into the worlds largest gold complex. It has also opened the door to meaningful synergies. However, Barrick Gold has had to go slow on developing copper and gold projects in Pakistan due to security concerns in the region. The company plans to reduce its capital spending while maintaining active management.

Barrick Mining Corporation (NYSE:B) is a leading international mining company engaged in the exploration, development, production, and sale of gold and copper assets. It operates high-margin, long-life mines across 18 countries, with a focus on Africa, North America, South America, and Saudi Arabia.

While we acknowledge the potential of B as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 10 Best Multibagger Penny Stocks to Invest In and 8 Best Blue Chip AI Stocks to Buy Now.

Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.
Investors worry the continued strikes on Lebanon threaten a ceasefire between Iran and the United States (MAHMOUD ZAYYAT)  MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP/AFP

Wall Street stocks finished higher Thursday after a shaky start, adopting an optimistic view of the Middle East ceasefire despite largely stalled traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which boosted oil prices.

After surging on Wednesday following the announcement of an Iran-US truce ceasefire, US stocks pulled back in the early going amid continued clashes between Israel and Lebanon and extremely limited tanker traffic in the Hormuz Strait despite the ceasefire.

But US stocks moved into positive territory in late morning and rose further as the session progressed. Some commentators said the confirmation of talks next week between Israel and Lebanon had driven shares higher.

"We don't actually have a full ceasefire yet, but the market's a forward-looking mechanism and it's trading as if the deal's pretty much done," said Adam Sarhan of 50 Park Investments.

The main US oil contract, West Texas Intermediate, jumped above $100 a barrel before dipping once again as international calls mounted for the ceasefire to be extended after a massive wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed more than 200 people.

WTI finished the day up 3.7 percent at $98.87 a barrel.

Just 10 vessels have passed through Strait of Hormuz since the Middle East war ceasefire took effect, according to maritime tracking data.

Only one of those tankers, the "MSG," is not Iranian.

The Gabon-flagged ship went through Thursday with around 7,000 tons of Emirati fuel oil, and is headed to India, according to the MarineTraffic monitor.

"Oil prices will likely remain elevated and choppy until a more permanent agreement is struck between all parties," said Aarin Chiekrie, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

Anthony Kettle at RBC BlueBay Asset Management cautioned: "Even if the ceasefire holds, it will take time for energy exports from the region to return to more normalized levels, so there will be an impact on growth and inflation that is still difficult to ascertain."

"It should also be noted that there has been significant damage to infrastructure in some major energy exporters," he said.

Earlier, Europe's main markets closed down, Frankfurt shedding just north of one percent.

Asian markets had also finished in the red.

"While progress towards a more permanent resolution in the Middle East will dominate short-term market moves, it's earning power that drives stock prices in the long term," Chiekrie said ahead of the first-quarter earnings season.

Some companies have already begun alerting markets to the impact of the war, which began on February 28, on their earnings for the January-March period.
Soybeans posted Tuesday losses of 6 to 9 cents in the nearby contracts on Tuesday. The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price was down 8 cents at $10.89 1/4. Soymeal futures were down $1.30 to $4.80 in the front months, with Soy Oil futures down 8 to 31 points at the close.

Crude oil was down $2.03 on the day after late reports that the US and Iran were reviewing a Pakistan proposed 2-week ceasefire ahead of Tuesday nights deadline.

More News from Barchart

USDA will release their monthly WASDE report on Thursday morning. A survey of analysts by Bloomberg shows very few changes expected to the US balance sheet with an average estimate at 349 mbu for soybeans carryout, vs. 350 mbu in March.

Soybean exports out of Brazil totaled 14.52 MT in March according to the countrys trade data, double the February total but down 1.11% from a year ago.

May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.58 1/4, down 8 1/2 cents,

Nearby Cash was $10.89 1/4, down 8 cents,

Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.74 1/2, down 8 3/4 cents,

Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $11.51, down 6 cents,

New Crop Cash was $10.90 3/4, down 6 cents,

On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com
Soybeans are down 2 to 4 cents early on the midweek session. Futures posted Tuesday losses of 6 to 9 cents in the nearby contracts on Tuesday. The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price was down 8 cents at $10.89 1/4. Soymeal futures were down $1.30 to $4.80 in the front months, with Soy Oil futures down 8 to 31 points at the close.

Crude oil is down $19.46 so far this morning following a 2-week ceasefire between Iran and the US that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic was limited overnight. Early this morning President Trump posted that a country supplying military weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed by a rate of 50%.

More News from Barchart

USDA will release their monthly WASDE report on Thursday morning. A survey of analysts by Bloomberg shows very few changes expected to the US balance sheet with an average estimate at 349 mbu for soybeans carryout, vs. 350 mbu in March.

Soybean exports out of Brazil totaled 14.52 MT in March according to the countrys trade data, double the February total but down 1.11% from a year ago.

May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.58 1/4, down 8 1/2 cents, currently down 2 cents

Nearby Cash was $10.89 1/4, down 8 cents,

Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $11.74 1/2, down 8 3/4 cents, currently down 2 1/4 cents

Nov 26 Soybeans closed at $11.51, down 6 cents, currently down 4 1/4 cents

New Crop Cash was $10.90 3/4, down 6 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
May NY world sugar #11 (SBK26) today is down -0.32 (-2.14%), and May London ICE white sugar #5 (SWK26) is down -5.70 (-1.31%).

Sugar prices fell to 2.5-week lows today after India ruled out a ban on its sugar exports, which could boost global supplies. India's Food Secretary said today that the government has no plans to ban sugar exports this year, easing concerns that it could divert more sugar to make ethanol after crude oil supplies were disrupted by the Iran war.

More News from Barchart

Sugar prices were already on the defensive from last Thursday when India's National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd. reported that India's 2025-26 sugar output from Oct 1-Mar 31 was up +9% y/y to 27.12 MMT.

Higher sugar production in Brazil is also bearish for sugar prices. On March 27, Unica reported that cumulative 2025-26 Center-South sugar output (October through mid-March) is up +0.7% y/y to 40.25 MMT, with sugar mills boosting the amount of cane crushed for sugar to 50.61% from 48.08% last year.

Last Monday, NY sugar rallied to a 5.75-month high, and London sugar climbed to a 6.25-month high, driven by strength in crude oil prices (CLK26). Crude oil surged to a 3.75-year high last month, boosting ethanol prices and potentially encouraging the world's sugar mills to increase ethanol production and curb sugar output.

Sugar prices also have some support amid supply disruptions from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. According to Covrig Analytics, the closure of the strait has curbed approximately 6% of the world's sugar trade, constraining refined sugar output.

Last month, sugar prices plunged to 5.5-year nearest-futures lows on concern that a global sugar surplus will persist. On February 11, analysts from sugar trader Czarnikow said they expect a global sugar surplus of 3.4 MMT in the 2026/27 crop year, following an 8.3 MMT surplus in 2025/26. Also, Green Pool Commodity Specialists said on January 29 that they expect a global sugar surplus of 2.74 MMT for 2025/26 and a surplus of 156,000 MT for 2026/27. Meanwhile, StoneX said February 13 that it expects a global sugar surplus of 2.9 MMT in 2025/26.

The International Sugar Organization (ISO) on February 27 forecasted a +1.22 MMT (million metric ton) sugar surplus in 2025-26, following a -3.46 MMT deficit in 2024-25. ISO said the surplus is being driven by increased sugar production in India, Thailand, and Pakistan. ISO is forecasting a +3.0% y/y rise in global sugar production to 181.3 million MMT in 2025-26.
Trafigura has signed an agreement with Heath Goldfields to buy 700,000oz of gold dore from the Bogoso-Prestea Gold Mine in the Western Region of Ghana.

In addition to this offtake deal, Trafigura is offering $65m in debt financing to assist with the restart of the mine's oxide ore operations.

The agreement designates Trafigura as the offtaker for the gold dore produced at the Bogoso-Prestea processing plant, with deliveries projected to begin within the current year.

The Bogoso-Prestea Gold Mine, a key gold production site in West Africa, has yielded more than nine million ounces (moz) since 1912.

Heath Goldfields restarted operations with an initial gold pour in February 2026 after a two-year pause.

The site includes a carbon-in-leach processing facility capable of handling 1.5 million tonnes annually, meeting SK-1300 compliance standards.

This agreement marks Trafiguras initial venture into Ghana's gold market and its second gold-related deal in Africa following a funding initiative in December 2025 for Sierra Leone's inaugural commercial gold mine.

These transactions demonstrate Trafiguras ongoing expansion in the precious metals sector, leveraging its expertise in trading, logistics and market access from its wider metals and minerals operations.

Trafigura metals and minerals head Gonzalo De Olazaval said: We are pleased to sign this offtake agreement with Heath Goldfields.

Trafigura has been active across metals and minerals markets in Africa for over two decades, and the continent remains a cornerstone as we continue to expand our precious metals business.

Bogoso-Prestea is a producing asset with a strong operational team and LBMA [London Bullion Marketing Association] compliance, and we look forward to applying our physical trading expertise and market access in support of a Ghanaian-owned operation of this quality.

Last month, Trafigura signed a binding take-or-pay offtake agreement with Smackover Lithium to secure battery-grade lithium carbonate from the South West Arkansas project in the US.

"Trafigura signs deal with Heath Goldfields for gold dore" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




Despite geopolitical uncertainty and severe disruption of trade in the region, United Arab Emirates remains a land of wealth creation and opportunity, according to a new report by Agility Research and Strategy, which looks at the habits, tastes and trends among high net worth individuals.

According to WealthLens UAE 2026, UAE is steadily consolidating its status as a global hub for entrepreneurship, international capital and private wealth.

More from WWD

Agility said it interviewed 300 individuals between February and March as tensions between the U.S. and Iran were escalating.

The report, aimed at private banking and financial services managers looking to engage with wealthy audiences, said around 80 percent of those surveyed expect business conditions to improve once the conflict comes to an end.

On Wednesday, the U.S. and Iran took a step in that direction, agreeing to a conditional, two-week ceasefire that will see the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for the worlds oil supply.

Agility said the portfolios of the rich remain equity-led, complemented by domestic real estate and liquidity reserves, while diversification is widening through alternatives and strategic hedges such as gold.

Gold ownership was broad even before the conflict, with 57 percent of UAE high net worth individuals owning jewelry; 55 percent holding gold ETFs or exchange traded funds, and 55 percent in possession of physical bars or coins.

For ultra-high net worth individuals, currency depreciation concerns and adviser recommendations were the top reasons to ramp up their exposure to gold. The report added the case for gold in UAE wealth portfolios has only strengthened.

The report said that HNW and UHNW clients tend to move wealth where and when they need, but in a post-conflict scenario, wealth will most likely move back to the UAE as fears subside and stability returns.

The region, which comprises seven emirates on the Arabian Peninsula, was hit hard following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Tehran last month. Dubai, the second-largest emirate and the most important consumer market in the Middle East, has seen wealthy expats leave in droves and tourism evaporate following counterattacks from Iran.

Best of WWD

Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Wheat is trading with double digit losses across the three exchanges early on Wednesday. The wheat complex was mixed on Tuesday, with the soft red contracts higher. Chicago SRW futures posted 1 to 3 cent in the red on the day. KC HRW futures saw fractional losses at the close. MPLS spring wheat was down 3 to 4 cents in the front months. Crude oil is down $19.46 so far this morning following a 2-week ceasefire between Iran and the US that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts are looking for USDA to trim the US ending stocks estimate by 8 mbu to 923 mbu in Thursdays WASDE according to a Bloomberg survey.

More News from Barchart

Argus estimates the Russian wheat crop at 88.7 MMT, an increase of 1.2 MMT from their previous number. European Commission data shows 18 MMT of EU wheat exports from July 1 to April 5, which is 1.21 MMT above the same time last year.

May 26 CBOT Wheat closed at $5.98, up 2 3/4 cents, currently down 20 1/4 cents

Jul 26 CBOT Wheat closed at $6.08 1/4, up 1 3/4 cents, currently down 20 cents

May 26 KCBT Wheat closed at $6.07 1/2, down 3/4 cent, currently down 18 1/2 cents

Jul 26 KCBT Wheat closed at $6.23, down 3/4 cent, currently down 18 cents

May 26 MIAX Wheat closed at $6.41, down 3 1/2 cents, currently down 14 1/2 cents

Jul 26 MIAX Wheat closed at $6.55 1/4, down 3 1/2 cents, currently down 13 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
A lengthy New York Times investigation published this week suggested that British computer scientist Adam Back is bitcoins alleged creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Back, who immediately denied the claims (and has done so before), explained to Yahoo Finance on Thursday why the theory doesnt make sense.

I think the most probable situation is that Satoshi is somebody who's not talking to documentary film crews, to investigative journalists, who is not participating in the forums or at conferences with his real name, Back, the CEO of blockchain technology company Blockstream, said in an interview on Yahoo Finance.

The story suggesting that Back invented bitcoin (BTC-USD) came from 18 months of digging by investigative journalist John Carreyrou, who is famous for exposing the fraud scandal around Elizabeth Holmess blood-testing startup, Theranos. Along with his New York Times colleague, journalist and AI expert Dylan Freedman, Carreyrou compiled all correspondence from three important internet mailing lists that span decades.

Adam Back, co-founder and chief executive officer of Blockstream Corp., speaks at the Group of 20 high-level seminar on financial innovation in Fukuoka, Japan, June 8, 2019. Kiyoshi Ota/Pool via REUTERS  REUTERS / REUTERS

They compared the material to all of Nakamotos known trail of correspondence using artificial intelligence. Back proved the closest match in each of the three writing analyses performed in the investigation. Finnish programmer Martti Malmi, who worked with Nakamoto in bitcoins early days, had released hundreds of email exchanges as part of a court case.

Carreyrou said on Thursday on the New York Times Daily podcast that he is somewhere between 99.5% and 100% certain he has found bitcoins creator.

Notable quirks that Nakamoto and Back shared included writing two spaces between sentences, using British spellings, and misusing hyphens in the same way, according to the NYT analysis.

There's an element of confirmation bias in it, Back said of the investigations method.

You are inherently selecting people who are interested in similar things, he added. They're programmers. They're interested in privacy, in cryptography, and so they're going to have similar language backgrounds and things like that. So of course, they're going to sound similar.

Other connections from the investigation include Backs silence from online mailing lists during the period when Nakamoto was actively posting and his reappearance around the time Nakamoto finally disappeared. Back was also the first person Nakamoto emailed with directly, months before releasing the bitcoin white paper.

Theres a real argument to be made  whether or not he is Nakamoto  about the importance of Backs contributions to the field of digital currency. Without it, the $2.4 trillion crypto market where Nakamoto holds near-mythic status may never have formed.
Bitcoin (BTC) is up 3% on April 6 and trading back near $70,000 amid hopes that the U.S. and Iran are close to reaching a ceasefire.

Unlock hedge fund-level data and powerful investing tools for smarter, sharper decisions

Discover top-performing stock ideas and upgrade to a portfolio of market leaders with Smart Investor Picks

BTC is currently trading at $69,500.00 as traders and investors cheer media reports of a potential de-escalation in the Iran war. Specifically, reports say that the U.S. and Iran are discussing a potential 45-day ceasefire, which has financial markets up on the day.

The same reports say that officials from Pakistan are brokering whats being called the Islamabad Accord between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. There is growing confidence that hostilities in the Middle East will ease and that crude shipments will resume in the Strait of Hormuz waterway near Iran.

Other Crypto Rallies Too

Bitcoin isnt the only cryptocurrency rallying on hopes for a Middle East ceasefire. Ethereums (ETH) price is up 4% and trading at $2,150 while many smaller cryptocurrencies are up 3% to 4% on April 6. A potential ceasefire is welcome news for financial markets as oil prices remain above $110 a barrel.

Analysts say any ceasefire with Iran is likely to lead to a big relief rally in financial markets that could further benefit risk assets such as cryptocurrencies. That would be especially positive for Bitcoin, which has fallen from an all-time high of $126,000 reached last autumn.

BTCs Three-Month Performance

The chart below shows that Bitcoin has struggled in recent months and declined 26% in the last 12 weeks as the selloff in cryptocurrencies that began in October 2025 continues.

Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue
Our mining machines are deployed across North America, South America, the Middle East and Africa, a globally diversified setup that enables us to optimize resource allocation. Nearly 90% of our currently operational miners are water cooled S19 XP models. In addition, the delivery of an additional 18 exahashes per second of computing power is progressing as planned and is expected to be completed by July 31. Once finalized, our total hash rate capacity will reach 50. Since entering the Bitcoin mining industry, we have remained focused on improving our operational metrics. In the first quarter, we mined a total of 1,541 Bitcoin.

While actively expanding our Bitcoin business, we continue to reduce our total outstanding loan balance and significantly improve loan quality. As of March 31, 2025, our total outstanding loan balance was approximately RMB 2.6 billion with M1+ and M3+ ratios of 2.86% and 1.59%, respectively. In addition, our credit risk exposure not covered by full bad debt allowance or full risk assurance liabilities further declined to RMB 760 million, down 30% from RMB 1.08 billion as of December 31, 2024. Till now, we hold a total computing power of 32 exahashes per second, accounting for approximately 4% of the global average hash rate in Q1.

Over the past few months of exploration and operation, Cango has not only achieved business growth but also unlocked new development opportunities. In the first quarter of 2025, Cango reported total revenue of USD 145 million with USD 144 million contributed by our Bitcoin mining operations. Gross profit for the quarter reached USD 13.61 million. Operating loss stood at $21.42 million, primarily due to decline in Bitcoin prices towards the end of March, which led to a decrease in the fair value of the company's Bitcoin holdings. As of the end of the quarter, Cango maintained a strong cash position with total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments amounting to USD 347 million, providing solid support for future business expansion.

Jiayuan Lin: Hi, everyone, and welcome to Cango's first quarter 2025 earnings call. In the first quarter of 2025, Bitcoin further solidified its dominance despite significant volatility in the cryptocurrency market. Amid global economic uncertainty, Bitcoin demonstrated strong resilience and stability as a safe haven asset. On the policy front, the Trump administration's supportive stance towards the crypto market has undoubtedly fostered a more favorable regulatory environment. The establishment of a strategic Bitcoin reserve and pro-digital currency appointments are expected to provide clearer direction and more stable expectations for the industry's future development. Cango entered the Bitcoin mining industry in November 2024.

Story Continues

As of the end of April, our total Bitcoin holdings reached 2,944.8 coins, ranking 14th globally among publicly listed companies and fifth among listed mining firms. Throughout Q1, our average monthly effective hash rate consistently exceeded 30 exahashes per second with a coin yield of 16.6 bitcoins per Eh/S, placing us among the top 3 publicly listed mining companies and our efficiency rate is as high as 94%. And in addition, we, in terms of energy efficiency, our average power efficiency for the quarter was 21.6 joules per tera hash with efficiency of 21.5 for March. As we move into 2025, we remain firmly committed to deepening our focus on the Bitcoin mining business.

We have a strong confidence in the stability of Bitcoin's supply and its long-term value appreciation potential. As such, we will adopt a Mine and Hold strategy, prioritizing both self-mining and long-term holding. Looking ahead, we will focus on gradually integrating and optimizing our existing computing power resources to maximize efficiency. At the same time, we will actively pursue M&A opportunities, seeking high-quality targets to further scale up our operations. We believe that greater scale will unlock broader growth opportunities, attract top talent and enhance both our market competitiveness and industry recognition. On our traditional automotive business, we remain focused on lean asset-light operations for our used car export platform, AutoCango.

Since its launch, the platform has attracted over 2.37 million visits and more than 290,000 registered users. Today, AutoCango has more than 480,000 used car listings covering over 68,000 unique models. AutoCango aims to connect China's used car market with overseas buyers, making it easier for international customers to access high-quality vehicle inventory from China. Looking ahead, Cango will continue to strengthen its global presence and enhance AutoCango's platform capabilities to deliver an even better experience for our users. Now I'd like to hand over the call to our CFO, Mr. Yongyi Zhang, to share our financial highlights for the first quarter of 2025.

Yongyi Zhang: Thanks, Jiayuan. Hello, everyone, and welcome to our first quarter 2025 earnings call. Before I started to review our financials, please note that unless otherwise stated, all numbers are in RMB terms and all percentage comparisons are on a year-over-year basis. Total revenue in the first quarter of 2025 were RMB 1.1 billion compared with RMB 64.4 million in the same period 2024. The significant year-over-year increase was primarily driven by the Bitcoin mining business launched in November 2024. Revenue from Bitcoin mining business in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB 1 billion with a total of 1,541 Bitcoin mined in the first quarter of 2025.

The average cost to mine Bitcoin, excluding depreciation of mining machine, was USD 70,602.1 per coin in the quarter. Revenue from automotive trading-related income in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB 7.6 million compared with RMB 64.4 million in the same period 2024. Now let's move on to our cost and expenses during the quarter. Cost of revenue in the first quarter of 2025 increased to RMB 955.1 million from RMB 29.1 million in the same period 2024. The year-over-year increase was primarily driven by the cost of Bitcoin mining business. Sales and marketing expenses in the first quarter decreased to RMB 0.4 million from RMB 3.5 million in the same period of 2024.

General and administrative expenses in the first quarter increased to RMB 92.5 million from RMB 37.9 million in the same period 2024. Research and development expenses in the first quarter decreased to RMB 0.3 million from RMB 1.1 million in the same period 2024. Net gain on contingent risk assurance liability in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB 5.3 million compared with RMB 15 million in the same period 2024. Net recovery on provision for credit losses in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB 28.7 million compared with RMB 66.3 million in the same period 2024.

We recorded RMB 155.5 million in loss from operations in the first quarter of 2025 compared with income from operations of RMB 74.2 million in the same period 2024. Net loss in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB 207.3 million. Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter of 2025 was RMB 27.6 million. Moving on to our balance sheet. As of March 31, 2025, the company had cash and cash equivalents of RMB 2.5 billion compared with RMB 1.3 billion as of December 31, 2024. As of March 31, 2025, the company had short-term investment of RMB 5.2 million compared with RMB 1.2 billion as of December 31, 2024.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, we are on track to grow our deployed hash rate to approximately 50 Eh before the end of July. This concludes our prepared remarks. Operator, we are now ready to take questions.

Operator: [Operator Instructions] The first question comes from Emerson Zhao with Goldman Sachs.

Emerson Zhao: I'm Emerson from Goldman Sachs. I have two questions. The first question is what is your view on the trends in the cryptocurrency market so far? And the second question is, how is the company going to respond to increasing challenges brought about by increasing computing power around the world as well as increasing mining difficulty.

Yongyi Zhang: Thank you, Emerson, for your questions. So the current cryptocurrency market presents both opportunities and challenges. We believe that as technology advances and the market continues to mature, cryptocurrencies will play an increasingly important role. We will closely monitor market developments and flexibly adjust our strategies to better seize emerging opportunities. So on your second question, on the challenges of increasing computing power around the world and increasing mining difficulty. Well, our responses include, firstly, we will continue to optimize the efficiency of our existing mining operations to ensure high productivity.

And at the same time, we are working to expedite the delivery of our second batch of computing power totaling 18 exahashes per second and continue to monitor further acquisition opportunities to further enhance our overall production capacity.

Operator: And the next question comes from [Joi Choi] with Sinolink Securities.

Unidentified Analyst: Thank you, management for taking my questions. I'm from Sinolink Securities. So I have altogether three questions. The first question is I noticed that the metrics and data for the company in April saw quite a big decrease. So could you give us more color on the reasons behind these declines? And the second question is that, do you see more pressure from increasing power costs or electricity cost on the company? And what are the plans that the company have to address this challenge? And my third question is a more general question regarding the future strategy of the company because we have seen quite a lot of changes in the company over the past year.

And so could you give us more details on your future strategic direction?

Jiayuan Lin: Thank you for your questions. On your first question, in April, we mined 470 coins, a 11.3% decrease compared to March, and this was mainly due to the second largest monthly increase in global network hash rate on record as well as an 8% rise in mining difficulty compared to March. Meanwhile, we maintained a high level of mining efficiency with our deployed hash rate remaining steady at 32 exahashes per second. In the first quarter, our average operational hash rate was about 30 and the efficiency was 93.8%, relatively stable compared to the previous quarter.

And for your second question, yes, the company is currently experiencing relatively high electricity costs, primarily due to the premium associated with power procurement under the hosted operation model. However, it is important to note that this model allows us to avoid a heavy capital investment and large staffing costs required for building and operating our own mining facilities. As a result, we have significantly reduced the capital expenditures and operating costs on the infrastructure and operations front. To continuously refine our cost structure, the company has launched a global energy strategy. On one hand, we are conducting detailed cost analysis of existing hosting agreements to explore potential room for renegotiation.

On the other hand, we have formed a dedicated team to carry out on-site researchers in energy-rich regions such as the Middle East and Australia with a focus on evaluating the feasibility of partnerships in low-cost clean energy projects, including solar and natural gas. Through a diversified energy supply system, we aim to reduce costs and enhance operational efficiency. And on your third question, our future strategic direction, we will remain focused on optimizing our mining operations, enhancing efficiency and exploring new market opportunities. At the same time, we will strengthen our partnerships to jointly drive industry advancements. And we will also continue to proactively pursue sustainable and more cost-efficient energy sources.

Operator: And the next question comes from [Jack Sun with Elonix Research].

Unidentified Analyst: I have three questions. The first question is that, well, the Bitcoin mining business actually accounted for 99% of your quarterly revenue. So do you see any concentration risk in terms of your revenue stream here? And what is your plan to balance or diversify your business lines? And my second question is regarding the operating loss. So do you consider using derivatives to hedge against volatilities in your fair value? And my third question is regarding cash flow. Investors are interested in cash flow positions. So my question is, do you have any plan in the future for equity financing or other financing plans?

Jiayuan Lin: On your first question, while the majority of our revenue currently comes from Bitcoin mining, we believe that focusing on mining at this stage is aligned with our overall strategy. Meanwhile, we remain confident in the potential of our used car export business and will concentrate on operating AutoCango, our asset-light platform for used car exports. Looking ahead, we plan to gradually explore additional business opportunities based on market conditions to diversify our operations. At the same time, we will continue to refine our mining business to ensure its stable and sustainable growth. On your second question on operating loss.

Well, the operating loss in this quarter was primarily due to the decline in Bitcoin prices in March, and we believe that fluctuations in Bitcoins price are primarily short term in nature, and we remain confident in its long-term value. In addition, we are introducing risk management tools in phases. For the near term, we are signing medium- to longer-term contracts with power suppliers to lock in electricity prices and reduce cost pressures. And at the same time, we are actively seeking low-cost renewable energy sources. Looking ahead, we are also exploring the feasibility of more relevant risk management tools and will adopt them prudently to mitigate new potential risks.

Regarding cash flow, we currently have sufficient liquidity to support mining operations at 32 exahashes per second, including a USD 400 million annual credit facility provided by our partners. Given our relatively low debt-to-equity ratio, we still have ample room to take on additional leverage. As such, we plan to prioritize debt financing over equity financing.

Operator: And the next question comes from Michael Donovan with H.C. Wainwright.

Michael Donovan: It's Michael Donovan from Kevin Dede's team. Let's start with the 18 exahash you still have to deploy. Can you provide more clarity on that? And has the deal with Ursalpha been finalized? And you mentioned July. So when can we expect the 18 exahash to be online at the end of July? Or is there anything that would hold this up? And then my second question is around your Bitcoin HODL strategy that you mentioned on the call. Do you have any plans to use your Bitcoin in terms of lending or have any plans to earn yield on the Bitcoin?

Jiayuan Lin: Thank you for your questions. I will hand over your questions to our CFO, Yongyi Zhang.

Yongyi Zhang: Thank you for your question. So on your first question on the 18 EH deal, actually, we expect to complete  to close the deal by the end of July because we have already reached agreements on the main plans and except for the  some small details, and we still  we are still finalizing the small details. To be more specific about the terms and conditions revisions. Actually, in April, we received some  also a request on our domestic or PRC deal. So thats why we need to make some revisions to the 18 EH due terms and conditions.

So in fact, our plan is that for this February  sorry, I mean, this Friday, we are going to have AGM, Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting, I mean, to have the Shareholders Meeting to deliberate the PRC deal. And so we expect that after the Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting, then we will be able to complete the PRC deal and then thereby completing our planned revision to the 18 EH deal. On your second question, yes, our strategy is Mine and Hold. So right now, our focus is still on increasing our Bitcoin holdings. However, when our holdings reach a certain size, then we will definitely consider taking on some transactions to improve to earn more yields on Bitcoin.

Operator: And that concludes our question-and-answer session. Thank you once again for joining Cango's first quarter 2025 earnings conference call today. Have a great day.

Should you buy stock in Cango right now?

Before you buy stock in Cango, 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 Cango 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 $536,003!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,116,248!*

Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 946%  a market-crushing outperformance compared to 190% 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 April 9, 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 Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Cango (CANG) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
While Bitcoin hovers above $71,000, attempting to find a stable foothold, a subset of altcoins has tanked sharply, with Fartcoin leading the drop.

The meme coin is down 28% from its Thursday morning peak to around $0.178, according to CoinGecko data. A closer look at the week's price action shows that Fartcoin surged from $0.166 on Tuesday to $0.247 yesterday, securing a 48% gain in under two days.

That sudden spike in buying pressure was followed by a V-reversal, liquidating $48 million in long positions and $3.7 million in shorts in the past 24 hours, according to CoinGlass. The liquidation event was the highest the meme coin witnessed since November 2025, underscoring the volatility. The 24-hour rolling window shows liquidation numbers hit $51 million, ranking third behind Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Enjin Coin experienced similar price action.

It rose abruptly from $0.020 on Wednesday to $0.0383, clocking an 86% gain. As a result, $3.8 million worth of positions were wiped out over 48 hoursthe largest liquidation for the token since April 2025.

Most of these liquidations occurred on decentralized exchange Hyperliquid, which recorded $85 million in 24-hour liquidations, surpassing centralized exchanges like Binance, Bybit, and Gate.

The recent intense volatility in altcoins is essentially the result of a combination of declining macro risk appetite and tightening on-chain liquidity, Tim Sun, senior researcher at HashKey Group, told Decrypt.

Sun also noted that altcoins typically have shallow market depth and high concentration of holdings. During periods of liquidity contraction, market makers and short-term speculative capital are more inclined to profit by pumping prices and then distributing, which reinforces the pattern of sharp rises and falls.

Algorand, Bittensor, and World Liberty Financial, which were up big last week, are down between 5% and 9% over the past 24 hours, reflecting a narrative-driven capital rotation.

Looking ahead

All eyes are now on Bitcoin, which could make or break the current outlook.

The ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran remains fragile, with experts noting a lack of clarity on the Lebanon front as a contributing factor.

In a TruthSocial post Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that, "All US ships, aircraft, and military personnel and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of Iran, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the real agreement is reached and fully complied with.

"If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the 'Shootin' Starts,' bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before," he added.
A new report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation reveals that cryptocurrency-related fraud losses jumped sharply in 2025, underscoring the growing sophistication of online scams.

According to the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), total losses tied to cryptocurrency reached $11.36 billion in 2025, marking a 22% year-over-year increase and accounting for a major share of the $20.87 billion in total cybercrime losses.

The report highlights that overall cybercrime losses rose 26% compared to 2024, with crypto continuing to dominate as the preferred payment method for scammers. Investment-related fraud alone generated $8.6 billion in losses, the largest category by far.

Related: U.S. Treasury imposes sanctions after $800M North Korean crypto scam

Investment scams remain the biggest threat

The data shows that crypto investment scams are the primary driver behind rising losses. These schemes often involve long-term social engineering tactics, where victims are lured through social media, messaging apps or dating platforms before being directed to fraudulent investment platforms.

The FBI estimates that cryptocurrency investment scams alone accounted for $7.2 billion in losses in 2025, making them the single largest source of financial damage among all cyber-enabled crimes.

These operations are frequently linked to organized crime groups operating in Southeast Asia, where scam centers use forced labor and sophisticated scripts to defraud victims globally.

Cyber-enabled fraud overall represented 85% of all reported losses, totaling $17.7 billion. This category includes not only crypto scams but also business email compromise, tech support fraud and impersonation schemes.

Trending on TheStreet Roundtable:

Crypto adoption meets rising cyber risk

The report paints a clear picture that as crypto adoption grows, so does its misuse. Cryptocurrency was referenced in more than 181,000 complaints in 2025, making it one of the most common elements across cybercrime cases.

Transaction data further shows that crypto is the dominant payment method in fraud cases, particularly in investment scams, where it accounts for the majority of reported transactions.

Despite enforcement efforts such as Operation Level Up, which has saved victims an estimated $500 million since 2024, the scale of fraud continues to outpace mitigation.

The FBI warns that emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are likely to accelerate these trends, enabling more convincing scams and a wider reach.
Because of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this conference call may not occur, and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although the company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements. In addition, neither the company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any duty to update any of these forward-looking statements.

All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in the conference call, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, strategy and plans and our expectations for future operations are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the company's current expectations and projections about future events and trends that it believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives, and financial needs. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions as described in the company's Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 1, 2024.

Securities and Exchange Commission, which can also be accessed on the company's website as well as the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. If you have any questions after the call or would like any additional information about the company, please contact Crescendo Communications at (212) 671-1020. Before management reviews the company's operating results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2024, and its financial condition as of that date, we would like to remind everyone that this conference call may contain forward-looking statements.

Ted Ayvas: Good morning, and thanks to everyone for joining LM Funding America's 2024 third quarter financial results and business update conference call. On the call with us today are Ryan Duran, President of U.S. Digital Mining; and Richard Russell, Chief Financial Officer of LM Funding. Bruce Rogers, the company's Chief Executive Officer, will not be able to attend the call this morning due to a family emergency. This morning, the company announced its operating results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and its financial condition as of that date. The press release is posted on the company's website, lmfunding.com and is filed as an exhibit to a Form 8-K, which was filed with the U.S.

Story Continues

All forward-looking statements attributable to the company are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements as well as others made in this conference call. You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made by the company in the context of these risks and uncertainties. In addition, today's discussion will include references to non-GAAP measures. The company believes that such information provides an additional measurement and consistent historical comparison of its performance. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures is available in today's news release on our website. With that, I will now turn the call over to Ryan Duran. Ryan?

Ryan Duran: Thanks, Ted. Good morning, and thanks to everyone who joined us today. We have a lot of positive developments to share with you today as we continue to strengthen our position in the Bitcoin mining landscape. Following the Bitcoin mining halving earlier this year, there has been a strategic shift in our mining approach to more cost-effective operations. The halving event coincided with the expiration of several high-cost hosting contracts, providing us with opportunities to relocate our machines to more cost-effective facilities. We believe these strategic decisions have positioned LM Funding for continued growth and success in our mining operations.

I would now like to turn the call over to our CFO, Rick Russell, for a review of the financial highlights for the third quarter of 2024. Rick?

Richard Russell: Thank you, Ryan. As of September 30, 2024, the company had approximately 3,700 Bitcoin mining machines in operation and engaged in Bitcoin mining at various hosting sites. With an additional 2,200 miners at a third-party warehouse waiting to be redeployed, in total, our 5,900 miners provide the company with approximately 639 petahash of mining capacity. We mined 18.5 Bitcoins in the third quarter of 2024, generating approximately $1.1 million in revenue at an average Bitcoin price at $61,000. As of September 30, 2024, the company held 142.3 Bitcoins, which are valued as of November 11, 2024, at approximately $12.4 million assuming an $87,000 per Bitcoin price.

Total revenue for the third quarter of 2024 was approximately $1.3 million, a decrease of $2.1 million from the same period last year. The decrease in revenues reflects the effects of April 2024 Bitcoin halving event as well as the repositioning of miners during the quarter. Operating expense for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, decreased to $5.6 million from $6.6 million year-over-year due to a $2 million decrease in digital mining costs offset in part by a $0.8 million increase in depreciation and amortization. Moreover, we reported that our core EBITDA loss was $1.6 million in Q3 2024 from $0.6 million in Q3 2023.

However, we achieved positive core EBITDA for the first nine months of 2024 at $0.6 million due to expanded Bitcoin operations. I would now like to turn the call over to Ryan for our strategy overview.

Ryan Duran: Thanks, Rick. I would now like to focus our attention on our overall strategic shift in our mining operations post halving. Following the April halving event, the company strategically pivoted away from the infrastructure light approach that we had employed pre-halving to a strategy of vertical integration. This strategy is centered on securing mining sites with low-cost sustainable power sources and significant expansion potential, positioning the company and enhanced operations efficiency and growth. The timing of this strategic shift was intentional as we had aligned our hosting contract expirations to coincide with the halving event allowing us the flexibility to restructure our operations with minimal disruption.

As we continue to build out our infrastructure, we remain committed to identifying additional cost-effective hosting sites. We believe these investments will drive substantial growth and create long-term value for our shareholders positioning the company as a key player in the digital mining sector. I would now like to turn the call over to Rick Russell for a wrap-up.

Richard Russell: Thanks, Ryan. We remain fully committed to reinvesting our mining revenue into expanding our capacity with additional state-of-the-art miners and further enhancing our operations through the integration of advanced software and technologies boosting the hash rate of our existing machines. Moreover, we are enthusiastic about our recent vertical integration initiatives, which we anticipate will continue to lower our direct mining costs as compared to the prior year. I would now like to open up the call for questions. Operator, can you assist us with that?

Operator: Yes, sir. Thank you. At this time, we'll be conducting our question-and-answer session. [Operator Instructions] Our first question is coming from Kevin Dede with H.C. Wainright. Your line is live.

Kevin Dede: Thanks. Hi, Rick, Ryan. Thanks for having me on the call. Appreciate it. Yes, lots of questions because there weren't many details. Obviously, you are moving miners. Can you give us an indication of what you have mining now, where it is and where you think your hash rate goes by the end of the year?

Richard Russell: Sure. So we have about 3,300 machines located in Oklahoma, our facility that's generating -- that's about $0.04 per kilowatt there. Another 800 over at a core facility in Kentucky. And that's at about $0.07 per kilowatt. We have about 2,200 machines in a warehouse in Oklahoma, and we're working on being able to place those machines at that location in Oklahoma, hopefully by year-end, if not the first of January. So during the quarter, we were probably at 60% capacity, give or take?

Kevin Dede: Okay. Has that changed through the month of October?

Richard Russell: No, it has not changed, I can say. We hope to have entered into some additional contracts to put those remaining machines by year-end, if not by the first of January.

Kevin Dede: What would -- could you please remind me what your available power is in Oklahoma?

Richard Russell: The total site has 15 megawatts, we're only using 10.

Kevin Dede: Okay. And then when you get those 2,200 machines plugged in, then you'll be up to the full 15?

Richard Russell: 15, correct.

Kevin Dede: And they're going into containers, if I remember correctly?

Richard Russell: Correct.

Kevin Dede: Okay. Now there was some talk about a site in Texas. Are there any details you can share about how that might be progressing?

Richard Russell: No, that still had some requirements for power validation before we -- if you remember, that had a 12-megawatt site with 60 expansion. And we -- before we move forward on that, we want 60-megawatt expansion to be solidified and they're still working on that. So it's kind of wait and see on that one.

Kevin Dede: Any insight on timing? Is it a 3-month process, 6-month process?

Richard Russell: I think by year-end, we'll know whether it's go or no-go, how is that?

Kevin Dede: Fair enough. Can you offer any indication on where or how you're thinking about new rig purchases?

Richard Russell: Ryan, do you?

Ryan Duran: Yes. It all comes back to -- obviously, machines are consistently rolling out new models. When it comes time to make that purchase, we basically look at what options are available, what potential deals we could get directly through Bitmain which we normally do, and it comes back to payback period.

Richard Russell: And I know we've looked at the S21 Pros are fairly expensive. Some of the older ones models [indiscernible], right? So once we have the space and we start refreshing our older machine, those will be the main criteria.

Kevin Dede: And Rick, since you're intimately more familiar with the Condo business, can you give us just sort of a view on how you see it, how you see the Florida real estate market and what you think your opportunities are?

Richard Russell: Well, I think there are opportunities there given the new laws, but with the legislation coming in, in the spring, some of those demands upon the condos may lessen a little bit and give them more breathing room. We think regardless, the condos will need help and we're trying to work with them in that manner. I know that's not a lot, but it's kind of -- we're seeing a lot of increase in assessment and later assessment. Is that correct? Ryan?

Ryan Duran: Yes. special assessments are being assessed at a very large rate. And we're looking to solve that problem that's slowly rolling out, as Rick indicated, may be delayed a little bit longer down the road than originally planned, but there's definitely going to be opportunity there as associations continue to special assess and fill their reserve requirements.

Kevin Dede: So the past nine months seem to be fairly consistent for you folks. I'm wondering if there's any indication that you're potentially involved in more deals helping the associations manage these assessments? Has the tenor of business changed, I guess, is sort of the root of the question?

Richard Russell: Not really. Because requirements are not quite as urgent as they have to be, right? And I would like to have it to pick up more, but we're willing to take the opportunity to expand that if it comes about, but we can only push it so far.

Kevin Dede: So would it be fair to assume then, Rick, that the emphasis now is on expanding the vertical integration aspect, your Bitcoin mining, and it's kind of a wait and see really on how legislation changes the profile of the Condo business. Is that fair?

Richard Russell: Yes, that's fair. I mean, we're -- Ryan and his group are searching for additional sites, right, in that $0.04 power. And we've got some good leads on those, in addition to what we have already. And we think we can get funding to help acquire those sites, do loans and then use equity rates to help put machines in there.

Kevin Dede: Last question from me. Have you looked at sort of the M&A side of things with pre-established, privately held mining companies that might be hitting a roadblock given the hash price was so low for so long?

Richard Russell: We've talked to a few firms in those situations. Nothing has come about of it yet. And we do get introduced to other people who know such firms and we're open to discussions, but it depends on their situation and willingness to trade, right?

Kevin Dede: Absolutely. All right. Well thanks for your color, Rick. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Operator: [Operator Instructions] Our next question is coming from Matthew Galinko with Maxim Group. Your line is live.

Matthew Galinko: Hi, thanks for taking my question. I wanted to look back at Oklahoma for a second. What is the power you're currently paying and is it sustainable? I recall it might have been something that you have line of sight through maybe nine months? Or can you just refresh me on what the power rate is and how long you have it locked in for?

Richard Russell: Yes. It's -- we're roughly in the $0.04 range. It floats with cost of power each month, but we have projections and expectations, it's going to be anywhere from 3.8 to 4.2. So that's why we continue to say the $0.04 number sitting in that range. And we do not see that changing for better or for worse, that is our expectation for the foreseeable future.

Matthew Galinko: Got it. And do you have expansion past the -- I think you mentioned 5 megawatts is currently the target in Oklahoma. Could you -- is there capacity on site to add to the site? Or do you have more expansion beyond the five in Oklahoma that has potential?

Richard Russell: Yes. That site can be expanded with some substation expansion.

Matthew Galinko: So it's an additional 60 megawatts, right?

Richard Russell: Yes. It would take nine months once you put the expansion substations up there. And we're looking heavily at that since the price of electricity is reasonable for us.

Matthew Galinko: Got you. So I mean, I guess, last question from me in terms of decisioning. I think you mentioned earlier in the call that you might know by the end of the year whether you can get the expansion in Texas or not. So if the Texas expansion doesn't come your way, would expanding Oklahoma be your primary direction for the non-deployed machines currently or...

Richard Russell: Yes, we would look at primarily in Oklahoma and also we are looking at a few other sites out there to take advantage of.

Matthew Galinko: Okay. So sorry, just to put a finer point on that, if you have about a 9-month lead time to get infrastructure in place to expand Oklahoma beyond the $15 million, do you think you'd move more quickly on another site than sort of waiting for nine months for expansion? Or just how do you think about timing?

Richard Russell: Yes. We would do dual prong that we would definitely look hard at ready-to-go sites right now or something that could pop up in three months call it that while also exploring the 60-megawatt expansion also.

Matthew Galinko: Got it. Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. As we have no further questions on the line at this time, I'd like to turn it back over to management for any closing remarks.

Richard Russell: Thank you. We are thrilled to see Bitcoin recently reach an all-time high above $92,000, a milestone that we believe strongly validates our long-term strategy of mining and holding Bitcoin. This recent surge reinforces our confidence in Bitcoin's upward trajectory as we anticipate the price moving toward our projected target of over $100,000 in 2025. With the current initiatives providing cost-effective locations to power existing machines, we are extremely excited about what the future holds for LM Funding and its shareholders. We are grateful for the ongoing support from our shareholders and look forward to updating you on our future progress. Thank you.

Operator: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. This does conclude today's conference call. You may disconnect your lines at this time, and have a wonderful day, and we thank you for your participation.

Should you buy stock in Lm Funding America right now?

Before you buy stock in Lm Funding America, 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 Lm Funding America 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 $536,003!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,116,248!*

Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 946%  a market-crushing outperformance compared to 190% 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 April 9, 2026.

This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability.

The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

LM Funding (LMFA) Q3 2024 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
The US Treasury's Office of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection (OCCIP) launched a program to share real-time cyber threat intelligence with eligible digital asset firms at no cost.

The initiative gives qualifying crypto companies access to the same security briefings that traditional banks and financial institutions have received for years.

Why This Matters Now

The announcement arrives after a devastating 2025 for digital asset security. Crypto platforms lost approximately $3.4 billion to hacks last year, according to Chainalysis data.

North Korean state-backed actors alone accounted for $2.02 billion of that total.

Treasury officials cited the growing frequency and sophistication of attacks as the primary driver behind the program.

Cyber threats targeting digital asset platforms are growing in frequency and sophistication. This initiative expands access to actionable threat information that helps firms strengthen defenses, reduce risk, and respond more effectively to incidents," read an excerpt in the announcement, citing Cory Wilson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity.

Ties to the GENIUS Act

The effort also advances a recommendation from the President's Working Group on Digital Asset Markets.

Tyler Williams, Counselor to the Secretary for Digital Assets, linked the program to the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, signed into law in July 2025.

The FDIC approved a separate GENIUS Act implementation framework on April 7, covering cybersecurity standards for stablecoin issuers.

Together, both actions signal an accelerating push to fold crypto firms into the federal financial security apparatus.

Read the Original story US Treasurys Secret Weapon Against Crypto Hackers Is Now Available For Free by Lockridge Okoth at beincrypto.com
There's a version of getting rich that looks a lot less glamorous than people expect. It starts with skipping coffee, ditching credit cards, and stacking cash like it's a competitive sport. That's the lane billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban chose to highlight when he laid out what he sees as the real first step to building wealth.

"Save your money," Cuban wrote in a 2008 post on his Blog Maverick. "Save as much money as you possibly can. Every penny you can. Instead of coffee, drink water. Instead of going to McDonalds, eat Mac and Cheese. Cut up your credit cards. If you use a credit card, you don't want to be rich."

He tied that mindset directly to discipline. "The first step to getting rich, requires discipline. If you really want to be rich, you need to find the discipline, can you?" Cuban wrote.

Don't Miss:

Discipline Starts With Spending, Not Investing

Cuban didn't start with stocks, real estate, or side hustles. He started with spending habits.

"If you can, you will quickly find that the greatest rate of return you will earn is on your own personal spending," Cuban wrote. "Being a smart shopper is the first step to getting rich."

That framing flips the usual advice. Instead of chasing returns in the market, he pointed to everyday decisions as the first win. Spending less isn't just budgeting. It's the earliest form of investing, where every dollar saved carries a guaranteed return.

He acknowledged the trade-offs. "Yeah you have to give things up and that doesn't work for everyone, particularly if you have a family. That is reality," Cuban wrote.

But the core message didn't change. "Whatever you can save, save it," he wrote. "As much as you possibly can. Then put it in 6 month CDs in the bank."

Trending: Caught With Nothing Saved for Retirement? These 5 GameChanging Tips Could Still Save You

Cash Over Comforting Retirement Narratives

Cuban's biggest break with conventional advice shows up in how he views saving itself.

"The first step to getting rich is having cash available," he wrote. "You arent saving for retirement. You are saving for the moment you need cash."

That runs against the typical path of funneling money into retirement accounts designed for long-term growth, where access is often restricted until later in life. Cuban's argument is simpler. Liquidity matters more than distant projections. Cash isn't idle. It's optionality.
As the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices reflect the impact of global economic challenges, notably from China's sluggish recovery, investors are navigating a complex landscape in the UK market. In such conditions, identifying stocks that may be undervalued can present opportunities for those looking to capitalize on potential market inefficiencies.

Top 10 Undervalued Stocks Based On Cash Flows In The United Kingdom

Name Current Price Fair Value (Est) Discount (Est) XP Power (LSE:XPP) 13.40 23.68 43.4% Taylor Wimpey (LSE:TW.) 0.8822 1.75 49.7% Pinewood Technologies Group (LSE:PINE) 2.19 4.12 46.8% Pan African Resources (LSE:PAF) 1.57 3.11 49.5% James Fisher and Sons (LSE:FSJ) 4.99 9.22 45.9% Fevertree Drinks (AIM:FEVR) 8.225 15.73 47.7% Eurocell (LSE:ECEL) 1.16 2.11 44.9% Entain (LSE:ENT) 5.842 10.42 44% ACG Metals (LSE:ACG) 14.80 26.72 44.6% Accsys Technologies (AIM:AXS) 0.606 1.16 47.6%

Click here to see the full list of 58 stocks from our Undervalued UK Stocks Based On Cash Flows screener.

Underneath we present a selection of stocks filtered out by our screen.

Overview: Fevertree Drinks PLC, along with its subsidiaries, develops and sells mixer drinks in the UK, US, Europe, and internationally with a market cap of 949.12 million.

Operations: The company's revenue segments include 131.90 million from the US and 243.40 million from the rest of the group.

Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 47.7%

Fevertree Drinks appears undervalued based on cash flow analysis, trading at 8.23, which is 47.7% below its estimated fair value of 15.73. Despite recent declines in sales and net income for 2025, the company is projected to experience significant earnings growth of 20.9% annually over the next three years, outpacing the UK market average. Revenue growth is also expected to surpass the market at 10.2% per year, supporting its potential as a value investment opportunity in cash flow terms.

AIM:FEVR Discounted Cash Flow as at Apr 2026

Overview: CVS Group plc operates veterinary services, an online pharmacy, and retail businesses in the United Kingdom and Australia, with a market cap of 833.46 million.

Operations: The company's revenue segments include 632.70 million from veterinary practices, 33 million from laboratories, and 47.90 million from its online retail business.

Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 30.8%

CVS Group, trading at 11.88, is considered undervalued on a cash flow basis with an estimated future value of 17.17, representing a discount exceeding 20%. Despite recent declines in net income for the half year ending December 2025, CVS is expected to achieve significant annual earnings growth of 21%, outpacing the UK market average. However, it carries a high debt level and its revenue growth forecast of 4.6% per year slightly exceeds market expectations.
For most of the AI boom, the Magnificent Seven moved in near-lockstep, a monolith of correlated bets. That correlation has now broken down. Goldman notes that the three-month realized pairwise correlation among the major AI hyperscalers Amazon , Google , Meta , Microsoft , and Oraclehas fallen sharply, with rising dispersion among the dominant names. The monolith has cracked, giving way to a market that demands differentiation.

The selloff wasnt irrational panic. It was a repricing driven by a simple, nagging question: What exactly are the hyperscalers getting for all that capital expenditure? Spending among the largest AI cloud providers has surged to historic levels as a share of cash flow from operations, yet the history of technology breakthroughsfrom railways to the early internetis littered with infrastructure booms that produced meager returns for the builders and outsize gains for those riding on top. Oracle , an extreme example, has had to raise fresh financing and recently laid off workers to manage the load. Investors, apparently, finally started reading the history books.

Goldman Sachs Peter Oppenheimer put it slightly differently from Royal, in a note published Tuesday morning: The technology sector has just endured one of its worst periods of relative underperformance compared with the rest of the global market since the early 1970s. The IT sector now trades at a forward P/E below consumer discretionary, consumer staples, and industrialsa positioning that would have seemed inconceivable just 18 months ago.

Royal centered his analysis on Nvidia , the giant that became the face of the AI investment supercycle and yet has seen its stock price stagnate for roughly three quarters even as its earnings continued to grow at a blistering pace. The result: Its forward price-to-earnings multiple has compressed from the low 30s to around 20. Thats not a collapse. Thats a controlled descent. New research from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanleys top equity analysts agrees with the emerging pattern in markets: a slow climb-down after the bubble warnings months ago.

You know, thats a really interesting way to put it, said David Royal, chief investment officer at Thrivent, in a recent interview, when asked if the bubble had already burst and nobody noticed. I think I agree with that  It came down in a pretty orderly way.

The crash that was widely predicted just last summer hasnt arrived yet. There was no single day when the AI stock market euphoria buckled, no Lehman moment, no front-page meltdown. Instead, over the better part of a year, Wall Street did something far more methodicaland far more telling: It slowly, deliberately, and almost silently wound down its euphoric investments in AI.

Story Continues

Part of what cracked it was fear of disruption from within. The release of successive generations of large language modelsincluding DeepSeekraised uncomfortable questions about competitive moats. For the first time in a generation, investors started to seriously question the terminal values of long-duration growth companies. Fears of AI disruption led to a sharp de-rating of software stocks specifically, which fell from a premium market multiple to parity in a matter of months. Investors began hunting for the AI eras version of Kodak: a dominant company hollowed out by the very wave it helped create.

Oppenheimer framed this as the technology value opportunity, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime chance to acquire stocks that have been expensive for decades. This has been one of the weakest periods of relative returns for technology over the past 50 years and a stark contrast from most of the postGreat Financial Crisis era, he noted. The air coming out of the AI trade balloon, in other words, is a rare opportunity for investors to buy the dip. Or perhaps, the fear of a bubble is a healthy thing to have in volatile times like these.

Oppenheimers views are aligned with those of Morgan Stanleys chief U.S. equity strategist Michael Wilson, who wrote in his weekly note the day before that the S&P 500 is carving out a low and that the correction is well advanced in both time and price. Wilsons thesis is built on a critical data point: The S&P 500s forward P/E multiple has already fallen 18% from its six-month peaka level rarely exceeded in the absence of a recession or aggressive Fed tightening, neither of which is Wilsons base case.

Specifically regarding the hyperscalers, Wilson was unambiguous. The Magnificent Seven, he writes, now trade at roughly 24 times forward earningsnearly the same multiple as consumer staples at 22 timesyet carry more than three times the forward earnings growth of that defensive sector. From a relative value perspective, Wilson wrote, the group looks quite attractive here after having already been through six months of consolidation and correction for reasons that are now well understood. Those reasonsfalling free cash flow, questions about return on invested capital, and supply bottlenecks tied to the Iran conflicts disruption of global energy marketshave been thoroughly priced in, in his view.

Wilsons recommendation is to build a barbell position: Pair cyclicals like financials, consumer discretionary goods, and short-cycle industrials with quality growth names in the hyperscaler space. The primary remaining risk, he argued, is not AI disruption or geopolitics but central bank policyspecifically, whether Treasury yields push back above 4.50%, a level that has historically triggered multiple compressions.

The orderly unwind

What makes this deflation remarkable is what didnt happen alongside it. There was no wave of frenzied equity issuance of the kind that preceded the dotcom implosion, when roughly 500 U.S. companies went public in a single year. IPO activity has been a fraction of that. Debt ratios for the tech sector have risen modestly but remain historically low. Earnings, crucially, never collapsed: Analysts project info tech to grow earnings per share by 44% in Q1 2026, accounting for 87% of S&P 500 index earnings growth. Goldman estimated that AI infrastructure investment will account for roughly 40% of all S&P 500 earnings growth this year. Wilsons data corroborated this as S&P 500 forward 12-month EPS growth is accelerating to multiyear highs.

The result is a strange paradox: a sector with record earnings and a deflated valuation. Royal said he sees an opportunity in that gap. We continue to own most of those big-cap names, he said, adding that he would consider adding more Nvidia if the price were to come down further.

Goldmans strategists agree, pointing out that the technology sectors PEG (price/earnings-to-growth) ratio has now fallen below that of the global aggregate marketa level last seen at the trough following the dotcom bust in 200305.

Royal said that when he polls his own asset allocation team on whether to add or trim equity, the current answer is unanimous: add. But he is careful to separate that conviction from complacency.

The past several years, Royal notes, have produced back-to-back equity gains that nearly hit 20% three years runningsomething that has happened only once before, in the mid-1990s. That kind of run is exhilarating for clients, but it creates a quiet danger: Portfolios that were targeting 60% to 65% equity can drift five percentage points overweight without clients noticing. Royals standing instruction to Thrivents 2,500 advisors is to make sure clients get rebalanced, depending on their goalstaking equity gains off the table and rotating into duration, because that is the technically correct move after a multiyear rally, not a further chase into risk.

It would be very easy, if youre targeting 65% equities, to be 5% overweight, he said. I keep reminding our advisors to make sure people get rebalanced.

That discipline is the same one that drove Royal to trim his large-cap growth overweight in the first place. The secular story on big-cap techthe margins, the cash flow, the AI tailwindwas never in doubt. What changed was the math of position sizing. When you are 6% overweight in domestic equities and run the downside scenarios, risk management demands you act, regardless of how much you like the names.

The bubble didnt pop. Wall Street looked at it, blinked, and slowly exhaledleaving behind not a crater but a clearing, and for those paying attention, perhaps the most attractive technology entry point in more than a decade.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:ALSN) is one of the 10 Best Affordable Growth Stocks to Buy for the Next 5 Years. According to a report released on March 16, Morgan Stanley analyst Angel Castillo reaffirmed a Hold rating on Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:ALSN) while increasing the firms price target on the shares. Angel Castillo raised the firms price target on the stock from $109 to $117. The stock has already achieved the firms assigned price target and is currently trading slightly above the price target of $117.

Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:ALSN) is one of the 10 Best Affordable Growth Stocks to Buy for the Next 5 Years.

Earlier, on MARCH 10, Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:ALSN) announced the expansion of its partnership with Daimler Truck North America LLC (DTNA) to add two new automatic transmission options for the Freightliner M2 106 Plus truck. The Allison 3414 Regional Haul Series transmission, paired with the Cummins X10 diesel engine, is expected to start production in January 2027. Moreover, the Allison 9-Speed transmission, paired with the Cummins B6.7 Octane gasoline engine, will start production in July 2026.

These new options are designed to improve efficiency, performance, and flexibility for customers. The 3414 RHS helps improve handling, acceleration, and overall efficiency in heavy-duty use, while the Allison 9-Speed transmission offers smooth shifting and better fuel savings for fleets.

Rohan Barua, Vice President, North America Sales, Global Channel and Aftermarket, said:

"The expansion of our partnership with DTNA underscores a shared commitment to delivering powertrain solutions that best address our customers needs. By integrating our 3414 RHS and 9-speed transmissions into the Freightliner M2 106 Plus platform, we are providing purpose-built technology designed to enhance productivity, efficiency and long-term value."

Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ALSN) designs and manufactures automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems for commercial and military vehicles. The company produces buses, trucks, construction equipment, and defense vehicles across global markets. It serves customers such as vehicle manufacturers, fleet operators, and government or defense organizations. It was founded in 1915 and is based in Indiana, United States.

While we acknowledge the potential of ALSN as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.
Kuwaiti business conglomerate Alshaya Group has taken control of the Starbucks Greece & Cyprus licensed business.

The deal makes Alshaya Group, which is itself a Starbucks licensed partner, the new exclusive owner and operator of the business in the two countries.

According to a press release posted on Zawya, the business was previously operated by the Marinopoulos family, with day-to-day operations led by managing director Giannis Marinopoulos. Following the handover, he will return to the familys other business interests.

Financial details of the transaction were not divulged.

Starbucks Greece & Cyprus currently has 48 outlets, notably 30 in Greece and 18 in Cyprus, and employs around 500 staff.

Under the new structure, the Greek business will trade as Alshaya Hellas SMSA. In Cyprus, operations will be conducted through Murgab Cyprus.

The transition will be overseen by Alshaya Groups Starbucks Greece and Cyprus business manager Jacqueline Delpippo, with the immediate focus on a smooth changeover while continuing to serve existing customers.

Over time, the new operator intends to explore ways to refine the customer experience and assess potential expansion opportunities in both countries.

Alshaya Groups Starbucks president Saleh Alshaya was quoted by Zawya as saying: With todays announcement, we are continuing our vision of growth for our licensed Starbucks business, and we look forward to working with our new colleagues to offer even more choice for our customers to experience their favourite Starbucks coffee across Greece and Cyprus.

Alshaya Group brought Starbucks to Kuwait in 1999. Since then, it has grown its Starbucks portfolio to more than 2,000 outlets across 13 countries.

"Alshaya Group takes over Starbucks operations in Greece and Cyprus" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand.




Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (NYSE:PNW) is included among the 15 Utility Stocks with Highest Dividends.

Analyst Bumps Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) Price Target by $4

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (NYSE:PNW) is an energy holding company that conducts business through its subsidiaries, Arizona Public Service Company, El Dorado Investment Company, and Pinnacle West Power.

On March 31, Barclays increased its price target on Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (NYSE:PNW) from $97 to $101, while keeping an Equal Weight rating on the shares.

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (NYSE:PNW) posted earnings of $5.05 per share in full-year 2025, landing in the upper half of its updated guidance range. While this is below the EPS of $5.24 delivered in 2024, the decline was primarily weather-driven. The company also managed to achieve total customer growth of 2.4% last year, standing at the high end of its guidance range.

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (NYSE:PNW) is now targeting earnings in the range of $4.55 to $4.75 per share for full-year 2026, while reaffirming its long-term sales growth guidance of 5% to 7% through 2030.

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (NYSE:PNW) boasts a robust annual dividend yield of 3.56%, putting it among the 11 Best Utility Stocks to Buy for Dividends in 2026.

While we acknowledge the potential of PNW 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: 15 Best S&P 500 Stocks to Buy Right Now and 15 Large-Cap Stocks with Highest Dividends

Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.
In todays CEO Daily: Diane Brady examines Bill Ackmans effort to build a modern-day Berkshire without the folksy charm.

The big leadership story: Anthropic is giving companies an early look at its most advanced AI model.

The markets: Stocks skyrocket globally on news of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal.

Plus: All the news and watercooler chat from Fortune.

More from Yahoo Scout How do their investment approaches and returns differ? How does Ackman's Pershing compare to Buffett's Berkshire? Why is Pershing going public on NYSE? What is Ackman's $64 billion Universal Music bid?

Good morning. Is Bill Ackman like Warren Buffett?

The CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management cited a desire to unleash long-term value when making yesterdays $64 billion bid to acquire Universal Music Group. Hes long admired the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, who handed the CEO role to Greg Abel earlier this year. And Ackman revived talk of creating a modern-day Berkshire last month when filing to list Pershing with a new fund on the New York Stock Exchange.

As investors look at Pershings impending IPO as an alternative to Berkshire in the world of value investing, its worth comparing the two men and the companies theyve built.

Investing Approach  Buffett has a six-decade track record of 20% compound annual returns to investors, roughly double the S&P 500. Ackmans hedge fund has delivered similar returns since its 2004 launch, not including fees. But its a choppier journey when youre an activist investor who names enemies, looks for problems to fix and wages war in public. Pershings turnover is double that of Berkshire, though both are relatively low, and its a fraction the size. Ackmans focus on fee growth and asset management is also more akin to Blackstone than Berkshire. Capital can be more nimble than a conglomerate. But Ackmans UMG bid reinforces a philosophy embraced by Buffett, who prefers to buy wonderful businesses at fair prices and work privately with management to unlock value.

Personal Brand  The differences in temperament and tactics are stark. Its hard to compete with a billionaire who clips McDonalds coupons and still lives in the house he bought for $31,500 in 1958. While Ackman says he turns off lights and drives around to look for cheap parking, I know who Id cast for the role of George Bailey in Its A Wonderful Life. Among other things, Buffett is polite, down to earth, and feels a civic duty to pay higher taxes. Ackman is more polarizing, using his platform to condemn DEI as anti-capitalist, speak out against tariffs, bet on political races, and take a hardball approach to fixing things. An everyman, hes not. Ackmans unsuccessful campaign against Herbalife made him look out of touch, at least to those of us who had plenty of experience with multilevel-marketing companies.
Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) operates the world's largest streaming platform for movies and television shows. Its stock peaked at around $132 last June, before embarking on a steady decline, which then accelerated when the company announced plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for a whopping $82.7 billion.

Netflix stock was down by as much as 42% from its peak recently, as investors were worried about the deal's hefty price tag. However, it won't be going ahead because Warner decided to go with an offer from Paramount Skydance instead. Investors seemed pleased by this, and Netflix stock is finally on the road to recovery.

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 

On April 16, Netflix will release its operating results for the first quarter of 2026 (ended March 31). Management's guidance points to strong revenue and earnings growth, so should investors buy the stock ahead of the upcoming report, especially while it's still down from its peak?

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Staying one step ahead of the competition

Netflix had over 325 million paying subscribers at the end of 2025. It's towering over its main rivals like Warner Bros. Discovery's HBO Max and Disney's Disney+, which have around 131 million subscribers each. Netflix continues to cement its dominance by outspending its streaming competitors when it comes to creating and licensing content, which consistently attracts new members.

However, the company also generates growth by catering to people of all economic circumstances with several membership options. It launched a subscription tier in 2022 that shows advertisements to its members in exchange for a heavily discounted price. At just $8.99 per month, it's much cheaper than Netflix's Standard ($19.99 per month) and Premium ($26.99 per month) tiers.

While the ad-supported tier nets less money upfront, each member becomes more valuable over time because Netflix can charge businesses more money for advertising slots as this subscriber base grows. Plus, the company is investing heavily in live content, which typically attracts premium ad prices. This includes weekly World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) programming, blockbuster live boxing matches, multiple Major League Baseball (MLB) live events per year, and even live National Football League (NFL) matches.

Netflix exclusively showed both Christmas Day NFL games in 2024 and 2025, and it will do so again in 2026. But the company is also reportedly trying to win the rights to show two more games in the upcoming season, which will potentially attract both new members and new advertisers.
One of Californias last bastions to buy cheap homes is also one of the hottest housing markets in the nation: Fresno.

Construction Coverage recently ranked Fresno as the 15th hottest real estate market in the United States, and the fifth California city on the list, below San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and Los Angeles.

But what makes the city standout, is the far cheaper homes available compared to most California cities. The average house price in Fresno, $386,426 according to Zillow, sits more than a half a million dollars below Los Angeles and nearly a million below San Franciscos average home price.

Construction Coverage recently ranked Fresno as the 15th hottest real estate market in the United States.

More than 35% of homes in Fresno went above asking price with a median sale price of $400,000, according to the survey. Home prices have risen in the area about 3% compared to a year ago.

Fresno stands out because its seeing strong demand relative to supply, the author of the survey said.

Fresno is especially competitive, and a local loan officer with American Pacific Market isnt surprised by the ranking.

That and the location. Literally, because its too high down in the south, too high down north, and on the coast, just forget about it, Paul Salazar told ABC 30.

It doesnt surprise me, but it is kind of neat to see it happening right before your eyes, he added.

City officials believes the market is especially competitive because of corporate landlords like JD Homes, which owns around 3,000 homes in the Central Valley. Fresno City councilmember Annalisa Perea told Fresnoland that shes motivated by stories of corporate investors outbidding homebuyers.

One of Californias last bastions to buy cheap homes is also one of the hottest housing markets in the nation.

What Id like to see long-term is more homeownership versus renters, she told the outlet.

JD Homes has faced controversy for their properties before. The company lost a tenant lawsuit in 2021, which alleged JD Homes knowingly left tenants living in unsafe and uninhabitable conditions.

This is the detrimental effect of what happens when you bite off more than you can chew, Perea told Fresnoland, referring to JD Homes real estate portfolio.

Pereas proposal to study area trends surrounding corporate landlords was just approved by the council. She also advocated to make it easier for tenants to find corporate landlords, who can hide their names with trusts or LLCs.

But others believe scarcity of supply is more responsible than corporate landlords buying up homes.

Theres a big driver of our housing crisis, and that driver is a scarcity of supply, Stan Oklobdzjia, a professor of housing policy at the University of California, Riverside, told Fresnoland. He added that an exception lies when corporate bidders buy up neighborhoods, and then you become more of a price setter.

The California Post spotted several sublime deals across Fresnos housing market.

A stunning gated 3-bed, 3-bath home comes in at about $530,000 for nearly 3,000 square feet of space.

The 1920s two-story residence blends classic architecture with modern-day versatility, its listing says.

The average house price in Fresno, $386,426 according to Zillow.

From the moment you arrive, the gated circular driveway and iconic California palms create a striking first impression, the listing describes the residence.

Complete with two towering pillars at its entrance, the home features a fireplace in the dining area, a porch, a jetted tub with a chandelier hanging over it, and space for an accessory dwelling unit for guest house if buyers are interested.

For those with simpler tastes, a more-rustic 4-bed, 3-bath 2,265 square foot estate is in order. The home, located in eastern Fresno, comes in at $495,000.

The single-family abode was built in 1977 and also features a fireplace and a spacious living room laden in wood. The house has colored-glass across the property and features a balcony as well.

For aquatic homebuyers, a pool sits in the propertys lush backyard.

Buyers more psyched about a desert vibe could like this 4-bed, 3-bath on the outskirts of eastern Fresno.

The 2,648 square foot home is priced at $515,000 and is complete with an adorable covered front porch that makes a perfect sitting area to enjoy your morning coffee or a relaxing afternoon, its listing says.

Dont miss out on the chance to embark on the exciting journey of homeownership with a property that combines practicality, potential, and proximity to all amenities. the listing adds.

The home has stainless steel appliances and a back patio with a green grass lawn.

More than 35% of homes in Fresno went above asking price with a median sale price of $400,000, according to the survey.

Another decent Fresno-area deal prices at $469,900 for 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and 1,613 square feet. The home has a blue and white kitchen theme, a cozy backyard with a rocky path, and wood floors throughout.

It also has its own fireplace and a swing hanging off a tree in the backyard.

San Diego is one of the most stagnant housing markets in California, according to the survey. Home sale prices have dipped .2% and 31.9% of homes sold above asking. The cities of Bakersfield, Sacramento and Long Beach came in above San Diego on the list.

The hottest housing markets in the country are San Francisco, San Jose and Minneapolis, the list said.
Commerzbank said it has held discussions in recent weeks with UniCredit but remains unconvinced by the Italian lenders takeover proposal, reinforcing its intention to continue as an independent bank.

According to the German bank, the offer does not have adequate value upside potential.

Several interactions have taken place with UniCredit in recent weeks to constructively explore the basis and benefits of the takeover offer announced by UniCredit to Commerzbanks shareholders, Commerzbank said in a statement.

There is currently no basis for a mutually agreed value-accretive transaction, it added.

The German lender said the unsolicited nature of the approach made it difficult to build the mutual trust necessary for a successful transaction.

Commerzbank has previously indicated doubts about the bid presented last month.

UniCredit has said it does not expect broad acceptance from investors, describing an offer that carried a low premium and would, in practice, take it beyond a 30% holding in Commerzbank, reported Bloomberg.

The cornerstones of a transaction outlined now verbally by UniCredit have, in Commerzbanks view, not demonstrated sufficient value creation potential for Commerzbanks shareholders beyond the current standalone strategy, Commerzbank said.

Commerzbank said it will set out increased financial targets  as already indicated in February when it reports first-quarter results on 8 May.

UniCredit, in documents issued last week ahead of an extraordinary shareholder meeting on 4 May, argued that closer working arrangements between the banks could help Commerzbank address future challenges.

This is independent of the result of the offer and whether UniCredit becomes Commerzbanks controlling shareholder, UniCredit said.

A KPMG report commissioned by UniCredit said a merger could produce sizeable synergies, while also highlighting major risks.

"Commerzbank rebuffs UniCredit offer citing insufficient value upside" was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand.




Eldorado Gold Corp. (NYSE:EGO) is one of the 8 best mid-cap growth stocks to invest in.

On March 25, Eldorado Gold Corp. (NYSE:EGO) disclosed that Institutional Shareholder Services had recommended that the companys shareholders support the proposed agreement between Eldorado Gold Corporation and Foran Mining Corporation.

Mark Agnor/Shutterstock.com

Eldorado Gold Corp. (NYSE:EGO) will acquire all the outstanding common shares of Foran Mining Corporation as per the contract. In return, shareholders will be compensated with 0.1128 shares of Eldorado and one Canadian cent in cash for each share of the corporation. The deal was unanimously accepted by the board of directors of Eldorado Gold Corporation, as reported by their Chief Executive Officer, George Burns.

Back on February 25, Scotiabank decreased the price target on Eldorado Gold Corporation (NYSE:EGO) from $59 to $58 while reiterating an Outperform rating. According to the firm, this downward revision is based on updated financial models for the broader Gold & Precious Minerals market.

The firm noted that the company has been able to successfully launch the Skouries site while also delivering the Olympias expansion. Additionally, for the second quarter, the company successfully advanced the Perama Hill asset and is about to close its Foran transaction too.

Eldorado Gold Corp. (NYSE:EGO) is mainly involved in mining, researching, developing, and selling various mineral products. Its portfolio is concentrated on gold along with silver, lead, and zinc. The company owns all the mines it operates across its key regions, which include Turkey, Greece, and Canada.

While we acknowledge the potential of EGO 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.
For years, NVIDIA Corporation NVDA has been a Wall Street darling, with its shares scaling upward due to the relentless demand for its cutting-edge chips and graphics processing units (GPUs). However, despite a strong interest in its products, this year has been subdued for the Jensen Huang-led company. Geopolitical tensions and anxiety over a potential cut in spending on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure weighed on NVIDIA stock.

Therefore, savvy investors should look beyond NVIDIA and place bets on stocks that have the potential to gain momentum this quarter, and even longer. With hyperscalers announcing huge capital spending on AI this year, Micron Technology, Inc. MU and Broadcom Inc. AVGO stand to gain immensely. In the past year, Micron and Broadcom have soared 384.9% and 81.5%, respectively, outpacing NVIDIAs 55.8% gain. Let us thus explore what makes them strong buys now 

Micron Set to Benefit From Surging AI-Driven Memory Demand

Microns AI-focused memory solutions continue to see rising demand. In particular, Microns high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips are witnessing strong demand, thanks to their ability to handle heavy workloads while delivering improved power efficiency. As hyperscalers continue to expand their AI infrastructure, the demand for HBM chips remains robust.

The HBM chips are currently in a tight supply, creating a demand-supply imbalance, which is likely to push prices higher and benefit Micron over the long run. Micron, at the moment, has a strong pricing power for its DRAM and NAND products, which will drive revenue growth and improve profit margins.

For the fiscal third quarter of 2026, Micron projects revenues of $33.5 billion, more than $23.86 billion reported in the fiscal second quarter of 2026, according to investors.micron.com. Micron expects a high gross margin of 81% for the fiscal third quarter of 2026, reflecting strong financial momentum.

Consequently, Microns expected earnings growth rate for the current quarter and year is 904.7% and 603.9%, respectively. Brokers are also optimistic about Microns growth prospects. They forecast the average short-term price target for MU stock at $492.58, reflecting a 30.4% increase from the last closing price of $377.76. The highest target is $750, suggesting a potential upside of 98.5%.

Zacks Investment Research





Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Broadcom Thrives on AI Chips, Boosting Growth

While the latest expansion of deals with Google and Anthropic has given Broadcom a lift, the company is thriving primarily due to its AI semiconductor solutions, including custom AI accelerators and AI networking. The companys AI revenues for the fiscal first quarter of 2026 were $8.4 billion, up 106% year over year, and management expects AI revenues for the fiscal second quarter of 2026 to reach $10.7 billion, according to investors.broadcom.com.
With a market cap of $10.6 billion, Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (SWK) is a global manufacturer of hand tools, power tools, outdoor equipment, and industrial fastening systems, serving markets across North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond. It operates through its Tools & Outdoor and Industrial segments, offering products under well-known brands like DEWALT, CRAFTSMAN, and STANLEY.

The New Britain, Connecticut-based company is expected to announce its fiscal Q1 2026 results before the market opens on Wednesday, Apr. 29. Ahead of this event, analysts forecast SWK to report an adjusted EPS of $0.60, down 20% from $0.75 in the year-ago quarter. However, it has surpassed Wall Street's earnings estimates in the last four quarters.

More News from Barchart

For fiscal 2026, analysts predict the tool company to report an adjusted EPS of $5.22, up 11.8% from $4.67 in fiscal 2025. Moreover, adjusted EPS is anticipated to grow 17.2% year-over-year to $6.12 in fiscal 2027.

www.barchart.com

Shares of Stanley Black & Decker have increased 14.1% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 30.7% gain and the State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETFs (XLI) 39.9% surge over the same period.

www.barchart.com

Shares of Stanley Black & Decker rose 4.5% on Feb. 4 after the company reported better-than-expected Q4 2025 adjusted EPS of $1.41, along with strong gross margin expansion to 33.2% (up 240 basis points) driven by pricing actions, tariff mitigation, and cost reductions. Investors were also encouraged by robust cash generation, including $956 million in operating cash flow and $883 million in free cash flow, and the announcement of a $1.8 billion aerospace business divestiture aimed at reducing debt.

Analysts' consensus view on SWK stock is cautiously optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 17 analysts covering the stock, five recommend "Strong Buy," 11 suggest "Hold," and one advises "Strong Sell." The average analyst price target for Stanley Black & Decker is $88.33, suggesting a potential upside of 30.6% from 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
Adjusted EBITDA fell to CAD 7.3 million from CAD 8.4 million a year earlier. Both Bourne and Knight pointed to a big swing in the Canadian to U.S. exchange rate as a headwind, and Knight noted that year-over-year comparisons were also affected by a one-time gold contract gain in the prior-year quarter.

Revenue increased 10.3% year-over-year to CAD 47.3 million. Adjusted net earnings rose to CAD 3.5 million from CAD 3.3 million in the prior-year quarter, and the company generated free cash flow of CAD 4.9 million. Bourne also highlighted a strong balance sheet with net debt of CAD 4 million, which CFO Drew Knight said represented 0.1 times trailing 12-month EBITDA and included CAD 9.9 million in government loans.

President and CEO Brad Bourne said the company posted record first quarter revenues, earnings, and backlog, citing strong demand across aerospace and defense end markets. FTG reported bookings of CAD 60 million in the first quarter, up 17% from Q1 2025, translating into a book-to-bill ratio of 1.27:1. Quarter-end backlog totaled CAD 157.9 million, up 11% from the prior year-end.

Firan Technology Group (TSE:FTG) reported what management described as a record start to fiscal 2026, driven by higher revenue, strong bookings, and a growing backlog, though results were pressured by foreign exchange and emerging tariff-related costs in its circuits business.

Growth and capacity plans: Aerospace sales were up 12% and circuits up 8.3%, FTG won initial orders on classified defense programs (meaningful volumes expected from 2027), plans ~CAD 5 million to add >CAD 20 million of capacity, and is opening an aerospace facility in Hyderabad mid2026 (CAD 23 million investment).

FX and tariff headwinds: Management flagged a CAD 1.5 million negative foreignexchange variance (about CAD 800k per 1% FX move) and estimated U.S. tariff impacts in the "millions" for 2026, and said FTG is working with customers to pass through those costs.

Record start to FY2026: Q1 revenue rose to CAD 47.3 million (+10.3% YoY) with bookings of CAD 60 million (+17%) and a book-to-bill of 1.27:1, backlog of CAD 157.9 million (+11%); adjusted net earnings were CAD 3.5 million and free cash flow CAD 4.9 million, while adjusted EBITDA fell to CAD 7.3 million largely due to FX and a prior-year gold gain.

Story Continues

Knight said FTG recorded gross margin of CAD 14.6 million, or 30.9% of sales, compared with CAD 13.3 million, or 31%, a year earlier. While gross margin dollars improved with higher sales, Knight said the margin rate stayed flat despite a CAD 1.5 million negative foreign exchange variance and a CAD 400,000 gold variance. He said those factors were offset by operational improvements at several U.S. sites and at FTG Aerospace Calgary.

SG&A expense was CAD 6.9 million (14.5% of sales) versus CAD 6.7 million (15.7% of sales) a year ago. Knight attributed the increase primarily to having FTG Aerospace Calgary for a full quarter, plus Hyderabad, India startup expenses and some corporate administrative costs tied to the new leadership team.

 With Nike Shares Near a 12-Year Low, Is Now the Time to Be Brave?

R&D expense rose to CAD 2.3 million (4.9% of sales) from CAD 1.6 million (3.8% of sales), reflecting product and process improvements in both the circuits and aerospace segments.

Net earnings were CAD 3.5 million, or CAD 0.14 per diluted share, compared with CAD 3.2 million, or CAD 0.13 per diluted share, in Q1 2025. Knight said the effective tax rate was approximately 5.2% versus 32.9% last year, citing tax-free profit at units with historical tax losses and prior-year tax adjustments. He added that the company still has substantial tax losses available to offset future income, including Canadian losses acquired with the FLYHT acquisition in December 2024, though the accounting benefit of those losses has not been recognized in FTGs financial statements.

Segment performance: aerospace up 12%, circuits up 8.3%

FTGs aerospace segment sales increased 12% to CAD 17.1 million. Bourne said sales in Toronto and Calgary were up, Tianjin was flat, and activity in Chatsworth declined due to timing of orders. He said the company continued ramping shipments to Chinas C919 program and delivered assemblies for Boeing and Airbus.

At FTG Aerospace Calgary (formerly FLYHT), Bourne said the operation achieved record profitability in Q1 2026 and continued to benefit from prior-year certification work, the sale of its product portfolio, and the rebuilding of licensing revenues related to its SATCOM radio for Airbus. Calgary revenue included a pretty even split between hardware sales (mostly SATCOM radios), data sales, and licensing revenues, Bourne said.

In circuits, Q1 sales rose 8.3% to CAD 31.1 million. Bourne highlighted strong growth in Fredericksburg, Virginia (up over 80%) and Chatsworth (up over 25%), with Minnetonka up 11% and Toronto flat. He also said the companys top five customers represented 52.7% of revenue, roughly in line with the prior year, and noted that six of the top 10 customers were shared between circuits and aerospace.

Tariffs and FX: management flags cost pressure, seeks pass-through

Management discussed two cost-related pressures: foreign exchange and U.S. tariffs. Knight said FTGs average exchange rate in Q1 2026 was 1.375 compared with 1.431 in Q1 2025, describing it as a 4% weakening of the U.S. dollar that hurts results for FTG. On the Q&A, Knight estimated that a 1% change in the FX is about CAD 800,000, reflecting both transactional exposure and translation of U.S. operations into Canadian dollars.

On tariffs, Bourne said tariffs are now impacting costs in our circuits business because many materials originate outside North America. He said the impact is largest for U.S. sites, and Toronto is also affected when materials ship via the U.S. to Canada. We estimate the overall cost impact to be in the $ millions in 2026, Bourne said, adding that FTG has begun working with customers to pass those costs through.

In response to an analyst question about whether tariff impacts were visible in Q1 results, Bourne said the increased costs were definitely present in the quarter and that the company had passed through some of the impact, while continuing discussions with other customers.

Defense program wins, capacity plans, and Hyderabad build-out

Bourne said FTG Circuits had qualified for two significant classified defense programs last year and received initial orders in Q1, with deliveries expected in Q3 2026 and beyond. During Q&A, he said revenue contribution in 2026 should be modest but in the millions of CAD, with real volumes expected to begin in 2027 and beyond. He added that these programs may ultimately involve two or three suppliers, and that allocation would depend on performance and customer relationships.

On capacity, Bourne said FTG shipped CAD 191 million last year and has available capacity north of 250 across the company, describing capacity primarily as plants and equipment that could be utilized more fully by adding and training staff. He said one exception is Circuits Toronto, which is already running 24/7. Bourne said the company plans about a CAD 5 million investment to add more than CAD 20 million of capacity by expanding bottleneck areas.

FTG also plans to open an aerospace facility in Hyderabad, India in 2026. Bourne said the expansion was driven by both risk mitigation for China operations and the desire to enter a cost-effective region with growth potential, supported by Indias Make in India policy and defense spending. He said the facility is well underway, with completion now expected mid-2026, and the total investment forecast at approximately $2 million to $3 million. Bourne added that while not the original intent, the initiative could help mitigate potential negative impacts from U.S. tariffs.

Looking ahead, Knight said roughly 80% of the CAD 157.9 million backlog is expected to convert to revenue in 2026. Bourne said FTG intends to increase U.S. sales staff during 2026, continue integration work at FTG Aerospace Calgary, and pursue corporate development opportunities. In Q&A, Bourne characterized Europe as his top priority for expansion, citing Airbus proximity, accelerating European defense spending, and reduced tariff risk.

About Firan Technology Group (TSE:FTG)

Firan Technology Group Corp is a supplier of aerospace and defense electronic products and subsystems. It has two operating segments namely FTG Circuits and FTG Aerospace. FTG Circuits manufactures printed circuit boards within the global marketplace. FTG Aerospace designs and manufactures illuminated cockpit panels, keyboards, bezels, subassemblies, and assemblies for original equipment manufacturers of avionics products and for airframe manufacturers. The company operates in Canada, the United States, Asia, and Europe and generates substantial sales from the United States.

The article "Firan Technology Group Q1 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat.
Croatias Fortenova Group has accepted Bosqar Invests offer for local meat producer Pik Vrbovec.

In a statement on 2 April, the Croatian investment company said it submitted a binding proposal to acquire 100% of Pik Vrbovec.

The two sides will now negotiate the final transaction terms.

Fabris Perusko, the member of the management board and CEO of Fortenova Group, the current owner of Pik Vrbovec, said: By exiting agriculture, the Fortenova group already began a strategic turnaround in its business with a focus on activities and services that are not directly related to primary production and processing. Since Pik is largely based on agricultural production, it was natural for us to find another owner for the company.

Fortenova, the successor to the Agrokor conglomerate, has pursued divestitures since embarking on a new business strategy in 2019. These include the sales of the Zvijezda sauces and oils business to Podravka-owned Zito in November and Serbian edible oils producer Dijamant to the MK Group in January.

In July, Fortenova reported it had cut gross debt by more than a third to 650m ($751.1m) from as much as 2bn.

The deal, once completed, would see Bosqar take over Croatias largest meat and processed-meat producer through its Future Food division.

The division already includes Slovenian agri-food group Panvita as well as bakery group Mlinar, where Bosqar acquired a 67% indirect ownership in July.

Pik Vrbovec operates a vertically integrated model that includes ownership of pig and cattle farms and primary production in Belje.

The structure makes it highly complementary to Panvitas own integrated model, noted Bosqar.

Pik Vrbovec has a workforce of approximately 1,500 and generates 337m in revenue. It exports to about 20 countries.

Darko Horvat, the president of the management board at Bosqar, called the move a landmark step in its plan to build a strong regional platform in the agri-food and meat-processing industry.

Horvat said: Most recently, escalating tensions in the Middle East have underscored how crucial food security is and will remain for the foreseeable future. Against this backdrop, Bosqar sees its continued investments in Future Food as a strategic contribution to strengthening supply resilience in Croatia and across the region.

Subject to signing a share purchase agreement and obtaining regulatory approvals and financing, the combined Future Food platform would have pro-forma revenues of around 640m and about 4,800 employees based on 2024 figures.

On a pro-forma basis after the deal, the division is expected to exceed 1bn in annual revenue and 100m in EBITDA in 2026.
FuboTV keeps Wedbush bullish with updated outlook Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock

Wedbush analysts reaffirmed their bullish stance on FuboTV (NYSE:FUBO) after the company issued a shareholder update detailing new financial targets tied to its ongoing Hulu Live integration, framing the announcement as a step toward stabilizing investor expectations.

Wedbush reiterated its Outperform rating and raised its price target to $24 on a split-adjusted basis, implying upside of about 100% from current levels of $12.

We are optimistic that the combined company will be a more dominant competitor to YouTube Live TV than each is on a standalone basis, they wrote. Still, with much to prove, we are taking this opportunity at the beginning of Fubos integration story to reset to the low end of the range.

The analysts described the shareholder letter as proactive, adding that the update helps establish a clearer baseline after recent uncertainty.

Fubo is guiding to $80 million to $100 million in pro forma adjusted EBITDA for 2026, modestly above Wedbushs prior estimate. Looking further out, the company is targeting at least $300 million in adjusted EBITDA by 2028. Wedbush noted that improvements could be driven in part by lower wholesale fees paid to Disney and efficiencies across content and advertising.

The analysts also highlighted managements expectations for at least $200 million in cash on hand by the end of 2026 and positive free cash flow in 2027 and 2028.

While acknowledging that Fubo remains a show-me story that needs a clear vision, Wedbush wrote that this reset provides a floor for institutional investors to participate in upside over the next two years.

The firm pointed to potential upside from synergies tied to the Hulu integration. There remain several unknowns at this juncture, but we remain cautiously optimistic that Fubo can realize cost, revenue, and operational synergies through flexible programming, advertising optimization, and enhanced marketing opportunities, they wrote. Notably, Fubos ad inventory is expected to be sold alongside Disney properties, which could support revenue growth.

Addressing content concerns, they noted that despite the removal of NBCU programming in late 2025, management said subscriber impact has been lower than expected. Fubo has begun cross-promoting Hulu + Live TV, which retains NBCU content, creating what Wedbush described as an internal upsell funnel.

The firm wrote that Fubo could benefit from leverage acquired expertise from Disney and platform advantages as Hulu + Live TV is expected to move onto the Disney+ app in 2026.

It added that the combined companys scale as the number two player in the North American virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributor market positions it to increase advertising revenue per user and compete more effectively with YouTube Live TV.

Despite the more optimistic outlook, Wedbush emphasized that execution remains key, noting there is still much to prove as the integration progresses.
(Bloomberg)  Intel Corp. (INTC) is joining Elon Musks long-shot effort to develop semiconductors for Tesla Inc. (TSLA), SpaceX and xAI, marking a surprising twist in the chipmakers comeback bid.

Intel will help the so-called Terafab project refactor the technology in a chip factory, the company said Tuesday in a post on X, Musks social media platform. Thats a stage in the development process that typically helps make chips more powerful or reliable.

The chipmakers shares jumped 4.2% to $52.91 in New York trading on Tuesday.

The Terafab project is a grand plan by Musk to eventually manufacture his own chips for robotics, artificial intelligence and space data centers. The endeavor aims to produce a huge amount of computing power each year  about 1 terawatt of capacity annually.

Tesla already designs its own chips, but Musks companies have never actually made them. Now, hes envisioning doing that at a scale to rival the leading chip manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.

Terafab represents a step change in how silicon logic, memory and packaging will get built in the future, Intel Chief Executive Officer Lip-Bu Tan said in a separate X post. Intel is proud to be a partner and work closely with Elon on this highly strategic project.

Our ability to design, fabricate, and package ultra-high-performance chips at scale will help accelerate Terafabs aim to produce 1 TW/year of compute to power future advances in AI and robotics, Intel added in its post.

Musk said in March that the Terafab project will be built in Austin and jointly run by Tesla and SpaceX. He serves as CEO at both companies.

For Santa Clara, California-based Intel, the move is the latest attempt to restore its status as a leading chipmaker. Tan, who took the helm last March, is working to rebound from years of shrinking market share and declining sales. Most critically, the company lost its long-held technological edge.

The CEO spent much of last year cutting jobs and other costs, aiming to get Intels financial house in order. But he also attracted key investments  from the US government, Nvidia Corp. and SoftBank Group Corp.  that put it on a more solid footing.

Last week, Intel agreed to pay $14.2 billion to buy back half of a plant in Ireland that it had previously sold to Apollo Global Management. The move was seen as a sign of confidence in the chipmakers business.

(Updates shares in third paragraph. A previous version of the story corrected the day of the week mentioned in the second paragraph.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

2026 Bloomberg L.P.
We just covered

Jim Cramer Discussed The Iran Ceasefire & Commented On These 19 Stocks. Tapestry, Inc. (NYSE:TPR) is one of the stocks discussed by Jim Cramer.

Luxury apparel and consumer goods maker Tapestry, Inc. (NYSE:TPR)s shares are up by a strong 131% over the past year and by 8.6% year-to-date. A major movement in the stock occurred between February 4th and February 6th when it gained 17%. Tapestry, Inc. (NYSE:TPR) reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings on the 5th. The firm posted $2.5 billion in revenue and $2.69 in adjusted earnings per share to beat analyst estimates of $2.32 billion and $2.22. Additionally, Tapestry, Inc. (NYSE:TPR) also raised its full-year earnings guidance to $6.40 and $6.45 per share from the earlier $5.45 to $5.60. BNP Paribas discussed the stock on February 13th as it initiated coverage with a $176 share price target and a Buy rating. Its coverage came after TD Cowen had raised the share price target to $175 from $150 and kept a Buy rating. Finally, UBS had also bumped Tapestry, Inc. (NYSE:TPR)s share price target after the earnings. It raised the target to $141 from $125 and kept a Neutral rating on the 9th. Given the overall positive sentiment for the firm, Cramers comments are unsurprising:

I do like Tapestry, I think theyre doing a very good job.

Jim Cramer Makes Brief But Important Remark For Tapestry (TPR)

While we acknowledge the potential of TPR 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 Cathie Wood 2026 Portfolio: 10 Best Stocks to Buy.

Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.
We just covered

Jim Cramer Discussed The Iran Ceasefire & Commented On These 19 Stocks. Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) is one of the stocks discussed by Jim Cramer.

Oil giant Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)s shares have been consistently on Jim Cramers radar ever since hostilities started in Iran. They are up by 41% over the past year and by 27% year-to-date. The CNBC TV host has repeatedly stressed that the stock moves up when investors extend their timeline for the conflicts end and vice versa. Bernstein commented on Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)s shares on March 22nd. It raised the price target to $216 from $194 and maintained an Outperform rating. The financial firm outlined that its coverage was a part of a broader update of oil price models. Earlier in the month, Barclays had also discussed the stock as it raised the share price target to $180 from $172 and kept an Overweight rating on the shares. Barclays commented that it had raised oil price estimates and added that the sector could benefit from cash flow tailwinds. Cramer, who has continuously praised Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)s CEO for the past year, kept his upbeat tone about the executive in this appearance as well:

You know Ive been saying that Chevron is the one, Chevron, because Michael Wirth is indeed leveraged all over the world.

Jim Cramer Shares Brief, But Key Insight For Chevron (CVX) Stock

Tupungato / Shutterstock.com

While we acknowledge the potential of CVX 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 Cathie Wood 2026 Portfolio: 10 Best Stocks to Buy.

Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.
We just covered

Jim Cramer Discussed The Iran Ceasefire & Commented On These 19 Stocks. Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) is one of the stocks discussed by Jim Cramer.

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL)s shares are up by 82% over the past year and down by nearly 5% year-to-date. TD Cowen discussed the firm on April 2nd as it trimmed the share price target to $76 from $77 and kept a Buy rating on the stock. Some factors that the firm cited in its coverage included slowing consumer demand and rising costs. Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) CEO Ed Bastion discussed the firms operations at the JPMorgan Industrials Conference in March and explained that his firm was navigating challenges such as rising fuel costs and global economic tensions quite well. Rothschild & Redburn trimmed Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL)s share price target to $70 from $72 and kept a Buy rating on March 5th. The conflict in Iran, which is now under cease fire, was on the financial firms mind as it commented that the hostilities could lead to downward revision in industry estimates. Cramer discussed Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL)s CEO and his role in the industry:

We do have Delta next week. And Ed Bastion has been, hes become the defacto leader of the group. He speaks to Phil, in a very, Id say, confident way.

Jim Cramer Shares Key Advantage For Delta Airlines (DAL)

ESB Professional/Shutterstock.com

While we acknowledge the potential of DAL 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 Cathie Wood 2026 Portfolio: 10 Best Stocks to Buy.

Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.
We just covered

Jim Cramer Discussed The Iran Ceasefire & Commented On These 19 Stocks. Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) is one of the stocks discussed by Jim Cramer.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)s shares are down by 40% over the past year and by 29.6% year-to-date. BMO Capital kept a Market Perform rating and a $45 share price target on the firm on March 30th. The financial firm remained optimistic about the tailwinds from Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)s Wegovy weight loss pill, but added that the firm nevertheless faced industry-wide risks. On March 18th, Bernstein initiated coverage of the stock to set a $175 share price target and an Underperform rating. Bernstein commented that Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) was facing a bare catalyst path and cautioned that the firms weight loss drugs could struggle in the US due to lower volumes and price deflation. After the weight loss pill secured the FDAs approval earlier this year, Cramer pointed out that it might experience hesitance from doctors who are unwilling to switch drugs for patients. In this appearance, he discussed Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)s claim that its weight loss pill was better than Lillys product:

Look, if you wanted a pill and you wanted to be able to take it when you want, and you dont have to worry about taking it with the food and stuff, thats a, Lillys got that going. Remember, the main thing that Lilly has got going is theyre not gonna run out, that they have spent a fortune [on manufacturing].

Jim Cramer Shares Why Novo Nordisk (NVO) Might Feel The Heat From Eli Lilly

While we acknowledge the potential of NVO 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 Cathie Wood 2026 Portfolio: 10 Best Stocks to Buy.

Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.
US-based Marcos Pizza has signed a new 12-unit franchise agreement with multi-unit operator Baljit Gill to expand in Southern California, US.

The latest 12-unit deal follows an earlier four-unit agreement between Gill and Marcos Pizza.

Three Marcos Pizza outlets are currently operational in Southern California at Upland, Fontana and Hesperia. Two additional branches, in Yucaipa and Highland, are under construction and scheduled to open this month.

Sites for the remaining locations are being identified across the region.

Alongside Marcos Pizza, Gill also operates 21 Subway restaurants and one Auntie Annes outlet.

Gill said: As a multi-unit operator, you look for a brand that combines structure with opportunity. Marco's offered a strong foundation, robust support, and a team that truly partners with franchisees. That balance allows us to be creative operators while working within a system designed for growth.

We're proud of the momentum we've built so far and are excited to continue expanding across California, bringing Marco's to even more communities throughout the region.

Marcos Pizza stated that, with interest in new stores in California remaining strong, it is concentrating on bringing in seasoned multi-unit franchisees who are seeking a scalable platform and long-term growth potential.

Marco's Pizza chief development officer Gerardo Flores said: Baljit exemplifies the type of experienced, growth-minded operator we're proud to partner with.

His disciplined approach, family-led infrastructure, and deep understanding of multi-unit operations position him for strong growth in Southern California, and we're excited to support his continued expansion.

Last September, Marcos Pizza signed a franchise agreement for three new units in Germantown, Maryland and the surrounding areas.

"Marcos Pizza signs 12-unit deal to expand in Southern California" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand.




Florida-based Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) is a leading cruise company that operates a portfolio of brands offering premium and luxury ocean travel experiences worldwide. With a market capitalization of $8.8 billion, it runs three brands, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas, catering to premium and luxury travelers.

The company is expected to release its Q1 2026 earnings soon. Ahead of the event, analysts anticipate Norwegian Cruise Line to report a profit of $0.12 per share, up 500% from the year-ago quarter. It has exceeded and met Wall Street's earnings expectations in three of the past four quarters, while missing on one occasion.

More News from Barchart

For fiscal 2026, analysts expect the companys EPS to be $2.14, a rise of nearly 11.5% from $1.92 in fiscal 2025. Moreover, EPS is anticipated to grow 11.2% year over year to $2.38 in fiscal 2027.

www.barchart.com

Shares of Norwegian Cruise Line have climbed 20.8% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the S&P 500 Indexs ($SPX) 30.7% rise but have surpassed the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETFs (XLY) 19.3% return during the same time frame.

www.barchart.com

On Apr. 7, Norwegian Cruise Line shares fell more than 3% as rising crude oil prices, hitting a four-week high, sparked concerns over higher fuel costs and potential pressure on profitability for cruise operators.

Analysts consensus opinion on the stock is somewhat optimistic, with a Moderate Buy rating overall. Among the 23 analysts covering the stock, 11 are recommending a Strong Buy, 11 suggest a Hold, and one Strong Sell. NCLHs average analyst price target is $25.67, indicating an upside of 37.1% from the current levels.

On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com
Quick Read

Nutrien (NTR) posted record potash sales volumes of 14.25 million tonnes in 2025 and generated $2.002 billion in free cash flow, though Q4 adjusted EPS of $0.83 missed consensus by $0.09, while the company faces a federal class-action lawsuit alleging price-fixing of NPK fertilizers.

A geopolitical supply shock from Middle East disruptions lifted fertilizer prices 13% year-over-year, but analyst consensus forecasts 0.8% average annual earnings declines over three years, limiting upside unless the geopolitical premium and phosphate strategic review drive sustained growth.

Read: I Review Investing Platforms For A Living, And SoFi Crypto Finally Changed My Mind

Operating across four different segments in the agricultural space, Nutrien Ltd. (NYSE:NTR) shares are up roughly 23% year-to-date and have surged nearly 62% over the past year, yet Reddit's social sentiment score is bearish at 32 out of 100. Nutrien posted record potash sales volumes of 14.25 million tonnes in 2025 and grew full-year free cash flow to $2.002 billion, yet Q4 adjusted EPS came in at $0.83, missing the consensus of $0.92. The earnings miss coincided with a geopolitical supply shock that lifted fertilizer prices, and Reddit sentiment remains bearish at 32 out of 100 despite share price gains.

Operating across four different segments in the agricultural space,v shares have shown resilience with a 52-week high near $85.36, yet retail sentiment on platforms like Reddit remains cautious. Nutrien posted record potash sales volumes of 14.25 million tonnes in 2025 and maintained a steady free cash flow of approximately $2 billion, yet Q4 adjusted EPS came in at $0.83, missing the consensus of $0.92. The earnings miss coincided with a geopolitical supply shock that lifted fertilizer prices, but some retail observers remain skeptical of the stock's cyclical nature despite strong institutional confidence.

24/7 Wall St.

This infographic provides a snapshot of Nutrien Ltd. (NTR), highlighting its position as the world's largest potash producer, a bearish Reddit sentiment score of 32, and key factors driving this sentiment.

Read: I Review Investing Platforms for a Living, And SoFi Crypto Finally Changed My Mind

Ive spent years reviewing investing platforms across stocks, options, ETFs, and now crypto. Most crypto platforms fall into one of two categories: fast-moving exchanges with regulatory uncertainty, or traditional financial firms that treat crypto like an afterthought. SoFi Crypto is one of the very few platforms that breaks that mold.

A Jefferies upgrade on March 12 raised the price target to $96, citing fertilizer price spikes driven by Middle East supply disruptions. UBS downgraded Nutrien to Sell on March 26, flagging valuation concerns and expected potash price declines. The consensus analyst target sits near $78, close to where shares trade today, leaving little spread between the current price and the consensus target unless the geopolitical premium holds.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) is back in the spotlight as Pimco looks to offload parts of a $14 billion debt package tied to its massive Michigan data center project.

According to reports, Pimco is sounding out investors to take on some of that exposure, essentially trying to trim its position ahead of the deal closing. The financing sits within a larger $16.3 billion structure led by Bank of America, with the transaction expected to wrap up around April 17. On the equity side, about 15% of the project is funded by investors, including a $2 billion contribution from Blackstone (NYSE:BX), while the rest is being raised through long-dated bonds.

Those bonds are expected to offer a yield of around 7.5%, roughly 100 basis points higher than Oracle's existing 2040 debt, giving investors a bit of extra incentive. This comes after some earlier uncertainty around the project, including Blue Owl (NYSE:OWL) stepping back from an equity role late last year, which briefly slowed things down.
April 7 (Reuters) - Pacific Investment Management Co. is in talks with the Bank of America to help provide roughly $14 billion of debt financing to build an Oracle data center in Michigan, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

If finalised, the deal could make PIMCO a key backer of the Saline Township campus, the Bloomberg report said. The financing could be structured as a bond and the U.S. investment manager could syndicate some to other investors.

Investors have scrutinized Oracle's artificial intelligence infrastructure build-out as its debt climbs. In February, Oracle said it planned to raise as much as $50 billion this year through a combination of debt and equity sales.

PIMCO's financing could be structured in a 144A format, Bloomberg said.

A 144A format is where involved parties would raise debt by selling bonds privately to large institutional investors rather than through a conventional bank loan or a fully public bond offering.

Oracle said it has made "rapid progress" in financing and developing its data center in Saline Township, adding that the effort is moving forward on time and according to plan.

PIMCO did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment, while BofA declined to comment.

Data center developer Related Digital is closing in on a $16 billion financing for an Oracle data center in Saline Township, Reuters had reported last week.

Oracle named Hilary Maxson as its chief financial officer on Monday, tapping an executive with deep experience in infrastructure and energy as it ramps up investments to meet surging demand for AI and cloud services.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City)
Logistics real estate giant Prologis is expanding its global footprint, striking a new pan-European joint venture with global investment group La Caisse. The partnership underscores a growing appetite among institutional investors for logistics warehouses amid shifting global supply chains.

The new platform, dubbed Prologis Logistics Investment Venture Europe (PLIVE), will initially include 1 billion euros ($1.17 billion) of logistics properties contributed by both firms. La Caisse will hold a 70% stake in the venture, leaving Prologis with 30% and the role of operating partner. Prologis (NYSE: PLD) will also provide asset management and real estate development services as part of the agreement.

The initial portfolio includes approximately 844,000 square meters of Class A logistics space, giving the venture immediate scale across Europes critical logistics corridors in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The PLIVE agreement builds on an existing relationship between the two firms, which previously partnered on a Brazilian logistics venture in 2019.

Our partnership with La Caisse is built on years of working together and delivering results, said Ted Eliopoulos, managing director of strategic capital at Prologis, in a news release. Together, were expanding that success in Europecombining long-term capital with our operating platform to scale high-quality logistics assets across key markets.

For both companies, the transaction represents a strategic push to capitalize on long-term market fundamentals. Companies are actively reshaping their supply chains and moving production closer to hometrends that require strategically located warehouse space.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter. Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) is acting as exclusive financial adviser to La Caisse.

We have seen Prologis best-in-class capabilities to drive returns firsthand through our partnership in Brazil, and we are building on our combined strengths to create a truly consolidated pan-European platform, said Rana Ghorayeb, head of real estate at La Caisse. This joint venture brings together Prologis deep hands-on operational expertise and our vision to actively transform assets to enhance long-term value.

Last month, Prologis announced the formation of a $1.6 billion joint venture with institutional investor GIC. The GIC capital is earmarked for the U.S. market, specifically funding 4.1 million square feet of build-to-suit logistics space.

More FreightWaves articles by Todd Maiden:

The post Prologis expands global footprint with European joint venture appeared first on FreightWaves.
Spirits incubator Pronghorn has invested in US business Humano Tequila.

The financial terms of the investment were not disclosed, nor how much equity Pronghorn has bought in the firm.

Humano, led by a collective of industry executives, markets a range of four Tequilas, with its products are sold in 11 states.

In a statement, Pronghorn said it is identifying key leadership additions and optimising market expansion efforts for Humano, alongside providing the investment.

Ron Cole, the president of Pronghorn, added: "Humano Tequila has shown incredible velocity. By partnering with Humano Tequila, we are fuelling a brand that is not only culturally rooted but commercially explosive. Our investment portfolio is demonstrating that equity and excellence are a powerful combination, delivering results, and Humano Tequila is another great brand with a great leadership team."

Just Drinks has asked Pronghorn for further details on its investment and its plans.

Luis Abundis, the CEO of Humano, said: "From the farm to the glass, our goal has always been to create real tequila made by real humans. This strategic partnership allows us to amplify our meticulous craftsmanship and continue our trajectory as one of the industry's most exciting growth stories."

The rapid growth of the Tequila category has slowed in recent quarters. In 2025, Tequila sales in NABCA states inched up 0.2% to $2.51bn. Just over seven million nine-litre cases were sold in NABCA states last year, an increase of 2.2% on 2024.

The data, produced by the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, covers 18 control states, including off- and on-premise sales.

According to the data, Tequila and cocktails were the two products to eke out growth in the US spirits market in 2025.

Overall US spirits sales declined again in value and volume terms last year. Volumes fell to 1.4% to just under 60.4 million nine-litre cases in 2025. Dollar sales were down 2.8% at $13.21bn.

Pronghorn was founded in 2021 with a focus on funding and supporting Black-owned spirits brands.

The Georgia-based company, which has been diversifying its portfolio, entered the mezcal category last year with an investment in female-founded brand Doce Mezcal.

In 2024, it expanded into the non-alcoholic segment by backing RTD cocktails brand Mocktail Club and made a strategic investment in Japanese whisky maker Shinju Spirits, its first in a Japanese brand.

That same year, Pronghorn portfolio director and former Diageo executive Connor McKenna told Just Drinks the investors ten-year goal is to invest in 57 brands.
So far, the Iran war has relied on missiles and air power rather than ground forces, putting more attention on one of the Pentagons favored weapons: the Tomahawk cruise missile. Tomahawk missiles are manufactured by defense contractor RTX (RTX) through its subsidiary, Raytheon.

Reports indicate that the U.S. has fired more than 850 Tomahawk missiles in the war with Iran. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reports that Tomahawks are being used in the Iran war more than in any military campaign in history. Replenishing inventory after this campaign will take time, and creates near-term risk for the United States, the organization noted.

More News from Barchart

The missiles, which can be launched from ships and submarines and can strike targets within 1,000 miles, cost between $2 million and $3.5 million each and are the subject of several military contracts. RTX signed a $381 million contract in late January for Tomahawk missile work, and also received a $384 million modification to a previously awarded contract in December. On Feb. 4, the company also announced five framework agreements with the Pentagon to increase production and speed up deliveries of its Tomahawk missiles and other products.

With Tomahawk reserves reportedly dwindling, RTX and Raytheon appear to be a compelling investment for the near future. Even if the war winds down quickly, Raytheon will be hard at work replenishing U.S. reserves for the foreseeable future. And that will mean plenty of profits for RTX stock.

Lets take a closer look..

About RTX Stock

RTX is the parent company of Raytheon, Collins Aerospace, and Pratt & Whitney. The company, which used to be known as Raytheon Technologies, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which is strategically close to the Pentagon. RTX has a market capitalization of $267 billion.

Shares are up 67% in the last year, far outdistancing the S&P 500 ($SPX). But while defense stocks have enjoyed big returns in the last 12 months, RTX is notably outperforming many of its biggest competitors, including Lockheed Martin (LMT), General Dynamics (GD), and Northrop Grumman (NOC).

www.barchart.com

However, RTX stocks rapid rise has coincided with an elevated valuation. The stock trades at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28.8 times versus competitors all trading at 25 times or lower. Still, RTX is trading at roughly its 10-year mean, so shares are not outrageously priced at this point.
Concerned about an AI bubble? Sign up for The Daily Upside for smart and actionable market news, built for investors.

Lets take a trip down memory-stock lane.

Asset manager Roundhill last week launched the Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM), a fund that targets companies manufacturing memory and data storage products, including Micron, Samsung and Sandisk. The fund is actively managed with an expense ratio of 0.65%. Unlike broader semiconductor and artificial intelligence-centric funds, the product is the first purely memory-focused ETF, with positions in just nine companies, Roundhill says. The memory market has a major opportunity as the AI build continues, said Thomas DiFazio, Roundhill ETF strategist. There are only a couple of specialized players that are able to match the demand and build the type of memory that is needed.

But with memory stocks currently surging, as they have been for the past year, could Roundhill be a little late to the party?

Sign up for The Daily Upside at no cost for premium analysis on all your favorite stocks.

READ ALSO: Goldman Sachs Follows Morgan Stanley as Latest to Prep Bitcoin ETF and New Robotaxi ETF Filing Adds Fuel to Thematic Autonomous Vehicle Funds

In a Solid State of Mind

Other funds  including the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH), the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) and the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (SOXQ)  have exposure to the memory sector. However, that exposure is often a minimal allocation to Micron, DiFazio argued. He added that a country-specific fund like the iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) may have half its portfolio tied to memory stocks Samsung and SK Hynix, but the other half is allocated to a broad variety of local companies. Its not as precise as it could be, and thats where we saw the opportunity, he told ETF Upside.

Roughly 75% of DRAMs portfolio is split about evenly between Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix.

In the past 12 months, those stocks have surged 440%, 268% and 456%, respectively.

Insufficient Disk Space. That concentration may be the funds biggest risk, said Dan Sotiroff, senior manager research analyst for Morningstar. These thematic funds are often trying to capture something thats hot and of the moment, but because of that, theyre buying stocks that are already pretty high, he told ETF Upside. While thematic ETFs can perform well in short bursts, they often struggle over longer horizons, Sotiroff said. With so few holdings, DRAM amplifies that risk. You box yourself into a corner, he said. Youre talking about a niche of a niche of a niche here.
Sasol Ltd. (NYSE:SSL) is one of the 10 Stocks Investors Are Dumping Right Now.

Sasol snapped a three-day winning streak on Wednesday, losing 8.38 percent to close at $12.46 apiece, as investor sentiment was dragged down by the double-digit decline in crude oil prices, thanks to the official ceasefire between the US and Iran.

Sasol Ltd. (NYSE:SSL) fell alongside its counterparts, having benefited for weeks from the higher oil prices and supply crunch.

sasol

Photo from Sasol Ltd website

Late on Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced that the US and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire on condition of the latter reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait is a critical waterway passage where 20 percent of global crude oil demand passes through. Since the start of the war, it was ordered shut under Iranian control, sending prices of global crude oil and natural gas soaring, as shipping giants were forced to look for alternative paths to transport the said commodities.

Meanwhile, the decline can also be attributed to profit-taking after Sasol Ltd. (NYSE:SSL) soared to a new two-year high in the previous trading day.

Last month, investment firm JPMorgan turned bullish for Sasol Ltd. (NYSE:SSL), upgrading its price target by 122 percent and upgrading its rating to overweight from underweight previously, on expectations that the latter would benefit from the recent oil price surge and continued supply issues.

While we acknowledge the potential of SSL 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 Cathie Wood 2026 Portfolio: 10 Best Stocks to Buy.

Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.
The ongoing scandal involving SuperMicro Computer Inc. poses a significant challenge to its longstanding partnership with Nvidia, but the impact may not be too harsh, says one expert.

Sachin Ohal, CTO at International Systems Technologies, told Fortune that Nvidia's reputation won't affect chip sales, and Supermicro customers' vendor choices are separate from the ongoing smuggling allegations.

Customers leaving Supermicro face a 36 month transition involving board-level vendor reviews, cybersecurity and data center assessments, brand risk analysis, and account management, with funding required for a qualified replacement vendor, Ohal said.

Don't Miss:

Supermicro's close-knit network of related companies, led by CEO Charles Liang's brothers, gives it a competitive edge by enabling rapid adaptation to regulatory or tech changes.

This embedded structure allows Supermicro to handle critical hardware infrastructure, like chassis and power distribution, so partners like Nvidia can focus on software and chips, making the company highly responsive and indispensable in the data center ecosystem.

"The business reality is that it is not easy to decouple or just leave," Ohal said.

Nvidia and SuperMicro did not immediately respond to Benzingas request for comment.

Trending: This Startup Thinks It Can Reinvent the Wheel  Literally

The Smuggling Scandal

This scandal involves Super Micro's co-founder, Yih-Shyan "Wally" Liaw, senior vice president of business development, alongside general manager Ruei-Tsan "Steven" Chang and contractor Ting-Wei "Willy" Sun, who were indicted for allegedly smuggling Nvidia chips to China. They used a Southeast Asian company as a middleman and deployed "dummy" servers to deceive Super Micro's compliance team. This incident had already battered Supermicros stock and reputation.

Liaw pleaded not guilty and was released on a $5 million bond. CEO Charles Liang distanced himself from the actions of these individuals and labeled Supermicro as a victim that was misled by deceptive schemes targeting both federal authorities and the company's compliance team.

Supermicros Dependence On Nvidia GPUs

The SupermicroNvidia partnership began early, strengthening after Supermicro's 2007 IPO when Nvidia chose it as its first data center GPU go-to-market partner, collaborating on system configuration and testing for customer-ready products.
Concerned about an AI bubble? Sign up for The Daily Upside for smart and actionable market news, built for investors.

Bill Ackman has a message for Universal Music Groups lagging stock price: Its me, hi, Im the problem, its me. On Tuesday, the enigmatic hedge fund manager proposed a 55 billion (or roughly $63.5 billion) takeover of Universal Music Group, saying he could revive the Amsterdam-based companys languished stock price in large part by moving to America and listing on the New York Stock Exchange. To pull it off, Ackman is proposing a sort of SPAC remix.

Sign up for The Daily Upside at no cost for premium analysis on all your favorite stocks.

READ ALSO: US Automakers Poised to Benefit from Pentagons Request for Manufacturing Support and Amazons $11B Globalstar Deal Fuels Project Leos Pursuit of Starlinks Contrails

SPARC Plug

Ackmans hedge fund, Pershing Square, took a 10% stake in the company, which owns the rights to major artists and bands including The Beatles and Bob Dylan as well as contemporary superstars such as Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift. In 2021, UMG spun off from French conglomerate Vivendi and went public on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange; its current headquarters, however, are in Santa Monica, California. Five years after the spinoff, as Pershing noted in a slide deck Ackman shared on X, UMGs revenue has increased by some 60% and its adjusted EBITDA, a profitability metric, has grown by 70%. In comparison, its share price has slumped roughly 40% from a peak two years ago.

Whats needed now, per Pershing, is a souped-up SPAC-style merger:

In the proposed deal, UMG would merge with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings, a blank-check special-purpose acquisition rights company established in 2023. Unlike SPACs, which court investors before finding a takeover target, the SPARC gives investors the right to buy in after a target is identified.

The deal would value the company at around 30 per share, a premium from the 19 per share it traded at on Tuesday.

 Ready for It? Funding for the deal will rely in part on a planned sale of UMGs stake in Spotify, worth roughly 1.5 billion. Two-thirds of shareholders must approve of the transaction, Pershing said. That means Ackman will have to win over shareholders including French billionaire Vincent Bollore, whose conglomerate controls a roughly 28% stake in UMG, as well as Chinese tech group Tencent, which holds roughly 11%. Pershing Squares own stake has been scaled down to around 4.5% in recent years. While Ackman told the Financial Times that hes confident he has enough support, its not as if he has a blank space and can write in his name.

This post first appeared on The Daily Upside. To receive razor sharp analysis and perspective on all things finance, economics, and markets, subscribe to our free The Daily Upside newsletter.
Massive Chinese tech company Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) was looking rather diminished on the U.S. stock market in March. Investors weren't cheered by a report that the U.S. government might impose limits on crucial artificial intelligence (AI) technology to Chinese companies, nor were they satisfied with Alibaba's latest earnings report. Over the month, the company's stock fell by nearly 13%.

Not a great beginning

That tumble started early in March. On the month's first trading day, Bloomberg published a report stating that the Trump administration was considering limits on exports of AI accelerator chips to China.

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.

Citing unidentified "people familiar with the matter," the business news agency wrote that federal government officials were considering a combined export limit of 75,000 next-generation Nvidia H200 and Advanced Micro Devices MI325 chips for each Chinese company.

This would clearly and directly affect the sprawling Alibaba, which has poured considerable resources into developing its Qwen AI models and shows no signs of retreating from that technology.

The tech giant's stock took another blow toward the end of March, when it took the wraps off its fiscal third quarter of 2026 results.

For the period, Alibaba's revenue was just under 285 billion yuan ($41.4 billion), up 2% year over year. Net income not under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) fell much more steeply, tumbling by 67% to 16.7 billion yuan ($2.4 billion), shaking out to 7.09 yuan ($1.03) per each of the company's American Depositary Shares (ADSes).

Those figures didn't compare favorably to the average analyst estimates. Alibaba missed both the consensus top-line projection of 289.7 billion yuan ($42.1 billion) and, especially, the collective 10.94 yuan ($1.59) per ADS forecast.

Much of the profitability decline can be chalked up to Alibaba's aggressive push into the "quick commerce" retail segment, which is stuffed with ambitious competitors on the domestic market. That, combined with heavy spending on AI infrastructure and other factors, pushed the bottom line well below the ever-important consensus prognosticator estimate.

A company on the move

There has been a lot of smoke and noise about tariffs and limits on next-generation hardware, but the current U.S. presidential administration has frequently wavered on such matters. I wouldn't buy or sell Alibaba on that basis.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been doing more than powering chatbots and cloud software. It is also starting to reshape industries that still depend on freight, logistics, and long-haul trucking. That is one reason investors have been watching Ark Invest so closely lately, as Cathie Wood keeps leaning into AI names tied to real-world automation.

One of the latest moves was a sizable purchase of Kodiak AI (KDK), with Wood's Ark Autonomous Tech & Robotics ETF (ARKQ) adding about 230,000 shares. Kodiak is working on autonomous trucking and AI-driven logistics, a combination that could make it one of the more interesting early-stage bets in the automation race.

More News from Barchart

For investors looking for the next AI stock with long-term upside beyond the usual mega-cap names, Kodiak AI now deserves a closer look.

About Kodiak Stock

Based in Mountain View, Kodiak AI builds the Kodiak Driver, a self-driving system for long-haul trucks. The startup works mainly with commercial freight customers, developing fully driverless trucking routes and hardware.

Kodiak went public in late 2023 via a SPAC and remains pre-profit. The company has no consumer business as it sells Driver-as-a-Service (DaaS) to logistics partners, leveraging alliances, e.g., with Bosch and Nvidia (NVDA), to scale. Kodiak wants to be to big rigs what Waymo is to taxis, aiming for safer, cheaper freight transport in the years ahead.

Valued at a small cap of $1.35 billion, the share price of Kodak has swung dramatically. After the IPO, KDK stock climbed into double digits, peaking a little over $11 per share in late 2025. However, by April 2026, its nearer $7.4, about a 32% drop year to date (YTD).

The fall comes amid investor jitters about high R&D costs, growing losses, and no steady revenue yet. Technically, the stock is in a downtrend. Barcharts technical rating shows an 88% Sell signal for KDK, and traders see Kodiaks chart as weak; its well below its recent moving averages and trendlines.

Along with other challenges, Kodiak also looks very expensive. Its price/sales ratio is around 173, while the industry median is only 116. Similarly, its EV/revenue is about 315 versus 113 for peers. It means investors are paying huge multiples, basically betting on explosive future growth. Its worth noting the flip side: high multiples also imply that any stumble could hurt the stock badly, since expectations are so steep.
At the core of its strategy is a modular Server Building Block Solutions architecture, designed to give customers flexibility in configuring systems based on specific workload requirements. This approach allows seamless customization across processors, memory, GPUs, storage, networking, and cooling technologies, including both air and liquid cooling, making its solutions adaptable to a wide range of performance needs.

Headquartered in San Jose, California, Super Micro Computer has built its business around delivering highly customized, application-optimized IT infrastructure solutions for a rapidly evolving digital landscape. The company primarily serves enterprise, cloud, and artificial intelligence markets, while also expanding into emerging areas such as 5G and edge computing. Its broad portfolio includes servers, storage systems, AI platforms, IoT solutions, networking equipment, software, and related support services.

Recently, analysts at Mizuho adopted a more cautious stance, downgrading SMCI to Neutral and cutting its price target from $33 to $25. At the same time, the investment firm shifted preference toward rival Dell Technologies (DELL), assigning it an Outperform rating, highlighting a potential change in leadership in the AI server race. So, with uncertainty hanging over SMCI and rivals closing in, whats the smartest way for investors to approach the stock right now?

While the company eventually regained some footing by publishing its overdue results, the episode left lasting doubts about its governance. Now, those concerns are resurfacing. A deepening legal and regulatory crisis that erupted in late March has once again sent investor confidence into a tailspin, raising uncomfortable questions about whether SMCI's governance problems are a pattern rather than a chapter. Moreover, Wall Street is starting to take notice.

Super Micro Computer (SMCI) once rode the artificial intelligence (AI) boom like a market darling, cementing its role as a critical infrastructure provider for the data center buildout powering this generational shift. But the company that soared on its AI ambitions is now struggling to stay aloft under the weight of its own controversies. And this isn't SMCI's first brush with turbulence. Nearly two years ago, the company took a severe reputational hit when allegations of questionable accounting practices and delays in financial filing rattled investor confidence to its core.

Story Continues

Supporting this flexibility is Super Micros vertically integrated operating model, with in-house design and manufacturing capabilities spanning the United States, Taiwan, and the Netherlands. By maintaining control over key components such as motherboards, power systems, and chassis, the company enhances efficiency, accelerates time-to-market, and preserves quality across its product stack. The company currently carries a market capitalization of approximately $13.2 billion.

Even with its strong positioning in AI-driven infrastructure, Super Micro has found itself under relentless selling pressure. Regulatory overhangs have increasingly taken center stage, eroding investor confidence and clouding the companys otherwise compelling growth story. Last month, co-founder Yih-Shyan Wally Liaw, along with a company employee and a contractor, has been charged with allegedly smuggling restricted, advanced AI servers powered by Nvidia (NVDA) into China.

According to prosecutors, the scheme involved deliberately removing identifying labels and serial numbers and replacing them with dummy units to evade export controls. Authorities claim these shipments generated billions of dollars in revenue over the past few years, underscoring both the scale and the severity of the accusations.

And the impact of this news is clearly visible in the stock price. After a 31.3% decline in 2025, shares have taken another 22.55% hit so far in 2026. On the other hand, the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has remained comparatively steady, rising 30.7% over the past year and slipping just 3.34% in 2026, underscoring Super Micro's sharp divergence due to company-specific challenges.

www.barchart.com

SMCIs Blockbuster Revenue Growth Overshadowed by Shrinking Margins

Super Micro kicked off fiscal 2026 with a blockbuster second-quarter report on Feb. 3, delivering eye-popping revenue growth, but with clear cracks forming beneath the surface. The server maker posted revenue of $12.7 billion, a staggering 123% year-over-year (YOY) surge fueled by relentless demand for AI-optimized server racks and data center infrastructure, which now contribute more than 90% of its total business.

Notably, this figure also blew past Wall Streets $10.44 billion revenue estimate. But while the top line dazzled, profitability told a more pressured story. Gross margins compressed sharply to 6.4%, down from 9.5% in the prior quarter and 11.8% a year ago, underscoring aggressive pricing as SMCI fights to defend market share against rivals like Dell (DELL) and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) .

Even so, earnings held up better than expected. Non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.69, up 17% YOY and comfortably ahead of the Streets $0.49 forecast. However, cash flow raised a red flag, with operating cash flow slipping into negative territory at $24 million, down sharply from $894 million in the previous quarter and $216 million in the same period last year.

On the balance sheet, Super Micro reported $4.1 billion in cash and cash equivalents as of Dec. 31, 2025, against $4.9 billion in total bank debt and convertible notes. Looking ahead, the company expects at least $12.3 billion in fiscal 2026 third-quarter revenue, along with GAAP EPS of at least $0.52 and non-GAAP EPS of at least $0.60. For the full fiscal year, SMCI is targeting revenue of at least $40 billion.

What Do Analysts Think About SMCI Stock?

On Apr. 6, Mizuho lowered its price target on SMCI to $25 from $33 while maintaining a Neutral rating, reflecting a more cautious stance despite powerful industry tailwinds. Analysts led by Vijay Rakesh emphasized that AI server demand remains strong, with Nvidias data center revenue expected to grow more than 50% YOY through 2027. At the same time, cloud spending continues to surge, with capex projected to reach $689 billion in 2026 and potentially $811 billion in 2027, fueled by the rapid adoption of agentic AI platforms such as Claude and ChatGPT.

Despite these favorable trends, Rakesh and his team noted that SMCI leadership in AI server technology, backed by its agile and innovative execution, could face near-term pressure. Ongoing concerns around reports of former employees diverting Nvidia GPUs to China may weigh on sentiment and create hesitation among customers, potentially redirecting some risk-sensitive orders to competitors like Dell.

Overall, Wall Street is cautious about Super Micro, with the stock currently carrying a consensus Hold rating. Out of 19 analysts covering the name, only three are strongly bullish with Strong Buy ratings, while two lean positive with Moderate Buy. The majority remain on the sidelines, with 10 analysts rating the stock a Hold, while bearish sentiment includes one Moderate Sell and three Strong Sell recommendations.

Despite the mixed outlook, price targets suggest notable upside potential. The average target of $34.67 implies a possible 52.9% gain from current levels, indicating room for recovery if sentiment improves. At the upper end, the Street-high target of $60 points to a significant 164.7% upside, highlighting the stocks potential if key concerns begin to ease.

www.barchart.com

www.barchart.com

On the date of publication, Anushka Mukherji 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
Concerned about an AI bubble? Sign up for The Daily Upside for smart and actionable market news, built for investors.

With apologies to Bob Marley, its a different sort of redemption song for the private credit industry.

Asset management giant Blackstone said Tuesday it closed an oversubscribed $10 billion opportunistic credit fund, suggesting the panic surrounding the private debt market isnt gripping everyone.

Sign up for The Daily Upside at no cost for premium analysis on all your favorite stocks.

READ ALSO: US Automakers Poised to Benefit from Pentagons Request for Manufacturing Support and Amazons $11B Globalstar Deal Fuels Project Leos Pursuit of Starlinks Contrails

No Time Like the Present Selloff

The $1.8 trillion private credit markets ills are well known. A handful of high-profile implosions last year, led by UK lender Market Financial Solutions, US auto lender Tricolor and auto parts supplier First Brands spooked investors about loan quality. JPMorgans Jamie Dimon, whose every word can move markets, followed with his now-trademark cockroach warning about more defaults to come. Although it should be noted Dimon said, in a CNBC appearance, that he didnt believe the risks associated with private credit were systemic, adding his concern is with broader underwriting standards in which the bad actors may be banks, not private credit. Meanwhile, finishing a trifecta of investor anxiety was the sectors significant exposure to the software industry, which has faced sell-offs over the potentially existential risk posed by artificial intelligence.

For many investors, the mounting anxiety has become too much to bear. In recent days and weeks, private credit funds at KKR, Morgan Stanley and Blue Owl Capital have enforced redemption caps after retail investors, in particular, overwhelmed them with requests to pull their cash. Even at Blackstone, senior staff chipped in $150 million earlier this year to help cover $3.8 billion in redemption requests at its flagship fund. So whats Blackstones sudden tonic?

The new Blackstone Capital Opportunities Fund V will target both performing investments and opportunistic ones, which is code for undervalued assets, suggesting the recent panic has created a chance for bargain buying.

This is a very attractive environment to deploy flexible capital in private corporate credit as well as to provide opportunistic and structured solutions to companies in sectors with strong thematic tailwinds, said Rob Petrini, co-portfolio manager of the new fund.

Doubts Remain: Moodys downgraded its outlook for business development companies, seen as a close public market proxy for private credit, to negative from stable Tuesday, citing the wave of redemption requests. What would bring back stability? A little less yanking of cash, naturally. With Barings becoming the latest firm to impose a fund cap on Monday, theres no sign of waning anxiety just yet.

This post first appeared on The Daily Upside. To receive razor sharp analysis and perspective on all things finance, economics, and markets, subscribe to our free The Daily Upside newsletter.
(Bloomberg) -- Anthropic PBC said its revenue run rate has now topped $30 billion, up from $9 billion at the end of 2025, and confirmed plans to work with Broadcom Inc. and Google to power its burgeoning operations.

The AI startup said that demand for its Claude services has accelerated this year, with more than 1,000 business customers spending over $1 million on an annual basis. That figure has more than doubled since February.

The collaboration with Broadcom and Google, which was first announced last month, will help Anthropic build the capacity necessary to serve the remarkable growth we have seen in our customer base, Chief Financial Officer Krishna Rao said in a statement. The annual run rate  a popular benchmark among tech startups  extrapolates the current sales level over a full year.

The latest numbers suggest that a high-profile dispute with the US government hasnt stymied growth. Anthropic is waging a legal fight over the Pentagons decision to declare the company a supply-chain risk following a standoff over AI safety guardrails.

Broadcom shares gained 6.2% on Tuesday in New York, the biggest single-day increase in two months. Alphabet stock climbed 1.8%.

Anthropic has warned that the labeling could cost it billions in lost revenue, and an attorney for the company recently told a judge in San Francisco that the federal governments actions led to more than 100 enterprise customers contacting the company to express doubt about continuing their work with Anthropic.

Still, some customers respect that Anthropic demonstrates its principles in its dealings with the US government, Paul Smith, Anthropics chief commercial officer, said in an interview last week.

Broadcom is developing chips using Googles tensor processing units, or TPUs, offering an alternative to technology from Nvidia Corp. Broadcom and Alphabet Inc.s Google have entered a long-term agreement to provide the chips and a supply assurance pact that runs through 2031, according to a Broadcom filing Monday.

The three companies also are expanding a strategic collaboration that will let Anthropic access about 3.5 gigawatts worth of computing power. That will begin in 2027.

The consumption of such expanded AI compute capacity by Anthropic is dependent on Anthropics continued commercial success. In connection with this deployment, the parties are in discussions with certain operational and financial partners, Broadcom said in the filing.

The companys chief executive officer, Hock Tan, previously discussed the collaboration during an earnings call last month. He also said Broadcom expects its AI chip sales to top $100 billion next year, making it a bigger competitor to Nvidia.
By Heekyong Yang and Hyunjoo Jin

SEOUL, April 9 (Reuters) - South Korea's Kia Corp said on Thursday it had delayed plans to build "software-defined vehicles" by about one year to 2028, and announced a hefty hike in investment plans, underscoring its struggles to catch up with the likes of Tesla.

Shares in the automaker tumbled on the plans announced in an investor presentation, closing down 5.5% compared with a 1.6% drop for the broader market.

Both Kia and Hyundai Motor, which together form the world's No. 4 automotive group, are seen as laggards in self-driving technology and other software features compared to Tesla and their Chinese rivals.

Kia said its first software-defined vehicle or SDV will be equipped with semi-automated driving technology for highways in 2028, while a more advanced vehicle capable of operating in city streets would be ready in early 2029.

Last year, Kia said it planned to start production of its first SDV in 2027.

Kia said it will invest more than $500 million to strengthen its physical AI capabilities and vision-language-action models, while deepening strategic partnerships with technology companies such as Google's DeepMind and Nvidia.

Last month, Hyundai Motor Group announced an expanded strategic partnership with Nvidia to advance autonomous driving technology development.

BIG HIKE IN INVESTMENT PLANS

The delay comes after Hyundai's former president, Song Chang-hyeon, who had spearheaded the group's SDV efforts, resigned in December, sparking concerns that the group was falling behind in developing such technologies.

He has been replaced by Park Minwoo, a former Nvidia and Tesla engineer.

Kia also said it now plans to spend 41.4 trillion won ($28 billion) from 2026 to 2029, a whopping 30% more than an earlier estimate as it seeks to boost vehicle electrification, software and new businesses.

At the same time, it cut its 2030 target for electric vehicle sales by about 20% to 1 million units, reflecting weaker demand and the scrapping of EV subsidies in the U.S. last year.

Kia also trimmed its 2030 sales target for all vehicles to 4.13 million vehicles, which would be around a 4.5% share of the global market.

That would represent a 30% jump from last year's sales of 3.14 million units, when Kia had a 3.5% share. It also plans to boost annual hybrid sales to 1.1 million units by 2030, up about 60% from this years target.

Kia joined Hyundai in unveiling plans to deploy Atlas humanoid robots developed by Boston Dynamics. It will use them at a factory in the U.S. state of Georgia from 2029.
(Bloomberg) -- Two fully laden Chinese oil tankers are waiting near the Strait of Hormuz with a third on its way, putting them in a position to become the first such vessels to leave the Persian Gulf under a day-old US-Iran ceasefire, even as shipowners scrutinize the details of the truce.

The Cospearl Lake, a very-large crude carrier linked to Chinas state-owned Cosco Shipping Corp., and He Rong Hai, owned by a smaller entity, appeared to be traveling east early on Thursday morning at near-top speeds, according to ship-tracking data, before coming to a virtual halt. Another Cosco-linked VLCC, the Yuan Hua Hu, began its eastward journey a few hours later.

All three are signaling Chinese ownership on their tracking systems, a move typically done for safety during Iran-approved transits.

The tankers are part of a growing armada amassing at the entrance to the strait, off the United Arab Emirates. A Saudi Arabian-flagged VLCC, the Jaham, has moved east toward a nearby holding area off Dubai. They join other ships including two Indian-flagged, fully-laden supertankers that have been in the area since late March  the Desh Vibhor, which is off Ras Al Khaimah, and the Desh Vaibhav, which is near Dubai.

Iran and the US agreed to a pause in fighting in exchange for the unblocking of Hormuz, but there is still little clarity on the fine print. Continued attacks  including Israeli strikes in Lebanon  have raised questions about the effectiveness of a ceasefire. Since the truce and supposed opening of the strait were announced a day ago, there has also been little change in traffic.

The Chinese and Saudi vessels shifts in positions along the gulf underscore their intentions to cross the strait after having been locked up in the inland sea for weeks. Their journeys onward remain uncertain.

Shipowners said Thursday they were still awaiting details on how safe passage can be carried out. Iran warned vessels on Wednesday in radio transmissions that transits still required permission from Tehran, while Iranian media has also reported the country has designated routes for vessels to transit Hormuz, with both inbound and outbound passages circumventing Larak Island in the strait.

Japans Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd., one of the worlds largest shipping companies, is among the groups that says it needs to see sustainable stability before sending its vessels through.

How it is implemented in the water, that is something we really need to understand, Jotaro Tamura, the firms new president, told Bloomberg Television.

The Chinese ships are already notable for their cargoes. Two are carrying Iraqi crude, and the other Saudi. While Iran has referred to brotherly Iraq, most other transits have been granted to friendly nations. Iraq has told traders and refiners that vessels carrying the countrys oil are now able to transit the Strait of Hormuz thanks to an Iranian exemption.
(Bloomberg) -- As war injects extreme volatility into oil and gas markets, the global race for energy security is making China stronger, according to Jacky Tang, emerging markets chief investment officer at the private banking arm of Deutsche Bank AG.

China is the winner in this war from an economic standpoint, from an energy mix standpoint, he said in an interview.

The prediction feeds into a complex picture. Bruegel, a think tank, says Chinas reliance on oil imports from Iran is set to pose a severe test for its energy strategy. At the same time, the countrys status as the worlds largest producer of clean tech puts it in a unique position to help governments now desperate to wean themselves off Middle East imports, according to the Deutsche Bank executive.

Longer term, Tang says everybody knows that the world cannot rely on oil.

He says its a realization that will force a reset in Asia, the biggest importer of Middle Eastern oil. Japan, Korea and India are now all more likely to look for ways to diversify their energy mix, and the equipment needed to achieve that diversification will inevitably come from China, Tang said.

As the conflict in the Middle East veers between existential threats and a fragile ceasefire, volatility in oil and gas prices has skyrocketed. The promise of a two-week break from fighting offered relief on Wednesday morning, with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz listed as a condition of the deal.

For now, however, the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, pushing up the price of Brent crude. The situation remains fluid, analysts at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said in a note. And by Thursday, optimism over the US-Iran ceasefire had faded after Tehran warned that some terms of the deal had been breached.

Against that backdrop, governments will continue to work toward energy independence. China, which remains the worlds largest consumer of coal, is rapidly building out its clean-tech sector as part of its goal of achieving energy independence.

Low-carbon sources now account for close to 40% of the countrys electricity generation, compared with about 25% a decade ago, according to a February report by Ember. And renewables make up almost 50% of installed power capacity, Barclays Plc estimates.

A decade of renewable build-out and electrification have materially reduced Chinas exposure to energy shocks, a Barclays team led by Jian Chang, the banks chief China economist, said in an April 8 note to clients. The upshot is that oil and gas are now playing only a minor role in power generation for the country, she said.
Brent Crude is expected to average above $100 per barrel this year if the Strait of Hormuz remains mostly shut to tanker traffic for another month, Goldman Sachs analysts said on Thursday.

We continue to see the risks to our price forecast as skewed to the upside, the U.S. investment bank said in a note carried by Bloomberg after the U.S. and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday night.

Goldman cut its price expectations for crude oil late on Wednesday following the news of a ceasefire deal between Iran and the United States.

However, the bank has assumed various scenarios in its price forecasts.

One is the assumption that the Strait of Hormuz remains essentially closed to normal traffic for another month. This would mean that Brent Crude prices would average more than $100 per barrel in the second half of 2026 and throughout the year, according to Goldman.

Despite the ceasefire, which is conditional on the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran continues to keep control of the vessel flows and controls who can and cannot transit the chokepoint.

Shipowners and shipping lines continue to wait for details and clarity about security guarantees before attempting to move through the Strait of Hormuz.

The lack of details and mounting evidence that Iran is unlikely to loosen its control over the chokepoint during the ceasefire, if it holds, prompted a rebound in oil prices early on Thursday.

Both benchmarks were rising by 3% in early European trade and trading at about $97 per barrel, after Brent closed the gap to WTI, which had traded at a premium for the past week.

Coordination with Iranian armed forces is still required for all transits, maritime intelligence firm Windward said on Wednesday, noting that The strait has not reopened  it is in a supervised pause.

If the severely limited traffic at the Strait of Hormuz continues for longer than another month, this would lead to additional loss of upstream production in the Middle East. In this case, Brent Crude prices could average $120 per barrel in the third quarter and $115 in the final quarter of the year, according to Goldman Sachs.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com

Oilprice Intelligence brings you the signals before they become front-page news. This is the same expert analysis read by veteran traders and political advisors. Get it free, twice a week, and you'll always know why the market is moving before everyone else.

You get the geopolitical intelligence, the hidden inventory data, and the market whispers that move billions - and we'll send you $389 in premium energy intelligence, on us, just for subscribing. Join 400,000+ readers today. Get access immediately by clicking here.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

Oil markets are once again tilting toward geopolitical risk, with Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) indicating that Brent crude could average above $100 a barrel through 2026 if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for another month. In a note following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, analysts including Daan Struyven described the situation as still fluid, pointing to comments from Vice President JD Vance that the truce remains fragile. The bank emphasized that risks to its price outlook appear skewed to the upside, particularly as uncertainty persists around whether the agreement will translate into a sustained reopening of the critical shipping route.

At the core of the market's focus is the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit that connects the Persian Gulf to global markets and typically carries about a quarter of the world's seaborne oil trade in peacetime. While Iran and the US said they agreed to pause fighting in exchange for reopening the strait, a lack of clarity on the terms and reports of continued fighting have raised doubts about how quickly flows will normalize. Goldman's base-case scenario assumes that shipments begin to pick up this weekend, followed by a gradual recovery in exports over a month, which would place Brent at an average of $82 in the third quarter and $80 in the fourth.

The more disruptive scenarios are where price expectations begin to shift meaningfully. Under an adverse case where reopening is postponed by a month, Goldman sees Brent averaging above $100 a barrel in the second half. A more prolonged closure, combined with some regional production losses, could push prices higher still, with forecasts of $120 in the third quarter and $115 in the fourth. US President Donald Trump said it had been agreed that the strait would remain open and safe, while also warning of a potential resumption of military action if compliance falters. Iran, for its part, has outlined designated safe routes near Larak Island for vessels entering and exiting the strait, even as Brent recently traded above $98 after swinging sharply, including a 13% drop on ceasefire news and a spike as high as $119.50 during the crisis.
Occidental Petroleum has announced a new oil discovery at the Bandit prospect in the Gulf of Mexico, underscoring the regions continued importance for U.S. energy supply amid global uncertainty.

The find, located about 125 miles south of Louisiana, is jointly owned with Chevron and Woodside Energy. Occidental operates the project with a 45.375% stake, while Chevron holds 37.125% and Woodside 17.5%.

While full resource estimates have yet to be disclosed, the companies are assessing the discoverys commercial potential. Early indications suggest it could be developed via subsea tie-backs, allowing the field to connect to existing offshore infrastructurepotentially speeding up production timelines and reducing costs.

The discovery comes as offshore U.S. production gains renewed attention. The Gulf accounts for roughly 15% of U.S. crude output, making it a critical pillar of domestic energy securityespecially as global markets remain volatile due to geopolitical tensions, including disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.

Occidental said the find reinforces the strategic role of the Gulf in providing reliable supply, particularly at a time when international energy flows face increasing risk. Investors appeared to welcome the news, with the companys shares rising in premarket trading.

Although still in early stages, the Bandit discovery highlights how incremental offshore findspaired with existing infrastructurecan quickly translate into meaningful supply, strengthening the resilience of U.S. oil production in an uncertain global environment.

Oilprice Intelligence brings you the signals before they become front-page news. This is the same expert analysis read by veteran traders and political advisors. Get it free, twice a week, and you'll always know why the market is moving before everyone else.

You get the geopolitical intelligence, the hidden inventory data, and the market whispers that move billions - and we'll send you $389 in premium energy intelligence, on us, just for subscribing. Join 400,000+ readers today. Get access immediately by clicking here.
Oil prices increased on 9 April due to uncertainties surrounding a two-week Middle East ceasefire, raising fears that energy shipments through the vital Strait of Hormuz may remain constrained, reported Reuters.

By 08:56 GMT, Brent crude futures had increased by $3.69, or 3.9%, reaching $98.44 per barrel (bbl).

Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed $3.47, or 3.7%, to $97.88/bbl.

In the previous trading session, both benchmarks dropped below $100/bbl as early optimism about the ceasefire potentially reopening the strait led to WTI experiencing its largest decrease since April 2020.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key passage for oil and gas supplies from Gulf countries such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, handling approximately 20% of the global supply.

However, the ceasefire's stability is uncertain, with Israel continuing attacks on Lebanon, prompting Iran to label further peace negotiations as "unreasonable".

Shipping companies are seeking clear guidelines before resuming passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has released maps to direct ships away from mines in the waterway, outlining safe routes in collaboration with the nation's Revolutionary Guards, according to Iranian media.

Despite the ceasefire, Iran has continued targeting regional oil sites including a Saudi pipeline meant to bypass Hormuz, according to an industry source.

Missile and drone attacks were also experienced in Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

In light of the ceasefire, Goldman Sachs has revised its oil price predictions for the second quarter of 2026. The bank now anticipates Brent crude will reach $90/bbl and US crude $87/bbl.

These figures were previously set at $99 for Brent and $91 for WTI.

"Oil prices jump as shaky ceasefire keeps Strait of Hormuz in focus" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




COO Jaret Sprott said Pembinas growth plan rests on three pillars: operational excellence, commercial success through volume capture, and disciplined project execution. On safety, he referenced reductions in metrics tied to serious injuries from 2022 through 2025. On utilization, he said Pembina has been able to safely exceed nameplate capacity in parts of its system when warranted by demand, citing more than 70,000 BOE/D of consolidated capacity created through optimization of three assets, with most of that capacity utilized.

Burrows also reiterated a long-term financial objective: We are committed to delivering 5%-7% fee-based EBITDA per share growth through 2030, with marketing torque on top of this. He said Pembinas current 2026 guidance implies about 5% growth versus 2023, which he framed as consistent with the companys prior 2024 Investor Day target of 4%-6% fee-based adjusted EBITDA per share growth from 2023-2026.

Burrows said the companys refreshed strategy is built around capture, connect, and catalyze, with the intent to grow its core franchise, extend its value chain, and develop new sources of demand where Pembina believes it has structural advantages. He pointed to what he described as improving fundamentals for Canadian energy, including increased export capacity, petrochemical demand, and data center-related power demand.

Pembina Pipeline (NYSE:PBA) used a company update call to outline its long-term strategy and financial outlook through the end of the decade, emphasizing what CEO Scott Burrows described as a track record of execution and a growth plan tied to expanding market access and demand in Western Canada.

Self-funded financial framework  Pembina forecasts CAD 16.518 billion in operating cash flow from 20262030 with ~CAD 78 billion available to invest (~CAD 1.5B/year), targets proportional leverage of 3.54.25x , maintains a BBB rating, and prioritizes the dividend and accretive growth capital.

Cedar LNG execution and economics  the project is ~50% spent and ~80% committed, on time and on budget with ~70% under fixed-price EPC, and Pembina expects about $220 million per year in fixed fees plus upside (illustratively ~ $300M EBITDA net share if in service today).

Story Continues

 Delta Air Lines Gains Altitude: Higher Highs Are Coming

On capital execution, Sprott said the company has sanctioned more than CAD 1 billion of new pipeline and facilities projects (net basis) since its 2024 Investor Day. He added that Pembina expects to deliver about CAD 2 billion of projects from 2024 through 2026 and said the portfolio is tracking approximately 5% under budget.

Cedar LNG update: fixed fees, structure, and timeline

Management provided an execution update on Cedar LNG, which Sprott described as moving from sanction to advanced construction with a focus on safety, indigenous ownership, and execution certainty. He said 2026 is expected to be the projects highest spending year, that the project is about 50% spent and about 80% committed, and that it remains on time and on budget.

 East West Bancorp: Confronting the Risks With Record Results

Sprott said Cedars key milestones include the vessel moving from dry dock to wet dock mid-year, sail away in 2028, and coming online in late 2028. He noted that roughly 70% of the project is structured under a fixed-price EPC arrangement. On economics, he said Pembina expects to generate $220 million per year in fixed fees from Cedars customers, with potential additional upside tied to volumes and commodity price participation. As an illustrative example, he said that if Cedar were in service this year, Pembinas net share could generate $300 million of EBITDA through fixed fees and commodity participation, excluding incremental cargoes.

Sprott said the project is backed by ARC Resources, Ovintiv, and PETRONAS.

Development backlog: Greenlight, Yellowhead, and Heartland opportunities

Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Chris Scherman discussed projects under development, focusing on Alberta Industrial Heartland and opportunities tied to petrochemicals and data center power demand. He highlighted Greenlight, a proposed 900-megawatt combined-cycle natural gas power facility being developed with partner Kineticor to serve data centers. Scherman said Pembina is not moving into merchant power and is seeking a long-term contracted infrastructure profile. He said the company is targeting a final investment decision in the second quarter of this year and an in-service date in 2030, and that it is working toward a 20-year agreement backed by an investment-grade counterparty.

Scherman also discussed the proposed Yellowhead extraction plant, which he said would support Pembinas ethane commitments to Dow and increase C3+ volumes available to its Redwater complex and broader NGL system. He said Pembina has a 50,000 bbl/d ethane supply agreement with Dow. In response to a question later in the call, Scherman said he was certainly optimistic Yellowhead could reach FID in 2026.

Scherman added that Pembina is pursuing a separate butane value enhancement opportunity, though he said the company could not share specifics due to commercial sensitivities. CFO Cameron Goldade later said the contribution from that item would be less than 10% or around 10% at most of the projects-under-development grouping.

Financial framework: self-funded plan, leverage targets, and marketing outlook

Goldade said Pembinas capital allocation priorities are balance sheet strength, the dividend, accretive growth capital, and then discretionary capital such as debt reduction, share repurchases, or incremental dividends. He said the company has maintained a BBB rating for 13 consecutive years and targets leverage of 3.5 to 4.25 times proportionally consolidated senior debt to EBITDA. He also cited a dividend track record of 4% compound annual growth over 25 years and said Pembina has never cut its dividend.

On funding, Goldade said Pembina expects to generate CAD 16.5 billion to CAD 18 billion in cash flow from operating activities from 2026 to 2030. After funding a growing dividend, he said the company expects roughly CAD 7 billion to CAD 8 billion available to investabout CAD 1.5 billion per year on averagewhich he said aligns with roughly CAD 7 billion of remaining capital to be invested in sanctioned and under-development projects. He added that leverage would be below current levels in all cases, and said the company could also access incremental debt capacity of roughly CAD 3 billion within its leverage range to support opportunities that could move results toward the upper end of its growth target.

Goldade also discussed the marketing segment as an important value-enhancing overlay, while noting that it can be affected by market conditions. He said it was premature to formally reset 2026 marketing guidance due to uncertainty around the conflict in Iran, but said the forward curve had improved versus original guidance and Pembina had layered additional hedges. He said the companys 2026 frac spread exposure is 65% hedged at a weighted average price of $35.41 per barrel.

In the Q&A, management addressed the relationship between Greenlight and a potential Alliance regional expansion. Scherman said the two FIDs are expected to be proximate to each other, but not necessarily on exactly the same timeline, and said Pembina sees opportunity for more than one phase of Greenlight. He added there is lots of running room on Alliance at least through a few phases.

Burrows closed by saying the company has a durable core business, a differentiated integrated platform, a visible growth path, and a disciplined financial framework, and reiterated that Pembina plans to execute the 3Cs strategy while maintaining its financial guardrails.

About Pembina Pipeline (NYSE:PBA)

Pembina Pipeline Corporation (NYSE: PBA) is a North American energy infrastructure company that develops, owns and operates midstream assets that transport, store and process hydrocarbons. Its core business focuses on the transportation of crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and condensate, along with gas processing, fractionation, storage and related marketing services. Pembina serves producers, refiners and other energy companies by providing pipeline capacity, terminal services and midstream solutions that link upstream production to downstream markets and export facilities.

The company's asset base is concentrated in Western Canada, including major operations in Alberta and British Columbia, and it also has operations and commercial activities that extend into the United States.

The article "Pembina Pipeline Unveils 3Cs Strategy, Targets 5%-7% Fee-Based EBITDA Growth Through 2030 Update Call" was originally published by MarketBeat.
Sunda Energy and Finder Energy, through their respective subsidiaries, have signed a non-binding letter of intent (LoI) to jointly secure a drilling rig for their separate offshore projects in Timor-Leste.

The subsidiaries, SundaGas Banda Unipessoal and Finder Timor-Leste, intend to conduct combined drilling operations, aiming to streamline the process and reduce costs by sharing resources such as drilling rigs and materials.

Under the terms of the LoI, SundaGas and Finder plan to hire a suitable semi-submersible rig capable of operating at both companies well locations. They also intend to collaborate on project management, procurement of necessary services, logistics and planning.

Finder Timor-Leste is the operator of the Kuda Tasi and Jahal (KTJ) fields in partnership with Timor Gap.

SundaGas Banda Unipessoal operates the TL-SO-19-16 production sharing contract (PSC), which includes the Chuditch gas field where the Chuditch-2 appraisal well is planned.

Finder expects to begin drilling at least three wells as part of its KTJ development programme before making a final investment decision (FID) by mid-2026.

The Chuditch-2 well, initially scheduled for the second quarter of 2026 (Q2 2026), will be rescheduled to align with Finders campaign. Drilling is now expected to begin as early as possible in 2027, subject to rig availability.

Both companies stated that rig-sharing addresses previous difficulties in securing a rig, particularly for shorter-duration projects like Chuditch-2, which alone requires around 3540 days.

Combining both companies drilling campaigns extends operational duration to nearly 200 days, which the parties believe offers a more favourable proposition for contractors.

Minor technical adjustments to the engineering design of the Chuditch-2 well will be undertaken to accommodate the shared rig concept.

Sunda Energy and Finder have opened discussions on detailed project management and logistics. Finder is advancing efforts to secure the necessary type of semi-submersible rig for operations at both locations, which vary in water depth.

SundaGas has asked upstream regulator Autoridade Nacional do Petroleo (ANP) for a contract extension for the TL-SO-19-16 PSC, which currently expires on 18 June 2026.

ANP is considering the request in light of the amended operational plans.

Sunda Energy CEO Andy Butler said: I am delighted with the plans agreed with Finder to align our planned drilling activities with their KTJ development project. This collaborative initiative would create many potential synergies and help both parties effectively achieve their respective operational goals.
While plans to toll vessels could add as much as $1 per barrel to the price of crude oil transiting the Strait of Hormuz, container ships in the Persian Gulf remain trapped despite a ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

Commercial shipping remains tightly constrained relative to pre-conflict levels and skews heavily toward outbound exits, wrote

Destine Ozuygur, senior market analyst for Xeneta, in a LinkedIn post. More importantly, transits are taking place within the selective guardrails of an Iran-operated tollbooth.

Iran and the United States announced a two-week ceasefire Tuesday evening ahead of President Donald Trumps deadline threatening Tehran with massive destruction.

About 20% of the worlds crude oil moves to markets through the Strait of Hormuz, and the blockade by Iran has throttled supply and sent prices of fuel soaring.

Reports have said that operators of some very large crude carriers (VLCCs), the most numerous in global commerce, have paid Iran $2 million per ship to ensure safe passage through the strait. Under a plan by Oman and Iran to make tolls permanent, a typical VLCC holding 2 million barrels of oil translates to a potential $1 dollar more per barrel charged to buyers on delivery, analysts estimate.

Brent crude prices rose as high as $110 a barrel on Monday only to fall to just over $90 following the ceasefire announcement.

The Federal Maritime Commission in recent weeks has rejected multiple requests from carriers asking to waive the 30-day waiting period to implement emergency fuel surcharges.

Vessel traffic through the strait has shown a steady increase, Ozuygur said, citing reports that 21 ships made the passage over the weekend. Xeneta has not yet confirmed any inbound or outbound container vessel transits since the ceasefire announcement.

The monetization of passage through the strait is an unsettling reality that deeply influences what happens next in the scale and pace of any recovery, she said. Russia and Chinas recent veto of the United Nations Security Council resolution to reopen the waterway increases the likelihood that this becomes the operating status quo.

While tankers are limited by the location of oil production, Ozuygur said container shipping is already adapting.

A tenuous ceasefire does not change the fact that liner networks have implemented structural adaptations. Since March 1, at least five services have introduced new connections to Jeddah and King Abdullah ports [In Saudi Arabia], or Mersin [in Turkey], with weekly capacity into Jeddah increasing by 19%.
(Bloomberg) -- US shale drillers are expected to follow President Donald Trumps call for higher oil production  but not just because he said so.

The 72% surge in crude prices since the US and Israel commenced attacks on Iran roughly five weeks ago is incentive enough to compel American oil executives to ramp up output, according to observers as diverse as Citigroup Inc. and Enverus Inc.

Shale explorers require oil prices somewhere between $62 and $70 a barrel to turn a profit on new wells, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. As of midday Tuesday, the US benchmark traded around $115.

Elevated prices are certainly going to increase production in the United States, Mike Sommers, chief executive officer of industry lobby group the American Petroleum Institute, said during a Bloomberg Television interview. You are going to see that over the course of the next few months.

Billionaire wildcatter Harold Hamm was the first prominent shale boss to publicly commit to lifting production last week when his Continental Resources Inc. boosted its capital budget and output target. Even among rivals that have yet to sign on to pumping more crude, hedging has been rampant to lock in elevated pricing for the barrels theyre already planning to extract.

The Trump administration has repeatedly called on US companies to increase crude output, often to no avail because management teams were loathe to sink capital into new wells when oil prices werent high enough to meet profit thresholds.

But thats all been turned on its head since the biggest oil-market disruption in history kicked off with the Feb. 28 attacks on Iran and subsequent closure of almost all vessel traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz.

It may take months to begin to see the uptick in production from shale fields in places like the Permian Basin on West Texas and New Mexico because of the lead time required to drill, frack and turn on new wells, according to forecasters Enverus and Rystad Energy.

The production boost will initially come from wells that have been drilled but await fracking, according Alex Ljubojevic, head of US supply at Enverus. Those are known as drilled-but-uncompleted wells, or DUCs.

You will definitely see operators that can, bring forward those DUCs just to get those volumes online, Ljubojevic said.

The process of drilling and bringing a new shale well online can take as long as nine months, which means the futures curve is more important than current prices for planning purposes. On that curve, West Texas Intermediate crude futures for October delivery have averaged almost $76 since the conflict erupted and topped the $84 mark two weeks ago.
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter.

Dive Brief:

HCL America, a technology consulting company based in Santa Clara, California, will pay $495,000 to settle an age and national origin discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in August 2024, according to a consent decree filed April 2.

According to the complaint, HCL America interviewed and then refused to hire a candidate because  as the sales director told the hiring team via email, copying the interviewee  he was too old for the position. The sales director suggested the team prioritize diverse candidates, referring to those who were non-Indian, female or both, EEOC said.

Under the two-year consent decree, in addition to paying the interviewee $495,000, HCL America will work with a third-party consultant to review and revise its policies and procedures regarding age- and national origin-based discrimination. It will also train its recruitment staff, managers and supervisors.

Dive Insight:

EEOC charged HCL America with violating both the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Hiring must be based on merit  not age or national origin  as the ADEA and Title VII requires, Christopher Green, district director for EEOCs San Francisco district office, said in a statement issued Friday. The EEOC is committed to evenhanded enforcement of anti-discrimination laws and will hold employers accountable when they deny applicants opportunities because of their age or national origin.

HCL Americas case highlights the need for HR to both train and, when necessary, override managers or clients in employment decisions that violate equal employment laws. Because HR is tasked with applying policies and legal obligations equally across a company, the department must be empowered to investigate, document and escalate when a director or executive displays bad behavior  such as factoring protected characteristics into hiring decisions, two HR consultants recently told HR Dive.

EEOC stressed the importance of training to help prevent such behavior.

Employers must ensure they are in compliance with federal law and provide training for hiring managers and recruiters to understand their responsibilities to prevent age and national origin discrimination, Roberta Steele, regional attorney for EEOCs San Francisco district office, said.

HCL America did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
Global independent private equity fund Jeito Capital has closed its second fund, Jeito II, surpassing its target of 1bn ($1.2bn), thereby establishing a significant new milestone for investment in European Biopharma.

The milestone increases Jeitos assets under management to 1.6bn, following the 534m closure of Jeito I in 2021.

Continuing the initiative set by Jeito I, Jeito II will invest in 15 to 20 clinical-stage biopharma companies, mainly in Europe, for developing breakthrough therapies targeting severe diseases with high unmet medical needs.

This fundraising enables Jeito to enhance the average size of forthcoming investments in portfolio companies to 150m, and allows them to expedite their progress towards advanced clinical development.

Jeito II has already deployed capital into companies addressing therapeutic areas such as autoimmune, cardiometabolic and inflammatory diseases, as well as obesity, oncology, and reproductive medicine.

Jeitos investment approach emphasises high-potential companies developing breakthrough therapies.

Jeito II received support from investors in Asia, Europe, and North America, including sovereign wealth funds, corporate entities, banks, and family offices.

Jeito Capital founder and CEO Dr Rafaele Tordjman said: The closing of Jeito II at more than one billion euros represents a very significant milestone for our business. This record fundraising is a collective success, reflecting the dedication and expertise of the entire Jeito team, the talent of its portfolio companies managers and the trust of our investors.

We would like to thank them all for their hard work, dedication and support. It is also a strong signal for the European Biopharma ecosystem, demonstrating the growing conviction that European companies can drive major therapeutic innovation and significant economic benefits with the appropriate access to financial and strategic resources.

"Jeito Capital secures over $1.2bn for new biopharma investments" was originally created and published by Hospital Management, a GlobalData owned brand.




Valued at a market cap of $23.7 billion, Humana Inc. (HUM) is a U.S.-based healthcare company that provides medical and specialty insurance products through its Insurance and CenterWell segments, serving individuals, Medicare beneficiaries, and military families. It also operates senior-focused primary care centers, home health services, and pharmacy solutions.

The Louisville, Kentucky-based company is slated to announce its fiscal Q1 2026 results before the market opens on Wednesday, Apr. 29. Ahead of the event, analysts forecast Humana to report an adjusted EPS of $9.89, down 14.6% from $11.58 in the year-ago quarter. It has surpassed Wall Street's bottom-line estimates in three of the past four quarterly reports while missing on another occasion.

More News from Barchart

For fiscal 2026, analysts project the health insurer to report adjusted EPS of $9.06, a 47.1% drop from $17.14 in fiscal 2025. However, adjusted EPS is anticipated to grow 70.3% year-over-year to $15.43 in fiscal 2027.

www.barchart.com

Shares of Humana have decreased 22.6% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 30.7% rise and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLV) 9% return over the same period.

www.barchart.com

Shares of Humana fell 3.3% after the company reported Q4 2025 results on Feb. 11. It forecast 2026 adjusted EPS of at least $9, well below analysts estimate. The decline was also driven by expectations that lower Medicare Advantage quality ratings will reduce bonus payments and pressure profits by about $3.5 billion in 2026. Additionally, concerns that a roughly 25% surge in Medicare Advantage membership could further squeeze margins, along with a minimal 0.09% government rate increase, weighed on investor sentiment.

Analysts' consensus rating on Humana stock is cautiously optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 27 analysts covering the stock, seven recommend a "Strong Buy, one has a "Moderate Buy," 17 give a "Hold" rating, and two "Strong Sells. The average analyst price target is $206.48, indicating a potential upside of 4.7% from the 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
Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO) provides the tools, software, and services to allow medical professionals the ability to analyze patient health. The company's own financial health has been predictably strong.

Even after a more than 15% pullback in its stock price this year, the company has still achieved a 13.8% compound annual total return over the past decade. At the beginning of this year, the total return was closer to 16%. That compares favorably to 10.8% for the iShares U.S. Medical Devices ETF over the 10-year period.

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 company has managed growth through aggressive, yet strategic acquisitions. It buys smaller companies, which then benefit from Thermo Fisher's larger sales team and distribution channels. Its medical products touch every part of healthcare, and it is even getting a boost from the wave of weight-loss therapies as it manufactures the injection pens for Wegovy, the weight-loss drug from Novo Nordisk.

Image source: Getty Images.

Putting its financials under a microscope

The company operates in four segments: life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma solutions. In 2025, the company reported revenue of $44.6 billion, up 4% and earnings per share (EPS) of $17.74, an increase of 7%. The growth was led by the life sciences solutions segment, which reported revenue of $10.4 billion, up 8%, thanks to increased bioproduction business.

Thermo Fisher just announced it was buying Clario Holdings, a provider of endpoint data solutions for clinical trials, for $8.8 billion. In 2025, the company closed two big acquisitions, buying the purification and filtration business from Solventum for $4 billion and a sterile fill-finish and packaging site in Ridgefield, New Jersey, from Sanofi for an undisclosed sum.

Not counting the addition of Clario, the company said, in its fourth-quarter earnings call, that it expects 2026 revenue to be between $46.3 billion and $47.2 billion, representing 5% growth at the midpoint and adjusted EPS to be between $24.22 and $24.80, up 7% at the midpoint.

Solid, dependable growth

Though Thermo Fisher's dividend has a below-average yield at around 0.36%, it has faithfully increased it over the past nine years and over the past decade, it has grown 213%. This year, the company raised it by 9% to $0.47 per quarterly share.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to Medline over deficiencies relating to the companys angiographic syringe manufacturing protocols.

The warning letter was only just made publicly available and is dated 25 March. Penned by Barbara Marsden, director of the Office of Regulatory Programs and Office of Product Evaluation and Quality at the FDAs Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), the document communicates findings from a facility inspection to Medline CEO Jim Boyle.

Following an inspection of the companys New York manufacturing facility in December 2025, the letter said that the FDAs inspecting agent determined that Medlines NAMIC-branded angiographic control syringes were adulterated. This means that good manufacturing practice requirements were not adhered to. The New York facility produces both the syringes and associated kits used to inject radiographic contrast media into patients blood vessels for several heart procedures.

Violations identified by the FDA following the inspection included failures by Medline to establish and maintain procedures for implementing corrective and preventive action around complaints received about the NAMIC syringes. Medline initiated corrective procedures, attributing syringe connection issues to excess silicone.

The FDA noted that Medlines declaration of a low risk to health was inconsistent given the potential for air embolisms. A syringe air embolism occurs when air bubbles enter a vessel, potentially blocking blood flow.

Your firms corrective actions only included scrapping devices in inventory and increasing the cleaning frequency of the (b)(4) machine to prevent excess silicone from migrating to the luer connector, despite receiving 221 complaints and filing 177 medical device reports (MDRs) for the disconnection of the NAMIC Angiographic Control Syringes from manifolds which impact patients and clinicians, the letter continued.

Richard Kalita, senior manager of quality assurance at Medline, responded to the FDAs observations in two letters dated 13 January and 27 February 2026. However, the agency deemed the companys planned response to the observed range of issues as inadequate.

No information was provided on when you anticipate a new investigation will be completed to determine the cause(s) of the disconnections between the syringes and manifolds to assure your actions are timely and commensurate with risk of this issue, Marsden wrote.

Furthermore, no assurance was provided that the scope of the product removal will include affected devices manufactured both before and after the corrective action (April 17, 2024) since the corrective action was found to be ineffective, Marsden continued.
LONDON  Unilever isnt wasting any time transforming itself into a beauty and wellness powerhouse following the merger of its foods division with McCormick & Co. last month.

On Thursday, the consumer giant said it has agreed to purchase Gruns, a fast-growing gummy expert with a leading position in the greens supplement category in the U.S.

More from WWD

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Unilever said the acquisition is another step in steering its portfolio toward premium and high growth spaces, with a stronger focus on beauty, well-being and the U.S. market.

Founded in 2023 by Chad Janis, Gruns aims to make daily nutrient support an easy, enjoyable ritual.

Janis launched the company after recognizing that the supplement industrys biggest barrier was adherence. Gruns has since become one of the largest brands in the U.S. greens supplement category, building a digitally native, culture-driven brand.

Jostein Solheim, Unilever well-being chief executive officer, described Gruns as a leader and true innovator in the greens supplement category. What sets Gruns apart is its focused portfolio of science-backed products that people genuinely enjoy, trust and consistently use.

He added: This combination of efficacy and experience is powerful, and together we see a significant opportunity to scale the brand within our well-being business.

Janis, CEO of Gruns, said: Our customers are the reason Gruns exists, and this partnership is ultimately for them. With Unilever behind us, we can reach more people, move faster, and continue raising the bar on what an enjoyable daily wellness habit can be.

Gruns is distributed through retail and direct-to-consumer channels. It sells at Target, Walmart, Costco, Sams Club, Sprouts, and online at gruns.co.

Gruns was founded in 2023 with a daily nutrient support gummy. Each daily serving is packed with more than 60 ingredients including organic fruits and vegetables, vitamins and minerals, and prebiotic fiber.

In 2024, the company expanded its portfolio with Gruns Kids for children and Nutrops for cognitive support. In 2025, it launched Immun for everyday immune system support and Juced for energy support.

The brand said it has 1 million customers and ships 10 million gummies every day, making it the top greens supplement on Amazon and in retail in the U.S.
The competition between OpenAI (OPAI.PVT) and Anthropic (ANTH.PVT) doesnt appear to be cooling off.

In a memo to staff published by The Verge, OpenAIs chief revenue officer Denise Dresser outlined a number of priorities for the companys sales org this quarter, saying enterprise AI is entering a more mature phase, and that its biggest customers want a system they can trust and build on.

The most notable headline to emerge from Dressers memo, however, came from the concluding thoughts on the competitive landscape, namely, OpenAIs biggest competitor, Anthropic.

Their stated run rate is inflated, Dresser wrote.

They use accounting treatment that makes revenue look bigger than it is, including grossing up rev share with Amazon and Google. Our analysis shows that this overstates their run rate by roughly $8 billion (at the current $30 [billion] stated). We report Microsoft revshare net, which is more inline with standards we would be held to as a public company.

(Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)  NurPhoto via Getty Images

Last week, Anthropic disclosed the $30 billion run rate figure, which signaled its growth rate had roughly tripled since the end of 2025.

Dressers memo also criticized Anthropic for telling a story built on fear, restriction, and the idea that a small group of elites should control AI.

The memo also said Anthropic made a strategic misstep in not acquiring enough compute to meet user needs and that its focus on coding, gave them an early wedge. But you do not want to be a single-product company in a platform war. As AI spreads beyond developers into every team, workflow, and industry, that narrowness can become a real liability.

Dresser also said OpenAIs relationship has been foundational to its success, but that it limited our ability to meet enterprises where they are.

In February, OpenAI announced an expanded deal with AWS, which included a $50 billion investment from Amazon and an exclusive cloud deal with AWS to distribute OpenAI Frontier, its enterprise platform.
Firmus Technologies, the Australian AI data center startup, has secured a fresh $505 million investment backed by Nvidia (NVDA). This new funding pushes the companys valuation to $5.5 billion ahead of its expected initial public offering (IPO). The investment also reflects strong demand for the large-scale computing facilities in the global AI market.

Unlock hedge fund-level data and powerful investing tools for smarter, sharper decisions

Discover top-performing stock ideas and upgrade to a portfolio of market leaders with Smart Investor Picks

Firmus Raises $505 Million to Expand AI Infrastructure

Firmus latest $505 million funding round was led by global investment firm Coatue Management, with continued participation from Nvidia and other investors. This capital injection marks Firmus third equity funding round in six months, bringing total capital raised during that period to about $1.35 billion.

Earlier, the private company raised AU$330 million (about $215 million) at a valuation of AU$1.85 billion ($1.2 billion) from investors, including Nvidia. The new funding round now lifts Firmus valuation to $5.5 billion as it prepares for a possible listing on the Australian Securities Exchange later this year.

Firmus partnered with Nvidia in late 2025. The company is known to build high-density AI data centers called AI factories. These facilities are designed to support advanced AI workloads using large GPU clusters, fast networking systems, and cooling technology.

The company has said that the new funding will help deploy advanced AI hardware based on Nvidias upcoming Vera Rubin DSX computing technology in the Asia-Pacific region. The AI system is expected to succeed Nvidias Blackwell architecture and is scheduled to begin shipping in the second half of 2026.

Firmus Accelerates Southgate Project with Nvidia Chips

Firmus is also leading a new initiative called Project Southgate. The project will build AI data center capacity in Australia using renewable energy, starting with a major site in Tasmania. The company has said a large portion of the new funding will support the Southgate project.

The Southgate facility is expected to use about 36,000 Nvidia accelerator chips during its first two rollout phases. Firmus expects the project to scale to around 1.6 gigawatts of computing capacity within three years, with early usage planned in Melbourne and Tasmania.

The company also confirmed that at least one global hyperscale customer has already signed on, though the customers name has not been disclosed. Most of the planned facilities are also expected to run largely on renewable energy. If achieved, the approach could help lower operating costs.
By Deborah Mary Sophia

April 9 (Reuters) - Amazon's AI services at its cloud-computing unit are generating annualized revenue of more than $15 billion, CEO Andy Jassy said, the first time the company has reported numbers on a business it has backed with billions of dollars in investment.

The figure, based on first-quarter performance, represents roughly 10% of Amazon Web Services' $142 billion revenue run-rate and follows years of wait from investors and analysts.

The disclosure was one of several Jassy made on Thursday in his annual shareholder letter that sketched an increasingly confident portrait of the technology giant's AI ambitions.

Amazon shares rose 4.5%.

Like rivals, Amazon is under pressure to prove its spending on AI would pay off. The company projected $200 billion in capital expenditure this year, mainly focused on AI, a figure that spooked investors and fanned worries about an industry bubble.

"We're not investing ... on a hunch," Jassy said.

"Of the AWS capex we expect to spend in 2026, much of which will be monetized in 2027-2028, we already have customer commitments for a substantial portion of it."

Investors cheered Amazon's update.

"The AI run-rate is a strong validation that AWS is successfully turning the AI boom into real, high-growth revenue," said Brian Mulberry, chief market strategist at Zacks Investment Management, which holds Amazon shares.

"It's still 'early days' per Jassy, but the momentum positions AWS as a leader in AI infrastructure."

Meanwhile, smaller cloud rival Microsoft said in January its AI business had crossed an annual revenue run-rate of $13 billion in late 2024.

While the disclosures from Amazon and Microsoft offer more clarity on Big Tech's AI investment returns, they still do not compare directly, as the revenue run-rate metric projects annual performance by extrapolating current sales and relies heavily on the period it is calculated in.

CUSTOM CHIP BOOM

Jassy also pointed to rapid growth in Amazons custom chip business, as large tech companies develop their own processors to cut dependence on Nvidias costly AI chips.

That business, which includes Graviton processors, Trainium AI chips and Nitro networking cards, now has an annualized revenue run-rate of over $20 billion, doubling from the $10 billion disclosed alongside fourth-quarter results.

Jassy suggested Amazon could eventually sell its chips to outside customers. Rival Google has found success with a similar strategy, striking a deal last October to supply Claude-creator Anthropic with one million of its custom AI chips, worth tens of billions of dollars.
AI research lab Anthropic announced Monday that it signed a new agreement with Google and Broadcom for increased processing and compute capacity to power its Claude AI models. This reworking of its compute deals comes as demand for its AI models continues to soar.

The deals would expand Anthropics use of Google Clouds tensor processing units, or TPUs, the companys advanced AI chips, and is an expansion of the deal the companies struck in October 2025 for more than a gigawatt of compute capacity.

This new compute capacity will come online in 2027, Anthropic said in the blog post. The company did not give specifics for its compute expansion, but a recent Broadcom SEC filing shows the deal includes 3.5 gigawatts of compute.

The majority of this compute will be housed in the U.S. and will be an extension of the companys $50 billion commitment to invest in U.S. compute infrastructure, Anthropic said in the post.

This groundbreaking partnership with Google and Broadcom is a continuation of our disciplined approach to scaling infrastructure: we are building the capacity necessary to serve the exponential growth we have seen in our customer base while also enabling Claude to define the frontier of AI development, Krishna Rao, CFO of Anthropic, said in the press release. We are making our most significant compute commitment to date to keep pace with our unprecedented growth.

Anthropic did not respond to TechCrunchs request for comment.

The company has seen demand for its Claude models explode in recent months, buoyed by enterprise customers and despite the U.S. Defense Departments labeling of Anthropic a supply-chain risk. Anthropic also recently closed a $30 billion Series G funding round that valued the company at $380 billion.

The companys run rate revenue is now $30 billion, the company announced, marking a drastic jump from the $9 billion the company recorded at the end of 2025. Anthropic also has more than 1,000 business customers spending more than $1 million on an annualized basis.
Michael Burry thinks Anthropic is beating out another AI darling.

Burry said that he thinks the market is shifting in favor of the Claude creator over Palantir.

Palantir stock fell 8% in Thursday's session after Burry's comments.

Michael Burry has long been bearish on Palantir, but he recently shared a new take on the market's AI darling, comparing its prospects to another titan in the space.

Anthropic isn't publicly traded yet, but it has been at the center of Wall Street's focus for months after new tools from the market of the Claude chatbot sent software stocks into a tailspin. Burry hasn't said much about the broader sector, but in a Wednesday X post, he made said he thinks Anthropic is handily beating the competition.

"Anthropic is eating Palantir's lunch," Burry said. "That massive boost from $9B to $30B ARR at Anthropic is because Anthropic offers the easier, cheaper, intuitive solution for businesses."

Palantir stock tumbled the day after Burry's comments as investors worried about competition from the AI heavyweight. The stock dropped as much as 8% to around $129.30 per share. Shares are down nearly 30% year to date.

Anthropic has already disrupted a slew of other software companies with its AI tools. Its updates have hit shares in legal tech, logistics, and wealth management, among other sectors.

Burry's comments come just a few months after he announced a short position in Palantir. He had previously expressed skepticism about the broader AI boom, implying that he saw a bubble forming,

Now he seems to think the AI market is shifting, specifically toward "plug and play" models from Anthropic that let companies quickly integrate its AI tools into their businesses.

Burry acknowledged that Palantir's lucrative government contracts, but noted that he doesn't think that they give the company an edge. In his view, the real profitability stems from the private sector business that has been the core of Anthropic's valuation.

"Anthropic' went from $9B to $30B in months, it took $PLTR 20 years to get to $5 Billion," Burry added. "[It] is taking 73% of all new enterprise spending.

He cited data from financial operations platform Ramp, pointing to a March 2026 analysis from economist Ara Kharazian, who provided a detailed breakdown of just how much Anthropic's business has grown recently.

Part of the report highlighted the zero-sum nature of the AI market, showing a surge in businesses flocking to Anthropic at rivals' expense.
The one thing thats weird about this is the customer would never know its happening because its so subtle and built in. You spend $1.50 on Greek yogurt at 2:00 in the afternoon, and then after work youre spending $1.95 on the same thing. You may not even notice it because youre in a rush.

While some consumers dont pay much attention to digital price tags, others are wary of how they may impact a stores pricing practices. Among those with reservations is Patrick Alexander, an insurance claims adjustor and online content creator from Indianapolis, Indiana.

That said, ESL technology presents a slippery slope, with uses that could expand over time, says Ema Roloff, co-founder of digital strategy advisory firm Roloff Consulting.

Various retailers that use ESL technology have responded to such concerns, stating theyre not using it for price gouging  and that they dont plan to do so in the future.

Surge pricing (also known as dynamic pricing) may seem absurd when it comes to groceries. However, consider how commonplace the practice has become among airlines, rideshare providers and ticket-sellers. Unlike these discretionary expenses, however, food is a necessity  and with budgets already stretched thin by inflation , the prospect of even higher prices can add a new layer of financial anxiety to your grocery trips.

However, consumer advocates worry the technology could make it easier for stores to surge prices during times of high demand  as well as to change prices for each consumer based on personal information, including through facial recognition capabilities.

Retailers say ESLs lift the manual burden for store employees of maintaining paper price tags. They also claim ESLs make it easier to lower prices on perishables to help keep them from going to waste.

ESLs are currently being used by major U.S. chains such as Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh, as well as by some stores in Canada, Europe and Asia. The global market for ESL products was estimated at $2.09 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $7.32 billion by 2033, according to Grand View Research .

Put simply, it comes down to a small, digital screen thats replacing the paper price tag on some retailers shelves. This battery-powered device is called an electronic shelf label, or ESL. Stores that use this technology can now change prices with a few clicks  or even allow an algorithm to do it automatically.

Does your grocery store hike the price of milk during your hurried commute home? Is it raising the cost of ice cream during a July heat wave? Are you seeing personalized prices based on your income or shopping history? As technology advances, these scenarios are becoming increasingly realistic.

Story Continues

Like Roloff, Alexander uses the term slippery slope to describe the use of ESLs. If you can get away with doing five or 10 cents at a time, eventually youre going to do 50 cents or a dollar, two dollars, he says.

Alexander says he avoids shopping at stores that use ESLs, as well as at stores that dont include prices on items tags or shelf labels. The subtleties of ripping people off  I guess youd call it that  are really getting ingrained, he says.

Retailers respond to price-gouging claims

Amidst all the talk of using ESLs for price gouging  and even legislation that aims to prevent it  two of the largest U.S. grocery retailers maintain they do not use the technology for such purposes.

Walmart

If you talk to the people who shop in our stores every week, we think they will have a different view, says Robyn Babbitt, director of corporate communications for Walmart. These labels are just a modern tool to help our associates do their jobs better, but the price you see is the same for everyone in any given store. They see the work we do every day to keep things affordable.

Currently, around 2,300 Walmart stores are using digital shelf labels, and the retailer expects all its locations to be equipped with them over the next year. Walmarts website states that its prices are the same for all customers in a given store, and they remain consistent regardless of demand, time of day or who is shopping.

Babbitt refers to a white paper published in 2025 by economists from the University of Texas at Austin, University of California San Diego, and Northwestern University. For their study, the researchers examined data from an unnamed major U.S. grocery retailer that implemented ESLs at more than 100 stores starting in October 2022. We find virtually no surge pricing either before or after ESL adoption, they wrote, adding, Our results suggest that recent regulatory concerns regarding surge pricing in grocery retail are misplaced.

Kroger

Supermarket chain Kroger launched ESLs in dozens of its stores in 2018, and has since been installing them in additional locations.

In 2024, two U.S. senators sent a letter to Krogers CEO, stating their concerns that the technology could be used for dynamic pricing. Changing prices based on the time of day, the weather, or other transitory events could enable stores to calibrate price increases to extract maximum profits at a time when the amount of Americans income spent on food is at a 30-year high, read the letter written by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and former-Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-Pa).

In response to the senators letter, Kroger released a statement that read, To be clear, Kroger does not and has never engaged in surge pricing. Any test of electronic shelf tags is designed to lower prices for more customers where it matters most.

Kroger didnt respond to requests from Bankrate for comment for this article.

The legal battleground

Federal legislation against grocery price gouging

While Walmart and Kroger have stated theyre not using their ESL technology for price gouging, stores may be prohibited from ever doing so, thanks to pending federal legislation and various state laws already in place.

At the heart of this legislative push is the Stop Price Gouging in Grocery Stores Act. Introduced in February 2026 by Sens. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the bill would:

Ban electronic shelf labels in grocery stores larger than 10,000 square feet

Prohibit grocery stores from practicing surveillance pricing, which is the use of personal data to set individualized prices for goods

Requiring grocery stores to disclose the use of facial recognition technology

With food costs rising each month, its more important than ever that any new technologies implemented in grocery stores are helping to lower costs, not raise them. That is why Ive introduced legislation that is intended to put common-sense guardrails in place at large retail stores and protect consumers.  Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) also introduced legislation in the House of Representatives in August 2025 that would ban ESLs.

Both the House and Senate bills have been referred to committees for hearings, and whether either will be passed into law  at a time when Congress is narrowly divided  remains to be seen.

Price transparency bills introduced across 33 states in 2025

While federal lawmakers have been working on legislation, states have been introducing, and sometimes passing, bills of their own.

Last year, more than 100 price transparency bills were introduced across 33 states and Washington, D.C., according to MultiState, a state and local government relations company. These included dynamic pricing disclosure laws, algorithmic pricing regulations and surveillance pricing protection measures.

One supporter of such legislation is the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which launched a national campaign to ban the predatory practice of surveillance pricing.

Now is when you can put legal constraints around this, before its largely adopted and being so abused that there's no way to put the genie back in the bottle. Right now we could put the genie back in the bottle. And I think that's the opportunity that folks need to realize.  Ademola Oyefeso, UFCW International vice president and director of legislative and political affairs

Oyefeso believes the federal bill may move more slowly than some state ones. You might get traction in a couple of [state bills] this year, and then hopefully it sets the stage for the upcoming year after that.

Proponents cite efficiency of digital price tags

On the other side of the divide is the National Retail Federation (NRF), a trade association that represents grocery and department stores. It maintains that paper tags are outdated and inefficient and that updating prices electronically in one central location is a way to ensure better accuracy.

Banning efficient methods to display accurate prices will increase the cost of doing business, meaning higher prices and fewer discounts for the consumer, Jason Straczewski, NRF group vice president of government relations and political affairs, told Bankrate in an emailed statement.

Checklist for the concerned shopper

If your local grocery store uses ESLs, it can help to become better informed about its policies as well as how to ensure the amount youre charged matches what was listed on the shelf.

Take a photo of a digital price tag

Its technically possible for a price to change between the time you pick up an item and when you reach the register. For expensive items or those with detailed promotions, take a photo of the shelf tag. This could make things easier for you if the price rings up differently.

Read a price tags fine print

Because ESLs sometimes pack a lot of information into a small screen, it pays to read any for small print carefully. Such details may include sales that require you to buy multiple products, as well as promotions in which a digital coupon must be clipped using the stores app.

Review your receipt before leaving the store

Dont wait until youre in the parking lot  or at home  to check your receipt. If the registers system didnt sync with a price listed in an aisle, show your receipt to a cashier or the customer service desk.

Know your states laws on scanner accuracy

Various states or counties have laws regarding price accuracy or scanner errors. In some areas, consumers who are overcharged are entitled to the item for free, or to a refund thats greater than the price difference.

Connecticut: If certain items scan higher at the checkout than the amount listed on the shelf or sticker, the customer is entitled to receive the item free, up to an amount of $20.

Michigan: If youre charged more than the displayed price, you can request a refund of the difference and may qualify for an additional bonus amount of 10 times the difference  not less than $1 or more than $5.

New York: Various counties require stores to pay you a super refund when a pricing error occurs. This is 10 times the amount of the error, up to $10.

Ask your store employees

Talk with an employee for more information about its pricing process:

Can prices be changed at any time of the day  or are they only changed outside of regular shopping hours?

Whats the policy if a price were to change between the time you picked up an item off the shelf and when you arrived at the checkout?

Can prices vary among shoppers based on personal data?

Consumers can ultimately take a stand by deciding where to shop or not to shop, says Roloff, of Roloff Consulting.

Theres true power in deciding to take a step away from things youre seeing that make you uncomfortable, Roloff says. What practices am I allowing by still consuming from these companies? It can be a little fatiguing, but you have to figure out where your lines are and what youre not willing to cross. As a consumer it just requires paying more attention.
Welcome to Eye on AI, with AI reporter Sharon Goldman. The pro-Iran meme machine trolling Trump with AI Lego cartoonsAmazons Andy Jassy defends Amazons $200 billion spending spree...OpenAI pauses Stargate U.K. data center, citing energy costs.

Its been another one of those wild weeks in AI, with Anthropic electing not to release its new Claude Mythos model because of concerns about the cybersecurity risks it poses (and forming a coalition to use a preview version of the model to bolster cybersecurity defenses); Meta releasing its first AI model since hiring Alexandr Wang; and mounting expectations about OpenAIs upcoming new Spud model.

Most of these AI models run on Nvidia GPUs, the sophisticated and expensive AI chips (at over $30,000 a pop) that power their training and output. But across the industry, access to those chips remains a bottleneck. OpenAI president Greg Brockman, for example, has said allocating GPUs at OpenAI is pain and suffering.

This week, at the HumanX conference in San Francisco, I discovered that even inside Nvidia, GPUs are scarce.

I sat down with Bryan Catanzaro, who leads applied deep learning research at Nvidia, overseeing teams working on AI-driven graphics, speech recognition, and simulation. Catanzaro was also among the first, back in the early-to-mid 2010s, to notice researchers snapping up Nvidia GPUs to train AI modelsa signal that helped push CEO Jensen Huang to double down on AI, setting the stage for the companys now-historic run.

Today, though, even Catanzaros teams are struggling to access enough GPUs. My team uses AI very deeply in our work, and their primary complaint is they want higher limits, Catanzaro told me. They want more GPUs.

Efficiency is also intelligence

In fact, he said one of his main jobs now is simply trying to secure more compute for his teams. Were all supply constrained, he said. Jensen will say, Im sorry, Bryan, but those are sold. We operate within those constraints.

One of Catanzaros projects has been leading the team building Nvidias Nemotron, a family of models that are open sourcemeaning users can freely download them to use, study, or modify. To be clear, Nvidia isnt trying to compete in the model-building race with the likes of OpenAI and Anthropic. Instead, its building them to strengthen a developer ecosystem that remains tied to Nvidia hardware and software.

The Nemotron models are known for being particularly GPU-efficient. And Catanzaro said its the very constraints on GPU access at Nvidia itself that is driving the push to make Nemotron models more efficient. In a supply-constrained world, efficiency is also intelligence, he said.
(Corrects headline to say "its", not "it")

By Max A. Cherney and Deepa Seetharaman

SAN FRANCISCO, April 9 (Reuters) - Artificial intelligence lab Anthropic is exploring the possibility of designing its own chips, three sources said, as the company and its rivals respond to a shortage of AI chips needed to power and develop more advanced AI systems.

The plans are in early stages and the company may still decide to only buy AI chips and not design any, according to two people with knowledge of the matter and one person briefed on Anthropic's plans. The company has yet to commit to a specific design or put together a dedicated team to work on the project, one of the sources said.

A spokesperson for the San Francisco-based company declined to comment on the article.

Demand for its AI model Claude has accelerated in 2026, with the startup's run-rate revenue now surpassing $30 billion, up from about $9 billion at the end of 2025, Anthropic said earlier this week.

Anthropic uses a range of chips, including tensor processing units (TPUs) designed by Alphabet's Google and Amazon's chips to develop and run its AI software and chatbot Claude.

Earlier this week, Anthropic signed a long-term deal with Google and Broadcom, which helps design the TPUs. That deal builds on the company's commitment to invest $50 billion in strengthening U.S. computing infrastructure.

Anthropic's discussions mirror similar efforts underway at large tech companies that are seeking to design their own AI chips, including Meta and OpenAI.

Designing an advanced AI chip can cost roughly half a billion dollars, according to industry sources, as companies need to employ skilled engineers and spend to make sure the manufacturing process has no defects.

(Reporting by Max A. Cherney and Deepa Seetharaman in San Francisco; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Aurora Ellis)
This story was originally published on CFO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO Dive newsletter.

Dive Brief:

The Financial Accounting Standards Board announced Monday that its Chair Rich Jones added a new research project to its agenda to monitor current accounting trends related to data infrastructure investments and non-traditional lending, including private credit.

As part of the project, the U.S. accounting standards setter may identify potential improvements to standards that underpin generally accepted accounting principles.

The board defines data infrastructure investments as data centers, the financing behind them and their use in a company or entitys business and related contractual arrangements, according to a FASB spokesperson.

Dive Insight:

The new research project comes as accounting treatment related to the way big tech firms are financing data center projects is drawing scrutiny.

While companies are generally required to describe major risks to their business, no specific disclosure requirement applies to power-purchase agreements that tech firms are initiating to achieve their artificial intelligence goals, The Wall Street Journal reported last month.

For example, Meta secured billions in financing to build a big data center in Louisiana without taking on the debt itself, with such deals generally allowing companies to push the risks associated with the AI boom onto lesser known companies. This could potentially lead to a future where the smaller firms or special purpose vehicles could be on the hook if the giants end up not needing all the computing demand, The New York Times reported.

Big Four firm KPMG also weighed in on the issue last year, noting that data center companies operate in a dynamic and complex environment that has implications for financial reporting, compliance and operational efficiency, the report states.

Accounting treatment for data centers is a process that requires owners to make key and sometimes subjective decisions, according to the KPMG report. For example, choosing whether to classify them as property, plant and equipment or instead as an investment property can have a huge impact! the report states.

The FASB research agenda is set by the chair who adds or removes projects as needed, the FASB spokesperson said.

Editors note: This story has been updated to include an additional comment from the FASB spokesperson.

Recommended Reading
The ISCA Academy, the education arm of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA), has rolled out an AI training initiative across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to close skills gaps in finance and accounting roles.

The programme is built around practical applications of AI for finance, audit and accounting professionals.

Participants will learn to automate Excel-based tasks, pull data from documents, build dashboards, prepare presentations and use AI agents to support more complex workflows.

The training initiative is being developed with Singapore-headquartered AI training provider Skybots. It centres on everyday work scenarios and uses widely accessible tools such as Microsoft Copilot, the ISCA added.

Skybots founder and director Daryl Aw said: There is a common misconception that AI requires technical expertise or large budgets.

In reality, the tools are already available. What professionals need is the confidence and practical know-how to apply them effectively and responsibly. This programme is built to deliver exactly that.

Through the ISCAs overseas offices, the training will be progressively introduced in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. In its first phase, the initiative aims to train around 2,500 finance professionals.

The initial rollout, starting in mid-April, is directed at audit, accounting and finance practitioners across the private and public sectors, as well as non-profit organisations.

A second phase, planned for the third quarter, is expected to extend the programme to professionals in tax, corporate secretarial, human resources, banking and finance, and legal services.

ISCA Academy chairperson Cyndi Pei said: The window for treating AI as a theoretical topic is closing. Finance professionals across ASEAN are now expected to apply AI in their daily work  safely, effectively and immediately.

Last month, the ISCA partnered with the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry to strengthen commercial and professional communication between China and Singapore.

"ISCA Academy launches AI skills programme for ASEAN region" was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand.




The new Tesla Giga Texas manufacturing facility is seen on April 6, 2022 in Austin, Texas. - Tesla's unveiling this week of a new auto factory in Austin has highlighted corporate America's growing affinity for Texas compared with California and other states seen as less business-friendly. (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP) (Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images

In a livestream event on March 22, Elon Musk unveiled what he called Terafaba proposed semiconductor megafactory intended to produce unprecedented levels of AI computing hardware. The project blends Musks familiar mix of bold vision and industrial scale. Terafab would be jointly driven by Tesla, SpaceX and xAI. Musk described it as the most epic chip-building exercise in history.

Elon Musk has outlined plans for a massive semiconductor manufacturing complex called Terafab, with the goal of producing chips capable of delivering one terawatt (1 TW) of AI compute per yearroughly 50 times today's global output and about twice the entire current U.S. power grid generation capacity, according to Musk. The initial phase of the project would start with an advanced technology fab at Teslas Giga Texas facility in Austin.

Unlike traditional semiconductor ecosystems, Terafab aims to integrate the entire chip supply chain under one roof. The factory would bring together all the steps of making computer chips, from the basic parts to testing them, in one place. Musk argues that this level of integration is necessary to support the compute demands of Teslas expanding AI roadmap. That includes training and inference for full self-driving systems, deployment of Optimus humanoid robots and future space-based AI data centers. The facility would also tie directly into SpaceX infrastructure plans. Musk suggested that large solar arrays delivered by Starship could power orbital compute clusters, potentially lowering energy costs for AI workloads.

Estimates place Terafabs initial capital expenditure between $20 billion and $25 billion, although Musk admitted total investment might increase considerably if the project scales toward higher output. A major motivation for the project is supply independence. Musk argued that current semiconductor suppliersincluding TSMC, Samsung, and Micronmay only meet a small portion of future demand from his companies. Terafab would theoretically close that gap.

The bull case is full control of the production process

Supporters see Terafab as a logical extension of Musks approach to engineering problems. The concept centers on ultra-fast development cycles, with Musk claiming the factory could support design-to-test loops in as little as seven days. By controlling every stage of the manufacturing processfrom masks to packagingTesla and its partners could rapidly iterate new AI chips optimized for specific workloads.

Those chips would serve multiple environments, including edge inference for vehicles and robots as well as radiation-hardened variants for space systems. Longer term, Musk has suggested the architecture could scale even further. Concepts discussed during the event included moving toward petawatt-scale compute, potentially supported by space-based solar infrastructure.
Image Credit: Honda Global.

In mid-2023, Ford CEO Jim Farley stepped onto the stage at the Morgan Stanley Sustainable Finance Summit and shared a moment that caught many in the room off guard. He was not talking about profits or new models. Instead, he described a recent visit to China and what he saw there.

His words were blunt and carried a sense of urgency.

I think we see the Chinese as the main competitor, not GM or Toyota, he said. Then he went further. They are going to be a powerhouse.

Farley explained that during his trip, he drove electric vehicles built by Chinese companies. He spoke about how these cars felt different. The software was smooth. The screens worked like smartphones. Updates came easily. He admitted that the experience forced him to rethink how competition in the auto industry now looks.

Image Credit: BYD

The setting of this public confession carries significant weight. It wasnt a private conversation that got picked up by hot mic. It was a public conversation in front of analysts and journalists who follow every move from major automakers.

Farley was laying out a concern that had been building inside Ford for some time. He described how Chinese manufacturers are not just building cars. They are building tech products on wheels, supported by a supply chain that moves with speed and confidence.

He even warned that if Western automakers fail to respond, they will put us out of business. That line stood out. It was not typical language from a CEO of a company with more than a century of history.

Japan Agrees with America

Fast forward to 2025, and a similar tone is now coming from Japan. Toshihiro Mibe returned from his own visit to China with a message that echoed Farleys concerns, but with an even sharper edge.

After meeting suppliers and observing how Chinese companies operate, Mibe did not try to soften his reaction. He said plainly, We have no chance against this.

That statement came after he saw how deeply connected Chinas auto ecosystem has become. For someone outside the industry, think of it like this. Building a modern electric car is not just about engines and wheels.

It involves batteries, chips, software, displays, and constant updates. In China, many of these parts are developed side by side, often in the same region, by companies that work closely together.

Mibe noticed how fast ideas turn into finished products. A feature that takes years to develop elsewhere can be rolled out in a much shorter time. Suppliers are not waiting in long chains across continents. They are nearby, ready to adapt and produce at scale.
OpenAI is pausing its UK data center project, citing high energy costs and regulatory conditions.

The multibillion-dollar Stargate project is part of the ChatGPT makers expanding AI infrastructure buildout, but the pullback marks a blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmers efforts to make the UK a global AI hub. One opposition lawmaker called it a wake-up call for the government.

The pause also reflects a shift in OpenAIs investment strategy: The startup isnt planning to expand its main Stargate data center in Texas, and recently shut down its AI video app as it looks to refocus around coding and business users, amid intensifying competition with rivals Anthropic, Google, and Meta.

 J.D. Capelouto
By Mike Stone

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - Small defense industry artificial intelligence startups are suddenly fielding calls from generals, combatant commanders and deep-pocketed investors, after the souring relationship between the Pentagon and its once-favored AI vendor, Anthropic, reinforced the need to diversify and increase the number of AI providers for the military.

In the weeks since the Department of Defense's troubled relationship with Anthropic burst into public view and led to the company being kicked out of the U.S. military, new defense-focused AI companies like Smack Technologies and EdgeRunner AI say they have experienced a shift in interest that would have been unimaginable just months ago. They have received a surge of overtures about possible contracts and meeting requests and been approached by investors who previously showed no interest.

The Pentagon's growing animosity toward its top AI provider, Anthropic, has opened up opportunities for smaller rivals, who have long sought a foot in the door to the most lucrative government contractor in the world. A defense contract can lead to more business with other branches of the U.S. government, and is a useful signal of trust and safety for potential commercial clients.

"We've seen a massive increase in demand from customers and the government to get AI solutions fielded since Anthropic was declared a supply-chain risk," said Tyler Sweatt, CEO of Second Front, a company that helps technology firms meet the requirements needed to operate on secure Pentagon networks. "Our customers are turning to us as the Pentagon turns to them to deploy quickly in the wake of the Anthropic blowup."

Since the Pentagon deemed Anthropic's products a "supply-chain risk" in March and the two sides became embroiled in a lawsuit, the military has expressed increasing interest in AI startups like Smack Technologies, saying, "We want more, we want demos, let's talk about how we can move faster," said Andrew Markoff, co-founder and chief executive of the 19-person startup based in El Segundo, California. In late March, a judge temporarily blocked the Pentagon's blacklisting of Anthropic.

Tyler Saltsman, co-founder and chief executive of EdgeRunner AI, described a similar experience. His company had been waiting more than a year for a Space Force contract to clear the Pentagon's procurement machinery. It was signed within weeks of the Anthropic situation breaking into the open. "I can't prove that the Anthropic drama sped this up," Saltsman said, "but I have a sneaky suspicion it did."
Chinese autonomous driving company Pony.ai has commenced commercial robotaxi operations in Zagreb, Croatia, in collaboration with Uber and Verne.

The service marks what the company describes as Europes first commercial deployment of robotaxis.

Passengers can book and pay for rides through the Verne app, with plans to integrate the service into the Uber platform at a later stage.

The initial rollout covers roughly 90km, including key parts of the Croatian capital and its airport, with further expansion across the city anticipated.

The launch follows an agreement announced last month between Pony.ai, Verne and Uber to introduce robotaxi services in Europe.

Under this arrangement, Pony.ai provides its autonomous driving systems and operational expertise, while Verne is responsible for local operations, regulatory compliance and market rollout.

Pony.ai founder and CEO James Peng said: As we advance our dual-engine growth strategy, Zagreb represents both our first commercial robotaxi service in Europe and a meaningful validation of our Gen-7 robotaxi capabilities in a new market. Together with strong partners, we are building a scalable path to bring safe, reliable, and accessible autonomous mobility to more users around the world.

According to the company, the deployment builds on recent Gen-7 unit economics breakeven milestones achieved in two tier-one cities in China, which it says support the commercial viability of its technology and business model.

The move forms part of Pony.ais dual-engine growth strategy, aimed at expanding its robotaxi presence beyond China into European markets.

The company added that this strategy is expected to drive fleet expansion, targeting 3,000 vehicles by the end of the year.

Verne co-founder and CEO Marko Pejkovic added: For the first time in Europe, there is a real commercial robotaxi service. People can use it and take real autonomous rides.

Earlier in February, Pony.ai partnered with Toyota to begin mass production of the bZ4X robotaxi, with plans to scale commercial deployment across China.

The company indicated that more than 1,000 vehicles are scheduled for production in 2026, alongside phased introductions into paid services in Chinas tier-one cities.

"Pony.ai launches Europes first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




PulPac has announced that its intellectual property portfolio within dry-moulded fibre (DMF) has exceeded 500 national patent grants worldwide.

The company linked the development to wider acceptance of DMF as a manufacturing process, rather than as a nascent alternative.

PulPac noted that fibre forming has long been led by wet-based production methods, adding that DMF is increasingly being adopted as a fibre forming process that can be used at an industrial scale.

Its patent holdings cover areas, including fibre preparation, tool design, and built-in functional elements.

PulPac said the total of more than 500 granted patents follows years of engineering work and process development.

It has invested close to 800,000 research and development hours in DMF.

The group also said that an industrial rollout is being supported by a network of machine manufacturers with experience in injection moulding, non-wovens, fibre processing, and packaging automation.

Work within that network, including broader DMF platform functions, is supporting wider use across different markets.

PulPac chief operating officer Viktor Wingard Borjesson said: Dry moulded fibre is no longer an experimental technology. It is an industrial category in its own right, and we are seeing the market move from curiosity to commitment.

The intellectual property platform and engineering experience we have built over the past decade provide a stable foundation for companies investing in dry moulded fibre, and that is increasingly reflected in the level of industrial engagement we are seeing.

Last month, the company said that it is working on a new range of fibre-based caps using its DMF technology.

Those caps will be shown publicly for the first time at the interpack 2026 trade fair, due to run from 7 to 13 May in Dusseldorf, Germany.

"PulPac surpasses 500 patent grants in fibre moulding" was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, a GlobalData owned brand.




Paymentology is working with Snappi as the Athens-based digital bank moves from initial rollout to a stage focused on expanding features, handling higher volumes and strengthening systems to meet regulatory expectations.

Snappi is a newly authorised digital bank in Europe.

It received a universal banking licence from the European Central Bank in 2024, which allows it to provide services such as deposits and lending.

The bank opened to the public in 2025 as Greeces first ECB-licensed neobank.

Its offering includes app-based onboarding, IBAN accounts, virtual and physical cards, SEPA transfers and other everyday banking functions delivered through a digital setup.

After going live, Snappi has shifted attention towards product expansion, local adjustments and customer engagement.

This includes partnerships and wider ecosystem work, as well as physical touchpoints alongside its app.

One example is Snappi Hub in Athens, described as a community space for financial literacy, events and conversations about financial wellbeing.

On products and partnerships, Snappi has introduced its first Snappi Savings Account.

It has also announced its Fintech & AI Lab, a platform intended to link academia and entrepreneurship and support AI-powered and conversational banking in Greece.

Snappi CEO Gabriella Kindert said: Our ambition with Snappi is to build a digital bank that is simple, transparent and built around real life. As we expand our product offering, from everyday banking to savings and ecosystem partnerships, having scalable, modern infrastructure is essential to delivering the experience customers expect while meeting the highest regulatory standards.

Paymentologys cloud-based issuer-processing system is being used to support the banks next phase, including faster delivery of card and payments functions, real-time processing, greater operational resilience as adoption rises, and readiness for changing EU and national regulatory requirements.

Paymentology Europe Growth head Julie Sutton commented: Launching a digital bank is one milestone. Scaling it into a mature, regulated platform is another entirely. Snappi represents a new generation of European digital banks, built licensing-first, infrastructure-first, and designed to evolve quickly once live.

"Snappi scales up after Greek launch with Paymentology " was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand.




April 7 (Reuters) - Super Micro (SMCI) said on Tuesday it had begun an independent investigation into the indictment of three people linked to the company on the charges of committing export-control violations.

The San Jose, California-based company has also launched an internal review of its global trade compliance program, it said.

The U.S. Justice Department last month charged co-founder Yih-Shyan Liaw, sales manager Ruei-Tsang Chang and contractor Ting-Wei Sun with allegedly running a scheme to route U.S.-made servers through Taiwan to Southeast Asia.

The products were allegedly repackaged into unmarked boxes in Southeast Asia and smuggled into China.

Super Micro, which was not named as a defendant in the case, had placed Liaw and Chang on leave and terminated Sun after it became aware of the charges.

Liaw resigned from the company's board in March following the indictment.

More from Yahoo Scout What actions has Super Micro taken regarding indicted employees? Who is leading Super Micro's independent investigation process? What export control violations is Super Micro investigating? How did the alleged smuggling scheme operate?

The three allegedly moved at least $2.5 billion in U.S. AI technology, including over half a billion dollars' worth shipped between April and mid-May last year, the department said.

Four Chinese universities, including two linked to the People's Liberation Army, bought Super Micro servers with restricted AI chips over the past year, Reuters reported last month, citing procurement data.

Chinese universities and research institutes have previously acquired restricted chips in servers made by Super Micro and other manufacturers, Reuters reporting from 2024 shows.

Super Micro said the investigation was being led by two independent board members  Lead Independent Director Scott Angel and Audit Committee Chair Tally Liu.

The findings would be reported to the board's remaining independent directors, who have retained law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson to lead the investigation. Consulting firm AlixPartners has been engaged to provide forensic accounting expertise.

The independent directors have not set a timetable for completing the investigation.

(Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas)
By Niket Nishant and Shashwat Chauhan

April 9 (Reuters) - U.S. software shares tumbled on Thursday as fears over disruptions from advances in AI returned to the forefront following a recent update from Anthropic.

Investors have dumped the sector's stocks this year on worries that AI tools that are capable of automating human tasks could pose an existential threat to the industry. The broader S&P 500 Software and Services Index is down 25.5% this year, including Thursday's decline of 2.6%.

Optimism around a U.S.-Iran ceasefire that lifted broader risk appetite kept the concerns on the sidelines on Wednesday. But with the truce looking fragile, the worries are quickly reasserting themselves.

"We're getting back to being concerned about the prior software-specific concerns stemming from AI and private credit that are coming back to the fore," said Steve Sosnick, chief market analyst at Interactive Brokers.

Earlier this week, Anthropic launched a powerful AI model but held off on releasing it widely over concerns that it could expose hidden cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Only a group of around 40 tech heavyweights, including Microsoft and Google, would have access to Anthropic's "Claude Mythos" model.

"If Mythos is that strong and that powerful and it's exposing these vulnerabilities that have been around for years, it just shows one, the weakness of the current software that's out there and two, that AI is still making incredible progress versus legacy software companies," said Michael O'Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading.

GROWTH UNDER SIEGE

The moves underscore how one of Wall Street's favorite trades has turned into a headache as AI upends the software industry.

"Whether AI spells the end of the software business is an open question. Given the unprecedented dynamism and speed of AI, we do not pretend to have the answers," said Michael Clarfeld, portfolio manager at ClearBridge Investments.

Cybersecurity firms Cloudflare, Okta, CrowdStrike and SentinelOne dropped between 4.9% and 6.5%.

Zscaler was among the biggest decliners on the S&P 500 on Thursday, down 8.8% after brokerage BTIG downgraded the stock to "neutral" from "buy", citing concerns over demand and potential competition.

The company is trading at 31.4 times expected earnings over the next 12 months -- near the bottom of its historical range -- compared to a multiple of 55.4 at the beginning of the year, according to LSEG data.

Enterprise software developer Atlassian, human resources software provider Workday, Photoshop maker Adobe, enterprise cloud firm Salesforce and TurboTax-parent Intuit dropped between 3.7% and 6.8%.
San Francisco 3-D weaving innovator Unspun has garnered the support of some of the nations foremost retail stalwarts as it moves to scale domestic manufacturing capacity and the use of its proprietary, AI-enabled technology.

This week, the group announced that Walmart, REI and other major supply chain partners have backed Unspuns mission through letters of support as it works to establish 3D-weaving hubs across the United States. The retailers underscored the widespread industry demand for onshore options that facilitate next-generation apparel manufacturing.

More from WWD

Unspun, for its part, has equipment at the ready for deployment, and is presently engaged in assessing sites across multiple states for the project. The machines can produce garments directly from yarns using a highly automated process.

We are not exploring whether domestic apparel manufacturing can work. We are building it, said Arne Arens, CEO of unspun and former global brand president of The North Face. Our clients are looking for a new production model because they see the economics: manufacturing closer to the customer, responding to demand within the same season, and creating skilled American jobs in the process.

In just minutes, Unspuns weaving tech can churn out semi-finished garments, negating the need for dozens of traditional cut-and-sew steps and consolidating them into a single process. The companys value proposition parallels the growing concerns of modern U.S. industryit enables brands to produce closer to home and to demand, allowing them to reorder within the same season, and allows them to hold less excess inventory.

Shortening production timelines from months to days can drastically improve marginsby up to 400-500 basis pointsthe company asserted, as on-demand production means less write-offs and markdowns.

Theres a growing demand for domestically produced products that Walmart is eager to tap into, according to its vice president of apparel production development, Avisnash Bhasker. The company has believed in the mission for several years, having partnered with Unspun in 2024 to produce a line of workwear pants for one of its private label brands.

Our customers are proud to buy apparel made in America, and the demand keeps growing, Bhasker said. We are excited about Unspuns commitment and effort in helping rebuild domestic manufacturing capability that is faster, smarter, and designed for how customers actually shop.
This inflection point is already being seen in the performance of many stocks in the space. Coherent recently reported a book-to-bill ratio above 4 for its data center segment. This is an astounding number that management described as a "step-function increase" in orders. The company is already booked up across 2026 with orders filling into 2027. It's safe to say the industry is seeing unprecedented demand.

The key component in optics is 'optical transceivers.' They plug into the back of servers and convert data moving as light across fiber optics into electrical signals. Industry researcher LightCounting now sees the possibility of a 'fantastic growth' scenario which could see the optical transceiver market growing from less than $10 billion in 2023 up to nearly $120 billion in the next five years!

As you can see, stocks in this space have been red-hot. The key reason is that optics (transmitting data through light) are quickly becoming essential to the massive data center buildout happening across the world.

On the AI Investor Podcast, we manage a portfolio of our top stock recommendations. The top-performing stocks we've recommended in the portfolio are by far our optics plays. Many of these recommendations are up 200% to nearly 1,000% across the past 18 months.

In the latest episode of 24/7 Wall St.'s AI Investor Podcast, I recommended Semtech ( NASDAQ:SMTC ). The headline is that I'm confident the company is at the beginning of a strong inflection point from data center sales. Semtech is a deeply technical company, so let's dive into what it does and the opportunity I'm so excited about.

The analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks. Get them here FREE .

In a recent episode of the podcast, I recommended Semtech as my top buy in April. The companys transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) have a massive market opportunity as sales of optical modules balloon and the company collects increasing revenue per module.

24/7 Wall St.s AI Investor Podcast manages a portfolio of recommendations. Our biggest winners have come from the optics space. Our recommendation of Lumentum (LITE) is up 969% while our first recommendation of Coherent has risen 271%.

Story Continues

How Semtech Fits In

Seeing the returns above, I can see how you'd say "I missed the boat on optics" if you haven't already invested. Yet, in the recent episode of the AI Investor Podcast (embedded below), I dove into why Semtech could be an opportunity in the space that most investors are overlooking.

Semtech has two core businesses. First, it creates LoRa chips that are used in IoT infrastructure across the world. That's a fine business, but what really excites me is the company's signal integrity business, which is seeing explosive growth thanks to the rise of AI data centers.

Taking a quick trip down memory lane, at the beginning of the smartphone boom, investors flocked to stocks like Qualcomm that made the modems for phones. However, the real money was made on a much more 'hidden' play. Companies like Avago and Skyworks made chips to amplify and filter out cellular signals, and saw massive returns.

For example, between the start of 2010 and the end of 2015 (what I'd consider the 'peak' of smartphone growth), Avago shares soared 669% and Skyworks jumped 418%. Those returns both easily outpaced what Apple saw.

Semtech is a similar concept in optics. The optics space is booming and moving to faster and faster transceiver data throughput. While most transceivers today are 800 gigabits (800G), the next step is 1.6 terabits (1.6T) and beyond that is 3.2 terabits.

What's fascinating is that with each increase in data throughput that's being necessitated by AI networking, the amount of revenue Semtech collects is booming. During the 800G generation, Semtech's product collects less than $10 per optical transceiver.

However, as the market switches over to 1.6T transceiver speeds, Semtech's opportunity jumps 2-3X. Then, when the industry expands to 3.2T speeds, Semtech's revenue opportunity per module jumps another 2X-3X. Add it up, and the amount of money Semtech makes per transceiver could soar by 10X in the years ahead.

The reason for this jump is similar to what happened in smartphones. As speeds increased, the cost to filter signals increased at increasing rates. This led to the massive returns companies like Avago and Skyworks saw.

Similarly, the complexity in cleaning and amplifying signals increases massively as networking speeds increase. In total, Semtech estimates its transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) will move from commanding $5 to $9 per optical module today up to $80 in 3.2T modules as the company expands to multiple components. It's worth noting that Semtech also has products for copper as well, giving it multiple pathways to growth throughout the data center.

Free Cash Flow and Analyst Conviction Back the Thesis

FY2026 free cash flow reached $171.4 million, with Q4 alone generating $59.1 million, more than all of FY2025. That cash generation is funding accelerated R&D while simultaneously deleveraging the balance sheet. Adjusted interest expense fell sharply as the company prepaid term loan principal, redirecting savings into innovation. Wall Street has taken notice: 14 analysts rate SMTC a buy, one holds, and none recommend selling, with a consensus price target of $104.62 against a current price of $86.95.

The biggest risk facing Semtech is valuation. The company is worth about $8 billion versus sales of $1.05 billion. The company is trading for about 46X the free cash flow referenced above. Wall Street expects Semtech to deliver $2.20 in earnings this year, which puts the company at slightly below 40X this year's profits.

That's an elevated price, but I also believe Wall Street is underestimating the ramp in profitability Semtech will see in the coming years. Between Fiscal 2026 and 2029, I expect profits will more than double as data centers become the company's main business line and the company sees strong 'operating leverage' on sales that flow cleanly down to the bottom line.

The Big Picture

At the end of the day, Semtech is a little-known stock with a big opportunity in the AI era. I'm happy to add it to the AI Investor Portfolio.

As a final parting note, our average recommendation in the AI Portfolio is up more than 100%, which is solidly crushing the market and every AI ETF I track since we launched it. Recommendations like Semtech are absolutely free to receive, just make sure you're subscribed to the AI Investor Podcast in your favorite podcast app to receive every new episode where we issue new recommendations and talk about the biggest news in investing.

The analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks

Wall Street is pouring billions into AI, but most investors are buying the wrong stocks. The analyst who first identified NVIDIA as a buy back in 2010  before its 28,000% run  has just pinpointed 10 new AI companies he believes could deliver outsized returns from here. One dominates a $100 billion equipment market. Another is solving the single biggest bottleneck holding back AI data centers. A third is a pure-play on an optical networking market set to quadruple. Most investors haven't heard of half these names. Get the free list of all 10 stocks here.
Bladder cancer is probably a bit further down your list of concerns than other cancers and conditions. Still, knowing the number-one sign of bladder cancer can help you catch it early and get the treatment you need.

Meet the experts: Arjun Balar, M.D., a medical oncologist and a senior vice president of global clinical development at Eli Lilly & Co.; Ramkishen Narayanan, M.D., a urologist and urologic oncologist and director of the Center for Urologic Health at the Disney Family Cancer Center at Providence Medical Institute in Burbank, CA.

Even though bladder cancer is much more common in men than in women, its not unheard of in the latter group. Many people mistakenly think bladder cancer is only a disease of older men, Arjun Balar, M.D., a medical oncologist and a senior vice president of global clinical development at Eli Lilly & Co, previously told Prevention. But there are more than 19,000 women who are diagnosed with this cancer every year in the United States.

Advertisement Advertisement

The most common type of bladder cancer is urothelial carcinoma. This arises from the urothelium, which is a specialized cell layer on the inner surface of the urinary tract, explains Ramkishen Narayanan, M.D., a urologist and urologic oncologist and director of the Center for Urologic Health at the Disney Family Cancer Center at Providence Medical Institute in Burbank, CA. The urothelium has the unique property of having multiple cell layers that can transition from stretched to contracted as the bladder fills and empties, which is why bladder cancer is also known as transitional cell carcinoma.

So what is the number-one sign that should prompt a call to your doctor? Dr. Narayanan says it is something called gross painless hematuria, or blood in the urine that is not associated with any pain. This may involve a brief episode of bloody urine that stops and then returns several days or weeks later, he explains. This is a warning sign because inflammatory and infectious conditions such as a kidney stone or urinary tract infection typically involve pain or burning with urination. Bladder tumors, on the other hand, typically do not cause pain at first.

Dr. Narayanan adds that symptoms such as feeling like you constantly need to pee or urinating more often in the absence of a urinary tract infection also merit further investigation, especially if you also have other risk factors for bladder cancer such as a family history or a history of smoking. Ultimately, anything that feels out of the ordinary for you is worth making an appointment. According to the American Cancer Society, when the initial cancer is caught before spreading, the survival rate for bladder cancer is 98%, so catching it early is critical to effective treatment and returning to your optimal health.

You Might Also Like
There are few things we love more than the feel of the hot sun warming our faces, except remembering to slather on sunscreen before heading out into that cloudless day. But even if youre doing your best to keep your skin healthy, from eating foods for better skin health to following the best skincare tips for every age, knowing the number-one sign of skin cancer can ensure that you book an appointment with a dermatologist early enough to avoid potentially serious outcomes.

Meet the experts: Adam Friedman,M.D., a professor of dermatology at The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences; Michael Christopher, M.D., a dermatologist with Ironwood Dermatology & Aesthetics in Tucson.

There are three types of skin cancer that are diagnosed most often: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Non-melanoma skin cancers, like basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas, are what we call skin-derived cancers, not mole-derived, Adam Friedman,M.D., a professor of dermatology at The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, previously explained. That means that they appear not as moles, but as other unusual skin changes such as sores, bumps, or irritated patches. Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are highly treatable if detected early, says Michael Christopher, M.D., a dermatologist with Ironwood Dermatology & Aesthetics in Tucson. Although melanoma is less common, it is the most significant of the three, because it has an increased ability to spread and potentially lead to death.

Advertisement Advertisement

Even though they present differently, Dr. Christopher says that the top sign that should prompt a call to your doctor is the same for every type of skin cancer. The number-one sign is change. Change in a spot that has been present on your skin, such as a mole that is growing, bleeding, itching, tender, painful, or not healing is important and something as a dermatologist, I would want to know about, Dr. Christopher says. Change also means paying attention to your skin for new spots. If you develop new spots on your skin, this should prompt evaluation by your doctor or dermatologist.

Taking action as soon as you notice a change is critical to early detection. It may be nothing, or it could be a skin cancer such as melanoma, and the earlier it is found the better the prognosis, Dr. Christopher adds. Per the American Cancer Society, melanoma that is diagnosed before it spreads beyond the skin has a survival rate of over 99%, so dont hesitate to make an appointment if you are experiencing something new. That is the ballgame, says Dr. Christopher. Identifying cancer in its infancy, before it has a chance to change the direction of your life.

You Might Also Like
GUEST INTERVIEW: April has spent roughly 20 years in tech. She's watched the suits get replaced by suits wearing sneakers. She's seen decisions go from months-long deliberation cycles to minimum viable products shipped at pace. And now, as Account Executive for High Performance Computing and AI at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, she's watching AI reshape the entire industry faster than anyone can comfortably keep up with.

I sat down with April Neoh, Account Executive HPC/AI at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, for a video interview to talk about bias, trust, diversity, responsible AI, and what she tells her daughters about surviving in a world that won't sit still.

Immediately embedded below is my video interview with April, upon which this article is based, and which continues directly thereafter, please watch, and read on!

HPE's Mission: Advancing How People Live and Work

April's description of HPE's mission was refreshingly simple. "Our mission is about advancing the way people live and work," she said. "Using technology, using the data that we have every day in our organisation as a force of good."

That matters in 2026 because we're all embracing AI at scale, both professionally and personally. And the stakes are higher than they've ever been. April was blunt about it: we have to use this tech ethically, responsibly, and with security baked in from the start.

"We are trying to make sure that the systems that we provide you are secure. It's robust. It has all the necessary components to ensure that it runs correctly, and it doesn't go off on a tangent and do something it's not supposed to."

HPE isn't just selling components. It is building end-to-end systems. That distinction matters enormously when the AI you're deploying can produce unpredictable outcomes if left unchecked. The company recently unveiled next-generation AI factory and supercomputing advancements with NVIDIA at GTC 2026, reinforcing just how seriously they're treating full-stack AI infrastructure.

This infographic independently created by iTWire using Gemini Nano Banana 2, based on this article, which continues below, please read on!

AI Bias: It's Showing Up in Your Daughter's University Essay

I asked April where the scales are still visibly tipped in the AI industry, and she didn't hesitate: bias.

Gender bias, sure. But also cultural bias, regional bias. It comes from every direction because AI is only as good as the data it's trained on. And data, by nature, carries the fingerprints of whoever entered it.

Then she told me a story that hit home.

One of her daughters, a 22-year old university student, had her essay incorrectly flagged by an AI text detection tool as AI-generated work. The problem? AI text indicators compare natural language against formal language patterns. University students write formally. That formal writing looks, to the detection algorithm, suspiciously like the published papers and reports the AI model was trained on.

"That is not even a gender bias. That is just bias in the form that data has been put in, and it results in a different outcome that upset my daughter."

I offered April a reframe: maybe it's a backhanded compliment when your writing is so polished that a machine thinks another machine wrote it. She laughed. But the underlying point is serious. These tools are making consequential decisions (flagging student work, filtering job applicants, scoring loan applications) based on patterns that don't always map to reality.

The Trust Problem: Ask the Same Question, Get a Different Answer

We talked about explainable AI and reasoning models, the kind that show you their working  which, these days, is all of them. April acknowledged the progress but pointed to a deeper problem.

"You ask the same question, it gets a different outcome. It's not predictable. Trust disappears."

That's the crux of it. If you can't predict what an AI system will do, and it can't consistently explain why it did what it did, you've got a trust deficit. And trust deficits don't get solved by bolting on a governance framework after the fact.

"It really does start with transparency. Start with laying it all out in the open so that you can understand where things are moving."

April was careful to note that transparency won't give you the complete picture. But it gets you partway there. And partway is a whole lot better than nowhere, which is where many organisations currently sit.

Diversity: Skills Over Quotas

International Women's Day 2026 carried the theme "Balance the Scales." I asked April what diverse enough actually looks like in practice.

Her answer was measured. "It's not about quotas. It's not having everybody represented in the room because you're never going to get that right." Gender, race, neurodivergence, cultural background; the variations are too many to perfectly represent.

But any representation of diversity in decision-making produces better outcomes. That's the principle.

What she really pushed was a skills-first approach. Look at the capabilities people bring. Empathetic management. Collaborative decision-making. Those skills drive better teamwork and better ideas, regardless of who brings them.

"We need to focus on all these skills that are positive for change as opposed to polarising and putting us all in a little bucket."

She's right that the conversation has become polarising in some circles. Focusing on women can feel, to some, like detracting from men. That polarisation is counterproductive. A skills-centred lens cuts through it.

Engineering Trust From the Ground Up

So, who's responsible for building trust into AI systems? April's answer: everybody.

Every person who builds. Every person who injects data into the environment. They all need ethical considerations front and centre. But (and this is the tension) you can't put guardrails at every juncture without killing innovation. AI moves too fast for the old "think about it for months, then ship" approach.

The practical answer is frameworks. Give people a structure to think about what's ethical, what's transparent, what the social implications are. Build that thinking into every step. And critically, leave room to revert and review outcomes so you can course-correct when the system produces something unexpected.

The Research Funding Gap

I asked April what single change would make "Balance the Scales" a lasting reality. Her answer surprised me.

She pointed to the shift in who's driving AI development. When she started in HPC, research and discovery were led by government-funded organisations. Universities. National labs. Peer-reviewed science.

That's flipped. Now the commercial giants are running the show. And the scales have tipped too far in that direction.

"The research and development arm of AI needs to step up to its mark to be able to match what's happening in industry. Unfortunately, that takes money and governments need to fund them."

This is a critical point for Australian readers. Government investment in AI research isn't just an academic concern. It's about maintaining a counterweight to commercially-driven development, where profit motives don't always align with public interest. Without well-funded, independent research institutions doing peer review and cross-sector analysis, we're flying with one engine.

"Change Is Constant": Advice for the Next Generation

April's advice to young women (and anyone) entering AI and HPC boils down to 3 words: change is constant.

She lives it. HPC, her core discipline, is transforming into AI HPC. The supercomputers are still there, but the definition of what they do and who they serve is shifting. Software engineering, she noted, is one of the careers most likely to be reshaped by AI. Not eliminated (probably) but fundamentally altered.

Her counsel to her own children: keep your peripheral vision active. Just because you studied software engineering doesn't mean that's where you'll end up. Be fluid. Adapt daily. A degree isn't a destination; it's a starting position.

"I've got a lot of friends who were radio astronomers or nuclear scientists, but they became IT salespeople," she said. The career paths of the future won't be straight lines. They'll be something closer to jazz improvisation.

From Punch Cards to iPods: A Life in Tech

April's tech origin story is a good one. Her father was a service manager at ICL (old-school British computing company, for the uninitiated). She was babysat by the punch card operators when her dad went in after hours to fix systems.

Commodore. Atari. Personal computers appearing in the house like new pets. She's lived through the entire arc of modern computing, from its birthplace to a world where the technology is becoming invisible.

For her own daughters? It started with an iPod Touch. Then a phone, earlier than some parents might be comfortable with. But always paired with awareness, critical thinking, and an understanding of what's right and wrong in the digital world.

Parenting in the AI era, it turns out, looks a lot like parenting in any era: teach your kids to think, then let them loose.

The Bottom Line

April's closing message was perfectly calibrated: "Embrace AI, but treat it with caution. Understand that it is not there to solve the whole world's answers on its own. It needs humans to interact and make sure that we're protected."

That's the balance HPE is trying to strike. End-to-end systems. Security baked in. Transparency as a default. And a recognition that the pace of AI innovation, which April compared to the industrial revolution times 10, demands both enthusiasm and vigilance in equal measure.

The children born today will grow up in a world where AI is as unremarkable as running water or electricity. For those of us who remember rotary phones and dial-up modems, that's both thrilling and a little terrifying. But as April keeps telling her kids: be fluid. The world won't slow down for you.

And honestly? That's pretty good advice for all of us.

Here is the video interview again if you didnt get a chance to watch above. Below the video is a detailed infographic, independently created by iTWire using Gemini, that concludes this article.
GUEST OPINION: Sophisticated adversaries are no longer breaking into critical infrastructure to steal data. They are embedding themselves quietly, mapping operational systems, and waiting.

We are living through a time of significant global disruption  and security risks are rising with it. For organisations navigating this uncertainty, the stakes could not be higher: this is the moment when defences are most vulnerable to a breach.

Security software is forecast to be the fastest-growing segment in 2026, with Gartner projecting spending to rise 12.3% to more than AUD $3.3 billion, up from AUD $2.971 billion in 2025. That investment reflects an increasingly complex threat landscape, driven by persistent attack environments, the growing use of AI, a continuing talent shortage, and rising demands for cyber resilience.

Yet what we are experiencing is not primarily a technology gap, but a governance gap  one that regulators are finally taking seriously. One example is ASICs recent Federal Court action, which resulted in a $2.5 million penalty for cybersecurity failures.

This marks the first time the Federal Court has imposed civil penalties for cybersecurity failures under general Australian Financial Services (AFS) licensee obligations, setting a clear licence-to-operate expectation for robust cyber resilience.

This simplified infographic, independently created by iTWire using Gemini Nano Banana 2, is based on this article - which continues below, please read on:

Supply chain attacks have become the go-to model for scalable cybercrime.

For much of the past decade, the dominant cyber threat facing Australian enterprises was financially motivated: infiltrate, extract data, monetise. That has changed.

In our High-Tech Crime Trends 2026 report, a pattern emerged. Across the Asia-Pacific region, 263 instances of corporate access were sold on the dark web in 2025  footholds quietly acquired in energy, transport, water, and financial infrastructure. Threat actors are mapping operational technology environments and waiting. Not for data. For leverage.

ASIO has flagged that the threat of deliberate sabotage to critical infrastructure is likely to intensify over the coming five years. The mechanisms allowing it are already in place.

According to Gartners Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Strategy (2025), supply chain cybersecurity has officially reached the Peak of Inflated Expectations. Although the market recognises the threat, many organisations still dont have the frameworks to manage it effectively.

Similar to a domino effect, attackers can compromise a single software vendor which leads dozens of victims, sometimes even hundreds. A break into one can mean that every downstream client is exposed. If one popular open-source package is poisoned, thousands of developers could install the same malware without a second thought.

What makes such attacks especially hard to fight is that phishing, identity compromise, malicious extensions, data breaches, and extortion no longer operate as separate threats. Theyre interconnected stages of a single attack chain, with each feeding the next. In many cases, defenders realise trust has been broken only after the damage is already spreading downstream.

On top of this, the adoption of generative AI across vendor and partner ecosystems is making things worse. The attack surface has become bigger, the barrier to entry lower, and the intrusion methods are quieter.

Sophisticated adversaries are no longer breaking in. They are being let in.

Understanding who is targeting your organisation, and how, is the first step toward defence. Effective threat intelligence goes beyond knowing that an attack happened. It requires building a detailed picture of the adversary: their infrastructure, tactics, motivations, and likely next moves. When leaders can identify the profile of threat actors in their sector, they are far better positioned to take targeted action to protect their assets. Cyber resilience is not a solo pursuit; partnering with your broader ecosystem is a must.

Take Scattered Spider as an example, one threat actor we recommend tracking. Active since 2022, the group doesn't rely on technical exploits to breach networks. Instead, it uses vishing, SMS-based attacks, and phone-based impersonation to harvest credentials and MFA codes  typically targeting senior executives at multinational organisations  before turning that access into a supply chain multiplier. Rather than reacting to incidents, organisations that monitor a threat actor's shifting focus can often anticipate the next move before it arrives.

In 2025, Scattered Spider focused heavily on Salesforce and its adjacent ecosystems. In one campaign, attackers gained access to Salesloft's GitHub repositories and Drift's AWS environment, extracting OAuth tokens tied to customer integrations. Those tokens unlocked sensitive data across connected Salesforce environments, including account metadata, AWS credentials, Snowflake tokens, and internal notes.

A similar compromise later affected Gainsight, a Salesforce AppExchange partner. The downstream impact was ultimately felt by more than 700 organisations.

The takeaway here is that a single identity compromise within one trusted platform can ripple silently across hundreds of organisations, without triggering a single traditional security control.

This detailed infographic, independently created by iTWire using Gemini Nano Banana 2, is based on this article - which continues below, please read on:

What organisations should remember

Every vendor, integration, and open-source dependency is part of your attack surface  and each one is a point of trusted access.

Companies with exposure to critical infrastructure  whether as operators, suppliers, or investors  should be pressing for clear answers to questions, such as: Who holds privileged access to our operational technology systems, and through what mechanism? When was that access last reviewed? What assurance do we have that our vendors have not been compromised?

And critically: if we have been breached, what is our capacity to detect it?

Answering those questions well requires more than internal audit. It demands visibility into the external threat landscape  who is actively targeting your sector, what infrastructure they are operating, and whether indicators of compromise have already appeared in underground channels before any alert is triggered internally.

Organisations should maintain a Software Bill of Materials alongside runtime dependency scanning and integrity verification. Tokens, API keys, and service accounts require continuous monitoring for abnormal behaviour, and the cyber resilience of vendors, contractors, and partners should be subject to regular assessment.

Businesses must also prepare for breach scenarios that span shared cloud, CRM, and ERP platforms. In that context, threat intelligence and end-to-end supply chain visibility are not technical niceties. They are business imperatives. Organisations best positioned to act are those that have already mapped their adversaries, not those scrambling to identify them after the fact.

By: Ashraf Koheil, Vice President for META & ANZ at Group-IB

This detailed infographic, independently created by iTWire usign Gemini Nano Banana 2, concludes this article:
More than 54%* of Australians are considering a switch to an electric or hybrid car amid rising fuel costs, but Compare the Market is urging motorists to avoid being stung with higher insurance premiums by taking time to shop around.

Almost 7% of drivers polled said expensive fuel had prompted them to consider an EV for the first time, while around a quarter (24.9%) said rising costs had further confirmed their interest to switch. A further 22.5% said they would consider upgrading to a fuel-efficient hybrid model.

But the latest figures from Compare the Markets electric vehicle insurance index suggest new EV owners could be hit with pricing trouble from a different direction: insurance.

The cost to comprehensively insure a full battery-electric vehicle has climbed 10.2% on average, while hybrid models have experienced a 6.6% average increase over the past 12 months.

The bi-annual study covering 11 popular insurers and six underwriters found the average cost to insure a full EV was around $2,300 and hybrids were about $1,700.

The findings come as pure EV sales jumped by around 89% year-on-year in March 2026, according the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and the Electric Vehicle Council data. More electrified vehicles were delivered  including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and full electric combined  than petrol-powered cars last month.

Average quoted BEV insurance premiums

Make & Model March 2025 March 2026 YoY DIFFERENCE (%) Tesla Model Y RWD $3,039 $3,203 +$164 (5%) Tesla Model 3 RWD $3,257 $3,356 +$99 (3%) MG 4 Excite 51 $1,592 $1,524 -$68 (4%) Kia EV5 Standard Range $1,781 $1,921 +$140 (7%) BYD Sealion 7 Premium $1,786 $1,795 +$9 (0.5%) BYD Dolphin Essential $1,437 $1,578 +$141 (9%) Zeekr X RWD $1,831 $2,271 +$440 (19%) Xpeng G6 Standard Range $1,610 $2,135 +$525 (24%) Toyota bZ4X 2WD $1,601 $2,122 +$521 (24%) BMW iX1 eDrive20 $2,777 $3,152 +$375 (11%) ALL MODEL AVERAGE $2,071 $2,306 +$235 (10%)

Source: Compare the Market

Average quoted HEV/PHEV insurance premiums

Make & Model March 2025 March 2026 YoY DIFFERENCE (%) Toyota RAV4 GX 2WD HEV $1,678 $1,844 +$166 (9%) Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport HEV $1,524 $1,448 -$76 (5%) Toyota Corolla Cross GX HEV $1,424 $1,580 +$156 (9%) Hyundai Kona Hybrid $1,417 $1,498 +$81 (5%) Hyundai Tucson Hybrid $1,493 $1,627 +$134 (8%) Toyota Camry Ascent HEV $1,737 $1,698 -$39 (2%) BYD Shark 6 Premium $2,059 $2,172 +$113 (5%) BYD Sealion 6 Essential $1,482 $1,821 +$339 (18%) GWM Haval H6 Lux Hybrid $1,594 $1,727 +$133 (7%) MG ZS Excite Hybrid+ $1,558 $1,680 +$122 (7%) ALL MODEL AVERAGE $1,597 $1,709 +$112 (6%)

Source: Compare the Market

Separate research shows that EVs are generally more expensive to insure than petrol and diesel models

However, motorists could uncover cheaper deals by shopping around.

Compare the Markets Economic Director David Koch said rising EV insurance costs were concerning to see.

With new models and more data coming to hand, you would expect prices to stabilise over time. Unfortunately, we have not seen this happen, Mr Koch said. The rising cost of labour and parts continue to push premiums higher, and this particularly affects electric cars due to battery replacement costs and the specialised training needed for repairs. With more Aussies choosing to go electric as a shield against rising fuel prices, we hope to insurance premiums improve too. For now, one of the easiest ways to save is to shop around for better deals.

Disclaimers

*Compare the Market commissioned Pureprofile to survey a nationally representative sample of 908 Australians in March 2025.

Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) to check for the inclusions, exclusions and restrictions before purchasing and determine if the policy is suitable for you.

Comprehensive car insurance policies were quoted across 11 insurers and six underwriters for 10 popular and notable full battery-electric vehicle (BEV) models, and 10 popular and notable hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models. Entry-level variants were selected.

Not all insurers and products were available for all vehicles.

Premiums were quoted using Compare the Markets car insurance comparison tool and other well-known insurance brands, based on a next-day 5 March 2026 commencement date.

Quotes obtained were averaged for each model, averaged overall for all 10 BEV and all 10 HEV/PHEV models, and the quote variance (difference between the cheapest and priciest) was also calculated for each model.

The annual comprehensive car insurance policies were based on a targeted $900 excess for a 34-year-old male living in Alderley, Brisbane (4051) with market value coverage. Where an insurer did not offer a $900 excess option, the closest amount was selected.

We assumed the owner drives up to 15,000km per year (for private use and/or commuting to work only) with a clean driving history, parks the vehicle in a garage, does not own a home, does not own another vehicle, and is employed full-time. All three vehicles had a white exterior colour, no pre-existing damage, and no options or modifications.

For more information, please contact:

Henry Man | henry.man@comparethemarket.com.au | +61 474 368 908

About comparethemarket.com.au

Compare the Market is a comparison service that takes the hard work out of shopping around. We make it Simples for Australians to quickly and easily compare and buy insurance, energy, and home loans products from a range of providers. Our easy-to-use comparison tool helps you look for a range of products that may suit your needs and benefit your back pocket.
New premium docking station delivers 8K DisplayPort, 4K HDMI, 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 and up to 60W laptop charging engineered for professionals who demand more from their desk setup

D-Link Australia and New Zealand recently announced the launch of the DUF-E01, a 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station designed to transform any Thunderbolt 4-equipped laptop into a fully featured workstation. Combining ultra-fast data transfer, multi-display output, gigabit networking, and high-wattage laptop charging into a single aluminium device, the DUF-E01 is built for professionals, content creators and power users who need uncompromising performance at their desk.

Modern professionals increasingly rely on multiple displays, high-speed peripherals, and stable network connections to do their best work. Yet the move toward thinner, port-limited laptops has left many users juggling cables and adapters. The DUF-E01 solves this with a single Thunderbolt 4 connection that instantly expands a compatible laptop to 14 ports, with no drivers required on most modern operating systems.

The DUF-E01 is designed for people who use their laptop as a primary computer and need it to punch well above its weight the moment it hits the desk, said Graeme Reardon, Managing Director of D-Link Australia and New Zealand. One cable in, and you have 14 ports, three screens, gigabit networking and your laptop is charging. Thats the kind of seamless experience professionals expect from a premium docking station.

Key Features at a Glance

Ultra-Fast Thunderbolt 4 Connectivity: Up to 40Gbps data transfer via a single TB4 port.

Up to 40Gbps data transfer via a single TB4 port. Triple Display Support: Drive three screens simultaneously via HDMI 2.1 (4K), DisplayPort 1.4 (8K) and Thunderbolt 4.

Drive three screens simultaneously via HDMI 2.1 (4K), DisplayPort 1.4 (8K) and Thunderbolt 4. Up to 60W Laptop Charging: Power Delivery through the TB4 port keeps your laptop charged while you work.

Power Delivery through the TB4 port keeps your laptop charged while you work. Gigabit Ethernet: Dedicated RJ-45 port for fast, stable wired network access.

Dedicated RJ-45 port for fast, stable wired network access. SD and MicroSD Card Slots: SD 4.0 standard, supporting cards up to 2TB each.

SD 4.0 standard, supporting cards up to 2TB each. Centralised Port Control: One power button switches all ports on or off simultaneously.

One power button switches all ports on or off simultaneously. Integrated 3.5mm Combo Audio: Single jack for headphone output and microphone input.

Single jack for headphone output and microphone input. Premium Aluminium Construction: Detachable magnetic base and aluminium alloy casing for superior heat management.

Feature Details

Thunderbolt 4: The Backbone of the DUF-E01

The DUF-E01 is built around a single Thunderbolt 4 upstream port that handles data, video, power and device communication simultaneously at up to 40Gbps. That bandwidth is four times faster than USB 3.2 Gen 2, giving professionals the headroom needed for NVMe drives, video capture cards and high-speed audio interfaces without bottlenecks under load. The TB4 port also supports daisy-chaining of additional Thunderbolt devices.

Triple Display Support: A Bigger Canvas for Your Work

The DUF-E01 drives up to three independent screens at once. DisplayPort 1.4 supports up to 8K at 30Hz or 4K at 120Hz, suited to high-resolution creative work. HDMI 2.1 delivers 4K at 60Hz for mainstream professional monitors, and the Thunderbolt 4 port adds a third video output. Users can configure any combination of extended or mirrored modes across all three displays.

60W Power Delivery: One Less Cable on Your Desk

The DUF-E01 delivers up to 60W of Power Delivery through the Thunderbolt 4 upstream port, covering most business ultrabooks and consumer laptops at full charge speed while in use. One cable provides displays, peripherals, network, audio and charging simultaneously, making docking and undocking as simple as connecting or removing a single cable.

Gigabit Ethernet: Wired Reliability in a Wireless World

The dedicated RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port delivers up to 1,000Mbps on compatible networks, offering the consistent latency and predictable bandwidth that Wi-Fi cannot always guarantee in busy offices or shared workspaces. For professionals on regular video calls or working with large files, a stable wired connection removes a common source of unpredictable performance.

Dual Card Slots: Instant Access for Creators

Both the full-size SD and microSD slots operate at SD 4.0 specification, with transfer speeds up to 985MB/s and support for cards up to 2TB. Photographers and videographers get direct, high-speed access to card media without a separate reader, handling high-bitrate video files and large RAW image sets quickly and conveniently.

Build Quality and Thermal Management

The aluminium alloy casing acts as a passive heatsink, drawing heat away from internal components during sustained workloads without requiring fans. The detachable base allows the dock to sit flat or stand vertically to suit any desk setup, and the premium construction is designed for years of daily professional use.

Compatibility and Requirements

The DUF-E01 requires a host device with a Thunderbolt 4 port. While the USB-C connector is physically compatible with many devices, full functionality including multi-display output, 40Gbps transfer speeds and Power Delivery requires Thunderbolt 4 certification. Compatible with macOS and Windows operating systems that support Thunderbolt 4.

Availability

The DUF-E01 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with 8K Display Port and 4K HDMI port is available now from www.dlink.com.au, www.dlink.co.nz and all authorised D-Link resellers and partners in Australia and New Zealand for AU$599.95 (RRP) and NZ$699.99 (RRP).

Product Images

For more images go to: https://files.dlink.com.au/products/DUF-E01/Images

 Maximum transfer speeds subject to hardware, software, and network conditions at both ends.

About D-Link

D-Link, a global leader in the networking industry, began expanding worldwide in 1986 and was officially established as D-Link Corporation in 1987. With 90 operational and sales locations across 43 countries, D-Link provides innovative and reliable networking equipment, AI-powered cloud management services, and complete infrastructure solutions for individuals, homes, businesses, and industries.

For more information visit www.dlink.com.au or connect on

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DLinkAUNZ

X: https://x.com/DLinkAustralia

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/d-link-australia

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/TheDAUSMarketing

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dlink_aunz
China's commercial space sector advances modular rocket manufacturing

16:28, April 08, 2026 By Liu Shiyao ( People's Daily

China's commercial space industry has taken another step forward with the successful maiden flight of the Lijian-2 Y1 carrier rocket, developed by CAS Space.

The rocket was recently launched from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China, successfully deploying multiple payloads -- including the Qingzhou Cargo Spacecraft Test Vehicle, and other two satellites -- into their designated orbits.

Photo shows fairing assembly of the Lijian-2 carrier rocket. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

This inaugural flight of the Lijian-2 rocket highlights a series of technological innovations, notably its modular design and planned recoverability. Experts suggest these features could fundamentally reshape rocket manufacturing and operations.

A key innovation is the standardized design of the rocket's core stage and boosters, which appear nearly identical. This deliberate uniformity allows for batch production of major components, enabling assembly similar to "building blocks." This approach significantly streamlines manufacturing.

Lian Jie, deputy chief designer of the Lijian-2 rocket, explained that key components conform to uniform specifications. If a component malfunctions before launch, it can be swiftly replaced like a standard part, minimizing delays and enabling high-frequency launch capability.

The same philosophy applies to the rocket's engines. Departing from tradition where core stages and boosters use different engines, the Lijian-2 employs a unified engine model.

The first stage utilizes nine fully interchangeable liquid rocket engines. The second stage features a modified version of the same engine with a larger nozzle for enhanced high-altitude efficiency. Essentially, all ten engines share the same core design, simplifying maintenance and replacement.

Lian further detailed that the modular core stage and boosters allow the Lijian-2 to be configured flexibly with zero, two, or four boosters. This flexible booster arrangement gives the rocket a maximum thrust of up to 1,000 tonnes, with a low Earth orbit payload capacity ranging from 2 to 20 tonnes.

The rocket is designed to support diverse missions, including cost-effective cargo transport, low-orbit satellite constellation deployment, and launches of scientific experimental satellites.

Beyond modular manufacturing, the Lijian-2 series is pioneering a novel recovery approach. Moving away from traditional stage-by-stage retrieval, it plans to implement an integrated recovery scheme where the boosters and core stage remain connected and return to Earth as a single unit.

According to Lian, this approach offers improved aerodynamic control, reduced landing impact, stronger propulsion redundancy, and less loss of payload capacity. It also increases the proportion of recoverable components within the rocket while simplifying recovery systems, helping to further reduce launch costs.

At present, cargo missions to China's space station are primarily carried out by the Tianzhou series spacecraft. To further lower transportation costs and improve flexibility, China is exploring a new space logistics model driven by national demand and supported by commercial capabilities.

Within this framework, the Qingzhou cargo spacecraft has been developed as a lighter, more adaptable option. Weighing just 4.2 tonnes, it features a single-module integrated design and can be launched by multiple types of rockets.

The Qingzhou Cargo Spacecraft Test Vehicle carried on this mission housed 27 projects, including technology validation experiments, in-orbit testing, scientific research, and science outreach projects, with a total payload weight of 1.02 tonnes. It will conduct a series of in-orbit experiments at altitudes between 200 and 600 kilometers.

An expert with the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences noted that the test vehicle will focus on verifying key in-orbit technologies. Once operational, the Qingzhou cargo spacecraft is planned to dock with China's space station and provide regular cargo delivery services.

Yang Haoliang, commander of the Lijian-2 rocket, stated that the successful maiden flight, carrying the Qingzhou prototype, demonstrated China's evolving space cargo transport capability. He noted a shift from the accumulation of individual capabilities to a more integrated, system-level approach.

"Commercial rockets will not only serve market needs but also take part in major national space missions to formal engineering standards in the future. We aim to provide more cost-effective and reliable flight-like launch services," Yang added.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
I decided to be a physician because my mother died from tuberculosis, after quite a struggle, including with not only tuberculosis, but also with the United States Public Health System, when I was 15 years old. I got an academic scholarship to college and then put myself through medical school.

I did an internal medicine residency at Washington University and Barnes Hospital and was an emergency room physician for about seven years in a large city hospital. Almost all the patients were on Medicaid, and there were a lot of medical problems due to smoking, booze, drugs, violence, and bad sex decisions. The hospital went broke and closed.

I was invited to do a dermatology residency. I had done basic research in that department at Washington University. So I did a dermatology residency and then moved to Florida and opened my own practice.

I have had a license to practice medicine in Florida for almost 30 years. I have never been sued, charged with, or convicted of a crime, and I rarely drink alcohol, let alone drive after a glass of wine or beer. I have never assaulted or robbed anyone in or out of the office. I did not bill fraudulently. I have been very honest.

The new Florida fingerprinting mandate

However, I was recently informed by email that under HB 975 / SB 1008, passed in June 2024 by the Florida legislators, I will be required to undergo a criminal background check and be fingerprinted to renew my license, as if I were a criminal. A physician who was in the legislature described being fingerprinted as the most humiliating thing he has had to do.

The Fourth Amendment to our Constitution reads The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

The dragnet requirement for physicians to undergo criminal background checks and fingerprinting is an unreasonable search and seizure, without probable cause.

The Florida legislators do not undergo criminal background checks or get fingerprinted. I looked up how many physicians have been charged with the crimes in the bill, and the percentage in the U.S. is about three-tenths of one percent. The percentage of legislators is far higher.

The growing physician shortage

There is already a huge shortage of physicians in the U.S. I plan to either let my Florida license lapse or put it on retirement, because I am sick of being kicked in the teeth by the government. As Dr. David Samadi said in the March 2021 issue of Newsmax magazine, These are talented people and they went through years and years of training. They are super specialized and they are into saving lives. These are not replaceable talents, he warns. And when they retire, mountains of education, experience, hard work, and patient care retire with them, and it is gone. Replacing them is very difficult. They do not grow out of nowhere.

I have written and sent a letter via the U.S. Postal Service to every Florida State legislator; I have had no response. I have sent a number of emails; the response has been the usual pablum. If you are a physician who objects to this outrage, especially in Florida, I invite you to get in touch with me and I will give you the email list and phone numbers of the Florida State legislators. I hope they have good luck getting their coronary artery bypass grafts done by a nurse practitioner.

Tamzin A. Rosenwasser is a dermatologist.
Comparta este articulo

Erick Valencia Salazar, alias El 85 or El Matazetas, one of the historic operators of drug trafficking in Jalisco and identified as a founder of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), pleaded guilty this Tuesday before a U.S. federal court to trafficking cocaine from Mexico into the United States.

The plea was formalized during a hearing held at the Federal Court in Washington before Judge James Boasberg. According to the court record, the session had originally been scheduled for 10:00 a.m., but was rescheduled to 2:00 p.m. on April 7 due to adjustments in the courts calendar.

The court accepts the plea and the defendant is declared guilty, the document states. Following this, both Valencia Salazars defense team and federal prosecutors must submit a sentencing memorandum to help determine the penalty he will face. The sentencing hearing has been set for July 31.

El 85 is currently being held at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His case becomes the first high-profile case among the drug traffickers handed over by Mexico to the United States since February 2025 to reach a plea agreement.

ALSO READ: El Mencho: Chronicle from His Last Hideout and the Legacy of Violence in Mexico

A drug trafficking operator in Jalisco

A native of Jalisco, Valencia Salazar for years operated closely with key figures in drug trafficking such as Ignacio Coronel Villarreal, known as Nacho Coronel, and brothers Oscar Nava Valencia and Juan Carlos Nava Valencia, leaders of the so-called Milenio Cartel.

Cuartoscuro

According to Mexican authorities, his initial role was as a logistical operator in the trafficking of cocaine into the United States. However, the reshuffling of organized crime following Coronels death in 2010 opened a new stage in his criminal career.

That year, the fracture of the Milenio Cartel led to an internal dispute. Valencia Salazar aligned himself with Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, to fight for control of the organization. From that alliance first emerged the group known as Los Torcidos and later the structure that would ultimately consolidate as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

The origin of Los Matazetas

During that stage of confrontation, Valencia Salazar was linked to the creation of the armed group Los Matazetas, which initially emerged as a structure fighting Los Zetas in various territories.

The criminal dispute intensified when rival organizations, such as La Resistencia, attempted to stop the expansion of Oseguera Cervantes group into states such as Veracruz. In that context, the bloc led by Valencia Salazar adopted the name Los Matazetas, a designation later associated with the expansion of the CJNG.

Arrests, ruptures and criminal war

The relationship between Valencia Salazar and El Mencho fractured in 2012, when El 85 was arrested in Zapopan, Jalisco. According to various accounts within organized crime itself, his capture may have been the result of an internal betrayal.

After remaining in prison, Valencia Salazar obtained his release in 2017 due to failures in due process. From that point on, he definitively broke with the CJNG and founded the Nueva Plaza Cartel, a group that sought to challenge criminal control in the Guadalajara metropolitan area.

The confrontation between both organizations triggered a new wave of violence in Jalisco, marked by armed clashes, executions and direct attacks between rival cells.

His last capture and extradition to the U.S.

On September 4, 2022, Valencia Salazar was recaptured by the Mexican Army during an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco. He remained in custody until February 2025, when the Mexican government handed him over to U.S. authorities along with 28 other drug traffickers wanted by the justice system in that country.

In the United States he faced a single charge: conspiracy to traffic cocaine. More than a year after his transfer, he decided to plead guilty, a legal strategy that could open the door to a reduced sentence or procedural benefits.

The final decision, however, will depend on federal prosecutors and the judge when the sentence is handed down next July.

djh
By Alpaslan Ozerdem and Olesya Vartanyan

After more than three decades of closure, the Turkiye-Armenia border may soon reopen. A string of recent developments, including the launch of Turkish Airlines flights to Yerevan, agreements to simplify visa procedures, and moves toward direct land trade, suggest that normalization is shifting from cautious diplomacy toward practical implementation. If it does, it would mark one of the most consequential geopolitical shifts in the South Caucasus since the end of the Cold War. Yet reopening the border will require careful political management. Without it, renewed contact could generate friction rather than stability.

BACKGROUND:

The land border between Turkiye and Armenia has been closed since 1993. Ankara shut the crossing in solidarity with Azerbaijan during the first war over Nagorno-Karabakh. Since then, the border has symbolized one of the most enduring geopolitical divides in the region. For communities on both sides, the closure produced long-term economic and social consequences. Armenias access to regional markets has remained constrained, while eastern Turkish border regions have also faced limited cross-border economic opportunities.

Regional dynamics began shifting after the 2020 war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which altered the political balance in the South Caucasus and created new incentives for diplomatic engagement. In the aftermath of the war, Ankara and Yerevan appointed special envoys in 2021 to explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations and reopening the border.

Since then, negotiations have progressed slowly but steadily. Several confidence-building measures have been agreed and some already implemented. These include agreements allowing third-country citizens to cross the border, the resumption of direct flights between Istanbul and Yerevan, and discussions on facilitating trade and travel. In early 2026, the pace of normalization accelerated visibly. In March, Turkish Airlines launched regular scheduled flights on the Istanbul-Yerevan route. The two governments agreed to simplify visa procedures, and reports emerged that direct land trade between Turkiye and Armenia would begin as part of a broader US-led Caucasus peace push. Last December Bloomberg reported that Ankara was weighing a full reopening of the border within six months, while senior Turkish officials publicly expressed optimism, stating that they hoped everything develops quickly.

Physical preparations also indicate growing readiness. Armenia has renovated the Margara checkpoint on its side of the border, declaring the facility technically ready for operation. Turkiye has likewise upgraded infrastructure at the Alican crossing. These preparations suggest that the technical conditions for reopening could be met relatively quickly if political decisions align.

Still, reopening the border remains politically sensitive. For Turkiye, the process remains closely linked to the broader relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan, particularly negotiations over a comprehensive peace agreement following the collapse of the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh authorities in 2023. Since last August, when the two countries signed several accords at the White House, Baku and Yerevan have taken a number of steps forward, including facilitating transit trade to Armenia through Azerbaijan and Armenias recent agreement with the United States on the TRIPP transit route, which will facilitate the operation of a transit route between Azerbaijan and its enclave of Nakhchivan in southern Armenia. These are promising steps, but a final peace agreement is still pending, which Turkiye must take into consideration.

Ankara has long coordinated its approach toward Armenia with Baku. Turkish policymakers have repeatedly emphasized that normalization should not undermine Azerbaijans strategic interests, and progress in Turkiye-Armenia relations has often moved in parallel with developments in Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations. How close are the parties to a final agreement on the border? The string of practical steps in early 2026 suggests the process has crossed a threshold from symbolic confidence-building to operational preparation. Yet the absence of a finalized Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal means that Ankara retains a political brake on the timeline. A stall or deterioration in those talks could slow or freeze the border track; conversely, a breakthrough could accelerate it rapidly.

Domestic political considerations also matter. In Armenia, normalization with Turkiye remains controversial for segments of society deeply affected by historical grievances, and the issue will feature in the countrys upcoming June parliamentary elections. In Turkiye, policymakers must balance diplomatic engagement with Armenia against their longstanding strategic partnership with Azerbaijan.

IMPLICATIONS:

If and when the border reopens, the effects will extend well beyond bilateral relations. Armenia has long depended on limited transit routes through Georgia and Iran to access external markets. Opening the Turkish border would provide an alternative corridor, linking Armenia more directly to European and Middle Eastern trade networks. It would also reinforce Turkiyes role as a regional connector between the South Caucasus and broader Eurasian markets. In this context, reopening the border aligns with wider connectivity initiatives such as the Middle Corridor, which aims to strengthen east-west trade routes across the region.

Russias influence in the South Caucasus has weakened since the start of the war in Ukraine and the collapse of its peacekeeping mission in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. As Moscows role recedes, regional actors are increasingly seeking alternative economic and diplomatic partnerships. In parallel, instability in the Middle East, including conflict involving Iran, has heightened uncertainty along key transit routes. For Armenia, which has relied on access through Iranian territory, reopening the Turkish border would reduce dependence on a single corridor and provide greater strategic flexibility.

On the other hand, the expansion of trade and transit routes associated with reopening the Turkiye-Armenia border could deepen regional interdependence and, in turn, support longer-term peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Durable reconciliation rarely rests on diplomatic agreements alone; it often emerges when economic cooperation and shared interests make renewed conflict increasingly costly. Expanded trade, transportation links, and cross-border mobility can help create these incentives by encouraging regional actors to view cooperation not as a concession but as mutual gain.

At the local level, decades of closure have left many towns near the frontier economically stagnant. Renewed cross-border access could stimulate transportation links, tourism, and commercial exchange. Armenian producers would gain easier access to Turkish markets, while Turkish businesses could expand trade with Armenia and potentially beyond. However, regions that have been economically isolated for decades may struggle to adjust quickly to new competitive pressures, and if cross-border trade develops unevenly, local communities could perceive the reopening as disruptive rather than beneficial.

The practical challenges of reopening should not be underestimated. Local authorities, customs agencies, border police, and regulatory bodies on both sides have never previously operated together. Communities along the frontier have lived in close geographical proximity but political separation for decades. In the Armenian village of Margara, residents have long lived within sight of the Turkish side of the river without direct contact. Renewed engagement may generate economic and cultural exchange, but it could also expose differences in administrative practices, expectations, and social attitudes that will require careful management on both sides.

CONCLUSIONS:

The reopening of the Turkiye-Armenia border represents more than a bilateral diplomatic milestone. It reflects a broader transformation in the political landscape of the South Caucasus. The rapid accumulation of practical steps in early 2026, from flights to visa agreements to land trade, indicates that the process has moved beyond the realm of aspirational diplomacy. Yet the outcome is not guaranteed. The process remains closely linked to developments in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, domestic political considerations in both countries, and evolving regional geopolitics. Whether Ankara ultimately opens the border before or after a finalized Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal will be a critical signal of how much Turkiye is willing to decouple the two tracks. Whether the border ultimately becomes a bridge between the two societies or simply another contested frontier will depend on how effectively these challenges are addressed not only in the coming months, but in the longer term.

AUTHORS BIO:

Alpaslan Ozerdem is Dean of the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University. Olesya Vartanyan is a conflict analyst specializing in South Caucasus security and peace processes and a PhD student at George Mason University.
The president of Niger, Ibrahim Bare Mainassara, has been shot dead in an apparent coup attempt.

However, his death has been described as a tragic accident by the prime minister of the west African state.

But diplomats from Niger, based in the neighbouring country of Burkina Faso, said Mr Mainassara was ambushed and shot by mutinying troops as he tried to flee the country.

The diplomats said they had been told by colleagues in Niger that the uprising began shortly after sunrise when soldiers swarmed on to the streets of the capital, Niamey.

Troops with tanks are said to have blocked access to the presidential palace and other key locations.

In a radio broadcast Nigers Prime Minister, Ibraim Assane Mayaki , announced the countrys parliament had been dissolved and that all political activity had been suspended.

A government of national unity would be formed in a few days, Mr Mayaki added.

It is still unclear whether forces loyal to the Mr Mayaki, were involved in the presidents death.

There has been no explanation for Mr Mainassaras assassination but it follows opposition calls for him to resign after the annulment of regional elections held earlier this week.

Mr Mainassara, a former army colonel, seized power in January 1996, ousting the countrys first democratically elected president, Mahamane Ousmane.

Mr Mainassara said he had staged the coup because Mr Ousmane had failed to address Nigers economic and political problems.

Last year his government quashed several army uprisings and mutinies.

The United Nations secretary-general, Kofi Annan, has reacted with dismay to the killing and called on Nigers leaders to work for an early return to peace, stability and constitutional order.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

A few days after the assassination of Ibrahim Bare Mainassara, a military junta headed by Major Daouda Wanke took power.

They pledged to hold civilian elections by the end of the year.

In August 1999 a new constitution was adopted following a referendum which granted an amnesty for those involved in the coup.

In November a former army officer, Tandja Mamadou, was elected president after a close-run election.

On the second anniversary of Ibrahim Bare Mainassaras death in April 2001 more than 2,000 protesters gathered in front of Nigers parliament to demand a full inquiry into his killing.

Like this: Like Loading...
One of Aprils most anticipated culinary moments in Macau is set to unfold at Grill 58, MGM COTAI, as acclaimed Australian Chef Dave Pynt returns for an exclusive threeday takeover from April 23 to 25.

Best known as the chef-owner and founder of Singapores MICHELIN-starred restaurant Burnt Ends, Chef Dave Pynt has built an international reputation for his distinctive take on modern Australian barbecue.

His approach  centered on wood-fire cooking, technical precision, and bold, ingredient-led flavors  his philosophy aligns seamlessly with Grill 58s culinary ethos, defined by craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Burnt Ends has held one MICHELIN Star since 2018 and continues to enjoy strong global recognition. The restaurant has been featured on both The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants and Asias 50 Best Restaurants lists, while also securing the highest ranked in Asia at No. 9 on The Worlds 101 Best Steak Restaurants 2026.

These accolades reflect not only the restaurants consistency, but also Chef Dave Pynts influence in contemporary woodfire cooking.

For this return engagement, diners can expect a thoughtfully curated tasting menu built around premium ingredients such as caviar, bone marrow, Blackmores striploin, king crab, and sea urchin. The menu is designed to showcase the interplay between land and sea, elevated through Chef Dave Pynts signature wood-fire technique.

Guests may choose between an 8-course lunch or an 11-course dinner, a rare opportunity for Macau diners to experience one of Singapores most celebrated kitchenswithout leaving the city. For reservations, call (853) 8806 2318 or visit www.mgm.mo.

Like this: Like Loading...
Chinas government said Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed not to escalate their conflict and to explore a comprehensive solution after several weeks of cross-border fighting between the two countries that has left hundreds of people killed.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said said that after seven days of peace talks in the western Chinese city of Urumqi under China mediation, all the parties also agreed to keep the dialogue.

The three parties agreed to explore a comprehensive solution to the issues in the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and clarified the core and priority issues that need to be addressed, Mao said during the daily briefing in Beijing.

She added that they acknowledged that terrorism is the core issue affecting the relationship.

Afghanistan and Pakistan said that they wont take actions that would escalate or complicate the situation.

The talks began last week in Urumqi at the invitation of China, in an effort to stop the conflict that began between the two countries in February.

Pakistan, which declared it was in open war with its neighbor, has also carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan, including in the capital Kabul.

Afghanistans Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the talks had been constructive.

The United Nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs in Afghanistan said on Tuesday that the conflict had displaced 94,000 people overall, while 100,000 people in two Afghan districts near the border have been completely cut off by the fighting since February.

Even during the talks, Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of carrying out shelling across its border on several occasions.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of providing a safe haven to militants who carry out deadly attacks inside Pakistan, especially the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. The group is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, which took over Afghanistan in 2021 following the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led troops. Kabul denies the charge. MDT/AP

Like this: Like Loading...
Australias most decorated living veteran, Ben Roberts-Smith, did not apply for bail when the war crime murder charges against him were listed in a Sydney court yesterday.

Roberts-Smith was awarded both the Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan and is only the second Australian veteran of the Afghanistan campaign to be charged with a war crime.

The charges follow a military report released in 2020 that found evidence that elite Australian Special Air Service and commando regiment troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and other noncombatants. Around 40,000 Australian military personnel served in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021, of whom 41 were killed.

Veteran accused of 5 unlawful deaths

The allegations against Roberts-Smith relate to the deaths of five Afghan people who died in 2009 and 2012 while he served in Afghanistan as an elite SAS corporal. Police allege he either shot his victims or ordered a subordinate to shoot them in Uruzgan province where Australias forces were based.

Police said he had been charged Tuesday with five counts of war crime murder. But the charges laid in court were two counts of war crime murder and three counts of aiding or abetting a war crime murder. All charges carry the same potential maximum sentence of life in prison.

The charges allege Roberts-Smith killed and caused a subordinate to kill at Kakarak village on April 12, 2009. He allegedly caused a subordinate to kill at Darwan village on Sept. 11, 2012. He allegedly killed and caused a subordinate to kill at Syahchow village on Oct. 20, 2012.

Australian law defines war crime murder as the intentional killing in a context of armed conflict of a person who is not taking an active part in the hostilities, such as a civilian, prisoner of war or a wounded soldier.

Albanese: Is a difficult time

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described Roberts-Smiths arrest as a difficult time for the Australian Defense Force.

We should give thanks every day for the men and women who wear our uniform, who are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our nation, to keep our Australian way of life going forward. That doesnt change, Albanese told Sky News television.

Its important that this not be politicized, and I have no intention of commenting on what is a legal process, Albanese added.

Opposition leader Angus Taylor called on the federal government, known as the Commonwealth of Australia, to pay for the legal defenses of all military personnel prosecuted for war crimes, including Roberts-Smith.

It is an imperative that the Commonwealth provide anyone whos prosecuted in this process, including Ben Roberts-Smith, with  the financial support they need to defend themselves and to ensure that there is a fair trial, Taylor told reporters. The presumption of innocence is crucial.

Howard pays tribute to troops

John Howard, who as Australias then-prime minister first committed Australian troops to fight in Afghanistan in 2001, said Roberts-Smiths arrest would emotionally impact millions of Australians.

This is a difficult issue for many, as it tests to the limits not only our respect for Australian values, but the deep and special reverence we have for those who put their lives on the line to keep us safe, Howard said in a statement.

The Australian Special Air Service Association, which represents current and former members of the elite regiment, said some may be required to testify against former comrades. Others must defend themselves against grave allegations.

These realities are deeply confronting for a close and enduring community, the association said in a statement.

Roberts-Smith, 47, spent the night in jail after he was arrested at the Sydney Airport on Tuesday morning, and he did not appear in court either in person or by video link yesterday.

His lawyers did not enter pleas to the charges or apply for his release on bail. The case was adjourned until June 4.

Civil court upholds similar allegations

A civil court has already found similar allegations against Roberts-Smith credible in a defamation suit he brought after newspapers published articles in 2018 accusing him of a range of war crimes. In 2023, a federal judge rejected Roberts-Smiths claims and ruled that he likely killed four noncombatants unlawfully in 2009 and 2012.

But while the civil court found the war crimes allegations were mostly proven on a balance of probabilities, the war crime murder charges would have to be proved in a criminal court to a higher standard of beyond reasonable doubt.

Media magnate Kerry Stokes helped fund Roberts-Smiths civil court action. Roberts-Smith quit his job as a state manager of Stokes Seven West Media in 2023 after losing the defamation case.

During his defamation trial, Roberts-Smith had testified that he had never killed an unarmed Afghan and denied ever committing a war crime. He claimed he has the victim of spiteful fellow soldiers lies and of others envy of his medals.

Roberts-Smith is the second Australian veteran of the Afghanistan campaign to be charged with a war crime. ROD McGUIRK, MELBOURNE, MDT/AP

Like this: Like Loading...
A subsidiary of a Hong Kong-based conglomerate started arbitration proceedings against Danish logistics and port group Maersk, accusing the company of aligning with Panama in a scheme to take over its port operations on the Central American countrys critical canal.

The Panama Ports Company, a unit of Hong Kongs CK Hutchison Holdings, said in a statement dated Tuesday that Maersk A/S had undermined a contract over the Hong Kong companys operations of ports at either end of the Panama Canal in order to pave the way for a new operator affiliated with Maersk to take over the Balboa terminal.

The company said the arbitration will be held in London, but didnt explain what remedy it was seeking.

In February, Panamas government seized control of the Balboa and Cristobal ports after the countrys Supreme Court declared earlier that a concession allowing the Panama Ports Company to run the ports was unconstitutional. The ruling drew backlash from China.

The Panamanian government later allowed subsidiaries of Maersk and the Mediterranean Shipping Company to take over operations at the two ports.

Panama Ports Company started arbitration proceedings against Panama in February. In late March, it expanded its claims, saying damages have escalated beyond $2 billion.

It said on Tuesday that its claim against Maersk is separate from its ongoing steps to hold Panama accountable for what it called anti-contract and anti-investor conduct.

Neither Panamas government nor Maersk immediately commented.

The legal actions could further complicate CK Hutchisons initial plan to sell the bulk of their dozens of global ports, including the two Panama ports, to a consortium that involved U.S. investment firm BlackRock in a $23 billion deal.

The sale plan, first announced in March 2025, pleased U.S. President Donald Trump, who has alleged Chinese interference with the critical shipping lanes operations. But the planned sale apparently angered Beijing, and Chinas antitrust regulator last year said it would initiate a review of the deal.

The parties involved in the deal have since been looking for ways to move forward with the sale, including considering plans to add a Chinese investor to the consortium. KANIS LEUNG, HONG KONG, MDT/AP

Like this: Like Loading...
Medical professionals conducted the citys first robotic pancreatic surgery this month, successfully removing a rare insulinoma tumor while preserving the patients spleen. Academician Zhao Yupings team, supported by the MacaoBeijing collaboration and remote consultations from the Macao Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), carefully dissected over 20 splenic arteries and veins in a confined anatomical space for a spleen-sparing resection and cholecystectomy. The team performed the four-hour da Vinci procedure at Sao Januario Hospital. After the operation, the multidisciplinary team at Macao Union Hospital reported that the patient was able to walk the day after surgery and recovered well.

Like this: Like Loading...
A total of 665,918 visitors entered Macau during the Easter and Ching Ming holidays, with mainland China remaining the primary source market and contributing more than 70% of overall arrivals.

During five-day holiday period, the Public Security Police Force (PSP) recorded over 2.15 million border crossings, with mainland China remaining the top source of visitors despite not observing Easter, as 811,964 mainland crossers entered the territory in the first two days alone.

Provisional police figures show that Macau recorded approximately 1.34 million border crossings during the combined Ching Ming and Easter holidays, including 665,918 inbound travelers  with mainland China leading all source markets at 811,964 arrivals, followed by Hong Kong with 186,374.

By comparison, last years three-day Ching Ming holiday alone saw 409,000 visitor arrivals, averaging more than 136,000 per day, a 14.7% year-on-year increase, with mainland visitors accounting for over 70% of the total.

A review of historical records shows that in 2021, the three-day Ching Ming Festival holiday in mainland China also overlapped with the Easter holiday.

During that five-day holiday period, total visitor arrivals to Macau reached nearly 100,000, with a daily average of close to 20,000. The average hotel occupancy rate stood at 53.1%, while mainland visitors accounted for more than 90% of all arrivals to Macau.

The surge in visitors to Macau during the holiday period came as a surprise to the industry, according to Andy Wu, president of the Travel Industry Council of Macau (TICM), who told Chinese-language media outlet Exmoo in a recent interview that, due to the traditional tomb-sweeping customs associated with the Ching Ming Festival, the three-day break in mainland China might not necessarily drive a major travel boom.

He added that hotel room rates in Macau remained largely at typical Saturday or weekday levels, with no significant increase.

In the interview, he also noted that Macau is increasingly emerging as a preferred short-haul destination for Hong Kong residents.

He estimated that the number of Hong Kong visitors to Macau during the Easter holiday would be roughly on par with a typical Saturday. Macau is close to Hong Kong and easily accessible, he reportedly said, adding that Hong Kong residents have long been accustomed to traveling to Macau.

However, short trips to Macau have become a popular choice during this years Ching Ming Festival. While some business associations believe that tourist spending remains largely on par with the same period last year, others argue that consumption has been relatively weak.

According to separate media reports featuring interviews with two different industry insiders, Osborn Lo, president of the Macau Association of Retailers & Tourism Services, stated that Macaus tourism market performed quite well during the Ching Ming and Easter holidays.

He observed that family travelers made up a significant portion of visitors. Based on his understanding, business at souvenir shops in tourist districts grew by 10 to 20% year-on-year, while retail sales at street-front shops also saw an increase of about 10%.

Meanwhile, Lei Cheok Kuan, chairman of the Industry and Commerce Federation of the Macau Central and Southern District, acknowledged that some stores recorded modest growth supported by the holiday crowds, and that street vendors in local communities  who face no rental pressure  performed relatively well. However, he also pointed out in an interview that while the convergence of the Ching Ming and Easter holidays boosted visitor flows and provided some support to the market, overall consumer spending among tourists remained weak.

He added that small, micro, and medium-sized enterprises continue to face significant operational pressures.

He reiterated his concerns, stating that while the convergence of the Ching Ming and Easter holidays has boosted visitor flows and provided some support to the market, overall consumer spending among tourists remains weak.

As a result, small, micro, and medium-sized enterprises continue to face significant operational pressures. He called on the local government to further introduce substantive support measures.

He recommended that the government continuously and closely monitor economic trends and promptly increase support for small, micro, and medium-sized enterprises. Proposed measures include the reduction or subsidization of utility bills such as water and electricity, as well as rental subsidies. Such policies, he said, would effectively alleviate the operational burdens on merchants and help local small, micro, and medium-sized enterprises weather the difficult period.

With just over 20 days to go until the Labor Day holiday, industry insiders have acknowledged that local retailers must offer discounts and special-priced products to attract visitors to spend in Macau.

They also advised the trade to continuously improve frontline service quality and enhance the shopping experience for tourists in order to maintain the citys tourism competitiveness.

Airport sees holiday passenger growth

Macau International Airport reported that over the five-day holidays (April 37), passenger traffic reached 115,000, up 2.6% year-on-year, with 856 flight movements, up 9.1%.

For the first quarter of 2026, total passenger numbers hit 2.117 million, a 15% increase from last year. Mainland China travelers accounted for 41%, Taiwan 19%, and Southeast and Northeast Asia combined 40%. International travelers in JanuaryFebruary totaled 224,000, up 11%.

Amid high fuel prices, the airport is coordinating with airlines to open new mainland China and Northeast Asia routes in JuneJuly and to optimize summer operations.

Gongbei checkpoint

posts six-year high

for Q1 crossings

Passenger flows at Zhuhais checkpoints remain high, with cross-border travel demand continuing to rise. According to official statistics from the Zhuhai General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, during the three-day Ching Ming holiday, a total of over 2.09 million people crossed the border through the Gongbei, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, Hengqin, and Ching Ming checkpoints.

On April 6, alone, a record high of 48,600 vehicles were processed in a single day.

At the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Zhuhai highway port, over 410,000 passenger crossings were recorded during the three-day holiday, up about 14% year-on-year.

The port also handled approximately 77,400 vehicle crossings, ranking first among all checkpoints nationwide. On April 6, a record 29,800 vehicles were inspected, including 28,400 private cars and 22,800 Hong Kong and Macau single-plate vehicles, marking the highest single-day figure since the bridge opened.

As the busiest checkpoint in the country, the Gongbei checkpoint processed 1.02 million passenger crossings and about 22,000 vehicles over the holiday period, with two-way peak passenger flows overlapping. Meanwhile, the Hengqin checkpoint handled over 300,000 passenger crossings, an 18% increase year-on-year.

On Ching Ming Festival day, a single-day peak of 106,000 passengers was recorded.

Notably, the Gongbei Border Inspection Station under the Zhuhai General Station announced that in the first quarter of this year, over 33 million people crossed the border between Zhuhai and Macau through the Gongbei Port, a year-on-year increase of more than 10%, the highest first-quarter passenger flow in six years.

Authorities attribute this growth to the introduction of the one-week-one-trip and multiple-entry permit policies, which have facilitated smoother border crossings for cross-border students, business travelers, and residents of the two cities.

During the first quarter, the utilization rate of smart express e-channels at the Gongbei checkpoint reached nearly 20%, reducing average clearance time to under 10 seconds per person. Big data analytics have also been applied to accurately forecast passenger flows during key periods such as New Years Day and the Lunar New Year holiday.

Like this: Like Loading...
Macau kicks off a new round of its community consumption campaign tomorrow, April 10, aiming to stimulate local spending and support businesses facing unstable customer traffic and rising operating costs.

This comes after several calls from local civic groups and business owners amid the uneven economic recovery.

The 10-week program, running through June 18, introduces an extended weekend draw, weekday redemption model, allowing residents more time to use vouchers and plan purchases.

With over 20,000 participating merchants and total benefits estimated at MOP400 million, authorities hope the initiative will revitalize community commerce and encourage Macau residents to keep daily spending in the city.

Several merchants across the city say unstable customer flow and rising operating costs have put pressure on businesses, and they are hoping that the new round of the consumption campaign can boost local spending.

Some business owners expressed concerns over geopolitical uncertainty, fluctuating prices, and stock market volatility affecting consumer willingness to spend.

A restaurant operator in Areia Preta noted that improved cross-border transport has created a one-hour living circle across the Greater Bay Area, reducing domestic spending in Macau. Weekends and holidays see the most significant outflow.

According to the business owner, during the recent Ching Ming and Easter holidays, foot traffic was weak, even with some customer redistribution from neighboring stores, as cited in a Macao Daily News report.

Also, many residents travel outside Macau during long weekends, contributing to the decline.

In addition to declining customers, operating costs have risen, including labor, food supplies, and fuel.

Revenue growth has slowed, and profits have declined, the restaurant operator said, adding that limited marketing budgets make it harder to attract local consumers, adding pressure on daily operations.

Meanwhile, for some residents, the campaign is only a meager help in everyday lives.

Of course, its nice to get a small pataca discount, but prices have risen a lot. From bread to everyday essentials, we really feel the impact. So this feels more like a compensating adjustment than a true win-win, a resident told the Times.

Another commented, Its still better than nothing. Some regions dont offer this kind of incentive, so we should be grateful. But Macau has the capacity to run such campaigns, so I hope more incentives can be introduced to benefit local residents.

Campaign to

invigorate economy

Speaking at the TDM Forum yesterday, Lau Kit Lon, director of the Economic Activities Development Department at the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT), stressed that the four-day redemption window gives residents more flexibility to plan their spending,

As the program has been adjusted to draw coupons from Friday to Sunday, with redemption extended through the following Monday to Thursday, Lau added that the value of the vouchers and other conditions remain largely unchanged, with more than 20,000 offline merchants able to accept electronic vouchers.

Choi Tat Ming, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce (ACM), said the chamber will continue to sponsor three weekly cash prizes of MOP8,000, alongside a grand prize, bringing total sponsorship to MOP380,000.

Residents tend to spend at participating merchants, and we encourage businesses to seize this opportunity to offer additional promotions, attract new customers, and invigorate the local economy, Choi added.

The programs adjustments aim to provide a timely boost for local merchants amid fluctuating consumer confidence and encourage more frequent engagement with Macau-based stores.

Further, Chan Chi Fong, secretary-general of the Macau Development Strategy Research Centre, said the new weekend draw, weekday redemption model is more targeted than previous editions.

Previously, the redemption period was only two weekend days, causing many residents to miss out. Extending redemption days enriches consumption scenarios and can boost actual spending, helping expand the benefits for SMEs, he noted. Chan also suggested comparing data from this round with past programs to evaluate the effectiveness of the new approach.

Like this: Like Loading...
North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea yesterday in its second launch event in two days, South Koreas military said, hours after a senior North Korean official released crude insults against Seouls hopes for warmer relations.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said several missiles lifted off from North Koreas eastern coastal Wonsan area yesterday morning and flew about 240 kilometers (150 miles) each in a direction toward the Norths eastern waters.

It said an additional North Korean ballistic missile fired later yesterday traveled more than 700 kilometers off the Norths east coast. Japans Defense Ministry said it assesses that the missile fell in waters outside the countrys exclusive economic zone.

South Koreas military said it maintains a readiness to repel any provocations by North Korea under a solid military alliance with the United States. It earlier said it detected the launch of an unidentified projectile from North Koreas capital region on Tuesday.

South Korean media reported the projectile, also likely a ballistic missile, disappeared from South Korean military radars after displaying an abnormal development in the initial launch stage. This indicated the launch ended in failure, according to the reports.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that the North Korean launches had not posed any immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to allies.

The back-to-back launches came after North Korea made it clear that it has no intentions of improving ties with South Korea, whose liberal government has steadfastly expressed its hopes to restore long-dormant dialogue.

South Korea would always remain North Koreas most hostile enemy state, Jang Kum Chol, first vice minister at Pyongyangs Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday. He derided South Korea as world-startling fools engaged in wishful thinking over a recent statement by Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

After South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret over alleged civilian drone flights into North Korea, Kim Yo Jong on Monday praised him for what she called honesty and courage, but reiterated a threat to retaliate if such flights recur. South Korean officials responded by describing Kims statement as meaningful progress in relations.

Jang said her statement was intended as a warning. He cited Kim Yo Jong as calling South Korea the dogs affected by mange that blindly bark to the tune of neighboring dogs as she criticized it for recently co-sponsoring of a U.N. resolution on the Norths purported human rights violations.

North Korea has refused to return to talks with South Korea and the U.S. and pushed to expand its nuclear arsenal since Kim Jong Uns diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. North Korea has instead sought to strengthen ties with Russia, China and other countries embroiled in confrontations with the U.S. Last September, Kim Jong Un traveled to Beijing to attend a military parade alongside other foreign leaders and held his first summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in six years.

North Korean media reported yesterday that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit North Korea today for a two-day trip.

Earlier this week, North Korea said Kim Jong Un had observed a test of an upgraded solid-fuel engine for weapons and called it a significant development boosting his countrys strategic military arsenal.

Missiles with built-in solid propellants are easier to move and conceal their launches than liquid-fuel weapons, which in general must be fueled before liftoffs and cannot last long.

South Koreas spy agency told lawmakers Monday the engine test was likely related to an effort to build a more powerful solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile that can carry multiple nuclear warheads, according to lawmakers who attended the meeting.

Experts say North Korea wants multi-warhead missiles to penetrate U.S. missile defenses, but they doubt Pyongyang has mastered the technology needed to acquire such a weapon. HYUNG-JIN KIM & KIM TONG-HYUNG, SEOUL, MDT/AP

Like this: Like Loading...
A 20% rise in complaints against police in 2025 reflects the surge in visitor numbers, not a decline in service quality, city authorities said.

The Security Forces and Services Disciplinary Supervisory Committee received 132 complaints last year, up 22 cases from the 110 reported in 2024 and up 37.5% from the 88 reported in 2023, according to the government report.

Of the 132 complaints received in 2025, the different entities that make up the Security Forces and Services were targeted 133 times. This reflects the fact that one complaint simultaneously involved the Public Security Police (PSP) and the Customs Services (SA), the CFD report reads.

The Public Security Police Force (PSP) drew the bulk of complaints, accounting for 105 cases, or 80.5% of the total. This was followed by the Judiciary Police (PJ) with 16 complaints, or 12%, and Macau Customs (SA) with 10 cases, or 7.5%, according to the report.

Of the complaints, 10 triggered disciplinary proceedings  matching 2022 levels and slightly above the 20212025 average of eight  with seven resulting in sanctions.

Officials also attributed the increase to a 14.7% surge in tourist arrivals to 40.69 million, which boosted daily interactions between officers and visitors.

Some 108 complaints were fully processed by year-end, leaving 18 (16.7%) pending due to complexity or late filing, to be carried into 2026. NS

Like this: Like Loading...
Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun arrived in China on Tuesday at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, in what shes calling a journey for peace as Beijing pushes for the self-ruled island to come under its control.

The visit is the first by a Taiwanese opposition leader in a decade and comes ahead of a meeting in Beijing between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled to take place in May.

Meanwhile, Taiwans opposition-controlled parliament has stalled attempts by its government to pass a $40 billion special defense budget, expected to fund arms deals with the United States and the development of Taiwans indigenous defense industry.

Beijing has been ramping up its military pressure by sending warplanes and naval vessels around the island almost daily, while its military occasionally stages live-fire drills nearby, the latest in December.

The U.S. State Department said such activities increase tensions unnecessarily and called on Beijing to cease military pressure against Taiwan.

Before leaving the capital, Taipei, the chairwoman of the Kuomintang party told reporters that Taiwan must spare no effort to prevent war and seize any opportunity to promote peace.

A few dozen supporters and detractors of Cheng showed up at Taipeis airport, chanting and holding signs.

The purpose of this visit to mainland China is precisely to show the world that it is not just Taiwan that unilaterally hopes for peace, Cheng said.

I believe that through this journey for peace, everyone is even more eager to see the sincerity and determination of the CPC Central Committee to use peaceful dialogue and exchange to resolve all possible differences between the two sides, she added, referring to the initials of the Communist Party of China.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday relations with Taiwan were part of Chinas internal affairs.

Chinas opposition to military ties between the U.S. and Taiwan is consistent and clear, spokesperson Mao Ning said.

Beijing has repeatedly criticized U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, in particular a massive deal announced by the Trump administration in December, valued at more than $11 billion, that includes medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones.

China prohibits all its diplomatic partners, including the U.S., from maintaining formal ties with Taipei. The U.S. is the islands strongest informal backer and arms provider, and the arms sale is expected to be discussed at the Xi-Trump summit.

In a call in February between Xi and Trump, the Chinese leader said that Taiwan will never be allowed to separate from China, according to a Chinese government statement about the conversation released at the time. The U.S. must handle the issue of arms sales to Taiwan with prudence, it added.

Beijing also said that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations.

It was not clear if Cheng was going to meet with Xi as part of her six-day trip to China, which started in the eastern metropolis of Shanghai and is set to conclude in Beijing.

The KMT, as Taiwans main opposition party, is not in a position to strike agreements with Beijing that would affect the entire island; however, Cheng might sign party-to-party cooperation agreements with the Communist Party to reinstitute regular dialogue or boost ties at a municipal level between KMT-controlled localities and Chinese cities, said Wen-Ti Sung, a fellow with the Atlantic Council, an American think tank.

Chengs visit may sideline the Taiwan Strait tension issue from the Xi-Trump summit, thus enabling the U.S.-China summit to focus on business areas of common interest rather than geostrategic points of contention, Sung said.

The KMT has proposed a smaller defense budget and criticizes the governing Democratic Progressive Partys larger budget as a blank check for arms purchases.

Chengs visit contrasts sharply with Beijings treatment of Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te, with whom China does not engage, labeling him a separatist.

Taiwan has been governed separately from China since 1949, when a civil war brought the Communist Party to power in Beijing. Defeated KMT forces fled to Taiwan, where they set up their own government.

Lais party views Taiwan as a sovereign country, not a subordinate to China. The KMT, meanwhile, officially recognizes only one China, which it interprets as the Republic of China that before 1949 included the mainland and today is Taiwans official name. MDT/AP

Like this: Like Loading...
Iran, the United States and Israel agreed to a two-week ceasefire, an 11th hour deal that allowed U.S. President Donald Trump to pull back from his threats to unleash a bombing campaign that would destroy Iranian civilization. But attacks in Iran and Gulf Arab countries resumed yesterday, throwing the deal into question.

Even before the new strikes were reported, much about the deal was unclear as the sides presented vastly different visions of the terms.

 Iran said the deal would allow it to formalize its new practice of charging ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, but the terms were not clear, nor was whether ships would feel safe using the crucial transit lane for oil. It also was unclear whether any other country agreed to this condition.

 Pakistan, which helped to mediate the deal, and others said fighting would pause in Lebanon, where Israel has launched a ground invasion against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Israel said it would not.

 The fate of Irans missile and nuclear programs  the elimination of which were major objectives for the U.S. and Israel in going to war  also remained unclear.

As U.S. Vice President JD Vance called the agreement a fragile truce, the United Arab Emirates reported an incoming Iranian missile barrage, and Kuwaits military said it was responding to drones. Iran then said an oil refinery came under attack.

In the streets of Tehran, pro-government demonstrators screamed: Death to America, death to Israel, death to compromisers! after the ceasefire announcement and burned American and Israeli flags. The chants underscored the anger animating hard-liners, who have been preparing for what many assumed would be an apocalyptic battle with the United States. Trump warned Tuesday that a whole civilization will die tonight, if a deal wasnt reached.

Varying reports of ceasefires terms

Trump initially said Iran proposed a workable 10-point plan that could help end the war the U.S. launched with Israel on Feb. 28. But when a version in Farsi emerged that indicated Iran would be allowed to continue enriching uranium  which is key to building a nuclear weapon  Trump called it fraudulent without elaborating.

Trump also suggested American warships would be hangin around the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of all traded oil and natural gas passes in peacetime. That could be a potential flashpoint in days to come.

Irans demands for ending the war, meanwhile, include a withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from the region, the lifting of sanctions, and the release of its frozen assets.

All those likely are nonstarters for Trump and other Western nations.

Pakistan said that talks to hammer out a permanent end to the war could begin in Islamabad as soon as Friday.

Israel backed the U.S. ceasefire with Iran, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early yesterday that the deal doesnt cover fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israels military said later that fighting and ground operations continue.

Iran, Oman collect shipping fees in Hormuz

While Iran could not match the sophistication of U.S. and Israeli weaponry or their dominance in the air, its ability to control the Strait of Hormuz since the war began proved a tremendous strategic advantage: The chokehold roiled the world economy and raised the pressure on Trump both at home and abroad to find a way out of the standoff.

The ceasefire may formalize that control  and give Iran a new source of revenue.

The plan allows for both Iran and Oman to charge fees on ships transiting through the strait, according to a regional official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss negotiations they were directly involved in. The official said Iran would use the money it raised for reconstruction.

That would upend decades of precedent treating the strait as an international waterway that was free to transit and will likely not be acceptable to the Gulf Arab states, which also need to rebuild after repeated Iranian attacks targeting their oil fields.

Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process, Trump said on social media.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said passage through the strait would be allowed under Iranian military management  further clouding the picture of who would be allowed to transit the strait.

Nevertheless, news of the ceasefire drove oil prices down and pushed stocks up yesterday.

Fate of Irans nuclear unclear

The U.S. and Israel have battered Iran, but they have not entirely eliminated the threats posed by Irans nuclear program, its ballistic missiles or its support for regional proxies, like Hezbollah. The U.S. and Israel said addressing those threats was a key justification for going to war.

Iran seems to still have the means to restart its nuclear program  which it says is peaceful, although it has enriched uranium up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels.

That stockpile of highly enriched uranium is still believed to be buried, and Tehran referred to the program differently in two versions of the ceasefire plan that it released. The version in Farsi included the phrase acceptance of enrichment for its nuclear program. That phrase was missing in English versions shared by Iranian diplomats with journalists.

A senior Israeli official said the United States had coordinated the ceasefire with Israel in advance and said Israels government credited the massive crushing of the regimes infrastructure with securing the agreement.

Speaking on condition of anonymity because they were discussing private diplomatic conversations, the official said Washington had committed to pressing for the removal of nuclear material and dismantling of Irans ballistic missile program.

Airstrikes reported hours after deal

Missile alerts were issued in the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait after the ceasefire announcement. A gas processing facility in Abu Dhabi was ablaze after incoming Iranian fire, officials said.

The fire stopped for a time, but then restarted.

The United Arab Emirates said yesterday afternoon its air defenses fired at an incoming Iranian missile barrage. Kuwaits military said its forces responded to an extensive wave of drone attacks.

And Iranian state television reported that an oil refinery on Irans Lavan Island came under attack. The report said that firefighters were working to contain the blaze but no one had been hurt. It did not say who launched the attack.

The island is home to one of the offshore terminals that Iran uses to export oil and gas. The U.S. militarys Central Command did not respond to questions about the strike.

More than 1,900 people had been killed in Iran as of late March, but the government has not updated the wars toll for days.

In Lebanon, where Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, more than 1,500 people have been killed. and 1 million people have been displaced. Eleven Israeli soldiers have died.

In Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, more than two dozen people have died, while 23 have been reported dead in Israel, and 13 U.S. service members have been killed. BASSEM MROUE, TEHRAN, MDT/AP

Like this: Like Loading...
Law enforcement is investigating who may have shot Offset, a former member of the influential hip-hop trio Migos, outside a Florida casino Monday.

Police have detained two people and said the shooting followed a fight at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, just north of Miami. The rapper was in stable condition at a hospital Tuesday. Investigators were working to identify others involved, police said.

As details about the shooting emerge, here is what to know about the prominent Atlanta rapper.

Musical accolades

Offset, born Kiari Kendrell Cephus, first made a name for himself as one-third of the two-time Grammy-nominated Migos. The Atlanta trio is one of the most popular hip-hop groups of all time, celebrated for their rapid-fire triplet flow, an often-imitated delivery that changed the trajectory of modern trap.

Their career kicked off with the 2013 hit Versace, leading to several multi-platinum selling singles: Bad and Boujee, which went No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, Stir Fry, Narcos, and T-Shirt among them. Migos released four full-length albums across their career, effectively closing that chapter after Offsets cousin Takeoff, another member of Migos, was shot dead in 2022.

As a solo artist known for his idiosyncratic style  a melodic, aggressive finesse  Offset has released three full-length albums. In 2019 he released Father of Four, and in 2023 he made Set It Off, in what he described to The Associated Press at the time as an effort to bring rap back in a genre currently led by a trend of rappers who sing.

The rapper told AP last year that the song Set It Off was a freedom, and proof that he could shine as a solo artist outside of Migos. His more recent album, 2025s Kiari, by contrast, is me, for what I am, and recognizing who I am, he said.

I feel like sometimes you could get lost in trying to please other people and trying to do what they want you to do, he said. So, this is like my rebellion. My rebellion album.

Relationship with Cardi B

Offsets relationship with rapper Cardi B has also been a source of public interest. The pair were secretly wed in September 2017 in Atlanta.

In 2024, Cardi B announced that she filed for divorce. They have three children together: 7-year-old daughter Kulture Kiari Cephus, 4-year-old son Wave Set Cephus and toddler Blossom. The couple produced numerous songs together as well, like Clout, Jealousy and Icey.

In August 2024, Cardi B asked the courts for primary custody of her children and sought child support from Offset.

Previous violence

More than three years ago, Migos member Takeoff was shot and killed at a Houston bowling alley.

Police said Takeoff was an innocent bystander when he was shot after a disagreement over a dice game. Takeoffs death was among a string of fatal shootings in recent years that involved hip-hop stars such as Nipsey Hussle, Pop Smoke, PnB Rock and Young Dolph.

Offset embarked on a solo career years before Takeoffs death.

The third member of Migos, rapper Quavo, sought to transform his nephew Takeoffs shooting into a force for change, holding a summit against gun violence in 2024. MARIA SHERMAN, NEW YORK, MDT/AP

Like this: Like Loading...
Invest Africa, the leading platform for pan-African trade and investment, is pleased to announce that H.E. John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, will serve as Guest of Honour and deliver the keynote address at The Africa Debate 2026, taking place on Wednesday, 3 June at the historic Guildhall in the City of London.

The announcement coincides with the launch of a strategic partnership between Invest Africa and the Ghana High Commission London, including the Ghana Investment Summit.

Now in its 12th year, The Africa Debate is the UKs foremost platform for high-level dialogue on Africas economic future. The 2026 theme, Redefining Partnership: Navigating a World in Transition explores what shifts in the global order and new economic and geopolitical realities mean for African economies and their international partners. Against a backdrop of uncertainty in the global economy, The Africa Debate will spotlight opportunities to accelerate investment, unlock growth, and strengthen development outcomes through a new era of collaboration.

H.E President Mahamas keynote will follow opening remarks by the UK Government and will set the tone for a day of substantive discussion focused on regional leadership and strengthening partnerships in key sectoral areas. As a recognised leader in sustainability and innovation, Ghanas voice will be central to this years agenda.

Chantele Carrington, CEO of Invest Africa, commented:

We are honoured to welcome H.E President Mahama to The Africa Debate 2026 at a moment of real momentum in Ghanas investment story. His leadership on green growth, regional integration, financial services and digital economy has positioned Ghana as one of the continents most forward-looking and investable economies. We are also proud to partner with the Ghana High Commission in London, under the leadership of H.E. Sabah Zita Benson, the High Commission is an important representative of Ghanas economic opportunities here in the United Kingdom.

H.E. Sabah Zita Benson, High Commissioner, Ghana High Commission London, added:

I am proud to represent a Ghana that is confident, forward-looking, and ready to lead in shaping the future of AfricaUK relations. It is a distinct honour to host H.E. John Dramani Mahama at The Africa Debate 2026, as we move beyond dialogue to decisive action, mobilising investment, strengthening partnerships, and delivering real impact. Ghana stands ready to work with committed partners to unlock opportunities, drive innovation, and secure a more resilient and prosperous future for our people.

The Africa Debate 2026 will feature presidential and ministerial keynotes, high-level plenaries, and curated side events convening 800+ senior stakeholders from government, finance, and industry. Sessions will examine how Africa can redefine partnerships  through finance, digitalisation, agribusiness and energy security  to drive resilient and sustainable growth.
Three years of conflict in Sudan have left the nations healthcare system in a state of near-total collapse, the humanitarian organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has warned. In a statement issued on Wednesday April 8, MSF said ongoing fighting, restricted humanitarian access and widespread impunity are placing millions of lives at risk, as the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to dismantle essential services.

The organization reported that in 2025 alone, it treated more than 7,700 people for violence-related injuries, conducted over 250,000 emergency consultations and handled more than 4,200 cases of sexual violencedescribed as being systematically used as a weapon of war, with women disproportionately affected.

Child malnutrition has also surged, with over 15,000 children under five admitted to MSF feeding programmes, raising concerns about preventable deaths from otherwise treatable conditions.

MSF indicated that vaccination campaigns have been severely disrupted, while disease surveillance systems have broken down, fuelling outbreaks of preventable illnesses. In 2025, the group treated more than 12,000 measles cases and nearly 42,200 cholera patients.

Hospitals have been looted, bombed or occupied, while medical personnel have faced threats, detention or forced displacement. Ambulances have also reportedly been blocked from accessing patients.

According to the World Health Organization, Sudan accounted for 82 percent of global deaths linked to attacks on healthcare in 2025, with over 2,000 people killed and 720 injured in more than 200 such incidents since April 2023.

Recent strikes include an April 2 attack on Al Jabalain Hospital, reportedly by the RSF, which killed 10 people, including seven medical staff, and a March 20 assault on El Daein Hospital in East Darfur, reportedly by the SAF, which left 70 dead, among them 15 children.

Sudanese authorities continue to make it difficult for MSF and other humanitarian groups to provide care, said MSFs head of mission in Sudan, Amande Bazerolle. Being blocked from intervening leaves us unable to prevent avoidable suffering and death despite being ready and willing to help.

MSF also reported an escalation in drone attacks by both warring factions, increasingly targeting civilian areas beyond active frontlines. Since February, around 400 people injured in such strikes have been treated in Darfur and eastern Chad. The United Nations estimates that more than 500 civilians were killed between January 1 and March 15. The scale of violence and atrocity we witness is unbearable, said Muriel Boursier. MSF attributed the worsening crisis to what it described as a broader political failure, noting that nearly 14 million people have been displaced since April 2023, many of them multiple times.
Chris Eubank Jr became a father to twin boys in a Dubai war zone.

Chris Eubank Jr became a father to twins with war raging in the Middle East

The 36-year-old boxer revealed last week that his partner had given birth to twins and has now explained how the twins  named Axl and Kade  arrived just a day before the United States and Israel attacked Iran in February, sparking conflict in the Middle East.

Eubank Jr wrote on Instagram: "Say Hello to the Eubank Twins. Axl and Kade. They were born in Dubai on Feb 27 and the next day we were attacked! It's an indescribable feeling hearing explosions outside, while you're in hospital with your newborns.

"These boys were literally born into war... I know they will grow to be strong, resilient and brave just like the people of the UAE."

Eubank Jr had hailed fatherhood as "the greatest" achievement of his life as he announced the birth of the twins last month.

He captioned his post on social media: "I've done a lot of great things in my life... This is the greatest."

Eubank Jr had revealed that he was going to become a father in the lead-up to his rematch loss to Conor Benn last November but explained that he has no intention of disclosing the identity of his partner.

The British fighter  the son of legendary former two-weight world champion Chris Eubank  told The Independent: "My private life should remain private, that's how I have always seen it. What people don't know and what people don't see, they cannot target, they cannot ruin, they cannot try to interfere with.

"There's no benefit, in my opinion, to exposing private relationships to the world. What benefits are there? If you go out and look at all these high-profile relationships, how many of them last?

"Cheating, scandal, divorce, whatever it is  social media does nothing but ruin relationships."

Eubank Jr continued: "I saw that from very early on, I experienced it with my mother and father. Their split was very public, and it was hard to watch, and it was embarrassing.

"Everybody knew that my parents were getting divorced, and I knew from that age that, whatever relationship I got into, I wasn't going to make it public. It's unnecessary."
A new cross-border citizens movement, the Alliance of Democrats of the Sahel, was launched on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, bringing together Civil society actors, political figures and activists from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

Formed from abroad, the coalition aims to counter the influence of the military juntas governing the three countries under the Alliance of Sahel States.

The ADS, which currently claims about 30 members, is advocating an end to what it describes as the militarization of the state and is positioning itself as a platform to advance inclusive solutions to the regions prolonged political and security crisis.

Its emergence follows the creation of the Coalition of Forces for the Republic, a Malian-led initiative spearheaded by influential imam Mahmoud Dicko.

While the CFR focuses primarily on domestic opposition within Mali, the ADS says it is designed to complement such efforts by expanding coordination across the wider Sahel region.

Speaking to RFI, the groups Secretary General Malick Konate underscored the coalitions regional scope. The CFR is solely Malian, composed only of Malian actors, and its actions concern only Mali and not the other two countries, he said. Our alliance brings together all three countries so that is the difference.

Konate emphasized that the coalition seeks to build what he described as a synergy of action across national borders. Those who fight within their own countries will continue that struggle.

But for us, it is about achieving a synergy of action across the Sahel, he stated. We need to move towards coordination between our three countries to make our voices heard, at the very least, for the return to constitutional order.

The formation of the ADS comes amid deepening political uncertainty in the Sahel, where military-led governments have tightened their grip on power, raising concerns among pro-democracy groups about governance, civil liberties and the regions long-term stability.
The Gambia has appointed British barrister Martin Hackett as its first special prosecutor to pursue cases linked to human rights abuses committed during the 22-year rule of former President Yahya Jammeh.

The appointment, announced on Wednesday, marks a significant milestone in the countrys long-running efforts to secure justice for victims of a regime widely accused of repression, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

Jammehs rule ended in 2017 when he went into exile following a shock electoral defeat nearly a decade ago. Hackett will head a newly established prosecutorial office mandated to handle cases arising from that period. His role is expected to build on the work of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, which was tasked with documenting abuses and recommending accountability measures.

In its final report submitted in 2021 to President Adama Barrow, the commission identified key perpetrators and called for their prosecution, alongside reparations for victims. It warned that failure to act decisively could entrench a culture of impunity. While phased compensation payments have begunparticularly for victims affected in the aftermath of the 1994 coup that brought Jammeh to powermany survivors continue to prioritize justice over financial redress.

Among the most high-profile cases cited by the commission are the 2004 killing of journalist Deyda Hydara and the execution of more than 50 West African migrants accused of plotting a coup. Some perpetrators have already faced justice abroad under the principle of universal jurisdiction, including members of the feared paramilitary unit known as the Junglers, with convictions secured in courts in Germany and the United States.

Hackett brings extensive international legal experience, having served at the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon and contributed to investigations into war crimes during the Kosovo conflict. His appointment is widely viewed as a decisive step towards strengthening domestic accountability mechanisms. Attorney General Dawda Jallow indicated that Hackett has been given a four-year mandate, following a competitive selection process.

Jammeh, now aged 60, has consistently denied wrongdoing and is believed to be living in exile in Equatorial Guinea. His departure from power came after regional leaders intervened and deployed troops to enforce the outcome of the December 2016 election, which he initially refused to concede.
Musalia Mudavadi on Wednesday, April 8 formally protested to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres over a recent UN report, accusing it of misrepresenting findings linked to sexual abuse allegations involving Kenyan personnel deployed in Haiti.

Mudavadi stated that Kenya had conducted thorough and impartial investigations into the claims, with findings shared among key stakeholders, including UN human rights bodies and Haitian authorities.

Investigations conducted were impartial and shared with all relevant stakeholders, including UN human rights offices and Haitian authorities, he said.

He stressed that Kenyas handling of the matter reflects its adherence to accountability and due process. These actions reaffirm Kenyas commitment to accountability and due process, he added.

The allegations referenced by the UN stem from a report dated February 16, 2026, which was made public in early April, detailing claims of sexual abuse involving Kenyan personnel participating in the Haiti mission. Defending the conduct of officers under the Multinational Security Support Mission, Mudavadi maintained that no evidence of wrongdoing had been established.

Throughout its deployment, the MSS strictly adhered to all operational frameworks, including the Concept of Operations and the Status of Forces Agreement. Notably, no reports have identified any misconduct, he said.

He reaffirmed Kenyas commitment to stabilization efforts in Haiti, even as the mission transitions into a new structure under broader international oversight. Mudavadi also called on global partners to sustain support for the crisis-hit nation. Kenya continues to believe that the international community has a responsibility to support Haiti in achieving lasting peace and security, he noted.

Kenya deployed approximately 1,000 police officers to Haiti in 2024 under the UN-backed initiative, assuming a leading role in efforts to restore order amid escalating gang violence. Authorities in Nairobi say the deployment has contributed to securing critical infrastructure and reinforcing local security forces, despite ongoing international scrutiny regarding the missions conduct and effectiveness.

Meanwhile, foreign troops under a restructured UN-backed force are now being deployed, following the authorization of the Gang Suppression Force last September to replace the Kenyan-led mission. Haiti has experienced a surge in gang-related violence in recent years, particularly after the 2021 assassination of Jovenel Moise, a development that has further destabilised the countrys security landscape.
A delegation of frustrated parents of students from City International School in Oshiwara met School Education Minister Dada Bhuse on Tuesday, seeking urgent intervention after the school abruptly shut, leaving nearly 600 families scrambling for answers and alternatives at a critical point in the academic year. Parents demanded accountability, alleging the management misled them until the very end and collected full fees despite knowing the closure was imminent.



Acting on the complaint, Bhuse has directed the deputy director of school education to issue a notice to the school and convene a meeting between the management and parents.



The minister has asked us to issue a notice and ensure all students get admissions. We will also try to arrange a meeting between the school management and parents soon. We are working on the issue, Deputy Director of School Education Rajesh Kankal told Mumbai Mirror. On concerns over higher fees in new schools, Kankal said, We cannot direct schools to reduce fees, as that decision rests with the institution. Our role is to ensure students secure admission. This responsibility lies with both the management of City International School and us.



However, parents say assurances of admissions are not enough.



For students in Classes 8, 9 and 10, the disruption is severe, with fears that a board change could derail academic continuity in crucial years. This is not just a transfer; its a complete disruption of their academic track, said a parent.



Switching schools mid-year is disruptive, but a possible board change at this stage can affect preparation, performance and cause long-term setbacks, another parent said.



Parents also flagged the financial burden. Before informing us about the shutdown, they ensured we cleared all dues. Now, the schools we are approaching are two to three times more expensive. They cite a financial crisis, but its clear they knew this was coming and chose not to tell us. This is cheating. How will the education department act against this? a parent asked. Concerns are most acute for those entering board years. Younger children may cope, but what about those in Classes 8 and 9, and those entering Class 10? This is their board year. Changing schools now, adjusting to a new system, possibly a new boardits chaos. Nearby ICSE schools have far higher fees, and switching boards at this stage is not feasible, another parent said.



Anger is also directed at the lack of punitive action. The school has walked away, leaving parents and students to deal with the mess. Soon they will hand over results, marksheets and leaving certificates and disappear. We want accountability, not just assurances, a parent said. With admission deadlines approaching and no clear roadmap yet, families say they are being forced into rushed decisions between unaffordable schools, uncertain seats and the risk of losing an academic year.



We are doing whatever can be done. The school has to ensure students get admissions. If any student is unable to secure admission, they can approach us, Kankal added.




George Clooney has urged the White House to stop "infantile name-calling" in the face of more serious matters.

George Clooney has responded to the White House

The 64-year-old star has responded after the White House criticised his acting abilities following a talk where he accused US President Donald Trump of war crimes.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Clooney wrote: Families are losing their loved ones. Children have been incinerated. The worlds economy is on a knifes edge.

This is a time for vigorous debate at the highest levels. Not for infantile name-calling.

"Ill start. A war crime is alleged when there is intent to physically destroy a nation, as defined by the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute.

"What is the administrations defense? [besides calling me a failed actor which I happily agree with having starred in Batman and Robin?].

Earlier this week, Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday (07.04.26) that a "whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" if Iran didn't agree to terms for a ceasefire.

It's since been reported that a conditional two-week ceasefire was reached.

On Wednesday (08.04.26), Clooney spoke to 3,000 high school students at a Clooney Foundation For Justice event in Cuneo, Italy, and addressed the moments.

He said: "Some say Donald Trump is fine. But if anyone says he wants to end a civilisation, thats a war crime...

"You can still support the conservative point of view, but there must be a line of decency, and we must not cross it.

His comments drew the ire of Trump's White House, and communications director Steven Cheung fired back at the Jay Kelly actor.

He wrote on X: "The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability.

It's not the first time Clooney and Trump have been at odds, as the US President previously mocked him and his wife Amal for obtaining French citizenship.

Back in January, he wrote: "Good News! George and Amal Clooney, two of the worst political prognosticators of all time, have officially become citizens of France which is, sadly, in the midst of a major crime problem because of their absolutely horrendous handling of immigration, much like we had under Sleepy Joe Biden."

He also branded Clooney "average", adding: "Clooney got more publicity for politics than he did for his very few, and totally mediocre, movies.

"He wasn't a movie star at all, he was just an average guy who complained, constantly, about common sense in politics. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

In response, Clooney told The Hollywood Reporter: "I totally agree with the current president. We have to make America great again. Well start in November.
For the first time in a month, Mohit Gharwal could sleep peacefully. The missiles that had been pounding Irans Khorramshahr Port had finally stopped falling and an eerie calm prevailed in the hours after US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire.



Though his fear had abated, the sense of uncertainty hadnt  after all Gharwal was nowhere close to figuring out when he would get back home to India. We have not received any concrete help from the Indian government  only advisories on how to behave if a missile attack takes place. We are still living in uncertainty, the sailor told Mumbai Mirror over a call.



Gharwal is among thousands of seafarers stuck at different Iranian ports since the war began on February 28 and a Mirror report on Tuesday highlighted how they had been left without any help  diplomatic or strategic  in their quest to return to India.



Stuck without a way out



We were already terrified. Even before Trumps statement, missiles and bombs were landing 400500 metres from our ship. We didnt know what to do or where to go. We were in a constant state of panic, he said. Today is the first day in last one month that we have not seen any attack near the port. It is a huge relief.



Despite the temporary calm, the psychological toll remains severe.



There are many Indians stuck here. For the last month, we have not slept peacefully. Every time we went to bed or sat down to eat, we would see and hear explosions near the port gate, just a few hundred metres away. Our families were equally scared because there was no proper network. We couldnt even communicate with them, Gharwal added.



In no state to eat or sleep



Another seafarer on the same vessel, Pramod Waghe, described the situation as complete chaos over the past year.



You have no idea where to go for help, Waghe said. Local officials are busy handling the war and port operations  they cannot assist us. The only thing we had was enough food, though some vessels are now running short. Many times, we had to leave our meals halfway and run because of sudden attacks. None of us could sleep due to continuous missile strikes and bombings near the port. Today is the first day we have not seen any attack. It feels unreal.



However, even as a temporary ceasefire is being reported, seafarers say the fear has not subsided.



Even after the ceasefire, some attacks have been reported locally. There is still panic and uncertainty among Indian seafarers, said Manoj Yadav, General Secretary of the Forward Seamens Union of India.



Letter to PM for help



Yadav has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging immediate intervention for evacuation. In his letter, he highlighted the worsening humanitarian situation faced by Indian seafarers stranded across Iranian ports.



We have consistently raised concerns about their safe evacuation and repatriation, along with shortages affecting their daily sustenance, including food and water. As the conflict enters its sixth week, global attention is on the Strait of Hormuz, with many adopting a wait-and-watch approach, the letter states.



He further warned of broader implications, citing global economic concerns. This has serious implications for India, especially with thousands of Indian seafarers stranded at ports like Bandar Abbas, Sirri Island, Lavan Island and Khorramshahr, Yadav said.



Hundreds of ships stuck with Indian sailors



According to the union, hundreds of vessels with Indian crew members remain anchored in Iranian waters, with seafarers continuing to witness bombings by Israeli and US forces near their ships. Tragically, we have lost three seafarers, with one still missing, Yadav claimed.



Referring again to Trumps recent warning, he added, Such statements have only heightened anxiety among those stranded.



Yadav stressed that the reported two-week ceasefire presents a crucial window for evacuation.



Hundreds of vessels manned by Indian seafarers are currently moored at Iranian ports. These individuals are enduring extreme hardship and uncertainty, desperately seeking a way back home. If there is even a temporary ceasefire, it must be used to ensure their safe repatriation. They are innocent bystanders caught in a war zone, the letter reads.




Working quietly out of a Rs 13,000-a-month room in Andheri, Mohd Arif Mohd Ilyas Sheikh was churning out kilos of mephedrone (MD) worth Rs 2530 crore every month for the past year. When the police finally nabbed him, Sheikh turned out to be a convicted drug trafficker who had jumped parole in Gujarat to set up the narco unit in Mumbai. But now, his Breaking Bad days are finally over.



Sheikh, 44, had been serving a 10-year sentence in two MD cases at Surats Lajpore jail before fleeing after being released on parole in 2023. He relocated to Mumbai, where investigators say he quietly rebuilt his network.



Nearly a year ago, he rented a small room in Parsiwadas Bhaskar Chawl on Sahar Road, Andheri, and converted it into a makeshift drug manufacturing unit. Despite the limited space, police suspect the operation was highly organised and scaled for large output.



The racket came to light on February 27 when a Khar police team intercepted Arif near Chitrakar Dhurandhar Road and recovered 15.44 grams of MD worth Rs 2.31 lakh. Subsequent raids led to the busting of the alleged lab and the arrest of two more accused, including his wife.



Makeshift lab with massive output



Arif was living with his wife, Nasreen, in Golibar Nagar, Santacruz East. Police said he maintained a low profile while running the manufacturing unit from Andheri.



Prima facie, the accused was producing MD worth Rs 25 to Rs 30 crore per month. The setup may have looked small, but the output indicates a highly organised operation, an officer said.



Arrests and recovery



During interrogation, Arif allegedly confessed to his past conviction and to fleeing after parole. Police also found that he was wanted in multiple drug-related cases registered by the Mira Road and Thane crime branches.



Acting on his disclosures, police raided the Andheri premises and uncovered a makeshift MD manufacturing lab. Equipment and raw materials used in drug production, including magnesium sulphate and liquid compounds, were seized.



Investigators said that shortly before Arifs arrest, his associate Rizwan Ahmed Liaquat Ali (41) had allegedly cleared the Sahar Road room in an attempt to destroy evidence. He was tracked to Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh and arrested on April 4.



Financial trail and wider network



The probe also revealed a financial trail linked to the racket. Arifs wife, Nasreen Arif Sheikh (39), allegedly handled the accounts and routed proceeds through her bank account. Police have frozen Rs 26 lakh suspected to be earnings from the illegal trade. She was arrested on April 8.



Investigators said Arif has at least 15 criminal cases against him, mostly related to narcotics trafficking and violent offences. Despite his past, he allegedly rebuilt a network and resumed operations on a large scale.



Police sources added that Arif owns two properties in Golibar Nagar and Jogeshwari, but avoided using them for illegal activities.



So far, three accused  Arif, Rizwan and Nasreen  have been arrested. Further investigation is underway to identify additional members of the network and trace the supply chain.




Ambernath-based entrepreneur Vishwanath Ramchandra Panvelkar has alleged threats to his life, claiming that a contract to kill him was routed through underworld figure Ejaz Lakdawala.



My family continues to live in fear after the attack on me in October last year. Even now, I am being followed by unidentified persons on bikes, but no action has been taken against those I have named, Panvelkar said.



He has accused BJPs Murbad MLA Kisan Kathore of targeting him over a land dispute. Panvelkar claimed his problems began nearly three years ago when he refused to allow the MLA to allegedly occupy his land  Plot No 44/1 near Badlapur station  through associates.



Since then, he alleged, he has faced harassment in the form of repeated complaints, inquiries, and criminal cases. Government departments such as revenue, police and forest are being used to initiate complaints against me, forcing constant responses with documents and explanations, which has severely affected my business operations, he said.



Panvelkar said he was summoned by Badlapur West Police on January 1, 2025, in connection with a complaint filed on October 7, 2024, before the Thane Police Commissionerate. The complaint alleged that calls were made to arrange a contract killing linked to a land dispute. Police said the probe is ongoing and his statement has been recorded.



Panvelkar also cited documents obtained through an RTI application, including a letter attributed to one of the MLAs staffers, Dinesh Deshmukh. The letter refers to an unnamed individual who claimed to have worked for several years with the MLA and alleged knowledge of illegal activities, including discussions related to a contract killing.



According to the letter, the individual alleged that conversations regarding a supari took place through his mobile phone with Lakdawala, who is currently lodged in Taloja Jail, and that he also met him at the sessions court in Mumbai. He claimed that multiple calls were made in connection with the alleged plot and that he possesses recorded evidence stored at different locations.



The letter further alleged that individuals from Murbad and Kalyan were present during meetings and were being prepared to execute the contract. It also claimed the involvement of influential persons and referred to alleged links with criminal elements.



Deshmukh, who is said to have shared the letter, has reportedly been untraceable along with his family after leaving Ambernath. There has been no official confirmation regarding his whereabouts.



Panvelkar alleged that despite prior complaints, no action was taken. He claimed the situation escalated on April 21, 2025, when unidentified persons allegedly opened fire outside his Ambernath residence while he was in Mumbai for a high court matter. At the time, his family members were present at home. No injuries were reported, but the incident left them shaken, he said.



His lawyer, Amit Karva, said the investigation into the firing has seen limited progress. While an inquiry has been initiated, the main conspirators and source of funding have not yet been established. There has also been no clarity on the alleged contract killing angle, he said.



Panvelkar alleged that despite raising concerns in advance, he was not provided police protection. Even after the firing incident, I had to arrange private security at my own expense, he said.



He further claimed that he was recently followed near his farmhouse by unidentified bike riders without number plates.



If not for the alertness of my security guard, the situation could have escalated, he said.



Kathore denied any association with Deshmukh, saying he had never employed him in the past three decades and was unaware of his identity or the claims he was making. He added that the matter should be investigated by the police.



The MLA alleged that Panvelkar was a cheat who had taken control of several lands belonging to Adivasi communities.



A police officer said, The letter submitted by Dinesh Deshmukh lacked supporting evidence, which we did not receive. Mere allegations are not sufficient. After conducting a preliminary inquiry, we have filed a closure report on the complaint.




During the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump privately told donors about one of his favourite negotiating tactics, recounting at a New York fundraiser in May how he would deter Chinese or Russian aggression by threatening to bomb Beijing or Moscow.



He thought I was crazy, Trump said of Chinese leader Xi Jinpings response. He didnt believe me, except for 10 per cent. And 10 per cent is all you need.



Trumps madman tactic



The story, which has not been confirmed by Russian or Chinese officials, speaks to how Trump has approached foreign adversaries: using unpredictability and the threat of catastrophic escalation to gain leverage. In a twist on Richard M. Nixons madman theory, Trump has made shocking threats he believes adversaries cannot afford to dismiss; as president, he threatened to pull out of NATO in 2018, raise tariffs in 2025, and take over Greenland earlier this year.



Trump put the tactic to the riskiest test yet with Tuesdays ultimatum that a whole civilisation will die tonight, which yielded a two-week ceasefire in Iran and an assurance that the countrys leaders would let oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Supporters said the outcome demonstrated that Trumps method worked.



President Trump is doing what he does, Andrew Kolvet, host of The Charlie Kirk Show, said on the air Tuesday, before Trump announced the suspension of strikes on Iran. This is why he is the elected president. I think hes lucid and in control.



The White House portrayed the truce as a step toward definitively ending the war within six weeks, not just a third extension of Trumps demand to release the estimated one-fifth of the worlds energy supplies that transit the narrow waterway out of the Persian Gulf.



From the very beginning of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump estimated this would be a 4-6 week operation, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday night. ... The success of our military created maximum leverage, allowing President Trump and the team to engage in tough negotiations that have now created an opening for a diplomatic solution and long-term peace.



Leavitt said officials would make more details available on Wednesday morning. Irans government also portrayed the deal as a victory and is demanding a role in supervising passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which it did not have before the war.



In a brief statement issued early Wednesday local time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he supported Trumps decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region. However, Netanyahu said the ceasefire did not include Lebanon.



Threat sparks outrage, alarm



Trumps threat to wipe out a whole civilisation raised the possibility that he would go even beyond his earlier warning to attack civilian infrastructure, which violates the laws of war. His post set off nuclear panic and drew condemnation across the political spectrum, and fuelled open debate about his credibility, morality and sanity.



The Presidents threat that a whole civilisation will die tonight cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said in a statement on Tuesday. This type of rhetoric is an affront to the ideals our nation has sought to uphold and promote around the world for nearly 250 years. It undermines our long-standing role as a global beacon of freedom and directly endangers Americans both abroad and at home.



The White House on Tuesday took the extraordinary step of specifying that the administration was not considering using nuclear weapons after Vice President JD Vance, speaking in Hungary, discussed tools in our tool kit that we so far havent decided to use.



Former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) called Trumps threat evil and madness. Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host who maintains a large following online, accused Trump of desecrating Sundays Easter holiday with a profane social media post and of being willing to commit a moral crime.



The pope weighed in, too. This is truly unacceptable, Leo XIV, born in Chicago as Robert Prevost, told reporters on Tuesday.



Questions over gains and costs



US officials argued that they have achieved their military objectives, one of which was ensuring Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon. The country maintains its supply of enriched uranium and has not agreed to surrender it. They also said it was a victory to open the Strait of Hormuz, which was open before the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. The White House no longer discusses Trumps earlier demands for unconditional surrender and overthrowing the Iranian government.



There is no military solution to the conflict right now, Joe Kent, Trumps counterterrorism adviser who resigned last month in protest of the war, said in an online video after the presidents announcement Tuesday night. Every action that weve taken militarily has only strengthened the regime, and its done a lot to destabilise the entire region.



The war has killed 13 American service members, dozens of Israelis and thousands of Iranian civilians. It has also depleted US weapons stockpiles, spiked gas prices, alienated European allies and lowered Trumps approval ratings. Trump campaigned as a peace candidate, promising to end fighting in Gaza and Ukraine while keeping the US out of open-ended commitments in the Middle East like the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. On Monday, Trump repeated his desire to receive a Nobel Peace Prize, in the same briefing that he said he would bomb Iran into the Stone Ages.



In addition to criticism from supporters who said they voted against new wars, Trump also faced backlash from war hawks who suspect Iran of playing Trump for time.



This offer from the Muslim country of Pakistan is another worthless, dangerous delaying tactic that Iran is famous for, Morton Klein, the president of the Zionist Organisation of America and a Trump supporter, said on Tuesday. The US dare not delay any further.




Nelson Mandela famously said: It always seems impossible, until it is done. In a city where real-estate rules, even the notion that labouring people can legally acquire land, budget their own resources, and collectively undertake a self-development project seems impossible. Yet, the Nagari Nivara low-income housing project was built. The people who made it happen may even be oblivious of their own achievement: They created one of the worlds most remarkable examples of social housing.



The story began in the late 1960s. Socialist councillor Mrinal Gore (endearingly called Paaniwali Bai due to her efforts in installing water connections for the poor in Goregaon) and Baburao Samant had helped rehabilitate 180 slum families in formal housing. A decade later, the children of those households, who now had families of their own, approached the duo to help them secure formal housing. Gore (by then an MP) and Samant were sceptical, but the youth were determined.



In 1976, the Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) Act was passed. The government could acquire surplus vacant land for public housing. Predictably, landowners had challenged the law, but the SC upheld it in 1980. An idea began to emerge: What if we demand land acquired under the ULC for the people to build their own homes? Gore and Samant knew that this cannot be done by a small group of 180 families.



In November 1981, more than 640 low-income families came together to form the Nagari Nivara Parishad (NNP). People could pay Rs 5 to join, and sure enough, membership of NNP quickly grew to become 5,200 strong. The campaign carried out many demonstrations and rallies, demanding that 3,000 hectares of surplus ULC land be made available for housing the poor. In the words of the narrator of a film on the NNP: If a fistful of salt can win us Independence, why cant we have a fistful of soil for our homes?



In October 1983, NNP members presented then chief minister Vasantrao Patil with their demands, and a cheque of Rs 55 lakh. The CM was sympathetic, and the government soon identified a ULC plot in Dindoshi for the project. In 1985, the scheme was formally approved, and NNP members pooled their contributions to purchase the land.



However, in 1986, chief minister Shankar Rao Chavan reversed the decision and refused to hand over the plot. Undeterred by the setback, the NNP resumed protests and demonstrations, culminating in an indefinite fast led by Mrinal Gore in February 1987.



Five days into the fast, Janata Party leader George Fernandes arrived in Bombay, threatening industrial action if the demands were not met. Even president Zail Singh intervened on behalf of the protesters. The CM had to give in, and he agreed to allot 26 hectares of land in Dindoshi. Nevertheless, it took another five years for the NNP to finally get possession. In 1992, after a successful 11-year long struggle to get their fistful of soil, the NNP began the ambitious process of building homes.



A team of professionals was assembled. JB DSouza was appointed as an honorary administrator, and Shirish Patels firm agreed to be the project management and structural consultant. Innovative construction techniques were used  some entirely new to the city  that helped reduce construction cost and increase speed. Architect Neera Adarkar designed walk-up buildings, with generous provision of land for playgrounds, educational and health amenities and cultural centres. There was a small sale component, enough to cross-subsidise the units below construction cost.



Even the contractor for the project was selected by following a unique method: Eight bidders were evaluated by ranking them on factors like capacity and reliability. Their financial bids were then multiplied by these factors. Although Billimoria had submitted the highest initial bid, he emerged as the lowest bidder after adjustment. The method eventually paid off when financial difficulties arose, since Billimoria had the capacity to complete the project at his own cost and recover it later through sales.



The project encountered numerous obstacles during construction. The NNP leadership had resolved to execute the scheme without paying bribes. This obviously made things difficult; files moved slower, approvals took longer. The BMC failed to provide site infrastructure like roads, water supply and sewerage. Consequently, the NNP had to construct municipal infrastructure at their own cost. Despite monumental challenges, the project was completed and occupied in phases between 1999-2006  with 5,088 two room and 1,064 1-BHK apartments.



The project is unique in many respects: It put up a large housing project without grease money, it demonstrated innovative management and low-cost construction techniques, it remained a community driven effort from inception to execution, and it represented the best results of planning and perceptive low-income housing design.



A project like this may have seemed unlikely in 1981 and may seem unthinkable today. However, the very fact of its existence demonstrates an alternative to the current builder-led development approach. The NNP also shows, most crucially, that ordinary people, when organised and determined, can pull the colossus of development in the direction of equality and justice.



Hussain Indorewala is a teacher and urban researcher at KRVIA.



Views are personal.




Jamestown, CA  A solo vehicle crash involving a power pole on Jacksonville Road resulted in the driver having to be freed from the wreckage.

The collision occurred on Monday (4/6/2026) at around 5:50 p.m., south of Klein Road. The CHP reports that 61-year-old Dean Avilla, from Angels Camp, was driving his 2011 Chevrolet pickup northbound on Jacksonville Road at an unknown speed. CHP spokesperson Officer Joshua McKernan detailed, For unknown reasons, Avilla unsafely turned from the roadway and crashed the truck into a utility pole near a tree.

The pole came crashing down on top of the truck, pinning Avilla inside. Assisting in the call were CAL Fire/Tuolumne County Fire Department and Chicken Ranch Fire crews, who, once on scene, safely extricated Avilla from the truck. He was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, and the pickups airbags deployed, according to Machado. Avilla was the sole occupant in the truck and suffered minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital. Machado added, Drugs and/or alcohol use is not suspected.
Tuolumne, CA  Republican Congressman Tom McClintock met with around 60 business leaders in Tuolumne on Wednesday afternoon at the Black Oak Casino Resort.

It was jointly put on by the Tuolumne County Business Council and the Tuolumne Me-Wuk Tribal Council. Members of other groups were also invited, including the Tuolumne County Association of Realtors, Farm Bureau, Sonora Chamber of Commerce, and the Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce.

Afterward, McClintock stated, It was a chance to meet with a lot of the business owners in the local community and exchange ideas and views on all things related to the economy here. I was very gratified to hear that the tax cuts that we enacted last year are now being felt as people are filling-out their taxes. They have a little more room in their budgets now. They are expecting a few more customers in their shops as a result.

Asked further about the state of the local economy in his district, overall, he responded, You cant spin the economy. Everyone knows in their own lives exactly how it is doing, and obviously, people are still struggling. But, I think were now on the cusp of having those tax cuts make a big difference in peoples lives. So, I expect over the next few months, people will be feeling a great sense of relief.

He also acknowledged that the recent spike in oil prices is being felt due to the conflict in Iran.

He stated, I think that this crisis will be behind us within, hopefully, the next few weeks. The Strait of Hormuz will be reopened. And then, economists are predicting prices in the range of 40-60 dollars a barrel, about half of what they were at the peak of this crisis.

While in Sonora, McClintock also recorded a Mother Lode Views show that will air this coming weekend. He will share many more of his opinions about the war in Iran, natural resource legislation, the national deficit, healthcare-related concerns, the state of social security, potential artificial intelligence regulations, and legislation he has authored called the Shutdown Sanctuary Polices Act.
Zainab Haider was making the drive home after work with her two young children Tuesday as she contemplated what might come from the deadline President Donald Trump had set for Iran to concede to U.S. demands. Would her relatives in Iran be safe or would they be wiped off the map?

Her emotions were heavy, ranging from anxiety and fear to even loneliness as others seemed to be going about their lives as normal despite what could have been pending doom. Ultimately, Trump did not make good on his threat that a whole civilization will die tonight, instead agreeing to a two-week ceasefire in the war.

It was another moment of whiplash for Haider and the hundreds of thousands of Iranians living in the U.S. who have been thrust into a seemingly constant state of uncertainty over the future of Iran and their relatives and friends who still live there.

For many, the tenor of the latest discourse around the conflict has consumed their thoughts, often preventing them from getting work done or focusing on anything else. Some are protesting the war, while others guard their opinions about what is happening in their homeland, anxiously watching and wondering what the future might hold.

Haider was among those protesting Wednesday in Austin, Texas, calling for an end to the war. Gatherings also were held in New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities.

Aside from speaking out against the war, Haider thinks that mobilizing will create the kind of pressure that makes it harder for Trump to swing back to this aggressive posturing.

Its a huge country, she said of Iran. Trump is not going to ever be able to defeat it or wipe it out, but it is possible to do damage. It is possible to do something that affects millions of people, millions of lives.

Worries for family members back home

Haider, a municipal planner and an organizer with the Austin for Palestine Coalition, said hearing Trump offer such an ultimatum was frightening.

She does not support regime change, saying that was something for the Iranian people to settle, not the United States. Still, she wanted to speak out even though she came to the U.S. by way of Pakistan with her parents when she was young. She has memories of the neighborhood bakeries and the juice shops she used to visit with her mother and their neighbors.

Iranian-American Sheila Amir said that Trumps social media posts made her fearful on multiple levels.

Her first concern was for her Iranian relatives. She has not been able to confirm that theyre OK in the past week amid an internet blackout that has blanketed the country.

But the North Carolina-based writer said she also was concerned that an escalation in the war could put her U.S. relatives who are in the military at risk. Their duty, she said, is to serve and protect the United States of America, not to destroy the people of Iran.

Complex feelings for those who support the war

Even those who are supportive of U.S. attacks that directly weaken the Iranian government are struggling to reckon with the most recent threats against civilians.

In recent weeks, Roya Rastegar has had many difficult conversations with her family about the conflict. Rastegar and her wife are both Iranian-American. Rastegar said people in her family have been killed by the Iranian government in the decades since the Islamic Republic took power, and the majority of her wifes family is still in the country.

Rastegar, a filmmaker and cofounder of a pro-democracy nonprofit called the Iranian Diaspora Collective, said the frequent reversals have made it more difficult to explain the conflict to their children.

Its very hard to hold on to the idea that we do not know whats going to happen, she said.

Rastegar said that the war has presented an impossible moral dilemma. She is deeply concerned that intensified attacks on Iran could cause even more harm to civilians. But she also believes that de-escalating the war without dismantling the Islamic Republic will pose the greatest risk to Iranians inside the country, who would continue to face severe and deadly repression.

Its really nauseating to just think about my people as being stuck between a regime thats still killing them and an administration  the U.S.  that is issuing these kinds of threats, Rastegar said.

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN and SAFIYAH RIDDLE

Associated Press
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)  Argentinas Congress on Thursday approved a bill promoted by libertarian President Javier Milei that eases protections on glaciers to facilitate investments in mining for metals  a move that environmental groups vow to challenge in courts.

The legislation, approved by the Senate in February, was passed with 137 votes in favor, 111 against and three abstentions.

According to mining sector estimates, the new regulatory framework could unlock over $30 billion in investments over the next decade. Approximately 70% of those funds are slated for new copper, gold and silver projects.

Milei is expected to sign the legislation in the coming days.

On his X account, Milei shared a statement from his party hailing the new framework as a significant improvement that will help strike a balance between environmental protection and economic development, moving away from an approach that tended to stifle investment, job creation and growth.

Environmental advocates are shifting to legal action to prevent the law from taking effect.

Groups including Greenpeace and the Environment and Natural Resources Foundation are organizing a public class-action lawsuit describing the bills passage as a flawed process that dismissed public concerns over water safety.

If they refuse to listen in Congress, they will be forced to listen in the courts, the organizations said in a statement, urging citizens to join a lawsuit that argues the reform threatens water access and the fragile ecosystems surrounding glaciers.

Opposition lawmakers have labeled the legislation unconstitutional, contending that it rolls back essential environmental protections.

Mining Secretary Luis Lucero told a local radio station that the previous regulation featured absolute prohibitions without room for exceptions or environmental impact studies. He noted that the rigid rules and imprecise definitions of protected areas discouraged investment in large-scale mining projects, which typically require investments of up to $3 billion.

In 2010, Argentina passed a landmark law banning all mining activity on glaciers and within periglacial zones  areas of frozen ground that act as vital water regulators.

The most significant shift in the Milei administrations reform is a narrowing of these protections. Under the new framework, only glaciers and land forms with specific hydrological functions would be shielded, with each province responsible for making that determination.

Argentina is home to 16,968 glaciers distributed across the Andes Mountain Range and the South Atlantic Islands, covering a total surface area of 8,484 square kilometers (3,276 square miles).

Glaciology experts have warned that climate change is already causing glaciers to retreat at an accelerated pace. Scientists caution that weakening these protections could jeopardize water security in arid regions and deplete the reserves that sustain river flows.

___

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

By ALMUDENA CALATRAVA

Associated Press
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel told NBC News Meet the Press that he would not step down in his first interview with a U.S. network, a portion of which was broadcast Thursday.

In a nearly five-minute clip that is part of a longer interview scheduled to air on Sunday, journalist Kristen Welker asked Diaz-Canel if he would be willing to step down if it meant saving Cuba. 

Before answering, Diaz-Canel asked if she had ever posed that question to any other president in the world: Is that a question from you, or is that coming from the State Department of the U.S. government?

Diaz-Canel added: In Cuba, the people who are in leadership position are not elected by the U.S. government, and they dont have a mandate from the U.S. government. We have a free sovereign state.

He said he became president not out of a personal ambition or corporate ambition or even a party ambition, but because of a mandate by the people.

If the Cuban people understand that I am not fit for office, that I have no reason to be here, then I should not be holding this position of president, I will respond to them, he said.

The interview comes as tensions between Cuba and the U.S. remain high despite both sides acknowledging talks, although no details have been shared.

Diaz-Canel accused the U.S. government of implementing a hostile policy against Cuba and said it has no moral to demand anything from Cuba.

He said the U.S. should recognize how much the policies have cost the Cuban people and how much they have deprived the American people from a normal relationship with the Cuban people.

Diaz-Canel noted that Cuba is interested in engaging in dialogue and discussing any topic without conditions, not demanding changes from our political system as we are not demanding change from the American system, about which we have a number of doubts.

Cuba blames a U.S. energy blockade for its deepening woes, with a lack of petroleum affecting the islands health system, public transportation and the production of goods and services.

In late March, a Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels of crude oil arrived in Cuba, marking the islands first oil shipment in three months. Russia has promised to send a second tanker.

Despite threatening tariffs in early January on countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump allowed the tanker to proceed.

Cubas finished, Trump said at the time. They have a bad regime. They have very bad and corrupt leadership and whether or not they get a boat of oil, its not going to matter.

Cuba produces only 40% of the fuel it consumes, and it stopped receiving key oil shipments from Venezuela after the U.S. attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its then leader.
The Housemaid author Freida McFadden has revealed her true identity as a brain doctor.

Freida McFadden is the author behind The Housemaid

The prolific writer, whose hit novel was adapted into the big screen thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfied, has decided "it's time" to reveal her true identity.

Freida, whose real name is Sara Cohen, has told USA Today she is actually a doctor who treats brain disorders.

She explained: "I'm at a point in my career when I'm tired of this being a secret.

"I'm tired of people debating if I'm a real person or if I'm three men. I am a real person and I have a real identity and I don't have anything to hide."

She wanted to keep her other life under wraps until she had scaled back her day job, to avoid becoming a distraction.

She added: "My whole goal was to keep it a secret until I was [ready to] step back from my doctor job, so it wouldn't be like everyone I work with suddenly knew and it compromised my ability to do my job.

"But I have stepped away from my job. I'm only working like once or twice a month."

In 2023, she stopped working full time, as she reduced her commitments.

Although her colleagues discovered her secret, they kept quiet about her true identity, with some of them even turning out to be fans without realising the author was at the hospital with them.

Freida, who became "completely overwhelmed from trying to do both", is relieved to be "unmasked", although she wants the book world to keep using her pen name.

She said: "Even though I haven't told my real name until now, I feel like I have shared the real me all along and everything I've told them has been the truth.

"Even though the name will be a surprise, nothing else will. I've always been genuine with my readers."

Freida's sequel The Housemaid's Secret is also being adapted for the big screen, with production getting underway later this year,

Sydney will be back as Millie Calloway, while Kirsten Dunst is joining the cast.

With the movie coming late in 2027, Erin Westerman, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president, recently said in a statement: "It is a privilege to bring The Housemaids next chapter to the screen with Kirsten Dunst.

"She is an icon. Her career reflects extraordinary range and fearlessness. Opposite the ever-magnetic Sydney Sweeney, she will be an electrifying force in a world where nothing is ever quite as it seems."
OLKILUOTO, Finland (AP)  With the push of a button, the elevator descends hundreds of meters in seconds into the dark depths of Onkalo.

We are now at about minus 430 meters (1,411 feet), muttered geologist Tuomas Pere as he steered a car through a labyrinth of man-made tunnels. We are driving through 1.9-billion year old bedrock.

After decades of construction, the worlds first facility for permanently disposing spent nuclear fuel is set to begin operations in Finland, becoming a final resting place for tons of dangerous radioactive waste.

Construction of Onkalo  which means cave in Finnish  began on the west coast in 2004. It sits on the secluded island of Olkiluoto, in a dense wooded area. The closest town is Eurajoki, about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) inland, which is home to about 9,000 people. Many work at the nuclear power plant or storage facility.

The 1 billion euro ($1.2 billion) project could soon become operational, with authorities expected to grant a license within months.

The Associated Press took a tour of the facilities where humans soon will not be allowed to tread.

Isolated from civilization

Pere said the site  near three of Finlands five nuclear reactors  was chosen for its migmatite-gneiss bedrock, which is known for its high stability and low risk of earthquakes.

Its the isolation from civilization and mankind on the surface thats important, he said, standing in a darkened disposal tunnel, soon to be sealed from humanity. We can dispose of the waste more safely than by storing it in facilities located on the ground.

Using unmanned machinery at a nearby encapsulation plant, radioactive rods will be sealed in copper canisters and then buried deep in tunnels over 400 meters underground, then packed in with buffer layers of water-absorbing bentonite clay.

Posiva, the company responsible for the long-term management of Finlands spent nuclear fuels, says Onkalo can store 6,500 tons of spent nuclear fuel.

The final disposal canisters are designed to remain sealed long enough for the radioactivity of spent fuel to decrease to a level not harmful to the environment, it said.

The solution that we have, its the missing point for sustainable use of nuclear energy, said Posiva communications manager Pasi Tuohimaa.

Finnish nuclear power companies are paying for the project, he said, adding that they have saved money for decades for that purpose.

Posiva estimate it will take hundreds of thousands of years before the radioactivity falls to normal, background levels.

According to a 2022 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, almost 400,000 tons of spent fuel have been produced globally since the 1950s, with two-thirds remaining in temporary storage and one third being recycled in a complex process.

The worlds spent nuclear fuel is currently temporarily stored inside spent nuclear fuel pools at individual reactors and at dry cask storage sites above ground.

There is currently no permanent underground disposal facility for commercial nuclear waste operational anywhere in the world. Sweden began building a repository in Forsmark  about 150 kilometers north of Stockholm  last year, but its not expected to open until the late 2030s. Frances Cigeo project is yet to begin construction and has seen opposition.

The Onkalo facility is expected to operate until the 2120s, when it will be permanently sealed.

There are uncertainties

But Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, an American nonprofit organization, warned that geologic disposal of nuclear waste is still fraught with uncertainties.

My view of nuclear waste disposal is that theres no good option, but its important to find the least bad option, and geologic disposal in general is going to be the least bad option among a range of, you know, bad options, he said.

Lyman said that the copper canisters that contain the spent nuclear fuel will eventually corrode, adding that there are different scientific opinions about how fast that could happen.

The hope is that is such a slow process that most of the radioactive material will have decayed away by then. But again, there are uncertainties, he said.

Still, Lyman said that permanently storing spent nuclear fuel deep underground is better than leaving it on the surface of the Earth forever, because nuclear material kept above ground is vulnerable to sabotage.

For many decades after spent fuel is discharged from a reactor, its so radioactive that it makes transporting and reprocessing very difficult, Lyman said. But eventually the main radioactive component will decay, he added, making it less risky to handle.

So over time the plutonium becomes more accessible either to terrorists or to a country that may want to use it, he said, adding that the only way a terrorist  or a state  could theoretically use the material for a nuclear bomb would be if they had an off-site reprocessing capability.

During reprocessing, spent nuclear fuel is separated to recover uranium and plutonium to recycle it for use in new fuel. The process also carries proliferation risks because the separated plutonium could potentially be diverted to build a nuclear weapon.

Overall, the risks associated with nuclear waste repositories will mainly affect future generations, Lyman concluded.

To deal with this challenge, an interdisciplinary field of study called nuclear semiotics has been established that looks into developing warning signs about nuclear waste repositories that can be understood by humans 10,000 years from now  or much longer given that it takes hundreds of thousands of years before nuclear waste is no longer dangerous.

For reference: the first humans lived around 300,000 years ago. The earliest writing system was developed in Mesopotamia roughly 5,200 to 5,400 years ago. Stonehenge in Britain is around 5,000 years old, while the Giza pyramids in Egypt are approximately 4,500 years old.

Nuclear message

Austrian artist and inventor Martin Kunze has led an expert group on long-term information preservation at the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. He has developed a system that he calls the nuclear message  crucial information for future generations that is printed on a solid ceramic plate below a hard glazed surface.

Kunze said that the ceramic plates are inexpensive and very robust and should ideally be buried in large numbers in the area around the repository as well as inside the foundations of every house in the community. The goal should be to distribute as many ceramic plates in the area as possible.

Finnish officials say the Onkalo nuclear repository reflects the countrys long-term approach to nuclear energy policy.

A 1994 act required radioactive waste generated in Finland to be handled, stored and permanently disposed of within the countrys borders.

Back then some of the waste was still exported, but we wanted to take care of it ourselves, said Sari Multala, Finlands environment minister. We also stick to the decisions, unlike many other countries.

Multala did not rule out eventually accepting limited amounts of nuclear waste from other countries. In the small scale there could be some kind of possibilities, as long as it is allowed by the international regulators, she said.

___

Liechtenstein reported from Vienna.

___

The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/

By JAMES BROOKS and STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN

Associated Press
A Nairobi court has sentenced the owner of a building that collapsed in Huruma nearly a decade ago, claiming 52 lives, to seven years in prison without the option of a fine.

Delivering the judgment at the Milimani Law Courts, Senior Principal Magistrate Gilbert Shikwe ruled that Samuel Kamau Karanja bore criminal responsibility for the tragedy, pointing to negligence and a blatant disregard for safety regulations.

Karanja, who appeared in court virtually, faced conviction on 31 counts of manslaughter. The court handed down a seven-year term for the manslaughter charges, alongside five years for developing the property without approval and three years for the unlawful occupation of public land. Because the sentences will run concurrently, Karanja will serve a total of seven years behind death.

Magistrate Shikwe noted that while the defense offered mitigating factors, these details could only soften the length of the sentence rather than prevent a prison term entirely.

The mitigation provided can only help to lessen the custodial sentence but not to avoid it, the magistrate stated, concluding that the gravity of the case necessitated time behind bars.

The court established that Karanja illegally constructed the building on a riparian reserve directly on the riverbank, violating regulations that mandate a minimum six-meter setback. The structure also lacked critical approvals from key authorities, including the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA).

Magistrate Shikwe further noted that the owner ignored early warning signs of structural failure. Evidence presented during the trial showed that when cracks appeared in the building in 2016, the caretaker simply patched them with cement rather than seeking professional help or taking corrective action.

The deaths of the 52 victims were a direct result of actions marked by illegality, recklessness, and negligence, the court held.

Throughout the proceedings, Karanja denied owning the building and attempted to distance himself from the property. He insisted that he did not know the tenants and held no claim to the structure, claiming instead that he only owned land in a different area and had no connection to the fatal collapse.

The court relied on a web of circumstantial evidence from several witnesses to confirm Karanjas ownership. A surveyor testified that the structure occupied a riparian reserve, while a local assistant chief described a past confrontation where Karanja challenged his attempts to halt construction.

Additional testimony from a tenant revealed that Karanja frequently visited the building and held regular meetings with the caretaker. Furthermore, a Kenya Power officer informed the court that the buildings electricity connection originated from an application submitted in Karanjas name.

Magistrate Shikwe concluded that these combined testimonies pointed conclusively to Karanja as the owner. By establishing this link, the court finally held him accountable for one of the deadliest building collapses in Nairobis history.

The ruling closes a long legal battle over the Huruma disaster, bringing a measure of accountability nearly a decade after the tragedy that claimed dozens of lives.
The Iranian Embassy in Kenya has issued a sharp rebuttal to statements made by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir SingOei, claiming he ignored critical facts regarding the rising tensions in the Gulf. The diplomatic friction began after SingOei publicly detailed a conversation with UAE officials that focused on regional security threats.

On April 1, 2026, SingOei revealed he had spoken with Abdulla Balalaa, the UAEs Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability. During the call, Balalaa briefed the principal secretary on the fallout from attacks on critical infrastructure within Gulf Cooperation Council nations  actions that officials have attributed to Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Following the briefing, SingOei voiced Kenyas support for the UAE, aligning the ministrys stance with the broader foreign policy of President William Ruto. He reassured his counterpart that Nairobi backs diplomatic solutions to cool the regional crisis.

I conveyed to him Kenyas solidarity- in line with President Rutos well stated position on this matter- and assured him of our readiness to work with the UAE to respond through diplomatic means to this escalating situation, SingOei shared in a post on X.

In a rejoinder, the Iranian Embassy in Kenya justified Tehrans recent actions as a response to mounting hostilities from the United States and Israel.

The embassy argued that the Israeli regime and the U.S. drive regional aggression, citing United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3314. This resolution defines aggression as the use of armed force by a state against the sovereignty or territorial integrity of another. Iran claimed that foreign powers violate international law by using territories within the Gulf to launch attacks against Iranian soil.

Kenyans are on board. Thank you all pic.twitter.com/sWoOuh2VvU  IRAN EMBASSY in KENYA (@IRANinKENYA) April 6, 2026

Furthermore, the embassy accused both Washington and Tel Aviv of breaching Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter. This foundational principle of international law prohibits states from using or threatening force against the political independence or territorial integrity of any nation. The embassy maintained that these repeated violations by the U.S. and Israel remain the true root cause of the current crisis.

Tehran defended its military actions as a lawful exercise of self-defense, insisting its operations targeted only military installations. The embassy maintains that these strikes adhered strictly to the international legal principles of proportionality and necessity.

Addressing the crisis in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the embassy stated that any disruptions to maritime traffic stem directly from U.S. and Israeli aggression. As the primary coastal state, Iran has implemented what it calls necessary restrictions to ensure safe passage through the waterway.

The mission clarified that while vessels from nonbelligerent countries may conduct innocent passage in coordination with Iranian forces, those linked to its adversaries face a total ban.

Clearly, vessels of belligerent parties  especially the U.S. and the terrorist Israeli regime, as well as those serving their interests  cannot use this waterway, the embassy post on X read.

The statement concluded with a call for other nations to condemn those it labeled as aggressors and to stand on the right side of history by aligning with Tehran. At the same time, the mission reaffirmed Irans unwavering readiness to defend its sovereignty and national security against any further threats.
One Petroleum Limited announced it has taken immediate action to block a controversial consignment of Super Petrol from reaching Kenyan consumers. Following a direct order from the government, the company moved to halt the distribution of the fuel, which arrived in the country on March 27, 2026, aboard the tanker MT Paloma.

The firm confirmed its decision in a statement released on Tuesday evening, noting that it finalized the move after extensive consultations with regulatory authorities.

Following consultations with the government, One Petroleum Limited confirms that it has forthwith taken steps to ensure that the petroleum cargo that was brought in on 27th March, 2026, via MT Paloma does not enter the Kenyan market, the company stated.

One Petroleum Limited identified itself as one of four companies that answered an emergency call for supplies from the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum in March. This procurement process has drawn intense scrutiny after the government labeled the resulting shipment as irregular.

The company released this update following a stern directive from Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, who ordered firms to pull the product from the market and cancel all associated invoices sent to oil marketers.

Ksh14 Per Litre Threat

In a previous statement, the Cabinet Secretary explained that the 60,000-metric-tonne shipment of Super Petrol arrived in contravention of the procedures set out under the G-to-G contractual framework with international suppliers. He warned that the unauthorized importation threatened the stability of the countrys entire fuel supply system.

The government highlighted a significant price disparity, noting that the controversial consignment costs considerably more than fuel sourced through the established Government-to-Government (G-to-G) framework.

This consignment is priced at Ksh.198,000 per metric tonne, compared to Ksh.140,000 per metric tonne under the G-to-G arrangement, an increase of Ksh.58,000 per metric tonne, which would result in an approximate rise of Ksh.14 per litre in pump prices on this consignment alone, the government reported.

To rectify the situation, the ministry ordered immediate corrective action. The authorities directed that One Petroleum Ltd, the company that imported the said product and invoiced Oil Marketing Companies, immediately withdraw all invoices issued and raise credit notes, while simultaneously mandating the removal of the product from the country.

Furthermore, CS Wandayi instructed oil marketing companies that they should neither pay the invoices nor uplift product from this consignment, and he ordered the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) to exclude this shipment from all monthly fuel cost calculations.

Wandayi reaffirmed the governments commitment to protecting the integrity of the fuel supply chain, cautioning against any actions that threaten price stability or cause artificial shortages.

The Government will remain vigilant to ensure that no individual, company, or stakeholder engages in artificial shortages or unjustified price increases, the statement added.
The National Assembly approved the Supplementary Appropriations Bill on April 2, 2026, which expands the national budget by 9.1%. This legislative move raises total government expenditure from Ksh.4.301 trillion to Ksh.4.695 trillion, reflecting an additional injection of Ksh.393.1 billion into the economy. Of this new funding, the national government receives Ksh.363.8 billion, while Consolidated Fund Services accounts for Ksh.29.27 billion.

The security sector claims the largest share of this supplementary allocation, receiving Ksh.60 billion to bolster national safety operations. Within this total, the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration gains Ksh 11.9 billion. This specific funding supports a variety of critical initiatives, including Ksh.3.9 billion for security operations, Ksh.2 billion for the National Integrated Security Command and Control System (NISCCS), and Ksh.4 billion for police modernization and security infrastructure.

Furthermore, the government has set aside Ksh.2 billion to compensate victims of demonstrations and police brutality.

The education sector also benefits significantly from the revised budget. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) receives Ksh. Ksh.24.2 billion to resolve salary shortfalls and cover health insurance contributions for teachers, alongside an additional Ksh. 3 billion specifically designated to clear pending bills for teachers medical cover.

The government has directed significant additional funding toward higher education and electoral stability as part of the recently signed Supplementary Appropriations Bill. The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) receives an extra Ksh.4.1 billion to expand student support, while Ksh.3.88 billion is earmarked to clear outstanding university salary arrears dating back to the 20172021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and to bolster the Wings to Fly program within the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector.

The budget also provides substantial infrastructure and operational support for higher learning institutions. The State Department for Higher Education receives Ksh. 6 billion to support Moi University and Kabarnet University, along with Ksh. 1.5 billion for the University Funding Board. Furthermore, the government has allocated Ksh.2.6 billion toward capital expenditure for the Kenya-China TVET Project Phase III, a development partner-funded initiative designed to enhance vocational training capacity across the country.

Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) secures Ksh.2.9 billion specifically to settle its long-standing legal bills. Officials state that these targeted investments aim to ensure institutional stability, modernize security command systems, and restore public confidence in critical electoral and educational institutions.

To enhance tax collection and reduce the need for public borrowing, the government has allocated Ksh.17.6 billion to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). This funding supports the taxmans goal of reaching a revenue target of Sh2.97 trillion by the end of the 2026 financial year.

The healthcare sector received a significant boost of Ksh. 4.7 billion through the State Department for Medical Services and Ksh. 775 million for Public Health and Professional Standards. A major portion of this  Ksh.4 billion  is dedicated to clearing the pending bills of the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

To improve regional healthcare, the government directed Ksh.675 million toward upgrading Level 4 hospitals and provided Ksh.5.4 billion for medical internships, bringing the total internship budget to Ksh.9.8 billion. Additionally, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital receives Ksh.2.5 billion, while Ksh.2.6 billion supports the national vaccine program.

In the infrastructure and housing sectors, the government has prioritized regional connectivity and urban development. The State Department for Roads receives Ksh. 4.5 billion for the Horn of Africa Gateway development projects. Meanwhile, the Affordable Housing Programme  a core pillar of the ruling Kenya Kwanza national development agenda  secures a massive Ksh.25 billion to accelerate construction and improve living standards across the country.

The agriculture sector receives over Ksh.17 billion in this supplementary budget, which includes Ksh.10 billion for the fertilizer subsidy program, Ksh.1 billion for tea reforms, and Ksh.1 billion for MSME agricultural credit through the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC). The allocation further provides Ksh.2 billion to support sugar reforms, including the clearance of salary arrears, and Ksh.1.5 billion for initiatives focused on food security and crop diversification.

The government also commits Ksh.350 million to the Blue Economy and Forestry, Ksh.2 billion to the Forestry Department, and Ksh.500 million to the Watershed Improvement Project (KEWASIP) to expand reforestation and safeguard vital watersheds. To finance these expenditures, officials plan to adopt non-tax revenue mobilization strategies, such as privatization and securitization.

With improved economic conditions and stronger revenue efforts, the government is better positioned to support its citizens while maintaining overall fiscal stability, the report notes.

President William Ruto has officially assented to the bill.
The Office of the Attorney General has moved Public Trustee services to the e-Citizen platform, marking a major step in the governments digital transformation. This transition aims to broaden access to justice and streamline service delivery by allowing Kenyans to interact with the department online.

By launching these digital services, the government enables citizens to manage legal affairs efficiently from any location, removing the traditional requirement to visit the physical office in Nairobi. Officials noted that the shift will be especially life-changing for residents in remote areas, who can now access essential services in real time while avoiding the high costs of travel.

The e-Citizen portal now handles several critical functions, including the administration of estates for the deceased and the management of trusts for minors or persons living with mental disabilities. Additionally, the platform facilitates the distribution of accident compensation funds sent by insurance providers.

With this launch, we provide a seamless, efficient, and accessible platform for all persons seeking Public Trustee services, the Office of the Attorney General said in a statement.

This digital system is now the mandatory channel for all related requests. Starting April 8, 2026, the Public Trustees Nairobi Office will only accept applications submitted through the official portal at https://publictrustee.ecitizen.go.ke.

Officials described the rollout as a pivotal move toward modernizing government operations and encouraged both stakeholders and the general public to adopt the digital solution. The agency views this shift as a core component of its mission to streamline how citizens interact with the state.

This initiative marks a significant step in enhancing access to justice and improving service delivery, the statement added.

The e-Citizen platform allows individuals to complete their entire application process online, effectively ending the era of mandatory physical office visits. By digitizing these workflows, the government intends to cut through bureaucratic red tape and simplify how Kenyans manage sensitive matters like estates, trusts, and insurance claims.

For those requiring additional assistance, the Office of the Attorney General continues to provide support through the Public Trustees physical location on the ground floor of Sheria House in Nairobi. Citizens can also reach out via telephone at 020-2227461, 0140828911, or 0140828913, or send inquiries to [email protected] or [email protected].

This push for digital access highlights Kenyas persistent drive to use technology to make public services more accessible to everyone.
Former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju stood before the Kibera Law Courts on Tuesday to deny allegations that he provided false information to a public officer. Tuju entered a plea of not guilty following a summons from Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atambo.

The court had called for the plea in connection to a case surrounding Tujus recent disappearance, an event that triggered widespread public alarm and led to legal efforts to locate him.

The formal charge sheet traces the incident back to March 21, 2026, at the Entim Sidai Spa and Wellness Sanctuary in the Karen area of Langata Sub-county. Prosecutors claim that Tuju told a police officer from the Karen Police Station that unknown assailants had trailed and kidnapped him.

The state now argues that this report was entirely fabricated. Prosecutors contend that Tuju knew the information was false when he shared it and that he intended for the officer to launch an investigation based on the untrue claims.

Tuju firmly denied the allegations and entered a plea of not guilty. His legal team immediately moved to secure his release, pointing out that the alleged offense is a misdemeanor. Defense lawyer Edward Oonge leaned on Tujus extensive career to support the request, stating, The charge before you is a misdemeanor, and the accused person has a history of service to this country for many years. This could be the first time he is appearing before court to answer to a criminal charge.

The defense team also shared personal details regarding Tujus current situation, informing the magistrate that the former cabinet secretary is currently recuperating from an illness. They further noted that Tuju is presently unemployed following the recent closure of his business.

RELATED  Tuju Karen Property Dispute Takes New Turn as Buyer Defends Auction Sale

Prosecution Challenges Tuju Over Vehicle Linked to Case

The prosecution did not fight Tujus release on cash bail but raised concerns regarding a vehicle connected to the investigation. State lawyers advised the defense to file a formal application if they wished to recover the car. They explained that an investigating officer must first determine if the vehicle serves as a necessary exhibit, noting that the court could not make a ruling on the matter without a proper legal motion.

Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atambo granted Tuju his freedom on a personal bond of Sh100,000. In her ruling, she specified the conditions of his release: The accused person is hereby released on a personal bond of Sh100,000 with one contact person.

To prepare for a fair trial, the court ordered the prosecution to hand over all witness statements and intended exhibits to the defense team. Magistrate Atambo also addressed the dispute over the impounded vehicle, instructing both sides to collaborate with the investigating officer. She noted that if the vehicle does not serve as a trial exhibit, the parties should agree on its release.

The magistrate provided a clear path forward if the two sides cannot reach an agreement. If theres no agreement, then the defense should make an official application so that the prosecution can reply on the day of the next hearing, Atambo ruled.

The court set April 15, 2026, for a mention to confirm that both sides have followed these pre-trial directions and to establish a timeline for the upcoming hearing.
Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor has testified in court that the late Rex Kanyike Masai sustained a gunshot wound from behind.

Providing his expert testimony before Milimani Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, Dr. Oduor detailed the findings from the postmortem examination he performed on June 21, 2024, at the City Mortuary in Nairobi.

Dr. Oduor explained that the gunshot trajectory indicated the bullet entered the deceaseds body from the rear, with the exit wound located at the front of the left thigh.

The pathologist appeared virtually to present these findings, which form a critical part of the ongoing judicial process regarding the circumstances of Masais death. The court continues to hear evidence as it seeks to determine the chain of events surrounding the incident.

Dr. Johansen Oduor confirmed that the physical evidence points to a shooter positioned behind the victim.

These are my findings upon doing the post-mortem; there was an entry gunshot wound on the back part of the left thigh, and the measurement of the entry wound was 0.5 x 0.4 centimeters, the pathologist testified. He further clarified the bullets path for the court, noting, Your honor, the entry of the bullet was at the back, and the exit of the bullet wound was at the front.

The witness detailed the precise location of the injury, noting that the wound sat six centimeters from the top of the thigh, aligned with the mid-inguinal line. Following his examination, Dr. Oduor reached a definitive conclusion regarding the cause of death.

I concluded what led to the death of Rex Masai was a hemorrhage wound in his left thigh, he testified.

During the cross-examination, Jalson Makori from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) pushed for a clear confirmation of the shootings direction. When Makori asked the witness to confirm if the bullet indeed struck the deceased from behind, Dr. Oduor remained firm.

Your honor, yes, the entry of the bullet was at the back, and the exit of the bullet wound was at the front, the pathologist told the court.

Dr. Oduors findings provide medical weight to the earlier account from Rexs friend, George Ndika, who previously described the chaotic moments leading up to the shooting. Ndika told the court that the pair arrived in the Nairobi Central Business District around 4:30 pm on June 20, 2024, joining the Gen Z-led protests against the Finance Bill.

According to Ndika, the atmosphere remained peaceful until approximately 7:00 pm, when police began discharging tear gas at the crowd. This forced those at the front of the demonstration to turn back suddenly.

Venye ikafika a moment wale watu wa mbele wakaanza kutolewa mbio na police, wakaanza kukimbizwa. Police walikua wanatumia teargas. Sisi ambao tulikuwa watu wa mwisho, watu wakapiga about-turn, ikawa sisi tumekuwa wa kwanza on the other side yenye haikukuwa na makarao, Ndika testified.

The court heard that as the group turned to flee near the ABSA bank, three rapid gunshots rang out. Ndika clarified that the protesters were not damaging any property when the violence escalated.

Venye tuli turn tulipita ABSA bank na hatukua tunaaribu mali ndo tukaanza kuskia gunshots three times zikifuatana, he told the court.

Rex had grown concerned about the possibility of the two getting separated in the panic. He asked what they should do if they lost each other, to which Ndika replied that they should both simply head home.

Rex aliniuliza tukipoteleana tutapatana aje, nikamwambia Mimi nitamfuata nyuma yeye akimbie, he testified, recalling how he promised to follow behind if Rex ran ahead.

The situation turned dire only seconds later when Ndikas noticed his friend began to limp. He rushed to Rexs side to check on him, and the young man shared a chilling realization: he believed a bullet had hit him. Despite the injury, Rex attempted to keep moving to escape the surrounding chaos, but his strength faded with every step.

Ndikas described a heartbreaking scene as Rex grew progressively weaker and struggled to stay upright. Though his friend tried to offer words of encouragement and suggested they find a way to a hospital, the overwhelming fear and confusion of the moment made every action difficult.

The gravity of the injury became clear when Rex showed him the wound on his leg, which was bleeding profusely.

I saw him limping in front of me. I came close and asked him, Nini mbaya? Rex told me Nikama ameshootiwa, the court heard.

A stranger stepped in to assist after George explained the situation, and together they desperately sought help, even appealing to the police for aid. As more bystanders joined the effort, they lifted Rex and carried him toward a nearby hospital.

However, they arrived to find the facilitys gates locked. George informed the court of their mounting panic as they realized time was slipping away. Driven by desperation, the group forced their way into the hospital grounds, clinging to the hope that medical intervention could still save him.

By the time a doctor finally attended to him, Rex had already passed away.
Jack Whitehall's relationship with Roxy Horner started in "quite a surreal way".

Jack Whitehall's romance with Roxy Horner started during lockdown

The 37-year-old actor/comedian became engaged to the model in 2024 and they are parents to a daughter together, and Jack has now explained the romance got off to a strange start because Roxy came to visit him in London from Australia after three dates and they ended up living together in a "house share" because of the COVID-19 lockdowns.

He told the Guardian newspaper: "I said: Come back to England and we can hang out. She flew over and pretty soon after that we went into lockdown.

"We were suddenly in a sort of house share, with my brother and his partner. It was quite a surreal way to start a relationship.

"It helped that the government said she couldnt leave my house. It was a good way to guarantee quality time together."

Jack explained the romance progressed during that time but they went "all the way into this relationship without doing anything normal, meeting the parents, meeting all my friends."

In the interview, Jack revealed all the change in his personal life has helped his career because it's given him more material for his stand-up shows.

He explained: "I did tours back to back. Id run out of life experience. Id talked about every f****** thing that had ever happened to me, Id done every possible iteration of joke about my dad.

"In the interim three or four years, Ive got engaged, Im planning a wedding, Ill have had some time in married life, Ive had a daughter, Im now the father of a toddler. It felt as if I had stuff to talk about again."

It comes after Jack admitted telling a joke about the 2025 theft of 78 million worth of gems from the Louvre gallery in Paris, France didn't go down well during a hosting gig at a jewellery awards show in Monaco, revealing he "died on (his) a***" in front of an unimpressed audience.

In an interview on The Graham Norton Show, Jack recalled: "I was hosting a jewellery awards event in Monaco and I was wondering what on earth I could talk about when the comedy gods delivered the Louvre heist.

"I don't speak French, so I had no idea that the woman that came on before me said the robbery was one of the most tragic things that had ever happened to the French people, and on I come with a high viz vest with a load of prop jewellery.

"When I said, 'Who wants Napoleon's tiara', it was tumbleweed. I died on my a***. "How did I know that mentioning 'heist' five times to a room full of jewellers is like shouting 'bomb' at an airport. It was horrendous!"
Justin Bank, right, a doctoral student in SIU Carbondales geosciences program, helps a visitor at last years rock and mineral clinic in Marion.(Photo provided)

SIU holds rock and mineral clinic at Marion event this weekend

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Southern Illinois University Carbondales geology program will host a rock and mineral clinic this weekend during a celebration for local mineral enthusiasts.

The clinic  from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 12  is part of this weekends Marion Gem and Mineral Show at The Pavillion, 1602 Sioux Drive, Marion.

Members of the public are invited to bring in any rock, mineral or geological sample for identification, its history and pedigree. There is no limit on the number of samples. They can also learn the basic common examination techniques that graduate students and Daniel Hummer, an associate professor in SIUs geology program use. The program is in SIUs School of Earth Systems and Sustainability.

All ages are welcome at the event, which is $2 for adults and free for students 18 and younger. Free parking is available.

Hummer is on sabbatical at Carnegie Science in Washington, D.C. but his graduate students and the SIU Geology Club will be available for rock identifications. The students are eager to share their Saluki stories  they can field questions about SIU and the geology program.

The Marion Gem and Mineral Show celebrates Geologists Day, which fell on April 5 this year. Originally established in April 1966 by scientists in the former Soviet Union, the day honors and recognizes the work of geologists, geophysicists and geochemists who study the history of Earth and the composition of rocks, soil, water, minerals and other materials.
Olivia Munn has recalled a male actor refusing to let her character save his alter ego in a movie.

Olivia Munn

The 45-year-old actress has made a few films where she played a police officer or CIA agent and her character "has been the one to save the other", but on one occasion she was shooting a gunfight scene in an underground bunker, and her co-star wasn't happy with the script.

She told The Drew Barrymore Show: If you read the script, it was that he was guarding his side, I was guarding my side, then we switch sides and then theres a guy that was coming for him  was gonna shoot him in the back  so I shoot him.

And then were about to shoot and, somehow, I guess he didnt read the script and in that moment, he realised, Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. She cant save me. No, no. She cant save me.' "

The male star, who Olivia didn't name, paused production and got "combative with the director" over the plans.

She added: "There was no insecurity about being obnoxious and everyone hearing this and being like, She cant save me! Were not doing this.

Olivia revealed the discussions went on for almost an hour, before she came up with a way to get things back on track for the unspecified film.

She said: "Finally, after like 45 minutes of just stopping down, I said, OK, how about instead of my character saving you, its just that we switch because its time for us to switch and so this is my guy to get'.

And he was like, 'OK.' "

However, as the X-Men: Apocalypse star pointed out, she had found a way to convince her castmate without actually changing the original scene.

She added: "Now heres the interesting thing: nothing changed. Its just what he thought. I was doing the exact same thing.

Meanwhile, Olivia recently opened up on the lessons she learned about an unnamed director giving her bad notes and trying to stop her getting another role.

She told The Hollywood Reporter: "Ive realised that Im going to handle this situation in a way that is going to be the best outcome for me.

I used to see so many other actors do it, and Id think, Why are you not taking the note? I cant believe youre being so indignant.

"Then I realised its a way to protect your art and your choices with a character. I hope I have helped more actresses learn this.
VMPL Pune (Maharashtra) [India], April 9: Emphasising that 'quality and business ethics are the true companions of success," Pune-based entrepreneur Bharat Gite, founder of Taural India, on Sunday said industrial growth must extend beyond urban centres to ensure balanced and inclusive development across Maharashtra. Gite, popularly known as the Aluminium Man of India, was speaking after being conferred the 'Face of Inspiration - Maharashtra Udyog Bhushan' award. The award was jointly presented by the Express Media Enterprises & Ramamangal Social Foundation at an event held at Ramkrishna More Auditorium in Chinchwad. Reflecting on his journey, Gite said his decision to return from Germany to India was driven by a sense of responsibility towards nation-building. "The country that shaped us deserves our contribution. I returned intending to build indigenous manufacturing capabilities and support education so that the youth can access better opportunities," he said. He stressed that industries should not remain concentrated in a few cities. "For Maharashtra's holistic development, industries must reach rural and remote areas. Decentralisation is essential to create employment and reduce regional imbalance," he said. Sharing his personal journey, Gite spoke about growing up in a modest farming family and credited his parents and elder brother for encouraging him to pursue education. He also acknowledged the support of his wife, Prachi, particularly during the early struggles of setting up a business after leaving a stable life in Germany. Gite said he identified opportunities in the aluminium sector upon returning to India. Despite aluminium being lightweight, durable, and corrosion-resistant, its modern application remains limited due to technological gaps. We are working towards bridging this gap and contributing to India's self-reliance," he said. Commenting on the state's industrial ecosystem, Gite said development-oriented leadership has helped accelerate growth. He expressed his intent to contribute further through initiatives in both industry and education. "Long-term success is not driven by profit alone. Transparency, honesty, and excellence are equally important," he added. "For India's long-term economic resilience, industries must not remain concentrated in a few cities. Growth must reach rural and emerging industrial regions so that employment, innovation, and infrastructure development become more inclusive," he said. Chief Minister Fadnavis also highlighted the strategic importance of spreading industrial growth into emerging manufacturing belts. He noted that projects such as Taural India's expansion help strengthen Tier II and Tier III industrial regions, improve regional employment opportunities, and support Maharashtra's broader economic ambitions. Under Gite's leadership, Taural India has emerged as a key player in India's aluminium manufacturing ecosystem. The company continues to support national priorities such as Make in India, import substitution, and industrial self-reliance by supplying critical cast components to both domestic and global markets. The Supa expansion aligns with Taural India's larger mission to deepen India's role in international manufacturing supply chains while nurturing strong local capabilities, skilled talent, and sustainable industrial ecosystems. Bharat Gite's professional journey--from international engineering exposure in Germany to building advanced indigenous manufacturing capacity in India--continues to inspire entrepreneurs and industry leaders alike. His emphasis on ethical enterprise, innovation-led growth, and regional industrial development reflects a wider vision for inclusive nation-building through manufacturing excellence. Actor Makarand Anaspure conducted an on-stage interview with Gite, tracing his journey from Parali to Germany via Pune and his entrepreneurial success. Among those present were MP Shrirang Barne, Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Ravi Landge, Shiv Sena leader Sulabha Ubale, MSEDCL official Dhananjay Aundhekar, Shiv Sena secretary Vaibhav Thorat, entrepreneur Ameya Jain, and organisers Manisha Thorat Pisal and Santosh Saundankar. Speaking at the event, Barne highlighted the contribution of people from regions such as Marathwada and Vidarbha to Pune's growth. He also lauded the work of actors Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspure through Naam Foundation in addressing water scarcity in drought-prone areas. Mayor Landge called for greater participation from industrialists in social initiatives, particularly in developing world-class libraries and educational infrastructure in Pimpri-Chinchwad. About Taural India Taural India is a leading aluminium casting manufacturer delivering high-precision solutions across sectors including defence, energy, railways, aerospace, mobility, and industrial infrastructure. Founded by Bharat Gite, the company has established itself as a major contributor to India's advanced manufacturing capabilities through technology-driven production and globally benchmarked engineering standards. (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.)
Sedani Digital New Delhi [India], April 9: PTENOTE.COM, the premier Edutech brand of Ahmedabad-based Sedani Digital Pvt Ltd, has solidified its position as India's undisputed leader in the PTE sector. The company was honored with the prestigious "Best Performing Champion" award for the third consecutive year at ApplyBoard's The Recruitment Workshop (TRW) 2026, held on March 15, 2026, at the Andaz Delhi, Aerocity. The ceremony, attended by more than 1,500 industry experts and global education stakeholders, celebrated PTENOTE.COM's unrivaled dominance in PTE Exam Booking and its status as the nation's #1 provider of PTE Exam Vouchers. This "hat-trick" victory--spanning 2024, 2025, and 2026--marks a period of sustained excellence and market leadership in the international education landscape. The Powerhouse Leadership: Technology Meets Sales Excellence The rapid scaling of PTENOTE.COM is powered by the specialized expertise of the Sedani brothers, who have transformed the brand into a household name for study-abroad aspirants: Vivek Sedani (Technology Expert): As the Managing Director, Vivek has engineered the robust digital infrastructure that allows thousands of students to book exams effortlessly, positioning the platform as the top choice for technical efficiency. Chirag Sedani (Sales, Partnership & Customer Relations Expert): As Director, Chirag's focus on building high-trust strategic alliances and superior customer support has expanded the company's network to 1200+ partners and a loyal student base exceeding 5 lakhs. A Legacy of Trust and Regulatory Excellence Founded on April 26, 2017, Sedani Digital has spent nearly a decade perfecting the student experience. In addition to its industry accolades, the firm has achieved a significant distinction within the Indian startup ecosystem. Fully recognized with DIPP (DPIIT) and MSME certifications, Sedani Digital Pvt Ltd is among the rare elite startups to be granted a 3-year Income Tax Exemption by the Government of India. This prestigious status is reserved for high-growth companies that demonstrate exceptional innovation and operational transparency. Voices from the Leadership Reflecting on the achievement, Vivek Sedani, Managing Director and Technology Expert, stated: "Winning this award three times in a row is a proud validation of our tech-first approach. We are deeply grateful to our partners and the 5 lakh+ students who have supported our journey since we began in 2017. A special thanks to the ApplyBoard leadership--Meti Basiri (CEO), Massi Basiri (President), Hannah Dang (AVP), and Gaurav Mehta (Enterprise Sales Head)--for their constant recognition." Chirag Sedani, Director of Sales and Partnerships, added: "Our long-term association with ApplyBoard has catalyzed exponential growth. By combining specialized technical scale with a relentless focus on customer relations, we have created a platform that students trust implicitly. Our DIPP recognition and nine-year legacy further motivate us to continue investing in the future of Indian students." About PTENOTE.COM (Sedani Digital) Headquartered in Ahmedabad, PTENOTE.COM is the flagship Edutech brand of Sedani Digital Pvt Ltd. Established in 2017, the company is the industry leader for PTE Exam Booking and PTE Exam Vouchers, offering streamlined, cost-effective solutions for students pursuing global education. As a DIPP-recognized startup with MSME certification and a rare government-approved tax-exempt status, it stands as a benchmark for innovation and reliability in India. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by Sedani Digital. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
The objective was to create a presence for the international bank at GIFT City one that didn't just stand out but belonged within India's emerging global financial hub.

The project began with one of the world's most tightly governed brand assets - the hexagon. A mark defined by precision, consistency, and global recognition. To express the international bank's core values of progress, momentum, and adaptability, Tribes reimagined the static logo as a kinetic structure one that responds to wind and light, shifting continuously through the day.

Built from modular triangular units aligned along a precise geometric axis, each element moves in harmony to create a seamless sense of motion turning a fixed identity into an adaptive system that evolves with its environment while remaining unmistakably HSBC.

Positioned at a key entry point into GIFT City, The Living Hexagon functions as more than communication. It acts as a marker of movement and progress, reflecting the pace and fluidity of global finance, while embedding the international bank into the city's architectural and cultural fabric. (ANI)
According to Vishal Kampani, Senior Vice President of AIMA and Vice Chairman & Managing Director of JM Financial Ltd, it will take six to twelve months for economies to recover from damages caused by the US-Israel war on Iran. Kampani noted that while the conflict would affect growth rates, the impact was likely to be short-lived. Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of AIMA's 11th National Leadership Conclave, Kampani expressed optimism regarding a potential resolution to the conflict in the coming weeks. He indicated that the domestic economy historically showed resilience during global crises and predicted a similar outcome for the current situation. "Crude behaves in a funny way. Ultimately, in the long-term, Crude will follow demand and supply. I mean it depends on where Crude settles, above 100, below 100, how long it settles....But having said that, if the impact is very material, then demand will slow down and if demand slows down, there is no reason for Crude oil prices to be high because the Middle East will resolve its bottlenecks and resolve its issues. So as I said, the 6 months to 12 months issue that we are grappling with, but I'm very confident that we will see through it," Kampani stated. The Senior VP highlighted the volatility of crude oil prices and their dependence on global demand and supply dynamics. He pointed out that the duration of price stability remained uncertain due to unknown factors affecting energy infrastructure in the Gulf region. " What is a big unknown right now is that we don't know the impact on the energy infrastructure in the Gulf. So, how fast will the Gulf be able to make sure the supply chain at their end is smooth and they are able to pump enough oil and send enough gas out? So that is a that is an uncertainty because of which it's very hard to predict three to six to nine months from now where oil and gas prices will be," he added. Regarding the potential for long-term disruption, the executive noted that the duration of the crisis depended on the extent of infrastructure damage in the Gulf. He suggested that if major energy assets faced a significant impact, the recovery period could extend beyond the projected twelve months. "If the war continues and the damage gets worse, and you see a significant supply of almost 20% of world oil and gas impacted, a significant portion of that impacted, then of course this issue will last longer than 6 to 12 months. But we'll have to see. It's very hard to predict that," he said. Speaking about India's situation amid the war, Kampani backed the country as it has stood its ground multiple times in the past during crisis situations as well. "War will definitely impact our growth rate, but I don't think it will be long-lived. I'm hoping that the truce will reach a termination event at some point in time in the next few weeks and the resolve from both sides seems to be that we need to end the war and if that were to happen then I think that probably will be six months of pain but as you've seen India emerge even stronger from every crisis in the last decade the same thing will happen with this crisis as well and I'm very confident," Kampani said. The Senior VP noted that markets generally reacted more quickly to shifting conditions compared to the broader economy. "See, I think the markets will recover faster than the economy because the markets are very forward-looking. Economy, as I said, 6 months," he said. (ANI)
VMPL New Delhi [India], April 9: High Commissioner of St. Kitts and Nevis to India, Gurdip Dev Bath reaffirmed his commitment to strengthen South-South cooperation (SSC) on Tuesday. Speaking on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the diplomatic mission in India, he said that the high commission will serve as the bridge between the two nations. The ceremony was held under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, and led by Dr. Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of St. Kitts and Nevis. India's Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar participated in the ceremony as the chief guest. While speaking, High Commissioner Gurdip Dev Bath said that the High Commission will enhance St. Kitts and Nevis' cooperation and strengthen their ties with India. Notably, the opening ceremony received participation from the GRULAC (Group of Latin American Countries holding their high commissions/embassies in India. Ambassadors from Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Argentina, El Salvador, Panama and Guatemala also attended the opening ceremony. High Commissioner Gurdip Dev Bath expressed appreciation to the dignitaries and guests for their presence and reaffirmed his commitment to work in his capacity to continue strengthening bilateral relations and expanding collaboration between the two countries. Tuesday's ceremony commenced with the ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by lighting of the inaugural lamp and then an interaction between the diplomats and other officials who exchanged views and engaged in discussions, along with a brief photo session. With the High Commission now officially open, the Federation has further enhanced its bilateral relations with India in areas such as trade, tourism, and cultural exchange. Before the commissioning of the Diplomatic Mission at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of St. Kitts and Nevis Dr. Douglas also held a bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart, Dr. S. Jaishankar. Later, at the commissioning of the High Commission, both leaders recognized the strong diplomatic relationship between the nations. They also acknowledged how this mission could be beneficial to both nations in terms of facilitating better collaboration in diplomatic matters. Delivering the feature address Dr. Denzil Douglas described the occasion as "a truly historic moment" in the relations between the two countries. He emphasised that the establishment of a resident diplomatic mission in India represents far more than symbolism. Twitter Link: https://x.com/TerranceDrewSKN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw "Beyond symbolism, it represents a clear intention to move from dialogue to delivery, translating shared priorities into practical cooperation that creates meaningful opportunities for our people," Dr. Douglas stated. He noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, St. Kitts and Nevis has been actively redefining its foreign policy framework to respond to evolving global realities, with a clear focus on building strategic partnerships such as that with India. Highlighting the significance of the development, Dr. Douglas pointed out that St. Kitts and Nevis is the first country in the Eastern Caribbean to establish a resident High Commission in India and only the fifth CARICOM member state to do so, describing it as "a strategic and deliberate investment in a relationship we believe holds immense promise for the future". Dr. Douglas also outlined that the High Commission will play a central role in advancing the Sustainable Island State Agenda championed by Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew. He stated that the mission will serve as a catalyst for cooperation in renewable energy, climate resilience, technology transfer, education, and investment diversification. "This High Commission will serve as a catalyst for sustainable development cooperation... delivering tangible benefits for our people," he added, expressing confidence in the leadership of High Commissioner Gurdip Dev Bath to drive this agenda forward. India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, in his address, welcomed the strengthening of diplomatic engagement and reaffirmed India's commitment to deepening cooperation with St. Kitts and Nevis, particularly in areas of mutual development and partnership. In his address, Dr S Jaishankar also acknowledged the historic ties of India and St Kitts and Nevis. (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.)
FICCI on Thursday released a report titled 'West Asia Conflict: Implications for India and Imperatives for Industry and Government,' highlighting the emerging economic risks from the ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia and outlining a roadmap for coordinated action by industry and government. The report indicates that early signs of stress are visible across sectors, warranting proactive measures to mitigate immediate risk as well as to build long-term resilience. The report emphasizes that this crisis, while challenging, also presents an opportunity for India to accelerate structural reforms aimed at strengthening economic resilience and reducing external vulnerabilities. The report outlines a set of industry-led actions to enhance financial and operational resilience and also identifies specific areas where government support would be critical. A coordinated approach involving industry and government is essential to navigate the current challenges while further strengthening the foundation for a more resilient and self-reliant India. The uncertainty surrounding the duration and escalation of the conflict makes it imperative for businesses to prepare for multiple scenarios, ranging from short-term disruptions to prolonged instability. The report suggests a two-pronged strategy for industry--focused on financial resilience and operational continuity. On the financial front, companies are advised to undertake scenario-based planning by developing a "Middle East Crisis" version of their budgets, with necessary actions to optimize sales, margins, and capex depending on the sector's sensitivity to the crisis. Firms are encouraged to secure additional funding lines and hedge currency risks to protect cash flows. At the same time, businesses must proactively assess the financial health and continuity risks of key suppliers and customers. Reviewing insurance coverage and strengthening cybersecurity protocols are also identified as critical components of risk management in an increasingly uncertain environment. To address operational disruptions, the report outlines several short-term measures. These include prioritizing demand and aligning production schedules with the availability of critical inputs, optimizing logistics through shipment consolidation, and enhancing coordination with global shipping lines. Some companies have already established cross-functional "war rooms" to manage real-time supply shortages and ensure business continuity. Flexibility and diversification of the energy mix are another key recommendation. Industry players are encouraged to explore multi-fuel options, including biofuels and electrification of processes, as well as increase reliance on alternative energy sources such as solar power, piped natural gas (PNG), and coke oven gas. In parallel, firms should adopt energy efficiency measures, including conducting energy audits, optimizing equipment usage, and leveraging AI-driven monitoring systems for operational efficiency. Beyond immediate measures, the report underscores the importance of undertaking structural shifts by industry for ensuring long-term resilience. It is important to ensure diversification of supply chains for critical inputs. Companies are encouraged to reduce dependence on specific geographies by expanding their global supplier base and developing domestic sourcing capabilities or undertaking backward integration of critical components, wherever feasible. The report also highlights the need to accelerate the energy transition by increasing the share of renewable energy through captive generation and open access and investing in green hydrogen. At the same time, adopting energy-efficient technologies can be useful in optimising energy usage. Firms are also encouraged to build resilience across the supply chain by working with vendors to enable their energy transition from fossil fuel-based energy sources. Logistics resilience is another focus area. Businesses are encouraged to explore alternative trade routes, enhance use of multi-modal transport, and invest in digital technologies for real-time supply chain visibility. The Government of India has taken several proactive steps to mitigate the impact of the crisis, including the formation of empowered groups, reduction in fuel excise duties, introduction of the RELIEF scheme, restoration of RoDTEP benefits, and duty rationalisation for SEZs, amongst others. Building on these efforts, the FICCI report identifies additional areas where further government support will be crucial, both in the near-term and the long-term. Ensuring stable energy supplies remains a top priority, for which the government can continue to leverage diplomatic channels for securing long-term supply arrangements. At the state level too, the governments can consider setting up state-level energy security cells to monitor local vulnerabilities, ensure real-time coordination, and trigger contingency protocols. Financial and regulatory support for MSMEs is also critical. The government may consider provision of emergency financing for MSMEs and issuance of advisories to address force majeure-related risks in public procurement contracts, ensuring that businesses are not penalized for delays caused by factors beyond their control. The report also illustrates key policy interventions for building long-term resilience. These include diversifying oil and gas sourcing through long-term agreements with multiple countries, expanding domestic gas infrastructure, and enhancing strategic petroleum reserve capacity. Scaling up renewable energy and clean technologies, including green hydrogen, battery storage, and biogas, will also be essential for achieving energy security. In addition, development of resilient trade infrastructure, such as alternative economic corridors and strengthening of multimodal connectivity, has also been highlighted as a strategic priority. Strengthening the domestic manufacturing ecosystem and developing new manufacturing clusters to geographically diversify industrial capacity and reduce concentration risks will also be important. The Government may also initiate consultations within the GST Council to explore a roadmap for the inclusion of petroleum products under GST. This would help reduce cost burdens, improve supply chain efficiency, and enhance industry competitiveness. In the agricultural sector, ensuring fertilizer availability and promoting adoption of bio-fertilizers and precision agriculture will be important measures to ensure long-term input resilience. (ANI)
Law Roach wanted to focus on "storytelling" for Zendaya's looks on The Drama press tour.

Zendaya wore a bridal style gown to The Drama's LA premiere

The celebrity stylist, who has a longstanding working relationship with the 28-year-old actress, has opened up about the way her outfits focused on the "old tradition" of "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue" to tie into her dark comedy with Robert Pattinson.

Speaking to PEOPLE magazine, Law said: "It's an old tradition that I think a lot of brides play into.

"And since the storyline of the movie is based around a wedding, I think it was just something that we came up with, and it's about the storytelling."

Her 'something old' was a white Vivienne Westwood gown she first wore to the Oscars in 2015, while her 'something new' was a long-sleeved bridal gown from Nicolas Ghesquiere and Louis Vuitton, which was fashioned with a train made from a black bow.

She was also seen in a black Giorgio Armani Prive grown wore by Cate Blanchett to last year's Venice Film Festival ('something borrowed'), and her 'something blue' came in the form of a Schiaparelli dress with bright blue details.

Zendaya told A24 at The Drama's New York City premiere: "As soon as it came down the runway, I think [Law] knew it was our 'something blue.'"

Opening up on the 2015 Oscars dress she re-wore, Zendaya previously told Variety: "I was brainstorming with [stylist Law Roach] about how I would theme dress for this film, and I kind of remembered the saying, Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue'.

"So this is my something old! I thought I'd bring it back, and give it a new life. It meant so much to me, this dress.

"[The 2015 Academy Awards] was such an important moment for myself, my community, for my loved ones, and it felt right.

"And it also happens to be a wedding dress, so that works!

Zendaya and her partner Tom Holland are yet to directly address speculation they have tied the knot, which started after claims from stylist Law.

Last month, he told Access Hollywood: "The wedding has already happened. You missed it."

When asked if that is "true", Law, replied: "It's very true!"

Zendaya recently explained that neither of the pair will confirm whether or not the rumours are true.

Speaking on the New York Times' Modern Love podcast, she said: I just feel like for me there is this level of a parasocial investment in my personal relationship.

I do know that Im a public person and so is he and Im also aware that weve grown up in front of people and weve done movies where we fall in love with each other so I really do understand that and I dont want to dismiss that like, Stay out of my business or whatever.

In a lot of ways, Im also a very private person and I try my best to be able to have things for myself and for him as well.
In a step towards strengthening India's fight against cyber fraud and financial crimes, the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance information sharing and coordination. According to a statement released by the Ministry of Finance, "The MoU was signed by Amit Mohan Govil, Director, FIU-IND, and Rajesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), marking a new era of collaborative intelligence sharing between the two agencies at the forefront of India's fight against cyber fraud and financial crimes." The collaboration comes at a juncture where India's digital payment ecosystem has undergone a tremendous transformation requiring guardrails that safeguard citizens from cybercrime and fraud. The MoU shall assist both agencies in developing operational information and support investigative agencies to prevent financial crimes, protect digital transactions, and undertake asset recovery, the release stated. The MoU aims to enable both agencies to establish robust feedback mechanisms for enhancing fraud detection protocols at the national level, while also facilitating the development and dissemination of guidelines and red flag indicators to financial institutions to strengthen cyber fraud prevention efforts. This is a milestone in adopting a "whole of Government" approach towards the fight against cybercrime. FIU-IND is the central national agency responsible for receiving, processing, analysing, and disseminating information relating to suspect financial transactions and coordinating efforts against money laundering and financing of terrorism. I4C is an attached office of MHA responsible for providing a framework and ecosystem for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) for dealing with Cyber Crime in a coordinated and comprehensive manner. I4C has developed various platforms such as the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), Cyber-Police, Suspect Registry, etc., which are secure platforms for real-time intelligence sharing and coordination among various stakeholders, including Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), Banks and Financial Institutions to combat cybercrimes including online financial crimes, by enabling proactive action against the misuse of telecom, banking, and other related resources. (ANI)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday issued guidelines to facilitate faster cross-border inward payments, asking banks to streamline processes so that funds sent from abroad reach beneficiaries more quickly. In a circular issued to all scheduled commercial banks, the central bank said the move is aimed at improving efficiency in cross-border payments and aligning with global targets set by the G20. "The Reserve Bank's Payments Vision 2025 aims to bring efficiency in the cross-border payments, aligning with the G20 roadmap for cross-border payments that has set targets for achieving cheaper, faster, more transparent, and more accessible cross-border payments," the RBI said. The RBI noted that delays often occur at the stage when the beneficiary bank receives the payment and credits it to the customer's account. "One of the challenges with speed of payments is experienced at the beneficiary leg i.e., the time taken from receipt of the payment at the beneficiary bank till credit to the beneficiary account," the circular said. Following a review of the existing process, the central bank said there is a need to streamline procedures to ensure quicker credit of funds and faster communication to customers. "Review of the extant process for inward cross-border payments indicated the need for streamlining the processes at the beneficiary bank for ensuring timely intimation of payment information and credit to the beneficiary's account," it stated. "Banks shall inform their customer of the receipt of cross-border inward transactions immediately on receipt of inward message," the RBI said, adding that if messages are received after operating hours, customers must be informed "immediately at the start of the next business day." The central bank also flagged delays caused by banks relying on end-of-day statements of their nostro accounts for reconciliation. "It is observed that several banks rely upon end-of-day statements of the nostro account for confirming and reconciling receipts in nostro accounts, resulting in a delay in crediting funds to the beneficiary's account," the circular said. A Nostro account is a bank account held by a domestic bank in a foreign bank, denominated in the foreign country's currency To address this, banks have been advised to carry out reconciliation more frequently. "To expedite this process, banks are advised to undertake reconciliation and confirmation of credit in the nostro account frequently either on near real time basis or at periodic intervals," the RBI said, adding that the reconciliation interval "should normally not exceed one hour." "Banks shall endeavour to credit the inward payments received during the foreign exchange market hours within the same business day to the beneficiary's account," it said. In addition, banks may introduce straight-through processing for crediting payments to resident individuals, based on risk assessment and compliance with existing FEMA rules. "Banks may, based on their risk assessment and subject to compliance with extant FEMA guidelines, put in place straight through process for crediting the inward payments to the account of individual residents," the RBI said. The central bank also encouraged banks to provide digital interfaces for customers to handle foreign exchange transactions and track their payments. "Banks may, within a reasonable time frame, endeavour to provide digital interface to their customers to facilitate foreign exchange transactions, including submission of documents or information, and monitoring of transactions," the circular added. The RBI said the new directions will come into effect six months from the date of the circular. (ANI)
According to a post by the Embassy of India, Doha, Qatar, on X, the minister reached the Qatari capital on Thursday and was received by Indian diplomatic officials.

"Hon'ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Hardeep Singh Puri arrived in Doha for a two-day visit," the embassy said in the post.

The embassy further added that the minister was received at the airport by senior officials.

"He was welcomed at the airport by the Ambassador of India to Qatar, Mr Vipul and officials of QatarEnergy," the post said.

The visit comes at a crucial time as energy supplies in the region have been affected by the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Qatar's state-run energy company QatarEnergy had earlier halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after military attacks hit its facilities, disrupting one of the world's largest gas supply hubs. The suspension of production raised concerns about global energy supplies and prices.

Reports have indicated that attacks on energy infrastructure in Qatar damaged key LNG facilities and knocked out a significant portion of the country's export capacity, highlighting the growing impact of the conflict on the global energy market.

Against this backdrop, Puri's visit is expected to focus on strengthening energy cooperation between India and Qatar and reviewing the impact of the regional tensions on energy supplies.

India imports a significant portion of its natural gas from Qatar, making the stability of supplies from the Gulf nation critical for the country's energy security. (ANI)
Actor Tamannaah Bhatia has offered an insight into the rare opportunities that female actors have lately received in the film industry. In a conversation with ANI, Tamannaah expressed her delight about her upcoming projects and shared, "I'm really excited for all my features to come out one by one. It's very interesting, not many actors and maybe more so female actors, get this sort of an opportunity. It has been like 21 years into my career, and I still feel like I'm starting off all over again." The actor also expressed immense delight while reflecting on receiving much acceptance in the South Indian film industry. "There's a sense of freshness, even for me as an actor. And I think even the audience is continuously sort of being so warm towards me and they've really accepted me so, so warmly. Largely because I had so much acceptance in the southern part of India. But the kind of warmth I'm getting from all other parts of India is what is really, really exciting for me and also really humbling. And so I'm just constantly finding ways of how I can sort of give it back," she added. Tamannaah Bhatia was present in the national capital on Wednesday for the official launch of 'Oristar' - a new brand by Jayanta Lighting Innovation. Associated as the brand ambassador for Oristar, Tamannaah was joined by Jayanta Group director Manish Gupta and actor Rohit Roy. Dubbed a modern, technology-driven brand, Oristar promises to offer reliable, energy-efficient, and aesthetically designed fans and electrical appliances for residential, commercial, and industrial use. For Tamannaah Bhatia on the work front, the actor will be next seen in Deepak Mishra and Arunabh Kumar's 'Vvan'. Produced by Ekta Kapoor, the film also features Sidharth Malhotra. The movie is slated to release in theatres on the occassion of Raksha Bandhan this year. The film will debut in theatres on August 28. (ANI)
Speaking after voting, the actor emphasised the importance of civic responsibility. "As an ordinary citizen, it is my right to utilise my vote. I think I have utilised my voting power responsibly for myself, for the country, and for the people," he said.

He added that voters are electing representatives to address pressing issues, expressing hope that prevailing concerns in both the country and his native place would be resolved by the elected government.

According to the Election Commission of India, voter turnout reached 33.28 per cent by 11 am, indicating a steady participation rate in the initial hours of polling.

Keralam has a total electorate exceeding 2.69 crore, including 1.38 crore women and 1.31 crore men, along with 277 voters from the third gender category.

Notably, nearly 4.24 lakh first-time voters aged between 18 and 19 are participating in this election, while more than 2 lakh voters are above the age of 85.

To ensure smooth conduct of the polls, authorities have established 30,471 polling stations and deployed approximately 1.46 lakh trained personnel across the state. Security arrangements have been intensified, with over 1,200 police teams stationed on the ground.

The election is being closely watched as a contest between the incumbent Left Democratic Front (LDF), seeking a third consecutive term, and the United Democratic Front (UDF), which is aiming to return to power.

Vote counting is scheduled to take place on May 4. (ANI)
Actor Jenna Ortega has recently revealed that she was on the verge of stepping away from acting before landing her breakthrough role in the hit Netflix series 'You.' As per Variety, Ortega shared that she had begun questioning her future in the industry as a teenager after transitioning out of children's television. "I didn't know what else I was gonna do," Ortega said in an interview, reflecting on a period of uncertainty after leaving early projects. As per Variety, she explained that she had to reintroduce herself to casting directors and prove her range, which made her consider quitting altogether. "It just felt like a good time to call it quits if I was going to," she added, noting that discussions about stepping away had gone on for months with her team. Ortega began her career with roles in shows such as 'Richie Rich' and 'Stuck in the Middle'. However, the uncertainty of transitioning into more mature roles led her to briefly consider ending her acting journey. The turning point came in 2019 when she was cast as Ellie Alves in season 2 of 'You'. Her character, the neighbour of Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, marked a significant shift in her career. Recalling her experience on set, Ortega said she immediately connected with the work. "I loved it and had the best time," she said, adding, "I thought, 'Yeah, there's no way I could let this go,'" as quoted by Variety. Since then, Ortega's career has seen a steady rise. She has headlined films such as 'X', 'Scream VI', 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' and 'Death of a Unicorn'. She also leads Netflix's Emmy-winning series 'Wednesday'. (ANI)
Actor Shweta Tripathi, known for her nuanced performances across film and shows, has equally used her voice beyond the camera to advocate for social changes. Speaking on the sidelines of the Women's Reservation Bill, Shweta emphasised how true progress comes when women are given proportionate opportunities across all spheres of life, further adding how the dynamics have started changing. In a conversation with ANI, the 'Mirzapur' star shared, "I feel like things are now changing. I feel like, there's me, there's Kiran Rao... There are also writers like Juhi Chaturvedi. There is no competition between men and women. But when it comes to the women population, whether it's in the parliament, behind the camera, or in any industry, it has to be proportionate." Noting that the representation of women in Parliament has been low in comparison to the overall population, the actor explained how the changing laws will reach every household in the country. "The representation of women in Parliament or in the Legislative Assemblies is still low in comparison to the population. But the policies, the laws, will affect every household. Women need to be heard and need to be accepted," she added. Shweta also weighed on the need to learn from the past to ensure a smooth and faster transition toward equality. Acknowledging that the Women's Reservation Bill marks a significant step forward, the challenge lies with its effective implementation, she said. "This is the beginning, and everything has a beginning. It happens little by little... we will progress, we will go back two steps, and it's very heartbreaking and very frustrating. It is the same with the Women's Reservation Bill, but we have to be at it," Shweta said. The actor also spoke about how public figures must voice their thoughts on such matters, further explaining that the responsibility equally lies with everyone, including women themselves. "Women don't need to wait for superheroes to bring a change. They must be their own superheroes," Shweta asserted. The remarks came in the backdrop of the government's ongoing plans to bring an amendment bill to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 from 543 seats. The idea is to have at least 273 seats reserved for women. According to sources, the key agenda may include amendments to the 2023 Nari Shakti Vandan Act and the introduction of the Delimitation Commission Bill. The sources said that the Centre has planned to take the 2011 census as the basis for delimitation and seat redistribution. Currently, the Lok Sabha has 543 seats. With a proposed 50 per cent increase, the number of seats will rise to 816, with 273 (about a third) reserved for women. On the work front for Shweta Tripathi, she will be next seen in the much-awaited 'Mirzapur: The Film'. It is set to hit theatres on September 4, 2026. (ANI)
Actor Simran Ahuja has expressed deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the plans to implement the Women's Reservation Bill in the Parliament. Speaking to ANI, Simran Ahuja shared, "We are truly overwhelmed and elated. Our gracious, humble thanks to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. Along with being inspired and empowered, the amendments, which are for all the girls, ladies and women, are to excel in our endeavours. So thank you to our Prime Minister for giving us so many opportunities." She further described the move as the "dawn for all the girls and ladies who want to work for their families and their country." Ahuja voiced her support for women and their dreams. The Women's Reservation Bill, which proposes 33 per cent representation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, has been hailed by many celebrities as a transformative move toward gender equality in India's legislative processes. Stars like Shweta Tripathi, Priya Malik, Hrishitaa Bhatt, Dipika Chikhlia, Mukesh Rishi, and Himani Shivpuri weighed in on the same, expressing support for the bill. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi higlighted that reservation for women in legislative bodies was the "need of the hour". He said that any delay in bringing this reservation will be "deeply unfortunate". "Reservation for women in legislative bodies is the need of the hour! This will make our democracy even more vibrant and participative. Any delay in bringing this reservation will be deeply unfortunate. Expressed my thoughts on the issue in this Op-Ed," PM Modi posted on X. The PM's remarks come as the Union cabinet on Thursday approved a draft amendment bill to the Women's Reservation Act that will ensure its implementation in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The amendment bill guarantees 33 per cent reservation in legislative bodies to women. (ANI)
According to a Deadline report, Sangha appeared in the federal court on Wednesday (local time), where District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett gave her the 180-month sentence along with a three-year probation once she is out.

Hours before her sentence was announced, Sangha issued an apology and said, "There are no excuses for what I did. I am deeply sorry for the pain I caused, especially to Matthew''s family. Their loss is unimaginable and permanent," as quoted by the New York Post.

She also took responsibility for her actions and added, "I take full responsibility for my actions and the role I played in the events that led to this tragedy. I understand that my conduct -- operating a drug business and continuing down that path -- was reckless, dangerous, and wrong."

Jasveen Sangha is the last of five defendants to officially enter a guilty plea in the actor''s death.

Perry, known for his role in the television series ''Friends'', was found dead at his residence in October 2023.

Plasencia took a plea deal in June last year in which he admitted to distributing ketamine without a legitimate medical purpose to the ''Friends'' star, who died of an overdose.

In exchange, prosecutors dropped charges of falsifying medical records and additional counts of distribution, Variety reported.

Three other defendants, Erik Fleming, Kenneth Iwamasa and Mark Chavez, previously agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to supply ketamine.

Late actor Matthew Perry''s doctor, Salvador Plasencia, pleaded guilty to giving the ''Friends'' star ketamine before his tragic death. During a hearing in Los Angeles, the doctor admitted to supplying four counts of illegal distribution of the drug, which is used as a prescription anaesthetic. (ANI)
Polling for the 126 seats in Assam will be held today. Votes will be counted on May 4. The polling will begin at 7 am. The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term. The Congress-led alliance includes Raijor Dal and CPI(M). In Assam, more than 2.5 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise for the 126-member legislative assembly. There are 722 candidates in the fray. Of 2,50,54,463 electors, 1,25,31,552 are male voters and 1,25,22,593 females. There are 318 voters in the Transgender category and 63,423 service voters. Among the electorate, 6,42,314 voters are in the age group of 18-19 years, 2,50,006 are above 80 years of age, and 2,05,085 are persons with disabilities. Polling teams have departed with EVMs and VVPATs ahead of the Assembly elections. Silchar, District Commissioner Chachar Aayush Garg told ANI, "... We have deployed a total of 16,000 personnel overall, with all necessary logistics provided. Polling parties will arrive at their respective stations by this evening, and checks will be made to ensure everyone's safe arrival... For security, around 4,000 police officers have been deployed across 1,700 polling stations, supported by two companies of CAPF kept in reserve..." Commissioner-Cum-District Election Officer, Anamika Tewari, told ANI that polling staff have reached their destinations without any issue. , "... From early morning at 7 o'clock, the strong room was opened and polling materials, including EVMs, were distributed to personnel deputed for 968 polling stations in Morigaon. Teams for the three constituencies have already departed in a staggered manner according to distance -- first to the farthest stations, then to Jagiroad and Morigaon. Polling staff have reached safely and were welcomed warmly with local Gamusas. They are now comfortably preparing inside the centres. In Morigaon district, special emphasis has been placed on assured minimum facilities such as safe drinking water, sanitation, and security..." According to the press release by the EC, under the leadership of the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam, Anurag Goel, all concerned are carrying out their responsibilities with utmost diligence. To ensure strict monitoring of all aspects, including law and order and election expenditure, the EC has already deployed central observers. Further, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), including CRPF personnel, have been deployed to ensure security at polling stations. Micro observers are also deputed in the sensitive polling stations to ensure smooth conduct of polling, the release stated. A total of 1,51,132 polling personnel have been deployed for the conduct of the election. For polling purposes, 41,320 Ballot Units, 43,975 Control Units, and 43,997 VVPAT machines have been arranged, including reserves for emergency use. Additional polling personnel have also been kept in readiness, if required. The Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, Anurag Goel, has appealed to all stakeholders to extend their cooperation in ensuring that every citizen is able to exercise their democratic right to vote. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, AGP and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), won 75 seats with the BJP alone winning 60 seats. The Congress and AIUDF had formed a grand alliance along with the BPF and the communist parties, but the alliance performed poorly with just 16 seats out of 126. Voter turnout was as high as 86.2 per cent with over 2. 2 crore registered voters in 2021. (ANI)
Chinese, Portugese legislative bodies agree to boost bilateral practical cooperation

Xinhua) 08:29, April 09, 2026

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco, speaker of the Portuguese parliament, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhao Leji and speaker of the Portuguese parliament Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco on Wednesday held talks in Beijing, where they reached an agreement to promote practical cooperation between the two countries.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said China and Portugal are traditional friendly countries and comprehensive strategic partners with mutual respect, mutual trust and win-win cooperation.

China is willing to work with Portugal to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and continuously build and expand consensus on the basis of equality and sincere dialogue, Zhao said.

Zhao called on both sides to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, expand two-way investment, and broaden cooperation in areas such as new energy, digital economy, and artificial intelligence.

Noting that the two sides should deepen cooperation in culture, science and technology, education and tourism, and build a solid public opinion foundation for bilateral ties, Zhao called for making good use of mechanisms such as the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, expand trilateral cooperation with Africa, Latin America and other regions, and jointly practice true multilateralism.

Zhao said the NPC of China is willing to work with the Portuguese parliament to enhance friendly exchanges at multiple levels and in various fields, expand the exchange of experience in legislation and supervision, provide legal guarantees for bilateral practical cooperation, and better contribute to the development of bilateral ties.

Zhao also called on the two sides to exchange experiences around the construction of legal systems for ecological and environmental protection, and strengthen cooperation in promoting relevant domestic legislation and international rules.

Aguiar-Branco said Portugal firmly adheres to the one-China policy, adding that deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Portugal and China is an important consensus among all political parties in Portugal.

In the face of uncertainties in the international situation, Portugal hopes to enhance the strategic nature of Portuguese-China relations, jointly adhere to multilateralism, advance cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade and culture, promote the healthy development of EU-China relations, and enhance the stability and certainty of the world, Aguiar-Branco said.

Aguiar-Branco said the Portuguese parliament is ready to foster friendly exchanges with the NPC of China and make contributions to promote practical cooperation between the two countries and enhance friendship between the two peoples.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Aguiar-Branco the same day. He said China is willing to work with Portugal to jointly expand cooperation using Macao as a platform, promote the China-EU partner positioning, and maintain international unity and cooperation.

Aguiar-Branco said the Portuguese side appreciates the successful implementation of "one country, two systems" in Macao and hopes to further promote bilateral practical cooperation and multilateral communication and collaboration with China.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco, speaker of the Portuguese parliament, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco, speaker of the Portuguese parliament, in Beijing, capital of China, April 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco, speaker of the Portuguese parliament, in Beijing, capital of China, April 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A Toyota Community Fund grant facilitated by the Hills of Woodford dealership has helped Trinity Catholic High School in Woodford Green acquire new music equipment, enabling student band, The Displacements to pursue their dream and record their first track: Bring Me Back  Song by The Displacements  Apple Music .

The Displacements

The school received 1,600 to help fund new microphones and sound equipment, to raise the quality of live performances on its new stage.

The band of four 17-year-olds: Brandon Crisp, Ella Bashford, Leo Praseuth and Jay Praseuth, are studying for A-levels at the school. They came together in May 2024, rehearsing after school and performing in local venues including the Horse and Well pub in Woodford Green.

Band manager Ella Rose, who is also a student at Trinity Catholic High School, applied for the Toyota Community Fund grant through Hills of Woodford, due to its close proximity to the school, its strong connection to the local area and its regular hosting of community events.

The Toyota Community Fund helps charities and schools across the UK, making financial donations to support a wide range of community initiatives to improve quality of life and the environment. Local good causes are nominated by Toyota and Lexus centres to receive grants of up to 2,000. Since the fund was launched in 2011, more than 1.62 million has been distributed.

The band included a Toyota Aygo X Hybrid in their video for Bring Me Back, which can be viewed here: Bring Me Back.

Ella Rose commented: It was a natural decision to include the car in our video, given the funding partnership and we actually wrote the song with the Aygo in mind. We hope itll connect with young people like us who are learning to drive or thinking about getting their first car.

Filming around Woodford allowed the band to showcase local locations such as Woodford train station and Hills of Woodford. However, as the band members are all learning to drive, they drove the car on private land under supervision. Since the video was filmed, Ella Bashford has passed her driving test and has test driven a Toyota Aygo.

Nahide Crisp, Group Sales and Marketing Director for Hills of Woodford commented, It felt like a natural fit to bring together the school, the band and Toyota through a shared sense of community, by providing funding that directly benefits the school. We wish The Displacements every success in the future and were proud to have helped them on their musical journey while supporting the schools music provision for the benefit of all its students.

by Natalie key for www.femalefirst.co.uk


Ahead of the voting in Assam, Keralam and the Union Territory of Puducherry, the officials conducted mock polls at various polling booths on Thursday. The Mock polls are underway at polling booth 262 at Anappara Government School in Pathanamthitta in Keralam. Mock polling is underway for the Assam Assembly Elections at polling station numbers 115 and 116 in Kamrup Metropolitan District and at polling station no. 9 at Girls' High School at Thrippunithura. Voting preparation is also underway in Puducherry. Voting will be held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Keralam, and 30 in Puducherry in this phase of the election. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23, and West Bengal on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4. The polling will begin at 7 am. In Keralam, over 2.6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies. Of the 2,69,53,644 registered voters across the state, there are 1,38,27,319 women voters, and the number of male voters stands at 1,31,26,048. Officials said 277 voters have been registered in the 'third gender category.' Among the electorate, nearly 4,24,518 voters fall in the 18-19 age group, while 2,04,608 voters are aged 85 years and above To facilitate safe and secure polling, a total of 30,471 polling stations have been set up, which comprises 119 logistic and voter machine distribution centres and 41 vote counting centres. In Assam, more than 2.5 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise for the 126-member legislative assembly. There are 722 candidates in the fray. Of 2,50,54,463 electors, 1,25,31,552 are male voters and 1,25,22,593 females. There are 318 voters in the Transgender category and 63,423 service voters. Among the electorate, 6,42,314 voters are in the age group of 18-19 years, 2,50,006 are above 80 years of age, and 2,05,085 are persons with disabilities. To strengthen the monitoring mechanism, webcasting facilities have been arranged in accordance with the Commission's directions, a release said. Webcasting has been enabled in all 31,490 polling stations, including 31,486 main polling stations and 4 auxiliary polling stations. A total of 1,51,132 polling personnel have been deployed for the conduct of the election. For polling purposes, 41,320 Ballot Units, 43,975 Control Units, and 43,997 VVPAT machines have been arranged, including reserves for emergency use. Additional polling personnel have also been kept in readiness, if required. In Puducherry, 10,14,070 electors are eligible to cast their votes to elect a 30-member Legislative Assembly. The electorate includes 5,39,125 female voters, 4,74,788 male voters, and 157 voters belonging to the third gender category. A total of 24,156 voters fall in the age group of 18-19 years, while 6,034 voters belong to the senior citizen category, aged 85 and above. Speaking with ANI, Puducherry Chief Electoral Officer P Jawahar said that 110 sector officers have been deployed across 1,099 polling stations, out of which 209 stations are categorised as vulnerable. (ANI)
Puducherry is set to vote today at 7 am for a total of 30 seats. A total of 10,14,070 electors are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect the 30-member Legislative Assembly. The electorate comprises 5,39,125 female voters, 4,74,788 male voters, and 157 voters belonging to the Third gender category. Out of this, 24,156 voters belong to the age group of 18-19 years, while 6,034 voters belong to the senior citizen category (aged 85 and above) Speaking with ANI, Puducherry Chief Electoral Officer P Jawahar shed light on the preparations for the polls. He said that 110 sector officers have been deployed across 1,099 polling stations, out of which 209 stations are categorised as vulnerable with central armed police force deployment. He added that drones, flying squads and helplines are being used to track violations. "The Election Department of Puducherry, through its district and returning officers, has made extensive arrangements. Logistics are crucial, with polling parties and materials being dispatched to stations on time. This process is tracked using drones and 110 sector officers across 1,099 polling stations... On security, multi-level measures are in place. Of these, 209 polling stations are categorised as vulnerable, where central armed police forces are deployed alongside local police to prevent incidents," he said. "Enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct is strict during the 48-hour silence period. Campaigning is banned, liquor outlets are closed, and inducements are closely monitored. Drones, flying squads, and the helpline are used to track violations in real time... Technology plays a key role, especially in regions like Mahe and Yanam, which are far from Puducherry. Drone feeds from these areas are monitored live in 4K quality," he added. In Puducherry, the contest involves the ruling NDA, which includes the All India NR Congress, the BJP and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is seeking to make it triangular. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) includes the All India N R Congress (AINRC) led by Chief Minister N Rangasamy, which is contesting 16 assembly constituencies, the BJP contesting 10 seats, and both the AIADMK and LJK, each contesting two seats. The INDIA bloc includes Congress, which is contesting 16 assembly constituencies, and the DMK, contesting 14 seats. VCK, which is part of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu, has decided to contest on three assembly seats in Puducherry independently after being offered only one. During the campaigning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the Congress-DMK alliance and accused them of prioritising dynastic politics while ignoring governance. He said internal conflicts within the Opposition bloc reflected their lack of commitment to public welfare, even as they continued to seek electoral gains. On the other hand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Puducherry government is "imposed from Delhi" and does not represent the will of its people. He also accused the BJP of failing to grant full statehood and fostering corruption in the Union Territory. Meanwhile, TVK chief Vijay launched a sharp offensive against the established political fronts in the union territory, calling the AINRC-BJP combine "tired" and DMK-Congress "confused".' Taking another dig at the alliances, Vijay asserted that voting for either of the two is "a waste" and emphasised that Puducherry needs good governance. In the 2021 Puducherry Assembly Elections, AINRC emerged as the largest party with 10 seats, followed by DMK with six seats, while BJP and Congress won six seats each. The voter turnout was recorded at 84.8 per cent. While in the 2016 elections, Congress had secured a majority with 15 seats, AINRC won eight seats, AIADMK bagged four seats, and DMK got two seats, with voter turnout at 83.6 per cent. The current term of the 30-member Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory is set to expire on June 15. The counting of votes will be held on May 4, the ECI announced. (ANI)
Polling began for high-stakes electoral battles in two states, Assam and Keralam, as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry, on Thursday at 7 am with the Election Commission making arrangements for free, fair and smooth polling. Voters queued outside polling stations to cast their votes in a single-phase assembly election. Voting will be held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Keralam, and 30 in Puducherry in this phase of the election. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23, and West Bengal on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4. In Keralam, over 2.6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies. Of the 2,69,53,644 registered voters across the state, there are 1,38,27,319 women voters and the number of male voters stands at 1,31,26,048. Officials said 277 voters have been registered in the 'third gender category.'Among the electorate, nearly 4,24,518 voters fall in the 18-19 age group, while 2,04,608 voters are aged 85 years and above To facilitate safe and secure polling, a total of 30,471 polling stations have been set up, which comprises 119 logistic and voter machine distribution centres and 41 vote counting centres. Keralam Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar on Tuesday said that 1.46 lakh trained polling personnel have been dispatched to polling stations. "As part of the arrangements for Kerala Assembly elections, we have the total electorate of 2.71 crores, and the service voters are 53,984... We will be counting the votes in 140 strong rooms and 43 locations. We have 1.46 lakh polling personnel who have been trained and will be dispatched to all the polling stations," he said "We have FIRs against 180 people in terms of election-related activities, and more than 1,200 police teams are very actively working in the field... We are ensuring that all the new initiatives by the Election Commission are implemented properly," he added. The election is seen as a contest between the ruling LDF and opposition UDF, with the BJP-led NDA, which has been gaining vote share, also hopeful of its prospects in the southern state. Left Democratic Front holds 99 seats in the current assembly and is aiming for a third consecutive term based on its performance and welfare schemes. The LDF created a record in 2021 as it retained the southern state, which, over the decades, has seen power alternating between the coalitions led by CPI(M) and Congress. In Assam, more than 2.5 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise for 126-member legislative assembly. There are 722 candidates in the fray. Of 2,50,54,463 electors, 1,25,31,552 are male voters and 1,25,22,593 females. There are 318 voters in the Transgender category and 63,423 service voters. Among the electorate, 6,42,314 voters are in the age group of 18-19 years, 2,50,006 are above 80 years of age, and 2,05,085 are persons with disabilities. To strengthen the monitoring mechanism, webcasting facilities have been arranged in accordance with the Commission's directions, a release said. Webcasting has been enabled in all 31,490 polling stations, including 31,486 main polling stations and 4 auxiliary polling stations.A total of 1,51,132 polling personnel have been deployed for the conduct of the election. For polling purposes, 41,320 Ballot Units, 43,975 Control Units, and 43,997 VVPAT machines have been arranged, including reserves for emergency use. Additional polling personnel have also been kept in readiness, if required. The Congress has stitched a six-party alliance to take on the ruling BJP-led NDA, which is seeking its third successive term in office. In Puducherry, 10,14,070 electors are eligible to cast their votes to elect a 30-member Legislative Assembly. The electorate includes 5,39,125 female voters, 4,74,788 male voters, and 157 voters belonging to the third gender category. A total of 24,156 voters fall in the age group of 18-19 years, while 6,034 voters belong to the senior citizen category, aged 85 and above. Speaking with ANI, Puducherry Chief Electoral Officer P Jawahar said that 110 sector officers have been deployed across 1,099 polling stations, out of which 209 stations are categorised as vulnerable. He added that following the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, flying squads and helplines are being used to track violations."The Election Department of Puducherry, through its district and returning officers, has made extensive arrangements. Logistics are crucial, with polling parties and materials being dispatched to stations on time. This process is tracked using drones and 110 sector officers across 1,099 polling stations... On security, multi-level measures are in place. Of these, 209 polling stations are categorised as vulnerable, where central armed police forces are deployed alongside local police to prevent incidents," he said. "Enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct is strict during the 48-hour silence period. Campaigning is banned, liquor outlets are closed, and inducements are closely monitored. Drones, flying squads, and the helpline are used to track violations in real time... Technology plays a key role, especially in regions like Mahe and Yanam, which are far from Puducherry. Drone feeds from these areas are monitored live in 4K quality," he added. In Puducherry, the contest involves the ruling NDA, which includes NR Congress and BJP and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is seeking to make it triangular. The term of the legislative assembly is set to expire on June 15. (ANI)
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday urged voters to exercise their constitutional voting right as voting across 296 seats in Keralam, Assam and Puducherry commenced earlier in the day. In an 'X' post, Kharge pointed out the rising unemployment, financial distress, and growing uncertainty within Keralam under the Left Democratic Front (LDF) regime, while highlighting the responsibility of its people to showcase the nation what "progressive thinking truly means." "My dear sisters and brothers of Keralam, You have always stood for education, dignity, secular values, and social justice. You have shown the nation what progressive thinking truly means. Now, once again, the responsibility lies in your hands. Over the past years, you have faced rising unemployment, financial distress, and growing uncertainty. Farmers, plantation workers, youth, and small business owners have all asked a simple question: "Where is the relief? Where is the opportunity?" Kerala's strength has always been its unity in diversity. Do not let division or distraction weaken that strength. I appeal to all to come out in large numbers and vote for a government that listens, cares, and delivers. Vote for justice. Vote for a better Keralam!," Kharge wrote in his 'X' post. Furthermore, Kharge expressed confidence about the "palpable change" in Assam, while emphasising the weakened state unity by the BJP government in the past ten years. He urged people to restore the path of unity, welfare, and real development, adding that their vote would restore its pride and future. "The change is palpable in Assam in this 2026 Assembly election. In the past 10 years, Assam's unity has been deliberately weakened - its social fabric strained, its resources exploited, and false narratives spread for political gain. Now is the time for the people of Assam to come together and defeat politics of division, exclusion, and apathy with the power of their vote. Choose a path of unity, welfare, and real development. Your vote can restore Assam's pride and future. I especially urge first-time voters to step out and vote for harmony and progress. Jai Hind Jai Assam," Kharge wrote on 'X'. The Congress chief also highlighted the growing corruption, unemployment, drugs, paper leaks and misuse of Puducherry land, stressing that the elections are time for statehood, jobs, safety, honest governance, and dignity for every citizen of the Union Territory. "My dear sisters and brothers of Puducherry, Today is your moment to step out and vote against corruption, unemployment, drugs, paper leaks and misuse of your land and resources. It is time to for statehood, jobs, safety, honest governance, and dignity for every citizen. Use your vote to safeguard your children's future, to restore Puducherry's progress, and to bring back a government that truly works for the people! Vote for change. Vote for integrity. Jai Hind Jai Puducherry," he said. Polling began for high-stakes electoral battles in two states, Assam and Keralam, as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry, on Thursday at 7 am with the Election Commission making arrangements for free, fair and smooth polling. Voters queued outside polling stations to cast their votes in a single-phase assembly election. Voting will be held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Keralam, and 30 in Puducherry in this phase of the election. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23, and West Bengal on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4. In Keralam, over 2.6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies. Of the 2,69,53,644 registered voters across the state, there are 1,38,27,319 women voters and the number of male voters stands at 1,31,26,048. Officials said 277 voters have been registered in the 'third gender category.'Among the electorate, nearly 4,24,518 voters fall in the 18-19 age group, while 2,04,608 voters are aged 85 years and above To facilitate safe and secure polling, a total of 30,471 polling stations have been set up, which comprises 119 logistic and voter machine distribution centres and 41 vote counting centres. Left Democratic Front holds 99 seats in the current assembly and is aiming for a third consecutive term based on its performance and welfare schemes. The LDF created a record in 2021 as it retained the southern state, which, over the decades, has seen power alternating between the coalitions led by CPI(M) and Congress. In Assam, more than 2.5 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise for 126-member legislative assembly. There are 722 candidates in the fray. Of 2,50,54,463 electors, 1,25,31,552 are male voters and 1,25,22,593 females. There are 318 voters in the Transgender category and 63,423 service voters. Among the electorate, 6,42,314 voters are in the age group of 18-19 years, 2,50,006 are above 80 years of age, and 2,05,085 are persons with disabilities. To strengthen the monitoring mechanism, webcasting facilities have been arranged in accordance with the Commission's directions, a release said. Webcasting has been enabled in all 31,490 polling stations, including 31,486 main polling stations and 4 auxiliary polling stations.A total of 1,51,132 polling personnel have been deployed for the conduct of the election. For polling purposes, 41,320 Ballot Units, 43,975 Control Units, and 43,997 VVPAT machines have been arranged, including reserves for emergency use. Additional polling personnel have also been kept in readiness, if required. The Congress has stitched a six-party alliance to take on the ruling BJP-led NDA, which is seeking its third successive term in office. In Puducherry, 10,14,070 electors are eligible to cast their votes to elect a 30-member Legislative Assembly. The electorate includes 5,39,125 female voters, 4,74,788 male voters, and 157 voters belonging to the third gender category. A total of 24,156 voters fall in the age group of 18-19 years, while 6,034 voters belong to the senior citizen category, aged 85 and above. In Puducherry, the contest involves the ruling NDA, which includes NR Congress and BJP and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is seeking to make it triangular. (ANI)
CPI(M) leader Elamaram Kareem on Thursday appealed to voters, particularly in Kozhikode district, to support the Left Democratic Front (LDF), asserting that the ruling alliance has fulfilled the overwhelming majority of its electoral promises. Speaking to ANI here, Kareem said, "I appeal to the voters, particularly from Kozhikode district, to cast their vote in favour of LDF. LDF has proved its credibility by implementing all promises given during the election. Regarding the 2021 election, LDF promised a 700 program. Now, the government of Kerala, particularly the Chief Minister, has published the progress report. 97 percent of promises are being implemented, and others are in implementation. This is a world record regarding the political parties." He also launched a sharp attack on the Congress party, questioning its governance track record at the national level. "The Indian National Congress has never implemented its electoral promises. You see, the 'Garibi Hatao', 'Bekari Hatao' was the slogan of Congress... but what they have done? During their rule... poverty and unemployment remained serious issues, while corporates increased profits and workers were denied fundamental rights," he alleged. Reiterating confidence in the LDF, Kareem said, "Today in Kerala, voters are convinced that the LDF government is implementing all promises. The credibility is proved by the LDF government. So, everybody is prepared to vote in favour of LDF. I request all the voters to vote in favour of LDF." Kareem further informed that he would cast his vote at St. Xavier's Higher Secondary School in Devagiri, Kozhikode, at 8:30 am. Polling began simultaneously in Kerala, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry, marking a crucial phase in the ongoing electoral cycle. While Kerala is voting in a single phase for all 140 constituencies, Assam is witnessing polling across 126 seats, and Puducherry across 30 seats. Tamil Nadu and West Bengal will vote later this month, with counting scheduled for May 4. In Kerala, over 2.69 crore registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots, including 1.38 crore women and 1.31 crore men, along with 277 voters in the third gender category. Nearly 4.24 lakh first-time voters aged 18-19 are participating, while over 2 lakh voters are aged above 85. To facilitate voting, authorities have set up 30,471 polling stations across the state. Keralam Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar stated that approximately 1.46 lakh trained polling personnel have been deployed to ensure the seamless conduct of the election. Votes for the Assembly elections will be counted on May 4. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted the role of youth in nation-building, emphasising that youth are engaged in shaping a prosperous and strong India. The Prime Minister pointed out that India's heritage and culture have always taught true knowledge and its proper use, being the foundation of a nation's progress. In a post on X, he said, "Our heritage and culture have always taught us that true knowledge and its proper use form the foundation of a nation's progress. Following this very path, the youth of our country today are engaged in shaping a prosperous and strong India. Knowledge that resides within is the true knowledge, and even superior to that is what transcends it. That alone is the essence of the entire world, revered by the virtuous." https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2042059924495331634 The PM's message comes as polling commenced in Keralam, Assam, and Puducherry for Assembly elections. In this regard, PM Modi earlier called upon voters, especially the youth and women, to participate enthusiastically in the democratic process. "Calling upon the people of Keralam to vote in large numbers. I particularly request the youth and women of the state to step forward and vote in large numbers," he said. He made similar appeals for Assam and Puducherry, urging citizens to treat the elections as a celebration of democracy. "I hope that the state's youth and women voters participate enthusiastically and make this election a celebration of democracy and public duty," he said in another post. Polling is underway across three key regions, with over 2.6 crore electors in Keralam deciding the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies in a high-stakes contest involving the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). In Assam, more than 2.5 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots for 722 candidates contesting across 126 Assembly constituencies. Meanwhile, Puducherry, with over 10 lakh electors, is voting to elect its 30-member Legislative Assembly. The counting of votes for the Assembly elections is scheduled for May 4. (ANI)
International delegates under the International Election Visitors' Programme (IEVP) visited polling stations in Assam on Thursday to witness people exercising their franchise for the 2026 Assembly polls, and to appreciate the meticulous organisation of the polls. In a post on X, the poll body said that the international delegation appreciated the scale and management of the elections. "Chunav ka Parv, Assam ka Garv! International delegates under the International Election Visitors' Programme #IEVP are visiting polling stations in #Assam and witnessing the poll, the celebration of the Festival of Democracy. They appreciated the large-scale and meticulous organisation of the polls," ECI wrote. In another X post, the Commission wrote, "Early morning enthusiasm on display as voters queue up to exercise their franchise. Let's Vote!!" Polling for the 126 seats in Assam began today. The counting of votes will take place on May 4. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is looking to secure a third consecutive term, while the Congress-led alliance, which includes Raijor Dal and CPI(M), will look to bring a change in the state. In Assam, more than 2.5 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise for the 126-member legislative assembly. There are 722 candidates in the fray. Of 2,50,54,463 electors, 1,25,31,552 are male voters and 1,25,22,593 females. 318 transgender persons are listed as voters, and there are 63,423 service voters. Among the electorate, 6,42,314 voters are in the age group of 18-19 years, 2,50,006 are above 80 years of age, and 2,05,085 are persons with disabilities. Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), including CRPF personnel, have been deployed to ensure security at polling stations. Micro observers are also deputed in the sensitive polling stations to ensure smooth conduct of polling, the release stated. A total of 1,51,132 polling personnel have been deployed for the conduct of the election. For polling purposes, 41,320 Ballot Units, 43,975 Control Units, and 43,997 VVPAT machines have been arranged, including reserves for emergency use. Additional polling personnel have also been kept in readiness, if required. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the NDA, comprising the BJP, AGP and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), won 75 seats, with the BJP alone winning 60 seats. The Congress and AIUDF had formed a grand alliance along with the BPF and the Left parties, but the alliance performed poorly with just 16 seats out of 126. (ANI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers staged a protest against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over the latter's "poisonous snake" jibe at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in an election rally in Assam. The protest was held outside the Mandya SP office in Karnataka on Wednesday. The BJP workers demanded that Kharge be arrested for his remarks against their party and the RSS. Labelling Kharge's remarks as "hate speech", the BJP workers alleged that Congress has attempted to incite Muslims. BJP leaders, including Manjunath, Prasanna, Hosahalli Shivu, Shivakumar Aaradhya, Nithyananda, Madaraja Arasu, Mahantappa, and others, participated in the protest and filed a formal complaint with the Mandya SP. Earlier on Tuesday, Assam BJP lodged a police complaint against Kharge at Basistha police station in Guwahati for allegedly making derogatory speech against the BJP and RSS. BJP leader Rabjib Kumar Sarmah denounced the remarks made by Kharge and accused Congress of practising appeasement politics to garner Muslim votes. "Mallikarjun Kharge held an election rally today in Assam's Shribhumi district. And in that election rally, he compared the BJP and RSS with a poisonous snake. And said, 'If someone is offering Namaz or reading the Quran, even at that time if a poisonous snake is seen, then one should leave the Namaz or the Quran there and come and kill it. And the Bharatiya Janata Party and the RSS are also like this, like a poisonous snake. So as soon as they see it, Muslim people should kill the BJP and the RSS. This is what Mallikarjun Kharge has said," he said. "Through this, Kharge has tried to prove that the Congress party today only does politics of Muslim appeasement, does politics only to satisfy Muslims. And it has become clear that they try to humiliate and neglect the Sanatani system and the Hindu society as much as they can," he added. Meanwhile, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari called Kharge's remarks objectionable and said that it amounts to "treason". He accused the Congress of acting in despair due to fear of defeat and said that the country will "punish them". (ANI)
Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday cast his vote for the 2026 Assembly elections at a polling booth in Pinarayi RC Amala Basic Upper Primary School in Kannur. Pinarayi Vijayan is eyeing a historic third consecutive term from the Dharmadham constituency. While the constituency is a storied fortress for the Left, the 2026 race is shaping up to be more than just a victory lap, both from the United Democratic Front led by Congress, and BJP led National Democratic Alliance. The UDF have fielded VP Abdul Rasheed against the Chief Minister, whereas on the other hand, K Ranjith is contesting on the BJP's ticket. Pinarayi Vijayan won comfortably in 2016 and 2021, and the CM is banking on the completion of major bypasses and local development projects. Moreover, Kannur remains the soul of the CPIM, and a win here reinforces the party's "invincibility" narrative, while also showcasing Kerala as a modern, tech-forward state. In 2021, Vijayan won by over 50,000 votes. The opposition isn't letting the CM walk over the finish line without a fight. This year, the challenge is characterised by a "Dual Front" strategy designed to chip away at the LDF's massive lead. UDF, banking on anti-incumbency, is highlighting local grievances, youth unemployment, and allegations of administrative overreach. According to the Election Commission of India, in Dharmadam, there are a total of 1,84,844 electors, out of which 85,665 are male voters, while the other 99,179 are female. During the 2021 elections, Vijayan ended up securing 95,522 (59.8 per cent) votes against the United Democratic Front candidate C Raghunathan, who received 28.4 per cent of the total votes polled. In 2016, the Kerala CM, who contested from the seat for the first time, secured a victory by a margin of 30,905 votes from UDF's Mambaram Divakaran. Vijayan had received 87,329 votes, whereas a total of 50,424 electors voted for Divakaran. Polling for the 140-seat Keralam Legislative Assembly is underway today, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. Both the incumbent LDF and the Opposition Congress-led UDF are eyeing to breach the 71-seat mark, while the BJP-led NDA is looking to enter the Assembly via the gateway opened in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation polls. (ANI)
Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday expressed confidence in the Left Democratic Front (LDF)'s victory in the 2026 Assembly elections, saying that the public trusts the ruling alliance. Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Kannur, Vijayan said that "false and communal propaganda" cannot defeat the LDF. "False propaganda cannot defeat the LDF. We always trust the people, and the people trust us. We have travelled with the people for the last ten years, and that journey must continue. We are with the people, and the people are with us. Communal propaganda cannot defeat us," he said. Pinarayi Vijayan is eyeing a historic third consecutive term from the Dharmadam constituency. While the constituency is the fortress for the Left, the 2026 race is shaping up to be more than just a victory lap, both from the United Democratic Front led by Congress, and BJP led National Democratic Alliance. The UDF have fielded VP Abdul Rasheed against the Chief Minister, whereas on the other hand, K Ranjith is contesting on the BJP's ticket. Pinarayi Vijayan won comfortably in 2016 and 2021, and the CM is banking on the completion of major bypasses and local development projects. Moreover, Kannur remains the soul of the CPIM, and a win here reinforces the party's "invincibility" narrative, while also showcasing Kerala as a modern, tech-forward state. In 2021, Vijayan won by over 50,000 votes. According to the Election Commission of India, in Dharmadam, there are a total of 1,84,844 electors, out of which 85,665 are male voters, while the other 99,179 are female. During the 2021 elections, Vijayan ended up securing 95,522 (59.8 per cent) votes against the United Democratic Front candidate C Raghunathan, who received 28.4 per cent of the total votes polled. Polling for the 140-seat Keralam Legislative Assembly is underway today, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. Both the incumbent LDF and the Opposition Congress-led UDF are eyeing to breach the 71-seat mark, while the BJP-led NDA is looking to enter the Assembly via the gateway opened in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation polls. (ANI)
Anthony Mackie and Dafne Keen have been cast in the action-thriller Barracuda.

Anthony Mackie is to star alongside Dafne Keen in Barracuda

The pair have signed up to star in the new movie from director Neil Burger  whose previous credits include Divergent and The Illusionist  that is also set to feature Steven Bauer and Anthony Del Negro.

Production gets underway in New Mexico this week, with Burger directing from a screenplay written by Adam Mason and Simon Boyes.

A synopsis for Barracuda: "When Karl (Mackie), a former smuggler with a haunted past, storms a nightclub in Mexico to rescue Jodie (Keen), a kidnapped teenage girl, he ignites a chain reaction of blood and bullets that burns across 100 miles of deadly roads towards the US border.

"The breakout turns into a high-speed race when Karl kills the brother of the ruthless club owner and steals his prized 1973 Plymouth Barracuda. Now hunted by relentless criminals, Karl and Jodie tear across the desert with no way to slow down."

The flick is being produced by Arianne Fraser, Delphine Perrier and Henry Winterstern for Highland Film Group  which is handling worldwide rights for the movie.

Burger said in a statement: "I've been looking to make a non-stop action thriller and I've finally found it with this great screenplay.

"This one never lets up. It's out-of-control, relentless mayhem in a real-time sprint to the border. I've also been wanting to work with Anthony Mackie for some time and know we'll make a great team. As with Limitless and Inheritance, I'm inventing new visual techniques to make this movie a truly wild ride."

Fraser added: "Neil Burger has a proven track record for directing films with a striking visual style and pacing. Barracuda promises to be the next display of his superlative visionary skill as a filmmaker."

Perrier said: "We are delighted that Anthony Mackie, an actor so beloved by audiences worldwide, has joined the team to bring this adrenaline-packed film to life on the big screen.

"He is the ideal actor to give our hero Karl, that perfect blend of cunning, physical prowess and deeply human vulnerability that the role requires."

Mackie portrays Sam Wilson/Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and has teased that the upcoming blockbuster Avengers: Doomsday will give fans "that old Marvel feeling" when it is released later this year.

The 47-year-old star told IGN last year: "We're kicking on down the road, so everybody's getting excited and we're getting the band back together.

"Were supposed to go out this week, and well be out there doing it. Everybodys excited. I feel with the script and having the Russo brothers back, its going to be great.

"Im really excited for what this project is going to be. Its going to give the audience that old Marvel feeling that they always had."
Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary MA Baby on Thursday cast his vote in Thiruvananthapuram for the Keralam Assembly polls and expressed confidence that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) would return to power with "a resounding victory". Speaking to reporters, Baby said the LDF government's performance over the past 10 years, including social welfare measures, infrastructure development and progress in education and health sectors, would influence voters. "We expect a resounding success for the Left Democratic Front because of the remarkable work the 10-year-long LDF govt. The communal amity that existed in the state during this period, not only social welfare measures, infra development and overall development in education and health sectors. The peaceful atmosphere which existed in Keralam in the last 10 years is also being considered by the people...We expect a resounding victory," he said. He further said that noted public intellectuals such as Amartya Sen and Romila Thapar had recently highlighted Keralam's social environment and communal harmony. "Renowned public intellectuals like Professor Amartya Sen and Professor Romila Thapar, while participating in a discussion recently, underlined this importance. No other Indian state can genuinely claim the kind of religious tolerance and communal amity that has been existing in the state of Keralam," he said. Citing indicators from NITI Aayog, Baby said the NITI Aayog statistics prove that Keralam is ahead of every state. "The NITI Aayog statistics prove that Keralam is ahead of every other state in life expectancy, child mortality, education standards, happiness index and so on and so forth," he said. "The politically literate people of Keralam would be able to see through campaigns not based on facts," he added, expressing confidence that voters would support the LDF in the ongoing elections. Polling for the 140-member Keralam Assembly began at 7 am, with voters turning out in large numbers across the state. The election is witnessing a direct contest between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), with the BJP-led NDA also in the fray. In Keralam, over 2.69 crore registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots, including 1.38 crore women and 1.31 crore men, along with 277 voters in the third gender category. Nearly 4.24 lakh first-time voters aged 18-19 are participating, while over 2 lakh voters are aged above 85. To facilitate voting, authorities have set up 30,471 polling stations across the state. Keralam Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar stated that approximately 1.46 lakh trained polling personnel have been deployed to ensure the seamless conduct of the election. Votes for the Assembly elections will be counted on May 4. (ANI)
A woman councillor of Congress party has sparked a controversy after she refused to sing 'Vande Mataram' during a discussion on the budget of Indore Municipal Corporation. The incident occurred on Wednesday (April 8) when Congress councillor, Fauzia Sheikh Alim, arrived late to the meeting proceedings. BJP councillors reportedly asked her to sing 'Vande Mataram', which she declined. The refusal of the Congress councillor to sing the 'Vande Mataram', led to uproar from the BJP councillors and the raising of slogans. Later, Chairman Munnalal Yadav suspended Faujia Sheikh Alim from the meeting for a day. "Vande Mataram song has completed 150 years, and the central government has issued guidelines that it should be sung in all government offices. Congress Councillor Fauzia Sheikh Alim remained absent when 'Vande Mataram' was being sung and later came to the House and began disrupting the proceedings. When members pointed out that she should have been present at that time, she used objectionable words about the song. Due to her objectionable remarks about the song and for disrupting the House proceedings, she was expelled from the House for a day," Chairman Munnalal Yadav told ANI. Meanwhile, a Congress Councillor, Rubina Iqbal Khan, said that she has been a Councillor with Alim for the past 15 years and she always sang 'Vande Mataram', adding that it remains unclear what happened on that particular day. "Fauzia Sheikh Alim was speaking and I am not aware of the context in which she said it, but she stated that she would not sing 'Vande Mataram'. Following this, an uproar began in the House and the Chairman expelled her for a day. I have been a councillor with Fauzia Sheikh Alim for the past 15 years, and she has always sung 'Vande Mataram', but it is unclear what happened today," Rubina Iqbal Khan said. She said that she was present during the Vande Mataram, always singing and respecting it. There is no question about any objection, as it is the national song, and added that why would they have any objection to it. (ANI)
Congress MP Manickam Tagore expressed deep grief on Thursday over the passing of Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, the veteran leader from Malda affectionately known as "Dalu da."In a heartfelt post on X, Tagore recalled his long-standing association with the senior leader during their shared tenures in Parliament and lauded his dedication to public service."Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Janab A.H. Khan Choudhury Sahab, affectionately known as Dalu da. I fondly remember my association with him during 2009-2014 and again from 2019-2024, when we had the opportunity to sit together. His warmth, humility, and deep commitment to public service left a lasting impression on me," Tagore wrote.The Congress MP emphasised that Dalu da's legacy in Malda would remain a point of reference for future leaders. "A respected leader, Dalu da's contribution to the people of Malda will always be remembered with gratitude and respect," he added.Tagore extended his condolences to the bereaved family, specifically mentioning his Lok Sabha colleague and Malda MP, Isha Khan Choudhury."My heartfelt condolences to my colleague in Lok Sabha and Malda MP Isha Khan Choudhury and the entire bereaved family in this hour of grief. May the Almighty grant him eternal peace and give strength to his loved ones to bear this irreparable loss," he posted. West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday also expressed grief and informed that Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury (Dalu Babu) breathed his last on Wednesday at 10 PM. "It is with a heavy heart that the Indian National Congress mourns the passing of veteran leader and former Union Minister, Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury (Dalu Babu), who breathed his last tonight at 10 PM. A towering figure in Bengal politics and a beloved representative of Malda, Dalu Babu's life was dedicated to the welfare of his people and the ideals of the Congress party. His legacy of service, simplicity, and leadership will continue to inspire us. Our deepest condolences to the Khan Choudhury family and his countless followers. May his soul rest in peace," West Bengal Congress posted on X.Born on January 12, 1941, Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury is remembered by his spouse, Ruth Khan Choudhury and son Isha Khan Choudhury. Isha Khan currently represents the Maldaha Dakshin Lok Sabha constituency, the same constituency represented by his father. Abu Hasem was a member of the West Bengal Assembly for two terms, between 1996-2006. On September of 2006, Choudhury won the by-elections for the Maldaha Dakshin Lok Sabha seat. In October of 2012, he was appointed as the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. (ANI)
CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar on Thursday expressed confidence that the Left Democratic Front would win 90 seats in the Keralam polls, for which polling commenced earlier today. Speaking to ANI, Kumar stated that the elections were based on agenda of development, whereas BJP's communal politics and UDF's divisive agenda were not accepted. "More than 2.70 crore Keralities are enthusiastically taking part in Assembly elections. LDF is hopeful of retaining its government in the state. We are expecting over 90 seats. This election was based on the agenda of development. BJP's communal politics and UDF's divisive agenda were not accepted. By and large, this election has been peaceful...The state of Kerala will reject the BJP once again," he said. Sandosh Kumar made these remarks after casting his vote in Kannur. Apart from the CPI MP, Keralam Minister and Kalamassery candidate P Rajeev cast his vote in Thirupunithara. Meanwhile, voter turnout at 9 am on Thursday in the state was recorded at 16.2 per cent, as per the Election Commission of India. In Keralam, over 2.6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies. Of the 2,69,53,644 registered voters across the state, there are 1,38,27,319 women voters and the number of male voters stands at 1,31,26,048. Officials said 277 voters have been registered in the 'third gender category.'Among the electorate, nearly 4,24,518 voters fall in the 18-19 age group, while 2,04,608 voters are aged 85 years and above To facilitate safe and secure polling, a total of 30,471 polling stations have been set up, which comprises 119 logistic and voter machine distribution centres and 41 vote counting centres. Keralam Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rathan U Kelkar on Tuesday said that 1.46 lakh trained polling personnel have been dispatched to polling stations. "As part of the arrangements for Kerala Assembly elections, we have the total electorate of 2.71 crores, and the service voters are 53,984. We will be counting the votes in 140 strong rooms and 43 locations. We have 1.46 lakh polling personnel who have been trained and will be dispatched to all the polling stations," he said "We have FIRs against 180 people in terms of election-related activities, and more than 1,200 police teams are very actively working in the field. We are ensuring that all the new initiatives by the Election Commission are implemented properly," he added. The election is seen as a contest between the ruling LDF and opposition UDF, with the BJP-led NDA, which has been gaining vote share. LDF holds 99 seats in the current assembly and is aiming for a third consecutive term based on its performance and welfare schemes. The LDF created a record in 2021 as it retained the southern state, which, over the decades, has seen power alternating between the coalitions led by CPI(M) and Congress. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday addressed the Vishwa Navkar Mahamantra Diwas organised by the Jain International Trade Organisation at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, praising the spiritual initiative and emphasising the importance of peace and unity in a conflict-ridden world. Addressing the gathering, Shah said, "I would like to congratulate JITO for chanting the peaceful Navkar Mantra from here on April 9th for the welfare of the entire world, especially at a time when the whole world is bent upon war to impose its will upon one another. This is truly most fitting." The event brought together members of the Jain community and spiritual leaders, focusing on harmony, non-violence, and collective well-being. Shah highlighted that such spiritual initiatives hold greater significance in today's geopolitical climate, where tensions and conflicts continue to escalate across regions. Earlier in the day, Shah paid tribute to personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force on the occasion of CRPF Valor Day, commemorating their bravery and sacrifice. In a post on X, he said, "Salute to the indomitable courage and sacrifice of our brave hearts on CRPF Valour Day." Recalling the historic 1965 battle at Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch, Shah noted that CRPF personnel had displayed exceptional courage in defending the nation. "On this day in 1965, the fearless warriors of CRPF stood like an unbreakable wall... crushing the enemy's advances and writing a glorious chapter of bravery in India's history," he said, while paying homage to the martyrs. Meanwhile, Shah also addressed election rallies in Assam earlier this week, expressing confidence in the BJP forming the government again. He said key decisions, including the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, would be taken in the first cabinet meeting if voted to power. Voting for the 126-seat Assam Assembly is underway, with counting scheduled for May 4. (ANI)
NCP(SCP) MP from Baramati, Supriya Sule, on Thursday urged Congress to withdraw Akash More's candidature for the bye-election for the Baramati Assembly seat, which fell vacant after the demise of the former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Mahayuti has fielded Ajit Pawar's wife and NCP leader Sunetra Pawar, who needs to be part of the Assembly to be in the Deputy CM's seat. In an X post, Supriya Sule called for an unopposed election as a tribute to the late Ajit Pawar. She said, "Following the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar, the Baramati Assembly constituency now faces a by-election. Ajit Dada's political journey began with the Congress party, and he maintained a long-standing, respectful association with it throughout his career." "In this moment of grief and remembrance, an unopposed election in Baramati would serve as a dignified and heartfelt tribute to his legacy of public service and inclusive politics. I sincerely appeal to the Congress leadership to consider this gesture in the spirit of respect, unity," the post read. Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane slammed the Congress for fielding a candidate in Baramati, saying, "This is a quintessential example of the kind of politics practised by the Congress, and it is precisely this approach that has led to the party's decline." Akash More is the secretary of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. His father, Vijayrao More, was a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC). The Election Commission of India (ECI) had earlier announced the schedule for by-elections to eight Assembly constituencies in six states. The two Maharashtra constituencies include Rahuri in Ahilyanagar district and Baramati in Pune district. The seats fell vacant following the demise of MLA Shivaji Bhanudas Kardile from Rahuri and Mahrashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Anantrao Pawar from Baramati. Polling for these by-elections will be held on April 23, 2026, with counting scheduled for May 4. (ANI)
Assam Minister and BJP candidate from Jagiroad Assembly constituency, Pijush Hazarika, on Thursday invoked the party's poll plank against illegal immigration and asserted that the people will not vote for Congress in the Assembly elections. Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Jagiroad, Pijush Hazarika clarified that the party does not stand against Muslims in Assam, but rather is against illegal immigrants entering from Bangladesh. He said, "We are in support of Assami Muslims. Those who have come from Bangladesh illegally, we are against them. I would like to request people of Assam to please come forward to vote for development. The people of Assam are against the Bangladeshis, invaders, and illegal migrants, and that is why Congress will not get votes. More people are going to resign from the Congress party." Further, slamming Congress leader Pawan Khera over the fake passports allegation against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, Hazarika said, "Pawan Khera is a useless person. His claims turned out to be false. There were spelling errors. One spelling was Sharma, and the other was Sarma. When we questioned him, he left Assam and ran away. If his allegations were true, he should have stayed in Assam." Khera had alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma owned three passports and the couple, along with their son, owns a business worth Rs 52,000 crore in the United States. Assam CM, however, had denied the claims. Riniki Bhuyan Sharma had lodged an FIR against Khera, and the Assam Police carried out searches at his residence, after which the Congress leader approached the Telangana High Court seeking anticipatory bail. Actor and wife Pijush Hazarika, Aimee Baruah, said, "The people will vote for development. Pijush Hazarika will definitely win." "This is the fourth election of my husband, and I think the result will be good. The BJP will certainly form its government in Assam. As a daughter of Assam, I can say that the BJP is coming here," she said. Sitting MLA Pijush Hazarika is aiming to secure a third consecutive victory in Jagiroad, as he contests against Congress' Bubul Das. In the 2021 election, BJP's Pijush Hazarika emerged victorious with 1,06,643 votes, accounting for 54 per cent of the total votes polled. He defeated Congress's Swapan Kumar Mandal, who won 77,239 votes. The polling for the 2026 Assam Assembly elections is underway, and the counting of votes will take place on May 4. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday termed the Trinamool Congress regime as a "syndicate-driven" government, where any developmental work or investment cannot be carried forward without "cut money or commission." Addressing a public rally here, the Prime Minister reflected on the "development" in the other BJP-ruled states, expressing confidence that same can be achieved by West Bengal if the party comes to power. "TMC has run a syndicate-driven system, where nothing moves without cut money and commissions. But factories run on trust, not on syndicates. And this trust can only be provided by the BJP. The development seen in states governed by the BJP builds confidence that similar progress will be achieved in Bengal as well," said PM Modi. The Prime Minister further accused the TMC government of doing "double betrayal" with West Bengal's youth, adding that it cannot wash away its "sins" for the next 100 years. "What the TMC government has done with the youth of Bengal, they won't be able to wash away their sins even in the next 100 years... TMC has done double betrayal to the youth of Bengal. There are no jobs in the private sector here, and even if they are, it has been given to the infiltrators. The government vacancies are being looted by TMC ministers," he said. PM Modi further highlighted West Bengal's failure to become "self-reliant" in fish production despite the high demand in the state. He noted that the TMC government has not been able to meet the fish demand of West Bengal, calling it a glaring example of the TMC's misguided policies. "Another immense opportunity in West Bengal lies in fish farming--in fisheries and seafood... Despite the immense demand for fish here in Bengal, the state remains far from self-reliant in fish production. Even today, Bengal is compelled to import fish from other states to meet its domestic requirements. Even after fifteen years in power, the TMC has failed to provide you with even something as basic as fish; that, too, must be sourced from outside the state. This stands as a glaring example of the TMC's misguided policies. Over the last eleven years, India's overall fish production has doubled. India's seafood exports have doubled. Yet, here in Bengal--solely due to the TMC government--what was successfully achieved across the rest of the country failed to materialise," said the Prime Minister. He further highlighted the growth in fish production in NDA ruled Bihar and Assam, adding that it's a significant achievement of PM Matsya Sampada Scheme. He further claimed that the TMC finds the scheme "distasteful", due to the prefix "PM" attached to the name. "Wherever the BJP or NDA is in power, fish production is witnessing rapid growth. Even your neighbour, Bihar, once had to import fish from other states. However, thanks to the policies of the BJP government, fish production in Bihar has nearly doubled. Today, Bihar no longer imports fish; it has become strong enough to export its own catch. Bihar has now begun supplying fish to other states. Just ten years ago, Assam, too, used to import fish from other states," PM Modi said. He added, "Yet, over the past decade, fish production there has also doubled--it has grown twofold. Today, Assam not only meets its own domestic demand for fish but also exports it to other states. The significant surge in the country's fish and shrimp production owes much to the pivotal role played by the PM Matsya Sampada Scheme. However, because this scheme bears the prefix "PM," the arrogant TMC finds it distasteful. In doing so, they are effectively insulting the Constitution of India. Consequently, a scheme designed specifically for the welfare of fishermen is not being implemented effectively." (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that only a BJP-NDA government can restore Asansol's industrial strength and break free from "mafia rule", calling the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government "ruthless". Addressing a public rally here, PM Modi said, "This election is not just about changing the government. This is an election to restore Asansol's old industrial strength. This is an election to break free from mafia rule. Only the BJP-NDA government can accomplish this task." PM Modi alleged the mismanagement and corruption under successive governments, including Congress, the Left, and TMC. "Over the past several decades, Bengal has tried trusting every party. But all of them have only betrayed the people of Bengal, crushed the dreams of Bengal's people into the dust, trampled the future of Bengal's people. That's why people no longer want to rely on mere words; the people of Bengal now want to judge based on actions and track records. The strongest track record of developing Bengal and advancing it on the path of progress lies only with the BJP," PM Modi said. Focusing on the region's economic decline, he stated, "Asansol is a vast area of the coal belt, yet under the TMC regime, this entire trade has been seized by syndicates. Coal black-marketing, the coal mafia, and the sand mafia, along with the land mafia - all of these elements have become a heavy burden upon this entire region. The youth of this area are being forced to leave their homes and migrate elsewhere. This is the plight of the entire state of Bengal." Focusing on Bengal's economic decline, the Prime Minister added, "Our India is a family comprising 144 crore citizens, wherein the various states constitute vital parts of that family. The more these states earn, the greater the collective income of this vast national family becomes. When our country attained independence, if the total national income of India stood at 100 rupees, Bengal alone contributed 11 or 12 rupees to that figure. However, the successive regimes of the Congress and the Left Front here utterly destroyed and devastated everything. In 2011, when you gave the TMC an opportunity, Bengal's share in the national income had already plummeted to a mere 6 rupees." "You had placed your trust in the TMC, believing they would rectify the situation, but TMC has crossed every conceivable boundary of cruelty and ruthlessness against the people of Bengal. The income of the common Bengali is steadily declining, while the bungalows of TMC MLAs and TMC ministers and TMC syndicate are growing larger and larger," the PM added. PM Modi assured voters that a BJP government after May 4 would address every problem in the region. "I assure you that after May 4, the ruthless government will go, and the BJP government will come. Every single problem in this area will be resolved by our government," he said. The polling for the 294-member Assembly in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. In the last assembly election in the state, held in eight phases in 2021, the Trinamool Congress recorded a landslide victory with 213 seats amid an intense contest with the BJP, which jumped to 77 seats. Congress and Left Front drew a blank in the last state polls. (ANI)
R Sreelekha, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State Vice President and Vattiyoorkavu Assembly constituency candidate, on Thursday, expressed confidence that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would secure a ''landmark victory'' in the ongoing Keralam Assembly elections. Speaking to ANI, Sreelekha said, "I am confident that NDA will make a landmark victory in Keralam this time. This is the right time. The anti-incumbency is very high. People want NDA to come. Everywhere I go, I get a feeling that people are voting for NDA." Targeting the Left Democratic Front (LDF), she stated that voters were frustrated with corruption, arrogance of ministers, and temple looting. "People are fed up with the corruption, arrogance of the Ministers, temple looting because all of these people do want a change and this 10 years is too much," Sreelekha added. Sreelekha noted that the United Democratic Front (UDF) would not bring significant change, but stressed that an NDA government would improve coordination between the state and central governments. She said, "In the place of LDF, UDF is not going to come because there will not be much change. But if NDA comes, then the hurdle between the state government and central government will be removed, and it will be a change for the better." Polling began at 7 am across all 140 constituencies in Keralam, with voters turning out steadily to decide the fate of 883 candidates. According to the Election Commission of India, voter turnout stood at 33.28 per cent till 11 am. Over 2.6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies in Keralam. Of the 2,69,53,644 registered voters across the state, there are 1,38,27,319 women voters, and the number of male voters stands at 1,31,26,048. Officials said that there are 277 third gender voters in the state. Among the electorate, nearly 4,24,518 voters fall in the 18-19 age group, while 2,04,608 voters are aged 85 years and above. To facilitate safe and secure polling, a total of 30,471 polling stations have been set up. While the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF is looking for a historic third consecutive term, the Congress-led UDF is attempting to come back to power amid anti-incumbency trends in the state. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. (ANI)
Kat Coiro thinks Rege-Jean Page is the perfect candidate to become the next James Bond.

Rege-Jean Page stars in the new romcom

The 38-year-old actor has been heavily linked to the role in recent years, and Kat is convinced that Rege-Jean would do a great job as Daniel Craig's successor as 007.

Kat - who directed Rege-Jean in You, Me and Tuscany, the new romcom - told Metro: "He really does bring that pathos and gravitas. Theres a seriousness to him that we really needed for this film, because the film is very silly, and you needed this person to contrast Annas chaos.

"So I think he would be perfect [for Bond]."

Rege-Jean plays Halle Bailey's on-screen love interest in the new romcom and the actress has revealed that she enjoyed shooting one scene in particular.

She said: "Just to watch Rege perform and serenade Annas character, it was a joyous moment on set.

"Everybody was laughing, and we were all very impressed by Reges vocals. It was pretty darn good. I told him: 'You killed that'.

"Everybody loves the Mario song [Let Me Love You], and its near and dear to our hearts. I remember when I first heard that song. When you hear it, youre taken back. That was a great one to choose for that moment because its universal and sweet."

Meanwhile, Rege-Jean recently revealed that he's "pretty passionate" about romcoms.

The actor explained why he's a huge fan of the romcom genre.

He told People: "I mean, who doesn't want to swoon? It's kind of a facetious answer, but also the real answer is: who isn't interested in love?

"If there is a universal language, is that if it's from cavemen to now, if there's one thing that can bring everyone together, it's that every single person in this room is in some way interested in love and loving and being loved."

The Bridgerton star said the genre plays an important role in shaping culture, and that its absence from cinema would be felt far beyond the screen.

He said: "What happens when you don't have those stories in cinemas is that you don't have them in culture. You don't have movies where people use their words to talk through their problems and become better people by the end.

"And if you don't have that in culture, more importantly, as I was touching on at the beginning, if you don't have that shared culture, if you've only got that in the couch at home and how to love and be loved and your dreams are a secret that you keep to yourself with maybe your best friend, that's a problem, you know?"
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna pronounced the order, dismissing Bhandari's appeal and affirming the findings of the trial court.

With this ruling, the High Court has effectively endorsed the earlier order passed by Additional Sessions Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal, which had declared Bhandari an FEO on the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) application.

The ED had alleged that Bhandari deliberately evaded legal proceedings in India and possessed undisclosed foreign assets exceeding 100 crore.

The High Court had earlier reserved its judgment on Bhandari's plea after hearing detailed arguments from both sides.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Bhandari, had argued that once a person is declared a fugitive economic offender, they are deprived of legal remedies. He urged the court to stay the trial court's order, highlighting that it would lead to the immediate confiscation of Bhandari's properties.

Opposing the plea, ED's counsel Advocate Zoheb Hossain contended that no such relief could be granted merely on request.

He emphasised that the core objective of the FEO Act is to compel accused persons to return to India and face the law.

Bhandari's legal team had also relied on a UK High Court ruling that blocked his extradition to India, citing concerns over his safety in Tihar Jail. They argued that his stay in the UK is lawful and that the ED's case lacked jurisdiction and failed to meet the statutory threshold.

However, the ED maintained that the UK court's refusal to extradite Bhandari has no bearing on proceedings under Indian law. By dismissing the appeal, the Delhi High Court has now cleared the way for the enforcement of consequences under the FEO Act, including confiscation of Bhandari's properties in India and abroad. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday attended the Gaurav Sainik Samman Samaroh as the chief guest at the CSD Canteen located in Khetalsanda, Khatima. The event was organised by the Seva Sankalp Dharini Foundation on the sixth death anniversary of the late Subedar Sher Singh Dhami. On the occasion, he inaugurated a newly constructed CSD canteen built at a cost of Rs 715.51 lakh and a Sainik Milan Kendra constructed at a cost of Rs 162.26 lakh. During the program, the Chief Minister paid floral tributes to the portrait of his late father, Subedar Sher Singh Dhami, and also honoured the martyrs by offering flowers to their portraits. He felicitated the families of martyrs and Veer Naris by draping them with shawls. A total of 60 Veer Naris and 80 veterans were honoured at the event. In his address, the Chief Minister said it was a deeply emotional moment for him, as the event was organised in memory of his father. He recalled that six years ago was the most painful day of his life when he lost his father. He added that his father's values, principles, and struggles continue to inspire and guide him at every step. He shared that his father always maintained his uniform with great respect and discipline, teaching him that for a soldier, the uniform represents both honour and responsibility. He also emphasised that his father taught him that politics is not a means to attain power but a path of public service. The Chief Minister noted that his father served for 28 years in the Mahar Regiment and participated in major operations, including the 1962 India-China War, the 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan wars, as well as Operation Blue Star and Operation Rakshak. He said that listening to stories of brave soldiers during his childhood instilled in him a deep sense of patriotism and sacrifice. Though he did not join the armed forces, he considers soldiers his ideals and continues to serve the nation in his own capacity. He further stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has made significant progress in the defense sector. He highlighted that the country's defense production has increased from around 46,000 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 1.54 lakh crore in 2024-25, while defense exports have risen to 38,000 crore. Today, India is supplying defense equipment to over 80 countries, reflecting its growing strategic strength. The Chief Minister reiterated that the state government is fully committed to the welfare of soldiers, martyrs, and their families. Financial assistance for the families of martyrs has been increased, and government jobs are being provided to their dependents. Additionally, financial support for gallantry award winners has also been significantly enhanced. He announced that the financial assistance for recipients of the Param Vir Chakra has been increased from 50 lakh to 1.5 crore. He also mentioned that a grand Sainya Dham is being constructed in Dehradun to inspire future generations with patriotism. Furthermore, the application period for government jobs for the families of martyrs has been extended from 2 years to 5 years. On this occasion, Sainik Welfare Minister Ganesh Joshi also addressed the gathering, stating that honouring soldiers is a matter of pride for all and that the state government will continue to work for their welfare. The event was also attended by the Chief Minister's mother, Bishna Devi, and his wife, Geeta Pushkar Dhami. Earlier, CM Dhami received a warm and enthusiastic welcome upon his arrival in Khatima, with a large number of women, members of the public, and BJP workers showering flowers from the helipad to the CSD canteen. Expressing his gratitude, the Chief Minister said that this overwhelming public trust inspires him to continue working with full dedication on the path of development and public service. (ANI)
Punjab Agricultural Minister Gurmeet Khudia on Thursday stated that untimely and excessive rainfall has severely impacted crops across more than 1.3 lakh acres in the state and called on the Central Government to provide urgent assistance. Speaking to ANI, Khudia said, "The untimely and excessive rainfall has had a severe impact on Punjab's agriculture, damaging crops across more than 130,000 acres." "For many days now, the weather has been very bad, just as the crops were about to reach maturity. Farmers toil for six months, hoping for a good harvest, but untimely rain and hailstorms have caused huge losses across Punjab," Khudia said, addressing the crisis. The minister added that under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the state government has launched special relief measures and deployed assessment teams of 500 officials to evaluate the extent of damage. "We have also urged the central government to provide substantial help, reminding them of Punjab's historic contribution to national food security and development," Khudia said. Highlighting Punjab's role in the Green Revolution, Khudia emphasised, "Punjabis have contributed more than 40% to the country's grain supply. From independence to today, Punjabis have enhanced the nation's pride in every field. Despite earlier promises of aid, today, when our farmers face such a crisis, the state remains neglected. That is why we are calling for a special package. The country should come forward to support us. A special package is urgently needed." Regarding compensation, Khudia noted that the Punjab government, along with the Chief Minister, will estimate the total losses and submit a detailed proposal to the Centre for relief measures. The unseasonal rain accompanied by hail has flattened and severely damaged the wheat crop in Haryana's Jhajjar district, affecting several farmers in the area. Speaking to ANI, a local farmer said that the unseasonal rain and hail had destroyed his wheat fields, leaving him and other cultivators in the village in a state of distress. "The crop has been entirely damaged. We demand compensation from the government... Conditions are worse in the entire village; everything has been destroyed," he said. Another farmer highlighted that while a small portion of the crop, around 10-20 per cent, might have survived, the damage to the majority of his fields would create significant challenges for selling and marketing the remaining produce "My almost entire crop has been damaged, apart from the 10-20% that might be left... There will be a lot of problems in the sale of this crop. We demand from the government that a timely survey of this damage is carried out and appropriate compensation is given on time," he added. (ANI)
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday urged lawmakers to rise above personal and political interests, emphasising the importance of diligently and with integrity fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people they represent. He highlighted that elected representatives are entrusted with the mandate to translate public expectations into concrete actions, strengthen democratic institutions, and ensure governance that is transparent, inclusive, and responsive. Upholding citizens' trust, he noted, requires vision, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to public welfare--qualities essential for building a developed, equitable, and self-reliant nation. Birla made these remarks while inaugurating the First CPA India Region Zone VII Conference held here, according to a release. Speaking on the roles and responsibilities of young lawmakers, Birla highlighted their pivotal role in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. He emphasised that, as emerging leaders, they are entrusted with driving innovative policies, promoting inclusive development, and strengthening democratic institutions. Their energy, vision, and commitment to public welfare, he added, can play a transformative role in building a prosperous, self-reliant, and equitable India, ensuring sustainable growth and social progress for generations to come. Sharing insights on the evolving role of legislative institutions in nation-building, Birla emphasised the importance of healthy competition among state legislatures in promoting public welfare and good governance. He noted that parliamentary democracy is globally recognised as the best system of governance and highlighted that the steady increase in voter turnout in every election since 1952 reflects India's enduring success as a vibrant democracy. Emphasising the importance of research, innovation, and technology, Birla underlined that people's representatives must be adept at addressing citizens' issues by harnessing the transformative power of science and technology. He noted that in an era of advanced tools like artificial intelligence (AI), human sensitivity remains equally essential. He urged legislators to engage closely with the public, resolving their concerns with empathy and goodwill. He stressed the importance of understanding legislative issues, rules, and procedures. He observed that those who actively participate in thoughtful discussions on policies and laws often emerge as prominent leaders in their states. He stressed that the more legislators familiarise themselves with legislative processes, the greater and more effective their participation will be in the House, the release noted. Birla appreciated Goa for its vibrant tourism, rich cultural heritage, and dynamic energy. He also highlighted the commitment of CPA Zone VII--which includes Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa--to democratic excellence and progressive governance. Emphasising the high expectations and aspirations of the people from their elected representatives, Birla underlined that strong legislative institutions will play a pivotal role in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. Speaking about the newly created Zone VII of the CPA India Region, which includes Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat, Birla noted that while each state faces unique challenges, the spirit of public cooperation and collective effort has turned these challenges into opportunities for growth. He added that all states can benefit by sharing and adopting best practices from one another, especially in advancing coastal development. He concluded his address by reaffirming the crucial role of collaboration, innovation, and democratic values in guiding India toward sustained growth and development. Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Harivansh; Goa Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant; Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairperson, Ram Shinde; and Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narvekar also addressed the occasion. Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker, Ganesh Gaonkar delivered the Welcome Address on the occasion, as per the release. Goa Legislative Assembly Deputy Chairman, Joshua D'Souza, delivered the Vote of Thanks. (ANI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam on Thursday expressed deep gratitude to the public for their participation in the Assembly polls, as the state recorded a massive estimated voter turnout of 84.42%. According to the BJP, the impressive turnout is a testament to the people's unyielding faith in democratic ideals and their unwavering commitment to shaping Assam's destiny. The party said that the enthusiastic participation of young voters in the Assam election reflects the emergence of a politically conscious and forward-looking generation. BJP asserted that its involvement heralds a new era of participative democracy, strengthening the very foundations of the country. It further said that a total of 31,890 polling stations were prepared to facilitate this massive democratic exercise, enabling the electorate to determine the fate of 722 candidates. Among them, 211 candidates represented national parties, 116 represented regional parties, 137 were from registered unrecognised parties, and 258 candidates contested as independents. Notably, 60 women candidates also contested, which, as per the BJP reflects the growing inclusivity and empowerment within the democratic framework. BJP also expressed its gratitude to the Election Commission, polling officials, and security personnel for conducting the elections in a peaceful, transparent, and efficient manner. The party said that this overwhelming participation sends a clear and powerful message that the people of Assam are resolute, vigilant, and deeply committed to safeguarding democratic values while steering the state towards progress, stability, and development. The party mentioned that as the BJP-led NDA aspires for a third consecutive mandate, this historic turnout stands as a beacon of the people's trust in good governance and decisive leadership. (ANI)
Tamil Nadu Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Thursday condemned AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami's personal attacks against the Chief Minister MK Stalin during the latter's election campaign, terming them "unacceptable", which reflects a "hunger for power". He added that opposition could point out the issues constructively if there are administrative shortcomings (during the COVID-19 pandemic). Addressing the gathering here, Poyyamozhi said, "If there are administrative shortcomings (during the COVID-19 pandemic), it is the responsibility of the opposition to point them out constructively... However, making personal remarks and invoking death against the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister is unacceptable and reflects a hunger for power..." On Wednesday, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami targeted DMK President MK Stalin on the issues of COVID-19 during the DMK government, saying the Chief Minister would have gone into hiding. Addressing a gathering in Chennai's T Nagar ahead of the Tamil Nadu polls, Edappadi said, "During the DMK government, were there floods, crop failure, cyclones, or COVID-19 --- none. Had they (DMK) faced such difficulties, the Chief Minister would have gone into hiding. And he too might have gone in that coronavirus." Meanwhile, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leaders strongly condemned AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami's recent remarks on MK Stalin and the party's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling them "vulgar," "indecent," and "disgraceful." Reacting to the remarks, late DMK leader J Anbazhagan's son and T Nagar Assembly Constituency candidate Raja Anbazhagan also hit back, saying Palaniswami doesn't know what to do since he has become a slave of the BJP. "People have made Palaniswami an opposition leader, but he doesn't deserve that position. He is speaking like a third-level speaker... I have lost my father, Anbazhagan, due to COVID-19. I know how my father worked and did service in the COVID-19 days, and he died because of it. I know how painful it was... Palaniswami's political journey will end after this assembly election. He is campaigning in the hot sun, so he has lost his mind. He doesn't know what to do since he has become a slave of the BJP," he added. DMK MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy termed Palaniswami's statement an "absolutely vulgar and indecent remark". "He has no respect for the people and we have seen how he behaves with his mentor Sasikala, when he was made the CM... Our party was the only one that met the people during COVID, we even lost many of our great leaders... None of the AIADMK people was willing to meet anyone," he added. DMK leader TKS Elangovan added, "He knows he is defeated. What else can he talk about? His performance? Anything good that he did to the people of Tamil Nadu?... He never took an action against the people who raised an eye against his own leader's house... He was not an elected leader elected by the majority of AIADMK people, which is why the party split into multiple groups. He is afraid of some people joining the party back because he might lose power. He is not a leader, but just someone who has money and can do some unlawful things." Kanimozhi, MP and Deputy General Secretary of the DMK, also criticised Palaniswami, stating that Tamil Nadu will never forgive him. "Today, Edappadi Palaniswami spoke about CM MK Stalin and says that he would have died if Corona happened under the DMK regime. Such disgraceful remarks. He's been the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Today, you are Tamil Nadu's Opposition leader, but I just don't understand how you forgot all of that and are making such cheap comments. CM just said one word - be it food or medicines or any help, you should help every single one and following his words, all our party members worked for everyone in the state by knocking on every door, including those of your party members. You are not even grateful for that. Remember, Tamil Nadu will never forgive you. Post this election, you won't even have a place in this land," she added. The heated exchanges are intensifying political rhetoric as Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, covering a total of 234 constituencies in the state. Counting is scheduled for May 4. The main contest is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), which includes the Indian National Congress, DMDK and VCK, and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by AIADMK with BJP and PMK as allies. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is also set to make his electoral debut with TVK, which could turn the contest into a three-way fight. (ANI)
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday lauded Kerala's voters for their enthusiastic participation in the ongoing elections, noting that polling in the state has been completed peacefully. In a Facebook post, Vijayan expressed his heartfelt thanks to all voters who exercised their right to vote and contributed to the democratic process. "Only a very short campaign time was available this time. However, the enthusiasm of the political activists who worked tirelessly despite the scorching summer heat is worth mentioning. The people who reached the polling booths despite the bad weather gave a glimpse of Kerala's high sense of democracy and high commitment to the country. This huge turnout is highly commendable," he wrote. The Chief Minister further praised the role of election officials, police and central force members, health workers, volunteers, and others who ensured the smooth conduct of elections across the state. "It is a great achievement that we were able to complete the polls peacefully without any untoward incident anywhere in the state. Special appreciation goes to the election officials who worked around the clock for the successful implementation of this massive process, the police-central force members who provided security, health workers, volunteers and others who worked at various levels," he added. Vijayan concluded his message by reiterating Kerala's democratic spirit and calling for continued progress in the state. "Heartfelt greetings once again to Kerala's sense of democracy and people's participation. Let us move forward together, for New Kerala," he wrote. Pinarayi Vijayan is eyeing a historic third consecutive term from the Dharmadam constituency. While the constituency is the fortress for the Left, the 2026 race is shaping up to be more than just a victory lap, both from the United Democratic Front led by Congress, and BJP led National Democratic Alliance. Polling for the 140-seat Keralam Legislative Assembly was completed today, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. Both the incumbent LDF and the Opposition Congress-led UDF are eyeing to breach the 71-seat mark, while the BJP-led NDA is looking to enter the Assembly via the gateway opened in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation polls. (ANI)
Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday held a roadshow supporting BJP Mahila Morcha president and Coimbatore North Assembly constituency Vanathi Srinivasan in the Saibaba Colony area, ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu polls. During the campaign, party cadres from the BJP and AIADMK welcomed both leaders with garlands made of lotus flowers. Addressing the gathering, Vanathi Srinivasan thanked Piyush Goyal for visiting Coimbatore and participating in the campaign, extending a warm welcome on behalf of the people. Speaking later, Piyush Goyal began his address in Tamil, greeting the crowd with "Vanakkam." He said he was campaigning for his "sister" Vanathi Srinivasan and praised the hardworking nature of Coimbatore's people, adding that they were as cheerful as she was. He described Tamil Nadu as an economically strong and beautiful state, but alleged that development had stagnated over the past five years due to corruption. The Union Minister further accused the DMK government of hindering development through corrupt practices and claimed that the party was run as a family enterprise. In contrast, he said the NDA alliance does not promote dynastic politics. Expressing confidence in the upcoming Assembly elections, Piyush Goyal said a new government would be formed under the leadership of the AIADMK within the NDA alliance and that it would deliver governance similar to that of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. He further alleged that key leaders, including Chief Minister MK Stalin, Udhayanidhi Stalin, Kanimozhi, and Sabareesan, dominate the DMK, and accused the Stalin family of being responsible for various "mafias." He also criticised DMK leader Senthil Balaji, calling him an "agent" of the ruling family and referring to his past legal issues, which drew slogans from party workers. Goyal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focused on development and claimed that the state government creates obstacles and fails to properly utilise central funds. He accused the DMK government of blocking development projects and attempting to gain financially from central schemes. "... The Stalin family wants to give every contract to their family and friends... They don't want the metro because they have to do transparent and honest bidding for that. That is not acceptable to the Stalin family because there is no cut, no corruption in the central government projects... If by mistake anybody votes for DMK, you are voting for Udhayanidhi Stalin as Chief Minister. Don't make that mistake," he said. On the Metro Rail project, he alleged that the state government had not provided the required documentation but was blaming the Centre for delays in approvals. He also warned that a vote for Stalin could result in Udhayanidhi Stalin becoming Chief Minister in the future. Highlighting alliance dynamics, Goyal said the AIADMK and BJP function as a united family, while accusing the DMK and Congress of internal conflicts. He also pointed to political rivalries in Kerala between the Congress and Communist parties. Praising Vanathi Srinivasan, he noted that she had defeated actor Kamal Haasan in the previous election and urged voters to support her again. Calling for the return of "Amma rule" in Tamil Nadu, he appealed to voters to back the NDA alliance to end what he termed a corrupt regime. Goyal concluded by stating that just as the AIADMK alliance had won all constituencies in Coimbatore in the previous election, it should repeat the performance this time. He added that the road to power in Chennai passes through Coimbatore and urged voters to bring an end to dynastic politics and support the NDA. (ANI)
The flight, J9 3417 from Dammam to Mangaluru, arrived at 4:25 pm carrying 181 passengers, including 11 infants. The aircraft was captained by Jimmy Moussa and had a four-member crew on board.

On the return leg, flight J9 3418 departed Mangaluru at 6:10 pm with 151 passengers, including one infant.

The airline facilitated passengers' travel between Kuwait and Dammam via road transport. Similarly, on the return journey, passengers will travel back to Kuwait by road after disembarking at Dammam.

Notably, Jazeera Airways had earlier operated flights to Mangaluru during the COVID-19 pandemic.

India's leading customer experience automation company has partnered with Jazeera Airways, one of the Middle East's fastest-growing low-cost carriers, to launch 'JazLink', an AI-powered digital communication platform designed to keep every passenger informed -- every step of the journey.

Built on Phonon's flexible, no-code flow designer for airlines and aviation, 22North, JazLink empowers Jazeera Airways to design and deploy real-time, multilingual WhatsApp alerts and omnichannel engagement journeys in minutes. From flight status updates and baggage notifications to feedback and rebooking links -- every interaction is automated, contextual, and personalised.

The collaboration brings a 73 per cent improvement in passenger notification efficiency through AI-driven automation and suppression logic that eliminates duplicate communication. Passengers also benefit from automated baggage belt alerts -- a first-of-its-kind initiative in the GCC -- ensuring smoother arrivals and faster turnarounds. (ANI)
Union Minister Giriraj Singh backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on Thursday, claiming that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has "looted" West Bengal for the past 15 years. Speaking to reporters here, Singh said that the Prime Minister's vision of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" is focused on development and accountability, accusing the TMC of failing to address key issues such as poverty and unemployment. Targeting TMC workers, the Union Minister alleged attempts to intimidate voters and warned that those involved in "thuggery" would be held accountable. He expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would form the government. "In 15 years, TMC has looted Bengal, which is why they don't talk about poverty or unemployment. What the country's Prime Minister has said is right: Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and an accounting for those who have looted... I also want to tell those goons who are TMC goons, trying to intimidate voters. Don't remain under any misapprehension, the government is going to be formed by the BJP, and whoever engages in thuggery will be held accountable", he said. In a sharp attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Singh claimed that she was attempting to "turn Bengal into Bangladesh" and criticised her stance on SIR. "Mamata Banerjee wanted to turn Bengal into Bangladesh, that's why she's screaming about SIR every day. Mamata Banerjee won't even be able to save her own seat now, let alone save the government", he further said. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of allegedly insulting women from backward classes, citing the mismanagement in President Droupadi Murmu's event, the recent Malda "hostage" incident and the RG Kar medical college rape case, stating that this election is for "dignity and honour of our daughters and women. "Addressing a rally here ahead of the West Bengal assembly polls, PM Modi asserted that "for the daughters of our SC/ST/OBC society, life has become difficult" under the TMC rule. Referring to the lapses in the protocol during the visit of President Droupadi Murmu during a tribal conference in West Bengal, PM Modi condemned the TMC government for their "arrogance" and called it an insult to the tribals, women and the Constitution of the country. PM Modi further alleged that the tribal communities in West Bengal are unable to fully avail themselves of the benefits of the PM Janman Scheme due to the TMC government's "hatred". "The Trinamool's hatred is also being suffered by our tribal society. The BJP government is running the PM Janman scheme for backward tribal communities. Work is being done under it across the country. However, tribal families in Bengal are not able to fully benefit from it. Because it has PM written in this scheme," the PM alleged. The PM, thereby, called for public support for the BJP in the upcoming assembly polls so that the "PM and CM together can do double work for your benefit." "Your blessings in elections have made BJP's PM, but now in this election, you have to make BJP's CM in Bengal. Make BJP's CM here on May 4 so that the PM and CM together can do double work for your benefit," he stated. The polling for the 294-member Assembly in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. (ANI)
Phoebe Dynevor had a "bit of a panic attack" during gruelling filming for Thrash.

Phoebe Dynevor has revealed the struggles of filming new horror flick Thrash

The 30-year-old actress plays newly single and nine months pregnant mother Lisa in Netflix's new shark horror, and her character gets trapped inside her Mini Cooper in a Category 5 hurricane before the predators start to circle.

Asked if she felt claustrophobic during filming, she told The Hollywood Reporter: "I did at one point, yeah. I thought I was good, and then I had a little bit of a panic attack at a certain point.

"The branches were everywhere, and then the water rising was very scary. The water was not actually rising; the car was getting dropped into water.

"But its still scary. You know youre safe, obviously, but your body doesnt. So after being in that situation all day for a week, or however long it took us to shoot it, I was pretty drained."

The Bridgerton star - who noted it "certainly wasnt an easy job" - admitted it was the most comfortable she's ever been on a film set.

She said: "Without a doubt, yes. When I was told we were shooting this movie in Australia, I thought, 'Great, Im going to learn how to surf. Its going to be so tropical and hot. Its going to be a lot of fun'.

"Then I slowly realized while we were shooting that the climate is a little bit cooler in Melbourne and that we were shooting in the dead of the Australian winter.

"So I left beautiful, sunny June in London to go to Melbourne in the dead of winter, and that was the beginning of the end, really."

She recalled having to wear three wetsuits and a "pregnancy belly" made up of a maternity dress and trench coat, which made the experience much tougher.

She added: "The process of getting into a wetsuit is already quite difficult, but putting on three and then a belly is virtually impossible.

"Then I was plunged into a really cold body of water that couldnt be warm. If it was warm, youd see the heat rise off it.

"So it had to be cold, and I ended up really making friends with a hot hose that would go into my wetsuits in between takes."

However, there was a sense of camaraderie with the crew, as everyone was in the same boat.

She explained: "The beauty and fun of it was that the crew was in the water with us. They were in wetsuits, so all of us were wet.

"It really felt like a team effort because we were all uncomfortable, not just the actors."
The Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, flew a sortie on the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter Prachand at HAL, Bengaluru, yesterday, an official statement read.

This was followed by a key operational demonstration today at Pokhran Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan, where the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter carried out its first field firing, successfully engaging targets with Hellfire missiles and other onboard weapons.

The activities showcased how attack helicopters can operate in close coordination with ground troops, even in high-threat environments involving small arms fire, shoulder-fired missiles and drones.

These platforms demonstrated rapid target acquisition and precision strike capability, directly supporting manoeuvre on the battlefield.

Further, as per the statement, advanced sensors, fire control systems and real-time data links enabled faster decision-making and immediate action, ensuring that battlefield intelligence was quickly converted into effective strikes.

The Apache highlighted its role as a force multiplier by enhancing the reach, lethality and responsiveness of ground forces, while Prachand reflected India's growing indigenous strength in combat aviation.

The demonstrations underline the Indian Army's focus on integrating air and land capabilities to enhance battlefield effectiveness and maintain operational momentum. (ANI)
The celebration featured a colourful setup with pink and white balloons, a red carpet, and a long table laid with fruits including bananas, watermelons, and papayas, which elephants enjoyed.

Children were excited to see elephants enjoying their meal.

Speaking with ANI, Hathi Gaon Development Committee President Shafiq Ballu Khan said fruits have been organized for elephants.

"We have organised fruits for elephants. Gifts have been given to mahouts, and ration for a month have been given to their families. Hathi Gaon is recognized both domestically and internationally," he said.

Anant Ambani, earlier this month, announced Rs 18 crore in contributions towards temple infrastructure and animal welfare in Kerala, including Rs 6 crore in donations to the Rajrajeshwaram and Guruvayur temples and a Rs 12 crore commitment to restore the historic East Gopuram at Rajrajeshwaram, alongside new initiatives for the care of temple elephants.

Anant Ambani visited two of Kerala's most revered temples, the Rajrajeshwaram Temple and the Guruvayur Temple, where he announced Rs 6 crore in donations (Rs 3 crore each to the two temples), a Rs 12 crore commitment for the comprehensive renovation of the Rajrajeshwaram Temple, including the restoration of its historic East Gopuram, and additional support for elephant welfare initiatives at Guruvayur.

During his visit to the historic Rajrajeshwaram Temple in Taliparamba on April 2, Anant Ambani made traditional offerings, including Ponnumkudam, Pattam, Thaali, Neyyamrutu, and performed Ashwamedha Namaskaram. He also handed over a cheque of Rs 3 crore towards ongoing renovation efforts. (ANI)
The Manipur government has granted a relaxation in the ongoing curfew in Imphal West district, allowing residents to leave their homes only between 5-9 AM. In an order, modifying the previous restriction on movement, K Jadumani Singh, District Magistrate (LA), Imphal West District, said that outside of this four-hour morning window, a strict curfew remains in effect until 5:00 AM the following day. Even during the morning relaxation period, the order prohibits any gathering of five or more people and strictly bans the carrying of items like sticks, stones, weapons, or explosives. These relaxations on restrictions are provided for public safety and require that no activities disturb the maintained law and order situation in the region. However, specific groups are entirely exempt from these restrictions, including law enforcement, healthcare workers, emergency services, and employees of the Power Department. Additionally, the RBI, commercial banks, and the judicial system, including the High Court of Manipur and local tribunals, will remain operational. This modified schedule will stay in force until the District Magistrate provides a further update. Earlier on Tuesday, internet services were suspended in five districts of Manipur, Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur, for three days starting at 2:00 PM. The decision was taken in view of the prevailing law and order situation, amid concerns that anti-social elements could misuse social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to spread misinformation, hate speech, and provocative content. "In view of the prevailing law and order situation in 5 (five) districts of Manipur viz, Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur, there exists apprehension that some anti-social elements might use social media for transmission of images, hate speech and hate video messages inciting the public which might have serious repercussions on the law-and-order situation in the State of Manipur," the order said. The decision comes in the wake of a tragic and violent incident in the Tronglaobi Awang Leikai area. Suspected militants allegedly attacked a residence around 1:00 AM, killing two minor siblings, a 5-year-old boy and his 5-month-old sister, while they were asleep. Their mother was injured and is currently receiving treatment. The attack sparked widespread anger among local residents. In protest, demonstrators set fire to at least three trucks and blocked the Imphal-Tidim Road at several points, disrupting traffic and heightening tensions in the region. (ANI)
Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Manohar Lal on Thursday had a royal audience with the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. The Union Minister conveyed warm greetings on behalf of the Government and people of India. He expressed deep appreciation for the continued guidance and leadership in further strengthening the unique and time-tested friendship and partnership between India and Bhutan. During the audience, Manohar Lal congratulated Bhutan on the National Service Programme, Gyalsung, that fosters community spirit among the youth and places skills and nation-building at its core. He also appreciated King's vision of the Gelephu Mindfulness City for sustainable and mindful development. The Union Minister informed King of Bhutan that he will witness the commencement of dam works for the Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project, which will pave the way for the completion of this project. The Minister noted that the development reflects a strong momentum in India-Bhutan energy cooperation. Manohar Lal apprised Wangchuck regarding the signing on Thursday of the Protocol to the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Royal Government of Bhutan for the Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project Export Tariff. This 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project was jointly inaugurated by Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India and Bhutan King on 11 November 2025 and commenced export of surplus power to India from 19 September 2025 at a mutually agreed starting tariff. The Union Minister also apprised the Bhutan King that he will attend the first concrete pour ceremony at the Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project dam on 10 April 2026, along with his Bhutanese counterpart. This marks a momentous occasion for the people of both nations to witness the commencement of dam works at the 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project. Manohar Lal also apprised the Bhutan King of his constructive discussions with Bhutanese leadership, including the Prime Minister and the Minister of Energy & Natural Resources, which focused on further expanding cooperation in the energy sector. Emphasising that energy cooperation continues to be a key pillar of India-Bhutan relations, the Union Minister underlined its role as a tangible execution of the mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to grant bail to a man accused of raping a law student when she was a minor. The court noted that the prosecutrix and the accused were married to each other. The high court said that marrying the prosecutrix doesn't absolve the accused of the offence of repeatedly raping a minor. " Clearly, the marriage was performed by the accused simply as a ploy to get himself bailed out, having committed repeated rapes of a minor girl, as alleged by her in the FIR, and statement under Section 164 CrPC," Justice Girish Kathpalia said. The High Court questioned the statment given by her to get the accsued out of custody. She had stated that she was unaware of FIR's content as the complaint was drafted by her lawyer. The high court said that it cannot be believed that despite being a law student, she was not aware of the content of the FIR, particularly when the complaint was transferred from English to Hindi. Justice Girish Kathpalia rejected the bail of the accused after noting the conduct of accsued and the prosecutrix. " Considering the above circumstances, I do not find it a fit case to release the accused/applicant on bail. The bail application is dismissed," Justice Kathpalia ordered on April 9. The accused was arrested in 2024 after registration of the FIR at the Jamia Nagar Police station in 2024. It was alleged that the prosecutrix met the accused on Facebook and became friends. Accsued had sexual relations with her on the pretext of marriage, and he got the abortion done of prosecutrix twice. Though when she became a majority, he refused to marry her. After registration of FIR, the arrested accused got married to her in February 2026. " Of course, as per documents on record, on 12.02.2026, the accused got married to the prosecutrix through Nikahnama. But that does not absolve the accused of his repeated acts of rape when the prosecutrix was a minor in age," the High court said. The high court observed, " At the time of commencement of sexual relations between the accused and the prosecutrix, the latter was aged only 16 years and when she attained the age. of majority in the year 2024, the accused refused to get married to her, which led to the present FIR. " It is only after the accused was arrested and was in jail that he agreed to get married with her, so by way of order dated 02.02.2026 of this Court, his interim bail application was disposed of directing that he be taken in custody before the Qazi, who performed the marriage ceremony," the bench noted. Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Sanjeev Sabharwal strongly opposed the bail application, disclosing that the prosecutrix is not an illiterate person but is a student of law, so it cannot be believed that she was not aware of the contents of her complaint. It was also submitted by the learned APP for the State that this is a fit case in which the police needs to take action against the prosecutrix in view of her testimony before the trial court. APP Sabharwal also submitted that granting bail in such cases would encourage such lawlessness with impunity. The counsel for accsued submitted that subsequent to registration of the case, the accused/applicant got married to the prosecutrix, so it is a fit case to release him on bail. It was also submitted that the prosecutrix never had any grievance with the accused and that she was not even aware of the contents of her complaint, because the same was drafted by her counsel in the Saket Courts. (ANI)
Both Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Choudhary arrived in the national capital yesterday and are likely to attend the oath-taking event.

Following his election to the Rajya Sabha, Kumar resigned from the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC) on March 30.

BJP President Nitin Nabin has said that there are no differences in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the impending appointment of a new Bihar Chief Minister as Nitish Kumar will be taking oath as Rajya Sabha MP.

In an interview with ANI, Nitin Nabin said that the process is moving forward in a structured manner.

"There are no differences anywhere; everything is proceeding as per schedule. Nitish Kumar is taking the oath of office in the Rajya Sabha on the 10th," he said.

"BJP has always respected the gathbandhan dharma, and that is why even today parties trust us. Everything is being decided under the leadership of Nitish Kumar," he added.

Nitish Kumar is Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister. Beginning his political journey as an MLA in 1985 and later serving as a Union Minister under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, Nitish Kumar first became Bihar Chief Minister in 2005. He is among the most experienced and senior political leaders in the country. (ANI)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez hit out at his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu over continued aggression in Lebanon, stating that the latter's "contempt for life and international law is intolerable." Pedro Sanchez demanded to include Lebanon in the temporary ceasefire deal between US and Iran and urged the international community to condemn the violation of international law. "Just today, Netanyahu launched his harshest attack against Lebanon since the offensive began. His contempt for life and international law is intolerable. It's time to speak clearly: Lebanon must be included in the ceasefire. The international community must condemn this new violation of international law. The European Union must suspend its Association Agreement with Israel. And there must be no impunity for these criminal acts," the Spanish PM said. This comes after Iran on Wednesday blamed Israel for jeopardising the fragile ceasefire in the region between the US and Iran to halt the hostilities for two weeks, warning that continued attacks on Lebanon by Israeli forces could lead to the collapse of the agreement and renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the US must choose between a ceasefire or "continue war via Israel". In a post on X, Araghchi said, "The Iran-U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose--ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both. The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments." However, the White House has dismissed the inclusion of Lebanon in the temporary ceasefire agreement, backing Israel's continued military operation against Hezbollah. Addressing a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. That has been relayed to all parties involved in the ceasefire. As you know, Prime Minister Netanyahu put out a statement last night in support of the ceasefire, in support of the United States' efforts, and he's also assured the President they'll continue to be a helpful partner throughout the course of the next two weeks." US Prsident Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have also stated that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. (ANI)
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar said that "whenever there's a tentative agreement", all parties claim victory, which he said has happened in the US-Iran temporary ceasefire, while seeing no clear winner of the war. Speaking with ANI, Ashok Sajjanhar said, "Whenever there is a tentative agreement, all the parties claim that they have won. Iran will claim that it has won. The United States has to claim that it has won, and Israel will claim it has won." "All the parties who have been involved will definitely state that they have won. But I think it is for the international community, for the observers, for the analysts, for the commentators to see, actually, what the state of play is. As far as wars are concerned, there are no winners," he added. Meanwhile, Nepal has welcomed a two-week ceasefire agreement, stating that it marks a constructive step towards de-escalation of tensions in West Asia and providing an opportunity for dialogue, diplomacy and peaceful resolution of differences. "Nepal views this development as a positive step towards the promotion of peace and stability in the region while reiterating its consistent position in favour of the peaceful settlement of disputes. The Government also expresses its concern over the humanitarian consequences of the conflict and underscores the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of civilians," Nepal Government said in a statement. Meanwhile, Israel's continued operation in Lebanon has threatened the temporary ceasefire, with Iran accusing the US-Israel side of violating the agreement, and Tehran also threatened to leave the negotiations talks set to take place in Islamabad this weekend. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who will lead Tehran's delegation for talks in Islamabad, has accused the Israeli side of violating the three key clauses of the 10-point proposal on which the temporary ceasefire was agreed to kickstart further negotiations. The three clauses that Ghalibaf accused the US-Iran of breaching include violation of the ceasefire in Lebanon, violation of Iranian airspace and denial of Iran's right to enrich uranium. On the other hand, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the ceasefire in Lebanon was not included in the temporary ceasefire agreement. "I insisted that the temporary ceasefire with Iran not include Hezbollah. And we continue to strike them forcefully. Today, we dealt Hezbollah the greatest blow it has suffered since the pagers. We attacked 100 targets in 10 minutes, in places that Hezbollah was certain were immune," Netanyahu said. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump seemed to have shifted his focus back to acquiring Greenland after a temporary ceasefire agreement with Iran, signalling out NATO allies' lack of cooperation during the conflict in the West Asia region. In a post on Truth Social, Trump slammed NATO for not being with the US in times of need as he reminded them of Greenland, signalling his renewed interest in the Arctic territory. "NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again. Remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of ice!!!" Trump said. This comes after the US and Iran reached a temporary ceasefire over a "workable" 10-point plan, agreeing to hold further diplomatic engagement in Islamabad this weekend. Both sides will hold direct talks aimed at ending weeks of intense hostilities following the outbreak of war. Trump's earlier threats to seize Greenland had unsettled European capitals and strained transatlantic relations, prompting calls within the European Union for greater unity and independence on security matters. France and Germany had urged the EU to consider deploying its Anti-Coercion Instrument before Trump backed away from launching a trade war, claiming a "framework" deal had been reached on US access to Greenland's strategic mineral resources. During the war with Iran, Trump had repeatedly called out NATO allies for "not helping" the US. "Japan didn't help us, Australia didn't help us, South Korea didn't help us, and then you get to NATO -- NATO didn't help us," Trump said at a White House news conference on Wednesday. Trump added of US assistance to the nations: "We've got 50,000 soldiers in Japan to protect them from North Korea; we have 45,000 soldiers in South Korea to protect us from Kim Jong Un." Trump's last series of threats stemmed from Washington's claims that Greenland's strategic location and mineral resources are vital to its security against Russia and China, but the leadership in Denmark, Greenland and Europe have rejected the idea, emphasising their right to self-determination. (ANI)
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan (also known as Shahzeb Jadoon), a 21-year-old Pakistani national, on Wednesday (local time) pleaded guilty to attempting to carry out a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York. The Justice Department, in a press release, announced that Khan, a 21-year-old Pakistani national who was living in Canada on a study permit, admitted to planning what he hoped would be the deadliest attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 21, also known as "Shahzeb Jadoon," pleaded guilty before US District Judge Paul G Gardephe and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 12, 2026. https://x.com/DOJNatSec/status/2041991052286918989?s=20 "Khan planned a mass shooting at a Jewish center in New York City, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attacks, with the explicit goal of killing as many Jews as possible," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg, as per a statement by the US Department of Justice. "Khan declared that New York City was the 'perfect' venue for his attack because of its large Jewish population and boasted that his plot could be the largest attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. The National Security Division will work tirelessly to ensure that terrorists like Khan face the full weight of American law," the statement further quoted Eisenberg as saying. The Department of Justice stated that in or about November 2023, Khan, a Pakistani national residing in Canada, began posting on social media and communicating with others about his support for ISIS, including by distributing ISIS propaganda videos and literature. Khan subsequently began planning terrorist attacks in the US in support of ISIS, including by communicating his plans with two individuals who, unbeknownst to Khan, were undercover officers (the UCs). Khan told the officers that he, alongwith his associate, was planning to carry out an attack targeting Jews in the city. He also asked the officers to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and other materials to carry out the attacks, and identified locations in a city where the attacks would take place. He also told the officers that he knew a smuggler who would help him cross the border to the US, as stated in the statement. In or about August 2024, Khan changed his target to New York City, telling the UCs that the target location would now be a prominent Jewish religious center in Brooklyn, New York. Khan noted that "if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11," as per the statement. The offence carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, as per the Department of Justice. (ANI)
Steven Soderbergh is planning to use "a lot of AI" in his new film about the Spanish-American War.

Steven Soderbergh is making a new film using a lot of AI

The Hollywood director has revealed he's working on an ambitious new project based around the 1898 conflict and he already has The Secret Agent actor Wagner Moura onboard to star, but he's confessed he will have to use a lot of computer wizardry to recreate the ocean battle scenes.

In an interview with Filmmaker Magazine, Soderbergh explained he is "trying to get a movie made about the Spanish-American War" and when asked how he would recreate the ships, the director replied: "A lot of AI."

He went on to add: "Its a really good story, and nobodys really done it. Every day that goes by it becomes more timely. Ive just got to get it cast.

"Ive got Wagner Moura. I need a few more people. I have two studios circling, but its all about how much I can do it for.

"But if I can get the right cast together, that will eventize it, and people will feel they have to see it now rather than waiting two months until it streams. Its a weird time to be making movies."

In the interview, Soderbergh also spoke about his upcoming documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, revealing he's been using AI on the project and it's been "really fun" but also very challenging because it requires "close human supervision".

He said: "Ive been working with AI lately on the John Lennon and Yoko Ono documentary that were almost done with. AI has been helpful in creating thematically surreal images that occupy a dream space rather than a literal space.

"And thats been really fun because you need a Ph.D. in literature to tell it what to do. But like every other piece of technology, it desperately requires very close human supervision."

It comes after Soderbergh recently revealed he burned "44 years worth of notebooks" which documented his directing career - admitting he didn't want them to be poured over in years to come and he didn't want them cluttering up his home space.

According to Indiewire.com, he explained: "A couple years ago - and Id been thinking about it for a while - I burned 44 years worth of notebooks.

"I went to a friend of mines house outside the city, up in the Hudson Valley. He has a fire pit, and I sort of leafed through [the notebooks], and then would spray them with lighter fluid, and torch them. It was really cathartic."
Despite the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, Lebanon on Wednesday saw one of the biggest strikes in the country. However, in an interview with CNN, Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, said that the ceasefire covers Lebanon, despite Israeli strikes. Responding to the questions about the parties of the ceasefire deal and Israeli strikes in Lebanon despite Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif claiming that the truce talks included peace for Beirut, Ambassador Sheikh called the understandings "authentic". He told CNN, "The description and understanding have come from the highest level in Pakistan, so it could not have been more authentic in terms of the offer made by the Prime Minister and accepted by the two conflicting parties of affording a ceasefire for two weeks". He added, "This is a situation of a ceasefire that could be disrupted and there have been instances in the past where ceasefires have been disrupted." Lebanon faces a critical moment as the country saw one of the largest strikes shortly after a ceasefire was announced between Iran and the United States. Previously, Pakistan PM has stated that Lebanon was included in the ceasefire, but Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu both have dismissed this statement, allowing Israel to continue its military operations against Hezbollah. As tensions escalate in Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday that the country declared a day of mourning after a wave of Israeli strikes killed at least 254 people and injured more than 1,165 in a single day on Wednesday. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Israelis will continue their offensive in South Lebanon aimed at neutralising the threat from Hezbollah, despite backing the US decision to suspend strikes against Iran as the two nations look to work out a lasting peace formula. "Israel supports President Trump's decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region. Israel also supports the US effort to ensure that Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran's Arab neighbours and the world," a statement from Netanyahu's Office read. Meanwhile, Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, reaffirmed Tel Aviv's objective is to achieve a situation without "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure" in Southern Lebanon as Israel continues to strike Lebanon after the ceasefire with Iran. Speaking with ANI, Reuven Azar differentiated between its conflict with Hezbollah and Iran, showing extensive support for the temporary ceasefire with Tehran, while reaffirming Tel Aviv's goal in southern Lebanon. "It has nothing to do with the operation in Iran. When it comes to Lebanon, as I said, we have to achieve a situation in which southern Lebanon will be cleaned from Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure. That's the responsibility of the Lebanese government. When it comes to Iran, we hope that this negotiation will lead to the conditions that are part of the 15-point plan. That means no military nuclear capabilities on Iranian soil, curbing their ballistic missile program and a full stop to the proliferation of terror in the region," he said. (ANI)
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence on Thursday detected the presence of 8 PLAN vessels, 6 PLA aircraft sorties, and 1 official ship operating around its territory. Sharing the details on X, the MND noted that while 5 out of 6 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern part ADIZ, it monitored the situation and responded. "6 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 5 out of 6 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern part ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded", MND said. https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/2042044829396562135?s=20 On Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence detected the presence of two sorties of Chinese military aircraft, nine naval vessels, and an official ship operating around its territorial waters. Earlier on Tuesday, a sortie of Chinese aircraft, eight naval vessels and an official ship was detected near Taiwan. 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 the 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. (ANI)
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, on Thursday held a virtual meeting with Osama Khaled Boodai, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Kuwait. The two held talks on expanding bilateral trade relations. In a post on X, Goyal said, "Held a fruitful virtual meeting with H.E. Osama Khaled Boodai, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Kuwait. Exchanged views on expanding bilateral trade relations and deepening collaboration across key sectors." https://x.com/PiyushGoyal/status/2041926258116927763?s=20 India and Kuwait traditionally enjoy friendly relations, which are rooted in history and have stood the test of time. India has been a natural trading partner of Kuwait, and until 1961, the Indian Rupee was a legal tender in Kuwait. Till the discovery and development of oil, Kuwait's economy revolved around its fine harbour and maritime activities, which included ship building, pearl diving, fishing and voyages to India on wooden dhows carrying dates, Arabian horses and pearls that were traded for wood, cereals, clothes and spices, as per a statement by MEA. Meanwhile, several Gulf nations have reported missile and drone attacks on their territories, hours after Iran and the United States announced a two-week ceasefire, as per Al Jazeera. Kuwait said its air defences were intercepting a wave of Iranian drones launched since 8 am (05:00 GMT), according to its army. Kuwait's Defence Ministry said in a statement that its air defence systems responded to "intense hostile Iranian attacks," adding that a total of 28 drones were dealt with. "Kuwaiti armed forces intercepted a large number of drones, some of which targeted vital oil installations and power stations in the south of the country," it added, as per Al Jazeera. Kuwait's Interior Ministry reported "severe material damage" at several vital facilities of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and the energy and water resources ministry after the attack, it added. India has consistently been among the top trading partners of Kuwait. Kuwait remains a reliable supplier of crude oil and LPG to India, meeting our crucial energy needs. During FY 2024-25, Kuwait was the 6th largest Crude supplier and 5th largest supplier of LPG to India and it met about 3.5% of India's total energy needs. (ANI)
Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, for a high-stakes diplomatic push to transform a temporary two-week truce between the United States and Iran into a lasting regional settlement. In Riyadh, Kallas held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and GCC Secretary-General Jasem al-Budaiwi. Her mission focused on ensuring the current pause in fighting does not collapse when the fourteen-day clock runs out. In a post on X, Kallas emphasised that the current crisis has underscored the necessity of a "stronger EU-Gulf partnership," specifically calling for increased cooperation in security and defence to stabilise the Middle East. She said, "The US-Iran ceasefire agreement is a relief, but uncertainty remains in the region. In Riyadh, I met with Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and GCC Secretary-General Jasemal Budaiwi to discuss how to move from the two-week truce to a more permanent peace. We also discussed broader regional issues. This crisis has proven the need for a stronger EU-Gulf partnership, including on security and defence cooperation, which can make both of us stronger." https://x.com/kajakallas/status/2041905570018406700?s=20 The visit follows a dramatic de-escalation of hostilities after US President Donald Trump announced a temporary halt to the "bombing and attack" campaign against Iran. The breakthrough, which includes a reciprocal two-week ceasefire window, came after Trump signalled that a 10-point proposal submitted by Tehran was "workable," opening the first significant diplomatic window between the adversaries in years. Kallas noted that the ceasefire provides a vital opportunity to "stop missiles" and "restart shipping." In a post on X, she said, "The U.S.-Iran agreement on a ceasefire is a step back from the brink after weeks of escalation. It creates a much-needed chance to tone down threats, stop missiles, restart shipping, and create space for diplomacy towards a lasting agreement. The Strait of Hormuz must be open for passage again." https://x.com/kajakallas/status/2041770713904722081?s=20 The European diplomat also highlighted the critical role of back-channel diplomacy in securing the pause. Kallas confirmed she had spoken with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, thanking him for Islamabad's role in brokering the initial deal. "I spoke to Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and thanked him for securing this initial deal. The door to mediation must remain open, as the underlying causes of the war remain unresolved. The EU stands ready to support those efforts and is in touch with partners in the region. I will discuss this in Saudi Arabia today," he said. While the two-week window provides a reprieve from the "bombing and attack" campaign, Kallas's arrival in the Gulf signals the start of an intensive international effort to ensure that the "workable" 10-point proposal leads to a definitive end to the conflict. Earlier on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced a temporary halt to the "bombing and attack" campaign on Iran, proposing a two-week, double-sided ceasefire window. Trump also indicated that a 10-point proposal put forward by Iran was "workable," signalling a possible diplomatic opening between the two long-time adversaries. (ANI)
US Vice President JD Vance firmly discarded the claims of Lebanon being a part of the truce talks between Washington and Tehran, as the precarious two-week ceasefire comes into place. Speaking to reporters ahead of his departure from Hungary, on whether Lebanon was included in the peace proposal, Vance said that the United States never made any such promises. He underlined that the ceasefire was aimed at a focus on Iran, and American allies--both Israel and the Gulf Arab states. "We never made that promise. We never indicated that was going to be the case. What we said is that the ceasefire would be focused on Iran and the ceasefire would be focused on America''s allies, both Israel and the Gulf Arab states." The remarks by Vance has put Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif in a tight spot after he had claimed that Lebanon was also a part of the peace deal--a claim firmly dismissed by both US President Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. The embarrassment to the self-styled mediator''s claims comes as a part of the carousel of chaos Islamabad has seen in the last few hours. Pakistan had attempted to present itself as a peacemaker between the US and Iran, but the new details from a Financial Times report suggest that it was rather pushed by White House to broker the temporary ceasefire with Iran. The report posed serious questions about Pakistan''s independent diplomatic stance as it suggests that Islamabad was not a neutral broker but rather a convenient channel for the US to push the temporary ceasefire deal. Financial Times, citing the people familiar with the talks, reported that the US leaned on Pakistan to present Washington''s proposal to Iran, making the country a mere messenger between the two sides rather than having an active neutral participation. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, who was the first one to suggest a two-week ceasefire in public, was reduced to a spectator with Army chief Asim Munir playing a central role, holding urgent discussions with US officials, including Donald Trump, JD Vance and envoy Steve Witkoff. The blunder from Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif on a social media post, in a rush to claim credit, also exposed limited say over the deal. Sharif, who framed the deal as Pakistan''s initiative, mistakenly included a subject line at the top of his post: "draft -- Pakistan''s PM message on X" Pakistan''s attempt to cast itself as a neutral player also came under threat when a drone attack hit the Saudi petrochemical hub of Jubail, a Financial Times report revealed. Islamabad had signed a mutual defence pact with Riyadh last year. Pakistan still stayed neutral, allowing it to engage in diplomatic efforts. The diplomatic doublespeak over Lebanon puts the US-Iran peace deal in danger. As tensions escalate, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday that the country declared a day of mourning after a wave of Israeli strikes killed at least 254 people and injured more than 1,165 in a single day on Wednesday. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Israelis will continue their offensive in South Lebanon aimed at neutralising the threat from Hezbollah, despite backing the US decision to suspend strikes against Iran as the two nations look to work out a lasting peace formula. Meanwhile, Israel''s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, reaffirmed Tel Aviv''s objective is to achieve a situation without "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure" in Southern Lebanon as Israel continues to strike Lebanon after the ceasefire with Iran. (ANI)
A protest was staged outside the United Nations headquarters in Geneva by the Europe chapter of the Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh, drawing attention to the alleged enforced disappearances in Pakistan's Sindh province. Demonstrators urged immediate action for the recovery of those who have gone missing over the past decades. Coordinator Sarang Sindhi and Deputy Coordinator Saeed Sindhi spearheaded the protest. Participants displayed banners and engaged with the public to raise awareness of what they described as a long-standing human rights crisis in Sindh. Addressing the gathering, organisers claimed that the situation has remained dire for more than two decades, with thousands allegedly subjected to enforced disappearances. They asserted that over 10,000 individuals, many of them political workers and human rights defenders, have reportedly vanished during this period, while hundreds are still unaccounted for. Speakers further alleged that individuals have been picked up from streets, public spaces, vehicles, and even their homes without due legal procedure. Families, they said, are often left in prolonged uncertainty, with no official information regarding the fate of their relatives. In several cases, missing persons have later been found dead, with signs suggesting custodial abuse. The organisers specifically referred to cases such as Ayub Kandhro, Sohail Raza Bhatti, and Alah Wadhayo Mahar, claiming that they remain untraced. They also criticised Pakistan's judicial system, alleging that it has failed to ensure accountability or secure the recovery of the missing. Following the demonstration, the organisers submitted a memorandum to the United Nations Human Rights Council through UN officials. The document highlighted alleged human rights violations in Sindh and called for urgent international intervention to ensure the safe return of those missing. Concluding the protest, participants pledged to continue highlighting the issue globally, vowing to pursue justice for affected families and keep raising their concerns at international platforms until concrete action is taken. (ANI)
Khattar is on a three-day visit to Bhutan.

Sharing the details in a post on X, the Union Minister on Thursday informed that he also met the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Sandeep Arya.

He added, "During this visit, detailed discussions will be held on further strengthening India-Bhutan energy relations".

https://x.com/mlkhattar/status/2042106558293975198?s=20

The high-profile visit comes after EAM Jaishankar met Bhutan's Foreign Minister Lyonpo DN Dhungyel in March on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue and reaffirmed India's dedication to deepening the unique bilateral partnership with Bhutan.

"Delighted to meet Bhutan FM Lyonpo DN Dhungyel on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2026. Reaffirmed our commitment to deepen our unique partnership," Jaishankar stated in another post.

In February, Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay held a series of meetings with leading Indian industry figures on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, discussing collaboration in technology, digital infrastructure, connectivity, clean energy and sustainable development.

He also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit to Delhi.

PM Modi described the meeting as "outstanding," stating that India-Bhutan friendship continues to expand into new and transformative domains.

In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "The meeting with PM Tshering Tobgay was outstanding. We discussed how we can harness the power of AI for global good and in harmony with principles of sustainability. Our enduring India-Bhutan friendship, rooted in mutual trust, goodwill and close ties between our two peoples, continues to guide our partnership into new and transformative domains."

Official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said on X that PM Modi and Bhutan PM Tshering Tobgay reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation across energy, connectivity, development partnerships, and people-to-people ties. (ANI)
The 12th round of FoC was held on Wednesday here.

The consultations were chaired by Sibi George, Secretary (West) from the Indian side and Berris Ekinci, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from Turkish side. The last round of FoC was held in June 2022 in Ankara.

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/2041850192249680094?s=20

As per a statement by the MEA, during the consultations, both sides held discussions focused on areas such as trade and investments, tourism, technology and innovation, energy, cooperation in educational and cultural fields, people-to-people ties and the fight against cross-border terrorism.

MEA further noted that the two sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Both sides agreed to hold the next round of consultations in Turkiye on mutually convenient dates. (ANI)
The details of the meeting were shared in a post on X by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Upon meeting Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Ambassador Mittal expressed his gratitude to the UAE leadership for their continued care and support of the Indian community.

They also exchanged views on deepening bilateral cooperation.

https://x.com/IndembAbuDhabi/status/2041893444801720647?s=20

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared that Secretary (CPV&OIA) Ms. Sripriya Ranganathan hosted an interaction with the Gulf Cooperation Council Heads of Missions in New Delhi on Tuesday with Prof. (Dr.) Bimal N. Patel, India's candidate for the post of Judge, ITLOS (term 2026-35), attending as a Special Guest.

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/2041857591249440948?s=20

Earlier in March, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy conducted a working visit to New Delhi, holding significant talks with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

The meeting focused on strengthening the partnership between the two nations while addressing escalating regional tensions. According to a statement released on X by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the officials reviewed the "repercussions of the Iranian missile attacks on security and stability in the region," specifically noting their "impact on the global economy and energy security."

Reem Al Hashimy condemned the "treacherous attacks against the UAE and other countries in the region," describing them as a "grave violation of international law, the UN Charter, and international humanitarian law." She further stated that such actions constitute an "infringement on the sovereignty of states and a direct threat to their security and stability.

As India deepens its engagements with partners across the world, EAM S Jaishankar on Wednesday met Dag Hartelius, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Sweden.

https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/2041870362804416723?s=20

The leaders spoke about the advancement of the bilateral cooperation and the deepening of the India-EU Strategic Partnership. (ANI)
Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on Thursday received a phone call from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during which they discussed ways to "reduce tensions and restore security and stablility in the region", as per the Saudi foreign ministry said. The two leaders reviewed the latest developments and discussed ways to reduce tensions to restore security and stability in the region. "His Highness the Foreign Minister Receives Phone Call from Iranian Foreign Minister. His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, received a phone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Abbas Araghchi. During the call, they reviewed the latest developments and discussed ways to reduce tensions to restore security and stability in the region," the statement read. https://x.com/KSAmofaEN/status/2042156642599411790?s=20 The call comes after reports from several Gulf nations stated missile and drone attacks on their territories, hours after Iran and the United States announced a two-week ceasefire, as per Al Jazeera. The call was the first point of contact between the two leaders after a two-week ceasefire was announced. Earlier on April 8, Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and GCC Secretary-General Jasem al-Budaiwi. Her mission focused on ensuring the current pause in fighting does not collapse when the fourteen-day clock runs out. https://x.com/kajakallas/status/2041905570018406700?s=20 Iranian state television confirmed the missile and drone attacks, reporting they were carried out in response to the bombing of Iranian oil facilities on Wednesday, as per Al Jazeera. Later, Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry announced in a post on X that nine drones had been intercepted and downed "over the past hours". Earlier on April 7, Iranian ballistic missiles struck near an industrial complex in Saudi Arabia's Jubail, sparking a huge fire. Saudi Arabia's defence ministry said seven ballistic missiles were intercepted on Tuesday, with debris falling near energy facilities in the east. (ANI)
Craig Charles was diagnosed with the same genetic condition which killed his brother after suffering a terrifying heart scare.

Craig Charles has a heart condition

The Red Dwarf star lost his beloved brother Deann when he died suddenly in 2014 aged 52 while the actor was away in Australia filming I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! and Craig has now revealed he is battling the same medical problem which killed his sibling.

During an episode of I'm A Celebrity All Stars, Craig, 61, explained his condition to his campmates, saying: "The arteries from my heart were narrow. Its the same thing that killed my brother when I was here last time. They told me this is genetic, you need to go get that looked at."

However, Craig didn't take the condition seriously until he was struck down with a "heart attack" while he was home alone.

He said: "And then my wife, Jackie, is in Galway, visiting [her] parents, and Im at home. I gave her a ring, something like that: 'I dont feel great, man. My jaws are tingling'.

"Anyway, her sister in laws a nurse and said to call for an ambulance, so I didnt, because you dont call the ambulance on your own.

"And she [Jackie] was coming home in the morning, so she came home the next morning and took one look at me and got on the phone, and the woman said: 'We think hes having a heart attack, and stay with me'.

"She asked: 'What colour is he? And she [Jackie] said: 'Hes brown'. So by now I am having a heart attack and laughing my socks off."

Craig went on to detail the medical procedure he underwent, adding: "They put a wire in, which is attached to a balloon, and then they blow the balloon up, then they stick a stent in, and it goes all the way up there into your heart, so it widens the artery.

"Because apparently I was existing only 35 per cent blood to my heart, and when they put the stents in and its on 100 per cent. So they saved me.

"My brother had the same thing, but he passed out, he was working at a school as a teacher."

It comes after Craig admitted he couldn't bear to watch I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! after he was forced to pull out of the show following Dean's death.

He told The Sun newspaper: "The death of my brother, and my unexpected departure as a result, did change my life.

"It made me re-evaluate things and made me ask: If that had happened to me, would I be happy with what I had achieved? I came up with the answer and it was no ...

"I was really enjoying my time in the Australian jungle and it got sadly cut short. I knew I wanted to have some new adventures after that ... Since I left, there have been years of What ifs?

"At first, Im A Celebrity felt bittersweet after Id left, and in the first few years I couldnt watch the show. It made me sad and it opened a world of loss.

"Every year it came around, I would feel a sense of loss and a feeling of what might have been  both for my brother and for me.

"He was only 52 and he would have been 63 now, which is no age. But that feeling has decreased over the years, and the last few years I have been able to watch it again without feeling the pain and the grief."

Craig has now returned to the show to appear in the All Stars version which was filmed in South Africa and he admitted the offer came "at the right time".

He added: "When this came round, it was at the right time. I feel strong and confident enough to face it again and have a laugh!"

However, Craig confessed he's less fit than he was the first time around and he still can't stand heights or "creepy crawlies".
Following the announcement of a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran, veteran diplomat Vidya Bhushan Soni has cautioned against overestimating Pakistan's diplomatic influence, characterising its role as merely a messenger rather than a strategic negotiator. In a conversation with ANI, Soni addressed claims by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding Islamabad's participation in upcoming peace meetings. Soni suggested that while Pakistan may present itself as a central peacemaker, its actual function is far more limited. He noted that the US is "catching at straws," engaging with any available channel due to a lack of better alternatives, even as independent efforts outside of Islamabad continue. "Regarding Pakistan's role and Shehbaz Sharif's claim that he will participate in the next meeting in Islamabad, he may claim whatever he wishes. The US will latch onto any straw because there is no other alternative medium available to them. Whosoever comes up with even a small ray of hope, they will catch it. Other alternatives are being tried that are independent of Islamabad, and those will continue," he said. Soni described the "triumvirate" of Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan as a "post office," alleging they are simply passing messages between Washington and Tehran without adding value or new points to the dialogue. "For now, the attempt is for this 'triumvirate' of Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan to keep trying. Again, they are not really negotiators or mediators; they are only a post office. As I mentioned earlier, they are only passing on messages from one side to the other without adding any value or new points to make it acceptable to both sides," he said. Despite his scepticism regarding the mediators, Soni stressed that the peace efforts themselves are vital. He argued that the current ceasefire provides a necessary window for existing ground-level initiatives to gain momentum. "That effort must continue because once it has been agreed that there will be a ceasefire, something already on the ground may gain some momentum during that period. At the same time, other alternatives will be tried. One mustn't read too much into the role of Pakistan. They will continue to play a role, but whether it will be a mediatory role or a prime role remains to be seen," he said. Soni emphasised that while any effort toward peace is positive for humanity, India should remain indifferent to Pakistan's specific involvement. "I don't see why India should be sensitive to it because any effort for peace is in the interest of humanity and world peace. We are neither for nor against it. If it works, fine. If it doesn't, not much was expected from it anyway," he said. India remains a neutral observer of these specific mediatory roles, focusing on the broader goal of world peace rather than the actors involved. While Pakistan has sought to frame itself as a proactive broker of regional stability, recent reports suggest a different dynamic. According to the Financial Times, Islamabad did not initiate the mediation but was instead pushed by the White House to help facilitate the two-week truce. (ANI)
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday held talks with US Bureau of Industry and Security Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler and Under Secretary for International Trade William Kimmitt on boosting bilateral trade. Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said in a post on X, "Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Bureau of Industry and Security Under Secretary Jeffrey Kessler and Under Secretary for International Trade William Kimmitt at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Discussions focused on boosting bilateral trade and investment in strategic and emerging technologies, and exchanging views on emerging export control frameworks." https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/2042121418838806983?s=20 Misri held wide-ranging interactions with US Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby that covered the developments in West Asia and also focused on ways to further deepen the defence industrial, technology and supply chain linkages between New Delhi and Washington. The details of his meeting were shared by the Indian Embassy in the US in a series of posts on X. The meeting between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Colby comes shortly after the latter visited New Delhi, where he met with senior officials to advance key elements of the 2026 National Defence Strategy. His visit saw discussions aimed at advancing the framework for the India-US defence partnership. "Sustaining the momentum of India-US defence exchanges, Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri had another wide-ranging conversation with Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby at the Pentagon, covering the ongoing developments in the Indo-Pacific region and West Asia. This follows right after their recent meeting in New Delhi, on the sidelines of the India-US Defence Policy Group meeting." https://x.com/IndianEmbassyUS/status/2042002271592976434?s=20 In another post on X, the Indian Embassy shared that Foreign Secretary Misri had a fruitful interaction with the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition & Sustainment Mike Duffey at the Pentagon that focused on deepening defence industrial, technology and supply chain linkages between India and the US, in line with the ambitious goals laid out in the Framework for the bilateral Major Defence Partnership signed last year. https://x.com/IndianEmbassyUS/status/2041968546289258673?s=20 The leaders held a productive exchange of perspectives on complex operational modalities and reflected on the strength of the growing partnership. (ANI)
Tibetan activists affiliated with the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) chapters in New York and New Jersey have begun a 90-hour hunger strike outside the United Nations Headquarters, seeking urgent global attention to the worsening conditions in Tibet. The protest started on April 6 and is set to conclude on April 10, as reported by Phayul. According to Phayul, Lobsang Tsering, president of the regional TYC chapters, said the demonstration is part of the 19th instalment of the group's "10th Day Movement," a monthly campaign initiated by its 18th executive committee. Since August 2024, the campaign has been marked through consistent actions, including marches, relay runs, and protests outside the Chinese Consulate, regardless of turnout or weather conditions. Tsering expressed concern over limited participation from the wider Tibetan diaspora, despite an estimated population of 15,000 Tibetans in New York and New Jersey. He said only a small group continues to sustain the hunger strike, urging broader community involvement through participation, funding, or solidarity efforts. The protest aims to spotlight what activists describe as a critical situation inside Tibet and to warn that continued global inaction could undermine the Tibetan struggle for cultural preservation and political rights. Tsering emphasised that the United Nations remains a crucial platform for raising awareness and demanding accountability. Among the key demands is the immediate release of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who was detained by Chinese authorities in 1995 at the age of six and has not been seen publicly since. Protesters have also called for an end to policies they claim suppress Tibetan identity, including state-run boarding schools accused of erasing language and culture, as highlighted by Phayul. Environmental concerns were also raised, with activists opposing Chinese projects such as mining, dam construction, and deforestation on the Tibetan Plateau, citing ecological risks. Additionally, demonstrators urged China to stop interfering in the recognition of Tibetan Buddhist reincarnations and to repeal laws they say enforce assimilation. The protesters further condemned alleged transnational repression targeting Tibetans globally and called on the international community to urge China into meaningful dialogue, as reported by Phayul. (ANI)
The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has called for a significant expansion of the current regional truce, asserting that the "ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran should extend to Lebanon." In a series of statements addressing the escalating Middle East crisis, Kallas underscored the necessity of de-escalation while demanding that the "Iran-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah must disarm." The EU's top diplomat offered a balanced yet firm critique of the ongoing hostilities, noting that while "Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the war, Israel's right to defend itself does not justify inflicting such massive destruction." Kallas expressed mounting concern over the longevity of existing diplomatic efforts, warning that "Israeli actions are putting the US-Iran ceasefire under severe strain." She noted that, to preserve regional stability, "the Iran truce should extend to Lebanon." Her remarks come amid reports of intensifying military operations in the region. Referencing the human cost of the recent escalations, Kallas pointed out that "Israeli strikes killed hundreds last night, making it hard to argue that such heavy-handed actions fall within self-defence." The fragile state of this regional stability is further complicated by Israel's continued operations in Lebanon. These actions have directly threatened the temporary ceasefire, leading Iran to accuse the US-Israeli side of violating the agreement. In a sharp diplomatic escalation, Tehran has threatened to withdraw from the high-level negotiations set to take place in Islamabad this weekend. The Iranian delegation to Islamabad is scheduled to be led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. He has explicitly accused the Israeli side of violating three key clauses of the 10-point proposal that established the temporary ceasefire intended to kickstart further negotiations. Ghalibaf stated that "the deep historical distrust we hold toward the United States stems from its repeated violations of all forms of commitments, a pattern that has regrettably been repeated once again." According to Ghalibaf, the first major breach involves non-compliance with the first clause of the proposal regarding a ceasefire in Lebanon. He noted this was a commitment Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had explicitly declared as "an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and other regions, effective immediately." The Speaker also cited the entry of an "intruding drone into Iranian airspace," which was destroyed in the city of Lar in Fars Province, as a clear violation of the clause prohibiting airspace incursions. Additionally, he accused the opposing side of violating the sixth clause by denying "Iran's right to enrichment." Given these alleged breaches, Ghalibaf argued that proceeding with a "bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable" because the core clauses have been violated before formal talks could even commence. Conversely, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained defiant, insisting that the Lebanon theatre was never part of the original deal. "I insisted that the temporary ceasefire with Iran not include Hezbollah. And we continue to strike them forcefully," Netanyahu stated. The Israeli PM highlighted the scale of recent strikes, claiming that Israel dealt Hezbollah its "greatest blow" since the pager incidents by attacking 100 targets in just 10 minutes. He emphasised that these strikes hit locations the group believed were "immune." Netanyahu's stance remains focused on Israel's primary objective: prohibiting Iran from enriching uranium, which Tel Aviv believes is intended for a nuclear weapon. He expressed a determination to achieve this either through negotiation or by "resuming the fighting." "I want to make this clear: We still have goals to complete, and we will achieve them either by agreement or by resuming the fighting. We are prepared to return to combat at any moment required. Our finger is on the trigger," he warned. For Israel, the current ceasefire is viewed not as a finality but as a "milestone on the path to achieving all goals." Despite the friction, direct talks between the US and Iran are still slated for Islamabad this weekend, aimed at ending weeks of intense hostilities. The upcoming summit follows a two-week immediate ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran. The US delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, while the Iranian side will be represented by Speaker Ghalibaf. (ANI)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday stated that they killed the nephew and personal secretary of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem in a strike carried out in Beirut last night. In a statement issued on Telegram, the IDF said that Ali Yusuf Harshi, identified as the personal secretary and nephew of Qassem, was eliminated during overnight operations in the Lebanese capital. The military described Harshi as a close associate and advisor who played a key role in managing and securing the Hezbollah leader''s office. "Yesterday (Wednesday), the IDF struck in the Beirut area and eliminated Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. Harshi was a close associate and personal advisor to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and played a central role in managing and securing his office," the statement read. The IDF further stated that it carried out a series of strikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in and around Beirut. According to the statement, two strategic crossings used by Hezbollah operatives for movement between the northern and southern parts of the Litani River were hit, allegedly disrupting the transfer of weapons, including rockets and launchers. Additionally, the Israeli military said it struck around 10 sites in southern Lebanon, including weapons storage facilities, launchers, and command centres linked to Hezbollah. In a separate update, the IDF said its 162nd Division continues to conduct targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon. Troops from the 401st Brigade reportedly discovered an underground shaft used by militants. During the operation, a fighter emerging from the tunnel was killed in close combat, and a cache of weapons, including explosives, rockets, RPG launchers, and grenades, was recovered. The IDF also claimed that forces from its 215th Fire Brigade killed more than 70 militants in various operations, including a group allegedly preparing to launch mortar attacks. In another incident, two militants entering a Hezbollah-linked structure were targeted in an airstrike coordinated with ground troops. Meanwhile, troops from the Nahal Brigade reportedly located large quantities of weapons and dismantled multiple Hezbollah positions, including anti-tank launch sites and observation posts. The developments come even as the fragile ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran hangs in the balance, with Tehran stating that the truce also includes the halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon. However, both Washington and Israel have maintained that the ceasefire does not extend to Hezbollah targets, a disagreement that has further complicated diplomatic efforts and heightened the risk of the truce collapsing. (ANI)
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian attended a significant commemorative ceremony in Tehran's Republic Square on Thursday, marking a key milestone following the recent shift in the country's leadership. The President's presence at the event was to observe the 40th day since the death of the former Leader of the Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. In a massive display of national mourning, vast crowds of Iranians took to the streets of the capital and across the nation on Thursday to mark the 40th day following the killing of the former Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, senior military officials, and schoolchildren from Minab, state broadcaster Press TV reported. The massive mourning processions commenced on Thursday morning, with participants marching from Jomhouri Square to the site where the former Leader died during US-Israeli strikes. These commemorative events, expected to last until nightfall, involve mourners "chanting slogans, listening to eulogies in memory of the late Leader, and pledging their allegiance to his ideals." According to Press TV, similar ceremonies are being observed in hundreds of cities and counties throughout Iran. The significance of the date stems back to 28 February, when the former Leader was killed alongside members of his family during the onset of military action by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran. Those strikes also claimed the lives of several high-ranking military commanders and advisers, including Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, and Major General Mohammad Pakpour. Broadening the scope of the casualties from that period, Press TV noted that civilian infrastructure and energy facilities were also hit, resulting in hundreds of fatalities. One of the most devastating incidents occurred on the first day of the hostilities, when a primary school in Minab was struck, leading to the deaths of more than 170 civilians, the majority of whom were children. In the wake of these events, the Iranian armed forces initiated a series of retaliatory measures, launching missile and drone barrages against targets in Israeli-occupied territories and American assets within the region. Following this sustained period of military exchange, the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) confirmed on Wednesday that a Pakistan-brokered, 14-day ceasefire had been established. State broadcaster Press TV reported that the agreement was reached after the US accepted Tehran's "10-point proposal." Reflecting on the legacy of the late figurehead amidst this truce, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) issued a statement on Thursday. The group asserted that the death of the former Ayatollah Khamenei was "as effective as his lifetime presence in the promotion of Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic." The IRGC statement, carried by Press TV, further highlighted the resilience of the nation and the impact of the military's retaliatory strikes as part of the "blessings of the Leader's pure blood during the imposed war." The military wing stated that the former Leader's philosophy regarding resistance, independence, and justice continues to provide a "comprehensive system for governing the country." (ANI)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has affirmed that Israel will persist in its military operations against Hezbollah, following a series of intense and lethal strikes across Lebanon. In a statement shared via his personal account on X, the Prime Minister emphasised the continued scale of the offensive, noting that the military is "continuing to strike Hezbollah with force, precision, and determination." The remarks come as Israel intensifies its campaign to degrade the group's capabilities, with Netanyahu underscoring the motivation behind the ongoing air strikes. "Our message is clear: anyone who acts against Israeli civilians - we will strike them," he asserted, linking the military action directly to the protection of the public. Maintaining a firm stance on the scope of the operation, the Prime Minister made it clear that geographical boundaries would not limit the air campaign. He stated that the military "will continue to hit Hezbollah wherever necessary," suggesting that the operations will remain expansive. Netanyahu further clarified that the ultimate objective of the strikes is to ensure the safe return of displaced citizens to the border regions. He added that the offensive will persist "until we fully restore security to the residents of the north" of Israel. However, Israel's continued operation in Lebanon has threatened the temporary ceasefire, with Iran accusing the US-Israel side of violating the agreement. In response to these developments, Tehran has threatened to leave the negotiation talks set to take place in Islamabad this weekend. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who will lead Tehran's delegation for the talks in Pakistan, has accused the Israeli side of violating three key clauses of the "10-point proposal" on which the temporary ceasefire was initially agreed to kickstart further negotiations. The three clauses that Ghalibaf accused the US and Israel of breaching include the violation of the ceasefire in Lebanon, the violation of Iranian airspace, and the denial of Iran's right to enrich uranium. "The deep historical distrust we hold toward the United States stems from its repeated violations of all forms of commitments, a pattern that has regrettably been repeated once again," Ghalibaf said in a statement. Listing the specific violations, Ghalibaf cited non-compliance with the first clause regarding the ceasefire in Lebanon--a commitment he noted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had explicitly declared as "an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and other regions, effective immediately." Ghalibaf further pointed to the "entry of an intruding drone into Iran airspace," which was destroyed in the city of Lar in Fars Province, as a clear violation of the clause prohibiting airspace breaches. He also highlighted the "denial of Iran's right to enrichment," which was included in the sixth clause of the framework. The Parliament Speaker added that "bilateral ceasefire or negotiations are unreasonable" as the clauses have been violated before the negotiations could even begin. On the other hand, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the ceasefire in Lebanon was not included in the temporary agreement. "I insisted that the temporary ceasefire with Iran not include Hezbollah. And we continue to strike them forcefully," Netanyahu stated. He further claimed that Israel dealt Hezbollah its greatest blow since the pager incidents, attacking "100 targets in 10 minutes, in places that Hezbollah was certain were immune." Netanyahu expressed a firm determination to achieve Israel's objectives through negotiation or by "resuming the fighting." A primary objective for Tel Aviv remains prohibiting Iran from enriching uranium, which Israel believes will be used for nuclear weaponry. "I want to make this clear: We still have goals to complete, and we will achieve them either by agreement or by resuming the fighting. We are prepared to return to combat at any moment required. Our finger is on the trigger," he warned. The Prime Minister maintained that the ceasefire is not the end of the campaign but a "milestone on the path to achieving all goals." Despite the friction, diplomatic engagement between the US and Iran is still scheduled for Islamabad this weekend. Both sides are intended to hold direct talks aimed at ending weeks of intense hostilities following the outbreak of war. The upcoming meeting follows an immediate two-week ceasefire agreement reached after a period of heavy regional conflict. The US delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, while the Iranian delegation remains scheduled to be led by Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. (ANI)
The East Turkistan National Movement recently marked a solemn milestone in its history, commemorating the 81st anniversary of the East Turkistan National Army Memorial Day. This occasion serves as a powerful reminder of the region's historical efforts toward self-governance and the enduring spirit of its national identity. In a detailed post shared via the social media platform X, the group reflected on the army's origins, noting it was established on this day in 1945 by the East Turkistan Republic. According to the movement, the military force was originally formed to "defend national sovereignty and preserve independence," a mission the group reinforced while reiterating its modern-day demands for regional sovereignty. The post further claimed that on December 22, 1949, China overthrew the republic, disbanded the army, and began what it described as a prolonged "colonial occupation". The organisation alleged that the absence of a national army left the people "defenceless", accusing China of carrying out policies amounting to "genocide" and repression in the region known internationally as Xinjiang. Reaffirming its position, the group paid tribute to former soldiers of the East Turkistan National Army and reiterated its commitment to what it called the restoration of East Turkistan's independence. "We honour our forefathers, our martyrs, and all the soldiers who served in the East Turkistan National Army and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to ending China's campaign of colonisation, genocide, and occupation in East Turkistan and restoring East Turkistan's independence," the post stated. The East Turkistan National Movement is a broad term used to describe various political and social efforts by sections of the Uyghur and other Turkic communities seeking either independence or greater autonomy for Xinjiang. Meanwhile, China maintains that Xinjiang is an integral part of its territory and has consistently rejected allegations of human rights abuses, stating that its policies are aimed at combating extremism and ensuring regional stability. Xinjiang remains a deeply contested region, where many Uyghurs and Turkic groups allege repression, cultural restrictions, and human rights abuses. China denies these claims, saying its policies counter extremism and ensure stability, while global concerns continue over autonomy, identity, and governance in the region. (ANI)
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh has signalled Tehran's cautious readiness to proceed with peace negotiations, despite a night of intense military escalation. Speaking to ITV News, a British broadcasting television network, Khatibzadeh emphasised that recent Iranian military actions were a necessary response to ongoing provocations. Reflecting on the immediate lead-up to the current truce, the Deputy Foreign Minister described the volatility of the situation. "Last night was a very critical night because we had no option but to respond to these new atrocities," he stated, adding that subsequent diplomatic efforts mediated by Islamabad helped stabilise the situation. "Then there were a few back and forth exchanges and a few messages through Pakistanis, and we hope that America could control its ally and this time honour their words, actually, and be committed to what we agreed," Khatibzadeh remarked, placing the onus on Washington to restrain Israel. Despite the fragile nature of the ceasefire, the Iranian official confirmed that plans for high-level talks remain on track. "So at this moment that I'm talking, I hope that we can proceed to go to Pakistan, and this is the programme and the agenda that we are working on," he said, noting that the American side appeared to be moving in the same direction. Looking ahead to the summit, Khatibzadeh expressed a desire for a comprehensive resolution. "As my understanding, the American side also is working on that, so we hope that we can meet soon in Pakistan to reach a settlement and agreement for permanent peace in the whole Middle East," he told ITV News. When questioned about Tehran's commitment to Lebanon and whether further Israeli strikes would cause Iran to withdraw from the agreement, the Deputy Foreign Minister insisted that Iran stands by its diplomatic word. "Iran has shown to everybody that it hardly negotiates, but when it negotiates, it honours its words and tries to commit to what has been agreed upon," he asserted. However, he warned that lasting stability is impossible if certain regions are excluded or if the underlying causes of conflict are ignored. "And Iran is very much committed to what is happening in the whole Middle East. The root cause of all the problems in the Middle East for many decades has been this wreck and rogue behaviour of the Israeli regime," Khatibzadeh claimed. The Deputy Foreign Minister further argued that a selective peace would be unsustainable, stressing that all regional stakeholders must be considered. "And nobody can think of peace in the Middle East, lasting peace in the Middle East, unless there is an inclusive agreement for everyone involved," he added. Khatibzadeh reiterated that the inclusion of Lebanon is a collective obligation rather than a solitary demand from Tehran, stating, "So this is not just for Iran; it is the responsibility for everybody to make sure that Lebanon is included in any peace settlement that is going to happen." This insistence on Lebanese inclusion highlights the current friction, as Israel's continued operation in Lebanon has threatened the temporary ceasefire, with Iran accusing the US-Israel side of violating the agreement. Consequently, Tehran has threatened to leave the negotiations set to take place in Islamabad this weekend. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who will lead Tehran's delegation for talks in Islamabad, has accused the Israeli side of violating three key clauses of the "10-point proposal" on which the temporary ceasefire was agreed. The three clauses that Ghalibaf accused the US and Israel of breaching include the violation of the ceasefire in Lebanon, the violation of Iranian airspace, and the denial of Iran's right to enrich uranium. "The deep historical distrust we hold toward the United States stems from its repeated violations of all forms of commitments, a pattern that has regrettably been repeated once again," Ghalibaf said in a statement. Listing the violations, Ghalibaf cited non-compliance regarding the ceasefire in Lebanon, a commitment he noted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif explicitly declared as "an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and other regions, effective immediately." He also cited the "entry of an intruding drone into Iran airspace," which was destroyed in the city of Lar in Fars Province, and the "denial of Iran's right to enrichment," included in the sixth clause of the framework. Ghalibaf added that "bilateral ceasefire or negotiations are unreasonable" as the clauses have been violated before the talks began. On the other hand, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the ceasefire in Lebanon was not included in the temporary agreement. "I insisted that the temporary ceasefire with Iran not include Hezbollah. And we continue to strike them forcefully," Netanyahu said. He further detailed recent military successes, stating, "Today, we dealt Hezbollah the greatest blow it has suffered since the pagers. We attacked 100 targets in 10 minutes, in places that Hezbollah was certain were immune." Netanyahu expressed determination to achieve Israel's objectives through negotiation or by "resuming the fighting." Israel's primary objective is to prohibit Iran from enriching uranium, which Tel Aviv believes will be used to make a nuclear weapon. "I want to make this clear, We still have goals to complete, and we will achieve them either by agreement or by resuming the fighting. We are prepared to return to combat at any moment required. Our finger is on the trigger," he warned, noting the ceasefire is a "milestone on the path to achieving all goals." Despite these tensions, the diplomatic engagement between the US and Iran is still set to take place in Islamabad this weekend, where both sides are expected to hold direct talks aimed at ending weeks of intense hostilities. The US delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, and the Iranian delegation will be led by Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. (ANI)
The United States has confirmed it is preparing to host an Indian delegation in Washington later this month, signaling a fresh push in bilateral commercial ties as both nations work towards finalising a proposed trade pact. The announcement followed a high-level discussion between Ambassador Sergio Gor and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Reporting on the encounter, Gor noted on the social media platform X that it was a "highly productive meeting with @USTradeRep Ambassador Greer to discuss advancing @POTUS trade priorities in South and Central Asia." https://x.com/USAmbIndia/status/2042195863640936538?s=20 Emphasising the continuity of the negotiations, Gor added, "The United States and India have previously agreed to a trade deal, and we look forward to welcoming an Indian delegation to Washington later this month." This diplomatic movement coincides with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's three-day official visit to the United States. During his stay, the Foreign Secretary is engaging with top American officials to assess the state of bilateral relations, spanning trade, defence, and critical technology. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the primary objective of the trip is to strengthen strategic ties. "The visit will provide an opportunity to review the full spectrum of India-US bilateral relations and advance ongoing cooperation across key areas," the MEA stated. Echoing this sentiment, India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, remarked that the Foreign Secretary's presence "offers an opportunity to review with our US partners the full breadth of the India-US partnership". Ambassador Kwatra further noted that the visit serves "to advance discussions across key pillars of our bilateral agenda, including trade, defence, technology, and exchange perspectives on regional and global developments". These discussions are taking place against a shifting geopolitical backdrop, coming just hours after the US and Iran reached a conditional 14-day ceasefire. The agreement, which includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, is expected to have significant impacts on international shipping and energy markets. On the economic front, the upcoming Washington talks follow recent interactions between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of the WTO ministerial meeting in Yaounde. The two leaders explored the "next steps in the India-US BTA negotiations" and discussed strategies to enhance economic synergy. While both nations announced in February that they had "finalised a framework for the first phase of the trade agreement", the document remains unsigned, making the upcoming delegation's visit a critical step towards a formal conclusion. The MEA highlighted that the Foreign Secretary's visit is a continuation of the momentum established during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's trip to Washington in February, underscoring the consistent high-level engagement between the two strategic partners. (ANI)
The X Factor 2010 semi-finalist Mary Byrne wants to do I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!

The X Factor star Mary Byrne in 2011

The 66-year-old star is up for getting stuck into gruesome Bushtucker Trials and living in a critter-filled jungle for three weeks on the ITV reality show.

Mary told the new issue of RSVP magazine: "If I'm A Celebrity came to me, I would go on it in a heartbeat, I love the programme.

"That is a programme I'd love to do to let them see how strong I am in my mental health."

Ageing has brought confidence to Mary - who is also up for doing either the UK or Irish version of The Traitors, the ultimate game of backstabbing, deceit and betrayal.

She said: "I'm 66, not dead, and I'll try anything.

"When you get to a certain stage in life, you need to keep ticking that bucket list off. You need to keep challenging yourself and keep your mind strong."

Mary has previously opened up about how her mental health was challenged after she spiralled into depression and turned to drink - whilst on medication - following a loss of income and savings due to her shows being cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The entertainer has cut out booze and focuses on her achievements to tackle her struggle with self-confidence and self-worth.

And although Mary's mental health is still "up and down", she is in a better state than she was a few years ago.

Mary admitted: "The health is always an issue, there's no quick fix for how you feel about the world and that your head tells you lies all the time, it's horrible.

"But I'm getting tools to deal with it, and I'm learning myself to deal with it. The mental health is up and down, but it's doing a lot better than it ever was.

"I'm a much stronger person than I actually realised."

Mary worked on a Tesco checkout in Ballyfermot, Dublin, before she shot to fame in 2010 aged 50 on The X Factor - in which she finished fifth.

And she is making her big TV comeback on First Dates Ireland because her job makes striking up romances difficult.

Mary explained: "I don't get chances to go out and meet people because I'm working. I meet them at work, at jobs, and that's when you don't know what the person's agenda is because you're out working.

"I don't go to my local pubs as much as I used to, so I don't get to meet the ordinary guys that are there. So when this opportunity came up, I jumped on it.

"I can do this; maybe he'll be the one, maybe he won't. But if I don't take this opportunity, I won't have ever stepped back into the dating scene, and now, if I had to go on another date, I wouldn't have a problem with it."

The experience gave Mary confidence.

She added: "And [it] made me realise that it's actually not that terrible to go out and meet somebody because I used to be terrified at it."
India and Myanmar on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a Small Development Project aimed at constructing a school in Myanmar's capital of Nay Pyi Taw, during the visit of Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh. Sharing the update on X, Singh said he witnessed the signing of the MoU, describing it as a significant step in India's ongoing development partnership with Myanmar. He described the initiative as part of India's continued commitment to supporting Myanmar's developmental needs. "Delighted to witness today's signing of an MOU on a significant social sector Small Development Project for construction of a school in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. This project reflects India's continued commitment to developmental assistance for the benefit of the people of Myanmar, driven by local needs and aspirations," the post read. The minister also highlighted his interactions with key members of Myanmar's strategic and academic community, including the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, the Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, the Rakhine Literature and Cultural Association, and the Myanmar-India Friendship Association. He shared the updates in a separate post on X, where he spoke of his engagements with representatives from Yangon University and the University of Foreign Languages Yangon, exchanging perspectives on enhancing bilateral cooperation." "Interacted with leading representatives of Myanmar strategic community including Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS), Centre for Peace and Reconciliation (CPR), Rakhine Literature and Cultural Association (RLCA) and Myanmar-India Friendship Association (MIFA), as well as Yangon University and University of Foreign Languages. Exchanged perspectives on various areas for further strengthening India-Myanmar cooperation," the post read. Kirti Vardhan Singh is on a four-day visit to Myanmar from April 8 to April 11, to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new President on April 10 in Nay Pyi Taw. According to a release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Singh will hold meetings with key officials of the Myanmar government to discuss ongoing trade, economic, and developmental cooperation initiatives. The MoS will also engage with members of the Indian diaspora and Friends of India in Yangon, highlighting India's continued commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. "At the invitation of the Government of Myanmar (GoM), the Minister of State for External Affairs and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, will visit Myanmar from 08-11 April 2026, to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on 10 April 2026 in Nay Pyi Taw," the release stated. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has arrived in Port Louis, Mauritius, to participate in the 9th Indian Ocean Conference and to further strengthen the deep-rooted bilateral ties between the two nations. Upon his arrival, the External Affairs Minister was received by the Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade Minister of Mauritius, Dhananjay Ramful. Acknowledging the hospitality, Jaishankar shared his greeting in a post on X, stating, "Bonzour Moris! Arrived in Port Louis today." https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/2042227450432938045?s=20 He further extended his gratitude to the Mauritian leadership, noting, "Thank my Mauritian counterpart FM @RitishRamful for the warm welcome." The visit is expected to involve a series of high-level discussions aimed at bolstering regional security and economic cooperation. Emphasising the goal of his visit, Jaishankar added that he is to "look forward to productive engagements to advance our Enhanced Strategic Partnership." In addition to bilateral meetings, the External Affairs Minister's schedule includes significant multilateral engagement, as he "will also be participating in the 9th Indian Ocean Conference," a key platform for discussing maritime safety and regional stability. This arrival marks the commencement of a four-day official tour that will see the minister visiting both Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The trip, which began this Thursday, is designed to explore new avenues for strengthening India's bilateral relations with these key partners. Focusing on the first leg of the journey in Mauritius from April 9 to 10, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Jaishankar will engage with the local leadership to "review the entire spectrum of bilateral ties." Providing context to the diplomatic mission, the MEA noted that "the visit underscores India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, vision MAHASAGAR, and commitment to the Global South." This strategic framework, particularly "MAHASAGAR", or "Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions", was first introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Mauritius in March last year. Once the engagements in the island nation conclude, the External Affairs Minister will proceed to the United Arab Emirates for the second leg of his tour, scheduled for April 11 to 12. In the UAE, the MEA stated that Jaishankar will meet with the Emirati leadership to "review close cooperation and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership" between the two countries. These high-level meetings are also expected to address regional stability, as the prevailing "West Asia situation" remains a priority on the diplomatic agenda. (ANI)
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, currently on an official visit to the United States, visited the Peterson Space Force Base to engage in high-level strategic discussions. During the visit, the Air Chief Marshal interacted with General Gregory M Guillot, the Commander of US NORTHCOM. Marking the visit, the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, shared his welcome in a post on X, stating, "We welcome Air Chief Marshal AP Singh to the U.S. and look forward to increased cooperation with India." The engagement underscored the expanding military synergy between the two nations. The Indian Air Force noted that the leaders held a "productive exchange of perspectives on complex operational modalities," reflecting the growing depth of the bilateral defence partnership. The Air Chief Marshal's arrival in the United States on April 6 set the stage for these high-level interactions, aimed at further strengthening the India-US defence partnership. Upon his landing, he was received by the Indian Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra. In a post on X, Ambassador Kwatra expressed his "pleasure to host and welcome CAS, Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh as he begins his visit to the United States to further strengthen the India-US defence partnership and sustain the strong and growing ties between the two Air Forces." This visit follows a period of intense bilateral engagement, including the recent trip of Admiral Samuel J Paparo, Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, to India from February 14-19. Admiral Paparo's visit focused on collaborating on "India-US shared security interests" and reinforcing the nations' close military ties. An official statement from the US Indo-Pacific Command noted that the Admiral's time in New Delhi, Chandimandir, and Bengaluru underscored "India's vital role in advancing regional security and strengthening military interoperability across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace domains." During his stay in New Delhi, Admiral Paparo met with senior Indian defence officials, including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, to discuss "safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific region." The momentum of these exchanges was further highlighted in Chandimandir, where Admiral Paparo visited India's Western Command alongside US Ambassador Sergio Gor to discuss "operational security dynamics along India's western and northern fronts." The comprehensive nature of the partnership was showcased in Bengaluru, with visits to the Aeronautical Development Agency and National Flight Test Center. These stops highlighted the "expanding defence industrial collaboration and aerospace innovation" that continue to define the modern India-US security relationship. (ANI)
In a report published on April 8, 2026, ICT revealed that the 63-year-old monk has reportedly been sentenced to seven years in prison after spending more than four years in incommunicado detention.

According to ICT, Dhargye was arrested on August 5, 2021, in Lhasa along with two others.

While his companions were released months later, Dhargye remained in custody and effectively disappeared from public view.

For years, his family received no clear information about his whereabouts, with authorities allegedly providing misleading assurances about his well-being and possible release.

Details of his sentencing only surfaced in early 2026.

According to ICT, the charges against him include making traditional Tibetan Buddhist offerings to the Dalai Lama and assisting monks attempting to leave Tibet.

Such acts, considered religious expressions in Tibetan Buddhism, are reportedly treated by Chinese authorities as political offences under "stability maintenance" policies.

ICT has expressed serious concern over the secrecy surrounding the legal proceedings.

Dhargye's family was not informed about his charges, trial, or place of detention, and he has reportedly been denied all visits.

His health condition remains unknown, raising fears given his age.

The report also notes that Dhargye's brother and others were detained in a separate case for conducting traditional religious rituals, with one individual reportedly dying due to alleged mistreatment in custody.

ICT argues that the handling of Dhargye's case violates both China's domestic legal provisions and international human rights standards, particularly those related to due process and protection from enforced disappearance.

The organisation states that the case reflects broader concerns over restrictions on religious freedom in Tibet and calls for greater transparency and accountability. (ANI)
During the visit, the Austrian leader is scheduled to engage in comprehensive discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on the current state of India-Austria relations and exchanging perspectives on significant regional and global developments.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker will hold discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas."

This trip is particularly significant as it represents Stocker's inaugural official visit to Asia, as well as his first trip to India.

He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, which includes the Federal Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, along with senior government officials and prominent business leaders.

The MEA further noted that the two leaders "will also exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including cooperation in multilateral fora."

To mark the occasion, the "Prime Minister will host a lunch in honour of the visiting dignitary."

In addition to his meeting with the Prime Minister, Chancellor Stocker will also call on President Droupadi Murmu.

Reflecting on the historical context of the relationship, the MEA highlighted that "India and Austria share warm, friendly and multi-faceted ties, rooted in shared democratic values."

The ministry also pointed out that the "highly successful visit of the prime minister to Austria in July 2024 substantially elevated the contemporary relations between the two countries."

The upcoming visit serves as a testament to the evolving partnership, as the MEA stated that "the visit of Federal Chancellor Stocker also reflects the shared commitment of both countries to further deepen and expand partnership in new areas of mutual interest." (ANI)
Since the inception of the conflict in West Asia on February 28, after US-Israeli strikes killed Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, around 8,15,000 passengers have travelled to India from the region as hostilities escalated, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated on Thursday. According to an official release on the inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in the region, officials from the MEA said that India continues to closely monitor developments in West Asia and remains actively engaged with countries across the region to ensure the safety and welfare of its citizens. The officials noted that despite airspace restrictions in the region, flights from countries where operations remain feasible are continuing. "Flights continue to operate from countries where airspace remains open. Since 28 February, around 8,15,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India," the release stated. In the UAE, around 85 limited non-scheduled flights are expected today, while travel from Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar is ongoing. Airspace closures in Kuwait and Israel have necessitated rerouting via alternate hubs such as Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. The MEA also highlighted that the Embassy of India in Iran has facilitated the transit of 2,170 Indian nationals to Armenia and Azerbaijan for onward travel to India, including 971 students and 657 fishermen. "The Embassy of India in Tehran has so far facilitated movement of 2,170 Indian nationals from Iran to Armenia and Azerbaijan for onward travel to India, including 971 Indian students and 657 Indian fishermen. Israeli airspace remains closed. Travel of Indian nationals continue to be facilitated through Jordan and Egypt to India. Iraq airspace is now open, though flight operations have not yet resumed. Travel of Indian nationals continue to be facilitated through Jordan and Saudi Arabia to India," the statement added. The officials also stated that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates from April 11 to April 12 to meet UAE leadership and review bilateral cooperation under the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and also noted that Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, will undertake an official visit to Qatar from April 9 to April 10. According to a statement issued by the MEA on Wednesday, the EAM's visit to the UAE is part of a two-leg foreign visit. The EAM is currently on a two-day visit to Mauritius, as part of leg one of his visit from April 9 to April 10, during which he will participate in the 9th Indian Ocean Conference. (ANI)
Brazil has emerged as a standout performer among developing economies, attracting substantial investments into its equity funds even as most emerging markets face capital outflows. According to Brasil 247, citing figures from JPMorgan released via InfoMoney, domestic equity funds in Brazil secured inflows of USD 883 million (approximately BRL 4.5 billion), defying an otherwise challenging global financial climate. In contrast, equity funds across emerging markets continued to experience losses, with outflows reaching USD 3.9 billion during the same period, following the previous week's withdrawal of USD 654 million. Brazil's divergence from this broader pattern has reinforced confidence among foreign investors, who continue to identify growth opportunities within the country. The report noted that while allocations through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and traditional investment vehicles were not categorised by individual countries, a significant portion of inflows appears to have been directed towards index funds. This trend points to a strategy of gaining broad-based exposure to Brazil's market, especially in light of its recent stock market rally. This renewed investor interest is also evident in the performance of Brazil's stock exchange, B3. Over the past month, foreign investors injected around BRL 11.7 billion into the market. For the first quarter of 2026, total inflows across various investment channels climbed to BRL 53 billion. Across the wider Latin American region, investment sentiment showed improvement. After experiencing outflows of USD 111 million in the previous week, regional equity funds rebounded with inflows of USD 199 million (about BRL 1 billion). Brazil had already led the recovery earlier, registering inflows of USD 475 million. Sector-wise, Brazil's energy segment delivered strong returns, second only to Mexico's communication services sector. The financial sector also gained traction by the end of March, outperforming the broader market for five consecutive sessions. Other industries, including capital goods, steel and mining, and education, posted steady gains, while consumer and retail, agribusiness, and oil and gas lagged. Globally, emerging markets remained under pressure, particularly in Asia (excluding Japan), which recorded outflows of USD 5 billion. The Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region marked its fifth straight week of withdrawals, totalling USD 124 million. Meanwhile, countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar also saw net outflows, influenced by ongoing geopolitical tensions linked to Iran. Despite ongoing volatility, emerging market equity funds have maintained positive momentum in 2026, with total inflows reaching USD 73.6 billion so far this year. This is slightly below the early March peak of USD 86.1 billion, but still reflects strong year-to-date performance. (ANI)
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) on Thursday raised alarm over a surge in communal violence across the country before and after the 13th parliamentary election that took place in February. In a press release issued by the Acting General Secretary of BHBCUC, Monindra Kumar Nath, the Council stated that 133 incidents of communal violence were reported between January 1 and March 31, 2026. These included 25 murders, four cases of violence against women, 35 attacks and looting of temples, and 69 other assaults, including attacks on indigenous communities. Month-wise figures reveal that January recorded 46 incidents, including 11 murders, one rape case, and multiple cases of assault, vandalism, threats, and looting. February saw 50 incidents, with eight murders, one rape case, and attacks on temples and minority communities, while March reported 37 incidents, including six murders, two cases of sexual violence, and continued assaults on homes, businesses, and religious sites. The Council expressed disappointment that violence had not decreased following the formation of a new government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). It warned that continued attacks are leaving minority communities "deeply concerned and anxious." The organisation demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment for perpetrators, compensation for victims, proper medical care for the injured, and implementation of its eight-point demand, which includes the enactment of a Minority Protection Act, establishment of a Ministry for Minority Affairs, and formation of a National Minority Commission. In January, UK MP Bob Blackman raised concerns about Bangladesh and the murder of Hindus there, calling on the government to take appropriate action to protect the minorities and ensure free and fair elections. "Now, at the pre-recess adjournment debates, I raised the situation of Bangladesh, and the leader quite rightly wrote to the Foreign Secretary about the disastrous situation that is there now. Hindu men are being murdered on the streets, their houses being burnt, the temples are being burnt, and other religious minorities are suffering similar fates," he said. (ANI)
Nom de guerre Balen, the Nepali Prime Minister, sacked the member of his cabinet upon receiving a formal letter from party chair Rabi Lamichhane, based on findings of the party's central disciplinary commission.

The prime minister's secretariat said Sah was removed after the party found him in breach of its code of conduct and discipline.

According to the commission's study, Sah misused his office to continue his wife, Junu Shrestha, as a member of the Health Insurance Board, a position which had remained largely inactive for a long time. The commission had submitted its report to the party on Wednesday, recommending action.

Lamichhane, in his letter to the prime minister, said the move had undermined the party's image, principles, and integrity, and warranted immediate action.

Citing provisions in the party statute, the RSP said its chair is mandated under Clause 25 (4) (a) to safeguard the party's values, while Clause 69 allows the party to recall individuals from responsibility in cases of misuse of office. Acting on the recommendation, the prime minister removed Sah from office.

In the same letter, Lamichhane also recommended a warning against Minister for Health and Population Nisha Mehta for failing to take the matter seriously.

Sah was appointed to the post on March 28. He was elected as a Member of Parliament from Mahottari-2 in the House of Representatives elections held on March 5. In recent days, he had also been demoted to the lowest rank within the Council of Ministers. (ANI)
During the meeting, the minister highlighted the robust nature of the bilateral bond, noting that the partnership has seen significant advancement across various sectors over the past year.

In a post on X, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared details of the encounter, stating, "Pleased to call on Prime Minister @Ramgoolam_Dr of Mauritius. Conveyed best wishes of PM @narendramodi. Our wide-ranging partnership has witnessed remarkable and substantive progress in the last one year."

https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/2042273369077195226?s=20

The discussions between the two leaders covered a broad array of strategic and social initiatives.

According to the minister, they "discussed its various facets, including development cooperation, health, education, capacity building, mobility, technology, maritime security, and people-to-people ties."

The dialogue also extended to regional stability, specifically focusing on "developments in West Asia and their impact."

Expressing India's appreciation for the ongoing collaboration, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted that he "deeply values PM Ramgoolam's strong commitment to the enduring India-Mauritius friendship."

The visit to the island nation, scheduled for April 9-10, is the first leg of a four-day diplomatic tour that includes the UAE.

In Mauritius, the minister is set to participate in the 9th Indian Ocean Conference, themed 'Collective Stewardship for Indian Ocean Governance'.

This flagship event, organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the India Foundation, serves as a platform for regional leaders to deliberate on maritime security and economic sustainability.

Following his engagements in Mauritius, the minister will travel to the United Arab Emirates on April 11 to review the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the UAE leadership.

This diplomatic outreach occurs as India welcomes the recent ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, maintaining that dialogue is vital for regional peace and the protection of global energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. (ANI)
Dan Miller, Lawrence Rosenberg and Priyesh Bathia have all been fired on The Apprentice.

Lord Sugar has fired more contestants

Lord Sugar has axed all three contestants ahead of the series finale, meaning that Pascha Myhill will battle it out against Karishma Vijay next week.

Lawrence - a PR specialist - subsequently said: "Nobody will ever be able to take away that I made it to the final five of one of the most competitive processes on television."

Lawrence also denied suggestions that his flawed business plan was written with the help of AI.

He said: "My business plan was written by a human, and I have over 100 hours worth of logs to prove it."

Priyesh admitted to being disappointed at failing to make it to the final. However, he was also proud of himself for making it so far on the show.

He said: "Im incredibly proud of how far I got. Its a huge milestone and a massive achievement for me, and something Ill always look back on with pride.

"Ive learned a huge amount about business, about resilience and about myself and Ill take that forward. Im leaving with my head held high and a lot of momentum for whatever comes next."

Meanwhile, Dan insisted he didn't harbour major regrets about his time on the show.

The student recruitment company owner also voiced his support for the two finalists, Pascha and Karishma.

He said: "My interviews went so well, and it was a fantastic validation for me to know the business I have built up over the years is really good.

"I made the right decision for myself and my business in that moment and Im really happy Karishma and Pascha are the two finalists."

The winner will be revealed on next week's episode of The Apprentice and they will receive 250,000 of investment into their company, as well as the opportunity to work with Lord Sugar.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday said it had eliminated multiple terror operatives in separate operations, including a senior commander of the Lebanese Resistance Brigades in southern Lebanon and a militant involved in the October 7 attack in Gaza. In a statement on Telegram, the IDF said it struck and killed Maher Qassem Hamdan, identified as the commander of the Lebanese Resistance Brigades in the Chebaa area of southern Lebanon, on Wednesday. Hamdam was eliminated along with eight additional militants while allegedly fleeing from the Chebaa area to Sidon. According to the IDF, Hamdan was responsible for recruitment, weapons supply, and financing activities for the group, which it said is funded and directly linked to Hezbollah, and the military added that members of the group had been involved in attacks against IDF personnel and Israeli civilians. In a separate joint statement with the Israel Security Agency (ISA), the IDF said it had also eliminated Abd al-Rahman Ammar Hassan Khudari, a militant affiliated with the Islamic Jihad, in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday. The statement said Khudari had allegedly infiltrated Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 attack and had been planning further operations targeting IDF troops. The strike also killed three additional terrorists linked to Hamas, the IDF added. The Israeli military said its forces, along with ISA personnel under the Southern Command, remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire arrangement and will continue operations to neutralise any immediate threats. Earlier, the IDF stated that they killed the nephew and personal secretary of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem in a strike carried out in Beirut last night. In a statement issued on Telegram, the IDF said that Ali Yusuf Harshi, identified as the personal secretary and nephew of Qassem, was eliminated during overnight operations in the Lebanese capital. The military described Harshi as a close associate and advisor who played a key role in managing and securing the Hezbollah leader's office. "Yesterday (Wednesday), the IDF struck in the Beirut area and eliminated Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. Harshi was a close associate and personal advisor to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and played a central role in managing and securing his office," the statement read. The IDF further stated that it carried out a series of strikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in and around Beirut. According to the statement, two strategic crossings used by Hezbollah operatives for movement between the northern and southern parts of the Litani River were hit, allegedly disrupting the transfer of weapons, including rockets and launchers. (ANI)
Nepal's ancient city of Bhaktapur has, from Thursday, started early celebrations to welcome the Nepali New Year with music and festivities. On the eve of the formal start of Biska Jatra, the nine-day-long festivity of the ancient city of Bhaktapur, dozens of denarians and vicenarians performed a synchronised musical performance. Every beat of the Dhime, the traditional double-headed cylindrical drum, tells a different story, and the dance narrates a story which carries its own significance. "The performance was made by the Newa community. It is performed to welcome the Nepali New Year, the Bikram Sambat. It is performed by Newars in their traditional attire, which is generally understood as Newa dress (the Haku Patasi)," Manish Ghimire, an attendee of the cultural performance on the stairs of Nepal's tallest temple, the Nyatapola, told ANI. The temple, which stands in the ancient Taumadhi Square of Bhaktapur, is packed with revellers and devotees during the Biska Jatra, which, as per folklore, signals the arrival of the Nepali New Year. "It was really cool. Every single person was dancing in a well-coordinated way, and there was not even a single mistake made by the performers, which made it really nice to watch and beautiful as well," Ghimire added. Biska Jatra, one of the popular religious festivals of Kathmandu Valley, starts with the ascension of Lord Bhairab onto a chariot built in front of the Nyatapola temple, the tallest temple in Nepal. Two groups of locals struggle to pull the chariot to either side amid a show of strength, which has been followed for ages. The three-storey chariot, made of wood in the pagoda style, is pushed and pulled around the settlements with the statues of Bhairavnath and Betal as a part of this festival. This festival of cultural and historical importance is celebrated for nine days and eight nights. Believed to have started during the Malla Dynasty, Biska Jatra formally starts four days before the beginning of the Nepali New Year. According to a myth, whoever marries a local princess dies on the very first night of the marriage. Later, a brave young man married the princess. During the night, two snakes attacked him, and the young man killed them. Biska Jatra is the only festival that does not follow the lunar-based Nepali calendar. It commences after a special Tantric ritual is performed in the Bhairab Temple in Taumadhi Tole in Bhaktapur. (ANI)
India will soon position a Defence Attache in Mauritius and is in the final stages of concluding a government-to-government agreement for the supply of oil and gas to the island nation amid the energy crisis due to the conflict in West Asia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced on Thursday. Speaking during a joint launch of projects and exchange of MoUs with Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, as part of his two-day visit to the country, Jaishankar highlighted the deepening strategic partnership between the two nations across sectors, including defence, energy, healthcare, and development cooperation. "Defence and security cooperation form another vital pillar of our bilateral ties. During this visit, we just saw a presentation on the Royalty payment of USD 45,000, representing revenues earned from the sale of Mauritian nautical charts produced through our joint hydrography service. This is a tangible reflection of the trust and mutual benefit that define our maritime cooperation. I am also happy to announce that we would be very soon positioning a Defence Attache in Mauritius. This will surely strengthen our growing engagements," the EAM stated. Jaishankar also underlined the importance of energy cooperation amid global uncertainties due to the conflict in West Asia, stating that India and Mauritius are finalising an agreement for the supply of oil and gas to enhance Mauritius' energy security. "Our 'Enhanced Strategic Partnership' today truly extends across all sectors. The ongoing crisis in West Asia, as the Hon'ble Prime Minister reminded us, has underscored the importance of strategic partnerships, especially in the energy sector. We are finalising a Government-to-Government agreement for the supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing energy security for Mauritius," he stated. Jaishankar reiterated India's continued support for Mauritius' developmental priorities, noting that 100 community development projects are being implemented across Mauritius, Rodrigues, and Agalega. Eleven such projects were jointly inaugurated during the visit. He announced that Phase II of the programme, valued at 500 million Mauritian Rupees, will further expand grassroots development initiatives. "The 100 community development projects being carried out by India across Mauritius, Rodrigues, and Agalega are the shining embodiment of this philosophy, delivering tangible benefits to the doorsteps of ordinary Mauritians in every corner of this island. Earlier in this event, we just had the privilege of inaugurating 11 of these projects alongside Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam. In the coming years, Phase II of our community development programme, valued at Mauritius Rupees 500 million, will build upon this strong and enduring foundation," he stated. The External Affairs Minister also highlighted India's contribution to Mauritius' healthcare sector, including the inauguration of a Renal Transplant Unit at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital and noted that India has supported multiple health facilities across the island and is working toward completing an AYUSH Centre of Excellence. In education, a new agreement between India's University Grants Commission and Mauritius' Higher Education Commission was signed to boost academic collaboration. India and Mauritius are also strengthening ties in renewable energy, including solar power projects and sustainable transport initiatives such as the supply of electric buses. Jaishankar noted that Mauritius will be the first country to have a dedicated iGOT Karmayogi digital platform for civil servant training, marking a new phase in capacity-building cooperation. Prime Minister Ramgoolam expressed gratitude to India for its consistent assistance, especially during challenging times. "I would like to reiterate our deepest gratitude to the Government of India for the generous assistance being extended to us. India has always stood by us, especially in trying moments of our history. India's support is indeed a glimmer of hope at such a difficult moment, when the world is going through an unprecedented turmoil and when all countries are reeling under the impact of the war in the Middle East," he said. "We both strongly believe that it is only through diplomatic channels that this crisis will come to an end," he added. Ramgoolam confirmed that Mauritius is also in the process of finalising the oil and gas agreement with India and highlighted progress on key bilateral issues, including maritime security, digital connectivity, and a USD 680 million special economic package. "As mentioned, we had a very productive exchange of views on a range of issues of mutual interest, including the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, maritime security, digital connectivity, and the implementation of the special economic package worth USD 680 million. Mauritius would like to thank the Government of India for the issuance of the In-contract Amendment Rules 2026...We are in the process of finalising a government-to-government agreement on oil and gas," he said. India and Mauritius elevated their relationship to an "Enhanced Strategic Partnership" during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mauritius in March 2025. Jaishankar further stated that the partnership reflects deep historical, cultural, and people-to-people ties and aligns with India's broader foreign policy priorities, including the Neighbourhood First policy and engagement with the Global South. (ANI)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that there is "no ceasefire in Lebanon" and vowed to continue military operations with "full force" against Hezbollah. "I wish to inform you: There is no ceasefire in Lebanon. We are continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force, and we will not stop until we restore your security," he said. Netanyahu furher stated that he has instructed the Cabinet to open direct negotiations with the Lebanese government to achieve "disarmament of Hezbollah" and "historic peace agreement". "Following repeated requests from the Lebanese government, last night I instructed the Cabinet to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon to achieve two goals. First, the disarmament of Hezbollah. Second, a historic peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon," he said. The Israel Defence Forces has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Hezbollah launch sites."The IDF has begun to attack the Hezbollah terror organisation's launch sites in Lebanon," the IDF said in a post on X. Earlier, Netanyahu instructed the government officials to open direct negotiations with Lebanon for the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of peace. According to a statement shared by the Prime Minister's Office on X, Netanyahu said the decision follows repeated requests from Lebanon to initiate talks with Israel amid continued strikes by Israeli forces on the country. "In light of Lebanon's repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed at the Government meeting yesterday to open direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible," the statement stated. The statement also noted that Israel "appreciates the call" made by Lebanon's Prime Minister to demilitarise Beirut, signalling a possible shift in diplomatic engagement between the two sides. "The negotiations will focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishing of peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon. Israel appreciates the call made today by the Prime Minister of Lebanon to demilitarise Beirut," the statement added. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said that a ceasefire with Israel remains the only viable solution to the ongoing situation in the country, noting that the ceasefire proposal and the initiation of direct negotiations with Israel have already begun and have so far received a "positive response," as reported by Al Jazeera. "The only solution to the current situation in Lebanon is to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon," he said, as quoted by Al Jazeera. The developments come as the fragile ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran hangs in the balance, with Tehran stating that the truce also includes the halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon. However, both Washington and Israel have maintained that the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon, a disagreement that has further complicated diplomatic efforts and heightened the risk of the truce collapsing. (ANI)
TOKYO, Apr 08 (News On Japan) - FamilyMart reported record earnings for the fiscal year ending February 2026 on April 8th, with operating profit rising 18% from a year earlier to 100.2 billion yen, driven by strong sales of rice balls promoted through advertising featuring Shohei Ohtani and successful food portion increase campaigns.

The convenience store operator saw robust demand for its onigiri products, supported by marketing campaigns using Ohtani, which helped attract customers and boost sales across its food segment.

FamilyMart forecasts operating profit to increase 3% to 103.0 billion yen for the fiscal year ending February 2027. However, President Takeo Kotani expressed concern over rising logistics costs and higher electricity expenses at stores, citing escalating tensions in the Middle East as a potential risk factor.

Source: BIZ
OSAKA, Apr 09 (News On Japan) - Nankai Electric Railway will begin operating a new sightseeing train connecting Namba and Koyasan on April 24th, with the full details unveiled to the media on April 9th.

The new train, named "GRAN Tenku," was revealed at the newly established Platform 0 at Namba Station, featuring a deep crimson exterior and offering a roughly 90-minute journey to Gokurakubashi, the gateway to Koyasan, as Buddhist monks from Koyasan performed a prayer ceremony for its safe operation.

Nankai Electric Railway President Tomoshi Kajitani said, "We aim to transform the journey to Koyasan from a mere means of transportation into an experience where the travel itself becomes the purpose, with heartfelt hospitality at its core."

The four-car train will operate with all reserved seating, with Car 1 featuring spacious relaxation seats, Car 2 offering wide-view seats facing the windows, and Car 3 serving as a lobby lounge selling beverages, while Car 4 provides a more exclusive experience.

Reporter Sasuke Yamaguchi said, "The sofa seats, limited to just 16 passengers, are exceptionally comfortable, and remarkably, passengers can also enjoy meals."

Passengers seated in the sofa section will be served breakfast, afternoon tea, and other offerings depending on the time of day, featuring locally sourced ingredients from southern Osaka to Wakayama, marking the first time in nearly a century that Nankai Electric Railway has provided meals onboard.

Dining cars were once popular during the Meiji and Taisho eras more than 120 years ago, but were discontinued in 1929 as the need to increase transport capacity grew, with onboard dining seen as limiting both speed and passenger numbers.

The revival of the dining car after nearly 100 years reflects a broader effort to position train travel itself as a destination rather than simply a mode of transport.

Kajitani said, "We hope passengers will enjoy both the scenery along the route to Koyasan and the meals, allowing them to fully experience the appeal of railway travel."

The 90-minute journey linking Osaka and Wakayama is being reimagined as a premium travel experience, as private railway operators across the Kansai region intensify competition to develop new services.

Source: YOMIURI
KAGOSHIMA, Apr 09 (News On Japan) - A former Imperial Japanese Navy fighter aircraft that had remained submerged off the coast of Akune City in Kagoshima Prefecture was raised from the seabed on April 9th, marking its first return to land in 81 years since a wartime crash landing during the final stages of World War II.

The aircraft, a "Shidenkai" fighter, had been resting on the ocean floor since it made an emergency water landing in the closing phase of the Pacific War. Despite decades underwater, key components such as the engine, wings, and even its 20mm machine guns remain largely intact, preserving much of the aircrafts original structure.

The plane was piloted by Lieutenant Yoshishige Hayashi, who had engaged a B-29 bomber during combat but was shot down and killed in action.

Recovery operations began earlier in the day, and after approximately three hours of work, the aircraft was successfully lifted from the sea, drawing attention for its remarkably preserved condition.

Hidemoto Himoto, head of a group dedicated to preserving war heritage in the Hokusatsu region, said the aircraft still retains much of its original powerful form. He added that he would like to convey to Hayashi that the recovery has created an opportunity for many people to see his aircraft.

Only five Shidenkai aircraft are known to exist worldwide, and with this recovery, the number of such aircraft located in Japan has increased to two.

Source: FNN
TOKYO, Apr 09 (News On Japan) - Japanese cosmetics brands are drawing renewed attention as global beauty standards, as a Tokyo-based experiential tour beginning on April 8th invites leading influencers from Europe and beyond to explore Japans distinctive skincare philosophy and cultural approach to beauty.

The three-day TAKAMI TOKYO CLINIC TOUR, held in Tokyo, is organized by skincare brand TAKAMI, which emerged in the 1990s as a pioneer in cosmetic dermatology.

Built on the concept of clinic-born, Tokyo-made, TAKAMI has established a strong reputation through years of proven results and trust.

However, Japans cosmetics exports have been on a declining trend since 2022, amid the rising presence of brands from South Korea and China.

David LeBrun, global president of TAKAMI, said Japan represents both authority and innovation in skincare.

Around 20 top influencers, mainly from Europe, were invited to the tour, where they underwent skin diagnostics and participated in hands-on experiments to learn about the development process behind the products.

The program extended beyond product promotion, incorporating cultural experiences such as listening to a Buddhist monk while drinking tea and participating in relaxation activities using the sound of bells, aiming to convey Japans unique beauty philosophy and culture to global audiences through social media.

While Western markets have traditionally favored skincare that delivers quick, visible results, recent trends show growing interest in approaches that prioritize long-term skin health and intrinsic beauty.

This shift has drawn attention to J-Beauty, a distinctly Japanese aesthetic that emphasizes consistent, careful daily care rather than immediate effects.

One participating influencer noted that Japanese skincare places strong emphasis on maintaining the skins barrier function, adding that even when using active ingredients, the respect for the skins natural balance is a defining difference.

LeBrun said the companys target is a global audience, stressing a long-term perspective that values sustainability and high investment in skin health.

He added that Japan continues to lead the field, and the company aims to deliver these values to the world while drawing inspiration from the countrys approach.

Source: FNN
Philomena Cunk is returning to the BBC with Cunk on Cinema.

Diane Morgan as Philomena Cunk /  BBC/Pacesetter/Al Campbell

Two years after her mockumentary on Life, the deadpan documentarian - played by Diane Morgan - will put absurd and ill-informed questions about the history of film to experts in the three-part BBC Two series, which entered production this week.

Cunk said: "Cinema has given the world some of the most profound, memorable and moving visual moments in its unswerving depiction of the human condition: the shower scene in Psycho, Death playing chess in that Swedish thing, and Tom Selleck's glistening moustache in Three Men And A Little Lady, to name but all three of the only examples I can think of at the moment.

"There will, unfortunately, be some bits in black and white, but we'll keep that to the barest minimum."

The episodes see mundane Cunk - who fails to pronounce anything correctly - quiz film buffs about the invention of the camera, the introduction of Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) to the big screen, and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI).

Charlie Brooker, 55, created the dimwit character, who first appeared on his BBC Two review programme, Weekly Wipe, in 2013, and he will write and executive produce Cunk on Cinema, alongside Diane, 50, and Sam Ward.

Charlie said: "Now that Sora has killed off Hollywood and itself (presumably as part of a murder-suicide pact), it's the perfect time to look back at two hundred centuries of cinema, in the company of an idiot were apparently cursed to employ: Philomena Cunk."

Cunk previously dished out her comedy gold views in multiple mockumentaries, including on Shakespeare (2016) and Earth (2022), for which Diane received Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme BAFTA nominations.

Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC, said: "Philomena Cunk is back!

"As our leading intrepid documentary filmmaker, who better to investigate the world of cinema?

"This series follows in the hugely successful footsteps of other Cunk projects, so we cant wait to see what she unearths this time around."

Cunk on Cinema is made by Pacesetter Productions.

Jon added: "A huge thank you to the incredibly talented team at Pacesetter, Diane and Charlie for bringing Philomena back onto our screens."

Although an air date is yet to be confirmed for Cunk on Cinema, it will broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, as well as be streamed on Netflix outside of the UK and Ireland.
Africas digital economy could be worth $721 billion by 2050, the secretary general of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, told participants in Gitex Africa in Marrakech.

The projection, cited from estimates by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), reflects accelerating growth in fintech, mobile internet usage and startup ecosystems across Africa, Mene said.

The digital economy is becoming a central pillar of African integration, he said, outlining how the AfCFTA is moving from policy design to implementation.

The AfCFTA aspires to create a market of 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion, providing the scale necessary for continentwide digital trade.

A key step consists in the adoption in February 2025 by the African Union of a digital trade protocol under the AfCFTA framework, he said, adding that the protocol aimed at harmonising regulations, facilitating digital transactions and reducing regulatory fragmentation among member states.

In this respect, he urged the setting up of interoperable payment systems, public digital infrastructure and privatesector participation, particularly to ease crossborder transactions in financial services and digital platforms.

However, infrastructure gaps remain significant. Africa accounts for less than 2% of global datacentre capacity, Mene said, adding that more than 700 data centres would be required by 2035 to support future demand.

Morocco therefore stands as an important operational anchor for the AfCFTAs digital ambitions, pointing to progress in digitalisation, job creation and crossborder cooperation, he said.
Moroccan telecom operator Inwi has partnered with China Mobile International to deploy the countrys first private 5G network destined for industries like mining, logistics, and renewable energy.

The deal was announced on the sidelines of GITEX Africa Morocco in Marrakech. It is part of the Kingdoms strategy to strengthen industrial competitiveness through digital innovation

The private 5G network will be deployed by Inwi on a 52-hectare industrial site in Moroccos Oriental region, which hosts the Nador West Med industrial hub.

This deployment demonstrates Inwis ambition to support the digital transformation of Moroccan industrial players by offering them sovereign, high-performance infrastructures adapted to critical uses, said the Moroccan telecom operator, noting that this project paves the way for a new generation of Industry 4.0 in Morocco.

The 5G network will enable remote sensing and real-time monitoring of production indicators, aligning the site with international smart factory standards, supporting long-term industrial transformation and regional economic growth.

Morocco started deploying 5G in November 2025, with Inwi, Maroc Telecom, and Orange Maroc offering this high-speed service nationwide. This is part of the Digital Morocco 2030 plan, which aims to cover 75% of the population by 2030.
The Government of Niger has reiterated firm support for the Royal initiatives launched for landlocked Sahel States and for African countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean to boost regional development and economic growth leading to shared prosperity, peace and stability.

The supportive stand comes in a joint statement issued Wednesday in Niamey following the 5th session of Morocco-Niger Joint Cooperation Commission, co-chaired by the two countries foreign ministers Bakary Yaou Sangare and Nasser Bourita.

Niger has reiterated its engagement for the implementation of the Royal initiative offering Atlantic access to the Sahel countries. The move seeks to unlock the huge economic potentials of these countries, strengthen their regional integration and cooperation against common challenges.

Niamey also praised the Royal initiative known as the Atlantic African States Process (AASP) aimed at fostering cooperation, security, and sustainable development among 23 African coastal states. It is designed to strengthen trade, economic integration, and maritime security, serving as a platform for 350+ million people to address common challenges like terrorism and maritime security along the Atlantic coast.

Morocco and Niger voiced commitment to build an exceptional model of inter-African cooperation, based on solidarity, mutual trust and win-win partnership.

They pledged to diversify their economic & commercial cooperation and encourage mutually beneficial public-private partnership (PPP) to serve as a benchmark for South-South cooperation.

The 5th meeting of Moroccan-Nigerien Cooperation Commission was crowned with the signing of 14 agreements destined to boost partnership in railways, road safety, logistics, infrastructure, trade, industry, agriculture, housing, youth, justice, academic and vocational training.

Talks between the two countries foreign ministers focused on various issues of common interest on the regional and international scene. They said cooperation between Morocco and Niger is gaining momentum,

mutually beneficial with promising prospects.

On the sidelines of the Joint Cooperation Commission meeting, Moroccos FM was received in Niamey by President of Niger, General Abdourahamane Tiani.

On this occasion, Mr. Bourita conveyed to Niger Head of State the fraternal greetings of King Mohammed VI and best wishes for the progress and prosperity of Nigerien people.

For his part, the President of this West African country thanked the Moroccan Monarch for his acts of solidarity and initiatives launched for the development and stability of the Sahel.
The EU and Morocco are strengthening their strategic partnership in the digital field by launching the EU-Morocco Digital Dialogue for businesses, start-ups and researchers, while fostering links between EU AI Factories and Moroccan AI innovation ecosystem.

This Digital Dialogue has been launched on the sidelines of GITEX Africa taking place in Marrakesh (7-9 April). It reflects a shared vision to unlock the potential of digital, data and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, supporting a digital economy and society at the service of people.

This move will enable cooperation in areas such as AI, support for digital start-ups, secure and trusted digital infrastructure, as well as interoperability of public digital infrastructure solutions such as the digital wallets.

The Dialogue was launched by Moroccan Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni and Executive Vice-Pdt. of EU Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen.

The EU-Morocco Digital Dialogue will focus on facilitating the rollout of secure, trusted digital networks and infrastructure to support cooperation in areas such as AI and Digital Public Infrastructure.

The goal includes the exchange of best practices and support for the deployment of AI compute infrastructures and ecosystems. The Initiative also seeks to establish advanced cooperation between Moroccan AI research institutes and EU AI Factories, including by facilitating cooperation on research and innovation projects, resource and knowledge sharing.

In addition to Launching EUMorocco Digital Dialogue, the EU Commissioner Virkkunen and Minister Seghrouchni signed an administrative arrangement on AI ecosystems for innovation.

The first operational implementation of this agreement is taking shape. Four European supercomputing centres (BSC, CINECA, GENCI and LUMI) have signed a letter of intent with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, which hosts the most powerful supercomputer on the African continent.

This cooperation will build on the successful landing of the Medusa Submarine Cable System in Nador, Morocco, and the ongoing support to the Digital Morocco 2030 strategy for the rollout of digital public services.

The Digital Dialogue may also pave the way for the concrete cooperation programmes currently under discussion between the EU and Morocco. These would support the implementation of the Digital Morocco 2030 strategy, the administrative arrangement signed today, and Moroccos start-up ecosystem.
Anonymous tipsters claim seeing Nancy Guthrie alive in Mexico, while earlier messages said she was dead. The latest anonymous notes also repeat a bitcoin demand for information about the kidnappers, and investigators have not confirmed either claim.

Anonymous notes sent to TMZ on Monday and Tuesday said the sender could identify the people involved in Guthrie's abduction in exchange for 1 bitcoin. In the newer message, the sender claimed, "I saw her alive with them in the state of Sonora, Mexico," while the earlier note said, "she is dead".

The case centers on Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC host Savannah Guthrie, who was reported abducted from her Tucson-area home in February. TMZ said the first ransom note demanded a large bitcoin payment and referenced items connected to the home, while the sender later raised the demand and said they wanted payment in stages.

Law enforcement has not publicly verified the notes. The Pima County Sheriff's Department said it was aware of reports about possible ransom notes and that all tips were being routed to detectives working with the FBI.

Earlier reporting showed investigators were treating the disappearance as a serious kidnapping case and looking at leads near the Arizona-Mexico border, the BBC reported.

The Los Angeles Times reported that detectives were examining forensic evidence and other traces from the home while also coordinating with Mexican authorities because of the region's closeness to Sonora.

The new letter claims the sender saw Guthrie in Sonora, but no public agency has confirmed that sighting. TMZ also reported that the FBI appeared unconvinced the message was authentic, noting there was no bitcoin transfer to the related wallet. At current prices, 1 bitcoin is worth $68,907.29, as per the Los Angeles Times.

Originally published on Lawyer Herald
Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar has joined the signatories of the bipartisan bill seeking to brand the Algeria-backed Polisario separatist group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

The bill was tabled in the House of Representatives by Republican Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA). H.R. 4119 has gained so far the support of twelve members of the Congress pushing for the designation of Polisario FTO for its crimes committed and ties with Iran and its proxies seeking to undermine the peace and security of an ally of the United States in North Africa.

The U.S. Senate has launched a similar bill which is gaining momentum. If the FTO bill is adopted by the Congress, the Polisario financial assets will be frozen and its leaders will be banned from travel. The move will isolate the group politically, making it toxic for other countries or NGOs to engage with it.

Congresswoman Salazar (Florida) currently serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs as Chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee and on the House Committee on Financial Services.

She is a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist. she has spent her career holding the corrupt and powerful accountable. Congresswoman Salazar has gone toe-to-toe with Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro, Chiles Augusto Pinochet, and most notably Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

Starting at the age of 22, she worked for every major US Spanish-language broadcasting network: Telemundo, Univision, AmericaTeve, MegaTV, and CNN en Espanol.

Salazar was born in Miamis Little Havana neighborhood, the daughter of Cuban exiles. She studied at the Deerborne School of Coral Gables and graduated from Miami Dade College. Salazar holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Miami and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government.
The United Nations reported a deepening humanitarian crisis in Sudans Blue Nile State, where ongoing conflict has displaced more than 28,000 people since mid-January 2026.

The violence intensified following an offensive by an alliance between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement-North, beginning with attacks on Baw in January 2026, and later expanding to areas such as Al Kurmuk and Geisan in March.

According to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, more than 4,000 people were displaced in the last 10 days alone. Data from the International Organization for Migration shows that the majority of displaced persons are sheltering in informal sites, with others in schools and public buildings.

The humanitarian situation is worsening amid shortages of food, clean water, and sanitation in overcrowded areas, particularly in the state capital, Ed Damazin. Infrastructure damage, including attacks on health facilities and fuel shortages, has further strained aid delivery and access to essential services.

Despite the risks, agencies such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization are continuing vaccination campaigns in nearby regions to curb disease outbreaks. The UN has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and unimpeded humanitarian access, while diplomatic efforts continue under the envoy of the UN Secretary-General to stabilize the situation.
Kenya expressed on Thursday its support for autonomy for the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty as the only credible and realistic solution to resolve the dispute, and affirmed its intention to cooperate with like-minded States to promote the plan implementation.

This position was expressed during the first session of the Morocco-Kenya Joint Cooperation Commission, co-chaired in Nairobi by Kenyas Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.

In the Joint Communique adopted at the end of this Joint Commission, Kenya welcomed the growing international consensus and the momentum driven by HM King Mohammed VI in favor of the autonomy plan presented by the Kingdom of Morocco, describing autonomy as the only credible and realistic solution to resolve the dispute over the Sahara.

Deeming the Morocco-proposed autonomy plan to be a sustainable approach to resolving the regional dispute over the Sahara, Kenya stated its intention to cooperate with like-minded States to promote its implementation.

Kenya also welcomed the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2797, which enshrines the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the basis for a just, lasting and mutually acceptable resolution of the dispute.

In this regard, Kenya stated that it endorses the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to facilitate and conduct negotiations based on the autonomy plan.

In this Joint Communique, Morocco welcomed Kenyas support for the United Nations framework as the exclusive mechanism to achieve a lasting political solution to the dispute over the Sahara issue.

Morocco further expressed its appreciation for Kenyas recognition of the Kingdoms continued cooperation with the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to advance the political process on the basis of the relevant Security Council resolutions.

The ministerial session of the Joint Cooperation Commission, which follows the meeting of senior officials held in Rabat last October 1-3, was marked by the signing of eleven bilateral deals covering agriculture, justice, health, maritime fisheries and aquaculture, gender equality and womens empowerment, cultural cooperation, higher education, sports, wildlife, visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, service and official passports, as well as a framework agreement relating to the granting of university scholarships, internships and the sharing of expertise.

These agreements add to the five memoranda of understanding initiated in May 2025 in the fields of diplomatic training, housing, trade cooperation, youth, and public service capacity building.

The two officials adopted the approved minutes of the Joint Commission, which constitute a strategic framework for cooperation aimed at guiding bilateral relations in priority sectors, as well as an implementation and monitoring mechanism ensuring coordinated execution of the agreed commitments.

In terms of trade and investment, both parties emphasized the need to correct the existing trade imbalance, expand market access for agricultural and value-added products, and encourage cross-investment in renewable energy, agro-industry, pharmaceuticals, automotive and infrastructure.

They also agreed to accelerate negotiations with a view to concluding agreements in the areas of ports, avoidance of double taxation, energy, air services, mining and tourism.

Regarding connectivity, the two officials decided to give priority to the resumption of direct flights between Kenya and Morocco to boost trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
Morocco and Poland have explored at a meeting in Rabat Thursday opportunities to broaden the scope of their cooperation in matters of defense.

The meeting gathered Minister Delegate in charge of Moroccos National Defense Administration Abdeltif Loudyi and Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, Coordinator of Special Services of Poland Tomasz Siemoniak, who was is on a working visit to Morocco at the head of a large delegation.

The two sides discussed bilateral and regional issues, and explored ways and means to bolster cooperation in the field of defense, building on respective potentials and advantages offered by both countries, a statement from the National Defense Administration said.

Loudyi emphasized the importance of promoting relations in this area, particularly regarding military equipment and the defense industry.

The Polish official noted that his visit to Rabat forms part of efforts to enshrine and diversify bilateral cooperation, and aims to explore opportunities to broaden the scope of cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The meeting provided an opportunity to highlight various South-South and regional cooperation initiatives launched under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, making the Kingdom a dynamic force for stability, progress, and peace in the Euro-African region.

The two officials expressed shared willingness to reinforce military and defense cooperation ties, the statement said.
A year ago, any news about rising oil production anywhere would only serve to make oil traders more bearish on the commodity amid persistent talk of a massive glut. Now, any news of more supply is a welcome change in a world suddenly dominated by reports about fuel rationing and the very real possibility of severe oil shortages. Enter Argentina.

Argentinas crude oil production hit 847,000 barrels daily earlier this year as the country doubles down on the largest shale oil and gas formation outside the United States, the Vaca Muerta. Thanks to that play, Argentina could see its output grow to 1 million barrels daily by 2030, according to Argentinas energy industry association.

The February daily average was a 15.9% increase on the year, but the increase in output from the main producing region in the Dead Cow formation, the Neuquen Basin, was a whopping 30.4%, with the total produced there representing 77.4% of the national total, which is fast turning Argentina into the newest member of the global oil exporters club.

The rise in Brent crude prices due to the conflict in the Middle East has had a direct and positive impact on Argentine exports. In this context, the country has a strategic opportunity to advance liquefied natural gas development and position itself as a secure supplier for Asia and Europe, an Argentinian consultancy wrote in a report on the countrys energy industry, as cited by UPI.

According to an economist from the Institute of International Finance, Argentinas oil fortunes could remain good as long as the state can convince investors that the legal framework for the energy industry will remain robust regardless of future changes in governments. The shift is more structural than cyclical, driven by unconventional oil exports from Vaca Muerta, Martin Castellano told the Buenos Aires Times, noting that higher international oil prices were driving additional revenues from oil exports, to the tune of $1.7 billion for every $10 increase in the price of a barrel of crude.

Related: EU Eases Methane Rules to Keep Oil and Gas Flowing

In other words, Argentinas energy future looks bright. Yet this has not meant that Big Oil is flocking to the Vaca Muerta. In fact, Exxon exited the formation two years ago, cashing in on the plays growing popularity while it focused on other assets, such as Guyana. Shell was also reported, earlier this year, to be considering a sale of its assets in the Vaca Muerta play, despite the surging production there.

It has also turned Argentina into the fourth-largest oil producer in Latin Americaa position that may improve in the future as the government prioritizes the development of the local energy industry, encouraging infrastructure projects aiming to boost the offtake capacity of the Vaca Muerta. It was the lack of pipeline infrastructure that discouraged some Big Oil players from staying in the play. Those who did stay, led by Argentinas own state-owned YPF, are now reaping the benefits. The biggest of these projects, the Vaca Muerta South pipeline, connecting the play to the Atlantic coast, should be operational by next year, boosting the countrys oil export capacity by an initial 180,000 barrels daily, eventually expanding to 700,000 barrels daily.

Vaca Muerta has been dubbed the Argentinian Permian, although its geologic properties have been compared more appropriately to the Eagle Ford. Some experts disagree and insist the Vaca Muerta is closer to the Permian in terms of geology. The shale play is estimated to hold recoverable resources consisting of 16 billion barrels of oil and 308 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Those numbers make the Vaca Muerta the worlds second-largest shale gas deposit and the fourth-biggest shale oil resource.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
March has turned into a month of hard power tests for Iran  and so far, it has been quietly exceeding expectations. By effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz to all but its own cargoes (or the ones that have received their approval), Tehran has demonstrated that the trajectory of the conflict is far from being dictated by its counterparts. Faced with the risk of acute shortages in medium-sour crude, the US administration has been forced into a partial sanctions retreat, allowing Iranian barrels already at sea to re-enter the market. The result is a striking reversal  Iranian crude, once deeply discounted, is now trading at a $1/bbl premium to ICE Brent, while the pool of willing buyers is slowly but steadily widening.

Iran entered the escalation phase with export momentum already building, loading crude at 2.2 million b/d in February  the highest level since 2018. In March, when all other Tehrans neighbours had their barrels trapped inside the Gulf, Iranian crude exports only eased slightly to 1.9 million b/d. But what mattered more than volumes was pricing power. Iranian Light into China has flipped from a steep $12/bbl discount to a $1/bbl premium to ICE Brent, an extraordinary reversal for a heavily sanctioned grade.

At the core of the shift is the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. While not formally closed, access since March 1 has in practice been limited to vessels aligned with Iranian interests, removing a key share of medium-sour crude from the market  a grade essential for many Asian refineries. Iranian Light (3233 degrees API) and Iran Heavy (29-30 degrees API) have effectively moved from sanctioned barrels to must-have feedstock.

Washingtons response has emphasised the limits of policy in the face of physical shortages. On March 12, the US moved to release Russian crude from floating storage, followed by a March 20 easing that allowed Iranian barrels already at sea to be sold up until April 19  a targeted attempt to inject needed grades without fully lifting the sanctions.

Related: The Pentagon Has 268 Days to Replace Americas Most Critical Supply Chain

Such interventions have provided short-term relief, but they have also accelerated the exhaustion of available supply buffers. Iranian floating storage, which had approached a record 55 million barrels in late December 2025, declined to 34 million barrels by the end of February and has since fallen further to 23 million barrels in early April  its lowest level since October. What was once excess supply stranded by sanctions has become a rapidly depleting source of marginal barrels.

At the same time, control over physical flows has been fully taken by Tehran. Satellite tracking between March 1 and April 7 shows only 92 tankers carrying crude, refined products, and LPG leaving the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, of which 60 were either Iranian-owned or transporting Iranian cargo. Among the remaining 32 vessels, roughly one-third were destined for India. The implication is clear: the Strait has not been formally closed, but it has been operationally nationalized.

Since the beginning of the conflict, Iran has faced fewer difficulties in finding buyers for its barrels than before. China remains the core demand center, with imports reaching 1.6 million b/d in March (the highest since November 2025) out of total Chinese seaborne crude imports of 10 million b/d. However, these flows reflect a segmented market: large state-owned buyers continue to abstain due to compliance risks and transaction complexity, leaving independent refiners in Shandong province to absorb the majority of volumes. These teapot refiners operate through yuan-denominated payments via smaller regional banks, effectively bypassing traditional financial channels.

Outside China, Irans export options have been evolving. Syrian demand, previously in the range of 80,000100,000 b/d, has effectively disappeared following the political transition in early 2025. However, Southeast Asia continues to function as an important logistical staging ground, with ship-to-ship transfer hubs in Singapore and Malaysia facilitating the onward movement of Iranian barrels into Chinas independent refining sector, particularly around Rizhao and Dongjiakou.

India, meanwhile, is emerging as the next most interesting buyer on the list. The high-profile case of the tanker Ping Shun, carrying 80,000 tonnes of Iranian Light and initially bound for Vadinar, illustrated the complexity of these flows when it was rerouted to China mid-voyage. While speculation pointed to payment constraints, Indian authorities attributed the change to routine adjustments in bills of lading. Besides, the Vadinar refinery is scheduled for maintenance from April 9 (thus needing no crude intakes for the current month). Nevertheless, Indian engagement with Iranian supply is expanding. The tanker Jaya, carrying 280,000 tonnes of Iranian crude, is currently en route to India with an expected arrival on April 10 after having floated near Singapore for several weeks. Additional deliveries already include LPG cargoes of 12,000 and 44,000 tonnes discharged in Mangalore in late March and early April, alongside shipments of high-sulfur fuel oil and naphtha.

If oil flows are adapting, payments are evolving even faster. Tehrans proposed ceasefire framework (admitted as the starting point for the negotiations by the US) includes a controversial provision: transit through the Strait of Hormuz would require Iranian approval  and payment. At least one vessel is already reported to have paid around $2 million for passage, allegedly settled in yuan. The Financial Times reported that a spokesperson for Irans Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters Union said the proposed tariff would be $1/bbl. While there is speculation that payments could be made in cryptocurrency, Iran is more likely to favour settlement in hard currencies, which are easier to convert and have transactional utility in trade. In this context, the Chinese yuan stands out as a particularly practical option. With a significant share of Chinas oil trade with both Russia and Iran already conducted in yuan, such a model has clear potential to scale  with far-reaching implications. A sustained shift toward yuan-denominated transactions in oil trade and oil-related services would erode the dominance of the petro-dollar system, introducing a parallel framework anchored in Chinas financial ecosystem. For Washington, this would mean not just a tactical setback but a real challenge.

Whether such a transition materializes will depend on the response of other regional actors, particularly Gulf states that have suffered both physical and reputational damage during the conflict. Their willingness (or refusal) to recognize Irans emerging role as both gatekeeper and toll collector will shape the next phase of market evolution. For now, however, the balance of power is unmistakable. In a market defined by crude shortages and constrained logistics, the decisive factor is no longer production capacity alone  but control over movement. And in that respect, Iran has shifted from being a sanctioned supplier to becoming the arbiter of flow itself.

By Natalia Katona for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
The fragile cease-fire between the United States and Iran could hang in the balance over what Washington has labeled a "misunderstanding" over whether the truce includes Israels offensive against Tehran-backed Hezbollah assets in Lebanon.

US Vice President JD Vance, during a visit to Hungary on April 8, said he believes there was a "legitimate misunderstanding" about the terms of the truce announced the night before by President Donald Trump.

"I think the Iranians thought that the cease-fire included Lebanon, and it just didn't," he said, adding that "neither us nor the Israelis said that that was going to be part of the cease-fire."

"If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart...over Lebanonthat's ultimately their choice," he told reporters, adding that Israel was ready to show restraint in its attacks in Lebanon.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Lebanon was not included in the cease-fire terms. She added: "This will continue to be discussed, I am sure, between the president and Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, the United States and Israel, and all of the parties involved."

A statement released by Netanyahu's office also said the cease-fire did not include Lebanon, which contradicted an earlier statement from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is acting as a mediator between the two sides.

'Rising Death Toll'

Lebanon's Health Ministry on April 8 reported on the 24-hour death toll of least 250 people -- saying the toll was likely to rise  during Israeli strikes in the hours following the announcement of the cease-fire.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said the "scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific." The Red Cross said it was "outraged by the devastating death and destruction" across Lebanon.

Lebanon's Health Ministry said 1,739 people have been killed and 5,873 wounded in Lebanon since the start of the Israel-Hezbollah war on March 2. Hezbollah has been deemed a terrorist organization by Israel and the United States.

Irans powerful parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, claimed that three parts of Iran's 10-point proposal for a resolution had been violated and that, in such a situation, a "bilateral cease-fire or negotiations" were "unreasonable."

In a post on X, Qalibaf asserted that the violations were attacks on Lebanon, the entry of a drone into Iranian airspace, and what he said was a "denial of Iran's right to [uranium] enrichment."

Qalibaf is reportedly expected to lead Tehran's delegation, along with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in Pakistani-mediated talks in Islamabad starting on April 10.

Separately, Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian said a cease-fire in Lebanon was an essential condition of his country's agreement with Washington.

Washington and Tehran agreed late on April 7 to a two-week cease-fire, pulling back from the brink to allow the two sides time to negotiate a peace deal. After some initial violence and the attacks in Lebanon, the cease-fire appeared to mainly hold in Iran and throughout the Gulf overnight.

Trump on social media said he had received a 10-point proposal from Tehran and that talks would be held behind closed doors. He said that "only one group of meaningful 'POINTS'" was acceptable to the United States, although he gave no other details.

"These are the POINTS that are the basis on which we agreed to a CEASEFIRE. It is something that is reasonable, and can easily be dispensed with," he said.

Along with the dispute over the situation in Lebanon, uncertainty over shipping freedom in the Strait of Hormuz also clouds the prospects for a lasting cease-fire.

While giving no details of the Iranian proposal, Trump insisted that Tehran must allow the free passage of ships in the strait, a key shipping lane through which some 20 percent of the world's oil and gas passes.

Minimal Hormuz Traffic

According to data from maritime monitor Marine Traffic, four ships passed through the waterway on April 8.

"Early signs of vessel activity are emerging in the Strait of Hormuz following a cease-fire announcement, which includes a temporary reopening of the strategic waterway to allow for negotiations," the monitor said in a post on X.

It added that hundreds of vessels remain in the region, including 426 tankers, 34 LPG carriers, and 19 LNG vessels, many of which had been effectively stranded during the disruption.

A senior Iranian official said ships navigating the strait, however, still require the permission of Iran's hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to pass.

Reuters and others reported that shippers were awaiting more clarity before resuming transit.

Early on April 9, the IRGC announced alternative routes for ships traveling through the strait citing the risk of sea mines in the main zone of the waterway.

"All ships intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz are hereby notified that in order to comply with the principles of maritime safety and to be protected from possible collisions with sea mines...they should take alternative routes for traffic," state media quoted the IRGC as saying, while providing instructions for an alternative entry and exit routes.

The waterway is crucial to global oil and natural gas transport and has been largely closed since the beginning of US-Israeli air strikes on Iran on February 28. Tehran has retaliated by launching missiles and drones against Israel and US Arab allies in the region.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran told mediators it would limit the number of ships crossing the strait to around a dozen a day and that it would collect toll charges for its permission.

Prior to the US-Israeli war, ships moved freely through the strait without the need for coordination with Iran.

The Journal reported that Iran is charging some fees in Chinese yuan, a move that regional officials said threatens reduced Western and allied influence over oil markets.

By RFE/RL

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Calls to ban crude exports to lower gas prices would backfire: forcing refiners onto a light crude diet reduces efficiency, tightens fuel supplies, and would likely push prices higher

The system of simultaneously exporting domestic light crude and importing heavy foreign barrels isn't a paradox  it's refiners optimizing feedstock for maximum profitability

U.S. refineries are fully capable of processing shale oil but were built around heavy, sour crude after tens of billions in capital upgrades  running too much light crude sidelines that expensive equipment and erodes margins

A widespread myth in energy circles is that U.S. refineries are unable to process the light, sweet crude produced by the shale boom. The claim tends to surface whenever gasoline prices rise or energy independence becomes a talking point. The argument is usually that the U.S. is producing record volumes of oil, yet still imports crude because its refineries were built for heavier foreign barrels.

Its a compelling narrative, but its mostly wrong.

U.S. refineries can and do process shale crude every day. The issue isnt technical capability. Its economics.

Understanding that distinction is critical, because it explains why the U.S. simultaneously exports large volumes of crude oil while continuing to import it, and why that system works far more efficiently than it appears at first glance.

The Big Bet on Heavy Crude

The roots of this misunderstanding go back decades. From the 1980s through the early 2000s, refiners made massive capital investments based on a widely observed trend: high-quality, easy-to-refine crude was becoming scarce. Future supplies were expected to be heaviercontaining longer, more complex hydrocarbon moleculesand increasingly sour, meaning higher sulfur content.

In response, refiner spent tens of billions of dollars upgrading facilities with cokers, hydrocrackers, and desulfurization units designed to process heavy, sour crude, which is more difficult to refine into finished products.

Those investments transformed U.S. Gulf Coast refineries into the most sophisticated in the world. They could purchase deeply discounted heavy crude from countries like Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela and convert it into high-value products such as gasoline and diesel. This created a durable competitive advantage, which is often referred to in the industry as a complexity premium.

The Shale Boom Changed the Equation

Then the shale revolution flipped the script.

Instead of running short on light crude, the U.S. suddenly found itself awash in it. Shale oil from regions like the Permian Basin is light and sweetlow in sulfur and relatively easy to refine.

Related: No Magnets, No Drones: How China Controls the Future of Warfare

On the surface, that sounds ideal. But for highly complex refineries, it creates a mismatch.

These facilities were designed to maximize value from heavy crude. When they run too much light oil, they start losing that advantage.

Why Running Shale Oil Reduces Efficiency

When a refinery optimized for heavy crude runs a high proportion of light shale oil, two key issues emerge.

First, expensive upgrading unitslike cokers and hydrocrackersbecome underutilized. These are multi-billion-dollar assets designed to break down heavy molecules. Light crude is more expensive, and it simply doesnt provide enough of those molecules to keep the equipment running efficiently at high capacity.

Second, operational bottlenecks can develop. Light crude produces a higher volume of lighter products, which can overwhelm other parts of the refining system and force a reduction in overall throughput.

The refinery still functions. But it operates less efficientlyand less profitably.

Economics, Not Capability

The distinction between can and should is crucial.

U.S. refineries are fully capable of processing shale oil. But running exclusively light crude would erode margins by sidelining high-value equipment. It would also reduce overall efficiency and output.

In practice, refiners generally optimize their feedstock by blending. They run a mix of domestic light crude and imported heavy barrels to maximize both output and profitability.

At the same time, surplus U.S. shale oil is exported to refineries in Europe and Asia that are better configured to process it efficiently. There are many refineries in the world that have not made the huge capital investments to process heavy, sour crudes. U.S. shale oil is more expensive, but a good match for these refineries.

This is the system functioning as intended.

Why Export Bans Miss the Point

Calls to restrict or ban crude oil exports are often rooted in the mistaken belief that doing so would lower gasoline prices.

In reality, forcing refiners to rely more heavily on light shale crude would reduce efficiency, tighten fuel supplies, and likely increase costs. The global oil market is interconnected, and attempts to artificially constrain it tend to produce unintended consequences.

What may appear to be a contradictionimporting and exporting crude oil at the same timeis just a sign of optimization. Different types of crude flow to the refineries best equipped to process them, maximizing value across the system.

Myth versus Reality

The idea that U.S. refineries cant handle shale oil is a myth that persists because it sounds intuitive. But it confuses technical capability with economic reality.

U.S. refineries can process shale crudeand they do. They simply make less money doing so at scale.

In refining, as in any business, the key question isnt always whether something can be done. Its whether it makes economic sense.

By Robert Rapier

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Chinese FM meets Thai princess Sirindhorn

Xinhua) 08:55, April 09, 2026

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand in Beijing, capital of China, April 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand in Beijing on Wednesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that President Xi Jinping and King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua reached important consensus last year on promoting the building of a China-Thailand community with a shared future, pointing out the direction for deepening China-Thailand friendship.

Recognizing Princess Sirindhorn as an old and good friend of the Chinese people, Wang said that Princess Sirindhorn has witnessed China's reform and opening up as well as Chinese modernization, and has also devoted a great deal of effort and made outstanding contributions to deepening the friendship between China and Thailand.

China is willing to work with Thailand to take the important consensus reached by the two heads of state as the fundamental guideline, carry forward their traditional friendship, strengthen cooperation with Thailand in areas of concern to Princess Sirindhorn such as high technology, education and people's livelihood, and promote the building of a China-Thailand community with a shared future to bear fruit and benefit the two peoples, said Wang.

Noting that the Thai side appreciates the support given by the Chinese side, Sirindhorn said it is hoped that the two sides will further enhance communication and exchanges in various fields, strengthen practical cooperation in science and technology, agriculture, medicine, culture, education and other aspects, promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, and advance the cause of Thailand-China friendship.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand in Beijing, capital of China, April 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A Spokane woman smiled in court as she was sentenced to 28 years in prison for the 2024 killing of her father, Timothy Bradburn.

Alyssa Bradburn, 33, was found guilty of first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement and sentenced on Apr. 2 in Spokane County Superior Court. Prosecutors said she had planned the killing for weeks and wrote about it in a journal before the shooting.

Court records and reporting say Bradburn called 911 after the shooting and told dispatchers she had killed her father at their home in northwest Spokane. She said she would wait outside for the police, and officers later found Timothy Bradburn dead in the entryway, according to People.

Investigators said Timothy Bradburn had just returned from Hawaii and was carrying his suitcase and keys when he was shot. Reports say Bradburn fired three times, although the autopsy later found that he had been shot four times.

Prosecutors also said Bradburn began planning the killing about three weeks earlier and started journaling about it four days before the shooting. They said she practiced with the gun before the attack and later told the court, "I killed Tim Bradburn, and I am guilty," Yahoo News reported.

During trial, Bradburn at times smiled and said she was not afraid of prison. The Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney's Office said she told the court she enjoyed the trial but believed she deserved punishment and would accept her sentence.

The defense argued that Bradburn had mental health problems and had experienced trauma. She also initially claimed her father had abused her and her dogs, but later withdrew those accusations, according to reporting on the case.

Judge Julie McKay imposed 280 months for the murder and a 60-month firearm enhancement, for a total of 340 months, or 28 years and four months. The court also ordered no contact with her brother, Trace Bradburn, and required community custody after release, as per KHQ.

Originally published on Lawyer Herald
Google admitted its carbon emissions rose 48% over five years due to AI and conceded its 2030 net-zero goal may be out of reach, but the company is declining to publicly discuss its natural gas strategy.

Googles data center electricity consumption nearly doubled in just a few years, hitting 30.8 million megawatt-hours in 2024, and the company is now partnering with Crusoe Energy to build a Texas data center that includes a large natural gas facility.

The AI explosion is causing demand for energy to skyrocket around the world. The projections for the future of energy use by data centers are staggering, and the private and public sectors alike are rushing to get ahead of the issue. While Big Tech has thrown a lot of money  and a lot of PR  into expanding the development of current and next gen renewables to meet their ballooning energy needs, the tech sector is causing a lot of fossil fuels expansion, too, casting doubt on previously charted decarbonization timelines.

Take Google, for example. The tech giants data centers alone already require as much energy to operate as many entire counties. In 2024, the energy footprint of Googles data centers clocked in at a staggering 30.8 million megawatt-hours of electricity  nearly double the level from just a few years prior. In an attempt to balance this enormous energy impact, Alphabet, the company behind Google, has made high-profile investments in clean energy startups and pledged to give $10 million to an energy impact fund prioritizing local reliability and clean energy initiatives.

But thats only part of the story. In fact, $10 million is just a drop in the bucket of Alphabets AI- and energy-related investments. Alphabet invested roughly $90 billion in capital expenditures in 2025 and plans to nearly double that to as much as $185 billion in 2026, according to a recent report from Cleanview, a market intelligence platform. Most of that money will flow to data centersand the infrastructure needed to power them, the article went on to say. And that significant infrastructure expansion will not be all centered on clean power. Already, Alphabet is  much more quietly  also building up natural gas resources to fuel its generative AI ambitions.

Google is currently partnering with Crusoe Energy to build a data center campus in North Texas that will include a wind farm  and a massive natural gas facility. So far, Google is tight-lipped about the issue, while continuing to promote its image as a champion of clean energy development. In a recent interview with Axios, Googles head of advanced energy Michael Terrell emphasized its various investments into geothermal, fusion, advanced nuclear reactors and batteries, and said that I do think our public projects provide a good roadmap into how were thinking about solving this challenge. However, when asked about the role of natural gas in the companys strategy, Terrell said: We dont have anything to say on that.

Related: Six Stocks That Could Soar in an Era of Regional Instability

However, its been clear for years that Googles artificial intelligence aims are incompatible with its pre-existing decarbonization targets. In 2024, Google admitted that the companys carbon emissions had skyrocketed by 48 percent over the previous five-year span thanks to the AI boom. Google had previously pledged to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, but the tech giant was forced to concede that as we further integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may be challenging.

However, its true that the company is also continuing to push development of next-gen clean energy solutions. The extent to which those efforts amount to greenwashing is, to a large degree, a matter of perspective. Many climate activists will see Google exploring natural gas as a sort of betrayal, said Michael Thomas, the founder of Cleanview.

Theres no doubt that it would be in tension with the companys stated moonshot goal of becoming carbon-free by 2030, he went on to say. But its also true that Google is voluntarily investing more in clean energy technology than almost any other entity  public or private  in the world.

And Google is far from alone. Natural gas is currently getting a major boost from all of the biggest players in tech. Microsoft announced a gas-powered data center deal with Chevron just last month, and Meta is currently planning the countrys biggest power facility, which will include no fewer than seven natural gas plants.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Europes benchmark natural gas prices have eased from the three-year highs hit in March as reduced rates of withdrawal at the end of the heating season and news of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire calmed the extremely volatile gas market.

But the European market appears too complacent as the real stress test for Europes gas supply will unfold in the coming months, analysts say.

The European Commission has warned that energy prices will remain elevated for months to come, regardless of ceasefires or an immediate unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The war in the Middle East and the halt of Qatars LNG exports changed the global gas market dynamics and fundamentals overnight, putting Europe at a disadvantage to Asia in the competition for spot LNG supply this spring and summer and well into the autumn, when European countries will have to replenish inventories at gas storage sites.

These inventories have depleted this winter more than last year. As of April 8, the EU gas storage sites were nearly 29% full, according to data from Gas Infrastructure Europe. Thats well below the 35% full level at the same time of 2025.

And the end of the heating season last year didnt coincide with the mother of all energy market disruptions, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which trapped all LNG cargoes, with not a single one leaving the Middle East since the war began on February 28.

Related: EU Eases Methane Rules to Keep Oil and Gas Flowing

The fragile ceasefire had held for less than 24 hours before fresh reports of attacks emerged and Iran signaled its closing the Strait of Hormuz again. The uncertainty about the war doesnt bode well for energy supplies to regions depending on the Middle East for oil and gas. This is mostly Asia, and in the absence of fixed-term LNG supply from the Middle East, Asian buyers are turning to the spot market, outbidding Europe for supply, just when Europe needs it to refill its storage sites.

The Calm Before The Storm

Europes gas futures have been relatively calm in recent days, but the market shouldnt be complacent about the difficult road for Europe in the coming months to refill storage sites, Ole Hansen, Head of Commodity Strategy at Saxo Bank, wrote in an analysis published just before the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was announced.

The ceasefire actually doesnt have an immediate impact on European gas supply, even if it pushed the benchmark prices down by 20% on Wednesday.

No LNG cargo has transited the Strait of Hormuz in over a month, as two vessels carrying Qatari LNG earlier this week were forced to abandon an attempt to exit the Strait of Hormuz in what would have been the first export of Qatari LNG since the war began.

The tentative reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is also uncertain, with Iran reportedly demanding toll taxes and coordination with its armed forces for safe passage, and unlikely to loosen its grip on the vital chokepoint during the ceasefire and any successive talks.

Despite reduced withdrawals from Europes gas storage in March, the underlying risks to European gas supply remain firmly in place, Saxo Banks Hansen said.

No Relief In Sight

Once the backlog of pre-closure cargoes has cleared, Europe will become increasingly reliant on alternative LNG sources in an already tightening global market, the strategist added.

According to Saxo Bank, the recent easing in prices should be viewed with caution because the market has not resolved its supply challengesit has merely postponed them.

The combination of delayed disruption, opportunistic LNG resales and favourable weather conditions has bought Europe time - but not security, Hansen said.

Europes gas market has transitioned from acute stress to temporary relief. But with inventories low and supply risks unresolved, the real test is likely still ahead.

Even with the ceasefire, which, by the way, appears more fragile by the hour, the recovery of gas flows from the Middle East would take months, analysts at Wood Mackenzie said on Wednesday.

For there to be a real structural change in supply the Ras Laffan site in Qatar would need to restart its 12 operable trains, Tom Marzec-Manser, Europe Gas and LNG at Wood Mackenzie, commented.

It is unclear if QatarEnergy would consider doing this during a ceasefire, however.

Qatar halted all its LNG production on the third day of the war, on March 2, and all its LNG trains to return to operations would likely take until September.

Wood Mackenzie assumes that if QatarEnergy began restarting Ras Laffan at the start of May, it would take all the way to the end of August for the 12 trains to return to full service.

This, of course, is conditional on the Strait of Hormuz finally opening to LNG cargoes, which has not happened yet.

Tight summer LNG and gas markets will make Europes task of refilling gas storage sites much more difficult than in previous years.

Oil and gas prices will not return to pre-war levels soon, even if the conflict in the Middle East were to end today, Dan Jrgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, warned last week.

We should be under no illusion that the consequences of this crisis for the energy markets will be short-lived. Because they wont, Jrgensen said at an informal meeting of EU energy ministers.

While there are no immediate oil and gas supply shortages for in the European Union, we see tightening in certain product markets, notably diesel and jet fuel, as well as increasing constraints in global gas market and its spill-over effects into electricity prices.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Mexico is considering a return to fracking as it looks to cut its heavy reliance on U.S. natural gas imports.

President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government is evaluating the development of non-conventional gas resources, including shale, as the country continues to import the bulk of its supply. Mexico consumes roughly 9 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, but produces just 2.3 billion cubic feet domestically. The restabout 75% to 80%comes from the United States, primarily Texas.

That dependence is becoming harder to ignore.

Pemex estimates that Mexico holds far larger reserves in non-conventional formations than in conventional ones. Proven conventional gas reserves stand at about 83 trillion cubic feet, while non-conventional resources are estimated at more than 140 trillion cubic feet.

The government is now weighing whether those resources can be developed without repeating the environmental damage associated with early fracking operations in the United States.

Sheinbaum said a scientific committee will be formed to evaluate available technologies, including the use of less harmful chemicals and recycled water. The group is expected to deliver recommendations within two months.

This is a huge policy shift from the previous administration. Former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador opposed hydraulic fracturing outright, leaving Mexico dependent on imported shale gas even as domestic demand climbed.

Natural gas drives Mexicos power sector and much of its industry. Seven combined-cycle plants are coming online, with five more planned, all running on gas.

Pemex expects to increase domestic production to just over 4 billion cubic feet per day by 2030, with a longer-term target of 8.6 billion cubic feet over the next decade. That outlook includes potential contributions from non-conventional sources.

Even under that scenario, imports will remain a major part of the supply mix for years.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports hit a record 11.7 million metric tons in March 2026, mainly driven by global panic buying and supply disruptions triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Missile and drone attacks on Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City in March damaged critical infrastructure, forcing major outages and positioning the U.S. as a vital swing producer. LNG facilities in Louisiana handled roughly 1.8 million more metric tons in March 2026 compared to March 2025, with Louisiana currently handling ~61% of all U.S. LNG shipments. Europe remained the top destination, accounting for approximately 7.49 million tons, or 64%, of total U.S. exports of super-chilled gas. A substantial premium for international gas prices over the U.S. Henry Hub price also incentivized increased export activities, with European TTF and Asian LNG benchmarks trading at a massive premium to U.S. Henry Hub prices, which hovered around $3 per MMBtu. While Henry Hub prices were relatively stable due to strong production, the high international prices (TTF, JKM) ensured maximum utilization of U.S. export terminals, which were running near capacity.

Louisiana Plaquemines LNG plant has been contributing significantly to U.S. LNG output growth as it continues to ramp up production. The Venture Global LNG facility received immediate authorization from the Department of Energy for a 13% increase in exports, adding up to 0.45 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day to meet surging global demand. Plaquemines LNG is designed with an initial, fully contracted capacity of 20 million metric tonnes per annum (mpta). However, the facility has shown it can exceed its original nameplate capacity by up to 40% thanks to the high performance of its modular design.

Related: Saudi Arabia Sets Record Premium for Flagship Crude as Hormuz Crisis Deepens

The project is undergoing expansion, with long-term plans to exceed 4558 mpta total capacity through additional modular trains to bring the total to 36 trains. Plaquemines LNG is one of the largest private infrastructure projects in the U.S., with total project costs estimated at nearly $24 billion when completed.

Other than the Plaquemines LNG megaproject, Louisiana is also home to Delfin LNG, a proposed deepwater port project in Louisiana. Delfin LNG is slated to become the first U.S. floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) export facility. The project will support three FLNG vessels producing up to 13.2 mpta. Located ~30 miles off Cameron Parish in the southwest corner of Louisiana, Delfin LNG will repurpose the UTOS pipeline and connect it with the High Island Offshore Gas Pipeline (HIOS) to transport feedgas to the floating LNG vessels. By utilizing these existing offshore pipelines and constructing a new 700-foot bypass to connect them (the Delfin Offshore Pipeline), the project will minimize additional infrastructure investment, classifying it as a "brownfield" deepwater port project. A February 2026 pipeline explosion and associated regulatory hurdles have delayed the Final Investment Decision (FID), which is now anticipated in the spring of 2026. Delfin LNG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delfin Midstream Inc., a developer of FLNG vessels. The project is primarily backed by Fairwood Peninsula Energy Corp (approx. 30.7%), along with Talisman Global Alternative Master LP and Talisman Global Capital Master.

U.S. LNG exports are expected to rise by ~13% in 2026, driven by new capacity from Venture Global LNG's Plaquemines and Cheniere Energy's (NYSE:LNG) Corpus Christi Stage 3. Port Arthur LNG (Texas) and Rio Grande LNG are scheduled to begin operations between 2027-2028, with further projects expected to come online in 2030/2031.

The Permian Basins gas production is projected to rise, driven by increasing associated gas output, which will help meet surging demand from the U.S. Gulf Coast LNG export terminals. Permian natural gas production is expected to hit 28 Bcf/d in the current year, solidifying the basins role as the fastest-growing gas-producing play in the U.S. Permian wells are currently producing record amounts of associated residue natural gas at approximately 22 Bcf/d, which is expected to rise to ~28 Bcf/d in 2026, comprising roughly one-fifth of total U.S. production.

Overall, U.S. LNG export capacity is projected to more than double between 2024 and 2028, with exports expected to rise from 11.9 Bcf/d in 2024 to 21.5 Bcf/d by 2030, reinforcing the countrys position as the top global exporter. The rapid expansion requires significant new infrastructure to transport the feedgas. Thankfully, the startup of projects like the Matterhorn Express Pipeline is expected to mitigate takeaway capacity constraints, helping to stabilize Waha Hub prices.



By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
China is considering several ways to support financially its struggling airlines which are reeling from the oil and fuel supply and price shock due to the Middle East crisis.

The Chinese authorities are discussing various forms of support, including government-back preferential loans, subsidies, and preferential tax treatment, sources with knowledge of the deliberations told Bloomberg on Thursday.

The last time China had to help and basically bail out its biggest air carriers was during the Covid pandemic, which hurt Chinese airlines the most amid a two-year-long lockdown.

Even after the rebound in travel after the Covid restrictions were eased, Chinese airlines struggled to turn in profits. Since 2019, only China Southern out of the big three airlines has made a small profit, once. This happened in 2025, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Losses are set to deepen this year as airlines are struggling, not only in China, amid sky-high fuel prices and continuously tightening global jet fuel market.

Last week, leading Chinese carriers, including Air China and China Southern Airlines, announced that fuel surcharges for domestic routes would be hiked starting April 5.

Oil and jet fuel supplies are constrained as crude and petroleum products are trapped at the Strait of Hormuz, forcing Asian refiners to cut run rates and Asian countries to restrict or ban exports to preserve domestic supply.

The product market came under more severe stress than the crude markets as the war dislocated oil and fuel supplies and sent jet and diesel premiums over Brent to astronomical highs.

The restoration of normal jet fuel flows around the world will take months, even if Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz today, the head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned earlier this week.

"Without knowing the length and intensity of the war in the Middle East, it is impossible to quantify the full impact that it will have on airline prospects," said Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General.

"But some things are already clear. Fuel costs have risen sharply. With tight capacity and thin margins, air fares are already rising. Capacity deployment is also adjusting, particularly for traffic to, from, or through the Middle East, or in areas where fuel supply is an issue."

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Two Chinese oil tankers carrying Iraqi and Saudi crude sped up on Thursday morning toward the exit of the Strait of Hormuz, before coming to a halt just at the entrance to the chokepoint, in a sign that Chinese vessel owners appear to be testing the terms of the supposed restart of transits.

The Cospearl Lake crude oil tanker, linked to Chinese state shipping Cosco, departed from Basrah in Iraq in early March and is openly broadcasting that it is Chinese-owned with a Chinese crew, according to data on MarineTraffic.

Another China-owned tanker, He Rong Hai, departed from Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia on March 13, after picking up 2 million barrels of Saudi crude, the data showed. He Rong Hai is also broadcasting its Chinese ownership and crew, and like the Cospearl Lake, it was positioned at anchor at the eastbound entrance of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning local time.

The Chinese vessels are among several tankers that have made maneuvers in the Persian Gulf toward potentially exiting via the Strait of Hormuz since the U.S. and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday night.

Despite the ceasefire, which is conditional on Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, there hasnt been much change in traffic in the past 24 hours. Some vessels have been able to leave, but Iran continues to exert control, reportedly telling vessels via radio communication that they still need approval from Tehran to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

Shipowners and shipping giants appear very cautious in allowing their vessels to attempt to exit the chokepoint amid limited information on how safe the passage would be.

Information and details available remain very limited, and we are working with urgency to obtain further clarity, Denmark-based shipping giant Maersk said in a Wednesday advisory after the ceasefire was announced.

The ceasefire may create transit opportunities, but it does not yet provide full maritime certainty, and we need to understand all potential conditions attached, Maersk added.

Any decision to transit the Strait of Hormuz will be based on continuous risk assessments, close monitoring of the security situation, and available guidance from relevant authorities and partners.

According to maritime intelligence firm Windward, Coordination with Iranian armed forces is still required for all transits.

Iran has confirmed this operates within technical limitations without specifying what those are, but all signs are that the Islamic Republic is seeking to retain its leverage over the waterway during ceasefire negotiations, Windward said.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
The European Union is preparing to loosen methane rules on imported oil and gas as the bloc scrambles to secure supply in the wake of the U.S.-Iran war.

Brussels is set to introduce flexibilities to its methane regulations, allowing importers to comply without tracing emissions data back to individual cargoes. Instead, countries exporting to the EU will only need to show that a sufficient share of their national production meets the standards, according to the European Commission.

The change comes ahead of a 2027 expansion of the EUs methane law, which will apply to imported fossil fuels for the first time. Current rules already require EU-based producers to monitor emissions tied to flaring and venting, with strict reporting and repair obligations.

Fines under the original rules can run as high as 20% of annual turnover. The Commission is now looking to ease enforcement so cargoes arent held up or rerouted over compliance.

The move comes after pressure from member states, including Germany, along with warnings from the U.S. and industry that strict methane rules risk limiting gas flows into Europe while supply is already tight.

The numbers behind that concern are stark. Only about 7% of global oil and gas production currently meets voluntary methane reporting standards, according to Wood Mackenzie. Without adjustments, a large share of global supply would struggle to meet EU import requirements.

At the same time, Europe remains exposed to global gas flows. The disruption tied to the Iran conflict has tightened markets, raised prices, and increased competition for LNG cargoes.

The Commission maintains that methane regulation will remain in place, including requirements to monitor leaks and limit routine flaring. Methane is more than 80 times as potent as carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.

Implementation guidance will be issued to ensure consistency across member states. The priority, according to the Commission, is to avoid disrupting supply while maintaining the framework.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
India's Oil Minister Hardeep Puri is visiting Qatar on Thursday and Friday as India seeks to secure LNG and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply amid the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

Puri will be on an official visit to the State of Qatar on April 9-10, 2026, India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a statement early on Thursday.

Puri is expected to press Qatari officials to prioritize supply of LNG and LPG, which is widely used as a cooking fuel in India, to the country, sources with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg.

India relies on Qatar for 45% of its LNG supply and 20% of LPG supply, and the tiny Gulf state is the single biggest supplier of both fuels to India.

Qatar halted all LNG production on the third day of the war, on March 2, and subsequently declared force majeure on deliveries. Amid the war, Iran has closed off the Strait of Hormuz, and has only selectively assured safe passage to certain energy cargoes to India, China, Malaysia, and Pakistan.

Some Indian tankers carrying LPG have cleared the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks despite the de facto closure of the critical oil and gas chokepoint.

The tentative and already fragile ceasefire, however, has not led to an immediate re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz, as the U.S. has demanded.

Traffic through the Strait was still largely choked early on Thursday, with Iran controlling the passage of vessels.

Qatar, for its part, is considering tentatively resuming work on its LNG expansion projects, while the full restart of its LNG facilities could take months. State firm QatarEnergy has said that it would be forced to declare force majeure on a number of long-term contracts, while repairs to the Ras Laffan LNG complex, the world's largest, could take up to five years to complete.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Japan is weighing the idea to release in May another batch of oil stocks from reserves to provide about 20 days of oil consumption, amid continued uncertainty about tanker transits through the Strait of Hormuz, Kyodo News reported on Thursday, citing a source close to the deliberations.

Japan, which depends on Middle Eastern oil supply for about 95% of its oil supply, began releasing oil stocks from national reserves at the end of March, as part of the IEA-coordinated record-high release of 400 million barrels of oil and fuel. Japan is releasing a total of 80 million barrels of oil stocks, including 54 million barrels of crude and 26 million barrels of oil products as part of the IEAs 400-million-barrel release.

At the time in which Japan first tapped its stocks, Japans Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked Fatih Birol, the executive director of the IEA, to be ready for an additional release of oil stocks from reserves if it is necessary.

Japan is particularly vulnerable to the worst supply disruption in the history of oil markets as 95% of its oil imports typically come from the Middle East, and via the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S.-Iran ceasefire has not resulted in the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz as Iran continues to control the passage and details about security guarantees are still very limited.

Japans Takaichi on Wednesday called on Iran to swiftly secure safe passage for ships of all nations through the vital oil and gas chokepoint.

I emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz is a key location for global logistics and an international public property, Takaichi told a media briefing after a telephone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Coordination with Iranian armed forces is still required for all transits, maritime intelligence firm Windward said on Wednesday, noting that Transit conditions, toll arrangements, and the legal framework for passage remain undefined.

The strait has not reopened  it is in a supervised pause, Windward added.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Iran has reportedly closed the Strait of Hormuz again, less than 24 hours after agreeing to a ceasefire deal with the United States. According to reports, Iran considers Israels continued and intensifying attacks on Lebanon a violation of the ceasefire.

CBS cited Iranian media as also reporting Iran was considering canceling the deal altogether, adding that when asked to verify the information in the reports, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said that President Trump was aware of the reports but they were false.

The AP, meanwhile, wrote earlier today that Iranian media had published a chart suggesting the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps had mined the Strait of Hormuz. The chart, wrote the AP, showed a section of the passage marked as danger zone. The section was along the route that vessels normally take when traversing the strait.

Oil prices, which fell below $100 per barrel following the news of the ceasefire, are now starting to climb back up as the belief that the deal would hold for two whole weeks appears to be scarce. Reports about Iran attacking Saudi Arabias East-West pipeline did not help fuel optimism, either.

The East-West pipeline has been serving as Saudi Arabia's primary remaining export outlet since the war began in late February, with roughly 5 million barrels daily of crude exported via the Red Sea port of Yanbu.

At the time of writing, Brent crude was trading at $97.10 per barrel, and West Texas Intermediate was at $97.59 per barrel, up by 2.5% and 3.4%, respectively, from Wednesdays close.

President Trump said earlier in the week that U.S. forces deployed to the Middle East would remain there until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with.

In the meantime, our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest, the president of the United States also said on his social media platform TruthSocial.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson criticized President Trump over recent threats against Iran, warning that the president's language risks turning the conflict into a religious confrontation.

Speaking on his podcast, Carlson reacted to a Truth Social post issued by Trump on Easter, in which the president warned Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on infrastructure. "No president should mock Islam," Carlson said, arguing that Trump's wording, including the phrase "Praise be to Allah," amounted to religious provocation.

Carlson said the timing and tone of the message were particularly concerning. "The morning of Easter is a uniquely joyful and peaceful moment... and yet that peace yesterday was shattered," he said, before calling the post "vile on every level."

Trump's original message included the line: "Open the FStrait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell  JUST WATCH!" and was followed by additional warnings of imminent escalation. Carlson argued the rhetoric blurred the line between geopolitical conflict and religious hostility. "Who do you think you are? You're tweeting out the F-word on Easter morning," he said, adding that "no decent person mocks other people's religions."

Carlson also warned against framing the conflict in theological terms. "Only if you think you are [God], do you talk this way," Carlson said, criticizing what he described as language that elevates political decisions into moral or religious absolutes.

Tucker Carlson just went off on Trump on Easter morning.



The full statement:



No decent person mocks other peoples religions. You mock other peoples faith  you mock the idea of faith itself. We are not God. Only if you think you are do you talk this way.



This is not a pic.twitter.com/cHMVvDN3Tm  Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) April 6, 2026

The criticism builds on Carlson's earlier opposition to the war, which he described as "absolutely disgusting and evil," and reflects broader unease among some of Trump's supporters over the U.S. role in the conflict.

Trump's recent messaging has focused on the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route that has remained disrupted since the conflict escalated. The administration has pressed Iran to reopen the waterway while urging allies to take a more active role, though several U.S. partners have declined to join offensive operations.

Carlson's remarks highlight growing divisions within Trump's political base, particularly among figures who supported his "America First" platform but have criticized the current intervention. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, once a close ally of Trump, recently slammed the president over the Iran conflict, saying that "this is supposed to be America First" and that "we're not supposed to be running around doing this anymore."

Originally published on Latin Times
Russia has offered several cargoes of liquefied natural gas from Novateks Arctic LNG 2 facility to South Asian buyers, Bloomberg has reported, noting the facility is under U.S., EU, and UK sanctions.

Citing unnamed sources, the publication wrote today that the LNG was offered at discounts of up to 40% to spot market prices, which have surged recently because of the LNG supply disruption resulting from the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.

Also, per the Bloomberg sources, the cargoes were offered via intermediary companies from China and Russia, whose representatives said they could provide paperwork stating the LNG originated from other LNG exporting countries such as Oman and Nigeria.

Earlier this week, the Yamal LNG export plant in Russia shipped its first cargo to China in five months as the EU launches, in a few weeks, a stepwise plan of banning imports of Russian natural gas.

Yamal LNG, operated by Russias top LNG producer and exporter Novatek, had the Geneva carrier loaded in recent days and en route to China with an estimated time of arrival May 15, according to LSEG data cited by Reuters.

Yamal LNG shipments would be allowed into the EU for a few more months as the export facility is not under sanctions, unlike Arctic LNG 2, which is confined to selling into China in defiance of U.S., EU, and UK sanctions. In February, all of the LNG cargo that Novatek loaded from Yamal LNG was sent to EU countries, Kpler data showed in March.

Asian countries have suffered a serious blow from the suspension of operations at Qatars LNG hub following Iranian strikes on infrastructure in the area. With the Guld state declaring force majeure on LNG exports, Asian buyers had to find new suppliers quickly, at reasonable prices. Some, failing that, are switching to coal power generation, including Japan, despite its much deeper pockets than other Asian nations.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
The state refiner of Taiwan and commodity trading giant Glencore have each booked a tanker to travel to the Middle East and load oil, in a sign that crude customers are hoping for a re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz after the announcement of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

CPC, Taiwan's state refiner, has booked a tanker to load 2 million barrels of crude from the Middle East and bring it to Taiwan in the coming weeks, Taiwanese Economy Minister Kung Ming-hsin said on Thursday, as carried by Reuters.

"If passage is possible within the next two weeks or so, it can come over," the official was quoted as saying.

Separately, Glencore has booked the Asian Lion supertanker to travel to the Middle East and load crude, a shipping source told Reuters.

The demurrage fee is $580,000 per day, according to the source.

Refiners and traders appear to be rushing to book vessels to travel to the Middle East to load crude, but the situation around the Strait of Hormuz is very fluid and uncertainty prevails as to whether inbound and outbound traffic has materially increased.

The ceasefire didn't hold for 24 hours as Israel continued strikes on Lebanon, which Iran said was a violation of the ceasefire and signaled the Strait of Hormuz is closed again.

"The passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz has been halted following Israel's attacks on Lebanon," Iran's Fars News Agency reported late on Wednesday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the public reports out of Iran that the Strait is again closed "are false," and that it had been privately relayed to President Trump that the Strait would open.

"Coordination with Iranian armed forces is still required for all transits," maritime intelligence firm Windward said on Wednesday, noting that "The strait has not reopened  it is in a supervised pause."

By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
American cruise ship passenger rushed to Cancun hospital in medical evacuation

Isla Mujeres, Q.R.  A tourist was rushed to a Cancun hospital yesterday from an American cruise ship. Marina personnel met the ship off the island of Isla Mujeres Tuesday for the medical evacuation.

A Marine medical crew met the ship to transfer the American patient. April 7, 2026.

The passenger, an American man, was reported suffering from acute pulmonary edema, atrial fibrillation, and thrombocytopenia. He was transported by sea to the mainland where a waiting ambulance rushed him to Cancun.

The Mexican Navy, in coordination with the Naval Search, Rescue, and Maritime Surveillance Station, reported that Tuesday, naval personnel conducted a medical evacuation of a foreign tourist off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo.

This action was carried out after receiving an emergency call from a cruise ship requesting the medical evacuation of a male tourist, a U.S. citizen, who was suffering from acute pulmonary edema, atrial fibrillation, and thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), the statement read.

ENSAR Mujeres was ordered to immediately dispatch a vessel with Naval Medical personnel on board.

Once they arrived at the location, they performed a medical evaluation and evacuation of the individual, who was then transferred aboard a Defender-class rescue vessel to Puerto Juarez, Quintana Roo.

The man was transferred from the ship to the mainland Tuesday. April 7, 2026.

There, a private ambulance met them and transported them to a hospital in Cancun, Quintana Roo, for specialized medical care.
Authorities rescue stranded fishing vessel with three on board off coast of Cozumel

Cozumel, Q.R.  Police in Cozumel were part of a stranded vessel rescue Wednesday. According to Public Safety, they responded to the report of a stranded fishing vessel.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon when Public Safety officers, in coordination with the tourist police, under the command of shift coordinator Emanuel Perez, were conducting patrols in the eastern part of the island.

Marina personnel search for the San Dimas off Cozumel Wednesday after becoming stranded at sea. April 8, 2026.

Around 4:00 p.m., they received a report of a vessel in distress. The officers immediately traveled to the area known as Punta Molas aboard a Razer-type vehicle to provide assistance and assess the situation.

Simultaneously, other officers patrolling the urban area went to the boat ramp located in front of the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) facilities where they spoke with the owner of the vessel.

He reported that three of his employees, all fishermen, were on board and had previously reported engine trouble.

The C2 monitoring system confirmed that a Mexican Navy vessel had located fishing boat San Dimas with the three crew on board.

The vessel was towed to the Sedena ramp where Port Authority personnel arrived to document the incident.

The rescued fishermen stated that they were in stable condition and did not require medical attention. Public Security acknowledges the timely intervention and inter-institutional coordination that allowed the safety of the crew members to be safeguarded.

The boat and three crew were located and returned to the island after their engine failed. April 8, 2026.

Cozumel police reiterated their commitment to maintain surveillance and immediate response actions to any risk situation, for the benefit of the safety of citizens and those who carry out activities at sea.
INM deports Cuban national from Cancun with outstanding U.S. arrest warrant

Cancun, Q.R.  A suspect wanted in the U.S. has been deported from Cancun. The Cuban man was taken into custody Tuesday and handed over to the National Migration Institute.

Cancun police say Yoexy N, a Cuban national, was arrested for failing to prove his legal status in the country.

According to authorities, he has an outstanding arrest warrant in Tampa, Florida for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances. He was turned over to the National Migration Institute (INM) for his prompt removal as he is wanted by U.S. authorities.

His arrest, the SSC (Secretary of Citizen Security) said, was carried out following surveillance and based on sensitive information obtained in coordination with personnel from the Transnational Crimes Unit and with the support of technological equipment.

During patrols, authorities noticed a motorcyclist endangering the safety and traffic of vehicles, as well as the lives and well-being of pedestrians in the area, the SSC said.

He was stopped on Cartagena Street in block 325, Santa Fe II neighborhood in Cancun where he was informed that he would be subject to a temporary preventive check. He was unable to prove his legal status in the country.

He is the second Cuban national to be sent to the U.S. after being arrested in Cancun this month. Last week, police in Cancun arrested Remigio N, a high-priority target wanted in the U.S. for trafficking in persons, drugs and international smuggling.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is warning that high taxes and strict rules in New York City could drive businesses and workers to leave, as companies look for more affordable places to operate.

In his annual letter to shareholders released Monday, Dimon said cities must compete to keep companies.

He explained that while New York remains a top location for financial firms because of its skilled workforce, it also has some of the highest taxes in the country.

"The truth is that while New York City has much going for it, particularly for financial companies ... it also has the highest city and state corporate taxes and the highest individual income and state taxes," Dimon wrote.

According to FoxBusiness, he added that businesses cannot ignore these costs. "Companies need to remain competitive in this very tough, fast-moving world. And higher taxes lower returns on capital and less competitiveness by their nature," he said.

Dimon stressed that the impact is not just about companies moving their headquarters. Workers are also choosing to relocate.

"You can already see a fairly large exodus of people and jobs out of some states with high taxes and high expenses," he noted, adding that people often "vote with their feet" when deciding where to live and work.

WALL STREET WARNING: JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon cautioned that high-tax cities like New York risk losing businesses and workers, noting his own firm has cut NYC headcount while expanding in Texas. He warned that rising costs and regulation are pushing both companies and employees pic.twitter.com/FmChC0KDGa  FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) April 7, 2026

JPMorgan Shifts Jobs From New York to Texas

The banking giant itself has already shifted part of its workforce. While New York City is still its global headquarters, Dimon said the company has reduced its employee count there from 30,000 a decade ago to 24,000 today, NY Post reported.

At the same time, its workforce in Texas has grown from 26,000 in 2015 to 32,000. "This trend will likely continue," he said.

Dimon pointed out that this kind of movement can have serious effects on cities.

He compared the situation to the 1970s, when nearly half of the Fortune 500 companies based in New York City left.

He said high costs like taxes, rent, and labor played a major role in those departures.

"Sometimes this can be a disaster for a city," Dimon wrote, warning that no place is guaranteed success. "No city  or company or country  has a divine right to success."

Despite his concerns, Dimon acknowledged that New York still offers strong advantages, especially in talent and business connections.

Originally published on vcpost.com
At the invitation of the Myanmar side, President Xi Jinpings Special Envoy and Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference Jiang Xinzhi will attend the inauguration of President Min Aung Hlaing in Myanmars capital Nay Pyi Taw on April 10.



China-Arab TV: On April 8 local time, Israel launched large-scale airstrikes against more than 100 targets across Lebanon within 10 minutes, killing at least 254 people and injuring 1,165 others, most of them civilians. Lebanon has declared April 9 a national day of mourning. Iran says the act violates the ceasefire agreement and has closed the Strait of Hormuz. What is Chinas comment?



Mao Ning: Lebanons sovereignty and security should not be violated. Civilians and their property must be protected. We call on relevant parties to stay calm and exercise self-restraint and deescalate the situation in the region.

Shenzhen TV: Former finance minister of Greece and economist Yanis Varoufakis most recently wrote an article carried by Project Syndicate. He wrote that in order to hide their own failures, Western leaders weave the fiction that China has cheated its way to prosperity and that the reasons for Chinas economic success should be viewed from a more objective perspective. Whats your comment?



Mao Ning: I also read the article. It is well-reasoned, evidence-based, objective and well-informed. I highly recommend it.

For a country as large as China, there is never a shortcut to prosperity. China relies on the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the efforts of the Chinese people. Indeed, Chinas success does benefit from some strengths. For instance, China has the perseverance to turn development blueprint into reality. For decades, China continues to formulate and implement five-year plans, and there is long-term continuity and consistency in Chinas development goals and policies. Also, China has the ability to pool efforts to get big things done. China mobilizes resources from various quarters to form synergy and achieve coordinated development. And China has a mega-sized market. China has the worlds largest middle-income group and is the second largest consumer market. Moreover, China has a strong industrial system with a whole range of industrial sectors and well-established supporting facilities. China also boasts remarkable human resources. China is home to the largest cohort of R&D personnel in the world and is quickly turning its huge population into talent dividends.

Chinas success is not an accident, still less a result of cheating. It is a manifestation of the strengths of Chinas system, and the success of the Chinese path, visions and model.

China-Arab TV: Last week, a Moroccan student rescued a Chinese woman who fell into Jinsha Lake in Hangzhou. What he did has touched many. Can you share your comment on this foreigners brave act? What is your view and expectation for promoting friendly ties between Chinese and foreign youths and welcoming foreigners into Chinese society?



Mao Ning: I saw the news too. Very much touched by his bravery and would like to give him a big thumbs-up. Kindness knows no borders. This is a vivid and heart-warming example of the vast goodwill between Chinese and foreign youths.

AFP: The White House said yesterday that the U.S. had held talks with China on the Iran war in the last few days. I wonder if you could tell us whether such talks took place and what was discussed? And also a second question, Im just going back to Lebanon. Does China believe that Lebanon is part of the ceasefire that was agreed?



Mao Ning: On your first question, since the fighting began, China has worked actively to communicate with relevant parties to help bring about an end to the conflict.

On your second question, we hope relevant parties will take the temporary ceasefire arrangement as an opportunity to resolve disputes through political and diplomatic means and put an end to the conflict.

Sputnik: Iranian Parliament Speaker said yesterday that a ceasefire and negotiations with the United States on ending the war is unreasonable. He accused the U.S of multiple violations, the Lebanon situation included. Does the Foreign Ministry have a comment on this?



Mao Ning: We hope relevant parties will seize the opportunity for peace, bridge differences through dialogue and consultation, and work for restoring peace and stability to the Gulf and Middle East region at an early date.

Voice of Viet Nam: According to what has been released by China and Viet Nam today, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam will pay a state visit to China from April 14 to 17. Can you brief us on the program and Chinas expectation of the visit? How do you view the recent development of the bilateral ties?



Mao Ning: At the invitation of General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee and President of Viet Nam To Lam will pay a state visit to China from April 14 to 17. General Secretary and President Xi Jinping will hold talks with General Secretary and President To Lam. Premier Li Qiang, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhao Leji and Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee Wang Huning will meet with him.

In April 2025, General Secretary and President Xi Jinping paid a successful state visit to Viet Nam, ushering in a new stage for the China-Viet Nam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. China is the first country that General Secretary To Lam will visit following his election as president. That fully shows the great significance attached to developing relations between the two parties and two countries. China hopes that through the visit, the two countries will carry forward the traditional friendship, continue to deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, advance the building of an even higher level of community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, jointly promote the socialist cause in the world, and together maintain regional and world peace, stability and development.

AFP: Just a question on Wang Yi whos visiting the DPRK at the moment, can you tell us any more about what he will be discussing in North Korea? Will he raise restarting tourism from China to North Korea?



Mao Ning: I shared the arrangement about Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to the DPRK yesterday. I believe the two sides will discuss issues of mutual interest. If there is further information, we will release it in a timely manner. Please check back for updates.

Bloomberg: I have two questions. We saw that President Donald Trump has said on Truth Social that countries supplying military weapons to Iran will immediately be tariffed on any and all goods sold to the U.S. at 50 percent, effective immediately. Were wondering if the foreign ministry has a comment on this? The second question is regarding a report. Its reported that Pakistani officials said that China helped convince a reluctant Tehran to join the negotiation. While Islamabad acted as the mediator, China functioned as the guarantor, promising that Iranian officials would not be assassinated during future negotiations, according to the report. Were wondering if the foreign ministry could comment on this?



Mao Ning: On your first question, Chinas position is very clear. There is no winner in a tariff war.

On your second question, China has been calling for an immediate ceasefire, resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means, and bringing lasting peace and security to the Gulf region and the Middle East. China will continue working for easing tensions and putting an end to the conflict.

AFP: The Federal Communications Commission in the U.S. has said it is planning to vote on a proposal that would ban all Chinese labs from testing electronic devices used in the U.S. Does the foreign ministry have any comment on this?



Mao Ning: China firmly opposes the U.S. overstretching the concept of national security. This type of action has severely impeded the normal economic and trade exchanges between Chinese and U.S. companies and does not serve anyones interests, including those of American companies and consumers. China will continue to firmly safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests.
In only a handful of prominent roles, Dan Levy has developed a set of gestures so distinct you could recognize them at a thousand yards. One in particular involves tilting his head sideways and hunching up his shoulders, as if he is flinching at life. In Big Mistakes, his first new sitcom since the end of Schitts Creek, which he created and starred in with his father, Eugene Levy, his Nicky Dardano has a lot to flinch from. For one thing, hes a pastor in a denomination that requires gay men to stay celibate, so even though hes been sleeping with the church handyman (Jacob Gutierrez) for a year, hes perennially anxious theyre going to get found out. For another, theres his family, whose internet dynamics are a bottomless pool of discomfort. The Netflix series, which Levy created with I Love LAs Rachel Sennott, opens midfrenzy, with his dying nonna screaming from a hospital bed and his mother, Linda (Laurie Metcalf), only adding to the din. Although Nicky and his sisters, Morgan (Taylor Ortega) and Natalie (Abby Quinn), are all in their 30s, their lives show no signs of settling down, and neither does the show, whose eight episodes hurtle forward with ceaseless velocity and end so abruptly its as if youve smashed into a wall.

Stability is there for the taking: Nickys boyfriend is obviously ready to get serioushe keeps asking when the two of them can finally book a cruiseand Morgans boyfriend, Max (Jack Innanen), whom shes known since they were kids, is almost pitifully prepared to propose. But the lives theyve chosen dont really fit them, much as they might wish otherwise. Morgan, who took a whirl at being an actress in New York until the money ran out, now works as a kindergarten teacher, and Nicky seems to genuinely love tending to his flock. But whether mess finds them or they seek it out, they cant stay out of troubleand perhaps dont entirely want to.

Chaos, in this case, comes in the form of Yusuf (Boran Kuzum), who runs a store selling cheap trinkets. Morgan settles on a necklace, a replacement for a long-lost one their grandmother abruptly calls out for, but Yusuf rudely refuses to sell it to her, and Morgan takes such offense that she shoplifts it while Nicky is buying a pair of Virgin Mary figurines. (Yusuf, who does not keep a close eye on his own stock, thinks theyre Elsa from Frozen.) The necklace turns out to be both far more valuable than its sticker price and not Yusufs to sell, connected, in ways the show isnt especially interested in explaining, to a semiorganized crime ring run by a Russian thug named Ivan (Mark Ivanir). That night, Yusuf bangs on the door of Nickys rectory, demanding the necklaces return and insisting that Morgan and Nicky make up for the inconvenience by running a few errands for their drug-smuggling new friends.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Big Mistakes setup is fertile territory for a fish-out-of-water comedy, one that doesnt require you to take its premise particularly seriously. And the episodes are full of acid-tipped zingers, like when Linda assures Nicky that hes every bit her child despite being adopted: I birthed you emotionally, which is just as painful. Metcalf is a sitcom legend and a Broadway powerhouse, and she gets to use both skills at once here, as a battle-ax single mom who decides to compensate for the disorder of her mothers death by launching a campaign for mayor. Although Levy and Sennott originally conceived of the series with themselves in the lead as siblings, youd never know it from the crackling rapport between Levy and Ortega, who launch barbs at each other as if theyve been doing it their entire lives. When Nicky says something that makes Morgan cringe, she replies, What are you, addicted to humiliation?

Advertisement

The trouble is that the shows gritty, single-camera style doesnt really mesh with the contrivances of its plot; its as if they were making Schitts Creek but shooting it like Anora. Several episodes are built around the premise of Yusuf sending the siblings to carry out some illicit task without explaining what theyre meant to be doing, which makes for fruitful comedic misunderstandings but stretches the bounds of plausibility, especially when it happens more than once. (Surely, the second time around, hed furnish a few specifics, if only for the sake of expediency.) Nicky wrestles with the conflict between his sexuality and his job, but were never given any hint of why he was drawn to the ministry in the first place, especially knowing that it would force him to be professionally closeted.

Big Mistakes is agreeably energetic, and its first season goes by at a bingeable clip. But its frantic back-and-forth amounts to little in the end, a meal that goes down so fast its hard to remember what you just ate. Its fun to watch these characters bounce off one another, but Id be fine if I never saw them again.
This is Executive Dysfunction, a newsletter that highlights one under-the-radar story about how Trump is changing the lawor how the law is pushing backand keeps you posted on the latest from Slates Jurisprudence team. Click here to receive it in your inbox each week.

This week, Donald Trumps Department of Justice found a new and disturbing way to try to consolidate power exclusive in the hands of Trump, this time releasing a dubious opinion through the Office of Legal Counsel that argues the presidents records dont ever need to be publicly shared. The OLC now claims that the Presidential Records Act, which was created in the wake of the Watergate scandal some 50 years ago and makes all presidential records federal property, invades the presidents independence, and is thereby unlawful. In practice, it means a man who once claimed he was the most transparent president in history, but was also indicted for mishandling classified documents, can legally walk away from the White House with any document he so pleases and never have to publicly report a single one.

The 52-page document is written as if it were a binding judicial opinion, which it is not. The Office of Legal Counsel serves as the presidents quasi in-house lawyer, offering legal analysis on the permissibility of the executive branchs actions while also playing referee between federal agencies when they disagree. Its decisions can be challenged in court, which is exactly what happened with the OLCs latest opinion attempting to unilaterally dismantle an act of Congress that sought to protect the people from an out-of-control and secretive president. On Tuesday, the American Historical Association, in partnership with American Oversight, announced they were suing to stop the OLC opinion from going into effect. The OLCs opinion, they argued, effectively encourages the president to violate federal law, relying on virtually no judicial authority while also defying Supreme Court precedent.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The PRA was established not only to preserve presidential materials as a matter of historical record, but for transparency. After dealing with former president Richard Nixons administration and the messy legal battle over the Pentagon Papers, the PRA ensured any future presidential materials would always remain federal property, ensuring transparency with Congress and the public. Trump was charged with crimes in connection with his violation of the PRA and his hoarding of classified documents in a bathroom in his home in Mar-a-Lago at the end of his last term, but was bailed out by one of his friendliest judicial appointments. Unsurprisingly, Trumps OLC is now saying he did nothing wrongand that hes free to violate the law all over again.

David Janovsky has worked on federal transparency issues for decades and is acting director of the Constitution Project at the Project on Government Oversight. I spoke with him to understand exactly what legal argument the OLC is using to try to dismantle the PRA and what it means for the future of government transparency.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Shirin Ali: Can you break down the legal argument the OLC is making in its opinion over the Presidential Records Act?

Advertisement

Advertisement

David Janovsky: Its a pretty breathtaking argument. The OLC is taking a nearly 50-year-old statute that presidents have complied with since the Reagan administration, without any real incident, and has suddenly concluded that the whole thing is unconstitutional because its beyond Congress power to regulate presidential documents. It goes through a whole lot of really convoluted reasoning to get there, but thats the main conclusion here: This law that just says presidents have to hand over their official documents to the National Archives, which is part of the executive branch itself, is not, in fact, legal.

Advertisement

The opinion claims there are a few different reasons that the PRA is beyond Congress power, but it spends by far the majority of its time making a quite strange argument, frankly, which is conflating Congress power to investigate the executive branch with its power to pass laws that set out this technical process for where documents go within the executive branch. Theres a decadeslong dispute between Congress and the executive branch, in particular the OLC, about the scope of Congress oversight power, especially over presidents. And these disputes occasionally make it to court and have occasionally made it to the Supreme Court, including several disputes from the first Trump administration. But to suddenly say that that set of issues governs a statute is a very strange thing, especially because the PRA, at its core, mandates that presidents hand over the records to the National Archives, which is not Congressit is an executive agency. Thats the first analytical step they take, and again, they spend most of the opinion on that. Then they go into a few other grounds that Congress cant justify it as part of its spending power or as part of its power to regulate agencies, because the presidency is explicitly mentioned in the constitution.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

There are big swaths of this opinion where the only things theyre citing are other OLC opinions, or even what seems to be a panel discussion that involved DOJ lawyers. This is a theme that has often played out in some of the most dangerous OLC opinions, where it views itself as a court and will take its own past writing as sort of a foundation to then push the envelope further. This only goes in one direction, right? And thats to expand presidential power. Im not aware of examples where the OLC became more and more restrictive of presidential power over time. That is always a red flag for me when Im reading an OLC opinion. If theyre just citing themselves, Im skeptical.

Advertisement

Another thing that stood out to me is the Nixon-era roots of the PRA, which was a slightly different statute, and then it was expanded in 1978 during the Carter administration, but there was a Supreme Court case about the Nixon-era predecessor that came down pretty resoundingly on Congress side. The OLC does a strange thing here where they try to wave this away by saying, Oh, well, here context matters. This was about Nixon and Watergate. Obviously in that context, a court may say that Congress can do this, but that has no bearing on today.

Advertisement

Advertisement

But the rest of the opinion is making these sweeping conclusions about how this law is completely beyond the bounds of Congress power to act, and it cant both be true that context matters and that Congress has no power to pass this law, full stop. I think there is reason to be deeply suspicious of what the OLC is doing here.

One particularly striking line of the OLCs opinion says, The PRA exceeds oversight power because it serves no identifiable and valid legislative purpose. Congress cannot preserve presidential records merely for the sake of posterity. Does it really have the authority to make such a sweeping claim?

The short answer is, no, they dont. The OLC has the power to opine on whatever the OLC wants to opine on, but its just that; its an opinion. The executive branch likes to treat the OLCs written opinions as if they were coming from a court, but in reality, they are just what some lawyers who work at the Justice Department happen to think. If someone were to sue the administration over this issue, the Justice Department would probably take these arguments into court, sure, but its ultimately for a court to decide, and thats what would give it actual legal weight.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Another alarming aspect of this opinion is that it really seems like its written with the Supreme Court in mind as its audience. Its actually in the same paragraph as that line about legislative purpose. It says: Just as Congress could not constitutionally invade the independence of the Supreme Court and expropriate the papers of the Chief Justice or Associate Justices, Congress cannot invade the independence of the President and expropriate the papers of the Chief Executive.

That is presented as an obvious thing. Im not at all convinced that thats correct. Its persuasive power seems more aimed at appealing to the sensibilities of the justices who, one could assume, wouldnt want to hand over their papers, more than a real legal argument. That raises further questions in my mind about the rigor of the legal analysis here.

Does this OLC opinion change if and how prior presidents records are released to the National Archives?

Advertisement

I think its an open question, and an important one. Will the archives apply this new OLC logic to records it already has and stop producing them? I dont think we know the answer to that, but one of the reasons why the OLC is so influential is its opinions are sort of treated as binding within the executive branch. I would be very curious to know right now what sort of conversations are happening, if any, between the National Archives and the Justice Department, and whether everyone is on board with this novel conclusion.

Its impossible to ignore the fact that President Trump was indicted for mishandling classified documents just three years ago. Now that hes been reelected, hes basically changing the essence of the very law that was used against him, right?

It is, like you say, hard to avoid drawing these connections. The specific issue in special counsel Jack Smiths investigation was less the PRA itself than other laws about handling of specifically classified information, but obviously improper retention of documents has been a major theme. This request apparently came from the White House counsel, and one has to wonder why it was thinking about the constitutionality of this sort of utterly benign, seemingly noncontroversial statute.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Now that the OLCs opinion is out there, what happens to the PRA? What risks does it pose?

At its core, the PRA is one of the most important ways that we get to look inside the presidency. Its a big part of what enables scholars, the public, to access these documents about decisions that were made in the name of the American people. I think it also underscores what seems to me like it should be a pretty uncontroversial proposition, which is that the products of governing are ultimately the publics. These are not for presidents to own or sell to profit off of. They are tangible artifacts of how our country is run in our name. To pull back from that, I think, would upend decades of settled practice and be a real step back for our collective understanding of the presidency.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Related From Slate What Kind of Person Talks Like ThisLet Alone a President at War? Read More

The public has an expectation that someday we will have the ability to walk into a museum and see this stuff. If this memo and its conclusion stands, I wonder what this would look like in the future. This OLC opinion is part of a much bigger story of a concerted effort to break down any of the guardrails around the presidencyboth those that were built in the post-Watergate era, but also more broadly to push back against really any restriction on what it can do. It is an extremely concerning trend, because I think its fundamentally at odds with the Constitutions structure and purpose and its about harming America as well as our checks and balances.

We hope you learned a thing or two from this edition of Executive Dysfunction, and if you enjoyed reading it, please consider supporting our legal journalism by becoming a Slate Plus member!

Elsewhere in Jurisprudence

In this weeks Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern bid farewell to Pam Bondi. President Trumps handpicked attorney general finally hit the point of no return after royally botching the handling of the Epstein files and failing to secure lasting indictments against her bosss enemies. Though shes no longer a federal employee, Bondi still may be dragged to Congress to answer lawmakers questions about the Epstein files in just a few days. Dahlia and Mark also discuss the confusing 81 Supreme Court decision in Chiles v. Salazar that rules on the legality of conversion-therapy bans and what it means for LGBTQ+ youth and the First Amendment.

In the Slate Plus bonus episode, Mark unpacks what went down during the birthright citizenship oral arguments at the Supreme Court with Evan Bernick, a co-author of a key amicus brief in the Barbara v. Trump case. They discuss Solicitor General John Sauers shockingly weak presentation and how most of the courts conservative justices seemed highly suspicious of the governments position against birthright citizenship.

Friends of Slate Hila Keren and Luke Boso, professors of law at Southwestern Law School, explain how the Supreme Courts decision in Chiles v. Salazar failed to consider the LGBTQ+ adolescents who stand to be impacted. In an 81 opinion that limited the scope of a Colorado law banning conversion therapy for minors, Keren and Boso argue the justices were too focused on protecting the freedoms of the therapist challenging the Colorado law. It ignored the young patients who would be in her clinic, exposed to her speech, and susceptible to internalizing ideas that may scar them for life, they wrote.

Lizelle Gonzalez lives in Texas and was arrested for ending her own pregnancy, despite state law explicitly stating women wont be prosecuted for seeking out an abortion. When Gonzalez was eventually released from jail, she sued the district attorney and other officials involved in her arrest. So far, shes been losing in court, and Mary Ziegler, law professor and leading historian on the U.S. abortion debate, wrote in Slate that this isnt entirely surprising: False-arrest claims are notoriously hard to win. A plaintiff like Gonzalez needs to show that law enforcement lacked even probable cause for an arrest. Thats more than just innocence. As Ziegler, explains, though, the effects of this qualified immunity could be devastating for pregnant women.

Thank you for reading Executive Dysfunction! Were thrilled to be in your feeds and will be back with more dysfunction analysis next week.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily.

On a stage in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday afternoon, Vice President J.D. Vance had a remarkable request for the Hungarian people: reelect a dictator.

Vance knows that countrys prime minister, Viktor Orban, has fostered rampant corruption, curtailed the independence of the countrys judiciary, attacked its universities academic freedom, spread antisemitic conspiracy theories, and promoted racial homogeneity. But Vance had one major justification for flying to Europe to personally campaign for Orbans reelection, as Orban flags in the polls: Orban was the United States partner in morality. Because what the United States and Hungary together represent under Viktors leadership and under President Trumps leadership is the defense of Western civilization, Vance said on that stage. At another event that day, he called on people to vote for Orban to preserve that morality: Will you stand for Western civilization? Will you stand for freedom, for truth, and for the God of our fathers?

It was not the first time the Trump administration had tried to help a foreign leader with their election. No need to obscure its ambitions with secret CIA operations: The Trump administration has stumped for far-right parties in Europe, including ones with Nazi sympathies; backed El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele, who has turned the country into a harsh police state; and saved the right-wing populist President Javier Milei from an election loss in Argentina.

But even in this new era, Orban is still a remarkable candidate for the presidential administration to support. Thats because Orban isnt just leading the most corrupt country in Europe; hes also Russias primary asset inside of Europe. As recent reporting has found, Orban has repeatedly called Russias foreign minister after closed-door meetings of European leaders to fill him in, leaking sensitive information. Orbans foreign minister has reportedly worked on Russias behalf to get an oligarchs relative off of European sanctions lists. Publicly, Orban portrays the E.U. as a sinister organization, and has even blocked military aid to Ukraine, which he has made out to be Hungarys enemy. And as a result, Russia is working to keep Orban in place. So when the Trump administration goes to bat for Orban, theyre allying themselves with Vladimir Putinand against pro-democracy politicians in Europe.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its an odd place for the United States presidential administration to intervene. But Vance articulated one primary reason why he would drop everything to fly to Hungary to help the prime minister there: to fight for Christendom.

Theres been a lot of talk, in recent years, of Christian nationalism in America. But Christendom, as an idea, dreams much bigger, beyond national borders. In its benign use, Christendom is an archaic label for the Christians of the world. But among a certain small cadre of conservative intellectuals and theologians, its relevant definition is its geopolitical one. In that use of the term, the regions populated by Christians unite as one single and powerful civilization. Doug Wilson, the prominent theologian behind Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths church, for example, has written a book advocating for a new Christendom in which laws are based on the Bible, and reward virtue and faith. (In a different book, in 2005, he called the Confederate South the last nation of the first Christendom.) He and other theologians have discussed the possibility of a Christendom 2.0, a term that has been used for certain patriarchal Christian conferences and ministry programs. Hyper-traditionalist Catholics sometimes use it to mean a return to strength of the old Catholic Church. Charlie Kirk, an evangelical, called Christendom the American way of life, a root to Western civilization, and something to wage spiritual battle over. (The conservative writer Rod Dreher in turn called Kirk a man of Christendom.) And as one popular commentator for Blaze Media wrote on social media, Western civilization is another name for Christendom, and Christendom existed because Christian rulers held power and defended their people against the enemy.

Advertisement

Advertisement

There are other code words that mean the same thing: Christian civilization or Western civilization, if youre a certain kind of right-wing Christian, and ethnonationalism if youre an academic. But Christendom most accurately captures the spirit of the idea: organizing the world along medieval civilizational lines. Christendom, as these conservative thinkers use it, is both a propagandistic way of describing majority-white countries as they exist now and an aspirational way of describing white countries in their ideal world: whole swaths of the Earth governed by Christian values, peopled by Christians with a European cultural background, and intolerant of secularism and of other faiths. Christendom, in the medieval world of the Crusades, was Europe against the Islamic world. Today, these traditionalist intellectuals are hoping for the same worldview to take over, but with atheists thrown in with the infidels. Christendom proposes a new international order, no longer built around shared concerns for democracy and human rights, and ties together any countries seen as having that same Christian DNA, regardless of their behavior.

Advertisement

Advertisement

As Vance put it in his speech, what unites the U.S. and Hungary, more than anything, is their defense of the idea that we are founded on a certain Christian civilization and Christian values that animate everything.

Advertisement

Advertisement

There have long been indications that Vances part of the MAGA movementwhat some call the new right or post-liberal rightwould prioritize such religious issues when it comes to foreign policy. But never before have we seen it stated so baldly and made so abundantly clear: Because of this shared image of a Christian world, Vance is advocating for Moscows interests over those of Americas more secular traditional allies. In his address to Hungarians, he accused Brussels of trying to destroy Hungarys economy in one of the worst examples of foreign election interference that Ive ever seen. (This was in reference to the EUs decision to freeze funds to Hungary over concerns about corruption. Its a topic central to the election, but theres no evidence the EU is meddling in Hungarys elections.) It was a shocking attack on European democracies.

Advertisement

And Hungary has become the focal point in this MAGA effort to remake the global order. For years, conservatives have looked to Hungary as a testing ground for their most radical policy ideas. With the freedom afforded by authoritarianism, Orban has introduced religion classes into the national curriculum, banned Pride parades and other homosexual propaganda, and promoted policies that would encourage young Christian families to marry and have multiple children. He has articulated that policy as one meant to fight for the demographics of Europeturning the tide of Islamic immigration. Orban himself calls his government a Christian democracy. Conservatives in the U.S. often imagine Hungary as a rosy future, a country inhabited by Christian families holding firm to traditional ideas about gender and race. And they follow that vision: The Conservative Political Action Conference holds events in Hungary. The Heritage Foundation hosts events with its Hungarian parallel, the Danube Institute. Dreher, longtime writer for the American Conservative, relocated to Hungary permanently.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

As Kim Lane Scheppele, who studies the rise and fall of constitutional governments at Princeton University, said, Hungarys place in the MAGA imagination compares to Scandinavia for socialists. It proves that certain ideas can work.

So at a practical level, the MAGA movement wants Orban in place because his government has shown American conservatives where they can go, should they be successful in convincing the political class to embrace overt Christian nationalism. Already, Scheppele said, conservatives associated with Project 2025 and similar entities were inspired by Hungarian policies and strategies when drafting their proposals.

But theres something more. For Christian conservatives such as Vance, Hungary offers a vision of the world in which the United States would be one of a host of North American and European countries promoting a global Christian civilization. These could include the United Kingdom (through Reform UK and other right-wing parties), Germany (through the Alternative for Germany party), Italy (through Giorgia Melonis Brothers of Italy party), and, ultimately, Russia. Putin did revive the Russian Orthodox churches, after all.

Advertisement

This is a trans-Atlantic Western European chessboard, said Robert P. Jones, president of Public Religion Research Institute. What theyre really looking to do is create a federation of Christian nationalist states.

Advertisement

Advertisement

If you grew up in a very Christian part of the country, this all might seem a bit jarring: Individual freedom has been a major rallying cry of the Christian right for decades. And now, under this idea of forming a modern Christendom, the United States is throwing its lot in with authoritarian countries. But thats whats so emboldening about the idea of a European Christian civilization in need of protection: Large numbers of Americans have become convinced that the stakes for Christianity are existential, that they cant afford to think in libertarian ways anymore, that they must start thinking not in terms of constitutional rights, but in terms of beating their spiritual enemies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

And one of the strengths of the concept of Christendom is its expansiveness. As long as youre pushing Christianity, youre in: Alliances can be formed among the United States Christian nationalist evangelicals, Hungarys hard-line Roman Catholics, and Putins Russian state-backed Orthodox priests. Vance himself is most closely allied with Catholic Integralistsmen who argue for a government ordered under a kind of Catholic monarchywhile Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth belongs to a Reformed evangelical network that is openly scornful of Catholicism and aspires to put the U.S. under a patriarchal theocracy. But while these two groups specific aims may seem mutually incompatible, both share a love of Crusader imagery and ideas.

Advertisement

What they have in common is this idea that there should be a Christendom, Jones said. If its Christendom versus Islam and the infidels, then folks like Orban can certainly come inside the tent. And Putin.

Advertisement

Experts noted, though, that having a religious-based international order is threatening to more than just minority religions. Its worth remembering that an essential part of Christendom is the idea not just that the people are Christian, but that the whole society is organized around Christianity, including the government. And that is an inherently anti-democratic idea.

They share this common culture war culture, Scheppele said of the U.S. and Hungary. But underneath it, its how to create power and hang on to it, so its not able to be wrested away.

Both critics and supporters of Orbans policies have described his government as a kind of laboratory for illiberalism: politics that reject pluralism and see the governments responsibility as creating a healthy society built on traditional values, rather than protecting minority rights and individual liberties. In an illiberal democracy, transparency and accountability arent major priorities. Orban hasnt just boosted Christian institutions; he has also suppressed critics and held on to power very successfully.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

So when Vance holds Orban up as a model leader, hes not just holding up his support for heterosexual marriage and Christian churches. Hes indicating the power itself is an inspiration.

They recognize their power is tenuous, said Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, a religion professor at Northeastern University who has experience studying right-wing Orthodox Christianity. So aligning with leaders who already have good models for how to control their political environment is crucial for someone like Vance.

At this point, as Riccardi-Swartz sees it, Trumps affinity for authoritarian politics isnt concerning to his base because these Christians have already bought into patriarchal structures as part of their understanding of a proper spiritual order. The wife obeys the husband; the husband obeys the government; the government obeys God. This doesnt read as strongman politics to them, she said. This is a man serving God, trying to make a moral society.

Advertisement

But that base may be fully misreading the situation. Talk of Christendom may appeal to a great number of Christians disillusioned by modern secular society, but it likely does little to motivate Trump himself, who is not particularly religious. Putin, certainly, is motivated by his own interests and not ideological ones. Orban, too, sees Christian policy as a political tool and not a driver of action, Scheppele said. As Scheppele sees things, the U.S.Hungary alliance, parallel to the HungaryRussia alliance, shows how much the Trump administration prioritizes practical transactional matters over ideology. Previous presidents would have balked at having such bedfellows. This Great Christian Civilization talk is a ruse for power plays, she said.

Advertisement

Were so used to thinking all these alliances are mostly ideological, and its true the Trump and Orban people repeat the same lines, she said. But I think the deeper connection is: Do the incumbents want to stay in power? And how do they learn to do that from the ones who have managed to pull that off?

Advertisement

Advertisement

But the big question remains one about Vance. Trump may be a casual Christian, but Vance clearly is not. He will soon publish an entire book about his conversion to Catholicism. As a potential future presidential candidate, Vance may take the MAGA movement in a new, even more ambitious direction when it comes to promoting Christianitys earthly dominance. Even if Trump himself cares only about secular power, Vance at least seems to have more spiritual concerns. Vances time in Hungary was an important reminder that Vance has a very particular understanding of the order of the world. Its Christendom against the godless.
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily.

Someone should brief President Donald Trump on the meaning of NATOnot just its value to Americas global presence and security ever since the alliance was formed in 1949 but also, more simply, what the treaty creating it says.

He would then learn that his pique at the NATO allies for not helping him in his war against Iranhis threat to pull out of the alliance, then, a bit less extremely, to withdraw troops from those countries that refused to help him send warplanes to bomb Iranhas no justification whatever.

Most people know about the centerpiece of NATOs treaty, Article 5, which states, An armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all. But they tend to ignore the words in the middle of that sentencean armed attack in Europe or North America.

The implication is that the obligation does not apply to attacks outside Europe or North America. In case anyone detects ambiguity in this clause, Article 6, though almost never cited, states the matter explicitly:

For the purpose of Article 5, an armed attack on one or more of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack:  on the territory of any of the Parties in Europe or North America  on the territory of Turkey or on the Islands under the jurisdiction of any of the Parties in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer;

 on the forces, vessels, or aircraft of any of the Parties, when in or over these territories or any other area in Europe  or the Mediterranean Sea or the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In other words, the NATO allies have no obligation to aid us (nor do we have any obligation to aid them) in a war that takes place outside the areas of the treatys jurisdictionin other words, that occurs in or over, for example, Iran or the Strait of Hormuz. And this leaves aside the fact that in Iran, the United States was not the object but the instigator of an unprovoked attack on another nation.

Advertisement

NATO wasnt there when we needed them, Trump pouted on social media on Wednesday. But had he known history, he wouldnt have expected NATO to be there in the first place.

Its worth noting that it was the American officials at the treatys drafting sessions who insisted on Article 6, so that the U.S. military would not get roped in to fight Europes colonial wars. (Europe still had colonies in 1949.) In any case, no American president has askedmuch less angrily pressuredthe European allies to help fight our own foreign wars in other parts of the world. Harry Truman didnt ask the NATO allies to help stave off the North Korean and Chinese invasions of South Korea. Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon didnt ask them to help fight alongside us in Vietnam. Not only did Eisenhower reject requests by Britain and France to help them occupy the Suez Canal in 1956, but he demanded that they withdraw from Suez and threatened to withhold all aid if they didnt.

Advertisement

Related From Slate There Are So Many Things Wrong With Trumps Two-Week Deadline to Negotiate Peace With Iran Read More

In retrospect, the Suez crisis is seen as a turning point in 20th-century history. It drove home the point that Britain and France, the main colonial powers in the decades before World War II, had lost their dominance and, from then on, would have to accede to the new Western superpower in Washington.

Advertisement

Some analysts see Trumps failure to rally allied support for his venture in Iran as postCold War Americas Suez moment. The parallel is imperfect. Germany, Spain, and Francewhose leaders most outspokenly refused to let their bases be used for Trumps warhave hardly displaced the United States as the Wests top power. China, which reportedly played a role in the talks for a ceasefire, is better positioned to take on that capacity. More likely, at least for the next several years, anarchy will prevail as American power and influence decline. Still, the Iran fiascoTrumps refusal to cooperate with allies, his obscenity-laden threats to bomb Iran back to the Stone Age, followed by his agreement to stop the war without achieving any of his objectives despite having unleashed his militarys most lethal bombs and missiles on more than 13,000 Iranian targetsmay be seen as a turning point in the American empires decline: the culmination of Trumps retreat from its traditional role as a guarantor of Western security and order.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its a turning point that Trump seems to savor. At his news conference this week, he said, Ive never been convinced by NATO, called the alliance a paper tiger, and added, Putins not afraid of NATO, though hes afraid of us. To the extent any of this is true, Trump was only digging our allies grave, practically inviting Vladimir Putin to invade them (perhaps after first conquering Ukraine, a goal Trump has also all but abandoned), especially since he was signaling that he might not come to their aid, Article 5 or no.

At his press conference on Tuesday, the president capped off his tirade against the NATO allies with a particularly petulant remark.

It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland. We want Greenland. They dont want to give it to us. And I said, Bye-bye.

This is an unserious man. I take back my suggestion at the top of this column that someone needs to brief Trump on what the NATO treaty says. It doesnt matter. He wouldnt listen anyway.
Stephen Nicholas Norris, Jr, of Cobb Island, Maryland, age 84, passed away peacefully on April 6, 2026, at the Charlotte Hall Veteran's Home, after a long, well-fought battle with cancer and Alzheimer's disease. He was born in Washington DC on September 10, 1941, to Stephen Nicholas Norris, Sr and Margaret Adelaide Norris (Jenkins).



Stevie, except for 4 years of honorable Military Service in the United States Marine Corps, enjoyed his life on Cobb Island, Maryland. He was very proud of his military time, serving in Viet Nam from 1965-1966; after attending bootcamp, training, and stationed among other places Parris Island, Camp Pendleton, and Camp Lejeune. His final station was Quantico, VA, where he commuted daily upon purchasing his first, last, and only home on his lovely Cobb Island.



Stevie was so proud of his service and being a USMC, that often we kids had to remind him that he had other "accomplishments" to be proud of -namely a wife, and four children. He also was very proud of the life of his father, as well as his own knowledge of and experiences on the water to include oystering, crabbing, and shucking houses, and his vast, random knowledge of history. He was very proud to be included in the oral history of oystering in Southern Maryland giving a recorded interview with the Calvert Marine Museum, along with some items for display at the museum. That made for many a family visit to the museum. His recording can be found online and was played numerous times at his bedside these past months.



His children could tell you how most (all) family vacations as young people were to historical museums and battlefields. The grandchildren could tell you how often he would take them to DC, to various museums and monuments, and Poppop parked often in spots that resulted in the car being pushed up over the curb during rush hour, sometimes also ticketed. All the kids, grands, nieces and nephews would remember his determination to visit the river as often as possible, whether just for the view, to check the tides and the conditions, or swim, fish, crab, and collect shells and rocks.



Stevie is preceded in death by his first love, Leonardine Vianney Norris (Murphy), who passed away after 49 years of marriage. He is also preceded in death by his siblings Nancy Giacalone (Mike); James Norris; David Terry Norris; and John Norris (Linda).



He is survived by his new love, Doris Jean Norris (Robertson) who was kind and steadfast in his care for his final years. They enjoyed many days traveling the local area, cooking together, and talking. And they enjoyed a meal at Horne's Restaurant often, as that was where they had their first date.



Stevie is also survived by his children Stephen Norris, III (Sherri); Jacqueline Norris-Johnston (Bob); Roger Norris (Angelica); and Christopher Norris; and his baby sister, Gloria Burley (Pat); and his sister-in-law Margaret Norris. Stevie also carries a legacy of grands and great-grands, who he adored, spoiled, and loved dearly including grandchildren Ernest Lenzy Oliver, Jr (Heather); Clarence Richardson (Ursula); David Alan Beckman, Jr; Jessica Norris; and great-grandchildren Bentley Oliver, Penelope Oliver, Keyon Campbell and Kamari Campbell. During his life, Stevie was able to spoil, antagonize, tease, or become a favorite to many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends of those family members.



Services will be held at Holy Ghost Catholic Church, 15848 Rock Point Road, Issue, MD 20664. Viewing will be held from 10-11 a.m., followed by Mass at 11 a.m. Burial will immediately follow Mass at the Holy Ghost Cemetery 12495 Swan Point Rd, Newburg MD 20664. Family and friends are invited to Repast immediately following at Cobb Island Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, 17069 Cobb Island Road, Cobb Island MD 20625.



In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations in Stevie's name to either Cobb Island Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, PO Box 156, Cobb Island MD 20625 or Calvert Marine Museum Society PO Box 97, Solomon's MD 20688



Pallbearers are Clarence Richardson, Lenzy Oliver, David Beckman, Ben Murphy, Bentley Oliver, Bob Johnston, and honorary Pallbearer Austin Fodor.
Ford Motor and other US automakers have asked the government for temporary relief from the 25% aluminum tariffs following fires at a key American supplier, creating major supply bottlenecks for vehicles.

The request comes as the largest domestic aluminum rolling plant, Novelis' Oswego facility in New York, works to recover from two fires last year.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that Ford petitioned the Trump administration, citing sources familiar with the discussions.

The automaker hopes the relief would last at least until the Oswego plant returns to full production, which is expected by June.

The facility provides aluminum sheets critical for vehicle production, especially for Ford trucks like the F-150.

A White House official told FOX Business, "While Ford and other automakers have raised supply concerns in light of the Novelis incident, they have not requested tariff relief on this matter in a particularly pronounced way."

Officials emphasized that the administration remains committed to a "nimble and nuanced approach to reshoring manufacturing critical to our national and economic security."

"US rejects aluminum tariff relief request from Ford"https://t.co/jFypu1NlqH

"While Novelis has been making up for lost production with aluminium from its plants in South Korea and Europe, the imported metal is subject to a 50% duty" pic.twitter.com/KYjObj1b2R  Scott Lincicome (@scottlincicome) April 8, 2026

Ford Faces $2 Billion Loss

Novelis has tried to offset the lost production by sourcing aluminum from its plants in South Korea and Europe.

However, those imports now face a 50% tariff under the Trump administration, adding to automakers' costs.

The plant also supplies other major automakers like Stellantis and General Motors, but Ford is the largest customer because of its trucks' aluminum-heavy bodies.

The supply disruptions have already had a financial impact. Ford previously warned that production could drop by up to 100,000 F-Series pickup trucks through the end of 2025, potentially costing the company as much as $2 billion, US News reported.

The aluminum shortage was one reason Ford revised its profit guidance for the year.

Trump administration officials have previously given some relief to automakers under national security tariffs, allowing companies to recoup part of the 25% duties on auto parts.

But for now, the latest requests tied to Novelis' fires have not been approved.

Industry analysts note that the aluminum shortage highlights the vulnerability of US automakers to domestic supply chain disruptions.

Originally published on vcpost.com
Florida prosecutors are seeking Tiger Woods' prescription drug records from a Palm Beach pharmacy as part of their investigation into his recent DUI arrest in Martin County. The subpoena, announced Tuesday, covers prescription medication records on file at Lewis Pharmacy from Jan. 1 through the end of last month.

Authorities want records showing when each prescription was filled, how many pills were dispensed, the dosage amounts, and any special instructions that came with the medication, including warnings about driving while taking it. The request is part of the case tied to Woods' arrest after a crash in Florida.

Woods, 50, was arrested after a vehicle collision in Florida and later pleaded not guilty to DUI charges. An arrest report said officers observed bloodshot eyes and extremely dilated pupils, and that two hydrocodone pills were found in his pants pocket, according to ABC News.

Woods has faced a DUI case before. In May 2017, police in Jupiter, Florida, found him asleep behind the wheel of a stopped car with the engine running, and he was arrested on suspicion of DUI after officers said he showed signs of impairment.

Woods said the episode was caused by an unexpected reaction to prescription medications, and a later toxicology report found several drugs in his system, including painkillers, Xanax, Ambien, and THC.

That 2017 case ended without a trial. Woods entered Palm Beach County's first-time DUI diversion program, which required probation, a fine, DUI school, and community service, and he later pleaded guilty to reckless driving in October 2017. Prosecutors said he had already completed some of the program's requirements before the case was resolved, ESPN reported.

The subpoena was filed in the 19th Judicial Circuit and would reach records from Lewis Pharmacy in Palm Beach, according to court documents cited by prosecutors and reported by multiple outlets. Any objections to the subpoena must be filed with the State Attorney's Office within 10 days.

Woods' attorney, Doug Duncan, and Lewis Pharmacy did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The crash occurred on a beachside residential road on Jupiter Island with a 30 mph speed limit, and prosecutors have also pointed to the vehicle's reported high speed before impact.

Woods agreed to a breath test that did not show signs of alcohol, but he refused a urine test, according to the arrest report, as per CBS News.

Originally published on Lawyer Herald
More than a year has passed since DeepSeek put Chinese AI on the map in early 2025 with a low-cost chatbot that performed at a similar level to US rivals (MLADEN ANTONOV)

More than a year has passed since DeepSeek put Chinese AI on the map in early 2025 with a low-cost chatbot that performed at a similar level to US rivals (MLADEN ANTONOV) (MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/AFP)

For weeks now, the global tech industry has been waiting for a major artificial intelligence launch from DeepSeek, seen as a benchmark for China's progress in the fast-moving field.

More than a year has passed since the startup put Chinese AI on the map in early 2025 with a low-cost chatbot that performed at a similar level to US rivals.

But despite reports and rumours about its imminent release, DeepSeek's next-generation "V4" model is nowhere in sight.

Advertisement Advertisement

Speculation is also swirling over the geopolitical implications of which computer chips were chosen to train and power the new system: world-leading US designs or made-in-China alternatives that the country is racing to develop.

"It's important to know because at one level, it is a signal of China's AI self-sufficiency trajectory," Wei Sun, principal AI analyst at Counterpoint Research, told AFP.

Tech news outlet The Information reported last week that V4 can be run on the latest chips made by China's Huawei.

Such a shift would mark a milestone for China in its bid to beat US restrictions on the export of top-of-the-range AI chips from Californian titan Nvidia to the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

The report cited five people with direct knowledge of large orders for Huawei chips, made in preparation for the DeepSeek launch by tech giants including Alibaba, ByteDance and Tencent.

AFP contacted DeepSeek, Huawei, Alibaba, ByteDance and Tencent but none were able to comment.

- 'Wake-up call' -

DeepSeek started life in 2023 as a side project of a hedge fund that had access to a cache of powerful Nvidia processors.

It shot to attention in January 2025 with its R1 deep-reasoning chatbot, which sent US tech shares tumbling with President Donald Trump calling it a "wake-up call" for American firms.

Advertisement Advertisement

R1 was based on DeepSeek's last major AI model, V3, which was released in December 2024.

The company's affordable, customisable AI tools have been widely adopted in China, and are also popular in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Stephen Wu, founder of the Carthage Capital fund, told AFP that V4 -- said to be multimodal, meaning it can generate text, pictures and video -- could again shock US tech valuations.

"I expect the upcoming DeepSeek V4 release will not just be a software update; it will be a highly capable, open-source model that handles massive context windows at a fraction of the cost," he predicted.

Advertisement Advertisement

But DeepSeek's reputation as a company at the frontier of AI technology is also at stake.

Its models previously relied on Nvidia chips, so a move to collaborate with domestic chipmakers would require "substantial re-engineering", Wei said.

"That transition can slow development cycles and introduce performance trade-offs, especially for V4, a model expected to be state-of-the-art."

- Training vs inference -

The US cites national security concerns as the reason for its export ban on Nvidia's most powerful AI processors to China.

"The ongoing wait for DeepSeek V4 points to friction in scaling advanced models without unrestricted access to top-tier Nvidia hardware," Wu said.

Advertisement Advertisement

But some reports allege that DeepSeek skirted the ban to train V4 using thousands of Nvidia's top-end Blackwell chips, dismantled in third countries and smuggled to China.

Training AI models requires huge amounts of computing power -- much more than for processing generative AI queries, which is known as inference.

AFP has contacted DeepSeek for comment. Nvidia did not respond to a comment request but told The Information it had not seen evidence of this and "such smuggling seems farfetched".

Another Chinese AI startup, Zhipu, in January unveiled an image generator that it said had been entirely trained on Huawei chips.

Advertisement Advertisement

And Alibaba said this week it would open a new data centre for AI training and inference in southern China, powered by 10,000 of its own chips and operated by China Telecom.

As for DeepSeek, "if they have successfully trained V4 entirely on Huawei silicon, it signals a material shift in the geopolitical tech landscape", Wu said.

kaf-ll/lkd/lga
With days to go before a crucial election, will Brussels actions against Hungary over rule-of-law concerns sway voters?

As Hungary approaches parliamentary elections on 12 April, which polling suggests could oust Prime Minister Viktor Orban after 16 years in power, his government has once again become a focal point of tensions with the European Union.

Budapests recent decision to block a 90-billion-euro EU loan package for Ukraine has frustrated member states seeking unity at a critical geopolitical moment.

Behind these diplomatic clashes, roughly 18 billion euros in European funds remain frozen over rule-of-law concerns.

Analysts suggest that beyond the financial stakes, the Hungarian case highlights a broader challenge: EU sanctions are not only legal or economic tools, but also political messages whose impact depends on how they are understood by the public.

Sanctions are only as effective as the narratives that accompany them. And in that arena, Brussels may be fighting with one hand tied behind its back.

Sanctions on Trial

Soso Makaradze, a researcher at the Salzburg Center of European Union Studies, has closely examined how EU rule-of-law sanctions (technically known as the conditionality mechanism) resonate within Hungary  and how political framing shapes public perception.

In an interview, he describes the European Commissions activation of the power to impose financial penalties on over Budapests failure to uphold its rule-of-law principles in 2022 as a historic shift, noting that the EU for decades had abstained from using financial leverage against its member states internally.

Makaradze argues that the final design of the sanctions package reflects political compromise. An earlier proposal was much bolder, but because of the impossibility to reach consensus among member states, it was significantly watered down. A German compromise at the end of 2020, with the help of Angela Merkel, changed the text considerably, he says.

The result was not a sweeping values-based enforcement tool, but a narrower fiscal instrument.

The commission has to credibly document all the breaches it identifies and show that these breaches have a direct impact on the sound financial management of the EU budget, Makaradze explains.

This legal framing can be difficult to communicate to a wider public. Some terms are not easily understood outside policy circles. How many people know what sound financial management means?

Legally, the bar is set high: the EU must show that governance deficiencies in Hungary directly threaten taxpayers money. Not every rule-of-law concern automatically counts, and this technical precision, while necessary for credibility, can make the issue abstract and inaccessible to the public.

A possible approach, then, is not to dilute the law but to translate it, Makaradze suggests. Instead of invoking complex terms, the Commission could explain which funds are frozen, which projects are delayed, and what reforms would release them.

By turning legal jargon into tangible consequences, Brussels could preserve its institutional authority while giving citizens a clear, relatable understanding of the stakes.

Because when clarity is missing, alternative narratives quickly fill the space  and in a highly polarized environment, that gap becomes politically decisive.

Rules vs. Rhetoric

While the EU explains conditionality in regulatory terms, in Hungary that vacuum has been filled with political framing.

Government officials starting with Orban have consistently presented the sanctions as an attack on Hungary. Former Justice Minister Judit Varga, for example, publicly characterized EU rule-of-law procedures as politically motivated and framed the sanctions as a punishment from the EU for Hungarys pro-Christian policies, its child protection law, or its opposition to migration quotas  narratives that appear frequently in domestic political contexts.

If the governments framing dominates public discourse, is there room for an alternative narrative? Makaradze and colleagues surveyed 2,000 Hungarians in 2023. As expected, the responses reflected a high level of polarization. Domestic debates were pretty much divided along pro-government and pro-opposition lines. Government supporters tended to blame the EU for sanctions, while opposition supporters mostly blamed their own government. Makaradze sees a clear partisan divide.

Yet polarization is not absolute. Makaradze and colleagues found the non-aligned respondents particularly interesting. They comprised 41% of the whole sample. Their opinions were not polarized along partisan lines and, thus, most likely to still be open to other influences, Makaradze says, noting that this gives an indication that there is room for alternative communication on sanctions.

Communication does not happen on neutral terrain. Hungarys media landscape is overwhelmingly dominated by government narratives. While journalists are not systematically prosecuted, structural imbalances and smear campaigns create what Makaradze calls an unfair balance.

Meanwhile, the EU remains largely absent from digital platforms. The future of this communication struggle will depend on reaching broader societal groups  especially young people, he argues.

When Brussels communicates in technical, legalistic terms while Budapest delivers a vivid, emotional narrative, it is the latter that captures public attention and shapes perceptions more effectively.

Legitimacy Lost: When Sanctions Backfire

Kinga Koranyi, a Hungarian political scientist at the University of Wroclaw, explains how EU interventions can falter when communication fails.

A lot of people think these are tools to protect values, but legally they are tied to protecting the budget, Koranyi says. A better angle would have been to frame it as a mismanagement of funds, she believes.

She argues that if the mechanism is about fiscal protection, frame it around transparency and corruption. Making the point that Arguing that Hungary doesnt respect values is subjective  corruption is something people understand, Koranyi suggests that when citizens perceive violations of norms they value, they may be willing to hold governments accountable.

The European Commission has not done a really good job in communicating effectively to its citizens, she argues, and seems to forget that Hungarian citizens are EU citizens as well.

In the early years of EU sanctions, public understanding lagged. The mechanism was incredibly legal and technical, she recalls  so complex that even journalists attended workshops to follow it. Many citizens simply did not grasp what was happening. Its fascinating  we think this must be a big contentious issue, but its simply not.

But with an election looming around the corner, even an issue most voters barely notice can become a powerful political weapon.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance gestures after delivering remarks at the Hungarian-American Friendship Day event in Budapest on 7 April. Prime Minister Viktor Orban also attended, days before a critical election that Vance says Washington is not trying to interfere with. Photo by Marton Monus / Reuters.

Elections in the Shadow of Sanctions

As election day approaches in Hungary, EU sanctions continue to cast a politically charged shadow. The European Commission has temporarily softened its stance, deliberately avoiding sharp criticism of Orban to prevent giving him political ammunition.

Hungary relies heavily on Russian oil, primarily transported via the Druzhba pipeline, which Ukraine is currently blocking. Orban and his government have framed their veto of the 90-billion-euro EU loan to Ukraine as a response to what they describe as Ukraines political blackmail over the pipeline, stating Hungary will not support EU decisions favoring Kyiv until oil transit resumes.

A permanent EU ban on Russian oil imports tentatively set to take effect on 15 April  just three days after the vote, in what some saw as a tactical move  was postponed in late March as the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran sent global oil markets into turmoil.

Opposition leader Peter Magyar, whose Tisza party currently leads the polls, has made unlocking EU funds central to his campaign, but public understanding of the sanctions remains limited.

The commission fears that Orban could use this to mobilize public opinion against the EU. There is a potential for public backlash, Makaradze fears. Sanctions have featured into the campaign rhetoric.

Koranyi notes that the topic is largely absent from mainstream debate: This is something that Orban will definitely want to forget. So thats why we havent been seeing this issue of the frozen EU funds on the news very often.

Past attempts to frame frozen funds as a deserved consequence of government corruption, such as those by the opposition Momentum party in the 2024 European Parliament elections, proved unpopular and contributed to the partys collapse. Today, opposition parties tread carefully: they may occasionally mention the sanctions but cannot fully endorse them without alienating voters.

For the EU, the Hungarian case highlights an ongoing challenge identified by several analysts  how to maintain legal credibility while also communicating complex policies in ways that resonate with citizens across member states.

Makaradze suggests the issue could offer strategic opportunities for opposition forces. This could be a strong message for the Hungarian opposition, but only if communicated strategically, accounting for limited public awareness and the governments control over narratives.

As a Hungarian herself, Koranyi concludes that Hungarian voters are not really in the know about this. They dont really care. They dont understand it. Its not a very super-duper politicized issue.

Sian Olislagers is an editorial intern at Transitions. He is studying for a bachelors in international journalism at the Artevelde University of Applied Sciences.
Nepals mountain tourism industry is facing fresh scrutiny after a major investigation into fake rescues and insurance fraud drew global attention. The findings also fueled disputed allegations that some trekking guides may have intentionally made foreign climbers ill to justify expensive helicopter evacuations.

Nepal Police have investigated an alleged scheme involving staged rescues, falsified medical records, inflated hospital charges, and fraudulent insurance claims linked to trekking and climbing operations from 2022 to 2025. The Associated Press reported that authorities say rescue companies, travel operators, and medical providers were all part of the network, with suspected losses approaching $20 million.

The poisoning allegation, however, remains unconfirmed. After the claim circulated widely in international coverage, Nepal Polices Central Investigation Bureau said it had found no evidence so far that guides in the Everest region poisoned tourists in order to trigger fraudulent evacuations, according to The Kathmandu Post. Arrests and charges support the broader rescue fraud case, but the poisoning claim has not been established based on the latest public statement from investigators.

Nepal Police Say Fake Helicopter Rescues And Insurance Fraud Reached Millions

The confirmed heart of the scandal is a rescue fraud operation that authorities say exploited one of the most sensitive parts of Himalayan travel: emergency evacuations. Per The Associated Press, Nepals Central Investigation Bureau arrested executives from travel and mountain rescue companies earlier this year, accusing them of filing fake claims for helicopter flights, hospital treatment, and other emergency services. Investigators said fraudulent documents included helicopter manifests, cargo records, medical invoices, and hospital reports.

Advertisement Advertisement

The Kathmandu Post later reported that a case had been filed against thirty-two individuals in connection with the wider scheme. The alleged fraud took advantage of the realities of trekking and climbing in Nepal. Helicopter evacuations are often necessary in remote mountain regions where roads are limited and altitude-related medical problems can escalate quickly. Climbers seeking permits for high-altitude expeditions must also show proof of insurance that covers rescue costs.

That system is designed to protect travelers, but investigators say it also created an opening for false claims that were difficult for overseas insurers to verify in real time. Authorities told The Associated Press that some companies fabricated a significant share of the rescues they billed, leading to millions of dollars in disputed payouts.

Poisoning Reports Spread Internationally, But The Claim Remains Unconfirmed

The most dramatic part of the story came from allegations that some guides intentionally gave climbers substances that would mimic altitude sickness or other medical distress, helping create a false emergency that could justify an evacuation. But Nepal Police have since publicly pushed back. The Kathmandu Post said the Central Investigation Bureau had found no evidence to support the claim that guides poisoned tourists. However, authorities say the rescue scam damaged Nepals tourism reputation and exposed serious weaknesses in how emergency evacuations, billing, and insurance oversight work in the countrys trekking industry.







The post Nepal Fake Rescue Scam Draws Global Attention After Disputed Poisoning Claims appeared first on Travel Noire.
If you think booking a flight guarantees you a seat on the aircraft, Im sorry to break it to you: It does not. Youve probably heard of overbooked flights, but its easy to forget theyre still very much a thing. Overbooking happens when airlines oversell a flight and more passengers show up than there are seats. When that happens, some passengers may be denied boarding.

Why do airlines do this, and how do they decide who gets bumped? Heres what to know:

Heres why airlines overbook flights

Since no-shows and last-minute changes are so common, airlines overbook flights to avoid empty seats. For instance, many business travelers change their plans at the last minute. And if youre on a connecting flight and miss it due to a delay, the airline may end up with an empty seat.

Advertisement Advertisement

Instead of taking that loss, airlines overbook flights to account for those gaps rather than raising prices across the board. In the U.S., overbooking is legal and regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT), so this is still very much a thing.

How do airlines choose who gets bumped?

They ask for volunteers

At first, airlines will ask for volunteers to give up their seats. Youll usually see staff at the gate looking for people who dont mind taking a later flight in exchange for compensation, typically cash, vouchers or travel credits.

If not enough people accept, airlines may increase the offer until they get enough volunteers. If they still cant find enough people, this is when things start getting serious and the situation moves to involuntary denied boarding, where passengers are selected and bumped against their will.

They review check-in times

Airlines usually follow internal boarding priority rules to decide who gets bumped first. Check-in timing is one of the main factors they use to determine who gets forced off a flight. According to the DOT, airlines have the right to decide their own selection process when involuntary bumping happens.

Advertisement Advertisement

When it comes to check-in timing, passengers who check in late are usually the first to be bumped. So, if you want to avoid that on your next trip, make sure to check in as soon as it opens, usually 24 hours before departure. Its also a good idea to arrive at the airport on time and be at the gate before boarding starts.

They look at ticket types

Yes, your wallet talks. Airlines absolutely care how much you paid. As a result, if you booked a lower fare (aka basic economy), youre more likely to be bumped on an overbooked flight. Meanwhile, those who splurged on business class, first class or flexible tickets and paid a whole lot more are far less likely to be touched.

Some carriers, such as Delta, explicitly state in their policies that fare class is part of the boarding priority system they use to decide who gets bumped.

They check frequent flier status

Loyalty pays off. When things go sideways on an overbooked flight, that loyalty can quietly save your seat. This means that elite frequent flyers are usually prioritized and protected. If youve got status, youre basically in the safe zone. Frequent flier programs are designed to reward high-value customers with perks like priority boarding, upgrades and preferential treatment during disruptions. This also applies to overbooking situations.

They consider routes, connections and final destinations

This one is logical. Passengers with tight or complex connections are usually protected. Why? Because bumping them can trigger a domino effect. There will be missed flights, operational chaos, rebooking headaches, hotel costs and more problems that airlines want to avoid.

Advertisement Advertisement

On the other hand, nonstop travelers, or those flying directly from destination A to destination B with no connections, are easier to move. Airlines can rebook them much faster. The final destination also plays a role, since international itineraries are more sensitive. Long-haul and cross-border trips are harder and more expensive to fix if disrupted.

They think through group size and seating logistics

Some airline policies, such as those from Air Canada, explicitly prioritize passengers traveling with family members, unaccompanied minors or those with special needs. This helps avoid separating groups or creating more complicated situations. So yes, being a solo traveler can sometimes work against you, since youre more likely to be bumped on an overbooked flight.
A former FedEx driver pleaded guilty this week to the killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand in Wise County, Texas, admitting to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping as his trial was set to begin.

Tanner Lynn Horner, 33, entered the plea in a Tarrant County courtroom and now faces a punishment phase in which jurors will decide between life without parole and the death penalty. Prosecutors said Horner abducted Athena on Nov. 30, 2022, while delivering a package to her family's home in Paradise, near Fort Worth.

According to court records and reporting on the case, Horner told investigators he accidentally hit Athena with his FedEx truck while backing out of the driveway, then panicked and took her away. Authorities later said he led them to her body, which was found two days after she was reported missing in a rural area southeast of Boyd, according to the New York Post.

Investigators said digital evidence helped track Horner after the child disappeared. Prosecutors have said the evidence did not support his claim that the death was accidental, and they argued that he tried to cover up what happened after taking the girl from her home.

Prosecutors also told jurors they believe Athena was likely sexually assaulted, saying the evidence points to additional abuse beyond the kidnapping and killing. Reporting from the courtroom said prosecutors pointed to DNA evidence and the condition in which Athena's body was found as part of that argument, People reported.

The plea brought a sudden end to the expected guilt phase of the trial and shifted the case directly to sentencing. During opening statements, Wise County District Attorney James Stainton said the only truthful statement Horner made was that he killed Athena.

Athena's family attended court, and her mother, Maitlyn Gandy, later said the plea spared them from a long trial. CBS News Texas reported that Athena's stepmother told jurors the package Horner delivered contained a Christmas gift for the child.

FedEx said it cooperated with law enforcement during the investigation and expressed sympathy for the family. The company also said Horner had passed a background check before working as a driver and was fired after his arrest, as per CBS News.

Originally published on Lawyer Herald
I've traveled across Italy, and though I love its cities, the country's small towns have my heart.

Some of my favorite small towns in Italy are Barga, which has amazing views and wine, and Termoli.

Elsewhere, Pizzo is my favorite beach town in Calabria, and Torre di Palme has a bit of everything.

As much as I love traveling to new places, it never takes more than a twist of my arm to go back to Italy.

I've visited every Italian region, most of them at least twice. As I've had the great privilege of exploring Italy in greater depth, I've also gotten a bit jaded about the major hot spots and grown more fond of classic Italian small-town charm.

Don't get me wrong: Those major cities like Rome and Florence are iconic for a reason. Whenever I return to them, though, I feel a sense of frustration about the overpriced food, crowds so rampant that I find myself clutching onto my bag for dear life, and an atmosphere that often caters to tourists.

Advertisement Advertisement

When you visit small towns in Italy, though, being one of the few tourists around can help you get a taste of the locals' everyday life, which  in my opinion  creates a meaningful and more personal experience.

So, if you're looking to get out of the major cities and connect with true Italian life, head to one of these towns instead.

Pizzo has tons of local charm  and delicious desserts

captiontk Kaitlyn Rosati

Calabria's Tropea has become quite the popular beach haven in recent years, and for good reason. The coasts of Calabria are some of the most picturesque in all of Italy, with rocky white marbled sand and seas so blue they might as well be on a postcard.

As much as I love Tropea, it's often packed with tourists, so if you're looking for a beach town in Calabria that still preserves local charm, nearby Pizzo ought to do the trick.

Advertisement Advertisement

It's not just the beaches that make Pizzo such a great spot, though. Pizzo is home to the tartufo di Pizzo, a decadent chocolate gelato-filled dessert coated in cocoa powder. You can try one at Gelateria Dante, the famed sweet shop that's credited with creating it.

While walking around, you'll also want to check out artisan markets selling hand-painted ceramics, and hit a trattoria to try 'nduja, a spicy salami spread typical of the Calabrian region.

Torre di Palme is a gem tucked away in Marche

captiontk Kaitlyn Rosati

If you ask an Italian about the most underrated region in Italy, they might mention Marche.

Marche is in central Italy and has a little bit of everything: rolling mountains and vineyards, impeccable coastlines, and castle-filled medieval villages.

Advertisement Advertisement

Out of the many towns I've visited in the region, Torre di Palme  or "Tower of Palms"  offers a perfect mesh of Marche's best offerings. This medieval village is perched high above the sea, so much so that it's been dubbed the "Balcony of the Adriatic."

True to its name, Torre di Palme is indeed full of palm trees, which adds a tropical feel to its historic cobblestone streets. While here, make sure to try olive all'ascolana, a deep-fried, meat-stuffed olive that's one of the most common dishes of the Marche region.

My favorite part of Tuscany is a small Scottish enclave

bargatkt JannHuizenga/Getty Images

Advertisement Advertisement

When I saw Scottish flags around Barga, a small town in Tuscany, my interest was immediately piqued.

I learned that many Italians left Barga for Scotland in the early 1900s, but over time, a lot of them returned, marrying the two cultures right in Tuscany.

Although Barga is known as "the most Scottish town in Italy," it still feels distinctly Tuscan  even though it's not unusual to see fish and chips on a menu or hear a Scottish accent, like my guide had when I hiked throughout Bagni di Lucca.

I recommend checking out Duomo di San Cristoforo, the main Roman Catholic church in town, which offers panoramic views of the rolling hills of Tuscany. And if you fancy some vino, Podere Concori is one of my favorite wineries in the country.

Termoli is a charming beach town in one of Italy's lesser-explored regions

captiontk Kaitlyn Rosati

Did you know there's an "Italian region that doesn't exist?" Well, not really, but that's what locals will tell you when you mention Molise, one of the smallest and least-visited regions in the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Molise was the final region I visited, and though I was tempted to visit the region's capital, Campobasso, it was peak summer, and I was craving the water. So, I looked at a map and saw a place called Termoli.

Though I went into Termoli knowing nothing, I fell in love quickly. It's a small beach town with under 35,000 residents, and the most convenient spot in the country for catching a ferry to another Italian best-kept secret, the Tremiti Islands.

Food-wise, Termoli is also home to some of my favorite gelato in the country. You can also try typical Molisana cuisine here, like caciocavallo cheese and fusilli pasta.

For a slice of history while in town, make sure to head to Castello di Svevo, an old castle perched right near the town's main beach. Only in Italy could you lounge out on a beach chair with a spritz in hand to look up and see a castle.

Advertisement Advertisement

Read the original article on Business Insider
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Kansas City International Airport (KCI) is making changes to its security queue line late Thursday night, creating a new configuration just in time for weekend travelers.

Starting Friday morning, KCI will have a redesigned security queue layout, which will centralize the entry point and place the general boarding, TSA Precheck, TSA touchless ID and one of the two ADA accessible lanes next to each other.

See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri

Advertisement Advertisement

The new setup will be near the midpoint of the check-in hall, and CLEAR customers will continue to have their entry lanes on either end of the security queuing area.

The Kansas City Aviation Department announced the change on Thursday morning and said travelers can expect the new configuration process to begin overnight.

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.
Holidaymakers stroll along the beach in Bophut on the Thai island of Ko Samui. This year, tourist numbers on the island have plummeted due to the war in Iran. Carola Frentzen/dpa

Thailand's tourist numbers are dropping just as the country heads into its most important festival of the year, with industry representatives reporting sharply lower bookings as travel costs soar due to the energy crisis triggered by the Iran war.

The traditional New Year celebrations of Songkran (April 13 to 15) mark a peak season for tourism, with millions of people usually travelling around the country while holidaymakers from around the world take part in massive water fights.

But the mood is subdued this year, with tour operators reporting cancellations and weak demand nationwide. High fuel prices and expensive flights are dampening the desire to travel.

Advertisement Advertisement

"The longer fuel prices keep rising, the quieter travel becomes," the newspaper The Nation quoted Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), as saying.

Media reports said a sharp drop in visitor numbers is expected particularly from Europe and that the ceasefire now agreed in the Iran war is unlikely to change that.

The slump is particularly evident on Ko Samui, an island popular with Western tourists. Bookings there have fallen by around 50%, the newspaper Khaosod reported, citing industry representatives.

Ferries and flights have become significantly more expensive and international tickets have in some cases almost doubled, the paper quoted Ratchaporn Poolsawat, vice-president of the Thai Tourism Association, as saying. Food and everyday costs have also risen by at least 20%, it said.

Advertisement Advertisement

The government is now responding to the energy crisis with possible austerity measures. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced plans to restrict petrol station opening hours in future to save fuel.

The plan is to limit the sale of petrol and diesel at night between 10 pm and 5 am. However the measure is only to be implemented after Songkran in order not to place an additional burden on holiday travel.

Countries in Asia are particularly affected by the Iran war. Because of missing oil deliveries and higher energy prices, other governments in the region have already introduced austerity measures.

Even after the ceasefire now agreed, it remains unclear when oil transports will once again be able to pass through the key Strait of Hormuz without disruption.
The Employers Consultative Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ECA) has raised concerns about the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2026, warning that aspects of the proposed changes could affect business stability, job creation and the ease of doing business.

Minister of Labour, Small and Micro Enterprise Development Leroy Baptiste brought the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2026 to the Senate on Friday.
After a recent Instagram post got a lot of politically charged comments, South Korean actor Jo In Sung is getting a lot of online criticism. This shows how past comments can come back to haunt you when public opinion changes.

The issue is about an Instagram post from March 20 in which Jo thanked a health product company he had been promoting for six years. The message itself was normal, but the response was not.

As of April 5, the post had gotten more than 2,200 comments, which is a lot more than the 900 and 200 comments that his earlier posts in February got. People who were watching said that a lot of the answers referred to his earlier comments about exchange rates during a time when politics were very sensitive.

Koreaboo says that the backlash seems to be connected to Jo's remarks about the Korean won's exchange rate after the declaration of martial law on December 3. At the time, Jo discussed how hard it was to make money while filming abroad.

Jo and director Ryu Seung Wan went on MBC's "Questions with Sohn Suk Hee" on March 4 to talk about their movie "Humint." The director said that filming in Latvia started right after the declaration and that "the exchange rate started to rise at that time."

READ MORE: Jo In Sung To Reunite With 'Smugglers' Director In New Film  Here's What We Know

Jo said, "That was the biggest issue," explaining that "the increase in production costs was especially critical since we had to stay overseas."

As more and more people criticized him, some Instagram users asked why he wasn't talking about changes in the exchange rate. One person said, "You said you couldn't film movies because the exchange rate rose during martial lawso why are you silent now when it's in the mid-1,500 won range? Prices are much higher than back then. You should speak up."

Prices are much higher now than they were then. You should say something. Someone else said, "The exchange rate is around 1,520 won nowcare to say something? Is it fine now? The country's falling apart."

More comments said the same thing. "The exchange rate is skyrocketing like crazy right nowdid we lose the country or what? Why don't you share your thoughts now?" one user wrote. Another said, "You made a big deal when it hit 1,400 during martial lawwhat about 1,500 now? Please say something consistently."

Others questioned his stance more directly, with one comment reading, "Jo In Sung, what do you think about the exchange rate right now? Just say one word."

Hani's reports suggest that these kinds of online reactions are a sign of bigger problems related to politics and the economy, where public figures are being watched more closely for inconsistencies.

There were also people who spoke out in support of the criticism. Some users on the online community theqoo defended the actor and criticized the backlash, according to discussions that were put together.

One person said, "What they're doing isn't helpful to anyone at all, but he handled it well LOL. What exactly improves by acting like that?" Another said, "Why, though??? Why are they acting like this all of a sudden?!""

Other encouraging comments included "Please sue them. Money is the best remedy," and "Looks like the political trolls showed up on his Instagram."

The incident shows that celebrity statements can be looked at and framed in new ways as political and economic situations change.

READ MORE: Jo In Sung Dating History: 'Escape from Mogadishu' Star Once Blamed his Fame for Being Single
In Mexico, we say this is the time of women, and this is particularly true for both the Mexi
Trump had issued a Tuesday night deadline for Iran to make a deal or face attacks on its power plants and bridges.

He escalated his threats against civilians that morning. A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I dont want that to happen, but it probably will, the president wrote on his social media platform hours before his 8 p.m. Eastern deadline Tuesday.

Then, he announced a ceasefire deal about 90 minutes before the deadline. He agreed to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks starting Wednesday on the condition that Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz.

Grijalva said Trump violated the (U.S.) Constitution in getting us into this war in the first place without approval from Congress and he cannot be trusted to protect American national security," she said.

On the contrary, hes actively jeopardizing our safety, she continued. Hes openly threatening to commit genocide and violate international law. And when we think about the United States role historically in the world, (now) we have national leaders that are looking to us saying we cant trust the United States. And we have what used to be our allies actively walking away from us.

Were talking about a war that has fully engulfed the Middle East, and Trump is just unhinged and deranged and there is no logic to any of it, Grijalva said, calling the ceasefire deal precarious.
Even with all that, the data from DES that the new report cites shows a continued sharp decline in food stamp recipients, down from 598,852 in December to 485,460 in February.

But Slater said that other states, for whatever reason, may not have yet made the same changes as Arizona in screening to reduce their error rates. He predicted that the decline in food stamp recipients that is showing up now in Arizona is just a precursor to what will be reflected in data from other states in coming months.

That's also the assessment of DES spokesman Brett Bezio.

"It is important to note that we believe most of the impact of the changes from HR 1 have been realized, and we will begin to see consistency in the SNAP caseload in the months ahead,'' he said. "As other states fully implement the provisions of HR 1 and Arizona stabilizes, we expect differences in caseload decline between other states to more closely align."

Bezio also said Hobbs has requested an additional $48.4 million for DES for the coming budget year, including 146 new employees. He said that should cut delays as well as help ensure the state gets below the error rate at which point there would be penalties.

There is, of course, a political angle to all of this.

Slater, spokesman for the Democratic governor, said what is happening in Arizona  and what he believes will soon occur in other states  is precisely what was intended by the Republican Trump administration.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, in announcing a 3.3 million reduction in SNAP recipients, called it "a signal that the federal government is once again working for the American public.''
South Korean actress Han Chae-young has embraced the rising popularity of TikTok Live, joining the ranks of celebrities who are now hosting broadcasts on the platform. This has gotten a lot of attention as people continue to talk online about how much money people are making on the platform.

On April 2, Han did her first TikTok Live stream. She talked to people in real time while she got used to how the platform worked. The broadcast is said to have lasted until the early hours of the next day and included a joint appearance by MC Mong, which made it even more visible.

More actors are looking for new ways to connect with audiences because there aren't as many traditional acting jobs available. During her livestream, Han talked directly to fans through comments, which indicates that she is becoming more interactive with them.

Xportsnews says that interest in TikTok Live grew after reports that actor Park Si-hoo made about 500 million won (about $370,000 USD) through the site. This led to a lot of speculation about other celebrities who might be able to do the same.

People who watched the broadcast also talked about Han's appearance. Viewers noted that her face appeared slightly altered, possibly due to the automatic filters frequently employed during livestreams.

READ MORE: Han Chae Young Signs On For Two Projects That Focus On Her Beauty

According to Naver, Han's move to TikTok Live is part of a larger trend of actors trying out new digital platforms. Two public figures who have also used livestreaming to stay in the public eye and talk to fans are Lim Ju-hwan and Jang Su-won.

Those in the know have linked this shift to extended periods of unemployment for actors.

Han, who was in the 2024 drama "Scandal" and the movie "City of Evil," hasn't been in the news much lately, so her move to TikTok Live is a big deal.

In the meantime, people online are still talking a lot about Park Si-hoo's case. The reported earnings, initially cited as 500 million won but later revised to roughly $370,000 USD, have sparked curiosity about the potential income for established actors on livestreaming platforms.

A news story talked about the bigger picture of the trend. It said, "Stars whose acting careers have slowed down are increasingly turning to TikTok Live as a new channel for communication."

People have different opinions on this. Some people are worried that there are fewer acting jobs, while others are happy that they can talk to their favorite stars on social media.

The analysis of people's online feelings didn't provide a clear understanding. It said that "diverse reactions, ranging from expressing disappointment over the lack of acting work to satisfaction at being able to keep up with their recent activities."

The outlet's coverage stressed that TikTok Live gives celebrities a way to stay relevant and connect with fans, even when they're not on traditional media.

As Han Chae-young joins the platform, people are still wondering if her participation is just a short-term test or the start of a longer-term change in how actors connect with fans.

READ MORE: Han Chae Young Elegant Chic Fashion for InStyle 2013 March Issue [PHOTOS]
Ketamine Queen sentenced to 15 years over Matthew Perry death

Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the "Ketamine Queen," is one of 5 people who officials say supplied ketamine to actor Matthew Perry.

Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the Ketamine Queen has been sentenced to 15 years in a California prison for selling drugs that led to the death of actor Matthew Perry in 2023.

Sangha, 42, pleaded guilty last September to five charges, including one count of distributing ketamine resulting in death or bodily injury.

BBC reports prosecutors described the American-British dual-nationals North Hollywood home as a drug-selling emporium  selling a range of drugs to wealthy and well-connected clients.

Perry, who had struggled with addiction for years, was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home in October 2023. Investigators determined his death was caused by the acute effects of ketamine.

Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects and is supposed to be administered only by a physician.

Sangha sobbed as relatives of Perry addressed the court, before the judge announced her sentence. Sangha initially denied the charges but agreed to change her plea in August, just weeks before her trial was scheduled to begin.

Given her opportunity to address the court, Sangha admitted that her poor decisions had shattered peoples lives, and that she was deeply ashamed and sorry for what she did.

Perrys stepmother Debbie Perry said in a victim impact statement, You caused this You who has talent for business enough to make money chose the one way that hurts people, she said. Please give this heartless woman the maximum prison sentence so she wont be able to hurt other families like ours.

She faced a maximum sentence of 65 years in federal prison, according to the justice department.

Sangha is one of five people  including medical doctors and the actors assistant  who US officials say supplied ketamine to Perry, exploiting his drug addiction for profit, and leading to his overdose death.

The other four also agreed to plead guilty to charges in the case.
One Born Every Minute gets revival

8 years on, cameras will return to British public hospital system.

8 years after it was last seen, UK observational series One Born Every Minute is headed back to the maternity ward.

Broadcaster E4 has recommissioned the show which ran from 2010  2018, winning a BAFTA as Best Factual Series.

The show follows a fixed-rig format in public hospitals, highlighting a modern Britain, evolving family dynamics, advances in maternity care and the challenges faced by NHS staff in 2026.

A new 12 part series also aims to bring fresh stories and diverse voices to the experience of childbirth.

One Born Every Minute screened in Australia on SBS and 10. An Australian version by Endemol Shine Australia filmed at Sydneys Westmead Hospital and screened for one season on 10.
Where could Wentworth go next?

A baby for 'Boomer', a legal career for Franky? Life on the outside will be very different for Wentworth characters.

When Foxtel announced Wentworth: The Next Chapter at the recent AACTA Awards it took the fanbase by delirious surprise.

Danielle Cormack, who famously reimagined Bea Smith in the acclaimed drama series, told fans A new series in the Wentworth universe is coming to Binge and Foxtel.

The journey continues beyond the prison walls, into the unpredictable reality of life on parole. It is a story about survival, redemption and the hope of renewal.

And the best news is, much-loved characters are returning to the show

She added, Sadly not me because I was relentlessly shanked 16 times with a prison shiv, ruthlessly by The Freak.

The formal announcement also noted, The Binge original series will feature characters and draw elements from Wentworth, while forging its own narrative, adding a slight wording variation, At its heart, it is a story of survival, resilience, and hope, even when the odds are stacked against you.

Wentworth ended in 2021 with Foxtel seeking to develop new dramas: High Country, Colin from Accounts, Love Me, The Twelve, Run, The Last Anniversary, MixTape. Its Newport location, originally a TAFE college, was demolished and sets removed.

But Foxtel had never ruled out more from the Wentworth universe, one that began with Network 10s Prisoner in 1978. Few Australian dramas can boast such evolution and an ability to remain relevant.

I think its an obvious question, the late Brian Walsh told me in 2021.

I dont think necessarily, wed recreate Wentworth Correctional Centre but I think that world is still tantalising and attractive.

Indeed Walsh recalled being told by Tom Warne, once a program director at Network 10, there were two surefire narratives that would work for Australian audiences.

He said to me, You cant go wrong with two areas of story: the outback, because its foreign, but its at their doorstep. It works globally, because people are fascinated by the Australian outback.

And stories about women in captivity.'

Walsh recalled, He referenced two shows, one of them being of course Prisoner and the other being Brides of Christ. And he said, You get the best and worst of people. And you get the best and worst of women, when you explore their behaviour when theyre in a captive space like that.'

The new Wentworth chapter will look beyond the prison walls to parole and bring back favourite characters.

An IMDb listing briefly listed Katrina Milosevic (Boomer), Nicole da Silva (Franky) and Libby Tanner (Bridget) before they were removed (4 episodes has also since been adjusted to 6).

Storyline-wise, look to a possible future for Sue Boomer Jenkins who fell pregnant to Gavin (Huw Higginson) in the final season. How might they fare on the outside in a new series?

Bringing back Nicole da Silva as the ever-popular Franky Doyle would be strategic with the fanbase and clever as a story engine, given Franky was working in Legal Aid and in a relationship with social worker Bridget (Libby Tanner).

Kate Box as Lou Kelly could be another contender as a potential principal.

Of course, fans will be longing for the return of Joan The Freak Ferguson, played so memorably by Pamela Rabe. Joan was last seen alive, disappearing into the night after the S8 riot and explosion.

Production on Wentworth: The Next Chapter is yet to commence, meaning it is unlikely to screen before 2027.
At a National Assembly group discussion on the afternoon of April 8, National Assembly deputy and Venerable Thich Duc Thien from the Dien Bien delegation contributed opinions on the draft Law on Belief and Religion (amended), which is set to replace the 2016 Law on Belief and Religion.

According to the Venerable, the 2016 law has played an important role in safeguarding freedom of belief and religion, creating favorable conditions for dignitaries, clergy, and followers to practice their faith, while also supporting the development of religious organizations.

Venerable Thich Duc Thien provides feedback on the draft Law on Belief and Religion (amended).

However, he noted that reality has undergone profound changes, particularly in the context of digital transformation. Religious teachings and sermons are no longer confined by space or time, but are now widely shared across social media platforms, attracting tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of participants simultaneously.

The current law, he argued, reveals a significant legal gap in defining the responsibilities of entities organizing religious activities in cyberspace.

In the digital era, it is inevitable that the law must comprehensively regulate religious activities in online environments, not only in terms of administrative procedures but also by formally recognizing the rights of individuals and organizations to conduct religious practices online, Venerable Thich Duc Thien stated.

He emphasized that revising the law to expand protection for freedom of belief and religion in cyberspace would create a clearer legal framework, ensuring both the exercise of religious freedom and compliance with the law. At the same time, it would help prevent the exploitation of religion for illegal activities, the spread of superstition, and violations of legitimate rights and interests of individuals, organizations, and the State.

Robot novices and AI-powered spiritual guidance

Delegates from Dien Bien and Ha Tinh meet in group session.

One of the notable issues raised by the deputy is the emergence of artificial intelligence in religious activities.

He cited the case in Japan, where in February, a research group led by Professor Seiji Kumagai from the Institute for the Future of Human Society at Kyoto University introduced a robot monk named Buddharoid. Powered by AI, the robot is capable of delivering teachings and offering spiritual guidance based on Buddhist philosophy.

In Vietnam, a young engineer collaborated with Giac Ngo Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City to develop a robot novice capable of chanting Buddhist scriptures and answering around 3,000 questions related to Buddhist teachings.

These developments require the drafting committee to clarify the subjects authorized to conduct religious activities in cyberspace and the use of artificial intelligence in such activities, he said.

Calls for clearer governance and greater facilitation

Father Nguyen Van Rien delivers a speech.

In addition, in the context of transitioning to a two-tier local government model, the Venerable recommended continued review and refinement of regulations on decentralization and delegation of state management in the field of belief and religion. This, he said, should align with the capacity of each administrative level, particularly at the commune level, and be linked to job positions and staffing.

He also expressed support for the drafting agency and agreed with the National Assemblys Committee on Culture and Society, especially regarding provisions related to education, healthcare, social protection, and charitable activities carried out by religious organizations. Expanding these areas, he noted, reflects the Party and States view of religion as a resource for national development.

Joining the discussion, priest Nguyen Van Rien from the Ho Chi Minh City delegation proposed further facilitating the participation of religious organizations in education, healthcare, and social welfare.

He recommended simplifying administrative procedures and improving processes for registering religious activities, establishing congregations and religious orders, and approving religious construction projects. At the same time, he called for clearer definitions of the rights and obligations of religious organizations in social activities, contributing to social welfare and strengthening national unity.

Thanh Hue - Thu Hang
At the age of 72, Ho Thi Nieng, a woman from the Ta Oi ethnic group in Pa Ling village, Ta Rut commune, Quang Tri province, continues to attend literacy classes with quiet determination. For her, being able to read, write, and calculate independently is a source of simple yet profound happiness.

Mrs. Ho Thi Nieng (far left) takes part in a class at the Pa Ling school site. Photo: Pham Tien.

Five evenings a week, she walks to the Pa Ling learning point of A Vao Semi-Boarding Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities. Her journey began with the most basic steps - learning how to hold a piece of chalk, pronounce individual letters, and gradually form syllables under the guidance of teacher Phan Ngoc Anh.

For Nieng, simply showing up to class is already a challenge. Absorbing knowledge at her age is even harder. Yet she persists. At home, she often studies alongside her grandchild to better remember her lessons. The path to literacy is not easy, but she remains committed.

Not being able to read or calculate is very difficult. Going to the market or handling paperwork, I always had to rely on others, she said. Now that there is a class, I want to learn. At my age, it is discouraging at times, but I want to be able to read, to calculate, and to set an example for my children and grandchildren.

Not only Mrs. Ho Thi Nieng, but many residents in Pa Linh Hamlet, Ta Rut Commune, are currently attending literacy classes. Photo: Pham Tien.

At present, Ta Rut Commune has 11 classes with 202 learners participating in literacy programs. Photo: Pham Tien.

She is not alone. The literacy class, organized by the Ta Rut Commune Peoples Committee in coordination with A Vao school, has more than 20 learners. Most are middle-aged or elderly, many already grandparents. They share a common aspiration - to read, to write, and to gain basic numeracy skills that eluded them during years spent making a living.

To make learning more accessible, local authorities have assigned a teacher from the community, Ho Thi KLoi, to improve interaction with learners. Gradually, more than 20 residents of Pa Ling village are learning to read and write, and are becoming increasingly confident with basic calculations.

Phan Ngoc Anh, the teacher in charge of the class, noted that none of the learners have dropped out so far. Most are now able to read and write, and the current focus is on developing basic arithmetic skills.

Ta Rut commune was formed by merging the former communes of A Vao, Huc Nghi, and Ta Rut, all of which were previously classified as especially disadvantaged areas. Today, ethnic minorities make up 90.78 percent of the population, and illiteracy and relapsing illiteracy remain significant challenges.

The education sector in Quang Tri has implemented various measures to promote universal education and eliminate illiteracy. Photo: Pham Tien.

In response, the commune established a steering committee for education universalization and literacy eradication under Decision No. 439/QD-UBND dated August 27, 2025. Local schools were tasked with developing plans and opening literacy classes for residents.

After nearly six months, Ta Rut has launched 11 literacy classes with a total of 202 learners. These courses are expected to conclude by the end of 2026, with the goal that all participants can read, write fluently, and perform basic calculations.

According to the Quang Tri Department of Education and Training, the province has made proactive and determined efforts in recent years to promote universal education and eliminate illiteracy. Flexible class models have been introduced to suit local conditions, especially in ethnic minority, remote, and mountainous areas. To date, 25 literacy classes have been opened across the province, with 499 participants.

Tien Pham
Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez congratulated General Secretary To Lam on his election as State President, saying that the two countries share a history of struggle, dignity and resilience and their longstanding relations are built on respect, solidarity and cooperation. She reaffirmed confidence that both nations will continue to advance together for the well-being of their people and for a fair, multipolar and multi-centre world.

The South African Communist Party also congratulated the top Vietnamese leader, voicing its confidence that in his role as State President, he will use his experience and knowledge to advance Vietnams national development.

Congratulatory letters and messages were also cabled to Party General Secretary and State President To Lam by Angolan President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, Swedens King Carl XVI Gustaf and General Secretary of the Swiss Communist Party Massimiliano Ay.

Meanwhile, Bruneis Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah extended congratulations to PM Hung, noting that Brunei and Vietnam have maintained warm and longstanding ties driven by comprehensive partnership in the fields of trade, energy and people-to-people exchanges. The Sultan expressed his hope to work closely with the Vietnamese Government leader to further deepen bilateral relations and strengthen ASEAN cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations and their people.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin extended his congratulations to PM Hung, expressing confidence that, in his capacity as head of the Government, PM Hung will continue to pay attention to strengthening bilateral cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and the VietnamRussia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He affirmed the importance Russia attaches to promoting cooperation at all levels with the Vietnamese Government in order to expand collaboration in such fields as economy and trade, science and technology, culture and humane exchanges, and to facilitate the implementation of major joint projects in energy, industry, agriculture, transport infrastructure, science, education and other areas, for the benefit of both countries.

Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin and Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly Valentina Matviyenko congratulated NA Chairman Man on his re-election. They noted that the result reflects the trust of the people and the recognition by the NA of his contributions and political experience. They expressed confidence that under his leadership, the Vietnamese NA will continue to play an important role in ensuring sustainable development, improving the legal framework, and safeguarding the interests of the Vietnamese people. They also voiced their wish to further promote inter-parliamentary dialogue in various forms to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Russia and Vietnam, as well as the traditional friendship between the two peoples.

Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan Mori Eisuke also sent congratulations to Chairman Man on his re-election, noting that the Vietnamese NA has been contributing to deepening the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan through diverse and substantive activities based on a strong bilateral relationship. He expressed his hope to work closely with the Vietnamese NA to further enhance legislative ties as well as collaboration between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Yerlan Koshanov, Speaker of the Mazhilis - the lower house of Kazakhstans parliament wished Chairman Man success in implementing initiatives and strategic plans to enhance the countrys standing. He also expressed confidence that the friendship and legislative ties between Kazakhstan and Vietnam will continue to grow in the future for the benefit of both nations./. VNA
According to forecaster Tran Thi Thuy Nga from the Weather Forecasting Department under the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, most parts of the country, except the northeastern region, continued to experience hot conditions on April 9.

From April 10, the heat is likely to expand across the entire northern region. At the same time, central Vietnam will remain the focal point of this heatwave.

The area stretching from Thanh Hoa to Hue will experience the most intense heat. Maximum temperatures are expected to range from 38 to 40C, with some locations exceeding 40C, particularly in the western mountainous areas of Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Tri, Nga said.

Compared to central Vietnam, other regions will see slightly less extreme temperatures, though conditions will remain hot.

In the northwest and areas from Da Nang to eastern Dak Lak, temperatures are expected to range from 35 to 37C, with some places surpassing 37C.

The northeastern region, including Hanoi, along with the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam, will record the lowest intensity of heat, with temperatures ranging between 35 and 36C. However, actual temperatures outdoors may be 2 to 4C higher, depending on surface conditions.

Meteorological authorities warn that this heatwave is likely to persist for several more days. The combination of high temperatures and low humidity is expected to have negative impacts on human health.

Experts advise people to limit outdoor activities during peak hours from 11am to 4pm, when ultraviolet radiation and temperatures reach their highest levels.

Authorities and residents are also urged to remain vigilant against the risk of fires and explosions in densely populated areas, as well as the heightened threat of forest fires.

Bao Anh
Guided by a Chinese national, Le Van Tuan and his accomplices withdrew more than VND8 billion (US$326,000) from multiple Visa cards belonging to other individuals, using the money for personal spending.

The defendants at the trial. Photo: T.N

On April 8, the Hanoi Peoples Court brought 13 defendants to trial in a first-instance hearing on charges of using computer networks and electronic devices to appropriate assets, as well as money laundering.

According to the indictment, in late 2021, Le Van Tuan (born 1989, residing in Ha Dong ward, Hanoi) became acquainted with Tang Weidong, also known as A Tang, a Chinese national.

By the end of 2022, A Tang contacted Tuan via WeChat, claiming access to compromised international Visa card data. He sought Vietnamese bank accounts linked to the Tap to Phone application and POS machines to process fraudulent transactions, allowing them to withdraw funds from cardholders accounts and split the proceeds.

After agreeing to participate, Tuan was instructed on how to extract money from Visa cards using smartphones such as iPhones or Samsung devices equipped with contactless payment functions. He logged into iCloud accounts and entered the stolen card details provided by A Tang into the phones.

In early 2023, Tuan purchased multiple such devices and began executing the scheme.

He acquired iCloud accounts from an individual named Hieu (whose identity remains unknown) and installed them on the phones. A Tang would then initiate video calls to read out Visa card details for Tuan to input. When one-time passwords (OTPs) were required, A Tang supplied them in real time.

Once the cards were successfully added, Tuan used the phones to process payments through rented POS machines under A Tangs supervision.

If a transaction succeeded, Tuan collected cash from the POS machine owners, transferred the funds into bank accounts registered under his name or those of accomplices, then used the money to purchase USDT. He sent 70% of the equivalent amount in USDT to A Tang, paid 10-25% to POS machine providers, and kept the remainder.

Using this method between February and October 2023, Tuan and his co-defendants appropriated more than VND6.2 billion (US$253,000). The indictment further states that, in addition to A Tang, Tuan collaborated with other unidentified foreign individuals using similar tactics to steal an additional VND2.3 billion (US$94,000).

After obtaining the illicit funds, Tuan used over VND375 million (US$15,000) to have co-defendant Hoang Manh Son purchase USDT for transfer to A Tang.

Business owner involved in the scheme

Among those tried alongside Tuan was Chu Thi Thu Huong (born 1995, from Thai Nguyen). Huong established VTN Vietnam Import-Export Joint Stock Company, specializing in durian trading, and was eligible to register for a Tap to Phone account.

In early 2023, Huong was living with her boyfriend, Vu Dinh Dinh (born 1987, from Hung Yen). At that time, Tuan approached Dinh seeking access to Tap to Phone accounts to process fraudulent transactions and withdraw money from victims accounts.

Dinh discussed the proposal with Huong, and they agreed that Huong would register the account in exchange for 12-15% of the total amount withdrawn.

Prosecutors stated that although Huongs company conducted no legitimate business through the Tap to Phone account and she was fully aware that the transactions were fabricated, she was driven by the promise of profit and agreed to participate.

Between February 8 and March 18, 2023, VTN Vietnam Import-Export Joint Stock Company carried out 444 card transactions using Visa cards issued by foreign banks. Of these, 113 transactions were successful, totaling more than VND1 billion (US$41,000). Under their agreement, Huong transferred VND834 million (US$34,000) to Tuan, retaining 15% as profit shared between her and Dinh.

After deliberation, the trial panel on the afternoon of April 8 sentenced Tuan to 17 years in prison. Huong and Dinh received sentences of 8 and 12 years respectively. The remaining defendants were handed prison terms ranging from 2 years and 6 months to 12 years.

T. Nhung
This marks the first overseas trip by Mr. To Lam in his capacity as head of state since being elected President by the 16th National Assembly.

In a recent congratulatory message to To Lam, Xi Jinping emphasized that relations between the two countries form a community with a shared future of strategic significance. Under the guidance of both Parties and states, Vietnam-China relations have made remarkable progress, with comprehensive strategic cooperation yielding substantial and tangible benefits for both peoples.

The Chinese leader noted that since the beginning of the year, the two sides have maintained high-level strategic exchanges and advanced cooperation across multiple sectors, reflecting the close bond described as comrades and brothers.

Xi Jinping stressed that strengthening unity and cooperation aligns with the shared interests of both Parties and nations, especially as the global and regional landscape continues to evolve rapidly and unpredictably.

He affirmed that China places great importance on the development of bilateral ties and stands ready to work with To Lam to sustain strategic dialogue, guide the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future, and continue advancing each countrys socialist development.

Strong momentum in bilateral relations

In recent years, Vietnam-China relations have maintained a positive trajectory and achieved significant outcomes.

In 2025, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (January 18, 1950 - January 18, 2025), high-level exchanges intensified, with visits between key leaders reaching an unprecedented frequency.

Since the beginning of 2026, both sides have continued to engage in flexible high-level interactions.

Economic, trade, investment, and tourism cooperation have delivered encouraging results. In 2025, China remained Vietnams largest trading partner, while Vietnam was Chinas largest trading partner in ASEAN and its fourth-largest globally on a country basis. Bilateral trade reached US$256.4 billion, up 24.8%, with Vietnam exporting US$70.4 billion, up 14.8%, and importing US$186 billion, up 29%.

In the first two months of 2026, China continued to be Vietnams largest trading partner, with total bilateral trade reaching US$66.7 billion, an increase of 30.2%. Vietnams exports amounted to US$17.4 billion, up 32.5%, while imports totaled US$49.3 billion, up 29.4%.

In terms of investment, China ranked second in total registered capital in 2025, with US$5.96 billion, up 33.4%.

Tourism also saw strong growth. In 2025, Vietnam welcomed 5.28 million Chinese visitors, a 41.3% increase, accounting for 25% of total international arrivals and ranking first among inbound markets.

Tran Thuong
The naming shift, if confirmed, could signal more than a branding choice. It may redefine how the product is positioned, not only within Apples lineup but across the broader smartphone market.

An iPhone Fold concept. Source: AppleTrack.

A different name, a different message

According to a post on Weibo by leaker Digital Chat Station, Apples wide-format foldable iPhone is likely to carry the Ultra branding. The information is said to be backed by industry sources, with some Chinese manufacturers already considering adopting the Ultra label for their own foldable devices in response.

The timing of this leak is notable. Just a day earlier, prototype dummy units of the foldable iPhone surfaced, offering the clearest look yet at its physical design. Reports also suggest the device has reached a key milestone in its production cycle.

Naming decisions typically come late in development, lending additional weight to the credibility of this leak.

A familiar strategy in a new form

The Ultra label is not new within Apples ecosystem. The company has previously used it for high-end products such as the Apple Watch Ultra and its top-tier M-series chips.

Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman had earlier hinted in his Power On newsletter that Apple was considering extending the Ultra branding to its most ambitious iPhone yet.

Rather than emphasizing specifications alone, Apple has often used Ultra to signal a distinct experience or purpose. This philosophy could explain why the company might avoid the more literal Fold naming.

Not just about specs

Some observers question whether the Ultra name is justified, given reports that the foldable iPhone may lack Face ID and feature only two rear cameras, potentially placing it below future Pro Max models in raw specifications.

However, Apples branding rarely revolves purely around hardware metrics.

The Apple Watch Ultra, for instance, is not the most feature-packed smartwatch on the market, but its rugged design, size and specialized use cases define its identity.

Similarly, the foldable iPhone may be positioned as a new category altogether rather than a direct upgrade within the existing lineup.

A larger canvas

Reports suggest the device could feature an internal display of around 7.8 inches when unfolded, bringing it closer in size to a small tablet, such as an iPad mini, than a traditional smartphone.

The iPhone Ultra name would allow Apple to communicate this shift - from a phone with a folding mechanism to a new form factor that blends categories.

Meanwhile, competitors are preparing their responses. Samsung is reportedly developing a wide-format foldable device under the name Galaxy Z Wide Fold, seen as a direct rival.

Branding as strategy

For years, Apple has not only launched products but also shaped the language of the industry.

A name like iPhone Ultra does more than describe a device. It frames expectations, signals ambition and creates a premium tier that others may feel compelled to follow.

If rumors of a US$1,999 price point prove accurate, the device could mark a turning point, bringing foldable technology closer to mainstream adoption while anchoring it firmly in the high-end segment.

In that context, Ultra may be less about what the device does, and more about what it represents.



Hai Phong
Deputy head of the Presidential Office Pham Thanh Ha announced the State Presidents appointments for Nguyen Hai Tram, member of the Party Central Committee, member of the standing board of the Party Committee of Central Party Agencies and Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Supreme Peoples Court, along with seven judges from local peoples courts.



Ha also announced the State leaders decision appointing Tram as Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Peoples Court.



In his speech, General Secretary and State President Lam described the appointments as both a major honour and a serious political responsibility to the Party, State and the public.



According to him, strengthening the Supreme Peoples Court bench and leadership holds significance for both organisational restructuring and operational requirements, calling it an urgent step toward building and perfecting Vietnams socialist rule-of-law state and improving judicial performance in the countrys next development phase.



He urged the entire Peoples Court system, particularly the newly-appointed judges, to maintain political mettle and absolute loyalty to the Party, Fatherland and people while strictly upholding the rule of law in adjudication. Each judge must operate independently, base rulings solely on the law, resist external pressures, and ensure personal interests or relationships do not compromise fairness and objectivity.



Improving adjudication quality remains the core mission, he said, adding that every verdict must be lawful, reasonable, and persuasive, contributing to social education and orientation. He demanded a sharp reduction in overturned or revised cases caused by subjective errors and insisted that miscarriages of justice be avoided at all costs.



The Supreme Peoples Court should also play a stronger role in ensuring uniform legal enforcement, developing case law and contributing to institutional improvements, he said, noting that rulings by the top court must set standards and guide nationwide legal practice.



The leader emphasised the need for a clean, disciplined, and integrity-focused judicial workforce, calling for greater efforts to tackle corruption and misconduct, enforce stricter discipline, increase inspections, and impose firm penalties for violations. Judicial reform should move faster toward building a modern, professional, and efficient court system, with effective rollout of the three-tier court model, improved personnel quality, and wider use of information technology and digital transformation.





Party General Secretary and State President To Lam presents decisions to the newly-appointed judges. (Photo: VNA)

Placing people at the centre of judicial activities, he instructed courts to stay close to the people, understand their needs, and treat the protection of their legitimate rights and interests as the highest priority.



Each ruling, he said, must safeguard justice, uphold fairness, and reinforce public trust in the Party, State, socialist system, and the laws strictness.



In response, newly appointed Deputy Chief Justice Tram expressed gratitude to Party and State leaders for their support of the court sector. She pledged, together with the Supreme Peoples Courts leaders and Council of Judges, to fulfil the assigned duties, contribute to a professional, modern, fair, strict, and clean judiciary, and build a complete, unified, transparent, and practical legal system that supports national governance and development.



Tram also promised to fully and seriously follow the General Secretary and State Presidents directions and hoped for continued support from relevant ministries and agencies./. VNA
The story comes from a more than 12-minute video in which Susan Lindgren recounts her visit to the hospital.

Earlier, she had noticed black spots appearing in one eye - a symptom she found online could be linked to retinal tears or detachment. Concerned about the seriousness of the condition, she mentally prepared for potentially high medical expenses, similar to those in Western countries.

On the recommendation of friends, Lindgren visited Da Nang Eye Hospital on a Friday evening. Despite being outside regular hours, she was still given an initial check-up and advised to return early the following week for a more thorough examination.

When she came back on Monday morning, the hospital was crowded. Staff suggested she return in the afternoon to reduce waiting time.

At around 2 p.m., she returned and quickly went through the examination process. After paying VND45,000 (US$1.80), she received a full specialist check-up and consultation with experienced doctors.

During the examination, one doctor even invited a colleague to review her case, ensuring a more accurate conclusion and helping reassure the patient.

No extra charges for foreign patients

Susan Lindgren shares her experience of getting an eye examination. Screenshot.

Da Nang Eye Hospital - where the tourist received her eye examination. Photo: Hospital

The results showed no serious issues. Her symptoms were attributed to normal aging changes following previous vision correction surgery. She was advised to return for a follow-up after two weeks.

I felt worried and kept asking if I was really okay. They smiled and reassured me. Having two doctors examine me was even better than relying on just one, Lindgren said in the video.

What surprised her most was that after completing the entire process, she was not asked to pay any additional fees.

I thought I would have to pay hundreds, even thousands of dollars. But here, I received a full examination for just VND45,000. Everything was so easy - no need for prior appointments, no waiting for weeks, no complicated scheduling, she shared.

Her story quickly gained traction online, with many viewers seeing it as evidence of both the professional quality and affordability of Vietnams public healthcare system.

According to available information, the VND45,000 fee covers standard consultation and medical review services at Da Nang Eye Hospital, applied to cases not covered by health insurance and not classified as premium service.

Hospital representatives confirmed that this pricing is applied uniformly, with no distinction between domestic and foreign patients.

Ho Giap
The directive is part of Resolution No. 04 issued following the second plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee, which focuses on strengthening the Partys leadership in preventing and combating corruption, wastefulness, and negative practices in the new context.

The Central Committee set out a clear objective: to persistently prevent, detect, and push back corruption, waste, and misconduct, while building a clean and strong Party and political system, thereby reinforcing public trust.

Anti-corruption efforts, it stressed, must place national and public interests above all, while also promoting socio-economic development and ensuring rapid, sustainable growth.

A notable perspective highlighted in the resolution is the need to combine strict enforcement with development-oriented thinking, encouraging and protecting those who are innovative, proactive, and willing to act for the common good.

The Central Committee also emphasized early detection and prevention, warning against allowing minor violations to accumulate into serious wrongdoing. It called for tighter control over conditions that may give rise to corruption, particularly in key sectors and emerging fields with high risk.

At the same time, enforcement must be strict, timely, humane, and persuasive, with no off-limits zones or exceptions. Authorities are required to ensure objectivity and comprehensiveness, taking into account specific historical contexts and prioritizing political, economic, and social effectiveness, as well as national interests, when determining appropriate handling measures.

Recovering assets is a top priority, alongside encouraging offenders to voluntarily compensate for damages.

Party committees and leaders at all levels are required to take direct responsibility for prevention efforts, including regular self-inspection and early detection of corruption, waste, and internal degradation in political ideology, ethics, and lifestyle.

The Central Committee also stressed that leaders must be held accountable for negligence, lack of oversight, or any acts of concealment that enable corruption or misconduct.

Officials and Party members, especially those in leadership roles, are expected to uphold strong ethical standards and integrity, and must not allow family members or associates to exploit their positions for personal gain.

The resolution outlines the need to promptly improve the legal framework to ensure consistency, clarity, and enforceability. This includes studying the development of a law on asset registration.

Importantly, the Central Committee called for timely amendments to the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, and related laws to institutionalize new policies on exemption, reduction, or exclusion of criminal liability.

Among the proposed directions are clearly defined criteria to exempt criminal liability for individuals who incur risks or cause damage while applying science, technology, innovation, or digital transformation for the common good.

It also suggests reducing criminal liability and penalties for those who commit offenses without profit motives, voluntarily return assets, remedy damages, and actively cooperate in investigations.

In addition, the resolution encourages expanding the use of financial penalties and reducing reliance on imprisonment for economic and position-related offenses.

The Central Committee called for strict control of power and the effective implementation of preventive measures against corruption and misconduct.

It also emphasized the importance of building a capable and reputable cadre of officials at all levels, especially strategic and grassroots leadership.

Timely replacement or resignation of underperforming officials, as well as strict handling of those who delay, evade responsibility, or harass citizens and businesses, was identified as a key solution.

Notably, the resolution also calls for continued improvement of salary and income policies to ensure that public officials can maintain integrity and focus on their duties.

In terms of enforcement, authorities are required to ensure fair, objective, timely, and effective handling of violations, without exceptions.

The Central Committee also stressed the need to modernize inspection, auditing, investigation, prosecution, and adjudication methods, while strengthening early-stage supervision of major policies, projects, and programs.

Inspections and audits should focus on high-risk areas and issues of public concern, while proactively identifying and addressing violations in emerging and critical sectors.

Authorities are also tasked with preventing the formation of interest groups that exploit systems for personal gain.

At the same time, the resolution strictly prohibits the misuse of anti-corruption efforts to interfere with or obstruct normal operations of organizations and individuals.

It prioritizes the application of civil, economic, administrative, and organizational measures, with criminal prosecution reserved for cases that warrant it. In such cases, offenders may be allowed to remedy economic consequences within a defined timeframe, which will serve as a key basis for further handling.

Finally, the Central Committee called for enhanced international cooperation, including negotiating and signing mutual legal assistance agreements and international treaties on anti-corruption, as well as intensifying efforts to track down and extradite fugitives and recover assets transferred abroad.

Tran Thuong
Businesses are ramping up the nationwide rollout of E10 gasoline. Photo: Nguyen Hue

The proposal is part of a draft circular amending several provisions of Circular No. 50/2025/TT-BCT, issued on November 7, 2025, which outlines the roadmap for blending biofuels with traditional fuels in Vietnam.

Specifically, the ministry suggests revising Clause 1, Article 4 on the implementation timeline. Under the new proposal, all unleaded gasoline - in accordance with current national technical standards - must be blended into E10 before distribution nationwide.

Previously, the regulation set June 1, 2026, as the deadline for nationwide E10 adoption. If approved, the new timeline would bring the rollout forward by one month.

In practice, since August 2025, several companies have piloted E10 sales at fuel stations in major cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Hai Phong.

According to Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex), biofuel is no longer a concept for the future but has already become a standard requirement in many global economies. With expanded E10 distribution beginning this April, Vietnam is accelerating its participation in the global transition toward green energy.

Petrolimex emphasized that choosing E10 is not merely a shift in consumer habits but also a contribution to broader sustainable development goals. The company has completed nine blending facilities and upgraded more than 2,800 retail stations nationwide to meet storage and distribution standards for E10.

Following successful pilot programs in Ho Chi Minh City since August 2025, we have not recorded any incidents reported by vehicle users, Petrolimex stated. The company added that E10 can help optimize engine performance, as ethanols higher octane rating supports smoother combustion.

E10 fuel is also considered safe for most vehicles manufactured after 2000. Consumers are advised, however, to ensure they select fuel compatible with their engine standards, such as Euro 3, Euro 4 or Euro 5, to maintain optimal performance and protection.

Similarly, Vietnam Oil Corporation (PVOIL) announced that it is ready to distribute E10 RON95 across its network of nearly 1,000 fuel stations nationwide starting in April 2026.

In a world facing ongoing uncertainties, each use of E10 contributes to stabilizing fuel supply, PVOIL noted.

Tam An
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued Circular No. 19/2026/TT-BCT, setting out detailed regulations on advancing funds from the state budget to the petrol price stabilisation fund, as well as rules on fund contributions and repayment.

The circular is built on existing legal frameworks and government directives, aiming to ensure fuel supply and maintain price stability under evolving market conditions.

It specifies in detail the process for advancing funds from the state budget. For the first advance, the amount is calculated based on fuel sales volume over the preceding seven days and the approved spending level of the fund.

Subsequent advances may be carried out on a weekly basis or when necessary, depending on the amount already spent in the previous operating period and the current fund balance. In cases where the requested amount exceeds the standard level, businesses must provide a clear explanation.

During fund utilisation, total spending in each operating period is determined by multiplying the announced spending rate by actual consumption volume. At the same time, contributions to the fund must be completed within five working days after each operating cycle.

Regarding repayment to the state budget, the circular stipulates that recovery will be based on independent audit results. Within 90 days of receiving a request, businesses are required to complete audits and submit reports. Within five working days of notification by the authorities, the entire remaining fund balance must be returned to the state budget.

If, after 12 months, sufficient funds are still not available for repayment, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to report to the Government for further consideration.

The circular also assigns clear responsibilities to relevant entities. The Domestic Market Management and Development Agency is tasked with organising implementation, monitoring operations, publishing periodic data on the fund and inspecting business compliance.

Key petroleum traders must strictly comply with regulations on contributions, spending and repayment. They are responsible for the accuracy of data and reporting, and are required to disclose fund information on a monthly and semi-annual basis.

The document also sets out penalties for violations, including inaccurate reporting, delayed repayment or failure to comply with regulations.

The circular took effect on April 3, 2026.

Previously, the Government issued Resolution No. 69/NQ-CP on implementing advances to the petrol price stabilisation fund from increased central budget revenue in 2025.

Under this resolution, the Government approved an additional allocation of VND8,000 billion (approximately US$320 million) in the 2026 state budget for the Ministry of Industry and Trade, sourced from higher-than-expected central budget revenue in 2025, to be used as advances for the fund following a proposal from the Ministry of Finance.

Tam An
The nearly US$5 billion Can Gio International Transshipment Port project is entering a critical phase, as authorities accelerate procedures to break ground in time for April 30. Notably, the worlds largest container shipping line has submitted documents to join the investor consortium.

A rendering of the Can Gio mega port, with a total investment of nearly US$5 billion. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction has reported to the municipal Peoples Committee on the progress of key seaport projects, as preparations intensify for groundbreaking ceremonies marking the national holiday.

At the center is the Can Gio mega port project, with a total investment of more than VND128,872 billion (US$5 billion).

Spanning an estimated 571 hectares, the port is designed to handle up to 21 million TEU annually. Its main berths, stretching about 7.5 kilometers, will be capable of accommodating ultra-large container vessels exceeding 250,000 DWT, equivalent to more than 24,000 TEU. These specifications position the project as a potential cornerstone in transforming Ho Chi Minh City into a leading maritime logistics hub in Southeast Asia.

According to the Department of Construction, a consortium comprising Vietnam Maritime Corporation, Saigon Port Joint Stock Company, and Terminal Investment Limited Holding S.A has officially submitted its application to implement the project.

Terminal Investment Limited Holding S.A is a member of MSC, the Switzerland-based shipping giant that holds approximately 18% of global container shipping capacity and operates a network connecting over 500 seaports worldwide.

The consortiums application is currently under detailed appraisal by the Department of Finance. To stay on schedule, the Department of Construction has urged the city government to direct relevant agencies to expedite the evaluation process and approve the investor selection results.

If all procedures are completed on time, the groundbreaking ceremony and announcement of strategic partners for the Can Gio mega port are expected to take place on April 30 at the Nha Rong - Khanh Hoi port area.

Beyond Can Gio, two other major projects in the Cai Mep Ha area are also being fast-tracked. The Cai Mep Gemadept - Terminal Link port project (phase 2), with an investment of more than VND8,300 billion (US$340 million), is scheduled to break ground on April 17.

Meanwhile, the Cai Mep Ha general and container port project (phase 1), with a total investment nearing VND15,000 billion (US$615 million), is working through land and environmental clearance issues to begin site preparation in time for the late-April holiday period.

Tuan Kiet
Chrysanthemums from China's Yunnan bloom in Japan, ROK markets

Xinhua) 09:52, April 09, 2026

KUNMING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Exports of fresh-cut chrysanthemums from southwest China's Yunnan Province have boomed in markets in Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), supported by efficient logistics networks and streamlined customs procedures, according to local authorities.

In Yangjie Township, Kaiyuan City of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, over 8,000 mu (about 533 hectares) of modern greenhouses spread across the area. Inside, chrysanthemums and other flowers bloom in succession, while workers are busy picking, sorting and packaging them.

As a leading local flower exporter, Kaiyuan Tianhua Biological Industry Co., Ltd. has preserved over 2,800 varieties of chrysanthemums. The company exports about 20 million high-quality fresh-cut flowers to countries including Japan and the ROK every year, making it one of China's largest exporters of chrysanthemum cut flowers and seedlings.

In November 2025, Wenshan Tianhua Horticulture Co., Ltd. in Maguan County, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, successfully exported 8.5 tonnes of fresh-cut chrysanthemums to Japan for the first time, marking a breakthrough in overseas flower exports for the prefecture.

To ensure the flowers reach consumers in perfect condition, Kunming Customs in the provincial capital has introduced tailored support measures for enterprises. Addressing the urgency of maintaining freshness and the specific requirements of fresh-cut flowers, customs authorities have implemented services such as "appointment-based inspection" and "cloud-based certificate issuance," greatly reducing clearance times.

Data shows that in the first two months of this year, Yunnan's chrysanthemum exports to the ROK reached 7.87 million yuan (about 1.15 million U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 5.3 times.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The AGM took place in Ho Chi Minh City on the morning of April 8, 2026.

According to the Board of Directors report at the AGM, VIB recorded a compound annual growth rate of 2030 per cent across key metrics in 20172025, outperforming industry averages.

Annual growth reached 21 per cent in total assets (industry: 12 per cent), 23 per cent in retail credit (14 per cent), and 26 per cent in profit (23 per cent), while return on equity averaged 23 per cent, compared with 17 per cent for the sector.

In 2025, VIB focused resources on long-term strength by significantly increasing provisioning, strengthening capital and risk management, and investing heavily in technology, products and services across retail banking, corporate banking, and human capital.

These efforts laid a solid foundation for the next growth phase. Pre-tax profit reached $350.8 million, up 1 per cent on-year. As of December 31, 2025, total assets reached$21.38 billion, up 13 per cent on-year. Total credit outstanding reached $14.69 billion, up 18 per cent on-year. Customer deposits and valuable papers reached $12.69 billion, up 10 per cent on-year.

Retail banking a key growth driver

Retail banking continued to be VIBs primary growth driver, with total outstanding retail loans reaching nearly $10.5 billion as of December 31, 2025, accounting for approximately 70 per cent of the banks total loan portfolio. Over 90 per cent of these loans are secured. In 2025, VIB joined the million-card club, with more than 1.1 million cards in circulation and total card spending exceeding $5 billion. Fee income from cards and retail services surpassed $76.9 million, contributing significantly to over $134.6 million in total non-interest income from the retail banking segment.

VIB is building a strong fee-based income foundation, reducing reliance on net interest margin. This strategic shift aligns with expanding into higher-income customer segments, enhancing the service ecosystem, and increasing customer lifetime value.

Retail credit outstanding. Source: AGM 2026

In 2025, VIBs corporate banking segment shifted from traditional lending to delivering comprehensive financial solutions, including cash management, transaction banking, foreign exchange and capital markets, and trade finance. As a result, corporate lending grew by 58 per cent, CASA increased by 20 per cent, and fee income surged by 280 per cent, while asset quality remained tightly controlledlaying a solid foundation for sustainable long-term growth.

In 2025, 97 per cent of total individual customer transactions were conducted through digital channels. Digital transaction volume increased by 30 per cent on-year to nearly 680 million transactions, while total transaction value rose by 26 per cent to $176.92 billion.

The MyVIB application was recognised by International Finance Awards as the Most Innovative AI Solution in Digital Banking 2025.

In 2025, VIB maintained its leading position in Basel III implementation, with a Capital Adequacy Ratio of 12.2 per cent under the Standardised Approach, demonstrating the banks strong balance sheet resilience while supporting continued growth.

2026 business plan and strategic directions

The AGM approved the 2026 business plan proposed by the Board of Directors.

Credit growth may be adjusted subject to limits approved by the State Bank of Vietnam. Source: AGM 2026.

Building on the achievements over the 20172025 period and the solid foundations established, VIB has defined four strategic priorities for 2026, forming the basis for developing an innovative and intelligent business model and setting new standards for next-generation financial products and services in the VIB 3.0 phase (20272036).

VIB targets the full spectrum of individual customersfrom Youth, Mass, and Mass Affluent to Affluentwhile also expanding strongly into the household business and SME segments. Each segment is delivered deeply personalised financial experiences powered by data and AI.

At the same time, five product pillars are comprehensively upgraded: fully digital end-to-end lending; deposit solutions that optimise personal assets; card products that empower customers to actively choose and personalise their benefits; insurance and investment solutions offering comprehensive 360-degree protection; and payments and transactional banking that accompany customers throughout their spending journeys. VIB aims to become the market leader in cards within the next three years, positioning VIB cards as a mass-market payment tool.

In 2026, VIB will accelerate personalisation beyond the individual level to the broader customer ecosystem, elevate the overall standards of Privilege Banking experiences, and strengthen tailored solutions for business banking. On April 10, VIB will launch its Priority Banking segment, redefining privileges and delivering flexible financial solutions that empower customers.

VIB continues to focus on developing comprehensive solution packages across lending, funding, and transactional banking, standardised by segment. The bank is digitising end-to-end processes for serving corporate clients, while maintaining a prudent and intelligent risk appetite supported by early warning systems and industry-based monitoring.

VIBs technology roadmap for 2026 is shaped by multiple initiatives aimed at gaining deeper customer insights, enabling more precise personalisation, and supporting real-time decision-making. Key projects include the T24 Core Banking system on AWS, providing a cloud-native infrastructure with enhanced scalability, continuous operations, and data readiness for large-scale real-time AI applications. Agentic AI enables faster credit decisions, real-time fraud detection, and large-scale personalised product recommendations. Salesforce CRM delivers a 360-degree customer view, enabling consistent and seamless customer service across both physical and digital channels.

VIB aims to double productivity for its current workforce of 10,000 employees, equivalent to the output of 20,000 employees, through the HAGT model, where H represents Human Intelligence, A represents Artificial Intelligence, G represents the General Navigation Map (GNM), and T represents Technology Tools.

GNM serves as a coordination system, ensuring that all initiativesfrom the Board of Directors to individual employeesare structured under a unified logic of what needs to be done and how to execute it. This enables strategy to be translated into structured, trackable actions at every level. GNM has been developed at VIB over more than nine years as a proprietary framework, applied consistently across the organisation from strategy formulation to execution.
A Wrexham councillor has welcomed changes to the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) which will allow more students to qualify for the grant from September.

More than 18,000 students currently claim EMA in Wales  a grant designed to support students aged 16-18 whose household income is below a certain amount.

Thousands across Wrexham and Flintshire have benefited in recent years, with 590 applications approved in Wrexham in 2022/23  the most recent statistics available  and another 500 in Flintshire in the same academic year.

Ahead of a visit to Coleg Cambrias Yale campus in April, Cllr Corin Jarvis (Acton and Maesydre) said the recent decision from the Welsh Labour Government to extend EMA eligibility will mean more young people will receive weekly support from September.

She said: The Education Maintenance Allowance is breaking down barriers for thousands of students in Wrexham and many more across Wales. Everybody deserves an equal opportunity to access education, and providing 40 a week to those eligible is just one of the ways in which the Welsh Labour Government is making this a reality with the most generous offer in the UK.

Cllr Jarvis, a former Coleg Cambria student, added: I know this money makes a real difference for students, with the cost of living continuing to affect many local families, this increase in eligibility along with the 1 bus fare scheme for young people introduced by Cabinet Secretary for Transport Ken Skates, is helping to support students and families with the cost of education.

I would urge all 16-18 year olds and their families in Wrexham to take a few minutes to check if they qualify for support.

EMA can be used to help with education costs such as transport, meals or study supplies. From September, the income thresholds for households with one dependent will rise from 23,400 to 24,570, and from 25,974 to 27,273 for households with two or more dependents.

Applications will open on April 27. To check whether you are eligible, and to apply for EMA, visit the Student Finance Wales website or speak to your school or college.

Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com
Plans for a 146-hectare solar farm south of Wrexham have been abandoned by energy firm RWE, which had reached the planning application stage before concluding the site could not go ahead.

The Butterfly / Gloyn Byw solar farm was proposed across three separate parcels of agricultural land stretching from near Johnstown in the west to within 1.5km of Bangor-on-Dee in the east.

In a letter dated 1 April 2026, project manager Robin Johnson confirmed RWE had decided not to proceed.

Following a detailed review of grid connection availability and overall project viability, it has been concluded that the site cannot be advanced at this time, Johnson said.

The site was split into a Western Array Area near the A483, a Central Array Area accessed via Marchwiel Hall Road, and an Eastern Array Area close to Gerwyn Hall and the village of Cross Lanes. The three sections were to be connected by underground cabling, with a further cable running approximately 1.3km north to the Legacy National Grid substation near Rhos.

Grid connection had been identified in RWEs own planning documents as one of the key design challenges from the outset, with two potential connection routes under consideration at the time the design and access statement was submitted to Wrexham County Borough Council in September 2025.

The proposal had been through two rounds of public consultation during 2025. An informal consultation ran from 3 February to 17 March, with public events held at Marchwiel Village Hall and Ruabon Village Hall. A formal consultation followed later in the year. Seven events in total were held in the local community.

Feedback from residents led to changes including the removal of a field near properties in the central section, additional permissive paths, and increased tree planting to screen views from houses near the Eastern Array Area close to Gerwyn Hall.

RWE claimed the scheme would be capable of generating enough electricity for more than 34,775 homes. The proposal also included a 1.5m community benefit fund, more than 4.8m in business rates over the developments lifetime, 5km of new hedgerow and tree planting, and 3km of new permissive footpaths.

Planning permission had been sought for a 40-year period. Under RWEs plans, they said the site would have been returned to agricultural use at the end of that period.

RWE said solar and battery storage remained central to its UK renewables strategy but gave no indication of any alternative site in the area.

While this outcome is regrettable, RWE would like to thank all stakeholders who have engaged constructively during the projects early stages, Johnson said.

Spotted something? Got a story? email us at Got a story? email us at news@wrexham.com
It would be inaccurate to say that Pacific Grove, the town where Lovers Point sits jutting into the Monterey Bay, is undiscovered. Just visit that famous, romantic landmark on the weekend to see how many people know about this spot.

But Pacific Grove as a travel destination has generally stayed pretty quiet despite its gorgeous location and lengthy history. Its a town that feels like a step back in time, with a quaint, Main Street kind of vibe where art, community, and longtime locally owned businesses prevail.

That makes it notablebut not surprisingto see a recent boom in new openings here. PG is having a moment. Our modern guide to Pacific Grove walks you through where to stay, where to eat and drink, and what to do while there.

Where to Stay in Pacific Grove The brand new Kimpton Mirador (Courtesy of Kimpton Mirador) Opened in February 2026, the new 99-room Kimpton Mirador hotel, their first branded property on the Central Coast, feels slick, shiny, clean, and untouched. Simple, understated decor features soft textiles and solid, strong colors. The hallways are carpeted in a light green pattern evocative of butterfly wings, while the architecture nods to California Spanish Revival. Notable elements include amazing-smelling Atelier Bloem bath products, soft Egyptian cotton robes, and bar sets with nice glassware, as well as Kimpton signatures like yoga mats in every room. Also, this property is very pet friendlyso much so that they require no deposit or fee. A social hour every day in the lobby offers tastes of local wine and special bites (on my visit there were mini cones of steak tartare topped with aioli and mushroom tarts). Its a lovely space, with a high-ceilinged sitting area with a fireplace, couches, giant arched windows, and healthy house plants that feels like a posh living room. Along the back wall is a long green velvet bench with a few marble-topped tables, a perfect nook for coffee or a glass of pinot. A modern fitness center and partnership with Monterey Bay Moves provides free yoga, sound baths, and Pilates classes for guests daily. On Fridays, theres a public sound bath in the outdoor courtyard during happy hourwhat seems like its becoming a local secret. // 150 Fountain Ave., hmiradorhotelpacificgrove.com

Where to Eat in Pacific Grove The Caledonian at Kimpton Mirador (Courtesy of Kimpton Mirador) The Caledonian The signature restaurant at the Kimpton Mirador is The Caledonian, named after the historic Caledonia Club. Local, seasonal ingredients are highlighted by executive chef Aaron Rayor, along with crafty cocktails and a nice wine list mostly from California and France. The martini service (actually just a martini, but fancied up with olive oil-washed Belvedere, rosemary, and castelvetrano olives) is a fun, on-trend throwback. The restaurant space is classy and feels almost hidden, slightly sunken even though its connected to the hotel. Tall ceilings draped with vines, mood lighting, and lots of curved accents make it feel sexy. The bustling, marble-topped, J-shaped bar on one side of the restaurant is a fun spot to sit to enjoy bites like the Italian-inspired gnudi (who doesnt like fried cheese?), oysters Rockefeller, and herbed potato wedges. // 150 Fountain Ave., caledonianpacificgrove.com

Hops & Fog Brewing Co. Lively, popular watering hole Hops & Fog Brewing Co. opened in 2024 with their own brews plus favorite local beers from folks like Alvarado and Other Brother. Seasonal food is all housemade, including fun sauces like garlicky toum for dipping sourdough pizza crusts. They feature farmers market specials like a weekly salad (on my visit it was a warm salad of broccolini, snap peas, spring onion, pesto, stracciatella, slivered almonds, and edible flowers) and seasonally inspired pizza. Standouts include the lemon artichoke pizza and giant sandwiches made on folded pizza dough (not calzones, panuozzos). The BBLT with local Bakers bacon is a winner and theres housemade cream sodas for the kiddos. // 511 Lighthouse Ave., hopsandfog.beer

Rudolfos Rudolfos is a neighborhood favorite with sweet sidewalk patio seating and indoor cafe space serving excellent homemade fresh pasta, sourdough pizzas, and fried chickenwhich may or may not sound incongruous until you understand the backstory of chef Rudolfo (Rudy) Ponce. The Monterey County native grew up working with his dad at the Fisherman's Grotto, then set out for more culinary training under acclaimed chefs in Napa Valley. Ponce returned to the peninsula and launched a fried chicken sandwich popup during Covid that was so popular, he was able to open his own brick-and-mortar on PGs main strip in 2023. Its not to be missed. // 543 Lighthouse Ave., rudolfoseatery.com

A few more new and notable places to check out include: Spotted Duck (542 Lighthouse Ave.), a brasserie opened by longtime chef Jerry Regester in 2023; La Cote Bleue (209 Forest Ave.), a seafood-centric bistro that opened in March; and Crema (631 Ocean View Blvd.), a brunchy spot that just opened in a very anticipated location in Lovers Point Park. // Soon to come (estimated opening this fall) is another Appellation hotel location by chef Charlie Palmer and hospitality pro Christopher Hunsberger, joining the family of Appellation locations now open in Healdsburg and Lodi , and soon to come in Morgan Hill, Petaluma, and Park City, Utah.

Coffee, Cafes + Treats in Pacific Grove Happy Girl Kitchen (Michelle Magdalena) Happy Girl Kitchen On your way in or out of town, stop at Happy Girl Kitchen, pioneers of preserves, pickles, and the zero waste philosophy. Owners Jordan and Todd Champagne opened this beloved vegetarian cafe and bakery space in 2010, holding classes and community events as well as selling their HGK labeled goods in a little store onsite and at local farmers markets. They recently got news that the building was up for sale, and with the prospect of getting kicked out, they launched a fundraiser to buy it. To everyones relief, they surpassed their $200k goal. // 173 Central Ave., happygirlkitchen.com

Colettes Colettes ice cream is a brand new scoop shop with bright and cheerful branding. It was opened in 2025 by Nicole and Roy Ballesteros, local business owners who always had a dream of having an ice cream shop (Colette is their youngest daughter). They make classic flavors with a couple of fun twists, like the black chocolate cone that adds the magic of the best part of an Oreo cookie to your scoop. You can also find ice cream sandwiches and great espresso drinks. // 520 Lighthouse Ave., colettesicecream.com

Captain & Stoker This Captain & Stoker is one of two locations opened in 2022 of Monterey Countys favorite third wave coffee roaster with a very inspiring backstory . Theyve got a great espresso program, coffee, and pastries by local bakeries like Ad Astra, Parker Lusseau, and Neces GF. Its a tiny space but perfect for grabbing a drink to take to the beach. // 206 Forest Ave., captainandstoker.com

Pavels Backerei Pavels Backerei is an old world, old-school bakery that brought visitors to PG just for giant pastries and breads long before the town was on many people's radar. Pavels has been open since 1997, and to much dismay, has cut their operating hours down to only Saturdays from 7am to 4pm. Expect a line and stock up. // 219 Forest Ave., facebook.com/PavelsBackerei

For such a small town, theres a huge proportion of breakfast places to choose from in Pacific Grove. Winstons (602 Lighthouse Ave.) opened in 2022 and quickly rose to the top of that list for its big portions of well-made classics. Try the goat cheese omelette, homemade biscuits, and lemon ricotta pancakes. // Other notable spots to try are Red House Cafe (662 Lighthouse Ave.), First Awakenings (300 David Ave.), and Aliotti's Victorian Corner (541 Lighthouse Ave.), the longest operating restaurant in Pacific Grove, open since 1977. If you like Belgian waffles, this is your place.
BTS's ARIRANG tops Billboard 200 for 2nd week, becoming their longest-running No. 1 album with 187K units. Historic chart achievement.

AceShowbiz - BTS's ARIRANG has secured the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart for a second straight week, dated April 11, 2026. The album earned 187,000 equivalent album units in the United States during the tracking week ending April 2, according to Luminate.

This marks a 71% decline from its debut week, when ARIRANG amassed 641,000 equivalent album units  the largest opening week sales of 2026 so far. With its second week at the summit, ARIRANG now stands as BTS' longest-running No. 1 album, surpassing their other six chart-topping releases that each remained at the top for only one week.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums in the U.S. each week based on multi-metric consumption, measured in equivalent album units. These units combine album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA), and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Specifically, one unit equals one album sale, 10 individual track sales from an album, or 2,500 ad-supported or 1,000 paid on-demand streams of official audio and video content from the album's songs. The full April 11, 2026, chart will be available on Billboard's website on April 7, 2026.

Of the 187,000 total units earned by ARIRANG in its second week, album sales accounted for 114,000 units, down 79% from its debut. The album retains the No. 1 position on the Top Album Sales chart for a second week. Streaming equivalent albums made up 65,000 units, reflecting 68.49 million on-demand official streams of the albums tracks, though this caused a fall from No. 1 to No. 3 on the Top Streaming Albums chart. TEA units totaled 8,000, down 49% from the previous week.

Also debuting in the Billboard 200 top 10 are albums from Ye (formerly Kanye West), Melanie Martinez, and Yeat. Ye scores his 14th top 10 album with BULLY entering at No. 2 with 152,000 equivalent album units earned during the same tracking period. This includes 96,000 SEA units  equating to 98.43 million on-demand streams  which places BULLY at No. 1 on Top Streaming Albums. Album sales contributed 56,000 units, ranking it No. 3 on Top Album Sales, with the remainder from TEA units.

BULLY was released physically on March 27, 2026, across CD, vinyl, and cassette formats, and digitally for download and streaming on March 28. Coinciding with the digital release, Ye launched the music video for the track FATHER, featuring Travis Scott and directed by Bianca Censori.

During the albums release week, Ye held his first major U.S. concert in nearly five years, performing at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on April 1. A second show at the same venue occurred on April 3, just after the end of the first chart tracking week for BULLY. The albums strong opening sales were supported by multiple vinyl color variants, deluxe boxed sets including branded merchandise and a CD, as well as signed vinyl and CD editions.

Melanie Martinez earns her fourth top 10 Billboard 200 album as HADES debuts at No. 3 with 84,000 equivalent album units. Album sales made up 63,000 units, securing the No. 2 spot on Top Album Sales. Streaming contributed 21,000 SEA units, totaling 22.85 million on-demand streams, which placed the album at No. 28 on Top Streaming Albums. TEA units were negligible.

Martinez previously reached the top 10 with PORTALS (No. 2 in 2023), K-12 (No. 3, 2019), and Cry Baby (No. 6, 2015). The HADES release was enhanced by multiple vinyl and CD variants, deluxe boxed sets with branded merch and physical albums, plus signed editions, all boosting first-week sales.

Morgan Wallens Im the Problem slips from No. 3 to No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with 76,000 equivalent album units, a decline of less than 1%. Meanwhile, Yeat collects his seventh top 10 album as ADL debuts at No. 5, earning 57,000 equivalent album units. Of this total, album sales accounted for 26,000 units (No. 4 on Top Album Sales), and SEA units made up 31,000 units, equaling 32.53 million on-demand streams, placing the album at No. 12 on Top Streaming Albums. TEA units were minimal.

ADLs opening sales benefited from multiple vinyl and CD variants, deluxe boxed sets with merch and physical copies, and signed editions. Other chart movements in the top 10 include Luke Combs The Way I Am, which fell from No. 2 to No. 6 in its second week with 55,000 units (down 45%), and Olivia Deans The Art of Loving climbing from No. 7 to No. 7 with 54,000 units, a slight increase of 1%.

The remainder of the top 10 features former No. 1 albums: Don Tolivers OCTANE dropped from No. 5 to No. 8 with 53,000 units (down 3%), Bad Bunnys DeBI TiRAR MaS FOToS slid from No. 7 to No. 9 with 50,000 units (down 7%), and Harry Styles Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. fell from No. 4 to No. 10 with 48,000 units (down 25%).

Luminate, the independent data provider for Billboard charts, performs a thorough review and authentication of all submitted data used in compiling weekly rankings. Suspicious or unverifiable data is removed based on established criteria before final chart calculations are published in partnership with Billboard.

Fans and industry professionals can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on X and Instagram for the latest chart updates and music news.
Rodeo FX expands its Paris studio, merging all French operations. A strategic move fueled by France's VFX incentives, strengthening its global production hub.

AceShowbiz - Rodeo FX has officially opened a larger studio in Paris, consolidating all its French operations, including the recently acquired Mikros Animation, into one central location.

The Montreal-based visual effects company, recognized for its work on high-profile projects such as Games of Thrones, Stranger Things, The Rings of Power, John Wick: Chapter 4, and Dune, views this expansion as a significant milestone in enhancing its presence in France.

This strategic relocation follows the establishment of a Paris office two years ago and reflects the growing importance of the French market for international visual effects production. The decision was influenced by Frances initiative to boost its post-production sector globally through a VFX incentive program. This incentive provides a 10% bonus on top of the 30% Tax Rebate for International Production (TRIP), alongside investments in local infrastructure to support industry growth.

By bringing all French divisions under one roof, Rodeo FX aims to streamline collaboration and increase efficiency in delivering cutting-edge visual effects. The integration of Mikros Animation within this new space further strengthens the companys capabilities and market reach in Europe.

This development marks a new chapter for the studio's French operations as it continues to expand its footprint and meet growing demand for high-quality VFX in major international productions.
New Harry Potter series on HBO Max Christmas 2026. See the first look & 5 key insights from the behind-the-scenes preview, promising a deeper, more expansive...

AceShowbiz - The highly anticipated Harry Potter series is set to debut on HBO Max at Christmas 2026, bringing a fresh adaptation of J.K. Rowlings iconic novels. On April 5, HBO Max released a revealing preview titled Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic, offering fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the reboots first season.

This new television adaptation promises a more expansive retelling by dedicating eight episodes to each of the original books, allowing stories that were once condensed into two-hour films to unfold over multiple hours. This format gives room for previously omitted material to be explored in greater depth, enriching the magical worlds portrayal.

Here are the five key insights gleaned from Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic that heighten excitement for Harry Potters forthcoming HBO Max series.

5) The Series Dives Deeper Into Harry Potters Lore

The preview opened with a conversation featuring John Lithgow, who portrays Albus Dumbledore in the new series. Lithgow highlighted that each seasons eight episodes will explore aspects of the story and characters that audiences only heard about or briefly glimpsed in the original films. This storytelling approach allows the narrative to breathe and expand beyond Harrys singular point of view.

The production design team further explained how locations that were merely hinted at in the movies will now be fully realized. They also revealed plans to depict magical individuals existing unnoticed in the Muggle world, showcasing the interplay between these two realms in unprecedented detail. This approach aims to present the magical universe in its full complexity  something the movies could only suggest.

4) Casting Involved Over 40,000 Auditions Across the UK

The casting process for the new Harry Potter series was far more extensive than expected. Casting directors Emily Brockmann and Lucy Bevan disclosed that over 40,000 children auditioned throughout the United Kingdom. They personally reviewed every audition tape before selecting the final cast.

The first actor cast was Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, discovered during auditions in Manchester. The search then moved to London, where Arabella Stanton was chosen to play Hermione Granger, noted for embodying both intelligence and playfulness  evidence of which was captured in a scene of her snorting while discussing Ron and Harry with her parents.

Finally, the team traveled to Glasgow, Scotland, where Dominic McLaughlin impressed them by reading a poem he had written, demonstrating his self-assuredness. McLaughlin was described as the easiest choice for the role of Harry Potter and is regarded as the perfect fit for this iconic character.

3) The Sets Are Immense and Immersive

The production designers showcased the massive scale of the sets created for the series. From Diagon Alley to the sprawling halls of Hogwarts, including classrooms, professors offices, and dormitories, every location is built to immerse audiences fully.

Mara LePere-Schloop, the production designer, emphasized that the design team is focusing on capturing the joy and playfulness of being a magical child. The series aims to build a world that fans familiar only with the movies have yet to experience. Schloop explained how the HBO Max show connects the various locations in ways the films never depicted, enhancing the continuity of the magical environment.

The costuming also reflects this duality: Muggle clothing is deliberately muted and bland, reflecting the mundane world of 1991, while the magical characters wear vibrant, eye-catching uniforms that highlight the wonder of their world.

2) The Series Prioritizes Practical Effects Over CGI

While the sets are large and elaborate, the creators are committed to a naturalistic visual style that embraces practical effects. This includes detailed natural elements like plants and realistic Hogwarts interiors, along with animatronic creatures rather than CGI.

John Nolan, who contributed to the original Harry Potter films, is involved in creating animatronic effects for the new series. This team has developed lifelike owls and magical creatures, including Scabbers and Flubberworms, blending creature effects with animatronics. Even fantastical creatures such as crabs that can emit fire will be realized practically, enhancing the authenticity and immersive quality of the magical world.

This filmmaking approach is designed to ground the magic in the natural world, making the series feel more tangible and engaging for viewers.

1) The Cast Understands the Importance of Their Roles

Actors portraying the Hogwarts professors spoke about the personal and professional significance of joining this franchise. Paapa Essiedu, who plays Severus Snape, reflected on having grown up alongside the Harry Potter books and expressed a deep connection with the story and its young fans.

John Lithgow shared that beginning this role near the age of 80 gave him perspective on the series importance. He acknowledged the responsibility involved as he approaches 90 by the time filming concludes.

The entire cast recognizes the cultural impact of the Harry Potter franchise and the potential influence the new series holds for a fresh generation of viewers. They feel a duty not only to honor the legacy of the original books and films but also to support the young actors embarking on their careers through this project.

The preview closes with a symbolic shot of the Hogwarts Express departing from Kings Cross Station, signaling the start of a new chapter for the franchise and its fans worldwide.

What to Expect Next

With its release scheduled for Christmas 2026, the HBO Max Harry Potter series is shaping up to be a richly detailed and thoughtfully crafted reimagining of the beloved books. By expanding the storylines, casting a diverse and talented new generation, and employing practical effects alongside meticulous production design, the series aims to offer fans an immersive experience that honors the original material while breaking new ground.

As more information becomes available, fans can look forward to further insights into the production and additional previews that will deepen anticipation for this magical reboot.

What are your thoughts on the new [strong]Harry Potter[/strong] HBO Max series? Join the conversation and share your excitement and predictions as this new journey unfolds.
Dan Levy discusses a potential Schitt's Creek sequel and the profound loss of co-star Catherine O'Hara in an emotional return to the show's filming location.

AceShowbiz - Dan Levy recently opened up about the possibility of a sequel to the beloved sitcom Schitt's Creek and the impact of losing his co-star and close friend, Catherine O'Hara. During an emotional interview on CBS News Sunday Morning, Levy visited Goodwood, Ontario  the small town where the series was filmed  for the first time since Schitt's Creek concluded in 2020.

Standing outside the location that once housed the fictional Rose Apothecary, the boutique owned by his character David Rose, Levy was asked by CBS News correspondent Anthony Mason if there might be any chance of continuing the story through a sequel series. Levy responded candidly, saying, "No. Not now. You can't."

Before the untimely death of Catherine O'Hara on January 30 from a pulmonary embolism, complicated by rectal cancer, Levy admitted he had been considering a follow-up to the acclaimed sitcom. O'Hara's portrayal of Moira Rose, David's eccentric and iconic mother, was central to the show's success over its six-season run.

Levy described the emotional difficulty of returning to the town where the show was filmed, admitting he did not expect such a strong reaction. "It's tough being back," he shared, struggling to hold back tears. He reflected on the many memories he had with O'Hara, emphasizing that those memories are what he must hold onto. When Mason mentioned an "incredible clip reel," Levy smiled and added, "For someone who was not on the internet, she knew how to meme."

Schitt's Creek, co-created by Dan Levy and his father Eugene Levy, was a cultural phenomenon that earned nine Emmy Awards. The show follows the Rose family, who lose their fortune due to fraud and are forced to relocate to the small, quirky town of Schitts Creek  the only remaining asset they own. The series explores their culture shock and the heartfelt relationships they develop in their new home.

Following Catherine O'Hara's death, Dan Levy paid a heartfelt tribute, recognizing her brilliance and the deep connection she shared with his family. "What a gift to have gotten to dance in the warm glow of Catherine O'Hara's brilliance for all those years," he said. He noted that having collaborated with his father for over five decades, O'Hara was like extended family even before portraying his TV mom.

Levy expressed how difficult it is to imagine a world without her and vowed to cherish every funny memory they made together. He also extended his condolences to O'Hara's family, including Bo, Matthew, and Luke, calling them her big, beautiful family.

Despite the sadness surrounding the loss of a key figure from the series, Dan Levy remains focused on honoring her legacy and treasuring the moments they shared during the groundbreaking run of Schitt's Creek. For now, though, any plans for a sequel remain on hold, underscoring just how integral Catherine O'Hara was to the shows heart and soul.
Meghan Markle reportedly forgoes her memoir to protect the monarchy's dignity, stepping back from lucrative offers after Prince Harry's 'Spare'.

AceShowbiz - Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has reportedly decided against writing her memoirs to maintain the dignity and standards of the British monarchy. The 44-year-old had been considering publishing a book following the remarkable success of her husbands memoir, Prince Harry's Spare, but now sources reveal she is stepping back from this path.

After Spare became one of the fastest-selling non-fiction books ever, Meghan Markle was said to have attracted several lucrative publishing offers promising substantial financial rewards. Last year, she even hinted during a revealing podcast that she intended to follow in Harry's footsteps by sharing her own story with the public. However, insiders now say the couple is being cautious to avoid further controversy that could tarnish the royal family's reputation.

A source explained, "Meghan and Harry are cautious about everything they do and say to uphold the standards of the monarchy. Those [memoirs] are the types of projects they don't want to do." This shift comes amid ongoing sensitivity surrounding the fallout from Harry's book, which exposed family tensions and personal revelations.

Spare shocked readers with candid accounts, including an alleged physical altercation between Harry and his brother, Prince William. The memoir also detailed Harry's wartime experiences, including his admission of having killed 25 Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, and personal anecdotes such as how he lost his virginity to an older woman in a field. Released in January 2023, the book intensified speculation about the dukes strained family relationships.

Despite the global attention and commercial triumph of Spare, both Harry and Meghan Markle now appear intent on avoiding any projects that could deepen royal disputes. Rumors persist about their possible partial reconciliation with the royal family, with reports suggesting they may take on roles that keep them connected yet somewhat distant.

The source also revealed to OK! Magazine that Harry and Meghan strive to avoid upsetting the royals in any ventures they pursue. While collaborators understand there are limitations, this approach can stifle creativity. The couple insists on maintaining full creative control and final approval of their work, but they acknowledge that some topics are off-limits.

Recent actions seem to support this more cautious stance. For instance, the Sussexes attended Kris Jenner's opulent 70th birthday party in November 2025 but reportedly requested the removal of certain images from Kim Kardashian's Instagram feed. This suggests a strategic change in how Meghan and Harry manage their public exposure, especially since their lucrative Netflix contract concluded and their streaming projects have stalled.

While Meghan Markle has considerable experience as a writer, this is the one area where she holds significant financial influence. She authored a childrens book, The Bench, published in June 2021, roughly one year after the couple left the UK for the United States. Released shortly after the birth of their daughter, Princess Lilibet, the book quickly became a New York Times Bestseller in the childrens picture book category.

Following The Bench, Prince Harry released his nonfiction memoir less than two years later, which triggered intense media scrutiny and discussions about the royal family's internal dynamics. Now, both appear to be recalibrating their public and creative endeavors to protect the monarchys image while seeking new opportunities that respect those boundaries.

In summary, Meghan Markle has made a significant decision to forgo publishing her memoirs, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the royal family's reputation. This move reflects a strategic choice by the Sussexes to balance their personal ambitions with a desire to uphold the monarchy's standards and avoid further controversies.
Kanye West declares no artist can beat him in a Verzuz battle, reigniting rumors of a potential epic showdown with Jay-Z.

AceShowbiz - Kanye West, known as Ye, recently declared that no artist can defeat him in a Verzuz battle, sparking further discussion amid ongoing debates about a potential showdown between him and Jay-Z.

The conversation unfolded during a comedy night at the Hollywood Improv in Los Angeles on April 6. Comedian Deon Cole, who was performing, shared a video on Instagram the next day capturing a moment when Ye made a surprise appearance at the venue. Fellow comedian Ocean Glapion was onstage as well and suggested that no one could beat Ye in a Verzuz battle, prompting Cole to ask Ye directly for his thoughts.

"Nobody," Ye responded with a playful smile, confidently asserting his dominance in the music battle format.

During the exchange, Ye referenced his recent two-night concert residency at SoFi Stadium, noting that despite delivering many of his hits, he opted not to perform some of his biggest chart-toppers like "Gold Digger" and "Touch the Sky." This detail was acknowledged by Deon Cole, who attended one of the shows and agreed that it highlighted Ye's ability to hold his own in a Verzuz matchup.

This bold claim by Ye comes amid a trending social media debate over who would win in a Verzuz competition between Jay-Z and Ye. Prominent voices such as journalist Brian "B.Dot" Miller and podcast host Joe Budden have expressed support for Jay-Z as the likely winner. Conversely, DJ Akademiks has taken the stance that Ye would outperform Jay-Z in such a battle.

The Verzuz platform, known for pitting artists against each other in friendly musical showdowns, continues to generate excitement and speculation, especially when it involves major figures like Ye and Jay-Z. For now, Ye remains confident that he stands unbeaten in this format.
Denzel Curry's music played by NASA during the Artemis II moon mission, potentially making him the first rapper in space.

AceShowbiz - Denzel Curry has potentially made history in the world of Hip-Hop after NASA disclosed that his music was played during the Artemis II mission orbiting the moon.

The Florida rapper achieved a milestone that many artists only reference metaphorically when claiming their music is out of this world. According to reports, Denzel Curry might be the first rapper ever to have his music played in actual outer space. This achievement is especially notable given the common claims of firsts by other rappers like Soulja Boy, who is known for seeking similar milestones.

NASA revealed that the Artemis II crew, which is pioneering human space travel by orbiting the moon farther than any previous astronauts, included Denzel Currys collaboration "Tokyo Drifting" with Glass Animals in their wake-up music rotation. This alone is impressive, but the moment is made even more symbolic as the mission is led by a Black astronaut, representing a significant intersection between Hip-Hop culture and space exploration.

Documenting the event, NASA posted publicly: Ooh, now youre letting go ? As our Artemis II astronauts prepare to leave the lunar sphere of influence and return to Earths gravitational pull, they listened to Tokyo Drifting, by Denzel Curry and Glass Animals, as their wakeup song.

This moment now floats somewhere between the moon and Earth, marking a historic fusion of music and space travel. Denzel Curry himself expressed a mix of surprise and amusement on social media, writing: Even Aliens F### with my Sh#t! First Rapper Played in SPACE NI##A! His reaction highlights the unique significance of this event in Hip-Hop culture.

While rappers often describe their artistry as universal, galactic, or otherworldly in a creative sense, this instance is literal. If confirmed as the first rapper to have music played in space, Denzel Curry has planted a Hip-Hop flag in a realm where no music had gone beforeouter space.

Fans immediately joked about Soulja Boys frequent claims to be first in various categories, noting that this particular accolade belongs to Denzel Curry. The achievement has sparked excitement and speculation about what other Hip-Hop classics might accompany future space missions.

Given the momentum, some hope that iconic albums like Nass Illmatic might be included on upcoming journeys, just in case extraterrestrial listeners are tuning in from beyond Earth.
The beloved sitcom returns! Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair premieres April 2026 with the original cast. Chaos, laughs, and family mayhem are back.

AceShowbiz - The beloved sitcom Malcolm in the Middle is officially returning to television after nearly two decades. Titled Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair, the revival was announced in December 2024 and is slated to premiere on April 10, 2026. This limited series reboot is highly anticipated by fans who fondly remember the original shows unique blend of humor, heart, and relatable family chaos.

Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis praised the original sitcom at the time of the announcement, highlighting its status as a "landmark" show that captured the essence of family life with humor and sincerity. Davis expressed excitement about bringing the original cast back together, promising the new episodes will deliver the same laughs, pranks, and mayhem while including fresh surprises to honor what made the series timeless.

According to Deadline, the reboot will feature several key cast members reprising their roles. Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, and Jane Kaczmarek will return as Malcolm and his parents, Hal and Lois. In addition, Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield will reprise their parts as Malcolms brothers, Francis and Reese. However, Erik Per Sullivan, who originally played Dewey, will not return; instead, the character will be portrayed by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark.

The reboot will also introduce new family members. Anthony Timpano joins as Jamie, Malcolms youngest brother, who was only a baby or toddler in the original series. Vaughan Murrae will portray a brand-new sibling named Kelly, whose existence was revealed in the original shows finale through a positive pregnancy test. Additionally, Keeley Karsten is cast as Leah, Malcolms daughter, marking a new generation in the family dynamic.

As for the storyline, Variety shares that the series will focus on a grown-up Malcolm and his daughter being drawn back into family chaos during Hal and Loiss 40th wedding anniversary celebration. This setup promises a nostalgic yet fresh take by showing Malcolm as an adult navigating his own family challenges while reconnecting with his parents and siblings.

Details about the production remain under wraps, but fans can expect the same trademark humor and unpredictable family antics that defined the original series. The reboot is designed as a limited four-episode series, ensuring a concise but impactful return to the world of the Malcolm in the Middle family.

With the premiere date now confirmed for April 10, 2026, anticipation is building for this revival to capture the charm and wit that made Malcolm in the Middle a classic sitcom. The return of the original cast alongside new characters sets the stage for a heartfelt and comedic exploration of family life across generations.
Remembering Gwendolyn "Blondy" Chisolm, cofounder of pioneering female hip-hop trio The Sequence. Her iconic music and spirit endure.

AceShowbiz - Gwendolyn Chisolm, known as "Blondy," the cofounder of the groundbreaking female hip-hop trio The Sequence, passed away at age 66 on Monday, April 6, in Atlanta after a brief illness.

The Sequence was formed by Chisolm alongside Cheryl "The Pearl" Cook and the late Angela "Angie B" Brown, who was also known as Angie Stone. The trio was a pioneering force in hip-hop, especially as the first female hip-hop act signed to Sugar Hill Records.

Monica Scott, Chisolms sister, spoke on behalf of the family, saying, "My sister gave a lot of herself to the music industry. Everyone knows her famous lyrics and melodies, which continue to bring joy to millions of people." She described Chisolm as a "creative force who touched countless hearts."

Scott further honored her sister as "the star of our family," expressing the familys heartbreak but also their comfort in knowing that Chisolms spirit endures through her music. She encouraged fans to celebrate her legacy by playing her songs and remembering her as a passionate artist and a voice for a generation.

The Sequence is best remembered for their 1979 hit "Funk You Up," which was certified Gold and peaked at No. 15 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. This single holds historic significance as the first charting hit by a female hip-hop group. Its infectious, bass-heavy beat played an influential role in the development of hip-hop music.

Over the years, "Funk You Up" has been sampled and interpolated by numerous artists, including Dr. Dre in "Keep Their Heads Ringin'," En Vogue in "Whatever," and Erykah Badu in "Love of My Life Worldwide," which also featured Sequence member Angela Brown. More recently, Katy Perry used elements of the song in a commercial titled "Did Somebody Say" for a food delivery service.

The formation of The Sequence began when Chisolm teamed up with her high school friends Cook and Stone at C.A. Johnson High School. Their big break came in 1979 backstage at a Sugarhill Gang concert, where they performed an impromptu audition for Sugar Hill Records CEO Sylvia Robinson. Robinson signed the group and produced "Funk You Up," which was penned by the trio themselves.

Before disbanding in 1985, The Sequence released two additional singles: "Funky Sound (Tear the Roof Off)" and "I Don't Need Your Love (Part One)," which reached No. 39 and No. 40, respectively, on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The group also recorded three studio albums: Sugar Hill Presents The Sequence (1980), The Sequence (1982), and The Sequence Party (1983).

After the group parted ways, Chisolm remained active in the music industry. She collaborated with both established and emerging artists, booked and produced shows, and continued writing and recording music. Notably, she reunited with Cook in 2011 for the song "On Our Way to the Movies."

Following the death of Angela Brown in 2025, Chisolm worked closely with Tyler Perry to arrange Browns memorial and funeral services, underscoring her enduring commitment to her bandmates and their legacy.

Having moved from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Atlanta, Chisolm also dedicated time to educating students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) about hip-hops cultural impact and the music business. At the time of her passing, she was in the process of completing her memoir and collaborating with Nashvilles National Museum of African American Music on a permanent exhibit celebrating The Sequence's significant contribution to hip-hop history.

A private memorial service for Chisolm will be held at a later date, honoring her life, artistry, and lasting influence on music and culture.
From Thor to Tyler Rake: Explore how Chris Hemsworth dominates both the MCU and Netflix with his action-hero prowess and franchise roles.

AceShowbiz - Chris Hemsworth first gained recognition through films like Star Trek (2009), The Cabin in the Woods, and Red Dawn, but it was his portrayal of Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that cemented his status as a global star. Unlike many MCU actors who have moved on to other projects, Hemsworth has consistently returned to the role of the God of Thunder. Beyond his Marvel commitments, Hemsworth has also established a significant presence at Netflix, starring in high-intensity action films that showcase his talent for dynamic, weapon-based combat.

In 2020, Hemsworth headlined the action-packed comic book adaptation Extraction, directed by stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave. The film follows Tyler Rake, a mercenary who uses any means necessary to accomplish a deadly mission. The movie was well-received and quickly developed into a franchise for Netflix. Its sequel, Extraction 2, released in 2023, expanded the story and reinforced the films status as a major action franchise for the streaming platform.

Now, Netflix has officially greenlit Extraction 3. According to Variety, the project will reunite Hemsworth with director Sam Hargrave and bring back key cast members, including Idris Elba and Golshifteh Farahani. Fans of the series will remember Elbas character, introduced in the second film, as an enigmatic figure who supplies Rake with dangerous jobs.

Angela Russo-Otstot, chief creative officer at AGBO, expressed enthusiasm about continuing the partnership with Netflix. She highlighted the dedication of the creative team behind the franchise and praised the films for their worldwide appeal. "It's incredibly exciting to continue our partnership with Netflix as we further expand the 'Extraction' universe," Russo-Otstot said. "We are grateful for their unwavering support of these films and privileged to collaborate with Sam Hargrave, Chris Hemsworth, and this outstanding team."

Extraction 2 ended by deepening the mystery surrounding Elbas character, who used his influence to secure Rakes release from prison and immediately offered him a new mission. This cliffhanger sets the stage for the upcoming third installment, although the true nature of Elbas characters affiliations remains unclear. Elba himself described the role as a "gnarly motherf-cker," teasing a complex and possibly dangerous figure.

The Extraction franchise occupies a unique niche for Netflix, delivering intense, fast-paced action films that appeal to fans of relentless, high-octane sequences. While it may not rival the popularity of franchises like John Wick, it satisfies viewers seeking gritty and violent storytelling. One signature element of the series is how Tyler Rake, played by Hemsworth, ingeniously wields any object as a weaponfamously using an actual rake to dispatch multiple enemies in the first film.

Netflixs confidence in the franchise has led to ambitious expansions beyond the main films. Last year, the streamer announced a spinoff movie titled Tygo, set in South Korea. The film stars Don Lee as Tygo, a former child soldier turned mercenary seeking revenge on the Korean underworld after a failed mission. Joining Lee are Lee Jin-uk, known for Squid Game, and BLACKPINKs Lisa, broadening the franchises international appeal.

In addition to the spinoff film, Netflix is developing a TV series titled Mercenary: An Extraction Series. This show stars Omar Sy, Boyd Holbrook, and Natalie Dormer and focuses on a mercenarys efforts to rescue hostages in Libya, further expanding the universe created by the films.

The success of Extraction and its related projects signals Netflixs commitment to building a robust action franchise that can compete on a global scale. With Extraction 3 confirmed and key players returning, audiences can anticipate another thrilling chapter in Tyler Rakes dangerous world.
Christopher Abbott & Aubrey Plaza: expecting first child. Explore the actor's career, background, and relationship with the Parks and Rec star.

AceShowbiz - Christopher Abbott has steadily built a respected career as an actor across film, television, and theater, but recently his personal life has gained significant attention. The Girls alum is currently in a relationship with Aubrey Plaza, and the couple is reportedly expecting their first child together, according to People.

As the news of their romance and growing family surfaces, heres a closer look at Abbotts background, career highlights, and his connection with Plaza.

Hailing from Connecticut

Christopher Abbott was born and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut. After completing high school, he moved to New York City to pursue acting and immerse himself in the vibrant downtown theater community. This early exposure to theater became the foundation for his acting career.

Off-Broadway Beginnings

Abbotts professional career kicked off with an Off-Broadway production of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasas Good Boys and True, a play centered on a scandal at a prep school. He continued to build his reputation onstage before transitioning into film and television roles.

He has maintained strong ties to theater throughout his career, notably starring alongside Aubrey Plaza in the 20232024 Off-Broadway revival of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. More recently, Abbott also appeared on Broadway in a revival of Death of a Salesman, acting alongside Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf.

Recognized for TV and Indie Films

Abbott gained widespread recognition playing Charlie Dattolo on HBOs Girls, quickly becoming a fan favorite. After leaving the show, he focused on independent and character-driven movies, earning critical praise for films such as Black Bear, Possessor, and James White.

He also starred in Hulus adaptation of Catch-22, a role that brought him award recognition.

Creative Partners Before Dating

Before their romantic relationship began, Abbott and Aubrey Plaza had already developed a strong creative partnership. They starred together in the 2020 psychological drama Black Bear and later reunited onstage for the revival of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea.

In 2023, Aubrey Plaza described their dynamic to The New York Times, saying, "He cares but he also doesn't care; it's the best recipe for me for a scene partner. It's fun and it's also good and it's also safe." She added that she enjoys the freedom to be playful and not take things too seriously when acting with him.

Expecting Their First Child

Christopher Abbott and Aubrey Plaza are expecting their first child, with the baby due in fall 2026. Plazas representative confirmed the pregnancy to People, describing the news as a "beautiful surprise."

This joyful announcement follows a difficult time for Aubrey Plaza, who experienced the 2025 death of her estranged husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena.

As their relationship and expanding family continue to make headlines, fans look forward to seeing more from Christopher Abbott both on screen and on stage alongside Aubrey Plaza.
Steven Universe revival series confirmed! Creator Rebecca Sugar returns with a new story continuing the original. Get the latest update.

AceShowbiz - Steven Universe is officially moving forward with a new revival series set to continue the story on Cartoon Network, offering fans encouraging news about its development. The network has been revisiting some of its most beloved franchises, bringing them back with fresh projects years after their original conclusions. Among these revivals is Steven Universe, although its return takes a unique approach compared to others like the upcoming Regular Show reboot.

The original creator of Steven Universe, Rebecca Sugar, revealed last year at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival that she is involved in a new series that picks up where the original show ended. Recently, executive producer Ian Jones-Quartey, who also contributed to the original series and shows like O.K. K.O.! Let's Be Heroes!, shared an update with fans on social media, confirming that work on the new project is still underway.

"Yes, we are still working on Lars Of The Stars but I don't have any news to share yet. Hopefully soon!" Quartey stated in regards to the revival series. While this update may seem modest, it is a positive indicator of the projects ongoing development a full year after its announcement. At that time, it was confirmed that both Sugar and Jones-Quartey would serve as executive producers for the new series titled Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars, which is intended to continue the storyline from the original series.

The new show is planned for release on Prime Video, although no specific release date has been provided yet. The series is set to follow the character Lars and his crew of space pirates as they navigate adventures involving smuggling contraband, evading authorities, and uncovering secrets related to the fallen Gem Empire. Despite these intriguing plot elements, details regarding the returning voice cast and additional production information remain unconfirmed at this time.

The decision to revive Steven Universe may come as a surprise to some, given that the original series already concluded Steven's journey comprehensively. The story was wrapped up with a TV movie and an epilogue miniseries called Steven Universe Future, which served to properly close the narrative. However, the franchises universe is expansive, and the revival aims to explore new facets of that world, specifically focusing on the character Lars.

The title "Lars of the Stars" refers to a Season 5 episode of the original Steven Universe series. In that episode, Lars grows into the role of a pirate captain, leading his group to rescue victims affected by the Gem Empire across the cosmos. The episode introduced concepts and storylines that had potential for much broader exploration, which the new series intends to develop further. Fans eagerly await the opportunity to see these ideas brought to life in a full series format.

While concrete details about the revivals storyline, voice cast, and release timeline are currently limited, the confirmation that production continues is a reassuring sign for viewers who have long awaited more from the Steven Universe franchise. The creative teams involvement and the narrative direction suggest a continuation that respects the original while expanding its universe in exciting new directions.

Fans of Steven Universe can look forward to following Lars' adventures across the galaxy, engaging with fresh characters, and uncovering more secrets tied to the Gem Empires legacy. The series promises to blend the charm and heart that made the original show popular with new storylines that broaden the scope of its rich universe.

As the revival progresses, more updates are expected to emerge, providing additional insights into the cast, storyline, and release schedule. For now, the confirmation of ongoing work and executive producer involvement offers a hopeful outlook for the future of Steven Universe on Cartoon Network and Prime Video.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars series? Share your opinions and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum to connect with other fans eagerly anticipating this new chapter.
Rapper Pooh Shiesty denied bond in federal case. He's accused of kidnapping Gucci Mane to force a contract release. Details on the armed robbery scheme inside.

AceShowbiz - The rapper Pooh Shiesty remains in custody after a federal judge denied his bond request linked to an alleged kidnapping and robbery involving fellow rapper Gucci Mane.

During a recent detention hearing, Pooh Shiesty sought release from federal detention, but the court ruled against him, ensuring he stays locked up. Interestingly, some co-defendants, including his own father, were granted house arrest.

Federal prosecutors detailed a scheme where Pooh Shiesty purportedly entered a Dallas recording studio armed with an AK-style pistol. He allegedly demanded that Gucci Mane sign a release from his record contract with The New 1017 Records. The rapper then reportedly stole watches, jewelry, and cash from the label head and his associates.

The prosecution described this as a premeditated kidnapping designed to coerce Gucci Mane into releasing Pooh Shiesty from contractual obligations. The evidence presented convinced the judge that the allegations were serious enough to deny bond.

Complicating the situation for Pooh Shiesty was the fact he was already under court supervision for a prior drug trafficking case and was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of the alleged crime. Federal investigators tracked his movements through the device, providing detailed records of his location during the incident.

Despite the strong accusations, the FBI admitted they did not possess the disputed contract referenced in the case. They also confirmed they had not yet interviewed Gucci Mane about the alleged kidnapping. At the hearing, Pooh Shiesty's attorney, Bradford Cohen, challenged the government's claims, pointing out the absence of physical evidence such as the contract, video footage, firearms, or stolen jewelry.

Legal experts noted the defense faced a steep uphill battle given the prosecutions evidence. Cohen stated, "They have no contract. They have no video of this alleged signing. They have no guns, no jewelry. None of that physical evidence."

In total, nine individuals were charged in connection with the case. Among them were Pooh Shiesty's father, Lontrell Williams Sr., and rapper BIG30, who was present at the studio during the incident.

The group allegedly posted images of the stolen property on social media following the event, which further aided federal investigators in building their case.

While Lontrell Williams Sr. was granted bond by a federal judge in Memphis, prosecutors in North Texas quickly moved to keep him detained, emphasizing the gravity of the charges.

According to reports from FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, evidence presented by the prosecution illustrated that the meeting between Pooh Shiesty and Gucci Mane was arranged under false pretenses. This underlined the argument that the incident was a carefully planned kidnapping rather than a spontaneous act.

The relationship between Gucci Mane and Pooh Shiesty had been contentious for months prior to the incident, but few anticipated it escalating to armed robbery and federal charges.

If convicted on all counts, the defendants face the possibility of life imprisonment under federal sentencing guidelines.
Soderbergh directs a Spanish-American War film starring Wagner Moura, using groundbreaking AI technology to tell a timely historical story.

AceShowbiz - Steven Soderbergh is preparing to direct a new movie set during the Spanish-American War, combining historical storytelling with modern technology.

The acclaimed filmmaker revealed that he intends to utilize a lot of AI in the production of this upcoming project. He described the story as compelling and unique, noting that it has rarely been explored in cinema.

Wagner Moura is attached to star in the film, adding to the project's growing anticipation. Soderbergh emphasized the story's increasing relevance, stating that with each passing day, its themes become more timely.

Speaking with Filmmaker Magazine, Steven Soderbergh highlighted his enthusiasm for the project and the innovative approach he plans to take, which involves integrating artificial intelligence technology to enhance the filmmaking process.

This blend of cutting-edge techniques with a historical narrative marks a notable direction for the director, who is known for pushing boundaries in cinema. The film promises to offer a fresh perspective on the Spanish-American War, a subject seldom addressed in mainstream films.

As the industry continues to evolve, Soderbergh's use of AI may set new standards for how historical stories are told on screen. Fans and critics alike are eager to see how this combination of past and future elements will come together in his next work.
Witness the next chapter of Gilead. The Testaments, now on Hulu, follows new heroines defying the regime under June's guidance.

AceShowbiz - The Testaments continues the chilling saga of Gilead, diving into new stories that expand the universe first introduced in The Handmaid's Tale. Set four years after the series finale of the Emmy-winning Hulu adaptation, the show adapts Margaret Atwoods 2019 sequel novel into a timely television series focusing on young women challenging the oppressive regime.

The first three episodes, now streaming on Hulu, reveal that the Mayday resistance and June Osbornes (played by Elisabeth Moss) influence remain strong within Gileads power structure. June has taken on a new protege, Daisy, portrayed by Lucy Halliday, a Toronto teenager whose parents were killed by Gilead agents for their involvement with the underground movement. Under Junes guidance, Daisy infiltrates Gilead disguised as a "Pearl Girl," a recruit from outside the regime, and attends Aunt Lydia's elite academy.

This academy is run by the formidable Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), who trains young women for their future roles in Gilead society. At the academy, Daisy encounters Agnes McKenzie (played by Chase Infiniti), the Gilead name for Hannah, June and Lukes daughter. Agnes is depicted as a "plum," a girl nearing eligibility for marriage, whose storyline runs parallel to Daisys in the series' 10-episode first season.

Showrunner Bruce Miller, who also adapted The Handmaids Tale, worked closely with Atwood for years and knew about the sequel novel well before its 2019 release. When developing the TV adaptation, Miller chose to start the timeline just four years after the events of the original series rather than the 15 years that pass in Atwoods book. This allowed the show to explore familiar characters and situations while introducing new perspectives.

Miller explained that certain characters, like Daisy, had to be reimagined for the shows timeline. In the book, Daisy is the name given to Nichole, June and Nicks daughter, who was smuggled out of Gilead and raised in Canada. However, because of the shorter time jump in the show, Daisy is not the same character as Holly (the name Nichole adopted by the end of The Handmaids Tale). Instead, the shows Daisy is a new character, while baby Holly remains safe in Toronto for the time being.

Although the new series features a younger cast and a somewhat lighter tone, it retains strong ties to the original through the presence of Aunt Lydia and the occasional appearances of June. Aunt Lydias character arc has evolved significantly since the final season of The Handmaids Tale, where she became disillusioned with the hypocrisy of Gileads Commanders and secretly began working against the regime.

Dowd described Lydias new role as less controlling but more influential, operating covertly under the Commanders noses while managing the school where young women are groomed for marriage. The academy is depicted as a strict environment where Lydias presence looms large, with a statue and portraits reinforcing her authority. The students, including characters like Becka (played by Mattea Conforti), view Lydia as a role model, unaware of her resistance efforts.

Miller emphasized that Lydia remains a complex figure who commands power in ways distinct from her past role heading the Handmaids. Now responsible for selecting wives for Commanders' sons, Lydia wields significant influence while avoiding the brutal enforcement she once embodied. Despite moments of doubt, Lydia believes she is still carrying out Gods work, differentiating herself from the corrupt men who lead Gilead.

This nuanced portrayal allows the audience to gain insight into Lydias motivations and the personal struggles that define her character. By focusing on Lydia and the younger generation, The Testaments delves deeper into the social and political dynamics of Gilead, revealing new layers of resistance and complicity within the regime.

The series approach to adapting the source material, blending original timelines with new creative choices, offers a fresh yet faithful continuation of the story. With a mix of returning faces like Elisabeth Mosss June and Ann Dowds Lydia alongside newcomers such as Lucy Halliday and Chase Infiniti, The Testaments explores themes of survival, identity, and rebellion in a society built on oppression.

As the first season unfolds, viewers will witness the intricate power plays within Gileads elite, the struggles of young women caught between duty and desire, and the enduring impact of Junes legacy. The Testaments promises to deepen the narrative of Atwoods dystopian world while highlighting the courage of those who dare to fight for their freedom.
UK filmmaker Harry Lighton joins Cannes' La Residence 2026. He'll develop his next screenplay in Paris among six selected emerging directors.

AceShowbiz - UK filmmaker Harry Lighton, notable for his debut feature Pillion which gained attention at last years Cannes Film Festival, has been selected as one of six emerging directors for the upcoming 51st edition of the Cannes Film Festival's prestigious La Residence program.

The program, designed to nurture promising filmmakers, will run from March 16 to July 31, 2026. Alongside Lighton, the cohort includes Emma Branderhorst, Joecar Hanna, Saule Bliuvaite, Mansi Maheshwari, and Oliver McGoldrick.

Participation in La Residence offers an invaluable opportunity for creative focus and development. Lighton expressed his enthusiasm about the chance to dedicate five months exclusively to writing his next screenplay while based in Paris. He highlighted the excitement of joining a community of fellow filmmakers and the unique experience of working in such an inspiring environment.

The program is renowned for supporting new voices in cinema, providing them with resources and mentorship to advance their projects. For Lighton, this residency marks an important step in his career following the success of Pillion at Cannes, offering time and space to develop his upcoming work.

The La Residence program continues to be a highlight of the Cannes Film Festivals commitment to fostering emerging talent within the global film industry.
A severed finger in her chili sparks a blackmail scheme. Judy Greer stars in this tense thriller about a scandal that could bring down a fast-food empire.

AceShowbiz - The narrative film Chili Finger, directed by Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad, explores a unique story where Jessica Lipki finds a severed human finger in her chili, sparking a chain of events that change her life. Jessica, played by Judy Greer, sees this bizarre discovery as a chance to take control of her stagnant existence by blackmailing a popular regional fast-food chain for $100,000. She and her unsuspecting husband Ron agree to keep the incident under wraps, setting off a tense and intriguing plot.

The films tension heightens as the founder of the Blake Junior food empire, a wealthy figure known simply as Blake Junior, becomes aware of the scandal. He enlists his ex-marine friend Dave to investigate Jessica and uncover the truth behind the mysterious "chili finger." This thrilling storyline unfolds under the expert direction of Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad, who also wrote the screenplay.

At the SXSW panel, Judy Greer shared her enthusiasm about working alongside co-star John Goodman. She revealed that she has been "giddily in love" with Goodman since their previous collaboration in What Planet Are You From? (2000). Greer highlighted a memorable scene where the directors allowed a long two-shot between her and Goodman to play without interruption from editing, describing it as one of her proudest acting moments. She expressed the honor of performing alongside Goodman in such an unbroken, authentic scene.

The film premiered on March 14, 2026, and is represented by the Gersh sales agency. The engaging panel at SXSW Studio was presented by Redbreast Irish Whiskey, providing an insightful look at the creative process behind Chili Finger and the dynamic between its lead actors. With its darkly comedic premise and strong performances, Chili Finger promises to captivate audiences and critics alike.
Ryan Gosling reveals why Harrison Ford is the ultimate hero, sharing hilarious and cool behind-the-scenes stories from the Blade Runner 2049 set on the New H...

AceShowbiz - Ryan Gosling recently opened up about his unique friendship with co-star Harrison Ford during an appearance on the New Heights podcast hosted by Jason and Travis Kelce. Reflecting on his experience filming the 2017 sci-fi movie Blade Runner 2049, Gosling shared anecdotes that highlight just how unlike anyone else the legendary actor is.

The conversation began with Jason Kelce asking the Project Hail Mary star if he had ever had sex to the soundtrack of one of his own movies, a question inspired by Fords admission on Jimmy Kimmels show that he had done so. Goslings answer was a firm hard no, but he wasnt at all surprised by Fords unconventional behavior.

"Of course Harrison has," Gosling laughed. "I always say, like, 'Never meet your heroes unless they're Harrison Ford.' He's as cool as you want him to be."

Gosling went on to recall a memorable incident on the set of Blade Runner 2049 when Ford punched him in the face during a scene. Afterward, when ice was brought for Goslings injury, Ford jokingly took the ice pack away and placed his fist in it, saying, "I forgive you." Then came the part that truly illustrated Fords eccentricity.

"They brought me Advil, and I went to take two," Gosling said. "But he took the whole bottle and housed like 15 of them." The actor added with emphasis, "He's not like us. He could just house half a bottle of Advil as a joke."

To further prove Fords one-of-a-kind nature, Gosling shared another story from the set of the 1981 classic Raiders of the Lost Ark. During filming, Fords signature Indiana Jones hat kept falling off while he was riding a horse. Instead of relying on tape or traditional fixes, Ford reportedly stapled the hat directly to his head to keep it in place.

"He's riding, his hat kept coming off. He's riding the horse. He stapled it to his head," Gosling explained. "They were trying to tape it and he said, 'Forget it. Give me a stapler.' And he stapled it to his head." This story has been previously confirmed by Ford himself in a GQ interview, where he showed the scar left by the staples.

When Jason Kelce pressed Gosling on whether its widely known among those who work with Ford that he is a bit of a lunatic, Gosling summarized perfectly: "He's not like us. He's that guy."

These anecdotes paint a vivid picture of Harrison Ford as an actor and person who embodies a rare blend of humor, toughness, and eccentricity. His unpredictable antics and fearless attitude have clearly left a lasting impression on Ryan Gosling, who seems to hold his co-star in the highest regard while appreciating his wonderfully odd personality.

The friendship and mutual respect between these two stars were clearly evident through Goslings storytelling, revealing that beyond their on-screen chemistry, they share a genuine camaraderie marked by playful teasing and unforgettable moments.

As fans look forward to seeing more of Ryan Gosling and reflect on the legacy of Harrison Ford, these stories offer an inside glimpse into the off-camera dynamics that can make Hollywood collaborations so memorable and meaningful.
Witness the daring climbs and legal battles of free solo skyscraper climber Isaac Wright in the documentary Drift. A true story more gripping than fiction.

AceShowbiz - Drift is a gripping documentary that follows the extraordinary life of Isaac Wright, a daring free solo skyscraper climber and photographer known as Drift. The film delves into Wrights audacious exploits of scaling towering urban structures without safety equipment, capturing breathtaking photographs from dizzying heights. Beyond the adrenaline-fueled visuals, the documentary explores the complex personal and legal challenges Wright faces as a young artist pushing the limits.

Directed by Deon Taylor, Drift feels like the prelude to a future biopic, a notion openly discussed by Wrights own legal team within the film. Midway through the documentary, one of Wrights lawyers recounts telling the police officer Jeff RubergWrights chief adversarythat when the inevitable biopic is made, Ruberg will be cast as the villain, without the charm or nuance of a Hollywood antihero. This moment is left deliberately ambiguous, hinting that it may have affected Wrights fate in court, a storytelling choice that adds a subtle layer of narrative intrigue.

The film benefits from Wrights naturally engaging personality. His photogenic smile and laid-back demeanor make him an instantly likable protagonist, adept at presenting himself confidently but without arrogance, whether in front of his own camera or the documentary crew. Wrights story is compelling not only for the physical risks he takes but also for the broader cultural and legal battles that unfold around his art and lifestyle.

Drift premiered as part of the Documentary Spotlight at the SXSW Film Festival, offering audiences a nearly two-hour runtime to experience Wrights high-stakes world. The screenplay, crafted by Kaitlin McLaughlin, Martin Biehn, and Kevin Hibbard, interweaves Wrights backstory with heart-stopping footage that he often shoots himself. The films editors, Biehn and Hibbard, expertly balance the narrative, shifting between the mans personal history and the breathtaking audacity of his climbs.

Wrights journey is emblematic of a modern success story, combining social media savvy, unique artistic vision, and entrepreneurial innovation. He leverages his climbing, photography, and drone piloting skills into a lucrative art career that includes the creation and sale of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). This aspect of Wrights life positions Drift as a contemporary Horatio Alger talean inspiring narrative of rags to riches through talent and hustle, resonating with a generation unfamiliar with the original 19th-century figure.

The film does not shy away from the physical danger inherent in Wrights pursuits. His signature stunt involves scaling iconic buildings without any harness or ropes, reaching dizzying heights that exceed a thousand feet. From these precarious perches, he photographs his feet clad in Vans sneakers, with the tiny cars below emphasizing his vertiginous position. This imagery is not only thrilling but also deeply unsettling for viewers prone to acrophobia; the documentary advises caution for those sensitive to heights.

Wrights methods for accessing these skyscraper summits are as unconventional as his art. He employs self-taught lockpicking skills or enters through unsecured doors, never seeking permission from building managers. This modus operandi inevitably leads to confrontations with the police, resulting in pursuits across state lines and eventual incarcerationin Arizona first, then his home state of Ohio. The legal battles unfold against the backdrop of 2020-21, a period deeply marked by the death of George Floyd and heightened tensions between law enforcement and Black communities.

The documentary explores how Wrights biracial identity and military veteran status complicate these encounters. While his veteran background sometimes engenders public sympathy due to his PTSD recovery, it also raises law enforcement concerns about his familiarity with weapons. This duality adds depth to the narrative, illustrating the nuanced challenges he faces beyond his artistic ambitions.

The cultural divide between Wrights avant-garde art practice and the polices suspicion leads to significant misunderstandings. The film is decidedly sympathetic to Wright, and it notably excludes the perspective of officer Ruberg, who declined to participate. This one-sidedness leaves some critical questions unaddressed, such as the potential catastrophic consequences if Wright were ever to fall from such heights. The filmmakers do not dwell on this possibility, but it may linger uneasily in viewers minds amid the thrill of the climbs.

Despite these complexities, Drift offers a riveting look at an unconventional artist whose life teeters on the edge of danger and creativity. If the coming biopic materializes and follows the documentarys conclusion, audiences can expect a taut, action-driven drama centered on an underdog hero who defies norms and inspires with his fearless approach to art and life.

The film credits reveal a collaborative effort behind the scenes, including production companies Hidden Empire Film Group and EverWonder, with Deon Taylor also serving as a producer alongside Roxanne Avent Taylor and Kaitlin McLaughlin. Isaac Wright contributes as an executive producer, supported by a team including Andrew Bourke and Amanda Spain. The cinematography is led by Ronan Kileen, with Wright himself handling some climbing and aerial shots. The sound design and musical score, crafted by Gary Lionelli, Lucio Westmoreland, and Hit Boy, complement the films intense atmosphere.

Drift runs for 1 hour and 47 minutes and was showcased at SXSW, where it earned attention for its innovative storytelling and compelling subject matter. It invites audiences to contemplate the intersections of risk, art, race, and justice through the lens of a young man literally scaling societys heights and legal boundaries.
Eric Dane's final advocacy: his ALS diagnosis, fight for the ACT For ALS bill, and the documentary 'Ring Every Bell' honoring his legacy.

AceShowbiz - Eric Dane, known for his role on Grey's Anatomy, revealed in April of last year that he was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a rare and progressive neurological disease. Before his passing on February 19, 2026, Eric Dane dedicated significant effort to raising awareness and pushing for research advancements targeting this devastating illness.

During the fall of 2025, Eric Dane traveled multiple times to Washington, D.C., advocating for the renewal of ACT For ALS (Accelerating Critical Therapies for ALS). This bill aims to accelerate the development of treatments for ALS and was reintroduced to the House of Representatives earlier this year.

Eric Dane partnered closely with the organization I AM ALS, which has launched a new documentary short titled Ring Every Bell. This film, produced in collaboration with filmmaker Christopher Burke, will highlight Eric Dane's commitment to ALS advocacy. The release is planned to coincide with ALS Awareness Month in May and will be accompanied by a national public service campaign featuring cast members from Grey's Anatomy and other advocates from Hollywood and the ALS community.

On Wednesday, a new clip from Ring Every Bell was released, showcasing Eric Dane's impassioned call to action. In the video, he emphasizes the critical need for the reauthorization and full funding of ACT For ALS to ensure continued access to investigational therapies for those affected by the disease. We have a bill that needs to get to the floor for reauthorization. And then it needs to get fully funded because if it doesnt then people who are dependent on some of these investigational therapies no longer have access to them, he states.

Eric Dane's efforts to promote research and support for ALS patients underscore the urgency surrounding this neurodegenerative disease. The upcoming documentary aims to further amplify his message and inspire continued advocacy and funding in the fight against ALS.
A food-focused Tuscan rom-com leaves viewers hungry for more substance. Review of Halle Bailey's 'You, Me & Tuscany'.

AceShowbiz - You, Me & Tuscany is a romantic comedy that leans heavily into food imagery, though ironically, it never quite satisfies hunger for a truly rich culinary experience. The film delights in showcasing beautiful dishesrisotto, bruschetta, polentabut viewers might find themselves wanting more substance and depth beneath the glossy surface. Its a telling sign when a movie set in the heart of Tuscany, with its famed cuisine, leaves audiences craving additional food scenes rather than emotional connection.

The story centers on Anna, played by Halle Bailey, a young woman who abandoned her dream of becoming a chef after her mothers death. Annas life is aimless until an impulsive act leads her to Tuscany. After a brief encounter with Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor) in New York, she secretly takes photos of his familys Tuscan villaa property he has distanced himself from in pursuit of his own dreams. This act of digital theft, while unsettling in reality, is treated lightly within the films narrative, highlighting the movies casual approach to morality.

With only $500 and an old plane ticket her mother had given her, Anna flies to Tuscany, hoping to reignite a shared dream of opening a restaurant. She occupies Matteos supposedly abandoned villa, where she finds an engagement ring and tries it onactions that feel like cliches inserted for romantic effect. When Matteos family discovers her presence, a series of lies ensues, complicating the plot further.

In Tuscany, Anna encounters Michael, played by Rege-Jean Page, who is initially mistaken for a delivery man but is actually the owner of a vineyard and Matteos adoptive brother. Michael embodies the archetype of the handsome, soulful suitor, and the movies visual effects seem dedicated to keeping his halo perfectly polished. Their romance follows a familiar fairy-tale format, with the good-hearted peasant girl trope firmly in place.

The films storyline is heavily derivative, borrowing elements from many beloved romantic comedies. References to French Kiss, My Big Fat Greek Weddingwhich even features a cameo by Nia VardalosUnder the Tuscan Sun, Doc Hollywood, and When Harry Met Sally are evident throughout. Its familiarity might comfort some viewers but offers little in the way of originality.

Written by Ryan Engle and directed by Kat Coiro, who previously helmed Marry Me, You, Me & Tuscany knows its strengths. The film takes full advantage of Rege-Jean Pages appeal, including a slow-motion, shirtless scene featuring water pouring over him that feels designed purely as a thirst trap. The movie provides a handful of laughs, though they are as sparse and light as the parmesan sprinkled over an arugula saladpleasant but not substantial.

The script is formulaic and caters to predictable rom-com expectations. It begins with an overly expository narration that redundantly spells out Annas inner conflict through clumsy dialogue. The protagonists journey toward self-discovery is hammered home repeatedly by various characters, culminating in a cabbies advice that maybe by living a fake life, youll find truth in your own.

This film belongs to that category where the main characters deceptions, which would be unacceptable in real life, are magically forgiven in the name of romance. Annas character lacks depth and emotional honesty, yet the close-knit family she deceives somehow embraces her with open arms. The film ignores the complexity and consequences of her actions, undermining any emotional authenticity.

Despite Annas passion for cooking, the film disappoints in showing her culinary skills. While there are visually appealing food shots, Annas involvement in the kitchen is minimalmostly light chopping with no real demonstration of her talents or love for food. This is a missed opportunity, especially when compared to other films and series like Big Night, The Taste of Things, Chef, and The Bear, which immerse viewers in the craft and passion of cooking.

The supporting cast delivers charm and comic relief, though their characters are somewhat stereotypical. The locals are portrayed in a quaint, idealized manner, resembling a checklist of small-town Italian traits rather than nuanced individuals. For example, the sister-in-law Francesca, played by Stella Pecollo, is depicted as vivacious and involved in an affair with the plumber Luigi, while Paolo Sassanelli and Isabella Ferrari as the familys patriarch and matriarch add warmth and credibility to the ensemble. Their likability contrasts sharply with the implausibility of Annas integration into the family.

Overall, You, Me & Tuscany delivers what it promises: a visually appealing romantic comedy filled with beautiful people, scenic Tuscan landscapes, and the expected romantic beats. However, the film feels like fast foodquick, easy to consume, but lacking the richness and complexity that Tuscany and its culinary heritage could have inspired. Instead of savoring the full flavor of its setting, the movie opts for a surface-level experience that leaves viewers hungry for more depth and authenticity.
Phoebe Dynevor stars in Thrash, a shark thriller where she's nine months pregnant, trapped in a car during a hurricane, and hunted by bull sharks. Premieres ...

AceShowbiz - Phoebe Dynevor reveals the intense experiences behind her latest film, Thrash, a shark thriller produced by Adam McKay and directed by Tommy Wirkola. In this gripping story, Dynevor plays Lisa, a newly single, nine-months pregnant woman trapped inside her Mini Cooper during a Category 5 hurricane in South Carolina. The rising floodwaters bring a terrifying threat: ravenous bull sharks circling her tiny refuge.

Thrash pushed Dynevor to new physical limits, far beyond her previous roles. She describes the extreme discomfort caused by wearing multiple layers on set, including three wetsuits, a pregnancy belly, maternity dress, and trench coat, all while submerged in icy water. The process of getting into a wetsuit is already quite difficult, but putting on three and then a belly is virtually impossible, she told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the films April 10 Netflix premiere.

The chilly waters were essential to maintaining the films realism, as warm water would have disrupted the visual effect by showing heat rising from the surface. To endure the cold between takes, Dynevor became close to a hot hose that was fed inside her wetsuits. Despite the harsh conditions, she appreciated the solidarity on set, noting that the entire crew was in the water with wetsuits on, sharing in the discomfort and making the experience feel like a team effort.

Adding to the challenge was the claustrophobic setting of the Mini Cooper, a tight space that heightened the tension for Dynevor. At one point, she admits to having a panic attack due to the combination of confined space, rising water, and debris. While the car was actually lowered into the water rather than rising, the danger felt very real for the actress, amplifying the films anxiety-inducing atmosphere.

The films title underwent several changes before settling on Thrash. Dynevor explained that the project had been known as The Rising, then Beneath the Storm, followed by Shiver, before arriving at the current impactful title. She jokingly refers to it simply as the shark movie in conversations due to the multiple renamings, and candidly admits she would not be the best person to advise on film titles.

Netflix acquired Thrash from Sony, continuing their ongoing relationship with Dynevor. The streaming service already picked up another of her recent films, Fair Play, which she describes as a cherished experience. She is glad that Netflix remains interested in projects she stars in, noting their support of her independent work.

Alongside discussing Thrash, Dynevor also shared insights about her highly anticipated role in M. Night Shyamalans upcoming supernatural romance, Remain. Originally scheduled for October 2026, the films release was pushed to February 2027 to align with Valentines Day audiences. The movie is based on a story co-created by Shyamalan and bestselling novelist Nicholas Sparks, a unique collaboration blending horror, romance, and plot twists.

Shyamalan and Sparks partnership is notable given the directors previous decision to decline scripting the adaptation of Sparks The Notebook, due to commitments on The Sixth Sense. Both creators eventually developed their own versions of Remain: Sparks penned the novelization while Shyamalan directed the film, with both receiving credit for the story.

In Remain, set in Cape Cod, Dynevor portrays Wren, a mysterious woman who disrupts the life of Tate Donovan, an architect played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who is mourning a loss. Although the novel is expected to be published in October 2025, Dynevor was not allowed to read it during filming due to differences between the book and the screenplay. She describes the two versions as fraternal twins  similar but distinct. After wrapping the film, she read the novel and praised it as brilliant.

Dynevor has not yet seen the finished film but feels it achieves a harmonious balance between the creative signatures of Shyamalan and Sparks. She expects that fans of both the thriller director and the romance author will be pleased with the blend of horror, romance, and unexpected twists.

Reflecting on her career, Dynevor also highlighted her favorite experience on the set of Chloe Domonts Fair Play (2023), marking it as a significant and cherished role.

When asked about the anxiety-inducing nature of Thrash, she embraced it, saying, I like to bring anxiety to people. The film certainly delivers on this promise, combining natural disaster tension with a deadly predator threat in a confined, vulnerable setting.

In discussing the production, Dynevor expressed initial excitement at filming in Australia, anticipating warm weather and surfing opportunities. However, she quickly learned that shooting took place during the Australian winter in Melbourne, presenting the opposite conditions. This unexpected chill compounded the challenge of performing in cold water while heavily costumed.

Despite the physical and emotional toll, Dynevor praised the dedication of the cast and crew, all enduring the harsh environment together. The shared experience fostered a strong sense of camaraderie and teamwork throughout the shoot.

In summary, Phoebe Dynevor has embarked on a demanding yet rewarding journey with Thrash, facing extreme cold, claustrophobia, and intense physical challenges. Simultaneously, she is preparing audiences for her captivating role in the forthcoming M. Night Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks collaboration, Remain. Both projects highlight her versatility and commitment to immersive storytelling across diverse genres.
Explore machismo & hidden queer desire in Mexican rodeo culture. 'Jaripeo' is a sensual documentary blending verite & Super 8, now at CPH:DOX.

AceShowbiz - Jaripeo is a striking documentary that blends the world of Mexican rodeo culture with the exploration of concealed queer desires beneath its hypermasculine surface. The film debuted at Sundance and is now featured at the 23rd Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival, known as CPH:DOX.

Directed by Efrain Mojica and Rebecca Zweig, Jaripeo employs a unique mix of cinema verite, Super 8 footage, and stylized sequences to portray a complex interplay of machismo and queerness. The filmmakers craft a narrative that exposes the subtle, coded expressions of queer identity within a traditionally masculine rodeo environment.

The film centers on cowboy hats, jeans, alcohol, and bull riding rituals that define the macho rodeo experience. Yet, Jaripeo uncovers the "queer subconscious" and "hidden desire" that flow beneath this rugged exterior. The CPH:DOX festival describes the film as "a sensual exploration of performative masculinity, secret desires, and the longings that breathe beneath the surface of a rodeo show."

Josue Eber Morales and Gerardo Guerra handled the cinematography, while Analia Goethals edited the footage and Maria Rojas managed sound. Music for the film is composed by Emilia Ezeta and Marton Radics, adding to the films atmospheric and emotional depth.

After a recent screening in Copenhagen, the directors and producer Sarah Strunin engaged with the audience, discussing the creative choices behind the film. When asked about the use of Super 8 film, Mojica shared their fascination with the mediums texture and intimacy. They mentioned buying a Super 8 camera for about $20 and using it as a "magnifying glass" to reveal the nuanced queer details often overlooked in the macho rodeo context.

"I hope you notice its not actually a queer rodeo, but a very traditional macho rodeo," Mojica explained. "The function of the camera is to show you the details, this coded language that exists, and all the gay [stuff] thats happening."

The films stylized scenes, which resemble music videos, serve a crucial role in visualizing the queer subconscious. Mojica described these sequences as a way to embody the internal emotional landscape of the characters. Zweig emphasized that these visuals express both a celebration of queerness and the presence of hidden desires, highlighting how these feelings exist on the margins of a predominantly straight, macho environment.

"We wanted to embody this experience, these emotions, without exploiting them, but rather empowering those involved in the scene," Zweig said, underscoring the filmmakers respectful and thoughtful approach to their subject.

Jaripeo primarily focuses on the male queer experience within the rodeo setting. When asked about including a queer female perspective, Zweig noted their friendships with local lesbians who appeared during filming and in some footage. However, they chose not to superficially insert lesbian narratives into this film, expressing interest in exploring those stories separately in future projects.

"I have thought a lot about going back and going into their stories in a separate project," Zweig remarked, suggesting the filmmakers commitment to authentic storytelling.

Mojica also revealed a personal element in the films creation. Initially reluctant to include their own story, the four-year production process led them to embrace this vulnerability. "I definitely did not expect to have my personal story be a part of this," they shared. "I really didnt want to be in the film at first, but then listening to the process and what it means, I ended up doing so."

Jaripeo stands out as an evocative film that challenges conventional notions of masculinity by exposing the queer undercurrents in a traditional Mexican rodeo. Through innovative visual techniques and a sensitive approach, the film reveals how secret desires and queer identities quietly persist in spaces typically defined by rigid machismo.
Riz Ahmed shares candid stories of his early career, from a pivotal Slumdog Millionaire audition with Danny Boyle to balancing rap and acting.

AceShowbiz - In his "Performance History," Riz Ahmed reflects on the early stages of his career, including his dual pursuits as a rapper and an actor. He shares candid memories from his initial auditions, live performances, and significant professional moments that shaped his path.

Riz Ahmeds first major audition came for the acclaimed film Slumdog Millionaire. Director Danny Boyle considered him for the role of the brother to Dev Patel's character. Boyle encouraged Riz Ahmed to be more uninhibited and aggressive during the audition, telling him: Hes in an aggressive mood. You can do whatever you want because the cameraman is going to move around with you.

During the first take, Riz Ahmed was cautious and polite, which prompted Boyle to push him further. When asked to escalate his performance, Riz Ahmed admits he went too far. In his youthful zeal, he physically threw the other actor against the wall and ripped his shirt, even causing a button to pop off. Realizing the scene had crossed a line, Riz Ahmed understood the audition hadnt gone well, and soon after, he was thanked and dismissed. He reflects that this outcome was likely the right decision.

His first role that he earnestly desired was in the Michael Winterbottom film The Road to Guantanamo. At the time, Riz Ahmed was finishing drama school and was deeply moved by the global political climate, especially the controversy surrounding Guantanamo Bay. The opportunity to act in a film tackling such a charged subject aligned with his passion for combining performance with social commentary.

Riz Ahmed underwent months of auditions for the film and even left drama school early to commit fully to the project. Securing the role marked a turning point in his life and career. Filming took him to countries like Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, enriching his perspective but later complicating his travel to the United States. Due to passport stamps from these nations shortly after 9/11, Riz Ahmed faced significant challenges entering the U.S. for years, only easing after his involvement in a Star Wars film led an immigration officer, a fan of the franchise, to assist him.

Before gaining traction as an actor, Riz Ahmed was active in the music scene. His first live performance as a musician occurred in his early teens. He began emceeing at house parties, often commandeering the DJs headphones to rap over tracks, which caused some friction due to damaged equipment. Moving beyond house parties, he promoted club nights and hosted hip-hop and drum-and-bass events at university and in London, embracing the vibrant underground scene.

When asked about the actor he admired most, Riz Ahmed cites Jackie Chan. Growing up, he was deeply influenced by kung-fu movies, initially inspired by Bruce Lee. However, it was Jackie Chans unique blend of action and comedy that captivated him. Riz Ahmed admired how Jackie Chan balanced intense fight sequences with vulnerability, making his performances relatable despite their superhuman feats. Meeting Jackie Chan at the Oscars proved an intense moment for Riz Ahmed, who recalls the encounter ending with a humorous dismissal from the legendary actor.

Early setbacks were part of Riz Ahmeds journey, with one notable disappointment involving his music career. During the height of rap battles in the UK, inspired by the era of 8 Mile, Riz Ahmed was a regular competitor and often victorious. He released a parody rap titled The Post-9/11 Blues, a comedic nursery rhyme-style track reflecting on post-9/11 paranoia with lines like Post-9/11, watch your back / I farted and got arrested for a chemical attack.

Though the song gained viral traction on Myspace and caught the attention of radio DJs, it was ultimately deemed too politically sensitive to air. This rejection was disappointing, but Riz Ahmed turned the setback into an advantage. The controversy surrounding the songs ban boosted his profile and opened unexpected doors, teaching him the value of resilience in the face of obstacles.

Riz Ahmeds first musical tour was with the BBC Electric Proms, a platform showcasing emerging artists across diverse genres, from folk to punk to electronic. Touring the UK by bus with other musicians, he enjoyed the eclectic mix and the freedom to defy categorization. However, he humorously recalls the experience as filthy due to poor hygiene on the cramped tour bus.

An important personal connection came from his relationship with Guz Khan, his co-star in Bait. The two first met about 20 years earlier but had forgotten their initial encounter. During the filming of Bait, Guz Khan reminded Riz Ahmed of a remarkable story: years ago, Riz Ahmed had been booked to perform as an emcee and spoken word artist at Coventry Student Union, where Guz Khan grew up.

The event was sparsely attended, so Riz Ahmed took it upon himself to hand out flyers to passersby in a nearby alley. There, he encountered a group of young men involved in drug dealing. Courageously, he interrupted their business to invite them to his show. Surprisingly, they agreed to attend, exposing Guz Khan to the rare experience of seeing a British Pakistani performer in that space. This moment inspired Guz Khan to pursue his own career in stand-up comedy. Years later, their paths crossed again on the set of Bait, solidifying their friendship and collaborative partnership.
A couple plots to kill each other, until fugitives crash their deadly vacation. Timothy Olyphant stars in this dark thriller remake. SXSW 2026 premiere.

AceShowbiz - The twisted thriller remake Over Your Dead Body, starring Timothy Olyphant, has premiered to a solid reception on Rotten Tomatoes. The film made its debut at SXSW 2026 and features Jason Segel and Samara Weaving as a couple whose vacation to mend their troubled relationship takes a dark turn. Both harbor secret plans to kill one another, but their schemes become complicated when they cross paths with a trio of fugitives played by Olyphant, Juliette Lewis, and Keith Jardine.

This movie is a remake of the 2021 Norwegian film The Trip, directed by Tommy Wirkola and starring Noomi Rapace. On Rotten Tomatoes, Over Your Dead Body currently holds a 75% critic score based on 12 reviews, with nine "Fresh" and three "Rotten" ratings. This initial score may change as more reviews come in following its SXSW premiere. By comparison, the original The Trip holds a slightly higher score of 83%, also based on 12 reviews.

Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com praises Jason Segel for his excellent comic timing and Samara Weaving for her impressive action skills, but he notes that the film struggles to provide a compelling reason for audiences to root for the couples survival or their marriage. However, he highlights that Timothy Olyphant steals the spotlight with a rare, truly villainous performance. Tallerico observes that Olyphant employs subtle but effective choices, from inquisitive head tilts to sociopathic smirks, that dominate the film.

In a review from The Hollywood Reporter, Angie Han writes that while the film delivers several clever plot twists, it eventually becomes a straightforward survival battle once the twists run out. Han commends the chemistry between Segel and Weaving, noting that despite their characters dark intentions, there is a genuine sense that they are well-matched for better or worse.

On the other hand, Katie Rife from IndieWire offers a more critical perspective. She expresses frustration that the films humor often comes off as mean-spirited rather than funny, leading to a cynical ending that feels overly familiar. While she praises the stunt work and hand-to-hand combat scenes, Rife argues that the movies polished technical aspects only emphasize its shallow and insincere approach, attempting to graft a fun experience onto a bleak story about hateful characters who delight in each others pain.

Over Your Dead Body is directed by Jorma Taccone, known for writing and directing the 2010 film MacGruber, which starred Will Forte, Kristin Wiig, and Val Kilmer. The screenplay for this remake was written by Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney.

The films premiere coincides with several ongoing and upcoming projects for its lead actors. Jason Segel is currently starring in season 3 of Apple TVs critically acclaimed comedy series Shrinking, which is releasing new episodes and has already been renewed for a fourth season. Samara Weaving headlines the eagerly anticipated sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, which also premiered at SXSW 2026 and is set to hit theaters on March 20. Meanwhile, Timothy Olyphant has several projects lined up, including season 2 of the Apple TV comedy Stick, where he has been promoted to series regular, as well as Apple TVs drama Lucky and Netflixs The Adventures of Cliff Booth.

Over Your Dead Body is scheduled for theatrical release on April 24, 2026, and runs for 105 minutes. The film is produced by Aram Tertzakian, David Leitch, Guy Danella, Kelly McCormick, Lee Kim, and Nick Spicer.

With its blend of dark humor, suspense, and action, Over Your Dead Body offers a fresh take on the thriller genre, anchored by compelling performances, particularly from Timothy Olyphant. While critical opinions vary on its narrative depth and tonal balance, the films strong debut on Rotten Tomatoes suggests it will be a notable addition to 2026s thriller lineup.
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple captures the raw struggles of American labor, from the coal mines of Kentucky to the meatpacking plants of Min...

AceShowbiz - Barbara Kopple has built a formidable reputation for capturing the raw realities of labor movements in America, and she is far from finished exploring this vital subject. Known for her groundbreaking documentaries like Harlan County, USA (1976) and American Dream (1990), Kopples work has consistently highlighted the struggles of workers fighting for dignity and fair treatment.

Her debut film, Harlan County, USA, chronicled a 13-month strike by coal miners in Kentucky against the Eastover Mining Company. The documentary showed intense scenes, including armed confrontations and violent clashes between miners and management. This film earned her an Academy Award for Best Documentary and set a high standard for labor filmmaking. Years later, she again won the Oscar for American Dream, which depicted the failed 1985-1986 strike by meatpacking workers at a Minnesota Hormel Foods plant, capturing the unions fracture and the workers hardship.

Now, since 2023, Kopple has turned her lens to New York City, weaving together three interconnected labor stories involving delivery workers from major companies such as Amazon, UPS, and food-delivery apps. Her new film focuses on these workers ongoing battles for better wages and safer working conditions. Some of these delivery workers are unionizedfor example, UPS drivers and part-time loaders belong to the Teamsters, who are also organizing Amazon workerswhile others, like the deliveristas working through apps, often lack any union representation.

These are three stories that are New York. Its not Kentucky, its not Minnesota, its New York, Kopple explained in a recent interview ahead of receiving the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festivals Lens of Power Tribute award on April 9. She also noted the upcoming nationwide release of a new 4K restoration of American Dream by Janus Films on May 1. And I just wanted to see what was happening, really, with modern-day unionism.

Her ongoing observations have been eye-opening. Even for someone seasoned in documenting difficult workplaces, Kopple finds the current conditions deeply troubling. She emphasizes the dangers inherent in warehouse work, where falling packages pose serious risks. At Amazon, she describes a workplace culture that implicitly demands workers to get fired [or] get hurt, keep going. UPS workers face relentless pressure to increase their pace, often at great physical cost. Employees who request time off for hospital visits are sometimes forced to choose between their job and their familys health.

Kopple expressed encouragement that the New York City Council passed a 2025 law requiring apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats to provide delivery workers with reasons for deactivation and a chance to appeal. Previously, workers could be terminated arbitrarilyfor example, if a liquor store canceled an order, the delivery person might be fired without recourse, left only to listening to robots on the telephone to plead their case. This legislation marks a small but meaningful step toward protecting gig workers.

True to her signature style, Kopple employs a cinema verite approach, embedding herself with workers and union organizers to capture authentic, unstaged moments. However, she notes that gaining trust and access is more challenging now than during her earlier projects in Kentucky and Minnesota. The high cost of living in New York makes workers more fearful of losing their jobs, causing them to be less open. You just really have to be there and struggle to really understand, Kopple explained. Even if youve been there two years, its still hard. You would never want to be a person responsible for getting somebody to lose their job.

The political climate has also influenced her project. Filming and editing are taking place during the administration of former President Donald Trump, whose White House took a more antagonistic stance toward labor compared to his predecessor, President Joe Biden. In 2025, the Trump administration canceled many National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities grants, which had been vital sources of support for documentary filmmakers like Kopple. This move has created unease among independent foundations that previously supported such films, discouraging open advocacy.

Theyre scaring the foundations that could help. People are afraid to speak out, to say anything, Kopple said. So were on our own. To keep her current project alive, she has relied on funding from individuals who believe in her work. This challenge is not new to her; during the making of American Dream, she partially financed the film by soliciting donations from Catholic groups inspired by a pastoral letter addressing economic crises, plant closings, and wage concessions. What we were doing fit right in, she said in a 1992 interview with BOMB magazine.

Distribution presents another obstacle. A recent documentary about a Staten Island Amazon warehouse union drive, titled Union (2024), faced difficulties finding a distributor despite critical acclaim. Its filmmakers, Brett Story and Stephen Maing, ended up self-distributing after some distributors admitted fearing repercussions due to their working relationships with Amazon Studios. Kopple is aware of these challenges but remains determined. Im going to do whatever I have to do for distribution, she said.

Despite the hurdles, Kopple is enthusiastic about returning to the labor beat. She stresses the importance of continuing to tell these stories, especially during what she calls an anti-union time. Remaining silent, she believes, would be far worse. You just have to be out there making films, singing songs, writing pieces that penetrate peoples hearts and souls and continue on, she said. Her commitment to capturing the voices of workers today reflects a long-standing dedication to labor rights and documentary filmmaking.
No Kingpin in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Rights issues keep Fisk away, but Tombstone rises as the new formidable foe.

AceShowbiz - Fans hoping for a showdown between Spider-Man and Wilson Fiskbetter known as Kingpinwill have to wait a bit longer, as Fisk is not expected to appear in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Despite the long-standing desire to see these two iconic characters clash on the big screen, the complicated rights issues surrounding Fisk mean that he remains off-limits for this MCU film. However, the void left by Kingpins absence is being filled by another formidable foe: Tombstone.

For years, Kingpin has been a fan-favorite villain associated primarily with Daredevil, where he is currently depicted as the Mayor of New York City in the MCU. His return is confirmed for March in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, which excites viewers but doesnt fulfill the Spider-Man fanbases wish to see Fisk face off against their hero. Unfortunately, the rights complications have prevented Fisks inclusion in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, leaving many fans disappointed.

Fortunately, 2026 promises to spotlight Tombstone, a character who shares many similarities with Kingpin. Like Fisk, Tombstone is a powerful and shadowy gangster operating within New York Citys criminal underworld. What sets him apart is his superhuman strength, making him an even more physically imposing adversary than Kingpin. Although Tombstone may not be as widely recognized as villains like Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus, this year will finally give him significant visibility across multiple Spider-Man projects.

The first appearance of Tombstone in 2026 will be in Amazon Prime Videos Spider-Noir animated series. While his role is not expected to be centralhe is not listed as part of the main castofficial artwork for the series has confirmed his presence, generating anticipation among fans eager to see this character brought to life.

Next, Tombstone will play a major role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, portrayed by actor Krondon. In this high-profile MCU film, Tombstone is set to confront Spider-Man and possibly even cross paths with The Punisher. Though many plot details remain under wraps, Tombstones inclusion marks his MCU debut and ensures a fresh and gritty street-level villain for the beloved web-slinger to battle.

Finally, Tombstone is expected to return in the second season of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, an animated series on Disney+ slated for release in Fall 2026. The first season focused heavily on Lonnie Lincoln, the man who becomes Tombstone, tracing his journey from Peter Parkers schoolmate to a near-indestructible criminal. Season 2 will likely delve deeper into Lincolns descent into villainy, continuing to flesh out Tombstones origin and motivations.

While the absence of Kingpin in Brand New Day is disappointing for some, the extensive focus on Tombstone offers a compelling alternative. This character promises to reveal a different side of Spider-Mans world, showcasing threats that operate in the shadows of New Yorks streets. Moreover, fans will get to see multiple facets of Tombstones character across various formats, from animation to live-action, throughout the year.

Beyond his standalone presence, Tombstones role in Brand New Day could also hint at future storylines involving Kingpin. In the comics, Tombstone has historically worked as an enforcer for Kingpin, suggesting that the two characters might be linked behind the scenes. Given that Fisk is currently the Mayor of New York City in the MCU and is known to turn a blind eye to organized crime, its plausible that he could be using Tombstone as a proxy to advance his agenda from City Hall.

This potential connection could provide fertile ground for a multi-part narrative arc. Peter Parker might uncover Tombstones ties to Fisk during the events of Brand New Day, setting the stage for a sequel or further MCU projects. The involvement of The Punisher in the film adds another layer, as Frank Castle has a well-established rivalry with Kingpin stemming from his incarceration at the end of Daredevil: Born Again season 1. With Castle now free, its possible Fisk could be targeting his enforcers, including Tombstone, to consolidate power.

Even if Tombstone operates independently of Fisk, the latters influence will still loom large over Brand New Day. Fisks administration has made vigilantism illegal throughout New York City, which will inevitably complicate Spider-Mans efforts to protect the city. His visage, prominently displayed across the city, signals the pervasive control he wields. Spider-Man may also come into contact with Fisks Anti-Vigilante Task Force, a government-backed force designed to suppress heroes like Spidey.

While Kingpins physical presence might be absent from the film, his shadow will be deeply felt, ensuring that the story retains strong ties to his criminal empire. This approach allows the MCU to explore the consequences of Fisks rule without having to directly feature the character, keeping the door open for his eventual return.

In summary, 2026 promises an exciting year for Spider-Man fans eager to explore the darker corners of his universe. Although Wilson Fisk wont be appearing in Brand New Day, the rise of Tombstone across three separate Spider-Man projects offers a thrilling alternative. From animated series to blockbuster films, Tombstones emergence will add depth and menace to Spider-Mans world, while also potentially laying the groundwork for future Kingpin involvement.

As these projects unfold, fans can look forward to a rich exploration of street-level crime and vigilantism in the MCU, with Tombstone at the forefront of this gritty narrative. The interplay between these characters will not only satisfy long-held fan desires but also introduce new dynamics that could shape the future of Spider-Mans cinematic journey.
A green card marriage complicates when Iranian friends & their American partners arrive. A heartfelt dramedy about love, friendship & navigating cultural ide...

AceShowbiz - Same Same But Different is a narrative dramedy that delves into the complexities of cross-cultural relationships through the story of an Iranian immigrant who agrees to a green card marriage with her bosss son to remain in the United States.

The film, directed and produced by Lauren Noll and written by Dalia Rooni, features Medalion Rahimi as the lead character. Her simple wedding on Cape Cod quickly becomes complicated when her two Iranian best friends, played by Dalia Rooni and Layla Mohammadi, arrive, each bringing along their own American partners and the cultural tensions that come with their relationships.

Same Same But Different premiered on March 12 at the Alamo Lamar/Alamo Lamar 9 during the SXSW festival. The film highlights a heartfelt portrayal of Middle Eastern women navigating life, love, and friendship in America without relying on stereotypes. Rahimi shared that what drew her to the project was its ensemble nature and the authentic depiction of these women as chaotic and crazy and fun and messy as they make mistakes and experience life.

The cast also includes Logan Miller and Michael Baszler, with the story emphasizing the universality of love and personal growth despite cultural differences. The films sales agent is Christine DSouza.
Discover the bizarre true story of "Roofman," the 2025 underrated comedy hit on HBO Max. Channing Tatum stars as a veteran who robs McDonald's through the roof.

AceShowbiz - Roofman is emerging as one of 2025s most underrated comedies, gaining significant attention on HBO Max. The film recently climbed to the #8 spot on the platforms Top 10 Most Watched list, proving its growing popularity among viewers. Combining humor and a bizarre true story, Roofman features a talented cast that brings this wild narrative to life, earning praise from both critics and audiences alike.

The movie is based on a stranger-than-fiction true story that follows Army veteran and father Jeffrey Manchester, portrayed by Channing Tatum. After leaving the military, Jeffrey turns to an unusual criminal endeavor: robbing McDonalds by cutting holes in their roofs to sneak inside undetected. This unconventional method earns him the quirky nickname Roofman.

After serving time in prison, Jeffrey hides out inside a Toys "R" Us store for six months, living secretly within its walls. However, his double life becomes complicated when he falls for Leigh, played by Kirsten Dunst. As his past threatens to catch up with him, a gripping cat-and-mouse game unfolds, blending suspense with moments of comedy and tenderness.

Roofman has been described as wacky, weird, and captivating, striking a balance between comedic absurdity and emotional depth. The film garnered strong approval ratings, with audiences giving it an 85% score and critics rating it 87%. These numbers reflect its ability to entertain while delivering surprisingly heartfelt moments.

Channing Tatum showcases his versatility by fully embodying the role of Jeffrey Manchester, a character that calls for both charm and complexity. Meanwhile, Kirsten Dunst delivers a standout performance, bringing warmth and nuance to her role as Leigh. Critic John Stark praised the film, stating, At a time when Americans are struggling, Roofman feels like the most perfectly timed release of the year. A winning performance from the effortlessly charming Channing Tatum promises to charm you even more. The quieter scenes between the leads provide some of the films best moments, allowing the actors to connect deeply with the audience.

While a few casual viewers found the films slower pacing challenging, the majority responded positively to its unique tone and storytelling style. One viewer commented that Roofman bundles up a bunch of 90s/2000s nostalgia into a captivating true story adaptation that is able to pull off comedy, suspense, and emotional tonal shifts flawlessly. Another fan awarded the film 4 out of 5 stars, noting that it is both serious and humorous, absurd yet deeply moving, delivering an emotional roller coaster ride. They also praised Tatum for delivering one of the finest performances of his career.

Overall, Roofman stands out as a comedy that surprises viewers with its emotional resonance. It draws audiences in with a bizarre and humorous premise before revealing moments of genuine human connection and heartfelt storytelling. This blend of genres makes it a quietly poignant film that resonates on multiple levels.

Fans of the film are encouraged to share their favorite moments and join discussions on the ComicBook forum, where many are already expressing their enthusiasm for this unexpected hit. As Roofman continues to climb the charts on HBO Max, its clear that this overlooked comedy deserves a much larger audience.
Revisit Rob Reiner's classic political romance, The American President, before it leaves Netflix on April 1, 2026. Starring Michael Douglas.

AceShowbiz - Among director Rob Reiners celebrated works is The American President, a 1995 romantic political comedy-drama penned by Aaron Sorkin. This film not only showcases Reiners deft touch with character and story but also served as an early inspiration for Sorkins later acclaimed television work on The West Wing. Unfortunately, for fans looking to revisit this gem, The American President will soon be removed from Netflixs streaming catalog.

Starting April 1, 2026, The American President will no longer be available on Netflix, joining other beloved titles, including another Reiner classic, Misery, which is also set to leave the platform.

The film stars Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd, a widowed U.S. president nearing the end of his first term. Shepherd enjoys overwhelming public support that virtually guarantees his re-election. However, complications arise when he falls in love with lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade, played by Annette Bening. The relationship triggers political backlash, causing Shepherds approval ratings to decline amid attacks from a rival presidential candidate. The central dilemma of the film revolves around Shepherd having to choose between protecting his political career and pursuing his love for Sydney.

The American President runs for 114 minutes and blends elements of romance, comedy, and drama with a political backdrop. Directed by Rob Reiner and released on November 17, 1995, the film holds a special place in the hearts of critics and audiences alike.

Critically, The American President is one of Reiners highest-rated movies. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an impressive 90% approval rating. The critical consensus highlights it as a charming romantic comedy with political bite, praising the strong lead performances and its insightful observations on 1990s politics and media.

As the film prepares to exit Netflix, fans and new viewers alike will need to seek alternative platforms to watch this compelling blend of romance and political drama.
Woman sentenced to 15 years for supplying ketamine in Matthew Perry's fatal overdose. Details on the case and distribution chain revealed.

AceShowbiz - The woman accused of supplying the ketamine involved in the death of Matthew Perry will serve 15 years behind bars. Jasveen Sangha was sentenced on Wednesday after pleading guilty to operating a drug house and distributing ketamine, including the batch linked to the Friends actor's fatal overdose.

Sangha, 42, admitted to charges of maintaining a drug-involved premises and multiple counts of drug distribution. Prosecutors revealed that she sold ketamine to Erik Fleming, an associate of Perry, who then passed the drugs to Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry's live-in assistant.

Authorities reported that Iwamasa injected Perry with ketamine on October 28, 2023. The actor, aged 54, was found later that day at his Los Angeles residence. The incident led to widespread media attention and a federal investigation.

Following the sentencing, Perry's stepfather, Keith Morrison, expressed his feelings about the outcome, stating, "If you don't feel some sense of shame or sorrow, you're not even human." He was accompanied by Perry's mother, Suzanne Morrison, as they left the courthouse.

Court documents indicate that Sangha and Fleming sold 51 vials of ketamine to Perry earlier in October 2023. After the actors death became public, prosecutors said Sangha attempted to destroy evidence. Investigators revealed she contacted Fleming via the Signal app to strategize how to distance themselves from the case and instructed him to delete all their messages.

In addition to Sangha, four other individuals have pleaded guilty in connection with the case, including Erik Fleming, Kenneth Iwamasa, and two medical doctors involved in the chain of events leading to Perry's overdose.
Cannes 2024 lineup sees a major Hollywood absence. Discover the sole U.S. contender and why this year's festival is a departure from tradition.

AceShowbiz - The lineup for the Cannes Film Festival has been revealed, and it notably lacks the usual presence of major American studio films. Unlike previous years when Hollywood productions often dominated, this years selection is surprisingly sparse on big-budget U.S. projects.

Notable studio films such as the Tom Cruise-led Digger and Disneys Toy Story 5 are absent from the competition. In fact, only one American filmmaker will have a movie competing: The Man I Love director Ira Sachs. His new Brooklyn-set queer musical boasts an impressive cast including Rami Malek, Tom Sturridge, Rebecca Hall, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. This film represents a significant and ambitious entry from Sachs and is seen as the sole American contender to make an impact at Cannes this year.

"Of course, I feel nostalgic for that golden age when studios used to produce a lot of films, every month, auteur films ... for what American cinema and what the studio system was," Cannes artistic director Thierry Fremaux told Deadline. He acknowledged the complexity of defining American cinema today, split between major studios and independent productions, and suggested it may take a half-decade to properly analyze these evolving dynamics in relation to Cannes.

Alongside Sachs, the competition roster is filled with acclaimed international filmmakers. Spains Pedro Almodovar will present Bitter Christmas, featuring Spanish actress Barbara Lennie. Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, a two-time Oscar winner, will compete with Parallel Tales. The Japanese filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi, known for his Oscar-nominated Drive My Car, enters with All of a Sudden. Additionally, Pawe? Pawlikowski, director of Cold War, will showcase his new film Fatherland, starring Sandra Huller, who recently earned acclaim for Project Hail Mary.

In the Un Certain Regard section, two American talents will be featured: Jane Schoenbrun with Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma and Jordan Firstman with Club Kid. Furthermore, the festival will screen Diamond, directed by and starring Andy Garcia, out of competition.

The full lineup for the Cannes Film Festival is now public, highlighting a global mix of auteurs but confirming a distinct absence of blockbuster Hollywood studio entries this year.
Johnny Depp & Ian McKellen reunite in a new Christmas Carol. McKellen praises Depp's "spankingly good form" and the set's "love fest" atmosphere.

AceShowbiz - Ebenezer A Christmas Carol is generating buzz with the upcoming performances of Johnny Depp and Ian McKellen, as the actors reunite in this new adaptation of Charles Dickens classic tale. In an April 8 interview with Variety, Ian McKellen shared enthusiastic remarks about Depps return to Hollywood, praising his remarkable energy and presence on set.

McKellen described Depp as being in spankingly good form, highlighting his versatility as effervescent, funny, irreverent, seriousall at the same time. The veteran actor emphasized the warm atmosphere among the cast, calling the production a bit of a love fest and expressing how much he enjoyed working alongside Depp. According to McKellen, Depp was extremely cooperative and considerate toward his fellow actors, contributing to a wonderful on-set environment.

In this adaptation, Depp takes on the iconic role of Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly protagonist, while McKellen plays Jacob Marley, Scrooges former business partner and ghostly visitor. The film is directed by Ti West and features a supporting cast including Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Tramell Tillman from Severance as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Rupert Grint of Harry Potter fame as Bob Cratchit, and Sam Claflin and Daisy Ridley in as-yet undisclosed roles.

McKellen also spoke about his brief but impactful role, noting, It was only six days, but it was well worth it. I play a ghost! The fantasy film is scheduled for release in November, marking a significant moment for both actors and fans anticipating this fresh take on a well-loved story.

This project represents a major Hollywood comeback for Depp, whose last prominent film role was in 2018s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Since then, the actor has faced a series of public legal battles, particularly involving his ex-wife Amber Heard and a defamation suit with the U.K. tabloid The Sun. In 2020, Depp was asked to resign from his role as the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise after losing a defamation case related to allegations of domestic abuse.

The lawsuit centered around an April 2018 article by The Sun that labeled Depp a wife beater. In November 2020, Judge Andrew Nicol ruled that the majority of Heards allegations were substantially true, stating there was enough evidence that Depp had physically assaulted Heard on multiple occasions. Depps appeal against this judgment was denied later that year and again by the U.K. Court of Appeal in March 2021.

Following the verdict, Depp publicly announced on Instagram that he had respected Warner Bros. request for him to step down from the Fantastic Beasts role. He also expressed his intention to continue fighting to clear his name, asserting that his life and career would not be defined by the legal controversies. Despite these setbacks, Depp has remained active in the film industry, appearing in independent films such as Minamata and Jeanne du Barry.

In 2022, Depp and Heard were both found liable for defaming each other in a high-profile Virginia trial, which concluded with a settlement later that year. This legal chapter closed a tumultuous period for the actor, who now looks forward to rebuilding his career with projects like Ebenezer A Christmas Carol.

Besides Ebenezer, Depp will soon star in Lionsgates Day Drinker, alongside Penelope Cruz and under the direction of Marc Webb. These upcoming roles indicate a renewed momentum for the actor as he reestablishes himself in mainstream cinema.

The anticipation for Ebenezer A Christmas Carol is heightened by the combination of a stellar cast and a fresh directorial vision. Fans and critics alike are eager to see how this new interpretation will bring Dickens timeless story to life, especially with Depp embodying the complex character of Scrooge and McKellen adding his gravitas as Marley.

While the films release is still months away, the positive remarks from McKellen offer an encouraging glimpse into the collaboration and performance energy on set. The film promises to blend fantasy, humor, and emotional depth, aiming to resonate with audiences during the holiday season.

In summary, Johnny Depps return to a high-profile Hollywood role in Ebenezer A Christmas Carol is being warmly welcomed and celebrated by his co-star Ian McKellen. Despite prior legal challenges, Depps enthusiasm and craft remain evident, signaling a promising new chapter in his acting career.
BTS returns! After 4 years, their WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' begins April 2026. See the global comeback after military service & solo success.

AceShowbiz - BTS is making a highly anticipated comeback with their WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG,' marking their first full global tour since before the pandemic.

It has been nearly four years since the group last performed together on stage. Their previous concert as a group took place at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium on April 16, 2022, as part of the Permission to Dance on Stage series. Now, on April 9, 2026, BTS will launch their hometown shows at Goyang Stadium in South Korea, reigniting their worldwide presence.

Despite the lengthy break from group activities, BTS has not been inactive. The band went on hiatus in 2022 while all seven members completed their mandatory military service. This period also allowed each member to explore solo careers, showcasing their individual talents both on the charts and on stage. Every member achieved significant solo milestones, with all seven placing within the top 20 on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts. These solo accomplishments were undoubtedly supported by the group's established global fanbase and prior successes.

BTS initially focused their tours within Asian markets, such as their 2015 Wake Up: Open Your Eyes Japan Tour. The group's international breakthrough arrived with The Wings Tour in 2017, which took them beyond Asia to arenas in the United States, including venues like the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Additional stops in Sydney and Sao Paulo expanded their reach to three new continents, solidifying their global impact.

The Love Yourself World Tour further elevated BTS's international stature, extending to stadiums across Asia, Europe, and both Americas through the Speak Yourself extension in 2019. This tour was historic: the group landed third on the year-end Top Tours chart, grossing $196.4 million and selling 1.6 million tickets. They became the highest-ranking non-English-language act in Boxscore history at that time, a record later surpassed by Bad Bunny in 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 Map of the Soul Tour, but BTS returned for limited performances in Los Angeles, Seoul, and Las Vegas between 2021 and 2022. Their four-night runs at Allegiant Stadium and SoFi Stadium dominated the midyear 2022 Top Boxscores chart, occupying the Nos. 1 and 2 positions consecutively.

Following this, a lengthy pause has led to the imminent start of the WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG.' As the band's history has demonstrated, the individual journeys of each member have contributed to their collective success. Their solo endeavors since 2022 will now inform and enhance their group performances as they reunite.

Among the members, J-Hope stands out with his solo album, Jack in the Box, released in 2022. His collaboration "Killin' It Girl," featuring GloRilla, became his highest-charting hit, reaching No. 40 on the Hot 100, No. 3 on the Global 200, and No. 2 on the Global Excl. U.S. charts.

J-Hope's solo touring efforts have been equally impressive. His The Hope on the Stage Tour earned $79.9 million and sold over half a million tickets across Asia and North America. This tour ranked No. 32 on the 2025 year-end Top Tours chart and placed No. 3 on the K-pop-specific ranking, making it the highest-grossing K-pop solo tour to date.

As BTS embarks on their WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG,' fans worldwide eagerly await the fusion of their collective energy and the unique influences each member gained during their time apart. This tour promises to be a milestone in their ongoing journey, combining past achievements with fresh, individual creativity.
Wednesday Season 3 adds Lena Headey, Andrew McCarthy & James Lance to its star-studded guest cast, joining Eva Green & Winona Ryder. New mystery awaits.

AceShowbiz - As production continues near Dublin, Ireland, the popular Netflix series Wednesday is welcoming three new guest stars for its upcoming third season. Joining the cast are Lena Headey, known for her role in Game of Thrones, Andrew McCarthy, famous for St. Elmo's Fire, and James Lance, recognized from Ted Lasso.

This trio of additions expands the ever-growing list of guest stars announced for the new season. Previously confirmed cast members include Eva Green as Aunt Ophelia, Winona Ryder playing Tabitha, Chris Sarandon as Balthazar, Noah Taylor portraying Cyrus, Oscar Morgan in the role of Atticus, and Kennedy Moyer as Daisy.

The infusion of talent signals a robust and dynamic cast lineup as Wednesday moves forward with its third season. These guest stars are expected to contribute to the evolving storyline and enrich the series distinctive blend of mystery and dark humor.

Production is actively underway, with filming taking place in Ireland, maintaining the show's signature atmospheric setting. Fans of the series eagerly anticipate the release of season three, which promises to introduce new characters and deepen the intriguing narrative surrounding the beloved protagonist.

With the inclusion of such notable actors, Wednesday continues to build momentum as a standout series on Netflix, combining established talent with fresh faces to deliver compelling television content.
Ashley Hamilton, son of actor George Hamilton, hospitalized after suspected overdose in LA. His condition is now stable. Details on his career and personal l...

AceShowbiz - Ashley Hamilton, son of George Hamilton, the famed actor and former I'm A Celebrity contestant, was urgently taken to hospital following a suspected overdose at an Airbnb in Los Angeles. Emergency services responded to a call on Thursday, leading to his hospitalization where sources have confirmed his condition is now stable, according to TMZ.

Ashley Hamilton is well-known not only as the son of acting legend George Hamilton but also for his own career in film and television. He first appeared on screen in the 1993 family film Beethoven's 2nd and later acted in projects including Lost in America, Off Key, Sunset Beach, and notably Iron Man 3.

In addition to his acting career, Ashley's personal life has often been in the spotlight. He was married to the late actress Shannen Doherty after a romance that lasted just two weeks before their nuptials. The marriage itself was short-lived, ending in divorce after five months.

Ashley's family life is equally notable. He is part of a blended family that includes his siblings Kimberly Stewart and Sean Stewart, children of legendary rocker Sir Rod Stewart, who was Ashleys stepfather. The family dynamics were featured in the 2015 reality show Stewarts & Hamiltons, which followed their lives. Meanwhile, Ashleys father George Hamilton appeared on I'm A Celebrity in 2009, where he was known for his outspoken nature and a memorable clash with the late Kim Woodburn before leaving the show on Day 17 due to personal reasons.

Ashley Hamilton has openly discussed his long and difficult battle with addiction. During his appearance on the family reality series, he admitted to going through a "hard time" amid his struggles with substance abuse. Despite these challenges, Ashley has committed himself to helping others, working as a sober companion to assist those dealing with addiction.

In recent months, Ashley is battling a rare mucosal HPV-related cancer. He revealed his intention to seek treatment in Switzerland, stating that he did not want to "die in a motel room" surrounded by the consequences of his past addictions. In his heartfelt words, he expressed a desire to avoid leaving a painful legacy for his daughter and those close to him.

His health battles are extensive and severe. Last year, Ashley detailed a harrowing list of personal hardships, including two failed marriages, two failed careers, 32 rehabs, five overdoses, three flatlines, two comas, as well as significant medical procedures such as brain and spleen surgeries. He also revealed he survived a staph infection in the heart, gangrene in his arms, violent encounters from drug deals, and multiple arrestsall by the age of 22. These revelations came during an interview with Soft White Underbelly, showcasing the immense struggles he has faced and overcome.

The emotional toll on the family has been profound. A decade ago, George Hamilton became visibly emotional while discussing his son's addiction and their blended family. He expressed pride in Ashley's efforts to recover, acknowledging the many times they nearly lost him. Ashley himself has reflected on his past with remorse but also hope, stating, "I went through a hard time with drugs and alcohol, it was so stupid. I blew everything but I have a second chance and I am going to give it everything I have got."
Elton John receives the 2025 Glenn Gould Prize. Join a star-studded Canadian tribute gala in Toronto featuring Sarah McLachlan, Diana Krall & more.

AceShowbiz - The legendary Elton John has been named the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Glenn Gould Prize, with a star-studded gala planned to celebrate his achievements this fall in Toronto. The award recognizes outstanding artistic contributions and humanitarian efforts, and this years event features an impressive lineup of Canadian performers paying tribute to Elton Johns enduring influence.

Announced initially in March 2025, the award ceremony was originally scheduled for the previous fall. The event will be hosted by Canadian actor Eric McCormack, best known for his role on Will & Grace. Attendees can expect captivating live performances of Elton Johns iconic songs by a handpicked group of Canadian artists, including Sarah McLachlan, Diana Krall, The Beaches, Ron Sexsmith, Jeremy Dutcher, LOONY, and Ryan Wang.

In an exciting update, mezzo-soprano Emily D'Angelo, a recipient of the Juno Award and Leonard Bernstein Award, will also perform. Personally selected by Elton John, she will be honored with the Glenn Gould Protege Prize during the gala. This accolade awards exceptional promise and emphasizes the importance of mentorship in the arts.

Sarah McLachlan expressed her enthusiasm about participating, stating, "I am so pleased to have been asked to perform at the 15th Glenn Gould Prize Gala honouring Elton John. As a longtime admirer of Elton's musicianship and philanthropy, it is thrilling to be able to pay tribute to him in this meaningful way." She highlighted the significance of the Glenn Gould Prize as a vital part of both Canadian and international arts and culture.

The Glenn Gould Prize, established in 1987 by The Glenn Gould Foundation, honors the legacy of the iconic Canadian pianist Glenn Gould, famed for his 1956 recording of Bachs Goldberg Variations. Gould passed away in 1982 at age 50 and was posthumously awarded a lifetime achievement honor by the Recording Academy in 2013.

Upon receiving the announcement, Elton John shared, "After spending decades admiring the virtuosity of Glenn Gould's work, I am awestruck and honored to receive this award." Over his career, Elton John has garnered numerous lifetime achievement awards, including the Kennedy Center Honors, the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, a Grammy Legend Award, the Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The Glenn Gould Prize is awarded every two years and includes a CDN$100,000 cash award for the Laureate. The recipient also chooses a promising young artist to receive the CDN$25,000 Glenn Gould Protege Prize, reinforcing the awards commitment to fostering emerging talent.

Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada and chair of this years Glenn Gould Prize jury, emphasized the importance of the selection: "In selecting our Laureate, Elton John, we chose to honor someone who has great artistic accomplishments, but whose life and whose art has been translated into something much greater than just performance or the consumption of music and things they've created." She praised Elton John for his dedication to various causes, including AIDS awareness, LGBTQ+ rights, and addiction issues, often taking courageous stands when such topics were less accepted.

Brian Levine, CEO of the Glenn Gould Foundation, added, "Elton John embodies the spirit of artistic excellence, innovation, and profound humanity that The Glenn Gould Prize was created to celebrate." Levine highlighted how Elton John has used his vast musical catalog and global platform not only to inspire but also to champion emerging artists across genres, making a lasting impact on music and culture.

The announcement of the Laureate took place during a public event at Kings Place in London. The program included a Q&A session with the jury and featured performances by South African soprano Pumeza Matshikiza and Canadian piano prodigy Ryan Wang, who is just 17 years old.

The Glenn Gould Prize welcomes nominations from the public and is open to living candidates of any nationality. It recognizes achievements across a broad range of creative disciplines, including music, theater, dance, choreography, writing, design, film, television, radio, broadcasting, visual art, multimedia, technology, innovation, architecture, and more.

The gala celebration honoring Elton John will be a significant cultural event in Toronto later this year, bringing together artists and admirers to celebrate his remarkable career and philanthropic legacy.

Below is the complete list of past Glenn Gould Prize recipients, illustrating the awards history of recognizing extraordinary talent:

1987: R. Murray Shafer

1990: Yehudi Menuhin

1993: Oscar Peterson

1996: T?ru Takemitsu

1999: Yo-Yo Ma

2002: Pierre Boulez

2005: Andre Previn

2008: Jose Antonio Abreu

2011: Leonard Cohen

2013: Robert Lepage

2015: Philip Glass

2018: Jessye Norman

2020: Alanis Obomsawin

2022: Gustavo Dudamel

2025: Elton John

This distinguished honor further cements Elton Johns place among the most influential and humanitarian artists of his generation, celebrated not only for his musical genius but also for his impactful contributions to society.
Carrie Underwood defends her honest judging style on American Idol, saying "I don't care" about audience boos. She and Luke Bryan discuss tough critiques.

AceShowbiz - American Idol judge Carrie Underwood has openly defended the constructive criticism she delivers to contestants, even when it sparks controversy and boos from the live audience.

During the April 8 episode of the "American Idol Official Podcast," host Danielle Fishel addressed the public's strong reaction to Underwood's judging style. Fishel pointed out that Underwood offered constructive feedback on some performances, highlighting both magical moments and less successful ones, which led to audience booing.

Underwood responded candidly, saying, "I don't care." The straightforward response underlined her commitment to honesty with the contestants. Co-judge Luke Bryan then weighed in on the situation, offering his perspective on the challenges judges face.

Bryan, emphasizing the difficulty of the judging role, explained, "It's tough to do as a judge. It takes a lot of confidence in yourself, and you don't want to say something that's going to tank them in the competition. It's just something that they need to be thinking about if they go forward." His comments highlighted the delicate balance judges try to maintain between encouragement and honesty.

Underwood reiterated her belief in honest feedback, admitting, "I can't lie, I'm a terrible liar. As a fan of the show, if there was ever somebody that kind of had an off night and everybody's like, 'Oh, my God that's so great,' I'm sitting at home being like, 'What? Liars!'" This statement explains why she chooses to be frank with contestants rather than sugarcoat performances.

Recently, she faced criticism herself after commenting on contestant Mor's performance during a March episode. Underwood questioned Mors decision to perform an original song without utilizing the talented backing band, describing it as a missed opportunity.

Despite the crowds displeasure, Underwood also shared positive feedback, telling Mor, "I love your voice. I love you. But I loved being in an intimate room like that with you and listening to you tell your story. I feel like you took a risk here and it paid off." The mixed critique sparked boos from the audience once again.

In response to the recurring negative reactions to Underwood's comments, Bryan defended his fellow judge by reminding the crowd of her credentials, saying, "She only won this [show in 2005]. She knows." This statement reinforced Underwood's authority and experience, which underpin her critiques.

Underwood has embraced the audiences reactions, even welcoming boos as part of the process. In one episode, she anticipated the backlash, saying, "I feel you guys are gonna boo me. It's coming - just bring it on. I love it. Your boos are feeding me." This attitude underscores her resolve to provide genuine feedback regardless of public opinion.
Whats more, 200 non-Tracker fitted vehicles that had been stolen were also recovered and returned to their rightful owners as a result of Trackers SVR success. While high-end vehicle thefts make the headlines, the biggest percentage of stolen cars recovered by Tracker last year were valued between 10,000 and 20,000, and one in ten of all stolen vehicles recovered by Tracker were worth less than 10,000. Just 4% of the stolen cars the business recovered in 2025 were valued at over 50,000. Profits from the sale of stolen cars are being used to fuel the wider activities of Organised Crime Gangs (OCGs). Tracker urges all car owners to be vigilant, warning that no vehicle is immune from being targeted by professional criminals. The record figures reported by Tracker are a result of increasing numbers of car manufacturers, insurers and dealers coming together to fight the unrelenting threat of vehicle crime, by helping motorists install Trackers SVR devices on new and used cars. Tracker is the only stolen vehicle recovery expert that is formally supported by all 43 police forces in the U.K. Most police patrol vehicles and all police helicopters are fitted with Tracker detection units, capable of locating stolen vehicles via Trackers unique VHF signal, which remains unaffected by GPS or GSM jamming. The combination of Trackers police collaboration and its unique VHF technology sees it achieve a 95% recovery rate, 50% of which are recovered within 4 hours and 80% are returned to their owners within 24 hours. Whilst a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Tracker to the DVLA reveals a 11% year-on-year decline in vehicle theft across England and Wales in 2025, Tracker reminds motorists that theft figures are 48% higher than recorded by the DVLA a decade ago?. Adding to motorists woes is a drastic decline in recovery rates for unprotected vehicles. Between 2022 and 2025 just 13% of stolen vehicles were recovered by policeii. Over 90,000 vehicles were reported as stolen in 2025 according to the DVLA, from motorbikes to vans used by small businesses and prestige cars to combine harvesters. The most stolen vehicle recorded by the DVLA in 2025 was the Yamaha NMAX, a favoured scooter amongst urban riders, delivery riders and first-time bikers, followed closely by the ever-popular Ford Transit 350. Clive Wain, Head of Police Liaison at Tracker says that it too sees a huge variety of cars being targeted by criminals on a daily basis, Our stolen vehicle recoveries are dominated by thefts of premium car brands, such as BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Toyota. However, the intelligence we gather from our partner network tells us that the Toyota RAV4, Ford Puma, Nissan Juke and BMW X5 are firm favourites amongst thieves. Tracker goes on to advise car owners to be extra vigilant at this time of year, as stolen vehicle recoveries peaked around the March and September plate registration changes. Over 4 million of vehicles were recovered by Tracker around the spring plate change alone. Vehicle theft can be financially and emotionally devastating for motorists. Thats why we continue to forge industry partnerships and work tirelessly with U.K. police to recover stolen vehicles to their owners, continues Clive Wain. Together, not only are we stopping motorists' prized possessions from being sold on or shipped abroad, but we are also stopping them from being stripped for their parts. The illegal harvest and sale of quality second-hand parts have become a lucrative revenue stream for OCGs operating on the black market. Last year, Tracker and the police uncovered and closed 78 illegal chop shops, resulting in 147 arrests, which was another record year. Concludes Mark Kameen, Lead for the National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership (NVCRP): An overarching ambition when launching the National Vehicle Crime Strategy in 2024 was to enhance intelligence between law enforcement and the private sector to help tackle organised vehicle crime. And we are actively achieving our goal. The record number of stolen vehicle recoveries by Tracker and the U.K. police also underlines this. We will continue to build on this success by working closely with all of our partners and members, sharing expertise to ensure we all play a vital role in tackling vehicle crime across the country. DVLA FOI Data  The number of vehicles recorded as stolen on the DVLA database for each full year 2020-2026
She joins from Standard Life, where she most recently was Head of Liquidity Management, and spent several years playing a leading role in its BPA pricing, proposition enhancements, and strategic delivery. Earlier in her career, Rhian worked at Aon, advising on some of the largest and most complex bulk annuity transactions in the UK market. In this new role, Rhian will lead a portfolio of strategic initiatives to support Canada Lifes BPA business growth plans.

Shreyas Sridhar, Managing Director, BPA, at Canada Life said: I am delighted to welcome Rhian to the Canada Life team, and I look forward to the impact she will make as we continue to build momentum in our BPA business. Rhian brings a unique blend of commercial acumen, leadership capabilities, technical depth, and market insight, and will play a key role in helping us deliver on our ambitious strategy.

Commenting, Rhian Littlewood said: I am pleased to be joining the Canada Life team at an exciting time in the risk transfer market and at a pivotal point in Canada Lifes strategic plans. I am looking forward to working alongside a very talented team, to deliver on the businesss growth trajectory.
Congress Withdraws Baramati Bypoll Candidate, Cites Political Decorum After Ajit Pawar's Demise 2

The Congress on Thursday withdrew its candidate from the Baramati Assembly bypoll in Pune district, where Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar is contesting, stating that the move was aimed at maintaining political decorum in Maharashtra.

Party nominee Akash More withdrew his nomination shortly before the deadline, confirming that the decision was taken following instructions from the party leadership.

State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal said the decision was influenced by the recent death of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Sunetra Pawars husband, who died in a plane crash just over two months ago. He said the party chose to step back in keeping with the states political culture and traditions.

We are taking two steps back as the bypoll is being held soon after the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar. This decision is to uphold political decorum and dialogue, Sapkal said, adding that the Congress is not extending support to any candidate despite withdrawing from the contest.

He clarified that the move was not influenced by any request from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for an unopposed election.

Despite the Congress withdrawal, the bypoll scheduled for April 23 will proceed, as more than 30 candidates remain in the fray. Counting of votes will take place on May 4.

Sapkal also revealed that Sunetra Pawar had reached out to him multiple times and had met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi, requesting the party to withdraw its candidate.

Looking ahead, he asserted that the Congress will contest the Baramati seat in the 2029 Assembly elections and aims to secure victory.

He further said that the same political courtesy should be extended in the Rahuri Assembly bypoll in Ahilyanagar district, which was necessitated by the death of BJP legislator Shivajirao Kardile. While the BJP has fielded his son Akshay Kardile, the NCP (SP) has nominated Govind Mokate.
"Socalj" for Borderland Beat







The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned more than 20 individuals and companies involved in the global supply chain of chemical precursors and the production of synthetic drugs that have collaborated with the Sinaloa Cartel, specifically Los Chapitos and Los Mayos.



The precursor chemicals for producing both fentanyl and methamphetamine were shipped from India through Guatemala, to Sinaloa and Guadalajara in Mexico. Several of the suppliers and logistical companies sanctioned as part of this network have been reported to have supplied chemicals to both CDS and CJNG groups.









Chemical Precursors from India



From India and Guatemala, through Sinaloa and Guadalajara in Mexico, the sanctioned individuals and firms are now prevented from carrying out any type of business or financial transaction on U.S. soil, and all their accounts in that country have been frozen.





The first person named is Satishkumar Hareshbjai Sutaria, an Indian trader of chemical precursors who, along with a sales associate, Yuktakumari Ashishkumar Modi, sent shipments of chemical precursors to Mexico and Guatemala to synthesize fentanyl.



Both used the companies SR Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals and Agrat Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals to ship goods to the Americas, with counterfeit labels on the shipments. They were arrested in India in March 2025 and have now been sanctioned, along with the two companies they used.









Guatemalan Intermediaries



Also designated were Guatemalan national Jaime Augusto Barrientos Camaz and his companies J and C Import and Central Logistica de Servicios. Barrientos was responsible for transporting chemical precursors and even finished fentanyl in collaboration with Agrat Chemicals and SR Chemicals, the Indian companies.





It has been reported that he received up to 116 kilos of N-Boc-4-Piperidone, a precursor chemical for fentanyl, in just two months.



"The intermediaries, acting in tandem with the Mexican cartels, facilitate the logistics and shipments of these chemicals to Mexico or Guatemala via maritime cargo. The shipments regularly contain kilograms of deadly fentanyl precursors and bear false labels as 'safe chemicals.' The intermediaries then transfer the chemicals to individuals known as 'cooks,' who operate clandestine synthetic drug labs controlled by the cartels," the U.S. Treasury Department stated.





'Dora' and 'Tobilio' the Mexicans linked to Los Chapitos were arrested last month in Mexico.

Mexican Companies Sanctioned





Karina Guadalupe Carrillo Torres, alias Dora, and her husband, Regulo Acosta Hernandez, alias El Tobilio, were sanctioned; both are linked to the Los Chapitos faction.



Carrillo Torres is identified as an intermediary for chemical precursors such as 1-Boc-4-Hydroxypiperidine, in collaboration with the sons of "El Chapo" Guzman.











Her husband, Acosta Hernandez, is a fentanyl and cocaine supplier who is also involved in money laundering. He and his wife operate the companies Desarrollos Cartok SA de CV and Comercializadora Grupo Carhern, which have also been sanctioned.





Carrillo and Acosta were arrested in Mexico in March 2026 for drug trafficking.











In Mexico City, Reyma Global Trading, an importer of goods that has obtained large quantities of chemicals used in the production of methamphetamine by various criminal organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel, was sanctioned.





Maria Viridiana Rugerio Arriaga, owner of the company Quimica Soluciones y Logistica Internal Bajio, in Leon, Guanajuato, was also sanctioned. She uses the company to acquire chemical precursors in India and then sells them for the production of fentanyl and methamphetamine for the Sinaloa Cartel.











Similarly, the company Aduaeasy was sanctioned, accused of receiving shipments of chemicals for the production of methamphetamine from Asia.











Also sanctioned were Jalisco-based businessman and importer Jose de Jesus Ramirez Torres and his companies Corporativo y Enlace Ram, Enlace Forwarding Mexico, Cargo Global 3PS, and E-Ram Group, which is based in Miami, Florida, USA. He uses his companies to import chemical precursors for methamphetamine production.









Mexican Chemists & Traffickers




Advertisement

From Wikimedia Commons: Dutch Reformed Church (Wolvendaal), Colombo (J. L. K. van Dort, 1888)

On Easter Sunday 2019, Islamist terrorists affiliated with the National Thowheeth Jamaath and inspired by ISIS detonated suicide bombs in three churches and three hotels across Sri Lanka, slaughtering more than 260 innocent soulsmany of them Catholics and Protestants gathered in worship to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The carnage was not random; it was a deliberate assault on Christian faith in a nation where believers had already faced rising threats. Yet when former President Barack Obama addressed the world from his Twitter account, he chose these words: The attacks on tourists and Easter worshippers in Sri Lanka are an attack on humanity. Hillary Clinton echoed the phrasing almost verbatim, praying for victims of attacks on Easter worshippers and travelers.

Advertisement

Obviously, this was no innocent slip of the pen. Easter worshippers is a grotesque circumlocution, a linguistic evasion that strips the victims of their Christian identity. Christians do not worship Easter; they worship the risen Lord Jesus Christ. The term reduces a two-thousand-year-old faith communitytargeted precisely because of its confessionto a seasonal activity. Conservatives and Christian voices rightly excoriated the language as a calculated refusal to name the obvious: this was religious persecution of Christians by Islamists. The same Obama who, mere weeks earlier, had grieved the Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand by explicitly standing with the Muslim community now could not bring himself to utter the word Christians. The double standard was glaring, the moral cowardice unmistakable. In an age when Christians are the most persecuted religious group on earth, such verbal gymnastics betray not neutrality but ideological bias.

The reluctance to explicitly denounce Christian persecution may appear paradoxical in a time that celebrates victimhood but falls perfectly in line with an anti-Western trend that may soon celebrate its 100th anniversary: socialist (and atheist) revolutionaries join forces with Muslims for tactical reasons. Despite their respective utopias, they share the desire for the collapse of Western civilization.

Advertisement

Obamas presidency was marked by eloquent rhetoric on religious freedom in the abstract. He spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast about threats to believers worldwide and signed legislation advancing international religious liberty. Yet when it came to the concrete, systematic slaughter of Christians in Muslim-majority lands, his administration displayed a consistent reluctance to name the perpetrators or the victims with clarity. This pattern reached its symbolic nadir in the Sri Lanka statement, but its roots lay deepermost notoriously in the 2009 Cairo speech titled A New Beginning. There, Obama traveled to Egypt to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. He quoted the Quran, praised Islamic contributions to civilization, and bent over backward to reset relations after the Bush eras wars.

What he did not do was issue a comparably bold, unambiguous defense of the ancient Christian communities being driven from the very region where the faith was born. In Iraq and Syria, Christian populations had already plummeted under Islamist pressure; in Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, and Sudan, believers faced daily terror. Obamas outreach to Muslim leaders appeared to come at the expense of the dhimmithe subjugated non-Muslims whose blood and churches were expendable in the name of geopolitical reset. An intelligent and eloquent president, Obama nonetheless aroused legitimate suspicion: was he truly on the side of the West in the escalating civilizational conflict with radical Islam? Or had his moral compass been recalibrated by a multicultural relativism that viewed explicit solidarity with Christians as politically incorrect?

Advertisement

The statistics paint a damning portrait. According to the Open Doors World Watch List, more than 388 million Christians face high or extreme levels of persecution globally. In 2026 reporting alone, 4,849 Christians were killed for their faith, with Nigeria accounting for the vast majority3,490 martyrs murdered by Fulani militants, Boko Haram, and ISWAP in a campaign of genocidal violence. Top persecutors include Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, Syria, Pakistan, Libyanations where Islamist ideology, state-sanctioned blasphemy laws, or official indifference enable the carnage. These are not abstract tragedies; they are the systematic eradication of Christianity across the cradle of the faith. Churches are bombed, converts beheaded, schoolgirls kidnapped and forced into marriage, priests executed.

Yet too many Muslim political and religious leaderspresidents, kings, imams, and clericsoffer little more than perfunctory condemnations or, worse, remain silent while their educational systems, media, and mosques foment contempt for infidels. This is complicity by omission, a moral abdication that demands rebuke. If there had been any higher justice on earth, the worlds Muslim leaders should be held to account: reform the texts that incite hatred, protect minority citizens as a sacred duty of governance, and reject the jihadist theology that treats Christian blood as cheap. Failure to do so is not cultural difference; it is barbarism tolerated in the name of faith.

Advertisement

Obamas domestic legacy compounds the indictment. The man who positioned himself as a healer of racial divides instead sowed deep fissures in the American nation. His rhetoric of grievance, his elevation of identity politics, and his indulgence of narratives that distorted American history laid the intellectual groundwork for the ideological frenzy that erupted after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The riots that followedmarked by violence, looting, and cultural iconoclasmwere fueled by the very prejudices and historically illiterate distortions that Obama helped normalize. A president who could not name Christian victims abroad with clarity proved equally adept at inflaming domestic divisions at home. His moral stances, so often draped in eloquence, invite suspicion precisely because they consistently tilted away from robust defense of Western Christian heritage towards accommodation of those who view it with hostility.

To defend Christians today has nothing to do with tribalism; it is a defense of universal human dignity and of the civilization that birthed the very concepts of individual rights that Obama claimed to champion. Christianity has given the world hospitals, universities, the abolition of slavery, the sanctity of the weak, and the idea that every soul bears the imago Dei. To watch its adherents butchered while Western leaders resort to euphemisms is a betrayal of our own inheritance. The Sri Lanka attacks were not an isolated horror; they were one bloody chapter in a global pattern where Islamismenabled by silence or appeasementtargets the faith that refuses to submit. Passionate solidarity with these brothers and sisters is not optional for those who value truth, justice, and the Wests moral foundations.

Advertisement

The time for equivocation is over. Barack Obamas Easter worshippers locution was more than a stylistic choice; it was symptomatic of anti-Westernism and a deeper reluctance to confront uncomfortable realities about religious persecution in the Muslim world. Muslim leaders who preside over or tolerate the eradication of Christian communities should face unrelenting international pressure to reform or be exposed as enablers of atrocity. And the Westif led by leaders with a clearer moral visionshould stand unapologetically with the persecuted Church. Anything less is not diplomacy; it is surrender.

Christians are not seasonal worshippers or abstract people of faith. They are the body of Christ under siege, and their defense is a test of our civilizations soul. History will judge those who looked away.
Part of Gavin Newsoms claim to fame is his role in the destruction of the truly renewable energy provided by hydroelectric dams. While Newsom has been involved in the destruction of many dams, lets focus on just one labeled the largest dam removal project in U.S. history, which is the removal of four dams on the Klamath River. Newsom stated, This is a monumental achievementnot just for the Klamath River but for our entire state, nation and planet. By taking down these outdated dams, we are giving salmon and other species a chance to thrive once again while also restoring an essential lifeline for tribal communities who have long depended on the health of the river.

Advertisement

It seems odd when someone considers destruction of a truly renewable energy source a monumental achievement. Newsom forgot to mention that these dams were built in the 1910s and 1920s. Ill bet that since then, the fish are either long gone, or they have figured out some new way to survive. Also, I bet the essential lifeline for tribal communities, has changed in 100 years. Does Newsom plan to reintroduce the buffalo so the tribes can return to nomadic ways and follow the herd?

Whats worse than destroying a renewable energy source for the community and the beautiful lakes where people (native Americans) have their homes, is the fact that while dam removal sounded good on paper to the bureaucrats agitating it, according to local officials, its an environmental disaster. Siskiyou County Supervisor Ray Haupt stated, I have been around natural disasters all my life, and Ive never seen anything like this. The river is essentially dead, as is everything in it. The problem is that when the dams were destroyed, there was a hundred years of sediment buildup behind the dams, turning the water extremely muddy the color and consistency of chocolate cake batter. Haupt stated that the sediment plume extended two miles into the ocean. He also stated that he and local residents were witnessing a massive salmon extinction event. They said the mud is black and thick, with mud and heavy sediment covering every bit of gravel needed for spawning. They stated that even the deer are dying as they get caught in the muck and cannot escape. Experts say that this massive sediment poisoning will cause the extinction of numerous species.

Advertisement

While Newsom and environmental groups claimed the removal of the dams was essential for fish health, locals are asking, Does this water look like a better habitat for the fish?

Dont worry, after killing off hundreds of thousands of salmon and fish, Gov. Newsom is getting federal money to restore impacted fisheries.

Advertisement

Some have suggested that the first annual River of Death award should go to the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) and its CEO Mark Bransom, for it takes a lot to kill-off an entire aquatic ecosystem. This project was pushed through with Newsoms backing even though 78% of the local citizens who knew the lakes and rivers of the area, voted in a referendum on removing the Klamath River Dams and said, no dam removal. It is stated that KRRC gave the locals the middle finger.

Apparently, the science had already been done and showed that the over 15 million metric yards of sediments on the lake bottoms were a serious problem and needed to be removed and relocated out of the watershed. Also, the water was supposed to be released over a period of several months, but instead they dumped all of it in just a few days (cheap route). Because of the continued erosion of the clay on the lake bottoms, the sediments, toxins, and heavy metals will cause the river to remain polluted for decades into the future.

Advertisement

Just to mention, the wells of local residents are drying up because the water table has dropped.

A nonprofit organization, American Rivers, is also involved with dam removals all across the U.S., with 101 removals in 2017, 109 removals in 2018, and 106 removals in 2019. This organization sits on the board of KRRC, and is based out of Washington, D.C., making tens of millions of dollars a year, being a recipient of federal grants, and receives donations from numerous private foundations and many left-of-center groups. Since its founding in 1973, the organization has received $1.2 billion in federal grants funding various projects. While there are several left-of-center groups funding American Rivers, the New York Times called one of them, New Venture Fund, a dark money organization.

Advertisement

Youd think that this level of friendship extended from Newsom to Native Americans couldnt get any worse, but then it does. Apparently, California policies that shield illegal aliens have allowed Mexican drug cartels to swoop in on tribal lands of the Round Valley Indian Tribes in Mendocino County, CA. The valley is known for growing illegal marijuana crops on tribal lands. Sheriff Matt Kendal says that 80% of the illegal marijuana grown in his county is grown in Round Valley by the forced labor of illegals.

There is also the problem of women being kidnapped. Their faces are plastered on banners on burnt out buildings throughout the valley.

Advertisement

The Sheriff stated that because of state law, he is not legally able to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The cartels have marked their areas with spray paint throughout the valley. The sheriff said that shootouts are common between the rival gang members involving AK-47s, AR-15s and M-16s.

The sheriff said that somebodys putting up the money for this and he believes it is coming from south of the border. He stated illegals who couldnt pay the full fare to Mexican cartels to cross the border are paying off their debt by working in the marijuana fields. The sheriff said, Its sex trafficking, its labor trafficking, its narco-slavery. The workers are scared to death of the cartels.

Sheriff Kendal says that he has repeatedly called California Gov. Gavin Newsom, but the governor wont return his calls.

So, all of this is happening on tribal land in the U.S.

While Gavin Newsom likes to portray himself as the friend to the Native American, the old cliche comes to mind, With friends like this, who needs enemies?

Image from Grok.
General George S. Patton knew how to get a point across: When I want my men to remember something important, to really make it stick, I give it to them double dirty. It may not sound nice to some bunch of little old ladies at an afternoon tea party, but it helps my soldiers to remember.

Advertisement

On April 5, 2026, President Trump directed a profane Truth Social comment at the Islamofascist regime in Iran: Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F*ckin Strait, you crazy bastards, or youll be living in Hell -- JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP. Needless to say, Trumps profanity-laced messaging has drawn more than its fair share of criticism.

However, one must realize that Trump was addressing more than one audience -- perhaps the most important one being the military leadership of Irans oppressive Islamic regime, which even gets trolled at the end of the message with Trumps ironic use of the phrase, Praise be to Allah. Trump must have envisioned his message being translated into the equivalent register of speech used daily by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Indeed, Trump has proven to be exemplary in his role as commander-in-chief, so surely, in the interest of clarity, he was merely expressing his inner Patton.

Advertisement

On the communication style of the famous General George S. Patton, when it came to delivering important messages to troops, Capt. Ron Roberts has written the following:

Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., liked to give it to them double dirty. When he wanted his men to remember something of importance, he laced it with plenty of profanity. As he put it, You cant run an army without profanity; and it has to be eloquent profanity. An army without profanity couldnt fight its way out of a piss-soaked paper bag. Probably his best known speech, which he delivered with small variations on numerous occasions, was laced with expletives... Patton was as much an actor as he was a fine general. He purposely cultivated what he called his war face. He was aware that his men were watching him constantly, and he strived to lead by his words as much as he did by his actions. Some officers found his use of obscenities in the speech disappointing, viewing it as unprofessional conduct... The question of whether swearing is a powerful rhetorical device or a character blemish might seem trivial. But the art of leadership is not. And Patton was an extraordinarily gifted combat leader... He was acknowledged by his enemy in World War Two, the Germans (who he called the Huns, harkening back to his World War One service days), as Americas best general. Advertisement

The high esteem in which Americas German foe held General Patton was likely due, at least in part, to his communication style with his men, as well as to his prowess and lethality on the battlefield. The linguistic theory of Martin Joos on registers of speech posits that the most effective communication occurs when a speaker matches, as closely as possible, the speaking style of the listener. Jooss theory teaches many a valuable lesson, including this one:

Choosing the wrong register when speaking doesnt mean that you wont be understood. But an inappropriate style of speech can reduce the impact of what you have to say in more formal situations and could result in your audience failing to take you seriously. It could also cause offence as your listeners may perceive that you are not demonstrating sufficient respect for their social standing, professional standing or knowledge of the subject at hand. On the other hand, choosing a formal register in a casual context can result in you appearing to be arrogant or patronising. Knowing how to adapt your speech to both the situation and your audience will increase the likelihood of you being accepted, taken seriously and getting your message across. Advertisement

An officer who uses the same register of speech as an Ivy League professor when addressing his troops runs the risks of being taken much less seriously than if he had used more visceral terminology. Soldiers want to hear from a fellow soldier -- someone who sounds as if he too has been on the field of battle, someone who can connect with the feelings, hearts, and minds of those enlisted men who have spent a good deal of time living in a world of real blood and guts. It is worth noting that Patton was called Old Blood and Guts by his men; but more than just a sign of his hard-driving style of warfighting, it was also a rightly earned title of respect that signaled both fear and affection by the soldiers who served with him.

Patton knew his men, and he knew how they needed to hear a thing said, to make his message stick, as it were. And like General Patton, President Trump also understands how to express himself in a way that serves the dual purpose of communicating with Americas enemies and, at the same time, with the American people -- especially with his Make America Great Again political base. As Trump put it recently, No, Im not losing MAGA, MAGA loves what Im doing. And the president knows he is correct in his assessment, because unlike his contemporaries of White House fame, Trump understands that effective communication with his fellow Americans involves connecting with them where they live -- using their preferred words, their linguistic styles, and the same kinds of hand gestures and facial expressions they like to use. This same principle applies when communicating with ones adversaries.

Advertisement

Sun Tzu, an author Trump highly recommends, has written in The Art of War, To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy. Timeless advice for anyone seeking to win against an adversary. Or, more specifically, for any president who wishes to communicate effectively to the militant mindset of an adversarial nation.

Paul Dowlings book on the Constitution is Keeping a Free Republic -- downloadable for $2.99. Additionally, Paul has contributed to Independent Sentinel and Free Thought Matters.

Advertisement

Image: Public Domain
Donald Trumps opposition to climate policy and mass immigration is putting massive pressure on Europe. There, preparations are underway to support California governor Gavin Newsom. He is expected, as the 48th president, to prevent a continuation of Trumps policies.

Advertisement

America remains a country of high social mobility and upward opportunity -- something we no longer see on todays European continent. It may sound kitschy to many Europeans, yet America's vibrant economic centers, high geographic mobility, and the flexibility of its people still create the conditions for this unique phenomenon.

Admittedly, the narrative of the land of unlimited opportunity may sound exaggerated today -- something akin to self-promotion. Yet at its core, it still holds true. Can one still make something of oneself in the U.S.? Donald Trumps deregulation program, combined with tax cuts for businesses as well as small and medium incomes, has in any case helped to revive this promise of upward mobility.

Advertisement

Trumps policies go hand in hand with the elimination of fiscal privileges and subsidies. His goal: the systematic dismantling of the fiscally secured and media-backed strongholds of power of a socialist apparatus that reflects the spirit of European regulatory policy.

Put simply, under Trump, American nationalism and a rejection of ideological engineering have returned to the political agenda. With intense competition and market-driven policies at home, alongside a trade and tariff strategy reminiscent of presidents like Alexander Hamilton and William McKinley, this forms a clear countermodel to his predecessors. They had significantly advanced the European model of climate socialism as a tool of power consolidation.

Advertisement

For the record: it was President Barack Obama who, in 2009, identified carbon dioxide as a lever of power, integrated European regulatory frameworks, and began systematically undermining the traditional American values of individual liberty, mobility, free markets, and minimal government.

The public outrage over Trumps reversal in key questions of political power architecture stems largely from the fact that too many had grown comfortable in a world of subsidies, NGOs, and public-sector employment. European climate socialists now pin their hopes on Gavin Newsom. In two and a half years, he is expected to enter the White House and initiate a return to the status quo ante.

Advertisement

In Berlin, Brussels, Paris, and London, they are likely already counting the days until a possible political shift in Washington.

Trump has fallen out of favor with Europeans because his agenda of prioritizing American national interests mercilessly exposes the ideological contradictions and intellectual weakness of European socialism. Whether in foreign policy -- where the U.S. asserts itself forcefully toward countries like Venezuela or Iran -- or in its confrontation with the climate lobby and the left-wing NGO complex, Trumps policies reflect the will of many Americans to finally address the consequences of globalist policies and draw the logical conclusion: dismantling this socialist overreach.

Advertisement

It is telling that his migration policy meets fierce resistance in the strongholds of Democratic Party power. Where migration and poverty industries have taken root, the immigration authority ICE encounters near civil-war-like resistance.

Yet it is not Trumps fault that the European social model lies in ruins.

Advertisement

Europe suffers from a lack of self-criticism and a general unwillingness to confront its own ideological failures. Meanwhile, nuclear cooling towers are demolished, coal seams flooded, and gas infrastructure dismantled. The politics of ideological immaturity collide with Washingtons hard-nosed approach and the necessary repair work on a deeply damaged social and economic body.

No matter who the Republican Party nominates as Trumps potential successor -- be it J.D. Vance or Marco Rubio -- the German press has already made its choice. It longs for Americas return to European-style climate socialism: more comfortable, more predictable, and promising continued access to public funding -- even for its own future. To underline this, the German weekly WirtschaftsWoche (Business Week) recently published a guest article by Gavin Newsom.

Newsom seeks to persuade foreign governments to view California as an independent economic entity -- the worlds fifth-largest economy, still embodying the spirit of boundless opportunity.

The implicit message is clear: Californias economic stagnation is not the result of high taxes or aggressive climate policies in the European mold -- nor of its war on oil and gas -- but solely the fault of Donald Trumps tariff policy.

California is Europe in miniature -- a shadow of the Old Continent cast across the United States. It now finds itself exposed by Washingtons market-driven reforms, which throw its model into stark contrast. The results are increasingly visible: one system succeeds, the other falters.

In his guest contribution, Newsom naturally avoids addressing the consequences of Californias climate policies. As in Europe, CO2 costs are placing enormous strain on industry. Companies are leaving -- just as they are in Germany -- and relocating to states like Texas or Florida, where industrial production is still valued.

Newsoms socialist course, which began in 2019, is evident not only in rising public debt. More striking is the emergence of a full-fledged poverty management industry. Years of open-border policies enabled the development of a deeply corrupt system of dependency management. California has become a magnet for illegal migrants, drug addicts, and other lost individuals; at the same time, the political framework sustains an extraction economy similar to what we observe in Germanys migration sector. The parallels are striking.

The Sunshine State, once a place of aspiration for so many, now resembles -- especially in its urban centers -- the kind of social decay familiar from Europes migration-driven slums.

Hardly a model to be proud of -- yet, for WirtschaftsWoche, seemingly the ideal form of postmodern urbanity.

Newsom frequently points to the success of Silicon Valley, the powerhouse of digital innovation. Yet this engine of growth quite literally fell into his lap; he has contributed nothing of substance to enhancing the states innovative capacity. Silicon Valley existed before Newsom -- and it will exist after him, if necessary in a different location, in new form, after escaping the suffocating grip of bureaucratic overreach.

A final word on those Europeans who hope for Trumps failure: with Newsom and a return of the United States to European climate socialism and mass immigration, capital flight from the EU might temporarily slow. It is entirely possible that European leadership could buy time by pointing to a faltering America. But it would change nothing about Europes decline -- only delay the inevitable.
The Democrats have done their best to hide the data, but it is possible to use available information to extrapolate just how bad illegal alien crime is.

Advertisement

Every day, all over America, illegal aliens, legal immigrants, and naturalized Americans from a rogues list of countries to our South and from the Middle East kill, rape, rob, and defraud us, almost with impunity. Yet, if you try to prove it by citing reliable government statistics, you cant. The left works hardit may be its most important jobto ensure you cant find out exactly how bad things really are across America.

The bottom line: almost no states or the federal government track crimes using reliable indicators of someones country of origin, immigration status, or citizenship status. To the extent that states do, information is spotty and irregular. Only one state, Texas, keeps comprehensive records...only one! (Thank you, Governor Abbott!)

Advertisement

And, if you guessed that blue states not only dont collect such data, but have created laws to ensure that information is not collected, you would be correct. Several Democrat-led states and localities have laws or official policies that restrict asking for, collecting, or sharing immigration or national-origin information for most public, state, and local government purposes. Notable examples include Californias SB 54 (the California Values Act), New Jerseys Immigrant Trust/Privacy Protection laws, and statewide/local guidance in New York; many other blue states have statutory or policy limits on participation in federal immigration programs.

Recently, moments after being sworn in as Governor, Virginias Abigail Spanbergers first act was to reverse all policies that former Governor Glenn Youngkin had enacted on a range of immigration and cooperation subjects. Her statements were masterclasses in duplicity, promising to enforce the law, even while making it impossible for Virginia law enforcement to do so because ICE detainers are administrative, not judicial:

Advertisement

I have full confidence that Virginia law enforcement agents are keeping Virginia safer when exercising their authority under Virginia law. [snip] Advertisement And, importantly, any time there is a judicial warrant in hand, state and local law enforcement should be, and the expectation is, they should be cooperating with any other law enforcement agencies that might need their assistance.

By stating this and through other Executive Orders, Spanberger wasted no time in returning Virginia to its status as an aggressive and repressive sanctuary state, effectively favoring non-citizens over citizens. Recent high-visibility incidents in Virginia that involve illegal aliens include Old Dominion, the Fairfax bus stop stabbing, the stabbing death of a 3-month-old, and a machete murder. There are more, but its hard to dig most of them up due to the limitations previously mentioned.

Advertisement

But, what if there were a way to tabulate an approximation, imperfect, but a starting point to achieve a national number? Obviously, the left wants to ignore this possibility because it would likely drive people into the streets in a furious demand that the carnage stop by reversing policies that are intended to obscure data and encourage the veritable war on traditional America.

Well extrapolate official Texas numbers and see where that takes usData and Assumptions:

Advertisement

Texas population (July 1, 2024): 31,290,831.

U.S. population (2024 estimate): 340,110,988.

Texas share of the US population: 31,290,831/340,110,988\approx 9.20% of the country.

Texas DPS cumulative DHS-matched counts (June 1, 2011Feb 28, 2026): homicide 1,123; assault 78,122; robbery 3,394; sexual assault 7,629. These are charges tied to DHS-identified non-citizens.

Time window length used: June 1, 2011  Feb 28, 2026  14.75 years.

Calculations (method: proportional extrapolation)

Sum Texas violent charges used: 1,123+78,122+3,394+7,629=90,268.

Extrapolate to the US by population share: 90,268/0.09197\approx 981,500 total extrapolated US charges over the same period.

Per-year estimate: 981,500/14.75\approx 66,600 violent-offense charges per year nationwide (DHS-matched non-citizen charges, estimated).

Category breakdown (rounded)Offense Texas cumulative Extrapolated US cumulative Estimated per year: Homicide 1,123 ~12,200 ~828 / year Assault 78,122 ~849,300 ~57,600 / year Robbery 3,394 ~36,900 ~2,500 / year Sexual assault 7,629 ~83,000 ~5,600 / year (Totals match rounded to ~ 66,600 violent, non-citizen crimes per year nationwide

Of course, some states will have lower illegal alien crime rates (e.g., Vermont) but that will be offset by those that have high rates, such as California, New York, etc.

A note about my calculations:

Bad enough at over 66,000 violent non-citizen crimes annually, these numbers are likely greatly understated. Why? First, my numbers spanned 15 years. The Biden presidency greatly upped the tally of non-citizens, and we are naturally experiencing greater numbers of non-citizen violent crime today than 15 years ago. Second, the number of non-citizen crimes is understated because authorities cannot always confirm someones non-citizen status. Lastly, and this is a big one, these stats are based on arrests. A significant portion of criminals go undetected and unarrested.

Most reported violent offenses do not result in an arrest; nationally, roughly 6065% of violent offenses are not cleared by arrest or exceptional means (i.e., not cleared) in recent yearsabout 63% not cleared in 2022 and 58% not cleared in 2020. If one adds that into the assumption, our 66,000 number rises to at least 150,000 murders, rapes, and violent assaults annually.

But wait, thats not the end of this horror show guaranteed to make you ill! We are not even beginning to count the non-violent crimes, scams, thefts, and petty crimes committed. No one seems even to want to make a guess, but its got to be hundreds of thousands of crimes by non-citizens each year. Just look at Minneapolis and Los Angeles, where immigrant fraud is rife.

All of us are paying for this financially, socially, and personally, as every American reading this is a victim in some way, whether its the cost of credit due to fraud, higher taxes than they would otherwise be, the loss of someone close to us, or, for some, even being afraid to walk our streets.

One other group for which no statistics exist: naturalized Americans who go on to become (or already were) criminals. The numbers here are also staggering, and the fact that too many government agencies wont collect the relevant data is a crime in itself.

Can you imagine the outcry if we really could quantify the cost in actual murders, economic destruction, and the resulting loss of emotional wellness due to non-citizen crime? It would force change almost overnight, as if waking up from a nightmare. The hue and cry for immediate reform would expose the leadership of every major city in America, leaving no room for misinterpretation about how bad non-citizen criminality has become. Spare me the fake numbers of crime having been vastly reduced. NYC cops dont arrest violators anymore; theyre too afraid of Mamdani! Police are on defense, almost everywhere in America, afraid to do their jobs.

This could be the wake-up call for Americans to take to the streets demanding accountability and change.

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.
Before now, most of us were probably unaware of the term petabyte, which is equal to a million gigabytes. Ten petabytes is an incomprehensibly large number, equal to 2-3 billion books, 2 million HD movies, or hours of global internet traffic. But its an important number because it is the amount of data allegedly stolen from Chinas National Supercomputing Center (NSCC) in Tianjin, which holds classified military data. This story is very alleged, because China has said nothing, but tech sources think at least some of the report is true.

Advertisement

An organization calling itself FlamingChina has posted on Telegram and other dark web sites that it hacked the NSCC, shared a few examples of the data now in its possession, and offered to sell it to the highest bidder. That could easily be an empty boast or a con to sell fake data, but according to one report, some computer experts think the material FlamingChina posted has the look of the real thing:

The post claimed that the dataset included research across various fields including aerospace engineering, military research, bioinformatics, fusion simulation and more. Advertisement Online samples of the hacked data appear to show internal folders, login details, technical manuals and schematics linked to weapons testing and aerospace work. Cyber experts have reviewed samples of the stolen data and appear to think it is genuine. Advertisement

China has not confirmed anything, but that doesnt mean the data breach hasnt happened. Regimes like China will never admit to a massive attack on their computers, especially because China, for decades, has been the one attacking other computer systems, whether commercial or government.

And of course, this still could be a con. While its true that FlamingChina provided a very small data sample, that sample might be all it has. People are allegedly paying thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency for these samples, but theres no definitive evidence yet that the group has anything beyond snippets (or, again, that the samples are real).

Advertisement

CNN has picked up on the story and offered a hypothesis about what it could mean if the hacker group really did break into the Tianjin NSCC, which is a centralized hub that provides infrastructure services for more than 6,000 clients across China, including advanced science and defense agencies.

The report from CNN explains that the documents currently available arent just generic science documents. Instead, they are marked secret and contain technical files, animated simulations and renderings of defense equipment including bombs and missiles. Cybersecurity experts agree that the size of the dataset would make it attractive to adversarial state intelligence services. I imagine that the US government would also be very interested.

Advertisement

If the data breach is real, it gets added to the list of problems currently bedeviling China, chief among which is its struggle to obtain oil since Trump seized Venezuelas Maduro and began the military action in Iran. Before all this started, China was getting around 2 million barrels of oil per day from those two countries. Trumps actions disrupted that supply.

Currently, China is drawing on stockpiles (which, notably, we dont have since Biden sold off our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help Democrats in the midterm election) and substituting Russian and Brazilian oil for the lost Venezuelan and Iranian oil. Its managed to restore its flow, but at a much greater cost due to shipping issues and rising oil prices.

Advertisement

When you add its oil woes to the problems China has had managing the impact of Trumps tariffs (e.g., disrupted trade with its one-time best customer, America, the necessity of finding new markets, pumping government money into the economy to offset the trade loss, etc.), Chinas economy is, to use a non-technical term, not happy. Its certainly not in free-fall, because its already adapted to the tariffs, but its not roaring, with an estimated .3 to 1.0 percentage point drop in GDP from the tariffs alone. To all this, you can add Chinas other woes, which are explained in greater detail here and here.

In other words, Trumps actions havent dealt a death blow to the Chinese economy, but theyve certainly given it a bad cold. The last thing China needs is for massive amounts of national security information to be on the open black market. (Of course, given how poorly Chinese weapons systems have performed in Venezuela and Iran, maybe those buying its secrets arent getting a lot of bang for the buck.)

If you want a deeper dive, Shanaka Anselm Perera, an Australian analyst, offers his take on what this all means for China:

While China was busy shipping missile chemicals to Iran and collecting yuan tolls at Hormuz, someone was inside its most sensitive supercomputer stealing everything.



CNN reports that a hacker group calling itself FlamingChina breached the China National Supercomputing Center in pic.twitter.com/mkyEtdS9DI  Shanaka Anslem Perera  (@shanaka86) April 9, 2026

Anyone who underestimates China is making a huge mistake. Trump has never made that mistake, for he views China as Americas most formidable geopolitical adversary. However, its possible that, thanks to a combination of Chinas internal weaknesses, Trumps actions, and this alleged hack, China is somewhat weakened (albeit still very dangerous).

Image created using AI.
Violent acts of terrorism are not the only attacks on our culture that we need to watch for. For many years, stealth jihad has been infiltrating our organizations, including governments and schools, laying the groundwork for undermining our Constitution and instituting sharia law.

Advertisement

Gov. Ron DeSantis takes the threat of these organizations very seriously. Recently he issued an Executive Order designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as terrorist organizations. One U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted a preliminary injunction to CAIR, calling DeSantiss action political posturing.

But the Florida legislature backed up DeSantis and passed a bill, HB 1471, to protect Florida and its citizens, which the governor has since signed. This new legislation, forbids financial support for organizations that are terrorism-related:

Advertisement

The legislation  blocks foreign judgments, contracts, or legal provisions that attempt to bypass those protections. [snip] Advertisement Also, public universities and colleges are prohibited from spending state or federal funds to support programs or campus activities that promote a designated terrorist organization. The measure also outlines rules for expelling students at state universities who promote support for such groups. Advertisement

A variety of organizations are pushing back: CAIR and five other religious organizations have protested the law, claiming that the government is punishing dissent. A leader of CAIR summarizes their protest in this way:

Our courts already do not allow any foreign law to supersede the constitution of the land, said Hiba Rahim of CAIR. That protection is already there, my brothers and sisters. And no Muslim from the people to the pulpit, advocates bringing Sharia to America. So why do they focus on that? Because its a distraction. What this actually is, is an anti-free speech law. Its an anti-due process law. Its an anti-first amendment law. Advertisement

Why does Ms. Rahm call the new legislation a distraction? What does that mean? Distraction from what? The accommodations that they constantly demand?

Muslims routinely insist on a long list of accommodations based on the expectations of their religion: setting flexible hours so they can adhere to religious requirements; adjusted breaks for prayer; avoiding the scheduling of lunch meetings during fasting periods; providing educational materials to non-Muslims; scheduling time off for Eid, particularly the last ten days, which are considered to be especially sacred; and some universities were even expected $25,000 footbaths to be installed.

Advertisement

If the law didnt strike a nerve, there wouldnt be any problem with an official prohibition on funding groups that are at best, extremely anti-American and pro-sharia, and at worst, truly terroristic.

Theres a reason that this incursion into the norms and laws is called stealth jihad  there are plenty of Muslims who would love to see sharia instituted here (clips of such advocacy can be found across X), despite CAIRs duplicitous denial.

Image generated by ChatGPT.
The lust for power is not rooted in strength but in weakness. Erich Fromm

Advertisement

The Democrats are certifiable.

So are the media that do their bidding.

Advertisement

From the moment President Trump launched the attack on Iran, theyve been hysterical, wanting him removed from office, calling him a madman. They rooted for Irans victory from the outset, for a disastrous defeat they could blame on Trump.

After only days, they, and their dutiful anti-Trumpers in the media, were calling the war a quagmire and a failure. These are the same folks who supported Obamas war on Libya and lied shamelessly about what happened in Benghazi. They never said a word when Obama droned countless persons, even an American citizen. They even supported Bidens catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan and his abandonment of seven billion dollars of military equipment, including the Bagram Air Base.

Advertisement

They have loved the war in Ukraine despite its money-grubbing relationship with the corrupt Biden family. They never gave up asserting that Biden was not senile to a degree that was obvious to every person on the planet.

It was Biden who should have been removed from office via the 25th Amendment. But Trump is the master troller, and the left falls for his clever, antagonistic antics time after time after time.

Advertisement

So disordered by their monomania, their hatred of our president, they have lost their powers of reason. They forgot Salena Zitos brilliant description of the left way back in 2016: They take him literally but not seriously, whereas his supporters take him seriously but not literally. Schumer, AOC, Chris Murphy, Chris VanHollen, Hakim Jeffries, etc. Every Democrat except Fetterman is hoping this war goes badly for the U.S. just so they can impeach Trump. They are all pathetic traitors, weak and submissive, scared of their own shadows, but full of loathing for DJT.

Their insanity over Trumps threat to end a civilization, which most of us recognized as his typical brand of communication with his opponents and enemies, sent them into a furor of rage. The world was ending, and it was Trumps fault despite his having the smartest cabinet in presidential history and the finest military in decades.

Advertisement

Then, when a ceasefire was announced, they were even angrier. They called him chicken and a host of other insulting words like TACO (Trump always chickens out). How can they not be aware of their own deep hypocrisy? Their complete insanity?

The answer is actually obvious. They were so looking forward to the destruction of Irans infrastructure as their talking point for the foreseeable future, a justifiable reason to perhaps see Trump removed from office, they were twice as mad when he did not bomb their electrical grid and desalination plants. How dare he deprive them of the right to call him a war criminal!

Advertisement

Bottom line? They, the Democrats and their mainstream media, do not care one iota about the Persian people. They are a craven lot. They care about themselves, their minutes on air, and their opportunities to indict Trump for any crime they can hang on him. They vie for any chance to be seen, blaming the President for any perceived crime. They are knee-jerk morons. These anti-American, treasonous, wretches have proven, once and for all, that the American left and its media are nothing but a power-mad cult of lackies. Their narcissism knows no bounds.

The war is not over yet. A deal must be agreed upon and be successful, but the world is safer with the ayatollahs and their fellow Twelvers, who have caused death and destruction across the world, are in the ground.

There are surely more of them, but they will not prevail as the terrorists that have rattled the world for forty-seven years; they have been broken. These are evil men who just a few months ago slaughtered between 40,000 and 60,000 of their own people who were protesting the regime. Like the Democrats and left media, they dont care one iota about the people of Iran who have endured this criminally brutal regime for 47 years.

If whomever the fractured leadership of Iran the U.S. is negotiating with violates or refuses to abide by whatever deal is made, if a deal is made, they may yet suffer more damage in the long-overdue effort to free the people of Iran. We will have to wait and see, but at this moment in time, weve all learned just how shallow, how deceitful the Democrat party and their media bigwigs are. They are all just tokens on a political board game who want to win without regard for who has the moral authority. They have no morals. They mistake their spineless quest for permanent power for honorable intentions, even though they will lie, cheat, and steal to achieve that power.

A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gates freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the allies, heard in the very halls of government itself. --Cicero

Image by rawpixel.com // CC0 1.0 public domain
Are you disappointed? Well, I am. I had never seen the end of a civilization before. I wasnt around when the Mayans disappeared, so I was excited for my first one, my first Power Plant Day. It didnt happen, and President Trump fooled his TDS-obsessed critics again. Check this out from Francis P. Sempa:

Advertisement

President Donald Trump has once again confounded his many critics by agreeing to a two-week ceasefire in the war against Iran, after threatening to bomb Iran back to the Stone Age and end a civilization. On the right, former Trump supporter and former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said that Trump had gone insane. Andrew Day in The American Conservative suggested that Trump might use nuclear weapons against Iran. Bruce Fein characterized Trumps attacks on Iran as unconstitutional and criminal. Steven Simon in Responsible Statecraft accused Trump of threatening genocide in Iran. Advertisement On the left, Sen. Chuck Schumer said Trump resembled an unhinged madman. Sen. Bernie Sanders called Trump dangerous and mentally unbalanced. Representative Ro Khanna accused Trump of threatening war crimes. Charlie Savage in the New York Times called Trumps threats self-incriminating statements for a future war crimes trial. Some critics have suggested invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. Trumps threat was to bomb Irans infrastructure  bridges, desalination plants, power plants. These are the kinds of targets that were routinely bombed during World War II, yet Trumps critics claim that deliberately striking them would be a war crime. All of those targets affect Irans ability to make war. Judged by this standard, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman were war criminals  after all, they oversaw and countenanced the deliberate bombing of civilians in Germany and Japan. Advertisement

Poor FDR and Truman. I didnt know they were war criminals for fire-bombing Tokyo.

What we saw is Trump reaching a good objective. I dont believe that he wanted war or the destruction of a civilization. What he wanted was to eliminate Iran as a military threat, and let the locals implement their own regime change.

Advertisement

So a civilization did not end last night. But this Iran is not the same country that it was 30 days ago, because of our military action. It would be impossible for this Iran to carry out or finance all of those terrorist acts that theyve specialized in. In a way, the civilization that gave us terror did end, and thats good.

Of course, things could change over the next two weeks. I am betting that things will go well.

Advertisement

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Advertisement

Image: Free image, Pixabay license.
Allowing Chinese-produced autonomous vehicles to operate in the U.S. amid rising geopolitical tensions poses serious national security risks, including espionage, sensitive data collection, and infrastructural mapping, to name a few. Since the early 2020s, at least seven Chinese AV companies, including Pony.AI and Apollo, have held licenses to operate in the U.S., and have already logged over two million miles.

Advertisement

Chinese AV brands entering the global market isnt the issue -- its the surveillance risks these AVs present on American roads through hardware partnerships and licensing. Waymo exemplifies this risk with its use of Zeekr vehicles, a subsidiary of Chinese manufacturer Geely. The company was criticized for this arrangement, especially after China flew a spy balloon over the U.S. in 2023. Lawmakers also proposed legislation to ban the use of Chinese-made LiDAR sensors in autonomous vehicles (used for 3D mapping), with a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles to discourage their import. Despite these efforts, Chinese AVs remain on American streets.

Sensors on autonomous vehicles include laser mappers, cameras, and GPS collecting real-time data likely registered in foreign databases. This means these vehicles have access to more than mere information on their passengers, but also gain intel on surrounding pedestrians and cyclists, without consent. In some cases, AVs also collect surrounding audio, which raises more security concerns when combined with our 5G transmitting infrastructure. This directly affects American citizen privacy rights, which may broaden into identity theft, data leaks, and third-party involvement.

Advertisement

With the above capabilities, an autonomous vehicle can essentially function as a mobile surveillance base. Similar to the spy balloon, the ability to monitor sensitive U.S. sites, roads, and civilian activity automatically makes Chinese AVs a national security threat. We must not forget that Chinese firms that already have licensing for the vehicles that have canvassed American roads -- WeRide, AutoX, and others -- are also subject to Chinese state influence, which could lead to more serious risks like intelligence exploitation.

Mapping roads, traffic systems, and urban layouts additionally provides China with data that could expose vulnerabilities in American infrastructure that could be used for the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) own benefit, or worse, sold to foreign adversaries. Though it may seem harmless, this data has high strategic value in any global conflict scenario, including todays escalations between China and the U.S.

Advertisement

AV systems are also known to be vulnerable to cyberhacking, exposing software and data networks to possible malicious actors. This holds potential for remote disruption or control of vehicles, creating critical risks to human life and public safety. These threats also undermine public trust in emerging AV tech, potentially slowing their adoption and broader integration.

Possible company ties to the CCP, as seen in Waymos link to Zeekr, have focused attention on Geelys founder and chairman, Li Shufu, a prominent Chinese politician and member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC. Senator Rick Scott requested an investigation into the allegations of the companys rebranding with misleading information used to downplay its CCP associations and the partys level of control on the subsidiary.

Advertisement

This lack of corporate transparency and reporting of political ties vindicates increasing concerns over U.S. national security and sheds light on the lack of a cohesive framework for foreign AV employment. Though over 30 states across the U.S. have their own frameworks implemented, the absence of a national agreement on how to proceed with foreign AVs only fortifies the above risks of their deployment. State-level rules, though important, are still inefficient for dealing with national security threats. This regulatory gap leaves room for infrastructural infiltration among other hazards.

American lawmakers should transmute these concerns into domestic economic opportunity. One way to do this is by incentivizing American manufacturers to develop their own AVs, looping in allied supply chains for any missing components. This would almost immediately reduce our reliance on foreign adversarial companies. In the short term, as foreign AVs are already on U.S. soil, the government should consider expanding national reviews and mandating data localization and more strict transparency requirements.

Advertisement

AVs are not just vehicles, theyre data-gathering mobile surveillance systems that are currently mapping and recording our infrastructure. Without safeguards, deploying Chinese AVs on American soil risks national security and privacy vulnerabilities.

UPDATE: WeRide has written to ask that we update this article to add their side, and of course, we are happy to do so. I'm not sure their statement addresses concerns about the fact that China produces the self-driving cars they use, and I'm not sure readers here trust California's DMV any more than they trust China, but maybe that's just me.

Advertisement

Your story should fully note that the California DMV approves and regulates the testing of self-driving cars on state roads AND that the California DMV receives the privacy disclosures of all companies applying to participate in the program. WeRides U.S. car data is stored and processed locally, and the data is not transferred across borders.



The story should also note that WeRide is the first and only technology company whose products have received autonomous driving permits in eight markets: China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the US. These markets conduct rigorous national security vetting before granting AV operating licenses. This isn't a courtesy  it's scrutiny. The permits exist because regulators were satisfied. We fully expect the erroneous story elements referenced above will be fully corrected.



Thank you for your assistance.



The WeRide PR Team

Lora Karch is a Senior Contributor and Middle East History and Peace Fellow with Young Voices focused on national security and political issues in the Middle East and Europe. She is based in Washington, D.C. and is passionate about individual liberties, fostering peace, and preserving legacies of ancient civilizations. Her work has appeared in The National Interest, Reason, The Libertarian Institute, Free the People, RealClearWorld, the Times of Israel, and more. You can follow her on X for more of her work: @LoraKarch
Over Easter weekend, the United States military did something that separates America from most other nations: It went back for one of its own, prioritizing human life over hardware.

Advertisement

After an F-15E was shot down by Iranian fire deep in enemy territory while conducting a deep strike mission, the pilot and the weapons system officer ejected and separately made contact with U.S. forces via encrypted radios and rescue beacons. One of the airmen, the front-seater, Dude-44A, was recovered on Good Friday, but the second, Dude-44B, the back-seater and weapons systems officer, remained injured, isolated, and hunted from every angle in enemy territory far from Dude-44A.

On Monday, General Dan Razin Caine described the high-risk rescue mission by the U.S. Air Force Combat Search and Rescue Task Force, which included A-10 Warthogs in the Sandy role  a mission to get to the survivor, bring the rescue force forward, and put themselves between the downed American and the enemy. The rescue package, according to Caine, included HC-130 Combat King IIs, HH-60 Jolly Green II helicopters, Air Force Special Warfare airmen, combat rescue officers, and pararescuemen who penetrated enemy territory in broad daylight while the CIA ran a deception effort to buy time and throw Iranian forces off his trail. This, said Caine, fulfilled the promise that no American warfighter would be left behind.

Advertisement

Caine described other harrowing details of the rescue, including a relentless effort to violently suppress and engage the enemy in close-in gunfight to keep them away from the front-seater and allow the pickup force to get into the objective area. At one point, one of the Sandy aircraft, an A-10 Thunderbolt II, the one responsible for communicating with the downed pilot, was hit by enemy fire. That pilot, according to Caine, continued to fight, continued the mission, and then upon exit flew his aircraft into friendly territory and ejected after determining that it was no longer landable. He was safely recovered and, Caine said, is doing well.

On Saturday, April 4, U.S. forces established positive communications with the injured back-seater who was actively evading enemy forces. At the recommendation of the CENTCOM commander and with the approval of the secretary and the president, the United States unleashed a much larger rescue package while also dealing with marginal weather in Iran. According to President Trump, to obfuscate the location of the second airman, the second rescue mission involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft, and more. Much of that force was used to confuse and misdirect Iranian search efforts while rescuers moved on the actual location.

Advertisement

Caine stated that U.S. forces maintained multiple simultaneous contingencies and fought with professionalism, grit, and determination into the darkness on Saturday and into Easter Sunday, when they finally succeeded in rescuing the second airman as the sun rose on Easter morning.

U.S. forces were protected overhead by an air armada of tactical drones, strike aircraft, and other assets, said Caine. He added that the force fought through multiple simultaneous contingencies and that, by midnight Eastern on Easter Sunday, more than 50 hours after the operation began, the Joint Personnel Recovery Center declared both the front-seater and back-seater returned to friendly territory.

Advertisement

Caine went on to describe the courage of all involved. He said the courage demonstrated by both the pilot and the weapons systems officer while isolated and evading the enemy could not be overstated. Their grit and warfighting tenacity, he said, reflected their trust in rescue forces, their training, and their will to survive. In his telling, the two operations reflected the nations most sacred obligation to its service members: the fact that we leave no one behind. He also invoked a foundational special operations principle: People are more important than hardware.

One of the most striking things about this extraordinary display of courage and grit is that, for the men who carried it out, it was both expected and simply part of the job. Arguably, it is what makes it so remarkable. Listening to Gen. Caine describe the operation, it is almost impossible for a civilian to fully grasp the level of training, discipline, and sheer resolve required to execute a mission like that.

Advertisement

That brings me to the most infuriating part of this episode.

While that second American was still alone in enemy territory, still in danger, details about his situation somehow found their way into public reporting. President Trump said during Mondays press conference that no one knew there was a second airman until the press leaked it. These were two extraordinary rescues, and we didnt talk about the first one for an hour and then someone leaked something. ... [The Iranians] didnt know there was someone else missing until this leaker made it public, Trump said.

Advertisement

I am convinced that one of the deepest problems in this country is that too many Americans are detached from what service and sacrifice really mean. We are a spoiled people, living with extraordinary liberty, abundance, and security, blessed with a geography that insulates us from oppressive regimes like the one in Iran. Whatever one thinks of this conflict, the reality is that most Americans do not even know someone in uniform, let alone have a close family member who serves.

The media appear to suffer from an even more serious moral failure. It reflects a profound cultural sickness when members of our press cannot even bring themselves to imagine the mortal danger those men faced or the anguish of families waiting and praying for their safe return. To leak operationally sensitive information during a live rescue mission is so wildly removed from the realities our soldiers face that it is hard to comprehend. It reflects a culture that prizes attention, speed, and self-importance over the kind of judgment and restraint whose absence could well have increased the danger to our forces. When an American is injured, isolated, and fighting to survive in enemy territory, publishing information that could increase the danger is not bold reporting. It is reckless, vain, and unforgivable.

One could argue that such reckless leaks, published while the second aviator was still on the ground, came perilously close to aiding and abetting the enemy. In another era in our nations history, such actions by any American, press or not, would likely have been construed as treasonous.

The story of this Easter weekend should have been simple. It should have stirred the best in us. It should have made us stop and reflect. It should have inspired awe. Whether the cause of this leak was hubris, blind hatred of Trump, or the dehumanizing detachment of a virtual culture, it points to something deeply broken and worthy of serious reflection.

Whatever one thinks of the war itself, this was a story of courage, sacrifice, and Americas patriotic determination to bring its own home, a mission most other countries would not even dare attempt, let alone complete. This successful mission is the perfect example of what sets us apart from any other nation on the planet. We never leave our own behind.

Image via Pixnio.
A grumpy veto president is exactly what Trump haters should most fear.

Advertisement

The 1949 NATO treaty was ratified by the Senate. The agreement is that an attack on one member is an attack on all of them. NATO members are required to participate in mutual defense efforts.

Since U.S. NATO membership arises from a Senate ratified treaty, the Senate would have to approve withdrawal from NATO; however, there are enough Senate Democrats and RINO Republicans to block NATO exit.

Advertisement

Our Constitution defines the powers and limits of our three branches of government. As long as a branch acts within its sphere of authority, the other branches cannot cancel what they do. Disputes are settled by the Supreme Court. Yup, its a bag of worms, but it has worked for nearly 250 years.

Trump is Americas military commander-in-chief. He swore to protect America from all enemies, domestic and foreign.

Advertisement

What Trump can do is command our military to leave NATO, and close our military bases. Filing cases in federal courts to block Trump is a long process, and should end up getting tossed by the Supreme Court.

Congress has two counter options  defund Americas military, and/or, impeach Trump. I doubt defunding Americas military will be more than a threat, as too many legislators depend on military spending in their constituencies, and just as many are personally benefitting from MIC stock portfolios. Defunding some executive agency activities might gain traction, again a long process. Each defunding bill would need 2/3 votes to override a Trump veto.

Advertisement

An impeachment process can take lots of time, and may have to wait until a new Congress is in office. If successful, JD Vance becomes president, which may gain Trump haters nothing. Also, RINOs beating on Trump likely tanks their own re-election hopes.

If Trump were impeached, Id love to see Vance swear in Trump as his VP, resign to make Trump president again, and Trump make him VP again. Im sure there are lots of legal loose ends in this, but when youre going bold, go all the way.

Advertisement

When the kerfuffle ends in a year or more, Trumps military withdrawal from NATO will likely have lasting effects.

First, NATO nations will have been scrambling to increase their defense spending and expand their weapons industries.

Advertisement

Second, NATO may balk at U.S. military reoccupying abandoned facilities, meaning Trumps withdrawal may effectively get the U.S. out of NATO anyway.

Third, Trump would have accomplished his goal of making Europe defend itself, a gift Europe needs, but will hate, as they like having America provide the military and cash for their defense. Trump could create a new alliance with Eastern European nations most threatened by Russia.

Trump would love for the Republicans to keep control of the Senate and House, or at least one of them, in the 2026 midterm election. If that is unattainable, he can still inflict a humiliating defeat on Irans mullahs, and, force NATO to finally bear the burden of its own defense.

The icing on Trumps cake is that he can brutally wield his veto power, forcing Congress to get 2/3 votes to override his vetoes. That means lots of his vetoes would stand.

And, Trump will still have the satisfaction of being the most effective president in over a century. His legacy will be igniting the MAGA movement, stopping Irans terrorism, keeping nukes out of the mullahs hands, and, making NATO share the burden of defending Western Civilization.

Thats actual great leadership, as opposed to the usual squishy dishrag efforts of American politicians.

NATO is a deadweight of socialistic freeloading leaders too foolish to recognize the real enemies; especially the cultural threat of Muslim migrants who are pushing Europe toward sharia law.

Trump is right to dump NATO into the turmoil of self-reliance which, hopefully, will spark a conservative cultural renaissance. Gotta love the way Trump can create success with his confusing, aggressive style.

Image generated by ChatGPT.
Amid President Trump's successful border-surge shutdown, there's always someone looking to bring up amnesty for illegal immigrants, claiming humane motives, but in fact perpetuating the Democrat political project of replacing the electorate with Chavista-style foreigners who will always vote Democrat.

Advertisement

H.R. 3293, introduced last year, is known as the Dignity Act, or the Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2025 (DIGNIDAD Act, to use the Spanish word for 'dignity,') is going around again, purporting to iron out some of the bugs in U.S. immigration policy, and is intended to create a kinder, gentler illegal immigration system, while supposedly toughening border security.

Sponsored by Miami's Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Cuban-American Republican, and Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Texas border-region Democrat, it supposedly has growing bipartisan support, with about 35 lawmakers onboard from both parties signing on, which is yes, higher than its original 20. And it's certainly getting a lot of press now.

Advertisement

It claims to be tough on illegal immigration and 'not amnesty.'

Salazar tweets:

Advertisement

THE DIGNITY ACT ENDS 40 YEARS OF AMNESTY.



NO citizenship.

NO federal benefits.



Criminals are deported. ZERO tolerance.



You broke the law, you admit it. You pay for it.



No other proposal is this tough. Thats exactly why its FAIR.



Call this amnesty, and youre not just  Maria Elvira Salazar  (@MaElviraSalazar) April 8, 2026

READ. THE. BILL. BEFORE. YOU. OPEN. YOUR. MOUTH.



Calling the DIGNITY Act amnesty isnt just wrong. Its a deliberate distortion and it exposes just how little you know about the bill.



This is enforcement first: zero tolerance for criminals, permanent border security, and https://t.co/mWYBWEbup0  Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (@RepMariaSalazar) April 7, 2026

1/ Brandon, lets get something straight: I want DIGNITY for Americans and I put Americans first.



Here are the facts: https://t.co/LuYMeHjdkk  Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (@RepMariaSalazar) April 8, 2026

She's been making the video rounds, too:

Rep. Salazar tried to explain how the Dignity Act isnt mass amnesty and is beneficial to the American people.



It went as poorly as you would expect. Send this legislation to the trash where it belongs. pic.twitter.com/XIpvt1UsCp  Wall Street Mav (@WallStreetMav) April 8, 2026

Some did read the law and spotted the underlying agenda early:

Advertisement

Republican Maria Elvira Salazar just told you the entire game on her "soft amnesty" push:



"At some point in the future, another legislator will write another law to give them a path to citizenship. Right now what we need to do is buy peace for these people, allow them to stay." pic.twitter.com/FdRIFZ0Huc  Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 21, 2025

But like it or not, it is about amnesty. The bill can be read here. A look through its 261 pages shows that the tough border security it supposedly promotes -- is all things President Trump has already accomplished as he has already secured the border. More fence, e-Verify, fines for amnestied illegals, and the like.

We already have those things, so what are Republicans gaining here? There's nothing in the bill about illegals voting (which ought to be required vetting and instantly deportable as every illegal ballot cast is a disenfranchisement of an American citizen) or taxing remittances, which has created a lot of incentive for tyrants to ship their troublemakers, good and bad, here.

Advertisement

What, again, do Republicans gain from this?

We know the Democrats are gaining.

Advertisement

The bill offers quite a goody bag to the things Democrats have been after which is not just relief from deportation for those who have been in the U.S. for a few years already and have not committed more than two misdemeanors (in one section it says not more than three) or one felony against Americans, with pot offenses and 'nonviolent protest' exempted, meaning, the tire burners and foreign flag wavers, and loud, raging activists who have disrupted Congress (compare and contrast to Jan. 6) or chased Sen. Kyrsten Sinema into the bathroom screaming after her, get to stay with no demerits for their insulting, offensive, disruptions described in their arrests and convictions.

DACA kids, who include some of the loudest offenders on this front, get a full free pass, all 21 million of them, and DACA recipients can qualify up to the age of 18, which is higher than the previous cutoff of age 14.

The three-to-10-year ban on legal admission for those who have already been caught entering illegally and removed is ended. No more deterrent there.

Illegals will get free federal legal to fight the federal law, and better still, the leftist lawyers who aid them will get full student loan forgiveness in their goody packet, incentivizing more legal gaming of the system amid endless appeals.

The list of appeals allowed is long -- appeal after appeal if they don't like the outcome of their cases, and the Attorney General will be free to stay deportations, as many deportations as he likes, for 'family hardship' which we already know means that all you need to do is elect another Democrat to make that happen for all of them.

The 'fine' that illegals will pay to get to stay is ... $1,000 ... which stands in stark contrast to the $20,000 legal immigrants are required to pay for admission farther down in the bill. The bill says illegals will have to be current on their taxes -- and let's see how anyone can enforce that.

And about that $1,000 -- the funding supposedly goes into a money pot to help American workers. One of about two or three dozen already out there, none of which have been useful. Combine it with requirements that the feds deal with NGOs and basically it's the hog wallow again for illegals andagencies like Catholic Charities and other NGOs promoting illegal immigration, the money rolling in and out and the six figure salaries expanding. Rest assured, most of that money will be spent on BMWs, Hawaiian holidays and other luxuries for fraudsters.

Supposedly, illegals will be denied federal benefits, but that's already the law, so once again, another pig in the poke for the Republicans. The problem there is in states which hand out the lavish benefits using fungible federal funding. Nothing there is addressed at all.

Same with asylum abuse, those who fly back to the places they supposedly fled in terror of their lives for vacation losing asylum claims, but that's the already the law, too, this just softens it to a five-year waiting period to take those happy Cuban and Haitian holidays.

CATO guy David Bier, who is libertarian, argues that alarm is overblown:

watch the shock. This ends mass deportations! Oh the horror! She acts like having to be in a country with the exact same people she was before.. would be the end of her world. The only change is that theyd be legal and paying more taxes, and ICE would focus on criminals! https://t.co/yqUta8LQUi  David J. Bier (@David_J_Bier) April 8, 2026

But it isn''t overblown. It is amnesty. And while I don't hate Salazar or Bier who are often right on many other things, they are wrong on this.

The GOP already has what it wants from President Trump who has secured the border and Democrats are already singing his tune on tough border security, having taken a shellacking in the last election for condoning Joe Biden's open borders. So they haven't given a thing in exchange for their goodie package to Democrats, incentivizing more illegal immigration with mass amnesties and a plethora of crony pork barrel shoveling for Democrat-only agencies such as NGOs. As Milton Friedman has said, you can have open borders, or you can have a welfare state, but you can't have both. This is nothing but another bill for Democrats to 'have both.'

Image: Screenshot from X video
In the early 1960s, a Soviet mathematician and cyberneticist named Viktor Glushkov floated a remarkable idea. He proposed that the Soviet Union build a nationwide computer network that would manage and automate the entire economy in real time. Known as OGAS, obshche-gosudarstvennaya avtomatizirovannaya sistema (National Automated System for Computation and Information Processing), it was one of the most ambitious cybernetic projects ever conceived, several years ahead of competing networks like the ARPANET and what would later become the internet.



The proposed logo of OGAS.

The proposal to create a computer network for economic management was first made by the Soviet engineer and Colonel Anatolii Kitov. He believed that computers could solve one of the Soviet systems most persistent problems, which was the inefficiency of central planning. The Soviet economy relied on vast quantities of data, ranging from production figures, resource allocations, and labour statistics, but this information moved slowly through layers of bureaucracy.

Kitov proposed first to install computers at several large factories and government agencies, then to link them together to form large complexes, or networks, and ultimately to create a unified automated management system for the national economy.

Kitov suggested that these measures would lead to a significant reduction in administrative and management staff and even to the elimination of certain government agencies. He realized that potential personnel cuts would cause friction, and suggested that a new powerful agency be created to implement the automation and reorganization of work in all government institutions. The computerization of economic management, he argued, would make it possible to use to the full extent the main economic advantages of the socialist system, which was planned economy and centralized control. The creation of an automated management system would mean a revolutionary leap in the development of the country and would ensure a complete victory of socialism over capitalism.



Glushkov (seated first on the right) at the Computing Center of the Armenian Academy of Sciences. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Soviet leadership took Kitovs proposal seriously, but the organization reforms it demanded made them step back. In the end, some specialized computers for economic analysis, statistics, and planning were built but the nationwide computer network and an automated management system for the entire economy never came to fruition.

In 1962, Viktor Glushkov, who was familiar with Kitovs ideas, presented a new proposal to build an automated system for economic planning and management on the basis of a nationwide computer network. Glushkov proposed a hierarchical network of computer centers spread across the Soviet Union, connected through communication lines. At the top would be a central hub in Moscow, linked to regional centers, which in turn would connect to thousands of local terminals in factories and enterprises. These nodes would continuously collect and transmit economic data, allowing planners to monitor production, adjust targets, and allocate resources dynamically.

In essence, OGAS was an attempt to create a real-time, computer-driven command economy. It drew on the principles of cybernetics, a field that examines how systems regulate themselves through feedback. Though cybernetics had initially been dismissed in the Soviet Union as a bourgeois pseudoscience, it was rehabilitated in the late 1950s and quickly embraced by reform-minded scientists and economists.



Schematic of the technological foundation of the OGAS project from the declassified CIA report Summary of Soviet Digital Switching, June 1986. Credit: DataArt

The proposed network was extraordinarily sophisticated for its time. Glushkov envisioned not only data processing but also electronic payments, digital record-keeping, and even a form of paperless money, concepts that would not become widespread until decades later. In many ways, OGAS anticipated elements of modern digital infrastructure, from distributed computing to online financial systems.

Despite its promise, OGAS was never fully realized. The reasons for its failure lay less in technology than in politics and institutional resistance. Various government ministries saw the project as a threat to their authority. A centralized data network would reduce their control over information and even make certain institutions redundant. The Soviet bureaucracy resisted any reform that threatened to upset the established balance of power.

There were also practical challenges. Building such a network required enormous investment in computing hardware, telecommunications infrastructure, and trained personnel, resources that were scarce in the Soviet Union at the time.

Some critics claimed that Glushkovs project would divert resources urgently needed for economic reform. One economist wrote that the construction of the pyramids of Egypt was one of the reasons why that fertile ancient country turned into a desert. If one vigorously implements a meaningless economic decision, this ruins the economy. According to the blueprint of a unified state network of computer centers, these centers would spread over this country like those pyramids, designed by talented mathematicians and able engineers with the participation of unqualified economists.



Victor Glushkov

The biggest problem with Glushkovs plan was that it would work only if introduced in full. Without a radical management reform on the top, local optimization lost its meaning. One factory manager offered a frank explanation: I cannot reallocate portions of the salary fund; it comes with a state order. This fund is greater for the production of narrow pipes. If you reassign the orders, this would upset the stability of this fund. To accept your proposal, the entire management system would have to be reformed.

By the late 1960s and early 1970s, OGAS had been scaled back significantly. While some regional and sectoral computer systems were implemented, the grand vision of a unified national network faded. Glushkov continued to advocate for the project until his death in 1982, but the political will to carry it through never materialized.

Gluskovs frustration was palpable in this essay he wrote in the magazine Technology to the Youth! shortly before his death:

Scarce goods and expensive commodities such as cars, furniture, country houses, etc., could be sold only through special marketplaces and paid solely with a bank transaction. And now try to imagine how swindlers and all kinds of thieving people will feel about it, all those looking for holes in the system to profit themselves through others' efforts. What would they pursue their gray entrepreneurship for? A couple of radishes or an ice cream cone? I cannot presume they would be satisfied with that. Moreover, citizens of such a city may decide that fancy dining out or liquor should also be paid through the banking system. It should disrupt the existence of those who are offering services for alcohol as a gift (in the USSR, strong liquor sometimes served as currency). Perhaps, not instantly, but someday, citizens will have a whole set of needed services. There would be a system with cinema, theatre, concert announcements, train and airline timetables. All the tickets would be booked at the same service platform, and of course, they could also be paid at the same place via wire transfer, and such a booking would have a higher priority than cash. Citizens of this town of tomorrow will not need to waste their time on all these minor issues that consume nearly all of our spare time, and there will not be pointless stress.

References:

# Slava Gerovitch. InterNyet: why the Soviet Union did not build a nationwide computer network

# Benjamin Peters. Why the Soviet Internet Failed

# OGAS: The Red Bit System. DataArt